Wednesday digest

- As Michigan voters sensibly rejected racial preferences in university admissions via a referendum last week, black writer Shelby Steele comments on misguided efforts by do-gooder whites to alleviate inequities here in an interview with John Stossel.

- I've said a lot of negative things about him before, but I have to say that it's time for people who are hopeful for victory instead of defeat in Iraq to close ranks behind John McCain, who has been right on the money in calling for more troops to be deployed there to quell the terrorist insurgency. Far better that than to either withdraw prematurely or get into bed with Iran and Syria, as Tony Blair has foolishly suggested. On the contrary, it's time to bear down and refocus. Not doing so would be an egregious abdication of leadership and a betrayal of "Operation Iraqi Freedom" itself.

- It's quiz time again. To whom was a German lawyer referring to recently when he said, "(w)e want to show that there will be no safe haven anywhere in the world for him"?

A) Osama bin Laden
B) Saddam Hussein
C) WW II war criminal Wiener von Schnitzel
D) Donald Rumsfeld

Answer here.

- Stop the presses! Breaking news brought to you by the CBC: men who maintain a healthy weight live longer.

Don't believe me? See here.

Who knew?

- Canada's Environment Minister recently pulled a classless Dixie Chicks-type move and began mouthing off about Canadian domestic politics while at an international climate change conference in Kenya. Politics should always stop at the water's edge. Rona was representing Canada, not her party, and this reflects very poorly on her and the Conservatives. It's this kind of pettiness, along with the Garth Turner fiasco, that is going to be a contributing factor to keeping the Tories from capturing a majority next spring.

- Finally, I was home sick today. Just in case you didn't know, John O'Hurley, better know as Jay Peterman, is the new host of the Family Feud. And I must say, personally, I cannot think of a more worthy successor to the legacy of the great Richard Dawson, God rest his soul.