The Winter Up There Must Give People Brain Freeze

User avatar
Mongrel
Posts: 21290
Joined: Mon Jan 20, 2014 6:28 pm
Location: There's winners and there's losers // And I'm south of that line

Re: The Winter Up There Must Give People Brain Freeze

Postby Mongrel » Mon Sep 24, 2018 8:28 pm

Details released in bizarre naked kidnapping case near Edmonton.
They thought it was Armageddon and wanted to save their neighbours.

They believed police were monsters. They showed super strength after being pepper sprayed and Tasered.

And all but one of them were naked because, with the end of the world, they didn’t have time to get dressed.
Image

User avatar
Blossom
Posts: 2297
Joined: Mon Jan 20, 2014 8:58 pm

Re: The Winter Up There Must Give People Brain Freeze

Postby Blossom » Fri Oct 05, 2018 4:02 am

Mongrel wrote:I'd have never guessed that I'd be happy about the Supreme Court siding 9-0 with Rogers, but well, strange days.

OTTAWA -- Internet service providers can recover some of the costs of helping movie companies and other copyright holders find illegal downloaders, the Supreme Court of Canada says.

In a 9-0 decision Friday, the high court sided with Rogers Communications in ruling that the companies pursuing copyright violators should reimburse service providers a reasonable amount for the effort of looking up subscribers suspected of breaking the law.


So, sounds like ISPs are incentivized to start pinging every bit of traffic they can find and invoicing the holders, then? I fail to see how this is good.
Image

User avatar
Mongrel
Posts: 21290
Joined: Mon Jan 20, 2014 6:28 pm
Location: There's winners and there's losers // And I'm south of that line

Re: The Winter Up There Must Give People Brain Freeze

Postby Mongrel » Fri Oct 05, 2018 4:49 am

TA wrote:
Mongrel wrote:I'd have never guessed that I'd be happy about the Supreme Court siding 9-0 with Rogers, but well, strange days.

OTTAWA -- Internet service providers can recover some of the costs of helping movie companies and other copyright holders find illegal downloaders, the Supreme Court of Canada says.

In a 9-0 decision Friday, the high court sided with Rogers Communications in ruling that the companies pursuing copyright violators should reimburse service providers a reasonable amount for the effort of looking up subscribers suspected of breaking the law.


So, sounds like ISPs are incentivized to start pinging every bit of traffic they can find and invoicing the holders, then? I fail to see how this is good.

They only do that if requested to by a copyright troll - which was previously a cost incurred by ISPs, but which they can now bill the trolls. Like more ordinary business transactions, ISPs can't just start pingiing everything and then billing for services unrequested.

Basically Canadian ISPs don't give a fuck if there's piracy, so anything that makes copyright trolls go away is fine by them.
Image

User avatar
Mongrel
Posts: 21290
Joined: Mon Jan 20, 2014 6:28 pm
Location: There's winners and there's losers // And I'm south of that line

Re: The Winter Up There Must Give People Brain Freeze

Postby Mongrel » Tue Oct 16, 2018 7:20 pm

Image

User avatar
Mongrel
Posts: 21290
Joined: Mon Jan 20, 2014 6:28 pm
Location: There's winners and there's losers // And I'm south of that line

Re: The Winter Up There Must Give People Brain Freeze

Postby Mongrel » Wed Oct 17, 2018 12:52 pm

Weed is legal in Canada today.

This is mostly unremarkable, but every time the news mentions we're only the second country EVER (after Uruguay of all places - yes the Netherlands doesn't count as it's only locally unrestricted), to have nationally-legal weed I'm still kind of flabbergasted.

