Chris Neill 🐧
@chrisneill.bsky.social
Associate Professor, Economics (education, labour, public econ, policy) at Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, 🇨🇦.
Originally from 🇦🇺, I tend to prefer rivers that I can swim away in, rather than skate away on.
Originally from 🇦🇺, I tend to prefer rivers that I can swim away in, rather than skate away on.
Reposted by Chris Neill 🐧
This is necessary
Handwritten and oral exams are making a comeback
AI is accelerating a tech backlash in American classrooms
Handwritten and oral exams are making a comeback
econ.st
November 30, 2025 at 7:32 PM
This is necessary
Reposted by Chris Neill 🐧
María Orosa, Filipina food technologist, chemist, war heroine. Experimented w' foods native to Philippines #WWII developed Soyalac from soybeans & Darak preventing beriberi disease, saved 1000s lives. Invented banana ketchup. d #OTD 13 Feb 1945 from US friendly fire en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mar%C3%...
November 29, 2025 at 10:12 PM
María Orosa, Filipina food technologist, chemist, war heroine. Experimented w' foods native to Philippines #WWII developed Soyalac from soybeans & Darak preventing beriberi disease, saved 1000s lives. Invented banana ketchup. d #OTD 13 Feb 1945 from US friendly fire en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mar%C3%...
Reposted by Chris Neill 🐧
Mathematician Suzan Rose Benedict was born OTD in 1873. She was the first woman awarded a PhD in mathematics from the University of Michigan. Her 1914 thesis, “A Comparative Study of the Early Treatises Introducing into Europe the Hindu Art of Reckoning,” is fascinating. A 🧵
November 29, 2025 at 1:52 PM
Mathematician Suzan Rose Benedict was born OTD in 1873. She was the first woman awarded a PhD in mathematics from the University of Michigan. Her 1914 thesis, “A Comparative Study of the Early Treatises Introducing into Europe the Hindu Art of Reckoning,” is fascinating. A 🧵
Reposted by Chris Neill 🐧
I remember when Canada had some of the smartest solar energy minds on the planet. Our government refused to invest anything into that energy sector, instead spending everything on oil and gas, so those minds went to Germany and helped them become a world leader in solar energy.
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November 29, 2025 at 6:06 PM
I remember when Canada had some of the smartest solar energy minds on the planet. Our government refused to invest anything into that energy sector, instead spending everything on oil and gas, so those minds went to Germany and helped them become a world leader in solar energy.
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Reposted by Chris Neill 🐧
Reposted by Chris Neill 🐧
The tension between 1) rolling administrative work onto faculty because of $$$ and 2) faculty not following through because of predisposition and being overworked (see 1). Love my colleagues, and it shouldn’t take a personalized email from the Provost to get you to sign up for the thing.
November 29, 2025 at 6:17 PM
The tension between 1) rolling administrative work onto faculty because of $$$ and 2) faculty not following through because of predisposition and being overworked (see 1). Love my colleagues, and it shouldn’t take a personalized email from the Provost to get you to sign up for the thing.
Reposted by Chris Neill 🐧
"Put another way, the median mobile page is now 70 times larger than the total storage of the computer that landed men on the moon."
infrequently.org/2025/11/perf...
infrequently.org/2025/11/perf...
The Performance Inequality Gap, 2026 - Infrequently Noted
Embedded in this year's network and device estimates is hopeful news about the trajectory of devices and networks. It has never been easier to deliver pages quickly, but we are not collectively hittin...
infrequently.org
November 28, 2025 at 6:09 PM
"Put another way, the median mobile page is now 70 times larger than the total storage of the computer that landed men on the moon."
infrequently.org/2025/11/perf...
infrequently.org/2025/11/perf...
God The Australian is a rubbish paper. Outrage at plans to move Burke&Wills statue that's been off display for years (woke/cancelation! but let's run a quote from a guy from BURKEtown), Does One Nation have a future w'out Hanson [hope not], and Piers Morgan lecturing on how AU is too woke. Ugh.
November 28, 2025 at 10:51 PM
God The Australian is a rubbish paper. Outrage at plans to move Burke&Wills statue that's been off display for years (woke/cancelation! but let's run a quote from a guy from BURKEtown), Does One Nation have a future w'out Hanson [hope not], and Piers Morgan lecturing on how AU is too woke. Ugh.
Reposted by Chris Neill 🐧
A thoughtful piece by @alexboyd.bsky.social in the @thestar.com, exploring difficulties trying to legislate the difference between the inevitable distortions and exaggerations in political debate, versus the systemic denigration of public life through endless propaganda and chronic bullshitting.
I wrote about a novel approach to tackling misinformation currently being discussed in Wales--and which some say Canada should try, too. What if we made a rule so politicians couldn't lie? www.thestar.com/politics/fed...
