Hit these fuckers where it hurts.
“Propaganda of homosexuality”: the wording sounds almost quaint in English, like a panicky phrase out of the 1970s backlash to the early gay liberation movement in the United States. But in Russia, the phrase is current: This week lawmakers have been talking of banning “propaganda of homosexuality” — whatever the phrase may mean.
The campaign began a couple of months ago, when two provincial Russian cities, Ryazan, in central Russia, and Arkhangelsk, in the north of the country, passed such laws. On Wednesday, St. Petersburg, Russia’s second-largest city, approved its own ban. The next day, lawmakers in Moscow promised to pass a similar measure in the capital, and the speaker of the upper house of Parliament declared it was time to take the ban national.
Read more here.
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
German Intelligence Service (BND): We know nothing, nothing!
Investigators have found that in 2007 the German Intelligence Service (BND) destroyed files of 250 BND employees who had been in the Nazi SS or Gestapo.
The BND confirmed the loss, calling it "regrettable and annoying".
Four independent historians are investigating the BND's old links with the Nazis. They say some of the missing papers concern suspected war criminals.
Best bullshit:
The historians did not allege a deliberate cover-up, but they urged the BND not to destroy any more files.
Maybe the dog ate them.
Read more here.
The BND confirmed the loss, calling it "regrettable and annoying".
Four independent historians are investigating the BND's old links with the Nazis. They say some of the missing papers concern suspected war criminals.
Best bullshit:
The historians did not allege a deliberate cover-up, but they urged the BND not to destroy any more files.
Maybe the dog ate them.
Read more here.
Ruth Marcus: Idiot of the Day
Again she wins the coveted Idiot of the Day award.
I do pity her daughter, having to experience this much dumb on a daily basis.
Emma Sullivan, you’re lucky you’re not my daughter. (Dangerous sentence, I know: My daughters might agree.)
If you were my daughter, you’d be writing that letter apologizing to Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback for the smartalecky, potty-mouthed tweet you wrote after meeting with him on a school field trip.
Also, that smartphone? The one you posed with, proudly displaying the tweet in which you announced that Brownback “sucked” and added the lovely hashtag #heblowsalot? Turned off until you learn to use it responsibly.
I may sound alarmingly crotchety here, but something is upside down in the modern world, which has transformed Sullivan into an unlikely Internet celebrity and heroine of the liberal blogosphere.
Read more here.
I do pity her daughter, having to experience this much dumb on a daily basis.
Emma Sullivan, you’re lucky you’re not my daughter. (Dangerous sentence, I know: My daughters might agree.)
If you were my daughter, you’d be writing that letter apologizing to Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback for the smartalecky, potty-mouthed tweet you wrote after meeting with him on a school field trip.
Also, that smartphone? The one you posed with, proudly displaying the tweet in which you announced that Brownback “sucked” and added the lovely hashtag #heblowsalot? Turned off until you learn to use it responsibly.
I may sound alarmingly crotchety here, but something is upside down in the modern world, which has transformed Sullivan into an unlikely Internet celebrity and heroine of the liberal blogosphere.
Read more here.
Ford’s press secretary goes from Dumb to Dumber
She is constantly at Mayor Rob Ford’s side, stepping in when media interviews veer in the wrong direction, ending news conferences after a few questions from reporters.
Adrienne Batra, Mr. Ford’s press secretary and the woman who helps shape his message, is leaving city hall to take a post as comment editor and writer with the Toronto Sun. She also will weigh in on municipal politics for a local talk radio station.
Read more here.
Adrienne Batra, Mr. Ford’s press secretary and the woman who helps shape his message, is leaving city hall to take a post as comment editor and writer with the Toronto Sun. She also will weigh in on municipal politics for a local talk radio station.
Read more here.
Attorney General Eric Holder wants you to snitch on your neighbour
The War on Terror seems so yesterday.
On Tuesday, Attorney General Eric Holder urged Americans to fink on their neighbors and report intellectual-property offenses like popping or hawking unapproved pharmaceuticals and downloading music and movies illegally.
The announcement at the White House came as the Justice Department kicked off a public campaign against intellectual-property theft, which like all successful wars against societal scourges, will have public-service announcements on MTV.
Read more here.
On Tuesday, Attorney General Eric Holder urged Americans to fink on their neighbors and report intellectual-property offenses like popping or hawking unapproved pharmaceuticals and downloading music and movies illegally.
The announcement at the White House came as the Justice Department kicked off a public campaign against intellectual-property theft, which like all successful wars against societal scourges, will have public-service announcements on MTV.
Read more here.
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
F*cked up Science: Genetically modified Bird Flu
What's wrong with these people?
Inside a Dutch medical facility is a potentially devastating weapon that could kill millions: A genetically modified version of the H5N1 bird flu, engineered to be easily transmitted among ferrets. And the researchers who figured out how to do it would like to share their work with the world.
Science, Rebecca Boyle, Avian flu, bird flu, controversy, h5n1 avian flu, health, pandemic flu, pandemics, scientific studiesIt’s a complicated conundrum, more so than it may seem at first blush. Biosecurity experts are now debating whether published research on the engineered flu (there are a couple papers in question) could be used as a blueprint for a bioweapon. But influenza researchers argue that virologists need every weapon they can find to fight the flu, which includes studying the ways it might spread to mammals. The National Institutes of Health funded the work.
Read more here.
Inside a Dutch medical facility is a potentially devastating weapon that could kill millions: A genetically modified version of the H5N1 bird flu, engineered to be easily transmitted among ferrets. And the researchers who figured out how to do it would like to share their work with the world.
Science, Rebecca Boyle, Avian flu, bird flu, controversy, h5n1 avian flu, health, pandemic flu, pandemics, scientific studiesIt’s a complicated conundrum, more so than it may seem at first blush. Biosecurity experts are now debating whether published research on the engineered flu (there are a couple papers in question) could be used as a blueprint for a bioweapon. But influenza researchers argue that virologists need every weapon they can find to fight the flu, which includes studying the ways it might spread to mammals. The National Institutes of Health funded the work.
Read more here.
Andrew Sullivan on his cowardly lack of user comments
I think stopping the torrential flood of criticism from all the bullshit he writes is closer to the truth.
He won't even appear except behind a tacky PS filter.
Harper and Co. have a serious gun fetish
The bill to end the long-gun registry is heading back to the House without changes after Conservatives shot down an NDP amendment that would have kept sniper rifles registered.
Read more here.
Read more here.
Environment Minister Peter "WTF is Ozone" Kent coy about Kyoto pullout
Environment Minister Peter Kent wouldn't confirm or deny Monday that Canada plans to formally withdraw from the Kyoto Protocol, as talks on the accord's future got underway in Durban, South Africa.
"I won't comment on a speculative report," Kent said in response to questions about a report that Canada will announce it is pulling out shortly before Christmas.
They'll wait until then, so no one will notice...
Read more here.
"I won't comment on a speculative report," Kent said in response to questions about a report that Canada will announce it is pulling out shortly before Christmas.
They'll wait until then, so no one will notice...
Read more here.
Monday, November 28, 2011
The Commission scolaire de Montréal: Idiots of the Day
This kind of crap is nothing new in Quebec, but this takes it to a new low.
The playgrounds, hallways and cafeterias of Quebec’s largest school board will soon be French-only zones as authorities move to silence other languages, even during recess.
In a bid to ensure its 110,000 students master French, the Commission scolaire de Montréal has announced a new code of conduct declaring French de rigueur at all times during the school day.
Best bullshit:
Diane De Courcy, the board’s chairwoman, said the approach will be persuasive not punitive.
“There will be no language police,” she said. Instead, monitors who overhear children using their mother tongue during recess will simply remind them of the rules.
“If they are automatically switching to another language, [the monitor] will gently tap them on the shoulder — not on the head — to tell them, ‘Remember, we speak French. It’s good for you.’
Read more here.
The playgrounds, hallways and cafeterias of Quebec’s largest school board will soon be French-only zones as authorities move to silence other languages, even during recess.
In a bid to ensure its 110,000 students master French, the Commission scolaire de Montréal has announced a new code of conduct declaring French de rigueur at all times during the school day.
Best bullshit:
Diane De Courcy, the board’s chairwoman, said the approach will be persuasive not punitive.
“There will be no language police,” she said. Instead, monitors who overhear children using their mother tongue during recess will simply remind them of the rules.
“If they are automatically switching to another language, [the monitor] will gently tap them on the shoulder — not on the head — to tell them, ‘Remember, we speak French. It’s good for you.’
Read more here.
Manitoba hockey hazing sounds gayer than 50 drag queens
WTF, boys will be boys? No wonder they project such homophobia, they could have their own float in Pride.
The mother of a junior hockey player who was allegedly hazed by his Manitoba teammates says she is not pleased to hear that no charges will be laid in connection with the incident.
RCMP announced Monday that no criminal charges will be laid in connection with the Neepawa Natives hockey hazing incident, following a police investigation.
The incident attracted national attention last month, when the parents of a 15-year-old player for the Natives who came forward with hazing accusations told CBC News that their son was forced to dance in the team's dressing room and drag around water bottles that were tied to his genitals.
Seven rookies in all were subjected to similar treatment and older players rated the younger ones on their ability to endure the pain, according to parents.
Guys at the Black Eagle are saying: "wow, now that's twisted..."
Read more here.
The mother of a junior hockey player who was allegedly hazed by his Manitoba teammates says she is not pleased to hear that no charges will be laid in connection with the incident.
RCMP announced Monday that no criminal charges will be laid in connection with the Neepawa Natives hockey hazing incident, following a police investigation.
The incident attracted national attention last month, when the parents of a 15-year-old player for the Natives who came forward with hazing accusations told CBC News that their son was forced to dance in the team's dressing room and drag around water bottles that were tied to his genitals.
Seven rookies in all were subjected to similar treatment and older players rated the younger ones on their ability to endure the pain, according to parents.
Guys at the Black Eagle are saying: "wow, now that's twisted..."
Read more here.
Without the Net's spotlight, would Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback have apologized
I think not...
Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback apologized Monday for his office's response to a disparaging Twitter post by a high school senior who was attending a school function at the state Capitol.
"My staff overreacted to this tweet, and for that I apologize," Brownback said in a Monday statement emailed to The Associated Press. "Freedom of speech is among our most treasured freedoms."
Read more here.
Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback apologized Monday for his office's response to a disparaging Twitter post by a high school senior who was attending a school function at the state Capitol.
"My staff overreacted to this tweet, and for that I apologize," Brownback said in a Monday statement emailed to The Associated Press. "Freedom of speech is among our most treasured freedoms."
Read more here.
Syria commits "crimes against humanity"
Syria's security forces have committed "crimes against humanity" in their continuing crackdown on anti-government protesters, a UN report says.
The study by an independent panel also contains allegations of murder, torture and sexual assaults on civilians.
Syria bears responsibility for these crimes, the document says, urging Damascus to punish the perpetrators.
Syria says it is fighting armed gangs. More than 3,500 people have reportedly died in the violence since March.
The death toll estimated by the UN cannot be independently verified as most foreign media are banned from entering Syria.
Read more here.
The study by an independent panel also contains allegations of murder, torture and sexual assaults on civilians.
Syria bears responsibility for these crimes, the document says, urging Damascus to punish the perpetrators.
Syria says it is fighting armed gangs. More than 3,500 people have reportedly died in the violence since March.
The death toll estimated by the UN cannot be independently verified as most foreign media are banned from entering Syria.
Read more here.
UK secretly helping Canada push tar sands project
Guess Harper was right when he said we wouldn't recognize Canada after he's through, he'll have polluted the shit out of it.
The UK government has been giving secret support at the very highest levels to Canada's campaign against European penalties on its highly polluting tar sands fuel, the Guardian can reveal.
At the same time, the UK government was being lobbied by Shell and BP, which both have major tar sands projects in Alberta, and opened a new consulate in the province to "support British commercial interests".
At least 15 high-level meetings and frequent communications have taken place since September, with David Cameron discussing the issue with his counterpart Stephen Harper during his visit to Canada, and stating privately that the UK wanted "to work with Canada on finding a way forward", according to documents released under freedom of information laws.
Read more here.
The UK government has been giving secret support at the very highest levels to Canada's campaign against European penalties on its highly polluting tar sands fuel, the Guardian can reveal.
At the same time, the UK government was being lobbied by Shell and BP, which both have major tar sands projects in Alberta, and opened a new consulate in the province to "support British commercial interests".
At least 15 high-level meetings and frequent communications have taken place since September, with David Cameron discussing the issue with his counterpart Stephen Harper during his visit to Canada, and stating privately that the UK wanted "to work with Canada on finding a way forward", according to documents released under freedom of information laws.
Read more here.
AT & T and T-Mobile plot new way to f*ck over consumers
US telecoms giant AT&T and Deutsche Telekom have cast doubt over the $39bn (£25bn) sale of T-Mobile USA by withdrawing their merger application to the industry regulator.
AT&T also said it would include a $4bn charge in its fourth-quarter accounts to cover any potential compensation due if the deal does not go ahead.
The US Justice Department moved to block the sale at the end of August.
The two firms said they would focus on clearing the deal with the government.
Read more here.
AT&T also said it would include a $4bn charge in its fourth-quarter accounts to cover any potential compensation due if the deal does not go ahead.
The US Justice Department moved to block the sale at the end of August.
The two firms said they would focus on clearing the deal with the government.
Read more here.
Sock puppets poison the Web
Trust in information on the web is being damaged by the huge numbers of people paid by companies to post comments online, say researchers.
Fake posters can "poison" debate and make people unsure about who they can trust, the study suggests.
Some firms have created tens of thousands of fake accounts to flood chat forums and skew debate.
Read more here.
Fake posters can "poison" debate and make people unsure about who they can trust, the study suggests.
Some firms have created tens of thousands of fake accounts to flood chat forums and skew debate.
Read more here.
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Emma Sullivan stands up to the um, 'adults' around her
A Kansas teenager who wrote a disparaging tweet about Gov. Sam Brownback is rejecting her high school principal's demand that she apologize.
Emma Sullivan told The Associated Press on Sunday that she's not sorry and an apology letter wouldn't be sincere.
The governor and his idiot staff have done more damage to themselves than any tweet could have. Well done geniuses.
