Category: News

  • Honoring another fallen officer — Kent Mundell

    People dying everyday in Afghanistan

    Editor, The Times:

    The picture of Pierce County sheriff’s deputy Kent Mundell’s casket being led down the hallway is very sad [“Officers escort fallen deputy,” page one, Dec. 30].

    But there are images like this quite often in Afghanistan, sometimes with six caskets.

    Rightfully, society here pays a great amount of respect to fallen police officers, usually with massive funerals, traffic disruptions, and lately with wall-to-wall television coverage.

    In the Afghan society, when one of our bombs kill an innocent civilian, they also have massive funerals. Why is the sorrow for our soldiers so low key in comparison? Why did our own government, until recently, bar pictures of soldiers caskets?

    I am reminded of the quote by Joseph Stalin, “One death is a tragedy; one million is a statistic.”

    — Ben McDonald, Seattle

    Department of Corrections needs to do its job

    The facts and figures emanating from the Justice Department mandate that we have to get smart on crime, cut our prison populations, and reduce the unbelievable costs involved [“Was weapons cache legal?,” NWThursday, Dec. 24].

    Our schools and other social services need the money that is being wasted on life sentences for petty crimes and the nonproductive time people are spending behind bars.

    It doesn’t make any sense to have a Department of Corrections if there’s no correction going on.

    The time behind bars should be spent on improvement. We must fund the methods of correction and improvement that will allow individuals to re-enter society and not reoffend.

    We need to do everything we can to keep future generations out of prison and everything we can to provide those currently incarcerated with the wherewithal to succeed.

    — Moira Hennings O’Crotty, Tacoma

  • Fun Appetizers for Gatherings

    It’s usually much more fun to make your own appetizers than to buy them! A good party appetizer should be stimulating visually as well as to the mouth. It’s a tasty speck that leaves you wanting more.

    How many appetizers to make?

    If you’re throwing a late-night (after dinner) party, you’ll probably only need around 7 appetizers per person each hour. For parties during the dinner hour that don’t include a meal, prepare around 13 appetizers for each person per hour. Lunch-time party guests will probably eat around 11 appetizers.

    Say cheese

    Some fun appetizer ideas

    Apple lovers might like a fresh apple salsa with ginger, walnuts and cilantro, available at allrecipes.com. Serve it with tie-dyed tortilla chips from Baking Delights.

    The Pioneer Woman Cooks! is sharing her recipe for Phyllo mushroom bundles, and recommends Wendy’s recipe for bacon-wrapped pineapple bits at Tasty Kitchen. Speaking of bacon, an allrecipes.com user shared a recipe for bacon cheddar deviled eggs – a yum treat for special gatherings. Or maybe Cajun deviled eggs or garlic deviled eggs are more your thing?

    For a traditional New Year’s food used in an appetizer, go for black-eyed pea dip from Paula Deen at Food Network.

    If you want to include meatballs with a flair, try out Southern Plate’s recipe for puff pastry meatball marinara bites.

    For a sweet appetizer, do something totally unusual: Make a sweet red bean paste to go with rice cakes! Japanese Recipes for U.S. Kitchens tells you how. Or how about some (wow) chocolate rolls? That yummy recipe using bittersweet chocolate is available from Cafe Nilson.

    (Image via stock.xchng)

    Post from: Blisstree

    Fun Appetizers for Gatherings

  • State and national budget deficits come with the new year

    Paying for a lot of silly things here and there

    We need to get our priorities of government organized [“A warning for the president,” Opinion, David Broder syndicated column, Dec. 27].

    If we don’t want to pay the extra money, lawmakers will cut core services first, like reducing prison beds and cutting the police force.

    Our governor recently said that more money had to be raised for the government to spend or people would lose their feet and become homeless.

    All the while they insist the budget is scrubbed of waste.

    Really?

    Just for starters, you and I pay $27,000 for a poet laureate. State lottery advertisements will get $11 million, and we will pay $800 million for light-rail art in Seattle. Are you happy about the $145 thousand we will spend rescuing derelict crab pots?

    Several billion dollars in expenses of this nature are in the current state budget, and it’s all our money.

