Briny beauties

The ’70s were a time for interesting collectibles, but the strangest among them must’ve been Pickled People. About as creepy as Pet Rocks were intriguing, these bizarre little crafts were clearly the product of a particularly far out era 🤪

As fate would have it, the Pickled People trend didn’t last, although you can’t say the same for pickles. Catapulted by a viral Dua Lipa TikTok in October, pickles are experiencing a surge in popularity as the internet’s latest food craze. 

Better to eat a pickle than be in one ;)

(Love nostalgia? Play today’s trivia below for a chance to win a $25 Tim Hortons eGift Card!)

IN THE NEWS

Headline inflation cools, core inflation stays elevated

Statistics Canada published data revealing the consumer price index fell to 2.3% in March, an unexpected drop after a consensus of economists polled by Reuters predicted it would stay at 2.6%.

The drop, however, was largely driven by falling gas prices, according to StatCan; it would have only fallen to 2.5% if gasoline was excluded.

The slowdown was also a consequence of lower travel tour prices, which fell 4.7% in March as travel both ways between the U.S. and Canada has sharply declined since President Donald Trump began threatening Canada.

Core inflation remains stuck at 2.9%, which is still too high above the Bank of Canada’s 2% target, particularly when it comes to core instead of headline measures.

In that respect, currency markets are betting there’s a 60% chance the BoC will pause its cycle of seven consecutive rate cuts when its governing council meets today, keeping the policy rate at 2.75%.

Tariff-driven inflation is yet to seep into the economy, meaning Canadians can likely expect faster-rising prices over the next several months, even as economic growth remains anemic and a potential period of stagflation becomes more likely.

GOVERNMENT

Canada offers tariff relief for autos that stay put

Liberal leader Mark Carney announced yesterday that his government will exempt auto manufacturers from tariffs when they import parts from the United States if they continue manufacturing cars in Canada.

It’s a bit of a longshot, given how deeply integrated the auto market is between the two countries. Even if tariffs weren’t enforced on parts coming in from the United States, they would be enforced on parts and cars going back south of the border. Many go back and forth half a dozen times before the car is actually assembled.

“Our counter-tariffs won’t apply if they continue to produce, continue to employ, continue to invest in Canada,” Carney told reporters at a news conference, also indicating a bit of a hedge in the proposal: if a manufacturer even limits production or cuts jobs, the number of tariff-free imports will also be capped.

The proposal comes amid rising concerns that autos are indeed considering pulling out of Canada. Stellantis already temporarily shut down its Windsor plant, and GM announced plans to do the same.

Though Honda publicly denied such claims yesterday, reports surfaced the other day that the company is considering relocating 90% of its North American operations to the United States.

POLITICS

Poilievre proposes crack down on senior scams

Fraud scams that target seniors have been on the rise for years, and though there have been campaigns to raise awareness about them, little diligence has been required of institutions that are typically used to carry them out.

In a pitch to elderly voters in Montreal yesterday, Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre proposed fines of up to $5 million for banks and telecoms who do nothing to prevent this type of activity from happening on their rails or networks.

He listed preventive measures that could be proactively taken, such as implementing backend technology on accounts owned by seniors that will alert the institution of suspicious activity and automatically block potentially bad actors from contacting or interacting with that account.

The plan also called for 24-hour holds on all suspicious transactions on seniors’ bank accounts, and a requirement that banks and telecoms track and publish statistics on fraudulent and suspicious activity they’ve detected and prevented.

A Nanos poll recently found the majority of voters over 55 prefer Mark Carney as prime minister, while just 30% feel the same about Poilievre.

WHAT UP WEDNESDAYS

Tech as a defense against dementia

A new study published in Nature Human Behaviour suggests the use of electronics like smartphones, computers, and the internet itself may act as a defense against cognitive decline.

