Phil
@philmarfisi.bsky.social
Sidewalk enthusiast. Other interests: public policy, housing, urbanism, Waterloo Region, Ontario politics, #cdnpoli, Star Trek, music, news media, international relations, and the Oxford comma. Democracy is good, actually.
Reposted by Phil
This is far beyond 'NATO as we've known it is done.'
"The Trump administration had “a clear and consistent vision for Europe: one that prioritises US-Russia ties and seeks to divide and conquer the continent, with much of the dirty work carried out by nationalist, far-right European forces.”
"The Trump administration had “a clear and consistent vision for Europe: one that prioritises US-Russia ties and seeks to divide and conquer the continent, with much of the dirty work carried out by nationalist, far-right European forces.”
December 9, 2025 at 3:24 PM
This is far beyond 'NATO as we've known it is done.'
"The Trump administration had “a clear and consistent vision for Europe: one that prioritises US-Russia ties and seeks to divide and conquer the continent, with much of the dirty work carried out by nationalist, far-right European forces.”
"The Trump administration had “a clear and consistent vision for Europe: one that prioritises US-Russia ties and seeks to divide and conquer the continent, with much of the dirty work carried out by nationalist, far-right European forces.”
Reposted by Phil
New from me at TVO: I'm an ebike evangelist, but Ontario needs some new road rules. www.tvo.org/article/anal...
TVO Today | Current Affairs Journalism, Documentaries and Podcasts
www.tvo.org
December 9, 2025 at 1:45 PM
New from me at TVO: I'm an ebike evangelist, but Ontario needs some new road rules. www.tvo.org/article/anal...
Reposted by Phil
I like Strong Towns, but this piece conveniently left out the news that California built more than 80,000 ADUs thanks in large part to state law. You can’t make an argument like this without acknowledging what happened in the largest state
Why State Housing Reform is Failing (and What We Can Do About It) | Strong Towns
Statewide zoning reform isn't producing the wins everyone expected. An architect reveals why: the permissions may have changed, but the reflexes never adapted.
www.strongtowns.org
December 9, 2025 at 5:10 PM
I like Strong Towns, but this piece conveniently left out the news that California built more than 80,000 ADUs thanks in large part to state law. You can’t make an argument like this without acknowledging what happened in the largest state
Surprised to see this in Jacobin, but for those on the left that are suspicious of abundance agenda discourse, but nevertheless believe that technological progress is still key to getting us out of the jams we've put ourselves in, this is a good primer on the important role nuclear energy can play.
The Socialist Case for Nuclear Power
Nuclear energy is still regarded with skepticism. But nuclear power’s critics wildly overstate its dangers, and preserving and expanding this energy source is essential to a just green transition.
jacobin.com
December 9, 2025 at 3:53 PM
Surprised to see this in Jacobin, but for those on the left that are suspicious of abundance agenda discourse, but nevertheless believe that technological progress is still key to getting us out of the jams we've put ourselves in, this is a good primer on the important role nuclear energy can play.
Steven Guilbeault on the Smith/Carney deal: "Canada’s previous emissions reduction plan had an 85 to 90 per cent chance of achieving our 2030 targets... Unfortunately, it is now impossible to see not only how Canada can reach those targets but also how we might reach net-zero by 2050."
I quit Mark Carney’s cabinet. This is what I hope happens next
Canada is giving up too much for the sake of this grand bargain.
www.thestar.com
December 9, 2025 at 2:44 PM
Steven Guilbeault on the Smith/Carney deal: "Canada’s previous emissions reduction plan had an 85 to 90 per cent chance of achieving our 2030 targets... Unfortunately, it is now impossible to see not only how Canada can reach those targets but also how we might reach net-zero by 2050."
"If there’s one thing I think people should take from my visit to [the] Halifax [International Security Forum] it’s that... America’s former role is gone. And I think that Americans themselves are having the hardest time of all coming to terms with what that might actually mean in the long run."
