Meet Astronaut Julie Payette, the New Governor General of Canada

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau name retired astronaut Julie Payette as the next governor general, the acting head of state and Queen Elizabeth's representative in Canada. Payette, 53, would replace outgoing Governor General David Johnston, 76, whose term is set to expire in September after nearly seven years in office.

Engineer, songstress, mother, pilot, astronaut, linguist, Olympic flag-bearer, scuba diver, governor-general designate. It’s a stretch to imagine any Canadian checking off all of those boxes, but Julie Payette, astonishingly, has managed it.

Standing alongside Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Thursday afternoon in Ottawa, Payette was confirmed to be his choice for the Queen’s next representative in Canada. Both the NDP and Conservative leaders sent their best wishes.

Heroic Newfoundland hockey goalie saves fan in cardiac arrest

 In this Sept. 25, 2012 file photo, a nearly empty hockey stick rack in the locker room of the Buffalo Sabres hockey team is shown during the NHL labor lockout in Buffalo, N.Y. AP/David Duprey

Torstar News Service
Newfoundland hockey goalie Patrick O’Brien wasn’t scheduled to start Sunday afternoon, but he wound up making the save of a lifetime.

The paramedic, who plays for the Senior Hockey League’s Gander Flyers, was in the locker room getting ready for a game against the Corner Brook Royals when he was called on to help resuscitate a fan who had gone into cardiac arrest.

“I had my skates and one goalie pad on when my coach ran into the room and told me someone had collapsed on the ground,” O’Brien, 26, told Torstar News Service.

He found Gander Mayor Claude Elliot and Flyers’ board member Tom Whalen, both former paramedics, aiding the patient, who was lying at the foot of a set of stairs in the stands.

“I just jumped in and assisted with the CPR and started doing chest compressions,” O’Brien said

Canada Remembers Heroes Fallen Past

                 People lay poppies on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier following Remembrance Day ceremonies at the National War Memorial in Ottawa. BLAIR GABLE / REUTERS  

The Canadian Press
Gov. Gen. David Johnston has formally rededicated the National War Memorial to commemorate all who have died in the service of Canada.

Johnston wore full military uniform as he spoke to the gathered crowd, estimated to be in the tens of thousands of people, about the importance of memory.

There is a new inscription on the granite wall — "In Service to Canada - Au service du Canada" — and the dates of the Afghanistan mission and the South African War have also been added.

Princess Anne delivered a message from the Queen, who said it is fitting to rededicate the monument to all Canadians who gave their lives in the service of peace, justice and freedom.

Johnston also paid tribute to two soldiers killed last month — one of them just steps away from where the Governor General was standing.

Johnston said Warrant Officer Patrice Vincent and Cpl. Nathan Cirillo have joined the ranks of thousands of other dead, who will always be remembered.

Steve Jobs- iTS Been Three years But You Are Still An Inspiration

Some of the Most Powerful Speeches of Maya Angelou

More than anything, Maya Angelou was known for her words. From her books to her orations, Angelou used language to stir her audiences and reach into their hearts. Here is a sampling of some of her most powerful speeches:

Presidential Inauguration Ceremony, 1993

She became the second poet in history to speak at a presidential inauguration -- after Robert Frost, who spoke at John F. Kennedy's inaugural -- when she read her poem "On the Pulse of Morning" at the swearing-in of President Bill Clinton in 1993.

 

The Children's Defense Fund National Conference, 2012

Angelou shared one of her poems as the keynote speaker at the Children's Defense Fund National Conference held in Cincinnati in July 2012.

Top 10 Canadian Heroes, In Preparation For Canada's 150th Birthday

Canadians have handed the Harper government a Top 10 list of the country's greatest heroes, featuring some of the Conservative party's greatest adversaries, past and present.

The list, compiled from online consultations in the run-up to Canada's 150th birthday in 2017, includes Pierre Trudeau, Jack Layton, David Suzuki and Lester B. Pearson.

About 12,000 Canadians participated in the online exercise, which began Dec. 11 and closed last month.

A five-part digital form included the question: Which Canadians have inspired you the most over the last 150 years?

The Canadian Heritage Department extracted a Top 10 list for an April 29 briefing note for the minister, Shelly Glover.

Check out their names

Top 10 Canadian Heroes

1. Pierre Trudeau
2. Terry Fox
3. Tommy Douglas
4. Lester B. Pearson
5. Chris Hadfield

OMG! Baby falls out of window, saved by man in China

A man successfully caught a one-year-old baby who fell from a second story window recently in south China county, according to local reports.

The baby, who it was believed went looking for his mother, climbed onto the window during a heavy thunderstorm, recalled a vendor who lives in the opposite building in Xiaolan Town, Zhongshan City of Guangdong Province.

Mr. Li, a resident, hurried across the road and held out his arms, according to the surveillance video footage, in the hope of catching the falling baby.

