Is hands-free really safer?

The National Post asks Is hands-free really safer?.

Actually holding a cellphone to your ear to conduct a conversation would, at first blush, not appear as dangerous, but then you do often have to avert your eyes to manually key in a phone number, so the loss of the traditional phone call while driving is not to be lamented. In fact, were our provincial legislature more brave, it would have banned an even wider list of activities all too common to modern motoring such as applying lipstick, reading the newspaper, editing manuscripts and even changing diapers (yes, indeed, I have seen that one). The common thread to all these activities is that they require diverting your eyes from the road ahead, which is very dangerous when you’re driving.

Hands-free regulation bugs me. I think people should be safe and use hands-free technology whenever possible. The key is increasing overall safety. I use a bluetooth headset when making calls in the car. My LG Chocolate is brain-dead and does not allow me to use voice dialing through the bluetooth headset so I use speed dials on the keypad which I can do by touch.

Incoming calls and unplanned outgoing high priority calls are another matter. I’d like to think that I am capable of weighing the safety costs rather than have a well-meaning but sometimes misguided law that states that if I’m holding a cell phone to my ear I am breaking the law. I understand that a clear-cut law is better than the subjective opinion of a police officer and/or judge, but the regulation still bugs me.

Perhaps its just my own conceit to believe that I make above average cell phone while driving decisions, above average LCBO bottles in the blue bin decisions, above average incandescent light bulb decisions, and above average grocery plastic bag re-use decisions.

October 28th

Even though it was a miserable day (oh, how I hate misty rain!), it was still my day off and Soph and I trekked out to the Mill Street brewpub. They didn’t have any of their pumpkin beer on tap, presumably saving it up for Halloween, so I got a sample tray. The first was the Frambozen, described as a raspberry wheat (pictured on the left). There was little carbonation, a nice hint of tartness and only a slightly syrupy taste. Not exactly a nice fit for the weather, but a decent fruit beer.

Next up was their Pilsner (second from right), which I have had before in both tap and bottle form (and quite enjoyed). Something was very off today and it tasted like butterscotch nastiness. Soph agreed and we were glad we didn’t invest in a full pint. It was so bad, the sample went unfinished and we didn’t pick up any from the store.

Their ESB (right) was surprising, mainly because it tasted a bit like coffee and chocolate, though without any of the intensity of a porter or stout. A little malty, it was decent but not extraordinary. The final beer was the IPA, which was also decent, though too watery and with no lasting bitter hoppiness. I did purchase a growler, which did prove to be a very suitable complement to Rock Band that night. (PS. I own “Chop Suey.”) Soph and I also split a half-pint of the Oktoberfest Marzen, which was on cask. Lots of sour, oaky qualities, which was a bit surprising. Not exactly to my taste, but Soph enjoyed it.

The pros and cons of Mill Street’s brewpub are debatable: it is nice to be able to try experimental Mill Street beers, but must we be served by girls in kilts? I understand what they are trying to do from a business standpoint, but I will never love it. However, it was nice to see them actually brewing for once (and to smell the sweet odor of wort). But we did see a vat labelled “Hot Liquor Tank” that was steaming a bit too much and a jumpsuited brewer ran past Soph, saying that wasn’t supposed to happen. Perhaps the cause of funky tasting pilsners?

Mill Street ESB on Ratebeer

Mill Street Frambozen on Ratebeer

Mill Street IPA on Ratebeer

Mill Street Oktoberfest Marzen on Ratebeer

Mill Street Pilsner on Ratebeer

Today: 1.6L. Year-to-date: 22.38L.

BASECAMP Part 5 – Next steps and conclusions

So that was Basecamp, a “very full-on” weekend with and for church planters. It was probably the best weekend conference I have attended in my Christian life so far and I would fully recommend anyone who is thinking of being involved in or leading a church plant to go on the next one in 2010.

I guess in this final post about it I should share some of the take homes that we came away with and some of the answers to questions we went with.

Over the last year we have become surer that we have been called to be involved in a church plant in Canada. This has come through many hours of prayer, listening to Father receiving prophecies, and asking questions, while waiting for the answers. We went to Basecamp with a number of questions that we were looking for answers to. These include where, when, how and what the next steps for us would be.

Having now shared our experience with the elder team at our church we are able to be a little more open about our plans for the future and what we got out of Basecamp.

The first thing is that we are called to lead a church plant. In the past we were unsure if we were called to lead or be part of a core team. Both leading up to the weekend and during the weekend we received a number of prophecies about this and God has also ‘spoken into our hearts’ about it. We now feel sure that is what we are called to do.

The next question is where we are called to lead this church plant. We do feel called to south eastern Ontario in Canada (around Toronto, when I say around, around in Canadian is about a 600 mile diameter!) but as yet we are not sure as to where exactly that is. This again was confirmed over the weekend.

Over the weekend we were able to discern a way forward thanks to our church planting coach. The first of these is for MrsBeatthedrum and me to attend the New Frontiers Canada leader’s conference in January which is in the death of winter (constant  -10 to -15 C temperatures). This will allow us to build relationships up with people in Canada, get to know people, experience the full horror of a Canadian winter and mix with other church leaders in Canada.

Following that we are going to have a family holiday in Canada in summer 2010 so we can have a scout about and have a look at a few places and for the kids to experience Canada.

From there things will probably pick up pace with the plan to move to Canada and settle for a short period of one or two years,in an already established church so that we can culturally acclimatise to Canada before striking out on our own.

So that’s the big picture, the local picture is a lot more complex. We need to learn a number of skills while still here in Durham and implement a number of things into our lives. These include skills such as

1. Preaching
2. Leading and multiplying small groups
3. Being involved in alpha
4. Leading and developing a ministry in the church
5. Learning to build many relationships outside of the church
6. Hospitality

These are going to take a lot of time and effort but will be worth the effort of we can gain a harvest for Jesus in Canada and indeed in Durham

On top of all this we came away with a question to ask our elders, “What character issues do we have to correct before we go….” now that one is a biggy and may take all the time between then and now to sort out!

So that was Basecamp, fully worth the time, money and energy we spent on it. Thanks again to all those who served us on the weekend and I hope and pray that Jesus will see a huge harvest from the workers who attended.

