A Touching Twitter Story – Lost Cat Found

Dear friends, I thought that this would be a perfect story to share just in time for Christmas.  This simple story is a “Love thy Neighbour” reminder for the upcoming year.

I think that this Christmas is going to be like no other for Kris Hyatt, a Calgary home staging designer.  Her cat Zoey went missing and I somehow found out about this on twitter and completely tuned in.  I checked every day, retweeted all the photos, and hoped for the best.

Kris reported her pet missing to local shelters, pet clinics, animal services and whatever else she could think of.   She even mentioned on twitter that even the mayor got informed.  Kind volunteers helped to search the area and there were even phone calls about sightings.

It was such a phone call that helped to find Zoey.  Kris got a sighting call and right away went to check the bin where she found her cat looking for food.  Even though skinny and dirty, the cat was back home safely after being missing for almost 2 months.

If it wouldn’t be for this determined cat owner combined with such support from her community, this story most likely wouldn’t have a happy ending.

In the light of this story I encourage you to do something selfless and caring this Christmas for your neighbour or your community.

P.S. If you live in Calgary, please follow Kris Hyatt on Twitter.

https://twitter.com/krishyatt

 

*Dear friends, please keep in mind that the funding for this blog comes from the shop section. Please have a look at it.*

Stoli Russian Vodka Boycott in LGTB Community

Stoli Russian vodka boycott in Vancouver

Dear readers, as Vancouver’s Pride Parade is about to go on this week, the hype around the Russian vodka boycott is getting heated in our city.  I would like to present you with a response from Lena who lives in Belarus as an example of a fresh perspective on the topic.

 

by Lena, Belarus

Putin, Russian Vodka and Gays

Putin, Russian vodka and gays, what is the connection? If you ask this question nowadays, people may think that you are completely ignorant or you live on an uninhabited island. Russia issued anti-gay laws, that caused protests in America and activists suggested to boycott Russian vodka. Sounds ridiculous, but this is the truth.

Here we do not talk about sexual minorities. Maybe because there are not so many of them. By the way, just to specify “Here” means not in Russia. I am from Belarus. And here we really do not pay special attention to sexual minorities. People like millions of others, they work, eat, drink, relax… usual activities. We do not see any reason to speak about them too much or to forbid them to live. Politicians organize parades and shows to honor themselves. Why not gays then? I don’t think they are worse. But if you think so, you can give me reasons why.

I also do not understand what this anti-gay law is for. Why then not anti-criminals law? Criminals who took people`s lives are not forbidden, they stay in prison, eat and drink for money that we pay as taxes.

Well, Putin knows better, maybe gays are more dangerous that criminals. Here we have the same culture as Russia, I wouldn’t say that we are more democratic or more developed. We have the same religion, the same traditions. But we judge people according to their personality, their attitude to us, not by their nation or race or whether they belong to sexual minority or not.

Now about vodka. How is vodka connected with gays and Russian legislation? Completely different thing is Olympic Games in Sochi. This for sure would have influence. But I do not think that such kind of boycott can be supported by majority of people. Russia have always been and still is a great country with strong traditions and unique culture, and visiting Olympic Games can be a good reason for many foreigners to discover Russia. America can boycott the Olympic Games, but since it’s Europe here, and Europeans will gladly use such an opportunity.

But right, if Olympic Games are boycotted, this will be a good reason for Russia to think about gays once more. Though again gays will be accused, as nobody would accuse for this the Russian government. If any kind of boycotting will make the Russian government change their mind? I do not think, so, they for sure were ready for protests. At least they could forecast that there will be unsatisfied people.

Ah, by the way, again to vodka. I don’t think that boycotting of Russian vodka Stolichnaya will support the Russian gays or will make the Russian government think. It would be more logical to boycott Russian products rather than Latvian, as Stolichnaya is neither produced nor bottled in Russia any more. Anyway, the Russian government will be grateful for such protests as they wanted to get that brand back. That is why before running to streets and yelling about protests maybe better to ask yourself a question: who will have the main profit from it? In this case this is Russia who will take the main advantage.

Davie street rainbow pavement for Vancouver Pride Week 2013

Rainbow pavement on the intersection of Bute and Davie in Vancouver in the spirit of Pride Week.