In many ways Harper wasn't wrong when he proclaimed that Canada is a conservative country (his mistake was conflating small-c with capital-C), so while our being an early global adopter of a reasonable policy isn't super strange, it seems absolutely nuts that we're literally on the vanguard on this one.
Image

User avatar
Joxam
Imperisaurus Rex
Posts: 1003
Joined: Mon Jan 20, 2014 11:23 pm

Re: The Winter Up There Must Give People Brain Freeze

Postby Joxam » Wed Oct 17, 2018 2:47 pm

Do you have any insight on how the law works in regards to worker's rights? Because I have read at least a half a dozen people on social media (admittedly just average canadians not law makers) say that it effectively changes nothing in regards to random drug testing and firings related to it in the country, basically meaning that if you want to keep your job its still effectively prohibited.
Image

User avatar
beatbandito
Posts: 4300
Joined: Tue Jan 21, 2014 8:04 am

Re: The Winter Up There Must Give People Brain Freeze

Postby beatbandito » Wed Oct 17, 2018 3:05 pm

For some reason it was really hard for me to phrase this in a way that didn't come across like "you're asking the wrong question, let me fix that for you".

Basically I learned while thinking about this that there is no at-will employment in Canada, so it seems like acceptance is a workplace affair and not a legal one. Plus it's something that should be clear in the employment agreement, though I'm sure there will be some messiness with the rollover.
Image

User avatar
Joxam
Imperisaurus Rex
Posts: 1003
Joined: Mon Jan 20, 2014 11:23 pm

Re: The Winter Up There Must Give People Brain Freeze

Postby Joxam » Wed Oct 17, 2018 3:20 pm

The reason I asked a Canadian is because the actual Canadian government's statement on it is that while they are currently trying to develope tests which will test for "at the time of testing" intoxication this is not currently possible for weed but despite this employees still have the right to use "currently acceptable testing procedures" (urine test which can contain thc for weeks after use) to "ensure a safe and drug free work environment" and I wasn't sure how canadian labor laws changed the interpretation of that statement.

Also I realize there would be no legal penelty for having THC in your blood stream, but making something legal but still allowing your citizens to be fired for doing it is very anti-labor.

I'm not saying people should be able to show up to work stoned, just that allowing people to potentually lose their job because the only two ways to randomly drug test people that doesn't envolve having them go to a hospital to have blood draws is hair (which can show THC use for months) and urine (weeks).

Side note, this is actually apperently fast tracking thc breathalizer research which seems pretty cool in a sciency nerd kinda way.
Image

User avatar
beatbandito
Posts: 4300
Joined: Tue Jan 21, 2014 8:04 am

Re: The Winter Up There Must Give People Brain Freeze

Postby beatbandito » Wed Oct 17, 2018 3:39 pm

Okay, well you can also be fired for smoking cigarettes or drinking alcohol outside of work, depending on the "drug and alcohol free environment" the employer enforces. This new law only impacts a business if their policy specifically reads "no illegal substances" or something to that extent with no other information. Which is what I mean by it not being a legal thing.

"the government told me I could smoke weed but I got in trouble for it at my job" is certainly an issue, but less with the law and more with the person's understanding of their workplace policy.
Image

User avatar
Mongrel
Posts: 21290
Joined: Mon Jan 20, 2014 6:28 pm
Location: There's winners and there's losers // And I'm south of that line

Re: The Winter Up There Must Give People Brain Freeze

Postby Mongrel » Wed Oct 17, 2018 6:50 pm

Beat's correct that generally there's no At-Will employment in Canada once you pass a probation period (almost always three weeks).

Weed at work has basically been left to the employer, so regulations will vary enormously, with some companies saying its fine as long as you don't work impaired, while others (notably some police forces) having severe restrictions, such as no consumption 28 days either before OR after any work shift (which effectively constitutes a de facto ban).

It's possible that the most restrictive policies will see court challenges, but we'll see.
Image

User avatar
WingSounds
Posts: 219
Joined: Tue Oct 09, 2018 8:54 pm
Location: Portrait of a jester; Nople Dople.

Re: The Winter Up There Must Give People Brain Freeze

Postby WingSounds » Wed Oct 17, 2018 9:42 pm

Could I add a corollary to your earlier comment? This one:

Mongrel wrote:In many ways Harper wasn't wrong when he proclaimed that Canada is a conservative country...


I'd say humanity trends small-c conservative. It's only when a country's large C-conservative's take power, as they so often do, that the small-c types decide that being apathetic tools is worth voting for the other guy/s and maybe fixing the issue. I remember writing a piece shortly after Harper's first win that, should he maintain power, he'd end up doing a lot of damage to large-C conservative issues in Canada.

