In this issue...
• Teddy Bear gone bad: AI children's toy back on market after it could be easily taught to have (very) inappropriate conversations with kids
• Home Hardware is closing its furniture arm
• By the numbers X 10 + 1
• Heinz introduces a new "leftover gravy" condiment
• Christmas Day is on Thursday, December 25!
• Before you go: 7 things you may have missed in the news
• Trivia: Did you know?
• Quotes of note
• Enjoy the outdoors with the Greater Moncton Walking Group
• Dream Like Taylor - A fabulous coloring book for Swifties by Rose Michaels
• Buy them now! Acadian Recipes and More - Volumes 1, 2 & 3, and Forgotten Recipes - Volume 1
• Greater Moncton Sunrise Rotary Club Dinner & A Movie For A Year draw!
• Monday, January 26: Greater Moncton Sunrise Rotary Trivia Night
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Teddy Bear gone bad: AI children's toy back on market after it could be easily taught to have (very) inappropriate conversations with kids
Seems like an AI-enabled teddy bear that sold like gangbusters could easily be manipulated into getting into explicit conversations with kids, including giving advice on where to find knives, how to light a match and how to engage in some other activities that only Mommy and Daddy should know about.
It sounds like a Saturday Night Live sketch, but it's not. Thankfully, the bug has been fixed.
Article excerpt: "Sales of an artificial intelligence-enabled plush toy have been suspended after it was found that it engaged in conversation around sexually explicit topics and offered potentially dangerous advice.
Larry Wang, CEO of Singapore-based FoloToy, told CNN that the company had withdrawn its Kumma bear, as well as the rest of its range of AI-enabled toys, after researchers at the U.S. PIRG Education Fund raised concerns around inappropriate conversation topics, including discussion of sexual fetishes, such as spanking, and how to light a match.
The company is now 'conducting an internal safety audit,' Wang added.
A stuffed teddy with a speaker inside, which was sold on the company’s website for US$99, Kumma integrates OpenAI’s GPT-4o chatbot.
'Kumma, our adorable bear, combines advanced artificial intelligence with friendly, interactive features, making it the perfect friend for both kids and adults,' the FoloToy website reads.
'From lively conversations to educational storytelling, FoloToy adapts to your personality and needs, bringing warmth, fun, and a little extra curiosity to your day,' according to the website, which shows the teddy bear as sold out.
The PIRG report, published on Nov. 13, found that the bear had poor safeguards for inappropriate content.
In one interaction with the researchers it suggested where to find knives in the home, and in others it was happy to discuss sexually explicit themes."
Curiosity, eh? Well, little Johnny and little Becky would certainly have their curiosities piqued there!
Read: Sales of AI-enabled teddy bear suspended after it gave advice on BDSM sex and where to find knives. Related: AI teddy bear that talked fetishes and knives is back on the market.
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Home Hardware is closing its furniture arm
Home Hardware is closing the furniture arm of its retail business at the end of next May, marking a retreat by a major Canadian retailer from the furniture market.
Article excerpt: "Home Hardware will close its Home Furniture banner next year, ending a decades-long presence in the Canadian furniture category. The decision, communicated through an internal memo obtained by Retail Insider and later confirmed by the company, outlines a full exit from the Home Furniture business by May 31, 2026. The move forms part of a broader strategic realignment and arrives at a time when the Canadian furniture sector continues to experience economic pressure and heightened competition.
The announcement affects a network of dozens of dealer-owned Home Furniture stores operating across the country. These locations, primarily in small and mid-sized communities, have provided furniture, appliances, and home décor within the cooperative structure of Home Hardware’s extensive retail system.
Their wind-down will reshape access to independently owned furniture retail in markets where major chains and online sellers have increasingly dominated. The Home Hardware Home Furniture closure reflects the company’s decision to focus more directly on its core home improvement, hardware, and building supplies business."
This is too bad. They had some really nice stuff there.
Read: Home Hardware to close home furniture banner in 2026.
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Heinz introduces a new "leftover gravy" condiment
There's ketchup. There's mustard. There's relish. And now... there's leftover gravy, too! Is this the next big thing for hot dogs and hamburgers?
Article excerpt: "This Thanksgiving, Heinz, the global leader in condiments and market leader of U.S. gravy, is turning its attention to the day after Thanksgiving with the debut of Heinz Leftover Gravy. The first-ever squeezable bottle of HEINZ Homestyle Turkey Gravy transforms the Thanksgiving staple into a condiment perfectly poised for the ultimate leftover sandwich.
