Bromptonymous 🇨🇦
@bromptonymous.ca
Cities & Urbanism. Sometimes geochemistry. Often my hound. Climate dad. Always on a bike. “Civilization exists by geologic consent, subject to change without notice.” Born: 344 ppm, PhD 397 ppm, Today: 430 ppm. Victoria, BC.
Pinned
Bromptonymous 🇨🇦
@bromptonymous.ca
· Oct 19
Some days I feel like we’re building an economy for cars and chatbots instead of a society for human beings. 🌲
Reposted by Bromptonymous 🇨🇦
One of my most obnoxious beliefs is that the skill of making rigorous arguments in writing is a technical one and isn’t something most academic training programs in most fields actually train their students in.
a man and a woman are standing next to each other with their arms crossed and the man is yawning .
Alt: Jim Carrey hollering at a woman in an elevator and just being super annoying
media.tenor.com
November 26, 2025 at 6:15 AM
One of my most obnoxious beliefs is that the skill of making rigorous arguments in writing is a technical one and isn’t something most academic training programs in most fields actually train their students in.
Reposted by Bromptonymous 🇨🇦
“Cycling journeys in the capital have increased by 43% over the past six years to 1.5 million a day, according to a new report.”
Cycling journeys up by 43% in London, TfL report suggests
Cycling journeys have increased to more than 1.5 million daily this year, according to a new report.
www.bbc.com
November 26, 2025 at 6:00 AM
“Cycling journeys in the capital have increased by 43% over the past six years to 1.5 million a day, according to a new report.”
Reposted by Bromptonymous 🇨🇦
Gonna check in on Canada, where politics is more normal... I see there is a convoy headed to Ottawa to avenge a flock of dead ostriches
November 22, 2025 at 12:01 AM
Gonna check in on Canada, where politics is more normal... I see there is a convoy headed to Ottawa to avenge a flock of dead ostriches
"Vancouver cuts critical services to placate vocal mansion owner(s)"
Vancouver's 2026 draft budget has PASSED.
Approved on a 7-4 vote on party lines, with ABC in favour and councillors Fry/Bligh/Orr/Maloney opposed.
Property tax freeze, $50 million more for VPD, and cuts to Arts, Culture, Planning and Sustainability departments, among others.
Full story to come.
Approved on a 7-4 vote on party lines, with ABC in favour and councillors Fry/Bligh/Orr/Maloney opposed.
Property tax freeze, $50 million more for VPD, and cuts to Arts, Culture, Planning and Sustainability departments, among others.
Full story to come.
November 26, 2025 at 3:17 AM
"Vancouver cuts critical services to placate vocal mansion owner(s)"
Reposted by Bromptonymous 🇨🇦
Google at its peak was basically the best information retrieval system in human history and they and every competitor decided going from there to “you didn’t want answers you wanted half-assed auto-complete 80%-wrong hallucinations” in a few years was the right idea
November 25, 2025 at 1:57 AM
Google at its peak was basically the best information retrieval system in human history and they and every competitor decided going from there to “you didn’t want answers you wanted half-assed auto-complete 80%-wrong hallucinations” in a few years was the right idea
Reposted by Bromptonymous 🇨🇦
What do premiers Doug Ford (Ontario) and David Eby (BC) have in common? 'Bikelash' - political attacks on walking, rolling and cycling! (I understand Ford's motivations, but Eby's are a mystery.)
Support @velocanadabikes.bsky.social! Click here to donate: mailchi.mp/velocanadabi... #bcpoli
Support @velocanadabikes.bsky.social! Click here to donate: mailchi.mp/velocanadabi... #bcpoli
November 25, 2025 at 11:30 PM
What do premiers Doug Ford (Ontario) and David Eby (BC) have in common? 'Bikelash' - political attacks on walking, rolling and cycling! (I understand Ford's motivations, but Eby's are a mystery.)
