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212
General Discussion / Jerry Falwell (Moral Majority) Dead
« on: May 15, 2007, 08:37:06 PM »
Evangelist Jerry Falwell dies at 73
By Stuart Grudgings Tue May 15, 7:03 PM ET
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. evangelist Jerry Falwell, who helped turn the religious right into a powerful political force and fired controversy with his battles against abortion and homosexuality, died on Tuesday at age 73.
He was found unconscious in his office at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia, and was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital just over an hour later, said Dr. Carl Moore, his personal physician.
The evangelist, who had a history of heart problems, had no heartbeat when he was found by colleagues, Moore said, adding he apparently died of a heart rhythm abnormality.
Falwell's increasing influence in the 1970s and 1980s coincided with the rise of the U.S. religious right, whose votes helped send conservative Republicans including Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush to the White House.
Fond of quipping that the Bible referred to "Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve," Falwell provoked a storm of protest when he said gays, lesbians and health workers who provide abortions were partly to blame for the September 11 attacks.
"I really believe that the pagans and the abortionists and the feminists and the gays and the lesbians ... all of them who have tried to secularize America, I point the finger in their face and say: you helped this happen," he said.
Reactions to Falwell's death reflected the bitter divide over his views, and over the role of religion in political life in the United States.
President Bush said he was deeply saddened by Falwell's death, calling him "a man who cherished faith, family and freedom."
"Jerry lived a life of faith and called upon men and women of all backgrounds to believe in God and serve their communities," Bush said in a written statement.
Another leading evangelist, Pat Robertson said: "Jerry's courage and strength of convictions will be sadly missed in this time of increasing moral relativism."
Ellen Johnson, president of American Atheists, said Falwell was "instrumental in galvanizing millions of American evangelicals into an intolerant, sectarian and authoritarian political movement."
FAMILY VALUES
"Gays, women, secularists, civil-libertarians and other groups who did not fit into his plan to construct 'One Nation Under God' were stigmatized and attacked." she said.
Born on August 11, 1933, Falwell said he was "born again" on January 20, 1952, the day he converted to Christ while at Lynchburg College.
He founded the Thomas Road Baptist Church in his hometown of Lynchburg in 1956 and went on to found Liberty University in 1971 -- a conservative center of higher learning.
In 1979, he started the Moral Majority organization, which became a major vehicle for getting out the vote for the Republican Party.
He disbanded the Moral Majority in 1989 but it was resurrected as The Moral Majority Coalition, with an explicit political purpose, after Bush's re-election in 2004.
"He became a leading voice by the time of Ronald Reagan's emergence in 1980 and the whole concept of family values was adopted by the Republican Party," presidential historian Douglas Brinkley told Fox News.
"His influence in politics was very real because he helped politicize evangelicals and other religious groups, the right side of the Southern Baptist Convention ..."
With his gray hair and heavy jowls, Falwell was a familiar face on the televangelist circuit.
He saw evil in a once-great America that he believed was in an advanced state of decay. He even went after a character in the hit children's TV show the "Teletubbies," saying the purple Tinky Winky character donned pro-gay symbols, including a triangle.
"I think that in the early 1960s when Bible reading and prayer were expelled from the public square, I think that was a move in the wrong direction, it was a move towards secularization," Falwell told Reuters in February.
(Additional reporting by Ed Stoddard in Dallas and Bill Trott in Washington)
By Stuart Grudgings Tue May 15, 7:03 PM ET
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. evangelist Jerry Falwell, who helped turn the religious right into a powerful political force and fired controversy with his battles against abortion and homosexuality, died on Tuesday at age 73.
He was found unconscious in his office at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia, and was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital just over an hour later, said Dr. Carl Moore, his personal physician.
The evangelist, who had a history of heart problems, had no heartbeat when he was found by colleagues, Moore said, adding he apparently died of a heart rhythm abnormality.
Falwell's increasing influence in the 1970s and 1980s coincided with the rise of the U.S. religious right, whose votes helped send conservative Republicans including Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush to the White House.
Fond of quipping that the Bible referred to "Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve," Falwell provoked a storm of protest when he said gays, lesbians and health workers who provide abortions were partly to blame for the September 11 attacks.
"I really believe that the pagans and the abortionists and the feminists and the gays and the lesbians ... all of them who have tried to secularize America, I point the finger in their face and say: you helped this happen," he said.
Reactions to Falwell's death reflected the bitter divide over his views, and over the role of religion in political life in the United States.
President Bush said he was deeply saddened by Falwell's death, calling him "a man who cherished faith, family and freedom."
"Jerry lived a life of faith and called upon men and women of all backgrounds to believe in God and serve their communities," Bush said in a written statement.
Another leading evangelist, Pat Robertson said: "Jerry's courage and strength of convictions will be sadly missed in this time of increasing moral relativism."
Ellen Johnson, president of American Atheists, said Falwell was "instrumental in galvanizing millions of American evangelicals into an intolerant, sectarian and authoritarian political movement."
FAMILY VALUES
"Gays, women, secularists, civil-libertarians and other groups who did not fit into his plan to construct 'One Nation Under God' were stigmatized and attacked." she said.
Born on August 11, 1933, Falwell said he was "born again" on January 20, 1952, the day he converted to Christ while at Lynchburg College.
He founded the Thomas Road Baptist Church in his hometown of Lynchburg in 1956 and went on to found Liberty University in 1971 -- a conservative center of higher learning.
In 1979, he started the Moral Majority organization, which became a major vehicle for getting out the vote for the Republican Party.
He disbanded the Moral Majority in 1989 but it was resurrected as The Moral Majority Coalition, with an explicit political purpose, after Bush's re-election in 2004.
"He became a leading voice by the time of Ronald Reagan's emergence in 1980 and the whole concept of family values was adopted by the Republican Party," presidential historian Douglas Brinkley told Fox News.
"His influence in politics was very real because he helped politicize evangelicals and other religious groups, the right side of the Southern Baptist Convention ..."
With his gray hair and heavy jowls, Falwell was a familiar face on the televangelist circuit.
He saw evil in a once-great America that he believed was in an advanced state of decay. He even went after a character in the hit children's TV show the "Teletubbies," saying the purple Tinky Winky character donned pro-gay symbols, including a triangle.
"I think that in the early 1960s when Bible reading and prayer were expelled from the public square, I think that was a move in the wrong direction, it was a move towards secularization," Falwell told Reuters in February.
(Additional reporting by Ed Stoddard in Dallas and Bill Trott in Washington)
213
General Discussion / You say aluminum, I say aluminium
« on: May 12, 2007, 10:06:07 AM »I grew up saying ALUMINIUM ..
what is the common usage in T&T dese days?
*******************************************************************************
From The Globe and Mail
You say aluminum, I say aluminium
SIMON BECK
Globe and Mail Update
May 12, 2007 at 6:00 AM EDT
You say aluminum, I say aluminium 1. Before we start praising the utility of the light yet sturdy element with the symbol Al and the atomic number 13, let's dither about what to call it.
If British scientist Sir Humphrey Davy had prevailed in 1807, we'd all be calling it alumium. That's the name he came up with when he first identified its pure metallic form. (The ancient Greeks and Romans, who'd used it as a dye and to dress wounds in its naturally occurring compound form, started the ball rolling by calling it alumen.) However, Sir Humphrey changed his mind and decided on aluminum instead. But then the scientific community in Europe went with aluminium to make it conform with most other elements ending in -ium. Both spellings were in use for another 100 years, which didn't matter much because it was a rare and very expensive product. But when mass production began early last century, one major manufacturer opted for the moniker Aluminum Company of America (i.e. Alcoa), cementing that spelling in the United States and Canada; although, to further confuse things, its then-Canadian subsidiary stuck with aluminium in the corporate name up to 2001, when it became simply Alcan Inc.
Europe and the rest of the world loved the extra “i” so much, they couldn't let go of their beloved “aluminium,” except for a few anarchists like the Czechs, who threw us a total curveball by calling the metal hliníkový. By the way, everyone (thankfully) agrees that the aluminum oxide ore used in smelting the metal should be called alumina.
Beyond Reynolds Wrap
2. It's not only the Earth crust's most abundant metal – it has transformed how we fly, drive, sail, build and consume beer. Over 30 million tonnes of the stuff are produced each year and demand continues to rise. Aluminum doesn't rust, it absorbs most of the kinetic energy from impacts, and is a lot lighter than steel. No wonder it's the metal of choice in commercial aviation and is overtaking the use of steel in body and engine parts for cars, from the sleek Audi A8 to the pedestrian-crushing Hummer. Most rail cars, from subway trains to the bullet trains of France and Japan, are nowadays made from you-know-what, too.
Aluminum is also highly reflective and used in mirrors and microscopes, and its superconductivity makes it de rigueur in overhead power lines, electrical wiring, and even the base of most light bulbs. Half the world's cookware is made of aluminum, as the metal loses only a small fraction of the heat. Then there's the construction industry, where the metal's lightness, durability and insulating properties have a thousand uses, from windows to doors to guttering. On the downside, it gave rise to the blight of aluminum siding.
As for that aluminum can of Coke or Carling you're sipping from, it weighs less than half what it did when the good old “tinnie” was made of steel. So when it comes to all those YouTube videos of buxom ladies crushing drinks cans with their chest – well, let's just thank aluminum for making it all possible.
Will Aluminum make me lose my mind?
3. Not unless you crash your Hummer at 150 km/h. A few years ago, researchers into Alzheimer's disease found high concentrations of the metal in the brains of some patients with the disease, leading to a scare. However, no causal link has since been proven, and even the Alzheimer's Society has stated that genetic and other environmental factors are more likely to cause the disease.
In fact, the magic metal is used widely in health and hygiene. Aluminum hydroxide is a common antacid and an additive to vaccines to help stimulate antibodies; while aluminum sulphate has a role in water treatment, eliminating solid matter and pathogens. And going on dates would be even more stressful without aluminum chlorhydrate, the major agent in antiperspirants.
So what would Al Gore think of it?
4. The global warming guru would probably be torn on this one. Producing aluminum from its base ore, bauxite, is hugely energy intensive and a major contributor to greenhouse gas. One study in 1999 measured emissions at around 7.4 tonnes of CO{-2} to produce one tonne of the finished metal, although new smelting technologies are reducing the pollutant. (The energy consumption can be so expensive that Alcan, for one, owns its own hydroelectric plants in Quebec and British Columbia to control costs and cut down on CO{-2}).