Matt Gurney: 'We will never fucking trust you again'
Some blunt talk for our American neighbours at the Halifax International Security Forum.
www.readtheline.ca
December 9, 2025 at 2:29 PM
"If there’s one thing I think people should take from my visit to [the] Halifax [International Security Forum] it’s that... America’s former role is gone. And I think that Americans themselves are having the hardest time of all coming to terms with what that might actually mean in the long run."
There is a non-zero chance he pulls something like this with the Great Lakes someday and I don't think we're prepared for it.
I hate the fact that I can’t go to a party without missing more tariff mess
December 9, 2025 at 2:15 AM
There is a non-zero chance he pulls something like this with the Great Lakes someday and I don't think we're prepared for it.
Finch West. 𝘯.
1. An object or situation that has trouble reaching a destination despite a substantial effort.
2. [slang] A story with no foreseeable punchline.
"Yeah, Audrey and Chris have really pulled a Finch West...that relationship is going nowhere but they've invested so much into it"
1. An object or situation that has trouble reaching a destination despite a substantial effort.
2. [slang] A story with no foreseeable punchline.
"Yeah, Audrey and Chris have really pulled a Finch West...that relationship is going nowhere but they've invested so much into it"
December 9, 2025 at 1:40 AM
Finch West. 𝘯.
1. An object or situation that has trouble reaching a destination despite a substantial effort.
2. [slang] A story with no foreseeable punchline.
"Yeah, Audrey and Chris have really pulled a Finch West...that relationship is going nowhere but they've invested so much into it"
1. An object or situation that has trouble reaching a destination despite a substantial effort.
2. [slang] A story with no foreseeable punchline.
"Yeah, Audrey and Chris have really pulled a Finch West...that relationship is going nowhere but they've invested so much into it"
I think this is doubly so when you consider publicly funded resources available for accessing news sources behind paywalls. Almost any public library nowadays will have some kind of service that allows access to digital versions of some newspapers. They'll usually have physical copies too!
complaining about paywalls when so many journalists are being laid off and there are fewer market incentives to do great reporting and in-depth investigations, data analysis and features is also wild when everyone understands you need to pay for electronics, streaming services, and utilities
December 8, 2025 at 5:02 PM
I think this is doubly so when you consider publicly funded resources available for accessing news sources behind paywalls. Almost any public library nowadays will have some kind of service that allows access to digital versions of some newspapers. They'll usually have physical copies too!
If social media was around when the moon landing happened, it's very possible it'd actually have less posts about it than the Finch West LRT opening today
December 8, 2025 at 2:24 AM
If social media was around when the moon landing happened, it's very possible it'd actually have less posts about it than the Finch West LRT opening today
Reposted by Phil
Sorry* I need to share one more scene from this year’s Christkindl Market in downtown Kitchener. Impeccable vibes
*Not actually sorry
*Not actually sorry
December 7, 2025 at 11:15 PM
Sorry* I need to share one more scene from this year’s Christkindl Market in downtown Kitchener. Impeccable vibes
*Not actually sorry
*Not actually sorry
Reposted by Phil
Inclusionary zoning is a way of transfering the cost of social housing from the general public to new condo buyers.
In some circumstances it might just be the cost of doing business. But it's not especially progressive.
In some circumstances it might just be the cost of doing business. But it's not especially progressive.
Inclusionary zoning* is a tax on new housing that worsens the housing shortage and drives up housing prices. It’s bad policy and we should stop doing it.
The city of Los Altos charges an inclusionary fee $255,000 per unit for 1500 sq ft townhouses.
December 8, 2025 at 1:35 AM
Inclusionary zoning is a way of transfering the cost of social housing from the general public to new condo buyers.
In some circumstances it might just be the cost of doing business. But it's not especially progressive.
In some circumstances it might just be the cost of doing business. But it's not especially progressive.
