Super Bowl newborns to get football cocoons at Windsor hospital

Babies born on Super Bowl Sunday at the Windsor Regional Hospital will be wrapped in a special football cocoon.

"It's a little knitted cocoon with a cap, that they look like a football," said Gisèle Séguin, director of public affairs, communications and philanthropy at the hospital. "I know it sound kind of funny, but we're going to be offering those to families when their baby's born on Super Bowl Sunday." 

The football cocoons are knitted by the president of the Metropolitan General Hospital Auxiliary, Fae Gillespie, who has been knitting baby blankets and caps for the past 30 years. 

A group photograph will be taken of all the families and the newborns in their football outfits. 

However, Séguin, is quick to point out that "we have no idea how many babies may be born on that day."

She said Gillespie has already knitted eight football outfits — the average number of babies expected to be born that day. 

This is the first year the hospital is offering the cocoons. 

There were more than 4,000 births at Windsor Regional in 2014. 

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Unwise owl in rehab after run-in with porcupine

It's the season for owls at Hope for Wildlife, an animal rehabilitation centre in Seaforth.

"They're very intent on finding a food supply right about now because it's harder to find food in the winter," said Hope Swinimer, the founder of Hope for Wildlife.

As a result, owls are taking risks — and paying for them. They're ending up at Hope for Wildlife as a result.

This saw-whet owl flew into a window and ended up at Hope for Wildlife. Saw-whet owls are the smallest owls in Nova Scotia. (Shaina Luck/CBC)

"Maybe they're not as careful of the vehicles going up and down the highway. They see a mouse run across the road, and that's their intent to get that meal," said Swinimer.

Owls flying into windows is another reason.

One of the owls currently housed at Hope for Wildlife is Quill, a great horned owl, who got the nickname with good reason. When he came in, he was starving and was injured because of a run-in with a porcupine.

Hope for Wildlife staff believe it was a full-on attack with both the talons and beak.

Katie Hauser was working at Hope for Wildlife the night Quill, an injured great horned owl, was brought in. (CBC)

"By the looks of it, he landed right on it, all of his talons had quills in the base, all of his feet, the pads of his feet were full of quills, up his legs, he had them in his chest, in his face, he had a few in his eye, in his eyelid," said Katie Hauser.

The wildlife rehabilitation specialists aren't sure why Quill went after the porcupine. Usually, owls know to stay away from porcupines unless they are desperate.

The staff hopes to release the owls back into the wild soon.

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Stuntman wants to jump Detroit River in homemade rocket

A California stuntman is seeking permission to fly himself across the Detroit River aboard a homemade rocket.

The Detroit River is his second choice of waterways to conquer.

"Mad Mike" Hughes, 58, has already been denied permission to become the first person ever to soar across the St. Lawrence River in a steam-powered rocket.

Hughes' new plan includes strapping himself to a rocket that travels up to 565 km/h and take off somewhere down river on the U.S. side, preferably from Wyandotte, Mich., and land in Essex County.

"For the Detroit River, I would just sit in a capsule with the propulsion system behind it, and you just uncork it, and it is like unleashing the devil. There is no stopping it," Hughes told CBC's Bob Steele on Afternoon Drive.

However, he said the City of Wyandotte has already denied him permission to launch and the City of Detroit hasn't responded to his requests for permission.

"That's what happens though. You try to do something great like this, and you just get nixed by all these city councils and all these environmentalists and people that don't really know anything about what you're doing," Hughes said. "The amount of money and media it would bring to an area is phenomenal, plus the residual income from people coming back years down the road to see where Mad Mike took off and landed."

Without permission from any metro Detroit city, Hughes said he'll look for somewhere else to jump.

"I found another area, up by Sault Ste. Marie. It's beautiful. We're going to start contacting those people," Hughes said.

He still hopes to perform the stunt somewhere this spring, "to inspire some kid to do something great with their life."

Hughes is no stranger to high-flying stunts.

Last year, Hughes jumped a propane-fueled, steam-driven X-2 SkyLimo 419 metres (1,374 feet) in Winkelman, Arizona.

In 2002 he jumped a three-ton, six-door Lincoln limousine 31.39 metres (103 feet) into a pile of tires. His jump was recognized by Guinness World Records Ltd.

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Frankie MacDonald's unique weather style spreads across globe

Nova Scotia's most famous amateur weatherman is making headlines around the globe this week. 

At a young age, 30-year-old Frankie MacDonald fell in love with the weather. He said he has always wanted to be a weatherman. 

His practical advice ahead of storms, advising people to charge their devices and stock up on necessities, has made him the go-to guy on YouTube whenever severe weather hits.

This week, MacDonald gained international attention after a BuzzFeed.com post about him asked the internet to "Please give this man a TV weatherman job." 

Word spread so quickly about MacDonald that a two-year-old CBC story on the Whitney Pier prognosticator was the third most read on CBC.ca with more than 100,000 page views — and counting.

The forecaster from Sydney, who has autism, said he's happy that so many people support him.

MacDonald's many videos have been viewed millions of times.

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Regina couple orders $140 Super Bowl pizza from Windsor, Ont.

A Regina resident has already placed her pizza order for Super Bowl Sunday - and the pie is coming from more than 2,300 km away with a delivery charge of $84.

Former Windsor, Ont., resident Carol Brown is having UPS deliver the pizza from Windsor's Arcata Pizza.

"The sauce is good, the dough is good, the toppings are fresh, Bob's a good guy," explains Brown, who said she and her husband used to have Arcata pizza twice a week. "Arcata was the best pizza in town for us."

Brown said she finally placed the order because every day she is on her way home from work, she calls her husband Lee to ask what's for dinner. 

He jokes and says, "Stop and get Arcata," she said. "I'm like, it'll take me a while."

The pizza will be prepared Wednesday in Windsor and then immediately put in a deep freeze. It will ship out Thursday at 5 p.m. and be cooked on Sunday.

Brown said she had no choice but to order from Arcata. She said she and her husband Lee simply can't find decent pizza in Regina.

"We talk about it all the time," said Brown. "We don't really eat pizza here. We've tried it here, it's just not the same. If you're from Windsor you know what I mean." 

Brown said there's just something special about Windsor's pizza. 

"They hand toss the dough," she explains. "I think they hand-make their sauces...I think they hand cut things...and there's a lot of pride in that." 

"I live in Saskatchewan where Saskatchewan pride is huge, but for pizza in Windsor, a pizza maker has big pride to make the best pie they can," said Brown. 

The pizza is a king size, including double cheese and pineapple on half. Total cost is $140, including $84 charged by UPS.

The Seattle Seahawks, who feature Canadians Luke Willson, a tight end of LaSalle, Ont., west of Windsor, and punter Jon Ryan of Regina, play the New England Patriots on Sunday at 6:30 p.m. EST in Arizona.

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Zombie cat Bart emerges from grave 5 days after burial

Owner's neighbour buried cat after Bart was hit by a car

The Associated Press Posted: Jan 28, 2015 8:48 AM ET Last Updated: Jan 28, 2015 10:49 AM ET

If cats have nine lives, Bart the black and white feline from Tampa, Fla., has certainly used up one.

The Tampa Bay Times reports that when one-and-a-half-year-old Bart was hit by a car earlier this month, owner Ellis Hutson was so distraught he couldn't stand the thought of burying the cat. So he asked neighbour Dusty Albritton to dig a shallow grave.

The Humane Society of Tampa Bay posted this photo of Bart the cat to their Facebook page. Bart underwent successful surgery Tuesday to repair his jaw and remove his eye. (Humane Society of Tampa Bay/Facebook)

But five days later, on Jan. 21, a matted and injured Bart emerged, meowing for food.

Hutson got in touch with the Humane Society of Tampa Bay, which through the Save-A-Pet Medical Fund will help cover costs of surgery to remove an eye, wire his jaw shut and insert a feeding tube.

Bart should recover in about six weeks and he'll go home with Hutson.

Comments on this story are moderated according to our Submission Guidelines. Comments are welcome while open. We reserve the right to close comments at any time.

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Micro-condos for $94K in Greater Vancouver billed as 'affordable luxury'

The developer of a 35-storey concrete tower in Surrey, B.C., is the latest to jump into the small-home trend, with suites as small as 316 square feet offered to buyers for $93,900.

They're being billed as "affordable luxury," and a way to purchase something for under $100,000 in Greater Vancouver's hot real estate market.

"It is a perfect suite for bachelors, or single people or if you're just trying to get into the market," said Bill Morrison of Platinum Project Marketing, during a tour of the building's display suite.

Bill Morrison of Platinum Project Marketing shows off the display unit's small fridge stocked with beer and pizza 'typical of a student,' he says. (CBC)

Space-saving strategies include a clothes rack that slides out from the wall, rather than a traditional closet with opening doors. The display suite's couch pulls out into a bed.

"We're using the volume of the space, not just the square footage of the space," Morrison said.

The suite boasts stainless steel appliances, but on a smaller scale. The display fridge was filled with beer and pizza "typical of a student," said Morrison.

"To be honest with you, it's fairly small, but for the price, it's worth it," said Ramadan Eshref, who visited the sales centre and was considering buying a suite in the building for his son, a recent university graduate.

"For a single man like my son, for example, it's reasonable. Hopefully it will be a start for him."

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People! We're running out of #StormChips!!!

Comments on this story are moderated according to our Submission Guidelines. Comments are welcome while open. We reserve the right to close comments at any time.

Submission Policy

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Family builds ice castle on Echo Lake

Strip club opponents to speak at Regina City Council meeting

Saskatoon crash close call for man and little boy

Slippery sidewalks send dozens to Regina emergency wards

Mildness to continue for several more days

Mark McMorris takes slopestyle gold at X Games

Historic bust at University of Saskatchewan traced to Napoleon

Video

Sask. residents share slippery weekend weather

Family builds ice castle on Echo Lake

Video

Rider fans react to Ricky Foley trade

Highway 39 closed near Yellow Grass, Sask. after fatal crash

Slippery highways, roads across Saskatchewan

RCMP probe apparent 'homicide-suicide situation' in Melfort

Saskatoon brides try unconventional on for size at wedding show

Roughriders trade Ricky Foley to Argonauts for Shea Emry

Saskatoon Aboriginal students hold mock trial, consider law careers

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Fatbike fever draws northern Ontario biker to Swiss competition

Matt Lapointe, from Thunder Bay, Ont., was one of only two Canadians to race in the Snow Epic fatbike competition, which took place in Engelberg, Switzerland in mid-January. 

Fatbikes are bicycles featuring thick oversized tires, allowing them to tackle all sorts of terrain, including soft unstable surfaces such as sand, and snow. 

"It was pretty amazing," Lapointe said of the Snow Epic competition where riders raced over icy mountainous terrain.

Lapointe said he exceeded his personal goal by placing 30th among 122 competitors. 

A long-time cycling enthusiast, Lapointe said he discovered fatbikes about three years ago at a local shop. He took one for a spin, and was hooked.

Oversized tires allow fatbikes to tackle unstable terrain like sand and snow. (Matt Lapointe)

"It's just fun, that's the only way I can put it. You jump on it, it looks kind of goofy underneath you with these huge, soft tires, but you start riding and the bike is just so much fun to ride," he said, noting that with so much traction, he can ride up steep hills, and even stairs. 

"I've got multiple other bikes, and this is still the one I take out all the time. I ride it in the summer, I ride it in the winter, and any time I can. I even ride it to work."

Lapointe said fatbikes are starting to catch on with Thunder Bay riders.

"It's huge in the Minneapolis area and by extension it's getting bigger and bigger here," he said.

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Inmate discovers the power of contraband makeup

Audio

Cherry Kool-Aid as hair dye, newspaper ink as blush

CBC News Posted: Jan 24, 2015 7:09 AM ET Last Updated: Jan 24, 2015 7:09 AM ET

Annie Burchard on the power of contraband prison makeup 4:53

Annie Burchard on the power of contraband prison makeup 4:53

Annie Burchard had a very distinct look when she was incarcerated in a county jail in San Diego for two years. She had tattoos, bright red hair styled in a pompadour, and a rockabilly fashion sense.

She wanted to maintain some of her style in jail, but found that would be nearly impossible without violating rules on contraband.

Still, Burchard was not deterred and found a way to express herself. She says although using state-issued property not for its intended purpose is considered contraband, most deputies understood that inmates want to feel feminine and put on makeup.

She says red M&M candies work great for lipstick, cherry Kool-Aid can be a substitute for hair dye and newspaper ink is suitable for blush.

Hear more about her beauty regimen in CBC Radio's DNTO series looking at life behind bars.

Listen to the full DNTO episode.

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Note: The CBC does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comments, you acknowledge that CBC has the right to reproduce, broadcast and publicize those comments or any part thereof in any manner whatsoever. Please note that comments are moderated and published according to our submission guidelines.

Stay Connected with CBC News

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Quebec snow fort lives again after spat with city settled

Yann Lefebvre's four children can play in their family's snow fort again — and this time, without a municipal squabble distracting them from the winter fun.

After a spat over the fort's safety pitted Lefebvre against the city of Beaconsfield, Que., on Montreal's West Island, the Lefebvre family got some help from neighbours and city officials Saturday afternoon to move the fort back from the street.

"The fort is actually going to end up being cooler than ever," said Vanessa Rice, Lefebvre's wife.

Yann Lefebvre's original snow fort. (Submitted by Yann Lefebvre)

First built on the edge of the family's front lawn, the open-air fort was walled-in by snow bricks, and snow couches were sculpted inside.

City officials said the fort was on municipal land and earlier this month, they instructed Lefebvre to move it back at least 1.8 metres from the road.

Beaconsfield Mayor Georges Bourelle said the city was concerned with being held liable for a potential accident, but that its primary goal was to ensure the safety of neighbourhood children.

"The concern is very simple: safety," Bourelle said. "The fort was built essentially right on the edge of the street. It's very, very dangerous for snow plows to go by and clean the street."

After city officials delivered a letter ordering him to remove the fort Thursday, Lefebvre said he relented, and invited family and friends to a "rebuilding party" Saturday.

'The fort is actually going to end up being cooler than ever.'- Vanessa Rice, wife of original snow fort builder Yann Lefebvre

Rice said about 25 people were on hand to rebuild the fort, including Bourelle and two city councillors.

"I'm not an irresponsible parent," Lefebvre said in a telephone interview before the rebuilding began. "An accident can happen, I agree to that. But if I go with that attitude, I'm never going to let my kids ride a bike, I'm never going to let them go outside."

He said he was amazed by all the attention his family's snow fort has received.

"If you live in Canada, you build snow forts, you skate in the winter, and you do some skiing," Lefebvre said. "It's such a sanitized society where everybody's so afraid of everything, and my kids can't even be kids, you know. I'm so amazed that it's garnered so much interest."

Beaconsfield councillor Karen Messier said the city wasn't against snow forts, but that the structures must be built in safe areas.

"I think this gentleman, his intentions were excellent, of course," she said. "He wanted to do this for his children, and everybody appreciates that. The location of it was not well conceived."

She added that finally, though, that the story has a happy ending.

"The end result is the kids are going to have their fort," Messier said.

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Bank robber dons absurdly huge fake beard as disguise

White Rock RCMP are trying to identify a man who robbed a HSBC Bank while wearing a huge fake beard.

The suspect, wearing a black toque and a large, stringy, brown beard, entered the branch in the 1400 block of Johnston Road at approximately 4.40 p.m. PT on Jan. 21. demanding money, and saying that he had a gun.

In a statement, police said they "believe the beard to be a disguise".

The suspect is described as 25-35 years old. (RCMP)

The suspect left the bank on foot after being given a sum of cash.

Anyone who recognizes the suspect is asked to contact White Rock RCMP.

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Inmate discovers the power of contraband makeup

Audio

Cherry Kool-Aid as hair dye, newspaper ink as blush

CBC News Posted: Jan 24, 2015 7:09 AM ET Last Updated: Jan 24, 2015 7:09 AM ET

Annie Burchard on the power of contraband prison makeup 4:53

Annie Burchard on the power of contraband prison makeup 4:53

Annie Burchard had a very distinct look when she was incarcerated in a county jail in San Diego for two years. She had tattoos, bright red hair styled in a pompadour, and a rockabilly fashion sense.

She wanted to maintain some of her style in jail, but found that would be nearly impossible without violating rules on contraband.

