Scientists '95% Sure' Bigfoot Lives in Russian Tundra

By: Joe Jackson

From: http://newsfeed.time.com/

The Legend of Bigfoot roadside attraction outside Richardson Grove State Park in California

Getty Images

Scientists and yeti enthusiasts believe there may finally be solid evidence that the apelike creature roams the vast Siberian tundra, reports the Guardian.

A team of a dozen-plus experts from as far afield as Canada and Sweden have proclaimed themselves 95% certain of the mythical animal's existence after a daylong conference in the town of Tashtagol in the Kemerovo region, some 2,000 miles east of Moscow. In recent years, locals there have reported sightings of the yeti, also known as the abominable snowman.

(LIST: Top 10 Famous Mysterious Monsters)

The Kemerovo government announced on Oct. 10 that a two-day expedition the previous weekend to the region's Azassky cave and Karatag peak "collected irrefutable evidence" of yetis' existence on the wintry plateau.

"Conference participants came to the conclusion that the artifacts found give 95% evidence of the habitation of the 'snow man' on Kemerovo region territory," read a statement. "In one of the detected tracks, Russian scientist Anatoly Fokin noted several hairs that might belong to the yeti," it added. The group also discovered footprints, a presumed bed and various other markers.

The scientific community has historically disputed the existence of the yeti given scant conclusive evidence. But numerous sightings of such creatures have been reported in Himalayan countries and in North America, where it is known as Sasquatch, or bigfoot.

Breast-Feeding Canadian Moms Create Flash Mob at Mall

Selena Ross

From: http://www.aolnews.com/

 

Canada is up in arms about breast-feeding and whether it's really OK to do it in public. And with the help of blogs and Facebook, angry moms are taking it to the streets -- or to the mall, in this case.

About a hundred mothers in Montreal staged a "nurse-in" protest at a downtown shopping complex last week, breast-feeding simultaneously before a curious crowd of reporters, mall security guards and passers-by. The event was retribution, they said, for a store that had thrown out a mother for breast-feeding earlier this month. This week, they began a petition drive to protect the rights of women to breast-feed in public in the Quebec province.

Selena Ross for AOL News

These four breast-feeding women were among about 100 who took part in a "nurse-in" at a Montreal mall on Jan. 19.

It all started when Shannon Smith, a 36-year-old mother of three, stopped by a children's clothing store in the mall on Jan. 5. When her youngest started crying halfway through the trip, Smith retreated to a semi-secluded kids' corner and nursed the baby under a blanket.

She said she was surprised and upset when a female employee of the store, Orchestra, came over and told her to stop.

Smith left humiliated. But her embarrassment quickly turned to anger, so the next day she created a blog, breastfortheweary.com.

"I'm pissed," she wrote. "My older kids were sitting in their stroller watching the movie when my youngest got hungry. So I fed her. She's 5 months old, and she eats breast milk. From my actual breast. Shocking, I know!"

With just the one post, the blog quickly started gathering hits -- almost 7,000 so far. A day later, a Facebook group had been created to organize the nurse-in for Jan. 19. Newspapers and blogs across Canada and the United States soon picked up the story, creating a national debate over whether Smith or the employee had been right.

Many commentators compared breast-feeding to eating lunch and even urinating, even saying it should happen in bathrooms. Parents fought back, arguing that babies deserve to eat whenever and wherever they are hungry, and that breast-feeding is convenient and healthy.

At 1 p.m., the appointed time for the nurse-in, managers at Montreal's Complexe Les Ailes shopping mall waited anxiously for the promised pack of mothers and babies to appear. They arrived en masse, like a nursery school flash mob, and the babies quickly got down to business as cameras clicked and mall employees handed out juice boxes and goody bags. Most mothers said they had heard about the event through Facebook or friends.

"I think that, basically, you should be able to do it anytime and anywhere," said Frances Moxant, 40, as she fed the youngest of her four children. "Even my parish priest tells us to go ahead and do it in church. Jesus was breast-fed -- he wasn't bottle-fed. So it's definitely all right."

Smith said she was happy with the turnout, especially with the many dads and grandparents who stood nearby. She said she had been shocked by the frenzied response to her blog, but tried not to read too much into the negative comments.

"I figure a lot of people just don't care," she said, shrugging. "A lot of people are pro-breast-feeding, and they don't talk about it because they just think it's normal."

The clothing store has apologized to Smith, blaming the mistake on a poorly trained new employee. So has the general manager of Complexe Les Ailes, Johanne Marcotte, who breast-fed her own two children in malls and has long instituted a pro-breast-feeding policy. In fact, Complexe Les Ailes has two dedicated rooms for nursing moms, which Marcotte said have been used by 20,000 moms in the past eight months -- something she knows because the rooms have traffic counters.

Rebecca Coughlin, 30, who came to the nurse-in with her 6-month-old twin daughters, said she likes the breast-feeding rooms but thinks it's unreasonable to expect women to pack up their children and walk across the mall with a screaming baby.

"I don't think there's any reason women should be relegated to a room," Coughlin said. "It's something that we should be encouraging women to do. The last thing we should do is create a stigma around it."

Most Canadian provinces, including Quebec, do not have laws explicitly allowing mothers to breast-feed in public, although courts looking at specific cases like Smith's have generally ruled in favor of nursing moms.

All American states except for Idaho, Michigan, Nebraska, South Dakota, Virginia and West Virginia have passed laws allowing women to breast-feed in any public or private space, as well as several that exempt breast-feeding from public indecency laws or excuse nursing mothers from jury duty.

Shoppers at the mall last week looked amazed at the sea of nursing babies. But when asked if they felt uncomfortable having to walk by so many breasts on their lunch break, they said no.

"I don't have a problem with that," said Ulysses Montero, 34.

Moms who read Smith's blog vented about being called exhibitionists.

"Maybe we need to find something else for society to obsess about/sensationalize/demonize, instead of breasts," wrote a commenter named Sheila. "Preferably something that isn't part of my body. Oranges, maybe? 'Hey, lady, you can't eat that orange in here -- this is a respectable business ...'"

