Erin Brown-John
@eebeejay.bsky.social
Writer, science communicator, maker/mender. I like to spin yarns.
Reposted by Erin Brown-John
Happy Gävlebocken season! Every year since 1966, Gävle, Sweden, has erected a massive version of Scandinavia's traditional straw Yule goat. It is so attractive to vandals—particularly arsonists—that in the previous 59 years, only 17 goats have survived fully intact. Good luck in 2025, Gävlebocken!
The Gävlebocken cam is live folks, this is not a drill
The Gävle Goat LIVE 2025 | Lofi Christmas mix
YouTube video by Gävle Goat LIVE
www.youtube.com
November 28, 2025 at 4:29 PM
Happy Gävlebocken season! Every year since 1966, Gävle, Sweden, has erected a massive version of Scandinavia's traditional straw Yule goat. It is so attractive to vandals—particularly arsonists—that in the previous 59 years, only 17 goats have survived fully intact. Good luck in 2025, Gävlebocken!
Reposted by Erin Brown-John
Making a memorandum of understanding with Alberta, the dinosaur Texas of Canada, & excluding BC from the discussion despite discussing running another pipeline over our treacherous, quake-prone & fracking-disturbed land, was some of the dumbest strategy I've seen in ages
bsky.app/profile/emil...
bsky.app/profile/emil...
Mark Carney and Danielle Smith’s MOU is an abuse of power and a spit in the face to British Columbians. They will never ram a pipeline through BC without the consent of Coastal First Nations and Northern Communities, and we’ll make fucking sure of it. #bcpoli
November 27, 2025 at 7:20 PM
Making a memorandum of understanding with Alberta, the dinosaur Texas of Canada, & excluding BC from the discussion despite discussing running another pipeline over our treacherous, quake-prone & fracking-disturbed land, was some of the dumbest strategy I've seen in ages
bsky.app/profile/emil...
bsky.app/profile/emil...
Reposted by Erin Brown-John
Opposition to Garadasil was always predicated on the notion that sex should always be unhealthy, dangerous, and possibly fatal. Eliminating the risks of sex eliminates the fear-based incentives that enforce a conservative point of view.
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!
November 27, 2025 at 6:26 PM
Opposition to Garadasil was always predicated on the notion that sex should always be unhealthy, dangerous, and possibly fatal. Eliminating the risks of sex eliminates the fear-based incentives that enforce a conservative point of view.
Reposted by Erin Brown-John
It's not too late to show support for Vancouver's Social Housing Initiative! The public hearing is TONIGHT so send in your comments ASAP!
It's easy--step by step instructions below. Here's what I wrote, but something simple like "I support making it easier to build social housing" is perfect!
It's easy--step by step instructions below. Here's what I wrote, but something simple like "I support making it easier to build social housing" is perfect!
November 27, 2025 at 4:54 PM
It's not too late to show support for Vancouver's Social Housing Initiative! The public hearing is TONIGHT so send in your comments ASAP!
It's easy--step by step instructions below. Here's what I wrote, but something simple like "I support making it easier to build social housing" is perfect!
It's easy--step by step instructions below. Here's what I wrote, but something simple like "I support making it easier to build social housing" is perfect!
Reposted by Erin Brown-John
Slop Evader is a tool from artist and researcher Tega Brain that lets you search the web for results exclusively before November 30, 2022—the day that ChatGPT was released to the public.
'Slop Evader' Lets You Surf the Web Like It’s 2022
Artist Tega Brain is fighting the internet’s enshittification by turning back the clock to before ChatGPT existed.
www.404media.co
November 26, 2025 at 3:59 PM
Slop Evader is a tool from artist and researcher Tega Brain that lets you search the web for results exclusively before November 30, 2022—the day that ChatGPT was released to the public.
Reposted by Erin Brown-John
CBC devalues its journalism by becoming no more than a YouTube channel. Now our national broadcaster is turning into AI slop.
This is the enshittification of CBC and Canadian news in general
www.cbc.ca/news/editors...
This is the enshittification of CBC and Canadian news in general
www.cbc.ca/news/editors...
