Weekly News Recap: February 14, 2020
Weekly News Recap: February 14, 2020
The Simpson Centre was made possible through a generous gift from noted Calgary rancher and businessman John Simpson. Simpson, a born and raised Albertan, is the owner, chairman and CEO of the CANA Group of Companies, a family-owned private construction services and development company. (Photo: UCalgary)
What people say about me, is none of my business -- Anonymous
Happy Valentine's Day!
- VIDEO: Share some love this Valentine’s Day (Full Version) (Youtube) TORONTO STORY A beautiful video from two of our favourite organizations. "Valentine’s Day is a perfect time to #sharesomelove. That’s why all donations made at sharesomelove.ca in the month of February will be shared between SickKids Foundation and Sinai Health." 2/3/20
Li Ka Shing Institute of Virology at UofA is working on an antivirus and AI is being used to track its spread #Coronavirus
Our little Provocateur Blog is featured in Foundation Magazine #YayTeam
Sheldon Kennedy to be inducted in to Order of Hockey and Jean Grand-Maître announces his retirement #News
Edmonton's amiskwaciy Academy turns 20 #Congrats
Alexa now takes gifts for over 330 non-profits and Alyssa Nakken is MLB's first female head coach #Trends
And so much more...
Last week's most popular stories
Alberta grandmother Jenny Krupa is taking TikTok by storm (CBC)
Renowned Canadian scientist Frank Plummer dies in Kenya, where he led HIV breakthroughs (CBC)
Millions for charity … and Brexit: inside Peter Hargreaves’s world (The Guardian)
'We're responding to this threat': University of Alberta works to help stop novel coronavirus (Edmonton Journal) EDMONTON STORY Dr. Tyrrell is the Founding Director, Li Ka Shing Institute of Virology and former Dean of Medicine and Dentistry at the University of Alberta. I had the privilege of working with Dr. Tyrrell at the UofA."The University of Alberta’s Li Ka Shing Institute of Virology says a drug once used in an Ebola outbreak could fight the novel coronavirus [...]. 'The prospects for developing an antivirus that can be used in patients is very good, and it may happen in the next few weeks and be readily available – some compounds that are already on the market for their viruses that might work (against) this virus,' said Tyrrell." 2/11/20
Over US$25mln in coronavirus aid by Macau casinos, junkets (GGRAsia) "Macau casino operators and junket firms have so far in aggregate donated more than MOP200 million (US$25 million) either for research, infection-prevention, or treatment efforts regarding the novel coronavirus that has subsequently seen their gaming operations in the city shut down for 15 days from midnight on February 5." 2/10/20
Coronavirus: Using masks is important, but not enough to protect against the virus (The News Minute) "Demands for surgical masks have been soaring in view of the outbreak of novel coronavirus (nCoV), a respiratory virus. In fact, several parts of China have been seeing a shortage of masks in light of its growing demand. Although the exact characteristics of the transmission of nCoV are yet to be determined, respiratory viruses generally spread through droplets, such as when an infected person sneezes and coughs. And while people have been wearing masks to protect themselves from contracting the virus, experts have raised concerns over the efficacy of such masks." 2/9/20
Coronavirus: Chinese celebrity couple Deng Chao and Sun Li slammed for 'stingy' donation (Singapore Straits Times) Wow. Tough crowd! "Many Chinese celebrities have donated money to help in the fight against the coronavirus originating from Wuhan, China, but not all have received kudos for it. Power couple Deng Chao and Sun Li recently donated 300,000 yuan (S$59,500) to the cause but netizens said it was a small sum given how much they have made from their movies and TV serials." 2/9/20
How AI Is Tracking the Coronavirus Outbreak (Wired) "With the coronavirus growing more deadly in China, artificial intelligence researchers are applying machine-learning techniques to social media, web, and other data for subtle signs that the disease may be spreading elsewhere." 2/8/20
Li Na Donates 3 Million Yuan for Fighting Coronavirus Epidemic (Tennis World USA) "Retired Chinese tennis star Li Na has donated 3 million yuan (US$430,000) to the fight the coronavirus epidemic, according to the South China Morning Post. The two-time Grand Slam champion made the donation through a charity in Beijing." 2/7/20
- Buckle Up For A Rough Ride (Foundation Magazine) Our blog post was featured in Foundation Magazine. Nice work Andrea, Denise and Michelle. "Another Year Of Turbulence And Change In The Charitable Sector." January/February 2020
Sheldon Kennedy Named 2020 Inductee to Order of Hockey in Canada (Swift Current Online) SWIFT CURRENT STORY Congrats Sheldon! "A former Swift Current Broncos star will see yet another prestigious honour come his way in June. Former Broncos captain and Memorial Cup-winner Sheldon Kennedy was announced by Hockey Canada as one of three members in the 2020 class for the Order of Hockey in Canada." 2/11/20
VIDEO: Meet the Calgarian dancing her way through terminal brain cancer (CBC) CALGARY STORY Inspiring! "Rochelle Gartner was diagnosed with glioblastoma multiforme but is not allowing it to make her miss a single step. She speaks about her fortitude and legacy as her dance community prepares for an upcoming fundraiser for the next part of our Local Legends series. " 2/8/20
