That's the look

Oh, Lovey. She was spoiled and obsessed with status, but lots of fun and full of laughs. She cared deeply for her fellow castaways and really was a devoted wife…even while mocking her husband, the one and only Thurston Howell the Third 😍

Today is Valentine’s Day, and you might be looking to get lovey dovey yourself. Things like rhinoceros horn or “Spanish fly” have a reputation for being powerful aphrodisiacs, but the jury is out and guess what? They don’t really do anything for the libido. 

Just stick with the look ;)

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

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U.S. President Donald Trump continues to move fast and heavy with economic policies, flooding the zone with nearly too many actions for observers to keep up with. In relation to tariffs, he announced yesterday morning that “the big one” was coming.

In an Oval Office press conference, he announced plans to impose a policy of “reciprocal tariffs,” in which the United States would levy duties from trade partners based on the trade barriers already put in place by those trade partners.

The trade barriers Trump says he’d be reciprocating would include things such as value added taxes, which are popular in Europe, as well as “other nations’ tariff rates, subsidies to industries, regulations and possible undervaluing of currencies,” according to a senior White House staffer who spoke to the Associated Press but insisted upon anonymity.

Economists have described tariffs as provocative and inflationary, and would likely stall growth in the United States and abroad over at least the next year, including in Canada.

According to a report by the Bank of Canada, even just the threat of tariffs could hurt the Canadian economy.

“Even if no tariffs were imposed, a long period of uncertainty under the cloud of tariff threats would almost certainly damage business investment in Canada,” the report said.

Health officials are keeping an eye on Southern Ontario after a dead Canada goose was found in Scarborough’s Rouge Park and was determined to have died from the H5N1 strain of the avian influenza virus that’s killed tens of millions of birds since last year.

Five other geese in the area showed symptoms of the disease, and the Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative says more will likely turn up as they migrate north this spring.

According to Shayan Sharif, professor at the Ontario Veterinary College at the University of Guelph, that will likely translate to considerably more cases detected in the region.

“There’s always a chance for migratory birds to spread the virus. I would say that’s really one of the main modes of transmission for this particular strain of virus,” he said.

“The virus seems to be hitchhiking with migratory birds and there are different kinds of migratory birds. Canada geese are included among those migratory birds.”

Experts maintain the risk to humans remains low, as bird-to-human and mammal-to-human transmission are extremely rare. Still, they advise humans and their pets to keep well clear of dead birds and birds that appear to be sick.

According to data collected by Statistics Canada between November of 2023 and March of 2024, roughly 28% of Canadians over 12 years of age didn’t see a dentist in the year leading up to the survey because it cost too much.

On top of the 28%, there were 21% specifically who avoided dental care for the same reason despite being recommended to seek it.

38% of women between 18 and 34 chose not to go to the dentist, while 27% of men in the same cohort avoided it. Overall, 32% of the demographic chose to pass.

Annual earnings appear to have had a significant impact on who was likeliest to defer a visit. For example, of those making $90,000 a year or more, 12.1% didn’t see a dentist in the year before being surveyed, compared to 33.5% of those making less than that.

Even for those who had insurance coverage, 25% said they avoided going anyway because they couldn’t afford to pay up front while waiting for their insurer to reimburse them.

It wouldn’t be Valentines without chocolate. So let’s dive into how you can enjoy the best that this sweet, decadent treat has to offer.

Identifying high-quality chocolate can be a delightful journey once you know what to look for. Start by checking the ingredients list. Ideally, it should be short, featuring cocoa solids, cocoa butter, and sugar. Cocoa butter should be the primary fat source, as it ensures a smooth texture and rich flavor. Stay away from chocolates with excessive emulsifiers or artificial flavors, as they often indicate lower quality.

Next, pay attention to the cacao percentage. This number tells you how much of the chocolate is made from cocoa solids, which directly impacts its flavor. Higher percentages mean more intense chocolate flavors, while lower percentages may be sweeter and creamier.

Finally, consider the texture and snap. High-quality chocolate should have a smooth, velvety texture and a satisfying "snap" when broken. This crisp break is a sign of proper tempering, which results in the chocolate's characteristic shine and texture.

