… The Vatican said on Monday in a landmark ruling approved by Pope Francis that Roman Catholic priests can administer blessings to same-sex couples as long as they are not part of regular Church rituals or liturgies.
… A document from the Vatican’s doctrinal office said such blessings would not legitimise irregular situations but be a sign that God welcomes all…
…It should in no way be confused with the sacrament of heterosexual marriage…
This is gaywashing at best, but it still sounds like blatant homophobia.
“The audit found 57 per cent of calls made to the centre between July 2018 and July 2021 were for non-emergencies.
About 18 per cent of those were hang ups, three per cent were pocket dials, 12 per cent were not for police or emergency services, 14 per cent were asking for advice, and 10 per cent were for non-emergencies without imminent or potential danger or injury.”
Yeah, if call volumes are causing delays, and the majority of calls to 911 are not actual emergencies, then the problem isn’t squarely on staffing or burnout, but idiots who have no idea how 911 works.
That’s not to diminish the fact that nobody in an emergency should be waiting longer than the standard ~15 seconds, but the blame needs to be spread to those clogging up the lines, too.
I also wonder how many of those hang ups and pocket dials were the result of shoddy iphone implementation of the SOS feature, which has been known to dial 911 when someone is not in an emergency (i.e. like on an amusement park ride).
I mean the one you do when you want something easy to do, but not when you’re tired at the point you microwave a frozen-meal, or just cut down a piece of cheese and put it in a bread
A marketing team within media giant Cox Media Group (CMG) claims it has the capability to listen to ambient conversations of consumers through embedded microphones in smartphones, smart TVs, and other devices to gather data and use it to target ads, according to a review of CMG marketing materials by 404 Media and details from a...
Except the device is already in your home, and most people leave their account logged in.
People buy products to serve a purpose to themselves and their family, so yes, the device is in their home FOR THEIR USE.
Being logged in isn’t an open invitation to be spied, so laws need to address that.
That’s basically like you inviting someone into your house, they hang out in your spare bedroom…and they’re still there.
The invite, in this case, is not for a company to spy on you and your family. I don’t think anyone would actually want that, especially not for the purpose of targeting them with ads.
People use voice activated devices, which do record and react to voice prompt, but the permission here is given only for that use. A company shouldn’t be able to say “hey, you can use the service you’ve paid for, and by agreeing to use that service, you also agree to give us permission to digitally invade your home and privacy.”
I just don’t see how a proper law/regulation would fix/restrict this, except to make certain personalization attempts (targeted ads) illegal.
Yes, make it illegal. And make everything opt-in without strings attached (i.e. if you agree to use the service you paid for, you agree to being spied on).
I will personally continue to use my wallet to yield power. I won’t buy devices or support companies who are evil, and will support companies who respect privacy and data freedom. The whole enshitification of the digital landscape is incredibly sad to see, TBH.
Personally, I don’t see this person as a threat to our society, so I see no reason to deport him.
It is important to note that not all crimes are punished based on the potential threat to society, however, it is worth acknowledging that the sentence of 5 years before freedom is disproportionate to the 16 lives taken due to dangerous driving.
The families want him deported, just so they can move on with their lives. That should be a good enough reason for the rest of us to accept.
Let’s face it, the vast majority of those who even deliberately blow through rural stop signs will never even get a ticket, let alone kill someone.
I don’t know about you, but even when I have my dog in the car, I drive with even more attention and defensively than when I’m alone. I can’t even fathom the thought of being intentionally reckless while being solely responsible for the lives of a bus full of people.
Unfortunate, but that’s no excuse to abuse the law instead.
Out of curiosity, are you against deporting THIS guy, or any criminal? I ask because Canada deports criminals on a regular basis, so I’m not sure what “abuse” of the law you’re referring to.
Our criminal justice system has deportation at our disposal; the family of the victims asked for deportation so they could move on with their lives (their words, not mine); the defendant had the legal ability to bid for a stay, which he did several times, and denied the stay. If deported, he could also re-apply to come back.
It sounds like our justice system worked exactly as it was supposed to in this context, failing the fact that he only received five years for killing so many people.
