Confindustria Ceramica — the Italian Association of Ceramic Tile Manufacturers - has appointed us with the promotion of an integrated campaign aimed at enhancing the global perception of "Italian Ceramic Tiles".
The project originates out of the need to redefine the product positioning, reviving its role as a main component in design, life style, fashion, new housing styles, and with a view to extending the industry targets by involving ever more competitive, creative consumers, who are strongly fascinated by trendy products.
The Italian Ceramics means Infinite Creativity
The campaign strategy and concept have been identified from the unique product plus: ceramics is basically the only type of tile with which a practically infinite range of shapes, colours, and solutions is possible. Following a target audit phase, in which an opinion poll and one-to-one interviews have been conducted, the campaign has further developed through an integrated project guided by PR actions and implemented in different communication channels: off-line advertising, events, TV, web communication, web portal.
Several actions have been carried out over a period of about one year with appearances on TV channels, newspapers and magazines (editorials, web, TV, events) for a total of approximately 114 million contacts.
Confindustria Ceramica is the Italian Association of Ceramic Tile and Sanitary Appliance Manufacturers — in charge of promoting Italian ceramic products both in Italy and abroad. In the past few years, ceramics has lost appeal versus its competitors: i.e. wood, stone, or resin tiles, deemed to be more prestigious and "trendy". Ceramics is considered to be a "poor", "cold", "uncool" products, suitable only for some specific settings (e.g., kitchens and bathrooms).
Italy Has Always Been the Most Important Producer of Ceramic Tiles In the World
The campaign aims to revamp ceramics as a creative, prestigious, and trendy solution. Ceramics has the right "credentials" to play a leading role in design, fashion, new life styles and architectural design: from all rooms in the house, to large buildings and public spaces.
There are two main reference targets: namely "insiders" (architects, designers, interior designers) and an increasingly larger group of "consum-actors", who are creative, motivated, well informed and who want to play a leading role in creating their own world.
In order to define the target’s needs: opinion poll by Eurisko and one-to-one interviews to some selected influencers.
The Innovations Developed by Ceramics Manufacturers:
The campaign strategy and concept have been identified from the unique plus that distinguishes ceramics from all its competitive products: thanks to a major product innovation developed by ceramics manufacturers, ceramics is the only type of tile with which a practically infinite range of shapes, colours, sizes, decorations, and finishings is possible.
For this reason, ceramics is "Infinite Creativity", and it perfectly meets the needs of Consum-actors, who favour solutions that allow them to pursue an exclusive and personal style. Ceramic tiles and consum-actors are the perfect match.
Unlike previous industry campaigns that were somehow self-referencing — our product is beauty and technology, — this campaign focuses on consumers (and industry experts) by fuelling their desire to play a leading role, while suggesting them that ceramics is the right product to fulfil it.
The campaign has been implemented along two complementary planes: a PR action, aimed at prompting rational purchase motivations (brain), as well as a whole set of integrated strongly emotional actions with a view to consolidating the new product positioning: ceramics as a creative choice (heart).
Okay, lame title, I know. But serioulsy, there's only so many Gold Coast Film Festival related titles you can write before you hit wall. Sigh, I digress. The festival opens tonight at the Birch Carroll and Coyle Cinemas Australia Fair and there’s a huge line-up of stars coming along for the opening night. Leading the charge is Nip/Tuck star Julian McMahon (above), who is in Queensland filming shark action-thriller Bait 3D. McMahon forged a career in Australian television before he broke into Hollywood as Cole Turner on hit TV series Charmed and roles in the Fantastic Four franchise and RED.
McMahon's Bait 3D co-stars Xavier Samuel and Sharni Vinson will also be at the opening night, along with director Kimble Rendall. Samuel was most recently seen in The Twilight Saga: Eclipse and Aussie horror flick The Loved Ones, while Vinson had success as the lead in Step Up 3D. They will be joined by Tomorrow, When The War Began stars Lincoln Lewis and Phoebe Tonkin, and other Australian actors including John Jarratt, Dan Wylie, Adrienne Pickering, Cindy Nelson, Francesca Gasteen, and Alex Russell, star of the opening night film Wasted On The Young.
However, it is not just big name actors who are attending, with a who's who of international industry professionals. Along with Hollywood horror screenwriter Todd Farmer (My Bloody Valentine, Jason X), will be producers Chris Adams (Syriana, An Inconvenient Truth ) and Steve Kearney (Jucy) , the founders behind industry consultation company Adams Kearney. Local guests include Oscar-winning special-effects whiz John Cox, producer Chris Brown (Daybreakers, The Proposition) and Emmy-award winning make-up effects artist Jason Baird.
I will be on the read carpet chatting to all of these lovely peeps and I’m off to chat to a few of them at their hotel now, so, keenly stand by for the latest and greatest dets from the festival.
The small, steep pyramids rising up from the desert hills of northern Sudan resemble those in neighboring Egypt, but unlike the famed pyramids of Giza, the Sudanese site is largely deserted.Members of the Sudanese security forces guard the historic Meroe pyramids in al-Bagrawiya, 200 kilometers north of Khartoum, Sudan. The pyramids at Meroe are deserted despite being a UNESCO World Heritage site like those at Giza in Egypt [Credit: AP/Mosa'ab Elshamy]Tour guides wait for tourists to offer them camel rides at the historic Meroe pyramids in al-Bagrawiya, 200 kilometers north of Khartoum, Sudan. The pyramids at Meroe are deserted despite being a UNESCO World Heritage site like those at Giza in Egypt [Credit: AP/Mosa'ab Elshamy]
The pyramids at Meroe, some 200 kilometers (125 miles) north of Sudan's capital, Khartoum, are rarely visited despite being a UNESCO World Heritage site like those in Egypt. Sanctions against the government of longtime President Omar al-Bashir over Sudan's long-running internal conflicts limit its access to foreign aid and donations, while also hampering tourism.
A general view of the historic Meroe pyramids site, in al-Bagrawiya, 200 kilometers north of Khartoum, Sudan. The steep, small pyramids rise over the desert hills, a stunning reminder of the ancient Nubian kingdom that once ruled Egypt and ones not nearly as often visited those of its neighbor [Credit: AP/Mosa'ab Elshamy]A view of the historic Meroe pyramids in al-Bagrawiya, 200 kilometers north of Khartoum, Sudan. The site once served as the principle residence of the rulers of the Kush kingdom, known as the Black Pharaohs. Their pyramids, ranging from 6-meters to 30-meters tall, are some 4,600 years old [Credit: AP/Mosa'ab Elshamy]
The site, known as the Island of Meroe because an ancient, long-dried river ran around it, once served as the principle residence of the rulers of the Kush kingdom, known as the Black Pharaohs. Their pyramids, ranging from 6 meters (20 feet) to 30 meters (100 feet) tall, were built between 720 and 300 B.C. The entrances usually face east to greet the rising sun.
Hieroglyphics are pictured inside a room at the historic Meroe pyramids, a sign of the influence of ancient Egyptian civilization on the Sudanese Meroite kingdom, in al-Bagrawiya, 200 kilometers north of Khartoum, Sudan. The pyramids bear decorative elements from the cultures of Pharaonic Egypt, Greece and Rome, according to UNESCO, making them priceless relics [Credit: AP/Mosa'ab Elshamy]Local tourists visit the Meroe pyramids in al-Bagrawiya, 200 kilometers north of Khartoum, Sudan. Sudan’s tourism industry has been devastated by a series of economic sanctions imposed over the country’s civil war and the conflict in Darfur [Credit: AP/Mosa'ab Elshamy]
The pyramids bear decorative elements inspired by Pharaonic Egypt, Greece and Rome, according to UNESCO, making them priceless relics. However, overeager archaeologists in the 19th century tore off the golden tips of some pyramids and reduced some to rubble, said Abdel-Rahman Omar, the head of the National Museum of Sudan in Khartoum.
