Martin L Martens
@mlmartens.bsky.social
Activist Insurgent, Retired Professor Dept of Management & Law, Vancouver Island U., Ground SAR Team Lead, Medic, Tracker, Rope Tech, and Instructor. Ski Patrol in the winter. S'uqsun, Xwkwa’luxwum, Vancouver Island
Also @mlmartens@mastodon.social
Also @mlmartens@mastodon.social
Pinned
A few days ago, one of the juvenile Great Horned Owls was sitting in the rain, outside of my house, staring in the window. The structure of its face makes it appear unhappy about sitting out in the cold rain.
#birds 🪶
#birds 🪶
Reposted by Martin L Martens
1/ The US Government has quietly removed a memorial to Black soldiers who died in World War II from the Netherlands American Cemetery in Margraten, South Limburg. The move follows a complaint from the right-wing Heritage Foundation to the American Battle Monuments Commission. ⬇️
November 9, 2025 at 9:23 AM
1/ The US Government has quietly removed a memorial to Black soldiers who died in World War II from the Netherlands American Cemetery in Margraten, South Limburg. The move follows a complaint from the right-wing Heritage Foundation to the American Battle Monuments Commission. ⬇️
It's safe to conclude that these two like each other. #Caturday #CatsofBlueSky
November 8, 2025 at 7:52 PM
It's safe to conclude that these two like each other. #Caturday #CatsofBlueSky
Reposted by Martin L Martens
Hi Bluesky 👋
Small life update: I’m at the centre of a multimillion dollar lawsuit in Alberta launched by a failed candidate for Jason Kenney’s UCP
It may be the longest and most expensive media trial in Canadian history
I’m ready to go public about it and I want to share more details with you 🧵
Small life update: I’m at the centre of a multimillion dollar lawsuit in Alberta launched by a failed candidate for Jason Kenney’s UCP
It may be the longest and most expensive media trial in Canadian history
I’m ready to go public about it and I want to share more details with you 🧵
November 7, 2025 at 2:44 PM
Hi Bluesky 👋
Small life update: I’m at the centre of a multimillion dollar lawsuit in Alberta launched by a failed candidate for Jason Kenney’s UCP
It may be the longest and most expensive media trial in Canadian history
I’m ready to go public about it and I want to share more details with you 🧵
Small life update: I’m at the centre of a multimillion dollar lawsuit in Alberta launched by a failed candidate for Jason Kenney’s UCP
It may be the longest and most expensive media trial in Canadian history
I’m ready to go public about it and I want to share more details with you 🧵
Reposted by Martin L Martens
Spotify is crashing HARD because of the boycott. Their stock dropped 11% in value over the last month. Let’s keep this going!
Tell everyone you know to boycott Spotify. There are plenty of alternatives that don’t run ICE advertisements and screw over artists.
We made it easy at boycottspotify.com.
Tell everyone you know to boycott Spotify. There are plenty of alternatives that don’t run ICE advertisements and screw over artists.
We made it easy at boycottspotify.com.
November 7, 2025 at 7:15 PM
Spotify is crashing HARD because of the boycott. Their stock dropped 11% in value over the last month. Let’s keep this going!
Tell everyone you know to boycott Spotify. There are plenty of alternatives that don’t run ICE advertisements and screw over artists.
We made it easy at boycottspotify.com.
Tell everyone you know to boycott Spotify. There are plenty of alternatives that don’t run ICE advertisements and screw over artists.
We made it easy at boycottspotify.com.
Reposted by Martin L Martens
@pressprogress.ca needs your solidarity and support right now more than ever
We’re raising money to pay our legal bills – and to be blunt, we’re going to need a lot of help
If you’re able, please help us out and support our Journalism Defence Fund:
pressprogress.ca/journalism-d...
We’re raising money to pay our legal bills – and to be blunt, we’re going to need a lot of help
If you’re able, please help us out and support our Journalism Defence Fund:
pressprogress.ca/journalism-d...