On the plus side, greenies get excited by the huge savings in fuel from having lighter modes of transportation made of aluminum. And as that old guy who goes through your blue bin for used cans will tell you, the recycling of aluminum is big. Many countries recycle up to 90 per cent of aluminum cans, and they are usually back on the shelves as a born-again can within two months.
It's just not cricket
5. Aluminum has been an accepted substitute for dead trees in baseball bats for years — albeit not in the major leagues. The metal also rocked the world of cricket in 1979, when maverick Australian star Dennis Lillee walked onto the field in a match against England carrying an aluminum bat. For a game whose fans can debate for hours the sensual qualities of just the right willow needed for the perfect bat, the sight of aluminum was nothing less than an affront to Western civilization.
After the Aussie had hit the ball for a few runs, the English captain complained to the umpires that the metal bat was damaging the ball; Mr. Lillee's own captain also ordered him to replace it with a wooden bat, which he refused. After a standoff of many minutes, the batsman relented. Sales of the new-fangled bats briefly soared, but the international cricket body moved quickly to issue a ban, and metal bats were never seen again.
214
General Discussion / Easter
« on: April 05, 2007, 03:07:10 PM »
For those of you who celebrate Easter, have a Happy Easter. Bless.
For those of you who celebrating a long weekend ... have a great three or four days off
For those of you who celebrating a long weekend ... have a great three or four days off
215
General Discussion / It Snowing ...
« on: April 04, 2007, 08:36:38 PM »
I tort spring was here .. it snowing in London Ontario .. steups 
216
General Discussion / A Comment on de Forum Rules and Guideline - An Appeal
« on: March 24, 2007, 10:55:44 AM »
I joined dis forum in June 2006, in the hype leading up to de Worl Cup.
At de time, I felt de need to interact with other Trinis and went looking for a virtual social community.
I found de Soca Warriors Football Forum and read de Forum Rules and Guidelines, an promptly forgot about dem ..
On and off, since I join, some differences of opinion between members had degenerated into name calling, finger pointing, an in some extreme cases, have become quite nasty.
So ah decided to review the Rules and Guidline which are prominently kepp at de top of the Soca Warriors Online Discussion Forum
<===== and right dey .... over to yuh left and down a few inches ...
Here are a few of dem and my take on dem - maybe is only a few ppl who tink did is an issue, an if so, den I apolize for bandwidt resources i use up in dis post.
* Any member who is intentionally unpleasant or disruptive may be banned without warning.
I am seeing post dat IMO are intentionally unpleasant ... i en know of any bans but who knows?
* Excessive and unwarranted personal attacks are expressly prohibited. This specifically means any text/post that is blatantly attacking another person on or off the forum, especially in a personal way.
ditto
* Members may not link, in any manner, to sites or images containing pornography, sexually explicit scenes or gross violence.
I have been guilty of dis and a pardnar warn me so I deleted de links
* Trolling is prohibited. Trolling is defined as a member intentionally posting for the purpose of angering and/or insulting other forum members. Trolling only encourages further attacks and does nothing to further the discussion. This includes personal messages.
I see dis happen from time to time ... an in some cases de mods delete de post. In other cases, de post remain.
* The moderators reserve the right to edit or remove any post at any time. The determination of what is construed as indecent, vulgar, spam, racist etc as noted in these points, is at the moderator's discretion.
I realize dis eh a democracy and I join under dose terms so I cyar complain if what i feel is inappropriate is not deemed inappropriate. Mods, I eh complaining .. .allyuh cyar read every post, and I believe dis is all volunteer work ... and I eh paying real money to post here. I jus join the Warrior Nation but the nominal fee of $25 cyar be funding dis site. So if ppl doh like how it run, nobody stopping dem from leaving.
And if yuh have a issue with someting somebody say, den lets try to observe the Rule and Guideline please.
An in case some ppl tink I talking bout dem in particular .. den hole strain.
Joking and fatigue is one ting, I eh talking bout dat, I talking bout everybody who felt inclined to call ppl names, insult, personal attacks - see de rules above.
So I appealing to everybody, take a deep breath before you post in anger. and lets use de forum to allow ex-pats and locals alike to enjoy dis virtual community.
PLEASE
At de time, I felt de need to interact with other Trinis and went looking for a virtual social community.
I found de Soca Warriors Football Forum and read de Forum Rules and Guidelines, an promptly forgot about dem ..
On and off, since I join, some differences of opinion between members had degenerated into name calling, finger pointing, an in some extreme cases, have become quite nasty.
So ah decided to review the Rules and Guidline which are prominently kepp at de top of the Soca Warriors Online Discussion Forum
<===== and right dey .... over to yuh left and down a few inches ...
Here are a few of dem and my take on dem - maybe is only a few ppl who tink did is an issue, an if so, den I apolize for bandwidt resources i use up in dis post.
* Any member who is intentionally unpleasant or disruptive may be banned without warning.
I am seeing post dat IMO are intentionally unpleasant ... i en know of any bans but who knows?
* Excessive and unwarranted personal attacks are expressly prohibited. This specifically means any text/post that is blatantly attacking another person on or off the forum, especially in a personal way.
ditto
* Members may not link, in any manner, to sites or images containing pornography, sexually explicit scenes or gross violence.
I have been guilty of dis and a pardnar warn me so I deleted de links
* Trolling is prohibited. Trolling is defined as a member intentionally posting for the purpose of angering and/or insulting other forum members. Trolling only encourages further attacks and does nothing to further the discussion. This includes personal messages.
I see dis happen from time to time ... an in some cases de mods delete de post. In other cases, de post remain.
* The moderators reserve the right to edit or remove any post at any time. The determination of what is construed as indecent, vulgar, spam, racist etc as noted in these points, is at the moderator's discretion.
I realize dis eh a democracy and I join under dose terms so I cyar complain if what i feel is inappropriate is not deemed inappropriate. Mods, I eh complaining .. .allyuh cyar read every post, and I believe dis is all volunteer work ... and I eh paying real money to post here. I jus join the Warrior Nation but the nominal fee of $25 cyar be funding dis site. So if ppl doh like how it run, nobody stopping dem from leaving.
And if yuh have a issue with someting somebody say, den lets try to observe the Rule and Guideline please.
An in case some ppl tink I talking bout dem in particular .. den hole strain.
Joking and fatigue is one ting, I eh talking bout dat, I talking bout everybody who felt inclined to call ppl names, insult, personal attacks - see de rules above.
So I appealing to everybody, take a deep breath before you post in anger. and lets use de forum to allow ex-pats and locals alike to enjoy dis virtual community.
PLEASE
217
Cricket Anyone / Assorted Worldcup Links - Summarized
« on: March 18, 2007, 10:52:43 AM »
Here are a few links. Please add links as you find them and I will bring them up to the top.
No guarantees that they will work
*****************************************************************************************
cricinfo
Live scoreboard, play by play text commentary, 3D animations
http://www.cricinfo.com/worldcup2007/
*****************************************************************************************
EliteTvStreams.com
Registration Required - assorted streams
http://www.elitetvstreams.com/forum/
************************************************************************************************
MyP2P Free Live sports
You have to download software and change settings at the operating system level.
Many web players available but you have to down load each one before you can get access. But once done, you are set. Quality is hit and miss and feeds are not always available.
http://www.myp2p.eu/
***********************************************************************************************
wwiTV.com - The ultimate guide to Live TV webcasts.
A list of TV stations from around the world. Hopefully the one you want to watch is available.
The feeds are not always avaialble. For example, Sky Sports is no longer available.
http://wwitv.com/portal.htm
************************************************************************************************
Streamick.com - Watch TV online free TV broadcast
Online TV player directory. Search the directory and watch you favourite free internet tv channels from your browser.
http://www.streamick.com/
*************************************************************************************************
|Cricket worldcup 2007-|Live Telecast|
Use Internet Explorer - not Firefox friendly
http://www.sooriyanfm.net/wc2007/sooriyan.html
*************************************************************************************************
Watch Cricket Live
Use Internet Explorer - not Firefox friendly
http://www.watchcricketlive.com/livecricket/server-five.php
*************************************************************************************************
Lives Sports Online
http://www.livesportsonline.info/
Use IE and you will have to download TVU to watch the channel
Channels 1 or 2 or 3 or 4 are showing something live. These days that something is cricket.
*************************************************************************************************
Live from India
http://www.live-from-india.com
Registration Required - Use IE (not Firefox)
Go to the forums, and to Sports Talk.
Good Luck it did not work for me - firewall issues
No guarantees that they will work
*****************************************************************************************
cricinfo
Live scoreboard, play by play text commentary, 3D animations
http://www.cricinfo.com/worldcup2007/
*****************************************************************************************
EliteTvStreams.com
Registration Required - assorted streams
http://www.elitetvstreams.com/forum/
************************************************************************************************
MyP2P Free Live sports
You have to download software and change settings at the operating system level.
Many web players available but you have to down load each one before you can get access. But once done, you are set. Quality is hit and miss and feeds are not always available.
http://www.myp2p.eu/
***********************************************************************************************
wwiTV.com - The ultimate guide to Live TV webcasts.
A list of TV stations from around the world. Hopefully the one you want to watch is available.
The feeds are not always avaialble. For example, Sky Sports is no longer available.
http://wwitv.com/portal.htm
************************************************************************************************
Streamick.com - Watch TV online free TV broadcast
Online TV player directory. Search the directory and watch you favourite free internet tv channels from your browser.
http://www.streamick.com/
*************************************************************************************************
|Cricket worldcup 2007-|Live Telecast|
Use Internet Explorer - not Firefox friendly
http://www.sooriyanfm.net/wc2007/sooriyan.html
*************************************************************************************************
Watch Cricket Live
Use Internet Explorer - not Firefox friendly
http://www.watchcricketlive.com/livecricket/server-five.php
*************************************************************************************************
Lives Sports Online
http://www.livesportsonline.info/
Use IE and you will have to download TVU to watch the channel
Channels 1 or 2 or 3 or 4 are showing something live. These days that something is cricket.