And although there's obviously still a lot of dunderheads to deal with, I stand by it. The overwhelming thrust on a lot of issues has changed, drastically, since the early 2000s.

Little victories are still victories, and though I've zero interest in weed myself (as I'm probably, like, 80% carcinogen/caffeine), it's neat. I was going to bake (oho) a cake to celebrate for my friends, but they preferred to netflix and, well, netflix; and good for them.

User avatar
Mongrel
Posts: 21290
Joined: Mon Jan 20, 2014 6:28 pm
Location: There's winners and there's losers // And I'm south of that line

Re: The Winter Up There Must Give People Brain Freeze

Postby Mongrel » Thu Oct 18, 2018 4:32 pm

Starr and I just decided that henceforth Dougie will be known as "Premier Stay Puft".
Image

User avatar
WingSounds
Posts: 219
Joined: Tue Oct 09, 2018 8:54 pm
Location: Portrait of a jester; Nople Dople.

Re: The Winter Up There Must Give People Brain Freeze

Postby WingSounds » Thu Oct 18, 2018 10:32 pm

If Legault can then be known as "Premier Huff n' Puff" my life will be completely complete.

User avatar
WingSounds
Posts: 219
Joined: Tue Oct 09, 2018 8:54 pm
Location: Portrait of a jester; Nople Dople.

Re: The Winter Up There Must Give People Brain Freeze

Postby WingSounds » Sat Oct 20, 2018 2:31 am

I'm going to stack this here, because Alaska is basically Canada, but not.

Governor Walker drops re-election bid.

This is huge and I have two minds. On the one, I personally dislike Begich for his opportunism. Not so much his political positions, but his ability to insert himself into every race at every inopportune time, and I hate that Alaskans have soured on Walker almost solely because he raised the idea of touching the 'sacred Permanent Fund' - which, like any extraction-based economy, is a bribe from the state to look the other way while huge bribes are given to the extractors.

Alaska is not falling apart, exactly, nor is it a particularly red state; the Dems actually control the state House because of crossbenching Republicans, to give you an idea of how relatively independent it is. But the Permanent Fund is money that could be used for infrastructure, for hospitals, for schools; the complete meltdown of Alaskans when their once-a-year 1000-2000$ is broached is... Mmn.

So it disappoints me to see Walker going, even if it's because of rumours that Mallott, his well-regarded Lt. Governor, may have done... Something? I'm wary of taking anything at face value, but Mallot's sudden resignation is - yeah, interesting.

HOWEVER.

If even a bare majority of votes go to Begich, he could legitimately take the governorship, and as much as I've resented his self-aggrandisement in the pass, a democratic-governed Alaska would be, hrmn. I'd be glad, very glad to see it happen. It'll still be an uphill struggle, but there's a lot of resentment for 'local' republicans; not just among Alaska Natives, which are a huge bloc, the largest groups of which often lean R (smaller bands go D - it's a long, complicated analysis that I am deliberately oversimplifying for the purpose of this rant), are pretty fed up with.

Really, it'll depend on how fed up the enlisted (another big bloc) are, and if the blue zones in Juneau and Fairbanks turn up. Anchorage is a weird example where it's not really a blue city, despite being the biggest populated region in the state and very diverse, because it's incredibly spread out. It might be best to think of Anchorage as several villages/suburbs and one superburb as an example of how it splits, which is slight-republican. That's been changing too, for a long time, but I don't think national politics will have much effect on it, for better or worse. (Again, Alaska is unique, here.)

This is exciting, too, because it might energise down-ballot races. Even if Begich doesn't win, if he carries Alyse Galvin across the finish line, that'd be enough for me to say that all is forgiven.

I realise this is all word-barf, but I need to get it out somewhere.

User avatar
Mongrel
Posts: 21290
Joined: Mon Jan 20, 2014 6:28 pm
Location: There's winners and there's losers // And I'm south of that line

Re: The Winter Up There Must Give People Brain Freeze

Postby Mongrel » Mon Oct 22, 2018 11:04 pm

Unsurprisingly, bland, white, and male was re-elected in the Toronto mayoral race.

