1. “Every Japanese Arnold Schwarzenegger commercial ever made” by Ron Nurwisah | The Ampersand
The Japanese have advanced the surrealist form of advertising more than any other culture. In this spirit of innovation in the field, I present this video post. Really, it’s not just because listening to Arnie attempt to speak Japanese is downright hilarious.

2. “Avatar and the politics of our time” by Rick Salutin | rabble.ca
Salutin, a former seminarian, ponders why, in the current political discourse, left wing equals secular and right wing equals religious. Is there no room in the middle?

3. “Toronto’s Disenfranchised Voters” by Myer Siemiatycki | The Mark
Toronto is gearing up for municipal elections this October. Come voting time, however, only a third of eligible electors will turn out at the polls. Is it time to let the city’s massive non-citizen population — about one in seven residents — vote in local elections?

4. “Rogier van der Zwaag” by Jeff Hamada | BOOOOOOOM!
And the belated Oscar for Best Direction of an Incredibly Complicated Music Video That Looks Like CG, But Is Actually an Animated Sequence of 4,085 Photos goes to… Rogier van der Zwaag, for “Grindin’” by (Dutch electro group) Nobody Beats the Drum.

5. “Gracias, Sean!” by Michael C. Moynihan | Hit & Run
After his incoherent speech at this year’s actual Oscars, Sean Penn kept up the craziness by appearing on HBO’s Real Time with Bill Maher and suggesting that critics of Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez should be jailed for their “biases.” Um, Sean? You’re not exactly known as Mr. Fair and Balanced.

6. “French village went insane after CIA spiked its bread with LSD” by Cory Doctorow | Boing Boing
Fifty years ago, residents of the French town Pont-Saint-Esprit became temporarily insane after eating bread from their local bakery. Five people died, and dozens were sent to the asylum. The mystery of the “cursed bread incident” is finally solved. Uncovered documents reveal that the American CIA spiked the bread with LSD: yet another of its notorious tests of the drug’s efficacy as a weapon.

7. “Is Torture a Leading U.S. Export?” by Scott Horton | No Comment
This week, a former director of the British Intelligence service MI5 made a surprise public accusation about US motives for interrogating captured Al Qaeda members. “Bush, Cheney, and Rumsfeld certainly watched 24. The Americans were very keen that people like us did not discover what they were doing,” said Dame Eliza Manningham-Buller, reigniting a fiery debate about the allied countries’ treatment of terror suspects.

8. “Liberals take another shot at Tory ‘Bonnie and Clyde’” by Jane Taber | Bureau Blog
Lately, her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition has likened former Alberta Conservative MP Rahim Jaffer and his wife, junior cabinet minister Helena Guergis, to the infamous crime duo because of his sweetheart deal to dismiss a cocaine possession charge and her blowup at the Charlottetown Airport. Taber points out the illogic of the association: Bonnie and Clyde paid for their crime spree with their lives.

9. “World’s Richest Man: The Carlos Slim Story” by John Hudson | The Atlantic Wire
Forbes has released its annual list of the world’s wealthiest people. At the top of the heap this time is Lebanese-Mexican mogul Carlos Slim Helú, worth an astonishing $53.5 billion (US). His companies are responsible for about 7 percent of Mexico’s entire economic output.

10. “How Cars Are Killing Us” by Andrew Price | GOOD Blog
It wouldn’t be Weekend Links without an infographic. This one, using data compiled by the World Health Organization’s global status report on road safety, shows how cars are killing us with more than pollution.

1. “The State of the Internet, in Infographics and Video” by Patrick James | GOOD Blog
So many good infographics out there. This one, by creative agency Jess3, condenses the net’s mind-boggling growth into a handy four-minute video.

2. “Gender-neutral O Canada: An idea whose time already happened—130 years ago” by Luke Champion | This Magazine
Introducing gender-neutrality into the lyrics of our national anthem is not a new idea. Calixa Lavallée and Sir Adolphe-Basile Routhier’s original French version was sans bias, and R. Stanley Weir’s 1908 English poem includes the line now being proposed to replace “in all thy sons command” — “thou dost in us command.” Personally, I think we should adopt “The Maple Leaf Forever” and be done with it.