Canwest's debts

  TORONTO -Details of Canwest’s debts to other companies outlined in creditor list.   The  list of debts filed on the website of Canwest Global Communication Corp’s court-appointed monitor as it restructures under creditor protection offer a glimpse into the  accrued  finances of this poorly managed Canadian media firm. that owns and manages also the National Post, the  Montreal Gazette, Edmonton Journal and Ottawa Citizen dailies, and  there’s been much speculation about the future of Canwest’s newspapers. The detailed list of nearly 1,000 bills and debts shows that the insolvent media conglomerate owes from a handful of dollars to millions to a long list of companies, including television production houses, taxi firms and a florist. Imagine that owning money to a taxi firm too.. Unbelievable.  The bills are  comprised mainly, but not solely  of   corporate expenses for a company that owns dozens of newspapers, the Global TV network, and web properties – now do stretch as high as several million dollars. The Winnipeg-based media giant has been unable to pay such operating expenses as it struggles with $4 billion in corporate debt.  Canwest hopes to restructure its business and emerge from creditor protection by the end of January. ” In documents filed earlier this month, the court outlined stipulations that allowed Canwest to continue receiving services deemed essential to its operations, like television programming, while it restructures”   Let me be simply clear about it. I rightfully do along with many others have no respect to Canwest or any of it’s news media actual or supposedly credibility, and that of all of it’s affiliates now as well,  when firstly they could not, cannot even properly manage their business, and pay their debts. Definitely they are unprofessionally managed. So how can they Canwest even exemplarily continue now try to present, write about any of the news occurring now too. How dare they also now hypocritically, write about, criticize any  other firms, persons operation, related management too  now as well when Canwest itself is, has been undeniably guilty of extremely  poor management.

Science and the Importance of Space: Not Outer Space, Mind you, Just Space

The fact that I’ve lived now for over 20 years in a city as crowded as Cairo, Egypt makes me very conscious of the concept and importance of space. To get from one part of Cairo to another one moves literally sometimes at a crawling pace as streets have become over-burdened with more cars than the city can handle. Egyptians have a very small space bubble. We hug and kiss almost everyone we greet, we hold hands as we talk to each other, we throw ourselves into crowded markets and bazaars with the same excited feeling we have when we jump into a swimming pool. Our apartment buildings are packed one right beside the other and our apartments one atop of the other. Open any window and you can easily hold a conversation with the person living on the same floor across the street.

It is this constant awareness of space that gave me pause for reflection while visiting the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics in Waterloo, Canada.

The Perimeter Institute (PI) specializes in cross-disciplinary research in cosmology, particle physics, quantum foundations, quantum gravity, quantum information theory and string theory. One day I’ll figure out what all that means. But for now, as I went on a guided tour through the Institute I was fascinated by the way space was designed to maximize researchers’ opportunities to think, be creative, and to interact with one another.

Draw a line under the word “cross-disciplinary”. After years of scientists living in the micro-cosmos of their ultra-specialized fields, they are now realizing more and more how important it is for science to reach across disciplines. Our realm of knowledge cannot grow and develop and mature unless scientists from different disciplines work with each other, share what they know and build on that shared knowledge.

PI is bringing theoretical physicists to Canada from all over the world to share the knowledge of their different disciplines in order to solve some of the most complicated questions about our micro- and macro-universes. Their ambitious plan is to eventually house the largest concentration of theoretical physicists anywhere in the world.

And PI clearly realizes the importance of providing the necessary space for creativity and collaborations to happen. The magnificence of architectural design starts in the office. One of each researcher’s four office walls is a window that peers out onto the world beyond. Perimeter itself is surrounded by relatively open space so that researchers see earth and grass and trees and water and the buildings of the town beyond. A second of the office’s four walls is a blackboard or a whiteboard. There was not one office that did not have one of these, full of what my eye sees as endless scribbles but what I’m sure are most probably complex equations.

Walk out of the office and on every floor of this three-storey building you find cozy lounge areas with leather couches, a refreshment booth, and yes, a huge blackboard full of scientists’ doodles. On the third floor scientists can walk out onto a veranda that seemingly projects itself from this black-mirrored building and seamlessly hangs over the green below. The veranda is lined by wooden benches and smack in the middle is a blackboard that scientists can use on both sides. Part of the building also surrounds a ground-floor garden that one can see from any of the multitude of glass walls in the building’s hallways. And what does one find right beside the bushes, their leaves a brownish green as autumn draws to a close? A huge blackboard, probably 2 x 3 meters large.

These areas are designed to encourage scientists to leave their offices and lounge with colleagues from their own and other disciplines. In one lounge area, scientists can drink coffee, play pool, and either chat about their 10-year-old’s crush on the girl at school or idly discuss their latest thoughts on loop quantum gravity, cosmic acceleration, and black rings and then suddenly jump to the blackboard as their conversation progresses to some stroke of genius thinking.

I see this and heart-wrenchingly remember a recent visit I made to Cairo University’s Faculty of Science. There’s not much to see really other than dark, moldy labs full of dusty, cracked equipment to a large degree from the 1960s. Even when the equipment is more recent, it’s still placed in the dark, moldy labs. Think grave and you sort of get the idea of the environment Egyptian scientists have to work in.

Scientists need knowledge, equipment, labs, and grants in order to be productive. But today I’ve learned something else. Scientists also need light and space to think creatively and they need each other to take the science to new frontiers.

Kitty Cats

My sister recently married and moved to Ottawa to join her husband in their new house.  Having both grown up with cats around, John and Heather quickly decided to get two kittens to help them settle in.  I wanted to visit Heather shortly after she arrived and the kittens only added an extra incentive for me to head up there.  At the end of September I did and was able to play with these curious balls of the fur.

The younger one is Sophie and she loves people.  When I arrived Heather handed her to me and she immediately laid on her back in my arms (a couple seconds later she began batting at the icon on my breast pocket thinking it was a bug).  Later, when I was going to bed Sophie joined me, but this kitten likes to sleep under the covers – it has no fear of people.

Roxi is the other kitty, but is a little shier.  She reminds me a little of my cat Yuki, but is definitely smaller.  She was also playful and would lie on her back in my arms.

Here are some photos of them playing while I was at the house, but as always there are more hiding over at my photos site.

