BenVimes

Change Me by DYLYN (Vancouver, BC), released 31 January 2025 in English

I looked back at all the new songs I added to my favourites in Spotify during 2024, and found surprisingly few songs by Canadian artists. Only one, in fact. I don't think this one song is particularly great material for a popularity contest, but I'll throw it in anyhow:

Low Tide by Deer Fang (St. Catherines, ON), released in 11 October 2024 in English.

The first few months of 2025 have been way more fertile, so I have three more nominations in the posts to follow (would be four, but I'm assuming that something from Our Lady Peace's newest album wouldn't count).

Year? I'm thinking generations. It took decades to build our relationship with the USA, and mere weeks for Trump to destroy it. This can't be rebuilt in a single lifetime, especially when more than 2/3rds of American voters are at the very least okay with what has happened, if not enthusiastic about it.

The federal Conservatives are very explicitly a coalition, being formed when the Progressive Conservative Party and the Canadian Alliance merged in 2003.

One of the questions asked elsewhere in this topic is whether a failure in the next election will cause that to splinter again. I can't even begin to speculate if that's possible, but I can imagine at least some people are thinking about it.

I know it's easier said than done. I also believe in not making perfect the enemy of good. I'd rather have the whole population of Canada doing as much as they can, even if it means still buying certain American products on occasion, than only a few people making a 100% break.

Honestly, James Stephanie Sterling.

I had been following them since The Escapist days, but a few years ago I just couldn't do it anymore. I was only interested in their Jimquisition stuff, and that had gotten really samey week over week.

It felt extra bad because this was after they had already lost like 20% of their subscribers for other reasons. I really hate that I might be lumped in with all those lovely folks when my reasons for leaving were entirely separate.

I still appreciate their message, though. I still think the Digital Homicide saga is one of the more interesting Internet dramas I've been witness to. And I still check in from time to time, mostly for their year-end lists and if something specific has happened in the gaming industry that I want their opinion on.

What I'm trying to say is, thank God for JSS, but only in small doses for me personally.

Oof ouch my bones (?)

They may be referencing the USA's increased international hegemony starting after WWII rather than the founding of the nation.

That's how Trump thinks, though. Every transaction is zero sum to him.

I'm also convinced saw the "deficit" part of "trade deficit" and either automatically assumed it was bad thing or knew he could convince low-information voters that it was.

Or maybe he is a dumbass and someone on his campaign staff was the crafty one.

No word of a lie, one of my university roommates came up to be the first week we were living together with a drinking glass in his hand and asked me if it was what a recipe meant when it said "add a cup of water."

"Swearing"

5th grade, first day at a new school. I'm trying to meet new kids, but I'm terribly awkward. I try to lead one conversation with some humour "Did you know the Bible says you shouldn't covet your neighbour's ass?"

Cue some other kid running off to find a teacher, which resulted in me having to skip recess and write an essay about how I shouldn't swear because it is a bad influence on younger kids.

Over the following four years I was on the receiving end of invective many times more aggressive and offensive, sometimes right in front of teachers, but I never saw another kid punished for foul language.

The zeal of the convert.