    — John F. Derrig, Bellevue

  • Educational fits and starts for Washington state

    Fix the literacy gap with early education

    I agree with Michael Sheehan that Washington needs to pass the Early Learning Act [“Washington needs to pass an Early Learning Act,” Opinion, guest commentary, Dec. 28].

    Although funding for early childhood education would be good for all children, at this point, all children don’t need it.

    Our school system has had a continual problem trying to make the system work for all segments of our population. Where it continually fails is in reaching underprivileged minority students. The reason we fail to adequately serve many minorities is that the school system was designed to meet the needs of reasonably well-educated, White middle-class families.

    It works well for families whose cultural traditions include a long history of literacy. Those of highly literate cultures know how to instill literate skills in the children — they read to them and teach them at home at an early age.

    These parents also have the background to help their children with homework.

    The parents of some minority children, on the other hand, may not have finished high school, may be illiterate or not be literate in English, and may not have the understanding of how essential the early literate preparation is to prepare children for our school system.

    As a result, by the time they enter kindergarten, children of underprivileged minorities may be a couple of years behind their peers who went to preschool or had similar teaching at home. The gap in education can grow and leave the children angry and frustrated at the school system that has failed them, making them more likely to drop out.

    Therefore, if we do not fix this gap in early education, we will continue to fail these students.

    — Leslie Jordan, Shoreline

    Lower standards lower parents’ hopes

    Did I hear Randy Dorn correctly — he wants to lower math standards [“Schools chief blinks,” Opinion, editorial, Nov. 20]?

    Excuse me, but I thought Dorn was elected with a mandate, to raise expectations, rid us of the failed WASL and implement methods that would actually test our children’s abilities, then give them the tools to succeed.

    Yet Dorn’s solution now is to simply lower standards?

    Like Michael Sheehan [“Washington needs to pass an Early Learning Act,” Opinion, guest commentary, Dec. 28], I am appalled — actually — more ashamed, with the lower standards that give a false sense of success, just to garner more federal or state dollars. Our children need the most comprehensive education we can give them, and you cannot put a price on that.

    While Dorn continues to lower standards for those who cannot, or will not achieve, our best and brightest continue to be left to a future of mediocrity, their needs unmet. At some point, they realize that there is no longer a need to even remain engaged in high performance, they can simply get by with minimal effort.

    It is because of lowered standards that our children are unable to compete with even emerging nations like China and India for industrial and technology jobs, why employees of some businesses must rely on their advanced cash registers to tell them how much change to give a customer.

    When these students get to the point that they cannot tell you how many quarters it takes to make a dollar for bus fare, will we wake up, or simply hope technology evolves enough to give them a machine to make up for that failure as well?

    — Carol Brister, Lake Stevens

  • Despite Awful Customer Service, Woman Felt Forced To Buy Another Sony eBook Reader… Thanks To DRM

    We were just discussing the DRM tax on a Kindle, which is the “price” of having to rebuy any ebooks you want to keep later on if you decide to switch to another platform. Some of the commenters on that post scoffed at the idea, and insisted that “in the future” this wouldn’t be an issue, because most likely there would be ways to take your ebooks with you to other readers. Of course, that’s little comfort to people today. Reader Mark sends in this story of how Sony initially refused to fix a Sony eBook Reader that only broke because of an update that Sony pushed the woman to install (oddly, they required her to send them the reader). So, effectively, Sony contacts her, tells her to send in her working eBook Reader, then they send it back and it’s broken. And they refuse to fix it because it’s out of warranty. Nice.

    But here’s the kicker. After all of this, she went out and bought another Sony ebook reader. She noted that she would have gladly purchased a competing product “but would have lost access to the library she’s spent hundreds of dollars building up.” And there it is. The DRM tax at work creating serious lock-in and consumer problems. At least in this case, due to the publicity from Consumerist, Sony agreed to reimburse the woman, but you shouldn’t have to get a major publication to tell your story first to get that kind of resolution.

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  • The Alaskan Way Viaduct and 520 bridge potential

    Wishing and hoping

    What an appropriate time for Mike Moore and David Freiboth to present their wish list in their Dec. 29 guest commentary “Let’s move forward on 520, viaduct jobs” [Opinion].

