danipretto

1. Amy Pascal, co-chairman of Sony Pictures and head of the company's motion picture group, is stepping down.
2. Her leaked emails proved one of the central stories of the November 2014 Sony hack.
3. She had already been rumored to be on her way out at the company before the hack, but the hack almost certainly hastened her exit.
4. Pascal is the only female head of a major movie studio.

What's next for Pascal

Pascal made her announcement this morning. She will leave Sony to launch a new production venture.

According to Deadline, there had been speculation the Pascal might transition before the hacking of Sony in November 2014, but "clearly, this all has been hastened by the devastating cyber attack on the studio by North Korea over Sony's The Interview."

How the hack affected Amy Pascal

During the hacking, the entirety of Pascal's email was leaked and revealed to contain sections where she bet that the president of the United States preferred movies written by or starring black people. She later told Deadline that she didn't want to be defined by those emails.

Pascal was caught up in all sorts of email drama during the hackings. She wrote far too many emails using Caps Lock. She was in charge of what eventually became the explosion of the Steve Jobs movie. Her emails were often unprofessional, and riddled with talk of her colleagues that was not by any means complimentary.

The move to production will give Pascal some time out of the limelight, time in which the hack can cease to be the sole thing defining her.

Pascal said in a statement:

"I have always wanted to be a producer. [Sony Entertainment CEO Michael Lynton] and I have been talking about this transition for quite some time, and I am grateful to him for giving me the opportunity to pursue my long-held dream and for providing unparalleled support. As the slate for the next two years has come together, it felt like the right time to transition into this new role. I am so grateful to my team, some of whom I have worked with for the last 20 years and others who have joined more recently. I am leaving the studio in great hands. I am so proud of what we have all done together and I look forward to a whole lot more."

What the departure means for gender representation

Pascal's departure is understandable, both from her perspective and from that of Sony. But it also means there are no women in charge of any of the major movie studios. It only further underlines the simple fact that women are vastly underrepresented in Hollywood on every level, and now they are even less represented at the level of studio heads.

This is a headband from Japanese designer Campanella that makes it look like a cat is riding/humping the back of your head. Obviously, it will be this spring's must-have fashion accessory. This summer's must-have fashion accessory will be jewelry that looks like realistic candy. *rubbing crystal ball* And for the fall -- oh, it looks like I get hit by a bus in August. Oh well. Keep going for a couple shots of the headband on actual heads.

(via tastefullyoffensive:video)

Apartment renters, off-grid-dwellers, camping lovers and anyone who enjoy light when and where they need it: eyes front.  Ellum Solar by Feltmark is an intuitive smart, solar-powered, motion-activated LED lamp to light your way when you need it, no matter where you are. Embedded with sensors, battery powered and solar charging, Ellum works up to 6 months on 1 day of charge. Thoughtfully simple, Ellum magnetically installs anywhere and looks pretty cool, with its sleek wood case. Precision made from solid hardwood and handcrafted in Los Angeles by Feltmark, Ellum Solar is powerful enough and simple enough for your off-grid lighting needs.

+ Ellum on Kickstarter

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Worried about rising water levels, increased frequency and strength of storms as well as other potential natural disasters? Well, according to the latest Global Adaptation Index (GAIN) report, which ranks more than 175 countries based on their vulnerability to climate change and their readiness, you would be better off moving to Scandanavia—specifically Norway and Sweden. 

Read the rest of New report shows Scandinavian countries are best-prepared for the effects of climate change

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Have you ever wondered what the classic sitcom Friends would look like if you watched every episode of season one at the same time? No, not on 24 different screens — one for each episode — but all on the same screen.

Program designers Brett Bergmann and Benajmin Roberts did just that, taking every episode of Friends' first season and mashing them together. The result is a surrealist walk down memory lane, titled We Used to Be Friends.

The bizarre video above, whether the creators intended it or not, acts as a sort of meta-analysis of not just Friends, but '90s sitcoms in general.

What's striking about the video is how carnivalesque everything appears. Once you hit play, you're bombarded with an avalanche of blurry images scored to the sounds of comical dialogue and laughter. If you keep watching, there will come a point where you realize just how formulaic the show was.

