We received this (click on the image to enlarge) from an associate recently, and had to laugh, though our laughter was tinged with sadness, and, dare we say it, apprehension of the inevitable.

From where we sit, Twitter is a problem in search of a solution, and with few exceptions, a turgid surge of textual swill. There's no skill involved in it, other than the ability to cram the banal into 140 letters or less. And yet, corporations are throwing all kinds of money at Twits in the hopes of actually being able to be heard over the cracking of thunbs on keypads, or seen over the constantly shifting eyes of the multitasking, multiply-underperforming masses.

Of course, this will all change soon, with the inevitable development of a degree course in Tweeting, at which point the natively competent (if there is such a thing) will, once again, be excluded in favour of those who can wend their way through the higher educational process, often without learning anything at all.

Our selection for Canada's National Bird?

After much deliberation we've selected the Dodo. Why, you may ask, would we choose this ungainly avian? Well, like ethical, honest, competent politicans, it's extinct. And like the federal liberal party and/or Toronto City Council, it just can't seem to get off the ground. Need we say more?

It's a perfect choice!

After an extended hiatus, we've been pondering a return to literary form, though little of import has been happening in the Duchy of late.

But, what better opportunity to throw our metaphorical hat in the ring once again, than to comment on the current state of affairs (so to speak) with Toronto mayoral candidate/beleaguered TTC Chair, Adam Giambrone, who seems (so to speak) to have been getting off at more than one stop recently? (continued...) »

Like many of our Canadian brothers and sisters The One has been following the flap (or is it flip) over our Governor - General Michaelle Jean - noshing on a seal heart had us reaching for our Altace, so furiously was our own little pump pounding in support.

Carrying out a search on "seal heart" this morning, we came across this brilliant quote in Halifax's Chronicle Herald, in Stephen Maher's Letter from Ottawa: 

"The Europeans, who ritually slaughter bulls for public amusement, have delivered a blow to the Canadian seal industry at a time when it is already struggling with falling demand caused by the global economic slowdown."

And from the Globe - Margaret Wente's wonderful column: (continued...) »