3. “Neil deGrasse Tyson, The Epilogue: Why Educators Need A ‘Cultural Utility Belt’” by Linda Holmes | Monkey See
Neil deGrasse Tyson is probably the most charismatic astrophysicist alive, as evidenced by his numerous Daily Show and Colbert Report appearances. In this account of a speech he gave to 2,000 physics teachers, he argues that to really connect with students, teachers must be attuned to young people’s cultural reference points.

4. “Does Google Books Do No Evil?” by Mark Leslie Lefebvre | The Mark
In a deal struck between Google and the Authors Guild of America, writers will receive a paltry $60 (US) per book available for unlimited viewings on Google Books. According to Lefebvre, this agreement could lead to the company gaining monopolistic control over digitized literature. Does that sound like its informal slogan: “Don’t be evil”?

5. “Shorts Program: Animated Oscar Edition” by Jandy Stone | Row Three
The Oscars air this Sunday, and once again I am woefully behind on seeing the films up for best picture. But, thanks to the fine folks over at Row Three, I’ve now caught up on the nominees for best animated short.

6. “Polytechnique leads the Genie Awards with 11 nominations” by Melissa Leong | The Ampersand
With so much interest focused on the Oscars, our very own Genie Awards may, once again, get swept under the rug. A shame, because truly great Canadian films like Polytechnique (eleven nominations) and Nurse.Fighter.Boy (ten nominations) deserve our attention.

7. “Michael O’Donoghue Is Plunging Steel Needles into His Eyes From the Grave” by Matt Welch | Hit & Run
Welch laments what he sees as Saturday Night Live’s fall from anti-establishment greatness and loss of cultural relevance. You may quibble with his assertions, but this post is worth it for the Ron Howard–directed presidential reunion sketch starring current and former SNL greats — created for Funny or Die, not the venerable TV franchise.

8. “Open your wallets for plastic cash” by Steven Chase | Ottawa Notebook
Perhaps the most surprising element of Stephen Harper’s new budget is the announcement that, starting in late 2011, plastic will replace paper-cotton as the material of choice for bank notes. The polymer material is apparently very hard to counterfeit, and will allow for more complex designs and security features.

9. “Marketers can (literally) read your mind” by Karl Bates | Futurity
Advertisers have been experimenting with a technique called “neuromarketing,” which uses brain scans to detect a consumer’s reactions to various products. Basically it’s a high-tech focus group, but I think it’s the first step down a slippery slope that leads to commercials being beamed into our dreams à la Futurama.

10. “Changes at Chatelaine” | Masthead Online
Thursday was a brain drainer at Chatelaine — six employees were laid off, including most of the editors who handled the magazine’s newsiest articles. The title has recently slipped in both subscriptions and single-copy sales, but lobotomizing its content seems like an odd plan to reverse course.

1. “Cash graffiti” by Xeni Jardin | Boing Boing
When I was a child, I thought drawing on cash was a serious crime that invited easy prosecution. Obviously these guerrilla artists had no such fear. Follow Jardin’s link to see thirty examples of hilarious money art. (My personal favourite: “The Boba Fett Dollar.”)

2. “Snake Oil? Scientific evidence for health supplements” by David McCandless and Andy Perkins | Information Is Beautiful
Ever wondered if drinking green tea or taking fish oil actually benefits your health? Puzzle no longer. This info-graphic separates the bunk from the benefits when it comes to popular health supplements.

3. “How to Be a Skating Score Nerd: The Futile Search For Understanding” by Linda Holmes | Monkey See
According to the Globe and Mail’s John Doyle, we’re a figure skating nation, and for once I’m inclined to agree with him. On the heels of Joannie Rochette’s heroic bronze-medal performance at the Vancouver Winter Games, Monkey See offers a guide to (perhaps) better understanding the sport’s Byzantine scoring system.

4. “Olympic economic impacts much smaller than promised” by Andrew MacLeod | The Hook
Residents of Vancouver and B.C. were promised a $10 billion economic boom for hosting the Winter Games; it now looks like they’ll get substantially less. The Conference Board of Canada and an independent accounting firm put the actual figure at roughly $1.6 billion, much lower than even the province’s revised estimate of $4 billion.

