31
April 19, 2024, 03:35:25 AM
Show Posts
This section allows you to view all posts made by this member. Note that you can only see posts made in areas you currently have access to.
32
General Discussion / UWISpace
« on: August 28, 2009, 05:30:58 PM »
anyone know about UWI Space?
check their digital collection here
http://uwispace.sta.uwi.edu/dspace/handle/2139/10
main page http://www.mainlib.uwi.tt/ir/about.htm
check their digital collection here
http://uwispace.sta.uwi.edu/dspace/handle/2139/10
main page http://www.mainlib.uwi.tt/ir/about.htm
33
Entertainment & Culture Discussion / Les Paul - RIP - Big Mag - doh geh derid of ya Les Paul as yet eh
« on: August 13, 2009, 02:26:00 PM »
RIP guitar man
August 13, 2009
Les Paul, father of electric guitar, dies at 94
Guitar legend Les Paul has died of complications from pneumonia, his family announced. He was 94.
He died Thursday at White Plains Hospital in White Plains, N.Y., with his family at his side.
Paul is considered the "father of the electric guitar" for his invention of the solid-body instrument.
Primarily a jazz-pop musician, Paul's pioneering techniques influenced guitarists such as Jimi Hendrix and Jimmy Page.
At age 93, he still played weekly at the Iridium Jazz Club in New York City.
Paul built his own solid-body guitar with amplification in 1941, because he wanted audiences to hear him better.
He was trying to overcome problems with earlier electric guitars, which were hollow-body instruments that suffered from feedback and distortion.
Paul improved the solid-body guitar over the next 10 years, until, in 1952, Gibson introduced the Les Paul model guitar.
Paul also developed recording techniques such as multi-tracking and echo delay, and he created an early-model synthesizer.
"He's become an idol and an icon to people in the rock world, as well as people in jazz and popular music," Terry Stewart, president of the Cleveland-based Rock Hall of Fame said in a tribute to Paul last year.
http://www.cbc.ca/arts/music/story/2009/08/13/les-paul-obit.html
August 13, 2009
Les Paul, father of electric guitar, dies at 94
Guitar legend Les Paul has died of complications from pneumonia, his family announced. He was 94.
He died Thursday at White Plains Hospital in White Plains, N.Y., with his family at his side.
Paul is considered the "father of the electric guitar" for his invention of the solid-body instrument.
Primarily a jazz-pop musician, Paul's pioneering techniques influenced guitarists such as Jimi Hendrix and Jimmy Page.
At age 93, he still played weekly at the Iridium Jazz Club in New York City.
Paul built his own solid-body guitar with amplification in 1941, because he wanted audiences to hear him better.
He was trying to overcome problems with earlier electric guitars, which were hollow-body instruments that suffered from feedback and distortion.
Paul improved the solid-body guitar over the next 10 years, until, in 1952, Gibson introduced the Les Paul model guitar.
Paul also developed recording techniques such as multi-tracking and echo delay, and he created an early-model synthesizer.
"He's become an idol and an icon to people in the rock world, as well as people in jazz and popular music," Terry Stewart, president of the Cleveland-based Rock Hall of Fame said in a tribute to Paul last year.
http://www.cbc.ca/arts/music/story/2009/08/13/les-paul-obit.html
34
Football / Have you always wanted to be a ManU supporter?
« on: July 28, 2009, 05:52:39 PM »
well here is your chance
click on link to fill out the application
put this under - "the damnedest things ya find on the internet"
OK, I goin an put on meh helmet and chest protection : )
click on link to fill out the application
put this under - "the damnedest things ya find on the internet"
OK, I goin an put on meh helmet and chest protection : )
35
Jokes / THE LAWS OF ULTIMATE REALITY
« on: July 17, 2009, 07:38:02 PM »
THE LAWS OF ULTIMATE REALITY
Law of Mechanical Repair
After your hands become coated with grease, your nose will begin to itch and you'll have to pee.
Law of Gravity
Any tool, when dropped, will roll to the least accessible corner.
Law of Probability
The probability of being watched is directly proportional to the stupidity of your act.
Law of Random Numbers
If you dial a wrong number, you never get a busy signal and someone always answers.
Law of the Alibi
If you tell the boss you were late for work because you had a flat tire, the very next morning you will have a flat tire.
Variation Law
If you change traffic lanes, the one you were in will always move faster than the one you are in now (works every time).
Law of the Bath
When the body is fully immersed in water, the telephone rings.
Law of Close Encounters
The probability of meeting someone you know increases dramatically when you are with someone you don't want to be seen with.
Law of the Result
When you try to prove to someone that a machine won't work, it will.
Law of Biomechanics
The severity of the itch is inversely proportional to the reach.
Law of the Theatre
At any event, the people whose seats are furthest from the aisle arrive last.
The Starbucks Law
As soon as you sit down to a cup of hot coffee, your boss will ask you to do something which will last until the coffee is cold.
Murphy's Law of Lockers
If there are only two people in a locker room, they will have adjacent lockers.
Law of Physical Surfaces
The chances of an open-faced jam sandwich landing face down on a floor covering are directly correlated to the newness and cost of the carpet/rug.
Brown's Law of Physical Appearance
If the shoe fits, it's ugly..
Wilson 's Law of Commercial Marketing Strategy
As soon as you find a product that you really like, they will stop making it.
Doctors' Law
If you don't feel well, make an appointment to go to the doctor, by the time you get there you'll feel better. Don't make an appointment and you'll stay sick.
Law of Logical Argument
Anything is possible if you don't know what you are talking about.
Law of Mechanical Repair
After your hands become coated with grease, your nose will begin to itch and you'll have to pee.
Law of Gravity
Any tool, when dropped, will roll to the least accessible corner.
Law of Probability
The probability of being watched is directly proportional to the stupidity of your act.
Law of Random Numbers
If you dial a wrong number, you never get a busy signal and someone always answers.
Law of the Alibi
If you tell the boss you were late for work because you had a flat tire, the very next morning you will have a flat tire.
Variation Law
If you change traffic lanes, the one you were in will always move faster than the one you are in now (works every time).
Law of the Bath
When the body is fully immersed in water, the telephone rings.
Law of Close Encounters
The probability of meeting someone you know increases dramatically when you are with someone you don't want to be seen with.
Law of the Result
When you try to prove to someone that a machine won't work, it will.
Law of Biomechanics
The severity of the itch is inversely proportional to the reach.
Law of the Theatre
At any event, the people whose seats are furthest from the aisle arrive last.
The Starbucks Law
As soon as you sit down to a cup of hot coffee, your boss will ask you to do something which will last until the coffee is cold.
Murphy's Law of Lockers
If there are only two people in a locker room, they will have adjacent lockers.
Law of Physical Surfaces
The chances of an open-faced jam sandwich landing face down on a floor covering are directly correlated to the newness and cost of the carpet/rug.
Brown's Law of Physical Appearance
If the shoe fits, it's ugly..
Wilson 's Law of Commercial Marketing Strategy
As soon as you find a product that you really like, they will stop making it.
Doctors' Law
If you don't feel well, make an appointment to go to the doctor, by the time you get there you'll feel better. Don't make an appointment and you'll stay sick.
Law of Logical Argument
Anything is possible if you don't know what you are talking about.
36
General Discussion / Sarkozy stirs French burka debate
« on: June 24, 2009, 07:35:52 PM »Sarkozy stirs French burka debate
By Emma Jane Kirby
BBC News, Paris
Since this was the first time in almost one and a half centuries that a French president had been allowed to address parliament, President Nicolas Sarkozy's speech was already on course to ruffle a few feathers.
The Greens and Communists refused to attend and the Socialists left early, claiming the venue for the address - the Chateau of Versailles, which was home to King Louis XIV - smacked of monarchy and a thirst for power.
But it was the French leader's attack on the burka that really caused a stir.
He expressed his strong distaste for the head-to-toe Islamic veil, calling it not a sign of religion but a sign of subservience.
"It will not be welcome on French soil," he said." We cannot accept, in our country, women imprisoned behind a mesh, cut off from society, deprived of all identity. That is not the French republic's idea of women's dignity."
President Sarkozy's comments have not come out of the blue.
They are in response to a call last week by a group of 65 cross-party MPs, led by the Communist Andre Gerin, who wants a parliamentary commission set up to investigate the spread of the burka in France.