Motive Industries Reveals Design For Hemp-Bodied Kestrel

Antony Ingram
From: http://www.allcarselectric.com/

September 16th, 2010 Sit back, relax, and take in the official design and specifications for the Kestrel, the hemp-bodied EV engineered by Canadian firm Motive Industries. We looked at the benefits of the environmentally friendly hemp construction last month, an avenue Lotus have also explored with their 2008 Eco Elise concept. Now we can see what the lightweight EV will look like. The swooping arches and modern features hide a 16 kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack offering a range of 100 miles and a top speed around 84 miles per hour. Both these figures better the 2011 Smart Electric Drive we tested a few weeks back (on paper, at least) though Motive will only have running production prototypes in 2011. The light weight of 850 kilograms (1874 lb) no doubt helps the range and performance though, one of the benefits of the lightweight hemp bio-fiber body panels. The car should seat four passengers, though the interior design is yet to be revealed. Also yet to be revealed are Motive Industries' technology and manufacturing partners, though the consortium of 11 companies, coming under the banner of 'Project Eve', aims to 'bring together Canadian skills for the purpose of producing and supporting Canadian electric vehicles and components'. The project aims to take a holistic approach, designing technology that gives information back to the grid when the cars are recharged. As well as the Kestrel, the consortium is already testing a two-passenger EV, and intend to release a one-passenger three wheel vehicle, a small SUV and a delivery van. There's no word on whether the Kestrel has a future in the United States as of yet - the first sales will be to corporate or government fleets in Canada for beta testing, and public sales will depend on the success of these tests. If all goes to plan, production should begin in 2012. The company plans to seek foreign partners with whom they can licence the technology, so the Kestrel could become an international EV. [Motive Industries via Green Car Reports]

Motive Industries Kestrel EVGallery

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Sit back, relax, and take in the official design and specifications for the Kestrel, the hemp-bodied EV engineered by Canadian firm Motive Industries.

We looked at the benefits of the environmentally friendly hemp construction last month, an avenue Lotus have also explored with their 2008 Eco Elise concept. Now we can see what the lightweight EV will look like.

The swooping arches and modern features hide a 16 kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack offering a range of 100 miles and a top speed around 84 miles per hour. Both these figures better the 2011 Smart Electric Drive we tested a few weeks back (on paper, at least) though Motive will only have running production prototypes in 2011.

The light weight of 850 kilograms (1874 lb) no doubt helps the range and performance though, one of the benefits of the lightweight hemp bio-fiber body panels. The car should seat four passengers, though the interior design is yet to be revealed.

Also yet to be revealed are Motive Industries' technology and manufacturing partners, though the consortium of 11 companies, coming under the banner of 'Project Eve', aims to 'bring together Canadian skills for the purpose of producing and supporting Canadian electric vehicles and components'.

The project aims to take a holistic approach, designing technology that gives information back to the grid when the cars

are recharged. As well as the Kestrel, the consortium is already testing a two-passenger EV, and intend to release a one-passenger three wheel vehicle, a small SUV and a delivery van.

There's no word on whether the Kestrel has a future in the United States as of yet - the first sales will be to corporate or government fleets in Canada for beta testing, and public sales will depend on the success of these tests.

If all goes to plan, production should begin in 2012. The company plans to seek foreign partners with whom they can licence the technology, so the Kestrel could become an international EV.

[Motive Industries via Green Car Reports]

High on Electric Cars: Canada's Cannabis Cruiser

by Jessica Root - Brooklyn, NY
from: http://www.treehugger.com/

Image via: CBC News

Hemp isn't only TreeHugger approved. It's won this green yogini over in the health department with its number of nutritional benefits. It's an animal-free source of essential fatty acid omegas, proteins and amino acids--all-important for heart, brain and skin health.

Who knew that a spoonful of hemp powder wouldn't only find its way into my morning smoothie, or its fibers in my cute Sanuk sidewalk surfers, but possibly built into a future set of electric wheels?

Let's introduce Canada's non-smokable (industrial hemp produces very little THC) though totally cool, Kestrel electric hemp vehicle...

Hemp-bodied cars aren't new. The famous Henry Ford started experimenting with hemp and resin-based fibers way back in the day. The exploration of hemp ended however when other energy-heavy car body materials like steel and more recently, fiberglass and carbon fiber were favored for their lightness.

High on Hemp
We 'Huggers should be happy hemp is back on the scene. Unlike glass or carbon, which requires intense heating and chemical processes, hemp can grow in the sun with minimal water and pesticide use.

Three cheers to Project Eve who is spearheading the hemp-shelled car project, and to the polytechnic schools in Alberta, Quebec and Toronto who will actually build the compact, 4-passenger cars. And ten cheers to Canada for waking up and permitting the cultivation of hemp. Most of the hemp products we enjoy come from Canada or Asia.

Let's hope US follows suit and that these cars look cute! (The car's complete design will be released after Vancouver's EV 2010 VÉ Conference and Trade Show in September.)

For sale: The world's smallest house (7ft wide, 47ft long, and going for a mere £110,000)

By Mail Foreign Service

At just over seven feet wide and 47 feet long, this tiny building is one of the smallest functioning homes in the world.

The 312-square foot 'Little House' of Toronto, Canada, has developed a cult following and even has its own website.

Back on the property market for £110,000, the comfortable home surprisingly comes with three rooms, including a normal sized bathtub.

Enlarge

It's so itty bitty! The infamous 'Little House', squashed between two other grown up house on a Toronto street

Enlarge

Living large: The living area and TV room of the Little House - just seven feet wide

With a front drive that parks two family sized cars - even though the house itself is barely big enough to swing a cat round - it still comes with all amenities.

Sitting on Day Ave in Toronto's Little Italy, the home has been viewed almost 40 times since it went on the market.

It is described in the estate agents guide as a 'unique home in good condition overall and has been well maintained'.

Compact kitchen: The cooking/laundry area of the Little House

Good storage: The 47-foot long house has a wee back garden also

Just enough room for two (and a bottle of wine): The garden area of the Little House

As well as its ample 2.36m-high ceilings, the Little House also has a decent sized basement for storage space.

'The interior of the house seems much more expansive than the small exterior,' said real estate agent Antonio Nardi.

'It has a full bathroom, a kitchen and a decent sized bedroom with a fold up bed that gives more room when up.

'This is a great and historic purchase.'

Built in 1912, the Little Home has become a celebrity in its own right over the past 98 years.

Talk show host Ellen Degeneres has even expressed an interest in one day owning the Little House.

