Bits & Bites Of Canucks/Moose News

Many things have gone down over the past little while since the last update, so here’s a summary of what has happened lately with the Vancouver Canucks and Manitoba Moose.

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Veteran defenceman Mathieu Schneider was placed on waivers by the Canucks yesterday, and cleared them today. What this means for Schneider and the Canucks is up in the air.

Defenceman Kevin Bieksa suffered a cut on his leg during the second period of last night’s game versus the Phoenix Coyotes, so hypothetically, Schneider could end up back in the Canucks lineup. From all appearances though, it doesn’t look like that will happen.

Vancouver could also elect to send him down to the Manitoba Moose or to another AHL squad, much like they did with Brad Lukowich, who the Canucks sent to the Texas Stars at the beginning of the season. Unlike with Lukowich, there’s no guarantee Schneider will report to Manitoba and play for them, even though he would get tons of ice time and instantly become Manitoba’s #1 defenceman.

Considering Schneider’s age, there’s also a chance that he’ll decide to hang up the blades and call it a day. Schneider’s no spring chicken at 40-years-old, so his clearing waivers could spell the end of his playing career.

Schneider has five points (2-3-5) in 17 games for the Canucks this season.

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The day before Mathieu Schneider was placed on waivers, the Canucks called up forward Alexandre Bolduc from the Manitoba Moose of the AHL. Bolduc was called up by Vancouver to replace Ryan Johnson, who was put on injured reserve after suffering a foot injury.

Bolduc went pointless in seven games with the Canucks earlier this season, and has picked up three points (2-1-3) in 13 games with the Moose so far in 2009-10.

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So far, six members of the Vancouver Canucks have been named to their respective country’s Olympic squads.

Goaltender Roberto Luongo (Canada), defencemen Sami Salo (Finland) and Christian Ehrhoff (Germany), as well as forwards Pavol Demitra (Slovakia) and Daniel and Henrik Sedin (Sweden) have so far been named to play in Vancouver for the 2010 Winter Olympics. The United States hockey team will announce its roster immediately after the NHL Winter Classic at Fenway Park in Boston on January 1, 2010. It’s expected that forward Ryan Kesler will make it a lucky seven for the Canucks by getting named to that squad.

The most notable absence, if just for what he said when he wasn’t named to his country’s Olympic squad, is Mikael Samuelsson. As most people have heard by now, when the Swedish Olympic hockey team did not name Samuelsson as one of their 23 players that will suit up in Vancouver, the Canuck forward said in an interview afterward that those who picked the team should perform an act of self-fornication. No word on whether those who made the Swedish roster followed suit, but it’s highly unlikely they took Samuelsson’s advice.

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The American Hockey League announced today that Manitoba Moose forward Sergei Shirokov has been named to the PlanetUSA All-Star Team for the 2010 Time Warner Cable AHL All-Star Classic, which takes place next month at the Cumberland County Civic Center in Portland, Maine. Teammate Nolan Baumgartner will suit up as captain and play as one of the starters for the Canadian All-Star Team.

Shirokov has picked up 23 points (11-12-23) in 34 games for the Moose this season, while Baumgartner has seven points (1-6-7) in 24 games for Manitoba. Baumgartner’s currently out of the Moose lineup with a broken finger, but should return to on-ice action within the next week or two.

A notable absence from the All-Star Game lineups is Moose goaltender Cory Schneider, who started for the PlanetUSA All-Stars last season. So far in 2009-10, Schneider has registered a 16-6-2 record, with a 2.25 goals-against average, a 0.923 save percentage, and two shutouts.

No word on whether Schneider told the AHL All-Star selection committee to fornicate with themselves after not getting picked for the team. We’ll assume that wasn’t the case.

[Via http://themattressline.wordpress.com]

In the Pipe… Dec. 30

Don’t miss out on any of the action! Here’s the line-up of events for tomorrow..

Wednesday, December 30

Olympic Hockey Team Announcement

Saskatoon Game

3:00pm Switzerland vs Latvia

WorldFest Saskatoon

11:00am Olympic Hockey Team Announcement

7:30pm Mascara

9:30pm Trooper

11:30pm Faster Gun

Regina Game

1:00pm Finland vs Austria

Come for the hockey & the party!

[Via http://worldjrs.wordpress.com]

Canadian Libel Reform, Meet Economic Reality

by matttbastard

So, you think that recent SCOC ruling will help fight the chilling effects of Canada’s draconian libel laws? Think again, says Ryerson journ prof Jeffrey Dvorkin:

While editors are hailing the ruling as a breakthrough for more aggressive journalism, it also makes it clear that these days, news organizations may be less able than ever to deliver on these expectations.

That’s because as layoffs continue at news organizations and as newsrooms are pared down to the editorial bone, the ability of news organizations to engage in deep, contextual investigative journalism is far from what it once was, or what it should be.

News organizations almost everywhere are dropping their investigative units as too expensive, too time-consuming and far too unable to deliver the requisite audience numbers. Instead, investigative reporting is being contracted out in the U.S. and other countries to “stand-alone” not-for-profits such as ProPublica, Global Post, and the Center for Public Integrity, among others. In Canada, we don’t even have that option.

[...]

My guess is that media law departments are now advising chief editors to restrain their journalists from doing more aggressive reporting unless they can prove that every effort (including a demonstrable commitment to editorial resources) has been made to get all sides of the story. It’s that commitment to shoe-leather reporting that is among the first things to be dropped in a downsizing news organization.

