San Antonio Zoo will let you name a cockroach after an ex and feed it to an animal
The San Antonio Zoo is offering a special Valentine's Day greeting for exes who just won't bug off.
For US$10, the zoo will name a cockroach after your not-so-special someone and feed it to an animal -- a cold, but direct message that you're no longer interested.
The annual "Cry Me a Cockroach" fundraiser will "support the zoo's vision of securing a future for wildlife in Texas and around the world." the San Antonio Zoo says on its website.
Those not into bugs can choose a vegetable for US$5 or a rodent for $25 instead.
All donors will receive a digital Valentine's Day Card showing their support for the zoo. They can also opt to send their ex-boo a digital Valentine's Day Card informing them that a cockroach, rodent, or veggie was named after them and fed to an animal.
Those with an especially stubborn ex can pay for a US$150 upgrade, which includes a personalized video message to the recipient showing their cockroach, rodent or vegetable being devoured by an animal.
The annual event is a hit, Cyle Perez, the zoo's director of public relations, told CNN. Last year, they received more than 8,000 donations from all 50 states and over 30 different countries.
"Right now, we are on track to break last years record, with 'Zach,' 'Ray' and 'Adam' being the most submitted ex-names so far," Perez said.
To participate, you'll need to submit your exes name online before Valentine's Day.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Upgrading Safe Third Country Agreement about reassuring Canadians: PM Trudeau
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he feels it is his role to see the Safe Third Country Agreement upgraded, in order to make sure Canadians can continue to have confidence in Canada's immigration system.
Foreign mothers of Canadian children seek escape from ISIS detention camp
A group of lawyers is racing against the clock to get Canadian children and their foreign-born mothers onto a plane that will soon be dispatched to repatriate detainees from prison camps in northeast Syria.
Parks Canada says new reservation system working well as bookings open in busy Banff
Parks Canada says its new online reservation system to book camping sites and other activities at national parks appears to have worked well during its first week of operations.
Han Dong resigns from Liberal caucus amid foreign interference allegations
Han Dong has announced he will be sitting as an independent MP after being the subject of foreign interference allegations.
Budget 2023 to detail crackdown on 'junk fees' for consumers: federal source
A federal source says the coming budget will detail how the Liberals plan to go after hidden or unexpected consumer fees, following the United States announcing its own crackdown on these charges.
Former prime minister Stephen Harper says Canada needs a 'Conservative renaissance'
Canada needs a 'Conservative renaissance,' former prime minister Stephen Harper said Wednesday, but he cautioned that Pierre Poilievre should wait until an election before telling Canadians how he might run the country.
Canada broke a population growth record in 2022: StatCan
Canada's population grew by more than one million over the course of one calendar year, breaking previous records, a new Statistics Canada report says.
Police find 2 more bodies at site of Old Montreal fire; first victim identified
The death toll from last week's massive fire in Old Montreal has risen to four, Montreal police confirmed. Julien Levesque, a police spokesperson, said Wednesday evening that two more bodies were retrieved from the historic building that went up in flames last Thursday.
More than 900,000 fewer surgeries were performed over the pandemic in Canada: report
Three years after the start of the pandemic, surgical backlogs and wait times are only just starting to improve, according to new data from the Canadian Institute for Health Information, with patients still waiting significantly longer for surgeries than they did before the pandemic.
Canada
-
Parks Canada says new reservation system working well as bookings open in busy Banff
Parks Canada says its new online reservation system to book camping sites and other activities at national parks appears to have worked well during its first week of operations.
-
Top 4 quirky consumer complaints received in 2022: BBB
The Better Business Bureau (BBB) says it receives tens of thousands of complaints from consumers across Canada each year, but once in a while a "quirky" one will take them by surprise.
-
More than half of Canadians OK with telling lies to spare others’ feelings: Poll
According to a new poll conducted by Research Co., more than half of Canadians surveyed said it is permissible to lie to spare someone’s feelings.
