iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

David Berry @pleasuremotors.bsky.social · 22h

Sure, municipal democracy is dead in Alberta, but look on the bright side! So are workers' rights! And public healthcare! And our climate! And freedom of expression! And pedestrians! And affordability! And trans kids! And sovereignty!

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Pride Ott 🦦 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ @hikoukihikouki9.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

Take shamefully stolen from eugenics twink but it is funny how porn is often considered one of the major vices of the digital era but unlike infinite scrolling algorithmically curated content it has a very obvious end state where you get on with the rest of your life

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Virgo's Constant Groove @ceencrumpets.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

A lot of things that have paywalls actually do not if you use the library.

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Rob Sheridan @rob-sheridan.com · 25/08/2026

A roadie once told me about working on one of Dolly Parton’s tours years ago: On the first day of rehearsals, she arrived and gathered the whole crew around to introduce herself. She then lifted her shirt and said “there they are, now you’ve seen ‘em, let’s get to work.” RIP Queen.

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Blake Shaffer 🇨🇦 @blakeshaffer.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

You can’t make this up: Alberta seeks help from other Canadian provinces to run referendum on separating from Canada www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/alber...

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The Walrus @thewalrus.ca · 15/08/2026

From underfunded arts to a K–12 curriculum that ignores local history, writer David Berry argues that his home province of Alberta has neglected its own story. The lack of a compelling narrative has complicated the province’s separatist movement. thewalrus.ca/alberta-separatists-cu…

On the left: an image of a red book with a cutout in the shape of the province of Alberta through it on a dark blue background. On the right: text that reads “Alberta Separatists forgot to build a culture. Independence movements usually have more to them than economic grievances.”

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David Berry @pleasuremotors.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

Me in the Walrus, on how Alberta's separatists have been so focused on their grievances for the last five decades, they forgot to build the kind of institutions that could have convinced people (especially their fellow Albertans) that they have some reason to be mad: thewalrus.ca/alberta-sepa...

thewalrus.ca

Alberta Separatists Forgot to Build a Culture | The Walrus

Independence movements usually have more to them than economic grievances

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oldmikey.bsky.social @oldmikey.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

Speaking of AB culture and distinct society. Fil Fraser wrote in "Alberta Camelot", "Jeanne Lougheed knew, and her husband [Premier Peter Lougheed] agreed, that the province's wealth wouldn't mean much in the long term if it did not also nurture the spirit of its people." What is AB nurturing today?

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The Walrus @thewalrus.ca · 13/08/2026

For reasons ranging from world-historic to personal, Alberta has struggled deeply to offer any cohesive sense of self—and champions of separatism are filling the void with anti-woke rants and imported American grievances. Writer David Berry explores: thewalrus.ca/alberta-separatists-cu…

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Paris Marx @parismarx.com · 30/06/2026

all the talking heads saying we need to show albertans that the rest of canada understands their concerns and make policy changes to prove it, when what they’re really saying is we need to give into an extreme right-wing minority in alberta by gutting climate policy to appease the oil industry

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Jeremy Appel 🍉 @readtheorchard.org · 24/06/2026

SCOOP: I obtained the itinerary and other documents relating to Edmonton police Chief Warren Driechel’s February 2026 Israel trip. @mbueckert.bsky.social of @cjpme.org says it’s “much worse than any of us expected.” open.substack.com/pub/theorcha...

open.substack.com

SCOOP: Edmonton police chief visited illegal West Bank settlements during Israel trip

Warren Driechel also met with members from an undercover unit that less than three months earlier executed two unarmed men in Jenin after they had surrendered.

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David Berry @pleasuremotors.bsky.social · 27/05/2026

A Canadian flag on a truck with Alberta plates is currently on its third or fourth completely unique implication about the driver's politics since 2020

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Anakana Schofield @anakanaschofield.bsky.social · 26/05/2026

It’s publication day for Library of Brothel in Canada (US/UK will be Jan 12, 2027 by @nyrb-imprints.bsky.social) This novel is REALLY going to need your support. If you “tip it off a cliff“ in literature not everyone will be willing to go with you. So come out for the proletariat and buy a copy.

