globeandmail.com: IOC admits to deal with China on censorship

globeandmail.com: IOC admits to deal with China on censorship:

"International Olympic Committee (IOC) officials have cut a deal with China to allow the blocking of sensitive websites from media during the Beijing Games, press chief Kevan Gosper said on Wednesday.

Gosper, chairman of the IOC's press commission, had previously said that Internet access for the 21,500 media accredited for the Aug. 8-24 Games would be “open”."

***

Sure it will be a free, open and green games.

That's what they said, when they picked Beijing over Toronto, way back when.

Sure it will be. Uh huh.

;-)

The Audacity of Angst: Why Germany Has No Obama - International - SPIEGEL ONLINE - News

The Audacity of Angst: Why Germany Has No Obama - International - SPIEGEL ONLINE - News:

"The German system is designed to exclude demagogues, but it also cultivates mediocrity. It prevents the ascent of demons and geniuses alike"

***

And the French are much less skittish now, thank you very much... ;-)

Picture from previous post...

foxnewssuxxors
Originally uploaded by MMT1972

Just very very bad journalism. *sigh*

FOX News, not accurate in this instance...

FOXNews.com - French Couple Arrested for Allegedly Shooting Pornographic Film at Canadian War Memorial - International News | News of the World | Middle East News | Europe News:

"A French couple has been fined and given a four-month suspended prison sentence for making a pornographic video at the Vimy Ridge World War I Memorial in Canada, the U.K.'s Daily Telegraph reported.

The news came just six months after another couple was charged with taking nude photographs of themselves at the same memorial, the Telegraph said.

The memorial structures, built during the post-war era, were erected to honor Canadian soldiers who died in the Battle of Vimy Ridge in 1917. During the First World War, some 60,000 men perished.

Over the past few years however, the site has become increasingly popular among exhibitionists and voyeurs, the Telegraph quoted Canadian prosecutor Elise Bozzolo as saying.

'It is a problem which appears to be getting worse — people appear to get a perverse pleasure out of this behavior,' a police spokesman in Arras told the Telegraph."

*********

1) The Vimy Ridge war memorial is in France, not Canada.

2) Elise Bozzolo is a French prosecutor.

3) During WWI, I'm quite certain that more than 60,000 men perished.

Fair and balanced? Maybe. Accurate? Not even a little, in this instance.

*sigh*

BBC NEWS | Business | America's house price time bomb

BBC NEWS | Business | America's house price time bomb:

"Though banks can repossess and sell the homes of borrowers who stop paying their mortgages, under a legal quirk originating in the Great Depression of the 1930s, banks cannot easily pursue borrowers for any balance outstanding on the main mortgage on their homes.

Consequently, by walking away from her apartment, Ms Trainer has also walked away from the $200,000 loss on her property.

Her bank gets stuck with that."

--------------- And:

"The losses for the financial system from people walking away could be of the order of one trillion dollars when the entire capital of the US banking system is only $1.3 trillion. "

**********

And that makes it a really freakin' huge Whoopsie.

CANOE -- CNEWS - Weird News: Plumbing service rescues kitty from drain

CANOE -- CNEWS - Weird News: Plumbing service rescues kitty from drain:

"...was examined by a vet and then taken home by Larry Ozanick (oh-ZAN'-ick), one of the rescuers.

He says he plans to name the kitten 'Roto.'"

***

Surely, Flush would have been more appropriate...

Iranian hostage Royal Navy captain sacked - Telegraph

Iranian hostage Royal Navy captain sacked - Telegraph:

"...officers believe his public sacking was part of a deliberate plan to send a message to others that any suggestion of incompetence will not be tolerated by Admiral Sir Jonathon Band, the First Sea Lord."

Cute...

Barack Obama gave a speech in Germany and 200,000 people showed up.

There were so many Germans shouting and screaming that France surrendered just in case.

- Craig Ferguson

Listening To:

CANOE -- CNEWS - World: Woman kills self before home foreclosure

CANOE -- CNEWS - World: Woman kills self before home foreclosure:

"Balderrama's fax read, in part, 'By the time you foreclose on my house I'll be dead.'

