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The CBC is a good start. Lots of good material on their website, and a decent Canadian-centric alternative to the BBC for reasonably responsible news. Specifically, check out their Archives; tons of historical and modern TV articles, most with video footage for download.

There's also Canoe and canada.com (which I don't particularly like, so won't make a live link to).

Dental care is not socialized here. If you don't have private insurance (which may be provided by your employer or can be purchased directly) you pay cash for dental care no matter which side of the border you get it.

And a slight nit, government health insurance is provincial, not national. The feds just like to take credit for it, but they cut health funding ten years ago and left the provinces scrambling to make up the short fall. One of the results is cross border trips for MRI because the provinces can't afford to build the capacity. But that will all change if anyone believes the election promise from the current prime minister who was the one who cut health funding when he was finance minister. Can Bono be wrong?

No kidding, our tax money payed for a comedy show about Jebb Fink, "An American in Canada". I think it's one of the most honest opinions about Canada you can find and its hilarious, especially because it's from an outside perspective. It might be kind of hard to find, I don't think its got the same popularity as the Trailer Park Boys I'm a developer and sys-admin for a small company in Red Deer, Alberta.

Canadian health care quality comparable to other rich countries

No, our tax dollars go to torturing and murdering Somalis instead. Guns. Stress. Poor leadership. Shit happens.

But, it is damned cold here though. Supposed to snow tonight, goddammit!

Are you on crack? The Canadian dollar is at 0.7207 dollars US right now, down more than a nickel from the peak set half a year back.

Because of all the TV shows making fun of americans:
An American In Canada
talking to americans talking to americans talking to americans

Now, my only point was the sheer level of hostility in your post, combined with some use of the retoric (the T-word and implying the anon poster was anti-american) of the pro-Bush, 'My Country Right or Wrong', camp was inspiring. IMO, it illustrates how meaningless those words have become. That people's opinions are discounted by simply calling them 'Unpatriotic' because they dare question the government.

Now, what I find ridiculous about this situation is the two sides of the war. Anti-Bush people who can seem to be unable to criticize anything about Bush except for his intelligence (or lack thereof), and the pro-Bush people who criticize anyone who doesn't agree with Bush as unpatriotic. They've become caricatures all to themselves. How can anyone take either side seriously, I wonder.

Since I'm a Canadian citizen, I can laugh off most silly charges of me being Anti-American. Frankly it's neither an insult or a complement to me. I have even been told that I have no right to speak on these topics. Even throughout the Maher Arar deportation by US authorities (perhaps with the Canadian government's blessings) to Syria to be tortured, some people maintained that no one had the right to say anything about this except for the US government. Can't break this glass house they live in, or the entire world they live in might come crumbling down.

I have my doubts about the justice that Maher will get with the inquiry about his case that's going on. After all, what can you really expect when the RCMP raid a reporter's house after she dug up some secret documents on the case.

Now, my only point was the sheer level of hostility in your post, combined with some use of the retoric (the T-word and implying the anon poster was anti-american) of the pro-Bush, 'My Country Right or Wrong', camp was inspiring. IMO, it illustrates how meaningless those words have become. That people's opinions are discounted by simply calling them 'Unpatriotic' because they dare question the government.

Now, what I find ridiculous about this situation is the two sides of the war. Anti-Bush people who can seem to be unable to criticize anything about Bush except for his intelligence (or lack thereof), and the pro-Bush people who criticize anyone who doesn't agree with Bush as unpatriotic. They've become caricatures all to themselves. How can anyone take either side seriously, I wonder.

Since I'm a Canadian citizen, I can laugh off most silly charges of me being Anti-American. Frankly it's neither an insult or a complement to me. I have even been told that I have no right to speak on these topics. Even throughout the Maher Arar deportation by US authorities (perhaps with the Canadian government's blessings) to Syria to be tortured, some people maintained that no one had the right to say anything about this except for the US government. Can't break this glass house they live in, or the entire world they live in might come crumbling down.

I have my doubts about the justice that Maher will get with the inquiry about his case that's going on. After all, what can you really expect when the RCMP raid a reporter's house after she dug up some secret documents on the case.

You don't see this because somebody in Halifax owns the patent

(Posted by a true Haligonian).

using fossilized hydrocarbon is certainly not the only way to create plastic. Here are some examples:

Plantic Technologies will roll out a cornstarch-based bioplastic wired article
Bioplastic Fantastic
Toyota sees green in 'bioplastics' for cars

I think it has been long ago since the concept "art" was something that people could take without questioning. In fact, it is so much open for questioning as to make it virtually meaningless. If the term "art" has no meaning then this discussion, interesting as it may be, has no point.

