Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Jane Roberts @redjane67.bsky.social · 11h

Personal observation: it's always menopausal women who get visions.

Reposted by Jane Roberts

Phil @philmarfisi.bsky.social · 16h

Here's a good example of how the consensus around urban density in KW differs from many other medium-sized cities. At a development proposal meeting, a Waterloo councillor responded to the "high-rises aren't for families" trope with a comment that they are in no way a lesser-than form of living.

This drew a rebuke from Coun. Royce Bodaly. “There are many, many residents who live in the city of Waterloo who are raising families in high-density apartment buildings, and I don’t think that we should be suggesting that is some sort of lesser-than way of living,” he said.

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Reposted by Jane Roberts

Deny Sullivan @denysullivan.bsky.social · 2d

10% increase in traffic on already congested bridges.

If you hate traffic, this has added over 10,000 vehicles per day, vehicles that clogging up the roads. Vehicles that *literally* weren’t willing to pay $1 to make their trip

Suzanne Rent @suzannerent.bsky.social · 3d

Bridge traffic up 10% since tolls removed

Story by me

www.halifaxexaminer.ca/transportati...

Bridge traffic up 10% since tolls removed - Halifax Examiner

Meanwhile, collisions down 40%, according to Halifax Harbour Bridges.

www.halifaxexaminer.ca

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Jane Roberts @redjane67.bsky.social · 1d

A rant Rick Mercer would be proud of.

PEIPolitical 🇨🇦 @peipolitical.bsky.social · 2d

In a fiery statement, Eby called her out directly stating...
"This is not the Danielle Smith show!" #cdnpoli

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Reposted by Jane Roberts

photoblair.bsky.social @photoblair.bsky.social · 1d

Snakes.

#Toronto #Subway #Photography

Crossover subway tracks leading to the Vincent/Keele Yard just east of Keele Station in Toronto Ontario

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Jane Roberts @redjane67.bsky.social · 1d

"Known bug"

Scott agrees: FREE LINK @scottdagostino.ca · 1d

Holy shit 😬

Mark Bray @mark-bray.bsky.social · 1d

“Someone” cancelled my family’s flight out of the country at the last second.

We got our boarding passes. We checked our bags. Went through security. Then at our gate our reservation ‘disappeared.’

Jane Roberts @redjane67.bsky.social · 1d

Yup that's my councillor who wants to be mayor.
Yes, please run for mayor, Brad and LOSE so you won't be my councillor anymore.

Matt Elliott @graphicmatt.com · 1d

Recommendation for council to express its continued support for speed cameras CARRIES 24-1. Guess who.

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Jane Roberts @redjane67.bsky.social · 1d

If you can i'd recommend you go see her. Near the end my Dad was much better in person than on the phone.

Reposted by Jane Roberts

Mueller, She Wrote @muellershewrote.com · 1d

Portland has elevated protesting to an art form.

Carl Quintanilla @carlquintanilla.bsky.social · 1d

#WarRavagedPortland

800 5K 20K

Reposted by Jane Roberts

Schmutzie @schmutzie.com · 1d

ME: Give a hoot. Don't pollute. [I've been recalling random cultural bibs and bobs all day]

@THEPALINODE.com: Fucking sanctimonious owl.

😆

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Jane Roberts @redjane67.bsky.social · 1d

Great. We've hit the turning point.

David Roberts @volts.wtf · 1d

Solar & wind met 109% of new electricity demand, globally, in the first half of 2025.

Renewables are handling all new demand & are inexorably moving beyond, to chip away at the FF foundation.

Global Electricity Mid-Year Insights 2025 | Ember

Solar and wind outpaced demand growth in the first half of 2025, as renewables overtook coal’s share in the global electricity mix.

ember-energy.org

Jane Roberts @redjane67.bsky.social · 1d

The misspelled name is how I now he hasn't opened the document.
He wouldn't stop the "poor me" stuff, but he hates to see his name misspelled in this particular way.

