Yes, John McCain Committed Adultery by Cheating on His Wife, Now Get Over it

Do you ever hate being popular for all the wrong reasons? Well, I do. A while back I wrote an innocuous post about how John McCain cheated on his wife and now googling that phrase accounts for 50% of this blog's traffic. And no, the curious about presidential candidates committing adultery are not the type to click on adds. :-(

By the way, John McCain violated military law by committing adultery while in the military. I hope that if John McCain does become "Commander in Chief" that he banishes that silly law. It is also quite probable that John McCain violated many state adultery laws way back when. Thankfully, only half a dozen states still have them on the the books.




-100 More Years In Iraq: John McCain, Yes We Can ;

Alaska may be Next to Russia, but I have been to France

Any of you white men out there jealous that the Governor of Alaska (population 600,000) may become the Vice-President of the United-State? And, let's face it, with a very good chance at becoming the first female President of the United States.

If you haven't click on "play", do so. I'm pretty sure the guy is being non-sarcastic, that he actually thinks that being Governor of Alaska involves relations with Russia.

Well, I've travelled to 30 plus countries. Where is my Vice-Presidential nomination. I was born in Canada, you say. So what? John McCain was born in Panama...

Are You a Closet NDPer?

 

Originally posted 2008-02-16.

 

Maybe you are an NDPer and didn't know it?

 

Here is a questionnaire to help you out:

 

Taxes

War costs money. Lots and lots of money.

-If you are in favour of higher taxes to pay for foreign wars: vote Conservative.

-If you are in favour of slightly higher taxes to pay for foreign wars: vote Liberal

-If you want to save tax money by not paying for pointless foreign wars: vote NDP.

-If you are in favour of fuel efficient tanks for the war in Afghanistan: vote Green Party.

 

The Military

-The military should be well equipped but we should send soldiers over-sees so they don't get bored and ask for more money: Vote Conservative.

-Our brave soldiers are willing to get into whatever equipment we give them, with or without bullets, to keep the peace on the four corners of the world, but mostly in Afghanistan: Vote Liberal.

-Canada should have a well equipped, well paid military here in Canada, defending Canada: Vote NDP.

-We should encourage our military in Afghanistan to vacation in nearby Pakistan or Iran: Vote Green Party.

 

Housing

-Rich people should be financially encouraged to buy big houses as it gives jobs to construction workers: Vote Conservative.

-Every Canadian should aspire to live in a house and the federal government should financially encourage people who can already afford them. Higher housing prices are good for elderly home owners: Vote Liberal.

-The federal government should not financially encourage single detached dwellings, buy one if you want one and can afford it : Vote NDP.

-The federal government should subsidise alternative energy so commuters can put solar panels and wind mills on their country homes: Vote Green Party.

 

Free trade

-There are winners and losers when it comes to free trade. Try to be a winner. Good luck and vote Conservative.

-Everybody wins with free trade. That is why corporate welfare and trade agreements with rich nations are important. Vote Liberal.

-Free trade should be world wide, without regional distortions. Workers who are affected by free trade should be compensated. Vote NDP.

-Everybody should grow their own food, except in winter. If Pol Pot wasn't a psycho his plan would have worked. Vote Green Party.

 

The Environment

-The environment is important. The poor will soon be using florescent light bulbs. The rest of us can drive our SUVs guilt free. Vote Conservative.

-Put carbon filters on smoke stacks. Vote Liberal.

-We need a holistic approach to the environment. No point in encouraging wood stoves if asthma goes up. Stop financially encouraging single detached dwellings (urban sprawl). End corporate welfare. Support Via Rail. Vote NDP.

-We need to impose a carbon tax to lower the income taxes of the rich who create jobs for the rest of us.Vote Green Party.

 

Afghanistan

-They love Tim Hortens over there. Soon we will open a Harvey's and the pacifying will be complete. Vote Conservative.

-We aren't exactly sure why we are there, but we should fight, peacefully, until we figure it out. Vote Liberal.

-Ossama Bin Laden and Al Queda. They attacked the United States. As NATO members, we should defend our partners against both. The war in Afghanistan is no longer doing that. Vote NDP.

