Happy Holidays

I'm off to enjoy some beautiful Ontario rural landscapes and will be back in a few days. From my home to yours, all the best during this holiday season. I hope you will get some time to relax, recharge and spend some time with loved ones.

Cheers, Mark Daye

FAIR petition in support of WikiLeaks

Click here to sign the FAIR petition.

www.fair.org

Rufus Wainwright Christmas for Atheists

Pope urges church to reflect on sex abuse or The 70's; Everyone's diddling so Priests should too!

Pope Benedict XVI told Vatican officials Monday that they must reflect on the church's culpability in its child sex-abuse scandal, but he also blamed a secular society in which he said the mistreatment of children was frighteningly common. (notice that whenever the church makes any sort of apology there is always a very big BUT blaming the rest of society for their criminal behaviour?)

In his traditional, end-of-the-year speech to Vatican cardinals and bishops, Benedict said revelations of abuse in 2010 reached “an unimaginable dimension” that required the church to accept the “humiliation” as a call for renewal.

“In the 1970s, pedophilia was theorized as something fully in conformity with man and even with children,” the pope said.  (In other words. It was okay to rape and molest children back in the good old days)

A Fire in My Belly. Censored by the Smithsonian on behalf of the Christians.

 

At the end of November, the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, which is run by the Smithsonian, announced it was removing a four-minute excerpt of the 13-minute video A Fire in My Belly by New York artist David Wjonarowicz, who died of AIDS in 1992.

 

The Catholic League, along with conservative forces in the U.S., protested the work as "anti-Christian" because of an 11-second segment featuring ants crawling over a bloody crucifix. (I think molesting little boys is "anti-Christian" but they don't seem to be too concerned about that. I suppose we all have our priorities).

The work is part of the gallery's exhibition of gay and lesbian portraitures of life — Hide/Seek: Difference and Desire in American Portraiture — running through Feb. 13, 2011.

The removal of A Fire In My Belly sparked an outcry in the arts community. The Association of Art Museum Directors blasted the Smithsonian for bowing to "unwarranted and uninformed censorship."

Both the Andy Warhol Foundation and the Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation, which loaned images to the Hide/Seek exhibit, proclaimed they would stop donating money to the Smithsonian, which oversees many of the museums in Washington, D.C.

A non-profit Washington art gallery, Transformer, has pledged to keep showing the piece in its storefront window every day for 24 hours until it is reinstated at the National Portrait Gallery.

Since the video's removal on Nov. 30, other galleries in the U.S., including ones in New York City, Los Angeles, Boston, Minneapolis and Pittsburgh, also began screening it.

Text Source: CBC.ca

United Nations Offers Murderous Dictator Posh Retirement Package

Dictator of Zimbabwe, Robert Mugabe (with Hitler-esque mustache).

Here is text from the leaked cable which was written in September 2000. The memo records a meeting between a US embassy official in Harare and a senior source in the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), the party opposed to Mugabe's Zanu-PF.

1. (S) According to Elton Mangoma, MDC-T Minister of Economic Development and member of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's inner circle, the MDC would like the U.S. to contribute to a "trust fund" to buy off securocrats and move them into retirement.

It was also reported that the UN planned to ask Germany and the United Kingdom to contribute to the so called "trust fund".

Assange/Wikileaks News

U.S. Vice President Joe Biden called Julian Assange a 'high-tech terrorist' today on Meet The Press. This is the strongest condemnation of Assange by any US official to date.

As the United States scrambles to find a law to charge Assange, I predict they will eventually invent some sort of conspiracy related charge in an attempt to shut him up. I also predict massive failure on the part of the United States government in doing it.

United States Senate Vote Repeals DADT

In a landmark for gay rights, the U.S. Senate on Saturday voted to let gays serve openly in the military, giving President Barack Obama the chance to fulfill a campaign promise and repeal the 17-year policy known as “don't ask, don't tell.”


Obama was expected to sign it next week, although the change wouldn't take immediate effect. The legislation says the president and his top military advisers must certify that lifting the ban won't hurt troops' fighting ability. After that, there's a 60-day waiting period for the military.

“It is time to close this chapter in our history,” Obama said in a statement after a test vote cleared the way for final action.  

“It is time to recognize that sacrifice, valour and integrity are no more defined by sexual orientation than they are by race or gender, religion or creed.”

The Senate vote was 65-31.

Text Source: The Star.com
Image Source: Wikipedia

Friday December 17, 2010; I just can't quit you Julian.

I consider this a win for the atheist movement (if there is such a thing). The Quebec Government has banned all religious teachings in any subsidized daycare facilities. There are about 100 such daycare facilities in the province. Religious displays such as menorahs would be allowed under the law which takes effect in June 2011. 