Dvorkin also addresses a matter that Jeff Jedras brought up the other day, the perceived lack of “professionalism” among us foul-mouthed Cheeto-eaters, and may finally have come up with a viable solution on how to effectively net-nanny teh ornery tubes:

The ruling addresses the issue of ethics, standards and practices among bloggers – those independent reporters and opinion-mongers whose power and influence are growing just as legacy media’s reach and heft are diminishing. The ruling brings the blogosphere under the same right, responsibilities and obligations as the mainstream media.

[...]

The challenge for the online community is to create a set of ethical standards that will give bloggers the same credibility with the public as valid as those espoused by the mainstream media. In effect, bloggers need an ombudsman.

Indeed. A ‘blogbudsman’, if you will. I nominate Canadian Cynic.

What?

h/t Bill Doskoch

Recommend this post at Progressive Bloggers

[Via http://bastardlogic.wordpress.com]

Ten Points To Address Re: Arts Industry

Really great material here from Kate Armstrong writing at Granvilleonline.ca

I excerpt here and comment:

1. Artists are not spending their time at champagne soirees. Kate adds “at taxpayer expense”, but I’ll point out they don’t do it on their own dime either. If you see artists at a ’soiree’ of any kind, chances are they are there getting money out of the rich people who attend these things so that they don’t have to rely on taxpayer funds. Yes, you stupid Neandrethal conservative fuck, you should be encouraging champagne soirees, not trashing them as something you don’t understand or would be caught dead at.

To quote Stephen Harper: “I think when ordinary working people come home, turn on the TV and see … a bunch of people … at a rich gala all subsidized by taxpayers claiming their subsidies aren’t high enough when they know those subsidies have actually gone up, I’m not sure that’s something that resonates with ordinary people.”

2. Culture is an industry. I get kind of sick of quoting these stats, so I’ll spare you the particulars and remind you that the culture industry in Canada is larger than the auto industry, the forest industry, and the mining industry. Just because it is decentralized, don’t allow others to pretend that it is small-time.

3. Art is not about artists, it is about community and culture. Or put another way, you want to be proud of being Canadian, you better support the artists, or be overrun by the Mouse.

4. Culture is not a hobby. Just because you can do it in your spare time, doesn’t make you an artist any more than changing a tire makes you an auto mechanic. It’s time some artists behaved like auto mechanics and told people where to stick it when they pretend artists don’t have “real jobs”. What’s the artistic equivalent of a lug wrench?

5. We work all day so you can play all night. Culture doesn’t just “happen”. Just because you enjoy it in your free time, does not mean we produce it in our free time. i dare say the arts and culture industry has a far higher level of expectation of perfection than most other non-technology industries. Hours of preparation are required to get minutes of cultural content prepared.

6. Artists are not “fancy”. (here I’ll quote Kate entirely, it is so great): Art is a hugely important part of our shared culture. Were the cave paintings fancy? Do you like written language? Have you ever seen a movie or worn a nice shirt or walked through a public space?

7. Just ’cause you don’t get it doesn’t mean it’s worthless. Most people don’t understand what you do either, minister, nor do they appreciate how hard it is. Most people don’t understand the internal combustion engine, but they appreciate it.

8. Grants keep the lights on, they don’t keep the doors open. The grants being discussed are likely a small fraction of the overall revenues for any decent sized organization (for smaller orgs they can be significantly larger percentages). Moreover, the total amount going to the arts is a thimble full in an ocean of government appropriations, recently as small as 1/20th of 1 percent. That’s .0005 for the math-challenged.

More math: Let’s say your annual salary of $100,000 was the Provincial budget. You’d allocate $50 a year to support the arts, then split that amount among hundreds of organizations. You know what you probably spend $50 a year on? Toothpaste.

9. Arts jobs are “real” jobs. People who work in the arts and culture industry do so to support families, pay the rent and send kids to school with decent clothes on their backs and lunches in their backpacks. We aren’t a bunch of black turtleneck wearing sissies, prancing from club to club in between rehearsals or studio time. We kind of got that out of our system the same time most people did – in our 20’s.

10. If you want to be “from” somewhere, there’s go to be something there. To quote Gertrude Stein: “The trouble with Oakland is when you get there, there’s no there there.” Artists help create the culture, they are there to put the “quality” in “quality of life”. Abandon and forsake them at your own peril. Whatever city you live in, it is probably not famous for whatever it is the critics of the arts do for a living. Unless perhaps you live in Milwaukee.

[Via http://wildsheepchasing.wordpress.com]

North Magnetic Pole Moving East Due to Core Flux

Earth’s north magnetic pole is racing toward Russia at almost 40 miles (64 kilometers) a year due to magnetic changes in the planet’s core, new research says.

The core is too deep for scientists to directly detect its magnetic field. But researchers can infer the field’s movements by tracking how Earth’s magnetic field has been changing at the surface and in space.

Now, newly analyzed data suggest that there’s a region of rapidly changing magnetism on the core’s surface, possibly being created by a mysterious “plume” of magnetism arising from deeper in the core.

And it’s this region that could be pulling the magnetic pole away from its long-time location in northern Canada, said Arnaud Chulliat, a geophysicist at the Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris in France.

Finding North

Magnetic north, which is the place where compass needles actually point, is near but not exactly in the same place as the geographic North Pole. Right now, magnetic north is close to Canada’s Ellesmere Island.

Navigators have used magnetic north for centuries to orient themselves when they’re far from recognizable landmarks.

Although global positioning systems have largely replaced such traditional techniques, many people still find compasses useful for getting around underwater and underground where GPS satellites can’t communicate.

The magnetic north pole had moved little from the time scientists first located it in 1831. Then in 1904, the pole began shifting northeastward at a steady pace of about 9 miles (15 kilometers) a year.