Like all sitcoms, Friends' scripts were written with an almost scientific precision. In every episode, Rachel and Ross would flirt and fight, Monica would be brazenly type-A, Joey would smugly pursue women, Phoebe would say something so random that it was funny, and Chandler would offer a commentary on all of it that would never be as funny as it was in his head. This formulaic approach to storytelling comes through in the episodes' titles, each of which starts with the words "The one with/where ... " ("The One Where Joey Speaks French," "The One With the Male Nanny").

If you watch the video above closely enough, you might be able to make out individual frames, and recognize your favorite characters in their apartments or their favorite coffee spot. But the point of the video isn't to pick out the 24 different shots — the point is to see them all as the same shot.

If the mash-up offers a glimpse into Friends' formulaic approach to a half-hour comedy, it also nods to its formulaic approach to '90s culture, as reflected in the decade's sitcoms.

One longtime critique of the sitcom has been its lack of diversity, and that each punchline — regardless of the comedic genius with which it was delivered — shored up the prevailing hegemony of the '90s: white, male, heterosexual, affluent.

Oprah even leveled her own joking criticism on this front. When she had the cast on her show in 1995, she quipped, "I'd like y'all to get a black friend. Maybe I could stop by. In fact, I'm thinking about buying that apartment building next door."

With all of this in mind, have a look at the video above.

The morning commute in West Vancouver, B.C. was tied up by a "slow-moving" beaver who decided to cross the road.

Traffic at 15th Avenue and Bellevue Street was blocked as police tweeted urgent updates.

#WVPDTraffic - Over to you #Traffic reporters! Slow moving beaver blocking traffic at 15th & Bellevue this am. pic.twitter.com/uBvGLlBApa

— West Vancouver PD (@WestVanPolice) January 26, 2015

While it's unclear why the beaver crossed the road, West Vancouver's police chief did clarify that it would not be ticketed for jaywalking.

@northshorejoey @WestVanPolice Pursuant to the National Symbols Act of 1917, beavers are immune from prosecution. ..

— Chief Len Goerke (@LenGoerke) January 26, 2015

The beaver was eventually "herded" by police and pedestrians to a nearby park.

Rescuers celebrated with poutine, maple syrup, and apologies, no doubt.

#WVPDTraffic - #WVPD staff passing & other pedestrians did 'Beaver herding'. Safely shooed visitor into nearby park pic.twitter.com/pxmWon1nqv

— West Vancouver PD (@WestVanPolice) January 26, 2015

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Yes, you need more fattening burritos in your life. And you're in luck: today is Chipotle's big free burrito promotion. If you go into the store today and order one of the company's sofritas (read: tofu) menu items, you can keep your receipt and bring it back for a free burrito in the next month.

Yes, it's a food giveaway, but you can see how this would be great business for the company, for a few reasons. One is that it gets lots of people in the door today, and a lot of those people are bound to lose their receipts or simply forget about the promotion within the next month. Consider that redemption rates for coupons are fantastically low at retailers. According to retail technology company Inmar, only around 6.6 percent of on-receipt coupons (think those coupons you get on your super-long CVS receipts) were redeemed in 2012. That's not quite the same as what Chipotle is doing, but even if Chipotle's customers happen to redeem far more of their receipts than consumers usually do, it still signals that Chipotle probably won't have to hand out nearly all the free burritos it promises today.

Another is that it gets people to try the company's relatively unpopular sofritas — as of July last year, sofritas accounted for only only 3.5 percent of the company's sales. This seems particularly important as the company comes away from a meat supply snafu. Earlier this month, Chipotle found that one of its pork suppliers had violated the restaurant's animal welfare standards, causing Chipotle to pull its carnitas filling from 600 restaurants. Tofu is also often cheaper than meat (that said, Chipotle insists it has similar margins on tofu as it does to chicken).

And promoting its meat-free options is also a brand-building exercise for the company. Chipotle has made humanely-raised meat a big part of its brand (something that the carnitas shortage, unfortunate as it was for the company, helped promote). Hawking its non-meat burrito filling only helps to bolster its animal-friendly image.

It could also be a hard sell to get more Americans to choose tofu over meat. According to Gallup, only 5 percent of Americans identified as vegetarian in 2012, and 2 percent were vegan. Then again, Americans' meat consumption has started to fall off in recent years, meaning Chipotle might be able to interest Americans trying to cut back on their animal-eating.

Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi was named the world's most outstanding mayor earlier this week.

And even though he's busy with meetings at the Federation of Canadian Municipalities conference in Toronto, delegates still made time for a coronation.

Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson handed Nenshi a tiara in recognition of his winning the 2014 World Mayor Award on Thursday, The National Post reported.


Photo by Fredericton Mayor Brad Woodside.


Photo by Braeden Caley.

The award recognizes mayors who have made "long-lasting contributions to their communities and are committed to the well-being of cities nationally and internationally."

Long may he reign.

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It's incredibly easy for adults to lose sight of which vaccines they do (or don't) have. Doctors administer many of the shots as babies, and tracking down a childhood pediatrician isn't exactly the simplest task in the world.

With this in mind, we created this guide to the vaccines you should have at every age.

Right now, with the Disneyland measles outbreak, there's a lot of interest in the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine. Here are four things to know about that shot in particular:

1. If you were born before 1957 — and before the measles vaccine existed — you are probably safe since you likely suffered through a bout of measles.
2. For those born after 1957, you were probably vaccinated with either one or two doses of the MMR vaccine. If you got the vaccine in childhood, you're protected for life. One dose is more than 90 percent effective; two are more nearly 100 percent effective. Health officials told us one is enough to protect you from measles.
3. If you're still not sure about whether you're immunized, you can also ask your doctor for a blood test that will give you an answer within a couple of days.
4. According to several pediatricians and public-health officials we spoke to, there's no harm in getting a second dose if you're not sure. For this reason, they suggested just skipping the blood test and getting a dose anyway to save yourself from extra doctors' appointments.
   

For more detailed information about dosing, see the CDC's vaccines schedules and talk to your doctor.

Further reading:

9 things everybody should know about measles
How an Amish missionary caused 2014's massive measles outbreak
The research linking autism to vaccines is even more bogus than you think
Understanding the fear of vaccines: an activist explains why he buys a debunked idea

WATCH: 'Vaccines do not cause autism, they save lives'

pinstripebindi:

(photos via alan_thedog)

The GOODS from The Cinematheque

Vancouver, BC | This Friday, The Cinematheque will open a new series celebrating the great Taiwanese master director Hou Hsiao-hsien, widely recognized as one of the most important and influential filmmakers to emerge in the past three decades. The 20-film retrospective offers Vancouver audiences a rare opportunity to experience Hou’s celebrated work, revered for its humanism, complexity, and contemplative beauty – on 35mm prints.

“The world’s greatest narrative filmmaker.”
-CHICAGO READER

“If Hou Hsiao-hsien hailed from the west, he would be more widely known as one of the world’s foremost film-makers.” -THE GUARDIAN

“Essential viewing … Audiences don’t get many opportunities to see Hou’s movies on the big screen.”
– NEW YORK TIMES

Highlights Scout Readers might enjoy:

A Time to Live and a Time to Die | Hou’s deeply affecting semi-autobiographical film was inspired by his own experiences growing up in rural Taiwan after his family relocated from the mainland. “One of the great works of childhood and memory in the Chinese or any other cinema” (Film Comment).

A Summer at Grandpa’s | A clear influence on Hayao Miyazaki’s My Neighbour Totoro, Hou’s gentle fifth feature is an affecting, unsentimental tale of childhood lost, told from the perspective of the film’s young protagonists, who go to live in the countryside with their grandfather when their mother falls ill.

Three Times | An undisputed masterpiece and Best-of-the-Decade staple, Three Times is Hou’s breathtaking, tripartite tale of love (and love lost) from three periods in Taiwanese history: 1966, 1911, and 2005. “This is why cinema exists” (New York Times).

DETAILS

1131 Howe Street | Vancouver, BC
Telephone: 604-688-8202
Website: www.thecinematheque.ca | Facebook | Twitter | Issu

GALLERY

Key People

Jim Sinclair – Executive + Artistic Director
Amber Orchard – Managing Director

About The Cinematheque

At The Cinematheque, we are dedicated to bringing Vancouver audiences the Essential Cinema Experience. Home to one of the largest and most extensive programs of curated films in North America, we present over 500 screenings annually that celebrate the richness and diversity of regional, national, and international film culture. We present retrospectives of great directors’ works and historical film movements, new features from Canada’s hottest young filmmakers, prestigious internationally touring exhibitions, plus guest appearances, lectures, panel discussions, and much, much more. From the newest digital restoration of Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey to a pristine 35mm print of David Cronenberg’s Videodrome; from the all-ages animation of Japan’s Studio Ghibli to the cerebral cinema of French auteur Jean-Luc Godard; from our annual festivals celebrating the best in contemporary European, Francophone, and Canadian cinema to our monthly series spotlighting experimental cinema and mental health; The Cinematheque is proud to offer something for every film lover.

What would the movies be without popcorn? Our concession serves up fresh and delicious popcorn,with free (real) melted butter and special toppings, along with a tasty mix of treats and baked good, including gluten-free options.

Established in 1972, The Cinematheque is a registered non-profit charity that relies on public and private support. We are thankful for the support of our amazing volunteers that work at our box office and concession each night, distribute our bi-monthly Program Guide, and assist in the office.

Not just a movie theatre! Supplementing our rich body of programming are core resources like our Film Reference Library, West Coast Film Archive, the bi-monthly Cinematheque Program Guide, and our unique educational programs.

PRESS

“Going to The Cinematheque is the closest thing to visiting Manhattan without leaving Vancouver …. Its program is as innovative and entertaining as any you’ll find in New York.” David Spaner, The Province

“Cinémathèques now take on a job parallel to what museums do with painting and sculpture.  They assemble, sort, analyze and exhibit the culture of the world.”  Robert Fulford, The Globe & Mail

The post GOODS | The Cinematheque Gets Set To Show 20 Films By Master Director Hou Hsiao-hsien appeared first on Scout Magazine.

Iceland is rising. No, it’s not a thrilling new ride at a theme park, Iceland is literally being lifted by climate change. This means the country is getting more land freed up by melting ice, but it could also mean that more volcanoes will be interrupting flights and wreaking general havoc over the country.

Read the rest of Climate change means more volcanic eruptions in Iceland

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by Ashley Linkletter | Made on Isle-aux-Grues, the only inhabited island amongst the 21 islands that make up the Isle-aux-Grues archipelago on the Saint Lawrence River. Only accessible via small airplane in the winter and a ferry in the summer, Le Canotier de l’Isle is a firm washed rind cheese made of unpasteurized Brown Swiss cow’s milk that is aged 9-12 months before it is ready to sell. This remarkable cheese is a snapshot in time and a direct nod to traditional cheesemaking from times past. The isolation of the island gives a sense of the insular world where Le Canotier de l’Isle is produced; everything from the cow’s particular diet of marsh hay to the practiced hands that make cheese are a positive sign that there are fromageries in Canada willing to produce Old World style cheeses that depend on close attention to detail and method.

When first tasting Le Canotier de l’Isle all of my colleagues at les amis du Fromage had a similar reaction, that the cheese has a very distinct umami flavour profile, almost like that of a cured salami. Upon tasting, its thin amber crust melts into the pale buttery paste and boasts prominent nutty flavours as well as a lingering fruitiness that becomes more assertive the longer you allow yourself to experience your first bite. As with many cheeses made close to the salty sea air and water, Le Canotier de l’Isle has a pronounced salty tang that is somewhat reminiscent of British cloth-bound cheddars, but without genre-defining intense earthiness.

Le Canotier de l’Isle is perfect to eat on its own as its complex flavours leave your palate feeling simultaneously intrigued and satisfied. However, I think this is my all-time favourite cheese to serve with charcuterie, especially cured salami and ham. Whenever cheese has a particularly fruity taste I think that fresh, bright looking fruit is a natural pairing; something about the vibrant colours of fruit bridges over to what you taste in an odd but dependable synesthesia-like taste reaction. Similarly, this cheese is wonderful on bread that has been beautifully studded with dried apricots and slivered almonds (if you really want to indulge, spread a thin layer of sea salted butter before applying the cheese.) I would serve this cheese with a gentler red wine such as a Pinot Noir or Beaujolais; alternately a moderately sweet hard cider would be just as lovely.

Le Canotier de l’Isle can be found at les amis du FROMAGE for $4.95/100g.

MORE BEYOND CHEDDAR

The post BEYOND CHEDDAR | On Le Canotier De l’Isle, The Remarkable Cheese From Isle-Aux-Grues appeared first on Scout Magazine.

Feel like a venti beer? Or how about a glass of wine instead of that skinny mocha?

