iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Rene Astle 🇨🇦🌻 @castle88.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

This is an interesting documentary. One of the points it makes is that crypto preys off of our sense that our systems are broken. Who knew that guy from the OC had an economics degree. www.cbc.ca/radio/thecur...

cbc.ca

Our banking system has problems, but cryptocurrency is worse, says Ben McKenzie | CBC Radio

Ben McKenzie, who once starred in hit teen drama The O.C., investigates cryptocurrency in his new documentary Everyone Is Lying to You for Money.

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Rene Astle 🇨🇦🌻 @castle88.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

I love these old machines. I makes me think of my old Singer sewing machine and its fabulous attachments.

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Rene Astle 🇨🇦🌻 @castle88.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

The way he runs up that log - I'd be hugging it as I slowly made my way up.

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Rene Astle 🇨🇦🌻 @castle88.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Before my morning brain caught up, I thought it was a tree in the middle of the road. Nope, just the bus people.

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Rene Astle 🇨🇦🌻 @castle88.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

I've been in training all week for Day Job - I am so tired I forgot we have a new story running at Armchair Alien. The art is from the artist listed as grandfailure on Depositphotos. I use their art a lot - I like the style. armchairalien.substack.com/p/the-collec...

armchairalien.substack.com

The Collectors Part 1

A sort of sci-fi story about what happens when debt is bought and sold

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Rene Astle 🇨🇦🌻 @castle88.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

I can't imagine being a caver but I'm glad there are people studying these spaces.

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Rene Astle 🇨🇦🌻 @castle88.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

Why is BC Hydro spending money buying gas-fired plants instead of investing that in renewables? 🤦‍♂️

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Rene Astle 🇨🇦🌻 @castle88.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

It's a great time to stock up your digital TBR shelf.

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Rene Astle 🇨🇦🌻 @castle88.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

Supper tonight was largely from the allotment garden), not counting the biscuits. I made stew with onion, carrots, celery, tomato, and cabbage plus some of last year's dried beans. Store-bought additions were black beans, tomato paste, soy crumbs and spices. It was tasty. Too bad I freestyled it.

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Rene Astle 🇨🇦🌻 @castle88.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

This is a great opportunity to stock up your ereader. I've read and enjoyed both Hope is the Thing with Feathers and On Impulse.

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Rene Astle 🇨🇦🌻 @castle88.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

I wonder if I'd have a great sleep or if I'd get nightmares from the wedged walls if this were my bedroom.

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Rene Astle 🇨🇦🌻 @castle88.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

Ooh, shiny things! I'm with Dragon and Crow.

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Rene Astle 🇨🇦🌻 @castle88.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

The beaning has begun! I'm not sure how many dried beans I'll get this year, but at least I'll get some.

a variety of dried beans in a shallow, women vessel

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Rene Astle 🇨🇦🌻 @castle88.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

This is a fascinating and tantalizing glimpse into history.

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Rene Astle 🇨🇦🌻 @castle88.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

Sometimes the problem with the big computer is not that I switched it to Linux. It's that it's unplugged and trying to save power by not running the fans. Or I assumed the problem was Linux rather than that I haven't tried the keyboard shortcut to turn on the backlight on the keyboard. I ... PEBKAC.

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Rene Astle 🇨🇦🌻 @castle88.bsky.social · 22/08/2026

"Items under tariff threat, most notably wood and paper, represent more than 13 % of [British Columbia's] total exports to the US." We really need to try to diversify our economy, esp since these sectors are quite literally going up in smoke. I don't know how but damn. www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

cbc.ca

These 3 charts show where Trump's new tariffs could have the biggest impact | CBC News

These three charts break down which sectors are in the crosshairs, which provinces will be the hardest hit and how the tariffs will be felt on both sides of the border.

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Rene Astle 🇨🇦🌻 @castle88.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

685 words written. I took today off from Day Job, and headed over to the university library for a bit to write without chores calling. I love libraries!

