For Laura
Environment . Human Rights . Condominiums . Politics . Atheism . Food . Toronto . Ontario . Canada
8.31.2008
Drugs Are Bad, M'Kay?
Police say a man tried to cut off his own arm at a restaurant in Modesto, Calif., because he thought he had injected air into a vein while shooting cocaine and feared he would die unless he took drastic action.
Authorities say 33-year-old Michael Lasiter rushed into the Denny's restaurant late Friday and started stabbing himself in one arm with a butter knife he grabbed from a table.
They say that when that knife didn't work Lasiter took a butcher knife from the kitchen and dug it into his arm.
Police Sgt. Brian Findlen says Lasiter told officers he thought he needed to amputate his arm to keep himself from dying from the cocaine injection.
Lasiter was taken to a hospital for treatment of severe cuts.
The Denny's closed for the night.
8.30.2008
Green Party Makes History
VANCOUVER, British Columbia (Reuters) - A member of Canada's Parliament joined the Green Party on Saturday in a move that could boost the fledgling party's bid to participate in televised debates in the expected fall election.
Blair Wilson, a Vancouver-area legislator now sitting as an independent after he left the Liberal Party amid a finance investigation, will be the first Green to hold a federal legislative office in Canada or United States.
"Today we make history," said Green Party leader Elizabeth May.
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, whose minority Conservative government was elected in January 2006, seems almost certain to call a general election next week, and one of his advisers has pointed to October 14 as a likely election date.
Read the full story here.
Blair Wilson, a Vancouver-area legislator now sitting as an independent after he left the Liberal Party amid a finance investigation, will be the first Green to hold a federal legislative office in Canada or United States.
"Today we make history," said Green Party leader Elizabeth May.
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, whose minority Conservative government was elected in January 2006, seems almost certain to call a general election next week, and one of his advisers has pointed to October 14 as a likely election date.
Read the full story here.
8.28.2008
Zoom seeks protection from creditors, strands passengers
I posted this item because this is the airline that we have booked flight with for our Europe trip. I guess we will go first class BA now.
Unable to pay airport and supplier bills, Zoom Airlines Inc. is seeking court protection from creditors in Canada and the United Kingdom after its airplanes were grounded in Calgary and Glasgow.
Ottawa-based Zoom Airlines, which flies in Canada, the Caribbean and Europe, filed a notice of application Thursday, blaming its troubles on "horrendous" increases in fuel prices and the sagging economy.
In a statement, Zoom executive chair Hugh Boyle said the company's British and Canadian operations “have sought creditor protection by filing legal notices of intention to appoint an administrator in both the U.K. and Canada.”
“The airline's flights will continue to operate, and the decision to instigate creditor protection proceedings means that the demands of existing creditors are frozen while we continue negotiations on an investment package which already are at an advanced stage.”
The move jeopardized the flights of many passengers at several airports, including in Ottawa, Halifax and Calgary.
At Calgary International Airport, dozens of passengers booked on a Zoom flight were left stranded Wednesday.
The Ottawa-based discount carrier owes money to a lot of airports, including $400,000 to the Calgary Airport Authority, said airport authority spokesman Bryce Paton.
"They certainly owe lots to the Calgary Airport Authority, and we understand [to] other airports across the country," Paton said.
Paton said passengers got off their flight when it landed in Calgary and about 97 of them were scheduled to continue to fly to Vancouver with Zoom Airlines.
WestJet came to their rescue, booking them on several flights out of Calgary, he said.
Another 69 passengers, who were scheduled to fly to the United Kingdom, learned Wednesday evening that Zoom had cancelled their flight.
The company had said on its website that eight flights expected to arrive at Canadian airports on Thursday had been delayed because of "technical difficulties."
Unable to pay airport and supplier bills, Zoom Airlines Inc. is seeking court protection from creditors in Canada and the United Kingdom after its airplanes were grounded in Calgary and Glasgow.
Ottawa-based Zoom Airlines, which flies in Canada, the Caribbean and Europe, filed a notice of application Thursday, blaming its troubles on "horrendous" increases in fuel prices and the sagging economy.
In a statement, Zoom executive chair Hugh Boyle said the company's British and Canadian operations “have sought creditor protection by filing legal notices of intention to appoint an administrator in both the U.K. and Canada.”
