"God is a Psychopath" (North Korea and Propaganda)

This is one of the best propaganda films I've seen in a long time. I found it fascinating.



After viewing it, I recommend reading this.

Queen of Versailles is a Must See Doc

 If you live in the UK, I highly recommend you load up your BBC iPlayer and watch Queen of Versailles (Canadians can rent it for $5 via iTunes). It is an incredible story about about a time share magnet making money, and then not making as much, as the world recession roles through.

Everybody involved is nouveau-riche. You don't want the nouveau riche as your neighboors, but they are fun to watch on TV. Queen of Versailles is no exception.

 

Meteorite Landings Are Not Random

Here is my hypothesis: The location of meteorites crashes are not random. They are not spread out equally around the world. What do I base this on? The map.

Look at it!

View Larger Map

The Chelyabinsk region is like the surface of the moon! Perhaps there is a logical explanation: lazy map makers, beavers, Soviet engineering... But man, does it ever look like a bunch of meteorites crashed in to the region.

-What Do We Know about the Russian Meteor?
-Meteorite Hits Russia, Causing Panic (in case of WSJ paywall, Google the title)
-Videos of Russian Meteorite Captured by Bystanders

Alberta and Florida Driver's Licences Are Illegal

This is the Alberta driver's licence. Do you see "Permis de conduire"? 

Model Driver's Licence according to the 1949 Geneva Convention on Road Traffic:

ANNEX 9. MODEL DRIVING PERMIT

Dimensions: 74 x 105 mm. Colour: Pink

1. The permit will be drawn up in the language(s) prescribed by the legislation of the State.

2. The title of the document "Driving Permit" will be written in the language(s) prescribed in 1 above and will be followed by the translation in French "Permis de conduire".

3. The inscriptions should be written (or at least repeated) in Latin characters or in so-called English script.

4. The additional remarks, if any, by the competent authorities of the issuing country will not apply to international traffic.

5. The distinguishing sign as defined in Annex 4 shall be inscribed in the oval.

Outside pages

Reserved for endorsements by the competent authorities of the issuing country and including periodic renewal.

[Name of country]

[Seal or stamp of authority]

At least Florida got the colour right.  

Freedom of Speech in China. Not So Much

This blog (as with all Blogger blogs) regularly gets banned in China. This is a visual example of censorship in China today (hat tip Radio-Canada for tweeting a Washington Post blog article about the German TV ZDF report. Excerpt below. By the way, I didn't notice any Internet censorship during my recent trip to Hong Kong. In fact, there is free wifi in parks, provided by the phone company. Yet Hong Kong is not a democracy, not even close.

$29.3 Million F1 Fraud, Texas Style

"State Comptroller Susan Combs has approved payment of $29.3 million from the state Major Events Trust Fund to organizers of November's Formula One race" 

[...]

"Under trust fund rules, the amount granted to the event organizers should be equal to the amount of additional tax revenues generated by the major event." (Austin Statesman, Dec 11, 2012)

There were 117,000 tickets sold for the Austin Circuit of the Americas (COTA) race weekend. You couldn't buy single day event tickets.

The sales tax in Texas is 6%. To generate $29.3 million in taxes would require $488,333,333.33 in spending. Divided by 117,000, that is $4173.79 in spending generated per ticket. That is simply impossible. It is fraud. Texas voters, and frankly, the police, should act accordingly.

The average rate for hotel rooms in Austin that weekend: $393.69. In San Antonio: $184.20.

So lets pretend every single ticket was sold to someone not residing in Texas. That they all decided to spend 3 nights in Austin and they all had their own room: $1181.07 average hotel spend. That still leaves $2992.72 to spend on ground transportation, food and tickets. Likely? Impossible. 

-When Governments Lie: The City of Austin and the State of Texas Exaggerate F1 Impact

iPhone Maker Using Slave Labour

16 year old teens working for free, including nights. Ironically, that is the case of many teens in Ontario, where a volonteer internship is mandatory. But from a French perspective, the Chinese situation is unacceptable. The frech version of this report was shown on French TV news.



French version (same, but easier to understand if you speak French).

