Weekly News Recap: February 9, 2024

A rendering of the planned developments in Calgary's culture and entertainment district. (Submitted by Calgary Municipal Land Corporation)

It is not the big things that send a person to the madhouse. No. A continuous succession of small tragedies sends a person to the madhouse.— Charles Bukowski.

BLACK HISTORY MONTH

Mike's Message Takeover: The Journey Towards Healing and Racial Justice (AFP Global) A wonderful reflection by AFP Global Chair Birgit Smith Burton. "As I reflect on the theme of uncomfortable truths and unknown stories, an experience involving my grandmother, Rev. Alvene E. Grice, comes to light. A woman of courage and inspiration, her legacy has influenced my own journey. Most of the stories of her encounters with racism have not been documented other than passed down over the years through family members, long gone."
'Justice is occupying your cultural space': Beaumont celebrates Black History Month (CBC) "It was a historic milestone as the Black Impact Alliance Foundation of Beaumont celebrated Black History Month for the first time over the weekend. For community members, it was a triumphant show of culture, history and solidarity."
Black History Month at SAIT: Events, books and reflections on Black Joy (SAIT) " 'I really love this year’s theme of Black Joy because personally, I think it signifies a kind of entering into a restfulness of mind, soul and spirit that is important in the lives of Black people in Canada. When we look back at the journeys and wins of our foundational Black Canadians and ancestors who were captured into slavery, one fundamental truth is evident: they held on to pockets of their joy in whatever capacity they could, even as they resisted and fought in various ways for their rights and dignity.'"
EVENT: Black Resistance: A Resilient Nation (Eventbrited) Saturday, February 24 in Edmonton. "Join us at Black Resistance: A Resilient Nation, where we celebrate the strength and fortitude of our community in the face of adversity."
VIDEO: Black philanthropy: Heritage and culture (full interview) (WFAA) "In recent years, Black philanthropy has drawn significant attention, especially in the wake of George Floyd's death."

SOME GOOD NEWS

Watch Joni Mitchell Make Her GRAMMYS PERFORMANCE DEBUT at 80 (YouTube) #GlobalCulturalIcon "Joni Mitchell made her GRAMMY performance debut at the 66th Annual GRAMMY Awards [...]. The 80-year-old folk icon was joined by Brandi Carlile for a rendition of 'Both Sides Now,' and received a standing ovation from the crowd."
The Best Travel Photography of 2023 (Condé Naste Traveler) These are spectacular. "From the wildebeest migration in Kenya and volcanic eruptions in Iceland to shamanic rituals in Siberia."
VIDEO: Elephant family work together to save baby stuck in mud (UPI) Elephants are amazing. " 'The panic increased as time ticked by and the baby was just sinking further and further in with every step it took. Covered in mud and exhausted, the baby looked like it was ready to give up.'"
The race to build climate-resilient coral reefs (BBC) This is pretty cool. "A new ally may help speed up the race to restore devastated coral reefs in Australia: robots, combined with mass-manufacturing techniques. Around the world, scientists are also working on other methods to help reefs recover faster and on a larger scale than before."
VIDEO: Toddler gets stuck after climbing into a claw machine looking for a toy in Australian shopping mall (AP News) My mom always told us that we could get stuck in one of these... "The video then shows the officers and the boy’s parents encouraging him into a safe corner at the back of the machine, and to cover his eyes while the police shatter a glass panel to free him unharmed. The video ends with one of the officers joking with the boy, 'You won a prize. Which one do you want?'"
They gather to bake bread each week, then give away thousands of loaves (MSN) Mmm... fresh-baked bread. "Anyone can sign up to learn how to make homemade bread at Fredericton’s Greener Village food bank. Volunteers chat around a flour-coated table while they make about 200 loaves of bread on Mondays, then they get to take home a fresh golden-brown loaf for themselves."
The dogs that live longest, by a nose (Seattle Times) "All dogs go to heaven. But a bulldog might find itself headed there years before a border terrier, according to a new study of nearly 600,000 British dogs from more than 150 breeds."
VIDEO: How a piece of the Eiffel Tower ended up on this Canadian bridge (CBC) "You don't have to travel all the way to Paris to experience the Eiffel Tower."
VIDEO: Skijoring is a treat for dog lovers and the sport is growing (CBC) I have cross-country skied with my dog. It's all fun and games on the flat...wait for the hills ;-) "The Nordic sport involves tethering a cross-country skier to one or more dogs, creating an exhilarating experience for both humans and their beloved canine companions."
VIDEO: People are nuts about this giant Alberta squirrel (CBC) How indeed. "How did Eddie the Squirrel become the mascot in Edson, Alta., west of Edmonton?"