 

Chanel Iman, Not Just a Pretty Face

by Oliver, France

Chanel Iman in Strumpfhosen, StrГѓВјmpfe, Wà?sche

Is there more about Chanel Iman than meets the eye?  When she is walking around, prancing around and posing in front of a crowd of photographs on the golden runway, wearing beautiful clothes made by the best designers from the whole world, we just see another new gorgeous American beauty, is that all we can say about her, or can we investigate a little bit more and discover very interesting things in her life, or is her life just boredom ?

First of all we can notice that she sometimes looks Afro-American, then on other pictures, displaying a large white teethed smile, her shiny cheekbones showing her happiness at wearing marvellous dresses and getting her endless legs covered with bright sheer tights or smooth stockings, she looks more Asian but still black, we are a little bit puzzled about it.

ГђВІГђВёГђВЅГђ°Р“С’¶, чуÐ»Р“ђВєГђВё, ГђВєГђ°Р“С’±Р“С’»Р“‘Ж’ГђВєГђВё, ГђВјГђВѕГђВґГђµР“С’»Р“‘Е’, ГђВЁГђ°Р“ђВЅГђµР“С’»Р“‘Е’ ГђЛњГђВјГђ°Р“С’Р’Р… - Chanel Iman in Strumpfhosen, StrГѓВјmpfe, Wà?scheWe just wonder, where does that cute girl come from, there is something strange in her look?  Actually we are quickly told that she is part Korean and part Afro-American.  Her Korean mother was born in Seoul.  Her father is Afro-American. If you are ever in Los Angeles, you may visit the clothing store (The Red Bag Boutique) that Chanel’s mother opened, not without the help of her daughter, of course.

It is thanks to her aunt that she could become a model.  At the age of 13 Chanel’s aunt took her to California to meet with modelling agencies and as a result Chanel signed up with Ford Models.

What about her name, it sounds weird, not American at all, Arabian?  Her real first name is Robinson, just like that of a cast away seaman Robinson Crusoe on an isolated island, who after rambling around finally met his companion named “Friday”.  But our Robinson Chanel Iman is not alone at all right now, she is even invited to the White House parties by the current president of the United States, Barack Obama.

hosiery - Chanel Iman in stockings - ГђВЁГђ°Р“ђВЅГђµР“С’»Р“‘Е’ ГђЛњГђВјГђ°Р“С’Р’Р… ГђВІ чуÐ»Р“ђВєГђ°Р“‘… - ГђВёГђ»Р“С’Р’С‘ ГђВіГђµР“‘‚ры?Is Michelle jealous of her?  We do not know yet, but I think if I were Michelle, I would be a little frightened to see this snazzy girl getting invited at home, her gorgeous dress clinging to her hips while wearing beautiful silky pink tights and trying to raise herself up on her tiptoes to decorate the top of the Christmas tree in the White House.

Is she a new Marylin Monroe, a new American President’s lover, a new coming icon, is a new romance on its way in the White House?  What about Robinson’s private life?  I guess not, she is not living with a companion like Friday.

By the way, her first name, Chanel, was chosen by her mother.  While pregnant, she had a book with her about Coco Chanel, hopefully for us for these days she had no book about Karl Lagersfeld.

hosiery - ГђВЁГђ°Р“ђВЅГђµР“С’»Р“‘Е’ ГђЛњГђВјГђ°Р“С’Р’Р… ГђВІ Гђ±Р“С’µР“С’»Р“‘‹Ñ… ГђВєГђВѕГђ»Р“ђВіГђВѕГ‘‚кÐ°Р“‘… - Гђ°Р“С’¶Р“‘ƒÑ€Ð½Ñ‹Ðµ ГђВєГђВѕГђ»Р“ђВіГђВѕГ‘‚киAtlanta is her birthplace, a city where many Afro-American people live, a place from the deep South.  But do not be misled, she was not a poor cotton picking girl in the purple fields, sweating from morning to night, accompanied by Whoopie Goldberg, and ill treated by bad white bosses, like out of a movie scene from “The Color Purple”.

