Oh Canada!

Ah, cool. Here's the source: http://www.reddit.com/r... - Micah

The Conservative government revealed Bill C-30, "The Protecting Children from Internet Predators Act" in the House of Commons, requiring telecommunications companies to give police customers’ information without a court order. - Stephan Planken from Bookmarklet

-- Second attempt for this. A worrying development, if you ask me. - Stephan Planken

"The Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists charges American actors and other non-members a 25 percent processing fee, while members of the Canadians-only organization pay a fraction of that amount. The union blames “U.S. actors coming up and taking Canadian jobs.” An Arctic blast swept in from Canada last week as that country’s largest performers union rebuffed efforts by American actors seeking refunds of a 25 percent “service charge” the union withholds from their residuals checks, The Hollywood Reporter has learned. The fee, which applies to non-members only, is as much as 11 times higher than what members pay, but according to the union – the Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists – membership is only open to Canadian citizens or residents. OUR EDITOR RECOMMENDS Residuals Revelation: Network Primetime Residuals as Chilly for SAG/AFTRA and DGA as WGA (exclusive analysis) WGA West Member Earnings Down, Residuals Up Dramatically RELATED TOPICS... more... - Spidra Webster from Bookmarklet

Wow. There are SHITLOADS of Canadian actors down here working and SAG doesn't charge them a fee for the same thing. - Spidra Webster

"Florence Lawrence (January 2, 1886 – December 28, 1938) was a Canadian inventor and silent film actress. She is often referred to as "The First Movie Star." When she was popular, she was known as "The Biograph Girl," "The Imp Girl," and "The Girl of a Thousand Faces." Lawrence appeared in close to 300 films for various motion picture companies." - Spidra Webster from Bookmarklet

"Also at Vitagraph was a young actor, Harry Solter, who was looking for 'a young, beautiful equestrian girl' to star in a film to be produced by the Biograph Studios under the direction of D.W. Griffith. Griffith, the head of Biograph Studios, had noticed the beautiful blonde-haired woman in one of Vitagraph's films. Because the film's actors received no mention, Griffith had to make... more... - Spidra Webster

"A British Columbia MLA recently completed his month on welfare. Jagrup Brar, the MLA for Surrey-Fleetwood, and a member of the New Democrat Party, left his middle-class lifestyle behind to get in touch with the poorest of the poor. Starting on New Year’s Day, he had $610 to live on throughout the month. That’s the amount social assistance provides to single adults who are considered employable. He spent the latter-half of January living in the notorious Eastside, Vancouver’s skid row, and after rent and public transit, only $108 was left to cover his food expenses for the month. He ran out of money a few days early. The last of his cash went to some bread and eggs. When the month ended and his self-imposed challenge was complete, he was able to return to his Surrey home, a good 15 pounds lighter and “a changed man,” by his own admission. “I was full of fear about what it would be like living in the Downtown Eastside with all the stereotyping I had in my mind about people here. But... more... - Spidra Webster from Bookmarklet

via Chris Kim A on G+ - Spidra Webster

Should be mandatory for anyone who is elected to public office. - Que Sarah Sarah from iPhone

"Welcome to the 2012 Maple Production Agriphone service for the 2012 tapping season. The purpose of the Maple Agriphone service is to provide Ontario's maple syrup producers with weather and production related information throughout the sap collection and syrup processing season. Some useful production tips and announcements of important maple events are also included. The Maple Agriphone messages are based in part on weekly maple production reports provided by maple syrup producers from across Ontario to the OMAFRA Maple Syrup Specialist. Producer reports are welcome and appreciated at any time during the week preferably by email: todd.leuty@ontario.ca or telephone: (519) 826-3215." - Spidra Webster from Bookmarklet

"So far this winter, many syrup producers are speculating on the effect this year's mild January and early February weather will have on sap flow this coming season. It is difficult to predict how well sap will flow this coming season and all we can say is, 'we will know by April'. Very little snow has fallen in southern areas of the province this winter and the ground has remained bare... more... - Spidra Webster

