Winter Travel '09: Newfoundland and Labrador

By Susan Mohammad - Monday, November 16, 2009 at 5:00 PM - 0 Comments

Credit: Cycle Solutions

CAVING/CORNER BROOK
The region’s cave system is a hidden geological gem, and one of Newfoundland’s most interesting hiking destinations. The caves were carved over the millennia by the flow of the Corner Brook Stream and several local businesses offer guided tours of this underworld attraction. After a scenic hike down Corner Brook gorge, tours can last up to three hours, during which adventure-seekers follow the string of large rooms and tiny crevices about a kilometre underground. Crawl through the beautiful limestone scenery, or simply enjoy a break from the cold winter weather as the temperature in the caves varies little between the seasons.

WILDLIFE TRACKING-GORGE ICE WALKS/STEADY BROOK
It’s easy for nature enthusiasts to lose track of time trekking past snow-capped mountains, while learning the secrets of animal tracking from an experienced guide. Hike through Gros Morne National Park or the snowy Blow-Me-Down mountains before sitting down to a winter picnic. For those looking for a more physical test, ice walks through frozen waterfalls and a steep icy gorge are an exhilarating way to celebrate the natural beauty of winter.

GROS MORNE WINTER EXCURSION/GROS MORNE NATIONAL PARK (February to March)
Crisp air, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing under the northern lights sound like a call to action for all restless Canadian winter wanderers. This five-day getaway, which is sure to recharge any city-dweller’s battery, begins with a four-hour ski session, departing from Deer Lake and heading through snowy forests before ending up at a backcountry lodge. On the last day on the trails, guests head to Western Brook Pond, a lake surrounded by steep rock walls ascending 600 m, leading to one of the most stunning views in Canada.

VAKKAR VIKING JOURNEY/MAIN BROOK (January to April)
On day one at the Tuckamore Lodge, Viking warriors in full armour serve you your feast before treating you to an unforgettable “yell in” ceremony. The five-day trek includes snowmobiling to L’Anse aux Meadows, North America’s only authentic Norse settlement. And don’t forget your camera, since there’s plenty of moose, caribou and Arctic foxes in the wilderness near the fishing communities of Lock’s Cove and Ireland Bight.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: www.newfoundlandandlabrador.com

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Winter Travel '09: New Brunswick

By Susan Mohammad - Monday, November 16, 2009 at 5:00 PM - 0 Comments

Credit: Brian Atkinson

WORLD POND HOCKEY CHAMPIONSHIP/PLASTER ROCK (Feb. 11 to 14)
Since the small village first hosted the event in 2002, the championship has grown from 40 teams to 120, representing 15 countries. (The defending champs are the Sadler’s Wheat Kings from Fredericton.) Teams play four on four, without goalies—the goal is just 25 cm high. This year, a women’s division is being added for the first time in the tourney’s history. But the grand prize is unchanged: a trophy that looks a lot like the Stanley Cup, except for the fact it’s made out of wood.

WINTERFEST NEW BRUNSWICK/FREDERICTON (Feb. 5 to 21)
Inspired by one family’s visit to Winterlude in the nation’s capital, Winterfest NB was founded in 2002 and boasts seven-metre-tall ice slides and a 16-hectare ice labyrinth with two-metre-tall walls. Every year, thousands of tourists enjoy the artistry of the ice and snow sculptures and test their off-season golf skills by teeing one up at one of the three polar bear golf holes.

RUSTIC WINTER SHELTER/KOUCHIBOUGUAC NATIONAL PARK (Dec. 15 to March 31)
After trekking—by cross-country ski or snowshoe—the 10 km to the campsite, you’ll appreciate the simple—indoor—accommodation (for safety, a minimum of three people must stay at the remote shelter at a time). This outdoor adventure is not for high-maintenance types. Participants will have to carry everything they need during their stay. The park, which is located about 100 km north of Moncton, provides a stove, firewood, picnic tables, six sleeping platforms and a toilet—and, of course, plenty of trails for cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and tobogganing.

