According to Wikipedia, “a backpack, also known as a rucksack, knapsack, packsack or pack is, in its simplest form, a cloth sack carried on one’s back and secured with two straps that go over the shoulders”. There are some backpacks though which are lightweight enough to be worn with one strap.

Back in the day, these packs were used to carry heavy loads of equipment or hunter’s game. Through the years it has evolved for special uses and travel. In the recent years, it was a common school bag because it made carrying school books more convenient. It also became a fashion trend when makers produced smaller and more fashionable designs.

Unfortunately the trend died down in the mid 90’s and shoulder and hand bags became more popular. These days, the backpack is making a comeback. Designer Alexander Wang decided to make them in ‘grown-up burgundy leather which can be worn with a single strap across the body. Felder Felder on the other hand gave the classic backpack a girly spunk by reviving them in funky metallic green paired with studded cuffs and skater skirts.

These new age backpacks come in a countless colors, materials and fabrics. It will be no surprise if this “it bag” becomes a staple in every woman’s wardrobe. Its regular size gives enough space for essentials, reducing back aches caused by heavy and stuffed shoulder and hand bags.

If you are still not convinced that backpacks are right for you, try getting into the trend with a mini backpack made of black or navy leather. Simple sling on strap on your shoulder and you will barely notice that you have switched from the usual purse to a backpack.

Image from  Romana Correale

Christmas songs are part of the season. Most establishments and radio stations play them as early as November. They help condition the brain and set the holiday mood.  It is said that music releases a brain chemical called dopamine which is a neurotransmitter that rewards human activities linked to pleasure. This is the reason why most people feel good when listening to Christmas songs. It reminds people of pleasant memories and common holiday cheer

People shop more when establishments play them. Based on surveys, 95% of consumers are in the shopping vibe and tend to splurge when holiday tunes are played as compared to everyday music they are familiar with, for the reason that it ignites the festive mood and brings about good feelings.

Here is a list of top 10 most played Christmas songs in the UK:

1. All I want for Christmas is You – Mariah Carey

2. Fairytale of New York – The Pogues

3. Merry Xmas Everybody -  Slade

4. Stop the Cavalry – Jona Lewie

5. Do They Know it’s Christmas? – Band Aid

6. Driving Home for Christmas – Chris Rea

7. Last Christmas – Wham

8. I Believe in Father Christmas – Greg Lake

9. Step Into Christmas – Elton John

10. Wonderful Christmas Time – Paul McCartney

Source: PPL & PRS for Music

Other popular Christmas songs include Jingle Bells, Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, Santa Claus is Coming to Town, White Christmas, Merry Christmas Everybody, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer and Santa Baby.  The types of songs played are also vital factors. Some Christmas songs actually drive people away. So it is best to stay with a common playlist that everyone loves.

Image from  flickr./com/photos/amanda_munoz

About the Event

Fashion Week 2012 in London is one of the biggest fashion events in the world. The event draws visitors from 25 different countries and is said to be one of the top influences in fashion. This isn’t a small fashion show to showcase the work of a handful of artists. Instead, hundreds of designers will be there in hopes of gaining their share of the l00 million pounds that the event generates in orders. Starting on February 17 at Somerset House, Strand, London the week promises to be big with some of the largest names in fashion and some of the hottest looks for autumn/winter 2012.

Hottest Designers and Labels to Look For

The biggest buzz of Fashion Week 2012 is that Stella McCartney will showcase her collection at the event for the first time. The showcasing of her “one-off” collection on February 18 will coincide with the designer’s release of a new fragrance and the opening of a new store. As if the daughter of a mega rock-star weren’t enough, the week will also feature a new line from the house of Alexander McQueen.

The McQ label is said to be a more affordable fashion line for young, hip and trendy fashionistas. Those not familiar with McQueen’s work should take note that it’s worn by some of the top stars in Great Britain, including Emma Watson. No matter which designers are showcased at Fashion Week 2012 there’s no doubt that the event will be huge and impressive. If you’re a fan of fashion, this will be your first chance to get a glimpse at what some of the hottest fashion designers will have available for autumn/winter 2012. It will also give you a great chance to think of ways to recreate some of the hottest looks this winter so you can be ahead of the game. Either way, the event is sure to be enjoyable and worth checking out.

• Shop around
There is no harm in shopping around for auto insurance. People tend to focus on the top two insurance companies. These people might have been the oldest and the smartest of all but with their price tag, you are simply paying for their name and not for the service that you are getting or will be getting just in case. It’s a good thing that there are more than thousands of websites that provides online research and compare tools. With these smart tools, you would be able to compare premium rates and the features and benefits of your insurance.

• Pay upfront
One of the best tricks to save money on insurance is to pay your policy upfront. This will not just earn you some plus point in your credit rating but you are also getting loads of discounts as compared to monthly payment schemes.

• Clean up your credit rating
This is one of the most discriminatory acts that insurance providers do but there is nothing anyone can do about it. Did you know that insurance providers consider your credit rating when calculating the risk? Yes that’s, “technically” if you are responsible enough to pay for your dues, that means you are a responsible driver. If you want to save money on auto insurance, please your insurer to get more discounts.

