Meet the woman behind the dress that broke the Internet

Caitlin McNeill is a 21-year-old musician who hails from the tiny Scottish island of Colonsay, home to a whopping 135 "friendly inhabitants."

But you may know her as the woman who broke the Internet — the one who did it without showing off her ample, oil-covered booty.

Here's why you're reading about #thedress in your newsfeed: McNeill posted an image of the dress to Tumblr and asked "is this dress white and gold or blue and black?" 

SPOILER ALERT: The dress is blue and black.

The origin of this story begins with a dress worn by a mother of the bride known to McNeill. Before the wedding, the mother of the bride sent a picture of her "blue and black" dress to the bride. When the bride and her fiancee saw it, however, the soon-to-be groom thought the dress was gold and white. 

McNeill, who was at the wedding, said she agreed with the groom that the dress looked white and gold in the picture. She explained the story in an interview with Toronto's Roz and Mocha from KISS 92.5 this morning.

She also graciously offered a mea culpa for any potential aggravation this hysterical debate may be causing:

"I'd like to say 'I'm sorry' to half the world and I'd like to say 'have a good time arguing with your family' to the rest of the world," she said.

For the record, the dress is available on the Roman website for $77. It also comes in white -- with black (not gold) lace. 

Oy. This dress.

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Which animal story from this week was the most Canadian?

SAD

SAD no longer: Brilliant light cure for seasonal disorder

Chris Hall

In the Conservative war on terror, the first casualty is Parliament

Sex education

Ontario's new sex ed curriculum 'the most up-to-date' in the country

Consent laws

BDSM in Canada is 50 shades of legal grey

Surveillance

CSE monitors millions of Canadian emails to government

Opinion

Amanda Lang: Investment fees are too high, and it's up to us to change that

Record cold in February caused by arctic air carried by jet stream

Analysis

Liberals, Conservatives still neck and neck in the polls

Toronto tunnel posed no threat to Pan Am Games, police say

Diet studies

Diet research built on a 'house of cards'?

Analysis

5 Keystone XL pipeline hurdles still ahead

Al-SHabaab

Al-Shabaab's mall threats meant to capitalize on ISIS 'momentum'

Pro-anorexia, bulimia communities thriving online

Go Public

Dementia patients' wives battle companies over costly missteps

COLD WAR ESPIONAGE

Cambridge Five spy interview unearthed by CBC archives

22.55 | 0 komentar | Read More

Snowshoe artist Simon Beck leaves his mark on Alberta

SAD

SAD no longer: Brilliant light cure for seasonal disorder

Chris Hall

In the Conservative war on terror, the first casualty is Parliament

Sex education

Ontario's new sex ed curriculum 'the most up-to-date' in the country

Consent laws

BDSM in Canada is 50 shades of legal grey

Surveillance

CSE monitors millions of Canadian emails to government

Opinion

Amanda Lang: Investment fees are too high, and it's up to us to change that

Record cold in February caused by arctic air carried by jet stream

Analysis

Liberals, Conservatives still neck and neck in the polls

Toronto tunnel posed no threat to Pan Am Games, police say

Diet studies

Diet research built on a 'house of cards'?

Analysis

5 Keystone XL pipeline hurdles still ahead

Al-SHabaab

Al-Shabaab's mall threats meant to capitalize on ISIS 'momentum'

Pro-anorexia, bulimia communities thriving online

Go Public

Dementia patients' wives battle companies over costly missteps

COLD WAR ESPIONAGE

Cambridge Five spy interview unearthed by CBC archives

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Party in an igloo? Backyard ice club draws big crowds

A pair of neighbours near Kemptville took on a major seasonal backyard construction project to beat the winter blues.

Al Mackenzie and Dan McGuire of Oxford Station began freezing hundreds of ice blocks in January to pile up in the backyard.

"Dan and I were having a few pops one night and we kinda said, we've been to many types of parties," said McGuire.

The inaugural ice igloo party featured shot glasses made of ice. (Jeanne Armstrong)

"We've been to four-wheeler parties, we've been to pond parties, the list just goes on and on and on. But we've never been in an igloo party. So what two better guys to build an igloo and have a party."

Last Saturday, the pair unveiled their igloo at an outdoor winter party, complete with shot glasses made of ice. It's 18-feet wide and about seven-feet high in the middle.

Some of the blocks are coloured with food colouring.

Oxford Station is about 70 kilometres south of downtown Ottawa.

On mobile? Click here to listen to Jeanne Armstrong's interview.

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'Big octopus hug' wraps B.C. diver's face in limbs

A scuba diver near Port Hardy, on the north coast of Vancouver Island, B.C., got up close and personal with a giant Pacific octopus on Sunday, when the marine creature wrapped itself around her face.

The encounter between Natasha Dickinson and the octopus was caught on camera by her diving partner Jackie Hildering, a biologist and marine educator who blogs under the name The Marine Detective.

"I headed over there and to my absolute amazement I saw that she had a giant Pacific octopus right over her face," said Hildering.

The first thing Hildering did was to make sure that both her diving companion Natasha Dickinson and the octopus weren't in any discomfort.

"Right away I got a sense of how relaxed the big octopus hug was," she said.

Dickinson put her hand over the regulator in her mouth as a precaution, but was otherwise comfortable allowing the animal to explore.

As soon as Hildering knew everyone was safe, her educator brain kicked in and she pulled out her camera — it was a perfect opportunity to show true octopus behaviour.

"My whole reason for writing the blog and sharing the pictures was to dispel the idea that they're somehow monstrous or kraken-like," she said.

Hildering says octopuses have a bad reputation and are often vilified in popular culture. But her experiences as a marine biologist and a diver have shown otherwise.

"We divers know just how intelligent, inquisitive and remarkable these animals are," she said. "These sorts of exchanges are usually very respectful."

She says the only times she's seen octopus act defensively is when a diver has done something to provoke them or if they're overly habituated to humans.

"Octopus don't suddenly come out and jump you," said Hildering.

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Polar bears 'coming in all directions' in tiny Labrador town

Jeffrey Keefe estimates there were about nine polar bears in the vicinity of Black Tickle on Monday, marking one of the earliest times yet that the large carnivores have been spotted in the coastal Labrador community.

This is a file photo of a polar bear spotted in late 2013 Black Tickle, a small island community off the southeastern coast of Labrador. (Courtesy of Angela Dyson)

Are residents in a state of panic? 

Not at all, says Keefe.

"I love to see 'em," Keefe, a sergeant with the Canadian Rangers, told CBC Radio's Labrador Morning.

"They're coming in all directions."

Black Tickle is an island community on the southeast coast of Labrador, with a population of less than 200 residents.

It is common for polar bears to visit, but they traditionally arrive in the spring as they make their way back north.

Their early arrival took Keefe by surprise after he stepped off a flight into the community earlier this week.

Bear spotted on trail

He was travelling by snowmobile from the airport to the community when he spotted a polar bear on the trail, about half-a-kilometre from the nearest dwellings. 

Black Tickle is a small island community in southeast Labrador. (Google Maps)

Keefe was carrying a bear banger — a small hand-held device that can launch a small explosive, similar to a gunshot — in his pocket. He fired the device and directed the bear away from the community aboard his snowmobile.

"It's the same as herding cows," he joked.

Keefe made a humorous post on Facebook, quipping that the bear was waiting for him.

This is nothing new for Keefe.

In fact, he raced home to get his video camera, and went out on patrol for more bears.

