iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

brian @unlikely.ca · 23/09/2026

Actually pretty slick visual and sound design for a local market car company ad in 1984.

Red, green, and blue laser lines bounce around the screen on a black field of stars as 4 larger stars appear mid-screen, soon to morph into the word PARK.

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brian @unlikely.ca · 21/09/2026

Imagine this but good.

A VERY poorly hand-drawn draft of a passport cover that states “MANITOBA Unofficial Travel Passport + Sticker Book” featuring a questionable looking bison on rollerskates and a jetpack zooming down the Trans Canada highway. Why not?

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brian @unlikely.ca · 21/09/2026

Sunny the Giant Banana and Breezy Bluejay have entered the chat. Why not?

5 Manitoba characters stand saluting or waving: Flintabbatey Flonatin, Sunny the Giant Banana (with Breezy Bluejay), Happy Rock, and Can D Man.

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brian @unlikely.ca · 21/09/2026

AI just can’t compute Winnipeg.

Search Assistant (Duck Duck Go): “The mayor of Winnipeg in 1987 was Stephen Juba, who served from 1957 to 1959 and again from 1960 to 1977. Auto-generated from sources. May be inaccurate.”

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brian @unlikely.ca · 21/09/2026

The film is full of sight gags and in-jokes that only Winnipeggers can fully appreciate (though the comedy and drama of the film don’t depend on these moments, it’s just an extra layer to experience)

Still frame from Universal Language. A man standing in an empty shopping mall looks up mural depicting Brian Pallister and Justin Trudeau with a caption in farsi, subtitle translation: A STRONG ECONOMY HELPS TO PREVENT FEELINGS OF WORTHLESSNESS

Still frame from Universal Language. A large mural depicting Portage Place with a caption in farsi, subtitle translation: PORTAGE PLACE SHOPPING MALL IMPROVING DOWNTOWN WINNIPEG SINCE 1987

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brian @unlikely.ca · 17/09/2026

Thanks for putting this one on my radar. Nabbed a lucky find at the Devil May Care record sale last weekend! Amazing condition/sound for what seems to be an early Canadian repress.

Cover of Roberta Flack’s debut album First Take.

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brian @unlikely.ca · 12/09/2026

Alright, spent some time on these guys over a couple coffees at Colosimo and Postal. Starting to look better! ☕️☕️ #winnipeg #manitoba

Cartoon versions of Flintabbatey Flonatin, Happy Rock, and Can D Man hang out in front of a background reminiscent of the Manitoba license plate.

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brian @unlikely.ca · 10/09/2026

Day 2, and a draft of another famous Manitoba guy, Flintabbatey Flonatin, for the same project. (Again drawn in Inkscape, no AI)

A cartoon version of Flin Flon’s roadside mascot and namesake, Flintabbatey Flonaton

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brian @unlikely.ca · 09/09/2026

Some refinements and details, shadows, nonflesh hands.

Same Happy Rock character as above post but with minor refinements, shadows, etc.

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brian @unlikely.ca · 09/09/2026

Not an artist, sometimes does artist-like things. Rough prototype of Happy Rock for a little upcoming project celebrating Manitoba. (Drawn in Inkscape, no AI)

A cartoon rock in a tophat and with a red towel draped over one arm waves happily towards the viewer. It’s Happy Rock, roadside mascot of Gladstone Manitoba.

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brian @unlikely.ca · 08/09/2026

Coneflower rush hour, Winnipeg

Closeup of a vibrant yellow coneflower being visited simultaneously by a fly, a bee, and a monarch butterfly.

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brian @unlikely.ca · 21/08/2026

Another from the archives. I knew this former 7-11 on Sargeant became a “7x16” (but not since around 2009 according to streetview). It’s currently a “Quick Convenience Store” instead.

A convenience store on streetview circa 2009, the sign says 7x16 and the sign stripe colours are blue, green, yellow, and red.

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brian @unlikely.ca · 18/08/2026

Accidentally googled something (instead of using a functional search engine) and got this popup across half my screen. Noped out of there reeeaaalll quick.

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brian @unlikely.ca · 17/08/2026

“DISCOUNT EVERYTHING” - revisiting the same building, approximately 20 years apart #Winnipeg

Vacant downtown building featuring a classic neon sign “Clifford’s” and “for lease” signs as well as a wheatpaste street art image of furniture merchant Nick Hill and the caption “DISCOUNT EVERYTHING”

Photo of the same building 20ish years later, still boarded up and for sale, but the Cliffords sign long replaced with a more
modern “Hakim Optical Factoery” sign. No fun street art.

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brian @unlikely.ca · 04/08/2026

LOL. Look at this obvious AI bullshit they just posted. That definitely looks like Winnipeg if you squint and are legally blind.

An image branded “Frontier Centre for Public Policy” states “One of Canada’s most resource-rich provinces is acting poor. Manitoba isn't poor because it lacks resources. It's poor because it refuses to develop them” alongside a dystopian and obviously AI streetscape of potholes and crumbling infrastructure in front of a skyline that vaguely looks like Winnipeg at first glance.

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brian @unlikely.ca · 24/07/2026

Distinctive urban garden selection, downtown Winnipeg.

One of a few sizeable marijuana plants growing happily amongst a native flower garden in a park along the busiest street in downtown Winnipeg.

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brian @unlikely.ca · 16/07/2026

Not everything sucks always, sometimes there are fresh raspberries from the backyard bush.

A cookie sheet filled with fresh-picked raspberries.

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brian @unlikely.ca · 04/07/2026

raspbushes looking promising

Leafy raspberry bush with dozens of developing raspberries, not yet red.

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brian @unlikely.ca · 26/06/2026

A good year for the strawboopies

On the left, a handful of big red juicy garden strawberries. On the right, an eagerly awaiting smiling dog, waiting for her share of the crop.

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brian @unlikely.ca · 25/06/2026

Beautiful day for the first downtown outdoor farmer’s market of the season. #winnipeg

A busy pedestrian street (Graham Ave) with tents, picnic tables and colourful street art.

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brian @unlikely.ca · 21/06/2026

On Father’s Day, here’s the bust of Georges Forest, celebrated in St Boniface for getting out of paying a parking ticket and presumably was also a father.

Large bust of a man labelled Georges Forest 1924-1975 and the text begins “In March 1975, Georges Forest received a parking violation” - other important context not shown

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brian @unlikely.ca · 18/06/2026

Not amazing shots, but found these from July 2017

A man out of time, about to enter the checkerspace

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brian @unlikely.ca · 17/06/2026

post the best picture you have ever taken of your pet (if you feel like it)

Unflattering wildeyed portrait of a copper and brown dog with teefs and tongue showing and the caption Merry Christmas

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brian @unlikely.ca · 15/06/2026

While I fully agree, the dated swooshydoops aren’t quite the most concerning RV design details here.

An RV with some sort of tumourlike outgrowth fully obstructing the windshield.

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brian @unlikely.ca · 14/06/2026

Alright Winnipeg, sudden death Sunday morning “local” music showdown, round 3 - questionably local edition #PickYourFighter

Two LPS. Corb Lund’s “Horse Soldier! Horse Soldier!” And the enticingly titled “LIVE at the RAMADA INN WINNIPEG” by Charles, Wiggins, Moore.

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brian @unlikely.ca · 12/06/2026

Realized just now after walking the dog that with a jacket on, my “The Sadies” shirt just says SAD in big pink letters. That explains the pitying glances (more than usual).