Lock 'N' Load - What? Gun owners are people too? Huh.

Documentary loaded for bore; comedy team has terrible aim

Ready… aim… snooze: Josh T. Ryan does his best to make Lock ‘N’ Load entertaining, but he’s fighting a losing battle.

————————————–

By: Brad Oswald / Watching TV

21/10/2009 1:00 AM

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/entertainment/TV/documentary-loaded-for-bore-comedy-team-has-terrible-aim-65138167.html

Guns. Ammunition. Americans.

One might think — especially up hereabouts, where our more benign attitude toward firearms makes us believe we’re more evolved than our southern neighbours — that these three elements are all that’s required to create big, wild, out-of-control gun-toting craziness.

If the new reality series Lock ‘N Load is any indication, that might not be the case. The six-part documentary project, produced for U.S. cable’s Showtime network (and premiering in Canada tonight at midnight on Movie Central), offers viewers an inside look at American gun culture through the eyes of the staff and customers at a suburban-Denver gun shop called The Shootist.

The series’ description suggests we’ll be offered a fascinating look at a perhaps-troubling aspect of U.S. society. The truth is that Lock ‘N Load doesn’t deliver much of anything at all.

Obviously inspired by hidden-camera-reality shows like HBO’s intensely cheeky Taxicab Confessions, the producers of this new unscripted offering set up a handful of cameras in The Shootist’s showroom and downstairs firing range, conscripted salesman Josh T. Ryan to act as host/inquisitor, and then just waited for the real, gun-lovin’ folks to walk through the front door.

Unfortunately, what Lock ‘N Load reveals is that shopping for armaments is a rather ordinary American pastime carried out, mostly, by very ordinarily uninteresting people. Ryan does his level best to turn each sales opportunity into a fascinating, funny conversation, but almost everyone he encounters has very little to say.

Sure, there are occasional oddballs, like a church minister who makes regular visits to the firing range (”I love shooting… I think there’s a biblical principle that’s very sound — the notion of defending your family, your possession, your own life”), or the alarmingly uptight collector who turns up to collect his (legally) modified assault rifle (”I bought it because I love shooting guns; I love blowing s–t up”), or the numerous people for whom gun shopping is a family — toddlers and all — affair.

Mostly, it’s just ordinary folks looking to make a fairly commonplace purchase. Canucks hoping to find ammunition for their more-civilized-than-thou argument will be disappointed.

Lock ‘N Load fires blanks.

2 Plant Packages Available for October 26

I have decided to no longer take reservations for plant packages.  Rather than build a list of people and then try and sort out who gets what each week, I am going to post the packages that are available and the species that will be included.  Prices, including shipping, are as follows:

5 Species Plant Package

• Within Ontario – $24
• Outside Ontario – $39

6 Species Plant Package

• Within Ontario – $26
• Outside Ontario – $41

7 Species Plant Package

• Within Ontario – $27
• Outside Ontario – $42

The price increases reflect a bit better understanding of what this is costing me in packaging and shipping.  The packages that are posted will be on a first come, first serve basis.  Contact me via the email address on my contact page, canaquaticgardens@gmail.com, or by posting a comment to this thread.

As most (all?) of the people I have sold plants to will tell you, I will try my best to provide fair value compared to a LFS or other online supplier.

Well, with that out of the way, the following 5 and 6 species packages are available this week:

Package 1

• Pogostemon stellata
• Valisneria spiralis
• Ludwigia repens
• Hemianthus micranthemoides
• Christmas moss

Package 2

• Pogostemon stellata
• Rotala macrandra
• Rotala wallichi
• Blyxa japonica
• Hygrophelia polysperma
• Ludwigia repens

These plants will be available until Oct 27th.

How anonymous is your anonymised data?

The question is how anonymous is your data once stripped of ‘personal identifying information’ (PII) when used by data aggregation companies for analysis. PII can include name, postcode, etc. I made a couple of blog posts in 2008 concerning this. According to a study led by the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario, previously anonymised data were able to be correlated again from patient prescription records rending the anonymising process ineffective and a threat to patient privacy.

A Cool Cruise

 

Me, Dick McMichael, on the Triumph headed out of New York, NY harbor for Boston; Portland, Maine; St. John, New Brunswick, Canada; Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

I took a vacation from blogging last week,  going on a cool cruise ship.  When I say cool, I mean it literally, as well as the other way.  Carnival Cruise Lines sent the Triumph, which, I am told, has no heater on it, up the  New England and Canadian coast.  Temperatures were in the low thirties and forties.  When I complained to a service desk employee, he told me that I could close the air conditioning vent.  I told him that I did that and the cabin was still cold.  He said he was sorry.  I asked him if the cabins were going to get some heat. He said they would  not. He was right.

Jorge Solano, Cruise Director for the Carnival Lines' Triumph

I decided that before I reported on this I would get another source in order to make sure that there was no capacity to heat the cabins for the 2,758 passengers and 1,100 crew members.  After seeing and being thoroughly entertained by the ship’s Cruise Director Jorge Solano, a very funny man, I decided I would ask him.  He granted my request for an interview. 

I told him that I really enjoyed his performances, and that the entertainment on the ship was first rate.  That was not just flattery. I meant it. There were two other hilarious comedians who performed, and big colorful production shows with elaborate costumes, skilled dancers and a great show band.  The ship’s service personnel were helpful and friendly, the food was excellent, and the decor was Las Vegas magical, but I did hear a lot of passengers complaining about their cold cabins.

“Does this ship not have a heater?”

“I don’t think it does, but let me get an official answer, ” he said as he dialed up a Carnival official.   After the conversation, he said that the ship definitely did not have a heater.  When I told him that it was incredible that Carnival would send a ship up the Northeast coast with no heating capacity, he smiled and said, “I’ve been cold, too. I had no idea it was going to be this cold up here.”  He had told me that  being cruise director did not mean he was responsible for the ship, that his job was strictly being in charge of the ship’s entertainment.  He did that very well, and was a likeable guy. 

Cold in our cabins or not, we – I went with a group from the First Baptist Church of Columbus – still had a lot of fun and enjoyed experiencing some places I have never been before.  More on that coming up.   