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Anchorage Man @sethpartnow.bsky.social · 26/05/2026

So, @edzitron.com ate his Wheatties this morning

LLMs impress the writers who do not want to write, the coders who don't want to code, the researchers who don't want to research, and the lawyers that don't want to actually understand case law. Those that desperately tell you how powerful Al is and that you simply must use it are looking for you to validate their own laziness or distaste for effort, and those who are impressed with LLMs' outputs tend to be people with low standards.

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Dan Olson @foldablehuman.bsky.social · 13/05/2026

Alberta separatism is the endpoint of the right wing radio/podcast post-truth ecosystem: a vocal and violent minority trying to tear everything down out of a belief that being petty lords over rubble is preferable to the tyranny of bike lanes and public transit.

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Dave Cournoyer 🇨🇦 @daveberta.bsky.social · 12/05/2026

In the midst of all the political news and noise that we are easily distracted by everyday, it has been reassuring to see how many local library boards across Alberta have spoken out in opposition to Bill 28. It’s clear that a lot of Albertans believe public libraries are worth fighting for.

daveberta.substack.com

Undermining public trust in public libraries is the real aim of Dan Williams’ Bill 28

Public libraries in Alberta are worth fighting for

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Richard Warnica @rwarnica.bsky.social · 08/05/2026

I went home recently to write about Alberta’s separatists. What I found was a movement wildly, dangerously disconnected from reality. www.thestar.com/opinion/star...

thestar.com

Richard Warnica: I went home to the heartland of Alberta independence. Even after covering Donald Trump for 10 years, I was still terrified by what I found

Independence movement eerily reminiscent of Trump's America.

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Jeremy Appel 🍉 @readtheorchard.org · 06/05/2026

NEW: What I learned spending Monday outside the closed-door Alberta Christian Leadership Summit, formerly known as the Premier’s Christian Summit. thetyee.ca/News/2026/05...

thetyee.ca

I Was Barred from Smith’s Christian Summit. I’m Still Reporting on It | The Tyee

The pricey pay-for-access event featured religious and right-wing stars behind closed doors.

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Carrie Tait @carrietait.bsky.social · 30/04/2026

Alberta's separatist campaign has private info on 2.9 million residents, including names, addresses, electoral IDs and phone numbers; Elections Alberta previously declined to investigate potential data breach. With my pal Chen Wang. www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/alber...

theglobeandmail.com

Elections Alberta probing whether electors list was inappropriately shared

Alberta’s separatist campaign has access to personal information about 2.9 million residents that resembles province’s recent list of electors

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Robert Evans (the Only Robert Evans) @iwriteok.bsky.social · 27/04/2026

Things feel very scary right now! Almost everyone I know is trapped perpetually on the edge of panic. And yet for the last few weeks I've felt curiously optimistic. You can listen to me explain why on this special episode of It Could Happen Here: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/i...

podcasts.apple.com

The Age of Extremophiles

Podcast Episode · It Could Happen Here · April 27 · 37m

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Brett McKay @brettmckay.bsky.social · 27/04/2026

Search Alberta's most banned books (so far) from the 2025-2026 school year. theijf.org/article/sear...

theijf.org

Search Alberta's banned books

Public service journalism

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David Berry @pleasuremotors.bsky.social · 25/04/2026

The Edmonton Oilers are a Team of Destiny, but the destiny is to make a guy who lives in Summerhill so mad he throws his dog

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Ben Werdmuller @werd.io · 17/04/2026

Newsrooms should not block the Internet Archive. Any public service publisher should not block the Internet Archive. If anything, we should all be directly supporting the Internet Archive.

