oldowan:

The Canadian government has been accused of “muzzling” its scientists.

Speakers at a major science meeting being held in Canada said communication of vital research on health and environment issues is being suppressed.

But one Canadian government department approached by the BBC said it held the communication of science as a priority.

Prof Thomas Pedersen, a senior scientist at the University of Victoria, said he believed there was a political motive in some cases.

“The Prime Minister (Stephen Harper) is keen to keep control of the message, I think to ensure that the government won’t be embarrassed by scientific findings of its scientists that run counter to sound environmental stewardship,” he said.

livelaughawesome:

“I’m a Canadian.

We’re a quiet bunch; prone to enjoying hockey, drinking stronger beer than our friends south of the border, and lovers of fries smothered in cheese curds and gravy.

We also, apparently, have an inferiority complex when it comes to being evil dirt bags, because we’ve decided to pass our very own version of SOPA up here.

Only better*

Meet Bill-C11. Formerly Bill C-32. (I think they thought if they made the number lower people would care less about it?)

{…}

But, as innocuous as it sounds, C-11 does a whole lot that SOPA did with a few extra twists you might not find in the Wikipedia write-up.

Like your PVR? You can’t keep it under C-11.

Like ripping CDs to your iPod? Say bye-bye.

Hey, do you want to be able to unlock your $500 smartphone and take it to a provider less dedicated to violating your wallet? That won’t be allowed either.

Did you get accused of internet piracy but no evidence has been presented and a trial date hasn’t even been set? Under C-11 your ISP will now be forced to terminate your internet access.

And people say that governments can’t be bought.

{…}

There are only 14 days left people. Get active.”

Send a letter to your Member of Parliament now. The letters are prewritten, you just need to click send.

http://www.ccer.ca/letter-wizard-enter/

Come on non-Canadian people, please signal boost this for your Canadian friends.

help us polite canucks please :)

(via artmotherfuckers)

(via handfu1ofdust-deactivated201201)

mohandasgandhi:

CHINA: “America Needs To Accept The Painful Fact That The Good Old Days Are Over”

China’s official comment on the S&P downgrade was harsh and condescending. Released through Xinhua (via Reuters) the statement condemned America for its “debt addiction” and “short-sighted” political wrangling.

“The U.S. government has to come to terms with the painful fact that the good old days when it could just borrow its way out of messes of its own making are finally gone,” Xinhua wrote.

America’s largest creditor, China said it will accelerate diversification away from US treasuries, and that meanwhile it demands reform: “China, the largest creditor of the world’s sole superpower, has every right now to demand the United States address its structural debt problems and ensure the safety of China’s dollar assets,” Xinhua said.

The statement also called for a new global currency: “International supervision over the issue of U.S. dollars should be introduced and a new, stable and secured global reserve currency may also be an option to avert a catastrophe caused by any single country,” Xinhua said.

In other news:

“When you look at this final agreement that we came to with the White House, I got 98 percent of what I wanted. I’m pretty happy,” Mr. Boehner said in an interview with CBS News.

Nicholas D. Kristof & Sheryl WuDunn (2009), Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Oppression for Women Worldwide