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Weekly News Recap: February 7, 2020

Katia Asomaning

Weekly News Recap: February 7, 2020

Jenny Krupa is an Alberta grandmother who is famous on TikTok. She has more than 750,000 followers on her account 'It's_J_Dog' which is run by her grandson, Skylar Krupa. (Skylar Krupa)

Start the practice of self-control with some penance; begin with fasting. -- Mahavira

This week's highlights

Last week's most popular stories

Podcasts to pod

  • 27 Amazing Nonprofit Podcasts To Check Out In 2020 (Wild Apricot Blog) Lots here...including our very own Braintrust Philanthropy at #14 -- yay us! "If you’re looking to learn something new about the nonprofit sphere, podcasts can be a great way to learn everything about a topic right from the experts, and to catch up on success stories from interviews with leaders in the field." 2/3/20

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Coronavirus

  • Chinese Doctor Who Tried to Warn of Outbreak Is Dead From Coronavirus (New York Times) Heroes live among us. RIP Dr. Li Wenliang. "A doctor who was among the first to warn about the coronavirus outbreak, only to be silenced by the police, died [recently] after himself becoming infected with the virus, the hospital treating him reported." 2/6/20

  • A salt-coated mask that kills viruses? Alberta researchers working on it (CTV News) EDMONTON STORY Outstanding! "Researchers at the University of Alberta have developed a virus-killing salt coating that’s designed to improve the effectiveness of the common surgical masks often used to prevent the spread of pathogens like influenza or the new coronavirus.The sodium chloride coating applied to the surface of the surgical mask is designed to kill any virus particles which can otherwise survive for up to a week -- a risk researchers say the average person isn’t aware of." 2/6/20

  • WHO asks for $675 million donation to fight coronavirus in countries ‘at risk’ (CNN) "'We are requesting $675 million to fund the plan for the next three months. $60 million of that is to fund WHO’s operations – the rest is for the countries that are especially at risk,' said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus in a press briefing at Geneva, Switzerland." 2/6/20

  • Bill And Melinda Gates Donate $100 Million To Coronavirus Vaccine Research And Treatment (Forbes) Wowzers! "Bill and Melinda Gates are donating $100 million to coronavirus vaccine research and treatment efforts, which was announced as part of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) request for $675 million in global contributions to fight the spread of the disease." 2/5/20

  • Coronavirus: Chinese consul general in New York thanks NBA for its donation to help fight outbreak (South China Morning Post) "The National Basketball Association is providing donations worth US$1.4 million to Hubei province, where the contagion originated, including a medical device worth US$285,000 for use at Wuhan Fourth Hospital." 2/5/20

  • Honeywell donates US$1-million equipment to support Wuhan (Shine) "Honeywell donates US$1 million worth of equipment to support hospitals in Wuhan in their fight against the coronavirus outbreak. The donation includes air and water purification systems, ICU air management solutions, and scanning and mobile printing equipment. Honeywell will also provide children’s masks to Wuhan schools as part of the donation." 2/2/20

  • Donation from 11 countries to fight coronavirus arrives in China (ECNS) "Epidemic prevention and control supplies donated by 11 countries as well as the United Nations Children's Fund had arrived in China [...] a spokesperson said [...]. Those countries are the Republic of Korea, Japan, Britain, France, Turkey, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Hungary, Iran, Belarus and Indonesia, foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said at a press briefing online. She said people from all walks of life in many countries have also offered support since the novel coronavirus outbreak." 2/2/20

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News

  • Kirk Douglas, a Star of Hollywood’s Golden Age, Dies at 103 (New York Times) RIP Mr. Douglas. Thank you for a lifetime of cinematic masterpieces. "Kirk Douglas, one of the last surviving movie stars from Hollywood’s golden age, whose rugged good looks and muscular intensity made him a commanding presence in celebrated films like “Lust for Life,” “Spartacus” and “Paths of Glory,” died on [recently] at his home in Beverly Hills, Calif. He was 103." 2/6/20

  • Counting our economic blessings (The Owl) ALBERTA STORY Good reminder. "It was a tough year for the Alberta economy in 2019 with annual output forecast to grow by just 0.4 per cent. The slow growth along with high unemployment translates into real pain for a lot of Albertans struggling to make ends meet. Taking nothing away from the economic straits many Albertans are in, it’s a good time to remind ourselves that we still have an awful lot going for us when it comes to our provincial economy." 2/6/20