Blink and you'll miss it: Little House as it appears on Google Street View

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1262806/For-sale-The-worlds-smallest-house-seven-feet-wide-47-feet-long-going-just-110-000.html#ixzz0kRlEhxjY

New photos of Beatles' John Lennon appear after 40 years

Candid pictures of John Lennon which have never been seen in public have been found after being kept hidden in a photographer's drawer for more than 40 years.

From: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/

John Lennon and Yoko Ono who is talking to 16-year-old Gail Renard Photo: CATERS

The extraordinary photos of the musician and Yoko Ono, taken during their famous Bed-in for Peace in Montreal in 1969, snapped by Life photographer Gerry Deiter.

He was the only photojournalist allowed to witness and document the bed-in for the full eight days and managed to capture pictures of the couple totally off-guard.

But his story about them, due to run in Life magazine, was ditched at the last minute for an article on the Vietnam war.

Since the photographer's death in 2005, the unpublished photos were hidden away until this week, when they go on exhibition for the first time in Coventry Cathedral, West Mids, on Saturday.

Lennon and Yoko flew to Montreal on May 26 where they stayed in Room 1738 and 1742 at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel, writing and recording the song Give Peace a Chance from their bedroom.

Nick Chevasse, the Cathedral's tourist director, said the photos had only recently been unearthed.

He said "Gerry Deiter was the only photojournalist there the entire eight days, with complete access.

"He was on assignment for Life magazine, but his story was bumped in favour for one about Vietnam.

"The photos were never published, they never ran, so Deiter hid them away.

"This is why many of the images are not familiar, even to Lennon fans - they have never been seen before by anybody.

"He captured the celebrity visitors, the action and intimate, behind the scenes moments between John and Yoko."

The candid pictures show the couple writing and recording their song to peace during their week long stay.

Lennon, holding his iconic guitar, looks relaxed as he pens what would become the first solo single released while the Beatles were officially still together.

In one photograph, while John strums his guitar, Yoko chats to 16-year-old Gail Reynard.

The youngster had scaled the hotel's fire escape and pleaded with the couple to let her stay.

And as one of the few to be present for the entire event, Gail was given the original handwritten lyrics for Lennon's peace song.

Gail, now a TV comedy writer, sold the piece of rock history at auction for £400,000 in 2008.

She said the photos brought back great memories from the iconic protest.

She said: "When I first saw the images from the exhibition, I was carried straight back to that amazing time.

"They started to unlock details that I thought I had forgotten."

When the song was released it quickly became the anthem of the anti-war movement, and was sung by half a million demonstrators in Washington, D.C. at the Vietnam Moratorium Day, on 15 October 1969.

It was narrowly pipped to the UK number one spot by The Rolling Stones' "Honky Tonk Women".

The 25 greatest cities in the world for drinking wine

by Willy Volk

from http://www.gadling.com/

Dreaming of sipping wine in a little Parisian cafe? Or picturing yourself in trendy Napa Valley, sampling new vintages straight from the barrel? While these well-known areas indeed spring to mind when thinking about the world's finest vintages, you may be surprised to know that excellent wine is being made and enjoyed just about everywhere.

As a wine judge and hobby winemaker, my favorite wine trips have always been to out-of-the-way places, away from tourists and kitsch. This is where you will find the best wines and the most interesting experiences. Here are dozens of not-to-miss wine experiences to plan into your next trip.

San Gimignano, Italy
San Gimignano is an ancient city in Tuscany whose medieval towers still fill the skyline today. While several grape varieties are grown in the area, the town is famous for its Vernaccia di San Gimignano, a dry white wine made in the region since the 13th century, and made famous by a reference in Dante's Inferno.

This unique wine is best paired with local fare such as wild boar or mushroom risotto which can be enjoyed in many local restaurants. One of the town's restaurants, Dorand, even serves authentic medieval food paired with local wines. A luxurious and decadent experience, it will not be soon forgotten.

Beamsville, Ontario, Canada
The Niagara Region of Canada has developed into a thriving wine region over the past thirty years. Its micro-climate is perfect for European-style grape growing and this area is known for award-winning Chardonnays, Rieslings, and Merlots.

The region's best product, however, is its Icewine. This naturally sweet dessert wine is made from white grapes that have been allowed to remain on the vine into the winter and are picked and pressed during the first hard freeze.

Forgo the touristy Niagara-on-the-Lake and stay in Beamsville to the west. Beamsville is surrounded by small craft wineries and vineyards producing a number of varietals. From Beamsville, wine tours are an easy day trip. Beamsville restaurants also carry many local wines, so you can sample to your heart's content while planning your trip through wine country.

Beaune, France
On your next trip to France, escape Paris and drive three hours south east to the city of Beaune. Even without wine, Beaune is a beautiful, historical city, with centuries-old cathedrals, ancient ramparts, and world-class cafs and restaurants.

The best place to sample wines in Beaune is the Marche aux Vins. The Marche, located in a 15th century Franciscan church, is a collective run by many of the region's wine merchants. For a mere 10.00 €, you can spend a morning or afternoon sampling a very large selection of Burgundies. You will be provided with a souvenir tasting cup and will make your way through the maze of wines. All of the wines are available to purchase. I most enjoy the heavier, older, and often more expensive vintages which are presented near the end of the tastings. Don't fill up on the cheap stuff first!

Temecula, California, USA
When one thinks California wineries, the exclusive and hip Napa Valley is the first area that comes to mind. While the Napa region produces some amazing wines, California harbors a wine secret farther to the south.

An hour from San Diego, Orange County, and Los Angeles, Temecula has been quietly gaining a name for itself in the wine industry. The hills to the north and west and the ocean breezes make for a perfect grape-growing climate.

If you enjoy gaming as well as wine, the Pechanga Casino and Resort just outside of town provides both. Or take a self-guided tour through Temecula's small boutique wineries and discover vintages that you will be unlikely to see on your supermarket's shelves.

Mainz, Germany

When you visit other cities, add a new wine to your repertoire. As years go by, when you taste that varietal, it can take you back to your trip.

Mainz sits perched on the banks of the Rhine as it has for almost two thousand years. The surrounding countryside is famous for its Rieslings, Sylvaners, and Muller-Thurgau. The cultivated vineyards encompass over 65,000 acres and, like many wine-growing regions along the Rhine, their soil imparts a unique character to these delicate white wines.

