Saturday, February 28, 2009

Canadian Jets Intercepted Russian Bomber Before Obama's Visit

We have jets?

Fighter jets were scrambled to intercept a Russian bomber in the Arctic as it approached Canadian airspace on the eve of President Barack Obama's visit to Ottawa last week, Canada's defense minister said Friday.

Peter MacKay said the bomber never entered Canadian airspace...


Read more here.

Friday, February 27, 2009

Yes - Roundabout

ELP - The Barbarian



If it's a VAP, you know it's good.

Jethro Tull - My God

Focus- Hocus Pocus

Tocondo and the Ritz-Carlton hotel

It's nice to know Tocondo can bulldoze whole neighbourhoods so the international rich can live in luxury.

Toronto’s Ritz-Carlton hotel and residences has launched a new bid to move its last unsold multi-million-dollar units, saying the project is no danger of following in the path of its cancelled Vancouver cousin.

The developer is offering is offering a $250,000 vacation allowance, and throwing a private concert featuring the Canadian Tenors next week, to find buyers for 29 suites at the Residences At Ritz-Carlton.

“Look at the times we’re in,” said Barbara Lawlor, president of Baker Real Estate...


Sniffle.

The 29 remaining units range in price from $1.3-million to $9-million for 1,400 to 6,000 square-foot homes. One of two penthouses is still available.

Sixty percent of the buyers are international buyers, Ms. Lawlor said. The remaining 40% are Canadian, half of whom are from Toronto.


O.

Metrolinx and sleeze

All corporations do this, but it is a delight when they are caught at it.

A confidential draft of a Metrolinx communications strategy advised the province's Toronto-area transportation agency to "salt" its public consultation sessions with supporters in order to avoid having its plans "hijacked by nimbies or local politicians on the make."

The Globe and Mail obtained most of the document through a request under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. But one paragraph from the eight-page draft strategy, drawn up in advance of Metrolinx's 25-year plan released last year, was withheld under an exemption in the act for "advice to government."

The Globe then obtained the paragraph separately. Under the heading "Consultation Process," it reads: "Our consultation period needs to be tightly structured and telescoped. The last thing we need is for this to be hijacked by nimbies or local politicians on the make. These should be mainly informational briefings. We should salt the sessions with supporters. An orgy of consultation will mire this in controversy and delay."


Read more here.

Newsday wants to commit suicide

Good luck with this, morons:

Cablevision Systems Corp plans to charge online readers of its Newsday newspaper, a move that would make it one of the first large U.S. papers to reverse a trend toward free Web readership.

The paper said in a statement late on Thursday that it is in the process of transforming the site into a locally focused cable service.


Read more here, it's free!

Thursday, February 26, 2009

Sears Tower under attack by tasteless terrorists

Or its owners. It's hard to tell.

Yuk.

The New York-based owners of Sears Tower want to know if adding silver will bring in some green.

Sources said the owners are considering an expensive paint job, recladding the tower in silver. Since its opening in 1973, Chicago's iconic tower and the nation's tallest building has been adorned in classic black.


Read more here.

'Oldest English words' identified

Some of the oldest words in English have been identified, scientists say.

Reading University researchers claim "I", "we", "two" and "three" are among the most ancient, dating back tens of thousands of years.

Their computer model analyses the rate of change of words in English and the languages that share a common heritage.
The team says it can predict which words are likely to become extinct - citing "squeeze", "guts", "stick" and "bad" as probable first casualties.


Read more here.

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

British bankers just don't get it...yet

They really don't get how disliked they are now.

But they will...

Senior City bankers are demanding pay rises of up to 10 per cent this year to make up for the clampdown on the bonus culture, a senior City head-hunter has told The Independent.

Shaun Springer, chief executive of Napier Scott, which specialises in recruiting senior bankers for posts in Europe, Africa and the Middle East, said bankers were attempting to rebalance their financial packages in favour of higher salaries. And he predicted that, over the next few years, city salaries could more than double to compensate investment bankers.