"I gets real excited after being at it so long," he said

No frenzy in Black Tickle

Polar bears are a threat to humans, and have been known to attack. An adult male can weigh up to 700 kilograms. They are keen hunters on land and in the water, and have been known to swim for great distances.

'Everywhere else, people are paying a fortune for this stuff. But we're here every other day, just making sure they stays away from the community.'- Jeffrey Keefe

Just a whisper of a bear's presence can send some communities into a frenzy, but not in Black Tickle.

There were about 12 bears on the island at one time a few years ago, said Keefe.

In the past, bear visits went mostly unnoticed by those outside of Black Tickle, but social media has changed all that.

The word is now out that Black Tickle is a popular destination for polar bears.

Last year, Keefe estimates that 28 bears came through the area.

"Everywhere else, people are paying a fortune for this stuff. But we're here every other day, just making sure they stays away from the community," Keefe said.

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'Big octopus hug' wraps B.C. diver's face in limbs

A scuba diver near Port Hardy, on the north coast of Vancouver Island, B.C., got up close and personal with a giant Pacific octopus on Sunday, when the marine creature wrapped itself around her face.

The encounter between Natasha Dickinson and the octopus was caught on camera by her diving partner Jackie Hildering, a biologist and marine educator who blogs under the name The Marine Detective.

"I headed over there and to my absolute amazement I saw that she had a giant Pacific octopus right over her face," said Hildering.

The first thing Hildering did was to make sure that both her diving companion Natasha Dickinson and the octopus weren't in any discomfort.

"Right away I got a sense of how relaxed the big octopus hug was," she said.

Dickinson put her hand over the regulator in her mouth as a precaution, but was otherwise comfortable allowing the animal to explore.

As soon as Hildering knew everyone was safe, her educator brain kicked in and she pulled out her camera — it was a perfect opportunity to show true octopus behaviour.

"My whole reason for writing the blog and sharing the pictures was to dispel the idea that they're somehow monstrous or kraken-like," she said.

Hildering says octopuses have a bad reputation and are often vilified in popular culture. But her experiences as a marine biologist and a diver have shown otherwise.

"We divers know just how intelligent, inquisitive and remarkable these animals are," she said. "These sorts of exchanges are usually very respectful."

She says the only times she's seen octopus act defensively is when a diver has done something to provoke them or if they're overly habituated to humans.

"Octopus don't suddenly come out and jump you," said Hildering.

22.55 | 0 komentar | Read More

Polar bears 'coming in all directions' in tiny Labrador town

Jeffrey Keefe estimates there were about nine polar bears in the vicinity of Black Tickle on Monday, marking one of the earliest times yet that the large carnivores have been spotted in the coastal Labrador community.

This is a file photo of a polar bear spotted in late 2013 Black Tickle, a small island community off the southeastern coast of Labrador. (Courtesy of Angela Dyson)

Are residents in a state of panic? 

Not at all, says Keefe.

"I love to see 'em," Keefe, a sergeant with the Canadian Rangers, told CBC Radio's Labrador Morning.

"They're coming in all directions."

Black Tickle is an island community on the southeast coast of Labrador, with a population of less than 200 residents.

It is common for polar bears to visit, but they traditionally arrive in the spring as they make their way back north.

Their early arrival took Keefe by surprise after he stepped off a flight into the community earlier this week.

Bear spotted on trail

He was travelling by snowmobile from the airport to the community when he spotted a polar bear on the trail, about half-a-kilometre from the nearest dwellings.

Keefe was carrying a bear banger — a small hand-held device that can launch a small explosive, similar to a gunshot — in his pocket. He fired the device and directed the bear away from the community aboard his snowmobile.

"It's the same as herding cows," he joked.

Keefe made a humorous post on Facebook, quipping that the bear was waiting for him.

This is nothing new for Keefe.

In fact, he raced home to get his video camera, and went out on patrol for more bears.

"I gets real excited after being at it so long," he said

No frenzy in Black Tickle

Polar bears are a threat to humans, and have been known to attack. An adult male can weigh up to 700 kilograms. They are keen hunters on land and in the water, and have been known to swim for great distances.

'Everywhere else, people are paying a fortune for this stuff. But we're here every other day, just making sure they stays away from the community.'- Jeffrey Keefe

Just a whisper of a bear's presence can send some communities into a frenzy, but not in Black Tickle.

There were about 12 bears on the island at one time a few years ago, said Keefe.

In the past, bear visits went mostly unnoticed by those outside of Black Tickle, but social media has changed all that.

The word is now out that Black Tickle is a popular destination for polar bears.

Last year, Keefe estimates that 28 bears came through the area.

"Everywhere else, people are paying a fortune for this stuff. But we're here every other day, just making sure they stays away from the community," Keefe said.

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Snow dogs: Adorable photos of your pets enjoying the winter

We loved Elsa the snow-shovelling dog so much we wanted to see more photos of pets embracing winter.

And we were inundated with some great photos. Here are some of the amazing, beautiful shots of dogs you sent us.

Email us your photo of a pet in the snow to yournewskw@cbc.ca and we'll enter you into a draw to win a shiny new CBC Kitchener-Waterloo mug, and we may feature your photos in a story.

If you have video, that's great too. Check out what one listener sent us.

Winter tubing, rodeo style

And another reader sent us this video:

Rory the Great Dane runs through the snow

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Wasp named after Bruins goalie Rask

Boston-area researcher christens new species

By Jesse Campigotto, CBC Sports Posted: Feb 24, 2015 10:25 AM ET Last Updated: Feb 24, 2015 10:25 AM ET

A pest, in hockey parlance, is usually an agitating forward adept at, well, bugging his opponents. Think Sean Avery or Claude Lemieux.

The term is seldom applied to goalies (OK, maybe Ron Hextall), but a Boston-area researcher has decided to name a new species of wasp discovered in Kenya after Bruins netminder Tuukka Rask.

The Boston Globe reported that Robert Copeland, an entomologist who grew up in Newton, Mass., and now works out of Nairobi, was part of a team that found the new species and decided to call it Thaumatodryinus tuukkaraski after the goalie he admires.

Why? Well, the government of Rask's native Finland funded the project that led to the discovery. And a journal article to be published in April says Rask's "glove hand is as tenacious as the raptorial fore tarsus of this dryinid species."

Alright, then.

"That's funny. That's pretty neat," Rask told the Boston Globe when informed of the news.

No word yet on whether Copeland would consider trading the wasp straight-up for Andrew Raycroft.

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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Nonchalant dog shovels backyard hockey rink, wins winter

If Ontario's bitter cold is getting you down, we might just have the tonic for you.

Greg Cox shared a video of his dog, a yellow Labrador retriever named Elsa, shovelling a backyard hockey rink in Guelph, Ont., with style and ease.

If we all embraced winter with her good cheer and can-do attitude, we'd be in good shape.

Do you have photos or video of your pets embracing winter?

We'd love to see them.

Email us at yournewskw@cbc.ca and we'll enter you into a draw to win a shiny new CBC Kitchener-Waterloo mug, and we may feature your photos or video in a story.

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Canadian Sniper is the film parody we've all been waiting for

What would American Sniper look like if it was set in Canada? Well, the villain would be a "gosh-darned" moose and the hero would gulp down maple syrup by the bottle.

That's the vision realized in the Canadian Sniper parody video produced by comedy duo Jeff Ayars and Dan Rosen, otherwise known as Cannibal Milkshake.

