The adventure continues with Geeks on a Plane in China
More pictures from KK+ follow the story break. From Flickr
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Monthly Archives: May 2010
Justice Oliphant’s Final Statement
Commission of Inquiry into Certain Allegations Respecting Business and Financial Dealings Between Karlheinz Schreiber and The Right Honourable Brian Mulroney
Canadians are entitled to expect that the holders of public office will be guided in their professional and personal lives by an ethical standard that is higher and more rigorous than the norm.
Full Statement – Thank you for coming. I wish all of you a very warm welcome.
With the release of my report, today marks the culmination of almost two full years of very hard work…work that has been both interesting and challenging.
The work of the Commission was divided into two phases. The first phase was what we have called the Factual Inquiry. The second phase was the Policy Review.
The genesis of this Inquiry is a relationship between a former prime minister of Canada, the Right Honourable Brian Mulroney, and Karlheinz Schreiber, a German-Canadian businessman. The Factual Inquiry entailed an investigation into certain allegations respecting business and financial dealings that arose out of that relationship between Mr. Schreiber and Mr. Mulroney.
The Terms of Reference for this inquiry directed me to investigate and report upon seventeen questions. I have complied with that mandate in that I have answered each and every part of each and every question set forth in the Terms of Reference.
The theme that resonates throughout this Report is the importance of the integrity of government, and, more particularly, the integrity of those who govern. Canadians live in a democratic society in which the holders of public office attain the privilege of governing by virtue of being elected every four or so years. The electorate reposes its trust and confidence in every person elected to hold public office. In my view, therefore, Canadians are entitled to expect that the holders of public office will be guided in their professional and personal lives by an ethical standard that is higher and more rigorous than the norm.
A Rod KO’s pitcher David Huff
Indians pitcher David Huff knocked out on mound
A Rod hit the first pitch in the bottom of the 3rd from Cleveland Indians David Huff back to left side Huff’s head. Huff was knocked backwards and appeared to be out cold. A Rod appeared devastated, leaving the field for the dugout despite his 3rd base hit. The Yankees dropped the game 11 to 13 for the Indians.
On Sunday, Huff had no swelling or sign of a concussion. “I feel good,” Huff, 25, said, before thanking medical staff, the Yankees and fans for the support. “Scary experience. It’s one of those things, it could have been an inch this way and I wouldn’t be here talking to you.” NY Daily News
Cool Apple iPad arrives in Canada
Our American cousins may envy our choice of 3 carriers: Bell, Rogers, and Telus but the iPad itself is flawed
Apple iPad arrives in Canada May 28th
I didn’t intend to get an iPad yesterday when I woke but the idea took hold with a fever at 9 AM. Then I remembered May 28th was the day they were arriving in Canada. What luck!
Like millions of people caught up in the hype, I just wanted to have one. After a day with the iPad I’m not sure if it’s a keeper or not. Internet videos are not watchable and it’s tiring to hold a computer in your hands when you’re used to them sitting on the desk.
By 9:40 AM I was standing in front of the display at Future Shop in Charlottetown by myself trying to catch the eye of a sales associate without losing my place in the line. I was the line.
What if they were already sold out? Within 10 minutes I had 2 helpful people trying to sell me one of the 20 units each store had been allocated along with sundry accessories and service plans. I had to cut them off the sales schpeil with “I want one.” Other than the pitch, the Future Shop staff couldn’t have been friendlier and more helpful. Continue reading
Fire Marshall calls for 2nd fire exit except if you are disabled
Public buildings on PEI exempt from providing fire exits for disabled
Charlottetown Civic Centre, only one wheelchair accessible exit off the floor on Sunday night
At the Stompin Tom Connors concert on Sunday in May 2009, the Charlottetown Civic Centre had only one wheelchair accessible exit off the floor. It was the exit closest to the Box Office.
There were more than 30 people were on the arena floor in wheelchairs. In an emergency, many of those people in wheelchairs were at risk.
A May 2009 press release from PEI Fire Marshal David Blacquiere will be cold comfort to relatives of those who would have perished if a fire broke out.
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Apple can’t push the world off Flash video
Flash has 85% market share and the iPad isn’t going to move everyone to HTML 5 and H.264 video
Time Warner and NBC pass on iPad
Steve Job’s visions of world domination may will likely wither in the heat of summer this year. He wants everyone to dump Adobe Flash for the new HTML 5 and H.264 video standards.
