David Webster
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dwebster.bsky.social
David Webster
@dwebster.bsky.social

Historian: Canada, Quebec, Asia, Timor-Leste, human rights, development. Latest book Challenge the Strong Wind https://www.ubcpress.ca/challenge-the-strong-wind . On unceded Abenaki land, maintenant connu sous le nom Estrie/Eastern Townships. .. more

Political science 38%
Sociology 22%

Love the joy on the face of the Dean of Philosophy and Human Sciences as she talks about plans for a new History department at the National University, Timor-Leste. At a History departments gathering organized by UNESCO, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Red Ensign as hate symbol. Lovely.
This might be the single funniest thing that has happened during this incredibly cursed year

Do you think he believes it, or uses it as a convenient presence to avoid any real action?

First they came for the
Quiet Piggy

It keeps on giving

Facebook wants me to rate the product "Mark Carney." I am not satisfied with this product. It did not deliver the good or service that was promised.

Oh good, important to have less professional ethical oversight, no way that could go wrong

Western values = brutal murder, sounds right

Reposted by David Webster

Terrific piece! “LLMs predominantly reflect western cultural values and epistemologies. They overrepresent certain dominant groups in their outputs, reinforce+amplify the biases held by these groups+are more factually accurate on topics associated w/NA+Europe.”
www.theguardian.com/news/2025/no...
What AI doesn’t know: we could be creating a global ‘knowledge collapse’ | Deepak Varuvel Dennison
The long read: As GenAI becomes the primary way to find information, local and traditional wisdom is being lost. And we are only beginning to realise what we’re missing
www.theguardian.com

Franciscan, as in named for St Francis, defender of the poor? ffs

His ability to fail and be forgiven must have a complex math formula behind it

I had a breakfast interview at one campus visit in Canada. It was awful. Also I had to pay for the breakfast.

Many congrats, Sean!

Reposted by David Webster

The Access to Information Act is a complete shambles and suffocating Canadian history, exhibit 3007.

It is wild – and tragic – that a briefing on the general contours of Canada's foreign policy regarding Europe from 1951 are still closed.
‘We Should’ve Done More’: Kamala Harris Slams Biden Admin Over Netanyahu Support and Praises Pro-Palestine Protesters
‘We Should’ve Done More’: Kamala Harris Slams Biden Admin Over Netanyahu Support and Praises Pro-Palestine Protesters
Kamala Harris criticized Joe Biden's Administration, saying they should have been more willing to publicly criticize Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu over Gaza The post ‘We Should’ve Done More’: Kamala Harris Slams Biden Admin Over Netanyahu Support and Praises Pro-Palestine Protesters first appeared on Mediaite.
dlvr.it

Reposted by David Webster

there's a moment in PARADISE LOST where Satan arrives in Eden and realizes Hell isn't a place; it's a thing he carries within him and it'll follow him wherever he goes. and i think about that when i see these awful rich men whose monstrous wealth has enriched them not at all
“whatever club he’s invited to join has been devalued by the invitation”

Tram to Victoria Peak is the standard and still worth it. West Kowloon galleries complex is excellent. HK side to Kowloon side ferry is fun and cheap.

quite a y axis.

Toronto also has an immigrant democratic socialist mayor but people don't notice

If Americans killed by guns this century were a country, it would have more than double the population of Iceland.
Shootings have killed more than 800,000 people and injured over 2 million others in the U.S. since the start of the 21st century. Earlier this year, 60 thought leaders from multiple disciplines met to create a roadmap for substantially reducing gun violence by 2040.

Here’s what they came up with.
A Blueprint for Reducing Gun Violence by 2040, According to Experts
The JAMA Summit on Firearm Violence convened thought leaders from a wide array of disciplines to discuss ideas for preventing shooting deaths and injuries.
www.thetrace.org
An update on my column: Parliamentary committee drops most contentious parts of its demand for data on research funding. It now wants aggregated, not disaggregated data. www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/arti...

Reposted by David Webster

Shootings have killed more than 800,000 people and injured over 2 million others in the U.S. since the start of the 21st century. Earlier this year, 60 thought leaders from multiple disciplines met to create a roadmap for substantially reducing gun violence by 2040.

Here’s what they came up with.
A Blueprint for Reducing Gun Violence by 2040, According to Experts
The JAMA Summit on Firearm Violence convened thought leaders from a wide array of disciplines to discuss ideas for preventing shooting deaths and injuries.
www.thetrace.org

A missed opportunity that undermines other aspects of Canada's foreign and trade policy. Countrr productive.
Canada is retreating from its international assistance commitments in Budget 2025. Details are vague except for cutting $2.7 Billion in aid spending between 2026 and 2030.

A missed opportunity for Canada to redouble efforts in face of American abandonment of aid.

budget.canada.ca/2025/report-...
Chapter 5: Creating a more efficient and effective government | Budget 2025
Chapter 5: Creating a more efficient and effective government — Part of Budget 2025.
budget.canada.ca

Performative vulgarity, in gold lettering.

Converts to their fever dreams of what Catholicism means, who are then shocked to learn of the social teachings of the Church.

Reposted by David Webster

Canada is retreating from its international assistance commitments in Budget 2025. Details are vague except for cutting $2.7 Billion in aid spending between 2026 and 2030.

A missed opportunity for Canada to redouble efforts in face of American abandonment of aid.

budget.canada.ca/2025/report-...
Chapter 5: Creating a more efficient and effective government | Budget 2025
Chapter 5: Creating a more efficient and effective government — Part of Budget 2025.
budget.canada.ca

Random performative cuts to aid will only hurt Canada globally when we need new friends and diversified trade. Short term thinking remains the problem.
I don’t object to cuts to Canada’s international spending per se

I object to the capricious, callous and dismissive way it’s being done

I get this is feminized, wooly stuff. Not like hard, tangible economics, or hanging out with private equity talking billion dollar deals