- A disquieting worldwide poll suggests that younger people are more likely to have doubts about the merits of democracy. I have to admit that I get where they're coming from; democracy is certainly badly flawed (more so in some countries than others), but I always go back to Churchill's remarks on the matter. Worryingly, only 57% of respondents aged 18 to 35 agree that democracy is still preferable.
- The Manitoba Liberals have been unable to field a full slate in the coming election. The fact that Dauphin, Selkirk, and Swan River are among the constituencies where they've been unable to find candidates may be a good thing for the NDP, though.
- The rightwingers love to talk about eliminating "gatekeepers". As a severe outbreak of food poisoning in Alberta should make clear, though, gatekeepers are very much needed in matters of public health.
- Trump is still a serious threat. Because too many people are clueless or worse.
- Thanks to a resurgence in COVID-19 cases, Guelph General Hospital has reinstated mask mandates in parts of the hospital.
- Cheap sherry is so popular in Thompson that the city has set up a special recycling program for the bottles. They've collected about 370,000 bottles since the program started.
- A drop-in centre in Winnipeg is closing its doors out of fears for the safety of its volunteers.
- Stores owned by Loblaws are the latest battleground on the labour front, with a 97% strike vote. I guess the chain considers properly paid staff to be a frill.
- The US Department of Justice is finally taking antitrust action against Google.
- A Nobel Prize-winning journalist in the Philippines, who was arrested after talking a bit too much about Duterte's antics, has been acquitted of tax evasion charges, though she still faces two other charges.
- Hurricane Lee's path is still unclear, and it could still be a problem for Atlantic Canada.
- TikTok has figured out how to play the social media game better than anyone else - for certain values of "better". It's worth remembering that China heavily regulates it at home, while letting it spread chaos in the rest of the world.
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