So This Is Christmas

Merry Christmas is such an infectious feeling I like to feel that way all year around.

So if you are visiting just before Christmas, just after Christmas or even here on Christmas day I am sure you will find something of interest for you and in the spirit of Christmas.

It may be said that Christmas is no longer a celebration but this must be spoken by people that have never had trouble closing their eyes on Christmas Eve in an expectation of what maybe left for them on the carpet under the tree.

I continue to look forward to the surprise on my Grandchild's faces to this day at Christmas events.

Merry Christmas - Merry Christmas - Merry Christmas

Monday, April 11, 2011

Study Fashion design at Ravensbourne in London

By Espen Ostby


Fashion designers create and produce original garments and patterns for the clothing industry. Fashion designers can work in a number of ways. They may work full-time for a fashion company, where they will normally be known as an in-house designer; in this situation the company will own the designs produced. A designer may work alone or as part of a team in a freelancer role; freelance designers works for themselves and sell their designs to fashion houses, directly to shops, or to clothing manufacturers. Here the garments usually bear the buyer's label. However some fashion designers set up their own labels, under which their designs are marketed.

Most fashion designers, however, work for apparel manufacturers, creating designs of men's, women's, and children's fashions for the mass market. Large designer brands which have a 'name' as their brand, such as Calvin Klein, Gucci, Ralph Lauren, and Chanel, are likely to be designed by a team of individual designers under the direction of a designer director.

Ravensbourne graduates are quite populare in the fashion industry, and many of them are recruited directly out of school to big fashion houses. However some of the alumni set up their own brands or work as freelancers. The popularity of the school is caused by the success that Ravensbourne has had over the last years at Graduate Fashion Week held every year in London, where the students has won quite a lot of awards. Not to mention the success of some famous alumni.

Ravensbourne has several famous fashion designers among their alumni - some have a big name in the fashion industry e.g Jessica Au - designer for River Island, Kevin Carrigan - creative director of Calvin Klein, Emma Hill, Stella McCartney, James New - menswear designer for Vivienne Westwood, Bruce Oldfield, Press and Bastyan, Camilla Staerk and Sarah Sturgeon.

Ravensbourne was recently invited to move to Greenwich London, where they built an amazing school building - which has won many architecture prizes. The building itself has become landmark, and offers the best technology in the industry. For teaching their programs Ravensbourne use industry professionals - in the fashion department many of the professors have experience from teaching in other famous schools as Central St. Martins and London College of Fashion.

Why should you consider studying fashion design at Ravensbourne? The school has a reputation as one of Great Britain's best Fashion Design schools. Ravensbourne has of one of the best graduate employability rates - in fact they are ranked on the top for Employment Prospects! The school has a strong alumni network with alumni as Stella McCartney & Bruce Oldfield. Their programs are flexible - you can focus on your own (traditional catwalk to an installation, interactive experience, virtual design, product, promotional package, magazine, video or website). The school has close industry connection -within the fashion industry they are connected to famous designers and fashion houses like - Calvin Klein, John Galliano, Robert Cary Williams, Trend Union, Matthew Williamson, Alexander McQueen, Chloe, Christian Lacroix, Issey Miyake, Paul Smith, Burberry etc.




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Individuals and Organizations Keeping Our Highways Free Of Trash

By John Kirzno


People littering from their car windows as they speed down the highway is nothing new. Neither is the need to keep our highways and byways free of litter and trash. When the rate of trash being left by our roadsides became too overwhelming for state and county road commissions to keep up with the problem individuals and organizations joined forces with highway authorities and the Adopt- A- Highway program was born.

The Adopt-A-Highway program began in the 1980s in Texas and has spread through out the United States, Canada and many other countries. Individual volunteers, organizations and even in some cases corporations agree to keep a certain portion of a highway clear. In exchange the volunteers or group usually get their name placed on the section of the highway that they are responsible for cleaning. By soliciting the help of volunteers who are each assigned a certain portion of specific highways, trash is kept picked up without the need to use government money to fund clean up programs.