In Mainz, you can sample wines at many of the local vineyards, or take a boat ride down the Rhine with wine glass firmly in hand -- my favorite activity when I visit Germany. Stick with the Rieslings and forgo the more everyday Mullers. They want to be Rieslings when they grow up.

Valencia, Spain
The Mediterranean Sea keeps the vineyards around Valencia at just the right temperature. The Valencia area is famous for paella and its locally-produced wines; two treats that can easily be combined into one outing to one of the city's many Spanish restaurants.

The wineries in Valencia are some of the largest in Spain due to the city's large port and ability to ship large quantities of wine around the world. The area produces deep red Riojas, unique roses, and complex aged sherries.

There are several wine tours, both guided and self-guided that you can sign up for to see the wineries and sample a wider variety than what is available in restaurants.

Bellingham, Washington, USA
Washington is one of the great wine regions of the United States. Although just coming into its own in the past decade, Washington is now the second largest state producer of wine in the country.

While wine towns can be found in most areas of the state, Bellingham, near the Canadian border, is a fun experience and a short trip from the British Columbia wineries to the north.

Bellingham is known for its wine bars and local wine can be found in every one of them. The pace of life in Bellingham tends to be a little more laid back than you may be used to so sit back, enjoy the wine, and listen to live music. If visiting in the fall, include tours of local vineyards in your plans and watch the winemaking happen first hand.

Brisbane, Australia
Brisbane makes the list, not because of its own wine-growing identity, but because of its location. In Brisbane, you can sample the fruit wines produced to the north, on the Sunshine Coast, including pineapple, kiwi, or mango wines. You can also sample more traditional wines from farther south

Australia is known for its Shiraz, a red grape originally from Europe and there are many to choose from in Brisbane restaurants. My favorite way to enjoy wine in Brisbane is to find an outdoor table at one of the restaurants surrounding South Bank park and sip some of Australia's finest while watching kids play on the man-made beach.

Cape Town, South Africa
Cape Town is the center of South African wine-making and both reds and whites have been made here for almost 300 years. All of the great grapes of Europe can be found here including Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz (called Petit Syrah in France), and Sauvignon Blanc.

Many of Cape Town's upscale hotels offer packages that include tours of the 130+ vineyards (or 'wine farms' as they are called in South Africa), wineries, food pairings and accommodation. This is the best way to see Cape Town's surrounding wine country and an opportunity not to be missed

Pelee Island, Ontario, Canada
Pelee Island is the southernmost tip of Canada and is, in fact, farther south than parts of California. This tiny island is inhabited by only about 500 full-time residents but boasts some of the best vineyards on the continent.

Pelee Island Winery grows all of its grapes on the island (over 500 acres). A weekend on Pelee Island is a great opportunity to get away for a romantic weekend, which I do as often as possible. There are several bed and breakfast inns on the island and the winery offers various wine tours, tastings and educational sessions. And when you tire of drinking wine (an unlikely occurrence), you can enjoy the nature preserve or take a bike ride around the entire island.

-- The above was written by Angie Mohr, Seed contributor.

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Walla Walla, Washington, USA
This small town is a four-and-a-half hour drive from Seattle, and it's a completely different world. Besides having a semi-arid climate and little-to-no traffic, Walla Walla is one of the world's hottest wine regions. Scattered throughout the countryside are vineyards and tasting rooms (highly recommended is Pepper Bridge Winery, one of many great producers in Walla Walla).

In the small but charming downtown there are enough tasting rooms to keep a wine tourist busy for days. Add in a few very high quality restaurants (Saffron and Brasserie Four, for example), and Walla Walla is one of the world's most inviting and laid-back wine towns.

Saint-Emilion, France
The wine-tourism capital of Bordeaux is an obvious pick for this list. The vineyards of Saint-Emilion surrounding the ancient town center (a World Heritage Site) produce some of the world's most sought-after wines. Chateau Cheval Blanc and Chateau Ausone are the only two Chateaux to receive Saint-Emilion's highest ranking, and great vintages of the wines frequently fetch over $1,000 per bottle. There are plenty of more economical choices though, and with nearly all of the 13,600 acres dedicated to wine production, there's plenty to go around.

Portland, Oregon, USA
The largest city in Oregon sits on the banks of the Willamette River and is a mere half-hour drive from many wineries in the Willamette Valley, one of the world's premium Pinot Noir growing areas. If touring the vineyards isn't on the agenda, there are numerous great wine bars and restaurants. Check out Alu Wine Bar, which claims a stellar wine list of both Oregon Pinot Noirs and intriguing imported selections.

Cochem, Germany
Cochem is one of dozens of small towns along Germany's Mosel River, and it is particularly charming. The Mosel is famous for producing some of the world's best -- as well as age-worthy -- Rieslings. The wide range of wine styles guarantees a hit with every palate. The town is surrounded by steep hillside vineyards, and a thousand-year-old castle on a hill overlooking the town square adds to the atmosphere.

San Francisco, California, USA
One of the most diverse cities in the United States also has plenty of choices when it comes to wine. Dozens of wine bars are scattered throughout the city center -- try Yield Wine Bar for an earth-friendly wine list or the aptly named WINE for a constantly rotating glass selection.

Bonus: Outside the bustling downtown, Napa Valley and Sonoma are easy day trips to sample some of the best U.S.-made wines.

Los Olivos, California, USA
Rather than fighting the crowds in Napa Valley try this quaint Victorian town just north of Santa Barbara. The area is now famous as the setting of Sideways. Don't let the Hollywood connection scare you away though: the region is stunningly beautiful and is one of the best Pinot Noir producing areas in the United States (alternatively, swing by Andrew Murray for some killer Syrahs). The historic downtown is home to over a dozen wine tasting rooms in a small area.

Chateauneuf-du-Pape, France
The town name is translated as "new castle of the Pope," from the days when the Pope ruled from nearby Avignon. The Pope no longer lives there, instead you'll find some of the best wines in the world in this on the rise region. The stellar 2007 vintage is getting a lot of attention around the world, so a visit is recommended before the crowds become unbearable, which seems almost inevitable for good reason.

Montalcino, Italy
It's hard to imagine any better place to be in the summer than in Tuscany. This old hilltop town has been booming since the 1970s when its now world-famous wine, Brunello di Montalcino, began to receive praise. It's now surrounded by the world's premier Sangiovese vineyards, and provides a stunning view of the Tuscan countryside.