    Obviously they have never progressed beyond the concept of, as kids, sitting on Santa’s lap and asking for what they want for Christmas.

    Brings to mind what my grandpa used to say: if wishes were horses, then beggars would ride.

    — Howard Almquist, Shoreline

  • TSA Security Leaks- TSA Blames Bloggers

    While the government investigates how an alleged terrorist was able to bring a bomb onto a U.S.-bound plane and try to blow it up on Christmas Day, the Transportation Security Administration is going after bloggers. Steve Frischling and Chris Elliott both wrote about a directive to increase security after the incident, and both were served with subpoenas by TSA Special Agents.

    The agents also demanded that the bloggers reveal who was responsible for leaking the security directive to them. The government says that this specific directive was not supposed to be disclosed to the public.

    Frischling ended up meeting with two TSA special agents Tuesday night at his Connecticut home for three hours. On Wednesday morning he had another meeting with them, where he was forced to hand over his lap top computer. Frischling said that the agents then threatened to interfere with his contract at KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, who he writes blogs for, if he didn’t cooperate and provide the name of the person who leaked their memo.

    The directive in question outlined new screening measures that went into effect the same day as the Christmas incident. It included many procedures that would be apparent to the traveling public, but it also listed people who would be exempted from these screening procedures, such as heads of state and their families.

    This is the second time in one month that the TSA has discovered its sensitive airline security documents on the Internet. Courtersy of nytimes.com

  • Apple COO Tim Cook Said To Be A “Top Candidate” For GM CEO Job (AAPL, GM)

    timcook headshot tbi

    Apple COO Tim Cook is executive search firm Spencer Stuart’s first choice for the open CEO spot at General Motors, a reader tells us.

    We have no idea whether this is true or not, but it makes sense. 

    Tim would be a bold choice for GM and a clean break with the car company’s past.  Cars are vastly different than gadgets, but the magic Apple has brought to consumer product design could be just what GM needs to turn itself around.

    Whether Tim would want the job is a different story (the answer is probably “no”).  Tim led Apple brilliantly for six months this year as interim CEO during Steve Jobs’s medical leave.  He’s also clearly in line for the CEO slot when Steve Jobs decides to relinquish it. 

    Tim would be GM’s second C-level hire from the tech sector. Earlier this month, Microsoft CFO Chris Liddell announced he would become GM’s CFO and vice-chairman.  As our reader notes, the combination of a CEO from Apple and a CFO from Microsoft running one of America’s most iconic “old technology” companies would be interesting and ironic.

    Again, this is an anonymous tip, and we have no idea whether it’s true:

    I saw your recent post on Tim Cook at Apple.  I don’t know if he has been contacted yet but he is the top candidate that Spencer Stuart has identified as the next CEO of GM.  I have an inside source at Spencer Stuart.

    [Interim GM CEO Edward E. Whitacre] wants the candidate to come from a company known for operational excellence, innovation and customer satisfaction and in addition he is looking for someone that has turnaround experience. It also doesn’t hurt that [Tim] has been able to work with Jobs. Whitacre does want to stay on as Chairman.  Also, Cook has been the key link to AT&T and should understand the culture that Whitacre,  [a former AT&T CEO] built.  

    Will be interesting to see if he would leave Apple for this.  I don’t know him but if he wants to be a CEO it does seem he needs to leave with Jobs back.  Most interesting will be to see a CEO from Apple and a CFO from Microsoft.

    Join the conversation about this story »

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  • Top 10 Wii Games of 2010

    Top 10 Wii Games of 2010

    Okay, seriously, the Wii means more than “inferior port plus waggle” this year.

    By 1UP Staff

    While the Wii has had to contend with the “good first-party and a ton of waggle-enabled shovelware” reputation in the past, it looks like 2010 will help shake said reputation. Besides known first-party superstars like Super Mario Galaxy 2 and Metroid: Other M, we have some solid third-party games like Epic Mickey and No More Heroes 2 slated to hit shelves in 2010 as well. Heck, even the download-centric Wii gamer has something to look forward to. And not on this list, due purely to “wow, we don’t know much about it,” is the fabled “next Zelda game” that Miyamoto hinted at.

