style

Group or "Our" Writing Style

2008-09-05T08:15:00.000-07:00

We often speak of writing "style," which in reality is not one concept but four. I recommended Strunk and White's The Elements of Style as a guide to general or "correct" writing style.

That's the first concept of "style." The other three are:

Group or "our" style
Individual or "my" style
Structural style

Group style is the subject today.

A book you may have to consult much more frequently than Strunk and White is the style manual used by the organization you're writing for, the book whose purpose is to make sure published articles are consistent within a publication or among several publications. In recent years, every company I've worked with has adopted The Associated Press Stylebook and Libel Manual as its bedrock decider on matters of style. Within its 300-plus pages you are told:

o Not to use a comma before the and or but in a series--e.g., Attendees were Mary, Martha and John.
o To spell out all whole numbers below 10 and to use figures for 10 and above,
o To capitalize Hades but not hell,
o To use gale to describe "sustained winds within the range of 39 to 54 mph (34 to 47 knots)
o That pingpong is a synonym for table tennis, and Ping-Pong is a trademarked name, and
o A lot of other stuff that seems to cover the Universe As We (Should) Know It.

Be aware that the first rule cited above runs counter to Strunk, who felt the final comma was needed to avoid confusion. I find it interesting that several editors I know whose official arbiter is the AP guide are unaware of its comma rule. (I know this because I've had them insert the things in my copy!)

My first full-time writing job was with a department that had its own style guide. Other than specifying how to treat department and division names and job titles, it had only three rules:

1. Follow Strunk re commas, and
2. Use employe rather than employee
3. Follow the AP Guide for everything else.

In the three years I worked for that company, I never got used to either of the first two rules. But I obeyed them. Group style--agreed-upon usage--is not negotiable. Think about it as good communication manners--and not institutional repression (or cramping) of "your" style.

A Comedy style

2008-09-05T08:14:00.000-07:00

“And what is your background, Pinky?” Russell Peters looked directly at me from the stage at Yuk-Yuks in Ottawa Ontario at the 8 pm Saturday, Sept 9th show.

I was wearing a blue shirt, so I wasn't getting the 'Pinky' comment until my wife, Janet, pointed out that I was all red-in-the face from laughing. Hey, we were seated center stage right in front of the microphone, so we knew we were potential targets for Russell's smooth and engaging wit. I was mentally prepared. Not! I blurted out, “Czech European Cape Bretoner!”

Did I just say that? Not even a sentence! Now it was out there for Russell Peters to mould into an interactive dialogue about “rouge children”, “dirty Czech talk” and “hitting people in the face with a fish if I was an angry Cape Bretoner”. He even got the east coast accent right. I believe I might be the first Cape Bretoner to be exposed 'Russell Peters Style'. This evening with Russell Peters is one that 'Pinky' will cherish forever.

Russell Peters is redefining 'Cultural Comedy'. Russell Peters, a comedian from Toronto, Canada, who has South-Asian roots, is touring the world and amazing audiences with his hilarious exploration of various races, including his own East Indian heritage. His brilliant comedy investigates culture clashes, viewed from the perspective of sublimely ridiculous, as he skillfully addresses racism and both cultural acceptance and non-acceptance even as it occurs within the race boundaries.

Laughter of any kind is one of life's most effective medicines for ensuring good health. And being able to laugh at oneself is even healthier. Laughter promotes the emotion of happiness. Happiness, in turn, releases beta-endorphins that science has determined make your body feel good, naturally. Comedy focused on a particular social, ethnic, geography, political or religious matter can be enlightening while producing 'side splitting' endorphin- releasing feel-good-all-over laughter.

Life now determines that who delivers the message in paramount in how effectively it is received by the listening audience. Not surprisingly a Cape Bretoner or Newfoundlander is most effective in delivering joke after joke about their culturally inherent traits or local idiosyncrasies. These two geographic cultures have spawned many comedic successes - Mary Walsh, Rick Mercer, General John Cabot Trail, Hughie and Allen, Cathy Jones, and Bette MacDonald. Overall, both Cape Breton and Newfoundland peoples are fun-loving, good-natured people. Laughing at ourselves comes with the territory.