Still, Burchard was not deterred and found a way to express herself. She says although using state-issued property not for its intended purpose is considered contraband, most deputies understood that inmates want to feel feminine and put on makeup.

She says red M&M candies work great for lipstick, cherry Kool-Aid can be a substitute for hair dye and newspaper ink is suitable for blush.

Hear more about her beauty regiment in CBC Radio's DNTO series looking at life behind bars.

Listen to the full DNTO episode.

Comments on this story are moderated according to our Submission Guidelines. Comments are welcome while open. We reserve the right to close comments at any time.

Submission Policy

Note: The CBC does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comments, you acknowledge that CBC has the right to reproduce, broadcast and publicize those comments or any part thereof in any manner whatsoever. Please note that comments are moderated and published according to our submission guidelines.

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Saskatoon dad builds daughter backyard luge track for birthday

A Saskatoon dad gave his daughter an exciting birthday gift that will eventually disappear when the weather warms. 

Blair McDaid has constructed a backyard luge track for his seven-year-old daughter Ophelia.

The icy track starts at the top of a wooden platform, and continues in a loop along three sides of his yard. Riders use a plastic toboggan to navigate the course.

"It's snow, it's ice," said McDaid. "The initial base track is built out of leaves to get the initial curve, and that's how the whole thing started."

McDaid built the luge track last month and said the track needs daily maintenance to keep it icy. It's been a lot of work to build it and keep it running.

"At the end of the Christmas holidays, I thought, 'Geez, I haven't done anything at all over the holidays,'" he said. "And then I walked into the backyard, and there was a luge there. So, sometimes these things just happen."

With this month's unseasonably warm weather, McDaid is hoping for some cooler temperatures to save his track. He also admits to considering special measures to preserve the luge track.

"I do have this irrational vision of finding some old construction tarps and spend time covering it and uncovering it, but I may find better things to do," he said.

Saskatoon dad builds daughter backyard luge track0:34

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Steve Martin makes surprise visit to London, Ont., museum

On mobile? View the tweet

Actor and comedian Steve Martin made an unannounced visit Wednesday to a museum in London, Ont., to view paintings by Lawren Harris, a founding member of the Group of Seven.

Museum London officials said Martin was most interested in seeing the Harris oil on canvas painting called From the North Shore, Lake Superior, circa 1927.

Lawren Stewart Harris (Canadian, 1885-1970) From the North Shore, Lake Superior, circa 1927 Oil on canvas Collection of Museum London, Gift of H. S. Southam Esq., Ottawa, Ontario, 1940 (Submitted by Museum London)

Martin is co-curating an exhibition of Harris' work called The Idea of the North: Paintings by Lawren S. Harris. On Thursday night at the Art Gallery of Ontario in Toronto, the comedian will participate in "an evening of conversation" about the exhibit with Adam Gopnik, a staff writer with The New Yorker.

After Martin's tour of Museum London, excited Londoners snapped photos of Martin feeding Canada geese outside the museum.

The Group of Seven formed in the early 1920s, travelling and painting iconic landscapes of the Canadian wilderness until 1933. Harris' most well-known paintings are landscapes of Canada's cold north.

Check out the CBC's Digital Archives on the Group of Seven.

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Photo with Irish president expands Kevin Vickers's Twitter stature

'A diplomat to look up to,' comments one tweeter

By Laura Payton, CBC News Posted: Jan 21, 2015 5:20 PM ET Last Updated: Jan 21, 2015 5:20 PM ET

Stay Connected with CBC News

Latest Politics News Headlines

The House

• Budget delayed Jan. 17, 2015 2:01 PM This week on The House, declining oil prices have forced the government to delay the tabling of the next budget. Employment Minister Jason Kenney explains the government's reasoning. Then, the leader of the Official Opposition, Tom Mulcair, shares his thoughts about the state of the economy. Former Bank of Canada governor David Dodge also joins us with his assessment.

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Hillary Clinton busts out Vladimir Putin impression in Winnipeg

Hillary Clinton lit up Twitter Wednesday afternoon by poking fun at Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The former U.S. secretary of state was in Winnipeg for a talk on global issues when she busted out her best impression of Putin for about 2,000 people.

Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce president Victor Dodig flubbed a lead-in to a question, saying, "If for some reason, you decided to be leader of the United States – or actually run for that, there is a process," and Clinton ran with it.

"Yeah. There is a process. It's not like Putin. I mean, you can imagine the conversation with Putin," she said before launching into the impression and drawing big laughs from the crowd – who paid $300 a ticket to see her.

Earlier in the talk, Clinton did not mince words when she talked about how she felt about the world leader and ongoing tensions between Russia and Ukraine.

"It's very much in our interest to do more to help the Ukraine," Clinton said. "I think the evidence is pretty clear. The Russian army is supporting the Russian separatists, and there is an increasing amount of weaponry and personnel that crosses the border … it's not just about Crimea."

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Behold Stephen Harper's little-known electric guitar collection

Stephen Harper recently added the gift of a Fender Stratocaster to a growing collection of electric guitars, the sixth he's received as prime minister.

Harper, a keyboardist, has a public passion for rock music and Beatles tunes, but his apparent interest in guitar collecting is little known, even in the local Ottawa music scene.

Among the choice instruments he's declared as gifts over the last five years are guitars signed by Carlos Santana and Gene Simmons, of KISS, as well as a Gibson Robot self-tuning guitar and a handcrafted Canadian electric guitar.

All are listed in Harper's gift-disclosure declarations to Canada's ethics commissioner, required under parliamentary rules for public office holders and recently reviewed by CBC News.

California's Riverside County gave this locally produced custom Fender Stratocaster to Prime Minister Stephen Harper late last year as thanks for Canada being the region's main trading partner. The red maple leaf lights up when the volume knob is pushed. (Riverside County Office of Foreign Trade)

The latest acquisition is a custom-made Stratocaster built at the Fender Custom shop in Corona, Calif., in Riverside County. A county official sent the guitar to Harper in November, saying it was meant to honour Canada, the area's biggest trading partner.

The model includes a maple leaf emblem on the pickguard that lights up in red whenever the volume control is pressed.

"Please be assured that this iconic instrument will find a special place close to my piano," Harper said in a thank-you note quoted in a local paper last month.

Nickelback gives 2 guitars

The prime minister's son Ben is the family guitarist. And although his father made the gift declaration, Ben was the intended recipient of two guitars from Nickelback – a bass guitar and the Gibson Robot – in April 2010.

Homegrown rocker Bryan Adams, left, jams with Prime Minister Stephen Harper in May 2010. Adams is playing a signed Spector Custom Mike Kroeger bass guitar given to Harper's son Ben by the Canadian band Nickelback. (Twitter)

The Santana-signed guitar was a gift from the president of Mexico at the Toluca, Mexico, three amigos summit, though it was built by Paul Reed Smith of Maryland.

Another choice specimen is a handcrafted electric guitar built by the Wild Honey Guitar Co. of Mississauga, Ont., made and presented by a couple from Thunder Bay, Ont. The registry puts its value at $1,200, the only guitar declaration with a dollar value attached.

Federal rules say public office holders and their families are allowed to accept gifts "as a normal expression of courtesy or protocol, or within the customary standards of hospitality that normally accompany the public office holder's position."

'You know I've been to Abbey Road'- Prime Minister Stephen Harper

Such gifts worth $200 or more have to be declared to the ethics commissioner's office within 30 days of receipt. Gifts worth more than $1,000 must be turned over to the Crown, though the recipient can pay an amount to the Crown to retain them, at the discretion of the ethics commissioner. Those details are not given in the declarations.

The Gene Simmons axe-shaped bass guitar is estimated from other sources to be worth about $5,000 US. Simmons has said he did a video conference with Harper to find out exactly how he wanted the guitar personalized.

Harper's love of rock music was on display as recently as Dec. 9, when he and his band the Van Cats played at the annual Conservative Christmas party in Ottawa. The prime minister handled keyboards and sang tunes from Buddy Holly, the Beatles, Johnny Cash, John Denver and Guns N' Roses.

Jams with famous musicians

The prime minister has also jammed with visiting musicians at 24 Sussex over the years, including Randy Bachman and Bryan Adams. A spokesman for Harper says he plays guitar a bit.

