iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Aaron Binder @aaronbinder.com · 21/09/2026

Oops. What's that old saying? Just because you can, doesn't mean you should.

Composite image showing two Investing.com/Yahoo Finance article headlines stacked: top — Frank DeMatteo article (April 7, 2025) "Shopify CEO encourages staff to adopt AI tools for enhanced productivity"; bottom — Mia Osmonbekov article (September 17, 2026) "Shopify CEO says employees' 'slop grenades' are making more work for everyone else." Both feature the same photo of a bald man in glasses and red jacket speaking at a presentation.

Aaron Binder @aaronbinder.com · 20/09/2026

In GOOD Toronto waterfront news, Biidaasige Park continues to green and grow. Toronto's East waterfront is truly a gem with Biidaasige, the Leslie Spit, and Woodbine Beach.

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Aaron Binder @aaronbinder.com · 17/09/2026

Wondering what Ontario Place looks like behind all the construction fences? 👇👇😥👇👇

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Aaron Binder @aaronbinder.com · 09/09/2026

Does it feel like Canada and provinces have a patchwork of rules surrounding data centres? You're right (and I'm so proud of you!) Get the full scoop in @betakit.com | betakit.com/heres-how-ev...

Betakit (Canadian Tech & Startup News) article by Jesse Cole (September 8, 2026): "Here's how every Canadian province and territory is governing data centres." Aerial photo shows a large data centre campus with multiple white warehouse buildings arranged in rows, surrounded by extensive solar panel arrays in parking areas, landscaped green spaces, and forested terrain.

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Aaron Binder @aaronbinder.com · 01/09/2026

My favourite part of listening to music in 2026 is having to check whether every artist has a pre-2024 catalogue 🫠

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Aaron Binder @aaronbinder.com · 30/08/2026

Did you know TTC does weddings? My friends hired a bus to get us all from their wedding to the reception in East Toronto! This city ❤️❤️

Newlyweds posing in the doorway of a Toronto TTC bus (number 8441) with "JUST MARRIED" displayed in the window. The bride wears a white lace dress with bouquet, the groom wears a light blue suit. Urban brick buildings visible in background.

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Aaron Binder @aaronbinder.com · 27/08/2026

The people yearn for car-free streets. "I’ve heard from a lot of people who want a pedestrian street in their neighbourhood" - @chanface.bsky.social Toronto's 2 car-free months on Church Street was an incredible experiment that benefited everyone. Extend it to 6 months in 2027 & forever in 2028.

Street scene on Church Street in Toronto showing a blue City of Toronto concrete barrier blocking vehicles in a pedestrian-only zone, with storefronts, high-rise buildings, and pedestrians visible. Quote above discusses "hostile vehicle mitigation" and funding from BIA and sponsors. Photo credit: CITYNEWS.

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Aaron Binder @aaronbinder.com · 23/08/2026

Canada's government can't have an ongoing deal with Palantir while claiming tech sovereignty is a top priority. China and France's governments are moving to Linux - Canada should too. From @zdnet.bsky.social | www.zdnet.com/article/chin...

ZDnet article headline: "China joins Europe in scrapping Windows for Linux" with subtext explaining that the specialized Chinese Windows version's end-of-life date has been moved up from February 2027.

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Aaron Binder @aaronbinder.com · 08/08/2026

Toronto business rent jumped almost 150% in 5 years. And it's still going up. On top of that, when a business is looking for a space, there's no transparency on how much local rent is - or who even owns the building. Help businesses get the transparency to succeed: commercialrent.ca/registry/

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Aaron Binder @aaronbinder.com · 15/06/2026

Rayah Cafe's landlord in Toronto is trying to illegally evict them - this happens to businesses all the time. Why? We have no rules that stop this from happening. @betterwayalliance.bsky.social is pushing for changes so businesses are free to negotiate from a place of fairness - instead of fear.

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Aaron Binder @aaronbinder.com · 04/05/2026

"WSJ analysis found 67% of Polymarket profits goes to just 0.1% of accounts." I am once again asking you to stop donating to the already wealthy.

A Wall Street Journal headline: Why almost everyone loses - except a few sharks - on prediction markets.