Carnival Cruise Line's Triumph docked in New York, NY

dear uganda

I’LL STOP FUCKING SISTAS WHEN YOU STOP SLEEPING WITH RIGHT WING “CHRISTIAN” FUNDAMENTALISTS!

 

to the rest of the world.

did you hear the latest?

the bomb that went off at that mosque, in Pakistan earlier this morning?

 

en a couple of days ago… that anti homosexuality bill, the one that was coming for many moons now,

 that got tabled in the parliament of Uganda, on Wednesday October 14th.  Have you heard about Bill 18?

 

I’d like to hear your responses. I uploaded the bill onto the a is for pages….read it (again)

 

and no! spammers, or anyone confused by the brashness and vulgarity….this post does not depict (live) sex acts or images.

 

(although I wish it did, I would really rather be watching good porn than writing about how my sistren and bredrin have had a witch hunt called on them, this persecution is not new. but it’s enough of it already. time’s up! as another warrior sista said)

 

Wathint abafazi!
Wathint` imbokodo uzo kufa!

 

read the lines of the bill, and, then read between the lines. Who wrote those words? Where did the content come from?

Feefifofum, methinks I smell a U.S fundamentalist Christian. They are after all one of the most likely suspects.

I think Family Life Network needs to issue an official retraction to Obama en the people of Uganda. Do you remember that anti-gay conference from March 5-8 that they organised? do you remember George/ina?

s/he was not just a harbinger of the heightened backlash, but a symptom en consequence of the unsupportive climate for queer/trans rights. Google the stories. This time it’s worse because activists won’t even be able to advocate for queer/trans rights. There will be more imposed silence. And the people who can will run away…..

my bias should be made clear. i’m writing with the assumption that we’re organising in solidarity with the queer/trans activists and communities of Uganda. I would like to pretend that this is all a hoax. a really bad joke. but that’s the shit folks.

we ain’t gonna agonise too much though, we been getting organised for a long time now…..

en there’s many of us (u) people…

and we’re getting more fed up en less willing to indulge in ignorance.

 

This post is in protest of Bill 18. These views are (not)  my own.

these words are not supposed to be taken as endorsed by wordpress or any organisation in particular

that should be a given.

but I warn you, I am not in the minority here.

(there are many sistas en brothas in solidarity with us. why jus’ yesterday a group of (mostly) sistas,  talked and organised in response to this very bill. This post is jus’ a prelude to a sustained campaign)

Wathint abafazi!
Wathint` imbokodo uzo kufa!

 

that is what we have to say in response to your dividing and oppressive tactics

 

we will not stand for this blatant violation of all our rights.

the bill has WESTERN. CONSTRUCTION. Emblazoned.

the arguments are imported.

the origins of those very laws you’re upholding are imperialist.

Infact the mama of these sodomy laws, first tried out by the British in India, jus got repealed a few days before it was official that Uganda was working on this very bill.

that’s a fact.

 

and your weak arguments wouldn’t hold up in any (true) court of law.

your claims are bogus.

your intentions are dubious.

and , again, they are in full violation of  (global) human rights.

of our rights as Afrikan ctizens.

 

it’s simple as that.

 

in the words of john legend, we’re just ordinary people,

and you’re using all a dis “foreign” terms to describe us.

 

homosexual? yes, i know many. but i’m not one. i still want the right to promote their rights.

lesbian? not for me anymore. but I don’t want you to encourage people to murder my sistas.

bisexual? get over the binaries already. I am (much more than a) wo/m/ban. i prefer two spirited. even try mukhanatun, or khanith or sangoma. but again, to each one their own, and I’m adamant about all our rights in this rainbow soup of identities.

 

we don’t need another stonewall. leave that to “a people’s hirstory of the U.S”

what we need is to stop being exploited in this fight for power.

we need to reclaim our (indigenous) afrikan identities.

need to know our true cultures.

 

we need allies.

we need you (en I).

we’re recruiting…(sistas in solidarity, en, brothas in solidarity with this anti-homosexuality bill)

 

big brother.

Obama..

you just waxed poetically political about LGBT  rights in Washington.

you know, Kogello is historically connected with Uganda.

we all are.

 

here’s something else to add on to your list,

to actually do something (more) to deserve that prize.

this one won’t even take that much.

en it’s your country’s mess too.

 

you should know, that it’s American citizens who were involved in organising that anti-gay conference in March, actually they were instrumental in it’s convening. It’s public knowledge.

you need to speak truth to power. and actually do something about some of your promises. but we ain’t gonna hold our breath.

En  I’m not going to wait for my sistren en bredrin to die in response.

And  I really don’t want to be fighting you. my fight is not (just) with my people, it is with all oppressors.

 

In our opinion, in this, as with many other, matter/s, QPOC must unite.

Afrika must unite!

 

For you see we got our enemies confused, en we’re distracted en scattered.

that’s all I’m saying.

 

But wait, there’s the hope to express (still)

I wish parliament would table a bill on criminalising capitalism and neo colonialism with such conviction and ease.

know thy self. en know thine enemy.

WE are (not) the problem.

 

This post is in solidarity with the peoples of Uganda, in solidarity with queer/trans Afrikans everywhere.

This post is the logical response to a neo-colonial regime that takes on western constructions of homophobia in the persecution of it’s own people.

I’ve said it before, else where on this blog, en I’ll say it again.

(it’s important to repeat the truth)

i will be the first to agree that…. those identities, homosexual, lesbian, bisexual, sodomite, transsexual, transgender….those are all just (considered) english words, birthed in particular contexts.

lesbian is just another word for  that island of lesbos. the poet sappho.

en, queer, is just reclaimed language. transformed through time with imperialism, globalisation en resistance.

 

there are many words, many other terms that I’d choose before those ones….

but those are the terms that many people apply for me. and that I’ll take up when I choose to.

all that, those are just words. and then again they’re not.

 

All those words carry political meaning. They are provisional.

And they’re being used in deadly ways in this bill.

 Read through all the words, and you got (say it with me now),

 the western construction of homophobia.

that’s my point and I’m sticking with it.

 

It’s illogical, otherwise, to use the very western constructs that shape your understanding  of the abominations and perversions inherent in what you call “homosexuality”, (not) when you say that your position is that we are alien to our lands. which is it the foreign presumption of our need to be wiped out from existence, or our non-existence?

