Monday, March 8, 2010
Improve your mood
Life circumstances influence about 10 percent of our happiness. Research shows that happiness is mostly influenced by what we do to deliberately make ourselves feel better. The following tips can help you feel happier, even when life gets stressful — especially when life gets stressful
Look at old photos
Looking at pictures of your favorite vacation or your children when they were babies can bring back happy feelings.
Much on nuts
They contain omega 3 fatty acids, which have been shown to have a calming effect.
Inhale a calming scent
Orange and lavender are scents that have been shown to have a relaxing effect. A few drops of scented oil on a handkerchief provides an on-the-go stress reliever.
Open your drapes or shades
The more light you are exposed to, the more calming the effect. If you work in an office without windows, take a break and seek sunlight.
Walk around the block
The exercise can provide a distraction during stressful times, plus increase your exposure to sunlight.
Clear away clutter
Looking at clutter can remind you of things not done. Tackle one project at a time until the clutter is gone.
Think fast
Research shows that rapid thinking may release “feel good” brain chemicals as well as provide a distraction. Try naming all the states with begin with the letter “m” or something similar to stimulate your brain.
Laugh
Laughter releases dopamine in the brain, which is a natural opiate. Watch funny videos, read a funny book or just look for the laughter in daily life.
Rethink retail therapy
Rather than spending money for material things, spend your money on “experiences.” Going with friends to dinner or to the lake will bring more happiness than a new pair of shoes.
Hang out with cheerful people
There is such a thing as mood contagion. Being around unhappy or negative people can affect your mood. Try and avoid the negative people and “catch” the mood of a happy, positive person.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Japan Makes More Human Robot
Researchers at the University of Tokyo are making a robot that can move more like a real person.
Researchers at the University of Tokyo's JSK Robotics Laboratory have built Kojiro to get away from the stiffness of current robots and have a more natural range of movement. Kojiro's complicated system of motors, gyros and tendons make him hard to program however.
Joking about the robot Armageddon aside, Kojiro seems like a cool project, and one that hopefully means that my dream of having a robot butler look after me in my twilight years isn't just a pipedream. I must admit though, this particular model creeps me out a little.
When the revolution comes, the robots will need a unit that can interface with us, a unit designed so that we might understand their commands better. Enter Kojiro, the first step towards a robotic Locutus of Borg, which has a musculoskeletal much like our own.
Researchers at the University of Tokyo's JSK Robotics Laboratory have built Kojiro to get away from the stiffness of current robots and have a more natural range of movement. Kojiro's complicated system of motors, gyros and tendons make him hard to program however.
Joking about the robot Armageddon aside, Kojiro seems like a cool project, and one that hopefully means that my dream of having a robot butler look after me in my twilight years isn't just a pipedream. I must admit though, this particular model creeps me out a little.
Brain Controlled Pinball Becomes Reality
Filed under: tom goldman, brain, brain computer interface, brain control, mind control, pinball
Berlin Brain-Computer Interface is a research group that works to translate signals from the brain to electronic devices. While this has applications in many life-changing technologies, such as with mechanical limbs and paralyzed patients, BBCI's recent work has demonstrated its use in playing the game of pinball.
By recording cerebral electric activity through an electroencephalogram (EEG), which is the fancy way to say electrodes attached to the scalp, BBCI was successfully able to allow a man to use his brain to control a pinball machine. The right and left flippers were controlled through thoughts of right or left hand movements. While a pinball machine can have hundreds of moving parts, it's ultimately a simple game suited to this type of control method.
This is not yet in the realm of something you can pop on your head at the local arcade, as the preparation involved is lengthy, but the fact that it works is pretty cool. At one point, the player appears to exhibit precise flipper control, whether that was simple luck or not. For now, I think I could still manage playing the old-fashioned way. After all, a true pinball player is going to have to kick the machine a few times.
Brain control, if it ever reaches a realistic point of accuracy, would take us in a completely opposite direction from that which the videogame industry is going in now. The Nintendo Wii, Microsoft's Natal, and Sony's unnamed motion controller are creating gamers more active than they've ever been before. When it comes to brain control, we'll be sitting completely motionless, with dead looks in our eyes almost hypnotized by our games, until we eventually just keel over and die. I, for one, cannot wait.
Playing pinball no longer requires the tiring effort of pushing two buttons on the sides of a machine.
Berlin Brain-Computer Interface is a research group that works to translate signals from the brain to electronic devices. While this has applications in many life-changing technologies, such as with mechanical limbs and paralyzed patients, BBCI's recent work has demonstrated its use in playing the game of pinball.
By recording cerebral electric activity through an electroencephalogram (EEG), which is the fancy way to say electrodes attached to the scalp, BBCI was successfully able to allow a man to use his brain to control a pinball machine. The right and left flippers were controlled through thoughts of right or left hand movements. While a pinball machine can have hundreds of moving parts, it's ultimately a simple game suited to this type of control method.
This is not yet in the realm of something you can pop on your head at the local arcade, as the preparation involved is lengthy, but the fact that it works is pretty cool. At one point, the player appears to exhibit precise flipper control, whether that was simple luck or not. For now, I think I could still manage playing the old-fashioned way. After all, a true pinball player is going to have to kick the machine a few times.
Brain control, if it ever reaches a realistic point of accuracy, would take us in a completely opposite direction from that which the videogame industry is going in now. The Nintendo Wii, Microsoft's Natal, and Sony's unnamed motion controller are creating gamers more active than they've ever been before. When it comes to brain control, we'll be sitting completely motionless, with dead looks in our eyes almost hypnotized by our games, until we eventually just keel over and die. I, for one, cannot wait.
Lady Gaga believes celibacy is a good thing.
Lady Gaga believes celibacy is a good thing.
The ‘Poker Face’ singer - who has previously admitted to being bisexual - suggests girls should save themselves for someone special.
She said: “If you can’t get to know them, you shouldn’t have sex with them. It’s OK at this point, in this day and age, we have to grow up and we now know that we can’t be that free with love.
“I’m single because I don’t have the time. You know what? It’s OK. Even Lady Gaga can be celibate, you don’t have to have sex to be loved.”
The 23-year-old – real name Stefani Germanotta - also claims she doesn’t need a man in her life to make her feel safe.
She said: “My fans are my roommates. The thing that keeps me warm at night is my sense of self. When I see my beautiful fans I feel how much they protect and mean to me. It would be irresponsible if I didn’t protect them and teach young people to be self expressive, to love yourself.”
Lady Gaga, who was speaking at the launch of a new Viva Glam lipstick for Mac Cosmetics in London, went on to say that sex education is the most important tool to stop the spread of AIDS and HIV.
She said: “Here in the UK, six in ten women that are affected by HIV are as young as 13 years old. I believe so much in education, but instead of putting that education into a programme, we are putting it into our hands and educating each other as women.” The singer recently took a HIV test when she was home in New York because she was worried about her behaviour while on tour.
She said: “When I'm on the road, I forget about taking care of my body. I don't go to the doctor as regularly as if I were in one place all the time. So I woke up and thought, 'Oh, I'm home in New York. I'm going to see my gynaecologist and I'm getting an HIV test.' "
The ‘Poker Face’ singer - who has previously admitted to being bisexual - suggests girls should save themselves for someone special.She said: “If you can’t get to know them, you shouldn’t have sex with them. It’s OK at this point, in this day and age, we have to grow up and we now know that we can’t be that free with love.
“I’m single because I don’t have the time. You know what? It’s OK. Even Lady Gaga can be celibate, you don’t have to have sex to be loved.”
The 23-year-old – real name Stefani Germanotta - also claims she doesn’t need a man in her life to make her feel safe.
She said: “My fans are my roommates. The thing that keeps me warm at night is my sense of self. When I see my beautiful fans I feel how much they protect and mean to me. It would be irresponsible if I didn’t protect them and teach young people to be self expressive, to love yourself.”
Lady Gaga, who was speaking at the launch of a new Viva Glam lipstick for Mac Cosmetics in London, went on to say that sex education is the most important tool to stop the spread of AIDS and HIV.