    <!– 10. –> Super Mario Galaxy 2

    Dev: Nintendo | Pub: Nintendo

    Super Mario Galaxy 2

    As Nintendo personnel will happily tell you, Mario Galaxy 2 marks the first time in a long time that they have designed two big Mario games for a single hardware generation, so it’s no surprise that they went the direct sequel route to follow-up one of 2007’s best games. We don’t know a lot about the sequel just yet, but it marks the return of Yoshi and seems to be incorporating a lot of variety into the already varied Galaxy formula, so we’re excited.

    <!– 10. –> Epic Mickey

    Dev: Junction Point | Pub: Disney Interactive Studios

    Epic Mickey

    A Mickey Mouse platformer for the Wii that has a “paint the world to save it” premise that sounds a little bit like Okami? That idea alternates between sounding inspired and concerning. Though, one name has gone a long way to ease our skepticism: Warren Spector. He’s been a producer on such games as Thief, System Shock, Ultima Underworld, and Deus Ex. Now, take that experience of working on action-RPGs with freedom-of-choice mechanics, and apply it to a subject he loves — old-school Disney animation — and suddenly, Epic Mickey sounds like something worth paying attention to.

    <!– 10. –> Metroid: Other M

    Dev: Team Ninja | Pub: Nintendo

    Metroid: Other M

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  • Report: Spyker would preserve Saab product plans, could sell own supercars in select dealers

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    2006 Saab Aero-X Concept – click above for high-res gallery

    In a far-reaching interview with AOL Autos this morning, Spyker Cars CEO Victor Muller revealed some interesting tidbits about his company’s plan for Saab if they can successfully negotiate for its purchase from parent company General Motors.

    In a product plan that sounds distinctly like those previously floated by Saab executives in Sweden, the Dutch supercar builder would have Saab rebuild its brand around the 9-3, new-for-2010 9-5, and the 9-4X crossover. An entry-level 9-1 model would not be a consideration, although Muller admits he’d still love to build a production version of 2006’s celebrated Aero X concept (shown above). If Saab were to go that route, Spyker’s experience in building low-volume supercars would clearly be an asset in bringing it to market.

    In news that will surely be welcomed by Saab dealers and customers, Muller says Spyker has decided it would not pursue plans to winnow Saab’s U.S. dealer network from 218 showrooms to 137. In fact, the Dutch businessman suggests that it would be reasonable to expect Spyker to sell its own cars within Saab showrooms in the future (they are presently distributed through Bentley and Lamborghini outlets). Down the road, Spyker’s supercars could benefit from Saab’s all-wheel drive expertise, among other things.

    Naturally, all of this future product discussion will be moot if Spyker and its investors can’t get GM to hand over the keys to the perennially embattled brand. A newly extended deadline for sales negotiations to be completed was set by GM on Wednesday, and we should know not long after January 7 what fate awaits the brand.

    [Source: AOL Autos]

    Report: Spyker would preserve Saab product plans, could sell own supercars in select dealers originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 31 Dec 2009 14:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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  • Thank you, Seattle Times photographers

    Inspiring selection of 2009 review

    Editor, The Times:

    Thank you for the article in Sunday’s Pacific Northwest magazine about Seattle Times photographers [“Pictures of the Year 2009,” Dec. 27]. It was interesting to read how they first got interested in their craft.

    The Seattle Times photographers are an amazingly talented group of people. It is always a pleasure to view their work in the paper. I often find myself lingering over a photograph, either admiring its beauty, sharing in its humor, or experiencing its raw emotions.

    The pictures are often worth many more times than a thousand words.

    When I lived in the Bay Area, it was always interesting to view Steve Ringman’s profound work in the San Francisco Chronicle. When I moved up here, it was a pleasant surprise to discover that he was working for The Times.

    Several years ago I was so moved by a stunning photograph Greg Gilbert had taken of the Bainbridge Island ferry coming out of the fog with the Olympic Mountains as a backdrop, I called The Times to purchase a copy of the photo.

