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sameervasta.bsky.social
Real-life Paddington Bear. (he/him)
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i just find this so bizarre. searching through texts and doing the reading for myself is how i actually think through ideas! trying to put together a sentence is how i figure out what i actually want to say!

You should read every “here’s how AI will change your job” in the context of who has the power to change the conditions of work, and how that power is exercised. And remember that major changes to working conditions come about in one of two ways: as negotiation, and as coercion.

to protect public institutions you have to be curious about how they work. cultures of secrecy and fear in the public service are past due to rupture, but this can only happen with pressure from the outside. the machinery of the public service is brittle because it is so dependent on opacity.

Been a rough week at work, but I am buoyed by the people (more than I expected!) who proactively reached out and offered support and shared positivity when things weren’t great. I’m lucky to be surrounded by some really great people.

Was at a bar across the street from the reference library and a guy with a really nice watch sat down at the bar not far away. That’s when I told Mads Mikkelsen he had a nice watch.

Tiny part.

Maybe broccoli doesn’t like you either.

My new favorite site on the internet: literature clock: literature-clock.jenevoldsen.com

Who's ready for a jam-packed June in #ldnont? Here's just a few of the events taking place around town this weekend... thelocalist.substack.com/p/267-big-we...

I got STICKERS come find me at an organizing event if you want one

Wikipedia... IS THE SUMMARY. THAT'S WHAT AN ENCYCLOPEDIA ARTICLE IS. A SUMMARY.

Canada could spend $9B on education and culture and it would go way further in defending Canadian sovereignty than handing it over to arms dealers.

When we throw up our hands and say none of it matters, we're doing the fascists’ work for them. They don't need to hide their corruption if they can convince us it's pointless to look. They don't need to silence truth-tellers if we've already decided truth is meaningless.

@lpl.ca Is the ability to request items to add to the catalogue back? The past 27 things I’ve searched in the catalogue over the past month have not been in there, despite them being at most other library systems… would love to be able to request to carry at least some of them.

Things that are good to do on mental health days: go to a nice café, walk around a bookstore, buy some new clothes, take a stroll around the neighborhood and admire all the peonies, drink iced strawberry matcha lattes, go for a swim in the pool in the sunshine.

@anildash.com Anil: just read your most recent blog post and wanted to wish you all the best in your upcoming new adventures and also wish you deep joy in your time to reset. You know I’ve long been inspired by you — thank you for all you’ve done and for what you’re going to do next.

Like placemaking, storytelling is magical when we ask good questions and create space for many voices.

The thing that keeps coming up as I talk to people about AI in their workplaces is how *dehumanizing* it is. It’s dehumanizing to ask a machine to do something, and then have to correct it over and over; it’s dehumanizing to be told to read something that involved little to no human effort to make.

We all grew up with Sly's music (even if it was through samples and you didn't realize the source), but the man was a mystery after dropping out of public life in the 80s. Fortunately, Sly had the chance to tell his own story (his autobiography came out in '23) and see his story on film this year.

RIP. highly recommend ?uestlove’s documentary on sly stone if you haven’t seen it www.washingtonpost.com/obituaries/2...

In honour of Our London Family, we’re sharing book lists for kids, teens, and adults that highlight Muslim voices. 💜 Let’s read stories that inspire empathy, understanding, and unity. Explore our book lists: buff.ly/pYH5Mge With @amiraelghawaby.bsky.social‬

I wish I lived in NYC just so I could vote for this guy.

When it’s AAPI month *and* Black Music Month at the same damn time? That’s putting up the Amerie bat signal youtu.be/8PizSSUfetg

Today marks four years since the horrific act of terrorism that took the lives of four members of a beloved Muslim family here in London. Our hearts are with the grieving families, friends and the Muslim community in London and beyond.

Lilacs and iced strawberry matcha lattes and a lunchtime float in the pool.

Genuinely concerned at the number of skilled Canadian federal civil servants posting notices about their jobs being cut. This is not the moment for austerity - and performatively shrinking the size of the civil service to appease private capital is going to haunt us.

we need to run government like a library

New blog post! 💻💰📉 “18F’s profound legacy of procurement reform” sboots.ca/2025/05/30/1... With quotes and links from @waldo.net @danhon.com and many others, and gratitude to everyone at @alt18f.bsky.social @altusds.altgov.info and beyond who was part of this work.

Helen Oyeyemi though. How is anyone this good

Vass built something amazing at McMaster and her shoes will be big ones to fill. Definitely worth following along to see what amazing things she does next.