“The airline's flights will continue to operate, and the decision to instigate creditor protection proceedings means that the demands of existing creditors are frozen while we continue negotiations on an investment package which already are at an advanced stage.”
The move jeopardized the flights of many passengers at several airports, including in Ottawa, Halifax and Calgary.
At Calgary International Airport, dozens of passengers booked on a Zoom flight were left stranded Wednesday.
The Ottawa-based discount carrier owes money to a lot of airports, including $400,000 to the Calgary Airport Authority, said airport authority spokesman Bryce Paton.
"They certainly owe lots to the Calgary Airport Authority, and we understand [to] other airports across the country," Paton said.
Paton said passengers got off their flight when it landed in Calgary and about 97 of them were scheduled to continue to fly to Vancouver with Zoom Airlines.
WestJet came to their rescue, booking them on several flights out of Calgary, he said.
Another 69 passengers, who were scheduled to fly to the United Kingdom, learned Wednesday evening that Zoom had cancelled their flight.
The company had said on its website that eight flights expected to arrive at Canadian airports on Thursday had been delayed because of "technical difficulties."
8.22.2008
Limited Edition Print Available On Ebay
18" x 24" Print unframed.
Signed and numbered by artist.
Shipped Worldwide from Toronto, Canada.
eBay Item No. 290255151201
8.20.2008
Another reason to NOT eat processed foods (like you needed one).
A nationwide outbreak of listeriosis has killed one person and sickened at least 16 others, officials confirmed Wednesday as one of Canada's largest meat packers temporarily shut down a Toronto plant and recalled nearly two dozen packaged, ready-to-eat meat products.
Maple Leaf Foods (TSX:MFI) is shutting down the plant for several days as part of a precautionary $2-million recall of prepared-meat products that health officials are investigating as the possible source of potentially deadly listeria bacteria.
The bulk of the confirmed cases were in Ontario - one death and 12 people ill, with an additional 16 probable or suspected cases, said Dr. David Williams, the province's chief medical officer of health.
8.19.2008
8.18.2008
Why you should listen to your Mother...
If you were once a child, you may have asked you Mom for something at some point during your childhood and suffered the traditional mother response of something like, "No!, you'll shoot your eye out".
This story is where mothers of today will confirm that sage advice as they make the same admonishments to their children:
8.14.2008
Chinese news service reported that gold medal gymnast was 13
Just nine months before the Beijing Olympics, the Chinese government's news agency, Xinhua, reported that gymnast He Kexin was 13, which would have made her ineligible to be on the team that won a gold medal this week.
In its report Nov. 3, Xinhua identified He as one of "10 big new stars" who made a splash at China's Cities Games. It gave her age as 13 and reported that she beat Yang Yilin on the uneven bars at those games. In the final, "this little girl" pulled off a difficult release move on the bars known as the Li Na, named for another Chinese gymnast, Xinhua said in the report, which appeared on one of its Web sites, www.hb.xinhuanet.com
The Associated Press found the Xinhua report on the site Thursday morning and saved a copy of the page. Later that afternoon, the Web site was still working but the page was no longer accessible. Sports editors at the state-run news agency would not comment for publication.
If the age reported by Xinhua was correct, that would have meant He was too young to be on the Chinese team that beat the United States on Wednesday and clinched China's first women's team Olympic gold in gymnastics. He is also a favorite for gold in Monday's uneven bars final.
Full Story from Sports Illustrated
In its report Nov. 3, Xinhua identified He as one of "10 big new stars" who made a splash at China's Cities Games. It gave her age as 13 and reported that she beat Yang Yilin on the uneven bars at those games. In the final, "this little girl" pulled off a difficult release move on the bars known as the Li Na, named for another Chinese gymnast, Xinhua said in the report, which appeared on one of its Web sites, www.hb.xinhuanet.com
The Associated Press found the Xinhua report on the site Thursday morning and saved a copy of the page. Later that afternoon, the Web site was still working but the page was no longer accessible. Sports editors at the state-run news agency would not comment for publication.
If the age reported by Xinhua was correct, that would have meant He was too young to be on the Chinese team that beat the United States on Wednesday and clinched China's first women's team Olympic gold in gymnastics. He is also a favorite for gold in Monday's uneven bars final.