PressProgress: Defend Canadian Journalism
pressprogress.ca
November 7, 2025 at 2:44 PM
@pressprogress.ca needs your solidarity and support right now more than ever
We’re raising money to pay our legal bills – and to be blunt, we’re going to need a lot of help
If you’re able, please help us out and support our Journalism Defence Fund:
pressprogress.ca/journalism-d...
We’re raising money to pay our legal bills – and to be blunt, we’re going to need a lot of help
If you’re able, please help us out and support our Journalism Defence Fund:
pressprogress.ca/journalism-d...
Reposted by Martin L Martens
In other provinces, journalists can use anti-SLAPP legislation to challenge lawsuits when they believe they are groundless or undermine the public interest
Alberta has no such laws, leaving journalists vulnerable to long and expensive legal battles
I believe that is fundamentally bad for democracy
Alberta has no such laws, leaving journalists vulnerable to long and expensive legal battles
I believe that is fundamentally bad for democracy
November 7, 2025 at 2:44 PM
In other provinces, journalists can use anti-SLAPP legislation to challenge lawsuits when they believe they are groundless or undermine the public interest
Alberta has no such laws, leaving journalists vulnerable to long and expensive legal battles
I believe that is fundamentally bad for democracy
Alberta has no such laws, leaving journalists vulnerable to long and expensive legal battles
I believe that is fundamentally bad for democracy
Reposted by Martin L Martens
BC’s recent report into its administration of FOI laws shows that requests for general govt records has dropped below a third of what it was five years ago.
Experts worry what that could mean for govt transparency and trust in public institutions. @thetyee.ca thetyee.ca/News/2025/11...
Experts worry what that could mean for govt transparency and trust in public institutions. @thetyee.ca thetyee.ca/News/2025/11...
Are People Losing Trust in BC’s FOI System? | The Tyee
The province’s information commissioner says plunging numbers of requests should prompt questions.
thetyee.ca
November 7, 2025 at 3:20 PM
BC’s recent report into its administration of FOI laws shows that requests for general govt records has dropped below a third of what it was five years ago.
Experts worry what that could mean for govt transparency and trust in public institutions. @thetyee.ca thetyee.ca/News/2025/11...
Experts worry what that could mean for govt transparency and trust in public institutions. @thetyee.ca thetyee.ca/News/2025/11...
Reposted by Martin L Martens
Found a chart of the Walmart Thanksgiving that is now "25% cheaper" on r/shrinkflation.
Yeah, there's a reason it's cheaper; it's way less food and almost entirely Great Value brand.
www.reddit.com/r/shrinkflat...
Yeah, there's a reason it's cheaper; it's way less food and almost entirely Great Value brand.
www.reddit.com/r/shrinkflat...
November 6, 2025 at 11:53 PM
Found a chart of the Walmart Thanksgiving that is now "25% cheaper" on r/shrinkflation.
Yeah, there's a reason it's cheaper; it's way less food and almost entirely Great Value brand.
www.reddit.com/r/shrinkflat...
Yeah, there's a reason it's cheaper; it's way less food and almost entirely Great Value brand.
www.reddit.com/r/shrinkflat...
Reposted by Martin L Martens
I have been trying to raise awareness about the recent cuts to pandemic preparedness by provincial institutions in BC for the past 1½ months. Most of the cuts were not announced to the public beforehand and media coverage has been scant. 1/?
![[Text on an yellow octagon meant to look like the output of an overhead projector.]
The silent erosion of COVID-19 awareness & management in B.C.:
A TIMELINE
[A timeline of the year 2025 and the January of 2026. Numbered diamonds are placed on the timeline to mark the events below.]
1. April 16: Amount & timeliness of SARS-CoV-2 sample data uploaded to GISAID, an online repository, deteriorate.
2. May: The end of RAT Kit Distribution Program is announced in a professional newsletter. This provided free RAT kits to pharmacies.
3. May 31: RAT kits orders from this day onwards would not be reimbursed.
4. June: The BCCDC page dedicated to how COVID-19 spreads is removed.
5. September 1: Under the BC medical services plan, less than 20 people will be allowed in an online group medical visit. An unknown number of bed- & house-bound people will lose telehealth access to the BC-CLMF, a long COVID & ME/CFS clinic. Implementation delayed until January.