Sudanese security guards walk next to one of the Meroe pyramids, in al-Bagrawiya, 200 kilometers north of Khartoum, Sudan. The site once served as the principle residence of the rulers of the Kush kingdom, known as the Black Pharaohs. Their pyramids, ranging from 6-meters to 30-meters tall, are some 4,600 years old [Credit: AP/Mosa'ab Elshamy]Names of visitors are seen carved into the stones of one of the Meroe pyramids, in al-Bagrawiya, 200 kilometers north of Khartoum, Sudan. The pyramids at Meroe are deserted despite being a UNESCO World Heritage site like those at Giza in Egypt [Credit: AP/Mosa'ab Elshamy]
On a recent day, a few tourists and white camels roamed the site, watched by a handful of security guards. Sudan's tourism industry has been devastated by economic sanctions imposed over the conflicts in Darfur and other regions. Al-Bashir's government, which came to power following a bloodless Islamist coup in 1989, has struggled to care for its antiquities.
A view of the historic Meroe pyramids in al-Bagrawiya, 200 kilometers north of Khartoum, Sudan. The steep, small pyramids rise over the desert hills, a stunning reminder of the ancient Nubian kingdom that once ruled Egypt and ones not nearly as visited as those of its neighbor [Credit: AP/Mosa'ab Elshamy]A Sudanese tour guide and a member of the security forces observes a temple at the Meroe pyramids site, in al-Bagrawiya, 200 kilometers north of Khartoum, Sudan. The pyramids at Meroe are deserted despite being a UNESCO World Heritage site like those at Giza in Egypt [Credit: AP/Mosa'ab Elshamy]
Qatar has pledged $135 million to renovate and support Sudan's antiquities in the last few years. But Omar said Sudan still receives just 15,000 tourists per year.
Author: Maggie Michael | Source: The Associated Press [April 26, 2015]
Another recent post on this site highlights that 'old is the new new' and in some regards, this article follows a similar theme. While a lot of Brits are head over heels in love with the whole contemporary theme, many also appreciate completely upgrading a building that is on the verge of extinction.
The idea of combining a rustic exterior with completely stylish and futuristic internal features is an approach that a lot of people are starting to follow. Unfortunately, along with that old outer shell arrive a whole host of legal issues. Heritage and conservation are two of the primary concerns and for anyone who decides to get their hands dirty in one of these projects, they'll most probably have to satisfy English Heritage as well as all of the other standard statutory requirements.
One of the most frustrating areas of such a project is the glazing. One might assume that the simple nature of windows means that they surely can't be at the centre of too many problems. However, this is seldom the case with listed properties and the general requirement is to leave the existing glazing and frames in place.
Naturally, this causes a whole host of problems. Firstly, the old style single glazing is extremely inefficient, prompting umpteen thermal difficulties that will drive your heating bills up considerably. This also relates to all of the condensation problems that can occur and due to the cold surface, it's not uncommon for the glazing to be lined with that unflattering moisture while the frames have to be regularly treated with chemicals to rid them of all of the black mould. Then, there are the other aesthetic issues and while some property owners might want to retain some 'original' features - windows rarely fall into this category.
Therefore, staying ‘original’ is certainly very difficult in relation to the windows. Fortunately, like pretty much everything in the construction industry, technology has come to the rescue. Here, we’ll take a look at some of the ways in which it’s possible to negotiate the heritage problems that surround original glazing.
Secondary Glazing
Over the years this is a solution that has become more and more popular, even if some would argue that it detracts from the quality of the interior.
The main problem that the authorities have when it comes to historic windows is their appearance from the outside. The last thing they want is for historic buildings to be donning brand new white PVC windows - it just doesn't look right, and this is something that even the most stringent building owner would struggle to disagree with.
Therefore, secondary glazing is an immediate solution. As the name indicates, this revolves another pane of glass being installed, but with the original staying in exactly the same place. This means that there is usually a significant gap between the two panes and there's no doubt that in some cases, it can look somewhat bizarre. Still, it generally satisfies English Heritage and from a thermal perspective, the extra pane of glass will work wonders. We may as well add that those dreaded condensation stains around the windows will be a thing of the past as well, as this new pane will not be coming into contact with any cold air.
In this case, the original glazing is actually removed - although the frames stay in place. Then, exceptionally thin glass, which performs as well as your standard double-glazing, is inserted into the empty frames. The end result is that the windows have the original frames, with glass that looks identical to the material that was there previously.
It's an ingenious method and can again solve all of the problems that were discussed in the early portions of this article.
Eco Ease
The final option we'll look at falls right in between the above two. In some regards, the Eco Ease concept can be described as secondary glazing as it technically results in another pane of 'glass' being installed. However, there's no significant cavity, with this 'glass' actually arriving in sticker form.
That's right, the material isn't like the standard glass that forms our windows. Instead, this is a product which can be installed via a DIY approach, or in some cases for a team of specialists to measure up and fit the glazing for you.
The fact that it is detachable will be useful for some households, while it retains impressive thermal and noise properties as well. Unsurprisingly, it arrives at a fraction of the cost - yet still manages to keep the exterior of the windows looking the same.
A Closing Thought
It’s clear to see that the problem of balancing glazing with heritage isn’t as severe as it was several years ago. At one point, the cost of fine-tuning original windows made some projects completely unviable from a financial standpoint – especially as this still prompted condensation and poor thermal performance. Therefore, the industry has progressed substantially and if you are contemplating the purchase of a historic building, one of the above solutions should at least ensure that you don’t have any troublesome heritage headaches to experience with the windows.
By EMILY ALLEN The pleasure boat ''Hamayuri'' washed up on the rooftop of an inn by tsunami and a building have so far been removed in the town of Otsuchi, Iwate Prefecture, on April 6, top, and on June 3, bottom. Japan's economy shrank 0.9 percent in the first quarter but recovery is expected between July and September Just three months ago Japan was plunged into chaos after a cataclysmic earthquake sent a merciless tsunami crashing through towns and cities up and down the east coast. The unforgiving tide of water obliterated tens of thousands of buildings, devouring almost anything in its path. Thousands of people died and hundreds of bodies have never been recovered. The heart-breaking images of families desperately searching for loved ones amid the rubble of their homes sent shockwaves around the world. Now, three months on, these images show the Japanese people remain undaunted by the havoc nature has wreaked on their homeland as step by step they rebuild their nation. A Shinto shrine gate and surroundings in the town of Otsuchi, Iwate Prefecture three days after the March 11 earthquake and tsunami and the same spot on June 3 But despite their progress, stark reminders of the work left to do means the resilience of this Asian country is still being tested. Headway in the clean-up has been made in the town of Otsuchi in Iwate Prefecture where the pleasure boat ''Hamayuri'', which was remarkably washed up on the rooftop of an inn, has been removed, along with a building shattered by the the wall of water. Further down is an image of a Shinto shrine gate in the town three days after the March 11 disaster. The same spot on June 3 which shows thousands of tonnes of rubbish, which had lay smouldering in an almost post-apolcalyptic landscape, has been cleared, roads re-laid and power lines restored. Civilisation appears to have returned in Natori in Miyagi prefecture too. The first image shows a towering wall of ocean crashing through trees devastating homes and businesses lining the coast, tearing down power lines and drowning anything in its path. A residential area being hit by the tsunami in Natori, Miyagi prefecture, top, and the same area, with only one house remaining on June 3, bottom A parking lot of a shopping centre filled with houses and debris in Otsuchi town, Iwate prefecture two days after the earthquake hit and the same area picture on June 3 Astonishingly just one house survived the wave and a lone digger is pictured having cleared away the once thriving community reduced to rubble. Hundreds of cars parked in the foreground remain abandoned and appear to be the