iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

George Patrick Richard Benson @georgeprbenson.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

Craven, undemocratic behaviour by this government. I am speechless at the gall to pretend this is about cybersecurity.

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George Patrick Richard Benson @georgeprbenson.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

Yasssss. We're so lucky to have Uytae covering these topics.

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George Patrick Richard Benson @georgeprbenson.bsky.social · 08/08/2026

My newsletter, Public Learning, is out again! This week I cover the report that my team at ZEIC just released on regional energy transition competitiveness, and dwell on an ancient quote that has really moved me. 🧵

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David Roberts @volts.wtf · 08/08/2026

A good reminder that cities aren't loud. Cars are loud.

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Canadian Paintings @canadianpaintings.bsky.social · 08/08/2026

Skytrain Connection Peter D. Harris 2023

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Jen St. Denis @jenstden.bsky.social · 17/07/2026

Here’s the full story: the BC Conservatives have hired an Alberta separatist and a far-right media figure, signalling the direction the party plans to take under new leader Kerry Lynne Findlay thetyee.ca/News/2026/07...

thetyee.ca

BC Conservatives Hire an Alberta Separatist and Far-Right Media Figure | The Tyee

Leader Kerry-Lynne Findlay commits to a MAGA approach to winning power.

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David Roberts @volts.wtf · 14/07/2026

An amazing quote from Lindsey Graham in this Atlantic story. It really captures an essential truth about politics that too few people ever really come to terms with. www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/0...

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Canadian Paintings @canadianpaintings.bsky.social · 15/07/2026

Dartmouth Harbourfront Deb Bromley 2021

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Cameron Maltby @cameronmaltby.bsky.social · 15/07/2026

Who could have predicted?

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George Patrick Richard Benson @georgeprbenson.bsky.social · 15/07/2026

There's this essay I want to write about the divergence in metaphor between educated people who work in elite-ish knowledge economy professions. Here's what I have so far:

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Aubrey Gilleran @aubreygilleran.bsky.social · 14/07/2026

This is the kind of insight that could turn you into a more humble public servant or a nihilist, and I think we know which option Graham chose.

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George Patrick Richard Benson @georgeprbenson.bsky.social · 12/07/2026

Forgot to check in earlier and lost the Hunger Games. Hello ten hour flight in the middle row 😭

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Jens von Bergmann @jensvb.bsky.social · 12/07/2026

Induced demand, but for simple water play features

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George Patrick Richard Benson @georgeprbenson.bsky.social · 11/07/2026

I’ve watched Canada-US GDP comparisons for years and they are so vacuous I genuinely feel embarrassed for Canadian economists who use them. Good highlights from @jimbostanford.bsky.social

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Kelsey Atherton @atherton.bsky.social · 10/07/2026

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George Patrick Richard Benson @georgeprbenson.bsky.social · 09/07/2026

As if I needed another reason to hate Microsoft.

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George Patrick Richard Benson @georgeprbenson.bsky.social · 05/07/2026

Obsessed with this lady every time she comes up on my feed. The raw unyielding power of hyper-fixation on display.

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George Patrick Richard Benson @georgeprbenson.bsky.social · 05/07/2026

We need to get a lot more comfortable using the word “traitor.”

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George Patrick Richard Benson @georgeprbenson.bsky.social · 04/07/2026

Proposal: Canada’s next project of national interest is developing a true football song.

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George Patrick Richard Benson @georgeprbenson.bsky.social · 04/07/2026

The latest issue of my newsletter is up. I spend some time reflecting on Anton Jager's "Hyperpolitics," and the strange sociology of court politics vis-a-vis the last days of Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia.

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Canadian Paintings @canadianpaintings.bsky.social · 04/07/2026

Village on the St. Lawrence Nora Collyer 1937

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Haus of Decline @hausofdecline.bsky.social · 29/06/2026

A woman asks "do you have cards for things you said during a mental breakdown?" The clerk gestures "right this way, ma'am!" She holds a flowery card with many different fonts that says "Sorry for calling you 'Pathetic' during my episode.? She remarks "wow, there are so many of these and in such variety!" The clerk says "people are not doing well."

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George Patrick Richard Benson @georgeprbenson.bsky.social · 02/07/2026

The numbers must be as bad in Canada. I think about this daily. I think it’s a double whammy of insane real estate plus the attention economy gobbling up anyone’s desire to leave home.

