Briefs

Local News

Woman epitomizes the essence of being Canadian

A woman was charged with impaired driving in Windsor, Ontario after she was caught drinking behind the Zamboni wheel. The driver reportedly slammed into the boards several times and missed large portions of the ice before passing out, slumped over the steering wheel. “The ice was a mess,” said a police spokesperson.

A Conservative definition of “new”

Stephen Harper unveiled the 40th Parliament’s cabinet last week. The number of women in the cabinet increased from seven to 11, which ties Paul Martin’s record for the most women in a cabinet. Harper’s decision to keep Jim Flaherty on board as the minister of finance has brought some criticism from the opposition. The Tories first arrived in Parliament with a $13-billion surplus, but now face the risk of running a deficit next year. The cabinet has a strong focus on the environment and the economy.

Saskatchewan justice system needs an overhaul

A man who was kept in jail for six months longer than his 45-day sentence has become the fourth incident under review in Saskatchewan’s courts and jails. Other incidents currently under review involve finding out why the public wasn’t immediately notified when six prisoners escaped the jail in August, and two incidents where prisoners were accidentally released from courts last week.
In previous cases where a prisoner was kept longer than his sentence, the government offered compensation based on an eight-hour, minimum-wage paying workday for every extra day spent in jail. Maybe they should just offer him a pass for one free crime.

Free Internet on The Main

The merchants’ association of St. Laurent Blvd. will be providing free Internet access on the street from Sherbrooke to Mont Royal Ave. before the end of the year. Shoppers will obtain cards with access numbers from participating shops to use the Wi-Fi service. The cards will be good for six to 12 months. The association hopes this will attract more visitors and tourists.

Trail of a Concordia soccer player’s killer

Prosecutors will appeal a not guilty verdict in the case of a Montreal woman, who fatally ran over a former Concordia student. Diane Lauzon had been charged with dangerous driving causing death after she killed Erica Cadieux, hitting Cadieux with her SUV as the woman pushed her child in a stroller. According to prosecuters, Lauzon told paramedics and police on the scene she was tired and shouldn’t have been driving. However the judge ruled the evidence inadmissible, leading to her acquittal.

International News

This guy hates gas prices more than you

A Connecticut man drove into a gas station, rolled down his window and shot the gas pump. Nobody was injured and the pump did not explode. It was reported that the owner of the station said the pumps are designed to withstand gunshots. After shooting the pump, the suspect sped away, immediately ramming into a car. The suspect continued to flee, but became involved in another accident and was then transported to a nearby hospital. He is expected to be charged with three felonies once he gets out of the hospital.

Eat your burgers and bacon — it’s heart attack-free week

A study published last Wednesday found a relation between daylight savings time and the occurrence of heart attacks. Based on research in Sweden, the study found the rate of heart attack decreases when the clocks fall back in fall. The opposite is also true, where the risk of heart attack goes up for the first three weekdays after the clocks move ahead in spring.

American Senators tackle NFL

With cancer and the financial crisis out of the way, American Senators focus on other important issues – making NFL broadcasts available for free. The NFL already provides free broadcasts to cities with franchises. The group of 13 senators is asking the league to broaden its interpretation of a “home city,” so that as many Americans as possible can enjoy free NFL broadcasts on game day.

Out of sight, out of mind

The US Air Force is reportedly in discussions with NASA to take over the Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR), but with one major change proposed – the removal of all instruments that face towards Earth. Despite construction on the satellite being completed almost eight years ago, the spacecraft is sitting in a storage room in Maryland. Intended to sit between the Earth and the Sun, DSCOVR would observe Earth and provide climate measurements. Scientists have said the data could finally put to rest the debate about the origins and importance of global warming. By removing parts of the $100 million satellite that faces Earth, the Air Force will only obtain information about the sun.

Big bailout bonus

A $700 billion taxpayer bailout, plummeting stocks and bankruptcy haven’t stopped the securities industry from allocating about $20 billion for bonuses. According to a Bloomberg.com exclusive, Merrill Lynch & Co. set aside $6.7 billion to pay bonuses, while Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and Morgan Stanley allocated $13 billion.

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