Back in town and catching up

So you go away for a week in the dog days of July and Whammo all kinds of things are happening:

• Viktor Yushchenko's bloc in Ukraine launches a great anti-corruption wedge campaign.
• Another tragic and senseless gun murder of a child in Toronto.
• A huge correction in the North American stock markets.
• Brian Mulroney loses in court and has to re-pay fraudster Karlheinz Schreiber. See Mark's post here.
• Cheers to Tail for his take on the Tory protection racket.
• Brian Mulroney got busted. You heard it here and here first. Hat tip to Andrew Coyne.
• PM Steve proves that he is a political chicken.

Personally, was in Vermont and visted Ben and Jerry's factory in Waterbury, went to Lake Carmi SatePark Beach, visited Barre/Montpelier, took out lots of books from Franklin's Haston Library (where you can get a Library card for life and there are no late fees), Montgomery Centre (only to find out that Kilgour's General Store and Zak's on the rocks are no more) and had to cancel golf in Alburg with friends - sorry guys. I am amazed at how well I can sleep at night in a blue state...