*************************************************************************************************
Live from India
http://www.live-from-india.com
Registration Required - Use IE (not Firefox)
Go to the forums, and to Sports Talk.
Good Luck it did not work for me - firewall issues
218
Cricket Anyone / Cricket Songs
« on: March 16, 2007, 08:48:01 PM »
Look what I found ...
http://www.kaiso.net/
My favourite was always Gavaskar Calypso by Relator
You can stream the program in Real Player
1. Lord Beginner Victory Test Match London Is The Place For Me Honest Jon’s Records HJR CD2
2. Lord Kitchener The Cricket Song Lord Kitchener RCA Victor LPB 3027
3. The Mighty Sparrow Sir Garfield Sobers The Calypso Genius National Recording Co. N.L.P. 8420
4. Lord Kitchener Cricket Champions Kitch ‘67 RCA Victor LPB 3047
5. Crazy Cricket Commentary Crazy’s Super Album Crazy Music CM 001
6. Relator Gavaskar Nostalgia - featuring Relator "Live" Relator & Peru Enterprises RAPE 0003
7. Sugar Aloes Two Great Bowlers Sugar Aloes - Consistent Charlie’s Records Not Given
8. Charlies Roots featuring David Rudder Rally Round The West Indies Haiti Lypsoland CR 008
9. Robbie Greenidge Teaser (Becket) Pan Calypso - Pan Assembly JW Productions CD 03C
10. Ken Philmore Tit For Tat (Arrow) Pan Calypso - Pan Assembly JW Productions CD 03C
11. Earl Brooks Calypso Coup (Bally) Pan Calypso - Pan Assembly JW Productions CD 03C
http://www.kaiso.net/
My favourite was always Gavaskar Calypso by Relator
You can stream the program in Real Player
1. Lord Beginner Victory Test Match London Is The Place For Me Honest Jon’s Records HJR CD2
2. Lord Kitchener The Cricket Song Lord Kitchener RCA Victor LPB 3027
3. The Mighty Sparrow Sir Garfield Sobers The Calypso Genius National Recording Co. N.L.P. 8420
4. Lord Kitchener Cricket Champions Kitch ‘67 RCA Victor LPB 3047
5. Crazy Cricket Commentary Crazy’s Super Album Crazy Music CM 001
6. Relator Gavaskar Nostalgia - featuring Relator "Live" Relator & Peru Enterprises RAPE 0003
7. Sugar Aloes Two Great Bowlers Sugar Aloes - Consistent Charlie’s Records Not Given
8. Charlies Roots featuring David Rudder Rally Round The West Indies Haiti Lypsoland CR 008
9. Robbie Greenidge Teaser (Becket) Pan Calypso - Pan Assembly JW Productions CD 03C
10. Ken Philmore Tit For Tat (Arrow) Pan Calypso - Pan Assembly JW Productions CD 03C
11. Earl Brooks Calypso Coup (Bally) Pan Calypso - Pan Assembly JW Productions CD 03C
219
Entertainment & Culture Discussion / The Polished Hoe - A Review of the Stage Production
« on: March 05, 2007, 09:26:06 PM »
Austin Clarke's novel, "The Polished Hoe" was adapted for stage by Colin Taylor in collaboration with Alison Sealy-Smith.
It was directed by Colin Taylor and Alison Sealy-Smith had the lead role of Mary Mathilda.
The Obsidian Theatre Company's final performance in Toronto was March 4th. The company will be performing in Barbados in April 2007
The review by the National Post was less than complementary. The play was described as being ponderous and comparisons were made to the style and flow of the original novel.
Having never read the book, I had no real expectations with it's adherence to the novel, so I went in with an open mind.
I have an endurance limit when it comes to stage productions. If I last 70 minutes without falling asleep, I consider the play a success according to my standards.
This play was 90 minutes long. And I lasted all 90 minutes. A. Sealy-Smith's performance was very good, she kept me glued to the dialogue, despite the distractions from several late comers whose tardiness was a disrespect not only to the performers, but to the fellow attendees. The story was delivered well and it flowed at an even pace.
Anyway, dais it. I almost failed grade 13 English so take my review for what it's worth.
I enjoyed it ... so as far as I concerned, it was worth it.
I even got to shake Austin Clarke's hand after the play. He was on hand to give away 7 autographed copies of the book. Unfortunately, I did not win a copy.
All in all ... four out of five stars.
220
Other Sports / Tent Pegging
« on: March 02, 2007, 02:02:30 PM »
I never heard about this sport until today. It song real crazy and dangerous.
A man named Akaash Maharaj, representing Canada and UNICEF will compete 02-06 March 2007,
FEI International Championships, Muscat, Oman
The following is copied from his web site:
http://www.maharaj.org/tentpegging.shtml
History and Contemporary Rules
Although tent pegging's precise origins are obscured by the mists of time, the sport unquestionably emerged out of training exercises to develop military cavaliers' prowess with edged weapons; tent pegging is to the cavalry officer as jousting was to the mediaeval knight. The sport's rather opaque name is drawn from the small tent stakes that served as the original targets in military encampments.
The most broadly accepted account of tent pegging's birth is as battle drill in the Indian Empire. The sport prepared horse cavaliers to charge and fell war elephants through finely placed lance strikes to the ponderous beasts' vulnerable feet.
The mainstay of tent pegging remains lancing ground targets. However, the sport also includes: ring jousting (threading a blade through suspended rings); lemon sticking (slicing suspended targets); quintain tilting (charging swivelling mannequins); Parthian (mounted) archery; and cavalry revolver. All events are conducted at a full gallop.
Rules for the modern sport are promulgated by the Fédération équestre internationale (FEI) and by the South African-based International Equestrian Tent Pegging Association (IETA).
A man named Akaash Maharaj, representing Canada and UNICEF will compete 02-06 March 2007,
FEI International Championships, Muscat, Oman
The following is copied from his web site:
http://www.maharaj.org/tentpegging.shtml
History and Contemporary Rules
Although tent pegging's precise origins are obscured by the mists of time, the sport unquestionably emerged out of training exercises to develop military cavaliers' prowess with edged weapons; tent pegging is to the cavalry officer as jousting was to the mediaeval knight. The sport's rather opaque name is drawn from the small tent stakes that served as the original targets in military encampments.
The most broadly accepted account of tent pegging's birth is as battle drill in the Indian Empire. The sport prepared horse cavaliers to charge and fell war elephants through finely placed lance strikes to the ponderous beasts' vulnerable feet.
The mainstay of tent pegging remains lancing ground targets. However, the sport also includes: ring jousting (threading a blade through suspended rings); lemon sticking (slicing suspended targets); quintain tilting (charging swivelling mannequins); Parthian (mounted) archery; and cavalry revolver. All events are conducted at a full gallop.
Rules for the modern sport are promulgated by the Fédération équestre internationale (FEI) and by the South African-based International Equestrian Tent Pegging Association (IETA).
221
Football / FIFA U-20 Final Draw
« on: March 02, 2007, 11:08:44 AM »
The FIFA U-20 Draw will take place in Toronto on Saturday March 3, 2007 at 4:30 pm EST.
The Draw will be broadcast in Canada live on CBC (Canadian Broadcast Corporation) TV and in real-time on FIFA.com at 16:30 EST on Saturday.
What is of note is that over 500,000 tickets have already been sold for the event and this will make the FIFA U-20 World Cup the largest single-sport sporting event ever to take place in Canada.
Here is the info from fifa.com.
http://www.fifa.com/en/comp/index/0,2442,132569,00.html?comp=U20M&year=2007&articleid=132569
http://www.fifa.com/en/media/index/0,1369,132723,00.html
The 24 teams talented, determined and lucky enough to have reached the FIFA U-20 World Cup Canada 2007 - the 16th instalment of the biennial youth competition - will have their attentions turned squarely and intently toward Toronto on Saturday 3 March. It is there and then, after all, that the identity of their first round opponents will be revealed.
Head coaches, dignitaries and footballing celebrities of all stripes will be on hand at the Liberty Grand Entertainment Complex to see which names come out of which bowls as this summer's highly anticipated competition takes shape.
Will mighty Brazil meet the hosts in a clash of cultures and pride? Will the two Koreas meet in a test of wills? All will be revealed and anything is possible. You can follow the draw live on FIFA.com at 16:30 EST (22:30 CET) on Saturday.
For Canada - traditionally and mistakenly referred to as a non-football nation - it is the opportunity to host their third official FIFA world championship. After putting on the FIFA U-17 World Cup back in 1987, the crowds came out in force to cheer the inaugural instalment of the FIFA U-19 Women's World Championship in 2002 (now known as the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup). Attendances broke records and, with tickets being snapped up at a rapid rate for this summer's festivities, the Canucks are expected to be out in force once again to lend credence to the tournament's unofficial slogan, "It's gonna be huge!"
With 24 teams from every corner of planet football, the competition is the second-largest in the FIFA stable. Only the senior FIFA World Cup, with 32 competing nations, is a larger event. Certainly, as the stars of tomorrow line up in Canada, the hosts are sparing no expense or effort in making sure that the party is worthy of its distinguished guests.
No less than six venues are being used, spanning over 3000 miles of land from Vancouver Island and picturesque Victoria in the West to Montreal in the East. Toronto's brand new state-of-the-art National Soccer Stadium at Exhibition Place (the venue for 12 matches including the final) will also be unveiled before it becomes home to Major League Soccer's first-ever Canadian club - Toronto FC - at the start of next season.
The Draw will be broadcast in Canada live on CBC (Canadian Broadcast Corporation) TV, and our global users can follow the all the action in real-time on FIFA.com at 16:30 EST on Saturday. Interviews with coaches and responses to the draw results will also be available shortly after the names are drawn, as will an updated match schedule for the competition which will run from 30 June to 22 July 2007.
The Draw will be broadcast in Canada live on CBC (Canadian Broadcast Corporation) TV and in real-time on FIFA.com at 16:30 EST on Saturday.
What is of note is that over 500,000 tickets have already been sold for the event and this will make the FIFA U-20 World Cup the largest single-sport sporting event ever to take place in Canada.
