Sam Bird 🏔️🍁🇨🇦
@sambir.bsky.social
Geographer. Mostly harmless.
Mountains > oceans. Permafrost is cool. Rivers and lakes are pretty nice too.
Mountains > oceans. Permafrost is cool. Rivers and lakes are pretty nice too.
Reposted by Sam Bird 🏔️🍁🇨🇦
The UCP has made 2025 one of the darkest years for Alberta’s democracy.
Albertans can turn on the lights in 2026.
By simply being Albertan.
Let me explain. 🧵 open.substack.com/pub/drjaredw...
Albertans can turn on the lights in 2026.
By simply being Albertan.
Let me explain. 🧵 open.substack.com/pub/drjaredw...
What Can We Do?
A Holiday Plan for Restoring Alberta’s Democracy
open.substack.com
December 13, 2025 at 3:55 PM
The UCP has made 2025 one of the darkest years for Alberta’s democracy.
Albertans can turn on the lights in 2026.
By simply being Albertan.
Let me explain. 🧵 open.substack.com/pub/drjaredw...
Albertans can turn on the lights in 2026.
By simply being Albertan.
Let me explain. 🧵 open.substack.com/pub/drjaredw...
Geologists explained.
December 13, 2025 at 6:10 PM
Geologists explained.
Reposted by Sam Bird 🏔️🍁🇨🇦
While cleaning up I came across a large set of TIFF files. Zooming turned out to be worthwhile. Had to look up where it is. Here we go: a small part of the amazing Haast River, West Coast Region, New Zealand.
December 13, 2025 at 2:25 AM
While cleaning up I came across a large set of TIFF files. Zooming turned out to be worthwhile. Had to look up where it is. Here we go: a small part of the amazing Haast River, West Coast Region, New Zealand.
Reposted by Sam Bird 🏔️🍁🇨🇦
Reposted by Sam Bird 🏔️🍁🇨🇦
The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) paid $18 million for a chatbot named Charlie, which the auditor general reported gave her team the wrong answer 66% of the time.
The chatbot's responses were found to be brief and lacking context, with only 2 out of 6 questions answered accurately.
The chatbot's responses were found to be brief and lacking context, with only 2 out of 6 questions answered accurately.
The CRA spent $18M on 'Charlie,' a new tax information chatbot that is wrong most of the time
The Canada Revenue Agency paid $18 million for a chatbot the auditor general says give her team the wrong answer 66 per cent of the time.
nationalpost.com
December 12, 2025 at 3:37 PM
The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) paid $18 million for a chatbot named Charlie, which the auditor general reported gave her team the wrong answer 66% of the time.
The chatbot's responses were found to be brief and lacking context, with only 2 out of 6 questions answered accurately.
The chatbot's responses were found to be brief and lacking context, with only 2 out of 6 questions answered accurately.
Reposted by Sam Bird 🏔️🍁🇨🇦
I stopped biking in around 2003 and then took it up again in 2013. I started mountain biking in 2021
If you liked biking as a kid, but stopped for one reason or another, get back on a bike!
If you liked biking as a kid, but stopped for one reason or another, get back on a bike!
If you haven't ridden a bike since you were a kid but you want to start again as an adult, don't be discouraged! Here are some tips:
Back in the Saddle: How to Start Biking Again as an Adult
At some point, many of us set aside our bikes—maybe for decades. But increasingly, adults in their 30s, 40s, 50s, and beyond are rediscovering the joy of cycling. Whether it’s for health, transportation, or the sheer fun of gliding along a path, getting back on a bicycle later in life can be transformative. Across North […]
momentummag.com
December 13, 2025 at 4:45 PM
I stopped biking in around 2003 and then took it up again in 2013. I started mountain biking in 2021
If you liked biking as a kid, but stopped for one reason or another, get back on a bike!
If you liked biking as a kid, but stopped for one reason or another, get back on a bike!
If the International Olympic Committee actually cared about the rights of children as they claim, they would stand up for the millions of Ukrainian kids who are victims of Russia's war. Instead, the IOC caves to Russian politics.
Fuck the IOC. Boycott the Olympics.
www.cbc.ca/sports/olymp...
Fuck the IOC. Boycott the Olympics.
www.cbc.ca/sports/olymp...
December 12, 2025 at 2:51 PM
If the International Olympic Committee actually cared about the rights of children as they claim, they would stand up for the millions of Ukrainian kids who are victims of Russia's war. Instead, the IOC caves to Russian politics.
