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Cindy B.

@eclecta.bsky.social
1.8K followers 692 following 591 posts

Nerd. Arsenal supporter. COVID-avoider. Writing about issues and books is a way I try to reinforce/challenge my learning. Too enthusiastic and curious to be cool. She/her. Toronto

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Cindy B. @eclecta.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
... but it always seemed that the Canadian variety of politics and current events was more boring and less consequential than the American type. All this to say: I was missing out. I'm glad that, decades later, I can get caught up on this story. 14/15
Two people sit on driftwood logs on a beach, looking out at calm blue waters with distant mountains on the horizon. One person wears a purple top with a pink cap, the other wears a red top. Small rocky islets dot the water under a clear sky. Text reads 'Pull up a log! With over 1800 islands and islets, Gwaii Haanas beaches abound' © Parks Canada.
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Cindy B. @eclecta.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Also, most of the progress in establishing Gwaii Haanas happened under a Conservative federal government. It's really a reflection of how far conservativism has lurched to the hard-right, destructive end of the spectrum when BRIAN MULRONEY looks like an environmentalist/ally. 12/15
Three people stand on a moss-covered forest floor at T'aaniu Llnagaay, an archaeological village site. A guide gestures toward subtle house depressions and fallen, moss-covered longhouse posts visible among tall evergreen trees. The forest floor is thick with green moss, creating a sense of the historic village layout. Text reads 'At T'aaniu Llnagaay, the house depressions and fallen, moss-covered longhouse posts give a vivid sense of the layout of the village' © Parks Canada / N. Osborne.
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Cindy B. @eclecta.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Here I need to credit May, whose general cheerfulness leavens this tale. Her genuine appreciation/affection for others involved and her infectious delight (and concern) propels the narrative and makes this book hard to put down. (We need more Elizabeth Mays in this world!) 11/15
View from a yellow kayak with orange deck rigging, paddling through calm, reflective coastal waters dotted with floating seaweed. Dense evergreen forests line both shores under a partly cloudy blue sky. Text reads 'Explore by kayak' © Parks Canada.
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Cindy B. @eclecta.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Also, advocates continually adjusted tactics, including: a book to tell the world about this jewel of a place; blockades; protests; ignoring "rules" at environmental conferences to get the word out and generate support; and securing assistance from the most elite political back rooms. 10/15
A white sailboat glides through calm waters on a misty day, framed by dark tree branches in the foreground. Forested shorelines fade into fog in the background. This captures boat exploration among the more than 1800 islands and islets at this coastal park. © Parks Canada / N. Osborne.
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Cindy B. @eclecta.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
So that was the challenge. And this book documents how individuals - both Haida and settler - came together to protect these precious forests, lands, and waters. 7/15
A white sandy beach stretches along calm turquoise waters, with scattered driftwood and rocks in the foreground. Dense evergreen forests cover rolling hills in the background under a dramatic sky with textured clouds. Text reads 'Woodruff Bay, a white sandy beach escape' © Parks Canada / B. Hilgemann.
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Cindy B. @eclecta.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Add into this mix: - loggers' grossly inflated estimates of the economic value of the timber - tensions between the provincial and federal governments - possible sabotage of the park plan by anonymous civil servants - our shameful history of breaking our promises with Indigenous peoples 6/15
A close-up view of a tall carved wooden Legacy Pole featuring stylized Indigenous artwork with bold black, orange, and natural wood tones. The carving shows a face with a prominent eye, curved nose, and mouth details against a backdrop of dense green forest. Text below reads 'The Legacy Pole was raised at Windy Bay on August 15, 2013 - the first monumental pole raised in Gwaii Haanas in 130 years!' © Parks Canada / Stacey Brown.
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Cindy B. @eclecta.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
... the effects on the Haida people ("What is at stake is our survival as a nation. We can't survive in a land of stumps." - Miles Richardson, then president of the council of the Haida Nation). 5/15
A person wades in clear shallow coastal waters near rocky islets covered with seaweed. Forested hills rise in the distance under a partly cloudy sky, with mountains visible on the horizon. Text reads 'Swimming in the shallows by Hotspring Island' © Parks Canada / N. Osborne.