Support @velocanadabikes.bsky.social! Click here to donate: mailchi.mp/velocanadabi... #bcpoli
Support @velocanadabikes.bsky.social! Click here to donate: mailchi.mp/velocanadabi... #bcpoli
Reposted by Bromptonymous 🇨🇦
Lessons learned:
- if you need panel upgrades, do these first with your solar (and make sure your roof is new), as solar + battery usually need more panel capacity
- you don't need high voltage EV charging, 110V is fine for most daily use
- batteries are *required* to use your solar during blackout
- if you need panel upgrades, do these first with your solar (and make sure your roof is new), as solar + battery usually need more panel capacity
- you don't need high voltage EV charging, 110V is fine for most daily use
- batteries are *required* to use your solar during blackout
November 8, 2025 at 9:42 PM
Lessons learned:
- if you need panel upgrades, do these first with your solar (and make sure your roof is new), as solar + battery usually need more panel capacity
- you don't need high voltage EV charging, 110V is fine for most daily use
- batteries are *required* to use your solar during blackout
- if you need panel upgrades, do these first with your solar (and make sure your roof is new), as solar + battery usually need more panel capacity
- you don't need high voltage EV charging, 110V is fine for most daily use
- batteries are *required* to use your solar during blackout
Reposted by Bromptonymous 🇨🇦
Here's what we did: bought house w/garden suite in walkable 'hood, then added:
- 65G heat pump hybrid water heater (serves 4 adults/2 kids perfectly) *easy
- induction cooktop *easy
- electric fireplace x 2 *easy
- ~20kW solar *annoying
- 10 kWh battery *++annoying
- sold gas car, EV (VW Buzz) *easy
- 65G heat pump hybrid water heater (serves 4 adults/2 kids perfectly) *easy
- induction cooktop *easy
- electric fireplace x 2 *easy
- ~20kW solar *annoying
- 10 kWh battery *++annoying
- sold gas car, EV (VW Buzz) *easy
November 8, 2025 at 9:39 PM
Here's what we did: bought house w/garden suite in walkable 'hood, then added:
- 65G heat pump hybrid water heater (serves 4 adults/2 kids perfectly) *easy
- induction cooktop *easy
- electric fireplace x 2 *easy
- ~20kW solar *annoying
- 10 kWh battery *++annoying
- sold gas car, EV (VW Buzz) *easy
- 65G heat pump hybrid water heater (serves 4 adults/2 kids perfectly) *easy
- induction cooktop *easy
- electric fireplace x 2 *easy
- ~20kW solar *annoying
- 10 kWh battery *++annoying
- sold gas car, EV (VW Buzz) *easy
Reposted by Bromptonymous 🇨🇦
Required Reading this week from @theturner.bsky.social.
-
The energy transition is inevitable, and the faster we turn from petrostate to electrostate the better economy we’ll leave for our kids.
www.theglobeandmail.com/gift/f39d95c...
-
The energy transition is inevitable, and the faster we turn from petrostate to electrostate the better economy we’ll leave for our kids.
www.theglobeandmail.com/gift/f39d95c...
A decade after the Paris Agreement, the clean economy is winning
As the world’s climate negotiators gather in Brazil, they must understand that the energy transition is now inevitable
www.theglobeandmail.com
November 8, 2025 at 4:16 PM
Required Reading this week from @theturner.bsky.social.
-
The energy transition is inevitable, and the faster we turn from petrostate to electrostate the better economy we’ll leave for our kids.
www.theglobeandmail.com/gift/f39d95c...
-
The energy transition is inevitable, and the faster we turn from petrostate to electrostate the better economy we’ll leave for our kids.
www.theglobeandmail.com/gift/f39d95c...
Reposted by Bromptonymous 🇨🇦
Our household (including my in-laws who live in our garden suite) have successfully made the all-electric transition this year, in walkable neighborhood with more than 100% of our energy being produced from rooftop solar. We typically e-bike or walk to most things we need, they walk or take their EV
November 8, 2025 at 4:22 PM
Our household (including my in-laws who live in our garden suite) have successfully made the all-electric transition this year, in walkable neighborhood with more than 100% of our energy being produced from rooftop solar. We typically e-bike or walk to most things we need, they walk or take their EV
Toronto is losing the War on Cars.
November 25, 2025 at 8:07 PM
Toronto is losing the War on Cars.