Art Gallery of Greater Victoria one step closer to major expansion (CBC) VICTORIA STORY Beautiful! "The Art Gallery of Greater Victoria is one step closer to a major expansion after Victoria city council voted in favour of a development permit [...]. The future plans for the gallery include more exhibition gallery space, classrooms, a café, a gift shop, archival storage and offices, and a multipurpose room and meeting spaces. Jon Tupper, director of the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, says it's all about keeping the museum, established in 1946, relevant." 2/7/20
Aurora Cannabis cuts 500 jobs across company, CEO steps down (CBC) EDMONTON STORY "Aurora Cannabis is laying off some 500 workers and replacing CEO Terry Booth, who has stepped down, the company said [recently]. The Edmonton-based cannabis giant said in a statement it has eliminated close to 500 full-time equivalent staff across its operations. It also said the board of directors will expand as part of the restructuring." 2/6/20
Jean Grand-Maître to step down as artistic director of Alberta Ballet after three-year transition (Calgary Herald) CALGARY STORY "Alberta Ballet’s longest-serving artistic director, Jean Grand-Maître, will step down after a three-year transition period that will see him passing the torch to Christopher Anderson by 2022, according to an announcement from the ballet company scheduled to be released today." 2/4/20
- First of its kind in Canada, amiskwaciy Academy turns 20 (CBC) EDMONTON STORY Wow, how time flies. I remember when this was first opened. Congrats! "When amiskwaciy Academy opened 20 years ago, it was considered groundbreaking and still is, says principal Fred Hines. 'We're very proud of who we are and what we do here,' he says. Hines has been at the helm of the Grade 7 to 12 Edmonton public school, which is steeped in Indigenous language, culture and traditions, for the last decade." 2/8/20
- Ryan Holiday Picks 20 Books to Help You Live Better in 2020 (The Forge) As soon as I saw The Library Book, I knew this had to be a good list. Christine read it and loved it. Enough for me. 1/10/20
Seven life and career hacks -- one for each day of the week
What Your Resting Heart Rate Says About You (elemental+) Mine is 69. While I am happy with that, I would like it to be lower. 2/6/20
An FBI Analyst’s 6 Steps for Predicting People’s Behavior (The Forge) *This is fascinating. And simple. But not obvious. At least not to me. 1/27/20
Your Inability to Do Pullups Is All in Your Head (elemental+) I was positively giddy reading this article. Doing a pull up is a personal grail for me. First though, I have to believe that I can do one. Wish me luck! 1/22/20
How unprocessed trauma is stored in the body (Mental Health) Or...why yoga might actually be a bigger deal in mental health that we realize. 1/21/20
How To Become A One-Drink Wonder (Refinery 29) This is an excellent article for anyone who feels that their relationship with alcohol is not what they want it it be. I sometimes feel this way. 1/19/20
20 Simple Ways To Live Your Life To The Fullest In 2020 (Publishous) Some we know and some new. And JOMO! 1/10/20
THE FACTS ON FACTS: USING DATA EFFECTIVELY FOR CHANGE (Charity Village) "As advocates, we are always striving for messaging that will change minds and motivate our audience to action. Part of this challenge includes finding that perfect balance of storytelling and data. Luckily, we don’t have to keep guessing as to the magic formula – there is research to guide us on this. Read on for four tips from messaging researchers that you can use to write your next advocacy piece with confidence." 12/4/19*
- Math’s Beautiful Monsters (Nautilus Magazine) Warning, this article is for math nerds. "If Newton had known about such functions, he would have never created calculus." Eek 7/21/20
- Criminalising campaigning (nfpSynergy) "The move to treat campaigning organisations like XR and Greenpeace as terrorist organisations is, in my opinion, a cynical one that builds on a trend of stigmatising and condemning the green movement. Adding Extinction Rebellion and other environmental movements to a list of threatening organisations must be contextualised within this political climate, as I feel it represents an attempt to extend police powers in limiting the freedom of movement of environmental organisations." Thanks to Mick Mulloy for sharing this article. 2/6/20
Howard University's Largest Donation Ever Raises Questions About Who Gets Donor Coins (NPR) "While Howard University has had some high-profile fundraising wins, Krystal Williams, a professor at the University of Alabama whose research focuses on the experiences of minority students in education, says that HBCUs as a sector are 'not given equal consideration for funding by foundations and corporations.'" 2/11/20
Former Pimco C.E.O. Gets 9 Months in Prison in College Admissions Case (New York Times) "Most parents were accused of crimes to get one child, maybe two, into an elite college. Douglas Hodge, the former chief of Pimco, paid bribes for at least four children, prosecutors say." 2/7/20
University of Michigan Law School alum revokes planned $2 million bequest (MLIve) "A University of Michigan Law School graduate says he’s revoking a planned donation of $2 million after he said the university did not use a previous donation consistent with his intent. Lance J. Johnson, a 1965 graduate of UM Law School, made a $150,000 donation that he said was to go toward an annual legal seminar to study the feasibility of appointing independent legal counsel for children involved in custody disputes. But Johnson said the law school only 'sporadically' held the workshop." 2/7/20
