How some of your favourite brands are brought back from the dead

Cost of Living27:31Dead brands brought back to life One brand of clothing — specifically pants — has always had a special place in the closet of Alex Curry of Sexsmith, Alta., a small town about 20 kilometres north of Grand Prairie.  “From high school, I loved Modrobes. I think from about Grade 7, I really noticed they … Read more

Penticton’s beloved broken-winged goose mourned by human ‘flock’

A week has passed but Dave Choukalos still can’t bring himself to sweep the sand out of his truck — evidence of the daily trek the Penticton retiree made for years onto the beach on Okanagan Lake to bring food to Kevin the goose. The last time the 78-year-old saw Kevin was Good Friday — or “Black … Read more

Pioneering N.S. astronomer remembered for ‘connecting people with the universe’

Astronomer David Lane, who created the world’s first telescope controlled by social media at Saint Mary’s University in Halifax, died late last month following a nine-month battle with brain cancer. Lane was born in Germany in 1963 before moving to Hebbville, N.S., where he grew up, according to his obituary. He worked at Saint Mary’s University for 29 years, starting … Read more

M. Emmet Walsh, iconic character actor known for Blood Simple and Blade Runner roles, dead at 88

M. Emmet Walsh, the character actor who brought his unmistakable face and unsettling presence to films including Blood Simple and Blade Runner, has died at age 88, his manager said Wednesday. Walsh died from cardiac arrest on Tuesday at a hospital in St. Albans, Vt., his longtime manager Sandy Joseph said. The ham-faced, heavyset Walsh often … Read more

Prehistoric kids gathered food, helped with hunting, cared for younger siblings — and even had fun

Archaeologists have been trying to piece together the full human story for a long time, but some members of prehistoric societies have been largely overlooked: kids! It turns out these little people played a much bigger part in human history than we realized. In Little Sapiens, a documentary from The Nature of Things, Sarika Cullis-Suzuki … Read more

Canada’s comedy legends celebrated in Hamilton as hall of fame dream gets revived

A comic with a dream 20 years in the making to create a Canadian Comedy Hall of Fame is hoping he’ll soon be a step closer, as he brings comedians together to drum up support for the project this week in Hamilton.  The Canadian Comedy Hall of Fame Festival kicked off Wednesday night, with the finals … Read more

AI chatbots are sparking romance (with the chatbot, that is)

A few months ago, Derek Carrier started seeing someone and became infatuated. He experienced a “ton” of romantic feelings but he also knew it was an illusion. That’s because his girlfriend was generated by artificial intelligence. Carrier wasn’t looking to develop a relationship with something that wasn’t real, nor did he want to become the … Read more

From cult status to closure fears — what happened to The Body Shop?

It’s a store you know by scent. For decades, the sometimes-overwhelming aroma of The Body Shop’s satsuma soaps and coconut body butters have wafted through mall concourses, as much a staple to the culture as the food court. The U.K.-based beauty and cosmetics shop has more than 3,000 retail locations in 70 countries, including 110 standalone … Read more

Country music star Toby Keith dead at 62

Singer-songwriter Toby Keith, who twice won the Academy of Country Music’s entertainer of the year award, has died. He was 62. Keith, who had stomach cancer, died peacefully on Monday surrounded by his family, according to a statement posted on the country singer’s website. “He fought his fight with grace and courage,” the statement said. He … Read more