David Alex Lamb 🇨🇦
@davidalexlamb.bsky.social
Scholar, writer, computer geek. Canadian autistic retired professor of Computer Science.
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Scholar, Writer, Computer Geek – David Alex Lamb
davidalexlamb.com
My website and social media bios identify me as “scholar, writer, computer geek.” I figured I should say a bit more about what all of that means, so people have enough information to decide if they want to follow me. #WritingCommunity
davidalexlamb.com/2024/11/24/s...
davidalexlamb.com/2024/11/24/s...
Good news that a UBI supporter is running. Here's hoping she also gets the relevant Cabinet post if she wins.
#cdnpoli #ubi
#cdnpoli #ubi
CANADA NEWS: University of Toronto Family Medicine Chair and basic income advocate Dr. Danielle Martin has been nominated to replace former Deputy PM Chrystia Freeland in upcoming Toronto by-election (University-Rosedale)
The healthcare case for guaranteed income security is overwhelming.
The healthcare case for guaranteed income security is overwhelming.
February 3, 2026 at 5:36 PM
<sarcasm> it is so sad that men have to be nice to women in order to attract romantic attention </sarcasm>
Every time this comes up I wonder if we're ever going to shift the conversation to why women are avoiding them.
February 3, 2026 at 4:55 PM
<sarcasm> it is so sad that men have to be nice to women in order to attract romantic attention </sarcasm>
Reposted by David Alex Lamb 🇨🇦
I used to tell my students, who were almost always reflexively against UBI, that it'd take the bullets out of the gun. Imagine if employers had to make employment attractive? If they couldn't threaten you with hunger and homelessness? Or waste your time
Can we take a moment to really think about exactly what UBI would accomplish?
Universal Basic Income provides workers with leverage.
It would allow me to tell employers "sorry, this pay-rate is too low, I'm going to keep withholding my labor until your pay-rate improves."
#UBI
Universal Basic Income provides workers with leverage.
It would allow me to tell employers "sorry, this pay-rate is too low, I'm going to keep withholding my labor until your pay-rate improves."
#UBI
February 2, 2026 at 11:04 AM
I used to tell my students, who were almost always reflexively against UBI, that it'd take the bullets out of the gun. Imagine if employers had to make employment attractive? If they couldn't threaten you with hunger and homelessness? Or waste your time
Reposted by David Alex Lamb 🇨🇦
Globe and Mail cartoon
February 2, 2026 at 6:10 AM
Globe and Mail cartoon
Any number above zero is appalling. But my autistic brain pressures me to say that the 2025 US population is 4.2 times the 1939 population of Germany and its occupied territories. Unfortunately it won't take many months for the current administration to catch up.
ICYMI: The US is currently holding three times as many people in immigrant detention as were detained in the Nazi concentration camp system in spring 1939 — six years into the Third Reich, and just before the start of World War II.
February 1, 2026 at 4:20 PM
Any number above zero is appalling. But my autistic brain pressures me to say that the 2025 US population is 4.2 times the 1939 population of Germany and its occupied territories. Unfortunately it won't take many months for the current administration to catch up.
IANAL but this might be just a technicality? Can the prosecutors re-file a different set of charges?
BREAKING: Judge dismisses murder, weapons charges against alleged UnitedHealth CEO killer Mangione reut.rs/45Fin56
January 30, 2026 at 3:48 PM
IANAL but this might be just a technicality? Can the prosecutors re-file a different set of charges?
In these times of increasingly evil laws, everyone needs to know about jury nullification. It's our last resort against malicious prosecution.
Today's a great day to Google "jury nullification."
January 30, 2026 at 3:44 PM
In these times of increasingly evil laws, everyone needs to know about jury nullification. It's our last resort against malicious prosecution.
Two things can be true.
It is great that two killings this month in Minneapolis have ramped up opposition to ICE.
It is horrible that I had to go searching to find the other six.
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
It is great that two killings this month in Minneapolis have ramped up opposition to ICE.
It is horrible that I had to go searching to find the other six.
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
Eight people have died in dealings with ICE so far in 2026. These are their stories
The high-profile killings of Minneapolis residents Alex Pretti and Renee Nicole Good are only two among many
www.theguardian.com
January 29, 2026 at 8:35 PM
Two things can be true.
It is great that two killings this month in Minneapolis have ramped up opposition to ICE.
It is horrible that I had to go searching to find the other six.
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
It is great that two killings this month in Minneapolis have ramped up opposition to ICE.
It is horrible that I had to go searching to find the other six.