  • CIBC donation offers boost to U of L’s Navigator Program (Lethbridge Herald) LETHBRIDGE STORY Go CIBC! Nice gift! "The University of Lethbridge’s new CIBC Navigator Program is designed to empower students with disabilities by giving them employment opportunities, and is now ready to launch after a large donation from CIBC. The CIBC Navigator Program is a five-year project made possible by a $250,000 donation." 2/6/20

  • St. John Ambulance Lands $250K Donation from Manitoba Credit Unions (ChrisD.ca) WINNIPEG STORY Nice gift! "Manitoba’s credit unions have made a $250,000 donation to the St. John Ambulance Building on a Caring Tradition capital campaign. The donation will support the construction of the Centre for Excellence in First Air training community services centre at 1 St. John Ambulance way, across from Polo Park Shopping Centre on Portage Avenue." 2/5/20

  • Alberta grandmother Jenny Krupa is taking TikTok by storm (CBC) THORHILD STORY Don't mess with Baba! "Krupa's TikTok account, which her grandson created in August last year, has more than 774,000 followers and millions of likes. The videos either feature her following popular TikTok lip-syncs and challenges, or portray her as a sassy grandmother with zero chill." 2/4/20

  • Renowned Canadian scientist Frank Plummer dies in Kenya, where he led HIV breakthroughs (CBC) CANADIAN STORY We shared Dr. Plummer's brave personal fight against alcoholism in a previous recap. RIP Dr. Plummer. We will not see your like again. "World-renowned scientist Dr. Frank Plummer of Winnipeg has died. Plummer, 67, was in Kenya, where he was a keynote speaker at the annual meeting of the University of Nairobi's collaborative centre for research and training in HIV/AIDS/STIs." 2/4/20

  • Sask. architect Clifford Wiens dies at 93 (CBC) SASKATCHEWAN STORY RIP Mr. Wiens. "A talented architect from Saskatchewan has died at the age of 93. Clifford Wiens was a distinguished architect born in the Glen Kerr area of Saskatchewan in 1926. 'By almost universal opinion he's the greatest architect ever to come from Saskatchewan,' said architecture critic and curator Trevor Boddy. Boddy said Wiens was raised on a Mennonite farm." 2/4/20

  • Greta Thunberg nominated for Nobel Peace Prize (CBC) Go Greta! "Two lawmakers in Sweden have nominated Swedish teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg for the 2020 Nobel Peace Prize. Jens Holm and Hakan Svenneling, who are both members of Sweden's Left Party, said [...] that Thunberg 'has worked hard to make politicians open their eyes to the climate crisis' and 'action for reducing our emissions and complying with the Paris Agreement is therefore also an act of making peace.'" 2/3/20

  • Pope Francis homeless shelter is now Vatican Palace in Palazzo Migliori Rome (NBC) I love Pope Francis! "One option was to turn the building into a hotel, as it's just off St. Peter's Square, where popes deliver sermons to thousands of worshippers. The location is also very popular with tourists, who pay hundreds of dollars to stay close to it. But Francis had a very different idea of the kind of guests he wanted for this prime location — the poor and the homeless." 1/31/20

  • 'The audience was spellbound': World-renowned violinist performs at maximum-security prison (CBC) ABBOTSFORD STORY Music is for everyone. Love this! "Over his 50-year career, classical violinist Gidon Kremer has performed with some of the world's most prestigious orchestras, conductors and concert halls, but [this was] the first time he played his 379-year-old Amati violin for prisoners. The Pacific Institution in Abbotsford, B.C., is a federal penitentiary housing up to 400 inmates serving time for everything from property crimes to murder. About a quarter of them signed up to hear Preludes to a Lost Time by Mieczyslaw Weinberg and Chaconne by J. S. Bach played by the Latvian master violinist. The concert is a gift to the prisoners from the Looking at the Stars Foundation, a Toronto-based charitable organization that delivers classical music to those without access to traditional venues." 1/31/20

