Sporty Spice | Interview September issue

Karl Templer‘s inventive styling is given room to shine in Craig McDean‘s latest story for Interview. Taking classic sportswear and turning it on its head with quirky combinations, Templer creates a look that is futuristic and sporty. Julia Nobis, Katlin Aas,Aymeline Valade, Alyona Subbotina, Patricia van der Vliet, Milou Van Groesen, Ruby Aldridge and Corinna Ingenleuf look incredible in the mix of metallic fabrics, trendsetting textures and clear goggles.

Becoming-a-Video-Game-Expert

Becoming a Video Game Expert
You've Got The Skills, So Why Not?

If you find yourself playing video games day-in and day-out, you might be a prime candidate for establishing yourself as a gaming expert. All you need is a good knowledge of a wide range of games and gaming systems, and of course, a lot of patience. The rewards are phenomenal and in the end, you'll be a better person for it.

So what is an expert anyway? Just what is it that qualifies anyone to be an expert on anything? Since there aren't any colleges that offer degrees in this genre, we can qualify any gamer as an expert who has the qualities described above. So if you have the knowledge or ability to play a game skillfully - and you enjoy solving problems, you could probably claim the rights to an expert status.

Just be sure that you ensure your own growth in the gaming industry. Part of being an expert is admitting that there's always more to learn and in the gaming industry, this should never be a hard thing to pull off. By exposing yourself to new games and new game systems, you can turn every opportunity to play with one into an opportunity to learn more than what you already know. In doing so, you'll learn tons of new strategies and widen your resourcefulness as a point of help to others.

You could also make multiple efforts to collaborate with others involved with video games. Get off the game and get out into the public so that you can network and discuss your discoveries with others. Networking gives you the wonderful opportunities to share or swap secrets, teach others, and learn a little something new at the same time.  And the relationships that you build as a result are simply invaluable. There's probably no other way you could gain access to little known gaming secrets than to network among the best gamers around.

If you're completely dedicated toward becoming a gaming expert, consider taking some classes in game programming. Seek out and apprenticeship and find training programs that are offered in both your local area and the gaming industry as a whole. This is an excellent way to learn everything anyone would ever want to know about gaming, and its a good entrance into the gaming industry if you aren't too crazy about making a commitment to a full time gaming career.

You could also subscribe to gaming magazines, participate in online discussion boards, or sign up for book clubs that focus on gaming material.

Take note that your status as a gaming expert may not always be appreciated. Strong criticisms - whether right or wrong - come with the glory of being perceived as the "answer to everything." As an example, you may be rejected for an opportunity that you feel you're perfect for, or you may experience the spew of a less-than-experienced heckler. The first rule of thumb is to not take rejection or spew personally. People may be jealous of your position, or they may want to test you just to see how much you really do (or don't) know. The reasons behind these reactions to your assistance don't really matter as long as you're confident about the quality and value behind your help. A true expert looks past these things and they constantly look for ways to improve themselves.

Amber Valetta | W Magazine September Issue 2011

Credit : Photography: Steven Klein

             

Buying Video Games

Buying Video Games for a Gaming Tot

A Quick How To

Visit any video game outlet and you’re bound to get overwhelmed by the hundreds of choices available – especially if you’re new to gaming. Interestingly, children and teens seem to know their way around these places as if they were their second home. But for the adult, the typical video store looks like some sort of color paint explosion and sooner or later, all the games start to look the same. This guide is for the adult who’s buying a game for a younger person perhaps as a birthday gift or as a bribe. Whatever the reason, you’re going to appreciate the following tips.

1.    Research this strange phenomenon before setting foot inside a video store. There’s plenty of information available about video games online, so to reduce frustration offline, fire up your web browser and do a little homework. Visit the website of the gaming outlet nearest you and then look for a link to the games section of the system that your youngster plays. Here’s a helpful chart to explain what all those strange letters mean.

Wii = Nintendo’s Wii System
EA Sports = Entertainment Arts System
PS3 = Playstation 3 System
XBOX 360 = Microsoft’s XBOX 360 System
PC = Personal Computer
PS2 = Playstation 2 System
PSP = Playstation Portable System
DS = Nintendo’s DS System

The key is to locate the system on the store’s website first. The system, it’s accessories, and all of the games that work on that system will follow. If not, you may need to use the website’s internal search engine.

2.    After locating the appropriate games section for your youngster’s machine, check out the ratings of each game and create a temporary shopping list of age appropriate material. The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) gives each game a rating in an effort to inform parents what their children are playing. Here’s a handy reference to what the ratings mean:

C = Appropriate for Early childhood
E = Appropriate for Everyone
E 10+ = Appropriate for Everyone aged 10 and older
T = Appropriate for Teens
M = Appropriate for Mature Adults

3.    Within your temporary shopping list, try find a game that’s built from the latest movie release. Little people love the new animated movies put out by Disney and Pixar, and they really enjoy re-living precious moments in the movie in a video game. That’s why when these movies come out on DVD, their producers put a few games in the “Special Features section” of the CDs.

