Report from the Toronto Globe and Mail:

As a counterpoise to the success of Cosmo's unrelenting diet of "passion polls" and "hot sex workout tips," the purchase of more serious U.S. periodicals appears to be on the rise here, although not astronomically so. Harper's, for example, had paid circulation of 26,406 in 2005, up more than 10,000, or 60 per cent, from 2000. Similarly, The New Yorker weekly gained more than 4,000 subscribers and single-copy buyers in that same period, to report a 2005 circulation of almost 20,000. The influential newsweekly The Economist, its North American edition also published out of New York, has experienced even more impressive and steadier growth, seeing its Canadian circulation of 43,123 in 2000 climb to 55,538 in 2005.

Now if only those subscribers could submit to the caption contest! Speaking of Canada, in case you missed it, you know about the gay Mounties who got married last month, right? There's a reason I'm proud to be half-Canadian: It's a great country, despite its flaws. As the Arrogant Worms sing, "We won't say that we're better, it's just that we're less worse."