In this issue...
• Big changes coming to Monopoly
• Would you try soup-flavoured cough drops?
• By the numbers X 10 + 1
• CBC Radio's Under the Influence: The power of personal style
• Pickleball picking up steam in Canada - and corporations are taking notice
• Thank you and best wishes to Senator Nancy Hartling
• NEW RELEASE: The Hump Day Collection - Volume 1
• Buy them now! Acadian Recipes and More - Volumes 1, 2 & 3, and Forgotten Recipes - Volume 1
• The next Greater Moncton Sunrise Rotary Trivia Night will be held on Monday, February 24
• Valentine's Day is Friday, February 14
• Before you go: 7 things you may have missed in the news
• Enjoy the outdoors this winter with the Greater Moncton Walking Group
... and trivia, quotes and more!
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Big changes coming to Monopoly
Redesigns of any beloved games are always risky, but clearly the market here with a revamped Monopoly game is new players, not people like me who are perfectly happy with the old-fashioned look, feel and rules. Besides, each home had different rules for Monopoly, right? Did anyone actually even know the rules?
News release excerpt: "Kicking off the beloved brand’s 90th anniversary, players everywhere can breathe new life into their classic Monopoly board through three new Expansion Packs: Monopoly Go to Jail, Monopoly Buy Everything, and Monopoly Free Parking Jackpot. These expansions not only provide quick-turn gameplay but also add twists by giving players a chance to win money, collect new cards to get away with mischief, and unlock opportunities to buy every space on the board – you can even buy the bank!
... In addition to the expansions, the classic Monopoly board game is getting an upgraded new look, featuring a sleek, more compact box for storage that's perfect for any game night, along with innovative storage solutions to keep the bank safe from thieves, Monopoly bills crisp and game pieces nice and organized. Plus, players can enjoy updated money designs and a return to the classic look fans know and love with the Chance and Community Chest cards, along with high-quality Title Deeds that elevate your gameplay. With stunning modern graphics, larger tokens, houses, and hotels, the game has never looked better."
Hasbro is clearly trying to reach out to new players with a bold new look and colours, which is what they should be doing. But permit me to be an old curmudgeon in being perfectly happy with the way things were, too. Now, get off my lawn!
News release: Hasbro enhances the Monopoly play experience with evolution of the classic game and new ways to play.
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Would you try soup-flavoured cough drops?
When I first heard of this, I thought it was a bit ridiculous, but it's actually kind of ingenious. If you're sick, what's better than chicken soup? And now, it's in lozenge form.
News release excerpt: "Enjoy soup like never before – Progresso, your go-to for comforting, premium soups, is innovating beyond expectations this cold and flu season with the launch of the first-ever limited-edition Soup Drops. What’s a Soup Drop? Well, it’s soup you can suck on, of course!
While most folks flock to the cough drop aisle at the first sign of a cold, Progresso is here to say, 'Hold my spoon!' Progresso Soup Drops deliver the classic, hearty flavour of Progresso Chicken Noodle Soup in a format that will definitely SOUPrise fans – it’s a convenient hard candy drop – reminding you of the comfort you can find in a bowl of Progresso Soup. These savory drops are arriving for a limited time this month for National Soup Month, right at the height of cold and flu season. Now, there’s no spoon needed to dive into the classic taste of the iconic Progresso Traditional Chicken Noodle Soup, but you certainly can reach for the real thing if you’re looking for that feeling of a hug in a bowl!"
It will be interesting to read the reviews on these.
Read: Soup you can suck on: Introducing Progresso Soup Drops, the ultimate cold and flu season comfort.
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CBC Radio's Under the Influence: The power of personal style
Last week's episode of CBC Radio's Under the Influence series with host Terry O'Reilly looked at the power of personal style and its effect on branding.
• January 30, 2025 - Purple Comb-Overs: The Power of Personal Style. Synopsis: "This week, we talk about some of the most interesting people throughout history – and the fact they all had a consistent personal style. Consistency is the key to branding, and these famous people all understood that. We’ll take a look at Julius Caesar, who shocked fellow Romans with the way he dressed and acted. We’ll examine the incredible popularity of Charlie Chaplin’s “Little Tramp” character that never changed throughout 25 films. And we’ll talk about celebrities who adopted a singular colour as their personal branding – like Prince and Johnny Cash." Click here to listen to the episode. Click here to read the episode's website post.
Click here for the show's website and here for the show's podcast archive.
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Pickleball picking up steam in Canada - and corporations are taking notice
I live across from a municipal park and was a bit baffled a few years ago when the city insisted on putting in pickleball courts during a major renovation of the site. "Who's going to use those?" I remember asking myself. Boy, was I wrong! They were popular from the minute they opened.
Article excerpt: "As pickleball soars in popularity, the balance between supply and demand has gotten increasingly out of whack.
At times, the sport's growing popularity has provoked tension between passionate pickleballers and others in the community who aren't keen on having their tennis courts or park space taken over. (One mayor in P.E.I. even quit his job over a pickleball development dustup).
