danipretto

(image via Gclare1)

Someone on the B.C. government media team is working extra hard on pushing the holiday spirit. Case in point: a news release that advises you to "stuff your stockings with B.C. coal."

"No matter whether you light the menorah, trim the tree or setup the Festivus Pole, your holiday activities likely have a connection to a lump of coal mined right here in British Columbia," begins the missive, issued on Saturday.

Er, what?

Now try and follow along. Apparently, the transportation we use to send holiday gifts, as well as the physical stores where they're sold, require steel, which is made using metallurgical coal — a lot of which comes from B.C. (More than 28 million tonnes of were exported rom B.C. in 2013.)

Got it so far?

“Most people don’t think of coal when they go shopping for gifts, but the fact is without the coal that is mined right here in British Columbia, we wouldn't have access to things like smartphones, cars or even shopping malls," Energy and Mines Minister Bill Bennett said in the release.

"British Columbians can take pride in knowing that no matter the product or where it was made, it probably wouldn't exist without B.C. coal.”

See, you guys? B.C. resources are basically the whole reason for Christmas. Someone call Santa and tell him he owes us some serious loot.

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Amal Alamuddin Clooney is a human rights activist and lawyer. She has had an incredibly successful professional career. Yet when Barbara Walters named her the "Most Fascinating Person of 2014," she didn't do so for Clooney's great work in her field, but for marrying a movie star.

In her presentation of the award, Walters calls marrying George Clooney "one of the greatest achievements in human history." She then lists all of the women that Clooney dated in the last ten years before even getting to Amal.

Walters focuses on what Amal has worn, and how well she snatched up George Clooney, but glosses over the things Amal has done that are truly fascinating.

Not only is Amal Alamuddin Clooney an Oxford and NYU educated lawyer with a track record of working with highly esteemed judges, but she's fluent in English, French, and Arabic. That's two more languages than George.

In 2014 alone, Clooney has worked with British Foreign Secretary William Hague "to discuss how to drive forward international action to protect children in conflict zones from rape and sexual violence." She was appointed to a three person UN committee to look at violations of the rules of war in the Gaza Strip, but she turned down the job because—as she wrote in a statement—she was, "horrified by the situation in the occupied Gaza Strip, particularly the civilian casualties that have been caused, and strongly believe that there should be an independent investigation and accountability for crimes that have been committed."

Instead, Clooney chose to take on one of the most controversial cases in art history—the property disputes over the sculptures taken from the Greek Parthenon that currently are on display in the British National museum. Despite the media hype surrounding her husband and their marriage, Clooney is still going to work every day.

Barbara Walters is wrong. Amal Clooney  isn't fascinating because she joined "the ranks of Jackie Onassis, Princess Diana and Kate Middleton" by marrying a rich and noteworthy man. Amal Clooney is fascinating because she is, in her own right, a badass.

swiggity-switchface:

Posted in the student union

This is a map of the average visit length to P0rnHub according to country (map of the US states after the jump). As you can see, North America, South America, and most of Europe like to zip up as quick as possible. Africa takes significantly longer (possibly slow internet speed/constantly looking over your shoulder for lions related), while China could beat off all day if it wanted to. Keep going for a map of the US states, where I learned the south likes to relax and take its time while masturbating (or possibly has trouble trying to work the internet). Hit the jump for the US map.

This is a shot of an unknown goosebumpy woman who got a tattoo from an unknown artist of LEGO Superman holding up the side of one of her breasts. Is LEGO Hulk lifting the other one? No clue. Also, not to sound too nitpicky or anything, but that boob doesn't really look big enough to justify needing a superhero to lift it -- know what I'm saying? "Yes, and you should just stop before you dig yourself any deeper." It's probably for the best. Thanks to E V I L A R E S, who is so evil he purposefully spells words wrong when giving tattoos.

