Polar Bear Day

February 27th is International Polar Bear Day! It is a time to show your commitment to these magnificent animals and their threatened habitat by taking a meaningful step (or two) to reduce CO2.

Myths about Polar Bears:

Covering its nose. Dr. Ian Stirling and several assistants used telescopes to watch undisturbed polar bears hunting seals in the Canadian High Arctic, 24 hours a day when conditions permitted, in both spring and summer conditions, for several weeks each year for several years. They documented the details of many hundreds of hunts. No bear was ever seen putting a paw over its nose while stalking a seal. Nor have other polar bear biologists ever observed this behavior. Simply from a mechanical point of view, Stirling expresses puzzlement about just how a bear might walk, crawl, or stalk on three legs while holding its paw over its nose for an extended period since most stalks on the sea ice cover 50 to as much as 200 meters.

Left-pawed. Great white bears are not left-pawed. Scientists observing the animals haven't noticed a preference. In fact, polar bears seem to use their right and left paws equally.

Use of tools. Polar bears do not use tools, including blocks of ice, to kill their prey. Scientist Ian Stirling believes that this idea may have come about because, after failing to catch a seal, a frustrated and angry polar bear may kick the snow, slap the ground or hurl chunks of ice.

Lupercalia is our 'palooza'

Evil spirits will be banished and Owen Sound purified this weekend! A special music festival featuring eight downtown venues and well over twenty performances is set to stir up some creative local song craft second to none. Move over Lollapalooza and make way for Lupercalia!

It's no secret that our area boasts a wealth of musical talent. And there is a great website available to feature it all as it happens. Check out and often www.owensoundmusic.com for the latest details on this exciting February fest of song, dance, art, film, poetry and more.

Owen Sound Music has a fantastic and always up-to-date Facebook page as well. Stay tuned in by clicking here.

Top Facebook Fanpages in Grey-Bruce

One of the best websites in the region (aside from myowensound.ca, of course) is without a doubt “Explore the Bruce” by Bruce County Tourism. Eye-catching, easy to navigate and loaded with info for the visitor and resident alike, I’ve often credited the team on the Bruce for a job very well done.

Now “Explore the Bruce” is citing its own online faves. At least, when it comes to social media and Facebook. The talented Gem Webb has put together a list of the top 30 Facebook fanpages in Grey-Bruce. And I have to say, myowensound.ca is very honoured to have made the list! These are pages that are regularly kept fresh with up-to-date and relevant local information.

Check out Gem’s recommendations here.

Retro in Your Pop Can

While shopping at Zehrs recently, something caught my eye that forced me into a tailspin of 80’s nostalgia. Pepsi has reintroduced its line of Throwback with the old logo in tact and real sugar recipe.

For the past few decades, high fructose corn syrup has served as Pepsi’s sweetener. But don’t let that fool you. Throwback actually has 10mg less sodium and 1g less in the sugar department when compared to today’s version of Pepsi.

Turns out the return to retro was issued in 2009, supposedly for a limited time. However, sales have been so good that Pepsi has released at least two more batches since and plans to keep going as long as it keeps selling.

The taste is slightly sweeter but very much Pepsi nonetheless. Personally, picking up a case of 12 with the old logo was good enough reason for me.