only reminder of the devastation. Similarly, the striking image of a ship atop tonnes of rubble in the Kesennuma in Miyagi prefecture on March 20 was projected around the world and became a symbol of the disaster. The photograph shows grey smoke filled skies above a path of destruction, but three months on, much of the debris has been cleared, power lines restored and hope is on the horizon. A car park in a shopping centre, filled with houses and debris in Otsuchi town in Iwate prefecture is also back on its feet and signs of life are returning. Parking spaces are clearly visible where piles of wood, bricks, and vehicles lay strewn just a few weeks ago. A view of earthquake and tsunami-hit Kesennuma, Miyagi prefecture on March 15, top, and the same area pictured on June 3 The final image shows local people walking through debris on a street in Kesennuma, Miyagi Prefecture to get water 48 hours after the disaster. The same image on June 3 shows the massive tank which lay in the road has gone and a damaged house on the left side of the street has been cleared and restored. The 9.0 magnitude earthquake caused the worst crisis in Japan since the Second World War and left almost 28,000 people dead or missing. The clean-up bill is expected to top £184 billion and radiation fears from the stricken Fukushima nuclear plant are still growing after four of the reactors were damaged leading to radiation leaks. This week, an earless bunny was born near the reactor in north east Japan raising concerns the radiation could have long-term side effects. Following the blast and initial leaks Japanese officials told people living near the plant to stay indoors and turn of air conditioning and also to not drink tap water. High levels of radiation are known to cause cancer and other health problems but scientists are not yet clear if the defect in the rabbit is linked to the blast. Local residents walking through debris on a street in Kesennuma, Miyagi Prefecture, to get water 48 hours after the disaster, top, and the same area on June 3 where a large tank and a damaged house on the left side of the street have been cleared away Japan's economy slipped into recession following the devastation and new data shows it shrank 0.9 percent in the first quarter of this financial year but experts say a recovery later this year as industry kicks into action. Industrial output rose one per cent in April from a record decline in March. Manufacturers are making progress in restoring supply chains and ecnomists are predicting Gross Domestic Project to begin expanding again between July and September. A view of earthquake and tsunami-hit Kesennuma, Miyagi prefecture on March 20, left, and the same area after the building and debris was removed on June 3 Australian Red Cross - Japan Earthquake and Tsunami devastation
That Snyder, he sure is one stylish motherfucker. This image hit the net a few days ago via an Emily Browning fansite and is the first look at the bad-ass babes of Zack Snyder’s new film Sucker Punch. It’s scanned from a spread in Entertainment Weekly where they give an overview of the films appearing at Comic Con this week (insert jealous grumble here). Thoughts? If I wasn’t a straight woman, I would have a boner by now because frankly, it looks fetish-aboulous. It’s a shame Browning has had to revert from brown to blonde locks, but I’m willing to overlook that cliché in light of the general wickedness this film promises. So, in a similar vein to my overall wraps on Inception and Tomorrow, When The War Began, here is what we know about Zack Snyder’s Sucker Punch so far:
The Plot
Sucker Punch is a reimagining of Alice In Wonderland in the 1950s when a young girl, Baby Doll, is institutionalised by her wicked stepfather who intends to have her lobotomized in five days. She escapes to an alternative reality as a coping strategy, and in that universe she starts to plan her escape from the facility with her newfound inmate friends. Needing to steal five objects to achieve freedom, Snyder famously described the film to First Showing as “Alice In Wonderland with machine guns”. Apparently dragons, B-52 bombers and brothels also feature. Snyder came up with the story and wrote the script with Steve Shibuya, a former special-effects and tech whiz. It’s Snyder’s first original film without any source material from comics or previous films.
The Business End
Snyder, whose previous credits include the Dawn Of The Dead remake, 300, Watchmen and the up and coming animated owl flick Legend Of The Guardians: The Owls Of Ga’Hoole, is producing the film with his regular collaborator and wife, Deborah. Snyder has been an active filmmaker since 2004 and in that short time he has established himself as one of the few who can consistently deliver style and substance. He’s a visionary who pumps out films more often than the Octomum pumps out babies. It’s also good news that despite Warner Brothers announcing the film would be converted to 3D post-production, the Snyder husband and wife team have fought, and won, to keep their baby in 2D (the way it was filmed and intended). There will be no Clash Of The Titans-muddle here folks. Music is set to play an integral part in the film and mark the transition from reality to alternative-reality. The cast trained in 3 months to be able to perform the stunt and fight scenes before production kicked off in Vancouver from September, 2009 to January, 2010. Sucker Punch has a budget of $85 million.
The Cast
Emily Browning: Baby DollOne of my favourite Australian actresses, 21-year-old Browning stepped up to the role after Amanda Seyfried dropped out due to scheduling conflicts. Thank heavens for that, because as far as I’m concerned Seyfried has ruined herself with all the atrocious rom-com’s she has starred in of late. After a bunch of appearances in Australian TV productions and films such as Ned Kelly, Browning broke into the Hollywood market with her captivating performance in Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events. Followed by her role in supernatural thriller The Uninvited, Browning will be one to watch after Sucker Punch and her role as Lucy, a university student who becomes a prostitute in Julia Leigh’s erotic version of Sleeping Beauty due for release next year.
Jena Malone: RocketReplacing Evan Rachel-Wood, who also dropped out over scheduling conflicts, is former child star Jena Malone. Having amassed an accomplished body of work, Malone is just another feather in the bow of accomplished young actresses at the fore of Sucker Punch.
Abbie Cornish: SweetpeaWhat can you say about Cornish? Except that she is ridiculously awesome and my favourite Australian actress behind Cate Blanchett! Since her breakout performances in Australian flicks Somersault and Candy, with Heath Ledger, Cornish has gone from strength to strength in mainstream Hollywood blowing me away with turns in Elizabeth: The Golden Age, Stop-Loss and, her Oscar-deserving role in Bright Star. Mainly a dramatic actress, I’m looking forward to seeing Cornish in an action-flick where her attitude and beauty are just as important as acting chops. She has worked with Snyder previously, voicing one of the central characters in Legend Of The Guardians: The Owls Of Ga’Hoole.
Vannessa Hudgens: BlondieOkay, so I’m not her biggest fan, but this is clearly Hudgens effort to make the transition from slutty Disney teen-starlet, to slutty Hollywood actress. But hey, if she shows some teeth in an action film I might be willing to overlook her previous efforts (hello there High School Musical and Bandslam). The jury is still out on her Twilighty-looking Beastly.
Jamie Chung: AmberChung has proved herself to be a sufficiently meaty action babe after Dragonball: Evolution, Sorority Row and her decency in Grown Ups. Toting a lollipop and fishnets in this though, she’s sure to bring that hot-Asian chick flavour a la Lucy Liu amongst a largely Caucasian cast in Charlie’s Angels.
Carla Gugino: Mrs ShulzThe lass with arguably the best natural rack in the industry (remember her topless scene as Lucille in Sin City?), Gugino plays a nurse in the asylum. Like Cornish, she has worked with Snyder previously, but as the original Silk Spectre in Watchmen.
Others Along for the ride are Scott Glenn, Oscar Isaac, Jan Hamm and Black Dynamite himself Michael Jai White (above)! Woo! Exclusive clips from the film are being screened at Comic Con this week, so as soon as some lucky bastard who’s attending posts them online... as will I. In the meantime, stay tuned for Sucker Punch news, updates and trailers.
P.S. By the time you read this I will be dead. Ha, just kidding, but my review of Inception will be posted above and therefore my online video review of Creation pales in significance. Alas, I’m posting it anyway - to watch click here. Connelly had really let herself go after her Oscar win. In semi-related news, my review of Inception is now the third most-read article on the Gold Coast Bulletin website AND it was only posted last night! Me thinks that gives plenty of juice to the `people regularly read and enjoy reviews’ argument.
WASHINGTON -- Dead bodies, diseased lungs and a man on a ventilator were among the graphic images for revamped tobacco labels unveiled on Tuesday by U.S. health officials. Proposed in November under a law that put the multibillion-dollar tobacco industry under the control of the Food and Drug Administration, the new labels must be on cigarette packages and in advertisements starting in October 2012.
