Protests in Serbia Turn Violent

Protests in Belgrade, Serbia over the arrest of former Serbian War General Ratko Mladic turned violent today as supporters of the Serbian Radical Party threw stones at police before being dispersed by Riot Police who arrived on the scene shortly after the original attacks. The Radical Party demanded that the President of Serbia, Boris Tadic resign because of the arrest of Gen. Mladic. Mladic was arrested for allegedly being involved in the genocide of 8,000 Muslims during the 1992-95 Bosnian War. 

Supporters of Mladic all over the country responded to the arrest, with posters and banners of the General hanging all around towns, and also with violence, as store windows were broken and riots were everywhere. The protests in Belgrade today seriously injured 7 people. The Radical Party spokespeople say they want the President to resign because of the way they are giving in to Western Views. They say that their Government has "Pro-Western Policies" and that they are "Betraying all interests of the Serbian nation." 

In my view, the Serbian Government did the right thing. Serbia is a democratic society, and one where human rights are valued. If this former General really did have a part in the mass murder of 8,000 innocent people, than he deserves whatever sentence he gets. Maybe Serbia isn't as democratic and peaceful as we all think. 

http://news.nationalpost.com/2011/05/29/protest-against-mladic-arrest-turns-violent-in-belgrade/

Are NATO Airstrikes Necessary?

Afghanistan has reported that 14 women and children are dead after an alleged NATO airstrike in the southwest part of the country. The attack was apparently aimed to strike insurgents in retaliation for an attack on a US Marine base, but instead hit houses in the area. NATO has not confirmed the strike, but has said that they are sending delegates to Afghanistan to investigate the damage.

Airstrikes and civilian casualties in Afghanistan has increased tensions between NATO and the Afghanistan government over the past few years. The President of Afghanistan has ordered that nighttime strikes be stopped and that any strikes or attacks should first be cleared with the Afghani government. There has been no indication as to what effect, if any, this will have on NATO's actions in the country.

Even though NATO claims that these strikes are necessary, I see them as being highly ineffective. What's the use in conducting these airstrikes if they don't even hit who they are supposed to? And when they have the lives of innocent civilians in their hands, that's when things really can get out of hand.

http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/TopStories/20110529/nato-airstrike-afghanistan-110529/

Department Store Target to Open in Canada

U.S. Department Store Target has announced 105 stores to open in Canada next year, the first stores of the chain to open outside of the United States. Target, however, is no stranger to Canadian consumers. Many Canadians are loyal Target shoppers already. When Canadians travel across the border to shop, many of them stop at Target. Target's low cost approach has worked for years on both American and Canadian consumers, as many loyal Target consumers have said that they will "walk in there with a list of two items and walk out with a receipt for $144. The way Target does this is by their trendy appeal. When a customer buys one item that is trendy at the store, it makes everything else in the house stand out because they aren't new or trendy.

But the problem is that once Target comes to Canada, the approach may not work with Canadians anymore. For many, the fact that the items at Target were only available in the United States was a big part of the appeal. With all these items being available right down the street, will the appeal to Canadians fade?

I think Target should re-think opening so many stores in Canada at once, just to test the waters. Starting with a low number of stores (10?) is a good idea, because if things go wrong and no customers come, it is easier to shut them down. 105 stores will be a lot harder.

http://arts.nationalpost.com/2011/05/27/close-to-home-but-off-target/

List of World's Most Peaceful Countries Released

The 2011 Global Peace Rankings were released this morning, and for the first time, Canada was in the top 10, placing 8th. The Global Peace Index ranks countries around the world by the following criteria: crime, terrorism, government, democracy and human rights. The rest of the top 10 include: Japan, Czech Republic, New Zealand, Denmark, Austria, Finland, Slovenia and Iceland taking the top spot. Some people have argued about Canada being included in the top 10 because o the violent protests that occurred during the G20 summit last summer, but the creators of the index have indicated that the protests were a "one-time blip."