Read more here.
Emma Sullivan told The Associated Press on Sunday that she's not sorry and an apology letter wouldn't be sincere.
The governor and his idiot staff have done more damage to themselves than any tweet could have. Well done geniuses.
Read more here.
Thailand's Anudith Nakornthap, the King and his court: Idiots of the Day
A government minister in Thailand has warned Facebook users that anyone pressing the "like" button on posts that might be offensive to the monarchy could be prosecuted under the country's strict lèse-majesté laws.
The warning was given two days after a Thai criminal court sentenced Amphon Tangnoppaku, 61, to 20 years in prison for sending text messages deemed insulting to the country's queen.
Amphon was found guilty on four counts and sentenced to five years' consecutive jail on each charge.
Thailand's laws against lèse-majesté (insulting a monarch) are the most severe in the world. Even repeating the details of an alleged offence is illegal.
A report in the Bangkok Post quoted the information technology minister, Anudith Nakornthap, saying that anyone who had pressed "like" on items related to lèse-majesté on Facebook should go back and delete all their reactions and comments. Such material could end up being copied by people who set up fake pages to insult the monarchy, he said.
"If they don't delete them, they can end up violating the computer crime act for indirectly distributing inappropriate content," Anudith said.
Any leader that has to resort to these kind of actions deserves all the ridicule they get.
Read more here.
The warning was given two days after a Thai criminal court sentenced Amphon Tangnoppaku, 61, to 20 years in prison for sending text messages deemed insulting to the country's queen.
Amphon was found guilty on four counts and sentenced to five years' consecutive jail on each charge.
Thailand's laws against lèse-majesté (insulting a monarch) are the most severe in the world. Even repeating the details of an alleged offence is illegal.
A report in the Bangkok Post quoted the information technology minister, Anudith Nakornthap, saying that anyone who had pressed "like" on items related to lèse-majesté on Facebook should go back and delete all their reactions and comments. Such material could end up being copied by people who set up fake pages to insult the monarchy, he said.
"If they don't delete them, they can end up violating the computer crime act for indirectly distributing inappropriate content," Anudith said.
Any leader that has to resort to these kind of actions deserves all the ridicule they get.
Read more here.
Worst polluters try and delay climate talks
Some of the developing world's biggest greenhouse gas emitters are bidding to delay talks on a new climate agreement.
To the anger of small islands and other vulnerable countries, India and Brazil are joining rich nations such as the US and Japan in wanting to start talks on a legal deal no earlier than 2015.
The EU and climate-vulnerable blocs want to start as soon as possible, and have the deal finalised by 2015.
Read more here.
To the anger of small islands and other vulnerable countries, India and Brazil are joining rich nations such as the US and Japan in wanting to start talks on a legal deal no earlier than 2015.
The EU and climate-vulnerable blocs want to start as soon as possible, and have the deal finalised by 2015.
Read more here.
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Gov. Sam Brownback of Kansas, or not all bullies are children
Ya know Gov, you do suck.
Yet another case of schools forgetting students are people too.
A Kansas teenager is in trouble after mocking Gov. Sam Brownback during a mock legislative assembly for high school students.
Emma Sullivan, a senior at Shawnee Mission East High School in Prairie Village, was in Topeka on Monday as part of Kansas Youth in Government, a program for students interested in politics and government.
During the session, in which Brownback addressed the group, Sullivan posted on her personal Twitter page:
“Just made mean comments at gov brownback and told him he sucked, in person #heblowsalot”
On Tuesday, Sullivan was called to her principal’s office and told that the tweet had been flagged by someone* on Brownback’s staff and reported to organizers of the Youth in Government program.
Read more here.
* a one Niomi Burget, who doesn't seem to have anything better to do that throw her weight around. You suck too.
Yet another case of schools forgetting students are people too.
A Kansas teenager is in trouble after mocking Gov. Sam Brownback during a mock legislative assembly for high school students.
Emma Sullivan, a senior at Shawnee Mission East High School in Prairie Village, was in Topeka on Monday as part of Kansas Youth in Government, a program for students interested in politics and government.
During the session, in which Brownback addressed the group, Sullivan posted on her personal Twitter page:
“Just made mean comments at gov brownback and told him he sucked, in person #heblowsalot”
On Tuesday, Sullivan was called to her principal’s office and told that the tweet had been flagged by someone* on Brownback’s staff and reported to organizers of the Youth in Government program.
Read more here.
* a one Niomi Burget, who doesn't seem to have anything better to do that throw her weight around. You suck too.
Harper and Co. shock no one with their archaic view of marijauna
That, and the Americans would never allow it, too much money invested in keeping it illegal.
CBCPrime Minister Stephen Harper says his government will never agree to the decriminalization of marijuana.
Harper's comments came Friday in Vancouver in response to a question at a brief news conference following an event at a downtown science centre.
"No, it will not happen under our government," Harper said. “We're very concerned about the spread of drugs in the country and the damage it's doing and as you know we have legislation before the House [of Commons] to crack down."
Stephen, just my word of advice. People have had *decades* of experience dealing with reactionary moves by government on this issue. All you will accomplish is generating more ill will towards you.
Of course you will fill jails, so you will feel just peachy about yourselves.
Read more here.
CBCPrime Minister Stephen Harper says his government will never agree to the decriminalization of marijuana.
Harper's comments came Friday in Vancouver in response to a question at a brief news conference following an event at a downtown science centre.
"No, it will not happen under our government," Harper said. “We're very concerned about the spread of drugs in the country and the damage it's doing and as you know we have legislation before the House [of Commons] to crack down."
Stephen, just my word of advice. People have had *decades* of experience dealing with reactionary moves by government on this issue. All you will accomplish is generating more ill will towards you.
Of course you will fill jails, so you will feel just peachy about yourselves.
Read more here.
Friday, November 25, 2011
RCMP in B.C.: Idiots of the Day
RCMP now admit they were keeping tabs on a Grand Forks, B.C. graffiti artist.
Dion Nordick found two surveillance cameras hidden in trees near his trailer home in June. He took them down and found pictures of himself and friends coming and going from his home.
Nordick also found hundreds of pictures of drug busts, suicides and assaults that hadn't been erased from the internal memory card.
The RCMP now admit the cameras were initially installed to monitor a suspected grow-op. Staff Sgt. Dan Seibel says when police searched the home, they found no plants, but did find graffiti stencils and paint.
Officers then installed two new cameras to watch Dion Nordick, a suspected graffiti artist.
Seibel says the graffiti artist allegedly had been tagging Grand Forks with a logo bearing guns and the word "dissent."
Comments on story are filled with people who truly find graffiti disturbing. Bizarre.
Read more here.
Dion Nordick found two surveillance cameras hidden in trees near his trailer home in June. He took them down and found pictures of himself and friends coming and going from his home.
Nordick also found hundreds of pictures of drug busts, suicides and assaults that hadn't been erased from the internal memory card.
The RCMP now admit the cameras were initially installed to monitor a suspected grow-op. Staff Sgt. Dan Seibel says when police searched the home, they found no plants, but did find graffiti stencils and paint.
Officers then installed two new cameras to watch Dion Nordick, a suspected graffiti artist.
Seibel says the graffiti artist allegedly had been tagging Grand Forks with a logo bearing guns and the word "dissent."
Comments on story are filled with people who truly find graffiti disturbing. Bizarre.
Read more here.
Megyn Kelly is an idiot, essentially
Megyn Kelly gave an interview to TVNewser who asked her about her comments which have caused such a stir on Bill O'Reilly's show that the pepper spray used on the UC Davis protesters is "a food product, essentially." Kelly's explanation for the comment boils down to claiming she was taken out of context and that if anyone watches the full clip, they won't believe she was trying to diminish what happened to the students.
Essentially, to me at least, she said the spray was shocking, but legal, so what's the problem?
Read more here.
Essentially, to me at least, she said the spray was shocking, but legal, so what's the problem?
Read more here.
Moronic woman uses pepper spray to get the best bargins
A woman shot pepper spray to keep shoppers from merchandise she wanted during a Black Friday sale, and 20 people suffered minor injuries, authorities said.
The incident occurred shortly after 10:20 p.m. Thursday in a crowded Los Angeles-area Walmart as shoppers hungry for deals were let inside the store.
Police said the suspect shot the pepper spray when the coverings over the items she wanted were removed.
"Somehow she was trying to use it to gain an upper hand," police Lt. Abel Parga told The Associated Press early Friday.
Read more here.
The incident occurred shortly after 10:20 p.m. Thursday in a crowded Los Angeles-area Walmart as shoppers hungry for deals were let inside the store.
Police said the suspect shot the pepper spray when the coverings over the items she wanted were removed.
"Somehow she was trying to use it to gain an upper hand," police Lt. Abel Parga told The Associated Press early Friday.
Read more here.
Harper and Co. butches up military
For me, this American style chest thumping is embarrassing.
The federal government paid tribute to its role in the Libya campaign Thursday with a flashy display of military might on Parliament Hill, a ceremony that some observers viewed as a way of declaring Canada's more muscular role on the global stage.
The celebratory event, which was attended by Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Defence Minister Peter MacKay as well as a host of military officials, included a flypast by CF-18 fighter jets, a 21-gun salute and the awarding of a Meritorious Service Cross (Military Division) to Lt.-Gen. Charles Bouchard, the Canadian air force general who commanded the NATO mission in Libya.
Some saw it as a conventional victory parade. "It is a celebration of sorts, there's no question, but it's within military tradition," said Michel Drapeau, a professor of military law at the University of Ottawa, who pointed to similar victory parades held in Canada for V-Day and the Korean War.
But others remarked on how out-of-character the ceremony seemed for a country that for decades has tended to play down its military. Stephen Clarkson, a University of Toronto professor with an expertise in Canadian foreign policy, views the ceremony as an exercise in "self-glorification."
Either way, the spectacle left little doubt that Harper is putting increased emphasis on the role of Canada's military in international affairs.
Read more here.
The federal government paid tribute to its role in the Libya campaign Thursday with a flashy display of military might on Parliament Hill, a ceremony that some observers viewed as a way of declaring Canada's more muscular role on the global stage.
The celebratory event, which was attended by Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Defence Minister Peter MacKay as well as a host of military officials, included a flypast by CF-18 fighter jets, a 21-gun salute and the awarding of a Meritorious Service Cross (Military Division) to Lt.-Gen. Charles Bouchard, the Canadian air force general who commanded the NATO mission in Libya.
Some saw it as a conventional victory parade. "It is a celebration of sorts, there's no question, but it's within military tradition," said Michel Drapeau, a professor of military law at the University of Ottawa, who pointed to similar victory parades held in Canada for V-Day and the Korean War.
But others remarked on how out-of-character the ceremony seemed for a country that for decades has tended to play down its military. Stephen Clarkson, a University of Toronto professor with an expertise in Canadian foreign policy, views the ceremony as an exercise in "self-glorification."
Either way, the spectacle left little doubt that Harper is putting increased emphasis on the role of Canada's military in international affairs.
Read more here.
Indonesia's ridiculous pot laws
That said, the kid's not very bright to bring drugs on any trip.
An Australian teen was sentenced to two months in prison in Indonesia for marijuana use in a case that has drawn international attention...
...Indonesia's drug laws are among the strictest in the world. But they have a provision, article 128, under which those arrested with small amounts of drugs can be released to rehabilitation if they can prove they are an addict. In the case of underage offenders, that requires a declaration from the youth's parents, officials have said.
Read more here.
An Australian teen was sentenced to two months in prison in Indonesia for marijuana use in a case that has drawn international attention...
...Indonesia's drug laws are among the strictest in the world. But they have a provision, article 128, under which those arrested with small amounts of drugs can be released to rehabilitation if they can prove they are an addict. In the case of underage offenders, that requires a declaration from the youth's parents, officials have said.
Read more here.
Thursday, November 24, 2011
No, really? Canadian wages plummet under Harper
Canadian workers are failing to keep up with the rising cost of living as real wages continue to fall dramatically, new data from Statistics Canada shows.
The agency reported Thursday that average weekly earnings for non-farm payrolls fell 0.3 per cent in nominal terms in September to $872.75.
When the 3.2 per cent inflation rate for the month is taken into consideration, the drop in real wages was more dramatic.
On a year-over-year basis, the increase in earnings was a mere 1.1 per cent, the lowest level of growth since November 2009.
Average weekly earning gains have been dropping steadily since the spring, when they were as high as 4.1 per cent in April, well above the inflation rate.
With income from investments also soft because of the volatility in equity markets, analysts said it is fair to assume Canadians' average standard of living is also dropping.
Read more here.
The agency reported Thursday that average weekly earnings for non-farm payrolls fell 0.3 per cent in nominal terms in September to $872.75.
When the 3.2 per cent inflation rate for the month is taken into consideration, the drop in real wages was more dramatic.
On a year-over-year basis, the increase in earnings was a mere 1.1 per cent, the lowest level of growth since November 2009.
Average weekly earning gains have been dropping steadily since the spring, when they were as high as 4.1 per cent in April, well above the inflation rate.
With income from investments also soft because of the volatility in equity markets, analysts said it is fair to assume Canadians' average standard of living is also dropping.
Read more here.
Entertainment industry suffers setback in efforts to control the Net in Europe
The European Court of Justice has ruled that content owners cannot ask ISPs to filter out illegal content.
The ruling could have implications for the creative industries as they attempt to crack down on piracy.
The court said that while content providers can ask ISPs to block specific sites, wider filtering was in breach of the E-Commerce Directive.
A Belgian court had previously ruled that a local rights holder could force an ISP to filter content.
Read more here.
The ruling could have implications for the creative industries as they attempt to crack down on piracy.
The court said that while content providers can ask ISPs to block specific sites, wider filtering was in breach of the E-Commerce Directive.
A Belgian court had previously ruled that a local rights holder could force an ISP to filter content.
Read more here.
Police arrest journalists "for their own safety"
Perhaps the safety referred to is the police's?
The bad press has had some results:
The New York Police Department's commissioner on Wednesday sent an internal message to officers ordering them not to unreasonably interfere with media access during news coverage and warning those who do will be subject to disciplinary action, after several journalists were arrested covering Occupy Wall Street demonstrations last week.
A tad depressing the police had to be reminded of this...
Read more here.
