Weekly News Recap: March 22, 2024

Weekly News Recap: March 22, 2024

Nicolas, Ben and Mark Mulroney place their hands on the casket of their father, former prime minister Brian Mulroney, as he lies in state at the Sir John A. Macdonald Building, across from Parliament Hill in Ottawa, on Tuesday, March 19, 2024. (Justin Tang/Canadian Press)

The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any. — Alice Walker

SOME GOOD NEWS

  • Incredible Winners of the 2024 British Wildlife Photography Awards (My Modern Met) #Stunning Thanks to ViTreo team member, Katia Asomaning for this article. "After evaluating over 14,000 images, the 2024 British Wildlife Photography Awards deemed Ryan Stalker‘s photograph of a soccer ball adrift in the ocean the winner."

  • VIDEO: This Toronto man's Hot Wheels collection puts the pedal to the metal (CBC) TORONTO STORY I am only a little bit envious. "Doug Woods started his Hot Wheels collection with his first car, a Beach Bomb, when he was four years old. In the 40 years since, it's only picked up speed. His stockpile includes both cars and accessories still factory-sealed in their original boxes. He says he's reached approximately 25,000 items in total."

  • Loonies line hallways of Montreal CEGEP to help students pay for rent, food (Global News) MONTREAL STORY This is a such a cool fundraiser. "It’s not something you see every day: about 875 feet of double-sided tape, lining the hallways at John Abbott College. It’s all part of its loonie line fundraiser, aimed at helping students in need [...]. The loonie line fundraiser was launched in 2003 by college employees to help students who needed extra support."

  • Driving Lamborghinis on a Frozen Lake is The Best Thing Ever (Sharp Magazine) QUEBEC STORY #JustCool "These things are invite-only, but SHARP recently had the chance to spend time drifting the Italian brand’s finest 600-horsepower, $320,000 supercars across a frozen lake in Quebec as part of the Esperienza Neve. And. Just. Wow."

  • A Bronx Teacher Asked. Tommy Orange Answered. (New York Times) I was also on the verge of tears reading this article. I also bought and am reading the book. "His eyebrows shot up when a student wearing a sweatshirt that said 'I Am My Ancestors’ Wildest Dreams' compared the book to 'The Road,' by Cormac McCarthy. When three consecutive students spoke about how they related to Orange’s work because of their own mental health struggles, he was on the verge of tears."

  • Scientists can now remove microplastics from our water with 94 per cent efficiency (UWaterloo) WATERLOO STORY Nice work Waterloo! Thanks to Katia again for sharing this story. "University of Waterloo researchers have created a new technology that can remove harmful microplastics from contaminated water with 94 per cent efficiency. The amount of plastic pollution in our ecosystem has become an increasingly alarming concern globally. Concerns have frequently been flagged about the impact that plastic pollution has on the toxicity to the environment and humans."

  • VIDEO: In San Diego, Kelvin Crosby – aka the DeafBlind Potter – navigates his disability through clay (YouTube) Watching and listening to this video is an inspiring and beautiful experience. "Accepting and overcoming the limitations of his disability by engaging with clay, Kelvin Crosby – also known as the DeafBlind Potter – found a tactile outlet through which to expand his senses. Legally deaf and blind – his sight and vision impacted by the genetic condition Usher Syndrome Type II – Crosby explorations in pottery began as a means of deepening his trust in touch."

  • Saskatoon Barbie collector's home a treasure trove for fans of movie (CBC) SASKATOON STORY #Wowzers "A prolific Barbie doll collector says interest in the new movie has brought people to her doorstep looking for their final Barbie fix before going to the theatre. Andrea Katelnikoff has been collecting Barbie dolls since 1988, and said she has amassed more than 3,500 Barbies — one of the largest collections in Canada. Three rooms on the second floor of her home and the entire basement are stacked to the ceiling with Barbies."

  • VIDEO: Watch Live Stream of Bald Eagles Dutifully Waiting for Their Eggs to Hatch in a Wintry Landscape (My Modern Met) This is fascinating to watch. I especially like watching how they breathe. "Jackie and Shadow are kind of a celebrity couple around Southern California, but they aren't Hollywood actors…or even human. They are a pair of bald eagles who call the San Bernardino National Forest home. A cleverly placed webcam has allowed animal lovers to follow them as they deliver their eggs and wait for them to hatch in the weeks leading to the arrival of spring."