The manager of a local music shop said he was surprised to hear about the six guitars Harper received as gifts, as the prime minister is known primarily as a keyboard guy.

Hand-crafted guitar with carved eagle feathers made in 2010 for the prime minister by a couple from Thunder Bay, Ont. (Erick and Lisa Hanson, Wild Honey Guitar Co.)

"Wow … it's surprising to me," said Peter Andruchow, manager of Steve's Music Store on Rideau Street, a few blocks east of Parliament Hill.

Members of Harper's family have been repeat customers, with Ben once buying a semi-acoustic jazz guitar and the prime minister himself showing up to try digital electric pianos for an hour, eventually leaving with the Roland FP-7 that is frequently seen in his musical interludes posted on YouTube.

"He's a real music guy," Andruchow said in an interview, recalling a remark the prime minister made as he was paying for the Roland with his credit card.

"He leans over to me and says: 'You know I've been to Abbey Road,'" referring to the famous London recording studio of the Beatles.

Follow @DeanBeeby on Twitter

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Easter Island snow statues 'sing' to Waterloo residents

The famous Easter Island moai, or stone statues, each took up to a year to complete, but each one of Waterloo, Ont.'s Matt Morris's 7-foot tall snow versions takes about four hours to make, and lasts only as long as the weather stays cold. 

"I'm a good Canadian so I like to get outside. We live in the winter and we've got a great snowbank," said Morris.

It's Morris's fourth winter building the snow people on his front lawn in the Westmount neighbourhood, where they've become winter icons.

"The reaction I got the first year was so positive and then people started asking, 'Have you done it again this year?' or 'Are they coming?'" Morris said.

"I guess after you doing something a couple years, you start getting feedback that people are expecting it. This year we put a bit of twist on it, as they are supposed to look like they're singing." 

Morris also names his creations, and tweets their imagined conversations in comic form. Some tweets are directed to his students at Kitchener-Waterloo Collegiate and Vocational School, where he heads the business department.

On mobile? View the comic

"Soon they'll the see the comic, which is themed on studying for exams, so no doubt that will inspire them to drop their Facebook time and spend more time studying," Morris laughed.

For each snow statue, Morris uses an eight-sided wooden form, which he shovels snow into to build a tower. He then lets the snow sit in the mould for three to four hours so it packs together well. When that's complete, Morris takes off the wood form and uses a large machete to carve the sculptures.

"I have no training of course," said Morris. "But it's basically go out and take a risk and start cutting. Usually what happens is at some point a mistake is made and a head falls off or you cut too deeply and you have to re-pack it."

Morris said it is fun to see people's reactions as they walk or drive by the house.

"One gentleman the other day summed it up when he stopped on the side of the road and talked to my wife and said it was the one thing that got him through winter, seeing the Easter Island guys," said Morris.

"It's one of the more effective traffic calming measures for Westmount, ... cars seem to slow down."

The snow statues, Selena, Aldo, Bruce and Ed, are shown below. 

On mobile? Click here to see the tweet. 

On mobile? Click here to see the tweet. 

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Reto Berra, AHL netminder, celebrates in style after scoring goal

OH, BABY!

Empty netter seals victory for the Lake Erie Monsters

By Paul McGaughey, CBC Sports Posted: Jan 17, 2015 12:42 AM ET Last Updated: Jan 17, 2015 12:42 AM ET

Netminder Reto Berra just might have made himself a little more famous.

On Friday, he helped his own cause by putting the game out of reach with an empty-net goal late in the third period of a 5-1 victory over the Chicago Wolves in AHL action.

And the 28-year-old, who was sent down to the Lake Erie Monsters by the Colorado Avalanche last week for a conditioning stint, made no effort to hide his excitement for the moment -- which is totally understandable. 

According to the Monsters, Berra became the 11th goalie in AHL history to accomplish this epic feat of strength, which required him to launch the puck almost the entire length of the ice while maintaining pin-point accuracy at the same time

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Police officer's lip-sync to Taylor Swift's Shake it Off goes viral

A video of a bald and burly Delaware police officer enthusiastically lip-syncing to Taylor Swift's Shake it Off is getting global attention.

The video, posted to the Dover Police Department's Facebook page Friday, shows Master Cpl. Jeff Davis in uniform and driving a patrol car while lip-syncing to the popular pop song — sassy head rolls and finger-pointing included.

Department spokesman Cpt. Mark Hoffman said Saturday that he's gotten calls about the video from media outlets in Australia, Britain, Germany, and throughout the U.S. It has 380,000 YouTube views.

Hoffman says Davis, a 19-year veteran of the department, is "the class clown" and loved making the video. He says the 48-year-old father of four knows Shake it Off so well because of his 10-year-old daughter.

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Man involved in Tim Hortons snake-toss incident wants it back

One of the men allegedly at the centre of a snake-tossing incident inside a Saskatoon Tim Hortons says he would like to get his pet back.

Saskatoon police were called Dec. 8 following a disturbance at the coffee shop.

According to police, there was a dispute about somebody's breakfast sandwich, a garter snake was produced and somebody tossed it behind the counter.

The Tim Hortons restaurant in the 600 block of 22nd Street West where the snake-tossing incident is alleged to have taken place. (David Shield/CBC)

Screams followed, according to a video of the incident posted online. 

Two men were charged with mischief and creating a disturbance. Luke Apooch and Christopher Cook, both 20, have been released and will be back in court next month.

Police said the snake was uninjured, has been given a new temporary home and will be released to the wild in the spring.

However, when CBC News called Apooch, he said he wants to get his snake back.

He said he got the snake while working in the oil fields in Alberta.

Apooch named it "Patches O'Houlihan" and kept it in a pizza box. Following the Tim Hortons incident, police renamed it "Outlaw".

Apooch admits he isn't set up to care for "Patches" at the moment, but said if he were to get the snake back, he too would set it free in the spring.

Should the man involved in a snake-tossing incident get his snake back?

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Mysterious ice circle in Calgary explained

People are asking a lot of questions about a mysterious "ice circle" that appeared on the frozen surface of Calgary's Glenmore Reservoir.

A unique design appeared carved out on the Glenmore Reservoir — two concentric circles with arrows pointing towards a centre bullseye.

Curious onlookers guess everything from an icy crop circle to a children's game carved into the snow.

But the Calgary Fire Department has a very logical reason for the icy design.

"It's actually for dive team training," said fire department spokesperson Carol Henke.

The fire department is training several new dive team recruits and beneath the surface are underwater safety ropes for divers to hang onto.

The shovelling pattern is a back-up safety precaution. 

"Removing several inches of snow allows more light to go through the ice so, should they come off the rope, they could look up at the ice and see the outline of the circle and the arrows pointing to the hole in the ice," she said.

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Winnipeg-bound puppy learns airline travel can be a little 'ruff'

Levon the Bernese Mountain Dog is just a pup but he's already had some ruff encounters with airlines.

A family bought him from a breeder in Ontario and had him shipped to their Winnipeg home, but he didn't arrive.

Instead of being on the Prairies, Levon found himself in the shadows of the Rocky Mountains. He wasn't taken off the WestJet flight in Winnipeg, and instead landed in Calgary.

WestJet spokesman Brie Thorsteinson Ogle said there were three dogs on the plane, but only two were unloaded.

"There people that were looking for the delivery [of Levon] who alerted us to the fact that he had not made it off the aircraft," she said.

Fortunately, the Ontario breeder had a friend in Calgary who was able to look after Levon until he was put back on another Winnipeg-bound flight on Thursday morning.

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Rory McIlroy sinks hole-in-1 in Abu Dhabi

Rory McIlroy made his first competitive hole-in-one as a professional as part of a brilliant back nine that propelled his pursuit of Martin Kaymer in the second round of the Abu Dhabi Championship on Friday.

The world No. 1 threw his hands in the air and high-fived playing partner Rickie Fowler after his 9-iron from 177 yards at the par-3 15th landed a yard from the hole, hopped right and trickled into the cup.

"It never left the pin," McIlroy said after ticking off one of the few things he'd yet to achieve in his golf career.

A 6-under 66 — completed with a 15-foot birdie putt at No. 18 — moved McIlroy into third place on 11 under, two shots behind Kaymer, to set up a potentially thrilling duel over the weekend between two players who won three of last year's majors.

McIlroy will do well to dislodge Kaymer, though.