I have a personal story too. One day I went to have lunch in a museum. Some of the exhibition rooms were open, so I walked inside. Oops, I thought, this must be being worked on, because all I can see is *strings*, just a few here, a few there, tied from the floor to a wall, or from a wall to the ceiling. Nothing, nothing else. So I walk through another room, same thing. Another room, same thing. I noticed that the security guards were having a kick out of my expression, and then I got it. *That* was the exhibit. Strings. Tied to the walls. That was *art*. Why ?

Perhaps the whole reason for it being art was its pointlessness. Sort of like the guy who painted an iceberg red, or wrapped a building in cloth. What is the point ?

Then you come and tell me: Videogame makers have a point: making money. Well, then look no further! Here is videogame art. On the other hand, who is it that works (at anything) *only* for money ?

Einstein spent last years telling bad jokes to depressed parrot: diary

A cheap ATI TV Wonder VE (Value Edition) - mono sound, and the tv gets out of sync.

I only use it for watching hockey, so it doesn't really matter.

The weird thing is that the tv card just passes the audio through to the sound card (a built-in on the MB).

If you want good independent, film, animation, videoclip, go to: zed.cbc.ca

Some good ones are: this this very good this cookie monster

If you want good independent, film, animation, videoclip, go to: zed.cbc.ca

Some good ones are: this this very good this cookie monster

If you want good independent, film, animation, videoclip, go to: zed.cbc.ca

Some good ones are: this this very good this cookie monster

If you want good independent, film, animation, videoclip, go to: zed.cbc.ca

Some good ones are: this this very good this cookie monster

If you want good independent, film, animation, videoclip, go to: zed.cbc.ca

Some good ones are: this this very good this cookie monster

I don't think that word means what you think it means.

In order to preserve and stimulate Canadian cultural achievement--art, music, performance--in the face of the American entertainment behemoth, the Canadian federal government in their infinite wisdom chose to enact a series of provisions back in the 1960s to regulate the amount of Canadian content on Canadian broadcast radio and television. So far, this sounds like Saudi Arabia--you must have Canadian content, not that dirty American stuff.

The difference lies in degree and application. On Canadian radio, 35% of content must be Canadian. On Canadian television stations, something like 60% (50% from 6pm to midnight) of content must be Canadian. Detailed rules are here; there's a pretty good summary here, too. The rest of the content can be American, European, Asian, Australian...whatever you wish. I can watch The Simpsons and The Wonderful World of Disney on our national broadcaster (the CBC).

There are also no moral or religious restrictions on the content--Canadian or otherwise--beyond basic obscenity statutes that often seem noticeably less restrictive than those in the United States.

And you know what? The system works. There are more and better-known Canadian recording artists and actors than ever before, likely in large part due to CanCon requirements. Sure, some of them would have been recognized without it, but as a program to encourage Canadian artists, this one (incredibly) has worked.

The notion that 'foreign stations are banned' is patently ridiculous. If my cable provider supplies HBO, or CNN, or TNN, or A&E, or the History Channel--they don't have to delete 60% of the material and replace it with CanCon. NBC, CBS, ABC--all appear on Canadian cable and satellite unaltered (unfortunately or otherwise) from the channels seen in American markets.

Censorship? I don't think so.

And "Cheers!" to John Ashcroft. How's your quaint little shut-down-the-adult-film-industry crusade going?

I don't think that word means what you think it means.

In order to preserve and stimulate Canadian cultural achievement--art, music, performance--in the face of the American entertainment behemoth, the Canadian federal government in their infinite wisdom chose to enact a series of provisions back in the 1960s to regulate the amount of Canadian content on Canadian broadcast radio and television. So far, this sounds like Saudi Arabia--you must have Canadian content, not that dirty American stuff.

The difference lies in degree and application. On Canadian radio, 35% of content must be Canadian. On Canadian television stations, something like 60% (50% from 6pm to midnight) of content must be Canadian. Detailed rules are here; there's a pretty good summary here, too. The rest of the content can be American, European, Asian, Australian...whatever you wish. I can watch The Simpsons and The Wonderful World of Disney on our national broadcaster (the CBC).

There are also no moral or religious restrictions on the content--Canadian or otherwise--beyond basic obscenity statutes that often seem noticeably less restrictive than those in the United States.

And you know what? The system works. There are more and better-known Canadian recording artists and actors than ever before, likely in large part due to CanCon requirements. Sure, some of them would have been recognized without it, but as a program to encourage Canadian artists, this one (incredibly) has worked.

