Flashback: A tough lesson for Barbie

High school students didn't agree with the famous doll's assessment of math class in 1992

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Villeneuve's view

Media Video | Director Denis Villeneuve wins Oscar nomination in 2011

Caption: The director speaks about his film Incendies with the CBC's Mark Kelley. Aired Jan. 25, 2011 on CBC News: Sunday.

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A new project from CBC Arts asked a range of film critics, programmers and journalists for their top choices in movies directed by Canadians. Their picks made for an ultimate list of Canuck cinema alongside blockbuster fare.
Quebec director Denis Villeneuve, who made two films in the top 50 — #4, Incendies and #23, Arrivalspoke to the CBC's Mark Kelley in early 2011(external link) after his film Incendies was nominated for an Academy Award. He questioned the very concept of a competition for movies.
"The truth is, it's a very strange thing to compare movies together," he said. "It's art." Still, having watched the Oscars since he was a child, Villeneuve said the nod brought him "huge, huge happiness."

Tough lesson for Barbie

Media Video | Barbie's math problem in 1992

Caption: Mattel makes a blunder by releasing a talking doll who says she finds math "tough." Aired on CBC's Venture on Dec. 20, 1992.

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The impending release of the Barbie movie has us wondering whether we can expect any allusions to the great Mattel misstep of 1992. Barbie -- who had recently gained the power of speech — confessed to struggling in math class.(external link)
The sentiment didn't go over well with some of the high schoolers on the year-end roundup of business blunders from the CBC program Venture.
"It looks bad to have someone who's so famous ... to say, 'Math is tough,"" said one young woman. Another said: "It's portraying a negative image on school."

Pattern recognition

Media Video | El Nino says hello in 1983

Caption: The CBC's Bill Cameron explains how an ocean current in the Pacific could explain warmer winters in Canada. Aired on CBC's The Journal on Dec. 1, 1983.

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According to CBC News, El Niño is "a naturally occurring climate pattern associated with warming of the ocean surface temperatures in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean." In 2023 it could mean a milder winter in Canada.
The earliest mention of the term "El Niño" on CBC-TV seems to have been on an item on the inexact science of meteorology in 1983 on the currant affairs program The Journal(external link). An expected "bitterly cold winter" in 1982-83 had been quite balmy, said host Bill Cameron.
"The fact is, the predictions were wrong," Cameron added. El Niño was "stronger and warmer" than forecast and had "fouled up" weather around the world.

Seeking sanctuary

Media Video | Puffin-watchers keep an eye on the Nova Scotia bird in 1992

Caption: Seagulls threaten populations of guillemots, terns and puffins on a lille-known Nova Scotia island. Aired June 30, 1992 on CBC Halifax's 1st Edition.

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Ottawa will soon protect dozens of bird species on three Nova Scotia islands from humans, says CBC News. In 1992, CBC Halifax told us the threat to terns, guillemots and puffins on one island(external link) came not from humans, but from invasive, insatiable seagulls.

Hot stuff

Media Video | Pepper-eating contest gets hot in Vancouver in 1985

Caption: The jalapeno pepper is regarded with fear and suspicion as a raucous group tries to eat as many as they can in 15 minutes. Aired July 20, 1985 on CBC's Saturday Report.

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A shortage of the spicy condiment sriracha in Windsor, Ont., made news last week. Canadians have come a long way in their taste for heat. Back in 1985, CBC's The National said "one of the hottest foods known to man"(external link) was the jalapeno pepper.

Read all about it

Image | Computers in use at a newspaper office in the 1970s

Caption: Computers were having a major impact on the way newspapers were put together, after they were implemented into the production process. (The National/CBC Archives)

The most recent example of the dwindling fortunes of newspapers may have been in June, when we heard two publishers could merge. (Update: a merger was called off on July 10.) An industry player was all too prescient in 1978 when he told CBC News: "The computer has revolutionized the newspaper field."

Can you dig it?

Image | Close-up of gopher in Saskatchewan

Caption: In 2001, The National was reporting on the increased population of gophers in the province of Saskatchewan. (The National/CBC Archives)

The Richardson's ground squirrel, seen above in 2001, was such a nuisance that farmers were seeking stronger measures to combat it. But a rare new variant of the rodent with a mutation that makes it hairless may die off naturally, says a scientist.