-The transport planes we are buying to transport our tanks to the other side of the world should be fuel efficient. We should also plant a bunch of poppy seeds to compensate for the release of carbon. Vote Green Party.

Fundamental Flaw in Liberal Carbon Tax Proposal

Climate Change Sucks

Saving the world is hard to argue against, although some do (that would be you Steven Harper). However, pretending to save the world is arguably worse. And that, unfortunately, is what the Liberal carbon tax proposal does.

 

Solution: use less fossil fuels

The solution to global warming is to use less carbon spewing fossil fuels. A carbon tax on carbon fuels seems like a no brainer. Unfortunately, alternatives to fossil fuel based energy (nuclear, solar, wind, wood), under the Liberal proposal, will generally still be more expensive than fossil fuel based energy (oil and coal).

 

Energy elasticity

If alternative energy is still more expensive, the only hopeful benefit of a low carbon tax is that people will use less energy, period. Generally, if things cost more, people buy less of it. However, the Liberals are proposing to reduce income taxes as a result of the carbon tax. So things will cost more, but people will have more money. Count the ways you can spend money that don't use energy... You will hire a maid! Genius. But your maid will buy stuff, she might even have to drive to your house. Face it. The more money you have, the larger your global warming foot print.

 

Non-fossil energy should be cheaper

A carbon tax only makes sense if you tax so high that heating your home with nuclear powered electricity becomes cheaper than using oil. If hydrogen ever becomes feasible for automobile use, we better be sure that the power plants aren't using coal, natural gas or oil! 

 

Liberals to the poor: pay up

The Liberal carbon tax will hurt the poor, who use very little carbon to begin with. They will spend more in taxes and won't be compensated with lower income tax. A higher heating bill when you are on minimum wage doesn't mean switching to solar (unless it is cheaper), it means less fruits and vegetables. And a carbon tax on oil might make the upper middle class think twice about 4 bedroom, two car garage homes. But if they get an income tax break (in part on the backs of the poor) the increase in cost will largely be compensated.

 

The correct way to do it

Tax carbon and subsidize alternatives to carbon spewing energy (including public transportation and Via Rail). An other way to do it, and perhaps the fairest, is  the Ralph bucks way. Tax carbon (a lot) and compensate everybody equally. That way, people who use more than their carbon "quota" would be financially penalised, and people who use less would financially benefit.

 

Some of my previous musings on the subject of global warming and carbon taxes:

-Graham Bucks Not Quite Ralph Bucks ;

-Liberal Solution to Global Warming: Punish Parents ;

-Canada's Kyoto target: only buy stuf made in China ;

-Blame Rona Ambrose or You Could Take the Bus ;

-If I Ran Canada

 

Is Barak Obama's Brother in-law Chinese-Canadian or Malaysian-Canadian?

Barak Obama's Canadian brother in law's parents are from Malaysia (Borneo). Yet Obama brags about his Chinese-Canadian brother in-law.

According to the CIA world fact book, 23% of Malaysians are ethnic Chinese.

If you quote from this blog, please refer to the author (that would be me) as "Celtic-Canadian". "Viking-Canadian" will also do.

Obama Has Canadian Brother in-Law!

Alternative title: Barak Obama's siblings born in Asia and Africa and yet has Canadian relative.

Any change in the direction of U.S. politics will resonate throughout the world.
The type of hope he promises will spill over borders will give the world a
decent shot at getting to a better place. (Former Burlington resident Konrad Ng, age 34, PHD in Political Science. Brother in-law of Barak Obama).

Obama's baby half sister, an Indo-American, continued in her mother's foot steps by marrying a non-American. The guy is from Burlington, Ontario, Canada.

Obama's niece in Hawaii will no doubt be eligible for citizenship in Indonesia and Canada (and perhaps Malaysia because of her grandfather).

If that isn't freaky enough for you, imagine meeting some dirt poor guy in Kenya who tells you his half brother is President of the United States. You'd have to believe him!

In the following article, Obama is quoted as saying that Toronto reminded him of Chicago. I was struck by the exact same impression (in reverse), when I visited Chicago a decade ago.

-Obama in Canada: 'Uncle Rocky' and his Burlington family ties

How is Dalton McGuinty Better than Mike Harris?

One of  the more bizarre public policy moves of the Mike Harris Conservatives was to have municipalities (property taxes) finance (in a very, very small way) welfare and health care.

 

What is even more bizarre is the current Liberal government's refusal to reverse the move. Lower property taxes, raise the provincial sales tax. Problem solved. Don't want to raise the sales tax? Fine, raise personal income tax then. Or raise the corporate income taxes (business pay property taxes too, you know).

 

Even worse, renters in apartment buildings of 7 plus units pay 3 times more property tax (via their rent) than owners of similar valued condos! Double worse, there is a capital gains tax on apartment buildings but not on condo apartments or mansions.

 

-Municipalities need new fiscal relationship: Hampton

How is Ontario Treated Unfairly?

I'm a bit worried that Dalton McGuinty is starting to believe his own
rethoric.

Before the Association of Ontario Municipalities, he asked local
politicians to get involved in the upcomming federal elections so that
Ontario can get it's fair share of federal government spending.

How is being one of the richest provinces in Canada a bad thing?
Ontario has one of the lowest income tax and sales tax rates in the
country. For example, how many provinces in Canada don't charge tax on
a cup of coffee? Answer: 2, and Ontario is one of them. Hair cuts. Tax
free, etc, etc.

But maybe McGuinty is correct, perhaps Ontario is too rich. Perhaps
the federal government should remove duty on European and Asian made
cars. Perhaps the feds should look at saving money by moving the civil
service accross the river to lower rent Gatineau, Quebec...

Wouldn't we get more bang for our dollar if the CBC shared the Radio-
Canada building in Montreal?

And how revenu neutral is the Saint-Lawrence Seaway? We didn't get a
300 billion dollar debt by magic. Time to raise passage fees.

Be carefull what you ask for Ontario, fairness may be what you get.

Envoyé depuis mon iPhone / Sent from my iPhone

3 million Americans Killed in Car Accidents

Over your lifetime (75 years), 3 million Americans will be killed in vehicle accidents. 3 million people!

 

Source: NY Times.

 

Canadians Are Racist

Canadians Are Racist. They don't like Black people.

 

Current Canadian immigration law favours non-Blacks. The point system, allocated for university education and related work experience, clearly puts African Americans, and other Blacks, at a major disadvantage. Family reunification favours non-Blacks, because there are few Black families in Canada to be reunited to. And I don't even need to bother mentioning the entrepreneur and "investor" classes.

 

Europeans can work in each others countries. NewZealanders and Australians can work in each others countries. But American (10% of whom are Black)? No way, they must stay out. The border guards now even have guns to protect us from them.

 

If Canadians weren't so racist and so afraid of the 33 million Black Americans, Americans would be allowed to live and work in Canada.

McCain Should Choose Female Running Mate

Alternative title: Condoleezza Rice for VP.

 

Although John McCain is an admitted adulterer (technically, he broke the law as he was in the military at the time), I think he should chose a women as his Vice-Presidential running mate.

 

I think Condoleezza Rice would be a good running mate.

 

Proof iPhones Made by Children

 

Proof iPhones Made by Children, see proof here.

 

Alternative title. iPhone not made by children after all. See proof.

 

Seriously, the girl/young women in the picture is wearing lipstick. Who wears lipstick at a plant? Dollars a day and these people have enough to waist on make up! Clearly, Chinese workers are too expensive. As a result, even Indians can't afford to buy the iPhone...

 

(Yes, I'm being sarcastic).  

Tim Hortens Locator Most Popular Free App

(iPhone Maps search results)

As I write this, the Tim Hortens locator is the 4th most popular app
in the Canadian iPhone app store despite having only been added
yesterday. In other words, by the time you read this, it will be
number one!

The problem I have with it is that it does nothing that the iPhone
Maps application doesn't already do. Imagine having a dictionnary with
only one definition.

Anyway, at least it's not an other metric converter...

Do not pass go, go directly to Toronto

Slow news day. Apparently, Hasbro is selling an other version of it's uber popular Monopoly game.

 

Monopoly is just a game. Although the most astute among you will have realised that if you win at Monopoly, you will actually have lost because the game has ended. If you were to emulate life you would keep your opponents alive, just rich enough to spend their money on your hotels without going bankrupt. If you "win" while the bank still has money, you've lost.

