Friday digest

- I never thought I would detest a politician more than I detest Montreal MP Denis Coderre, but Toronto Liberal punk Mark Holland is really starting to annoy. Look at that smug face and tell me you wouldn't love to smack the cocky, know-it-all grin right off of it.

- In case you haven't heard by now, a number of computer models run by scientists the world over and endorsed by the UN have demonstrated the following conclusion: that it's very likely that humans are causing global warming.

I haven't read the report myself, but it sounds like this is going to pretty much end the debate about whether or not man-made greenhouse gas emissions are contributing to global warming. However, I'm still not totally sold, and look forward to seeing what dissenters like this will have to say.

Meanwhile, I understand from press reports that a passage in the study makes it clear that reductions in greenhouse gas emissions will not halt global warming, and moreover, according to the study, warming and its effects (like rising sea levels) will continue for centuries. That means that instead of spending money and effort on making costly yet ultimately useless adjustments, we should look at adaptation instead, especially given that mass polluters China and India are probably going to just pretend this report never existed.

I hope that North American politicians can see beyond the knee-jerk response that mass public opinion is now going to demand and instead, focus the efforts of collective action in a more sensible direction - but I doubt it.

- Speaking of the politically palatable winning out over the correct thing to do, the minimum wage jumped from $5.15 to $7.25 per hour in the US yesterday while Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty says that the minimum wage in his province will eventually reach $10 per hour.

My question is, why stop there?

Let's go with $15 and shoot for $20 and $25 per hour after that.

Oh, what's that, you say?

It would cost jobs?

Exactly.

- Don Martin perfectly sums up my thoughts on the Herouxville controversy.

- Another bang-on piece right here, this time about that senior citizen in Spain who decided she wanted to be a mom at 67.

- Finally, here's a French politician worth listening to.