Happy Halloween, readers of the Dog Blog! Yesterday’s heavy fog set the mood pretty well but we’re still experiencing some unnaturally warm weather (probably as a result of Sandy). That means there will be some kids’ costumes tonight that are way too big. My mom always made sure my costume would fit over a heavy parka. Unfortunately, I’m way past the respectable age of going door-to-door and asking for candy. I have to get my kicks another way: finding news stories for you this morning.
1 DON’T MIND THE FLOATIES There is often paranoia surrounding influenza vaccines. Even though Saskatchewan’s flu shot supply is still on hold, Ottawa Hospital received 1,500 doses on Monday to immunize patients and staff. Novartis – which provides nearly the entire province’s vaccines – found clumps of virus protein in their vaccines in Italy. Apparently this is common.
2 BREAKFAST SAMMIES HARDEN ARTERIES If you eat your breakfast in sandwich form, there will be consequences: “New research shows that just two hours after eating the combination of butter, bun, eggs, bacon, cheese and salt (containing a total of 900 calories and 50 g of fat) blood flow through the arms of a test group decreased by 15 to 20 per cent.” Maybe I’ll just have fruit this morning.
3 SUIT AND COUNTERSUIT Cohlmeyer Architecture began suing the city this summer, over the City Square Plaza fiasco (over time and over budget). The company alleged that as project costs went up, so did their estimates – but the city was unwilling to pay. That was only for $600,000. Now the city has launched a $3.38-million countersuit. Can all of this money go to traffic flow or effective parking in our downtown? No? Oh, ok.
4 MITT’S BACK TO BUSINESS The American presidential campaigns were halted temporarily as Hurricane Sandy tore through the East coast. But it couldn’t last long. As Obama continues to visit victims in New Jersey, Romney is heading to Floria today to hold three rallies. “Sandy largely spared Florida, so Romney calculates he can campaign there without appearing callous.” No rest for the wicked, I suppose.
5 STAY CLASSY, AMERICAN APPAREL Keeping in line with American Apparel’s previous humanitarianism, they decided to reach out to those “bored” during Hurricane Sandy with a 20 per cent off sale. The sale was offered in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Maryland for 36 hours. Because if you get evacuation orders, what that really means is “go get yourself some plain T-shirts and hoodies.”
6 CRASHING IN COKE A woman dressed in a Coca-Cola bottle rear-ended a school bus this morning, 150 kilometres southwest of Ottawa. Students were transported to school on another bus and the Halloween-enthusiast/bad driver could face charges.
Just to make sure you’re feeling the hair on the back of your neck stand up today, here is Jack Kittel’s recording of “Psycho”: