CONNECT with Sarah Crosbie

Forced into gift shops, writer Peter Lovenheim discovers tourist trinkets are metaphors for gifts in life. Bobbleheads, spoons and shirts inspire new book Gift Shop of Gratitude: A Journal to Explore the Journey of Your Life.

First came AI, then came marriage, then came the couple with the baby carriage! Krystal Walter on how AI is coming to her match-matching world ... and your dating life.

Think you won't be affected by Trump's 25% tariffs? Think again. University of Calgary's Trevor Tombe explains in The Hub how "2.4 million jobs are exposed to U.S. tariffs."

Still together? Congratulations, you survived this year's biggest break-up day. Matchmaker Krystal Walter explains why one December day can spell doom for many couples.

Canada needs immigrants to build houses. We must change language requirements, says Mike Martens. President of Independent Contractors and Businesses Association says construction needs immigrants and Canada-born workers.

A sommelier, a cheesemonger and a talk radio host walk into a ... no, not a bar: Eric Southward from Calgary Co-op Wine Spirits Beer and Leonard Conlin join Connect's badly-named holiday special.

Your pizza is fresh out of the fridge! In this episode, we talk about the type of items getting lost due to the Canada Post Strike, we find out what the best holiday gifts are for you music loving relatives, and we also learn what makes a cup of coffee $100.

Death to cheques? "Cheques - they're not needed anymore ... let progress happen. We can go completely digital." - Economist Moshe Lander

Why is everything a crisis? Professor Eric K. Stern, who edited the Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Crisis Analysis, says a crisis meets these THREE criteria ...

$100 cup of coffee coming to Calgary at Phil & Sebastian. Co-founder Sebastian Sztabzyb says it sold for $4,816 per kilo at prestigious Best of Panama auction.

"Keep Calm and Carry On": Military historian and author Ted Barris explains popular phrase's wartime origins: Adam Legge, Business Council of Alberta president, says phrase will guide him through four years of Donald Trump presidency.

No-Fault Insurance in Alberta: The story of its birthplace in Saskatchewan ... and the U.S. Concordia University economist Moshe Lander: "It's not surprising that Alberta wants to do it."

How much should you pay the neighbourhood kid to shovel your driveway? Moshe Lander, Concordia University economist, says THIS is a good amount (yes, it's a little bit above minimum wage).

Most expensive home ever listed in Alberta can be yours for just ... $18,900,000. Tarek Hageahmad from eXp Realty: "Luxury buyers are coming to Calgary. Luxury homes are selling in the Calgary and surrounding market. And everyone needs to understand they're bringing their money and their business with them. This is a great thing."

New York Times Theatre Reporter Michael Paulson tells us why standing ovations are on the rise and if we need to evaluate why we give them in the first place.

Mark Wingfield: "Why I’m an LGBTQ ally who won’t boycott Chick-fil-A". Executive director and publisher of Baptist News Global says home of Dallas, Tex., is the epicenter of chicken passion.

This week we hear why Calgary Transit is set to lose 33 million next year and we get up close and personal with Banff's most infamous bear. But that's not all! This cold pizza also tells us why Alberta needs more Doctors who specialize in Transgender care, how those doctors are trained, and why the Alberta Government wants more of them. Finally, we top this pie off with a conversation about standing ovations and why we are compulsively giving them.

The Liking Gap: What Taylor Swift fans can teach us about happiness. Erin Anderssen - happiness reporter at the Globe and Mail (yes, that's a thing) - explains power of "stranger ingratiaters"

Stone House Decor's Tracey Tilden on how a midlife career change landed her her dream job and store.

Stone House Decor's Tracey Tilden on how a midlife career change landed her her dream job and store.

Alberta hiring transgender health experts ... What is a transgender health expert? Dr. Jillian Demontigny explains how training and a space in your heart combine to provide the best care

Not just Inglewood: public pools across North America doggie paddling to survive. Eve Andrews investigates The Decline of America's Public Pools in The Atlantic. Welcome to "deferred maintenance"

Stay In Your Lane: the "sugar-coated insult" we can't stop saying: York University's Dr. Yvonne Su points out Donald Trump, Elon Musk have not stayed in their lanes - and found great success. Also, do we say it more here because Canadians have a "smallness" that stops us from innovating? "It's a cultural phenomenon," Su says.

Kevin Quigley, Professor and Director at the MacEachen Institute for Public Policy & Governance at Dalhousie University, tells us why Scenario planning will give our government the tools to deal with political uncertainty in the U.S.

Beauty in the eyes of the beholder - and The Boss, Canada's legendary grizzly bear. Jason Leo Bantle, All in the Wild founder and photographer, shares tales from up-close-and-personal backyard encounter.

