Mike Roberts
@magnunnr.bsky.social
History, technology, queer. Following covid & climate. Writing about small steam engines, energy, expertise. Frequent typos, ill-advised late-night posts may appear. (Ill-advised Star Trek references may appear at any time)
Not every portable engine was destined for greatness...... from George Page, Machinst, Inventor & Manufacturer's 1850 Catalogue. 🗃️
November 8, 2025 at 9:30 PM
Not every portable engine was destined for greatness...... from George Page, Machinst, Inventor & Manufacturer's 1850 Catalogue. 🗃️
Ok. What did Brown & Patterson do to piss off the Engineers? The Farmer's Advocate Oct 1881.
October 1, 2025 at 8:30 PM
Ok. What did Brown & Patterson do to piss off the Engineers? The Farmer's Advocate Oct 1881.
Well, if my class says this on Tuesday @ least I'll know where to go looking for examples. And next year's TAs might wonder why the 4th years talk so much about tractor pulling....
Taking an intro history course after years away from university to add a second minor to my degree. It’s on the history of Canada. When asked what we each hoped to learn about Canada by semester’s end, all but me and one other student said “sports.”
👀 #cdnpoli
👀 #cdnpoli
“Sport is the big giveaway. Wherever sport plays a big part in people's lives you can be sure they're bored witless and just waiting to break up the furniture.”
― J.G. Ballard, Kingdom Come
― J.G. Ballard, Kingdom Come
September 14, 2025 at 9:23 PM
Well, if my class says this on Tuesday @ least I'll know where to go looking for examples. And next year's TAs might wonder why the 4th years talk so much about tractor pulling....
Reposted by Mike Roberts
High-speed rail is coming to #Canada!
This week, federal government fast-tracked the Alto project.
Will link #Quebec City- #Montreal - #Ottawa - #Toronto , a corridor with half Canada's population.
Projected to carry 30 million passengers a year—twice US Northeast Corridor—on 300 km/h trains.
🚄🧵
This week, federal government fast-tracked the Alto project.
Will link #Quebec City- #Montreal - #Ottawa - #Toronto , a corridor with half Canada's population.
Projected to carry 30 million passengers a year—twice US Northeast Corridor—on 300 km/h trains.
🚄🧵
September 14, 2025 at 1:02 PM
I have quesitons:
(The Canadian Spectator Sept 14 1878)
(The Canadian Spectator Sept 14 1878)
September 14, 2025 at 3:45 PM
I have quesitons:
(The Canadian Spectator Sept 14 1878)
(The Canadian Spectator Sept 14 1878)
Right to repair, since 1892 (Canada Farmer's Sun, 1892-09-27)
August 5, 2025 at 4:11 PM
Right to repair, since 1892 (Canada Farmer's Sun, 1892-09-27)
Reposted by Mike Roberts
I've deleted ~5 attempts at commenting on current conditions, but let's go with this: The desire for war is a weakness. It is not strength.
June 22, 2025 at 6:35 PM
I've deleted ~5 attempts at commenting on current conditions, but let's go with this: The desire for war is a weakness. It is not strength.
Reposted by Mike Roberts
I get annoyed at the narrative that all the awareness and work on climate change hasn't done anything. Yes, global CO₂ emissions indeed continue to climb, but we don't know the counterfactual. When I was in grad school, we were on track for 5°C of warming. Now it's below 3°C. That's progress.
June 22, 2025 at 5:09 PM
I get annoyed at the narrative that all the awareness and work on climate change hasn't done anything. Yes, global CO₂ emissions indeed continue to climb, but we don't know the counterfactual. When I was in grad school, we were on track for 5°C of warming. Now it's below 3°C. That's progress.
obligatory Warp-Weighted loom post:
Archaeology findings and interpretation on hoardings 😍 Spotted in central Oxford today. Lovely - I do want to give some tips on word and line lengths though.
June 22, 2025 at 7:29 PM
obligatory Warp-Weighted loom post:
Reposted by Mike Roberts
The feedback loop gets stronger --"Our findings highlight the vulnerability of live biomass carbon stocks to emerging climate-induced disturbances in northern ecosystems, challenging the sustainability of current large terrestrial carbon sink in this key region for the global carbon balance." 🌏
Large live biomass carbon losses from droughts in the northern temperate ecosystems during 2016-2022
->Nature | #Ecosystem #Climate #Drought #Water | More info from EcoSearch
->Nature | #Ecosystem #Climate #Drought #Water | More info from EcoSearch
Large live biomass carbon losses from droughts in the northern temperate ecosystems during 2016-2022
Our study area is located above 30°N, excluding southern China and southeastern Europe, where L-VOD is susceptible to radio frequency interference (RFI) from human activities33. There are two main ecosystems included in our study area, namely the northern temperate biomes...
