Weekly News Recap: October 21, 2022

Dr. Gabriela Kucharski is the secretary of health for Toledo, a city in southwestern Brazil. Amid the worst of the pandemic, she convinced Pfizer to choose Toledo for an experiment that would provide free COVID vaccines for every resident. Ian Cheibub for NPR

You treat a disease, you win, you lose. You treat a person, I guarantee you, you’ll win, no matter what the outcome. -- Patch Adams

SOME GOOD NEWS

We visited Studio Ghibli’s long-awaited theme park. It’s a sensory delight. (Washington Post) Stunning. Beautiful. "Don’t expect rides or human-sized characters posing for photos. The vision for the 494-acre park is unique to the vision of Hayao Miyazaki, the studio’s 81-year-old co-founder, and is an homage to his legacy as a groundbreaking animator and creator."
California children can now receive free books thanks to Dolly Parton (KTLA) Yet another reason to love this woman. "A new bill signed into law will now provide millions of children in California with free books thanks to Dolly Parton. The bill [...] will provide funding for Parton’s 'Imagination Library' program, providing free books to children from birth to 5 years old [...] Free books will be mailed directly to the child’s home at no cost to their family."
How this Brazilian doc got nearly every person in her city to take a COVID vaccine (NPR) This story stopped me in my tracks. I encourage you read it, in all its amazing entirety. "It's one of the most impressive COVID vaccination campaigns in the world. And it began with a text message out of the blue. Dr. Gabriela Kucharski had just dropped off her son at his elementary school when her phone pinged. It was a researcher from a nearby university, asking Kucharski — who heads the health department of Brazil's southwestern city of Toledo — to call back immediately. 'And I remember that I stopped the car,' says Kucharski, 'And I said, 'Uh ... Hello. How are you? What do you need?' The researcher explained that the pharmaceutical company Pfizer was looking to pick a city in Brazil for a study: They wanted to see if you could stop COVID by vaccinating every single person there — in one fell swoop."
What Does Sustainable Living Look Like? Maybe Like Uruguay (New York Times) #OnePossibleFuture "This is the problem with any climate policy, big or small: It requires an imaginative leap. While the math of decarbonization and electric mobilization is clear, the future lifestyle it implies isn’t always."
NASA releases new, more vivid images of the famed Pillars of Creation (CBC) #Aweinspiring "One of the most celebrated, awe-inspiring images of modern astronomy, revealing colossal spires of interstellar gas and dust called the Pillars of Creation, has been rendered anew with greater depth, clarity and colour by the James Webb Space Telescope. The new view of the pillars, first made famous when captured in 1995 by Webb's predecessor observatory, the Hubble Space Telescope, was unveiled by NASA on Wednesday, three months after Webb's inaugural batch of cosmic photos was unveiled as it began full operations."
These colourful fish use their massive mouths to protect their love dens (CBC) Yes, this is what they are called. "When male sarcastic fringeheads get into a conflict, the spoils of war tend to go to the fish with the biggest mouth. Sometimes, the colourful reef-dwellers will fight over territory, smashing their gaping maws together in what looks like a violent kissing contest. But most of the time, if one fish's lips are big enough to strike fear into his challenger's heart, that's enough to prevent a physical altercation."
Mother-daughter duo recreate a frozen Han Solo — entirely out of bread (CBC) #NerdAlert "A mother and daughter in Benicia, Calif., have cooked up a life-size sculpture of Star Wars hero Han Solo — and it's made entirely out of bread. The 1.8-metre-tall creation, which Catherine Pervan and her daughter Hannalee named 'Pan Solo,' depicts a classic scene from the 1980 film The Empire Strikes Back. Darth Vader had just trapped Harrison Ford's character in carbonite, and the lovable space scoundrel's face and hands were contorted in agony."
Man pops the question after girlfriend crosses finish line at P.E.I. Marathon (CBC) PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND STORY #RomanceIsNotDead "Samantha Legge just finished running 21 kilometres and, drenched in sweat and feeling a bit ill, who does she see waiting at the finish line wearing a bow tie and spiffy suit jacket with shorts and sneakers? Her boyfriend, and he's smirking. What's that in his hand? Now he's getting down on one knee. Legge had an inkling Scott Porter might propose this weekend during the 18th-annual P.E.I. Marathon. Still, she said she was in 'absolute and utter shock' when he popped the question in the middle of the street as other runners crossed the finish line."
NASA’s SpaceX Crew-4 Astronauts Safely Splash Down in Atlantic (NASA) #WelcomeHome "NASA’s SpaceX Crew-4 astronauts aboard the Dragon spacecraft safely splashed down Friday off the coast of Jacksonville, Florida, completing the agency’s fourth commercial crew mission to the International Space Station. The international crew of four spent 170 days in orbit. NASA astronauts Bob Hines, Kjell Lindgren, and Jessica Watkins and ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti returned to Earth in a parachute-assisted [splashdown.]"
Meet the 85-year-old Ontario grandmother who just graduated with a university degree (CBC) TORONTO STORY It is never too late. "Hortense Anglin remembers feeling inspired watching her younger sister Ossie Lindo accept her degree from Toronto's York University at a graduation ceremony four years ago. And last Thursday, it was finally her turn. To the tune of thunderous applause and a standing ovation, the 85-year-old got her chance to walk onstage and receive her bachelor of arts in religious studies at York, which also happens to be where her granddaughter went to university."