While it's Clint Eastwood's film about U.S. sniper Chris Kyle that's up for best picture at the Oscars Sunday night, it was Canadian Sniper racking up accolades online before the awards show. 

In honour of #Oscars, this: Canadian Sniper (American Sniper Parody): http://t.co/2PB2y6IrTM via @YouTube

— @KevinNewmanCTV

​

Sadly not nominated: 'Canadian Sniper', a touching film about a soldier who opens doors for people with immaculate accuracy #Oscars2015

— @Jackapedia_

Canadian Sniper looks way better than American Sniper! http://t.co/kxaDAfUu2l pic.twitter.com/oJXsSo9THL

— @mikesbloggity

Believe it or not, Ayars isn't actually Canadian and says his knowledge of Canuck culture starts and ends with Ryan Gosling.

The idea for the parody came as a result of his passing resemblance to Bradley Cooper, an opportunity the comedy duo simply couldn't pass up.

"Canadian Sniper seemed like an opportunity to simultaneously satirize the intense patriotism of American Sniper as well as the obtuse stereotypes Americans have of Canadians," Ayars said in an email. 

The comedian and filmmaker says he was actually expecting Canadians to be much more critical of the video and has been surprised by the positive reaction to all the Tim Hortons and "aboot" jokes.

He says both he and Rosen are pleased that they seemed to "hit the syrup nail on the head."

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Why shooting moose with paintball guns might be a great idea

The owner of a B.C. wildlife shelter wants to use paintball guns to treat moose infested with ticks.

The idea is to fire pesticide powder-filled pellets at the animals to kill winter ticks that are infesting moose across the country.

The blood sucking insects force the animals to scratch away all their fur, making it hard to survive a winter.

Winter ticks can infect a moose, causing them to scratch off their fur. (Serge Simoneau/Linda Brochu)

Angelika Langen has been experimenting with ways to de-tick moose at her wildlife shelter in Smithers.

She found some powders designed for farm animals work, but applying them to wild animals wouldn't be easy.

"We found that the powders work quite well. So if can get the powder to the affected area and you powder them up, then within 24 hours — latest 48 hours — the ticks are all dead and they fall off," said Langen.

But the real problem is applying the powder on the wild animals, because trapping or tranquilizing them can be difficult and dangerous.

So she came up with the idea to put the powder in paintball pellets and shoot them from a safe distance.

"My son is an avid paintball fan so I thought, gee, if we could put powder in there instead of paint, and we can put it right on the spot ticks are and it would distribute the powder if it would pop open."

So far she hasn't been able to test the idea because she is still looking for a way to manufacture the pellets.

Mike Bridger is coordinating a provincial program to monitor the moose winter tick problem.

"Yeah, no, it is a neat idea," said Bridger.

But Bridger said, if the paintball gun idea works, it would be hard to use it on thousands of infested moose. 

Still, he said it might be effective in some areas where the ticks are especially bad.

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Regina man goes to extreme lengths to answer online comments

Online comments frustrate a lot of people, but few people have ever gone to the lengths of one Regina man to end a debate in the comments section.

Neil McDonald was perusing the City of Regina Facebook page when he came across a thread of people arguing over snow removal. One woman posted a picture of a car walled in by a city snowplow. A debate quickly surfaced about whose responsibility it is to move cars so city plows can do their job. 

McDonald decided posting in the comments section was not enough. He admits he "internet creeped their address, drove across town to their place, and dug them out."

He then posted the evidence.

McDonald's post started spreading on Facebook and he received a lot of feedback from people.

"I was taken aback by some of the things these people were saying," he said. "Some people were suggesting that I was Father Winter, or some sort of yeti messiah. One guy even wrote that I was like Batman with a shovel — all very flattering but couldn't be further from the truth."

'Winter sucks without a doubt, but just do it. Dig out your car, your neighbour's, but don't feel like you have to enjoy it."-—Neil McDonald

McDonald told CBC he hates winter.

"Everything that I love — sunshine, bicycle rides, picnics, bare feet — are all lost to me for six months of the year. And by me suggesting online that people just get out there and dig each other out after a snowfall, the last thing that I wanted to suggest is that we enjoy it. Winter sucks without a doubt, but just do it."

Reluctant hero

McDonald said his actions have more to do with changing the topic than goodwill.

"When I woke up the other day, I wasn't planning to champion any causes," he said. "Despite my last three New Year's resolutions being to not read online comments, I opened up Facebook on my phone and a friend's comment immediately sucked me into this thread about the plowed-in car."

McDonald said he posted a few times about how we all need to be neighbourly, roll up our sleeves and help dig each other out.

"That should have been it, but some folks didn't think that they should have to shovel the small amount of snow that is left after a plow."

Better things to fight about  

McDonald said the main reason he dug out a stranger's car was to get people thinking about issues he deems more important. 

"I wanted people to stop filling the City of Regina's Facebook page with posts about snow so that we can all go back to the important things like arguing online about the terrible funding model they decided on for the new stadium," he said.

"I just couldn't let everyone go on thinking that I was some kind of winter-loving, goodwill ambassador".

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Regina man goes to extreme lengths to answer online comments

Online comments frustrate a lot of people, but few people have ever gone to the lengths of one Regina man to end a debate in the comments section.

Neil McDonald was perusing the City of Regina Facebook page when he came across a thread of people arguing over snow removal. One woman posted a picture of a car walled in by a city snowplow. A debate quickly surfaced about whose responsibility it is to move cars so city plows can do their job. 

McDonald decided posting in the comments section was not enough. He admits he "internet creeped their address, drove across town to their place, and dug them out."

He then posted the evidence.

McDonald's post started spreading on Facebook and he received a lot of feedback from people.

"I was taken aback by some of the things these people were saying," he said. "Some people were suggesting that I was Father Winter, or some sort of yeti messiah. One guy even wrote that I was like Batman with a shovel — all very flattering but couldn't be further from the truth."

'Winter sucks without a doubt, but just do it. Dig out your car, your neighbour's, but don't feel like you have to enjoy it."-—Neil McDonald

McDonald told CBC he hates winter.

"Everything that I love — sunshine, bicycle rides, picnics, bare feet — are all lost to me for six months of the year. And by me suggesting online that people just get out there and dig each other out after a snowfall, the last thing that I wanted to suggest is that we enjoy it. Winter sucks without a doubt, but just do it."

Reluctant hero

McDonald said his actions have more to do with changing the topic than goodwill.

"When I woke up the other day, I wasn't planning to champion any causes," he said. "Despite my last three New Year's resolutions being to not read online comments, I opened up Facebook on my phone and a friend's comment immediately sucked me into this thread about the plowed-in car."

McDonald said he posted a few times about how we all need to be neighbourly, roll up our sleeves and help dig each other out.

"That should have been it, but some folks didn't think that they should have to shovel the small amount of snow that is left after a plow."

Better things to fight about  

McDonald said the main reason he dug out a stranger's car was to get people thinking about issues he deems more important. 

"I wanted people to stop filling the City of Regina's Facebook page with posts about snow so that we can all go back to the important things like arguing online about the terrible funding model they decided on for the new stadium," he said.

"I just couldn't let everyone go on thinking that I was some kind of winter-loving, goodwill ambassador".

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Why shooting moose with paintball guns might be a great idea

The owner of a B.C. wildlife shelter wants to use paintball guns to treat moose infested with ticks.

The idea is to fire pesticide powder-filled pellets at the animals to kill winter ticks that are infesting moose across the country.

The blood sucking insects force the animals to scratch away all their fur, making it hard to survive a winter.