    Gilbert came by on his motorcycle to personally drop it off.

    Only in Seattle.

    — Dave Richards, Bainbridge Island

  • Which Tech Skills Are in Demand Globally?

    As we recently reported, oDesk, a Menlo Park, Calif.-based online staffing startup, has been pioneering new ways for tech workers distributed around the globe to find meaningful work. The company also collects a lot of data on the prevalent tech skill sets that workers have all over the world. Here’s a look.

    We asked the folks at oDesk for a map-based illustration of the top two tech skill sets found around various countries. The data shown below is based on the total number of providers offering tech services of various types, by location. Note how providers with Photoshop skills are in abundance in numerous countries, and Javascript and PHP skills are also prevalent in several locations.


    GridRouter by SmartSynch: The communications hub for the Smart Grid

  • ISAC New Year’s Resolution Advice: Be Proactive In Paying For College; Commission Advises FAFSA Completion After Jan. 1

    In 2009, an estimated 130,000 eligible Illinois college students missed out on state financial aid by not completing the required Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) soon enough.

    For this new year, the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) recommends getting an early start on the college financial aid process with early FAFSA completion.

    For families with older children entering college or already enrolled, ISAC recommends completing the FAFSA as soon after January 1 as possible. That’s because the U.S. Department of Education begins accepting FAFSAs on Jan. 1, 2010 for the 2010-11 school year.

    The FAFSA is available online (fafsa.ed.gov) or in paper form, and in Spanish.

    “Much of the information required for FAFSA completion comes from individual income tax returns, so combine the two projects,” Davis continued.

    “The ‘do-it-yourself’ process takes about an hour. If you need help, ISAC College Zone counselors are available by calling 800-899-4722, or visit our Web site at CollegeZone.com to find a calendar of upcoming FAFSA completion workshops.  We’re here to help.”

    By completing a FAFSA, students may be eligible for over $10,000 in federal and state financial aid, depending on the financial circumstances of the applicant.

    Federal aid can come in the form of Pell grants and federal student loans (which also require FAFSA submission), while state aid includes Illinois’ $400 million Monetary Award Program (MAP).

    “Next to a marriage license, the FAFSA may be the most important form you ever complete,” continued Davis.

    “The FAFSA determines eligibility for grants, scholarships, loans and work-study programs and is the essential first step in receiving college financial aid.  Make a resolution that’s easy to keep and could pay huge dividends: complete your FAFSA early!”

    About the Illinois Student Assistance Commission

    Originally formed as the Illinois State Scholarship Commission in 1957, the Illinois Student Assistance Commission provides students of all ages and backgrounds with the resources and support to obtain financial aid for higher education.

    A state agency, ISAC has paved the path to post-secondary education with innovative programs for over 50 years.

    The Commission provides educational funding with student loans, as a loan guarantor and via numerous public programs such as the Monetary Award Program, the Illinois Veteran Grant and the College Illinois!® 529 Prepaid Tuition Program.

    Last year alone, ISAC continued its mission to make college accessible and affordable for Illinois students by issuing 186,000 grants and scholarships totaling nearly $431 million.

    Students and families have free access to a wealth of financial aid and college planning information at ISAC’s family of Web sites available at knowhow2GOIllinois.org.


  • Great things of 2009 N0. 8 – Large WVGA screens

    2009 was the year of the WVGA screen. This high resolution screen gave Windows Mobile phones an important step-up which helped the smartphones feel a lot more competitive despite slower processors.  Examples include devices such as the HTC Touch HD, HTC Touch Pro 2 and HTC Imagio.

    Can any of our readers imagine going back to 2.8 inch VGA screens?  Let us know in the comments below.

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  • Who Uses Social Networks and What Are They Like? (Part 1)

    A study released earlier this year by Anderson Analytics looked into the demographics and psychographics of social networking users on Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, and LinkedIn with a goal of providing marketers with information about users’ interests and buying habits as related to their network of choice. The end result is a detailed look at the profiles and habits of social networking users on the web today.