So all you Canadians can get to tapping... - Spidra Webster

more here: http://harkavagrant.com/index... - Andrew C (✓)

that's funny eh? - Mike Nencetti

"The ACTA proposal must not be allowed in Canada. The proposed laws and changes to Canadian laws place privacy of Canadian Citizens, and the right to a fair trial process in jeopardy. I'm extremely concerned about the steps taken by the Canadian Government to hide the details regarding the changes to Canadian laws which will help meet the needs of American Corporations. Why has our Goverment not revealed any details to the public regarding the proposed changes? The concerns I have are the same concerns of many unspoken Canadians who are sitting on the fence waiting for some lobbying group to stand up for their rights. Those groups don't know the impacts coming and therefore don't know what to speak to. Firstly, we should identify what rights will be impacted. Secondly, let us discuss who will benefit from this. Third and lastly, let us discuss the open market and jobs created and profits generated by existing laws and the digital age which the RIAA and MPAA refuse to step up to and adapt to for fear of losing their vice like grip on profits." - daveeza from Bookmarklet

"Research In Motion Ltd. (RIMM) shook up its top management, replacing co-Chief Executive Officers Jim Balsillie and Mike Lazaridis, who guided the BlackBerry maker for two decades and struggled to compete against Apple Inc. (AAPL) Thorsten Heins, a chief operating officer who joined RIM four years ago from Siemens AG, will replace the pair in the CEO post effective immediately, RIM said in a statement." - Stephan Planken from Bookmarklet

I agree. They have been so far behind for so long that this seems an interim move. - Stephan Planken from iPhone

In an effort to save taxpayers about $16 million annually, new versions of the loonie and toonie will be introduced this spring made from steel, replacing the more expensive nickel found in the current versions of the coins. A detailed summary of the change filed by the federal government in the Canada Gazette last month says the new coins will be slightly lighter, cheaper to produce and ship, and harder to counterfeit. They're also going to cost Canada's coin-operated industries about $40 million in recalibration costs to make vending machines recognize the new coinage, says the government. And businesses who count their coins by weight will have to first separate the old currency from the new. - Stephan Planken from Bookmarklet

:l - mina_sydney

Well that's confusing. They could've just named the new one "huge" or "jumbo" or something. - m9m, Crone of FriendFeed

Just ask for the carafe. - Stephan Planken from iPod

"Reporting from Vancouver, Canada, and Los Angeles -- The investigation of Hollywood arson suspect Harry Burkhart widened Thursday to include a probe by Canadian authorities into whether he was involved in a series of suspicious fires in Vancouver. Burkhart, who has been charged with 37 felony counts related to the New Year's weekend arson rampage, lived in Vancouver with his mother before moving to the Los Angeles area. Vancouver Police Department spokesman Lindsey Houghton said officials "have begun to liaise with the LAPD" but stressed that detectives have not connected Burkhart to any specific fires in that city. Several Canadian news outlets reported that police were looking into any possible connection between Burkhart and at least 12 suspicious property arsons last year in Vancouver that remain unsolved. It's unclear, however, whether Burkhart was in the city at the times those fires occurred. News of the probe comes a day after German prosecutors confirmed Burkhart, 24, was... more... - Spidra Webster from Bookmarklet

LAPD, while you're swinging through, please pick up Randy Quaid on your way. KTHXBY - Micah

Geez..all they way to Canada? How did he even get away with it up until now? - Anna Lynn M.

So #itgetsbetter is what we tell kids, so when's that? After Uni now? I don't think so, take religion out of the equation yes. Here's the first paragraph: "As some of you may be aware, a few homophobic and anti-abortion flyers were recently distributed within the University of Alberta residence system. This was not authorized as the University does not allow solicitation without the express permission of the Office of the Vice-President (Finance and Administration), which was not given in this case." - The Real sofarsoShawn

:( - edythe from iPhone

"As for the unhappiest place in Canada, Scholz points to Alberta. Although he said Alberta has low unemployment and crime rates, he speculated that feelings of dissatisfaction there may have to do with expectations. Albertans have apparently set theirs high." - Stephan Planken from Bookmarklet

