Month: February 2014

Remember those “Damn Right Your Dad Drank It” ads for Canadian Club?

Someone’s turned them into an ad Dungeons and Dragons!

Image found via Geek Universe. Click to see the source.

Shaenon Garrity, who made the quite entertaining webcomic Narbonic, which ran from 2000 through 2006, has posted a new comic titled Perils of the Lady Gamer. It takes a look at the situation for women who attend game conventions — and yes, it takes a well-earned jab at the Penny Arcade guys, PAX, and the “dickwolves” mess as well as the completely-made-up “fake geek girl” syndrome — through a turn-of-the-previous-century lens. Here’s a sample:

Click the comic to see it in its entirety on its original page.

And surprise, surprise, it also happens in the programming world.

CHOCOLATE. SHAWARMA. Do I even have to say anything else?

The “pita” is a thicker crepe cooked in a waffle iron, and the “hummus” or “tahini” is maple syrup or dulce de leche, and the shaved rotating meat cylinder is replaced with a stack of white and dark chocolate. Topping include Adashim (described as the Israeli version of M & M’s), granola, whipped cream, and chocolate sprinkles.

Here’s a video from Israel showing the making of a chocolate shawarma. It doesn’t matter if you don’t understand a single word of Hebrew — chocolate is the universal language:

According to Tablet, the chocolate shawarma is actually an Italian invention that’s catching on the Middle East. Apparently, it’s part and parcel of Israelis’ newfound love for chocolate and the recent appearance of local high-end chocolatiers.

If you speak Italian, here’s a video featuring a representative of Techfood — the company who makes the “Choco Kebab” system for making chocolate shawarma — explaining how it works:

Here are some product images from Techfood:

Un altro video per voi, amici miei!

Okay, who’s going to bring one of these to Toronto?

Found via MetaFilter.

If you’re on Facebook, you’re probably aware of the “Look Back” movies that it’s generated using your photos and most “liked” posts. You can check out mine, which makes me look like a bacchanalian ladies’ man who plays the accordion, drinks a lot, gets invited to all the best parties, and likes The Smiths and Star Trek. All of which are absolutely true.

What would Rob Ford’s “Look Back” movie look like? I suspect something like this:

Here’s another video, created by Toronto filmmaker Kelly Manchester, which beautifully overlays Rob Ford quotes, both in visual and audio form, over shots of Accordion City:

Here’s one more, which is done in the style of the Conservative Party of Canada’s ads:

I suspect that there’ll only be more of videos as October — when Toronto’s mayoral election will take place — draws closer. The National Post has taken note of these videos, suggesting that a “civilian-led shadow Toronto mayoral campaign is well underway”.

According to Chen Shuaifu, Chairman of the Chinese Feng Shui Association, the Year of the Horse will be particularly good for those born in:

• The Years of the Ram/Goat/Sheep — 1967 (when Yours Truly was born), 1979, 1991, and 2003: This is a good year for real estate investments, and Chen says they’ll “have a good year with promotions at work possibly in their near future.” I’m workin’ on that…
• The Years of the Dog — 1958, 1970, 1982, and 2006: Chen believes those born in the Year of the Dog who are single will find it a good dating year, while those already in relationships should find this an excellent year to get married.

If you’re looking for a good time in Toronto tomorrow night, I recommend checking out the Pink Collar Comedy Tour, featuring four rising comedy stars making their name on New York’s stand-up scene:

• My friend Erin Judge (Comedy Central)
• Carrie Gravenson (Catch a Rising Star)
• Abbi Crutchfield (VH-1)
• Kaytlin Bailey (Stand Up New York)

Here’s a little more about the Pink Collar Comedy Tour’s comedians:

Erin Judge has appeared on Comedy Central’s “Live at Gotham” and at comedy clubs and festivals all around the world. This Brooklyn native recently released her first stand-up album, So Many Choices by Rooftop Comedy Productions to rave reviews.  When she is not touring she produces the popular comedy hour The Afterlife at New York City’s historic Sidewalk Cafe.

If you want to see Erin in action, check out this video of her stand-up in October 2013!

Carrie Gravenson, a native New Yorker, won the 2009 New York Underground Comedy Festival’s Emerging Talent Stand-Up Competition and was a runner up in 2009′s Catch a Rising Star Stand-Up Competition. She was a semi-finalist in the Ventura Comedy competition and the She Devil comedy contest in 2012.  She also co-produces “The Tomfoolery Hour,” a popular monthly comedy showcase in New York City.

Abbi Crutchfield is a comedian, writer and actor from Indianapolis, IN listed as one of the 18 Funny Women You Should Be Following on Twitter by Huffington Post Comedy. She produces two live comedy hours in New York City: The Living Room Show and Positively Awesome. You can read her work on Witstream.com. She has been featured on VH1 and MTV as well as in national commercials.

Kaytlin Bailey is the founder of the Pink Collar Comedy Tour and performs regularly at the famous Vagabond Cafe in the West Village of Manhattan. Her nothing-to-lose honesty and brazen comedic style are sure to make you laugh, or avoid eye contact with your significant other…and mom. She is originally from Raleigh, NC and a College of Charleston alumn.

They’re performing in Toronto tomorrow night — Wednesday, February 5th at 9:00 pm — at The Flying Beaver Pubaret (488 Parliament, on the west side, a block north of Carlton), and tickets are $10 in advance.