Weekly News Recap: December 9, 2022

Researcher Megan Levings said she's overjoyed at the private donation made by an unnamed donor and the hope it brings for accelerated solutions and treatments. (Gabriel Osorio/CBC )

You're right, Big Bird. It'll never be the same without him. But you know something? We can all be very happy that we had a chance to be with him and to know him and to love him a lot, when he was here.
-- Bob McGrath

SOME GOOD NEWS

Stéphanie Frappart makes history as 1st female World Cup ref (AP News) #MorePlease "French referee Stéphanie Frappart became the first woman to take charge of a men’s World Cup game [...] as she blew her whistle to start Germany’s game against Costa Rica. Frappart also had two women as assistants — Neuza Back of Brazil and Karen Diaz Medina of Mexico — to complete an all-female refereeing team on the field."
Neighbours helping neighbours and other acts of kindness by Calgarians (CBC) CALGARY STORY #BeKind "Throughout the month of December, CBC stations across the country invite you to help Make the Season Kind as we celebrate the kindness of others with special programming and coming together in support of local charities. In Calgary, for 37 years, residents have been donating to the Calgary Food Bank through CBC/Radio-Canada's annual Food Bank Drive, raising more than $22 million. This year, from Dec. 2 to 15, join us for special broadcasts, events, auctions and online sales while helping us reach our goal of $1 million to the Calgary Food Bank. Or attend one of our coffee and mug sales to make a donation and receive this year's limited edition One Knight Only mug and coffee beans from Fratello Coffee Roasters."
Heroic Georgia dog fights off coyote pack preying on flock of sheep (The Guardian) As my friend Bob Carter said upon reading this story: 'I want this dude on my side!' "If anyone has earned the title of very good boy, it’s Casper, a 20-month-old Great Pyrenees from Decatur, Georgia, who single-handedly killed eight coyotes trying to prey on his owner’s sheep. Last week, a pack of 11 coyotes attacked the flock of farmer John Wierwiller, according to a report from a local television station, WAGA-TV. Casper defended the sheep furiously in a fight that left some of his skin and part of his tail torn off, Wierwiller said."
Dolly Parton shed tears over $160m Jeff Bezos donation (1news) "The 58-year-old billionaire - who founded Amazon - recently awarded the eye-watering sum of money to Dolly, who has been told that she can give the cash to charities of her choice. The Jolene hitmaker explained: 'I couldn’t believe it. First of all, I cried on the phone with Jeff Bezos. And when I found out he was really serious about it, I just cried because of the gift and how much good I will really be able to do with that.'"
Chemist, artist, activist: Meet Canada's first trans woman Rhodes Scholar (CBC) BRITISH COLUMBIA STORY Nice! "British Columbia's newest Rhodes Scholar says she was convinced she didn't have a chance. But Julia Levy says she is thrilled to be Canada's first trans queer woman to receive the award and head to the University of Oxford."
Jonathan the world's oldest tortoise is a 'charming old gentleman' (CBC) Tortoises are crazy cool. "There's nothing quite like spending a lazy Sunday lounging outside with a kindly old tortoise named Jonathan. Such is the life of Teeny Lucy, a caretaker to the world's oldest tortoise, who resides on the island of St. Helena. [...] 'It's quite a special moment with a chap like that. He's a real icon.' That icon has just celebrated his 190th birthday — although he could, in fact, be even older."
French baguette makes UN cultural heritage list — but some refuse to toast the decision (CBC) Eating a baguette makes me happy. "The baguette has been added to the United Nations' cultural heritage list, delighting French bakers around the world. But at least one bread expert says he's feeling downright crusty about the decision. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has voted to include the 'artisanal know-how and culture of baguette bread' on its list of Intangible Cultural Heritage, which aims to bring awareness to — and inspire the protection of — significant cultural practices."
Meet the man who built the perfect fire — so you can stream it on your TV (CBC) We live in a digital age. "'This winter, sparks will fly when a pile of wood meets its destiny.' That's the trailer for the Netflix special Fireplace For Your Home, one of the many virtual viewing options during the winter months for those who don't have a fireplace of their own. George Ford, the creator behind that virtual fireplace, lives in Washington state, and says he learned how to build what he considers the perfect fire while growing up in the Pacific Northwest."
It was just a sticker book, but Sophia Megan says it sparked her to help thousands of sick children (CBC) ONTARIO STORY ❤️ "Sophia Megan was only two years old when she was diagnosed with leukemia. Now she's a 12-year-old cancer survivor and creator of the Super Sophia Project, which aims to offer comfort and hope to other children in hospital. Sophia, of Pickering, Ont., says an experience she had as she fought cancer inspired her. She was being treated at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto when a custodian gave her a sticker book. 'It just made me so happy and gave me so much joy even though it's such a little thing,' she told CBC."

