Winnipeg files new suit related to its police HQ | Winnipeg Sun

Posted on January 7, 2020 by

https://winnipegsun.com/news/news-news/winnipeg-to-file-new-suit-related-to-its-police-hq

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Venezuela economic failure and fake or misleading news

Posted on January 4, 2020 by

Social misleadia, Trump and many of his supporters and others from the far right have been sharing fake or misleading news about Venezuela’s economic failure.

Venezuela’s economic crisis is an example of failed leadership, corruption and other issues. It has happened elsewhere regardless of left or right leaning. Other oil dependent countries that were left or right leaning have not had as difficult a time due to better leadership, less corruption and less extremes.

Some of the most stable countries with liberal democracies that are getting the most value for public funds are left leaning or closer to center. They have taken steps to reduce or prevent bloated bureaucracies, inefficiencies, ethics issues and corruption.

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Much of the same info as in the WSJ below is available here with less bias.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crisis_in_Venezuela

Blaming the left or right for failures rather than the real issues does not move us forward. It just divides us which is the intention of many that are benefiting from this divide.

The elite, ultra elite, the establishment, foreign states and others are benefiting from a divided public who are manipulated into being focused on right vs left vs the real issues.

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socialism is not communism but neither has proven to be good for the public or economies and same with unfettered capitalism, dictatorships and autocracies. The countries with a better balance of capitalism and social programs with protections to limit and reduce the effects of greed, corruption etc… are creating the highest quality of living, protections for the environment and much better value from public funds.

Only some of the elite would do well if there was more socialism. This proven which is why it is not widely supported.

I do not have the time or desire to have discussions that are focused on the left vs. right, dividing and relying on false or misleading info rater than the bigger or real issues. We need to focus on what unites the public and finding the right balance that proven to be the most effective.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/qz.com/1688397/data-proves-it-authoritarian-leaders-are-bad-for-the-economy/amp/

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Venezuela’s Collapse Exposes the Fake Socialism Debated in U.S.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/venezuelas-collapse-exposes-the-fake-socialism-debated-in-u-s-11549465200

The WSJ has Right-Center Bias with mostly factual ratings here:
https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/wall-street-journal/

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False positive for Breathalyzer test

Posted on January 2, 2020 by

Medications That Can Cause False Breathalyzer Test Readings

When you agree to take a breathalyzer test, you are asked to blow into a small hand-held device that registers your BAC. There are a number of reasons that the test results may not be accurate, such as if the machine is not calibrated or the test is not administered properly. Your medications and other substances you ingested can also result in a false positive reading. Here are some medications and substances that can affect your test results:

Asthma medications. Albuterol, salmeterol, budesonide, and similar medications under different brand names have been known to affect breathalyzer test results. Once these medicines are inhaled, they remain in a person’s airways longer than other medications.

Over-the-counter medications. Nyquil, Vicks products, and other cold medications contain alcohol. These and other alcohol-containing medicines may cause a breathalyzer test to show a false positive result. If you consumed a large number of cough drops before your breathalyzer test, it also could have skewed the test results.

Oral gels. Oral gels are used to treat the pain from canker sores and toothaches. However, one of its ingredients is Anbesol, a local anesthetic, which can cause a person to test positive for alcohol consumption.

Mouthwashes and breath sprays. Some mouthwashes and breath sprays have a high alcohol content. If they are used before a breathalyzer test is administered, they can affect the test results.

Medical conditions, such as acid reflux and diabetes, and recent dental work, can also lead to a false positive test result.

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Using a lawyers and they will haul in the money instead of the province but will most likely cost a lot more.
No demerits, license suspensions plus license and insurance increases.

Fine for people with money.

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Environmental cost of cryptocurrency mines

Posted on December 31, 2019 by

Monetary price of health and air quality impacts

Computer screen listing cryptocurrencies (stock image).
Credit: © Colin Cramm / Adobe Stock

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/11/191113092600.htm
Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin and Monero — the names of digital-based ‘cryptocurrencies’ are being heard more and more frequently. But despite having no physical representation, could these new methods of exchange actually be negatively impacting our planet? It’s a question being asked by researchers at The University of New Mexico, who are investigating the environmental impacts of mining cryptocurrencies.

