Thom Browne Spring 2009

Gaudí's Barcelona

Gaudí’s Casa Batlló seems sunk underwater when viewed through the house’s distorted glass.
Building the Colònia Güell Crypt outside Barcelona, architect Antoni Gaudí tested out building techniques he was later to use at his famed La Sagrada Família cathedral.
The rooftop of Gaudí’s Casa Milà (known as “La Pedrera”) is marked with undulating forms and Stormtrooper-like helmeted spires.
The Colònia Güell Crypt is classic Gaudí, located on a textile estate in Santa Coloma de Cervelló, just outside Barcelona.

Aishwarya Rai

Aishwarya Rai (Ash) is one of Bollywood's pre-eminent leading ladies. This Indian darling burst upon the world stage when her striking beauty, poise and commanding intelligence won her the Miss World crown in 1994. This former architecture major soon became one of India's most famous models landing a prestigious Pepsi campaign and appearing in Vogue Magazine. India's top Bollywood directors were soon lining up to work with Ash. Her film debut in Mani Rathnam's 'Iruvar' (1997) received critical acclaim and her performance in Aur Paar Ho Gaya' (1997) directed by Rahul Rawail garnered her the Best Female Debutante Award. In 2000 she was awarded Best Actress by FilmFare and Zee Cine for her work in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's "Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam", in that same year, nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her special appearance in Aditya Chopra's Mohabbatein (2000). In 2001 Ash was nominated for FilmFare's Best Actress Award for Satish Kaushik's "Hamara Dil Aapke Paas Hai".

Ash's star continued to rise in 2002 working again with Sajay Leela Bhansali in 'Devdas'. 'Devdas' is the most ambitious and most successful film in Bollywood history. It became the first Bollywood picture to ever receive a special screening at this year's Cannes Film Festival and broke box-office records in India and the United States.

2003 brought even more exciting opportunities. Ash became the first Indian actor to be a member of the jury at the Cannes Film Festival. She is also the latest member of the elite L'Oreal Dream Team, joining beauties Catherine Deneuve & Andie MacDowell as their international ambassador. She graced the covers of India Today and the prestigious TIME Magazine. Time Magazine has also listed her on their list of the "100 Most Influential People in the World Today". She has graced numerous covers worldwide including USA, UK, China, Russia, Israel, United Emerites, Italy, Spain and France. Ash was also listed on Rolling Stone Magazine's annual "Hot List", Hello Magazine's Most Attractive Women in the World", Stuff Magazine, FHM magazine, V-Life from Variety Magazine, GQ Magazine, New York Times Magazine, Harper's & Queen and countless others.

2004 saw Aishwarya take on the leading role in her first English language film for Gurinder Chadha in "Bride & Prejudice". She also became the first Indian female to be immortalized in wax at the world famous Madame Tussaud's wax museum in London.

With over 17,000 websites dedicated to her, Ash finally launched her "Official Website" www.AishwaryaWorld.com

2005 started with appearances on "60 Minutes", "David Letterman Show" and the most watched television program in the world the "Oprah Winfrey Show". Aishwarya's career continues to grow even stronger - she will soon be seen in Mistress of Spices for director Paul Berges, Jag Mundhra's Provoked, Sanjay Gadhvi's Dhoom 2 and legendary film producer Dino De Laurentiis's The Last Legion opposite Colin Firth and Sir Ben Kingsley. The Queen of Bollywood is already becoming the talk of tinseltown and is currently in negotiations on two major motion pictures.

imdb

Ralph Lauren

The name of American clothing designer Ralph Lauren has become associated with class and taste. In addition to clothing, he designs home decorating products such as furniture, bedding, drapes, towels, rugs, china, and silverware.

The youngest of four children, Ralph Lifshitz was born in the Bronx, New York, on October 14, 1939. His father was a house-painter. Ralph became interested in clothes when he was in seventh grade. While attending DeWitt Clinton High School in New York, he worked part-time for New York department stores, saving his money to buy clothes. He changed his name to Lauren in the mid-1950s. After graduating from high school he worked as a salesman and began studying business at night. He quit school after a few months, spent time in the army, and then looked for a job in fashion.

