It’s that time again fellas: Movember is upon us. And you know what that means. Moustaches for everyone – even if your main squeeze, girlfriend, wife, sister or daughter says you look like a 70s porn star. Why? Because Movember is prostate cancer awareness month, and by adorning your upper lip with some serious fur you are making your fellow men as well as their women aware of the fact that although less talked about, prostate cancer is actually more common than breast cancer!

Dabbler has been on hiatus for some time. Both Angela and myself have taken on some major projects that make it impossible to stay on top of this site as well. But since Movember is such a good cause we felt the least we could do was repost the video to get everyone in the mood for some mo-growin’.

For more information and to sign up go to Movember.com, then send your friends or loved ones who think you’ve gone insane here or to YouTube to watch the video. And while you’re at it you can read the original article after the jump.

A little action in the bedroom is good but did you know it’s also good FOR you?

If your man is using this as a reason for gettin’ a little somethin’ somethin,’ it ain’t no ordinary line ladies. He’s actually right! Such a release is good for his prostate and if you knew how common it is for men to develop cancer in this gland, you wouldn’t take his request so lightly.

Even though the subject is brought up every once in a while, people (generally of the male variety) are usually quick to change it or simply tune it out because it’s an uncomfortable issue. But why? We hear about breast cancer on a daily basis now it seems, and you can buy pretty much anything in pink these days so why is there this great imbalance?

Well, for one thing, just as you’d rather see bare breasts than full frontal male nudity, women just have a prettier package and pretty things are easier to talk about. The fact that breast cancer surgery is a lot more traumatic also warrants the attention. Consider that women can actually lose a whole breast, something that is more physically and psychologically damaging than losing an organ that you can’t see or touch. That’s why I think prostate cancer never gets the spotlight…until now!

And it’s about time! Did you know that prostate cancer is actually more common than breast cancer?! The numbers are staggering. Just this week alone, 429 Canadian men will have been diagnosed with prostate cancer and according to the Canadian Cancer Society, 1 in 27 will die from it. That’s why early detection is so critical. Like any other cancer, doctors the world over are still hard at work finding a cure so if a cancer is left to grow, it could not only be debilitating, but fatal. Prostate cancer develops very slowly so by the time you experience any symptoms, it may already be too late. However, if you are diligent about your annual checkups, early detection will ensure that you receive the right treatment so you can continue to live your life to the fullest. It is strongly recommended that men 40 and over be examined regularly but men in their mid-30s are now beginning to do so as well. Can’t hurt right? Well…maybe a little…

Granted, a physical examination of your prostate is more than unpleasant, but consider the repercussions if you ignore such a serious condition. Mad Morten’s grandfather discovered a tumor that eventually spread to his back, paralyzing him during his latter years of life and only through sheer stubbornness did he still live a relatively long one. The cancer can engulf any part of your body, not just your back as in this case. You guys out there will be happy to know that there is an alternative to being poked and prodded. As Alan explains in the video, there is a blood test called the Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) test that is less invasive and which produces the same results, so please consult your family physician, ask lots of questions, and learn more about it.

All this education is where Movember comes into play. Now that you’re armed with potentially life-saving info, it’s time to spread something of the good kind…awareness. And how will you do that? By sporting a MO (an Aussie slang for mustache) and becoming a Mo Bro! Unless you’re Magnum P.I., these facial accents are a rarity. That’s why when you wear one yourself, you’ll naturally attract attention and as people begin to ask you why you’re wearing such a pimpin’ look, you can enlighten them about a worthy cause. Women may be challenged in the facial hair department, but they have a part to play as well, by becoming Mo Sistas and supporting and recruiting Mo Men. This is one of the most creative ways of approaching a delicate subject and you’re encouraged to have fun with it. Conduct Mo-offs at your office! The teachers at Midland Secondary School in Ontario are raising money by selling ballots to vote on which teacher will don which ridiculous-looking mustache for the remainder of the month. All the money raised will fund each participating country’s leading prostate cancer research foundation so all the money raised in Canada will stay IN Canada. Our country’s beneficiary partner is the Prostate Cancer Research Foundation of Canada so sign up at Movember.com, start your own competition, and at the end of the month, celebrate with all your Vancouver Mo Bros and Sistas at a Gala Parté on November 29th at Caprice Night Club (check Movember.com for listings in other cities).