  • Dow to build Alberta ethylene plant expansion for more than US$200M (CBC) FORT SASKATCHEWAN STORY "U.S. chemical producer Dow Inc. has approved an expansion of its Alberta petrochemical facilities expected to cost between US$200 million and US$225 million.While releasing its fourth-quarter results this week, CEO Jim Fitterling announced the Michigan-based company will increase capacity at its Fort Saskatchewan ethylene plant just north of Edmonton by about 130,000 tonnes per year by adding a process furnace." 1/31/20

  • First Calgary Influential Women in Business award winners announced (Edmonton Sun) CALGARY STORY Congrats to all! "Former Cenovus executive Judy Fairburn heads a list of seven female honourees announced [recently] as recipients of the first Calgary Influential Women in Business awards. The awards — established by the Calgary Chamber of Commerce and Axis Connect — recognize business leaders across eight categories, including social enterprise and entrepreneurs." 1/30/20

  • Laurier’s Brantford campus launches a podcast studio and podcaster-in-residence program (Wilfred Laurier University) BRAMPTON STORY Nice work WLU! "Aspiring podcasters can now access professional recording equipment and advice thanks to Wilfrid Laurier University’s podcasting studio and inaugural podcaster-in-residence, Avery Moore Kloss. Located in One Market at Laurier’s Brantford campus, the studio, which is part of the Creativity Hub project, will be open to students, staff and instructors as a teaching and learning tool, as well as to public podcasters." 1/28/20

  • Centennial dedicates Centre for Aerospace and Aviation to Bombardier and celebrates donation of a Global 7500 business jet (Centennial College) TORONTO STORY "Following a decade of close collaboration in support of aerospace education, skills training and research and development, Centennial College is pleased to announce that it is renaming its building at Downsview Park as 'The Bombardier Centre for Aerospace and Aviation,' and is receiving a Bombardier Global 7500 business jet for training purposes." Centennial College of Applied Arts and Technology is a diploma and degree granting college located in Toronto. 2/6/20

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First Peoples of Canada

  • Wet’suwet’en man becomes only Indigenous gynecologic oncologist in Canada (Vernon Morning Star) WITSET STORY Congrats! "In 2003, The Interior News interviewed a 17-year-old high school graduate as he was leaving for McGill University in Montreal, determined to become the first medical doctor from the tiny village of Witset in northern B.C. Almost a decade later, Brent Jim did it, and graduated from medical school at the University of British Columbia. Fast forward to 2020 and Dr. Jim is now the only Indigenous gynecologic oncologist in Canada, after completing a program at the University of Calgary in December." 2/6/20

  • Calgary Vet Students Care for First Nations Horses (Horse Canada) CALGARY STORY Love this! "A new rotation at the University of Calgary Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (UCVM) is providing fourth-year students the chance to participate in hands-on equine care while engaging with indigenous communities near the city. The two-week placement program ran for the first time in [2019], with four students spending one week each at the Tsuut’ina and Siksika Nations just outside of Calgary. With supervision from their instructors, the students administered services like vaccinations, dental care and lameness exams." 2/4/20

  • New Edmonton exhibit tells story of Alberta Métis community at residential schools (Global News) EDMONTON STORY Cool! "An exhibit in Edmonton is telling the stories of Alberta’s Métis community during the times of residential schools. The Forgotten: The Métis Residential School Experience launched [recently] at the Norquest College Singhmar Centre for Learning. The exhibit aims to educate Albertans about the many Métis people who went through residential and boarding schools." 2/2/20

  • Alberta's Treaty 6 appoints young, urban, business-minded Grand Chief (CBC) EDMONTON STORY Congrats! "At just 33-years-old, the new Grand Chief of the Confederacy of Treaty Six First Nations is much younger than the 16 other Chiefs he'll be representing in central and northern Alberta. But Chief William (Billy) Morin of Enoch Cree Nation, just west of Edmonton, is ready to dive right in." 2/3/20

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Books to read

  • Spotlight on: 21 Things You May Not Know About the Indian Act by Bob Joseph (UAlberta Law) CANADIAN CONTENT I bought this on Kindle as soon as I saw this article. "This week’s reflection post highlights Bob Joseph’s Canadian bestseller, 21 Things You May Not Know About the Indian Act.[1] Bob Joseph is an initiated member of the Hamatsa Society, and he inherited a Chief’s seat in the Gayaxala (Thunderbird) clan.[2] Joseph is also the founder and President of Indigenous Corporate Training Inc, which provides training and development in Indigenous relations on both a national and international level." 1/31/20