TOP TEN STORIES OF THE WEEK

Tom Jackson’s philanthropy work has raised $250M for important causes (AP News) ALBERTA STORY #Amazing Thank you Tom! "For over three decades, Tom Jackson has been going across Canada to help raise money for important causes. His efforts have raised an estimated $250 million in cash and in-kind donations for food banks and disaster relief."
Smaller turkeys, fewer gifts: How Canadians are preparing for an expensive holiday season (CBC) CANADIAN STORY "Faced with a more expensive festive season this year, shoppers might be looking for ways to scale back the cost of their celebrations — whether that means giving fewer gifts, sticking closer to home, or rethinking holiday feasts. Inflation is up 6.9 per cent from a year ago, according to Statistics Canada's most recent consumer price index data, with food, housing and energy prices all taking a greater chunk out of people's money — making it a lot harder to budget for the holidays."
New $2 coin honouring life of Queen Elizabeth goes into circulation this month (CBC) CANADIAN STORY A beautiful tribute. "The Royal Canadian Mint has released a new $2 coin to mark the passing of Canada's recently deceased head of state, Queen Elizabeth. The coin [...] will be similar to the existing toonie coins, with the familiar polar bear design in the middle and an image of the Queen on the obverse side, but instead of the silver exterior around a gold circle in the middle, the exterior will be black nickel. 'Like a mourning band, the black outer ring surrounds the polar bear design at the centre of the coin's reverse,' the mint said."
Women sue Apple, claim AirTags helped exes stalk them (CBC) #Ugh "Apple has been sued by two women who said its AirTag devices have made it easier for former partners and other stalkers to track down victims. Starting at $29 US ($39 Cdn), AirTags are 3.2 centimetres in diameter and intended to be slipped into or attached to keys, wallets, backpacks and other items so people can find those items when they are lost. But privacy experts and law enforcement have said some people use AirTags for criminal or malicious purposes."
Bob McGrath, beloved ‘Sesame Street’ original character, dies at 90 (Global News) For those of us of a certain age, this is very sad news. See video linked to quote at top of recap. "Bob McGrath, an actor, musician and children’s author widely known for his portrayal of one of the first regular characters on the children’s show Sesame Street has died at the age of 90."
What’s at Stake and What’s at Play: My Reckoning with Philanthropy (Philanthropy New York) A wonderful and well-written account of why one person works in philanthropy. "I entered this sector because I wanted to be a driving force of change and create a different reality for the next generation of people that looked like me. As a black man who grew up in a single-parent household in ungentrified Brooklyn, I poured into my work because I believed that in the wealthiest country in the world, your destiny shouldn’t be decided by the circumstances you were born into. No matter how many times my mom was told what would happen to me and what I could or could not achieve because she raised me by herself."
Shaw Charity Classic raises $17.49 million in 2022, shattering previous record (Saltwire) CALGARY STORY #Wow "It’s the largest give in PGA Tour Champions history. Yes, again. That record has belonged to the Calgary-based event since its debut in 2013, but they’ve made a habit of raising their own bar. Along the way, the total sum has grown to $93 million."
What is 'goblin mode' and why is it Oxford's 2022 word of the year? (CBC) Hmmm...while I love the word, I am not in love with the concept. "The concept of 'goblin mode' is something everyone can relate to, says the president of Oxford Languages. The publisher of the Oxford English Dictionary put its 2022 word of the year up for a public vote this year, and goblin mode reigned supreme. Oxford defines it as 'a type of behaviour which is unapologetically self-indulgent, lazy, slovenly, or greedy, typically in a way that rejects social norms or expectations.' Think dirty sweatpants, a messy home, piles of junk food and an overall attitude of not caring what anyone thinks of you."
1st shelter for Muslim women opens in Hamilton (CBC) HAMILTON STORY "For the first time in the Hamilton area, Muslim women in need of shelter services now have an option specifically for them. Nisa Homes, an organization with nine other shelters across Canada, has opened its 10th shelter, this one in Hamilton. An official launch takes place [...] on the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women."
Canada not doing enough with its highly educated immigrants, StatsCan says (CBC) CANADIAN STORY A simple change in policy would instantly solve so many shortages. "Being a physician has been a lifelong dream for 35-year-old Ayman Jabril. He's passionate about caring for patients, clearly explaining medical treatments, and following up with them over time. He trained and worked as a physician in Yemen and Saudi Arabia, but has yet to make headway getting further training and certification in Canada, despite having completed a host of qualification exams since arriving in 2017."