The bad press has had some results:
The New York Police Department's commissioner on Wednesday sent an internal message to officers ordering them not to unreasonably interfere with media access during news coverage and warning those who do will be subject to disciplinary action, after several journalists were arrested covering Occupy Wall Street demonstrations last week.
A tad depressing the police had to be reminded of this...
Read more here.
Police chiefs back hypocritical anti-mask bill
Until it is required that police wear badges and name tags *at all times*, this bill exposes police and government hypocrisy.
So it will pass without that provision with flying colours, obviously...
Some Canadian police chiefs are voicing support for a private member's bill that would criminalize wearing a mask or covering the face during a riot or unlawful assembly.
The bill, which was introduced in the House of Commons by Conservative MP Blake Richards of Alberta, proposes making the wearing of a mask during a riot punishable by up to five years in jail.
Read more here.
So it will pass without that provision with flying colours, obviously...
Some Canadian police chiefs are voicing support for a private member's bill that would criminalize wearing a mask or covering the face during a riot or unlawful assembly.
The bill, which was introduced in the House of Commons by Conservative MP Blake Richards of Alberta, proposes making the wearing of a mask during a riot punishable by up to five years in jail.
Read more here.
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
War is Hell Cheating
The developers behind Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 say they have banned more than 1,000 players from the online version.
Infinity Ward's Creative Strategist, Robert Bowling, used Twitter to explain what was happening.
"Any attempt to cheat, hack, or glitch in #MW3 will not be tolerated. 1600+ bans issued. Updates in works."
Best quote:
"Every ban unique to the level of douchiness of the offense.
"The greater the douche the greater the length."
Read more here.
Infinity Ward's Creative Strategist, Robert Bowling, used Twitter to explain what was happening.
"Any attempt to cheat, hack, or glitch in #MW3 will not be tolerated. 1600+ bans issued. Updates in works."
Best quote:
"Every ban unique to the level of douchiness of the offense.
"The greater the douche the greater the length."
Read more here.
Mitt Romney's pathetic lying campaign ad
Truth? We don't need no stinkin' truth.
Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney's first ad of the 2012 presidential campaign quotes President Obama out of context in what the Romney campaign is calling a deliberate attempt to show that Mr. Obama "doesn't want to talk about the economy."
In the ad, which goes up Tuesday in New Hampshire, Mr. Obama is heard saying "if we keep talking about the economy, we're going to lose."
But when Mr. Obama made that statement, he was actually quoting an aide to John McCain, his 2008 rival for the presidency. "Senator McCain's campaign actually said, and I quote, if we keep talking about the economy, we're going to lose," Mr. Obama said.
In an email to Politico, the Romney camp said it used the out-of-context quote "intentionally."
And par for the course, all comments disabled on the Youtube channel.
"Believe in America"...isn't that the opening lines of the Godfather?
Read more here.
Tocondo's rich to have yet another erection
It's so...big.
City-owned development agency Build Toronto announced Tuesday its first partnership will be with widely known developer Tridel, which will collaborate on a 75-storey, $295-million residential building in the downtown area.
The partnership, the first since the city established Build Toronto as an independent and self-funding real estate and development corporation, will develop the project at 10 York St. in the emerging Harbourfront neighbourhood.
"This is, pardon me for saying so, one hell of a deal," said Lorne Braithwaite the CEO of Build Toronto, at a news conference announcing the project.
Condo builders, modest as always...
"I [Mayor Ford]* can assure you we have some of the brightest real estate minds in the entire country ... sitting on Build Toronto's board," he said.
Tridel president Leo DelZotto said the site "offers the opportunity to create a condominium development that will be spectacular."
Read more here.
* No one in Tocondo is better suited to judge what constitutes a bright mind than Rob Ford...
We're fucked.
City-owned development agency Build Toronto announced Tuesday its first partnership will be with widely known developer Tridel, which will collaborate on a 75-storey, $295-million residential building in the downtown area.
The partnership, the first since the city established Build Toronto as an independent and self-funding real estate and development corporation, will develop the project at 10 York St. in the emerging Harbourfront neighbourhood.
"This is, pardon me for saying so, one hell of a deal," said Lorne Braithwaite the CEO of Build Toronto, at a news conference announcing the project.
Condo builders, modest as always...
"I [Mayor Ford]* can assure you we have some of the brightest real estate minds in the entire country ... sitting on Build Toronto's board," he said.
Tridel president Leo DelZotto said the site "offers the opportunity to create a condominium development that will be spectacular."
Read more here.
* No one in Tocondo is better suited to judge what constitutes a bright mind than Rob Ford...
We're fucked.
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Environment Minister Peter Kent: Clueless about ozone
Justin Trudeau asks: “explain to the House what ozone is and what is the difference between its impact at low altitude and high altitude?”
Um, uh, sputter...
Mr. Kent, like every other minister during Question Period, did not waver from his talking points. Instead, of trying to answer the question he simply threw back an insult at Mr. Trudeau, criticizing the “quality” of the questions from the Liberal opposition.
The minister added: “This government would gladly compare our record on the environment, in all its dimensions to...”
At that point, a frustrated Mr. Trudeau interrupted: “You don’t know what ozone is.”
I'd be surprised if he knows what the environment is, other that something to exploit.
Read more here.
Um, uh, sputter...
Mr. Kent, like every other minister during Question Period, did not waver from his talking points. Instead, of trying to answer the question he simply threw back an insult at Mr. Trudeau, criticizing the “quality” of the questions from the Liberal opposition.
The minister added: “This government would gladly compare our record on the environment, in all its dimensions to...”
At that point, a frustrated Mr. Trudeau interrupted: “You don’t know what ozone is.”
I'd be surprised if he knows what the environment is, other that something to exploit.
Read more here.
"Academics" in the journal Antiquity think phoney Beatlemania has bitten the dust
These academics need to lay off the crack.
Graffiti by Sex Pistols frontman Johnny Rotten may be of greater significance than the discovery of early Beatles recordings, academics have said.
Rotten, born John Lydon, drew on the walls of the band's London flat in 1975 after disliking a recent redecoration.
Now, a paper in the journal Antiquity is suggesting the flat is an important historical and archaeological site.
The authors say it is "a direct and powerful representation of a radical and dramatic movement of rebellion."
The graffiti mainly consists of eight cartoons drawn in black marker pen in the upper room of the flat on Denmark Street, which is now used as shop offices.
Read more here.
Graffiti by Sex Pistols frontman Johnny Rotten may be of greater significance than the discovery of early Beatles recordings, academics have said.
Rotten, born John Lydon, drew on the walls of the band's London flat in 1975 after disliking a recent redecoration.
Now, a paper in the journal Antiquity is suggesting the flat is an important historical and archaeological site.
The authors say it is "a direct and powerful representation of a radical and dramatic movement of rebellion."
The graffiti mainly consists of eight cartoons drawn in black marker pen in the upper room of the flat on Denmark Street, which is now used as shop offices.
Read more here.
The Steven J. Baum P.C. law firm: Karma's a bitch, eh f*ckers?
A law firm that had become a lightning rod in the controversy over mortgage-foreclosure practices has shut down, costing 89 employees their jobs.
The Steven J. Baum P.C. law firm, which has offices in Amherst, N.Y., and Westbury, N.Y., has filed papers with government agencies notifying them that it plans to close. It made the filings under a federal law requiring employers to provide notice before mass layoffs...
...the firm’s fortunes worsened this month after The New York Times published photos of a Halloween party at the Baum firm showing employees wearing costumes mocking people who had lost their homes.
After those photos surfaced, the mortgage giants Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae cut off the Baum firm, forbidding servicers of their mortgages from using Mr. Baum and his colleagues. That effectively served as the firm’s death knell.
Read more here.
The Steven J. Baum P.C. law firm, which has offices in Amherst, N.Y., and Westbury, N.Y., has filed papers with government agencies notifying them that it plans to close. It made the filings under a federal law requiring employers to provide notice before mass layoffs...
...the firm’s fortunes worsened this month after The New York Times published photos of a Halloween party at the Baum firm showing employees wearing costumes mocking people who had lost their homes.
After those photos surfaced, the mortgage giants Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae cut off the Baum firm, forbidding servicers of their mortgages from using Mr. Baum and his colleagues. That effectively served as the firm’s death knell.
Read more here.
Newt Gingrich: Child Labor laws are stupid
Republicans continue to race themselves to the bottom of the barrel with blinding speed. Truly despicable people.
Michele Bachmann's Iowa campaign Co-Chair, Tamara Scott: Idiot of the Day
I know I know, this comes from the Bachmann camp, where looney tunes is par for the course, but:
One of the oldest tricks in the book when it comes to scaring people into not supporting gay marriage is using the "slippery slope" method.
You tell people that if gay marriage is made legal, it's only a matter of time before the state or country will be full of polygamists or men marrying turtles, as Bill O'Reilly has suggested, or, as Michele Bachmann's new Iowa campaign Co-Chair, Tamara Scott, is warning, women marrying the Eiffel Tower.
Scare tactics are one thing, but out and out over the top comedy? How's that working out for you?
Given your target audience, probably depressingly well.
Read more here.
One of the oldest tricks in the book when it comes to scaring people into not supporting gay marriage is using the "slippery slope" method.
You tell people that if gay marriage is made legal, it's only a matter of time before the state or country will be full of polygamists or men marrying turtles, as Bill O'Reilly has suggested, or, as Michele Bachmann's new Iowa campaign Co-Chair, Tamara Scott, is warning, women marrying the Eiffel Tower.
Scare tactics are one thing, but out and out over the top comedy? How's that working out for you?
Given your target audience, probably depressingly well.
Read more here.
Monday, November 21, 2011
Some at Central Mountain High School are truly swine
Victim One, the first known alleged victim of abuse by former Penn State coach Jerry Sandusky, had to leave his school in the middle of his senior year because of bullying, his counselor said Sunday.
Officials at Central Mountain High School in Clinton County weren’t providing guidance for fellow students, who were reacting badly about Joe Paterno’s firing and blaming the 17-year-old, said Mike Gillum, the psychologist helping his family. Those officials were unavailable for comment this weekend.
The name-calling and verbal threats were just too much, he said.
Read more here.
Officials at Central Mountain High School in Clinton County weren’t providing guidance for fellow students, who were reacting badly about Joe Paterno’s firing and blaming the 17-year-old, said Mike Gillum, the psychologist helping his family. Those officials were unavailable for comment this weekend.
The name-calling and verbal threats were just too much, he said.
Read more here.
Huge storm on Saturn
"This new storm is a completely different kind of beast compared to anything we saw on Saturn previously with Cassini. The fact that such outbursts are episodic and keep happening on Saturn every 20 to 30 years or so is telling us something about deep inside the planet, but we have yet to figure out what it is."
Read more here.
Read more here.
Racists at The Toronto District School Board disgrace Toronto
Hate to say it, but I agree with Marcus Gee about some things.
The Toronto District School Board made a terrible mistake when it approved an Africentric high school this week. Public schools based on racial background are an affront to everything Toronto stands for.
Read more here.
The Toronto District School Board made a terrible mistake when it approved an Africentric high school this week. Public schools based on racial background are an affront to everything Toronto stands for.
Read more here.
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Pinellas County Commissioner Norm Roche: Cowardly Internet Troll
Fellow politicians blasted Pinellas County Commissioner Norm Roche on Thursday for using a secret alter ego to zing them, straining city-county relations and the commission's own dynamics at a crucial time.
Roche's derogatory comments about St. Petersburg baffled Mayor Bill Foster.
"He comes from a darker place than I can even imagine,'' Foster said. "And that's kind of a window into the psyche of a county commissioner."
The St. Petersburg Times reported Wednesday that Roche acknowledged writing comments on the Times' website, tampabay.com, as "Reality.''
Among other things, Reality wrote that St. Petersburg was defined by "thug shootings" and "prostitutes beatings" and "social service recipients.'' Other comments questioned the ethics of fellow commissioners.
Read more here.
Roche's derogatory comments about St. Petersburg baffled Mayor Bill Foster.
"He comes from a darker place than I can even imagine,'' Foster said. "And that's kind of a window into the psyche of a county commissioner."
The St. Petersburg Times reported Wednesday that Roche acknowledged writing comments on the Times' website, tampabay.com, as "Reality.''
Among other things, Reality wrote that St. Petersburg was defined by "thug shootings" and "prostitutes beatings" and "social service recipients.'' Other comments questioned the ethics of fellow commissioners.
Read more here.
Who wrote Shakespeare?
Eric Idle knows:
While it is perfectly obvious to everyone that Ben Jonson wrote all of Shakespeare’s plays, it is less known that Ben Jonson’s plays were written by a teen-age girl in Sunderland, who mysteriously disappeared, leaving no trace of her existence, which is clear proof that she wrote them. The plays of Marlowe were actually written by a chambermaid named Marlene, who faked her own orgasm, and then her own death in a Deptford tavern brawl. Queen Elizabeth, who was obviously a man, conspired to have Shakespeare named as the author of his plays, because how could a man who had only a grammar-school education and spoke Latin and a little Greek possibly have written something as bad as “All’s Well That Ends Well”? It makes no sense. It was obviously an upper-class twit who wished to disguise his identity so that Vanessa Redgrave could get a job in her old age.
Read more here.
While it is perfectly obvious to everyone that Ben Jonson wrote all of Shakespeare’s plays, it is less known that Ben Jonson’s plays were written by a teen-age girl in Sunderland, who mysteriously disappeared, leaving no trace of her existence, which is clear proof that she wrote them. The plays of Marlowe were actually written by a chambermaid named Marlene, who faked her own orgasm, and then her own death in a Deptford tavern brawl. Queen Elizabeth, who was obviously a man, conspired to have Shakespeare named as the author of his plays, because how could a man who had only a grammar-school education and spoke Latin and a little Greek possibly have written something as bad as “All’s Well That Ends Well”? It makes no sense. It was obviously an upper-class twit who wished to disguise his identity so that Vanessa Redgrave could get a job in her old age.
Read more here.
Thuggish police wielding pepper spray at the University of California
Under pressure to resign, the chancellor of the University of California, Davis, established a task force Saturday to look into an incident where a police officer sprayed seated protesters with pepper spray at point blank range.
