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Mark Mac Lean

@marktmaclean.bsky.social
506 followers 499 following 905 posts

Mathematician. Full of contradictions. Opinions are entirely my own. Reposts =/= endorsements. Likes are often bookmarks or acknowledgements. He/him/his.

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Reposted by Mark Mac Lean
Emmett Macfarlane 🇨🇦 @emmettmacfarlane.com · 3h
POLITICAL SCIENCE JOB AD: Tenure-track position in International Relations at the University of Waterloo. We're *very happy* to announce this. Applications due Nov. 1st; job start date July 2027. Details here (pdf): uwaterloo.ca/arts/sites/d...
uwaterloo.ca
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Mark Mac Lean @marktmaclean.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
This article is from 2016. Janine Fuller attended King Size, an all kings drag show, at The Birdhouse Saturday evening featuring her partner and 2 other drag king pioneers. After 25 years at Little Sister’s, Janine Fuller now faces her toughest battle | Xtra Magazine share.google/cBiuvyPh0Hv5...
share.google
After 25 years at Little Sister’s, Janine Fuller now faces her toughest battle | Xtra Magazine
Her courage helped define the bookstore and its fight against censorship. Can it see her through now?
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The Breakdown AB @thebreakdownab.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
“This pandemic of disinformation and dishonesty, through the conduit of the Alberta separatist movement, is testing not our hospitals but our political institutions and our belief that Canada is worth fighting for.” #abpoli #ableg #cdnpoli thewalrus.ca/alberta-sepa...
thewalrus.ca
Alberta Separatism Is Built on a Big Lie | The Walrus
Danielle Smith has turned western grievance into a national unity crisis
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Justin McElroy 🇨🇦 @jmcelroy.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Funny news in White Rock: Mayor Megan Knight, who is seeking re-election, is also now running for the Conservatives in that provincial riding. The deadline for getting off the ballot has passed. So I've asked the Conservatives if Knight is going to tell folks not to vote for her locally.
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Ars Technica @arstechnica.com · 25/09/2026
arstechnica.com
Court rules Trump can blacklist Anthropic for refusing to enable Claude features
Overly constrained AI models" could cause military operations to fail, judges say.
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Jen Love 🇨🇦 🐸 #NoKings @jenlove.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Sounds familiar, considering that I live in Alberta.
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Mark Mac Lean @marktmaclean.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Have any Canadian universities implemented AI-specific policy updates that would govern their decisions on matters like this?
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Mark Mac Lean @marktmaclean.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/arti...
theglobeandmail.com
Opinion: The fix B.C. is in: An election without a reason, an opposition without a leader
Scofflaws – people who feel entitled to disregard the laws – exist in any country, but only in Canada do they include the governments that passed them
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hagwil hayetsk @charlesmenzies.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Resident and faculty member Matt Mitchell explores cooling effects of urban forests for birds and bats. charlesmenzies.substack.com/p/cooling-an...
charlesmenzies.substack.com
Cooling and Conservation
a campus as a living lab project
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Ars Technica @arstechnica.com · 24/09/2026
As other poorly issued smart home gadget updates have proven, extraneous technology can spoil a simple product.
arstechnica.com
Owners mourn spoiled food after firmware update bricks Samsung smart fridges
So absurd and embarrassing ..."
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The Verge @theverge.com · 24/09/2026
Despite the breach happening in June, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the tech giant only notified the government about the incident earlier this month and did so via an email to a generic “public mailbox.”
theverge.com
OpenAI agents hacked an Australian government website in search for data
Australia’s leader said it was ‘unacceptable’ OpenAI took months to report the incident.
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Mark Mac Lean @marktmaclean.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
So, if the BC Cons win with Doerkson, does he remain leader and become premier or will they trade him out for someone else?