    Some of the study’s findings echo things we’ve already heard. For example, Facebook users tend to be old, white, and rich. MySpace users are young…and fleeing. Other info is new: Twitterers are more likely to have a part-time job, LinkedIn users like to exercise and own more gadgets.

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    redux_150x150.png

    Editor’s note: This story is part of a series we call Redux, where we’ll re-publish some of our best posts of 2009. As we look back at the year – and ahead to what next year holds – we think these are the stories that deserve a second glance. It’s not just a best-of list, it’s also a collection of posts that examine the fundamental issues that continue to shape the Web. We hope you enjoy reading them again and we look forward to bringing you more Web products and trends analysis in 2010. Happy holidays from Team ReadWriteWeb!

    The Anderson study sampled over 11,000 GreenfieldOnline panelists (an online survey community) over an 11 month period to understand social networking services’ (SNS) reach and overlap among the U.S. Online Population. In May, the company surveyed an additional 5,000 panelists of which over 1,250 participated in an in-depth attitude and usage survey. They then grouped the participants into two categories: those who use social networks and those who don’t. To be considered a social network user, the participant had to use one of the sites in question in the past 30 days.

    Of course, not everyone is devoted to one social network alone. The study found that there is some overlap between sites, as shown in the chart below.

    Social Networkers, in General

    Out of the 110 million Americans (or 60% of the online population) who use social networks, the average social networking user logs on to these sites quite a bit. They go to social networking sites 5 days per week and check in 4 times a day for a total of an hour per day. Nine percent of that group stay logged in all day long and are “constantly checking what’s new.”

    Interacting with Brands

    When it comes to brands online, the study found that:

    • 52% of social networkers had friended or become a fan of at least one brand,
    • 17% felt positive when seeing a brand on a social network,
    • 19% felt negative when seeing a brand on a social network,
    • 64% were neutral or didn’t care about brands on social networks,
    • 20% would like to see more communication from brands online,
    • 35% would not like to see more communication,
    • 45% were neutral or didn’t care.

    Social Networking Myths Shot Down

    A couple of interesting things that came out of the study included the debunking of some social networking myths. Social networkers are not as interested in friending strangers or creating “fake” friends to boost their ego. Out of the group, 45% connect only to family and friends and another 18% will connect only to people they’ve met in person. In other words, two-thirds are connecting to people they actually know. Only 10% of those surveyed said they will friend anyone.

    Also interesting is that only 15% of social networkers say they log on at work, thus debunking another myth about how prevalent social network use is at the workplace.

    Non-Social Networkers

    The study revealed the reasons why some online users aren’t into social networks. Surprisingly, it’s not because they hate technology – they spent just as much time on the web as the networkers do. Instead, they don’t use social media because either they don’t have the time, they don’t think it’s secure, or they think it’s stupid. Yet even out of the time-starved group, 22% report they’ll start using social media in 3 months and 27% said they’ll start using it in a year.

    Continue to Part 2 for details on Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

    Discuss


  • DIY Magnetized Coffee Sleeve Doubles as Third Hand

    The next time you need a third hand to hold your coffee cup while you dig around in your bag for something, just stick it to a streetlight with this ingenious hack.

    A fabulously creative New York City blogger who goes by the name “AP” is all about devising clever ways to eat outdoors with flair. She’s come up with ways to turn a lunchbox into a plate and a fire hydrant into a table, but we really dig her magnetic coffee cup holder.

    It started out as an attempt to create a plastic, magnetized cup holder that would let you stick your cup to the nearest available metal surface. AP came up with a prototype, then had a thought:

    After I made this I realized that it made a lot of sense to just work with a form that we are already really comfortable with: the Coffee Cozy. Why not just embed magnets into one of those?

    You can easily make your own version of this by snagging reusable coffee sleeves online, or making your own. Attach a couple of strong magnets, and you’re good to go.

    Check out AP’s blog, Pop Up Lunch, to see some of the other modern day picnicking ideas she has up her sleeve, like this awesome hook that hangs your drink and your lunchbag from a fence or post.

    Of course, these ideas work best if you’re out and about at lunch time. Lots of us end up eating at our desks or in the car, so let’s get some lunch hacks together for people who aren’t eating outside. Share your tips in the comments.

