Michael H Vickers
@mhbvickers.bsky.social
Hubby to 1 | Dad to 2 | 🏳️🌈🇨🇦🏳️⚧-ally | Bike guy | Cat slave | 💉x9! and still alive! Take that VAERS!
Is there a way to keep improving transit in Ottawa without forcing federal public service workers back to the office? Because it seems that there's a view that this is their main function - propping up the LRT.
October 10, 2025 at 6:04 PM
Is there a way to keep improving transit in Ottawa without forcing federal public service workers back to the office? Because it seems that there's a view that this is their main function - propping up the LRT.
Cons won't stop at 🏳️⚧️ people.
October 10, 2025 at 5:40 PM
Cons won't stop at 🏳️⚧️ people.
Sure, getting rid of the loophole that the LBC has exploited would remove this irritant, but it does nothing to address the failure in Canada's political system that it seeks to highlight.
October 10, 2025 at 5:38 PM
Sure, getting rid of the loophole that the LBC has exploited would remove this irritant, but it does nothing to address the failure in Canada's political system that it seeks to highlight.
...governments like Italy (don't we already kinda have those?), that we have no tradition or mechanism for genuine coalition governing (things can change), people won't accept not directly electing their local MP (how many really factor the local candidate vs party in their vote decision?)...
October 10, 2025 at 5:38 PM
...governments like Italy (don't we already kinda have those?), that we have no tradition or mechanism for genuine coalition governing (things can change), people won't accept not directly electing their local MP (how many really factor the local candidate vs party in their vote decision?)...
...so. The polite orderliness of elections, while both old-line parties operate frequently in bad faith, is evidence of the rot. Maybe we need a bit of anarchy to really unsettle things.
This sounds rather like the excuses given for why we can't abandon FPTP - that we'll have unstable minority...
This sounds rather like the excuses given for why we can't abandon FPTP - that we'll have unstable minority...
October 10, 2025 at 5:38 PM
...so. The polite orderliness of elections, while both old-line parties operate frequently in bad faith, is evidence of the rot. Maybe we need a bit of anarchy to really unsettle things.
This sounds rather like the excuses given for why we can't abandon FPTP - that we'll have unstable minority...
This sounds rather like the excuses given for why we can't abandon FPTP - that we'll have unstable minority...
...spirit is electoral law - eg In and Out Scandal, Robocalls Scandal, (Un)Fair Elections Act, etc - but rarely get more than a slap on the wrist.
Why should Canadians unaffiliated with a party be kept out of the fun? Our FPTP electoral system already breeds cynicism in the electorate (& rightly...
Why should Canadians unaffiliated with a party be kept out of the fun? Our FPTP electoral system already breeds cynicism in the electorate (& rightly...
October 10, 2025 at 5:38 PM
...spirit is electoral law - eg In and Out Scandal, Robocalls Scandal, (Un)Fair Elections Act, etc - but rarely get more than a slap on the wrist.
Why should Canadians unaffiliated with a party be kept out of the fun? Our FPTP electoral system already breeds cynicism in the electorate (& rightly...
Why should Canadians unaffiliated with a party be kept out of the fun? Our FPTP electoral system already breeds cynicism in the electorate (& rightly...
While I agree that the Longest Ballot Committee's campaign is disruption to highlight the need for electoral reform has been ineffective, can we really pick and choose which practices we approve? Political parties - Cons in particular - dabble in all manner of behaviour contrary to the letter and...
October 10, 2025 at 5:38 PM
While I agree that the Longest Ballot Committee's campaign is disruption to highlight the need for electoral reform has been ineffective, can we really pick and choose which practices we approve? Political parties - Cons in particular - dabble in all manner of behaviour contrary to the letter and...
Except that under the Lansdowne scheme ALL of the taxes generated at Lansdowne go only to servicing the debt the City has incurred at Lansdowne.
Can anyone else get the same deal, so that their property taxes only go to fix their street or neighbourhood? Nope.
Can anyone else get the same deal, so that their property taxes only go to fix their street or neighbourhood? Nope.
October 4, 2025 at 7:37 PM
Except that under the Lansdowne scheme ALL of the taxes generated at Lansdowne go only to servicing the debt the City has incurred at Lansdowne.
