Vancouver Secrets

Bad Results From Google?

This site may harm your computer.

Google flags entire internet as malware… For a short time today, all search results were flagged as potentially harmful, with users warned that the site “may harm your computer”.

Users who clicked on their preferred search result were advised to pick another one.

Google attributed the fault to human error and said most users were affected for about 40 minutes.

“What happened? Very simply, human error,” wrote Marissa Mayer, vice president, search products and user experience, on the Official Google Blog.

Unfortunately (and here’s the human error), the URL of ‘/’ was mistakenly checked in as a value to the file and ‘/’ expands to all URLs. Fortunately, our on-call site reliability team found the problem quickly and reverted the file. Since we push these updates in a staggered and rolling fashion, the errors began appearing between 6:27 a.m. and 6:40 a.m. and began disappearing between 7:10 and 7:25 a.m., so the duration of the problem for any particular user was approximately 40 minutes.

Once again, Google shows it isn’t infallible.

photo credit: Andréia

Google Now Officially Obama’s

H/t the big feed

After just over two years, Google has finally defused the “Google Bomb” that has returned US President George W. Bush at the top of its results in a search on “miserable failure”. The move wasn’t a post-State Of The Union Address gift for Bush. Instead, it’s part of an overall algorithm change designed to stop such mass link pranks from working.

A search today now shows the US White House page carrying Bush’s name is no longer top listed. Also gone are pages about Michael Moore and former US president Jimmy Carter that were on the first page of results due to Google bombing actions.

“It’s completely algorithmic,” said Google spam fighting czar Matt Cutts, adding “we’re not going to claim it’s 100 percent perfect.”

Here’s what Google is not telling you.

A week ago, if you searched the term “miserable failure”, it returned Obama as the top result. A reverse google bombing.

Now after 6 years of the Bush derangement, Google, with no other motive, decided to clean up the mess?

Google is shown it’s firmly in the tank for Obama. Who know what else they’ll do to help the cause.

Elizabeth May Reads The Budget For Us

The unquestionable authority on Federal Budgets explains to all of us dirty carbon-loving folks what the budget means.

Her best line: Obama is spending $19 Billion on renewable energy and will create 1.5 million jobs. She then laments that there’s nothing for clean water (we have), green infrastructure and it won’t shift us green. Thank God.

Lizzy pretends to be an authority… and drops her green outfit for a red one. Hmm.

Stimulate This Ignatieff!

The Liberal party will only support the minority Conservative government’s federal budget if Prime Minister Stephen Harper agrees to an amendment calling for a “clear marker” of regular updates to Parliament on the impact of economic stimulus projects, Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff said Wednesday.

Stuff it Iggy… quit playing games with our future. A firestorm is on the horizon and Iggy is deciding whether or not we’ll get water.

It’s a play to get a non-confidence vote every three months, and Canadians should see this as another cynical liberal game.

Harper needs show some backbone on this.

Prime Minister Harper – do the right thing and cut personal taxes and EI employer contributions now. You’ll succeed with the stimulus by March 1st. Plus, you’ll have the worlds best stimulus plan and Canada may avoid the world of hurt that’s on the way.

Public work projects, for the sake of stimulus, are a ridiculous waste and won’t change a thing. They force cities and provinces to take on debt, just to get a road paved to nowhere. $30 billion in debt becomes $90 Billion fast this way. I can live with potholes for a couple of years.

Am I missing something here?

photo credit: terfe

Now Hockey Fights Are Racist?

Of all the hockey fights I’ve watched, been in, or read of, this is a first:

Racism not a factor in Muslim hockey riot: official

BURNABY, B.C. — The president of the B.C. Muslim Sports Association has denied accusations that a recent riot at a ball-hockey tournament was sparked by racism.

“He played last year and nothing happened. You know how (rough) hockey can be – that is normal in hockey. The majority of the players were Sunni but there were a few non-Muslims and non-Sunnis.”

“It was just disgusting. They believe we are non-Muslim. At the end of the day, that is the cause.”

Why this would even be a press item is confusing… replace Muslim with Catholic and see how ridiculous it reads.

I knew when they allowed moms in the dressing room, hockey wouldn’t be the same. Imagine what religion will do to the game.

Banned Super Bowl Ads- Peta

Almost makes me want to skip that burger…

Judging by the site (here), they dumped a small fortune into this. (Who funds these creeps?)

Oh well, at least it’ll get play online.

Iran Not Buying The Change Part. Let’s Try Hope.

Seems that Iran isn’t sold on Obama’s HopeNChange…

Ahmadinejad says Obama must apologise to the Iranian people for Bush

“We welcome change but on condition that change is fundamental and on the right track,” Mr Ahmadinejad told a rally in western Iran broadcast live on state television.

“When they say ’we want to make changes’, change can happen in two ways. First is a fundamental and effective change… The second … is a change of tactics. It is very clear that, if the meaning of change is the second one, this will soon be revealed.”