This is in contrast to the United States placing an astonishing 82nd on the index. This ranks the United States below countries such as China and Cuba. The creators have stated the the U.S. "reflects much higher levels of militarization and involvement in external conflicts than its northern neighbour." The countries at the bottom of the list include: Iraq, Sudan, Afghanistan, North Korea, and Somalia taking last place.

To me, this is a very proud moment to be Canadian and to be thankful to live in a place as peaceful as we do. It is always good to know that we enjoy a high level of freedom, as it is something we must never take for granted.

http://www.thestar.com/news/world/article/996268--canada-among-10-most-peaceful-countries?bn=1

A Solution to Toronto's Taxi Problems?

Toronto may finally have a solution to its taxi problems, and the solution does involve technology. As it stands now, after a night out, especially in a busy area like Toronto's downtown, it can be hard, if not almost impossible to find a cab. But smartphones could change that. The proposed idea to be implemented in cities like Toronto would involve the customer opening a application that knows where the customer is. It would then send a signal out to all available cabs in the area to notify them of a possible fare. The customer would then be able to browse the cabs by their price or company, and select one from the list.

Apparently, this would ensure price competition between taxis, which is most likely true. But there is a downside: it would make the task of policing the taxi network that much more difficult. Authorities now can easily detect rogue taxi operators because they need to advertise their services in order to attract customers. But with the new system, it will make it almost impossible to detect rogue taxi operators because the customers cannot tell who belongs to which companies.

In my mind, this is a system which will be implemented soon, and I believe it is a good idea. I'm sure customers will be able to tell which prices seem outrageously low enough to raise an eyebrow, and so they'll be able to police themselves.

http://news.nationalpost.com/2011/05/25/urban-scrawl-a-smart-solution-to-torontos-taxi-woes/

Election 2011

The Canadian Federal Election of 2011 is over with, and it seems that the early poll results were correct. The Conservatives, led by Prime Minister Stephen Harper, won a majority government in the House of Commons with 167 seats, while, in a surprise move, the New Democratic Party, led by Jack Layton, became the Official Opposition with 102 seats. Another surprise was the election of Elizabeth May to Parliament, the first MP of the Green Party of Canada.

On the other hand, the Liberal Party and the Bloc Quebecois were blown away by the NDP surge, as the Liberals dropped from their previous 70 seats to only 34, the majority coming in Atlantic Canada, and the Bloc dropping from around 40 seats to only 4. To add even more surprise, the leaders of these parties, Michael Ignatiff and Giles Duceppe both lost their seats in Parliament and subsequently resigned from leadership of their respective parties.

As well, something that interests me is the election in my cottage riding of Simcoe-Grey. The incumbent, Helena Guergis was a member of the Conservative Party but was kicked out last year, sitting as an Independent MP for the duration of Parliament. She was defeated by a landslide by the Party-backed Conservative MP, Kellie Leitch.

NDP Ahead of Bloc in Quebec Polls

For the first time ever, the NDP has overtaken the popular vote in Quebec, even ahead of the province's favourite Bloc Quebecois. If the election were to happen today, the NDP would be the choice for 36% of the province's population, compared to 31% for the Bloc. This is very bad news for the Bloc, who have always had the majority of the support in the only Canadian province they run in. In Montreal, they have even more support, with 40% of Montreal residents supporting the NDP.

This support could be a breakthrough for the NDP, not only in the province of Quebec, but they are also hoping that this could signal a flood of support for the party throughout the country. Jack Layton, NDP leader was born in Montreal and recently took in a Canadiens game. That, paired with the English and French leaders debate was what many think propelled him to the top of the polls in the province.

This is a big signal to the NDP that they are doing something wrong in the election. They need to do something drastic to raise their standing in the polls, because unlike the other parties, Quebec is the only province that the Bloc runs in. If they lose the public opinion, it drastically reduces their chances of having as many members in Parliament as the last election.

http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/978205--ndp-jumps-ahead-of-bloc-in-quebec-poll?bn=1

Launch for BlackBerry Playbook Unsuccessful

BlackBerry's Canadian launch of their rival product to the Apple IPad was unsuccessful, to say the least. BlackBerry released the Playbook on Tuesday morning to a lackluster crowd. The launch at the Future Shop store at Yonge and Dundas square was not very well attended, which is strange considering it is the largest of the Future Shop stores in Canada. There were not many lineups across the street at Best Buy either, with the lineups in the heart of Canada's largest city maxing out at around 12 people.