Here is the info from fifa.com.
http://www.fifa.com/en/comp/index/0,2442,132569,00.html?comp=U20M&year=2007&articleid=132569
http://www.fifa.com/en/media/index/0,1369,132723,00.html
The 24 teams talented, determined and lucky enough to have reached the FIFA U-20 World Cup Canada 2007 - the 16th instalment of the biennial youth competition - will have their attentions turned squarely and intently toward Toronto on Saturday 3 March. It is there and then, after all, that the identity of their first round opponents will be revealed.
Head coaches, dignitaries and footballing celebrities of all stripes will be on hand at the Liberty Grand Entertainment Complex to see which names come out of which bowls as this summer's highly anticipated competition takes shape.
Will mighty Brazil meet the hosts in a clash of cultures and pride? Will the two Koreas meet in a test of wills? All will be revealed and anything is possible. You can follow the draw live on FIFA.com at 16:30 EST (22:30 CET) on Saturday.
For Canada - traditionally and mistakenly referred to as a non-football nation - it is the opportunity to host their third official FIFA world championship. After putting on the FIFA U-17 World Cup back in 1987, the crowds came out in force to cheer the inaugural instalment of the FIFA U-19 Women's World Championship in 2002 (now known as the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup). Attendances broke records and, with tickets being snapped up at a rapid rate for this summer's festivities, the Canucks are expected to be out in force once again to lend credence to the tournament's unofficial slogan, "It's gonna be huge!"
With 24 teams from every corner of planet football, the competition is the second-largest in the FIFA stable. Only the senior FIFA World Cup, with 32 competing nations, is a larger event. Certainly, as the stars of tomorrow line up in Canada, the hosts are sparing no expense or effort in making sure that the party is worthy of its distinguished guests.
No less than six venues are being used, spanning over 3000 miles of land from Vancouver Island and picturesque Victoria in the West to Montreal in the East. Toronto's brand new state-of-the-art National Soccer Stadium at Exhibition Place (the venue for 12 matches including the final) will also be unveiled before it becomes home to Major League Soccer's first-ever Canadian club - Toronto FC - at the start of next season.
The Draw will be broadcast in Canada live on CBC (Canadian Broadcast Corporation) TV, and our global users can follow the all the action in real-time on FIFA.com at 16:30 EST on Saturday. Interviews with coaches and responses to the draw results will also be available shortly after the names are drawn, as will an updated match schedule for the competition which will run from 30 June to 22 July 2007.
222
Entertainment & Culture Discussion / The Oscars
« on: February 25, 2007, 09:55:56 PM »
i give up .... dat show boring no ass.
Surprise, surprise . . ... An Inconvenient Truth won for best documentary.
De say de Oscars are officially green yet everybody there still into excess and waste while they continue to scream about conservation.
Ah wonder how much a dem car pool in their hybrid limos to the event?
Surprise, surprise . . ... An Inconvenient Truth won for best documentary.
De say de Oscars are officially green yet everybody there still into excess and waste while they continue to scream about conservation.
Ah wonder how much a dem car pool in their hybrid limos to the event?
223
Football / US soccer boss eyes bid for 2018 World Cup
« on: February 20, 2007, 09:10:59 PM »
Mods ... if this has been posted .. .please merge
World Cup back in North Amercia .. not if England has its way ...
US soccer boss eyes bid for 2018 World Cup: report
Tue Feb 20, 1:02 PM
WASHINGTON (AFP) - US Soccer Federation president Sunil Gulati told US media that his group is preparing a bid for the 2018 World Cup and positioning US cities to be ready as a backup for the 2014 edition.
The Washington Post reported that the federation will form an organizing committee this weekend at annual meetings in Los Angeles and prepare to advise world governing body FIFA of its intent to launch a 2018 bid.
The only men's World Cup hosted by the United States was in 1994, which was a success in terms of attendance and staging. The Americans have improved their reputation among global football squads since, reaching the last eight in 2002.
"We've got some history and a track record," Gulati told the Post. "We showed in 1994 that the US is capable of hosting a terrific event.
"Now with the way the soccer landscape in this country has evolved, we would be in position to put on a spectacular event. We are much more a part of the sport internationally than we were in 1994."
England is also planning a 2018 bid, with British Finance Minister Gordon Brown saying earlier this month that the government will back any bid by England's Football Association (FA) to host the 2018 World Cup.
FIFA is not expected to make a decision on a 2018 host until 2011 or 2012. South Africa will host the next World Cup in 2010 with the 2014 event set to be hosted in South America.
England's only time as host of the World Cup was in 1966 and that was also the only time the English have won the Cup.
German football legend Franz Beckenbauer, president of Germany's 2006 World Cup organizing committee, has called England "the only country with an obvious chance" of hosting the 2018 World Cup.
But there have been US upsets of England before, notably a 1-0 victory at the 1950 World Cup in Brazil.
The US bid comes as England's David Beckham prepares to leave Real Madrid in July to join the Los Angeles Galaxy for a 250 million-dollar deal that has sparked new excitement over the sport in America.
The 1994 US World Cup set a record for average attendance at 68,991 over nine venues.
Brazil and Colombia have indicated interest in hosting the 2014 World Cup but FIFA president Sepp Blatter has said he would move the event to another continent if no South American candidate is prepared to host.
Gulati told the post the US plan is aimed at 2018 but added, "Obviously FIFA knows what we are capable of and if something else changed we would be open to any other possibilities."
The US record includes a historic Women's World Cup in 1999 that drew 100,000 spectators to the US-China final and a 2003 Women's World Cup that was taken over on short notice when an outbreak of SARS forced a move from China.
FIFA is expected to name a 2014 site in November. Brazil, a five-time World Cup champion, has not hosted since 1950. South America has not hosted a World Cup since Argentina did so in 1978.
Gulati described FIFA as "very open" to a 2018 US bid and said feedback was "very positive from regional officials in the Confederation of North, Central and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF).
World Cup back in North Amercia .. not if England has its way ...
US soccer boss eyes bid for 2018 World Cup: report
Tue Feb 20, 1:02 PM
WASHINGTON (AFP) - US Soccer Federation president Sunil Gulati told US media that his group is preparing a bid for the 2018 World Cup and positioning US cities to be ready as a backup for the 2014 edition.
The Washington Post reported that the federation will form an organizing committee this weekend at annual meetings in Los Angeles and prepare to advise world governing body FIFA of its intent to launch a 2018 bid.
The only men's World Cup hosted by the United States was in 1994, which was a success in terms of attendance and staging. The Americans have improved their reputation among global football squads since, reaching the last eight in 2002.
"We've got some history and a track record," Gulati told the Post. "We showed in 1994 that the US is capable of hosting a terrific event.
"Now with the way the soccer landscape in this country has evolved, we would be in position to put on a spectacular event. We are much more a part of the sport internationally than we were in 1994."
England is also planning a 2018 bid, with British Finance Minister Gordon Brown saying earlier this month that the government will back any bid by England's Football Association (FA) to host the 2018 World Cup.
FIFA is not expected to make a decision on a 2018 host until 2011 or 2012. South Africa will host the next World Cup in 2010 with the 2014 event set to be hosted in South America.
England's only time as host of the World Cup was in 1966 and that was also the only time the English have won the Cup.
German football legend Franz Beckenbauer, president of Germany's 2006 World Cup organizing committee, has called England "the only country with an obvious chance" of hosting the 2018 World Cup.
But there have been US upsets of England before, notably a 1-0 victory at the 1950 World Cup in Brazil.
The US bid comes as England's David Beckham prepares to leave Real Madrid in July to join the Los Angeles Galaxy for a 250 million-dollar deal that has sparked new excitement over the sport in America.
The 1994 US World Cup set a record for average attendance at 68,991 over nine venues.
Brazil and Colombia have indicated interest in hosting the 2014 World Cup but FIFA president Sepp Blatter has said he would move the event to another continent if no South American candidate is prepared to host.
Gulati told the post the US plan is aimed at 2018 but added, "Obviously FIFA knows what we are capable of and if something else changed we would be open to any other possibilities."
The US record includes a historic Women's World Cup in 1999 that drew 100,000 spectators to the US-China final and a 2003 Women's World Cup that was taken over on short notice when an outbreak of SARS forced a move from China.
FIFA is expected to name a 2014 site in November. Brazil, a five-time World Cup champion, has not hosted since 1950. South America has not hosted a World Cup since Argentina did so in 1978.
Gulati described FIFA as "very open" to a 2018 US bid and said feedback was "very positive from regional officials in the Confederation of North, Central and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF).
224
General Discussion / Freedom of Speech - When Does it Cross the Line?
« on: February 20, 2007, 09:06:25 AM »Freedom of Speech has been used to promote fairness, equality and to expose human rights issues.
But many use Freedom of Speech to promote their world views.
Recently, a man named Ernst Zundel, was found guilty for claiming that the Holocaust was not real. He cited freedom of speech to express his beliefs.
So when does Freedom of Speech cross the line?
Some countries censor the press and its citizens. Other countries encourage a free press.
At the individual level, people use free speech to justify their behaviour (positive and negative depending on your point of view).
At least one person on this forum have used Freedom of Speech to justify his right to proclaim his personal beliefs about a small section of our society and to condone violence against said group.
If i were to proclaim that we should return to segregation and slavery, should I be allowed to do so because I have the right to Freedom of Speech?
I started this thread as a result of recent posts on attitudes on homosexuality.
But Freedom of Speech issues are bigger that the narrow focus on homosexuality.
Is there interest in this topic or am i pissing against de wind?
225
General Discussion / Relationships
« on: February 14, 2007, 01:48:32 PM »
Valentines Day is today and all over de news, I hearing about relationships, romance, steak and sex, etc, etc
So what is make a good relationship/marriage?
Divorce rates are generally calculated by comparing the number of divorces with the number of marriages in a given time period. Here are some divorce rate statistics (less than I originally thought).
United States (http://marriage.rutgers.edu)
In the United States in 1999 there were 8.4 marriages and 4.2 divorces per 1,000 total population. Iin 1999 there was one divorce for every two marriages in the United States, a "crude" divorce rate of 50%.
Canada (Statistics Canada)
In Canada in 1997 there were a total of 154,750 marriages and 67,408 divorces—a divorce rate of 42%.
and 2.28 divorces per 1,000 people
Trinidad and Tobago (http://www.divorcereform.org/gul.html)
1 divorce per 1,000 people
So in North America, it looks like 1 in 3 marriages end up in divorce.
