Reading The Subtleties of Islamic Fashion

Thursday, 4 December 2014
2
PUBLISHED BY
DISTRIBUTED WITH
Issue No.
148
BRAIN ABNORMALITY
SPOTTED IN MANY SIDS
BABIES
4
8
MIND OVER COFFEE:
IS CAFFEINE REALLY BOOSTING
OUR CREATIVITY?
BOTTEGA VENETA CRUISE
2014-2015
Coffee Break
Reading
The Subtleties
of Islamic Fashion
T
here are so many fashion weeks these days that
I often think I could pass the year going from
one to another. But even to a jaded observer, a
fashion event took place last week that seemed
not like the other ones: the Islamic Fashion Festival in
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Founded nine years ago by Dato’ Raja Rezza Shah, it
is part of a wider movement that has seized on fashion
as a means to reshape the cultural narrative. Or perception.
As Reina Lewis, a professor at the London College
of Fashion and author of “Muslim Fashion: Contemporary Style Cultures,” to be published in 2015, said:
“Every time there is a moral panic in the West about
Muslims as a civilizational Other, it is illustrated
with a picture of women wearing the hijab or abaya,
shrouded in black.”
To replace a fashion image - what better tool to use
than fashion itself? Clothing, after all, is a common
language and a potential shortcut to global recognition.
Consider the words of designer Dian Pelagi, whom
The Jakarta Post called the unofficial poster girl for the
Indonesian Islamic fashion, “I think that if Islamic
fashion can gain traction (in America), it will change
people’s perceptions of Islam and Islamic fashion.”
The festival began in 2006 and has grown into a
thrice-yearly event with a goal “to build an updated
visual and cultural reference from which Islam can be
related to the modern world through the creative arena
of fashion, divorced from political and social strife.”
The Muslim clothing and footwear market was estimated by Thomson Reuters at $224 billion globally in
2012 and the news agency projects it to grow to $322
billion by 2018. The ability to capture the market is a
meaningful lure, and Malaysia is competing with Dubai
and Indonesia. Adding a positive spin to the commercial imperative clearly adds to its allure.
“It’s part of the national branding strategy and development,” Lewis said.
The marketing opportunity and the chance to position Malaysia as a leader in the field has not been
lost on the government. Datin Paduka Seri Rosmah
Dato Sri Najib Tun
Mansor, the wife of Prime Minister Dato’
Razak, is the patron of the event.
“There is this crisis where Islam has probably been
me b
wa to show
given a bad name
byy extremists, and I want
(that) modest dress does not have to mean sombre, or
boring, said designer Calvin Thoo, one of the regular
boring,”
participa
participants
to the festival. Thoo’s collection featured
peplums chiffon halters, beading on shoulders and
peplums,
arms and lace cutaways, all in jewel tones.
f
His fellow
participant, Nor Aini Shariff, the designer of a line called Jarumas, focuses on haute batik.
Overall, the clothes on display during the festival were
k d by their saturated colours, and by the elabomarked
drap
rate draping
and headpieces. They were modest in coverage bu
but not in aesthetic ambition.
w
But where
the festival may differ most from tradifa
tional fashion
events, is that it was conceived also as
outre
an outreach
program. Each catwalk show is a charitafun
ble fundraiser
and each day benefits a different nonprofit organization.
Th festival is not alone in seeing fashion as more
The
s
than simply
a way to make a statement. There is a
growin awareness in a diverse array of cultures and
growing
countr
countries
that it may be a useful communications
tool. C
Colombia’s InexModa has been part of an effort
ch
to change
the national story from one of drug-running to one of design. Zambia’s fashion week was
conc
conceived
to move the conversation from poverty
cre
to creativity
and pride.
Whet
Whether
such strategy will work is another question. The festival organisers are positive. “I believe IFF
man
has managed
to bring the message that Islam does not
ter
equal terrorism
because we are still invited around the
world,” D
Dato’ Rezza wrote.
Lewis is more measured. “I don’t want to suggest
(that) th
this approach will end global friction or war,” she
“Bu alongside the depiction of Islam as a religion
said. “But
of peace and universal values, the depiction of Islam
par
a to
as part
of contemporary consumer culture is an effective w
tive
way to convey the message that they live in the
sam
sa
m world as everyone else.”
same
I shop, therefore I am (like you). In its seemin innocuousness, it may be a more potent
ing
m
message
than it sounds.
(Source: Vanessa Friedman / nytsyn.
com)
A
new research suggests that eating a serving of yogurt a day may
lower your risk of developing Type
2 diabetes - this, after Dr Frank Hu,
a professor of nutrition and epidemiology at Harvard School of Public
Health in Boston pooled the result of
three large studies that tracked the
medical histories and lifestyle habits
of health professionals. And did you
know that sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) may have been caused
by an abnormality in the hippocampus, that part of the brain that influences breathing, heart rate and body
temperature. Interested? Learn more
about it on our Health page.
This issue is also giving you an insight into the science behind creativity. Our Science page help explains
the science behind coffee and creativity, with some helpful tips on developing creative habits that could possibly help you capture your very own
inspiration.
A fashion palette courtesy of Bottega Veneta’s Cruise 2014/2015 collection is set to inspire the fashionista in you! The season’s collection
emphasises textures and fabrics and
printing techniques.
Finally, Martha Stewart will once
again save your day with tips and advice on some common home glitches
plus a recipe for homemade nut butter.
More recipes? Handmade chocolate truffles and candies make an exquisite after-dinner surprise and we
provided some easy to make tempting recipes that you can actually try
to satisfy and impress family and
friends.
Comments? Drop us a word at
[email protected]. Your feedback
is always welcome, be it science, technology, lifestyle or fashion, take your
pick. And Facebook users, keep liking
our page!
2
Thursday, 4 December 2014
Brain
Abnormality
Spotted In
Many SIDS
Babies
A
brain abnormality may be responsible for
more than 40 percent of deaths from sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), a new
study suggests.
