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Jay Cockburn

@jaycockburn.bsky.social

3.4K followers 320 following 940 posts

I write and make podcasts about cities and the people in them. Producer: Lately & City Space at the Globe and Mail Write for Canada's National Observer, The Green Line, The Local, Toronto Star, Former BBC News. He/him.

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Jay Cockburn @jaycockburn.bsky.social · Mar 4

I had so much fun making this episode of City Space. It's about a Calgary that might-have-been, but also about how power uses beauty and architecture to express itself.

Plus you can hear me acting as a 1900s English landscape architect.

The Mawson plan for Calgary, showing something more like Vienna or Paris: wide stone boulevards

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Jay Cockburn @jaycockburn.bsky.social · 5h

I showed this to people in the pub and we are sobbing laughing

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Reposted by Jay Cockburn

Olúfẹ́mi O. Táíwò @olufemiotaiwo.bsky.social · 9h

repost this if an editor has ever saved you from yourself

violent alien @blipstress.bsky.social · 9h

An actual hot take: Too many authors are afraid of editors watering down their voice or whatever and not afraid enough of editors letting you put any old slop on the page.

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Jay Cockburn @jaycockburn.bsky.social · 14h

Seriously I'd be so mad

Jay Cockburn @jaycockburn.bsky.social · 14h

Not interviewed: the raging Scottish pub drinkers who're furious some little shit turned up at their pub, asked if he could DJ and took over the place just because he's rich and famous.

www.bbc.com/news/article...

It was a normal Saturday night in my pub - then Justin Bieber waltzed in

The Canadian singer filmed an impromptu music video on a surprise visit to a Dundee pub at the weekend.

www.bbc.com

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Reposted by Jay Cockburn

Jimmy Thomson @jameswsthomson.com · 15h

As climate disinformation groups move into the shadows, @nationalobserver.com has developed an unprecedented new tool: Civic Searchlight. To build it, we assembled a database of council meetings in more than 550 municipalities.

How Canada's National Observer tracked a climate misinfo group going 'under the radar'

As KICLEI's campaign moves into the shadows, Canada’s National Observer has developed an unprecedented new tool: Civic Searchlight. To build it, we assembled a database of council meetings in more tha...

www.nationalobserver.com

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Jay Cockburn @jaycockburn.bsky.social · 17h

Don't threaten me with a good time

The Verge @theverge.com · May 26

Nick Clegg says asking artists for use permission would ‘kill’ the AI industry

Paul McCartne, Elton John and others signed an open letter.

buff.ly

Jay Cockburn @jaycockburn.bsky.social · 1d

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Jay Cockburn @jaycockburn.bsky.social · 1d

I've struggled to find something that properly articulated the flatness and disappointment I feel when I see AI art, beyond just "writer is bitter people think chatbot can do his job", but @theoatmeal.bsky.social has absolutely nailed it here

theoatmeal.com/comics/ai_art

A cartoonist's review of AI art - The Oatmeal

This is a comic about AI art.

theoatmeal.com

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Jay Cockburn @jaycockburn.bsky.social · 1d

We can do without the executives.

Jay Cockburn @jaycockburn.bsky.social · 1d

When a cabinet minister in the UK was caught speeding 7 times, he lost his license.

When another minister lied about speeding, he ended up in prison.

In Ontario The Ford government's response is to ban speed cameras.

Isaac Callan @isaaccallan.bsky.social · 1d

NEW: A vehicle assigned to a Ford cabinet minister has been recorded at stunt driving speeds 12 times.

The premier's office suggested it was the same driver each time, and implied they still work for the government. #OnPoli
globalnews.ca/news/1146702...

Ford government vehicle recorded at stunt driving speeds on Ontario highways | Globalnews.ca

At least one cabinet-assigned vehicle was recorded driving more than 50 km/h over the speed limit multiple times in the past three years, according to documents.

globalnews.ca

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Jay Cockburn @jaycockburn.bsky.social · 1d

I think Bari Weiss might be close to finding out that a divorce costs more than any theoretical tax rises

Olivia Messer @oliviamesser.bsky.social · 2d

I kind of can’t believe this Bari Weiss quote is even real, and yet www.nytimes.com/2025/10/06/b...

“I know that there are some people in this room who don’t believe that my marriage should have been legal … and that’s ok. Because we’re all Americans who want lower taxes.”

