I coined the term “hobby effect” from James Burke’s Connections, specifically the episode “The Trigger Effect”. The episode shows how fragile our modern, electric, automated world is. First aired in 1978, Burke’s thesis is even more true now than it was then: the idea that interconnected systems provide a lot of convenience, but with that convenience comes a terrifying amount of fragility. The hobby effect is sort of the mirror image of the trigger effect. It refers to how useful living skills are being sustained, but they’re not being identified as such. https://makevbuy.substack.com/p/skills-costs-and-standards

makevbuy.substack.comSkills, costs, and standardsWhere and why making still thrives

I am American, curently in the very long line to receive Canadian citizenship, as my grandfather was born there, and his grandfathers grandfathers came to Canada on the Hoover. I’m waiting and hoping.

That said, I did not vote for our National Embarrassment, who has disgraced and debased the office of the President since he came down the escalator. Sometimes I read posts that say "look at all the terrible things you Americans have done" and I cringe. Impeach, Convict, Remove covers it for me.

I am sorry. I applaud your community efforts, determination and solidarity in standing up to bullying and greed. You are encouraging on the days when the news makes it hard to hope.

A spotlight on Canadian small businesses hit by U.S. tariffs.

Bee Keepers in Manitoba who ship their honey down to the States need to find new markets, fast. Let’s help them out. I’m posting an article and any company you find, contact them and see if they will send you their product. https://winnipeg.citynews.ca/2026/08/23/manitoba-beekeepers-u-s-tariffs-trade-war-threatens-honey-exports/

CityNews WinnipegManitoba beekeepers unnerved by U.S. tariffs as trade war threatens honey exportsManitoba beekeepers are bracing for the potential impact of U.S. tariffs on honey exports, with one producer warning that prolonged trade uncertainty could drive down prices and leave some honey without a market. Phil Veldhuis, president of Direct Farm Manitoba and owner of Phil’s Honey in Starbuck, Man., says the province’s honey producers are facing […]

Saw this on a YT comment:

"Calling the US a democracy is like calling a brothel a dating service." 😀

Jocelyn and I will be announcing a new #BuyCanadian project later this week, built specifically to showcase small businesses hit by Trump’s new tariffs.

For those who paint in watercolour, here are some small Canadian companies making watercolours by hand. I’m sure there are more, so please add to this list if you can.
—————————

Beams Paints from Manitoulin Island in Ontario. The company is 100% Anishnaabe Kwe owned. Their plastic packaging is unique. Individual “paint stones” are wrapped in beeswax cloth while palettes come in “slices of cedar and birch offcuts from an Indigenous sustainable lumber operation.”
https://www.beampaints.com/

Stoneground Paint is a father/daughter team from Saskatchewan. Their paints are single-pigment and handmade in small batches. They make both gouache and watercolours. Their colours are inspired by nature with a range of traditional and modern palettes.
https://www.stonegroundpaint.com/

ENL from Gatineau, QC, is a family-owned, woman-run business. They make watercolours in half-pans, full pans, and tubes, as well as liquid watercolours. They sell exclusively through their online art supply store, shipping their products wrapped in reused distributor materials and using carbon-neutral delivery. The range includes both single-pigments and convenience colours.
https://artmaterials.ca/product-brands/enl/

Reading over the last minute demands made by the MAGA Capitulation squad US Trade Negotiation Delegates, it's the usual "give us your lunch money" sort of bs, with a few "Oh, and give us your house keys" inserts - basically the SSDD we've come to expect from the author of the bizarrely titled "The Art of the Deal"

Until you get to one little gem; the elimination of Cultural and Language protections

Most Canadians will have a WTF? reaction

Canadians of a certain age, otoh, will be grabbing pitchforks & torches, attacking with a battle cry of DO YOU FUCKING UNDERSTAND HOW LONG IT TOOK US TO GET ALL THE BILL 101 CRAP FIGURED Out?

• - In both Official Languages

No

Hard Pass

That's a line in the sand, a bridge too far, insert cliché here,

We survived the politics, the mistakes, the stupidity, the random arrogance...

All while they were trying to convince us the rapidly approaching official conversion to Metric would be as easy as a knife through white margarine

Tabarnak

I still think we should send Jean Chrétien to them as our Ambassador

1. On social media - trolls and MAGA really hate it if they don’t get attention. And we all get it - you post a comment and you want people to respond. Here are some options that are “de-escalating” and helpful for everyone:

3. 1.Encourage Ivan’s (Russian paid trolls posing as Albertan separatists and MAGAts) to head to Cafe Pushkin or Coffeemania by the Kremlin for a coffee. We encourage all workers to take their breaks after all. Encourage them to unionize ( https://m.ktr.su/content/about/?lang=EN ) to ensure their breaks and benefits are covered.

4. 2. Post a little something about a great Canadian or ABA (Anything But American) product you’ve discovered. Provide links - yes, even on Instagram and YouTube as you can screenprint and then have the photos app click on the link.

5. 3. If it is Maga, talk about how you went to the hospital for X and paid $0.00. Or, something similar and how great the staff and doctors were. And, if there is a recent American immigrant that helped you, throw it in for good measure.

6. 4. Encourage all Amazon employees to unionize. It is in our Charter of Rights and Freedoms and protected in Canada. Put the information on your door in how to unionize. If you see them, encourage them to look into unionizing. Canadians must support them with this as well. We don’t want them to lose their jobs - but Bezos HATES unions. Let’s get them protected and unionized. And the fact that it will piss off Bezos is just the cherry on top. https://www.ufcw.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=13&Itemid=136&lang=en or print this and put on your doors: https://www.ufcw.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=14&Itemid=38&lang=en

7. 5. If you speak French, speak it everywhere public especially in tourist areas. Encourage your kids to speak it and learn French. We know how much American govt and businesses resent and hate the French language. Throw a tabarnac in there for good measure.

