Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Police crime during Katrina
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Devimco strikes again with yet another awful Griffintown design
World class hack architects Devimco have struck again, yet again unveiling more of their depressing bland designs for the Griffintown area of Montreal.
Devimco announced Monday a scaled down version of its real estate project in Griffintown, at a cost $ 475 million. Four towers comprising 1,375 homes, shops and a hotel will soon be opened in this former industrial district near downtown Montreal.
Mayor Tremblay and Co. seem hell bent on turning Montreal into on of the blandest cities in North America.
Read more here.
Devimco announced Monday a scaled down version of its real estate project in Griffintown, at a cost $ 475 million. Four towers comprising 1,375 homes, shops and a hotel will soon be opened in this former industrial district near downtown Montreal.
Mayor Tremblay and Co. seem hell bent on turning Montreal into on of the blandest cities in North America.
Read more here.
Monday, August 30, 2010
Marcus Gee stuns Toronto by penning something coherent
Rob Ford is good at sputtering about waste and corruption at city hall, his critics say, but what has he actually done for the city in his 10 years as a city councillor? Mr. Ford has a ready reply: Woodbine Live.
The Etobicoke North councillor and front runner for mayor says he has played a leading role in securing the flashy entertainment project for Toronto. “I know how to deal with CEOs of huge corporations – that’s how I landed the largest development in Toronto’s history,” he said in a recent newspaper interview. “Woodbine Live, I did that.”
In fact, say many of those involved in the project, Mr. Ford had little to do with landing Woodbine Live.
The article continues, basically calling Tinky Winky a liar.
A delight.
Read more here.
The Etobicoke North councillor and front runner for mayor says he has played a leading role in securing the flashy entertainment project for Toronto. “I know how to deal with CEOs of huge corporations – that’s how I landed the largest development in Toronto’s history,” he said in a recent newspaper interview. “Woodbine Live, I did that.”
In fact, say many of those involved in the project, Mr. Ford had little to do with landing Woodbine Live.
The article continues, basically calling Tinky Winky a liar.
A delight.
Read more here.
If God is backing Glenn Beck, then the Universe is f*cked
He did attract up to 90K scared, uninformed white people. That's scary in itself.
Conservative commentator Glenn Beck says his revival-style rally at the Lincoln Memorial on Saturday was about restoring America's honor and returning the country to the values on which it was founded.
Tens of thousands of people showed up for the event, which also featured former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.
Beck insists the rally was nonpolitical, but the event, which took place on the 47th anniversary of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.'s
"I Have a Dream" speech, and in the same place, was not without controversy.
The message: Support the troops; return to God.
Cause there's nothing God likes better than a good war.
Read more here.
Conservative commentator Glenn Beck says his revival-style rally at the Lincoln Memorial on Saturday was about restoring America's honor and returning the country to the values on which it was founded.
Tens of thousands of people showed up for the event, which also featured former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.
Beck insists the rally was nonpolitical, but the event, which took place on the 47th anniversary of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.'s
"I Have a Dream" speech, and in the same place, was not without controversy.
The message: Support the troops; return to God.
Cause there's nothing God likes better than a good war.
Read more here.
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Charles Krauthammer: The Majority is never wrong
Seems Mr. Krauthammer is standing up for the little bigot, those poor oppressed who can't stand facing up to what they really are.
Ah, the people, the little people, the small-town people, the "bitter" people, as Barack Obama in an unguarded moment once memorably called them, clinging "to guns or religion or" -- this part is less remembered -- "antipathy toward people who aren't like them."
That's a polite way of saying: clinging to bigotry. And promiscuous charges of bigotry are precisely how our current rulers and their vast media auxiliary react to an obstreperous citizenry that insists on incorrect thinking.
Lucky for us, he gives examples:
-- Resistance to the vast expansion of government power, intrusiveness and debt, as represented by the Tea Party movement? Why, racist resentment toward a black president.
-- Disgust and alarm with the federal government's unwillingness to curb illegal immigration, as crystallized in the Arizona law? Nativism.
-- Opposition to the most radical redefinition of marriage in human history, as expressed in Proposition 8 in California? Homophobia.
-- Opposition to a 15-story Islamic center and mosque near Ground Zero? Islamophobia.
Bingo Charles, right on all counts, just not the way you'd hoped.
Read more here.
Ah, the people, the little people, the small-town people, the "bitter" people, as Barack Obama in an unguarded moment once memorably called them, clinging "to guns or religion or" -- this part is less remembered -- "antipathy toward people who aren't like them."
That's a polite way of saying: clinging to bigotry. And promiscuous charges of bigotry are precisely how our current rulers and their vast media auxiliary react to an obstreperous citizenry that insists on incorrect thinking.
Lucky for us, he gives examples:
-- Resistance to the vast expansion of government power, intrusiveness and debt, as represented by the Tea Party movement? Why, racist resentment toward a black president.
-- Disgust and alarm with the federal government's unwillingness to curb illegal immigration, as crystallized in the Arizona law? Nativism.
-- Opposition to the most radical redefinition of marriage in human history, as expressed in Proposition 8 in California? Homophobia.
-- Opposition to a 15-story Islamic center and mosque near Ground Zero? Islamophobia.
Bingo Charles, right on all counts, just not the way you'd hoped.
Read more here.
Facebook faces the fact they are Idiots. Face it and do an about face, before you lose face, you morons
Facebook, which has gone after sites with the word "book" in their names, is also trying to trademark the word "face," according to court documents.
But the social networking site has met with a familiar foe. As TechCrunch first reported, Aaron Greenspan has asked for an extension of time to file an opposition to Facebook's attempt. Greenspan is the president and CEO of Think Computer, the developer of a mobile payments app called FaceCash.
"I'd bet against 'face' being awarded to Facebook," said Henry Sneath, a patent and trademark lawyer based in Pittsburgh. "You cannot overtake the use of a generic word people use in everyday speech."
Read more here.
But the social networking site has met with a familiar foe. As TechCrunch first reported, Aaron Greenspan has asked for an extension of time to file an opposition to Facebook's attempt. Greenspan is the president and CEO of Think Computer, the developer of a mobile payments app called FaceCash.
"I'd bet against 'face' being awarded to Facebook," said Henry Sneath, a patent and trademark lawyer based in Pittsburgh. "You cannot overtake the use of a generic word people use in everyday speech."
Read more here.
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Councillor Maria Augimeri implies suburbanites are "unprogressive hicks". Suburbanites annoyed shoe fits so shockingly well
The battle for the office of Mayor of Toronto is devolving into a fight between liberals vs conservatives, thinkers vs idiots, 416 vs 905.
The Toronto Sun can be relied upon to take the low road.
The lefties are really going wild.
Just a day after several left-leaning councillors told the Sun the idea of Mayor Rob Ford was “appalling,” Councillor Maria Augimeri told AM640’s John Oakley Show Toronto’s suburban residents are at the bottom of the “learning curve” in understanding the policies of her downtown, “progressive” council colleagues.
That got a quick rebuke from most of the mayoral candidates who vowed to bridge the growing divide.
Augimeri, a North York councillor and avowed “suburbanite,” acknowledged there is a “palpable feeling in the suburbs that (they’ve) been wronged” and blamed that feeling on council’s executive committee before saying the “progressive” politicians weren’t the problem.
“They want to create a better world, they’re not ogres, don’t get me wrong, it’s just they didn’t take into account the learning curve of people in the suburbs,” she said Thursday.
What’s the learning curve?
“Bringing suburban people on board on ecological matters, on environmental initiatives, on progressive taxation, and I’m speaking very generally,” Augimeri said.
In a later interview, she stressed she wasn’t saying people in the city’s suburbs are unprogressive hicks.
Read more here.
The Toronto Sun can be relied upon to take the low road.
The lefties are really going wild.
Just a day after several left-leaning councillors told the Sun the idea of Mayor Rob Ford was “appalling,” Councillor Maria Augimeri told AM640’s John Oakley Show Toronto’s suburban residents are at the bottom of the “learning curve” in understanding the policies of her downtown, “progressive” council colleagues.
That got a quick rebuke from most of the mayoral candidates who vowed to bridge the growing divide.
Augimeri, a North York councillor and avowed “suburbanite,” acknowledged there is a “palpable feeling in the suburbs that (they’ve) been wronged” and blamed that feeling on council’s executive committee before saying the “progressive” politicians weren’t the problem.
“They want to create a better world, they’re not ogres, don’t get me wrong, it’s just they didn’t take into account the learning curve of people in the suburbs,” she said Thursday.
What’s the learning curve?
“Bringing suburban people on board on ecological matters, on environmental initiatives, on progressive taxation, and I’m speaking very generally,” Augimeri said.
In a later interview, she stressed she wasn’t saying people in the city’s suburbs are unprogressive hicks.
Read more here.
US Federal Trade Commission slaps down scummy Reverb Communications
The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has ruled against a marketing firm that posted favourable reviews of its clients' gaming applications on iTunes.
Reverb Communications employees posed as ordinary reviewers in a ploy that the FTC called "deceptive advertising".
The firm must now remove all of the reviews posted by its employees...
...Reverb executive Tracie Snitker said that negotiations with the FTC had reached an impasse.
"Rather than continuing to spend time and money arguing, and laying off employees to fight what we believed was a frivolous matter, we settled this case and ended the discussion," she said.
Translation: We're too clued to realize what we did was unethical. Actually no, we did know, we just don't give a fuck. Waaa, now leave us alone, it's time for cartoons.
Read more here.
Reverb Communications employees posed as ordinary reviewers in a ploy that the FTC called "deceptive advertising".
The firm must now remove all of the reviews posted by its employees...
...Reverb executive Tracie Snitker said that negotiations with the FTC had reached an impasse.
"Rather than continuing to spend time and money arguing, and laying off employees to fight what we believed was a frivolous matter, we settled this case and ended the discussion," she said.
Translation: We're too clued to realize what we did was unethical. Actually no, we did know, we just don't give a fuck. Waaa, now leave us alone, it's time for cartoons.
Read more here.
Morons, the Federal Conservatives and Rob Ford oppose the gun registy
Only one of the five major mayoral candidates supports the federal government taking aim at the gun registry.
With no debate on the issue, Toronto city councillors voted 30 to 4 on Friday to reaffirm their support for the gun registry and thank Toronto Police Chief Bill Blair for his leadership on the issue.
The vote comes as the federal Conservatives seem poised to try to scrap the registry.
After the council meeting, Mayor David Miller told reporters keeping the registry “is the right thing to do” and repeated his call for handgun ownership to be banned except by police officers.
“I think it is very important for this country to end the legal possession of handguns,” Miller said. “Particularly collectors, why should we allow people to collect something that’s designed and built to kill people, not to hunt, to kill people. It’s unbelievable.”
Among the two mayoral candidates on council, Deputy Mayor Joe Pantalone voted for the motion while Ford voted against it.
Ford told the Sun the registry takes aim at those using guns for hunting and other legal activities.
Read more here.
With no debate on the issue, Toronto city councillors voted 30 to 4 on Friday to reaffirm their support for the gun registry and thank Toronto Police Chief Bill Blair for his leadership on the issue.
The vote comes as the federal Conservatives seem poised to try to scrap the registry.
After the council meeting, Mayor David Miller told reporters keeping the registry “is the right thing to do” and repeated his call for handgun ownership to be banned except by police officers.
“I think it is very important for this country to end the legal possession of handguns,” Miller said. “Particularly collectors, why should we allow people to collect something that’s designed and built to kill people, not to hunt, to kill people. It’s unbelievable.”
Among the two mayoral candidates on council, Deputy Mayor Joe Pantalone voted for the motion while Ford voted against it.
Ford told the Sun the registry takes aim at those using guns for hunting and other legal activities.
Read more here.