A WSJ analysis shows a small number of accounts on Poly market and Kalshi - often pros using data-driven algorithmic trading - take home most of the winnings.

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Aaron Binder @aaronbinder.com · 21/04/2026

Some news that flew under the radar last week: The City of Yellowknife is calling on Ottawa to replace first past the post with a Proportional Representation voting system. We've got a small and mighty population of Canadians up north! @cabinradio.ca | cabinradio.ca/286842/news/...

A headline from Cabin Radio that reads "Yellowknife calls on Ottawa to introduce proportional representation"

The image below is a photograph of proportional representation advocate Jeremy Flatt at Yellowknife City Call.

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Aaron Binder @aaronbinder.com · 09/04/2026

My Fixed Cost Crunch details how retail rents (your local cafe/dry cleaner/maker studio) outpaced minimum wage increases in Toronto from 2019-2024. Rent + insurance are killing good jobs & successful businesses in the city. But we can fix it. Find out how - commercialrent.ca/fixed-cost-c...

An illustration showing megaphone, "Fixed Cost Crunch" stamp, and bar chart on dark blue circular background. Simple line-drawn style graphic representing business cost pressures and data analysis.

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Aaron Binder @aaronbinder.com · 06/04/2026

"In 2025 alone, over 11.7 million Instagram posts carried the hashtag #nostalgia, Google searches for “90s movies” had doubled since 2015." As they become teens + young 20s - Gen Z yearn for knobs, buttons, flip phones and physical maps. @yahoofinance.com | finance.yahoo.com/sectors/tech...

Young woman with long brown hair holding two cassette tapes in front of her eyes like binoculars. White flowering bushes and green foliage in background. Fortune magazine headline reads 'Gen Z is engineering an analog future — and it's at least a $5 billion opportunity.' Credit: Getty Images.

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Aaron Binder @aaronbinder.com · 31/03/2026

First they gave us the screaming cowboy - now two Australian states are piloting free transit in response to rising fuel prices. From @csmonitor.bsky.social | www.csmonitor.com/News-Briefs#...

"The Christian Science Monitor article headline reads 'Public transit is now free in parts of Australia, amid rising fuel costs.' Article explains Victoria will offer free travel for one month, Tasmania will make buses and ferries free for three months. Fuel prices jumped 40% since Iran war began. Victoria's plan costs $48 million in lost revenue. Federal government plans to cut fuel taxes by half for three months to ease costs."

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Aaron Binder @aaronbinder.com · 13/03/2026

Since 2020 we've continued to live in wildly unprecedented times. What's not unprecedented is the history of floor-crossings in Canada's Parliament. However, @mark-carney.bsky.social could be the first PM to gain a majority gov't because of floor crossing. @cbcnews.ca | www.cbc.ca/news/politic...

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Aaron Binder @aaronbinder.com · 06/03/2026

If banks are worried about AI overpromising and only delivering to shareholders - you should be too. It's time to rebuild a people-first economy and sandbox the tech-bros into their fantasy lands. @businessinsider.com | www.businessinsider.com/ai-layoffs-d...

"Business Insider article headline reads 'Citi sounds the alarm for a deflationary spiral if AI sparks high unemployment and only benefits a small elite.' By Jennifer Sor. Photo shows man at trading floor with hand to head, looking concerned at computer screens. Credit: Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images."

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Aaron Binder @aaronbinder.com · 04/03/2026

This is the real-time marketplace consolidation of information. I'm barely old enough to remember when the internet was new and bountiful with real info + humans. Now that AI has scraped it all, there's no need for the original source - so let 'em die. From Growtika | growtika.com/blog/tech-me...

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Aaron Binder @aaronbinder.com · 27/02/2026

@jenstden.bsky.social doing the good work again. News is often framed on X, Reddit, and Facebook by a small handful of coordinated accounts. They sell outrage, our brains get dopamine, and suddenly Russia's Ukraine invasion seems sensible. Read it in @thetyee.ca | thetyee.ca/News/2026/02...

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Aaron Binder @aaronbinder.com · 08/02/2026

The pre-2020 headline is finally off the endangered list.