Knowledge is power babeh!

The Office Ultimate kit contains not only the staples such as Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint but also a series of tools that will greatly enhance learning and collaboration in the form of Groove, InfoPath and OneNote.

The name of this promotion couldn’t be more accurate; this truely is The Ultimate Steal. Makes me wish I was a student again just so I could get my hands on it. But be quick: Who knows how long this is going to last…

You may have noticed the number of postings on Dabbler.ca has trickled down to almost zero over the last two months. We’ve gotten many queries about why that is and some even think Dabbler is now defunct. Things could not be farther from the truth. But in response to our virtual absence I think a short explanation is in order:

We’ve Been Working!

Over the last two months both Angela and myself have taken on huge projects through the Dabbler mothership Pink & Yellow Media. These projects have been extremely time consuming and have forced us to move this site down on the priority list leading to a sharp decrease in postings. Although Dabbler has become quite successful we still are not at a point where we can drop everything and focus entirely on the blog. Like Angela says:

We got to eat!

So what have we been working on you ask? I’m not going to tell you just yet but here’s a hint: You’ll most likely catch Angela’s work on American network television some time in the fall and Morten’s project will be in book stores world wide in mid October this year. Stay tuned for further updates.

YouTube Loves Dabbler Loves YouTube

In conjunction with the one year anniversary of Dabbler.ca our YouTube viewership hit the 2,000,000 mark (yes, that’s two million!) and we are now racking up about 200,000 new views per month. We were fortunate enough to be invited as one of the first Canadian publishers to be enrolled in the YouTube Partner Program and it has definitely paid off in both viewership and $$$. As a result of the sudden popularity of Dabbler videos on YouTube we are now planning to ramp up our video production.

To watch our videos and interact with other Dabbler fans on YouTube, visit the Dabbler.ca Channel.

Now that our time consuming outside projects are wrapping up we will be getting back to business and posting tons of new and exciting content for you to digest. Stay tuned!

Now hold up. Before you start jumping for joy and running to the mall for that new pair of shoes that you’ve been salivating over, remember that starting next week, the province’s Revenue Neutral Carbon Tax will kick in and you’ll find a dramatic increase in your use of expletives whenever you make a stop at the pumps. The math is complicated but just to give you an idea, according to “North America’s first comprehensive carbon tax,” you’ll be paying 2.41 cents more per litre of gasoline this year, a premium that will increase each year for the next four years. Eventually, you’ll be paying 7.24 cents more per litre by 2012. For diesel and home heating oil, it works out to 2.76 cents more per litre, rising to 8.27 cents more per litre over the same period.

So yes, the $100 does seem to be sugar-coating this terrible news, but keep in mind that it’s a “Revenue-Neutral” Carbon Tax, which means that by law, all revenue raised by the carbon tax must be returned to individuals and businesses through reductions to other taxes. So, if you’re a cup half-full kind of person, all of it can be viewed as an incentive to make better choices for the environment and as a consequence, for yourself and your family. So kudos to the government I say. I’m going to be buying light bulbs with my $100. Seriously folks, do use it for what it’s intended. Energy Star qualified bulbs use about 75% less energy than standard incandescent bulbs and last up to 10 times longer. If you wanna join me, here’s a link to a great article that’ll come in handy on your next shopping trip.

After seeing a strange increase in students requesting pregnancy tests at a local school’s health clinic, administrators started to dig a little to see what was going on. Upon investigation, it was discovered that a group of approximately 17 girls had entered into some kind of ‘pregnancy pact’ to have their babies together this year.

So many questions come to my mind I can’t even begin to spit them out. There were two parts of this article that really piqued my interest – you know, other than the sheer obvious ridiculousness of a pregnancy pact in the first place.

The article notes that a previous school doctor and nurse resigned in protest of the fact that the school refused to distribute contraception to students without parental consent. So, wait a second. How is administering pregnancy tests ok, but giving out the stuff that could prevent using the pregnancy test in the first place not ok? Moving right along…

The other part that really freaked me out is the fact that there is speculation that one of the girls was impregnated by a homeless man! Are you kidding me? Were these girls this desperate?