Winter ticks can infect a moose, causing them to scratch off their fur. (Serge Simoneau/Linda Brochu)

Angelika Langen has been experimenting with ways to de-tick moose at her wildlife shelter in Smithers.

She found some powders designed for farm animals work, but applying them to wild animals wouldn't be easy.

"We found that the powders work quite well. So if can get the powder to the affected area and you powder them up, then within 24 hours — latest 48 hours — the ticks are all dead and they fall off," said Langen.

But the real problem is applying the powder on the wild animals, because trapping or tranquilizing them can be difficult and dangerous.

So she came up with the idea to put the powder in paintball pellets and shoot them from a safe distance.

"My son is an avid paintball fan so I thought, gee, if we could put powder in there instead of paint, and we can put it right on the spot ticks are and it would distribute the powder if it would pop open."

So far she hasn't been able to test the idea because she is still looking for a way to manufacture the pellets.

Mike Bridger is coordinating a provincial program to monitor the moose winter tick problem.

"Yeah, no, it is a neat idea," said Bridger.

But Bridger said, if the paintball gun idea works, it would be hard to use it on thousands of infested moose. 

Still, he said it might be effective in some areas where the ticks are especially bad.

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Blowtorches being used to melt sidewalk ice in Windsor

Some Windsorites are finding creative ways to get rid of slippery sidewalks during the extreme, extended cold snap now under way in southern Ontario.

One snow removal company has turned to using blowtorches to melt away icy walkways.

"Salt won't work right now because it's so cold out. So there's no other option, except bringing heat to the source," said Jason Kindl, who works Perspective Landscape & Design.

The snow removal company has about 14 contracts across the city.

A Windsor company is using a blowtorch to clear icy sidewalks. Here, the finished product. (Joana Draghici/CBC)

Record-breaking frigid temperatures continue in Windsor as the area is under an extreme cold warning Thursday.

"Out west they use sand on everything, not salt. So when we get to our temperatures like they do out west we can't
do anything about our slippery sidewalks except taking the torch to them," Kindl said.

A city bylaw mandates that owners of commercial property shovel and remove ice from city-owned sidewalks within four hours of snowfall. Residential property owners have 12 hours to clear the walk.

Kindl said he was torching snow and ice in front of a rental property, whose owner hired Perspective Landscape & Design.

People who do not remove ice or snow from the sidewalk could face a fine up to $5,000.

"I don't know how many people would go to that extent to remove it. Some people might just take a fine," Kindl said.

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Why shooting moose with paintball guns might be a great idea

The owner of a B.C. wildlife shelter wants to use paintball guns to treat moose infested with ticks.

The idea is to fire insecticide powder-filled pellets at the animals to kill winter ticks that are infesting moose across the country.

The blood sucking insects force the animals to scratch away all their fur, making it hard to survive a winter.

Winter ticks can infect a moose, causing them to scratch off their fur. (Serge Simoneau/Linda Brochu)

Angelika Langen has been experimenting with ways to de-tick moose at her wildlife shelter in Smithers.

She found some powders designed for farm animals work, but applying them to wild animals wouldn't be easy.

"We found that the powders work quite well. So if can get the powder to the affected area and you powder them up, then within 24 hours — latest 48 hours — the ticks are all dead and they fall off," said Langen.

But the real problem is applying the powder on the wild animals, because trapping or tranquilizing them can be difficult and dangerous.

So she came up with the idea to put the powder in paintball pellets and shoot them from a safe distance.

"My son is an avid paintball fan so I thought, gee, if we could put powder in there instead of paint, and we can put it right on the spot ticks are and it would distribute the powder if it would pop open."

So far she hasn't been able to test the idea because she is still looking for a way to manufacture the pellets.

Mike Bridger is coordinating a provincial program to monitor the moose winter tick problem.

"Yeah, no, it is a neat idea," said Bridger.

But Bridger said, if the paintball gun idea works, it would be hard to use it on thousands of infested moose. 

Still, he said it might be effective in some areas where the ticks are especially bad.

22.55 | 0 komentar | Read More

You copied my pouding chômeur recipe, chef tells Danny St-Pierre

A pouding chômeur is just plain cake with caramel in a bowl — until you put some raspberries in it. Then it's #PoudingChomeurGate.

The Twitter hashtag was sparked by a battle of words between chefs Caroline Dumas and Danny St-Pierre on Radio-Canada's Médium Large radio program on Wednesday.

Coup de pouce magazine editor Catherine Clermont, SoupeSoup restaurant chain founder Caroline Dumas and chef and TV show host Danny St-Pierre on Médium Large on Wednesday. (Olivier Lalande/Radio-Canada)

The two chefs appeared together as guests on the program to discuss the creation of recipes, and all was well until the Quebec Depression-era classic dessert became the subject of conversation.

Dumas took issue with St-Pierre's apparent copy of her own pouding chômeur recipe.

"It's your pouding chômeur? It's word for word, Danny. Word for word," Dumas told Danny St-Pierre.

"Danny, you copy-pasted the recipe directly from the di Stasio website."

He responded by saying he didn't think it was possible to plagiarize a pouding chômeur recipe, and criticized Dumas for airing her allegation of plagiarism on the radio.

"It's great that we didn't talk before you brought this onto the radio like this. That's really classy," St-Pierre retaliated.

Pouding chômeur gate8:43

---

What do you think? Consult the two recipes here: Danny St-Pierre's pouding chômeur​ and Caroline Dumas's pouding chômeur and tell us your thoughts in the comments below.

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Bison surprises Dryden Ont. couple in their home, scares cats

A Dryden couple had an unexpected visit from a bison at their home in northwestern Ontario, on Tuesday. 

The bison escaped from a nearby ranch and wandered into the yard, Sandy Melanson said, sending the couple's cats into a frenzy.

Melanson said she opened the door of her home to take pictures and that's when the animal came for a closer look.

"Then he walked up right to the door and he just stood there," said Melanson. "We were petting him and he seemed really friendly, and we knew that he had escaped from the farm."

At one point the bison even tried to walk through the door, but backed off when she wouldn't let it in, she said.​

Melanson, who lives just down the road from the Northern Buffalo Ranch, said it's the first time she has seen an escaped bison in her yard.

She said her cats were looking out the window, and the bison was looking right back at them, which is what set them off.

"It just scared the heck out of them," she said.

Melanson said she hasn't had the chance to speak with the farmer yet, but understands the bison occasionally escape, but always head back home, eventually.

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Austrian flag among Canadian flags an error, City of Regina says

One of these things is not like the other.

That was the case on the Albert Street bridge in Regina on Monday when an Austrian flag was spotted in among several Canadian ones. 

The City of Regina lined the bridge with the mighty maple leaf in honour of the flag's 50th anniversary, but the Austrian flag was slipped in somewhere in the middle of the bridge.

According to city officials, the mix up was simply an error on its part.

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Watch cat struggle to get outside during snowstorm

Two days of record snowfall on P.E.I. this week were hard on people, but also difficult for pets around the Maritimes.

The CBC's Mitch Cormier could not get into the office Monday as a storm dropped 86.8 centimetres of snow on Charlottetown. While working from home, he captured this video of his cat Mitty trying to get outside.

Mitty eventually gave up, and just used the garage.

Rudiger, a New Brunswick cat, faced the same problem last week.

Can't see the video? Click here to watch.

