Weekly News Recap: October 15, 2021

Weekly News Recap: October 15, 2021

"I firmly believe that progress in science needs diversity in the voices and faces that are tackling scientific questions," Nadia Chaudhri wrote. "To achieve this diversity, we must elevate young people who might be overlooked because they don’t fit a particular mould." PHOTO BY ALLEN MCINNIS /Montreal Gazette

How people die remains in the memory of those who live on – Dame Cicely Saunders

INSPIRATION

  • Obituary: Facing death, neuroscientist Nadia Chaudhri taught us how to live (Montreal Gazette) MONTREAL STORY In the midst of a personal tragedy, a brave and inspiring human. Thank you to Andrea Morris for sharing this story with us. "Nadia Chaudhri , a Concordia University neuroscientist who faced a diagnosis of terminal ovarian cancer with remarkable courage and grace and who touched and inspired legions worldwide with social media posts that were poignant and sweet, philosophical and wise, brave and brutally frank, has died. She was 43."

PHOTOGRAPHY

  • Stunning polar bear, bird portraits earn Canadians Wildlife Photographer of the Year awards (CBC) CANADIAN CONTENT #Beautiful "Intimate photos that provide a rare window into the lives of polar bears, birds and insects have earned several Canadians recognition in this year's Wildlife Photographer of the Year Awards. The winners of the 2021 edition of the annual competition, developed by the Natural History Museum in London were announced [this week]. This year's competition drew 50,000 entries from 95 countries."

SOME GOOD NEWS

  • Permanent memorial to honour city's homeless unveiled in downtown Calgary (CBC) CALGARY STORY Why is this in SGN? In a city that used to run bus ads against the homeless, this is a strong move forward. "A permanent memorial to commemorate those who have died while experiencing homelessness in Calgary was unveiled downtown on Wednesday. The first of its kind in Calgary, the memorial includes a bronze sculpture of a backpack, a handcrafted wooden bench and murals from local artists."

  • Drone delivers lungs for transplant to Toronto hospital in world 1st, health network says (CBC) TORONTO STORY #Wow "University Health Network and Unither Bioelectronique say they have completed the world's first transplant of lungs delivered by an unmanned drone. The Toronto health-care group and Bromont, Que., bioengineering company say the drone carrying the lungs travelled from Toronto Western Hospital to Toronto General Hospital on Sept. 25. The journey lasted six minutes and was completed around 1 a.m. local time."

  • Ontario government makes deal with Shoppers Drug Mart to offer free menstrual products in all schools (CTV) ONTARIO STORY I love this. More please. "Students in Ontario will have access to free menstrual products this fall after the Doug Ford government partnered with Shoppers Drug Mart to give students equitable access to the essential hygiene item. The three-year program, announced by Education Minister Stephen Lecce Friday, will see six million sanitary pads distributed to school boards across the province annually, which can then be accessed by students in school washrooms free of charge."

  • Russian double amputee scales world’s eighth-highest mountain (NBC) #AnythingIsPossible "'Deep inside I can't even believe it,' said Rustam Nabiev, who climbed Nepal’s Mount Manaslu despite having lost both legs while serving in the Russian military."

  • Google, YouTube ban ads on climate misinformation (BBC) About time. Well done Google. "The company says it is responding to concerns from advertisers. The ban will cover ads for - and the monetization of - content that contradicts the 'scientific consensus around the existence and causes of climate change'."

  • Maya Angelou, Sally Ride and other trailblazing women will be featured on U.S. coins (KCBX) This is great! "Some U.S. coins will soon feature female trailblazers from different eras of American history, representing their accomplishments in fields spanning civil rights, politics, humanities and science. That's thanks to the U.S. Mint's American Women Quarters Program, which was authorized by Congress earlier this year. The four-year program will introduce five coins, with tails honoring a diverse group of historical icons, each year between 2022 and 2025."

  • City of Kelowna offers new adaptive bike program (CBC) KELOWNA STORY Great move Kelowna! "The City of Kelowna has launched an adaptive bike program, providing cycling equipment to disabled people. "There's a lot of really happy faces riding behind those bikes," said the city's community recreation coordinator Ali Westlund. The program provides access to six adult-sized tricycles and two adult trailers."

  • Tea and sympathy: Canadian frigate helps Royal Navy solve a high-seas catering crisis (CBC) CANADIAN STORY Almost a #TeaCastrophe "Had it gone on any longer, it could have been a calamity. Sailors in all navies are used to austere conditions, but there are certain things — especially in the Royal Navy — that are simply sacrosanct. Things like tea — that steaming amber liquid that steadies frayed British nerves and takes the chill out of almost any wet, weary bone on watch. The flag officer's mess aboard HMS Queen Elizabeth, the United Kingdom's newest aircraft carrier, suffered a shortage of tea while at sea in the Pacific over the past week."

  • Calgary caterer preparing thank-you turkey meals for hospital staff (Calgary Herald) CALGARY STORY Lovely. "A Calgary catering company is working with Alberta Health Services to provide Thanksgiving meals to front-line hospital staff. Devour Catering owner J’Val Shuster said the initiative is meant to bring some encouragement to health-care workers enduring a fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic that has put a significant strain on Alberta’s intensive-care units."

TOP TEN STORIES OF THE WEEK

  1. Canada Post reveals Christopher Plummer stamp featuring his iconic roles (CBC) CANADIAN STORY I love stamps. Nice work Canada Post. "Canada Post has revealed a commemorative stamp honouring late acting legend Christopher Plummer. The Crown corporation says the Toronto-born stage and screen star played a leading role in selecting the stamp design before he died at his Weston, Conn., home in February at age 91. The stamp features illustrations of Plummer in several prominent roles from his 70-year career."

