I just wanted to wish a happy Father's Day to all the dad's out there! This morning, I thought for sure that I would be able to come up with one wonderful story about me and my father, but I couldn't - not because there aren't any, but it's hard to put so many neat memories into one cohesive little narrative. I think that is one of the superpowers that fathers have over their children, larger than life when we are children - but people we love and respect as we get older, and if we are lucky, have the ability to forge a unique friendship.
So, I can say that some of my favorite moments as a kid with dad were rollerskating in the neighborhoods of sunny CA, building my first sand castles in Santa Cruz, road trips (there were a lot of them), drive thru movies (my dad would build a fort in the back of the Rover for me and my brother) and Friday night movies in front of the fireplace - which usually turned into a family slumber party in the family room.
My dad endured all my kooky Father's Day gifts through the years (a perpetual motion clock of a golfer, a box of rocks, many ties), and curiously, like any good dad - he has a special place where he keeps all of these little oddities from his little girl (which I'll always be in his eyes).
I will start posting "real posts" and my photos again once I have (finally) replaced or repaired my external hard drive. Until then, I present the "Little Couple." I ran into this show on TLC on a rare day while I was sitting down, doing nothing - and got adventurous with the remote control ( I rarely watch television and I just got cable for the first time in my life - I am a TV luddite, I digress...) Anyway, this is likely one couple that won't be destroyed by reality television. They genuinely appear to share common interests, life experiences, and true love (I think I might envy their relationship dynamic). Then again, really hard to know anything "real" from a TV show (unless it's Discover Planet - which I also recently "discovered").
This post is dedicated to finding out WHO reinvigorated the REVERSE mullet! Below we have Chris Angel, Nikki Sixx, Adam Lambert, and Kate Gosselin. WOW, please stop the maddness. Dedicated to Aaron, who doesn't read this - but we both happen to own the Mullet Book.
Me and my mom... "Making the decision to have a child is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body." ~Elizabeth Stone
"I don't care how poor a man is; if he has family, he's rich." ~Dan Wilcox and Thad Mumford, M*A*S*H, "Identity Crisis,"
"If I had a single flower for every time I think about you, I could walk forever in my garden." ~Attributed to Claudia Ghandi
"Each day of our lives we make deposits in the memory banks of our children." ~Charles R. Swindol
When I was a kid, my mom used to tell me a story about a huge bamboo tree and it's children. It remains one of my favorite little stories in the world. "Why children don't have tails" By: My mom!
A very, very long time ago, people used to have tails. However, during this time, when little children were out in the forest - they could jump inside the big bamboo trees when they were scared. All the families had their own bamboo tree that they relied on for protection. One day, six young children were out playing in the forest when a bamboo tree sensed danger. There was a crocodile heading there way - so the tree started waving it's leaves to bring the children in. The children ran towards the tree, as it began to open, splitting from the middle. Each child jumped into the safety of the tree, as the last, littlest brother jumped in - the bamboo tree snapped close - because the crocodile was about to jump in too. But when the tree snapped close, the littlest brother's tail was still hanging on the outside. When all was safe, the tree opened up to let the children out - but the littlest brother's no longer had his tail and from that point forward, children were never born with tails.
So - go out and give your mom a hug, a smile - a card. For those who are in remembrance of their mother, today is a great day to look at family photos with loved ones and tell stories about your childhood and your mom. Below - something for the mom's to have a laugh with - remember, no matter how bad your little one gets - at least he isn't Homer Simpson.
Actress, comedienne. Born Bernice Frankel on May 16, 1923, in New York City. Known for her sharp wit, Arthur first attracted notice for her performance in the off-Broadway production of The Threepenny Opera in 1954. She continued to find success performing on stage. She originated the role of Yente the matchmaker in Fiddler on the Roof in 1964. Arthur even won the 1966 Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her portrayal of Vera Charles in Mame. She reprised the role for the 1974 film version.