SEVEN LIFE AND CAREER HACKS

Oxford Professor Explains the Real Reason You’re Not Productive (Writing Cooperative) Turns out, if you are happy and you know it...
My Digital Productivity System for 2022 (Ben Darfler) A very cool system.
5 Lazy Morning Habits That Lead to Peak Productivity Every Day (Change Your Mind Change Your Life) That extra minute in bed is where I live.
Four Disturbing Signs You Are About to Experience a Brutal Change in Your Life (Writers Fight Club) If you are becoming a grumpy person, watch out.
How charities are attracting badly needed volunteers post-Covid (The Toronto Star) We need to innovate and many are.
The Wrong Approach to Getting Things Done and How to Fix it (Vishnu Choudhary) Some counterculture and counterintuitive suggestions that just might work.
20 Years of Research Reveals How Extraordinary People Become That Way (Publishous) I am fascinated by performance.

TOP THREE GIFTS OF THE WEEK

Unnamed donor gives record $33.8 million to MS research in B.C. with goal of saving lives (CBC) BRITISH COLUMBIA STORY #Boom "An unnamed, B.C.-based philanthropist has donated $33.8 million to advance research for multiple sclerosis (MS) in B.C. The University of British Columbia says it's the largest known donation for MS research and care worldwide and will help fill the gaps in B.C. when it comes to increasing capacity and working on new therapies. It will also provide patients in the province with opportunities to join clinical trials that may have otherwise been hard to come by, the university says."
Jimmy Pattison donates $30 million toward Royal Columbian Hospital's new tower (Vancouver Sun) VANCOUVER STORY Thanks Jimmy! "The Royal Columbian is in the second phase of a $1.49 billion redevelopment project that would boost its capacity by 50 per cent to 675 beds and improve care to some of the province’s most critically ill patients."
A $7.5 million gift from The Slaight Family Foundation targets food insecurity this holiday season after year of record-high food bank visits (Yahoo Finance) CANADIAN STORY The Slaight Family keeps on giving. #HowWonderful "This holiday season, The Slaight Family Foundation is targeting the monumental issue of food insecurity and access to nutritious foods by gifting $7.5 million to six organizations who will leverage the power of their networks to ensure the funds are distributed to areas of need."

LAST WEEK'S MOST POPULAR STORIES

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Vincent DuckworthDecember 9, 2022Comment