4.    If you can’t find a game that’s built from a movie that the child likes, try to find a game that centers around a popular cartoon character or one that attempts to educate.

5.    If you still can’t find one that resembles something that you’ve heard this particular person rambling on about, first give yourself a slight slap on the hand. You should pay better attention. Then point your browser to the nearest Blockbuster or Hollywood Video website. Follow the same procedure outlined in steps 1 – 3 only this time, elect to rent 5 or 6 games that look appealing. This will give your tot a chance to play some games and select one to keep forever while you return the others.

6.    If on the other hand, you did find a game in step 3 or 4, you can either check out online, or drive up to the store and buy it there.

They say you can’t judge a book by its cover, but the illustrations on the both video and pc game cases do a pretty good job of representing the game’s content. So if you see an illustration of fighting warriors, chances are the game will be more violent than you prefer. If on the other hand, you see an illustration that resembles what you’d see on the cover of an interesting children’s book, the game should be age appropriate

Camille Belle | Tatler Russia August 2011

Sexy Camille Belle on the cover of Tatler Russia August 2011  by  Thomas Whiteside.

Credit : TFS 

Basic Fire Prevention

According to the estimates of USFA in the year 2004 alone the number of fires that took place in the United States was 1.5 million. The estimated loss in dollars stood at staggering 9.8 billion dollars. More horrific figures reveal loss of death of about 3,900 approximately and about 18,000 injuries the same year. The USFA also said that during the same year the fatalities due to fires surpassed fatalities due to all sources combined. And the USFA also adds that even this number could be small in actuality as many small fires are not reported. The statistics also reveals that more than eighty three percent of all fatalities and eighty percent of the total injuries due to fires took place in homes. These figures come as a bitter surprise as most of the fires are pretty much preventable if adequate precautions are taken. Following certain basic fire safety guidelines could greatly reduce the chances of fires and protect the homes and people from this disaster from striking.

One of the best ways to prevent home fires is to install smoke detectors at every floor of the home and also fire alarms. But, installing the smoke detectors alone would not serve the purpose. Some people think that “once installed forever installed” after installing smoke detectors. But, the fact is many a time the smoke detectors don’t work and do not detect smoke due to mere negligence on behalf of the house owner. The smoke detectors batteries should be tested and checked on a regular basis and in fact the smoke detector should also be tested in whole. Make it a point to replace the battery every year. Do not smoke at home. It is one of the biggest causes of home fires.

The next big cause is electrical short circuit. Use properly rated wires for house wiring and so does other components. Also when plugging in electrical gadgets check the voltage rating to avoid shot circuits. Also, keep cords at a distance from rugs and carpet. Disconnect any appliance when done using. Replace old appliances or fix them before they become an electrical fire hazard. Also, use circuit breakers in the house wiring and also for plugging outlets to prevent fires due to overloading.

In recent years a lot of fires have been experienced due to electrical heaters to supplement home heating. Care should be taken to keep portable heaters at a distance from combustible materials to prevent fires. Also, go for heaters that have auto shutoff in case of overloading or overheating.

Fire places are also one of the biggest fire hazards in houses with fireplaces. Use screens to prevent fire spark from flying off to the outside of the fireplace. Keep combustible material at a distance from the fireplace to prevent them from catching fire. Also, do not overload the fireplace with excessive wood, which may cause sudden outburst of fire within few seconds and unexpectedly. Clean the chimneys periodically to help smoke escape freely into the air and also to clean bird nests which can catch fire.

Have an escape plan ready for the home. It is a good idea to be also prepared for a fire. Practicing an escape from time to time also increases response during the times of actual fire. Have a plan for every room in the house.

Educating the house inmates especially children would make evacuation plan easier in the event of an emergency. Children are especially fascinated about fires and like to create fires, about a hundred thousand fires a year are started by children while playing.

People have a negligent attitude towards fire safety especially during the holidays. They relax every rule just for fun and end up paying huge price for that. Care should be taken even while selecting a Christmas tree, see that it’s not too big so as to make it difficult to manage and which can catch fire easily. Decorations which are non-flammable in nature should be used to decorate homes.

We Love Claudia Schiffer | Vogue Germany August 2011

We are in love with Claudia Schiffer editorial by  Miles Aldridge for Vogue Germany

Credit : Fashion Gone Rouge 

 Fire Place Safetyy

Fire places are root causes of many fires every year. It is not that they are directly responsible for this, but it is for up to us to take precautions that will prevent fires from breaking up due to fire places. There are certain precautions and in fact some instructions to be safe from fires due to fire place. Compliancy to these simple instructions prevents you and your family from the hazards of fire.

The first step to take is to get rid of all the junk near the fire place because than can facilitate fire to catch and spread. Who doesn’t love the warmth provided by the fire place but neglecting certain things which has potential to cause fires is not a good idea either. A fire place can quickly become a fire hazard if proper care is not taken. Proper care should be taken to keep things like paper (mainly newspapers), kindles and firewood at a distance from embers which are burning. Protecting the fir place with a screen is a great way to stop the embers from flying off and outside the fire place. When installing a protective screen, make sure that it does not have big holes allowing ambers to still come out.