Full Story from Sports Illustrated
8.12.2008
Fake Olympic Tickets
Bogus websites purporting to sell tickets for the 2008 Summer Games in Beijing have scammed hundreds of ticket buyers out of Olympian-sized payments.
Canadians, Americans, Australians and some athletes' families, have been duped in the scam. Some have lost as much as US$50,000.
"It had the different characters that are on the Olympic website," Chante Pathak of Windsor, Ont., told CTV News. "It had every sporting event possible, every time, a timetable, a map -- everything. It looked totally legitimate."
The International Olympic Committee and U.S. authorities have sued two websites, beijingticketing.com and beijing-2008tickets.com, and shut at least one of them down, alleging they made millions.
Authorities say the websites were illegally using Olympic trademarks to convince customers to hand over their credit card and personal information.
Consumers who ordered tickets from www.beijingticketing.com, reported receiving a mass email Monday that informed them the company did not have tickets to distribute.
NBC's Fake Olympic Fireworks
The glow of NBC's Olympic ratings victory threatens to be sullied by reports that the Beijing Olympic Committee and the network have been less-than-scrupulous in their presentation of the Summer Games.
Organizers are accused of mixing in fake CGI fireworks during Friday night's opening ceremony, while NBC is said to have added a bogus "Live" stamp to tape-delayed West Coast feed of competition coverage this weekend, and edited the "parade of nations" segment of the opening ceremony to delay the entrance of the U.S. Olympic Team.
Full story
Organizers are accused of mixing in fake CGI fireworks during Friday night's opening ceremony, while NBC is said to have added a bogus "Live" stamp to tape-delayed West Coast feed of competition coverage this weekend, and edited the "parade of nations" segment of the opening ceremony to delay the entrance of the U.S. Olympic Team.
Full story
Olympic child singing star a fake
The little girl who starred at the Olympic opening ceremony was miming and only put on stage because the real singer was not considered attractive enough, the show's musical director has revealed.
Pigtailed Lin Miaoke was selected to appear because of her cute appearance and did not sing a note, Chen Qigang, the general music designer of the ceremony, said in an interview with a state broadcaster aired Tuesday.
Photographs of Lin in a bright red party dress were published in newspapers and websites all over the world and the official China Daily hailed her as a rising star on Tuesday.
But Chen said the girl whose voice was actually heard by the 91,000 capacity crowd at the Olympic stadium during the spectacular ceremony was in fact seven-year-old Yang Peiyi, who has a chubby face and uneven teeth.
"The reason why little Yang was not chosen to appear was because we wanted to project the right image, we were thinking about what was best for the nation," Chen said in an interview that appeared briefly on the news website Sina.com before it was apparently wiped from the Internet in China.
Lin was seen to perform the patriotic song "Ode to the Motherland" as China's national flag was carried into the stadium, a key moment in the three hour ceremony.
"The reason was for the national interest. The child on camera should be flawless in image, internal feelings, and expression," said Chen, a renowned contemporary composer and French citizen.
Pigtailed Lin Miaoke was selected to appear because of her cute appearance and did not sing a note, Chen Qigang, the general music designer of the ceremony, said in an interview with a state broadcaster aired Tuesday.
Photographs of Lin in a bright red party dress were published in newspapers and websites all over the world and the official China Daily hailed her as a rising star on Tuesday.
But Chen said the girl whose voice was actually heard by the 91,000 capacity crowd at the Olympic stadium during the spectacular ceremony was in fact seven-year-old Yang Peiyi, who has a chubby face and uneven teeth.
"The reason why little Yang was not chosen to appear was because we wanted to project the right image, we were thinking about what was best for the nation," Chen said in an interview that appeared briefly on the news website Sina.com before it was apparently wiped from the Internet in China.
Lin was seen to perform the patriotic song "Ode to the Motherland" as China's national flag was carried into the stadium, a key moment in the three hour ceremony.
"The reason was for the national interest. The child on camera should be flawless in image, internal feelings, and expression," said Chen, a renowned contemporary composer and French citizen.
8.08.2008
God Punishes Religious Tourists?
