Shirley Tillotson
@stillots1.bsky.social
Prof. Emeritus at Dalhousie/King's in Halifax, NS. Canadian history (with sources), public finance, pix of woodland and coast. Slow to anger. Stage IV MBC https://ukings.ca/people/shirley-tillotson/
Pinned
Shirley Tillotson
@stillots1.bsky.social
· Jan 11
My fave political history is the backstories of politicians: the agenda-making and network building worlds of volunteering, fundraising, and policy / interest advocacy.
So I'm your dial-a- Canadian-historian on lots of specialist topics. But it's all political history.
So I'm your dial-a- Canadian-historian on lots of specialist topics. But it's all political history.
Reposted by Shirley Tillotson
Take a moment and have a think about all those grifters that want us to compete with the US on their tax policy ignoring all their other policies that go with that tax policy as those it can be magically disentangled. It’s important that you do since @mark-carney.bsky.social promised reform
January 4, 2026 at 4:20 PM
Take a moment and have a think about all those grifters that want us to compete with the US on their tax policy ignoring all their other policies that go with that tax policy as those it can be magically disentangled. It’s important that you do since @mark-carney.bsky.social promised reform
Reposted by Shirley Tillotson
Well that was a nice couple of hours of video games, now to take a look at the timeli- oh jesus christ
January 3, 2026 at 7:19 AM
Well that was a nice couple of hours of video games, now to take a look at the timeli- oh jesus christ
Once the bombing of Venezuelan fishing boats started, the bombing of Caracas was going to happen.
Terrible news. In a long flood of terrible news.
Wishing courage, ingenuity, and success in 2026 to any and all USians who are working in opposition to Trump and Trumpism
Terrible news. In a long flood of terrible news.
Wishing courage, ingenuity, and success in 2026 to any and all USians who are working in opposition to Trump and Trumpism
January 3, 2026 at 2:26 PM
Once the bombing of Venezuelan fishing boats started, the bombing of Caracas was going to happen.
Terrible news. In a long flood of terrible news.
Wishing courage, ingenuity, and success in 2026 to any and all USians who are working in opposition to Trump and Trumpism
Terrible news. In a long flood of terrible news.
Wishing courage, ingenuity, and success in 2026 to any and all USians who are working in opposition to Trump and Trumpism
Reposted by Shirley Tillotson
Tulsi Gabbard in 2019:
"The United States needs to keep our hands off Venezuela... end these destructive and wasteful regime change wars... proven to cause more problems, increase suffering, increase instability for the people in the countries where we wage these wars. In Latin America especially".
"The United States needs to keep our hands off Venezuela... end these destructive and wasteful regime change wars... proven to cause more problems, increase suffering, increase instability for the people in the countries where we wage these wars. In Latin America especially".
January 3, 2026 at 1:22 PM
Tulsi Gabbard in 2019:
"The United States needs to keep our hands off Venezuela... end these destructive and wasteful regime change wars... proven to cause more problems, increase suffering, increase instability for the people in the countries where we wage these wars. In Latin America especially".
"The United States needs to keep our hands off Venezuela... end these destructive and wasteful regime change wars... proven to cause more problems, increase suffering, increase instability for the people in the countries where we wage these wars. In Latin America especially".
Reposted by Shirley Tillotson
If you don't come out of economics or any empirical social science undergrad with healthy skepticism of all causal stories, you missed the point. (Stories still drag you in sometimes, of course, just not as easily.)
xkcd.com/552/
xkcd.com/552/
Correlation
xkcd.com
January 2, 2026 at 9:50 PM
If you don't come out of economics or any empirical social science undergrad with healthy skepticism of all causal stories, you missed the point. (Stories still drag you in sometimes, of course, just not as easily.)
xkcd.com/552/
xkcd.com/552/
Reposted by Shirley Tillotson
In order to get *anything* done, we have to rely on other people. Which is to say, we need other people to become experts in things we're not, and we have to trust their expertise.
January 2, 2026 at 5:31 PM
In order to get *anything* done, we have to rely on other people. Which is to say, we need other people to become experts in things we're not, and we have to trust their expertise.
A few historians have ♥️'d this post. Curious if ppl from other academic disciplines recognize these same effects (or different ones) from their research life.
There's always a good chance of self-selection in the match between discipline and personality, so I might be wrong about the whole thing!
There's always a good chance of self-selection in the match between discipline and personality, so I might be wrong about the whole thing!
Being an historian has had big effects on my character. I noticed a new one today.