Tampa, Florida, USA
While this city is not even close to a major wine region, it does have events and restaurants to make it one of the East Coast's best wine destinations. Possibly the biggest draw is Bern's Steak House, which has an absurdly huge wine list. There can't be many other restaurants in the world offering a 1970 Pauillac for $18 per glass. If that doesn't suit your style there are 150 other wines by the glass to choose from.

Pro tip: The Florida Wine Festival is held every April in nearby Sarasota.

New York, New York, USA
If money is no object, but drinking wine is, New York is hard to beat. There's a particularly high concentration of wine bars in the East Village and Midtown. If you're in Midtown, check out Clo WineBar above Columbus Circle for a high-tech, interactive wine experience. The wine list is displayed on a touch screen bar top, and the wines are dispensed automatically throughout the room.

-- The above was written by Steven Washuta, Seed contributor.

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Yountville, California, USA
Tucked into the vastness that is Northern California's famous wine country, is this 5-mile-long, cozy village. Wine country has many excellent dining opportunities to enjoy with their world class wines -- but Yountville beats them all with top restaurants (several are Michelin). It's hard to say which is better -- the wine or the food -- but wine pairing is what this area is all about. Stay at the Villagio Inn, and explore the town's antique shops and art galleries. And at night, get ready for Wine Pairing 101, taught by some of the world's best sommeliers.

Oetigheim, Germany
This quaint town is home to Germany's largest open-air theater, the Volksschauspiele. Nestled along the French border, this area also has it's own understated wine country: many of these vineyards grow the grapes that make German whites so infamous and versatile.

The tiniest restaurants here pride themselves on their schnitzel or other old world dishes. Pair a favorite with one of the regional, world class Rieslings -- some are produced in such small quantity, you may not find this nectar anywhere else in the world.

Steamboat Springs, Colorado, USA
When you visit other cities, add a new wine to your repertoire. As years go by, when you taste that varietal, it can take you right back to your special trip. While known for world class skiing, Steamboat is a summer haven -- to enjoy fresh mountain air, wine and music. A tiny specialty grocer, Market on the Mountain, can assist you in packing the perfect picnic basket with your favorite cheeses, crusty bread and a Pinot Grigio, so you may enjoy the majestic beauty of Mt. Werner and the Yampa Valley.

Pro tip: try to visit during "Strings on the Mountain" -- Steamboat's summer music festival (though Strings also runs a winter concert series, as well).

London, England
London has it all -- excellent wines from all over the world to pair with multiple cuisines, entertainment, and easy ways to get around without driving. Start out in one of Mayfair's excellent restaurants (we like the Greenhouse). Ask the sommelier for a brand new release -- or a warming Cabernet before taking the tube to the West End. SoHo's wine tasting and dancing venues top off the night, and grab a taxi back to your place. Wine, food, entertainment and transport are all integral to global scale, "good times" in the London scene.

Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, USA
Host to the nation's largest music festival (Musikfest), Bethlehem has an historic "Party Hearty" reputation. This may have originated with the 1741 settlers: Moravians (who were wine-makers) moving in alongside Germans (who, even today, remain devoted wine-drinkers).

Gaining recognition is the region's wine industry; Rieslings and Chambourcin are local favorites. Stay in the historic district in one of the B&B's (we like Morningstar Inn) and discover the town. Tour the wineries: Amore', Franklin Hill and Blue Mountain. This area's unique mix of history, music, and party provides lots of good times for Vino Explorers in search of new regional finds.

Pro tip for novice oenophiles: Where ever you live -- your town (and home) can become The Best Place for Wine Drinking. Take time to train your palate by starting with a single varietal, maybe a Merlot, and stick with it for a while. Then add another -- perhaps a Pinot -- and try that for a couple weeks. Soon, you'll be able to tell the difference in a blind taste test. When you're ready, try adding a Cabernet to the mix, but don't push this one. And, when you visit other cities, add a new wine to your wine repertoire. As years go by, when you taste that varietal, it can take you right back to your special trip.

--The above was written by Kris Myers, Seed contributor.

Smelly passenger kicked off flight

By A. Pawlowski, CNN

The incident reportedly happened on a regional airline in Canada. A spokeswoman confirms that a passenger was deplaned.

(CNN) -- Air travelers already have to deal with unruly passengers, excessively talkative ones and many other types who make flying miserable.

But a new low may just have been reached for weary road warriors: The overwhelmingly smelly passenger.

A man on Jazz Air, a regional airline in Canada that also serves U.S. cities, was reportedly kicked off a plane earlier this month because of his strong body odor.

"People were just mumbling and staring at him," said a woman who sat near the man, according to The Guardian, a newspaper in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, where the flight originated on February 6. It was a very uncomfortable situation, she added.

Another passenger described the smell as "brutal."

Video: Too smelly to fly?

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The man was an American visiting Prince Edward Island, the CBC reported.

Jazz Air spokeswoman Manon Stuart confirmed that a passenger was "deplaned" from the flight, but she could not provide specific information about the person involved or the reason why he was asked to leave because of privacy issues.

"As an airline, the safety and comfort of our passengers and crew are our top priorities. Therefore, any situation that compromises either their safety or comfort is taken seriously, and in such circumstances, the crew will act in the best interest of the majority of our passengers," Stuart said.

"It's important to understand that our crew members make every effort to resolve a situation before it becomes an issue. Unfortunately, in some circumstances, it may become necessary for our crew to remove passengers."

The airline, like most air carriers, doesn't have a specific policy covering body odor, Stuart said.

Team Canada Rap Disses Patrick Kane and Team USA

Matt Lo Cascio

Did you read that right? The Canadian hockey team has a rap song? Kind of. Two Maple Leafs blogs -- Bloge Salming and Down Goes Brown -- have produced a hilarious Team Canada "Olympic Welcome" rap. Listen to (fake) Jerome Iginla use the Patrick Kane photos to diss Team USA.