At least 13 people on their way to a religious festival were killed when a private charter bus crashed north of Dallas, police reported on Friday.
The bus carrying 55 people lost control on a highway overpass, slid along a guard rail and rolled on its side near Sherman, Texas, about 60 miles north of Dallas, at about 12:45 a.m. CDT (1:45 a.m. EDT) Friday, police said.
"We have 13 (dead) confirmed at this time," police Lt. Steve Ayers said at a press conference from the scene of the crash.
The bus carrying 55 people lost control on a highway overpass, slid along a guard rail and rolled on its side near Sherman, Texas, about 60 miles north of Dallas, at about 12:45 a.m. CDT (1:45 a.m. EDT) Friday, police said.
"We have 13 (dead) confirmed at this time," police Lt. Steve Ayers said at a press conference from the scene of the crash.
Reporters Without Borders Radio Broadcast
Clandestine FM radio broadcast today in Beijing by Reporters Without Borders, hours before Olympic opening ceremony.
Members of Reporters Without Borders today broadcast "Radio Without Borders," China's only independent FM radio station, in Beijing just hours before the start of the Olympic Games opening ceremony. In a programme lasting 20 minutes, Reporters Without Borders secretary-general Robert Ménard and Chinese human rights activists called on the Chinese government to respect free speech.
Members of Reporters Without Borders today broadcast "Radio Without Borders," China's only independent FM radio station, in Beijing just hours before the start of the Olympic Games opening ceremony. In a programme lasting 20 minutes, Reporters Without Borders secretary-general Robert Ménard and Chinese human rights activists called on the Chinese government to respect free speech.
8.07.2008
Westboro Freaks to Protest Tim McLeans Funeral
A church group described in a British documentary as "the most hated family in America" says it will head to Canada this weekend to protest Tim McLean's funeral.
The daughter of the founder of the Westboro Baptist Church, based in Topeka, Ka., told CTV.ca she and several other church members will go to Winnipeg on Saturday to demonstrate against what she described as McLean's "filthy way of life." Shirley Phelps-Roper said his life was emblematic of Canada's moral decay.
"God handed us a gift," Phelps-Roper said in a phone interview on Thursday.
She said McLean deserved his death by beheading on a Greyhound Bus last week.
"(His death was) supremely unemotional. You got God shaking in rage. There is no emotional component ... He was a rebel against God. He was taught to be a rebel by his parents. He came from a rebel country ... They brought this wrath upon his head. And it sucks to be him and it sucks to be them," Phelps-Roper said.
She said his brutal murder was a sign from God.
Click here for the full story from CTV.
The daughter of the founder of the Westboro Baptist Church, based in Topeka, Ka., told CTV.ca she and several other church members will go to Winnipeg on Saturday to demonstrate against what she described as McLean's "filthy way of life." Shirley Phelps-Roper said his life was emblematic of Canada's moral decay.
"God handed us a gift," Phelps-Roper said in a phone interview on Thursday.
She said McLean deserved his death by beheading on a Greyhound Bus last week.
"(His death was) supremely unemotional. You got God shaking in rage. There is no emotional component ... He was a rebel against God. He was taught to be a rebel by his parents. He came from a rebel country ... They brought this wrath upon his head. And it sucks to be him and it sucks to be them," Phelps-Roper said.
She said his brutal murder was a sign from God.
Click here for the full story from CTV.
Why PETA Sucks.
To say this ad that PETA tried to run in a Portage la Prarie newspaper is in poor taste would be the understatement of the year.
8.05.2008
8.04.2008
Man arrested after hammer attacks during Vancouver Pride celebrations
A Vancouver man is in police custody following a series of violent attacks in the midst of otherwise peaceful gay pride celebrations in Vancouver Sunday.
Police say the incident began when a 31-year-old man was chased into the street by a shop owner after allegedly stealing a drink from a corner store on Davie St. in the city's West End neighbourhood around 10:30 p.m. PT. The owner of Tutti's convenience store, Reza Khalaj, said the man was wearing a black wig and black glasses and was carrying a hammer and a handgun.
The man then allegedly began attacking people in nearby restaurants and bars with a hammer, beginning at the Majestic restaurant and lounge. Six people there were struck with the hammer, including one who was knocked unconscious.
8.02.2008
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