Canada Day tunage

In honour of Canada Day, here’s a selection of great Canadian music for you.

First up, Toronto’s Holy Fuck, who buck the system (fuck the system?) by giving themselves a name that can’t be pronounced on the radio, thus forcing radio & tv stations to either bleep their name every time they play them, or simply not play them at all.

Lovely Allen

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CBC *hearts* Bittorrent

Apparently, the CBC is taking a huge step into the digital frontier.  This weekend, after their television show Canada’s Next Great Prime Minister airs, they will be releasing the high def version of the show, via bittorrent for absolutely free.

See, the CBC’s mandate requires it to make its programming "available throughout Canada by the most appropriate and efficient means."  If bittorrent appears to be an "appropriate and efficient means", then they will continue to do release programs in this way.

However, as Michael Geist points out:

Using BitTorrent allows the CBC to meet its statutory mandate, yet with ISPs such as Rogers engaging in non-transparent traffic shaping, millions of Canadians may be unable to fully access programming funded by tax dollars.  If the CBC experiment is successful, look for more broadcasters to do the same and for the CRTC to face mounting pressure to address net neutrality concerns.

I had no idea

…That Canada was so dangerous!

Apparently, the Australian Government has listed Canada as a place where travellers should "exercise caution".  Here are some of the reasons:

Terrorism

We advise you to exercise caution and monitor developments that might affect your safety in Canada because of the risk of terrorist attack.

Natural Disasters, Severe Weather and Climate

The province of British Columbia in western Canada is in an active earthquake zone.

Alberta and British Columbia are also subject to avalanches.

Bush and forest fires can occur any time in Canada.

Of course, when you look at the warning in context, it doesn’t seem so bad (aside from the Terrorism warning…but maybe that’s just me?).  But when the Canadian Press writes about it…its more sensationalized:

Quoting CP:

Apparently our problems stem from the threat of terrorism, heavy snow, ice and forest fires that can erupt "at any time."

British Columbia, in particular, was singled out as being in an active earthquake zone and "subject to avalanches" along with Alberta.

See, here’s an example of how the news gets twisted.  I went into writing this entry thinking "How unfair of Australia to make such an unfair - and unresearched - judgment".  Now, having looked at the actual entry in question, its a case of Not News being published as news (Drew Curtis would be proud).  So, now I’m not ticked at the Australian travel advisory…I’m ticked at CP for making a mountain out of a molehill.