I was quite saddened when I read something about this over at Time.com. Here are some excerpts from the feature article:

What are the key components of Britishness? The bulldog spirit? A stiff upper lip? Or a penchant for Sex on the Beach? With Britain locked in an identity crisis (the English feel English, the Welsh, Welsh and some Scots are so eager to assert their Scottishness that they want to disunite the United Kingdom), these questions are troubling Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

Oddly, Brown overlooked another fundament of Britishness: alcohol-fueled misbehavior. Booze culture unites Britons from Land’s End in southwestern England to John O’Groats at the northeastern tip of Scotland, and it’s also one of the U.K.’s best-known exports. In sun spots such as Ibiza, Mallorca, the Canary Islands, Spain and Greece, English, Welsh and Scottish holidaymakers raucously intermingle, indistinguishable from each other in their bright leisure wear and brighter sunburns, downing alcoholic concoctions such as Sex on the Beach, sometimes as a prelude to the act itself.

The feature is longer than these two paragraphs and I felt disturbed after I read it. Is this how people of other nations perceive the British people? Do they really think that the British is a nation of boozers?

Photo courtesy of mike harper

The Times narrates the story:

Last week Michelle Palmer, 36, from Rutland, and Vince Acors, 34, of Bromley, southeast London, were sentenced to three months in prison in Dubai for having sex outside marriage on a public beach and offending public decency. They were also fined about £200 and will be deported when they have served their sentences. They were lucky: their punishment could have been much worse.

This incident is evoking a lot of varying opinions. On the one hand, these are adults who are supposed to be free to do whatever they want to. On the other hand, some people think that their behaviour is offensive and insensitive to others. The Times feature actually leans towards the second point and I tend to agree. Indeed, we live in modern times where the attitude towards sex and sexuality has changed a lot. However, these two people were NOT in the UK. They were in a country which has a different culture, a different religion. Come to think of it, if this happened in the UK, sensibilities would probably still have been offended. The point, I think, is that our freedom should end where other people’s toes begin. Freedom is only as good as not stepping on other people’s toes. Whatever happens in your own house is your business. What you do at the beach becomes everyone else’s business.

How do you feel about this?

[From the Archives]

One of the best things about calling cars are free calls – those come with various extra conditions outlined about them, but in most cases you should be able to score some completely free calls to predetermined destinations, allowing you to manage your budget a lot more flexibly and efficiently. Calling cards don’t have to be limited to travelers and businessmen – even if you make phone calls just occasionally, you should still be able to net some good savings from the whole ordeal.

Just remember that free calls aren’t everything to look for in a calling card – there are various other factors that can define a good deal, like convenience of recharges (this is especially good if the card can actually be recharged instead of having to be replaced), usability, coverage, as well as accumulating bonuses (which is becoming a very popular feature among calling card providers lately).

All phone cards have magnetic stripes. These magnetic chips serve as the information database of the phone card. The chip contains the available balance of your card. Some phone cards also use the optical storage feature where the phone card owner can see the amount or balance left in the account on top of the card. Some phone cards require the user to call a toll-free hotline number first to activate the account before making any regular calls or before using the card.

Recently, however, the British arm of Reader’s Digest experienced serious problems. On the 17th of February, the business went under. This was a mere half a year after the United States arm filed for bankruptcy. As can be expected, a considerable number of buyers expressed their interest in buying the company.

Early this month, Jon Moulton’s Better Capital gave the British Reader’s Digest the helping hand that it sorely needed. Moulton bought the publication, with the present management keeping 35 per cent stake.

More than keeping its 500,000 subscribers happy about continuing to receive editions on a regular basis, the move by Moulton has other implications. Reader’s Digest in Britain employs a little over a hundred employees. While the number may not be that huge as compared to other companies, these people’s lives are greatly impacted by the saving of the company. With the £13 million that Moulton’s company is investing in Reader’s Digest, their lives just might be changed for the better despite the bleak economic times.

No one can deny his genius, though. And, to celebrate his life and work, an exhibit is being held at the Western Bank Library Exhibition Gallery until the 27th of May. More information from the Seattle PI blog:

The exhibit, Humbug! Celebrating 200 Years of P.T Barnum, showcases original posters, handbills, and memorabilia used by the famed entertainer to promote his shows over 100 years ago. It celebrates the trickster who took America and England by storm with his collection of real and invented freakish attractions. The curator of the exhibit, Professor Vanessa Toulmin, Director of the NFA, is pleased to have the chance to show off many one-of-a-kind items from her collection: “The archive material on display is usually all in boxes behind the scenes, so it’s a fantastic opportunity to see around 100 items from the depths of our archive.” When asked to explain the magic of Barnum she replies: “He’s probably the world’s greatest showman. He created what we know today as PR/marketing and showmanship. Everything I’ve ever thought of, he did it!”

Indeed, P.T. Barnum’s skill and talent as a showman has probably not been surpassed by anyone in this century. Taking the era and the extent of his achievements into consideration, this is no mean feat! So if you find yourself in the area between now and May, do go and take a look at the collection; and, discover P.T. Barnum and why he captured the people of his time.