"Mount and Thrust"???

Photograph by : Canadian Press/John Cotter

Seriously, every time they talk about Operation Mountain Thrust on the radio, all I hear is "mount and thrust." I'm not fully opposed to a Canadian presence in Afganistan and hopefully our involvement as part of the 11,000 US, British, Canadian and Afghan troops taking part in the offensive will help stabilize the country and weaken the Taliban's grip and so forth.

However, c'mon guys a little subltly in the nameing please. Can I name the next mission? How about "Operation Kill all Taliban"? or, even better, "Operation Bend 'em Over a Barell." Perhaps all the good code names have been taken but you can do better than this.

The Ninja and Net Neutrality

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As an "information professional" (whatever that means) I figured I'd better figure out where I stand on Network Neutrality. I am here to tell you I'm a for it.

What is this thing I speak of, you ask? Well, it seems that the big baddies that control telecommunications figure that it is in their best interests to block or slow down access to certain sites or enhance access to their own. Naturally this in not in the average consumer's best interest. Surprise, surprise. By breaking down net neutrality they can charge certain content providers premiums to ensure that the telecom people provide premium access at top speed to one site while blocking or greatly slowing down access to another (ie. Yahoo could pay to have the ISP favour them over Google).

Want it broken down? Listen to the Ninja:


A slightly more serious but very informative explanation is provided by Public Knowledge.

Does this sound like conspiracy theory at work? Well, my friends, it has already happened in Canada. Two examples (from Save the Internet's FAQ, but quoted widely):

- In 2005, Canada's telephone giant Telus blocked customers from visiting a Web site sympathetic to the Telecommunications Workers Union during a labor dispute.
- Shaw, a big Canadian cable TV company, is charging an extra $10 a month to subscribers in order to "enhance" competing Internet telephone services.

And from the e-law guru, Michael Geist:

Most recently, customers of Rogers, Canada's largest cable ISP, have speculated that the company has begun to block access to peer-to-peer services such as BitTorrent as well as the downloading of podcasts from services such as iTunes.

The thing that makes the internet a grand place is that you have equal access to my crackpot ravings, to megacorporations, to activism sites, and to feelgood fuzzy stuff. This issue doesn't seem to have Canadians in an uproar (yet) and there has a recommendation made by the Telecom Review Panel that urges for the upholding of net neutrality (see Mark Evans and Mark Goldberg on the report) but this is far from binding and even a touch wishy-washy. However, in the US, things are heating up and there is a campaign to Save the Internet in the face Congress' planned revision of the Telecommunication Act that basically could fulfill all the hopes and wishes of AT&T et al and screw the people. To my American readers (do I have any American readers? Do I have any readers?) do what the ninja tells you - sign the petition, call your representatives, become a giant pain in their ass and let them know that you like your internet as it is. For the Canuks - hold tight and we'll see where things go.
rgsc
(with my thanks to the Mockers for really bringing this issue to my attention)

Last week I was given a Nobel Prize

But it was Bertrand Russell's and I had to give it back. Now, it is not everyday that one sees, let alone is given, a Nobel Prize so you may ask yourself how such a thing came about. Well, Bertrand (he and I are on a first name basis) was given the prize for literature - not peace, for which he would have been equally suitable - in 1950 (you can hear and read his Nobel Lecture should you be so inclined). The Bertrand Russell Archives came to McMaster University in 1968 after they shelled out a big chunk o' change for it so he could fund his peace work and so they could look like a bunch of fancypants academics instead of being looked upon as colonial dullards (as was the custom at the time).

I was at "Mc" (the school is commonly referred to as "Mac" but there ain't no "a" so I am starting a one-man re-nick-naming campaign) for a conference, fittingly enough dealing with philosophy, and went on a tour of the archives. The archives houses treasures including the archives of numerous Canadian and international writers and publishers, musicians, businesses, labour groups, religious groups, and a slew of archives from long haired hippy pinko types, as well as a ton of rare books and other groovy stuff (hey look! Finding Aids!). Add to this the more-or-less complete archives and library of one Nobel-winning philosopher (they actually have stuff from three Nobel laureates) and I was suffering from an acute case of archival envy as my archives, while extremely interesting and important yadda-yadda-yadda just can't hold a candle to theirs.

The group was taken around by the head archivist - a very entertaining fellow - and we eventually ended up in the storage area of the Russell Archives. He brings out the Nobel Prize which consists of the medal (see above, actual size) and an illuminated manuscript, both in cases. He fumbled a bit with them for a while and I stuck out my hand offering to help him out, thinking he would hand me the manuscript case while he showed the group the medal. Instead, after looking at my name tag and a quick security check, he hands me the medal. Then, after showing the gathered throng the manuscript he take the case from me, pops the medal out and plunks it in my hand saying something like "Heavy, ain't it?" but much more eloquent, I'm sure. I don't remember...i was kinda dazzled...and nervous. As it is rather large and 22 karat gold, it was heavy. And rather cool. And I figure it will be the only time I will every be given an Nobel Prize, even if only for a few seconds. Although I won't say no if the Committee should like to consider me...just sayin'.

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While I've been going on at length about my rather unimportant non-awarding of a major prize, my mom actually was given a major recognition and deserves a mention . She was awarded the Loyalist College Hugh P. O’Neil Outstanding Alumni Award. Here is an extract from the press release:

The Hugh P. O’Neil Outstanding Alumni Award recognizes a Loyalist graduate who has made an exceptional contribution to his or her community through professional and community leadership, or through volunteer service. This year’s recipient was Vicki Bateman, a 1972 graduate of the Information Systems program. From 2002 until 2005, Vicki served on the College Board of Governors and as a director on the Loyalist College Foundation Board. She has been an active member of the Alumni Association, serving on the executive since 1995, and as President for five years. She has had a successful career in the information technology sector as a Systems Analyst, Project Leader, Training Consultant and teacher. Vicki has served as a director of the East Central Ontario Training Board and of Quinte United Immigrant Services and is a long-time canvasser for both the Canadian Cancer Society and the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario. She is the secretary and a fundraiser for the River Valley Community Centre in her home community and serves as secretary of a sub-committee for the Stirling-Rawdon 150th Anniversary.

You give a helluva lot to that school and I am glad to see you get recognized for it. Congratulations - we're proud of you.