Harper restricts ministers’ message, reports the Globe and Mail today:

Prime Minister Stephen Harper has imposed central control over all information and comments to the public issued by government officials and even cabinet ministers, directing them to have everything cleared by the Prime Minister’s Office, according to an internal e-mail and government sources.

The orders, described in an e-mail to bureaucrats, indicate that ministers have been told to avoid talking about the direction of the government, and that the government wants them to be less accessible to the news media. And all government officials are instructed to avoid speaking about anything other than the five priorities outlined in the Conservative campaign.

…

Government officials and Conservatives confirmed the instructions, including orders that the PMO clear all public communications — including minor comments and letters to local newspapers.

Back in January, in comments to a post called Election Discussion, Ryan pondered “whether the [Conservative] party leadership’s grip on its members will continue once Parliament gets back into session.”

Alevo responded:

I think it will. They have already provided an essential muzzle. The Harper “inner circle” has developed their Five-Point Plan, and I suspect that no MP is allowed/advised to talk outside of the plan. Already, I have seen numerous interviews with Tory MPs where they reference the Five-Point Plan ad nauseum. Every question posed by a reporter, even those of a probing ideological nature can be deflected by referencing the Five-Point Plan. That Plan is going to be as important for defining the early Harper regime as The Gomery Inquiry was for defining the early Martin regime. Arguably, as you point out, this is an assualt on the ethics that underpin free speech, but it is also brilliant tactical politics given the current situation.

Here’s the link to this remarkably accurate prognostication.

I’ve been too busy this week to write much here, especially since I’ve been working hard on my next Digital Kayak article. But I thought I’d give you a little sneak peek at something I created to help illustrate a point:

But there are still some easy ways to find free music online. One is to use Google as described on tech-recipes. Because those instructions might be a little confusing to some, I whipped up a simple page to do it easier.

Here’s how it works: a lot of people leave online files lying around where Google can index them, including music files. By asking Google the right questions, you can find these online stashes.

You’ll find that the vast majority of results are inaccessible, others are fake, but a few are the real deal.

If you click through to the music search page you’ll notice that I have listed five sites so far that have downloadable MP3s. Those are what real pages look like.

If you find more that work, post the site address in the comments and I will add it to the music search page.

According to ABC News, al-Qaeda uses social networking sites like MySpace.com to plan attacks and stay connected:

After relying heavily on fixed — and thus vulnerable — Web sites until early 2002, al Qaeda quickly switched to hiding its online operations within more legitimate bulletin boards and Internet sites offering free upload services or connecting through such popular social network sites as Orkut and MySpace.

This raises some obvious questions:

• Does bin Laden have a blog?
• How many people are on his friends list?
• Is facilitating terrorist attacks against MySpace policy?

In related news, al-Qaeda spokesman Suleiman Abu Ghaith announced the creation of a new social networking and dating website called MyJihadist.com.

“The life of the mujahedin is an often solitary one. Frequently, the only companions our warriors have is their camels. With MyJihadist.com, we hope to change that, by giving eligible Muslim women the opportunity to become widows while they are still young.”

The site will also feature articles on the jihadist lifestyle, from tips on beard hygiene to how to plan for a very early retirement.

I received my first response today to the letter I wrote regarding Canada’s treatment of prisoners: a postcard from the Minister of Defence.

The card, which is actually from the Minister’s Correspondence Unit at National Defence Headquarters, is handsomely emblazoned with the coat of arms of the Canadian Forces on one side and says this on the other:

Acknowledgement

This is to confirm that the Minister of National Defence has received your recent correspondence.

Gee, thanks.

Sheila Copps says there’s Little to celebrate, pointing out that Canada has “dropped from 36th to 44th in the world in the number of women in our national parliament”.

Feminist Germaine Greer urged Australian women to get angry over a car ad, and asked “Why haven’t plate glass windows in Holden showrooms been exploding all over Australia? How much humiliation are you women up for?”

Charles Adler asks Do wives wanna leave it to hubby? and takes a look at who funded a study that says yes.

Kofi Annan and the United Nations deplore the lack of representation for women in government and business, saying it makes the war on poverty harder to win. “The world is starting to grasp that there is no policy more effective in promoting development, health and education than the empowerment of women and girls, and no policy is more important in preventing conflict, or in achieving reconciliation after a conflict has ended,” said Annan.

And the Vancouver Park Board has rejected a proposal that they get involved in International Women’s Day, appalling Commissioner Loretta Woodcock.

I hope all of the wonderful international women who are in my life, and all of the ones who aren’t (unfortunately), have a very happy Wednesday!