Glenn Beck should build his Tower of Ego somewhere else, as not to offend thinking people
The planned large rally by Fox News Channel and radio talk show host Glenn Beck on Saturday on the National Mall is causing controversy because of its location and timing.
Saturday is the 47th anniversary of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech, and Beck's rally will be in front of the Lincoln Memorial, where the civil rights leader delivered his historic address.
Beck, a hero to many conservative voters across the country, says that the mission of the rally is to honor American troops and that the event is nonpolitical.
Thus richly deserving the "Lying Sack of Shit" award of the day.
Read more here.
Saturday is the 47th anniversary of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech, and Beck's rally will be in front of the Lincoln Memorial, where the civil rights leader delivered his historic address.
Beck, a hero to many conservative voters across the country, says that the mission of the rally is to honor American troops and that the event is nonpolitical.
Thus richly deserving the "Lying Sack of Shit" award of the day.
Read more here.
Friday, August 27, 2010
Rob Ford: Insert vague response on policy
Looking for a vague response from Rob Ford? Try emailing him.
Such was the reply Cathie Besso received after sending the mayoral frontrunner an email asking him what he plans to do about bike lanes in the city.
She received a form letter, first thanking the Beach resident for passing along her concerns.
But what struck her as odd was the second paragraph, written in bold.
“Insert vague response on policy,” it read.
Huh?
And this mental giant just might get elected.
Read more here.
Such was the reply Cathie Besso received after sending the mayoral frontrunner an email asking him what he plans to do about bike lanes in the city.
She received a form letter, first thanking the Beach resident for passing along her concerns.
But what struck her as odd was the second paragraph, written in bold.
“Insert vague response on policy,” it read.
Huh?
And this mental giant just might get elected.
Read more here.
Councillor Giorgio Mammoliti's obscenely oversized flag will need help from Viagra to stay up
City Council voted 30-6 yesterday in favour of giving Emery Village "the largest pole in North America." The giant erection would fly a Canadian flag the size of a football field, and will cost between $8- and $10-million. Council also agreed that the Emery Village BIA should seek funds from "companies like Pfizer Inc. and Eli Lilly Canada," producers of Viagra and Cialis, to help bankroll the project. They just might have to: the original estimate for the project was only $3.5-million and without prior secured funding, the project could be left flaccid.
And politicians wonder why they are often the objects of derision.
And politicians wonder why they are often the objects of derision.
Ken Mehlman: Flaming Idiot of the Day
Anger is only one of the emotions you've generated, you moron.
He's republican, so of course he'll play the victim.
Mehlman: 'I understand people are going to be angry'
Former Republican National Committee chairman Ken Mehlman is responding to criticism of his role in a Bush political operation that called for a constitutional amendment banning same sex marriage.
"It was something about my life I was having a hard time accepting then and I can't change that," Mehlman said in a phone interview Thursday with CNN Chief National Correspondent John King, before adding "I understand people who are going to be angry."
Mehlman told "The Atlantic" he was gay in an article published Wednesday.
Read more here.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Is alleged Fat F*ck Rob Ford a racist?
Racist? Perhaps, but his statements *are* dumb, dumb and dumb (last I checked, Toronto or any city for that matter doesn't have the right to dicate who moves there).
He's the Sarah Palin of Canada (make you statements vague enough, yet filled with clues for your supporters will understand), and appeals to the same mindset (Rob Ford's popularity is about to soar. His " man of the people - shoot from the hip " approach is working gangbusters).*:
The suburbanites (or those with revenge on their minds: When Ford wins, I will relish the dismay in hippie land. The crying and whining will be music to all right thinking peoples ears.), already trashing Toronto by rebuilding the core in the 905 architectural condo image, are set to elect this intellectual giant to the office of Mayor...
At Tuesday's CP24 mayoral debate Rob Ford made his latest controversial statement. "We can't even deal with the 2.5 million people in this city. It's more important that we take care of the people now before we start bringing in more," he remarked when the candidates were probed about their opinions regarding the recent Tamil migrants who arrived on Canada's west coast this last week.
His political opponents quickly pounced, though this is only the latest in a series of intolerant sounding remarks. Let us recall his comment that "Orientals work like dogs," or the misinformed notion that "If you are not doing needles and you are not gay, you wouldn't get AIDS probably, that's the bottom line"?
This is great material for candidates trying to score points against a candidate who might just be the frontrunner.
Read more here.
* Do I believe for a second this is an orchestrated effort by Mr. Ford? Nope, he's not that smart, but he may have handlers that are.
He's the Sarah Palin of Canada (make you statements vague enough, yet filled with clues for your supporters will understand), and appeals to the same mindset (Rob Ford's popularity is about to soar. His " man of the people - shoot from the hip " approach is working gangbusters).*:
The suburbanites (or those with revenge on their minds: When Ford wins, I will relish the dismay in hippie land. The crying and whining will be music to all right thinking peoples ears.), already trashing Toronto by rebuilding the core in the 905 architectural condo image, are set to elect this intellectual giant to the office of Mayor...
At Tuesday's CP24 mayoral debate Rob Ford made his latest controversial statement. "We can't even deal with the 2.5 million people in this city. It's more important that we take care of the people now before we start bringing in more," he remarked when the candidates were probed about their opinions regarding the recent Tamil migrants who arrived on Canada's west coast this last week.
His political opponents quickly pounced, though this is only the latest in a series of intolerant sounding remarks. Let us recall his comment that "Orientals work like dogs," or the misinformed notion that "If you are not doing needles and you are not gay, you wouldn't get AIDS probably, that's the bottom line"?
This is great material for candidates trying to score points against a candidate who might just be the frontrunner.
Read more here.
* Do I believe for a second this is an orchestrated effort by Mr. Ford? Nope, he's not that smart, but he may have handlers that are.
Montreal residents oppose condo...so guess what will be built
After more than two decades in disrepair, residents of the Golden Square Mile are adamant that the Redpath Mansion should be restored and not replaced by a condominium. At a public consultation last night, residents of du Musee Ave. and nearby streets told the city's planning officials and the owners of the property that the proposed new building does not fit in with the character of the block.
"It's monstrous," one woman at the back of the room said under her breath as a three-dimensional perspective of the proposed seven-storey building at 3455-3457 du Musee Ave. was displayed on the overhead screen.
Read more here.
"It's monstrous," one woman at the back of the room said under her breath as a three-dimensional perspective of the proposed seven-storey building at 3455-3457 du Musee Ave. was displayed on the overhead screen.
Read more here.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Cat hating British woman *really* is despicable
What's worse than a woman dumbing a cat in a bin?
This:
'I don't know what the fuss is about. It's just a cat.'
Yup, she went there.
A woman who enraged animal lovers across the world by dumping a cat in a wheelie bin said today she 'thought it would be funny'.
But Mary Bale, 45, has received death threats, and a Facebook page set up to track her down has attracted more than 18,000 members.
Miss Bale was caught on video picking up four-year-old tabby cat Lola before throwing her into the bin and closing the lid.
But she claimed the outcry had been blown out of all proportion.
She said: 'I don't know what the fuss is about. It's just a cat.'
The unmarried bank worker said she was just walking home on Saturday when she saw the cat and decided to play with it. But she told the Sun that she 'suddenly thought it would be funny' to put it in the bin.
'I did it as a joke because I thought it would be funny. I never thought it would be trapped, I expected it to wriggle out,' she said.
Read more here.
This:
'I don't know what the fuss is about. It's just a cat.'
Yup, she went there.
A woman who enraged animal lovers across the world by dumping a cat in a wheelie bin said today she 'thought it would be funny'.
But Mary Bale, 45, has received death threats, and a Facebook page set up to track her down has attracted more than 18,000 members.
Miss Bale was caught on video picking up four-year-old tabby cat Lola before throwing her into the bin and closing the lid.
But she claimed the outcry had been blown out of all proportion.
She said: 'I don't know what the fuss is about. It's just a cat.'
The unmarried bank worker said she was just walking home on Saturday when she saw the cat and decided to play with it. But she told the Sun that she 'suddenly thought it would be funny' to put it in the bin.
'I did it as a joke because I thought it would be funny. I never thought it would be trapped, I expected it to wriggle out,' she said.
Read more here.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Perpetual liar and privacy hating Facebook just says No.
The people behind the "Just Say Now" marijuana legalization campaign (oft-Boinged Salon contributor Glenn Greenwald is one of many political thinkers on their board) want Facebook to back off its decision to pull their ads from the social networking service...
...They report that Facebook's communications rep Adam Noyes said, when asked for Facebook's decision in writing:
It would be fine to note that you were informed by Facebook that the image in question was no long acceptable for use in Facebook ads. The image of a pot leaf is classified with all smoking products and therefore is not acceptable under our policies. Let me know if you need anything further.
That's world class bullshit, but we expect nothing less from Facebook.
Read more here.
...They report that Facebook's communications rep Adam Noyes said, when asked for Facebook's decision in writing:
It would be fine to note that you were informed by Facebook that the image in question was no long acceptable for use in Facebook ads. The image of a pot leaf is classified with all smoking products and therefore is not acceptable under our policies. Let me know if you need anything further.
That's world class bullshit, but we expect nothing less from Facebook.
Read more here.
New study questions one of Darwin's assumptions
And no, they haven't proposed an Intelligent Designer...
Charles Darwin may have been wrong when he argued that competition was the major driving force of evolution.
He imagined a world in which organisms battled for supremacy and only the fittest survived.
But new research identifies the availability of "living space", rather than competition, as being of key importance for evolution.
Findings question the old adage of "nature red in tooth and claw".
Read more here.
Charles Darwin may have been wrong when he argued that competition was the major driving force of evolution.
He imagined a world in which organisms battled for supremacy and only the fittest survived.
But new research identifies the availability of "living space", rather than competition, as being of key importance for evolution.
Findings question the old adage of "nature red in tooth and claw".
Read more here.
FOX News: We're funding the Ground Zero Mosque? Damn! Damn! Damn!
Jon Stewart continued his coverage of the 'Ground Zero Mosque' debate last night, focusing on Fox News' incongruities harder than he ever has. In a segment called "The Parent Company Trap," Stewart shared with his viewers how Fox News' plan to "follow the money" from mosque builder Imam Rauf to terrorists will be a tricky one because it leads right back to Fox News.
Stewart showed clips from his show last week, in which he mocked Fox News for playing a dangerous game of association based on speculation, and wherein Fox continued to mention a nameless man with ties to Imam Rauf through the "Kingdom Foundation." It turns out the man they are referring to but never name is Saudi prince Al-Waleed bin Talal, one of the biggest shareholders of Rupert Murdoch's News Corp.
Read more here.
Stewart showed clips from his show last week, in which he mocked Fox News for playing a dangerous game of association based on speculation, and wherein Fox continued to mention a nameless man with ties to Imam Rauf through the "Kingdom Foundation." It turns out the man they are referring to but never name is Saudi prince Al-Waleed bin Talal, one of the biggest shareholders of Rupert Murdoch's News Corp.
Read more here.
U.S. Army really really desperate to keep gays out
They'll try anything:
Pentagon officials today mailed out 150,000 new “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” surveys, this time seeking input from military spouses about the potential repeal of the law that bars gay men and lesbians from serving openly, officials said.
“We understand the inextricable link between the families, servicemembers and readiness, and this survey is a way to try to better understand that,” Army Gen. Carter F. Ham, U.S. Army Europe commander, said in a recent Pentagon Channel interview.
Read more here.
Pentagon officials today mailed out 150,000 new “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” surveys, this time seeking input from military spouses about the potential repeal of the law that bars gay men and lesbians from serving openly, officials said.
“We understand the inextricable link between the families, servicemembers and readiness, and this survey is a way to try to better understand that,” Army Gen. Carter F. Ham, U.S. Army Europe commander, said in a recent Pentagon Channel interview.
Read more here.
