Weekly News Recap: January 26, 2024

Weekly News Recap: January 26, 2024

Red Deer philanthropist Jack Donald has passed away. (Photo via Government of Alberta website)

The greatest danger to our future is apathy. -- Jane Goodall

SOME GOOD NEWS

  • VIDEO: Vermont State Police troopers pulls off incredible rescue after girl falls through ice into pond (NBC) #Hero "Vermont State Trooper Michelle Archer responded to a home on East View Road in Cambridge [...] after a report that an 8-year-old girl and her 6-year-old sibling had fallen through ice into a pond on their property while playing."

  • VIDEO: The Last Repair Shop (Kottke.org) This is a beautiful story, well told. "In making 'The Last Repair Shop,' my directing partner Ben Proudfoot and I got the chance to tell the tale of four extraordinary master craftspeople who ensure, day in and day out, that L.A.’s schoolchildren have playable instruments in their hands. We were floored and proud to find out that our city, Los Angeles, was home to the last shop of this kind in the country."

  • VIDEO: Regina woman adapts yoga for dogs (CBC) #DownwardDog (you knew I had to say it) "Barbara Lloyd at Dog's Den Training School in Regina adapted human yoga poses for dogs."

  • VIDEO: Skating fans rejoice as Rideau Canal Skateway reopens (CBC) Take that Climate Change and... #Yay "The world's largest natural ice skating rink in Ottawa reopened for the first time in two years [...]. At 7.8 kilometres long, Rideau Canal Skateway was closed in 2023 due to a lack of ice from a mild winter."

  • VIDEO: She’s turning old saw blades into beautiful — and functional — ulus (CBC) This is really quite lovely. "Mina Campbell grew up watching her grandmother clean seal skins with an ulu — a knife traditionally used by Inuit women. But it wasn't until the pandemic left Campbell with too much time on her hands that she decided to sharpen her own skills. Today, Campbell is busy turning old saw blades into functional works of art."

  • VIDEO: Retired custodian designs snow shovel for seniors made of 'junk' lying around B.C. school (CBC) Brilliant (and useful) "Southwest B.C.'s first big snowstorm of the year brought with it the usual grumbles and moans about cleaning sidewalks. But for those with accessibility concerns, shovelling snow can present a major challenge. For one Vancouver man, necessity became the mother of invention."

  • VIDEO: #TheMoment an egg froze midair in Alberta's extreme cold (CBC) #ColdPorn "With weather in Alberta dipping as low as -45 C [last] week, one photographer decided to test how many items he could freeze midair."

  • This Windsor, Ont., restaurant serves people who can't afford to pay (CBC) I heart this. "A restaurant in Windsor, Ont., is cooking up extra food for people who cannot afford a meal — and dishing it out for free. But the staff say they're the ones getting the benefits. Ten Friends Diner, at the corner of Wyandotte Street and Moy Avenue, is a non-profit establishment that provides support and employment training for people with mental illness."

  • Overlooked No More: Beatrix Potter, Author of ‘The Tale of Peter Rabbit’ (New York Times) I adore this book. "With 'The Tale of Peter Rabbit,' Beatrix Potter created what would become one of the world’s best-known children’s book characters. The book, about a cheeky rabbit who steals vegetables from the garden of one Mr. McGregor and loses his coat and shoes in a narrow escape, became a literary juggernaut that has sold more than 45 million copies. It also spawned a merchandising empire and has left an indelible imprint on children’s book publishing. But Potter’s manuscript was initially dismissed by publishers."

  • Someone is leaving adorable little snow ducks around a Calgary campus (Daily Hive) Love it! "Following [a] massive snow dump in Calgary, it looks like someone took the opportunity to 'quack people up' with some unique snow statues around a university campus. Small ducks made out of snow were found popping up around the University of Calgary campus [...] bringing some much-needed cheer to students braving the winter weather."

TOP TEN STORIES OF THE WEEK

  1. Red Deer philanthropist Jack Donald passes away (Red Deer Advocate) RIP Mr. Donald. We will not see your like again. "Red Deer philanthropist Jack Donald, a former citizen of the year and city alderman, has passed away [...]. Mayor Ken Johnston issued a statement in response to Donald’s passing. 'Jack was a remarkable leader, contributing over 50 years to the growth and development of Red Deer and Central Alberta as an entrepreneur, philanthropist, and community builder,' the mayor’s statement reads." RELATED: Red Deer Polytechnic releases statement on Jack Donald’s legacy.

  2. Jane Goodall Says 2024 is the ‘Most Consequential Voting Year’ (New York Times) Good message. I hope it is heard. "The celebrated primatologist thinks governments around the globe are not working hard enough to combat climate change. And in a year when more than 40 countries — including the United States, India and South Africa — will be electing their leaders, Goodall is telling anyone who will listen that the health of Earth itself is on the ballot."