This is a video of Ukrainian speed climber Danyl Boldyrev jumping up a 15-meter (49.2-foot) wall in a record-breaking 5.60 seconds. For reference, that's about twice as fast as I could even run 15-meters, and that's assuming I don't cramp or trip and get a booboo. You know how long it took me to run the mile in high school? LOL, run the mile -- are you f***ing nuts? I forged a note from my mom saying my asthma would kill me. Keep going for the video, then meet me in the parking lot and practice scaling the side of my apartment building. But no ropes -- we're not sissies.

scrapscallion:

When we talk about androgynous fashion, we usually mean female-presenting people in outfits that incorporate or echo menswear. One seldom sees male-presenting people doing the same with womenswear, at least in the mainstream.

I think some of that must be a side effect of the privileging of traits, roles, and characteristics associated with masculinity over those associated with femininity—a woman in masculine-associated roles or clothing is moving in the direction of higher status and increased social privilege, at least implicitly; a man in feminine-associated roles or clothing, lower. We associate women in menswear with freedom and assertion; men in womenswear with deviation, grotesquerie, and parody.

How fucked up is that?

(via) From the Department of Inevitability comes news that Japanese food replica company Hatakana has come up with a line of incredibly real-looking wearable fake foods. Think soba noodle necklaces and Spaghetti Pomodoro hair earrings. Because Japan. Seriously. Should you want to buy one of your loved ones a bacon belt or smelt earrings for Christmas, they totally have you covered.

TAKE ANOTHER BREAK

The post SMOKE BREAK #1131 | Delicious-Looking Wearables Modelled After Favourite Foods appeared first on Scout Magazine.

The federal government estimates that, every year, 1.6 percent of American women are raped.

That number can feel small; it is, after all, a tiny fraction of the population. But when you put it human terms, as we do in the graphic below, it is astonishingly, overwhelming large.

Each year, 1.9 million women in America are raped. That works out to, on average, a rape happening in this country ever 17 seconds. Sexual assault, and other forms of violence against women, are a massive problem in this country.

The GOODS from L’Abattoir

Vancouver, BC | ‘Tis the season to enjoy lazy, savoury meals to ward off the winter chill, and one of Vancouver’s destinations for fine dining is debuting its own take on low-key weekend brunches.

L’Abattoir is opening its doors to the weekend brunch crowd just as the holiday season kicks into full swing. Beginning Saturday December 6, the French-inspired Gastown establishment will add to the neighbourhood’s bustling breakfast scene with a menu mixing comforting staples with hearty, unique entrees.

Holiday shoppers can take refuge from the frosty temperatures and cozy up to L’Abattoir’s classic, clean flavours. Refuel before wrapping up the holiday gift list with a bevy of simple, savoury dishes including eggs benedict with smoked pork belly and a choice of cheddar sabayon or tomato fondue with basil and burrata cheese; hearty Dungeness crab cakes served with poached eggs and potato rosti; and classic crepes filled with fresh fruits and cheese topped with maple syrup.

Behind the bar, Shaun Layton has designed some new cocktail creations to complement brunch dining. This includes the House Aperol Spritz, which bottles charged white wine with Aperol, seltzer and orange, as well as their daily feature vermouth on the rocks served with a seasonal garnish. Warm up from the inside out with a Bourbon Cinnamon Toast Milk Punch, with cereal-infused cream, bourbon and cocoa bitters.

Or thirsty brunchers can sip on a Bloody Alley, the barkeep’s rendition of the classic Bloody Mary, featuring anchovy-infused vodka, caper berries and mini corn. Non-alcoholic options include daily bottled house made iced teas and the Passionfuit Smash with passionfruit, fresh lime, agave nectar and ginger beer.

L’Abattoir will serve weekend brunch on Saturdays and Sundays from 10:30am to 2:00pm, beginning on Saturday December 6, 2014.

Details

217 Carrall St, Gastown | Vancouver, BC
Telephone: 604-568-1701
Email: info@labattoir.ca
Website: www.labattoir.ca
Twitter | Facebook

Gallery

Hours

Open 7 evenings a week, 5:30pm to 10:30pm
Kitchen closes at 10pm | Bar service until midnight
Brunch: Saturdays and Sundays, 10:30am to 2:00pm

The Team

Paul Grunberg | General Manager
Lee Cooper | Chef
Robert Herman | Sommelier/GM
Shaun Layton | Head Barman

About

L’Abattoir is located in the center of Gastown between historic Gaoler’s Mews and Blood Alley. The restaurant was built in the 19th century and is the site of Vancouver’s first jail. Originally buttressed to the city’s main butchery and meat packing district, the name L’Abattoir pays homage to the neighbourhood’s colourful past.