I bet it's that -40 degrees C weather that will be greeting us soon. :-) - Stephan Planken

"The iTunes App Store offers Vancouver Map With Subway for free. That's a $2 drop and the best deal we could find for this map app." - Spidra Webster from Bookmarklet

It is a whopping 87.8 MB, though! - Spidra Webster

"Happy Festivus Canada! Not often we get to say this, but it is way colder out east than it is out west! Sudbury will be the Winter Capital, with a Long John Index of 3! Little Cold Snap and some snow for Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada, while it's rather balmy out West! Really Windy in Grande Prairie and Lethbridge, but balmy! Still Cold up North, though a bit of a break for Yellowknife! Excited for the All Request Index too! Lots of first time suggestions! Vancouver - NA Kamlooped - 1 Edmonton, Calgary, Fort McMurray NFLD - NA Banff, Red Deer, Saskatoon, Regina, Winnipeg, Thunder (Danger) Bay - 1 Sudbury - 3 Windzor, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal - 1 Quebec City - 2 Fredericton, Halifax, Truro, Green Gables, St. John's - 1 Whitehorse, Yellowknife - 1 Iqaluit, Inuvik - 4 Alert, Top of Canada This week's All Request Index: Towns and Cities as requested by YOU Saint Hubert, Quebec - 3 Outlook, Saskatchewan - 2 Hubbards, Nova Scotia - NA Souris, Prince Edward Island - NA Flin Flon,... more... - Spidra Webster from Bookmarklet

via m9m - Spidra Webster

Gawking at the hilarious hideousness of Don Cherry’s clothing - Spidra Webster from Bookmarklet

He's way past due. - Brent

Could be worse, he could be in a ball cap 24-7. - Micah

"The sharp drop in the stock market cut Canadian's net worth by $4,600 per household in the third quarter, Statistics Canada reported Tuesday. Bank of Canada Governor Mark Carney warned Monday that Canadian households need to end their spending splurge, particularly on homes, because debt levels have reached 149 per cent of income, higher than in the U.S. or Britain. But the Statistics Canada numbers released Tuesday put the debt level even higher, at 150.8 per cent of income." - Stephan Planken from Bookmarklet

:( - Winckel from iPod

Yeah, I'm feelin' it. - Brent from iPhone

"SCTV's Bob & Doug McKenzie from The Great White North perform The 12 Days of Christmas" - Spidra Webster from Bookmarklet

"Using familiar streets and locales — and plenty of snow — a Winnipeg teenager created an homage to his city in a music video that's taking YouTube by [winter] storm. Sixteen-year-old Sean Quigley, a grade-11 student at Winnipeg's Oak Park High School, produced, directed and edited the video of his going-viral rock-heavy rendition of "Little Drummer Boy." Quigley arranged, composed, recorded, mixed and mastered the song, in addition to playing all the instruments on the track. "My dad was a drummer, so he got me into that early," Quigley told the Winnipeg Sun, adding that he began learning to play at age of 4. "Then I just sort of expanded my music in general, learning different instruments. A lot was self-taught. There were a few formal lessons, as well."" - AJ Batac :) from Bookmarklet

"There's no hiding it. Every Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) rep that steps foot on Charles Rhora's farm can see it. Rhora's Wainfleet nut farm and nursery is organic and the forest of weeds shrouding his youngest seedlings and saplings destined to be planted in locales around the world are a dead giveaway. "I had someone here from the CFIA and she looked around and said, 'Yup, you're organic,'" Rhora said with a laugh. But Rhora's weedy ways are for more than convincing the food safety watchdogs that his work is above board. Those towering goldenrod, lanky milkweeds and other herbaceous interlopers are Rhora's irrigation system, collecting the dew to trickle down and keep his seedlings' roots moist. "The more the better," Rhora said about his weeds. "I'd rather have it looking a little messy than have it ruined for future generations. The neighbours grow corn and soy. All they do is spray." Rhora has been farming 40 years, most of that time devoted to his unique crop that... more... - Spidra Webster from Bookmarklet

Ah, a wee part of our history, distilled into a 1 minute. - Spidra Webster from Bookmarklet

