- Thanks to climate change, snow accumulation is declining across the Northern Hemisphere. Researchers warn of a tipping point, called the "snow-loss cliff", whereby once average winter temperatures rise above -8°C even modest temperature increases will significantly reduce the total amount of water stored (the -8°C figure is an average, so significant melting could occur on warmer days). By the end of this century it could mean that parts of the southwestern and northeastern US will have very little snow by the end of March each year, with significant implications for agriculture, power generation, and other things. And things aren't getting better any time soon; European researchers have just confirmed that 2023 was the hottest year since detailed records have been kept. Oh, and the southeastern US got severe storms, including suspected tornadoes, this week. Slightly positive is the fact that US greenhouse emissions declined last year even as the economy grew; unfortunately much bigger declines are needed to limit the severity of climate change. And geoengineering is still quite problematic as a solution.
- The US government plans to invest a billion dollars in electrifying the country's school bus fleet.
- Brazilian president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is taking significant action against illegal mining in indigenous lands. This is a good thing; less positive, though, is his government's plans to ramp up oil production. Meanwhile India is planning to double coal production.
- Donald Trump has said that he hopes for an economic crisis this year so that he can win the election. No doubt he does hope for that (it's probably one of the few truthful things he's said) but it would seem unwise to actually say that out loud - except for the fact that his followers don't seem to care what he says or does. He is also warning of "bedlam" if he loses the election, and insinuating that his most serious opponent in the Republican primary race isn't eligible for the presidency (as we all know, he has a history of saying stuff like that). Somewhat reassuring is the fact that his leads over Biden in key swing states (Arizona, Georgia, North Carolina and Pennsylvania) are slipping.
- The Province of Manitoba is adding 36 new acute-care beds at St. Boniface Hospital in an attempt to reduce wait times. It's a start, certainly, though there's a long way to go.
- Following the revelations about Ferdinand Eckhardt's Nazi past, the province has posthumously revoked his membership in the Order of the Buffalo Hunt.
- While the University of Manitoba offers subsidized bus passes for students, there is no such arrangement for faculty and staff - yet on-campus parking is considerably cheaper than a full-fare bus pass. The university's biennial commuter survey is recommending that this be changed.
- Since the revelations of mass graves at residential schools, there has been a steep rise in church fires across the country, most of them suspected of being arson. Unfortunate, but given the huge role churches had in the residential school system, not a surprise.
- Toronto mayor Olivia Chow is asking for federal help in providing affordable housing, saying it's either that or substantial municipal tax increases. She may well succeed, given the federal Liberals' desperate situation in the polls and the fact that Toronto ridings are among the ones they're best poised to hold onto.
- A former "psychic" who abandoned her "calling" upon converting to Christianity is condemning Fox News' use of tarot cards in one of their bizarre shows. Meanwhile Fox is insinuating that Taylor Swift is a deep state psyop.
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