Can anyone else get the same deal, so that their property taxes only go to fix their street or neighbourhood? Nope.
Can anyone else get the same deal, so that their property taxes only go to fix their street or neighbourhood? Nope.
While the WHO ended the emergency phase in 2023,their messaging is that "The COVID-19 Pandemic is not over yet."
www.who.int/southeastasi...
www.who.int/southeastasi...
September 10, 2025 at 4:40 AM
While the WHO ended the emergency phase in 2023,their messaging is that "The COVID-19 Pandemic is not over yet."
www.who.int/southeastasi...
www.who.int/southeastasi...
Not sure there's agreement that the latest variants are less dangerous, just that most people have at least some immunity and there are somewhat effective treatments, whereas in 2020 nobody had immunity, there was no vaccine and no proven treatments. But it's still infecting people, causing damage
September 10, 2025 at 4:33 AM
Not sure there's agreement that the latest variants are less dangerous, just that most people have at least some immunity and there are somewhat effective treatments, whereas in 2020 nobody had immunity, there was no vaccine and no proven treatments. But it's still infecting people, causing damage
Deaths didn't really start to level out until April 2022 (when I got it for the first time) and didn't plateau until about March 2023. So while the earliest period of restrictions and no vaccine in 2020 feels like "during COVID", there were several more significant variants causing renewed lockdowns
September 10, 2025 at 4:26 AM
Deaths didn't really start to level out until April 2022 (when I got it for the first time) and didn't plateau until about March 2023. So while the earliest period of restrictions and no vaccine in 2020 feels like "during COVID", there were several more significant variants causing renewed lockdowns
It's only been 5 years. Influenza has been around for 100+. Shamefully tuberculosis we know what to do, but it continues to kill and disable millions each year because we don't put resources into treating and eliminating it. With COVID we have no effective treatment, and no path to elimination.
September 10, 2025 at 4:03 AM
It's only been 5 years. Influenza has been around for 100+. Shamefully tuberculosis we know what to do, but it continues to kill and disable millions each year because we don't put resources into treating and eliminating it. With COVID we have no effective treatment, and no path to elimination.
Timmy's was always kinda meh, but it's been giga-meh since private equity has been busy the last few years enshittifying it. Lousier food, mainly TFW employees, dirtier stores, etc. - to suck every last penny out of it.
August 30, 2025 at 12:35 AM
Timmy's was always kinda meh, but it's been giga-meh since private equity has been busy the last few years enshittifying it. Lousier food, mainly TFW employees, dirtier stores, etc. - to suck every last penny out of it.
Ironic after Stella Luna drove Sharpfle Waffle out of that spot in Hintonburg because they had a clause in their lease, no other snacky places allowed, or something.
August 30, 2025 at 12:31 AM
Ironic after Stella Luna drove Sharpfle Waffle out of that spot in Hintonburg because they had a clause in their lease, no other snacky places allowed, or something.
So so those National Guard troops are really just pre-positioned to provide disaster relief. Right?
August 21, 2025 at 5:42 AM
So so those National Guard troops are really just pre-positioned to provide disaster relief. Right?
Maybe tell your billboard driver not to park in the bike lane. 🙄
August 21, 2025 at 5:26 AM
Maybe tell your billboard driver not to park in the bike lane. 🙄
Good on @arieltroster.com for taking Jones to task for her BS stats. Not that it makes any difference to what the FordCons do. But at least they got reporters asking Douggie about it.
August 21, 2025 at 4:57 AM
Good on @arieltroster.com for taking Jones to task for her BS stats. Not that it makes any difference to what the FordCons do. But at least they got reporters asking Douggie about it.
Can Canada also be a refuge for American scientists in exile?
July 15, 2025 at 5:36 AM
Can Canada also be a refuge for American scientists in exile?
Reposted by Michael H Vickers
Tax billionaires until they are no longer billionaires?
July 13, 2025 at 2:13 AM
Tax billionaires until they are no longer billionaires?
And so?... More resources for workplaces and schools to clean indoor air? Reverse federal RTO diktat?
July 13, 2025 at 3:46 AM
And so?... More resources for workplaces and schools to clean indoor air? Reverse federal RTO diktat?
Do you still have the Porsche?
July 13, 2025 at 3:40 AM
Do you still have the Porsche?