Flashback: Plastic payment, packages aplenty and Power Glove
Also: a fare deal on the bus in Winnipeg and discovering and leaving Regina
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Northern disclosure
"UN climate talks haven't improved Earth's climate prognosis in 3 years" reads the headline on an Associated Press story that the CBC News website picked up last week. The latest round of those meetings will end on Friday.
CBC's The National aired residents' concerns and scientists' warnings about warming in the Arctic years before these UN climate discussions began in 1995. A 1990 report, which you can also find on our YouTube channel, took viewers up north.
"A warmer Arctic would be an easier place for industry, shipping, the military and some species," said reporter Eve Savory. "But ... much that is treasured in this icy, vulnerable land could be devastated or lost and the Arctic changed forever."
Heroic measures
Last week, CBC Arts published a story about comic book author Jason Loo and his invention, the Pitiful Human-Lizard, whose sole superpower was triggered by his participation in a pharmaceutical trial. His ability: he can regenerate himself.
"His power is, essentially, that you can beat the crap out of him, and he'll just keep getting up," explained writer Chris Dart. With his uncommon specialty, Loo's hero could fit right in with those in the Marvel universe, given legendary creator Stan Lee's thought process when coming up with new characters.
"We already have a guy who crawls on walls and spins webs ... a guy who's the god of thunder and a fellow who ... breaks buildings up and so forth," Lee told curious fans on CBC's For Kids Only in 1978. "What haven't we got?"
Debit doubts
According to CBC News last week, some clients at Scotiabank reported via social media that "they were unable to even view their accounts online or send e-Transfers." Some debit cards seem to have been affected, too.
In 1999, CBC reporter Reg Sherren said debit cards had become more popular in Canada than in any other country and that in the previous year, Canadians had swiped almost a billion and a half times. But both the owner of a Winnipeg lunch counter and an advocate for small merchants objected to their associated fees.
"Costs should be coming down, rather than going up," said Dan Kelly of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business. "Canada's banks continue to take money in buckets from small businesses."
The whole package
On Friday, Canada Post workers went on strike, which CBC News said has come "just as the busy holiday season is getting underway." Back in 1979, the letter carriers' union was concerned that they might lose overtime due to dwindling holiday mail volumes.
Fare deal
Some small cities have eliminated the fare on public transit, reported CBC News last week. In 1985, the bus wasn't free in Winnipeg, but some sneaky passengers avoided paying the full fee by stuffing the fare box with dollar bills torn in half.
A moving experience
Earlier this month, CBC Saskatchewan reported on an American man who crossed off a longtime goal on his bucket list by visiting Regina. In 1971, CBC News reported that unemployment drove residents to do the opposite and leave Regina.
At your fingertips
CBC News says retailers' holiday toy lists have been out for weeks, and there's a name for all the stuff already for sale in stores: "Christmas creep." Back in 1990, CBC News in Halifax reviewed some toys, too, including the Nintendo Power Glove.
