Weekly News Recap: February 14, 2025

Weekly News Recap: February 14, 2025

L-R: Cenovus Energy Senior Vice-President Corporate Development and Chief Sustainability Officer, Jeff Lawson, executrix of the estate of Arthur George “Bud” Hall, Shelly Norris and SAIT president and CEO David Ross pose for a picture after SAIT unveiled their $150-million Real Futures fundraising campaign to drive cross-campus transformation with already more then $100 million raised in Calgary on Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025. Darren Makowichuk/Postmedia

All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt. -- Charles M. Schulz

SOME GOOD NEWS

  • VIDEO: #TheMoment a Manitoba family deployed googly-eyed hockey sticks to poke fun at Trump (CBC) MANITOBA STORY Makes me smile. A rueful smile but still, a smile. "Shannon Proudfoot, Aaron Maciejko, and KJ de Groot recount the moment googly-eyed hockey sticks were stuck in a snowbank to poke fun at Donald Trump and his demand for 24/7 eyes on the border."

  • VIDEO: Massive moose made in snow with meticulous footprints 'very Canadian,' says artist (CBC) NEW BRUNSWICK STORY I heart Canadian art. "Graphic artist Eric Goggin of Salisbury, near Moncton, spent three hours outside his cottage designing a moose, using only his footprints and some fishing twine."

  • Jump rope performer used double Dutch ropes to save teen in icy pond (MSN) #JumpRopeHero "David Fisher has wielded jump ropes to wow presidents, break world records, dazzle millions of students and even create a super hero. But he had never used them to save a life. In mid-December, he got the chance when he approached a frozen pond near his home in Westfield, Indiana, after hearing the cries of a teenager who had fallen in. Fisher stepped out onto the ice, which cracked under his weight, armed only with two of his jump ropes and a plan to pull the young man out of a death trap."

  • IN PHOTOS | Best of the Westminster dog show (CBC) Spoiler: Monty, the Giant Schnauzer, won the show this year. "Dogs are vying for the big prize — best in show — at the United States' most prominent canine competition: the Westminster Kennel Club dog show [...] Four of the seven finalists have already been chosen to compete in the best in show, including: Bourbon, a whippet and repeat runner-up; Comet, a Shih Tzu, who has been a finalist before; and Mercedes, a German shepherd who came in second last year. But only one will win the best in show trophy."

  • VIDEO: A spine-zapping implant helped 3 people with a muscle-wasting disease walk better (AP News) #Amazing "Three people with a muscle-destroying disease destined to worsen got a little stronger – able to stand and walk more easily – when an implanted device zapped their spinal cord [R]esearchers reported what they called the first evidence that a spine-stimulating implant already being tested for paralysis might also aid neurodegenerative diseases like spinal muscle atrophy – by restoring some muscle function, at least temporarily."

  • A Rescue Team in Colorado Spent 13 Hours Saving a Dog Named Tiny (Outside Online) "After lowering 300 feet, Bean reached a ledge no bigger than a dinner table, jutting from the sheer precipice several hundred feet above the valley floor. That’s where Bean found Tiny the dog. “She looked at me like ‘oh my god, oh my god, a human!'” Bean told Outside. “She started wagging her tail and running back and forth. She just seemed so excited.”"

  • Norway nears 100% goal of all-electric cars (France 24) Norway for the win! "A total of 9,343 new cars were sold in January, of which 8,954 were all-electric, the Norwegian Road Federation (OFV) said. Of the 50 most-sold models, only two were non-electric, the first of which came in 33rd place, the OFV said."

TOP TEN STORIES OF THE WEEK

  1. SAIT launches $150M fundraising campaign to transform campus, update programs (Calgary Herald) Congrats to all. This is an exciting campaign! "The Southern Alberta Institute of Technology has launched a $150-million fundraising campaign to enhance applied education programs and better align them with industry needs. The Real Futures campaign seeks to incorporate new technologies, modernize learning spaces and foster curriculum updates to better prepare students for evolving job markets, SAIT officials said Tuesday at a campaign launch event. With more than $100 million already raised, SAIT president and CEO David Ross emphasized his institution’s commitment to working with industry and community partners to develop a strong talent pipeline capable of addressing economic shifts in Alberta."

  2. How Not to Be Cynical About Valentine’s Day (New York Times) Happy Valentine's Day to all. "Sarah Dimpengi has been single for the past four years. But on Feb. 14, she plans to decorate her apartment with pink, red and white balloons and invite friends over for cherry margaritas and heart-shaped pizzas."