I already knew it underpinned my "don't panic" perspective. Wait and see how things unfold. And practicing history shaped my sense of my limited individual power (call that humility if you want to dress it up)
1/4
I already knew it underpinned my "don't panic" perspective. Wait and see how things unfold. And practicing history shaped my sense of my limited individual power (call that humility if you want to dress it up)
1/4
January 2, 2026 at 3:45 PM
A few historians have ♥️'d this post. Curious if ppl from other academic disciplines recognize these same effects (or different ones) from their research life.
There's always a good chance of self-selection in the match between discipline and personality, so I might be wrong about the whole thing!
There's always a good chance of self-selection in the match between discipline and personality, so I might be wrong about the whole thing!
And that's it. For a week, no calorie tracking. Then a couple of days of tracking.
😱😱😱
Tomorrow, back to eating like a healthy person.
But going 1,000 calories over target for most of 10 days has been lots of fun.
No regrets
😱😱😱
Tomorrow, back to eating like a healthy person.
But going 1,000 calories over target for most of 10 days has been lots of fun.
No regrets
January 1, 2026 at 11:35 PM
And that's it. For a week, no calorie tracking. Then a couple of days of tracking.
😱😱😱
Tomorrow, back to eating like a healthy person.
But going 1,000 calories over target for most of 10 days has been lots of fun.
No regrets
😱😱😱
Tomorrow, back to eating like a healthy person.
But going 1,000 calories over target for most of 10 days has been lots of fun.
No regrets
Reposted by Shirley Tillotson
Very cool and anecdotally consistent with other industries. Quickly pivoting to r.o.w. markets. Nature is healing. Canada finding itself in a much better bargaining position going forward. Geographic proximity ain’t what it used to be.
My contribution to @jasonkirby.bsky.social’s annual @theglobeandmail.com Canadian econ chart storm.
Check out all the other incredible contributions!
www.theglobeandmail.com/business/int...
Check out all the other incredible contributions!
www.theglobeandmail.com/business/int...
January 1, 2026 at 10:09 PM
Very cool and anecdotally consistent with other industries. Quickly pivoting to r.o.w. markets. Nature is healing. Canada finding itself in a much better bargaining position going forward. Geographic proximity ain’t what it used to be.
Being an historian has had big effects on my character. I noticed a new one today.
I already knew it underpinned my "don't panic" perspective. Wait and see how things unfold. And practicing history shaped my sense of my limited individual power (call that humility if you want to dress it up)
1/4
I already knew it underpinned my "don't panic" perspective. Wait and see how things unfold. And practicing history shaped my sense of my limited individual power (call that humility if you want to dress it up)
1/4
January 1, 2026 at 9:00 PM
Being an historian has had big effects on my character. I noticed a new one today.
I already knew it underpinned my "don't panic" perspective. Wait and see how things unfold. And practicing history shaped my sense of my limited individual power (call that humility if you want to dress it up)
1/4
I already knew it underpinned my "don't panic" perspective. Wait and see how things unfold. And practicing history shaped my sense of my limited individual power (call that humility if you want to dress it up)
1/4
Reposted by Shirley Tillotson
A List of Predictions Made in 1926 About 2026
🧵
🧵
January 1, 2026 at 5:13 PM
A List of Predictions Made in 1926 About 2026
🧵
🧵
Here's a pair of resolutions for the coming year
1. Live so that I don't need to get wellbeing from a shot-sized bottle in a gas station store
2. And in solidarity with my francophone fellow Canucks, call out lazy / bad translations. Franglais aside, what's with the Germanic caps?
1. Live so that I don't need to get wellbeing from a shot-sized bottle in a gas station store
2. And in solidarity with my francophone fellow Canucks, call out lazy / bad translations. Franglais aside, what's with the Germanic caps?
January 1, 2026 at 4:47 PM
Here's a pair of resolutions for the coming year
1. Live so that I don't need to get wellbeing from a shot-sized bottle in a gas station store
2. And in solidarity with my francophone fellow Canucks, call out lazy / bad translations. Franglais aside, what's with the Germanic caps?
1. Live so that I don't need to get wellbeing from a shot-sized bottle in a gas station store
2. And in solidarity with my francophone fellow Canucks, call out lazy / bad translations. Franglais aside, what's with the Germanic caps?
Reposted by Shirley Tillotson
Meanwhile, here in small town Bedfordshire, someone set a car on fire with fireworks and the comments in the town Facebook group are saying it's not fireworks, it's because it's an electric car. 2026 may have peaked already.
January 1, 2026 at 1:23 AM
Meanwhile, here in small town Bedfordshire, someone set a car on fire with fireworks and the comments in the town Facebook group are saying it's not fireworks, it's because it's an electric car. 2026 may have peaked already.
Part of the new YIMBY path in the McIntosh Run trail system.
So inviting!
So inviting!
December 31, 2025 at 2:41 AM
Part of the new YIMBY path in the McIntosh Run trail system.
So inviting!
So inviting!
#Halisky
DeeDee's is selling their holiday ice cream flavours at a discount of 30%!
I got the second-to-last pint of Candy Cane this afternoon.
(Yes, there's a story behind the weirdly empty freezer. But the ice cream discount is the lede here.)
DeeDee's is selling their holiday ice cream flavours at a discount of 30%!
I got the second-to-last pint of Candy Cane this afternoon.
(Yes, there's a story behind the weirdly empty freezer. But the ice cream discount is the lede here.)
December 30, 2025 at 9:46 PM
#Halisky
DeeDee's is selling their holiday ice cream flavours at a discount of 30%!
I got the second-to-last pint of Candy Cane this afternoon.
(Yes, there's a story behind the weirdly empty freezer. But the ice cream discount is the lede here.)
DeeDee's is selling their holiday ice cream flavours at a discount of 30%!
I got the second-to-last pint of Candy Cane this afternoon.
(Yes, there's a story behind the weirdly empty freezer. But the ice cream discount is the lede here.)
More cat and tax combo - delightful!
December 30, 2025 at 12:21 AM
More cat and tax combo - delightful!
The cat bookmark really sets off the cover design! 😉
Some light reading between world junior games! @stillots1.bsky.social
December 29, 2025 at 9:07 PM
The cat bookmark really sets off the cover design! 😉
Just had a look at Nova Scotia Fire/Emergency/Info.
It's a mess out there. Brutal night for first responders travelling to accident scenes.
Seems like not going out would be the best option for the rest of us
It's a mess out there. Brutal night for first responders travelling to accident scenes.
Seems like not going out would be the best option for the rest of us
December 29, 2025 at 9:02 PM
Just had a look at Nova Scotia Fire/Emergency/Info.
It's a mess out there. Brutal night for first responders travelling to accident scenes.
Seems like not going out would be the best option for the rest of us
It's a mess out there. Brutal night for first responders travelling to accident scenes.
Seems like not going out would be the best option for the rest of us
😅 That's 3 points to James
Sorry, I know the freezing rain isn't good at all....but when I hear weather forecast on CBC radio start with "there's a yellow snow warning" ....well....thanks for that but mom already taught me not to...
December 29, 2025 at 1:55 PM
😅 That's 3 points to James
Reposted by Shirley Tillotson
Corrected headline: Estimated billing continues to baffle ratepayers because Nova Scotia Power declined the interview request.
Nova Scotia Power explains estimated billing as customers charged hundreds more than usual | CBC News
On Tuesday, Nova Scotia Power submitted a report to the province's energy board responding to questions the board raised about how the utility was estimating bills in the fallout of a cyberattack last...
www.cbc.ca
December 29, 2025 at 1:26 PM
Corrected headline: Estimated billing continues to baffle ratepayers because Nova Scotia Power declined the interview request.
Reposted by Shirley Tillotson
The relative moral importance of contract law is very very very low. But it remains a moral principle of our society, broadly and narrowly. Acknowledging what it is and what it isn't, getting it right, is always supportive of clearer and better moral thought.
December 29, 2025 at 1:15 PM
The relative moral importance of contract law is very very very low. But it remains a moral principle of our society, broadly and narrowly. Acknowledging what it is and what it isn't, getting it right, is always supportive of clearer and better moral thought.
Reposted by Shirley Tillotson
Okay ChatGPT I gave you a chance and what the what
- Why are the donairs bleeding
- Many clocks are only numbered from 1 to 3, but not the Town Clock
- What are those cannonish things?
These are funny, but in seriousness, the plagiarism machine put fucking GREENS on a Halifax donair.
#HateCrime
- Why are the donairs bleeding
- Many clocks are only numbered from 1 to 3, but not the Town Clock
- What are those cannonish things?
These are funny, but in seriousness, the plagiarism machine put fucking GREENS on a Halifax donair.
#HateCrime
I confess to a general antipathy to generative AI, but the temptation here was too great.
December 27, 2025 at 5:31 PM
Okay ChatGPT I gave you a chance and what the what
- Why are the donairs bleeding
- Many clocks are only numbered from 1 to 3, but not the Town Clock
- What are those cannonish things?
These are funny, but in seriousness, the plagiarism machine put fucking GREENS on a Halifax donair.
#HateCrime
- Why are the donairs bleeding
- Many clocks are only numbered from 1 to 3, but not the Town Clock
- What are those cannonish things?
These are funny, but in seriousness, the plagiarism machine put fucking GREENS on a Halifax donair.
#HateCrime
Fripperies, in memory of the friend who collected them and is gone now
December 26, 2025 at 8:24 PM
Fripperies, in memory of the friend who collected them and is gone now