Toronto's lesser minds set to elect "blue-collar, working-class, anti-intellectual" Rob Ford as mayor, because he's "oddly endearing"
So are the Teletubbies but I wouldn't vote for one.
Btw, Tinky Winky, um I mean Mr. Ford is the fat fuck with the blond hair... allegedly.
Seems we have a Sarah Palin wannabe in the person of Rob Ford running for mayor.
Why do some like him? God knows, but the writer [Christie Blatchford] of a piece in the Globe and Mail tries to tell us:
Rob Ford, the racist/liar/drunk/liar, dropped out of college a few credits short, looks like the sort of guy who would have a couple of beers at lunch and say something stupid, or do something stupid, like get in his car and drive it. And yet, and yet: Every blue-collar, working-class, anti-intellectual bone in my body finds him oddly endearing*.
So, because Mr. Ford is a brash, mildly bigoted dumb good old boy we'd like to have a beer with, we should vote for him?
Sounds oddly familiar, doesn't it?
And what kind of people oppose Mr. Ford, according to Ms. Blatchford:
"that gentle arty or intellectual stripe"
I think she means people with brains who can actually use them. Thinking is *so* passé I know, what with Ms. Blatchford and her ilk positively pining for an Idiot in Office.
The only silver lining is that Ms Blatchford has perserved her idiocy in writing.
Read more here.
* Remind me never, ever to accept an invitation to one of Ms. Blatchford's parties.
Massive Incompetence in Ontario: Nearly 150 prisoners mistakenly released
At least 143 prisoners were mistakenly allowed to walk out of Ontario correctional facilities over the last eight years — and the provincial government will not say who these prisoners were, how many of them were dangerous, and whether any of them are still at large.
Sixteen months after the Star filed a freedom of information request for the “incident reports” corrections employees must produce after each mistaken release, 143 censored reports covering the period from January 2003 to March 2009 arrived in July. Because the government has long refused to describe how any mistaken release occurred, the reports provide the most complete explanations ever made public.
There is much, however, that the reports do not reveal...
Read more here.
Sixteen months after the Star filed a freedom of information request for the “incident reports” corrections employees must produce after each mistaken release, 143 censored reports covering the period from January 2003 to March 2009 arrived in July. Because the government has long refused to describe how any mistaken release occurred, the reports provide the most complete explanations ever made public.
There is much, however, that the reports do not reveal...
Read more here.
Pushy Spiteful Christians: Highfield Road Gospel Hall
Incredibly pushy Christians, right here in Toronto.
Seems this happy little band likes to stand outside of their
So the neighbours had enough, and told this traveling show of hate to take a hike.
*This part of the story may not be accurate, as they may just be preaching in the street regularly and not targeting any house in particular:
We appreciate the action of our neighbours .THX. Although we were not present at the time we feel the need to clear up a possible misunderstanding. We have lived on the street for 13 years. Though we don't align with the outdoor sermon it has never been directly targeted towards us. They have conducted these sermons on our street numerous years prior to us moving here. We just want to ensure the focus of this is public church sermons (not targeting a gay couple) .
Monday, August 23, 2010
Toronto allows condo builder to f*ck over former tentants...for a price
What a shock! Tocondo siding with developers? How rare...
After 13 years, Allan Austin and his wife Valeria Murial will lose their Beverley St. rental home to development, despite a city provision that it be replaced.
The couple’s row house is one of six rental units on the east side of the street, north of Queen St. W., which are to be demolished to make way for an 11-storey condominium.
Faced with a dwindling supply of rental properties, under the official plan the city usually requires developers to build apartments in a condo building to replace those that were lost, and to allow the former tenants to pay rents there comparable to what they had paid before.
But in a deal brokered by Ward 20 Councillor Adam Vaughan, the developer, BSäR Group of Companies, is paying the city nearly $800,000 instead of replacing the rentals, which means Austin and his wife won’t be allowed to move back in.
The agreement has outraged some tenants, who feel their interests have been ignored.
Read more here.
After 13 years, Allan Austin and his wife Valeria Murial will lose their Beverley St. rental home to development, despite a city provision that it be replaced.
The couple’s row house is one of six rental units on the east side of the street, north of Queen St. W., which are to be demolished to make way for an 11-storey condominium.
Faced with a dwindling supply of rental properties, under the official plan the city usually requires developers to build apartments in a condo building to replace those that were lost, and to allow the former tenants to pay rents there comparable to what they had paid before.
But in a deal brokered by Ward 20 Councillor Adam Vaughan, the developer, BSäR Group of Companies, is paying the city nearly $800,000 instead of replacing the rentals, which means Austin and his wife won’t be allowed to move back in.
The agreement has outraged some tenants, who feel their interests have been ignored.
Read more here.
Discovery of ancient cave paintings in Petra stuns art scholars
Spectacular 2,000-year-old Hellenistic-style wall paintings have been revealed at the world heritage site of Petra through the expertise of British conservation specialists. The paintings, in a cave complex, had been obscured by centuries of black soot, smoke and greasy substances, as well as graffiti.
Experts from the Courtauld Institute in London have now removed the black grime, uncovering paintings whose "exceptional" artistic quality and sheer beauty are said to be superior even to some of the better Roman paintings at Herculaneum that were inspired by Hellenistic art.
Read more here.
Experts from the Courtauld Institute in London have now removed the black grime, uncovering paintings whose "exceptional" artistic quality and sheer beauty are said to be superior even to some of the better Roman paintings at Herculaneum that were inspired by Hellenistic art.
Read more here.
Ubër Conservatives annoyed Elizabeth Hasselbeck isn't hateful enough
What is this, ‘Conservatives Without Principles Month’?
The following Newsmax article is yet another pathetic account of a confused “conservative” who abandons God’s truth, natural moral law, and common sense for the latest worldly trend: domesticated homosexuality and counterfeit ”marriage.” If poor Elizabeth Hasselbeck of ABC’s The View knows that life begins at conception yet can’t understand the urgency of government protecting that life (unborn babies) in the womb – then it’s hardly surprising that she is confused about homosexual “marriage.”
There's more venom in that 2nd paragraph than in most peeved cobras. The whole article positively foams at the mouth in sieving rage.
God is Love...except when there's fags to be beaten.
Yes, the libertarians appear to be winning the day on this issue, which is especially galling because the homosexualist agenda is a statist and anti-liberty agenda if there ever was one. Just ask its growing list of faith-based victims who have paid a high price for disagreeing with homosexuality.
As opposed to what the church (in fact the entire culture) as done to homosexuals for centuries?
There isn't a big enough "Fuck You" for these people.
Read more here.
The following Newsmax article is yet another pathetic account of a confused “conservative” who abandons God’s truth, natural moral law, and common sense for the latest worldly trend: domesticated homosexuality and counterfeit ”marriage.” If poor Elizabeth Hasselbeck of ABC’s The View knows that life begins at conception yet can’t understand the urgency of government protecting that life (unborn babies) in the womb – then it’s hardly surprising that she is confused about homosexual “marriage.”
There's more venom in that 2nd paragraph than in most peeved cobras. The whole article positively foams at the mouth in sieving rage.
God is Love...except when there's fags to be beaten.
Yes, the libertarians appear to be winning the day on this issue, which is especially galling because the homosexualist agenda is a statist and anti-liberty agenda if there ever was one. Just ask its growing list of faith-based victims who have paid a high price for disagreeing with homosexuality.
As opposed to what the church (in fact the entire culture) as done to homosexuals for centuries?
There isn't a big enough "Fuck You" for these people.
Read more here.
Sunday, August 22, 2010
First they came for the Victorian buildings and I said nothing, next they came for the 70's concrete...
The Blanding of Tocondo continues apace.
Perhaps you've heard Nouvelle Vague's "Dance With Me" being used in radio ads for a new condo development: Chaz on Charles*.
Launching a condo project in the middle of real estate downswing is probably not the wisest idea. But unlike other condo projects, this one does not appear to be threatening heritage. The building that is currently there - 45 Charles Street East - is a nondescript concrete office building. Even the city does not care that 45 Charles Street East is being torn down. It's one of those concrete buildings that's a blight on the Toronto landscape. Or is it?
* Good to see developers are still able to come up with pretentious names.
Read more here.
Perhaps you've heard Nouvelle Vague's "Dance With Me" being used in radio ads for a new condo development: Chaz on Charles*.
Launching a condo project in the middle of real estate downswing is probably not the wisest idea. But unlike other condo projects, this one does not appear to be threatening heritage. The building that is currently there - 45 Charles Street East - is a nondescript concrete office building. Even the city does not care that 45 Charles Street East is being torn down. It's one of those concrete buildings that's a blight on the Toronto landscape. Or is it?
* Good to see developers are still able to come up with pretentious names.
Read more here.
Iran sends an Ambassador of Death and a big F*ck You to the world
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Sunday inaugurated the country's first domestically built unmanned bomber aircraft, calling it an "ambassador of death" to Iran's enemies.
The 4-meter-long drone aircraft can carry up to four cruise missiles and will have a range of 620 miles (1,000 kilometers), according to a state TV report – not far enough to reach archenemy Israel.
"The jet, as well as being an ambassador of death for the enemies of humanity, has a main message of peace and friendship," said Ahmadinejad at the inauguration ceremony, which fell on the country's national day for its defense industries.
The military mind, perfecting bullshit to a fine art.
Read more here.
The 4-meter-long drone aircraft can carry up to four cruise missiles and will have a range of 620 miles (1,000 kilometers), according to a state TV report – not far enough to reach archenemy Israel.
"The jet, as well as being an ambassador of death for the enemies of humanity, has a main message of peace and friendship," said Ahmadinejad at the inauguration ceremony, which fell on the country's national day for its defense industries.
The military mind, perfecting bullshit to a fine art.
Read more here.
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Pushy Christians: U.S. Army
The Army said Friday it was investigating a claim that dozens of soldiers who refused to attend a Christian band's concert at a Virginia military base were banished to their barracks and told to clean them up.
Fort Eustis spokesman Rick Haverinen told The Associated Press he couldn't comment on the specifics of the investigation. At the Pentagon, Army spokesman Col. Thomas Collins said the military shouldn't impose religious views on soldiers.
"If something like that were to have happened, it would be contrary to Army policy," Collins said.
Pvt. Anthony Smith said he and other soldiers felt pressured to attend the May concert while stationed at the Newport News base, home of the Army's Transportation Corps.
"My whole issue was I don't need to be preached at," Smith said in a phone interview from Phoenix, where he is stationed with the National Guard. "That's not what I signed up for."
Smith, 21, was stationed in Virginia for nearly seven months for helicopter electrician training when the Christian rock group BarlowGirl played as part of the "Commanding General's Spiritual Fitness Concerts."
Smith said a staff sergeant told 200 men in their barracks they could either attend or remain in their barracks. Eighty to 100 decided not to attend, he said.
"Instead of being released to our personal time, we were locked down," Smith said. "It seemed very much like a punishment."
Read more here.
Fort Eustis spokesman Rick Haverinen told The Associated Press he couldn't comment on the specifics of the investigation. At the Pentagon, Army spokesman Col. Thomas Collins said the military shouldn't impose religious views on soldiers.
"If something like that were to have happened, it would be contrary to Army policy," Collins said.
Pvt. Anthony Smith said he and other soldiers felt pressured to attend the May concert while stationed at the Newport News base, home of the Army's Transportation Corps.
"My whole issue was I don't need to be preached at," Smith said in a phone interview from Phoenix, where he is stationed with the National Guard. "That's not what I signed up for."
Smith, 21, was stationed in Virginia for nearly seven months for helicopter electrician training when the Christian rock group BarlowGirl played as part of the "Commanding General's Spiritual Fitness Concerts."
Smith said a staff sergeant told 200 men in their barracks they could either attend or remain in their barracks. Eighty to 100 decided not to attend, he said.
"Instead of being released to our personal time, we were locked down," Smith said. "It seemed very much like a punishment."