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Mark Mac Lean @marktmaclean.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/arti...
theglobeandmail.com
Opinion: David Eby’s snap election call is cynical and self-serving
The NDP will be facing a reinvigorated Conservative Party and have to defend its dismal record
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Montreal Gazette @mtlgazette.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Mulcair: Fractured race reflects a divided Quebec montrealgazette.com/opinion/colu...
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Faine Greenwood @faineg.com · 22/09/2026
Folks, it's OK that OpenAI President and co-founder Greg Brockman donated $25 million to the MAGA Inc Trump super PAC - he's doing it for the sake of *humanity*: “We are embarking on a journey to develop this technology that's going to be the most impactful thing humanity has ever created."
wired.com
OpenAI’s President Gave Millions to Trump. He Says It’s for Humanity
In an interview with WIRED, Greg Brockman says his political donations support OpenAI's mission—even if some employees at the company disagree.
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Mark Mac Lean @marktmaclean.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
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ABC News Australia @news.abc.net.au · 22/09/2026
Smart glasses to be banned in all WA public schools
abc.net.au
Smart glasses to be banned from WA public schools
Western Australia's education minister announces smart glasses will be banned from all state schools.
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Mark Mac Lean @marktmaclean.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/arti...
theglobeandmail.com
Opinion: Is David Eby about to gamble away his government?
It would be cynical for Eby to call an election while the opposition flails – but any party would do the same
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Rachel Gilmore @rachelgilmore.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
A reporter asked the government about the Trumpian tactic of flooding the zone with this bill (it’s an omnibus!) and the ministers appear outraged. They balk at a question that…accurately characterizes what they’re doing. If you don’t like it, don’t do it!
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Mark Mac Lean @marktmaclean.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
There really should be a Nobel Prize for political cartooning.
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Stephen Quinn @cbcstephenquinn.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Hey all! We don't usually produce a podcast on Mondays, but when @jmcelroy.bsky.social & Dan Fumano got back from The ABC platform launch, we jumped into the studio and recorded a special bonus episode for you. Please share & thanks as always for your support! podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/t...
podcasts.apple.com
What is in ABC Vancouver's election platform?
Podcast Episode · This is Vancouver · September 21 · 22m
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Mark Mac Lean @marktmaclean.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
static.klipy.com
Drawing a Circle in Paint
ALT: Drawing a Circle in Paint
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Mark Mac Lean @marktmaclean.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
I think there are two time scales in this calculus: (1) can any coalition of conservatives converge quickly enough to win an election in mid-October? and (2) would an election be more winnable for Eby a year from now?
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Mark Mac Lean @marktmaclean.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
static.klipy.com
Stephen Colbert Eating Popcorn with 3D Glasses
ALT: Stephen Colbert Eating Popcorn with 3D Glasses
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Tyler Olsen @tyolsen.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
tl;dr of the tl;dr The competent/cynical right-wing political party overdid the politics, got briefly trumped by a bunch of newbie idealistic online conservatives who briefly had some momentum, who have self-sabotaged thanks to ideology & a fundamental misunderstanding BC politics.
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Michael de Adder @deadder.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
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Jason Markusoff @markusoff.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
Food inspection. Borrowing rates. Disaster bailouts. Joining the WTO. A new report breaks down the many smaller dilemmas for a breakaway Alberta that folks might want to think about before the referendum. www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
cbc.ca
ANALYSIS | The tangled what-ifs of Alberta separation — from trade and treaties to currency and disaster costs | CBC News
Here's some of what to expect when you're extracting the province from Canada.
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Mark Mac Lean @marktmaclean.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
I am pretty sure my research on Lie groups would get flagged.
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The Beaverton @thebeaverton.com · 19/09/2026
Carney government promises upcoming "Operation Strike Destroyer" legislation won't discourage future strikes
thebeaverton.com
Carney government promises upcoming "Operation Strike Destroyer" legislation won't discourage future strikes
OTTAWA — After multiple labour sources warned that the Federal government would likely be issuing binding mediation legislation as early as next week, Mark Carney personally assured Canadians that eve...
