The Dior show still went on even though John Galliano was not in attendance for the event, given the fact that he has been dismissed. Prior to his models hitting the runway, Chief Executive for Dior Sidney Toledano gave a speech in which he said that he was sad to see that the Dior name has been brought down with the many statements that have been made about the designer. Therefore, he said that the company is going to work hard to demonstrate the high values that built the house of Dior.

Despite the controversy, Dior was still forced to let their models on the catwalk in the Galliano designed lines which prove that although his personal life may be questionable, he does know a few things about design. Of particular note were a few wispy dresses that looked straight out of a fairy tale book but were pretty sheer for a winter line.

In stark contrast, also debuting on the catwalk was a stunning white striped wool coat that was tailored and mid length and paired with a brilliant nude sheer dress to make a stunning ensemble. Those that want to bundle up a bit more however may want to turn their attention to the knee length boots paired with trousers and a large oversized fur coat that seemed to take over the stage and most attendees’ attention. In fact, fur was a common accompaniment on the catwalk this year, suggesting that despite its own moral questionability, fur may be back again this winter.

Amsterdam can be a great place to head if you want to get away for a quick weekend, given the fact that it offers plenty in the way of nightlife, museums, and of course it’s well known watercourse. One of the best ways to start your weekend off is to jump on a canal cruise which will not only allow you to easily get around town, but will also allow you to see more of the city than you might if you use any other form of public transportation. While travelling, you can stop by the Anna Frank House, Van Gogh museum, and the nine streets which the cruise stops at.

When night rolls around you can easily head out to the clubs, given the fact that Amsterdam is a wonderful place to head for a night out on the town. The restaurants are also a large part of what makes the city unique as there are neon signs everywhere advertising quick foods such as pizza or you can simply window shop through the many menus hanging outside of the sandwich shops. Make sure to also see the Royal Palace and the Dam Square as they are perfect examples of the Amsterdam flair.

Right now the trend is to be green, which means that if you have not yet learned how to shop for green products it is a good time to learn. This is due to the fact that without the proper knowledge you cannot be sure that the items you are purchasing are truly eco-friendly or are just marketed to make you think so. Many marketers are cleverly using green colours and trendy packaging to make you think that their cheaper products are environmentally friendly so you have to be on the constant alert when making a purchase to make sure you are getting what you really want.

The best way to approach eco-shopping is with an open mind and a few key phrases in mind. For instance, fair trade products and organics are almost always the better choice for the environment so these make better choices. Other considerations include packaging that is recyclable, and products that do not use any chemicals, pesticides, or any other manmade materials in their factories which should be on the label. Remember while out shopping that plastic carry bags are also not eco-friendly, so before heading out make sure to grab your own reusable cloth bag to carry your items home inside.

When many people think of Paris as the city of lights and love, they also think of a city that is full of glitz, gloss, and class, but most of the time this all comes with a price; however, you can enjoy all that Paris has to offer without spending thousands of pounds. In fact, Paris has plenty to offer those who visit it, including plenty of free and low cost natural attractions and historical sites so that you can easily get around the city and enjoy everything that the city has to offer.

One of the best ways to start is by strolling down the River Seine as it is a great way to get around the city and is home to plenty of attraction scenic sights. During your trip you will be able to see the Notre Dame Cathedral and the Eiffel Tower both of which have reasonable admissions so that you can stop and tour the famous landmarks. The Latin Quarter is another great stop for some friendly nightlife that doesn’t cost a lot and with plenty of students the prices stay low but the activity level stays high.

With eco-friendly initiatives growing by the day there are now many eco-friendly jobs available to those with specific skills and even those in need of general labour jobs, depending on where you live. Many of the new jobs are structured around creating a green transportation infrastructure in Britain which means that as a result there are plenty of jobs in construction and road work available across the country. This has been a huge boost for many local economies and is something that those without jobs may want to look into as the job security is reasonable given the large amount of work left to be done.

At the same time, there are also plenty of jobs being created at local eco-friendly companies such as those that create solar panels, sell solar power, electric car repair, and the many other innovative companies that have sprung up as the eco movement gains momentum. Due to the many new companies that the eco movement has helped create there literally are thousands of opportunities to find jobs that are within the eco friendly climate for those who are willing to do a little looking around and investigation on their own.

