Author: Joey deVilla

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In the News

Blogs as a Source For Strategic Intelligence

In a comment for the previous entry, Sloot pointed out this story, Blog-Tracking May Gain Ground Among US Intelligence Officials:

Some blogs are whimsical and deal with “soft” subjects. Others, though, are cutting edge in delivering information and opinion.

As a result, some analysts say U.S. intelligence and law enforcement

officials might be starting to track blogs for important bits of

information. This interest is a sign of how far Web media such as blogs

have come in reshaping the data-collection habits of intelligence

professionals and others, even with the knowledge that the accuracy of

what’s reported in some blogs is questionable.

Still, a panel of folks who work in the U.S. intelligence field – some

of them spies or former spies – discussed this month at a conference in

Washington the idea of tracking blogs.

“News and intelligence is about listening with a critical ear, and

blogs are just another conversation to listen to and evaluate. They

also are closer to (some situations) and may serve as early alerts,”

said Jock Gill, a former adviser on Internet media to President Clinton

(news – web sites), in a later phone interview, after he spoke on the

panel.

Hmmm…

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Uncategorized

Discuss!

I’m busy racing to get the Blogware

manual done in time for the release, so my time for personal blogging

is a little short. However, I’d like to point you to a couple of

discussions.

The Serious

The Shotgun is the blog for The Western Standard, “Independent Voice of the New West”, a new Canadian magazine for conservatives. In response to a post called “the Tragedy of Torontonian compassion” (which rightfully rips Accordion City’s men’s shelter Seaton House for providing free wine and cigarettes to the men they serve, sometimes as an incentive to get off the street), Kathy “Relapsed Catholic” Shaidle suggests bringing back the vagrancy laws, to which Tim from Right On! replies:

Further to bring back the vagrancy laws, let’s dump the charter. It’s killing our legal system.

(By “charter”, he means the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.)

To which I asked: “What would you put in place of the Charter?”

Bob “Let It Bleed” Tarantino discusses my question on The Shotgun (he also covers it on his blog) and I’m hoping to get my two cents in later today. Go give it a look and see if you can contribute.

And the Not-So-Serious (or: “Fur and Loathing in LiveJournal“)

The fact that it’s a debate on LiveJournal should be a warning in itself, but it’s like a gruesome car accident: you want to look away, but you can’t.

Here’s the debate topic, written by one Mr. High Road:

…a member of this community identified them selves as “a shapeshifter

Otherkin” it also states that it is “human. But no, none of my forms

are human or humanoid.” Now we have heard this kinda of wacky bull shit

before. I wonder though if it really believes it’s somehow more than

human? I didn’t take much Psychology in college, but from what I do

remember that state of disassociation with humanity is sociopathic in

nature, and potentially dangerous. This may seem silly, but remember we

see them as moronic twits is retarded costumes, but they see them

selves as those creatures they dress up as

For Debate:

Should we fear the furries and otherkin? As they become more demented

and farther away from true reality what is to stop them from truly

acting like the animals they identify as? Should I be fearful for my

children’s safety if a furrie is near?

My Stance: I feel

that we need to be proactive on this issue. These freaks are a danger

to our children, and I say that we do something now before they start

trying to molest and eat our babies. At least the FBI profiles those

sick childmolesters Child Haters like those that hang out in [info]childfree,

but I doubt that furries are even in the range of their radar. These

people are sick demented perverts, and should be handled as such.

That’s right, it’s a debate about furries and otherkin,

and it goes on and on and on, with trolls putting out the flamebait and

LiveJournalers “rising” to the challenge with less debating skill than

the omelette I had for breakfast.

Still, fascinating stuff. Much better than reality TV!

Categories
In the News It Happened to Me

Tonight on CTV News at 11: David Akin Interviews Elliot Noss


David helps Lucien the camera operator focus as Elliot gets set up for the interview. This took place in the lobby of the Tucows offices.

This is a shot of journalist David Akin (who reports on business and technology for CTV News and writes for the Globe and Mail) setting up Tucows CEO Elliot Noss (a.k.a. my Boss Ross’ boss, Noss) for an interview that will appear on tonight’s 11:00 edition of CTV News. David wanted a local high-tech CEO’s opinions on the upcoming Google IPO and Elliot provided them.

(I met David at the DefCon 8 conference in Las Vegas back in 2000, when Chris Cummer and I were down there to give away copies of ColaVision, a strange but wonderful little OpenCola project, to the hacker hordes. He interviewed us for a National Post article in our hotel room at the Luxor, consuming several cans of Guinness along the way.)

