Weekly News Recap: Jan 10, 2020

Weekly News Recap: January 10, 2020

Edmonton victims of Wednesday's Ukraine jet crash in Iran, clockwise from left: University of Alberta professors Mojgan Daneshmand and Pedram Mousavi and their daughters Daria and Dorina Mousavi; Newlyweds Arash Pourzarabi, and Pouneh Gorji; U of A graduate student Amir Hossein Saeedinia; University of Alberta student Nasim Rahmanifar; Shekoufeh Choupannejad, an obstetrician, gynecologist at Northgate Mall. SUPPLIED PHOTOS

The art of art, the glory of expression and the sunshine of the light of letters, is simplicity. -- Walt Whitman

This week's highlights

Australian Bush Fires

  • Mining billionaire Andrew Forrest pledges $70 million bushfire relief and recovery donation (ABC) Boom! "WA mining billionaire Andrew 'Twiggy' Forrest has announced he will spend $70 million on a bushfire recovery package for fire-affected communities on Australia's east-coast." 1/9/20*

  • Qantas to install donation collection points in terminals, convert Qantas Points to cash donations (The Blue Swan Daily) "Qantas, via its official Facebook account, announced (07-Jan-2020) the carrier is donating AUD1 million (USD685,589) to Australia‘s bushfire relief and recovery, with plans to install donation collection points in terminals and enable Qantas Points to be converted into cash donations [...]. Efforts in total are expected to raise more than AUD3 million (USD2.1 million) in support." 1/8/20

  • 'F—k it, save the koalas': Sex workers, models send nudes in exchange for Australia wildfire donations (Regina Leader Post) I suspect this is not the last we will see of this approach. "Sex workers around the world will extinguish the Australian wildfires by flooding the Internet with their nudes — as long as a donation is made first. The novel fundraising idea went viral [...] when Kaylen Ward, a 20-year-old model from Los Angeles who sells sexual pictures and videos online, sent out a tweet. She said that for every person who sent her a receipt showing a minimum $10 donation to a list of bushfire charities, she would send back a nude photo of herself." 1/8/20

  • AUSTRALIA WILDFIRES: CHRIS HEMSWORTH DONATES $1 MILLION TO HELP FIREFIGHTERS AND URGES PEOPLE TO 'DIG DEEP' (The Independent) Go Thor! "Chris Hemsworth has pledged to donate $1m (£524,952) towards helping local fire services and residents in Australia who have been affected by the worsening wildfire crisis." 1/7/20

  • Elton John pledges $1 million to bushfire relief during Aussie concert (news.com.au) Go Rocket Man! "Sir Elton John has announced a $1 million donation to victims of the “apocalyptic” bushfires in Australia during his Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour. The British music icon, 71, was performing at the Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney [...] when he made the pledge to thousands of fans. 'You should all be in awe of the work that the firefighters are doing,' John said." 1/8/20

  • Remarkable $30 million donation made to bushfire relief (Yahoo) I love it when they refer to a successful business person as a tycoon. Good on ya Mr. Ramsay! "As donations for firefighters and bushfire victims continue to rise by the millions, The Paul Ramsay Foundation has responded to the 'national tragedy' by pledging a remarkable $30 million." 1/7/20

  • Aussie NBA players team up to donate over $1 million for bushfire relief (Fox Sports) I love that there are nine Aussies in the NBA. Thanks guys! "The nine Australians in the NBA have partnered with the league and the National Basketball Players Association to donate an incredible sum of money toward bushfire relief and recovery efforts. A total of $US750,000 will be donated on behalf of the players and two associations, with the money to provide support for organisations across Australia that are contributing to those affected by the bushfires, which have swept through the much of the country over the summer." 1/7/20

  • ‘Heartbroken’ Kylie Minogue Matches Pink’s Half A Million Dollar Donation To Australian Firefighters (Huffington Post) Yet another reason to love both her and Pink. "Kylie Minogue has pledged half a million dollars to the Australian firefighters tackling her home country’s worsening wildfire crisis. The Aussie singer’s pledge, which was made on behalf of the entire Minogue family, matches the donation made by Pink over the weekend." 1/6/20