If you are thinking about updating the look of your living room a bit then one of the first places you should start is by taking a look at new sofas. This is because if you change the furniture you will immediately change the tone of the room helping you take your first step towards getting a new look that is refreshing and modern in the room. Of course, when it comes to furniture it is only logical to start with the sofa since this is the one piece that the rest of the room is often situated around.

There are a few things that you need to consider when you start shopping around for sofas, starting with the size and shape of sofas that you are looking for. There are simple three or four seat sofas that are one block of space, and then there are wrap around sectionals that remove the need for other furniture or love seats all together. In addition there are also corner sofas by Fashion4Home that fill corner spaces quite well whilst creating a more sociable  environment in the living room. Therefore, you need to think about if you want to just invest in one large sofa or if you want to purchase a smaller sofa so that you can also add smaller elements of furniture to the room.

Another thing that you need to consider is the type of fabric that you want your sofa to be made out of because sofas come in many different types of fabrics and the material that you choose will change the look of the room and the overall comfort of the chairs. Some people like the cool feel of fabrics such as leather against their skin, but if the room that you are planning to put the sofas in is a bit ‘cold’ then a warmer fabric such as cotton or a good mixed fabric may be a better choice.

The UK has been working hard to promote their green initiatives, but many people wonder if the UK will ever be able to reach the same level as Germany. A lot of this question lies in how much further Germany pushes the measures that are already in place, because at the pace that Germany has set, the UK could only catch up and move ahead if Germany slowed down considerably.

This is due to the fact that many of the UK green policies that are already in place could put them level with Germany, if they hadn’t got such a big head start. If Germany continues to grow and increase their efforts then at the current rate the UK will only be able to play catch up, not actually ever get on par.

The important thing to remember however, is that the race to get green is actually not about who comes out on the top, but instead about making sure that everyone meets green standards to help reverse and slow down the effects of global warming. Therefore, anything that the country does to contribute to the green cause will help make the earth better for everyone.

Researchers are discovering that the common use of online databases and internet search engines to access information is altering the way that people actually retain information according to a study done at Columbia led by psychology assistant Betsy Sparrow. Sparrow started the study with the aim of finding out if people were more likely to remember information that they found off the internet in the same manner as students will remember information that they think they will see on a test later. To do so the group conducted four memory experiments.

They found that if participants thought they could not access information later they were more likely to remember it versus those who were told they could always look the same thing up again. The researchers stated that most participants did not even try to remember facts when they thought they would be able to simply look up trivia later. However, when asked a question and told what folder it was saved in, most people could remember the folder proving that Trans active memory is being altered by the computer as is the way our brains are storing away information.

Observer Ethical Awards

The Observer Ethical Awards has been held for the last six years along with aide from Ecover and has become known as the green Oscars, which was only aided by the fact that the awards ceremony is becoming much more glitter filled. The fact that Colin Firth showed up to present the Observer Ethical Awards 2010 did not hurt either, as it offered a major boost to the many green initiatives that were honoured throughout the ceremony. This year the judging panel is quite impressive with some of the best representing the worlds of social justice and environmental causes including Jeanette Winterson, Dr. David Frame, and Brain Cox.

Some of the most interesting categories every year are the ones that the readers themselves vote on such as the categories of local retailer, online retailer, global campaigner of the year, and the campaigner of the year which has seen such notable winners as Peter Tatchell and Al Gore. Completely voted for by the public this is your chance to sound out about who you think has helped make the world greener and allows you the chance to have your own say in the Observer Ethical Awards 2011 alongside many of the judged categories.

Find Your Feet Fashion Show

This year marks the 50^th anniversary for the Find Your Feet charity which works on international development helping communities in Malawi and India work towards solving poverty. The charity is unique in the fact that instead of simply offering handouts to those who live in poverty, the charity organizers work hands on in communities helping those in deprived and rural areas learn sustainable ways to end their poverty by teaching them job skills and better ways of life.

In order to help commemorate, celebrate, and continue the work of Find Your Feet as it enters its fifth year the charity organized a Charity Fashion Show that was well attended and well received by many. The evening also raised more than ten thousand pounds which will go a long way in forwarding the works of the Find Your Feet charity, with the charity group stating that it will help them reach ten thousand more families that are facing poverty and hunger. The money will be used to help get families on the path towards self-reliance by offering them the proper equipment, training, and access to basic services according to a press release from the Find Your Feet charity after the fashion show took place.