“Base salaries are being increased by somewhere between 5 and 10 per cent, by rule of thumb, to compensate for an overall fall in the remunerative package,” said Mr Springer.

“This is being done in recognition of perhaps a long-term change, in which one can envisage basic salaries in the long term doubling or tripling or quadrupling compared to where they are today and bonuses falling by as much as 80 per cent.”

“People used to, say, earn between £100,000 and £150,000 and receive bonuses of 10 times multiples of their base salary,” he continued. “But a trend is now developing where someone has a basic pay of, say, £300,000 but with bonus multiple of only two or three times that.”


Read more here.

Pet Shop Boys - Love Etc.

The moment Progressive rock died



1975. Rick Wakemen, King Arthur...ice skating.

Sunday, February 22, 2009

Prog Rock Britannia

The Mersey Sound


Watch Rock Family Trees in Rock Family Trees  |  View More Free Videos Online at Veoh.com

From Rock Family Trees.

Saturday, February 21, 2009

The Crisis of Credit Visualized


The Crisis of Credit Visualized from Jonathan Jarvis on Vimeo.

Friday, February 20, 2009

Obama visits Canada

Obama

"Who is that idiot?"

Obama

"Oh my God, he's the P.M.."

Obama

"It's made of ice, you know"

Alternative Uses for Phone Screen

New York Post: Blame your critics even if you're wrong

I don't repost the cartoon here, not out of any fear (there is only one group today than can threaten, intimidate and riot over cartoons, and the New York Post ain't them), but because of its incredible tackiness.

They say sorry for the chip shooting cartoon, sort of, then follow it with this:

"However, there are some in the media and in public life who have had differences with The Post in the past -- and they see the incident as an opportunity for payback," the statement says. "To them, no apology is due. Sometimes a cartoon is just a cartoon -- even as the opportunists seek to make it something else."

I've never read the NYP in my life, but I didn't need any revenge to see that cartoon as more than just "a cartoon".

If you go and look at the "cartoonist's" other work, he has a mean streak a mile wide.

It further adds weight to the idea that some right wingers are nasty pieces of work.

Sometimes a racist bigot is just a racist bigot.

Read more here.

Thursday, February 19, 2009

Facebook did not cave under user protest

It caved because of a legal challenge. Users could have protested till their faces were blue.

The Electronic Privacy Information Center, along with 25 other consumer interest groups, had planned to file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission on Wednesday. The complaint was going to claim that Facebook’s new rules were unfair and deceptive trade practices, because the company had repeatedly promised users that they owned their content but appeared to be saying something else in its revised terms.

The center, based in Washington, was prepared to argue that Facebook’s new rules were meant to accompany changes to the site that would give developers and advertisers the ability to access users’ contributions, like status updates, which many members use to reveal details about their lives, for example, where they are traveling.

“This was a digital rights grab,” said Marc Rotenberg, the center’s executive director. “Facebook was transferring control of user-generated content from the user to Facebook, and that was really alarming.”

He said Facebook representatives contacted him on Tuesday night to ask whether his group would refrain from filing the complaint if the company backtracked to the old language in the contract. Mr. Rotenberg agreed.


Read more here.

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

test 123

Blogger had a hickup

This is your brain on neon



UK anti pot ad. Reefer Madness.

Griffintown project dealt blow

Devimco spreads the bullshit (yet again), but it seems the Griffintown project will be much smaller.

Ha..ha ha...HAAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

It's ok, I'm back from rolling on the floor.

The pieces of the puzzle that make up the $1.3-billion redevelopment of Griffintown will be smaller and put together differently, but the picture they’ll create will be the same, provided the economy improves, the developer behind the stalled project insisted yesterday.

The public declaration by Devimco Inc. came in response to a fresh rumour that the venture is dead.

“The economic situation is difficult, and despite this we’re announcing we’re going ahead with our project,” Devimco spokesman André Bouthillier, said.

“There aren’t many other developers announcing good news these days.”


It's music to my ears.

Read more here.

Facebook backs down

Facebook has changed it's Terms of Use (again) after protests.

Seems the protests were right after all, that Facebook was trying something underhanded.