Sure, there are problems with the Playbook. It cannot send emails without a connection to a BlackBerry smartphone. But loyal customers who think that messaging is more important than text will buy it, regardless of the flaws in it. It is marketed toward businesspeople who would be less likely to wait in line for something before the release, so the lineups have not dissuaded RIM, the maker of the BlackBerry phone and Playbook.

I think this is just something BlackBerry dashed off in a few months to just try and compete with Apple, who dominates the tablet market every since the IPad was released last year, and are in the process of making another. It shows just how much of an impact Apple is having on the market, and how unsuccessful BlackBerry will be in this market.

http://business.financialpost.com/2011/04/19/lacklustre-launch-for-blackberry-playbook/

First Debate Over With: Population Believes Harper Won

Tuesday night was the English Leaders Debate for the leaders of Canadian Political Parties. Stephen Harper, Michael Ignatieff, Jack Layton and Gilles Duceppe battled it out last night on national television in front of the general public. There were a few questions that needed to be answered, including if Michael Ignatieff could convince Canadians who knew hardly anything about him to switch allegences and vote for a man who had spent a few decades out of the country.

Stephen Harper, on the other hand, was unflappable in all of his responses. Even though he was forced on the defensive most of the time, he responded in a cool, calm and collected fashion. All the while, Jack Layton, leader of the NDP went on the offensive, mainly directing his strikes toward Ignatieff.

Only time will tell if Ignatieff's efforts were enough to turn voters in his favour, or if they will have stuck with Stephen Harper's proven leadership and the Conservative Party. In my mind, this election is unnecessary and may even turn out to be a poor choice for the Liberals, because, as shown in polls, the Conservatives may even be in place to win a majority government.

http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2011/04/12/john-ivison-on-the-debate-harper-wins-by-avoiding-blunders/

France Bans Face Veils

On Monday morning, France's new law banning face veils in public areas. Anyone seen weiring a full face veil in public will be subject to a $150 euro fine or Frech Citizenship lessons. This ban was originally scheduled to be in effect earlier, but Muslim groups were given a grace period of 6 months to explain the new laws and ban to their supporters and members.

Surprisingly, those Muslim groups have been very peaceful about the ban. There have been no demonstrations so far, and the leader of the groups have said that after having conversations with the French authorities about the ban, that they are "100% respectful of French law." There are still hard feelings though, as many Muslims feel the ban imposes on their cultural freedom.

In my mind, this is a very controversial and foolish move by the French Government. I believe that the ban does impose on their cultural beliefs and freedoms. If they want to wear the veil in public, that should be their decision, not the Government's. This move was made by President Nicolas Sarkozy, whose poll ratings are at an all time low. Some have said that this move was made just to gain support of far right voters. This would mean that he didn't actually believe in the law, he just wanted more votes. This is something that the French should, and I believe will, investigate and look into.

http://www.nationalpost.com/news/world/France+enacts+face+veils/4593995/story.html

Canadian Parliament Dissolves, Election Set for May

The Canadian Parliament was dissolved last week after a vote of confidence was lost by the minority Conservative Government and the current Prime Minister, Stephen Harper. The Liberals, the NDP's and the Bloc Quebecois voted against the proposed budget that the Conservatives brought forward to Parliament, and, as such, caused an election voting against the minority Conservative Government. Because of this vote, Harper asked Governor General David Johnston to dissolve Parliament. This was carried out after the vote was lost by the Conservatives, 156-145. All of the NDP, Liberal and Bloc MP's voted for an election. All Conservative and Independent MP's voted against an election.

The coalition of the Liberals, the NDP's and the Bloc voted for an election because of many different issues. They say the Conservatives have not been honest and open about their policies. They also have a problem with the fact that Harper hired someone with a criminal record and who is under investigation by the RCMP to be one of his top advisors.