… some production processes, like the predominate Proof-of Work (POW) scheme used in Bitcoin, require ever increasing computing power and energy use in the winner-take-all competition to solve complex algorithms, and secure new blocks in the chain.”

The researchers estimate that in 2018, every $1 of Bitcoin value created was responsible for $.49 in health and climate damages in the United States.

Their data shows that at one point during 2018, the cost in damages that it took to create Bitcoin matched the value of the exchange itself. …

… the specialized machines used for mining also have to kept cool, so they won’t overheat while computing such complex algorithms. That additional energy-use was not part of this study, which means even more energy is being consumed than is currently being accounted for when looking solely at the usage of running the machines. …

Although relatively limited in overall use currently, there are cryptocurrencies with alternative production schemes which require significantly less energy use. The researchers hope by publicizing the health and climate impacts of such schemes, they will encourage alternative methods of mining. …

“The ability to locate cryptomining almost anywhere (i.e. following the cheapest, under-regulated electricity source) …creates significant challenges to implementing regulation,” the paper says.

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Posted in Financial, Health and wellness, international, News and politics, Science & Technology, Sustainability | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

The strange truth about the pill – BBC Future

Posted on December 29, 2019 by

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20180822-the-birth-control-pill-can-have-male-side-effects

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Comments

Looks like more research needed on birth control pills and the substantial changes they make to women’s brains.

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Interesting. This makes me curious as to the the effect, if any, it has had on the LBGTQ and why some say they weren’t born in the right body.

There is transgender men and they didn’t take the pill plus many trans people say they started feeling like they were different than their birth sex before puberty. Still concerning that it changes the brain that much in at least the women they studied.

Oh I realize that but with the changes they are showing in women’s brains which they are possibly attributing to the hormone from the pill, could there possibly be any continuation of the hormonal changes if a woman later gives birth to either sex? And we do already know that many feel they were in the wrong bodies from early on in life and is most likely due to a difference in chemicals in bodies. But could any of these chemical changes in a child be caused by the pill being taken by the mother?

Good question. Maybe in some cases. More research needed. Homosexuality has existed for much longer than the pill so there is much more to it.

There is also other hormone mimicors from plasticizers in some bottles, cans and other products that we store food in or injest in other ways. Some have been banned but they find out later that some of the replacements also have issues.

Posted in Health and wellness, healthcare, News and politics, Science & Technology | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Facebook considers changes to its political ad policy — Quartz

Posted on December 21, 2019 by

https://qz.com/1768509/facebook-considers-changes-to-its-political-ad-policy/

Posted in Freedom of Press, freedom of speech, international, News and politics, social media | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

SNC-Lavalin pleads guilty to fraud charge, to pay $280-million fine

Posted on December 19, 2019 by

NICOLAS VAN PRAET, ANDREW WILLIS, GREG MCARTHUR SECURITIES REGULATION REPORTER, SEAN FINE JUSTICE WRITER, MONTREAL
PUBLISHED DECEMBER 18, 2019
FOR SUBSCRIBERS

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/article-snc-lavalin-reaches-agreement-to-plead-guilty-to-charges-of-corruption/

After year of political turmoil, SNC-Lavalin gets most of what it wanted in plea deal

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Comments

This plea deal ends the criminal investigation and case against SNC with the bribery and breach of trust charges dropped, a $280 Million fine, 3 year probation and they can still bid on government contracts. The case allowed to drag on so long the Crown was forced to compromise due to risk of stay from excessive delays. Was the Crown or Court more responsible for the delays?

What about the RCMP investigation into the PMO and PM interfering in the case by pressuring the Justice Minister and denying access to information about it? It was put on hold until after the election. To help prevent this from occuring again and restore public trust and confidence they need to finish investigating this properly.

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Not only did SNC get a sweet deal, but the RCMP will not confirm that JT and Butts are even being investigated..Notice how they timed this to slip under everyone’s radar, while they were out shopping, and while Cdn media are going gaga over the attack on Trump. The SNC exec guilty plea was similarly snuck in under bigger US news.

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