Haft2Know

Since 1913, ehm has been reaching out to some of Toronto's most marginalized citizens. In 2009, they opened a fully operational, volunteer-run Health and Dental Clinic in their new downtown facility, to offer free medical and dental care - and in turn, dignity - to those who need it most.

On Saturday, February 6, ehm presents the Compassionate Hearts Gala in the Imperial Ballroom at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel. What better way to say I love you to your favourite person, than to present him or her with a Valentine that benefits so many more? With dinner, live entertainment and a silent auction, all proceeds from the evening will go toward the operating costs of the clinic, where healing - both of the body and the soul - is top priority.

Click here to purchase tickets.

Even if you don't feel you can make it this year, ehm always accepts donations to benefit the clinic. Click here to offer your support.

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As our attention spans get shorter, more sites offer ways to keep up-to-date on anything and everything, all the time. Newsmap presents the world's news about everything, all on one page, and in an impressive palette. Select from a number of countries and disciplines, or combination thereof, and Newsmap does the rest. Colour is used to distinguish the areas of interest, and how recent any news item may be - from less than ten minutes, to more than one hour ago.

Click here to see what's happening in the world right now.

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Not so long ago, my sisters and I used to take the Chiquita banana stickers off the peel and stick them to the underside of the kitchen cupboard, which over time became a sweet little mosaic.

Unfortunately though, along with polar bears and newspapers, produce stickers are dying out. A recently developed technology now allows produce companies to apply a low-energy carbon dioxide laser beam alternative. Less paper and garbage is always good, but it also means a little less colour in our world.

So relish them while you can, because soon they will be no longer, which is bad news for Colorado artist Barry Snyder.

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Happy New Year. In these early, dark months of the year, it's easy to feel light deprived, which can affect how you sleep, feel, think, or accept criticism. Philips thinks they've found a way to begin your day with the rising sun at your bedside. Starting a half-hour before your set alarm time, the Philips Wake-Up light gets brighter gradually, gently awakening your body with a pleasant glow, as opposed to the 'Evacuate the Reactor' siren you may currently experience. If desired, sounds of nature can be programmed to accompany your false dawn.

This link is gradually getting brighter.

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Maybe you've spent some time over the last two weeks considering what your new diet will look like this year. Perhaps you've reworked your wardrobe or your exercise routine. Well here's something else you can design yourself. Our friends over at Colour Lovers have introduced a way for you to customize your very own Colour of the Year for 2010. Enter a few attributes you feel describe the year. Select the general hue of your colour and then a few further attributes. You'll end up with your very own colour of the year.

(Enter your name here)'s Colour of the Year

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A recent breakthrough might eliminate the need for diabetics to repeatedly check their blood sugar by pricking their fingers. A scientist at the University of Western Ontario has developed a contact lens that will react according to the body's blood sugar and change colour to convey elevated or reduced levels to the wearer. The lens is being hailed as among recent times' biggest medical breakthroughs. In the coming years, we think we'll see more technology emerging, in which colour becomes a language we can both speak, and understand.

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Thanks to the internet, nearly anything can be found quickly now - including a black Christmas tree. (They call it 'Tuxedo Black', to reconcile any hesitation you may have in buying one for your surly 16-year-old.) Treetopia.com might not be able to get your 'In the Navy' blue tree to you by Friday, but they're sure a great resource to check out for Boxing Day sales. The array of colours is staggering, and they come lit, or not. A nice way to mix a little extra brilliance into your tree next year.

This one below is the Stephen J. Colbert Tree. For real.

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This holiday season, your tailor is being replaced by a robot. Alton Lane is a custom suit retailer in New York's Flatiron Building. In the shop, they've a black booth to step into - not unlike the security booth at the airport - only this one requires you be in just your underwear. Once inside, lights and lasers and 'the future' will then scan your entire body and record your exact measurements. Then, after selecting style and fabric for your custom duds, someone, somewhere on the other side of the world will fashion a suit made specifically for your body.

Three weeks and less than $500 later, your suit will arrive to your home. And shortly afterward, you'll no doubt be planning your next visit to Alton Lane.

AltonLane.com

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While a fruit cake renaissance may be yet to come, poinsettias are becoming cool again.

The plant originally came from Mexico and while revered by the Aztecs, eventually became a symbol of Christmas to the Mexican culture. It became tradition to decorate them around Christmas time. Then in 1824, the American Ambassador to Mexico - Joel Poinsett (see where this is going?) was so impressed with the red plants that he brought them up to the U.S. and thus began their Americanization.

In the late 19th Century, a California farming family named the Eckes started selling them widely. Back then they were three feet tall. They've since been cultivated to grow smaller, and brighter. Oh, and they've never been poisonous. That's only ever been a rumour, viciously started no doubt, by another, less fortunate California farming family.

Martha Stewart wants to show you a few things to do with poinsettias.

Happy Holidays from all of us at Haft2.

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Every year at this time, 'Top 10' lists get released: ones that tell us how to dress next year, what cities to travel to, and what music festivals or law schools we should consider attending. Following are a few that caught our eye.

Pantone introduces their 2010 Fashion Color Report, answering the question that people ask us all the time: "What colour will be big next year?" According to Pantone, it'll be from an array of colours that are definitely pretty, but not wimpy; soft pastels that are kept grown-up and sophisticated by their slightly grey cast. Somehow both nostalgic and forward-thinking, they merely hint at another, very adult time.

Here's a summary.

And a downloadable PDF is here.

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