At the risk of turning this into a two-topic blog (Mozilla/Firefox and Politics seem to be all I’m writing about these days), Mozilla has been enjoying a bit of a surge in popularity since the announcement last week warning users away from Microsoft’s IE browser.

In the wake of increasing frustration with IE’s shortcomings and security vulnerabilities, downloads of Mozilla and Firefox have been steadily increasing with a user base roughly doubling every few months.

That’s great news. People are starting to figure out and really get what us web geeks have known and have been preaching for some time. Here’s some more links:

Joel on Software weights in: Three reasons to switch web browsers today.

Business Week: Internet Explorer is just too risky.

eWeek: Internet Explorer is too dangerous to keep using

So it’s been over a week since the announcement of the latest MS/IE vulnerability that has left internet users’ banking passwords dangling in front of malicious hackers. Has Microsoft patched the bug yet? Well, kinda… they’ve released a patch but instead of fixing the flaw, the patch simply changes some sytem settings to ‘band-aid’ the situation. And it’s not even a very good band-aid: users are still vulnerable.

Say it with me one more time: Get Firefox right away. Download it, install it, and make it your default browser. What are you waiting for? It’s only the best browser on the planet.

Dogs for rent in Japan

Apple offers sneak preview of OSX Tiger

and a 30″ Studio Display

Some new Apple banners – ha!

What a disappointment. Make no mistake about it: last night’s win for the Liberal minority government was a victory for sleaze and lies. The Liberals ran on a platform of fear and half-truths and innuendo and the people of this country have bought it hook, line and sinker. The Liberals have certainly lowered the bar when it comes to campaign tactics in this country, and have proven that we are not immune to American-style politics. Who needs the hearts and minds of voters when all you’ve gotta do is sling around as much mud as you can and hope some sticks.

Hold onto your wallets folks, because the only way the Liberals will be able to hold onto power is to belly up to the left-wing social programs of the NDP and Bloc. Remember what the NDP did to Ontario? Mr. Layton is promising to keep Paul to the promises he made during the election. Something tells me people may have actually been hoping the Liberals would break their promises this time… y’know, as per the status quo.

Think we’ll ever get to the bottom of the Adscam scandal now? Think again. We just gave the Libs a healthy pat on the back for stealing millions of dollars. No one will go to jail. The judicial inquiry will be hampered by uncooperative Liberals who have nothing to say now that the electorate has all but forgiven them.

Any bets on what the next boondoggle will be? I’d bet the national daycare program funnels at least a few billion dollars into the pockets of Liberals. Wonder if the NDP will see any of that action?

I suppose we get the government we deserve… I just have a hard time grasping just what it is we did to deserve this Liberal government? Must be bad karma from another life…

The Lies of Michael Moore.

Just a little reminder to all those who have been coming out of the theatres all outraged and incited, Michael Moore does not have the final word on all this. He is a man with an agenda and a tendency for sensationalism who is out to sell you movie tickets.

His films have always been a great way to spark dialogue on controversial subjects, but there is danger in the way that people have been interpreting his films as straight-up documentaries. Sure, he makes a lot of good points and has a knack for loosely connecting dots that help forward his message, but remember that Moore’s word is not the word of God. There is as much significance in the things he chooses to leave out of his film as those he leaves in.

I’m not saying this film is all wrong… and I’m certainly not chiming in as onside with the American Right. I’m actually a fan of Michael Moore’s and am looking forward to seeing this film. I just think we’ve got to remember that his business is, ultimately, entertainment.

Many Canadians are cynical and disillusioned with the electoral process in this country, so much so that in the last federal election, only 61% of the electorate bothered to show up to vote. Many feel they haven’t been given any real choice, and are so distrusting of politicians that there really is no one to vote for.

Today could be one of the closest elections in Canada’s history and today every single vote will count. In a race that has been in a virtual dead heat almost since the get-go, for the first time in over a decade there is no clear winner going into the vote today.

Anyone who has read this blog recently knows who I’m supporting. Whatever your politics, I hope you get out today and exercise your hard-fought right to vote. It’s important.

Security experts have issued a warning not to use Internet Explorer due to recent security vulnerabilities that could relinquish control of a user’s computer.

Like I didn’t need need another reason to pontificate on the wonders of Firefox. Seriously people, STOP USING INTERNET EXPLORER! Firefox is quite simply the best browser going. Unless you’re on the Mac, where I’d say Safari and Firefox are in a dead heat (with an edge up going to Safari because it’s a native application).

Here, take the first step. Go ahead, I promise you’ll like it.

Flash Game: keep the stumbling drunk from falling over.

The Top 25 Weirdest Items You Can Purchase Through Amazon!

It would be a hilarious coincidence if it didn’t hurt so much.

Not only is June 28 the date of the federal election this year, it is also the day Canadians can start working for themselves. According to The Fraser Institute’s annual Tax Freedom Day calculations, all income earned by the average Canadian family prior to June 28 was used to pay the total tax bill imposed by all levels of government: Federal, provincial, and local.

Tax Freedom Day falls one day later than last year, nationwide. When the Liberals came into power back in 1993, Canadians could celebrate tax freedom on June 10.

What a difference a decade makes as Canadians who struggle to save for their retirement and put their children through college stagger under a mounting tax burden.

On a provincial basis,Tax Freedom Day actually fell six days earlier than it did last year in Alberta. But before any provincial politicians trip over themselves in the rush to take credit, the improvement is skewed by oil and gas revenues, according to the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.

Albertans actually work longer to pay off their taxes than they did back in 2001, before Ralph Klein hiked health fees, tobacco and alcohol taxes and licence fees.

Compared to the federal Liberal regime however, Klein is a tax slayer of the first order.

Thanks to a steady increase in federal taxation, we get to work for the government 18 days longer than we did back in 1983.

They promised lower taxes, but instead we got the HRDC billion-dollar boondoggle and the $1 billion gun registry.

Then there’s the AdScam scandal that has prompted the Liberals to resort to a smear campaign as they teeter on the brink of defeat .

If voters buy this campaign of fear and intimidation, they might as well toss their wallets into the ballot box at the same time.

This is the cynical regime that has abused and misused taxpayer funds for more than a decade while allowing our health-care system and military to become threadbare.

Returning them to power is like writing them a blank cheque.

If you think the tax hikes we suffered under a decade of Paul Martin as finance minister were bad, just wait until they realize they’ve got away with their plunder of the public purse Scot-free.