Linda Katehi told CNN's Don Lemon that she considered the police action on Friday "unacceptable," but stressed she has no plans to step down.
"We really want to look into this very carefully and take action ... make sure that it will never happen again on our campus," she said.
Katehi said the task force made of faculty, students and staff will review the events and provide a report within 90 days.
90 days? Don't make me laugh.
The *brave* office in question is one Lt. John Pike, who appears to have made $110,243.12 in 2010 to be so noble.
Longer version:
The retreat at the end is a delight to behold.
Read more here.
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Friday, November 18, 2011
Shaquille O'Neal: Idiot of the Day
NBA star Shaquille O'Neal details his time on and off the court in a new memoir, "Shaq Uncut: My Story," which hit shelves Tuesday.
The memoir touches on his marriage to Shaunie Nelson, which ended in 2009 amid cheating allegations. Shaq admits that while he did stray from the marriage, he never did it "disrespectfully":
"At one time my ex-wife Shaunie and I were happy, but I admit it--I was a guy. I was a guy with too many options. Choosing to be with some of those women, well, that's on me. In my mind, I never did it disrespectfully, but obviously I shouldn't have done it all."
The mind boggles at his reasoning.
Read more here.
The memoir touches on his marriage to Shaunie Nelson, which ended in 2009 amid cheating allegations. Shaq admits that while he did stray from the marriage, he never did it "disrespectfully":
"At one time my ex-wife Shaunie and I were happy, but I admit it--I was a guy. I was a guy with too many options. Choosing to be with some of those women, well, that's on me. In my mind, I never did it disrespectfully, but obviously I shouldn't have done it all."
The mind boggles at his reasoning.
Read more here.
Toronto takes huge step backwards with "Africentric" schools
The Ghost of Wallace lives.
Toronto District School Board trustees on Wednesday approved the city's second Africentric school, this time for high school students.
Cheers erupted in the packed public gallery after the controversial motion for the high school for black students passed 14-6.
"It's a great opportunity to serve our students and that's what this has always been about," said the board's education director, Chris Spence. "You know, how do we think outside the box and support our students the best way we can."
Read more here.
Toronto District School Board trustees on Wednesday approved the city's second Africentric school, this time for high school students.
Cheers erupted in the packed public gallery after the controversial motion for the high school for black students passed 14-6.
"It's a great opportunity to serve our students and that's what this has always been about," said the board's education director, Chris Spence. "You know, how do we think outside the box and support our students the best way we can."
Read more here.
Bill would make wearing masks during riots a crime...but cops wearing badges, not so much
Until the cops wear badges during "riots", all bets are off.
A private member's bill debated Thursday in Ottawa would make it a crime to cover your face with a mask or other means during a riot.
But it will be at least another month before the bill can move on to committee stage.
Read more here.
A private member's bill debated Thursday in Ottawa would make it a crime to cover your face with a mask or other means during a riot.
But it will be at least another month before the bill can move on to committee stage.
Read more here.
NDP's Peggy Nash says Canada under Harper is really f*cked up..or words to that effect
NDP leadership hopeful Peggy Nash says Canada is no longer a "normal" country under Prime Minister Stephen Harper's direction.
The Toronto MP describes Harper's Canada as a country of growing inequality, record personal debt, hopelessness among youth and a federal government that continually tells people to expect less.
"I don't think that's normal," Nash told The Canadian Press in a wide-ranging interview Thursday. "I think that's wrong."
Nash said Canadians have a right to expect economic, social and environmental progress, where people co-operate with each other and the government doesn't pit one group against another.
Read more here.
The Toronto MP describes Harper's Canada as a country of growing inequality, record personal debt, hopelessness among youth and a federal government that continually tells people to expect less.
"I don't think that's normal," Nash told The Canadian Press in a wide-ranging interview Thursday. "I think that's wrong."
Nash said Canadians have a right to expect economic, social and environmental progress, where people co-operate with each other and the government doesn't pit one group against another.
Read more here.
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Illumination Entertainment threatens to bring one of the most annoying animated characters to the big screen
I cringe at the thought.
they're bringing back Woody Woodpecker.
THR has learned that Illumination, which is a branch of Universal, is currently developing a feature film based on the feathered instigator.
Read more here.
they're bringing back Woody Woodpecker.
THR has learned that Illumination, which is a branch of Universal, is currently developing a feature film based on the feathered instigator.
Read more here.
Joe Warmington and a parade of idiotic right wing talking points about the Occupy Movement in Toronto
Mr Warmington is "in his 20th year at the Toronto Sun where he has been an award-winning reporter. Twenty years there, as no other paper would take this dribble seriously. Let's plough in, shall we?
It’s interesting how the people who have been evicted for setting up an encampment in a place they shouldn’t be want to evict the guy who was elected to uphold Toronto’s laws.
Communism is like that. Things get flipped around.
The Movement are communists: Check
It’s all about the war on Ford.
It's all about the Mayor: Check
Even though the place has become an out of control pigsty, the organizers are doing well with this war.
It's a war, lead by pigs: Check
the Ford administration missed the chance to move in on the lunacy earlier
And they're lunatics: Check
Read more here.
It’s interesting how the people who have been evicted for setting up an encampment in a place they shouldn’t be want to evict the guy who was elected to uphold Toronto’s laws.
Communism is like that. Things get flipped around.
The Movement are communists: Check
It’s all about the war on Ford.
It's all about the Mayor: Check
Even though the place has become an out of control pigsty, the organizers are doing well with this war.
It's a war, lead by pigs: Check
the Ford administration missed the chance to move in on the lunacy earlier
And they're lunatics: Check
Read more here.
Conservative Bullsh*t: Rick Perry's lazy, lying Obama ad
Did President Obama argue that “Americans are lazy,” as Perry alleges? No. He argued that American policy makers have been lazy in not doing more to attract businesses. (Obama’s standard line about the American people, by contrast, is that they are the “best workers in the world.”)
The Youtube page itself allows no comments. Gee, I wonder why...
Read more here.
Leo McKinstry of the Daily Mail comes across as the bitchiest "straight" man on the planet
Tiring hit piece on Marilyn Monroe, which includes this gem:
Modern-day Monroes: Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan can be linked strongly with Marilyn
They're about as close to Marilyn as Mr. McKinstry is to journalism.
Read more here.
Modern-day Monroes: Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan can be linked strongly with Marilyn
They're about as close to Marilyn as Mr. McKinstry is to journalism.
Read more here.
Climate change episode of Frozen Planet won't be shown in the U.S.
LALALALALALA I can't hear you....
An episode of the BBC's Frozen Planet documentary series that looks at climate change has been scrapped in the U.S., where many are hostile to the idea of global warming.
British viewers will see all seven episodes of the multi-million-pound nature series throughout the Autumn.
But U.S. audiences will not be shown the last episode, which looks at the threat posed by man to the natural world.
It is feared a show that preaches global warming could upset viewers in the U.S., where around half of people do not believe in climate change.
Best bullshit:
Discovery had dropped the full seventh episode due to 'scheduling issues', the spokesman added.
Read more here.
An episode of the BBC's Frozen Planet documentary series that looks at climate change has been scrapped in the U.S., where many are hostile to the idea of global warming.
British viewers will see all seven episodes of the multi-million-pound nature series throughout the Autumn.
But U.S. audiences will not be shown the last episode, which looks at the threat posed by man to the natural world.
It is feared a show that preaches global warming could upset viewers in the U.S., where around half of people do not believe in climate change.
Best bullshit:
Discovery had dropped the full seventh episode due to 'scheduling issues', the spokesman added.
Read more here.
Co-ordinated effort or monkey see monkey do as Occupy movement under attack
This has been happening everywhere all week...
The City of London Corporation has attached eviction notices to tents outside St Paul's Cathedral, telling activists to move them from the public highways by 6pm on Thursday or face legal action.
It is the latest development in a month-long saga that has pitted the protest movement Occupy London against the corporation, the local authority for the Square Mile, and St Paul's. Both institutions own the land around the church but only the corporation is pressing ahead with court proceedings.
Read more here.
The City of London Corporation has attached eviction notices to tents outside St Paul's Cathedral, telling activists to move them from the public highways by 6pm on Thursday or face legal action.
It is the latest development in a month-long saga that has pitted the protest movement Occupy London against the corporation, the local authority for the Square Mile, and St Paul's. Both institutions own the land around the church but only the corporation is pressing ahead with court proceedings.
Read more here.
Europe Bans X-Ray Body Scanners because they're f*cking dangerous
The European Union on Monday prohibited the use of X-ray body scanners in European airports, parting ways with the U.S. Transportation Security Administration, which has deployed hundreds of the scanners as a way to screen millions of airline passengers for explosives hidden under clothing.
The European Commission, which enforces common policies of the EU's 27 member countries, adopted the rule “in order not to risk jeopardizing citizens’ health and safety.”
Read more here.
The European Commission, which enforces common policies of the EU's 27 member countries, adopted the rule “in order not to risk jeopardizing citizens’ health and safety.”
Read more here.
Lauren Pierce, the president of the College Republicans at UT Austin: Idiot of the Day
Lauren Pierce, the president of the College Republicans at UT Austin, said on Twitter Wednesday that the idea of assassinating President Barack Obama was "tempting."
At approximately 2:30 p.m., Pierce posted, "Y'all as tempting as it may be, don't shoot Obama. We need him to go down in history as the WORST president we've EVER had! #2012."
Best bullshit:
Pierce told ABC News that the comment was a "joke" and that the "whole [shooting incident] was stupid." Giggling, she said that an attempted assassination would "only make the situation worse."
"Insofar as she's a representative [of the College Republicans], maybe it shouldn't be said, but she's made a positive statement in a way," said Cassie Wright, the group's vice president.
"I don't really see anything wrong with it," Wright added. "It's just a personal comment, not representative of any group. Just freedom of speech, you know?"
Clueless to the end.
Read more here.
At approximately 2:30 p.m., Pierce posted, "Y'all as tempting as it may be, don't shoot Obama. We need him to go down in history as the WORST president we've EVER had! #2012."
Best bullshit:
Pierce told ABC News that the comment was a "joke" and that the "whole [shooting incident] was stupid." Giggling, she said that an attempted assassination would "only make the situation worse."
"Insofar as she's a representative [of the College Republicans], maybe it shouldn't be said, but she's made a positive statement in a way," said Cassie Wright, the group's vice president.
"I don't really see anything wrong with it," Wright added. "It's just a personal comment, not representative of any group. Just freedom of speech, you know?"
Clueless to the end.
Read more here.
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
WTF? US marines to be based in Australia
The United States announced an agreement with Australia Wednesday that will expand military cooperation between the long-time allies and boost America's presence in the region...
...Under the agreement, up to 250 U.S. Marines will be sent to Darwin and the northern region of Australia for military exercises and training. Over the next several years their numbers are expected to climb to 2,500 -- a full Marine ground task force.
While U.S. officials cited the need to respond to regional natural disasters as a reason for the agreement, concern over China's military expansion is widely acknowledged as a driving factor.
Read more here.
...Under the agreement, up to 250 U.S. Marines will be sent to Darwin and the northern region of Australia for military exercises and training. Over the next several years their numbers are expected to climb to 2,500 -- a full Marine ground task force.
While U.S. officials cited the need to respond to regional natural disasters as a reason for the agreement, concern over China's military expansion is widely acknowledged as a driving factor.
Read more here.
David Friedman: Idiot of the Day
Fracking is Good!!!
The energy for an earthquake has to come from somewhere, and I don't think the amount of energy that goes into pumping water underground can be close to enough. What is presumably happening is that pumping in the water causes the release of energy that is already there. Dissipating that energy might mean lots of small earthquakes instead of a small number of big ones, which would probably be a net benefit.
Mr. Friedman is "academic economist who teaches at a law school and has never taken a course for credit in either field"
Clearly.
The commenters are just as deluded:
I love it. As a byproduct of pursuing ways to exploit nature on behalf of humanity, we discover that we can protect ourselves from one of nature's worst catastrophes.
Que treehuggers' heads exploding.
Making liberals unhappy outweighs earthquakes any day in their world. God help us.
My head won't explode, I'm too busy banging it on the desk.
Read more here.
The energy for an earthquake has to come from somewhere, and I don't think the amount of energy that goes into pumping water underground can be close to enough. What is presumably happening is that pumping in the water causes the release of energy that is already there. Dissipating that energy might mean lots of small earthquakes instead of a small number of big ones, which would probably be a net benefit.
Mr. Friedman is "academic economist who teaches at a law school and has never taken a course for credit in either field"
Clearly.
The commenters are just as deluded:
I love it. As a byproduct of pursuing ways to exploit nature on behalf of humanity, we discover that we can protect ourselves from one of nature's worst catastrophes.
Que treehuggers' heads exploding.
Making liberals unhappy outweighs earthquakes any day in their world. God help us.
My head won't explode, I'm too busy banging it on the desk.
Read more here.
SOPA, the Entertainment Industry's latest bid to rule the Net
Web firms including Google and Facebook have written to the US government in opposition to a proposed bill to combat piracy.
Alongside AOL, Twitter and eBay they claim that the Stop Online Privacy Act poses huge risks to the internet.
SOPA, supported by the music and film industries, aims to give new powers to content providers to help them take offending sites offline.
The US House of Representatives is due to debate the bill on 16 November.
The law would allow content owners to seek court orders to force internet service providers, search engines, payment processors and ad networks to block or cease business with websites linked to online piracy.
Read more here.
Alongside AOL, Twitter and eBay they claim that the Stop Online Privacy Act poses huge risks to the internet.
SOPA, supported by the music and film industries, aims to give new powers to content providers to help them take offending sites offline.
The US House of Representatives is due to debate the bill on 16 November.
The law would allow content owners to seek court orders to force internet service providers, search engines, payment processors and ad networks to block or cease business with websites linked to online piracy.
Read more here.
Brookfield Properties Security: Your fly is open, faggot
The fun starts at 1:45
"He just called me a faggot"
"I sincerely doubt that"
"No, I have it on camera"
Haha..apparently he's since been fired. He's still be there if there hadn't been video evidence. Keep those cams rolling folks.
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Spam of the Day
Now they're resorting to threats:
We, office of the international police authority (IPA) hereby write to inform you that we caught a diplomatic lady by the name Mrs. Vernon Wallace at (John F Kennedy International Airport) here in New York with a consignment box filled with United States Dollars.