Harper has said he thinks many Canadians will be dissapointed that the budget did not pass. He says it was an essential next step in Canada's Economic Action Plan, to help us recover even more from the economic hard times that hit us a few years ago. This is Canada's fourth election in seven years, and I do not think this election is really necessary. If what early polls show is correct, then the Conservatives will stay in power, and may even win a small majority. Elections also cost a lot of money, which all comes from taxpayers. Seeing as many people do not want another election, this will make them even more fed up with the Liberals and NDPs and may even make people who used to vote for them vote for another party. This is an unnecessary election, and will not really make that much of a difference in how Parliament is structured.

http://thesudburystar.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=3045056

Stabbed Taxi Driver Loses Source of Income

On February 14, cabbie Khalil Talke was stabbed by an unknown man while in his taxicab, and is still in hospital recovering from the wounds today, his left arm still in a cast after trying to fend off the attacker. The worst part of the attack, however, came after the incident. Because of city rules, Talke has been prohibited from renting out his cab as a source of income while in hospital. He was forced by law to return his Ambassador Taxicab licence to the city. By city law, they return the licence when the driver is healthy enough to resume his job.

Talke, a father of four says he feels he's been cheated by the city - and that racism is at the heart of the issue. There are two kinds of taxi licences in Toronto - Ambassador and Standard. Standard licences allow the driver to rent out the cab in case of injury or sickness, while the Ambassador licences do not. Talke believes that minorities, who make up the majority of cab drivers, are refused Standard licences based on race alone. Talke is not the first person to be victimized by this, as other members of minorities have been fighting on this issue for years.

This is just one of many examples that racism is not yet dead in Canada, despite our best efforts. Laws need to be changed based on our changing times. Robbing a stab vicim of income while in hospital is adding insult to injury, and that's not something the municipal government wants to have pinned on them.

http://www.thestar.com/news/crime/article/948851--stabbed-cabbie-loses-his-income-because-of-city-rules?bn=1

Double Doubles and Blood Tests?

The Royal Columbian Hospital in British Columbia was forced to house five patients in the hospital's Tim Hortons on Tuesday. The hospital's emergency area was dealing with overcrowding at the time, so there was no room for the five patients. The Tim Horton's was closed at the time, and screens were put up to guard the patients' privacy while they underwent heart monitoring and blood tests. It only took about 90 minutes for space to open up, and the Tim Hortons then went back to normal operations.

Dr. Sheldon Glazer, an emergency room doctor at the hospital has admitted that the hospital has been dealing with overcrowding problems for quite some time. Apparently, they have been seeing patients for years in hallways or even in stairwells. This causes a problem because nurses and doctors cannot adequately treat patients in makeshift triage areas like hallways, or even Tim Hortons'.

This is an awful situation, especially for the patients and their families. The British Columbia health board, and especially the Royal Columbian Hospital need to do something about the overcrowding now that it is in the national spotlight. They could renovate or expand the hospital, or simply convert existing space into new triage areas. On the positive side, however, kudos goes to the nurses and doctors who have been dealing with this issue for years. They care about the patients, and will do whatever it takes to make sure they get the proper care.

http://www.healthzone.ca/health/newsfeatures/article/946644--b-c-hospital-uses-tim-hortons-to-check-patients-bits

Man Arrested for Bomb Threat Against PM's Residence

Ottawa Police have arrested a 35 year old man after a bomb threat was made against the Prime Minister's residence at 24 Sussex Drive in Ottawa. Ottawa Police searched the area immediately following the call andreported that there were no threats found that could harm either the Prime Minister or his family. They then traced the call to an apartment across the river in Gatineau, Quebec.

When police arrived at the scene, a standoff occured, as the suspect threatened and began throwing objects at the police from inside his apartment. No officers were injured when the standoff occured, however, it only added another charge to what the man is facing. He was arrested and charged with one count of uttering threats and one count of assaulting police. The man was taken into custody and identified, and the police stated that they did know the man.