Read more here.
WikiLeaks founder charged with rape. How convenient
A Swedish tabloid reported Saturday that an arrest warrant has been issued for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange on suspicion of rape, and officials said they could confirm "media reports."
Assange addressed the report on WikiLeaks Twitter page, saying "the charges are without basis and their issue at this moment is deeply disturbing."
Read more here.
Update
Sweden drops warrant for WikiLeaks founder
Well, that wasn't a bit suspicious, no.
Read more here.
Assange addressed the report on WikiLeaks Twitter page, saying "the charges are without basis and their issue at this moment is deeply disturbing."
Read more here.
Update
Sweden drops warrant for WikiLeaks founder
Well, that wasn't a bit suspicious, no.
Read more here.
Friday, August 20, 2010
Open Internet being decided behind closed doors
Of course. You're about to witness one of the biggest grabs in history folks.
An industry body representing some of the biggest names in technology has hosted a closed-door meeting to discuss the future of the open internet.
Public advocacy groups said such back-room dealings were detrimental.
The meeting follows the publication of a controversial plan by Google and Verizon that could allow net providers certain types of internet traffic to be given priority over others.
Read more here.
An industry body representing some of the biggest names in technology has hosted a closed-door meeting to discuss the future of the open internet.
Public advocacy groups said such back-room dealings were detrimental.
The meeting follows the publication of a controversial plan by Google and Verizon that could allow net providers certain types of internet traffic to be given priority over others.
Read more here.
Ultraviolet light reveals how ancient Greek statues really looked
Original Greek statues were brightly painted, but after thousands of years, those paints have worn away. Find out how shining a light on the statues can be that's required to see them the way they were thousands of years ago.
Read more here.
Read more here.
The West Wing takes on Dr. Laura
Thus getting to the core of Christian hypocrisy, cherry picking which commandments to follow and which to ignore, to suit the prejudices of the day.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
La Ronde theme park: Idiots of the Day
I love when people do dumb things like this, now the *whole* world knows!
A man told to cover up his Bob Marley T-shirt at an amusement park plans to file a human-rights complaint against the facility.
Brunaud Moise alleges that security guards at La Ronde theme park in Montreal ordered him to turn the shirt inside out or leave the premises.
Mr. Moise, who is black, alleges staff singled him out because they associate a black man wearing a Marley shirt with something deviant or criminal.
The 32-year-old says the guards told him the shirt was inappropriate for the family-oriented park.
His grey T-shirt features a design that includes a black-and-white image of the late reggae legend and a cluster of green, marijuana-shaped leaves.
Read more here.
A man told to cover up his Bob Marley T-shirt at an amusement park plans to file a human-rights complaint against the facility.
Brunaud Moise alleges that security guards at La Ronde theme park in Montreal ordered him to turn the shirt inside out or leave the premises.
Mr. Moise, who is black, alleges staff singled him out because they associate a black man wearing a Marley shirt with something deviant or criminal.
The 32-year-old says the guards told him the shirt was inappropriate for the family-oriented park.
His grey T-shirt features a design that includes a black-and-white image of the late reggae legend and a cluster of green, marijuana-shaped leaves.
Read more here.
Facebook Places: Stalker's Delight
I can't put my finger on it, but this new Facebook Places feature has "creepy" written all over it. Guess I come from a lost age where privacy actually meant something.
Social-networking giant Facebook has entered the check-in world.
Facebook executives on Wednesday announced the launch of Facebook Places, which -- similar to services such as Foursquare and Gowalla -- will allow people to use the GPS on their mobile phones to let friends know exactly where they are.
And here I thought FB couldn't get more narcissistic.
Facebook staff also said the feature will be useful not only to let friends know where they are, but also to learn if their friends are nearby at the same time, and to write down what they are doing at the location and what they think about it -- creating a trail allowing friends to see what the writer did there days or even years ago.
Read more here.
Social-networking giant Facebook has entered the check-in world.
Facebook executives on Wednesday announced the launch of Facebook Places, which -- similar to services such as Foursquare and Gowalla -- will allow people to use the GPS on their mobile phones to let friends know exactly where they are.
And here I thought FB couldn't get more narcissistic.
Facebook staff also said the feature will be useful not only to let friends know where they are, but also to learn if their friends are nearby at the same time, and to write down what they are doing at the location and what they think about it -- creating a trail allowing friends to see what the writer did there days or even years ago.
Read more here.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Historian finds Hitler was alway a douche
In Nazi propaganda, he was a gallant First World War corporal who frequently risked his life.
Now the myth of Adolf Hitler's heroism in the trenches has been debunked by research revealing he was little more than a 'teaboy' messenger dubbed a 'rear-area pig' by frontline soldiers.
No individual has been more scrutinized than Hitler, but detective work by Dr Thomas Weber, lecturer in modern history at Aberdeen University, unearthed new evidence.
Previously unpublished letters from veterans of Hitler's regiment have challenged the Nazi portrayal which suggested his virulent nationalism was prompted by his experience on the Western Front.
They overturn his image of his unit, the List Regiment, as a band of brothers, intolerant and anti-Jewish with Hitler 'a hero at its heart'.
They confront long-held views on Hitler’s brave war record, revealing that front soldiers shunned him as a “rear area pig” several kilometres from danger.
The letters and a diary also disclose that List men regarded him as an impractical object of ridicule, joking about his starving in a canned food factory, unable to open a can with a bayonet.
Read more here.
Now the myth of Adolf Hitler's heroism in the trenches has been debunked by research revealing he was little more than a 'teaboy' messenger dubbed a 'rear-area pig' by frontline soldiers.
No individual has been more scrutinized than Hitler, but detective work by Dr Thomas Weber, lecturer in modern history at Aberdeen University, unearthed new evidence.
Previously unpublished letters from veterans of Hitler's regiment have challenged the Nazi portrayal which suggested his virulent nationalism was prompted by his experience on the Western Front.
They overturn his image of his unit, the List Regiment, as a band of brothers, intolerant and anti-Jewish with Hitler 'a hero at its heart'.
They confront long-held views on Hitler’s brave war record, revealing that front soldiers shunned him as a “rear area pig” several kilometres from danger.
The letters and a diary also disclose that List men regarded him as an impractical object of ridicule, joking about his starving in a canned food factory, unable to open a can with a bayonet.
Read more here.
Starbucks: Grande Idiots du Jour
I wouldn't call Starbucks cutzie phrases "fascist", but they do hit the stratospheric realms of pretention.
Lynne Rosenthal, the English professor who caused a ruckus in an Upper West Side Starbucks when she refused to bow to what she called the coffee giant's "linguistic fascism," says she's no folk hero -- but she won't ever patronize Starbucks again.
Rosenthal, who's in her 60s, was kicked out of a Starbucks at West 86th Street and Columbus Avenue after she tried to order a plain multi-grain bagel, the New York Post reported Monday.
When the employee behind the counter asked Rosenthal, "Do you want butter or cheese?" the English professor refused to say, "without butter or cheese."
She thought "plain" would suffice.
Read more here.
Lynne Rosenthal, the English professor who caused a ruckus in an Upper West Side Starbucks when she refused to bow to what she called the coffee giant's "linguistic fascism," says she's no folk hero -- but she won't ever patronize Starbucks again.
Rosenthal, who's in her 60s, was kicked out of a Starbucks at West 86th Street and Columbus Avenue after she tried to order a plain multi-grain bagel, the New York Post reported Monday.
When the employee behind the counter asked Rosenthal, "Do you want butter or cheese?" the English professor refused to say, "without butter or cheese."
She thought "plain" would suffice.
Read more here.
MPAA: Idiots of the Day
Mind numbing violence is AOK, just dont say FUCK.
Americans can be such children.
Despite protests by its producer, director and distributor that "The Tillman Story" is an important documentary that should be available to young people, it has lost an appeal to have the Motion Picture Association of America change its R rating to PG-13.
Producer John Battsek and director Amir Bar Lev made a personal appeal Thursday in Los Angeles before the appeals board, which is composed of studio distribution and major exhibition executives, but could not convince them to change the rating. That makes it unlikely that the picture will be made available to young people in schools and through libraries in years to come.
Read more here.
Americans can be such children.
Despite protests by its producer, director and distributor that "The Tillman Story" is an important documentary that should be available to young people, it has lost an appeal to have the Motion Picture Association of America change its R rating to PG-13.
Producer John Battsek and director Amir Bar Lev made a personal appeal Thursday in Los Angeles before the appeals board, which is composed of studio distribution and major exhibition executives, but could not convince them to change the rating. That makes it unlikely that the picture will be made available to young people in schools and through libraries in years to come.
Read more here.
Montreal's Mayor Tremblay ignores local residents to allow condo
Mayor Tremblay favoring developers over citizens? Again?
Can you say "Griffintown"...
The mobilization of citizens against the transformation of the former convent Mont-Jésus-Marie in luxury condos have been futile. The Tremblay administration has decided to withdraw the regulation should be a referendum this fall, allowing the developer Group F. Catania to go ahead with the project. Furious, the opponents are now considering going to court to block the project.
Read more here.
Citizens rarely win these things, it's very difficult to break up the dirty dance between local governments and greedy developers. Too much money at stake.
Can you say "Griffintown"...
The mobilization of citizens against the transformation of the former convent Mont-Jésus-Marie in luxury condos have been futile. The Tremblay administration has decided to withdraw the regulation should be a referendum this fall, allowing the developer Group F. Catania to go ahead with the project. Furious, the opponents are now considering going to court to block the project.
Read more here.
Citizens rarely win these things, it's very difficult to break up the dirty dance between local governments and greedy developers. Too much money at stake.
Dr. Laura: Good Riddance
Embattled radio talk show host Dr. Laura Schlessinger announced Tuesday she will not renew her contract that is up at the end of the year, telling CNN's "Larry King Live" she wants to "regain my First Amendment rights."
The right to be a hateful old croan it seems.
Read more here.
The right to be a hateful old croan it seems.
Read more here.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Fair and Balanced News Corp give $1 Million to Republican party
Fox News and Wall Street Journal parent company News Corp donated $1 million to the Republican Governors Association in June, Bloomberg BusinessWeek reported.
The media conglomerate, controlled by Chairman and CEO Rupert Murdoch, took advantage of the unlimited donations corporations can give to governors' associations
Read more here.
The media conglomerate, controlled by Chairman and CEO Rupert Murdoch, took advantage of the unlimited donations corporations can give to governors' associations
Read more here.
Illegal wiretapper AT&T claims net neutrality is oppressive
"Oppressive" to their ability to transform the Net into something they can wring every last dime out of perhaps.
US TELECOM AT&T has come out in support of Google's contention that wireless communications are different than wireline Internet services.
Last week Google and Verizon agreed on a deal that left wireless communications free to be carved up by telecoms operators and tiered for commercial exploitation. Given Google's stance as a supporter of net neutrality, it has faced widespread criticism and even had 100 or so demonstrators outside its doors claiming that it had sold out.
Google defended its deal with Verizon by saying that its users simply misunderstood technology and that wireless was somehow different from wired technology. It comes as no big surprise that AT&T has also adopted this patronising position to concur with Google and Verizon, its largest competitor.
Now now you silly little consumer, don't worry your pretty little head over this. Leave the decisions to us.
We'll send you the bill.
Monthly.
Read more here.
US TELECOM AT&T has come out in support of Google's contention that wireless communications are different than wireline Internet services.
Last week Google and Verizon agreed on a deal that left wireless communications free to be carved up by telecoms operators and tiered for commercial exploitation. Given Google's stance as a supporter of net neutrality, it has faced widespread criticism and even had 100 or so demonstrators outside its doors claiming that it had sold out.
Google defended its deal with Verizon by saying that its users simply misunderstood technology and that wireless was somehow different from wired technology. It comes as no big surprise that AT&T has also adopted this patronising position to concur with Google and Verizon, its largest competitor.