In 1989 it sped up again, and in 2007 scientists confirmed that the pole is now galloping toward Siberia at 34 to 37 miles (55 to 60 kilometers) a year.

A rapidly shifting magnetic pole means that magnetic-field maps need to be updated more often to allow compass users to make the crucial adjustment from magnetic north to true North.

Wandering Pole

Geologists think Earth has a magnetic field because the core is made up of a solid iron center surrounded by rapidly spinning liquid rock. This creates a “dynamo” that drives our magnetic field.

(Get more facts about Earth’s insides.)

Scientists had long suspected that, since the molten core is constantly moving, changes in its magnetism might be affecting the surface location of magnetic north.

Although the new research seems to back up this idea, Chulliat is not ready to say whether magnetic north will eventually cross into Russia.

“It’s too difficult to forecast,” Chulliat said.

Also, nobody knows when another change in the core might pop up elsewhere, sending magnetic north wandering in a new direction.

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/12/091224-north-pole-magnetic-russia-earth-core.html

[Via http://heidilore.wordpress.com]

Amazon, Walmart, Expedia Knocked Off Line

E-commerce companies such as Amazon, Wal-Mart, and Expedia were unavailable Wednesday evening in some parts of the US.  This was due to an attack on these companies’ DNS provider, Neustar (better known by its brand name, UltraDNS).

…the company received a disproportionately high number of queries coming into the system, and analyzed it as an attack. Neustar deployed “a mitigation response” within minutes of the attack, he said, and brought matters under control within an hour. The response limited the problems to Northern California, he said.

What is DNS?

Web sites need DNS providers to translate the character-based URLs that people can remember to the IP addresses that Web sites actually use to list themselves on the Internet. When a DNS provider is overwhelmed with malicious requests for IP addresses, the system can overload and prevent legitimate users from reaching their destinations.

In other words, the language of the internet is based on IP addresses: 192.12.122.1 and similar addresses.  Remembering such numbers is not as easy as remembering “google.com.”  DNS does the translation between google.com and the IP address. (Hint: if you were type in the actual IP address in the URL bar of your web browser, you’d still be directed to the correct site!).

[Via http://datasecurityguy.wordpress.com]

Your Christmas Tree

If you have a real Christmas tree in your home this holiday season, it’s likely a Balsam Fir. Although these beautiful evergreens can live to be up to 200 years old, those cut down as Christmas trees are often no more than 10 years old. They’re preferable to spruce and pine due to their long-lasting dark green needles, refreshing fragrance and easily decorated boughs.

These days, most Christmas trees are harvested on tree farms in such a manner that they are now a more ecological choice than artificial trees. While 80% of artificial trees are made in China, real Christmas trees are grown all across North America. Daily, the trees on each acre of one such farm creates enough oxygen to support 18 people. Balsam firs are native to Nova Scotia and Eastern and Central Canada.

In the forest, mature balsam firs can grow to 70 ft in height and have a distinct church steeple shape.  Their foliage is eaten by moose, deer, snowshoe hares and grouse, while red squirrels, porcupines and chickadees enjoy the seeds. 

Lower branches touch the ground, providing excellent hiding places for hares and grouse.  Each tree possesses both male and female parts, the larger cones being female.  Although adaptable to a variety of soils and climates, balsam firs thrive in moist, cool areas.  They are very abundant here in Cow Bay.  Unfortunately they are shallow rooted and cannot withstand the heavy winds that often blow along our coast. 

Almost 165 years ago, Hans Christian Andersen of Denmark wrote a story about the life of a Christmas tree, called ‘The Fir Tree.’  It impressed me greatly when I first read it as a child and can be found here in its entirety. 

“I know nothing of that place,” said the fir-tree, “I know the wood where the sun shines and the birds sing.” And then the tree told the little mice all about its youth. They had never heard such an account in their lives; and after they had listened to it attentively, they said, “What a number of things you have seen? you must have been very happy.”

“Happy!” exclaimed the fir-tree, and then as he reflected upon what he had been telling them, he said, “Ah, yes! after all those were happy days.”

~ From ‘The Fir Tree’ by Hans Christian Andersen

[Via http://flandrumhill.wordpress.com]

THE ELEMENT OF FREEDOM

THE ELEMENT OF FREEDOM – ALICIA KEYS

From the moment ‘Fallin’ came out, I have been a HUGE fan of Alicia Keys. Fortunately for me, I had the privilege of seeing her LIVE two years ago when she played the ACC with Ne-Yo and Jordin Sparks. She will be returning to Toronto in a few months and I have yet to purchase tickets. As much as I would love to see her live again, I’m not quite sure if my bank account will allow it. It’s sad really. Since her previous album, ‘I Am Me’, I was anticipating the arrival of some new material. Many people are already stating that this is her best yet. I am still undecided. However, since I got the album, it has been played repeatedly on my ipod – so it is definitely one to own. Th following is a video of her performing for some youtube concert. I am honestly in love with the whole album, but the video below is definitely one of my current faves right now. If you’re still unsure about buying the album, simply look up her live videos from this concert and have a listen…I’m sure you’ll be racing towards your newest record store.

Enjoy

[Via http://katrinadavid.wordpress.com]

Hello Vancouver

I arrived in Vancouver on Saturday and was greeted by the bright and cheery faces of my lovely Canadian friends at the airport.. After freshening up we all headed to brunch and then went for a walk along the water to Granville Island. We stopped off at the most amazing food market where I made my first purchase of the trip… raspberries… yum. After a few additional but necessary purchases (mainly cheese)… we headed over the Granville Island Brewery where we all ordered a tasting selection of local beers.. I struggled as through my selection as the 14 hour flight was starting to catch up with me.. so we headed back to the apartment for a sleep before dinner.