She said: “Here in the UK, six in ten women that are affected by HIV are as young as 13 years old. I believe so much in education, but instead of putting that education into a programme, we are putting it into our hands and educating each other as women.” The singer recently took a HIV test when she was home in New York because she was worried about her behaviour while on tour.
She said: “When I'm on the road, I forget about taking care of my body. I don't go to the doctor as regularly as if I were in one place all the time. So I woke up and thought, 'Oh, I'm home in New York. I'm going to see my gynaecologist and I'm getting an HIV test.' "
Madonna with new man at Oscars 2010 party
Madonna goes on Hollywood party circuit with new beau Adam Senn to promote her Dolche and Gabbana ad campaign. 
Rewind 12 months and it was Jesus who was being paraded at the same parties. Hollywood revellers accused Madonna of rolling out her latest fella to plug her spring/summer D&G ad campaign.
Madonna knows what she likes and how to get it
Madonna is switching young model lovers as quickly as D&G changes its ad campaigns – if the latest hunk on her arm for the Oscars party circuit was anything to go by.
The material mum sparked rumours that she has traded in Brazilian toyboy Jesus Luz for this season’s 1.9m (6ft 2in) D&G star Adam Senn, 26, after showing him off at LA’s Soho House.
Adam Senn : the new man in Madonna's life?
Rewind 12 months and it was Jesus who was being paraded at the same parties. Hollywood revellers accused Madonna of rolling out her latest fella to plug her spring/summer D&G ad campaign. ‘Madonna brought Jesus to the Oscar parties last year but she wants to do it her way this year,’ a spy told the New York Post. ‘She and Adam got on well while shooting for D&G and she’s smart enough to know that being seen together will generate more buzz for the campaign.’
It seems Madonna is now having to carefully schedule her appearances to avoid run-ins with her exes. She partied at Soho House with Elton John before her former husband Guy Ritchie rocked up there with tough nut Jason Statham a night later.
Other faces at the warm-up do included Jennifer Lopez, James Cameron and Joaquin Phoenix. Madge’s Oscars parade casts fresh mystery over her relationship status, following rumours that she was dumped by Jesus only to appear with him a few days later at Rio Carnival. In January, she reportedly spent time at the house of ex Alex Rodriguez. If you can get ’em, why not, Madge?
Art review
| One admires the sincere, bold involvement of performance by young Mangala to emphasise that art and life with its real, personally experienced and approached issues are inextricable. | |
 For ravaged nature Krishnaraj Chonat successfully used earlier the disquietingly seductive glamour of materials to denounce middle-class obsession with fake opulence. ‘My hands smell of you’, his new exhibition at Galleryske (February 6 to March 13), carries the method with more complexity, sophistication, engagement of olfactory sensations and excellent display. Perhaps over-intellectualised, however, it leaves one confused between the actual works and the artist's statement. The title work is a bewitching artificial landscape with a carpet of red, oily soil, such uprooted tree stump and leafless, truncated stems faintly rising to the sky which reciprocates as a mass of old computer monitors and keyboards, their mouse cables descending as if about to settle into the ground. Reflected and multiplied on both sides by wall-size mirrors, it conjures an eerie, uncomfortable fluidity around our world where e-waste imparts a presence equal to that of organic life. The enchanting but wounded land elicits sad tenderness. The aroma of the natural motifs thickly covered by sandalwood soap does indicate something essential and a connection with trees. Looking wax-like, though, the substance could lead to interpretations other than the implied by the artist - 'cleansing' our sensitivities of the homogeneous, aesthetically prettified filters that the tourist commerce imposes on the wild. To understand this context one would needed to draw some clues from the work. The adjacent space has a damaged fragment of a traditional fishing boat layered by sandalwood soap and an eroded wooden plank on which a white human skeleton reclines in sleep growing delicate traceries of tiny, dry shrubs along which there walks a herd of elephant figurines. The spectator can get this "Forest of mind, die sooner" as an image of the ravaged scenery reverberating in the human condition and one's ideas about or longing for pristine nature. This impact is reinforced by the charcoal and acrylic on canvas "Losing it" where Chonat portrayed himself as a limp figure of funny-grave helplessness draped on an arid tree branch. A similarly ominous reading of the previous sculpture, yet, is again undermined by the certain elegance of its rendering, since the regular, smoothed rhythm of the plank and the daintiness of the bones lack a greater degree of the raw, rough and rudimentary. This is compensated by the installation in a dark room in which an ornately encrusted but dissolving pair of binoculars on the floor is illuminated from below without offering a vista and a viewfinder-like circle of light on the ceiling holds a relief with parched earth and a broken tree trunk. Although it is difficult to without an explanation associate the heading "My boat at 6, your soul at 2" with technological intricacies of photography, the work powerfully evokes the aura of tense disconnect in our perception of the world and its core along with an urge to overcome the same. Life journey One admires the sincere, bold involvement of performance by young Mangala to emphasise that art and life with its real, personally experienced and approached issues are inextricable. Even though her work comes through as rather literal both in its handling of existential situations or objects and of her metaphors, her passionate honesty makes the imperfections excusable and allows to expect much more later. Her performance at the amphitheatre of the Ravindra Kalakshetra (February 22) had a homa ritual with a priest reciting sacred verses in reference to the artist's recent marriage, a wooden cart studded with personal belongings, Mangala's poems, musings and sketches representing the journey of life, while the symbolic circle of the endless existential cycle was seen beside its illuminated version that suggested of both circus and trial by fire. The event concluded with the artist pulling the cart and an enormous circular cake being but and distributed to the accompaniment of poetic recitations. The idea behind the performance was certainly valid and potentially cathartic. In order to become that, however, its elements taken directly from reality should have been much more processed in aesthetic terms. Abstracting water The photographic series of "Fluid Forms" by Farah Ahmed at Gallery Sublime (UB City, February 13 to 20) with technical finesse played around ponds and their vegetation transposing water ripples, their reflectivity and the capacity to blur hues, illumination, shadows and shapes. Thus, a tentative suspension was achieved between residues of the real and of quite painterly abstraction. Granting the artist her sensitivity, one could not, nevertheless, miss the too pronounced tone of formal indulgency, the latter sporadically resulting in somewhat sentimental effects. The best of the pieces were those that subdued the colours towards a darkish near-monochrome while retaining a degree of the raw and real. | |
Art show features 'Community'
Artist Ricky Walter, right, talks to visitor Bunny Ebling during the Community Living of Frederick's Art on Wheels exhibit Saturday at the Weinberg Center for the Arts. Both of Walter's entries, one of which is at top left here, were sold."That's Baker Park overlooking Bentz Street," the 64-year-old said. "And you can see the clustered spires."
Walter said he gets cold just looking at the painting, which depicts a foggy, dreary winter day.
Ricky Mundy pointed out his paintings to friends. Mundy has several works on display that show a diversity in style. Two paintings mimic the cubism style of Picasso and another is a detailed collage consisting of hundreds of tiny pieces of paper torn from images and crafted to create a new design.
The artists are all participants in Art on Wheels, a program in partnership with Community Living, a nonprofit agency that provides residential services for people with developmental disabilities.
"Ricky works very fast and always finishes quickly," Sarah Matthews, director of community outreach for Community Living said. "So we try to give him projects that are a little more detailed."
Artists bios on display in the Weinberg lobby offer glimpses of the artists and their styles and artistic preferences.
"Jimmy is fascinated by faces ..."
"Thomas has a deliberate, slow approach to his art ..."
"Nancy only wants the brightest colors in her art ..."
"Linda always says, 'I have no talent,' and then dazzles us with her abilities. She enjoys broad brushes of color, livened with the dark black of pen and ink."
Art on Wheels is the brain child of artists Gail McDermott and Diane Hurwitz-Specht.
The two women lead two classes at Community Living, as well as one they take to a group home where they teach three women who live together.
Melanie Cox, who at one time oversaw 60 adult day care centers in eight states, said she was amazed at the quality of the work produced by the artists, and said the students benefit from the mentoring provided by McDermott and Hurwitz-Specht.
"This program is so far above anything we were able to provide," she said of her former job. "To have someone who can really work with the artists makes all the difference."
