Category: good news

Americans driving less for the first time in 25yrs

On By Rick McIn economics, good news, health & fitnessLeave a comment

Americans have been driving further — 40% more than 25 years ago — and using more gasoline in bigger, more powerful cars and other light duty vehicles.

But higher gasoline prices have had a significant impact. The rate of growth in gasoline demand slowed sharply from its 1.6% per year pace (1990-2004) to 0.3% in 2005, and continued to grow slowly in 2006, at 1.0%.

And for the first time in 25 years, motorists’ average mileage went down. Overall, though, according to the CERA report, improved automotive efficiencies and one of the lowest fuel tax rates among Western countries have kept gasoline and oil’s share of average U.S. household budgets at 3.8% in 2006, slightly above the 1960s’ 3.4% to 3.6% level despite rising world oil prices.

Gasoline and the American People: A CERA Special Report

Higher gas prices have helped motivate. Maybe we should raise fuel tax (to pay for my bicycle trails). All in favour?

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Bahrainis use Google Earth to spy on royals’ palaces

On By Rick McIn good news, government, internet, IslamLeave a comment

It was in China in 1998 when it first dawned on me that the internet would bring down that totalitarian regime.

I expect China to suddenly (and surprisingly to some) move to democracy by 2010.

Why?

Because totalitarianism is inherently unfair. It’s a system where those in control stuff as much RMB into their pockets at the expense of those not in control. This kind of injustice is not sustainable once those being robbed find out what’s going on. Every day it gets harder to keep the masses ignorant.

After China, the rest of the non-democratic nations of the world will go the same way. Even the Kingdom of Bahrain.

How happy are the Bahrainis with their Royals once this kind of information get circulated widely?

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Boing Boing: Bahrainis use Google Earth to spy on royals’ palaces

who is this guy? And what has he done with Rockin’ Ronnie!

On By Rick McIn barbecue, good newsLeave a comment

What’s up?

A guy posing as Rockin’ posted this on his blog:

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I’m delighted to report that I’ve joined Longview Communications Inc., a Vancouver-based consulting firm, as an Associate.

After three years as an independent consultant and barbecue evangelist, it was time for me to rejoin the workforce. Much as I love the company of my wife Kate, it was quite isolating to work out of our basement office, and I’m thrilled to be a member of a team again. And Kate is finally free of having to listen to me on the phone, “droning on and on about barbecue and who knows what else,” as she often put it.

What a team I’m joining. In three short years, Longview founder Josh Pekarsky has built an amazing group of strategic communicators with a blue-chip client list and lots of exciting work. I’m continuing to serve my existing clients, but I’m also looking forward to new challenges.

Say hello to Downtown Ronnie. Woo hoo!

Downtown Ronnie – For Your Approval

new baby – Christopher Brennan

On By Rick McIn good news, photosLeave a comment

302125629_1e9235c1a3_m.jpgMy good friend ET (Elaine Tyerman) just delivered an early Christmas present.

A month early.

Mom and the new baby boy both doing well though they are watching Christopher closely. He weighed in at 4lbs, 12ozs.

more baby pictures on flickr – Warren Long

Congratulations ET!

Looking forward to meeting the boy at New Years. Will bring Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh.

new baby boy

On By Rick McIn good news, gymnasticsLeave a comment

Debbie (Broderick) Rodriguez, long time Altadore gymnast, now coach / owner of Byers Gymnastics Center in California just sent me photos of .

Big sister welcomes Luke into the world, all 5lbs, 11oz of him. Healthy and content, and with Eli Rodriguez as father — I’m thinking we have another good gymnast here.

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thanks Stacey, thanks Bevan

On By Rick McIn good news, travel, traveloguesLeave a comment

I first met Stacey & Bevan Hughes in Peru. We hiked Alpamayo and later hooked up for Paine in Chile.

They are a prototypical cool Vancouver couple with diverse interests, a fascinating history and some exciting things happening in the future.

They hosted me for a couple of days. Good, lively fun.

Stace was almost … glowing.

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» next travelogue post on this trip – Vancouver airport sucks

Flames to win Stanley Cup 2007

On By Rick McIn good news, sport - proLeave a comment

… the Flames finish second in the Western Conference before a magical playoff run ends with them beating the New York Rangers to win the Stanley Cup.

Newcomer Alex Tanguay wins the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP, but it’s captain Jarome Iginla who really makes the Flames burn.

Iggy scores a league-best 63 goals and 125 points in the regular season and ensures this trip to the NHL final doesn’t end in heartbreak, as it did in 2004.

It’s enough to help rookie coach Jim Playfair win the Jack Adams Award as coach of the year at an NHL awards ceremony high on Calgary content. Tanguay (Hart Trophy, Lady Byng), Miikka Kiprusoff (Vezina Trophy) and Robyn Regehr (Norris Trophy) are all finalists for major trophies.

The Habs are the best of the rest in Canada, finishing seventh in the Eastern Conference thanks in large part to a strong performance by captain Saku Koivu. But then Montreal loses in the first round to the Buffalo Sabres.

Ottawa, Edmonton, Vancouver and Toronto don’t make the playoffs.

Computer simulation pegs Flames to win Stanley Cup

Done deal.

language translation – now on this site

On By Rick McIn blogs, good newsLeave a comment

Just added a small widget (bottom of right hand side navigation) which can translate this page into 8 different languages.

Translations between European languages are surprisingly good. But to and from Asian characters is more hilarious than helpful.

Babel Fish is a web-based application developed by AltaVista (now Yahoo!) which machine translates text or web pages from one of several languages into another.

It takes its name from the Babel fish, a fictional animal used for instantaneous language translation in Douglas Adams’ novel The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. …

Babel Fish (website) – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Wikipedia won’t censor in China

On By Rick McIn good news, internet, product endorsementsLeave a comment

“Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales has refused to censor the content on the Chinese version of Wikipedia, resulting in its being blocked by the Chinese government. Google, Yahoo and others have folded to demands from Beijing’s totalitarian bureaucrats, but Wikipedia has stood firm. Predictably, Beijing has come to Wikipedia to ask them for some kind of peace-treaty, because China can ill-afford to block critical information resources if it is to remain economically strong. If only Google and Yahoo’s executives were as confident in the importance of their services as Wales is of Wikipedia.”

Boing Boing: Jimmy Wales to Beijing: Wikipedia won’t censor

Good on Wikipedia!

Of course it is much easier for them to stand tall as they do not have any shareholders to riot in the streets.

Wikipedia really is the best success story of the open source movement.