A headline from Ars Technica "Penisgate erupts at Olympica; scandal exposes risks of bulking your bulge" followed by an image of an athlete in the air during a ski jump

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Aaron Binder @aaronbinder.com · 26/01/2026

It might seem like overkill but if we get another round of snow in Toronto - this is a genius level buy.

"Professional vertical shawarma/doner kebab grill machine with metal exterior and rotating spit visible through glass doors. Bright yellow and orange tile backdrop. Electrical wiring and blue container visible. Listed for $1,100, reduced from $1,150. Marketplace listing shows 1 of 6 images. Described as excellent condition, suitable for restaurants, food trucks, or commercial kitchens."

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Aaron Binder @aaronbinder.com · 24/01/2026

Canada's Conservative Party is denying press credentials to media outlets while handing out 'content creator' passes to partisan personalities. This is a tactic straight from the USA's White House. @nationalobserver.com | www.nationalobserver.com/2026/01/24/a...

Pierre Poilievre in dark suit and tie speaking at political rally with raised fist. Canadian flag visible in background. Crowd with phones and Conservative Party of Canada flags in foreground. Article headline reads 'Federal Conservatives trade journalists for partisan cheerleaders.' Published January 24, 2026.

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Aaron Binder @aaronbinder.com · 23/01/2026

My next LinkedIn post: Why Mark Carney's WEF speech about middle powers glowing up is actually just Canada's Eurovision pitch.

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Aaron Binder @aaronbinder.com · 21/01/2026

We didn't need a study for this - but here it is anyway.

"Map of United States filled with blue pixelated blocks representing tariff data. Headline reads 'America's own goal: Americans pay almost entirely for Trump's tariffs.' Subheading explains US importers and consumers bear 96 percent of tariff burden according to Kiel Institute research. Published January 19, 2026.

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Aaron Binder @aaronbinder.com · 20/01/2026

Vancouver-based Hootsuite is providing its social media management and monitoring technology to the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) at a time when DHS is facing criticism over its violent immigration enforcement tactics. @joshscott.bsky.social in @betakit.com | betakit.com/hootsuite-dh...

Armed immigration enforcement officer in tactical gear, helmet, and sunglasses holding rifle. Article headline reads 'Hootsuite could receive up to $2.8 million USD for contract with US immigration enforcement.' Published January 16, 2026.

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Aaron Binder @aaronbinder.com · 16/01/2026

In November 2025, 56% of Yukon voters said YES to electoral reform. Currie Dixon's Yukon Party told them to pound sand. Most political parties use ranked ballots to choose their own leaders. They know it works. But they won't give voters the same system. Read | yukon-news.com/2026/01/03/2...

Alt text for the Yukon News article screenshot:

"Screenshot of Yukon News article headline reading '2025 in Review: Yukon government won't change electoral system despite plebiscite.' Article text visible below headline discusses results of November 2025 plebiscite where 56% of voters supported electoral reform, and incoming Premier Currie Dixon's decision not to proceed with changing from first-past-the-post voting system.

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Aaron Binder @aaronbinder.com · 14/01/2026

Chugga-chugga-chugga-chugga-chugga-chugga-chugga-chugga-chugga-chugga-chugga-chugga-chugga-chugga-chugga-chugga-chugga-chugga-chugga-chugga-chugga-chugga-chugga-chugga-chugga-chugga-chugga-chugga-chugga-chugga-chugga-chugga-chugga-chugga-chugga-chugga-chugga @cbcnews.ca | www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

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Aaron Binder @aaronbinder.com · 12/01/2026

"But when the name 'Winnipeg' was chosen, I was very intrigued," Johnny Ma's script for The Mother and the Bear evolved to include many notable Winnipeg landmarks into the film - instead of just using the city as a generic backdrop. A feel-good story in @cbcnews.ca | www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

Film director Johnny Ma gestures while speaking to actor Kim Ho-jung on a snowy Winnipeg street at night. Other cast and crew members visible in background. Storefronts with lit signage behind them. Scene from The Mother and the Bear, shot in Winnipeg.

