Mornings with Simi

Derik Lord, convicted for the 1990 double murder of Sharon Huenemann and Doris Leatherbarrow, has been granted full parole. The victims’ families expressed fears for their safety and disappointment in the board’s decision, accusing it of failing its duty by avoiding critical questions and making a pre-determined decision. Guest: Lisa Hobbs Birnie, Author of “Such a Good Boy: How a Pampered Son's Greed Led to Murder” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What do we know about how extreme heat and how is extreme weather affecting our infrastructure? Guest: Janey Vanessa Camp, Research Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Vanderbilt University Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On August 1, 2024, Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and two other Americans were freed from Russia in a prisoner exchange involving 24 prisoners and seven countries. Among those exchanged were 12 German nationals, eight Russians, and two non-prisoner children. The unusual decision to move Gershkovich’s trial up in July, where he was sentenced to 16 years on unproven espionage charges, might indicate the timing of the deal was crucial. Gershkovich’s case is more complex compared to Brittney Griner’s, who was detained for drug smuggling in March 2022 and sentenced to nine years in August 2022 before being released in a deal in December 2022. Unlike Griner, the specific charges against Gershkovich under the Russian criminal code are unknown. However, both cases underline the procedural requirement for conviction before the exchange in Russian deals. Guest: William E. Butler, Distinguished Professor of Law at Penn State University Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Guest: Scott Shantz, Contributor for Mornings with Simi Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On July 11, 1928, six Canadian female athletes—Fanny Rosenfeld, Jean Thompson, Myrtle Cook, Florence Jane Bell, Ethel Smith, and Ethel Catherwood—departed for Amsterdam to participate in the Olympics, marking the first time women were allowed in athletics and gymnastics. Their legacy contributed significantly to the progress of gender equality in sports, from 10% female participation in 1928 to nearly 50% expected in Tokyo 2020. Guest: Craig Baird, Host of the Podcast “Canada History Ehx” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What’s happening with BC United? Kevin Falcon, Leader of BC United Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Should we be worried that there are heavy metals in chocolate? Dr. Leigh Frame, Director of the School of Medicine and Health Sciences at George Washington University The Weekly Cecchini Check-in Reggie Cecchini, Washington Correspondent for Global News How UBC researchers accidentally discovered a new, super-black material Dr. Philip Evans, Professor in the Faculty of Forestry at the University of British Columbia and BC Leadership Chair in Advanced Forest Products Manufacturing Technology What caused the Chilcotin landslide? Dr. Davide Elmo, Professor at the Norman B. Keevil Institute of Mining Engineering at UBC What’s happening with BC United? Kevin Falcon, Leader of BC United Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What caused the Chilcotin landslide? Dr. Davide Elmo, Professor at the Norman B. Keevil Institute of Mining Engineering at UBC Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How UBC researchers accidentally discovered a new, super-black material Dr. Philip Evans, Professor in the Faculty of Forestry at the University of British Columbia and BC Leadership Chair in Advanced Forest Products Manufacturing Technology Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Reggie Cecchini, Washington Correspondent for Global News Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

View from Victoria - Another day, another ER diversion, but this time in Metro Vancouver The Vancouver Sun's Vaughn Palmer is here with his take on the day's headlines Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Should we be worried that there are heavy metals in chocolate? Dr. Leigh Frame, Director of the School of Medicine and Health Sciences at George Washington University Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The history of the barcode Jordan Frith, Pearce Professor of Professional Communication at Clemson University Why is space junk falling from the sky? Dr. Samantha Lawler, Associate Professor of Astronomy at the University of Regina Can Parkinson’s disease be reversed? Dr. Esther Verheyen, Professor of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry at Simon Fraser University Is Team Canada’s drone scandal part of a bigger problem? Dr. Jennifer Walinga, Professor of Communication and Culture at Royal Roads University and Former Olympic Rower for Team Canada How