TOP TEN STORIES OF THE WEEK

Concerns About AI from Nonprofit Communications and Marketing Professionals (Nonprofit Marketing Guide) "With the rise of ChatGPT and other similar content-generating tools, AI now goes well beyond editing assistance [...]. But ultimately, it’s just another tool that requires some form of regulation by its users."
Over $1B in major Calgary building projects to be completed or started this year, says CMLC (CBC) "Several major building projects totalling over $1 billion will either be completed or kicked off by the end of this year, says the Calgary Municipal Land Corporation in its 2024 outlook this week. The city-owned CMLC said it's preparing for a year of milestones in the East Village and downtown. 'We always say that every year can't get busier, but apparently it does,' said Kate Thompson, the president and CEO of the agency."
Inventing the Perfect College Applicant (New York Magazne) "He started by editing college essays from his Yale dorm room for $50 an hour but now charges the parents of his company’s 190 clients — mostly private-school kids, many of them in New York — $120,000 a year to help them create a narrative he believes will appeal to college-admissions officers."
Air Canada's first female pilot recalls sector's sexist hurdles on route to success (CBC) Very cool human. " 'She's a legend,' said Air Canada captain Steve Rundle. Asked whether he knew of Cameron, he said, 'That's like asking a hockey player if they know Wayne Gretzky.' After a fulfilling 40-year career, Cameron recalls the struggles she faced in the early years and the efforts still needed to encourage more young women to enter aviation — especially the cockpit, which remains extremely male-dominated."
Scientists have found a new kind of magnetic material (The Economist) #Nerdy but I know you want to know. "Since August 2023, at least six papers have been published claiming to have observed altermagnetism in the lab. One, by Lee Suyoung of Seoul National University and her colleagues, and crediting Dr Smejkal as a co-author, was published last week in Physical Review Letters. They say they have observed altermagnetism in films of manganese telluride, a semiconductor long thought to be antiferromagnetic."
‘I didn’t realise I was so loved’: the people hosting their own ‘living funerals’ (The Guardian) A close family friend did this this past year. It was hard but beautiful too. "Wouldn’t it be nice to hear all the lovely things friends and family might say about us at our funeral? Isabelle Aron meets five people – some with a terminal diagnosis – who have done just that."
Ken Griffin to halt support for Harvard unless it makes changes (Candid) "Kenneth C. Griffin, founder and CEO of Citadel, said he will no longer support his alma mater, Harvard University, unless it makes significant changes, Fortune reports [...]. 'Where are we going with education in elite schools in America?' said Griffin. 'Or are they going to maintain being lost in the wilderness of microaggressions and a DEI agenda that seems to have no real end game.'"
AUDIO: What's the advantage of kids "risky" playing? (CBC) #MorePlease "Tobogganing, rough-housing, climbing trees, playing with fire - all these things could hurt a child and the Canadian Pediatric Society says we need more of it. Today we talked about risky play."
Could a Giant Parasol in Outer Space Help Solve the Climate Crisis? (New York Times) Or...we could just do what we should have been doing for years... "It’s come to this. With Earth at its hottest point in recorded history, and humans doing far from enough to stop its overheating, a small but growing number of astronomers and physicists are proposing a potential fix that could have leaped from the pages of science fiction: The equivalent of a giant beach umbrella, floating in outer space."
United Way Yukon announces closure, citing high costs and fewer donations (CBC) "After 30 years of operating in the Yukon, the United Way is closing shop in the territory. President David Whiteside says the COVID-19 pandemic hit the organization hard, that inflation is driving up costs, and donations have been in decline for years."

SEVEN LIFE AND CAREER HACKS

Can cold plunging help make a Canadian winter more bearable? (CBC) I am seriously a fan. Well, not a fan but, at least, a subscriber.
What Is Active Listening? (HBR) This is especially useful and important for leaders.
HUMOUR: Fruit-Peel Theories to Determine the Strength of Your Relationship (New Yorker) A little fun across a few fruit-peeling aphorisms. How about peeling that coconut for me?
Who is etiquette for? (Vox) I had no idea that etiquette was used as a tool for racial suppression. Turns out, it has some wholesome uses as well.
The Best Ways to Remove Set-in Grease and Oil Stains From Your Clothes (Lifehacker) As this is a perennial problem for me, I thought I might share this excellent set of solutions with you as well. You're welcome.
Write and Wrong: Developing Million Dollar-plus Proposals (AFP Global) This is an excellent micro-learning video.
Three Disturbing Quotes by Charles Bukowski That Will Blow Your Mind (The Philosophical Inn) Charles Bukowski. Amazing.

TOP THREE GIFTS OF THE WEEK

- Dean of SIU's Law School talks about the Simmons' $10 million donation (PBS) "The University reports a $10 million gift from John and Jayne Simmons will impact generations of SIU-Carbondale law students and strengthen the law school’s ability to serve its students and the region."
New Cattle Young Leaders, Lakeland College gets $1 million donation (Canadian Cattlemen) "Bill Robinson [...] an alumnus of Alberta’s Lakeland College, has donated $1 million to the college. Half of his gift will fund bursaries for first-year students enrolled full time at the Vermilion campus. The other half will support beef cattle projects, such as campus farm improvements and applied research projects."
Summerland credit union creates $1 million fund for South Okanagan charities (iNFOnews.ca) "A South Okanagan foundation has just received a $1 million donation from a Summerland credit union."

LAST WEEK'S MOST POPULAR STORIES

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Vincent DuckworthFebruary 9, 2024Comment