The U.S. Open champion followed up a first-round 64 with a 67 to give himself a great chance of a fourth title at the National Course — where he won in 2008, '10 and '11.

Kaymer, who maintained his one-stroke lead from overnight, is a strong front-runner — as shown by his wire-to-wire victories in last year's U.S. Open and in Abu Dhabi in `08. He is even threatening to challenge his own record low total in this tournament, set in '11 when he shot a 24-under 264.

"It's one of the only tournaments where you stand on the first tee and you pretty much know you have birdied every single hole," said Kaymer, whose second-round highlight came on his 10th hole when he chipped in for birdie from a greenside bunker.

Separating Kaymer and McIlroy on the leaderboard is Thomas Pieters, a strapping 22-year-old Belgian who is starting to fulfil his potential after an impressive college career in which he was NCAA champion in 2012.

Pieters, seeking a first European Tour win, shot a 67 for 12 under.

McIlroy recalled making 10 hole-in-ones, the last coming in a pro-am two years ago. His first came at the age of 9 and was also a 9-iron, on that occasion from 106 yards at his home course in Holywood, Northern Ireland.

But one of the most thrilling feats in golf had evaded him in competitive professional play until he stepped up at No. 15, slightly downbeat after missing very makeable birdie putts on Nos. 13 and 14.

He stayed in his pose as the ball drew in, kicked right on landing and took a couple of small bounces before plopping in.

"I didn't need to get the putter out on that hole," said McIlroy, who walked up to the cup, repaired his pitch mark and scooped the ball out to whoops and hollers from the crowd.

McIlroy was delighted with his ball-striking on a day that revived memories of his stunning year in 2014, when he won two majors and returned to No. 1. He has quickly shaken off the rust following time off over Christmas.

Kaymer is playing even better, though. Out early in benign conditions — sunny and without a hint of wind — Kaymer's unforgiving driving and iron play was as strong as in the first round but his putting wasn't as prolific.

His bogey-free score contained five birdies and should have been lower, with a 3-footer on No. 6 (his 15th) one of a number of birdie chances spurned.

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Meet one of a fading breed: the typewriter repairman

Since October 2014, the photography exhibit Overtime: Portraits of Perseverance at Work at the City of Waterloo Museum has been showcasing photographs and stories of people in Waterloo Region who continue to perform long-established trades and professions that are slowly disappearing due to new technologies.

This is the first of their stories.

Manfred Aulich

Manfred Aulich is a longtime Kitchener resident who still fixes typewriters.

He first started the trade in Berlin in 1966 and later came to Canada in 1970, where he continued to work for Olympia International, a typewriter manufacturer that no longer exists.

Aulich, now retired, says he is one of the last people in southern Ontario who can still repair typewriters, and regularly receives service requests from lawyers' offices and other small businesses that still use them.

"It comes in handy for small stuff, like for envelopes, typing out quick notes, complicated forms," said Aulich. "It's easy to put them in a typewriter and type it out very quickly without going into all kinds of programs."

Aulich says another draw for business is younger clients who find antique typewriters owned by their parents or relatives and want them to be restored.

Overtime: Portraits of Perseverance at Work is curated by Karl Kessler and Sunshine Chen.

The exhibit runs at the City of Waterloo Museum, inside Conestoga Mall until January 30, 2015 and is open from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. from Tuesday to Friday.

For more details visit the museum's website or call 519-885-8828.

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Move over Rideau Canal? Finnish man builds 25 kilometre long outdoor rink

A Finnish man has single-handedly cleared an outdoor skating rink more than three times longer than Ottawa's Rideau Canal Skateway.

Sami Päivike is a tourism company CEO living in Rovaniemi, a northern Finnish city directly located on the Arctic Circle.

He told the CBC's Ottawa Morning host Hallie Cotnam on Tuesday his rink started as a small project and just kept going to 25 kilometres

"I had some days off during Christmas time, nothing to do that much," he said.

"First I was thinking I wanted to make a small skating rink for the children outdoors, it went well so I was thinking 'why not, should I do a bit more, longer?' and then that's how it all started."

Päivike said his three-metre wide rink started as a 3.5 kilometre stretch, then he added another 4.5 kilometres, and eventually wound up with the length he has today.

"I just have a strong ATV with chains on the backside" and a blade on the front, he said.

The Guinness Book of World Records declared Ottawa's 7.8 kilometre-long Rideau Canal Skateway the "world's largest skating rink" in 2005.

"It's a good start," declared Päivike, who added he had to look up where Ottawa was on a map and found "it's so (far) south, to us it's like Spain."

Despite Päivike's friendly trash talk, the Rideau Canal's 125,000 square metres is still bigger than Rovaniemi's 75,000 square metre rink.

You can hear his full Ottawa Morning interview on the audio player in this story.

On mobile? Click here to hear the full interview with Päivike and click here to see where Rovaniemi is on a map.

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Seattle pooch catches bus solo to dog park

A black Labrador in Seattle, Wash, is so keen to get to the dog park for a walk that she reportedly jumps onto a bus solo and rides to her destination before jumping off.

According to Seattle's KOMO TV News, local radio host Miles Montgomery was amazed to see the pooch get off the bus, without an owner, at a dog park last week.

The dog, which is named Eclipse, and her owner Jeff Young, live right near a bus stop, which is about three stops away from the dog park, which they visit most days.

If her owner takes too long finishing his cigarette, and their bus arrives, Eclipse climbs aboard solo and rides to her stop, the dog park. (KOMO TV/Associated Press)

Young said his dog sometimes gets on the bus without him if he takes too long finishing his cigarette, and he catches up with her at the dog park three or four stops away.

In Young's words, "She's a bus-riding, sidewalk-walking dog."

According to KOMO, other regular commuters on the route confirm Eclipse regularly hops on the bus alone, grabs a seat where she can watch out the window for her stop, and then gets off at the park.

"All the bus drivers know her ... She makes everybody happy," commuter Tiona Rainwater said.

A Seattle transit spokesman said the agency loves that a dog appreciates public transit.

Watch the KOMO TV report

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Back to the Future lives on in Ontario man's driveway

It all started years ago, when an eight-year-old Ken Kapalowski first saw Back to the Future and laid eyes on the time-travelling Delorean that features prominently in the classic 1985 movie and its two sequels.

"When I saw it coming off the truck in the movie, I was like — I want that car," Kapalowski told CBC News in an interview.

As a grown-up, he's essentially made that happen.

Kapalowski has created a driveable replica of the Delorean, complete with a model of the so-called "flux capacitor" — the memorable term used to describe a part of the vehicle in the movie.

It's clear that Kapalowski has paid attention to the details, during the 12 years he spent working on his project.

"Eight of those 12 years was getting the time machine conversion done and the big bulk of that was actually sourcing what the parts are, because I didn't want to just bolt calculators and computer parts onto the car, I wanted to make sure I found the exact part that they used in the movie," he said.

Click on the video at the top of this page, to learn all about Kapalowski's project. You can also check out images of his car in the photo gallery.

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Grad student seeks crowdfunding to finish thesis

A student at the University of Calgary has turned to crowd funding to be able to finish her PhD. 

Erin Baerwald's doctoral research involves gathering genetic information to determine the migratory routes of bats. The goal is to help reduce the number of bats killed during migration as a result of collisions with wind turbines.  

"We think closer to two million bats have been killed in the last ten years," she said.

Baerwald says her research has been well-supported by the university and her supervisor. However, she says genetic research is expensive and unexpected costs have outstripped her existing funding.

"There's limited funds for basic research and things that aren't going to make money, things that aren't research and development (with an) industrial focus, it is a big problem," she said. 

Baerwald and her supporters have launched a campaign on the web site Indiegogo. The goal is to raise $15,000.

"I've had some donations from Germany and Slovakia and from across the U.K.," she said.

"A lot of the bat community is getting behind me as well; they're re-tweeting and sharing on Facebook and donating," she added. 

So far, Baerwald's campaign has raised just over $3,000. She says she hopes to be able to complete her research by the summer.

Hanna Kadri, with the the University of Calgary student union, calls the amount of research funding available to students inadequate.

"There's not much that can be done to increase the amount of research dollars to students, "she said, adding, "I think it it is a travesty."

