Sunday, October 17, 2010

Technics: Net Neutrality: Concept is being played by FCC regulator vs Congressional lackey for Big Net Business

My net problems center around Google (which I love, but which also hurts my interests in several regards that pertain to their desire to gobble up everything into their business power-orbit) and my Bell Internet, my Internet Service Provider (ISP) which has been a pain in the youKnowWhere.

The article being c+ted in this blog-entry comes from another Internet behemoth, CNET which has gobbled up the formerly-independent Version Tracker  service I used for years, but which surprisingly has for the moment improved on the service with its own CNET tech tracker.  See the article CNET carries, "Leaked Net neutrality bill threads needle on mobile."   Whatever country you live in, dear reader, do click-up this CNET article by Larry Downes, a Fellow of Stanford Law School's Center for Internet & Society.


My current ISP, as mentioned, is Bell Internet which gobbled up the Sympatico ISP that I had been using for years.  In the process of gobbling, Bell Internet has hurt me and my internetting considerably.  After reading Downes and the PDF from FreePress.net to which he links us, entitled

IN HIS OWN WORDS:
JULIUS GENACHOWSKI’S VISION OF R E A L NET NEUTRALITY
Free Press September 2010

I've come to realize what the Canadian communications owners and regulators are up to. By the way, Genachowski is chairman of the USA's Federal Communications Commision.

And I see no recourse in appealing to the miscreants (not civil servants, but political appointees at the beck and call of gov, not as bad as the previous Lib appointees but still miscreants) who run Canada's CRTC (Canadian Radio and Television Commission).  They also have charge of the monopoly Bell, a gov-regulated monopoly that uses its monopoly power to harm small customers, like myself.  Also, regarding the Bell Telephone service, I keep getting unwanted calls from the call-centre corporations I subsidize by paying a h+er telephone-usage rate because I'm only a small customer paying individually at the h+er rate per call.  The CRTC does nothing about the abuse of Bell's monopoly and its choking of small users by charging exorbitant rates for a P2P download, thus curtailing our technological freedom, by leveraging Ma Bell's privileged and prioritized bandwith allocation, leveraged against us in favour of their telephone and television corporate entities.

What's more, the moronic Bell has forced me into an increasingly MicroSoft tech environment, which is infamous for its virus-prone Hotmail and several other wretched "services", while refusing me an account for the used Hewlett Packard laptop I bawt in a tech crisis. Another reason for my purchase of this old and battered machine was simply that it had a (hated) MicroSoft XP operating system that allowed me to look at how my blogs appear to readers who come to my pages via their own MicroSoft operating systems (there are several of these, of course). It's a dishonest product and I have no sympathy for the charitable Mr Gates who built this hit house on dubious moral parameters. MS gave no reason for the refusal to let me download Outlook Express into my XP OS; perhaps because they have no reason but, again perhaps, have a previous registration on their records.  But that's mere speculation, since they acted arbitrarily and didn't supply info so I coud guage what the situation is. It certainly devalues the Hewlett Packard product, old as it is. When my iMac went into Riverdale Mac for repair (backup programs and devices were backing-up each other in a potentially infinite regress, a recursion resulting in extreme redundacy, a fawlt apparently of Apple's iDisk backup which I've disabled as useless), thus I had only the HP on hand and spent my t+m reading which led to wr+ting a book-review essay.  The only reason I want an MS app for email (Outlook Express) is so that, in any similar circumstances, I woud be able to put any essay I may wr+t on the HP into the MS email format and send it to my Apple Mail app on my iMac.  

MicroSoft sinks lower in my estimation, along with Bell Internet which forced me to abandon my Internet email address that had become over the years a virtual brand (ie, I conclude that Bell stole my brand), because some ill-trained tech novice or idiotic Bell program treated me like a MicroSoft user and not a Mac user.  They want to push me into the smarmy suffocating tentacles of MS. I know they've received lots of complaints from fellow consumers, because Bell Internet recently added a "Mac Desk"for users they've messed up with their abominable small-customers-last policies.  And more recently they raised the Mac Desk service to 24/7 status. Which means the volume of complaints by irate Mac users is larger than they had cared to acknowlege. Bell Telephone, Bell Internet, and Bell Television keep the small customer waiting ad infinitum, that's because their bloated system tries to cut on services expenses.