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Seven life and career hacks -- one for each day of the week

  1. Why weight training may be the best exercise for everyone (Folio) It has certainly worked for me. Especially as I have gotten older. 2/6/20

  2. Can Weighted Blankets Heal Your Psyche? (elemental+) Christine swears by hers. Its is a bit of a pain to bring on the plane though #EmotionalSupportBlanket 1/21/20

  3. Replace Your Home Address With Plus Codes (BetterProgramming) *Have you been plus coded? 1/2/20

  4. How Human Interaction is Shaping the Future of Technology (Google Design) Where design and technology collide. Interesting article. 1/7/20

  5. What I Learned in Avalanche School (New York Times) Christine is spending the next two days at Avalanche School. As it turns out, the biggest issue is the human one... 12/31/19

  6. Slow-Reading is the New Deep Learning (Better Humans) Are you a skimmer or a scholar? (I am both) 11/19/19

  7. Why Fasting Works (Heated) I am on my second full day fast. So far, so good. It's a bit challenging as a diabetic but...my blood glucose has been awesome. 10/29/19

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Uncommon knowledge

  • Here's what you should know about wearing that face mask (CTV News) CANADIAN CONTENT "A University of Alberta researcher is warning surgical masks and respirators could help spread viruses if not used properly. Hyo-Jick Choi, a biomedical engineer and assistant professor in the chemical and materials engineering department, said masks are a form of personal protection from illnesses, but that they have limitations." 1/31/20

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Philanthropic personalities

  • Millions for charity … and Brexit: inside Peter Hargreaves’s world (The Guardian) "Peter Hargreaves’s home in a village outside Bristol is, by billionaire standards, unusually modest. There are just two cars on the drive, no servants, and the couple cook for themselves. And last week he handed over £100m to charity: one of the largest individual donations in recent British history." 2/1/20

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Philanthropic controversy

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Trends and shifts

  • Why Calgary is losing its young adults (CBC) CALGARY STORY Disturbing trend. "'Calgary, I feel, is just very old and stagnant.' That's a common sentiment among young adults, whose ranks have declined in Calgary even as the city has grown. Calgary's population increased by more than 20 per cent over the past decade, making it one of the fastest-growing cities in Canada. Nearly a quarter-million more people called the city home in 2019 than in 2009, with growth across every age range — except one: during that period, the number of 20- to 24-year-olds shrank by 4,400, according to municipal census data, a decline of 5.5 per cent." 2/3/20

  • Company proposing enormous oilsands project aims to be 'carbon neutral' by 2050 (CBC) ALBERTA STORY Where there is a will...nice move Teck. "The Vancouver-based mining company proposing to build the massive Frontier oilsands mine in northeastern Alberta has set a target to be 'carbon neutral' by 2050. Teck Resources Ltd., which is awaiting a decision from the federal government on Frontier, says it will try to achieve its goal by first avoiding creating emissions and then eliminating or minimizing them. It says it will look at alternative ways of moving materials at its mines, using cleaner power sources and implementing efficiency measures. Teck is also vowing to produce more metals needed for the transition to a low-carbon economy, including copper for electric vehicles and renewable power generation." 2/3/20

  • Controversial Clearview AI app could 'end privacy.' So, what now? (CBC) Eek! "A powerful and controversial new facial recognition app can identify a person's name, phone number and even their address by comparing their photo to a database of billions of images scraped from the internet. Now, a class-action lawsuit is taking on the startup, arguing that its app is a threat to civil liberties. In a New York Times investigation, journalist Kashmir Hill revealed how a groundbreaking yet little-known facial recognition tool could 'end privacy as we know it.' The app in question, Clearview AI, has the capacity to turn up search results, including a person's name and other information such as their phone number, address or occupation, based on nothing more than a photo." 2/1/20

  • Oil Bankruptcies Are Reaching Worrying Levels (Oilprice.com) Ugh. "Of the 208 bankruptcy filings, Texas led the list with 94. Colorado and Louisiana were far behind Texas with 11 filings each, while New York was in fourth place with 10. Canada overall had 18 oil and gas producer bankruptcy filings." 2/1/20