Julian Assange is free on bail from a UK jail and staying at a rich friends country manor. Which reminds me; I have a rich friend with a country manor and I must go visit soon!

the Daye. Update for Thursday December 16, 2010

It seems the Toronto Police Service is continuing it's G20 style service of doing nothing when crimes are being committed. The Toronto Star reports that defense lawyer Ehsan Ghebrai alleges that when he noticed his 2004 Kawasaki Ninja motorcycle was missing recently he was told by someone at 52 Division that they didn't have the resources and he should ask his condo for surveillance footage.

Earlier this week a massive snowstorm shut down highway 402 in southwestern Ontario. As of yesterday afternoon all the stranded travelers had been rescued and no injuries were reported. Today it was reported that a man's body was found 50 metres from his stranded car on Tuesday afternoon. Once again, I cannot stress how important it is to have an emergency kit in your vehicle, especially during the winter months.

Julian Assange of Wikileaks fame has been released on bail in the UK. According to a report on The Globe & Mail website;

"The 39-year-old Wikileaks founder, and world-renown whistleblower, smiled broadly, punched fists with his lawyer through the rails of the courtroom dock, and gave a “thumbs up” to 200 spectators at London’s High Court Thursday."

The group known as 'Anonymous' which claimed responsibility for hacking MasterCard's website last week released a video on December 14th vowing to defend Assange. Here it is:

Rick Mercer: Syncrude Duck Oil

 

Help save a duck from the tar sands. 

Click here.

Pinko Commie Cookies

 

Everyone knows that atheism and pinko-commies go hand in hand, and being a former Christian who enjoyed the occasional Christmas Cookie, I couldn't resist the optimal atheist cookie opportunity. 

Of course I'm speaking of last weeks farce at Toronto City Hall when Canadian hockey loud mouth (and resident CBC fuckwad) Don Cherry referred to the media and a large number of Toronto citizens as "left-wing kooks" and "left-wing pinkos" during his speech at Mayor Rob Ford's swearing in ceremony. 

Cherry's comments surprised just about everyone and easily put him in place as the front runner for the award of 'Biggest Asshole At A Swearing In Ceremony' and effectively shut out the new Mayor in what should have been his shining moment to put his foot in it.

Dear Mark: Be the Earth’s man of the year! | Greenpeace International

Dear Mark: Be the Earth’s man of the year! | Greenpeace International

Facebook founder, Mark Zuckerberg has been in the news quite a bit in the last few days. Previously portrayed as a reclusive billionaire who shuns the limelight he’s made couple of big gestures recently.

With a reported personal fortune of US$6.9 billion (up 245 percent this year!) he donated US$100 million to Newark schools in the US and just last week he joined a pledge initiated by Bill Gates to give half his personal fortune to charity.

Congratulations to Mark on his charitable donations and on being named today as the Time Person of the Year. To be our person of the year and give what over 500,000 Facebook members are asking for, Mark it’s time to choose renewable energy to power Facebook, not dirty coal.

That would be a big gesture we would all applaud.

Julian Assange: Why the world needs WikiLeaks

 

I haven't posted anything about Julian Assange or Wikileaks, so now that Assange is about to be released on bail in the UK I thought this would be a good place to start. 

Hundreds trapped on highway 402 in Lambton County

Several hundred people spent Monday night in their vehicles on Hwy 402 in southwestern Ontario. Police on snowmobiles and military helicopters had rescued most of the travelers by Tuesday afternoon on the stretch of highway between London and Sarnia, Ontario. Authorities are reminding motorists to carry winter emergency kits in their vehicles.

“Die-In” Mon. Dec. 13th 12:30pm Yonge & Dundas intersection

On Monday, December 13 at 12:30 pm at the intersection of Yonge and Dundas, the Student-coalition at the University of Toronto will stage a "die-in" media-stunt. Participants, dressed in red, (you – wear red) will "die" in the middle of the scramble intersection at regular intervals to bring attention to the lives lost due to a lack of medicines.

Currently, 10 million people living with HIV/AIDS do not have access to life-saving Anti-Retroviral drugs. So why hasn't the Canadian government supported legislation which could allow for more affordable life-saving medication? Bill C-393 could facilitate access to low-cost generic drugs, but on Thursday, December 16th this bill risks being abandoned.

It would be an incredible help if you could join us.  The event will only take 30 minutes.

If you are interested in participating, and for further details, please contact: leanne.rasmussen@utoronto.ca

Facebook event: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/event.php?eid=109405225799696

Stunt Details:
When: Monday, December 13
Time: 12:30 pm to 1:00 pm
Where: Intersection of Young and Dundas

Please wear RED!