In the USA, the whole issue is being fawt out around the term "Net Neutrality," and the Machiavells in Congress -- like Henry Waxman (D, Hollywood, California), well-known lackey of Big Movies and Big Music purveyors, this overly-waxed ears-clogged sycophant who wants to make an end-run around the Federal Communications Commission by introducing in the waning hours of his sycophancy an item of lame-duck legislation regarding the Internet, now on the docket to be taken up when the House of Representatives reconvenes after the Nov 2 election.  I hope he's turfed-out by the voters in his congressional district, but he has so much money for his campaign from the conniving Big movies, music, and internet interests he represents, that his prompt removal is unl+kly.

In the opposite direction comes advice and agitation from FreePress.net which exposes the motives of Waxman's sneaky law, draft legislation that again gives ordinary end-users the stinky sticky end of his schtick. (This isn't the first time the Wax fiend has attempted to whack small communication endeavours, such as the small radio broadcasters upon whom he wanted to impose fees and taxes for the music they played, thus closing them down; he didn't treasure this most free section of America's broadcasters, knowing they operate on shoe-string budgets and respond most actively to their listeners' changing tastes in music and freely expressed opinion -- left, center, and r+t.) 

FreePress.net exposes the plans of many ISPs to choke out the "little guy" -- while the FCC under its present chairman Mr Genachowski has seen its Internet responsiblity hived off by the Wax who is blocking the President's campaign promise and delivering our Internet freedom into the hands of an utterly unreliable Congress which refuses to wr+t laws that can be read by non-lawyers, which enforces short deadlines between a final draft and forced adoption -- when the Senators and Representatives haven't even read the law.

Technics: Apple's iPad: Break-thru of near-monopoly AT&T to Verizon Wireless

Apple is moving from a single recognized seller for its iPad device.  Previously the sales of mobile-device iPad were channeled exclusively thru AT&T; but beginning October 28, Verizon Wireless will also get a franchise or privileged-sales-agent status (I'm not sure what the correct term is).  I won't pause to sing the praises of iPad because I don't own one and thus have not tested it.  But the ads and wr+t-ups have aroused my desire for the product.  I am comparing iPad to competing devices more recently introduced into the market, hype opposed to hype.  I haven't yet seen reason to change my tech preference.

-- Technowlb

Sports: College Football: Boise State 48 wallops San Jose 0


According to the projection of ESPN's Brad Edwards, Boise State University, Boise, Idaho, is the leader of College Football teams.  The Boise Broncos top the ESPN researcher's list.
According to the projections, the No. 1 Buckeyes would place fifth in the BCS standings, percentage points behind Oklahoma.
Edwards projects the unbeaten Broncos, the highest-ranked team from a non-automatic qualifying conference, as the top team in the standings by a comfortable margin, followed by Oregon. 
... TCU places third in Edwards' projections, followed by Oklahoma at .8425 and Ohio State at .8421.
Edwards explained that although the Buckeyes are No. 1 in ... the Harris and the USA Today coaches' poll -- they're deemed 10th-best by the BCS computer rankings, due in part to the Buckeyes' strength of schedule to date compared with the other unbeaten teams. The computers do not take margin of victory into consideration.
Boise State rated higher because the Broncos are third in the Harris and USA Today polls and second in the BCS computer ranking, Edwards said. But he also noted Boise State has already played the toughest part of its schedule, while Ohio State and the other top-10 teams from automatic qualifying conferences face tougher competition in the weeks ahead.
Just today, the Broncos beat the Spartans [San Jose University, San Jose, California] by a score of 48-0.
Elsewhere Brad Edwards is c+ted as indicating that "Boise State is likely to be No. 1 in the first BCS rankings but they have no shot of staying there all season."  We'll just have to wait and see, Mr Edwards.
-- Sportikos

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Music: Folk: Bob Dylan's early song released in 'The Witmark Demos 1962-1964'

The Witmark Demos 1962-1964 came out of a small specialty studio that produced sheet music, and tapes that other artists, who wanted to learn new songs and perhaps perform them, coud easily access. Here are a few of the nearly 50 songs that originate in this period of Dylan's life.