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No Pants Subway Ride 2015

Annual event began as a prank and has become a global celebration of bare thighs

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Indiana couple charged after video shows tot putting gun in mouth

An Indiana couple are facing charges in connection with a video police say shows the woman`s year-old baby putting a gun in her mouth. (CBC files)

Police in Indiana have charged a couple after finding cellphone videos showing the woman's 12-month-old daughter putting a handgun in her mouth.

Police in Evansville said they discovered the videos after a man, 19, was arrested for trying to sell a handgun to an undercover officer.

Police say the man and the girl's mother, 22, can be heard encouraging the toddler to say "pow," and that no one tried to stop her as she put the gun in her mouth.

Police said the mother told officers the girl was holding a pellet gun, but investigators say it was a .40-calibre handgun. They say the gun's magazine appeared to be removed but it's not clear whether there was ammunition in the chamber.

Both adults face charges including child neglect and recklessness with a deadly weapon.

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South Korean ice fishing enthusiasts brave winter cold

More than 150K people brave sub-zero temperatures in South Korea to enjoy ice fishing

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World's oldest hockey stick sold to museum for $300K

The Canadian Museum of History has acquired what it believes is the world's oldest known hockey stick.

The museum bought the piece from a Nova Scotia man who found it in a barber shop.

The simple piece of wood was crafted into a hockey stick in Cape Breton in the 1830s.

Mark Presley was emotional as he handed the stick over to museum curators today.

He says he's happy that all Canadians will be able to share its significance and meaning.

Presley, who purchased the stick from the barber shop for $1,000, was paid $300,000 for it by the museum's National Collection Fund.

The artifact will go on display on Canada Day in 2017.

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Winnipeg guitarist goes viral playing apps, ipads

One Winnipeg musician has captured the eye of YouTube and thousands of people for his innovative music.

Steve Onotera, 27, is making a name for himself by recording songs with several instruments at once or ditching the instruments altogether and playing entire covers from his iPad.

"I just started sharing a couple little videos I recorded on my phone just basically to my friends" Onotera told CBC News.

That was in June. And it's only taken off since then.

On Wednesday, YouTube tweeted to its 47 million followers to check out guitarist, Onotera's latest video. It's a cover of the Daft Punk song "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger" using only his guitar, some accessories and a spoon.

"I was thrilled," he said. 

Overnight the video got more than 30 thousand views — a far cry from when he started back in June. His studio is his parents' basement. And his initial platform for sharing his videos: his personal Instagram account. 

"What I did is I would put a little hash tag [under the videos]: #guitar #cover and what that does that allows other Instagram users to find stuff using those keywords."

When followers began rolling in, he decided to take that as a cue and start his own YouTube channel.

The cover Onotera does of "Don't Fear the Reaper" has garnered more than 149-thousand views so far. Every sound you hear in the song, including his voice was performed on the iPad. He uses a guitar and voice altering app. The video took two weeks to produce.  

YouTube tweets to its 47 million followers to check out Steve Ontera's video (CBC)

"A big thing with that one was the editing process. To shoot the video, it takes a while to get those takes perfect ... It can be a long frustrating process but once it's done it feels very, very awesome."

Onotera, who goes by "Samurai Guitarist" online, holds a bachelor's degree in guitar performance and is first to admit his work is a bit of a gimmick.  

"The gimmick only works if there's an underlying sense of musicality in there," he said. "You can draw people in with a gimmick but they're only going to stick around if there's something very interesting, and something genuinely good musically happening in there."
    
He says stepping outside of the box is all part of getting noticed in today's industry. But he says technology makes it easy for anyone to do that. 
    
"I think it's very hard if you're approaching things with a bit of an old school approach where you go out, you gig, you go out, you gig and network," he said. "I think that's definitely a part of it but if you can access these social media platforms like YouTube, like Instagram, Snap Chat, Twitter, it makes it so much easier for the musicians of today."

With hundreds of thousands of views and a growing audience the pressure to produce and experiment is on.  

"I've got some big ideas on the horizon." he said "Unfortunately they keep seeming to get harder and harder which is wearing a little bit on my sanity but it always feels so good to get them done and get them out there in the world."

"The next one I'm releasing is, I'm going to play the Beethoven Fur Elise and I'm going to play it on five separate guitars at the same time."

"I've got them all kind of lined up in front of me."

As for exactly how it will work, Ontotera says you'll have to wait and see.

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Mummified rat, 1890s newspaper uncovered during Fort Calgary restoration

Fort Calgary workers are uncovering a wide range of rare artifacts as they continue to restore the Hunt House in Inglewood. 

A mummified rat, a child's toy and a 125-year-old newspaper are some of the items that have been discovered in the building and buried beneath the structure.

"It's completely unexpected," said Fort Calgary's Cynthia Klaassen. "It's been like a treasure hunt actually."

An inside look at the preservation of Hunt House. (Kyle Bakx/CBC)

Preservation specialists have been working to restore Hunt House for the last 12 months. The structure is considered Calgary's oldest building still in its original location.

The Hunt House is a one room building that was likely constructed in the 1870s or 1880s. It is located across the Elbow River from Fort Calgary.

"It doesn't have the grandiosity of something like the Lougheed House would have, but it really is important to Calgary's history," said Klaassen.

The Hunt House as seen in 1910. (Glenbow Museum photo archives)

The building is a rare look at how the founders of Calgary lived more than a century ago.

"It will become Fort Calgary's most important artifact. We will use that to tell the story of Fort Calgary as a site and we will also use it to tell the story of the Hudson's Bay company that first arrived in Calgary," said Klaassen.

Several items found

The most recent artifact was a rolled up newspaper discovered in the roof of the house. It was likely placed there as added insulation for the log cabin. The newspaper is the Sept. 5, 1890, edition of The Carlisle Journal.

This newspaper is from Sept. 5, 1890. (Kyle Bakx/CBC)

One of the most interesting discoveries is believed to be a mummified rat found underneath the cabin's floor. While the rodents do occasionally make an appearance in the province today, Alberta has claimed rat-free status since the 1950s.

A mummified rat was found underneath the floor of Hunt House. (Kyle Bakx/CBC)

Workers have uncovered several glass bottles. One is from London in the 1920s and another is a vanilla bottle from the Hudson's Bay.

A Hudson`s Bay bottle of vanilla (Kyle Bakx/CBC)

Workers also uncovered a piece of wood believed to be a child's block. It was found underneath the building along with a pair of shoes.

This item is believed to be a child`s wood block. (Kyle Bakx/CBC)

Preservation work

Most of the discoveries are made by Dave Chalmers, who is contracted to preserve the log cabin. Each log and board is inspected for deterioration. They are then restored using epoxy and original wood fibres. Chalmers is hoping to finish the restoration by the spring.

Chalmers says as someone who has grown up in Calgary this is the pinnacle of his career.

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William Shatner to cross U.S. on Rivet, a custom steampunk motorcycle

In a move worthy of Captain Kirk himself, William Shatner has started a company to create custom futuristic steampunk motorcycles — and will ride his own machine from Chicago to Los Angeles later this year to promote the brand.

Shatner posted a link to the new company's website on his Facebook page.

"Excited about my partnership with American Wrench in forming Rivet Motors," the post reads. "This is the cycle of the future."

Shatner's Rivet is described as "a machine as distinguished and iconic as the man himself." (rivetmotors.com)

Rivet is described as "a machine as distinguished and iconic as the man himself."

A video of Shatner in consultation with the designers at bike company American Wrench, shows the Canadian actor creating more than a few design challenges for the team, insisting the bike should seat two, and have a full canopy.

In a scene worthy of the TV show The Office, the designers express disbelief as the chief designer intones regretfully, "I committed to the canopy."

The whole idea for Rivet apparently came about by chance, after someone from American Wrench met Shatner in an autograph line and suggested the actor, who is a well-known motorcycle afficionado, have a bike custom built.

A week later, Shatner was having lunch with Kevin Sirotek, vice-president of parent company Illinois Auto Electric, and the concept was cemented.

"Being able to start a business with Bill on that is pretty cool," Sirotek told Motor Trend.

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Woman plunging San Diego toilet pulls up snake

Officials in San Diego are trying to sort out how a 5 1/2-foot snake wound up in a toilet at an office building.