Personally I'm glad the 2nd place finisher - a nominal leftist, but a fairly entitled white one, who mainly started fights with people - didn't make it. Most odiously, she stole ideas from minority candidates throughout the race and claimed they were her own.

But the best news tonight was the city council race up in Ward 7 (not our ward), where after more than 20 years the walking punchline in a suit, Giorgio Mammolitti IS GONNNNNNNE
Mammoliti famously tore off his shirt in council chambers to protest a proposed a nude beach in 1999. He warned councillors of the “bare breast craze” in 1997, claiming a court decision that allowed women to go shirtless in public would lead to men fondling breasts at bus stops and the looming possibility of an “informal kiss on the breast.”

His apparent fear of nudity did not stop him from spending a council lunch break in a dark Etobicoke strip club with councillors Frank Di Giorgio and Cesar Palacio in 2009 for an “industry facility tour.” (They said they didn’t watch the performances.)

Mammoliti also proposed a regulated brothel-filled red light district for Toronto Islands in 2011.

In an impassioned speech in support of Toronto’s 2000 Olympic bid, Mammoliti said: “Stop riding the miserable old donkey of doom and gloom and get on the strong, muscular thoroughbred horse of hope.”

An ally of mayor Rob Ford, Mammoliti was emboldened in that era, charging taxpayers $25,000 to renovate his constituency office, calling Parkdale a “pedophile district” and claiming his phone was tampered with by former city hall employees. He also underwent brain surgery in 2013.

When asked to comment on his loss Monday night, Mammoliti said, “Nah, not to the Toronto Star. You guys have been horrible to me over the last 28 years. My quote to the Toronto Star is ‘you should be ashamed of yourselves.’”

Fun fact: The top 3 autocomplete suggestions on google for Mammo are "Mafia", "Joke", and "Cockroach"

HAHAH YES, FUCK YOU, MAMMO. GET THE FUCK OUT.
Image

User avatar
WingSounds
Posts: 219
Joined: Tue Oct 09, 2018 8:54 pm
Location: Portrait of a jester; Nople Dople.

Re: The Winter Up There Must Give People Brain Freeze

Postby WingSounds » Tue Oct 23, 2018 7:26 am

He also underwent brain surgery in 2013.


Sometimes, I wonder if this is a phantasm, or just a waking dream.
Anyways, congratulations on (another ward's) Mammoliti eviction. I vaguely recall him from Ford I, and eviction couldn't happen to a nicer individual. I'm heartened by the early voting we're seeing, westward ho... But, for the election, any info on turnout?

User avatar
Mongrel
Posts: 21290
Joined: Mon Jan 20, 2014 6:28 pm
Location: There's winners and there's losers // And I'm south of that line

Re: The Winter Up There Must Give People Brain Freeze

Postby Mongrel » Tue Oct 23, 2018 11:55 am

Dunno exact numbers, but the turnout was tepid, since the Mayor romped to an easy re-election.
Image

User avatar
Büge
Posts: 5442
Joined: Mon Jan 20, 2014 6:56 pm

Re: The Winter Up There Must Give People Brain Freeze

Postby Büge » Tue Oct 23, 2018 12:19 pm

I'm not really in the mood to celebrate when 3.4% of the vote went to a Nazi.
Image

User avatar
Mongrel
Posts: 21290
Joined: Mon Jan 20, 2014 6:28 pm
Location: There's winners and there's losers // And I'm south of that line

Re: The Winter Up There Must Give People Brain Freeze

Postby Mongrel » Tue Oct 23, 2018 12:25 pm

Well, if it's any consolation, that's actually pretty dang low for a Nazi on a "generic ballot" anywhere in the western world at the moment. :/

I'm a lot more disappointed that council is mostly re-elected incumbent middle-aged white males. And that that deranged old hag Nunziata is still around... but her ward will probably blindly vote for her forever.
Image

User avatar
nosimpleway
Posts: 4518
Joined: Mon Jan 20, 2014 7:31 pm

Re: The Winter Up There Must Give People Brain Freeze

Postby nosimpleway » Tue Oct 23, 2018 1:08 pm

The bad news is a whole 3% of voters supported a Nazi!

The worse news is that only being 3% makes that the good news.

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 28 guests