Reposted by Bromptonymous 🇨🇦
A sad day for cyclists. Bill 60 - which prohibits the conversion of motor vehicle lanes to bike lanes (or any other prescribed purpose) - has passed Third Reading this morning which will kill various cycling projects in Toronto & across Ontario. #shame #BikeTO #BikeSky #TOpoli #ONpoli #VisionZero
November 24, 2025 at 5:39 PM
Reposted by Bromptonymous 🇨🇦
Young people feel like we've lost agency over our lives. We can't *really* pick where to live, or whether to change jobs, or how many kids to have -- the cost of living makes us feel trapped.
Younger candidates can powerfully speak to that emotional truth. talkingpointsmemo.com/cafe/young-c...
Younger candidates can powerfully speak to that emotional truth. talkingpointsmemo.com/cafe/young-c...
Young Candidates Can Speak to the Affordability Crisis Because They’re Living It
This article is part of TPM Cafe, TPM’s home for opinion and...
talkingpointsmemo.com
November 25, 2025 at 2:17 PM
Young people feel like we've lost agency over our lives. We can't *really* pick where to live, or whether to change jobs, or how many kids to have -- the cost of living makes us feel trapped.
Younger candidates can powerfully speak to that emotional truth. talkingpointsmemo.com/cafe/young-c...
Younger candidates can powerfully speak to that emotional truth. talkingpointsmemo.com/cafe/young-c...
I’m hanging onto my iPhone 12 mini because everything that’s been released since then has been 💩. Why would I want a bigger, more expensive, more AI-ified thing?
www.cnbc.com/2025/11/23/h...
www.cnbc.com/2025/11/23/h...
Americans are holding onto devices longer than ever and it's costing the economy
Americans are holding onto devices longer than ever before, and while it may be consumer smart, it comes at a cost to work productivity and the U.S. economy.
www.cnbc.com
November 25, 2025 at 5:14 PM
I’m hanging onto my iPhone 12 mini because everything that’s been released since then has been 💩. Why would I want a bigger, more expensive, more AI-ified thing?
www.cnbc.com/2025/11/23/h...
www.cnbc.com/2025/11/23/h...
The paradox of tolerance says if we want to maintain our multicultural, tolerant society we must not tolerate the intolerant.
“The organized white nationalist movement in Canada is the biggest it's been in modern history. A big part of that is Second Sons Canada, the Dominion Society, Diagolon, the Active Club movement.”
Growing white nationalist group behind broad daylight demonstration in London on Sunday | CBC News
An apparent white nationalist demonstration on a busy overpass near London, Ont.'s downtown on Sunday afternoon is concerning for witnesses and experts who track extremist behaviour.
www.cbc.ca
November 25, 2025 at 5:11 PM
The paradox of tolerance says if we want to maintain our multicultural, tolerant society we must not tolerate the intolerant.
Reposted by Bromptonymous 🇨🇦
“The organized white nationalist movement in Canada is the biggest it's been in modern history. A big part of that is Second Sons Canada, the Dominion Society, Diagolon, the Active Club movement.”
Growing white nationalist group behind broad daylight demonstration in London on Sunday | CBC News
An apparent white nationalist demonstration on a busy overpass near London, Ont.'s downtown on Sunday afternoon is concerning for witnesses and experts who track extremist behaviour.
www.cbc.ca
November 25, 2025 at 3:20 PM
“The organized white nationalist movement in Canada is the biggest it's been in modern history. A big part of that is Second Sons Canada, the Dominion Society, Diagolon, the Active Club movement.”
