Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by VassB

The Narwhal @thenarwhal.ca · 17h

Water-hungry data centres are planned for drought-stricken regions across Canada. What will the AI data centre boom mean for communities? By @savannahridley.bsky.social: thenarwhal.ca/ai-data-cent...

What will the AI data centre boom mean for Canada? | The Narwhal

Sprawling AI data centres — hungry for land, water and power — are coming. Plans the world’s largest, called Wonder Valley, are underway in Alberta

thenarwhal.ca

7 34 47

Reposted by VassB

The Baffler @thebaffler.com · 1d

“Everywhere we look, the world is ceding control to automatic systems that cannot be reasoned with like humans and whose decisions are often inscrutable, interrogated only after the damage has been done.”

High-Agency Individuals | James Vincent

The exhortation to “just do things” is in part a response to the specter of automation.

thebaffler.com

4 14

Reposted by VassB

Aaron Wherry @aaronwherry.bsky.social · 1d

Well, there's a jarring sequence of words to read.

www.bloomberg.com/opinion/feat...

10 43 120

Reposted by VassB

Tara Deschamps @taradeschamps.bsky.social · 1d

"We're watching, and you could get caught, and we will take you to court."

Cineplex is headed to court to fight a decision — and record $38.9-million penalty — that experts say should serve as a warning for other companies.

www.thecanadianpressnews.ca/business/cin...

Cineplex drip pricing case headed for appeal could serve as warning

TORONTO - Cineplex Inc. is headed to court Wednesday to fight a decision — and record $38.9-million penalty — that experts say should serve as a warning for other companies.

www.thecanadianpressnews.ca

1 4 3

Reposted by VassB

Bloomberg Opinion @opinion.bloomberg.com · 1d

Under assault from an increasingly aggressive and authoritarian United States, Canada's future is less secure than perhaps at any time in postwar history

Can Canada Survive Donald Trump?

Under assault from an increasingly aggressive and authoritarian United States, the country’s future looks less secure than at any time in postwar history.

bloom.bg

4 5 10

Reposted by VassB

Aaron Binder @aaronbinder.com · 2d

"Quebec measures targeting retailers when it comes to sustainability of goods and planned obsolescence of products comes into effect today."

Now do...the REST OF THE WORLD.

globalnews.ca/news/1146531...

Quebec durable goods law comes into effect | Globalnews.ca

Quebec measures targeting retailers when it comes to sustainability of goods and planned obsolescence of products comes into effect today.

globalnews.ca

6 25 89

VassB @vassb.bsky.social · 3d

I miss it already. We had a solid run of 3 hour naps that bifurcated the weekend. It was extremely luxurious.

VassB @vassb.bsky.social · 3d

I think we are in the zone where nap gets dropped. Lots of sleep resistance, nap starts later and later. It’s tricky. At least you can have more adventures in the day.

1 1

VassB @vassb.bsky.social · 3d

My advice: “rain party.” Get the rain suit and boots on and go crazy stomping and splashing, make the rain seem super special. Then pray for nap

1

Reposted by VassB

Dale Smith @journodale.bsky.social · 3d

Prices rising largely as a result of the US imposing tariffs on Brazil, and Brazilian growers not selling to the market, forcing buyers to compete with alternate suppliers.
Prices are not rising because of the size of the deficit, as Poilievre would have you believe.

Tim Hortons raises coffee prices, calls hike ‘more than reasonable’

Canada’s iconic coffee chain is charging more for the drink, reflecting a wider trend of jittery coffee prices.

www.ctvnews.ca

11 64 130

Reposted by VassB

The Upshot @upshot.nytimes.com · 3d

Prediction markets like Kalshi, once known for offering wagers on elections, are now in the multibillion-dollar sports betting business and outside the reach of state regulations and taxes.

www.nytimes.com/2025/10/05/u...

Is Sports Betting Illegal in Your State? Not if You Call It a ‘Prediction Market.’

www.nytimes.com

2 4

VassB @vassb.bsky.social · 5d

Chew on it in The National Interest (a newsletter from
@canadianshieldinstitute.ca) w/ original, policy-relevant content on a Canadian platform - we're making sovereignty make sense) bit.ly/3WkKYYd

Canada’s next sovereignty test: counterfeit people

bit.ly

2

VassB @vassb.bsky.social · 5d

AI “actress” Tilly Norwood hit the red carpet this week. She’s a reminder that synthetic labour isn’t science fiction (!) and it’s already normalized in various corners of the internet. Can avatars be workers? When? And who gets to decide? PS. Bonkers post from Tyler Cowen below.

The Free Press @thefp.com · 6d

Tilly Norwood doesn’t need a hairstylist, has no regrettable tweets, and if you wish to see a virgin on-screen, this is one of your better chances. That’s because she’s AI, writes Tyler Cowen.