The new Administration has said that Mr Obama will be breaking from his predecessor by pursuing direct talks with Tehran, while threatening to increase diplomatic pressure if it refuses to accept a UN Security Council demand to halt its disputed nuclear work.

In an interview on Monday with al-Arabiya* television – his first with any major network since becoming president, Mr Obama promised to lay a framework for his policy towards Iran.

“As I said in my inauguration speech, if countries like Iran are willing to unclench their fist, they will find an extended hand from us,” he said.

“It is very important for us to make sure that we are using all the tools of US power, including diplomacy, in our relationship with Iran.”

* Al Arabiya, is a virulently antisemitic Arab satellite network that regularly broadcasts support for jihad and militant Islam. This is an absolutely horrible precedent, and the implied weakness will surely encourage jihadists worldwide—no matter what Obama thinks he’s “communicating” to them. You can see the video here.

Great plan for dealing with a madman… wish you luck.

And the NY Times interpretation: “It was not immediately clear whether Mr. Ahmadinejad’s speech was Tehran’s definitive response to the Obama administration’s offers to open a dialogue.”

Only question is how long it will take Obama to realize that diplomacy has not, and will not, ever work.

A Snowmobile Feat

Levi LaVallee, the first person to ever do a double backflip on a snowmobile…

I wonder if they add this as a Winter Olympic event? Sure beats most of the events…

Glad Someone Gets it.

The Best Part From the Speech from The Throne:

The economic stimulus plan will be a plan of action.

• Our Government is stimulating the economy, both through direct government action and by encouraging private expenditure.
• Our Government is taking immediate action to build Canada through new investment in infrastructure.
• Our Government is acting to protect the stability of our financial system.
• Our Government is acting to ensure access to credit for businesses and consumers.
• Our Government is acting to support Canadian industries in difficulty―including forestry, manufacturing, automotive, tourism, agriculture―and to protect the families and communities who depend on those jobs.
• Our Government is acting to protect the vulnerable: the unemployed, lower-income Canadians, seniors, Aboriginal Canadians and others hit hardest by the global economic recession.

This is the first time I have heard anyone mention private investment and small business (although small business is only mentioned in a round about way).

The way out for Canada is by laying out a clear plan, making sure credit isn’t frozen, and by opening the door for small business to grow.

In 5 years the Fortune 100 won’t include most of the current companies that occupy those spots today. In fact, a great number have left the building already.

Small business and new companies, started in a recession, will get Canada growing, if given the chance.

I’d like to see the process of starting a business become something you can do online for little or no cost. Eliminate taxes for retained earnings. Make year ends filings simple.

If Canadians would facilitate those with ideas and ambition (quit taxing us to death), we could see Canada lead the way out of this mess.

And, please don’t throw all of our “stimulus” into roads and construction. I have no idea how this helps everyday Canadians.

photo credit: Vince Alongi

To find out how to make your small business profitable with a business plan.

To find out how to start an information business using information marketing strategies

We Are Screwed – Rantings Of A Friend.

Received an email from a friend who lives in the US today… seems Obama has finally pushed him over the line:

“We’re fu*#d.

Permanently, I mean.

Until this morning, I thought we were temporarily fu*%ed, then the President made a few announcements this morning.

So far, all he’d done was order the closing of Gitmo (which is the action of a Swarthmore sophomore), delay by 120 days the trial of the Sheik of 9/11 (the action of a fool), steal another trillion dollars from Americans as yet unborn (the action of a what we now know as an intergenerational thief), and guarantee permanent democratic ascendancy by issuing income tax rebates to people who don’t pay income tax (the modern version of panem et circenses). Not to mention bringing back Federal funding for abortions.

This morning, he laid out the first steps of a plan that will dwarf anything done by FDR whose lunacy merely extended the Great Depression by 12 or 13 years.

We’re not going to survive Obama.

This morning, he conflated energy independence and alternate energy sources. Insane.

He squeezed two concepts together:

1) independence from oil from foreign sources and …

2) independence from oil. He knows they are not the same thing. He did not mention our own vast and accessible but politically untouchable oil resources. He did not mention oil refineries.

He did not mention his promise to shut down coal production (and, of course, all the energy, including about 50% of our electricity, that we get from coal.)

He did not mention nuclear electric plants.

He brought “climate change” into the energy “discussion” this morning.

He did not call it global warming. The alarmists don’t call it that any more, either, because they now understand that nothing we do, one way or the other, will impact the temperature of the earth by even one degree F over the next 100 years.

Nonetheless, Obama is going to saddle our auto producers with outlandish fuel economy and emission standards while those companies are struggling to stay in business. Those companies will die and soon.

Best of all, he is doing this by Presidential fiat, executive orders, unlikely to be countermanded, or even discussed, by the House or the Senate.

This is all after one week in the Oval Office. We have at least 208 more weeks to go (there’s a Leap Year in there somewhere).