5. “Should NBC Ditch Olympics Announcers?” by Heather Horn | The Atlantic Wire
I found myself wondering something similar when I heard TSN’s James Duthie recite the lyrics to Kool and the Gang’s “Ladies’ Night” — without the slightest hint of irony — while describing Canadian female athletes’ four-medal performance on Wednesday.

6. “Bullies in public office” by Eric Mang | rabble.ca
Bullying extends beyond the schoolyard; it often rears an ugly fist in the political arena. Mang, who served as an aide in both the Ontario and B.C. provincial governments, laments how foul-mouthed, hot-headed types often rise to the top at the expense of others.

7. “The Science Guy Takes on Climate Change Deniers” by Alicia Capetillo | GOOD Main
Climate change denial is like a sunburn that refuses to heal. Even Conservative MPs are getting in on the act, despite the Harper government’s official position that global warming is a real and serious threat. Who better to step to the plate to defend real science than Bill “The Science Guy” Nye?

8. “The Italian (Boob) Job” by Margaret Wheeler Johnson | XX Factor
In what must be a distorted form of feminism, breast augmentation has been the springboard for the political careers of many female Italian politicians. While the Italian parliament considers a ban on such procedures for minors, Johnson investigates the country’s strange relationship between breasts and politics.

9. “Leaner, Meaner Innovation” by April Dunford | The Mark
Venture capital firms have been tightening their belts recently, providing less money for start-ups than ever before. This dearth of funds is leading firms to develop business models that, while costing less, offer a better chance of success by engaging customers at an earlier stage of development.

10. “When Canada flouts its own aid promises, we fail Haitians — again” by Graham F. Scott | This Magazine
Canada is first in the world in per capita donations to post-earthquake Haiti, and second only to the United States in overall giving. However, this does not give us license to pat ourselves on the back. Haiti was in trouble before the disaster, Scott reminds, and there is much work left to be done.

(Illustration by What To Do?)

1. “CNN Un-Dobbed!” by Leslie Savan | The Notion
In spite of CNN’s obsession with “technoverkill,” as demonstrated by its endless use of the Magic Wall, Savan praises the network for its return to something resembling old-fashioned journalism in the post–Lou Dobbs era. CNN’s coverage of the Haiti earthquake and its cross-platform investigative series, The Stimulus Project, are prime examples of how journalistic integrity can survive in the era of the politically charged twenty-four-hour news cycle.

2. “Four world records Canada should be ashamed to hold” by Kim Hart Macneill | This Magazine
I do not feel any different about my country because the Olympics are being held in Vancouver. I do not subscribe to the blind patriotism our media is promoting in the lead up to the Winter Games. No doubt, Canada is one of the best countries in the world, but there are serious problems we must face as a nation. Macneill presents four issues that have been glossed over in the Olympian hype.

3. “Can Walmart Compete With Whole Foods?” by Andrew Price | GOOD Blog
Everyone’s favourite big box is getting into the organic food market with a program that sources produce and meat from local farmers. Directly in Wal-Mart’s sights is Whole Foods, the organic grocery retailer that has become every foodie’s preferred choice. When compared head to head, products from Whole Foods win the taste test, but products from Wal-Mart win the price test.

4. “Forgive us, Haiti” by Amy Goodman | Rabble.ca
One month has passed since a magnitude 7.0 earthquake devastated much of Haiti. In the aftermath, media coverage has focused on relief and recovery efforts, with very little explanation about how Haiti became the Western Hemisphere’s poorest nation in the first place. Goodman provides the necessary background.

5. “Saving Haiti’s Cultural Treasures” by Bonnie Czegledi | The Mark
Looting has become a major problem in Haiti following the earthquake. Though looters are thus far mostly focused on securing food and other survival items, some observers worry that attentions will turn to the country’s valuable cultural artifacts. In a pre-emptive response, UNESCO has banned the import, export, and sale of Haitian treasures.