-
WeightWatchers appears set to close dozens of Canadian locations Sunday
WW International appears set to close dozens of its roughly 118 WeightWatchers locations across Canada on March 26 in what may be part of a restructuring strategy.
-
Police find 2 more bodies at site of Old Montreal fire; first victim identified
The death toll from last week's massive fire in Old Montreal has risen to four, Montreal police confirmed. Julien Levesque, a police spokesperson, said Wednesday evening that two more bodies were retrieved from the historic building that went up in flames last Thursday.
-
What are the predictions for Canada's real estate market this spring?
The Canadian real estate market has been sluggish since last year, when prospective buyers started putting off plans to purchase homes as the Bank of Canada aggressively hiked interest rates eight consecutive times. But realtors see many edging toward a purchase once more.
World
-
Ramadan begins in Mideast amid high costs, hopes for peace
The first daily fast of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan began Thursday, as hundreds of millions of Muslims worldwide enter a four-week period of worship.
-
Prince William honours Poles who fell in past wars in Warsaw
Prince William placed a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Warsaw on Thursday, paying his respects to the Poles who have lost their lives in past wars during a visit aimed at honouring Poland's efforts to help Ukraine today.
-
Israel passes law protecting Netanyahu as protests continue
Israel's parliament on Thursday passed the first of several laws that make up its contentious judicial overhaul as protesters opposing the changes staged another day of demonstrations. The legislation protects Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from being deemed unfit to rule over his corruption trial.
-
U.S. denies Chinese claim it drove away American destroyer
The United States denied Chinese claims Thursday that its military had driven away an American guided-missile destroyer from operating around disputed islands in the South China Sea as tensions rise in the region between the two powers.
-
Foreign mothers of Canadian children seek escape from ISIS detention camp
A group of lawyers is racing against the clock to get Canadian children and their foreign-born mothers onto a plane that will soon be dispatched to repatriate detainees from prison camps in northeast Syria.
-
What we know so far about King Charles' coronation
The coronation of King Charles III will take place in May, in a ceremony that is expected to be less extravagant, while underscoring a new era for the Royal Family.
Politics
-
Upgrading Safe Third Country Agreement about reassuring Canadians: PM Trudeau
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he feels it is his role to see the Safe Third Country Agreement upgraded, in order to make sure Canadians can continue to have confidence in Canada's immigration system.
-
Han Dong resigns from Liberal caucus amid foreign interference allegations
Han Dong has announced he will be sitting as an independent MP after being the subject of foreign interference allegations.
-
Firm handshakes, hard lines: Trudeau, Biden to talk protectionism, Haiti, migration
He's hell-bent on restoring blue-collar American manufacturing to its former glory, considers free trade a dirty word and wants Canada to wade voluntarily into a failed, gang-ravaged state that's a quagmire waiting to happen.
Health
-
Canada's stockpile of ventilators up from 500 to 27,000 after push to procure them
Canada's race to procure ventilators for COVID-19 patients in the early days of the pandemic had researchers, scientists, industry and a notable astrophysicist working 'night and day' to design machines that could be quickly manufactured domestically.
-
Calgary doctor performs spine surgery on conscious patient
Last month, Dr. Michael Yang, a spine surgeon at Foothills Medical Centre, performed a discectomy to remove the damaged part of a herniated disc in the spine, on a patient who was wide awake.
-
More than 900,000 fewer surgeries were performed over the pandemic in Canada: report
Three years after the start of the pandemic, surgical backlogs and wait times are only just starting to improve, according to new data from the Canadian Institute for Health Information, with patients still waiting significantly longer for surgeries than they did before the pandemic.
Sci-Tech
-
TikTok CEO faces off with Congress over security, safety fears
The CEO of TikTok will make a high-profile appearance Thursday before a U.S. Congressional committee, where he'll face a grilling on data security and user safety while he makes his own case for why the hugely popular video-sharing app shouldn't be banned.
