Driving you nuts

The last thing you want in a car is all flash and no substance. Sadly, that was the case for the overhyped Bricklin SV-1. Production lasted from ’74-’76 with less than 3,000 cars built, at which time its gull-wings flew to sports car heaven.

Incidentally, founder Malcolm Bricklin also brought the biggest car joke of the ‘80s to North America: the Yugo. They were ugly and unreliable but boy were they cheap, and believe it or not, the Yugo may be making a return! 

Hey, everyone needs one sometime ;)

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

IN THE NEWS

Solving the Canadian doctor shortage

According to a recent Health Canada report, the country is short 22,823 doctors, leaving roughly 6.5 million Canadians without their own family physician.

"That to me is a jaw-dropping number," said Dr. Joss Reimer, president of the Canadian Medical Association.

"We need to be doing everything that we can to increase those numbers of family physicians, but also trying to find other solutions."

Part of the problem is doctors don’t make enough money in Canada, meaning this would normally be the type of problem that money can solve. There’s certainly enough demand, but funding structures have been a roadblock. B.C. implemented a new payment system in 2023 that’s attempting to solve its own shortage of 4,400 doctors.

The B.C. health department says its new longitudinal compensation structure pays a base salary, plus additional income based on how much time physicians spend with patients and how complex a particular patient’s care is. 1,000 doctors are now on this payment plan, and it’s on its way to boosting the average compensation for a B.C. doctor from $250,000 per year to $385,000.

There are other strategies being implemented across the country as well, including attempts to produce more doctors domestically. You can read more of the CBC series on Canada’s physician crisis here.

CONSUMER

Things to remember for tax filing season

Tax filing season is upon us, and there are a few things to note ahead of filing this year.

For example, and perhaps of most interest to Canadian Stakers, the deadline for RRSP contributions this year is this coming Monday, March 3. Looking to limit your tax liability for fiscal year 2024? Make sure to get those contributions in over the next five days.

An important change to note this year is the federal government’s delay of the updated inclusion rate for capital gains taxes.

Coming into tax filing season, the government’s changes were expected to be made official for filing this year. Instead, the government deferred those changes until at least 2026, meaning just 50% of all capital gains remain subject to federal taxes.

The CRA is working on reversing the changes it had made to its systems in anticipation of the new policy taking effect. Therefore, it says it won’t be able to process returns for capital gains income until late March, and will waive interest penalties until June 2 to give those impacted more time to file.

The charitable donation tax receipt deadline was also extended by two months due to the Canada Post strike, meaning those filing can choose to include donations made in January or February in their 2024 or their 2025 tax return.

HEALTH

Avian flu outbreak at Quebec farm

A farm 100 kilometres north of Montreal detected cases of the H5N1 virus that causes the avian flu in its birds on Jan. 31, and is now in the midst of an outbreak.

The farm is near Saint-Jean-de-Matha, Quebec, and according to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), a quarantine has been established in the form of a primary control zone around the farm.

It’s the first official outbreak confirmed in Quebec this year, which has experienced cases in 58 locations since 2022, with nearly 1.5 million birds infected.

Farms must take “very draconian measures” upon discovery of the virus, according to Dr. Donald Vinh, an infectious diseases expert at the McGill University Health Centre, because “avian flu can spread like wildfire and be catastrophic to not only birds, but as we have found out in the last few years, to other types of mammals.”

There remains no imminent threat to humans, but the federal government has taken proactive measures regardless, recently purchasing 1.5 million doses of the GSK human vaccine against avian flu for use by those more vulnerable to exposure and infection.

WHAT UP WEDNESDAYS

Solitude versus loneliness

Millions of Canadians and Americans happily live alone, but plenty are also unhappy with it. This comes down to contentedness with solitude, and a disparity between what someone wants versus what they have.

“Loneliness is the gap between what we want our interpersonal relationships to be and what they are, so it’s a subjective concept,” says Dr. André Tourigny, a family physician and researcher at the Quebec Centre of Excellence on Aging in Quebec City.