We went out to dinner at a Lebanese restaurant and then off to the lamplighters pub (which could be compared to the gaslight in Sydney)… and had a night of drinking, dancing and singing loudly.

Yesterday consisted of more brunch and then shopping.. where my next necessary purchase was made.. an umbrella…. Kelt and I then headed back to the apartment again and got ready for our next adventure… the Vancouver Trolley Company (http://vancouvertrolley.com) Christmas lights tour.. The tour consisted of Christmas Karaoke and a stop off at two light shows, one in Stanley Park (Bright Nights)  raising money for the firefighters burn fund and then to the Van Dusen Botanical Gardens for the festival of the lights. After singing our way between sights we made sure we purchased roasted chestnuts, hot apple cider and pumpkin pie filled waffles..to get into the spirit of Christmas..  Apart from the beautiful light show, one of the highlights of this trip was the poorly translated Christmas DVD that we were watching on the way back e.g “Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas tree, your shall be pray forever” … hmmm.

I’ll be heading up to Sunpeaks in 2 days and I’m looking forward to skiing. I hope that everyone is well and enjoying the season. x

[Via http://myepicadventure.wordpress.com]

Daniel Cormier the "self described" pastor convicted of sexual assault

Turns out not to be a repeat from last year. The same disgusting preacher dude is making headlines once more and once more I acknowledge Mojoey for mentioning it:

Pastor Daniel Cormier was convicted of sexual assault Friday in Canada in a case involving a 16-year-old girl. His previous conviction occurred last January for the sexual assault of a girl aged 10.

Cormier is a freak. He needs to spend a long time in prison, 15 to 20 years at least. With Canada, this is unlikely. They are a “humane” country. It’s much better to have Cormier out of prison and preying on children in 2014.

From the CBC article:

He’s already serving a five-year sentence, handed down last January, for sexually assaulting a 10-year-old girl he had claimed as his bride after a ceremony at his Downtown Church.

The victim at the centre of the latest trial was a parishioner and volunteer at the facility.

Cormier was accused of sexually exploiting the girl between 1993 and 1995 when she was 16 and 17 years old.

She told the court she was naive and had no sexual experience before meeting Cormier at his so-called church. Eventually they ended up together at a religious retreat in the Laurentians, with her sleeping in his bed.

Mojoey’s disgust has to do with both Cormier, and the bias he thinks is evident in CBC’s reporting of the incident: “self-described” pastor and “so-called” church.

The bias is obvious. No self respecting legitimate pastor would molest a child, right? It’s just freaks like Cormier who actually commit the crimes. I have ample examples showing that this is just not true. The clergy sexual abuse epidemic is real and happens in every major denomination.

I also have ample examples of people starting a church as a way to make a few bucks and avoid taxes. Any random Joe off the street with a Jesus loves you message can start a church. There are no standards. I could open Mojoey’s blessed church of the holy Jeebus for $100 and the patience to stand it line at city hall. With luck, I could be in business by next Saturday night. Beer is our sacrament, put $2 in the collection plate and bask in the glow of Mojoey’s love. …you must be 21 and like reggae to attend.

Well, I’d go. I like reggae. I don’t know if Canada tracks these storefront religious organizations in any way. I don’t know if they have to be affiliated with any of the typical denominations or if they really can just take a bible and say the words and be a legal church that easily. Can anyone who wants to rent a hole in the wall and has enough leftover cash for folding chairs and candles set up shop, no official standards required?

If the answer really is yes, that’s a hell of a system.

[Via http://1minionsopinion.wordpress.com]

Bill C-6 sent back to House of Commons by Senate with amendments which gives us until Jan 26 to make our voices heard

Parliament will resume January 26th (if an election isn’t called first), so this will give us a few weeks in the new year to pressure MPs and Senators before they have to go back and vote on Bill C-6 in the house again.

NEXT STEPS TO KEEP THE PRESSURE TO STOP BILL C-6

This is a strategy we are planing to do together with others who have the same MP Mr. Paul Calandra (MP for Oak Ridges, Markham, King area). We are getting together a group of people and we will visit Mr. Calandra on Friday, January 8th. If you are interested to join us please get back to me. We will present Mr. Calandra with a several petitions opposing Bill C-6. By law if there is a petition signed by 5 people it needs to be presented in the parliament. It is more effective to present many petitions than one petition signed by many!!!

Petitions should be mailed or delivered separately and they should not use the same template. For those of you who have different MP and would like to follow these steps please see bellow. You can use “individualized”  C-6 petitions  (please see bellow), organize signing in your area with  visiting  your MP.

I have got information that Andrew and Kerry (Mr. Calandra’s 2 assistants) told, that  just a small group of people showing disapproval would be enough to get them to rethink it.”

I will be at the Village Market tomorrow Dec. 19th. Please stop by to sign the C-6 petition if your MP is Mr. Paul Calandra (MP for Oak Ridges, Markham, King).

Love

Oli

Here is an  update from Elaine McCoy (a senator from Alberta). Please read below for the most recent update on what has been happening.

You’ve probably heard that we won the vote in the Senate on December 15.  Accordingly, the bill is on its way back to the House of Commons.  The next step is for MPs to decide whether or not to accept our amendments.

Nothing much is going to happen for a month or so.  The MPs all went home on December 10th.  We currently expect Parliament to resume in late January, so Bill C-6 would likely be taken up shortly thereafter.  Of course, we’re all hearing rumours that Prime Minister Harper wishes to prorogue (i.e., shut Parliament down) and start over in the new year.  If that happens, then Bill C-6 will die on the Order Paper.