Stephanie Lacsa told San Diego County authorities she noticed the water level in the toilet was higher than usual when she went to the second-floor restroom Tuesday. When she plunged it, a snake popped up and flicked its tongue.

She ran out, taped the door shut and called Animal Services.

The department says an animal control officer found a giant Columbian rainbow boa on the floor. The snake was shedding and slightly underweight.

It was taken to an animal care facility and bit a handler.

If the owner doesn't show up by Friday, the snake will go to a rescue group.

How it got in the toilet remains a mystery.

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It's healthy to shovel while shirtless, Regina man says

Saskatchewan people tend to talk tough about braving the bitter cold, but Regina's Dave Limacher really walks the talk.

He regularly goes shirtless when he's shovelling snow at his Lakeview-area home — even when the mercury dips down as low as -10 C.

Limacher is a believer in what's called "cold thermogenesis", which holds that exercising in frigid conditions can help burn fat and bring other health benefits.

"We can use cold to burn fat. We can use cold to improve our hormone function, and just improve overall health. It's probably one of the easiest ways to do it," he said.

When it's colder than -10, Limacher wears a thin shirt to protect his skin.

Often he'll go shoeless when he's clearing away the white stuff.

He says he's sensible and doesn't stay out for prolonged periods when there are dangerous wind chills.

But he really went all out earlier this week when CBC News dropped by to watch him in action.

During his brief, shirtless demonstration, it was a bone-chilling -24.

He admits he sometimes gets looks from his neighbours.

"They say, 'You're nuts' and they kind of give me a look like, 'You're crazy'," he said.

"But I know it's good for my health and there's a lot of research to show it, so it doesn't bother me." 

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Bradley Cooper shreds Neil Young cover... on air guitar

Actor was on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Monday celebrating his 40th birthday

CBC News Posted: Jan 06, 2015 1:03 PM ET Last Updated: Jan 06, 2015 1:06 PM ET

Bradley Cooper shreds guitar when it comes to Neil Young covers. Air guitar, that is.

The Hangover actor was on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Monday (his 40th birthday) to promote his latest film, American Sniper, when he performed his epic "musical" talent. 

Wearing a silly wig and moving around the stage with precision, Cooper ended up in the crowd air guitaring Down By The River over the heads of several shocked audience members.

On mobile? See the video here.

Bradley Cooper on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon

Comments on this story are moderated according to our Submission Guidelines. Comments are welcome while open. We reserve the right to close comments at any time.

Submission Policy

Note: The CBC does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comments, you acknowledge that CBC has the right to reproduce, broadcast and publicize those comments or any part thereof in any manner whatsoever. Please note that comments are moderated and published according to our submission guidelines.

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'Frost quake' shakes Montreal's West Island

Some residents on Montreal's West Island were shaken early Tuesday morning by a weather phenomenon known as a "frost quake." 

Dollard-Des Ormeaux resident Samantha Koary was woken at around 2:30 a.m by two loud noises.

"It sounded like a really big bang, like something fell on the floor in the house. And then there was another loud bang like something fell on the roof," said Koary. "We literally felt a huge shaking of the floor."  

The phenomenon — technically called a cryoseism — happens when water underground in caverns and pockets freezes very quickly, putting pressure on the surrounding earth and rock. 

"The pressure grows until it breaks out and is released. That's the big boom. It's all that energy," said David Phillips, a senior climatologist at Environment Canada.

Phillips says a "frost quake" could crack the ground and cause it to shake — feeling very similar to an earthquake.

He says a similar event can also happen when water collects on flat roofs.

"It will freeze expand and then crack with a boom," said Phillips.

Some West Islanders took to Twitter reporting hearing a loud boom overnight.

Learn more about cryoseisms tomorrow on CBC radio's Daybreak Montreal Wednesday at 6:40 a.m. 

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Baby gorilla raised by humans in hairy vests arrives at new zoo

Kamina, a Western Lowland gorilla, was rejected by her mother and has been moved to the Cincinnati Zoo. (Jennifer D'Agostino/Oklahoma City Zoo/Associated Press)

A baby gorilla raised by human keepers wearing hairy vests has moved to a new Ohio zoo as the search for a surrogate mother for her continues.

The female gorilla named Kamina was born in August at the zoo in Oklahoma City but was shunned by her mother, so she was sent to Cincinnati in September.

Human surrogates there taught her to act like a gorilla by using low grunting sounds to soothe her and coughing sounds to discourage behaviours. They then placed her with two female gorillas.

When they didn't bond with her, keepers decided Kamina's best option was moving to Columbus. The Cincinnati Zoo's curator of primates says such introductions are delicate and don't always work out.

Kamina arrived at the Columbus Zoo last week.

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'It didn't even fight us': Snowmobilers rescue moose buried in avalanche

There's an extra moose alive in southcentral Alaska thanks to three snowmobilers who freed it from an avalanche.

Marty Mobley, Rob Uphus and Avery Vucinich, residents of the Matanuska-Susitna Borough, on Sunday went riding on the west side of Hatcher Pass about 55 miles northeast of Anchorage, Alaska Dispatch News reported. With Alaska's unseasonably warm weather, they were wary of avalanches, Mobley said.

'it looked at us, shook the snow off it, and off it went.'— Marty Mobley

They came upon a hillside that had both moose tracks and ski tracks. The latter stood out because they don't see many skiers in the area.

About an hour later, they returned and saw that an avalanche had come down, wiping out the tracks. The three friends were concerned that a skier might have been trapped but also knew more snow might fall.

"We had about 2,500 feet of mountain above us still," Mobley said. "Half slid, half didn't, so we didn't want to screw around a bunch there."

Mobley spotted something brown moving in the hard-packed snow of the debris field.

"It looked like a guy's arm at first because we were expecting to see a skier," Mobley said. "But it was moaning and groaning and moving and we realized it was a moose, even though only his ears and some of its snout was sticking out of the snow."

The men grabbed shovels. Two men dug while the other looked for signs of another avalanche. When the animal's head was cleared, Vucinich took a picture. The moose didn't struggle and appeared calmer as they cleared snow. 

"It didn't even fight us," Mobley said. "It was like, 'Help me. Help me.' It was totally docile and let us touch it. It just [lay] there," Mobley said.

After about 10 minutes, Mobley said, three-quarters of the animal was free. The men were not sure if the moose was injured. One poked the moose's rump with a shovel.

"It stood right up and towered over us, because we were in kind of a hole from the digging," Mobley said. "It looked like the abominable snowman because its fur was so packed with snow and it looked at us, shook the snow off it, and off it went."

The moose was "at full steam" when it ran down the mountain. It appeared to be uninjured, which was a surprise.

"It slid at least 1,500 to 2,000 feet down the mountain when it got caught in the avalanche," Mobley said.

Mobley said the men couldn't leave the moose to die.

"Besides, we deal with a lot of avalanches and a lot of snow," he said. "That kind of karma is something we don't pass up."

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'It didn't even fight us': Snowmobilers rescue moose buried in avalanche

There's an extra moose alive in southcentral Alaska thanks to three snowmobilers who freed it from an avalanche.

Marty Mobley, Rob Uphus and Avery Vucinich, residents of the Matanuska-Susitna Borough, on Sunday went riding on the west side of Hatcher Pass about 55 miles northeast of Anchorage, Alaska Dispatch News reported. With Alaska's unseasonably warm weather, they were wary of avalanches, Mobley said.

'it looked at us, shook the snow off it, and off it went.'— Marty Mobley

They came upon a hillside that had both moose tracks and ski tracks. The latter stood out because they don't see many skiers in the area.

About an hour later, they returned and saw that an avalanche had come down, wiping out the tracks. The three friends were concerned that a skier might have been trapped but also knew more snow might fall.

"We had about 2,500 feet of mountain above us still," Mobley said. "Half slid, half didn't, so we didn't want to screw around a bunch there."

Mobley spotted something brown moving in the hard-packed snow of the debris field.

"It looked like a guy's arm at first because we were expecting to see a skier," Mobley said. "But it was moaning and groaning and moving and we realized it was a moose, even though only his ears and some of its snout was sticking out of the snow."

The men grabbed shovels. Two men dug while the other looked for signs of another avalanche. When the animal's head was cleared, Vucinich took a picture. The moose didn't struggle and appeared calmer as they cleared snow. 

