Today I'm Loving... Curiousa & Curiousa

Tent was probably one of my favourite events during London Design Festival, I got to meet up with some of my favourite designers whom I admire their work so much.

I finally had a chance to get to know Esther Patterson, founder of Curiousa & Curiousa. They produce the most exquisite and delicate hand blown glass lightings that you could only imagine. I could literally just stare at them all day, delicate and dreamy with an amazing choice of gorgeous colours. What's also great about this company is that Esther is committed to working with UK based crafts people and suppliers. Yay to good quality UK craftsmanship ;)

Runway Report: Dolce & Gabbana Spring/Summer 2012

Nonna Chic

Farmer's Market Goes Couture: Dolce & Gabbana Spring 2012

Spring 2012 Milan Fashion Week just ended and one of the highlights was of course, the Dolce & Gabbana Show. As you know, D&G is finito, done. And with that, naturally there was lots of editorial, buyer and press interest on what designers Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana would show for Spring 2012. Here's a given: We know that Dolce & Gabbana really know how to play with a theme. They pick one and run with it. They might be holding a Campari with Soda as their running...but they're running nonetheless. You MUST watch the video (Below after the photos) to get the whole effect of the show. Let's just say that only Dolce & Gabbana could create a theme that could only be referred to as "Grandma Chic" or Nonna Chic!

Grandma's Here...And She's Looking for Cocktails: Dolce & Gabbana Spring 2012

For Spring 2012, they showed lots of printed EVERYTHING--from bra tops, pleated dirndl skirts, rompers, swimsuits, and Ladies-Who-Lunch sheath dresses and suits. There was also lots of heavy applique lace...

Plastic skirts, suits and even coats, Dolce & Gabbana Spring 2012

Lace and even POM POMS, Dolce & Gabbana Spring 2012

Sequin Ragazze: Dolce & Gabbana Spring 2012

And of course, LOTS of sequins, in every variety--from heavy be-jeweled ones to cluttered multi-colored ones. Sequins and LOTS of them, are a HUGE Spring 2012 Trend and they were right there! Front Row and Center! The accessories were also the Stars. Take a look at the crochet, lace and plastic pumps. No really, take a look, because the FIERCEST of Fashionistas will be, no doubt, wearing them next Spring/Summer:

Dolce & Gabbana Spring 2012

And of course, there were the purses. I have a feeling that Domenico and Stefano sent their Design Assistants to peruse a whole lot of "vintage"/second-hand stores from New Jersey to Wisconsin--to find "inspiration" in these purses. They are so "old School" Church Lady"/Grandma, all that she's missing is her mini-bible from 1963:

Dolce & Gabbana Spring 2012

Click Below for the Full Dolce & Gabbana Spring 2012 Runway Show:

#Lab11 Unions21 fringe on Pensions

Yesterday lunchtime (Tuesday) I was a last minute speaker at a fringe on pensions organised by Unions21.  The other speakers were Malcolm Wicks MP, Former Pensions Minister; Mary Bousted - General Secretary of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers; David Pitt-Watson, Hermes (Speaking on Workforce Private Sector Pensions); Neal Lawson - Chair, Compass.

"People need an income after their working lives are over so that retirement can be comfortable and dignified. This fringe event asks how the cost should be shared between government, employer and employee".

Watching yourself on video is always pretty horrible.  Do I really, really sound and look like that? For some reason I called "Defined Contribution" schemes "Direct Contributions".  Hopefully in this case the message is more important then the delivery.  There should be another video clip on my response to a remark Malcolm made about the forthcoming public sector strike ballot which I will try and see if it can be published. 

You will never need dieting again!

"Hmm... I don't know. I don't like to wait for phone calls and you are very full of yourself. I have the right weight now. Don't bother calling me."

#Lab11 Labour Housing Group/Co-op/SERA fringe

After the TULO fringe on Sunday I went with UNISON housing members to the Labour Housing Group meeting which was held jointly with the Co-operative Party and SERA.  It was called "Homes for the Future". It was chaired by Jacky Peacock OBE, Vice Chair LHG; Speakers: Alison Seabeck MP, Shadow Housing Minister and Leonie Cooper, SERA.  We were late but listened to the Q&A.   

Alison mentioned that she was looking into whether Council pension funds could be used to fund new homes.  This is a potentially a sensible idea in my view since we need to invest in so called "alternative assets" such as property and it should be a "safe" long term investment ideally suited to help match pension fund liabilities.  This has been talked about for years and should have legs but I think advisers are cautious about such "direct" investment since the days of Arthur Scargill and the Cowan decision.  I think that times have moved on.  This is not an "ethical" investment issue. 

Gairloch again - the starfish

Jo rescued this starfish - once placed on soft sand it buried itself in less than 30 seconds.

More rescuing to be done...

There's a starfish under there somewhere.

Is Human Rights Watch an unbiased organization?

I have been following Human Rights Watch at Facebook and according to the comments of many people on different topics this organization is far from having an agenda that is free from US government interests.

Amnesty International has also been receiving many critics from people all over the world.

It seems that Human Rights Watch forgets that those who are committed in promoting human rights are not easily manipulated and are very critical. It is very sad that crimes against humanity are being used as propaganda and more crimes will result because of the actions of an organization that is supposed to promote human rights.

This is unnaceptable.
If you pay attention to the issues Human Rights Watch raise they are all in accordance with US agenda US agenda or the topics that are covered by the mainstream media.
Human Rights Organization does not have an agenda of it's own and this is not what humans right is all about.

Update: 11/28

I found this article by Tim Anderson, Sidney University, and want to share this:

"Human Rights Watch, however, is not funded by the US government. Yet it gets most of its funds from a variety of US foundations, in turn funded by many of the biggest US corporations. These wealthy, private foundations often tie their contributions to particular projects. So for example HRW's Middle East reports often rely on and acknowledge grants from pro-Israel foundations. Other groups ask for a focus on women’s rights or HIV/AIDS issues. More than 90% of HRW’s US$100 million budget in 2009 was "restricted" in this way. In other words, HRW offers a privatised, wealthy, US-based selection of rights issues."

"The HRW board is similarly dominated by the US corporate elite, such as banking and corporate media executives, and some academics, but not government officials. The board includes former Mexican foreign minister Jorge Castañeda (a former Marxist academic turned right-wing politician), while Chilean-born lawyer José Miguel Vivanco serves as director of HRW’s Americas division."

"This sort of "human rights intervention" is consistent with US foreign policy in Latin America. Dispensing with troublesome, independent regimes was practised ad nauseum throughout the "American Century", and was always backed by the US corporate elite. Delegitimisation campaigns have always preceded "regime change", for example in Guatemala and Chile. Human Rights Watch apparently sees no abuse of human rights in such interventions."(emphasis added)

read the article

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