Thanksgiving has evolved into more than just one meal - it’s a multiday celebration. 94% of Americans craft Thanksgiving leftover sandwiches and nearly half agree that gravy is the must-have ingredient. Inspired by the Moist Maker, a viral sandwich thanks to a beloved 90’s sitcom, Heinz is going all in on providing hosts the ticket to the deliciously nostalgic leftover sandwich: a slice of bread generously soaked in rich gravy."
On the surface, this doesn't sound half bad... but who wants to eat cold gravy? Is there a market? I don't know. We'll see if it's still around at this time next year. They also came out with purple ketchup a number of years ago, assuming kids would think it's fun and gobble it up. Nope. It tanked. We'll see if this the new purple ketchup!
Read: Heinz debuts first-ever gravy condiment exclusively for Thanksgiving leftovers.
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Trivia: Did you know?
The Mariko Aoki Phenomenon in Japan is known as the sudden and urgent need to poop as soon as you enter a bookstore. Yup, that's a thing. "Attention shoppers! Cleanup on aisle five!"
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Quotes of note
• 1. "I think December has always been the most haunted month, from the gothic-narrative point of view - a lot of Edgar Allan Poe stories are set in December. It's the last month of the year, and it's supposed to be sort of this mystical, spiritual month. And being Swedish, December is also the darkest month out of the year."
- Bill Skarsgard, Swedish actor (1990- ) (shown in photo)
• 2. "I think of John (Lennon) every day. I do try to block it, but December 8th is not the only day I think of him."
- Yoko Ono
• 3. "Every avalanche begins with the movement of a single snowflake, and my hope is to move a snowflake."
- Thomas Frey
• 4. "No snowflake in an avalanche ever feels responsible."
- Stanislaw Jerzy Lec
• 5. "I want people to know their palate is a snowflake. We all like different things. Why should we all have the same taste in wines?"
- Gary Vaynerchuk
• 6. "What the new year brings to you will depend a great deal on what you bring to the new year."
- Vern McLellan
• 7. "Deep and simple are far, far more important than shallow and complicated and fancy."
- Fred Rogers
• 8. "How did it get so late so soon? It's night before it's afternoon. December is here before it's June. My goodness how the time has flewn. How did it get so late so soon?"
- Dr. Seuss
• 9. "There are three stages of man: he believes in Santa Claus; he does not believe in Santa Claus; he is Santa Claus."
- Bob Phillips
• 10. "Sending Christmas cards is a good way to let your friends and family know that you think they’re worth the price of a stamp."
- Melanie White
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Enjoy the outdoors with the Greater Moncton Walking Group
In December, the group is walking on the Humphrey's Brook Trail in Moncton, beginning at Mill Road. Parking is available at the bottom of Martin Street.
In January, the group moves to Mapleton Park with meetup in the Rotary Lodge parking lot off of Mapleton Road. And yes, walking starts on Thursday, January 1! A great way to start 2026!
The group meets for walks every Tuesday and Thursday at 8:30 a.m. New participants are always welcome! For more information, please contact Wayne Harrigan at 506-386-2187 or via email.
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Dream Like Taylor - A fabulous colouring book for Swifties by Rose Michaels
Step into Taylor’s sparkly world with Dream Like Taylor! - a fabulous coloring book for Swifties - the ultimate coloring book for young fans who adore Taylor Swift and want to shine just like her! Filled with fun and fabulous illustrations, this book celebrates Taylor’s music, fashion, kindness and creativity. Color girls who sing on stage, play guitar, write songs, and dress in dazzling styles all inspired by Taylor’s amazing journey. Whether you’re a future superstar, a dreamer or just love to color, this book will make your imagination sparkle. Grab your crayons or markers and get ready to color your way to stardom... Swiftie-style! A total of 50 images are available in the book with a blank page on the other side of the image if you want to use markers.
• Amazon Canada: amzn.to/4hSY1dB
• Amazon USA: amzn.to/4p62coN
To view the entire list of Rose Michaels' colouring books, visit her website or follow her Facebook page.