Sounds great eh? First it’s impossible. 85% of the videos on the web are Flash. Think about the cost of converting all those libraries if you wanted to do it.
Cool Apple iPad arrives in Canada
I’ve been looking and there are no cheap solutions.
NBC and Time Warner figured that out and will pass on the chance to make Steve Jobs richer. Their statement is not the end-all-and-be-all. Neither NBC nor Time-Warner are technology leaders.
Summer concerts bust
Now is the summer of our discontent, made embarrassed by fans who won’t pay for high priced ticket
U2 - sitting out this season with injuries
How many concerts have been delayed, canceled or ruined this summer by the greed and age of musicians?
Bono’s out with a bad back. U2 tour canceled.
Simon and Garfunkel delayed with their over-priced tour until the 12th of Never. Garfunkel has a “bad voice.” Sure and his few fans are ticked off at $1,262 a pair tickets.
Christina Aguilera canceled her tour, ostensibly because she’s busy making a movie. The scuttlebutt she couldn’t sell enough tickets.
Have you noticed the greed by musicians and promoters? Tickets are selling for $300, $500 and more than $1,000. Then you can watch it as many times as you like, up close and personal with drink, toke or smoke in hand. Bathroom breaks included.
You could buy a wide screen TV, Blu-Ray player, 5.1 surround sound system and the concert DVD for less.
Price gouging by Hong Kong promoters killed Bob Dylan’s tour of China, not the Chinese government. It’s greed, greed, greed all around. And the lying about why they cancel only makes it worse. My dog ate the homework teacher.
Left out in the cold: How tech innovation favors the rich
Young, affluent innovators come up with things that appeal to — surprise! — young, affluent urban dwellers
photo - University of Washington
By Paul Lamb, Computerworld – Technology innovation is something anyone can undertake these days. Or so we are told.
The notion that low barriers to entry (via low cost or free online office management tools, open-source software and Internet connectivity) enable anyone with a laptop, a cell phone and a good idea to become an instant tech entrepreneur is one we hear often in tech circles.
But what we don’t hear or talk about is the fact that the new innovators fit a very narrow profile. They mostly come from more affluent backgrounds, are well educated and are rarely minorities. Many have gone to well-known business schools and colleges and fit comfortably into the mainstream business culture found in places like Silicon Valley. The obsession with hiring engineers and other employees from top schools at companies like Google is Exhibit A.
It is no surprise then that much of the gadgetry and Web services leaping from the minds of talented young innovators are geared toward young, well-educated, affluent white kids — people just like them. When was the last time you heard of a groundbreaking tech product targeting seniors, the disabled or young black men?
Jimmie Rodgers death remembered
One of the first country singers to blend country and black blues died 77 years ago on May 26th, 1933
Fans of country music and the blues remember the early death of Jimmy Rodgers, The Singing Brakeman, on May 26, 1933. He was one of the early white performers to mingle the blues and country music, although not the first.
Bob Dylan is quoted as saying “Jimmie Rodgers combined the elements of blues and hillbilly sounds before anyone else had thought of it. His plaintive voice and style would outlast them all.”
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$ 1 billion price tag for G20 security
Are they kidding in one of the safest cities in the world?
London G20 2009 security cost $30 million why is Canada spending $1 billion
The Harper government’s $1 billion estimate for the G20 Summit has to be a joke. They can’t be serious. That is the most ridiculous waste of taxpayer’s money in recent memory.
Fresh on the heels of his $47 billion Stimulus Boondoggle, our big spending Prime Minister is out to break the bank on security. The G20 summit is mostly about politicians doing photo ops and lots of media coverage of the street protests.
At the $1 billion price tag, protesters are getting the best free advertising in history.
In comparison, the Brits only spent $30 million last year to put on the same show in a city known for terrorist bombings. The US only spent $18 million in Pittsburgh which has a murder rate 2.8 times higher than Toronto. Can we just hire them to do this job?
CBC censoring public discussion of priest complaint
Story on allegations against Father George Smith is closed for commenting
Father George Smith, removed from his duties at a PEI (CBC)
The buzz around Charlottetown is about Father Smith and allegations he was sexually improper with a man two decades ago.
No allegations against P.E.I. priest brought to police writes the Guardian.
Priest allegations reported years ago: bishop on the CBC site is closed to comments.
Considering the notoriety of the story and the anguish this gives many Roman Catholics, the lack of a public forum on the CBC website is wrong. It smacks of censorship.
Manipulation of the public by the media is common. In this case it’s our publicly funded CBC who want to shut down public comment.