6. September 15: Vancouver Sun publishes a sponsored article, suggesting the program responsible for generating SARS-CoV-2 data from wastewater samples would be expanded & describes the then-current state of the program.
7. September 18: The wastewater surveillance program is cut: 8 of 12 wastewater treatment plants will no longer be monitored, and 1 sample will be taken per week instead of 3.
8. October 14: The year's vaccination campaign begins to widespread shortages.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:dy4l7kqcar73iaezbjxzwiui/bafkreibyc7hcwrwtwlid453tk3fv523vx3cziv4g5qksvdrks6b3ymxo2a@jpeg)
November 7, 2025 at 3:14 AM
I have been trying to raise awareness about the recent cuts to pandemic preparedness by provincial institutions in BC for the past 1½ months. Most of the cuts were not announced to the public beforehand and media coverage has been scant. 1/?
Reposted by Martin L Martens
Seems like a good day to re-post this. All public institutions in Canada, including CBC and every level of government, should ditch Xitter immediately - it’s a racist, fascist filth factory run by Nazi-loving Apartheid Clyde.
If we are serious about preserving Canada’s democracy and sovereignty, Canadian institutions need to stop tolerating the intolerant! 👇 Amongst other things, that means blocking X, Rebel and others making $$ from purposefully purveying disinformation and division.
Karl Popper’s sage advice for democracies - don’t tolerate the intolerant!
“If we extend unlimited tolerance even to those who are intolerant, if we are not prepared to defend a tolerant society against the onslaught of the intolerant, then the tolerant will be destroyed, and tolerance with them.”
“If we extend unlimited tolerance even to those who are intolerant, if we are not prepared to defend a tolerant society against the onslaught of the intolerant, then the tolerant will be destroyed, and tolerance with them.”
July 9, 2025 at 6:46 PM
Seems like a good day to re-post this. All public institutions in Canada, including CBC and every level of government, should ditch Xitter immediately - it’s a racist, fascist filth factory run by Nazi-loving Apartheid Clyde.
Reposted by Martin L Martens
Forever chemicals found in B.C. sea otters for 1st time - Global News globalnews.ca/news/1151342...
Forever chemicals found in B.C. sea otters for 1st time | Globalnews.ca
Of the 11 deceased animals studied by the researchers, eight of 40 tested PFAS chemicals were present, with seven found only in the liver.
globalnews.ca
November 7, 2025 at 12:40 AM
Forever chemicals found in B.C. sea otters for 1st time - Global News globalnews.ca/news/1151342...
A short collection of puns in support of the DC Sandwich Guy
- Nothing sub-versive after all
- He mustard up his courage and prevailed.
- The jury thought the Justice Department was full of baloney.
- This sandwich verdict will be hard for the DOJ to swallow.
- No matter how you slice it!
- Nothing sub-versive after all
- He mustard up his courage and prevailed.
- The jury thought the Justice Department was full of baloney.
- This sandwich verdict will be hard for the DOJ to swallow.
- No matter how you slice it!
November 6, 2025 at 8:04 PM
A short collection of puns in support of the DC Sandwich Guy
- Nothing sub-versive after all
- He mustard up his courage and prevailed.
- The jury thought the Justice Department was full of baloney.
- This sandwich verdict will be hard for the DOJ to swallow.
- No matter how you slice it!
- Nothing sub-versive after all
- He mustard up his courage and prevailed.
- The jury thought the Justice Department was full of baloney.
- This sandwich verdict will be hard for the DOJ to swallow.
- No matter how you slice it!
Reposted by Martin L Martens
Australia has so much electricity from solar power that it is going to start offering free electricity to everyone for at least three hours during the day as the wholesale price of power goes negative
electrek.co/2025/11/04/a...
electrek.co/2025/11/04/a...