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Buy them now! Acadian Recipes and More - Volumes 1, 2 & 3, and Forgotten Recipes - Volume 1
My three volumes of Acadian recipe books (English and French) and Forgotten Recipes - Volume 1 are out now and make a great addition to your recipe book library or a gift for someone else! They are available on Amazon Canada, Amazon USA and in some local retail outlets in Southeastern New Brunswick:
• Chapters, Dieppe NB: Volumes 1-3, Forgotten Recipes
• Le P'tit Coin Acadien Poutine Râpée, Bouctouche: Volumes 1-3, Forgotten Recipes
• Monument-Lefebvre, Memramcook NB: Volumes 1-3
• Centre culturel Kent-Sud, Bouctouche NB: Volumes 1-3 (French versions only)
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Greater Moncton Sunrise Rotary Club Dinner & A Movie For A Year draw!
The Greater Moncton Sunrise Rotary Club's Dinner & A Movie For A Year draw is back!
Our grand prize consisting of 12 x $100 gift cards to local restaurants (that's $1,200 in total, folks!) and 24 movie tickets will be drawn on December 9! Tickets are $20 each or 3 for $50. If you're interested, please message me on Facebook, email me at brian@briancormier.com or call me at 506-874-8725! We can make payment arrangements from there!
Congratulations to Paul Cassidy for winning our Early Bird draw held on November 24! I was very pleased to sell him his winning ticket!
The Greater Moncton Sunrise Rotary Club supports our community through the funds we raise. Some of our recent charities and organizations include:
• Ronald McDonald Family Room (The Moncton Hospital)
• Diabetes Canada "D Camps" (summer camps for children)
• Anglophone East School District School Supplies Drive
• Atlantic Wellness
• Junior Achievement New Brunswick
• Make-A-Wish Canada - New Brunswick Chapter
• Krista Richard's Community Sports Program
• Krista Richard's Bikes and Trikes for Everyone Program
• McNaughton High School Reach for the Top Team
• Boys and Girls Club of Moncton
• Peter McKee Community Food Centre
• Antler Breakfast
• YWCA Moncton
• Quilts of Valour
• Project Linus - Moncton Chapter
• Karing Kitchen
• Habitat for Humanity
... and many more throughout the years!
Thanks in advance for your support!
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Monday, January 26: Greater Moncton Sunrise Rotary Trivia Night
The next Greater Moncton Sunrise Rotary Club Trivia Night will be held at St. Louis Bar & Grill, 1405 Mountain Road, Moncton, on Monday, January 26, beginning at 6:30 p.m. $10 per person (cash only).
Participants may play as teams or individuals. The winning team gets 50% of the door receipts as their prize.
It is strongly suggested that participants arrive by 5:15-5:30 p.m. for a seat. Trivia begins at 6:30 p.m. sharp and is usually over by 8-8:15 p.m. Everyone welcome!
Please note that restaurant reservations are NOT available for this event. First come, first served. Limited seating of approximately 50 guests.
Participants may bring an optional non-perishable food item (box of granola bars, Kraft Dinner, cereal, canned goods, etc.) for distribution at Krista Richard's Community Sports Program events, of which the Greater Moncton Sunrise Rotary Club is a sponsor. Any donations will be gratefully received and provided to Krista for distribution to her program participants (school-aged children from Moncton-area schools).
Since Rotary Trivia Nights began in 2016, the Greater Moncton Sunrise Rotary Club has donated more than $20,000 to Atlantic Wellness, Karing Kitchen, Ray of Hope Kitchen, Salvus Clinic, The Humanity Project, BGC Moncton (Moncton Boys & Girls Club), Junior Achievement New Brunswick, Project Linus - Moncton Chapter, Habitat for Humanity, Junior Achievement New Brunswick, Children's Wish Canada, Krista Richard's Community Sports Program and Bicycle Program, Diabetes Canada's D-Camps for kids, and Anglophone East School District's School Supplies Drive, among others.
The Greater Moncton Sunrise Rotary Club gratefully acknowledges the kind and generous sponsorship of our restaurant partner, St. Louis Bar & Grill.
PLEASE NOTE: There is a no telephone rule at these events. The answers cannot be researched except among discussion with your team members.
Facebook event listing: bit.ly/43QNMk5
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About this newsletter
Brian Cormier's Weekly Update is distributed weekly from September to June. If you're reading this newsletter online and want to subscribe, please email me, fill out the subscription form on my website, or subscribe via the "Join Our Email List" button at the top of the newsletter (if you're viewing this in a browser.) This newsletter is not published in July and August and on holidays.
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