I guess things have changed since I was a teen. Back in the day, the idea was to avoid pregnancy.

The times…they are a changin’.

Carnies are some of the weirdest breed on earth. Our trip on the Polar Express just vindicated that incredibly stereotypical notion. The man operating / repairing / probably assembling this ride looked entirely unqualified as he hopped on the Polar Express while it was moving with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth and mimed that he was riding a tubular wave. Ponytail flying in the wind, ash sprinkling over the small children like a fresh layer of snow.

It was then that I decided I would likely not go on another ride. Articles like this one just perpetuate my fears. When I read this today, all I could think about was that day, that moment, when I cursed myself for putting my young nephew on this veritable death trap. Sure, statistically it’ll probably never happen, but do I really want to take that risk?

Rarity or every day occurrence, doesn’t really matter to me. Something that can be set up and torn down in a day just makes me nervous. Add to that the people I see doing the work and you can expect to see me on the sidelines at Playland eating mini donuts.

On the outskirts of Silicon Valley lies LS9, a company that may just have found the solution for the world’s present oil crisis. The term ‘renewable petroleum” may sound like an oxymoron but to Greg Pal, Senior Director of LS9 Biofuels Company, it’s tangible reality. The dark substance in the jar above is remarkably, diesel fuel produced by genetically modified bugs. That’s right folks, someone has found a way to reproduce crude oil (which can be refined into other products like petroleum or jet fuel). Quite unbelievably, LS9′s bugs are single-cell organisms, invisible to the naked eye and start out as industrial yeast or nonpathogenic strains of E. coli, the DNA of which are modified so that when the bugs feed on agricultural waste like wheat straw or woodchips, the microscopic wonders excrete a substance that is almost pump-ready.

According to a Times Online article that I read, the company claims that this “Oil 2.0″ will not only be renewable but also carbon negative – meaning that the carbon it emits will be less than that sucked from the atmosphere by the raw materials from which it is made. But then it points out that LS9 has only been able to produce one barrel a week in a lab that takes up 40 sq ft of floor space. This means that with America’s weekly oil consumption of 143 million barrels, you would need a facility that covers about 205 square miles, an area roughly the size of Chicago.

33-year-old Pal claims however, that construction of a commercial-scale facility will be well underway by 2011, with the resulting oil production costing a mere $50 a barrel! Considering that existing oil deposits take what? 10 lifetimes to form? and are the biggest pain to dig for, extract, and transport, this is one lofty promise. But if this is all true and possible, I think ABC has found its next Bachelor.

Original article from Times Online.

Whether it is flat-packing products to reduce packaging and transportation emissions, working with Global Charitable partners like UNICEF, Save the Children, WWF, using socially & environmentally responsible materials in its products or having a store format that draws on a larger trade area (instead of more stores), the company has practiced responsible retailing for decades.

I first took notice of the initiatives this company was taking when I spotted these parking stalls during one of my trips to the store last year. I’ve never seen any other store offer preferential parking to customers that drove hybrid cars and I was ecstatic to have found a spot right by the main entrance for my Prius (anyone who’s taken a trip to IKEA on a weekend knows what a bonus this is!). I think any company that goes the extra mile to uphold worthy values deserves a right proper mention and other retailers should really take note because in this new age of conscious consumerism, they can’t afford not to step up their game.

There’s more so read on!

In October 2007, IKEA Canada conducted a customer survey that received more than 60,000 responses which concluded that plastic bags were an environmental issue that needed action. Shortly thereafter, the retailer began charging for its plastic bags, donating the full $0.05 to Tree Canada. Customers responded rapidly to the challenge – with a reduction in plastic bag use by 90 per cent nationally in 6 months.

To continue to collect this kind of valuable customer insight, the company has decided to develop a series of ongoing surveys through www.theikeaway.ca to measure attitude and opinions of consumers about barriers and drivers regarding social and environmental products (S&E), how S&E impacts their decision making process, local and ethical sourcing, the impact of operational efforts by corporations, and their concerns about “greenwashing.” The results will be published on their website and will be shared with customers and the retail industry alike.