Somehow, I don't think that this will dissuade anybody. In fact, I think that it may give cigarettes a more "dangerous" image and become sort of cool or badass. I think that if they really want people to stop smoking, the image they should put on the label is of Paris Hilton's vagina. Oh wait. Nobody knows who Paris Hilton is anymore. ALSO:Graphic Health Warnings for Cigarette Packages
New York City thrashers The Judas Syndrome decided to risk their reputation for being a hard hitting band, and to cover the song "Judas" by Pop Queen Lady Gaga. While Heavy Music is all about being open minded to new things, we don't think a band that is looking to get signed should be risking their reputation by covering a Pop song, specially when a handful of other artists have already covered Lady Gaga. Why not be original and cover a Heavy Music classic and add a unique flavor to it? Or taking a wise risk like Resolution 15 did when they covered U2's "Sunday Bloody Sunday" and proved that they are phenomenal musicians. Same goes for Slam One Down, who blew everyone's mind at the Horns Up Rocks 1 year anniversary party with their flawless covers of Pantera's "Becoming", ACDC's "Dirty Deeds" and Machine Head's "Davidian". Some of you may think that we are being too harsh, but the music industry today is not looking for bands that are taking risks without measuring the consequences. Nowadays a record label will only invest in a band that is smart about how they handle their business on and off stage. Our advice to any up and coming band is to think carefully about what you want to represent and what your ultimate goal is. Don't put years of hard work down, by making the wrong moves. Here is The Judas Syndrome covering the song "Judas" by Lady Gaga: the judas syndrome - judasbyThe Judas Syndrome Now here is also The Judas Syndrome with their original song titled "Death of the Soul":
Related links: The Judas Syndrome on MySpace Official site of the Judas Syndrome The Judas Syndrome
There's one thing that's pretty consistent across all of the examples featured on this site — they're all as contemporary as it gets. There are no awkward features, everything is smooth, seamless and damn right modern.
Over the years the construction industry has seen technologies come and go, arguably at a faster rate than in other fields. It would be fair to say that one technology which has grabbed building experts by the scruff of the neck is solar. It's something which is being applied in practically every imaginable use and when it comes to contemporary homes it's no surprise why.
Solar is something that removes any aesthetic fears from architects. Once upon a time those famous panels may have been classed as intrusive, but nowadays they can be blended into any modern building. Similarly, smaller solar products (which we'll get into later), just don't hinder a home's appearance in the slightest and this is the reason it's here to say.
Of course, a lot of these products also happen to save a considerable amount of money - something which is surely required when you see some of the extravagant featured properties! Nevertheless, the point we're trying to make is that solar energy is here to stay and this is something that a lot of rival technologies haven't been able to say over the past few years. Here, we highlight how solar is growing, how you can use it on your home - and why it suits the contemporary, dream homes down to a tee.
The old favourite: solar panels
We may as well start with the thing that everyone associates solar technology with; those panels which seem to be affixed to a growing proportion of UK estates. Initially, they were targeted at local authority housing, but private homeowners have now caught on and they are especially popular with modern properties.
The nature of solar panels means that they are never going to be suited to a rustic dwelling. Shiny panels just don’t work on a converted barn, but when they are integrated to a potential Dwell award candidate, things start to change. They can actually look like a positive addition to such properties, while it’s now possible to purchase the panels in varying styles which make them highly compatible with different types of roofs.
Security lighting: no longer a tangle of wires
This is one use of the technology which doesn’t necessarily have to be implemented in a luxury home. The reason it’s been included in this article is because of the simplicity and it doesn’t matter where you live, gone are the days when you have to source an electrician to fit a complicated set of security lights.
Naturally, these lights arrive in various solar contemporary styles, but the big selling point is that they’re plug and play. Some security lights which are solar powered can be installed in a matter of minutes and this means that they’re certainly here to stay, and possibly overtake the standard security fittings that we have come so accustomed to over the last few years.
Water features: same as above
Take a look at the latest featured house on this blog and it will almost certainly be exquisitely landscaped, with a water feature to boot. The introduction of solar technology to these features has transformed the way in which gardens can be put together and again there’s no need to source a qualified electrician – a lot of these features are powered entirely by the sun.
Considering the fact that it’s also possible to obtain solar fairy lights to compliment the landscape, it goes without saying that water features are evolving and have become even more exuberant because of solar.
And finally… for the ultimate solar/contemporary enthusiast
We should probably have added another component to the title of this subheading, “for the ultimate property owner”. We’ll again refer to the houses that are featured across Art Architect and the vast majority have a pool in their back garden.
For a lot of years, the main problem with swimming pools hasn’t been the upfront cost (although these will still set you back tens of thousands of pounds, or more depending on your requirements), but the running costs. Again, solar has come to the rescue and through the use of solar thermal technology, it’s now possible to heat the water through the sun’s rays. Additionally, excess energy can be used for outside towel rails or even the water for showers – again elements that will accompany the contemporary plot down to a tee.
What happens when a stuntman, actor/director and screenwriter walk into a Gold Coast bar? They come up with the concept for an action fantasy film that is already raising eyebrows in Hollywood no joke. Rene Perrin, Avelino `El Rico' Lescot and Susan Macguillicuddy are the trio behind The Black Sun, which recently took out the Most Ambitious Screenplay award at the 2010 International Action on Film Festival in Los Angeles.
The locals are hoping the added hype surrounding their screenplay will push the project into production and attract the eye of distributors. Lescot, a Gold Coast-based actor, stuntman and filmmaker who has worked on The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, Peter Pan and The Condemned, said The Black Sun incorporates several genres.
``It's enchanting and mystical,'' he said. ``It's a gypsy, action, adventure, romance, western with a strong supernatural feel that is set in the Pacific Islands, Mexico, China, New Zealand and here. ``At the moment the film industry needs something different but financially manageable and that's The Black Sun.''
The film follows a warrior's worldwide journey on the Matariki boat, which Lescot said is `like another star of the film'. Lescot and Perrin have an impressive international fanbase thanks to the success of their action film Among Dead Men. It won several awards for best fight choreography and generated considerable profits in DVD sales in Canada, Germany, Thailand, Cambodia, Poland, Puerto Rico, Hawaii and Hong Kong. It also grossed several times its $7000 budget in DVD sales through Walmart in the US. Perrin, who has worked as a stunt performer on films such as The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, Daybreakers, Nim's Island, Fool's Gold and Ghost Ship, said they wanted to combine their `love of action with a love of romance' in The Black Sun.
Balancing out the testosterone on the team is screenwriter Susan Macguillicuddy. Despite having worked with the likes of Cate Blanchett, Jessica Alba, Antonio Banderas and Melanie Griffiths, Macguillicuddy said working with `the boys' on The Black Sun has been her `most cherished writing experience'.
``It's like we each started at one end of the canvas and worked our way to the middle, fine-tuning the parts of the script we liked,'' she said. ``It took us about a year and hundreds of meetings but we're happy with the finished product. ``We wanted to do something very avant garde with the genre and something new. ``Getting the Most Ambitious Screenplay award means we really pushed the genre, which is what we set out to do.''
International distributors have shown interest in The Black Sun and the trio is currently in the process of looking for investors.
P.S. Since it is less than two days until the release of Tomorrow, When The War Began I figure it’s time to start getting you all majorly excited. That is, if you aren’t already. Which you should be. Therefore, I’m officially declaring this as Tomorrow, When The War Began day and prepare yourself for a swag of related stories. Starting with the lovely Phoebe Tonkin (below), who plays Fi in the film.I interviewed her at the Queensland premiere last fortnight and the next day over breakfast in Southport. As well as talking about the movie and future projects, all the usual stuff, we broached the big one - Phoebe Tonkin’s favourite movies.
“I’ve always loved Pretty Woman, that’s probably my favourite. I saw Shutter Island recently which was really good. Princess Bride, oh and Girl Interrupted is also amazing. I love Julia Roberts so anything with her in it really.”
Black Sun of a Gun, 9 out of 10 (based on 584 votes)
Weirdo. Loner. Outsider. These are some of the terms director Tim Burton uses to describe himself. You will notice `creative genius’ isn’t one of them, however, the term is being thrust upon on the quirky filmmaker thanks to Tim Burton: The Exhibition which opened at the Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI) in Melbourne on Thursday. The show is an extension of an exhibition curated by the Performance Center Alexanderhoehe, Iserlohn (Germany), which attracted more than 850, 000 visitors and made it the third largest exhibit at MoMA ever, behind Picasso and Matisse.