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Fort William Historical Park builds world's largest snow maze

It took the help of engineers, surveyors and more than a month of construction, but Fort William Historical Park in Thunder Bay says it has shattered a Guinness World book of Records mark for world's largest snow maze.

The Fort said the nearly 1,700-square-metre maze breaks the previous record from 2010 which stood at almost 1,200 square metres.

The snow maze measures 1,696 square metres. (Sergio Buonocore)

The official measurement confirmed on Sunday came in at 1,696 square metres.

"It involved a fair amount of work by our staff," park general manager Sergio Buonocore said.

"We invented tools to actually build the snow maze, and  it certainly took a bit of time to put together because there's a lot of walls, it's really easy to get lost in there," he said.

Buonocore said the Fort worked through an extensive application process with Guinness, and "secured the services of official surveyors, engineers observing, and we had other officials from city council and other prominent people in the community which were all established under the critera of Guinness." 

He said a photo of the project will be published in the Guinness Book of World Records.

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Living in a skater's paradise: Roads turned into hockey rinks in Whitney Pier

How icy is it in parts of Nova Scotia after Sunday's storm? Icy enough to play hockey on some city streets.

Devin Marks awoke Monday to find the streets in the Whitney Pier neighbourhood of Sydney a sheet of ice. 

While conditions made travel difficult for cars, conditions were ideal for a game of ice road hockey. 

"I woke up at my girlfriend's house, looked out the front window and I noticed the whole street was completely frozen. The first thing that came to my mind was that you could definitely skate on it," he said.

Marks grabbed a couple of friends — Corey Ross and Corey Mombourquette — hockey skates and headed outside to give it a try.

"When we went around the neighbourhood, we just had the puck, passing it around, skating down hills — stuff like that," he said.

Marks described the experience as the "best one of my life."

Devin Marks and two friends grabbed their skates and hockey sticks and took to the icy roads of Whitney Pier Monday. (Still from YouTube video)

"It was my idea, originally, and then [my friend] got in on it and we called my [other] friend who lives across the street from my girlfriend that also played on my hockey team and he came out with us too. Then we just went bombing around the neighbourhood."

Marks said he has never seen conditions like that in Sydney before but he would "definitely" try it again.

"It was pretty rough, but honestly it was really solid, like it was surprisingly solid," he said.

Freezing temperatures, well below 0 C, continued overnight for much of the province.

"I haven't been out yet but it's been cold all night so I'm sure it's still icy out there and probably very rough," said Marks.

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Mark Critch locks lips with Danny Williams for IceCaps' kiss cam

Actor and comedian Mark Critch was caught locking lips with IceCaps CEO Danny Williams on a special Valentine's Day kiss cam on Saturday night at the Mile One Centre in St. John's.

The pair were seen hamming it up for the camera as Faith Hill's "This Kiss" played in the background. 

At one point, Critch gestured to the crowd for encouragement before grabbing the former premier's face and giving him a smooch.

When asked for comment, Critch told CBC via email, "Let's just say it's been building for years and it finally happened."

Critch said he's called Williams six times since the big kiss, but hasn't heard anything back.

"I'm just going to eat chocolates and watch The Notebook," Critch said. 

On mobile? Click here to view the video. 

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Scorpion on a plane: Woman stung before flight takes off

'The woman was a real champ. She acted like it was a mosquito bite,' witness says

The Associated Press Posted: Feb 15, 2015 10:59 AM ET Last Updated: Feb 15, 2015 12:53 PM ET

A scorpion stung a woman on the hand just before her flight from Los Angeles to Portland took off.

Alaska Airlines spokesman Cole Cosgrove says Flight 567 was taxiing on the runway Saturday night when the passenger was stung. He says the plane returned to the gate and the woman was checked by medics. She refused additional medical treatment but didn't get back on the plane.

Meanwhile, flight attendants killed the scorpion and checked overhead compartments for any additional unwanted arachnids. The flight then took off at 8:40 p.m., about an hour late. Members of Oregon State University's men's basketball team were on the flight, Cosgrove said.

He says it's unclear how the scorpion got on the plane, but the flight originated in Los Cabos, Mexico.

Oregon State Coach Wayne Tinkle told ESPN that the woman was sitting two rows in front of him.

"The plane was coming from Mexico before us, and [the scorpion] was on the plane," Tinkle said. "The woman was a real champ. She acted like it was a mosquito bite. They got it off her, but the needle was stuck."

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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How 'Left Shark' sparked a 3D printing legal row with Katy Perry

Try using a 3D printer to reproduce models of Left Shark — the meme inspired by Katy Perry's goofy backup dancer at the Super Bowl halftime show — and expect lawyers to bite. But should the pop star own the rights to what's become an internet punchline?

Attorneys representing the Teenage Dream singer sent a cease and desist letter to New York-based company Shapeways last week, upon learning the 3D printing service was selling 6.9-centimetre figurines of the shimmying sea creature whose unco-ordinated dancing was said to have upstaged the main act.

"As you are undoubtedly aware, our client never consented to your use of its copyrighted [intellectual property], nor did our client consent to the sale of the infringing product," the L.A. legal team wrote in a letter to the online marketplace.

3D printing artist Fernando Sosa was selling these miniature figurines modelled after the Left Shark meme. (Twitter, Shapeways.com)

Shapeways reportedly cancelled orders and refunded customers, but the artist who created and started to sell the dolls on the site is refusing to back down.

Christopher Jon Springman, a New York University law professor representing model-maker Fernando Sosa, 31, told CBC Radio's The Current that his client didn't think a half-time show prop could be copyrighted.

Sosa also uploaded a digital blueprint for the Left Shark dolls so others with 3D printers in their own homes "can print their own Left Shark" from plastic, Springman told CBC's Piya Chattopadhyay.

Perry's lawyers did not respond well, arguing that the costumed shark is copyrighted intellectual property.

"The entire thing was silly," Springman said, reasoning the viral concept of Left Shark only became what it became due to the public's response online.

'The internet, and not Katy Perry, made Left Shark.'— Christopher Jon Springman, lawyer

"We didn't find out that one of the sharks was 'left shark' until the internet turned him into a meme, right? The internet gave Left Shark his name," Springman said. "The internet, and not Katy Perry, made Left Shark."

3D printing has been hailed as a disruptive technology that democratizes manufacturing, but Pittsburgh intellectual property lawyer David Oberdick told The Current that the Left Shark case shows how quickly 3D printing can bring duplicates or knockoffs into the marketplace.

"The fastness by which some things can be copied now may mean that these issues become more prominent more quickly," he said, citing the example of people creating keychains modelled after the iron throne design from HBO's Game of Thrones series.

In a blog post, Sosa said much of his previous work has been highly political, with models ridiculing homophobic world leaders and despots. None have met the kind of controversy he's facing now.

"I certainly didn't expect this reaction from a comical dancing shark," he wrote.

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Looking for love: Valentine's Day photography

Love — and heart-shaped objects — are in the air this weekend. 

Scroll through the gallery above to view some festive Valentine's Day photos that have been shared with CBC Newfoundland and Labrador. 

Share your Valentine's Day photos with us through Facebook and Twitter! 

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Did you leave thousands of dollars in a bundle of drapes?

Halifax Regional Police are trying to track down the person who dropped off a pair of drapes to the Value Village on Pleasant Street, along with thousands of dollars.

A Value Village manager confirmed to CBC News that an employee at the store made the surprising discovery.

The money was found hidden inside a bundle of folded drapes. 

The manager said the employee was shocked, but followed policy by contacting police. The manager wouldn't release any more details. 