To begin with, I would very much like to know the man's motivation for pulling off a stunt like this. But even so, this is an act that could land you in jail for a while. Making a threat against the Prime Minister is bad enough, but the man managed to make the situation worse by assaulting police when they came to arrest him. I am glad that the authorities called an investigation just to make sure the situation was under control. When it comes to matters like this, it is better to be safe than sorry.

http://news.nationalpost.com/2011/02/28/bomb-threat-near-prime-minister%E2%80%99s-residence/

Recent Survey of Students Say Cellphones are Distracting in Class

A survey of Ontario teenagers that will be released later this week has shown that cellphones are a nuisance for students in class. A shocking 72% of teenagers do not want cellphones to be part of their classroom learning. The survey was conducted by the Ontario Student Trustees' Association, which consists of a number of students across Ontario. 71% of the respondees to the survey were female, and a whopping 85% of the respondees were in Grade 12.

The figure that 72% of teenagers do not want cellphones in class goes strongly against Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty's comments last fall, who said that he believes cellphones in class should be looked at in the near future and could be used as an educational tool, as long as that's the only function they serve while in class. I believe this is a good response, as cellphones can be very distracting to a student's learning when used for texting and other things like that during class. However, with the number of applications for the iPhone and the Android, they could surely enhance the learning experience.

Another part of the survey was whether or not students wanted a later start to the school day. Students were split on this issue, as most thought a later end to the school day would interfere with their after school working hours. Even so, many schools have already decided to try a later start to the day as a pilot project.

http://www.parentcentral.ca/parent/education/schoolsandresources/article/943880--teens-say-cellphones-distracting-in-class

Toyota Recalling Even More Vehicles

Toyota announced announced this week that they are recalling 2.2 million of their vehicles because of multiple safety risks. This recall is an expansion of the recall they had in 2009 in which gas pedals could be trapped in floor mats. Apparently, that problem has not yet been fixed, as gas pedals can still be trapped in driver's side floormats, and so they are recalling 20,000 Lexus GS's to fix this problem.

Another issue that has arisen lately is the retention clip on some of the mats that could also cause the pedal to be stuck. Toyota has been forced to recall 370,000 cars manufactured from 2004-2007 to fix the issue. They are also adding 603,000 cars to the 2009 recall - including the 4Runner and Rav 4 models.

This is a shameful turn of events for Toyota. Still one of the world's leading car companies, their image has been tarnished in the last few years because of all these recalls. It is shocking to me how they had not fixed the issue with the first recall back in 2009. People will use caution now when deciding whether to buy a Toyota, and all because of Toyota's carelessness and negligence of a simple, yet possibly deadly problem.

http://money.cnn.com/2011/02/24/autos/toyota_recall_floormat/index.htm?hpt=T2

6.3 Magnitude Earthquake Hits New Zealand

The 6.3 Magnitude Earthquake that hit New Zealand yesterday was one of the worst to ever hit the country, and the second in under five months. It is second only to a 7.1 Magnitude one that hit Christchurch last September. This one, however, was far more costly, as the epicentre was far closer to the area of the city where people live and work. Thousands affected by the Earthquake have moved into temporary shelters, and some have even moved into tents outside their homes.

So far, 65 people have been confirmed dead, while hundreds more are still missing, trapped underneath the rubble of fallen buildings. New Zealand officials have confirmed that rescue workers will be working around the clock to free anyone trapped underneath all the debris. Seismologists have said that the issue with this quake is that it was very shallow underneath the ground, and many people were within 10 to 20 kilometers of the epicentre.

Canada is also sending resue workers to the country to assist with cleanup and location of missing persons. I think this is the right thing for us to do, as we need to help other countries when they have been hit with a disaster if we ever want them to do the same for us when and if we are hit with something like they were. \

http://www.thestar.com/news/world/article/942674--rescue-efforts-in-new-zealand-to-continue-overnight?bn=1

TTC Delay Raises Issues with Intercom System

Early Monday morning, the Toronto Transit Commission discovered a cracked rail at King Station during the height of rush hour, prompting all trains on the TTC's Yonge line to be held up and delayed while the rail was fixed. The delay eventually lasted around 1 1/2 hours, leaving many commuters stuck in the subway tunnels.