6. “Tweaking reality — Photoshop turns 20” by D.B. Scott | Canadian Magazines
Adobe’s ubiquitous image-editing software celebrates its twentieth birthday next week. The application has endured its fair share of controversy, yet it has become an indispensable tool for the publishing industry. Scott delves into the creation of the program — and links to an amusing site dedicated to horrors of over-Photoshopping.

7. “Stephen Harper delivers paen to patriotism in B.C. Legislature” by Jane Taber | Bureau Blog
Though the content of Steven Harper’s speech to the B.C. Legislature on Thursday was little more than one last chance for rah-rah patriotism before the Vancouver Games, the circumstances surrounding the address were fraught with controversy. First of all, shouldn’t he have delivered this speech to Parliament? Oh yeah, it’s been prorogued. Second, did the province’s Speaker of the House, Bill Barisoff, even invite the PM to come?

8. “Chip-and-PIN is broken” by Cory Doctorow | Boing Boing
If, like me, you’ve been annoyed by the new “Chip-and-PIN” technology in credit and debit cards, here is more fuel for your fire. Turns out these new cards aren’t as safe and secure as advertised: rather, they’re ridiculously easy to use fraudulently.

9. “Where People Still Love Newspapers” by Danielle Maestretti | Utne Reader
Kenya, that’s where. The East African country’s appetite for daily newspapers is so strong that some newsstands offer rental services, charging US$0.13 for thirty minutes of reading time to those who cannot afford the fifty-cent purchase price. Though dailies are in major trouble all across North America, new titles are popping up in Kenya on a regular basis.

10. “Mammoliti’s Curfew: Scapegoating Toronto’s youth” by BerBer Xue | Shameless Wire
In response to what he perceives to be a rash of youth violence plaguing the city, Toronto mayoral candidate and city councillor Giorgio Mammoliti is pushing a mandatory curfew for the city’s teens. Responding from the youth perspective, Xue points out that Mammoliti is playing on the fears of the populace and not providing a real solution to the problem.

Design is everywhere. As I sit at my desk and look around, everything I see is the result of design: my coffee mug, my business cards, my computer monitor, the format of these words on my screen…everything. All of these products required designers of one form or another, people whose lives are devoted to making things in the best way possible. All too often, though, the considerable talents of designers are devoted to Western consumer fluff. I am virtually certain that a very talented and creative person spent countless hours designing, fretting over, and redesigning the slightly irregular handle of my mug. While this detail does slightly improve my drinking experience, imagine what could be done if that same designer focused instead on ideas that could accomplish real good for the world.

Of course, many designers are already doing exactly that. Their work is celebrated by Emily Pilloton, a San Francisco–based product designer and founder of Project H Design, a non-profit group that “supports, inspires, and delivers life-improving product design.” The following are five products featured in her recent book, Design Revolution: 100 Products That Empower People.

The Hippo Water Roller
Fetching water is one of the most important and difficult tasks for people in the developing world. Simply put, water is a fundamental part of life; the problem is it’s rather heavy. Compounding the issue is the fact that the job is often assigned to women and children who can typically carry between ten and twenty litres per trip. Buckets and jerricans are inefficient and can lead to physical ailments: imagine how your neck would feel after carrying a twenty-litre bucket of water on your head for up to eight kilometres. Now imagine doing this several times a day, for your entire life.

The Hippo Water Roller redefines the experience of fetching water. The barrel can hold up to ninety litres of liquid, and since it is designed to be pulled or pushed instead of carried, it has an effective weight of only eighteen kilograms. A price point of US$90 means limited availability for people in the developing world, but those interested in donating to the project can head to Hipporoller.org.

Adaptive Eyecare
There are approximately one billion people in the world who require vision correction but remain untreated. The primary obstacles to receiving treatment are cost and access to doctors. The Adaptive Eyecare system provides a solution to both of these problems. Designed by British physicist Joshua Silver, it features glasses with lenses made of two fluid-filled flexible membranes that can correct up 90 percent of all vision problems. Best of all, the prescription can be adjusted by the wearer at the time of fitting with little-to-no medical supervision. Combined with a low price point of only US$10, the Adaptive Eyecare system offers affordable and accessible eye care. The only thing lacking is style.

