Month: December 2012

Network management geeks: Dad needs help!

This post is a plea for help from smart network administrators/geeks and/or Bob Metcalfe:

Like a lot of dads, I’m the on-site technical support for my household and while that job used to just involve keeping software updates fresh on a single desktop computer, dads like me now have a whole clutch of computers and other gadgets (DVD players, refrigerators, tablets, laptops, TVs, cameras)  — all of which have IP numbers — and all of which are used by any one of four family members to gobble up bandwidth. Like a like lot of Canadians who get their Internet service from a major cableco/telco, I have a bandwidth cap. Exceed the cap and the Akin household pays through the nose. That makes the Akin household’s Accounts Payable Manager (my wife) very unhappy with On-Site Technical Support (that would be me.)

So I need help. Let me describe the genesis of today’s plea for help: Continue reading Network management geeks: Dad needs help!

Harper government "most transparent" in history. NOT!

“Our Government is the most transparent government in Canadian history. There has never been a time when Canadians have had as much access to government information.”

– Treasury Board President Tony Clement, Dec. 19, 2012

 While I have personally encouraged Minister Clement about Open Government/Open Data initiatives (and found him to be personally receptive to doing what he can to implement those initiatives), it is demonstrably false for him that he is part of the most transparent government in Canada history.  Continue reading Harper government "most transparent" in history. NOT!

About those speeches Governor Carney gave …

In light of the revelations that Bank of Canada Governor Mark Carney stayed over for nearly a week last summer at the Nova Scotia home of Liberal MP Scott Brison, some, including us, are looking at two speeches he gave last year in a slightly different light.

First, there was the speech in August to the annual convention of the Canadian Auto Workers, titled “Globalisation, Financial Stability and Employment”. Among other things, Carney argued that the high value of the Canadian dollar was not responsible for any slowdown in manufacturing. Continue reading About those speeches Governor Carney gave …

First, a prayer. Then some discussion about guns.

Still struggling to respond to the events Friday in Newtown, CT.

A politician — Alberta’s minister for municipal affairs Doug Griffiths — found the words that I could not yesterday to express what I was feeling and kudos to him that he managed to do it in a 140-character tweet.

So now what? Well, first, for me, a prayer for those grieving families.

And then, inevitably, we will start to talk about America and its relationship to guns. Continue reading First, a prayer. Then some discussion about guns.

In his own words: BC Green Party candidate Andrew Weaver on allegations of political interference


Those two tweets, from University of Victoria professor and the nominated BC Green Party candidate in Oak Bay-Gordon Head have created quite a little kerfuffle. The “NDP insider” that Weaver is referring to in those tweets is Michael Byers, a UBC political scientist who ran for the federal NDP in the last general election. Continue reading In his own words: BC Green Party candidate Andrew Weaver on allegations of political interference

Robo-votes: What do you think about e-voting?

voting

I’m a geek and have, for 25 years, been an early adopter of just about any Internet-based service. (Hell, I had a GEnie account!)  But I’m still very reluctant to cast my ballot using anything other than a pencil and a piece of paper. But I am interested in debates on this issue, if only because new technologies may improve voter participation which I think is a good thing. So here’s a couple of opinions, pro and con, from the American debate on Internet voting. (Both culled from computer scientist Dave Farber‘s discussion list). Here’s the argument in favour:

Dave:

Internet voting is possible and can be done. Continue reading Robo-votes: What do you think about e-voting?

Border guards battle over name tag directive

Back at the end of November, Public Safety Minister Vic Toews announced that the Canada Border Services Agency has ordered the country’s border guards to wear name tags. After all, members of the Canadian Forces, the RCMP, and U.S. border guards all wear name tags. In that November 27 press release, the CBSA said this was a good idea because, “We believe that this small step will allow the millions of clients we serve to feel more comfortable in their interactions with our officers. Personalized name tags reflect our commitment to service excellence and reinforce the professionalism and integrity for which CBSA officers are known.”

This initiative, colleague Mark Dunn reported, was going to cost Canadian taxpayers nearly a quarter-of-a-million dollars.

The border guards, though,  didn’t like this idea and a bunch of border guards refused to work, Continue reading Border guards battle over name tag directive

Audio: Thomas Mulcair says progressives should rally to the NDP banner

NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair
NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair, flanked by his House leader Nathan Cullen and his Whip Nycole Turmel, takes questions from reporters after the final NDP caucus meeting of 2012. (David Akin)

NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair spoke to reporters for about 25 minutes after the final NDP caucus meeting of 2012. Here’s the audio of the English-language questions and responses. He touches on co-operationg with the left, Syria, F35s, and C-377. Continue reading Audio: Thomas Mulcair says progressives should rally to the NDP banner