Set in a refurbished brick and beam building that combines classic French tile work with industrial fixtures, natural wood, and glass and steel finishes, the restaurant offers a bar and lounge setting, elevated dining room and plush, sun soaked atrium.

Chef Lee Cooper and General Manager Paul Grunberg are dedicated to highlighting the finer points of eating and drinking in L’Abattoir’s informed but informal setting. French-influenced West Coast fare is paired with Sommelier Robert Herman’s eclectic wine program and Head Barman Shaun Layton’s innovative cocktail list to offer a truly unique dining experience.

Press

“Fresh market-driven flavours, innovative fare, handsome rooms, winsome cocktails and wine list – who could ask for more?” | Alexandra Gill, The Globe & Mail

“L’Abattoir, I gotta say, nails it. I got very excited over the food.” | Mia Stainsby,
Vancouver Sun

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The post GOODS | Gastown’s Celebrated L’Abattoir Set To Table First Brunch Service This Weekend appeared first on Scout Magazine.

Stephen Hawking recently expressed his interest in playing a Bond villain in an upcoming 007 movie. Obviously, he would be the most believable Bond villain to date. Hell, he might actually be a real-life supervillain for all we know.

The world-renowned physicist said his computerised voice, which he operates with a twitch of his cheek and lends him a distinctive tone, would be perfect for a 007 film. "My idea role would be a baddie in a James Bond film. I think the wheelchair and the computer voice would fit the part," he said.

"I think the wheelchair and the computer voice would fit the part." Well he's right about that. Hey, I say go for it -- live your dream. Of course, it is going to be kind of sad watching Daniel Craig beat the shit out him at the end of the movie. Thanks to FG and Shawn, who just want to be henchmen. Baby steps.

Because apparently some people weren't aware the Sriracha bubble has already burst (not unlike the bacon bubble of the late 2000's), Rogue Brewery has just introduced Sriracha Stout. I will pass. Out. I will pass out after drinking 14 Sierra Nevadas instead.

ROGUE Sriracha Hot Stout Beer, made from Huy Fong original hot chili sauce and sun ripened Rogue Farms ingredients, is ready to drink with soups, sauces, pasta, pizza, hot dogs, hamburgers, chow mein, or anything you'd like to wash down with a spicy kick.

You can buy them directly from the brewery HERE ($13 for a 750ml bottle), and they start shipping December 8th. Alternatively, add Sriracha to any existing beer you already have and ask yourself if this is really something you should be getting into. Thanks to David M, who is holding out for a Dijon mustard beer, because he is disgusting.

Don’t adjust your color balance, because that cat is actually green. The people of Varna, Bulgaria have been mystified by an oddly-hued cat that’s been strolling around the neighborhood, but the mystery of the emerald feline has finally been solved. The cat has been sleeping on a pile of powdered paint cans, taking on more of the bright color every time it takes a nap.

Read the rest of What’s the deal with this green cat?

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VANCOUVER - Some 30,000 sandbags line a stretch of low-lying waterfront land in Vancouver, placed by city workers in a bid to protect local homes from an anticipated king tide.

The task was completed by about 45 workers in advance of Wednesday's forecasted weather event, which could coincide with the same type of high winds and heavy rains that have already cut power to thousands of residents across the south coast and flooded streets.

In the Vancouver Island city of Courtenay, for example, municipal leaders declared a state of emergency because of flooding that has closed roads, facilities and parks. The city has asked about two dozen residents to leave a mobile-home park.

A local state of emergency was also declared in part of Tsawwassen where Delta mayor Lois Jackson said a section of seawall about 70 feet long has collapsed.

Jackson said the collapse has opened that entire area to the sea.

George Harvie of Delta’s engineering department said a house near the wall has been evacuated and crews hope barriers they have erected are strong enough to hold.