Like a Cape Breton comic, Russell Peters personifies how laughing at yourself is an excellent venue towards cultural understanding and acceptance. Laughter is the best medicine. And a most effective way to unite all people in the world's global community.

Want to experience more of Russell Peters in Action? His first DVD CD “Outsourced” is available. GO buy THIS DVD or CD today! You will love his style of comedy!

We cherish an autographed DVD sleeve of this first of many Russell Peters DVDs! You're gonna love this guy!

How To Use Pictures Of Hair Styles

2008-09-05T08:12:00.000-07:00

Most people choose their new hair style by looking at a picture of a hair style or browsing hair style photos. This can be a great way to find the perfect look, but there are some guidelines that you should keep in mind when looking at pictures of hair styles. Doing so can help you avoid hair disasters and guarantee that you come out looking like your chosen hairstyle picture.

You can find pictures of hair styles in style books and portfolios found at most salons, in fashion magazines, and in online hair style photo galleries. All of these ways can give you numerous ideas and a picture of hair style that you can carry with you to discuss your new style with your beautician. By seeing a picture of hair style, both you and your stylist can have a realistic expectation of what your new style will look like and how to achieve it.

Have you ever found the perfect hairstyle picture only to come out of the salon looking nothing like the woman in the picture? Most blame it on their stylist. While part of the blame can be put on the stylist for not pointing out your picture of hair style blunder, most often the blame lies with choosing the wrong hairstyle picture to compliment your face shape and hair texture.

A picture of hair style is a representation of what the woman in the hair style photo looks like with a particular style. You can not realistically expect to look like the picture of a hair style because you are not that woman; your hair and structure are different. But you can selectively choose your pictures of hair styles and eliminate the ones that would be disastrous for you by following a few pointers.

1. When browsing through pictures of hair styles, be sure to pay extra attention to the type and texture of hair that the lady in the hairstyle picture has. Is her hair coarse, thin, wavy, or straight? Try to find pictures of hair styles with hair types that closely resemble your own. Keep in mind that a picture of a hair style may look great with a particular model because she has thick and naturally curly hair, but the same hair style may not look so great on someone with thin, limp hair.

2. Often, pictures of hair styles are taken of models with perfect bone structures. It is very rare that you find a picture of hair style with a model trying to conceal a too-high hair line, prominent nose or under-developed chin. If you have features that you wish to highlight or diminish, pay special attention to the style in the picture of hair style. Would the style in the picture of hair style compliment your features or take away from them?

3. Use an interactive online photo gallery. You can upload your photo and use it to test how you might look with lots of different hair style photos. This is a great way to "try before you buy" to avoid expensive mistakes when you go to the salon. For a review of the best interactive online photo galleries, go to http://www.great-hairstyles.com/hair-article-resources.html.

Once you find a few hair style photos that you think are perfect for you, ask your stylist for her opinion on your chosen pictures of hair styles. He or she will be able to tell you without a doubt whether or not your selected hair style will be picture perfect for you.

Short Hair Style

2008-09-05T08:10:00.000-07:00

Short hair style? Make it stylish, sexy and chic

In all of its transformations and variations, the short hair style has always been numbered at the top of the list when it comes to versatility, style and manageability. No other style catches the eye quite like the short hair style and no other style makes the wearer look as professional, chic and sexy as the short hair style

Short hair styles worn by women are a fairly new style trend when compared with women's hair styles in general. In fact, cropped styles only came to the forefront of fashion a little more than 50 years ago. Since that time, the short hair style has given women the freedom to express themselves in numerous ways. From the funky and spiked to the soft and feminine, the short hair style can be worn by any woman of any personality, style and age.

Short hair no matter what the age

It has long been a held belief that an older woman should wear a short hair style to make her appear younger. While there is some truth in the belief that long hair tends to make wrinkles and flaws more noticeable, short hair styles and long hair styles can both be worn by women of all ages if they choose the right style to compliment their particular face shape and bone structure.

A good rule of thumb to follow when it comes to choosing a short hair style to suit your age is to pay more attention to your overall appearance rather than focus too much on how old you are. For example: Trendy, spiked styles can emphasize flaws and sagging skin, but I have seen women in their 70s with exceptional bone structure wear these short hair styles and look amazing. On the other hand, I have also seen younger women try to wear these same short hair styles and not be able to quite carry it off. So, if you want to wear a short hair style, pay close attention to your face shape, build and style of dress before deciding how to cut your hair.

Short hair to flatter your face

I've heard it said many times by many people, "I always wanted to wear a short hair style, but I don't look right with short hair" Ladies, this is nonsense. Granted, not every woman can wear every short hair style, but every woman can wear a short hair style that is tailor-made to compliment their face shape and beautiful features.

There are five basic face shapes: oval, heart, round, square and triangular. All of these shapes can be beautiful, but one is ideal: oval. No matter what shaped face you have, achieving the perfect look involves picking the right cut or short hair style that will make your face appear more oval.

To do this, you and your stylists can try different variations of popular short hair styles to compliment your individual features. For example: If you have a round face shape, you can still wear your favorite short hair style as long as you bring some hair forward on your cheekbones and wear a little height in the bang to give your face the illusion that it is oval.

The bottom line is that the short hair style is not for just a few who have been blessed with perfectly proportioned features. With the right short hair style, you too can sport trendy sexy cropped locks that will be guaranteed to turn a few heads.

Flip-Flops with style

2008-09-05T08:09:00.000-07:00

The buzz is out ! Everyone is saying this years 2007/08 Swarovski Havaianas flip flops from Shop Flip Flops are the flip flops of choice.

With 664 unique Havaianas to choose from you can customize any style, any color, and any size Havaianas. They have unlimited special order capibilities and have been known to supply a last minute wedding (of 178 people) with matching customized Havaianas in 6 days.

" It was not easy..." said Jessica Mends, Owner of( http://www.shopflipflops.com )" So, we receive a call about noon in brazil and the customer was very stressed on the phone. She said she needed in total 178 Women's Swarovski Havaianas, High Heel Havaianas, and Men's Havaianas made in 6 days in various sizes, colors, and models." continues Jessica.

" Our large team worked 20 hours straight in one day to finish the job, package and ship out the order !"

Located in Curitiba, Brazil. TheHavaianas by Shop Flip Flops.com has only now opened a online store.

"We never really paid much attention to the internet part of the company" said Jessica. "We always were very busy (locally and wholesale) and didnt think about selling on the worldwide web directly to retail customers. We currently wholesale swarovski havaianas, havaianas and custom beaded havaianas to ebay sellers, botique shops in Italy, Germany, Spain , Portugal, Sweden, Netherlands, France, UK, Monaco, Greece, Australia, Tokyo, South Africa, Mexico, Canada and USA.

We are looking forward to expanding our business and meeting new resellers and direct buyers off the internet."

Besides offering a full range of Havaiana styles and colors, Shop Flip Flop also offers customized, handmade flip flops and, the most exciting, Swarovski Havaianas, which will add sparkle to any wedding. The Swarovski Havaiana relies on the best in Swarovski crystals to create unimaginable beauty, a rich, luxurious look and all the comfort and airiness desired in a Havaiana sandal.

“We currently have 153 models of Havaianas and 87 Swarovski designs,” says Jessica Mends, owner of The Havaianas. “And with our customization options, there are over 13,000 possible combinations available to consumers. This will be a big item for weddings, bridal parties, celebrations, graduations, or other events. Since we carry footwear for women, men and children, there is something for everyone.”

Shop Flip Flop is located in Curtiba, Brazil and carries a readily available inventory of all styles including high heels, flash, top, cartoon or the traditional Havaiana styles. Known for their great customer service and speedy delivery, Shop Flip Flop will make your custom flip flop by hand and have them to you in a timely manner.

Created back in the 1960s, Havaianas flip-flops have made their way in recent years from closets in Brazil to runs ways in New York, gaining an almost cult-like following and the title "best rubber flip flops in the world."