Now now you silly little consumer, don't worry your pretty little head over this. Leave the decisions to us.
We'll send you the bill.
Monthly.
Read more here.
Toronto council backs plan for obscenely huge Canadian flag
The morons behind this still want to build a Dundas Square North, not noting that Dundas Square is one of the most ad infested eyesores this planet has to offer.
Toronto is one step closer to erecting the largest flagstaff on the continent.
Mayor David Miller’s executive committee has unanimously backed building a 125-metre pole – which would bear a steel-fibre Canadian flag the size of a football field – on a vacant lot near Finch Avenue West and Highway 400.
“Because our community is made up immigrants ... they have decided to celebrate being a Canadian,” Councillor Giorgio Mammoliti, the project’s champion, said after the vote Monday.
They? "You have decided" is more like it.
Epically dumb idea, but it will attract morons like moths to a flame.
Shucks Clem, that there's the huggest flag I ever did see. Golly gee, them Canucks must have heeps load of patre-atizum!
Read more here.
Toronto is one step closer to erecting the largest flagstaff on the continent.
Mayor David Miller’s executive committee has unanimously backed building a 125-metre pole – which would bear a steel-fibre Canadian flag the size of a football field – on a vacant lot near Finch Avenue West and Highway 400.
“Because our community is made up immigrants ... they have decided to celebrate being a Canadian,” Councillor Giorgio Mammoliti, the project’s champion, said after the vote Monday.
They? "You have decided" is more like it.
Epically dumb idea, but it will attract morons like moths to a flame.
Shucks Clem, that there's the huggest flag I ever did see. Golly gee, them Canucks must have heeps load of patre-atizum!
Read more here.
American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family and Property: If you don't get the homophobic response you want, change the text
A recent addition to the NOM bus tour (against same-sex marriage) are the clean cut young men in their oh-so-attractive red capes and gold heraldic lion brooches. They're from American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family and Property (more below).
Now they have a poll up that asks: "What do you think about Judge Walker's decision to overturn Prop. 8 banning same-sex "marriage" in California?"
I think we should help them find the answer they so desparately need (just scroll down to the bottom left). More after the jump....
Read more here.
Now they have a poll up that asks: "What do you think about Judge Walker's decision to overturn Prop. 8 banning same-sex "marriage" in California?"
I think we should help them find the answer they so desparately need (just scroll down to the bottom left). More after the jump....
Read more here.
Monday, August 16, 2010
The makers of the Taser don't want you to know it's f*cking deadly
The company that makes Tasers has lost its legal bid to quash a high-profile report that found the weapons can kill.
The British Columbia Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed a legal challenge by Taser International to overturn results of the inquiry into the death of Polish immigrant Robert Dziekanski.
The company was trying to quash retired justice Thomas Braidwood’s findings that the weapons increase the risk of fatal heart failure.
Dziekanski, 40, died on Oct. 14, 2007, at Vancouver International Airport after being Tasered five times by four RCMP officers responding to a 911 call.
Read more here.
The British Columbia Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed a legal challenge by Taser International to overturn results of the inquiry into the death of Polish immigrant Robert Dziekanski.
The company was trying to quash retired justice Thomas Braidwood’s findings that the weapons increase the risk of fatal heart failure.
Dziekanski, 40, died on Oct. 14, 2007, at Vancouver International Airport after being Tasered five times by four RCMP officers responding to a 911 call.
Read more here.
Justin Bieber astounds world by acting like a juvenile teenager
Saturday night, a tweet appeared then quickly vanished on teen heartthrob Justin Bieber's verified Twitter account: "everyone call me 248-XXX-XXXX :) or text". The number belonged to a teen in Detroit, and Justin apparently tweeted it out of revenge.
Remind me again why this kid is a star?
Read more here.
Remind me again why this kid is a star?
Read more here.
Sunday, August 15, 2010
The Right in America outraged Target may not be *really* bigoted
The U.S. Supreme Court allows corporations to give directly to political candidates, corporation stands back surprised that said contribution may have consequences.
Idiots.
Conservative activists said Friday that Target Corp. won't quell the controversy over its corporate donations if the retailer gives in to demands from the left to renounce involvement in political campaigns or to help gay-friendly candidates.
Charlie Weaver, a leader of a political organization supporting a conservative Republican gubernatorial candidate in Minnesota, said the pressure from gays and liberal organizations on Target amounts to "thuggery."
"This is simply an attempt to intimidate companies from doing what the Supreme Court said they're entitled to do, exercise their free speech," said Weaver, treasurer of MN Forward, a campaign group that got $150,000 from Target last month.
A GOP state lawmaker said the controversy, including protests and calls for a boycott by gay leaders, has put Target in a bind.
"They're darned if they do something and they're darned if they don't," said Rep. Marty Seifert, a Republican from Marshall.
Contributors to a conservative Facebook page on the controversy also warned the company of a backlash from the right.
"I will not boycott Target unless they crater to the demand of the gay activists," said one writer.
Read more here.
Idiots.
Conservative activists said Friday that Target Corp. won't quell the controversy over its corporate donations if the retailer gives in to demands from the left to renounce involvement in political campaigns or to help gay-friendly candidates.
Charlie Weaver, a leader of a political organization supporting a conservative Republican gubernatorial candidate in Minnesota, said the pressure from gays and liberal organizations on Target amounts to "thuggery."
"This is simply an attempt to intimidate companies from doing what the Supreme Court said they're entitled to do, exercise their free speech," said Weaver, treasurer of MN Forward, a campaign group that got $150,000 from Target last month.
A GOP state lawmaker said the controversy, including protests and calls for a boycott by gay leaders, has put Target in a bind.
"They're darned if they do something and they're darned if they don't," said Rep. Marty Seifert, a Republican from Marshall.
Contributors to a conservative Facebook page on the controversy also warned the company of a backlash from the right.
"I will not boycott Target unless they crater to the demand of the gay activists," said one writer.
Read more here.
Why Councillor Giorgio Mammoliti should not be trusted with flags, obscenely oversized or not
From April 2009:
The flag flap in front of the Carmine Stefano Community Centre continues.
The morning of April 8, eagle-eye residents spotted the flag flying upside down on the building's front lawn.
York West Councillor Giorgio Mammoliti, whose constituency office is inside the centre, said the flag pole had broken, making it appear as if the flag was flying upside down.
And he wants us to trust him with a $3.5 million football field sized flag?
I think not. The death toll could be in the thousands.
Read more here.
The flag flap in front of the Carmine Stefano Community Centre continues.
The morning of April 8, eagle-eye residents spotted the flag flying upside down on the building's front lawn.
York West Councillor Giorgio Mammoliti, whose constituency office is inside the centre, said the flag pole had broken, making it appear as if the flag was flying upside down.
And he wants us to trust him with a $3.5 million football field sized flag?
I think not. The death toll could be in the thousands.
Read more here.
Google draws protesters over its scummy plan for the Net
"Don't Be Evil"...Oh look! Money!!!
Around 100 people have rallied outside Google's California offices to protest against controversial proposals to alter how data is treated over the web.
Google and Verizon suggest treating fixed line services differently to wireless and some specialised content.
This would allow net providers to give priority to certain online traffic.
Protesters outside the famed Googleplex said this would create a "pay-to-play" service and urged Google to live up to its famous motto "don't be evil".
Read more here.
Around 100 people have rallied outside Google's California offices to protest against controversial proposals to alter how data is treated over the web.
Google and Verizon suggest treating fixed line services differently to wireless and some specialised content.
This would allow net providers to give priority to certain online traffic.
Protesters outside the famed Googleplex said this would create a "pay-to-play" service and urged Google to live up to its famous motto "don't be evil".
Read more here.
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Friday, August 13, 2010
Google goes into damage control, lets slip it still plans to f*ck with the Net
Read it, it essentially says: Ok, you can have your old Internet, but all bets are off with this shiny new wireless one...
The "providers" are sick, desperate to turn the Net into the same thing they did to television. Cable Television.
Nasty thing is though, many people have had 20 years experience with the present Net and will be very hard to persuade that less is more.
But joy of joys! They've found a loophole! The "wireless" Net is somehow magically so different, well its control has to be left in their safe little hands.
"Don't Be Evil", except where money is concerned.
Over the past few days there’s been a lot of discussion surrounding our announcement of a policy proposal on network neutrality we put together with Verizon. On balance, we [Google] believe this proposal represents real progress on what has become a very contentious issue, and we think it could help move the network neutrality debate forward constructively.
We don’t expect everyone to agree with every aspect of our proposal, but there has been a number of inaccuracies about it, and we do want to separate fact from fiction.
Read more here.
a very contentious issue
Only thing contentious about it is that the corporations want to control the Net, and the public doesn't.
Guess who'll win...
The "providers" are sick, desperate to turn the Net into the same thing they did to television. Cable Television.
Nasty thing is though, many people have had 20 years experience with the present Net and will be very hard to persuade that less is more.
But joy of joys! They've found a loophole! The "wireless" Net is somehow magically so different, well its control has to be left in their safe little hands.
"Don't Be Evil", except where money is concerned.
Over the past few days there’s been a lot of discussion surrounding our announcement of a policy proposal on network neutrality we put together with Verizon. On balance, we [Google] believe this proposal represents real progress on what has become a very contentious issue, and we think it could help move the network neutrality debate forward constructively.
We don’t expect everyone to agree with every aspect of our proposal, but there has been a number of inaccuracies about it, and we do want to separate fact from fiction.
Read more here.
a very contentious issue
Only thing contentious about it is that the corporations want to control the Net, and the public doesn't.
Guess who'll win...
Giorgio Mammoliti hopes his oversized flag will attract tourists with no life
The flag is a ridiculous idea, and so are Mr. Mamoliti's rationales:
“What better way to celebrate our country, and our ethnicities within this country,” the Ward 7 councillor said. “We wanted to make it as large as we can to be a significant monument to celebrate immigration.”
Ok, sure, what else?
“It waves so slowly, you want to cry about how proud we are to be Canadian,” he said.
I want to cry, but for another reason entirely.
Read more here.
“What better way to celebrate our country, and our ethnicities within this country,” the Ward 7 councillor said. “We wanted to make it as large as we can to be a significant monument to celebrate immigration.”
Ok, sure, what else?
“It waves so slowly, you want to cry about how proud we are to be Canadian,” he said.
I want to cry, but for another reason entirely.
Read more here.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Pushy Christians: Cal Thomas
Run! RUN! We're doomed!
Yet another Christian, lamenting the modern world's disregard for the Bible's cheery little rules (while ignoring those that are inconvenient).
Until these people stand up and demand a ban on heterosexual divorce (and that would be so wildly popular =/), they should STFU.
Respectfully.
Most great powers unravel from within before invading armies (or in America's case, terrorists) conquer them. A preacher might develop a good sermon on how nations fare when they mock God.
No less a theological thinker than Abraham Lincoln concluded that our Civil War might have been God's judgment for America's tolerance of slavery. If that were so, why should "the Almighty," as Lincoln frequently referred to God, stay His hand in the face of our celebration of same-sex marriage?
There is more than one way to experience bankruptcy. America under the Obama administration is on the verge of economic insolvency, and now Judge Vaughn Walker has joined a conga line of similarly activist judges who are accelerating us down the path to destruction.
Read more here.
Yet another Christian, lamenting the modern world's disregard for the Bible's cheery little rules (while ignoring those that are inconvenient).
Until these people stand up and demand a ban on heterosexual divorce (and that would be so wildly popular =/), they should STFU.
Respectfully.
Most great powers unravel from within before invading armies (or in America's case, terrorists) conquer them. A preacher might develop a good sermon on how nations fare when they mock God.
No less a theological thinker than Abraham Lincoln concluded that our Civil War might have been God's judgment for America's tolerance of slavery. If that were so, why should "the Almighty," as Lincoln frequently referred to God, stay His hand in the face of our celebration of same-sex marriage?