And for the artists to see their finished works professionally matted and framed and on display at a real exhibit gives them value and builds self-esteem, Cox said.
Walter, whose Baker Park painting had a red dot on its label signifying that someone bought it, said he was surprised to discover an artistic talent so late in his life.
His mother did ceramics, and his father enjoyed painting, so he said he has both parents to thank for his inherited gift.
He used acrylic paints to create the park scene.
"Acrylic paints are the easiest to work with," he said. If you make a mistake, you can paint right over it.
"Watercolors are hard to work with -- they run together and make a mess."
Saturday's opening included a reception with refreshments to celebrate the artists' accomplishments.
"This is a nice sharing event," Matthews said of the reception.
All of Community Living's clients live in group homes. Many clients who did not have artwork on display -- or even participate in the classes -- attended simply to support their friends who did, she said.
"They came because that's what friends do -- they support each other," she said. "Community Living really is a community."
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Returned Joseon paintings go on display
Some Joseon Dynasty paintings that had been taken by the Japanese over the centuries are home for good and will be on public display for the first time.
Hakgojae Gallery in Sogyeok-dong, central Seoul, will present 30 pieces at the exhibition "Homecoming after 500 years' absence" which will open on Wednesday. It is part of the gallery's collection of nearly 500 old Joseon paintings.
During the last 10 years, Hakgojae searched for the paintings in overseas auctions, such as Sotheby's and Christie's, and met individual collectors in Japan. The private gallery went to great lengths to bring them back.
The sad part is that the Japanese still possess more than 61,000 Korean relics, or about 60 percent of the nation's relics currently in foreign countries.
At the exhibition, visitors can see what kind of Joseon paintings the Japanese liked.
"These paintings are like representatives of the first hallyu in Japan. As the Japanese always craved for the continent, or more specifically China, they preferred landscapes, animal paintings or paintings that show ancient Chinese history," said Lee Tae-ho, professor at Myongji University and the organizer of the exhibition.
"Japan thought of Korea as a window to continental culture. They took home many Chinese-style paintings from Joseon," added Woo Chan-kyu, director of Hakgojae Gallery.
Among the exhibits, visitors can find 10 paintings that feature ancient Chinese history. They contain landscapes and stories related to famous Chinese writers of the time such as Wang Hsichih, Li Po and Tu Fu.
Animal paintings feature animals that were considered auspicious in Joseon like tigers, hawks and horses.
Horses, especially, symbolized the king's power as Joseon, which was a country established by soldiers.
There were more than 120 stock farms throughout the country and even a separate government department that managed them.
The painting "Horses Graze in a Field" depicts a farm scene. Various kinds of horses appear in the 34 by 119.5 cm painting. It is assumed to have been painted by a royal artist to be shown to the king.
The exhibition runs from March 10 to April 25 at Hakgojae Gallery in Sogyeok-dong, central Seoul. For more information, call (02) 720-1524 or visit www.hakgojae.com
Hakgojae Gallery in Sogyeok-dong, central Seoul, will present 30 pieces at the exhibition "Homecoming after 500 years' absence" which will open on Wednesday. It is part of the gallery's collection of nearly 500 old Joseon paintings.
During the last 10 years, Hakgojae searched for the paintings in overseas auctions, such as Sotheby's and Christie's, and met individual collectors in Japan. The private gallery went to great lengths to bring them back.
The sad part is that the Japanese still possess more than 61,000 Korean relics, or about 60 percent of the nation's relics currently in foreign countries.
At the exhibition, visitors can see what kind of Joseon paintings the Japanese liked.
"These paintings are like representatives of the first hallyu in Japan. As the Japanese always craved for the continent, or more specifically China, they preferred landscapes, animal paintings or paintings that show ancient Chinese history," said Lee Tae-ho, professor at Myongji University and the organizer of the exhibition.
"Japan thought of Korea as a window to continental culture. They took home many Chinese-style paintings from Joseon," added Woo Chan-kyu, director of Hakgojae Gallery.
Among the exhibits, visitors can find 10 paintings that feature ancient Chinese history. They contain landscapes and stories related to famous Chinese writers of the time such as Wang Hsichih, Li Po and Tu Fu.
Animal paintings feature animals that were considered auspicious in Joseon like tigers, hawks and horses.
Horses, especially, symbolized the king's power as Joseon, which was a country established by soldiers.
There were more than 120 stock farms throughout the country and even a separate government department that managed them.
The painting "Horses Graze in a Field" depicts a farm scene. Various kinds of horses appear in the 34 by 119.5 cm painting. It is assumed to have been painted by a royal artist to be shown to the king.
The exhibition runs from March 10 to April 25 at Hakgojae Gallery in Sogyeok-dong, central Seoul. For more information, call (02) 720-1524 or visit www.hakgojae.com
Art Maui: March 7 to April 2 at Schaefer International Gallery
It can inspire, like Carmen Gardner's portrait of the late Aunty Genoa Keawe, famed Hawaiian songbird and ambassador of aloha. It can trigger memories and take you back to hanabata days fishing on the pier with friends, just like the boys in Kirk Kurokawa's "Dream Catcher." It's visual meditation, like Tony Novack-Clifford's "Horizon Obscured I," where it's easy to get lost in the lines until the elements become one."It" is Art Maui. And it's back.
The 32nd annual juried exhibition returns to the Maui Arts & Cultural Center's Schaefer International Gallery, once again showcasing who's moving and what's shaking in the local art community.
"We want to see what our artists are doing that's unique and creative," says Art Maui show chairwoman Chris Scharein. "Our goal is to show people who are reaching beyond in their art. We don't want status quo."
Founded in the late '70s as an avenue to showcase high-caliber works and encourage art collecting, Art Maui is the little exhibition that could. After more than three decades of chugging along and promoting the local art scene, it's evolved into arguably the most prestigious show in town.The highly-competitive exhibit garnered 565 entries this year, with juror Kenneth Bushnell narrowing the field to 144 that includes everything from ceramics to sculpture and printmaking to photography. Bushnell is a practicing artist who actively exhibits locally, nationally and internationally, and is currently professor of art emeritus at University of Hawai'i. He divides his time between studios in New York City, the south of France and Honolulu.
"In my mind he's an individual who over the years has become in tune with art from all over the world," says Scharein. "Now he's coming here and selecting art based on his experience, which gives the artists here in our community that worldly perspective."The exhibition encourages artists to move past the commodity-driven art scene and step into their own imagination.
"A lot of times in a gallery, artists will feel pressure to produce something for selling, but this is a space that really highlights their creativity. It's a show where the juror will look at something from the artistic side and not from the dollar sign," artist and exhibit designer Joelle C. Perz explains.
The collection represents a cross section of styles and mediums, keeping the viewer stimulated throughout. Visitors are immediately struck with a sense of place as Sidney Yee's "Pundy's Vision" hangs in the forefront. Depicting the Yokouchi Family Pavillion currently being built just steps outside the gallery, the painting is a preview of what's to come. The pyramid-like glass structure resembling the Louvre in Paris pays homage to the late Pundy Yokouchi, a prominent Maui businessman and driving force behind the MACC's inception.
"It's always difficult to find an entrance piece that means something," explains Perz. "I love that it goes with the timing of the new construction and at the same time (Yee) is such a talent, so it's celebrating him as well as this place."
Designer Perz, whose "Native Imprint" piece was selected as the publicity image for next year's show, is challenged with assembling this 144-piece puzzle into one cohesive exhibit. Pulling off this larger-than-life brain teaser is an art in itself, she says.
"The design and flow is really important to me. My goal is that every piece shines within this space, and that's the real difficulty."
Leaving Yee's piece and following a counter-clockwise flow, the viewer is taken on a thematic journey where the pieces move from organic, heavy color and texture, dreamworld, whimsical, contemporary and abstract.
Established artists and Art Maui veterans are represented: Judy Bisgard, Joseph Fletcher, Tim Garcia, Carmen Gardner, Ditmar Hoerl, Tom Sewell, Bjorn and Nancy Skrimstad, Sandy Vitarelli and others. While the names may be familiar, per eligibility criteria, each artwork is making its debut at the exhibit.