They want to see whether such a spread is indicative of a radicalisation of Islam, whether women are being forced to cover themselves or are doing so voluntarily, and whether wearing the burka undermines French secularism.
Mr Gerin believes the burka "amounts to a breach of individual freedom on our national territory".
Because, if the mention of monarchy triggers warning bells in France, the mention of religion triggers much louder ones.
Ban in schools
The concept of secularism or "laicite" is sacred in France.
“ We must not fight the wrong battle. In the republic, the Muslim faith must be respected as much as other religions ”
Nicolas Sarkozy, French President
The separation of church and state is jealously guarded by everyone from school teachers to government ministers - and the constitution states the republic "does not recognise, subsidise or remunerate any religious body".
It underpinned the French Revolution, and has been a basic tenet of the country's progressive thought since the 18th century when French Enlightenment thinkers like Voltaire, Diderot and Montesquieu regarded religion as divisive, benighted and intolerant.
It was this same concept that was invoked five years ago to ban conspicuous signs of religion - including Islamic headscarves - from schools.
That decision sparked controversy and debate across Europe, with critics claiming it stigmatised Muslims at a time when France needed to be stepping up its fight against rife discrimination in the job market, which had caused so many youths of Muslim origin to feel forgotten by French society.
This latest call for a potential ban of the burka has prompted the head of the French Council for the Muslim Religion to warn MPs they risk stigmatising Muslims again.
But the special inquiry does have the backing of Dalil Boubakeur, rector of the Paris Mosque and a former head of the Muslim council, who insists that Islam in France should be an "open and convivial Islam that allows people to live side by side".
He fears that anecdotal evidence that more women are wearing the burka in France is linked to an "excess, a radicalisation" among some Muslims.
With five million Muslims living here, France is home to Western Europe's largest Islamic community and the government will be anxious not to isolate the Muslim population by being seen to be trying to dictate to women what they should wear.
The issue has even split the French cabinet.
Rama Yade, the Muslim human rights minister, said she would be open to a ban if it was aimed at protecting women who wore a burka against their will. The immigration minister, Eric Besson, believes a ban will only create tensions.
President Sarkozy may have given his backing to an open debate on the burka, but he also insisted France needed to make sure it knew exactly what it was debating.
"We must not fight the wrong battle," he said. "In the republic, the Muslim faith must be respected as much as other religions."
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/europe/8113778.stm
Published: 2009/06/22 19:27:26 GMT
© BBC MMIX
Print Sponsor
37
Jokes / Father's Day Gift
« on: June 14, 2009, 04:27:28 PM »
well fellas
I was so happy when my family told me about my early Father's Day gift - a riding lawn mower - something that I have always wanted
well I WAS happy untill I saw it
or copy into browser
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_iNG5AE7xrYU/SjV4S_YGeXI/AAAAAAAAGwU/tPaEEPfS3ng/Riding%20Lawn%20Mower.jpg
I was so happy when my family told me about my early Father's Day gift - a riding lawn mower - something that I have always wanted
well I WAS happy untill I saw it
or copy into browser
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_iNG5AE7xrYU/SjV4S_YGeXI/AAAAAAAAGwU/tPaEEPfS3ng/Riding%20Lawn%20Mower.jpg
38
General Discussion / Windows 7 - waz de deal?
« on: June 08, 2009, 09:39:03 PM »
I got an email from Microsoft about The Windows® 7 Release Candidate (RC)
has anyone here tried it out as yet?
Thanks ahead of time
has anyone here tried it out as yet?
Thanks ahead of time
39
Entertainment & Culture Discussion / BB King
« on: May 18, 2009, 08:51:47 AM »
"King has spent a lifetime on the road. In the old days – 40 or 50 years ago – he would tour more than 300 days a year, grinding across the highways and two-lane blacktops of America, playing the black theatres and road-houses on what was known as the chitlin’ circuit; for the past 30 years the itinerary has included Europe, Australia, the Far East. Now that King is 83, the schedule is necessarily more relaxed. But the bus is where he feels most comfortable – the closest thing, perhaps, to home, and the bus is where BB King chooses to hold court. "
just ah small quote from this VERY long article
buh, ah have to say my all time favorite was McKinley Morganfield
saw him live in good ole TO and was sitting about 10 feet away
just ah small quote from this VERY long article
buh, ah have to say my all time favorite was McKinley Morganfield
saw him live in good ole TO and was sitting about 10 feet away
40
Jokes / Trini Lion
« on: May 07, 2009, 07:55:14 PM »
This shop in San Juan was tired of thugs breaking into the shop so they came up with this idea. lol
41
Jokes / A TRINI CLASSIC
« on: May 07, 2009, 07:49:26 PM »
Hear This!
You know how it have ah set ah shooting in T&T dese days!
Well five friends: Currants, Ice, Curry, Tambran and Coconut walking down Petit Valley Road;
when suddenly dey hear gun shots
BODOW, BODOW, BODOW BODOW! Well geez an ages!
Currants roll
Ice scream
Curry duck
Tambran bawl and
Coconut drop.
Idleness killing we!
You know how it have ah set ah shooting in T&T dese days!
Well five friends: Currants, Ice, Curry, Tambran and Coconut walking down Petit Valley Road;
when suddenly dey hear gun shots
BODOW, BODOW, BODOW BODOW! Well geez an ages!
Currants roll
Ice scream
Curry duck
Tambran bawl and
Coconut drop.
Idleness killing we!
42
Jokes / Old Prospector
« on: April 30, 2009, 05:37:40 PM »
An old prospector walks his tired old mule into a western town one day. He'd been out in the desert for about six months without a drop of whiskey.
He walked up to the first saloon he came to and tied his old mule to the hitch rail. As he stood there brushing some of the dust from his face and clothes, a young gunslinger walked out of the saloon with a gun in one hand and a bottle of whiskey in the other.
The young gunslinger looked at the old man and laughed,saying, 'Hey old man, have you ever danced?'
The old man looked up at the gunslinger and said, 'No, I never did dance. I just never wanted to.'
A crowd had gathered by then and the gunslinger said, 'Well, you old fool, you're gonna' dance now,' and started shooting at the old man's feet. The old prospector was hopping around and everybody was laughing.
When the gunslinger fired his last bullet, he holstered his gun and turned around to go back into the saloon.
The old man reached up on the mule, drew his shotgun, and pulled both hammers back making a double clicking sound. The gunslinger heard the sound and everything got quiet. The crowd watched as the gunslinger slowly turned around looking down both barrels of the shotgun.
The old man asked, 'Did you ever kiss a mule's ass?'
The gunslinger swallowed hard and said, 'No. But I've always wanted to.'
The lessons from this story are:
1. Don't waste ammunition.
2. Don't mess with old people.
He walked up to the first saloon he came to and tied his old mule to the hitch rail. As he stood there brushing some of the dust from his face and clothes, a young gunslinger walked out of the saloon with a gun in one hand and a bottle of whiskey in the other.
The young gunslinger looked at the old man and laughed,saying, 'Hey old man, have you ever danced?'
The old man looked up at the gunslinger and said, 'No, I never did dance. I just never wanted to.'
A crowd had gathered by then and the gunslinger said, 'Well, you old fool, you're gonna' dance now,' and started shooting at the old man's feet. The old prospector was hopping around and everybody was laughing.
When the gunslinger fired his last bullet, he holstered his gun and turned around to go back into the saloon.
The old man reached up on the mule, drew his shotgun, and pulled both hammers back making a double clicking sound. The gunslinger heard the sound and everything got quiet. The crowd watched as the gunslinger slowly turned around looking down both barrels of the shotgun.
The old man asked, 'Did you ever kiss a mule's ass?'
The gunslinger swallowed hard and said, 'No. But I've always wanted to.'
The lessons from this story are:
1. Don't waste ammunition.
2. Don't mess with old people.
44
General Discussion / Thought Provoking
« on: April 21, 2009, 06:53:29 PM »45
General Discussion / The Hotelicopter The World's First Flying Hotel!
« on: April 20, 2009, 07:23:24 PM »amazing
much more videos here
46
General Discussion / Who here thinking of volunteering in New Orleans?
« on: April 19, 2009, 04:51:07 PM »
I was watching a show on TV about the rebuilding of homes in New Orleans and there was this fella who goes there every year for a week (He takes holiday time off from his work) to volunteer to help rebuild homes.