Ah jus curious to see de opinions of the ppl on dis forum.... what are people looking for in a relationship (straight and gay couples)?
I know dat a few on de forum have gone through more dan one marriage.
And some of us pushing double digits for wedding anniversaries.
So knowing that 1 in three marriages will end up in divorce, what can couples do to prevent this?
What roles do Love, Sex, Money, Security and <add your variable here>, play in a relationship?
Opinions, comments,
So what is make a good relationship/marriage?
Divorce rates are generally calculated by comparing the number of divorces with the number of marriages in a given time period. Here are some divorce rate statistics (less than I originally thought).
United States (http://marriage.rutgers.edu)
In the United States in 1999 there were 8.4 marriages and 4.2 divorces per 1,000 total population. Iin 1999 there was one divorce for every two marriages in the United States, a "crude" divorce rate of 50%.
Canada (Statistics Canada)
In Canada in 1997 there were a total of 154,750 marriages and 67,408 divorces—a divorce rate of 42%.
and 2.28 divorces per 1,000 people
Trinidad and Tobago (http://www.divorcereform.org/gul.html)
1 divorce per 1,000 people
So in North America, it looks like 1 in 3 marriages end up in divorce.
Ah jus curious to see de opinions of the ppl on dis forum.... what are people looking for in a relationship (straight and gay couples)?
I know dat a few on de forum have gone through more dan one marriage.
And some of us pushing double digits for wedding anniversaries.
So knowing that 1 in three marriages will end up in divorce, what can couples do to prevent this?
What roles do Love, Sex, Money, Security and <add your variable here>, play in a relationship?
Opinions, comments,
226
General Discussion / Sky Diver Survives 4572 m Fall - Actual Video
« on: February 14, 2007, 08:11:04 AM »
This man's chutes failed to deploy properly and he fell 4,572 m. His helmet cam recorded the fall. His skydiver buddy also recored the fall.
He is alive and is expected to recovery fully.
http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/skydiver
He is alive and is expected to recovery fully.
http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/skydiver
227
General Discussion / Space Oddity or Lust in Space
« on: February 08, 2007, 06:31:48 AM »Dat Astronaut Lady is de butt of a lot of jokes ..
Cut and Pasted from the National Post, Feb 8, 2006
Copyright: msoupcoff@nationalpost.com
Sung to the tune of Space Oddity (1969) by David Bowie
Space Oddity Ground control to jealous mom
Ground control to jealous mom
Take your wig and coat and put your diaper on
Ground control to jealous mom
Commencing car trip, engines on
Check steel mallet and take latex gloves with you
Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, Four, three, two, one ... cat fight!
This is ground control to jealous mom
You’ve really pepper sprayed
And there’s not enough space love for you to share
Now it’s time to face the courtroom if you dare
This is jealous mom to ground control
I’m finding fame a bore
And my lawyers only care about their pay
And William Oefelein still won’t come out to play
For here Am I sitting in my jail cell
An astronaut in chains
Time to say adieu
To my former NASA crew
Though I’ll sit through many days of trial
I feel like I could kill
Any bimbo scientist who’d steal my beau
Even engineers have feelings don’t you know
Ground control to jealous mom
No tabloids called, there’s something wrong
Can you hear me, jealous mom?
Can you hear me, jealous mom?
Can you hear me, jealous mom?
Can you....
228
General Discussion / Allyuh tink Africam exciting? watch dis ...
« on: February 07, 2007, 08:30:08 AM »
This live web cam allows cheese aficionados to what cheddar cheese mature in real time
better than Africam
If yuh watch long enough, you mite see a live person turing de cheese
better than Africam
If yuh watch long enough, you mite see a live person turing de cheese
229
General Discussion / How Secure are Your Passwords?? Some good info
« on: January 26, 2007, 10:00:09 AM »
I got this from Yahoo!Tech
Useful tips to help make your password more secure
http://tech.yahoo.com/blogs/null/13353/how-to-pick-a-genuinely-secure-password
How to Pick a Genuinely Secure Password
Wed Jan 17, 2007 3:24AM EST
When it comes to security, Bruce Schneier is a God among us mere mortals. He has written some of the most influential books on computer security and cryptography ever printed, and his blog is essential reading for anyone on the Internet.
So when Bruce says here's how to create a secure password (and how he creates his own passwords), I listen. His post on the topic is extensive, so I'll try to boil it down to the essentials. If you have the time, I encourage you to read the whole thing, though.
First question: How are passwords cracked, anyway? Primarily through brute force "dictionary" attacks, where software tries to guess a password by running through a series of common phrases or words in various combinations. Sure, we know that "password" and "qwerty" are easy to crack, but password crackers have gotten much more sophisticated these days. Now, they check hundreds of these common "root" passwords (here's a list)... in combination with various "appendages," including all two- and three-digit combinations, single symbols (like ! and ?), dates from 1900 on, and a few others. The crackers also sub in common characters like "3" for "E" and other typical hacker-speak substitutions.
What's that mean? Basically, if you thought the safe-looking pigl3t9! was a secure password, you're sadly mistaken. Any modern password cracker will suss it out in a matter of minutes.
Before you begin to despair, Schneier offers simple rules on how to create a password that cannot be easily cracked by such methods. (Mind you, given enough time, any password can be cracked, though. But this will make it much harder.)
The trick is to use a "root" that is not in that list that I linked above, and to put your "appendage" (or two of them) in an unusual place: Either in the middle of the root or at both the beginning and the end.
Schneier's example is to use a word that you can pronounce but which is spelled "wrong": armwar or pitchsure or baysball are all examples. Then attach your appendage(s): arm9!9war or 1066pitchsure6601 or bay1776sball. It shouldn't take much effort to commit any of these to memory.
How Pathetic is Your Password?
10 Myths About Windows Passwords
Useful tips to help make your password more secure
http://tech.yahoo.com/blogs/null/13353/how-to-pick-a-genuinely-secure-password
How to Pick a Genuinely Secure Password
Wed Jan 17, 2007 3:24AM EST
When it comes to security, Bruce Schneier is a God among us mere mortals. He has written some of the most influential books on computer security and cryptography ever printed, and his blog is essential reading for anyone on the Internet.
So when Bruce says here's how to create a secure password (and how he creates his own passwords), I listen. His post on the topic is extensive, so I'll try to boil it down to the essentials. If you have the time, I encourage you to read the whole thing, though.
First question: How are passwords cracked, anyway? Primarily through brute force "dictionary" attacks, where software tries to guess a password by running through a series of common phrases or words in various combinations. Sure, we know that "password" and "qwerty" are easy to crack, but password crackers have gotten much more sophisticated these days. Now, they check hundreds of these common "root" passwords (here's a list)... in combination with various "appendages," including all two- and three-digit combinations, single symbols (like ! and ?), dates from 1900 on, and a few others. The crackers also sub in common characters like "3" for "E" and other typical hacker-speak substitutions.
What's that mean? Basically, if you thought the safe-looking pigl3t9! was a secure password, you're sadly mistaken. Any modern password cracker will suss it out in a matter of minutes.
Before you begin to despair, Schneier offers simple rules on how to create a password that cannot be easily cracked by such methods. (Mind you, given enough time, any password can be cracked, though. But this will make it much harder.)
The trick is to use a "root" that is not in that list that I linked above, and to put your "appendage" (or two of them) in an unusual place: Either in the middle of the root or at both the beginning and the end.
Schneier's example is to use a word that you can pronounce but which is spelled "wrong": armwar or pitchsure or baysball are all examples. Then attach your appendage(s): arm9!9war or 1066pitchsure6601 or bay1776sball. It shouldn't take much effort to commit any of these to memory.
How Pathetic is Your Password?
10 Myths About Windows Passwords
230
General Discussion / Extra Long Screen Names
« on: January 22, 2007, 10:19:16 AM »
Ah notice lately dat some ppl screen names getting real long and ting ..
to de point where it taking up multiple lines on the Index Board, reducing the number of posts that are summarized on a single page .
So to help out, I have shortened my name so that de bandwiidth consumption go balance the increased usage taken up by dem extra long names....
Hopefully, we will all contribute to reduced bandwidth and avert climate change...
to de point where it taking up multiple lines on the Index Board, reducing the number of posts that are summarized on a single page .
So to help out, I have shortened my name so that de bandwiidth consumption go balance the increased usage taken up by dem extra long names....
Hopefully, we will all contribute to reduced bandwidth and avert climate change...
231
General Discussion / buddha-porn.com
« on: January 08, 2007, 04:22:23 PM »
Mon Jan 8, 6:19 AM
BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) - The Thai government blocked access Monday to a U.S.-based pornography website that uses an image of Buddha as its logo and is calling on Buddhists around the world to condemn the site, an official said.
The Chicago-based website, buddha-porn.com, features sexually explicit material beneath an image of a golden statue of a seated Buddha and contains pornographic images divided up in different categories named, the Buddha Galleries, Nirvana Galleries, and Satori Galleries - the last two referring to Buddhist beliefs about reaching enlightenment.
About 90 per cent of Thailand's 65 million people are Buddhist.
"It certainly crosses the line in a Buddhist society, " said Culture Ministry official Ladda Tangsuphachai, adding that the site was blocked by the Information Ministry after culture officials brought it to their attention. "We ask Buddhists around the world to send letters to condemn the website, " he said.
The Foreign Ministry is asking the website' s administrators, through the U.S. Embassy in Thailand, to remove all Buddhist references from the site, Ladda said.
"I don't know what their intention is, but I assume they did not know that this is unacceptable in our culture," Ladda said.
The website' s home page offers this disclaimer: "This site is in no way associated with religion and any religious symbols on this site are just a joke."
BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) - The Thai government blocked access Monday to a U.S.-based pornography website that uses an image of Buddha as its logo and is calling on Buddhists around the world to condemn the site, an official said.
The Chicago-based website, buddha-porn.com, features sexually explicit material beneath an image of a golden statue of a seated Buddha and contains pornographic images divided up in different categories named, the Buddha Galleries, Nirvana Galleries, and Satori Galleries - the last two referring to Buddhist beliefs about reaching enlightenment.
About 90 per cent of Thailand's 65 million people are Buddhist.
"It certainly crosses the line in a Buddhist society, " said Culture Ministry official Ladda Tangsuphachai, adding that the site was blocked by the Information Ministry after culture officials brought it to their attention. "We ask Buddhists around the world to send letters to condemn the website, " he said.