Is it time to make it illegal for politicians to lie to us?
That’s the question currently on the table in Wales, which has just released a draft of the “globally pioneering” sanctions for politicians.
www.thestar.com
November 28, 2025 at 3:09 PM
A thoughtful piece by @alexboyd.bsky.social in the @thestar.com, exploring difficulties trying to legislate the difference between the inevitable distortions and exaggerations in political debate, versus the systemic denigration of public life through endless propaganda and chronic bullshitting.
Reposted by Chris Neill 🐧
Clara Immerwahr (1870 -1915)
First female Doctor of Chemistry from University of Breslau, Immerwahr was married to another chemist, Fritz Haber. Haber developed chlorine & mustard gas for battlefield use in WWI. Immerwahr opposed chemical weapons. Immerwahr committed suicide with her husband's gun.
First female Doctor of Chemistry from University of Breslau, Immerwahr was married to another chemist, Fritz Haber. Haber developed chlorine & mustard gas for battlefield use in WWI. Immerwahr opposed chemical weapons. Immerwahr committed suicide with her husband's gun.
November 28, 2025 at 2:22 AM
Clara Immerwahr (1870 -1915)
First female Doctor of Chemistry from University of Breslau, Immerwahr was married to another chemist, Fritz Haber. Haber developed chlorine & mustard gas for battlefield use in WWI. Immerwahr opposed chemical weapons. Immerwahr committed suicide with her husband's gun.
First female Doctor of Chemistry from University of Breslau, Immerwahr was married to another chemist, Fritz Haber. Haber developed chlorine & mustard gas for battlefield use in WWI. Immerwahr opposed chemical weapons. Immerwahr committed suicide with her husband's gun.
Reposted by Chris Neill 🐧
End of Autumn (2017)
Art Print: www.inprnt.com/gallery/ryot...
Art Print: www.inprnt.com/gallery/ryot...
November 28, 2025 at 6:17 AM
End of Autumn (2017)
Art Print: www.inprnt.com/gallery/ryot...
Art Print: www.inprnt.com/gallery/ryot...
Reposted by Chris Neill 🐧
Maybe if mandatory voting was brought into the USA it would make Americans think about issues & who they would prefer to lead them.
November 27, 2025 at 9:13 AM
Maybe if mandatory voting was brought into the USA it would make Americans think about issues & who they would prefer to lead them.
On buying a thing last night: "Sure you don't want a receipt, just in case it's sketch?"
Seriously don't know how English as a second language speakers manage.
Seriously don't know how English as a second language speakers manage.
November 27, 2025 at 7:07 PM
On buying a thing last night: "Sure you don't want a receipt, just in case it's sketch?"
Seriously don't know how English as a second language speakers manage.
Seriously don't know how English as a second language speakers manage.
Reposted by Chris Neill 🐧
Australia’s emissions from fossil fuels down as electricity from renewables passes 40%
While greenhouse gas emissions fell 2.2% or 9.9m tonnes last financial year, new policies are needed to meet the 2035 target
www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
While greenhouse gas emissions fell 2.2% or 9.9m tonnes last financial year, new policies are needed to meet the 2035 target
www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
Australia’s emissions from fossil fuels down as electricity from renewables passes 40%
While greenhouse gas emissions fell 2.2% or 9.9m tonnes last financial year, new policies are needed to meet the 2035 target
www.theguardian.com
November 26, 2025 at 6:47 PM
Australia’s emissions from fossil fuels down as electricity from renewables passes 40%
While greenhouse gas emissions fell 2.2% or 9.9m tonnes last financial year, new policies are needed to meet the 2035 target
www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
While greenhouse gas emissions fell 2.2% or 9.9m tonnes last financial year, new policies are needed to meet the 2035 target
www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
Reposted by Chris Neill 🐧
Reposted by Chris Neill 🐧
A *huge* vaccine victory. I've been writing on this for years; Australia has seen remarkable progress in cervical cancer prevention with the HPV vaccine. I love seeing science triumph like this.
Australia recorded ZERO cases of cervical cancer in women under 25 for the first time since they started tracking the cancer in the 80s.
This is the power of vaccines.
The HPV vaccine is extremely effective at preventing cancer.
Viruses can be oncogenic. Get your vaccines and protect yourself!
This is the power of vaccines.
The HPV vaccine is extremely effective at preventing cancer.
Viruses can be oncogenic. Get your vaccines and protect yourself!
newsGP - Australia set for world-first cervical cancer elimination
Vaccination programs have played a key role, and GPs remain ‘instrumental’ in boosting screening rates to reach the 2035 target.
www1.racgp.org.au
November 27, 2025 at 6:12 PM
A *huge* vaccine victory. I've been writing on this for years; Australia has seen remarkable progress in cervical cancer prevention with the HPV vaccine. I love seeing science triumph like this.
