Weekly News Recap: February 2, 2024

Weekly News Recap: February 2, 2024

Canadian musician Joni Mitchell is seen at an event in Washington. D.C., in March 2023. (Amanda Andrade-Rhoades/The Associated Press)

I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become a reality.... I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word. —Martin Luther King, Jr.

Black History Month

SOME GOOD NEWS

  • World's first white rhino IVF pregnancy could save subspecies with only two living animals remaining (ABC) #GoWhiteRhinos "Scientists have carried out the first successful embryo transfer in a southern white rhino using a method that could pave the way to saving its critically endangered northern cousin from extinction [...]. The last male northern white rhino died in 2018. Just two female members remain now and they're under 24-hour armed protection at a sanctuary in Kenya."

  • Arizona golfer defies the odds, makes two holes-in-one in same round (Yahoo Sports) Buy a lottery ticket Mr. Romme. "The National Hole-in-One Registry has determined that the odds of making two aces in one round are 67 million-to-1. Cliff Romme just defied those odds. Playing Orange Tree Golf Resort in Scottsdale, Arizona, the 77-year-old had two holes-in-one in a four-hole stretch during a recent round."

  • ‘I just count the laps’: Canadian swimmer, 99, breaks three world records (Guardian) Very cool. "At a weekend swim meet in the British Columbia city of Saanich, Brussel broke the existing world record in the 400-metre freestyle, knocking nearly four minutes off the previous standard in the 100- to 104-year-old age class. She repeated her record-breaking performances in 50-metre backstroke and the 50-metre breaststroke that same day."

  • Daughter saves her mother’s life with organ donations — twice (MSN) #Love "When Julia Harlin found out her liver was failing, she sat her five children down and told them not to donate their own organs to her [...]. But daughter Eileen Harlin went behind her back and got tested anyway. She found out she was a match, and she broke the news to her mother on Mother’s Day in 2022."

  • Deaf boy can now hear after breakthrough gene treatment (Yahoo News) #LoveThis "His father's voice, the sounds of passing cars and scissors clipping his hair: An 11-year-old boy is hearing for the first time in his life after receiving a breakthrough gene therapy [...]. Aissam Dam was born 'profoundly deaf' because of a highly rare abnormality in a single gene."

  • Meet the Indigenous beaders who are breaking gender stereotypes (CBC) I would love to learn how to bead. "Beads have been used by Indigenous communities for thousands of years. While women have traditionally been at the forefront of beading, that is starting to change."

  • Now boarding! Airplane ice fishing shack turns heads on Sask. lake (CBC) Very 'cool'. "Saretsky and his three friends — Derek Davis, Jordan Janzen and Jonah Alain — have turned a decommissioned aircraft into an ice fishing shack near Pelican Pointe on Last Mountain Lake, about 65 kilometres northwest of Regina."

  • This wildlife park's parrots won't stop swearing. Especially Sheila (CBC) Hee hee. "Previously, the Lincolnshire Wildlife Park in eastern England kept its parrots with penchants for profanity away from the public. Now, it has decided to move its eight expletive-laden African grays into a new public-facing enclosure alongside 92 far more polite parrots. The hope is the family-friendly birds will rub off on their crude counterparts, and not the other way around."

  • 'Talking dog' pushes limits of animal communication (CBC) Dog's are so smart (well, most dogs). "Alexis Devine has been teaching her dog, Bunny, to communicate by pressing buttons to 'speak' since she was a puppy. Bunny now 'speaks' about 100 words and Devine has written a book about the experience."

  • Community members rally to save Alberta therapy horse that helped with their PTSD (CBC) #PayItForward "Community members across the country have come together to save the life of an Alberta therapy horse that helped save theirs. Regent is one of more than a dozen horses that supports veterans and first responders living with PTSD, through free mental health programs with the charity Can Praxis."

  • Jon Stewart to return to ‘The Daily Show’ as a host and executive producer (CNN) Perfect timing! "The comedian, who during his 16-year run as host of the Comedy Central program established it as an entertainment and cultural force, will return to host the show each week on Mondays [...] Showtime and MTV Entertainment Studios announced [...]. Stewart, who returns as the 2024 presidential election season heats up, will also executive produce the show and work with a rotating line-up of comedians who will helm the program the rest of the week, Tuesdays through Thursdays."

TOP TEN STORIES OF THE WEEK

  1. To Meet the Climate Challenge, Philanthropy Must Challenge Itself (Stanford Social Innovation Review) Now is the time! "Despite the world’s best efforts to date, we still face a yawning investment gap of several trillion dollars a year that needs to be closed between now and 2050 to spare the planet from cataclysmic warming. And despite ever-improving models prompting ever-greater alarm, we remain in a David-and-Goliath struggle with transnational interests and states who perceive carbon neutrality as an existential threat."

  2. Philanthropy trend report says Gen Z is able to change economic, social constructs (Grand Valley Lanthorn) Ironic but true. "For the last eight years, the Dorothy A. Johnson Center for Philanthropy, an academic center of Grand Valley State University, has put out reports at the beginning of each year about the 11 philanthropic trends to watch for throughout the year. [The] article discusses the general phenomenon of Generation Z (people born from 1997 to 2012) having more philanthropic desire than previous generations. However, Gen Z has less capacity to contribute to philanthropy due to the financial stress that they have inherited."