How CBC News will use AI responsibly to benefit our journalism — and keep your trust | CBC News
CBC is launching a new campaign aimed at reminding Canadians how our journalism can provide a safe harbour from the fake news and AI-generated content roiling through our feeds. As the campaign begins...
www.cbc.ca
November 26, 2025 at 3:51 PM
CBC devalues its journalism by becoming no more than a YouTube channel. Now our national broadcaster is turning into AI slop.
This is the enshittification of CBC and Canadian news in general
www.cbc.ca/news/editors...
This is the enshittification of CBC and Canadian news in general
www.cbc.ca/news/editors...
Reposted by Erin Brown-John
Reposted by Erin Brown-John
Vancouver’s draft budget stinks: we demand a change! 👶💩
On Nov 25 from 9-10:30 am join WTC and friends at a diaper “change-in” at Vancouver City Hall as council prepares to vote on the draft operating budget.
On Nov 25 from 9-10:30 am join WTC and friends at a diaper “change-in” at Vancouver City Hall as council prepares to vote on the draft operating budget.
November 19, 2025 at 5:42 PM
Vancouver’s draft budget stinks: we demand a change! 👶💩
On Nov 25 from 9-10:30 am join WTC and friends at a diaper “change-in” at Vancouver City Hall as council prepares to vote on the draft operating budget.
On Nov 25 from 9-10:30 am join WTC and friends at a diaper “change-in” at Vancouver City Hall as council prepares to vote on the draft operating budget.
Reposted by Erin Brown-John
I’m no fan of Elizabeth May but she’s educating us on proposed projects
November 22, 2025 at 12:30 AM
I’m no fan of Elizabeth May but she’s educating us on proposed projects
Reposted by Erin Brown-John
Fund the scientists who are already here. Fund basic science.
Fund the scientists who are already here. Fund basic science.
Fund the scientists who are already here. Fund basic science.
Fund the scientists who are already here. Fund basic science.
www.theglobeandmail.com/business/art...
Fund the scientists who are already here. Fund basic science.
Fund the scientists who are already here. Fund basic science.
Fund the scientists who are already here. Fund basic science.
www.theglobeandmail.com/business/art...
Is this the moment Canada gets serious about science and the economy?
The federal budget includes $1.7-billion to attract international researchers and support Canadian R&D and IP protections
www.theglobeandmail.com
November 23, 2025 at 8:45 PM
Fund the scientists who are already here. Fund basic science.
Fund the scientists who are already here. Fund basic science.
Fund the scientists who are already here. Fund basic science.
Fund the scientists who are already here. Fund basic science.
www.theglobeandmail.com/business/art...
Fund the scientists who are already here. Fund basic science.
Fund the scientists who are already here. Fund basic science.
Fund the scientists who are already here. Fund basic science.
www.theglobeandmail.com/business/art...
Reposted by Erin Brown-John
Carney's budget claims Canada's anti-greenwashing law led to “some parties slowing or reversing efforts to protect the environment.” The government couldn't name any examples when I asked. Experts say the risks are exaggerated and the law could be working as intended thenarwhal.ca/greenwashing...
Canada says anti-greenwashing rules silence industry | The Narwhal
Carney is moving to nix some of Canada’s rules that restrict how oil and gas companies and other industries advertise environmental claims
thenarwhal.ca
November 21, 2025 at 2:34 PM
Carney's budget claims Canada's anti-greenwashing law led to “some parties slowing or reversing efforts to protect the environment.” The government couldn't name any examples when I asked. Experts say the risks are exaggerated and the law could be working as intended thenarwhal.ca/greenwashing...
Reposted by Erin Brown-John
It’s widely known (and, I think, pretty uncontroversial) that learning requires effort — specifically, if you don’t have to work at getting the knowledge, it won’t stick.
Even if an LLM could be trusted to give you correct information 100% of the time, it would be an inferior method of learning it.
Even if an LLM could be trusted to give you correct information 100% of the time, it would be an inferior method of learning it.
Relying on ChatGPT to teach you about a topic leaves you with shallower knowledge than Googling and reading about it, according to new research that compared what more than 10,000 people knew after using one method or the other.