Fuck the IOC. Boycott the Olympics.
www.cbc.ca/sports/olymp...
Fuck the IOC. Boycott the Olympics.
www.cbc.ca/sports/olymp...
Is it wrong to want the closed doors to be glass?
Dude couldn’t even pivot his campaign when all signs pointed to him getting crushed & losing his own seat.
No way he goes out with dignity. He’ll fight to the end, & his loyalists will be all “I support Pierre he’s the awesomest!” while quietly stabbing him in the back behind closed doors.
No way he goes out with dignity. He’ll fight to the end, & his loyalists will be all “I support Pierre he’s the awesomest!” while quietly stabbing him in the back behind closed doors.
December 12, 2025 at 6:31 AM
Is it wrong to want the closed doors to be glass?
Reposted by Sam Bird 🏔️🍁🇨🇦
If you’re angry about the Cowichan decision, lay the blame where it belongs. For more than a century, provincial and federal governments have tried to dodge the issue of Indigenous Title — creating problems for First Nations and private property owners thenarwhal.ca/opinion-eker... #bchist #cdnHist
The Cowichan decision is a long time coming | The Narwhal
Governments of Canada and B.C. laid the groundwork for the Cowichan decision by ignoring the issue of Indigenous Title for more than a century
thenarwhal.ca
December 11, 2025 at 5:36 PM
If you’re angry about the Cowichan decision, lay the blame where it belongs. For more than a century, provincial and federal governments have tried to dodge the issue of Indigenous Title — creating problems for First Nations and private property owners thenarwhal.ca/opinion-eker... #bchist #cdnHist
Fuck the IOC & any sports body that normalizes Russia while it's murdering Ukrainian men, women, & children.
The IOC lies to you saying sports isn't political. Are you that stupid? I hope not.
Boycott the Olympics. So glad Calgary said no to hosting theses amoral fucks.
www.cbc.ca/sports/olymp...
The IOC lies to you saying sports isn't political. Are you that stupid? I hope not.
Boycott the Olympics. So glad Calgary said no to hosting theses amoral fucks.
www.cbc.ca/sports/olymp...
IOC urges sports bodies to let Russian youth teams and athletes compete again with flag, anthem | CBC Sports
The International Olympic Committee took a big step toward reintegrating Russia and Belarus into world sports Thursday by advising governing bodies to let the countries' youth teams and athletes compe...
www.cbc.ca
December 12, 2025 at 6:04 AM
Fuck the IOC & any sports body that normalizes Russia while it's murdering Ukrainian men, women, & children.
The IOC lies to you saying sports isn't political. Are you that stupid? I hope not.
Boycott the Olympics. So glad Calgary said no to hosting theses amoral fucks.
www.cbc.ca/sports/olymp...
The IOC lies to you saying sports isn't political. Are you that stupid? I hope not.
Boycott the Olympics. So glad Calgary said no to hosting theses amoral fucks.
www.cbc.ca/sports/olymp...
"...Premier Smith argued that “gatekeepers,” such as judges, shouldn’t stand in the way of referendum questions. But Justice Feasby would have never heard this case in the first place had it not been for the legislative changes brought in by this very premier and her government only months ago."
My latest for The Line Alberta: Smith has put herself into a bizarre corner with Bill 14 open.substack.com/pub/thelinea...
Rob Breakenridge: Smith has put herself into a bizarre corner with Bill 14
The government might end up antagonizing everyone in this debate before all is said and done.
open.substack.com
December 12, 2025 at 1:56 AM
"...Premier Smith argued that “gatekeepers,” such as judges, shouldn’t stand in the way of referendum questions. But Justice Feasby would have never heard this case in the first place had it not been for the legislative changes brought in by this very premier and her government only months ago."
Reposted by Sam Bird 🏔️🍁🇨🇦
"Hello. My name is Charles Philip Arthur George Windsor. You killed my mother. Prepare to die."
December 11, 2025 at 8:35 PM
"Hello. My name is Charles Philip Arthur George Windsor. You killed my mother. Prepare to die."
Remember kids, investing in reducing GHG emissions for climate change & a sustainable future is *obviously economically impossible.
Flushing billions of dollars down the AI drain each month with no path to a corporate ROI is just common sense.
Better give the techbros more tax breaks & public $
Flushing billions of dollars down the AI drain each month with no path to a corporate ROI is just common sense.