This bill is  nothing more than bull shit. We should have zero tolerance for corruption en lies.

and I can say it as crudely as that, because I’m not presenting this at the U.N, or talking to Bahati in parliament…

I can say that, because I’m not in Uganda. And I’m saying it because I’m worried about the consequences for comrades en family of mine. those in kampala and throughout Uganda.

it’s as personal as our lives and work.

 

so, let’s continue organising ourselves.

in the spirit of working on our own unity first.

 

because if we don’t take up this fight,

who will?

 

let me pass you some ideas that sistas gave me yesterday..there are many things we can do…

learn more about the situation. Talk about it with others. Talk to your mp. Write to Harper. Jack Layton. Michael Ignatieff. Get on radio. Write those op-eds on your blog, to theToronto Star, to Now…..do something more…

Roll those boycotts. Ban all Ugandan officials from travelling to Canada. And expedite the process for Ugandan refuges, if the worst happens. Get Egale to officially pay for all a dis, and have queer/trans afrikans in Canda lead the campaign. Work in solidarity with groups in Uganda.

The official contacts in Uganda are SMUG &  Freedom & Roam Uganda. The numbers are in the previous post.

Start where you are. en for our comrades en allies…stay tuned for the launch of the pan-afrikan (queer/trans) activist listserv. We’ll continue building solidarity in more focused spaces. And we’ll work on sharing resources. Because it’s not just about this bill. It’s about re/building community and the struggle for Afrikan liberation.

It’s not a secret. Spread the word. We’re recruiting.

We’re working on our own petitions, and we’re planning ahead…

We’re  

SISTAS.in.SOLIDARITY.

(another name for the working group) 

with Uganda. and all (u) afrikan people

Vancouver VIA Rail

Credits-  Template by Shabby Miss Jen’s Designs;  Paper by Jessica Sprague Blue Solid paper from Cr8 Mini Kit;  Elements:  Stapler Pair and Heart Sticker both by KPertiet;  Alpha by Jessica Sprague from Grand Intention Kit

Trains fascinate me because it evokes a feel of the olden days.  It is the only means of public transportation to Vancouver from Jasper unless one drives to Edmonton and fly out from there.  An opportunity I cannot pass up and so I booked us on the VIA Rail Canada and got ourselves to Vancouver via rail!

Not without some 7-hour delay.  While VIA Rail owns 223 kilometers of tracks, most of the infrastructure used by the passenger service is owned and managed by the freight railways operators.  In short, the train will be late and it is not their fault.  So looking at the glass half full, we took the opportunity to see more of Jasper.  How can one get tired of this quaint town anyway?  So off we went to Maligne Canyon… and got back way before the train arrived.   No complaints from us!

The 20-hour (thereabout) train ride offered beautiful sceneries.  The high-level coaches and lounge cars have big windows for better viewing pleasure.

Money well-spent…

VIA Rail Canada Jasper Station 601Connaught Dr., Jasper, AB

My New Shoes!

So, I haven’t done the “My shoes of the Week” for a few weeks because of my internet problems and no camera, basically the world of blogging was against me (and still may be because my less than year old laptop screen keeps flickering! Which is scaring me!)

Anyways, I have been shopping though! I bought new shoes, of course.

So I will showcase one pair in particular that I bought. since I have been obsessed wih ruffles as of late. I found these cute Steve Madden look alikes: (don’t mind my hairy legs, I bought wax strips too so that will be gone soon lol)

 

I think they will look super cute with coloured tights!

Are these not the cutest shoes!! AH I just am dying to wear them!! Best part they were on sale for only $15!! I got them from a store called Spring which is affiliated with Aldo.

Brinkley, Cook Take Bitter Shots In Divorce Battle

Supermodel Calls Ex-Husband A ‘Narcissist,’ While He Calls Her An ‘Angry, Vindictive Woman’

As if the divorce wasn’t ugly enough. On Tuesday, supermodel Christie Brinkley and her ex-hubby Peter Cook were taking some nasty shots at each other.
The bitter battle is playing out in a Riverhead courtroom. The supermodel was ordered to show up as the two settle some emotional “post-divorce” disputes. It was supposed to be a simple meeting between lawyers to approve a custody agreement, but when it comes to Brinkley and Cook, nothing is ever simple. 
“She is a bitter, angry, vindictive woman. And you think I’m the first? I’m number 4!” Cook told reporters after the meeting. 
“I think there’s a lot of people out there that would benefit from Googling the site, ‘Divorcing a Narcissist’ and it will give you a lot of insight about what I’ve been going through for the past 3 and ½ years,” Brinkley said.
Brinkley said Cook broke up their celebrity marriage when he took up with a teenage intern in his architect’s office, and then allowed his current girlfriend to spend time with their kids on the boat the couple once shared. 
Cook claims the supermodel is trying to sabotage his relationship with their children, Jack and Sailor. 
As attorneys were about to report that an eleventh hour settlement had been reached regarding custody and visitation rights, the hurling of charges and countercharges continued. 
“This is parental interference. I’m not going to put up with it. It’s not about a stupid girlfriend on a boat, this is about a mother keeping her child from a father that he loves,” said Cook. 
Brinkley’s attorney Peter Coronia said that interviews he gave to Geraldo Rivera and Barbara Walters violated the terms of their settlement. 
“Since Mr. Cook lost his custody in the original divorce trial, he has been relentless in a smear campaign against Ms. Brinkley. He has tried repeatedly to tarnish her image,” he said. 
Brinkley said her ex-husband violated their divorce’s confidentiality agreement by gabbing to the national press after serving her new legal slugfest papers during her children’s school holiday concert last year. 
“The court-appointed forensic psychologist diagnosed him as an extreme narcissist and that’s all I want to say,” Brinkley told reporters. 
Cook said his ex-wife is just out to make for negative publicity about him. 
“She doesn’t care about what’s said in here. She cares about what you all say,” he said. 
But after 10 minutes, before a Supreme Court justice, the two sides signed papers resolving their legal issues and ended the court fight. 
The judge, who held out hope a new trial would be avoided with a last minute deal, said he was pleased the children would be spared from the media spotlight. 
The agreement, according to Brinkley’s lawyers, tightened the language regarding the children’s passports and increased Cook’s summer visitation rights. When their nasty divorce trial ended last year, she got custody of the kids and kept the property. 
He received $2.1 million from Brinkley.