In 1967 Lauren was hired by Beau Brummell Ties as a designer. His wide, colorful ties were the opposite of the narrow dark neckties common at the time; they sold well and started a new trend. Lauren started his own company and the next year launched a line of men's clothing, Polo, offering styles that were a mix of English and American styles and that expressed an image of class. Lauren's menswear was a success, and in 1971 he introduced his women's line. As the years went by he continued to branch out into children's clothes, colognes, footwear, home products, and other merchandise.

Lauren designed costumes for the films The Great Gatsby (1973) and Annie Hall (1978) that influenced the way millions dressed. Modestly describing his work, Lauren stated, "I believe in clothes that last, that are not dated in a season. The people who wear my clothes don't think of them as fashion.' Lauren's vision was to represent American style with a dash of British elegance and the comfort of natural fibers.

Lauren lived the image he projected, and he was often featured with his family in magazines devoted to lives of the rich and famous. He was also the first designer to appear in his own advertising. One of the secrets of Lauren's success lay in his attention to detail, always checking product quality and maintaining tight control over the brand image he crafted so carefully. Lauren's fashion formula earned many honors from his peers. He had seven Coty design awards and was inducted into the Coty Hall of Fame in 1986. In 1992 he received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Council of American Fashion Designers and a tribute for twenty-five years of impact on American style from the Woolmark Awards. The Council of Fashion Designers later elected him Designer of the Year in 1996.

In 1971 Lauren opened his first retail store in Beverly Hills, California, building toward a total of 116 Polo-Ralph Lauren stores in the United States as well as 1,300 boutiques (small shops within department stores). In 1986 he made fashion retailing history with a large megastore housed in the elegant former Rhinelander Mansion in New York. John Fairchild, chairman of Women's Wear Daily, called it "The best boutique in America, probably the world." Consumers responded, spending over $5 billion a year by 1997 to have the Lauren look and making him the best-selling designer in the world.

Two major new ventures begun in 1995 took Lauren into the highly competitive blue jean and mass-market women's clothing categories. Both took the Lauren name to a new customer at lower prices and were instant hits. In 1996 Lauren's Home Collection contributed about $535 million in sales world-wide—more than any other designer. Paints were launched the same year, along with instruction videos and all the tools needed to create the living environment of one's choice. By 1997 investment bankers were fighting for the opportunity to help Lauren put his company on the stock market.

In 1998 Lauren announced that his company would donate $13 million to the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., mainly to preserve the original American flag that inspired the writing of "The Star-Spangled Banner" in 1812. That same year he was honored for his efforts to raise money for research into a cure for breast cancer. In 2000 the company's Web site, Polo.com, was introduced, allowing online access to all Ralph Lauren products. Lauren's charitable contributions continued with the creation of the Polo Volunteer Program and the contribution of $5 million to establish the Ralph Lauren Center for Cancer Prevention and Care at North General Hospital in Harlem, New York.

notablebiographies

Fred Hampton

Fred Hampton was born in Chicago in 1948 and grew up in Maywood, a suburb of the city. A bright student, Hampton graduated from Proviso East High School in 1966 before enrolling at Triton Junior College where he studied law.

While a student Hampton became active in the civil rights movement. He joined the National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People (NAACP) and was appointed leader of the Youth Council of the organization's West Suburban branch.

In October 1966 Bobby Seale and Huey Newton formed the Black Panther Party in Oakland, California. Initially formed to protect local communities from police brutality and racism, the Black Panthers eventually developed into a Marxist revolutionary group. The group also ran medical clinics and provided free food to school children. Other important members included Stokely Carmichael, H. Rap Brown, Bobby Hutton and Eldridge Cleaver.

Hampton founded the Chicago chapter of the Black Panther Party in November 1968. He immediately established a community service program. This included the provision of free breakfasts for schoolchildren and a medical clinic that did not charge patients for treatment. Hampton also taught political education classes and instigated a community control of police project.

One of Hampton's greatest achievements was to persuade Chicago's most powerful street gangs to stop fighting against each other. In May 1969 Hampton held a press conference where he announced a nonaggression pact between the gangs and the formation of what he called a "rainbow coalition" (a multiracial alliance of black, Puerto Rican, and poor youths).