The 9 Countries that Voted Against Palestine

According to Wikipedia (the UN site is down as I write this), these are the 9 countries that voted against Palestine. 40 countries, like, for example, Australia, didn't care enough to form an opinion.

Canada

Czech Republic

Israel

Marshall Islands

Micronesia

Nauru

Palau

Panama

United States

 

Boycott Brazil, Argentina, Chile and Paraguay

If yellow fever and rampant crime aren't enough to stop you from visiting the south of the equator part of South America, try entry fees.

An entry fee! At least requiring a visa fee has some semblance of being rational (you know, to cover the paperwork involved). But charging an entry fee that varies based on your citizenship? That is just wrong.

And what does Argentina expect? That we are going to lobby our government to stop requiring a visa for Argentinians? Canadians know that Argentina is poor and Canada is rich. Stinking rich, actually. Not rich enough that we need to import labour for basic activities like Saudi Arabia does. But rich enough that we don't go to poor countries like Argentina to look for work.

Granted, the fee is a relatively small percentage of what travelling to Argentina would cost. But if you want to do a multi-country tour, it adds up. 

So Canadians, go to Venezuela, Bolivia (you need a vaccine), Ecuador, Uruguay and Peru. Boycott Brasil, Paraguay, Argentina and Chile.

The BBC has all the fee the details. 

*Canada doesn't require a visa from South Koreans. So perhaps those countries really do think Canada will change its visa policy.

Remember, stay strong. You can resist! :)

 

The Female Body has Ways to Try to Shut That Whole Thing Down (Todd Akin)

 "The female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down [the ability to get pregnant] when you are legitimately raped." (Todd Akin). That is some serious truthiness. I mean it sounds plausible. In fact, he probably believes it. I read somewhere that women that climax at the same time as their partner increase their chances of conception. And since rape is such a horrible experience, it is nice to think women don't climax when raped, and therefor are less likely to get pregnant.

Of course, there are plenty of women who have gotten pregnant as a result of rape. Often young women, who are exponentially more likely to get pregnant during unprotected intercourse than older women. I haven't seen the stats on this, but I'm assuming 14 year olds are also more likely to get raped than 41 year olds. Just a hunch.

Todd Akin also thinks:

-Abortion is now worse than was American racist slavery.

-That abortion doctors are more likely to cheat on their taxes.

-That abortion doctors often preform fake abortions on women who aren't pregnant.

And guess what party put him on the Science committee? Yup, the Republicans (to be fair, according to Wikipedia, he does have a degree in Management Engineering).

Its not just Todd Akin that has fallen into that science thruthiness trap. You believe in the effects of the full moon on the psyche? Keep that to yourself, because the rest of us think of you as one big science fail. Nothing wrong with being curious about stuff, but when you repeat nonsense, people think you are nonsensical and will question your judgement on everything.

By the way, did you know that people who make frequent spelling mistakes are more rational and logical than the rest of us? Source.

Update:
"I checked the facts and that is wrong" (Todd Akin on the reduction of the chances of getting pregnent when raped).

Well, at least he isn't sticking to his guns.

Update 2: Akin didn't make this nonsense up, he really did hear it somewhere.

-

'God's Little Shield': A Short History Of The False No-Pregnancy ...
-

The Official Guide to Legitimate Rape
-

Global News | Akin isn't the first to present the theory women can't ...
-

Daily Kos: Republican voodoo vaginomics bears little resemblance ...

Obama is the WASP Ticket

Obama was raised by his Agnostic White mother and his Protestant White Grand-Parents (When hid lived in Indonesia, he was also raised by his Asian (probably) Muslim step-father). Obama doesn't talk about religion in his autobiography Dreams of My Father (at least, not in the part I read; the book is quite boring).

Religion in the USA matters. In fact, Americans would prefer a homosexual to an atheist (or at least that is what they say when answering one of those rushed surveys). According to that same survey, 94% would vote for a Catholic.

Note that this does not mean that for 94%, a candidate's religion doesn't matter, just that they would consider voting for a candidate of said religion.

Oddly, the survey doesn't ask if Americans would be willing to vote for a Protestant. 

Anyway, Obama is Protestant, Biden is Catholic. Romney is Mormon, his running mate is Paul Ryan is Catholic. 

