Jane Dryden

In comments of the quoted thread, @fractalecho.bsky.social says:

"In my book I call this the Disability Diversion where all criticism of techno fascism is deflected with appeals to technosaviorism."

"Disabling Intelligences: Legacies of Eugenics and How We are Wrong about AI"
by Rua M. Williams

Emmy is our resident queen and owns most of the household, demanding near-constant affection and pets.

round black cat sitting on a kitchen chair stares blearily up into the sun.

a cat picture perhaps?

When a country endorses something like US/Israel illegally starting a war with Iran, as Canada just has, they own a piece of it, whatever the outcome ends up being. And the worst part is we have absolutely no control over that outcome. We just signed onto it anyway.

玉險 Office of the Prime Minister Cabinet du Premier Ministre Statement by Prime Minister Carney and Minister Anand on the situation in the Middle East "The Canadian government is closely following Iran-related hostilities throughout the Middle East and urges all Canadians in Iran to shelter in place. Canadians in the wider region should follow local advice and take all necessary precautions. Canada's position remains clear: the Islamic Republic of Iran is the principal source of instability and terror throughout the Middle East, has one of the world's worst human rights records, and must never be allowed to obtain or develop nuclear weapons. Canada and our international partners have consistently called upon the Iranian regime to end its nuclear program, including at the 2025 G7 Leaders' Summit in Kananaskis and with the United Nations' reimposition of sanctions in September. Despite diplomatic efforts, Iran has neither fully dismantled its nuclear program, halted all enrichment activities, nor ended its support for regional terrorist proxy groups. Canada stands with the Iranian people in their long and courageous struggle against Iran's oppressive regime. Canada has listed the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist entity, and has sanctioned 256 Iranian entities and 222 individuals in response to the regime's repression and its violence both against its own people, and persistently, beyond its borders. Canada reaffirms Israel's right to defend itself and to ensure the security of its people. Canada supports the United States acting to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and to prevent its regime from further threatening international peace and security. The Canadian government urges the protection of all civilians in this conflict. We will take all possible measures to protect our nationals and Canadian diplomatic missions throughout the region." February 28, 2026

“Canada supports the United States acting to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and to prevent its regime from further threatening international peace and security.”

Well. For those of us wondering if he’d walk the walk of the Davos speech, this is a pretty big answer.

Nope.

I’m so sorry, Christine. What a fine handsome boy.

2026: we talk up "Canadian Identity" to avoid getting invaded, but we don't understand the icons we use, and can't create new ones, because we've decided culture is a luxury disconnected from economic propulsion, and that luxury itself is a benefit for billionaires, not the public.

Proposed higher education cuts will subordinate New Brunswick As Susan Holt’s Liberal Government announces devastating cuts to the province's post-secondary education sector, universities and colleges across the region

"Holt has claimed to reverse course on the STU-UNB merger plans and Mount Allison privatization scheme, but that may be little more than sleight of hand to distract from the real target: a classic neoliberal transfer of wealth from the public sector to the private."

NEW piece on NB Holt debacle.

it's 2016: north carolina introduces a bill to ban trans people from using bathrooms safely. there's a national outcry; companies withdraw business up to and including the NCAA cancelling a publicized game. the bill fails.

it's 2026: kansas passes a law nullifying trans people's licenses. crickets.

Photo of flowers with purple highlighted text overlayed saying: thumbs down post-pandemic, thumbs down during COVID, thumbs down post COVID, thumbs up post 2020-2021, thumbs up during lockdowns, thumbs up post lockdowns.

Reminder and suggestions for language shifts.

We’re not post-Covid. Covid is ever-present and doing its (not-great) thing. If we are at all interested in being inclusive and accessible in our world and work, we need to remember that we share air.

yikes

Champion!!

thank you for the rec! looks lovely and I will check it out.

*Important* At the Senate on Tuesday, the President summarized the Province's plan to cut University funding across the province by 10%. This is nuclear, amounting to ~50M divided among the four universities. (While Irving pulp and paper is to get +45M for tariff relief.) But it is not yet a done deal. All university and union presidents are responding firmly. Please write to your MLA asap. There is not much time.