Australia has so much solar that it's offering everyone free electricity
Australia's extensive solar power penetration makes so much energy that the government wants to offer free electricity at peak hours.
electrek.co
November 6, 2025 at 4:58 AM
Australia has so much electricity from solar power that it is going to start offering free electricity to everyone for at least three hours during the day as the wholesale price of power goes negative
electrek.co/2025/11/04/a...
electrek.co/2025/11/04/a...
Now they are using AI to do phrenology.
Poor quality research that should never be published.
Guenzel, M., Kogan, S., Niessner, M., & Shue, K. (2025). AI personality extraction from faces: Labor market implications.
Poor quality research that should never be published.
Guenzel, M., Kogan, S., Niessner, M., & Shue, K. (2025). AI personality extraction from faces: Labor market implications.
November 6, 2025 at 7:10 PM
Now they are using AI to do phrenology.
Poor quality research that should never be published.
Guenzel, M., Kogan, S., Niessner, M., & Shue, K. (2025). AI personality extraction from faces: Labor market implications.
Poor quality research that should never be published.
Guenzel, M., Kogan, S., Niessner, M., & Shue, K. (2025). AI personality extraction from faces: Labor market implications.
Reposted by Martin L Martens
And a new study in New England Journal of Medicine again confirms the Covid vaccine's effectiveness in children against: hospitalization, a visit to an emergency department or urgent care facility, & Long Covid
[am pleased our kid was vaccinated]
3/3
www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/...
[am pleased our kid was vaccinated]
3/3
www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/...
Updated Evidence for Covid-19, RSV, and Influenza Vaccines for 2025–2026 | NEJM
Changes in the vaccine advisory process in the United States have disrupted immunization
guidance, which reinforces the need for independent evidence review to inform decisions
regarding immunizati...
www.nejm.org
November 6, 2025 at 2:53 PM
And a new study in New England Journal of Medicine again confirms the Covid vaccine's effectiveness in children against: hospitalization, a visit to an emergency department or urgent care facility, & Long Covid
[am pleased our kid was vaccinated]
3/3
www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/...
[am pleased our kid was vaccinated]
3/3
www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/...
Reposted by Martin L Martens
It's a remarkable story, this one of a Polish country doctor at that time in history, and the only reason I am bringing it up is because of this:
We are all Dr. Lazowski right now.
We are all watching people in our communities being taken, forced into unmarked vehicles, and disappeared.
We are all Dr. Lazowski right now.
We are all watching people in our communities being taken, forced into unmarked vehicles, and disappeared.
November 6, 2025 at 5:52 AM
It's a remarkable story, this one of a Polish country doctor at that time in history, and the only reason I am bringing it up is because of this:
We are all Dr. Lazowski right now.
We are all watching people in our communities being taken, forced into unmarked vehicles, and disappeared.
We are all Dr. Lazowski right now.
We are all watching people in our communities being taken, forced into unmarked vehicles, and disappeared.
Reposted by Martin L Martens
BREAKING: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center is illegally closing 13 campus buildings (including ~100 laboratories).
Report coming from GESTA, the Goddard employee union
Report coming from GESTA, the Goddard employee union
November 2, 2025 at 4:55 AM
BREAKING: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center is illegally closing 13 campus buildings (including ~100 laboratories).
Report coming from GESTA, the Goddard employee union
Report coming from GESTA, the Goddard employee union
Reposted by Martin L Martens
So in one courtroom the DOJ is arguing that a sandwich thrown into an armor-wearing officer is a forcible assault while simultaneously in another courtroom DOJ says tackling protestors or shooting them in the head with less lethal munitions does not count as use of force. One rule for thee...
November 5, 2025 at 9:51 PM
So in one courtroom the DOJ is arguing that a sandwich thrown into an armor-wearing officer is a forcible assault while simultaneously in another courtroom DOJ says tackling protestors or shooting them in the head with less lethal munitions does not count as use of force. One rule for thee...
