1. THE GROUNDHOGS HAVE SPOKEN. Punxsutawney Phil, Shubenacadie Sam (Nova Scotia), Wiarton Willie (Ontario) and Balzac Billy (Alberta) are all predicting an early Spring this year. Isn’t it time Saskatchewan had its own weather prognostication rodent? St. Louis Sam? Lloydminster Lanny? Craven Carmine?

2. CBC HEAL THYSELF. CBC unveiled a five-year plan (really?) yesterday to get back to its roots as a public broadcaster: greater emphasis on culture, regional coverage, and maybe fewer programs like Dragon’s Den. That last one is just a dream of mine.

3. A PRICE HIKE FOR PARDONS? In the Conservative’s latest bid to cravenly court their right-wing base get tough on crime and curb government spending, they’re proposing that the cost of applying for a pardon be increased from $150 to $631. I’d be happier if they said “We need a more thorough and responsible pardon system, and this increase is one strategy to strengthen the system” but the federal Tories love inventing new ways to punish criminals, so there you go.

4. LET’S SEE, WIKILEAKS DIDN’T SEND SOLDIERS TO DIE IN AFGHANISTAN – IS THAT A POINT FOR OR AGAINST? Wikileaks has been nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize.

5. ANDERSON COOPER GETS SOME FIRST-HAND EXPERIENCE IN THE EGYPTIAN PROTESTS. Cooper was apparently “punched and kicked” by Mubarak supporters in Cairo yesterday. Now, perhaps, American coverage of Egypt will go somewhere beyond Fox News foaming at the mouth about the Muslim Brotherhood.

6. REMEMBER THAT PLAN TO SCREW OVER CANADA’S INTERNET USERS AND EVERYONE WHO ISN’T BELL CANADA? The federal government announced that it would review the CRTC’s recent decision to allow telcos to implement ‘usage-based billing’. Let’s hope this ruling gets reversed and that everyone involved in it be placed in a giant canister. Which would then be shot at the moon.