Six in the Morning

1. PLAINS DESTRUCTION UPDATE: The L-P is reporting today that Westgate Developments, a Regina firm, is responsible for the proposed demolition of local landmark, the Plains Hotel, which is to be replaced by a condo/hotel combo -- but it's an Ontario architecture firm behind the design. I will say this for the artist's rendering of the planned building that accompanies the L-P piece, it's shiny, nondescript and I'm pretty sure I've seen three or four just like it while driving through Toronto. City council will consider this proposal as early as next month and judging by comments from the mayor, the developer, and comments to the L-P site, there's a lot of momentum behind this project. Hard to imagine it going off the rails at this point even though news that it's happening is only days old. Heck, judging by the original article on this, even Ted Godwin, the brains behind the Plains' signature marquee, doesn't seem to be shedding a tear for the hotel he provided the capping feature for. See, that's because postwar architecture is all designed to be disposable. Don't like the plans for the Plains site? Don't worry. Inside of four decades it'll be looking just as shabby and they'll be tearing it down too. (Leader Post)

2. BYE BYE BOOM?: Provincial Finance Minister, Rod Gantefor, has indicated that Saskatchewan's economic picture may not be so rosy these days. Due to lower than expected resource prices the government will be collecting less cash than predicted. (Leader Post)

3. NO ISOTOPES FOR YOU: More delays at the Chalk River site. Looks like the reactor won't be running again until at least spring. (Globe and Mail)

4. SALMON DISASTER: Creepiest thing I've read all day: more than nine million! sockeye salmon are missing from the Fraser River. I'm thinking, nine million of anything doesn't disappear unless some seriously bad shit has gone down. (Globe and Mail)

5. PLIMER RESPONDS INCOHERENTLY TO MONBIOT QUESTIONS: Things got a little weird in the leadup to a possible debate between Guardian science columnist, George Monbiot, and geologist, climate change denier, science advisor to Rex Murphy, Ian Plimer. As you may recall from an earlier Six in the Morning, Plimer agreed to respond in writing to Monbiot's questions about apparent inaccuracies and questionable citing practices in his book Heaven and Earth. And respond he did. But instead of answering Monbiot's questions, he responded with 13 questions of his own. (Scientists can be such bastardly pedants.) But judging by comments to Monbiot's article (from other scientists) and from Monbiot himself, it sounds like several of Plimer's questions are just scientific-sounding gobbledy-gook. (Guardian)

6. ANOTHER BATTLESTAR GALACTICA REBOOT: Yeah, I know, my nerd is showing... but this could be some big, bizarre news for... well... nerds. Looks like Universal is considering a Bryan Singer headed big-screen sequel to the original Battlestar Galactica. It's too early to say whether or not this interpretation of the sci-fi franchise will be linked to the recently-concluded, Ronald Moore-David Eick television series that was also a sequel to the original Battlestar Galactica. But this seems about as necessary as that Joss-Whedon-less, Buffy the Vampire Slayer film that's apparently in the works. (Hitfix)