From Yahoo in the odd news section:
Sheryl Crow is suggesting a bottom-up solution to wipe away global warming: limit each trip to the bathroom to one piece of toilet paper, according to a statement on the US rocker's website.
..."I propose a limitation be put on how many squares of toilet paper can be used in any one sitting," she explained.
"I think we are an industrious enough people that we can make it work with only one square per restroom visit, except, of course, on those pesky occasions where two to three could be required."
...
Crow's spokesman was not immediately available to elaborate on the singer's proposals.
And by the way guys, the toilet paper thing...it was a JOKE!!
Here's one blogger's take on the new study that found a "fat gene".
the instructions remain the same: “eat less and exercise more”–less and more, respectively, than your naturally thin friend needs to–because it’s still your responsibility to look like naturally thin people. WTF?
...
This article seems to be working very hard to say, “Don’t think this is any excuse, fatties! You still need to burn those pounds off!” instead of, “Everyone would benefit from eating healthy foods and exercising, regardless of whether they lose weight.”
Fortunately, I haven't had to make the decision about whether abortion would be the right option for me. I have thought about abortion enough to know that every person should have the right to choose whether to carry a child inside their body or not. I believe this is a private, personal, medical issue. I don't believe the embryo is a life. It has the potential for life, but please don't make me talk about how sex is not always for procreation (What happens to the potential for life in the case of a blowjob?)
In Canada, necessary medical procedures are paid for by medicare. So my taxes pay for medical procedures of all types for all people and I don't get to decide if those people are worthy of those procedures, or what procedures should be covered. What makes people think abortion is the exception to this? Get your face out of others private, personal, medical decisions!
Here's how abortion is handled in New Brunswick. The following is excerpted from CBC [bolds mine]:
A law professor at the University of New Brunswick says it's almost impossible for women in the province to receive a medicare-funded abortion under current legislation, and that could be easily changed.
Jula Hughes, who participated in the Silent No More: Speak Out For Choice panel discussion at UNB Fredericton Wednesday evening, said the process New Brunswick women must go through to get an abortion takes too long.
...
Right now, the New Brunswick government doesn't pay for abortions past the 12th week of pregnancy. Hughes said meeting the criteria to qualify, and then getting an appointment, usually takes several weeks.
...
Abortion is the only medical procedure in New Brunswick that requires a second opinion before it can be performed, she said.
...
Because there are only two doctors in the province who perform abortions, women who get the two approvals wait another four to six weeks for the actual operation, said Hughes, who noted a lot of women don't discover their unwanted pregnancies until around the sixth week.
Hughes said changes could easily be made to a provincial regulation to reduce wait times for women.
"Specifically, we need to get rid of the schedule that makes abortions non-funded except in those very limited circumstances," she said, referring to Schedule 2(a.1) of Regulation 84-20 of the Medical Services Payment Act.
The two-doctor certification and the limitation on where government-funded abortions can be performed are stipulated in the schedule.
Hughes said the changes to the act could be made through caucus, without going through the legislature.
"It could be done by next Thursday, if the politicians were so inclined."
Hmm, I can't wait to see how this turns out:
Phone companies flood CRTC with deregulation filings
No really, I can't wait to experience greater value and flexible offers from Aliant. Of course, I don't live in Halifax so I guess this doesn't really apply to me. I just want to reiterate how much I think we are getting shafted by the phone companies.....
Aliant filed for deregulation of markets in the Halifax area.
The flood of applications followed the announcement April 4 by Industry Minister Maxime Bernier that he would open competition in local phone markets where there are at least three different carriers in operation, including cellphone providers.
That overruled a CRTC policy that said the existing phone companies would continue to face restrictions in the local phone market unless their competitors had a 25 per cent share of the market.
Bernier said the new policy, which takes effect April 18, would lead to more choice for consumers and lower prices.
That's certainly what the incumbent phone companies were saying Thursday.
"Local service deregulation in Vancouver and Edmonton will bring the full benefits of competition to these cities," said Telus executive vice-president Janet Yale in a statement.
Aliant said its customers "will experience the full benefits of competition, with greater value through increased choice and flexible offers that can be delivered in a more timely manner."
This one's for Ramble. The Consumerist has posts categorized with a Walmart label. Here's a few tidbits to get you started:
Over a week since a national pet food recall involving over 80 name brands, recalled pet food can still be found on Walmart shelves. The pet food has been linked to several pet deaths, and can cause kidney failure.