There is more than one way to experience bankruptcy. America under the Obama administration is on the verge of economic insolvency, and now Judge Vaughn Walker has joined a conga line of similarly activist judges who are accelerating us down the path to destruction.
Read more here.
Councillor Giorgio Mammoliti compensates with overlarge flag, giving local business the shalf
More American style idiot flag waving.
After nearly 10 years of plotting, Councillor Giorgio Mammoliti and one of his struggling North York neighbourhoods are on the verge of building the tallest flagstaff in North America. The 125-metre pole would bear a Canadian flag the size of a football field.
Mr. Mammoliti and the Emery Village Business Improvement Area approved in May a one-time special levy that will see the BIA’s 2,500 business owners pay the full $3.5-million cost of the flagpole, whether they want to or not.
Read more here.
After nearly 10 years of plotting, Councillor Giorgio Mammoliti and one of his struggling North York neighbourhoods are on the verge of building the tallest flagstaff in North America. The 125-metre pole would bear a Canadian flag the size of a football field.
Mr. Mammoliti and the Emery Village Business Improvement Area approved in May a one-time special levy that will see the BIA’s 2,500 business owners pay the full $3.5-million cost of the flagpole, whether they want to or not.
Read more here.
Montreal's Muzique nightclub: NO FAT GIRLS ALLOWED!!!!!!!!!!
We all know certain nightclubs pride themselves on exclusion, but....
Although a Montreal nightclub is distancing itself from an invitation on its Facebook page that specified "NO FAT GIRLS ALLOWED!!!!!!!!!!" people familiar with the local party scene say clubs regularly -if not so overtly -discriminate based on looks.
"Everybody knows. (Clubs) are selective," said Stefano Apostolakos, owner of SMAN Productions, a Montreal promotions company.
A nightclub that wants to attract a certain kind of crowd will never openly turn people away based on weight, he said, but if people don't fit in with the club's look, a bouncer can still find some excuse to turn them away -whether it's a long wait time, an expensive bottle service fee or claiming the club is at capacity.
"(Discrimination) comes with the right to refuse entrance," Apostolakos said in an interview.
Nightclubs can openly turn people away based on age or dress by setting age minimums or dress codes, he explained.
The invitation was posted last week on the Facebook page of Muzique, a posh nightclub on St. Laurent Blvd., and included the ban on "fat girls," followed by the emoticon of a winking smiley face.
Read more here.
Although a Montreal nightclub is distancing itself from an invitation on its Facebook page that specified "NO FAT GIRLS ALLOWED!!!!!!!!!!" people familiar with the local party scene say clubs regularly -if not so overtly -discriminate based on looks.
"Everybody knows. (Clubs) are selective," said Stefano Apostolakos, owner of SMAN Productions, a Montreal promotions company.
A nightclub that wants to attract a certain kind of crowd will never openly turn people away based on weight, he said, but if people don't fit in with the club's look, a bouncer can still find some excuse to turn them away -whether it's a long wait time, an expensive bottle service fee or claiming the club is at capacity.
"(Discrimination) comes with the right to refuse entrance," Apostolakos said in an interview.
Nightclubs can openly turn people away based on age or dress by setting age minimums or dress codes, he explained.
The invitation was posted last week on the Facebook page of Muzique, a posh nightclub on St. Laurent Blvd., and included the ban on "fat girls," followed by the emoticon of a winking smiley face.
Read more here.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Police continue to twist the law, and themselves, to prevent you from videoing them
The debate over whether citizens should be permitted to record on-duty police officers intensified this summer. High profile incidents in Maryland, Illinois, Florida, Ohio, and elsewhere spurred coverage of the issue from national media outlets ranging from the Associated Press to Time to NPR. Outside the law enforcement community, a consensus seems to be emerging that it’s bad policy to arrest people who photograph or record police officers on the job. The Washington Post, USA Today, the Washington Examiner, The Washington Times, and Instapundit’s Glenn Reynolds, writing in Popular Mechanics, all weighed in on the side that citizen photography and videography can be an important check to keep police officers accountable and transparent.
Gee, ya think that's why the police are against it?
At some point, we have to put some faith and trust in our authority figures
HAHAHAHAHA
OMFG. We have nothing to hide, but you can't record anything because well just because.
Read more here.
Gee, ya think that's why the police are against it?
At some point, we have to put some faith and trust in our authority figures
HAHAHAHAHA
OMFG. We have nothing to hide, but you can't record anything because well just because.
Read more here.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Robert Gibbs: Massive Idiot of the Day
Robert Gibbs -- in one of the most petulant, self-pitying outbursts seen from a top political official in recent memory, half derived from a paranoid Richard Nixon rant and the other half from a Sean Hannity/Sarah Palin caricature of The Far Left -- is here to tell you that the real reason you're dissatisfied with the President is because you're a fringe, ideological, Leftist extremist ingrate who needs drug counseling
Read more here.
Read more here.
Idiot Conservative thinks Sarah Palin is Joan of Arc
Not a new post, but still shocking in its blindness about this woman.
Sarah Palin turned Alaska around. She brought integrity and transparency back to state government. She made Alaska an object of respect among conservatives, instead of derision.
And this is how Alaskans repaid her? Shame on all of them if they let this stand. If Alaskans don't rise up and take a stand for this woman who took a stand for them, then they deserve the disdain the rest of the country once felt for them.
When the ADN and others refer to Sarah Palin as Alaska's Joan of Arc, they never seem to remember that the real Joan of Arc was betrayed by her own countrymen, sold to her enemies, abandoned to her fate, and burned at the stake.
I wonder if Alaskans will do the same to theirs.
Read more here.
Sarah Palin turned Alaska around. She brought integrity and transparency back to state government. She made Alaska an object of respect among conservatives, instead of derision.
And this is how Alaskans repaid her? Shame on all of them if they let this stand. If Alaskans don't rise up and take a stand for this woman who took a stand for them, then they deserve the disdain the rest of the country once felt for them.
When the ADN and others refer to Sarah Palin as Alaska's Joan of Arc, they never seem to remember that the real Joan of Arc was betrayed by her own countrymen, sold to her enemies, abandoned to her fate, and burned at the stake.
I wonder if Alaskans will do the same to theirs.
Read more here.
Google CEO Schmidt: We and the Government will demand to know who you are
It's always those with the most to gain from a lack of privacy that are predicating its end.
"We need a [verified] name service for people. Governments will demand it"
No anonymity is the future of web in the opinion of Google's CEO Eric Schmidt. He said many creepy things about privacy at the Techonomy Conference. The focus of the conference was how technology is changing and can change society. Schmidt's message was that anonymity is a dangerous thing and governments will demand an end to it.
"Privacy is incredibly important," Schmidt stated. "Privacy is not the same thing as anonymity. It's very important that Google and everyone else respects people's privacy. People have a right to privacy; it's natural; it's normal. It's the right way to do things. But if you are trying to commit a terrible, evil crime, it's not obvious that you should be able to do so with complete anonymity. There are no systems in our society which allow you to do that. Judges insist on unmasking who the perpetrator was. So absolute anonymity could lead to some very difficult decisions for our governments and our society as a whole."
Whether it was a Freudian slip or a simple misstatement, Schmidt is correct; it is not obvious that if you are anonymous, you are therefore likely to commit a "terrible, evil crime."
Anonymity equaling a future heinous act seems to be the direction some online security experts are headed.
Read more here.
"We need a [verified] name service for people. Governments will demand it"
No anonymity is the future of web in the opinion of Google's CEO Eric Schmidt. He said many creepy things about privacy at the Techonomy Conference. The focus of the conference was how technology is changing and can change society. Schmidt's message was that anonymity is a dangerous thing and governments will demand an end to it.
"Privacy is incredibly important," Schmidt stated. "Privacy is not the same thing as anonymity. It's very important that Google and everyone else respects people's privacy. People have a right to privacy; it's natural; it's normal. It's the right way to do things. But if you are trying to commit a terrible, evil crime, it's not obvious that you should be able to do so with complete anonymity. There are no systems in our society which allow you to do that. Judges insist on unmasking who the perpetrator was. So absolute anonymity could lead to some very difficult decisions for our governments and our society as a whole."
Whether it was a Freudian slip or a simple misstatement, Schmidt is correct; it is not obvious that if you are anonymous, you are therefore likely to commit a "terrible, evil crime."
Anonymity equaling a future heinous act seems to be the direction some online security experts are headed.
Read more here.
To Google and Verizon: F*ck you is too weak a phrase
Ever notice the scummiest things are done by those who have the least right to do it.
So Google and Verizon went public today with their "policy framework" -- better known as the pact to end the Internet as we know it.
News of this deal broke this week, sparking a public outcry that's seen hundreds of thousands of Internet users calling on Google to live up to its "Don't Be Evil" pledge.
But cut through the platitudes the two companies (Googizon, anyone?) offered on today's press call, and you'll find this deal is even worse than advertised.
The proposal is one massive loophole that sets the stage for the corporate takeover of the Internet.
Read more here.
So Google and Verizon went public today with their "policy framework" -- better known as the pact to end the Internet as we know it.
News of this deal broke this week, sparking a public outcry that's seen hundreds of thousands of Internet users calling on Google to live up to its "Don't Be Evil" pledge.
But cut through the platitudes the two companies (Googizon, anyone?) offered on today's press call, and you'll find this deal is even worse than advertised.
The proposal is one massive loophole that sets the stage for the corporate takeover of the Internet.
Read more here.
Monday, August 09, 2010
Australia's Wendy Francis: Bigot of the Day
And of course she's playing the victim, boo hoo hoo
Family First Senate candidate has provoked outrage by publishing a statement that legitimising gay marriage is like legalising child abuse.
The comment was made on Queensland's Wendy Francis twitter feed. There's dispute about whether she personally wrote the sentence in question. The inflammatory posting has now been erased but not soon enough to deflect a storm of anger and disgust.
Read more here.
Family First Senate candidate has provoked outrage by publishing a statement that legitimising gay marriage is like legalising child abuse.
The comment was made on Queensland's Wendy Francis twitter feed. There's dispute about whether she personally wrote the sentence in question. The inflammatory posting has now been erased but not soon enough to deflect a storm of anger and disgust.
Read more here.
Sunday, August 08, 2010
Air Canada does the right thing, only after being publicly shamed into it
"We seemed to have broken a boy's wheelchair.
Oh boo hoo hoo.
It's being talked about on Twitter...
Fix it! Fix it immediately!"
Pressure from Twitter users has made Air Canada fix a terminally ill boy's wheelchair after it was damaged during a flight, his family has said.
Appeals for help from the aunt of 10-year-old Tanner Bawn went viral on the micro-blogging website.
An airline spokesman said they had acted as soon as they had heard about it. It has now promised to send the boy to Disney World.
Tanner has Duchenne muscular dystrophy and is immobile without the chair.
Tanner Bawn's $15,000 (£9,300) wheelchair arrived at New York's La Guardia Airport in pieces, during a trip to the city for a charity run.
Read more here.
Oh boo hoo hoo.
It's being talked about on Twitter...
Fix it! Fix it immediately!"
Pressure from Twitter users has made Air Canada fix a terminally ill boy's wheelchair after it was damaged during a flight, his family has said.
Appeals for help from the aunt of 10-year-old Tanner Bawn went viral on the micro-blogging website.
An airline spokesman said they had acted as soon as they had heard about it. It has now promised to send the boy to Disney World.
Tanner has Duchenne muscular dystrophy and is immobile without the chair.
Tanner Bawn's $15,000 (£9,300) wheelchair arrived at New York's La Guardia Airport in pieces, during a trip to the city for a charity run.
Read more here.
Friday, August 06, 2010
Deeply disturbed Maryland police officer gets away with shooting a dog
Stunned dog owners and residents of a Severn neighborhood are shocked that authorities won't be charging a federal police officer who shot and killed a Siberian husky Monday night at a community dog park.
