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September 30, 2004

Ontario may back down on sushi ban

The Ontario government is having second thoughts about the ban it imposed on fresh sushi earlier this month. The ban has been suspended for three months so it can consult with those concerned. The government says its consultation on new... More...

Posted by maxthecat at 09:09 AM | TrackBack | Printer-friendly version
Filed in: Politics / Ontario

September 29, 2004

TV Networks to ignore debate agreement

A small skirmish has emerged between the US television networks and the two Presidential Campaigns. Under the agreement reached between the Bush and Kerry campaigns, the cameras at the debate will not be allowed to show the candidate who does... More...

Posted by maxthecat at 09:51 AM | TrackBack | Printer-friendly version
Filed in: Politics / United States

September 28, 2004

The Left is getting desperate

MoveOn.org, has become the unofficial attack dog of the Democratic Party. The group has been responsible for many of the most negative political ads on televisions in the United States at the moment and now has a new target: The... More...

Posted by maxthecat at 03:53 PM | TrackBack | Printer-friendly version
Filed in: Politics / United States

No more fresh sushi for Max

A misguided law has just made me cough up a furball. A new health regulation in Ontario has made it illegal to sell sushi made with fresh fish. Instead sushi chefs must freeze their fish solid for a week before... More...

Posted by maxthecat at 11:35 AM | TrackBack | Printer-friendly version
Filed in: Politics / Ontario

McGuinty won't deliver on auto insurance promise

This time last year Ontarians with cars were in the midst of a round of some of the most offensive automobile insurance rate hikes in history. For many, their insurance was doubling even without an accident or traffic ticket. The... More...

Posted by maxthecat at 08:33 AM | TrackBack | Printer-friendly version
Filed in: Politics / Ontario

September 27, 2004

Another reason to drop Hotmail

Do you use Outlook or Outlook Express to access your Hotmail account? If you do, you might want to start looking for a new provider. Starting this week Microsoft, operator of Hotmail, is forcing new account registrants to pay extra... More...

Posted by maxthecat at 01:42 PM | TrackBack | Printer-friendly version
Filed in: Science and Technology

Branson Announces 'Virgin Galactic'

Fancy a trip to space? Adventurer/billionaire/businessman Richard Branson has decided to add space travel to the list of services the Virgin Group of companies offers. Branson has signed a deal with American Mojave Aerospace, the team behind SpaceShip One (the... More...

Posted by maxthecat at 08:18 AM | TrackBack | Printer-friendly version
Filed in: Science and Technology

September 26, 2004

Are computers conservative?

An article posted Friday on the Online Journalism Review (OJR) observes Google's news portal seems to be kinder to George W. Bush than John Kerry. The article notes a Google News Search on John Kerry tends to yield far more... More...

Posted by maxthecat at 09:18 AM | TrackBack | Printer-friendly version
Filed in: Science and Technology

September 25, 2004

John Kerry swift boat game

Do you believe John Kerry when he says he's a war hero or do you believe the "Swift Boat Veterans for Truth" who say he turned tail and ran from combat? Whatever you believe, a new game can let you... More...

Posted by maxthecat at 09:22 AM | TrackBack | Printer-friendly version
Filed in: Science and Technology

A challenge for the grammar geeks out there

Question: When is it appropriate to follow the subject "they" with a verb in the singular ("is")? Answer: When referring to the former Andrew Wilson of Branson, Mo. The former Mr. Wilson has officially changed his name to "They". He... More...

Posted by maxthecat at 09:10 AM | TrackBack | Printer-friendly version
Filed in: Strange Stuff

September 22, 2004

So you think you are an artist?

If you ever thought you were artistically inclined or thought, "That Picasso was too lazy to paint properly," this site is for you. Test your skills at Mr. Picassohead. Here's my contribution, "catasso."... More...

Posted by maxthecat at 06:53 PM | TrackBack | Printer-friendly version
Filed in: Science and Technology

The Globe on Blogging

The Globe and Mail has two interesting articles on the potential rewards and downside of blogging this morning. The moral of their stories: don't expect to get rich (advertisers haven't warmed to the medium) and avoid being critical of your... More...

Posted by maxthecat at 11:45 AM | TrackBack | Printer-friendly version
Filed in: Science and Technology

September 21, 2004

Rather's Apology Lacking

CBS News Anchor Dan Rather apologized for the 'mistake' he and CBS News made in running a story based in large part on documents they cannot prove are legitimate. The network has also announced it will appoint a panel to... More...

Posted by maxthecat at 09:26 AM | TrackBack | Printer-friendly version
Filed in: The Media

September 20, 2004

The Difference between Liberals and Tories

The difference between a Liberal and a Tory: Liberals will spend a lot of money on a cheap stunt. Tories will take a cheap stunt and make a lot of money from it. Exhibit A: The John Tory Silver Spoon... More...

