Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has released its annual ranking of global press freedom, and Canada has done pretty well. At least compared with its brethren in the G8, anyway.

In fact, Canada was 18th of 169 countries. Our fair nation was one of only two Group of Eight nations to crack the top twenty. Germany came in right under the wire, capturing the 20th spot. The UK was 24th, and the USA was a distant 48th.

The hell? For a group of countries that pride themselves on their ‘freedom’ and ‘democracy’, it’s pretty surprising to see them rank so low on the list. While I have some concerns with the methodology of the ranking system, it is still an interesting indicator and a reminder that democracy begins at home, and we still have work to do to ensure the effectiveness of our media.

The report alos highlights a disturbing new trend- bloggers and other Internet journalists are now in just as much danger as their old media counterparts. Said the study:

A total of 26 bloggers and online journalists have been convicted and jailed since September 2006 for using their right to online free expression. Cases of Internet censorship are on the increase and more and more repressive governments are realising the threat that the Internet poses in the hands of pro-democracy activists. Bloggers are now being harassed as much as journalists working for the traditional media. Worldwide, 64 cyber-dissidents are currently in prison.

Here’s how RSF compiled the rankings:

“To compile this index, Reporters Without Borders prepared a questionnaire with 50 criteria that assess the state of press freedom in each country. It includes every kind of violation directly affecting journalists (such as murders, imprisonment, physical attacks and threats) and news media (censorship, confiscation of newspaper issues, searches and harassment). Ánd it includes the degree of impunity enjoyed by those responsible for these press freedom violations.

It also measures the level of self-censorship in each country and the ability of the media to investigate and criticise. Financial pressure, which is increasingly common, is also assessed and incorporated into the final score.”

So, for example, the USA received it’s relatively lower score because of the detention of Al-Jazeera’s Sudanese cameraman, Sami Al-Haj at Guantanamo and the murder of reporter Chauncey Bailey in Oakland. The rankings therefore capture both governmental (Sami Al-Haj) and non-governmental (Bailey) violations of press freedom.

And, for all those people who repeatedly (and annoyingly) criticize Nunc Scio for going after Hugo Chavez, I’d just like to point out that Venezuela came in at 114.

Interesting article in the Toronto Star today- apparently $80-a-barrell gas, increasingly violent global conflict, and the risk of widespread environmental collapse has made solar power, the perennial whipping boy of the alternative energy movement, a going concern.

Here’s the pitch: put a million solar cells in earth-orbit, take advantage of the constant solar radiation, and beam massive amounts of clean energy back to earth. Here’s what a report by scientists using big words had to say on orbital solar:

“A single kilometre-wide band of geosynchronous Earth orbit experiences enough solar flux in one year to nearly equal the amount of energy contained within all known recoverable conventional oil reserves on Earth today. There is enormous potential for energy security, economic development, improved environmental stewardship, advancement of general space faring, and overall national security for those nations who construct and possess (the) capability.”

Sold. Of course, it won’t be cheap to put a million solar panels in space. But if we’ve got no problem pouring money into the Oilsands, then this is a no-brainer. In fact, the Americans could have built one already, had they not spent $21 billion on a genie-in-a-bottle, otherwise known as ‘nuclear fusion’.

Mind you, I am a bit peeved that solar is getting all sorts of fancypants scientific attention again, while my ‘One million underground hamsters-on-their-wheels-connected-to-energy-generating-dynamos’ plan languishes in obscurity.

Up until now, I’ve been too busy actually playing Halo 3 (aka best game ever, aka the ‘timesink’) to post this, but it is just too well-done to keep from you any longer:

Gold! And if you haven’t already, check out Bungie’s online ‘Believe’ ad campaign. Amazingly good.

Thanks to the modern miracle of FOI, the Toronto Star reports today that the Harperites are planning to build a $2 million dollar, government-run media centre.

The new centre would be a direct challenge to the 47-year-old National Press Theatre, where on-the-record government news conferences are mediated by executive members of the press gallery.

The new centre would be run entirely by Harper’s political staff. This would allow them to do all kinds of fun things, like block certain journalists from attending and using in-house cameras to provide edited footage to broadcast journalists.

