Category Archives: Politics

Feral Cat Day!!!

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Boomer, put it down and move away slowlyHappy Feral Cat Day, everyone!

Metro, Mistress Cowfish, are you reading me? You might want to stay indoors and do not, repeat, not touch the phone.

Feline is not Felonious.

Yes, as we learn from our good friends the Farkers, Monday is National Feral Cat Day in the US; because we are such good friends with the Americans, we will this once adopt their holiday, as it does not appear to involve bizarre, expensive ceremonies, burning crosses, firearms, or the commemoration of the looting of Yorktown. What did you say, raincoaster????

We’ve even come up with a nifty slogan for our Yankacious readers to use, should they be possessed of the urge to print up t-shirts or decorate a special-occasion cake with a properly celebratory saying.

Spay a Stray Today!

Catchy, eh? You’re welcome.

post o’ the day: Samaha on Muslim veils

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You find the most interesting things when you check out people who comment on your blog. Things like this:

I could choose to let this veil be my identity.  However, our Muslim brothers and sisters have turned our Islam into a religion of inequality, suppression and injustice, so I can not for any other reason than to please you Allah wear this veil.  They have taken the rights you have given me and told me that this is not what you meant.  They taken from me basic human needs and told me that this is not what Allah has intended for me.

Oh, Allah, if they could they would steal the heaven that you have layed beneath my feet…

Read the rest here.

James Bond, where are you when we need you?

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Miss Tibet, 2005And don’t tell me he’s here. Daniel Craig may be a fine actor and a decorative one at that, but he’s just no James Bond.

But, in that, he’s set the standard for spies around the world today. Not only do the Americans have problems with their middle-management selling them out for a powerboat and a two-bedroom condo in South America, but apparently India‘s spies are not exactly equipped with nerves of steel. Nerves of spun glass perhaps. Got this via Fark.

Miss Tibet and Miss China, 2002. You won't be seeing this tableau again soonEVERY beauty pageant comes with its requisite dose of melodrama: temper tantrums, lost tiaras and controversial disqualifications.

But this year’s Miss Tibet contest took the customary histrionics to new heights when it opened yesterday in Dharamsala, the Indian town where the Dalai Lama has lived since fleeing his homeland.

On the eve of the competition, one entrant was ordered to withdraw because she serves in a covert Tibetan unit of the Indian Army specialising in high-altitude combat. Pema Choedon, the soldier turned beauty queen, was so upset that she had a panic attack and was taken to hospital.

That’s some combat specialist! I bet Sandra Bullock could kick her ass!

Miss Congeniality, being uncongenial

In ass-kicking news, the one Tibetan who could give Bond a run for his money in the Cool department says he wants a shot at the crown as well.the swimsuit competition. Believe me, nobody's too eager for him to get this idea anytime soon

When the first contest was held, the government-in-exile’s prime minister denounced it as “un-Tibetan” and “aping Western culture”.

The Dalai Lama has since softened the official line.

“If there is Miss Tibet, why not Mr Tibet?”

Canada vs pot

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 hey, like, go fight 'em, eh!

I know! You don’t see a headline like that every day, eh?

It seems that, like many another battle-scarred force before them, the Taliban has begun to take refuge in marijuana.

Canadian troops fighting Taliban militants in Afghanistan have stumbled across an unexpected and potent enemy — almost impenetrable forests of 10-feet (three metre) high marijuana plants.

General Rick Hillier, chief of the Canadian defence staff, said on Thursday that Taliban fighters were using the forests as cover. In response, the crew of at least one armored car had camouflaged their vehicle with marijuana.

It’s called the Mystery Machine, and they just forgot to run it through the car wash after investigating the haunted commune near Nelson, okay?

Actually, I’m just loving the idea that the Canadian DND purchasing department may soon be placing bale orders for the stuff to camouflage the armored vehicles. Who needs depleted uranium and kevlar when your APC is wrapped in a thick layer of BC Bud and Kandahar Candu, eh?

And, no doubt, a dense cloud of smoke.

“We tried burning them with white phosphorous — it didn’t work. We tried burning them with diesel — it didn’t work. The plants are so full of water right now … that we simply couldn’t burn them,” he said.

Even successful incineration had its drawbacks.

“A couple of brown plants on the edges of some of those (forests) did catch on fire. But a section of soldiers that was downwind from that had some ill effects and decided that was probably not the right course of action,” Hiller said dryly.

One soldier told him later: “Sir, three years ago before I joined the army, I never thought I’d say ‘That damn marijuana’.”

PSA: privacy concerns @ Vancouver Police Department

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Privacy Watchdog to investigate Vancouver Police

David Loukidelis, the Information and Privacy Commissioner for British Columbia, will be investigating the Vancouver Police Department’s use of the PRIME database system for potential violations of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. The investigation results from an appeal by David Eby, a lawyer with Pivot Legal Society, of the VPD’s refusal to provide information on PRIME.

In a letter to the Vancouver Police Department explaining the reasons for the investigation, Commissioner Loukidelis stated:

“The VPD has by this point given this Office a number of varying explanations as to why the audit report [requested by Eby] was or could not be produced. The VPD just yesterday advised, after recently offering the latest of several varying explanations as to why it could not be done, that the report can be produced after all. In light of the number, variety and nature of the VPD’s explanations, and the time it has taken to respond to the applicant’s request of July 2005, issues are raised as to whether PRIME is designed and operated in a manner that complies with ss. 6(1) and (2) of FIPPA.”

The investigation will look at six discrete issues involving the VPD’s administration of the PRIME system, including whether the force has the authority to operate the comprehensive information collection system in the manner that it does, whether security protections are in place to prevent unauthorized access to information, and whether procedures exist to allow individuals to correct faulty information entered into the database about them by VPD officers.

“The PRIME database system is an important crime investigation tool,” notes Eby, “However, that does not mean that VPD officers can put whatever information about whomever they wish into this database, nor does it mean that any VPD officer or staff member can access anyone’s information at any time. Privacy protections are required, and we’re glad this investigation will look into these important issues.”

According to the VPD Website, PRIME-BC is a database system that includes data from 9-1-1 call-takers, police dispatchers, officers attending an incident and follow-up investigators. Data is transmitted wirelessly to laptop computers used by investigating police officers. Once the information is entered it then becomes part of the police Records Management System (RMS).

To read the Commissioner’s decision to investigate, click here.

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For more information contact:
David Eby – (778) 865-7997

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About Pivot Legal Society

Pivot’s mandate is to take a strategic approach to social change, using the law to address the root causes that undermine the quality of life of those most on the margins.   We believe that everyone, regardless of income, benefits from a healthy and inclusive community where values such opportunity, respect and equality are strongly rooted in the law.

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