Your pizza is fresh out of the fridge! In this episode, we try to understand the US election, we breakdown the City of Calgary’s budget with Jeromy Farkas, and we learn about a Calgary-made app helping to preserve Canadian war stories.

Stories saved: Memory Anchor app preserves soldiers' legacies: Veteran Ryan Mullens takes you beyond the gravestone to share the histories of our men and women who served.

Are you allowed to carry bear spray to defend yourself? Let's pretend you're carjacked: criminal defence lawyer Jillian Williamson from Alberta Legal explains "viable defence in certain circumstances"

Mastering the art of conversation ... when you live alone. Ian Williams book What I Mean to Say: Remaking Conversation in Our Time and Walrus piece examine "best" part of talking times.

U.S. election: Grab it ... by the horns?  Rachael Segal of Beyond a Ballot on Access Hollywood Donald Trump audio resurfacing and whether it will affect voters.

Ira Wells, critic, essayist, and contributor to The Walrus tells us why consumer rage will be a massive election issue the next time Canadians head to the polls.

This week's cold pizza is served to perfection! We learn how to trust your gut, if politicians need to bother appealing to opposition voters, the complicated state of supervised consumption sites in Calgary, and how Gen Z is changing the future of romantic movies.

Cold Pizza: The Best of HALLOWEEN Connect with Sarah Crosbie. Monster expert on importance of slasher films, Skittles are bad for your gut, moving Halloween and roasting pumpkin seeds.

Pac Man. Gremlins. Michael Jackson's Thriller: How horror "seeps" into all parts of our lives. Jeremy Dauber examines genre in new book: American Scary: A History of Horror, from Salem to Stephen King and Beyond.

Mom. Dad. I want to be a writer/painter/designer when I grow up ... Mark J. Jones, author of new book The Starving Artist Myth, says he also experienced anxiety when his child wanted an arts career. "It is a reasonable thing to want to protect your child and make sure they are secure in life; and they can have that in a creative career - but it demands a particular combination of education and long-term strategies."

A horror story: children are no longer reading. How do we fix that? Sam Leith, author of The Haunted Wood: A History of Childhood Reading, says trick is you can't read to your child - and scroll.

Working - but can't afford groceries: Canada’s Hunger Count Report shows alarming food-bank usage in Calgary. Calgary Food Bank CEO Melissa From on seeing donors turn into users - and how the city always rallies to stock shelves.

Cold Pizza: The Best of Connect with Sarah Crosbie This Week (Oct. 21 to 25): WWII veteran turns 100, earthquakes in AB, how New Brunswick politics could influence us and Interstellar organist Roger Sayer.

A-chooey. A-chooey. Why are some sneezes so loud? Loud blaster himself, RJ Mackenzie investigates how vocal cords, lung capacity, cultural expectations - and even dramatics factor in

Gentle parenting: Are you leading with communication, compassion, collaboration? Even a shoe to the head hasn't stopped Globe and Mail writer Amberly McAteer from thinking gentle parenting is a better way forward for families. "Gentle parent that I am, I was narrating and validating emotions, in a failing effort to get my kid to calm down."

This week's Cold Pizza helps us better understand the tensions between Canada and India. The pizza is topped with an Alberta invention that Disney is interested in, a highlight from our live on location show in Marda Loop, plus a check-in with Jasper Pizza as they relaunch!

Protecting trucks, cars - and maybe even Mickey Mouse ... one spray at time. Brad Rempel from Body-Liner shares how the rockstar life painted the way for a new automotive career.

Don't poo-pooh leftovers. XL Cuisine's Xavier Lacaze says they are "so underrated." Chef Lacaze joins Connect every Tuesday at 4:17.

Can self-driving cars navigate Calgary slushy roads? Susan Kennedy, VP innovation at Hexagon Autonomy, explains technology and policy must merge for autonomous vehicles to work.

SAIT instructor and cybersecurity expert Andrew Campbell tells us how hackers can get into your phone with QR codes and why you need to think before you scan.

One card to pay for riding CTrain, bus, car-share, scooter? Professor Betsy Donald explores transit in Urban Mobility: How the iPhone, Covid and Climate Changed Everything.

Diapers and duty: Banff's Kaylee Ram on taking mat leave while working as elected councillor. Canmore follows in Banff's (baby) footsteps and offers time away for maternity, parental leave for town councillors.

Big brains, big bucks gone? Canada-India dispute could mean fewer foreign students at our universities. Partha Mohanram, director India Innovation Institute: "This has been a very important economic stimulus for our universities."

This week's cold pizza is stuffed with Thanksgiving goodies!  We hear some good news about the Green Line, learn how to be prim and proper at the Thanksgiving dinner table from a manners expert, get an update on Calgary's economic outlook, AND learn how to have a political conversation with family this Thanksgiving.