 

Speaking of changing the rules, the properties have been replaced by cities in a new version of Monopoly. Thankfully, it is still just a game, no individual that I know of owns entire cities. Especially cities like Montreal, Vancouver, London UK and Toronto. All of which are on the new bord. Montreal replaces Bordwalk...

 

I've only been to half (11) of the cities on the new bord. How about you?

Journalists: write in metric or else!

There are at least 10 metric converters in the iPhone/iPod touch app
store. I'm assuming just as many are available for Palm, Windows
Mobile and Blackberry. There are even web based converters.

So why do Canadian journalists insist on using measurements that are
no longer taught in school? Face it, even the youngest people who
haven't learned the metric system are about to discover adult diapers.
I'm not saying they aren't important, it is just that advertisers
don't care about them.

So here is the deal, write in the language of your paying audience
(metric) and insert a conversion because you like to be nice to old
people. Otherwise we will get our news from Australia.

Sent from my 889 mm iPhone

Shop For Music While You Shop for Groceries

In my mind, the Internet was supposed to end my weekly trip to the grocery store. I was suppose to shop for groceries online and then people at some efficient warehouse would put my order on a truck and I'd get my groceries delivered to my door.

 

Unfortunately, it is still way more efficient (and cheaper) to go to the store myself; even without a car.

 

But today, the Internet finally improved my grocery shopping experience. Thanks to my iPhone and the Shazam app, I was able to know what music was playing. I could even watch a Youtube clip of the artist performing. Right there, while choosing pickles. One of the songs I heard was good enough that I wanted to buy it. You can't buy music in Canada over 3G with iTunes, but soon after I got home and unpacked the groceries, I simply pressed the iTunes link in Shazam, entered my iTunes password, and 15 seconds later the song was playing.

 

How did my iPhone know what was playing at the grocery store? Simple, Shazam recorded a sample, compared it to its database and voila. Obviously, it doesn't always work. I've had much less success with French language music, for example. Still, I'd say there is a 80% success rate.

Take the Plunge: Pangea VR is a Great iPhone App

Look straight up at the sun, zoom the girl and look around the beach.
Virtual Reality was the next big thing in the 90s. Now you can get it
for free on your iPhone or iPod touch with Pangea
VR, by far the best looking app.

Selling Noise Can Make You Rich: Top iPhone Apps in Canada

I wish Apple would divuldge more details about the popularity rankings
in it's app store.

The metric converter at number 4 makes it clear they are ranked by
country (it is one of 5 measurment converters in the Canadian app
store!).

Exact numbers would be great but at least tell us what the period is
(yesterday, last week, ever?). In any case, the above picture makes
for interesting marketing speculation about
Canadian iPhone and iPod touch users.

-Mobile chat is number one. As most chatters are now women...

-Noise is the second most popular app.
Noise! And here I was designing a better mouse trap. Obviously this is
the proof that consumers are stupid (soon: new and improved noise,
green noise and fair trade noise).

-Race cars at number 3. Boys will be boys and many have iPhone's and
iPod touches. Still, a retro race game in number 3?

-Card game at number 5. Because a $350 iPhone is so much more portable
than a 99 cent deck of cards. See noise.

There are some amazing inovative apps available, but they are not in
the top 5. Although I have played the race car game more than any
other app I have...

In conclusion, why inovate when you can adapt stuff?

The app I want, that doesn't exist yet, is the flashing 12:00 VCR
clock (obscure Simpsons reference).

Everybody in Jamaica has a Cell Phone

According to the Jamaica Gleaner, there are 2.76 million cell phone (aka mobile or wireless) accounts in Jamaica. That leaves about 20,000 people (ie, children) without cell phones.

 

In case you missed the memo, Jamaica is a poor country. Literally dirt poor for many. And yet there are more cell phone accounts than adults!?

 

By comparison, the penetration rate is 60% in Canada. Canadians are among the richest people in the world...

 

Le Samsung Instinct de Bell est plus cher que le iPhone de Rogers!

Pour $129 vous pouvez obtenir le Samsung Instinct de Bell. Une aubaine! Par contre, c'est avec un contrat de trois ans et c'est là que ça se complique. Car si vous savez compter, vous aller opter pour le iPhone de Rogers ou Fido. Désolé Teachers.