Would the family have asked that he be deported if he was given a more appropriate sentence of 30+ years (2 years for careless driving causing bodily harm x the number of victims)? Probably not.
I’m not saying that deportation is the right answer here, as it’s clear that this was a crime of negligence and not a premeditated one. But I will always be on the side of victims and their families, and this is what they want.
First and foremost, mob justice is rarely justice.
What mob justice are you referring to? This case went through the Canadian legal system.
Second, as the other poster noted, this has been a problematic intersection for over a decade. This guy was just the unlucky one to have a bunch of people die because of his bad judgement.
Bad judgment? He went through a stop with a semi, which is why he pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, which is not the same as bad judgment.
Unfortunately for all those involved, his actions directly led to the deaths of multiple people, ruining dozens of lives. These families will never get closure, so what they need is an important aspect of Justice. Again, you or I don’t have to agree with it, but we do have to support them.
Third, when is the last time someone was deported over a negligence conviction of any kind?
You can be deported if you are sent to prison for at least six months.
So theft over $5000 could get someone deported.
Killing and hurting dozens seems to more than adequately satisfy this requirement.
I’m not willing to dive into the records to go over each case and circumstance, since I’m not here to “win” any internet debates, but hopefully that answered your question.
I get that the families of these victims never want to see him again, but it’s a big country. Their desires can be met without deporting the guy.
Again, I won’t speak for the families.
If, after five years, they are still so broken that they feel deportation is still necessary, then who are we to challenge that? Maybe the thought of knowing that he’s still here, benefiting from the fruits of this wonderful country, while their family will forever be shattered, is too much to overcome.
I’m not against deporting criminals, but I believe they should present a danger to society. I’m pretty sure this guy is never going to do something like this again, if for no other reason than him not being allowed to drive professionally (and if he is still allowed to drive professionally, that’s another, different failure of the system).
I do agree. Deportation could be worse than lifelong jail (in Canada) for some.
I guess this is why the importance of victim impact statements is a cornerstone of our justice system. The law tries to balance between proportional consequences and the feeling of justice for victims.
A French nationwide study published in the Environmental Research journal suggested that agricultural practices and pesticides used in vineyards could have been linked to the occurrence of Parkinson’s disease....
I hate to break it to wine-drinkers, but alcohol is a group 1 carcinogen. If the risk of Parkinson’s due to pesticide use scares you, you won’t get away from cancer by going with organic wine.
Both are obviously bad for you, but if you’re stacking carcinogens and other health concerns, eventually you’ll reach someone’s breaking point.
I agree that that happens, and I think it’s crazy that some people will actually double-down on their use when faced with that reality.
Why even have a “breaking point” for something so totally unnecessary to your happiness and future? Are people so hooked in harmful substances that they simply can’t find a less destructive alternative?
I just don’t get why people hate good health so much.
I don’t think anyone is claiming alcohol is healthy
Unfortunately, for quite some time, people claimed that wine was healthy because of the antioxidants it contains. That is, until actual science put a “hell no!” to that theory. It turns out that poison, no matter how many antioxidants it has, is still poison.
The thing about carcinogenic compounds, which are also toxins, is it’s entirely about dosage.
Agreed. The scientific consensus is that there is no safe lower limit for alcohol.
The human body can handle a lot more ethanol than pesticides…
To clarify, synthetic pesticides are quite harmful to humans and animals. Biopesticides, found naturally in many plant species, are quite safe by comparison. And plants containing natural toxins (i.e. fiddleheads, red kidney beans, stone fruits, etc.) are quite safe to consume when properly prepared.
you don’t say “who cares it’s already bad for you, lol.” and then moralize about how if everyone doesn’t consume the exact same substances you do, they somehow deserve it.
I think you got that wrong.
The idea to share this information is to empower someone to make an informed decision about the potential consequences that their actions could have on their health.
I can’t possibly blame someone for not knowing better, as I’m certain that their local wine shop doesn’t put cancer warning labels on the bottles.
There are no laws against subjects and witnesses from recording an interaction with police.
But police encounters should always be recorded via dash cam and body cam, not only to hold the officers accountable, but also to aid in proving a suspect’s guilt or innocence.