Jeromy Farkas on tough Thanksgivings: "As long as you're getting together with the people you love." Plus, some long weekend hiking tips too.

How I Thanksgiving - with some of Connect's favourite guests. Newsman Russell Skeet, "Bad Weather" Kyle Brittain, farmer Stephen Vandervalk, Motor Monday's Brian Turner and Ryan O'Donnell.

Cookie Economics: Food industry analyst Vince Sgabellone: "People are cash-strapped ... a $5 cookie is an affordable little treat."

Brussels sprouts and bragging rights: Conversation with Top Chef Canada host Eden Grinshpan. Top Chef Canada season 11 premieres Monday.

Jeff Davison runs to be Calgary's mayor: Does 3rd-place finish in 2021 help or hinder? University of Calgary political science professor Jack Lucas: "We have evidence it can go either way." Plus, many Canadians still want to be mayor?

Calgary Opera's Don Giovanni a HIT with Laryssa Yanchak. First Canadian woman to be credited as Fight Master through internationally recognized association of Fight Directors Canada.

Calgary sidewalks have a lot of cracks, but a former SAIT team may have found a solution! Derrick Leung tells how his team found a way to make our sidewalks stronger and how the discovery nominated them for the 2024 ASET Capstone Project of the Year Award.

Looking to buy a home? Abraham Poorazizi, the creator of PickyourPlace, tells us how his app helps Calgarians find the perfect house thanks to mountains of data.

Rhiannon Russell, a freelance journalist based in Whitehorse, Yukon, and contributor to The Walrus, tells us why we need to reevaluate our relationship with bears and how we can do a better job of protecting them.

Should we blame the decline in youth mental health solely on social media?  Dr. Emma Duerden, Associate Professor, Canada Research Chair in Neuroscience and Learning Disorders at Western University and speaker at The Walrus Talks at Home: Teens and Screens, joins us to discuss how tech impacts youth mental health.

More than immigration. More than skilled-workers shortage: Understanding Canada's housing crisis. Yushu Zhu, assistant professor Simon Fraser University: "It's a systemic issue rather than supply demand."

Learned to skate at "three and a half" - Connor Bouchard now U Sport National Player of the Year. Mount Royal University Cougars player says hockey is joy: "You get to hang out at the rink with your 20 best buddies ... so thankful."

Greg Filipchuk, Vice President at SECURE ENERGY, tells us how Alberta’s Oil, Gas and Energy sector is gearing up for the third annual Oil Rig Rumble Challenge. He tells us how this challenge helps Alberta's energy sector workers, their partnership with Movember, and more.

Work of beauty: How hybrid work changed your grooming habits: Globe and Mail's Zosia Bielski on how remote work and ditching primping can save you 24 minutes a day - and be the great equalizer

7 Layer Jello: How an American living in Canada celebrates Thanksgiving. Chris Stooksbury, portfolio manager at Beacon Hill: cross-border wealth management, says both countries have dry turkey.

If Toronto can have a T-cession can we have a Calgary-recession? Moshe Lander, economist at Concordia University, tells us what we can expect from the local economy for the foreseeable future.

Have you ever wondered what the day-to-day life of a Calagry construction worker is like? Find out with this serving of Cold Pizza! It's Topped with online self-diagnosing, the correct temperature to serve soup at, and a look into how kids of today are partying.

The Dangers of a TikTok Self-Diagnosis: Vancouver psychologist Dr Christine Korol says videos that are popping up are causing "worry and concern in many people."

For 6 years, Douglasdale residents have been asking the City of Calgary for help on a problematic crosswalk.  Now, Monica Nartey has turned to online petition to raise awareness about the intersection near Douglasdale Elementary School.

Giselle Drew Walsh is representing Canada at the Mrs. Universe pageant, telling stories of Alberta's military and the PTSD that members endure and survive.

This week, our cold pizza features an in-depth conversation with Bruce McCulloch, why Canada needs more male nurses, a deep dive into the Calgary BRT, and an introduction to local pinball wizards!

Biggest threat to agriculture in farming today? "It's government policy and things like strikes ... we're drowning" - Fourth generation farmer Stephen Vandervalk and vice president of the Grain Growers of Canada.

Nurses are leaving the profession at an alarming rate. Would more male nurses help? Dr. Bob Atkins, vice dean for academics at Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing, says it's about treating all nurses with respect, not changing the gender composition of the profession. However, more male nurses are needed; only 13% of nurses in the United States are male.

David W. Sullivan, Assistant Professor of Management at the University of Houston, tells us why peer pressure can set us up for failure when applying for a new job.

Sarah chats with Tony Batti and Wes Balla, Professional Pinball players with Death Save Pinball in Calgary. We learn more about how professional pinball works and what makes it such a beloved game.

