February 26, 2007

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WORLD

WILL BUSH BOMB IRAN?

Suddenly it’s two down and one to go in George W. Bush’s “Axis of Evil.” North Korea agreed this week to close its main nuclear reactor, the key to its plutonium processing program that four months ago produced its first successful nuclear test. By LUIZA CH. SAVAGE

INTERVIEW

‘The opportunities to take chances, have adventures, take responsibility are the very things denied kids in good homes'

Michael Ungar, a social worker, family therapist and associate professor at the School of Social Work at Dalhousie University, is the author of a new book, Too Safe for Their Own Good. Q In your book you talk about the phenomenon of the bubble-wrapped kid.

NATIONAL

NICER WINES, A BIT OF MALARIA

The U.S. politician who was once derided with the moniker Mego, short for “My Eyes Glaze Over,” will likely be greeted by media hype and throngs of fans when he visits Toronto next week. Al Gore is scheduled to talk at the University of Toronto about the hot-button issue of climate change, and the lecture was sold out long before most of us had given much thought to his arrival. By ALEXANDRA SHIMO

BUSINESS

Life's second act

Bernie Clement doesn’t look like your stereotypical prairie car dealer. He’s trim, and his haircut looks expensive. So does his dark suit, a corporate cut. Until June 1, Clement was second-in-command at DaimlerChrysler Canada, vice-president of sales.

HOME

IS BIG BIRD BAD FOR BABY?

My son was a sevenmonth-old TV virgin. Okay, maybe not entirely. In the first few weeks of his life, when he was still a little sack of flailing limbs and fearsome wails that demanded to be carried around every second, my husband eased that burden the same way he deals with most of life’s stresses: by watching football. By LUIZA CH. SAVAGE

MAIL BAG

YOUR WRITERS Cathy Gulli, Nicholas Köhler and Martin Patriquin shed light on a major problem at our institutions of higher learning (“The great university cheating scandal,” Cover, Feb. 12). Over the past four years of teaching, I have noticed an increased sense of entitlement among my students.

THE BACK PAGES

HITLER IS HILARIOUS

Is Adolf Hitler the funniest man in the world? You'd think that one of the most vicious mass murderers of all time would be less of a hot comedy topic than, say, mothers-in-law. But with a slew of Hitler jokes on television and in stand-up comedy, a new book on Hitler jokes, and a new hit comedy film from his native country, there's only one conclusion to draw: Hitler comedy is in. By JAIME J. WEINMAN

THE BACK PAGES

Bewitched by boarding schools

A friend of mine had a rather unsatisfactory meeting with his publisher the other day, apropos his latest manuscript. “It’s too English,” was the verdict. “Ah, right,” said my pal and was heading back to the old drawing board when he suddenly remembered: “Hang on. By MARK STEYN

BUSINESS

THE MOST IMPORTANT THING I'VE LEARNED ABOUT MONEY...

Money is difficult to accumulate in any quantity, even harder to retain, and easy to dissipate; but at no stage in its pursuit, useful though it is, is money as important as good health and luck, peace of mind, a permanent relationship, serious cultural attainments or a good reputation.

NEWSMAKERS

‘I DON’T HAVE A LOT OF TALENT OR THE SAME SKILLS AS SOME GUYS, BUT I TRY TO DO MY JOB’ —COLORADO AVALANCHE DEFENCEMAN KARLIS SKRASTINS ON BEATING TIM HORTON’S RECORD

With his Aditya Birla Group’s takeover of Novelis, the world’s leading producer of rolledaluminum products, Kumar Mangalam Birla greatly extends his company’s—and his country’s—influence in global business. Monday’s announcement that Birla-owned Hindalco Industries had purchased Novelis, a spinoff of Montreal’s Alcan Inc.,

February 192007