Weekly News Recap: June 3, 2022

Weekly News Recap: June 3, 2022

Murray Sinclair sits in the ballroom at Rideau Hall after being invested as a companion of the Order of Canada and receiving a Meritorious Service Cross in Ottawa on Thursday. (Justin Tang/The Canadian Press)

Read biographies. Biographies are treasure-houses of ideas. -- Michael Michalko (Author of Thinkertoys)

SOME GOOD NEWS

  • For a few tokens, this vending machine aims to help undo centuries of colonial narratives (CBC) LONDON STORY #Brilliant "A vending machine might seem like an unexpected item to undo centuries of colonialism, but this isn't any old vending machine. It still spits out goodies — but not the goodies you're used to. The Indigenous books from the vending machine are 'culturally relevant' for children, said Sheree Plain, the Akwe:Go program co-ordinator at the N'Amerind Friendship Centre in London, Ont. Plain works with Indigenous children between ages seven and 12. She helps them keep their cultural traditions alive while living in the city and away from their community. The books are free. For a couple of brass tokens, which the friendship centre gives out, the youngsters can unlock a personal window into their own culture — one unfettered by non-Indigenous voices — something Plain said she never had growing up."

  • Obama has heartwarming reunion with boy who touched his hair in iconic photo (MSN) #Iconic "It remains one of the most memorable photos of Barack Obama’s presidency: a 5-year-old Black boy in the Oval Office with the nation’s first Black president, touching the commander in chief’s hair because he wanted to know whether it was just like his."

  • How nine schoolgirls stood up for Ecuador's Amazon and won (Christian Science Monitor) #ClimateHeroes "In 2021, nine schoolgirls sued the Ecuadorean government, saying the use of flares by oil companies in the Amazon violated their constitutional right to a healthy environment. They won their case, but a year later, they’re still fighting to protect their community."

  • A Jewish teen put her baby up for adoption in WWII. They just reunited. (Washington Post) CANADIAN CONTENT I suggest you get a tissue. This will get you right in the feels. "Gerda Cole, 98, knew little about her only child apart from the name she gave her at birth. She wasn’t even sure if “Sonya” stuck. In 1942, when she was just 18, Cole was brokenhearted as she gave her newborn daughter up for adoption to a German couple living in England. Cole had recently escaped Austria and the Nazis, and was living as a Jewish refugee in England."

  • He said he was told not to say 'gay' in graduation speech. He made his point anyway. (SFGate) Happy Pride Calgary. "Senior Class President Zander Moricz was tapped with giving a commencement speech at Pine View School in Osprey, Fla., but was given a restriction not normally attached to such an event. An openly gay activist who is the youngest plaintiff in a lawsuit against a new state law that restricts what teachers can say in classes about gender and sexual orientation, the teenager said publicly that he had been warned by his principal not to mention his activism or say the word 'gay.' If he did, Moricz said on social media, his microphone would be cut off."

  • Scientist finds professor who supported her love for bugs when she was 4 (Washington Post) Inspiring a generation can be as easy as saying yes. "Almost 30 years earlier, Varney had been a bug-obsessed 4-year-old living in El Sobrante in the Bay Area. She had started a bug collection and asked her mom if other people had bigger collections. Her mom suggested nearby University of California at Berkeley, and Rebecca wrote a letter to the school, asking for insect insight."

  • Canadian University Announces That All Their Master Of Laws Graduands Are Nigerians (Tori.ng) CALGARY STORY This is so cool. #Congratulations "Nine Nigerians have made the country proud in faraway Canada. This is according to information released by a Dean at University of Calgary (UCalgary) in Alberta, Canada. The Dean announced that all recent Master of Laws graduands from the institution are Nigerians. Ian Holloway shared the news on Twitter and further revealed that the nine students graduated yesterday May 30."

  • Hamilton man lends free canoes to help others connect to nature in the city (CBC) HAMILTON STORY I love this story. "Matt Thompson had one canoe and a desire to buy more two years ago amid COVID-19 quarantine, so he decided to sell a few of his Magic: The Gathering cards collection he started in Grade 8. 'At the beginning of the pandemic, I had a friend who messaged [me] and he's like, 'Hey, you should check out the price on those. They've probably gone up since you were in Grade 8.'' And he did. Now, he has three canoes and a reputation as the guy who lends canoes for free."

