Simon Houpt
simonhoupt.bsky.social
Simon Houpt
@simonhoupt.bsky.social
Scribe
Reposted by Simon Houpt
You owe it to yourself to read this stunning book not because it won the National Book Award (it did!) but because it will make you excruciatingly wrestle with and restore your humanity. www.nationalbook.org/books/one-da...
One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This - National Book Foundation
On October 25, 2023, after just three weeks of the bombardment of Gaza, Omar El Akkad put out a tweet: “One day, when it’s safe, when there’s no personal downside to calling a thing what it is, when i...
www.nationalbook.org
November 20, 2025 at 5:46 PM
So happy One Day Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This by the extraordinary Omar El Akkad won last night’s National Book Award for non-fiction (even though, as he said, in his speech, it’s “very difficult to think in celebratory terms about a book that was written in response to a genocide”).
November 20, 2025 at 5:14 PM
Sure, I’ve been enjoying her string of recent books, but it’s great to see Liz back in the pages of a newspaper (and its website).
November 20, 2025 at 1:22 AM
“This is just chaos. It’s like we’re playing at recess.” A behind-the-scenes oral history of this year’s fraught, thrilling, snowbound Canadian Premier League final.
(Gift link.)
www.theglobeandmail.com/gift/68b477b...
An oral history of this year’s snowy Canadian Premier League final
A stunning bicycle kick from Atlético Ottawa’s David Rodríguez amid snowy conditions in the game against Cavalry FC instantly gave the CPL an iconic calling card
www.theglobeandmail.com
November 15, 2025 at 5:10 PM
Reposted by Simon Houpt
Between the news media in the UK and the US the biggest difference is the strength of the BBC at the center. Which makes it a target. As @brianstelter.bsky.social writes: "the BBC is positioned as an apolitical brand, yet operates in a politically poisonous atmosphere. www.cnn.com/2025/11/09/m...
November 10, 2025 at 3:06 PM
Reposted by Simon Houpt
Panera’s moderately caffeinated lemonade was loosely associated with 2 deaths before it was taken off market.

This article alone has 4 examples of ChatGPT encouraging young people to commit suicide, and OpenAI’s own public stats estimate over a million users discuss suicide with ChatGPT each week.
November 7, 2025 at 10:56 PM
Reposted by Simon Houpt
NEW: I spoke w/ Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault about why the CBC isn't being targeted for 15% cuts after all, how the long-rumoured Telefilm/CMF/NFB merger is inching toward reality, why permanent Telefilm funding ain't in cards, and, yes, Eurovision. www.theglobeandmail.com/culture/arti...
Canadian Identity Minister Steven Guilbeault on what the budget means for cultural sovereignty
Government investing $503-million in cultural sector over four years starting 2026-27
www.theglobeandmail.com
November 7, 2025 at 8:02 PM
Reposted by Simon Houpt
The CBC should explore participation in...wait for it...#eurovision. Wha??!!! @joshokane.bsky.social explains a little item tucked away in #canada #liberals #carney #budget #canpoli www.theglobeandmail.com/culture/arti...
Why is Eurovision in Canada’s federal budget? There may be bigger reasons than music
Country’s interest in joining contest could be signal of realignment toward Europe in era of U.S. protectionism
www.theglobeandmail.com
November 6, 2025 at 10:19 PM
Reposted by Simon Houpt
...and less than 24 hours later Condé Nast has fired Lex and the rest of the Teen Vogue political desk, even as stories like this were bringing huge numbers of readers to the site
dissatisfied by the New York Times coverage of Zohran Mamdani?

great news! I talked to the guy Thursday about his campaign’s success at bringing community together beyond this election, and contextualized how it’s potentially shifted youth engagement with politics by simply listening @teenvogue.com
Zohran Mamdani's Establishment-Fighting Campaign Built Community for Young People
“What Mamdani has done is not only inspire and mobilize young people, but he has exposed the establishment and some of their calcified views of participation and inclusion.”
www.teenvogue.com
November 3, 2025 at 8:16 PM
Huh
November 2, 2025 at 4:18 AM
Are the WWE writers scripting this??
November 2, 2025 at 3:31 AM
“Only connect.”
- E.M. Forster, Blue Jays fan.
November 2, 2025 at 3:22 AM
Whatever happens tonight, I’m just glad Keanu will finally get some rest.
November 2, 2025 at 2:00 AM
Reposted by Simon Houpt
Everyone who talks about bail reform but also everyone who funds the carceral system (so, all of us) should read this.
November 1, 2025 at 3:27 PM
The Toronto Blue Jays have never lost a World Series.
The Toronto Blue Jays are undefeated in World Series Game 7s.
The Toronto Blue Jays have never lost a game in November.
November 1, 2025 at 3:27 AM
The Toronto Blue Jays are undefeated in World Series Game 7s.
The Toronto Blue Jays have never lost a game in November.
Just so you know, the Toronto Blue Jays have a 1.000 record in World Series games played on Saturday nights at the Skydome (sorry, Rogers Centre).
November 1, 2025 at 3:26 AM
The Toronto Blue Jays have never lost a game in November.
Just so you know, the Toronto Blue Jays have a 1.000 record in World Series games played on Saturday nights at the Skydome (sorry, Rogers Centre).
November 1, 2025 at 3:25 AM
Just so you know, the Toronto Blue Jays have a 1.000 record in World Series games played on Saturday nights at the Skydome (sorry, Rogers Centre).
November 1, 2025 at 3:17 AM
Did the maintenance crew plant a loonie under the home run wall?
November 1, 2025 at 3:07 AM
Can’t help but feel as if Fox is throwing a bit of shade with this reminder of the last time Canadian sports teams won their league championship.
October 31, 2025 at 11:18 PM
Reposted by Simon Houpt
A person I interviewed for this story told me her 8th grader recently read Night by Elie Wiesel in school and observed “it’s sort of like what’s happening here right now” in case you’re wondering how things are going for Chicago’s kids.
On the occasion of Halloween, @newrepublic.com asked me to write about what’s going on in Chicago and I wanted you all to know what randomized terror feels like. And also that as the federal government fails our kids, everyday Chicagoans are showing the courage of trying to protect them.
ICE Is Terrorizing Chicago for Halloween—and Parents Are Fighting Back
Fear and a whiff of tear gas hang over festivities this year. In response, even people who aren’t usually politically engaged are mobilizing.
newrepublic.com
October 31, 2025 at 12:43 PM
Lol the neighbourhood has been crawling with trick-or-treaters since 5 o’clock, earliest I can ever remember that starting, almost as if their parents have something else to do tonight…
October 31, 2025 at 9:40 PM
Reposted by Simon Houpt
Thanks to @simonhoupt.bsky.social for reporting on what we’ve all been saying.

I’ve found in agencies, creatives never take into account what the media buyers will do to their stuff by forcing 20 views/hour and turning a clever ad into an account killer

www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/baseb...
Repeat offenders: Blue Jays fans are getting sick of seeing the same ads on TV
Few have deep enough pockets to buy in to Canadian-aired blockbuster live events, where airtime is getting increasingly expensive
www.theglobeandmail.com
October 31, 2025 at 2:03 AM
Almost half the population of Canada has watched some of this extraordinary World Series.
(Which makes me wonder - what are the other half doing??)
🚨Game 5 of the World Series is the new most-watched Blue Jays game EVER with an average audience of 7.2 million viewers on Sportsnet. 👀

Through five games, the World Series is averaging 6.4 million viewers, with 19.3 million Canadians tuning in at some point. ⚾️
October 30, 2025 at 7:08 PM