iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

It's like "You Can't Do That On Television" but more political and less cerebral.

Christine McGlade getting "slimed" on YCDTOT

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The Doberman Gang (1972) An animal trainer and a con man team up to teach a team of vicious dogs how to rob banks. It's the perfect crime* because if anybody gets wise, it's the dogs who are responsible. *it was not, in fact, the perfect crime — the cops blamed the animal trainer and con man.

A dog on a bank countertop menaces a seated worker at his desk.

A shocking #Caturday cuteness: our seven month-old tabby Olivia Colman would like to demonstrate that, yes, the natural state of kittens is a fluid at room temperature. And especially among feet — Olivia Colman loves feet.

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"Listen up, newsroom! We need a finger on the pulse of these separatists — get me some uninformed street beefs from random malcontented schmucks too inarticulate to differentiate their self-absorbed ennui from the political realities faced by the government they blame for all their troubles."

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One Saturday morning last winter, I woke up to a high-pitched droning from the backyard next door. Buddy's in his pjs and bathrobe leaf-blowing the snow off his deck. Which — yes! As efficacious as de-barnacling the hull of the Pequod with a toothbrush, but much more annoying.

Oil painting The Pequod, a whaling vessel.

John Roscoe @johnroscoe.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

The map wasn't "hallucinated" any more than my thermostat "hallucinated" that the house was too warm when the metal coil broke and the glass mercury switch fell off. We call that a "malfunction." And the people who want to pretend malfunctioning machines are people? We call them "silly buggers."

An old-timey thermostat which operates by balancing a glass tube containing a blob of mercury on a temperature-sensitive metal coil. As the coil warms, it expands and breaks a contact within the glass tube; when the coil cools, it contracts and power flows through the mercury switch to activate the furnace. It ain't rocket science!

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Danielle Smith will be announcing the Alberta Coal Burning Furnace To Own The Libs Rebate in five... four... three....

a "fireman" fueling the furnace of an ocean liner

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Yes, it's true that PM Carney has introduced a rebate program to help get Canadians off fossil fuels, but rest assured there's something bad, not good, and very SINISTER about it which will be explained soon by a professional opinion-haver holding a tiny microphone like it's a wee fragrant nosegay.

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This is awesome! The Green Homes Energy Grant made my hybrid heat pump the same price as a new gas furnace (hooray!), but I was among the last applicants before Doug Ford shut it down (boo!). He changed the grant so it wouldn't impede natural gas sales, which — guess what! — defeats the purpose.

From: https://www.nationalobserver.com/2024/10/10/news/ontario-heat-pump-incentives-questions

Despite the urgent need to cut greenhouse gas emissions, Ontario's newest round of heat pump initiatives is seen by environmental advocates as falling short.
The Save on Energy program limits eligibility to homes already using electric heating, excluding gas-heated households dependent on Enbridge. Critics argue this initiative prioritizes limiting electricity demand, rather than promoting sustainable alternatives — and reflects the Ford government's tendency to rely on fossil fuels and reluctance to support a genuine energy transition.

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"Sargent, what is the status of your investigation?" "Sir! We opened files on persons of interest..." "Good, good." "...established a timeline of events..." "Excellent." "...and then fannied about making idle banter, eating donuts and placing sports bets." "Fine. I'll check back in three years."

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Here's an enthusiastic "good morning" from a song sparrow in a marsh in SW Ontario for the theme, #crooners for today's #BirdOfTheDay. #ECK #BirdPhotography #BirdLife #WildLife #NaturePhotography

A wee brown &whhight bird throws it's head back and belts it out.

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"...perfectly good, rustproof Cana-a-adian steel."

Pierre Poilievre frottages a gnarly post, for some reason.

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Commuters talking at their phones like they've an obligation to share hot fresh profundities with all and sundry? It didn't have to be like this. Early in the evolution of telephony, we had a chance to socialize privacy as part of a telephone's normal operation. But copyright law got in the way.

Stock photo of lady on buss addressing her phone like it's a slice of pizza.

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Before the convoy came Yellow Vests: a French workers' anti-tax strike. The Conservatives have been clear on this from Scheer to Poilievre: whatever re-purposed cockamaime vehicle you can exapt to "own the libs" is fine by them: pipelines, vaccines, drag time story hour, sedition — anything goes.