These TVs can capture and identify 7,200 images per hour, or approximately two every second. The data is then used for content recommendations and ad targeting, which is a huge business; advertisers spent an estimated $18.6 billion on smart TV ads in 2022, according to market research firm eMarketer.
So… Can someone explain how this is legal if you’re watching DRM content? Capturing and uploading copyrighted, protected content doesn’t seem very kosher.
advertisers spent an estimated $18.6 billion on smart TV ads
Jesus. Spend a fraction of that developing good products that people will actually want to buy so you can end this unethical, scumbag way of making a buck.
The new federal dental insurance plan will be phased in gradually over 2024, with the first claims likely to be processed in May, government officials said ahead of a formal announcement scheduled for Monday morning.
starting with qualifying seniors over the age of 87
Eligibility will gradually expand over the course of the year to include all qualifying seniors over the age of 65 by May 2024, then children under the age of 18 and people with disabilities by June.
Wow, talk about a big “fuck you” to the taxpayers funding this insurance.
What about working folks who can’t afford dental care?
No, don’t get me wrong. Absolutely start with seniors, young kids, and the disabled.
But don’t forget the rest of us! We’re the backbone of society funding these programs and helping the economy to hum along. Not including taxpayers between 18 and 65 is a massive slap in the face. Discrimination by definition.
The federal government is proposing financial incentives for farmers in lieu of cutting enteric methane emissions that are released in the air when cows burp.
I don’t think it’s super easy on an individual basis. I think for regular people it’ll be a really difficult transition.
Change is often difficult, but going vegan isn’t a change that I’d say is too hard, or even a little hard, for most people.
20 years ago, it was fairly easy to transition. And that was with a complete lack of resources, or the multitude of dairy-free, meat-free, and vegan products we now see available in pretty much any store and restaurant.
There are also so many organizations these days that can help with the transition, lay out meal plans, etc. It honestly couldn’t be easier, especially when you consider that most people would also be saving money by cutting out animal products from their diet.
Yes, go vegan a few days a week if that helps (most find a slow transition to be more difficult). See how easy it is. Then go full vegan.
If we didn’t have a global climate crisis to deal with, then it might not be as pressing of an issue. But it really is something we all ought to be doing at a bare minimum. As soon as possible.
The data found about 68 per cent of car shoppers in 2022 who did not own an EV showed an intent to purchase one, but that dropped to 56 per cent this year.
It will doesn’t mean it’s one of the main reasons why sales are down, which is what you implied at first.
Of course, I don’t think it has a major effect on sales in the grand scheme of things. Speaking of only my own reasons, I personally wouldn’t buy a car that spies on me if I had other choices. That takes all electric cars off the table.
Gas cars have the same kind of tech, people still buy them.
I do agree that modern gas cars also have spyware in them (it’s a fact), but ALL EVs have them.
At least with gas cars, you can still buy one old enough to be free of spyware.
Eventually, all cars will have spyware, but forcing people to buy them out of necessity isn’t the same as them choosing to buy it because they want to.
I don’t care either way. Car manufacturers have made it easy for me to pick cycling as my main form of transportation. LOL
“We were just having a conversation about the role naturopathic doctors have in Alberta,” Lagrange said. "(Roth) was highlighting all of the great work that they’re doing.
Might as well highlight all the great work magicians do at children’s birthday parties.
And stop validating these fraudsters by calling them “doctors”. Them, along with chiropractors, should never be confused with real doctors.
While we are still trying to lower carbon emissions, the global community should start planning for how to cope with a hotter planet, because it will happen no matter what our choices are in the foreseeable future.
Driving 8 hours round trip today to pick up one person, and I'll never understand why Americans think this is more convenient than my colleague taking a train.
In America the train costs as much as a plane ticket. Driving is cheaper.
Damn, is it that bad in the states? I just did a quick lookup for Toronto to Montreal by train, and it’s about the same price as driving (maybe less, depending on the cost of gas that day).
But the convenience, and not wasting two people’s lives, makes it totally worth taking a train.
No doubt!! You have to consider several factors, and sometimes, taking a car is the best option. But as you say, it works out better when you have an entire family.