Bear-Bear, a brown and white husky that was about 3 years old, was playing in the Quail Run dog park at about 6:30 p.m., running off leash inside the fenced-in area, when the officer and his wife arrived with a German shepherd, who was kept on a leash. When the dogs began to play roughly, the federal officer asked Bear-Bear's guardian, his owner's brother, to call off the dog. But before he could do anything, the officer pulled out a gun and shot Bear-Bear, according to the husky's owner.
Bear-Bear, who belongs to Rachel Rettaliata, died of his injuries a few hours later. County police did not name the federal officer.
And of course....
A spokesman for the Anne Arundel County Police Department said no charges will be filed and investigators found no evidence of criminal activity.
Imagine if a citizen shot a police dog?
Read more here.
Bear-Bear, a brown and white husky that was about 3 years old, was playing in the Quail Run dog park at about 6:30 p.m., running off leash inside the fenced-in area, when the officer and his wife arrived with a German shepherd, who was kept on a leash. When the dogs began to play roughly, the federal officer asked Bear-Bear's guardian, his owner's brother, to call off the dog. But before he could do anything, the officer pulled out a gun and shot Bear-Bear, according to the husky's owner.
Bear-Bear, who belongs to Rachel Rettaliata, died of his injuries a few hours later. County police did not name the federal officer.
And of course....
A spokesman for the Anne Arundel County Police Department said no charges will be filed and investigators found no evidence of criminal activity.
Imagine if a citizen shot a police dog?
Read more here.
Sunrise Propane: Cutting Corners Kills
The brother of a man killed in the Sunrise Propane explosion calls a report from the Ontario Fire Marshal about the blast a “light from God.”
“From the start of things we already knew many of them were negligent,” Vikramjit Singh Saini said. “Now it is out front of everybody. Me and my father, my mother, everybody, we are all now looking for justice.”
Almost two years after the tragedy, the Office of the Fire Marshal has concluded the deadly blast was caused by an illegal tank-to-tank transfer and a gas hose leak. Sunrise employee Parminder Singh Saini, 25, was killed in the explosion, and veteran firefighter Bob Leek died of a heart attack while battling the resulting inferno.
Alfred Kwinter, who represents the Saini family, said the report “affirms everything we allege.”
A lawyer in the class-action suit against Sunrise agrees. “It confirms our claim that these people allowed a dangerous operation,” Harvin Pitch said. “The truck to truck transfer was outlawed by TSSA (Technical Standards and Safety Authority), and it went on notwithstanding.”
Read more here.
“From the start of things we already knew many of them were negligent,” Vikramjit Singh Saini said. “Now it is out front of everybody. Me and my father, my mother, everybody, we are all now looking for justice.”
Almost two years after the tragedy, the Office of the Fire Marshal has concluded the deadly blast was caused by an illegal tank-to-tank transfer and a gas hose leak. Sunrise employee Parminder Singh Saini, 25, was killed in the explosion, and veteran firefighter Bob Leek died of a heart attack while battling the resulting inferno.
Alfred Kwinter, who represents the Saini family, said the report “affirms everything we allege.”
A lawyer in the class-action suit against Sunrise agrees. “It confirms our claim that these people allowed a dangerous operation,” Harvin Pitch said. “The truck to truck transfer was outlawed by TSSA (Technical Standards and Safety Authority), and it went on notwithstanding.”
Read more here.
Please God, let Canadians wake up to the fact that Harper is a really bad Prime Minister
A month spent chatting one’s way across central Canada ultimately yields few manifestations of a populist census fixation but plenty of evidence of an increasingly vocal unease with the Conservative government in general and Prime Minister Stephen Harper in particular.
That unease seeps right into Conservative ranks, where the continued absence of justification for the summary expulsion of former minister Helena Guergis from the government caucus last spring is raising private doubts as to the Prime Minister’s bullying approach to internal party discipline.
It is a rule of thumb that critics of a government are almost always more vocal than its allies but it is still never a good sign when the words to explain the actions of their party start to fail its supporters.
Read more here.
That unease seeps right into Conservative ranks, where the continued absence of justification for the summary expulsion of former minister Helena Guergis from the government caucus last spring is raising private doubts as to the Prime Minister’s bullying approach to internal party discipline.
It is a rule of thumb that critics of a government are almost always more vocal than its allies but it is still never a good sign when the words to explain the actions of their party start to fail its supporters.
Read more here.
Thursday, August 05, 2010
Google and Verizon decide they have the right to f*ck with the Internet
There is not a level of Hell low enough for these people.
Google and Verizon, two leading players in Internet service and content, are nearing an agreement that could allow Verizon to speed some online content to Internet users more quickly if the content’s creators are willing to pay for the privilege.
The charges could be paid by companies, like YouTube, owned by Google, for example, to Verizon, one of the nation’s leading Internet service providers, to ensure that its content received priority as it made its way to consumers. The agreement could eventually lead to higher charges for Internet users.
Such an agreement could overthrow a once-sacred tenet of Internet policy known as net neutrality, in which no form of content is favored over another. In its place, consumers could soon see a new, tiered system, which, like cable television, imposes higher costs for premium levels of service.
Read more here.
Google and Verizon, two leading players in Internet service and content, are nearing an agreement that could allow Verizon to speed some online content to Internet users more quickly if the content’s creators are willing to pay for the privilege.
The charges could be paid by companies, like YouTube, owned by Google, for example, to Verizon, one of the nation’s leading Internet service providers, to ensure that its content received priority as it made its way to consumers. The agreement could eventually lead to higher charges for Internet users.
Such an agreement could overthrow a once-sacred tenet of Internet policy known as net neutrality, in which no form of content is favored over another. In its place, consumers could soon see a new, tiered system, which, like cable television, imposes higher costs for premium levels of service.
Read more here.
Bigot Brian Brown of the National Organization for Marriage speaks his mind
Fear and illogic is all they have left, in fact it's all they've ever had.
In the imaginary Constitution in Judge Walker’s head, gay marriage is a constitutional right. In the real Constitution drafted by the Founding Fathers, we have a core civil right to participate in democracy to demand that our government respect marriage. We are going to fight for that right and we are going to win.
Q: Some would ask (and I’m sure they do): Isn’t that an insult to Martin Luther King Jr.? Isn’t the movement for same-sex marriage all about equality? And equality isn’t the side you’re on?
A: On the contrary, as Bishop Harry Jackson said in his statement in response to Judge Walker’s ruling, what is insulting is to imagine that Christians and other marriage supporters are like racists. People who lived through the real Jim Crow can tell you that the comparison between Prop 8 and racial bigotry is grotesquely inappropriate. You know what real equality is? One man with one woman, that’s equality.
You're not racists silly, you're bigots. Get it straight.
I thought getting it straight was your forté.
Read more here.
In the imaginary Constitution in Judge Walker’s head, gay marriage is a constitutional right. In the real Constitution drafted by the Founding Fathers, we have a core civil right to participate in democracy to demand that our government respect marriage. We are going to fight for that right and we are going to win.
Q: Some would ask (and I’m sure they do): Isn’t that an insult to Martin Luther King Jr.? Isn’t the movement for same-sex marriage all about equality? And equality isn’t the side you’re on?
A: On the contrary, as Bishop Harry Jackson said in his statement in response to Judge Walker’s ruling, what is insulting is to imagine that Christians and other marriage supporters are like racists. People who lived through the real Jim Crow can tell you that the comparison between Prop 8 and racial bigotry is grotesquely inappropriate. You know what real equality is? One man with one woman, that’s equality.
You're not racists silly, you're bigots. Get it straight.
I thought getting it straight was your forté.
Read more here.
Condo owners hold contest for sheep to help name their condo
Although moot will no longer make a point, an online condo-naming contest in Toronto has topped 2,000 entries.
The development firm cityzen‘s decision to halt Internet jokesters’ attempts to hijack the contest doesn’t seem to have slaked interest in the Yonge Street and Esplanade building’s name. Over 77,000 people have voted so far on the 2,000 names, and counting.
Currently, “Y.es Tower” and “Euphoria Towers” are neck and neck, with 2,919 and 2,828 votes respectively.
What about "I Can't Believe it's so Fucking Expensive Towers" or "You Destroyed a Neighbourhood for this Place" ?
Read more here.
The development firm cityzen‘s decision to halt Internet jokesters’ attempts to hijack the contest doesn’t seem to have slaked interest in the Yonge Street and Esplanade building’s name. Over 77,000 people have voted so far on the 2,000 names, and counting.
Currently, “Y.es Tower” and “Euphoria Towers” are neck and neck, with 2,919 and 2,828 votes respectively.
What about "I Can't Believe it's so Fucking Expensive Towers" or "You Destroyed a Neighbourhood for this Place" ?
Read more here.
More on police attempts to keep citizens videoing them
We're at a point where they know there is no "legal" justification to prevent citizens, so they use threats, lies and intimidation.
The legal argument prosecutors rely on in police video cases is thin. They say the audio aspect of the videos violates wiretap laws because, in some states, both parties to a conversation must consent to having a private conversation recorded. The hole in their argument is the word "private." A police officer arresting or questioning someone on a highway or street is not having a private conversation. He is engaging in a public act.
Even if these cases do not hold up in court, the police can do a lot of damage just by threatening to arrest and prosecute people.
"We see a fair amount of intimidation — police saying, 'You can't do that. It's illegal,'" says Christopher Calabrese, a lawyer with the ACLU's Washington office. It discourages people from filming, he says, even when they have the right to film.
Ford was not deterred. According to her account, even when the police threatened her with arrest, she refused to turn off her video camera, telling her son not to worry because "it's all on video" and "let them be who they continue to be."
The police then grabbed her, she said, took her camera and drove her off to the police station for booking.
As someone who has been threaten (as a teenager) with physical violence by the police with their badges hidden, but had no proof of their threats later, I'm all for you and I being able to record their "public" actions.
It helps keep "public" officials in check, as sometimes they forget who they work for.
Read more here.
The legal argument prosecutors rely on in police video cases is thin. They say the audio aspect of the videos violates wiretap laws because, in some states, both parties to a conversation must consent to having a private conversation recorded. The hole in their argument is the word "private." A police officer arresting or questioning someone on a highway or street is not having a private conversation. He is engaging in a public act.
Even if these cases do not hold up in court, the police can do a lot of damage just by threatening to arrest and prosecute people.
"We see a fair amount of intimidation — police saying, 'You can't do that. It's illegal,'" says Christopher Calabrese, a lawyer with the ACLU's Washington office. It discourages people from filming, he says, even when they have the right to film.
Ford was not deterred. According to her account, even when the police threatened her with arrest, she refused to turn off her video camera, telling her son not to worry because "it's all on video" and "let them be who they continue to be."
The police then grabbed her, she said, took her camera and drove her off to the police station for booking.
As someone who has been threaten (as a teenager) with physical violence by the police with their badges hidden, but had no proof of their threats later, I'm all for you and I being able to record their "public" actions.
It helps keep "public" officials in check, as sometimes they forget who they work for.
Read more here.
Wednesday, August 04, 2010
Canada to Esquire: F*ck you!
Another American article, looking down its nose at Canada for being so uppity.
So, in the mindset of the hack writer of said piece (a certain Ken Kurson), because we didn't suffer as much in the recession we should be described using words such as: second-rate, sleepy, boring molasses, boring (again), and sleepy (again).
A couple of years ago, something went wrong. Our neighbors to the north became discontent with Tim Hortons, Doug Henning, Justin Bieber, and Jason Bay being their primary contributions to higher culture. All of a sudden, they wanted to beat us at capitalism, too. Today, five dollars U. S. buys five dollars CAN.