Shared by @gizmodo.com: buff.ly/yAAHtHq
Shared by @gizmodo.com: buff.ly/yAAHtHq
November 21, 2025 at 12:49 PM
It’s widely known (and, I think, pretty uncontroversial) that learning requires effort — specifically, if you don’t have to work at getting the knowledge, it won’t stick.
Even if an LLM could be trusted to give you correct information 100% of the time, it would be an inferior method of learning it.
Even if an LLM could be trusted to give you correct information 100% of the time, it would be an inferior method of learning it.
Reposted by Erin Brown-John
It’s fun to think about the surgeon who will botch your surgery 20 years from now and what he’s doing at this moment. He just ran all his homework through ChatGPT. He just read that article about vaccines and autism at the CDC website. He just watched an Instagram video about the moon landing hoax.
November 21, 2025 at 4:27 AM
It’s fun to think about the surgeon who will botch your surgery 20 years from now and what he’s doing at this moment. He just ran all his homework through ChatGPT. He just read that article about vaccines and autism at the CDC website. He just watched an Instagram video about the moon landing hoax.
Reposted by Erin Brown-John
Vancouver city services for families are stretched thin, there’s a draft 2026 budget that cuts things like baby changing tables, eliminates climate & sustainability efforts, and slashes 400 jobs.
9am Tuesday, November 25 at City Hall join a diaper change-in ahead of Council's budget vote.
9am Tuesday, November 25 at City Hall join a diaper change-in ahead of Council's budget vote.
November 21, 2025 at 3:40 AM
Vancouver city services for families are stretched thin, there’s a draft 2026 budget that cuts things like baby changing tables, eliminates climate & sustainability efforts, and slashes 400 jobs.
9am Tuesday, November 25 at City Hall join a diaper change-in ahead of Council's budget vote.
9am Tuesday, November 25 at City Hall join a diaper change-in ahead of Council's budget vote.
Keeping Vancouver’s property taxes artificially low now will result in larger tax hikes later. Regina is finding this out.
Past Regina city councils have repeatedly kept the mill rate artificially low, according to acting city manager Jim Nicol.
That was politically advantageous but now the bill is coming due and council is weighing a 15.69 per cent
mill rate increase
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
That was politically advantageous but now the bill is coming due and council is weighing a 15.69 per cent
mill rate increase
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
City of Regina says property tax needs to go up 15.69 per cent next year to maintain current service levels | CBC News
Acting city manager Jim Nicol emphasized that the estimated rate increase, which would correspond to an increase of $33 a month for the average Regina homeowner, was only a forecast. City council will...
www.cbc.ca
November 21, 2025 at 2:12 AM
Keeping Vancouver’s property taxes artificially low now will result in larger tax hikes later. Regina is finding this out.
Reposted by Erin Brown-John
SOMEONE NEEDS TO BUILD THIS. BE THE HERO YOU WANT TO SEE IN THE WORLD.
I want a tool like Adblock that blocks all AI tools and content from my browser
November 20, 2025 at 9:54 PM
SOMEONE NEEDS TO BUILD THIS. BE THE HERO YOU WANT TO SEE IN THE WORLD.
Reposted by Erin Brown-John
I really hate it when scientists keep saying that “we need to rebuild trust in science,” because it implies that scientists are to blame for the mistrust rather than the millions of dollars of dark money that have funded political attacks on science in order to advance a far right agenda.
November 19, 2025 at 9:48 PM
I really hate it when scientists keep saying that “we need to rebuild trust in science,” because it implies that scientists are to blame for the mistrust rather than the millions of dollars of dark money that have funded political attacks on science in order to advance a far right agenda.
Reposted by Erin Brown-John
The Liberals financialized the CPP. In 1993, it still mostly invested in Canada and was not encouraged to chase risky international investments! I write about it in my latest book, Corporate Control.
"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...
November 18, 2025 at 11:06 PM
The Liberals financialized the CPP. In 1993, it still mostly invested in Canada and was not encouraged to chase risky international investments! I write about it in my latest book, Corporate Control.
Reposted by Erin Brown-John
Great thread. Arriving at genuine knowledge always involves the friction of encountering complicating evidence and countervailing interpretations held by different humans you can’t control or ignore. LLMs eliminate that friction, and thus become slippery slopes into delusional rabbit holes.
