- At COP28, despite the inadequacy of the draft agreement, there has been one positive development - they're at least talking about the climate impact of food production. A small step in the right direction. And Germany is making headway in reducing the use of coal for electricity production. South Africa seems to be moving in that direction as well. However, the overall picture still isn't looking all that good, given the intransigence of the fossil fuel industry and their success in getting the bleating masses to blame carbon taxes for affordability issues. Sales of electric vehicles have slowed in the US as well. Oh, and the Emiratis don't like it when you protest these things. And the Americans think it can all be sorted out by AI somehow.
- The Manitoba government has removed 19 public housing units from the market pending a review of the previous government's plans to reduce the number of "surplus or vacant" Manitoba Housing units. A step in the right direction for sure, though it comes too late for some, such as the two people who died in a tent yesterday in Winnipeg's Joe Zuken Heritage Park.
- The menorah display at Winnipeg City Hall was temporarily removed on Friday, due to fears of vandalism during a pro-Palestinian protest. The decision to remove the display did not sit well with Coun. Sherri Rollins, who thinks it sends the wrong message to the Jewish community as well as being insulting to the demonstrators.
- Speaking of religious displays, years ago the US Supreme Court ruled that they are allowed in public buildings so long as other religions get the chance to put up their own displays. Enter the Satanic Temple, who used this loophole to set up their own display at the Iowa legislature, sending Christian conservatives into a tizzy.
- A far-right extremist who Trump hosted at Mar-a-Lago last year has called for non-Christians to be executed. Talk about saying the quiet part out loud...
- Another day, another Thunder Bay police officer facing criminal charges.
- Australian researchers claim to have come up with a portable, non-invasive way of reading minds. They say it could be valuable for people who are unable to speak due to strokes or other conditions, as well as for controlling machines with your mind. Not mentioned among the potential uses is interrogation, which one imagines could be made much more effective (albeit less fun for the kind of person who takes a job as an interrogator).
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