A guest appearance on All the in Family, Norman Lear's groundbreaking situation comedy led to Arthur's first television series. Audiences loved her character Maude Findlay, the outspoken liberal cousin of Edith Bunker. The spin-off series Maude ran for six seasons, starting in 1972. The show began with Maude moving to Washington, D.C., to serve as a member of Congress. With its strong female lead, it was a timely program, picking up on women's rights and issues of the era. The show didn't shy away from controversial topics, including abortion. The well-regarded comedy won Arthur her first Emmy Award in 1977 for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series. She had been nominated three times for Maude before her big win.
It would be seven years until Bea Arthur found another smash television series. This time she played Dorothy Sbornak, a divorced older woman living with friends and looking after her mother on Golden Girls. Set in Miami, the comedy followed the lives, loves, and misadventures of these women. The ensemble included veteran performers Betty White and Rue McClanahan—who had worked with Arthur on Maude. Estelle Getty played Arthur's mother despite the fact that the two were around the same age. The show had the distinction of being one of the few series in television history to feature a cast of actresses over the age of 40.
A hit with television audiences, the cast of Golden Girls also garnered praise from critics and peers. During its seven-year run, all four stars won Emmy Awards for their work on the series. Arthur received the Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series in 1988. Although the show ended in 1992, it remains popular, being shown in syndication.
Since Golden Girls ended, Arthur has made a few guest appearances on television, including Malcolm in the Middle and Curb Your Enthusiasm. She also has toured with her own one-woman show, And Then There's Bea in 2001. In 2002, she appeared in Bea Arthur on Broadway: Just Between Friends, which earned her a Tony Award nomination for Special Theatrical Event. She lost out to Elaine Stritch, who ironically had been up for the role of Dorothy on Golden Girls along with Arthur.
Outside of acting, Bea Arthur was a strong supporter of animal rights and an activist for AIDS-related causes. Arthur was married twice and had two sons with second husband Gene Saks. The couple was married in 1950 and divorced in 1978. Bea Arthur died at her home in Los Angeles April 25, 2009 of cancer. She was 86. This bio is courtesy of Biography.com
First AIDS Test by a Senior Citizen: In a 1990 episode of Golden Girls, another show starring the groundbreaking Bea Arthur, Rose is tested for HIV/AIDS after learning she may have been exposed through a blood transfusion. In the same episode, Blanche says she has also been tested, and that she uses — giggle — condoms with her male suitors. Highlighting senior sexuality was a Golden Girls specialty, but the episode also reminded viewers — a year before Magic Johnson announced he was HIV-positive — that viruses don't discriminate on the basis of sexuality, age, or anything else. Watch the start of the episode here:
Seattle PI presents more TV firsts (and shattered taboo) here. This post is dedicated to my cholita mamasita - Kim, who is the biggest GG fan on the planet and who has been hit by a double whammy of losses in less than 365 days (Estelle Getty passed in July 2008). This is also dedicated to the writer of "My Journey With Aids" who was also a big GG fan.
Legendary actor, WWII veteran, and renowned philanthropist, Paul Newman, succumbed to cancer at his home on Friday. He was 83. AP reports:
A spokeswoman for screen legend Paul Newman says the actor has died at age 83. Spokeswoman Marni Tomljanovic says Newman died Friday of cancer. No other details were immediately available. Newman was nominated for Academy Awards 10 times, winning a regular Oscar in 1987 for "The Color of Money" and two honorary ones. He was equally at home in comedies such as "The Sting" and dramas such as "Hud." He sometimes teamed with his wife, Joanne Woodward, also an Oscar winner for the 1957 film "Three Faces of Eve."
With writer A.E. Hotchner, Newman founded Newman's Own, a line of food products, in 1982. The brand started with salad dressing, and has expanded to include pasta sauce, lemonade, popcorn, salsa, and wine, among other things. Newman established a policy that all proceeds from the sale of Newman's Own products, after taxes, would be donated to charity. To date, these donations have exceeded US$250 million. He co-wrote a memoir about the subject with Hotchner, Shameless Exploitation in Pursuit of the Common Good (updated later to become "In Pursuit of the Common Good"). Among other awards, Newman's Own co-sponsors the PEN/Newman's Own First Amendment Award, a $25,000 reward designed to recognize those who protect the First Amendment as it applies to the written word.
One beneficiary of his philanthropy is the Hole in the Wall Gang Camp, a residential summer camp for seriously ill children, which is located in Ashford, Connecticut. Newman cofounded the camp in 1988; it was named after the gang in his film Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969). Newman's college fraternity, Phi Kappa Tau, adopted "Hole in the Wall" as their "national philanthropy" in 1995. One camp has expanded to become several Hole in the Wall Camps in the U.S., Ireland, France and Israel. The camp serves 13,000 children every year, free of charge.
In June 1999 Newman donated $250,000 to Catholic Relief Services to aid refugees in Kosovo. On June 1, 2007, Kenyon College announced that Newman had donated $10 million to the school to establish a scholarship fund as part of the college's current $230 million fund-raising campaign. Newman and Woodward were honorary co-chairs of a previous campaign.
Paul Newman was one of the founders of the Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy (CECP), a membership organization of CEOs and corporate chairpersons committed to raising the level and quality of global corporate philanthropy. Founded in 1999 by Newman and a few leading CEOs, CECP has grown to include more than 175 members and, through annual executive convenings, extensive benchmarking research, and best practice publications, leads the business community in developing sustainable and strategic community partnerships through philanthropy.
People like Paul are rare, cut from a fine silk, spun from a near extinct species. His presence will surely be missed. I'm sure the rains are falling in his rememberence. I can say in earnest that he has set the example for the type of person that I aspire to be, one small measure at a time.
The fact of the matter is, John McCain's sudden intervention in Washington's deliberations over the Wall Street bailout could not have been more out of sync with what was actually happening. Washington Post provided a great op-ed here.
If Palin could get off the cue card and had a clue, she would have realized what she was stepping into before she immersed herself into a puddle of poop. Putting on a pretty suit does not give you experience in policy. I cannot believe there are people in this country that actually believe she has what it takes to be second in command of this country - it frightens me. Katie Couric looked mortified throughout the entire "interview." If you could qualify Palin's responses as answers. They certainly didn't have a whole lot of substance. It's no wonder she isn't "allowed to do interviews."
High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is a manmade sweetener that’s found in a wide range of processed foods, from ketchup and cereals to crackers and salad dressings. It also sweetens just about all of the (regular) soda Americans drink. HFCS used in foods is between 50 to 55 percent fructose—so chemically, it’s virtually identical to table sugar (sucrose), which is 50 percent fructose. Metabolic studies suggest our bodies break down and use HFCS and sucrose the same way.
Yet, after HFCS began to be widely introduced into the food supply 30-odd years ago, obesity rates skyrocketed. And because the sweetener is so ubiquitous, many blame HFCS for playing a major role in our national obesity epidemic. As a result, some shoppers equate HFCS with "toxic waste" when they see it on a food label. But when it comes right down to it, a sugar is a sugar is a sugar. A can of soda contains around nine teaspoons of sugar in the form of HFCS—but, from a biochemical standpoint, drinking that soda is no worse for you than sipping home-brewed iced tea that you’ve doctored with nine teaspoons of table sugar or an equivalent amount of honey.
Even Barry Popkin, Ph.D., a nutrition professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill who previously suggested, in an influential 2004 paper, a possible HFCS-obesity link, stresses that the real obesity problem doesn’t lie just with HFCS. Rather, it’s the fact that sugars from all sources have become so prevalent in our food supply, especially in our beverages. He scoffs at the "natural" sweeteners sometimes added to upscale processed foods like organic crackers and salad dressings. "They all have the same caloric effects as sugar," he explains. "I don’t care whether something contains concentrated fruit juice, brown sugar, honey or HFCS. The only better sweetener option is ‘none of the above.’"
At EatingWell, it’s our philosophy to keep any sweeteners we use in our recipes to a minimum—and likewise, to limit processed foods with added sugars of any type, including HFCS. We recommend you do the same.
I have been on and off the Macrobiotic diet for the last 8 months, I say "on and off" because I was in an accident and subsequent to that, I had to train excruciatingly hard for a relatively challenging endurance bike ride. That said, I for the most part, have been trying to follow macrobiotic principles and hope to one day be fully on the diet. Way of life approach is how I look at it. Before this, however and even at present - I have always been a reader of food labels. Whenever friends or random strangers ask me for diet, nutrition and fitness tips - the first thing I tell them to do is read food labels.
I am constantly amazed by the number of people who have zero idea of what they are putting into their bodies. We all know what brand jeans we are wearing, the type of fuel we want to put into our cars, but no idea what we are eating. Yes, I know, it's called a "donut." But do you know what's in it - they aren't all the same, some are better than others, and I guarantee that the more attention you pay to the ingredients in your food (and how many calories exist in the junk), the more swayed you'll be to reach for the good, or more natural stuff.
This brings me to the HFCS thing. Yes HFCS is in everything, and I mean EVERYTHING. Go to Safeway, pick up anything by Oscar Meyer (yes the meat), and you'll see it on the label. Pick up your cereal, your soda, your fruit juice, your chocolate bar, your non-diet sweetened iced tea, and you'll see it (heck, even in your Vlassic dill pickles). Go to Mexico or Thailand and the ingredient you'll see is sugar - and oddly, they don't put that in the meat in those countries (I'll give Dr. Popkin that).
The problem is two-fold. Over consumption of sugars has been linked to adverse health effects, and most of these effects are similar for HFCS and sucrose. There is a striking correlation between the rise of obesity in the US and the use of HFCS for sweetening beverages and foods, but it is not clear whether this is coincidence or a causal relationship. Some critics of HFCS do not claim that it is any worse than similar quantities of sucrose would be, but rather focus on its prominent role in the over consumption through over consumption due to its low cost.
The preference for high-fructose corn syrup over cane sugar amongst the vast majority of American food and beverage manufacturers is largely due to U.S. import quotas and tariffs on sugar. These tariffs significantly increase the domestic U.S. price for sugar, forcing Americans to pay more than twice the world price for sugar, making high-fructose corn syrup an attractive substitute in U.S. markets. For instance, soft drink makers like Coca-Cola use sugar internationally but use high-fructose corn syrup in their U.S. products.
Since 1980, the sugar program has cost consumers and taxpayers the equivalent of more than $3 million for each American sugar grower. Some people win the lottery; other people grow sugar. Congressmen justify the sugar program as protecting Americans from the "roller-coaster of international sugar prices," as Rep. Byron Dorgan (D.-N.D.) declared. Unfortunately, Congress protects consumers from the roller-coaster by pegging American sugar prices on a level with the Goodyear blimp floating far above the amusement park. U.S. sugar prices have been as high as or higher than world prices for 54 of the last 55 years.
Sugar sold for 21 cents a pound in the United States when the world sugar price was less than 3 cents a pound. Each 1-cent increase in the price of sugar adds between $250 million and $300 million to consumers' food bills. A Commerce Department study estimated that the sugar program was costing American consumers more than $3 billion a year.
So - how does the US consumer pay for this subsidy? By getting HFCS in their food and burgeoning bellies as a result of their diets. Read the food labels. There is no reason to A) be a victim to this lobby and B) eat this crap. Whole Foods has plenty of stuff without it, heck even Canterbury Chocolate is made with real sugar - if you just read the labels.
If you're feeling feisty here's something else to avoid: Partially Hydrogenated Soybean Oil. Trans fats are partially hydrogenated oils that were developed as a healthier, cheaper, and longer-lasting alternative to fully saturated solid fats like lard. "Healthier" no longer applies, as recent studies show that these artificially hydrogenated fats are more harmful than their saturated cousins. These fats are found in natural sources, but most of our intake comes from man-made sources – partially hydrogenated oils that remain essentially hidden from view unless we pay close attention. Recommend reading the articles available at the links here: http://www.treelight.com/health/nutrition/PartiallyHydrogenatedOils.html and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trans_fat. The good news is that the consumer lobby grew large enough for the producers to eventually start withdrawing it from major products - but it's still a major ingredient in likely 75% of what you are purchasing at your local grocery store (even the stuff you think is healthy).
I would not be surprised if HFCS eventually goes this route as far as regulation, also developed as a cheaper, and longer-lasting alternative to sugar. But, it's a corn syrup that has undergone an enzymatic process in order to increase its fructose content and then mixed with pure corn syrup (100% glucose) to reach its final form. Where can I find this in nature? And tell me, how is this good for me when American producers use it, unregulated, and shove it down my throat? Change starts with YOU!
This is an article from the October 4th issue of The Economist:
For most of his life Chuck Feeney has guarded his privacy obsessively. When he became a philanthropist, his gifts came on condition that his name never appeared on any press release or plaque; all donations would cease if confidentiality was breached. But when he decided to co-operate with Conor O'Clery on this book, many of the people in his life, released from their Trappist vows, let themselves go. The result is gripping.
An Irish-American, born in New Jersey in 1931, Mr Feeney made a fortune by co-founding Duty Free Shoppers (DFS) which first sold tax-exempt goods to American soldiers abroad and then tapped into the rise of mass tourism. When DFS was sold in 1997, it had delivered nearly $8 billion to its four main shareholders, of which Mr Feeney was the joint biggest, with 38.75% .
Tax avoidance is the flip side to Mr Feeney's philanthropic coin. He is addicted to it. “Chuck hates taxes. He believes people can do more with money than governments can,” says a friend. In 1964 a young New York lawyer, Harvey Dale, told Mr Feeney that changes in the tax laws threatened his business, which was running risks that could put the founders in jail. On his advice, Mr Feeney and his co-founder, Robert Miller, transferred ownership to their foreign-born wives, from France and Ecuador, respectively.
In 1974, through a deal with the American government, the firm turned the Pacific island of Saipan into a tax haven. Then, in 1978, Mr Feeney grouped his various investments, including his shares of DFS, in a holding company, General Atlantic Group Limited, in tax-free Bermuda. To escape the American taxman, everything was still registered in his wife's name.
Mr Feeney carefully shunned all outward evidence of wealth. But as soon as DFS became reliably profitable, he started the practice of giving 5% of his pre-tax profits to good causes. In 1982 he created a foundation, the Atlantic Philanthropies, based in Bermuda. Two years later he signed over his fortune to the foundation, except for sums set aside for his wife and children. His net worth fell below $5m. When he broke the news to his children, he gave them each a copy of Andrew Carnegie's essay on wealth, written in 1889.
Mr Feeney has given his alma mater, Cornell University, more than $600m, dwarfing all other donations from a single alumnus to an American university. He has contributed hundreds of millions of dollars towards higher education in Ireland, South Africa and Australia. He has helped with health care in Vietnam. In 2004 he went to Cuba, where he met Fidel Castro, who seemed only too happy to accept his capitalist-tax-avoided dollars. But it was his support for the Irish peace process that caused the most controversy, including accusations (without foundation, it turned out) that he had financed the IRA.
Mr Feeney is committed to giving away all the money in his foundation by a fixed date—thought to be in about ten years—but his investment prowess makes this difficult. Currently, Atlantic Philanthropies is worth $4 billion (up from $3.5 billion in 2001) even though, over its lifetime, it has given away about $4 billion in increasing amounts. The trouble for Mr Feeney is that the foundation's assets are growing as fast as he tries to get rid of them.
The Billionaire Who Wasn't: How Chuck Feeney Secretly Made and Gave Away a Fortune. By Conor O'Clery; Public Affairs; 338 pages; $26.95; Perseus Books; £15.99
Gelaskins: Art meets life
I figured it was high time that I wrote about some products that are currently tickling my fancy at the moment. I know there are a bunch of PC users out there (I myself use one at my "work" office, and still have one in my home office) - but I have to admit that I'm a bit of a MAC junkie. I am not writing this to incite a war of which platform is better, or which has a better cost. I simply like the gadgetry, I'm addicted to my iBook and my nano and will soon purchase an iPhone (waiting for 2nd gen) - in January, I'll be replacing my home PC with an iMac and will also purchase the iPod touch when it's realeased next week and likely get a new iPod classic - because I am a junkie (a junkie for the genius bar when I have an issue I cannot solve, a junkie for the pristine stores and smell of new technology, a junkie for the brain of Steve Jobs...) but, I digress. My tendency is to purchase white Mac products, because they look "clean" to me. While Mr. Clean magic erasers do a fine job of keeping my gadgets close to pristine, I have often struggled to find that perfect "thing" to cover my addictive little indulgences. But, now I have. Gelaskins, available at www.gelaskins.com, are a very thin (< 2mm) protective cover for your iPhone, iPod, laptop and RAZR made with premium grade 3M vinyl and adhesive technology. Patented micro-channels within the adhesive allow for a bubble-free application. Each GelaSkin has an ultra-clear, scratch resistant coating for maximum durability and photo quality finish.
Designed by artists, these are by far the coolest and most elegant creations I've seen - form and function, without the bulk. Finally, I can protect my hardware, and do it with style.
The Elegant iPod Touch
Some of you may have noticed that I mentioned the "iPod Touch" up above - and some of you may not of heard of this new little techno-gadgetry dreamed up by those wonderfule little wizards at Apple. Set for release on September 28th, the new iPod Touch from Apple is in a class by itself. It's like an iPhone, only without the phone. It's a music player, though not your best choice if that's what you're looking for. It's a wonderful video player and Web browser, despite certain limitations. Most important, it's beautiful, and I bet it sells like crazy, even at $299 for an 8-gigabyte version and $399 for 16GB.
The Touch screams out for comparison to the iPhone, which costs the same as the 16GB version but offers half the storage. The new iPod has the same general appearance, with a similar 3.5-in. display, but is shorter, noticeably thinner, and features the iPod's trademark polished metal back. Its basic software is the same as the iPhone's, though tweaked in some interesting ways. And Wi-Fi is the only wireless option. That means no voice service, but also no commitment to pay AT&T (T) at least $1,400 over a two-year contract.
Although it's called an iPod, for music, the iPod Classic, at $249 for 80GB, is much more capacious, and the newly video-enabled Nano, $149 for 4GB, is much cheaper. Besides, devices optimized for one function—playing music—do it better than the most elegant multipurpose product. The lack of dedicated volume-control buttons on the Touch is especially annoying.
The chief attraction of the Touch is the Web browser which technology is shared with the iPhone and is by far the best on any handheld device. None of the others let you magnify or shrink the contents of a large Web page by spreading or pinching your thumb and index finger, or drag a page just by touching the screen. But the Touch shares a major defect with the iPhone: the inability to play Adobe (ADBE) Flash, which prevents many videos and Web pages from displaying properly, or at all. This would be easy to fix if Apple would just do it.
Wi-Fi can also be used to download music, but not videos, directly from the iTunes store. (The same capability has been added to the iPhone.) And the Touch can view a selection of videos from YouTube. But the iPhone's weather and stock-price applications have been left off the new device. And with no phone service, there's no text messaging, other than resorting to Web-based chat programs.
E-mail is a much bigger omission. You can use the browser to reach Web services such as Hotmail, but they are hard to navigate on the small screen. The iPhone's mail application, while not great, is much better than this. Apple apparently believes you should buy an iPhone if you want real e-mail.
Don't even think about using the Touch's Wi-Fi for a Skype-like phone service. Programmers often figure out how to add applications, as they have to the iPhone. But Apple has made sure hackers won't turn the Touch into a phone. It has neither an audio input jack nor Bluetooth wireless, so there's no way to connect a microphone.
