A citizen's initiative application to kill the incoming H-S-T has been approved by Elections BC.

The initiative petition is a legally binding petition that, if successful, will require the BC government to hold a referendum on the H-S-T, or repeal it in the legislature.

I, really hope that this initiative passes. I will most likely be part of the petitioners. I do not believe that we need a "harmonized" tax that will raise the prices of a large majority of my day to day activities.

If we had exemptions like the maritime provinces do, it would be okay. But as the HST is, it's a big giant lie in British Columbia.

Generated with the following shell script:

#!/bin/bash
for cache_size in 256 512 768 1024 2048 4096 8192 16834 32768; do
 for i in {1..3}; do
 echo ${cache_size} > /sys/block/md0/md/stripe_cache_size
 sync
 echo 3 > /proc/sys/vm/drop_caches
 echo "stripe_cache_size: ${cache_size} (${i}/3)"
 # for write
 dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/md0 bs=3145728 count=5460
 # for read
 dd if=/dev/md0 of=/dev/null bs=3145728 count=5460
 done
done

Specifications

Intel Pentium D E6300 2.80Ghz
Gigabyte P45-UD3P
2 2GB DDR2-800 CL5 (4GB total)
6 1.5TB WDC Green 7200RPM (WD15EADS) on ICH10R (mdraid)
1 250GB Seagate 7200RPM (ST3250410AS) on JMicron JMB363

The mdraid will be run on the ICH10R, and the boot device (and operating sytsem) on the JMicron controller. Here are the benchmark results. All are using default XFS settings, benchmarks taken with bonnie++.

RAID6 mdraid Benchmarks

RAID6 64k

Version 1.03c       ------Sequential Output------ --Sequential Input- --Random-
                    -Per Chr- --Block-- -Rewrite- -Per Chr- --Block-- --Seeks--
Machine        Size K/sec %CP K/sec %CP K/sec %CP K/sec %CP K/sec %CP  /sec %CP
devil2           8G 88390  99 175541  25 88470  17 51515  80 289555  27 389.0   0
                    ------Sequential Create------ --------Random Create--------
                    -Create-- --Read--- -Delete-- -Create-- --Read--- -Delete--
              files  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP
                 16  2419  15 +++++ +++  1219   5  1502   9 +++++ +++   920   4
devil2,8G,88390,99,175541,25,88470,17,51515,80,289555,27,389.0,0,16,2419,15,+++++,+++,1219,5,1502,9,+++++,+++,920,4

RAID6 128k

Version 1.03c       ------Sequential Output------ --Sequential Input- --Random-
                    -Per Chr- --Block-- -Rewrite- -Per Chr- --Block-- --Seeks--
Machine        Size K/sec %CP K/sec %CP K/sec %CP K/sec %CP K/sec %CP  /sec %CP
devil2           8G 88849  99 174076  24 84382  15 58716  80 291795  27 406.7   0
                    ------Sequential Create------ --------Random Create--------
                    -Create-- --Read--- -Delete-- -Create-- --Read--- -Delete--
              files  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP
                 16  1254   4 +++++ +++   619   2   802   2 +++++ +++   668   2
devil2,8G,88849,99,174076,24,84382,15,58716,80,291795,27,406.7,0,16,1254,4,+++++,+++,619,2,802,2,+++++,+++,668,2

RAID6 256k

Version 1.03c       ------Sequential Output------ --Sequential Input- --Random-
                    -Per Chr- --Block-- -Rewrite- -Per Chr- --Block-- --Seeks--
Machine        Size K/sec %CP K/sec %CP K/sec %CP K/sec %CP K/sec %CP  /sec %CP
devil2           8G 82659  92 89437  12 64420  11 85758  95 214792  19 368.5   0
                    ------Sequential Create------ --------Random Create--------
                    -Create-- --Read--- -Delete-- -Create-- --Read--- -Delete--
              files  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP
                 16  1237   6 +++++ +++   697   4   812   3 +++++ +++   673   3
devil2,8G,82659,92,89437,12,64420,11,85758,95,214792,19,368.5,0,16,1237,6,+++++,+++,697,4,812,3,+++++,+++,673,3

RAID6 512k

Version 1.03c       ------Sequential Output------ --Sequential Input- --Random-
                    -Per Chr- --Block-- -Rewrite- -Per Chr- --Block-- --Seeks--
Machine        Size K/sec %CP K/sec %CP K/sec %CP K/sec %CP K/sec %CP  /sec %CP
devil2           8G 88844  99 125203  17 70935  12 76991  91 288147  26 402.1   0
                    ------Sequential Create------ --------Random Create--------
                    -Create-- --Read--- -Delete-- -Create-- --Read--- -Delete--
              files  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP
                 16  2231  11 +++++ +++   820   3  1669   7 +++++ +++   808   3
devil2,8G,88844,99,125203,17,70935,12,76991,91,288147,26,402.1,0,16,2231,11,+++++,+++,820,3,1669,7,+++++,+++,808,3

RAID5 mdraid Benchmarks

RAID5 64k

Version 1.03c       ------Sequential Output------ --Sequential Input- --Random-
                    -Per Chr- --Block-- -Rewrite- -Per Chr- --Block-- --Seeks--
Machine        Size K/sec %CP K/sec %CP K/sec %CP K/sec %CP K/sec %CP  /sec %CP
devil2           8G 88705  99 211212  30 103889  20 49043  75 360385  29 406.8   0
                    ------Sequential Create------ --------Random Create--------
                    -Create-- --Read--- -Delete-- -Create-- --Read--- -Delete--
              files  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP
                 16  1081   2 +++++ +++   646   1   889   2 +++++ +++   634   1
devil2,8G,88705,99,211212,30,103889,20,49043,75,360385,29,406.8,0,16,1081,2,+++++,+++,646,1,889,2,+++++,+++,634,1

