It’s here . And yesterday he posted a video about the budget. ** Related: ** Ottawa Politics Guide

Rideau Hall sent out a press release last week announcing that the Rideau Hall Skating Rink is open for the season . Several cool (pardon the pun) things about this: 1. How many heads of state around the world a) have a skating rink on their grounds b) open it to the public? ...

Yoni Freedhoff , one of my favourite Ottawa bloggers, asked if we could help get the word out about an offer for a free trial of Gorindo , a type of martial art. Here’s part of the story from his blog: ...

Sens player Peter Regin helped launch Canadian Tire’s I Love to Skate program yesterday, with kids from York Street Public School. _ (Video from Sens TV .) _ ** Related: ** Ottawa Hockey Guide

Saw this on David Karp’s Blog : In the [ Outaouais region ](http://www.stat.gouv.qc.ca/regions/profils/region_07/region_07_00_an.htm) (the Quebec portion of Greater Ottawa), central planners [ have been controlling hair cuts ](http://www2.publicationsduquebec.gouv.qc.ca/dynamicSearch/telecharge.php?type=2&file=//D_2/D2R4_A.htm) : who you can get them from, the minimum price hairdressers can charge, and what hours they can work. ...

The Ryerson Review of Journalism has a good article about how blogs, twitter, social media, and BlackBerrys are affecting political coverage in Ottawa. And it includes this great line: In an Ottawa where BlackBerrys are unholstered and placed on tables like guns in a spaghetti western, the ubiquity of smartphones has changed how the news is produced, consumed and digested. ...

We have fresher air than Toronto. Awesome. From a City of Ottawa press release : The City of Ottawa welcomes the results of an air quality report released today that finds Ottawa’s air is the purest of all southern Ontario cities. ...

Thanks to Sherry Galey for emailing us these gorgeous photos of skaters on the Rideau Canal during yesterday’s snowfall. I think they really capture what yesterday felt like for anybody who trekked outdoors. Send your pics to feedback@ottawastart.com ...

Earlier this week on Greater Ottawa, David Reevely asked: " Why do people feel so strongly about garbage? " Quick background: The City of Ottawa’s doing a series of public consultations about garbage and recycling collection , and one of the ideas that’s being tossed around is moving to bi-weekly garbage pick-up. ...

Every week day after 1pm we post the “Ottawa job of the day” on our Twitter feed . Here’s what we picked this week: * Monday: [ New vehicle lot attendant ](http://bit.ly/dYQoif) * Tuesday: [ Tattooists & Body Piercers ](http://ottawa. ...