  3. Calgary Zoo/Wilder Institute president and CEO to retire after 17 years at helm (Calgary Herald) "President and CEO of the Calgary Zoo/Wilder Institute Clément Lanthier will retire from his position at the end of 2024, marking the end of over 20 years with the organization."

  4. ST. MARY’S UNIVERSITY EXPANDING ITS PRESENCE (Calgary Economic Development) "St. Mary’s University may be one of Canada’s smaller universities. But it’s also arguably among the mightiest, with an outsized impact on its graduates’ lives, the communities in which they live and work and the broader world. Amid implementing a strategic plan over the next five years, St. Mary’s University aims not only to grow its campus and enrolment, but also its impact."

  5. Wolfdog Sanctuary rescues 15 animals from B.C. (Cochrane Now) ViTreo is proud to have worked with the Sanctuary and are thankful that we have a safe place for these beautiful creatures. "Yamnuska Wolfdog Sanctuary has just pulled off its largest rescue to date. 14 new wolfdogs (and one new coydog) now call the sanctuary home thanks to the project dubbed 'The Warmland Wolfdog Rescue' "

  6. 1st human has received Elon Musk's Neuralink brain implant, billionaire says (CBC) Amazing or terrifying. Likely, both. "The first human patient received an implant from Elon Musk's computer-brain interface company Neuralink over the weekend, the billionaire says. In a post [...] on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, Musk said that the patient received the implant the day prior and was 'recovering well.' "

  7. Queen's principal says 'no risk' university will close, but fears remain (CBC) Wow! "After months of anxiety about the future of Queen's University, a statement from principal Patrick Deane [...] reassured worried staff and students that the institution is not facing imminent financial collapse."

  8. Three philanthropy myths to bust in 2024 (Alliance) This is a pretty frank article and I agree with every point. "2024 arrives with a sense of urgency on all fronts. At a time when democratic norms are slipping, inequality and human needs are rising, and the climate is dangerously heating up, we are called upon to meet challenges that are stark, and steep. Against this background, we debate how philanthropy should be done, and what it can do to stave off these dire or even existential threats."

  9. Music icon Joni Mitchell to perform at Grammys for 1st time (CBC) #GlobalCulturalIcon "Revered Canadian singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell is set to make her Grammy Awards performance debut [...]. A statement from Grammys organizer the Recording Academy says the performance at this year's ceremony will mark Mitchell's first at the awards after nine wins and 18 previous nominations."

  10. Data Shows Advisors Don’t Get Philanthropy (Wealth Management) #Ugh. This needs to change. "A Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) survey of more than 200 independent financial advisors, wealth managers and planners found that just one in 20 advisors (5%) felt 'very confident' discussing philanthropy with clients -- much less advising them on it. Nearly three-quarters of surveyed advisors (72%) didn’t include philanthropy as part of their initial fact-finding with clients, despite one in five (21%) saying they saw a direct link between providing philanthropic advice and winning new business."

SEVEN LIFE AND CAREER HACKS

  1. One Simple Change to Your Diet Could Help You Sleep Better, Study Finds (Inverse) In a word, melatonin.

  2. A Pet Psychologist Reveals How To Give Your Dog The Best Walk of Its Life (Inverse) Walking your dog can be a simple daily joy for you and your pet. In reality, dog-walking, even under the best circumstances, isn’t always the delight it's thought to be. Even the most doting dog parents silently pray that our pooch will poop so we can turn around and get home.

  3. Don't Believe These Popular Fitness Myths in 2024 (Lifehacker) Yup, time to myth bust.

  4. Why You Should Seek More Awe in the New Year (Tim Ferris) I want more Awe in my life.

  5. The Acceleration of Addictiveness (Paul Graham) It really is moving faster through our society.

  6. Efficiency traps (Level Up) Great 6-minute read on the difference between efficiency and effectiveness.

  7. 8 (MORE) SHIFTS IN THE GRANTS LANDSCAPE THAT FUNDRAISERS NEED TO KNOW ABOUT (Imagine Canada) Great piece. Thanks to ViTreo Research Lead Ken Kempcke for sharing this article.

TOP THREE GIFTS OF THE WEEK

  1. Summer residents make $1.2 million donation to Almonte Hospital (Lanark Leeds Today) "The Almonte General Hospital Fairview Manor Foundation received a $1.2 million donation last month from long-time summer residents Gene and Millie Simpson."

  2. Children’s Hospital receives $5M donation for paediatric cancer treatment (Global News) "A $5 million donation to Children’s Hospital at London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) is being touted as a 'transformative' investment into paediatric oncology. [It's] the largest donation the hospital has ever received and will go to establishing the Jahnke Family Paediatric Oncology Centre of Excellence, named for the London couple who donated the funds."

  3. Concordia lands $4-million donation to fuel clean-power research (The Gazette) "Power Corp. of Canada is giving Concordia University $4 million to help finance research into clean sources of power. Controlled by the Desmarais family, Montreal-based Power Corp. is one of Canada’s largest companies, with a focus on financial services."

LAST WEEK'S MOST POPULAR STORIES

Welcome to our recap of the week's news, articles, and information of note. ViTreo Group Inc. provides this information for the benefit of our clients, associates, staff, partners, and stakeholders. The content is collected and curated by ViTreo President & CEO Vincent Duckworth. If you would like to submit a link for consideration, please send an email to info@vitreogroup.ca.

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