We don't trust you Facebook.

Under fire from tens of thousands of users, the social networking site Facebook said early Wednesday it is reverting to its old policy on user information -- for now.

The site posted a brief message on users' home pages that said it was returning to its previous "Terms of Use" policy "while we resolve the issues that people have raised."...

...Facebook, the Web's most popular social networking site, has been caught in a content-rights battle after revealing earlier this month that it was granting itself permanent rights to users' photos, wall posts and other information even after a user closed an account.


Read more here.

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

In reality, we don't trust you Facebook

In reality, we wouldn't share your information in a way you wouldn't want. The trust you place in us as a safe place to share information is the most important part of what makes Facebook work. Our goal is to build great products and to communicate clearly to help people share more information in this trusted environment.

What a load of shit. Facebook has quietly changed its TOS, and now they claim they own everything you post there...forever.

Just trust us, they say.

Read more here.

Chinese tycoon's best-mistress contest takes tragic turn

From the "You can't make this shit up" file.

A bizarre best-mistress competition held by a local tycoon in eastern China ended with one of the women driving him and her four rivals off a cliff, the Shanghai Daily said on Tuesday.

The woman was killed, while her four rivals and the businessman were injured in the incident, which took place in the Shandong Province on December 6.

The details behind the crash came to light after the parents of the 29-year-old dead woman, only identified as Yu, handed over to police a letter that she had written.

In her letter she said had been one of five mistresses kept by a married Chinese businessman, identified only by his surname, Fan, since 2000. All the five knew about each other, but chose not to break up the relationship as they received a monthly allowance of 5,000 yuan ($733) and a rent-free apartment.

"The businessman was going to lay off four of his five mistresses due to financial troubles,"


Read more here.

Obama's Elf

Monday, February 16, 2009

Kronos



I'd never heard of this 1957 film, but as 50's scifi goes it's not bad.

I didn't even know Mexico had an airforce...

tip to cinematedman.blogspot.com

Saturday, February 14, 2009

New Enterprise interiors

yuk

The more I see of the new Star Trek's art direction, the less I like it. It may be pretty but it's not Star Trek.

Thumbs down here.

Read more here.

Friday, February 13, 2009

3 Batman cameos





Neanderthals 'distinct from us'

Some of us anyway.

Scientists studying the DNA of Neanderthals say they can find no evidence that this ancient species ever interbred with modern humans.

But our closest ancestors may well have been able to speak as well as us, said Prof Svante Paabo from Germany's Max Planck Institute.

He was speaking in Chicago, US, where he announced the "first draft" of a complete Neanderthal genome.


Read more here.

Thursday, February 12, 2009

The Pepsi logo and stratospheric design pretension

it is art damn it

The Arnell Group and their take on the Pepsi logo. They think they're daVinci when they're just selling sugared soda water.

Pretension at this level must be seen to be believed...

Read more here.

Lawmakers' Goal to Cap Executive Pay Meets Resistance

No, really?

Congressional efforts to impose stringent restrictions on executive compensation appeared to be evaporating yesterday as House and Senate negotiators worked to fine-tune the compromise stimulus bill.

Provisions to impose a penalty on banks that paid hefty bonuses and to cap pay at $400,000 for all employees at firms applying for additional government funds did not survive the compromise, sources said.

The situation was in flux last night, but provisions in the Senate bill that called for a ban on bonuses for all companies receiving government funds also appeared to be headed to the chopping block, congressional sources said.


Read more here.

