Shoe-throwing Iraqi journalist asks for pardon

Muntadhar al-Zeidi, the Iraqi journalist that was charged for throwing his shoes at the U.S. President George W. Bush is asking the Iraqi’s prime minister to pardon his act. The Iraqi journalist is facing two years in jail for insulting the U.S. President, George W. Bush. A pardon could be issued to Muntadhar al-Zeidi by Iraq’s president, Jalal Talabani, if it is recommended be the prime minister. On Sunday, during a news conference in Baghdad, the Iraqi journalist threw both of his shoes at George W. Bush and called him a dog. Bush dodged both of the shoes, and later, publicly stated that he did not feel threatened by this act. In Iraqi culture, throwing shoes at someone is a sign of hatred, and serves as an insult.
Should the Iraqi journalist be pardoned by the prime minister for his act? I don’t think he should. He should’ve thought about the consequences before he committed this act of hatred. The Iraqi journalist should face some time in jail for threatening, and insulting the U.S. President, George W. Bush. This act is unacceptable, but I can understand why such a thing would happen. Bush invaded Iraq back in 2003 which caused problems for the residents; the journalist was upset and mad about this issue and decided to insult the U.S. President. Despite this matter, the Iraqi journalist should be punished for his actions; it is a very immature thing to do. This incident got a lot of media attention; there are videos and even games made from this event. Both are included for reference and possibly for entertainment.

December 18, 2008.

Article provided by CBC News.

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Link to Video of the incident

Link to Game that was created from this incident

FC Barcelona advance 12 points ahead of Real Madrid

On Saturday, December 13th the biggest rivalry game took place in the Spanish soccer league, La Liga. The match between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid was played in the Camp Nou, Barcelona’s home stadium, in front of a vast, blaring audience of 96,059. It was a very important game for Barcelona, because with a win they could advance 12 points ahead of the defending champions, Real Madrid. This game is one of the biggest rivalry games in professional soccer all over the world. It was a tight match, but Barcelona fought through and broke the dead-lock late in the game. In the 69th minute a penalty kick was presented to FC Barcelona; Eto’o was the kicker chosen by his team to take the kick, but Casillas, Real Madrid’s goalie denied him and the score was still level at zero. The first goal came in the 83rd minute, scored by Samuel Eto’o. The goal came from an outstanding cross from the corner, and Eto’o kicked the ball in the net using his knee. The second goal was scored in the 89th minute by Messi; this was a very important goal that guaranteed Barcelona the win. Overall the game was very well played by both teams, especially by Victor Valdes, and Iker Casillas, the two goalies who kept the score low.
This was a very exciting game for me because I am a huge FC Barcelona fan; I was very happy to see them win and take a 12 point lead from Real Madrid. I liked how this game was played, both teams were very strong defensively and offensively; no goals were scored until the 83rd minute, but the entire match was very exciting. A lot of scoring chances were created throughout the game which made the game exhilarating from the beginning, to the end. FC Barcelona has been playing outstanding this season, and has a chance to win the championship.

Team Standings Dec/13/08

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December 13, 2008

Article provided by FC Barcelona News.

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Google releases a finished web browser

Google has finished and released their version of a web browser to challenge Microsoft’s version, the Internet Explorer. This Google web browser is free to use for all computer users wishing to start using the new and improved Google web browser. There are more than 10 million users, world wide, using the new and enhanced Google web browser. This new and improved version is promised to include better video viewing, faster data loading, and safer privacy and security controls.
It is a brilliant idea to release a completely new web browser from a different organization, because of many various reasons. First of all, when people are having problems with their current software they tend to replace it with a new one, at least from my experience. When your current web browser can’t open some pages, you will probably find a new web browser that can open the pages that you desire to access. Also, some people prefer newer software, because newer software has all the new features that the old software might be missing, so people will download this newer software to see if it is any better than the old one they were currently using. I personally don’t take interest for newer features of the web browser; I am not an advanced user of the web browser, I am satisfied with the features I currently have because it lets me do all the things I wish for, and that is all I need. This new, finished version of Google’s web browser could have a negative impact on other web browser suppliers, because people could start using Google’s version and the other suppliers could lose their customers and possibly run out of business.

