Appalbarry

Appalbarry

@appalbarry.com

Writer, Nova Scotia, France, Vancouver. and now Cambridge UK, Barry’s writing is focused on how people live, and how the environment around them influences their choices. Clips at: https://appalbarry.com/ Blog at : https://www.threesquirrels.ca/

1.4K followers559 following4.1K posts

Pinned

Appalbarry
@appalbarry.com

Replying to @carlafrancome.bsky.social

This is where I always ask: Tell me about one example of a government service being privatized, and offering the same or better service for less cost. Just one example. Response: <crickets>

Appalbarry reposted

Mrs. Betty Bowers
@mrsbettybowers.bsky.social

If you believe Melania Trump negotiated a ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia, you're the reason "DO NOT EAT" labels are put on soap. If you believe Donald Trump is going to give you a check for $5,000 if Republicans win, you're the reason irons have "NEVER IRON CLOTHES WHILE BEING WORN" warnings.

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CCPA — Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives
@policyalternatives.ca

The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives @policyalternatives.ca notes that in the early 1970s, funding for post-secondary education represented more than 3.5 per cent of all federal government spending. By 2024, it had fallen to just 1.9 per cent. #cdnpoli www.brandonsun.com/opinion/2026...

brandonsun.comOpinion: Post-secondary education also a national emergencyThe federal government is set to deliver its fall budget with a promised focus on building a strong Canada while positioning the country for long-term prosperity.

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George Monbiot
@georgemonbiot.bsky.social

The lessons from Brazil and Serbia? Don't concede one inch of ground to the far right. Don't appease. Don't triangulate. Don't grovel. Don't say they have "legitimate concerns". Mobilise your base, and fight them with all the democratic means at your disposal.

Appalbarry
@appalbarry.com

Check out Cowichan Valley, with NDP and Cons neck and neck. And the Communist with a remarkable 95 votes! #bcpoli

Appalbarry reposted

Leicester Gazette
@leicestergazette.leicester.news

Two University of Leicester students speak out over ‘absurd’ and ‘Orwellian’ decision by the BBC and ITV Studios to edit out pride pins worn on University Challenge

leicester.newsBBC edits out pride pins on University Challenge in ‘Orwellian’ move* * * This story was published by **The Leicester Gazette** : a local, independent newspaper about Leicestershire. 1,000 people have already joined our community. Just use those buttons below to download our app and **sign up for free**. * * * Astrophysics student Samuel Carlier and History student Emmeline Hague-Wright were shocked to find that their LGBTQ+ pride pins had been edited out of their University Challenge appearance earlier this year. The episode, initially scheduled for BBC Two on 24 August, was delayed twice before airing on 7 September 2026. The pins showed the progressive LGBTQ+ pride flag, the bisexual pride flag and a rainbow feather. Speaking to the Leicester Gazette, Sam said: “Living in a liberal democracy and having the state broadcaster tell you ‘we’re editing how you look’, seems very Orwellian.” Sam described the choice to remove the pins before broadcast as “weird” and “absurd”. He said: “[Censoring] that seemed weird. If I had worn a rainbow shirt, would they have censored that? If the idea is to keep things impartial, where is that line in the sand?” A side by-side image of Sam wearing the pin and with it having been digitally removed. Photograph: supplied Sam contacted the BBC to try to understand why his pins had been edited out. He told the Gazette: “The BBC people said they’d ring me, and I chased them, they just said go to the complaints website and file a complaint there, that’s what I did.” Since then, Sam hasn’t had a response from the BBC as to why his pins were removed. After the episode had aired, Sam noted that his shirt ‘melted’ into itself occasionally, as a result of the editing. Photograph: supplied ## Students believe the decision was made following online transphobia Emmeline was also shocked when she found out that the feather pin she wore was due to be removed from the episode she was in. It was understood by Emmeline that there was online transphobia in response to previous episode of University Challenge, and she had been contacted by the BBC, anticipating support from the broadcaster. When the BBC contacted her, instead of an offer of support, she was told her pin was going to be removed. “At first it was mostly confusion,” she said. “I heard that they had received a lot of nastiness online from people and I thought they were going to call me to say ‘we have support services if needed,’ and that wasn't what I got at all.” Instead, Emmeline was notified that the episodes were going to be delayed. “It was out of left field, I was confused for a while,” she said. “This entire delay has been because of a feather and two badges on a teammate that were basically impossible [for viewers] to see.” Emmeline had expressed her frustrations with the repeated delays from the BBC, spanning from mid-July to early-September. She said: “We were announced on the website and then delayed again, and then announced on the website a second time, and delayed even further. Speaking about the removal, she said: “It takes a lot of time” she said. “Making it [the edit] look good would be even more expensive and time-consuming. It seems like drastically a lot of effort.” ## Join the conversation Our app is more than just a way to keep up – it's a gateway to award-winning journalism and the local community. __Want to support our work?__ Click here for membership__.__ ## Wider criticism on LGBTQ+ support The pins Sam wore during the episode. Photograph: supplied According to leading LGBTQ+ charity Stonewall UK, two in five LGBTQ+ students will hide their identities at university for fear of discrimination. Stonewall has reported that more than 36 per cent of trans students have received hostile conduct from university staff due to their gender identity. Reflecting on the digital removal of the pins, Sam spoke about how disheartening the choice was. He said: “There was maybe like a span of eight years where someone could be uncontroversially out in the open queer – now that’s gone again.” he said. The BBC has also been widely criticised for ‘an attack on the LGBTQ+ community’ by pulling its involvement with the popular show, RuPaul's Drag Race. The broadcaster pulled its involvement in September following “significant financial pressures” as the reason for axing their involvement. The criticism follows another recent controversial edit by the BBC. On its hit show, Strictly Come Dancing, a decision was made to edit out ‘Protect the Dolls’ from contestant Bethany Antonia’s T-shirt. It’s a slogan which has become widely used to support the rights of trans women. The BBC defended their decision, saying the changes were made to meet editorial guidelines. It comes as the LGBTQ+ community has faced challenges amid an increasingly less tolerant political climate. ## What the BBC had to say When we asked them about editing out the pins worn by Leicester’s University Challenge team, a BBC spokesperson said: “In line with our editorial guidelines, we advise that no badges, flags, and emblems or symbols are worn or visible during filming, along with clothing with obvious branding or slogans. If such items are not removed for any reason then a decision is made between the programme makers and the BBC regarding any edits to the programme.” The BBC said the delays to the episode were unrelated to the decision to edit out the pins. A spokesperson for ITV Studios said: “University Challenge is an entertainment quiz show and is made in accordance with the BBC Editorial Guidelines requirements for impartiality.” The University of Leicester refused to comment on the matter. * * * **Before you go…** We’ve recently surpassed 1,000 subscribers, which is amazing considering we’re a small team on a shoestring budget. Now, we’re ready for the next stage of the Leicester Gazette. **Download our new app and get all of our journalism anytime, anywhere.** The app connects with **Bluesky** , **Mastodon** and **Threads** , giving you access to a network of around 60 million people. It’s a safer, more meaningful alternative to mainstream social media – owned by the community. * * *

