GoogleTrike rides into Canada

Jonathan Chang, 27, rides the Google Street View trike around
Yonge-Dundas Square in Toronto. (Amber Hildebrandt/CBC News)

After photographing cities around the world with its fleet of camera-mounted cars for Google Street View, it is now deploying tricycles to tackle locations otherwise inaccessible.

"Basically this gets us off the roads and onto trails, university campuses, hopefully theme parks, places like that, that let people experience and really get inside those places on Google Maps," says Mike Pegg, a senior product marketing manager with Google.

Unlike the cars traversing publicly accessible streets, the harder-to-reach locations targeted by the trike are often located on private property and require special permission to photograph.

Google didn't immediately reveal specific locations photographed by the camera-mounted trike in Canada, saying it was still awaiting permission to release details about the private locations.

The company later released a list of 17 locations visited in Toronto and in nearby areas, including Toronto Island, Canada's Wonderland, Hamilton's McMaster University and a number of conservation areas.

Guitar Oscillations Captured with iPhone 4

There are a few theories as to why we see this effect, but the most sensible seems to be interaction between the vibrations and the 'shutter speed' of the iPhone's camera. Whatever causes it, it's really cool!

OPEN LETTER TO STEPHEN COLBERT

The following letter was posted by me today in the community forum of The Colbert Nation website today:

TV Pundit and Class Clown Stephen Colbert proudly flies the
LGBT Community's Pride Flag UPSIDE-DOWN!

UPSIDE-DOWN Gay Pride Flag ?!? ... SCURRILOUSSSSS
(Colbert Report: July 21, 2011)

Dear Mr. Colbert,

I have watched your show since its inception (ie. idea was planted in the sleeping American Public's mind) for no other reason than to get mad at you for the heterosexist War you continue to wage against the LGBT/Gay community.

You have pissed me off in the past with your turgid tirades against gay rights and the losing battle (Ha Ha!) against gay marriage, but THIS TAKES THE (beautifully decorated) CAKE!

HOW DARE YOU display the LGBT flag upside-down in your recent piece about/against teaching gay history in schools?!? (See the episo)

I cannot believe that this was merely an oversight on the part of your Graphics team. No, rather, I am now convinced that such deep-seated disdain for the LGBT Community are really just pathetic attempts to obfuscate your own same-sex attractions.
Come out of the closet Stephen and stop looking at the Gay Pride Flag as if you were hanging upside-down in a kinky restraint device in your basement!

If you don't stop disrespecting the LGBT Community, we may be forced to organize a fun and colourful march to protest you, your medieval attitudes and perverse propaganda, STEPHEN!

Truculently Yours,
iDouglas
(Ottawa, Canada)


FOLLOW THIS LINK to the correct version of the Internationally accepted LGBT Community Flag

OR HERE FOR THE WIKIPEDIA ARTICLE

VIEW THE OFFENDING EPISODE IN CANADA HERE

This is how the LBGT Pride Flag SHOULD appear!

The True North GAY and Free!!!

Obama officially ends ban on gays in military

United States Marines attend a training session to familiarize them with the military's new position regarding gay and lesbian service members and the repeal of the don't ask, don't tell policy at Camp Pendleton. (Lenny Ignelzi/The Associated Press)

Last Friday, President Barack Obama fulfilled a 2008 campaign pledge and formally ended the ban on gays in the military. 

After meeting with Defence Secretary Leon Panetta and Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the president certified to Congress that repealing the ban would not jeopardize the military's ability to fight.

"As commander in chief, I have always been confident that our dedicated men and women in uniform would transition to a new policy in an orderly manner that preserves unit cohesion, recruitment, retention and military effectiveness," Obama said in a statement. "Service members will no longer be forced to hide who they are in order to serve our country."

Obama's action means that effective Sept. 20, gay service members will be able to openly acknowledge their sexual orientation. And it opens the door for those discharged over the past 17 years under Clinton's policy to re-apply to the military and possibly serve again.

Public Health, Private Lives

I watched this show on CBC yesterday and was pleasantly surprised to see the story of Dr. Jeff Myers, his work and the depiction of his same-sex relationship.