www.nature.com
June 2, 2025 at 8:12 PM
The feedback loop gets stronger --"Our findings highlight the vulnerability of live biomass carbon stocks to emerging climate-induced disturbances in northern ecosystems, challenging the sustainability of current large terrestrial carbon sink in this key region for the global carbon balance." 🌏
Reposted by Mike Roberts
You know how, when you are trying to finish things, you are supposed to *stop* opening cans of worms. I have failed at this today: (via etymologyonline)
May 9, 2025 at 8:25 PM
You know how, when you are trying to finish things, you are supposed to *stop* opening cans of worms. I have failed at this today: (via etymologyonline)
I've been so consumed by the local election, I barely noticed a couple entire countries having a really interesting #blackout. So. That's embarrassing. Maybe after I get some sleep I'll try and figure out what happened, :D
April 29, 2025 at 5:19 PM
I've been so consumed by the local election, I barely noticed a couple entire countries having a really interesting #blackout. So. That's embarrassing. Maybe after I get some sleep I'll try and figure out what happened, :D
Reposted by Mike Roberts
THIS IS HUGE! Researchers at McMaster University have discovered a NEW peptide antibiotic that targets a broad range of disease-causing bacteria INCLUDING those RESISTANT to existing antibiotics. This discovery marks the first potential new class of antibiotics in NEARLY 30 YEARS. 🧪🧵⬇️
March 31, 2025 at 4:00 PM
THIS IS HUGE! Researchers at McMaster University have discovered a NEW peptide antibiotic that targets a broad range of disease-causing bacteria INCLUDING those RESISTANT to existing antibiotics. This discovery marks the first potential new class of antibiotics in NEARLY 30 YEARS. 🧪🧵⬇️
Reposted by Mike Roberts
When the recommendation is to "take a burner phone" when visiting a country, it should really just be "don't go." www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
Why immigration lawyers warn you might want to bring a burner phone if you're going to the U.S. | CBC News
Amid stories of travellers facing hurdles or even being detained at the U.S. border, some immigration lawyers say Canadians should expect extra questioning, have plenty of documents on hand and even c...
www.cbc.ca
April 1, 2025 at 8:09 PM
When the recommendation is to "take a burner phone" when visiting a country, it should really just be "don't go." www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
Reposted by Mike Roberts
April 1, 2025 at 7:27 PM
Reposted by Mike Roberts
SCOOP: As the Trump administration continues its efforts to slash the US federal workforce, the team responsible for publishing data used in advanced research in astrophysics, nuclear fusion, and other fields appears to be on the chopping block.
Trump Admin Plans to Cut Team Responsible for Critical Atomic Measurement Data
The team at the National Institute of Standards and Technology publishes measurement data crucial for advanced research in areas like astrophysics, nuclear fusion, and semiconductors.
www.wired.com
March 25, 2025 at 3:38 PM
SCOOP: As the Trump administration continues its efforts to slash the US federal workforce, the team responsible for publishing data used in advanced research in astrophysics, nuclear fusion, and other fields appears to be on the chopping block.
Reposted by Mike Roberts
As I just said on radio what is most alarming about Danielle Smith tape is not the attempted collusion with a foreign government to interfere in our election it's that she said Poilievre is "in sync" with "new direction" in America which is a brutal autocracy with a crashing economy 🇨🇦 #CanadaSky
March 24, 2025 at 12:05 PM
As I just said on radio what is most alarming about Danielle Smith tape is not the attempted collusion with a foreign government to interfere in our election it's that she said Poilievre is "in sync" with "new direction" in America which is a brutal autocracy with a crashing economy 🇨🇦 #CanadaSky
Reposted by Mike Roberts
Pierre Poilievre, there should be a health warning attached to him covering at least 75% of the display area as well as his toxicity information as per Health Canada.
#NeverPoilievre
#cdnpoli
#NeverPoilievre
#cdnpoli
March 16, 2025 at 4:31 PM
Pierre Poilievre, there should be a health warning attached to him covering at least 75% of the display area as well as his toxicity information as per Health Canada.
#NeverPoilievre
#cdnpoli
#NeverPoilievre
#cdnpoli
Reposted by Mike Roberts
I'm sharing this screenshot from Canada's federal Conservative platform again (i.e., Poilievre's party) again because I don't think most cis Canadians fully understand how dangerous these people are to Two-Spirit and transgender people who are subject to Canadian policy. 🧵#cdnpoli #Canada #Poilievre
March 15, 2025 at 10:29 PM
I'm sharing this screenshot from Canada's federal Conservative platform again (i.e., Poilievre's party) again because I don't think most cis Canadians fully understand how dangerous these people are to Two-Spirit and transgender people who are subject to Canadian policy. 🧵#cdnpoli #Canada #Poilievre
Reposted by Mike Roberts
PM #MarkCarney ordered a review of Canada’s contract for 88 F-35 fighter jets, in response to tariffs & expansionist rhetoric from #Trump
#1 choice is Swedish-built Saab Gripen. Assembly & maintenance would be in #Canada + there'd be transfer of intellectual property - unlike USA's #F-35
#cdnpoli
#1 choice is Swedish-built Saab Gripen. Assembly & maintenance would be in #Canada + there'd be transfer of intellectual property - unlike USA's #F-35
#cdnpoli
March 15, 2025 at 4:29 PM
PM #MarkCarney ordered a review of Canada’s contract for 88 F-35 fighter jets, in response to tariffs & expansionist rhetoric from #Trump
#1 choice is Swedish-built Saab Gripen. Assembly & maintenance would be in #Canada + there'd be transfer of intellectual property - unlike USA's #F-35
#cdnpoli
#1 choice is Swedish-built Saab Gripen. Assembly & maintenance would be in #Canada + there'd be transfer of intellectual property - unlike USA's #F-35
#cdnpoli
Yale says Canada will win the trade war, lol.
March 14, 2025 at 7:19 PM
Yale says Canada will win the trade war, lol.
Reposted by Mike Roberts
Canadians are sick of divisive, American-style party politics. Look where it got them.
Put Canada first and start working together. Start the conversation about cooperation.
We have more important things to worry about.
#cdnpoli #getoverit #notoneseat
Put Canada first and start working together. Start the conversation about cooperation.
We have more important things to worry about.
#cdnpoli #getoverit #notoneseat
March 14, 2025 at 6:40 PM
Canadians are sick of divisive, American-style party politics. Look where it got them.
Put Canada first and start working together. Start the conversation about cooperation.
We have more important things to worry about.
#cdnpoli #getoverit #notoneseat
Put Canada first and start working together. Start the conversation about cooperation.
We have more important things to worry about.
#cdnpoli #getoverit #notoneseat