NEW BRUNSWICK’S NORTHERN SNOWMOBILE ODYSSEY (December to March)
Every year, up to 400 cm of the white stuff flies in New Brunswick, the most snow in any of the three Maritime provinces. That’s why so many jump on a “sled” and head out on this epic winter journey, which covers 1,000 km of trails and links Miramichi, Bathurst, Campbellton and Edmundston. Be sure to fit in some time to unwind at one of the bed and breakfasts or hotels along the way.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: www.tourismnewbrunswick.ca

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Winter Travel '09: The North

By Susan Mohammad - Monday, November 16, 2009 at 5:00 PM - 0 Comments

Yukon

THE SOURDOUGH RENDEZVOUS FESTIVAL/WHITEHORSE (Feb. 25 to 28)
After hiding for months from sub-zero temperatures, Yukoners shake the collective cabin fever by dancing in mukluks, tossing chainsaws, and competing in flour-packing, axe-throwing and tug-a-truck contests in a carnival-like atmosphere in downtown Whitehorse. Fiddlers and comedy acts are part of this four-day festival, during which smooshing (teams of five people strap their feet on two-by-fours and race down the street) is the favoured mode of travel. Costumes are a mandatory part of the festivities—any man caught by the “Keystone Kops” without a beard, or a woman not donning a garter belt in plain sight, is open to ridicule and paraded through the streets in a jail cell on wheels.

Northwest Territories

SUNRISE FESTIVAL/INUVIK (Jan. 9)
During the summer, Canada’s northernmost town enjoys roughly 56 days of around-the-clock daylight. But come December, Inuvik (which lies two degrees above the Arctic Circle) is blanketed in darkness. So it’s of little surprise that locals of the naturally beautiful town, which straddles the treeless tundra and northern boreal forest, celebrate the return of the sun in early January. Though a rather simple festival—the townspeople gather for fireworks and a community bonfire as the sun first shimmers over the horizon—it’s one of the purest ways of celebrating a connection with the land.

DOGSLED TOURS/YELLOWKNIFE
Whether you’re at the helm, commanding a team of dogs in the wintry landscape, or sitting back and enjoying the scenery and leaving the driving for the pros, a hot beverage around the crackling wood stove once it’s all done is a perfect way to cap off the day.

Nunavut

KUGLUK/BLOODY FALLS TERRITORIAL PARK
For anyone wanting to view a landscape relatively untouched for thousands of years, the Kugluk/Bloody Falls Territorial Park is the site to see. Kugluk is the historical site of winter houses used by the Thule culture (ancestors of the Inuit), and a place to check remnants of caribou-hunting camps dating back 1,500 years. For safety reasons, however, it’s highly recommended that winter visitors travel with an outfitter who has a good grasp of the area. And don’t forget a toque.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: www.nunavuttourism.com • www.spectacularnwt.com • travelyukon.com

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Winter Travel '09: Prince Edward Island

By Susan Mohammad - Monday, November 16, 2009 at 5:00 PM - 0 Comments

Credit: Tourism PEI

ICE COLD OYSTERS/FERNWOOD (Monday to Friday, by appointment)
Head out onto the ice at Salutation Cove on a snowmobile and learn to catch oysters from the bottom of the cove. While most fishermen use chainsaws to cut through the ice, visitors taking part in a guided tour are able to plunge their own tongs into the ice and eat a few oysters right out of the water. Participants learn the difference between standard and choice oysters, as well as how they’re farmed, harvested, and shucked.

BROOKVALE WINTER ACTIVITY PARK/QUEEN’S COUNTY
Centrally located, Queen’s County is where many cross-country, snowboarding and alpine enthusiasts come to play when visiting the Island. For downhill skiers, the park offers a 76-m drop and 10 alpine trails. Nordic skiers can enjoy 24.5 km of recreational trails and another 7.5 km of competitive lanes. If skiing isn’t your thing, pull on a pair of snowshoes or jump on a toboggan and race down the hills—all before enjoying a warm cider in one of the two lodges on the property.

OWNER FOR AN EVENING/CHARLOTTETOWN (until the end of December)
Harness racing has a rich history in P.E.I. (home of the Gold Cup and Saucer Race) and there’s nothing like the thrill of watching “your” horse make its move in the final stretch. The Owner for an Evening experience includes a tour of the grandstand at the Charlottetown Driving Park and Entertainment Centre and a visit to the paddock to meet the horse. Participants discuss race strategy with trainers before a buffet dinner of steamed mussels, seafood chowder and P.E.I. potatoes. Though you won’t collect a cut if your horse is victorious, expect to be whisked to the winner’s circle where your photo will be taken alongside your horse and driver.