I wish I had the resources to get away from here
if interested, here is one of many sites
http://onsiterelief.com/
post others
I wish I had the resources to get away from here
if interested, here is one of many sites
http://onsiterelief.com/
post others
48
Other Sports / 2009 NHL Stanley Cup playoffs
« on: April 12, 2009, 03:48:54 PM »
The REAL season starts on Wednesday
Lets go Vancouver Canucks
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_Stanley_Cup_playoffs
Lets go Vancouver Canucks
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_Stanley_Cup_playoffs
49
General Discussion / Verizon Hub
« on: April 09, 2009, 02:47:00 PM »
what allya think?
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/z9teDiDswWY" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/z9teDiDswWY</a>
50
General Discussion / Which Excuse has worked for you?
« on: April 07, 2009, 03:20:25 PM »
12 Amusing Excuses for Being Late to Work
By Rachel Zupek, CareerBuilder.com writer
There is no worse feeling than waking up in the morning, rested from good night's sleep, and glancing at the clock, only to do a double-take: You're late!
For most people, knowing they're running late for work strikes the fear of God within them and as a result, they move like there's a fire under their feet to get ready. They hustle, scramble, frantically throw things into a bag and are out the door to ensure a timely -- though unkempt and graceless -- arrival at the office.
But for a smaller group of people, knowing they are running late for work does absolutely nothing except stimulate their creative juices in order to make up the latest excuse as to why they are late for work -- again.
Twenty percent of workers said they arrive late to work at least once a week, according to a February 2009 CareerBuilder.com survey of more than 8,000 workers. Twelve percent said they are late at least twice a week.
One-third (33 percent) of workers blamed traffic for their tardiness, while 24 percent said lack of sleep was the culprit. Ten percent of workers said getting their kids ready for school or day care was the main reason they ran late in the morning. Other common reasons included public transportation, wardrobe issues or dealing with pets.
"While some employers tend to be more lenient with worker punctuality, 30 percent say they have terminated an employee for being late," said Rosemary Haefner, vice president of human resources for CareerBuilder.com. "Workers need to understand their company's policies on tardiness and if they are late, make sure they openly communicate with their managers. Employers have heard every excuse in the book, so honesty is the best policy."
Usimg your imagination
If you've decided honesty is not the best policy for you, don't try using any of the following excuses as the reason why you're late -- they've been heard before.
Here are 12 of the most outrageous excuses employees have heard for being late to work:
1. My heat was shut off so I had to stay home to keep my snake warm.
2. My husband thinks it's funny to hide my car keys before he goes to work.
3. I walked into a spider web on the way out the door and couldn't find the spider, so I had to go inside and shower again.
4. I got locked in my trunk by my son.
5. My left turn signal was out so I had to make all right turns to get to work.
6. A gurney fell out of an ambulance and delayed traffic.
7. I was attacked by a raccoon and had to stop by the hospital to make sure it wasn't rabid.
8. I feel like I'm in everyone's way if I show up on time.
9. My father didn't wake me up.
10. A groundhog bit my bike tire and made it flat.
11. My driveway washed away in the rain last night.
12. I had to go to bingo.
Follow the culture
The general rule is that you should be at your desk, working by your designated starting time. Technically, even if you're at your desk "on time" but you're still booting up your computer, saying your hellos and making a cup of coffee -- you're late.
Though you should always try your best to be punctual every morning, sometimes it's safe to observe the company culture. If you arrive to work every morning to find all of your colleagues diligently working asyou're shuffling in, your tardiness will probably stand out. On the other hand, if most people filter in at their own paces -- within reason -- an occasional late arrival will probably go unnoticed.
To be on the safe side, try your best to be on time for work every day. Your boss, co-workers and reputation will thank you for it.
Rachel Zupek is a writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com. She researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues.
Copyright 2009 CareerBuilder.com. All rights reserved. The information contained in this article may not be published, broadcast or otherwise distributed without prior written authority.
By Rachel Zupek, CareerBuilder.com writer
There is no worse feeling than waking up in the morning, rested from good night's sleep, and glancing at the clock, only to do a double-take: You're late!
For most people, knowing they're running late for work strikes the fear of God within them and as a result, they move like there's a fire under their feet to get ready. They hustle, scramble, frantically throw things into a bag and are out the door to ensure a timely -- though unkempt and graceless -- arrival at the office.
But for a smaller group of people, knowing they are running late for work does absolutely nothing except stimulate their creative juices in order to make up the latest excuse as to why they are late for work -- again.
Twenty percent of workers said they arrive late to work at least once a week, according to a February 2009 CareerBuilder.com survey of more than 8,000 workers. Twelve percent said they are late at least twice a week.
One-third (33 percent) of workers blamed traffic for their tardiness, while 24 percent said lack of sleep was the culprit. Ten percent of workers said getting their kids ready for school or day care was the main reason they ran late in the morning. Other common reasons included public transportation, wardrobe issues or dealing with pets.
"While some employers tend to be more lenient with worker punctuality, 30 percent say they have terminated an employee for being late," said Rosemary Haefner, vice president of human resources for CareerBuilder.com. "Workers need to understand their company's policies on tardiness and if they are late, make sure they openly communicate with their managers. Employers have heard every excuse in the book, so honesty is the best policy."
Usimg your imagination
If you've decided honesty is not the best policy for you, don't try using any of the following excuses as the reason why you're late -- they've been heard before.
Here are 12 of the most outrageous excuses employees have heard for being late to work:
1. My heat was shut off so I had to stay home to keep my snake warm.
2. My husband thinks it's funny to hide my car keys before he goes to work.
3. I walked into a spider web on the way out the door and couldn't find the spider, so I had to go inside and shower again.
4. I got locked in my trunk by my son.
5. My left turn signal was out so I had to make all right turns to get to work.
6. A gurney fell out of an ambulance and delayed traffic.
7. I was attacked by a raccoon and had to stop by the hospital to make sure it wasn't rabid.
8. I feel like I'm in everyone's way if I show up on time.
9. My father didn't wake me up.
10. A groundhog bit my bike tire and made it flat.
11. My driveway washed away in the rain last night.
12. I had to go to bingo.
Follow the culture
The general rule is that you should be at your desk, working by your designated starting time. Technically, even if you're at your desk "on time" but you're still booting up your computer, saying your hellos and making a cup of coffee -- you're late.
Though you should always try your best to be punctual every morning, sometimes it's safe to observe the company culture. If you arrive to work every morning to find all of your colleagues diligently working asyou're shuffling in, your tardiness will probably stand out. On the other hand, if most people filter in at their own paces -- within reason -- an occasional late arrival will probably go unnoticed.
To be on the safe side, try your best to be on time for work every day. Your boss, co-workers and reputation will thank you for it.
Rachel Zupek is a writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com. She researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues.
Copyright 2009 CareerBuilder.com. All rights reserved. The information contained in this article may not be published, broadcast or otherwise distributed without prior written authority.
51
Football / The "Grinding Thread"
« on: March 31, 2009, 03:44:28 PM » this thread is for those who only grinding that they ent in Nashville or HCS to watch WCQ Matches
we spread out all over the world
list where you habitating now
I am on the West Coast of Canada
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7jSig5_N3o
52
General Discussion / Tesla's Stunning Model S
« on: March 27, 2009, 09:53:36 PM »
Tesla Debuts Model S, Hints of More
by Scott Martin on 27 March 2009, 16:43
Tesla Motors on Thursday took the wraps off its widely watched Model S, the lower-cost successor to its Roadster, giving a first glimpse of the all electric sedan and a hint of more cars to come.
Tesla's Model S was unveiled at the Hawthorne, California, rocket site of Mr. Musk’s other startup, Space Exploration Technologies, or SpaceX, where he announced the company is now taking orders for the car.
“Tesla is relentlessly driving down the cost of electric vehicle technology, and this is just the first of many mainstream cars we’re developing,” Mr. Musk said in a statement.
The lower-cost Model S, priced at $49,000 after a $7,500 federal tax credit, is hardly a budget-minded choice. Yet it comes as consumers cut back on luxury cars and the company clearly needs something more affordable than a $109,00 Roadster. Tesla has managed, despite delays, to deliver nearly 300 of the all electric Roadsters, which boast acceleration of 0 to 60 miles per hour in 3.9 seconds, and has about 1,000 people on its waiting list. Tesla said the Model S will go from 0 to 60 in just under six seconds.