The OP only described one colleague who could have used the train on their own, rather than a single car for two passengers (one of which wasn’t part of the travel). I guess in the OPs case, you’d have to also consider whether they were being paid work hours for that drive.
So in this case, I think a train (assuming it was accessible and economical) would have been the better option for the OPs colleague. LOL
Walmart (Canada) has started offering subscriptions for “free” shipping for under $10 a month. The cost of gas to go there a few times a month would be more than the subscription fee....
Federal judge orders documents naming Jeffrey Epstein's associates to be unsealed (abcnews.go.com)
Hurricane Larry dumped 100,000 microplastics per sq. meter on Newfoundland each day (arstechnica.com)
Canada to announce all new cars must be zero emissions by 2035 (www.reuters.com)
Vatican approves blessings for same-sex couples in landmark ruling (www.reuters.com)
Average time on hold for 911 in Toronto was 1-2 minutes for at least 100 days this year (www.cbc.ca)
What are your"too lazy to cook" recipe ?
I mean the one you do when you want something easy to do, but not when you’re tired at the point you microwave a frozen-meal, or just cut down a piece of cheese and put it in a bread
Another beluga dies at Marineland, bringing total whale deaths to 15 since 2019 (www.winnipegfreepress.com)
Non-Paywall Article
Marketing Company Claims That It Actually Is Listening to Your Phone and Smart Speakers to Target Ads (www.404media.co)
A marketing team within media giant Cox Media Group (CMG) claims it has the capability to listen to ambient conversations of consumers through embedded microphones in smartphones, smart TVs, and other devices to gather data and use it to target ads, according to a review of CMG marketing materials by 404 Media and details from a...
Truck driver who caused deadly Broncos crash loses latest bid to stay in Canada (www.winnipegfreepress.com)
Non-Paywall Article
A Sobering Christmas Reality: Cocktail of Hazardous Pesticides in Wine has Tripled (www.thecanary.co)
A French nationwide study published in the Environmental Research journal suggested that agricultural practices and pesticides used in vineyards could have been linked to the occurrence of Parkinson’s disease....
Vancouver police's body-camera pilot pushed back to new year (www.cbc.ca)
Your Smart TV Knows What You’re Watching (themarkup.org)
These TVs can capture and identify 7,200 images per hour, or approximately two every second. The data is then used for content recommendations and ad targeting, which is a huge business; advertisers spent an estimated $18.6 billion on smart TV ads in 2022, according to market research firm eMarketer.
Why North America Can't Build Nice Apartments [Video, 12:09] (www.youtube.com)
Federal dental insurance program to be phased in over 2024, benefits to start in May (www.ctvnews.ca)
The new federal dental insurance plan will be phased in gradually over 2024, with the first claims likely to be processed in May, government officials said ahead of a formal announcement scheduled for Monday morning.
Canada wants to make cows burp less to fight climate change (globalnews.ca)
The federal government is proposing financial incentives for farmers in lieu of cutting enteric methane emissions that are released in the air when cows burp.
Canada faces declining EV interest, report shows, despite push to boost sales (globalnews.ca)
The data found about 68 per cent of car shoppers in 2022 who did not own an EV showed an intent to purchase one, but that dropped to 56 per cent this year.
EU approves ban on destruction of unsold clothing (www.dw.com)
'Pseudoscience': Alberta's health minister under fire for naturopathic medicine meeting (calgary.ctvnews.ca)
Alberta's health minister is facing pushback after taking a meeting focused on naturopathic medicine's role in the province's primary care.
UK proposes selfie-based, AI age verification system for porn sites (www.techspot.com)
2023 is officially the hottest year ever recorded, and scientists say "the temperature will keep rising" (www.cbsnews.com)
Me, whenever I try to map level=0 (youservewell.isnichwahr.de)
from: isnichwahr.de/r426689-verruecktes-china-vvs.html...
Nigerian army drone strike accident kills at least 85 civilians (www.theguardian.com)
Grocery store subscriptions for "free" shipping. Do you guys use them?
Walmart (Canada) has started offering subscriptions for “free” shipping for under $10 a month. The cost of gas to go there a few times a month would be more than the subscription fee....