is BC responding to the Chilcotin landslide? Bowinn Ma, BC’s Minister of Emergency Preparedness Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How is BC responding to the Chilcotin landslide? Bowinn Ma, BC’s Minister of Emergency Preparedness Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is Team Canada’s drone scandal part of a bigger problem? Dr. Jennifer Walinga, Professor of Communication and Culture at Royal Roads University and Former Olympic Rower for Team Canada Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Can Parkinson’s disease be reversed? Dr. Esther Verheyen, Professor of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry at Simon Fraser University Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why are so many businesses hiring under-qualified employees? Mornings with Simi Contributor Scott Shantz with Meagan Gallagher, Senior Consultant at Robert Walters Recruitment Firm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why is space junk falling from the sky? Dr. Samantha Lawler, Associate Professor of Astronomy at the University of Regina Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

View from Victoria - BC United on the ball - leading way on crisis with BC Tree fruits Vaughn Palmer, Vancouver Sun Columnist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The history of the barcode Jordan Frith, Pearce Professor of Professional Communication at Clemson University Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Seg 1: That one time tug-of-war was an Olympic sport Tug-of-war, once an integral part of the Olympic Games, was featured in five editions between 1900 and 1920. The Tug of War Association argues for the sport’s reintroduction to the Olympics, emphasizing its straightforward rules, spectator appeal, and accessibility. The sport requires minimal equipment and space, making it easy for anyone to participate. The association remains hopeful that tug-of-war will one day return to the world’s largest sporting stage. Guest: Daniel McCarthy, President of the Tug-of-War International Federation Seg 2: Olympic Soccer Decision The Canadian Olympic Committe's appeal of FIFA’s penalization for what is being called ‘drone-gate’ has been decided. How will Canada Soccer respond? Guest: Scott Shantz, Contributor for Mornings with Simi Seg 3: Why isn’t the Seine considered safe enough for Olympic competition? Olympics organizers are hoping for sun and scorching temperatures to improve the water quality of the Seine River enough that it’s safe for triathletes to swim in. If not, they could be feeling the heat. Guest: Dr. Jordan Peccia, Professor of Environmental Engineering at Yale University Seg 4: Firefighters need mental health support too! Guest: Steve Fraser, Author of the resilient minds program. Seg 5: Is BC tap water better than other provinces? Recently, BC’s Clearbrook community in Abbotsford was awarded the world's tastiest water for the seventh time, with its water described as ‘chemically perfect’. But why does British Columbia have some of the best drinking water in the world? What exactly impacts water quality in British Columbia? Guest: Anastasia Chovan, Certified Water Sommelier at Vivreau Seg 6: Are BC’s short-term rental restrictions hurting local tourism? Kelowna is experiencing a decline in tourism, which is being attributed to new short-term rental (STR) restrictions that were implemented just before the summer season. Guest: Jane Sawin, Owner of Priest Creek Family Estate Winery in Kelowna Seg 7: Making cents of the market with Lori Pinkowski CENT$ OF THE MARKET WITH LORI PINKOWSKI Lori joins the show for an update on the markets & earnings season, and discusses How to build a successful relationship with your financial advisor. Guest: Lori Pinkowski, A Senior Portfolio Manager at Canaccord Genuity Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

View from Victoria: BC United trying to add 'Formerly known as BC Liberals' to upcoming election ballots, in an attempt to avoid confusing voters. Guest: Vaughn Palmer, Vancouver Sun Columnist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’re making cents of the Markets with Lori Pinkowski, A Senior Portfolio Manager at Canaccord Genuity. - you can contact her team at 604-695-LORI or visit their website at PINKOWSKI.CA Guest: Lori Pinkowski, A Senior Portfolio Manager at Canaccord Genuity Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kelowna is experiencing a decline in tourism, which is being attributed to new short-term rental (STR) restrictions that were implemented just before the summer season. Guest: Jane Sawin, Owner of Priest Creek Family Estate Winery in Kelowna Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Recently, BC’s Clearbrook community in Abbotsford was awarded the world's tastiest water for the seventh time, with its water described as ‘chemically perfect’. But why does British Columbia have some of the best drinking water in the world? What exactly impacts water quality in British Columbia? Guest: Anastasia Chovan, Certified Water Sommelier at Vivreau Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Guest: Steve Fraser, Author of the resilient minds program. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Olympics organizers are hoping for sun and scorching temperatures to improve the water quality of the Seine River enough that it’s safe for triathletes to swim in. If not, they could be feeling the heat. Guest: Dr. Jordan Peccia, Professor of Environmental Engineering at Yale University Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tug-of-war, once an integral part of the Olympic Games, was featured in five editions between 1900 and 1920. The Tug of War Association argues for the sport’s reintroduction to the Olympics, emphasizing its straightforward rules, spectator appeal, and accessibility. The sport requires minimal equipment and space, making it easy for anyone to participate. The association remains hopeful that tug-of-war will one day return to the world’s largest sporting stage. Guest: Daniel McCarthy, President of the Tug-of-War International Federation Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Seg 1: Would humans need to alter their DNA to settle in space? There are severe environmental challenges, such as radiation and food sourcing, that complicate humans exploring, and one day settling, in space. Now, some thinkers advocate for genome editing to help humans tolerate these conditions. Guest: Sam McKee, Associate Tutor and PhD Candidate in the Philosophy of Science at Manchester Metropolitan University Seg 2: Scott's Thoughts: How much of your lotto winnings would you share? Guest: Scott Shantz, Contributor for Mornings with Simi Seg 3: View from Victoria: Following another MLA crossing in Provincial politics, John Rustad is holding a news conference today, and he won’t welcome crossings where his party has already nominated candidates. Guest: Vaughn Palmer, Vancouver Sun Columnist Seg 4: When does technology constitute cheating? At what point does pushing the limit actually cross the line? Guest: Mike Hahn, Professor of Human Physiology at University of Oregon Seg 5: Why the Paris Olympics are a cautionary tale for Canada Governments frequently argue that hosting the Olympics boosts the local food, beverage, hospitality, and tourism industries both during and after the event. They claim the increased global exposure from hosting will benefit these industries for years. But security concerns, climate events, protests, and unforeseen issues add to the costs. All levels of government must ensure the event runs smoothly, bearing the costs of any overruns or unexpected expenses. The situation in Canada mirrors this. Toronto’s estimated costs for hosting the World Cup have skyrocketed from $30-$45 million to $380 million. Vancouver’s costs have similarly increased from $230 million to $580 million, with further increases likely as the event approaches. Guest: Moshe Lander, Sports Economist and Senior Lecturer at Concordia University Seg 6: Why does BC target hitmen and not those who order the hits? Francois Gauthier, after killing Harpreet Dhaliwal, was found with an arsenal of incriminating items in his Airbnb. His guilty plea to second-degree murder revealed no details about who hired him or the motive. Similar cases in Vancouver show a pattern where hitmen are convicted without identifying the masterminds behind the hits, which critics say allows high-level organized criminals to operate with impunity. Guest: Kim Bolan, Crime Reporter for the Vancouver Sun Seg 7: Why is Canada condemning the Venezuela election? Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro has remained in power following a highly contested election on July 28. Despite polls suggesting an opposition victory, the government-controlled electoral council declared Maduro the winner with 51.2% of the vote, while opposition candidate Edmundo González received 44.2%. The international community has expressed skepticism about the results, with several countries, including Canada, the US, Chile, and Peru questioning the legitimacy of the election. Guest: Nicolas Forsans, Professor of Management and Co-director of the Centre for Latin American & Caribbean Studies at the University of Essex Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro has remained in power following a highly contested election on July 28. Despite polls suggesting an opposition victory, the government-controlled electoral council declared Maduro the winner with 51.2% of the vote, while opposition candidate Edmundo González received 44.2%. The international community has expressed skepticism about the results, with several countries, including