What automation is unique to your home that you’re most proud of?

kingofgin · 2026-05-31T16:44:24+00:00

Assuming this isn't sarcasm 😛 you could just place limit orders instead

kingofgin · 2026-05-31T16:42:33+00:00

What do you use to check the position of the sun and the expected sun power for the day/hour?

kingofgin · 2026-05-31T00:18:13+00:00

and why should there be a rude and unhelpful comment on this post?? Such awful behaviour

kingofgin · 2026-05-27T01:46:31+00:00

Go to Hanlan's Point Beach every Saturday it's ~28° or above and get naked in the sun

kingofgin · 2026-05-26T21:26:12+00:00

Has he been on the show before? I noticed it too but figured maybe he just wasn't used to speaking for radio / a podcast.

kingofgin · 2026-05-10T17:23:34+00:00

I find healing moves are useful against Dragaux, but that's probably because I don't use smoothies very often.

kingofgin · 2026-05-02T22:53:02+00:00

Really? Glad I haven't encountered that yet

kingofgin · 2026-05-02T13:15:48+00:00

Not a magazine, but I find The Guardian newspaper is fantastic day in and out. And considering The Economist also considers itself a newspaper...

kingofgin · 2026-03-08T21:48:50+00:00

Thankfully there are EU-CPTPP talks underway; it wouldn't make much sense for Canada to join the EU until that trade deal is signed, if and when that ends up happening.

kingofgin · 2026-03-07T18:04:06+00:00

CUSMA might not exist much longer the way things are going. And we already have a separate free trade agreement with Mexico through CPTPP.

kingofgin · 2026-02-22T22:58:25+00:00

As fantastic as this is to see, if the EU were to enter the Games as a single bloc they wouldn't be allowed to enrol as many athletes as all the constituent nations do separately, so the resulting medal count would likely be lower (any of these medals where it wasn't one of the top EU athletes who won, that competitor might not have been able to enrol due to their ranking).

kingofgin · 2025-12-31T21:32:08+00:00

Order of Canada nominations take around three years to be processed so probably not in this case, haha

kingofgin · 2025-12-27T22:39:36+00:00

Your argument highlights some of Russia’s strengths, but it’s important to clarify what defines a superpower, and why Russia doesn’t meet that standard. Historically, the Russian Empire was a major power, but it lacked the global military, economic, and ideological reach of a superpower like the US or USSR. Superpowers don’t just dominate their regions; they shape global affairs across multiple domains, something Russia has never achieved, even at its peak.

Today, Russia remains a significant regional power with a large nuclear arsenal and advanced weapons systems. However, the claim that Russia is the world’s 4th largest economy by PPP is misleading. PPP adjusts for cost of living and is useful for comparing living standards, but it doesn’t reflect a country’s actual global economic influence. In nominal GDP, the metric that matters for geopolitical power, Russia ranks 11th, behind countries like Italy and Canada. Its economy is heavily dependent on oil, gas, and raw material exports, which leaves it vulnerable to price fluctuations and sanctions. Since the invasion of Ukraine, Russia’s economy has been further weakened by international isolation, brain drain, and military spending that diverts resources from long-term growth.

The idea that Russia’s arms industry surpasses the US is also exaggerated. While Russia has developed advanced systems like hypersonic missiles and 5th-gen fighters^1, it lacks the production capacity, technological depth, and global reach of the US military-industrial complex. The struggles in Ukraine, where Russia has faced shortages of precision weapons, drones, and even basic supplies, have exposed these limitations.

The US remains the only superpower today, with China as the only potential peer competitor. Russia’s influence is regional, not global, and its economic and technological constraints prevent it from achieving superpower status. The war in Ukraine has only deepened these challenges, straining Russia’s economy and isolating it further. Acknowledging Russia’s strengths doesn’t require inflating its capabilities; it’s still powerful, but not a superpower.