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Premee Mohamed
@premeemohamed.com

Seconding the 'please, if you have room and inclination, adopt' because what if you DO adopt some little creecher and you're like "I have never had a cat before, he is very cute but what do I do with him" and he's like "YOU DO THIS" for a solid month (Photo from July 2022)

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Karrie Jacobs
@karrieurbanist.bsky.social

On my first visit to Silicon Valley in the mid-1990s, I decided that interactive technology (as we then called it) existed to simplify or eliminate things that men were bad at, like the simple social exchanges demanded by routine errands. I haven’t changed my mind.

KetAnthropic JoshAI@ketanjoshi.co

The first genuinely honest ad for generative AI I've ever seen, from Microsoft / CoPilot A mediocre white guy sees his non-white colleague getting praised for good work, he asks AI to *literally copy it*, and then he gets all the praise instead: www.ispot.tv/ad/SoDi/micr...

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HELL Kennedy
@helenkennedy.com

Mamdani administration proposing to require that companies offer customers a one-touch phone option to connect to a human representative and escape AI "help." Does anyone have any hot coals that I could walk across for this mayor?

Bloomberg Law@bloomberglaw.com

New York City wants to force companies to tell consumers when they’re interacting with artificial intelligence and other computerized systems, part of a proposal to cut down on customer service “doom loops.”

bit.lyMamdani Proposal Targets AI Customer Service ‘Doom Loops’ (1)New York City wants to force companies to tell consumers when they’re interacting with artificial intelligence and other computerized systems, part of a proposal to cut down on customer service “doom loops.”

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CBHC / RCAHMW
@rcahmwales.bsky.social

Historic Wales Beta is now live! Explore historic environment data from RCAHMW, Cadw and Heneb over newly-digitised historic maps including early Ordnance Survey and Enclosure maps, and maritime navigation charts: zurl.co/T5NQI #HistoricWales #WelshHeritage

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Andrew Kurjata
@akurjata.ca

Dude complained women said they wanted to vote for a woman so pulled out a bra and said he is a woman, then when one person yelled "boo" once, he left in protest. What's wilder is a different candidate joined him in solidarity (elsewhere both are described as fringe) www.ctvnews.ca/northern-ont...

ctvnews.ca‘This is disgusting’: Candidates walk off stage in protest at fiery North Bay mayoral debateTwo candidates running to be mayor of North Bay — Dan Seguin and Melanie Demers — walked off the debate stage Monday evening in protest after an audience member booed Seguin’s opening remarks.
Appalbarry
@appalbarry.com

@charlieangus104.bsky.social Can we get confirmation on this? And can DOA play the inauguration?

Taras Grescoe 🚇@taras-grescoe.com

Make way for the new "Mayor Pete," Hizzoner Pete Fry. #Vancouver 's new mayor is the first in any Canadian city to belong to the Green Party. He might also be the first mayor to come out of the punk rock scene... www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

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McSweeney's
@mcsweeneys.net

"The reality is that women throughout history have used cleaner, more feminine methods of naturally excreting waste without negative side effects. Ancient Sumerians created a proto-centrifuge to vaporize turds until they escaped through the ear canals." buff.ly/UccjMBr

buff.lyBy Executive Order, I Hereby Outlaw Pooping by All American Women“Following several productive and extremely graphic discussions with Secretary of Health Robert Kennedy Jr., the White House has been repeatedly assured that...

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Suzanne Rent
@suzannerent.bsky.social

Replying to @suzannerent.bsky.social

If people spoke up against AI data centres like they do with bike lanes, we'd actually have a better country.

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Katharine Hayhoe
@katharinehayhoe.com

On my morning walk yesterday I saw such an unusual sight, I had to stop for a picture! On a field trip later the same day, I heard the full story – this is the culmination of a 20 year collaborarive philanthropic effort to remove the old industrial dams and restore the rapids to the Grand River 👏👏👏