Later that year Hampton was arrested and charged with stealing $71 worth of sweets, which he then allegedly gave away to local children. Hampton was initially convicted of the crime but the decision was eventually overturned.

The activities of the Black Panthers in Chicago came to the attention of J. Edgar Hoover and the FBI. Hoover described the Panthers as "the greatest threat to the internal security of the country" and urged the Chicago police to launch an all-out assault on the organization. In 1969 the Panther party headquarters on West Monroe Street was raided three times and over 100 members were arrested.

In the early hours of the 4th December, 1969, the Panther headquarters was raided by the police for the fourth time. The police later claimed that the Panthers opened fire and a shoot-out took place. During the next ten minutes Fred Hampton and Mark Clark were killed. Witnesses claimed that Hampton was wounded in the shoulder and then executed by a shot to the head.

The panthers left alive, including Deborah Johnson, Hampton's girlfriend, who was eight months pregnant at the time, were arrested and charged with attempting to murder the police. Afterwards, ballistic evidence revealed that only one bullet had been fired by the Panthers whereas nearly a hundred came from police guns.

After the resignation of President Richard Nixon, the Senate Intelligence Committee conducted a wide-ranging investigation of America's intelligence services. Frank Church of Idaho, the chairman of the committee, revealed in April, 1976 that William O'Neal, Hampton's bodyguard, was a FBI agent-provocateur who, days before the raid, had delivered an apartment floor-plan to the Bureau with an "X" marking Hampton's bed. Ballistic evidence showed that most bullets during the raid were aimed at Hampton's bedroom.

spartacus.schoolnet

Sting

Sting
born: 02-10-1951
birth place: Wallsend, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK

Gordon Sumner - nicknamed ‘Sting’ for the black and yellow striped sweater he would wear while performing - was born and raised in Newcastle. His mother was a classically trained pianist who’s teaching resulted in his being offered an advanced piano scholarship. He too trained as a teacher, but jazz and guitar were Sting's real loves, resulting in his ditching his career and moving to London to play professionally. American drummer Stewart Copeland caught his act and persuaded him to try rock. Joined by guitarist Andy Summers, the trio formed the Police in 1977.

Their rock-reggae sound broke through with 'Roxanne', a song about a prostitute later banned by the BBC, which assured its hit status. The single proved so successful that their record company, A&M, rushed to release their first album, 'Outlandos D'Amour'. In quick succession, the band's next albums, 'Regatta De Blanc', 'Zenyatta Mondatta', and 'Ghost in the Machine' were released, with at least one hit single emerging from each. The release, in 1983, of 'Synchronicity' and its monster single, 'Every Breath You Take', secured their place in pop history. After a triumphant world tour, Sting decided he had achieved all he could with the Police, and the band dissolved at the height of its popularity.

Sting's solo career has proven equally successful. His first album, the jazz-influenced 'Dream of the Blue Turtles', went platinum. 1991's 'Soul Cages', dealing with the loss of his parents (who both died of cancer within a few months of each other), and 1993's 'Ten Summoner's Tales', revealed a maturity in his song writing not previously seen, and both albums won Grammy Awards. 1996's 'Mercury Falling' continued in a meditative vein, as the forty-five-year-old artist ruminated on aging and his own mortality. A political activist, Sting has lent outspoken support to both Amnesty International, as well as helping to save Brazilian rainforests. His film career has showed mixed success, but his performances in such films as 'Brimstone and Treacle' and 'Quadrophenia' have been well received. He and his wife, Trudie Styler, live a relatively quiet life on their estate outside London, with their children and dogs.

thebiographychannel

1 of my favs :) 2 thumbs 4 this cool dude =[]

Chic & Swag Friday

What goes on within the human skull is more complex and fantastic than anyone imagined. Now science is delving deeper into what we know of the mind.

The ancient Egyptians thought so little of brain matter they made a practice of scooping it out through the nose of a dead leader before packing the skull with cloth before burial. They believed consciousness resided in the heart, a view shared by Aristotle and a legacy of medieval thinkers. Even when consensus for the locus of thought moved northward into the head, it was not the brain that was believed to be the sine qua non, but the empty spaces within it, called ventricles, where ephemeral spirits swirled about. As late as 1662, philosopher Henry More scoffed that the brain showed "no more capacity for thought than a cake of suet, or a bowl of curds."