The winter urbanism of Kitchener, Ontario
December 7, 2025 at 5:43 AM
The winter urbanism of Kitchener, Ontario
Reposted by Phil
A little bright and sunny Florida orange juice for your dark winter Waterloo days
December 6, 2025 at 10:31 PM
A little bright and sunny Florida orange juice for your dark winter Waterloo days
We could cure seasonal depression by putting Tropicana ads on light rail trains, but woke Big Transit thinks riders deserve things like "views" and "sunshine"
A little bright and sunny Florida orange juice for your dark winter Waterloo days
December 6, 2025 at 10:52 PM
We could cure seasonal depression by putting Tropicana ads on light rail trains, but woke Big Transit thinks riders deserve things like "views" and "sunshine"
Not so sure about this. The world doesn't know enough about options for sports betting and divorce lawyers, and making our trains mobile billboards could solve what is a serious gap in public knowledge.
Yea I’m all for more revenue for transit as long as it doesn’t degrade the rider experience. Waterloo is currently thinking of fully wrapping the ION trains for more revenue.
December 6, 2025 at 9:22 PM
Not so sure about this. The world doesn't know enough about options for sports betting and divorce lawyers, and making our trains mobile billboards could solve what is a serious gap in public knowledge.
Reposted by Phil
One of the biggest drivers of high housing costs is that a small, highly motivated group of incumbent homeowners block new housing in their neighborhoods and almost no one is organized to push back.
Young people bear the brunt of that imbalance.
Be a housing fan.
Young people bear the brunt of that imbalance.
Be a housing fan.
December 6, 2025 at 4:22 PM
One of the biggest drivers of high housing costs is that a small, highly motivated group of incumbent homeowners block new housing in their neighborhoods and almost no one is organized to push back.
Young people bear the brunt of that imbalance.
Be a housing fan.
Young people bear the brunt of that imbalance.
Be a housing fan.
The Region's position on their farmland expropriation for new industrial land is that it won't harm the water supply, but they will need to do a better job of explaining to the public how that's the case when they're saying we need to pause everything else.
www.therecord.com/news/waterlo...
www.therecord.com/news/waterlo...
Region of Waterloo wants pause on development due to water concerns
The Region of Waterloo wants developers and cities to pause new home construction as it figures out a water supply issue. Millions of dollars in new water infrastructure is needed to pump treated wate...
www.therecord.com
December 6, 2025 at 1:29 AM
The Region's position on their farmland expropriation for new industrial land is that it won't harm the water supply, but they will need to do a better job of explaining to the public how that's the case when they're saying we need to pause everything else.
www.therecord.com/news/waterlo...
www.therecord.com/news/waterlo...
Downtown Kitchener has outdone themselves this year with Christkindl. The Christmas tree is literally three storeys tall and lights up the rink in the square below. Choirs singing as you stroll by. Anytime King Street is shut down and pedestrianized for a week the vibes are immaculate.
December 5, 2025 at 10:45 PM
Downtown Kitchener has outdone themselves this year with Christkindl. The Christmas tree is literally three storeys tall and lights up the rink in the square below. Choirs singing as you stroll by. Anytime King Street is shut down and pedestrianized for a week the vibes are immaculate.
That the White House would delete a video like this after a good clap back shows once again that a) they are weak and they know it b) the business elites who think they need to bow to their fascism are cowards
Sabrina Carpenter made the White House delete their fuck ass tweet.
December 5, 2025 at 9:15 PM
That the White House would delete a video like this after a good clap back shows once again that a) they are weak and they know it b) the business elites who think they need to bow to their fascism are cowards
Reposted by Phil
Make Sabrina Carpenter the Dems comms chief cause I swear she hit the GOP harder than any democratic elected official this week
December 4, 2025 at 1:23 PM
Make Sabrina Carpenter the Dems comms chief cause I swear she hit the GOP harder than any democratic elected official this week
If GO can run special Kitchener Oktoberfest trains, they should also do special Stratford Christmas trains
www.stratfordtoday.ca/local-news/s...
www.stratfordtoday.ca/local-news/s...
Stratford’s Christmas Trail returns with record number of local shops
The Christmas Trail returns for its 11th year, bringing joy, cheer, all while encouraging shopping local
www.stratfordtoday.ca
December 5, 2025 at 7:53 PM
If GO can run special Kitchener Oktoberfest trains, they should also do special Stratford Christmas trains
www.stratfordtoday.ca/local-news/s...
www.stratfordtoday.ca/local-news/s...