The notion that 'foreign stations are banned' is patently ridiculous. If my cable provider supplies HBO, or CNN, or TNN, or A&E, or the History Channel--they don't have to delete 60% of the material and replace it with CanCon. NBC, CBS, ABC--all appear on Canadian cable and satellite unaltered (unfortunately or otherwise) from the channels seen in American markets.

Censorship? I don't think so.

And "Cheers!" to John Ashcroft. How's your quaint little shut-down-the-adult-film-industry crusade going?

I don't think that word means what you think it means.

In order to preserve and stimulate Canadian cultural achievement--art, music, performance--in the face of the American entertainment behemoth, the Canadian federal government in their infinite wisdom chose to enact a series of provisions back in the 1960s to regulate the amount of Canadian content on Canadian broadcast radio and television. So far, this sounds like Saudi Arabia--you must have Canadian content, not that dirty American stuff.

The difference lies in degree and application. On Canadian radio, 35% of content must be Canadian. On Canadian television stations, something like 60% (50% from 6pm to midnight) of content must be Canadian. Detailed rules are here; there's a pretty good summary here, too. The rest of the content can be American, European, Asian, Australian...whatever you wish. I can watch The Simpsons and The Wonderful World of Disney on our national broadcaster (the CBC).

There are also no moral or religious restrictions on the content--Canadian or otherwise--beyond basic obscenity statutes that often seem noticeably less restrictive than those in the United States.

And you know what? The system works. There are more and better-known Canadian recording artists and actors than ever before, likely in large part due to CanCon requirements. Sure, some of them would have been recognized without it, but as a program to encourage Canadian artists, this one (incredibly) has worked.

The notion that 'foreign stations are banned' is patently ridiculous. If my cable provider supplies HBO, or CNN, or TNN, or A&E, or the History Channel--they don't have to delete 60% of the material and replace it with CanCon. NBC, CBS, ABC--all appear on Canadian cable and satellite unaltered (unfortunately or otherwise) from the channels seen in American markets.

Censorship? I don't think so.

And "Cheers!" to John Ashcroft. How's your quaint little shut-down-the-adult-film-industry crusade going?

you're apparently not aware that the law requires ...

I'm aware of these guidelines, I'm just saying that they don't really have significant impact on what I end up seeing.

All iron seeding studies as of 2003, confirmed the consumption of CO2 but

Other gases are produced (eg DMS), and other limiting nutrients (nitrates and phosphorous) are used up. ...
What has *not* been found is any proof that any additional carbon sinks to the ocean floor and gets buried, thus entering long-term storage.

Fast forward to 2004.

There is an article in nature, published on March 17 2004, whose abstract says iron is not a panacea

Only a small proportion of the mixed-layer POC [particulate organic carbon] was intercepted by the traps. ... The depletion of silicic acid and the inefficient transfer of iron-increased POC below the permanent thermocline have major implications ... for proposed geo-engineering schemes to increase oceanic carbon sequestration.

Apparently the study linked to in the original post has two studies who's results will be published in April 2004

... in the same issue of Science ... [which] indicate that much of the carbon sank to hundreds of meters below the surface.

So what do we know for sure? Adding iron does cause a bloom, and does drawdown CO2 but other nutrients are used up and the CO2's ultimate fate is debatable.

The conflicting results could be regional variation in ocean conditions, but IANAO.

Either way global warming is real, and the film may bring to light the severity of future changes.

All iron seeding studies as of 2003, confirmed the consumption of CO2 but

Other gases are produced (eg DMS), and other limiting nutrients (nitrates and phosphorous) are used up. ...
What has *not* been found is any proof that any additional carbon sinks to the ocean floor and gets buried, thus entering long-term storage.

Fast forward to 2004.

There is an article in nature, published on March 17 2004, whose abstract says iron is not a panacea

Only a small proportion of the mixed-layer POC [particulate organic carbon] was intercepted by the traps. ... The depletion of silicic acid and the inefficient transfer of iron-increased POC below the permanent thermocline have major implications ... for proposed geo-engineering schemes to increase oceanic carbon sequestration.

Apparently the study linked to in the original post has two studies who's results will be published in April 2004

... in the same issue of Science ... [which] indicate that much of the carbon sank to hundreds of meters below the surface.

So what do we know for sure? Adding iron does cause a bloom, and does drawdown CO2 but other nutrients are used up and the CO2's ultimate fate is debatable.

The conflicting results could be regional variation in ocean conditions, but IANAO.

Either way global warming is real, and the film may bring to light the severity of future changes.

Source story from where the link comes.