JACK FROST CHILDREN’S WINTERFEST/CHARLOTTETOWN (Feb. 12 to 14)
About 70 tonnes of snow is used to make Jack Frost’s “home,” a whimsical castle that delights children during the largest winter festival east of Quebec City. Frost’s snow kingdom is an interactive playground bursting with slides, jungle gyms, an igloo village and ice carvings. And though the festival is primarily geared toward children, adults can enjoy the live music, fireworks displays, and a 3,600-sq.-foot snow maze.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: www.tourismpei.com

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Winter Travel '09: Quebec

By Susan Mohammad - Monday, November 16, 2009 at 5:00 PM - 4 Comments

CARNAVAL DE QUÉBEC/QUEBEC CITY (Jan. 29 to Feb. 14)
The Carnaval, which first took place in 1894 (Bonhomme joined the party in 1955), has become the largest winter carnival in the world—a celebration of tradition, history and culture that generates $48 million a year for the city. Activities include horse-drawn sleigh rides, a soapbox derby, a snow sculpture competition, outdoor hot tubs or a climb to the top of a 10-m-tall ice palace. But if you’re feeling courageous, participating in a goosebump-inducing snow bath, or riding a 150-m zipline above thousands of festival-goers at the Plains of Abraham, will surely get your adrenalin going. Foodies can enjoy a visit a traditional sugar shack, or endulge in a beaver tail while touring the city’s historic downtown quarter.

VILLAGE VACANCE VALCARTIER/SAINT-GABRIEL-DE-VALCARTIER (from mid-December until the end of March)
The winter playground has 42 sliding hills overlooking the beautiful Jacques-Cartier River and Valley for thrill-seekers to speed down while clinging to rubber tubes or snow rafts. The park also boasts an outdoor rink and musical skating paths to glide through. Steeper slopes, including the “Himalaya” area, attract the more adventurous visitors. Reach speeds of 80 km/hr while flying down “Everest,” which, at 33 m tall, is said to be the highest hill with an ice slide in North America.

MONT TREMBLANT
For the 13th consecutive year, Mont Tremblant has been voted the No. 1 ski resort for eastern North America in Ski Magazine’s annual survey. But its charming location has more to offer than a pristine mountain to carve. Surrounded by the beauty of the Laurentian Mountains, the picturesque town has something for everyone: shopping, art galleries, ice climbing, or visiting one of the bustling village’s many pubs, microbreweries and nightclubs.

THE MONTREAL HIGH LIGHTS FESTIVAL (Feb. 18 to 28)
Every year, this spectacle of food, performing arts and light is themed after a region. This year it’s Portugal, and 20 Portuguese chefs have been invited to pair with Montreal restaurants (the honorary president of the culinary program for 2010 is chef Fausto Airoldi, from Lisbon’s acclaimed Pragma restaurant). Revellers can watch fireworks displays, enjoy an outdoor circus, or take in any number of musical acts. There are also plenty of historic sites—the quays of the Old Port, for instance, are illuminated in a rainbow of colours. For many, the best part of the festival is the Montreal All-Nighter (Nuit Blanche), which boasts more than 175 art exhibits spread across the city.

HÔTEL DE GLACE/SAINTE-CATHERINE-DE-LA-JACQUES-CARTIER (Jan. 4 to April 4)
Since opening its doors in 2001, the Hotel de Glace has mesmerized more than half a million visitors (every year, about 4,000 people stay the night) with its stunning architecture made completely out of snow and ice. Though the design of the hotel changes every year, it remains a 36-room one-of-a-kind experience complete with a majestic chandelier, art gallery, bar and chapel. Enjoy cocktails served in ice glasses, admire ice sculptures, or curl up on fur rugs by a fire.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: www.bonjourquebec.com

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Winter Travel '09: British Columbia

By Susan Mohammad - Monday, November 16, 2009 at 5:00 PM - 0 Comments

THE GHOSTS OF CHRISTMAS PAST WALKING TOUR/VICTORIA (December)
A 90-minute tour of Victoria’s supernatural past includes the story of Adelaide Griffin (she died in 1861, and her image is the city’s first documented ghost sighting, first spotted at Christmastime) and the ghosts of Helmcken Alley, at the site of the old town jail. The prison was torn down in 1885 but, some claim, rattling chains and footsteps can sometimes be heard in the alley, while others swear they’ve seen a man dressed in prison garb. Brave participants learn about the legend of Christmas Hill and a murder that took place on the steps of St. Andrew’s following Christmas Eve mass in 1890.