  • Celeste Barber’s Bushfire Fundraiser Smashes $30M With No Sign Of Slowing Down (Pedestrian) "The Facebook donation page established by Barber [...] has sailed past the $31 million mark, promising an astonishing wad of cash for volunteer firefighters, aid agencies, and wildlife rehabilitation initiatives amid an unprecedented bushfire season." 1/6/20

  • James Packer and family donate $5 million to bushfire volunteers and wildlife (7 News) "Billionaire businessman James Packer and his family have donated $5 million to bushfire volunteers and wildlife. [A] spokesperson for Packer said the donation would go to fire and wildlife services in NSW, Victoria and Western Australia. The $5 million includes a $1 million pledge Packer made in November to the NSW Rural Fire Service." 1/6/20

  • Ash Barty to donate Brisbane International prize money to Australian bushfire appeal (news.com.au) "Many of Australia’s sporting heroes have pledged to donate to the Australian bushfire appeal [...] including Nick Kyrgios, Chris Lynn and Peter Siddle. Barty will donate AU$360,000 if she wins the tournament, which takes place before the highly-anticipated Australian Open." 1/5/20

  • Nicole Kidman And Keith Urban Make Half-A-Million Dollar Donation To Australia’s Wildfire Relief (ET Canada) "Nicole Kidman is giving back to her country in a time of need. The actress and her husband Keith Urban just made a $500,000 donation to the Rural Fire Services." 1/4/20

  • Rio Tinto increases donation to Red Cross for Australian bushfire relief (Mining Nes Africa) "Rio Tinto has donated a further A$750 000 to the Red Cross’ disaster relief and recovery efforts that are supporting people affected by Australia’s bushfire crisis. This is in addition to the A$250 000 that Rio Tinto donated to the Red Cross in November 2019, bringing the company’s total donation to A$1 million." 1/3/20

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News

  • Iran plane crash: Here’s what we know about the victims who lived in Canada (Global News) CANADIAN STORY This affects and has affected us all. Our hearts and thoughts go out to the families, friends, and colleagues of all those who died in this terrible tragedy. 63 of them were Canadian. 27 of them were from Edmonton. May they all rest in peace. 1/8/20

  • $500k donation to help preserve Crowsnest Pass wildlife corridor (Lethbridge News Now) CROWSNEST PASS STORY A beautiful gift and a fitting legacy for Premier Prentice. Nice work CP! "CP is donating half a million dollars to the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) to support a 'critical wildlife corridor' near the B.C.-Alberta border. Called the Jim Prentice Wildlife Corridor, after former-Alberta Premier Jim Prentice, it is located between Crowsnest Lake and the town of Coleman, connecting crown forest reserve lands in the north to the Castle parks network (Castle Provincial Park and Castle Wildland Provincial Park) along with Waterton Lakes National Park and Glacier National park." 1/7/20

  • Alberta’s climate the focus of website curated by U of L professors (Lethbridge News Now) ALBERTA STORY This is a very cool resource. "If you’ve ever wanted to see exactly how Alberta’s climate has changed over the years, two University of Lethbridge professors have you covered. Doctor Stefan Kienzle of the Department of Geography & Environment and Christine Clark with the Department of New Media have curated a website studying just that." 1/7/20

  • Strategic Group ordered to put properties with $650M in mortgages into receivership (CBC) CALGARY STORY "The Calgary-based Strategic Group's bid to put more than 50 properties under creditor protection has been rejected — meaning those properties, with mortgages totalling nearly $651 million, will now be placed in receivership." 1/4/20

  • 'Wonderful human being': Londoners react to death of philanthropist Richard Ivey at 94 (St. Thomas Times Journal) The namesake of one of our top business schools, he was a titan. RIP Mr. Ivey. You will be missed and we will not see your like again. "Ivey, after a career as a London businessperson and lawyer, is best known for philanthropy, heading a foundation that bears the family name and has given about $100 million to various causes across Canada over the course of its history [...]. Ivey, after a career as a London businessperson and lawyer, is best known for philanthropy, heading a foundation that bears the family name and has given about $100 million to various causes across Canada over the course of its history." 1/2/20

