Ron Dyck

Western Canadian Select human. Prairie boy (he/him) with an unfortunate dislike of toxic masculinity and rugged individuality. Grim as that may sound, humour keeps me alive. Tech and/or tech adjacent. Politics matter.

Inveterate liker of toots. Toots do not necessarily constitute strong endorsement. "It doesn't matter what Canada does for emissions" = instablock. Rude/edgelord replies = instablock.

The power of accurate observation is frequently called cynicism.

#StarTrekForLife
#IDIC

Last Notes

2025-10-19 23:40:17 UTC

‘Reduce, reuse, recycle’ is corporate gaslighting – the real change must come from the fossil fuel industry
https://theconversation.com/reduce-reuse-recycle-is-corporate-gaslighting-the-real-change-must-come-from-the-fossil-fuel-industry-266819

2025-03-24 20:42:22 UTC

- reply

https://www.mining.com/canada-scraps-federal-review-of-large-projects/

2025-03-24 15:34:58 UTC

"While there’s currently broad public support for a counter-tariff response to Trump’s tariffs — which adds to the cost of U.S. imports just as the Canadian dollar is flagging — Bartlett said that feeling may shift when Canadians start to feel the effects of that retaliation on their wallets."
Election 2025: Trump trade war may affect Canada ballot box
https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/article/trumps-trade-war-adds-new-dimension-to-ballot-box-issue-of-affordability/

2025-02-23 04:28:19 UTC

1. Guarantee a right to repair for appliances by requiring manufacturers to provide manuals and replacement parts;
2. Establish a 15% tax credit for appliance repairs, up to a maximum of $500 per year;
3. Inform consumers about the environmental impacts of household appliances so that they can make informed choices; and
4. Modify Canada’s Copyright Act to remove the legal barriers to repairing digital devices.
Petition e-5245 - Petitions
https://www.ourcommons.ca/petitions/en/Petition/Details?Petition=e-5245

2025-02-21 21:23:34 UTC

South Carolina man to be killed in US’s first firing squad execution in 15 years
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/feb/21/brad-sigmon-death-penalty-firing-squad

2025-02-10 00:26:56 UTC

- reply

nah, they've flip-flopped right into it!
https://www.hilltimes.com/story/2025/02/07/canada-first-rally-expected-to-be-major-rebranding-of-the-conservative-campaign-say-senior-party-figures/450347/

2025-01-26 18:20:01 UTC

Lest we forget... 😞
Survey says more young Canadians believe the history of the Holocaust is exaggerated
https://globalnews.ca/news/10978247/survey-canadians-believe-history-holocaust-exaggerated/

2025-01-24 21:43:46 UTC

- reply

it actually mentions that too!
"The 2024 federal budget outlined plans to reduce 5,000 public service jobs through attrition over four years."

2025-01-24 21:39:50 UTC

“The population of Canada has grown. All those decisions to open the doors means a larger population and we have to provide the service. What is the plan because just saying you want change isn’t reason enough.”
Federal Conservatives suggest attrition to reduce size of federal workforce
https://www.ctvnews.ca/ottawa/article/federal-conservatives-could-shrink-public-service-by-not-backfilling-lower-priority-vacant-positions/

2024-11-29 20:16:10 UTC

- reply

Gee, what would Nobel prize winner Joseph Stiglitz say?
"Stiglitz: Neoliberalism played a very big role. Since the Cold War we have been cutting back on basic research. The private sector won’t do that, they do the last mile well but not the basic research. Neoliberalism underestimated the importance of that ... The irony is that neoliberalism was supposed to enhance growth but the evidence is unambiguously that growth slowed, and I think there’s a causal connection."
https://archive.ph/DzE8r

2024-11-29 20:11:39 UTC

Isn't it odd how public university researchers make these advances and not the godlike private sector so beloved of neoliberal hacks? 🤔
Sask. scientists develop way to make canola meal more profitable | CTV News
https://saskatoon.ctvnews.ca/a-huge-value-addition-sask-scientists-develop-way-to-make-canola-meal-more-profitable-1.7128377

2024-11-25 20:04:06 UTC

"They also question the government's willingness to find them housing, saying they have received more help from volunteers than officials. They note that multiple high-rise condominiums are under development in Halifax - none of which, they say, are affordable."
Investors have more right to profit than they do to the basics of life. The market says so, and it reigns supreme.
What happened when a Canadian city stopped evicting homeless camps
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c3wq7l1lnqpo

2024-11-19 17:01:30 UTC

What are the inheritance tax changes affecting UK farmers?
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/nov/19/what-are-inheritance-tax-changes-affecting-uk-farmers

2024-11-17 19:06:17 UTC

Large language models not fit for real-world use, scientists warn — even slight changes cause their world models to collapse
https://www.livescience.com/technology/artificial-intelligence/large-language-models-not-fit-for-real-world-use-scientists-warn-even-slight-changes-cause-their-world-models-to-collapse

2024-11-08 00:13:44 UTC

Crows hold grudges for up to 17 years
https://www.earth.com/news/crows-hold-grudges-for-up-to-17-years/

2024-10-21 14:12:38 UTC

TD Bank executives oversee $670 billion drug money laundering scheme, avoid jail
https://popular.info/p/td-bank-executives-oversee-670-billion

2024-10-16 19:01:25 UTC

Louder than "axe the tax?" #idiocracy
Pierre Poilievre's silence on India keeps getting louder | Canada's National Observer
https://archive.ph/eAp4T

2024-08-29 23:37:57 UTC

And they'll get their way, too. At least that's my bet.
Donors Quietly Push Harris to Drop Tax on Ultrawealthy
https://archive.is/onYE0