It is a remarkable feat for someone who is firstly, not a mainstream artist, and secondly, alive.
“Most of this stuff was never meant to really be seen,” says Burton, sitting cross-legged in an ACMI room in his signature uniform of black jeans, a black shirt and black oversized cardigan. His famous curly hair frizzes out at all ends and his hands, fluid and always moving, add to its state by running through it as he describes the `freedoms’ of being labelled a weirdo. “As soon as society says you’re a weirdo, then you’re a weirdo, whether you like it or not,” says the 51-year-old. “After a certain time you just accept it and it gives you a sense of freedom because if you want to wear a bag over your head society will just accept it because they thought you were weird anyway. “Like when I was at Disney they thought I was weird, so I would work under my desk for half the day. “Sometimes if they couldn’t find me I’d just be in a dark cupboard working, like my private confessional. “So there’s an amount of freedom when you’re categorised a certain way. “ Growing up in Burbank, California, Tim Burton was fascinated by the visual image and spent his formative years sketching, painting, animating and filming what he saw around him. “When you circle outside of society, when you’re kind of, you’re not in there, you’re looking at things,” he says. “A lot of it has to do with feeling out of society so you have a lot more observation.” These observations make up the first part of the exhibit, Surviving Burbank, and include, among dozens of sketches and early short films, a handmade book he submitted to Disney in the 1970s and the accompanying rejection letter. Several years later Burton achieved his goal and began working at Disney’s Burbank studios as an animator. Some of his early work for the company was as on family hits The Black Cauldron and The Fox and the Hound, which Burton physically shudders remembering. “I was never good at drawing foxes, especially the cute ones,” he says. “That’s why I can’t look at the exhibit because it freaks me out too much. “I know they’ve done a good job, but it’s like seeing your dirty laundry hanging up. “`Oh there’s my underwear from 1973 and there’s some dirty socks.’
Personal embarrassment aside, the exhibition is an in-depth look at the creative processes and twisted imagination of Burton, featuring more than 700 works including drawings, early films, sculptures, concept art, installations, puppets, costumes and cinematic ephemera. The second part of the exhibition, Beautifying Burbank, follows Burton’s step away from the Disney studio and his first early film and animation works, including his rarely seen Japanese kung-fu version of Hansel and Gretel and better known works Frankenweenie and Vincent, the latter based around one of Burton’s great inspirations — horror movie icon Vincent Price.
The final section, Beyond Burbank, looks at his feature film career, which has spanned over two decades. From his early works, such as Beetlejuice and Edward Scissorhands, to more recent films like Charlie and The Chocolate Factory and Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street, Burton has made the leap from cult to commercially successful filmmaker. His latest film, Alice In Wonderland, has grossed more than $1 billion at the international box office and gone on to become the fifth highest grossing film of all time. But Burton is quick to write-off his recent success and says if spending half his lifetime in the movie-making business has taught him anything, it is that filmmaking is a `humbling process’.
“I remember after making Batman I thought `oh, that was a success, I can go and do anything now’,” he says. “And so I went and pitched them Edward Scissorhands and they gave me a completely blank look. “Nobody wanted to do that and nobody wanted to do Ed Wood, so I had to go about it in other ways. “Then I remember pitching a musical version of The House Of Wax with Michael Jackson that he was into but they, the studio, were definitely not into. “It’s always a struggle to make a film.”
Despite the many `challenges’ faced when trying to get a project off the ground, Burton says he has faith that everything works out for a reason. He cites the studio not letting him have Sammy Davis Jr play Beetlejuice as an example, because `it opened the door for Michael Keaton’ who also went on to play Batman in Burton’s two adaptations of the comic book superhero. Another near-miss occurred when, after three hours of auditioning, Burton talked a young Tom Cruise out of wanting the role of Edward Scissorhands, which was later filled by Johnny Depp, who has become a frequent collaborator and one of Burton’s closest friends. Failed projects and major successes go hand in hand for Burton, who says he has learned `not to regret anything’.
“I don’t really regret, it’s always important not to,” he says. “Every movie I’ve done, whether it’s turned out or not, I’ve still enjoyed aspects of it, you know? “I mean I think the one I got the most slack with is Planet Of The Apes because that was messing with a classic. “But I still enjoyed seeing talking apes."
One of the highlights of the exhibition is the 2.7kg costume Depp wore in Edward Scissorhands (above), which is stationed at the entrance to the exhibit along with one of the scissor hands on display in a glass cabinet. Other featured works which will have the legions of Burtonites, the name given to passionate Tim Burton fans, gushing is the famous outfit Michelle Phfieffer wore as Catwoman in Batman Returns, original puppets from Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas borrowed from the Disney archives, costumes and sketches from Alice In Wonderland and the Burtonarium, a carnival tent buried deep within the exhibit which houses a light emitting sculptural work by Burton called Carousel (pictured at the very bottom).
ACMI Head of Exhibitions Conrad Bodman says the `diversity’ of the exhibits represents Burton as a filmmaker and goes a long way to explaining his loyal fan base.
“One of the things that Tim has always done is work across a range of film genres - action films, animated films, family films, horror films - and I think all of those types of films have different audiences and when you pull all those inspirations together in the one place, people want to come,” he says. “What we’re showing in the exhibition is a lot of original concept artwork for his major feature films and we’re kind of looking at the process of his feature filmmaking over the years. “People can see that often the hand drawn is the starting point for some ideas and then that turns into a visual reality for a whole process of development. “Tim still does a lot of that kind of drawing, painting and making puppets for himself and people will be fascinated to see that process in action.”
Unlike many other filmmakers, Burton says he has been able to maintain his artistic integrity and stay connected to his creative roots by separating himself from the industry.
“I don’t live in Hollywood,” he says. “I moved away many years ago and once you start doing things they try to treat you as a commodity, a thing. “You know, you spend your whole life to be recognised as a human being and then they try to tag you as a thing. “Like `oh, you’ve done this and that’s what we expect’ so I don’t go back and look at my films too much because I try not to become a `thing’. “I try to keep human... no person or people should be described as one thing. “I think everybody has lots of different aspects to their personality. “Some are dark, funny, sad, there are so many words for each person.”
Considering Melbourne was originally to be called Batmania, after one of it’s founders John Batman, it seems appropriate that it is to be the home of Tim Burton: The Exhibition, which runs until October 11. Already ACMI has experienced a fevour amongst Burton’s Australian fans, with all of his public appearances selling out within 24 hours of going on sale and hundreds of fans queuing through Federation Square to be the first to enter the exhibit when it opened on Thursday and have copies of the exhibition guide signed by Burton himself. It is ironic that his work and films are so accepted by the society he once considered himself `outside’ of. It is a phenomenon best summed up by Burton’s partner and regular collaborator Helena Bonham Carter, with whom he has two children. In a book on the art of Tim Burton she says: “When I see him surrounded by flushed and hyperventilating young fans I feel it’s a triumph of the lonely misunderstood outsider child he once felt he was. Now he’s the most understood misunderstood person I’ve come across in the world.”
In the meantime Burton says he is enjoying a lull between live action projects, while busying himself with a feature-length adaptation of Frankenweenie (concept art), due for release next year. He emphasises the stop-motion animated film is the only project he is working on and committed to, despite online reports which have linked him to adaptations of The Addams Family and super-natural TV series Dark Shadows, both which he blatantly denies were ever `considered’.
“That’s why I never go on the internet because it always seems like I have some sort of evil clone out there that is doing all these projects,” he says. “I’m still recovering from the last one. “Whenever I read this stuff I get tired, I think `God, I must be busy’. “The studios often have a release date before they have a script, which is such a mistake. “I’m trying to get out of that and, you know, into this strange concept of having a script before you announce a release date.”