Put on a pair of comfy pants and grab a cup of your favourite coffe and browse the almost " endless" selection at www.shopflipflops.com

Home Building - Exterior Style Choices

2008-09-04T08:09:00.000-07:00

The exterior style of your home is the fun part. It doesn’t require any further calculations, just simply what appeals to you. Most people prefer their home to be in harmony with the surrounding community and choose exterior styles that are appropriate to their region. To be safe, resale value should play an important part in the choice of exterior style. The five most prevalent styles in today’s market include:

Country: Nationwide this is by far the most popular style. Characteristics include a large, usually covered front porch or a wraparound porch, and a steeply pitched gabled roofline that runs lengthwise. The roofline is often punctuated by dormer windows and gabled wings, creating casual, informal living. The farmhouse style home is typically a rectangular or L-shaped home, often with two-stories. Horizontal siding is the typical material for county and farmhouse designs, although masonry or stucco is possible.

Traditional: This describes a multitude of classic designs including Colonial, Georgian, Federal, Cape Cod, Saltbox and Ranch designs each distinctly regional. Simplicity is a common characteristic of all traditional designs usually with small-paned or mullioned windows that are usually spaced symmetrically.

Victorian: This particular traditional-style home has strong historical origins with very intricate rooflines and the use of turrets, dormers, towers, bays and eyebrow windows. Ornate porches are a prevalent feature along with shingles or narrow-lap wood siding. This style is more appropriate for two-story homes, although one-story designs with Victorian features are available.

Mediterranean: Some view this style as traditional, others say it is contemporary, regardless, it’s popular in the Sunbelt states, particularly in California, the southwest and Florida. The exterior is traditionally stucco and includes tile roofs, broad overhangs, lower pitched roof lines and open-air verandas, courtyards and covered porches or lanais.

Contemporary: This broad category embodies many different styles and shapes of homes. Typically contemporary homes have bold geometric shapes, large expanses of glass, and windows that are not framed by shutters or other decorative trim, and rooflines that can be anywhere from flat to low-pitched to dramatically steep. Siding can be vertical or horizontal wood siding, stucco or masonry. There are really no rules with contemporary styles.

Other styles: although the above are the most prevalent choices there are a multitude of other styles many homeowners opt to adopt. These include Craftsman, European, Italianette, French or French Country, Tudor, etc. Also certain locations or uses can often produce a particular “style”; narrow lots, beach, mountain or vacation houses are examples.

Add Class and Style to Your Room with Chesterfield Furniture

2008-09-04T08:08:00.000-07:00

When attempting to bring class and style into your home, leather furniture is the way to go. While there are several different kinds of leather and companies to choose from, there is nothing quite like leather chesterfields. Chesterfield furniture has been around for quite some time and continues to bring wonderful furniture into people's homes worldwide. Adding Chesterfield furniture to your home gives you rich and world class feel to the living room. No longer do you have to settle for a mediocre sofa that disappears in the room. You can make a Chesterfield sofa the highlight of the room with the magnificent leather and beautiful colour.

While this furniture used to be out of the price range for many, it has gradually become more affordable for everyone. But the status quo remains the same as this is high class furniture that can brighten up the room and bring your office or living room to another level.

There is nothing better than being able to show off a fine piece of furniture to family and friends like Chesterfield furniture. Guests will have the luxury of sitting on pure, soft, and comfortable leather sofa. And unlike many sofas that require attention after a couple of years, you will have your Chesterfield sofa for years to come because of the high-class durability.

Placing this luxury furniture in the living room is ideal to show it off, but it can also make for a fine piece of furniture in the office. There is nothing that says class and wealth in an office better than furniture like this. It will imply prosperity to those who enter your office and give your office a true working atmosphere.

Although you may not be aware of it at the time, but image can mean everything in a home. Replacing ragged sofas with a Chesterfield sofa can do wonders for your home. It will liven the room up, give it character, and present wealth in a new manner. And because of the style, you can put virtually anything around the sofa and create a beautifully crafted room.

It is hard to believe that one sofa could have such an impact on a room, but that is exactly what you are getting with leather chesterfields. It is the finest furniture around and can be purchased at a reasonable price. And with the durability it is built with, you can enjoy the comfort of fine leather for years to come.

Teen Hair Style Ideas

2008-09-04T08:07:00.000-07:00

There is perhaps never a better time when you can pull off the very trendy and funky hair styles as when you are a teenager. The teen hair style, while always evolving and reflecting the tastes of the generation, always tends to be a trendy hair style that is hard for older people to imitate and still look great. From a ton of texture to funky and fresh color techniques, the teen hair style is always at the cutting edge of fashion.