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
Reposted by David Alex Lamb 🇨🇦
Practicing being cool and calm. Look how much I’m not screaming
January 29, 2026 at 3:10 AM
Practicing being cool and calm. Look how much I’m not screaming
Reposted by David Alex Lamb 🇨🇦
So anyway this is as usual disjointed, and I'm not sure all of this is relevant to the autism/mmr thing, but just... bear in mind we all fuck up, we can all be responsible for minor parts of things, and it's ok (but hard) to realize and admit to that. (6/6)
January 29, 2026 at 8:53 AM
So anyway this is as usual disjointed, and I'm not sure all of this is relevant to the autism/mmr thing, but just... bear in mind we all fuck up, we can all be responsible for minor parts of things, and it's ok (but hard) to realize and admit to that. (6/6)
Reposted by David Alex Lamb 🇨🇦
My own take on responsibility for a thing (which is highly personal) is that it's not a label so much as a percentage pool (let's say colored water). Sometimes someone holds all the water but in a lot of big-scale issues the water is distributed in varying amounts to people.
Not sure I agree with the mass murder thing but I definitely think Wakefield has a huge part of responsibility there. Don't forget, however, that this responsibility is shared with everyone that gave him a platform, starting with the media
I don't exaggerate when I say that Andrew Wakefield should be tried for mass murder. We'll never know how many people have died or will die as a direct result of his fraudulent study.
January 29, 2026 at 8:44 AM
My own take on responsibility for a thing (which is highly personal) is that it's not a label so much as a percentage pool (let's say colored water). Sometimes someone holds all the water but in a lot of big-scale issues the water is distributed in varying amounts to people.
I should start a collection of brilliant analogies for how bad large language models are.
"finally, we have automated Tolkien's famous royal adviser, Grima Wormtongue."
January 29, 2026 at 1:51 PM
I should start a collection of brilliant analogies for how bad large language models are.
Reposted by David Alex Lamb 🇨🇦
2022: Massachusetts enacts a 4% tax on millionaires. Critics predict catastrophe.
2026: MA sees 39%⬆️ in number of millionaires, $5B⬆️ in new revenue, & MA is bottom 10 in poverty.
Taxing the wealthy creates more wealth. Taxing working people creates more poverty: www.qasimrashid.com/p/fixing-the...
2026: MA sees 39%⬆️ in number of millionaires, $5B⬆️ in new revenue, & MA is bottom 10 in poverty.
Taxing the wealthy creates more wealth. Taxing working people creates more poverty: www.qasimrashid.com/p/fixing-the...
Fixing the $12 Billion Lie
How Mayor Mamdani Plans to Fix NYC's Existential Budget Crisis—And Why It Affects Every Single American Nationwide
www.qasimrashid.com
January 29, 2026 at 12:20 PM
2022: Massachusetts enacts a 4% tax on millionaires. Critics predict catastrophe.
2026: MA sees 39%⬆️ in number of millionaires, $5B⬆️ in new revenue, & MA is bottom 10 in poverty.
Taxing the wealthy creates more wealth. Taxing working people creates more poverty: www.qasimrashid.com/p/fixing-the...
2026: MA sees 39%⬆️ in number of millionaires, $5B⬆️ in new revenue, & MA is bottom 10 in poverty.
Taxing the wealthy creates more wealth. Taxing working people creates more poverty: www.qasimrashid.com/p/fixing-the...
Reposted by David Alex Lamb 🇨🇦
Folks, please don’t tell artists they shouldn’t be making or selling their art right now. For many, it’s how they pay the bills. Art is vital during times like this. ALL ART. Whether it’s a protest sign or a book cover or just a beautiful drawing. It’s part of the heart of humanity.
January 28, 2026 at 6:33 PM
Folks, please don’t tell artists they shouldn’t be making or selling their art right now. For many, it’s how they pay the bills. Art is vital during times like this. ALL ART. Whether it’s a protest sign or a book cover or just a beautiful drawing. It’s part of the heart of humanity.
Today (25 January) is the anniversary of the birth of Robert Burns, whose name I must pronounce "Rabbie Bairns" in honour of my Glaswegian maternal grandmother.
January 25, 2026 at 5:08 PM
Today (25 January) is the anniversary of the birth of Robert Burns, whose name I must pronounce "Rabbie Bairns" in honour of my Glaswegian maternal grandmother.
Reposted by David Alex Lamb 🇨🇦
A reminder to the news media: “conflicting accounts” is what you say BEFORE the incontrovertible video evidence appears. After that, your job is to ask why one side is lying, not to repeat the lie and pretend no one knows the truth.
January 25, 2026 at 12:28 PM
A reminder to the news media: “conflicting accounts” is what you say BEFORE the incontrovertible video evidence appears. After that, your job is to ask why one side is lying, not to repeat the lie and pretend no one knows the truth.
The word “terrorism”...
Back in the 1960s, when the FLQ was blowing up mailboxes in Canada, people started thinking, “you know, this isn’t just regular criminal activity; we need to call it something different.”
Back in the 1960s, when the FLQ was blowing up mailboxes in Canada, people started thinking, “you know, this isn’t just regular criminal activity; we need to call it something different.”
January 24, 2026 at 8:09 PM
The word “terrorism”...
Back in the 1960s, when the FLQ was blowing up mailboxes in Canada, people started thinking, “you know, this isn’t just regular criminal activity; we need to call it something different.”