If you’re interested, here are some links to additional information:

* Amendments

* Senate debates

* Hullabaloos (my blog).

All best wishes for the holiday season.  Cheers, Elaine.

[Via http://thebovine.wordpress.com]

Selling Off Crown Assets in Ontario: Any Taxpayer Benefits?

Interesting article in the Globe and Mail online (Ontario ponders sale of Crown corporations to beat down deficit by Andrew Willis and Boyd Erman; December 15, 2009).  It seems that the Ontario Government, in an attempt to tackle their multi-billion dollar deficit, is looking at various crown corporations as possible salable assets.  Logic is, if I understand correctly, that they can sell off these businesses for money which can then be used to pay down the massive debt.

One of the key assets on the table is Hydro One.  You know, that company which provides electricity and — for many Ontarians — heat; a necessity in this the Great White North.  That company to whom we all pay a “debt reduction charge” each month, above and beyond our usage rate, in order to help them with their debt load.  (Author’s note: if only I could convince province residents to help pay down MY debt load!)

So here is what I want to know.  If the Ontario government sells off Hydro One to private investors, do those private investors then take on that debt which Ontario taxpayers are currently on the hook for?  Will that charge come off of our bills immediately?  Will our hydro rates rise commensurately with the theoretical removal of the debt retirement fee?  How will rates be regulated moving forward — or will they be?

The other crown corporations concern me less, to be honest — I just don’t see the Ontario Lotto and Gaming Corporation (OLG) or the LCBO as fundamental necessities.  The fact that they do provide revenue to the Ontario Government coffers does, however, make me wonder whether a one-time sale can make up for ongoing revenue.  If these crown corporations are profitable, does it not make sense to keep them on as a long-term investment with guaranteed base revenue?  What happens if Ontario sells off these assets in a one-time bid to reduce overall debt, but then finds itself unable to respond financially the next time it finds itself in the hole?  Higher taxes yet again?

Bottom line: I’m concerned.

Read the original article in the Globe and Mail online here.

[Via http://mediaviber.wordpress.com]

Travel Photographer of the Year - 2009

The winners of Travel Photographer of the Year for 2009 have been announced. Here is the winners gallery. Congratulations to Akash from Bangledesh for a stunning win. I am sure he will see as many benefits to his career as I did from my win in 2008. What a fantastic portfolio of images Akash!

I was also very happy to see a number of Canadians in the winners circle. Go Canada go! I was especially thrilled to see my friend Larry Louie from Edmonton in the winner’s circle. And also congrats to Lung Liu from Toronto for continued amazing work.

©G.M.B. Akask

[Via http://darwinwiggett.wordpress.com]

Alex Jones to Eugenicist Diane Francis: KILL YOURSELF

Alex Jones’ Message to Doomsday Cultists and Eugenicists like Diane Francis: KILL YOURSELF

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXk__hJMdZs

 

Diane Francis Spews Her Eugenics One-Child Propaganda on Fox News

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mnBpSORUWtk

Furious Reaction To Sick Editorial Calling For Global One Child Dictatorship

Genocidal Climate Change Policy is Killing Third World Nations

 

[Via http://noworldsystem.com]

IRS Studying ‘Protocols’ for Joint Audits With Other Countries Share Business

By Ryan J. Donmoyer Dec. 10 (Bloomberg) –

The U.S. Internal Revenue Service is working with tax-collection agencies in other countries on how to conduct joint audits of multinational corporations, Commissioner Douglas Shulman said. “We are in the very early stages of looking at these protocols,” Shulman said today at a conference in Washington co-sponsored by the IRS and George Washington University. Shulman had said in June he was discussing the idea with officials in other nations. Joint audits would be part of a global effort to crack down on cross-border tax evasion, spurred in the last year by tax- evasion cases involving banks in Liechtenstein and Switzerland. Barry Shott, deputy IRS commissioner in charge of international tax issues, said joint audits probably would be conducted by a special agency set up by the U.S. and other countries in 2004 to share information about tax shelters. “It’s new,” Shott said regarding the joint audit program. “I think you’re going to see more of it.” The special agency, the Joint International Tax Shelter Information Center, has offices in Washington and London. Members include the U.S., the U.K., Canada, Australia and Japan. China and South Korea participate as observers. The agency has been used in limited cases to track individuals and companies suspected of flouting tax laws. Shulman said he has expanded the agency’s scope to encourage the exchange of information about a broader range of tax-avoidance techniques. To contact the reporter on this story: Ryan J. Donmoyer at e-mail rdonmoyer@bloomberg.net

[Via http://tigertail6.wordpress.com]

Statement: Minister Kenney extends birthday wishes to His Highness Prince Karim Aga Khan

Ottawa, December 11, 2009 — The Honourable Jason Kenney, Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism, issued the following statement on the birthday this coming Sunday of His Highness Prince Karim Aga Khan:

“I would like to extend warm birthday wishes to His Highness Prince Karim Aga Khan.

“The Aga Khan has now been the spiritual leader of the Shia Nizari Ismaili Muslims for more than half a century. During that time he has exerted a profound influence both within and far beyond his community, and has become an extraordinary example of compassion and tolerance.

“This is most evident in the Aga Khan Development Network, which he founded and now chairs, and which works towards social, economic, and cultural development in Asia and Africa.

“It is an honour for Canada that the Aga Khan has chosen Ottawa as the site of the Global Centre for Pluralism and the new Delegation of the Ismaili Imamat, and that he is establishing the Aga Khan Museum and the Ismaili Centre in Toronto.

“Earlier this year, in a moment of great pride for Canadians, His Highness was granted honourary Canadian citizenship in recognition of what Prime Minister Harper described as his ‘leadership as a champion of development, pluralism and tolerance around the world.’

