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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 · 23h
Fox News host in waiting.
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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 · 01/10/2026
ELI5: Please explain: how is medically-assisted dying so successful and painless, but executing people seems to be bungled so frequently,
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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
Isn’t it ironic that this so-called paper will be refuted time and time again such that it will achieve a high citation rate thereby contributing to the author’s h-index?
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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
Or a swamp?
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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
Mr Trump, if your goal is to keep Canadians from buying "Made in the USA", this'll do the job.
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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 · 21/07/2026
The Art of the Deal: Once a con-Artist, always a con-Artist, where agreements mean nothing.
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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 · 23/05/2026
A snow globe filled with urine?
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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
“You’re worth two 43’s, 86.”
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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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Jim Nicell (👊🇨🇦🔥) @jimnicell.bsky.social · 19/04/2026
Maybe the approach should be taxation of information exchanged through social media platforms. They make money by mining our attention (a limited resource), so let’s tax their extraction of this public resource. And then tax them at a very high level for the attention of young people.
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Jim Nicell (👊🇨🇦🔥) @jimnicell.bsky.social · 19/04/2026
This is all so reminiscent of efforts around tobacco.
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Jim Nicell (👊🇨🇦🔥) @jimnicell.bsky.social · 19/04/2026
I understand the idea that a ban is not the solution whereas regulation is required to shield young users from certain content and addicting algorithms. However, when tech companies not only resist regulation but lie about their efforts, perhaps a ban is the next logical step.
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Jim Nicell (👊🇨🇦🔥) @jimnicell.bsky.social · 14/04/2026
Christianity without Christ is inanity.
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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 · 01/04/2026
If you can’t rely on legal reasoning, resort to intimidation and mob incitement.
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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
It’s a new form of consent. Before engaging, present proof of ID and citizenship. Sounds like a plan!
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Jim Nicell (👊🇨🇦🔥) @jimnicell.bsky.social · 17/03/2026
We just started moving after 2 hours and 40 minutes without a single message from #Exo. People are extremely frustrated. We can understand and accept disruptions. But no announcements or messages!?!
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Jim Nicell (👊🇨🇦🔥) @jimnicell.bsky.social · 17/03/2026
Vaudreil Hudson.
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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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