Based on our interview to the diplomat she said that the consignment box belongs to you and that she was sent by one MR.EDMUND COLA to come deliver the consignment box to your doorstep not knowing that the content of the box is money.
Now, the diplomat is under detention in the office of (INTERPOL) security, and we cannot release her until we carry out our proper investigation on how this huge amount of money managed to be yours. So, in this regards you are to reassure and prove to us that the money you are about to receive is legal by sending us the Award Ownership Certificate showing that the money is not illegal.
Note, that the Award Ownership Certificate must to be secured from the office of the Nigerian Senate President, because that is the only office that will issue you the original Award Ownership Certificate of this funds, this is because the fund originated from Nigeria.
You are advised to forward immediately the Award Ownership Certificate if you have it with you, but if you do not have it, we urge you to contact back the sender of the diplomat to help you secure the Award Ownership Certificate if at all you do not have it.
The threat? Voila:
Furthermore, we are giving you only but 3 working business days to forward the requested Award Ownership Certificate. Please note that we shall get back to you after the 3 working business days, that if you didn¹t come up with the certificate we shall confiscate the funds into World Bank account then charge you for money laundering, but if you forward the Award Ownership Certificate then we will release diplomat with your consignment box also gives you every back up on the money.
We, office of the international police authority (IPA) hereby write to inform you that we caught a diplomatic lady by the name Mrs. Vernon Wallace at (John F Kennedy International Airport) here in New York with a consignment box filled with United States Dollars.
Based on our interview to the diplomat she said that the consignment box belongs to you and that she was sent by one MR.EDMUND COLA to come deliver the consignment box to your doorstep not knowing that the content of the box is money.
Now, the diplomat is under detention in the office of (INTERPOL) security, and we cannot release her until we carry out our proper investigation on how this huge amount of money managed to be yours. So, in this regards you are to reassure and prove to us that the money you are about to receive is legal by sending us the Award Ownership Certificate showing that the money is not illegal.
Note, that the Award Ownership Certificate must to be secured from the office of the Nigerian Senate President, because that is the only office that will issue you the original Award Ownership Certificate of this funds, this is because the fund originated from Nigeria.
You are advised to forward immediately the Award Ownership Certificate if you have it with you, but if you do not have it, we urge you to contact back the sender of the diplomat to help you secure the Award Ownership Certificate if at all you do not have it.
The threat? Voila:
Furthermore, we are giving you only but 3 working business days to forward the requested Award Ownership Certificate. Please note that we shall get back to you after the 3 working business days, that if you didn¹t come up with the certificate we shall confiscate the funds into World Bank account then charge you for money laundering, but if you forward the Award Ownership Certificate then we will release diplomat with your consignment box also gives you every back up on the money.
Oldest rock art in Egypt discovered
Using a new technology known as optically stimulated luminescence (OSL), a team of Belgian scientists and Professor John Coleman Darnell of Yale have determined that Egyptian petroglyphs found at the east bank of the Nile are about 15,000 years old, making them the oldest rock art in Egypt and possibly the earliest known graphic record in North Africa.
Read more here.
Read more here.
Rob Ford to appears as The Sugar Plum Fairy a cannon doll in ballet
FYI Your Lordship, that is sooo gay...all the drag queens in Toronto can be heard saying at once : "Whoa girl, dial it back hun"
Mayor Rob Ford will soon make his stage debut with The National Ballet of Canada, the ballet’s artistic director Karen Kain announced Monday.
The mayor will not dance but he will wear a silly, colourful costume, caper about and — whether he likes it or not — follow in the footsteps of his predecessor, David Miller.
Kain announced at a City Hall ceremony that Ford had accepted her invitation of a cameo appearance as a “cannon doll” in a performance of seasonal favourite The Nutcracker, which runs Dec. 10 to Jan. 3.
Ford, a high school football coach not known for his affinity to the arts, will wear a multi-coloured “Petrushka” costume for about two minutes onstage, said ballet spokeswoman Catherine Chang.
Read more here.
Mayor Rob Ford will soon make his stage debut with The National Ballet of Canada, the ballet’s artistic director Karen Kain announced Monday.
The mayor will not dance but he will wear a silly, colourful costume, caper about and — whether he likes it or not — follow in the footsteps of his predecessor, David Miller.
Kain announced at a City Hall ceremony that Ford had accepted her invitation of a cameo appearance as a “cannon doll” in a performance of seasonal favourite The Nutcracker, which runs Dec. 10 to Jan. 3.
Ford, a high school football coach not known for his affinity to the arts, will wear a multi-coloured “Petrushka” costume for about two minutes onstage, said ballet spokeswoman Catherine Chang.
Read more here.
UK to those with private jets: Come on in! The rest of you, take off your shoes
Thousands of passengers from all over the world arriving on private jets were allowed into Britain this summer without any passport checks as a matter of official policy, according to leaked UK Border Agency emails.
The internal reports show that immigration and customs staff were instructed not to meet passengers on private charter flights, including executive jets, as part of the "light touch" targeted approach secretly adopted this summer.
The emails also reveal the extent that full passport checks on European passengers were scaled back under the "limited pilot scheme" authorised by the home secretary, Theresa May, on 28 July.
The level 2 checks, which suspended the checks on biometric passports of EU travellers, were used hundreds of times each week during the summer.
Read more here.
The internal reports show that immigration and customs staff were instructed not to meet passengers on private charter flights, including executive jets, as part of the "light touch" targeted approach secretly adopted this summer.
The emails also reveal the extent that full passport checks on European passengers were scaled back under the "limited pilot scheme" authorised by the home secretary, Theresa May, on 28 July.
The level 2 checks, which suspended the checks on biometric passports of EU travellers, were used hundreds of times each week during the summer.
Read more here.
Sandusky admits to being really strange, but not a paedophile
Yeah, ok, sure, whatever you say...
The former Penn State coach at the centre of a child abuse investigation that has shocked the US has admitted in an interview showering with young boys, but denies being a paedophile.
Jerry Sandusky told NBC News that he had "horsed around with kids", hugged them and touched their legs, but was innocent of the charges against him.
In a phone interview, he said he should not have showered with the children.
Ya think?
In an interview with CNN on Monday evening, Mr Sandusky's lawyer, Joe Amendola, described his client as a "big overgrown kid" and said athletes have a culture of showering together.
Which is true, and they are also among the most homophobic of groups....something is wrong with this picture...
Read more here.
The former Penn State coach at the centre of a child abuse investigation that has shocked the US has admitted in an interview showering with young boys, but denies being a paedophile.
Jerry Sandusky told NBC News that he had "horsed around with kids", hugged them and touched their legs, but was innocent of the charges against him.
In a phone interview, he said he should not have showered with the children.
Ya think?
In an interview with CNN on Monday evening, Mr Sandusky's lawyer, Joe Amendola, described his client as a "big overgrown kid" and said athletes have a culture of showering together.
Which is true, and they are also among the most homophobic of groups....something is wrong with this picture...
Read more here.
Police breaking up the Occupy movement today guarantee it will be bigger tomorrow
2012 will be an interesting year...
Police in full riot gear moved in to New York's Zuccotti Park early Tuesday morning, evicting hundreds of protesters from the site where the Occupy call to action began two months ago before spreading globally.
Dozens of protesters who had camped out at the Lower Manhattan park since September 17 linked arms in defiance. Many chanted, "Whose park? Our park" and "You don't have to do this."
Read more here.
Police in full riot gear moved in to New York's Zuccotti Park early Tuesday morning, evicting hundreds of protesters from the site where the Occupy call to action began two months ago before spreading globally.
Dozens of protesters who had camped out at the Lower Manhattan park since September 17 linked arms in defiance. Many chanted, "Whose park? Our park" and "You don't have to do this."
Read more here.
Monday, November 14, 2011
Harper meets Obama yesterday, TransCanada agrees to reroute Keystone XL pipeline today... coincidence of course
TransCanada has agreed to change the route of a proposed oil pipeline so that it doesn't pass through an environmentally sensitive part of Nebraska.
The Canadian-based company announced the decision Monday at a news conference at the Nebraska Capitol.
Read more here.
The Canadian-based company announced the decision Monday at a news conference at the Nebraska Capitol.
Read more here.
Prime Link Travel Medical Insurance = Vultures
A B.C. couple on a fixed income is facing a $50,000 US hospital bill, despite buying travel health insurance for their last trip...
...Last year, they bought full medical coverage as usual, through their broker, from Prime Link Travel Medical Insurance. While in California, Anna had to go to hospital with a blood clot in her leg.
Records show the U.S. hospital checked with Prime Link, which is underwritten by Manulife, to see if she had insurance, and was told she did. Her bill for treatment was $10,000 a day, for five days.
The couple said they were shocked when the insurance company later refused to pay the bill, because of how Anna answered one question on her initial application form.
Let's hope this publicity will help this couple out of this mess. How anyone can think the American system is "the best in the world" is beyond me.
Read more here.
...Last year, they bought full medical coverage as usual, through their broker, from Prime Link Travel Medical Insurance. While in California, Anna had to go to hospital with a blood clot in her leg.
Records show the U.S. hospital checked with Prime Link, which is underwritten by Manulife, to see if she had insurance, and was told she did. Her bill for treatment was $10,000 a day, for five days.
The couple said they were shocked when the insurance company later refused to pay the bill, because of how Anna answered one question on her initial application form.
Let's hope this publicity will help this couple out of this mess. How anyone can think the American system is "the best in the world" is beyond me.
Read more here.
Toronto condos badly built...well knock me over with a feather
And one can be yours, starting at only $300,000!!
Many of the glass condominium towers filling up the Toronto skyline will fail 15 to 25 years after they’re built, perhaps even earlier, and will need retrofits costing millions of dollars, say some industry experts.
Buyers drawn to glass-walled condos because of the price and spectacular views may soon find themselves grappling with nightmarish problems, including:
Insulation failures.
Water leaks.
Skyrocketing energy and maintenance costs.
Declining resale potential.
One developer calls glass-walled condos “throw-away buildings” because of their short lifespan relative to buildings with walls made of concrete or brick.
Read more here.
Many of the glass condominium towers filling up the Toronto skyline will fail 15 to 25 years after they’re built, perhaps even earlier, and will need retrofits costing millions of dollars, say some industry experts.
Buyers drawn to glass-walled condos because of the price and spectacular views may soon find themselves grappling with nightmarish problems, including:
Insulation failures.
Water leaks.
Skyrocketing energy and maintenance costs.
Declining resale potential.
One developer calls glass-walled condos “throw-away buildings” because of their short lifespan relative to buildings with walls made of concrete or brick.
Read more here.
Marcus Gee talks down to the rest of Canada, hoping that will make them just *love* Toronto
Good luck with that Marcus...
What many Canadians feel for Toronto is like what some adolescent boys feel for a big brother. “He thinks he’s so big.” Most boys grow out of it. Canadians should, too.
Oh yes, that will go a long way to build respect for Toronto...but wait, there's more!
So why the resentment? If it isn’t Toronto’s overweening power that makes people hate the city, what does? Is it because Torontonians pretend their city is the centre of the universe?
That doesn’t wash. Most Torontonians think New York is the centre of the universe *.
Read more here.
* and if that doesn't give Marcus a clue, nothing will. Toronto's love of NYC has given it Dundas Square, a crime against architecture if ever there was one.
What many Canadians feel for Toronto is like what some adolescent boys feel for a big brother. “He thinks he’s so big.” Most boys grow out of it. Canadians should, too.
Oh yes, that will go a long way to build respect for Toronto...but wait, there's more!
So why the resentment? If it isn’t Toronto’s overweening power that makes people hate the city, what does? Is it because Torontonians pretend their city is the centre of the universe?
That doesn’t wash. Most Torontonians think New York is the centre of the universe *.
Read more here.
* and if that doesn't give Marcus a clue, nothing will. Toronto's love of NYC has given it Dundas Square, a crime against architecture if ever there was one.
Huffington Post continues to misdirect traffic to the Canadian site about 1 times in 10
They have to pretend anyone cares about the "Canadian" version, hence they fake the numbers thru redirection.
FYI Arianna, if I wanted to go to the Canadian site, I would. You're not making any friends forcing the issue.
FYI Arianna, if I wanted to go to the Canadian site, I would. You're not making any friends forcing the issue.
Four Minutes After the Big Bang
Astronomers have found pristine clouds of the primordial gas that formed in the first few minutes after the Big Bang. The composition of the gas matches theoretical predictions, providing direct evidence in support of the modern cosmological explanation for the origins of elements in the universe.
Only the lightest elements, mostly hydrogen and helium, were created in the Big Bang. Then a few hundred million years passed before clumps of this primordial gas condensed to form the first stars, where heavier elements were forged.
Read more here.
Only the lightest elements, mostly hydrogen and helium, were created in the Big Bang. Then a few hundred million years passed before clumps of this primordial gas condensed to form the first stars, where heavier elements were forged.
Read more here.
Zynga: Idiots of the Day
What you want to bet the "top executives" have made sure they haven't lost a dime...
Attracting top employees can be difficult for cash-strapped startups. So, in many cases, they give out company stock to supplement salaries that employees might feel is below-market.
Zynga followed that strategy. But now the CityVille and FarmVille maker apparently wishes it hadn't, according to a new report.
Citing industry sources, The Wall Street Journal reported today that Zynga CEO Mark Pincus, along with his top executives, decided last year as they were preparing for an initial public offering (IPO) that they had given out too much stock to employees. But rather than accept that reality, the executives reportedly tried a different tactic: demand employees give back not-yet-vested stock or face termination.
Read more here.
Attracting top employees can be difficult for cash-strapped startups. So, in many cases, they give out company stock to supplement salaries that employees might feel is below-market.
Zynga followed that strategy. But now the CityVille and FarmVille maker apparently wishes it hadn't, according to a new report.
Citing industry sources, The Wall Street Journal reported today that Zynga CEO Mark Pincus, along with his top executives, decided last year as they were preparing for an initial public offering (IPO) that they had given out too much stock to employees. But rather than accept that reality, the executives reportedly tried a different tactic: demand employees give back not-yet-vested stock or face termination.
Read more here.