Her father used to be a professional basketball player and already earned a lot of money with that sport by the time she went to school.  Our princess girl was not compelled of working hard at school, she was a real beauty.  Nowadays Atlanta is a very progressive and tolerant place.  For example, they have a very big and active gay community and about 1 in 5 residents is part of the LGBT community.

Being a modern girl in a modern city, Chanel Iman recently started her internet blog and is now involved in a Kinect game on Xbox.  We could say she is rather a business woman and not just a beautiful dummy.  She is a rare combination of pretty and smart.

 

hosiery - Chanel Iman in pantyhose - ГђВЁГђ°Р“ђВЅГђµР“С’»Р“‘Е’ ГђЛњГђВјГђ°Р“С’Р’Р… - чÐµР“‘€Ð½Ñ‹Ðµ ГђВєГђВѕГђ»Р“ђВіГђВѕГ‘‚ки

Chanel Iman is posing for Korean Vogue in fancy vintage hats and black hosiery

In German:

Chanel Iman – Mehr als ein hübsches Gesicht

Steckt hinter Chanel Iman mehr, als es den Anschein hat? Wenn sie vor einer Meute von Fotografen
am goldenen Runway schreitet, stolziert oder posiert und dabei schà?ne Kleider der besten Designer
der Welt trà?gt, sehen wir eine neue atemberaubende amerikanische Schà?nheit. Ist das schon
alles was man ГѓВјber sie sagen kann? Vielleicht kà?nnen wir ein bisschen tiefer graben und dabei
interessante Dinge über ihr Leben erfahren – oder ist ihr Leben gar pure Langeweile?

garter belt and lace stockings - Chanel Iman - Chanel Iman in Strumpfhosen, StrГѓВјmpfe, Wà?sche

Zuallererst stellen wir fest, dass sie oft einen afro-amerikanischen Eindruck macht, dann aber wiederum sehen wir auf anderen Bildern, wo sie ihr strahlendes Là?cheln zeigt und ihre glà?nzenden Wangenknochen ihre Freude darГѓВјber verraten, wunderbare Kleider tragen zu dГѓВјrfen, ihre endlosen
Beine in hell glà?nzende Strumpfhosen oder sanfte StrГѓВјmpfe zu hГѓВјllen, dass sie eher asiatisch, aber dennoch schwarz aussieht, was uns doch ein wenig ratlos zurГѓВјcklà?sst.

Da fragen wir uns doch, wo kommt dieses sГѓВјГѓЕёe Mà?dchen, bei diesem exotischen Aussehen her? Nun, wir erfahren recht schnell, dass sie zum Teil koreanisch und zum Teil afro-amerikanische Wurzeln hat. Ihre koreanische Mutter stammt aus Seoul, ihr Vater ist Afro-Amerikaner. Sollte man jemals nach Los Angeles kommen, dann wà?re es eine gute Idee das Bekleidungsgeschà?ft ihrer Mutter – The Red Bag Boutique – das diese mit der Hilfe ihrer Tochter erà?ffnet hat, zu besuchen.

ГђВЁГђ°Р“ђВЅГђµР“С’»Р“‘Е’ ГђЛњГђВјГђ°Р“С’Р’Р… ГђВІ чуÐ»Р“ђВєГђ°Р“‘… - чуÐ»Р“ђВєГђВё - Chanel Iman in Strumpfhosen, StrГѓВјmpfe, Wà?sche

Dank ihrer Tante wurde Chanel ein Model. Mit 13 wurde sie von ihrer Tante nach Kalifornien zu einem Treffen mit Modelagenturen gebracht, wo Chanel bei Ford Models unterzeichnete.

Aber was ist mit ihrem Namen, der ist doch auch ungewà?hnlich und ГѓВјberhaupt nicht amerikanisch, mà?glicherweise arabisch? Ihr wahrer erster Vorname ist Robinson, nach dem SchiffbrГѓВјchigen Seefahrer Robinson Crusoe, der lange alleine ausharren muss, bis er sich mit „Freitag" anfreundet.
Aber unsere Robinson Chanel Iman ist derzeit ГѓВјberhaupt nicht allein, ganz im Gegensatz, sie wird unter dem aktuellen US-Prà?sidenten Barack Obama sogar zu Feiern ins WeiГѓЕёe Haus eingeladen.