Canada, the US, Chile, and Peru questioning the legitimacy of the election. Guest: Nicolas Forsans Professor of Management and Co-director of the Centre for Latin American & Caribbean Studies at the University of Essex Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Francois Gauthier, after killing Harpreet Dhaliwal, was found with an arsenal and incriminating items in his Airbnb. His guilty plea to second-degree murder revealed no details about who hired him or the motive. Similar cases in Vancouver show a pattern where hitmen are convicted without identifying the masterminds behind the hits, which critics say allows high-level organized criminals to operate with impunity. Guest: Kim Bolan, Crime Reporter for the Vancouver Sun Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Governments frequently argue that hosting the Olympics boosts the local food, beverage, hospitality, and tourism industries both during and after the event. They claim the increased global exposure from hosting will benefit these industries for years. But security concerns, climate events, protests, and unforeseen issues add to the costs. All levels of government must ensure the event runs smoothly, bearing the costs of any overruns or unexpected expenses. The situation in Canada mirrors this. Toronto’s estimated costs for hosting the World Cup have skyrocketed from $30-$45 million to $380 million. Vancouver’s costs have similarly increased from $230 million to $580 million, with further increases likely as the event approaches. Guest: Moshe Lander, Sports Economist and Senior Lecturer at Concordia University Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

At what point does pushing the limit actually cross the line? Guest: Mike Hahn, Professor of Human Physiology at University of Oregon Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

View from Victoria: Following another MLA crossing in Provincial politics, John Rustad is holding a news conference today, and he won’t welcome crossings where his party has already nominated candidates. Guest: Vaughn Palmer, Vancouver Sun Columnist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Guest: Scott Shantz, Contributor for Mornings with Simi Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There are severe environmental challenges, such as radiation and food sourcing, that complicate humans exploring, and one day settling, in space. Now, some thinkers advocate for genome editing to help humans tolerate these conditions. Guest: Sam McKee, Associate Tutor and PhD Candidate in the Philosophy of Science at Manchester Metropolitan University Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Seg 1: How does the smell of stress impact your dog? Seg 2: SCOTT’S THOUGHTS: Canada’s embarrassing soccer stuff. Seg 3: Could artificially engineering the climate help improve it? Seg 4: Could the opposition put TransLink back on track? Seg 5: Could the Team Canada spying scandal have been prevented? Seg 6: How is the closure of BC Tree Fruits impacting local farms? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Panic has struck members of a B.C. co-operative that has assisted fruit tree growers in the Okanagan Valley for over nine decades. The sudden closure of B.C. Tree Fruits has left hundreds of farming families scrambling to find alternative methods for packaging, distributing, and selling their produce. Guest: Deep Brar - Vice-President of BC Fruit Growers Association Guest: Jennifer Deol - Owner and Operator of There and Back Farms in Kelowna Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Canadian women’s soccer team has been embroiled in controversy following revelations that they used a drone to spy on New Zealand’s training sessions during the 2024 Paris Olympics. This incident prompted a formal complaint from the New Zealand team to the International Olympic Committee. In response, Canada’s Olympic committee issued an apology, dismissed head coach Bev Priestman from the team, sent home two additional staff members, and imposed a suspended prison sentence on one of them. Guest: Dr. Lianne Foti - Assistant Director at the International Institute for Sport Business and Leadership at the University of Guelph and Associate Professor at the Gordon S. Lang School of Business and Economics Guest: Dr. Kathleen Rodenburg - Associate Dean Academic at the Gordon S. Lang School of Business and Economics at the University of Guelph Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