“As Prime Minister Harper has said, ‘his name has become synonymous with humanitarian aid and development in countries beset by conflict and poverty. Just as importantly, he has worked tirelessly as a bridge-builder between faiths and cultures.’

“As Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism, I wish His Highness Prince Karim Aga Khan a long, healthy, and blessed life.”

Citizenship and Immigration Canada

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[Via http://sjpaderborn.wordpress.com]

What was I thinking?

December 11, 2009:

Genoa, Italy –  Sunny 15C

Toronto, Canada  -  Snowing, -5C

December 21st I will be in Canada, but first I have the priviledge of sailing in the Caribbean for 5 days with my husband. I will be on vacation for approximately 20 days, of which 4 will be spent scuttling off to airports and hotels. With any luck I will not get stuck in any snow storms like last year.

But this adventure brings me around to my usual packing woes as I prepare my luggage for 2 extreme climates. This morning when I switched on my computer my Google homepage informed me that it was -9C in Toronto! I look out my window at the sunny seaside and 15C here in Italy and although I have been romanticizing the idea of a good old-fashioned Canadian Christmas I can’t help but ask myself “What was I thinking?”

I used to love the “snow days” we would have in Canada when all the schools were closed because the weather was so bad. Now I see that the Italians have something similar. It’s called a “teacher’s strike”. How convenient that it just so happens that today is Friday and there are only 2 weeks left to get your Christmas shopping done? One thing I have noticed since I moved here is that strikes always seem to occur on Fridays…coincidence? I don’t think so!

[Via http://lmarmstrong66.wordpress.com]

PEOPLE AND PLACES: The Buried Life

The Buried Life

9 December 2009

One of the great things the Internet has the ability to highlight is will power.  It never ceases to amaze me how far passion can take you.  The Buried Life is a group of Canadian university students attempting to accomplish a list of “100 Things To Do Before You Die.”  Not only have they pursued this to the fullest of their abilities, but they inspire and assist others in their journeys as well.  From this I see two amazing things coming this project, through the use of technology:

1.  Collaboration

Yes, yes, we’ve heard it before, the Internet is all abut collaboration.  But, generally speaking, Internet collaboration refers to creating an application, a software, a product.  The great things about The Buried Life is that collaboration helps people accomplish personal goals and realise a dream.  Many things we hold as inconsequential or trivial may hold value to someone else.  This site is wrought with positivity in a way that not only brings out virtue, but stimulates creativity.  This here is a prime example of the kindness and collaboration of strangers:

2.  Grass-roots change and counter-hegemony

While it may have been a happy accident for MTV to stumble upon The Buried Life, this group of young teenagers have still evoked change – change in not only what defines young adults, but what characteristics are popular and trendy.  An article in  The New York Times noted that MTV wanted to change the direction of their programming to reflect the Obama era of change and “positive social messages.”  However, The Buried Life precedes the Obama reign, and to some extent, were innovators in the youth social responsibility in an decade characterised by consumerism, superficiality, and, for lack of a better word, dumbass-ery.  But, in some ways, they completely epitomise our young adult culture – revelling in spectacle.  The entire project was created on film, meant to be seen and heard.  Nevertheless, change doesn’t necessarily have to be in grand gestures.  It can borrow from the elements of the current state of society to create a new powers of influence and, potentially the most important of all, redefine our generation.

I am curious, though, as to what exactly others find captivating about this young group of adults.  Moreover, why do people feel compelled to help them and would they help others in this same capacity if it did not lead to the possibility of being profiled?  Were The Buried Life not up-and-coming Internet sensations and soon-to-be reality TV-show stars, I highly doubt Global News would allow them to open the 6 o’clock news.

[Via http://avenuel.wordpress.com]

Guaranteed Fresh with Peter Projects

Peter Projects was one act that I missed out at Pop Montreal this year.

Music is a mix of indie pop electro hip-hop.

The EP has a theme of being squeaky clean.

Catchy and funky sampling.

Interesting collaboration with More Or Less, Masia One, Wordburglar, Laura Barrett and Maylee Todd for those that don’t know she sings in the Woodhands song Dancer.

Quote from Musebox about the EP:

“What’s particularly rad, though, is the packaging: the EP is available ONLY as a bar of soap! Weird, right?

It’s actually a download card imbedded into a handmade soap bar designed to look exactly like an iPod.

And since the download card is right in the middle, you kind of have to use the soap to get the music.”

I would love to purchase this unique EP.



Best tracks:

• Simply Fresh
• Unorthodox feat. More Or Less
• The Quest For Extreme Personal Freshness feat. Laura Barrett
• In Retail feat. Masia One, Maylee Todd and Wordburgular

This EP gets me all boucing with its funky beats.

As the title suggested his music is guaranteed fresh in my books.

Crossing my fingers if he makes a stop in Ottawa for a show.

[Via http://mwmusic.wordpress.com]

Buskers Pay Royalties

It is 10.45pm on a Monday night. I am tired. I’m listening to ‘Crazy Ol Dreams’ by Now You See Them… But I’m sick of it so now I’m listening to ‘Youthless’ by Beck.

In Canadia… specifically, Vancouver, buskers are being told that they may have to start paying royalties to greedy assholes the ‘Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada’ for the songs they play.

$1500 for a performance licence.

Music is not a product. It’s not something you buy and drink like Mountain Dew. It’s performance or listening to does not deprive a creator of creating anything. The second kids learnt to use Kazaa… LimeWire…  this was the second the idea of capitalizing off an artist’s creativity died.