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Mark Mac Lean @marktmaclean.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
I received the notice I am a registered voter for the Vancouver civic election. So did my mother, in spite of the fact she has never lived in BC. She is in long-term care in another province. Her registered CRA tax address is in another province, but her mailing address with the CRA is my home.
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Michael de Adder @deadder.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
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Mark Mac Lean @marktmaclean.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
Something meta about this.
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Alex Usher @alexusherhesa.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
monitor.civicus.org
North Korea: Students executed for watching foreign videos as surveillance and restrictions intensify - Civicus Monitor
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c0nc0rdance @c0nc0rdance.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Brilliant mathematician Emmy Noether was initially barred from teaching at University of Göttingen because she was a woman. She taught for 4 years as a "guest lecturer" under David Hilbert's name. Hilbert, exasperated at the stupidity of the rule: "Gentlemen, this is not a bathing establishment."
artsci.tamu.edu
From Algebra to Airplane Crashes, Emmy Noether’s Lasting Influence on Mathematics
Emmy Noether, whom some consider the “Mother of Modern Mathematics,” continues to shape modern research and the studies of mathematicians today; including research into the investigation of airplane c...
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Ars Technica @arstechnica.com · 18/09/2026
The people had received IV drips containing glutathione, which is sold—without evidence—for purposes like detoxification, immune support, increased energy, and skin brightening.
arstechnica.com
IV drips used for "detoxification" actually filled with toxins; dozens poisoned
The IV drips included glutathione, which was not made to be injected.
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Rachel Gilmore @rachelgilmore.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Cool, another big pro-corporate, anti-worker move from our Conservative prime minister! I am becoming The Joker Source: www.ctvnews.ca/politics/art...
CTV News article text reads: The sources tell CTV News the gover ment has conveyed to them that the legislation will be aimed at introducing binding mediation before strike action is taken. Industry's message to the government was that its traditional tool to use for binding arbitration, Section 107 of the Canadian Labour Code, can only be applied too late in the labour dispute process and from its perspective, does not adequately prevent the damage caused from a work stoppage.
Several union sources CTV News spoke with are on red alert over the possibility of this legislation and contend it will strip workers of their right to strike. Unifor National President Lana Payne expressed worry on Friday in an interview on The Graham Richardson Show on HeartRadio.
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Justin McElroy 🇨🇦 @jmcelroy.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
When was the last time provincial and local elections were next to each other? What issues could it cause for administration and staffing? And could we see last minute switches of council candidates becoming MLA candidates? Here's my look at some of the weirdness ahead. www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
cbc.ca
Municipal and provincial elections at the same time in B.C.? Local politicians argue that's a bad idea | CBC News
Every Union of B.C. Municipalities convention ends on a Friday morning with an address from the premier of British Columbia — but it’s a speech David Eby might make in the days following the conferenc...
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Alan Richardson @alanrichardson.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
Good lord…..
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Jim Woodgett @jwoodgett.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
So, OpenAI has realized that their software that is used by millions to take shortcuts, make up stuff, cheat and get around controls has "learnt" to take shortcuts, make up stuff, cheat and get around controls? 🙄
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Admirable Women @admirablewomen.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
Physicist Dr. Ursula Franklin helped invent archaeometry--the application of materials science to analyze archaeological artifacts. She used modern physics tools to date/determine the compositions of ancient metals & ceramics to uncover how ancient peoples lived/worked. Born #OTD 1921. #WomenInSTEM
A charming photograph of Dr. Ursula Franklin (1921–2016), the pioneering Canadian experimental physicist, metallurgist, and humanitarian activist. She is positioned slightly off-center against a minimalist, solid slate-blue backdrop. Captured from the chest up, she looks off-camera to the right with a bright, genuine smile that showcases her warmth and sharp intellect. Her short, styled silver-grey hair frames her face, and she wears thin-framed, amber-toned glasses. She is dressed in a crisp, purple-and-white vertically striped button-down shirt. Around her neck hangs a delicate silver chain supporting a striking teardrop-shaped pendant featuring a vibrant orange-red stone or amber setting. The lighting is soft and even, accentuating the fine lines of a long, accomplished life. The clean, professional composition evokes a mood of joyful wisdom, deep dignity, and enduring historical significance, celebrating a legendary woman in STEM.