My Favorite Actress Is Not Human

Tilly Norwood doesn’t need a hairstylist, has no regrettable tweets, and if you wish to see a virgin on-screen, this is one of your better chances. That’s because she’s AI, writes Tyler Cowen.

bit.ly

1 4

Reposted by VassB

Brodie Conley @brodieconley.bsky.social · 5d

Today the global indie music sector launched a coordinated campaign to block UMG’s takeover of Downtown Music (an indie business bundle spanning the value chain), now under EU investigation.

Love to see consolidation & competition tackled head-on in music 🤘

www.blockthedeal.com

Block the deal

The future of the global independent music community rests on the merits of their music and the power of choice.

www.blockthedeal.com

1 1

Reposted by VassB

nilay patel @reckless.bsky.social · 6d

Big tech CEOs have spent more than a decade puffing their chests and saying that they are more like heads of state running global companies with bigger revenues than many countries

… but now they’re all folding to actual government pressure faster than any tinpot dictator has ever folded

35 310 1.7K

Reposted by VassB

Philip Stafford @staffordphilip.bsky.social · 6d

It's still underestimated how fast this market is growing. Never mind crypto, this one is fast getting entrenched in the US.
The latest product, parlay bets, is beginning to really cause ripples.
www.barrons.com/articles/dra...

DraftKings, Flutter Stocks Sink. Prediction Markets Are Gaining Momentum.

The prediction markets Kalshi may be eating into the online sports-betting market led by DraftKings and FanDuel.

www.barrons.com

1 4 13

VassB @vassb.bsky.social · 6d

Sports betting but also the movement of being able to bet on everything - every situation being probabilistic and a wager. More common in the US than here. A very weird thing that we legitimized for tax dollars and went overboard with.

1 6

Reposted by VassB

Justin Ling @justinling.ca · 6d

Huge opportunity for a progressive politician to come out and promise real, strict rules on sports better. (No advertising, for sure. No apps could work.)

Inviting the ire of the lecherous sports betting companies would probably be a good profile-building exercise.

John Gramlich @johngramlich.bsky.social · 6d

% of US men under 30 who say legal sports betting is a *bad thing* for society

22% in 2022
47% in 2025

No other demographic group has seen a bigger increase.

Americans increasingly see legal sports betting as a bad thing for society and sports

Today, 43% of U.S. adults say the fact that sports betting is now legal in much of the country is a bad thing for society, up from 34% in 2022.

www.pewresearch.org

6 17 99

Reposted by VassB

Charlie Warzel @cwarzel.bsky.social · 7d

wrote a quick one about the tech companies settling lawsuits with Trump. Yes, it’s cowardice. But it’s also an excuse to behave the way they’ve always wanted to (irresponsibly, with no regard for the consequences of their actions). Which, actually makes them a perfect part of the MAGA coalition

YouTube Bends the Knee

Welcome to the era of Big-Tech capitulation.

www.theatlantic.com

16 150 590

Reposted by VassB

Denise Hearn @denisehearn.bsky.social · 7d

The Big Fix is shortlisted for the Balsillie Prize for Public Policy! Makes the endless hours of agonizing over every word worth it. Helps to have a great co-author: @vassb.bsky.social !

www.theglobeandmail.com/culture/arti...

Balsillie Prize finalists raise uncomfortable questions for policy makers and citizens

Nominated books focus on domestic violence, politics, metals and corporate consolidation

www.theglobeandmail.com

2 8

Reposted by VassB

Writers' Trust of Canada @writerstrust.bsky.social · 7d

Announcing finalists for the 2025 #BalsilliePrize for Public Policy — congratulations to:

◢ @vincebeiser.bsky.social

◢ @vassb.bsky.social & @denisehearn.bsky.social

◢ Pamela Cross

◢ Stephen J.A. Ward

$70K winner announced Nov 25 at a live event in Toronto bit.ly/4g8wCDv

1 5 5

Reposted by VassB

Charlie Warzel @cwarzel.bsky.social · 7d

Exciting Advances In Copyright Infringement

6 58 350

VassB @vassb.bsky.social · 8d

Another unnecessary reliance on foreign digital infrastructure 👎

Reposted by VassB

Armine Yalnizyan @armineyalnizyan.bsky.social · 9d

Do you use "MyChart" to find out how a test went?
It's owned by Epic Systems, an American private equity firm.
This excellent reporting from CTV is a must read.
www.ctvnews.ca/health/artic...

HC data breaches getting more common as private equity invests (+ monetizes everything, incl your data) /2

10 57 84

Reposted by VassB

Constantly whelmed @architectgp.bsky.social · 9d

This is spot on. Our capitulation to the ‘inevitability’ of AI couldn’t come at a worse time.

Screenshot of a paragraph of this essay.

3 93 150