• WATCH THE VIDEO

Dr. Jeff Myers (left) with palliative care patient Donald Burnett.(CBC)Jeff Myers runs the palliative care program at Sunnybrook and is a driving force behind palliative care in Canada. He passionately believes in a dignified end of life, and that how we treat the chronically ill and dying reflects on all of us.

He is a strong believer that every Canadian should have access to outstanding pain symptom management. He sees his role as that of an advocate in the field of palliative care — to make it more visible, credible and understood. He's worked in palliative care since 1999.

Myers admits that there is an emotional toll to his job. He never allows himself to "lose it" in front of his patients but when alone or with his husband — Jeremy — he allows himself to grieve. However, what keeps him going is the chance to witness moments of amazing humanity.

Myers is also an assistant professor and the newly appointed associate head of the University of Toronto's Division of Palliative Care.

OutGames 2011 in Vancouver this week

2nd GLISA North America Outgames
Vancouver 2011 | July 25th - July 31st

This continental event will include multi-sport elements supported by the Gay and Lesbian International Sports Association [ GLISA ]. 

A key component to the games is the Human Rights Conference with workshops on diversity, and an awards ceremony recognizing individuals and corporations that have influenced LGBT rights. Additional elements include Cultural Activities and Opening and Closing ceremonies. 

Come enjoy one of the many events taking place during Pride Week! 

Don’t miss being part of one of the largest events happening in Vancouver this summer. With upwards of 1,000 athletes and participants expected in one of the most beautiful cities in the world, this is definitely going to be a week to remember!

OutGames

OutGames bring together lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) athletes from around the world in unprecedented numbers for a celebration of sport, culture and human rights. In the spirit of true inclusiveness, the OutGames are open to all, regardless of sexual orientation. 

OutGames Core Elements

Sport
Each OutGames has a sport component offering 8-10 sport disciplines at the Continental level and 30-35 sport disciplines at a World OutGames level. OutGames include events for everyone, from seasoned athletes to recreational participants. Which sports are included in an OutGames, is determined by both the Host City and GLISA and can be flexible to include sports that are regional or continental favourites.

Culture/Celebrations
Cultural activities include music, dance and social activities, such as country and western dance, marching bands, concert bands, big bands, colour guard, cheerleading, choral festivals and leather events to name a few. The events range from participatory to observatory and judged and non judged. All OutGames also include Opening and Closing Celebrations featuring dance, music, song, choreography and athleticism.

Human Rights Conference
World OutGames will play host to an International Conference on LGBT Human Rights, where delegates from every continent will come together for workshops and discussions led by internationally respected leaders in human rights, researchers, legal scholars and trade organisations.

Although the specific components of each OutGames vary slightly to reflect the priorities of the Host City’s region or continent, there are similar components to each set of OutGames. We provided a general overview here of the core elements of World and Continental OutGames, to see the specific components of any of the upcoming OutGames we encourage you to view the links on either the World or Continental OutGames pages under OutGames on the menu.

Manly Men + Balls

Here are a couple of funny videos extolling the virtues of Rugby - the manliest of all sports.

Rugby - by Dead Cat Bounce

The Gay Who Wasn't Gay Enough   

Here is a link to Ottawa's Gay Rugby Team The Ottawa Wolves Rugby Football Club.

I'm So Straight

Thought this video was hilarious!

Life imitates Apple

It’s an Apple store!
Or is it? 

They looked like Apple products. It looked like an Apple store. It had the classic Apple store winding staircase and weird upstairs sitting area. 

The employees were even wearing those blue t-shirts with the chunky Apple name tags around their necks.

This story has been propelled into the online world from the moment it first appeared by the original blog (post title link) - it has been only a couple of days and this story has been covered on BBC, Wall Street Journal, and even the Toronto Star.

Someone in Kunming, China has created this store to an exacting degree. Apple doesn't recognize them or the products they are selling. Will be interesting to see what happens.

Hand-Drawn Holograms

This is a really cool effect that I find rather baffling.

Reading the site's explanation : chatoyant holography : helped me get a better understanding, though.

CHANCE FAVORS THE *CURIOUS, PLAYFUL* MIND

Sports stars show their support

OUT magazine has gathered together a beautiful series of images "of straight sports stars who have stood up for fairness and tolerance, shoulder-to-shoulder with their LGBT peers."