Police say the money was in several sealed envelopes and was withdrawn in 2006 from a Guysborough County bank.

Using information in the envelopes, they reached out to the bank. But they couldn't identify the owner of the money because it was withdrawn so long ago. 

Officers believe the drapes were donated sometime in January of this year in Nova Scotia, but say it's impossible to determine where the donation was made because Value Village buys donations in bulk.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 902-490-5016.

In order to claim the money, the person must be able to specify the amount of money and in what denominations, as well as the bank or bank account number. 

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How 'Left Shark' sparked a 3D printing legal row with Katy Perry

Try using a 3D printer to reproduce models of Left Shark — the meme inspired by Katy Perry's goofy backup dancer at the Super Bowl halftime show — and expect lawyers to bite. But should the pop star own the rights to what's become an internet punchline?

Attorneys representing the Teenage Dream singer sent a cease and desist letter to New York-based company Shapeways last week, upon learning the 3D printing service was selling 6.9-centimetre figurines of the shimmying sea creature whose unco-ordinated dancing was said to have upstaged the main act.

"As you are undoubtedly aware, our client never consented to your use of its copyrighted [intellectual property], nor did our client consent to the sale of the infringing product," the L.A. legal team wrote in a letter to the online marketplace.

3D printing artist Fernando Sosa was selling these miniature figurines modelled after the Left Shark meme. (Twitter, Shapeways.com)

Shapeways reportedly cancelled orders and refunded customers, but the artist who created and started to sell the dolls on the site is refusing to back down.

Christopher Jon Springman, a New York University law professor representing model-maker Fernando Sosa, 31, told CBC Radio's The Current that his client didn't think a half-time show prop could be copyrighted.

Sosa also uploaded a digital blueprint for the Left Shark dolls so others with 3D printers in their own homes "can print their own Left Shark" from plastic, Springman told CBC's Piya Chattopadhyay.

Perry's lawyers did not respond well, arguing that the costumed shark is copyrighted intellectual property.

"The entire thing was silly," Springman said, reasoning the viral concept of Left Shark only became what it became due to the public's response online.

'The internet, and not Katy Perry, made Left Shark.'— Christopher Jon Springman, lawyer

"We didn't find out that one of the sharks was 'left shark' until the internet turned him into a meme, right? The internet gave Left Shark his name," Springman said. "The internet, and not Katy Perry, made Left Shark."

3D printing has been hailed as a disruptive technology that democratizes manufacturing, but Pittsburgh intellectual property lawyer David Oberdick told The Current that the Left Shark case shows how quickly 3D printing can bring duplicates or knockoffs into the marketplace.

"The fastness by which some things can be copied now may mean that these issues become more prominent more quickly," he said, citing the example of people creating keychains modelled after the iron throne design from HBO's Game of Thrones series.

In a blog post, Sosa said much of his previous work has been highly political, with models ridiculing homophobic world leaders and despots. None have met the kind of controversy he's facing now.

"I certainly didn't expect this reaction from a comical dancing shark," he wrote.

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Petrie Island ice fishing village invites gamers with arcade

There's a hut in the ice fishing village at Petrie Island that looks a little different than most. Big red letters invite you inside to play with a single word: ARCADE.

On mobile? Click here to listen to Aimé Drouin talk about the ice arcade.

There are four classic machines in the windowless 8x12-foot ice hut.

"I thought, 'I'm going to do something crazy, something that's never been done. I'm going to put an arcade on the ice and be the first to do it,'" Aimé Drouin told All in a Day host Alan Neal.

"Back in the day there was no Facebook, no Twitter. People would actually go to arcades to play, challenge each other, and then you'd make friends out of it."

Drouin renovated the old ice shack to open a small arcade this winter. Crammed inside is Terminator 2: Judgment Day; Street Fighter Three: Next Generation; Super Chase and a machine with a Ms. Pac Man header that features 60 games.

"All the old games that you loved to play in the '80s, they're there, all in one shell," he said.

The hut is open to the public from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. but Drouin said ice fishers have so far been shy to step inside.

"If there's no interest in it this weekend, I'll probably be closing it down," he said. "The arcade industry is not as strong as it used to be."

There are four classic arcade games in a refurbished ice-fishing hut on the Ottawa River. (Alan Neal/CBC)

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Watch a cat dig its way out after a snowstorm

A cat from New Brunswick has become an internet celebrity after video of the animal trying to dig out after a snowstorm went viral.

Jamie Gilfoy said he only expected to get 30 or 40 views when he posted a video of his cat, Rudiger, trying to dig its way through a wall of snow at his back door.

The video has been featured on Good Morning America and has racked up more than 2.6 million views on YouTube. 

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Surf's up at wet Whistler in spoof by snowboarders, skiers

It's been so wet in Whistler, B.C., that skiers and snowboarders zipped up their wetsuits for splash landings through puddles in a Beach Boys-themed surf video.

The video, posted by members of the University of British Columbia Freeride club, shows riders splashing down in a giant slushy puddle to the tune of Surfin' Safari.

Seth Gillis and Peter Wojnar recorded the video with friends and a GoPro camera on the long weekend. Gillis said they wanted to make light of the spring-like snow conditions that have been getting powder-lovers down.

"Basically just that you could have fun no matter what the conditions were," said the 20-year-old UBC geography student.

"We were trying to make the best of the weather. Obviously it was not optimal for skiing."

As though paddling through the surf, a snowboarder takes to the slushy slopes in Whistler. (Peter Wojnar/Vimeo)

The group made the video just as Whistler was soaked with a Pineapple Express that brought 60 millimetres of rain, and the temperature remained over freezing above the Whistler-Blackcomb peaks.

But Wojnar, 22, isn't ready to write off this ski season.

"Any season is unpredictable. It could turn on in a week and not stop for a while," said Wojnar, also a geography student at UBC.

"But for now the conditions definitely look like you'd be better off surfing."

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United voids transatlantic tickets accidentally sold for under $100

Airline voids tickets for thousands of passengers after discovering online error

CBC News Posted: Feb 11, 2015 10:12 PM ET Last Updated: Feb 12, 2015 9:08 AM ET

These airline ticket prices were never going to fly.

Thousands of airline passengers who bought transatlantic tickets for less than $100 have learned their tickets were too good to be true. 

United Airlines briefly offered online buyers deeply discounted first-class flights including London to Newark for just $74 US — only to void the sales once it realized the mistake.

United said in a statement Wednesday that the error was made by a third-party software provider that applied an incorrect currency exchange rate. 

"Most of these bookings were for travel originating in the United Kingdom, and the level of bookings made with Danish kroner as the local currency was significantly higher than normal during the limited period that customers made these bookings," the statement said.

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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Apollo 11 souvenirs found in Neil Armstrong's closet

More than four decades after the Apollo 11 moon landing, a cloth bag full of souvenirs brought back by astronaut Neil Armstrong has come to light.

Among the trove: a 16 mm movie camera from inside the lunar module that filmed its descent to the moon and Armstrong's first steps on the lunar surface in 1969.

That camera "took one of the most significant sets of images in the 20th century," said Allan Needell, a curator in space history at the National Air and Space Museum.

In an interview Monday, Needell said the museum had been told about the bag in June 2013 by Armstrong's widow, who had found it while cleaning out a closet. Armstrong died in 2012.

The long process of documenting the find concluded only recently, and that's when the museum decided to go public, he said.

The discovery was revealed Friday by the museum, which is already displaying the camera in a temporary exhibit.