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Rene Astle 🇨🇦🌻 @castle88.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

Wow, the number of media outlets in Canada that are owned by Postmedia. I realize this is in part a bed of our own making. I do not subscribe to a newspaper or online news atm. I feel I should. But I also want to be careful where my money is going. futureofmedia.hsites.harvard.edu/canadian-med...

futureofmedia.hsites.harvard.edu

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Rene Astle 🇨🇦🌻 @castle88.bsky.social · 17/08/2026

And across the border, we're slowly destroying our single-payer system by a thousand cuts, just so we as a society can pay more while some companies make more money out of it 😔

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Rene Astle 🇨🇦🌻 @castle88.bsky.social · 15/08/2026

A great interview. "In 2017 it’s like somebody flipped the switch. It was record-breaking. Followed by 2018, which was record-breaking. Then came along 2023, which said, ‘Oh, I’m going to almost double you’ and broke a record." "Building another pipeline is like adding a nail in our coffin."

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Rene Astle 🇨🇦🌻 @castle88.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

I had no idea about this. Sharing in case others didn't either.

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Rene Astle 🇨🇦🌻 @castle88.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

Is Microsoft just labelling all updates "Security"? I swear they pushed other random changes out in the latest security update.

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Rene Astle 🇨🇦🌻 @castle88.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

Wow. The linked page has a table that, if I'm reading it right, says that the 10 warmest years in the last 175-ish years have been since 2015 based on global surface temperature.

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Rene Astle 🇨🇦🌻 @castle88.bsky.social · 10/08/2026

I am so cool that I get this 😂 Right, that means I'm cool?

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Rene Astle 🇨🇦🌻 @castle88.bsky.social · 10/08/2026

I appreciate the passing mention of residential bike storage. In the CRD, which has a decent bike mode share, one ongoing limiting factor for apartment dwellers is secure storage at home. I'd like to see clear guidance that additional bike storage DOES NOT count towards FSR. #yyj

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Rene Astle 🇨🇦🌻 @castle88.bsky.social · 10/08/2026

Between ranting about climate change and boosting bike lanes, I also write books! Did you know if you grab a copy of the first book in my sci-fi series for FREE directly from the Armchair Alien store, you get discounts on the other books in the series? #sci-fi #booksky armchairalien.com/b/OwTUD

armchairalien.com

A Dead Ship in the Deep Black: The Lyra Cycle Episode 1

Rule number 1: Whatever you do, don't open the box.Well, that’s rule number two actually. Rule number one is don’t take salvage jobs from people who’ve tried to sell you to an Antillian bug salesman.N...

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Rene Astle 🇨🇦🌻 @castle88.bsky.social · 10/08/2026

Why does every Samsung update make the text smaller and the phone less usable? Next phone won't be a Samsung.

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Rene Astle 🇨🇦🌻 @castle88.bsky.social · 08/08/2026

Everyone needs to read this. We're now in the "how do we prevent the worst of it and mitigate the upheaval that will happen in the next century" phase. The piece really highlights how we have our collective heads in the sand.

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Rene Astle 🇨🇦🌻 @castle88.bsky.social · 08/08/2026

On Impulse is a great start to this sci fi series by Heather Texle! books2read.com/On-Impulse

Cover of On Impulse featuring a woman holding a blaster.

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Rene Astle 🇨🇦🌻 @castle88.bsky.social · 08/08/2026

I'm so looking forward to GrapheneOS on Motorola.

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Rene Astle 🇨🇦🌻 @castle88.bsky.social · 06/08/2026

Does @bcferries.bsky.social charge more for people in extra wide trucks and SUVs that really need two lanes? If not, they should. There's someone in a vehicle so wide they struggled to get out and other passengers struggled to get to the stairs they were parked beside. It's a safety issue.

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Rene Astle 🇨🇦🌻 @castle88.bsky.social · 06/08/2026

I spent the day at Sidney Spit / SḰŦÁMEN in SENĆOŦEN (pronounced sk-thay-mun iirc). We saw so much wildlife, and I think part of that is because you have to take a walk-on boat there and there's no potable water.