The job of the artist isn't done once the piece is in hanging on the wall or sitting under the spotlight. Each participant also volunteers time to making the show happen, including manning the gallery during visitor hours. This personal touch is one of the things that makes Art Maui unique, says Scharein.
"When people come in while an artist is here, it makes it so much more intimate and special because they can make that connection."
"It's amazing how many people volunteer and how gracious they are about it," adds Perz. "The artists love to help because they feel this is for them - it's really a show that highlights their creativity."
World Cup 2010: Completed Soccer City Stadium R1 Billion Over Budget
Soccer City aerial view - Johannesburg
Johannesburg authorities have said the venue for the World Cup final, Soccer City Stadium, went over-budget.
The stadium, which will host the opening and closing matches of the June 11 to July 11 World Cup, was handed over to the city on Wednesday by the Aveng construction group.
With 97 days before kick-off, work on transport infrastructure around the stadium is scheduled for completion in mid-March.
The stadium is a unique African venue, and it will be one of the proud images of the
World's smallest ever baby boy weighs only 9oz
London, Mar 6 (ANI): A baby boy born in Germany has become the world's smallest ever, weighing just nine ounces at birth. The baby, who is said to be smaller than a can of coke, was born after just 25 weeks, and he was so little at birth that a tape measure laid next to his body was wider than his limbs.
A spokesman for the university said that doctors were "extremely proud" of the boy and the parents were overjoyed.
"This was an incredible fight for life," Sky News Online quoted the spokesman as saying.
Now at eight months, medics have released a picture of the baby, who they are confident is strong enough to make it through.
The most premature baby to have survived, a girl born in Miami, America in 2004, is believed to have been born after 21 weeks.
Experts on medical ethics advise doctors not to resuscitate babies born before 23 weeks in the womb, and doctors do not expect babies weighing less than 12oz to survive.
More than 80,000 babies are born prematurely in Britain every year and half need to be treated in intensive care. (ANI)
Doctors in Germany had been convinced the baby, delivered by Caesarean section at the University of Medicine at Goettingen in June 2009, would not survive but refused to give up hope.
A spokesman for the university said that doctors were "extremely proud" of the boy and the parents were overjoyed.
"This was an incredible fight for life," Sky News Online quoted the spokesman as saying.
Now at eight months, medics have released a picture of the baby, who they are confident is strong enough to make it through.
The most premature baby to have survived, a girl born in Miami, America in 2004, is believed to have been born after 21 weeks.
Experts on medical ethics advise doctors not to resuscitate babies born before 23 weeks in the womb, and doctors do not expect babies weighing less than 12oz to survive.
More than 80,000 babies are born prematurely in Britain every year and half need to be treated in intensive care. (ANI)
Friday, March 5, 2010
Day at the Museum empowers, inspires
Close to 10,000 people gathered at the California Museum on Thursday for the first "Day at the Museum" to get a little bit of pampering and a lot of empowerment.The star-studded event was part of first lady Maria Shriver's annual The Women's Conference in honor of Women's History Month. The day included exhibits, presentations, speeches and tours of the museum.
"Today is the most successful day [at the museum] in all of California's history," Shriver told the audience.
The day began early with a meet-and-greet session in the museum's lobby with Shriver, California Secretary of State Debra Bowen, Speaker Emeritus Karen Bass, and other female legislators, mayors and district attorneys.This was followed by a panel of past Minerva Award winners. The Minerva is awarded annually to a California women who is making a difference and is what Shriver calls "an architect of change."
Women Escaping a Violent Environment (WEAVE) co-founder Jennie Hernandez, Parents of Watts founder "Sweet" Alice Harris, and homeless advocate Betty Chinn were just some of the recipients on hand to greet the audience and help Shriver showcase the museum's Minerva Award Exhibit.Women were treated to free massages at the "Relaxation Station," makeup applications at the "Hello Gorgeous" booth, drum performances and edible garden demonstrations in the museum's courtyard.
On the upper level, "California's Remarkable Women" told the stories of the state's many accomplished females, including food advocate Alice Waters, Mary See of See's Candy, XTreme Winter Games gold-medal record-holder Tara Dakides, and the first U.S. female astronaut to enter space, Sally Ride, who spoke later in the day.
Several women from "The California Heritage Quilt Project" did their handiwork throughout the day while answering questions about the the California Sesquicentennial Quilt, on display behind them. Created in 1996 for California's 150th birthday, the quilt was a collaboration between more than 200 women throughout the state. Other demonstrations Thursday included creating edible gardens, California Indian basketmaking and the origami Peace Crane Project.
After a cooking demonstration with chef Biba Caggiano, Iron Chef's Cat Cora spoke during "Only in California: A Celebration of California Creativity," along with other women who are using creative channels to blaze trails for women.
Cora spoke about meeting another Californian, Julia Child, as an aspiring chef and being inspired by her graciousness. Cora said it reminds her to take the time to shake hands and visit with her fans. She said she founded Chefs for Humanity after the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami to give back by providing quality food during disasters.
Cora reflected on her education in France and being a woman in a male-dominated industry. "I needed to prove to myself I could go and work in the toughest male kitchens in the world," she said of her apprenticeships in France. She advised women to take chances and not to be discouraged by obstacles that come along. "A door might close, but then a door will open."
Ayelet Waldman, author of "Bad Mother," also took the stage and discussed the often-comical trials and tribulations of being a mother and the unreasonable expectations to do it all. She commented on society's famous "bad mothers" such as Britney Spears, whose biggest fault was being selfish. She theorized that many mothers are ganged up on and deemed "bad mothers," to make others feel better about their maternal skills. "By defining to us who we aren't, they allow us to stomach the mothers we are," Waldman explained.
A more serious topic, body image, was examined through the images of photographer Lauren Greenfield. She showed disturbing photos of young women in a treatment facility for eating disorders and spoke about her experience while creating her documentary, "Thin."
Women weren't the only audience for the daylong celebration of women. During a courtyard ceremony called "Honoring Our Women in Military," Shriver thanked the men in the audience for showing up, saying, "I'm a big believer [men and women] must work together to raise the kinds of boys & and girls we want to change the world."
After a performance by an all-female color guard, Shriver welcomed Brig. Gen. Mary J. Knight to the stage. She paid tribute to the men and women serving the country, with a specific focus on the females in service. Knight is the nation's first African-American female general.
Shortly after, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Shriver's husband, took the stage to extend his appreciation to our servicewomen. He commended Shriver for her tireless efforts in providing resources for women throughout the state. Referring to the day's packed schedule, he joked, "This shows you how exhausting it is being with a woman like this!"
The audience cheered when he confessed "In my house, every day is women's day!"
The final and much-awaited event was "I Did It My Way," featuring a discussion between environmental activist Erin Brockovich, journalist Lisa Ling, astronaut Ride, and actress and singer Rita Moreno, with Shriver as a moderator.
Brockavich said at the end of the day it doesn't matter what others think. "It's our perception of how we see ourselves and that's all that really matters." Brokavich continued, "I followed my heard and my gut and it never let me down."
Growing up in the 1950s and 60s, Ride talked about enjoying science and sports at a time when that was not common for young girls. She said she was lucky that her parents supported her passions and encouraged her to follow her dreams.
Although Moreno noted "what's interesting is that everything we wanted, we thought was unattainable," for an hour the women discussed how they went about attaining exactly what they set out for. To view the entire discussion, visit The California Channel .
During National Women's History Month, the California Museum will have free admission every Saturday throughout March. A different female artist will be featured each weekend showcasing jewelry, mixed media, painting and an indie craft fair.
For a list of the day's events, visit The California Museum's website.
LG Cookie Pep comes to India
The compact 3-inch full touch screen phone with social networking features aims at attracting the young crowd.
"As the name suggests, the phone will enable our young mobile users to have an unordinary fun experience. It delivers all the essentials in communication, multimedia and entertainment in a delightfully compact form," said Sudhin Mathur, Business Head, Mobile Communications, LG Electronics India Pvt. Ltd.
Priced at Rs 7,500, Cookie Pep is expected to create more excitement as LG gets set to unveil a massive 360 degree marketing campaign soon.