Sunday, November 13, 2011
OMG a brown person! Frisk him!!
The United States has apologised after former Indian President APJ Abdul Kalam was frisked at a New York airport.
The government in Delhi complained after the 80-year-old was frisked on board the aircraft, and had his jacket and shoes briefly taken away.
India has complained in the past about its treatment of dignitaries by US air staff - including a previous incident involving Mr Kalam in 2009.
Protocol exempts former presidents and other dignitaries from such searches.
White ones that is.
Read more here.
The government in Delhi complained after the 80-year-old was frisked on board the aircraft, and had his jacket and shoes briefly taken away.
India has complained in the past about its treatment of dignitaries by US air staff - including a previous incident involving Mr Kalam in 2009.
Protocol exempts former presidents and other dignitaries from such searches.
White ones that is.
Read more here.
Harper and Co. want us to feel sorry for TransCanada
Delays on the U.S. side in assessing a controversial oil pipeline from Alberta to Texas will cost the Canadian company pushing the project, Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver says.
Oliver told CBC News on Sunday that he expects the environmental assessment ordered by the U.S. State Department "will be costly for" Calgary-based TransCanada Corp.
Boo hoo hoo, cry me a river (a clean one for now)
Read more here.
Oliver told CBC News on Sunday that he expects the environmental assessment ordered by the U.S. State Department "will be costly for" Calgary-based TransCanada Corp.
Boo hoo hoo, cry me a river (a clean one for now)
Read more here.
Sick f*cks at Republican debate cheer for torture (again)
Repulsive
Cain also provided one of the most striking moments when he argued in favor of the use of "enhanced interrogation" -- including the now-rejected technique of waterboarding -- in the fight against terrorism, a proposal that is likely to outrage many who thought the era of American-sponsored torture was over.
Attempting to parse his answer by suggesting that he did "not agree with torture, period," but instead supported "enhanced interrogation," Cain said he would rely on the military to decide which techniques were acceptable.
"I will trust the judgment of our military to determine what is torture and what is not torture," Cain said. Asked about waterboarding in particular, he replied, "I would return to that policy. I don't see it as torture, I see it as an enhanced interrogation technique."
Read more here.
Cain also provided one of the most striking moments when he argued in favor of the use of "enhanced interrogation" -- including the now-rejected technique of waterboarding -- in the fight against terrorism, a proposal that is likely to outrage many who thought the era of American-sponsored torture was over.
Attempting to parse his answer by suggesting that he did "not agree with torture, period," but instead supported "enhanced interrogation," Cain said he would rely on the military to decide which techniques were acceptable.
"I will trust the judgment of our military to determine what is torture and what is not torture," Cain said. Asked about waterboarding in particular, he replied, "I would return to that policy. I don't see it as torture, I see it as an enhanced interrogation technique."
Read more here.
100,000 ‘Atlas Shrugged’ recalled for implying the tiniest shred of human decency
For Rand fans, this misprint is a crime...
The 1957 novel, Atlas Shrugged, is known in philosophical and political circles for presenting a cogent argument advocating a society driven by rational self-interest. On the back of the film's retail DVD and Blu-ray however, the movie's synopsis contradictorily states "AYN RAND's timeless novel of courage and self-sacrifice comes to life..."
"self-sacrifice" should of course have been "self-interest"...
Read more here.
The 1957 novel, Atlas Shrugged, is known in philosophical and political circles for presenting a cogent argument advocating a society driven by rational self-interest. On the back of the film's retail DVD and Blu-ray however, the movie's synopsis contradictorily states "AYN RAND's timeless novel of courage and self-sacrifice comes to life..."
"self-sacrifice" should of course have been "self-interest"...
Read more here.
Saturday, November 12, 2011
Italy's orgy industry decimated as Berlusconi resigns
Silvio Berlusconi has tendered his resignation as Italian prime minister.
President Giorgio Napolitano accepted his offer and is likely to appoint technocrat Mario Monti his successor.
Mr Berlusconi lost his majority amid an acute debt crisis that threatens the eurozone. He promised to go once MPs had approved new austerity mesasures.
He is Italy's longest-serving post-WWII PM - having dominated political life for 17 years. His premiership has recently been marred by many scandals.
Crowds gathered outside the parliament, shouting "Resign" and "Bye bye Silvio". Later, groups outside the president's and prime minister's offices shouted abuse, calling Mr Berlusconi a "buffoon".
The outgoing prime minister said he felt "embittered" after hearing the insults.
Ahhh, poor thing...
Read more here.
President Giorgio Napolitano accepted his offer and is likely to appoint technocrat Mario Monti his successor.
Mr Berlusconi lost his majority amid an acute debt crisis that threatens the eurozone. He promised to go once MPs had approved new austerity mesasures.
He is Italy's longest-serving post-WWII PM - having dominated political life for 17 years. His premiership has recently been marred by many scandals.
Crowds gathered outside the parliament, shouting "Resign" and "Bye bye Silvio". Later, groups outside the president's and prime minister's offices shouted abuse, calling Mr Berlusconi a "buffoon".
The outgoing prime minister said he felt "embittered" after hearing the insults.
Ahhh, poor thing...
Read more here.
Syria: Pariah
One of the most vile governments on Earth. Finally someone is doing something.
The Arab League voted Saturday to suspend Syria in four days and warned it could face sanctions if it does not end its bloody crackdown against anti-government protesters.
The decision, taken at a meeting in Cairo, is a symbolic blow to a country that prides itself on being a powerhouse of Arab nationalism.
Read more here.
The Arab League voted Saturday to suspend Syria in four days and warned it could face sanctions if it does not end its bloody crackdown against anti-government protesters.
The decision, taken at a meeting in Cairo, is a symbolic blow to a country that prides itself on being a powerhouse of Arab nationalism.
Read more here.
Library and Archives Canada fought to keep us from knowing how shitty the RCMP behaved in the 60's
Newly declassified records from the early 1960s show that even as Tommy Douglas called for a probe of RCMP spying, the Mounties were actively investigating the national NDP leader's political sympathies.
Douglas pointed in April 1963 to the case of a Regina woman who was regularly interrogated by the RCMP, noting the top Mountie had dismissed her story as fiction. He pushed for a special Commons committee to look into the matter...
...Library and Archives Canada, which now holds the Douglas file, fought for six years to keep the pages secret. They were disclosed to The Canadian Press after a federal judge ordered the archives to review the nine-volume intelligence dossier with an eye to releasing more.
Wouldn't you just love to know the crap they are doing *now*?
Read more here.
Douglas pointed in April 1963 to the case of a Regina woman who was regularly interrogated by the RCMP, noting the top Mountie had dismissed her story as fiction. He pushed for a special Commons committee to look into the matter...
...Library and Archives Canada, which now holds the Douglas file, fought for six years to keep the pages secret. They were disclosed to The Canadian Press after a federal judge ordered the archives to review the nine-volume intelligence dossier with an eye to releasing more.
Wouldn't you just love to know the crap they are doing *now*?
Read more here.
American Feds in California following archaic mindset over marijuana
Why is marijuana illegal, but tobacco and alcohol not? No one has been able to explain that to me.
Whatever the reason, they learned nothing from Prohibition, nothing.
Dozens of medical marijuana dispensaries in California have been ordered to close from Saturday, as a federal crackdown looms.
Distributors and their landlords were told in late September to shut down in 45 days or face prosecution.
Some marijuana distributors filed for a temporary restraining order earlier this month.
California legalised medical marijuana in 1996, but use of the drug remains illegal under federal law.
Read more here.
Whatever the reason, they learned nothing from Prohibition, nothing.
Dozens of medical marijuana dispensaries in California have been ordered to close from Saturday, as a federal crackdown looms.
Distributors and their landlords were told in late September to shut down in 45 days or face prosecution.
Some marijuana distributors filed for a temporary restraining order earlier this month.
California legalised medical marijuana in 1996, but use of the drug remains illegal under federal law.
Read more here.
Friday, November 11, 2011
From one Canadian to Malaysia: Fuck you
Two Malaysian states are set to change their Islamic laws to punish Muslims who engage in homosexuality, increasing the prospect of gay Muslims being punished under both federal and state religious laws and adding to concerns about rising intolerance.
In Malaysia, homosexuality is punishable by law by caning and up to 20 years in prison, but the amendments planned by the Pahang and Malacca religious authorities would give the state governments additional powers.
If the proposed changes come into force, jail terms could run consecutively if a gay Muslim person is punished under both laws.
Read more here.
In Malaysia, homosexuality is punishable by law by caning and up to 20 years in prison, but the amendments planned by the Pahang and Malacca religious authorities would give the state governments additional powers.
If the proposed changes come into force, jail terms could run consecutively if a gay Muslim person is punished under both laws.
Read more here.
Toronto's Ritz-Carlton Hotel (and others): Idiots of the Day
Every November, people fasten red poppy pins to their lapels in time for Remembrance Day.
But this year, some workplaces are objecting to the symbol, saying poppies don't conform to standards for workplace attire and should be displayed on coats and clothes worn outside of work hours instead.
That's the message that was sent to employers at Toronto's Ritz-Carlton Hotel, where employees received a letter stating, "the use of visual symbols to support causes (e.g. Ribbon, flag, pin Live your life braces etc) does not conform to our Corporate Standards for Professional Appearance."
Hotel staff told CBC News some employees were upset by the order, and by late afternoon on Nov. 9, the hotel's corporate policy regarding the Remembrance Day symbol was reversed.
People tend to *reverse* incredibly dumb rules..once they've been publicly shamed.
Read more here.
But this year, some workplaces are objecting to the symbol, saying poppies don't conform to standards for workplace attire and should be displayed on coats and clothes worn outside of work hours instead.
That's the message that was sent to employers at Toronto's Ritz-Carlton Hotel, where employees received a letter stating, "the use of visual symbols to support causes (e.g. Ribbon, flag, pin Live your life braces etc) does not conform to our Corporate Standards for Professional Appearance."
Hotel staff told CBC News some employees were upset by the order, and by late afternoon on Nov. 9, the hotel's corporate policy regarding the Remembrance Day symbol was reversed.
People tend to *reverse* incredibly dumb rules..once they've been publicly shamed.
Read more here.
Toronto least liked Canadian city..no shit Sherlock
Toronto is the least-liked city in Canada, according to an online survey.
And in classic form:
Before Torontonians get all depressed, though, they should read a little deeper into the survey results.
Leger Marketing polled 2,345 Canadians and 19 per cent of them had a negative view of Toronto, but Montreal was a close second at 18 per cent.
See, they hate us, but they hate Montreal toooooo, nanananana
The comments on the story are far more entertaining, with Torontonians hurt pride and general *fuck you* on righteous display.
Read more here.
And in classic form:
Before Torontonians get all depressed, though, they should read a little deeper into the survey results.
Leger Marketing polled 2,345 Canadians and 19 per cent of them had a negative view of Toronto, but Montreal was a close second at 18 per cent.
See, they hate us, but they hate Montreal toooooo, nanananana
The comments on the story are far more entertaining, with Torontonians hurt pride and general *fuck you* on righteous display.
Read more here.
China attempts to stop flood with a screen door
China's censors are trying to keep online criticism and rumours from reaching a broader audience, issuing new orders prohibiting news media from reporting internet postings before they are verified.
The regulations, dated last month but posted Friday on the website of the state press administration, ban journalists from reporting any information taken from the Internet or cellphones without firsthand verification. The regulations say reporters or editors may be barred from working in media for five years as a penalty.
The rules are the latest attempt by the authoritarian government to reassert control over the flow of information that is being challenged by the popularity of social media.
Read more here.
The regulations, dated last month but posted Friday on the website of the state press administration, ban journalists from reporting any information taken from the Internet or cellphones without firsthand verification. The regulations say reporters or editors may be barred from working in media for five years as a penalty.
The rules are the latest attempt by the authoritarian government to reassert control over the flow of information that is being challenged by the popularity of social media.
Read more here.
The Toronto District School Board asks Tim Hudak to apologize for his desperate, low, pathetic campaign tactic
They'll be waiting a long time. Some have that flyer gold framed above the mantle.
Board chairman Chris Bolton requested the apology two weeks ago in a letter that was sent to Mr. Hudak and party president Ken Zeise.
His letter says he's “deeply concerned” with the sex-ed flyer, which was inaccurate and misrepresented the policies of the board.
Mr. Bolton says he has not received a response from either Mr. Hudak or Mr. Zeise and is planning to step up his efforts to have the party apologize.
During the campaign, Mr. Hudak stood by the controversial flyer which stoked fears that parents will be kept in the dark about what their children are being taught in school.
It made a number of inflammatory claims about Ontario's sex-ed curriculum, including teaching “cross-dressing for six-year-olds.”
Read more here.
Board chairman Chris Bolton requested the apology two weeks ago in a letter that was sent to Mr. Hudak and party president Ken Zeise.
His letter says he's “deeply concerned” with the sex-ed flyer, which was inaccurate and misrepresented the policies of the board.
Mr. Bolton says he has not received a response from either Mr. Hudak or Mr. Zeise and is planning to step up his efforts to have the party apologize.
During the campaign, Mr. Hudak stood by the controversial flyer which stoked fears that parents will be kept in the dark about what their children are being taught in school.
It made a number of inflammatory claims about Ontario's sex-ed curriculum, including teaching “cross-dressing for six-year-olds.”
Read more here.
The Cult of Penn State Football turns men into monsters
Having dodged the bullet of the two great cults in our culture, religion and sports, I can't imagine what goes through the head of their adherents..
After the Penn State Board of Trustees relieved Joe Paterno of his duties as football coach on Wednesday evening, many wondered if wide receivers coach Mike McQueary would also be dismissed.
According to the grand jury report, McQueary witnessed former defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky sexually abuse a young boy in a locker room shower in 2002 when he was returning some recruiting tapes as a graduate assistant. McQueary allegedly left the scene without intervening and informed his father of the scene he observed. He informed Paterno the following morning. The coach took the report to athletic director Tim Curley, but no one ever told the police.
Read more here.
After the Penn State Board of Trustees relieved Joe Paterno of his duties as football coach on Wednesday evening, many wondered if wide receivers coach Mike McQueary would also be dismissed.