The abnormality is in the hippocampus, a part
of the brain that influences breathing, heart rate
and body temperature. This abnormality may disrupt the brain’s control of breathing and heart rate
during sleep or during brief waking that happens
during the night, the researchers report.
“This abnormality could put infants at risk for
SIDS,” said lead researcher Dr. Hannah Kinney, a
professor of pathology at Harvard Medical School
in Boston.
Kinney can’t say for sure that this abnormality is
a cause of SIDS. “We don’t know at this s t a g e .
This is the first ob
obserbse
s rvation of this abnormality,”
she said.
“It’s just an observation at this point.”
Before this brain abnormality can be called a
cause of SIDS, Kinney said, they have to find out
what causes this abnormality and determine if it
alone can cause SIDS.
For the study, Kinney’s team examined sections of the hippocampus from 153 infants who
died suddenly and unexpectedly between 1991 and
2012. The deaths were classified as unexplained -which includes SIDS -- or from a known cause, such
as infection, accident, murder or lack of oxygen.
Kinney’s group found that 41.2 percent of infants who died for an unexplained reason compared with 7.7 percent of those whose death was
explainable had an abnormality in the part of the
gyrus.
hippocampus known as the dentate gy
Among the 86 infants whose death
deat was classified as SIDS, 43 percent had this aabnormality,
the researchers added.
This change in the dentate gyrus suggests there
was a problem in development at some point late in
the life of the foetus or in the months after birth,
Kinney said.
Kinney added that this abnormality has only
been seen under the microscope after death, so a
child cannot be tested for the abnormality.
“There are no signs or symptoms that predict
SIDS or warn families that this problem is there or
that SIDS is going to occur,” she said.
The report was published online last Nov. 24 in
the journal Acta Neuropathologica.
“Until we understand more about this abnormality, parents should follow the safe sleep recommendations of the American Academy of Paediatrics,” Kinney said.
The recommendation is to place an infant alone
in a crib on the back without toys or pillows as bolsters. “The same messages we have always had are
still applicable,” she said.
SIDS is the leading cause of death of infants
younger than 1 year of age in the United States, the
researchers said.
Dr. Sayed Naqvi, a paediatric neurologist at Miami Children’s Hospital, noted that this brain abnormality has been found in epilepsy, but this is
the first time it has been linked to SIDS.
“This needs to be confirmed and more research
done to say this is a cause of SIDS,” he said.
Marian Willinger, a special assistant for SIDS at
the U.S. National Institute of Health’s Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and
Human Development, said in a statement, “The
new finding adds to a growing body of evidence
that brain abnormalities may underlie many cases
of SIDS.”
“The hope is that research efforts in this area
eventually will provide the means to identify vulnerable infants so that we’ll be able to reduce their
risk for SIDS,” she added.
(HealthDay News)
Holidays Can Be
Sensory Overload
For Kids With Autism
T
he holidays can be a challenge for families of children with autism because sensory overload can trigger major meltdowns, an expert says.
“Holidays with family can be dicey under the best of circumstances, but when you
have children with special needs, some care must be taken,” Varleisha Gibbs, an occupational therapy professor at University of the Sciences in Philadelphia, said in a university
news release.
“It’s best to let your hosts or visitors know what special requirements are needed to make
sure your child and entire family have a pleasant experience,” she advised.
Before a holiday gathering, inform family and friends about any triggers that might set
off your child, such as not liking to be hugged, or a child’s need to spend time alone in a
quiet location to relax and calm down.
If your child have food sensitivities or dislikes certain foods, bring the child’s favourite foods with you so he or she has something to eat during the meal, Gibbs
suggested.
It’s also a good idea to bring a backpack full of sensory items, such as headphones and music, toys and chewing gum. These will help calm your child if he
or she feels overwhelmed and needs some “me time.”
For the study, Hu and his team
Dress your child in clothing he or she prefers, and pack sunglasses
pooled
the result of three large studies
and ear plugs for those who are hypersensitive to their surroundings.
that
tracked
the medical histories and
If you host a gathering that includes people unfamiliar with
lifestyle habits of health professionyour child’s condition, speak to them beforehand about some
“Yogurt als: the Health Professionals’ follow-up
of the unusual behaviours your child may exhibit. This
is
not
magic study of more than 51,000 male health
will help your guests from being alarmed or unfor curing or pre- professionals; the Nurses’ Health Study,
comfortable, Gibbs said.
venting diabetes,” Hu which included more than 121,000
said. “That’s the bottom line women nurses; and the Nurses’ Health
and the message we want to convey Study II, which followed nearly 117,000
ating a serving a day of yogurt to our consumers, that we have to pay women nurses.
During the study follow-up, there
may lower your risk of devel- attention to our diet pattern. There is
were
about 15,000 cases of type 2 diano
replacement
for
an
overall
healthy
oping type 2 diabetes, new rediet and maintaining [a healthy] body betes. When they looked at their total
search suggests.
dairy intake, they saw no effect on the
“The data we have gathered show weight.”
The study is published online last risk of diabetes. However, when they
that yogurt consumption can have significant benefit in reducing the risk of Nov. 24 in the journal BMC Medicine. zeroed in on yogurt, they found one
diabetes,” said senior study author Dr. It was funded by the U.S. National Insti- serving a day was linked to about a 17
percent reduced risk.
Frank Hu, a professor of nutrition and tutes of Health.
The researchers next pooled their reIn type 2 diabetes, the body does not
epidemiology at the Harvard School of
sult
with other published studies that
produce
enough
insulin
or
the
body’s
Public Health, in Boston. “It’s not a huge
effect, about an 18 percent reduction [in cells develop a resistance to insulin, and looked at links between dairy foods and
type 2 diabetes. They found a serving of
blood sugar levels then get too high.
risk].”
yogurt a day reduced risk by 18 percent.
E
Yogurt Every Day
May Help Keep
Diabetes Away
The meta-analysis, in which all the
results were pooled, includes 14 different groups with nearly 460,000 people.
About 36,000 developed type 2 diabetes.
The researchers took into account
age, body-mass index and other lifestyle
factors.
Hu said they did not differentiate between types of yogurt, whether it was
Greek-style yogurt or not, and the fat
content.
While previous studies have found
that yogurt is good for maintaining a
healthy body weight and lowering risk
for type 2 diabetes, ’’most of the studies
were small,” Hu said. So his team decided to look at much larger groups.
Exactly how the yogurt may help is
not certain. The thinking by many experts is that the probiotics in yogurt
(“good” bacteria) alter the intestinal environment in a beneficial way, helping to
reduce inflammation and improve the
production of hormones important for
appetite control, he said.
The take-home message, Hu said, is
that more study is needed, but that yogurt seems to have a place in a healthy
diet.
Martin Binks, an associate professor of nutritional sciences at Texas Tech
University in Lubbock, said that studies
that look at diet are inherently limited
in their ability to measure true dietary
intake.
Even so, he said, the link may warrant future study. It’s too soon, however, to change advice about diet based on
this research, Binks said.
Dr. Osama Hamdy, medical director of the Obesity Program at Joslin
Diabetes Centre in Boston, points out:
“Yogurt in general is beneficial.” But he
said, “this is an association, not cause
and effect.”
(HealthDay News)
Ask
Martha
Fine Living
Thursday, 4 December 2014
3
Making Nut Butter, Removing
Wallpaper, Reviving
Crystallised Honey & More
Repurposing holiday cards
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger.
4. Mix 2 cups hazelnuts with 2 tablespoons each
of oil and melted semisweet chocolate.
Store in the fridge for up to a week; stir before
using.
Repurposing extra felting
materials
Setting yourself up for easy
entertaining
Q: What can I do with extra roving and yarn
from felting projects?
Q: Are there any recipes I can prepare in advance and keep on hand for unexpected guests?
Removing wallpaper
Q: How should I remove outdated and damaged
wallpaper?
Q: I receive so many beautiful holiday cards
from family and friends. How can I repurpose
them?
A: Recycle those gorgeous holiday cards you receive into graphic gift tags. Use scissors or paper
punches to cut out designs from the front of the
cards, then make holes for ribbon or twine.
Making Nut Butter
A: Follow these steps to take down wallpaper without harming the walls. (When done, let the surface
dry for at least 24 hours before painting or repapering.)
1. Place a drop cloth at the base of the wall. In looping strokes, rub a scoring tool all over the wall.
2. Spray warm water onto the wall, dampening
but not drenching the wallpaper. Let the water
soak into the scored holes.
3. Scrape off the wallpaper with a putty knife, using firm upward strokes. If the paper becomes
dry and difficult to loosen, spray sparingly with
more water.
Q: How can I make my own nut butters?
A: Craft simple pumpkins with the leftover roving
and yarn, a foam ball, and a scrap of rope (proportional to the size of the ball). Press the ball’s top
and bottom against a surface to flatten; wrap the
roving around it until completely covered. Insert
a T pin on top. Tie the yarn to the pin and wrap
it around the ball. Hot glue the rope over the pin.
Reviving crystallised honey
A: Try this: The next time you’re making cookies,
make extra dough and freeze batches as flat disks
in plastic wrap. The dough will thaw quickly (in
about 30 minutes), and you’ll have the option of
fresh cookies if company stops by.
Taking down a Christmas
tree
Q: How do I take down my Christmas tree without making a mess?
Q: Is it possible to salvage honey that has crystallised?
Unsticking a zipper
Q: How can I fix a zipper that’s stuck?
A: Homemade nut butters allow you to control the
salt and sugar levels - and to create interesting flavour combinations. Blend the ingredients in a food
processor along with a neutral-flavoured oil, such
as safflower, until creamy. Try one of these four
blends:
1. Mix 2 cups pecans with 4 teaspoons oil, 1 tablespoon maple syrup and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon.
2. Mix 2 cups peanuts with 4 teaspoons oil, 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar and 1/8 teaspoon
cayenne pepper.
3. Mix 2 cups cashews with 4 teaspoons oil and
A: A variety of household objects can fix a stuck
zipper. A bit of bar soap, clear lip balm or the point
of a graphite pencil can all act as lubricants. Rub
any of these into the teeth on both sides of the zipper until it moves.
A: Don’t discard crystallised honey. You can dissolve the crystals by microwaving glass jars for
15-second intervals, or placing plastic ones in a pot
of water over low heat, shaking them often.
A: Follow these steps to keep needles, water and
stray branches from littering your floor:
1. Lay a drop cloth or old bedsheet on the floor
next to the tree. Remove the tree from the
stand. Wrap the trunk in a towel to soak up excess water.
2. Place the tree on its side on the sheet and wrap
the whole tree in the cloth, making sure the
branches are enclosed.
3. Remove the tree trunk-first through your door
to keep branches from catching on the door
frame and breaking off. Remove the towel and
sheet.
Installing Wallpaper
INSTALLING WALLPAPER IS QUITE FUN! AND HAVING A FRIEND ON HAND MAKES IT MUCH EASIER TO MANOEUVRE LONG, WET, GLUEY SWATHS. JUST STAY
CALM; YOU’LL BE ABLE TO ADJUST THINGS AS YOU GO. AND IF SOMETHING ENDS UP A LITTLE OFF, IT’LL JUST ADD TO THE CHARM.
Wallpapering Tools
Except for a few specialised items such
as a seam roller and a plastic smoother,
the basics include many items already
in your toolbox or workroom.
Here are the materials and instructions
you’ll need to get the hang of it.