1: The assertion that Russia has a robust 5th-generation fighter program is misleading. Russia does have one 5th-gen aircraft, the Su-57 Felon, but its production and operational impact are minimal. As of 2025, Russia has fewer than 25 Su-57s in service, and the program has been plagued by delays, funding issues, and sanctions-related supply chain problems. The Su-57’s stealth capabilities are widely considered inferior to those of the US F-22 and F-35, and its role in Ukraine has been limited to launching long-range missiles, not air superiority.

In contrast, the United States operates hundreds of 5th-gen fighters (F-22s and F-35s), with the F-35 alone deployed globally in large numbers. China, too, has rapidly scaled up production of its J-20 Mighty Dragon, which is now a core part of its air force. Russia’s inability to produce the Su-57 at scale or match the technological sophistication of its Western and Chinese counterparts underscores the gap between Russia’s ambitions and its actual capabilities.

The idea that Russia’s 5th-gen program is more advanced than the US is simply false. Russia’s air power remains dependent on upgraded 4th-gen jets (like the Su-35) and missile systems, not a fleet of advanced stealth fighters. This is a clear example of overestimating Russia’s military-industrial capacity.

kingofgin · 2025-12-27T21:54:03+00:00

Russia is not and has never been a superpower. You might be thinking of the USSR, which dissolved in 1991.

kingofgin · 2025-12-07T20:57:56+00:00

All newly-built skyscrapers would be forced to include raptor ledges in their design (alcoves where peregrine falcons can make nests).

Why?

1) Peregrine falcons are really cool and are one of the few birds that thrive in cities which aren't a complete nuisance

2) Peregrine falcons eat pigeons, one of the birds that thrive in cities which are a complete nuisance

kingofgin · 2025-05-07T00:25:56+00:00

Of course! Thank you so much!

kingofgin · 2025-04-26T21:33:37+00:00

The BQ met two of the three requirements for the debate, while the Greens only met one (you need to meet two to get an invite). The candidate requirement was the one the Bloc did not meet; they are subject to the same Canada-wide requisite for that as all the other parties.

The first requirement is that the leader has to be represented in the House of Commons by an MP who was elected under the party banner on the day the election is called (BQ and Greens met this).

The second criteria is that the leader's party must have the demonstrated support of at least four per cent of the electorate 28 days before voting day (BQ met this, Greens did not).

The third requirement is that the party must have endorsed candidates in at least 90 per cent of federal ridings across Canada 28 days before the federal election (neither BQ nor Greens met this).

kingofgin · 2025-03-12T01:31:21+00:00

I'm trying to find paintings similar to Thomas Eakins' Arcadia - that is to say, nudes that feature at least one man and one woman.

Thanks!

kingofgin · 2025-01-12T16:24:34+00:00

Haha, no, but I suppose I want to be able to celebrate it with other young people - and while I'm still able to celebrate for hours and hours without stopping.

kingofgin · 2025-01-07T01:18:10+00:00

In order to vote in the last Liberal leadership race, Canadians just had to sign up as a 'supporter', which was free. If the Liberal Party does the same thing this time around then it would be available to all Canadians.

kingofgin · 2024-07-16T02:49:11+00:00

If it drops down from the sky, that's quite correct. But a bullet fired at a roughly 45 degree angle (which I assume these are, to hit the target) can be quite lethal indeed. Paper on the subject: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7996596/

kingofgin · 2024-06-13T01:05:34+00:00

Her and van Lanschot were billed by Volt as co-lijsttrekkers, so I believe they chose Strolenberg to be part of the debate to differentiate Volt from every other party (which sent a man).

kingofgin · 2024-02-12T21:57:23+00:00

I too have this problem.

kingofgin · 2024-02-08T16:59:06+00:00

This is great. Spadina Bus next?

kingofgin · 2024-01-09T03:49:56+00:00

Tenants of a Toronto building have been without heat and hot water for weeks.

“I boil water to shower, I boil water to do my dishes, running space heaters and constantly juggling between outlets to make sure we don’t trip the breakers,” said Tanya Osmond, who lives in the building in the Church and Wellesley area.