Initially this program began as a way to keep roads free of trash and litter it has helped to instill pride in one's state for those individuals and groups choosing to become part of this program. Surprisingly, the program has been quite effective and those who take part in this program take their commitment seriously giving hours of their free time to keep our nations roadsides clean.
In almost every state drivers and passengers on the interstate highways and main roads as well can often see these dedicated volunteers hard at work, picking up assorted trash that has been thrown or lost by motorists on their way from one destination to another. It has proven to be one of the least expensive and most environmentally sound programs to ever be instituted and the results have been nothing short of astonishing.

While there are still some places where you can see piles of roadside trash even today, for the most part highways and byways are kept free of trash. In many cases, you can see neatly tied trash bags awaiting pick up giving evidence to the fact that volunteers have spent several hours hard at work in order that all might enjoy those lovely fall drives through colorful trees or those warm summer cruises down the highway to summer cottages without being assailed by blowing paper bags and the stench of garbage along the main roads.

While the originator of the Adopt-A- Highway program, James Evans deserves the credit for the idea itself it is the volunteers that have given of their time for the last 30 years we have to thank for our enjoyment of the trash free country side on those long, long drives.




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Fashionable Running Shoes

By Dame Anderson


The benefits of wearing lightweight running shoes are assorted and multiple. First and foremost when running a event of any length a weight difference of only a few ounces can make quite an impact. For training runs a lighter shoe is obviously going to make things much easier. Obviously, there are downsides to putting on super lightweight shoes that I'll examine, but over all lightweight running shoes are great!

In racing, any simple favor you can get over your competitors will be a advantage. Regardless of whether it's a charity run, a road race, or a track meet, the weight of your shoes will play a big part in how fast you finish. A lightweight shoe will keep your legs fresh and will provide a mental benefit by making your feet feel light as air. Making the change to a lighter race shoe is an excellent way to slice a few seconds off your PR race times.

In your regular workouts, a lightweight shoe can also be helpful. Think of your hardest workout of the week. It's almost certainly a speed workout of some kind, maybe mile repeats? Yep, now imagine that exercise with lighter shoes. You'll be running lighter and speedier than you ever have with a brand-new pair of lightweight running shoes.

Most of the really lightweight running shoes don't have much support. So, if your feet tend to over or under pronate, you'll want to make sure you're still putting on a shoe that will allocate some amounts of support. The last thing you want to have happen is getting hurt due to the fact that you put on the wrong shoe.

Want to know what I think? Get an excellent couple of running shoes specific to the sort of races you perform. You'll most likely desire spikes of some kind for a track meet, while a wide range of shoes are acquirable for additional road races. For your long distance preparation runs, you'll have the inclination to be sure you've bought a good combo of good support without adding a lot of bulk. It's hard to choose for your speed workouts. You may want to buy some super-lightweight training shoes specifically for that endeavor, or you could just put on your regular trainers. It's 100% your choice.




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Ideas for Painting Walls

By Owen Jones


Here you are then, standing in your new house! Its a bit of a mess though because the vendor was in a hurry to sell and had been in the middle of renovating. Still, you don't really mind that though, since it gives you the perfect opportunity to do your new house up exactly the way you want it.

However, now you need to decide where everything should go and which colours would suit which rooms, but you don't have any wall painting ideas.

So, you eagerly sort out your new keys and wander through your new house. The minute you step in through a door ideas assail you. That huge urn you bought a year ago would look fantastic in the corner, and you're pretty sure that your existing sofa set will fit in this other room. And you know the antique mirror table would look stunning in the hallway. The only thing you really get stuck on though are wall painting ideas.

You definitely don't want to just dab on a few coats of bland paint and be done with it. What you want is a masterpiece, something that you can look on with pride every time you see it. And, of course, you should be able to keep looking at it with pleasure for quite some time to come as well, so it shouldn't be too severe.

But where do you get decent wall painting ideas from, and how can you go about getting the wall painting actually done? There are a few ways that you could go about this, the easiest of which being if you have an artistic flair, so that you could get your wall painting ideas off the cuff, so to speak and paint the walls as you see fit. Unfortunately, most of us aren't too artistic and we are hesitant to pick up a brush or roller and apply the first coat of paint without any guidance. In this scenario then, you will need some help.

You could start off by hiring a professional interior designer to help you decide what would look good or you could sit down and watch some DIY programs on the TV, where they show some pretty good ideas on what to do when decorating a house and will even give you some great wall painting ideas.

If neither of these is a viable option for you though, you might just settle for going down to your local hardware store with a few fabric swatches and colour sheets of your most prominent pieces of furniture and enlist their help on stylish wall decorating ideas.

You might come up with a mixed bag of wall painting ideas with this last suggestion, but I found that it was the one that worked best for me and now I'm very proud of my slightly eclectic house. It reflects who I am just perfectly.




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Shoes Review - The Perfect Guideline In Regards To Shoes Review

By Dicky Ward


A lot has been stated concerning the benefits of Earth Footwear. The shoes have a style that moves the body into an anatomically right place. This in flip benefits the wearer with tremendous positives like enhanced breathing, much better posture and much more. Many walking Shoes Review on Earth get so caught up in all of the great bodily offerings they neglect to point out two other main pluses that Earth Footwear offers; fashion and affordability.

Lets start with affordability. With Earth shoes the footwear does double duty. Not only does the shoe serve as your shoe to stroll in, play in etc. however it does double duty. It is nearly a fitness center in a shoe simply because it helps you burn four times more calories as normal shoes. But the cost point is no more than a nice high quality pair of athletic shoes.

Then there is fashion. Each year Earth releases a number of new styles to go along with their classics. Shoes variety from simple flip flops to slide on clogs to boots and more. They offer a full line for each males and ladies. Each shoe has its own unique traits from easy styling to metallic enhancements. One of the main keys to Earth Footwear is quality. Every Shoes Review full cushioning, top of the line supplies along with a lot of focus to detail.

Though the focus of this short article is walking shoes reviews, it is interesting to be aware that Earth Footwear also has a good line of accessories; t-shirts, hoodies, pants, jeans, belts, jackets and much more. And Earth offers an array of health and elegance products; body lotion, shower gel, natural oils, water, even a face masque!

The heart of this company is providing a quality product to improve our lives and with their distinctive line of shoes and equipment Earth is doing just that!




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A Guide to Buying a Garden Parasol

By Adam Flint


This article will explore the different elements to consider when purchasing a hardwood parasol for your garden. When the weather improves, we start to think about using the garden more and, although we enjoy the sunshine, a parasol is sometimes needed to provide a little bit of shade. These are relatively inexpensive and come in a wide range of colours, shapes and sizes. Also available in this series are articles on Cantilever or side arm parasols, aluminium stemmed parasols and Parasol bases. Garden Furniture Scotland and Garden Furniture England both sell a full range of parasols to suit every taste and every pocket.

The most popular parasol is the central pole parasol which doesn't stand on its own but is most commonly placed through the centre of the table. It should be noted that parasol holes in garden furniture tables for parasols are generally 51mm, although there are variations to this. Amazingly, parasols stems have an industry standard and most (though, of course not all) are either 38mm or 48mm in diameter. A Parasol stem comes in two parts, screw-threaded in the middle. The top half supports the canopy while the lower half goes through the table. The screw-threaded middle section rarely causes any difficulties.

The canopy of a hardwood parasol is opened and closed using a pulley system. In cheaper parasols, there is only one pulley on one side of the stem. This can be unbalanced and can stress the mechanism. It is far better to have a double or 4 way pulley system which is located on both sides of the stem. This will ensure that the mechanism doesn't break as readily.

As you will know, parasol canopies come in a range of different colours and materials. Water repellent polyester is the most common as this is showerproof. Parasol canopies are also treated to reduce fading in sunlight (ultraviolet light). Look for UV resistant fabric when you are purchasing a parasol and think about the colour you would prefer. Remember that some colours fade more readily - red or black, for instance, as compared to cream or natural. Heavy duty polyester, which is measured by grams per inch squared is by far the best material to use for parasols. Cotton is not suitable as a parasol canopy - though you will find some on the market - as it is not strong enough. There are branded products, such as 'Sunbrella' which is well known as a parasol canopy material and is well known for its quality. Many parasols have wind vents in the top which allow the wind to move through the parasol and limit resistance - and therefore stress - to the frame. Without a vent, a parasol is likely to be pulled from its position, or to break as the wind will pull against the frame. Look for wind vents in the parasol of your choice.

The cost of a parasol is determined both by the material used to construct it and the size. Obviously teak parasols are more expensive than those made of eucalyptus. There is a wide range of different types of hardwood available from nyatoh, keruing and balau on the least expensive side and mahogany, teak and jarrah on the more expensive side. Size also has an impact on the cost. A smaller parasol might only have 6 ribs whereas a larger one might have 8 or 10 ribs. Some parasols have zips while others have pockets at the end of the ribs. Leather pockets add expense to the overall cost. You need to decide on your budget and then decide on the elements you would like. With your garden parasol in place, you are set to have the very best summer ever!




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Buying Malaysian property as an investment

By Lexa Lyn


Looking for a place where you can invest and place your money for long term growth? You have several options to choose from. However, a few things must be considered before deciding on investing a certain property or estate. Aside from extrinsic requisites like land titles, income repatriation and the like, here are some fundamental factors to think about.

When buying overseas you should think over the property's price and the state of foreign currency. Sometimes, properties may be bought at discounted prices that differ from their actual price. Currency and foreign exchange are of vital value on any kind of foreign investment. You should ask yourself the question 'Am I willing to take the risk and go beyond the currency exchange to purchase this property?' before making any move.

Macroeconomic finance plays an important role on choosing a property as well. With this, know the annual growth rate of the property market. Take the actual or approximated yearly growth rate from a reputable source so you may have a good idea on your investment. This will also enable you to plan for an exit strategy.

Look for a good location. With good location comes a good income. Study the location and assess if it promises long-term market liquidity.

Take into consideration international and domestic factors. The value of a piece of real property can be affected by these things.

Always have a back up plan. In case something goes wrong, have a plan B.

With these tips you will be able to search for the best property that will suit your needs. There are several types of Malaysian property to choose from: residential, commercial, agricultural and industrial.

Malaysia property can be the best kind of investment for you. In Malaysia you have a lot of options to choose from and you can get the best value for your money.




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Bluehost Packages Are All You'll Always Desire

By Ben Pate


The Bluehost website gives you some idea of what to expect when you sign up for their web hosting services through Bluehost review. Some of it looks a little like hype, it's true, but if you think that even if not all of it's quite accurate, you can live with that because most of it looks good. The things that catch your eye on the front page are the references to "Unlimited" and "Free" in upper case.

Other attractions they tell you about are the absence of hidden fees, free setup and a full, money back guarantee with their review web hosting. This sounds like a good offer but sometimes when they look too good to be true, you can wind up disappointed. Having said that, at the price they ask and a full refund available, you might just try it.

Once you've registered and paid, you log in to your account, which is tied to the domain name you first signed up with. Domain Manager is a feature that lets you add more domains, however many you want. Each is classed as an add-on to your primary domain. A new directory is created for each add-on and this will be where your domain's home page will be stored.

Also under Domain Manager, you can do things like register a new domain, transfer a new domain to your account and assign it to your cPanel account. If you've never seen cPanel, prepare to be amazed. The usual interface for setting up your system and installing software with many hosting companies is some kind of proprietary, not too helpful screen, full of stuff you have to spend a lot of time learning.

Once you look in detail at what cPanel offers you, you really begin to appreciate the value of what you've paid for. There are so many fantastic features that you didn't expect to get, like SEO tools and various kinds of spam tools. You'll see an amazing range of tools to manage your web hosting facilities.

File handling is well catered for, with site backup and the well known File Transfer Protocol (FTP) being provided. Website access logs and security are made available. If you need to protect a directory with a password, you may do so. Database tools are all there, with MySQL and all its associated utilities being prominent. The other thing you'll notice is Simple Scripts.

Simple Scripts is really amazing. Once you click on its icon, a new world opens up with most of the open source web related software you've ever heard of including a wide choice of eCommerce shopping carts. WordPress is easy to install in the same way and it can be installed on each domain you have.




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