With the Touch, you're also getting about half a personal digital assistant. You can download your calendar from Microsoft Outlook, but you cannot edit or add appointments, nor can you get updates over Wi-Fi. Contacts are a different, happier story: You can add, delete, or edit those synced with Yahoo! or Outlook.
Apple's marketing mavens are very clever folks, and I'm sure that all of the decisions about what to include and what to leave off result from careful calculations. The omissions I've described probably won't make a dent in the soon-to-be explosive sales of the Touch. Still, it's a shame Apple has delivered such a beautiful and well-conceived piece of hardware with locked-down software that makes it far less useful than it could be. That's A-OK with me, I'll part with my precious dollars to sport this fine piece of technology anyway =). Visit www.apple.com/ipodtouch for a product demonstration.
Matthew Williamson: Spring 2008
OK - on the catwalks. Spring 2008 is ready for review, so I'll take a look at one of my favorite designers. I should note that the photos are from www.style.com. Apparently, Matthew Williamson's Spring show began with a performance by Prince. I'm not sure how this was masterminded, but apparently his company has also recently experienced a bit of a windfall in the form of cash from a pair of investment funds.
Williamson's lines always have a notable Indian influence - it might be the drape of the fabric, reminiscent of how a sari might drop to the ground, or sinuously hug a woman's curve, or one may observe it in the intricate detailing of beading and embroidery. It would seem rather than go for the overt tone, Williamson has turned toward more Navajo influences versus Mumbai, but don't let this fool you into thinking that craftsmanship or influence has swayed - it's in the subtlety of the detail. More than anyone, Williamson seems to know how to work a bead and needle, and he demonstrates it here. This collection seems slightly more subdued, but there are still some surprises, and it was nice to see him play with fabrics and his technique of tie-dye once again. I have long been a fan of his butterfly cuts, and his long dresses in general - while the butterfly cut is absent for Spring 2008, the long dress doesn't disappoint with gorgeous draping and deep v-cuts and sumptuous shows of back, Williamson knows how to make sexy subtle and delicate.
Product: MOTOROKR S9
We've seen Becks sporting one on the field, the MOTOROKR S9 is a Bluetooth® stereo headphone which can connect to a compatible Bluetooth enabled phone or iPod® Adapter. According to the Motorola website, the headphone enables you to seamlessly stream music and manage calls. One of Motorola’s most lightweight headsets, MOTOROKR S9 is durable, water resistant and sweat resistant. Easy controls, wireless simplicity and behind-the-head comfortable wearing style make them a necessity for staying connected and listening to tunes whatever you’re doing. Escape the wires with Motorola’s MOTOROKR S9 wireless Bluetooth stereo headphones.
I may have to check these out - light and durable is pretty important to me, especially when I'm out on a trail or doing something physically strenuous. While I don't exactly see myself rocking a pair of these in the commute in the car, or while sitting at a desk, I could see myself donning them on a climb or a hike. No more wires, no worries of shock through one ear, and no worries of losing a blue tooth device because it simply isn't secure enough on one ear to stay in place.
Beauty Product: Origins Calm to Your Senses
People are always asking me what scent I am wearing. While it is generally a combination of different oils (never perfumes - or very, very rarely), one of the products that absolutely gets the most attention is the Lavender and vanilla concoction made by Origins called "Calm to Your Senses." While the company has an entire line devoted to the scent, I generally stick to the body souffle. Apply liberally after bathing, and keep a small amount in a portable container to moisterize my hands or arms throughout the day.
You will find that I will often recommend Origins products, largely because the company carefully selects and meticulously extracts pure, natural essential oils, balances their many complex components according to their specific functions and mixes them up with some savvy science to create their Skin Care, Sensory Therapy and Bath and Body products. They believe that wellness and beauty are interconnected and therefore their holistic approach goes beyond physical appearance to touch, scent and surround every aspect of your being and well-being. Inside and out. They consider your moods, your emotions, your lifestyle and your state of mind. Their sensory products are simple alternatives to many of the things you’ve come to rely on to relax, have sweet dreams or get a burst of go-power. They also believe that taking serious care of yourself should be enjoyable - something you look forward to. So as serious as their products are, they're also pleasing to use.