Le forfait le moins dispendieux, au Nouveau-Brunswick, vous coûtera, au bout de trois ans, $2346.28 pour le iPhone contre $2349.20 pour le Samsung Instinct. Et le iPhone inclu 8GB contre 2GB pour le Samsung Instinct. Pire, à ce prix c'est 250 minutes avec Rogers contre seulement 100 minutes avec Bell/Aliant (mais les soirés commences une heure plus tôt, à 20 chez Bell). Dans les deux cas, les soirs et fin de semaines sont gratuits.

Pourtant, à première vue, le forfait de Bell, Internet illimité à 10$, semble imbatable. Malheureusement, Internet illimité n'inclu pas GPS (8$ de plus) et... courriel (8$ de plus). Oui, j'ai bien dit que Internet illimité avec Bell n'inclu pas le courriel. Gmail ne fonctionne pas avec le Samsung Instinct. Hotmail fonctionne... pour le 8$ de plus par mois!

Je veux bien croire que vous pouvez vous passer de GPS, mais pas de courriel. Donc c'est 18$ l'Internet illimité de Bell sur le Samsung Instinct. Et puisque le GPS et Google Maps viennent avec le iPhone, pour fin de comparaison, on doit ajouter le 8$ mensuel que demande Bell.

Mais vous allez dire que 26$ c'est moins que 30$. Vous avez raison sauf que Bell impose 2$ de plus que Rogers pour les fameux "frais d'accès au système".

Rogers au Nouveau-Brunswick: 1.03$ pour le 911, 6.95$ pour le FAS, 30$ pour Internet/courriel/GPS. Total: 37.98$.
Bell/Aliant: 0.75$ pour le 911, 8.95$ pour le FAS, 26$ pour Internet/Courriel/GPS. Grand total: 35.70$.

Le rabais de 2.28$ s'évapore lorsqu'on compare les forfaits voix. Au Nouveau-Brunswick avec Rogers, vous pouvez obtenir 250 minutes pour 20$. Avec Bell, c'est 35$ pour le même forfait (avec soirs une heure plus tôt, à 20 heures). Bell impose 35$ pour frais d'activation contre 10$ avec Rogers. Avec un forfait voix de moins de 30$ par mois, les deux compagnies vendent leurs téléphones plus cher, 49$ de plus dans le cas de Rogers.

N'oubliez pas que le Samsung Instinct de Bell vient avec 2GB de mémoir alors que le iPhone vient avec 8GB ou, pour 100$ de plus, 16GB.

Même s'il est plus cher, le Samsung Instinct de Bell vous permet (pour encore plus d'argent) de regarder la télévision. De plus, pour le moment, le réseau 3G est plus étalé avec Aliant qu'avec Rogers (par exemple, Fredericton et Saint-Jean). Aussi, vous pouvez enregistrer de la vidéo sur le Samsung Instinct. WiFi n'est pas disponible sur le Instinct. Donc vous devez vous contenter de EVDO à la maison et au travail (donc étudier attentivement les cartes de disponibilié du EVDO).

L'aventage du iPhone, à part le prix au bout de trois ans, est incontestablement la facilité d'utilisation. Surtout pour la navigation Internet. Pour faire un zoom (l'écran du iPhone est 0.4 pouce plus grand, mais ce n'est que 3.5 pouces) il suffit de pincer les doigts. Et si vous êtes habitué de iTunes vous êtes vendu d'avance...

Bell Samsung Instinct More Expensive than Rogers iPhone!

Bell's Samsung Instinct is more expensive than Rogers' iPhone!

Well, not the purchase price*. But once you have it, the Instinct will cost you.

Over three years, see details** at the end of this post, including the initial purchase, the Rogers iPhone in New Brunswick will cost you $2346.28 whereas the Samsung Instinct with Bell will cost you $2709.20 (however, as Bell evenings start at 8PM instead of 9PM with Rogers, perhaps you could get the $25 plan with Bell that includes only 100 minutes per month: three year cost: $2349.20)

With Rogers and the iPhone, for $30 per month, you get 6GB of Internet/data use, GPS and email. With Bell, the Internet will only cost you $10. Cheap! But Bell's Internet doesn't include email. What? I'm not sure how they manage that but email (as in Hotmail), will cost you an extra 8 bucks per month, according to Bell's CTV.