Around the same time, French philosopher René Descartes codified the separation of conscious thought from the physical flesh of the brain. Cartesian "dualism" exerted a powerful influence over Western science for centuries, and while dismissed by most neuroscientists today, still feeds the popular belief in mind as a magical, transcendent quality.

A contemporary of Descartes named Thomas Willis—often referred to as the father of neurology—was the first to suggest that not only was the brain itself the locus of the mind, but that different parts of the brain give rise to specific cognitive functions. Early 19th-century phrenologists pushed this notion in a quaint direction, proposing that personality proclivities could be deduced by feeling the bumps on a person's skull, which were caused by the brain "pushing out" in places where it was particularly well developed. Plaster casts of the heads of executed criminals were examined and compared to a reference head to determine whether any particular protuberances could be reliably associated with criminal behavior.

Though absurdly unscientific even for its time, phrenology was remarkably prescient—up to a point. In the past decade especially, advanced technologies for capturing a snapshot of the brain in action have confirmed that discrete functions occur in specific locations. The neural "address" where you remember a phone number, for instance, is different from the one where you remember a face, and recalling a famous face involves different circuits than remembering your best friend's.

Yet it is increasingly clear that cognitive functions cannot be pinned to spots on the brain like towns on a map. A given mental task may involve a complicated web of circuits, which interact in varying degrees with others throughout the brain—not like the parts in a machine, but like the instruments in a symphony orchestra combining their tenor, volume, and resonance to create a particular musical effect.

Finish reading simply copy & paste Link...Enjoy!

http://science.nationalgeographic.com/science/health-and-human-body/human-body/mind-brain.html

Tokyo Design Week, 2008

British designers Peter Liversidge and Asif Khan's Tetra light

K= Mr. West

New Zealand 2008
Dopeness!!!

Polo by Ralph Lauren

2005
1978

Guys, I was just looking at that kid on the left and he's seriously look like he's brushing his shoulders off like "I'm Fly"...LOL

Anish Kapoor sculpture, Berlin

Turning the World Upside Down III, by Anish Kapoor, 1996

Cloud Gate, a reflective stainless steel sculpture by Anish Kapoor in Chicago’s Millennium Park, 2004

Taratantara, by Anish Kapoor, 1999

Porsche 911 Turbo

A great contribution to strengthening the overall structure of Porsche 911 made of reinforced at the top of the door. The resulting additional frontal collision forces are channeled through the upper path redistribution loads. This reduces the deformation of the passenger compartment and to provide greater protection for passengers.

Guys, I usually don't post cars,but 4 some reason I had a dream i had a Porsche....LOL..I must admit Porsches are 1 of my fav car brands. Porsches are cars which retainas classiness decades later...;)

Tabi Bonney

Be sure to check Tabi out wearing Bonney Runway & read article Show & Prove in the new XXL Magazine!!!

www.bonneyrunway.com

Artifacts of an Era

Untitled, 1983

Untitled, 1984
Ray Mortenson’s rarely exhibited black-and-white photographs of the South Bronx, made between 1982 and 1984, are featured in a new exhibition at the Museum of the City of New York called “Broken Glass.”

Left, Untitled, 1983

Nytimes

Ralph Lauren

Spring 2009

Guys, I can't wait till the spring because it's cold than a M***** F***** jking..lol

A Home on a Farm

A six-bedroom three-bath home in Closeburn Station, near Queenstown is for sale for 6.5 million New Zealand dollars (about $3.4 million.)

The house overlooks a pond and stream.

Uggs/ Ugg Boots

The Australian ugg boot traces its origins back to at least early last century when World War I pilots were pictured wearing their fleece-lined "Fug Boots" (Presumably flying ugg boots!). Blue Mountain Uggs go back to 1933 with shearers finding them cosy and warm and in the late 1950's, Mortel's Sheepskin Factory began producing a line of "apache ugh boots". Then in the late 1960's Australian surfers decided it was real cosy to jump out of the surf and into a pair of sheepskin boots to help get warm. Their original ugg boot style was very basic - essentially two pieces of sheepskin in the shape of a boot joined together down the centre-front and back with a soft sole attached to the bottom. Yes - they didn't even have hard soles. In fact, they were really only a glorified sock.