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Cindy B. @eclecta.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
And in the 1970s and 1980s, it was being clearcut by foresters. It wasn't just about the felling of giant old growth trees, but the devastating secondary environmental impacts, such as the resulting erosion that would fill and muddy streams that are spawning habitat for salmon, and ... 4/15
A person in a pink shirt and white hat stands next to an enormous moss-covered old-growth tree trunk at Windy Bay, Hlk'yah GawGa, touching the bark to show its massive scale. Dense green forest surrounds the ancient western hemlock, western red cedar, and Sitka spruce trees. © Parks Canada / N. Osborne.
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Cindy B. @eclecta.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Gwaii Haanas protects the southernmost part of the Haida Gwaii archipelago off the coast of British Columbia. Sometimes compared to the Galapagos Islands for its unique and rich biodiversity, this area is also culturally priceless for the Haida people who have lived there for millennia. 3/15
Map with a pin for the location of Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve on an archipelago in the Pacific Ocean, off the coast of British Columbia and north-west of Vancouver Island.
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Cindy B. @eclecta.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
So here, for your consideration, I offer: "Paradise Won - The Struggle to Create Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve" by @elizabethemay.bsky.social (now the leader of Canada's federal Green Party). 2/15
Headshot portrait of Elizabeth May, showing her from shoulders up against a neutral gray background. She has shoulder-length gray hair, wears dark-rimmed glasses, and smiles at the camera. She's dressed in a blue and black patterned cardigan over a black top, with a cross pendant necklace.
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Cindy B. @eclecta.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
NEW BOOK REVIEW In times like these, it's vital to cultivate ***hope*** that's grounded in the experience of people working for change and actually succeeding at it. These stories are everywhere but the algorithms aren't going to serve them up, so I actively seek them out. 1/15
Book cover titled 'PARADISE WON' by Elizabeth May. An aerial photograph shows a winding river cutting through dense green coastal forest. In the river, there are logs whose light colour and relatively uniform dimensions suggest logging activity. The book's subtitle reads 'The Struggle to Create GWAII HAANAS National Park Reserve.' The text overlays the landscape image.
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Cindy B. @eclecta.bsky.social · 30/08/2026
It's still labeled "Lake Ontario" in Canada ...
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Cindy B. @eclecta.bsky.social · 27/07/2026
The tulle (gauzy white fabric) is to keep the plants from being a cat’s salad bar. (It works! And Maggie would otherwise be a very enthusiastic grazer.) There is a cozy woolen cat bed at the far end and it’s always so cute to see Molly enjoying it. 7/8
Balcony garden with potted plants on shelves, some covered with protective netting, and a teal floral chair in front of white walls with windows. At the far end of the balcony, a black and white cat pops her head out of a grey cat bed to look at the photographer.
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Cindy B. @eclecta.bsky.social · 27/07/2026
It feels a little bit miraculous that I have this balcony haven again this year. It’s not perfect, and this year I needed help for a month or so to water it and train the pole beans. 1/8
A vibrant balcony garden featuring lush green plants in terracotta and plastic pots arranged on black shelving units. Large climbing vines grow along black wire trellises that span the balcony railing. Some plants are partially covered with white protective netting secured by clothespins. In the background, urban apartment buildings rise against a cloudy sky, creating a contrast between the cultivated greenery and the cityscape beyond.
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Cindy B. @eclecta.bsky.social · 26/07/2026
Books I've read in the last few months (with a couple left out that I wouldn't recommend).
Photo of a stack of books. From top to bottom: "Wolf Hall" by Hilary Mantel; "Who Will Defend Europe?" by Keir Giles; "The Reverse Centaur's Guide to Life After AI" by Cory Doctorow; "Israel: What Went Wrong?" by Omer Bartov; "Dangerous Memory" by Charlie Angus;  "Existential Politics" by Jessica F. Green; "Moscow Rules" by Keir Giles; "Into the Wood Chipper" by Nicholas Enrich; and "Empire of AI" y Karen Hao.