Considering the time of year, though, the powerful weather like king tides is not completely unanticipated.

The B.C. Ministry of Environment website reports they occur about twice a year, are typically more dramatic in the winter, and occur when the sun and moon's gravitational forces reinforce each other, and the moon is closest to the earth.

Brian Crowe, a spokesman for Courtenay's engineering department, said king tides can approach five metres in elevation, or about one metre higher than a typical high tide, and can form storm surges when they are combined with low-pressure systems.

He said Wednesday's king tide is forecast for 5.5 metres, which is the same elevation of water that flooded Locarno Beach Park on the city's waterfront in 2012, but not nearby homes.

"We have sandbagged about 200 metres in the lowest area along Marine Drive adjacent to the park to ensure the water can't get past the edge of the park into the neighbourhood," he said.

"This is a proactive move. We don't actually believe the water will be high enough tomorrow to cross the street, but we have high tides happening periodically through the Christmas season until early in January."

Local resident Fabio Levy said he's glad to see the work because homeowners can't get insurance for flooding. Still, he said he would prefer to see a more permanent solution to the threat.

He said he saw water flood the nearby park in 2012.

"It does scare everybody," he said. "I mean it is a concern, and the tide could happen in the middle of the night or in the middle of the day. We never know."

The work near Locarno Beach Park was completed in advance of another rainfall warning issued for Metro Vancouver.

A frontal system is expected to approach the region overnight, and Environment Canada says it could bring as much as 50 millimetres of rain to the east coast of Vancouver Island and Metro Vancouver's North Shore mountains.

The agency has warned of flooding in low-lying areas, and possible washouts near rivers, creeks and culverts.

B.C. Hydro issued a news release earlier in the day, stating a separate weather system hit communities on northern Vancouver Island, Surrey and the Fraser Valley hard.

It said as many as 29,000 customers were without power at one point.

The inclement weather also forced Vancouver Island communities like Port Alberni and Courtenay to close roads and some facilities due to flooding.

Courtenay Mayor Larry Jangula said the city has asked residents of a year-round mobile home park to leave because of flooding.

"There are about 55 residents there and I believe about 24 who chose to leave and the rest have stayed," he said.

Jangula said several businesses and homes are affected, though the extent of damage has not yet been determined. (CKNW, News1130)

All the places where 16-year-old you bought faux-beaten-up jeans and flannel shirts are fading fast. Aeropostale and American Eagle face tanking stock prices and Delia's has declared bankruptcy, as the AP reported in a recent roundup. And on Tuesday, Abercrombie and Fitch's CEO Mike Jeffries said he was stepping down after 11 consecutive quarters of sales declines.

High schoolers used to covet Abercrombie's expensive clothes (not to mention its catalogs, featuring models who, ironically enough, wore little clothing). These days, the company's stock price is anemic.

What happened to all your old favorite mall haunts? Here are four trends that helped bring them all down.

Teens are spending less

Teens are just spending less on themselves these days. According to this data from the University of Michigan's Institute for Social Research, the amount that teens spend on themselves has slowly tailed off since the late 1980s.

Source: University of Michigan Institute for Social Research

Those lines represent the share of high school seniors who say they spend half or more of their money on different categories. That slow decline of general spending on themselves (the top line, with the Xs through it) is one sign that teens are just less into shopping than they once were — the recession may have simply made our teenagers more frugal.

In addition, many teens are working less than they used to — throughout the 1990s, the teen employment rate was almost always above 40 percent. Today, 28.7 percent of teens have jobs. Couple that with tiny wage gains, and it's easy to see why teens would hold back on spending.

...and they're spending less on clothes in particular

Teens stopped spending so much on clothes around a decade ago, according to data from Piper Jaffray, which Business Insider highlighted earlier this year.

Source: Business Insider

Teens have cut back on their clothing spending and have instead spent more on food, electronics, and video games. One other factor at play here also might be cheap "fast fashion" stores like H&M, said Ken Perkins, founder of retail research firm Retail Metrics.

teens are spending more not only on phones but restaurants where they can get free wifi for those phones

"Abercrombie's model of $100 jeans and all its logo merchandise was a very high benchmark for most consumers to justify spending long-term, especially post-recession," he says. Meanwhile, cheaper "fast fashion" clothing options started growing aggressively. "Forever 21 has been expanding rather rapidly and bringing prices down. Uniqlo has been expanding in the US [and] also pushing prices down."