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Aaron Binder @aaronbinder.com · 11/01/2026

At the @ndp.ca debate tonight. Youth unemployment is serious & small biz can't afford to hire. My biz insurance 3x'ed in 2024 = no summer hires. NDP needs to bring in small biz to build job solutions. @avilewis.ca @votetanille.bsky.social @heathermcpherson.bsky.social @tonymcquailndp.bsky.social

NDP panel discussion with six speakers standing at a table on stage. Orange NDP signage visible throughout the gymnasium. Audience members seated in foreground facing the panelists. Speakers include individuals wearing cowboy hat, plaid shirt, and formal business attire."
This captures the event type, setting, branding, and speaker composition without needing to identify individuals.

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Aaron Binder @aaronbinder.com · 07/01/2026

Headline aside - the Clicks Communicator CAN be used as a standalone phone - and is exactly what many desire in a 2026 phone: - Physical keyboard - No social media - 🤞 good cameras 🤞 The world is healing and going back to beautiful stupid analog. Read in @cnet.com | www.cnet.com/tech/mobile/...

BlackBerry-style device with physical QWERTY keyboard held in hand. Screen shows messaging app interface with multiple conversations listed. Article headline reads 'Two Phones, Less Distraction? That's the Pitch for This BlackBerry Lookalike.

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Aaron Binder @aaronbinder.com · 07/01/2026

We've all become little plastic soldiers in a real world game of Risk

Screenshot showing heading "8. Venezuela Is Just the Start" followed by text explaining Trump's invocation of the "Trump Corollary" to the Monroe Doctrine - described as a doctrine asserting unilateral U.S. rights to control strategically vital assets and deny rivals access to the Western Hemisphere. Below is a linked article titled "The Donroe Doctrine: Trump's Ultimatum to Latin America" by Nicolas Forsans, dated November 21, 2025.

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Aaron Binder @aaronbinder.com · 20/12/2025

Huge news for 4 million precarious workers in the UK. "Measures include curbs on exploitative zero hours contracts, day-one sick pay and better protections for new mothers and expectant women" A great step forward for UK workers & businesses: www.positive.news/society/good...

Screenshot of a Positive.News article with the headline "Workers got a rights boost in the UK." The image shows a chef's hands plating an elegant dish with asparagus and pink garnish on a round white plate. Below the photo, the article describes landmark UK employment laws that passed the House of Lords this week, including curbs on zero-hours contracts, day-one sick pay, and protections for new mothers and expectant women across England, Scotland, and Wales.

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Aaron Binder @aaronbinder.com · 15/12/2025

"How modern capital captures control, drains cash flow, and leaves economies weaker." Your semi-ocassional reminder that you will own nothing and be happy was invented by hyper-capitalists who create zero actual value. Read @rachelwasserman.bsky.social | graceblakeley.substack.com/p/parasiti-c...

Text graphic stating: "Walgreens was forced by its new owner Sycamore to take on approximately $18bn of new debt to finance its acquisition. This means that Walgreens must find the cash each month to meet its new loan payments, and cut costs to balance the budget. Walgreens decided right before Thanksgiving to cut six paid holidays (including Thanksgiving) for hourly workers to help them repay these debts. They extracted more value from their workers, providing them with less compensation for the same amount of work."

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Aaron Binder @aaronbinder.com · 10/11/2025

"David Fleming says 267 square foot units like this tend to be built with investors, not tenants, in mind. 'No one is able to pull that off nowadays, which really makes me curious who are these condos for?'" They're for investors. Story coming in post 2 👇👇 ici.radio-canada.ca/rci/en/news/...

Architectural floor plan of a Toronto studio apartment showing a compact layout with combined living/dining/kitchen/sleeping area (12'-6" x 12'-0"), balcony with outdoor furniture, bathroom with toilet and shower, and washer/dryer (W/D) closet. The plan shows furniture placement including a bed area, dining table with chairs, and kitchen along one wall. Black walls indicate structural elements and the unit includes a small entrance area.

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Aaron Binder @aaronbinder.com · 09/11/2025

"Back in early 2020, about 11% of Amazon’s job postings were in offshore locations. The percentage started climbing during the pandemic hiring boom and just… kept going. By 2023, it had hit 20%. Today? Nearly 28%." Offshoring, not AI, is displacing US jobs at Amazon bloomberry.com/blog/amazons...

