Andrea Bellemare
@dreabells.bsky.social
Freelance producer doing stuff at CBC Sports. Previously at This Hour Has 22 Minutes & CBC News.
Writer, surfer, swimmer. Toronto.
Writer, surfer, swimmer. Toronto.
Reposted by Andrea Bellemare
I say this as someone whose entire job is finding the narrow use cases in which AI is actually useful:
All the fear about AI, all the reluctance to adopt it, is entirely legitimate, and a product of the fact that it's been foisted on the public with no consideration of its negative externalities.
All the fear about AI, all the reluctance to adopt it, is entirely legitimate, and a product of the fact that it's been foisted on the public with no consideration of its negative externalities.
I continue to have no sympathy left for whinging about how the public are rude about AI and feel threatened by it when the biggest players in the AI space have spent years very vocally and constantly *threatening the public*
December 10, 2025 at 4:38 PM
I say this as someone whose entire job is finding the narrow use cases in which AI is actually useful:
All the fear about AI, all the reluctance to adopt it, is entirely legitimate, and a product of the fact that it's been foisted on the public with no consideration of its negative externalities.
All the fear about AI, all the reluctance to adopt it, is entirely legitimate, and a product of the fact that it's been foisted on the public with no consideration of its negative externalities.
Reposted by Andrea Bellemare
It's been so wild to see the same nitpicky clients asking designers and illustrators for the smallest two pixel changes just approve some random AI slop. It's always been just about control and a lack of trust, but this just makes it really clear.
Every facet of generative AI has made my professional life worse, without question, but THIS specific aspect has been driving me NUTS.
Clients, who have made me toil for weeks over indescribably small details, are now approving & producing in-house commercial artwork that looks like a fever dream.
Clients, who have made me toil for weeks over indescribably small details, are now approving & producing in-house commercial artwork that looks like a fever dream.
I feel the clients now using GenAI to do stuff and going "good enough" when they used to nitpick at every last detail is due to them finding out all those nit picky changes take time and work they cant be bothered to put in.
December 9, 2025 at 9:48 PM
It's been so wild to see the same nitpicky clients asking designers and illustrators for the smallest two pixel changes just approve some random AI slop. It's always been just about control and a lack of trust, but this just makes it really clear.
The thing that all the AI evangelists, bosses, and the managerial class writ large don't understand is that AI slop like this doesn't just turn people off, it makes them furious. If the whole point of advertising is to make a positive association with your product, this fails hard.
Everyone’s boss thinks A.I. is cool and I can’t think of anyone cooler, smarter, or more in touch than everyone’s boss. kotaku.com/mcdonalds-ai...
McDonalds Got Bullied So Badly It Deleted Its AI Christmas Ad
The hated holiday ad apparently took weeks of crunch to generate, according to the studio behind it
kotaku.com
December 10, 2025 at 4:29 PM
The thing that all the AI evangelists, bosses, and the managerial class writ large don't understand is that AI slop like this doesn't just turn people off, it makes them furious. If the whole point of advertising is to make a positive association with your product, this fails hard.
Reposted by Andrea Bellemare
Here is a true story.
During Trump’s first term, The Post got a tip that his doctor — the guy with the long hair who signed that first “healthiest guy ever” letter — wanted to spill the beans. He lived in Westchester, up near where I lived at the time. So I was tasked with talking to him. 1/
During Trump’s first term, The Post got a tip that his doctor — the guy with the long hair who signed that first “healthiest guy ever” letter — wanted to spill the beans. He lived in Westchester, up near where I lived at the time. So I was tasked with talking to him. 1/
December 10, 2025 at 3:06 AM
Here is a true story.
During Trump’s first term, The Post got a tip that his doctor — the guy with the long hair who signed that first “healthiest guy ever” letter — wanted to spill the beans. He lived in Westchester, up near where I lived at the time. So I was tasked with talking to him. 1/
During Trump’s first term, The Post got a tip that his doctor — the guy with the long hair who signed that first “healthiest guy ever” letter — wanted to spill the beans. He lived in Westchester, up near where I lived at the time. So I was tasked with talking to him. 1/
TIL Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow uses Reddit, even after her AMA 11 months ago old.reddit.com/user/Mayor_O...
overview for Mayor_OliviaChow
Mayor of Toronto.
old.reddit.com
December 10, 2025 at 2:26 PM
TIL Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow uses Reddit, even after her AMA 11 months ago old.reddit.com/user/Mayor_O...
Loved Tim Smith's photo series of harvest in Manitoba, I would never think to stand in the chaff field of a combine for an image. www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/artic...
In rural Manitoba, a photographer chases combines to find beauty in the chaff
Tim Smith documents the gruelling work of harvest on the Prairies
www.theglobeandmail.com
December 4, 2025 at 10:04 PM
Loved Tim Smith's photo series of harvest in Manitoba, I would never think to stand in the chaff field of a combine for an image. www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/artic...