Starbucks is set to change the rules of the Canadian coffee shop game with the introduction of beer and wine to some of its stores.

So said Starbucks Canada president Rossann Williams, in an interview with the Toronto Star. The booze menu will roll out in Toronto locations and in other big cities by the end of the year.

It’s just part of an overhaul of Starbucks’ Canadian menu that will also see the coffee chain offer tapas and other new food offerings, as well as delivery — a move that, if successful, could shake up the market.

It isn’t just in Canada. Starbucks announced chain-wide plans for delivery and alcohol sales in its locations last year.

"Imagine the ability to create a standing order of Starbucks delivered hot to your desk daily," Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz said. "That's our version of e-commerce on steroids."

Starbucks has been experimenting with selling booze for some time, first launching alcohol sales at a Seattle location in 2010.

“We’ve tested it long enough in enough markets — this is a program that works,” COO Troy Alstead said last year.

Other changes to Starbucks in Canada will include a mobile app that will allow customers to bypass line-ups; customized carbonated beverages; and more drive-through locations on Ontario's busy highway 401.

It's all part of an effort to counter flat coffee sales, the Star reports.

Though Canada is widely believed to be Tim Hortons country, Starbucks actually has its largest per-capita presence here. There are nearly 40 Starbucks locations per one million people in Canada, more than anywhere else, including in the chain's home country, the U.S., where it has about 36 locations per million people.



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A 15-character hashtag on Twitter is doing a good job of making both men and women think twice about sexism.

#QuestionsForMen, which began trending on Monday, was sparked after Australia's Daily Life writer Clementine Ford asked the men in her feed if they we're ever called "attention seekers," according to Mic.com.

Ford, who is often criticized on social media for grandstanding with her writing, points out this descriptor is more about her gender than anything else.

Question to the male writers/speakers etc out there. Is it common for you to be called an ‘attention seeker’? Or do just women get that?

— Clementine Ford (@clementine_ford) February 3, 2015

She started her own #QuestionsForMen tweets, commenting on sex, women's voices and rape culture, and before she knew it, the rest of the Twitterverse caught on.

Men and women started tweeting about everything from walking home safely at night to if men ever feel excited when other men win awards (like women do). And of course, like any social media movement, others chose to take the less serious route with their tweets.

Hashtags like #BeenRapedNeverReported and #YesAllWomen have had the power to start waves of awareness about sexual assault on social media platforms, while other pages like Everyday Sexism continue the conversation on Twitter every day.

And hey, if you really need a way to advocate, all you have to do is RT — a recent study even pointed out combating sexism on Twitter may make you feel better.

Check out some of the tweets below and find out what the Twitter world is saying here.

#QuestionsForMen Is it common for strange women to contact you online and tell you deserve to be raped?

— Clementine Ford (@clementine_ford) February 4, 2015

Do you carry you keys between your knuckles when walking home in the dark, as a casual self defence tool? #QuestionsForMen

— feminism & burritos (@nashwakay) February 3, 2015

#QuestionsForMen how much of your net income is devoted each year to the purchase of products designed to prevent your sexual assault?

— ur valentine crush (@CarriePotter_) February 3, 2015

What do you mean you don't want kids? #QuestionsForMen

— Susanna Leigh (@suzylee26) February 4, 2015

#QuestionsForMen Shouldn't you take better care of yourself, put on some makeup, buy some high heels, work out more, get thinner?

— Camila Fernandes (@milaf) February 4, 2015

Are you adept at casually mentioning in job interviews you will not be breeding or getting married in the next two years? #questionsformen

— Sarah McMullan (@SarahMcMullanNZ) February 3, 2015

#QuestionsForMen Have you ever expressed a strong opinion and been called a meninazi? @clementine_ford

— Mikey Nicholson (@Mikey_Nicholson) February 3, 2015

How many times have you been told you're "such an independent young man" like that shouldn't just be a given. #QuestionsForMen

— Gyan Yankovich (@GyanYankovich) February 3, 2015

#QuestionsForMen Does your wife LET YOU go out without her?

— Camila Fernandes (@milaf) February 4, 2015

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People want their wedding days to be perfect, so the big occasion often turns into a massive savings-swallowing event. Now with a new service from UK based firm Oliver’s Travels, if you really want to blow the budget for your big day, you can employ a ‘Cloud Bursting’ service to guarantee every photographic memory is bathed in glorious sunlight! The same technology that has also been used with environmental improvement in mind can now be used to make your big day matrimonial perfection.