Royalty payments are the last fingers on the edge of the cliff for the monopoly of bigwig record companies who hide behind the beurecratical misconceptions of what is fair and legal.

The music industry will die, but music never will.

[Via http://agorilladressedaschris.wordpress.com]

2nd Anniversary Spinning Adventure!

Our route from Dover, NH, USA to West Jeddore, NS, Canada (and back).We took the southern route on the way there, and the northern route on the way back.

Last week, for our second anniversary, Beth and I took a trip to Nova Scotia to take a textile spinning workshop. During the trip we stayed in two very nice Canadian B&B’s. We packed up after thanksgiving dinner and hit the road for St. Stephen, New Brunswick just over the US/Canada border to stay at the Blair House Heritage Inn.

Beth researches activities for Saturday in New Brunswick

The breakfast of pancakes and fruit was delicious. David, our host, made excellent tea. David hails originally from England, and worked as a hunting and fishing guide before taking over the bed and breakfast a few years ago. I really liked our room’s hand-shaped light fixtures:

From St. Stephen, we traveled to St. John, the capital of New Brunswick, which is on the coast. Apparently they really like their Saint names in the Canadian maritime provinces. The downtown area of St. John is populated by these stocky wooden sculptures of pedestrians:

can you spot Beth?

The wooden people even walk around in the mall!

After escaping the wooden Canadians we checked out the New Brunswick Museum for a few hours. We weren’t allowed to take pictures in the museum, but my favorite parts were the exhibits on ship building (New Brunswick was a major ship building center during the age of sail), and the Hall of Great Whales, where there were complete skeletons of several kinds of whale, and a 90% scale model of a North Atlantic Right Whale named Delilah.

From St. John we continued on to Musquodoboit Harbor  on the southern coast of Nova Scotia, where we were taking the weekend-long spinning workshop. There was going to be one other student, but she canceled due to swine flu. So, Beth and I had the entire workshop to ourselves!

I should explain how we ended up going to Nova Scotia for a spinning workshop. Having practiced drop spindle spinning for a few weeks, we decided we’d like to learn to spin with a wheel. We found the Spinner’s Loft online, and thought a weekend spinning workshop vacation in Nova Scotia would be a fun way to celebrate our anniversary. So we called up Leslie, the proprietor of the Spinner’s Loft, and found as luck would have it that she was available for the weekend of American Thanksgiving.

There were many wheels in the spinner's loft.

Leslie has been spinning for about 30 years, and has spun an amazing variety of fibers: wool, silk, flax (linen), horse hair, musk ox, dog hair, cat hair, organic cotton from tampons, and lion’s mane to name a few! Don’t worry, the lion was not sheared. The lion’s mane hairs were gathered from tree branches where they’d become stuck when the lion rubbed against the tree.

We began on the first day by learning about washing, picking and carding of fleece. I passed some Cotswold fleece through the triple picker, which was definitely the device most closely resembling a medieval torture implement. A triple picker consists of a cradle shaped bed of nails, and a nail studded pendulum that swings just above the bed. You feed the locks of wool in one end while swinging the pendulum-of-death, and an airy cloud of wool magically comes out the other end.

Cotswold fleece and the triple picker (right). Cotswold are cool looking dredlock rasta sheep (see photo).

We took the cloud over to the drum carder and learned to use it. This is basically a pair of giant round hairbrushes, and a crank to drive them. The drum carder produces a moderately tenuous bat of fiber, which can either be torn into strips along the “grain” to make roving or it can be rolled perpendicular to the grain to make little logs called rolags.

Next we did some drop spindle spinning “in the grease.” This means spinning wool that still has a fair amount of  lanolin in it. In our case, there was also some vegetable matter and maybe an occasional trace of sheep poo in it, too. The spindling was much easier with Leslie’s spindles than our tiny whorled homemade ones.

From the drop spindling warm-up, we moved on to learning to use the wheel. I think this post is long enough, so I’ll save the wheel stuff for another post.

[Via http://bpatricksullivan.wordpress.com]

Qype: Tim Hortons in London

London

The brand name Tim Hortons is ubiquitous in Canada. Driving along Canadian city main streets it seems a Tim Hortons outlet appears every several hundred yards. There are some 3000 branches, the majority located in Canada with around 500 in the U.S. They began in the 1960s initially only offering coffee and donuts. Now they do soup and sandwich style lunches offering combo deals as well as a range of bakery goods. Good coffee has been a consistently strong feature of the brand.

We were travelling east towards London, Ontario on Highway 401 and feeling like a bite for lunch stopped at Ingersoll, a fairly small town close by. The Tim Hortons Ingersoll branch is strategically located being one of the first retail premises encountered as you enter the town. We noticed people eating there who appeared to be truckers and delivery drivers.

My partner and I both had some chicken noodle soup which at 2.59 Canadian dollars [equivalent of 1.47 GBP] was very reasonable. The soup, served with crackers of course and not bread, was just a little greasy but still very good. I had a chicken sandwich too was quite wholesome. It had some vinaigrette dressing which I would have appreciated knowing about beforehand. In Canada the sandwich default tends to be with dressing rather than without as is the case in the U.K. We both had a tea as refreshment poured in a Tim Hortons container, a familiar sight in Canada.

The bill in total was moderate and the service, Canadian style, was once again civil and cordial.

Check out my review of Tim Hortons – I am grian1954 – on Qype

[Via http://grian.wordpress.com]

Joining the Mile High Club

Back in the day, taking to the friendly skies and belonging to the elusive Mile High Club meant one very specific thing. Nowadays, “getting lucky” in the air means receiving a bag of sesame snacks or pretzels. Since some airlines offer absolutely nothing in terms of complimentary food, the snack box provided by Porter Airlines during a recent Toronto to Montreal flight was more than a pleasant surprise.