December 12, 2008

Article provided by the Canwest News Service.

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Snowfall warning in Metro Vancouver

A snowfall warning is in effect for Metro Vancouver and other parts of the Lower Mainland on Friday. Experts are expecting five to ten centimeters of snow over Metro Vancouver on Friday and through the night. At the current temperature, slightly above zero, snow could be mixed with light rain affecting the condition of the roads.
There are advantages and disadvantages with this cold and snowy weather. The advantage is for all skiers and snowboarders, waiting for snow to fall on a local mountain so that the skiing season could begin. It is now mid December and the mountains are still not opened for skiing, because there is not enough snow on the mountains for a suitable skiing experience. Last year the mountains were open in mid November, so locals could enjoy skiing or snowboarding on their favorite mountain. With the snow falling in Lower Vancouver, it is guaranteed that that the mountains will get snow over this period. The disadvantage is for all the drivers of Vancouver; the road conditions are going to be very poor for safe transportation. Drivers will be expected to slow down during these unsafe road conditions; it is much easier to loose control of a car when the roads are frozen and slippery. It will be more difficult, and take more time for people to get to their desired destination with the road conditions so poor. I personally like the fact that it is snowing, because I enjoy snowboarding and I can’t waiting for the mountains to open for snowboarding. I don’t drive that much so the road conditions are not a disadvantage for me.

December 12, 2008

Article provided by The Province.

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China and Russia plan trip to Mars

China and Russia will combine forces for a Mars project that will take place in 2009. The rocket will be launched in October of 2009, and will arrive on Mars in August 2010. The rocket will be carrying a 110 kilogram Yinghao-1, a device that will be used to gather information about Mars from an orbit above the planet. Once the rocket has landed on the planet it will retrieve a sample of soil, which will be used for further research to find out more information about Mars.
This is a very interesting and useful project. It is helpful for us to know about our neighbouring planets; there could be life on other planets that we might not know about. Also, if the conditions on the planet were suitable for living, life could slowly be started there. I personally wouldn't like to live on a different planet, because I am used to living on Earth and it would be difficult for me to adjust to life elsewhere, especially on a different planet. It would be interesting to see if some people would volunteer to live on a different planet. Hopefully this project will be successful, because if it isn't, a lot of money would be wasted, and no knowledge would be gained. Trips to space are very expensive, mainly because of the technology, equipment. It costs a lot of money to send a rocket ship to space, and everything has to be perfect for it to work; if one thing goes wrong the whole project could fail. Hopefully this project succeeds so that valuable information can be discovered about the planet of Mars.

December 9, 2008

Article provided by CBC News.

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Street racing in Metro Vancouver posted on YouTube

Vancouver police have discovered a video on YouTube that shows two cars racing, possibly along Highway 99 at speeds that reach 234 km/h. At the time of the street race and the making of the video, the streets were wet and there were other cars on the road as seen in the video; the road conditions make this event even more dangerous than it already is. The police is examining the video, hoping to identify the street racers. The video quality was good enough that someone could recognize one of the drivers; the driver could also be identified by his voice.
Not only is street racing dangerous, but it's stupid. Why would someone risk their life to street race? People die every day because of car related accidents, street racers just raise the risk of getting into a accident by traveling at very high speeds. Not only are they risking their life, but they are endangering other drivers around them. Another element is that driving at high speed is illegal; is it worth getting an expensive fine just to make a useless YouTube Video? The gaming industry has made simulated car racing video games; it is basically the same as illegal street racing, but in a safe environment of your home or an arcade. Why would people endanger themselves and others, when they can get the same concept in a safe and controlled environment? Hopefully the Vancouver police find the suspects and issue severe punishments for these individuals.

December 9, 2008

Article provided by the Vancouver Sun.

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Video games, for kids?