Now in these situations, the TTC will inform commuters of the delay via the intercom system in all trains. But today's delay caused many commuters to be unsatisfied with the intercom system. When the person came on the system to announce the cause and estimated time of the delay, many people heard only static and garbled words. When the announcement was finished, most were still unsure of the cause and estimated time the delay would take. A TTC spokesperson said that in situations like this, they try and put safety as their top priority, putting communication in the backseat. But the spokesperson did acknowledge that the speaker system is poor and that they are working on an update. I have noticed this problem with the speakers many times while riding the TTC, and am very glad that a major news piece has addressed the issue.

The TTC is currently working with different companies to have a new speaker system implemented. They are also working with media companies to make delay announcements on platform screens larger, and also to put screens like the ones on platforms outside of stations, so people will know of delays before paying fares. The TTC runs on a very tight budget, however, so don't expect these upgrades to happen anytime soon.

http://www.thestar.com/news/ttc/article/938418--why-today-s-ttc-delay-was-a-mystery-to-many-riders

Bank Employee Accused of Stealing from Clients' Accounts

A former Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC) worker has been arrested and charged with fraud and money laundering after many senior customers were defrauded of around $200,000. The money was withdrawn from the clients' accounts between 2002 and 2007, when Alicia Canlas worked at the bank. CIBC has reimbursed all of the fraud victims, but police have not yet recovered any of the money that was stolen.

The charges against Alicia Canlas were based on the fact that clients' mailing addresses were changed so that clients would not know about the withdrawals. As well, the money was taken from the accounts in small amounts, so as not to raise any red flags. Only seniors were targeted in this scam, as the victims ranged in age between 60 and 85. This makes the scam even worse for the victims, as most of the accounts the money was taken from were trust funds or life savings funds. None of the seniors wanted to be identified in the report.

CIBC has warned customers to check their bank statements every month to check for any discrepancies or missing statements. CIBC must also do a better job of screening their employees when hiring, as well as doing background checks and regular check-ups and evaluations to avoid any problem like this in the future.

http://www.thestar.com/news/crime/article/936205--bank-employee-accused-of-stealing-from-accounts?bn=1

Real Life Band of Brothers Heading to Afghanistan

The 1st Battalion of the 23rd Regiment of the U.S. Marine Corps is known as the "Lone Star Battalion." Within this battalion, there are bonds between the soldiers unlike any other. The Battalion consists of 5 different sets of brothers, and will be deployed to Afghanistan next week. All of the brothers agree that having family members around when you are being faced with fear and danger will help to ease the stress quite a lot. The commander of the Battalion, Lt. Col. Todd Zink, said that he believes it is a benefit to the battalion because nobody knows you better than your brother and to have him by your side gives you strength and courage you might not have otherwise had.

However, for the families of the soldiers, the strain of their kids going off to war is doubled, since not one, but two of their kids are heading off to fight. Even though the families are filled with many emotions seeing their children go to war, mainly sadness and pride, they too take comfort in knowing they will be fighting together in Afghanistan.

There are no U.S. Marine Policies that are against brothers serving together in the same battalion, but it is not a common thing because siblings usually join reserve corps in their hometown instead of battalions going to fight. I believe this is an incredible story, as it can be a real asset to have the same companion on the battlefield as you did during your childhood.

http://afghanistan.blogs.cnn.com/2011/02/08/a-real-life-band-of-brothers/?hpt=C1

Two Canadians Dead in Mexico

Two Canadians are dead after being swept out to sea in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. The two were identified as Dale and Linda McDouglas. The two were swept out into the ocean while swimming at Divorce Beach in Cabo San Lucas. Divorce Beach is a popular tourist spot in Mexico for sightseeing, but swimming is discouraged because of very strong currents near the beach. The two were originally pulled from the water and paramedics attempted to resuscitate them, but to no avail.