Actually, It seems totally illogical to me that he could be sued even if he knew that his fields were contaminated and then used that knowledge. I'd love it if every farmer started suing Monsanto for contaminating their feilds. GM crops are spreading, wiping out their "organic" cousins.

I wonder what will happen when this creep grass gets into a field of Monsato's Round-Up-Ready soy beans/corn/wheat/cotton/conola. That will make for some interesting lawsuits, this grass is the first perennial to get the gene. I can just picture acres of farm land becoming golf-courses when they aren't growing crops.

I don't expect outsiders to know this, but anyone who lives in or around Edmonton will tell you that Whyte ave is not a pretty sight after the sun goes down. There are only what... 20, 30 bars allong that strip? The place tends to get a little rough at night. Perhaps you forgot about July 1st, 2001? Also known as the Whyte ave Riot? Thats a pretty friggin big reason why people are OK with security cameras in that area. And its also why the EPS can "justify" spending the money. One more cop wouldn't have done fuck all versus 1200 drunken rioters, but a small network of security cameras will make even the dumbest people think twice about trashing the place again.

...the fact that they're not really putting out music, but rather soundtracks for the product placement ads known as 'music videos'. It used to be that artists tried to write great songs. Now they're trying to come up with rhymes for 'Benz' or 'Courvoisier'. That entire industry is a friggin' joke, the music a parody of itself. The CBC (Canada) did a special on it last night called "Rhyme Pays" in their show, Market place. Check it out . It's quite an eye-opener. It's focused on the hip-hop industry, but I don't have a doubt that 'Blink Park' and whoever else is on the rock charts these days are doing the same thing.

I think the 243,630 times the ex-employee Lafond accessed the site gave it away. That information was found in the CBC Business news.

Sick and angry enough to make it illegal for them to do so, even if that's what they both want to do?

http://www.cbc.ca/stories/2004/03/31/canada/downlo ad_court040331
http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/internet/downloa ding_music.html

Federal Court of Canada Justice Konrad von Finckenstien's March 31 ruling on downloading music from the internet was seen as a major setback by the music industry and a victory by internet service providers.

The Canadian Recording Industry Association wanted a court order to identify 29 uploaders that CRIA claims illegally posted hundreds of songs on the internet. Finckenstein refused and without the names, CRIA cannot take legal action for damages.

"No evidence was presented that the alleged infringers either distributed or authorized the reproduction of sound recordings," von Finckenstein wrote in his 28-page ruling. "They merely placed personal copies into their shared directories which were accessible by other computer users via a P2P service."

The ruling stipulates that:

* Downloading a song for personal use is not an infringement.

* Placing a song in an on-line music-sharing directory such as Kazaa is not considered distribution.

http://www.cbc.ca/stories/2004/03/31/canada/downlo ad_court040331
http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/internet/downloa ding_music.html

Federal Court of Canada Justice Konrad von Finckenstien's March 31 ruling on downloading music from the internet was seen as a major setback by the music industry and a victory by internet service providers.

The Canadian Recording Industry Association wanted a court order to identify 29 uploaders that CRIA claims illegally posted hundreds of songs on the internet. Finckenstein refused and without the names, CRIA cannot take legal action for damages.

"No evidence was presented that the alleged infringers either distributed or authorized the reproduction of sound recordings," von Finckenstein wrote in his 28-page ruling. "They merely placed personal copies into their shared directories which were accessible by other computer users via a P2P service."

The ruling stipulates that:

* Downloading a song for personal use is not an infringement.

* Placing a song in an on-line music-sharing directory such as Kazaa is not considered distribution.

• canada's senate functions superbly, especially in comparison to other national systems.

• there is no political in-fighting at senate, there are no axes to grind. the appointment process needs to be reformed but the senate is the smoothest operation in federal government

• west of manitoba the alliance won just two seats

• the tories left ontario in a shambles, it turns out all of their cost-cutting was just going into tax breaks for the rich, and now the middle-class is left with the tab and no services. smart. ndp governments have been extremely successful provincially

• canada's senate functions superbly, especially in comparison to other national systems.

• there is no political in-fighting at senate, there are no axes to grind. the appointment process needs to be reformed but the senate is the smoothest operation in federal government

• west of manitoba the alliance won just two seats

• the tories left ontario in a shambles, it turns out all of their cost-cutting was just going into tax breaks for the rich, and now the middle-class is left with the tab and no services. smart. ndp governments have been extremely successful provincially

don't forgot about our suicide bombers...
nj devils suck, 'nuks rule
rik0

That was only so that Ontarians would get the government they deserved. They saw an opportunity to win at least a 15 year term the minute Dalton McGuinty suggested he'd re-implement photo radar to line the government's coffers (and positively not at all for safety, specifically).