Reposted by Andrea Bellemare
This is what government censorship actually looks like: defunding entire fields, deporting researchers, and quite effectively chilling speech that helps people understand how our information systems are being exploited and calls out powerful people and platforms for their bullshit.
For the last decade, the pervasive spread of bullshit & manipulation of online platforms have been widely recognized societal concerns. Now non US citizens studying those subjects can be labeled “censors” & denied visas or deported from the US. Censorship, indeed. www.reuters.com/world/us/tru...
Exclusive: Trump administration orders enhanced vetting for applicants of H-1B visa
An internal State Department memo said that anyone involved in "censorship" of free speech should be considered for rejection.
www.reuters.com
December 4, 2025 at 5:27 PM
This is what government censorship actually looks like: defunding entire fields, deporting researchers, and quite effectively chilling speech that helps people understand how our information systems are being exploited and calls out powerful people and platforms for their bullshit.
And just like that, I'm probably ineligible for an H-1B visa.
Holy shit.
Reuters reporting that new admin instructions on visas are if you worked at a platform in trust & safety or content moderation or on fact checking or online safety at an platform you *and your loved ones* are ineligible for H-1B visa.
www.reuters.com/world/us/tru...
Reuters reporting that new admin instructions on visas are if you worked at a platform in trust & safety or content moderation or on fact checking or online safety at an platform you *and your loved ones* are ineligible for H-1B visa.
www.reuters.com/world/us/tru...
December 4, 2025 at 7:18 PM
And just like that, I'm probably ineligible for an H-1B visa.
Reposted by Andrea Bellemare
X rolled out a new feature overnight showing where accounts are based. This network of “Trump-supporting independent women” that claimed to be “real Americans” are based in Thailand.
The photos were stolen from European models & posts pushed pro-Trump lines while targeting Islam and LGBTQ people.
The photos were stolen from European models & posts pushed pro-Trump lines while targeting Islam and LGBTQ people.
November 23, 2025 at 12:55 PM
X rolled out a new feature overnight showing where accounts are based. This network of “Trump-supporting independent women” that claimed to be “real Americans” are based in Thailand.
The photos were stolen from European models & posts pushed pro-Trump lines while targeting Islam and LGBTQ people.
The photos were stolen from European models & posts pushed pro-Trump lines while targeting Islam and LGBTQ people.
This is just to say
November 21, 2025 at 3:26 PM
This is just to say
Cafeterias should be mandatory for companies over a certain size. If they want workers to return to the office daily, they should include some incentives.
November 21, 2025 at 2:53 PM
Cafeterias should be mandatory for companies over a certain size. If they want workers to return to the office daily, they should include some incentives.
At a screening of Michèle Hozer's film about Diana Matheson's drive to build the Northern Super League, Canada's first women's pro soccer league. The film covers pay equity, motherhood, marketing women's sport, Matheson's incredible drive, the legacy of Canada's national team and more.
November 19, 2025 at 1:55 AM
At a screening of Michèle Hozer's film about Diana Matheson's drive to build the Northern Super League, Canada's first women's pro soccer league. The film covers pay equity, motherhood, marketing women's sport, Matheson's incredible drive, the legacy of Canada's national team and more.
"The Canadian Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB), to which all working Canadians outside Quebec are subscribed, held $8 billion of Nvidia stock as its largest single equity holding. In fact, its eight largest stock holdings were all AI stocks."
Greaaaaat
Greaaaaat
While Canadian politicians are still caught up in their AI love affair, panic is rippling through the industry.
Tech expert @scanthehorizon.bsky.social writes that the AI bubble may be about to burst, with massively damaging consequences for Canadians.
breachmedia.ca/ai-bubble-ma...
Tech expert @scanthehorizon.bsky.social writes that the AI bubble may be about to burst, with massively damaging consequences for Canadians.
breachmedia.ca/ai-bubble-ma...
The AI bubble may be about to burst. Mark Carney must not bail out its Tech Barons ⋆ The Breach
While billionaires bet against the hyped up multi-trillion-dollar AI market, Canada’s government is doubling down
breachmedia.ca
November 18, 2025 at 11:01 PM
"The Canadian Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB), to which all working Canadians outside Quebec are subscribed, held $8 billion of Nvidia stock as its largest single equity holding. In fact, its eight largest stock holdings were all AI stocks."
Greaaaaat
Greaaaaat
Maybe Cloudflare should stay down?
Among other things, all major AI servcies are not working due to the Cloudflare outage
If that new coworker who's weirdly cheerful and uses a lot of emojis, isn't responding to you, maybe that's why
If that new coworker who's weirdly cheerful and uses a lot of emojis, isn't responding to you, maybe that's why
November 18, 2025 at 3:09 PM
Maybe Cloudflare should stay down?