  • My daughter's visual impairment taught me to see past my fear of the unknown (CBC) CANADIAN STORY "When I first found out my eight-month-old daughter, Addie, had a condition that would render her blind by her late teens or adulthood, I was seized with fear and uncertainty. I wondered how my life and my family's lives would change, and I felt sad that the beautiful child in my arms could face additional challenges in a world that's not designed for her. It's not that I pictured her life being sad and lonely; it was that I couldn't picture what her life would look like at all having never met a child who was blind. It would have been easy to get lost in the fear and uncertainty, to be consumed by the permanence of a situation. But I refused to believe that I, my daughter, or the rest of my family could be anything except 'OK.'"

  • This North Bay, Ont., pilot's life looks a lot like Top Gun (CBC) NORTH BAY STORY Movies are much more than just entertainment. "Nicole Parker's life has mirrored the story of Top Gun in many ways. Parker, of North Bay, Ont., is a pilot with Air Canada and recently watched the long-awaited sequel Top Gun: Maverick. Back in 1986, she was 15 when she saw the original action drama film, focused on students at the U.S. navy's elite fighter weapons school. At the time, she was already interested in aviation and was an air cadet in Trenton, Ont. 'What it [Top Gun] did was just kind of reinforce my love for aviation and my love for flying,' Parker said. Two years after seeing the movie, Parker earned her pilot's licence. Several years later, her life mimicked the Tom Cruise movie in a new way."

TOP TEN STORIES OF THE WEEK

  1. Vangelis, composer of Chariots of Fire and Blade Runner soundtracks, dies aged 79 (The Guardian) His music was amazing. I re-watched Blade Runner two nights ago and I am listening to "Tears in the Rain" while preparing this week's recap. Farewell grand composer. We will not see your like again. "Vangelis, the Greek composer and musician whose synth-driven work brought huge drama to film soundtracks including Blade Runner and Chariots of Fire, has died aged 79. His representatives said he died in hospital in France where he was being treated."

  2. Murray Sinclair given Order of Canada for championing Indigenous rights and freedoms (CBC) CANADIAN STORY #WorldLeader "Murray Sinclair was awarded the Order of Canada during a ceremony [...] at Rideau Hall in Ottawa. The former senator, who was recognized for dedicating his life to championing Indigenous people's rights and freedoms, held his wife's hand as the award was announced and was met with a standing ovation as he rose to receive it. Sinclair, 71, is also a highly respected voice on matters of reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people who chaired the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada."

  3. Britons donate £1.7 billion-a-year more to animal-related charities than they do people-related charities (HR News) I am not surprised. "The team at www.myfavouritevouchercodes.co.uk undertook a study into the charitable donation habits of UK residents, conducting a survey of 2,180 to find out if people prefer donating to animal-related charities compared to people-related charities. The study found that 71% of UK residents have donated to an animal charity in place human-related alternatives over the last 12 months. Furthermore, the average donation amount for an animal charity was much higher than the average donation amount for other charities – £76 per donation versus £43 per donation."

  4. Mona Lisa targeted in Louvre cake-throwing attack (CBC) "A man seemingly disguised as an old woman in a wheelchair threw a piece of cake at the glass protecting the Mona Lisa at the Louvre Museum, and shouted at people to think of planet Earth. The Paris prosecutor's office said Monday that the man, 36, was detained following Sunday's incident and sent to a police psychiatric unit, and that it had opened an investigation into the damage of cultural artifacts."

  5. Steve Nash headlines list of inductees to Canadian Basketball Hall of Fame (CBC) CANADIAN STORY I am huge Steve Nash fan. This is long overdue. "Steve Nash, a two-time NBA MVP and voted one of the league's 75 greatest players of all time, is among a group of seven who will be inducted into the Canadian Basketball Hall of Fame. Nash will enter as part of the class of 2021 alongside Stewart Granger and Angela (Johnson) Straub."

  6. Kevin Costner chosen as Calgary Stampede parade marshal (CBC) CALGARY STORY #JohnDutton #Yellowstone This is awesome. "The Calgary Stampede parade marshal for 2022 will be Kevin Costner, officials announced on Tuesday. In a video message accompanying the news release, the Academy Award-winning actor and director said he was honoured to be chosen and noted he has a personal connection to Calgary and Alberta. 'I have a lot of fond memories of being in Calgary. It has made a big difference to me in my life to make Open Range and Let Him Go there. It's one of the most beautiful spots,' he said."

  7. Vancouver's Published on Main tops list of Canada's best restaurants (CBC) CANADIAN STORY This is a great list and Calgary is very well represented with Major Tom, River Cafe, D.O.P. Eight, and Nupo. "A marquee list of Canada's best restaurants has returned after a pandemic-induced hiatus, ushering with it what some hope is a revival for fine dining in this country. The list of Canada's 100 Best Restaurants has named Published on Main the No. 1 culinary place to be — the first time a Vancouver restaurant has earned top spot on the list — while Major Tom in Calgary was named the best new eatery."

  8. Why a 110-million-year-old raptor skeleton should never have been sold at auction for over US$12M (The Conversation) I agree in every way. Our natural history should not be for sale. "In mid-May, Christie’s auction house in New York sold a raptor skeleton (Deinonychus) for US$12.4 million. This represents a failure to protect and share our natural history with everyone. We are paleontologists and represent the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology, a group of 2,000 scientists, students and museum professionals around the world. We are promoting awareness of the problems that high-profile auctions of vertebrate fossils cause, and why we think they shouldn’t happen."

  9. $4.5M investment in Yukon innovation, entrepreneurship (EAWAZ) YUKON STORY #Bravo Congrats to all. "A key part of Canada’s economic recovery is supporting businesses as they adapt, grow, and move forward from the pandemic. Businesses and entrepreneurs need a strong foundation, built on technological innovation and clean growth to create the workforce of the future. Across the territories, Northern and Indigenous partners are building a path forward through creativity, collaboration and determination. In the Yukon, this is demonstrated by the united efforts of the Yukon’s innovation community, which has worked closely together to adapt and grow through challenging times."

  10. Heritage Park to become home for permanent Top 7 Over 70 exhibit (Calgary Herald) CALGARY STORY A perfect setting for this exhibit. Congrats to all of this year's honourees. "The Top 7 Over 70 organization and Heritage Park announced a new partnership Friday that will see the park host a permanent Top 7 Over 70 display."

SEVEN LIFE AND CAREER HACKS

  1. 3 Autobiographies To Read if You Want To Feel Inspired (Books Are Our Superpower) When a list of three autobiographies includes Wab Kinew, you know it's not an average list.

  2. 9 weird little tricks to create an insanely unfair advantage in your life (Alex Mathers) Are you ready to hammer away at something with the ‘unreasonable’ and obsessive drive of a baboon on crack? NOTE: Language warning.

  3. I Did a 12-Minute Stretching Exercise Each Day for 42 Days (Sufyan Maan) Mobility is life. These are excellent.

  4. On the Practice of Reflection (Personal Growth) This is WAY beyond recapping your day. And the results are also next level.

  5. I Did 5 Minute Plank Routine Daily for 38 Days — It Got Me in the Best Shape of My Life (Better Humans) The pleasure is in suffering. Right? :-)

  6. I started using Airtable instead of four giants (Notion, Trello, Evernote, Asana). (ILLUMINATION) I am an Airtable fanboy and I know that it's awesome because I introduced Christine to it and she LOVES it. #NerdForTheWin

  7. 10 Japanese Concepts For Self-Improvement and a Balanced Life (Better Humans) Some well known (Ikigai and Kaizen) but some new favourites as well including one I most resonate with (Omotenashi).

TOP THREE GIFTS OF THE WEEK

  1. Imperial’s push toward sustainable aviation boosted by £25 million donation (Imperial) "The £25 million donation – one of the largest in the College’s history – comes from Aeronautical Engineering alumnus Brahmal Vasudevan, Founder and CEO of private equity firm Creador, and his wife Shanthi Kandiah, founder of legal firm SK Chambers."

  2. Largest donation to UofL, $47 million, will spearhead new center aimed to research health equity (CBS) "A historic donation made to the University of Louisville will spearhead a new center downtown that will focus on health equity. Philanthropist Christina Lee Brown will be donating $30 million dollars over the next 20 years. It will help build the Christine Lee Brown Envirome Institute - New Vision of Health Campus."

  3. Western University grad donates $10M to help future entrepreneurs develop their ideas (Global News) LONDON STORY "Entrepreneurial education at Western University is getting a boost in funding with the donation of $10 million from Canadian entrepreneur Ron Schmeichel."

LAST WEEK'S MOST POPULAR STORIES

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