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George Patrick Richard Benson @georgeprbenson.bsky.social · 02/07/2026

Remember, guys, he literally stared into the sun with his bare eyeballs. I think we’re being told we have to figure our own problems out.

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George Patrick Richard Benson @georgeprbenson.bsky.social · 01/07/2026

Perennial dread: did I *actually* rode the ticket on Eventbrite, or is everything online just a smooth, liminal fever dream?

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George Patrick Richard Benson @georgeprbenson.bsky.social · 30/06/2026

What is happening to this country? (/positive)

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George Patrick Richard Benson @georgeprbenson.bsky.social · 30/06/2026

What stands out to me here is that if you take a “clean power” view, then renewables, nuclear, and hydro start to look tantalizingly close to the total FF growth stack in absolute terms. We are already seeing a solar flywheel develop, but what kind of cascading growth is yet possible?

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George Patrick Richard Benson @georgeprbenson.bsky.social · 29/06/2026

When the Philippines shortened work weeks and started rationing fuel for just about everything, I’m curious how many solar CEOs in China and Vietnam were sending emails. Probably the most primed market in all of East Asia

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George Patrick Richard Benson @georgeprbenson.bsky.social · 29/06/2026

I remember touring a VR company that had really cool tech and… was using it to do real estate viewings. Vancouver’s meteoric real estate rise created a phenomenally large and long chain of middle men all getting their pound of flesh. As builders struggle, every bell and whistler will disappear.

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ΜΑΝΟΣ ΤΡΑΧΙΑΣ™ @trahias.bsky.social · 29/06/2026

John Held II (American, 1889–1958) "Manhattan Skyline", 1934. Watercolor over Pencil on off-white Paper, 25-1/4 × 19-3/8 inches. Private Collection. #art #painting #artist #BlueSkyArt

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George Patrick Richard Benson @georgeprbenson.bsky.social · 28/06/2026

I have a lot of thoughts about this I need to put down someday, but I will say this: Ontological chauvinism has a funny way of biting you in the ass.

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George Patrick Richard Benson @georgeprbenson.bsky.social · 28/06/2026

Easier to romanticize than camper vans in a parking lot, it’s interesting to see canal boats all at once as a tenacious refusal at displacement, and the newest manifestation of gentrification.

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George Patrick Richard Benson @georgeprbenson.bsky.social · 28/06/2026

I’m in London for the next two weeks on vacation and and want to share all my favourite little bits of urbanism I see.

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George Patrick Richard Benson @georgeprbenson.bsky.social · 28/06/2026

Why Canadian populists haven’t seized on this is beyond me — instant vote-getter.

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George Patrick Richard Benson @georgeprbenson.bsky.social · 26/06/2026

Borrowing from @olufemiotaiwo.bsky.social: I do not regret to inform you that we are going to win.

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George Patrick Richard Benson @georgeprbenson.bsky.social · 26/06/2026

How did this get messaged so incredibly badly

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George Patrick Richard Benson @georgeprbenson.bsky.social · 25/06/2026

So, a month ago I started a new twice a month newsletter — I totally forgot to put it on here, but if you’re interested and wanna see them come up in your feed, you can either sign up via email, or just follow the account below. 👇🏼

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George Patrick Richard Benson @georgeprbenson.bsky.social · 25/06/2026

It’s so crazy that global demand for EV’s was so strong it kept up with 20% growth even with US demand declining.

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Isaac Callan @isaaccallan.bsky.social · 24/06/2026

NEW: Barely half a year after the provincial government ordered Toronto to stop issuing speeding tickets from the cameras it had set up across the city, staff say the number of drivers blasting past the limit has increased more than 350%. #Topoli #OnPoli globalnews.ca/news/1193652...

globalnews.ca

Speeding increases in Toronto significantly after province turns off cameras | Globalnews.ca

In November 2025, the Ford government completed a controversial and rapid removal of automated speed cameras from municipalities.

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George Patrick Richard Benson @georgeprbenson.bsky.social · 24/06/2026

I have a suspicion Smith actually wants some of this dampening of business activity so that she can redirect and say that Ottawa caused this and that’s why (a) she needs to be around to keep fighting them, and (b) get more concessions for Ottawa on a range of issues. Profoundly cynical.

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Brent Bellamy @brentbellamy.bsky.social · 24/06/2026

It will be a tragic own goal if Vancouver gives Granville Street back to cars after the World Cup. It has created a valuable new centre of gravity in the downtown. The city is much better for it. @brenttoderian.bsky.social

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