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Cindy B. @eclecta.bsky.social · 26/04/2026
New book review - The Culting of America: What Makes a Cult and Why We Love Them by Daniella Mestanyek Young (@knittingcultlady.bsky.social) 1/4
Book cover for "The Culting of America: What Makes a Cult and Why We Love Them" by Daniella Mestanyek Young. A caption at the top notes that she is the "author of the bestselling memoir 'Uncultured'".

The cover art is a deconstructed American flag, with a square of yellow and orangey-red horizontal lines and left of that, a sky-blue rectangle with 24 hand-drawn yellow stars above a section of hot pink horizontal stripes over the sky blue background.
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Cindy B. @eclecta.bsky.social · 21/04/2026
I have a new reinforcing loop: I read ▶️ Molly expects lap time ▶️ I read
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Cindy B. @eclecta.bsky.social · 19/04/2026
Saturday night for a nerd 🤓 Important topic any day of the week! @keirgiles.bsky.social
Book cover of "Who Will Defend Europe? An Awakened Russia and a Sleeping Continent" by Keir Giles"The unfortunate conclusion from long-term observation of Russia is that this attitude towards Russia's borders will persist for as long as its assumption of entitlement to Emipte does ... unless and until Russia suffers some kind of strategic reverse - a clear, unambiguous and undeniable defeat that sets the limits of Russian power."
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Cindy B. @eclecta.bsky.social · 15/02/2026
NEW BOOK REVIEW - "Drystone: A Life Rebuilt" by Kristie De Garis 1/13
A photo of the cover of the book, "Drystone: A Life Rebuilt" by Kristie De Garis. The cover includes some rock-like shapes that are dark with some jewel tones. These shapes are loosely organized and some of them have words from the book's subtitle on them. The dust cover shows some obvious wear at the edges.
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Cindy B. @eclecta.bsky.social · 30/01/2026
It's about time for another book review. Prophet Song, a novel by Paul Lynch is the 2023 Booker Prize winner. Its tension slowly grinds and increases, even as we are spared (most of) the grisly details of the fictional fascist takeover and civil war in modern-day Ireland. 1/3
Book cover for "Prophet Song" by Paul Lynch. Sharp, blood-red shapes are loosely arranged on a black background (like broken glass), with the top red shapes appearing like an abstract mountain range, behind which rises (or sets) a white sun (or moon). In a small area where the red shapes don't meet, there are white silhouettes of a woman and two children against the black backdrop. 

In the top right corner, there is a note that this book is the Booker Prize 2023 winner, and in the bottom of the cover, there are two quotes from reviews: "A prophetic masterpiece" (Washington Post) and "An urgent, important read." (The Guardian)
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Cindy B. @eclecta.bsky.social · 20/01/2026
Just finished "The Island of Sea Women" by Lisa See, historical fiction about Jeju Island and its tradition of women sea divers. This novel taught me about a tragic period of South Korean history I hadn't known about. It's a story about friendship, surviving some terrible times, and being human.
An English-language book cover for "The Island of Sea Women" by Lisa See. It features two young Korean women dressed in traditional white cotton sea-diving clothing and holding their diving equipment. The background is sea-blue and there are overlays of seaweed in bright orange, yellow, and red. "THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER" is proclaimed across the top of the cover, above the author's name.