Microsoft CEO hints at new form factors for Xbox platform
During yesterday’s cloud computing talk at the U of W, head Microsoft Steve Ballmer brought up out of nowhere a few points involving the future of the Xbox platform, hitting up the prospects of new form factors, price points, and options.
He revealed, “In the case of the TV we’ve got both strategies. We actually have a TV implementation in some senses built into Windows,” Ballmer said. “It works really well for small screen TVs that you might call a PC, but for that big screen device here’s a piece of hardware that we build, there’s no diversity. You get exactly the Xboxes that we build for you. We may have more form factors in the future that are designed for various price points and options, but we think it’s going to [be] important.”
Could we get something like a Vudu or Apple TV-esque media device from the tech giant as the next-generation Xbox? Will this tie in to the whole Windows Mobile scheme? We shall see.
He revealed, “In the case of the TV we’ve got both strategies. We actually have a TV implementation in some senses built into Windows,” Ballmer said. “It works really well for small screen TVs that you might call a PC, but for that big screen device here’s a piece of hardware that we build, there’s no diversity. You get exactly the Xboxes that we build for you. We may have more form factors in the future that are designed for various price points and options, but we think it’s going to [be] important.”
Could we get something like a Vudu or Apple TV-esque media device from the tech giant as the next-generation Xbox? Will this tie in to the whole Windows Mobile scheme? We shall see.
Night light fight: Knott’s Berry Farm vs. Disney’s California Adventure
This summer, Southern California’s theme-park titans will wage a nightly megawatt battle of the lights — all in hopes of winning your hearts and wallets.
On May 29, Knott’s Berry Farm will unveil “Snoopy’s Starlight Spectacular” in an effort to fend off this summer’s most-anticipated theme park attraction: the “World of Color” water show coming to Disney’s California Adventure.
The Peanuts-themed lighted walkway will take over Knott’s Camp Snoopy area during the summer and fall, with all the trees and buildings trimmed with animated LED lights synchronized to music. Inflatable Peanuts characters will dot the lighted trail, which will operate every night that the Buena Park theme park is open after 8 p.m.
Knott’s officials promise “Snoopy’s Starlight Spectacular” will be “more elaborate” than Cedar Point’s “Starlight Experience,” which made its debut last year at the Ohio amusement park. Worlds of Fun in Missouri will open a similar 2-million-light “Snoopy’s Hot Summer Lights” on June 4.
The walk-through experiences remind me of the “Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights,” the jaw-dropping winter holiday display at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Florida.
The dark of night would seem a good time for Knott’s to strike — especially now that Disney has shipped the beloved Electrical Parade to Florida’s Magic Kingdom for an extended vacation.
IndiaTVNews Partners Rhythm Mobile For Online Art Gallery
Independent News Service’s online portal IndiaTVNews.com is going the NDTV way, partnering with a zillion online companies to set up subsites. The latest one is an art gallery which is for some reason powered by a mobile VAS company called Rhythm Mobiles. The art gallery was launched “to offer a selective collection of original paintings for sale.” The selection is individually reviewed by professionals; it focuses only on contemporary Indian art.
The Art Gallery
Art should inspire, attract and such an art gallery could have wooed more Internet users into purchasing online. The site does not make any attempt at facilitating this.
There are seven artists on board so far and each has a short, brusque biography. There is a form to fill out to contact them individually; no direct method of contacting them has been enabled. The prices of the paintings are shown as zero and you may request the price of one by filling out yet another form. It’s the site as a whole that brought us down: plain Jane forms throughout, nothing to spice up the gallery: such as news from the world of art nor tid bits about great artists. Check out some other online art galleries in India: Indian Art Collectors, Kalavishkar, Alankritha, Palette Art Gallery, Indiaart.com, Delhi Art Gallery.
The Art Gallery
Art should inspire, attract and such an art gallery could have wooed more Internet users into purchasing online. The site does not make any attempt at facilitating this.There are seven artists on board so far and each has a short, brusque biography. There is a form to fill out to contact them individually; no direct method of contacting them has been enabled. The prices of the paintings are shown as zero and you may request the price of one by filling out yet another form. It’s the site as a whole that brought us down: plain Jane forms throughout, nothing to spice up the gallery: such as news from the world of art nor tid bits about great artists. Check out some other online art galleries in India: Indian Art Collectors, Kalavishkar, Alankritha, Palette Art Gallery, Indiaart.com, Delhi Art Gallery.
ARTISTS SHOW ANOTHER SIDE OF THEMSELVES
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Bermudian artist Ronnie Chameau — well known locally for her banana leaf dolls — will be showing a different side to her talent in an upcoming art show at Kaleidoscope Arts Foundation in Devonshire.
Mrs. Chameau will be exhibiting some of her paintings and sketches in an art show called 'In the Garden' alongside fibre work from Gale Bellew and rustic furniture by Ronnie Lopes.
"Everyone affiliates me with my banana leaf dolls, but I have painted since I was knee high," said Mrs. Chameau. "I have some of my father's lodge books and mother's cookbooks and they are full of little people and houses I drew when I was five."
Mrs. Chameau said growing up, she wasn't particularly academic.
"My mind was creative," she said. "I am left handed, and the teacher would take a ruler and crack my knuckles to make me use my right hand."
Mrs. Chameau said she hated school, and left at the age of 16.
She went to work for Fort St. Catherine's, but still kept drawing.
"I would draw landscapes from the fort," she said.
Today she sketches, and paints in water colours.
"For the show 'In the Garden', I have tried to do old Bermuda cottages or old ruins," she said. "I also have three French scenes in there."
Pet shop owner Ronnie Lopes will also be showing a different side of himself the rustic side.
Mr. Lopes got into rustic furniture making almost by accident after hurricane Fabian struck Bermuda a few years ago.
"I went on a skiing trip to Colorado and stayed in a log cabin where all the furniture was rustic," said Mr. Lopes. "A few years later we had hurricane Fabian. I was picking up my son from school and he noticed some men cutting a fallen tree.
"One of the limbs looked like the shape of a chair leg we had seen in Colorado."
So Mr. Lopes asked the workmen for some wood from the tree. They took it home and constructed a little table from it.
"We put our halloween pumpkin on it," he said.
But when trick-or-treaters came calling, they were more interested in the rustic table than in the pumpkin.
One lady asked Mr. Lopes to make her something similar, and then another person and another.
Later someone suggested he exhibit his work at the Annual Exhibition.
"I received a lot of positive comments," he said.
Bolstered by the praise, he kept going. He collected books about rustic furniture and bought a DVD about it. He also chatted to professional carpenters about their techniques and tools.
"I want it clear that I am not a carpenter," he said. "I am a rustic furniture maker. I believe anyone can be a rustic."
Today he often sells his furniture in his pet shop, Pet Care on the South Shore Road in Devonshire, or works on commission.
He constructs his furniture out of cedar, casuarina, spicewood and baygrape.
"The spice wood is the hardest out of all the woods that I use," he said. "It is the one that lasts the longest.
"It is great for outdoors. If someone wanted a bench, especially near the ocean, I would recommend it. That is what Bermuda fishermen used to make fishpots — spicewood."
He said his first chair was made from Mexican pepper wood.
"That was useless," he said. "That chair is all rotten now.
"The more you are into it, the more critical you are of your work and yourself. You are constantly finding ways to do it better."
To obtain wood he became friendly with various landscapers and road crews. People also often bring him wood.
"I don't go out chopping a tree to make a chair," he said. "That would defeat the purpose.
The third artist in the show, Gale Bellew, became interested in fibre art while raising llamas in Maine. She makes scarves, purses and other items from different fabrics and fibres.
"As a result of having llamas I had all this wonderful fibre," said Mrs. Bellew.
For twenty years she helped organise the Fryeburg Fair Fiber Center in Maine, the state's largest fibre festival.
She eventually sold her 29 llamas and moved to Bermuda with her husband.
"One of the challenges of raising llamas was making money from it," Mrs. Bellew said emphatically. "It was really a labour of love. I didn't sell them because I moved to Bermuda. I sold them because it was time."
Some of her pieces in the show demonstrate a felting process called 'nuno' which combines silk and felt.