P.S. I did the good Samaritan thing on Sunday and took some boys I babysit to see The Karate Kid. Considering what I endured sitting through that movie, karma better have a pet unicorn heading my way! And while you're in the laughing mood, you must must must watch the video clip for The Karate Kid theme song: Never Say Never by Justin Bieber, featuring rapping from Jaden Smith. Hopefully this is not an indication that Smith will make a rap song to accompany every movie he makes, just like his dad. But seriously, when you look young standing next to Justin Bieber then it's time to stop rapping and get back in the womb.
Picasso, Matisse and... Tim Burton!.., 9 out of 10 [based on 461 votes]
The industrial vacuum cleaners are a universal equipment by definition for the industry buildings. For industrial cleaners there is nothing impossible: they do not have restrictions and a narrow orientation on gathering of certain sorts of a garbage and a dust, and also duration of the operating mode.
But, before you will buy an industrial vacuum cleaners, look for these recommendations:
Universality of a hoover: good industrial hoovers without problems will cope with any garbage and a dust. Including a problem garbage (water, polymeric powder paint, detergent powders and solutions, plaster, cement etc.) and also standard (sawdust, glass, sand, small rubble, an abrasive dust etc.).
Quality of the filtering system (it's especially important in the light of universality). I recommend the equipment with the mechanical vertical filter: because they prolong life of usual filters and provides high-quality clean-out of air. The filters of last step of clean-out should be low-cost and accessible.
Reliability. The metal case is more reliable than plastic — you after all do not hope for careful hands of your brigade of a prof-cleaners.
The operating mode — continuous, round-the-clock. Even if you do not plan to spend the day and the night on a building object.
MUMBAI – Ex-miss World and stunning Bollywood beauty,Aishwariya Rai, spoke at Cannes Film Festival about her lead role in Madhur Bhandarkar upcoming flick ‘Heroine’.
Aishwariya Rai and Madhur Bhandarkar Join Hands for "Heroine"
But this is not the news which is exclusively to be shared here right now. Aishwariya Rai Bachchan is going to be nude in Bandarkar’s ‘Heroine’; this is what buzzing around in the tinsel town of Bollywood.
Reportedly; Bhandarkar’s first choice for the movie wasKareena Kapoor, but after going through the script carefully, the attention has been diverted to Aishwarya Rai.
Madhur Bandarkar has already left his marks on Bollywood with his true-to-life interpretation in ‘Fashion’ and ‘Page 3’. He is an expert in screening the lifestyles of the posh crowd in the country.
If materialized,‘Heroine’would be first joint venture of Aish and Bhandarkar. The film ‘Heroine’ deals with the life of a top heroine in the showbiz industry and the extent to which actresses go to bag roles and fame.
The Faena District in Argentina is now home to Foster + Partners’ first completed project in Latin America. Owned by Faena Group, the district totes architectural designs by some of the industry’s most expressive figures including Philippe Starck whose Faena Hotel incorporates a number of recycled silos and the Faena Arts Center by Mike McCormack and Faena Group Architects which evolved from an old mill.
“Faena District was inspired by a desire for redefining the concept of ‘dwelling’ and ‘habitat’, and was conceived as a constantly evolving work of art, a unique piece that offers an alternative lifestyle - different, rich, engaging. We are seeking to redefine how we live in cities, by combining culture, green spaces and architecture: we want to generate more general awareness.”
“The Aleph is a building that is very much borne of its place. From the traditional Buenos Aires house, which takes advantage of the climate to combine outdoor with indoor living, to the industrial architecture legacy of the Puerto Madero District, the Aleph creates a wonderful new living environment that is unique to the Faena Arts District.” says Brandon Haw, Senior Partner, Foster + Partners.
The House of Blues, Decibel Magazine, Metal Blade Records, IndieMerch and Red/'stache Media, have decided to join forces in order to bring you the Metal, Arise! Tour! The tour will feature live performances by Allegaeon, The Devastated, and The Browning. The metallic festivities will kickoff in the Cambridge Room at the House Of Blues in Dallas, Texas, and will conclude in the Delta Room at the House of Blues in San Diego, California. Here is the Official Press Release: The first ever Metal, Arise! Tour for developing metal artists, it was announced by Kelly Kapp, vice president, House of Blues Entertainment. The debut tour will feature Metal Blade Recording Artists Allegaeon, Earache Recording Artists The Browning and Century Media Recording Artists The Devastated. "We are really proud and excited to team up with Decibel, Metal Blade, IndieMerch & RED," Kapp said. "This is a tour that will pair developing metal bands and great local artists. We feel we can create a circuit that benefits metal artists throughout the country. We hope to grow Metal, Arise! into a quarterly tour so we can continue to cultivate great heavy metal talent." Kelli Malella, vice president, publicity & advertising, Metal Blade Records, said, "When Kelly first brought up the idea of a tour to help develop new metal bands in the states, I immediately wanted to be involved. And not just for the sake of my own bands trying to launch their careers, but for all the bands out there just trying to get a break and land a U.S. tour. The Metal, Arise! Tour has been created by people who truly love our scene and want to give new bands the chance to tour the U.S. and prove themselves to metalheads across the states. The Metal, Arise! Tour also gives local bands the chance to showcase their talents while giving them a shot at getting noticed by labels who are constantly keeping an ear to the ground for up-and-coming local acts to sign. We're keeping ticket costs as low as possible in hopes that you, the fans, will give these bands a chance and check them out." Here's what the bands have to say about their involvement on the inaugural Metal, Arise! Tour: "We're all really excited for the announcement of the Metal, Arise! Tour. The majority of the dates are in cities we haven't yet had the pleasure of playing. With all the venues being as reputable as they are and it being a tour with companies such as Live Nation, IndieMerchCo and the labels backing it, there couldn't be a better tour for us to be a part of at the moment." Allegaeon
"I think a lot of kids are going to be excited about seeing us and the other bands on the tour. We're three new bands who all bring something to the table that's going to make for a killer show. It's going to be the sort of tour where kids can discover new bands and proudly say: 'I saw them back then!'" The Devastated
"It's a pleasure and an honor for The Browning to be featured on The Metal, Arise! Tour! What a great opportunity for us to be performing alongside such amazing talent and working with some awesome companies in the industry. We can't wait to get out there and show the metal community what we're made of, meet some new people, and broaden our fan base. We're coming for you!" The Browning
The Metal, Arise! Tour Dates: - Tuesday: 8/09 Dallas, TX Cambridge Room @ House of Blues - Wednesday: 8/10 Houston, TX Bronze Peacock @ House of Blues - Thursday: 8/11 New Orleans, LA The Parish @ House of Blues - Friday: 8/12 Jacksonville, FL Unit Six - Saturday: 8/13 West Palm Beach, FL Propaganda - Tuesday: 8/16 New York, NY Gramercy Theatre - Wednesday: 8/17 Philadelphia, PA Theatre of Living Arts - Thursday: 8/18 Cleveland, OH Cambridge Room @ House of Blues - Friday: 8/19 Cincinnati, OH Bogart's Front Room - Saturday: 8/20 Detroit, MI Shelter - Sunday: 8/21 Chicago, IL House Of Blues - Tuesday: 8/23 Denver, CO Marquis Theatre - Thursday: 8/25 Los Angeles, CA House Of Blues - Friday: 8/26 San Diego, CA Delta Room @ House of Blues Related links: Allagaeon The Devastated The Browning Metal Blade Records Decibel Magazine Indie Merch Store RED/'stache Media
A 2,000-year-old ethos erodes bit by bit as the government’s neglect has left the ancient Indo-Scythian settlement in Haripur open to unwarranted digging.Govt shelved excavation project in 1997, thieves shovel ruins day and night in search of ancient valuables, artefacts [Credit: Nabeel Khan]
The city is situated about half a kilometre north east of the district, on the banks of River Daur near Sera-e-Saleh. Once housed by the last of the Central Asian kings Azes I and II in Gandhara, the city today is a graveyard of yesteryear.