Materials:
• Roller (9 inch)
• Natural sponge
• Angled paintbrush (1 1/2-inch)
• Seam roller
• Glue syringe
• Straightedge
• Single-edge blades
• Utility knife
• Pencil
• Level
• Tape measure
• Scissors
• Narrow scraper (3-inch)
• Plastic smoother (8-inch)
• Wide scraper (10-inch)
• Terry-cloth rags
Steps
1. Spackle and sandpaper the wall to
smooth any imperfections, then apply a coat of wallpaper primer. While
it dries, cover a long worktable (or
just the floor!) with a clean plastic
painter’s tarp. Make sure your hands
are clean, too.
2. If you’re papering a whole wall, cut
vertical strips 4 inches longer than
the wall height; once the paper is
up, you’ll trim the excess. Arrange
wallpaper strips side by side on the
floor to ensure that the pattern lines
up correctly, gently taping them together with painter’s tape to temporarily secure them. If you’re making
a shape (as with the headboard or
sconce backing plates), cut it out on
a cutting mat with a utility knife.
3. Use a tape measure and a pencil to
mark where on the wall the paper
will be placed. For example, mark the
top edge of a chair rail or sides of a
rectangle.
4. Pour premixed clear wallpaper glue
into a paint roller tray. Use a small
paint roller to apply it quickly and
evenly to the back of the paper.
(Some wallpaper comes prepasted,
so you can just dampen it according
to the manufacturer’s instructions.)
5. Now apply the paper one strip at a
time, smoothing each onto the wall
from the centre outward using an
8-inch plastic smoother. For long
strips, use a stepladder and work
from the top down; have someone
hold the other end as you position
it (use this same method for wide
chair-rail strips). The seams of sideby-side strips should butt against
one another, not overlap; make sure
these seams lie flat by using a seamroller.
6. Once a piece is up, you have about
10 to 15 minutes to perfect its placement. Carefully push any bubbles
out toward the borders.
Wash off excess glue with a damp
natural sponge, continuing to
smooth the wallpaper as you go.
4
Thursday, 4 December 2014
Mind Over Coffee:
Is Caffeine Really
Boosting Our Creativity?
CAFFEINE CONSUMPTION HAS BEEN ASSOCIATED
TO DIMINISHED SLEEP QUALITY AND EFFICIENCY,
ALONG WITH AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF
TIMES PEOPLE WAKE DURING THE NIGHT AND
HOW TIRED THEY FEEL IN THE MORNING.
H
onoré de Balzac is said to have consumed the equivalent of fifty cups of
coffee a day at his peak. He did not
drink coffee, though—he pulverized
coffee beans into a fine dust and ingested the
dry powder on an empty stomach. He described
the approach as “horrible, rather brutal,” to be
tried only by men of “excessive vigour.” He documented the effects of the process in his 1839 essay “Traité des Excitants Modernes” (“Treatise
on Modern Stimulants”): “Sparks shoot all the
way up to the brain” while “ideas quick-march
into motion like battalions of a grand army to its
legendary fighting ground, and the battle rages.”
Balzac’s novels and plays endure, but modern
science is challenging his view of caffeine causing ideas to “quick-march into motion.” While
caffeine has numerous benefits, it appears that
the drug may undermine creativity more than it
stimulates it.
When we drink a caffeinated beverage, the
caffeine quickly crosses the blood-brain barrier—an interface of sorts between the brain and
the body’s circulatory system, designed to protect the central nervous system from chemicals
in the blood that might harm it—and proceeds
to block the activity of a substance called adenosine. Normally, a central function of adenosine
is to inhibit the release of various chemicals into
the brain, lowering energy levels and promoting
sleep, among other regulatory bodily functions.
When it’s blocked, we’re less likely to fall asleep
on our desks or feel our focus drifting. According to a recent review, caffeine has a number of
distinct benefits. Chief among them are that it
boosts energy and decreases fatigue; enhances
physical, cognitive, and motor performance; and
aids short-term memory, problem solving, decision making, and concentration.
But all of that comes at a cost. Science is only
beginning to unravel the full complexity behind
different forms of creative accomplishment;
creativity is notorious to study in a laboratory
setting, and the choice
of one approach
over another limits
the way creativity
can be measured.
Still, we do know
that much of
what we associate
with creativity—
whether writing a
sonnet or a mathematical proof—has
to do with the ability
to link ideas, entities,
and concepts in novel
ways. This ability depends
in part on the very thing
that caffeine seeks to prevent: a
wandering, unfocused mind.
Creative insights and imaginative solutions
often occur when we stop working on a particular problem and let our mind move on to
something unrelated. In one experiment, participants showed marked improvements on a
task requiring creative thought—thinking of
alternative uses for a common object, such as a
newspaper—after they had engaged in a different, undemanding task that facilitated mind
wandering. The more their mind wandered when
they stepped away, the better they fared at being
creative. In fact, the benefit was not seen at all
when the subjects engaged in an unrelated but
demanding task.
In other words, a break in intense concentration may increase unconscious associative
processing. That, in turn, allows us to perceive
connections that we would otherwise miss. Letting our minds wander may also increase communication between the brain’s default mode
networks—the parts of our brain that are more
active when we’re at rest—and its executive areas, which are used in so-called higher reasoning and decision-making functions. These two
regions become activated right before we solve
problems of insight.
Caffeine prevents our
focus from becoming too diffuse; it
instead hones our
attention in a hyper-vigilant fashion.
Caffeine also
inhibits another
mental
process
that’s necessary for
creative
thinking:
sleep. A study showed
that people who experienced REM sleep performed better on two tests of
creative thinking than those who
simply rested or napped without entering the REM cycle. During REM, their brains
were able to integrate unassociated information so that, upon waking up, they were more
adept at solving problems they had been primed
with earlier. Without sound sleep, the effect dissipated. Sleep deprivation has also been linked
to negative effects on other elements associated
with creativity and thought clarity: it diminishes
emotional intelligence, constructive thinking,
and the ability to cope with stress.