Tesla is betting on battery performance making the difference. The company promises Model S cars can do 300 miles per charge compared with a Roadsters’ 244 miles per charge. The Model S will have an onboard charger that could allow the car to be charged up in as little as 45 minutes. Also, the electric vehicle’s battery has been given an easy access mount to the floor with the intention for it to be quickly replaced by a battery station.
The San Carlos, California, automaker said that its floor-mounted battery frees up additional storage, allowing for a second trunk in the front. Tesla claims this boosts its cargo space beyond any sedan on the market and most SUVs.
Tesla ambitions could go as planned, especially if gets some federal funds. The company has applied for a $350 million loan from the Department of Energy’s Advanced Technology Vehicle Manufacturing Program to build its Model S. The Model S is expected to go into production in late 2011.
The automaker “believes it is close to receiving $350 million,” the company said in the statement.
Tesla is backed by VantagePoint Venture Partners, Draper Fisher Jurvetson, JP Morgan's Bay Area Equity Fund, Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin, and Mr. Musk, among others.
Mr. Musk founded Zip2, which sold to Compaq for over $300 million, and later helped start PayPal, which sold to eBay for $1.5 billion. He has pumped $100 million of his own money into his SpaceX commercial space travel startup.
http://www.redherring.com/Home/25973
Convenience and utility bullet points:
• Up to 300-mile range
• 45-minute QuickCharge
• 5-minute battery swap
• Charges from 110V, 220V or 440V
• Seating for 5 adults + 2 child seats
• Unique hatch for oversized items
• 60/40 flat-folding rear seat
• 2nd trunk under hood
• EPA Roominess Index 121.6
• More room than station wagons
• 17-inch infotainment touchscreen
• 3G wireless connectivity
Model S powertrain includes a liquid-cooled 9-inch motor, floor-mounted battery pack and a single-speed gearbox, delivering effortless acceleration, responsive handling and quiet simplicity — no fancy clutchwork or gear-shifting required. Model S costs as little as $4 to fully charge – a bargain even if gasoline dropped to $1 per gallon. You can have affordable fun while being socially responsible.
Technical specs:
• 0-60 mph in 5.6 seconds
• ¼ mile in 14 seconds
• 120 mph top speed
• Braking 60-0 mph 135 feet
• 42 kWh battery storage system standard
• 70 kWh and greater battery storage systems optional
• 9- inch liquid cooled electric motor
• Single-speed transaxle gearbox
• Curb Weight 3825 lbs
• Overall Length 196″
• Wheelbase 116.5″
• All-wheel-drive available (option available in future production models)
• Right hand drive available
http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/2009/03/tesla-model-s-the-future-of-electric-cars-is-here-sort-of.html
http://blog.wired.com/cars/2009/03/first-look-of-t.html
more photos http://jalopnik.com/5185534/tesla-model-s-sedan-concept-first-official-pictures
by Scott Martin on 27 March 2009, 16:43
Tesla Motors on Thursday took the wraps off its widely watched Model S, the lower-cost successor to its Roadster, giving a first glimpse of the all electric sedan and a hint of more cars to come.
Tesla's Model S was unveiled at the Hawthorne, California, rocket site of Mr. Musk’s other startup, Space Exploration Technologies, or SpaceX, where he announced the company is now taking orders for the car.
“Tesla is relentlessly driving down the cost of electric vehicle technology, and this is just the first of many mainstream cars we’re developing,” Mr. Musk said in a statement.
The lower-cost Model S, priced at $49,000 after a $7,500 federal tax credit, is hardly a budget-minded choice. Yet it comes as consumers cut back on luxury cars and the company clearly needs something more affordable than a $109,00 Roadster. Tesla has managed, despite delays, to deliver nearly 300 of the all electric Roadsters, which boast acceleration of 0 to 60 miles per hour in 3.9 seconds, and has about 1,000 people on its waiting list. Tesla said the Model S will go from 0 to 60 in just under six seconds.
Tesla is betting on battery performance making the difference. The company promises Model S cars can do 300 miles per charge compared with a Roadsters’ 244 miles per charge. The Model S will have an onboard charger that could allow the car to be charged up in as little as 45 minutes. Also, the electric vehicle’s battery has been given an easy access mount to the floor with the intention for it to be quickly replaced by a battery station.
The San Carlos, California, automaker said that its floor-mounted battery frees up additional storage, allowing for a second trunk in the front. Tesla claims this boosts its cargo space beyond any sedan on the market and most SUVs.
Tesla ambitions could go as planned, especially if gets some federal funds. The company has applied for a $350 million loan from the Department of Energy’s Advanced Technology Vehicle Manufacturing Program to build its Model S. The Model S is expected to go into production in late 2011.
The automaker “believes it is close to receiving $350 million,” the company said in the statement.
Tesla is backed by VantagePoint Venture Partners, Draper Fisher Jurvetson, JP Morgan's Bay Area Equity Fund, Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin, and Mr. Musk, among others.
Mr. Musk founded Zip2, which sold to Compaq for over $300 million, and later helped start PayPal, which sold to eBay for $1.5 billion. He has pumped $100 million of his own money into his SpaceX commercial space travel startup.
http://www.redherring.com/Home/25973
Convenience and utility bullet points:
• Up to 300-mile range
• 45-minute QuickCharge
• 5-minute battery swap
• Charges from 110V, 220V or 440V
• Seating for 5 adults + 2 child seats
• Unique hatch for oversized items
• 60/40 flat-folding rear seat
• 2nd trunk under hood
• EPA Roominess Index 121.6
• More room than station wagons
• 17-inch infotainment touchscreen
• 3G wireless connectivity
Model S powertrain includes a liquid-cooled 9-inch motor, floor-mounted battery pack and a single-speed gearbox, delivering effortless acceleration, responsive handling and quiet simplicity — no fancy clutchwork or gear-shifting required. Model S costs as little as $4 to fully charge – a bargain even if gasoline dropped to $1 per gallon. You can have affordable fun while being socially responsible.
Technical specs:
• 0-60 mph in 5.6 seconds
• ¼ mile in 14 seconds
• 120 mph top speed
• Braking 60-0 mph 135 feet
• 42 kWh battery storage system standard
• 70 kWh and greater battery storage systems optional
• 9- inch liquid cooled electric motor
• Single-speed transaxle gearbox
• Curb Weight 3825 lbs
• Overall Length 196″
• Wheelbase 116.5″
• All-wheel-drive available (option available in future production models)
• Right hand drive available
http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/2009/03/tesla-model-s-the-future-of-electric-cars-is-here-sort-of.html
http://blog.wired.com/cars/2009/03/first-look-of-t.html
more photos http://jalopnik.com/5185534/tesla-model-s-sedan-concept-first-official-pictures
53
Jokes / Stupid Things Said by Bimbos
« on: March 27, 2009, 02:19:03 PM »
1. "What's Wal-Mart? Do they, like, make walls there?" - Paris Hilton
2. "Smoking kills. And if you're killed, you've lost a very important part of your life." - Brooke Shields
3. "Whenever I watch TV and see those poor starving kids all over the world, I can't help but cry. I mean, I'd love to be skinny like that, but not with all those flies and death stuff." - Mariah Carey
4. "I've never wanted to go to Japan. Simply because I don't like fish. And I know that's very popular out there in Africa." - Britney Spears
5. "I'm not anorexic. I'm from Texas. Are there people from Texas that are anorexic? I've never heard of one. And that includes me." - Jessica Simpson
6. "I get to go to lots of overseas places like Canada." - Britney Spears
7. "I make Jessica Simpson look like a rock scientist." - Tara Reid
8. "I think the Clueless movie was very deep. I think it was deep in the way that it was very light. I think the lightness has to come from a very deep place if it's true lightness." - Alicia Silverstone
9. "It was God who made me so beautiful. If I weren't, then I'd be a teacher." - Linda Evangelista
10. (Question: If you could live forever, would you and why?) Answer: "I would not live forever, because we should not live forever, because if we did live forever, then we would live forever, which is why I would not live forever." - Heather Whitestone, Miss Alabama
11. "Is this chicken that I have or is it fish? I know it's tuna but it says 'Chicken of the Sea'." - Jessica Simpson
12. "So, where's the Cannes Film Festival being held this year?" - Christina Aguilera
13. "When I pictured heroin, I pictured some crazy crack head with no shoes under a bridge. You never think that is going to be you. And it never was me. I was never under a bridge, and I always had shoes." - Nicole Richie
14. "Fiction writing is great. You can make up almost anything." - Ivana Trump
15. "I was asked to come to Chicago because Chicago is one of our 52 states." - Unattributed
2. "Smoking kills. And if you're killed, you've lost a very important part of your life." - Brooke Shields
3. "Whenever I watch TV and see those poor starving kids all over the world, I can't help but cry. I mean, I'd love to be skinny like that, but not with all those flies and death stuff." - Mariah Carey
4. "I've never wanted to go to Japan. Simply because I don't like fish. And I know that's very popular out there in Africa." - Britney Spears
5. "I'm not anorexic. I'm from Texas. Are there people from Texas that are anorexic? I've never heard of one. And that includes me." - Jessica Simpson
6. "I get to go to lots of overseas places like Canada." - Britney Spears
7. "I make Jessica Simpson look like a rock scientist." - Tara Reid
8. "I think the Clueless movie was very deep. I think it was deep in the way that it was very light. I think the lightness has to come from a very deep place if it's true lightness." - Alicia Silverstone
9. "It was God who made me so beautiful. If I weren't, then I'd be a teacher." - Linda Evangelista
10. (Question: If you could live forever, would you and why?) Answer: "I would not live forever, because we should not live forever, because if we did live forever, then we would live forever, which is why I would not live forever." - Heather Whitestone, Miss Alabama
11. "Is this chicken that I have or is it fish? I know it's tuna but it says 'Chicken of the Sea'." - Jessica Simpson
12. "So, where's the Cannes Film Festival being held this year?" - Christina Aguilera
13. "When I pictured heroin, I pictured some crazy crack head with no shoes under a bridge. You never think that is going to be you. And it never was me. I was never under a bridge, and I always had shoes." - Nicole Richie
14. "Fiction writing is great. You can make up almost anything." - Ivana Trump
15. "I was asked to come to Chicago because Chicago is one of our 52 states." - Unattributed
54
General Discussion / QUEBEC BIKER WAR - Montreal peeps would kno this
« on: March 26, 2009, 03:16:55 PM »
There was a Documentary on TV yesterday, and I never realised that this fella, "Mom" Boucher, was responsible for some wicked shit when he was head of the Hells Angels in Montreal.