CLAYOQUOT OYSTER FESTIVAL/TOFINO (Nov. 19 to 21)
Tofino’s stunning coastline warrants a visit any time of year, but for one weekend every November the city, where 50,000 gallons of oysters are harvested annually, celebrates all things from the sea. Visitors can partake of raw oyster bars, educational oyster farm tours, and a Mermaid’s Ball (prizes are awarded for the best costume and best oyster slurper). During the Oyster Gala wrap-up party local chefs compete to create the best oyster dishes.

TWILIGHT ZIPTREKKING/WHISTLER (December to March)
Once the sun sets, adrenalin junkies, with only a headlamp to guide their way, are harnessed to a steel cable before stepping blindly off canopy bridges and boardwalks in Whistler’s snow-capped rainforest, about 46 m above the ground. As if there wasn’t enough outdoor adventure in Whistler.

VANCOUVER BIENNALE (now until 2011)
This free international art fair features exhibits throughout the city. Take advantage of the mild West Coast weather this winter and admire 30 sculptures from more than 25 nations, light installations from 100 artists, and various performance art and new media installations. Among the most anticipated works include LED neon displays by Jittish Kallat of India, the renowned “laughing man” pieces from Yue Minjun of China, and the overwhelmingly positive contemporary works of Jaume Plensa of Spain.

THE 2010 WINTER OLYMPICS/VANCOUVER-WHISTLER (Feb. 12 to 28)
For those willing to shell out for, well, just about everything, the Olympics in Vancouver promise to be the biggest party Canada has seen since Calgary hosted the Winter Olympics in 1988. Sure, scoring tickets to the big events this late in the game is nearly impossible, but every bar and restaurant in town will be teeming with Olympic spirit. For those who find themselves without a pair of tickets to the gold medal hockey final—or are just in need of a break from all the action—consider taking in Vancouver’s 2010 Cultural Olympiad, showcasing the best in international and Canadian arts and culture. Between Jan. 22 and March 21, the Olympiad will feature a number of musical performances, including a Neil Young tribute headlined by Broken Social Scene. Other events range from a magical carnival to the explosive Japanese martial arts drummers of Tao.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: www.hellobc.com

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Old Tyme Heckle of the Day

By Aaron Wherry - Monday, November 16, 2009 at 4:58 PM - 13 Comments

Ralph Goodale, expressing his displeasure with something or other Pierre Poilievre said.

Horse feathers!

War between India and Pakistan, and other bad things that could happen if the West leaves Afghanistan

By Paul Wells - Monday, November 16, 2009 at 4:25 PM - 27 Comments

Steve Coll, The New Yorker‘s main writer on the mess in South Asia, lists the very bad things that could happen if NATO and affiliated troops pack up and go home too early from Afghanistan. This is essentially the position Colleague Coyne defended last week in our town hall in Halifax: That if you think it’s bad now, just imagine how much worse it could get. Everyone who watched the show last week will know that’s not where I am these days, but Coll, whose spectacular book Ghost Wars is an indispensable history of the wreckage of the last 30 years in Afghanistan and Pakistan, must be reckoned a good guesser on what next year’s wreckage could look like.

Appeal of the Day

By Aaron Wherry - Monday, November 16, 2009 at 4:16 PM - 40 Comments

Pat Martin uses his members’ statement to appeal on Louis Riel’s behalf.

Mr. Speaker, today I call upon Parliament to set the history books straight and reverse the conviction of Louis Riel for high treason and instead recognize his role as the founder of the province of Manitoba, a Father of Confederation and the champion of the rights of the Métis people.

