Has anyone ever played as Canada in Civilization VI, captured a certain classical city-state and renamed it Canadian Tyre?

Schlock is better than slop.

The templars were initiates, and the proof of that is that when subjected to torture, they died to save their secret.

Trithemius masked his revelations about secret writings behind magical smoke screens.

A bot posting about conspiracies Foucault’s Pendulum style. Not sure if I should be worried!

"When powerful institutions announce their intention to impose - and profit from - a radical transformation of our schools, workplaces+ daily lives, we have an obligation to ask whether what they’re unleashing is really in our best interests." www.alfiekohn.org/article/ai/

The government is reducing service standards and Canada Post’s biggest advantage: its nationwide network. This plan is about cutting back the postal service instead of investing to give it new revenue tools through things like postal banking. It’s shameful.

It's 1998. You are about to make a choice that will forever alter the trajectory of your life. Before you are two theater doors. One is marked A Bug's Life. The other Antz.

This is the way.

The lassie sobered up. Good for her.

The Safe-T-Salt bag that will be in front of my building this winter is also anti-ice.

POP Montreal is for when you want music to actually change something about how you hear the world. Five days of that starts tonight. Pay attention. montrealrocks.ca/five-days-th...

🧵This thread is a timeline cleanse for you. Why not come with me for a quiet walk through the hills in our glen?

My launch Sunday went super well. My family showed up and we’re easily going to sell the first printing. I’ll post an order link when it becomes available.

Sometime in 1996, an English teacher created a parody of Alanis Morissette's "Ironic" titled "Byronic," using it to teach the characteristics of a Byronic hero. I'm absolutely certain of this.

I love this idea.

Granny fiction! A few Mrs. Brown stories.

Britain was known for its sacred routes before pilgrimages were outlawed by Henry VIII in 1538. Now the ancient tradition is enjoying a revival

Here's where you can find me at Can-Con! I'm a triple threat this year. I'll be signing copies of my poetry chapbook Pilgrimages at 10 am on Saturday! Stick around on Sunday afternoon to hear Cactus Press poets Jerome Ramcharitar, Samara Garfinkle, and I read some speculative poetry!

scrivenerreview.com/submit.

I need a Mrs. Brown space opera, stat.

Particularly useful for science fiction & fantasy writers in an age of TVtropes, the Turkey City Lexicon is from an earlier age, one unafraid to call a cliché a cliché. Some of it would be useful for any writer in any genre – I see 'countersinking' all the damn time, for example.

My schedule for Can*Con! My first time being guest of honour anywhere, and I have absolutely no chill about it. If you come to my kaffeeklatsch (sign up required) or my signing (no sign up required), I'll have some chapbooks I'm printing up to give away, while they last. Please say hi if you see me.

Woke up thinking about how to halt the slide in Canada and thinking about FDR's warnings that the growth of fascism is made possible by the growth of private power and failure to better the lot of ordinary people. Mamdani's success shows that now is precisely the time to argue for social democracy +

Reminder Fellow Canadians: We dont get to be smug Alberta plans to use notwithstanding clause to suspend the human rights of trans people https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/alberta-transgender-legislation-1.7637890

I can say it now: I'm going to be on programming at Can-Con! You can catch me at a reading event with my good friend Jerome Ramcharitar reading some Montreal speculative poetry! I'm also on a panel about writing metaphors. And I have a book signing session, which is just incredible!

"As a child, I'd think nothing of temporarily cranking up property taxes just to pay for a pet project; now, it makes me think of my own slowly rising property tax bill."

Smash two movies John Wicker Man

In other news, I have sold a story, "In An Antique Land," to Reactor, formerly known as Tor dot com. It's creepy and about a dude and some ruins.

The newe coole thynge to do ys to Major yn English

Interesting marketing decision to start naming iPhones after Gaelic prepositions. What’s next, the iPhoneBho?

To all who wryte storyes & poemes, to everyone who doth wryte scriptes & screenplayes, to those who make art of all kyndes, and to those who designe and performe yn daunse, and theatre -- thanke yow. Whethir you make for a few friendes or an audience of millions, thanke yow. You helpe us all.

Got a job interview tomorrow. Wish me luck.

I know several people who have covered right-wing folks and white nationalists for years. I cannot emphasize enough how dangerous and hard the work is, how much of a toll it can take on their mental health, and how newsrooms undervalue it even when that expertise is clearly relevant and needed.

Can't help but notice there's a comparison to be made (and contrast, to be sure) between the framing of the free speech debates around the two Charlies: Kirk and Hebdo.

"Franz", a biopic about author Franz Kafka by Polish director Agnieszka Holland, has been selected as Poland's entry for Best International Feature Film at the Oscars.

They are the books, the arts, the academes, That show, contain, and nourish all the world

Patrick McGovern, an archaeologist who analyzed ancient cauldrons, shards of pottery and broken bottles to discover and then recreate the alcoholic beverages that intoxicated prehistoric civilizations, including booze found in the tomb of King Midas, died last month. He was 80.

Sneak peak at my final newsletter before the launch of my chapbook. The email will go out Monday. I talk about the old croft house my great-grandfather lived in before leaving for Glasgow, where he died, an event that led to my family's emigration to Canada. buttondown.com/MatthewRetti...

Sad to see Resilience in such a tight spot. Dawson College has strong ties with them and students often volunteer and do drives to help them out. Hope they can stay in there.

Ed Yankie, the guy who played Nixon in the Bobby Fisher movie (and a priest in the Punisher franchise) has a book about a duck who f*cks up people. Yes, a duck. He read it at Chimera Open Mic at Phoenix Books in Montreal and it was a riot of a performance. www.kobo.com/ww/en/ebook/...

These two had a standoff at grandma’s today.

Accelerating clean electricity, low-carbon energy & critical minerals projects will strengthen 🇨🇦’s economic autonomy & competitiveness, fight climate change, & support Indigenous leadership. See more from @rjcsmith.bsky.social on 🇨🇦’s nation-building projects list⬇️ climateinstitute.ca/news/canada-...

Interesting newsletter linking antifascist writing to The Name of the Rose. I hadn't thought of the ways TNotR is antifascist before. A great read!

Congrats, Julie! That's a monumental amount of reading and study.

"The Secret Order of the Aptenodytes assembles once a year for their secret meetings in Antarctica, wearing full tuxedos as they plot how to take over the world--and eat more fish." - Morgan Freeman Voice

I’m looking for reviewers for my #poetry chapbook, Pilgrimages. Part of the Cactus Press Chapbook Series. Please DM me if interested or reshare to spread the word!

Looking for work, just putting it out there. Editorial experience, strong attention to detail, and an interest in copywriting and video game writing/narrative design.

Revamped my website a bit. Now to get back to applying for jobs. matthewrettino.com

The Year’s Most Meh Weird Fiction