From this morning's Globe [surely some mistake in the dateline??]:
WINNIPEG -- Free wireless Internet service is now available in Saskatchewan's four biggest cities, making it the first province to launch a widespread, publicly funded network. The initiative is part of the government's effort to position Saskatchewan as a high-tech learning centre that appeals to graduates and young professionals. They hope it will also help bridge the digital divide by making the Internet available to those unable to afford a connection at home. "We're doing it to promote our cities as dynamic, progressive places to live and work and go to school," said Richard Murray, the policy and planning director in Saskatchewan's information technology office.Well, sure. After all, what could be more "dynamic" and "progressive" than thought control and deliberately damaged technology? Come to Saskatchewan, O ye graduates and young professionals, where the future is now. And if you want a vision of it, just imagine a boot stamping on a Playboy centerfold forever.
...The service is not quite as fast as the high-speed cable or DSL connection available to most home subscribers, but it's many times faster than dial-up. Mr. Murray said it works well for browsing websites and checking e-mail, but downloading video isn't recommended. Since it's a publicly funded service, users will also be blocked from visiting sites associated with pornography or hate groups.
Comments (3)
I don't believe the Globe has a correspondent in Saskatchewan, so the dateline merely indicates that it was filed from the Winnipeg desk, as it might have been from Calgary or Edmonton. Of course, that doesn't necessarily mean that anybody at the Globe knows where Winnipeg is.
Posted by ebt | July 30, 2007 9:45 AM
Posted on July 30, 2007 09:45
Be interesting to see what their definition of "pornography or hate groups" is? I wouldn't be surprised that use it to cut links to various right-wing/conservative sites.
Posted by L.J. Brooks | July 31, 2007 1:50 PM
Posted on July 31, 2007 13:50
Just got back to my home in Saskatchewan's largest city (and latest hot investment tip for real estate speculators from Alberta) and the only wireless network my laptop can pick up is run by my next door neighbor. This looks to me like a filler piece written from a premature government press release. The writer on the Winnipeg byline has been with the Globe's national office for a few years, he must have transferred to Winnipeg sometime in 2006. He's done real reporting in the past, I guess this was a slow news day in Winnipeg.
Posted by RGlasel | August 6, 2007 8:50 PM
Posted on August 6, 2007 20:50