After President Donald Trump gave Elon Musk the order to get astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore home ASAP, their timeline was moved up to mid-March, rather than late-March or early-April, and will end a nine-month stay in space that was supposed to last eight days.

Williams and Wilmore docked at the International Space Station on June 6 for a test mission, arriving on Boeing’s Starliner, a craft that NASA deemed too dangerous in August to carry the astronauts home after discovering a series of helium leaks and a faulty propulsion system.

The plan was changed to have a SpaceX Dragon Crew capsule rendezvous with the ISS and bring the two marooned astronauts home.

With too many repairs needed even for the new capsule, the return mission was delayed further still, leading Musk to respond to Trump’s order by tapping a different capsule previously reserved for a private spaceflight this spring.

The new plans will see that capsule launch on March 12 and have Butch and Suni home several days thereafter, nearly a year later than originally planned.

Hello baseball fans everywhere. Now that pitchers and catchers have started reporting for Spring Training, we thought it was the perfect time to share the secret baseball’s famous mud.

You’ve probably heard of pine tar or even human spit being used to give baseball pitchers an advantage when it comes to movement and grip on a baseball. You may not have known, however, that even before these “adhesives,” the ball has already been treated with a magic mud that’s been in use by Major League Baseball since the 1930s.

Specifically, Lena Blackburne Baseball Rubbing Mud was discovered in 1938 on the banks of the Delaware River, and a recent study proved that it’s scientifically unique to any substance available to enhance the grip of a baseball.

Its use on baseballs was in response to a National League order to have umpires soil baseballs starting in 1929, after a wild pitch struck a player in the head and killed him in 1920.

Infield dirt was tried, but it wore out the leather. Tobacco spit and shoe polish left the ball too dark. Then Philadelphia Athletics third base coach, Lena Blackburne, returned to his grandfather’s fishing hole in New Jersey to collect a substance he thought would work perfectly, and—pardon the pun—he hit a home run.

“It spreads like face cream, but it grips like sandpaper. It has this magical ability,” said Doug Jerolmack, a geophysicist at the University of Pennsylvania and co-author of the study.

Jerolmack’s team conducted several experiments to understand the atomic properties of this mud, concluding its distribution of sticky clay and sand particles make it a one of a kind natural and perfect substance for enhancing the grip of a baseball.

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s list of 2025 nominees was published the other day, which includes New Order, Cyndi Lauper, The White Stripes, Mariah Carey, Bad Company, Chubby Checker, Outkast, Maná and the late Joe Cocker.

The highlight of the pack, though, is undoubtedly Oasis, the once-biggest rock ‘n roll band on the planet who will reunite this summer for the first time in 16 years for a world tour.

The Gallagher brothers famously had several fallouts during their peak years of stardom, but in August of 2009, guitarist Noel left for the last time, leaving brother and lead singer Liam, along with the rest of the band, (almost) for good.

The reunion is expected to be one of the biggest in the history of the genre, and as far as their Rock & Roll Hall of Fame status is concerned, Oasis’ chances have likely doubled at minimum since last year’s nominations.

Still, in true Liam Gallagher fashion, the singer put to rest any speculation about whether or not the band would bother accepting such an induction in a 2024 interview.

“As much as I love Mariah Carey and all that, I want to say: do me a favour and f*** off,” he told The Sunday Times. “It’s like putting me in the rap hall of fame, and I don’t want to be part of anything that mentally disturbed. Besides, I’ve done more for rock n’ roll than half of them clowns on that board.”

We’ve been riding the love train with our trivia themes the past few days, and now it’s finally here! Happy Valentine’s Day, Staker 🥰 

To celebrate, we’ll be looking at love songs and ballads with today’s trivia! Complete the game and earn a shot at a $25 Tim Hortons eGift Card ;)

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

Just like you, our glorious flag was #borninthe60s! Tomorrow the red and white celebrates its 60th birthday so let’s take 5 former Prime Ministers up on their suggestion and fly it with pride this long weekend. And we’ll see you back in the inbox on Tuesday. 😍

Have a great long weekend Staker!

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


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