12.21.2010

Personal emails exempt from FOI

The Ontario Super Court of Justice ruled recently that personal emails stored on government services are not subject to FOI requests. This has pretty important implications for any employee who works in a government organization and uses their government email for personal use. Employees are always told that whatever they write in an email from that account (or receive to that account) is subject to FOI, and so they should be careful; this ruling seems to state otherwise.

It should be noted, however, that many organizations (including those that are FOI-able) have rules around employee use of technology that may preclude email use for personal business, as it constitutes using a "resource" for personal gain.

Full link to the full story below.

Globe & Mail

12.17.2010

Morning sunrise

That's a bit of a redundant statement I guess, since the sun always rises in the morning. Anyway, as Emily Dickinson said, the sunrise is day's great progenitor. So a great sunrise should beget a great day!
Sent wirelessly from my BlackBerry device.

11.23.2010

CBC News - Technology & Science - Tim Hortons to accept debit cards

CBC News - Technology & Science - Tim Hortons to accept debit cards

This both came as a surprise to me (that BC was part of the "test market") and not (as somebody who's driven through a Maritimes Tim Hortons and had to park, get cash, and come inside to pay). I tend to take for granted that I can pay for everything everywhere with my debit card (even a $2 coffee), and I guess that's not always the case. I believe the delays to which Tim Hortons refers are not those related to the use of the debit cards, but those that occur when the debit machines go down and people are left with no way to pay for the items that are already being made.

10.27.2010

Money for a Good Cause

It was recently brought to my attention that Pepsi is holding a competition to donate a bunch of money (in the form of grants) to various causes, the worthiness of which is being voted on by internet users. One of these causes is the First United Church's storage area for the homeless in Vancouver's east side. They need the grant to ensure ongoing funding for the project, and getting it from Pepsi seems like as good a place as any.

I recommend everyone sign up (it's quick, easy and free at  http://www.refresheverything.ca/login, click on the "$25000" tab, and vote for First United. They're currently in 2nd (voting ends on the 31st) and the top 2 get the cash, so it's looking good!

I'll provide updates as necessary towards the end of the competition.

UPDATE: with 2 days remaining to vote, the First United Church project is currently in the lead in the $25,000 prize category.

UPDATE 2: a bit late (I've been away from the internet), but First United has "qualified" as the top vote-getter in the $25k category. Later this month Pepsi will announce the winners/grant-getters.

10.23.2010

A sad day for Canadian children's television

Just read that Denis Simpson, former host of "The Polka Dot Door" died of a brain hemorrhage. He was actually a pretty renowned actor and singer, but I certainly recognized him as the guy who never got to see the Polkaroo.

10.20.2010

Mobile blogger test

Just set up mobile blogger (unfortunately there's no Blogger app for Blackberry) and thought I'd give it a quick go while on my lunch break.

The topic of this post is "fish". As in the salmon run at the Adams River in the interior of BC. This year is apparently the largest, most impressive salmon run in decades, and it was well worth the trip I took up there last weekend. Many, many fish (both living and dead), and a nearly equal number of humans. Good to see people are still interested enough in nature to hike along a river bank littered with the decaying corpses of spent salmon.

I'll post some photos to Flickr when I get a chance. Until then, this single image I took with my BB will have to suffice!
Sent wirelessly from my BlackBerry device.