LLMs give people with delusional belief systems a way to organise those beliefs. The model fills in gaps, supplies connective tissue, and wraps the madness in formal language.
It doesn't make the claims more credible to us, it just tidies them up.
It doesn't make the claims more credible to us, it just tidies them up.
November 19, 2025 at 3:20 PM
Great thread. Arriving at genuine knowledge always involves the friction of encountering complicating evidence and countervailing interpretations held by different humans you can’t control or ignore. LLMs eliminate that friction, and thus become slippery slopes into delusional rabbit holes.
Reposted by Erin Brown-John
My rent is going up regardless of property tax increases.
458: business council of B.C. supported zero per cent tax increase. 94% increase in property tax since 2010. Landlords pass this on to renters. Excess spending of 3.8 billion in last decade.
November 19, 2025 at 12:48 AM
My rent is going up regardless of property tax increases.
Reposted by Erin Brown-John
So is Mark Carney going to go along with the suspension of human rights by MAGA government in Alberta?
You cant' do nation-building by allowing an autocratic government to suspend the charter rights of citizens.
Just say no Mark.
it's pretty straightforward.
www.ctvnews.ca/edmonton/art...
You cant' do nation-building by allowing an autocratic government to suspend the charter rights of citizens.
Just say no Mark.
it's pretty straightforward.
www.ctvnews.ca/edmonton/art...
Alberta invokes notwithstanding clause to stop court challenges of transgender laws
The Alberta government has invoked the Charter’s notwithstanding clause to protect from legal challenge a trio of laws affecting transgender youth and adults.
www.ctvnews.ca
November 19, 2025 at 1:01 AM
So is Mark Carney going to go along with the suspension of human rights by MAGA government in Alberta?
You cant' do nation-building by allowing an autocratic government to suspend the charter rights of citizens.
Just say no Mark.
it's pretty straightforward.
www.ctvnews.ca/edmonton/art...
You cant' do nation-building by allowing an autocratic government to suspend the charter rights of citizens.
Just say no Mark.
it's pretty straightforward.
www.ctvnews.ca/edmonton/art...
Vancouver 2026 budget round 3! www.youtube.com/watch?v=r20s...
www.youtube.com
November 18, 2025 at 11:03 PM
Vancouver 2026 budget round 3! www.youtube.com/watch?v=r20s...
Was talking to a friend who's living in the UK about why we both keep reading Reform as Refooooooorm! and I think it's because Canada tried Reform in the 90s and it sucked. www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfMw...
Royal Canadian Air Farce Part 2
YouTube video by Yannick Gagnon
www.youtube.com
November 18, 2025 at 6:37 PM
Was talking to a friend who's living in the UK about why we both keep reading Reform as Refooooooorm! and I think it's because Canada tried Reform in the 90s and it sucked. www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfMw...
Reposted by Erin Brown-John
VANCOUVER: I'm leading a workshop on making TEXT SCORES! Let's figure out how to turn words into sounds using Oliveiros, Ono, and others as guides. We'll perform them at the end! upstartandcrow.com/event/soundi...
November 18, 2025 at 1:41 AM
VANCOUVER: I'm leading a workshop on making TEXT SCORES! Let's figure out how to turn words into sounds using Oliveiros, Ono, and others as guides. We'll perform them at the end! upstartandcrow.com/event/soundi...
Reposted by Erin Brown-John
Good news: Study shows France’s birds making tentative recovery after neonicotinoid pesticide ban
UK has only just closed loophole in neonics ban (‘derogations’) so may be too soon to see recovery here?
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
UK has only just closed loophole in neonics ban (‘derogations’) so may be too soon to see recovery here?
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
With neonicotinoid pesticide ban, France’s birds make a tentative recovery - study
Analysis shows small hike in populations of insect-eating species after 2018 ruling, but full recovery may take decades
www.theguardian.com
November 17, 2025 at 8:38 AM
Good news: Study shows France’s birds making tentative recovery after neonicotinoid pesticide ban
UK has only just closed loophole in neonics ban (‘derogations’) so may be too soon to see recovery here?
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
UK has only just closed loophole in neonics ban (‘derogations’) so may be too soon to see recovery here?
www.theguardian.com/environment/...