"Nuno is the Japanese word for fabric," said Mrs. Bellew. "Nuno was invented by Polly Sterling, an American living in Australia. She had been doing wool felt for years, but Australia was too hot for wool."
Nuno uses warm water, soap and light agitation.
"When you do that on the silk the felt fibres start to migrate through the back," said Mrs. Bellew.
During nuno the felting shrinks a bit, making part of the silk shrink also. This creates "ruching" or gathering.
She also uses an Asian technique for dyeing her fabrics and textiles.
"My work is very influenced by Asian culture," she said. "I studied Asian ink painting."
In the show, she will include a piece done collaboratively with Charman Prize winner Sabrina Powell.
'In the Garden' opens March 11 from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Elliot Gallery at Kaleidoscope Arts Foundation.
A number of dishes will also be featured including red bean soup by Mr. Lopes' aunt, Mary Fox and kale soup by Natalie Sousa.
The show ends on March 27. The gallery is open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesdays to Saturdays or by appointment by telephoning 542-9000.
Aussies know how to dress for Oscar
Shining examples: Cate Blanchett wears a Janet Patterson design in Oscar and Lucinda. Photo: Twentieth Century FoxNicole Kidman, Cate Blanchett and Abbie Cornish have earned much applause for work done while wearing some of the most revered film costumes of the past decade - and all of them have been created by Australians.
Aussie stars have also ignited fashion trends from the red carpet, again often with the help of some local names.
Abbie Cornish at the Cannes Film Festival premiere of Bright Star in 2009. Photo: Getty Images
Some of Kidman, Blanchett and Cornish’s looks on the silver screen have been created by three-time Academy Award-nominated costume designer Janet Patterson.Patterson’s designs for Kidman in Portrait of a Lady, Blanchett in Oscar and Lucinda and Cornish in Bright Star not only transformed how Hollywood perceives these actresses, but fashion too.
Indeed, Australian costume designs have ignited major fashion trends including the gothic sensibility of The Piano and decadence of Moulin Rouge.
Perhaps even more importantly, it’s the stylishly individual ways these cinematic heroines appear that is most influential.
"The Australian actors have had such a huge influence on American films and have infiltrated that work so hugely and I’m sure part of the reason is the costuming and the whole picture of the character they are presenting," says Sarah Stollman, head of Screen Design at the Australian Film Television and Radio School (AFTRS).
"There is a lot of pretence in the (United) States with actors and understandably so, they become so slick, they are trying to be perfect, and I think so many of our actors here they love working with because they might be incredibly attractive, but there’s this naturalness that comes through and maybe that carries through the way the costume designers approach the characters as well."
The other side of the Australian design aesthetic has surged on the red carpet thanks also to the high profiles of Rose Byrne, Naomi Watts, Toni Collette, Isabel Lucas, Melissa George, Teresa Palmer, Isla Fisher, Deborra-Lee Furness, Rachel Griffiths and Radha Mitchell.
Australian actresses have demonstrated their fashion power by choosing to wear local designers that are both original yet not overexposed.
"Wearing an Australian gown on the red carpet offers something that is unique," says Adam Worling, publicist to designer Lisa Ho whose creations have appeared at many international events.
"They don’t have to get into that thing which can happen with an international design of who wore it better because the dresses aren’t available two weeks after fashion week where every celebrity stylist has seen and seized them.
"Sometimes the dresses wear the people and we don’t have enormous media exposure so ours are really refreshing because they haven’t been seen on websites."
Further, when the big Australian stars' public appearances count most they have cannily turned to local designers to make bold statements of both their star and fashion status.
For the 2001 premiere of Moulin Rouge in Sydney, Nicole Kidman wore her most daring outfit to date - an ultra narrow bejewelled Michelle Jank top.
It sent out a provocative message she was at her most sexually alluring just as her then marriage to superstar Tom Cruise was ending.
Baz Luhrmann’s visually spectacular Moulin Rouge redefined Kidman’s image as the world watched her sizzle on screen in costume designers Catherine Martin and Angus Strathie’s decadent courtesan creations.
"The clothes need a great actress to make them speak and give them a personality which she and the other girls did brilliantly," Martin later said about Kidman’s career-changing role.
The risqué, corsetted costumes, which won Martin and Strathie an Oscar, enhanced by the famed Satine diamond necklace also helped secure Kidman best actress Golden Globe and Oscar nominations plus a multi-million-dollar advertising campaign for perfume Chanel Number 5.
Another Australian design duo to win big at the Oscars was Tim Chappel and Lizzy Gardiner whose outlandish costumes in the 1994 The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert landed them a gong.
Gardiner famously wore a dress made of gold Amex cards to accept her award.
"It was partly for shock value and to get noticed and also to make a comment on the whole money aspect of film-making, but it was good because not only did it bring attention to her and Tim Chappel but it also brought attention to that area of film-making and that was really important too," says Stollman.
Australians - stars and designers alike - are also big winners on the red carpet.
For Cate Blanchett the power of individualistic style is what has always separated her from the fashion pack.
Last year, she cemented her fashion icon status with a surprising red carpet choice for the opening of the Screen Worlds exhibition in Melbourne, where she was photographed wearing a Romance was Born patchwork blanket dress.
Her radical choice received extensive international coverage, but just six months later Paul Smith closely referenced the Aussie’s patchwork creation at his London Fashion Week show.
Rising star Abbie Cornish also dazzled on the red carpet at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival after opting for a Toni Maticevski lavender gown for the premiere of Bright Star.
Although Cornish failed to receive an Oscar nomination for her performance in the Jane Campion-directed romance, she instead landed on the front cover of Vanity Fair as one of Hollywood’s next big things.
Designer Alex Perry who has built a global reputation dressing Australia’s most glamorous women, including Deborra-Lee Furness for the 2009 Academy Awards hosted by her husband Hugh Jackman, believes celebrities seem much more powerful when they support local designers.
"You have to remember these women have labels literally knocking at their door," Perry said.
"They can wear whatever they want from any designer on the planet. But when they do wear an Australian designer and go to the effort it’s such a great thing and it shows they are dictating their own style."
McQueen wins posthumous fashion design award
McQueen's catwalk collection is being shown at the Design Museum
Fashion designer Alexander McQueen, who died last month aged 40, has won a top design award.
McQueen was named one of seven category winners at the Brit Insurance Design Awards 2010 for his latest spring/summer catwalk show. Paula Reed, judge and style director of Grazia magazine, said the show emphasised the "enormity of his loss".
Other category winners included Monterrey Housing, a new model for social housing in Mexico.
Grassworks, a flat pack furniture kit made of sustainable bamboo which requires no drills or glue, won the Product category, while the zero-emission E430 Electric Aircraft won the Transport award.
McQueen beat other fashion collections, including Beth Ditto's clothing label at Evans, to take the award.
Ms Reed stressed the jury did not give the award to McQueen, who was found dead at his London home on 11 February, for "sentimental reasons".
She said the video presentation of McQueen's last show was one of the most "compelling" pieces in the awards exhibition at the Design Museum.
"Among the fashion nominees, Alexander McQueen was a clear winner," she said.
"The designer had been working for years on developing fabrics that could blend the hard into soft and had pretty much come close to achieving that in this collection.
"Then there was the way the prints had been worked, taking one image across an entire piece of fabric and fit by hand to the body to make a dress: something seemingly random was minutely thought through. But there was also the sheer spectacle of it.
"The impressiveness simply compounds the enormity of his loss."
McQueen's winning designs will now compete for the overall Brit Insurance Design of the Year 2010, to be announced at the ceremony at the Design Museum on 16 March.
The winning entries, along with all the shortlisted designs, are on show at the museum until 6 June.
Artist Antony Gormley, chair of the judges, said: "The seven winners provide a snapshot of some of the most outstanding designs from the past 12 months and reflect the important role design plays in improving people's lives."
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Could Facebook Be Worth More Than Google At Time Of IPOs?
But venture-backed Facebook could be worth far more than that when it eventually files for an IPO, writes Jessica Vascellaro, author of today’s Wall Street Journal cover story of Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg.
