New Pirates movie being held for ransom

Protein crests current appetite wave

Holiday feasts often reflect the latest fads and trends influencing how we eat.

This Thanksgiving’s table is likely to feature more Canadian content than it might otherwise as a point of national pride.

In the recent past, the carb-free craze has made cauliflower a substitute for the mashed potatoes on some family spreads. Some have gone meatless, while others have added more. Still others offer gluten-free, dairy-free or fat-free alternatives.

Nowadays, it seems consumers can’t get enough protein. Desmond Sobool, deputy chief economist Farm Credit Canada, told a recent economic update for the agri-food sector there are two converging influences in play.

Police looking into robbery of children captured on video

The Winnipeg Police Service said it is aware of a video circulating online that appears to show two children robbed while walking home from the library.

The mother of the siblings said the Sept. 26 incident, which happened in the area of Andrews Street and Magnus Avenue at around 7:30 p.m., has left her children afraid and her feeling guilty.

“I should have been there with them. I felt horrible,” said Brittany Beaudet. “I would have been out the door if I knew any sooner to help them out.”

In the 40-second video, the two children, 14-year-old Mason and nine-year-old Kenzie, are approached by a man wearing a black shirt, black pants and white shoes.

Phoneless concert a beautiful chance to bask in moment

Outside the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, digital billboards flashed fans their singular photo op for the night: “I took this photo before I saw Phoebe Bridgers: The Lost Tour 2026.”

It is, as it is for so many other people, my only documentation of a concert by one of my favourite artists. The American singer-songwriter — who I discovered at the Winnipeg Folk Festival in 2018 — has had a meteoric rise in the past few years, winning three Grammys in 2024 as one third of Boygenius, the indie-rock supergroup rounded out by Lucy Dacus and Julien Baker, and opening for Taylor Swift on select dates of her titanic Eras Tour.

Now, Bridgers is touring in support of Lost Weekend, her third album and first since 2020’s Punisher. It’s a feat of a record, a richly textured meditation on loss and grief, written in the aftermath of the death of her dad, with whom she had a complicated relationship.

So she is in a position to not only play multiple sold-out arena shows, but also insist that those shows be phone-free.

Heated hiring debate over iced coffee

Apparently, we have found the latest battleground in the generational war over what constitutes professionalism: iced coffee.

Not wages. Not work-life balance. Not whether employees should answer emails after 5 p.m.

There has been quite a bit of discussion lately about whether it is appropriate for a job candidate to walk into an interview carrying an iced coffee. To some hiring managers, it is a clear sign of poor judgment, a lack of professionalism or an attitude that says, “This isn’t really a big deal.” To others, it is simply a person walking into a meeting with a drink they picked up on the way.

I have to admit, as an HR person, I can see both sides.

‘Please excuse us from writing these notes …’

It’s a common-sense prescription for the health-care system. The only wonder is that it took so long to happen.