Hot off the Press: No snow, no skiing edition

A school district in Minnesota has shelved the traditional, week-long spring break in favor of "a smattering of extended weekends": http://www.startribune.com/local/137982543.html. I love the headline: "Goodbye, Cancun. Hello, Lake Wobegon."

"Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa has signed into law historic new rules requiring porn performers to wear condoms while acting in areas requiring a city film permit": http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2012/01/landmark-condom-law-for-porn-filming-signed-by-la-mayor.html. No more San Pornando Valley?

California's plan to build a high-speed rail network is becoming more expensive: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2012/01/rail.html. The only way this country will ever have a viable, high-speed rail network is if the federal government bankrolls the whole thing, much like it did the Interstate system.

Canada's federal budget deficit: $17.8 billion — and falling: http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/story/2012/01/27/federal-deficit-november.html.

Some question the use and meaning behind the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) logo placed on toilet paper packages: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2012/01/26/majesta-toilet-paper.html.

"Critics get no satisfaction from Rolling Stones museum men's room": http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/world_now/2012/01/rolling-stones-mens-room.html.

It is estimated that Japan's population will shrink by one-third by 2060: http://www.startribune.com/world/138315979.html.

The approval to build the first new nuclear reactors since Three Mile Island is on the horizon: http://www.marketplace.org/topics/sustainability/approval-new-nuclear-reactors-near.

The Thai government has become the first to publicly endorse Twitter's country-specific censorship policy: www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/jan/30/thailand-backs-twitter-censorship-policy.

Iowa lawmakers apparently think some IPERS report about double-dipping will assuage my displeasure with it: http://thegazette.com/2012/01/30/iowa-lawmakers-say-%E2%80%98double-dipping%E2%80%99-not-a-problem/. Look, if you retire from a public service job and then start working full-time in the private sector, you should not be receiving a pension. That pension should be reserved for when you retire for good. How hard is that to understand?