The Foreign Ministry is asking the website' s administrators, through the U.S. Embassy in Thailand, to remove all Buddhist references from the site, Ladda said.
"I don't know what their intention is, but I assume they did not know that this is unacceptable in our culture," Ladda said.
The website' s home page offers this disclaimer: "This site is in no way associated with religion and any religious symbols on this site are just a joke."
232
What about Track & Field / T&T 1968 Track & Field and Cycling Memories
« on: January 07, 2007, 08:09:27 PM »
Some background .... this plaque was presented to the Amateur Athletic Association of Trinidad & Tobago by the American Athletic Union (AAU) of the USA when they visited T&T to compete in the 1968 Northern Games. My dad was the organizing secretary of these games that included Track & Field and Cycling events. The president of the AAA was the late Sir Henry Pierre. According to my Dad, visting athletes included US sprinters:
John Carlos: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Carlos - of Mexico Olympic fames (clenched fist)
Bill Gaines: winner of the US Indoor 60 yd indoor dash in 1966, 67, 68. Could not find much info on him other than he was part of civil rights activities: http://www.historysanjose.org/exhibits_collections/current_upcoming_exhibits/speedcity.html
Wyomia Tyus (Olympic gold medalist http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/Wyomia+Tyus).
If anyone has more info on these 68 games, please post.
John Carlos: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Carlos - of Mexico Olympic fames (clenched fist)
Bill Gaines: winner of the US Indoor 60 yd indoor dash in 1966, 67, 68. Could not find much info on him other than he was part of civil rights activities: http://www.historysanjose.org/exhibits_collections/current_upcoming_exhibits/speedcity.html
Wyomia Tyus (Olympic gold medalist http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/Wyomia+Tyus).
If anyone has more info on these 68 games, please post.
233
Football / Mafia Style Threat to Sicilian Football Team's Director
« on: January 02, 2007, 08:29:06 AM »Sicilian soccer director the unlucky recipient of an offer he can't refuse
Reuters Published: Tuesday, January 02, 2007
The sporting director of Italian Serie A soccer team Palermo has received a Mafia-style warning after a run of poor results -- a severed goat's head in the mail. The gory gift, reminiscent of the horse's head in the 1972 film The Godfather, arrived wrapped at the home of Rino Foschi on Christmas Eve. "My first thought was that it was a joke, but it gave my wife a terrible fright. She fainted when she opened the box," Foschi was quoted as saying in La Gazzetta dello Sport on Sunday. "I've been living in Palermo for five years and I've never received threats before. The people here have always liked me. I feel protected. I sleep easy. I don't think I've got anything to fear." Palermo seemed like possible contenders for the Serie A title at the start of the season, but have lost three times and drawn twice in their last seven games to slip back to third, 13 points behind leaders Inter Milan.
© National Post 2007
235
Jokes / 25 SIGNS YOU HAVE GROWN UP
« on: December 13, 2006, 08:55:10 PM »
i not only grow up - i done reach old age
25 SIGNS YOU HAVE GROWN UP
25. Your houseplants are alive and you can't smoke any of them.
24. Having sex in a twin bed is out of the question.
23. You keep more food than beer in the fridge.
22. 6:00 AM is when you get up, not when you go to bed.
21. You hear your favorite song in an elevator.
20. You watch the Weather Channel.
19. Your friends marry and divorce instead of "hook up" and "break up."
18. You go from 130 days of vacation time to 14.
17. Jeans and a sweater no longer qualify as "dressed up."
16. You're the one calling the police because those %&@# kids next door won't turn down the stereo.
15. Older relatives feel comfortable telling sex jokes around you.
14. You don't know what time Taco Bell closes anymore.
13. Your car insurance goes down and your car payments go up.
12. You feed your dog Science Diet instead of McDonald's leftovers.
11. Sleeping on the couch makes your back hurt.
10. You take naps.
9. Dinner and a movie is the whole date instead of the beginning of one.
8. Eating a basket of chicken wings at 3 AM would severely upset, rather than settle, your stomach.
7. You go to the drug store for ibuprofen and antacid, not condoms and pregnancy tests.
6. A $4.00 bottle of wine is no longer "pretty good shit."
5. You actually eat breakfast food at breakfast time.
4. "I just can't drink the way I used to" replaces "I'm never going to
Drink that much again."
3. 90% of the time you spend in front of a computer is for real work.
2. When you find out your friend is pregnant you congratulate them instead of asking, "What the hell happened?"
And the number one sign you are getting old is:
1. You read this entire list looking desperately for one sign that doesn't apply to you and can't find one to save your sorry old ass. Then you send it to a bunch of old friends 'cause you know they'll enjoy it.
25 SIGNS YOU HAVE GROWN UP
25. Your houseplants are alive and you can't smoke any of them.
24. Having sex in a twin bed is out of the question.
23. You keep more food than beer in the fridge.
22. 6:00 AM is when you get up, not when you go to bed.
21. You hear your favorite song in an elevator.
20. You watch the Weather Channel.
19. Your friends marry and divorce instead of "hook up" and "break up."
18. You go from 130 days of vacation time to 14.
17. Jeans and a sweater no longer qualify as "dressed up."
16. You're the one calling the police because those %&@# kids next door won't turn down the stereo.
15. Older relatives feel comfortable telling sex jokes around you.
14. You don't know what time Taco Bell closes anymore.
13. Your car insurance goes down and your car payments go up.
12. You feed your dog Science Diet instead of McDonald's leftovers.
11. Sleeping on the couch makes your back hurt.
10. You take naps.
9. Dinner and a movie is the whole date instead of the beginning of one.
8. Eating a basket of chicken wings at 3 AM would severely upset, rather than settle, your stomach.
7. You go to the drug store for ibuprofen and antacid, not condoms and pregnancy tests.
6. A $4.00 bottle of wine is no longer "pretty good shit."
5. You actually eat breakfast food at breakfast time.
4. "I just can't drink the way I used to" replaces "I'm never going to
Drink that much again."
3. 90% of the time you spend in front of a computer is for real work.
2. When you find out your friend is pregnant you congratulate them instead of asking, "What the hell happened?"
And the number one sign you are getting old is:
1. You read this entire list looking desperately for one sign that doesn't apply to you and can't find one to save your sorry old ass. Then you send it to a bunch of old friends 'cause you know they'll enjoy it.
236
General Discussion / What do Civil Servants in Ontario have in common with de rest of de world?
« on: December 06, 2006, 09:24:26 AM »
Allyuh tink is only T&T dat have problems with how de government employess is spend de taxpayer money. Read de following nonsense dat happening in Ontario
Ontario tax payers footed the bill for vacations, SUV's for public employees
Tue Dec 5, 8:47 PM By Keith Leslie
TORONTO (CP) - Luxury sport utility vehicles, Caribbean vacations, leather jackets, chocolates and flowers were among the taxpayer-funded perks that child welfare, energy and education workers treated themselves to last year, Ontario Auditor General Jim McCarter reported Tuesday.
The annual auditor's report, which for the first time scrutinized spending at the energy utilities, hospitals, school boards and the Children's Aid Society, also uncovered millions in expenses that neither public employees nor their managers could account for.
"We noticed examples across all broader public sector areas that we looked at," McCarter said after tabling his annual report. "We have a lot of examples in here of what we would call really questionable expenditures."
Staff at Hydro One, the massive transmission utility, purchased $127 million worth of goods and services using corporate charge cards, but McCarter found few credit card slips or paperwork to justify those charges.
One senior executive at Hydro One had his secretary charge $50,000 to her card - even though most of the items purchased were for his use - then signed off on the charges himself. Other staff wrote cheques on their charge card accounts totalling $41.2 million, McCarter found.
Ontario Power Generation staff failed to produce any receipts to support $6.5 million in expenditures, but a spokesman said just because there were no receipts doesn't mean they were improper expenditures.
Managers at OPG also spent $300,000 for gifts, and $120,000 on gift certificates, for employees. The gifts included 40 leather jackets at $500 each, which were given out in recognition of five-year safety records.
"Contrary to corporate policy, none of these gifts were reported as taxable benefits," McCarter noted.
Energy Minister Dwight Duncan said Tuesday that he asked for immediate meetings with the CEO's of OPG and Hydro One to explain why corporate policies regarding expense accounts aren't being followed, and suggested heads could roll if he doesn't get adequate answers.
"I take these things very seriously," Duncan said outside the legislature.
"You know what, we're struggling to keep electricity prices competitive and down, and I just don't like this."
But NDP Leader Howard Hampton said the Liberals had done nothing to stop the misuse of public money at the two utilities.
"Under the McGuinty government, executives at Hydro One hid $18 million worth of mystery expenses," said Hampton.
"The auditor's report indicates there was an effort to... shall we say, be less than forthcoming and less than honest."
The auditor also examined four school boards across the province, and found one teacher spent $52,000 over two years on a purchasing card, including $4,000 spent during school breaks on DVDs, eyeglasses and Christmas lights.
Another teacher at the same board charged $11,000 over two years, including $2,800 on candies, chocolates and household supplies. Yet another employee had purchasing card expenditures totalling $6,000, and no documentation to support the claims.
McCarter wouldn't say which school board had the worst problems, but of the four he examined this year, Thames Valley District School Board in southwestern Ontario had 3,200 purchasing cards and racked up $5 million in charges - far more than the Durham District, Rainbow District and York Catholic school boards combined.
A litany of spending abuses at several Children's Aid societies, which prompted an outcry last week after a draft report was leaked to the media, included purchases of SUVs worth up to $59,000 and expensive foreign trips to an all-inclusive Caribbean resorts.
One staffer, with a society-provided vehicle, also received a $600 a month tax-free car allowance.
"Numerous expenditures of hundreds of dollars at a time were made at high-end restaurants, but the purpose and reasonableness of these could not be determined," wrote McCarter.
"The society paid, on behalf of a senior executive, for an annual gym membership worth $2,000, along with quarterly personal trainer fees of $650. Several car washes were purchased at $150 each."
Opposition Leader John Tory said the Liberal government has been too lax in controlling spending by provincially funded agencies and allowed credit card abuses to get out of hand.