According to the grand jury report, McQueary witnessed former defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky sexually abuse a young boy in a locker room shower in 2002 when he was returning some recruiting tapes as a graduate assistant. McQueary allegedly left the scene without intervening and informed his father of the scene he observed. He informed Paterno the following morning. The coach took the report to athletic director Tim Curley, but no one ever told the police.
Read more here.
Twitter Data Isn't Secret, Government Orders Are
Did we really expect it to turn out otherwise?
A U.S. District Court dealt two blows Thursday to the three WikiLeaks associates fighting a ruling that gives a grand jury access to their private Twitter data: One decision declaring that their private information on Twitter should be revealed, and another that the three had no right to demand that other secret legal requests for users’ private Internet data be made public in either this case or in the future.
Being *in power* means you can pull this kind of shit.
Read more here.
A U.S. District Court dealt two blows Thursday to the three WikiLeaks associates fighting a ruling that gives a grand jury access to their private Twitter data: One decision declaring that their private information on Twitter should be revealed, and another that the three had no right to demand that other secret legal requests for users’ private Internet data be made public in either this case or in the future.
Being *in power* means you can pull this kind of shit.
Read more here.
Thursday, November 10, 2011
In Harper's Canada, "senior officials" from the Conservative Fund are free from prosecution
Uncharged "senior officials" won't spill the beans...
The Conservative Party was fined $52,000 for breaking election rules in a deal that saw charges dropped against four senior officials, but guilty pleas by the organizations for which they made the decisions.
Under a deal accepted by Judge Celynne Dorval in an Ottawa courtroom Thursday afternoon, the party and its fundraising arm, the Conservative Fund, pleaded guilty to Elections Act charges of incurring election expenses exceeding the maximum allowable and filing election records that didn't set out all expenses.
More serious charges against the party and its fundraising arm of wilfully breaking the laws were withdrawn.
Guess the new jails are only for those who grow pot.
Read more here.
The Conservative Party was fined $52,000 for breaking election rules in a deal that saw charges dropped against four senior officials, but guilty pleas by the organizations for which they made the decisions.
Under a deal accepted by Judge Celynne Dorval in an Ottawa courtroom Thursday afternoon, the party and its fundraising arm, the Conservative Fund, pleaded guilty to Elections Act charges of incurring election expenses exceeding the maximum allowable and filing election records that didn't set out all expenses.
More serious charges against the party and its fundraising arm of wilfully breaking the laws were withdrawn.
Guess the new jails are only for those who grow pot.
Read more here.
Twitter's IQ goes up as Aston Kutcher stops tweeting
Pledging on Wednesday night to stop Tweeting until he finds "a way to properly manage this feed," Ashton Kutcher has arrived at a solution.
"I feel responsible for delivering an informed opinion and not spreading gossip or rumors through my Twitter feed," Kutcher wrote in a blog post entitled "Twitter Management" on Thursday. "While I feel that running this feed myself gives me a closer relationship to my friends and fans, I've come to realize that it has grown into more [than] a fun tool to communicate with people."
Read more here.
"I feel responsible for delivering an informed opinion and not spreading gossip or rumors through my Twitter feed," Kutcher wrote in a blog post entitled "Twitter Management" on Thursday. "While I feel that running this feed myself gives me a closer relationship to my friends and fans, I've come to realize that it has grown into more [than] a fun tool to communicate with people."
Read more here.
Keystone project may be delayed so it doesn't f*ck up Obama's re-election chances
The U.S. State Department will order another environmental assessment for the Keystone XL pipeline route, allowing U.S. President Barack Obama to shelve the controversial issue until after the 2012 elections, media reports said Thursday.
Reuters news agency, the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times and other media reported that the agency will consider a proposal to reroute the 3,000-kilometre pipeline away from an environmentally sensitive area of Nebraska.
An official announcement was expected as early as Thursday, but at a State Department press briefing in the afternoon, no such announcement was made.
Read more here.
Reuters news agency, the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times and other media reported that the agency will consider a proposal to reroute the 3,000-kilometre pipeline away from an environmentally sensitive area of Nebraska.
An official announcement was expected as early as Thursday, but at a State Department press briefing in the afternoon, no such announcement was made.
Read more here.
Rob Ford unaware spring will come next year
Of course he has all winter to come up with new laws...
Mayor Rob Ford is calling on Occupy Toronto protesters to vacate St. James Park soon.
“They’ve had a peaceful protest but I think it’s time that we ask them to leave,” Ford told reporters Wednesday at a transit event with Premier Dalton McGuinty.
“I think it’s time that we ask the protesters to move on.”
Read more here.
Mayor Rob Ford is calling on Occupy Toronto protesters to vacate St. James Park soon.
“They’ve had a peaceful protest but I think it’s time that we ask them to leave,” Ford told reporters Wednesday at a transit event with Premier Dalton McGuinty.
“I think it’s time that we ask the protesters to move on.”
Read more here.
Remains of war dead dumped in landfill
The Dover Air Force Base mortuary for years disposed of portions of troops’ remains by cremating them and dumping the ashes in a Virginia landfill, a practice that officials have since abandoned in favor of burial at sea.
Omg..and what time period are we talking about...
from 2003 to 2008...
Ohhhhh..under Republican leadership...is that crickets I hear?
Read more here.
Omg..and what time period are we talking about...
from 2003 to 2008...
Ohhhhh..under Republican leadership...is that crickets I hear?
Read more here.
15,000 year old paintings found in Swaba
They found four painted stones from the cave Hohle Fels near Schelklingen, although the meaning of the red-brown spots is still a mystery.
The stone paintings, thought to be 15,000 years old, are being displayed at a special exhibition at the University of Tübingen’s museum.
The spots don’t seem particularly artistic at first glance. But they are important because they represent the first time such old paintings have been found in Central Europe, although similar work has been seen in France and Spain.
Read more here.
The stone paintings, thought to be 15,000 years old, are being displayed at a special exhibition at the University of Tübingen’s museum.
The spots don’t seem particularly artistic at first glance. But they are important because they represent the first time such old paintings have been found in Central Europe, although similar work has been seen in France and Spain.
Read more here.
Penn State students: Idiots of the Day
*Rah Rah We Don't Care Who You Fuck Just As Long As We Win*
Hundreds spilled into the streets of Penn State early Thursday after news that legendary coach Joe Paterno and the school's president were ousted over a child sex abuse scandal at the university.
What started as an apparent celebration of Paterno turned raucous, as the crowd tipped over a news van and decried the media.
The disturbance -- which cleared after a few hours -- came shortly after university trustees announced Wednesday night that Paterno, the winningest coach in major college football, and Penn State President Graham Spanier had lost their jobs, effective immediately.
Read more here.
Hundreds spilled into the streets of Penn State early Thursday after news that legendary coach Joe Paterno and the school's president were ousted over a child sex abuse scandal at the university.
What started as an apparent celebration of Paterno turned raucous, as the crowd tipped over a news van and decried the media.
The disturbance -- which cleared after a few hours -- came shortly after university trustees announced Wednesday night that Paterno, the winningest coach in major college football, and Penn State President Graham Spanier had lost their jobs, effective immediately.
Read more here.
Wednesday, November 09, 2011
A single molecule car
Scientists have shown off what can be described as the world's smallest electric car - made of a single, carefully designed molecule.
The molecule has four branches that act as wheels, rotating when a tiny metal tip applied a small current to them.
With 10 electric bursts, the car was made to move six billionths of a metre.
Read more here.
The molecule has four branches that act as wheels, rotating when a tiny metal tip applied a small current to them.
With 10 electric bursts, the car was made to move six billionths of a metre.
Read more here.
Scotland Yard to Oakland police: We'll show you how it's done
Rubber bullets could be used in cases of "extreme" disorder at a tuition-fees protest in London on Wednesday, a Scotland Yard commander has said.
About 4,000 police officers, some from other forces, will be deployed on the route, said Commander Simon Pountain.
Criminal behaviour would be dealt with "decisively and swiftly", he added.
But Jenny Jones, the Green Party mayoral candidate in London, said the idea of unarmed demonstrators being shot at was "frankly appalling".
Which is the whole point.
Read more here.
About 4,000 police officers, some from other forces, will be deployed on the route, said Commander Simon Pountain.
Criminal behaviour would be dealt with "decisively and swiftly", he added.
But Jenny Jones, the Green Party mayoral candidate in London, said the idea of unarmed demonstrators being shot at was "frankly appalling".
Which is the whole point.
Read more here.
European Court of Justice to decide if the Entertainment Industry runs the Net
Soon the European Court of Justice will have to decide whether an Internet service provider can be forced by a music rights group to proactively filter all of its traffic – both inbound and outbound – for copyright infringements. As detailed in a new paper by intellectual property expert Cedric Manara, the notion is fraught with difficulties and the potential for collateral damage huge.
Read more here.
Read more here.
Obama stands for Net Neutrality
President Obama will veto an attempt to repeal the Federal Communications Commission’s net-neutrality rules if it passes the Senate, the White House said in a news release Tuesday.
“The Administration strongly opposes Senate passage of S.J. Res. 6, which would undermine a fundamental part of the nation’s Open Internet and innovation strategy — an enforceable, effective but flexible policy for keeping the Internet free and open,” the White House said.
The House approved a resolution to repeal the rules in April. The Senate version is sponsored by Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas) and has an additional 42 Republican co-sponsors. It has no Democratic co-sponsors.
Read more here.
“The Administration strongly opposes Senate passage of S.J. Res. 6, which would undermine a fundamental part of the nation’s Open Internet and innovation strategy — an enforceable, effective but flexible policy for keeping the Internet free and open,” the White House said.
The House approved a resolution to repeal the rules in April. The Senate version is sponsored by Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas) and has an additional 42 Republican co-sponsors. It has no Democratic co-sponsors.
Read more here.
London Ontario police hazy on the concept of democracy
Mustn't have dissenting voices, now can we?
Police in London, Ont., moved against the local Occupy protesters' encampment early Wednesday, marking the first time authorities in Canada have tried to forcibly remove a camp that is part of the countrywide protests.
CBC reporter Kerry McKee said a "large number" of London police moved in on Victoria Park at about 12:45 a.m. ET, closing off the entire block near the park.
Like thieves, police seem to prefer to perform these kind of actions in the dead of night.
Read more here.
Police in London, Ont., moved against the local Occupy protesters' encampment early Wednesday, marking the first time authorities in Canada have tried to forcibly remove a camp that is part of the countrywide protests.
CBC reporter Kerry McKee said a "large number" of London police moved in on Victoria Park at about 12:45 a.m. ET, closing off the entire block near the park.
Like thieves, police seem to prefer to perform these kind of actions in the dead of night.
Read more here.
Harper and Co. break campaign promise...
Like they care now, they got a majority...
Canada's finance minister says he will not be able to balance the country's budget by 2014-15 as promised.
Jim Flaherty blamed the European debt crisis for damaging Canada's outlook.
The government set the date for achieving a budget surplus during the May election campaign, but has now moved its target back a year.
A year? They'll keep pushing it back until the next election. "We'll balance it this time...promise..."
Read more here.
Canada's finance minister says he will not be able to balance the country's budget by 2014-15 as promised.
Jim Flaherty blamed the European debt crisis for damaging Canada's outlook.
The government set the date for achieving a budget surplus during the May election campaign, but has now moved its target back a year.
A year? They'll keep pushing it back until the next election. "We'll balance it this time...promise..."
Read more here.
Brett Ratner out as Oscar producer
Don't worry Brett, the Oscars are for fags anyway...
This morning, Brett Ratner submitted his resignation as a producer of the 84th annual Academy Awards to Academy President Tom Sherak. Ratner then issued an open letter to the entertainment industry in which he explained his decision.
"He did the right thing for the Academy and for himself," Sherak said. "Words have meaning, and they have consequences. Brett is a good person, but his comments were unacceptable. We all hope this will be an opportunity to raise awareness about the harm that is caused by reckless and insensitive remarks, regardless of the intent."
There'll be a Facebook page in his honour in 3...2...
Read more here.
This morning, Brett Ratner submitted his resignation as a producer of the 84th annual Academy Awards to Academy President Tom Sherak. Ratner then issued an open letter to the entertainment industry in which he explained his decision.
"He did the right thing for the Academy and for himself," Sherak said. "Words have meaning, and they have consequences. Brett is a good person, but his comments were unacceptable. We all hope this will be an opportunity to raise awareness about the harm that is caused by reckless and insensitive remarks, regardless of the intent."
There'll be a Facebook page in his honour in 3...2...
Read more here.
Mississippi votes against the pushier Christians amongst them
Mississippi voters rejected an amendment to the state constitution that would have defined life as starting at conception, and outlawed abortion and many forms of birth control if passed.
"I think voters rejected a measure they understood to be dangerous," said Felicia Brown-Williams with the Mississippi for Healthy Families Campaign. "They really tried to manipulate values around faith and family."
Read more here.
"I think voters rejected a measure they understood to be dangerous," said Felicia Brown-Williams with the Mississippi for Healthy Families Campaign. "They really tried to manipulate values around faith and family."
Read more here.
Tuesday, November 08, 2011
Harper and Co., along with B.C, don't want China to know Canada has gay people
It just brims with bigoted conservatives though.
British Columbia tourism operators marketing their products in China must avoid any promotions in that country involving gay tourism, casinos or gambling. That’s the message included in a brochure the B.C government sent to business owners starting last Thursday, entitled: How to Market Your Business to China.
“In alignment with the [Canadian Tourism Commission], Tourism BC will also require that any partner operator agrees to ... prohibit the promotion of casinos, gambling and gay tourism, per the China National Tourism Administration,” reads a passage in the 58-page brochure.
Casinos? Gambling? Harper obviously doesn't know any Asia people.
Read more here.
British Columbia tourism operators marketing their products in China must avoid any promotions in that country involving gay tourism, casinos or gambling. That’s the message included in a brochure the B.C government sent to business owners starting last Thursday, entitled: How to Market Your Business to China.
“In alignment with the [Canadian Tourism Commission], Tourism BC will also require that any partner operator agrees to ... prohibit the promotion of casinos, gambling and gay tourism, per the China National Tourism Administration,” reads a passage in the 58-page brochure.
Casinos? Gambling? Harper obviously doesn't know any Asia people.
Read more here.
