iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Reposted by James Andrew Smith

Curious about CUPE 3903 or our ongoing bargaining at York? 🧐 Let’s talk about it! 🗣️ If you see us at a table in Vari Hall, come by and say hi! 🫶 We’re more than happy to chat with you about how bargaining is progressing and what the big issues are. Get your questions answered! 💫

Five CUPE 3903 members standing behind a table in Vari Hall. The table is adorned with union flyers and apparel.

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James Andrew Smith @drsmith.bsky.social · 3h

Am getting Kim Campbell vibes from the CAQ results.

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James Andrew Smith @drsmith.bsky.social · 3h

What is this thing of which you speak? Must be some kind of witchcraft.

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James Andrew Smith @drsmith.bsky.social · 4h

On CBC radio the 6:30 news opens with “flu cases are popping up …” One wonders what could we possibly do to counter the flu in the time period before the annual flu vaccines are deployed… … are there non pharmaceutical defenses against flu? Hello?

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James Andrew Smith @drsmith.bsky.social · 12h

All of those public health officials who fed the anti-science trolls over COVID with the "you do you" and "masks don't work" messaging...

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James Andrew Smith @drsmith.bsky.social · 16h

Line ups at the four cash registers of the local grocery store. Manager at the cash: “Twenty years at the company and I’ve never worked the cash before. “ Followed by : “this is what happens when three people call in sick at the same time!”

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Reposted by James Andrew Smith

Dominique Baker @bakerdphd.bsky.social · 19h

Well this explains the paper I just reviewed

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James Andrew Smith @drsmith.bsky.social · 18h

I am already seeing colleagues use Otter AI to stand in for them in Zoom calls. People sending AI agents to speak for them at meetings? Totally see that becoming a thing — in the worst way.

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James Andrew Smith @drsmith.bsky.social · 18h

Want lower gas prices? Russia will need to leave Ukraine alone.

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Reposted by James Andrew Smith

Raywat Deonandan 🍁🇨🇦 @deonandan.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Apparently, Trix contains oleic acid, which is what decomposing ants exude. So ants think a pile of Trix is actually an ant graveyard. Cool, cool.

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Reposted by James Andrew Smith

Kelly @broadwaybabyto.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

I think we missed a huge opportunity to normalize masking as a public health tool. We eradicated an entire strain of the flu with Covid prevention measures. Masking shows respect for those around you. It shows solidarity with the disability community. It shows you value long term health.

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Reposted by James Andrew Smith

CAUT/ACPPU @caut.bsky.social · 22h

New Brunswick’s average domestic undergrad tuition fees ⬆️ 5.0% last year to $11,248 – second highest in the country. The 10 year ⬆️ was 54.9% (provincial inflation ⬆️ 33.2%). All Canadians deserve access to education - tell the government to invest in public colleges and universities.

Bright yellow map of Canada with the province of New Brunswick highlighted in turquoise. Bubble pointing to New Brunswick with text that reads "$11,248 average domestic undergrad tuition and fees for 2026-27." Text below the map that reads "1-year increase: 5.0%" and "10-year increase: 54.9%."

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James Andrew Smith @drsmith.bsky.social · 22h

Getting the "put the kids back in school, COVID's not that bad because the weak kids are already dead" vibe from Altman. Almost like their was a name for this kind of thing... ends with "genics". www.theguardian.com/technology/2...?

theguardian.com

Accept ‘bad things’ in return for benefits of AI, says Sam Altman

Boss of OpenAI calls for a regulatory light touch because of the ‘good stuff’ the technology can deliver

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James Andrew Smith @drsmith.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

It’s (not) funny how so many “back to in-person” people are pushing AI as the education solution.

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James Andrew Smith @drsmith.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Where do you start? Not in a job. Instead, get a hobby. Knit. Solder. Woodwork. Or join an engineering design competition. Make stuff. With your hands. Then apply the engineering education to the things you know how to make. And develop interpersonal networks. Beat the algorithms.

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James Andrew Smith @drsmith.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Over and over I am telling my engineering students: the more hands-on you are, the better you will be at weathering the AI storm. This requires turning away from the “applied science” flavours of engineering and to get back to traditional engineering that resulted in building stuff.

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James Andrew Smith @drsmith.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

So true... But management is banking on their jobs being safe... and I don't think that they realize how easy it is to use AI to make up pie charts for power point presentations and position papers.

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Reposted by James Andrew Smith

Slop Machine (slopmachine.dev) @slop-machine.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Nothing says higher education quite like laying off adjunct professors so an algorithm can give 4,000 freshmen hallucinated Wikipedia citations.