Richard Dawkins Macbook Ad



tip to Carmen

Twitter Tantrum

National Post technology reporter David George-Cosh let loose on a marketing consultant from Toronto today. Apparently feeling snubbed April Dunford, an experienced marketing professional hadn’t called him back on time for a story he was working on; he took exception to her annoyed Tweet after their phone call:

At just about 1:00 pm EST, April Dunford tweets: “Reporter to me “When the media calls you, you jump, OK!?” Why, when you called me and I’m not selling? Newspapers will get what they deserve”

And that Tweet - note she never “outed” the reporter; simply expressed her frustration. This is what she set off:

sirdavid: @aprildunford what the fuck. I called you for comment two days ago. What did you expect when you called me back? Don’t post that shit online

sirdavid: @aprildunford furthermore, I called you several times in the afternoon. Don’t be condescending to me when I actually wanted to talk to you

sirdavid: @aprildunford how about you stop blasting personal conversations on twitter and call me back. what the hell is wrong with you.

aprildunford: @sirdavid All I did was return your call. I didn’t expect you to do anything. Wow. Like, seriously, calm down.

sirdavid: @aprildunford & then repost everything? & then hang up on me & don’t call back? I’ve recorded everything. U don’t look as nice as u put on

aprildunford: @sirdavid Dude - I never said who you were. Twitter meet David. David is having a bad day. David, meet Twitter.
sirdavid: @aprildunford hey april - fuck you. seriously. fuck you.


Read more here.

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

This is why you're fat

eww

Sloppy Joe On A Krispy Kreme

Read more here.

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Catholic Church: The Good Times are Back Again!

“Bishop Announces Plenary Indulgences.” Woohoo!

The announcement in church bulletins and on Web sites has been greeted with enthusiasm by some and wariness by others. But mainly, it has gone over the heads of a vast generation of Roman Catholics who have no idea what it means: “Bishop Announces Plenary Indulgences.”

In recent months, dioceses around the world have been offering Catholics a spiritual benefit that fell out of favor decades ago — the indulgence, a sort of amnesty from punishment in the afterlife — and reminding them of the church’s clout in mitigating the wages of sin.


Read more here.

Waxie in the Wild

Monday, February 09, 2009

Composer's Neanderthal recreation

A musical experience with a difference is being previewed at the National Museum Wales in Cardiff - an attempt to recreate the sound of the Neanderthals.

Jazz composer Simon Thorne was given the task of creating the "soundscape" to provide a musical backdrop to some of the ancient exhibits on display.


Read more here.

Sunday, February 08, 2009

Believers and non believers have an *argument*

There is a God.

No there isn't

Yes there is.

No there isn't.....

Etc. Again, I hope for a rest from all this, but the last thing these type of people can do is shut up.

Three separate pro-God advert campaigns on the sides of London buses are set to hit city streets.

Buses adorned with the slogan "There definitely is a God" are from the Christian Party, while the Trinitarian Bible Society chose a Biblical verse.

The Russian Orthodox Church is also preparing bus adverts.

The adverts, which are unrelated, come a month after the British Humanist Association placed "no God" slogans on buses across England.

Those adverts, which read: "There's probably no God: now stop worrying and enjoy your life" prompted complaints from the group Christian Voice and from individuals.


Yes, we are all individuals.

Read more here.

Saturday, February 07, 2009

Neanderthal genome to be unveiled

The entire genome of a 38,000-year-old Neanderthal has been sequenced by a team of scientists in Germany. The group is already extracting DNA from other ancient Neanderthal bones and hopes that the genomes will allow an unprecedented comparison between modern humans and their closest evolutionary relative.

Read more here.

Figure Skating in Canada tries to butch it up

This is no joke. Funny and dumb as hell, but no joke. The parade of stereotypes itself is most entertaining...

An organization in Canada is now saying it’s likely one of the reasons that young male skaters in Canada have turned more and more to hockey instead of figure skating; Few boys want to be the targets of gay jokes. From the CBC now comes a report that Skate Canada will unveil a campaign to combat the stereotype. “Tough” is aimed to show how strong and masculine male figure skaters are.

Read more here, the implication being figure skating is only for *tough* he-men...

Friday, February 06, 2009

Beyond Geekdom

it's so...big

It's so...big.

The Star Trek USB Communicator

Read more here.

Tony Blair wants religion restored "to its rightful place"

And what place might that be Tony?

Tony Blair gave an extraordinary speech about the global importance of religion yesterday, telling an audience which included the newly-inaugurated President, Barack Obama, that faith should be restored "to its rightful place, as the guide to our world and its future."