They've turned their attentions to cell phones instead

As that above chart shows, one area where teen spending has grown steadily, even while clothing has fallen off, is electronics. Many teens care more about having fashionable electronic accessories now than high-fashion clothing, as Rachel Harris and Elizabeth Abrams wrote in the New York Times earlier this year.

"Apparel is very discretionary and younger consumers aren't as fixated on apparel as previous generations were," says Perkins. "They're spending more on data plans, cable, internet, smartphones, tablets, those types of things, and apparel has become somewhat secondary."

This saps money away from clothing in two ways. One, it gets teens spending on electronics, and two, they need wifi on which to operate their gadgets, as the Times wrote. Wander around a city and where does wifi exist? Restaurants. That may be one reason why spending on food has spiked — teens hang out at restaurants more in order to be able to use their new Androids.

Malls are dying

In the last three years alone, foot traffic at malls has fallen by nearly half, according to this data from Shoppertrak and the Wall Street Journal.

Source: Fidelity

What's really depressing here is that even while the change in foot traffic (right axis) seems to be increasing, it's still negative. For businesses like Abercrombie, Aeropostale, and American Eagle in particular — retailers that are mall mainstays — that hurts. It not only shows that fewer people are visiting those stores, but it also means fewer people wandering through the mall might stop in and make an impulse buy or two.

There are a number of theories behind the demise of the shopping mall: less disposable income for many consumers, particularly low- and middle-income consumers, has hurt malls that cater to those sets. Malls anchored by luxury stores are surviving, while those anchored by mid-priced stores like JCPenney are flagging. In addition, the return of growth to city downtowns — mean that people in urban centers can just shop there, rather than trekking out to a mall in the 'burbs, where teen clothing stores used to thrive.

All clothing stores are having problems

Source: Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

It's not just teen clothing stores; sales at all apparel stores have flattened in the last few years, when you adjust them for inflation. Despite a growing population (one that, presumably, wants to keep getting dressed in the morning), those sales are stuck at roughly where they were pre-recession, making the competition in that field all the tougher.

This is the old CRT television cabinet that Redditor matttheman11 turned into an aquarium that looks like Jerry's apartment from Seinfeld (full step-by-step plans of the build HERE). The fish that live in the aquarium are even named after the four major cast members, plus Newman. Pretty clever, right? I'm tempted to do the same thing except with the living room from The Golden Girls. And I'm going to fill it with turtles, because turtles live a long time, like those old ladies. Obviously, Blanche will be my favorite and receive preferential treatment and the most turtle treats. Keep going for a video tour of the aquarium.

Image by Action Press/REX

When humans encounter mobility problems, we have a host of options that range from walkers to prosthetics, but for our four-legged friends things aren’t quite so easy. Such was the case for Blade, a German tortoise with a growth disorder that left his legs so weak that he couldn’t hold himself up. The Daily Mail Reports that thanks to the ingenuity of his vet, Blade can now get around on his very own, custom-built, LEGO wheelchair.

Read the rest of This lucky tortoise can walk again thanks to a custom-built LEGO wheelchair

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When the Republicans take control of the Senate in January, one very, very terrifyingly dense individual is going to be handed the keys to the environment committee—Senator James Inhofe (R-Oklahoma), an 80-year-old climate denier who is so sure that God controls the world’s climate, not humanity, that he’s more prepared to believe Bible passages than the scientific consensus—to quote Inhofe, “as long as the Earth remains there will be seed time and harvest, cold and heat, winter and summer, day and night.”

But just how dense is Inhofe, you ask? Oh, it gets better. Much, much better.

Related: Petition: Don’t Put a Climate Change Denier in Charge of U.S. Environmental Policy!