United We Roll wasn't just about oil and gas. Scheer knew that and worked the crowd anyway
He failed to draw a distinction between legitimate pipelines grievances and xenophobic rhetoric

Angela Wright · for CBC News · Posted: Feb 26, 2019 4:00 AM EST | Last Updated: February 26, 2019

The Road Not Taken The 1920s Hush-A-Phone was an accessory resonant chamber attached to the mic stalk and held close to the mouth to keep the participants in a telephone conversation limited to the sender and their intended receiver. Copyright issues kept such accessory tech shelved for decades.

A wee box attached to an old-timey phone.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hush-A-Phone

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John Roscoe @johnroscoe.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

Seems a bit sus, his claim that there were no separatists ten years ago. And by "sus" I mean "codswallop." (Below, Calgary Herald 2014.)

Online survey of 627 adults questioned Albertans about their views on dealing with unity [...] Asked if Alberta would be better off as it's own country, 70 percent disagreed with separation while just 23 per cent agreed. Sic percent were unsure.

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"Ach! Zee Chermans are *goot* people; zey giff me ziss natty Hugo Boss outfit!" bragged Rolf.

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John Roscoe @johnroscoe.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

Pay somebody to pick up my carrot tops and coffee grinds? Oh hell no. I brew compost like it's a rare liquer. I dose and rotate my banana peels and apple cores with mathematical precision augmented by artistic inspiration. My compost is manna from heaven, a life-giving protoplasmic earth-mother.

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John Roscoe @johnroscoe.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

C'mon, you really think they could do *worse?*

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John Roscoe @johnroscoe.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Back (2017-19) is some of the best work we'll ever see from a mature Mitchell-Webb; both seasons are impeccably scripted and they've brought on some gifted supporting talent (Geoffrey McGivern, in particular, is a gem). Watched the "you stole my dead body!" ep last night and we laughed like a drain.

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John Roscoe @johnroscoe.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

"Hey ducky! Does your drake got pecs like these? Watch: I'll make 'em dance!" Bloody herons — buncha creeps. But this jerk is still my #WingsOpenNotFlying #BirdOfTheDay. #BOTD #EastCoastKin #Birds #Bird #Photography #Birding #Birders #Birdwatching #NaturePhotographer #BirdsOfBluesky #Birdwatchers

A Heron suns itself on the riverbank as a duck floats blithely past.

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John Roscoe @johnroscoe.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

I'm lucky — I plateaued early and started looking seventy when I was about thirty, and I've just been growing into it ever since. It's the Abe Vigoda school of Aging Gracefully.

Abe Vigoda as Fish on Barney Miller. He looked like that for about fifty years.

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John Roscoe @johnroscoe.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

Olivia Colman, ladies and gentlemen.

A languid 7 month old tabby named Olivia Colman stretches paws to reveal she's remarkably long.

John Roscoe @johnroscoe.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

Attention, passengers of the S.S. Cutanic: we have struck an adorbsberg and will drown in a sea of sweet sweet kitten love. #Caturday365 #Caturdaycuties #CaturdayMorning #CaturdayCatCafe #Caturday

Our delightful 7 month old tabby, Olivia Colman poses for a sleepy photo reclining between a pair of bare feet on the couch.

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John Roscoe @johnroscoe.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

"Blesséd are the meek, for they shall inherit the Earth." "You mean the appliances and thermostats and stuff?" "What? No. Why would you-" "Like smart watches and scheduling agents and LLMs?" "Definitely not. The meek are-" "Pretty sure you mean the toaster from Red Dwarf, tho. Right?" "Oh My Dad."

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John Roscoe @johnroscoe.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

It's that time of year again! INFOMERCIAL "I wanna turn my lungs into a Litterbox Of The Outdoors, packing each tiny alveoli with decaying flora, desiccated insect parts and dry old bits of bird and rodent poo — but I DON'T wanna spend a lot of money. What can I do?" GET YOURSELF A LEAF BLOWER!

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John Roscoe @johnroscoe.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

I EVEN SHOWED HIM MY PERSONAL HELI PAD

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John Roscoe @johnroscoe.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Head office needs you to find the difference between these pictures.

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John Roscoe @johnroscoe.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

A sudden thud like distant thunder and the time machine materializes. Louis Pasteur steps out! "Where — I mean 'when' — am I?" "This is the year 2026, Mr. Pasteur." "Egad! What scientific advances have been made lo these many decades?" "[whisper whisper]" "What the blazes is wrong with you people?"

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John Roscoe @johnroscoe.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

If Peter Navarro were sat in the best seat in an IMAX theatre and shown the documentary, "Peter Navarro: Exactly Where His Ass Is" combining archival footage, expert witness testimony and colourful maps and charts narrated by Sir David Attenborough... ...he still couldn't find it with both hands.