QUEBEC BIKER WAR
Tue, Jun 18, 2002 12:00 am
more: headline news
Alex Roslin MONTREAL -- He says he is a cook and used-car salesman. Quebec prosecutors call him the kingpin of the most violent Hells Angels chapter in the world. Crime reporters and his fellow bikers call him by his nickname, "Mom." Maurice Boucher went to trial in Montreal for allegedly ordering the murder of two Quebec prison guards as they left work in 1997. He cuts an avuncular figure, with bookish spectacles and an amiable smile. But in two other parallel trials, Mom Boucher and dozens of other bikers are accused of murdering over a dozen rival bikers and running a $1-billion-a-year drug-trafficking empire.
They are among 100 Hells Angels -- "Les Hells" in French -- and associates arrested in a vast police sweep in Quebec last year. Most have already pled guilty and are serving sentences. The remaining trials, which have transfixed Quebecers, are the biggest criminal cases in Canadian history.
The trials come in the middle of an eight-year biker war for control of cocaine, hash and pot markets in the French-speaking province and key transshipment routes to the US. The violence started when Quebec Hells Angels, led by Boucher and his powerful Nomads chapter, tried to take over territory from a coalition of the rival Rock Machine (now a prospect chapter of the Bandidos biker club), independent dealers and some Mafia elements.
The body count dwarfs the worst postwar U.S. mob bloodbaths, with 160 murders, 175 attempted murders, 200 people wounded and 15 disappearances--virtually none solved by police. In comparison, New York's famous 1963 Gallo Brothers war cost 15 lives. When Mafia boss Joe Bonanno took on the rest of the mob from 1964 to 1969, some 30 gangsters were killed.
Piling up alongside the murdered bikers is a growing stack of reports about corruption in the police, prisons, Port of Montreal and government agencies like the motor-vehicle bureau. Of the two warring sides, the Rock Machine initially faced the brunt of police crackdowns, raising still more questions about corruption.
The trials have given a glimpse into the secretive biker world, including the Hells' rigid military-style hierarchy, financial operations and surveillance techniques. In one trial, prosecutors filed 300,000 pages of documents, 73 compact discs and 145 videocassettes. Defense lawyers complained it would take six months just to read all the documentation.
The star witness against Mom Boucher in the prison-guard murder trial is Stéphane Gagné, a drug dealer who worked for the Hells and turned informant. Gagné, whose nickname is "Godasse" (French for "Old Shoe"), confessed to killing the two guards and is serving a minimum 15-year sentence. The prosecution says the killings were part of a plan by Boucher for prospective members to kill prosecutors, judges and "screws," to destabilize the justice system and to make it harder for the prospects to become snitches.
Gagné testified that the Hells used sophisticated counter-surveillance methods worthy of a spy novel. They planned deals and murders using a series of hand gestures to foil electronic surveillance, he said. Holding two fingers together to the mouth meant hash; touching the nose meant cocaine; touching the forehead meant PCP; holding both hands apart as if carrying a box meant a kilogram; making a pistol with the fingers meant a gun; making a cup with the hand in front of the eye meant doing surveillance.
Pagers were left in vehicles, because they could be activated as remote listening devices. "We don't talk in cars," Gagné testified. Signs inside a clubhouse reminded members, "Here, you see nothing, you hear nothing" and "The telephone is enemy No. 1."
The biker club used a network of safe houses for money-counting equipment that was kept constantly busy recording millions of dollars in drug profits, and a series of garages to store surveillance equipment and vehicles for operations, according to Gagné and police officials.
The equipment included miniature videocameras hidden in a Kleenex box on a car's dashboard, said Gagné. They also used a delivery van with viewing ports in the side covered by a fake sign for a plumbing company, he said. If anyone called the company's number, someone in the organization would answer. Surveillance was also done from a pickup truck with a fiberglass box in back, complete with a battery-powered fan to keep everyone cool.
Even on routine trips, Gagné said he would make U-turns and detours and speed through red lights to make sure no one was following. If high-level bikers were partying at a bar or nightclub, he would show up alone and sit at another table to keep watch. He would follow anyone suspicious going to the bathroom, where weapons could be hidden for a hitman. He relaxed if he saw someone touching objects with bare hands. "If he was leaving fingerprints, he couldn't be a hitman," Gagné testified.
While killing the guards, he said, he wore a nylon stocking under his motorcycle helmet so hair and DNA wouldn't be left when the headgear was discarded. "Nylon is smaller and easy to dump in a canal," he said.
All the precautions didn't prevent Gagné from getting caught and turning informant. He was nabbed after the arrest of another biker associate who had helped dispose of murder evidence. Gagné said he decided to cooperate because he was afraid for his life; he said he had lied to Boucher about whether anyone else knew about the murders. Two Boucher lieutenants who allegedly helped Gagné kill the guards went missing five years ago; one's body was found badly burned with a bullet in the head.
The defense has portrayed Gagné as a liar whose run-ins with guards while in prison would explain the murders. He admitted he deliberately picked fights so he could wind up in solitary, where he could get drugs from other inmates who had smuggled them into the prison in their rectums. He also confessed he hated guards because they put him in a wing reserved for the Rock Machine, where he got into several fights.
Boucher may have some reason to feel confident. This is his second time facing charges for allegedly ordering the guards' murders. The first time, he was acquitted, after his lawyer managed to discredit Gagné and other evidence appeared to be largely circumstantial. Prosecutors successfully appealed and a retrial was ordered. Jury selection in the two mega-trials took place this spring, and the cases are expected to go on for six months.
QUEBEC BIKER WAR
Tue, Jun 18, 2002 12:00 am
more: headline news
Alex Roslin MONTREAL -- He says he is a cook and used-car salesman. Quebec prosecutors call him the kingpin of the most violent Hells Angels chapter in the world. Crime reporters and his fellow bikers call him by his nickname, "Mom." Maurice Boucher went to trial in Montreal for allegedly ordering the murder of two Quebec prison guards as they left work in 1997. He cuts an avuncular figure, with bookish spectacles and an amiable smile. But in two other parallel trials, Mom Boucher and dozens of other bikers are accused of murdering over a dozen rival bikers and running a $1-billion-a-year drug-trafficking empire.
They are among 100 Hells Angels -- "Les Hells" in French -- and associates arrested in a vast police sweep in Quebec last year. Most have already pled guilty and are serving sentences. The remaining trials, which have transfixed Quebecers, are the biggest criminal cases in Canadian history.
The trials come in the middle of an eight-year biker war for control of cocaine, hash and pot markets in the French-speaking province and key transshipment routes to the US. The violence started when Quebec Hells Angels, led by Boucher and his powerful Nomads chapter, tried to take over territory from a coalition of the rival Rock Machine (now a prospect chapter of the Bandidos biker club), independent dealers and some Mafia elements.
The body count dwarfs the worst postwar U.S. mob bloodbaths, with 160 murders, 175 attempted murders, 200 people wounded and 15 disappearances--virtually none solved by police. In comparison, New York's famous 1963 Gallo Brothers war cost 15 lives. When Mafia boss Joe Bonanno took on the rest of the mob from 1964 to 1969, some 30 gangsters were killed.
Piling up alongside the murdered bikers is a growing stack of reports about corruption in the police, prisons, Port of Montreal and government agencies like the motor-vehicle bureau. Of the two warring sides, the Rock Machine initially faced the brunt of police crackdowns, raising still more questions about corruption.
The trials have given a glimpse into the secretive biker world, including the Hells' rigid military-style hierarchy, financial operations and surveillance techniques. In one trial, prosecutors filed 300,000 pages of documents, 73 compact discs and 145 videocassettes. Defense lawyers complained it would take six months just to read all the documentation.
The star witness against Mom Boucher in the prison-guard murder trial is Stéphane Gagné, a drug dealer who worked for the Hells and turned informant. Gagné, whose nickname is "Godasse" (French for "Old Shoe"), confessed to killing the two guards and is serving a minimum 15-year sentence. The prosecution says the killings were part of a plan by Boucher for prospective members to kill prosecutors, judges and "screws," to destabilize the justice system and to make it harder for the prospects to become snitches.
Gagné testified that the Hells used sophisticated counter-surveillance methods worthy of a spy novel. They planned deals and murders using a series of hand gestures to foil electronic surveillance, he said. Holding two fingers together to the mouth meant hash; touching the nose meant cocaine; touching the forehead meant PCP; holding both hands apart as if carrying a box meant a kilogram; making a pistol with the fingers meant a gun; making a cup with the hand in front of the eye meant doing surveillance.
Pagers were left in vehicles, because they could be activated as remote listening devices. "We don't talk in cars," Gagné testified. Signs inside a clubhouse reminded members, "Here, you see nothing, you hear nothing" and "The telephone is enemy No. 1."
The biker club used a network of safe houses for money-counting equipment that was kept constantly busy recording millions of dollars in drug profits, and a series of garages to store surveillance equipment and vehicles for operations, according to Gagné and police officials.
The equipment included miniature videocameras hidden in a Kleenex box on a car's dashboard, said Gagné. They also used a delivery van with viewing ports in the side covered by a fake sign for a plumbing company, he said. If anyone called the company's number, someone in the organization would answer. Surveillance was also done from a pickup truck with a fiberglass box in back, complete with a battery-powered fan to keep everyone cool.
Even on routine trips, Gagné said he would make U-turns and detours and speed through red lights to make sure no one was following. If high-level bikers were partying at a bar or nightclub, he would show up alone and sit at another table to keep watch. He would follow anyone suspicious going to the bathroom, where weapons could be hidden for a hitman. He relaxed if he saw someone touching objects with bare hands. "If he was leaving fingerprints, he couldn't be a hitman," Gagné testified.
While killing the guards, he said, he wore a nylon stocking under his motorcycle helmet so hair and DNA wouldn't be left when the headgear was discarded. "Nylon is smaller and easy to dump in a canal," he said.
All the precautions didn't prevent Gagné from getting caught and turning informant. He was nabbed after the arrest of another biker associate who had helped dispose of murder evidence. Gagné said he decided to cooperate because he was afraid for his life; he said he had lied to Boucher about whether anyone else knew about the murders. Two Boucher lieutenants who allegedly helped Gagné kill the guards went missing five years ago; one's body was found badly burned with a bullet in the head.
The defense has portrayed Gagné as a liar whose run-ins with guards while in prison would explain the murders. He admitted he deliberately picked fights so he could wind up in solitary, where he could get drugs from other inmates who had smuggled them into the prison in their rectums. He also confessed he hated guards because they put him in a wing reserved for the Rock Machine, where he got into several fights.
Boucher may have some reason to feel confident. This is his second time facing charges for allegedly ordering the guards' murders. The first time, he was acquitted, after his lawyer managed to discredit Gagné and other evidence appeared to be largely circumstantial. Prosecutors successfully appealed and a retrial was ordered. Jury selection in the two mega-trials took place this spring, and the cases are expected to go on for six months.
55
Entertainment & Culture Discussion / Damn Yakees...well de chupid ones anyways
« on: March 24, 2009, 01:35:36 PM »
Fox News jokesters forced into retreat over Canadian military jibes
Mon Mar 23, 7:13 PM
By Alexander Panetta, The Canadian Press
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcJn5XlbSFk
OTTAWA - They bashed the Canadian military but an American TV host and his guest were forced into a strategic retreat Monday in the face of a national uproar.
A Fox News host issued an apology over a talk-show segment described by the Canadian government as "despicable" and "disgusting."
And one of his fellow jokesters - a comedian who quipped that he wasn't even aware Canadian troops were in Afghanistan - was forced to cancel scheduled gigs in Edmonton.
Comedian Doug Benson had been slated to appear April 2 to 5 in Edmonton, which is home to a Canadian Forces base, but the venue owner asked him to stay away.
Irate viewers flooded websites with thousands of comments, there were calls for a boycott of Fox advertisers, and several new Facebook groups popped up, including one titled "Greg Gutfeld Can Rot in Hell."
Gutfeld, the host of the controversial segment on Fox's Red Eye show, said he never intended to make light of Canadian military efforts in Afghanistan.
"However, I realize that my words may have been misunderstood," Gutfeld said in a statement released by Fox News.
"It was not my intent to disrespect the brave men, women and families of the Canadian military, and for that I apologize.
"Red Eye is a satirical take on the news, in which all topics are addressed in a lighthearted, humorous and ridiculous manner."
The recent talk-show segment was taped just before four more Canadian soldiers were killed in Afghanistan, and it featured a group of pundits taking turns trashing Canada and its reliability as an ally.
They were spurred by comments from Canada's army chief that the military would need a year's hiatus to regroup and refurbish after its Kandahar mission ends in 2011.
In the Fox News segment, widely accessed on the Internet, Gutfeld said the Canadian military "wants to take a breather to do some yoga, paint landscapes, run on the beach in gorgeous white capri pants."
"Isn't this the perfect time to invade this ridiculous country?" he said. "They have no army."
That opening crack from Gutfeld prompted his comedian guest, Benson, to chime in: "I didn't even know that they were in the war," he said.
"I thought that's where you go if you don't want to fight - go chill in Canada. I guess that'll be their tourism selling point: We're not in the war for a year. So come on by while we nap."
Swept up the backlash over that little wisecrack was a comedy club in West Edmonton Mall. Benson had been scheduled to perform there next week.
But the owner of the Comedy Strip said he received too many angry messages - including from friends and relatives of soldiers - to guarantee Benson's safety. One person promised to buy a ticket just so that he could throw a beer at Benson.
"We were inundated with emails and phone calls that were bordering on threatening," said club owner Rick Bronson.
"Unfortunately, (Benson) touched a nerve."
The owner's wife called Benson's agent and informed him that the show couldn't go on. The comedian apparently explained that the segment had only been meant as a joke and that he respected Canada's military.
Defence Minister Peter MacKay wasn't laughing.
He requested an apology Monday just before leaving for Canadian Forces Base Trenton, Ont., where he attended a homecoming ceremony with the families of the latest soldiers killed.
MacKay said later that he was satisfied with the apology.
Canadian soldiers have been fighting in Afghanistan for eight years and have spent the last four in the country's most violent region. Canada has lost 116 soldiers in Afghanistan, the highest casualty rate among allied countries fighting there.
Earlier Monday, a spokesman stressed that the Canadian government specifically wanted an apology from the panellists who made the wisecracks - and not just from the Fox network at large.
"These are despicable, hurtful and ignorant comments," said Dan Dugas, a spokesman for MacKay.
