[size=9:bbbea0b477]For complete Chronicle see [color=blue:bbbea0b477]http://www.wednesday-night.com/Wed1195.asptranscontinental telephone service. Imagine, if there had been no telephony, no computers, no Internet ... and, absent the telegraph ... we would still be waiting for most of the news we will consider and debate this Wednesday Night, perhaps debating the early results of the November 2004 election.... Instead, thanks to all of the foregoing, we are doomed to confusion as we contemplate the broad choice of current news topics ranging from frivolous to deadly serious gleaned from the myriad sources who owe their origins to telephony. We have survived what is reputed to be the worst day of the year, January 24, according to the calculations of Cardiff university's Cliff Arnalls, although some might say January 20 was worse still, and those buffeted by the January storms may put the whole week into the category. The media have now parsed the Second Inaugural Speech, counted and recounted the number of times that George Bush used "freedom" or "liberty" and questioned what he intends to do about the allies for whom the concept of democracy seems a bit unclear - Saudi Arabia, Egypt ,Pakistan anyone? Meantime, the situation in Iraq is less and less promising - when have we contemplated an election in which the candidates don't dare put their names on the ballot? In many parts of the world, public and politicians commemorated the 60th anniversary of the liberation of the [censored] concentration camps [We note sadly that according to an Environics survey, nearly 30% of Canadians couldn't identify that Jews were the primary victims of the Holocaust as the UN is due to announce whether or not a genocide is being committed in Darfur against black African groups. How much - and how little - has changed. Robert Greenhill's report on Canada's role in international affairs states that Canada is “virtually insignificant” on the world stage. But the author of the study, points out that many of the respondents would like to see Canada’s peacekeeping role increased. We agree with Maisonneuve MediaScout that "Perhaps the Defence Department should consider [Eli] Wiesel’s words as it prepares its foreign-policy review. After all, if we're serious about stopping hatred, an heightened international peacekeeping profile isn't a bad place to start." The Global Competitiveness Report 2004-2005 provides an authoritative and thorough assessment of the comparative strengths and weaknesses of 102 industrialized and emerging economies. Canada has not fared badly, ranking 15, just behind Australia and ahead of the UAE. [But ranks just above Mexico, the last on another list - WHY?] And we can take further pride in the news that "Canada now top supplier of pot and speed to U.S.", according to U.S. Customs The World Economic Forum (Davos) opens on Wednesday, while the World Social Forum, an annual gathering of antiglobalization activists organized as an alternative to Davos, convenes in Porto Alegre, Brazil. At Davos, among other topics, the annual gathering of political and business leaders and glitterati with aspirations will discuss the report of The Forum's Global Governance Initiative which suggests that the world’s leaders are breaking their solemn promises to tackle global problems from poverty to peace to environmental protection. [We wonder how much that self-evident finding cost?] Johnny Carson is gone, leaving us with the memories of a civil and gifted comedian. Finally, recommended reading for all liberal-leaners and the Democrats in our midst: “JON STEWART FOR PRESIDENT” WHY THE HOST OF THE DAILY SHOW IS THE DEMOCRATS’ UNLIKELY BEST HOPE IN 2008 [/size:bbbea0b477]