Needell noted that the images taken by the camera are far more detailed and clear than the grainy ones shown on TV at the time of the landing. The film cartridges had been removed during the mission and so the device itself was no longer needed.

The camera would have stayed on the lunar module, which crashed on the lunar surface after delivering the astronauts back to the orbiter, Needell said, but Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins "decided to take some souvenirs home with them."

Apollo 11 astronaut Neil Armstrong captures his shadow while taking a photo of the LM on the surface of the moon in this July 1969 handout photo courtesy of NASA. (NASA/Reuters)

It had long been common knowledge that astronauts sometimes took pieces of unneeded equipment as souvenirs, Needell said. Congress recently passed a law approving the practice.

The cloth bag also included other small pieces of equipment, including a waist tether that Armstrong had used to suspend his feet during a rest period while the module was on the moon.

Needell called the bag's discovery "extraordinarily exciting."

The Armstrong family has loaned the material to the museum and pledged to donate it, he said.

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Heavy metal wedding on the high seas for Saint John couple

When a man from Saint John and his wife tied the knot late last month, they decided to do it in one of their favourite places: an annual heavy metal music festival at sea that allows fans to hang out with their favourite bands.

The "70,000 Tons of Metal" cruise is billed as the world's biggest heavy metal cruise. This year, it hosted 3,000 fans and 60 bands, such as Anvil, Behemoth, Kataklysm and Venom.

Ken Steeves and his wife, Sheila Loftus, met about five years ago, at another music festival — the Maryland Deathfest in Baltimore. He said that's one of the reasons they hoped to create a concert atmosphere for their wedding guests and themselves.

It's also the second marriage for both Loftus and Steeves said they wanted to avoid the stress that comes with a traditional wedding.

'The cruise has been the best experience of my life ... Why not do it there?'- Ken Steeves, groom

"Planning the wedding, it's almost like you're doing stuff for other people," Steeves said.

"And I go, 'If I ever did it again, I'd like to have something fun.' It just popped into my mind. The cruise has been the best experience of my life, and I'm like, 'Why not do it there?'"

Steeves said he mentioned the idea to Loftus, who agreed, and mentioned it on Facebook. He said a lot of their friends got involved, as did people on the cruise.

"So many people were so helpful. As soon as the idea came up, people were pitching in and helping us and made the whole thing possible."

A friend from Florida became an officiant for their wedding and had the idea to do it in the costume of the lead singer from a band called Ghost.

"The singer's this skeleton, kind of Pope-looking guy," Steeves said.

"She figured the materials to make it would be about $800, so she put it on Facebook and said, 'Hey I'd like to marry the guys in this costume.' And within a month, friends and even people we hadn't met, they donated the money. I can't believe so many people we haven't met were so generous."

During the ceremony, the bride wore black, and walked down the aisle to the music of New York death metal band, Cannibal Corpse. 

Ken Steeves and Sheila Loftus exchanged wedding vows at an annual heavy metal music festival that takes place on a cruise.

Other members of the wedding party wore leather vests and Dickies work shorts. The rings were custom made by an artist in New York.

Steeves said instead of wedding invitations, the couple printed concert flyers.

They invited 200 people they knew, but he said anyone was welcome at the wedding. He said the longer they were on the ship, the more they found out about how many bands had attended their wedding — something that made it even more special.

Many of the wedding guests had a beer in hand during the ceremony, Steeves said.

The couple had a logo designed for the wedding and had it printed on beer cozies. Those were handed out to the guests.

Steeves said a bit later on, the lead singer of the band Venom wore the cozy as a wrist band and congratulated the couple during one of the band's biggest sets.

The best thing about the wedding, though, said Steeves, is the number of friends who were able to attend from around the world.

"We had friends from Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Finland, Costa Rica, Saudi Arabia, and Colombia," he said.

Meanwhile, the couple continues their long-distance relationship.

Loftus, who lives in Rochester, N.Y., has visited Steeves every month for the past five years. Now that they're married, it could be up to two years before she's able to move to Canada.

Steeves said the couple is already looking forward to next year's cruise. He's been on five of the 70,000 Tons of Metal cruises and always has the time of his life.

He said while the wedding was a definite highlight this year, the cruise just seems to get better and better each year.

"I've travelled to a lot of concerts, all over the place, and this is the best experience ever," he said.

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Apollo 11 souvenirs found in Neil Armstrong's closet

More than four decades after the Apollo 11 moon landing, a cloth bag full of souvenirs brought back by astronaut Neil Armstrong has come to light.

Among the trove: a 16 mm movie camera from inside the lunar module that filmed its descent to the moon and Armstrong's first steps on the lunar surface in 1969.

That camera "took one of the most significant sets of images in the 20th century," said Allan Needell, a curator in space history at the National Air and Space Museum.

In an interview Monday, Needell said the museum had been told about the bag in June 2013 by Armstrong's widow, who had found it while cleaning out a closet. Armstrong died in 2012.

The long process of documenting the find concluded only recently, and that's when the museum decided to go public, he said.

The discovery was revealed Friday by the museum, which is already displaying the camera in a temporary exhibit.

Needell noted that the images taken by the camera are far more detailed and clear than the grainy ones shown on TV at the time of the landing. The film cartridges had been removed during the mission and so the device itself was no longer needed.

The camera would have stayed on the lunar module, which crashed on the lunar surface after delivering the astronauts back to the orbiter, Needell said, but Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins "decided to take some souvenirs home with them."

Apollo 11 astronaut Neil Armstrong captures his shadow while taking a photo of the LM on the surface of the moon in this July 1969 handout photo courtesy of NASA. (NASA/Reuters)

It had long been common knowledge that astronauts sometimes took pieces of unneeded equipment as souvenirs, Needell said. Congress recently passed a law approving the practice.

The cloth bag also included other small pieces of equipment, including a waist tether that Armstrong had used to suspend his feet during a rest period while the module was on the moon.

Needell called the bag's discovery "extraordinarily exciting."

The Armstrong family has loaned the material to the museum and pledged to donate it, he said.

22.55 | 0 komentar | Read More

Heavy metal wedding on the high seas for Saint John couple

When a man from Saint John and his wife tied the knot late last month, they decided to do it in one of their favourite places: an annual heavy metal music festival at sea that allows fans to hang out with their favourite bands.

The "70,000 Tons of Metal" cruise is billed as the world's biggest heavy metal cruise. This year, it hosted 3,000 fans and 60 bands, such as Anvil, Behemoth, Kataklysm and Venom.

Ken Steeves and his wife, Sheila Loftus, met about five years ago, at another music festival — the Maryland Deathfest in Baltimore. He said that's one of the reasons they hoped to create a concert atmosphere for their wedding guests and themselves.

It's also the second marriage for both and Steeves said they wanted to avoid the stress that comes with a traditional wedding.

'The cruise has been the best experience of my life ... Why not do it there?'- Ken Steeves, groom

"Planning the wedding, it's almost like you're doing stuff for other people," Steeves said.

"And I go, 'If I ever did it again, I'd like to have something fun.' It just popped into my mind. The cruise has been the best experience of my life, and I'm like, 'Why not do it there?'"

Steeves said he mentioned the idea to Loftus, who agreed, and mentioned it on Facebook. He said a lot of their friends got involved, as did people on the cruise.

"So many people were so helpful. As soon as the idea came up, people were pitching in and helping us and made the whole thing possible."

A friend from Florida became an officiant for their wedding and had the idea to do it in the costume of the lead singer from a band called Ghost.