"Can't believe you think you got a chance against the best/when your roster looks weaker than Patrick Kane's chest." So awesome.

h/t: Fourth Place Medal

The Most Psychedelic Lake on Earth

From: http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/

Looks like a painting, doesn’t it?
Image via bored-bored

The Spotted Lake near the city of Osoyoos in British Columbia, right at the Washington state border, is not the result of someone’s too vivid imagination but of the many different mineral deposits found in it: The lake is rich in calcium, sodium and magnesium sulphate (Epsom salts) and even silver and titanium. It is called Kliluk by the Okanagan Indians who have known of the lake’s therapeutic powers for generations.

The lake changes colour throughout the year and therefore is beautiful to look at in any season. But it is only in the summer from about June to mid September that the lake water level lowers due to evaporation and reveals the “walkways” and different pools, the lake’s “spots.” Osoyoos in fact means “narrowing of the waters” in the Okanagan language.

Like a giant painter’s palette full of greens:

Image via spotcoolstuff

Image via yousaytoo

Beautiful silver composition:

Image: Tim Gage

The region around Osoyoos Lake is one of Canada’s hottest areas, with summer temperatures reaching 38 degrees Celsius (100 Fahrenheit) regularly. No wonder it is known for its vineyards and recreational appeal, letting the town’s population of around 5,000 increase quite a bit during the summer months. Especially pensioners value the relatively milder winters and hot summers – the average age of Oyosoos’ population is 59 years!

Like moon craters:

Image via yousaytoo

The lake reflecting the cloud cover:

Image via atlasobscura

For the First Nations’ tribes, Spotted Lake was always a sacred site known for its healing powers, which they would use to cure ailments like warts, skin diseases, body aches and battle wounds. In the early 20th century, the lake and the land surrounding it became the property of Ernest Smith and his family who had the idea in the ‘70s to capitalise on it and build a spa.

Looks like an amoeba:

Image via VisionBeTa

This would have meant digging and heavy commercialisation of the area; a fact the Native Indians were not happy with. For more than 20 years since 1979, they tried buying the lake and its surroundings but reached a compromise with the Smith family only in 2001: For several hundred thousand dollars, they bought 22 hectares, paid for partly by the First Nations and party by the Indian Affairs Department.

During WWI, the lake’s minerals were even used to make ammunition!

Image: Andrew Enns

Today, the Osoyoos Indian Reservation with its about 370 members is one of the only Indian Bands in British Columbia with virtually no unemployment, and self-sufficiency on the horizon. Spotted Lake is still private property that visitors can either admire from Highway 3 (8 km or 5.5 miles west of Osoyoos) or at closer range after obtaining permission from the Okanagan tribe.

Here’s the view from Highway 3:

Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

NY eatery frees ancient lobster

Large lobsters are usually too big to get caught in traps

A lobster believed to be some 140 years old is to be freed from the confines of a tank at a New York restaurant.

George the giant lobster, weighing 9kg (20lb), will be returned to the ocean, from where he was caught two weeks ago.

The crustacean was bought for $100 (£66) by the City Crab and Seafood and quickly adopted as its mascot, posing for pictures with restaurant patrons.

But animal rights group Peta sought the lobster's release, and will now put it back into the waters off Maine.

It will enter the ocean in the waters around Kennebunkport, where lobster trapping is banned.

George was originally caught off Newfoundland, Canada, and has spent about 10 days in the tank at City Crab and Seafood.

These intriguing animals don't deserve to be confined to tiny tanks or boiled alive Ingrid Newkirk Peta

The approximate age of a lobster can be deduced from its weight.

Restaurant manager Keith Valenti said there was never any intent to harm the lobster, and the decision to keep it in the tank was made to offer customers a little something extra.

"We bought a big lobster, started taking pictures with kids and it worked out real well," Mr Valenti told Reuters news agency.

But it was a "no brainer", he added, to agree to the request to return George to the ocean.

"We never intended him to be sold, just draw attention to the restaurant, and he did."

Ingrid Newkirk, of Peta (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) praised the decision.

"We applaud the folks at City Crab and Seafood for their compassionate decision to allow this noble old-timer to live out his days in freedom and peace.

"We hope that their kind gesture serves as an example that these intriguing animals don't deserve to be confined to tiny tanks or boiled alive."

Report on weed use prompts call for legalization

By Tiffany Crawford, Canwest News Service

The foundation is urging the Canadian government to legalize and regulate marijuana, by allowing people to grow their own and taxing sales the way it regulates alcohol or tobacco

Photograph by: Mark Blinch, Reuters

A report released Thursday that shows the number of pot smokers in the world has grown to more than 160 million people has Canadian advocates renewing calls for legalization of the drug.

An Australian study, citing United Nations data from 2006 and published Thursday in the journal Lancet, found that about 166 million people aged 15-64 — or an estimated one in 25 in that age range — reported using cannabis. That's up from about 159 million people in 2005.

"It's not going away. So should one in 25 people be criminalized for smoking pot?" asked Eugene Oscapella, an Ottawa professor and spokesman for the Canadian Foundation For Drug Policy. "What this number says to me is the world is not drug free. Some people prefer alcohol over cannabis and some people prefer cannabis."

The foundation is urging the Canadian government to legalize and regulate marijuana, by allowing people to grow their own and taxing sales the way it regulates alcohol or tobacco.

While the Australian study found pot use was greatest in the U.S., Australia and New Zealand, followed by Europe, another report — from the United Nations — shows marijuana use in this country is actually the highest in the industrialized world.

That 2007 report, by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, found 16.8 per cent of Canadians aged 15 to 64 smoked marijuana or used other cannabis products in 2004. That's the most recent year for which statistics were cited.

"I'd say 70 or 80 per cent of my university students smoke pot and they are perfectly normal people," said Oscapella. "If you've ever tried it you know its no big deal. So why are we using criminal law to deal with this behaviour? That's the real issue."

Other figures — from Statistics Canada — show the number of Canadians using cannabis is on the rise, from 6.5 per cent of Canadians in 1989, to 7.4 per cent in 1994 and then to 12.2 per cent in 2002.

The largest concentration of marijuana use in Canada is in British Columbia, while residents of Newfoundland, Prince Edward Island, Ontario, Manitoba and Saskatchewan had lower-than-average rates.

B.C. also leads the country in marijuana production with 40 per cent of Canadian cannabis produced there. That's followed by Ontario at 25 per cent and another 25 per cent in Quebec, the UN report said.

Unlike Canada, in Australia and New Zealand — where eight per cent of the population use cannabis — the numbers there are declining, the Australian study says. It says a similar trend is also happening in western Europe.