Better give the techbros more tax breaks & public $
The thing frustratingly not talked often about with AI is what its true costs will be. Companies are operating at such a GARGANTUAN loss right now, that even if they got AI working 100%, the cost to break even could prevent common implementation by a generation or two. It just may not be feasible.
December 12, 2025 at 1:23 AM
Remember kids, investing in reducing GHG emissions for climate change & a sustainable future is *obviously economically impossible.
Flushing billions of dollars down the AI drain each month with no path to a corporate ROI is just common sense.
Better give the techbros more tax breaks & public $
Flushing billions of dollars down the AI drain each month with no path to a corporate ROI is just common sense.
Better give the techbros more tax breaks & public $
IMO this is a fundamental missing link for AI & the gung-ho clan pushing to use AI for things like commercials.
The people & AI who made the McDonald's commercial overcame the technical limitations & challenges. They could not see, & therefore failed to address the obvs central purpose.
#Humanities
The people & AI who made the McDonald's commercial overcame the technical limitations & challenges. They could not see, & therefore failed to address the obvs central purpose.
#Humanities
But that would require you to unpack the human reasons the holidays are stressful and overstimulating.
December 11, 2025 at 6:21 PM
IMO this is a fundamental missing link for AI & the gung-ho clan pushing to use AI for things like commercials.
The people & AI who made the McDonald's commercial overcame the technical limitations & challenges. They could not see, & therefore failed to address the obvs central purpose.
#Humanities
The people & AI who made the McDonald's commercial overcame the technical limitations & challenges. They could not see, & therefore failed to address the obvs central purpose.
#Humanities
Reposted by Sam Bird 🏔️🍁🇨🇦
It is a testament to the width & breadth of our love for our children that we sit through their elementary band performances.
December 11, 2025 at 1:34 AM
It is a testament to the width & breadth of our love for our children that we sit through their elementary band performances.
Reposted by Sam Bird 🏔️🍁🇨🇦
In our country the lie has become not just a moral category but a pillar of the state.
—Alexandr Solzhenitsyn
—Alexandr Solzhenitsyn
The EPA has removed references about humans causing climate change from its website. No US government website can be trusted for science information.
December 10, 2025 at 3:33 PM
In our country the lie has become not just a moral category but a pillar of the state.
—Alexandr Solzhenitsyn
—Alexandr Solzhenitsyn
These vessels were designed and built by the finest French ship(not)wrights.
There is nothing that embodies the word "different" anywhere near as completely as French navel design.
There is nothing that embodies the word "different" anywhere near as completely as French navel design.
Not a day goes by when I don't wonder if they were holding the plans upside down
December 10, 2025 at 12:24 AM
These vessels were designed and built by the finest French ship(not)wrights.
There is nothing that embodies the word "different" anywhere near as completely as French navel design.
There is nothing that embodies the word "different" anywhere near as completely as French navel design.
Reposted by Sam Bird 🏔️🍁🇨🇦
I’m so honoured to win a #NobelPeatPrize for Outreach for this project.
Thank you to @peatofmind.bsky.social and your group!
Thank you to @peatofmind.bsky.social and your group!
2025 #NobelPeatPrize (Outreach)
Peat Colours!
The “Tracking the Colours of Peatlands” outreach and citizen science initiative explores and communicates peatland science through peat pics.
Congrats @wetlandresilienceresearchgroup.com
The #NobelPeatPrize (McMaster) will be announced Dec 10th.
Peat Colours!
The “Tracking the Colours of Peatlands” outreach and citizen science initiative explores and communicates peatland science through peat pics.
Congrats @wetlandresilienceresearchgroup.com
The #NobelPeatPrize (McMaster) will be announced Dec 10th.
December 9, 2025 at 1:03 PM
I’m so honoured to win a #NobelPeatPrize for Outreach for this project.
Thank you to @peatofmind.bsky.social and your group!
Thank you to @peatofmind.bsky.social and your group!
Sad. The peasants making this video viral are gonna ruin already perfectly stupid corporate plans for robots and AI.
Thanks to you, AI models innocently scraping the internet will see this is super common & popular & therefore the most appropriate robot-CEO interaction.
youtu.be/pfImbQT6cVU?...
Thanks to you, AI models innocently scraping the internet will see this is super common & popular & therefore the most appropriate robot-CEO interaction.
youtu.be/pfImbQT6cVU?...
