- Another veteran NDP MP, Charlie Angus, has announced that he will not be running again. Pierre Poilievre responded to the news in his typical mean-spirited fashion, though sadly I don't think he's necessarily factually wrong in saying Angus might have a hard time getting reelected. Because Poilievre has been very successful in convincing a lot of working class people that he's their guy. This is nonsense of course, but a few flashy ads and zippy slogans work on the common mind far better than many of us would like to admit.
- Also on the subject of MPs stepping down, Transcona councillor and all-round loose cannon Russ Wyatt is apparently considering a run for the seat vacated by Elmwood-Transcona MP Daniel Blaikie. He apparently hasn't decided which party he would run for; I guess he'll go for whoever will take him.
- In the US Congress, the House Freedom Caucus (comprised of the kind of people who give freedom a bad name) are threatening to withhold funding needed to rebuild the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge unless environmental and union wage regulations are waived for the project. One of their claimed reasons for this is to avoid delays, yet they are also demanding that the government seek compensation from the shipping companies responsible for the accident before funding is released, something that would itself cause delays. They further want the administration's pause on approvals of LNG export terminals to be lifted.
- Joe Biden wants companies that use American airspace to launch spacecraft to pay the same taxes that airlines do. The taxes in question help to cover the cost of the ATC system, and controllers do have to take space launches into account when directing aircraft, so it's an eminently reasonable proposal. No doubt Elon Musk and his followers (or as I call them, the Muskrats) will cry foul, though.
- A hydrogen plant has opened in Gladstone, Queensland. Unlike many such facilities, which produce hydrogen from natural gas and are thus not carbon-neutral, this uses electrolysis of water, and renewables can be used to produce the electricity for this. So a definite step in the right direction.
- The impact on the power grid from the disruption of solar power from the coming eclipse has yet to be determined as of this post.
- Tick season, as well as mosquito season, is expected to start early this year in Manitoba due to the warm weather.
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