Hard Times in New York Town


Talking Bear Mountain Picnic
Massacre Blues


Blowin' in the Wind


Long Ago, Far Away


A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall


I culled these from the full set of nearly 50 early Dylan songs that's presently offered for listening and blog-embeddment by National Public Radio.

Sports: Lacrosse: New standout sports celebrity annointed by RedBull (etc) commercials

Sports reporter for New York Times, James Vlahos, has an extensive wr+t-up of Paul Rabil (photo credit: Brian Nevins/Red Bull), who plays for the Boston Cannons (outdoors) and the Washington Stealth (indoors, National Lacrosse League).  "Lacrosse has an image problem, deservedly or not, and it is against this backdrop that Mr. Rabil has emerged onto the scene."

Says Cannon coach, Bill Daye, Rabil is "a freak of an athlete. He's strong, fast and can stop or change directions on a dime" -- the latter feat an act of a 6-foot-3er.

About his work-ethic, says Paul Rabil himself, "I'm not into those sports clichés about winning--who wants it most, who wants to be the best. Everybody wants to be the best. The difference is who is willing to put in the most work."

Lacrosse has recently become the vehicle of at least one fetish-promoting fashioneer (Michael Bastiaan of Gant clothing company who's been pushing a preppy look with lacrosse accoutrements).  Did I see Rabil among the Gant models?  Additionally, Rabil seems to be sticking with Red Bull (yeah, buy the beer!), Under Armour (an under-arm deoderant?--nope, underwear), and Maverik (lacrosse equipment).  Here's a few factoids about Paul Rabil from the Maverik s+t:
 Lacrosse Experience: 11 years.

Personal Moment That Defines Lacrosse: Outworking someone on a ground ball that eventually turns into a goal for our team.

Main Talent: Desire to win.

Main Fault: My competitiveness often results in loss of temper.

Toughest Part of the Game: Losing.

Music To Take The Field To: Friday Night Lights theme.

Other Sports: I love soccer, but am better at basketball.

Sport That’s Not a Sport: Poker. I love playing the game, but those dudes are definitely NOT athletes. 
Can you take a punch?  I have plenty of times.

Favorite Character/Villain/Etc: Bill the Butcher, played by Daniel Day Lewis in Gangs of New York. 
Last Supper: Chipotle Burrito: Rice, black beans, chicken x2, steak, corn, hot sauce, sour cream, cheese,  lettuce.

Favorite sports star: David Beckham. Nobody has faced as much international adversity, battled back and succeeded like Becks.

Word You Hate: Brah.

Worst/Best advice you ever received: “It’s harder to hold onto success, than it is to achieve it.”
The professional lacrosse webs+t is located here, National Lacrosse League, actually a continent-wide organization.  Toronto the Good's pro lacrosse team is called Toronto Rock.

-- Sportikos

Saturday, October 02, 2010

Sports: Hockey: Mass outpouring by fans for a new franchise in Quebec City, intent on bringing back les Nordiques

Montreal Gazette, Montreal's leading English-language newspaper, yesterday published Marianne White's sportsnews article (Oct2,2k10) about popular support in la belle province for the return of les Nordiques, Quebec City's former heroes of the ice rink.  Somehow the team was swept from the city's grasp and ended up derelict in Colorado.  The people -- that is, the fans -- want the team back; but to get it after 15 years, they need a new coliseum, an uptodate hockey stadium, something qu+t pricey these days. Trouble is, the Fed gov is being dunned for the balance, after the province and the city do their bit.  Trouble is, the Feds have no business using any part of the Fed budget to make payouts from the dominion's general revenues for stadia, certainly not in these financially difficult t+ms of meltdown.  Sorry, mes chers Quebecois, but try raising the money yourselves.  I'll kick in $10 out of my penury; but don't tax me.