TOP TEN STORIES OF THE WEEK

WATCH: DOLLY PARTON RECEIVES 2022 CARNEGIE MEDAL OF PHILANTHROPY: “I JUST GIVE FROM MY HEART” (CMT) Congatulations! So well-deserved. "Dolly Parton’s heart of gold has received the recognition it deserves. The country music legend went to New York City [...] to accept the 2022 Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy. Parton was one of five that received the prestigious honor for her extraordinary charitable efforts. The accolade aims to inspire 'a culture of giving.' “Parton was recognized for her investments in alleviating poverty, strengthening early childhood education through the distribution of free books worldwide, increasing college access, and advancing medical research [...] including on pediatric infectious diseases and the development of a COVID-19 vaccine."
Calgary to avoid worst of forecasted recession, economist says (CBC) CALGARY STORY It's working! "Calgary and the province will avoid major financial setbacks in the year ahead, despite forecasts of a global recession, an economist says. That's due to commodity price-driven growth and the momentum of long-term diversification of Calgary and Alberta's economy."
Canada's 'tenuous hold' in Arctic could be challenged by Russia, China, says top soldier (CBC) CANADIAN STORY Not and immediate threat but I suspect, ultimately, a real one. "Canada's hold on the outer reaches of its Arctic territory is 'tenuous' and will face significant challenges from both Russia and China in the future, the country's top military commander warned a parliamentary committee on Tuesday. Gen. Wayne Eyre, the chief of the defence staff, told the House of Commons defence committee — which has embarked on a study of the country's security posture in the region — that the Far North does not face an immediate threat."
VIDEO: University of Calgary study finds rise in family violence during pandemic (Global) CANADIAN STORY "Dr. Nicole Letourneau with the University of Calgary’s Faculty of Nursing and Cumming School of Medicine joins Global News Calgary to discuss new research showing a troubling rise in incidents of family violence during the COVID-19 pandemic."
Canada's ERs are under intense pressure — and winter is coming (CBC) CANADIAN STORY This has to be considered a crisis. "Hospital emergency departments are jammed up in much of the country even before the traditional flu season begins, raising concerns about the winter months ahead. In Montreal, for instance, ERs hovered at about 150 per cent capacity for much of the past week — and some surpassed 200 per cent. Dr. Judy Morris, head of the Quebec Association of Emergency Physicians, said the sustained pressure on the system from the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent staffing shortages has taken a toll. 'It's kind of unseen to have that over such a long period,' said Morris, an emergency physician at Sacré-Coeur hospital in Montreal. 'Certainly the lack of personnel — all types of personnel, but mostly nursing personnel — is hurting us across the health-care network."
Human rights leaders to receive honorary degrees during fall convocation (Folio) EDMONTON STORY Congratulations to all! "Two outstanding advocates for human rights, inclusive education and equity will receive the University of Alberta’s highest honour this November as part of fall convocation ceremonies. 'At every convocation, we seek to honour individuals who inspire our students, who reflect the best of what our university strives to achieve, and who have made remarkable contributions to our community and the world,' says U of A chancellor Peggy Garritty. 'Elder Elmer Ghostkeeper and Jalal Barzanji certainly meet that bar, and I’m proud to celebrate their accomplishments this fall.'"
Tech companies calling on Alberta premier to intervene in battle over 'software engineer' title (CBC) ALBERTA STORY "Canadian tech companies are calling on the new premier of Alberta to intervene after a regulatory group took legal action over job titles such as 'software engineer.' More than 30 signatories of a letter sent to Danielle Smith on Friday say the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta (APEGA) 'has taken the aggressive position that software engineers must be regulated, and subject to onerous, restrictive, and unnecessary certification requirements.' The signatories, which include executives from Helcim, Aimso and Neo Financial, see 'software engineer' as a standard job title for anyone building technical programs and argue APEGA shouldn't be treating it as a role in need of certification and regulation like professional engineers."
Hockey Canada accepts Cromwell report, vows to 'regain the trust of Canadians' (CBC) CANADIAN STORY "Hockey Canada says it accepts a former Supreme Court justice's report calling on the organization to address a lack of transparency and oversight related to a controversial reserve fund used to quietly settle uninsured liabilities — including sexual assault allegations. The hockey organization's response comes a day after CBC News reported that the new report, commissioned by Hockey Canada, found that its reserve fund is necessary." RELATED: Canadian Tire’s break with Hockey Canada highlights brand evolution
The next time Wikipedia asks for a donation ignore it (The Post) "No one wants to be a bad person, and you probably felt pretty bad when you saw the heart-breaking appeal and just carried on clicking. Wikipedia is midway through a six-week fund-raising drive in Anglophone regions including the United States, the UK, New Zealand and Australia. The banner ads beg for 'just £2', which doesn’t sound like much, for all that free information. But before you start feeling too guilty, it’s worth considering some facts."
Sharon Osbourne Supports Kanye West, Demands ‘Black Lives Matter Scam’ Donation Refund! (Celebrating The Soaps) #Ugh "Kanye West has gone on yet another long voyage of Instagram rants and inflammatory interviews. And the rapper turned fashion designer has faced an on-going backlash as a result. But amid the slams, Kanye received support from an unexpected source. And Sharon Osbourne, outspoken former talk show host, didn’t hold back on defending West."