Consuming two hundred milligrams of caffeine significantly increased the amount of time
it took for people to fall asleep later that night.
(An eight-ounce cup of brewed coffee contains
ninety-five to two hundred milligrams of caffeine.) It also had a profound effect on the quality of that sleep: it lowered sleep efficiency; the
duration of stage-two sleep (the point at which
our bodies prepare to enter deep sleep); and the
spectral power of delta-wave frequencies (which
are closely associated with the depth and quality of sleep). Caffeine consumption has also
been associated to diminished sleep quality and
efficiency, along with an increase in the number
of times people wake during the night and how
tired they feel in the morning.
It may be possible to reap the positive effects
of caffeine without the creativity-diminishing
side effects, however. Some research has found
that attributes like increased alertness and focus
can be replicated by the placebo effect. In a 2011
study at the University of East London, a group
of psychologists examined the effects of caffeine
on problem-solving ability and emotional responses. In the double-blind study, eighty-eight
habitual coffee drinkers were given cups of caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee at random.
Half were told that they were receiving regular
coffee, and half were informed that they were
given decaf. Each participant then completed
tasks that measured things like reaction time,
self-control, reward motivation, and mood. In
the Stroop task, which measures reaction time,
improved accuracy was observed in subjects who
believed they had ingested caffeinated coffee,
even if they had only consumed decaf. Subjects
who received caffeine and were told they were
drinking decaf did not show an improved reaction time. Likewise, in a measure of reward motivation, the Card Arranging Reward Responsivity Objective Test, the participants who believed
they had consumed caffeine sorted the cards
more quickly than those who believed they’d
consumed decaf.
Balzac, then, may not have been personally
quite as far off the mark as it seems. If he expected caffeine to have a certain effect, he may have
been able to attain it simply by believing it, regardless of whether the caffeine itself was causing those effects. And, ultimately, for the hours
of research and focused thinking that form the
raw material of most any creative endeavour—in
Balzac’s case, the endless pages of plot and character development—an extremely caffeinated
approach may be productive, as long as the mind
is allowed to wander every now and again.
(Source: thenewyorker.com /
Maria Konnikova )
The Science
Of Creativity
S
tress is a well-known creativity killer, says psychologist
Robert Epstein, PhD, a visiting scholar at the University
of California in San Diego. In this age
where everyone experiences a certain
level of stress brought about by work
and personal relationships, it seems
easier to designate the term ‘creative’
to people whose occupation afford
them a more laid back lifestyle. Despite the widely held belief that some
people just aren’t endowed with the
creativity gene, according to Epstein,
“there’s no real evidence that one
person is inherently more creative
than another.” Instead, he says, crea-
tivity is something that
anyone can cultivate.
Strengthening four
core skill sets lead to an
increase in ‘creative’ ideas, according to Epstein.
“As strange as it sounds,
creativity can become
a habit,” says another
creativity
researcher
Jonathan Plucker, PhD, a psychology professor at Indiana University.
“Making it one helps you become
more productive.”
The four skills are not really out
of the ordinary and is in fact a helpful tool which could be handy even
in non-creative tasks. Each task
requires some getting used to, as
all habits are in the beginning. But
considering the positive results one
could get from these creative habits
is enough motivation.
THE FOUR CREATIVE
HABITS
Capture new ideas. Always keeping an idea notebook or a recorder
with you where you can ‘capture’ new
thoughts lets you remember and remind you of things you would have
forgotten. We can never tell exactly
when or where a new idea will hit us,
so we might as well be prepared for it.
Seek out challenging tasks. Taking on projects that don’t necessarily
have a solution causes old ideas to
compete, which helps generate new
ones. Solving seemingly unsolvable
problems in your mind like making
people and things disappear and reappear keeps your mind busy and
creative.
Broaden your knowledge. Taking a
class or reading anything not related
to what you actually do makes more
diverse knowledge available for interconnection, which is the basis for all
creative thought.
Surround yourself with interesting things and people. Regular
dinners with diverse and interesting
friends and a work space festooned
with out-of-the-ordinary objects will
help you develop more original ideas.
Keeping your thoughts lively by taking a trip to art exhibitions or events
is also likely to stimulate your mind
into thinking fresh concepts.
(Reference: American Psychological Association)
THINGS WORTH KNOWING ABOUT COFFEE
1. It all started with dancing goats.
Legend has it that Ethiopian
shepherds first noticed the effects of caffeine when they saw
their goats appearing frisky and
dancing after eating coffee berries.
2. Originally, coffee was eaten. African tribes mixed coffee berries
with fat which formed edible energy balls.
3. The rise of Islam contributed
greatly to the popularity of coffee. Islam prohibited drinking
alcohol, but coffee was considered an acceptable drink.
4. All coffee in the world grows in
the Bean Belt, the area between
the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn. Hawaii is the only state in
the US that grows coffee.
5. In 1675, the King of England
banned coffee houses, claiming
they were places where people
met to conspire against him.
6. 70% of the world consumes Arabica coffee, which is mild and
aromatic. The remaining 30%
drinks Robusta, which is more
bitter-tasting but has 50% more
caffeine than Arabica.
7. Coffee grows on trees and can
grow up to around 30 feet tall.
But coffee trees nowadays are
cultivated to be around 10 feet
tall for easy-picking.
8. The bean is actually a seed inside
of a bright red berry.
9. Coffee is the second most traded
commodity on earth. Oil is first.
10. Coffee berries are picked, dried
and stripped down until all
that’s left is the bean.
11. Once shipped, the beans are
roasted at around 5000F. A few
minutes after that, the bean will
pop and double in size. Another
few minutes and the bean will
pop once more. The second pop
means the bean is done and is
now ready to fulfil its destiny.
12. George Washington invented
instant coffee in 1906. Not
the popular George Washington, but a Belgian man named
George Washington who was
living in Guatemala at the time.