Louis Riel was elected president of the territory that he named Manitoba and negotiated its entry into Confederation as Canada’s fifth province on July 15, 1870. He was elected to the House of Commons three times. He was wrongfully tried, convicted and executed for high treason on this day of 1885, a case of justice and mercy denied.

It is consistent with history, justice and respect for the rights of the Métis people that the conviction of Louis Riel be reversed and that his historic role in the building of Canada be formally recognized, commemorated and celebrated, I suggest, by the placement of a statue of Louis Riel on the grounds of Parliament Hill.

Notes on rummaging through the more obscure sections of my CD collection

By Paul Wells - Monday, November 16, 2009 at 4:14 PM - 13 Comments

1. Yay, Mighty Mighty Bosstones.

That is all.

The Prime Minister goes Bollywood

By Aaron Wherry - Monday, November 16, 2009 at 3:41 PM - 19 Comments

Or, more accurately, Stephen Harper claps as people dance around him.

Tourists take over the 'Twilight' town

By Tom Henheffer - Monday, November 16, 2009 at 2:15 PM - 5 Comments

Hordes of screeching strangers have taken over the formerly sleepy community of Forks, Wash. “This is like the mecca,” says Mike Gurling, manager of the visitors’ centre at the Forks chamber of commerce. “It is amazing.”

The visitors are “twihards,” diehard fans of Twilight—the tetralogy of romantic vampire novels by Stephenie Meyer. They’ve been making the pilgrimage to Forks, population 3,120—the town Meyer chose as the setting for her story because of its isolation, beauty and near-constant rainfall—since 2006, a year after the first novel was released. The books, which tell the story of a clumsy teenager named Bella who falls in love with Edward, a moody, immortal bloodsucker, are the biggest thing since Harry Potter. The film version of Twilight’s sequel, New Moon, will be released Nov. 20 and is expected to bring droves of fans to Forks, even though the nearest theatre is about 60 miles away. Continue…

Going nuclear?

By macleans.ca - Monday, November 16, 2009 at 2:05 PM - 2 Comments

On the first day of a three-day trip to India, Prime Minister Stephen Harper told business audience in Mumbai that the $5 billion currently flowing between the nations isn’t nearly enough and that the two countries should work on expanding their business relationship. Harper notably
plans to meet with Indian leaders later this week to discuss a nuclear co-operation agreement between Canada and India. Should the talks prove successful, they could result in the first agreement between the two countries to trade nuclear goods since 1974, when India used Canadian technology to test a nuclear bomb. Harper also said he hopes to increase Indian tourism to Canada, and ended his visit to Mumbai on a light note by clapping along with dancers on the set of Dance Premier League, India’s version of So You Think You Can Dance.

CBC

Globe and Mail

Run, Sarah, run

By macleans.ca - Monday, November 16, 2009 at 1:45 PM - 12 Comments

Will Sarah Palin make a run at the presidency in 2012? It’s looking likely, say analysts, even though the most recent CNN/Opinion Research poll shows 71 per cent of Americans think the Republican diva is “not qualified to be president.” Politics Daily columnist Walter Shapiro argues the Republican party’s “to-the-victor-go-the-spoils method of picking convention delegates” might work to Palin’s advantage. The party, Shapiro claims, prefers to avoid lengthy selections by picking candidates who win over party convention delegates early on. (The Democratic Party, on the other hand, uses a proportional representation system that requires delegates to wait until all the primaries are over before voting.) But though she may be popular with some party members, Shapiro warns Palin could end up do the GOP more harm than good. “The Divine Sarah,” he writes, with her “megawatt incandescence and her Facebook leadership,” might prove to the be “the 21st century version of Barry Goldwater,” whose mere nomination by Republicans in 1964 “[led] the Republican Party into the abyss.”

Politics Daily

This week’s travel news

By Suzanne Christie, Takeoffeh.com - Monday, November 16, 2009 at 1:26 PM - 0 Comments

This Week’s Take offers you a capsule summary of the high and low lights of TakeOffeh.com’s Daily Dispatches from the past seven days.