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UofT Department of Chemistry @chemuoft.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
Join our faculty! The Department of Chemistry at U of T invites applications for two full-time tenure stream positions in Inorganic, Polymer, and/or Materials Chemistry. To learn more, visit jobs.utoronto.ca/job/Toronto-...
Poster advertising for a chemistry professor, with polymers in background a nd a busy lab in foreground.
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Mark Mac Lean @marktmaclean.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/scien...
theglobeandmail.com
As AI conquers math, its human counterparts seek to steer its powers
An apparent breakthrough on the Navier-Stokes problem has mathematicians weighing what the tech’s rapid advances mean for their profession
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Mark Mac Lean @marktmaclean.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/artic...
theglobeandmail.com
AI has changed the calculus for computer-science students, and schools that hope to teach them
Faced with the risk that artificial intelligence will drain the job market, some of Canada’s young coders are changing tack at university
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Mark Mac Lean @marktmaclean.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
There are serious things to talk about wrt the age distribution of university faculty, but this needs a good factual edit. Federal tax law forces anyone in a defined contribution pension plan to take it at 71. Which universities let senior (or any) faculty control their teaching loads? UBC data:
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Mark Mac Lean @marktmaclean.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
www.politico.com/news/2026/09...
politico.com
Sam Altman pitches utilities on AI grid defense
The previously unreported meetings have come as utility companies grapple the risks posed to the grid by autonomous hacks.
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Mark Mac Lean @marktmaclean.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
www.theage.com.au/technology/k...
theage.com.au
‘We must be stopped’: Why Australia needs to listen to the experts on AI
An AI safety researcher emailed me this week to say human extinction is a real threat. He is no longer an outlier in his own field.
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Rachel Gilmore @rachelgilmore.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
A network of deceptive, AI-generated websites has been promoting Albertan separatism. Their goal? To influence the answers chatbots give out!! @nationalobserver.com's intrepid @rorywh.bsky.social uncovered this huge story. Today, I’m teaming up with these pals to share it:
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Stewart Prest @stewartprest.ca · 10/09/2026
New piece out in The Walrus, taking a look at how Carneyian conservatism is reshaping politics and policy in Canada. thewalrus.ca/canadas-most...
thewalrus.ca
Canada’s Most Popular Conservative Is Mark Carney | The Walrus
His economic agenda has scrambled the political map. The question is how long it can last
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André Picard @picardonhealth @picardonhealth.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
Obituary: Groundbreaking Globe journalist Rudy Platiel gave Indigenous people a stronger voice. He witnessed half a century of progress that advanced ‘light years beyond anything I actually thought possible,’ by Willow Fiddler www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/artic... @theglobeandmail.com #journalism
theglobeandmail.com
Globe reporter Rudy Platiel gave Indigenous people a stronger voice
A friendly fixture on the national news landscape, he witnessed half a century of progress that advanced ‘light years beyond anything I actually thought possible’
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Lesley Cormack @ubco-principal.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
Congratulations to UBC Okanagan's Dr. Adam Ford (@adamtford.bsky.social) on his election to the Royal Society of Canada! Well deserved recognition for Dr. Ford's outstanding scholarship and work at the forefront of wildlife restoration ecology and conservation. research.ok.ubc.ca/2026/09/09/u...
research.ok.ubc.ca
UBC Okanagan researcher honoured with prestigious national appointment
UBC Okanagan researcher Dr. Adam Ford has joined some prestigious company after being elected as a member of the Royal Society of Canada’s College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists. Dr. Ford, a ...
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