Please visit our website :

NBLSC provides Board Certification for Trial Lawyers & Trial Attorneys, Civil Lawyers, Criminal Lawyers,  Family Lawyers and Social Security Disability Lawyers.

Canada : La fin des prestations pousse les chômeurs vers les banques alimentaires

(source : La presse canadienne 12/10/09)

Les prestations d’assurance-emploi inadéquates forcent de plus en plus de gens à se tourner vers les banques alimentaires pour obtenir de l’aide, a affirmé dimanche Michael Ignatieff.
Le taux de chômage au Canada a diminué en septembre pour atteindre 8,4 pour cent. Il s’agit d’une baisse de 0,3 pour cent par rapport au mois d’août et la première depuis le début de la récession en automne dernier.
Si cette baisse est une occasion de se réjouir, le chef libéral a dit s’inquiéter tout de même des effets de la crise économique sur les chômeurs qui n’ont pas encore réussi à se trouver un nouvel emploi.
“Tout le monde est inquiet de savoir si cette baisse du taux chômage se maintiendra ou non. Nous allons l’encourager, mais le fait est que le chômage, dans certains cas, est très persistent”, a déclaré Michael Ignatieff aux journalistes en marge d’une collecte d’aliments dans un marché d’Ottawa, un jour après sa visite d’une banque alimentaire dans sa circonscription de Toronto.
Il a également indiqué que la demande pour les banques alimentaires avait augmenté de 17 pour cent dans la ville de Toronto l’année dernière. Selon lui, beaucoup de gens qui ont recours aux banques le font parce qu’ils ont épuisé leurs prestations d’assurance-emploi.
La période de temps durant laquelle une personne peut recevoir des prestations d’assurance-emploi dépend du taux de chômage de la région où elle vit. Le maximum pour les endroits ayant un taux élevé est de 50 semaines. Le gouvernement conservateur a rajouté cinq semaines à ce maximum lors du budget de janvier.
Les libéraux ont réclamé un régime d’assurance-emploi national uniforme. Ils ont également critiqué le gouvernement de Stephen Harper en raison de sa lenteur à dépenser les 12 millions $ mis de côté pour stimuler l’économie.
Un rapport récemment publié par l’Armée du Salut a révélé que la demande pour les banques alimentaires à travers le Canada avait augmenté durant la récession alors que les donations avaient diminué.

Upcoming Book Review: <i>Distant Early Warnings</i>

One review that is now complete and will be featured on the BookBanter site and possibly in Episode 18 on October 1st is Distant Early Warnings: Canada’s Best Science Fiction edited by Robert J. Sawyer.  I interviewed Sawyer in Episode 11 where he talked briefly about this project, but little did I know it was going to be such an enjoyable and fascinating collection.

And here’s the first paragraph to get you interested:

Readers who either don’t read a lot of science fiction, or don’t read a wide breadth of science fiction, may look at Distant Early Warnings and wonder: “Canada has science fiction writers?”  Then they’ll read down the list of the stories included in this collection by authors like Julie E. Czerneda, Nalo Hopkinson, and Robert Charles Wilson, and think to themselves: “They’re Canadian?”  And finally they look and see that Distant Early Warnings is edited by Robert J. Sawyer, a brilliant science fiction writer who has won just about every award possible, and think: “He’s Canadian too?”  Not only is science fiction alive and well and being skillfully created and written in the great country north of the United States, but it is in fact home to some of the best science fiction writers alive today.

And that review will be up on BookBanter on October 1st.

Les sondages reflètent-ils la réelle opinion politique des Canadiens ou...?

Je me suis demandé ce matin si les sondages qu’on nous présente à la télé sur les intentions de votes des canadiens étaient bien réels.

Depuis quelques temps ces sondages confirment tous que Michael Ignatieff est dans le pétrin que son leadership à la tête du Parti Libéral du Canada ne semble pas fonctionné.

Est-ce réellement le cas où ces sondages sont biaisées?

Je m’explique.

Les Libéraux de Michael Ignatieff n’ont pas le comportement et le discours réactifs en fonction de ces sondages.  Ils n’ont même pas modifié leur stratégie de faire tomber le gouvernement dès qu’ils pourront le faire.

Alors c’est là que l’idée m’est venu de croire que ces sondages pouvaient être biaisées sur commande libérale.  Si un parti peut initier une magouille de plusieurs centaines de millions dans un scandale des commandites, elle peut certainement commander de faux sondages afin de faire croire aux canadiens et même au premier ministre du Canada que son parti flirte avec la majorité alors que la réalité est tout autre qu’il pourrait se faire battre et Ignatieff devenir premier ministre.

Qu’on se comprenne ici. Je n’accuse pas les libéraux de rien mais avouons que côté magouilleux, comme parti politique il ne s’est pas fait pire au Canada —-> scandale des commandites.

Donc soit les Libéraux jouent à l’autruche ou ils savent des choses qu’on ne sait pas.

La prochaine élection nous dira qui avait raison, les sondeurs où l’attitude des Libéraux.

The Cowboy Junkies

The Cowboy Junkies came all the way from Canada to play their alt rock at the ArtsCenter, with Lee Harvey Osmond opening. The best part of the show? They’re playing again tomorrow night. Tickets are $32, get them here!

I had to miss Lee Harvey Osmond, but here are some shots from the Cowboy Junkies–including some from backstage!

–Lisa

Cowboy Junkies

Cowboy Junkies

Cowboy Junkies audience

Cowboy Junkies bass pegs

Cowboy Junkies drums from backstage

Cowboy Junkies soundboard from backstage

Cowboy Junkies piles of stuff backstage

The Sumner Brothers

Time for some homegrowm music – from British Columbia, Canada.

I recently just found these guys, well sorta – they kinda found me and sent a friend request to me on myspace, and man oh man I’m glad they did. I don’t make it by myspace all that much now-a-days with all the bullshit spam & whatnot that usually fills my inbox so when folks like these guys extend a invite to check out their music its a refreshing and welcoming change. As I’ve mentioned before I’m not too good at writing reviews and getting my thoughts down to text (although I’m working on it) so I’ll do some shamless cut & paste work with some links & videos for ya’ll to check out. I can say I really dig these guys music & look forward to when they make their way to Ontario.