These deaths are the second and third deaths this week for Canadians in Mexico. Earlier this week, a woman from Canada was killed in Cancun after being attacked by a shark. Mexico has always been a popular spot for Canadians to vacation to, but in recent years has become more dangerous. It was always known that infections such as Hepatitis are risks of travelling to Mexico, but in recent years, those have taken a backseat to water-related deaths such as the ones above, hostage situations, and shootings. Mexico has become a dangerous place, and in some years, the government has even advised travellers against going to Mexico for vacations. In my mind, it has become too dangerous of a place to go on vacation, even if it does offer a cheap and fantastic winter getaway.

http://news.nationalpost.com/2011/02/04/two-canadian-tourists-dead-in-mexico-after-being-swept-out-to-sea-reports/

Groundhogs Ignore Snowstorm and Predict Early Spring

Despite the raging snowstorms in Ontario today, the tradition of Groundhog Day went on like normal. The first one to make his prediction was Shubnecadie Sam in Nova Scotia. The next to emerge from his burrow was Ontario's own Wiarton Willie. Both did not see their shadows, which, according to tradition, means that the country is in for an early spring. If they would have run back into their burrow, it means we would have been in for 6 more weeks of winter. Even though it is hard to believe looking out the window, the predictions are apparently very accurate. Punxsutawney Phil, from Pennsylvania, also predicted an early spring, something people in Pennsylvania say only happens on average every 10 years. The last time he predicted an early spring was in 2007.  

The tradition of Groundhog Day was brought to the country by German immigrants. The date is unknown, however, many people still make the trek to various cities to see Willie, Sam, Phil and Billie make their predictions. In my opinion, it is a fun tradition, and the fact that it is still going strong after a few decades means that people really appreciate it. This tradition can give people a ray of hope that spring will be coming just around the corner. Because of this, it is a tradition that is worth keeping.

http://news.nationalpost.com/2011/02/02/groundhogs-ignore-the-blizzard-predict-early-spring/

Man Dies After Being Hit by TTC Bus

Early Saturday morning, a man was struck and killed at the intersection of Bloor Street West and Concord Avenue by a TTC Bus. Police say that the man was crossing Concord at an angle, and the bus hit him when it attempted to turn north onto Concord, knocking him onto the ground, where he hit his head on the curb. He died of his injuries in hospital shortly after.

This incident is the third pedestrian death this month involving a TTC vehicle. There was an incident involving a bus hitting a pedestrian at Dufferin Street, and another involving a streetcar, where a pedestrian was killed after being dragged by the streetcar.

This latest incident shows the continued incompetency of TTC drivers. The TTC has done nothing about these fatalities, and they need to if they are to keep their reputation positive. They need to have better training for employees and higher standards for hiring employees. In my view, TTC drivers were never the brightest or the nicest people in the world, but they have since become even worse. The TTC must do something about this, because if these incidents continue, they will have a large public outcry against them, and that is something nobody wants to deal with.

http://toronto.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20110129/ttc-bus-fatally-strikes-man-110129/20110129/?hub=TorontoNewHome

Blast at Moscow Airport

Early Monday afternoon, a bomb exploded and tore up the arrivals hall of a Moscow Area Airport, filling the hall with smoke and flames. Russian President Dmitri Medvedev has said he believes, amid early reports, that the explosion was an act of terrorism. Many people were wounded, and at least 20 are now in critical condition. Authorities are diverting all air traffic heading to the airport to other nearby airports, and security measures are being heightened at all airports in the Moscow Area. Authorities say they believe the bomb was located in someone's luggage.

This is not the first act of terrorism to strike the Domodedovo Airport, though. In 2004, suicide bombers boarded a plane departing from the Airport and blew up the plane in mid-air. These occurrences have brought into question the standard of security at the airport. Terrorism at airports has been all over the news in recent years, and as more attacks happen, security gets heightened. This problem has caused international upcry from travellers who are annoyed by the extra time it takes to travel these days.

As far as other acts of terrorism in the country - last year, blasts in the Moscow subway killed 39 and injured another 60.

http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2011/01/24/moscow-airport-blast.html