Sask. legislature lawn becomes party locale
Saskatchewan’s legislature may not seem like the ideal party spot to most people, but two DJs from Vancouver tried, and succeeded in changing that misconception. Gary Lachance and Tom Kuzma are touring Canada and spawning dance parties at impromptu locations as they go, QMI news agency reported. Last Thursday one of these “decentralized dance parties,” as they have been dubbed, took place for about an hour on the lawn outside the legislature and drew a crowd of a few hundred people. The DJs use an iPod and an FM transmitter to run the event, and attendees are encouraged to bring portable radios, tune them to the same frequency and blast the music.
Facebook prof bashing is legal: Alberta court
They waited three years for it, but twin brothers Keith and Steven Pridgen can finally say they did nothing wrong in bashing their University of Calgary professor on Facebook. An Alberta judge ruled last week that comments made by the brothers on Facebook did not cause injury to the professor, and the university’s subsequent reprimands were thus unjustified. After creating a Facebook page on which they wrote harsh comments about one of their teachers (including “I no longer fear hell, I took a course with Aruna Mitra”) the university made them apologize and placed Keith Pridgen on two years of academic probation. Saying they felt their right to freedom of expression had been violated, the brothers took their case to court. In the ruling, the judge stated, “the University is not a Charter free zone,” addressing U of C’s defence in the trial which claimed otherwise.
Bugging off: shortage of pet food crickets
Some of Canada’s more exotic pets may be missing out on one of their favourite snacks in the coming months. Cricket breeding operations in the country have been hit with a virus which is deadly for the insects, causing a shortage across the country, the CBC reported. Live crickets are one of the more common meal choices for various lizards or tarantulas being kept as pets. The virus reportedly affects the neurological system and eventually paralyzes and kills each cricket. The exotic animal and pet storeowners affected by the virus are unable to import specific breeds of crickets as they are not on Canada’s approved list of insect species.
Sandwich of the day: 2 ½ years in prison
An Ontario court has sentenced a thief who robbed the same Subway restaurant four times in three months to two and a half years in jail, the Ottawa Citizen reported. Peter Vanderhoek, 22, performed the robberies with a BB gun, reportedly only showing the employees the weapon’s handle sticking out of his belt as he asked for the money and a sub “to go.” On the fourth occasion, after realizing that it was in fact a BB gun and not a real firearm, one of the Subway employees followed Vanderhoek out of the store and managed to note part of his license plate number, leading to his eventual arrest. Jared would not approve, Peter. Jared would not approve.