RDC elects to keep Kings and Queens name (Red Deer Advocate) RED DEER STORY Yay! "After mountains of community feedback, Red Deer College has decided to keep the Kings and Queens as the names of its sports teams. Based on feedback from online surveys, email and direct communication, the school heard from more than 1,000 people and has chosen to keep the Kings and Queen names for its athletics during the transition to Red Deer University." Click here for letter from RDC to community. 2/6/20
Google's expansion plans show why Canada's tech boom is here to stay (CBC) Woot! "Google is tripling its workforce in Canada, adding new offices in Toronto, Montreal and Waterloo, Ont. The tech giant is investing in a skills development program to make sure there's enough talent to fill those jobs and funding an accelerator to help startups secure funding. 'That's going to give us the capacity to grow to 5,000 people by 2022,' says Ruth Porat, chief financial officer of Google's parent company Alphabet. 'It really reflects the extraordinary momentum that we're seeing in Canada.'" 2/8/20
330+ Nonprofits Accepting Voice Donations Via Amazon Alexa Devices (Forbes) Alexa, I would like to make a gift. "Did you know you can ask Alexa to make a donation to your favorite nonprofit? A recent report from nonprofit software company EveryAction finds that voice command fundraising is a hot topic for nonprofits these days, thanks to the growing proliferation of smart speakers in homes around the U.S. But should nonprofits make it a focus in 2020?" 2/7/20
China: rise of a new philanthropic power (Econotimes) "In response to the ongoing coronavirus emergency, on January 31, Chinese billionaire Jack Ma pledged the equivalent of US$144 million for medical supplies for Wuhan and Hubei as well as $14 million to help develop a vaccine. Just a few months ago, the former teacher had left the reins of a company of more than 100,000 employees, valued $450 billion, stating that he wanted to devote himself to philanthropy in the field of education. The emergence of the coronavirus threat showed his commitment to supporting public-health efforts as well." 2/7/20
Peace Bridge or Bow Building? What Calgary landmark are you? Instagram will tell you (Global News) CALGARY STORY "Calgary is known for many landmarks — from the iconic Calgary Tower, to the unmistakable Saddledome to the uniquely designed Bow skyscraper. But have you ever wondered: Which Calgary landmark am I? Now, if you have Instagram, you can find out. The city launched a series of filters [...] that are modelled after the popular 'who/what are you' ones many Instagrammers are seen using in their stories." 2/6/20
'No turning back now': Giants' Nakken embracing role as 1st female MLB coach (CBC) Nice move SF Giants! "Alyssa Nakken stole a quick glance out a window high above the ballpark toward McCovey Cove on a picture-perfect day and grinned. She is honoured to take on the challenge — and embrace the responsibility — of being the first female major league coach, having joined new San Francisco Giants manager Gabe Kapler's staff last month." 2/6/20
Binghamton University receives anonymous $60 million donation (WENY) "Officials with the State University of New York (SUNY) system came together [...] to celebrate a $60 million anonymous donation to Binghamton University. The donation will be used to build a 'state-of-the-art' baseball stadium complex and represents the largest gift in Binghamton University history." 2/11/20
Purdue’s biggest donation ever? Grad's nickel mine gift has that potential (Journal & Carrier) Interesting gift. "Knoche, who first approached Purdue two years ago about the gift as a way to say thank you for sparking his interest in finance, said that based on current numbers – and an assumption that the mine starts operating in the next several years – Purdue’s new stake in a mine owned by FPX Nickel, a Vancouver-based company, that could eventually top $100 million over the next three decades." 2/12/20
New University of Calgary research centre named after Alberta rancher John Simpson (Canadian Cattlemen) CALGARY STORY Brilliant! Thank you Mr. Simpson! "Alberta rancher and businessman John Simpson has donated over $5 million to the University of Calgary’s new agricultural research centre. The centre, named the Simpson Centre for Agriculture and Food Innovation, will focus on research around public policy that supports growth and sustainability of agri-food and agri-business, particularly in Western Canada." 2/10/20
Late Board Member's $45 Million Donation Will Boost Opera Theatre Of St. Louis (St. Louis Public Radio) "A $45 million bequest by philanthropist and board member Phyllis Brissenden will boost the opera’s endowment to $80 million. Opera officials describe the gift as one of the largest ever made to an American opera company." 2/6/20
$20 million cash donation given to the University of Alabama (WBRC) "The University of Alabama is getting a major financial donation. The school announced today a multi-million dollar gift that will help academics and athletics. Birmingham couple C.T. and Kelley Fitzpatrick are giving the school a $20 million gift. That donation will support athletic facilities at UA and help the Culverhouse College of Business." 2/4/20
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