1 MONEY WELL SPENT There’s a $52 billion “black budget” for U.S. spy agencies. The U.S. has spent half a trillion dollars on intelligence since 9/11. Apparently spying is a great career choice. We all picked the wrong jobs (well, you didn’t Barb. I know EXACTLY who you’re working for. WHAT HAVE YOU TOLD THEM???).
2 LOVE AND HATE The Conference Board of Canada thinks P3s are just great! Wait! Not so fast!
3 PROGRESS ON POT? Regina’s police chief Troy Hagen is in favour of ticketing marijuana smokers instead of arresting them, which I suppose is progress — oh wait, he doesn’t support decriminalization. Never mind. But come on, it’s 2013. Why are some people in authority so clueless about pot? It makes no sense. The only thing pot prohibition accomplishes is protecting the profits organized crime makes from this relatively inoffensive recreational drug. Besides, pot is popular. Even some well-loved Canadian mayors admit they’ve smoked a “lots” of weed. Prohibition is ridiculous. At this point it’s just lazy to not get to work on legalization. That’s right, police chief Troy Hagen: I called your attitude lazy.
4 A GOOD NEIGHBOURHOOD GROCERY STORE CLOSES The Lakeshore Sobeys is done, which sucks for seniors and students.
5 RUSSIA: A STEP AWAY FROM ROUNDING UP THE GAYS? This is a couple days old but it’s important (caution: video will play automatically). You never want to see police raids based on race, religion or sexual orientation. If Russia doesn’t repeal its anti-LGBT laws, the Sochi Olympics need to be moved. Then again, it’s not like Russia is the only place on earth that has homophobic lunatics.
6 A STUPID JUDGE SAYS SOMETHING STUPID AND BLOWS UP THE INTERNET Montana judge Todd Baugh later apologized for saying that a 14-year-old who killed herself after she was raped by a guy in his 50s was “as much in control of the situation” as the rapist. Feed your anger here.
WHICH JEM CHARACTER ARE YOU? Take the quiz and find out! I’m Synergy. Outrageous! (H/T Dale)