13. Espresso actually refers to
the way a coffee is prepared –
shooting pressurized hot water
through finely ground coffee.
14. The term Americano (as in Café
Americano) comes from American GIs during World War II.
They would order espresso with
water to dilute the strong flavour.
Source: theoatmeal.com
Technology
Thursday, 4 December 2014
Facebook’s new
privacy policy:
5 things to remember
F
on other businesses it owns, such as WhatsApp
and Instagram, in accordance with those servicservic
es’ privacy policies.
acebook is once again trying to simplify
its
ts privacy
p vacy policy,
po cy, largely
a ge y to address
add ess ccritit
cisms that it’s too complex and lengthy
for the average user.
Laid out with illustrations into short subsections, the new policy explains what types of
information Facebook collects and how it uses
the data. The new policy is 70% shorter than the
old one.
Many of the changes are cosmetic, designed
to make the policy easier to digest. Still, it helps
to go through it to get an idea of all the things
Facebook knows about you.
Users have until November 20 to comment
on the proposed changes or ask questions. A finalised version will take effect soon after that.
Here are five things to remember about Facebook’s data policies.
‘follow’ you to
3Cookies
Facebook
Unless you decline targeting, or opt out,
companies whose websites you visit off Facebook can also show you ads on Facebook. For
example, a website can use browser cookies to
record who visited it. It can then ask Facebook
to show ads to these visitors — both on and off
Facebook.
4All eyes on you
Everything is fair game. Facebook explains it best: “We collect the content and other information you provide when you use our
Services, including when you sign up for an account, create or share, and message or communicate with others.”
Plus, Facebook says it also collects information about how you use Facebook, “such as the
types of content you view or engage with or the
frequency and duration of your activities.”
1Location, location
Facebook only recently began allowing
businesses to advertise to users based on their
specific location. Previously, ads were targeted
based on the “current city” listed on the profile.
Both the old policy and the new one note
that the company can access your location information based on your smartphone’s GPS information. The new policy points out that Bluetooth and Wi-Fi signals can also reveal device
locations.
Besides that, Facebook can also collect information from the photos you share on the site,
including where they were taken.
2
Facebook ‘tracking’
g extends
to WhatsApp, Instagram
Facebook doesn’t just track what you do on
its site. It also collects information about your
activities when you’re off Facebook. For example, if you use Facebook to log in to outside websites and mobile apps, the company will receive
data about those.
It also gets information about your activity
5Shopping on Facebook
Facebook is testing a tool to let people
buy things directly through its site. If you decide to do this, Facebook will collect information
about your transaction, including your credit
card number and billing and shipping address.
(Source: AP)
First Microsoft branded smartphone
Lumia 535: 5 things to know
D
ays after its global unveiling, Microsoft has launched
the first non-Nokia smartphone, Lumia 535 in the
Indian market at Rs 9,199. Most likely, it’s also the
first smartphone to sport Microsoft branding. Keeping aside this piece of trivia, the phone is essentially a budget
smartphone that ticks all the right checkboxes when it comes
to features (at least on paper).
We got a chance to spend some time with the Lumia 535
and here are our first impressions…
1Look and feel
Despite not sporting the Nokia branding, the Lumia 535
doesn’t look very different from other Nokia Lumia budget
phones. It looks similar to Lumia 530, complete with rounded corners and a changeable coloured back cover that wraps
around the phone. The orange coloured demo unit sports a
glossy finish. The right edge of the phone features the power
and volume rocker keys, in the same colour as that of the shell
and offer good tactile feedback. The top edge sports the 3.5mm
headset jack while the bottom features the micro-USB port.
The phone doesn’t feature capacitive navigation keys.
While the design is not very fresh, materials used in the phone
are of good quality and feel durable.
2Display
Lumia 535 sports a 5-inch qHD (960x540p, 220ppi) IPS
LCD display with Corning Gorilla Glass 3 for protection against
scratches. We would have loved a 720p display at this price, but
even the qHD display is not bad though not very sharp. Viewing angles were wide and brightness levels were optimum.
We were not able to use the phone under direct sunlight so
it’s hard to comment on the under-sun legibility. Having said
that, Microsoft claims the phone’s display comes with sunlight
readability enhancements.
3Hardware
Microsoft Lumia 535 is powered by a 1.2GHz Qualcomm
Snapdragon 200 quad-core processor and 1GB RAM. It comes
with 8GB internal storage and supports microSD card slots off
up to 128GB for expansion. The phone has a 1905mAh battery.
In terms of connectivity, the phone offers 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
4.0 and A-GPS. Microsoft is initially launching the dual-sim
version of the smartphone in India. In our brief use, we did
not experience any lag while launching and switching between
apps.
We’ll need to spend more time with the phone to comment
on its hardware performance.
4Camera
Lumia 535 sports a 5MP rear camera (1/4 inch sensor,
f/2.4 aperture and 28mm focal length) with auto-focus and
LED flash and a 5MP front-facing camera for selfie fans. It can
shoot video at 848x480p resolution with both cameras. The
phone comes pre-loaded with Bing vision, Creative Studio, Lumia Camera, Lumia Selfie camera apps. In our brief time with
the phone, we found the camera app to be responsive and the
quality of pictures, good.
The LED flash enables the phone to take pictures in the
dark and front camera facilitates selfies and Skype chats (more
critical as Skype is part of the Microsoft mobile experience).
Look out for our full review for a verdict on the Lumia 535’s
camera.
Samsung Galaxy
S6 to have an Edge
variant: Reports
ALONG WITH THE GALAXY S6, SAMSUNG WILL
INTRODUCE A VARIANT OF THE PHONE WITH A CURVED
DISPLAY, MOST LIKELY TO BE CALLED GALAXY S6 EDGE
I
5Software
Lumia 535 runs Lumia Denim which is essentially Windows Phone 8.1 with Update 1 with some Nokia-exclusive features. Update 1 brings features like Live Folders, Cortana support (alpha) for India, SMS merge and forwarding, consumer
VPN and Internet Explorer improvements.You can now organise apps or games by grouping them into folders similar to iOS
and Android. You can press, hold and drag an app over another
to create a new folder on the Start screen.
