1 OUT OF CONTROL Tenants in a Regina apartment building are facing rental increases averaging 77%. Their building was recently sold, and they’ve been given six months notice, so it’s totally legal.
2 NOT SO FAST For reasons probably only justifiable to them, Canada’s Competition Bureau has approved a merger between BCE and Astral. How exactly does this keep things competitive?
3 HOPE AND QUESTIONS Doctors in the U.S. have apparently cured a baby born with HIV. Staff at the University of Mississippi Health Centre say the child will no longer need medication for the disease and they are optimistic for the baby’s future health. The researchers are still unclear on how the cure worked – and caution that this cure might not work on older children and adults. Still, it’s hard not to interpret news like this as hopeful.
4 KENYA VOTES In what has been a long time coming, Kenyans lined up at the polls today to cast their votes for the first time in five years. Violence erupted earlier in the day in Mombassa, with 15 people being killed by roving, machete-wielding gangs. Despite the tense atmosphere, voter turnout was estimated to be 70%. Jesus. What’s our excuse?
5 GOING UNDERGROUND Scientists are digging deep under the earth’s surface to study carbon movement and what it can tell us about life on the surface – and climate change.
6 WE LIKE THE ARTS. STUDIES PROVE IT. According to some research, Saskatchewan residents spend more per capita on “live performing arts than any other residents in Canada.” And apparently that’s more than double what Saskatchewanians spend on sporting events. I wonder what they consider performing arts.
#6 – I am surprised at that statistic. Good for us. Now let’s get public funding that reflects that.
Maybe they should be building a stadium for the arts.
#4: Our excuses for not voting, not an exhaustive list and in no particular order are relative affluence, taking life for granted, laziness, faux sophistication, willful ignorance, selfishness, and poor priorities. The Kenyans’ demonstration of courage should serve as a challenge to us to follow their example in our much safer circumstances.
Unrelated: for old Winnipeggers, Nick Ternette has died.