"I think that so-called comedian should stare in the camera at his first opportunity and apologize to all of the families of people he's hurt with these despicable comments.
"And he's got to say, 'I was misinformed. I was ignorant of the truth and the contribution of the Canadian Forces to the war on terror, and I want to take it back. I know as a comedian that I can fail sometimes; I failed miserably at this so-called comedy.'
"And his panellists should say the same."
Canada says it will withdraw most of its 2,500 troops from Kandahar when its current combat mission expires in 2011.
The Fox News program aired after Lt.-Gen. Andrew Leslie, the Canadian army chief of staff, said the military would need a one-year break from operations once the long and difficult mission in Afghanistan winds down.
The segment was posted online http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcJn5XlbSFk
under the title, "How to Lose Friends and Alienate Countries."
By Monday afternoon, more than 9,400 people had posted responses to the clip, which also makes fun of RCMP officers and their traditional red uniforms.
Among the myriad online comments were a number of calls for a boycott of Fox advertisers.
"I'm just disgusted," said Toronto resident Gabby Herczeg, 55, after seeing the clip.
"Quite frankly, it's Canadians who've been protecting American lives by fighting in the most dangerous part of Afghanistan.
"I am going to actively find out who Fox had advertising and I'm just going to avoid buying any sort of products from them. It's just a disgusting performance."
Copyright © 2009 Canadian Press
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/capress/090323/national/fox_news_cda
lets check the feedback on this one
Mon Mar 23, 7:13 PM
By Alexander Panetta, The Canadian Press
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcJn5XlbSFk
OTTAWA - They bashed the Canadian military but an American TV host and his guest were forced into a strategic retreat Monday in the face of a national uproar.
A Fox News host issued an apology over a talk-show segment described by the Canadian government as "despicable" and "disgusting."
And one of his fellow jokesters - a comedian who quipped that he wasn't even aware Canadian troops were in Afghanistan - was forced to cancel scheduled gigs in Edmonton.
Comedian Doug Benson had been slated to appear April 2 to 5 in Edmonton, which is home to a Canadian Forces base, but the venue owner asked him to stay away.
Irate viewers flooded websites with thousands of comments, there were calls for a boycott of Fox advertisers, and several new Facebook groups popped up, including one titled "Greg Gutfeld Can Rot in Hell."
Gutfeld, the host of the controversial segment on Fox's Red Eye show, said he never intended to make light of Canadian military efforts in Afghanistan.
"However, I realize that my words may have been misunderstood," Gutfeld said in a statement released by Fox News.
"It was not my intent to disrespect the brave men, women and families of the Canadian military, and for that I apologize.
"Red Eye is a satirical take on the news, in which all topics are addressed in a lighthearted, humorous and ridiculous manner."
The recent talk-show segment was taped just before four more Canadian soldiers were killed in Afghanistan, and it featured a group of pundits taking turns trashing Canada and its reliability as an ally.
They were spurred by comments from Canada's army chief that the military would need a year's hiatus to regroup and refurbish after its Kandahar mission ends in 2011.
In the Fox News segment, widely accessed on the Internet, Gutfeld said the Canadian military "wants to take a breather to do some yoga, paint landscapes, run on the beach in gorgeous white capri pants."
"Isn't this the perfect time to invade this ridiculous country?" he said. "They have no army."
That opening crack from Gutfeld prompted his comedian guest, Benson, to chime in: "I didn't even know that they were in the war," he said.
"I thought that's where you go if you don't want to fight - go chill in Canada. I guess that'll be their tourism selling point: We're not in the war for a year. So come on by while we nap."
Swept up the backlash over that little wisecrack was a comedy club in West Edmonton Mall. Benson had been scheduled to perform there next week.
But the owner of the Comedy Strip said he received too many angry messages - including from friends and relatives of soldiers - to guarantee Benson's safety. One person promised to buy a ticket just so that he could throw a beer at Benson.
"We were inundated with emails and phone calls that were bordering on threatening," said club owner Rick Bronson.
"Unfortunately, (Benson) touched a nerve."
The owner's wife called Benson's agent and informed him that the show couldn't go on. The comedian apparently explained that the segment had only been meant as a joke and that he respected Canada's military.
Defence Minister Peter MacKay wasn't laughing.
He requested an apology Monday just before leaving for Canadian Forces Base Trenton, Ont., where he attended a homecoming ceremony with the families of the latest soldiers killed.
MacKay said later that he was satisfied with the apology.
Canadian soldiers have been fighting in Afghanistan for eight years and have spent the last four in the country's most violent region. Canada has lost 116 soldiers in Afghanistan, the highest casualty rate among allied countries fighting there.
Earlier Monday, a spokesman stressed that the Canadian government specifically wanted an apology from the panellists who made the wisecracks - and not just from the Fox network at large.
"These are despicable, hurtful and ignorant comments," said Dan Dugas, a spokesman for MacKay.
"I think that so-called comedian should stare in the camera at his first opportunity and apologize to all of the families of people he's hurt with these despicable comments.
"And he's got to say, 'I was misinformed. I was ignorant of the truth and the contribution of the Canadian Forces to the war on terror, and I want to take it back. I know as a comedian that I can fail sometimes; I failed miserably at this so-called comedy.'
"And his panellists should say the same."
Canada says it will withdraw most of its 2,500 troops from Kandahar when its current combat mission expires in 2011.
The Fox News program aired after Lt.-Gen. Andrew Leslie, the Canadian army chief of staff, said the military would need a one-year break from operations once the long and difficult mission in Afghanistan winds down.
The segment was posted online http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcJn5XlbSFk
under the title, "How to Lose Friends and Alienate Countries."
By Monday afternoon, more than 9,400 people had posted responses to the clip, which also makes fun of RCMP officers and their traditional red uniforms.
Among the myriad online comments were a number of calls for a boycott of Fox advertisers.
"I'm just disgusted," said Toronto resident Gabby Herczeg, 55, after seeing the clip.
"Quite frankly, it's Canadians who've been protecting American lives by fighting in the most dangerous part of Afghanistan.
"I am going to actively find out who Fox had advertising and I'm just going to avoid buying any sort of products from them. It's just a disgusting performance."
Copyright © 2009 Canadian Press
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/capress/090323/national/fox_news_cda
lets check the feedback on this one
56
General Discussion / Solution to the sluggish economy
« on: March 20, 2009, 01:31:30 PM »
Dear Mr.President,
Patriotic retirement:
There's about 40 million people over 50 in the work force. Pay them $1 million apiece severance with stipulations.
dais only 40,000,000,000,000
1) They leave their jobs. Forty million job openings - Unemployment fixed.
2) They buy NEW American cars. Forty million cars ordered - Auto Industry fixed.
3) They either buy a house or pay off their mortgage - Housing Crisis fixed.
I would even add many more stipulations on how they spend that money
and doh give AIG nutten
Patriotic retirement:
There's about 40 million people over 50 in the work force. Pay them $1 million apiece severance with stipulations.
dais only 40,000,000,000,000
1) They leave their jobs. Forty million job openings - Unemployment fixed.
2) They buy NEW American cars. Forty million cars ordered - Auto Industry fixed.
3) They either buy a house or pay off their mortgage - Housing Crisis fixed.
I would even add many more stipulations on how they spend that money
and doh give AIG nutten
57
Football / eh eh Chelsea ent folks too, where day Thread
« on: March 15, 2009, 07:14:49 AM »
where the Chelsea dedicated thread?
any way
ManCity vs Chelsea
The Drog is Back
could move up to tie with Liverpool
http://www.sportinglife.com/football/live/tables/premiership.html
any way
ManCity vs Chelsea
The Drog is Back
could move up to tie with Liverpool
http://www.sportinglife.com/football/live/tables/premiership.html
58
General Discussion / Worthwhile Canadian Initiative
« on: March 14, 2009, 09:38:43 AM »
Sponsored ByWorthwhile Canadian Initiative
Canadian banks are typically leveraged at 18 to 1--compared with U.S. banks at 26 to 1.
Fareed Zakaria
NEWSWEEK
From the magazine issue dated Feb 16, 2009
The legendary editor of The New Republic, Michael Kinsley, once held a "Boring Headline Contest" and decided that the winner was "Worthwhile Canadian Initiative." Twenty-two years later, the magazine was rescued from its economic troubles by a Canadian media company, which should have taught us Americans to be a bit more humble. Now there is even more striking evidence of Canada's virtues. Guess which country, alone in the industrialized world, has not faced a single bank failure, calls for bailouts or government intervention in the financial or mortgage sectors. Yup, it's Canada. In 2008, the World Economic Forum ranked Canada's banking system the healthiest in the world. America's ranked 40th, Britain's 44th.