  • Whatever Happened to Fun? (Harpers Bazaar) I adore Carol Burnett. She is 90! "So much of comedy today is about making the audience cringe. Carol Burnett still believes it should make you feel good."

  • An Interview With The Bee Hero Who Humanely Vacuumed Thousands Of Bees Out Of A Tennis Stadium (Defector) Nice work bee hero! "The bees descended onto the court one point into the third game of the Indian Wells quarterfinal between Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev. [...] Both players fled—Alcaraz's agent confirmed that Carlitos was stung on the forehead—and play was halted while the intruders were addressed. Some fans left their seats, but we can report that an unfazed Bill Gates remained in his box."

  • An American Who Has Helped Clear 815,000 Bombs From Vietnam (New York Times) #Hero "Chuck Searcy has spent decades of his life redressing a deadly legacy of America’s war in Vietnam: unexploded ordnance."

  • Tiny alligator rescued from traffickers, calls Victoria zoo home (CBC) VICTORIA STORY Welcome to Victoria Javier! "A juvenile caiman — a smaller relative of an alligator — named Javier will temporarily call the Victoria Butterfly Gardens home. Javier is a Cuvier's dwarf caiman, which are native to northern and central South America, according to the zoo."

  • Teeny-tiny Canadian art makes big splash in Minutiae exhibit (CBC) ALBERTA STORY These are wonderful. "The little idea for this feature group exhibition started with a tiny piece of jewlery. 'The theme came from one of our co-workers, who had a necklace that had a miniature of a chair on it,' says Jenna Stanton, executive director of the Alberta Craft Council. The small things concept sat well with members of the provincial organization that develops, promotes and advocates for craft art in the province."

TOP TEN STORIES OF THE WEEK

  1. Calgary warns outdoor water restrictions may be coming (CBC) CALGARY STORY Signs of the times. "Calgary is warning it may restrict outdoor water use by May if dry conditions keep up. And a big dump of snow [...] likely won't be enough to change the outlook. In the meantime, Mayor Jyoti Gondek is urging Calgarians to use less water at home. That can mean taking shorter showers, running only full laundry and dishwater loads and turning off the tap while shaving or brushing teeth."

  2. Orca group seen hunting ocean's largest predators: researchers (CBC) BRITISH COLUMBIA STORY "Scientists at the University of British Columbia say they have identified a potentially new population of killer whales that hunt the planet's largest predators in the open ocean. A group of 49 orcas has been seen hunting sperm whales, elephant seals, dolphins and even a leatherback turtle as far as 300 kilometres off the coast of California and [Oregon]."

  3. Mark Mulroney says family 'loved' hearing Canadians' stories about former PM (CBC) CANADIAN STORY This is a lovely tribute. "For more than eight hours on Tuesday, the late Brian Mulroney's family — wife Mila, daughter Caroline and sons Ben, Mark and Nicolas — stood in a receiving line and greeted almost everyone who came to pay their respects to the former prime minister."

  4. Young people's happiness has 'fallen sharply' for Canada and U.S. in global rankings (CBC) CANADIAN CONTENT "The latest edition of the World Happiness report shows people in Finland are first in overall happiness. Canada is in 15th place, down two spots from last year, while its younger people are way down the rankings in a newly added category."

  5. Edmonton Fringe Fest seeking donations as finances falter (CBC) EDMONTON STORY Eek. "The Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival is asking for donations as it considers scaling back due to financial constraints. Executive director Megan Dart announced the launch of the Sustain Fringe fundraising effort at a news conference [...] The Edmonton Fringe is one in a growing list of arts festivals across Canada struggling to keep up with rising expenses."

  6. Aboard the U.S. Aircraft Carrier Battling the Houthis in the Red Sea (New York Times) #ThankYOU "Nearly every night, it is the same drill. A call comes in that mobile missile launchers have popped up somewhere in Yemen near the coastline, preparing to fire. Except, aboard the aircraft carrier Dwight D. Eisenhower, it is not a drill. For two months, the 5,000 sailors and pilots on board have carried out a near daily and nightly task: find and destroy weapons storage sites, missile systems, air defense systems, radars and missile launchers before the Houthi militia uses the weapons to find and destroy commercial ships in the Red Sea."