Croat shell game
A 50-year-old Croat, who had to get medical help after inserting an anti-aircraft shell in his anus, sparked a police probe and risks charges if similar weapons are found at his home, local media said on Friday.
The man was admitted to a Zagreb hospital after apparently 'experimenting in a sex game' with the explosive 2cm cannon shell which got stuck, the Slobodna Dalmacija daily reported.
"a police probe"....lololol
Read more here.
The man was admitted to a Zagreb hospital after apparently 'experimenting in a sex game' with the explosive 2cm cannon shell which got stuck, the Slobodna Dalmacija daily reported.
"a police probe"....lololol
Read more here.
Brett Ratner: Idiot of the Day
Earlier today, New York magazine’s entertainment site Vulture reported that at a Los Angeles Q&A after a screening of Tower Heist, the film’s director Brett Ratner dismissed a question about his process by saying, “Rehearsing is for fags.” Since Ratner has been signed to produce this year’s Oscars...
What follows is the now standard "apology"
“I apologize for any offense my remarks caused."
The rest is even more lame. More fitting would have been "Mea Culpa, I'm a total douche bag", but the douche bag set rarely see that in themselves.
Oh wait, there's more...
...while doing a phone interview on The Howard Stern Show, the Tower Heist helmer said he lied about having sex with actress Olivia Munn when he appeared on G4′s Attack of the Show last week. Ratner does call Munn “a friend,” and says the geek cult icon told him he is not the unnamed director she’s refers to in her book as having “undersized manhood.” Ratner continued: “She’s actually talented. The problem is I made her look like she’s a whore.”
That's nothing compared to how it made you look...
Read more here and here.
What follows is the now standard "apology"
“I apologize for any offense my remarks caused."
The rest is even more lame. More fitting would have been "Mea Culpa, I'm a total douche bag", but the douche bag set rarely see that in themselves.
Oh wait, there's more...
...while doing a phone interview on The Howard Stern Show, the Tower Heist helmer said he lied about having sex with actress Olivia Munn when he appeared on G4′s Attack of the Show last week. Ratner does call Munn “a friend,” and says the geek cult icon told him he is not the unnamed director she’s refers to in her book as having “undersized manhood.” Ratner continued: “She’s actually talented. The problem is I made her look like she’s a whore.”
That's nothing compared to how it made you look...
Read more here and here.
Ravers digitize their history
In an increasingly disposable world, efforts to preserve and catalogue our analogue and digital lives could change the nature of history as we know it.
In a modest house in Chicago's Bridgeport neighbourhood, an antique library filing cabinet holds hundreds of old cassette tapes. Many have handwritten labels, some two decades old.
The cabinet stores the raw analogue material for Ravearchive.com, an online project aimed at preserving and distributing the DJ mixtapes, party fliers and fanzines of the 1990s US rave scene.
Read more here.
In a modest house in Chicago's Bridgeport neighbourhood, an antique library filing cabinet holds hundreds of old cassette tapes. Many have handwritten labels, some two decades old.
The cabinet stores the raw analogue material for Ravearchive.com, an online project aimed at preserving and distributing the DJ mixtapes, party fliers and fanzines of the 1990s US rave scene.
Read more here.
Monday, November 07, 2011
Warners Brs. plans to whitewash Akira
Tuesday will be Akira's turn at bat. Warners' adaptation of the Japanese classic is looking for the actor to play Tetsuo, a young man with telekinetic abilities who becomes a dangerous weapon. (Garrett Hedlund is in negotiations to play Kaneda, the teen's older brother and leader of a motorcycle gang.) Ezra Miller, the emerging star of indie thriller We Need To Talk About Kevin, and Alden Eherenreich (who starred in Francis Ford Coppola's Tetro) are the names surfacing most often with the reading.
Hard to assign blame here. Racist Hollywood producers or their counterparts in the viewing audience.
It's a bitch to live in an age soaked in racism while it simultaneously denies anything of the kind exists.
Hard to assign blame here. Racist Hollywood producers or their counterparts in the viewing audience.
It's a bitch to live in an age soaked in racism while it simultaneously denies anything of the kind exists.
Morons vandalize cenotaph
A cenotaph at an east Toronto high school has been vandalized just days after the completion of a restoration years in the making.
Malvern Collegiate's war service monument was wrapped in blue tape at around 12:45 a.m. Sunday, said Line Pinard, the principal of the school.
Surveillance camera footage showed four males getting out of a car just out of the range of a camera, she said.
"Evidently there was some planning in it," said Pinard. "One individual returned to the car to get the blue tape that you still see part of on the sword right now and then for a while, you can see them chatting and taking pictures before departing."
Police are investigating, but the suspects have not been identified. At least three of them appeared to be taking pictures of themselves, said Pinard.
Go on heroes, post them on Facebook....
Read more here.
Malvern Collegiate's war service monument was wrapped in blue tape at around 12:45 a.m. Sunday, said Line Pinard, the principal of the school.
Surveillance camera footage showed four males getting out of a car just out of the range of a camera, she said.
"Evidently there was some planning in it," said Pinard. "One individual returned to the car to get the blue tape that you still see part of on the sword right now and then for a while, you can see them chatting and taking pictures before departing."
Police are investigating, but the suspects have not been identified. At least three of them appeared to be taking pictures of themselves, said Pinard.
Go on heroes, post them on Facebook....
Read more here.
Shot by police with rubber bullet at Occupy Oakland
While filming a police line at Occupy Oakland after midnight on Nov. 3 following the Nov. 2 general strike, an officer opens fire and shoots me with a rubber bullet. I was standing well back. There was no violence or confrontations of any kind underway. At 0:31 seconds you can see a tall officer in the front raise his weapon and then fire. This is the full clip of the incident.
The Oakland police continue their campaign to become the Vilest Police Department in the United States
Harper and Co. want to return to a more barbaric prison system
In an important article, Globe journalist Kim Mackrael recently called attention to a little-discussed amendment in the Conservative government's omnibus crime legislation. The amendment would eliminate the principle that prison guards must use the “least restrictive measures” required to control inmates.
Ms. Mackrael quoted a number of experts in corrections speaking politely about what a bad idea this would be.
To be specific, the Tories want to amend article 4(d) of the Corrections and Conditional Release Act (1992). The relevant clause establishes the principle “that the service use the least restrictive measures consistent with the protection of the public, staff members and offenders.”
Why do the Tories want to remove this principle? They have been talking to themselves about it for some time.
Scared of their own shadow perhaps?
Read more here.
Ms. Mackrael quoted a number of experts in corrections speaking politely about what a bad idea this would be.
To be specific, the Tories want to amend article 4(d) of the Corrections and Conditional Release Act (1992). The relevant clause establishes the principle “that the service use the least restrictive measures consistent with the protection of the public, staff members and offenders.”
Why do the Tories want to remove this principle? They have been talking to themselves about it for some time.
Scared of their own shadow perhaps?
Read more here.
Hollywood's creative bankruptcy on display with 2, count 'em, 2 Snow Whites coming
The first of two live-action Snow White movies set for release next year is getting a slightly ironic title: "Mirror Mirror."
That's the name Relativity Media has picked for its comedy-action adventure starring Julia Roberts as the Evil Queen, Armie Hammer as the prince and Lily Collins as Snow White. The movie is set for release March 16.
Less than three months later, on June 1, Comcast Corp.'s Universal Pictures is set to release its action flick starring Kristen Stewart and Chris Hemsworth in the title roles of "Snow White and the Huntsman." In Universal's version, Charlize Theron is the Evil Queen.
Although both movies make use of the fairy tale made famous by the Brothers Grimm, the studios are saying they're different enough and spaced far enough apart to both succeed.
Yeah, ok, sure
Read more here.
That's the name Relativity Media has picked for its comedy-action adventure starring Julia Roberts as the Evil Queen, Armie Hammer as the prince and Lily Collins as Snow White. The movie is set for release March 16.
Less than three months later, on June 1, Comcast Corp.'s Universal Pictures is set to release its action flick starring Kristen Stewart and Chris Hemsworth in the title roles of "Snow White and the Huntsman." In Universal's version, Charlize Theron is the Evil Queen.
Although both movies make use of the fairy tale made famous by the Brothers Grimm, the studios are saying they're different enough and spaced far enough apart to both succeed.
Yeah, ok, sure
Read more here.
Rupert Murdoch and Rebekah Brooks: Honor among thieves
British newspaper The Guardian is reporting that media baron Rupert Murdoch paid former News International chief Rebekah Brooks $2.7 million and the use of an office as part of her severance package.
The newspaper says without citing sources that the high-profile CEO of the now-closed tabloid News of The World was also granted continued access to her company limousine and driver for two years.
The report said Brooks was given a central London office, adding that her spokesman asked the paper not to reveal the location of the office.
Oh that's probably wise...
The newspaper says without citing sources that the high-profile CEO of the now-closed tabloid News of The World was also granted continued access to her company limousine and driver for two years.
The report said Brooks was given a central London office, adding that her spokesman asked the paper not to reveal the location of the office.
Oh that's probably wise...
The Chicago Board of Trade: Scumbags of the Day
It's probably just a group within the CBOT that have the maturity level of a 4 year old, but....
Someone at the Chicago Board of Trade issued another message to the Occupy Chicago protesters by blanketing them with these McDonald's job applications. The protesters are understandably offended by both the message and by the hundreds of pieces of new litter around them.
First the CBOT folks posted "We are the 1%" in their eighth floor windows a few weeks ago. This is the second time they tossed flyers down from their ivory tower, too. They tossed down “We Are the 1% Paying For This" on Oct. 21. They've perhaps moved the war to a second front by sending email spam to protesters.
In the words of Stephanie Tanner, "How rude!"
Someone at the Chicago Board of Trade issued another message to the Occupy Chicago protesters by blanketing them with these McDonald's job applications. The protesters are understandably offended by both the message and by the hundreds of pieces of new litter around them.
First the CBOT folks posted "We are the 1%" in their eighth floor windows a few weeks ago. This is the second time they tossed flyers down from their ivory tower, too. They tossed down “We Are the 1% Paying For This" on Oct. 21. They've perhaps moved the war to a second front by sending email spam to protesters.
In the words of Stephanie Tanner, "How rude!"
Sunday, November 06, 2011
Saturday, November 05, 2011
Oakland police beat another Iraq war veteran
A second Iraq war veteran has suffered serious injuries after clashes between police and Occupy movement protesters in Oakland.
Kayvan Sabehgi, who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, is in intensive care with a lacerated spleen. He says he was beaten by police close to the Occupy Oakland camp, but despite suffering agonising pain, did not reach hospital until 18 hours later.
Sabehgi, 32, is the second Iraq war veteran to be hospitalised following involvement in Oakland protests. Another protester, Scott Olsen, suffered a fractured skull on 25 October.
Read more here.
Kayvan Sabehgi, who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, is in intensive care with a lacerated spleen. He says he was beaten by police close to the Occupy Oakland camp, but despite suffering agonising pain, did not reach hospital until 18 hours later.
Sabehgi, 32, is the second Iraq war veteran to be hospitalised following involvement in Oakland protests. Another protester, Scott Olsen, suffered a fractured skull on 25 October.
Read more here.
“Matt’s Safe School Law" and *religious* bullies
More so called righteous types hiding their hatred behind the Bible.
Just days after a cellphone video emerged showing a gay 15-year-old in Ohio being assaulted by another student, the Michigan Senate passed new anti-bullying legislation, but some say it actually encourages bullying to take place.
Chief among its critics is Sen. Gretchen Whitmer (D), who in a searing floor speech said that the new “Matt’s Safe School Law,” named after a Michigan teen who committed suicide after an anti-gay hazing attack, is meaningless.
Whitmer cites a special exception in the law for bullies who have “a sincerely held religious belief or moral conviction.” The law also does not address bullying against students based on sexual orientation or gender identity.
Read more here.
City Hall comes up with lame excuses why they think a $129 permit to pave your *own* driveway is fair
Repaving a driveway anywhere in the city of Toronto will require a $129.45 permit if a new bylaw regulating streets and sidewalks is approved by city council.
Residents in the former city of Toronto and North York already pay the fee, but the rest of the city has either been spared or, as in Etobicoke, subject to a permit only when expanding a driveway or building a new one.
Best bullshit:
The city’s transportation division argues that obtaining a paving permit gives staff a chance to inspect the property and ensure it does not conflict with trees or utilities, damage the curb or sidewalk, and conforms to the rules.
Rule 1: Pay Up.
Read more here.
Residents in the former city of Toronto and North York already pay the fee, but the rest of the city has either been spared or, as in Etobicoke, subject to a permit only when expanding a driveway or building a new one.
Best bullshit:
The city’s transportation division argues that obtaining a paving permit gives staff a chance to inspect the property and ensure it does not conflict with trees or utilities, damage the curb or sidewalk, and conforms to the rules.
Rule 1: Pay Up.
Read more here.
Dumb Hacker of the Day
A French rugby fan site is back online after an apparent case of mistaken identity.
Owners of the AllezDax website said they believed a hacker had confused them with the Frankfurt stock exchange.
They said the attacker "insulted us copiously in German", having assumed the site was linked to Germany's blue-chip share index, the Dax.
Read more here.
Owners of the AllezDax website said they believed a hacker had confused them with the Frankfurt stock exchange.
They said the attacker "insulted us copiously in German", having assumed the site was linked to Germany's blue-chip share index, the Dax.
Read more here.
Entertainment industry's latest bid to control the Net in Britain
UK arts lobby groups have demanded BT block access to the BitTorrent file sharing website, The Pirate Bay.
Music industry trade body, the BPI, said it would take legal action if the telecoms firm refused to co-operate.
The movie industry has already forced BT to block Newzbin 2, a members-only site that aggregates illegally copied material.
BT said: "We can confirm we are now in receipt of a letter from the BPI. BT is considering its response."
The telecoms operator added that a court order would be needed before any blocking could begin.
Read more here.
Music industry trade body, the BPI, said it would take legal action if the telecoms firm refused to co-operate.
The movie industry has already forced BT to block Newzbin 2, a members-only site that aggregates illegally copied material.
BT said: "We can confirm we are now in receipt of a letter from the BPI. BT is considering its response."
The telecoms operator added that a court order would be needed before any blocking could begin.
Read more here.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