Bag of Soda to Nurse a Hangover 2

I just saw Hangover 2. I was a bit dismayed that it didn't win the Oscar for best movie ever, but I'm happy that it made over half a billion dollars. Critics complain that Hangover 2 was a repeat of Hangover 1. Well, Hangover 2 is in Bankok. That's not Vegas. How more different can you get? Plus extra points for not using roman numerals.

Hangover 2, or 1 for that matter, would have been pretty mediocre had it been located in LA or Toronto. Thailand is different. Somewhere many of us want to visit, but haven't been to yet.

I think my favourite scene in Hangover 2 is when Alan (Zach Galifianakis), the stay at home son, walks down a street in Bankok with a bag of soda. A bag of soda (aka pop or carbonated soft drink)!



Just discoverd Qingdao, China, has one better: beer in a bag!

Oceans Make People Socialists

At first I thought is was salt water, but then how do you explain Corsica. Mountains? Nope. Borders? Maybe. But the most logical illogical explanation for the French election results is that the Oceans make people vote Socialist (unless they live off the coast of Madagascar).

As you know, the same is true in the USA (replacing Socialist with Democrat). New Yorkers and Californians have systematically voted for the federal Democrats. Folks in the Gulf of Mexico, not so much.

The Ocean theory breaks down in Canada thanks to Ontario and Quebec being oceanically challenged and Atlantic Canada being all over the political map. Still, Alberta is staunchly Conservative. And there are no oceans in Alberta. 

Breastfeeding in Uniform

Apparently there is some sort of controversy surrounding these pictures. That is good, because I can therefor post them here under the fair dealing exception of the Canada's copyright Act.

First of all, Terran Echegoyen-McCabe, left, is absolutely stunning. Second of all, young women in uniform are hot (prison, nurse, army, doesn't matter). Third of all, breastfeeding is natural and should be encouraged. These are beautiful pictures. Women aren't just for sex. They also defend our country and feed our children.

What do you think? I don't really care what you think, but this whole "fair dealing" thing requires debate.

Annoying Myth: English is a Global Language

Some people who should know better, they tend to be British, think English is a global language. If global means on different continents, then yes. But Mandarin, German, Portuguese, French and Spanish are also widely spoken on different continents.

The fact is, the vast majority of the world's 7 billion people do not understand or speak English. They need subtitles to watch Terminator 3. Or, more likely, they are watching a dubbed version, with no exposure to English.

That's not to say English isn't popular. In Eastern Europe and Scandinavia, it is often the neutral go to language. There are so many national languages it that area (Norway has two) that picking a useful second language is difficult. Still, the vast majority of the people in that area are not fluent in English.

Whenever I blog about something apolitical, I get plenty of Google Translate hits. A reminder that even in its simple written form, some people prefer a machine translation.  Any Canadian who has been south for the Winter knows the advantages of understanding and speaking Spanish. You can get better prices, you can use public transportation and leave the resort/prison without escorts. And that's in the tourist areas. In-land, forgetabout it. No English, at all.

But English is the most popular second language, right? Well, if it is, it won't be much use in giant chunks of Africa (French). Spanish is the most popular second language in Spain and Latin America.

There would be huge advantages if there was a universal language. Be we are not there yet. I'm all for teaching people English. But trying to explain, sell, proselytize or entertain in English, to non-English speakers, is pure folly. Learn a second language. Hire people to translate your message. Better yet, create it locally and translate it back to English for quality control. 

Street View Tourist

-Sao Paulo.
The Toronto of Brazil, Sao Paulo is not on my bucket list. However, check out the interesting graffiti in this Sao Paulo neighborhood.

View Larger Map

-Palestine
I espicially like this graffiti, a sneeky way to get around the sign by-lay, I assume. Unzoom, then  walk north (turn right) about 400m for some serious jaywalking prevention measures.


View Larger Map

Africa Is a Country (Santorum, Carey et. al)

I've been to Africa. If Africa is a country, it doesn't include Morocco (shameless bragging about my trip to Morocco, which I recommend).

Country and continent are easy to confuse when speaking. We'll never know if the folks below really thought Africa was a country.

Republican candidate Rick Santorum

Improve TV host (now Price is Right host) Drew Carey.