Antivirus
Contact with improperly secured, contaminated needles causes 260,000 HIV and 23 million Hepatitis infections every year. The problem is that needle users lack the proper methods of safely separating the needle from the syringe. Antivirus offers a clever solution that takes advantage of a product with near-universal availability: aluminum soda cans. A simple plastic cap is permanently attached to the top of an empty can. After performing an injection, the user inserts the tip of the syringe into Antivirus and breaks it off, safely sealing the needle inside. Standard cans can store up to 400 needles each, allowing for reusability.

SkySails
You’ve heard it before and I’ll say it again, green technologies will not be adopted en masse until there is a significant monetary incentive to do so. Hello, SkySails. Maritime shipping, while being the most efficient means of transporting cargo, is also one of the largest producers of carbon dioxide, producing approximately 813 million tonnes per year. Unlike traditional, mast-mounted sails, SkySails are attached to the bow of the ship by a retractable cable, pulling the vessel in the direction of the wind. By using these large-scale, paraglider-shaped wind propulsion systems, shipping companies can reduce annual fuel costs by up to 50 percent. Cutting that number in half could only be a good thing. SkySails save money and the environment, a win-win scenario if there ever was one.

Plumpy’nut
In the battle against malnutrition, taste may be one of the most important weapons. While there are many foods designed to provide maximum dietary value to the undernourished, children often balk at the flavour. Plumpy’nut delivers 500 calories and fifteen grams of protein per serving, with a taste enjoyed by children around the world: peanut butter. Perhaps the most attractive part of this product is that it can be manufactured by local franchises in developing nations. This not only keeps the price low (around US$0.06 per bar), but also provides much-needed employment in poverty-stricken areas.

(Images courtesy of hipporoller.org, adaptive-eyecare.com, yellowone.dk, skysails.info, and nutriset.fr)

1. “Humanoid robot from GM and NASA” by David Pescovitz | Boing Boing
Robotic technology is advancing by leaps and bounds, and automakers are at the forefront of development. Honda and Toyota are already producing humanoid robots that have enough manual dexterity to play musical instruments. Now General Motors, in partnership with NASA, is getting in the game by manufacturing robots designed to assist astronauts. Does anyone else think this “Robonaut” looks like a busboy from the Mos Eisley Cantina?

2. “Why did the police take aim at pedestrians?” by Dylan Reid | Spacing Toronto
January saw a rash of pedestrian deaths in the city of Toronto, with fourteen accident-related fatalities within the first twenty-five days of 2010. City police have responded by cracking down on the pedestrians themselves. Reid points out how this action ignores the other half of the equation, namely the behaviour of drivers.

3. “District 9’s Director on What Aliens Will Look Like” by Morgan Clendaniel | GOOD Blog
Neill Blomkamp, director of last year’s critically acclaimed District 9, discusses why the alien creatures he created for his film do not reflect his view of what “real-life” aliens will look like. Most interestingly, he discusses why he believes our civilization may just be the most advanced in the galaxy.

4. “Integrity Isn’t Just a Military Value” by Laura Flanders | The Notion
Flanders applauds the direction that Barack Obama is taking on the U.S. military’s controversial “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy, but goes on to explain that what America really needs is a comprehensive, nation-wide law that applies to all professions — not just the armed forces. In many states, it’s still legal to fire someone based on sexual orientation.

5. “2010 Olympics Inspire Wave of Vancouver Books” by Jenn Laidlaw | Beyond Robson
Vancouver is set to enjoy its moment in the international spotlight that is the Olympics, and the publishing industry is betting that the attention will translate into book sales. As a young city with a relatively meagre population (compared with other North American metropolises), Vancouver has never really received its due in the book world, other than predictable coffee table tomes that celebrate its geographic setting. Laidlaw examines two new books that look at Vancouver in ways never before explored in literature.

6. “Facebook’s Six-Year Evolution” by John Hudson | The Atlantic Wire
In 2009, Facebook surpassed MySpace to become the most popular social network in the world; on Thursday, it surpassed 400 million users. In the six years since the site went online it has endured its fair share of controversy, focused mainly on privacy issues and user revolts against its many redesigns. Hudson provides commentary on and links to other retrospectives of its unrivalled success.

