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Jim Nicell (👊🇨🇦🔥)

@jimnicell.bsky.social
177 followers 91 following 488 posts

Professor and former Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, McGill University, spouse of a wonder woman, father of 3 men of great character and promise, book and uranium glass addict, and devoted sustainabilist. Not on Twitter. Views are mine alone.

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Jim Nicell (👊🇨🇦🔥) @jimnicell.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
www.reddit.com/r/canada/s/r...
reddit.com
From the canada community on Reddit: Trump becomes only object on Earth exempt from Canadian urge to apologize
Explore this post and more from the canada community
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Jim Nicell (👊🇨🇦🔥) @jimnicell.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Great news! We’re saved! www.cnn.com/2026/09/29/b...
cnn.com
Top AI executives sign commitment to ‘self-police’ after meeting at White House | CNN Business
President Donald Trump said Tuesday that top tech executives had signed a new commitment aimed at better “self-policing” their companies’ AI models, arguing that the light-touch approach represents th...
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Jim Nicell (👊🇨🇦🔥) @jimnicell.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Same old, same old. Poilievre generates a falso spectre of what associate membership means, then says he's against it. I'm just waiting for his 3-word slogan: "Pee-yew to EU" or something like it: Poilievre says Canada will never be the '28th state' of the European Union: www.msn.com/en-ca/news/o...
msn.com
MSN
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Jim Nicell (👊🇨🇦🔥) @jimnicell.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
There is stupid, and then there’s really stupid. www.cnn.com/2026/09/14/p...
cnn.com
Trump dismisses AI alarms as a ‘HOAX’ — worrying White House officials | CNN Politics
President Donald Trump spent Monday angrily rejecting calls from AI industry leaders for more government regulation on their cutting-edge models, making clear in a day-long string of social media post...
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Reposted by Jim Nicell (👊🇨🇦🔥)
Anne Applebaum @anneapplebaum.wsocial.eu · 14/09/2026
Your regular reminder: If the Russians stop fighting, the war ends. If the Ukrainians stop fighting, their land will be occupied, their leaders will be killed, their history and language will be erased, their children will be kidnapped to serve Russia.
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Jim Nicell (👊🇨🇦🔥) @jimnicell.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
Yes! I would also argue that drawing any equivalence between an h-index and impact presumes that the shared goals of academic disciplines are publications and citations. This is such a narrow definition of impact that ignores innovations, translation of research into social good, policies, etc.
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Jim Nicell (👊🇨🇦🔥) @jimnicell.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
A very powerful article for you to consider, of relevance to academics and critics of universities alike.
insidehighered.com
Racist to Assume Elites Routinely Hire Subpar Black Faculty
Don’t believe the hype of Black intellectual inferiority.
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Reposted by Jim Nicell (👊🇨🇦🔥)
Alex Usher @alexusherhesa.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
Your move, Google Maps, you gutless cowardly muppets.
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Reposted by Jim Nicell (👊🇨🇦🔥)
Fared Al Mahlool | فريد المحلول @faredalmahlool.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
Canadian PM Mark Carney: Canadians also know that naming reality means calling it Lake Ontario – then, now and always.
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Jim Nicell (👊🇨🇦🔥) @jimnicell.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
On a bad day with bad news all around, sometimes you just need to immerse yourself in great music. This’ll do it.
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Jim Nicell (👊🇨🇦🔥) @jimnicell.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
Maybe its time to take back the label "Americans" from the people of the USA. They have co-opted this name for too long. Perhaps "USians" will have to do.
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Jim Nicell (👊🇨🇦🔥) @jimnicell.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
Trump inadvertently honours the Florentine explorer, Amerigo Vespucci, in renaming Lake Ontario. I guess he has reconsidered his disdain for the people of Italy. apnews.com/article/lake...
apnews.com
Trump signs order renaming Lake Ontario as 'Lake America' in the United States
President Donald Trump says he's renaming Lake Ontario to be known as “Lake America” in the United States as he exacerbates his trade war with Canada.
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Reposted by Jim Nicell (👊🇨🇦🔥)
Canadian History Ehx @cdnhistoryehx.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
Before Europeans arrived, these were some of the names for The Great Lakes: Superior: gichi-gami (great sea) Erie: erielhonan (long tail) Michigan: michigami (long body of water) Ontario: Ontarí'io\kanadario (great lake\beautiful water) Huron: karegnondi (fresh water sea)
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Reposted by Jim Nicell (👊🇨🇦🔥)
Alex Usher @alexusherhesa.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
Ratio of FTE students to full-time tenured/TT profs by field of study, Canada, 1992-93 to 2023-24.
