Monday digest

- I haven't actually seen it yet, but it looks like we have yet another celeb who needs to spend some time drying out.

- Now here's a left-wing suggestion I can get behind. I also propose that on that day, they refer to it as the "piece" movement.

- An example of shoddy journalism which will no doubt go unchallenged: here we have a CanWest story that ran across Canada suggesting that Mike Harris and Preston Manning want the Tories to reduce "the size of governments in Canada over six years so that spending represents 20 to 25 per cent of the economy, rather than the current 39 per cent".

In fact, what they really say is this:

Manning and Harris point out that research shows the optimal size of government should be one that consumes 20 to 35 per cent of a nation’s economy. They suggest Canada’s governments should reduce spending until government’s share of the economy falls to 33 per cent.

Now, I would love it if the government spent $1 instead of $2 out of every $5 in Canada - it would unleash tons of economic growth and prosperity in our country - but that's not what Harris and Manning are saying. They want it down to $1 in $3 instead of $2 of every $5. It also shows you that perhaps a little skepticism is in order when it comes to believing what you read because you sure can't count on journalists for accuracy in reporting, especially when it involves numbers.

- An interesting look at France's political situation, here.

- A saddening example of how out of touch the man who created the concept of détente with Communists is, here, countered by a heartening reminder of what's been accomplished thus far here from a real leader.