It has always been easy to dismiss Canada's economy. Despite giving birth to some great business titans (Conrad Black, the Bronfman family, Ross Johnson), much of the country's wealth owes its origins not to ingenuity but to the vastness of its natural resources
And then they wonder why some Americans are so disliked here. Mr. Kurson is an asshole of galactic proportions.
Read more here.
So, in the mindset of the hack writer of said piece (a certain Ken Kurson), because we didn't suffer as much in the recession we should be described using words such as: second-rate, sleepy, boring molasses, boring (again), and sleepy (again).
A couple of years ago, something went wrong. Our neighbors to the north became discontent with Tim Hortons, Doug Henning, Justin Bieber, and Jason Bay being their primary contributions to higher culture. All of a sudden, they wanted to beat us at capitalism, too. Today, five dollars U. S. buys five dollars CAN.
It has always been easy to dismiss Canada's economy. Despite giving birth to some great business titans (Conrad Black, the Bronfman family, Ross Johnson), much of the country's wealth owes its origins not to ingenuity but to the vastness of its natural resources
And then they wonder why some Americans are so disliked here. Mr. Kurson is an asshole of galactic proportions.
Read more here.
Animals murder wrong targets in "honour" killing
An 'honour killing' gang murdered a married couple in their home when they set fire to the wrong house.
Abdullah Mohammed and wife Aysha suffocated after petrol was poured through their letterbox and set alight by the gang of young men.
The Mohammeds' nine-year-old son and daughter, 14, were also at home during the attack but survived.
Four men were yesterday found guilty of murdering the husband and wife, including 21-year-old gang leader Hisamuddin Ibrahim who had intended to attack a man who was having an affair with his married sister.
Ibrahim ordered three accomplices to set a fire at the home of Mo Ibrahim, who is not related, in the early hours of the morning.
Read more here.
Abdullah Mohammed and wife Aysha suffocated after petrol was poured through their letterbox and set alight by the gang of young men.
The Mohammeds' nine-year-old son and daughter, 14, were also at home during the attack but survived.
Four men were yesterday found guilty of murdering the husband and wife, including 21-year-old gang leader Hisamuddin Ibrahim who had intended to attack a man who was having an affair with his married sister.
Ibrahim ordered three accomplices to set a fire at the home of Mo Ibrahim, who is not related, in the early hours of the morning.
Read more here.
Pushy Bigoted Christians: Alliance Defense Fund, praying that your rights are suppressed, but God help us not ours
More Christian hypocrisy as these bigots pray that their rights are respected, while stamping on the rights of others.
Gullible Christians and CNN: Remains of John the Baptist found in Bulgaria?
Umm, no.
Archaeologists in Bulgaria claim they have found remains of John the Baptist while excavating the site of a 5th century monastery on the Black Sea island of Sveti Ivan.
A reliquary – a container for holy relics – discovered last week under the monastery’s basilica was opened on Sunday and found to contain bone fragments of a skull, a hand and a tooth, Bulgaria’s official news agency BTA reported.
Excavation leader Kazimir Popkonstantinov lifted the reliquary’s lid in a ceremony in the coastal town of Sozopol attended by dignitaries including the Bishop of Sliven, Yoanikii, and Bozhidar Dimitrov, a government minister and director of Bulgaria’s National History Museum, BTA said.
Further tests on the fragments are due to be carried out. But Popkonstantinov is convinced the relics belong to John the Baptist because of a Greek inscription on the reliquary referring to June 24, the date when Christians celebrate John the Baptist’s birth, according to the website of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church.
So it has a due date, that makes it John the Baptist's?
Whatever.
Read more here.
Archaeologists in Bulgaria claim they have found remains of John the Baptist while excavating the site of a 5th century monastery on the Black Sea island of Sveti Ivan.
A reliquary – a container for holy relics – discovered last week under the monastery’s basilica was opened on Sunday and found to contain bone fragments of a skull, a hand and a tooth, Bulgaria’s official news agency BTA reported.
Excavation leader Kazimir Popkonstantinov lifted the reliquary’s lid in a ceremony in the coastal town of Sozopol attended by dignitaries including the Bishop of Sliven, Yoanikii, and Bozhidar Dimitrov, a government minister and director of Bulgaria’s National History Museum, BTA said.
Further tests on the fragments are due to be carried out. But Popkonstantinov is convinced the relics belong to John the Baptist because of a Greek inscription on the reliquary referring to June 24, the date when Christians celebrate John the Baptist’s birth, according to the website of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church.
So it has a due date, that makes it John the Baptist's?
Whatever.
Read more here.
Tuesday, August 03, 2010
The F.B.I.: Idiots of the Day
Don't ya just love when an organization stomps around, making a fool of itself for the world to see?
The Federal Bureau of Investigation has taken on everyone from Al Capone to John Dillinger to the Unabomber. Its latest adversary: Wikipedia.
The bureau wrote a letter in July to the Wikimedia Foundation, the parent organization of Wikipedia, demanding that it take down an image of the F.B.I. seal accompanying an article on the bureau, and threatened litigation: “Failure to comply may result in further legal action. We appreciate your timely attention to this matter.”
The problem, those at Wikipedia say, is that the law cited in the F.B.I.’s letter is largely about keeping people from flashing fake badges or profiting from the use of the seal, and not about posting images on noncommercial Web sites. Many sites, including the online version of the Encyclopedia Britannica, display the seal.
Other organizations might simply back down. But Wikipedia sent back a politely feisty response, stating that the bureau’s lawyers had misquoted the law. “While we appreciate your desire to revise the statute to reflect your expansive vision of it, the fact is that we must work with the actual language of the statute, not the aspirational version” that the F.B.I. had provided.
Do take the time an read Wikipedia's full response to this nonsense. It has the delightful tone of an adult talking to a misbehaving mistaken child.
Read more here.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation has taken on everyone from Al Capone to John Dillinger to the Unabomber. Its latest adversary: Wikipedia.
The bureau wrote a letter in July to the Wikimedia Foundation, the parent organization of Wikipedia, demanding that it take down an image of the F.B.I. seal accompanying an article on the bureau, and threatened litigation: “Failure to comply may result in further legal action. We appreciate your timely attention to this matter.”
The problem, those at Wikipedia say, is that the law cited in the F.B.I.’s letter is largely about keeping people from flashing fake badges or profiting from the use of the seal, and not about posting images on noncommercial Web sites. Many sites, including the online version of the Encyclopedia Britannica, display the seal.
Other organizations might simply back down. But Wikipedia sent back a politely feisty response, stating that the bureau’s lawyers had misquoted the law. “While we appreciate your desire to revise the statute to reflect your expansive vision of it, the fact is that we must work with the actual language of the statute, not the aspirational version” that the F.B.I. had provided.
Do take the time an read Wikipedia's full response to this nonsense. It has the delightful tone of an adult talking to a misbehaving mistaken child.
Read more here.
Monday, August 02, 2010
Don't be fooled. Chatr is Rogers folks
To fight new competition, Rogers is launching a new discount cellphone brand, just quietly not mentioning Rogers is behind it.
Rogers Communications Inc. (RCI.B-T35.75----%)launched its discount cellphone brand, chatr wireless, in major urban centers across Canada on Wednesday morning.
The move, which was previously announced, is Rogers' way of targeting the cheap, unlimited talk-and-text market, which new wireless entrants such as Wind Mobile and Mobilicity have been focusing on since their launches earlier this year and in late 2009.
Fagstein sums it up this way:
Let's count that, by the way. Eight mobile brands run by three companies. And I'm not counting the weird stuff involving third parties like Petro Canada Mobility or President's Choice Telecom. While most companies think of centralization and imposing a national brand on its subsidiaries, Canada's wireless companies do the opposite.
When your reputation as an industry is so shattered that you have to create fake competition to appeal to a large segment of the population that hates you, and then when that doesn't work you create a second fake competitor ... honestly, I don't know what to say.
The worst part is that Canada's Big Three wireless companies don't think this explosion of "brands" is evidence of a larger problem.
Read more here and here
Rogers Communications Inc. (RCI.B-T35.75----%)launched its discount cellphone brand, chatr wireless, in major urban centers across Canada on Wednesday morning.
The move, which was previously announced, is Rogers' way of targeting the cheap, unlimited talk-and-text market, which new wireless entrants such as Wind Mobile and Mobilicity have been focusing on since their launches earlier this year and in late 2009.
Fagstein sums it up this way:
Let's count that, by the way. Eight mobile brands run by three companies. And I'm not counting the weird stuff involving third parties like Petro Canada Mobility or President's Choice Telecom. While most companies think of centralization and imposing a national brand on its subsidiaries, Canada's wireless companies do the opposite.
When your reputation as an industry is so shattered that you have to create fake competition to appeal to a large segment of the population that hates you, and then when that doesn't work you create a second fake competitor ... honestly, I don't know what to say.
The worst part is that Canada's Big Three wireless companies don't think this explosion of "brands" is evidence of a larger problem.
Read more here and here
Sunday, August 01, 2010
Russia *conveniently* buzzes Canadian air space to help Harper's conservatives justify $9 Billion in fighter jets
Canadian CF-18 fighter jets were dispatched to intercept Russian bombers as they skirted Canadian airspace by the Arctic, the defence ministry says.
The bombers, which sometimes fly near Canada, were dispersed, officials said.
Russian officials said the flight was a training exercise and the TU-95 bombers did not "violate" Canadian airspace.
Read more here.
The bombers, which sometimes fly near Canada, were dispersed, officials said.
Russian officials said the flight was a training exercise and the TU-95 bombers did not "violate" Canadian airspace.
Read more here.
Lower Merion School District forgets students are people and may get their ass kicked for it
More on that story of the epic idiots at the Lower Merion School District.
Another lawsuit has been filed against a Pennsylvania school district over allegations that officials installed software on school-issued laptops that secretly took webcam photographs and screen shots of students at all hours of the day.
Jalil Hasan is accusing the Lower Merion School District of invading his privacy and violating his civil rights, among other things, for
taking more than 1,000 images from his computer without his knowledge or consent.
The family of another student sued the district for the same reason in February.
During the 2009-2010 school year, the district provided all of its 2,300 students with Apple Macbook laptops. Unbeknownst to the students, the laptops were equipped with "TheftTrak" software from LANrev. In the event of loss or theft, school officials could turn on the TheftTrak software and take photos via the webcam or grab screen shots, which presumably would help them locate the lost device.
The existence of this software came to light in November, when student Blake Robbins was called into the office of assistant principal Lindy Matsko. Robbins was accused of improper behavior at home, and Matsko produced photographic evidence obtained via the computer webcam as proof. Robbins was reportedly accused of taking pills; Robbins said he was simply eating "Mike and Ikes" candy, which look like pills.
Robbins' parents subsequently sued the school district. Officials later said they should have informed students and parents about the software.
Read more here.
Another lawsuit has been filed against a Pennsylvania school district over allegations that officials installed software on school-issued laptops that secretly took webcam photographs and screen shots of students at all hours of the day.
Jalil Hasan is accusing the Lower Merion School District of invading his privacy and violating his civil rights, among other things, for
taking more than 1,000 images from his computer without his knowledge or consent.
The family of another student sued the district for the same reason in February.
During the 2009-2010 school year, the district provided all of its 2,300 students with Apple Macbook laptops. Unbeknownst to the students, the laptops were equipped with "TheftTrak" software from LANrev. In the event of loss or theft, school officials could turn on the TheftTrak software and take photos via the webcam or grab screen shots, which presumably would help them locate the lost device.
The existence of this software came to light in November, when student Blake Robbins was called into the office of assistant principal Lindy Matsko. Robbins was accused of improper behavior at home, and Matsko produced photographic evidence obtained via the computer webcam as proof. Robbins was reportedly accused of taking pills; Robbins said he was simply eating "Mike and Ikes" candy, which look like pills.
Robbins' parents subsequently sued the school district. Officials later said they should have informed students and parents about the software.
Read more here.
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