On sister blog Digits, Vascellaro writes that investors who are buying shares of Facebook or plan to buy shares expect the company will go public with a market cap of $35 billion to $40 billion. “Some analysts are even more bullish, suggesting that Facebook could be worth $59 billion in 2011 and more than $100 billion by 2015,” she writes.
Valuations of private companies often fluctuate wildly - Facebook is a shining example. The company bragged in 2007 that its valuation skyrocketed to $15 billion after Microsoft Corp. invested, but other estimates since then have put it at anywhere from half that amount to about $10 billion after Digital Sky Technologies invested in the company last year.
Sharespost, an online marketplace for trading in private companies, including Facebook, estimates the company’s current valuation at $11.5 billion by averaging the latest bid and offer prices with research estimates.
If the valuation estimates reported by Vascallero are anywhere close to what becomes reality once Facebook goes public, the company’s early investors are in for some Google-like returns. Accel Partners, Greylock Ventures, Meritech Capital Partners and Founders Fund’s Peter Thiel which invested at relatively low valuations several years ago, will be able to live off of their investments in Facebook for years the same way Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers and Sequoia Capital has done with Google, which made Kleiner Partner John Doerr and Sequoia Partner Michael Moritz billionaires.
Beauty Tips for Men
Beauty Tips for Men is a common notion that men are less concerned about their looks than women are. But this is just a fraction of the truth and researches show that men too are equally interested in beauty and beauty tips as their opposite sex.
Men have always desired to look masculine and macho, rugged and strong and therefore, dread the thought of admitting their obsession with looks.
If you are someone who harbors similar thoughts, take it easy, as beauty and beauty tips for men have become a well accepted notion in the modern times.
Although numerous beauty parlors for men exist, where you can get all the services you wish, you might still find a few beauty tips for men handy when it comes to dealing with everyday life. Read on to know more about some great beauty tips for men that will help you gain your desired look.
Facial Beauty Tips for Men
Clean your face regularly to keep it free of acne and grime. Use a face wash at least twice a day but ensure that the chemical content in it is minimal. Also, to ensure you retain the moisture in your skin, do not use deodorant based soaps for your face. Use a skin toner containing vitamin E or Aloe Vera. While using razors, ensure that it has strip of aloe or vitamin to save you from the after shave burns.
You can also apply a homemade face pack that suits your skin type to clean your face and tighten the skin. For a suitable homemade beauty recipe for your face you may browse through our homemade beauty tips on this website.
If you prefer a rugged look, then visit a salon for a beard or mustache style that best suits your face. Apply a sunscreen before going out and use vaseline on your lips to keep them from getting dry.
Hair Care Tips for Men
Hair is one more important part of the body that you need to pay special attention to. You must oil hair regularly or at least on weekends and wash off with a mild shampoo. If you see traces of gray in your hair, then you could use henna packs or hair colors. If you see you hair thinning, then keep your hair short. Long hair needs more care and effort for maintenance and cleanliness. Styling gels can be used to keep your hair in place, but ensure that these do not contain an excess of chemicals.
Body Care Tips for Men
Hair on the ear lobes can be embarassing. To get rid of this unwanted hair you can wax your ear lobes at regular intervals. If you like the bare body look, then waxing the chest can also be a good option.
Body massages on weekends are relaxing. Massages improve your blood circulation and tone your body while it relaxes your muscles.
Manicure and pedicures clean your hands and feet and keep them in good shape. Regular exercises and a balanced diet are also necessary for an over all good look.
Dressing and Cosmetic Tips for Men
Wearing clean and ironed clothes definitely helps you feel good and confident. Cosmetics could include powder and little lip balm. Never forget to wear your favorite perfume or deodorant for that fresh feel throughout the day.
Men have always desired to look masculine and macho, rugged and strong and therefore, dread the thought of admitting their obsession with looks.
If you are someone who harbors similar thoughts, take it easy, as beauty and beauty tips for men have become a well accepted notion in the modern times.
Although numerous beauty parlors for men exist, where you can get all the services you wish, you might still find a few beauty tips for men handy when it comes to dealing with everyday life. Read on to know more about some great beauty tips for men that will help you gain your desired look.
Facial Beauty Tips for Men
Clean your face regularly to keep it free of acne and grime. Use a face wash at least twice a day but ensure that the chemical content in it is minimal. Also, to ensure you retain the moisture in your skin, do not use deodorant based soaps for your face. Use a skin toner containing vitamin E or Aloe Vera. While using razors, ensure that it has strip of aloe or vitamin to save you from the after shave burns.
You can also apply a homemade face pack that suits your skin type to clean your face and tighten the skin. For a suitable homemade beauty recipe for your face you may browse through our homemade beauty tips on this website.
If you prefer a rugged look, then visit a salon for a beard or mustache style that best suits your face. Apply a sunscreen before going out and use vaseline on your lips to keep them from getting dry.
Hair Care Tips for Men
Hair is one more important part of the body that you need to pay special attention to. You must oil hair regularly or at least on weekends and wash off with a mild shampoo. If you see traces of gray in your hair, then you could use henna packs or hair colors. If you see you hair thinning, then keep your hair short. Long hair needs more care and effort for maintenance and cleanliness. Styling gels can be used to keep your hair in place, but ensure that these do not contain an excess of chemicals.
Body Care Tips for Men
Hair on the ear lobes can be embarassing. To get rid of this unwanted hair you can wax your ear lobes at regular intervals. If you like the bare body look, then waxing the chest can also be a good option.
Body massages on weekends are relaxing. Massages improve your blood circulation and tone your body while it relaxes your muscles.
Manicure and pedicures clean your hands and feet and keep them in good shape. Regular exercises and a balanced diet are also necessary for an over all good look.
Dressing and Cosmetic Tips for Men
Wearing clean and ironed clothes definitely helps you feel good and confident. Cosmetics could include powder and little lip balm. Never forget to wear your favorite perfume or deodorant for that fresh feel throughout the day.
10 Tips to taking great photos over Spring Break
Passport? Check. Suntan lotion? Yep. Camera? Of course. Taking a camera on a vacation is a must in order to immortalize those memories in the sun and sharing them with family and friends. But you don’t get a second chance to capture that moment, so our friends at Nikon Canada have shared their Top 10 tips to taking great vacation pictures.
In case you missed our Sympatico article on recommended cameras and camcordes for spring break, you definitely don’t want to be without something to catch all the action on your upcoming vacation.
Nikon Canada is also sharing some photo-taking tips to those with a point-and-shoot or dSLR (Single Lens Reflex) model. Here’s a look at each one for fun in the sun:
1. Shoot in continuous mode. If you’ve ever had trouble taking crisp, clear photos of a constantly moving subject, a child or pet for example, try changing your camera settings to a continuous burst mode. Several frames per second will increase your chances of catching your subject just the way you want. If you have Subject Tracking, you’ll have an even greater array of features to help you capture that perfect shot.
2. Flash forward. Using a flash ensures all your photos are crisp and clear, especially in darker lit settings such as a dinner or dance party. And don’t stop there — be sure to use flash outdoors as well to help balance any dark contrasts.
3. Work with what you’ve got. Take advantage of your camera’s settings whether it’s a low-light sensitive capability such as a broad ISO range, or automatic setting selections for taking pictures in various environments. Learn the features your camera offers and use them to create impressive images you’ll be proud to put on display.
4. Shutter finger. The beauty of digital is the ability to review any photographs you take instantly and decide which you would like to keep or re-shoot. With this in mind, don’t hold back. Take more pictures rather than fewer and sort through them later. This will help you
focus on the photo opportunities at hand, giving you a better chance of capturing that perfect shot.
5. Exposure is key. Any good photo has an intended balance to the amount of light used when the picture was taken. Experiment with your camera’s exposure settings, bracketing the brightness levels for different effects. Sometimes an over or underexposed photo can be a creative expression of an otherwise normal photograph. Just remember, when in doubt, underexpose — these images can be brightened later on, whereas an overexposed image won’t pick up all the details and not much can be done to correct it.