On fox news Peter Navarro says Canada has been taken over by Mexican Cartels.

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John Roscoe @johnroscoe.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

"This is the beginning of an American healthcare renaissance: our dialysis machines are *world class* and demand is off the charts — we can't make 'em fast enough." ~ Dude With A Voice Like Frozen Turkey Parts Rattling Down A Fire Escape Which Empties Into An Alley Where a Boy Scout is Being Mugged

A kidney dialysis machine in use by a middle aged man, off screen right.

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John Roscoe @johnroscoe.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

It was a catastrophic abdication of duty at a critical moment in Alberta history — and that "moment" has yet to end. But instead of holding the people responsible to account, we've got Dean bloody Allison demaaaanding Amy Tan be indicted for not endorsing horse de-worming paste and ball tanning.

"Best summer ever" hat, sold by Jason Kenney's UCP long after the catastrophe began to unfold.

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John Roscoe @johnroscoe.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

"Pesticide, eh? Tosh, what's a little bug spray betwee-" "..." "Eh? Carcino-come again?" "..." "I see. That's what I thought you said. Right-oh, toodle pip!" "Something amiss, Master Weston?" "Seems I bought USA poison berries!" "Heaven forfend, sir! What is to be done?" "Bung 'em off cheap, I say."

Bertie Wooster on the phone while Jeeves attends nearby.

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John Roscoe @johnroscoe.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

I remember when Rob Ford accused Daniel Dale of secretly filming Rob's kids for nefarious purposes — he wasn't, of course, but Rob figured his avuncular, lie-happy Everyman schtick was powerful enough he could paint an unfriendly reporter as a pedophile. He retracted when Dale threatened litigation.

Speaking without a filter helps political liars be viewed as honest
I observed this phenomenon with the first frequent political liar I covered, the bellicose former Toronto mayor Rob Ford. A politician who gives the impression that they authentically speak their mind is likely to be seen by many as honest even if a high proportion of their actual words are not true. Trump has always done badly in honesty polling, but his insult-heavy, damn-the-teleprompters style has also helped convince a segment of the populace that he is not only reasonably truthful but especially truthful.

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John Roscoe @johnroscoe.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

You go ahead and enjoy your Alaskan Fat Bear competition. Me? I'm taking bets on which raccoon gets bigger: Randy the Raised Garden Curious or Rudy the Ramblin' Grub Buster. They were hard at work eating bugs in my back yard all night long!

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John Roscoe @johnroscoe.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Grocers need to figure out that the lazy abdication of their responsibility to inform customers of the country of origin is just bad marketing strategy. I know I'm not the only Canadian who reads... Country of Origin United States / Mexico ...as... May Contain Listeria, Carcinogens / Yams

Country of Origin
United States / Mexico

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John Roscoe @johnroscoe.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

There's an "edibility scale" of imported American foodstuffs: it terminates in disease-bearing bagged salads and, at the opposite end, in carcinogenic pesticide-sprayed fruit and berries. If you must eat produce from USA, consider items from the middle of the continuum. Like a ten-pin bowling ball.

Stock photo man in full protective gear spraying pesticide.

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John Roscoe @johnroscoe.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

It's a late-September harvest #Caturday at my place as I try to explain to Olivia that a gardener loves all of his produce — even the gnarly cucumber that got snagged in the netting. She disagrees.

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John Roscoe @johnroscoe.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

You have to be well pissed at future generations as yet unborn to pick a gas-burning car over an EV these days. "Oh, bugger your clean air and livable weather you smug, snotty wee gobshites," the driver snarls, buttoning his driving gloves and revving his engine, "I hope you choke on fruit pablum."

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John Roscoe @johnroscoe.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

I remember a bunch of musicians being tried/ investigated for "subliminal messaging" corrupting teens and making them do violence. The "Satanic Panic" was all hooey, of course (Louie Louie backwards does not lead to suicide) but this is blatant and liminal — and we're not even getting stickers!

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John Roscoe @johnroscoe.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

There'll always be a place for internal combustion engines — behind red velvet ropes in museums and eccentric millionaires' private collections, mostly. You don't have to be some kind of tea leaf-reading mentalist to see what's coming, yet many will *still* cling to their anchors all the way down.

A b&w photo of a gentleman and lady in a hoese-drawn handsome cab with the caption, "horseless carriage? Idle codswallop, more like."

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John Roscoe @johnroscoe.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

"Aluminum tariffs? Canadian jobs? So what! I'm talking about Drogheda! That property has been in my family since Grande Pa-Pa won it fleecing rubes on the riverboat!"