We’re fu@%ed. “

As it is not yet safe to criticize the Great Leader yet, my friend shall remain nameless…

photo credit: nacaseven

Garth Turner’s Long Goodbye

Seems Garth finally realized that his political career is finished in politics.

Long, long ago, before I’d met Stephen Harper, before I once again won a seat in Parliament, before anyone believed a Conservative government could lose $50 billion in four years, before I was kicked out of my own party live on TV, before I learned Conservatives were no longer Progressive Conservatives, before I became a refugee Liberal, before I lost my seat, before I understood it’s all about power and not the people, before I wasted three years and neglected my wife, before my Tory colleagues shunned and hurt me and my new Grit family embraced me, before I was dooced, before the crash and when I still believed passionately in the integrity and worth of individual democracy, I started this blog.

Now it ends.

So long Garth. Don’t let the door hit you….

Sunday Late Night Funny

Another Obama Voter – listen to the whole thing…

Go Ahead and Repo My Car, “We Got Barack Obama”

A bit of reality from the London Telegraph:

This will end in tears. The Obama hysteria is not merely embarrassing to witness, it is itself contributory to the scale of the disaster that is coming. What we are experiencing, in the deepening days of a global depression, is the desperate suspension of disbelief by people of intelligence – la trahison des clercs – in a pathetic effort to hypnotise themselves into the delusion that it will be all right on the night. It will not be all right…

Winter Games – Vancouver’s Stimulus Plan

Good to know that our politicians in Vancouver are doing our part by spending an unreal amount of money on a glorified hockey tournament, called the Winter Olympics.

The Vancouver Sun has a breakdown, but the bottom line is:

The various levels of government are spending a combined $5.84 billion on the Games. We still don’t know the full cost of: security (budgeted at $175 million, but now estimated at up to $1 billion); the Vancouver Olympic Athletes’ Village; 2010 curriculum; indirect labour costs; municipal torch relay celebrations; municipal programs designed to piggyback on the Olympics..

I wrote in August that the games would cost us at least $3 billion – I guess my wild prediction was off by almost half.

New prediction? 6.5 billion. This will blow away the Montreal Games “debacle” and will translate into much higher property taxes in Vancouver for the next 30 years.

photo credit: Antony Pranata

New York Plane Crash – Landing On Video

The US Coast Guard video camera caught the plane landing on the Hudson – catch the plane skidding in the water at the 2 minute mark…

Simply amazing – you’ll see how fast people got out of the plan and the first responders also.

Oops. Google Wakes Up.

Looks like the party’s over at Google – they laid off 100 recruiters, and it’s a sign that the excess is ending.

Earlier they had laid off 6,000 of their 10,000 contractors, closed the free food cafeterias, and cut tech support to almost nothing…

The surprise is that they now see the light…

From Valleywag:

…100 Jobs Cut

Larry Page and Sergey Brin made grand promises about treating their employees well.

But the pain of the economy has at last hit Google’s staff. (Google has only had one previous staff layoff of note, eliminating superfluous employees after acquiring DoubleClick.)

The recruiters are surely the first wave of layoffs. Some analysts estimate that Google, which has spent freely on frivolous side projects, could run its business with a quarter of the employees it has now; the sheer profitability of its search-advertising monopoly has hidden its inefficient experimentation for years. Google’s first real layoff will not be its last.

Makes me think of a famous Calgary bumper sticker -”Please God, give us another oil boom. This time we promise not to piss it all away“.

Also, check out this hot site for tech news – bringing back the days of the dot com bust.. check it out here. Bonus points if you can remember the name of the site that did the same in 2000-2005.

photo credit: dinimueter

Vancouver Olympics – Declared a Debacle?

Not that I didn’t think this was coming….

From the National Post:

Jean Drapeau, the Montreal mayor who brought Expo ’67 and the 1976 Summer Olympics to his city, once famously boasted, “The Olympics can no more have a deficit than a man can have a baby.” How about two babies? Only last year did Montreal pay off the final instalment of its Olympic debt — more than 30 years after the event. And as details of Vancouver’s fiscal fiasco for hosting the 2010 Winter Games trickle out, it’s easy to see how that city’s taxpayers could still be paying in 2040.

Let us state emphatically, from the outset, that we have every confidence Vancouver and Whistler will host a fabulous Games. A little more than a year from now when the sporting world turns its focus on Canada’s West Coast, it will witness a slick, well-run, thoroughly world-class event, the best Winter Olympics since Calgary’s in 1988. None of the financing controversies now swirling around the Vancouver Games will impact the final product.

But after the competition, there will remain the nagging question of who is going to pay for all the cost overruns, shaky financing and grandiose planning.

I won’t state is as emphatically… we’re going to get hit with a huge bill for these games.

photo credit: clevercupcakes

Payback

I couldn’t resist…

Countdown Until Obama Leaves Office…