Posted by maxthecat at 08:55 PM | TrackBack | Printer-friendly version
Filed in: Politics

CBS admits to a "mistake"

After trumpeting a series of memos as new evidence George W. Bush got preferential treatment to avoid going to war in Vietnam, then saying the memos were fakes but accurate, CBS News is now admitting it made a mistake in... More...

Posted by maxthecat at 06:04 PM | TrackBack | Printer-friendly version
Filed in: The Media

September 18, 2004

Flaherty phones it in

Hundreds of Ontario Conservatives made the trek to Toronto this weekend for the party's Leadership event. They came expecting to hear directly what leadership aspirants John Tory, Frank Klees and Jim Flaherty would do for the party and the province.... More...

Posted by maxthecat at 10:00 AM | TrackBack | Printer-friendly version
Filed in: Politics / Ontario

September 16, 2004

$41B for health over 10 years

It took a while, but they got a deal. Not that anyone is going to be particularly happy with it at the end of the day. The agreement is much more expensive than Ottawa had wanted - Paul Martin was... More...

Posted by maxthecat at 09:13 AM | TrackBack | Printer-friendly version
Filed in: Politics / Ontario

September 15, 2004

Premiers still united going into day three

Canada's Provincial Premiers continue to sing from the same songbook. As they entered the convention centre for the third day of speechifying they continue to press the point that the money Prime Minister Paul Martin has put on the table... More...

Posted by maxthecat at 09:09 AM | TrackBack | Printer-friendly version
Filed in: Politics / Canada

September 14, 2004

Tory membership list leaked

When they opened their inboxes this morning, members of Ontario's Progressive Conservative Party were greeted by a message urging them to "Vote to Protect Marriage In The PC Party" when they vote in the party's leadership election this weekend. The... More...

Posted by maxthecat at 01:38 PM | TrackBack | Printer-friendly version
Filed in: Politics / Ontario

Strategy change enrages Premiers

Paul Martin's strategy of turning the health care debate into a battle for the hearts of Canadians by having this week's First Ministers' Meeting live on television backfired yesterday. As the Premiers entered the conference centre yesterday they were united... More...

Posted by maxthecat at 09:44 AM | TrackBack | Printer-friendly version
Filed in: Politics / Canada

September 13, 2004

Health Care Conference begins

Well, the speechifying has begun in Ottawa and already the Premiers are on the attack. According to a number of provincial leaders, the Prime Minister made them a decidedly unsatisfactory offer at a private meeting last night (I thought this... More...

Posted by maxthecat at 11:30 AM | TrackBack | Printer-friendly version
Filed in: Politics / Canada

September 9, 2004

Has Ken Jennings finally lost...

... Or is it just a ploy to get us to watch more "Jeopardy!"? I ask this question in light of reports the seemingly invincible game show contestant lost in a show taped on Tuesday. According to the Associated Press... More...

Posted by maxthecat at 03:10 PM | TrackBack | Printer-friendly version
Filed in: The Media

McGuinty's Redemption Tour a Flop

In the wake of his government's disastrous budget which reinforced his image as a promise-breaker, Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty took to barbeque circuit to try to rehabilitate his image. It appears the Redemption Tour™ didn't work. In a poll for... More...

Posted by maxthecat at 09:58 AM | TrackBack | Printer-friendly version
Filed in: Politics / Ontario

September 8, 2004

Airline espionage case widens

For those of you who, like me, thought the whole WestJet stole our secrets whining from Air Canada was a case of CEO Robert Milton's sour grapes it is time to eat some crow. (Oh, and there are a few... More...

Posted by maxthecat at 09:24 AM | TrackBack | Printer-friendly version
Filed in: Business

September 7, 2004

AdScam Inquiry begins today

Justice John Gomery will finally begin hearing testimony today as he tries to get to the bottom of how millions of dollars were misspent by the federal government. None other than Auditor-General Shiela Fraser (who became a celebrity after her... More...

Posted by maxthecat at 10:31 AM | TrackBack | Printer-friendly version
Filed in: Politics / Canada

September 3, 2004

School Seige ends in Pandemonium

Responding to something (it is not clear what) that happened this morning in the Russian school where Chechen terrorists were hold several hundred children hostage, Russian troops stormed school. They blew out a wall and began ferrying children to hospital... More...

Posted by maxthecat at 07:48 AM | TrackBack | Printer-friendly version
Filed in:

September 1, 2004

Schwarzenegger shatters my low expectations

As actor-turned-Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger got set to speak last night at the Republican National Convention I expected his speech would be only a tad better than farcical. He has that famously stilted delivery and somehow he looks odd without an... More...

Posted by maxthecat at 11:24 AM | TrackBack | Printer-friendly version
Filed in: Politics / United States