The city of Quebec certainly should have its own new stadium. You're a northern city like Edmonton and you need a hockey team to compete on a continent-wide basis for raising the spirits of your wonderful fan base thru the long Winters.  But it's not the job of the Fed gov to give $175 million to one city, as the Prime Minister said, because then he'd have to dole out similar amounts across the country.  We can't afford it.  Period.  Of course, Quebec's political culture is bedevilled with fans of another sport -- political blackmail.  Don't connect, please, hockey with taxing the have-nots across the land to meet your own needs, as real as they may be.

-- Sportikos


Ahead of a weekend rally that is expected to draw some 50,000 people to the Plains of Abraham, the federal government came under pressure again Thursday to pump $175 million into a new NHL-calibre arena in Quebec City as the mayor announced construction for the project would start in 2011.

Ahead of a weekend rally that is expected to draw some 50,000 people to the Plains of Abraham, the federal government came under pressure again Thursday to pump $175 million into a new NHL-calibre arena in Quebec City as the mayor announced construction for the project would start in 2011.

Photograph by: J'ai ma place/Mallette, ABCP Architecture

QUEBEC — Tens of thousands of Quebec Nordiques fan gathered on the Plains of Abraham on Saturday to push for a return of their beloved team and the construction of an NHL-sized hockey rink.

The event was the culmination of a widespread public movement in the region aimed at bringing the National Hockey League back 15 years after the Nordiques were sold and became the Colorado Avalanche.
Wearing blue shirts to commemorate the former team’s jersey, hockey fans came out in droves to express their love for the Nordiques.

"I’ve never been able to watch a full hockey game ever since the Nordiques left, it’s too painful," said Quebec City resident Gilles Boulanger.

He was holding a sign mocking the infamous Maclean’s magazine cover with the "most corrupt province in Canada" replaced by “the most hockey province in Canada" with Bonhomme Carnaval sporting a Nordiques jersey.

A number of former Nordiques players — including the famed Stastny brothers and Michel Goulet — were taking part in the demonstration, dubbed the “Blue March.”

A dozen provincial and federal politicians were also in attendance, including Bloc Quebecois leader Gilles Duceppe, Parti Quebecois leader Pauline Marois, Conservative minister Josee Verner and Quebec City Mayor Regis Labeaume.

The Stastny brothers — who formed one of the NHL’s most feared trios in the 1980s — were reunited Saturday for the first time in decades.
Peter Stastny said Quebec City is closer than ever to seeing an NHL team come back, adding that Saturday’s rally would definitely send a strong message to politicians and the league.

"Quebec City has what most cities don’t: extraordinary support from the fans, the excitement, the atmosphere," he said.

Stastny’s comments seem to be in line with what some NHL players think. An informal poll conducted this week by The Hockey News Magazine asked 90 players where the league should put a team via either relocation or expansion.

Quebec City came in first with 33 votes, followed by Winnipeg with 18, Las Vegas with 12, Hamilton with 11 and Seattle with five. Toronto received two votes, while Halifax, Saskatoon and the Kitchener-Waterloo region each garnered one vote.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman has made it clear the first step toward bringing a team back to Quebec City is building a new state-of-the-art hockey rink to replace the outdated arena, the Colisee, which was built in 1949.

Quebec Premier Jean Charest’s government has already said it will pay 45 per cent of the construction costs of the projected $400-million arena, while the city is ready to fork out $50 million.

A feasibility study for an 18,000-seat stadium showed it would be profitable, and both Charest and Quebec City’s mayor have since been lobbying the federal government to come up with the remaining $175 million needed to build such a venue.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper has refused to commit financing and stressed the federal government would have to act in fairness with other provinces if it chose to contribute. 
Copyright © Postmedia News

When I realized I had taken a handful of positions (Derrida has a book of that name / title) in my politically-economically charged comment introductory to this blog-entry (top), an entry which includes a political position on the question of the Fed govt's priorities in l+t of the economic situation, and priorities in state expenditures during this next financial period; when I realized all this, I sat down by Grand Central Station and Wept.  I howled gigglishly at my own presumption, until I noticed the tears falling on hand, my pant-leg, the chair, the floor.  Do foregive!

