Fiou! Enough to give anyone a cold sweat! Even to Donald Trump!
Does the Canadian constitutional nightmare mean anything to you? For those with a short memory, let us point out that this is an extreme sport. A test whose level of difficulty has sometimes been compared to catching herring in a barrel, with eyebrow tweezers.
It doesn’t matter. Let’s do a little political fiction. Suppose Canada becomes American. With its 40 million inhabitants, the new state would become the most populous in the United States. In the House of Representatives, it would have a number of seats comparable to that of California!
For Republicans, the arrival of the 51st state would not be good news. Canada’s habits place it more on the Democratic side of the United States political spectrum. Particularly when it comes to abortion, gun control and universal health insurance.
Recently, the review The Conversation assessed the political impact of the 51st State by “merging” the results of Canadian and American elections since 2000. An exercise that produces astonishing results…
In the United States House of Representatives, Canada’s presence would have given the Democratic Party a majority of seats in 10 of the last 11 elections. In fact, the Republicans would not have obtained the majority until 2010!
In terms of presidential elections, the vote of Canadians would have deprived Republican George W. Bush of victory in 2000 and 2004. But the calculation turns out to be more complicated. After all, Canada would perhaps be “carved” into several states. In 1866, for example, an annexation plan* wanted to separate the country into four states and three territories.
Never mind. For now, the debate is more about Donald Trump’s intimidation tactics. By the way, do you know the last one? Why is Donald Trump talking to himself more and more often?
Simple. He takes the advice of the only expert he trusts…
* The project had never been approved by the American Congress.
Source: The Conversation
Quick question
In Belgium, the agency responsible for food safety issued an unusual warning during the Christmas period. What was it about?
a) Don’t eat the needles from your Christmas tree;
b) Don’t give Santa milk because he has lactose intolerance;
c) Don’t burn your candles at both ends at the same time;
d) In Brussels, a batch of flour was mixed with gunpowder; therefore, do not eat bread with bluish reflections;
e) Around 70% of products presented as frog legs are in fact jerboa legs.
Answer: a) One “recipe” suggested drying the needles to mix with butter, without worrying that they might contain toxic substances.
Source: The Guardian
The duration
70 ans
Time has passed since a huge pothole appeared on Whitebarns Road in Hertfordshire, a north London suburb. For decades, the crevasse has been the subject of an insoluble administrative dispute. Everyone sticks to their positions. The city council refuses to pay for repairs on what it considers a private street. Residents of the area make it a matter of principle. They refuse to give up. Meanwhile, the bill continues to rise. It now exceeds $130,000.
Source: The Guardian
(Archives AP, Seth Wenig)
True or false?
In New York City, approximately 146,000 schoolchildren (12%) experienced a period of homelessness during 2024.
Answer: True. Of that number, more than 90% are black or Hispanic. 35% have a native language other than English.
Source: The New York Times
Quick question
According to a survey Ipsos, which sport would be most widely practiced in North America?
a) Soccer;
b) Horseshoe toss;
c) Hopscotch;
d) The pocket game;
e) Le pickleball [tennis léger].
Answer: d)
Source: Ipsos, cited by New York Times
Bulk figures
— 95% species of mushrooms on the planet have yet to be discovered;
— 80% Americans are worried about the possible outbreak of World War III;
— 59% Israeli citizens believe that the media must censor any form of sympathy towards civilians in Gaza;
— 18% French voters still trust President Emmanuel Macron;
— 13% of Canadian voters would like Canada to be part of the United States.
Sources: YouGov, Talker Research, Royal Botanic Gardens (Kew), The Echoes and Light Marketing
(AFP, Josh Edelson)
The measure
0,41 cm
Amount of rain reported to have fallen in the Los Angeles area over the past six months. In an average year, between July 1 and January 8, the region receives 11.9 cm. Almost 30 times more! Since the beginning of January, drought and strong winds have favored the spread of devastating bush fires that have forced the evacuation of 100,000 people.
Sources: ABC News et Los Angeles Almanac
The quote
«[Le journal] had never prevented the publication of one of my caricatures because of the people I aimed with my pencil. Until today.”
Cartoonist Ann Telnaes, who resigned from Washington Post after the “censorship” of one of his caricatures, on January 3, 2025. The drawing represented several bosses of the Web giants who prostrated themselves in front of a statue of Donald Trump. As luck would have it, we saw Jeff Bezos, the co-founder of Amazon and owner of the Washington Post.
Source: The Washington Post
(AP)
Age
74 ans
Age reached by the “Wisdom” albatross (center in the photo), considered the oldest bird in the world. In December, the famous bird made headlines from its cozy nest on the Midway Islands in the Pacific. He laid an egg! Probably the 60th of its long existence.
Source: The Guardian
The comparison
— Amount that Russia pays to all new mothers: 6 700 $ [9 642 $CA];
— Amount that Russia pays to all new soldiers when they enlist: 17 200 $ [25 200 $CA].
Source: The New York Times
Rising
70 %
Increase in profits made by horror films at the American Box Office since 2013. Quite the opposite for comedies, which recorded a drop of 31%. More than ever, the depths of the era frighten…
Source: The Numberscited by Harper’s
Quick question
In Afghanistan, what order did Taliban supreme leader Zabihullah Mujahid recently give to prevent “obscene” gestures?
a) Obligation for pedestrians to walk with their arms crossed, which prevents them from gesticulating in an inappropriate manner;
b) Ban on painting a building pink, a color that would encourage “vice”;
c) In buildings, all windows facing the street must be blocked to prevent passers-by from seeing women inside;
d) Prohibition on raising a thumb to signal approval, a gesture considered totally disgusting;
e) All these answers.
Answer: c)
Source: The Chained Duck
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