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Jim Nicell (👊🇨🇦🔥) @jimnicell.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
As a parent of an autistic son who's most important challenge to completing secondary school is Quebec's french language requirement, I can only say that our provincial government is heartless & cruel. Exceptions can and should be made under exceptional circumstances. www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
cbc.ca
Quebec autistic student denied disability-based French exemption, removed from college | CBC News
Quebec's Charter of the French language grants children with serious learning issues a waiver allowing them to be educated in English. But education specialists say the process is too difficult and re...
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Jim Nicell (👊🇨🇦🔥) @jimnicell.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
substack.com/@scottmonty/...
substack.com
Scott Monty (@scottmonty)
This is not only a perfect explainer for those who haven’t been following the Reflecting Pool saga, but it’s a brilliant parody of the genre.
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Jim Nicell (👊🇨🇦🔥) @jimnicell.bsky.social · 01/07/2026
I think that we generally get bigger crowds as the annual Kirkland Day event in Kirkland, Quebec, although I'll admit that our fireworks budget can't compare. www.cnn.com/2026/07/01/p...
cnn.com
Crowd size gripes, state fair troubles: The problems of an America 250 celebration tied to Trump | CNN Politics
President Donald Trump has billed his July Fourth rally on the National Mall as a culmination of the “most unforgettable birthday party any country has ever seen.” But inside his White House, there’s ...
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Jim Nicell (👊🇨🇦🔥) @jimnicell.bsky.social · 25/05/2026
Our recent Perspectives paper in Nature Nanotechnology: Diverse Origins and Chemical Complexity of Nanoplastics
open.substack.com
Diverse Origins and Chemical Complexity of Nanoplastics
It's not only size that matters!
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Jim Nicell (👊🇨🇦🔥) @jimnicell.bsky.social · 17/05/2026
The politics of hate in action: attack the vulnerable to advance your politics of division, leaving not only the immediately-impacted 27,000 people behind, but many many more who rely on these educational programs. The CAQ must be thrown out.
cbc.ca
Quebec looks to bar 27,000 students from English vocational and adult programs | CBC News
Quebec English-language school boards are calling on the government to reconsider its expansion of Bill 101 to vocational and adult education centres.
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Jim Nicell (👊🇨🇦🔥) @jimnicell.bsky.social · 15/05/2026
This is one of my favourite flowers in my garden: a Crown Imperial (Fritillaria imperialis), a striking alien-like bulbous perennial.
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Jim Nicell (👊🇨🇦🔥) @jimnicell.bsky.social · 15/05/2026
To all my engineering colleagues and, frankly, everyone else, this is worth your time. podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/t...
podcasts.apple.com
The AI Conversation We Need to Have (with Tristan Harris)
Podcast Episode · Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso · March 29 · 1h 24m
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Jim Nicell (👊🇨🇦🔥) @jimnicell.bsky.social · 13/05/2026
Congratulations to Mikisiw Awashish (McGill Civil Engineering) on receiving the Changemaker Prize in this year’s President’s Prize for Public Engagement Through Media! This recognizes his leadership in organizing last year’s Metuetau — the Truth and Reconciliation Hockey Game.
reporter.mcgill.ca
Hometown hero Mikisiw Awashish brings varsity hockey to Mashteuiatsh - McGill Reporter
‘I just want to show the kids back home there are no limits to what they can achieve’
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Jim Nicell (👊🇨🇦🔥) @jimnicell.bsky.social · 13/05/2026
Montreal in spring bloom. I visit this tree daily during my morning commute. Beautiful.
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Jim Nicell (👊🇨🇦🔥) @jimnicell.bsky.social · 11/05/2026
Go, Habs, go!
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Jim Nicell (👊🇨🇦🔥) @jimnicell.bsky.social · 29/04/2026
Perhaps, as a matter of principle, countries should refuse to recongize these commemorative passports. Discuss.
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Reposted by Jim Nicell (👊🇨🇦🔥)
Marcy Gall @marcygall.bsky.social · 14/04/2026
Should be part of his next test.
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Jim Nicell (👊🇨🇦🔥) @jimnicell.bsky.social · 05/04/2026
Ladies and gentlemen, the President of the Unites States.