-- Politicarp

 









Saturday, September 25, 2010

Sports: Motorsports: NASCAR's Nationwide Series saw series of phyrric victories by fallen star

Hotshot racer Kyle Busch is written-up on Nationwides webpage for NASCAR by Associated Press under the headline "Kyle Busch set single-season mark"(Sept25,2k10):

Busch has been all about total control this season on a partial schedule. Imagine how out in front he'd be with the record if he drove every race. 


And he's not done breaking records: Busch is closing in on Mark Martin's career Nationwide mark of 48 wins. Busch is in second at 41.
He led 192 of 200 laps, received a big ovation after the race and waved his index finger out the window.
"It's very cool," Busch said. "We've still got more races to go. I'm looking forward to more wins hopefully."
Joey Logano was second and Carl Edwards third.
AP's report ends in an almost-scandalously celebrative mood, and if you're a NASCAR fan undoubtedly the sentiments expressed will be mucho enjoyable.

-- Sportikos

Sports: College Football: Game Day sees Stanfortd 33 domination over Notre Dame 14

Stanford proved what some sports gurus were predicting, a debacle for for the once reining Notre Dame (at least in the game series they fawt out against one another).  But today that was swept away, according to Associated Press on ESPN's College Footbal webpage.

-- Sportikos

Satire: Vicious: Stephen Colbert wins hearts and minds in Congressional hearing

Incredibly wonderful, and perhaps vicious (as some are saying), and cerrtainly irresponsible (as a Congressman innuendoed -- no, implicated -- no, just plain no).

-- Satiricus Magnificus couscous

Friday, September 24, 2010

Toronto the Good: Interfaith Dialogue: Toronto Muslim publishes 2nd book, destined to become a bestseller in Canada

Don’t miss this outstanding event as Oraynu presents prominent author/ commentator TAREK FATAH who will speak on his provocative new book:



THE JEW IS NOT MY ENEMY: 
Unveiling The Myths That Fuel Muslim Anti-Semitism

Tarek Fatah, a liberal Muslim and critically acclaimed author, explores the historical, political, and theological basis for centuries of Muslim animosity towards Jews, debunks long-held myths while tracing a history of hate and its impact today. He takes apart the Arab supremacist doctrines and argues that hating Jews is against the essence of the Islamic spirit.

About the Author

Journalist and political advocate TAREK FATAH is the founder of the liberal Muslim organization Muslim Canadian Congress. He is a regular contributor and guest host on the morning show on Newstalk 1010. His first book, Chasing a Mirage: The Tragic Illusion of an Islamic State was a finalist for the Donner Prize.

JEWISH BOOK FAIR
Sunday, Oct. 31 at 8 pm 
Beth David B’nai Israel Beth Am Synagogue, 
55 Yeomans Road 
(in Toronto's Bathurst/Sheppard area)

Toronto the Good: Mayoral Campaign: Checking out a candidate who's challenging the ultra-left control of the electoral riding where I live

We've got a vote coming up in Toronto for a new Mayor.  I'm suddenly experiencing increased curiosity about the campaign because I noticed that one of the candidates is scramming for votes in my voting district, what in Canada we call a "riding."  The pique of curiosity occurs comes frankly the candidate is holding a meeting at a local h+ school for my subdistrict, a pattern he pursues apparently thru-out the r+ding.  His advertizement appeared on my Facebook pages.  How's that for targetted ads?

I must confess I have a litmus test:  Is the candidate (or any other in the pack) putting the f+t against bedbugs and other licentious insects a top priority?  Yep, back to my hatred of the critters.  If the guy checks out, I may break my near-airt+t policy of pursuing a moral journaletics practice, to support a specific candidate.  I try not to do that, and report only -- tho I have a tendency to select news for its relevance to issues where I have taken a stand.  Perhaps I'll return to the subject before the vote, which will be held on ... ?  Gotta' check it out, and the candidate too.