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Cindy B. @eclecta.bsky.social · 28/11/2025
I saw 1 of Canada's national treasures, @charlieangus104.bsky.social (+ panel), speak last night. Charlie continues to be a catalyst for conversation & conviction about Canadian sovereignty, oligarchy, and our urgent need to work together to hold the line and fight for a fair and equitable future. 💗
A white 60-something man (Charlie Angus) stands on a low stage, speaking to an audience. He is dressed in a white shirt, dress slacks, a suit jacket that is hanging open, and a baseball cap. The stage is lit up in wide vertical stripes in mauve and blue, and there are five stackable chairs nearly arranged behind him for the panel discussion that will follow his opening remarks. Above Charlie's head and in the background, there is a sign that says "WEST END PHOENIX" and in smaller letters around that are the words "SUPPORT LOCAL JOURNALISM - SUBSCRIBE TODAY".
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Cindy B. @eclecta.bsky.social · 05/10/2025
(Another lesson is to reserve enough sauce to better weigh down the top layer of gluten-free noodles that I used for the larger dish ... sheesh!) Now ... what to do with all the leftovers ... lol 11/11
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Cindy B. @eclecta.bsky.social · 05/10/2025
Canadian Thanksgiving is next weekend, and if you have vegans in your life you want to please while making something everyone will enjoy, this might be the post for you! Or if you enjoy a good culinary project and expanding your range of dishes, read on ... 1/x
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Cindy B. @eclecta.bsky.social · 19/09/2025
I don't pick the beans on my balcony garden on a daily basis, but I'm still pleased with this morning's haul.
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Cindy B. @eclecta.bsky.social · 12/09/2025
Centenary Hospital (Scarborough) - 8:30am Wednesday - 486 ppm!!! Hardly a new hospital. Also: Princess Margaret - CO2 never went above 540ppm. Granted, these weren't in wards ... but still. Impressive.
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Cindy B. @eclecta.bsky.social · 13/07/2025
​Book rec: The Natural Treasures of Carolinian Canada (2007). Despite being born and raised in southwestern Ontario, I truly had no idea what a special region it is in terms of its wildlife, ecological niches, and natural history. This book is a quick overview with beautiful photos.
Book cover: "The Natural Treasures of Carolinian Canada: Discovering the rich natural diversity of Ontario's Southwestern heartland" by The Carolinian Canada Coalition, edited by Lorraine Johnson.

The cover features a depiction of a Small White Lady's-slipper, an orchid with a bulbous white petal.A photograph of three blooms of the Small White Lady's-slipper with an out-of-focus background of green grasses. The caption says: "The Small White Lady's-slipper is an endangered orchid found at Walpole Island. Large bees sometimes get trapped in the flower sacs and chew their way out, leaving holes in the flowers."
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Cindy B. @eclecta.bsky.social · 06/07/2025
Perspective
Black text on white background, a quote attributed to Gary Snyder: "AS THE CRICKETS' SOFT AUTUMN HUM / IS TO US / SO ARE WE TO THE TREES / AS ARE THEY / TO THE ROCKS AND THE HILLS"
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Cindy B. @eclecta.bsky.social · 22/06/2025
I'm not sure why my cats decided this year to be murderous jerks, but parts of my garden are in protective custody now ... 😆
The image depicts a balcony garden, level with the tops of some mature deciduous trees in the background. Along the inner wall of the balcony, there are a black iron trellis and some black wire panels connected together to form a fence/catio. Inside this barrier is a black resin shelf supporting a few planters filled with flowers and vegetables. One of the planters is lightly enshrouded with white tulle to form a protective barrier that is sheer enough for the plants to still get full sun.

Under the tulle, there is a zucchini plant and several struggling pole beans. 

The neighbouring planter hosts a Summer Bees dahlia.
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Cindy B. @eclecta.bsky.social · 19/02/2025
Fiction reading that is perfect, maybe even necessary, for these times: the science fiction novella “Unauthorized Bread” by Cory Doctorow. It is a blend between technological thought experiment and feel-good underdog story. 1/6
The cover of the novella "Unauthorized Bread: A Radicalized Novella" by Cory Doctorow. The fonts are serif-less and no words are capitalized. The cover includes an image of a piece of toast has been carved and scorched to appear like a human skull.
