Donald Simmons
@donaldfsimmons.bsky.social
Resident of Toronto. Engineer, cyclist, helps to run Anime North. Loves history and science. Big lefty.
At Zine Dump, a new zine show at the Cecil Community Center
November 9, 2025 at 8:28 PM
At Zine Dump, a new zine show at the Cecil Community Center
Excellent turnout at Bakka-Phoenix books today for the launch of YEARS BEST Canadian FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION, VOL 3.
November 8, 2025 at 8:58 PM
Excellent turnout at Bakka-Phoenix books today for the launch of YEARS BEST Canadian FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION, VOL 3.
Hello darkness my old friend...
I guess it must be 5 PM...
I guess it must be 5 PM...
November 5, 2025 at 10:07 PM
Hello darkness my old friend...
I guess it must be 5 PM...
I guess it must be 5 PM...
Reposted by Donald Simmons
Come one, come all! Join us for the launch of Year's Best Canadian F&SF Volume 3 this Saturday, Nov 8 at Bakka-Phoenix @ 3pm. Ten contributors will be doing brief readings from their work and the fine folks at @bakkaphoenix.bsky.social will have copies for sale. See you there and pls share WIDELY.
November 3, 2025 at 2:29 PM
Come one, come all! Join us for the launch of Year's Best Canadian F&SF Volume 3 this Saturday, Nov 8 at Bakka-Phoenix @ 3pm. Ten contributors will be doing brief readings from their work and the fine folks at @bakkaphoenix.bsky.social will have copies for sale. See you there and pls share WIDELY.
At the corner of Avenue and Bloor, the cops had closed the intersection and they escorted a bus through. One of the cops said it was the Dodgers.
November 1, 2025 at 7:20 PM
At the corner of Avenue and Bloor, the cops had closed the intersection and they escorted a bus through. One of the cops said it was the Dodgers.
Historian Serhii Plokhy at the Festival of Authors talking about his new book on the proliferation of nuclear weapons during the Cold War, which unfortunately seems topical again. His books on the Cuban Missile Crisis and Chernobyl are amazing.
November 1, 2025 at 4:39 PM
Historian Serhii Plokhy at the Festival of Authors talking about his new book on the proliferation of nuclear weapons during the Cold War, which unfortunately seems topical again. His books on the Cuban Missile Crisis and Chernobyl are amazing.
At TYPE books last night to see Cory Doctorow talk about his book ENSHITTIFICATION, about why the internet and nearly everything else is now sh*t and what we can do about it.
Something I'm doing is signing up as a supporter of OPENMEDIA.CA because Cory recommended it (there are worse reasons!)
Something I'm doing is signing up as a supporter of OPENMEDIA.CA because Cory recommended it (there are worse reasons!)
Cory Doctorow at CF 25: How Enshittification Conquered the 21st Century and How We Can Overthrow It
YouTube video by CloudFest
www.youtube.com
October 28, 2025 at 3:30 PM
At TYPE books last night to see Cory Doctorow talk about his book ENSHITTIFICATION, about why the internet and nearly everything else is now sh*t and what we can do about it.
Something I'm doing is signing up as a supporter of OPENMEDIA.CA because Cory recommended it (there are worse reasons!)
Something I'm doing is signing up as a supporter of OPENMEDIA.CA because Cory recommended it (there are worse reasons!)
Just got a COVID booster and the flu shot.
October 27, 2025 at 9:57 PM
Just got a COVID booster and the flu shot.
Attended the Christie Cross Cyclocross races at Christie Pits this afternoon. Perfect (if cool) weather. Besides the men's and woman's races there were amateur and fixie races, and even one on the city commuter bikes. Wish we had more races in Ontario but there's no sponsorship or gov support.
October 26, 2025 at 9:42 PM
Attended the Christie Cross Cyclocross races at Christie Pits this afternoon. Perfect (if cool) weather. Besides the men's and woman's races there were amateur and fixie races, and even one on the city commuter bikes. Wish we had more races in Ontario but there's no sponsorship or gov support.
Reposted by Donald Simmons
Attended the Anti-Hate protest opposing a Canada First rally this morning at the north end of Queen's Park. Missed the one at Christie Pits last month (I was out of town) and really wanted to make this one.
October 25, 2025 at 10:42 PM
Attended the Anti-Hate protest opposing a Canada First rally this morning at the north end of Queen's Park. Missed the one at Christie Pits last month (I was out of town) and really wanted to make this one.
My friend Christine is a biochemist, and she was an early victim of the US science cuts, losing her research position in Boston. She's now gotten a position at U of Ottawa, researching using microbes to mine minerals. Good for her and this country.
October 19, 2025 at 4:39 PM
My friend Christine is a biochemist, and she was an early victim of the US science cuts, losing her research position in Boston. She's now gotten a position at U of Ottawa, researching using microbes to mine minerals. Good for her and this country.
Great day for a bike ride. It's the time of year when every long weekend ride might be my last until spring, as the weather might turn cold at any time.
October 18, 2025 at 9:26 PM
Great day for a bike ride. It's the time of year when every long weekend ride might be my last until spring, as the weather might turn cold at any time.
Saw Bryan Adams Friday night (please excuse the crappy picture). He was in fine form, it was a great show.
"Hi, I'm Bryan. I'm going to perform as many songs as I can remember."
"Hi, I'm Bryan. I'm going to perform as many songs as I can remember."
October 5, 2025 at 3:12 PM
Saw Bryan Adams Friday night (please excuse the crappy picture). He was in fine form, it was a great show.