"When you have people buying candies and DVDs, buying their anniversary flowers on a taxpayer-financed credit card, this situation is out of control," said Tory.
"This drives people crazy."
For the first time, the auditor general had the power to examine hospitals, and found they expose children to high levels of radiation from CT and MRI scans.
"None of the hospitals that we visited had analyzed the number of CT examinations by patient or monitored radiation dosages absorbed by patients," wrote McCarter.
Ontario tax payers footed the bill for vacations, SUV's for public employees
Tue Dec 5, 8:47 PM By Keith Leslie
TORONTO (CP) - Luxury sport utility vehicles, Caribbean vacations, leather jackets, chocolates and flowers were among the taxpayer-funded perks that child welfare, energy and education workers treated themselves to last year, Ontario Auditor General Jim McCarter reported Tuesday.
The annual auditor's report, which for the first time scrutinized spending at the energy utilities, hospitals, school boards and the Children's Aid Society, also uncovered millions in expenses that neither public employees nor their managers could account for.
"We noticed examples across all broader public sector areas that we looked at," McCarter said after tabling his annual report. "We have a lot of examples in here of what we would call really questionable expenditures."
Staff at Hydro One, the massive transmission utility, purchased $127 million worth of goods and services using corporate charge cards, but McCarter found few credit card slips or paperwork to justify those charges.
One senior executive at Hydro One had his secretary charge $50,000 to her card - even though most of the items purchased were for his use - then signed off on the charges himself. Other staff wrote cheques on their charge card accounts totalling $41.2 million, McCarter found.
Ontario Power Generation staff failed to produce any receipts to support $6.5 million in expenditures, but a spokesman said just because there were no receipts doesn't mean they were improper expenditures.
Managers at OPG also spent $300,000 for gifts, and $120,000 on gift certificates, for employees. The gifts included 40 leather jackets at $500 each, which were given out in recognition of five-year safety records.
"Contrary to corporate policy, none of these gifts were reported as taxable benefits," McCarter noted.
Energy Minister Dwight Duncan said Tuesday that he asked for immediate meetings with the CEO's of OPG and Hydro One to explain why corporate policies regarding expense accounts aren't being followed, and suggested heads could roll if he doesn't get adequate answers.
"I take these things very seriously," Duncan said outside the legislature.
"You know what, we're struggling to keep electricity prices competitive and down, and I just don't like this."
But NDP Leader Howard Hampton said the Liberals had done nothing to stop the misuse of public money at the two utilities.
"Under the McGuinty government, executives at Hydro One hid $18 million worth of mystery expenses," said Hampton.
"The auditor's report indicates there was an effort to... shall we say, be less than forthcoming and less than honest."
The auditor also examined four school boards across the province, and found one teacher spent $52,000 over two years on a purchasing card, including $4,000 spent during school breaks on DVDs, eyeglasses and Christmas lights.
Another teacher at the same board charged $11,000 over two years, including $2,800 on candies, chocolates and household supplies. Yet another employee had purchasing card expenditures totalling $6,000, and no documentation to support the claims.
McCarter wouldn't say which school board had the worst problems, but of the four he examined this year, Thames Valley District School Board in southwestern Ontario had 3,200 purchasing cards and racked up $5 million in charges - far more than the Durham District, Rainbow District and York Catholic school boards combined.
A litany of spending abuses at several Children's Aid societies, which prompted an outcry last week after a draft report was leaked to the media, included purchases of SUVs worth up to $59,000 and expensive foreign trips to an all-inclusive Caribbean resorts.
One staffer, with a society-provided vehicle, also received a $600 a month tax-free car allowance.
"Numerous expenditures of hundreds of dollars at a time were made at high-end restaurants, but the purpose and reasonableness of these could not be determined," wrote McCarter.
"The society paid, on behalf of a senior executive, for an annual gym membership worth $2,000, along with quarterly personal trainer fees of $650. Several car washes were purchased at $150 each."
Opposition Leader John Tory said the Liberal government has been too lax in controlling spending by provincially funded agencies and allowed credit card abuses to get out of hand.
"When you have people buying candies and DVDs, buying their anniversary flowers on a taxpayer-financed credit card, this situation is out of control," said Tory.
"This drives people crazy."
For the first time, the auditor general had the power to examine hospitals, and found they expose children to high levels of radiation from CT and MRI scans.
"None of the hospitals that we visited had analyzed the number of CT examinations by patient or monitored radiation dosages absorbed by patients," wrote McCarter.
237
General Discussion / Boil Water Advisory in Vancouver
« on: November 18, 2006, 09:39:03 AM »
Ah wonder how Palos handling de presshur out dey in Vancouver ... An ent RedHowler some where out dey too??
Should we be starting a drive to sen dem some water?
GREG JOYCE Fri Nov 17, 6:30 PM ET
VANCOUVER (CP) - Some people took the boil-water advisory for Greater Vancouver in stride, buying it in bottles or boiling it. Others worried about the long-term effects and at least one woman was blissfully unaware.
The advisory telling about two million residents of Canada's third-largest metropolitan area to boil their water for everything from drinking to scrubbing vegetables was partially lifted Friday, but it remained in effect for major centres such as Vancouver, Burnaby and North and West Vancouver.
Sandy Hill, who lives on the east side of Vancouver was unaware of the advisory.
"I didn't know we weren't supposed to drink it. I drank a bunch this morning. I'm still here," she said giggling about her good health.
One of the precautions that came with the advisory was not to brush your teeth with tap water.
"I brushed my teeth," she said proudly, before realizing: "Do you have to boil water to brush your teeth?"
Vladimir Burakov stood outside a Costco in downtown Vancouver, waiting for it to open. He wasn't there to buy bottled water, although that was the case for many of the 100 or so people with him in the long lineup.
"I am from Russia and we get so many problems with water," he said, appearing amused at the concern. "You get used to it. It's not a big deal. It's always brown in Russia."
The decision to lift the advisory for some of the outer suburbs brought relief to about half the people affected Thursday, but about 900,000 were still faced with a weekend of having to boil their water.
They're the people who get their water from the Seymour and Capilano reservoirs, which were affected severely by storms that have pounded British Columbia's Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island this week.
Those two reservoirs are huge, natural lakes situated in the mountains directly behind North and West Vancouver. The problem with the water arose when the storm caused slides into the reservoirs on Wednesday.
Residents who were told they could turn their taps back on get their water from the Coquitlam reservoir, which didn't suffer the effects of mudslides.
Johnny Carline, chief administrative officer for the GVRD, told a news conference turbidity levels were dropping steadily.
The district has a computer program that monitors turbidity every 30 seconds.
Dr. Roland Gasparini, medical health officer for the Fraser Health Authority, said no bacteria or parasites have been detected, but said officials don't have much experience with what could happen with such "extreme" turbidity levels.
"This is very much precautionary," he said. "We don't take boil-water advisories lightly. The implications are great for many, many people and institutions."
Where once turbidity was considered only ugly, not harmful, recent research has shown that when dirt is suspended in the water, bacteria and parasites cling to the particles, making it more difficult for chlorine to kill them.
Carline said when the advisory would be completely lifted would depend on the turbidity levels and what impact the continued rainy weather would have on the slopes.
Environment Canada meteorologist Jim Steele said the current bad weather was due to a low in the Gulf of Alaska continuing to produce an unstable southwesterly flow onto the B.C. coast.
The rain was expected to last all Friday with more Saturday, although not as heavy.
On Sunday, the province's southwest region is expected to be hit by a "quite potent" storm with strong winds.
"So I would say continued unsettled (weather) for the next few days with another storm in the middle for late Saturday night and into Sunday," Steele said.
Restaurants, care homes, daycares and even gyms were relying on bottled water, even though some had access to water out of their filtration systems.
Despite blanket news coverage of the water crisis, there were reports of people and businesses who had not heard about the advisory, including some non-English speakers. Officials acknowledged advisories had not been issued in other languages.
"It is going to depend on word-of-mouth, the buzz going around," said Gasparini.
Swamped staff were making notifications based on priorities - hospitals, care homes, large restaurant chains, et cetera.
Nick Whitle, an administrator at the Inglewood long-term care residence in West Vancouver, said his facility is using bottled water and has pre-ordered at least until the end of next week.
"Of course, a lot of other facilities are using bottled water, so the supplies seem to be dwindling in certain places."
Jack Lamont was another customer who arrived early at the Costco outlet. He is part-owner of four downtown restaurants and hoped to buy as much bottled water as he could get his hands on.
"It's a bit of a scenario because you need water every day just for cleaning hands or cooking and also to give to your guests when they come."
But when the doors opened, staff announced they were all sold out.
In a city known for a coffee shop on every corner, some cafes decided it's too big a task to boil litres and litres of water to keep the machines going, while others were brewing up a storm with filtered or boiled water.
Angie and Candace sat at a downtown cafe, sipping from water bottles.
Candace has a small child and worried about giving her a bath.
"I wouldn't put my daughter in the tub," she said. "She likes to take a sip or two. I'm sure it wouldn't kill her but who wants to play around with that kind of thing?"
Another 100,000 people in Nanaimo on Vancouver Island and 1,500 in Chemainus, south of Nanaimo, have also been told to boil their water.
Meanwhile, the B.C. government announced residents of Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland who suffered uninsurable losses in this week's storm will be eligible for compensation under the Disaster Financial Assistance program.
Homeowners can receive up to 80 per cent of claims over $1,000 to a maximum of $300,000.
Should we be starting a drive to sen dem some water?
GREG JOYCE Fri Nov 17, 6:30 PM ET
VANCOUVER (CP) - Some people took the boil-water advisory for Greater Vancouver in stride, buying it in bottles or boiling it. Others worried about the long-term effects and at least one woman was blissfully unaware.
The advisory telling about two million residents of Canada's third-largest metropolitan area to boil their water for everything from drinking to scrubbing vegetables was partially lifted Friday, but it remained in effect for major centres such as Vancouver, Burnaby and North and West Vancouver.
Sandy Hill, who lives on the east side of Vancouver was unaware of the advisory.
"I didn't know we weren't supposed to drink it. I drank a bunch this morning. I'm still here," she said giggling about her good health.
One of the precautions that came with the advisory was not to brush your teeth with tap water.
"I brushed my teeth," she said proudly, before realizing: "Do you have to boil water to brush your teeth?"