  • Reitmans CEO Jeremy Reitman has died, company announces (CBC) CANADIAN STORY Thanks for being a trailblazer Mr. Rietman. Many of of remember the Reitmans, Penningtons and Addition Elle stores in our towns and cities. RIP. "Jeremy Reitman, a stalwart of the Canadian womenswear scene who guided Montreal-based Reitmans Ltd. through the so-called retail apocalypse, has died." 12/30/19

  • 7 things that could go right (or wrong) for Canada's energy sector in 2020 (CBC) ALBERTA STORY I am hoping for them to go right. "It's been another tumultuous year for Canada's oil and gas sector. From regulatory upheaval to layoffs to pipeline bottlenecks and mandatory production cuts, there's been no shortage of news to shake up the oilpatch. Those issues will continue during the year ahead — as will scrutiny of its environmental performance amid broader discussions about climate change. But, as the year drew to a close, the industry also saw progress on two long-awaited pipeline projects, perhaps giving those who work in the sector a reason for some optimism. Here is a look at some of things to watch in the oil and gas sector — as well as nuclear and renewables — in 2020." 12/29/19

  • U.S. astronaut sets record for longest space flight by a woman (CBC) Woot! "A U.S. astronaut set a record [...] for the longest single space flight by a woman, breaking the old mark of 288 days with about two months left in her mission. Christina Koch, a 40-year-old electrical engineer from Livingston, Mont., arrived at the International Space Station on March 14. She broke the record set by former space station commander Peggy Whitson in 2016-2017." 1/9/20

  • Rideau Hall announces 120 companions, officers and members of the order (CBC) CANADIAN STORY Congrats to all with special congrats to Katherine Govier (I knew her father), Steve Hrudey (I worked with him at the UofA) and former prime minister Stephen Harper. Rideau Hall announces 120 companions, officers and members of the order. 12/27/19

  • New CMLC head looking to city's future in wake of arena deal (Calgary Herald) CALGARY STORY "With a $550-million deal to build Calgary’s new arena officially signed and in the books, Kate Thompson is taking the helm at the Calgary Municipal Land Corp., well aware of the pressure the city is under to produce a structure every bit as iconic as the Saddledome it will replace." 12/26/19

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Books to read

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

  1. This Is What Happens When You Simplify Your Life (Personal Growth) Are you living in the past? Stop it. 1/6/20

  2. Genius Things To Do On A Sunday To Have A Productive Week (Personal Growth Lab) Sundays are magical days. This is one of the reasons why. 1/6/20

  3. Climbing broken ladders: Women aspiring to nonprofit leadership (Charity Village) Lots of great info and resources here. 1/2/20

  4. How the Japanese Concept of Ichigo Ichie Can Tune You in to Your Life (Forge) Be in the moment. No, really, read what I just said. 12/30/19

  5. 13 places to find Beautiful Free Illustrations (Prototypr.io) This is a stunning, awesome resource. 12/27/19

  6. Life Truths That Will Set You Free (Self) Um...yes. YES! (Especially the fourth truth) 5/27/19

  7. How To Avoid The Illusion Of Progress (Productivity) I am committed to the ideal that 2020 will not be an illusion. 3/13/19

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Uncommon knowledge

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Opinion

  • How Much Do You Make? Here's Why We All Should Answer | Opinion (Newsweek) A great article on salary transparency by my friend Kim Churches. Go Kim! "Some fascinating Googles Docs have been making the rounds lately—spreadsheets where people in various industries share how much they're being paid. 'Talking about how much or how little money you make feels taboo, and it shouldn't,' begins one document, featuring statistics from 1,000-plus journalists at the nation's top media organizations. 'Knowledge is power...so let's share what we make and any relevant info to help each other learn our worth!' 11/27/19

  • A Year-End Plea From a Family Foundation CEO: Think Twice Before Giving to Your Alma Mater (Chronicle of Philanthropy) I love education and I support it philanthropically. So does this author. What she is asking us to think about is where, exactly, in education, do we need to be spending our money. Great piece. "If you are fortunate enough to be thinking about year-end charitable-giving deductions or estate planning, statistics suggest that your college alma mater isn’t the neediest recipient of your largesse." 1/23/20