David and Elliot were kind enough to let me video the interview (in fact, they encouraged it — thanks, guys!), and I’ll post the video, more photos and notes later today. As I write this, we are told that David and Lucien the cameraman are fetching a new camera, with which they will film a “you are there” clip with Elliot talking to me at my desk as I show him some new Blogware features.

Categories
In the News It Happened to Me Toronto (a.k.a. Accordion City)

Notes from the Dalai Lama’s Talk: “The Power of Compassion”

Here are my notes from the Dalai Lama’s appearance at Accordion City’s SkyDome on Sunday, April 25th. I took them with pen and paper and transcribed them here.

Anything in quotation marks is a direct quote of the speaker. I’m basically following the rules of “citizen journalism”, which Lisa Williams explains very eloquently in this post on her blog. Fortunately for me, the Dalai Lama’s English is very close to note form.

Media reports on the event:

Opener: Bill Cameron

  • Greetings to all 25,000 in attendance
  • So many different ages and races in the audience
  • SkyDome is normally a place of struggle and competition (“Nothing wrong with that…especially when the Blue Jays are winning”)
  • But today, it’s about peace, harmony and compassion
  • In my industry [television], one of the greatest fears is silence, or what is called “dead air”
  • managers try and fill dead air with voices, musics, blaring sirens and horns
  • Let’s take a moment to enjoy that silence — the silence of 25,000 people together in harmony, and let’s call it “live air”
  • Introduction of Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts troupe performing a “Luck Dance”
  • Dance appeared to 5th Dalai Lama in a dream
  • Short film: Tibet’s Stolen Child
  • About the 11th Panchen Lama: kidnapped by Chinese government in 1989, still under house arrest today
  • His birthday is today
  • Chinese gov’t have produced their own Panchen Lama, who is their puppet
  • Narrated by the unmistakeable voice of Patrick Stewart
  • Speakers in the film:
  • For more information, visit www.tashilhunpo.org

Introduction: Justin Trudeau

(Justin Trudeau is the eldest son of former prime minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau. He gained some fame and admiration in 2000 for his very moving “Je t’aime, Papa” eulogy at his father’s funeral. Depending on whom you ask, Pierre Trudeau is the symbol of what’s right or what’s wrong with Canada.)

  • The Dalai Lama is “someone who knows how to get along just fine…with just about everyone.”
  • Sometimes hard to define words like “compassion” or “love” — esp. when we say things like “I love my shampoo” or when “freedom” means a new convertible — “or an SUV if you live in the Himalayas.”
  • Canada is a country of optimists, hope, compassion and acceptance
  • “We’re just not as good at it as he is.”

Presentation: The Dalai Lama

  • “We are same”
  • We have equal potential for good and for bad
  • “No one one hundred percent bad.”
  • Education is important: “Not just for mere knowledge, but something good for happier life.”
  • Pointed out that education does not guarantee happiness
  • Believes in promotion of human values and religious harmony
  • “If you come here with great expectation, I have nothing to offer you. Just empty words.”
  • Spent majority of his life in exile
  • “Very lazy student”: When it comes to math, geography and world history, “my knowledge is almost zero”
  • Compassion: “Some kind of closeness felling, sense of concern, with respect”
  • From compassion comes “truthful”, which leads to self-confidence, which in turn leads to hope
  • Peace: “Not just the mere absence of violence” — “Peace is the expression of compassion”
  • We learn compassion from the start with a mother’s love (and the love of those who care for us when we are young and helpless)
  • World is heavily interconnected today because of our population growth, technology and economy
  • “We and they no longer there: we are part of they, and they a part of we.”
  • Much of today’s violence has causes that go back to the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries
  • Violence creates more hatred in the other’s mind
  • War: “I usually feel like legalized violence”
  • War is different today: “Destruction of your enemy is destruction of yourself.”
  • “The best way is to dialogue.”
  • 20th century became “century of violence” — “21st century should be century of dialogue”
  • Compassion:
    • “bring us self-confidence”
    • “bring us respect of others”
    • “bring us peaceful calm mind
  • “I think you feel that sometimes our leaders should have more compassion” (applause)
  • Storyabout politician friend in India who said: “I am a politician, and as apolitician, I don’t know much about spirituality and ethics.”
  • “Leaders…politicians…in the mind, something happen. [Points to head] It’s dangerous!” (laughter)
  • Suggestions that world leaders get together for a large gathering with their families and not discuss politics. Just get to know each other and each other’s families. Develop compassion for each other.
  • Story about how he used to fight with his older brothewr as a child: compassion overcomes differences.
  • Compassion not just a religious matter: “So long as we are human being…these deeper values are very necessary”
  • Material developments are necessary, but must be “combined with human value”
  • The term “secular”: “Not rejection of religion, but respect all religion and respect non-believer”
  • Encouraged audience to think about compassion and human values: “Use this [points to head] as your laboratory…not expensive! Nobody pay!”
  • “If you think my points are nonsense, then forget it, no problem.”