Reposted by Martin L Martens
My cover story for @thewalrus.ca on the measles outbreak in Alberta, now in print for the December issue. Look for it on newsstands. #measles #vaccinations #publichealth
November 3, 2025 at 10:00 PM
My cover story for @thewalrus.ca on the measles outbreak in Alberta, now in print for the December issue. Look for it on newsstands. #measles #vaccinations #publichealth
Reposted by Martin L Martens
If you have or have had Tri-Council funding you, too, may be concerned about this Parliamentary Committee request for confidential data.
Also, these clowns asked for 5 years of data on applications from everyone from MA students to Canada Research Chairs in... an excel spreadsheet. 15 days notice.
Also, these clowns asked for 5 years of data on applications from everyone from MA students to Canada Research Chairs in... an excel spreadsheet. 15 days notice.
Open Letter to Protect Tri-Council EDI Data
Why do we need urgent action to protect our data?
The mandate of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Science and Research is to review and report on topics relating to science and research in ...
docs.google.com
November 2, 2025 at 2:03 AM
If you have or have had Tri-Council funding you, too, may be concerned about this Parliamentary Committee request for confidential data.
Also, these clowns asked for 5 years of data on applications from everyone from MA students to Canada Research Chairs in... an excel spreadsheet. 15 days notice.
Also, these clowns asked for 5 years of data on applications from everyone from MA students to Canada Research Chairs in... an excel spreadsheet. 15 days notice.
“I’m not going to get into all the details of everything that happened but after a little bit, she had grabbed me from behind and I just said to myself ‘this is it, I’m going to die,’ and then she dropped me.”
ckpgtoday.ca/2025/10/30/i...
ckpgtoday.ca/2025/10/30/i...
“I’m going to die:” survivors recount harrowing grizzly bear attack
PRINCE GEORGE - An encounter that nearly cost one hiker her life: Shauna Terai was in the McGregor Mountains a...
ckpgtoday.ca
November 3, 2025 at 5:41 AM
“I’m not going to get into all the details of everything that happened but after a little bit, she had grabbed me from behind and I just said to myself ‘this is it, I’m going to die,’ and then she dropped me.”
ckpgtoday.ca/2025/10/30/i...
ckpgtoday.ca/2025/10/30/i...
Reposted by Martin L Martens
There was a time in our history when Black people had to carry freedom documents to prove their status. Today, Latinos are going through the same thing. Just wanted to put this out there for the Latinos for Trump.
Congratulations, y'all Black now.
Next time, listen to us.🔥☕️
Congratulations, y'all Black now.
Next time, listen to us.🔥☕️
November 1, 2025 at 1:16 PM
There was a time in our history when Black people had to carry freedom documents to prove their status. Today, Latinos are going through the same thing. Just wanted to put this out there for the Latinos for Trump.
Congratulations, y'all Black now.
Next time, listen to us.🔥☕️
Congratulations, y'all Black now.
Next time, listen to us.🔥☕️
Reposted by Martin L Martens
Please help share and sign this letter with your colleagues before November 4th. If you have applied for Tri-Council funding in the last 25 years, all of your data is at risk of being included and sent to an unnamed researcher and MPs on the committee.
Open Letter to Protect Tri-Council EDI Data
Why do we need urgent action to protect our data?
The mandate of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Science and Research is to review and report on topics relating to science and research in ...
docs.google.com
October 31, 2025 at 7:40 PM
Please help share and sign this letter with your colleagues before November 4th. If you have applied for Tri-Council funding in the last 25 years, all of your data is at risk of being included and sent to an unnamed researcher and MPs on the committee.
Reposted by Martin L Martens
Canadian researchers should be aware the there is a motion before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Science and Research to force Tricouncils to hand over disaggregated peer review data on all applications:
Applicant names, profiles, demographics
Reviewers names, profiles, comments, and scores
Applicant names, profiles, demographics
Reviewers names, profiles, comments, and scores
October 30, 2025 at 8:33 PM
Canadian researchers should be aware the there is a motion before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Science and Research to force Tricouncils to hand over disaggregated peer review data on all applications:
Applicant names, profiles, demographics
Reviewers names, profiles, comments, and scores
Applicant names, profiles, demographics
Reviewers names, profiles, comments, and scores