  2. William Shatner blasts off to where no 90-year-old has gone before: space (CBC) What a world. "Hollywood's Captain Kirk, 90-year-old William Shatner, blasted into space Wednesday in a convergence of science fiction and science reality. The Star Trek hero reached the final frontier aboard a ship built by Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin company. Shatner and three other passengers soared to an estimated 107 kilometres over the West Texas desert in the fully automated capsule, then safely parachuted to the desert floor in a flight that lasted just over 10 minutes."

  3. South Korea's Squid Game is Netflix's biggest original show debut (CBC) Every teenager I know has watched this. I am 15 minutes into the first episode. #JuryIsStillOut "Hit South Korean show Squid Game has officially become Netflix's biggest original series launch, the streaming service said on Wednesday. The nine-part thriller, in which cash-strapped contestants play childhood games with deadly consequences in a bid to win 45.6 billion won ($47 million Cdn), has become a worldwide sensation for Netflix since its launch less than a month ago."

  4. Two women on how ‘nerve’ shaped their leadership in academia and corporate boardrooms (Globe and Mail) CANADIAN STORY Both of these women had defining roles in my growth as a fundraiser. Looking forward to their talk later this month. "Martha Piper and Indira Samarasekera reached the top ranks of academia, breaking new ground as the first – and only – female presidents of two of the country’s foremost universities. Both of them then made the move to corporate boardrooms as directors of prominent banks and private-sector companies. Yet even after years of leadership, they still contended with feelings that they were floundering, unsuited for important roles, or under intense scrutiny when they held those positions."

  5. How Night Raiders uses science fiction to examine the past (CBC) CANADIAN STORY We watched this on Thanksgiving Weekend. It's terrific. Go see it. Now. "It's late 2019 in a forest outside Acton, Ont., and writer-director Danis Goulet's jacket is slick with rain. It's so cold nearly everyone on the Night Raiders set can feel it seeping in through their boots. But she's not focused on any of that. Goulet has her eyes on the future. 'I think we're on the precipice of a golden age of Indigenous cinema,' she said. 'These stories are really just starting to get, you know, really massive platforms like our film is. And there's so many stories to be told.'"

  6. 'We can move quickly': Airline CEO optimistic about mandatory vaccination policies (CBC) CANADIAN STORY Can't wait. "The CEO of a Canadian airline is on board with the timeline for the implementation of new mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policies in the transportation sector, adding it should help boost confidence in travellers."

  7. Red Deer philanthropist inducted into Alberta Order of Excellence (Red Deer Advocate) RED DEER STORY Congrats to Joan and to all of this year's inductees. "One of Red Deer’s most well-known community leaders and philanthropists has been inducted into the Alberta Order of Excellence. Joan Donald is one of eight Albertans this year to receive the honour that recognizes Albertans who have made an outstanding, provincial, national or international impact and is the highest honour a citizen can receive as an official part of the Canadian Honours System."

  8. Tough times for bingo leave Sask. non-profits in a fundraising pinch (Leader Post) SASKATCHEWAN STORY #UnintendedConsequences "Saskatchewan’s vaccine mandate seems to be making a dent in attendance at already struggling bingo halls, worsening a fundraising pinch for charities and non-profits that rely on drawing crowds of players."

  9. Calgary's Bishop Grandin school changes name due to namesake's support of residential schools (CBC) CALGARY STORY Well done CCSD. "The Calgary Catholic School District's board of trustees voted Wednesday in favour of changing the name of Bishop Grandin High School to Our Lady of the Rockies School."

  10. What does the future hold for Calgary's empty office towers? (CBC) CALGARY STORY "If you ask architect Jonny Hehr, the city's downtown vacancy problem is actually rife with possibilities. Hehr, with Gibbs Gage Architects, is behind a project to reimagine a former oil and gas office tower as low-income social housing — saving the structure and bringing more people into affordable homes downtown."

SEVEN LIFE AND CAREER HACKS

  1. 3 Pro Tips to Drop Your Cancer Risk (Being Well) You know what to do. Just do it.

  2. The 7 Habits of Exceptionally Good Sleepers (Personal Growth) Very interesting idea about some variety in when you go to bed but none on when you need to wake up. #MakesSenseIfYouThinkAboutIt

  3. I Wrote Over 52,000 Words Last Month Thanks to an AI Writing Assistant (Start It Up) I can hear the "real" writers moaning but this is an excellent tool. I recommend trying.

  4. This Simple Chart Helps You See What You Should Focus on Next (Forge) Cool idea using a radar chart. Very cool.

  5. A Simple Visual Technique To Trick Your Mind Into Relaxation (Wholistique) Nice technique.

  6. An Hour-Before-Bed Routine That Can Improve Your Life (Change Your Mind) I will not spoil it.

  7. Closing Your Eyes Has Surprising Benefits (Predict) I need to do more of this. (I hope I don't fall asleep).

TOP THREE GIFTS OF THE WEEK

  1. UAB gets $95M donation for School of Medicine (WVUA23) "The University of Alabama at Birmingham’s School of Medicine is getting a new name in honor of the person responsible for one of the biggest donations ever to the college. Dr. Marnix Heersink is an eye surgeon, co-owner and chairman of Eye Center South in [Dothan.]"

  2. Ryan family makes largest donation in Northwestern history (Daily Northwestern) "Patrick Ryan [...] and Shirley Ryan [...] made the largest donation in Northwestern history, gifting $480 million to redevelop Ryan Field and contribute to biomedical, economic and business [research.]"

  3. $100M donation gives rise to Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center (access required) (NJBiz) "The largest gift ever given to any hospital in New Jersey will allow the former Saint Barnabas Medical Center to continue its ongoing transformation into an institution that provides quality and advanced care to the region."

LAST WEEK'S MOST POPULAR STORIES

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