Jane Roberts @redjane67.bsky.social · 1d

Can't resist this one.
My idiot soon-to-be-ex likes to whine about being broke and in debt every chance he gets, but after delaying the separation agreement for a couple of months, he hasn't even opened the draft doc to see he's gonna get 100's of $1,000's
AND
the mediator MISSPELLED his name.

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Jane Roberts @redjane67.bsky.social · 1d

Felling kinda retro today. Shopping at the grocery store it felt like i've gone from shopping for one, then two, three, four and back to one in the blink of a eye.
Is really 40 years since I was a co-op student moving to a new city every 4 months? It took $100 for groceries to set up a new kitchen.

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Jane Roberts @redjane67.bsky.social · 1d

As the high rises under construction next door get taller and block my line of sight to the CN tower, I may lose the OTA channels.

Jane Roberts @redjane67.bsky.social · 1d

Getting used to being without cable.
All I have now is a couple of live channels and and a couple of streaming channels.
Luckily the public broadcasters have been my favs for a few years now and all of them have streaming.

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Jane Roberts @redjane67.bsky.social · 2d

Great idea. Great rule.

Kari Raymer Bishop 🇨🇦 @kariraymerbishop.bsky.social · 2d

New rule: your neighbourhood gets one NIMBY veto and then you are at the top of the list for whatever comes next. Use your NIMBY veto wisely because you wouldn't want to waste it on homeless seniors and get what's behind door number two! 🤣

🖇️3 Sides🟥🍁🟥🪶🐦‍⬛🧷 @3sides.bsky.social · 3d

NIMBY! What type of person would want to deny seniors from being sheltered?
A$$holes are everywhere.
toronto.citynews.ca/2025/10/06/c...

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Reposted by Jane Roberts

Stephen Jacob Smith @stephenjacobsmith.com · 2d

I, @holz-bau.bsky.social & @matthutchins.bsky.social are quoted here about WA State fire marshals trying to increase ADU access path widths to 5' (vs. 3' required for apt bldg corridors/stairs!). I note a lot of fire/bldg code opposition is cultural, not technical www.theurbanist.org/2025/10/07/f...

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Reposted by Jane Roberts

Mike Eliason @holz-bau.bsky.social · 2d

and it's not like seattle's streets are any safer.

we funnel 90% of dense affordable housing onto 4-7 lane stroads like this, often that bisect our 'urban villages'

most other countries do NOT do this sh*t!

bsky.app/profile/holz...

Mike Eliason @holz-bau.bsky.social · Aug 15

in seattle, we have overlay districts where buildings are designed to accommodate pedestrians and have storefronts.

most of these streets are massive stroads bisecting neighborhoods. some are actual highways.

this is one in crown hill.

folks.

those are 7 lanes for cars.

apartment in a 'pedestrian overlay' in seattle

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Jane Roberts @redjane67.bsky.social · 2d

😳 Surprise!
So Ford did say it was a tax grab. He just didn't say WHOSE.

Matt Elliott @graphicmatt.com · 2d

In a letter responding to a Councillor Holyday inquiry, City Manager Paul Johnson has provided a breakdown of revenue and expense numbers related to Toronto’s speed and red-light camera programs. Notably, about 24% of fine revenue goes to the provincial gov.
www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis... (PDF)

