Desi In Toronto

May 31, 2008

Net Neutrality Finally Arrives In Canada

Filed under: Internet — agsharma @ 6:03 am

I have been waiting for sometime for this bill to appear here in Canada.

Net neutrality issue has now been tabled to House of Commons and the games will now begin in earnest. I am glad it was the NDP that tabled the bill. NDP is famous for “championing the cause of the under-represented” so I guess the lobbying of Bell and Rogers did not really have much impact on the decision by NDP to put in clear wording in the bill.

Network management practices
36.1 (1) Network operators shall not engage in network management practices that favour, degrade or prioritize any content, application or service transmitted over a broadband network based on its source, ownership or destination.

Although I am not sure what this means?

Exceptions
(2) Nothing in subsection (1) shall be construed as limiting or restricting the right of a network operator to
(a) manage the flow of network traffic in a reasonable manner in order to relieve congestion;

I hope this exception will not be construed as a loophole to “manage” congestion caused by brats playing video games or BitTorrent and other downloads. Either way, it will be interesting to see how this plays in House Of Commons. I am going to write to my MP, better contact your MP soon.

May 29, 2008

Awesome!!!

Filed under: Something I Found Funny — agsharma @ 8:23 pm

Phuq_religion

Funny!!

Filed under: Something I Found Funny — agsharma @ 11:14 am

While searching for a job here is what I saw at the JVC Canada site :

Join the JVC team!

JVC Canada has experienced tremendous growth over the past couple of years and is looking for experienced professionals at all levels who enjoy working in a challenging environment and are able to use their innovative ideas to contribute towards the continued success of the company. Employees of JVC Canada are provided with opportunities for career development within the company and are rewarded with a comprehensive compensation and benefits package.

There are currently no positions available at JVC Canada.

No positions available despite the fact that JVC is growing tremendously!!


May 20, 2008

Tennis And Corruption

Filed under: Society, Sport — agsharma @ 6:50 am

I just love this sport. I love it so much that I am bypassing my cardinal rule on bringing up Rhea. I bought her a kids’ tennis racket and I will make an attempt to force her to love the game I love.

However, this just makes me sad.

An independent review of possible match fixing in professional tennis recommended that 45 matches played in the last five years be investigated because betting patterns gave a strong indication that gamblers were profiting from inside information. While finding that professional tennis is neither “systematically nor institutionally corrupt,” the report cautioned that the scale of the suspicious matches left no room for “complacency.”

I would have never ever expected this to happen to Tennis. But why not? Players burn out by the time they are 27-28 which means that they have that small window in which to earn as much as they can. If an opportunity comes along in which a player can earn enormous amount without actually putting in too much effort, then why not. Hell, I would do it.

It’s just sad to see it happen to one sport which I was sure was immune to corruption. Oh well.

May 19, 2008

One Word For This Video…..WOW!!

Filed under: Music, Society — agsharma @ 9:52 pm

Kids Say The Darndest Thing

Filed under: Around The House, Something I Found Funny — agsharma @ 8:57 pm

My wife studies in new York.

She visits us once every month, therefore, Rhea (our 4 year old daughter) misses her a lot.

So when Charu came from New York previous month for a visit, Rhea looks at her mom and says ”mama, I love you”.

And then she turns to me and says ”papa, I am going to love you after mama leaves. OK? ”

Rosie Dimanno : Wilful Ignorance

Filed under: Canadian Afghanistan Mission, Moronic Mainstream — agsharma @ 6:53 am

So Rosie Dimanno has another article on The Star.

The article is basically a “history” lesson on what happened in Afghanistan since 2001. She explains how Taliban has been routed and since they do not hold any territory, they are finished and the insurgency is looking for a way out.

Ms Dimanno, if the insurgency is finished, can you explain this?

Eight people have been killed and nine injured in two terrorist attacks in Afghanistan.