If Dalton survives even 2 years, I will be positively amazed. Photo radar will get that man lynched and will again re-implement the only party supporting it's banning (you do remember this being a main election issue the first time for the Tories, right?)

"I have long been a supporter of photo radar," the premier told reporters on his way into a cabinet meeting. "It's a revenue generator, absolutely."

US infant mortality: 6.69 deaths/1,000 live births. Canada: 4.95 deaths/1,000 live births.

In spite of this, Canadian television has yet to produce a domestic hit television series, and virtually all our recording artists flee to the states.

The Beachcombers, Man!!! The Beachcombers!!!

Oh, and for you thirty-something canadians in the crowd, just when you thought the Beachcombers was safely dead and forgotten.... *shudder*

In fact, if you visit http://www.cbc.ca/mondayreport/, there's another oddly relevent commercial spoof called "Don't steal satellite signals! Please?"

I find these commercials funny -- they basically try to scare parents, saying our kids are going to become common criminals because copyright infringement is just like any other form of "theft"...

Next in the news: downloading music results in increased chocolate bar theft!

CBC writes: "...von Finckenstein wrote in his 28-page ruling."
The Globe and Mail writes: "In a 31-page decision, Judge Konrad von Finckenstein said..."
Hmmm... where are those 3 pages?

In spite of this, Canadian television has yet to produce a domestic hit television series

CSI was produced by Alliance-Atlantis (a Canadian company) - and has proven a huge success on both sides of the border. For the younger set, Degrassi: The Next Generation (and its predecessor Degrassi Junior High) have also been quite sucessful. And lets not forget that paragon of Canadian-ness - Due South.

Also, as a nit-pick, while Bill C-2 is extremely retarded, it makes purchasing of foreign satellite content illegal.

Leaving files on a public P2P directory is legal apparently.

"Making files available in online, shared directories is within the bounds of Canadian copyright law, von Finckenstein ruled."

"No evidence was presented that the alleged infringers either distributed or authorized the reproduction of sound recordings," von Finckenstein wrote in his 28-page ruling. "They merely placed personal copies into their shared directories which were accessible by other computer users via a P2P service."

What you can't do in Canada is download something and sell it.

We exported Celin Dion to Nevada. We can barley here her now.

Actually both Celin Dion and Shania Twain are residents of Switzerland now. They will take our ticket/CD money but they don't want to pay us back through the taxes.

Canadian Amusement (need media player):
Spoof of an old Ontario government promotional song
"Ontario, A place to live, a place to grow"
Rick Mercers Monday Report
Background: an abandoned brewery in Toronto was found to be a large pot growing operation. The CBC is government funded in part.

Specifically, he said:

"No evidence was presented that the alleged infringers either distributed or authorized the reproduction of sound recordings. They merely placed personal copies into their shared directories which were accessible by other computer users via a P2P service."

To me, this sounds like he's saying that standard P2P file sharing is not copyright infringement. It sounds like as long don't actively upload the file to someone else, or personally authorize them to download it from you, then its OK.

Two other newsfeeds are carrying the story as well -- both say essentially the same thing, but CBC has some related stories that may be worth reading: The Toronto Star and CBC

IANAL, but I believe this comes from the quirk in Canadian law that you may make copies of something for yourself quite legally, just not for others. Since the people sharing aren't making the copies, it's legal.

Checkout CBC's Article for another view of the story.

Specifically, from the Judge's ruling: "No evidence was presented that the alleged infringers either distributed or authorized the reproduction of sound recordings. They merely placed personal copies into their shared directories which were accessible by other computer users via a P2P service."

I agree, but knowing that its real and/or expensive matters to many people. There are countless markets where this is true: jewelery, art, fashion, antiques. Here is a good example. It refers to a painting that has just been verified as authentic and expected to bring in over 5 million at auction. If it couldn't be authenticated or it was a fake it might fetch a few thousand...but its the same item in either case.

One of the things that we've seen happening in Canada is that a huge corporation (ie: Monsanto) will sell its genetically modified seed to farmers and charge them an annual licensing fee. The problem arises when some of the seed blows onto neighbouring farmers' fields and starts to merge with their crops. In turn, Monsanto takes legal action against the farmers.

Here's a link to a good, comprehensive story.

Basically, the issue at hand is that even before considering the ethical implications of lacing crops with drugs, we should be thinking about the leverage such enhancements will give to corporate heavyweights like Monsanto in their ongoing struggle to preserve "their" intellectual property.
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