6. Get to know, be a pro. Take into account who or what your subject is. If you are photographing a person, learn what their personality is like and what they are comfortable with; if you are taking photos of an animal [there are plnty of those on Spring Break! - Marc], you will need to know what its temperament is; and taking pictures of an object requires you to identify the best features to highlight. The more you learn and understand, the better you will be able to model your photograph in its best light.
7. Wherever you will go. Take your camera with you so you never miss a moment. When selecting a new camera, consider how you will transport it. If you select a smaller unit, this will be less of a concern, but if you purchase a larger, heavier camera with additional lenses and flash attachments, consider investing in a good camera bag to protect your equipment and make it more portable. When on foot, take advantage of a camera strap around your neck — many of today’s digital SLR cameras feature rapid start-up times, so you’ll always be ready if a picture opportunity arises.
8. The more the merrier. Challenge your skill level. Investing in a few accessories can make photography easier and help to produce better photos. A tripod can help to steady a shot, while additional lenses provide various zoom options, macro options, wide-angle, and more. Adding an external flash can make a photo more dynamic. Digital SLRs are great because they are customizable to every photographer’s needs.
9. Don’t forget to touch up. Make life easier by performing simple image corrections right on the camera before uploading them to your computer. This makes picture development a snap.
10. Have fun! Be creative. Get up high or down real low to capture that perfect shot, creating dimension, angles and a personal flare to all your photos. Develop your own style of photography to set yourself apart from the crowd.
In case you missed our Sympatico article on recommended cameras and camcordes for spring break, you definitely don’t want to be without something to catch all the action on your upcoming vacation.Nikon Canada is also sharing some photo-taking tips to those with a point-and-shoot or dSLR (Single Lens Reflex) model. Here’s a look at each one for fun in the sun:
1. Shoot in continuous mode. If you’ve ever had trouble taking crisp, clear photos of a constantly moving subject, a child or pet for example, try changing your camera settings to a continuous burst mode. Several frames per second will increase your chances of catching your subject just the way you want. If you have Subject Tracking, you’ll have an even greater array of features to help you capture that perfect shot.
2. Flash forward. Using a flash ensures all your photos are crisp and clear, especially in darker lit settings such as a dinner or dance party. And don’t stop there — be sure to use flash outdoors as well to help balance any dark contrasts.
3. Work with what you’ve got. Take advantage of your camera’s settings whether it’s a low-light sensitive capability such as a broad ISO range, or automatic setting selections for taking pictures in various environments. Learn the features your camera offers and use them to create impressive images you’ll be proud to put on display.
4. Shutter finger. The beauty of digital is the ability to review any photographs you take instantly and decide which you would like to keep or re-shoot. With this in mind, don’t hold back. Take more pictures rather than fewer and sort through them later. This will help you
focus on the photo opportunities at hand, giving you a better chance of capturing that perfect shot.
5. Exposure is key. Any good photo has an intended balance to the amount of light used when the picture was taken. Experiment with your camera’s exposure settings, bracketing the brightness levels for different effects. Sometimes an over or underexposed photo can be a creative expression of an otherwise normal photograph. Just remember, when in doubt, underexpose — these images can be brightened later on, whereas an overexposed image won’t pick up all the details and not much can be done to correct it.
6. Get to know, be a pro. Take into account who or what your subject is. If you are photographing a person, learn what their personality is like and what they are comfortable with; if you are taking photos of an animal [there are plnty of those on Spring Break! - Marc], you will need to know what its temperament is; and taking pictures of an object requires you to identify the best features to highlight. The more you learn and understand, the better you will be able to model your photograph in its best light.
7. Wherever you will go. Take your camera with you so you never miss a moment. When selecting a new camera, consider how you will transport it. If you select a smaller unit, this will be less of a concern, but if you purchase a larger, heavier camera with additional lenses and flash attachments, consider investing in a good camera bag to protect your equipment and make it more portable. When on foot, take advantage of a camera strap around your neck — many of today’s digital SLR cameras feature rapid start-up times, so you’ll always be ready if a picture opportunity arises.
8. The more the merrier. Challenge your skill level. Investing in a few accessories can make photography easier and help to produce better photos. A tripod can help to steady a shot, while additional lenses provide various zoom options, macro options, wide-angle, and more. Adding an external flash can make a photo more dynamic. Digital SLRs are great because they are customizable to every photographer’s needs.
9. Don’t forget to touch up. Make life easier by performing simple image corrections right on the camera before uploading them to your computer. This makes picture development a snap.
10. Have fun! Be creative. Get up high or down real low to capture that perfect shot, creating dimension, angles and a personal flare to all your photos. Develop your own style of photography to set yourself apart from the crowd.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Spicy Tea Soaps
Blend your own mix of fragrant dried flowers and herbal tea into beautiful glycerin soaps, then wrap them with recycled decorative gift wrap and scrap ribbon for homemade gift giving.
Spicy Tea Soaps
What You Will Need:
Glycerin soap base
Large kitchen knife
Cutting block
Large glass measuring cup
Medium-sized pan and water
Stovetop
Stirring spoon
Dried chamomile flowers
Dried lavender flowers
Herbal tea bag
Essential oi
Colorant (optional)
Soap molds
Rubbing alcohol in spray bottle
Decorative paper scraps
Ribbon scrap
Tape
Tissue paper or cellophane
Glue stick
Rubber stamps or stickers
Homemade Spicy Tea Soaps
Instructions
Use a kitchen knife to cut the block of glycerin soap into 1-inch cubes. Place the cubes into the glass measuring cup. Set the measuring cup into the pan, and fill the pan with water to reach halfway up the outside of the measuring cup, creating a double boiler. Set the stovetop burner on medium heat under the pan.
Keep a watchful eye as the glycerin cubes melt—about 10 minutes. Stir as needed. Remove from heat and skim off any skin that forms on the surface of the glycerin.
Add the lavender, chamomile, and contents of the tea bags to the melted soap. Stir to combine. Add a few drops of essential oil, and colorant if desired, and mix well.
Pour the melted soap into the soap molds. If bubbles appear on the surface, use a spray bottle of rubbing alcohol to spritz the surface of the soap. Allow the soap to harden and cool. Then, pop the soaps out of the molds.
To decorate rectangular soaps, recycle gift wrap by cutting strips to wrap around the bar. Secure the back with a small piece of tape, and tie off with a ribbon for extra pop. For round soaps, wrap tissue paper or cellophane around the soap, bringing the ends of the paper to the top of the bar. Seal it with a round piece of paper secured with glue. Decorate the paper with rubber stamps or stickers.
Spicy Tea Soaps
What You Will Need:
Glycerin soap base
Large kitchen knife
Cutting block
Large glass measuring cup
Medium-sized pan and water
Stovetop
Stirring spoon
Dried chamomile flowers
Dried lavender flowers
Herbal tea bag
Essential oi
Colorant (optional)
Soap molds
Rubbing alcohol in spray bottle
Decorative paper scraps
Ribbon scrap
Tape
Tissue paper or cellophane
Glue stick
Rubber stamps or stickers
Homemade Spicy Tea Soaps
Instructions
Use a kitchen knife to cut the block of glycerin soap into 1-inch cubes. Place the cubes into the glass measuring cup. Set the measuring cup into the pan, and fill the pan with water to reach halfway up the outside of the measuring cup, creating a double boiler. Set the stovetop burner on medium heat under the pan.
Keep a watchful eye as the glycerin cubes melt—about 10 minutes. Stir as needed. Remove from heat and skim off any skin that forms on the surface of the glycerin.
Add the lavender, chamomile, and contents of the tea bags to the melted soap. Stir to combine. Add a few drops of essential oil, and colorant if desired, and mix well.
Pour the melted soap into the soap molds. If bubbles appear on the surface, use a spray bottle of rubbing alcohol to spritz the surface of the soap. Allow the soap to harden and cool. Then, pop the soaps out of the molds.
To decorate rectangular soaps, recycle gift wrap by cutting strips to wrap around the bar. Secure the back with a small piece of tape, and tie off with a ribbon for extra pop. For round soaps, wrap tissue paper or cellophane around the soap, bringing the ends of the paper to the top of the bar. Seal it with a round piece of paper secured with glue. Decorate the paper with rubber stamps or stickers.
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