Suzanne Christie is standing in for Bruce who is taking a much needed holiday this week

Need A Nap… Slip Into A Sleepbox
Clever Russian architects from the Arch Group have developed a snug personal enclave as the perfect spot to sleep in airports or train stations. The idea is a step up from the acrobatics of involved in stretching out on a row of chairs. The Sleepbox is 2 metres long by 1.4 metres wide – just room enough for a narrow bed and a tiny desk. Time would be purchased in a similar fashion to a parking space – and the beds are equipped with an automatic linen changing conveyor belt apparatus (sort of like those public washroom toilet seats). The only glitch… airports may not want to be the purveyors of an ideal spot for a quickie of another variety, so, we’re not sure if this restful idea will take off, eh.

Line Up… Single File…. March…
Seats are so yesterday. First it was Ryanair’s idea-junky, Michael O’Leary, suggesting he would create aircraft where passengers would be strapped into a standing position, and now we have British firm Design Q suggesting that face to face rows of seating, military aircraft style, would work on commercial aircraft. They say their MaxCabin will be cheaper to build and cram in more passengers. Their design guru points out that inward facing seating is used on other forms of public transportation… subways and buses, but does admit it would take some getting used to and really only suits short haul flights. Very short, we hope.

A Step Up…
Since we’re on the topic of travelling comfortably, Boston’s Jacob Innovations has introduced the concept of two tier business class seating – sort of a bunk bed concept for stretching out in private space.

Roomier Bargains…
Hotel rates have been on a downward trajectory over the past year and while the economy is creeping back up, hotel rates are not expected to keep pace. It’s anticipated that average daily rates will continue to slide well into 2010 as many new hotels flooded onto the market at the wrong time. Hotels being static structures aren’t able to adapt the capacity on offer, so unlike the airline segment of the travel industry, are still battling the supply and demand dilemma by competing with lower pricing.

Upping The Offer…
While continuing to lower their rates, hotels are also upping the quality of the offer. More hotels and resorts have achieved the Five Star rating category this year than ever. Hoteliers are apparently working harder than ever to offer a top notch lodging experience… at a lower price than ever. The number of properties in the U.S., Canada and China that have achieved Forbes Travel Guide Five Star ranking has increased over the past year as have AAA’s diamond awards to hotels and resorts in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean.

We’ll Tip When We Bloody Well Feel Like Tipping…
Consumers are rebelling against the cruise lines’ endemic system of automatically adding gratuities to all their services, regardless of the … service. Passengers are indicating they’re mad as hell about it, and they aren’t going to take it anymore.

Consumer displeasure at subsidizing crew salaries with institutionalized tipping has shaken up cruise giant Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines who have advised they are “rethinking” their policy. In theory, tipping is discretionary, but, with several lines including Carnival Cruise Lines, Cunard and MSC, it is hard to avoid since they automatically charge gratuities to passengers’ onboard accounts. Other operators, such as Celebrity, P&O and Royal Caribbean, provide passengers with envelopes into which it is suggested they tip at a recommended rate. The cruise lines would prefer their guests pay their gratuities up front when they book their cruise… but, even if policies change, the result may be the same should they attempt to make up the shortfall with an increase in pricing.

Bruce Parkinson is a travel industry journalist and regular contributor to TakeOffeh.com as well as sister company, OpenJaw.com

Photo Credits: treehugger.com, theage.com, theage.com, cunard.com

A mess of legalities

By Aaron Wherry - Monday, November 16, 2009 at 1:06 PM - 19 Comments

Slate’s Dahlia Lithwick reviews Omar Khadr’s legal situation here and in the United States. And, as she notes, all three hours and 42 minutes of Friday’s fascinating Supreme Court hearings can now be seen here.

Lithwick notes the intervention of Simon V. Potter, an impressive performance I forgot to mention on Friday. Mr. Potter, a Scot apparently, chose to deliver his remarks in fluent French, answered questions in English, and managed to do both with the commanding presence of a Shakespearean stage actor.

Should Ottawa be doing more to bring Omar Khadr back to Canada?

