We take consolation in disasters from the idea that society might learn something and that the horror might never recur. The war to end all wars, the massacre to end all massacres. We want to see progress to encourage ourselves to keep pushing for change. And yet we don't want to magnify a tiny step forward to give others the illusion…
Fake news on Facebook: what they could do to fix the dust cloud of misinformation
Fake news played a pretty significant role in influencing opinion on the recent US election, which, I note, has not gone unnoticed here in Canada. The Guardian had an interesting piece about the preponderance of lies that got circulated and re-circulated amongst both Clinton and Trump supporters. Although it notes that the Trump camp was much more likely to produce face news…
Sexism and school photos: Boy poses and girl poses
Lately it's been bothering me and Irene that Mallory would come back from photo day with tales of how kids were being posed by gender.
Algonquin Park trip journal: Érables, Biggar, Kioshkowkwi
Four days in the north west end of Algonquin Park. Almost 3 litres of wine.
For better cycling infrastructure
I am going to lose friends for saying this but I never ride the Laurier Bike Lane. I hate it. I want to see actual, safe cycling infrastructure in Ottawa, not just narrow channels designed to keep us from impeding the progress of car traffic.
Dear Canada Post, settle. Don't be as stupid as I know you can be
Wherein I plead with Canada Post to do the sensible thing and settle. As if corporations are guided by rational thought.
N-word Rapids - get racism off the map
I was planning a bike ride on my favourite route planning app when I came across a rather shocking site. There is a place marked on Google Maps — don’t think it even has a population count — south of Maniwaki Québec called N--ger Rapids. (Sorry about the dashes. I'm not afraid to handle the word, if only to put it in the trash, but I also don't want to pass…