Read the rest of Cloud bursting service guarantees sunny wedding photos – for a mere £100,000

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Many Metro Vancouverites were likely feeling disappointed yesterday after the Seahawks' loss at the Super Bowl on Sunday, but not Graham Talbot of Maple Ridge.

Not only did he make it to the top 10 of the annual Doritos Crash the Super Bowl commercial contest, but he actually got flown out to watch the game live. It was there that he learned his ad, "When Pigs Fly," was chosen to air in the live broadcast, and therefore that he had won the $50,000 runner-up prize.

“They had told us it’s going to be the second commercial in a certain commercial break,” Graham Talbot told Global News.

“I’m waiting, I’m waiting, it doesn't come up, and then it happens again, so you’re getting super nervous. There’s no payoff. And then the third time it finally happened. I exploded with emotion. It was an incredible feeling, I can’t describe it.”

Talbot conceived of the idea with his twin brother Nelson, according to Global News; they both graduated from Simon Fraser University's film program. They produced the commercial from their parents' basement, CBC News reported.

The duo beat out nearly 4,900 other entries to crack the top tw0, but the American-made "Middle Seat" was ultimately chosen to win the $1 million prize and the dream job opportunity at Universal Pictures.



Another filmmaker from Vancouver, Devon Ferguson, also made it to the top 10 with his commercial "Selfish Sneezers."



The Crash the Super Bowl runner-up is chosen by Doritos, while the winner is determined by public votes. This is the ninth year of the contest.

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Even though the Tesla Model X SUV has been delayed several times, Tesla is still working hard to deliver it by the end of 2015. Tesla is currently testing prototypes of the Model X and now we have a video of a prototype being tested at an old naval base in Alameda, California. In this video, YouTube user Juan del Real was able to catch the Model X doing some high speed testing on his iPhone.

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The New York State Attorney General’s Office is demanding that GNC, Walmart, Walgreens, and Target remove store brand herbal supplements from their shelves after the pills were found to be packed with a strange array of fraudulent—and in some cases hazardous—ingredients. Popular supplements such as ginseng, valerian root, and St. John’s wort sold under store brand names at the four major retailers were found to contain powdered rice, asparagus, and even houseplants, while being completely void of any of the ingredients on the label.

Read the rest of FDA finds majority of herbal supplements at GNC, Walmart, Walgreens, and Target don’t contain what they claim – instead cheap fillers like wheat and soy powder

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Uber has been getting into a lot of trouble lately, but nothing the company has faced to this point will be as ferocious as the competition the taxi-like service could get from Google in the coming years. Google is reportedly making quiet preparations for its own ride-sharing service, an anonymous source told Bloomberg.

Read the rest of Will Google launch a ride-share app using self-driving cabs?

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Three years ago, my business manager said off-handedly: "You know, you're spending $2,000 a year getting to the airport and back."

I. Did. Not. Know. That.

I fly a lot, and taking a cab or airport limo from downtown Toronto to Pearson International Airport had become second -nature.

But $2,000? How could that be?

Well, say the average cost with tip for a cab or limo is $75 one-way. That's $150 there and back, which quickly adds up to 13 round-trips a year or a bit over one trip a month. That's also a quarter to a third of the cost of a round-trip flight to Ottawa or Montreal.

But how else to get there?

You can drive your own car and park it at the airport for the duration of your trip. But the nearby airport parking is costly, and the cheap parking is inconvenient.

Isn't there a bus from the Royal York? There was: the Toronto Airport Express Bus service was discontinued in November after 35 years in service. One big reason was the trip took too long with all the downtown road construction.

The point is, whether you drive or are driven, in 2013 the average commute time in the GTA was longer than anywhere in North America--except New York City.

There is a better way.

My wife reminded me of it so often that my ears clanged shut whenever she said: "You know, darling, you can just hop on the subway and go to the end of the line at Kipling. Then take the TTC bus directly to Pearson. It takes less than an hour--and it only costs $3.00."

Hmmm. $3.00 vs. $75.00.

I guess I'd known this for years. But many fears had kept me from doing what she did all the time. Would I have to stand all the way in a crowded subway car? What if I had to get work done or call someone? What if the Airport Rocket bus at the Kipling station was late or got caught in traffic?