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Jim Nicell (👊🇨🇦🔥) @jimnicell.bsky.social · 19/03/2026
A fun still-life photoshoot featuring #uraniumglass from my personal collection.
behance.net
Uranium Still Life
It all started with a late-night Marketplace search.We fell down a rabbit hole of uranium glass, once a staple on 1920s and 30s dining tables. By day it looks like ordinary glass, but under UV light i...
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Jim Nicell (👊🇨🇦🔥) @jimnicell.bsky.social · 18/03/2026
A wonderful photo of a 1920's toast rack from my #uraniumglass collection: Photography : Virginie Gosselin Art Direction : Rachel Lecompte Food Styling : Tommy Matteau Photo assistants : Tommy Matteau & Adèle L’heureux-Hubert Photo Retouching : Le Visual Box Website: virginiegosselin.com
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Jim Nicell (👊🇨🇦🔥) @jimnicell.bsky.social · 18/03/2026
As a professor for many years, I particularly enjoyed reading this thoughtful article in the Chronicle of Higher Education today. #academia
chronicle.com
Opinion | Why It’s So Hard For Professors to Say Anything Good About Academe
Against the cheap fashion of denigrating our institutions.
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Jim Nicell (👊🇨🇦🔥) @jimnicell.bsky.social · 17/03/2026
ctvnews.ca/montreal
ctvnews.ca
Montreal: Local News, Weather & Traffic Updates
Get the latest stories shaping the city of Montreal, Quebec, directly from our expert journalists on the ground.
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Jim Nicell (👊🇨🇦🔥) @jimnicell.bsky.social · 17/03/2026
Would someone please contact Exo, the public train company in Montreal, and let them know that they have a train full of people stuck for the last 2.5 hours without movement? Exo hasn’t made a single announcement yet to explain what’s happening!!! 🤬 #Exo
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Jim Nicell (👊🇨🇦🔥) @jimnicell.bsky.social · 14/03/2026
Let’s just monetize everything so someone can make a lot of money off the suffering of others. Typical National Post. nationalpost.com/opinion/chri...
nationalpost.com
Chris Selley: Why shouldn't Canadians get paid to donate blood or plasma?
The queasiness is understandable — but banning it leaves no one better off
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Jim Nicell (👊🇨🇦🔥) @jimnicell.bsky.social · 14/03/2026
Happy Pi second: 3:14:15:9:27; i.e., March 14 at 3 pm (15), 9 minutes, and 27 seconds (rounded off). 🤓
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Jim Nicell (👊🇨🇦🔥) @jimnicell.bsky.social · 08/03/2026
Read the article and the incredibly simplistic 16 suggestions/questions raised by the Deputy Minister. They look like they were asked by an amateur with no familiarity with universities or the specific needs of New Brunswick, and they ask for a rapid response. This is the NB government in action?!?
universityaffairs.ca
Profs decry ‘catastrophic’ cuts proposed by NB government  - University Affairs
'There are 20+ campuses in NB for 860,000 people. Do we need them all?' Read all 16 government suggestions .
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Jim Nicell (👊🇨🇦🔥) @jimnicell.bsky.social · 03/03/2026
Self-attack ads are a nice for a change. www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yXs...
youtube.com
This Was Going To Come Out Eventually....... | Kat Abughazaleh For Illinois
YouTube video by Kat Abughazaleh
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Jim Nicell (👊🇨🇦🔥) @jimnicell.bsky.social · 01/03/2026
There is still much beauty in the world! www.cbc.ca/player/play/...
cbc.ca
Artist uses frozen Alberta lake as his canvas
Turns out Alberta’s blue lakes freeze into a canvas unlike any other this New York artist has ever seen or worked with.
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Jim Nicell (👊🇨🇦🔥) @jimnicell.bsky.social · 28/02/2026
A masterclass in how to speak volumes while saying nothing. OpenAI has become a weapons manufacturer.
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Jim Nicell (👊🇨🇦🔥) @jimnicell.bsky.social · 20/02/2026
What a wonderful tribute to our cherished colleague at McGill University, Prof. David Harpp, who passed away earlier this week. A true "gentleman and scholar" if there ever was one. #McGill
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Jim Nicell (👊🇨🇦🔥) @jimnicell.bsky.social · 20/02/2026
In a 6-3 ruling, the Supreme Court overturns Trump's illegal (and uncontested by congress) tariffs. Great. But why are there 3 dissenters who seem to always be willing to allow Trump to do almost anything he wants? Who does the everyday citizen sue to get their hard-earned money back? #news
cnn.com
Supreme Court rules that Trump’s sweeping emergency tariffs are illegal | CNN Politics
The Supreme Court on Friday ruled that President Donald Trump violated federal law when he unilaterally imposed sweeping tariffs across the globe, a striking loss for the White House on an issue that ...