This essay is really an urban legend in itself. It was rumoured that it was penned by a student that witnessed the Columbine school shootings. Another legend attributes it to comedian George Carlin (as I have introduced it, on the night his wife died) or Jeff Dickenson, host of an online forum. In reality the essay was written by Dr. Bob Morehead, a pastor at Seattle's Overlake church. It is entitled "The Paradox of our Age." I have bracketed portions that wre not part of the original essay.
[The paradox of our time in history is that] we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider Freeways , but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness. We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much , and pray too seldom. We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.
We've learned how to make a living, but not a life. We've added years to life not life to years. We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We conquered outer space but not inner space. We've done larger things, but not better things. We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We've conquered the atom, but not our prejudice . We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less. We've learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less. These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships . These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes. These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill.
It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom. A time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to share this insight, or to just hit delete... [Remember; spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever. Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side. Remember, to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn't cost a cent].
[Remember, to say, 'I love you' to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you. Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again. Give time to love, give time to speak! And give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind. AND ALWAYS REMEMBER:Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.]
“Poor is the man whose pleasures depend on the permission of another.”
"In a time when political correctness is valued over honesty, I would also like to say: ride on motherfuckers...!"
For anyone that isn’t aware – August 16th marked Madge’s 49th birthday. Many folks aren’t too impressed by Madonna. But love her or love to hate her, accomplishments of this artist cannot be ignored. The Guinness World Records lists Madonna as the most successful female recording artist of all time, with estimated worldwide album sales of 175 million and 75 million singles; Madonna is the highest earning female singer of all time according to both the 2007 Guinness Book of Records, and Billboard Magazine. Forbes magazine has estimated her net worth at $325 million. In addition, Madonna holds the record for the top-grossing concert tour by a female artist.
There was a terse period where I was slightly irate with Madge for not using her superpowers for “good.” Although a big fan of her artistic prowess (divulge momentarily), I openly criticized her inability to get engaged. Fast forward a few years and she is now one of the founders of Raising Malawi and injecting messages about global awareness into her tours and music. Although many would say that she is an entertainer and people simply want to be entertained, I disagree – she is allowing people to make a choice, learn more. She isn’t asking people to agree with her political views (although I’m sure that’s her preference) – but she is using her ability to shock people, to wake them up, shake them up into realizing there’s a world out there – figure out what’s going on.
Politics aside, Madonna has been parading around in hot pants for swarms of breathless fans for the better part of 25 years, but still she captivates completely: do a mental sweep of the genres and you won't come up with many performers as mesmerizing. If you don’t already own it, I highly recommend checking out “I’m Going to Tell You a Secret.” No pop enthusiast worth their weight in concert tickets should be without it, a CD/DVD package that'll endure the test of time way better than Lotsa de Casha, the dance-floor queen's 2005 kids' book, and probably just as well as her still buzzed-over 1990 Blonde Ambition-era cone bra. Ever the innovator, La M steps into the audio portion of this package with a vaguely religious, vaguely scary spoken-word rant, "The Beast Within." Click the “play” button below for a preview.
So in closing – Happy Birthday Madonna. I am thrilled to know you’ve got an upcoming studio album, which means another tour. I don’t know of any other musician who is inspired by so many other artists, that incorporates this love and knowledge into their work (for those not familiar with Salvador Dali, the controversial cross from the confessions tour was inspired by his work – I’m certain of this. Beast within from Reinvention tour was done by Steven Klein for his x-static-process installation exhibit).
“That consciousness is everything and that all things begin with a thought. That we are responsible for our own fate, we reap what we sow, we get what we give, we pull in what we put out. I know these things for sure.”
-Madonna, O Magazine, January 2004