But $18 is less than $30, you say. Ah ha! With Bell, GPS is an extra $8 per month. $26 is less than $30. True enough. But you need voice with that data, and Bell will charge you a $8.95 Service Access Fee (instead of $6.95 with Rogers). $34.95 is less than $36.95 you say. True. But go ahead and add that voice plan, voice mail and all the other extras you need. You will then realise that Rogers' iPhone is cheaper.

Is the Bell Instinct worth the extra money? Well, if you want to record video, watch TV (costs extra) and hate iTunes, perhaps. Dito if you live in one of the few places with 3G on Bell/Aliant but not with Rogers. For everybody else: iPhone wins. Sorry Ontario Teachers.

*You get way more memory with the iPhone. At equal memory, the Samsung Instinct will probably cost you as much or more.

**Rogers in New Brunswick: My 5: $20 for 250 minutes, unlimited 5 local numbers, free nights (after 9PM) and weekends. Activation: $10. As voice plan is less than $30 a month, Rogers will charge you an extra $50 for the iPhone. Purchase price: $249 for 8G or $349 for 16GB. 6.95 SAF, 1.03 for 911. $30 for data. Three year total:$2346.28 for 8GB or $2446.28 for 16GB iPhone.

Bell/Aliant in New Brunswick: Fab 5: $35 for 250 minutes, unlimited 5 local numbers, free nights (after 8PM) and weekend. $8.95 SAF. $0.75 for 911. $10 for Internet. $8 for email. $8 for GPS. Activation: $35. Samsung Instinct: $129 with 2GB memory card. Three year total: $2709.20 for the Samsung Instinct with 2GB.

P.S.
The HTC Touch Diamond (4GB) will be available with Telus shortly. Telus plans on selling the phone for $149 on a three year contract. Telus will charge you $30 for the Internet (including email). I assume GPS will be included. Voice plans start at $25 per month. In New Brunswick, activation is $35, SAF is $6.95 and 911 is $1.28. Evenings start at 9PM. With a three year contract, you can get 200 minutes for $20 per month. Total 3 year cost: $2460.28.

Further reading:

-Samsung Instinct Review (Canadaeast.com).
-Hands-on with the Samsung Instinct (Montreal Gazette blogger)

Mikhail Gorbachev - A Path to Peace in the Caucasus - washingtonpost.com

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/11/AR2008081101372.html

Envoyé depuis mon iPod / Sent from my iPod touch.

7 Year Old too Ugly for 2 Billion Olympic Viewers

Thank you China for sparing us from the ugly little girl with the
sweet voice.

Now, please send these little girls back to the iPhone plant. My
iPhone is on back order with Rogers (day 11) and I can't take pictures
with my iPod touch.

(The above picture was modified using my iPod touch).

Sent from my iPod touch.

Face Melter iPhone App

1. Take picture
2. Modify it
3. Send it to all your friends

On your iPhone.

South Ossetians, too, have the right to self-determination :: Daniel Hannan

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/daniel_hannan/blog/2008/08/11/south_ossetians_too_have_the_right_to_selfdetermination
I couldn't agree more with the column linked to above.
The way I read the events, Georgia bombed civilian Sout Ossetians,
Russia came to the rescue.
This is the equivalent of Canada bombing Quebec City and the USA then
sending troops to the province.
Would France then claim that the territorial borders of Canada must be
respected?
Envoyé depuis mon iPod / Sent from my iPod touch.

BC rock slide: the importance of redundency

Many people lead their lives like Whistler. Totally dependent on
something that is prone to failure.

Why oh why hasn't the BC government upgraded the second route into
Whistler to a road vs. the glorified trail that it is?

If your primary Internet provider goes down for 5 days, what will you
do?

Envoyé depuis mon iPod / Sent from my iPod touch.

iPhone Cheaper in New Brunswick

Rogers charges $35 to activate an iPhone in Ontario but only $10 in
New Brunswick. For the $199 8GB iPhone, that is an 11% savings!
Federal government transfer payments AND cheaper iPhones. Thanks
Ontario!

Envoyé depuis mon iPod / Sent from my iPod touch.