Ben Cohen, Hudson Taylor, Michael Irvin, Mike Chabala, and Nick Youngquest

The world of pro sports is notoriously unwelcoming to out athletes, one of the last bastions of homophobia. From hate-filled fans to teammates who won’t share the showers to bigoted sportscasters, the toxic environment can ruin a career or even end a life. But at the vanguard of a move to change that is a small band of straight sports stars who have stood up for fairness and tolerance, shoulder-to-shoulder with their LGBT peers. Here, we salute them.

CLICK ON THE POST TITLE to see the whole series.

My favourite books set to music

The Tales of the City series are my favourite books of all time! They capture a time that many people who survived the 70's look back at fondly. I loved the PBS mini-series [ IMDB ] as well, so I hope and pray that this musical does it justice.

---

Tales of the City refers to a series of eight novels written by American author Armistead Maupin. The stories from Tales were originally serialized prior to their novelization, with the first four titles appearing as regular installments in the San Francisco Chronicle, while the fifth appeared in the San Francisco Examiner. The last three titles were never serialized, but were instead originally written as novels.

Now, three decades after Armistead Maupin mesmerized millions with his daily column in the city's newspapers, his iconic San Francisco saga comes home as a momentous new musical. Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City unleashes an exuberant celebration of the irrepressible spirit that continues to define our City by the Bay.

The series opens with the arrival of Mary Ann Singleton, a naive young woman from Cleveland, Ohio, who went on vacation to San Francisco and impulsively decides to stay. She finds an apartment at 28 Barbary Lane, the domain of the eccentric marijuana-growing landlady Anna Madrigal. Mary Ann becomes friends with other tenants of the building: the hippyish bisexual Mona Ramsey; heterosexual lothario Brian Hawkins; the sinister and cagey roof tenant Norman Neal Williams; and Michael Tolliver, a sweet and personable gay man known to friends as Mouse (as in Mickey Mouse).

Beyond the house, lovers and friends guide Mary Ann through her San Franciscan adventures: Edgar Halcyon, Mary Ann's and Mona's boss; Edgar's socialite daughter DeDe Halcyon-Day; and DeDe's scheming bisexual husband Beauchamp Day all provide a glimpse into a more affluent Californian class, while Mrs. Madrigal's mother and owner of the Blue Moon Lodge brothel, Mother Mucca, brings mystery and comic relief. Mona's ex-lover, D'orothea Wilson, returns from a modelling assignment in New York, while Michael's lover and DeDe's gynecologist, Jon Fielding, becomes part of the social group. Michael's lovers later in the series include Thack Sweeney and the significantly younger Ben.

Here is the first part of the PBS series on YouTube

Community is Bubbling to Bublé

World's first-ever senior citizen LipDub! Residents from Clark Retirement Community in Grand Rapids, Michigan team up with Grand Valley State University Film & Video Production students, alumni, and professors to create this sassy video to the jazzy-sweet contemporary crooning of Michael Bublé.

This place looks like so much fun I want to live here!

Clark Retirement Community LipDub *OFFICIAL*

Gonorrhea superbug resistant to all antibiotics

A superbug strain of gonorrhea that’s resistant to all available antibiotics has been discovered in Japan, posing a potential threat to public health worldwide, infectious disease experts say.

An international team of researchers identified the highly drug-resistant strain of Neisseria gonorrhoeae — the bacterium that causes the sexually transmitted infection — through genetic analysis.

Dubbed H041, the strain has extreme resistance to all cephalosporin-class antibiotics, the last remaining drugs still effective in treating gonorrhea.

“This is both an alarming and a predictable discovery,” researcher Dr. Magnus Unemo of the Swedish Reference Laboratory for Pathogenic Neisseria, said in a statement. “Since antibiotics became the standard treatment for gonorrhea in the 1940s, this bacterium has shown a remarkable capacity to develop resistance mechanisms to all drugs introduced to control it.

A spokesman for the Public Health Agency of Canada said the federal agency is not aware of any cases of H041 strain in this country.