The Sumner Brothers

First, some links and info about the band:

The Sumner Brothers
The Sumner Brothers Myspace
The Sumner Brothers Facebook
The Sumner Brothers on Twitter

Brian Sumner: Vocals/Guitar/Banjo/Harmonica
Bob Sumner: Vocals/Guitar/Banjo/Harmonica
Mike Ardagh: Drums
James Meger: Bass

At the CBC Radio 3 website, you can also listen to a handful of tracks from the band.

http://radio3.cbc.ca/bands/The-Sumner-Brothers

If your a listener of CBC Radio 3 be sure to help out the band and request a track or three. CBC Radio 3 Request Line: 1-877-955-6565

Copied from their website The Sumner Brothers

In the words of Bruce Springsteen, “nothing feels better than blood on blood”. The Sumner Brothers know this in the most intimate of ways; they make music together. They are a partnership and they are friends, and they are a band. The trust shared between front-men Brian and Bob Sumner is a trust that is hard to come by. It is a trust that requires no words, no flattery, and very little effort; it is a force and an inspiration, and it is what keeps the brothers, and their music honest and authentic.

This honesty is the bloodline of The Sumner Brothers music. Like many of their heroes before them; Johnny Cash, Townes Van Zandt or Neil Young, their songs aim to pierce hearts and dig deep beneath the skin. If the Brothers don’t own a song, if it does not live in the depths of their hearts and come from that place of true raw emotion, it doesn’t come at all, if they don’t believe it, you won’t hear it from them.

It is this commitment to authenticity that first drew the brothers to the songs of country, folk and blues, to roots music. Somehow banjos, harmonica’s and steel string guitars seem to lend themselves well to the notion of truth. These sounds coupled with the devastatingly low baritone of brother Brian, and the hauntingly sorrowful croon of brother Bob’s tenor, collide to form a sound, both unique and powerful.

When You Dig My Grave – The Sumner Brothers

Recording a new song in a log cabin in the mountains of Merritt B.C. for upcoming Winter Release.

Both Back – The Sumner Brothers

Where you can buy The Sumner Brothers CDs

http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/sumnerbrothers

Zulu Records
1972 W 4th Ave, Vancouver, BC, V6J 1M5
info@zulurecords.com
604.738.3232
http://zulurecords.com/

Red Cat Records
4307 Main St., Vancouver, BC, V5V 3R1
redcatrecords@gmail.com
604.708.9422
http://www.redcat.ca/

Norway ranks 1st in UN’s development index

In the latest Human Development Index (HDI) compiled by the United Nations, Norway came out on top as the best place to stay today.

HDI is an index used to rank countries by level of “human development”, which usually also implies whether a country is developed, developing , or underdeveloped. Needless to say, it is an index also where one sees the grave disparities between rich and poor countries.

The development index is a compilation of 182 countries ranked by the UN Development Program (UNDP) on standards based life expectancy, literacy, education and gross domestic product (GDP) per person.

Australia and Iceland completed the first three spots. Niger, Afghanistan, Sierra Leone and the Central African Republic were all found at the bottom of the list.

It was China that was seen to have made a significant stride in improving the welfare of its citizens as it moved up as the 92nd most developed country due to an improved income levels, life expectancy and educational standard.

France which was not included in the top 10 last year made a come back this year to rank 8th.  The United States placed 13th, slipping one spot down from last year.

This year’s index is said to have been based on data from 2007 and does not consider the impact of the global economic crisis.

The UN development index showed the top 10 countries as follows: Norway, Australia, Iceland, Canada, Ireland, the Netherlands, Sweden, France, Switzerland and Japan.

Dites non à la taxe sur la TV au Canada

Ce site Internet http://www.stopthetvtax.ca/?lang=fr vous invite à dénoncer la nouvelle taxe demandée par les grands réseaux du Canada, dirigés par CTV, Global et CBC.  Ils demandent au Conseil de la radiodiffusion et des télécommunications canadiennes (CRTC) d’imposer aux consommateurs une taxe sur la télévision pour les stations de télévision actuellement disponibles gratuitement par la voie des ondes.

Si vous désirez dénoncer, faites-le.

Sachez que cette taxe pourrait augmenter votre facture de câble de 5 à 10$ par mois.

Amistosos internacionais no fim do ano

Como divulgado hoje na edição do “Para Animar o Domingo” uma série de amistosos internacionais vão acontecer nos meses de outubro até dezembro desse ano, inclusive com jogos valendo vaga para o Mundial de 2011 na Nova Zelândia.

Confira os jogos e se programe! Na internet com certeza será possível assistir à todos eles.

21/10 - Argentina A (Jaguares) X Canada A, em Toronto

31/10 – Nova Zelândia X Austrália, no Estádio Olímpico, Tóquio, válido pela Bledisloe Cup

07/11 - Inglaterra X Austrália, em Twickenham, Londres

07/11 – País de Gales X Nova Zelândia, no Millenium Stadium, Cardiff

07/11 – Portugal X Namíbia em Lisboa

13/11 – França X África do Sul, em Toulose

13/11 – País de Gales X Samoa, no Millenium Stadium, Cardiff

14/11 – Geórgia X Argentina A (Jaguares), em Tbilisi

14/11 – Irlanda A X Tonga, em Dublin

14/11 – Italia A X Romênia

14/11 – Tunísia X Namíbia, em Tunís, primeiro jogo válido pela vaga África 1 no Mundial de 2011

14/11 – Japão X  Canadá, em Tóquio

14/11 – Inglaterra X Argentina, em Twickenham, Londres

14/11 – Escócia X Fiji, em Murrayfield, Edimburgo

14/11 – Itália X Nova Zelândia, no Estádio Giuseppe Meazza, Milão

14/11 – Uruguai X Estados Unidos, em Montevidéu, primeiro jogo válido pela vaga da América 2 no Mundial de 2011

15/11 - Irlanda X Austrália, no Croke Park, Dublin

21/11 - Portugal X Argentina A (Jaguares), em Lisboa

21/11 – Escócia A X Tonga

21/11 – Japão X Canadá, no Estádio International Chichibunomiya, Tóquio

21/11 – Italia A X Georgia

21/11 – Inglaterra X Nova Zelândia, em Twickenham, Londres

21/11 – País de Gales X Argentina, no Millennium Stadium, Cardiff

21/11 – Itália X África do Sul, no Estádio Friuli, Udine

21/11 – Irlanda X Fiji, no Royal Dublin Society, Dublin

21/11 – França X Samoa, no Stade de France, Paris

21/11 – Escócia X Austrália, em Murrayfield, Edimburgo

21/11 – Estados Unidos X Uruguai, na Flórida, partida final que define o classificado  na vaga América 2, Grupo C.  O grupo ainda tem Austrália, Irlanda, Itália e terá mais um país da Europa.