“Social isolation, on the other hand, can be measured objectively: it describes having rare, poor-quality, and brief social contacts, which doesn’t allow for fruitful exchanges. You can feel lonely without being isolated or living alone.”

Statistically speaking, the likelihood of experiencing loneliness increases with age, meaning it may be wise to look for ways to “befriend solitude” by learning to enjoy your own company, says psychologist Julie Pelletier.

“When you have a solid foundation, you’re less likely to look outside yourself for validation,” she says. “People who have a rich inner life, who have learned to nurture their self-esteem and their passions and to listen to their own needs, are more likely to feel good about themselves and to overcome loneliness.”

Read on for more on what experts like Pelletier and Tourigny have to say about triumphing over loneliness.

CURIOSITIES

Crocs with the perfect AI play

Crocs has identified a use for AI that all of its loyal customers will surely be happy to leverage.

Jibbitz charms are little jewels that Croc-wearers can plug into the hole of the shoes that—after decades of people hating to love them and loving to hate them—is finally getting its flowers.

The brand’s value has risen 4% in the last year through sales growth driven in part by the personalized touch customers get out of picking their Jibbitz charms.

That personalization aspect is getting a boost as well in the form of Crocs Inc.’s partnership with ABLO, an AI-driven fashion design tool that allows consumers to design their own Jibbitz charms.

“We have Jibbitz for everyone—from teachers to gamers to healthcare workers—and we are now giving our fans the option to design one-of-a-kind charms using ABLO’s AI technology, taking customization to the next level,” Crocs brand president Anne Mehlman said in an interview with Fast Company.

You’ve probably seen the growing presence of “friendship bracelets” in pop culture, personalized charm bracelets made famous by Taylor Swift fans. Personalized Jibbitz charms could be a similar cultural icon for Crocs.

INNOVATION

Construction’s robot renaissance

In the United States, the construction industry needs about half a million new workers to arrive on the scene in 2025 alone to meet the national demand for building, and given the unavailability of that kind of labor, automation is filling the void in the form of robotics.

Most robots in construction today are only tapped to execute dangerous or repetitive tasks, but the labor shortage requires more sophistication.

The Italian Institute of Technology has developed what may be a solution. Called Concert, it’s the most modular construction robot to date, meaning it can be altered to perform a wide array of different tasks, including drilling, spraying, sanding, insulation, and can move payloads of up to 400 pounds.

Concert requires human intervention to reassemble it for different tasks, but it’s malleable in a way not yet seen on construction sites, a necessary feature for environments known for being complex, decentralized, and unpredictable.

If society doesn’t pivot to producing way more construction labor in a short amount of time, experts say this type of robot technology will become increasingly necessary.

ODDITIES

Puppy Mountain goes viral

If you’re wondering where puppy mountain got its name, look no further than the photo of what is clearly a mountain shaped like a puppy posturing in front of the Yangtze River.

This photo was taken by Shanghai-based fashion designer Guo Qingshan while visiting his hometown of Yishang in China’s Hubei province.

“It was so magical and cute. I was so excited and happy when I discovered it,” Guo said.

“The puppy’s posture is like it’s drinking water, or it’s looking at some fish. It also looks like it’s quietly protecting the Yangtze River,” he said

The image was posted on the Chinese social media app Rednote, and quickly gained 120,000 likes and millions of views, triggering a homerun barketing plan for the region to attract tourists, which it did in quick fashion.

Dog owners started publishing photos of their own puppies to see whose furry friend the natural masterpiece of the side of this mountain was inspired by.

“Puppy Mountain here I am!” one social media user wrote on RedNote along with photos of the mountain. “Just stroke the puppy’s head and then everything will be OK.”

Another user wrote: “We all need the eyes to see the beauty in this world.”

STAKE TRIVIA

You miss 100% of unanswered questions

From The Bad News Bears to the Rocky franchise, the ’70s and ’80s had some wicked sports movies.

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

Winner will be notified tomorrow—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.