Drinking is love, and life. We’re happy to be drinking, but we also count our blessings. We try to do our best for the world around us.
In this time of celebration, there are a couple of good causes that we think deserve your attention.
It’s a Dog’s Life
The Lunar New Year is upon us, and the dog will finally have its day in the upcoming Year of the Dog.
Singaporeans who love Guinness will also know that it was once known as the Ang Ji Gao, or the “Red Tongue Dog” in our little corner of the world. The local distributor in the 1860s, Blood Wolfe, did not use the familiar Celtic harp on their bottles. Instead, an illustration of a black dog’s head, complete will lolling red tongue, was used on the label.
The local moniker ‘Ang Ji Gao’ stuck.
Sadly, what has not stuck are the actual dogs, now known as the Singapore Specials. In 2015, close to 1,000 dogs were culled from a population of 7,000– most of them mongrels. Luckily, there’s a group that looks out for them. Exclusively Mongrels is a local non-profit group that rescues, rehabilitates and rehomes these dogs. You can find out more about them here.
Guinness will also be doing their bit for our Singapore Specials by raising funds for Exclusively Mongrels through their CNY bundles. Each bundle will contain a 24-can pack of Guinness Foreign Extra Stout and one of three limited edition Red Tongue Dog T-Shirts. The T-shirts were all designed by local artists (Meyyen from Band of Doodlers, Larry Peh and Rachele Ho), so you’ll also be helping to support their work.
The bundles will cost $85.40 each, and Guinness will donate the full price of the t-shirt (S$14.80) to Exclusively Mongrels for every one sold.
If you’re interested in getting the bundle, get them from Redmart. If you wish support Exclusively Mongrels directly, you can also get the T-Shirts directly at their adoption drives.
Only if We Care
Global warming is quite real, and the seas have been rising slowly (but steadily) along with the temperature. If we’re don’t manage the situation, much of the world could be living the memory of Atlantis within the next century.
We’re not the only ones who think so. Much of the scientific community agrees, and so does singer Pharrell Williams. To raise awareness of the situation, he’s releasing a new song in 2117.
Yes, 2117.
The new track was recorded onto a record made of Cognac clay and stored in the cellars of LOUIS XIII in a special safe. It’s all but indestructible but has one glaring weakness: water.
If sea levels continue to rise thanks to global warming, the safe and its contents will be submerged. The clay record will break apart, and song will be lost forever.
Even if you’re not a Pharell fan, think of all the fine cognac that will be drowned in the sea. Check out their video below.