Taliban militants on Saturday released Pakistan’s ambassador to Afghanistan

Afghan Female journalist stabbed

Eighty-three Canadian soldiers and one diplomat have been killed since the Canadian military deployed to Afghanistan in early 2002

I do not understand this incessant need for reporters to bring `good news` from Afghanistan and how our `glorious` NATO is doing everything right. The truth is that the mission in Afghanistan is floundering. Insurgents by the very definition of the word are not a body or an organisation. If one insurgent wants to talk to NATO on `giving up`, is that person speaking for all the insurgents? Of course not. Insurgency is not going to end with technical terms like `we are beating them in the battle field` or `they don`t control any territory therefore they are losing`. Insurgency will be defeated through politics. And with the corrupt government and the corrupt warlords (bought by NATO), I do not see insurgency ending soon.

The troops should have been back by Feb 2009 and yet they continue to pay the price because politicians are too timid to fight the real fight. And that`s the story. Not that Taliban is losing.

May 17, 2008

More Beer Drinkers Wanted

Filed under: Something I Found Funny — agsharma @ 3:55 pm

Oh dear. I really need to pitch in more to get my country into the top 10.

Rank Country Consumption[a]
(L/yr) US Gallon/yr Keg/yr
1 Flag of the Czech Republic Czech Republic 156.9 41.5 2.67
2 Flag of Ireland Ireland 131.1 34.7 2.24
3 Flag of Germany Germany 115.8 30.6 1.97
4 Flag of Australia Australia 109.9 29.0 1.87
5 Flag of Austria Austria 108.3 28.6 1.85
6 Flag of the United Kingdom United Kingdom 99.0 26.2 1.69
7 Flag of Slovenia Slovenia 93.3[c] 24.7 1.59
8 Flag of Belgium Belgium 93.0 26.6 1.59
9 Flag of Denmark Denmark 89.9 23.8 1.53
10 Flag of Estonia Estonia 88.0[e] 23.2 1.50
11 Flag of Finland Finland 85.0 22.5 1.45
12 Flag of Luxembourg Luxembourg 84.4 22.3 1.44
13 Flag of Slovakia Slovakia 84.1 22.2 1.43
14 Flag of Spain Spain 83.8 22.1 1.43
15 Flag of the United States United States 81.6 21.6 1.39
16 Flag of Croatia Croatia 81.2 21.5 1.38
17 Flag of the Netherlands Netherlands 79.0 20.9 1.35
18 Flag of New Zealand New Zealand 77.0 20.4 1.31
19 Flag of Iceland Iceland 75.99[d] 15.8 1.02
20 Flag of Hungary Hungary 75.3 19.9 1.28
21 Flag of Poland Poland 69.1 18.3 1.18
22 Flag of Canada Canada 68.3 18.1 1.16

May 9, 2008

Big Brother Is Watching……So What

Filed under: Society — agsharma @ 6:54 am

Here’s a way to work CCTVs for you.

Unable to afford a proper camera crew and equipment, The Get Out Clause, an unsigned band from the city, decided to make use of the cameras seen all over British streets.

With an estimated 13 million CCTV cameras in Britain, suitable locations were not hard to come by.

They set up their equipment, drum kit and all, in eighty locations around Manchester – including on a bus – and proceeded to play to the cameras.

Afterwards they wrote to the companies or organisations involved and asked for the footage under the Freedom of Information Act.

Hilarious!! Personally, I am kind of ambivalent to  CCTVs.  I mean, what really is the point?  Do they deter crime? Hell yes. I would think twice before shop lifting. Do they deter violent crimes? Hell, no. Violent criminals probably don’t care a rat’s ass that they are being watched. They will continue to do the crime regardless of the consequences because that’s who they are. Don’t believe me? OK, listen to the experts.

I agree the technology is still improving and once it does, things will change. I still contend that violent crimes will continue regardless of CCTVs.

May 1, 2008

This Had Me Dancing!!

Filed under: Music, Something I Found Funny — agsharma @ 11:13 pm

…..as the English would say, bloody brilliant!!

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