In Sweden, about 40,000 users have joined a Facebook group calling for a boycott of US companies – ironically including Facebook itself – which features alternatives to US consumer products.

The Made In Canada Facebook group now has 1.2 million users, which is pretty insane considering the population of the whole country is 41 million.

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Well the gist of the interview was that American intelligence services are in chaos right now after their top-level management got expelled and their “eye is no longer on the ball” in terms of threats from Russia, China, etc. with new personnel being brought in who have no clue what’s going on.

Well I play violin in a Celtic bar band that mostly does covers, but back around the time of the pandemic when I was feeling super bored, I worked on a song I’m kind of proud of? It’s called Anticipation.

I just casually mentioned to our lead singer that I had some licks that almost seem to be coming together like a song? He was similarly goofing around in his basement and said show me what you got? Next thing you know, I was trying to write parts for accordion and other instruments we had at the time using GarageBand on my iPad while he came up with some lyrics. I was a total amateur at this kind of thing and couldn’t believe it actually happened! But we eventually got it recorded with each band member coming in at different times for social distancing. We still play it once in a while at gigs when one of the regulars requests it.

My wife and I get excited every time we come across articles about exoskeleton tech. Can we expedite this a little? I want a mech suit—not a fucking wheelchair—when I reach that age.

Also, a note to the designers: make sure you can use the toilet with it. Extrapolating current trends, I suspect this will become one of my primary activities.

Do you have to calculate it now though? I have to go let’s see, I was born in the year… It used to be innate knowledge.

It’s interesting to me that I don’t see myself aging in the bathroom mirror…until I put on my glasses. Then it’s obvious. Also, I didn’t used to need glasses. But nature’s gaussian blur filter is awesome. My wife looks as good as the day I met her too!

I think if there’s a silver lining to the 100% tariffs on Chinese EVs in North America, it is that it will hasten adoption of ebikes, which imo solve more problems than EVs in any case.

His point that ebikes replace cars—not conventional bikes—tracks for me. Mine has basically replaced our second car and I use it, as he indicated most people do, for commutes and short errands.

His point that an ebike has an energy footprint comparable to a 4000 mpg ICEV is an incredible metric. I wonder where he pulled that from? I know that my ebike battery has 1/150th the capacity of what goes into a Tesla. Granted, I wouldn’t expect a comparable range so there’s a bit of apples to oranges there. But if you then work in that EVs are already much more energy efficient than ICEVs, I guess you could arrive at a number like 4000.

Whatever the case, my experience with ebikes is that they are pretty close to free transportation in terms of operating costs. There may be a few unexpected expenses beyond the initial sticker cost of the bike in terms of accessories (particularly high quality locks) and some winter gear if you’re in a colder climate, but those are one-time purchases for the most part.

We brought back a hamster for our daughter without realizing she was pregnant. After having a giant litter, we gave them all away…or at least we thought we did? A day or two later, I saw a wiggling in the shavings and out pops a head. Our eyes locked momentarily before she dived back down.

Definitely the runt of the litter. Had all sorts of paranoia and cowered under things for most of her life. She was maybe a year old when my daughter came running up. “Guys, you gotta see Hester!” We rushed over and there she was, hanging from the bars at the top of the cage and swinging arm-to-arm across.

We were so happy for her, finally getting past her inhibitions and leading her best hamster life. Then she was curled up dead the next morning.

This reminds me of the first time I went to see my wife’s family long before we got married. There was a big gathering for Christmas and she had a kid sister looking totally distraught at the dinner table where a feast was laid out. “I can’t eat this! That poor 3-legged lamb!!!” And she ran off.

Same. Yeah these days, if you hear a lot of noise, that’s a good indication something is wrong like a bad mask or hose seal or the humidity chamber is not in all the way.

When I first got a cpap, I asked my wife if I’m still snoring? She looked pensive and said no, it’s more like a heavy breathing. I asked her what she meant by that and she said you know, like Darth Vader.

That was an early model though. They’re much quieter now!

I thought Salvatia must be the poorest country in the world if even their army has to go around begging for money.

Your first one reminds me of something that happened awhile back. I was at a donut shop staring out the window when a scruffy dude in a pickup truck slammed into a traffic light, tipping it over across the street.

Now as it happens, said donut shop was a watering hole for police officers (yes, the stereotype is real), and about a dozen buff uniforms trotted out within seconds. The guy climbed out of the truck and tried to light a cig and it fell out of his mouth as he saw them rushing up.

Looks like the comment was made in jest.

It’s blue enough as far as presidential elections are concerned. With the electoral college system, you only need a slim majority voting Democrat, and Canada as 51st would reliably provide that. Even where Congress is concerned, it would become significantly harder to elect a Republican majority I think, though there would be more of a battle there.

The logical candidate for 51st state, of course, is Puerto Rico, and the GOP is not super-enthused about them either. It’s hard to say how they would vote long-term, but they certainly have a strong and well-justified hatred for Trump.

A new blue state with 40 million people? I don’t think he’s thought this through very well.

One time I was in Mexico with my wife while our daughter was still a baby and the lady at the front desk of the hotel where we were staying offered us a crib we could borrow. It was a kind gesture, but I was a little concerned because the crib seemed wobbly. I realized there were some screws loose but though I had a multitool on me, the holes were stripped.

So later, I was talking with a local and he’s like “I can fix that.” He comes over and pulls a pack of toothpicks out of his pocket. He sticks one into each hole and breaks it off so that it’s not sticking out anymore. Then he drives the screw back in. I shook the crib after that and it was rock solid!

Now I always keep some toothpicks handy. Fast-forward to just this year. My daughter is now an adult living in a condo, and was complaining the screw popped out of a kitchen cabinet door when her roommate yanked on it too hard. “I can fix that.”