Back in the 1960s, when the FLQ was blowing up mailboxes in Canada, people started thinking, “you know, this isn’t just regular criminal activity; we need to call it something different.”
Reposted by David Alex Lamb 🇨🇦
In the 1980s the top 0.001% wealthiest people in the US owned 0.3% of the total wealth of all Americans. In the original Gilded Age it was about 4%. Today it's 10-12%. So our new Gilded Age is FAR WORSE than the original.
Talking With Gabriel Zucman
On Europe, oligarchy and more
paulkrugman.substack.com
January 24, 2026 at 5:21 PM
In the 1980s the top 0.001% wealthiest people in the US owned 0.3% of the total wealth of all Americans. In the original Gilded Age it was about 4%. Today it's 10-12%. So our new Gilded Age is FAR WORSE than the original.
Two observations and a consequence:
- My Prius Prime hybrid has regenerative braking, which slightly recharges the battery
- Today was so cold (-18° C) that even in EV mode it chose to run the gasoline engine rather than rely on the vastly-slowed-down chemistry of the battery.
- My Prius Prime hybrid has regenerative braking, which slightly recharges the battery
- Today was so cold (-18° C) that even in EV mode it chose to run the gasoline engine rather than rely on the vastly-slowed-down chemistry of the battery.
January 24, 2026 at 5:57 PM
Two observations and a consequence:
- My Prius Prime hybrid has regenerative braking, which slightly recharges the battery
- Today was so cold (-18° C) that even in EV mode it chose to run the gasoline engine rather than rely on the vastly-slowed-down chemistry of the battery.
- My Prius Prime hybrid has regenerative braking, which slightly recharges the battery
- Today was so cold (-18° C) that even in EV mode it chose to run the gasoline engine rather than rely on the vastly-slowed-down chemistry of the battery.
Reposted by David Alex Lamb 🇨🇦
Canada Lives Because…
January 23, 2026 at 11:18 PM
Canada Lives Because…
Reposted by David Alex Lamb 🇨🇦
"My husband complains about the cold," the man said. "Can you teach me a spell to keep him warm?"
"I can teach you to bind hair into a net to catch heat," the wizard said, "using arcane counting and a pair of fine wands."
After a while, the man said "Isn't this knitting?"
"This, too, is magic."
"I can teach you to bind hair into a net to catch heat," the wizard said, "using arcane counting and a pair of fine wands."
After a while, the man said "Isn't this knitting?"
"This, too, is magic."
January 23, 2026 at 5:20 PM
"My husband complains about the cold," the man said. "Can you teach me a spell to keep him warm?"
"I can teach you to bind hair into a net to catch heat," the wizard said, "using arcane counting and a pair of fine wands."
After a while, the man said "Isn't this knitting?"
"This, too, is magic."
"I can teach you to bind hair into a net to catch heat," the wizard said, "using arcane counting and a pair of fine wands."
After a while, the man said "Isn't this knitting?"
"This, too, is magic."
Reposted by David Alex Lamb 🇨🇦
Last term I tried an experiment: I walked into my Tech and Design Ethics class, admitted that I had *no idea* what to do about ChatGPT - so I would let them figure it out.
As in: their first project was to decide and write the ChatGPT policy for the class.
Here's what happened:
As in: their first project was to decide and write the ChatGPT policy for the class.
Here's what happened:
January 22, 2026 at 11:36 PM
Last term I tried an experiment: I walked into my Tech and Design Ethics class, admitted that I had *no idea* what to do about ChatGPT - so I would let them figure it out.
As in: their first project was to decide and write the ChatGPT policy for the class.
Here's what happened:
As in: their first project was to decide and write the ChatGPT policy for the class.
Here's what happened:
Today a FB post reminded me of my mother. She was a bookkeeper at a mid-sized non-profit business. She viewed her primary job as making sure everyone got paid on time, even if she had to walk to the bank in an Ottawa snowstorm to make it happen.
It was a quote from a Heinlein novel:
1/2
It was a quote from a Heinlein novel:
1/2
January 23, 2026 at 1:29 PM
Today a FB post reminded me of my mother. She was a bookkeeper at a mid-sized non-profit business. She viewed her primary job as making sure everyone got paid on time, even if she had to walk to the bank in an Ottawa snowstorm to make it happen.
It was a quote from a Heinlein novel:
1/2
It was a quote from a Heinlein novel:
1/2
Reposted by David Alex Lamb 🇨🇦
Reposted by David Alex Lamb 🇨🇦
“For Christ sake write and don’t worry about what the boys will say nor whether it will be a masterpiece nor what. I write one page of masterpiece to ninety one pages of shit. I try to put the shit in the wastebasket.” —Ernest Hemingway, Letter to F. Scott Fitzgerald, 28th May 1934
January 22, 2026 at 3:00 PM
“For Christ sake write and don’t worry about what the boys will say nor whether it will be a masterpiece nor what. I write one page of masterpiece to ninety one pages of shit. I try to put the shit in the wastebasket.” —Ernest Hemingway, Letter to F. Scott Fitzgerald, 28th May 1934