Sir Sandford Fleming was the name of my elementary school :) - Ken Morley

"Premier Alison Redford is calling on two cabinet ministers to deliver broadband service to rural areas. The Tories vowed more than a decade ago to make Alberta a world leader with a $300-million SuperNet, but it failed to deliver. In areas with low population densities, there’s often little financial incentive for Internet service providers. Goal is to bring broadband connectivity to 98 per cent of the province." - Stephan Planken from Bookmarklet

First seeing, then believing. There are fibers several miles from us but never anything was undertaken to actually utilize it. I am sure as ratepayers we picked up the tab for it, though. - Stephan Planken

"OTTAWA - It will take a social-media and community-savvy city staffer to engage the public and bolster cycling as a trend in Ottawa. While Citizens for Safe Cycling has historically advocated for infrastructure improvements such as cycling lanes, the tone of the keynote speaker at CFSC’s Nov. 1 annual general meeting represented a bit of a shift, said board member Risa Sargent. Hayley Richardson, the outreach co-ordinator for the transportation demand management program of the city of Bellevue, near Seattle, spoke to the group about using social media such as Twitter and Facebook to engage people on cycling issues. Richardson said she turned to social media as a way to connect with a largely unengaged population of cyclists in Bellevue. It was something she had to convince the bureaucratic old guard would work, but so far, taking to Facebook and Twitter has been a great success for Bellevue, Richardson said. “It’s a great forum for people to think about what could be,” she said.... more... - Spidra Webster from Bookmarklet

"You just never know when you’re going to need help in return for a good deed. For Victor Giesbrecht, it was almost immediately. That’s because minutes after helping two women change a tire on the side of a Wisconsin highway, the 61-year-old Winnipeg resident suffered a heart attack. The women’s help, including a quick call to emergency services and some basic CPR, helped save his life. “We’ll forever be in their debt,” Giesbrecht’s wife, Ann, said of the pair." - AJ Batac :) from Bookmarklet

#goodkarma - AJ Batac :)

"A woman taking part in the Occupy Vancouver protest at the city's art gallery has died, Vancouver police have confirmed. Police say a woman in her 20s was found unresponsive inside a tent at the encampment at about 4:30 p.m. PT Saturday. She was taken to hospital by ambulance, where she later died. Her name has not been released. Police say the cause of death has not been determined,and would not confirm reports the woman died of a drug overdose. However, Lauren Gill, an organizer at the camp, said the woman apparently died of a drug overdose. She said the death highlights the need for more addiction services because drugs are such a big issue in the city. Gill, who is running as an independent in this month's city elections, said that as an outreach worker in mental health and addiction services, she has seen far too many overdose deaths. A section of the tent city near the corner of Howe and Georgia streets had been roped off, and about a dozen police and fire officials were on... more... - Spidra Webster from Bookmarklet

"We’re about 120—excuse me, 150 to 170 kilometers off the coast of Gaza. It will take us about another day and a half to get there. As I mentioned in the report, the activists and the organizers of both flotillas do not want to reach Gaza’s borders, at least the territorial region, until daylight. They do not want to have a similar situation to what happened to the Mavi Marmara. That boat was attacked in the evening. And they want to avoid any kind of misperception about violence, if violence is committed. As mentioned in the report, as well, there’s also a commitment to nonviolent resistance. There was training for that today on the boats to make sure that if we do come in contact with the Israelis, there will be no confrontation from those on either boats. Aside from that, the spirits have been very high. AMY GOODMAN: Jihan, is there a boat that is following you? JIHAN HAFIZ: At the moment, there is not. There was—last night, up until 4:00 in the morning, on our side, there was an... more... - daveeza from Bookmarklet

"It's official: Mint is now ready for Canada. You can see your financial accounts in one place, set budgets, and do more with your money — for free. We support all major Canadian banks and accounts, and find you personalized savings so you can spend less. And our award winning Mint app is available in the Canadian iPhone and Android app stores." - AJ Batac :) from Bookmarklet

Mint.com is awesome, and their app keeps me on track wherever I go - Shevonne