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Philanthropic personalities

  • ‘Inside Philanthropy’ Names George Soros Philanthropist of the Year/ (Barrons) To my mind, one of the greatest living philanthropists. Well done Inside Philanthropy! "For his fight for academic freedom in Central Europe, and his resistance to the rising tide of authoritarianism worldwide, Soros was chosen Philanthropist of The Year by Inside Philanthropy, a website launched in 2013 to focus on large philanthropic foundations and wealthy donors." 1/3/20

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Philanthropic controversy

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Trends and shifts

  • These Key Tech Trends Will Shape Philanthropy In 2020 (Forbes) "Philanthropy isn't known for operating at startup speed. Societal, economic and environmental change can take years, and new challenges seem to pop up just when something else is resolved. That said, philanthropy is a massive trillion-dollar industry, and it's not immune to the big technology trends sweeping the nation." 1/6/20

  • Millennials And Charitable Giving: A New Approach To Philanthropy (WNPR) "Millennials now outnumber baby boomers in the population, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. And though the millennial generation has been stereotypically seen as self-absorbed and buried in student loan debt, they are involved in charitable giving. But they’re doing it differently than their parents have done." 12/27/19

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Reports and studies

  • A Not-So-Tidy Narrative (Inside Higher Ed) Turns out, our kids are complex. Who knew? "A narrative has emerged over the past several years that the majority of students attend college to get a job [...]. Research we’ve conducted over the last several years, however, shows the narrative that students are going to college simply to get a job isn’t quite so tidy. The decision-making process is far more complicated." 1/6/20

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Large gifts

  • Pfeiffer’s estate gives $1.7 M to community foundation (Interior News) SMITHERS STORY "The Bulkley Valley Community Foundation (BVCF) received a sizeable donation from Fritz Pfeiffer’s estate recently. The former Telkwa mayor, businessman and philanthropist died on January 30, 2019 at the age of 96." 1/4/20

  • Catholic Medical Center lands $15M 'transformative' donation for capital project (New Hampshire Union Leader) "The hospital has called the gift by local entrepreneurs Ken and Grace Solinsky 'transformative' for the multi-year building project. The 221,000-square-foot building will house an expanded emergency department, headquarters for the New England Heart & Vascular Institute, additional operating rooms and up to 90 private patient rooms, according to the hospital." 1/3/20

  • Iowa State athletics receives $10 million donation for Pedestrian Gateway (KCCI) "[Jamie] Pollard, Iowa State director of athletics, said the university received two gifts of $5 million from separate donors to fund the Pedestrian Gateway. The university is seeking approval from the Board of Regents in February for the construction of the bridge." 1/3/20

  • WATCH: Mystery Millionaire Makes Massive Donation to Israeli Hospital (United With Israel) Planned giving is alive and well in Israel too! "An unassuming 94-year-old Israeli man who passed away last week left a whopping $15 million dollars to a Tel Aviv hospital. While neighbors of Daniel Jacobson commented after his passing last week that he led a modest life, the donation that the retired attorney bequeathed to Ichilov Hospital in Tel Aviv was nothing to shake a stick at." 1/1/20

  • Japanese fashion tycoon makes huge 2 bil. yen 'hometown tax' donation to east Japan city (Mainichi) It is so interesting to see philanthropists giving to municipalities. "Residents and officials of this eastern Japan city were surprised and delighted after billionaire Yusaku Maezawa, founder and former president of online apparel giant Zozo Inc., donated 2 billion yen (about $18.257 million) to the municipal government under the so-called 'hometown tax' system." 12/27/19

  • UW-Milwaukee Receives $10M Donation Toward New Research Vessel (Wisconsin Public Radio) This is a cool gift! "Thanks to an anonymous donor, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s School of Freshwater Sciences has half the funding it needs to get a new research vessel. The $10 million donation is from an unknown donor who is a part of the Greater Milwaukee Foundation, and it's the largest gift UW-Milwaukee has ever received, according to the university." 12/27/19

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