27/11 -Irlanda A X Argentina A (Jaguares), na Irlanda

28/11 - Portugal X Tonga, em Lisboa

28/11 – Canadá X Rússia, em Vancouver

28/11 – Irlanda X África do Sul, no Croke Park, Dublin

28/11 – Escócia X Argentina, em Murrayfield, Edimburgo

28/11 – Itália X Samoa, no Estádio Del Duca, Ascoli

28/11 – França X Nova Zelândia, em Marselha

28/11 – País de Gales X Austrália, no Millennium Stadium, Cardiff

28/11 – Namíbia X Tunísia, em Winduk, partida final que define o classificado na vaga África 1, Grupo D. O grupo ainda tem África do Sul, País de Gales, Fiji e Samoa, é o grupo da morte do Mundial

05/12 – Barbarians X Nova Zelândia, em Twickenham, Londres

My Other Job

William Perehudoff

“It must be so interesting to come from a family of artists,” someone said to me the other day. As I don’t know anything different, it seems pretty normal to me. My mother, Dorothy Knowles; father, William Perehudoff; sisters, Rebecca and Catherine; and brother-in-law, Graham Fowler, are all painters and while this means that I’m the odd man out, it also means that the upcoming Toronto International Art Fair, Oct 22- 26, is exciting.

While I’m here in Saskatoon, my hometown, there is work to do. For some reason art dealers who want work for the Fair never give us enough notice (thanks, guys!) so today my sister and I are trying to find a small 1960’s work of my dad’s for the Rukaj Gallery, easier said than done as dad, an abstract painter, painted LARGE in the 60’s. Plus, we need to get it stretched and framed and shipped asap.

Also on the agenda is to select some of my parents’ paintings for an upcoming group exhibition at the Douglas Udell Gallery.

 

 

Dorothy Knowles

 

Then there’s a travelling show of my mom’s landscape paintings organized by the Moose Jaw Art Museum and curated by Terry Fenton, which, I believe, is heading to Medicine Hat and then the McMichael Canadian Art Collection in Kleinberg, Ontario, plus an exhibit of my dad’s that the Mendel Art Gallery is organizing … but I let my sister, Catherine, deal with all that.

Mejores blogs y mejores webs

Hacer mejores blogs y mejores webs implican varibles que van desde contenidos propios interesantes hasta buena figuración en google. De ahí que nos hallamos esforzado en brindarles herramientas de este estilo tanto para blogs como para webs (ver directorio mejores blogs, directorio mejores webs). ¿ Qué ventajas reporta? Lo instantáneo del reporte de su enlace a google; es decir que es leido muy rapidamente por los buscadores y empieza a contar para su figuración en las busquedas.

Pero tambien creamos el directorio de blogs pcweb y el directorio web pc web. ¿Que ventajas añaden ? La autoridad y el aval de un dominio propio para el respectivo enlace. Ahora bien, si su empresa es colombiana y desea destacarla en empresas colombianas, tambien puede hacerlo.

Mejores blogs y mejores webs, ese es nuestro objetivo de crecimiento; ¿no le gustaría participar de este proyecto?

CKPC Brantford ON 1380 verification

Broadcasting an oldies format with 25 kilowatts of power from Brantford, Ontario, CKPC has become the most commonly heard North American station on 1380 kHz at Lista . CKPC was also the dominant station on this frequency at the October 2008 DX-pedition to Lista.

Chief Engineer Stewart Bayley confirmed my reception of CKPC with a verification letter by postal mail and also enclosed a CKPC fridge magnet.

Home Buyer's Tax Credit - HBTC

Um cliente (o Ernani do http://pipocaecanada.wordpress.com/) sugeriu que eu alertasse meus leitores sobre possível “tax credit”, e como o governo nos leva boa parte de nossos ganhos anuais em forma de taxas, é muito bom saber que podemos requerer que ele nos devolva pelo menos um pouco, por menor que seja não é??

Certas pessoas que comprarem um certo tipo de imóvel após 27 de Janeiro de 2009 (isto é, o closing date deve  ser após esta data), poderão reclamar um crédito (HBTC – Home Buyer’s Tax Credit) de $750 na ocasião da sua declaração de renda anual. Não é muita coisa mas é um valor que lhe é de direito.

Quem se qualifica para este “tax credit” é aquele indivíduo que nunca teve um imóvel próprio no ano da compra do imóvel e nem dos 4 anos precedentes em qualquer lugar do mundo. Esta exigência se aplica à esposa ou parceira (no caso deste indivíduo ser casado ou viver em situação de “Common Law”). Se o indivíduo que está comprando o imóvel for uma pessoa com deficiência (disability) ou está comprando um imóvel para uma pessoa com deficiência, este indivíduo não precisa ser “First Time Home Buyer”. Porém, o imóvel adquirido deve estar em condições de proporcionar uma vida mais confortável e facilitar os cuidados para com esta pessoa com “disability” (por exemplo, uma pessoa que usa cadeira de rodas precisa morar em uma casa sem escadas).

O valor deste crédito (tax credit) é calculado multiplicando o menor “personal income tax rate” do ano (15% em 2009) por $5,000.

Finalmente, que tipo de imóvel se qualifica para ter o Tax Credit? Pode ser um imóvel usado (resale) ou novo, em qualquer lugar do Canadá. Praticamente todo tipo de imóvel se qualifica, basta que você tenha um título de propriedade (Single-family homes, semi-detached homes, townhouses, mobile homes, condominium units, and apartments in duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, or apartment buildings).