 

stockings and red top - fashion model photoshoot - Chanel Iman in Strumpfhosen, StrГѓВјmpfe, Wà?sche

Ist Michelle eifersГѓВјchtig? Das kà?nnen wir nicht sagen, aber wenn ich sie wà?re, wà?re ich schon besorgt, wenn ich zusehen mГѓВјsste, wie dieses schicke Mà?del nach Hause eingeladen wird und sie womà?glich auch noch in einem hГѓВјbschen, eng an ihren HГѓВјften liegenden Kleid und in schà?nen, seidigen pinken strumpfhosen auf ihren Zehenspitzen versucht die Spitze des Weihnachtsbaums des WeiГѓЕёen Hauses zu dekorieren.

Ist sie gar eine neue Marilyn Monroe und damit eine neue Prà?sidenten-Geliebte, eine neue Ikone, bahnt sich gar eine Romanze im WeiГѓЕёen Haus an? Was ist mit ihrem Privatleben? Ich denke nicht, sie lebt ohne einen Gefà?hrten wie Freitag.

ГѓЕ“brigens, ihren Vorname, Chanel, hat sich ihre Mutter ausgesucht. Wà?hrend der Schwangerschaft las sie ein Buch ГѓВјber Coco Chanel, gottseidank hatte sie damals keines ГѓВјber Karl Lagerfeld dabei.

Afro-American and Korean supermodel in hosiery and garter belt - Chanel Iman

Ihr Geburtsort ist Atlanta, eine Stadt mit hohem Anteil an Afro-Amerikanern tief im amerikanischen SГѓВјden. Trotzdem sollte man sich davon nicht in die Irre fГѓВјhren lassen und glauben sie wà?re eine arme BaumwollpflГѓВјckerin gewesen, die auf dem Feld zusammen mit Whoopie Goldberg von morgens bis abends schwitzen und dabei von miesen weiГѓЕёen Bossen auch noch schlecht behandelt wird, ganz soals wà?re das eine Szene aus dem Film „Die Farbe Lila".

Гђ°Р“С’¶Р“‘ƒÑ€Ð½Ñ‹Ðµ чÐµР“‘€Ð½Ñ‹Ðµ ГђВєГђВѕГђ»Р“ђВіГђВѕГ‘‚ки - ГђВЁГђ°Р“ђВЅГђµР“С’»Р“‘Е’ ГђЛњГђВјГђ°Р“С’Р’Р… - Chanel Iman in Strumpfhosen, StrГѓВјmpfe, Wà?sche

Ihr Vater war nà?mlich ein Profi-Basketballer und verdiente in dem Sport schon gut zu der Zeit, als sie noch zur Schule ging. Unsere kleine Prinzessin musste sich in der Schule nicht anstrengen, sie war eine echte Schà?nheit. Heutzutage ist Atlanta ohnehin ein fortschrittlicher und toleranter Ort. So gibt es dort beispielsweise eine groГѓЕёe und umtriebige Gay community und sogar jeder fГѓВјnfte Einwohner gehà?rt der LGBT community an.

Wie es zu einem modernen Mà?dchen in einer modernen Stadt passt, hat Chanel Iman vor kurzem auch einen Blog gestartet und wirkt auch bei einem Kinect-Spiel auf der Xbox mit. Wir kà?nnen daher wohl sagen, dass sie mehr von einer Geschà?ftsfrau als von einer dumpfen Schà?nheit hat. Sie ist eine der seltenen Kombinationen aus hГѓВјbsch und smart.

 

ГђВЁГђ°Р“ђВЅГђµР“С’»Р“‘Е’ ГђЛњГђВјГђ°Р“С’Р’Р… ГђВІ чуÐ»Р“ђВєГђ°Р“‘… - фото ГђВђГђ»Р“С’µР“ђВєГ‘ВЃ ЛюÐ±Р“ђВѕГђВјГђВёГ‘€ÑÐºÐ¸Ð¹

photography of a supermodel by David Roemer - Chanel Iman in stockings and suspenders

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