  • Change climate policy now to avert oil market crisis, warns thinktank (The Guardian) "The oil industry is at risk of a global market shock that could halve the value of fossil fuel investments if governments delay setting policies to tackle the climate crisis, according to new analysis. A report by Carbon Tracker, a financial thinktank, warned that a 'handbrake turn' in climate policy could have a 'forceful, abrupt, and disorderly' impact on the global oil industry by derailing fossil fuel demand." Thanks to Ron Bailey for sharing this article. 1/31/20

  • Katie Sowers blazes trail as first woman, and openly gay, coach in Super Bowl (CBC) This human is an inspiration! And while the Superbowl did not go her way (Congrats KC btw!) she is a person to watch. "Katie Sowers answered questions on topics ranging from whether it hurt getting her ears pierced (no) to if she wants to be an NFL head coach one day (yes). For the full 60 minutes of the San Francisco 49ers' portion of media night [...] Sowers talked with reporters from around the world on making history as the first woman and first openly gay coach to work the Super Bowl." 1/30/20

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Large gifts

  • STARS gets $1M donation to help pay for new Edmonton-based helicopter (Record Gazette) EDMONTON STORY Woot! Nice gift. "A $1 million donation is helping to get the ball rolling to pay for a new STARS air ambulance helicopter for Edmonton. The donation was made by Brian Vaasjo, president and CEO of Capital Power, at the Edmonton [base]. " 2/5/20

  • Improving global health through breast milk (UManitoba) Brilliant! WINNIPEG STORY "A $6.5 million grant has been awarded to a University of Manitoba researcher by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to establish a new global health initiative dedicated to breast milk: the International Milk Composition (IMiC) Consortium. This transformational gift is part of the UM comprehensive Front and Centre campaign, supporting the university’s strategic priorities in teaching and learning, discovery, and community engagement." 2/4/20

  • Dick’s To Make $5M Donation To Support Girls’ Soccer (SGB Online) Go Dick's! "The three-year, $5 million Sports Matter grant to the U.S. Soccer Foundation’s United for Girls initiative is aimed at increasing opportunities for girls and young women who benefit from soccer. As the presenting partner of United for Girls, the Dick’s Foundation’s grant will be used to create safe places to play, fund coaching and training opportunities and support soccer programs in underserved communities across the country with the goal of engaging 100,000 girls by 2023." 2/4/20

  • UCSF dental school receives $10M donation (ADA News) "The University of California San Francisco School of Dentistry announced [...] it received a $10 million gift — the largest contribution ever to the dental school — to establish an endowment that would fund efforts to modernize its curriculum and recruit and retain faculty members. The anonymous donation from an alumnus will also help develop professional and mentorship programs for junior faculty, according to a news release." 2/6/20

  • SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY TO USE $15 MILLION DONATION FOR ART SCHOLARSHIPS, “IMMERSION EXPERIENCES” (CNYBJ) "Syracuse University (SU) will use a $15 million donation to support students in the School of Art through scholarships and 'immersion experiences' in the Los Angeles, California area. The School of Art is part of Syracuse’s College of Visual and Performing Arts (VPA). Syracuse graduates Marylyn Turner and her husband, Chuck Klaus, donated the funding, the school said in a news release." 2/3/20

  • Museum of the Big Bend receives $5M donation (NewsWest9) "The Museum of the Big Bend received a $5 million donation from the McCoy family for its Museum Capital Campaign. The new museum complex will be double the size of the current facility." 2/3/20

  • Nutrien sows $10 million seed of donation in CSU’s College of Ag Sci (The Rocky Mountain Collegian) Go Nutrien! Wow! "Colorado State University has a long-standing agricultural history since its establishment in 1870. Now, Nutrien is contributing to the CSU narrative. Nutrien has made a 10-year investment in the College of Agricultural Sciences, giving $1 million each year. " 2/2/20

  • Utah Athletics receives $6 million donation for women’s programs (Deseret News) "Two of the most ardent supporters of women’s athletics at the University of Utah will be gifting a large sum of money that will go toward supporting both the women’s NCAA-sanctioned and club sports teams at the school. [The] Ute athletic department announced that Leo and Harriet Hopf will give $6 million, 80% of which will go to the women’s basketball and volleyball teams, as well as the Utes with Wings program, 'which was established in 2018 to create more opportunities, as well as a community of support, for the U’s female student-athletes.'" 1/30/20

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