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  • Fashion: 2009 Year End Review

    fashion-2009-year-end-revie

    Words by: Jason Rodriguez (Managing Editor), Omar Mussa (Contributor), William Rees (Fashion Contributor)
    (Click on image for full review)

    Jason Rodriguez (Managing Editor)

    Looking back at the year, I reflect on what has inspired and influenced me. The most glaring influence in men’s fashion was the Americana-inspired workwear and prep. With labels like Band of Outsiders and Thom Browne being heralded in fashion pages and at fashion weeks, the Americana style broke ground on an international level. Much of Japan’s obsession has led to a saturation of Americana wear in their respective market.

    This emergence of style has flooded the blogosphere, and I gravitated towards this in my personal dress as well. In years past, I have been steadfast to turn away from certain trends, but this resonated with me much more because it became accessible in major retail shops such as J. Crew, Gap, Ralph Lauren, etc.

    I do feel that this is the progression of “streetwear.” There still exists a “counter-culture” whose sense of style is heavily rooted in music (hip-hop, punk) and skating. The “Americana Streetwear” (that’s what I’m dubbing it) is perhaps, another sub-genre of the streetwear culture. The “purists” and “O.G.’s” of this style are safe from this categorization.

    I’m personally pleased to see that the enthusiasts to this style are learning more about the fabrication process. At the core, we like these clothes because we like the way they look. The visual appeal remains the primary determining factor for this interest. But readers of fashion print and blogs are more savvy to tailoring, general construction and material use in clothing nowadays. It’s refreshing to know that there readers are wanting to be informed about craftsmanship.

    As evidenced (even in our own site), there are numbers of brands coming out of the woodwork that have adopted this style. It’s to be expected as with most trends, but my cautionary tale is to not tweak classic garments too much. I’ve seen too many chambray shirts that have been over-worked in their design, and though construction may be good, it comes off as too pretentious. I believe that the essence of this style is to look well-put together, smart and unassuming.

    I’m excited to see what the future holds for brands that have rich heritages like Ralph Lauren, Brooks Brothers, Alden, Allen Edmonds and the likes (What’s good with the adverstising, guys? We love you, Ralph Lauren!). I know that there will be several collaborations on the horizon and participating companies will put interesting and subtle twists on some classic pieces that update them just enough.

    Omar Mussa (Contributor)

    2009. Another year, yet its significance is highlighted by the transition into a whole new decade where trends are bound to elevate and change, brands looking to incorporate new ideas and details to their upcoming range of pieces, and designers, old and new, looking forward to making names for themselves in the fashion circuits. In another marquee year for style, I have taken a gentlemanly approach to help me handpick my favourite collections of the past year.

    In my opinion, high-fashion brands and designers such as Calvin Klein, Junya Watanabe, and Alexander McQueen have taken a backseat with their collections for the likes of Apolis Activism, whose advancements in collaborating with non-profit organisations through their excellent designs are worth the praise alone, and Vincent Flumiani’s new line, Caulfield Preparatory, whose preppy, student-friendly apparel take note of the various trends that are in vogue this decade alone.

    Other designers that have unveiled winning collections include Sir Paul Smith’s autumn lineup for his PS brand, which combine vintage 1950s style with rock-and-roll panache with great effect, and Yohji Yamamoto’s fall offerings from his Y collection, implementing black-and-white polka dots in his pieces and displaying several classic Yamamoto trademarks throughout the collection.

    As an avid reader of the monthly men’s staple that is GQ Magazine (and with obvious inspiration from their choice of style), my favourite collection of 2009 has to be Burberry’s Black Label autumn collection. Unfortunately exclusive to Japan, Burberry have again impressed with their quintessentially English selection of peacoats and elegant fitted suits that fictional icon Don Draper would be proud of. I wrote in a previous post that “Burberry have again released a winning collection to rival any in the fashion world”, and my opinion has not wavered ever since.

    Roll on 2010, let’s hope for another excellent year in mens’ fashion.