Folders can be renamed by tapping on the text field above
the open folder. Microsoft also offers 15GB of OneDrive cloud
storage, Office Mobile, Skype and other exclusive apps with
the phone.
(Source: TOI)
t has been a month since reports of Samsung’s new flagship smartphone - Samsung
Galaxy S6 surfaced online.
And now, there are new reports of
a curved variant floating around.
According to a report by SamMobile, along with the Galaxy S6,
Samsung will introduce a variant
of the phone with a curved display,
most likely to be called Galaxy S6
Edge. The screen of the phone is expected to be similar to that of the
Galaxy Note Edge.
It could also be something totally new as recently, there were
reports of Samsung planning to
launch new smartphones with flexible displays.
The report also confirms that
the new flagship device, which
was being developed under the
codename ‘Project Zero’, will officially be called Galaxy S6. Samsung
seems to be capitalizing the popularity of the Galaxy S lineup.
According to earlier reports, the
South Korean tech giant aimed to
start from scratch in order to make
its upcoming phone ‘the best Galaxy S flagship yet.’
The device is expected to feature
a Quad HD (2560x1440p) display,
64-bit Exynos 7420 or Snapdragon
810 processor, 16 or 20MP rear
camera, 5MP front camera with
32,64 and 128GB storage with and
Broadcom’s new BCM4773 sensor
chip.
5
6
Life Style
Thursday, 4 December 2014
EVERYDAY FOOD:
AFTER-DINNER
TRUFFLES & CANDIES
Handmade chocolate truffles and candies make an
exquisite after-dinner surprise. Here are some easyto-make tempting recipes to satisfy your sweet tooth!
Bourbon-Pecan Truffles
Chilling the chocolate mounds for a half
hour makes it easier to shape them into
balls. The truffles soften quickly, so keep
them in the refrigerator until just before
serving.
Ingredients:
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 2 tablespoons bourbon
• 1 cup finely chopped pecans
Directions:
• In a medium saucepan, bring cream
to a boil; remove from heat, and add
chocolate and bourbon. Let stand 3
minutes; whisk until smooth. Transfer
chocolate mixture to a medium bowl, and
refrigerate, uncovered, until thick, about
2 hours.
• Line a rimmed baking sheet with
parchment or waxed paper. Drop level
tablespoons of chocolate mixture onto
baking sheet. Refrigerate chocolate
mounds until firm, 30 minutes.
• Place pecans in a shallow bowl. Using
hands, roll each chocolate mound into a
ball; roll balls in pecans, pressing lightly
to adhere, and place on baking sheet.
Refrigerate truffles until set, 30 minutes
to 1 hour.
Cho
Chocolate
Nut
Patties
Chocolate can only be tempered once; pour
the leftover tempered chocolate from this
recipe onto a baking pan to harden, then
store and use as baking chocolate.
Ingredients:
• 1 pound semisweet chocolate
• 3/4 cup assorted roasted and raw nuts,
such as cashews, macadamias, pecans,
walnuts, and hazelnuts, roughly chopped
Deep Dark
Chocolate
Caramels
Directtions:
• To temper chocolate, cover a heating
pad
d with a kitchen towel, and set pad
to
o lowest setting. Line two baking
pans with parchment paper, and
set aside. Using a sharp knife,
shave chocolate.
•
In a medium glass bowl,
heat two-thirds of the chocolate
iin microwave at 30 percent power
ffor 1 minute. Stir chocolate, and
ccontinue heating at 30 percent
power in 10-second intervals until
p
aan instant-read thermometer
registers 120 degrees. Remove
frrom microwave.
•
Stir in remaining shaved
cchocolate with rubber spatula.
SStir constantly, bringing chocolate
up sides and back down into bowl
u
until temperature reaches between
u
86 degrees and 89 degrees. To
8
determine if tempered, drizzle a
d
tthin line onto a cool stainless-steel
surfacce. The chocolate should dry to a
matte fi
finish in about 5 minutes. Place bowl
on covered heating pad; stir occasionally
to maintain temperature between 86
degrees and 89 degrees adjusting setting
if necessary.
• Working quickly, pour 2 tablespoons
of tempered chocolate onto prepared
sheets to form 2-inch patties, spaced 2
inches apart. Let chocolate stand until
it just begins to set. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon
chopped nuts in each centre; set aside in
cool place to harden. Once completely set,
transfer to an airtight container at room
temperature for up to 1 month.
The better the quality of chocolate
used in these caramels, the more
delicious the result.
Ingredients:
• 4 cups heavy cream
• 2 1/2 cups light corn syrup
• 4 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 pound plus 2 ounces bittersweet
chocolate, chopped in small pieces
• 1/2 pound unsalted butter, cut into
16 pieces
• Vegetable-oil cooking spray
Directions:
• Spray an 11 3/4-by-16 1/4-inch
baking pan with vegetable-oil
spray. Set aside in a spot where
it will not be moved. In a heavy
4-quart saucepan, combine 2 cups
cream, corn syrup, sugar, and salt.
Clip on candy thermometer. Bring
to a boil over medium heat, stirring
occasionally with a wooden spoon,
15 to 20 minutes. Wash down sides
of pan with a pastry brush dipped
in water to remove any sugar
crystals.
• Cook, stirring constantly, until
temperature reaches 220 degrees,
6 to 8 minutes; watch so mixture
doesn’t boil over. Continue stirring,
and add chocolate and butter; keep
mixture boiling, and slowly add
remaining 2 cups cream. Cook, still
stirring, until temperature reaches
240 degrees, about 60 minutes,
keeping mixture at a low boil.
