Foreign Intelligence Briefs
There is more to life than Vancouver, you know (but not much more). FIB looks at the myriad newsworthy things that interest us from over the mountains, across our shores and far away.
This Dude (Technically) Held the Office of the American President for Just One Day
A unique set of circumstances may have elevated David Rice Atchison to the Office of the US President for a single day in 1849.
Wuhan Timelapse Shows Special Hospital Built by Small Army in Eight Days
Wuhan has become ghost town since the coronavirus scare rose to Threat Level: Freak Out. Not everyone is on lockdown, however.
In a Remote Part of Turkey, This ‘Bird Language’ Is Whistled Rather Than Spoken
"It’s a language called ku? dili that is still used to this day, though fewer people are learning it in the age of the cell phone."
That Time a Real Estate Developer Scammed Investors With an Extra Apostrophe
According to widespread local legend, duped investors they thought they were investing in a 480 foot high skyscraper...
‘Osaka Power’ Lights Up Japan’s Second-Largest City
This wonderful, fast-moving short film from Christoph Gelep brilliantly captures two sides of the bustling Japanese city of Osaka.
Understanding the Controversial Rise of Chick-Fil-A
This explainer from CNBC details the ascension of the American fast food company with the famous chicken sandwich.
These Germans Swam to Freedom Instead of Climbing Over the Berlin Wall
It's been 30 years since the fall of the Berlin Wall and we never knew that there was an alternative to braving the "death strip".
Security Robots Are Now a Thing in San Francisco. How Long Before They’re in Vancouver?
The Knightscope K5 acts as a mobile robotic security guard with a slew of built-in sensors to help it patrol and monitor an area.
How Small Teams of Protestors Are Quickly Dealing With Tear Gas in Hong Kong
With sweet moves like this it looks like these guys are just starting to hit their stride. Respect!
Exploring Nagatani, the Abandoned Japanese Village Found Frozen in Time
A videographer recently explored Nagatani Village in central Japan. The abandoned hamlet was once home to about 70 people.
What the Authorities Do With All the Smuggled Contraband Food They Find at JFK Airport
"Why did that nosy dog in New York steal the truffle sausages from my suitcase? What, pray, will become of their deliciousness?"
What Would Happen if We Attempted to Terraform the Sahara Desert?
Though it would appear to help slow climate change, there's a good chance it would create more problems than it would solve.
Bolivian Ad Campaign Trades Shrimp For Pork in Remake of ‘Forrest Gump’ Scene
To imprint a message about the diversity of pork preparations, Bolivian creative agency Athos channeled the shrimp-obsessed Bubba...
Volkswagen Van Driven Out of the Alpine Forest It Was Lost in 40 Years Ago
A VW enthusiast hears of a 1955 VW van lost in the mountains and sets about resurrecting it from its woody resting place.
Residents of Small American Town Dramatically Read Police Reports
This short film gives us a glimpse of Port Townsend's darker side, where women eat sandwiches and men cover themselves with flowers...
New Ad for The New York Times Shows What It Sometimes Takes to Break a Big Story
"The Truth is Worth It: Fearlessness" is of the better advertisements for a news media company that we've ever seen...
Why Trees Can Only Grow So Tall Even If They Live to Be Thousands of Years Old
California's famous sequoia trees have been known to grow to heights over 130 metres, but they are hamstrung by fascinating limitations.
Restaurant Named After Pablo Escobar Offers Burger Topped With Line of Fake Cocaine
Pablo's Escoburgers in Melbourne, Australia takes the cake when it comes to offending sensitivities...
Floating Among, Around and Over the Public Housing Towers of Hong Kong
In filmmaker Toby Harriman's 'The Block Tower', the camera takes us on a trip through the Chinese city's forest of architectural ubiquity.
Visualising Every US Numbered Highway System Mapped in Numerical Order
Watch the contiguous USA slowly revealed as the labyrinthine network of numbered highways grows out of the eastern seaboard.
Let ‘Head in the Clouds’ Take You Above the Majestic Karst Towers of Guilin
Filmmaker/drone pilot Ivan Bondarenko flew his Mavic Pro around the stunning limestone hills of Guilin, China to make this short film.
Three Orca Whales Get Up Close and Personal With a Kiwi Swimmer
Dylan Brayshaw was flying a drone over a New Zealand beach when he spotted three orcas introducing themselves to a lone woman.
Hotel Chain Offers New Babysitting Service For Guests’ Instagram Accounts
All November, Ibis hotels in Zurich and Geneva have been leasing 'social media sitters' to their guests, who post on their behalf.
Why Urban East Sides Are Often Poorer Than West Sides
We don't think this applies to Vancouver's geography, but it's nevertheless an interesting (and quickly explained) hypothesis.
Video Shows Venetian Restaurant Service Continuing in Midst of Flood
Flooding is almost an annual occurrence in the beautiful Italian city, and its citizens and visitors are learning how to take it in stride.
Dig These Oddball Houseboats Made of Airplanes, Tractors, Buses and Ambulances
Formerly homeless eccentric Englishman Hamish McKenzie likes to think of himself as a "boat renovator"...
The Fascinating Story of How One Invention Changed Everything in Japan
This short explainer provides some background on one of Japan's most iconic mechanical engineering accomplishments.
Why Does Repeatedly Telling Obvious Lies Work So Well in Politics?
"For leaders like Trump and Putin, telling big lies isn't about persuasion -- it's about power." So states this explainer from Vox.