Line graph titled "Amazon: Percentage of New Job Postings that are located in offshore countries" showing data from January 2020 to 2025. The blue line tracks the percentage of Amazon's new job postings in offshore countries (90-day moving average), starting around 11% in early 2020, rising to approximately 19% by early 2022, fluctuating between 17-23% through 2023-2024, and reaching nearly 28% by late 2025. Y-axis ranges from 0-30%, X-axis shows dates from 2020-01-01 to beyond 2025-01-01. Source cited as Bloomberg.com article about Amazon's layoffs.

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Aaron Binder @aaronbinder.com · 08/11/2025

I wonder how this changes over the next 3 months. "Which of the following politicians do you think is to blame for Canada not having reached an agreement with the United States to reduce tariffs since the last election?" Empirical Intelligence poll data - empiricalintelligence.ca/budgetsurvey...

Poll results table from Empirical Intelligence (N=1001) titled "Carney and Trudeau Are Blamed As Much as Trump for Lack of a Deal With the US" showing percentage of respondents who blame each politician for Canada not reaching a tariff reduction agreement with the United States. Results: Donald Trump 34.7%, Mark Carney 19.4%, Justin Trudeau 14.3%, Doug Ford 8.1%, Pierre Poilievre 4.3%, François Legault 1.1%, Other 0.3%, None of the above 5.5%, Don't know 12.4%. Background shows a faded line graph trending upward.

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Aaron Binder @aaronbinder.com · 07/11/2025

Not everyone's cup of tea but the 2025 Distillery District Winter Village starts in 6 days! I've put together a Planning Guide, FAQ & rundown of tours my company is offering. The village free most days/times & that's usually when crowds are sparsest. Details | www.gotourscanada.com/2025-distill...

Promotional graphic for "2025 Distillery District Winter Village Planning Guide, FAQ and Tours" with yellow and white text overlaid on a dark circular background. Behind the text is a festive nighttime photo of Toronto's Distillery District showing a large Christmas tree with white lights on the left, illuminated historic industrial buildings with "GO" signage, holiday decorations including a red bow and purple lighting, and crowds of visitors walking through the cobblestone streets.

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Aaron Binder @aaronbinder.com · 07/11/2025

"Hey baby, wanna kill all humans?" When I think of who should be in charge of a giant robot army - it's not a dude who gets FOMO about not being in charge of the robot army. Or the world's richest human. Yet, they're the same person. @arstechnica.com | arstechnica.com/tech-policy/...

Text quote on black background reading: "Musk has threatened to leave if he doesn't get a larger share of Tesla. He told investors last month, 'It's not like I'm going to go spend the money. It's just, if we build this robot army, do I have at least a strong influence over that robot army? Not control, but a strong influence. That's what it comes down to in a nutshell. I don't feel comfortable building that robot army if I don't have at least a strong influence.'"

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Aaron Binder @aaronbinder.com · 05/11/2025

Yukon Voters: "Okay, yeah, let's adopt ranked voting!" Yukon Party: "This whole exercise has been a waste of money," You were so close, Yukon: www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

CBC News article screenshot with headline "Yukoners voted for electoral reform. They probably won't get it" and subheading "'This whole exercise has been a waste of money,' says incoming premier about Monday's plebiscite" by Paul Tukker, posted November 4, 2025. Below is a photo showing a yellow circular "VOTE" directional sign with arrows mounted on a post, with Golden Horn Elementary School building visible in the background.

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Aaron Binder @aaronbinder.com · 21/10/2025

Next time you're in Toronto come visit my store in the Distillery - I'll teach you how to drive one of these!

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Aaron Binder @aaronbinder.com · 20/10/2025

Toronto Bike Share is one of the best city programs ever. While I own 5 bikes - Bike Share is fantastic for quick jaunts downtown. It's also huge for tourism in Toronto and we need to talk about this more! Read @torontotoday.ca | www.torontotoday.ca/local/city-h...