RAID5 128k

Version 1.03c       ------Sequential Output------ --Sequential Input- --Random-
                    -Per Chr- --Block-- -Rewrite- -Per Chr- --Block-- --Seeks--
Machine        Size K/sec %CP K/sec %CP K/sec %CP K/sec %CP K/sec %CP  /sec %CP
devil2           8G 88323  99 193034  28 101348  19 58707  79 337775  30 380.5   0
                    ------Sequential Create------ --------Random Create--------
                    -Create-- --Read--- -Delete-- -Create-- --Read--- -Delete--
              files  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP
                 16  1086  14 +++++ +++   683   3   917   3 +++++ +++   586   1
devil2,8G,88323,99,193034,28,101348,19,58707,79,337775,30,380.5,0,16,1086,14,+++++,+++,683,3,917,3,+++++,+++,586,1

RAID5 256k

Version 1.03c       ------Sequential Output------ --Sequential Input- --Random-
                    -Per Chr- --Block-- -Rewrite- -Per Chr- --Block-- --Seeks--
Machine        Size K/sec %CP K/sec %CP K/sec %CP K/sec %CP K/sec %CP  /sec %CP
devil2           8G 88898  99 188605  26 92387  16 68355  86 357395  32 395.7   0
                    ------Sequential Create------ --------Random Create--------
                    -Create-- --Read--- -Delete-- -Create-- --Read--- -Delete--
              files  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP
                 16   888   1 +++++ +++   660   2   820   1 +++++ +++   570   1
devil2,8G,88898,99,188605,26,92387,16,68355,86,357395,32,395.7,0,16,888,1,+++++,+++,660,2,820,1,+++++,+++,570,1

RAID5 512k

Version 1.03c       ------Sequential Output------ --Sequential Input- --Random-
                    -Per Chr- --Block-- -Rewrite- -Per Chr- --Block-- --Seeks--
Machine        Size K/sec %CP K/sec %CP K/sec %CP K/sec %CP K/sec %CP  /sec %CP
devil2           8G 88868  99 147612  21 80418  13 80604  93 411211  36 387.4   0
                    ------Sequential Create------ --------Random Create--------
                    -Create-- --Read--- -Delete-- -Create-- --Read--- -Delete--
              files  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP
                 16   888   1 +++++ +++   613   1   855   1 +++++ +++   610   1
devil2,8G,88868,99,147612,21,80418,13,80604,93,411211,36,387.4,0,16,888,1,+++++,+++,613,1,855,1,+++++,+++,610,1

Overall RAID mdraid Benchmarks

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is now sending takedown notices to Flickr users who post photos taken at Olympic venues. The takedown letter described below was sent to Richard Giles, who's on the Australian Wrb Industry Association, over a photo he took of the Beijing Water Cube.

Michael Geist sez, "The Canadian government has introduced Internet surveillance legislation that requires ISPs to disclose customer information without a warrant. Peter Van Loan, the Minister in charge, claims that a Vancouver kidnapping earlier this year shows the need for these powers. I did some digging and shows this to be a lie – the Vancouver police acknowledge that the case did not involve an ISP request and the suspect is now in custody."

The NDP wants to know why BC Hydro spent $264,000 on a luxury suite at GM Place for the 2010 Games.

We're funding the Olympics by getting other crown corporations to buy tickets and luxury suites for the Olympics so that we come out of the Olympics without a deficit that was directly caused by the Olympics.

Oh, the joy of it it all. I knew from day one that the Olympics would cause financial hardship for British Columbians for years to come – But nobody (at first) believed me. Well, now we get to see the direct result of the Olympics and everyone has to suffer.

Please, tell me again why all of British Columbia did not get a referendum on the Olympics when we are picking up the tab for it?

B.C.'s Minister for Climate Action has granted the province's public sector an extra two years to meet carbon-emission targets.

I'm confused, I thought the BC Liberals were all about the environment? That's why we have the Carbon Tax, is it not? But then, I forgot it's perfectly acceptable to tax the middle class and poor, but it's not okay to tax buddies of the BC Liberals.

How can a corporation be carbon neutral? I'm sorry, but I don't buy this whole "carbon credit" scam that is going on as of late.

At least Jack Layton has a sense of humour, unlike Harper and Iggy.

Internal government documents show the B.C. government is drafting legislation to force homeless people into emergency shelters during extreme winter weather, according to the B.C. Civil Liberties Association.

Vancouver does not have "extreme winter weather", we have snowfall for a few days of the year and it does not amount to much. This is just another effort to sweep the problem of homelessness under the rug in time for the wonderful gongshow that is the Vancouver 2010 Olympics.

Instead of legislating the problem away (and criminalizing poverty and homelessness in the process), the BC Liberals should open the mental care facilities that they closed that made most of these people homeless in the first place. Most of these people are not fit to live on the streets, nor are they capable of sustaining a job to keep them off the streets.

Time and time again it has been proven that by housing and taking care of these individuals that our police services could be put to better use, property crime would go down and society as a whole would be better off. Policing service is a lot more expensive for these individuals than taking care of them in proper facilities.

By passing a law to force homeless indoors during a cold snap, the BC Liberals are effectively making it so that homeless persons will hide in every knook and cranny they can find. This will prevent caregivers from finding them, and will ultimately lead to more deaths related to exposure. Who wants to go to jail, even if you're homeless?

On a related note, I think it would be possible to get more homeless to use shelters if they had a way to lock/tag their belongings so that they would not be stolen. Most homeless people seem to have a cart or other ways to carry their possessions which a lot of shelters will not deal with.

Oh well, I guess we should just sweep them under the rug for the Olympics, eh?