SEVEN LIFE AND CAREER HACKS

For one year, I desperately chased sleep. Once I stopped trying, it found me (CBC) I have been having some real trouble sleeping so this story called to me.
How Can Society Prepare for the Moral Norms of Tomorrow? (Wired) I find this topic so interesting. We find it pretty easy to #cancel folks today (or even from yesterday). What are you (we) doing today that will be looked upon with horror by those who come after us?
Grants, subsidies, donations, corporate sponsorships and fundraising take centre stage in the not-for-profit performing arts industries in Canada (Statistics Canada) For arts and culture data nerds (#me), this is a very interesting read.
Work 4 hours and Get MORE Done than a 12-hour Shifter: Deep Work by Cal Newport- 1/2 of Part #2 (Haven of the Readers) I have increasingly found that I only have 4 hours of strong energy in any given day. How about you?
6 Writing Tools That Make My Life Easier (The Startup) When the first three tools are also my favourites, this article is a keeper.
How to decide which days to work from the office?- A UX case study (Rajat Jain) This is less about the outcome and more about the process but the process...is amazing!
Hick’s Law — More options, more problems! (Bootcamp) We do need to provide options but...how many? Hick's law can help.

TOP THREE GIFTS OF THE WEEK

YWCA Regina gets $5M private donation for new Centre For Women and Families (Regina Leader Post) REGINA STORY Great gift! "Jill and Gordon Rawlinson, Saskatchewan philanthropists and owners of Rawlco Radio, have pledged $5 million to help build the new centre, becoming the lead gift for the project."
MacKenzie Scott’s latest $84.5 million donation could transform Girl Scouts as you know them (CNBC) This story made me cry. The affirmation of what the Girl Scouts stand for is even more important that the money. #SoGreat "On Tuesday, the Girl Scouts of the USA announced a $84.5 million gift from the billionaire, the biggest donation from a single benefactor in the organization’s history. The money will go toward updating facilities, hiring new staff and making membership more accessible for girls from all backgrounds, the Girl Scouts said."
Gates Foundation boosts GivingTuesday with $10 million gift (Portland Press Herald) Way to go GivingTuesday! "The new gift announced Tuesday also represents the Gates Foundation’s ongoing efforts to encourage people to give. The Giving Pledge, which the Gateses founded with Berkshire Hathaway CEO Warren Buffett, asks billionaires to donate more than half of their wealth to charitable causes within their lifetimes, while GivingTuesday seeks to mobilize everyone else."

LAST WEEK'S MOST POPULAR STORIES

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Vincent DuckworthOctober 20, 2022Comment