One of the most neglected components of a fire place is the chimney. Home owners rarely look back at the chimney once installed. But this is not a good sign and is a potential danger in causing fire hazards. One should make it a routine to clean chimneys on a regular basis, say at least once a year. It is a common sight to see birds making nests in the chimneys during the spring and summer seasons. However, this usually goes unnoticed and home owners take this lightly which could prove to be a costly proposition in terms of both life and money. What these nests do is they not only block the chimneys causing smoke to return to the fire place but also could catch fire themselves which could turn into a big fire. Also, it is noticed that over a period of time, if the fire chimneys are not cleaned regularly a combustible substance called creosote is formed in the chimney which is once again a big fire hazard. For all of the reasons mentioned above it is a good idea to clean the chimneys every year.

One should also be mindful about how much wood one is burning. It is not a good idea to burn lot of wood at once in the fire place. A small fire can exaggerate into a big fire within few seconds if the wood is dry which can be beyond the control. That is why it is wise to burn few logs at a time rather than overloading the fireplace. Also, keep in mind not to burn anything else in the fire place apart from regular wood or a fire log especially manufactured for fire places. One may be tempted to put newspapers or even trash in the fireplace, but they can light up a big fire pretty easily. So, think smart and act smart when it comes to fire place.

As always, fire extinguishers are life savers and having them handy would prevent many small fires from turning into a big blaze, no one has time to search for it when a fire occurs, so always keep it handy. Not to forget, fire smoke alarms are a must when you have a fire place. They can be life savers too. But, one should also take care of the fire smoke alarms as they do with their fire places. The fire smoke alarm batteries should be regularly changed to make sure that fire smoke alarm works when needed. The ideal scenario would be a smoke alarm which is electrically wired into home wiring and is always on.

One more important thing to remember is to keep children away from both the fire place and also fire in case if one breaks out. Also it is not a good practice to leave the fire marooned. Make sure that the fire has completely seized in the fire place before retiring to bed. Thus, following these simple precautions ensures a safe and warm experience with fire places.

Daria Strokous by Mariano Vivanco | Vogue Russia August 2011

Model: Daria Strokous

Photographer: Mariano Vivanco
Makeup: Alexey Molchanov

Hair: Karin Bigler

Stylist: Ekaterina Mukhina

Producer: Elena Serova

Caffeine in Green Tea

How true is it that one disadvantage of green tea is insomnia because of its caffeine content? You may put it as a “disadvantage” but people who works on a night shift will disagree. True, green tea contains caffeine but compared to coffee and other tea, it has a lesser level but has a very incredible amount of antioxidants.

What is caffeine?

It is a kind of drug that acts as a stimuli that basically stimulates the central nervous system and the heart. A person having caffeine in his system can instantly increase his blood pressure but not having any evidence of definitive long-term effects in the blood pressure itself. Long term increase of blood pressure are still taking excessive amounts of green tea.

Caffeine content in green tea stays unless it is decaffeinated. According to studies, green tea is more likely to be higher than coffee but with preparation, a person can greatly reduce the caffeine that the body takes in. how? Through the infusion length of hot water and how many times you have used the leaves.

Surprisingly, caffeine in green tea is more beneficial than the caffeine taken from coffee. It works through the body in a slighter difference than coffee. Aside from caffeine, green tea has other constituents that work perfectly with caffeine namely vitamins, oils and tannin.

Caffeine difference

As mentioned, compared to coffee, the caffeine content in green tea can have a different approach in the human body. By its own substance, it doesn’t have to trigger increase heart rate and blood pressure unlike what caffeine can instantly do. Typically, green tea is more applicable to drink for those who wanted to lose weight but are caffeine sensitive.

Lose weight with caffeine
Base on studies, caffeine has the capacity to increase metabolism inside the body which results to helping out the body in burning excess calories. Caffeine content in green tea is undoubtedly more prominent than other beverages but you can lessen it based on the kind of green tea that you have chosen to drink. Contrary to what other people know, oxidation doesn’t have the capacity to raise the caffeine content in the body. Truth is, some studies were made and is found out that the longer the oxidation is, the lower the content of caffeine will be present.

Green tea without caffeine
For medicinal purposes, green tea is sometimes made caffeine free. Green tea that is decaffeinated has a more pleasant taste and has an impressive antioxidant activity. It is very effective in the prevention and even treatment of cancer, decreasing cholesterol levels, collagen formation, decreasing triglyceride levels and preventing arteriosclerosis.

Therefore, with caffeine present in green tea, it can decrease the metabolic processes going significantly inside our body but not having any effect on blood pressure and heart rate.

Caffeine content

Compared to the caffeine found in black tea, green tea is only composed by the half of it. And compared to coffee, green tea only has quarter amounts thus, making it the perfect beverage you can include in your meals. But there are precautions that should be followed. One which is the moderate amount of green tea that should be consumed within a day. It should only be at least 4 cups. More than that will generate negative reactions that is felt inside the body.

The introduction of decaffeinated supplementary green tea, benefits were further provided ruling out any unwanted effects.