Gonorrhea is one of the most common STIs in the world and can cause infertility, increase HIV transmission, and have profound effects on infants born to infected mothers, including blindness. Left untreated, the disease can be fatal.

Syphilis is on a comeback

“The rates of STI in Alberta are the highest in Canada and that’s just unacceptable," said Health Minister Gene Zwozdesky. "Therefore we are taking aggressive and coordinated action on this very serious public health issue.”

“Alberta rates for chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis exceeded the national rate in 2009,” said Alberta’s Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. André Corriveau.

READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE HERE

While syphilis infections in Alberta used to be found almost exclusively among gay men living in Edmonton and Calgary, the demographics have shifted as the outbreak has worsened.

'The outbreak is now largely among those identifying their sexual orientation as heterosexual.'—The Syphilis Outbreak in Alberta, Report December 2010

"The outbreak is now largely among those identifying their sexual orientation as heterosexual," the report says.

Edmonton and Calgary continue to have the highest number of cases, but Fort McMurray and Lethbridge are the new "hot spots," with rates exceeding the larger cities.

READ MORE HERE

Syphilis cases spike in Halifax

Doctors in Halifax are treating a rising number of syphilis cases, mostly among men.

Cases of the sexually transmitted infection have spiked since 2008, when it was virtually unknown in the city.

The resurgence of syphilis in Halifax follows a national trend.

In 2001, there were 300 cases in Canada. The numbers have been rising ever since, with outbreaks in Alberta and New Brunswick. In 2009 — the most recent numbers available — there were more than 1,600 cases across Canada.

Edgy anti-syphilis ads raise eyebrows

"Welcome to PlentyofSyph.com. In moments, you'll be connected to plenty of profiles, greetings and genital sores from hot local singles infected with syphilis," the ad reads.

Dr. Andre Corriveau, Alberta's Chief Medical Officer of Health, said the point of the campaign is to grab the attention of young people.

"Even though the site is designed as a lure or way of attracting people there really is a serious undertone," he said.

Alberta has the highest rate of syphilis in the country and the numbers are still growing. In 2009 there were about 280 new cases of the disease, compared with just two a decade earlier, Corriveau said.

You think Plenty of Fish.com is helpful in finding dates?

Be sure to VISIT PlentyofSyph.com

Or get more info about Syphilis HERE at Don't You Get It.ca

Many people infected with syphilis do not have any symptoms for years, yet remain at risk for late complications if they are not treated. Although transmission occurs from persons with sores who are in the primary or secondary stage, many of these sores are unrecognized. Thus, transmission may occur from persons who are unaware of their infection.

We DO exist!

Photo by Semco Salehi

“Iranian queers do exist,” said Arsham Parsi, executive director of the Iranian Railroad for Queer Refugees. “We want to raise awareness for (their) rights.”

Arsham Parsi

Through his Toronto-based organization, Parsi has helped bring more than 50 gay, lesbian and transgendered Iranian refugees to Canada since he fled the country himself in 2005.

Homosexuality is punishable by death in Iran. Its ultra-conservative president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad once proclaimed there were no gay people in the country. It’s an atmosphere that puts even relatives of gay Iranians at risk; Parsi’s family had to move to Turkey after his activism led to threats against them.

No mayor? No problem.

CP24/Chris Kitching

People carry a large rainbow flag along Yonge Street during the 2011 Pride parade Sunday, July 3, 2011.

With an estimated crowd of more than one million people, Toronto's annual Pride Week parade went off with its usual exhibition of colour, heart-pounding music and skin Sunday as people celebrated 31 years of Pride, despite Mayor Rob Ford's controversial absence.

For organizers and many participants, the record-breaking event was more than a massive celebration that takes over several city streets.

The parade was a chance to remind Toronto and the rest of the world there is still plenty of work to do to achieve equal rights for LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) communities worldwide. CLICK HERE for a discussion of where we are.

Click on this post's title to watch videos of the entire Pride Parade as covered by CP24.

A glimpse into the future of school

According to a new education ministry announcement, South Korea intends to completely phase out the use of old-fashioned textbooks in schools by 2015.

Instead, all textbooks will be available in digital form, accessible via iPad or smartphone or whichever digital doodad you have on hand.