In another step, IKEA now only sells and serves UTZ certified coffee at all its stores and offices globally. UTZ Certified is an independent not-for-profit organization that sets a standard for responsible coffee growing and sourcing. This recognized and trustworthy certification traces all coffee back to the plantations and ensures plantation workers’ families have access to reasonable housing, healthcare and education for their children. UTZ Certified also requires that plantations have a low impact on the environment and that farmers minimize the use of energy, water, and work to prevent soil erosion.

These are just a few examples of IKEA’s commitment. Even their press releases are delivered with the environment in mind. News of “The IKEA Way” came to me in a smaller version of one of their iconic blue reusable bags ($1 for the larger bag) which contained a package of UTZ certified coffee, media materials in a USB key made of bamboo – an endlessly renewable resource, and a pin made of Mountain Pine Beetle ravaged wood that would otherwise have been waste. All of this delivered by a bike, hybrid or low emission courier.

Know of any other companies or practices that are worth our buck? Leave us a comment and tell us about them!

About IKEA

IKEA is a leading home furnishings retailer with 260 stores in 36 countries worldwide, which are visited by 522 million people every year. IKEA Canada has 11 stores which are visited by over 25 million people every year. Last year the ikea.com websites attracted 450 million visitors. Founded in 1943, IKEA’s business philosophy is to offer a wide range of products of good design and function at prices so low, the majority of people can afford them.

Global Peace Index Rankings

The table below provides the GPI rankings for the 140 countries analysed in 2008 and the 121 countries analysed in 2007. Countries most at peace are ranked first. A lower score indicates a more peaceful country.

To see the details of each country’s peace indicators and drivers, scroll down and click on the name of the country you’d like to see more information on.

Click on any country below for details on the peace indicators and drivers that affected its 2008 ranking on the Global Peace Index:

1. Iceland 2. Denmark 3. Norway 4. New Zealand 5. Japan 6. Ireland 7. Portugal 8. Finland 9. Luxembourg 10. Austria 11. Canada 12. Switzerland 13. Sweden 14. Germany 15. Belgium 16. Slovenia 17. Czech Republic 18. Hungary 19. Chile 20. Slovakia 21. Uruguay 22. Netherlands 23. Hong Kong 24. Romania 25. Oman 26. Bhutan 27. Australia 28. Italy 29. Singapore 30. Spain 31. Poland 32. South Korea 33. Qatar 34. Costa Rica 35. Estonia 36. France 37. Vietnam 38. Malaysia 39. Latvia 40. Ghana 41. Lithuania 42. United Arab Emirates 43. Madagascar 44. Taiwan 45. Kuwait 46. Botswana 47. Tunisia 48. Panama 49. United Kingdom 50. Mozambique 51. Laos 52. Cyprus 53. Zambia 54. Greece 55. Gabon 56. Argentina 57. Bulgaria 58. Tanzania 59. Nicaragua 60. Croatia 61. Libya 62. Cuba 63. Morocco 64. Equatorial Guinea 65. Jordan 66. Bosnia and Herzegovina 67. China 68. Indonesia 69. Egypt 70. Paraguay 71. Senegal 72. Kazakhstan 73. Malawi 74. Bahrain 75. Syria 76. Rwanda 77. Namibia 78. Bolivia 79. Albania 80. Peru 81. Burkina Faso 82. Dominican Republic 83. Moldova 84. Ukraine 85. Serbia 86. Bangladesh 87. Macedonia 88. Mongolia 89. El Salvador 90. Brazil 91. Cambodia 92. Cameroon 93. Mexico 94. Belarus 95. Papua New Guinea 96. Jamaica 97. United States of America 98. Trinidad and Tobago 99. Mali 100. Ecuador 101. Azerbaijan 102. Turkmenistan 103. Guatemala 104. Honduras 105. Iran 106. Yemen 107. India 108. Saudi Arabia 109. Haiti 110. Angola 111. Uzbekistan 112. Algeria 113. Philippines 114. Uganda 115. Turkey 116. South Africa 117. Congo (Brazzaville) 118. Thailand 119. Kenya 120. Mauritania 121. Ethiopia 122. Cote d’Ivoire 123. Venezuela 124. Zimbabwe 125. Sri Lanka 126. Myanmar 127. Pakistan 128. Democratic Republic of Congo 129. Nigeria 130. Colombia 131. Russia 132. Lebanon 133. North Korea 134. Central African Republic 135. Chad 136. Israel 137. Afghanistan 138. Sudan 139. Somalia 140. Iraq