"It didn't even fight us," Mobley said. "It was like, 'Help me. Help me.' It was totally docile and let us touch it. It just [lay] there," Mobley said.

After about 10 minutes, Mobley said, three-quarters of the animal was free. The men were not sure if the moose was injured. One poked the moose's rump with a shovel.

"It stood right up and towered over us, because we were in kind of a hole from the digging," Mobley said. "It looked like the abominable snowman because its fur was so packed with snow and it looked at us, shook the snow off it, and off it went."

The moose was "at full steam" when it ran down the mountain. It appeared to be uninjured, which was a surprise.

"It slid at least 1,500 to 2,000 feet down the mountain when it got caught in the avalanche," Mobley said.

Mobley said the men couldn't leave the moose to die.

"Besides, we deal with a lot of avalanches and a lot of snow," he said. "That kind of karma is something we don't pass up."

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Baby gorilla raised by humans in hairy vests arrives at new zoo

Kamina, a Western Lowland gorilla, was rejected by her mother and has been moved to the Cincinnati Zoo. (Jennifer D'Agostino/Oklahoma City Zoo/Associated Press)

A baby gorilla raised by human keepers wearing hairy vests has moved to a new Ohio zoo as the search for a surrogate mother for her continues.

The female gorilla named Kamina was born in August at the zoo in Oklahoma City but was shunned by her mother, so she was sent to Cincinnati in September.

Human surrogates there taught her to act like a gorilla by using low grunting sounds to soothe her and coughing sounds to discourage behaviours. They then placed her with two female gorillas.

When they didn't bond with her, keepers decided Kamina's best option was moving to Columbus. The Cincinnati Zoo's curator of primates says such introductions are delicate and don't always work out.

Kamina arrived at the Columbus Zoo last week.

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Chill out: New Year's polar bear dip

Participants dive into sub-zero water to raise money for charities

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Red Army Choir gets 'Happy' with latest pop performance

CBC News Posted: Jan 02, 2015 8:09 PM ET Last Updated: Jan 02, 2015 8:09 PM ET

The Red Army Choir has released a cover of the Pharrell Williams song Happy.

Members of the famous Russian choir appear in uniform, jamming to the tune, apparently as part of their mandate to provide some cheer to the army's rank and file heading into the new year.

A video of the relatively slick production, now one of nearly 2,000 covers of the hit song released around the world, was uploaded to YouTube three days ago.

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51 years after wreck, 17-cm car part found in man's arm

Fifty-one years ago, Arthur Lampitt of Granite City, Ill., smashed his 1963 Thunderbird into a truck. This week during surgery in suburban St. Louis, a 7-inch turn signal lever from that T-Bird was removed from his left arm.

Dr. Timothy Lang removed the lever Wednesday during a 45-minute operation. Lampitt, now 75, is recovering at home.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that the accident broke Lampitt's hip, drawing attention away from the arm, which healed.

A decade or so ago, his arm set off a metal detector at a courthouse. An X-ray showed a slender object the length of a pencil, but since it caused no pain or hardship, Lampitt was told to let it be.

He was moving concrete blocks a few weeks ago when the arm began to hurt for the first time.

Arthur Lampitt displays the car part that broke in his 1963 Thunderbird and lodged in his left arm after his vehicle collided with a truck 51 years ago. (Jesse Bogan/St. Louis Post-Dispatch/Associated Press)

"Everything was fine until it started to get bigger," Lampitt's wife, Betty, said. "The arm started bulging."

Lampitt decided to have surgery. He initially wasn't sure what was in the arm. He wondered if perhaps a medical instrument had been left during the emergency room visit in 1963.

He unearthed a collection of old photos of the mangled Thunderbird taken by a friend at the scene. He noticed the metal blinker lever was missing from the left side of the steering column. He figured that was it, and surgery at City Place Surgery Center in Creve Coeur, Missouri, confirmed it.

"Seven inches long," Lang told Betty.

"Oh, my God," Betty said.

Lang said a protective pocket grew around the lever.

"We see all kinds of foreign objects like nails or pellets, but usually not this large, usually not a turn signal from a 1963 T-Bird," Lang said. "Something this large often gets infected."

Lampitt wasn't sure what he'd do with the lever — maybe make a key chain out of it.

"We'll figure out something, I am sure," he said.

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Waterloo photographer captures movement in mesmerizing LED snaps

Waterloo, Ont. photographer Stephen Orlando has found a unique use for programmable LED lights.

The artist has started attaching the lights to people in an effort to capture their movements on film.

Orlando, who is an engineer by trade, said he began experimenting with photography seven years ago. Since then he has focused on images exploring human movements, from kayaking, to running, to playing a cello. 

"My goal is to try and show motions that are familiar but aren't really known," Orlando said. 

'There is no Photoshop going on here.' - Stephen Orlando, photographer

Orlando's photographs are mostly shot in Ontario, with many featuring sites in Waterloo Region, from white water kayaking in the Elora Gorge rapids to a soccer player running down a field in Bechtel Park, in Waterloo, Ont. 

Orlando uses a three metre long strip of LED lights that are linked to a small micro controller that allows him to program the lights. He then sets his camera for a long exposure, leaving the shutter of the lens open for up to 30 seconds to capture the movements of the lights. 

"I've been playing around with this long exposure, light painting photography for the last couple years," Orlando said. 

"It was only this summer that I started trying to do a bit more detailed work."

Although you will rarely spot a person in Orlando's photos, the artist said all the images are unedited. Instead, Orlando shoots the photographs at dusk and dawn so that the camera captures only the static objects and the bright LED lights in the shots. 

"These are all single images. There is no Photoshop going on here," Orlando said. 

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6 wild animals in unexpected places ... and one very short cat

This year's weird wildlife encounters include a bear on a golf green, a fox on a bus and some turtles where no turtle should ever be found.

Take a look at some of the notable animal stories and odd encounters between animals and humans that took place in 2014.

Baby bear goofs around on green

In B.C., golfers got a surprise when they spotted a baby bear meandering around the green and even spinning the pin.

Can't see the video on your mobile device? Click here

(The B.C. bear wasn't the only one hanging out in an unexpected place — check out this gallery of a bear napping on a power pole north of Saskatoon.)

Fox on a bus?

In Ottawa, a local transit worker snapped a pic of a fox grabbing a nap on a city bus. OC Transpo said in a tweet that the #busfox left on its own after it woke up.

But did the fox pay? An OC Transpo worker discovered this passenger sleeping on an Ottawa city bus.

Need a pond? Bring on the beavers 

A beaver in a pond is hardly unexpected, but sometimes Canada's iconic creatures arrive by an unexpected route. 

An Alberta family brought in beavers this year to help out with building a pond, a task the homeowner tried and failed to do on his own for years. His man-made efforts weren't holding water, so he brought in a family of six beavers with the help of a trapper.

The beavers, who were given pre-cut logs, got right to work and the results were "fantastic," the homeowner said.

Trouble for turtles 

A Windsor, Ont., man found himself in hot water with wildlife officials this year after he was found with 51 turtles strapped to his body as he tried to cross the border. 

Wildlife agents in the U.S. watched the man pick up a package labelled "live fish keep cool" and then slip between a pair of UPS trucks, emerging with what was described as "irregularly shaped bulges" in his pants. He is facing charges in Canada and the U.S.

A pantload of turtles is bound to get you in trouble. (Mary Schwalm/Associated Press)

Grizzly bear checks out the view

B.C.'s Jim Lawrence sent this great shot of a grizzly bear checking out his camera equipment near Revelstoke. 

A curious grizzly bear is photographed near Revelstoke, B.C., on Oct. 27, 2014 using the photographer's backup camera. (Jim Lawrence)

Fox has fun, dog doesn't dig it

A fox popped up in a Whitehorse yard and passed some time playing with a ball. Fun for the fox, but not so much for the hound stuck inside the house.

World's shortest cat ... for a few short months

In March, CBC News did a story about a Kitchener, Ont., woman whose cat Cye was certified by Guinness World Records as the "shortest living domestic cat" in the world. 

Cye, at 13.6 centimetres tall, no longer holds the record. The title for the shortest cat is now held by Lilieput, a nine-year-old cat from California who is just 13.34 centimetres tall. 

Cye's reign as the world's shortest cat was all too brief. (Matthew Kang/CBC)

​

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