Walmart refuses to address the plight of Jason Page, whose hand is paralyzed after a bite from a 1.5 foot-long pygmy rattlesnake. Page is the seventh known victim to suffer a snake bite at a Walmart.
12 weeks after t-shirts bearing Nazi insignia were discovered in Walmart, the retailer has yet to remove them from all their stores, despite initial promises to do so within days.
Here's the real deal on why there was Japaneses cartoon porn on Walmart.com, much of it of the homosexual male, or, as its known to connoisseurs,"yaoi" variety.
I want to respond to a comment I received on my Newfoundland post. Here's the entire comment:
Reality: The image of the whitecoat harp seal is used prominently by seal hunt opponents. This image gives the false impression that vulnerable seal pups are targeted by sealers during the commercial hunt.
The hunting of harp seal pups (whitecoats) and hooded seal pups (bluebacks) is illegal – and has been since 1987. Marine Mammal Regulations prohibit the trade, sale or barter of the fur of these pups. The seals that are hunted are self-reliant, independent animals.
Reality: A 2002 independent veterinarians’ report published in the Canadian Veterinary Journal and numerous reports mentioned by the Malouf Commission (1987) indicate that this is not true.
Sometimes a seal may appear to be moving after it has been killed; however seals have a swimming reflex that is active – even after death. This reflex gives the false impression that the animal is still alive when it is clearly dead – similar to the reflex in chickens.
Reality: Hunting methods were studied by the Royal Commission on Seals and Sealing in Canada and it found that the clubbing of seals, when properly performed, is at least as humane as, and often more humane than, the killing methods used in commercial slaughterhouses, which are accepted by the majority of the public.
A 2002 report published in the Canadian Veterinary Journal found that the club or hakapik is an efficient tool designed to kill the animal quickly and humanely.
Sealers in the Magdalen Islands (Gulf of St. Lawrence) and on Quebec's Lower North Shore, where about 25% of the hunt occurs, use both rifles and hakapiks while sealers on the ice floes on the Front (in the waters east of Newfoundland), where 75% of the hunt occurs, primarily use rifles.
Reality: Several factors have contributed to the lack of recovery of Atlantic cod stocks, such as fishing effort, poor growth and physical condition of the fish, and environmental changes.
In addition, there are many uncertainties in the estimates of the amount of fish consumed by seals. The commercial quota is established on sound conservation principles, not an attempt to assist in the recovery of groundfish stocks.
Reality: Since the 1960s, environmental groups have been saying the seal hunt is unsustainable. In fact, the harp seal population is healthy and abundant. A 2004 survey estimated the Northwest Atlantic harp seal population at approximately 5.8 million animals, nearly triple what it was in the 1970s.
DFO sets quotas at levels that ensure the health and abundance of seal herds. In no way are seals - and harp seals in particular – an “endangered species”.
1. Oogie Boogie's Song - Danny Elfman - The Nightmare Before Christmas soundtrack
2. What Would U Do - Tha Dogg Pound - Natural Born Killers soundtrack
3. Something To Say - George Michael
4. El Cuarto de Tula - Buena Vista Social Club
5. Dolphin's Cry - Live
6. Crawling King Snake - The Doors
7. What's New - Chris Botti
8. See Right Through Me - Mobile
9. The Rock Show - Blink-182
10. Mr. Vain - Culture Beat
Actual headline at Yahoo "Blind hunters in Texas to use laser sights".
Hunting with any type of light was previously forbidden in Texas but there have never been any restrictions on giving hunting licenses to the blind.
I saw the TMNT movie yesterday. My brother and I were big fans when we were kids so we went together. The artistic style/animation was really good. The characters were good. Story was kind of weak. Overall, not a bad movie. But something in it did really bother me.
Here's April O'Neil then:
and now:
I'm pretty sure her arms are too skinny to lift that sword, not to mention her bust/waist ratio.
It reminds me of another makeover. Here's Strawberry Shortcake then:
and now:
Not quite as bad, I guess.
It's too bad that Canada still allows the annual clubbing of baby seals for their fur. The Humane Society of the U.S. and Humane Society International is currently in Newfoundland to report on this cruel hunt.
www.protectseals.org
~Tyler
April 2, 2007 11:33 AM