Definitely respect the sea lions' preferences.
‘I was scared’: Lunging sea lion interrupts cold plunge on Vancouver Island #Vancouver #Video
“He didn’t want us in the water,” Titarenko said. “We respected that. We got out pretty quickly.”
www.ctvnews.ca/canada/artic...
“He didn’t want us in the water,” Titarenko said. “We respected that. We got out pretty quickly.”
www.ctvnews.ca/canada/artic...
‘I was scared’: Lunging sea lion interrupts cold plunge on Vancouver Island
A pair of swimmers off Vancouver Island got more than a blast of cold Pacific Ocean water when a large sea lion suddenly surfaced beside them, and a few minutes later, lunged.
www.ctvnews.ca
November 27, 2025 at 8:06 AM
Definitely respect the sea lions' preferences.
Reposted by Chris Neill 🐧
Wondrous kelp forests harbor a complex ecosystem that’s teeming with life, cleaning the water and the atmosphere, and bringing new hope for the future.
share.google/Z2S1xWnxict3...
share.google/Z2S1xWnxict3...
Underwater Forests Return to Life off the Coast of California, and That Might be Good News for the Entire Planet
Wondrous kelp beds harbor a complex ecosystem that’s teeming with life, cleaning the water and the atmosphere, and bringing new hope for the future
share.google
November 26, 2025 at 7:18 AM
Wondrous kelp forests harbor a complex ecosystem that’s teeming with life, cleaning the water and the atmosphere, and bringing new hope for the future.
share.google/Z2S1xWnxict3...
share.google/Z2S1xWnxict3...
Reposted by Chris Neill 🐧
The stats are insane in Victoria. By current predictions, the amount of solar & battery uptake in Vic is so massive that we should be be in "Grid energy decline". 🤔
cleanenergycouncil.org.au/news-resourc...
cleanenergycouncil.org.au/news-resourc...
Rooftop solar and storage biannual report | Clean Energy Council
More than 300,000 rooftop solar systems were installed across Australia last year, bringing the total number to more than 4 million.
cleanenergycouncil.org.au
November 25, 2025 at 9:24 AM
The stats are insane in Victoria. By current predictions, the amount of solar & battery uptake in Vic is so massive that we should be be in "Grid energy decline". 🤔
cleanenergycouncil.org.au/news-resourc...
cleanenergycouncil.org.au/news-resourc...
Really this is very impressive but also why.
British explorer Felicity Aston is the first woman to ski solo across Antarctica 😮 --from coast to coast, relying only on her own strength. ⛷️
#OTD in 2011, her 1,084-mile (1,744-km), 59-day journey began. #adventure #trek #firsts #skiing
startupsmagazine.co.uk/index.php/ar...
#OTD in 2011, her 1,084-mile (1,744-km), 59-day journey began. #adventure #trek #firsts #skiing
startupsmagazine.co.uk/index.php/ar...
November 25, 2025 at 11:40 PM
Really this is very impressive but also why.
Reposted by Chris Neill 🐧
my guy really was tweeting tips at Shane Warne on how to spin a cricket ball and we all got to watch, we were blessed and we didnt even know it
November 25, 2025 at 1:38 PM
my guy really was tweeting tips at Shane Warne on how to spin a cricket ball and we all got to watch, we were blessed and we didnt even know it
Any opportunity to transfer surplus to parents should be seized. Only issue I see here is how binding the contract is, but having the loser to point to is helpful.
Just got to the airport with the kids and was pleasantly surprised to have gotten one kiddo upgrade. Problem: I have two kids.
So I'm holding an auction and they're each bidding on how many times they will unload the dishwasher over Thanksgiving. Highest bid gets the upgrade.
So I'm holding an auction and they're each bidding on how many times they will unload the dishwasher over Thanksgiving. Highest bid gets the upgrade.
November 25, 2025 at 10:40 PM
Any opportunity to transfer surplus to parents should be seized. Only issue I see here is how binding the contract is, but having the loser to point to is helpful.
How on earth is this a question someone could ask and be permitted to keep their licence?
This "driving concern" is actually a very rarely acknowledged major pedestrian safety concern. Drivers whipping around from behind you as you start crossing turning right on green is lethal
www.theglobeandmail.com/drive/cultur...
www.theglobeandmail.com/drive/cultur...
Is it illegal to stop before turning right at a green light?
When you’re turning right at a green light, it’s right to slow down or even stop to make sure it’s safe, expert says
www.theglobeandmail.com
November 25, 2025 at 8:35 AM
How on earth is this a question someone could ask and be permitted to keep their licence?