  3. Royal Tyrrell Museum enjoys record breaking year in 2023 (Western Wheel) I loves the Royal Tyrrell. "For the second year in a row the Royal Tyrrell Museum had over half a million people explore through the dino exhibits. In 2023, over 526,000 visitors paid admission to the prehistoric museum, surpassing the 2022 record of 501,000 attendees by over 25,000."

  4. Margaret Atwood thrilled by award from France honouring her literary achievements (CBC) #NationalTreasure "Canadian author Margaret Atwood has received a high honour from France's ministry of culture for her contributions to literature. Atwood was named a commander in the French Order of Arts and Letters, which rewards people who have made significant contributions to artistic or literary fields in France and the rest of the world."

  5. VIDEO: Edmonton's newest recreation centre is actually in a high school. Here's what it's like. (CBC) This is cool. "Take a tour of Dr. Anne Anderson High School and Community Centre and learn more about its namesake."

  6. Rachel Notley to step down as Alberta NDP leader (CBC) Thank you for your service. "Former Alberta premier Rachel Notley will step aside as provincial NDP leader as soon as party members choose her replacement. Flanked by her husband and two adult children, Notley told an Edmonton news conference [...] the NDP's failure to win government in Alberta's 2023 election means it's time for her to step down as leader."

  7. Oliver no more: Edmonton neighbourhood adopts new Cree name (CBC) Nice move. "A central Edmonton neighbourhood with a controversial name will now be known as wîhkwêntôwin [...]. Wîhkwêntôwin, a Cree word that is pronounced we-kwen-to-win, means circle of friends."

  8. Saskatoon Public Library CEO steps down (CTV) "Carol Cooley has resigned as Saskatoon Public Library (SPL) director of libraries & CEO. In a news release, the SPL board said it received Cooley's resignation and that it appreciates her 'many contributions' during her time as director of libraries and CEO."

  9. These fast food jobs are going to robots (CBC) #KitchenNet "Flippy is making burgers, Chippy is cooking french fries, and Remy is serving up salads. Customers may not even notice them, but robots are becoming more common behind the counter at fast food kitchens."

  10. She was hit by a car during a bike ride for cancer. Her insurance says the charity is liable (CBC) This is ridiculous. As far as Erin Townley is concerned, the only person responsible for her physical and emotional scars is the man who hit her with his car during a charity bike ride more than five years ago. Not other drivers on the street that day. Not the cancer charity she was raising money for. And certainly not her own father, who helped organize the event. But while the driver who struck her was convicted and jailed in 2021, the civil case is dragging on because her insurance company has filed documents suggesting that third parties — including dad and the cancer charity — may be liable for her injuries."

SEVEN LIFE AND CAREER HACKS

  1. Dickson Despommier Wants Our Cities to Be Like Forests (New Yorker) Super cool ideas by someone who actually has plotted them out.

  2. The Surprising Antidote to Impostor Syndrome (Slate) Guess what? You don't have to know it all. A great article on how we can deepen our expertise without trying to be an expert on day one.

  3. Extreme brainstorming questions to trigger new, better ideas (A Smart Bear) Some great tools here.

  4. The path of a generalist or the joy of being an amateur (UX Design) Generalists rule.

  5. 5 Simple Yet Powerful Tips to Help You Negotiate Better (Better Advice) Pretty great advice. I learned a thing or two.

  6. How to feng shui your fridge — and why it might help to curb climate change (CBC) We did this to our fridge this weekend. Well, we cleaned our fridge and made it much prettier anyway.

  7. How to Build a Network of Friends That Will Actually Show Up for You (Better Humans) Increasingly, this is becoming much more important to me. Wish I had learned how important it was earlier in life but...it is not too late.

TOP THREE GIFTS OF THE WEEK

  1. UT McCombs department of management renamed after $25M gift. Here's who made the donation. (Austin American-Statesman) "After a $25 million gift, the Red McCombs School of Business' department of management will now be known as the Rozanne and Billy Rosenthal Department of Management, the University of Texas has announced."

  2. The Marotta family makes a transformational $15 million donation to name the St. Catharines hospital of Niagara Health (Niagara Health) "The Niagara Health Foundation and Niagara Health proudly announce a monumental step forward in healthcare as the Marotta family has pledged to make a transformational contribution to the St. Catharines hospital of $15 million."

  3. Billionaire couple gifts $100 million to Spelman College, largest donation in HBCU history (Fortune) This is awesome. "A billionaire couple is giving $100 million to Atlanta’s Spelman College, which the women’s school says is the largest-ever single donation to a historically Black college or university."

LAST WEEK'S MOST POPULAR STORIES

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