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David Berry @pleasuremotors.bsky.social · 17/04/2026

This is like 10x more lascivious than anything in Blankets, for an Alberta angle

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Jim Teeth @drjamesjteeth.bsky.social · 22/03/2026

This is an excellent summary of the US War on Iran current situation. I’m an existentialist and borderline absurdist and even I struggle with the current moment. This summary is just fantastic.

no01.substack.com

March, 19-21: God is a comedian

A stiff drink is recommended

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Rahawa Haile @rahawahaile.bsky.social · 03/03/2026

Writers of Bsky: Scratch is back! This time as a weekly newsletter/blog about how writers are surviving ~these times~, run by me, @manjula.bsky.social, @maggiemertens.bsky.social, and @latriagraham.bsky.social. You can read more about why/what that means in our announcement post below.

talkscratch.com

The New Scratch

How is anyone who writes making any money right now?

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Kate Heartfield @kateheartfield.com · 10/03/2026

Non-writers are wondering why in the replies, and it's basically math. Authors typically make a few bucks or less /copy and even a Big 5 book can sell <10k and that might even meet expectations (depending). Like all things in capitalism, it's uneven, with a small minority of authors selling lots.

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Jackie Lau @jackielaubooks.bsky.social · 18/02/2026

Canadian authors, remember to register your books for the PLR program by May 1! For the first time, you are no longer required to mail things in—you can do it online.

publiclendingright.ca

The Public Lending Right (PLR) Program

It pays to have your books in Canada’s libraries! Learn more about the Public Lending Right Program

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Blake Shaffer 🇨🇦 @blakeshaffer.bsky.social · 27/02/2026

annual reminder: Alberta's deficit is a choice.

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Aaron @abud.bsky.social · 25/02/2026

If there ever was a space that should be pedestrianized year-round, it's 104 Street. Sign the petition and help revitalize downtown: c.org/hj2QPp696q #yeg #yegdt

A picture of 104 Street full of people because it is closed to cars.

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David Berry @pleasuremotors.bsky.social · 20/02/2026

Alberta's current fiscal issues could basically be solved by adopting a tax regime comparable to every other province in the country, but instead we're going to scapegoat the vulnerable and try to tear down the best parts of Canada. What a complete disgrace.

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Hildur Knútsdóttir @hildur.bsky.social · 18/02/2026

I regularly see people wondering how it's possible that there are so many musicians and writers and film makers and artists from a tiny nation like Iceland. And the answer is really simple: State funding for art education and artists. I literally get a salary from the government to write books.

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Edmonton Transit Riders @etriders.bsky.social · 18/02/2026

Most people know you can text 31100 for bus times, but almost nobody uses the ‘SAVE’ feature. You can actually give your stops nicknames like ‘HOME’ or ‘WORK.’ One word, one text, and you’re in the know. #transit #yeg #transithacks #urbanism #yeglrt #takeets

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Peter Counter, Nightmare Host @peterbcounter.com · 31/01/2026

The thing that bothers me so much about Carney's joke about greenlighting the Heated Rivalry show is that it furthers the narrative that it's a needle in a haystack. Anyone who reads Canadian books and watches Canadian film knows that we could have dozens more HRs with enough funding.

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Coach House Books @coachhousebooks.bsky.social · 27/01/2026

On TalkPaperScissors this week, David Berry @pleasuremotors.bsky.social (How Artists Make Money and How Money Makes Artists) talks all things art and economics alongside Raymond Biesinger! Listen here: podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/c...

podcasts.apple.com

Currency and Creativity with David Berry and Raymond Biesinger

Podcast Episode · Talk Paper Scissors · 2026-01-27 · 48m

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Troy Pavlek @troypavlek.ca · 21/01/2026

Local creep Jesse Watson, after losing in the election this fall has doubled down on his pattern of behaviour of stalking, harassment and bullying. Yesterday, he attempted to dox a city councillor in a post about parking bans that WAS FALSE He really, REALLY wants to be a right wing influencer

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Henry Farrell @himself.bsky.social · 08/01/2026

this gets at something important.

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Paris Marx @parismarx.com · 15/12/2025

Still can’t get over how Mark Carney hates Canada Post so much he’s willing to kill libraries along with it.

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pixelatedboat aka “mr bluesky” @pixelatedboat.bsky.social · 13/12/2025

My transport plan is simple: a lifetime ban on driving for anyone with a DUI, turning drunks into a powerful constituency in favour of dense walkable neighbourhoods

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