It's all part if the country's "Smart Education" plan, which will create a cloud network by which students can access their textbooks and store their homework from any online source.

Hijabs, Turbans and Spaghetti Strainers?

An Austrian atheist has won the right to be shown on his driving-licence photo wearing a pasta strainer as "religious headgear".

The idea that the sieve was a requirement of his religion, Pastafarianism came into Mr Alm's noodle three years ago as a way of making a serious, if ironic, point.

A self-confessed atheist, Mr Alm says he belongs to the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, a light-hearted, US-based faith whose members call themselves pastafarians.

The group's website states that "the only dogma allowed in the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster is the rejection of dogma".

Make love to the camera, Baby

Here is a really cool video of a Rube Goldberg Machine on the theme of Photography. 
It was sent to me by a longtime friend in Apeldoorn, The Netherlands, but the company that produced the video is based in Toronto. The world is getting smaller all the time!
... a quote from its creator:

To me personally, this is a BIG project. Probably the largest thus far of my photography career, and it’s not even a photo-shoot. Along with the usual workload at 2D Photography Inc., we’ve been secretly (somewhat) working on this Rube Goldberg Machine for nearly six months give or take.

Be sure to watch the behind-the-scenes/making-of video in the Related Videos, too.

“Breast Milk Baby” coming to a store near you

When I first read about this, I thought it was rather creepy, but after reading the whole story of this, I can see how much it could help people understand the importance of breast-feeing.

----

In a press release yesterday, Spain-based Berjuan Toys announced their commitment to bring their Breast Milk Baby doll to the U.S. after it sold well overseas. The company has generated more than $2 million in sales since the dolls were first released in Spain four years ago.

The doll previously received a formal endorsement from the Spanish breastfeeding organization FEDALMA, as well as support from members of other international breastfeeding organizations.

Each doll comes with a “fashionable” halter-top to be worn by the child; it’s decorated with two flowers carefully positioned where the nipples would be. The doll then makes motions and suckling sounds when a sensor in its mouth comes close to sensors inside the flowers. Available in both genders and three different skin colors, the six types of Breast Milk Babies are currently on sale in Europe and available online for $89.

The right to ideas

National Film Board of Canada

In RiP: A remix manifesto, Web activist and filmmaker Brett Gaylor explores issues of copyright in the information age, mashing up the media landscape of the 20th century and shattering the wall between users and producers.

The film discusses the changes that have taken place with major music companies suing people who download music online. It raises important questions about the ownership of ideas and whether intellectual property laws should be less propietary and more like those of Brazil.

About Brett Gaylor: Brett Gaylor is the creator of opensourcecinema.org, a video remix community which supports the production of his feature documentary RiP: A remix manifesto.

Splitscreen: A Love Story

Edinburgh International Film Festival has seen some pioneering cinema in its 65 years. This year, audiences saw another first: short films shot on a phone. Eight pocket-sized productions got a big screen premiere and one picked up the Nokia Shorts 2011 Jury prize. Congratulations to all these creative filmmakers for trying something new. 

This short film employs a very simple idea to express a beautiful story.


Splitscreen: A Love Story from JW Griffiths on Vimeo.

New camera lets you focus photos after you shoot

A camera that lets you focus after you've already taken the photo? And lets you focus anywhere within the image you want? That's got people talking and, according to its creator, is the start of "a picture revolution."


Oh yeah -- it can also transfer a regular photo to 3-D.
Lytro, a company launched Tuesday by 31-year-old entrepreneur Ren Ng, promises that camera will be released soon.
"I am thrilled to finally draw back the curtain and introduce our new light field camera company, one that will forever change how everyone takes and experiences pictures," Ng wrote on the startup's blog. "Lytro's company launch is truly the start of a picture revolution."





Go to the Lytro website to see how 'light field' pictures work.

China's latest craze: dyeing pets to look like other wild animals

They only look like pandas.

Dyeing pets has been a trend in pet pampering for quite some time. At last summer's Pets Show Taipei, there was a fierce dog-dyeing competition. Check out photos.

But dyeing your pets to look like other wild animals is a more recent development.

The trend demonstrates how quickly and dramatically attitudes toward pets — particularly dogs — have changed in many parts of Asia.

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