8. 6. CanCon - everytime an Albertan separatist, MAGAt or MAGA posts highlight a Canadian artist.

10. Let’s turn the internet and mega billionaire socials into one positive Canadian force of goodness and decency.

TODAY IN CANADA: In 1972, Canadian hockey legends Gordie Howe and Jean Béliveau were inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

🏒YOUR SAY: Who is your favourite Canadian hockey player?

Get your brain ready for the week ahead with an all-new Cannections! Let us know how you did by sharing your scores in the comments. Happy Cannecting! https://games.hey.cafe/cannections/monday

Hey.Café GamesCannections Monday Edition / Hey.Café GamesThe Monday Edition of Canadian based word matching game where you pick 4 words that match. Puzzles by Tod Maffin and his team with a new one every Monday for you to enjoy.

Get your brain ready for the week ahead with an all-new Cannections! Let us know how you did by sharing your scores in the comments. Happy Cannecting! https://games.hey.cafe/cannections/monday

Hey.Café GamesCannections Monday Edition / Hey.Café GamesThe Monday Edition of Canadian based word matching game where you pick 4 words that match. Puzzles by Tod Maffin and his team with a new one every Monday for you to enjoy.

Canada Strong! We Californians support your valour! We're considered dangerous foreigners in the mind of the Orange47 too!

I am so happy that Mark Carney has stood up to the orange man n the Americans rhetoric on Mega n America First. Changing the rules to suit them. We are not their 51 state nor do we jump because they say to do so. Diversify our trading partners. Sure it's easy to sell everything to the USA but I'm sure we could do better. The world is watching. Elbows up Canada! Canadians Unite! Buy Canadian n local. Support ourselves.

BC owns part of this highway. We need to toll our part of the highway. https://www.canada.ca/en/public-services-procurement/services/infrastructure-buildings/bridges-docks-dams/alaska-highway/about.html

Footage shows US negotiators learning Canada rejected trade deal
https://youtube.com/shorts/z4NhkkaVMJ4

https://canadaspremiers.ca/contact-a-premier/

https://youtu.be/_THYKIbT-sE?si=QS28Ujw0c3Y84Vh6

A rusted-out outboard motor in a Gander garage explains why Newfoundland is more tariff-proof than any other province right now.

https://youtu.be/RPALEpl5cnQ

Feel free to copy and post on your social media.

As an American, I have watching the trade negotiations very closely over the past few weeks, and I’m completely and utterly disgusted with the U.S. government and the people in office right now. It makes me physically ill to watch what is transpiring. This morning I watched Mark Carney’s speech about the negotiations, and as always, Prime Minister Carney eloquently and directly discussed what happened during the talks and what Canadians can expect moving forward. I have to say, I’ve always liked Mark Carney, but today I felt so proud for Canadians as I listened to him speak. He truly is a class act and has Canadians best interest at heart, making sure economic pathways with other countries are in place so Canada is not economically dependent on the U.S. and having government financial programs in place to help businesses hit hard by these tariffs. I applaud Prime Minister Carney and he is absolutely correct that you should not take a bad deal in a situation like this with Trump, and that Canadians should continue to push back and fight against this corrupt regime in the U.S.—You never give the school yard bully your lunch money, no matter how much he throws idle threats or retaliation at you, because if you give in, he will always, always, come back for more. And this was clearly shown by the Americans in the final hours of negotiations—the back tracking, the adding in of addition demands, the mind games, the threats made against of Canada’s sovernty—we Americans see straight through Trump, Greer, and his cronies. We know what they’re all about and don’t believe one f***ing word that comes out of their mouths.

As an American, I am truly embarrassed to be a part of this country. I don’ recognize the United States anymore and I don’t even want to call myself an American. I’m truly devastated about how this is affecting Canada and its people, but I have to say, I am so impressed by how the people of Canada are coming together and pushing back as a nation to the bullies in the U.S.! The Canadian people’s resolve to continue to fight this unfair treatment by the U.S. shows their strength, grit, and determination to stand up and fight for what is true, just, and right! Americans have a past reputation of being the ones who go in head first and fight like hell, but I do not see that in Americans anymore. I think Americans, as a whole, have become lazy, spoiled, and apathetic. They want others to fight their fight, and if we had 1/8th of the determination and grit the Canadians have shown, we’d be overthrowing our current government! I have attended my fair share of protests, town hall meetings, and have contacted our government officials to fight against our fascist government, but more Americans need to become outraged at what’s happening in our country. Americans have not gotten “uncomfortable enough” yet, and until they do, these travesties will sadly continue. God willing, we will see some major upheaval and changes at our midterms in the Fall (if Trump doesn’t figure out how to rig the elections).

I just wanted to write this to let Canadians know there are many of us here in the U.S. who support you and who are proud of how Canada has shown up to this never ending shit show our government has hoisted on to you. As a country and as a people, you have truly shown “relentless decency”, but also have shown great resolve to stand up for yourselves. We support you Canada!

https://youtu.be/AK_3Dp_YPMo

Illuminating read: A Paradise Built in Hell by Rebecca Solnit. Doesn't mention Gander, but does cite 9/11 as a case study, among others, in a litany of effective self-organizing crisis management by ordinary folk in times of dire circumstances. Perhaps we should have Broadway musicals about each of these cases...no! I hate musicals. And Gander may be full of ordinary folk, but they showed to what extent they can be extraordinary when the need arises.