Mr. Hu, also a local resident, also rushed to the site to join in the rescue, along with other nearby residents who put several pieces of cardboard and a sofa on the ground under the window, the video footage showed.

Ultimate Warrior, WWE hall of famer, dies at 54

The Ultimate Warrior, the retired U.S. professional wrestler who just days ago was inducted into the WWE hall of fame, has died at the age of 54.

The WWE released a statement on its website saying it is "deeply saddened" to hear about the passing of "one of the most iconic WWE Superstars ever." The organization sent "its sincere condolences to Warrior’s family, friends and fans."

Scottsdale, Ariz., police spokesman Sgt. Mark Clark said he collapsed while walking with his wife to their car at a hotel and was pronounced dead at a hospital.

There were no signs of foul play, Clark said. The Maricopa County Medical Examiner's Office will conduct an autopsy Thursday, county spokeswoman Cari Gerchick said.

Song of the Week: Ordinary Love by U2.

"Ordinary Love" is a song by rock band U2. It was written to honour Nelson Mandela and is included in the biography film Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom.  Listen to the song below, it is a wonderful piece with a  touching story and nice concept.

The sea wants to kiss the golden shore
The sunlight warms your skin
All the beauty that's been lost before wants to find us again

I can't fight you any more, it's you I'm fighting for
The sea throws rock together but time leaves us polished stones

We can't fall any further
If we can't feel ordinary love
And we can't reach any higher,
If we can't deal with ordinary love

Birds fly high in the summer sky and rest on the breeze.
The same wind will take care of you and I.
We'll build our house in the trees.

Your heart is on my sleeve
Did you put it there with a magic marker?
For years I would believe that the would couldn't wash it away

'Cause

We can't fall any further
If we can't feel ordinary love
And we can't reach any higher

Are we tough enough for ordinary love?

We can't fall any further, if
We can't feel ordinary love
And we can't reach any higher,
If we can't deal with ordinary love

Boss Michael Jordan Earned $90m in 2013, More Than Nearly Any Active Athlete

According to Forbes magazine, retired basketball legend Michael Jordan made more money in 2013 than any other retired athlete in the world, earning an estimated $90million, more than any active playing athlete aside from boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. who made over $100m. And where did all the money come for someone who hasn't played basketball in almost 10 years? Air Jordan of course!

Nike released the Air Jordan 10 “Powder Blue” retro sneaker on Saturday, 20 years after the first Jordan 10s hit shelves. Like all the Jordan retro releases, this one was highly anticipated and first-day sales hit $35 million.

Warren Buffett's three 'fundamentals of investing'

Lacy O'Toole | CNBC

Warren Buffett says if you want to learn how to make money from the stock market you should look at how he made some money with two small real estate investments.

In an excerpt published by Fortune, from his upcoming annual letter to Berkshire Hathaway shareholders, Buffett writes about his purchase of a Nebraska farm and his investment in a retail property near New York University in Manhattan.

New York Red Bulls Player Thiery Henry...Respect

History of Black Canadian Veterans From First World War To Post War Years

Pre-First World War

Victoria Rifles standing at attention
 

The tradition of military service by Black Canadians goes back long before Confederation. Indeed, many Black Canadians can trace their family roots to Loyalists who emigrated North in the 1780s after the American Revolutionary War. American slaves had been offered freedom and land if they agreed to fight in the British cause and thousands seized this opportunity to build a new life in British North America.

Judi Dench Can No Longer Read Due To Blindness! But Her Fearless Courage Will Empower You!

It's so sad to hear that Dame Judi Dench's macular degeneration has progressed this far. She can officially no long read scripts — or menus in restaurants — but the worst of it is that she can't really watch movies anymore either. BUT, at 79, with 95 award nominations in her career, she STILL isn't ready to retire!

In fact, her powerful words bring tears to our eyes! She said:

"I never want to make much of it, but it is difficult – very, very difficult. I can't read any more. I can't paint like I used to. I try to watch movies, but it's quite difficult. But these are all of the negatives. I don't want to really think about all that. What I can do, I do. And I somehow get by."

Top 10 Famous Quotes From Martin Luther King, Jr.

The quotes come from public speeches given by King, a letter, and one of his books. Each section contains a link to the original source.

10 famous quotes

1. “We are not wrong, we are not wrong in what we are doing. If we are wrong, the Supreme Court of this nation is wrong. If we are wrong, the Constitution of the United States is wrong. And if we are wrong, God Almighty is wrong. If we are wrong, Jesus of Nazareth was merely a utopian dreamer that never came down to Earth. If we are wrong, justice is a lie, love has no meaning. And we are determined here in Montgomery to work and fight until justice runs down like water, and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

Address at Holt Street Baptist Church, Montgomery, Alabama, 1955

2. “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”

Letter from Birmingham Jail, April 16, 1963

3. “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy. The true neighbor will risk his position, his prestige, and even his life for the welfare of others.”