    William Rees (Fashion Contributor)

    Rewinding back through the many looks and lookbooks of 2009, for me, one designer’s vivid vision pops out provocatively from all the rest. Umit Benan burst onto the boy blog-osphere last February with his A/W 2009/10 Collection inspired by his 77 day descent into bushy beardedness. The lookbook’s use of a scraggly model easily 50 years older than the typical male mannequin signaled Benan’s impish and envelope-pushing approach to defining modern men’s style. His follow up collection, a “purposely tacky” stash of nouveau riche wearables cluelessly tossed together by Cuban criminals cemented his status as a coy and conceptual yet wonderfully wearable designer.

    Whoever Umit Benan casts as the anti-hero of his next collection, he’s sure to be a bold and ballsy guy.

    Benan, bless his heart, toyed with themes outside of the lethargic “legacy brand” and worn-out “workwear trend” traps, and as valid and vital as those ultra-American elements have been to men’s fashion in 2009 (and in 2008), the foe of fashion is stagnancy and it seems time to at least tweak or tame the inspirations, eras, or environs in which those trends are mined and manifested.

    If Benan could do it so sweetly and sassily in 09, here’s hoping other designers and trend-watchers take the challenge as well for 10.

    With that, I am signing off from SwipeLife duty – for now at least. Until I return, my personal blog on material works, heady & handsome, will update regularly. See which styles I’ll be celebrating in 2010 at aTreasuryOf.com.


  • Design/Architecture: 2009 Year End Review

    design-architecture-year-en

    Words by: Dan Carr (Design/Architecture Editor)
    (Click on image for full review)

    Dan Carr (Design/Architecture Editor)

    2009 proved to be a challenging year in architecture, albeit one that yielded revolutions in methodology, style, and attitude. Given the economic climate, the scale and quantity of architectural projects was curtailed dramatically. However, new constraints led to advances in the implementation of green technology, reuse and renovation of existing structures, creative reconciliation of budget and content, local material sourcing, and integration of modern and historic styles.

    Sustainability was truly one of the most relevant issues facing the architectural community over the course of the last year. 2009 saw the thoughtful integration of environmentally-conscious technology into projects at their outset. Instead of post-construction additions, architects and builders paired passive design with technology. Solar orientation, wind patterns, and existing site conditions arose as increasingly pertinent considerations.

    Part of the movement toward increased sustainability was the renovation of existing structures in lieu of new construction. Projects such as New York’s High Line (a public park built atop an abandoned, elevated rail line) proved that neglected areas could be effectively repurposed without demolishing existing structures and rebuilding from the ground up.

    Locality also became an important issue for many architects, in terms of both project location and material sourcing. Shorter material transport distance, site familiarity, and support of local businesses were among the top benefits of architects working locally.

    2010 promises to continue many of the trends initiated in 2009. Local, small-scale projects will likely continue to take precedence and provide economic sustainability for architects as the profession stabilizes on a national level. Environmentally conscious design and building methods will become progressively more important at all stages of the architectural process. Overall, the challenges faced in 2009 will ultimately give rise to an improved, conscientious, and more sustainable design community.


  • Snuggle Suit: It’s a robe with pants

    snuggle If you’ve been following Snuggie news as closely as I have, you’ll definitely have noticed that most, if not all, Snuggie knock-offs are far superior to the original. Take this Snuggle Suit, for instance. It’s $20 and you could wear it as an actual outfit around many parts of New Jersey without getting a second look.

    Where the Snuggie hangs like a smock in a doctor’s office, the Snuggle Suit blends the comfort of a bathrobe with the cat-like agility afforded by common trousers.

    The fact that it’s only available for women makes me downright irate, but maybe I could stuff myself into an extra large.

    Snuggle Suit [JCPenney via Consumerist]


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  • ExtraLives Zelda marathon is happening now

    Online video chat by Ustream

    These dudes are doing a 48 hour Zelda marathon for Free the Children. They’re playing Faces of Evil (the CDi version, which is amazingly bad) right now and are accepting donations at Extralives. Up next is Ocarina of Time. Watch and donate!

    You can chat with the guys here and they have some giveaways. If you’re not doing much, it’s a lot of fun.


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