iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Sara Hastings-Simon 🇨🇦 @shastingssimon.bsky.social · 18h

For reasons - dinner a day early (and with our traditional rotisserie chicken rather than turkey). Happy thanksgiving 🍁🍂

Wooden table covered with food including stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes and chicken

Pumpkin ice cream pie and regular pumpkin pie

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Reposted by Sara Hastings-Simon 🇨🇦

Jenny Chase @solarchase.bsky.social · 10/10/2026

Time for 2026 updates to my annual “opinions about solar” thread, now with storage. If you like these, you might like edition 2 of my book, Solar Power Finance Without The Jargon. A 30% discount code WSQ0437 is valid on publisher website til end of Nov 2026. www.worldscientific.com/worldscibook...

worldscientific.com

Solar Power Finance Without the Jargon

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Sara Hastings-Simon 🇨🇦 @shastingssimon.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

What might look like the notebook of a very organized person but is really the last ditch attempt using ever brain cell and coping strategy to overcome the side effects of the cancer meds and continue to function.

Page from a bullet style notebook showing a calendar and multiple lists with different decorations

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Sara Hastings-Simon 🇨🇦 @shastingssimon.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

Leaving aside the fact that there is no evidence that there is some correct framing that would actually make any difference - this is a message clearly targeted at the cyclists afraid of dying (or seeing others die) to take action together.

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Sara Hastings-Simon 🇨🇦 @shastingssimon.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

they do and I love it I also love thinking about hte process of selective breeding that created these which I imagine as people asking, hmm does this grape taste more or less like cotton candy than this grape?

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Sara Hastings-Simon 🇨🇦 @shastingssimon.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

Report back on how it is! I bought (and installed) our washer and dryer when I was pregnant and they are still going strong as my kids go into high school. I can’t wait to get a heat pump dryer and seal up that external vent.

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Sara Hastings-Simon 🇨🇦 @shastingssimon.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

I understand the reluctance. Is your washer still working? You could keep it, get a combo that can in principle be used as the dryer but then also you guys can try out the combo without the firm commitment.

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Sara Hastings-Simon 🇨🇦 @shastingssimon.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

No personal experience because mine are working fine but I have my eye on either the LG or GE combo when one of ours goes. I figure I can replace just the washer or dryer (with the bonus of not needing the 220v). Mostly because all of the other heat pump dryers Ive found are small by NA standard

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Sara Hastings-Simon 🇨🇦 @shastingssimon.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

Dying at this description. Have you considered walking around with a cut of meat tied around your head?

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Sara Hastings-Simon 🇨🇦 @shastingssimon.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

aw 🥰 It's definitely supposed to be broadly accessible. This one is tomorrow at Mount Royal University (might be a bit far...) but if it goes well I will try it again in the future!

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Sara Hastings-Simon 🇨🇦 @shastingssimon.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

This talk is either going to be awesome or I will never be invited back but YOLO (of course I'm hoping its the first)

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Sara Hastings-Simon 🇨🇦 @shastingssimon.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

very possible ive gone too hard on the dragon analogy (mixed because now the dragons are the technology but 🤷‍♀️)

Dragon pictures on a slide.
The top two illustrate the challenge of incumbency bias with respect to the issues with new technologies (dragon with 3 heads breathing fire) being scary while the historical tech (stuffed dragon) we are used to and they seem fine.

The bottom is a dragon sitting at what appears to be a table for a fancy meal and illustrates the issue of measuring new technology with historical metrics that are not well adapted to what it can provide

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Reposted by Sara Hastings-Simon 🇨🇦

Science Magazine @science.org · 05/10/2026

Exclusive: A new analysis refutes James Watson’s claim that he was the first to recognize the significance of the famed photograph 51. scim.ag/4rTKck8

scim.ag

How did Rosalind Franklin miss the helix in her iconic DNA image? She didn’t

New analysis refutes James Watson’s claim he was first to recognize significance of famed photograph 51

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Sara Hastings-Simon 🇨🇦 @shastingssimon.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

how is it possible that 30% of 17 year olds are not allowed to leave their street without an adult (the sum of house, yard, street)? I don't dispute the underlying point that kids freedom is impacted by cars but that seems not credible for people 1 year away from being adults...

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Sara Hastings-Simon 🇨🇦 @shastingssimon.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

new profile picture - not halloween but its still a jump scare every time I see my not very curly post chemo hair

two photos of the same woman with glasses smiling
on the left she has a lot of curly hair, on the right her hair is in a short bob and relatively straight/wavey

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Sara Hastings-Simon 🇨🇦 @shastingssimon.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

Labyrinth At my first ever sleepover. Made scarier by the fact the girl called Sara had a younger brother with the same (somewhat unusual) name as my little brother.

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Sara Hastings-Simon 🇨🇦 @shastingssimon.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

In Calgary you can call EFW here for example www.efw.ca (This also all applies outside of AB but I just know these details). If your report comes back as having dense breasts ask about having an ultrasound and yearly mammograms.

efw.ca

EFW Radiology - Calgary & Airdrie - Committed To Excellent Patient Care

EFW Radiology provides comprehensive interventional & diagnostic imaging services in Calgary & the surrounding areas. Request an appointment online or call us!