"Hi, I'm Bryan. I'm going to perform as many songs as I can remember."
"Hi, I'm Bryan. I'm going to perform as many songs as I can remember."
Great article from THE INVISIBLE EVENT for mystery writers / readers on how to hide clues in plain sight.
#1351: And in That Way of Caution I Must Tell You – On Hiding Clues in Plain Sight
I recently lamented that I don’t really do much in the way of think-pieces on The Invisible Event any more, and some of you in the comments were like ‘Yeah, so do them again, then, idio…
theinvisibleevent.com
September 27, 2025 at 7:04 PM
Great article from THE INVISIBLE EVENT for mystery writers / readers on how to hide clues in plain sight.
Really good article about
how the mainstreaming of fan culture has lead to increasing corporate control of it.
how the mainstreaming of fan culture has lead to increasing corporate control of it.
The Decade Fandom Went Corporate
In the last twenty years, fandom and mass culture have basically merged. Fans and fandom spent the 2000s fighting for legitimacy and proving their
gizmodo.com
September 26, 2025 at 3:06 AM
Really good article about
how the mainstreaming of fan culture has lead to increasing corporate control of it.
how the mainstreaming of fan culture has lead to increasing corporate control of it.
Tremendous story from THE LOCAL about the harassment Chinese students at Canadian universities are under from their own government.
Why Chinese Student Activists Live in Fear on Canadian Campuses | The Local
From death threats to surveillance and intimidation by their government, Chinese students at Canadian universities feel the chill of transnational repression.
thelocal.to
September 24, 2025 at 7:19 PM
Tremendous story from THE LOCAL about the harassment Chinese students at Canadian universities are under from their own government.
Tis the season of the University of Toronto college book sales, at the Victoria College sale.
September 21, 2025 at 6:53 PM
Tis the season of the University of Toronto college book sales, at the Victoria College sale.
In Quebec City for the Grand Prix Cycle Race, 18 laps through the old city and the Plains of Abraham. Lots of big names here.
September 12, 2025 at 4:21 PM
In Quebec City for the Grand Prix Cycle Race, 18 laps through the old city and the Plains of Abraham. Lots of big names here.
It would be nice if all those articles on Charlie Kirk would mention he was a racist and white supremacist instead of just saying he was a "free speech advocate".
September 11, 2025 at 5:23 PM
It would be nice if all those articles on Charlie Kirk would mention he was a racist and white supremacist instead of just saying he was a "free speech advocate".
Reposted by Donald Simmons
Toronto, ON mayoral. I'll try to be polite, and put it this way: I've seen stories like this about John making political decisions *for most of my career, and I'm old.* Example: in the 2010 race John was in and out and in and out. 58 sources were granted anonymity -
www.thestar.com/news/gta/if-...
www.thestar.com/news/gta/if-...
‘If he runs again, it will be a very difficult ride’: John Tory critics ramp up attacks as former mayor holds talks on possible mayoral campaign
Three sources told the Star the former mayor is more likely than not to run in next year’s municipal election, and has been holding talks with key backers over a potential campaign.
www.thestar.com
September 6, 2025 at 1:44 PM
Toronto, ON mayoral. I'll try to be polite, and put it this way: I've seen stories like this about John making political decisions *for most of my career, and I'm old.* Example: in the 2010 race John was in and out and in and out. 58 sources were granted anonymity -
www.thestar.com/news/gta/if-...
www.thestar.com/news/gta/if-...
Well, it looks like my company has been sold. What does this mean? Who knows! Guess I'll find out.
September 4, 2025 at 9:28 PM
Well, it looks like my company has been sold. What does this mean? Who knows! Guess I'll find out.
Reposted by Donald Simmons
Canadians! There is a petition to sign to protest Mastercard and Visa's control over the purchase of legal adult content. This is specifically about the Steam & itchio situation, but language protects adult creators.
www.ourcommons.ca/petitions/en...
#nsfw #censorship #canpoli
@acvalens.net
www.ourcommons.ca/petitions/en...
#nsfw #censorship #canpoli
@acvalens.net
Petition e-6695 - Petitions
www.ourcommons.ca
September 3, 2025 at 6:01 PM
Canadians! There is a petition to sign to protest Mastercard and Visa's control over the purchase of legal adult content. This is specifically about the Steam & itchio situation, but language protects adult creators.
www.ourcommons.ca/petitions/en...
#nsfw #censorship #canpoli
@acvalens.net
www.ourcommons.ca/petitions/en...
#nsfw #censorship #canpoli
@acvalens.net
Been a long time since my university orientation days.
September 3, 2025 at 11:13 PM
Been a long time since my university orientation days.
At the Fox to see Chow Yun Fat's CITY ON FIRE (1987) which I have not seen in a *long* time. I just wish the Fox wasn't such a slog from my place.
September 2, 2025 at 12:56 AM
At the Fox to see Chow Yun Fat's CITY ON FIRE (1987) which I have not seen in a *long* time. I just wish the Fox wasn't such a slog from my place.
Just finished a 75km ride (with 500m of climbing) from Aldershot through Dundas Valley, back along the Brantford rail trail, through Hamilton, up the Hamilton Beach Trail to Burlington go. Hamilton has more and better bike lanes than I was expecting.
August 31, 2025 at 9:20 PM
Just finished a 75km ride (with 500m of climbing) from Aldershot through Dundas Valley, back along the Brantford rail trail, through Hamilton, up the Hamilton Beach Trail to Burlington go. Hamilton has more and better bike lanes than I was expecting.