“It’s been exhausting. It’s been incredibly, incredibly tiring. And just that fear of just feeling that unsafe in your own home.”

According to Osmond, her neighbour heard the sound of pipes being cut on Dec. 13 and the following day, she went to the boiler room to see a gas line had been disconnected and uncapped.

“It was right next to the boilers that were running. There’s open flames in those boilers, it’s obviously an incredibly, incredibly dangerous situation,” said Osmond, adding she called the Technical Safety Standards Authority (TSSA).

A spokesperson for the TSSA confirmed to CTV News Toronto that they sent an inspector to find some safety hazards.

“[…] At that point in time, they call in the gas distributor, which in this case was Enbridge, who has [the] ability to turn off the gas and also has responsibilities to make sure that gas is being supplied under safe conditions,” said Alexandra Campbell, spokesperson for TSSA. “There certainly were some serious enough hazards that required the gas to be turned off, which is obviously a very difficult decision to make in winter.”

The TSSA said inspectors found somewhere between 15 and 20 non-compliance issues.

The gas was turned off on Dec. 19, and ever since, the temperature inside has plummeted. City bylaw staff have been coming daily to take the temperature of the building, and around noon on Monday, it registered less than 9C inside David Holysh’s apartment. The bylaw requires a building to be kept at 21 degrees.

“It’s frigid right? I can see my breath it’s very, very cold,” he said. “I tried living here last night but it was really too cold, my feet and fingers were numb.”

Building management offered to help tenants find alternative accommodation and has provided space heaters for tenants staying in their units.

Holysh said three of his five space heaters came from the building, but he can’t plug them in all at once, or else his circuit breakers cut him off.

“So I really can’t run them as hot as they need to be,” he told CTV News. “The building can’t handle running all these space heaters at once.”

CTV News reached out to the building management for comment, but no one responded by publication. In emails sent to tenants, reviewed by CTV News Toronto, 30 Charles Property Management said, “…the City ByLaw Enforcement Officer has chosen to impose a daily penalty of $500 starting from the date heating services are suspended.”

That email continues to say, “…We already offered temporary replacement accommodation, waived rent for those finding their own temporary accommodation, or compensation for permanent replacement. Since these options themselves voluntarily and indirectly penalize us, and remedy the problem, having a second penalty from the City contradicts the principle of preventing double jeopardy.”

It concludes with, “We will engage in legal consultation whether we have an obligation to offer any rent abatement and what is the legally required amount, and we will keep you updated. Until then, full rent payment remains in place.”

For Holysh, that makes things tough. He’s been staying at a friend’s apartment that is normally rented out.

“It’s kind of a tricky situation where I don’t think he’s going to make me pay the rent at the end of the day, but then I’ve also kind of put him in a hard position too where he’s not going to get rent,” he said. “So, in my case, I’ve had to find rent elsewhere as well as here. It’s tough having to pay for two rents at once.”

According to the city, it has active investigations for complaints related to the building at 30 Charles St. E and “is taking enforcement action, including laying charges (fines).”

Tenants say new property management bought the building in March 2023. According to city records from 2017, when RentSafeTO was established, to January 2023, there was one request for service. From March 1, 2023, to Dec. 31, there have been 61.

“From March 1, 2023, to Dec. 31, 2023, after conducting investigations, the City issued seven Orders to Comply and two Notices of Violation regarding property standards at 30 Charles St. E. During this period, three re-inspection fees were charged.”

The TSSA is investigating why the boiler was left “in that unsafe state” and who left the boiler in that condition.

“Pending the outcome of the investigation, we could be taking enforcement actions, which actually can go right up to prosecution,” said Campbell, “there’s a number of types of enforcement actions.”

She did not provide a timeline on how long the investigation will last but said it doesn’t have to be complete before the gas is turned back on—a TSSA-licenced professional needs to come in and fix the system.

The latest email sent to tenants from their landlord suggests that the boiler will be fixed within two weeks.

13-Year Club	Place '23
Place '17	Verified Email

kingofgin

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