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Reposted by James Andrew Smith

Olivia Guest · Ολίβια Γκεστ @olivia.science · 04/10/2026

I'm seeing so much of this interpersonally in the NL context where the solution to work problems is seen as "care less" or "ignore it" but GOES FURTHER often offloading onto others. No deep connection nor time for others, but also active transfer of emotional / cognitive responsibility onto them.

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James Andrew Smith @drsmith.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Universities were banking on free AI to be able to replace TAs and front line staff. Now what happens when you need to pay? No AI? Slash non-AI budgets? Cut troublesome departments to afford AI? Rationed AI? Somehow I don’t see some people giving up their AI buddies easily.

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Reposted by James Andrew Smith

Olivia Guest · Ολίβια Γκεστ @olivia.science · 04/10/2026

if even 50% of people were 50% this caring during the lockdowns IMHO then we'd not be where we are now mentally, socially, etc

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James Andrew Smith @drsmith.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

“Mythos excels at mathematical distillations and scientific tasks, especially those relating to computer science and operating systems.” I would love to better understand what this really means. Is it truly good at math in a way that previous LLMs couldn’t approach or is it just luckier?

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James Andrew Smith @drsmith.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

This will not help lower diesel prices, groceries or anything else. If the rest of the world wants to get back on track then we need the “big powers” to stop waging war on smaller nations. This means we need to convince Russia to leave Ukraine.

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James Andrew Smith @drsmith.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

Americans brought this upon themselves. #ElbowsUp

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James Andrew Smith @drsmith.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

“Everybody I know is losing.” - American That’s right. You voted for him. And now we’re not eating your cheese, we’re not buying your beer and we’re not driving your cars. We are fed up with the bullying. Don’t play fair? The American economy will pay. #ElbowsUp

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James Andrew Smith @drsmith.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

On the subway. Power cut to the train and tracks because of a “trespasser at track level”.

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James Andrew Smith @drsmith.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

I understand that. No need to be impolite. A simple no works.

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Reposted by James Andrew Smith

Julie S. Lalonde @julieslalonde.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Not to mention the obvious "YAY FOR NORMALIZING VACCINATION!" As a Covid cautious person, I wish they were wearing masks, too but you gotta take the wins when you see them. And this kind of "Even tough guys get anxious" messaging is one I can get behind.

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Reposted by James Andrew Smith

Julie S. Lalonde @julieslalonde.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

I know the bar is so low it's in hell but these are the moments of healthy masculinity that warm my heart. It's okay to be afraid of needles! It's okay to need some comfort! It's okay to get that comfort from another straight dude! At a time when empathy is seen as a weakness, this is really nice

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Reposted by James Andrew Smith

Dr. Lucky Tran @luckytran.com · 02/10/2026

Mayor Zohran Mamdani held hands Curtis Sliwa as they got their flu shots 😂

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James Andrew Smith @drsmith.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

We’re getting set to install antennas on the roof of the Ross building at YorkU. You can see he CN Tower from here. And the Vaughn skyline in the other direction.

James on the roof of the Ross building University in background.

Toronto in the distance, york university in the foreground. CN tower is visible on the right.

Roof facing north towards Vaughn. Buildings in the background.

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Reposted by James Andrew Smith

Dominique Baker @bakerdphd.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

The idea of likening *myself* to Icarus, in a positive manner, is...I can't fathom it

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James Andrew Smith @drsmith.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Pretty much. The bar was set really really low with Rob Ford…

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Reposted by James Andrew Smith

🇨🇦Joe Vipond🇨🇦 @jvipondmd.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

"At least 50 health workers have died after contracting the virus." This shouldn't be happening. People shouldn't be dying when the go to work to help others. We should have better OHS procedures for HCWs in the Congo. Independent inquiry, now.

statnews.com

An Ebola treatment center was burned down as the death toll in Congo passes 4,000

Congo's Ebola outbreak has killed more than 4,000 people, authorities said, as they struggle to contain what has become the fastest-growing Ebola outbreak in history.

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James Andrew Smith @drsmith.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

My neighbour had a People’s Party lawn sign. Now she has a Brad lawn sign. ‘nuf said.

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James Andrew Smith @drsmith.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Diesel prices will continue to rise.

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James Andrew Smith @drsmith.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

This will also happen in university classrooms when management puts AI in the LMS.

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James Andrew Smith @drsmith.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Government-run grocery stores with a lean-mean inventory that focuses on basics at a cut-rate price?

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James Andrew Smith @drsmith.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Grown men and women who say they need a “data analyst” on the payroll because this is the best they can do.

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James Andrew Smith @drsmith.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Do you have a rewards number? No. Do you want to sign up for one? No. But you’ll save money and get a free bun after 20 purchases. No. But… No.

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Reposted by James Andrew Smith

Paul Cohen @paulecohen.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

the numbers don't lie

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