7. “Auteur Directors Directing the Super Bowl” by Kurt Halfyard | Row Three
Super Bowl XLIV will be played this Sunday in Miami, pitting the Indianapolis Colts against the New Orleans Saints. This video by director Andrew Bouvé asks and answers the question: what if Quentin Tarantino, David Lynch, Wes Anderson, Jean-Luc Godard, or Werner Herzog directed the Super Bowl? Funny how they all wind up looking like NFL Films productions.

8. “Shackleton’s Whisky Dug Up in Antarctica” by Robert Mackey | The Lede
Whisky lovers and Antarctic history buffs rejoice! A team of researchers has found three crates of Scotch whisky (and two crates of brandy) buried by polar explorer Ernest Shackleton during his failed 1909 bid to reach the South Pole. Now a crack squad of whisky scientists has the chance to analyze the samples and recreate the long-lost recipe for Shackleton’s preferred blend of Whyte & Mackay whisky.

9. “Liberals Wouldn’t Have to be So Condescending if The People Who Disagreed With Them Weren’t Such Idiots” by Nick Gillespie | Hit & Run
Don’t be taken by the cheeky headline. This is deep thinking about a guilty secret of many liberals: the condescending inability to comprehend conservative and neo-conservative viewpoints.

10. “Is redesigned Monopoly the worst thing ever?” by Mark Medley | The Ampersand
Monopoly, the venerable board game born out of the Great Depression, is about to celebrate its seventy-fifth anniversary. To mark the occasion, Hasbro has completely redesigned the game. Set to be released this fall, Monopoly: Revolution features a circular board and inflation-adjusted prices (ex. $2 million for passing Go). Is it the worst thing ever? Probably not, but for some die-hard fans, it certainly seems to be.

1. “Beyond the Poverty” by Olivier Jarda with Taylor Marie Young | The Mark
The phrase “the poorest nation in the Western hemisphere” has been used more than any other to describe Haiti in the aftermath of the recent devastating earthquake. While this statement is factual, Jarda and Young argue that it implies a moral superiority on the part of media commentators, most graphically displayed by Pat Robertson’s “Haiti is cursed” rant.

2. “Canadian Reactor Division Is on the Block” by John Lorinc | Green Inc.
Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd., the crown corporation in charge of Canada’s nuclear technology, is looking for investors to help sell its heavy water reactors around the globe. AECL has had its fair share of nuclear troubles recently (ex. the Chalk River/medical isotope debacle), but Ottawa is looking to expand the brand and return Canada to its leading position in nuclear power technology.

3. “Sperm donation drops sharply in UK” | Futurity
Apparently, the drop-off coincided with the passing of a 2006 law that removes donor anonymity. The problem has become so bad that women have resorted to buying fresh sperm on the internet and using DIY insemination kits. Looks like the market has never been better for Stephen Colbert’s Formula 401.

4. “5 Worst Reactions to the State of the Union” by Max Fisher | The Atlantic Wire
US President Barack Obama delivered his first State of the Union speech this week, and his country’s twenty-four-hour cable news channels were there to provide instant analysis — and verbal gaffes galore. Chris Matthews, what were you thinking?

5. “What’s Wrong with the Evening News?” by Morgan Clendaniel | GOOD Blog
Clendaniel finds a pitch-perfect takedown of television journalism, produced by Charlie Brooker of the BBC’s Newswipe.

6. “iPad: Sorry, Steve Jobs — MAD TV beat you to it” by Sarah Liss | Things That Go Pop!
A significant portion of my Wednesday afternoon was spent listening to a shaky audio stream of Steve Jobs’ iPad announcement while clicking through various live blogs of the event. When he announced that Apple’s long-awaited tablet computer would officially be called the iPad, I shuddered for precisely this reason.

7. “Is Apple’s iPad ‘underwhelming’ or ‘a game changer’?” by Regan Ray | J-Source
The iPad has not been met with universal acclaim. Nobody seems to be overly excited about it, while many seem downright angry (I’m looking at you, Gizmodo). Ray provides a good round-up of opinions from the journalism and publishing industries.

