CJOB Radio in Winnipeg held a “stupidist Canadian Comment” contest.
Jean Chretien won first and second. Dispatches has the details.

Canada - Tower of Babel
It is estimated that about 100 languages are now spoken in Canada, compared to 29 about 60 years ago.

English, French, Mandarin, Tamil, Pashto: Canadians speak to each other in a babel of tongues.The latest batch of census data due Tuesday is expected to illustrate an ever-broadening tapestry of languages in Canada, one that’s playing havoc with the country’s traditional notions of bilingualism.

About 60 percent of Canadians speak English, but Stats Canada says figures are notoriously unreliable. The percentage of French speaking Canadians appears to be slipping.

The percentage of francophones in Canada, which was about 23.5 per cent in 1996, has likely slipped yet again, a fact that will reverberate in Quebec.The census data may also provide early indications that French is losing ground to English, a linguistic superpower by any measure and a logical first choice for immigrants who speak neither official tongue.

Allophones, who speak neither french nor english have increased, are outstripping the two main languages.

Last year, about 42 per cent of Canadian immigrants came from just five countries: China, Indian, Pakistan, the Philippines and Korea.

The shift from European immigrants and language to non-European sources is continuing to change the sound and face of Canada.

Mass Graves
While here in Canada we have the freedom to joke about our Prime Minister’s gaffes, I noticed that a mass grave was discovered in the Ivory Coast where rebels and government forces are engaged in fierce fighting.
Mass graves uncovered in Brazil in 1990 after years of military rule have 1200 unidentified remains. British scientists have begun the process of identification.
Chile, Argentina, Guatemala, the former Yugoslavia were all countries engaged in civil wars where many mass graves of civilians have been found.

Edinburgh
A major fire in a medieval section of this Scottish city may not be extinguished for another two days. The fire broke out in a nightclub in a section of the city designated as a world heritage area.

Iran
10 thousand people showed up to protest dissatisfaction with the regime, the mullahs and show support for student reform.

Since early November students have been protesting about the case of Hashem Aghajari, a professor at Modarres University in Teheran and prominent reformist, who was sentenced to death after he made a speech saying that people should not blindly follow religious leaders.

Today’s protest involved a cross section of society defying riot police.

Reasoning
Reason magazine has a new blog called Hit and Run.
Link via Instapundit

Hello
Someone from this blog stopped by at 4:15 am this morning. What I can’t figure out is why.

I made six coding mistakes today. I’m still trying to figure out what they are.
Rachel Cunliffe is a very patient designer. I on the other hand, am really about ready to lose it. Grrrrr.