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Jim Nicell (👊🇨🇦🔥) @jimnicell.bsky.social · 19/02/2026
Forgive me for asking what may be a naive question: If Trump can't be found criminally responsible for his corruption, can he and his family be later sued by the public and states in civil courts for the these ill-gotten gains, which have come at the public expense?
newyorker.com
Trump’s Profiteering Hits $4 Billion
In August, I reported that the President and his family had made $3.4 billion by leveraging his position. After his first year back in office, the number has ballooned.
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Jim Nicell (👊🇨🇦🔥) @jimnicell.bsky.social · 19/02/2026
A very insightful article for those who are worried (as I am) about the decline in book reading: "The choice isn’t between books and screens. The choice is between intentional design and profitable chaos" #books aeon.co/essays/what-...
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Jim Nicell (👊🇨🇦🔥) @jimnicell.bsky.social · 18/02/2026
A vacuous article, to say the least. Its the same old argument: capitalism and competition fix everything. Every institution should compete for student dollars. Those that can't compete, should fail. Lau cares nothing for equitable access to education or the broader good. Its all about efficiency.
financialpost.com
Matthew Lau: We should let some universities fail
Guaranteed money isn't good for any institution. Ontario should eliminate its tuition controls and let universities compete. Read more.
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Jim Nicell (👊🇨🇦🔥) @jimnicell.bsky.social · 18/02/2026
As usual, Doug Ford shows a profound disrespect for higher education and for students as he trots out the old "basket weaving" trope and "some peope say..." arguments. Classic populist rhetoric by a politician who struggles to create value. www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
cbc.ca
Ford tells students to not pick 'basket-weaving courses' in wake of OSAP cuts | CBC News
Premier Doug Ford had choice words for students expressing concerns over cuts to OSAP grants Tuesday, telling them to "not pick basket-weaving courses" and to invest in education that gives students i...
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Reposted by Jim Nicell (👊🇨🇦🔥)
Alex Usher @alexusherhesa.bsky.social · 15/02/2026
In order to pay for new $ to unis & colleges, the Ford government is hitting OSAP for nearly $3B over four years. Students on aid will see a $3500 increase in net costs as a result. Restoring tuition to 2018 levels would have raised about the same amount of money and been distrbutionally fairer.
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Jim Nicell (👊🇨🇦🔥) @jimnicell.bsky.social · 07/02/2026
I think that all professors should read this article to better understand the nature of universities.
chronicle.com
Opinion | Why Your University Has So Many Administrators
Great teaching is expensive, but back-office functions should be getting cheaper. Why aren’t they?
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Jim Nicell (👊🇨🇦🔥) @jimnicell.bsky.social · 02/02/2026
Sounds like a sequel is in order: “1st Lady 2nd Time Around” www.cnn.com/2026/02/01/b...
cnn.com
Amazon touts ‘Melania’ box office success, though film well short of turning a profit | CNN Business
By financial standards, the film is not a winner, at least not yet. The company that financed it, Amazon MGM Studios, still has a long way to go to break even.
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Jim Nicell (👊🇨🇦🔥) @jimnicell.bsky.social · 31/01/2026
No. No. No. And, again, no. He said what needed to be said. Appeasement is not the answer . www.cbc.ca/news/politic...
cbc.ca
ANALYSIS | Was Mark Carney's Davos speech a mistake if it upset Trump? | CBC News
It's not unreasonable to think about how any action by a Canadian government might impact relations with Canada's largest trading partner. At the same time, allowing the American president's potential...
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Jim Nicell (👊🇨🇦🔥) @jimnicell.bsky.social · 31/01/2026
WTF!?! Do we really have this many right wing ideologues in Canada? Even so, are they that short of leadership options ? www.cbc.ca/news/politic...
cbc.ca
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre wins leadership review with 87.4% approval | CBC
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Jim Nicell (👊🇨🇦🔥) @jimnicell.bsky.social · 30/01/2026
More on “Melania”.
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