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Reposted by Rene Astle 🇨🇦🌻

The Narwhal @thenarwhal.ca · 05/08/2026

Polling shows Canadians support a new pipeline from Alberta to B.C. — if they don’t have to pay for it. Companies aren’t lining up to shell out, either. Here's a look at the economics of pipelines in Canada, including the cost of fossil fuel emissions and climate change thenarwhal.ca/canadian-pip...

thenarwhal.ca

The cost breakdown of a new Canadian pipeline | The Narwhal

Canadians aren’t sure they want to pay for a new pipeline from Alberta to the West Coast. We break down the basic costs of building and operating them

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Rene Astle 🇨🇦🌻 @castle88.bsky.social · 04/08/2026

Okay, BC, Canada, when can we get these here? Yes, BC-generated electricity is green-ish, and it's cheaper than many places, but we're now a net importer. What about next year when we're in a El Niño exacerbated, climate change driven drought? Makes sense to alleviate demand as much as possible.

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Rene Astle 🇨🇦🌻 @castle88.bsky.social · 04/08/2026

If you're interested in history, culture, the movement of peoples, or personal histories, can I recommend Clan of the Painted Lady? In it, the filmmaker explores her family's history through China, Kolkata and Canada. It was really interesting. www.knowledge.ca/program/66d8...

knowledge.ca

Clan of the Painted Lady | Program | Knowledge Network

Hakka Canadian filmmaker Jennifer Chiu traces her family's past in Kolkata and explores the impact of migration on Hakka identity and culture.

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Rene Astle 🇨🇦🌻 @castle88.bsky.social · 03/08/2026

I finally watched Wicked after picking up the DVD from the library. I really enjoyed it. Great music! Lovely set designs and costuming! So many themes! And great casting all around. I love the library.

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Rene Astle 🇨🇦🌻 @castle88.bsky.social · 02/08/2026

What I found with Wiby's 'surprise me': periodictable.com/Properties/A... Apparently the elements are all grey or silver or colourless except for copper and gold, which are, well, copper and gold. Oh, and a couple of yellows. As someone who roamed through encyclopedias as a child, I miss this web.

periodictable.com

Color for all the elements in the Periodic Table

Complete and detailed technical data about the element $$$ELEMENTNAME$$$ in the Periodic Table.

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Rene Astle 🇨🇦🌻 @castle88.bsky.social · 01/08/2026

This made me smile. Maybe it will do the same for you.

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Rene Astle 🇨🇦🌻 @castle88.bsky.social · 01/08/2026

I recently finished reading The Dark of Light by @audreysharpe.bsky.social. I enjoyed the twists and turns. If you like sci-fi adventure with just a hint of romance, check it out. books2read.com/thedarkoflight

books2read.com

Available now at your favorite digital store!

The Dark of Light: Space Opera Sci-Fi Adventure by Audrey Sharpe

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Rene Astle 🇨🇦🌻 @castle88.bsky.social · 31/07/2026

Great video by Heather McPherson. @wgreaves.bsky.social, as the MP for Victoria, will you defend public healthcare in Canada even if it means taking your leader to task?

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Rene Astle 🇨🇦🌻 @castle88.bsky.social · 30/07/2026

If you're a book lover - or like knowledge - this is tragic.

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Rene Astle 🇨🇦🌻 @castle88.bsky.social · 28/07/2026

"not until 1960 that all First Nations adults had the right to vote without giving up their Indian status" There are always new things to learn about our history, even if I'd rather not - 1960 is not that long ago. www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

cbc.ca

Shopify CEO appears to endorse giving more votes to wealthy Canadians | CBC News

The billionaire CEO of one of Canada's largest companies has come under fire for seeming to endorse stripping voting rights from some and giving more votes to the ultra wealthy. Shopify CEO Tobi Lütke...

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Rene Astle 🇨🇦🌻 @castle88.bsky.social · 28/07/2026

This month's Armchair Alien book of the month is a bit different. It's a zine! I created a zine with my space archaeology scifi short story along with what I call a solo worldbuilding journalling game, as well as some other stuff. armchairalien.substack.com/p/book-of-th...

armchairalien.substack.com

Book of the Month July 2026

Something a little different this month...

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Rene Astle 🇨🇦🌻 @castle88.bsky.social · 27/07/2026

Okay, British Columbia, when? Why are we lagging so much? I mean, I'm hoping to get a tall building across the way from me just so it can provide shade, but until then, this would be great.

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