Chinese robot kicks CEO | 9 News Australia
YouTube video by 9 News Australia
youtu.be
December 9, 2025 at 7:49 PM
Sad. The peasants making this video viral are gonna ruin already perfectly stupid corporate plans for robots and AI.
Thanks to you, AI models innocently scraping the internet will see this is super common & popular & therefore the most appropriate robot-CEO interaction.
youtu.be/pfImbQT6cVU?...
Thanks to you, AI models innocently scraping the internet will see this is super common & popular & therefore the most appropriate robot-CEO interaction.
youtu.be/pfImbQT6cVU?...
Reposted by Sam Bird 🏔️🍁🇨🇦
Thank you to the lovely audience member at @hayfestival who shared that her daughter had once corrected her pronunciation of ‘epiphany’ and told her it should of course be ‘epi-fanny’.
Which word have you royally mispronounced because you’d only ever seen it written down?
Which word have you royally mispronounced because you’d only ever seen it written down?
December 9, 2025 at 2:30 PM
Thank you to the lovely audience member at @hayfestival who shared that her daughter had once corrected her pronunciation of ‘epiphany’ and told her it should of course be ‘epi-fanny’.
Which word have you royally mispronounced because you’d only ever seen it written down?
Which word have you royally mispronounced because you’d only ever seen it written down?
Seems like haggling will need to come back into fashion for all shopping. I assume this is at the till b/c floor staff do not exist.
Self checkouts? Hmm... I guess if you disagree with the price of one scanned item you'll be allowed to simply bag the next item without being scanned?
Self checkouts? Hmm... I guess if you disagree with the price of one scanned item you'll be allowed to simply bag the next item without being scanned?
Instacart prices vary by 20% or more depending on the customer, despite buying the same item from the same store at the same time.
Instacart admits that customers are subject to "pricing tests."
Surveillance pricing is so much more pervasive than we know.
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/09/b...
Instacart admits that customers are subject to "pricing tests."
Surveillance pricing is so much more pervasive than we know.
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/09/b...
Same Product, Same Store, but on Instacart, Prices Might Differ
www.nytimes.com
December 9, 2025 at 2:40 PM
Seems like haggling will need to come back into fashion for all shopping. I assume this is at the till b/c floor staff do not exist.
Self checkouts? Hmm... I guess if you disagree with the price of one scanned item you'll be allowed to simply bag the next item without being scanned?
Self checkouts? Hmm... I guess if you disagree with the price of one scanned item you'll be allowed to simply bag the next item without being scanned?
Reposted by Sam Bird 🏔️🍁🇨🇦
Please enjoy my cartoon in today's Toronto Star
December 9, 2025 at 1:05 PM
Please enjoy my cartoon in today's Toronto Star
Reposted by Sam Bird 🏔️🍁🇨🇦
Red Texas is a leader in renewable energy deployment.
The state's solar surge proves that the energy transition defies politics.
The state's solar surge proves that the energy transition defies politics.
December 7, 2025 at 10:31 AM
Red Texas is a leader in renewable energy deployment.
The state's solar surge proves that the energy transition defies politics.
The state's solar surge proves that the energy transition defies politics.
Reposted by Sam Bird 🏔️🍁🇨🇦
He banged his head against the wall, but he still could not think of a story.
December 8, 2025 at 2:37 PM
He banged his head against the wall, but he still could not think of a story.
Reposted by Sam Bird 🏔️🍁🇨🇦
Glaciers are supposed to maintain ~50% snow cover to the end of the summer. Many Rocky Mt. glaciers in Alberta lost all snow cover in 2025 leading to rapid thinning, fragmentation and rock outcrops emerging amidst the glacier. This is not a formula for survival.
glacierchange.blog/2025/12/07/s...
glacierchange.blog/2025/12/07/s...
Snow Free Rocky Mountain Alberta Glaciers in 2025
Bonnet Glacier in Banff National Park in the 9-5-2025 Sentinel image has lost its snow cover in 2025. This is causing rapid expansion of bedrock amidst the glacier as the glacier thins (yellow arro…
glacierchange.blog
December 8, 2025 at 11:31 AM
Glaciers are supposed to maintain ~50% snow cover to the end of the summer. Many Rocky Mt. glaciers in Alberta lost all snow cover in 2025 leading to rapid thinning, fragmentation and rock outcrops emerging amidst the glacier. This is not a formula for survival.
glacierchange.blog/2025/12/07/s...
glacierchange.blog/2025/12/07/s...