-
5 planets will align in an arc across the night sky next week
Sky-gazers will be treated to a parade of planets near the end of month when Jupiter, Mercury, Venus, Uranus and Mars will appear together in the night sky.
-
Launch debut of 3D-printed rocket ends in failure, no orbit
A rocket made almost entirely of 3D-printed parts made its launch debut Wednesday night, lifting off amid fanfare but failing three minutes into flight -- far short of orbit. There was nothing aboard Relativity Space's test flight except for the company's first metal 3D print made six years ago.
Entertainment
-
Gwyneth Paltrow ski collision trial set for family testimony
Two daughters of a retired optometrist suing Gwyneth Paltrow are expected to testify on Thursday about the lasting effects of their father and Paltrow's 2016 ski collision as the trial takes on an increasingly personal note on the third day of proceedings.
-
Dick Van Dyke suffers 'minor injuries' in Malibu car crash
Veteran actor Dick Van Dyke has suffered minor injuries after his car was involved in a collision in Malibu, California, police in the city have confirmed.
-
Gisele Bundchen is opening up about the end of her marriage to Tom Brady
Gisele Bundchen is opening up about the end of her marriage to Tom Brady, comparing it to a 'death and a rebirth.'
Business
-
Asian shares mixed after Fed hints rate hikes may end soon
Asian shares were mixed Thursday after the Federal Reserve raised a key interest rate, while noting the end may be near for its economy-crunching hikes to interest rates.
-
Credit Suisse deal halted crisis, Swiss central bank says
The Swiss central bank hiked its key interest rate Thursday and insisted that a government-orchestrated takeover of troubled Credit Suisse by rival bank UBS ended the financial turmoil.
-
U.S. fed raises key rate by quarter-point despite bank turmoil
The U.S. Federal Reserve extended its year-long fight against high inflation Wednesday by raising its key interest rate a quarter-point despite concerns that higher borrowing rates could worsen the turmoil that has gripped the banking system.
Lifestyle
-
This artist makes his own ink from nature, here's how
Toronto business owner Jason Logan makes ink from natural products that he forages himself -- a practice that is centuries old.
-
Ai Weiwei recreates Monet's water lilies using 650,000 Lego pieces
When Ai Weiwei opens his new show in April, visitors will encounter a familiar scene at London's Design Museum: Claude Monet's famed water lilies. But the monumental recreation is made from the studs of Lego bricks — a whopping 650,000 of them.
-
New Brunswick man shares unlikely, heartwarming friendship with squirrel
An animal rescue situation has turned into a unique friendship for a New Brunswick man and his new friend Peanut, a grey squirrel.
Sports
-
Lazio fan wearing 'Hitlerson' shirt among 3 banned for life
A fan wearing a shirt with a reference to Adolf Hitler was banned for life from attending Lazio matches by the Roman club on Wednesday.
-
Andreescu defeats Raducanu, Fernandez tops Tsurenko in Miami
Bianca Andreescu and Leylah Fernandez completed a first-round sweep for Canadians in the women's singles draw at the Miami Open with wins on Wednesday.
-
After player input, MLB allows some pitch clock delays
Major League Baseball has clarified its new rules to allow umpires to delay the start of the pitch clock after big swings in which a hitter loses footing or when a pitcher covers first base, third or home, in addition to other clarifications announced Wednesday.
Autos
-
GM to stop making the Camaro but a successor may be in works
The Chevrolet Camaro, for decades the dream car of many teenage American males, is going out of production. General Motors, which sells the brawny muscle car, said Wednesday it will stop making the current generation early next year.
-
U.S. probes reports of steering glitch on 2022, 2023 Honda Civics
U.S. auto safety regulators are investigating complaints from Honda Civic drivers that their steering can stick, causing a momentary increase in effort and increasing the risk of a crash.
-
Last call: Dodge unveils last super-fast gasoline muscle car
The 2023 Challenger SRT Demon 170 will deliver 1,025 horsepower from its 6.2-litre supercharged V-8, and the automaker says it will be the quickest production car made.
