Paul R. Pival he/him
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ppival.bsky.social
Paul R. Pival he/him
@ppival.bsky.social
580 followers 390 following 980 posts
YYC, cyclist, mostly road but some gravel and CX too.
Librarian at UCalgary.
Husband of a knitter.
Father of 2 + 2 dogs.
Feeling kinda old these days.
Posts Replies Media Videos
Reposted by Paul R. Pival he/him
cpcwrites.bsky.social
I'm not saying this kind of thing doesn't happen in Canada's food supply (it does) but with current regime's lack of interest in anything regarding oversight, safety, or regulation, it's madness to put American products in your mouth. I don't trust the bourbon not to contain methanol at this point.
January 9, 2026 at 5:04 PM
ppival.bsky.social
People are fighting for the truth in Minneapolis
People are fighting for the truth in Minneapolis
Ordinary civilians aren’t playing along with Trump
www.theverge.com
January 9, 2026 at 8:03 PM
ppival.bsky.social
Another super cool thing found today!

3D Printed Cityscape scholarslab.lib.virginia.edu/blog/3d-prin...

#GIS #3DPrinting #Cityscapes
3D Printed Cityscape
By Ammon Shepherd on January 8, 2026
scholarslab.lib.virginia.edu
January 9, 2026 at 6:12 PM
ppival.bsky.social
I continue to believe the use of AI by CanLII to summarize legal decisions is amongst the best uses of an LLM I've seen.

2025 CanLII 138349 (AB OIPC) | Calgary (Police Service) (Re) | CanLII www.canlii.org/en/ab/aboipc...

#AIFTW
www.canlii.org
January 9, 2026 at 4:08 PM
ppival.bsky.social
This looks simple and fun - off to find some cheap Hues!

New App: Using Philips Hue Lights Easily with Any Trainer www.dcrainmaker.com/2026/01/phil...

#IndoorSucks #Zwift #TPVirtual #SmartHome
New App: Using Philips Hue Lights Easily with Any Trainer
Here's how to link up your smart trainer with Philipe Hue lights, for use in Zwift, Rouvy, TraineRoad, or any other app you want!
www.dcrainmaker.com
January 8, 2026 at 11:48 PM
ppival.bsky.social
Sounds too good to be true, but fingers crossed!

Is this the world’s first solid-state battery? www.theverge.com/transportati...

#EVs #BatteryTech #Renewables
Is this the world’s first solid-state battery?
A full charge in five minutes?
www.theverge.com
January 8, 2026 at 6:12 PM
ppival.bsky.social
Last year, I asked whether these lists would be made available. Surely it should be subject to ATIA?

Alberta school boards remove dozens of library books as provincial ban in effect www.winnipegfreepress.com/arts-and-lif...

#ABLeg #BookBans #Censorship #SoDumb
Thank you for your email regarding Standards for the Selection, Availability and Access of School Literary Materials. The Honourable Demetrios Nicolaides, Minister of Education and Childcare, has forwarded your correspondence for a response. On July 10, 2025, Alberta’s government announced standards to provide school boards with clear direction on selection of and access to school library materials. These standards were developed in response to increasing concerns from stakeholders, including parents, about the materials available to students in school libraries. Examples of sexual content found in school library materials prior to the development of these standards can be found at the following link: viewer discretion is advised. The original standards led to some schools planning to remove books that were never meant to be affected. In response to one (1) school board’s proposed removal of more than 200 books, including classic works like Brave New World and I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Alberta’s government has updated its standards for school literary materials to ensure that classic literary works remain in school libraries, while books with graphic visual depictions of sexual acts do not end up in the hands of children. As you note, under the standards, by October 31, 2025, school authorities were required to provide the Minister with a list of any school literary materials identified for removal to support implementation of the standards set out in the Ministerial Order. These submissions were provided for information purposes only and are not subject to ministerial approval. Decisions about which materials are removed are at the discretion of school authorities. Should you have any questions on how your local school board is implementing the standards, including questions about any school literary materials they plan to remove, you may wish to contact them. Thank you for contacting Alberta Education and Childcare.
January 7, 2026 at 11:48 PM
ppival.bsky.social
I thought this was a really interesting read, in part as a reminder that each of the LLMs does have different things they're better at than the others!

Gemini 3 Solves Handwriting Recognition and it’s a Bitter Lesson generativehistory.substack.com/p/gemini-3-s...

#transcription
Gemini 3 Solves Handwriting Recognition and it’s a Bitter Lesson
Testing shows that Gemini 3 has effectively solved handwriting on English texts, one of the oldest problems in AI, achieving expert human levels of performance.
generativehistory.substack.com
January 6, 2026 at 11:48 PM
Reposted by Paul R. Pival he/him
m31author.bsky.social
January 3, 2026 at 7:00 PM
ppival.bsky.social
Meta Acquires AI Startup Manus in a $2 Billion Deal - gHacks Tech News www.ghacks.net/2025/12/30/m...

#AgenticAI
Meta Acquires AI Startup Manus in a $2 Billion Deal - gHacks Tech News
Meta is buying AI startup Manus for about $2 billion, adding a revenue-generating agent platform to its AI push while promising to cut the company’s ties to China after the deal closes.
www.ghacks.net
December 30, 2025 at 6:12 PM
Reposted by Paul R. Pival he/him
lagunabeachdems.bsky.social
It's the year 2025 and Americans have to watch a bootlegged international version of a news program because it was censored here in our country to protect a criminal president. JoJoFromJerz
December 23, 2025 at 5:34 PM
Reposted by Paul R. Pival he/him
minibubbly.bsky.social
This is the YouTube download of the CBS-60 minutes CECOT documentary, it was pulled from Canadian airwaves mid airing

youtu.be/jiehEMlNiCI?...
The 60 Minutes Story The Trump Administration Doesn't Want You To See
YouTube video by Cory Booker
youtu.be
December 23, 2025 at 5:36 PM
ppival.bsky.social
Scapegoating transgender youth and what the UCP is trying to hide: A deeper look at Bill 9 - The Gauntlet thegauntlet.ca/2025/12/17/s...

#TRAHR
Scapegoating transgender youth and what the UCP is trying to hide: A deeper look at Bill 9 - The Gauntlet
By Mia Gilje, December 17 2025— In Alberta, control over transgender youth bodies has been debated repeatedly over the last couple of years. What is Bill 9? Bill 9, or the Protecting Alberta’s…
thegauntlet.ca
December 23, 2025 at 4:08 PM
Reposted by Paul R. Pival he/him
paulisci.bsky.social
The 2025 Headline of the Year Nominees

🧵
December 22, 2025 at 11:48 PM
ppival.bsky.social
Can't complain- made it to Dec 21 for Whamageddon!
December 22, 2025 at 4:08 PM
Reposted by Paul R. Pival he/him
drkristopherwells.bsky.social
A citizen e-petition has been launched in the House of Commons calling on the Federal Government to its disallowance power to override Alberta and Saskatchewan’s use of the notwithstanding clause to violate the human rights of trans Canadians.

Sign here: www.ourcommons.ca/petitions/en...
Petition e-7027 - Petitions
www.ourcommons.ca
December 19, 2025 at 1:17 AM
ppival.bsky.social
Scammers are poisoning AI search results to steer you straight into their traps - here's how www.zdnet.com/article/scam...

Le Sigh.

#security #AI #scams
Scammers are poisoning AI search results to steer you straight into their traps - here's how
AI tools like Google AI Overview and Perplexity Comet are being tricked into suggesting scam support numbers.
www.zdnet.com
December 18, 2025 at 6:12 PM
ppival.bsky.social
Some new data to consider, and note the wide estimated ranges.

AI’s water and electricity use soars in 2025 www.theverge.com/news/845831/...

I sure do appreciate how @theverge.com knows how to use hyperlinks!

#OpenAccess #DataCenters #AI #Water #Sustainability
December 18, 2025 at 4:08 PM
ppival.bsky.social
I wonder if AB Gov scientists would consider listing someone outside as the lead author to avoid this in the future?

Alberta officials stalled coal mine pollution study | The Narwhal thenarwhal.ca/alberta-stal...

#AcademicFreedom #OpenAccess #Muzzling #ABLeg
December 17, 2025 at 11:48 PM
ppival.bsky.social
Skate Canada to stop hosting events in Alberta due to sports gender law
Skate Canada to stop hosting events in Alberta due to sports gender law
Skate Canada says it won't host national and international-level events in Alberta, citing provincial law that restricts transgender athletes from participating in female-only sports.
www.thestar.com
December 16, 2025 at 11:48 PM
ppival.bsky.social
6 signs a source is unreliable | ScienceUpFirst scienceupfirst.com/misinformati...

This is fine, though pretty simple. Useful if someone actually cares to know about #misinformation
6 signs a source is unreliable | ScienceUpFirst
Evidence is still your best guide. Science is built on many voices, not one institution.
scienceupfirst.com
December 15, 2025 at 11:48 PM
Reposted by Paul R. Pival he/him
#billc15 #interlibraryloan #libraries

Here’s how the federal budget could affect library books www.ctvnews.ca/canada/artic...
Here’s how the federal budget could affect library books
Bill C-15 will allow Canada Post to change special rates it charges libraries, which currently receive big discounts.
www.ctvnews.ca
December 15, 2025 at 6:50 PM
ppival.bsky.social
The Daily — Study: Socioeconomic outcomes of transgender and non-binary people in Canada www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quo...

30 pages of fascinating data if you go the PDF route.
The Daily — Study: Socioeconomic outcomes of transgender and non-binary people in Canada
A new article entitled 'Socioeconomic outcomes of transgender and non-binary people in Canada' was released today. Using data from the 2021 Census of Population, this release examines poverty rates…
www150.statcan.gc.ca
December 15, 2025 at 6:12 PM
ppival.bsky.social
You Can Now Use Your MacBook's Display As a Ring Light ino.to/icYT00h

That's kinda cool.
You Can Now Use Your MacBook's Display As a Ring Light
The latest MacOS update enables Edge Light, a bright rectangle that illuminates your face during video calls.
ino.to
December 15, 2025 at 4:08 PM
ppival.bsky.social
StatCan seeking advice on how to share #census data on transgender children '0 to 14' nationalpost.com/news/canada/...

Tricky stuff!
StatCan seeking advice on how to share secret census data on transgender children 'O to 14'
In 2021, the federal agency collected sex at birth and gender information for people of all ages, including children aged 0 to 14.
nationalpost.com
December 14, 2025 at 4:08 PM