8. “Why Are Girl Journalists in Movies So Lame?” by Sara Libby | Double X
Focusing on Maggie Gyllenhaal’s character in the critically acclaimed Crazy Heart, Libby deconstructs how female journalists are portrayed in American cinema: more prone to compromise their journalistic ethics than their male counterparts; often falling for the male subjects of their stories.

9. “Community TV blamed for cable cash crunch” by Cathy Edwards | rabble.ca
Edwards, spokesperson for the Canadian Association of Community Television Users and Stations (CACTUS), laments the death of easily accessible community television. Because of a 1997 CRTC ruling, carriers are no longer obligated to carry public access stations. These stations are now in danger of dying off. Edwards suggests that if Canadians make noise about their demise, the CRTC will have to listen.

10. “Video Podcast #2: Free Hoder” by Jesse Brown | Search Engine
Hossein (“Hoder”) Derakhshan is a Canadian blogger who is being held without charges or trial in Iranian jail. Not so long ago, Hoder was celebrated for teaching Iranians how to use new media as a tool for freedom. Then his political allegiance shifted, and he began writing in support of Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Brown argues that in spite of Hoder’s newfound politics, he is a Canadian citizen, and it is the responsibility of our federal government to do everything it can to see him released.

1. “Paul Quarrington, 1953–2010” by Stuart Woods | Quill Blog
A great Canadian author and musician has been taken from us before his time. Paul Quarrington died this week at age 56 after a long battle with cancer. Quill Blog provides the sad details.

2. “Buried in Rubble for 66 Hours? There’s an App for That” by Katherine Mangu-Ward | Hit & Run
American filmmaker Dan Woolley kept himself alive for almost three days beneath the rubble of his collapsed Port-au-Prince hotel by using, of all things, an iPhone app. The so-called Jesus Phone finally lives up to its name.

3. “Updates on the Crisis in Haiti” by Robert Mackey | The Lede
As the humanitarian crisis in Haiti continues, rescue efforts turn to recovery and eventual rebuilding. The New York Times’ news blog is continually updating with stories from the earthquake zone.

4. “NYT rebuilds its Jericho” by George Murray | Bookninja
Disheartening news for online devotees of the Times: the venerable, debt-laden newspaper plans to re-institute a pay wall on its website.

5. “Samsung Signs $6.6 Billion Deal to Build Wind and Solar Power in Ontario” by John Lorinc | Green Inc.
This week, Ontario premier Dalton McGuinty announced a multi-billion-dollar wind and solar energy deal with Korean conglomerate Samsung. The agreement is attracting international attention, as it puts the province in a leadership position in North America’s emerging green energy sector.

6. “The Harper government ‘muddles along’: Argument for a government-supported science policy” by Eric Mang | Rabble.ca
The Canadian government has fallen dangerously behind the times when it comes to supporting scientific research. Scientific illiteracy at the highest levels of government is a national embarrassment, argues Mang. He presents the case for making political support of scientific research an election issue.

7. “Fiction: ‘Toupée’” by Michelle Winters | This Magazine
I’m a sucker for short stories. Every word matters; you have to hook readers early, make them care about characters they’ve only just met, and keep them enthralled through the finish. This is one of the best examples of the craft I’ve read recently.

8. “Colorful Tits Produce Speedier Sperm” by GrrlScientist | ScienceBlogs
I swear, this is a post about the development biology of birds. With possibly the best headline I’ve ever seen.

9. “Good parents wanted: All genders apply” by Suzanne Wu | Futurity
A new study out of the University of Southern California suggests that the gender of parents has very little to do with their children’s psychological adjustment and social success, or the quality of parenting provided. This research flies in the face of traditional arguments against same-sex marriage and single-parent households.

10. “Big Brother Goes Online” by David Eaves| The Mark
Paging Mr. Orwell: France’s government has positioned itself to monitor the online activities of potentially thousands of its citizens. Under new regulations, habitual downloaders of pirated music, films, and other media will be kicked offline unless they consent to government tracking of all web surfing in their households. “And so the internet, the greatest single vehicle for free thought and expression, will be transformed into a giant wiretap,” Eaves writes.