By macleans.ca - Monday, November 16, 2009 at 12:57 PM - 131 Comments

Warmer water, windier weather

By macleans.ca - Monday, November 16, 2009 at 12:15 PM - 7 Comments

Rising water temperatures on Lake Superior are leading to stronger winds, which will impact everything from currents to pollution on the world’s largest lake, according to researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Since 1985, surface water temperatures (as measured by lake buoys) have gone up 1.2 degrees per decade, about 15 per cent faster than the air above the lake and twice as fast as temperatures rising over nearby land. Part of this is due to melting ice: “There is less ice on Lake Superior during the winter, and consequently the water absorbs more heat,” says atmospheric and oceanic sciences professor Ankur Desai. In the study, researchers spent over 20 years following Superior’s water and wind system. They witnessed currents increasing nearly 10 per cent per decade, largely based on changes in the wind. Lake Superior is an anchor for the Great Lakes, which hold one-fifth of the world’s fresh surface water, but the impact of these rising temperatures is still not well understood.

Newswise

Obama wants more online freedom

By macleans.ca - Monday, November 16, 2009 at 12:08 PM - 6 Comments

On his first state visit to China, U.S. President Barack Obama suggested the country should give its citizens more freedom on the Internet. “I think that the more freely information flows, the stronger the society becomes, because then citizens of countries around the world can hold their own governments accountable,” he told students in Shanghai. Obama also dismissed notions the U.S. and China are rivals, saying, “we do not seek to contain China’s rise,” and urged greater cooperation between the two countries. Following his address to students, Obama met with Chinese President Hu Jintao to discuss environmental, trade and economic issues.

CBC

Yeah, whatever

By Paul Wells - Monday, November 16, 2009 at 12:07 PM - 72 Comments

Danny Williams’ positions on important national matters continue to be random, pouty and self-obsessed.

Warning: parents might freak out

By Anne Kingston - Monday, November 16, 2009 at 11:43 AM - 32 Comments

As she was gathering first-person accounts for Laid: Young People’s Experiences with Sex in an Easy-Access Culture, a new sex-ed handbook, Shannon Boodram observed a trend: there was no shortage of dire, cautionary tales—regrettable hookups, sexually transmitted diseases, pregnancy, abortion, rape. Yet she was scrambling to find positive stories for a chapter she wanted to devote to healthy, pleasurable sexual expression. “It was the hardest stuff to get,” the 24-year-old Toronto freelance journalist says.

Part of the problem, she knew, stemmed from ingrained perceptions about sex education among the 18- to 25-year-old contributors she had solicited online: “Sex ed is about warning people,” Boodram says. “It’s supposed to be scary.” Continue…

Escape route (II)

By Aaron Wherry - Monday, November 16, 2009 at 11:14 AM - 17 Comments

Frank McKenna has some advice for Michael Ignatieff.

He has a good idea: Do what Stephen Harper is doing, and stay away from the House of Commons.

“The House is a hard place for an opposition leader to win. Very hard,” he said. “So I think he’s smart to be around the country and expose himself to people.”

Britain's brave ex-Islamists

By Michael Petrou - Monday, November 16, 2009 at 11:12 AM - 10 Comments

Johaan Hari has an excellent piece about former Islamists in Britain who have renounced their past beliefs for something more humane and liberal. Last summer I spent a lot of time with Usama Hasan, featured in Hari’s article. My take on Hasan and some of his colleagues is here. I think one of the things I like most about Hasan is his love of astronomy. In addition to working as an imam, Hasan teaches artificial intelligence at Middlesex University. He helped launch the  remarkable Quilliam Foundation with Maajid Nawaz and Ed Husain. My take on Husain and his book, can be read here.

Escape route

By Aaron Wherry - Monday, November 16, 2009 at 10:54 AM - 48 Comments

Tim Naumetz reveals the Prime Minister’s way in and out of Question Period each day.

For at least two years, following his battle with the press gallery in 2006, Harper has snubbed the front door of the Commons for Question Period. He established a covert route to get to the Chamber from his third-floor Centre Block office, ducking down through a narrow hallway behind the public gallery atop the west side of the Chamber, down a small staircase, and then scuttling into the government lobby through a back door across from the House Speaker’s Chamber.

Arriving and leaving the Centre Block, his motorcade now pulls up beside a renovated House Speaker’s entrance at the West side of the building. Harper whisks in and out as his sun-glassed Mountie bodyguards give cover.

No Prime Minister has ever avoided the front entrance to the Commons and no one, at least outside of Harper’s inner circle, understands why Harper does.