Reposted by Andrea Bellemare
*me weeping*
it’s not just that he desperately needs an editor, it’s that the terrible metaphor is actually made more poignant by his own ignorance. his use of metaphor became an allegory
*wails uncontrollably*
it’s not just that he desperately needs an editor, it’s that the terrible metaphor is actually made more poignant by his own ignorance. his use of metaphor became an allegory
*wails uncontrollably*
November 18, 2025 at 2:40 AM
*me weeping*
it’s not just that he desperately needs an editor, it’s that the terrible metaphor is actually made more poignant by his own ignorance. his use of metaphor became an allegory
*wails uncontrollably*
it’s not just that he desperately needs an editor, it’s that the terrible metaphor is actually made more poignant by his own ignorance. his use of metaphor became an allegory
*wails uncontrollably*
Reposted by Andrea Bellemare
I cannot believe I am tryping this *but* actually having watched the relevant youtube instructional videos a couple of years ago, to eradicate bamboo you actually have to let it grow to maximum height, cutting it down just before it sprouts leaves
just imagining waiting a year to publicly drop an atomic warhead on an ex but being like “gotta get that big bamboo metaphor up in there”
November 18, 2025 at 2:36 AM
I cannot believe I am tryping this *but* actually having watched the relevant youtube instructional videos a couple of years ago, to eradicate bamboo you actually have to let it grow to maximum height, cutting it down just before it sprouts leaves
Reposted by Andrea Bellemare
what a time to be alive and in multiple media group chats
November 18, 2025 at 2:23 AM
what a time to be alive and in multiple media group chats
Reposted by Andrea Bellemare
Could argue the misogyny Summers expressed both publicly while president of Harvard and in emails to Epstein says more about the culture at our most elite institutions than any of the frontpage freakouts over academia in the past few years but hey
November 17, 2025 at 12:36 PM
Could argue the misogyny Summers expressed both publicly while president of Harvard and in emails to Epstein says more about the culture at our most elite institutions than any of the frontpage freakouts over academia in the past few years but hey
Reposted by Andrea Bellemare
For folks (and journalists) who want to search the Oversight Committee email texts, I made a database for searching the 20k text files:
splendorous-chaja-f79791.netlify.app
splendorous-chaja-f79791.netlify.app
Epstein Document Search
splendorous-chaja-f79791.netlify.app
November 13, 2025 at 1:12 AM
For folks (and journalists) who want to search the Oversight Committee email texts, I made a database for searching the 20k text files:
splendorous-chaja-f79791.netlify.app
splendorous-chaja-f79791.netlify.app
Reposted by Andrea Bellemare
In the century leading up to 1975, nearly 6000 freighters went down in the Great Lakes.
The Edmund Fitzgerald was the last.
The last. In 50 years, not a single commercial freighter has been lost in the Great Lakes.
Why?
It's NOAA. Of course it's NOAA.
The Edmund Fitzgerald was the last.
The last. In 50 years, not a single commercial freighter has been lost in the Great Lakes.
Why?
It's NOAA. Of course it's NOAA.
November 11, 2025 at 1:50 AM
In the century leading up to 1975, nearly 6000 freighters went down in the Great Lakes.
The Edmund Fitzgerald was the last.
The last. In 50 years, not a single commercial freighter has been lost in the Great Lakes.
Why?
It's NOAA. Of course it's NOAA.
The Edmund Fitzgerald was the last.
The last. In 50 years, not a single commercial freighter has been lost in the Great Lakes.
Why?
It's NOAA. Of course it's NOAA.
Reposted by Andrea Bellemare
My dog telling me about her walk:
Just saw a RIDICULOUSLY fat squirrel and you better believe that boy was boundin’
November 7, 2025 at 2:59 PM
My dog telling me about her walk:
Reposted by Andrea Bellemare
(to the tune of Eleanor Rigby) 🎶socialist muslim🎶
November 5, 2025 at 2:36 AM
(to the tune of Eleanor Rigby) 🎶socialist muslim🎶
Reposted by Andrea Bellemare
The people of LA have had a hard year and it's nice that they have something to celebrate. But using that fact to guilt people into respecting the Dodgers, especially given how enthusiastically they're going to shake hands with the man terrorizing their city, is incredibly corny and embarrassing.
November 2, 2025 at 5:41 AM
The people of LA have had a hard year and it's nice that they have something to celebrate. But using that fact to guilt people into respecting the Dodgers, especially given how enthusiastically they're going to shake hands with the man terrorizing their city, is incredibly corny and embarrassing.
Not to pick on this particular person but this was absolutely not a choke job and hadn't been the entire series. The Jays aren't the Leafs. The Dodgers were expected to walk away with the series, we made them work for every single hit. This is simply the outcome of a very close game and series
One of the greatest choke jobs in sports history. A Toronto tradition
November 2, 2025 at 4:34 AM
Not to pick on this particular person but this was absolutely not a choke job and hadn't been the entire series. The Jays aren't the Leafs. The Dodgers were expected to walk away with the series, we made them work for every single hit. This is simply the outcome of a very close game and series