Now, a U.S. company is betting it can make big bucks off all those court-hungry pickleballers with a network of indoor pickleball franchises in every major city in Canada.
The Picklr started in 2021, began franchising in 2023 and currently has 26 locations from Alabama to Wyoming.
It's one of several pickleball franchises that have opened up south of the border in recent years and quickly exploded in popularity, said Todd Boss, a pickleball writer with Forbes Magazine. (Some other big names include Pickleball Kingdom, Dill Dinkers and the Ace Pickleball Club.)
'These companies are basically going from zero to [owning] 10 to 12 facilities in a year-and-a-half,' said Boss. 'That is pretty massive.'
But some say Canada could be a tougher market to crack.
It's not that Canadians don't like pickleball but rather that this country doesn't have a glut of readily available retail space that can easily be converted into pickleball courts."
Pickleball players are passionate and love their sport. There's no longer a reason for any big airy structures to remain empty. If landlords look around hard enough, there may be pickleball tenant for them! The sport is growing exponentially, and there are definitely business opportunities that go along with that.
Read: Can pickleball go corporate in Canada?
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Thank you and best wishes to Senator Nancy Hartling
Senator Nancy Hartling retired from the Senate of Canada on January 31. It's been a pleasure producing her newsletter for the past several years through my company, Bricor Communications. I wish her all the best in her retirement, and I thank her for her service to Canada. Senator Hartling and her assistant Anthony Lamoureux have been excellent to work with. I sincerely thank them both! Here is the link to her last newsletter: conta.cc/4jucSeF
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NOW AVAILABLE: The Hump Day Collection - Volume 1
I'm thrilled to announce that The Hump Day Collection - Volume 1 is now available for purchase through Amazon in ebook or paperback (300+ pages) format. The book contains 75 updated and revised Hump Day stories that ran for many years in a local newspaper. I've been asked many times to put these in book format, so I'm hoping you'll like it! In addition to Amazon, the book will be available at Chapters in Dieppe, N.B., in a few weeks and perhaps at other locations, as well. For ebook lovers, the book is part of the Kindle Unlimited subscription-based program from Amazon. To purchase today:
• Amazon Canada: amzn.to/4gckiQX
• Amazon USA: amzn.to/3CnKfiF
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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) (Volumes 1-3, Forgotten Recipes)
• Le P'tit Coin Acadien Poutine Râpée (Bouctouche) (Volumes 1-3)
• Jean Coutu Pharmacy (Champlain Street, Dieppe) (Volumes 1-3)
• Monument-Lefebvre (Memramcook) (Volumes 1-2)
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The next Greater Moncton Sunrise Rotary Trivia Night will be held on Monday, February 24
The next Greater Moncton Sunrise Rotary Club Trivia Night of the 2024-2025 season will be held at St. Louis Bar & Grill, 1405 Mountain Road, Moncton, on Monday, February 24, beginning at 6:30 p.m. $10 per person (cash only). (Facebook event listing: bit.ly/4hyC4yT)
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 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, 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 and Krista Richard's Community Sports Program, 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.
The remaining Trivia Night schedule for 2024-2025 is as follows:
• Monday, February 24, 2025
• Monday, March 24, 2025
• Monday, April 28, 2025
• Monday, May 26, 2025
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Trivia: Did you know?
The beloved Muppet character Gonzo was first introduced in 1970 in a Christmas TV special but had a different name. You'd think it would be something nose-related, like Shnozz, but he was actually named the rather sinister "Snarl" at first, even though he's pretty harmless!
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Quotes of note
• 1. "If opportunity doesn't knock, build a door."
- Milton Berle, actor and comedian (1908-2002) (see photo)
• 2. "Do your thing and don’t care if they like it."
- Tina Fey
• 3. "I wear my mistakes like badges of honour, and I celebrate them."
- Amy Schumer
• 4. "Ain't nothing like a good cry."
- Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson
• 5. "The best thing one can do when it's raining is to let it rain."
- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
• 6. "Don't let yesterday use up too much of today."
- Will Rogers
• 7. "Begin challenging your assumptions. Your assumptions are the windows on the world. Scrub them off every once in awhile or the light won't come in."
- Alan Alda
• 8. "I would like a glass of red wine, and I'll take the cheapest one you have because I can't tell the difference."
- Amy Poehler
• 9. "I'm sorry, if you were right, I'd agree with you."
- Robin Williams
• 10. "I told my wife the truth. I told her I was seeing a psychiatrist. Then she told me the truth: that she was seeing a psychiatrist, two plumbers... and a bartender."
- Rodney Dangerfield
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Enjoy the outdoors this winter with the Greater Moncton Walking Group
In February, the group is walking in Centennial Park in Moncton. Meet-up is in the parking lot on St. George Boulevard. Walks at Centennial Park begin on Tuesday, February 4, and run until Thursday, February 27.
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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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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