At a height of about 1,000 feet above the river, the settlement overlooks the entire Haripur landscape, whispering anecdotes of the past. Indo-Scythians were essentially Central Asian tribespeople who migrated to South Asia in 2 BC. They were called ‘Shaka’ in the vernacular, a morphed version of their Persian name Saka. They have been repeatedly mentioned in classical Hindu texts as a warrior nation. Their foothold in the region remained firm for several centuries.
Unearthed by accident
Legend has it the ancient city, proverbially called the ‘Castle of three sisters’ – Katiyan, Matiyan and Satiyan, was first discovered in 1993 when locals shovelled the area to cement the grave of Pir Mankay, a saint who used to meditate there. In no time the gravediggers’ spades hit the treasure buried for centuries beneath. A sizeable quantity of silver coins were thus stolen and sold to jewellers in Rawalpindi.
A Scythian horseman from the general area of the Ili river, Pazyryk, c 300 BC [Credit: WikiCommons]
Police subsequently arrested the thieves and recovered the ancient artefacts which were handed over to Peshawar Museum authorities. Thus the existence of this fascinating settlement on Pir Mankey de Dheri (Mound of Pir Mankay) came to be known.
Opening up the black box
Archaeologists were quick to react and soon a full-scale excavation project was launched by the University of Peshawar archaeology department. The initiative was headed by archaeologists and historians Professor FA Durrani, Dr Shafiqur Rehman Dar and Shah Nazar. By 1997, the entire site was brushed up. Spacious houses, a medium-sized fortress, a large temple complex with a smaller place of worship inside, were unearthed. All artefacts, including vessels and tools, were sent to the provincial capital’s museum. The excavators probably lost interest as the project was soon shelved, paving way for illegal digging for valuables, Muhammad Aslam, a resident of Mankrai village, told The Express Tribune.
Another villager Waheed Khan said wild vegetation has enfeebled the structure, but illegal digging has further harmed the site, one shovel-ful at a time.
Silver tetradrachm of the Indo-Scythian king Maues (85–60 BC) [Credit: Express Tribune]
Who’s to blame?
Social activist Qamar Hayat said following the 18th Amendment, the control of heritage sites has been handed over to provincial authorities whose responsibility is to safeguard them. “Haripur houses most of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s major archaeological sites. A museum should be constructed here, as it was earlier approved in 2008,” he said, adding all unearthed artefacts should be brought back to the district.
When approached for a comment, Peshawar archaeology department official Maseeullah expressed his ignorance over the discovery.
Hazara University assistant professor Dr Shakirullah Khan stressed on the need to preserve the Indo-Scythian city and develop Haripur’s tourism industry.
Answering a question, Shakirullah said the then HU vice chancellor Dr Ehsan had approved the construction of a museum near Fort Harkishan Garh and the late tehsil nazim Iftikhar Ahmed Khan had also allocated land for the purpose. “Following the latter’s assassination and the former’s transfer to Mardan University, the project was put on the backburner,” he said.
Author: Muhammad Sadaqat | Source: The Express Tribune [June 02, 2015]
By DAILY MAIL REPORTER Much missed dish: David Beckham enjoyed a meal of pie and mash when he landed in London earlier today. He posted a picture to his Facebook page His boys have adapted well to their lives Stateside and appear to like nothing more than tucking into local foods. But while David Beckham might love his life out in sunny L.A. when he is back home he likes nothing more than tucking into traditional British fare. The footballer arrived in London this morning and wasted no time sourcing his most-desired local dish. Delicious: David and Victoria Beckham's son Brooklyn, 12, was seen enjoying a slice of cheesy pizza as he watched his dad play for LA Galaxy David posted a picture of himself enjoying the comfort food and said: 'Landed back in London this morning. Missed my favourite meal, so headed straight for some pie and mash. Heading upto Manchester tomorrow, can't wait.' While Beckham might miss British food it seems that his boys have developed a taste for American food and were seen enjoying three different dishes earlier this week. Brooklyn, Romeo and Cruz were all seen tucking into some tasty treats which are virtually staples at American football games as they watched their dad play for LA Galaxy. While Brooklyn, 12, appeared to be enjoying a slice of cheesy pizza, Romeo, eight, wolfed down some blue candy floss, and six-year-old Cruz seemed to like his hot dog. Tasty: Romeo (left) and Cruz certainly seemed to be enjoying their candy floss Meanwhile, as Victoria keeps busy with her fashion range during her last few weeks of pregnancy, David has also got some new fashion plans himself. The 36-year-old sportsman has announced his plans to launch his own male underwear range. David fronted the Emporio Armani underwear campaign in 2007, appearing on giant billboards and magazine spreads, which resulted in a doubling of profits for the Italian company in one year, from around £14.1 million to £38.7 million. My favourite! Cruz, six, tucked into a hot dog as he watched the match His Armani experience gave him insight into the fashion industry and he soon spotted a gap in the market for well-cut T-shirts and fitted boxer shorts. He said: 'I have had the idea of doing a bodywear collection for some time now. 'The push to do something of my own really came as a result of my collaboration with Armani. 'It proved to me that there is a real market for good-looking, well-made men's bodywear.' In action: The boys were watching their father David play for LA Galaxy source: dailymail
Militants tried to attack the ancient temple of Karnak in southern Egypt on Wednesday, with a suicide bomber blowing himself up and two gunmen battling police. No sightseers were hurt in the thwarted assault, but it suggested that Islamic extremists are shifting targets from security forces to the country's vital tourism industry.A suicide bomber blew himself up on Wednesday just steps away from the ancient Egyptian temple in Luxor, a southern city visited by millions of tourists every year, security and health officials said. No tourists were killed or hurt in the late morning attack [Credit: AP]
The violence left the bomber and one gunman dead, the other wounded and arrested, and four other people wounded. The temple was not damaged.
The attackers carried guns in backpacks, and one wore a belt of explosives. They rode in a taxi through a police checkpoint to a parking lot and sat at a cafe and ordered lemonades, witnesses told The Associated Press. The taxi driver, suspicious after they refused his offer to help with the packs, alerted police.
When a policeman approached, the bomber tried to hug him, but the policeman wrestled away. Seconds later, he detonated the explosives, and the others pulled automatic weapons from their bags and opened fire wildly, sending a small group of European tourists running for cover, the witnesses said.
The attack followed one this month outside the famed Giza Pyramids in which gunmen killed two policemen. The violence points to a change in tactics by Islamic militants against the government of President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi. For two years, attacks have been centered in the Sinai Peninsula, mostly by a group that has sworn allegiance to the Islamic State group and largely focused on retaliation against police and soldiers.
A campaign against tourism, one of the main sources of foreign revenue, could deal a blow to el-Sissi's promises to repair Egypt's economy.
Tourism has just started to show signs of recovery after plunging in the turmoil since the 2011 uprising that ousted autocrat Hosni Mubarak. The first five months of this year saw tourism revenues up 9 percent from the same period last year, Tourism Minister Khaled Ramy said.
Ramy said he expects the slow recovery to continue despite the attack, and he underscored how police had thwarted it.
"Security forces were there. It's a very important message to everyone," he told the AP on a flight from Cairo to Luxor.
Mohammed Sayed Badr, the governor of Luxor province, said the attack was "an attempt to break into the temple of Karnak."
"They didn't make it in," he said.
But witnesses noted it was civilian bystanders who alerted police to the threat.
A crowd looks on at the site of a suicide bombing, near Karnak Temple in Luxor, Egypt, Wednesday, June 10, 2015 [Credit: AP]
Karnak, one of Egypt's biggest attractions, is a giant complex of temples, statues, obelisks and columns built by pharaonic dynasties alongside the Nile. The oldest sections date back nearly 4,000 years.
Access to the site is through a gate and a roadblock, leading to a parking lot and visitors' center hundreds of yards from the ancient structure, which is reachable only on foot.
The waiter who served the men said only one spoke to him and had an accent from northern Egypt, while the others stopped talking when he approached. When they paid their bill, he said he refused to take their tip.
"They looked scary. ... One of them had really bad eyes," said the waiter, who asked to be identified only by his first name, Ikrami, for fear of problems with police for talking to the media.