 I love how Drew Carey describes Africa as "being in the middle of the world".  Maybe believing the world is flat is a more serious issue. :)

Alleged info on Palin

One republican candidate also thinks that Libya isn't part of Africa. Perhaps worse, however, is Ron Paul who kind of implies that Africa is a country where capitalism doesn't exist (hence, they keep getting hungry). Ignorant people generally know they are ignorant. It is the very knowledgeable ones that you got to watch out for (we all have a specialties, and clearly, history, geography and economics are not Ron Paul's). 

Iran Should Get The Bomb

A democracy or not (currently not), it is in Iran's interest to get nuclear weapons. Pakistan, China, India and the USA have nuclear weapons and desperately need cheap oil. Iran has too many neighbours that can't be trusted. Iranians have suffered too much during the never-ending Iran-Iraq war. The population supports nuclearisation of their country. And who can blame them?

If every country in the world used their military to invade the USA, the world coalition would lose. That is how much the USA spends on its military. 

The arms race is US led. Leave Iran alone.

Tim Hortons in Dubai

I'm excited that Tim Hortens will finally have espresso. Coffee is just too hot for Canadian summers. Speaking of which, did you know there is now a Tim Hortons in Dubai. Right next to the Starbucks. This is why I work in a call centre for $14 an hour. Because never in a million years would I have ever invested in a Tim Hortons in what is possibly one of the hottest countries on earth. I mean, granted, Arabs invented coffee, and caffeine is one of the few authorized drugs for Muslims, but Tim Hortons?

Skip to the end if you don't want the driving and parking part (note there is inexplicably no drive-thru at Tim Hortons Dubai). Note the guy eating a bagel. A bagel!


Agrandir le plan

The Occupy Movement is About Taking Power Away From the People

This is is response to David Suzuky's Occupy movement is about power for the people .

Direct Democracy Sucks

Do you have time to participate in direct democracy? For example,  were you in the Occupy Wallstreet general assembly where they decided to spend 8 THOUSAND DOLLARS on the occupywallstreet­.net domain name. Not on the web site, on the DOMAIN ! That insane decision was reached by "consensus". Their whole "democracy" point of view is that you have to be at the freaking meeting (no elected representatives). Worse, to appease the anarchist element of the group, if you don't like the decision, you don't have to be involved. Volunteer taxation anyone?

The System

The people have the power. You could argue they have more power in Quebec, where corporations are not allowed to give to election candidates or parties. A corporation's power to donate is severely restricted at the Canadian federal level (thanks to Jean Chretien's election act reform). The US is clearly an other matter, but Barack Obama, for example, was elected thanks mainly to donations from people, not corporations. Many people who have to ability to donate to political parties, don't. That, in my opinion, is the problem. Not "the system". 

The 99% Cause Global Warming

Poor people have very little impact on global warming and the environment. They live in small homes, don't travel and tend to walk or use crowded buses. In Canada-USA, the poor are a small portion of the 99%. The folks we have to worry about are the ones living in suburban houses driving 20 km each day to go to work. Rich people with their private jets and way too big houses are annoying, but eliminate them and you still have all those suburban global warming causing dwellers...

My Hands Are Busy

I'm all for policy debate, but I take issue with folks "demanding" that I not be able to elect a representative, and therefor not be able to have a voice, because I'm at work trying to earn money to buy food, bus fare, and pay the rent.

Environment

Oh, and for those of you that do care about the environment, what is the first line in the "Declaration of the Occupation of New York City"? 

They have taken our houses through an illegal foreclosure process, despite not having the original mortgage. 

Well, if that is true, that clearly sucks. But what the hell were you doing with a house in New York City!? New Yorkers, even rich New Yorkers, have a far lower global warming impact than the average American (New Yorkers usually live in apartments and take the bus/subway). But New Yorkers that live in houses are an other matter. 

Global warming and other pollution isn't the result of democracy and capitalism (there is plenty of pollution in communist, monarchist and dictatorship countries), but the result of people making bad decisions. Science and education can help, but the Occupy movement (1000$ to the NYC herbal remedy table, by "indirect consensus"!), can not. Sorry.

-I Do Not Support the Occupy Movement.

Update (2012-05-15): You can watch, but you can't vote (unless you are there).

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