Vladimir Burakov stood outside a Costco in downtown Vancouver, waiting for it to open. He wasn't there to buy bottled water, although that was the case for many of the 100 or so people with him in the long lineup.
"I am from Russia and we get so many problems with water," he said, appearing amused at the concern. "You get used to it. It's not a big deal. It's always brown in Russia."
The decision to lift the advisory for some of the outer suburbs brought relief to about half the people affected Thursday, but about 900,000 were still faced with a weekend of having to boil their water.
They're the people who get their water from the Seymour and Capilano reservoirs, which were affected severely by storms that have pounded British Columbia's Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island this week.
Those two reservoirs are huge, natural lakes situated in the mountains directly behind North and West Vancouver. The problem with the water arose when the storm caused slides into the reservoirs on Wednesday.
Residents who were told they could turn their taps back on get their water from the Coquitlam reservoir, which didn't suffer the effects of mudslides.
Johnny Carline, chief administrative officer for the GVRD, told a news conference turbidity levels were dropping steadily.
The district has a computer program that monitors turbidity every 30 seconds.
Dr. Roland Gasparini, medical health officer for the Fraser Health Authority, said no bacteria or parasites have been detected, but said officials don't have much experience with what could happen with such "extreme" turbidity levels.
"This is very much precautionary," he said. "We don't take boil-water advisories lightly. The implications are great for many, many people and institutions."
Where once turbidity was considered only ugly, not harmful, recent research has shown that when dirt is suspended in the water, bacteria and parasites cling to the particles, making it more difficult for chlorine to kill them.
Carline said when the advisory would be completely lifted would depend on the turbidity levels and what impact the continued rainy weather would have on the slopes.
Environment Canada meteorologist Jim Steele said the current bad weather was due to a low in the Gulf of Alaska continuing to produce an unstable southwesterly flow onto the B.C. coast.
The rain was expected to last all Friday with more Saturday, although not as heavy.
On Sunday, the province's southwest region is expected to be hit by a "quite potent" storm with strong winds.
"So I would say continued unsettled (weather) for the next few days with another storm in the middle for late Saturday night and into Sunday," Steele said.
Restaurants, care homes, daycares and even gyms were relying on bottled water, even though some had access to water out of their filtration systems.
Despite blanket news coverage of the water crisis, there were reports of people and businesses who had not heard about the advisory, including some non-English speakers. Officials acknowledged advisories had not been issued in other languages.
"It is going to depend on word-of-mouth, the buzz going around," said Gasparini.
Swamped staff were making notifications based on priorities - hospitals, care homes, large restaurant chains, et cetera.
Nick Whitle, an administrator at the Inglewood long-term care residence in West Vancouver, said his facility is using bottled water and has pre-ordered at least until the end of next week.
"Of course, a lot of other facilities are using bottled water, so the supplies seem to be dwindling in certain places."
Jack Lamont was another customer who arrived early at the Costco outlet. He is part-owner of four downtown restaurants and hoped to buy as much bottled water as he could get his hands on.
"It's a bit of a scenario because you need water every day just for cleaning hands or cooking and also to give to your guests when they come."
But when the doors opened, staff announced they were all sold out.
In a city known for a coffee shop on every corner, some cafes decided it's too big a task to boil litres and litres of water to keep the machines going, while others were brewing up a storm with filtered or boiled water.
Angie and Candace sat at a downtown cafe, sipping from water bottles.
Candace has a small child and worried about giving her a bath.
"I wouldn't put my daughter in the tub," she said. "She likes to take a sip or two. I'm sure it wouldn't kill her but who wants to play around with that kind of thing?"
Another 100,000 people in Nanaimo on Vancouver Island and 1,500 in Chemainus, south of Nanaimo, have also been told to boil their water.
Meanwhile, the B.C. government announced residents of Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland who suffered uninsurable losses in this week's storm will be eligible for compensation under the Disaster Financial Assistance program.
Homeowners can receive up to 80 per cent of claims over $1,000 to a maximum of $300,000.
238
Other Sports / Women's Ice Hockey - 4 Nation Cup
« on: November 12, 2006, 06:03:44 PM »
Some argue it is easy to dominate because women's hockey is not popular in de rest of de world.
Sunday Nov 12, 2006 Women assert dominance Sun, November 12, 2006 By CP
KITCHENER -- The Canadian women's hockey team maintained its high ground on the rest of the world at the Four Nations Cup.
Canada beat the United States 5-2 to win the annual four-country event yesterday.
The squad reinforced Canada's status as the No. 1 women's hockey country in the world following a dominating gold-medal performance at the Olympic Games in February.
Canada outscored the opposition 23-3 over four games at the Four Nations and gave up only one even-strength goal.
"We just want to be the best in the world," Canadian goaltender Kim St. Pierre said. "It's the Four Nations Cup, but for us, it's almost as important as a world championship. "
The Four Nations Cup was a dress rehearsal for the 2007 women's world championship April 3-10 in Winnipeg, where the four countries here plus China, Germany, Kazakhstan, Russia and Switzerland will battle for a world title.
The U.S. is the defending champion after beating Canada in a shootout in 2005.
Cherie Piper of Toronto, Carla MacLeod of Calgary, Hayley Wickenheiser of Shaunavon, Sask., and Montreal's Caroline Ouellette scored in yesterday's final in front of 4,650 at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium, before Natalie Darwitz and Kristin King countered for the U.S. in the third period.
Winnipeg's Jennifer Botterill added an empty-net goal. St. Pierre, from Chateauguay, Que., stopped 26 of 28 shots for the victory, while U.S. counterpart Chanda Gunn made 32 saves.
Canada has won the tournament nine times since it began in 1996. The U.S. is the only other country to win the event, in 1997 and 2003.
Sweden edged Finland 3-2 earlier to take third place.
The Americans had trouble handling Canada's speed at the game's outset and quickly found themselves in the penalty box for stick infractions.
Piper scored a power-play goal at 4:26 and MacLeod followed up with an even-strength goal just 44 seconds later to spot Canada an early two-goal lead.
Sunday Nov 12, 2006 Women assert dominance Sun, November 12, 2006 By CP
KITCHENER -- The Canadian women's hockey team maintained its high ground on the rest of the world at the Four Nations Cup.
Canada beat the United States 5-2 to win the annual four-country event yesterday.
The squad reinforced Canada's status as the No. 1 women's hockey country in the world following a dominating gold-medal performance at the Olympic Games in February.
Canada outscored the opposition 23-3 over four games at the Four Nations and gave up only one even-strength goal.
"We just want to be the best in the world," Canadian goaltender Kim St. Pierre said. "It's the Four Nations Cup, but for us, it's almost as important as a world championship. "
The Four Nations Cup was a dress rehearsal for the 2007 women's world championship April 3-10 in Winnipeg, where the four countries here plus China, Germany, Kazakhstan, Russia and Switzerland will battle for a world title.
The U.S. is the defending champion after beating Canada in a shootout in 2005.
Cherie Piper of Toronto, Carla MacLeod of Calgary, Hayley Wickenheiser of Shaunavon, Sask., and Montreal's Caroline Ouellette scored in yesterday's final in front of 4,650 at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium, before Natalie Darwitz and Kristin King countered for the U.S. in the third period.
Winnipeg's Jennifer Botterill added an empty-net goal. St. Pierre, from Chateauguay, Que., stopped 26 of 28 shots for the victory, while U.S. counterpart Chanda Gunn made 32 saves.
Canada has won the tournament nine times since it began in 1996. The U.S. is the only other country to win the event, in 1997 and 2003.
Sweden edged Finland 3-2 earlier to take third place.
The Americans had trouble handling Canada's speed at the game's outset and quickly found themselves in the penalty box for stick infractions.
Piper scored a power-play goal at 4:26 and MacLeod followed up with an even-strength goal just 44 seconds later to spot Canada an early two-goal lead.
239
General Discussion / When is de best time to buy airline tickets? - check out this web site
« on: November 12, 2006, 04:07:08 PM »
Check out dis web site.
They use sophisticated modelling technique to predict airline fares, wether dey rising or falling and when is de best time to buy.
That way , you can time wen to buy a ticket for 75 cites in the USA.
I have not tried it, but de results look real interesting.
For those of you who fly frequently in de US, it might be worth a closer look.
http://www.farecast.com/
They use sophisticated modelling technique to predict airline fares, wether dey rising or falling and when is de best time to buy.
That way , you can time wen to buy a ticket for 75 cites in the USA.
I have not tried it, but de results look real interesting.
For those of you who fly frequently in de US, it might be worth a closer look.
http://www.farecast.com/
240
Football / Chelsea keeps pace with United
« on: November 12, 2006, 02:55:56 PM »
Chelsea continues to improve without their number one goalie and Didier Drogba score another tree goals.
Chelsea keeps pace with United
Sun, November 12, 2006
Manchester's win atones for an embarrassing League Cup loss.
By AP
LONDON -- Manchester United and Chelsea kept up their winning ways yesterday in the English Premier League.
Louis Saha scored in the 64th minute to help league leader Manchester United beat Blackburn 1-0 at Ewood Park.
The victory gave United 31 points and atoned for an embarrassing 1-0 loss to Southend on Tuesday in the fourth round of the League Cup.
Chelsea improved to 28 points with Didier Drogba scoring three goals and Andriy Shevchenko adding another in the Blues' 4-0 victory over Watford.
Drogba scored his first two goals in the first half at Stamford Bridge, and Shevchenko added his early in the second half. Drogba capped the scoring in the 69th minute.
Chelsea keeps pace with United
Sun, November 12, 2006
Manchester's win atones for an embarrassing League Cup loss.
By AP
LONDON -- Manchester United and Chelsea kept up their winning ways yesterday in the English Premier League.
Louis Saha scored in the 64th minute to help league leader Manchester United beat Blackburn 1-0 at Ewood Park.
The victory gave United 31 points and atoned for an embarrassing 1-0 loss to Southend on Tuesday in the fourth round of the League Cup.
Chelsea improved to 28 points with Didier Drogba scoring three goals and Andriy Shevchenko adding another in the Blues' 4-0 victory over Watford.
Drogba scored his first two goals in the first half at Stamford Bridge, and Shevchenko added his early in the second half. Drogba capped the scoring in the 69th minute.