Take our most basic need for instance. In a country as rich as ours, how can it be that over 720,000 Canadians need to use a food bank to make ends meet in any given month? Even with a job, some of these people struggle to feed their families. Something has to be done to eliminate the need for the nearly 300,000 children that went hungry last month. We have over 33 million people in this country. That means that even if only 3% of us donate a can of food a month, there would be no need for a National Hunger Awareness Day. So on Thursday June 5th, get into the spirit of Dugnad and do something to help eliminate hunger in Canada. We are all connected to each other so everything we do has a potentially monumental ripple effect on everyone and everything else, especially when our actions are focused on improving more than just ourselves and our lives. Just your signature in a National Hunger Awareness Day petition to urge Federal Government to take action can do the trick. But while you do that, also box up a few non-perishable food items and haul it down to your local food bank, cause even though we can persuade the House of Commons to develop a national anti-poverty strategy, you can rest assured that they’ll be takin’ their sweet time doin’ it! Please read on to learn more about National Hunger Awareness Day and what you can do to affect change.

Official press release for National Hunger Awareness Day:

The Face of Hunger Will Surprise You
Many Working Canadians resort to food banks for essential food

Thursday June 5, 2008 is National Hunger Awareness Day; Canadian Association of Food Banks calling for increased awareness of hunger in Canada, public engagement, and government action on 4-step plan to reduce need for food banks.

Toronto, June 2 — The Canadian Association of Food Banks (CAFB) is calling on all Canadians to learn about and act on hunger in Canada. On June 5, 2008, National Hunger Awareness Day (NHAD) will provide an opportunity for Canadians to get involved through activities at their local food bank, and by signing the CAFB Hunger Awareness Day petition. The CAFB is also putting forward a 4-step plan that, if implemented, will reduce the need for food banks in Canada.

More than 720,000 Canadians are assisted by community food banks every month. 39% of those helped are children under age 18, and 51% of assisted households are families with at least one child.

It is a discouraging reality that, of the more than 720,000 individuals assisted each month, 19% – more than 133,000 people – live in households where the primary source of income is from employment or Employment Insurance.

“I’ve been working all my life,” says Glenn Kitchener, a food bank client and volunteer living in Toronto. “But I had some bad luck with my health, and worked for an employer that didn’t support me while I got better. I was able to find a food bank that provided me with much-needed food, and also an opportunity to volunteer and contribute to the community. Now that I’ve started working again, the food bank is continuing to help me until I’m up to full-time hours.”

“Most people likely know someone in their community who uses a food bank, even if they don’t realize it,” says Katharine Schmidt, Executive Director, CAFB. “Working people, seniors, families with children, people with disabilities can all face barriers to earning sufficient income to provide food for themselves and their families. This has been a problem for over 20 years, and we need support from all Canadians – and all Canadian governments – to solve it.”

The CAFB Hunger Awareness Day petition provides 4 steps the federal government can take to reduce the need for food banks:

· Develop a National Anti-Poverty Strategy

· Reform the Employment Insurance system to make it more fair

· Move forward on a $5,000 Canada Child Tax Benefit

· Invest in affordable housing and child care

For more information on hunger in Canada, please click here for some of the statistics

About the Canadian Association of Food Banks (CAFB)

The CAFB is a national charitable organization representing the food bank community across Canada. More than 720,000 people access food banks each month – 39% are children. CAFB conducts research, engages in public education and advocates for public policy change to eliminate the causes of hunger and poverty in Canada. In 2007, the CAFB acquired and shared 8 million pounds of food industry donations through its National Food Sharing System for hungry Canadians.