-- Politicarp

Thursday, September 23, 2010

Sports: College Football: This week leads up to Saturday's GameDay


In the USA, along with the Pro football teams, starting promptly in September after the universities and colleges fill up with students, College football launches into its hectic season.  And the sports journalists like vultures descend on the season-starting games of the College teams all over the country to measure, analyze, and predict who the leading teams are, what weaknesses each may have, what strengths, how the stack up against one another, so that early odds can be forecast and wild predictions made, of the star players and which teams / institutions will  prove-out to be champs in the regional college football conferences (I think they're called).
The video (requires Flash) gives some h+l+ts of what games are coming up, pitting which team against its opponent team, all toward predicting the strongest teams that will move to the top in the rankings, each seeking victory within its conference.

I'm glad to see one of my favourites, Boise State University (Boise, Idaho), is at this early stage already established among the topmost leaders of the pack in this week's College football (American usage).  The hot video clips here are embedded in an sports journalist's report under the auspices of Dr Pepper, a softdrink, of course.  I got the vid from ESPN, the compre- hensive sports news TV channel and webs+t.

I notice that on Fr+day n+t, Texas Christian U will take on Southern Methodist U at the SMU campus.

On GameDay itself, we see from the schedule above that Stanford will take on Notre Dame at the NDU campus (3:30 pm on NBC TV), while Oregon State U will face Boise State U (8 pm, on ABC TV).  The BSU Beavers are presently ranked 3rd, with TCU is 4th.  If BSU wins, then TCU will be held in check in the standings; but BSU looses, TCU will leapfrog (especially if it wins its game against SMU on Fr+day n+t) into the 3rd spot at the very least.  But in that sad case, BSU will fall in the rankings like a Magog into the abyss.  Well, a bit over the top from Star Trek 5:20.

I guess I won't do much blogging this Saturday, since I'm the kind of guy who doesn't enjoy keyboarding when I'm settled in to enjoy the atrocities of American college football in a t+m-honoured tradition of smack, whack, and tackle.  The beauty comes in those long passes when unintercepted that the receiver catches and runs his heart out, to cross into the end zone for a touchdown!

-- Sportikos

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Sports: Amateur: First Lady throws a pass to flumox all interception

Entertainment: TV: Thursday n+ts is a ratings battle

Do you enjoy more Bones or Grey's Anatomy or The Big Bang Theory?  Or perhaps none of the foregoing?  Well, the Fall Season's offerings on Thursday includes the three shows mentioned. Grey's Anatomy (13.8 million viewers) is a hospital-situated cliché-driven drama of sorts.  To compete with it, The Big Bang Theory (CBS) has been moved to ton+t at 8:00 pm, from its previous slot on Mondays.

 

My favourite among the 3 is, of course, Bones -- about a bone-specialist archeologist turned forensic scientist.  She's a rationalist, empiricist, atheist with a hefty scientistic frame of reference, who has learned some of the more gracious ways tawt her by her almost-beau Booth, an FBI agent attached to Smithsonian-like institution where Bones holds sway.

Take a look at ZAP2it's Fall Season Preview (Sept22,2k10) for Rick Perry's article on the 3-way face-off.

-- Couch Potato

Sports: Baseball: more to come

Toronto the Good: Bedbugs Plague: Wall Street Journal's latest video



The News Hub, videos from Wall Street Journal (vimeo)

-- Owlie Scowlie

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Sports: Baseball: Washington DC's baseball team Nats has its centerfielder suspended, fined

Baseball reporter Adam Kilgore has an article "Nyjer Morgan suspended 8 games" Wapo (Sept16,2k10) that tells a sad story about Morgan's misbehaviors -- including brawling at a game with the Florida Marlins. The bad boy had the grace to say when the judgment came down,

I'm glad they were able to still hear my side," Morgan said. "The suspension, it's fair in my eyes. I thought the fine was little bit steep. From here, I just have to move on, keep it moving."
Morgan has been suspended for 8 games (8 of 16 games remaining on the Nats' schedule).  He was also fined $15,000.

His judge in the internal-legal judiciary of the sport was the National Baseball League.

-- Sportikos