A new survey proves that video games are not just for kids. This survey found that more than half of Americans aged eighteen and older play video games. Statistics show that 81% of Americans aged between eighteen and twenty-nine play video games, 60% of people aged between thirty and forty-nine, 40% of those aged between fifty and sixty-four, and 23% of those aged sixty-five and older. Out of these people, 21% said that they play video games almost every day. Lastly it was proven that men are more likely to play these games than women.
This survey is very helpful to show us how many people play video games. The video game industry is very successful because once one starts playing these games they get addicted and can’t stop playing; as the survey shows, people aged sixty-five and older play. Once these people start playing it is hard to stop; the video game industry is very successful because of this fact. The people that play every day have the biggest impact on the industry. For these people, they get so addicted that games are the only things they think about. Some people don’t even work, because they are at home playing games; this is a major problem for the economy because there are less people that want to work in the world. The people that play video games every day have no social life because they are always stuck at home playing games. This kind of people will never be successful in life, because they have no social skill, and they never leave their home so they never get opportunities that can make them be successful.

December 9, 2008

Article provided by Canwest News Service.

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Mexico wants to shrink coins to save money

Metal costs are increasing and it is expensive to produce coins, so in Mexico it was suggested that they reduce the size and make their coins out of cheaper metal. Mexico will save 15 million dollars a year if they reduce the size of their coins and produce them out of cheaper metal. A bill was approved to modify the country's coinage by the Mexican Senate and a vote will take place in the lower house of Congress in February about this topic.
I think that there are positive and negative effects to this process. The positive factor is that the Government will save 15 million dollars a year that could possibly go towards a different project in their country. This huge amount of money could be used for something more important, something that the country would benefit from. The minor, negative issue is that the coins will be smaller and it could be hard for some people to handle them. I know that I find it hard when I have a handful of pennies or dimes and I’m try to count them; can you imagine if all of our coins were that small? Another bad point is, that the smaller something is the easier it is to lose it. This could be the outcome of having smaller coins; people would just loose them, and the Government would have to produce more of them. Overall I think it’s a good idea because the Government is saving a huge amount of money, and this could help out in the future.

December 5, 2008

Article provided by The Canadian Press.

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Belgian car dealer offers buy one, get one free deal to boost sales

A car dealership in Belgium is offering their customers an astonishing deal that allows the customer to buy one car, and get a second car, of maximum value of $22,000 Canadian for free. This promotion began in late November and is active until December 15th. An important fact is that the dealership is able to support this promotion without loosing any money.

This offer is a win for both the seller and the consumer; the seller doesn’t loose any money, and the consumer gets a second car for no charge. This promotion is an excellent way for the dealership to gain new consumers, make more money, and keep their company functional. Without this promotion the dealership might not be able to sell as many cars, and not make money that they need to keep their company running. By introducing this amazing offer, the company is able to sell cars easily, without loosing, but gaining money, to keep their dealership functional. From the consumer point-of-view, it is an un-passable offer; who doesn’t want a car for free? The only question is if you really need two cars. If not, a possibility is to sell the second one and make a profit; this could be a hazard to the dealership. If everyone that gets this deal, decides to sell the second car for cheaper that its value, every dealership in Belgium could be facing a down-fall. Why would someone buy a car for the full price, when they can get it for cheaper from their neighbour? This is an astonishing offer, but it could lead to problem in the future; if I was offer this deal there would be no way that I would reject it.

December, 5 2008

Article provided by CBC News.

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Apple releases iPhone 2.2 update

The 2.2 software update is now available for the Iphone. Some of the highlights of this new update are the GPS and Google Maps. This version 2.2 update includes Google Street View in Google Maps. This allows Iphone users to see a 360 degree-view of locations taken with cameras mounted on Google’s cars, and includes walking directions with information on public transportation stops.
This software update is very useful and helpful for people finding their way around the busy streets of Vancouver, or any other city in the world. If one is lost this is a great tool that will provide information and walking directions to a desired destination. This tool is very useful for tourists finding their way around an unfamiliar location. It can be used as a tour guide by plotting a desired rout that will take one through the major land marks of a city, making sure nothing is left out. This is a must have software update for every Iphone user world wide. Not only is it a newer software version for the Iphone, but it’s a tool, helpful for everyone, everywhere.

November 21, 2008

Cnet News writer Marguerite Reardon contributed to this report.

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