Do you be-leaf this? Descendant of Isaac Newton's apple tree is alive and well in Canada. York University physics professor Cody Storry lovingly tends to the tree while researching "electron electric dipole moment."

Your cold pizza is ready! This week we chat about making good friends at work, the state of school construction in Alberta, The Tragically Hip documentary at CIFF, and why you shouldn't always listen to your friends. Enjoy!

Trampoline nominated to be inducted into National Toy Hall of Fame. Um, WHY? Grant Fedoruk, physiotherapist and host of Life Shouldn't Hurt, says 11,271 Albertans injured from 2016-2021 on trampolines

BUILDER PRIDE: "We spend our lives driving around Calgary, boring our families, pointing out all the buildings we worked on." Bill Black, president and CEO of the Calgary Construction Association, on building new schools in the city and province.

Lunch shaming: "EWWW! What's that smell?" to "OOOH! What are you eating?" How to talk to children about different foods. Janet Nezon of Rainbow Plate says when bullying forces children from their homemade meals, we need to teach curiosity.

Regular guy rockstars: Tragically Hip documentary No Dress Rehearsal reveals struggles and successes of Canada's band. Producer Bryn Hughes says 4-part show is introducing Kingston, Ont., group to new generation of listeners.

True Calgarian: Sadie Kline's brain tumour surgeries inspire her to live a life of giving back - through occupational therapy. University of Calgary student recognized with Brain Tumour Foundation Youth Education Award.

Green Line: Mayor Jyoti Gondek on why Calgary city council voted to wind down the project. "The question I would pose to all of us: 'How can an order of government simply pull funding and leave us in a lurch?'"

Green Line: Minister of Transportation Devin Dreeshen on why province won't support a shortened project. "When you look at the $6B price tag for only 10 kilometres of track that's the most expensive LRT network in North America."

Are Jock and Sarah friends? Sarah says YES. Jock says NO. Um, awkward!!!!!

Work friends. Is it possible to have a real bond at your place of employment? University of Delaware's Beth Schinoff says having a work bestie makes you more engaged, happier - and buffers out negativity.

"Duotang" tweet causes a storm - a storm that would knock down a Muskoka chair and force to you to reach for a toque. Stefan Dollinger, professor of English Linguistics at University of British Columbia, studies Canadianisms.

September cuts: What to say when your child doesn't make "THE" team. Dr. Matt Brown, director of mental performance and mental health for the Calgary Flames and Stampeders and mental trainer and counsellor at Edge School: "They've earned the right to grieve ... you want pressure and confidence to be in balance."

Home Lost: Mountain Metis were removed from Jasper in 1907 to create a national park. University of Calgary's Adrian Huysman and Dr. Yvonne Poitras Pratt collaborating on sharing stories of 13 Metis families. They say this summer's wildfires that displaced homeowners and businessowners gives Alberta and Canada a chance to look at those who also lost their homes 117 years ago.

This week, your cold pizza is served with social media tourism in Banff, a healthy portion of new election rules, and a deep dish of Bowness business stories - topped with finding out if Calgary has a good pizza scene.

TRUE CALGARIAN: Lindsay Hamilton turned her Johnny Gaudreau grief into a fundraising portrait. Calgary artist raised $8,700 for Go Fund Me by painting #13 at the Scotiabank Saddledome. Brothers Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau passed away after being hit by an alleged drunk driving while they were riding their bikes. Johnny Gaudreau played for the Calgary Flames before joining the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Is Banff Just Too Damn Gorgeous? Reasons town is struggling to handle tourist surge. Mount Royal University professor Joe Pavelka: Travel is a now the "fourth visible status good" - thanks to social media pictures. Other visible status goods are cars, houses and clothing.

The City of Red Deer looked into how much it will cost to implement the provincial government's new election rules. Red Deer City Councillor Lawrence Lee tells us what their report found, the steep price tag attached to replacing voting machines, and why he thinks the new rules could be a step backwards for Alberta.

Airdrie Mayor Peter Brown tells us how his community is adapting to water restrictions, and what they need from Calgarians.

We needed consistent water restrictions all summer - here's why: Register social worker Shelly Qualtieri says it takes 66 days to form a habit - so we never really had a chance to get used to the different stages of water restrictions. Consistency is key.

Lucky The Lobster (and his trap) hitchhiking journey: From Prince Edward Island to Okotoks. Chris and Karen MaCallum say stuffed toy has united Canada - and are turning story into children's book.

Is Calgary Pizza City? National Post food writer Laura Brehaut criss-crossed the country to learn Windsor, Regina are King and Queen of Canada.

You can find love in real life? App-solutely. Professor and author Treena Orchard says you're logging off dating apps and going on dates again - IRL.

This week, your cold pizza pie is served with a light drizzle of Green Line drama, a fresh crop of video games in politics - topped with lowering the voting age!