The former prime minister also said he believed the 21st century would be "poorer in spirit" and "meaner in ambition" if it was not "under the guardianship of faith in God."


I don't know Tony, the century has been pretty mean so far *under* the guardianship of God.

I'll pass on your recommendations Mr Blair. Of course, if religion is restored "to its rightful place", I may not have that right much longer..

Read more here.

Wednesday, February 04, 2009

They're magically prophetic

magical

Someone's after me Lucky Charms.

Read more here.

Do you smell Tribble?

GenkiWear, LLC is developing a trio of fragrances celebrating classic Star Trek. "Tiberius," "Pon Farr" and "Red Shirt" fragrances will be available in stores in the spring.

Devimco: Let Griffintown go

It must be tough for the greedy officials in the Montreal City Hall, now that visions of delevopment wealth seem to be evaporating before their eyes....

Rumours of Griffintown's demise are exaggerated, Sud Ouest mayor Jacqueline Montpetit told residents at a borough council meeting last night.

"We are in intensive negotiations at this point, and there will be an announcement before long," she said.

Landowners, however, are under the impression the $1.3-billion plan to redevelop 10.2 hectares of a former industrial sector south of the downtown core is dead. And they want the city to lift a freeze on new permits to develop in areas slated to be expropriated as part of the project.

A group of landowners, called Association Immobilière Griffinoise, came to last night's meeting hoping to get answers about the fate of the project, which was announced with much fanfare by the city last year.

"I have been told several times by Devimco that they have no money and no plans to develop anymore," said Harvey Lev, who owns about two hectares of office space in the area, some of which is slated to be bought by Devimco. "But because of this project that no longer exists, the city has refused to issue any permits for businesses who want to rent from me, so I have lost about half of my tenants."


Read more here.

Tuesday, February 03, 2009

Christian Bale Dance remix



What don't you fucking understand?

Sister. So, you have a twin sister.

yummy

The Darth Vader Baby Cake. Order yours here.

Tocondo gives developers a break

Developers in Toronto should pay higher fees to cover the cost of public facilities like roads and parks – but not for the next two years, and then only if the economy improves, says the executive committee.

Councillor Cliff Jenkins (Ward 25, Don Valley West) said the freeze on higher charges amounts to a $50 million giveaway to developers.

But Mayor David Miller and other members of the executive committee said developers are being pummelled by the worldwide economic crisis, and now is not the time to discourage investment.


The developers will just take it out on the poor anyway..

Steven Diamond, of Diamond Corp., said that if the city discourages development, investors will first abandon the economically depressed areas

Quelle surprise!

Read more here.

Monday, February 02, 2009

Star Trek 2009 TV trailer - The Original Series version



Jim, don't be so obsessed.

Christopher Hitchen's homophobic brother Peter

Peter Hitchens. Yup, that sounds gay to me. Let's all call him names, he *loves* that!

We show tolerance to 'gays' and get tyranny in return

If I never again had to read or write a word about homosexuals, I would be very happy. I really don't want to know what other people do in their bedrooms. But these days they really, really want us all to know. And, more important, they insist that we approve. No longer are we allowed to keep our thoughts to ourselves, while being polite and kind.


Etc etc (the "keep our thoughts to ourselves" line is particularly humuorous). It actually has to do with a child custody case in England, but it seems he needed to unload first...

Read more here.

Phelps acts like young person

Michael Phelps has shocked the world by acting like a young person!

Thank God the media is filled with drug free saints, able to expose the failings of the masses...

Leave the poor guy alone.

Sunday, February 01, 2009

Bank of England dress code...for women

“Look professional, not fashionable; be careful with perfume; always wear a heel of some sort — maximum 2 inches; always wear some sort of makeup — even if it’s just lipstick.” Shoes and skirt must be the same color. No-no’s include ankle chains — “professional, but not the one you want to be associated with;” white high heels; overstuffed handbags; an overload of rings, and double-pierced ears.

Look! There are morons at the Bank of England. More than usual!

Now they are dictating fashion...for the women employees.

Read more here.