Archive for December, 2009
Wednesday, December 30th, 2009
browsing trough google and i found an amazing bike helmet design that very very fashionable and make you cool 
here the complete story i found from www.ecouterre.com
You were born to be wild, but cruising down the highway on your five-speed without looking like Dorkus maximus is no mean feat when you have an underwater missile perched on your noggin. (Helmet head still trumps brain damage any day, s’il vous plait.) The Danish designers at Yakkay make kickin’ it carbon- and concussion-free in style a cinch, with a helmet that can be fitted with a range of chic covers to transform it from a houndstooth peaked cap to a fuzzy faux-fur topper in seconds.
HAT TRICK
Available in five collections (Luzern, Dublin, Paris, Tokyo, Cambridge), Yakkay’s helmet covers can be purchased à la carte ($57), so fickle fashion lovers can change their look on the fly without investing in a whole new helmet. The hard hat itself, which meets European safety standards, comes in three sizes and can be adjusted with adhesive inserts for a snugger fit. To lend the entire ensemble a modern edge, a stainless-steel buckle ties everything together.
+ Helmet and Cover $145 at 50cycles
+ Yakkay
choose one that fit to you and take em home
Posted in design, fashion, gadget | 2 Comments »
Thursday, December 24th, 2009
At first, when I was still living in Africa, the sight of mothers carrying children in the back is a very common thing. In addition to carrying a child, they were highly trained to carry wares on their heads. I got amazed to see a mother, holding child, came home from the market on foot, carrying a gas canister over his head. While he also had to keep two small children who happily walking nearby. This was so interesting to me that I was pregnant at the time the second child, I knew that I had to do what is also done of mothers in Africa. Carrying the smallest children and still be the eldest child care well (of course minus the gas tube in the head).
I have to ‘deal’ with Aldebaran, my eldest son who was 3 years old. Just imagine, as a housewife with no assistants, I have to go up and down the bus with Aldebaran and Arzachel, with a diaper bag, as well as the usual weekly shopping should I hold with my hands. Oh yes, do not forget also because sometimes I have to pursue an active Aldebaran ran here and there. So, I have nimble maneuvers. Therefore, for me, sleepy wrap is the right choice. Very practical for me. Although Singapore including a stroller friendly countries, all the things I mentioned above can be done unless the pursuit of Aldebaran.
After searching for information via the internet, I finally decided to use the sleepy wrap. The material is very comfortable and smooth. It takes a little use (less than 1 minute), but despite hours of use, I do not feel sore because Arzachel weight (3 months, 6.8kg) divided by average on my body. I am using the sleepy wrap Arzachel since birth. So do not be surprised, Arzachel a week after giving birth, I’ve brought him a trip to Geylang market. He remained calm, comfortable, and slept with soundly.
With baby wearing, sleepy wrap, view the world as seen Arza also better than those put on the stroller (limited to the adult knee height). Arza comfortable and I also calm him anywhere. I felt, Aldebaran still get enough attention. I still can play with him holding the Arzachel using sleepy wrap. Alde so no jealous when Arza was born. In fact he was very fond of Arza. I apply the method of attachment parenting, so the use of sleepy wrap for me is the right decision. I even recommend to my friends who will give birth / having children.
sources : theurbanmama.com
Posted in daily, family, fashion | No Comments »
Wednesday, December 23rd, 2009
Of course, you want to have a good working relationship with your wedding planner/planners, because the planning process will be more enjoyable and you will receive the maximum benefit of their planning resources. Deciding it WILL BE a good client/professional relationship is the first step. (Forget about all those dysfunctional scenarios depicted by “reality” TV.)
The second step can be divided into three goals: Compatibility, Communication and Commitment.
1) Compatibility – Brainstorm with your fiance to select the most important criteria for choosing your wedding planner. Keep these in mind, while perusing websites, referrals and brochures. For example, do you prefer to work with a professional in a concise, abbreviated style, or is your favored communication style warm, friendly and personal? Do you prefer phone, in person, or email communications? Are you looking for high end, top-of-the-line services, or do you need to stay within a small budget? Of course, you will want to look for wedding planner teams that are reputable with good credentials, i.e. Better Business Bureau, or local planners professional organizations.
2) Communication – once you haved narrowed down your list of planners, communicate clearly and politely what is important to you. The planner should be comfortable with your priorities and be able to communicate clearly their mission statement and policies. Listen to what they say. Read their terms/policies and conditions. Don’t try to bully or wheedle them to change their policies. If you don’t feel comfortable, continue your search, but make sure your requirements are reasonable and realistic.
If you have spoken to three or four reputable companies, and don’t like any of them, you may want to re-evaluate your criteria. Is it reasonable? Don’t take too long completing this search. It will tire you out and waste your time and the planners’.
3) Commitment – Once you have found a good match, seal the deal. Reserve your date and the planner’s services. Cooperate with their contractual requirements. They protect you, too. No planner can do a good job until you give commitment and cooperation. And keep up with the clear, non emotional, respectful communication. Any good planner wants you to have a wonderful wedding experience just as much as you.
Order services well in advance – Be prepared to pay for them. Service providers need to be respected and treated with politeness and consideration. Don’t try to manipulate them to lower their prices. Their profit margins are usually only enough to keep them in business. If you can’t afford something or aren’t 100% certain you want it, don’t order it. Your wedding planners and service providers are not charitable non-profit organizations who can afford to provide you with what you want. They are struggling to keep afloat in a difficult economy, just like you are. So, if you can’t afford it, just do without it. Love and joy are what makes a beautiful wedding.
And you may have noticed, the three steps I have described, Compatibility, Communication and Commitment are also essential for enjoying a happy marriage. And, make sure to season it all with kindness and consideration.
sources : www.theweddingdoc.com
Posted in design, family, fashion, tips | 5 Comments »
Monday, December 21st, 2009
The house called “The Klein Bottle House” which is designed by Rob Mcbride Aurstralia got a great set up in irregular shapes or for ane’s “crib” Stealth aircraft form the boxes.
Own design inspiration just because the designers want to change a paradigm that a house should have a regular shape and hence creates a strange house, cool isn’t it?
here the picture :
Posted in architecture, design, house | 1 Comment »
Saturday, December 19th, 2009
After three consecutive quarters of slowing growth, Indonesia’s economy started to improve in the third quarter, growing 4.21 percent compared with the same period last year.
However, with the agriculture and manufacturing sectors still growing more slowly than other sectors, the outlook for the employment market remained gloomy, the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) said on Tuesday.
The economy expanded 3.87 percent in the third quarter from the previous three months to June 30.
The year-on-year GDP growth was in line with economists’ predictions and the government’s projection for the quarter of 4.1 percent to 4.3 percent.
The economy started to slow in the fourth quarter of last year because of the impact of the global financial crisis, after enjoying steady growth of more than 6 percent throughout 2008.
It continued to slow to 4.45 percent in first quarter of 2009 and to 4.05 percent in the second quarter of this year.
“In the third quarter, our economy has started to pick up. This is a sign of recovery from the global financial crisis,” said BPS deputy chairman Slamet Sutomo.
He said the upward trend was in line with improving business confidence.
“Businesses experienced an increase in their revenues in the third quarter, while consumers have experienced rising incomes and lower inflation, which boosted their consumption,” Slamet said.
Enrico Tanuwidjaja, an economist from the OCBC Bank in Singapore, said Indonesia was helped by its high level of domestic demand, and to some extent, the government’s fiscal stimulus package.
“The recent fiscal stimulus package seemed to have had a significant impact on consumption. While the outlook for the manufacturing sector and exports still hinge significantly on a global recovery, the local economy remains strong on the back of steady private consumption and a broad domestic market.”
BPS reported that government spending rose by 10.2 percent year on year in the third quarter of 2009, household consumption was up by 4.7 percent, and investment spending by 4 percent.
Slamet said private consumption contributed 63 percent of the nation’s gross domestic product in the third quarter.
“In the third quarter there are school vacations, the start of new academic year, Ramadan and Idul Fitri, which contributed greatly to private consumption,” he said.
The non-tradable, or services sector, continued to outperform more traditional sectors such as agriculture, mining and manufacturing, Slamet said.
“We would prefer the tradable sector to grow faster than the non-tradable one, since it has traditionally provided more jobs. But since early 2000, the services sector, especially communications, has been outpacing it,” he said.
Ikhsan Modjo, director of the Institute for Development of Economics and Finance, said the service sector’s contribution to the global economy was increasing.
“This is not unique to Indonesia. However, this means job creation in the future could be harder,” he said.
“Job creation would also be crucial in the coming few months, to ensure that some momentum would be sustained in domestic demand,” said Gundy Cahyadi, an economist from IDEAGlobal in Singapore.
According to the latest BPS employment figures, issued in August, Indonesia has 9 million people unemployed out of at total of 113 million workers, or an unemployment rate of 8.14 percent.
However, if the numbers of only partially employed people are also taken into account, the figure could double, according to analysts.
Seven percent annual national growth has been cited as the figure the nation needs to reach to soak up all the new workers entering the economy every year.
Looking forward, Enrico said Indonesia’s economy would continue to grow this year.
“Going forward, the better than expected Q3 GDP growth figure is likely to ascertain the solid fundamentals of the country in weathering the current financial storm,” he said.
He added that he expected 4.5 percent GDP growth in the fourth quarter.
sources : thejakartaglobe
Posted in daily, indonesia | 5 Comments »
Tuesday, December 15th, 2009
I do a fair amount of public radio. It’s usually a staid, polite conversation among the guests, even when there are sharp disagreements.
But a few weeks ago, I nearly leaped across the table and went after one of my fellow guests. Fortunately I resisted the urge (barely) and the segment ended without a brawl. (The brawl would have been awkward since there are no commercial breaks, and it’s not obvious what the host what have done.)
Why did I contemplate this escalation? The program host was discussing the cap and trade legislation currently being considered by Congress, and my fellow panelist asserted emphatically that Congress should not do anything that would raise the cost of carbon emissions because “it would be bad for the economy.”
Those are not normally considered to be fighting words. The statement was relatively banal and, without much scrutiny, could easily pass as common sense. What made me so angry? The guest’s opinion — the notion that anything with short-term adverse economic effects must be bad public policy — is the epitome of everything wrong with our current political discourse. It suggests that Congress should avoid doing anything with short-term costs, even when the long-term benefits are potentially huge. That’s dangerously wrong.
To explain why, let me make some comparisons to other aspects of life:
Medicine: “I’m not going to let me daughter have chemotherapy to treat her leukemia. That will make her feel nauseous, and she’ll lose her hair.”
Education: “We’re not going to save for college. Then we won’t be able to go out to dinner as often.”
Business: “We can’t build a new plant to expand production. That would lower our profits this quarter.”
Health: “I’m not going to exercise. It makes me tired and sweaty.”
Military: “I’m not going to storm that beach. People will shoot at me.”
The Current Financial Crisis: “Why should I borrow less? Then I won’t be able to afford this big house.”
As in the rest of life, everything worth doing in public policy — all of the investments that have enabled us to build a great nation and all of the things we must do in the future — involves some sacrifice in the present. This is now the case with carbon emissions.
All reasonable evidence suggests that climate change poses serious, long-term harm. Any solution must involve raising the cost of carbon emissions, either through a carbon tax, or through cap and trade legislation (which does the same thing in a more roundabout, less transparent way). The economics are quite simple: If you want to discourage some activity, make it more expensive. We know that people use less energy when prices go up. Did you see what happened when gas went to $4 a gallon last year?
Enough Sloppy Thinking
If you’re not persuaded by the fusillade of evidence on climate change, a carbon tax is still a good idea because it’s a “better” tax than the alternatives, which discourage productive activities like working, saving, or investing. Taxing carbon discourages traffic congestion, it ameliorates more traditional air pollution, and it helps to wean us from nasty foreign oil producers.
Even the notion that a carbon tax would be bad for the economy in the short run is debatable. I have argued repeatedly (including as part of a Congressional campaign) that any tax on carbon-based fuels or CO2 emissions should be at least partially offset by cuts in the income tax or the payroll tax.
Or we could simply use the carbon tax revenues to give a lump-sum rebate to all American households. In that case, households whose carbon emissions were lower than average would come out ahead; their rebate would be larger than what they would pay as the result of the new carbon tax.
Households with a larger-than-average carbon footprint — meaning that they are imposing disproportionate harm on the rest of us — would end up worse off; their carbon tax bill would be larger than their rebate. This does not strike me as one of the great social injustices of the 21st century.
The cuts in the income or payroll tax (or the rebate to households) would help to offset the economic impact of higher energy costs. And with advance notice, households and businesses could minimize the impact of a carbon tax by investing in conservation and non-carbon-based energy sources. That’s the kind of tax avoidance we like.
Given the current deep recession, we could even introduce the income or payroll tax cuts now and then phase in the carbon tax in a year or two, after the economy has recovered. We would get a stimulus in the present while guaranteeing higher government revenues in the future (to begin paying down our staggering national debt). The phase-in would also give firms and families time to prepare for the rising cost of non-renewable, carbon-based fuels.
There is a lot to discuss about a more sensible energy policy beyond “it would be bad for the economy.” As someone who has spent a lifetime in public policy, I have a lot of tolerance for disagreement. That’s what informed, thoughtful people do, and we’re better for it.
But I have virtually no tolerance for what I would describe as sloppy thinking.
sources : yahoo.com
Posted in shopping, tips | No Comments »
Monday, December 14th, 2009
Jewelry is always a good gift no matter what the holiday or gift-giving occasion. However, jewelry can be expensive and with the holidays approaching, the stores will be crowded. What can you do? Check out HSN Jewelry and shop from the convenience of your own home and have your gifts delivered.
When it comes to picking the best of the HSN jewelry for your loved one, you have plenty of unique options. HSN Jewelry designs are exclusive, so you won’t find it anywhere else, and come in such a wide range of styles, there’s something for everyone. Sterling Silver Tear-Shaped Drop earrings sound amazing – dressy and classic! They also look awesome with the blue quartz stones and meticulous finish. However, the many other earrings offered by HSN are equally dashing in look and you must choose the one that goes with your outfit. The earrings are not only meant for parties but also for any normal outing, where you might want to put something simple. For simple design, go for Nicky butler 4ct gemstone earrings set in sterling silver. Not looking for earrings? HSN Jewelry also offers necklaces, pendants, rings, brooches, and bracelets from sparkling to classic for every event and personal style. If this is your first time for HSN jewelry, then you get to enjoy 15% off on the first order with the HSN coupon code: C74023.
sources : jackbook.com
Posted in daily, design, fashion | 1 Comment »
Sunday, December 13th, 2009
We’ve seen many incarnations of the Magno in the past months, but the
Magno Wooden Radio Mini Edition is arguably the most eye-catching – and certainly the smallest. Could be the cheapest too.
Hand-crafted in an Indonesian farming village (with profits from sales going to help the local environment), the Magno AM/FM radio has a heavy dose of retro in its styling, that wooden exterior actually made from new growth plantation wood – and for every tree that is used in production, a new one is planted.
If you want one, you can pick up this Singgih Kartono design for £125 at the Design Museum online.
Design Museum Shop website
For more of the same with a contemporary twist, check out our newly-launched Switched On Set website
Posted in design, gadget | 1 Comment »
Saturday, December 12th, 2009
Overview
What comes to mind when you think about a beautiful garden? Do you like wild growth with plenty of color or a formal design with clean lines? Designing a garden in your landscape that fits your personality and goals takes time and effort, but the process can be an enjoyable learning experience by following a few simple garden design rules.
Identify Goals
The first thing to do when designing your garden is to identify goals. Do you want plenty of color or lots of evergreen plants? Do you want low maintenance perennials and native plants or plants that will provide seasonal color and be replaced each spring or fall? Maybe you want to attract butterflies and hummingbirds or grow vegetables. Also, consider the location of your garden. How much sun will it get during a typical day? Will it get more sun during the winter than summer? How far away is it from a water source? Do you want to create a privacy screen or a focal point? These are questions to address in order to design your garden effectively.
Choose Plants
Research and identify different plants that will help meet your goals. Be sure they will grow in your designated USDA horticultural zone. You can find your zone on the widely used USDA horticultural zone map (see Resource below) that designates geographical areas where the climate is warm enough for a certain plant to thrive. Take note of the eventual size of desired plants and any toxicity or thorny growth if children will be present.
Draw Garden Plan
Use graph or plain paper and draw your garden plan from an aerial point of view, sketching in all permanent structures and plants such as trees or large shrubs that will be part of the design. Flower beds with soft flowing lines are more pleasing to the eye and easier to mow around than those with sharp angles. Use a water hose or rope to lay out a potential flower bed so you can get an idea of how it will look. Beds wider than two feet will require you to enter the bed for maintenance, although wider beds have more impact in the landscape. Leave room for lawnmowers and wheelbarrows, and leave room for kids and pets to play. Tall plants go in the back of the garden and shorter plants up front. A garden people will view from all sides has taller plants in the middle.
Color
When adding color to the garden, most experts agree that colors on the opposite side of the color wheel look best together, such as orange and blue. Masses of one color or the same shades of color have more impact than a variety of color in one place. Warm colors such as red and yellow make a bold statement and blues and greens are more subdued and relaxing. Repeat the same colors here and there around the garden to create cohesion.
Texture and Transition
Different plants create different textures. For example, a cactus has quite a different texture than a bed of snapdragons. Vary the texture within the garden to create interest. Choose plants and designs that create a smooth transition between flowerbeds or points of interest. For example, add plants of medium height between short and tall plants or tall structures.
Scale and Balance
Planting something that will grow big and overwhelm everything will upset the scale and balance of your garden design. Choose plants that work together with other plants without overwhelming them. Also, when thinking about balance, split the design in half to see if the two sides cover about the same space and will create balance when the garden design is mature.
sources : www.gardenguides.com
Posted in architecture, design, health, tips | 3 Comments »
Friday, December 11th, 2009
Minimalist houses were very interested in the very practical people today. How to choose furniture and accessories are right for your minimalist home?
Maintaining a practical and functional elements of the basic key in minimalist house dressing.
The selection of appropriate materials can thicken to a minimalist concept presented. Eg glass furniture combined with aluminum or wrought iron furniture including the widely used. In addition to a simple form, any maintenance relatively easy to do.
Curtains were able to support the impression you want to display in the room. With a novel type of blind, for example, which are lightweight and able to give the impression that the dynamic in the room is minimalist.
Design with strict precision also characterizes the architecture and minimalist furniture. Therefore, select a table or chair that has a simple design, little, or no ornament. With these minimal ornament, can simplify maintenance and more spacious room that terksesan suitable when applied to a small minimalist home.
Minimalist also be combined with the material or furniture of color – the color of dark brown wood such as red or brown.
The selection of colors and patterns have to be carefully shown, in which the pattern of flowers or colors that are too crowded less suitable when combined in a minimalist home. Keep the color tone each time to add or change the accessories and furniture in one room.
Tata all accessories and furniture carefully, but keep your room too full of memorable not because it can confirm the impression that want to create a minimalist. For example setting the image frame using a larger frame, but in small amounts to provide accents in the room.
Posted in architecture, design, interior | No Comments »
