This journalist is looking for you. Here’s the message as it appears on Twitter:

Looking for parents who would have liked to have more children than they did, for one reason or another. Know anyone? #parenting #pregnancy

L’Actualité magazine (Maclean’s French-speaking sister publication) has a feature (not online yet, as far as I can tell) about the virtues of what they call “la vie en solo”, or solitary life. Here’s a quote, in the original French:

L’enfer, c’est les autres. Et le paradis, alors? Il se trouve au Québec, si l’on se fie aux données du dernier recensement de Statistique Canada. Menez votre propre enquête et allez cogner aux portes. Vous verrez que dans la Belle Province, près d’un ménage sur trois est composé d’une seule personne. Pas de coloc qui vide le carton de lait sans le remplacer. Pas de conjoint pour faire la morale quand on rentre passés les 12 coups de minuit. Pas d’adolescents [en réalité aucun enfant] pour transformer la salle de bains en zone sinistrée. Le bonheur !

Partout en Occident, de plus en plus de gens optent pour la vie en solo. Surtout dans les grandes villes. Et Montréal se classe parmi les capitales canadiennes du genre, avec 40 % des ménages qui ne comptent qu’une seule personne — surtout dans les quartiers centraux. Le Plateau-Mont-Royal [très bobo] fait figure de Mecque (53 % des ménages), talonné par Rosemont-La Petite-Patrie (47 %).

Québec (37 % de ménages solos), Trois-Rivières (35 %) et Rimouski (35 %) ont leur place au palmarès. À Toronto, seulement 30 % des logements sont habités par une seule personne. À Halifax, c’est 28 %, et à Calgary, 26 %. En fait, seule Vancouver rivalise avec Montréal, avec 38 % de ménages solos…

Throughout Quebec, close to one household in three is composed of one person. In Montreal, that number climbs to 40 per cent. In the famous Plateau Mont-Royal neighbourhood, it’s more than half. Is it any wonder we find a high tolerance for abortion in that province?

[h/t République de bananes]

Alanis Morissette will refrain from smoking marijuana while pregnant.

How about “everyone who’s seen this video?”

Here’s one way to lose your girlfriend and become Internet famous at the same time.

During a Major League Baseball game between the Houston Astros and the Atlanta Braves, Astros Third Baseman Chris Johnson drove a foul ball in the direction of a couple sitting in left-field. Instead of catching the ball or taking the brunt of the hurling object though, the boyfriend (Bo) slid to his right, letting his girlfriend (Sarah) take a direct hit from the foul ball. Since her boyfriend was in the way until the last second, she never saw it coming.

Ouch.

If that wasn’t bad enough, it was all caught on tape. Plus, the broadcasters interviewed the clearly embarrassed boyfriend on TV. Oh, and they gave him a nickname we doubt he’ll be shedding anytime soon: “Bo the Bailer.”

Mix all of that together and surprise! — the two minute clip has gone viral. In just a few hours, the YouTube () clip of “Bo the Bailer” has nearly 30,000 views and has already been featured on SportsCenter. Hell, there’s already a Facebook page dedicated to the guy.

Sure, we feel bad for the dude, but you can’t abandon your girlfriend on TV and expect to get away with it. At least he didn’t pull a Steve Bartman. Oh, in case you were wondering, the Astros lost.
[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jfoaGh-Sqw&feature=player_embedded]

I used to work at McDonald’s – and there I got my meals either half-priced or free. Then I worked in clothing stores – where I got clothes at huge discounts. Then I worked in a pub, where I got my food at half-price (unfortunately, they didn’t give us discounts on the beer – darn). I’m used to these things. Still, I find this story a bit much:

One of Britain’s leading abortion providers has come under fire for offering free terminations for staff as a perk of the job.

Marie Stopes International offers employees, their partners and children free abortions as part of  its benefits package – which also includes cheap gym membership, reduced rates at theme parks and an annual health check for £10.

The company, which receives an estimated £30 million a year from the NHS to carry out abortions, tells staff: ‘For your dedication, passion and hard work you will be rewarded with our support and benefits – both financial and non-financial.’

And they say pro-choicers aren’t in favour of having more abortions? First they call it a “benefit” then they offer it to their employees, partners and children for free? Yes. I see…

No, I didn’t do anything nearly as good or interesting as what Andrea did during my time off. (Actually, I didn’t take time off – I just worked on other things. I have issues.) Still, it’s good to be back. To the stuff that matters. Such as this:

Mark Wahlberg regrets dedicating a book to his penis in the 90s.

Mark has given up his hell-raising ways and is now a respected actor who recently received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The 39-year-old married his long-time partner Rhea Durham last year and the couple have four children together.

However, the star found fame as a streetwise teenager and released records as Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch. Mark often posed topless to show off his muscular frame and became renowned for dropping his trousers during live performances.

In 1992, he released his memoirs entitled Marky Mark and paid tribute to his genitals in the preface.

When asked why he chose that dedication during Time magazine’s Live 10 Questions this week, Mark replied, “I thought it would be funny.”

Here’s an easy rule for you boys and girls out there: If you’re ever tempted to make your private parts public, don’t. Chances are you’ll regret it.

You’re welcome!

After saying they might not stone one woman accused of adultery, they decide to sentence this 25-year-old to be stoned to death for adultery, even though she is pregnant.

Please forgive the serious topic for a moment (some days, you gotta do what you gotta do). Hold onto your bonnets, ladies, because it appears the new Old Spice Dude is making personalized videos for bloggers and random fans. Please please please, can I get one?

If you’re somehow unaware of this phenomenon, read about it here. Below is my personal favourite (“I’m on a horse”).

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owGykVbfgUE]

Levi Johnston now says he lied about the Palins. Give him points for admitting it. Better late than never, I suppose.