  3. VIDEO: 'Made in Canada' vs. 'Product of Canada' — What's the difference? (CBC) CANADIAN STORY "The push to buy Canadian has turned out to be more complicated than some consumers expected. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has urged Canadians to buy domestic goods in the wake of U.S. President Donald Trump's recent tariff threats, suggesting picking 'Canadian rye over Kentucky bourbon or forgoing Florida orange juice altogether.' Several premiers have made similar pleas. But those heeding the calls have run into some confusion, because some products are labelled 'Made in Canada' while others say 'Product of Canada' — or something else entirely. So what does it all mean?"

  4. Funders, stop bringing spreadsheets to knife fights! (Nonprofit AF) "Right-wing funders are ruthless and focused in their goals of shaping society according to their often-abhorrent values. Meanwhile, progressive-leaning funders are mired in toxic intellectualizing, where white papers, evaluation reports, summits, and endless research and pontification are seen as equal, if not superior, to taking meaningful and decisive action."

  5. Behold the fungus that turns spiders into zombies and marches them to their deaths (CBC) #Eek "Zombified spiders infected by deadly fungi in dark caves may be the stuff of nightmares for some people. But, for [Tim Fogg], it's a dream. 'I find it fascinating and extraordinary and really intriguing,' [...] Though, he admits, it's 'sad for the spiders.' "

  6. VIDEO: Electrified slime with real-world potential (CBC) SASKATOON STORY Cool! "Researchers at the Canadian Light Source in Saskatoon are working hard to develop an electrified slime with real-world applications. Erica Pensini joined Saskatoon Morning to talk about how this slime could work and what it could be used for."

  7. VIDEO: City committee OK's recreation recommendations that could cost up to $6B over 25 years (CBC) CALGARY STORY Update: The City approved this plan. "The City of Calgary's community development committee unanimously approved recommendations for reimagining Calgary's recreational facilities, to meet the needs of the city's growing population. 'Gameplan' is a blueprint for the next 25 years that calls for constructing new city-owned recreational facilities and revitalizing existing ones. If approved, the strategy could cost the city between $200 million and $250 million per year — or up to $6 billion over 25 years."

  8. VIDEO: The Birkie makes a comeback as it turns 40 (CBC) ALBERTA STORY Welcome back Birkie! "The Canadian Birkebeiner celebrates 40th anniversary this year with ideal snowfall and sun, after a year off due to no snow."

  9. VIDEO: Chartreuse shortage has bartenders crying and an Ottawa distillery innovating (CBC) "The French liqueur Chartreuse has become a cult favourite in the bartending community in recent years. That popularity, plus a production cap by the monks who make it, has resulted in a shortage in many markets."

  10. Calgary is Canada's second most vulnerable city to U.S. tariffs, says report (CBC) CALGARY STORY "Calgary is one of the most tariff-vulnerable cities in Canada, falling behind only Saint John, N.B., according to new analysis conducted by the Canadian Chamber of Commerce. Using Statistics Canada trade data, the chamber developed an index to model two key point: a city's dependence on the U.S. as a key export destination, and its U.S. export intensity. That index found that, of Canada's 41 biggest cities, the three most vulnerable to U.S. tariffs are Saint John, Calgary and Windsor. Lethbridge is 10th on the list."

SEVEN LIFE AND CAREER HACKS

  1. The hidden mathematics behind why you find things beautiful (Big Think) Math is everywhere.

  2. Why People Act So Weirdly at Airports (Wired) Now I know why I feel weird (and axioms at airports).

  3. VIDEO: A physical therapist recommends this one exercise to open up your upper back—I put it to the test (Fit & Well) I tried it...it feels amazing.

  4. Museums as Medicine? The Growing Trend of Art Prescriptions (The Observer) I have been watching this trend for a while and all I can say is "more please."

  5. New loneliness study shows that people care about you more than you think (Upworthy) You are loved.

  6. What Does The Balsamic Mean In Balsamic Vinegar? (The Takeout) I knew you wanted to know.

  7. Why polar bear fur doesn't freeze (NPR) My hair stylist knew the answer right away.

TOP THREE GIFTS OF THE WEEK

  1. Elevance Health Foundation commits $150 million for health disparities (Philanthropy News Digest) "The Elevance Health Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Elevance Health Inc., has announced a five-year, $150 million commitment to address health disparities across the country."

  2. DICK’S Sporting Goods commits $10 million to disaster relief efforts (Philanthropy News Digest) "DICK’S Sporting Goods and its affiliated foundation have announced a commitment of more than $10 million to assist communities impacted by the devastating wildfires in California and the mass destruction caused by flooding in North Carolina."

  3. CBU fundraiser for new science building replacement gets $5M boost from Nova Scotia Power (Cape Breton Post) CAPE BRETON STORY "Cape Breton University has received a $5-million donation from Nova Scotia Power to support scholarships for students and help fund a new Centre for Discovery and Innovation at the university’s Grand Lake Road campus."

LAST WEEK'S MOST POPULAR STORIES

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