O'Berg also said a suicide note found next to Balderrama told her husband, John, and 24-year-old son to 'take the (life) insurance money and pay for the house.'"

***

Exceedingly tragic. :-(

It's important to keep in mind that the statistics on this economy have real people behind them.

Something that Wall St. & Bay St. do not seem to care about, all marketing aside.

TheStar.com | World | Judge renames girl, blasts parents

TheStar.com | World | Judge renames girl, blasts parents:

"Talula Does The Hula From Hawaii"

***

The mind boggles.

Listening To:

No Use For A Name :: The Feel Good Record of the Year - Records: Fat Wreck Chords:



***

Thank gawd, not as political as the last one *shudders*

CANOE -- CNEWS - Daily Feature: Plenty of fight in WWI vet

CANOE -- CNEWS - Daily Feature: Plenty of fight in WWI vet:

"The legend of John Foster Babcock has been growing for 108 years with no signs of coming to an end anytime soon.

'You know, I am going to kick the bucket one of these days,' Canada's final remaining World War I veteran joked about his incredible longevity yesterday.

A lot of people are not so sure about that statement."

Raytheon targets Q4 shootdown of mortar round in flight - Jane's Defence News

Raytheon targets Q4 shootdown of mortar round in flight - Jane's Defence News:

"United States firm Raytheon is working toward the shootdown by laser of a mortar round in flight in the fourth quarter (Q4) of this year, company officials confirmed at Farnborough.

The test, which will employ a 50 kW fibre laser, follows a successful bench-test toward the end of 2006 that showed a 20 kW laser could destroy a mortar round at a range greater than 550 m."

Canada expels an American who deserted during the war in Iraq - International Herald Tribune

Canada expels an American who deserted during the war in Iraq - International Herald Tribune:

"John Brent, a spokesman for Stockwell Day, the public safety minister, said by e-mail, 'Our government is committed to enforcing removal orders against those persons who are inadmissible to Canada.'"

***

Now, watch The Left™ erupt.

1) He was here illegally.
2) US military service is 100% voluntary; no draft. Suck it up, Princess.
3) Only about 250 to go...

CANOE -- CNEWS - Weird News: NASA tells workers in Houston to go boldly (in cup) for science

CANOE -- CNEWS - Weird News: NASA tells workers in Houston to go boldly (in cup) for science:

"The No. 1 need right now for some of the builders of the United States' next spaceship: Lots of No. 1."

CANOE -- CNEWS - Weird News: Michigan cities say hundreds of manhole covers have been stolen

CANOE -- CNEWS - Weird News: Michigan cities say hundreds of manhole covers have been stolen

And here I thought that they were just normal, Detroit-style potholes...

Ahhh, pets...

CANOE -- CNEWS - Weird News: Police nab Mercedes-climbing goat:

"'If anybody is missing a goat and dog, they need to let us know,' Blakely said."

CANOE -- CNEWS - Weird News: Man robbed buying crack calls cops who arrest him

CANOE -- CNEWS - Weird News: Man robbed buying crack calls cops who arrest him:

"During his arraignment Tuesday, Judge Bradford Ward asked Minnefield, 'Did you really think the police were going to go after the people?' He added that his question was rhetorical."

***********

:-)

globeandmail.com: News of imminent deportation shocks U.S. army deserter

globeandmail.com: News of imminent deportation shocks U.S. army deserter:

"If Mr. Long is deported, he will be the first of an estimated 200 deserters who have sought refuge in Canada to be returned to the United States, marking an official end to the country's policy of welcoming American draft dodgers and deserters that began during the Vietnam War."

***************

Interesting, but in typical journalistic fashion, not entirely factual.

1) This was never an actual policy; it was non-enforcement of immigration law.

2) If there was an active draft, then he would probably not be deported. The US military is a volunteer organization; Mr. Long volunteered of his own free will, one would think.

200 war-deserters in Canada?

Citizenship and Immigration and the Canadian Border Services Agency is not doing their job.