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Cindy B. @eclecta.bsky.social · 31/01/2025
A suggestion, a thread, and a meditation: In the midst of daunting and unprecedented challenges, a truly worthy read is the 2010 book, "The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer" by Siddhartha Mukherjee. 1/21
Image of the book cover of "The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer" by Siddhartha Mukherjee. It notes that the book won a Pulitzer Prize and has been made into a PBS documentary. The background is a mottled light brown and features a red crab in the centre, with its claws lifted together ... almost like it's making a hand-heart.
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Cindy B. @eclecta.bsky.social · 08/12/2024
"Only the wisest and the stupidest of men never change." - Confucius (From some light Sunday evening reading...)
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Cindy B. @eclecta.bsky.social · 21/11/2024
My current read. Investigative work by @garethgore.bsky.social on Opus Dei. Reads like a thriller. Powerful evidence how (for good or, frankly, evil) coordinated efforts of small groups of people to effect change. Highly recommended.
Book cover for Opus: Dark Money, a Secretive Cult, and Its Mission to Remake Our World... by Gareth Gore. The image on the cover is of the black cassock of a Catholic priest, with an American $100 bill at the collar instead of the typical white square. The background behind the cassock is a dramatic red. The book itself rests on a coarse army blanket.
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Cindy B. @eclecta.bsky.social · 27/10/2024
Another book rec: "Lives of the Stoics" by Ryan Holiday & Stephen Hanselman. toronto.overdrive.com/media/5215474 Pointedly relevant series of short biographies of the ancient stoics - how their beliefs were forged and tested, and what we can learn from their lives about how to do the right thing.
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Cindy B. @eclecta.bsky.social · 27/10/2024
Finished this book today, would recommend: toronto.overdrive.com/media/3034014 It's good to question the dominant narratives about poverty, what constitutes a meaningful and satisfying life, etc. It's essential to have positive alternative models and visions for our future. Check this book out.
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Cindy B. @eclecta.bsky.social · 26/10/2024
It's not just me ...
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Cindy B. @eclecta.bsky.social · 20/10/2024
Screenshot from the Bad Place ... Look at how infections in healthcare settings were dramatically decreased back when we had universal masking requirements! And - per Barry's point - they could be virtually eliminated with other tools we have but are choosing not to implement. Penny-foolish.
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Cindy B. @eclecta.bsky.social · 11/09/2024
It's been a while since I made a curry; I forgot how much sauce one can of coconut milk + one can of coconut cream makes. I'd already pressed and fried the tofu, and rescued packages of shrimp and scallops from the depths of my freezer. Then: a full-court press to get enough veggies for balance. 👍👍
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Cindy B. @eclecta.bsky.social · 04/09/2024
I really should take my SLR out with me more. But since I didn't today, here's the crappy phone camera version of a glorious sunset taken tonight from my hometown.
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Cindy B. @eclecta.bsky.social · 31/08/2024
One thing this many leeks will tell you IN A HURRY is whether your knife needs to be sharpened.
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Cindy B. @eclecta.bsky.social · 31/08/2024
For me, 2017 was a "year of grief", and in 2018, I was still mired in loss, hurt, and anger. But 6 years ago today, these two sweet babies joined my household and instantaneously changed the vibe. So grateful.
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Cindy B. @eclecta.bsky.social · 19/08/2024
Scarlet runner bean blossoms
Early morning golden sunlight illuminates the leaves of vines against a bright blue sky. The vines are growing up and along a trellis and square wire panels that are attached to the trellis. The vine also has a handful of small composite blossoms in bright orange-red. In the background, there are treetops and buildings in the distance, indicating the vines are high above ground, in a city.A closer look at the orange-red petals of a composite flower of a scarlet runner bean. Golden early morning sunlight makes the leaves pop a bright green against a clear blue sky.
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Cindy B. @eclecta.bsky.social · 04/03/2024
So interesting! I have two tuxedo cats, and they are low-shed as well! They are sisters but only one has the plushy coat (but the other has the adorable chin smudge) ... including goofiest pics possible for entertainment value.
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