Here is why Toronto Police Chief Bill Blair has no credibility. Why do Canadians put up with such brazen dishonesty and lack of integrity in their public officials?
Something fans of irony can appreciate
After spending the last couple of weeks twisting foreign and corporate arms (successfully) to take down Julian Assange, the United States takes a break in order to celebrate “World Press Freedom Day”. Clearly the US State Department would be unable to detect irony even if “irony” was a baseball bat that was used to repeatedly smash the limbs and skulls of whistleblowers.
Clearly this is double-plus-ungood. Really, Americans, do you think anyone’s taking you seriously on that one?
Plus ça change…
Daniel Ellsberg: “EVERY attack now made on WikiLeaks and Julian Assange was made against me and the release of the Pentagon Papers at the time.” Ultimately things haven’t changed very much in American government in the past 40 years, and embarrassing the USG will lead to them leaning on their international partners (Sweden, the UK, Paypal, Visa, MC) to make your life hell. It’s a sorry spectacle, and exposes shortcomings in Obama’s so-called opposition to censorship and desire for an open and transparent society. Principles, it would seem, do not stand any sort of test, and should be abandoned the moment they become difficult to keep.
Obama also said he wouldn’t extend the Bush “top 2%” tax cuts, and he did. Frankly I can’t think of a politician who’s been more of a disappointment in recent memory, largely I suppose because the expectations were so low for everyone else (I always knew Harper would be an authoritarian right-winger, for example). But at this point I have to wonder where Obama thinks he’ll get votes in 2012. He’s been a huge disappointment to the left by being about the equivalent of a George W. Bush with a triple-digit IQ, and the right wing is always going to hate him. His strategy right now is probably to hope that the Republicans will nominate a lazy, attention-whoring, unqualified, monumental moron, which should bring a good cross-section of the population into the Democratic fold, but what if the GOP doesn’t nominate Sarah Palin? What then?
Bait & Switch?
Maybe it’s just me, but when I enter a discount code good for a web site (I received the “invitation” today) I kinda expect the discount code to go towards the cost of an order at the same site. Â Especially when Barnes & Noble send out a “25% off anything” promo. However this doesn’t seem to apply to the new Nook Color, which apparently can’t be ordered at all from where I am.
So yes, I was drunk enough to attempt to order a new Nook Color, but B&N sees it fit to stop me from ordering it. Maybe they’re desperately trying to stop me from making a very stupid, drunken mistake. Â Well cheers B&N, you’re pretty much right. Â After panning the last incarnation of the Nook I really should know better than to spend money on such a flawed product. Thanks for saving me the money I guess. One could only hope all online merchants were so scrupulous.
A word of advice
I’m not a fraud specialist, nor do I want to encourage people to defraud authorities, but if you’re going to pretend you’re pregnant so as to get state benefits you really should stop claiming after 9 months. A pregnancy that lasts more than 3 years becomes suspect at some point.
For the new realities of flying
Concerned about the full-body scanner at the airport exposing your unmentionables? Just stick those Flying Pasties on and your modesty is protected, at least until they pull you into the side room for a strip search. As for myself, I feel that seeing me naked is its own punishment.
Delicious carnage and flavorful assaults
If you’re a military history buff and you’re hungry you’ll probably enjoy this montage of America-centric warfare from WWII to present-day in the medium of food.
A REMINDER
TODAY IS INTERNATIONAL CAPS LOCK DAY, SO CELEBRATE LOUDLY!
Micro-USB is the new, er, USB
Consider me somewhat of a gadget-trend barometer if you will, but I couldn’t help but notice that the last several gadgets I’ve purchased use a micro-USB connector for data exchange and battery recharge. Those gadgets have included the following:
- Archos 5 internet tablet (when it came out people thought it used a proprietary connector)
- B&N Nook
- Google Nexus One smart phone
- Amazon Kindle 3
- Motorola Rokr S305 Bluetooth headphones
Obviously this isn’t the totality of gadgets, but there’s clearly a trend there. In fact I’d say that within a year the only USB devices to use a Mini-USB connector will be knockoffs.
Maple Leaf Hot Wings
Every time I make those I tell myself that I should put the recipe online, and tonight for the first time I haven’t forgotten. This is a recipe for spicy wings that’s derived from a Korean wing recipe I’ve seen on the internet, only adapted to suit the ingredients I happened to have at the time — including maple syrup, hence the name (yeah, imagination isn’t my strong suit). It’s hot, and it’s tasty as hell.
Marinade/sauce
- In a bowl, combine the following:
- 4 tbsp chili paste (this stuff)
- 2 tbsp hot chili powder (I use this one these days)
- 1/2 tbsp cayenne pepper
- 1.5 tbsp minced or chopped garlic
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tbsp ground mixed pepper
- Mix thoroughly, so the powders won’t stay in a clump or stick to the sides of the bowl.
- Take 24 chicken wings. Place in a large ziploc bag, then douse with the sauce you just prepared. Mix well, make sure the sauce gets on all exposed chicken bits.
- Place in your fridge overnight (or longer).
- Bake the wings on a cookie sheet for 60 minutes at 350F/180C, turn halfway through.
- Enjoy.
This will produce wings that have a good spicy kick to them. They’re not 5-alarm wings or anything like that, but they’re really tasty and you can actually enjoy eating them.
Of course if that’s not spicy enough, ditch the chili powder and use 2 tbsp of cayenne pepper, but be forewarned — that will turn the heat up to 11. And if you think the wings are spicy on the way in, wait until the next day… ’nuff said.