Here's alt-text for this image:

Alt text: Screenshot of Toronto Star article headline "How Bike Share Toronto got big — and what it will take to keep rolling" by Aidan Chamandy, dated about 2 hours ago. Subheading reads "The system has hooked the city on e-bikes and conquered the Toronto Islands. Could integration with the TTC be next? Or will Premier Ford's bike lane battle spell doom?" Below is a photo showing a Bike Share Toronto worker in a high-visibility vest standing among rows of orange Bike Share Toronto bikes at a docking station.

Bar chart titled "Bike Share's meteoric ridership growth" showing annual Bike Share Toronto ridership from 2015 to 2025. The blue bars demonstrate exponential growth from approximately 600,000 rides in 2015 to over 8,000,000 rides in 2025, with particularly steep increases after 2020. Source cited as Bike Share annual budget, University of Toronto School of Cities.

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Aaron Binder @aaronbinder.com · 20/10/2025

"Toronto’s own bike share network, with nearly 1,000 stations, could be expanded to scooters. Build it, because they are coming if we like it or not." Great article by @shawnmicallef.bsky.social - however they're already here. I estimate 60k+ privately owned e-scooters already in Toronto. 1/2

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Aaron Binder @aaronbinder.com · 20/10/2025

In the US the top 10% of earners now account for 50% of ALL spending. In both Canada and the US we could be heading toward major consumer credit defaults. Read When Will it be Time to Panic About Private Credit by @downtownjoshbrown.bsky.social | www.downtownjoshbrown.com/p/when-will-...

Stacked area chart titled "Share of spending, by income group" from Moody's Analytics showing spending distribution from 1990 to 2020s. The chart shows six income bands with the top 10% of earners (shown in pale yellow at bottom) growing from roughly 35% to 50% of all spending. Middle and upper-middle income groups (60-80% and 80-90%) remain relatively stable in gray and gold. Lower income groups (lowest 20%, 20-40%, 40-60%) shown in pink/purple tones at top represent decreasing shares of total spending over time.

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Aaron Binder @aaronbinder.com · 17/10/2025

Nothing like a British comedy to unwind after a long week! “They started waving and smiling”: Fuming residents claim children’s bike track has “ruined living here” @roadcc.bsky.social | road.cc/content/news...

Aerial photograph of Folkestone Academy mountain bike track showing a winding dirt path with curves and features cutting through green grass fields, with tennis courts visible in the upper left and residential houses along the bottom. Caption reads "Folkestone Academy mountain bike track (credit: Folkestone Academy)" followed by headline: "'They started waving and smiling': Fuming residents claim children's bike track has 'ruined living here' and devalued houses – due to kids 'peering' into their homes"

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Aaron Binder @aaronbinder.com · 16/10/2025

"...the reality is that Toronto traffic is worse today than it was a decade ago. In another decade, it will be worse than it is today." Anytime somebody says 'getting rid of bike lanes will reduce car congestion'. And then what in 5 years? Read @graphicmatt.com | www.thestar.com/opinion/star...

Screenshot of Toronto Star opinion piece headline reading "Without acknowledging hard truths, Toronto's traffic czar isn't likely to get very far" dated October 14, 2025. Below the headline is a photo showing heavy traffic congestion on a multi-lane highway (appears to be the Gardiner Expressway) with tall residential towers in the background, illustrating Toronto's urban traffic challenges.

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Aaron Binder @aaronbinder.com · 11/10/2025

Sickos: "YES...HA HA HA...YES!" @globalnews.ca | globalnews.ca/news/1146954...

Screenshot of Global News article headline reading "Toronto bike share program set for record year, ridership may hit 16M by 2030" by Aaron D'Andrea, dated October 8, 2025. Below is a video thumbnail showing rows of orange Bike Share Toronto bikes lined up at a docking station in a park setting.

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Aaron Binder @aaronbinder.com · 09/10/2025

Canada's non-Conservative parties would be wise to note this huge shift over the last decade. Online discourse is dominated by right-wing influencers - but it doesn't have to be. Stop chasing traditional media - they're going to Reddit for trending news anyway. toronto.citynews.ca/2025/10/09/i...

A hand holding a smartphone displaying Meta's content blocking message stating "People in Canada can't see this content" with text explaining restrictions on Canadian government or news-related content. The phone screen shows two blocked post previews with red prohibition symbols and blue "Learn More" buttons. The image is taken against a blurred background.

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