"This large-scale analysis reviewed over 50 published studies from around the world to try to unravel the link between use of digital tech and cognitive ability," said Dr. Leah Mursaleen, the head of clinical research at Alzheimer's Research UK.

"This study challenges previous research that has suggested digital technology could reduce cognitive function as we age and instead suggests that use of technology may be linked to lower rates of cognitive decline in older adults."

The longitudinal analysis of over 50 other studies and data sources seemingly found a causal or at least correlative link between increased smartphone usage and a declining rate of dementia over time.

What the study didn’t do was actually determine how such technology use could be staving off dementia in adults over 60. The authors speculated in their write-up that it has to do with tech usage supporting memory, organization, and social engagement, which are all known factors in maintaining cognitive function as we age.

HEALTH

Is running really that bad on the knees?

Most are familiar with the idea that running may be good cardio exercise, but that it comes at the cost of a healthy pair of knees.

Is that idea actually true, though? It’s not as simple as many suggest, and often depends on whether or not you have healthy knees in the first place.

For example, most doctors advise that those with arthritis or other kinds of orthopedic issues in their knees consult their physician before adding running as a regular exercise in their routine.

However, it may be the case that running actually helps build and reinforce cartilage in those who have healthy knees.

“I think there’s good evidence at this point that running can actually improve cartilage health to some extent, as long as we are not injuring ourselves,” said Dr. A.J. Monseau, an emergency medicine and sports medicine physician at West Virginia University.

Others note running may actually prevent osteoporosis by helping not only to prevent bone density loss through reinforced cartilage, but also by building new bone density.

CURIOSITIES

Dinosaur-killing asteroid may have been a life giver

A study published last week in Nature Communications suggests the asteroid that killed all the dinosaurs may have been a “catalyst for life” in the marine region above and surrounding the Chicxulub Crater in the Gulf of Mexico for at least 700,000 years.

The 8-mile wide asteroid created an impact crater 120 miles in diameter, and led to a hydrothermal environment that likely fed an ecosystem of creatures in the area, sustaining their life and evolution.

When water seeps into the seafloor, it mixes with chemicals in the oceanic crust, and as it heats up, it rises back up, cooling fast in the cold ocean deep. The chemicals then separate from the water, deposit on the seabed, and are eaten by microbes, which are eaten by other creatures, and so on, and so on.

The researchers found the hydrothermal system in the depths of the Chicxulub Crater had remnants of the transition metal element osmium—often found in asteroids—which led to a booming population of plankton that nurtured a marine ecosystem unlike any others in the world.

The study sheds light on how even the most catastrophic event in the history of the planet was still somehow life-giving.

WEEKLY POLL RESULTS

Here’s what you said

PETS

Pet finding app for those that wander

Amber Alerts go out all over a region via emergency messaging systems when a child goes missing, and the technology spawned a similar idea for pets.

FidoAlert has 1.5 million users across and when a pet goes missing in an area where a user lives, they’ll be notified, and all it takes is the scanning of a QR code and an SMS text message.

The pets of those who’ve registered will also have a QR code on their collar with a unique FidoID. When the pet is found, the finder can scan the code, and a notification will be sent to the owner, and anyone in the area who may be looking for the lost pet.

“I wanted to create a product as a part of a social mission, where we would make it free to every pet owner,” says Founder John Bradford.

So far since the company’s inception, 40,000 pets in the United States have been reunited with their humans.

STAKE TRIVIA

Lights, camera, action!

From Charlie’s Angels to Magnum P.I., the ’70s and ’80s were stacked with action packed shows.

Fancy yourself a fan of the genre? Find out how much you know with today’s trivia! Complete the game and earn a shot at a $25 Tim Hortons eGift Card ;)

Winner will be notified tomorrow afternoon—keep an eye on your inbox!

Have a great day ahead Staker!

Today’s issue written by Michael Cowan, Joey Cowan, and Maureen Norman.


*SEE FULL STAKE TRIVIA CONTEST RULES HERE.