For more on Bill C-393:  http://www.aidslaw.ca/EN/camr/index.htm

Elizabeth May'sUpdate from COP16 - December 7, 2010

What is The Universal Declaration of Human Rights?-Know Your Rights.

December 10th is Human Rights Day

Author: Gaurav Virk

Do you know your rights? Have you ever evaluated your rights? If not, how you will follow the legal course to redress the problems arising from it? Very few countries are serious in promoting education right for people to help you know your rights. Being a student of the Post-Graduate Diploma in Human Rights, I have attempted to summarize.

What is the Universal Declaration of Human Rights?

On December 10, 1948, the United Nations General Assembly adopted and proclaimed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It aims to promote respect for these rights and freedoms and their universal recognition and observance, both among the peoples of Member States themselves and among the peoples of territories under their jurisdiction. It is applicable to all UN member states, which are now almost all countries of the world. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was not originally designed to be legally binding, but it became legally binding as customary law of the individual man. It lists the rights of your human beings in the world, called articles 30.

1 You are born free and equal and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood

2 You can not be discriminated against based on race, color, sex, language, religion, political or social origin.

3 You have the universal right to life, liberty and security.

4 You can not be held in slavery and the slave trade shall be prohibited in all their forms

5 You can not be subjected to torture or inhuman or degrading treatment in all countries.

6 Your rights are equal as a person before the law in all countries

7 You are entitled to equal protection against any discrimination in violation of this Declaration of Human Rights.

8. The universal human rights for all individuals are protected by the law of the country.

9 You can not be arbitrarily arrested, detained or exiled to a country.

10. You have the universal right to trial by an impartial tribunal means any criminal charge against you.

WikiLeaks: Stop the crackdown

The vicious intimidation campaign against WikiLeaks is a dangerous attack on freedom of expression and the press. Top US politicians have branded WikiLeaks a terrorist organization, and urged corporations to shut it down. Commentators have even suggested assassinating its staff.

Whatever we think of WikiLeaks, legal experts say it has likely broken no laws, and the group works with leading newspapers (NYT, Guardian, Spiegel) to carefully vet what it publishes - so far less than 1% of the cables leaked to it.

We urgently need a massive public outcry to defend our basic democratic freedoms. Sign the petition to stop the crackdown -- let's reach 1 million voices this week!

Corrie Crazy On CBC

A while ago I told you about the CBC visit to record a segment of Corrie Crazy. Well, tonight is the night!
Tonight is the CBC presentation of 'Corrie Crazy: Canada Loves Coronation Street'. The producers of the show visited our home a few months ago to record a segment. I hope you will tune in tonight at 8pm to CBC to watch.

Come celebrate the season with Greenpeace!

On Saturday, December 18 from 1:00pm-4:00pm, Greenpeace staff and volunteers will be at Nathan
Phillips Square in Toronto to celebrate Ontario’s very own reindeer – the woodland caribou. 

Come join us for treats, holiday music, and a
visit with Santa and his reindeer. All are welcome!

We will also be asking people to sign a card for Premier McGuinty,
urging him to protect Ontario’s woodland caribou.

What: Holiday celebration of woodland caribou with Santa, treats and music
When: 1:00-4:00, Saturday December 18th
Where: Nathan Phillips Square, Toronto

Feel free to join in the festivities and wear a holiday themed costume. Bring skates and take some time to use the ice rink. Above all, please bring your family and friends - Let's urge McGuinty to think GREEN this season.

Hope to see you there!

Let The Embarrassment Begin...

“Put that in your pipe you left-wing kooks,” hockey commentator Don Cherry told a shocked inaugural meeting of the new city council, blasting “left-wing pinkos.”
Read about it in The Star.  

Don't come whining to me, I didn't vote for this asshole, but will have to explain (as Americans did for eight years) how it is we have this moron as Mayor. As for the other jerk; Don Cherry has no right to be there, he's not even a resident of Toronto.

Extraordinary Claims Bus Ads to Roll Early Next Year

Story In The Toronto Star

Last years atheist campaign on Toronto buses was such a success it's inspired a new campaign from the Centre for Inquiry, this time taking on Allah, Bigfoot and Homeopathy too.

Green Tax Shift

Click the image to veiw.

Hate E-mails with Richard Dawkins

 

I came across this on You Tube. Richard Dawkins reading his hate mail by the fireplace.

December 1, 2010: World AIDS Day

Facts and Stats

HIV: The basics

What is HIV?

HIV is a virus that attacks the body's immune system - the body's defence against diseases.

Are HIV and AIDS the same?

No. When someone is described as living with HIV, they have the HIV virus in their body. A person is considered to have developed AIDS when the immune system is so weak it can no longer fight off a range of diseases with which it would normally cope.

Updating Results...

Help Stop the Global Pediatric AIDS Epidemic