The box features Porter’s cute raccoon mascot and slides open to reveal a small turkey sandwich (on whole wheat with a tasty spread), a pack of melba toast, and a Babybel cheese round.

Considering the flight was just over an hour and I was prepared for nothing, I was overjoyed to have this snack. The sandwich offered sustenance, I love cheese and the feeling of being fed, even a little bit, left me singing Porter’s praises. Plus, I was offered complimentary wine, beer or a soft drink served in an actual glass. This isn’t even taking into account the wonderful lounge with complimentary wireless internet access, bottled water, cookies, almonds and latte’s in their Toronto City Centre Airport.

Unfortunately, I’d be remiss not to note that on the way back, the flight attendant was crusty and didn’t hand out a snack box (my heart sunk), though we were given a choice of snacks, which included a bag of Terra Chips or biscuits. But I guess it’s better to get lucky once, than never at all.

Leave a comment and tell us about the best in-flight meal you’ve ever had.

[Via http://platoputas.wordpress.com]

Close Call

On Tuesday we all sort of split up, so I was left to my own devices, which in all sincerity is not a good idea.  So after completing my normal routine, I got a quick massage and again jumped on a motorcycle to make my way to MBK for some business.

I lost track of time and realized that I had to shoot back to help Mehdi train.  I was going to be late so again I jumped on a motorcycle.  It is so exhilarating to weave in and out of traffic, accelerating to smash through intersections, and sucking in diesel fumes.  Ok maybe that last point is not cool. Anyway we were weaving in and out of traffic and a pick up truck blindly switch lanes.  At the last minute the driver recognized his error and switched back, but he still clipped my shoulder with his side view mirror., torquing me hard in my seat.   This was followed by a litany of curses from my driver.  But I was ok, as long as my Oakleys and Maxpedition bag was still with me .  But it pays to have a good core, otherwise it could have been worse getting torqued like that in my seat.  However I really enjoy the motorbike, so I will still keep using it.

Dinner was amusing.  I had Persian food, in Thailand   Tomorrow will be cool as I booked in some time with a private coach to work some clinch.  This will be painful   Here is another video for you guys, please enjoy, Jd

[Via http://kombatarts.wordpress.com]

Why you need to reconnect your life power after a trauma

by Dr. Brent Lipke DC

When Christopher Reeve aka Superman fell and broke his neck, his brain didn’t become totally disconnected from his body, or he would have died, but he did become partially disconnected brain from body. 

When this happened, less of the LIFE power from his brain flowed to his body and his body began to degenerate.

The day after his injury, although he looked the same, he was as disconnected from that LIFE power as he was ever going to be. 

Years later, before he died, how did he look? Muscles atrophied, organs weakened, but his body was the same amount disconnected from his brain as right after the accident.

All that changed, was time passed. What happened to superman in a second happens to people on a smaller scale every day due to the traumas of life.  They slowly get disconnected from parts of their body leading to disease.  Chiropractors focus on reconnecting this LIFE power between the brain and body, restoring normal function.

To learn more about how a safe, gentle and scientific, Chiropractic adjustment could TRANSFORM your health contact your chiropractor.  If you are interested in a complimentary consultation, CALL  The Family Chiropractic Centre, 519-837-1234. 

I’m Dr. Brent Lipke, educating you to help you educate others !

[Via http://familychiropracticcentre.wordpress.com]

Jack & Jones. Store Locations

Jack & Jones is owned by the Danish clothing company called Bestseller A/S founded in 1975.

Their clothing is very Urban Chic styled, trendy and unique color choices. They got all type of  clothing apparel from Jeans, Shirts, T-Shirts, Outerwear and so on.

Their Belts, Jeans and Outerwear jackets are worth Mentioning.

P.S. They Have Stores in Europe, Middle East, China and Canada

Below is the link to go straight to their Store Locator

http://www.jackjones.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Content?langId=110&storeId=11201&catalogId=10051&spotName=StoreLocatorJJ

[Via http://wheredoibuy.wordpress.com]

Facebook Fansens Fantasy , le tre F ,Meryluise Astrologa

Facebook  Fansens Fantasy le tre F di Meryluise Astrologa

 SO CHE SONO MORTALE E DI ESSERE LA CREATURA DI UN GIORNO; MA QUANDO SCRUTO GLI INNUMEREVOLI CERCHI RUOTANTI DELLE STELLE, I MIEI PIEDI NON TOCCANO PIU’ LA TERRA E, FIANCO A FIANCO DELLO STESSO ZEUS, MI SAZIO DI AMBROSIA, IL CIBO DEGLI DEI”.(Claudio Tolomeo)

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NOTTE MAGICA DEI DESIDERI NUOVO ANNO CELTICO HALLOWEEN [HQ]   E’ un video per tutti per grandi e per piccini ,è magia Magia della terra che rinasce atraverso le Fate, ho scritto e declamato parole per un buon futuro per chi lo guarda e lo condivide. c’ ‘è una MUSICA mAGICA MEDIOEVALE MOLTO BELLA, da Fata Meryluise Astrologa Buon Anno a chi lo guarderà. Non costa nul…la provarcii accresce. AVEVANO RAGIONE I CELTI L’ANNO NUOVO E’ QUANDO IL SEME RINASCE A NUOVA VITA…IN AUTUNNO INOLTRATO IN LINEA ALTERNATIVA QUANDO GERMOGLIA A PRIMAVERA. RINASCITA PER CHI LO GUARDA RINASCITA RINASCITA. Durata:2:44

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