Hate television? Now you can do something about it.
Mitch Altman of San Francisco has invented a device that will turn off televisions all across the world. The device is similar to a universal remote control, but fits within a keychain. The TV-B-gone costs $14.99 USD and allows users to turn off over 1000 television models around the world, including in airports, restaurants, and bars. Mr. Altman has been amazed at the incredible consumer response to his new device. He told the associated press “I didn’t know there were so many people who were into turning TV off.” The inventor says that he doesn’t like television and that he doesn’t own a television. Click here to learn more about the TV-B-gone at CBC news. Or check out Gizmodo.com that has some choice words for Mr. Altman and his new device.
“Secularism is one of the great successes of the Republic,” Chirac
In France Muslim girls are being turned away from school for wearing headscarves, also known as hijabs. This follows legislation in France that banned all overtly religious dress and signs, including Muslim headscarves, Sikh turbans, Jewish skullcaps and large Christian crosses in schools. Yet, most of the media attention has been on the banning of Muslim headscarves or hijabs. Over 600 students have violated the act since it took effect on September 2, 2004. The French government is claiming that it is simply holding to its commitment to separate religion and state. In the words of Jacques Chirac, President of France “Secularism is one of the great successes of the Republic…It is a crucial element of social peace and national cohesion. We cannot let it weaken.” Personally, I think these words are ridiculous and fail to take into consideration the major role that faith and religion play in society. I feel Mr. Chirac is saying that denying the practice of religion is one of the greatest steps to peace and social cohesion a country can take. While I’m not proposing a state religion, I am proposing that national cohesion and peace will not be accomplished by intolerance and the prevention of freedom of religion. True peace will only be accomplished when nations and individuals attempt to understand and tolerant the religions of their citizens and neighbours.
Click here to read the CBC article.
Get your CBC news links here!
And the call rang out from all the street corners that Jon’s website now has CBC news links. Now my website is becoming a one stop shop for all the important information in the world, which basically consists of my thoughts and CBC world news. On a more serious note I included the CBC news links because I believe we should continue to educate ourselves on a daily basis on what is going on in the world. We should be reminded that the world is not centered around us. One of the ways I believe we can do this is to inform ourselves about the happenings in our world. Please check out the news links on the right-hand column, currently I’ve only included world news, but perhaps at a later date I’ll add national news as well. If you are interested in getting CBC news links onto your own website just go to CBC News.
And I was running…
Last weekend myself and a number of my family and friends participated in a run to raise money for Youth Unlimited/ Youth for Christ. My sister convinced my uncle and I to run in the 15km race, while Steve and Rob ran the 8km race, and Mark and Will ran the 4km race. It was a great family event as my dad and mom and aunt came out to cheer us on and take pictures. It was the first time that I had run in something semi-competitive since high school and I enjoyed it a lot. I came in at 1 hour 8 minutes, my sister came in at around 1 hr 25 min, and with my uncle Dan behind her by only about 5 minutes. As many people have said running is definitely addicting, it’s painful sometimes while you’re doing it, but afterwards you feel great. Who knows what my sister has gotten me into, perhaps one day I’ll run a marathon, or more realistically a half-marathon. So until next time “keep fit and have fun”.
Official website of Jonathan R. Schmidt