Q&A session

What is the biggest problem facing humanity today?

  • Population explosion, especially in the 3rd world
  • Gap between rich and poor
  • Recalling visit to Washington DC: even in the capital of the world’s richest nation, there are poor
  • India’s real transformation must take place not in its cities, but in the rural areas

Why does it seem that there is more negativity than positivity in the world today?

  • “I do not agree world becoming more problem”
  • “You just seeing locally”
  • “Rule of kindness and compassion stronger”
  • “If we really ruthless and not care, we would not have population problem”
  • Story about German physicist friend
    • Teaches him quantum mechanics: “I have keen interest in quantum physics”, but “great teacher, hopeless student”
    • Physicist related how earlier, France was consider the enemy, now “just a neighbour”
    • We look at war differently now — then, more people did not question; now, we ask if it’s necessary and if we don’t belive so, we protest, worldwide
    • We are more concerned about the environment than ever
    • All are signs that there is hope for us as a species

Along with compassion, what other qualities do we need?

  • Knowledge: to see more clearly, to see past appearances
  • “Hatred must have some kind of independent object to hate”, and the target is often chosen based on appearances
  • “Compassion need no specific target”, and based on reality, which can only be perceived through knowledge

Where do you get all your energy?

  • “Good sleep — sometimes 7 hours…sometimes 9 hours, 10 hours…”
  • Heavy breakfast after fasting
  • His peace of mind also a source of energy
  • “Sometimes I feel like ocean. Waves come on surface [makes wave-like motion with hand] but underneath is calm.”

How can we help you to go home?

  • “Buy one ticket from here to Peking, from Peking to Lhasa.” [laughter]
  • “But then, the reality more complicated.” [laughter]
  • “For last 45 years, my physical outside Tibet, but people in Tibet recognize my presence outside useful to them.”
  • Does not believe in disintegration of China, nor separation of Tibet from China
  • “Tibetan, Chinese,” people of all countries, “there is no difference”
  • Instead, favours Tibet staying in China and having “meaningful implementation of autonomy” — “it is already provided for in Chinese constitution” — what’s good for Tibet will also benefit autonomous regions like Taiwan
  • Today, China changing compared 20 years ago: “Judging from brader picture, there is hope”
  • China is going through a transition period, and “smooth transition good for everyone.”
Categories
In the News Music

Hey! Isn’t that Birnam Wood doing the pogo straight for Dunsinane?

Both BBC 6Music and Ananova report that John “Johnny Rotten” Lydon wants Justin “The Former Mister Britney Spears” Timberlake to play him in a film based on his autobiography No Irish, No Blacks, No Dogs.

All reports say that Timberlake agreed to take the role under the proviso that Lydon stay off the set, to which I say “wuss”.

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Toronto (a.k.a. Accordion City)

This Afternoon

I’ll be at SkyDome (just down the street from my super-swanky stylin’ abode, “Big Trouble in Little China”) taking in the Dalai Lama’s presenation, “The Power of Compassion” (here’s the related book). I’ve heard him speak before; he’s a pretty stand-up guy, and dude, he sounds and laughs just like Yoda!

I’ll take some notes and post them here later.

Categories
Uncategorized

Is This Autoeroticism? (or: German Fetish Videos Are Weird, Man)

Pump that pedal, baby! Oooooooh yeah.

Carstuckgirls.com is a German site where you can ogle still photos and purchase videos of young women whose cars are stuck in the mud, snow or sand. The photos and videos are quite safe for work; the models in the videos are fully clothed, although wearing tight jeans or short skirts. That’s all there is to these photos and videos — just comely lasses whose vehicles are stuck, and their attempts to get out.

In these videos, the “money shots” are close-ups of the woman’s foot pumping the accelerator in an attempt to free the car. Some videos also come with “stuck-stories” — first-person narratives supposedly written by the “carstuckgirl” describing how her car got stuck and how she extricated herself. For those of you who have a reputation to protect, you can request for the video to be shipped to you in a plain brown envelope.

This is about as saucy as these videos get.

Looking at the pictures on the site, I feel like those people who stare at stereograms for hours and fail to find the hidden image. Perhaps I’m just an old “stick in the mud”.