“Democracy: the theory that the common people know what they want and deserve to get it good and hard.” H.L. Mencken
NYT: Canadian Police Say They Dismantled Country’s Largest Drug Lab
Canadian authorities have dismantled what they described as the country’s largest drug laboratory, hidden in a rural part of British Columbia, seizing enough chemicals and other material to produce roughly 96 million doses of fentanyl, the country’s leading cause of overdose deaths.
For the first time in Canada, the police also found evidence of a drug production method used primarily by Mexican cartels to make opioids. The process requires a particular precursor chemical, and is often used to mass produce a potent synthetic drug know as “super meth.”
The discovery, experts say, suggests that Canadian drug dealers might be taking lessons from the cartels or that Mexican criminal groups might be operating in the country. Canadian authorities would not elaborate on potential links and said that the investigation that uncovered the drug lab was continuing.
The premier said he wanted Ontario’s big city mayors, a group of 29 municipal leaders, to show “backbone” and support using the notwithstanding clause.
⋮
Last year in Waterloo, a judge ruled that it’s a violation of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms for a municipality to evict those in encampments if there are no shelter spaces available for them. A similar ruling was also handed down in Kingston.
⋮
Burlington Mayor Marianne Meed Ward, chair of the mayors' group, wants to see “one point person, a specific minister or ministry, in charge of solving this” and a province-wide plan including more supports.
She said the “issue becomes, if you are using the notwithstanding clause to close down encampments, but people have nowhere to go, we’re no farther ahead.”
Korea Times: How Korean novels are helping a generation find calm amid competition
If you’ve spent time on Seoul’s subway recently, or indeed public transport in Korea in general, you may have noticed that paper books are back in fashion. Many of these books have a recognizable style of cover — warm, inviting colors and a Jimmy Corrigan-like traditional hanok or otherwise cosy-looking freestanding building on the cover. This is a result of the Korean healing fiction trend, which is slowly taking the nation by storm.
Apart from those instantly recognizable covers, Korean healing fiction has several distinct traits. The novels are short and written in a highly readable style, which makes them ideal for commuters. Korean healing novels tell of people, burned out by the stresses of hypercompetitive life in the big city, who find new energy and personal growth through joining a community or learning a skill — running a bookshop, learning to cook or some other endeavor that allows for creative expression.
The Economist reports that Korean healing fiction is being translated and issued by major western publishing companies, and is selling well.
WashPo: Kamala Harris has slight lead over Donald Trump in Iowa poll
The poll results, conducted by a well-regarded polling firm, show Kamala Harris’s strength among women, particularly those who are older or politically independent.
RNZ News: Lower cruise numbers could make tourism industry sweat over summer
A tourism operator says a drop in cruise passengers could have a significant impact on his bottom line this summer.
The New Zealand Cruise Association predicts a 20 percent decrease in visitor numbers over the incoming cruise season, driven by increases to port costs and the international visitors levy.
BBC: DNA-testing site 23andMe fights for survival
Firstly, it didn’t really have a continuing business model – once you’d paid for your DNA report, there was very little for you to return for.
Secondly, plans to use an anonymised version of the gathered DNA database for drug research took too long to become profitable, because the drug development process takes so many years.
That leads him to a blunt conclusion: “If I had a crystal ball, I’d say they will maybe last for a bit longer,” he told the BBC.
“But as it currently is, in my view, 23andMe is highly unlikely to survive.”
Last Updated: 02.Nov.2024 22:54 EDT