It’s hard to view this as anything other than an attack on the freedom of Canada’s journalists. Harper’s house of spin will make it even harder for reporters to access the PM, and those who do get access will have to toe the line lest their privileges be revoked. Sketchy. Nothing like using $2 million in tax payer money to make it more difficult for tax payers to get independent information.

Why are the Tories so scared of the media? I imagine it has something to do with how their dimwit policies don’t stand up to scrutiny, so they try to keep the lights out. It’s a coward’s game, and one that threatens some very basic elements of our democracy.

UPDATE [16/10/07]: The PMO announces the Media Centre is dead. Bad optics much?

Blade Runner is one of the greatest sci-fi flicks of all time (the others being Star Wars, Alien, and The Planet of the Apes). The design, the weirdo streetscapes, Rutger Hauer as a tripped-out replicant,  super-dark Harrison Ford…genius.

But what makes Blade Runner truly interesting is that, unlike almost every other film, it has actually evolved since its first theatrical release. After it went over-budget, Warner Bros. stepped in and forced Ridley Scott to add a lame VO and cut out the now-legendary unicorn daydream. Then in 1991, a ‘working copy’ of the film was mistakenly sent to a screening, sans VO, and fans were intrigued. So Scott put out a ‘Director’s Cut’, a film that revelled in the ambiguity excised from the first draft. Of course, the unicorn scene was back.

And now we have Blade Runner: The Final Cut. Cleaned up, restored and, according to Ridley, the film he always intended it to be. The DVD will hit stores December 18, but the film will be screened in New York and Los Angeles.

Which begs the obvious question: WTF? What about us, Ridley? Perhaps more accurately, what about me? I want to see the Final Cut in theatres, and find it pretty crappy that I can’t see it in Toronto. I mean, we only have one of the world’s largest film festivals. Why not throw us a bone?

So if you’re like me, and cheesed off with Ridley for this deliberate snub, leave a comment and tell Nunc Scio what you think. If I get enough response, I’ll bundle it off to Mr. Scott in one strongly worded email.

On a side note: how good is Ridley Scott as a director? Blade Runner, Alien, Gladiator, Black Hawk Down…the guy is like the Brett Favre of movies.

And while I’m totally nerding out…here’s some fun news: Simon Pegg (Hot Fuzz, Shaun of the Dead)  has been offered the role of ‘Scotty’ in the upcoming JJ Abrams directed Star Trek movie. Me likey.

Sigh. I’m getting really tired of posting on Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez continued attacks on freedom of speech. It’s not that I don’t think censorship is an important issue. It’s just that he does it so damn much.

Today’s low blow? Spanish singer (and winner of 14 latin grammys) Alejandro Sanz will not be allowed to perform his scheduled Nov. 1st gig at the state-owned Poliedro stadium in Caracas. His crime? Why, he criticized the beloved leader! Three years ago.

Sanz must have laid on the vitriol to get banned from performing in public buildings. Here’s his stinging polemic:

“I don’t like your president.”

Subversion! Insurgency! These five words clearly jeopardize the very future of Venezuela’s socialist revolution!

Or not.

What are you afraid of, Hugo? Is a pop singer so dangerous to your regime? I know latin rhythms always make me want to overthrow the government.

The Chavez supporters who periodically visit my site and accuse me of being in the thrall of some American-led anti-populist conspiracy will no doubt point out that Sanz will still be allowed to perform in private venues in Venezuela. Whatever. Chavez has shown time and time again that he will accept no criticism of his policies or behaviour. And if it is in his power to do so, he will shut that criticism down. That ain’t democracy, folks. Sorry to burst your balloon.

Talk about taking lemons and making lemonade. You lose a presidential election to a babbling dimwit, then manage to turn it all around and become a leading crusader for one of the most important issues in the history of human civilization. Then you win a Nobel Peace Prize, while the guy who beat you drags the world down deeper into religious conflict while destroying two countries in the process. Well struck, indeed.

Congrats to Al Gore on his momentous achievement. Liked the movie, liked the book, and like the man. I’m glad that environmental issues have become so central that even the Nobel committee took notice.

Now, if we could only do something about Global Warming. Nobel prizes don’t cool the Earth, as I’m sure Al Gore would agree. There is much work ahead.