Dear Hon. Susan Holt, It has come to my attention that the budget for universities in the province may be cut by $50 million. I am writing to plead with you to reconsider. New Brunswick universities like the University of New Brunswick--recently ranked tops in Atlantic Canada and 14th in the country ahead of Western and Ottawa by TIME Magazine--serve a vital role educating the young people of this province. Our constituency is our own children. These proposed cuts would have a catastrophic impact on institutions that quite frankly require more public investment not less. This would be an incredibly short-sighted decision, with devastating long-term impacts. I hope New Brunswick can count on you to reconsider and put its young people first, ahead of corporate interests. Many thanks, Nathan Kalman-Lamb Associate Professor of Sociology, University of New Brunswick

Catastrophic higher education news in New Brunswick: the Liberal government of my MLA @susanholtnb.bsky.social is potentially going to cut 10% of the budget for universities—$50M across 4 schools when much *more* funding is needed, not less.

The impact would be devastating.

Please share, NBers.

ughhh gross

I am not a professional editor or copy editor but I vote “N” since the name of the *band* is “Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds”. (it’s not Nick Cave on his own).

Are We Seeing the Limits of Gender Identity? — Assigned A conversation between Riki Wilchins for Assigned Media and Philosopher Rowan Bell.

@rikiwilchins.bsky.social 2026 Feb 7
Interview for Assigned Media with philosopher Rowan Bell on whether we may be seeing the limits of gender identity as an anchoring concept for trans in courts, legislatures, civil rights, and even trans theory.

Canada sidesteps UN scrutiny over assisted dying ⋆ The Breach Calls by disability advocates and the UN to halt an expansion of medically assisted death have gone largely unacknowledged by the federal government

For nearly a year, the feds have been quiet about a scathing UN report on Canada's treatment of disabled people, including MAiD expansion and paltry financial supports

@spichaksimon.bsky.social presses the government for answers in our latest for @breachmedia.ca

breachmedia.ca/canada-sides...

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What do you do when your Founder & CEO researches concepts salient to our community of social researchers?

Why, run a free webinar, of course!

On Feb 24 @ 7pm GMT, join Dr Zara Bain for a FREE webinar:

Epistemic Injustice, Oppression & Ignorance: An Introduction for Social Researchers.

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Age verification and social media bans are explicitly ways to isolate queer, neurodivergent, and abused kids.

If you're Canadian and shaking your head about the US gov arresting journalists for the crime of doing journalism, well, that happens here too.
And instead of just being furious about it, you can donate money to The Narwhal, who are actually trying to stop it from happening here.

Growing up in Ottawa, Canada, we always used the front door. When I moved to the Maritimes, I had to switch to using the back door (and now I’m used to always using the back door).

every time someone has asked me the last week or so about priorities it is rental assistance. please please please people need rent to stay in their homes. scroll down to rent relief funds and pick something www.standwithminnesota.com

Canadians remember that Canada is also slated to massively ramp up deportations, and these police routinely collaborate with the CBSA, so racial profiling especially of Black folks can easily led to detention and deportation, even for long term residents.

I need Canadians to think about what is happening here at home. Carney is cutting the very agencies we need more than ever as things erode in the US.

Wake. Up.

🧵

I've been thinking about this a lot, for months: Gaza was a breaking point between verifiable reality and liberal governance. "AI" sparks fears ppl will believe things that aren't true, but Gaza SHOWED things that WERE true—& western governments, universities & news outlets pretened they were not.

Alas I am that third thing, busy but interested. Sorry to miss it — looks like a great talk.

Since a lot of folks have suggested ableist alternative words let’s chat about this:

Intelligence is not something that can be measured without employing bigotry and it’s not something that determines a moral compass or good vs bad

So any word at all that uses intelligence as an insult is ableist

While the U.S. is actively weakening the FDA, Canada is preparing to stop doing its own drug reviews and defer to foreign regulators.

“Public service savings targets” in action.

❤️ sending a hug from far too far away and wish you had more folks nearby.