Canada has done more than survive this financial crisis. The country is positively thriving in it. Canadian banks are well capitalized and poised to take advantage of opportunities that American and European banks cannot seize. The Toronto Dominion Bank, for example, was the 15th-largest bank in North America one year ago. Now it is the fifth-largest. It hasn't grown in size; the others have all shrunk.
So what accounts for the genius of the Canadians? Common sense. Over the past 15 years, as the United States and Europe loosened regulations on their financial industries, the Canadians refused to follow suit, seeing the old rules as useful shock absorbers. Canadian banks are typically leveraged at 18 to 1—compared with U.S. banks at 26 to 1 and European banks at a frightening 61 to 1. Partly this reflects Canada's more risk-averse business culture, but it is also a product of old-fashioned rules on banking.
Canada has also been shielded from the worst aspects of this crisis because its housing prices have not fluctuated as wildly as those in the United States. Home prices are down 25 percent in the United States, but only half as much in Canada. Why? Well, the Canadian tax code does not provide the massive incentive for overconsumption that the U.S. code does: interest on your mortgage isn't deductible up north. In addition, home loans in the United States are "non-recourse," which basically means that if you go belly up on a bad mortgage, it's mostly the bank's problem. In Canada, it's yours. Ah, but you've heard American politicians wax eloquent on the need for these expensive programs—interest deductibility alone costs the federal government $100 billion a year—because they allow the average Joe to fulfill the American Dream of owning a home. Sixty-eight percent of Americans own their own homes. And the rate of Canadian homeownership? It's 68.4 percent.
Canada has been remarkably responsible over the past decade or so. It has had 12 years of budget surpluses, and can now spend money to fuel a recovery from a strong position. The government has restructured the national pension system, placing it on a firm fiscal footing, unlike our own insolvent Social Security. Its health-care system is cheaper than America's by far (accounting for 9.7 percent of GDP, versus 15.2 percent here), and yet does better on all major indexes. Life expectancy in Canada is 81 years, versus 78 in the United States; "healthy life expectancy" is 72 years, versus 69. American car companies have moved so many jobs to Canada to take advantage of lower health-care costs that since 2004, Ontario and not Michigan has been North America's largest car-producing region.
I could go on. The U.S. currently has a brain-dead immigration system. We issue a small number of work visas and green cards, turning away from our shores thousands of talented students who want to stay and work here. Canada, by contrast, has no limit on the number of skilled migrants who can move to the country. They can apply on their own for a Canadian Skilled Worker Visa, which allows them to become perfectly legal "permanent residents" in Canada—no need for a sponsoring employer, or even a job. Visas are awarded based on education level, work experience, age and language abilities. If a prospective immigrant earns 67 points out of 100 total (holding a Ph.D. is worth 25 points, for instance), he or she can become a full-time, legal resident of Canada.
Companies are noticing. In 2007 Microsoft, frustrated by its inability to hire foreign graduate students in the United States, decided to open a research center in Vancouver. The company's announcement noted that it would staff the center with "highly skilled people affected by immigration issues in the U.S." So the brightest Chinese and Indian software engineers are attracted to the United States, trained by American universities, then thrown out of the country and picked up by Canada—where most of them will work, innovate and pay taxes for the rest of their lives.
If President Obama is looking for smart government, there is much he, and all of us, could learn from our quiet—OK, sometimes boring—neighbor to the north. Meanwhile, in the councils of the financial world, Canada is pushing for new rules for financial institutions that would reflect its approach. This strikes me as, well, a worthwhile Canadian initiative.
URL: http://www.newsweek.com/id/183670
© 2009
Canadian banks are typically leveraged at 18 to 1--compared with U.S. banks at 26 to 1.
Fareed Zakaria
NEWSWEEK
From the magazine issue dated Feb 16, 2009
The legendary editor of The New Republic, Michael Kinsley, once held a "Boring Headline Contest" and decided that the winner was "Worthwhile Canadian Initiative." Twenty-two years later, the magazine was rescued from its economic troubles by a Canadian media company, which should have taught us Americans to be a bit more humble. Now there is even more striking evidence of Canada's virtues. Guess which country, alone in the industrialized world, has not faced a single bank failure, calls for bailouts or government intervention in the financial or mortgage sectors. Yup, it's Canada. In 2008, the World Economic Forum ranked Canada's banking system the healthiest in the world. America's ranked 40th, Britain's 44th.
Canada has done more than survive this financial crisis. The country is positively thriving in it. Canadian banks are well capitalized and poised to take advantage of opportunities that American and European banks cannot seize. The Toronto Dominion Bank, for example, was the 15th-largest bank in North America one year ago. Now it is the fifth-largest. It hasn't grown in size; the others have all shrunk.
So what accounts for the genius of the Canadians? Common sense. Over the past 15 years, as the United States and Europe loosened regulations on their financial industries, the Canadians refused to follow suit, seeing the old rules as useful shock absorbers. Canadian banks are typically leveraged at 18 to 1—compared with U.S. banks at 26 to 1 and European banks at a frightening 61 to 1. Partly this reflects Canada's more risk-averse business culture, but it is also a product of old-fashioned rules on banking.
Canada has also been shielded from the worst aspects of this crisis because its housing prices have not fluctuated as wildly as those in the United States. Home prices are down 25 percent in the United States, but only half as much in Canada. Why? Well, the Canadian tax code does not provide the massive incentive for overconsumption that the U.S. code does: interest on your mortgage isn't deductible up north. In addition, home loans in the United States are "non-recourse," which basically means that if you go belly up on a bad mortgage, it's mostly the bank's problem. In Canada, it's yours. Ah, but you've heard American politicians wax eloquent on the need for these expensive programs—interest deductibility alone costs the federal government $100 billion a year—because they allow the average Joe to fulfill the American Dream of owning a home. Sixty-eight percent of Americans own their own homes. And the rate of Canadian homeownership? It's 68.4 percent.
Canada has been remarkably responsible over the past decade or so. It has had 12 years of budget surpluses, and can now spend money to fuel a recovery from a strong position. The government has restructured the national pension system, placing it on a firm fiscal footing, unlike our own insolvent Social Security. Its health-care system is cheaper than America's by far (accounting for 9.7 percent of GDP, versus 15.2 percent here), and yet does better on all major indexes. Life expectancy in Canada is 81 years, versus 78 in the United States; "healthy life expectancy" is 72 years, versus 69. American car companies have moved so many jobs to Canada to take advantage of lower health-care costs that since 2004, Ontario and not Michigan has been North America's largest car-producing region.
I could go on. The U.S. currently has a brain-dead immigration system. We issue a small number of work visas and green cards, turning away from our shores thousands of talented students who want to stay and work here. Canada, by contrast, has no limit on the number of skilled migrants who can move to the country. They can apply on their own for a Canadian Skilled Worker Visa, which allows them to become perfectly legal "permanent residents" in Canada—no need for a sponsoring employer, or even a job. Visas are awarded based on education level, work experience, age and language abilities. If a prospective immigrant earns 67 points out of 100 total (holding a Ph.D. is worth 25 points, for instance), he or she can become a full-time, legal resident of Canada.
Companies are noticing. In 2007 Microsoft, frustrated by its inability to hire foreign graduate students in the United States, decided to open a research center in Vancouver. The company's announcement noted that it would staff the center with "highly skilled people affected by immigration issues in the U.S." So the brightest Chinese and Indian software engineers are attracted to the United States, trained by American universities, then thrown out of the country and picked up by Canada—where most of them will work, innovate and pay taxes for the rest of their lives.
If President Obama is looking for smart government, there is much he, and all of us, could learn from our quiet—OK, sometimes boring—neighbor to the north. Meanwhile, in the councils of the financial world, Canada is pushing for new rules for financial institutions that would reflect its approach. This strikes me as, well, a worthwhile Canadian initiative.
URL: http://www.newsweek.com/id/183670
© 2009
59
General Discussion / Roll Up The Rim - 2009
« on: March 10, 2009, 08:42:18 PM »
during the last two contests, I have only won what can be only be valued as a "fart in a Hurricane"
and this years version is NO dimfront
and this years version is NO dimfront