Colby Cosh is wondering where all the British bloggers are. It’s been a pet peeve of mine behind the scenes for months now. Where are they? Cosh states his case well, and I am in agreement.

Bene Diction Blogs On has been visited by 55 countries. The largest referrer other than the portal is a great Welsh blog that also has a chat and Wiki.

According to this survey, English speakers use the internet most often.

I’m finding lots of Australian, New Zealand and Canadian compatriots now.

If this survey is correct, it still begs the question. Where are all the UK bloggers? It isn’t like blogging is still in the back recesses online.

Use of the Internet is booming all around the world, bucking the
global economic downturn and the crisis in the information
technology industry, according to United Nations figures.
An annual report by the UNCTAD trade and development agency
forecast registered Internet users could total 655 million by the
end of 2002, a year-on-year increase of 30%.

If you can find or know of a readable survey that breaks down non commercial use of the internet, pop it in the comments section.

Tax Dollars down the Toilet
Ottawa. Hello. Why don’t you just yank money from every Canadian and flush it? Canada’s Auditor general Sheila Fraser finds the federal gun registry is so far over budget we need a new category to go past…past… sublime to the ridiculous to…to…I have no idea.

That means the program will cost taxpayers $860 million.

Canadians have been attempting to tell you we don’t like your registry. Does the fact a curling iron and other appliances were registered by law-abiding citizens give you a clue?

There is the usual waffling and bureaucrat speak. No incompetent will be fired, or prosecuted. There will be no relevant review. One Billion dollars? For what?

Justice Minister Martin Cauchon said there was no wrong-doing and the cost overrun had been reported internally. But he promised to provide those kinds of numbers to Parliament in the future.

Sure you will. When this happens.

And even if you do cough those hidden costs up, you’ll just keep flushing our money, won’t you? Our money. Not yours. Saskatchewan Reform MP Garry Breitkreuz says the government has learned nothing and should scrap the registry program.

“How long are you going to pour money down this black hole,” he said. “We could have bought 238 MRIs for the cost of what we spent on this.”Despite the costs, doubts have been raised about how effective the program has been.The report says the RCMP admits it is not confident about the reliability of the information it provides to the registry.That means guns may be getting into the hands of people who don’t qualify to own them.

They may, may they? This report gives new meaning to the term armed robbery.

Blogger
Blogger/blogspot was developed by a couple of guys. The most out front one has been Evan Williams. Here is an interview with co-creator Paul Bausch, who is working on some new projects.
Link via Microcontent News

Santa
Although Canada doesn’t actually lay claim to the North Pole, every Canadian parent know a letter to Santa with the postal code HOH OHO gets attention from Canada Post. Did you also know that your child can now email the jolly guy and his helpers?

Your child can also keep track of the weather at the North Pole here. Goodness, it’s colder here than the NP.

NORAD
I may be all grown up, but here is another group of people that help me remember what it means to be a kid. It’s a great way to engage children over the season. As Christmas approaches this site gets busier. I confess I link up every Christmas Eve. Thanks Norad!