John Rustad, Leader of the Conservative Party of British Columbia, criticizes the NDP government for financial mismanagement and structural deficits within TransLink. Guest: John Rustad - Leader of the Conservative Party of BC Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Climate change is an urgent issue prompting a shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources. However, progress has been slow, and climate stability is increasingly at risk. This urgency has led to considering geoengineering, or climate engineering, which involves manipulating the climate to combat global warming. Some geoengineering methods include reflecting sunlight back into space and direct air carbon capture. The idea of solar radiation management, such as marine cloud brightening and stratospheric aerosol injection, mimics natural phenomena like volcanic eruptions to cool the planet. Guest: Dr. David Keith - Professor and Founding Faculty Director of the Climate Systems Engineering Initiative at the University of Chicago Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

View from Victoria: Metro Vancouver is surrendering to the critics on their lavish spending. Guest: Vaughn Palmer - Vancouver Sun Columnist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Team Canada's soccer drone scandal is turning out to be much bigger than we thought. Guest: Scott Shantz - Contributor for Mornings with Simi Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dogs possess an exceptional sense of smell, which is up to 10,000 times more sensitive than that of humans. This ability enables them to detect bombs, locate missing persons, and sense human illnesses or stress. Guest: Dr. Zoe Parr-Cortes - Veterinarian and Ph.D. Student at Bristol Veterinary School Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Seg 1: Why do people believe the moon landing was faked? Key points raised by theorists include the absence of stars in moon landing photos and the appearance of the flag flapping in the wind. Guest: Dr. Jack Singal, Associate Professor of Physics at the University of Richmond Seg 2: View From Victoria: Premier responds to Translink woes Translink is painting a grim future for transit services around the lower mainland if funding isn’t secured, but as the Premier points out…It’s an election year and everyone wants their handout! The Vancouver Sun's Vaughn Palmer is here with his take on the day's headlines. Seg 3: Why money laundering schemes are thriving in Canada Financial crime experts argue that this practice abuses Canada’s registration requirements meant to prevent money laundering and terrorist financing. Guest: Zak Vescera, Reporter for the Investigative Journalism Foundation Seg 4: Are Southern Resident Killer Whales at risk of going extinct? The southern resident killer whale, Tahlequah, gained global attention in 2018 for carrying her dead calf for over two weeks, highlighting the broader crisis facing her species. Guest: Dr. Rob Williams, Co-Founder and Chief Scientist at Oceans Initiative and Lead Author of the Study Seg 5: Will BC prevent TransLink from cutting its services? The TransLink Mayors’ Council is seeking a permanent $3.4 billion annual fund from B.C.’s political parties to avoid a fiscal crisis starting in 2026. This fund is necessary to address a projected $600 million annual shortfall. Guest: Rob Fleming, BC’s Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Seg 6: Kickin it with the Whitecaps for Jul 26, 2024 Our Vancouver Whitecaps take on international superstars Wrexham FC tomorrow! All the action will be streaming live on cknw.com. Guest: Vanni Sartini, Coach of the Vancouver Whitecaps Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The TransLink Mayors’ Council is seeking a permanent $3.4 billion annual fund from B.C.’s political parties to avoid a fiscal crisis starting in 2026. This fund is necessary to address a projected $600 million annual shortfall. Guest: Rob Fleming, BC’s Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The southern resident killer whale, Tahlequah, gained global attention in 2018 for carrying her dead calf for over two weeks, highlighting the broader crisis facing her species. Guest: Dr. Rob Williams, Co-Founder and Chief Scientist at Oceans Initiative and Lead Author of the Study Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Financial crime experts argue that this practice abuses Canada’s registration requirements meant to prevent money laundering and terrorist financing. Guest: Zak Vescera, Reporter for the Investigative Journalism Foundation Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Translink is painting a grim future for transit services around the lower mainland if funding isn’t secured, but as the Premier points out…It’s an election year and everyone wants their handout! The Vancouver Sun's Vaughn Palmer is here with his take on the day's headlines. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Key points raised by theorists include the absence of stars in moon landing photos and the appearance of the flag flapping in the wind. Guest: Dr. Jack Singal, Associate Professor of Physics at the University of Richmond Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices