Tim Gunn's Guide to Style

Tim Gunn's 10 Essential Elements

Tim Gunn is well-known as on-air mentor to designers on the Bravo Reality tv show Project Runway. His popularity on the show led to a spin-off show, Bravo's Tim Gunn's Guide to Style (Starting it's second season Oct.2!), as well as his book A Guide to Quality, Taste and Style.

On his show he helps fashion challenged woman to dress more stylish and to their body type.

Here are Tim's 10 Essential Elements that every women should own:

1. Basic Black Dress - The basic black dress has been around for a long time. It is often called the "Little Black Dress", and it's true that shorter skirts on the basic black dress, when they hit you in the right place, can be more flattering than a long black dress.

2. Trench Coat - The trench coat is one of the pieces that is both classic and currently a hot fashion item. Most any store sells this piece now. It is great for fall and you can pick it up in a wide range of lengths.

3. Classic Dress Pants - Although it doesn't say black, this is probably what you want to look for. Black is flattering on all figures and goes with everything.

4. White Shirt - The white shirt is a definite classic. But it can also come in many different styles to make it look trendy and not dated or like a man's piece of clothing. Find one that accentuates your best attributes and minimizes trouble spots. For example, if you have wide shoulders, stay away from large collars.

5. Jeans - Everyone has a pair of jeans, but does everyone have a pair of jeans that make them look great? The wider leg, low-rise jean style has been popular (and still is) but a narrower leg is coming back along with a higher waist, which eliminates the unflattering "muffin top" look.

6. Cashmere Sweater - This is one item probably not many people own. But including it forces people to buy a piece of clothing that is high quality and that is also a luxury item. Having a cashmere sweater in your closet is like giving a gift to yourself. And aren't you worth it?

7. Skirt - If you need dress pants then you also need a skirt. A skirt is womanly and can be flirty or businesslike. Nowadays women do not wear many skirts or dresses, which makes a lot of them fall into a rut of dressing sloppily or like men. See number 8.

8. Day Dress - Women also are not wearing as many dresses anymore. It was certainly liberating to go from the '50s when women wore dresses every day to wearing more practical pants for gardening, exercising, and so forth. But the dress does not have to be abandoned altogether. They can be very flattering, and there is nothing wrong with "dressing up" for daytime.

9. Blazer - The blazer sounds very masculine, but when you get the right one with a proper shape it is not. Women's blazers should follow the silhouette of a woman's body and accent the hourglass curve at her waist. It is also a perfect piece to put with the skirt or dress pants, and white shirt. Or make it casual with a pair of jeans.

10. Sweat Suit Alternative - As mentioned before, women wear fewer skirts and dresses these days. But some women have taken casual to the extreme and spend days on end in sweat suits. It is possible to be casual and comfortable without looking like a slob. Find a comfortable material (that's why this doesn't say jeans again – denim is not as comfortable as a nice soft cotton) that you would want to wear every day. It could be khakis, cords, a cotton dress, or much more.

Bonus: One Indulgent Trendy Item

Here's a few of my picks

Hope you watch the show and make it work....carry on.

Places to Go, People to See (NC #3)

Inner Peaks

Rock climbing is a fun and affective way to exercise. In the Charlotte area Inner Peaks is the largest, state-of-the-art, full service indoor climbing gym. They have been in operation since July, 1998.

Rock climbing is one of the fastest growing sports in America and offers an exciting & challenging mental and physical workout emphasizing strength, flexibility and endurance. They want our customers to get the most they can out of their climbing experience. That’s their our services are designed to meet your varying lifestyles.

At Inner Peaks you will learn to set goals improve your risk taking skills and increase your mental sharpness. All this while honing your body and enjoying new friendships built on the foundation of a shared experience.

Here’s some information about the gym:

8,000 square feet of seamlessly sculptured climbing wall reaching 25 feet high.
Forty top rope stations. Fifty rope stations in all.
Climbing terrain that ranges from beginning, moderate to advanced.
A teaching area with a multitude of uses, including training programs, kid’s climbing and birthday parties. This area offers privacy for first time climbers where veteran climbers will not be disturbed.
Tall, challenging lead climbs.
Exciting obstacles, such as arches and roofs, to develop skills needed for modern rock climbing.
Space for long traverses, opportunities to master delicate footwork as well as upper body strength.
3 long aesthetic cracks.
Subtle features to perfect face climbing ability and enhance balance.
An inviting bouldering area offering an opportunity to warm up and encourage the climbing community to grow.

Source: Inner Peaks

Left Brained or Right Brained?

Left Brain vs Right Brain

Definition: This theory of the structure and functions of the mind suggests that the two different sides of the brain control two different "modes" of thinking. It also suggests that each of us prefers one mode over the other.

Discussion: Experimentation has shown that the two different sides, or hemispheres, of the brain are responsible for different manners of thinking.

The following shows the diffences between left-brain and right-brain thinking:

Left Brain : Logical, Sequential, Rational, Analytical, Objective, Looks at Parts

Right Brain: Random, Intuitive, Holistic, Synthesizing, Subjective, Looks at wholes

Most individuals have a distinct preference for one of these styles of thinking. Some, however, are more whole-brained and equally adept at both modes. In general, schools tend to favor left-brain modes of thinking, while downplaying the right-brain ones. Left-brain scholastic subjects focus on logical thinking, analysis, and accuracy. Right-brained subjects, on the other hand, focus on aesthetics, feeling, and creativity.

How Right-Brain vs. Left-Brain Thinking Impacts Learning:

Curriculum--In order to be more "whole-brained" in their orientation, schools need to give equal weight to the arts, creativity, and the skills of imagination and synthesis.

Instruction--To foster a more whole-brained scholastic experience, teachers should use instruction techniques that connect with both sides of the brain. They can increase their classroom's right-brain learning activities by incorporating more patterning, metaphors, analogies, role playing, visuals, and movement into their reading, calculation, and analytical activities.

Assessment--For a more accurate whole-brained evaluation of student learning, educators must develop new forms of assessment that honor right-brained talents and skills.

Reading: Bernice McCarthy, The 4-MAT System: Teaching to Learning Styles with Right/Left Mode Techniques.

Try these fun quizzes to see if you are a lefty or a righty:

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,22556281-661,00.html

http://www.angelfire.com/wi/2brains/test.html

http://similarminds.com/brain.html

Source: Funderstanding

News of the Weird

A Japanese farmer committed suicide by drinking the pesticide chloropicrin. During attempts to induce vomiting, toxic fumes put down 54 people. Twenty three were other patients, thirty one were hospital workers.

This brings new meaning to passing gas.

Mr. Angel Medina, 24, was found dead underneath a bridge in San Juan, Puerto Rico, in August, and in accordance with what his brother said were his longstanding wishes, he was embalmed in a standing position, in a corner of his mother's living room, for a three-day wake (wearing his Yankees cap and sunglasses). [Boston Globe-AP, 8-21-08]

Daily Charity

A Child's Hope Fund

Their mission is to help fight pediatric cancer, diabetes and hunger through medical and food programs, health education and emotional/spiritual support for children in nine countries endangered by disease, poverty, war and natural disaster. They deliver practical aid to the poor and oppressed, while also strengthening local charities, hospitals and churches to meet current needs and develop long-term solutions to problems.

How You Can Help

Your donations are greatly appreciated.You can mail a check or money order to:

A Child's Hope Fund

P.O. Box 131655

Carlsbad, California 92013

Speak to your Human Resources Department where you work and inquire if they have a matching gift program. Most large corporations have these set up. For evey dollar you give, they match the donation.

Resource: A Child's Hope Fund

A Halloween Wedding

It's refreshing to see a Halloween wedding that is chic fun and beautiful and not dark, goth and gloomy.

Or how about this Victorian-Gothic Sleepy Hollow Masquerade inspiration I found from Snippet & Ink? It is so whimsical, daring and could work perfectly for the right couple.

Resources: Tastefully Entertaining and Snippet & Ink

Places to Go, People to See (NC #2)

Scarowinds

On the North Carolina/South Carolina border, adrenaline-seekers find frightening nights during Scarowinds’ eighth season at Carowinds amusement park. This year’s Halloween treats feature six haunted mazes and approximately 300 monsters lurking around every dark corner. The mazes include the Alien Annihilation, Final Summons and the Slaughter House. Guests will find more than 60 acres of hair-raising thrills and fearsome fun.

Brave souls who dare to enter the grounds of SCarowinds' Halloween Haunt will find gruesome haunted attractions, hundreds of monsters and a park full of hair-raising thrills and fearsome fun.

Purchase a Pre-Scare VIP Package for the killer price of only $59.99 per person. The package is available every night of SCarowinds. The purchase price applies to packages bought prior to 8am EST on the date of your visit. After 8am the price is $64.99 and must be purchased at the park prior to 5:30 pm.

The Pre-Scare VIP Package starts promptly at 5:30 pm and includes:
A VIP FearFeast served in our plaza pavilion until 6:30 pm. An all-you-can-eat buffet-style meal that includes Fried Chicken, Carolina Pulled Pork, Smoked Italian Sausages, BBQ Baked Beans, Fried Potato Crisps, Creamy Cole Slaw, Pumpkin Spiced Cake and Coca-Cola soft drinks. Alcoholic beverage available for purchase, to be enjoyed responsibly by guests 21 and older. ID required.

A private, escorted visit through at least two of our maniacal mazes beginning at 6:30 pm BEFORE SCarowinds opens to the public.

Early entrance into the entire park prior to opening at 7pm. Be one of the first in line at a terrifying maze or one of our petrifying rides

Hydrogen Fuel

For all of you who want to throw away your gas guzzler here is a great alternative: the hydrogen vehicle. The power plants of such vehicles convert the chemical energy of hydrogen to mechanical energy (torque) in one of two methods: combustion, or electrochemical conversion in a fuel cell.

In combustion, the hydrogen is burned in engines in fundamentally the same method as traditional gasoline (petrol) cars.

In fuel-cell conversion, the hydrogen is reacted with oxygen to produce water and electricity, the latter of which is used to power an electric traction motor.

Currently, hydrogen fuel cells are costly to produce and are fragile. Engineers are studying how to produce inexpensive fuel cells that are robust enough to survive the bumps and vibrations that all automobiles experience. Also, many designs require rare substances such as platinum as a catalyst in order to work properly. Such a catalyst can also become contaminated by impurities in the hydrogen supply. In the past few years, however, a nickel-tin catalyst has been under development which may lower the cost of cells.

Fuel cells are generally priced in USD/kW, and data is scarce regarding costs. Ballard Power Systems is virtually alone in publishing such data. Their 2005 figure was $73 USD/kW (based on high volume manufacturing estimates), which they said was on track to achieve the U.S. DoE's 2010 goal of $30 USD/kW. This would achieve closer parity with internal combustion engines for automotive applications, allowing a 100 kW fuel cell to be produced for $3000. 100 kW is about 134.

For more information try www.hydrogenhighway.com

The mission of HydrogenHighway.com is to:

• Excite the imagination of the American and world-wide public to envision a future in which the majority of our energy needs are provided by a clean, renewable resource.
• To encourage the support and development of hydrogen fuel cell technology and the infrastructure needed to create a hydrogen-based economy.
•To hasten consumer acceptance of these new technologies because they will result in a better future for us all.

Other Alternatives

PHEVs
ICE-based hybrid cars can be plugged into the electric grid (Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, or PHEVs) and achieve much higher overall gas mileage and lower emissions than other hybrids. A 2006 article in Scientific American argues that PHEVs, rather than hydrogen vehicles, will soon become standard in the automobile industry.

EVs
Electric cars, such as the General Motors EV2 are typically more efficient than fuel cell-powered vehicles on a well-to-wheel basis. As Technology Review noted in June 2008, "Electric cars—and plug-in hybrid cars—have an enormous advantage over hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles in utilizing low-carbon electricity. That is because of the inherent inefficiency of the entire hydrogen fueling process, from generating the hydrogen with that electricity to transporting this diffuse gas long distances, getting the hydrogen in the car, and then running it through a fuel cell—all for the purpose of converting the hydrogen back into electricity to drive the same exact electric motor you'll find in an electric car

News of the Weird

Recent Alarming Headlines

(1) "Elephant beats heroin habit with detox" (Reuters, 9-4-08) (Chinese poachers had spiked his bananas with heroin to control him).

(2) "Court grants injunction to stop woman cutting off man's penis" (Daily Telegraph, Sydney, 8-15-08) (He told the judge in Darwin, Australia, that to escape her pursuit recently, he had to hide in tall grass).

(3) "Police: Chihuahuas provoke baton attack on nude beach" (KGW-TV website, 7-28-08) (A naked beachcomber, 74, near Portland, Ore., may have overreacted to two Chihuahuas advancing on him).

Daily Charity

82nd Airbone Division Association Educational Fund

Who We Are

The 82nd Airborne Division Association is for anyone who ever served in the 82nd Airborne Division, and anyone who is currently serving on active duty on jump status; or, has ever served in any of the uniformed services on either jump or glider status and was honorably discharged.
The Association was organized in England, prior to the Normandy invasion (1944).
We have members who have served with the 11th, 13th, 17th, 82nd, 101st Airborne Divisions; 187th, 503rd, 508th Airborne Regimental Combat Teams; 173rd Airborne Brigade (Separate) as well as troopers from Special Forces, Airborne Rangers, Marine Corps Recon, Navy SEALS, and Air Force Special Tactics personnel.