  7. AI could have catastrophic consequences — is Canada ready? (CBC) CANADIAN CONTENT "Nations — Canada included — are running out of time to design and implement comprehensive safeguards on the development and deployment of advanced artificial intelligence systems, a leading AI safety company warned this week [...]. The department insists the views the authors expressed in the report do not reflect the views of the U.S. government. But the report's message is bringing the Canadian government's actions to date on AI safety and regulation back into the spotlight — and one Conservative MP is warning the government's proposed Artificial Intelligence and Data Act is already out of date."

  8. How Choreographer Mandy Moore Harnessed the Kenergy of Ryan Gosling and 62 Kens for “I’m Just Ken” Oscars Performance (Hollywood Reporter) This was really a highlight of not only this year's Oscars but of recent year's as well. If you did not see it, find it and watch it on YouTube -- it's excellent. "The performance saw Barbie movie star and Oscar nominee Ryan Gosling, in a bright pink bedazzled suit and cowboy hat, lead an army of 62 Kens, as well as his fellow Barbie movie Kens — Simu Liu, Ncuti Gatwa, Kingsley Ben-Adir and Scott Evans — in an all-out dance number that paid homage to Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, included “street-style dancing,” filled the stage with Barbie cardboard cut-outs and ended in a Rockettes-style kickline."

  9. The Rough Years That Turned Gen Z Into America’s Most Disillusioned Voters (Wall Street Journal) "Kali Gaddie was a college senior when the pandemic abruptly upended her life plans—and made her part of a big and deeply unhappy political force that figures to play a huge role in the 2024 election season. Her graduation was postponed, she was let go from her college job and her summer internship got canceled. She spent the final months of school taking online classes from her parents’ house."

  10. END THE PHONE-BASED CHILDHOOD NOW (The Atlantic) #Ugh "Something went suddenly and horribly wrong for adolescents in the early 2010s. By now you’ve likely seen the statistics: Rates of depression and anxiety in the United States—fairly stable in the 2000s—rose by more than 50 percent in many studies from 2010 to 2019. The suicide rate rose 48 percent for adolescents ages 10 to 19. For girls ages 10 to 14, it rose 131 percent."

SEVEN LIFE AND CAREER HACKS

  1. The Most Precious Resource is Agency (The Map is Mostly Water) Turns out, one of the things we have done with how we raised these last few generations was...remove their agency. Now, we need to figure out how to give it back.

  2. The definitive guide on how to eat crab, according to an expert (The Manual) My gift to you. You're welcome.

  3. VIDEO: LITERATURE - Marcel Proust (YouTube) I have never read Proust but now...now I really want to. This video is a great synopsis.

  4. 17 years of your adult life may be spent online. These expert tips may help curb your screen time (Fortune) I get the irony that you are reading this article online...but, wow, 17 years!

  5. Report on the Charities Program 2021 to 2022 (CRA) This is a great and useful recap of the sector.

  6. Touch your toes! Six fast, easy ways to improve your mobility – and live a longer life (Guardian) Mobility is life.

  7. Neuroscience Says This Is the 1 Thing Everyone Should Do as Soon as They Wake Up in the Morning (Inc.) Get some light!

TOP THREE GIFTS OF THE WEEK

  1. University of Calgary receives 'game-changing' donation (CTV) CALGARY STORY Wow! Thanks to the Taylor Family! "The University of Calgary says a $20-million donation from the Taylor Family Foundation will transform its kinesiology department into a world-class research facility. The money will go towards a new building and refurbishing the Kinesiology B building."

  2. 'Breathtaking' and 'transformational.' Seattle University receives record $300 million art donation (KUOW) Love this! "Seattle University has received the largest art donation ever given to a university. So large, in fact, the Jesuit school will have to build a new museum to house the $300 million collection. The donation, from 88-year-old real estate developer Richard 'Dick' Hedreen, includes $25 million seed money to create the Seattle University Museum of Art on the school's Capitol Hill campus."

  3. West Coast multimillionaires gift land for parks and donate remainder of their fortune to philanthropy (National Observer) BRITISH COLUMBIA STORY And they also gave $92 million in cash! "When multimillionaires Eric Peterson and his wife Christina Munck launched their charity foundation more than two decades ago, the couple pledged to go to their deaths flat broke [Peterson] and Munck made good on that longtime vow, gifting a chunk of pristine island coastline to the BC Parks Foundation and the bulk of their remaining fortune to the Hakai Institute and the Tula Foundation, which the pair created to leverage science and technology to tackle issues for the public good."

LAST WEEK'S MOST POPULAR STORIES

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