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The "5"

5. McGuinty & The Teachers - Once again this week Dalton McGuinty talked tough at the various teacher's unions in Ontario urging them to sign a new deal by September 1st. McGuinty said that they cannot use "respect for the collective bargaining system" as an excuse for doing nothing. The Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association, the French teachers' union and a union representing social workers, speech pathologists and psychologists have signed new deals though some school boards are rallying against those agreements. The premier has threatened legislation.

4. Sikh Temple Shooting - An assailant, identified as Wade Michael Page, 40, entered a Sikh temple in Oak Creek, Wisconsin last Sunday and killed 6 before taking his own life. The shooter was thought to have ties to white supremacist groups and membership in skinhead rock bands. Sikhs in America have been targeted before, mistaken for Muslims and blamed for the 9/11 attacks.

3. Mars Curiosity - After a journey of 8 months and some 350 million miles, NASA's latest rover, Curiosity, touched down on the Red Planet and within hours began sending back images intended to help scientists determine if microbial life exists or can exist on the planet. Curiosity is near the Gale Crater which the previous rover had shown to contain water.

2. By-elections Ontario - Premier Dalton McGuinty this week announced the date for two Ontario by-elections. Voters in Kitchener-Waterloo and Vaughan will go to the polls on September 6, 2012 and a Liberal sweep would give McGuinty his 3rd majority government. Vaughan had been held by Liberal Greg Sorbara while KW was represented until recently by Conservative Elizabeth Witmer.

1. Olympics - The games of the 30th Olympiad come to a close. For Canadians the big story this week was our women's soccer team, beat out of a shot at a gold by questionable refereeing in a game against the U.S. The women rallied to beat France 1-0 for the bronze. Usain Bolt became the first man to capture gold in men's 100m and 200m in consecutive Olympics. Outside of economics, mosts considered London 2012 to be a success.  The 2012 Paralympics now begin.

...AND WHAT ELSE DID WE LEARN THIS WEEK...Manila in the Philippines was battered by severe rains and flooding. Composer Marvin Hamlisch passed at age 68. Broadway's lights were dimmed in his honor. Protests continued against American chicken restaurant chain Chick-fil-A over their stand on same-sex marriage. The Russian band Pussy Riot drew world attention to their trial over an illegal protest in Moscow. It was announced Canadian undercover language police would be visiting 8 airports this fall looking for bilingual signage, greetings, services, et al.

For other Larry Fedoruk blogs and features, click here.

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND !