Canada’s middle-aged jets head to battle
Canada will be sending up to six CF-18 fighter jets and about 600 personnel to Iraq to join the U.S.-led bombing campaign against Islamic State militants in the area. The motion was put to a vote Tuesday, and passed 157 votes to 134, allowing Canada’s involvement in the air strikes to continue for six months. And it rules out the use of ground troops. “If left unchecked this terrorist organization will grow and grow quickly,” said Prime Minister Stephen Harper. “They have already voiced their local and international terrorist intentions and identified Canada as a potential target.” Australia and several European countries have also made similar pledges recently. [Source: BBC]
Strange stirrings in North Korea
Kim Jong-Un has not been seen in public since Sept. 3. The imagination drifts. Mine goes to Swiss cheese and to a graphic novel tableau of empty, deteriorating towns with music playing over a loud speaker. The Daily Beast published a speculative piece revealing crumbs of evidence that the country may be undergoing a major, political shift. Other sources, if there indeed can be sources from North Korea, say mutiny is behind his absence. A Reuters lead, anonymous, as you would have guessed, said there is no indication of something unusual happening in North Korea. Well. That’s poor phrasing or just wrong. We all know the whole of North Korea right now is unusual. But here is a list of reasons cited by media that changes are afoot in N.K.
Compiled by Death and Taxes:
1. North Korea’s Capital Is In Lockdown
2. Kim Jong-Un Has Not Been Seen For Over A Month
3. Kim Missed One Of The Country’s Biggest Annual Events
4. North Korean Officials Visited South Korea Unannounced
5. There Are Rumors Of Increasing Dissent
6. Kim Has Carried Out Frequent Purges
7. A Prominent Defector Says Kim Is A Figurehead [Source: Death and Taxes]
Mormon town in Alberta says no to booze
Cardston, Alberta, a Mormon town of about 3,500 people located south of Calgary voted on Monday to ensure that the town’s alcohol ban, which has been around since the province was formed, stays in effect. Local businesses noticing a diaspora of commerce to places that serve and sell alcohol, initiated the plebiscite, asking residents to vote on making booze available with a meal at a few restaurants and recreational facilities: 1,089 voted no, and 347 voted in favour. It’s perhaps charming that places like this exist. Perhaps. [Source: Calgary Herald]
Lawyer fights for chimp to get human rights
Tommy, a 26-year-old chimpanzee may win “legal personhood” status in what is hailed as a first of its kind court case. Steven Wise, the lawyer fighting for Tommy as part of The Nonhuman Rights Project, claims the chimp is being “unlawfully imprisoned” in a “dark, dank shed” in upstate New York. Tommy’s owner, Patrick Lavery, disagrees, saying the facility is state of the art and that the chimpanzee is on a waiting list at a primate sanctuary. Wise claims his organization is the only one of its kind fighting for actual, legally-binding rights for species other than humans: : “as a matter of both liberty and equality, Tommy should be seen as a person,” he said. Previous attempts to legally anthropomorphize Tommy have not ruled in the chimp’s favour. [Source: Independent]
This is just funny, and we hope you enjoy it
Drunk dudes talk about cats: “Even though he’s very dumb – he’s as dumb as cats get – he’s also got like a quiet, dumb dignity. He’s the Forrest Gump of cats.” [Language warning]
[su_youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-X31by6MXU#t=22″ width=”500″ height=”300″][su_youtube url=”http://youtu.be/6yE91VCUHIk” width=”420″ height=”280″][su_youtube url=”http://youtu.be/6yE91VCUHIk” width=”420″]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Im4QdVc4NEA[/su_youtube][/su_youtube][/su_youtube]
Honourable mention goes to Spreadable Beer, an actual Nutella-like product that allows the irrational beer lover to spread a gelatinous, hoppy substance on his or her toast: “This magnificent spread contains 40% beer, possesses a sticky yet smooth texture and an irresistible hoppy scent. Just crack it open and take your first baby steps towards a glorious utopian diet that consists solely of beer.”
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Toban Dyck is on Twitter @tobandyck
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