The full report, which analyzes the adverse effects of cannabis use, can be viewed at http://press.thelancet.com/cannabis.pdf

© Copyright (c) Canwest News Service

Vancouver pot activist Marc Emery to plead guilty to U.S. drug charge

No hope of avoiding extradition, plea deal made

CBC News

Marc Emery is facing extradition on three drug charges for selling marijuana seeds by mail order to customers in the U.S. (CBC)

Marijuana activist Marc Emery says he plans to drop his fight against extradition to the U.S. and plead guilty to one charge of drug distribution in a Seattle courtroom next month.

Emery's extradition hearing in Vancouver was adjourned on Wednesday so his lawyer could negotiate a deal with the U.S. district attorney in which Emery could spend up to eight years in jail for one charge, while two other more serious charges are dropped, he said.

"I will be making a guilty plea to one count of marijuana distribution this summer, and then when I'm sentenced the U.S. district attorney is going to be asking for five to eight years in a federal U.S. penitentiary," he told CBC News on Wednesday.

After the guilty plea, Emery expects he will be sentenced in August or September and is hoping he will eventually be transferred to a Canadian jail.

Joint U.S.-Canada bust

This is not the first time the marijuana activist has said his lawyers are cutting a deal with U.S. prosecutors. In July 2008, Emery said he had made a deal in which he would serve a minimum of five years in jail, but he later blamed Canadian authorities when the deal fell through.

The marijuana activist is facing drug charges for selling pot seeds to U.S. customers, after his Vancouver-based mail order business was busted in a joint operation involving both U.S. and Canadian law enforcement agencies in 2005.

He's been fighting extradition ever since, but on Wednesday he said he now realizes it's a fight he's not going to win.

"Ultimately my lawyer is convinced that the Canadian government has never refused an extradition request from the United States and it's not going to start now," he said.

"Sometimes you have to face up to the reality of what's going to happen, and under this scenario I may be free out of prison in two or three or four years," he said.

Without the deal, Emery said, he would be facing much more time in jail.

"This is a preferential arrangement to the not-so-good-arrangement that would see me spend 10, 20, 30 years in a U.S. federal penitentiary, foreseeably the rest of my life, and that doesn't give a person a lot of hope," he said.

Prepared to do time

"The DA wants to paint me as a large player providing a lot of marijuana to people, and we'll bring up that it was only seeds and it was totally transparent. It was done in Canada out in the open for 10 or 12 years," he told CBC News during an interview at the busy downtown Vancouver hemp store he still operates.

"I didn't keep any of the money — $4 million. I gave it all away to activist groups around the world, so my motives are unusual, so that does mitigate in sentencing," said Emery, who frequently ran in provincial and federal elections as the leader of the Marijuana Party.

But the man who once spent more than two months in a Canadian prison for passing a joint to an undercover officer is now preparing for a much longer stay in a U.S. prison.

"You've got to keep busy in jail. You've got to be reading, in my case writing. I'll be learning Spanish, French. You've got to have projects," he said.

Canada's 'Prince of Pot' at war with US drug war

By JEREMY HAINSWORTH

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Psychedelic rock booms through The Vapour Lounge. In the store, young and some not-so-young people smoke pot through a variety of devices. And owner Marc Emery stands in the middle of it all, proclaiming his goal of defeating the U.S. war on drugs.

Known as the Prince of Pot, Emery has sold millions of marijuana seeds around the world by mail over the past decade. In doing so, he has drawn the attention of U.S. drug officials, who want him extradited to Seattle. Emery has agreed to plead guilty in Seattle to one count of marijuana distribution in exchange for dismissal of all other counts, and the U.S. District Attorney is pressing for a sentence of five to eight years in a U.S. prison.

The case is the latest twist in Emery's two-decade-long fight against the prohibition of marijuana in North America. To his supporters, he is a brave crusader for the use and sale of a drug with both recreational and medicinal value. To drug officials, he is a criminal and the biggest purveyor of marijuana from Canada into the United States.

Emery sits "right smack in the middle" of the North American debate over marijuana prohibition, said Allen St. Pierre of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws in Washington, D.C. St. Pierre predicted that Emery's trial would "kick-start it all again."

But drug officials say they are simply going after one of the world's top 50 drug traffickers. U.S. authorities claim Emery's seeds have grown $2.2 billion worth of pot.

"We've been very clear it had nothing to do with Mr. Emery's political stand," said Emily Langlie of the U.S. District Attorney's Office in Seattle.

Emery himself, a two-time candidate for mayor of Vancouver who has never shied away from publicity, seems almost gleeful about the legal saga. He calls it the greatest platform he could have in his crusade, and his Facebook page notes that these days he hums the chorus from Canadian musician Baron Longfellow's "I'm Going to Need a Miracle Tonight". He predicted he will be in a U.S. jail by August, and will then ask supporters to push for his transfer to a Canadian jail.

"I do have millions of supporters in the U.S. and Canada," he said, unburdened by false modesty. "It's my job as leader of the cannabis culture to thwart the United States government."

___

Emery, 51, was a teen when he started selling banned pro-marijuana literature in Vancouver. He did the same in London, Ontario, including on the steps of a police station, hoping to be arrested and have his day in court. Returning to Vancouver in 1994, he set out to start a "hemp revolution business," and opened a store called Hemp B.C. in the firebombed shell of a Communist bookshop in what is now known as Pot Block.

He sold marijuana seeds and used the money to fund his campaign against pot prohibition.

"It rapidly expedited cash flow. No one else in North America was doing it," he said.

Emery took in up to $2.6 million in seed sales per year. He claims to have sold more than four million seeds, three-quarters of those to customers in the U.S.

He says he has been arrested 21 times and jailed 17 times. In 2004, he was convicted in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan for passing a joint, and spent three months behind bars.

In Vancouver, however, he says police have for years chosen to ignore his business. He claims federal Canadian officials have even suggested people contact him to buy seeds for medical marijuana. Furthermore, Emery says, he has paid almost $500,000 in Canadian income tax since 1999. He says his seed sales funded half the activities of the pro-marijuana movement in Canada between 1995 and 2005, and up to 10 percent of the U.S. movement.

The marijuana debate is still wending its way through communities and courts in the United States. Federal law prohibits the possession of marijuana, even for medicinal purposes. However, the states have different laws and penalties.