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Sara Hastings-Simon 🇨🇦 @shastingssimon.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

🎀 if you live in alberta and are 45 or older and you haven’t already - call tomorrow to make a self referral to have a mammogram. If you are 40-44 ask your family doctor to refer you to have it done (starting next April you can self refer) - it just might save your life like it did mine

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Jef Poskanzer @jef.mastodon.social.ap.brid.gy · 12/06/2026

Caulifornia

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Sara Hastings-Simon 🇨🇦 @shastingssimon.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

I mean, said with great admiration, are you *really* surprised by this?

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Sara Hastings-Simon 🇨🇦 @shastingssimon.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

Also I feel strongly about continuing to make kind of mid-looking clip art based slides in the world of AI 🤷‍♀️

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Sara Hastings-Simon 🇨🇦 @shastingssimon.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

working on some slides like a very serious professor person (TM)

ppt slide titled: We are entering the "messy" mid-transition

Shows arrow from historical fossil fuel based to fully decarbonized with a picture of a pot of gold and rainbow with mid-transition in between and a "here be dragons" drawing

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Sara Hastings-Simon 🇨🇦 @shastingssimon.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Guys my dad is on here now so I suddenly feel like I have to behave.

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Sara Hastings-Simon 🇨🇦 @shastingssimon.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

Oh I meant more the way it was said but I didn’t realize they were part of the same statement. My bad.

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Sara Hastings-Simon 🇨🇦 @shastingssimon.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

I wish that quote had (like the next sentence does) specified that it’s not religion generally but right wing Christian evangelicalism specifically.

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Sara Hastings-Simon 🇨🇦 @shastingssimon.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

Thanks for your support from AI in making this happen!!

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Sara Hastings-Simon 🇨🇦 @shastingssimon.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

What is the physiological explanation for the fact that when one has a head cold it feels like you can drink like 6 liters in a day and still feel thirsty?!

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Sara Hastings-Simon 🇨🇦 @shastingssimon.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

We were just discussing the other day when it is that you get this power as a mom.

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Robson Fletcher @robsonfletcher.com · 02/10/2026

The University of Calgary launched its new Electricity Centre this morning. It will be a place where researchers, policymakers & the public can intersect on the increasingly important issues surrounding our power grid, generation, distribution & emissions. Expect to hear more soon!

University of Calgary Electricity Centre directors Blake Shaffer and Sara Hastings-Simon speak at the centre's launch event.

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Sara Hastings-Simon 🇨🇦 @shastingssimon.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Normalcy bias is a heck of a thing because when you step back and think about it for a moment the idea of an open flame in the middle of your kitchen as the ideal selling point in a home in the 21st century is kind of wild.

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Sara Hastings-Simon 🇨🇦 @shastingssimon.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Just think how you could increase the value of your house by marketing it as having 7+ bathrooms

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For Our Kids - Alberta @forourkidsalberta.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Ten US states have made plug-in solar affordable. Zero Canadian provinces. Add your name for plug-in solar for Alberta. It takes 30 seconds! 🔌 🌞 pluginsolarpower.ca/alberta

pluginsolarpower.ca

Alberta | Plug-In Solar for Canada

An estimated 4 to 5 million European homes use a plug-in solar kit to cut their power bill. Help unlock certified kits across Canada, province by province and federally.

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Sara Hastings-Simon 🇨🇦 @shastingssimon.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

so AB folks - what are we doing with the coming time change (or rather lack there of) and our outlook calendars? I found a Microsoft article saying that they are releasing a new timezone setting but I dont have that update yet... look forward to being an hour late or early to all my meetings soon

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Sara Hastings-Simon 🇨🇦 @shastingssimon.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

I may or may not have scared my husband by shouting and then hurt my shoulder by the involuntary fist pumping 🤣

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Sara Hastings-Simon 🇨🇦 @shastingssimon.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

When you get the acceptance email for the paper that is over 5 years in the making 🎉🥳🥂🤯. I CANT WAIT TO SHARE THIS ONE

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Sara Hastings-Simon 🇨🇦 @shastingssimon.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

I forgot they also had a high end condo building called Deans landing so really it’s just trolling everyone

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Sara Hastings-Simon 🇨🇦 @shastingssimon.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

The new rental building in the University District is apparently called "Thesis" and either no one in the company ever went to grad school or it's an attempt at trolling their potential tenants.

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Sara Hastings-Simon 🇨🇦 @shastingssimon.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

I think calling it a unicorn/never going to happen is an overstatement. Obviously not tomorrow but an order of magnitude ish in density improvement isn’t out of the question IMO over the decade timescale.

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Reposted by Sara Hastings-Simon 🇨🇦

Terri @terriclarke.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

A new research paper out of UBC examined the effect of purchase rebates (tiered by income) on ebike adoption, and found that ebike adopters reduced their travel costs by 12% and increased their physical activity by 14% with other benefits being enjoyment and general wellbeing.

sciencedirect.com

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Kevin J. Kircher @kevinjkircher.com · 26/09/2026

"Hope third parties obtain evidence of polluters breaking laws and share it with the state" can't be how we enforce air pollution laws meant to protect nearby people from polluters who'll happily increase their risks of "asthma, heart attacks and even premature death" if it means more profit.

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Kevin J. Kircher @kevinjkircher.com · 26/09/2026

Microsoft's data center subcontractor in New Jersey illegally runs a bunch of gas "backup" generators on site, figuring they won't get caught or will just eat the wrist-slap fines if they do. Regulatory enforcement is so bad that a third party had to take drone images to get the state to act.

theguardian.com

New Jersey datacenter fined $1.1m after visual investigation showed dozens of unpermitted generators

State regulator’s record fine for DataOne facility in Vineland follows Floodlight investigation with the Guardian

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