But the prospect of saving so much money beat back those fears.

So one day I took the subway from home (we live near the Pape station) to Pearson. That trip 22 stops west to Kipling took 45 minutes exactly, and I had a seat all the way. Then I waited precisely 6 minutes for the Airport Rocket bus, got on, got a seat and was at Pearson 18 minutes later.

Since then, I've taken the subway dozens of times to the airport and back: only once did I have to stand for more than a handful of stations, and only once did the Airport Rocket bus at Kipling keep us waiting for 20 minutes.

In fact, aside from saving me $2,000 a year (I take the subway to and from work, so have a monthly pass anyway) I have the great psychic benefit of lording it over my friends who pay much more and who get tied up in traffic and even miss their flights because of traffic. Every day, I'm in the company of 4,500 other riders who get to Pearson via the Airport Rocket. In fact, service is so robust that the TTC is about to launch a publicity campaign about the Rocket.

Well, they should. Early this summer, the Union Pearson Express will take people every 15 minutes from Union Station with two stops en route to Pearson International. The trip will take 25 minutes and the cost will run from between $19.00 and $27.50 one way.

But the move to cheaper, cleaner, faster public transit isn't just a Toronto story. Millions of others around the world are taking the subway to and from their international airport to cut down on cost, time and aggravation.

Here are four cities you can fly into and out of and spend a fraction of what a cab would cost to get you between the city centre and the airport.

Chicago: If you've ever tried to get into downtown Chicago from O'Hare Airport, it will cost you $30-$40 by cab and take you 35 minutes to reach the John Hancock Tower on a clear dry day, not in rush hour. But Chicago's weather can be brutal, as can its traffic.

So why not spend $5 instead and take the CTA Blue Line Train directly from O'Hare? Sure, it takes 40-45 minutes, but when you look out the window as you blow by all those cars on the Kennedy Expressway, it will bring a smile to your smart-traveller face.

London: Taking a cab from Heathrow to the West End of London will cost you 45-70 Pounds ($82-$127) and take you 45-60 minutes, again assuming a clear highway, which is a huge assumption. But taking the Heathrow Express, which leaves from Heathrow Terminals and arrives at Paddington Station 15 minutes later, costs 21.5 Pounds ($39). True, that's not $3.00, but it's a whole lot cheaper and faster than a cab. The Heathrow Express carries 15,000 passengers a day, a number that grows every day as well.

Taking a cab from Gatwick Airport to Victoria Station costs 104 Pounds ($189) and takes 60 minutes on a clear day not during rush hour. So why not take the Gatwick Express directly from the airport to Victoria Station for as low as 17.75 pounds ($32) and get there in 30 minutes?

Tokyo: One of the most expensive cab rides from any airport to downtown is from Narita Airport to central Tokyo. The airport is 60 km from the core. The cost is Y2000 ($200) and it can take up to 90 minutes when there's no traffic.

Meanwhile across town at Haneda, Tokyo's other international airport, a taxi to central Tokyo can cost from Y5,000 to Y11,000 ($50-$112) depending on the day and time. A 20-minute monorail journey from Haneda to central Tokyo costs Y490 ($5).

Bangkok: Last Fall, we landed at Suvarnabhumi Airport and grabbed a cab in to our central hotel. The trip took 40 minutes by cab and cost us the equivalent of $14.

All perfectly fine. But when we flew back into Bangkok 10 days later after visiting Bhutan, we decided to try out the subway, called the MRT. Like Chicago, it goes directly into the terminal building. This time, the trip to our same Bangkok hotel took 45 minutes and cost us the equivalent of $3. Yes, three dollars.

Afraid you can't read or understand Thai? The maps are bilingual and the announcements are too. And the subway-goers are incredibly friendly and helpful.

Meanwhile, back in Toronto, remember: you can take 13 round-trip subway rides to and from Pearson for what it costs to take a single cab one-way to Pearson.

But what if your big client is happy to pay for your cab or limo? Why go underground when you can go in 'big car' splendour?

Because you still won't get there any faster. In fact, that same big client called me one day to inquire if I'd forgotten to include my airline cab receipts in my travel expenses. When I told her that I take the subway to save my clients' money, let me tell you, you just can't buy that kind of goodwill.

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