• Without scraping pot, pour mixture
into prepared pan. Let stand
uncovered at room temperature for
24 hours without moving.
• To cut, spray a cutting board with
vegetable-oil spray. Unmould
caramel onto sprayed surface.
Using a large knife, cut into 1-by1 1/4-inch pieces or other shapes.
Wrap each piece in cellophane or
waxed paper.
French Almond Nougat
The basis of this candy is a mixture of simple
syrup and egg whites known as mazetta.
Ingredients:
For the mazetta
• 2 large egg whites
• 3/4 cup light corn syrup
• 1/2 cup sugar
For the mazetta
• 1 1/2 cups light corn syrup
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 1/2 cups whole raw almonds, skin on
Directions:
• Begin by making the mazetta: Using an
electric mixer, beat egg whites until stiff;
set aside. In a 1-quart saucepan, combine
corn syrup, 1/4 cup water, and sugar. Clip
on a candy thermometer. Bring to a boil
over high heat, stirring with a wooden
spoon, about 5 minutes. Wash down sides
of pan with a pastry brush dipped in water
to remove any sugar crystals.
• Cook over medium heat, stirring
occasionally, until temperature reaches
242 degrees, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove
sugar syrup from heat. Beating constantly,
slowly pour hot syrup into egg whites.
Continue beating for 3 to 4 minutes until
syrup is incorporated. Use immediately or
cover and refrigerate until ready to make
the nougat.
• Spray an 8-inch square baking pan with
vegetable-oil spray; set aside. Place
mazetta in a large bowl; set aside. In a
2-quart saucepan, combine corn syrup
and sugar. Clip on candy thermometer.
Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring
constantly with a wooden spoon, 5 to 10
minutes. Wash down sides of pan with a
pastry brush dipped in water to remove
any sugar crystals.
• Over medium-high heat, cook to 280
degrees (soft-crack stage), 12 to 15
minutes, without stirring. If heat is too
high it can boil over, so watch carefully.
Remove from heat; let stand for 2 minutes.
Without scraping pan, pour syrup over
mazetta. Working quickly, stir with a
wooden spoon until almost smooth. Stir
in butter, vanilla, and salt. Mix until butter
is incorporated. Stir in nuts. Scrape into
prepared pan, and smooth the top; you
may spray your hand with vegetable-oil
spray and run it over the warm candy to
smooth it. Let stand at room temperature,
uncovered, until firm, 4 to 6 hours.
• Spray a large cutting board generously
with vegetable-oil spray. Unmould nougat
from pan onto sprayed surface. Cut
nougat into 3-by-1-by-3/4-inch pieces or
other desired shapes. Wrap each piece in
cellophane or waxed paper.
Accessories
Thursday, 4 December 2014
7
In the
same vein of feminine elegance comes Vivienne Westwood’s jewelry selection, which proffers glittering
pendants made from gold lockets,
smooth blue lapis, and subtle opal
in both silver and antique gold
settings. Her stunning bijoux
pieces look like they’ve arrived
directly from an English estate sale and are imbued
with a timeless quality
that means they’ll
never go out of
fashion.
VIVIENNE WESTWOOD
FALL/WINTER 2014
ACCESSORIES
ACC
CES
COLLECTION
For Fall/Winter 2014, Vivienne Westwood embraces her British heritage with a collection of posh accessories. Each piece
is refined, polished, and the ultimate in heritage style. Choose
between elegant tweed shoulder bags, structured metal crossbody bags, etched-metal clutches, and handsome leather totes
finished with metal hardware. Footwear focuses on ladylike,
colour-blocked, high-heeled brogues and chunky-heeled platform boots.
FENDI
Fall/Winter 2014
For Fall/Winter 2014, Fendi leaves no stone unturned
when it comes to accessories. There are monster-faced
iPad cases, reptile-skin cuffs, minimalist doctor’s bags,
multi-cotton belts, futuristic sunglasses, colourful
scarves, and footwear that showcases sculptural heels
and touches of modern art. This collection is an enormous tribute to accessible luxury, with costume jewelry,
divine handbags, and artistic shoes that will instantly
make you the envy of your peers.
JIMMY CHOO
FALL/WINTER 2014
What is it about a perfect
pump in a perfect shade of red patent leather that gets so quickly to the heart
of what we desire? Jimmy Choo has long been
at the task of delivering to women the footwear of
their dreams, so this brand is pretty accurate at guessing
what to serve up for the forthcoming season. For Fall/Winter 2014, Jimmy Choo revisits classic pump silhouettes and
elevates them with slick leathers, animal fur, embroidery, and
beading. Snaky gold sandals are a great update on 1920s party
shoes, and embroidered mesh heels help to introduce unique texture into your look.
Before we get lost waxing eloquent about this stellar footwear collection, we’d be remiss not to mention how gorgeous the handbag
offerings are this season. Jimmy Choo has refined its style and
produced a winning selection of snakeskin pocketbooks and
totes, micro-beaded clutches, and elegant foldover shoulder
bags. The charming glitz and subtle glamour of Jimmy
Choo’s Fall/Winter 2014 accessories collection will
make you believe that life is one big party, but
there’s nothing wrong with indulging in
that fantasy, because fantasy is
what fashion is all about.
Add a head-turning element to your autumn
wardrobe with one of
these multi-coloured
pocketbooks or a pair
of pumps with an iridescent cone-shaped
heel. Compliment a
workwear wardrobe
with a sensational
tote in a bright shade
of tangerine or neon
yellow, and shape a
bulky knit sweater for
the season with one
of Fendi’s thick belts.
However you decide
to wear it, if you’re
searching for something that’s different,
fashion-forward, and
luxurious, Fendi is the
brand du jour.
Fantasy is what fashion is all about.
8
Thursday, 4 December 2014
BOTTEGA VENETA
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