Guest talks too much, German woman calls police - Yahoo! News

Guest talks too much, German woman calls police - Yahoo! News:

"'After an unbelievable 30 hours and failed attempts to encourage the guest to leave last Saturday, the woman did not know what else to do but to call an ambulance,' the police said."

***********

We all know someone like that... ;-)

Technology News: Data Storage: The Big Squeeze: Pioneer Crams 400 GB Onto Single Blu-ray Disc

Technology News: Data Storage: The Big Squeeze: Pioneer Crams 400 GB Onto Single Blu-ray Disc:

"The Japanese electronics manufacturer has created the world's first 16-layer disc that squeezes 25GB on each level. The disc, however, is read-only, meaning the information on it cannot be modified.

Still, at 400 GB, the discs offer more than 16 times the storage space of a typical Blu-ray disc."

*************

Now if they can solve the Read-Only vs. Read-Write issue... :-D

Cannot have too much storage...

The Canadian Press: Apple's iPhone may have poisonous bite for consumers with its high rate plans

The Canadian Press: Apple's iPhone may have poisonous bite for consumers with its high rate plans:

"Telecom contracts have never had clear language."

*****

And that's (one of) the friggen' problem(s)...

Listening To:

The really annoying guy three cubes over who has no volume control whatsoever.

(I forgot my iPod at home today, *sigh*)

Canadians Stealing American Dream (Invasion plans being updated)

680News - ALL NEWS RADIO.:

"Canadians are stealing the American dream. A new study by Maclean's magazine found that over all we are just happier than our neighbours.

According to the study, the average Canadian is now 30 per cent wealthier than their southern neighbour.

Canadians are living longer, we have less diseases and we are more adventurous in bed.

We also drink more, take more vacations and spend more time with family, and on average our personal debt is under control"

******

But, shoveling snow still suxxors, and we still get our @sses kicked at the summer Olympics.

Best Regards to my Yank friends,

Imp;)

And, Happy Canada Day (or, Peace, Order and Good Government)

Happy Canuckistan Day everyone!

It's that day where Canadians all over the world celebrate that which defines us as a nation.

Specifically; beer, hockey, and the fact that we are Not-Americans.

And come to think of it, we're quite happy that the Yanks took Celine Dion off our hands too. Thanx dudes; we owe you one for that.

In great measure, Canada became a nation to protect the remnants of the British North American colonies from American expansion, a definition of what it means to be 'Canadian' has always produced a great deal of hand-wringing up here, especially in media-circles. Not-American is just a negative value, it's not a positive.

The social (and socialism) experiments proposed and carried out under Pearson and Trudeau were in no small part an attempt to blend socialistic tendencies of academia and Europe with the liberal-capitalism of America. To what extent this has given rise to a Canadian 'identity' is debatable.

One thing even our most neo-fascist Canadians (in the States, they would be Democrats ;) can agree on; we're quite happy being Not-American, for the most part.

Other Generally Accepted Accoun... er, Canadianisms:

Universal Healthcare is seen as a social compact; it's not going to always be pretty, but it doesn't leave huge gaping wounds and open class-warfare in it's wake. If you have extra cash, or insurance, you can always make a run for the border if you need to short-stop the system. You can generally get access to good healthcare in a timely fashion, and not have to sell the house or bankrupt your children's future.

Guns are for the most part only for the Police and the Military. I personally do not hold to this view (I grew up very rural), however nor do I believe that the liberalization of gun-ownership to the extent that it is allowed in the US is the way to go. *Shrugs* I've seen too many morons up here that I wouldn't want to have easy access to firearms...

The Environment is Important™. But, nobody here wants to accept the reality that our ability to impact the world's environmental policies is negligible; get a grip peeps, we're only 30 million people... we're not going to dictate to China, India, US, et al. Do what you can locally, because you want to do it for yourself.

A good government is a Minority Government. :-) Don't let the Bastards have too much power... ;-)

Best Regards, and Go Drink a Beer,

Imp;)

PS, Given that my 'patch' is actually in the US, I'm working today... but taking the 4th off. Ah well.

Listening To:

Bowling For Soup.