$In 2024, the City collected $62.6 million in fine revenues, including $37.3 million from ASE and $25.3 million from RLC. In total, the 2024 net revenue associated with the POA regime was $48.2 million, which was leveraged to support the initiatives noted below. For 2025, assuming full operations throughout the year, the City projects to receive $64.6 million in ASE fine revenue and total associated fine revenue of $100.1 million when also including $35.5 million from RLC. Revenues collected, and specifically those collected through ASE violations, are generally allocated to three main purposes: 1. Provincial Remittances • When including the estimated $11 million associated with Victim Fine Surcharges (VFS) for 2025, approximately 24% of fine revenues are remitted annually to the Province, including a charge of $8.25 per infraction for Ministry of Transportation Ontario searches and varying VFS surcharges depending on the fine amount for victim services. 2. City of Toronto Related Administration Costs • It’s estimated that approximately 35% of fine revenues directly fund the City’s costs to administer the operation of ASE. 3. Vision Zero Initiatives • The remaining fine revenues, or approximately 41%, enables the City to invest in public safety and enforcement activities, including:  Toronto Police Service – Annual operating funding is directed to the Police Services Road Safety Program, funding 18 Officers (2 Sergeants and 16 PCs).  Transportation Services Operating – ASE revenue is leveraged to partially offset annual enhancements and inflationary increases to the School Crossing Guard Program and Education Campaign  Transportation Services Capital - ASE revenue is leveraged to offset debt servicing costs associated with Road Safety Initiatives included in the 10-Year$

Reposted by Jane Roberts

Colleen @cbailey6.bsky.social · 2d

So all of the speed camera and red light camera revenue is going to provincial coffers, administering the program, or the road safety measures that Ford claims don't exist (including cops and crossing guards).

Matt Elliott @graphicmatt.com · 2d

In a letter responding to a Councillor Holyday inquiry, City Manager Paul Johnson has provided a breakdown of revenue and expense numbers related to Toronto’s speed and red-light camera programs. Notably, about 24% of fine revenue goes to the provincial gov.
www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis... (PDF)

$In 2024, the City collected $62.6 million in fine revenues, including $37.3 million from ASE and $25.3 million from RLC. In total, the 2024 net revenue associated with the POA regime was $48.2 million, which was leveraged to support the initiatives noted below. For 2025, assuming full operations throughout the year, the City projects to receive $64.6 million in ASE fine revenue and total associated fine revenue of $100.1 million when also including $35.5 million from RLC. Revenues collected, and specifically those collected through ASE violations, are generally allocated to three main purposes: 1. Provincial Remittances • When including the estimated $11 million associated with Victim Fine Surcharges (VFS) for 2025, approximately 24% of fine revenues are remitted annually to the Province, including a charge of $8.25 per infraction for Ministry of Transportation Ontario searches and varying VFS surcharges depending on the fine amount for victim services. 2. City of Toronto Related Administration Costs • It’s estimated that approximately 35% of fine revenues directly fund the City’s costs to administer the operation of ASE. 3. Vision Zero Initiatives • The remaining fine revenues, or approximately 41%, enables the City to invest in public safety and enforcement activities, including:  Toronto Police Service – Annual operating funding is directed to the Police Services Road Safety Program, funding 18 Officers (2 Sergeants and 16 PCs).  Transportation Services Operating – ASE revenue is leveraged to partially offset annual enhancements and inflationary increases to the School Crossing Guard Program and Education Campaign  Transportation Services Capital - ASE revenue is leveraged to offset debt servicing costs associated with Road Safety Initiatives included in the 10-Year$

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Jane Roberts @redjane67.bsky.social · 2d

100%?
I picked the wrong day to go on a boat trip.

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Reposted by Jane Roberts

Matthew Dowd @matthewjdowd.bsky.social · 2d

happy bday the iconic Desmond Tutu, b.1931

"Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness".

"We are all connected. What unites us is our common humanity"

“Do your little bit of good where you are; it's those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.”

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Reposted by Jane Roberts

Shawn Micallef @shawnmicallef.bsky.social · 3d

Dense urban areas carry the suburbs, financially, climate…

How odd that there’s a core of conservative theorist-pundits in Canada who have a suburbizatiom ideology. It isn’t cheaper or more efficient. It’s subsidy & burden shifting.

Jason Thorne @jasonthorne.bsky.social · 4d

The Venn diagram of urban density and average household GHG emissions is pretty much a circle. Interesting study on “Mapping household GHG emissions in the Greater Golden Horseshoe” from the University of Toronto School of Cities schoolofcities.utoronto.ca/mapping-hous...

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Jane Roberts @redjane67.bsky.social · 3d

What? Why?

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