"The singer's this skeleton, kind of Pope-looking guy," Steeves said.

"She figured the materials to make it would be about $800, so she put it on Facebook and said, 'Hey I'd like to marry the guys in this costume.' And within a month, friends and even people we hadn't met, they donated the money. I can't believe so many people we haven't met were so generous."

During the ceremony, the bride wore black, and walked down the aisle to the music of New York death metal band, Cannibal Corpse. 

Ken Steeves and Sheila Loftus exchanged wedding vows at an annual heavy metal music festival that takes place on a cruise.

Other members of the wedding party wore leather vests and Dickies work shorts. The rings were custom made by an artist in New York.

Steeves said instead of wedding invitations, the couple printed concert flyers.

They invited 200 people they knew, but he said anyone was welcome at the wedding. He said the longer they were on the ship, they more they found out about how many bands had attended their wedding — something that made it even more special.

Many of the wedding guests had a beer in hand during the ceremony, Steeves said.

The couple had a logo designed for the wedding and had it printed on beer cozies. Those were handed out to the guests.

Steeves said a bit later on, the lead singer of the band Venom wore the cozy as a wrist band and congratulated the couple during one of the band's biggest sets.

The best thing about the wedding, though, said Steeves, is the number of friends who were able to attend from around the world.

"We had friends from Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Finland, Costa Rica, Saudi Arabia, and Colombia," he said.

Meanwhile, the couple continues their long-distance relationship.

Loftus, who lives in Rochester, N.Y., has visited Steeves every month for the past five years. Now that they're married, it could be up to two years before she's able to move to Canada.

Steeves said the couple is already looking forward to next year's cruise. He's been on five of the 70,000 Tons of Metal cruises and always has the time of his life.

He said while the wedding was a definite highlight this year, the cruise just seems to get better and better each year.

"I've travelled to a lot of concerts, all over the place, and this is the best experience ever," he said.

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Valentine's Day looms, so here's one way to deal with rejection

On mobile? Watch one man's attempt at Rejection Therapy

Flowers and candy are among the least worrisome expectations many of us face on Valentine's Day. A far more daunting one for some? Having someone to celebrate the day with in the first place.

For some of us, the Hallmark holiday has a way of reminding us of what we spend our lives avoiding: the cold, bitter feeling of rejection.

But for Jason Comely, a self-proclaimed introvert, rejection has become a kind of old friend. He's the inventor of Rejection Therapy, a game with just one rule: to be rejected every single day of your life. 

"[I]t's designed to help people overcome the fear of rejection," says Comely. "To get out of their comfort zones and have fun."

The game consists of a pack of cards. Each has an unreasonable demand, like "Ask for a tour of a restaurant's kitchen" and "Offer a stranger some food." Take those requests to anyone – a friend or a complete stranger – and celebrate your victory when they respond with a flat, NO.

The pursuit of rejection is normally not for the faint of heart, but the idea was born in 2009 when Comely himself was at his most vulnerable. 

"After my divorce, it was a very hard divorce and I was very de-moralized and my confidence was shattered. Here I was trying to re-start my life...I was living alone in this one-bedroom apartment with three cats at the time," says Comely.

"I was having full-blown panic attacks in very innocent situations, like even just talking to a stranger at the gym. I couldn't do it. I'd break out in a sweat. I just realized I was afraid of rejection and I had basically two options, either try and avoid it, which is what I was already doing, or face it head on."

So every day Comely went out of his way to be rejected, and slowly learned to feel great about it.

'[When] I would push through and finally get that rejection, I'd be pumping my fist. Yes! It totally redefined rejection. '- Jason Comely, inventor of Rejection Therapy

In developing the game, Comely has tested a number of his own questions. Once, at a Thai restaurant, Comely asked the server if he could watch his meal being cooked in the kitchen. She responded with a puzzled, passive aggressive 'we-don't-usually-let-people-do-that' response.

That wasn't enough rejection for Comely.

"I said, 'oh, not usually. So I can?" Comely says. "And she said no. I said, are you sure?' No. And her face sort of stiffened up like okay, it's time to order now."

Comely thanked the server and left her a nice tip at the end of dinner.

"It's always important to be respectful of the other person and empathetic," he said.

Comely, a freelance IT consultant on the side, has launched three editions of the game since 2010, sold at $10 apiece. There's a Classic Edition for beginners, a version with harder challenges called the Blue Pill Edition and a version for entrepreneurs.

A fourth version is scheduled to be released later this year, but Comely is not revealing its theme yet. He says sales for the game tend to spike at the beginning of a school year, but that he doesn't really keep track of how many he's sold.

"It is a process. It's not a magic pill or anything like that. Start small. Work a little bit out of your comfort zone," says Comely.

"You feel great. That was another thing about rejection therapy too is that I would push through and finally get that rejection, I'd be pumping my fist. Yes! It totally redefined rejection."

Comely says it's been a life-changing experience. The panic attacks and anxiety that once controlled his life have been eliminated.

"The great thing about rejection is, it gives you an answer right away. Instead of dwelling over it, occupying your thoughts, you're able to get it out of the way," says Comely. "[I]n playing Rejection Therapy...only ask for things that you want because you might just get it."

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14-lb baby delivered by woman who didn't know she was pregnant

Maxxzandra Ford said she thought she had gained some weight

CBC News Posted: Feb 07, 2015 11:40 AM ET Last Updated: Feb 08, 2015 11:59 AM ET

A Florida woman who delivered a 14.1-pound (6.4-kilogram) baby says she didn't know she was pregnant until her third trimester.

Officials at St. Joseph's Women's Hospital in Tampa say Maxxzandra Ford delivered her son, Avery, on Jan. 29. They say the infant is the heaviest born at the hospital, and one of the largest-ever born in the state.

Ford tells television stations WFLA and WFTS she had been rapidly gaining weight last fall. Eventually, doctors confirmed she was 35 weeks into her pregnancy. Ford said she initially thought she was having twins.

After 18 hours of labour, Ford naturally delivered Avery, who remains in neonatal intensive care but is expected to go home soon.

Ford, who also has a 1-year-old son and 5-year-old daughter, says she "just melted" when she finally held Avery.

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Montreal mermaid school offers fantasy and fitness

Marielle Chartier-Hénault is a professional underwater model and free diver.

One year ago she was asked to do a mermaid photo shoot.

She fell in love with the magical feeling of transforming in to a mermaid and she has since opened the AquaMermaid Academy in Montreal.

The school offers instructional courses and classes that combine a great cardio and core workout with the fantasy of becoming a mermaid. 

"You become like another person, you are not yourself anymore you're the mermaid and the mermaid can do anything...  you can do the style you want. It's a magical creature," said Chartier-Hénault.

Marielle Chartier-Hénault and her qualified swimming instructors teach people how to use the mono-fin. The classes begin with simple swimming techniques like the dolphin kick and how to undulate your body to generate the necessary propulsion to move through the water. (AquaMermaid Academy)

Chartier-Hénault and her qualified swimming instructors teach people how to use the mono-fin.

The classes begin with simple swimming techniques like the dolphin kick and how to undulate your body to generate the necessary propulsion to move through the water.

The classes are open to all ages and mermen are also welcome. 

AquaMermaid can set up photo-shoots for individuals who wish to create a mermaid themed photo.

They also offer mermaid-themed parties for the child still obsessed with Ariel from Disney's The Little Mermaid or the child inside that will never forget the true love of Madison and Allen from the 1980s film Splash. 

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