Jay Cockburn @jaycockburn.bsky.social · 2d

Toronto (and err, the Premier of Ontario) could learn a lot from this.

Melissa & Chris Bruntlett @modacitylife.com · 3d

When newly-elected Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson started converting car lanes to bike lanes in 2009, pundits claimed it was political suicide. In 2018, he stepped down after three terms as the longest-serving mayor in the city's history. So what can this tale teach us about so-called "bikelash"?🧵

People of all ages and abilities ride bicycles on protected cycling infrastructure on the streets of Downtown Vancouver.

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Jay Cockburn @jaycockburn.bsky.social · 2d

Suing the city for a million dollars in an attempt to stop them providing housing, and basing that lawsuit on completely incorrect facts (the site is not, in fact, zoned only for parking), is really a move

Alex Beheshti @alexbeheshti.bsky.social · 2d

*When* the city wins this case, they better be demanding costs. Historically the city avoids doing this, but screw that, I'm so sick of this as a taxpayer.

If the case is found frivolous, then we the taxpayers should get every dime back as is the right to ask for in court.

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Jay Cockburn @jaycockburn.bsky.social · 2d

This on Bari Weiss and @cbsnews.com.web.brid.gy from @defector.com is so good. Support worker-owned media, not least because oligarchs can't install their Goebbels-du-jour as editor.

The Free Press is attractive to someone like Ellison for its choice of enemies. It never goes after those with real power, instead lustily punching down and left at the critics and adversaries of the ownership class. As a billionaire buying a media organization in order to consolidate and expand your power and influence, you could not find a better or more eager servant than Weiss. She is blissfully captured by the richest people alive and invested in smashing the last vestiges of liberal power in this country: universities, civil servants, and the media. She has a cop's heart and a tadpole's brain.

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Jay Cockburn @jaycockburn.bsky.social · 3d

I'm gonna call a Nazi a Nazi whether they're 70% Nazi or 100% Nazi tbh.

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Reposted by Jay Cockburn

Colette Shade (buy Y2K!!) @coletteshade.bsky.social · 3d

Since Trump 2, several of the prominent “it’s not fascism” people have recanted publicly. The whole thing just strikes me as so stupid. I fail to see why we can’t use a handy term that covers at least like 99% of what is happening here right now.

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Jay Cockburn @jaycockburn.bsky.social · 3d

I'm sure they feel like their work is productive. At least until their grants get cut.

Jay Cockburn @jaycockburn.bsky.social · 3d

iNcReDiBlEy.

I should get her to edit my posts.

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Jay Cockburn @jaycockburn.bsky.social · 3d

Top of group 47, if you'd like to read it.

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Jay Cockburn @jaycockburn.bsky.social · 3d

My partner is incrediblely talented. I'm very privileged to get to read her work before its published, but you should read it too.

Michaela Stephen @michaelastephen.bsky.social · 3d

Thrilled to get first place in my group for the 1st Round of the @nycmidnight.bsky.social 500-word Fiction Challenge!🎉 It's my first time entering the contest, and it's been a lot of fun. I've just submitted my short story for the 2nd Round, and I can't wait for the feedback! #500WordChallenge2025

NYC Midnight @nycmidnight.bsky.social · 7d

The 1st Round results for the 500-word Fiction Challenge 2025 are up at nycmidnight.co/4gQYNXG! Congratulations to the top 10 in each group for advancing to the 2nd Round, which kicks off this Friday, October 3rd. Best of luck to them, and thanks to all who participated!

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Jay Cockburn @jaycockburn.bsky.social · 3d

Hell, you can read the Wikipedia page for fascism and understand this.

More scary is reading/listening/whatever medium you choose on the rise of the Nazis in Germany. The parallels are so close its spooky, spooky enoigh that someone in the Trump administration must have studied and learned.

Reposted by Jay Cockburn

CJ Fogler @cjzero.bsky.social · 3d

The admiration, the bat flip, the zoom to Fried 🫡

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Jay Cockburn @jaycockburn.bsky.social · 3d

"The US government is fascist" is not a controversial statement if you've read like one book on fascism.

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Jay Cockburn @jaycockburn.bsky.social · 3d

OK so within seconds of me saying this about a staff writer at The Atlantic, who was doing a 'well ackshually' about whether the USA is operating under fascism right now, he blocked me.

Everythings going great in the Fourth Reich.

Jay Cockburn @jaycockburn.bsky.social · 3d

Everything wrong with American media in one post, everyone.

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