In Canada, cultivation is illegal except for medical use, and a campaign to legalize it is under way nationwide.

However, Prime Minister Stephen Harper takes a tough stance and wants mandatory minimum jail sentences for dealers and growers. And Emery is having trouble getting the City of Vancouver to re-licence his stores, which include The Vapour Lounge, a cafe, a convenience store and the studios for Pot TV. Vancouver is suffering a string of killings over cocaine from Mexico, sometimes bartered for homegrown marijuana.

___

Emery's latest brush with the law began on July 29, 2005, when Canadian and American drug enforcement officers nabbed him along with two employees of Emery Seeds — Michelle Rainey and Gregory Keith Williams.

Emery was arrested in Lawrencetown, Nova Scotia, and was returned to Canada's West Coast by U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agents. Police raided Emery's Vancouver store, which doubles as the headquarters for the British Columbia Marijuana Party he leads.

It was the culmination of an 18-month investigation by American authorities. The DEA said at the time that Emery's business and his Cannabis Culture magazine generated $5 million a year to bolster his trafficking efforts.

"He's a drug trafficker, plain and simple," said the DEA's Rodney Benson in 2006. "Marc Emery is a significant threat to the United States."

The two employees have since pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Seattle to conspiracy to manufacture marijuana, law enforcement officials say. They have entered into a plea agreement and will be sentenced on July 17. They faced 10 years to life in prison, but prosecutors agreed to recommend two years' probation, Emery said.

According to a DEA statement, Rainey said in her plea that she sent seeds and growing instructions to customers at Emery's instruction. She said 75 percent of the customers were in the U.S.

Williams said he handled the phone orders and the wire transfer information, and also sold seeds directly to store customers. On numerous occasions in 2004, Williams sold seeds to an undercover agent, the DEA release said.

Jason Gratl of the B.C. Civil Liberties Association said Rainey and Williams were arrested to leverage Emery into surrender, and the charges against him could have disguised an ulterior motive.

"It appears the proceedings were initiated to quell certain quarters of the marijuana movement on both sides of the border," Gratl said.

Emery said he was willing to die in a U.S. jail for his cause.

"Dying as a victim of the state's cruelty would really help a person like me. The way you die is very important," he said. "Martin Luther King was killed and that's very important to his legacy."

His wife, Jodie, a former provincial Green Party candidate, snorted at this.

"I hate when he talks like that," she interjected. "I think it would be better if he continued the work he does."

Emery smiled, unrepentant.

"I had a very good reason for selling those seeds," he said. "I wanted to defeat the U.S. war on drugs."

(This version CORRECTS Corrects name of store from Toker's Bowl to Vapour Lounge)

Copyright © 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

Court challenge aims to legalize all cannabis use

Mario Anzuoni/Reuters Health Canada has faced court challenges over medical marijuana eight times and has lost all of them. In each case the decision came because the court felt regulations were too restrictive for those seeking legal marijuana

Advocates say previous rule a 'mockery'

Shannon Kari, National Post Published: Monday, June 01, 2009

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Medical marijuana advocates are planning a court challenge aimed at legalizing all cannabis use, in response to the latest restrictions announced by Health Canada.

The federal government announced last week that it would allow designated producers to grow marijuana for as many as two medical users, instead of a maximum of one, permitted under the old regulations.

The previous rules were ruled unconstitutional by a Federal Court of Canada judge in January, 2008, because they did not provide for a sufficient legal supply of cannabis for medical users without having to use the black market.

Health Canada appealed unsuccessfully to the Federal Court of Appeal and Supreme Court, which refused in April to hear the case.

It was the eighth time in the past decade that Health Canada has lost in court trying to uphold its medical marijuana policies and regulations, each time over restrictions on supply.

The federal government's decision to allow producers to grow for no more than two users is a "mockery" of the courts, said lawyer Ron Marzel, who was part of the successful Federal Court challenge to the previous regulations.

The most recent restrictions for medical producers that were struck down were virtually identical to ones that were found to be previously unconstitutional by the Ontario Court of Appeal. The rules "create an alliance between the government and the black market," to supply "the necessary product" wrote the appeal court in October, 2003.

One option for medical users is to go back to the Federal Court to ask it to find that the two-to-one ratio is also invalid.

However, the response from Health Canada would likely be to start another round of appeals in court, observed Mr. Marzel.

"It is time for the vicious cycle to end. It means we have to take it to the next level, to show the government it cannot thumb its nose at our courts," said Mr. Marzel.

The lawyer explained that he is organizing a court challenge this summer on behalf of a number of people in Ontario facing marijuana trafficking charges, and has asked that all charges be dismissed.

If he is successful, it would effectively mean that there is no prohibition on possessing or producing marijuana, for medical or recreational use.

"This is the only way. The courts have repeatedly given the government time to come up with a workable solution. They didn't do it. Health Canada has brought this upon itself," suggested Mr. Marzel.

For several months in Ontario in 2003 there was no valid prohibition against simple possession of marijuana, as a result of a Superior Court decision related to the flaws in the medical marijuana regulations.

Similar arguments will be made by Mr. Marzel in asking a court to strike down all prohibitions, unless Health Canada enacts regulations that allow for a legitimate supply for medical users.

skari@nationalpost.com

This crazy world - the biggest gold coin of the world

by Asya

The biggest coin in the world “Canadian Maple Leaf”, made of gold with incredible purity of 99.999% can now be seen in Vienna‘ museum devoted to history of art. It is granted to the museum for an indefinite period of time by the firm Auer von welsbach. The precious gold piece of art has the face of Queen Elizabeth II on one side and on the other a maple leaf can be found. It’s weight is 100 kg, thickness is 3 cm, and the diameter - approximately have a meter. The coin will be preserved in a special display protected against thievery and breakage, because the current price for the coin is stated to be 2 mil € and it is insured for 3 mil €. The unique coin is created by the Canadian Monetary Agency for it’s hundredth anniversary.

Today five such coins can be found. At first eleven should have been created but later the count went down to six. Unfortunately one of the original six was written off because it was two grams lighter. In the neighboring display the world smallest gold antique coin can be found. Its weight is just about 0.24 gr. It was most probably issued during 2nd century B.C in a downworth Austrian Celtic Village. It would fit its “greater” sisters volume exactly 400 000 times.