Reposted by Bromptonymous 🇨🇦
when we say we want more streets to be pedestrianized, this is what we mean
November 25, 2025 at 4:46 PM
when we say we want more streets to be pedestrianized, this is what we mean
Reposted by Bromptonymous 🇨🇦
Best cycling cities ranked: In N America Montreal is #1 followed by Quebec City then Vancouver. I'm not sure why Victoria is not included but it would be competitive. Best in the world goes to Utrecht.
copenhagenizeindex.eu
copenhagenizeindex.eu
Copenhagenize index
copenhagenizeindex.eu
November 25, 2025 at 5:05 AM
Best cycling cities ranked: In N America Montreal is #1 followed by Quebec City then Vancouver. I'm not sure why Victoria is not included but it would be competitive. Best in the world goes to Utrecht.
copenhagenizeindex.eu
copenhagenizeindex.eu
I’m here for “Mayors on Trains”—sky
Caught my train at Westbrook on my way to City Hall for Day 2 of Budget Week. Join us for the public hearing at 9:30am. Big thanks to our @calgarytransit Operators & snow crews out in the cold. Your new Council team is working hard to make mobility safer & affordable. #yyccc
November 25, 2025 at 4:02 PM
I’m here for “Mayors on Trains”—sky
Reposted by Bromptonymous 🇨🇦
Fires are still burning in the Arctic in the winter. The climate catastrophe is here.
Spending political energy to massively increase pipeline production in Canada is not nation-building. It is planet burning.
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Spending political energy to massively increase pipeline production in Canada is not nation-building. It is planet burning.
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Zombie fires: how Arctic wildfires that come back to life are ravaging forests
Blazes that smoulder in the permafrost, only to reignite, are extending fire season though winter, leaving vegetation struggling to recover
www.theguardian.com
November 25, 2025 at 12:27 PM
Fires are still burning in the Arctic in the winter. The climate catastrophe is here.
Spending political energy to massively increase pipeline production in Canada is not nation-building. It is planet burning.
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Spending political energy to massively increase pipeline production in Canada is not nation-building. It is planet burning.
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Rediscovering and revising the Marchetti Constant …
www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...
www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...
November 25, 2025 at 4:48 AM
Rediscovering and revising the Marchetti Constant …
www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...
www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...
Reposted by Bromptonymous 🇨🇦
i’m not crying you’re crying
xkcd: Fifteen Years
xkcd: Fifteen Years
Fifteen Years
xkcd.com
November 25, 2025 at 1:58 AM
i’m not crying you’re crying
xkcd: Fifteen Years
xkcd: Fifteen Years
Reposted by Bromptonymous 🇨🇦
We need a better geographical characterization of Alberta and Saskatchewan because when there is reference to “western Canada” it almost never means Canada’s westernmost province.
As frustration in Western Canada deepens over decisions handed down from Ottawa, one writer says the country’s survival may depend on scattering the federal government far beyond the capital’s bubble. https://macleans.ca/politics/how-to-fix-western-alienation/
How to Fix Western Alienation - Macleans.ca
Ottawa feels out of touch. Spreading the federal government across the country would rebuild trust.
macleans.ca
November 25, 2025 at 1:53 AM
We need a better geographical characterization of Alberta and Saskatchewan because when there is reference to “western Canada” it almost never means Canada’s westernmost province.
Reposted by Bromptonymous 🇨🇦
An entire story from a major paper that fails to explain and provide the context around UL safety certification and that these batteries don’t have it. Sigh.
A federal watchdog urged consumers on Monday to immediately stop using and safely dispose of two models of lithium-ion batteries made for a popular e-bike brand, warning of serious fire risks.
Batteries for Rad Power Bikes Get Federal Fire Risk Warning
A federal watchdog said two models of batteries found in Rad Power Bikes should be immediately, and safely, disposed of. The bike company disputes the safety agency’s findings.
nyti.ms
November 25, 2025 at 4:18 AM
An entire story from a major paper that fails to explain and provide the context around UL safety certification and that these batteries don’t have it. Sigh.
Reposted by Bromptonymous 🇨🇦
And RAD is still misleading. Some bikes they say “Tested by ACT to comply with UL 2271” but ACT is not a recognized testing lab / NRTL in US - www.osha.gov/nationally-r...
OSHA's Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL) Program - Current List of NRTLs | Occupational Safety and Health Administration
www.osha.gov
November 25, 2025 at 1:45 AM
And RAD is still misleading. Some bikes they say “Tested by ACT to comply with UL 2271” but ACT is not a recognized testing lab / NRTL in US - www.osha.gov/nationally-r...