The late '60's saw uggs on Bells Beach in Victoria and perhaps the biggest manufacturer at the time was in South Australia. Further manufacturing was occurring in Western Australia from Albany right up to Perth.

The general consensus is that the name is coined from the term "ugly boot" and ever since then, Australians have referred to their sheepskin boots as ugg boots, uggies or uggs. Regardless of the history, it is and always will be a generic term for sheepskin boots in Australia. Ask any Australian what an ugg boot is and they'll say sheepskin boot. It's as 'ocker' (slang for 'Australian') as meat pies and kangaroos. Contrary to some stories proliferating on the web, it would be difficult for any one person to lay claim to making the "first" pair of uggs or ugg boots and it was quite likely invented over and over by different people given they do look - well - sort of "ugly".

The people behind UGGS-N-RUGS™ saw the potential for ugg boots and registered and set up their business in Western Australia in the 1970's. But they decided to take the 'ugliness' out of the centre-front seam style and began producing what they called a three-piece style with patterned braid down the back, a decent sole and in more recent years, a fully moulded stitched-in heel counter. With the moulded heel counter there is sheepskin, the heel counter and then some suede leather over the top creating three layers. And the counter itself is stitched into the inner sole meaning it can not 'slide' around. This provides maximum support and helps the boot with retention of shape - something most manufacturers have never been able to achieve. This style was to provide the core of their product offerings. Ironically, since then, versions of this style have been duplicated and copied far and wide by various competitors.

UGGS-N-RUGS lay claim to being one of the longest surviving Australian sheepskin footwear manufacturers. There are only a couple of other long-term manufacturers in the same league.

Over time, many manufacturers and retailers of sheepskin boots have cropped up. One Australian fellow - Brian Smith - took some sheepskin ugg boots from Australia to the US and began selling them. Variations of his story can be found all over the web but there were many others who also sold ugg boots throughout the world even before him. Eventually, in the mid-1990's, a big US footwear company Deckers Outdoor Corporation, bought into the ugg boot scene. Sadly, Deckers have laid claim to the term "ugg" despite its generic-ness and public domain use (and its entry into many aussie slang dictionaries) and despite other Australian manufacturers also selling them into the US as an 'ugg boot' from as far back as their origins can be traced. We have been informed by a representative of Ugg Australia (12 Dec 2003) that no footwear is made in Australia anymore. A portion is made in New Zealand with the rest being made in China. This is despite much of the product being labelled 'Original UGG Australia'. Ironically, no 'bricks and mortar' retailer in Australia sells the US Ugg Australia brand. Why? Who really knows... maybe because they are simply too expensive when compared to the local - more genuine - product.

The ugg boot story is now a classic David and Goliath battle. The smaller, original, Australian long-term manufacturers are being pushed around (and literally just that - receiving 'cease and desist letters' and 'legal threats') by Ugg Holdings (yes - the American company) who on the one hand claim they sell an original Australian ugg boot yet the majority, if not all (their representative now (18 Dec 2003) can't decide whether some are still made here in Australia or not) are made outside of Australia (in fact - many in China).

Guys, Uggs make me feel warm & cozy...lol...so...be sure to check out my brother in-laws...
www.igotuggs.com Its in my fav up on the right;)

australian-uggs

Chanel Iman

To hear Chanel Iman tell it, she was born for the role of supermodel. "I used to dress up as a model for Halloween, like every year," she laughs. "I would study all the magazines and practice all my poses and my walk." So begins the story of fashion's most-talked-about newcomer. Chanel nailed her first full season of shows with an A-list lineup that included Marc Jacobs, Proenza Schouler, Dolce & Gabbana, Alexander McQueen, and Valentino. She would have done Louis Vuitton and Lanvin, too, except she was only fifteen at the time of Fashion Week and, being a minor, couldn't work on Sunday in Paris. "I want to go all the way," she says of her career ambitions. "My goal is to be a household name, and when I do that, I want to help other girls become models, and maybe even launch a fashion line with my mom, like Beyoncé did with her mother. My mom has such a good eye," she says, "and it's always been a dream of hers. I'd love to be able to do that for her." If her current star path is any indication she'd better start brainstorming names. After all, Chanel is already taken.

teenvogue

Mike Valley

An iconic and driving member of the skateboarding boom, few names are more synonymous with skateboarding than Mike Vallely.

Vallely, or 'Mike V' as he's known to some, started skateboarding as a 14-year-old in 1984. Only two years later, Powell Peralta started sponsoring Vallely, and his career took off. In the summer of 1986, he became the NSA National Amateur Streetstyle Champion and appeared on the cover of Thrasher Magazine.

Vallely turned professional in 1987, and the next year Powell Peralta released his first pro model board. In 1989, Vallely helped form World Industries Skateboards, which revolutionized the skateboard industry.

As skateboarding hit mainstream in the 1990s, Vallely was with it every step, competing in the inaugural X-Games in 1995 and traveling to China in 1997 to do the first-ever professional skateboard demonstrations in that country. Etnies Footwear released Vallely's first signature skateboard shoe in 1998.

Vallely's been a staple on Tony Hawk's tours and video games for years.

• Born June 29, 1970 in Edison, New Jersey
• Board member of the Tony Hawk Foundation, which helps fund skateparks nationwide
• Also sits on the board of the Patrick Kerr Skateboard Scholarship, which funds college scholarships for skateboarders
• Build Worldwide released the documentary film 'DRIVE' detailing Mike's career, passion for skateboarding and dedication to the skateboard community in 2002
• Works with Mighty Ducks of Anaheim to promote hockey in Southern California
• Once released a solo record with legendary Pittsburgh singer/songwriter Joe Grushecky
• Currently a member of the band Revolution Mother

sportskool

Barry Bonds

Until recently, the best left fielder to ever grace Major League Baseball was Ted Williams - one of the best hitters of all time. But not even the great Ted Williams is as good an overall player as the San Francisco Giants' left fielder Barry Bonds. Bonds has won baseball's MVP award three times, and finished 2nd only to the Atlanta Braves' Terry Pendleton in yet another year. What makes Barry Bonds such a special baseball player? It's simple - he beats you in every aspect of the game. Let's break it down.

HITTING - Bonds is a lifetime .300 hitter, which is certainly a good average. Left fielders Ted Williams and Stan Musial had higher lifetime averages, but there's more to the story. First of all, Bonds rarely gets a pitch to hit. Bonds has typically been on teams without much support around him, meaning that teams are willing to pitch around him to take their chances with other batters. The result is that Bonds gets fewer good pitches to hit. Neverthless, Bonds has managed to hit 490 Home Runs as of September 2000, and should hit the 500 milestone by the end of the year. By the time Bonds retires, he will probably trail only Hank Aaron and his godfather, Wilie Mays, in career home runs. Bonds has one of the quickest bats in the big leagues, and he has used it to accumulate some of the greatest hitting statistics of all time.

BASERUNNING - Here is where Bonds truly enters a league of his own. Bonds is only 30 stolen bases away from reaching 500 for his career. He already is the only baseball player in the history of the game to accumulate 400 Home Runs and 400 steals, and it seems certain he will reach the 500/500 milestone. No one can even come close to those numbers. Bonds is a great runner, and it adds just another dangerous dimension to his already lethal game.

FIELDING - Bonds, while sometimes overconfident on the field, is undeniably a phenomenal fielder, and he has been rewarded for his great fielding with 8 Golden Glove awards. His arm and his range are excellent, and he frequently steals hits and extra bases away from opposing teams.

As you can see, Bonds is the complete package. He can do it all - hit, run and field. But lastly, let's look at a measurement of how valuable Bonds is to his team. To measure the value of a player to his team, baseball statisticians typically look at a players "OPS" statistic. OPS is a player's On Base Percentage + Slugging Percentage. For his career, Bonds has averaged nearly 1000 OPS. Those are numbers only hitters like Ted Williams and Babe Ruth can talk about. But as we mentioned earlier, Bonds adds more than hitting to his game. He's the complete player - the hitter, the fielder, and the runner. And his complete package is what makes him the best left fielder to ever play the game of baseball.

essortment