Another cafe employee, Abdel-Nasser Mohammed, said the taxi driver reported his suspicions about the men to police. As the three walked away, a policeman approached them, leading to the tussle between the officer and the bomber, Mohammed said.
The bomber triggered the blast near a public restroom, and the other two opened fire. One ran toward the visitors' center, and a policeman shot him in the head, Mohammed said.
Tourist shop owner Sheik Ahmed Abdel-Mawgoud said he been standing near the restroom only seconds before the blast.
"When the explosion happened, I ran for cover and told my friend, a tour guide, to run with the tourists with him. I screamed at him, 'Terrorism!'" he told the AP. h The exchange of fire with police lasted several minutes, witnesses said, and two policemen were among the wounded.
Only a handful of tourists and Egyptians were in the temple at the time, security officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media.
AP video of the scene showed what was believed to be the remains of the bomber covered with a black sheet with pools of blood nearby.
The monument "is safe and unaffected and visitors continue to arrive," temple director Mohammed Abdel-Aziz told the AP. Four groups of foreigners visited after the attack.
There was no claim of responsibility, but the attack bore the hallmarks of Islamic militants who have operating in the Sinai Peninsula.
Egyptian security officials stand guard as tourists visit the ruins of the Karnak Temple in Luxor, Egypt, Wednesday, June 10, 2015 [Credit: Hassan Ammar/AP]
Last year, the main Sinai-based insurgent group, Ansar Beit al-Maqdis, pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group, which has destroyed archaeological landmarks in Syria and Iraq, viewing them as idolatrous.
The violence in Sinai accelerated and spread to other parts of Egypt following the 2013 military overthrow of Islamist President Mohammed Morsi. The militants say the attacks are in retaliation for a massive crackdown on Islamists in Egypt.
A senior security official said investigators are looking to see whether the Luxor attackers are Egyptians and whether it marks an expansion of the violence to southern Egypt, which was a breeding ground for the militants of the 1990s and 2000.
In the 1990s, Islamic militants targeted tourism to try to undermine the economy. The deadliest attack was in Luxor in November 1997, 58 people were killed at the 3,400-year-old Hatshepsut Temple.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to reporters, said the new breed of militants were unknown to the authorities. But he said the latest attack was a qualitative shift in the militants' target.
The attack coincided with a major regional economic summit, hosted by el-Sissi at the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh.
Luxor is home to some of Egypt's most famous ancient temples and pharaonic tombs, including that of King Tutankhamun. The city has been one the sites hit hardest by the sharp downturn in foreign visitors since the 2011 uprising.
Before the turmoil, tourism accounted for as much as 20 percent of Egypt's foreign currency revenues, with as a high of 14.7 million visitors in 2010.
After the uprising, those numbers plunged to 9.6 million, and then fell lower in 2013 after Morsi's ouster. Tourists have been coming back slowly, with revenues jumping to $4 billion so far this year, compared with $1.9 billion in the same period in 2014.
Beach resorts in southern Sinai and along the Red Sea coast have drawn most of the visitors, with cultural sites like Luxor seeing only a trickle. Most tourists in the searing heat of the summer months come to Luxor only for a one-day trip from the Red Sea resort of Hurghada.
Wednesday's attack is likely to result in cancellations in bookings for Luxor, although the blow is cushioned by the fact that it is low season and most tourists stay away until October.
Three major German operators, TUI Deutschland, the Germany branch of Thomas Cook and L'TUR, said they are temporarily canceling excursions to Luxor, but stressed that most of their customers are at Red Sea resorts or on Nile cruises.
"We have no reason to advise against traveling to Egypt at the present time, since the German Foreign Ministry hasn't changed its security guidance," said L'TUR spokesman Thomas Pluennecke. "But, as a precaution, we have stopped all excursions to Luxor. Of course we take the situation seriously."
Authors: Sarah el Deeb & Haggag Salama | Source: The Associated Press [June 10, 2015]
By SARAH BULL Essex girls leading the way: The Only Way Is Essex stars (left to right) Amy Childs, Lauren Goodger, Lydia Bright and Sam Faiers lead the glamour at the BAFTA Television Awards It was of the most highly-anticipated events of the year, with the biggest names from the television industry attending. But at the Philips BAFTA Television Awards this evening it wasn't a TV veteran who stole the show but a group of relative newcomers - the girls from The Only Way Is Essex. Amy Childs, Lauren Goodger, Sam Faiers and Lydia Bright led the glamour as they arrived for the annual ceremony at the Grovesnor House Hotel. Stealing the show: But it was Amy Childs who stood out from the crowd in her Pia Michi gold gown And it seems maybe the girls had coordinated their outfits, as they all went for sparkly metallic numbers as they posed on the red carpet. But it was redhead Amy Childs who managed to hog the limelight, perhaps for the wrong reasons, as she pulled out all the stops in her Pia Michi strapless gold dress. The elaborate gown featured a beaded bodice and ruched gold skirt, complete with a tulle underskirt, giving Amy a strong resemblance to Belle from Disney's Beauty And The Beast. However, the rest of the TOWIE girls also went all out with their red carpet outfits. Metallic: Sam looked stunning in her Diane Von Furstenberg wrap dress while Lydia Bright wore a grey flowered Dynasty gown and Lauren went for sparkly everything in Scala While Sam shone in a shimmery white and black Diane Von Furstenberg wrap dress, Lydia wore a pretty metallic grey flowered Dynasty dress. And Lauren looked like the cat that got the cream as she posed with fiancé Mark Wright while wearing a strappy silver Scala dress and matching sparkly shoes. In the black: Cat Deeley wowed in a black lace Christian Dior gown, with her hair swept back into a chic up 'do Whoops! Louise Redknapp, who wore Stella McCartney, and Lenora Crichlow both arrived in very similar black plunging jumpsuits Sisterly love: Kara Tointon arrived at the ceremony with her younger sister Hannah Glamour girls: (Left to right) Zoe Ball in Roland Mouret, Michelle Collins in Nadine Merabi and Hayley Atwell, in Antonio Baradi Dressed to impress: The One Show star Alex Jones, in Versace, and actress Amanda Burton also went for black Pale and interesting: (Left to right) Sheridan Smith in Ermanno Scervino, Amy Nuttall in BIBA and Victoria Pendleton in Stella McCartney. The trio all stuck to summery pale shades on the red carpet Lighting it up in brights: (Left to right) Gillian Anderson in vintage Dior, Vicky McClure in Alberta Ferretti and Tracey Emin in Vivienne Westwood all opted for pink or red for the red carpet Essex cast pick up their BAFTA
On the Red Carpet at the 2011 BAFTA Television Awards
Copyright by Via Snella The jewelry collection launched by Via Snella encompasses an array of novel creative possibilities while speaking directly to our heart. Lina Zedig, the inspiring force behind the scenes, has brought her experience in textile installation and interior design into a series of jewels that magically bridge the gap between space, matter and the senses. Lina has created a collection of five precious silver pendants in the form of a flask, destined to carry their owner’s favourite perfume. All of these unique unisex pieces are beautifully elaborated by traditional silversmiths in Sri Lanka and are accompanied by a pipette, which becomes essential at the moment of selecting the right scent to fill them up with. Functional and intimate at the same time, they are meant to embody a unique moment of reengagement with the Self through the alchemic fusion of metal and scent. This is, beyond doubt, a jewelry statement miles away from the snobbish and indulging-in-blings thrill of the fashion industry. Steeped in a philosophy of sustainability and shared experience, it is conceived and materialised to satisfy our penchant for romance, intimate lyricism and casual immanence. With this new venture, Via Snella pays homage to its original quest for charmful singularity and humble luxury, while designing the departure point of its future trajectory. In the seasons to come, the brand will trade it all for knits and more jewellery. Reinventing the classic collection concept, it will opt for a much more sustainable model of production, based on single garments of an exceptional sartorial quality, made to be cosily worn and joyfully shared by special men and women. VIA SNELLA
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