Read the rest of James Inhofe: Barbra Streisand Created ‘Climate Change Hoax’

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Seen here looking like some sort of fossilized dinosaur testicle, the world's largest white truffle hangs out and relaxes before going up for auction next week. The truffle, which was unearthed in Italy by Sabatino Truffles, weighs 4.16-lbs (1.89-kg) and experts (because there are truffle experts) estimate it could fetch over $1-million. All proceeds from the sale are going to charity, because apparently not everyone in the world are @$$holes. Everyone in my apartment building, absolutely. *banging on ceiling with broomstick* I SAID STOP F***ING STOMPING AROUND UP THERE. YOU SOUND LIKE A CLUBFOOTED ORC DOING ZUMBA. Also, I think somebody's been stealing all my Christmas catalogs because they're too big to fit in my mailbox and the mailman just leaves them on top. Keep going for a shot of a guy holding the thing for a better idea of its size.

And he used himself as bait! Just kidding, that only works with sharks and the Kraken. This is the 12-pound, estimated 60-70 year old lobster caught by biologist Forrest Galante off the coast of Anacapa Island, California. Damn, could you imagine-- "Eating the tail of that thing?" What? No, I was going to say could you imagine all the mermaids this guy must have seen in his lifetime. Even if he only spotted one mermaid a year, that's still 60 - 70 mermaids. And, perhaps even more importantly (definitely more importantly), 120 - 140 mermaid titties. That's one lucky crustacean. Especially considering Forrest released him back into the wild instead of selling him to Red Lobster like me or anybody else with dollar signs for eyeballs would have done. Keep going for several more shots and a video.

Seals are truly beautiful creatures, aren’t they? With their dark, liquid eyes and ready smiles, it’s easy to see how people can develop such a kinship with them, and how stories about seal-people called selkies came to be. A group of divers near the Scottish coast had a once-in-a-lifetime experience when they came across a group of curious youngsters who decided they’d like to find out what these visitors were all about. Like enthusiastic puppies (which they actually resemble quite strongly!), these seals romp and play around the divers, nosing around them curiously and encouraging them to play along. The seals even grinned as they got belly rubs and head-scratches from the divers, who must have had an incredible time with these gorgeous kids.

Read the rest of VIDEO: Young seal pups play with divers near the Scottish coast

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Video: Birds with Arms (ASUS Commercial)

For nearly three years, a six-member team of developers called State of Play has been toiling away in a London studio making a new video game. While there are probably thousands of such teams around the world coding away into the night, the members of this team are a bit different. Among them are an architect, a photographer, and a model maker, all needed to help physically construct the game’s environment. Titled Lumino City, the entire video game was first handmade entirely out of paper, card, miniature lights and motors.

While many games appropriate paper textures or have some kind of paper aesthetic, State of Play took things one step further and built the sets for each puzzle, photographed or filmed them, and then set everything in motion with code. The result is a breathtakingly beautiful puzzle game starring an intrepid girl who tries to solve the mystery of her missing grandfather. After an hour or so of extensive research I can confirm the game is amazing. Lumino City is available for the Mac and PC, and is coming very soon to iOS. You can read a bit more over on The Verge.

Как известно, коты — большие воришки: вот они увиваются возле тебя и ласково мурлычут, но стоит отвернуться, и они уже совершают ограбление века.



























источник

TOP FIVE is a new column that asks Vancouverites to weigh in with their favourite things within a narrow category. To kick things off, we have Steve Da Cruz, co-owner and GM of The Parker (one of BC’s best vegetarian restaurants), giving us his top five rainy day work daydreams…

1. “Running the room at the old Balthasar in New York. It’s in the encyclopedia under How It’s Done.”

2. “Being on the team at Noma in Denmark. The job must rock.”

3. “Being good enough to be a waiter at William Tell in its heyday. French-serve snapper with two forks? Bring it!”

4. “Having a Cabaret License in Chinatown.”

5. “Building a cliff-hanging James Bond, villian-esque restaurant with a helipad and an outdoor heated swim-up bar.”

The post TOP FIVE | Steve Da Cruz Of “The Parker” Shares His Top 5 Rainy Day Work Daydreams appeared first on Scout Magazine.