The funky teen hair style always looks like it has been taken straight off the runway. Infused with rich, trendy color, the teen hair style does a lot to capture an era of style completely. Just think about all of the famous teen hair styles, of the past. Complete generations have been defined by the trendy hair styles worn by the teenagers of that time.

Today, top teen hair styles are trendier than ever and cover a wide range of styles, lengths and textures. Perhaps for the first time, the teen hair style is a reflection of the person within instead of the popular teen hair styles without. I mean just think of how many popular teen hair styles there are to choose from. We are no longer like the cookie-cutter generations that came before.

While there are a great deal of teen hair styles to choose from and numerous variations of each, it can be hard to find the perfect teen hair style to reflect your personality and tastes. So, here are a few ideas for your next teen hair style.

The short teen hair style

The teen hair style has never been shorter. In fact, many teenage girls are now wearing their hair shorter than the boys. But one thing is always sure; the short teen hair style is always a trendy hair style. Full of texture and interest, the short teen hair style is never dull.

Probably the most popular short teen hair style of today is a variation on the pixie cut. Only about 1" to 1 ½" in length throughout, this teen hair style is heavily textured and can be worn in several different ways. From rigid spikes and soft funk to close-to-the-head tresses, this teen hair style accommodates a wide range of tastes.

The textured teen hair style

No matter what length your locks are, texture is needed to pull off a trendy hair style. This texture can be created through cutting and razoring techniques, it can be natural as in the case of natural curl, and it can be created chemically through perms and relaxers or thermal styling tools.

As mentioned before, today's teen hair style is never boring. Not only does texture liven up your teen hair style, it can also take a popular style and make it uniquely your own. Take for instance a simple layered teen hair style. Falling about shoulder length, this teen hair style would be dull if left to hang straight. But if you take the same cut and add pomade to texturize the ends or add spiral curl to this teen hair style with tube rollers, you could really have a different teen hair style each and every day.

The teen hair style and color

Every trendy hair style needs color, and the same is true for the teen hair style. Adding color can be as simple as a few highlights or lowlights or it can come in the form of dramatic changes such as dark colors for the Gothic look. Color for the teen hair style can also be a statement of itself. Just look at the colors worn by Pink and Christina Aguilera. Their most popular teen hair style cuts were not really anything that unique, it was their color that set their teen hair style apart from others.

When choosing color for your teen hair style do not be afraid to try something funky and unique. This may be the only time in your life that you can get by with blue highlights. Also, do not become wrapped up in choosing the same color for your teen hair style that you have seen worn by other people. Stay unique, venture out, be brave and you will always have a teen hair style worthy of envy.

Wedding Hair Style

2008-09-04T08:06:00.000-07:00

With formal hairstyling trends taking a step back from the rigidly crafted styles of yesterday, today's wedding hair styles are free, natural and a great deal easier to attain than they were a few years ago. But even though this is true, the bridal hair style is probably the most important style that you are going to choose for quite a while so it is best served by a little research and practice before the big day.

On your wedding day, hundreds of eyes will be on you, and your chosen bridal hair style can either complete the picture or detract from it. That is why it is so important to choose the perfect formal hairstyle well in advance of the big day so that you and your stylist can get it right and make custom additions to your wedding hair style. Nothing is worse than a hastily crafted coif decided upon only minutes before the ceremony.

You can begin your search for the perfect bridal hair styles and bridesmaid hair styles by browsing through style books that highlight formal updos and popular wedding hair styles. While looking, keep in mind the style of dress that you have selected and choose wedding hair styles that compliment the style, era and cut of the dress. The same thing goes for your bridesmaids dresses.

Another important thing to consider when choosing bridal hair styles are the styles, lengths and textures of the bridal party's hair. For example: if every member of the bridal party save one has short hair, selecting a French Twist as your only bridesmaid hair style would not be very feasible. But you could do a French Twist on the one member with long hair and select different wedding hair styles for the rest of the party as long as it doesn't bother you that everyone is not going to look identical.

When it comes to coordinating your wedding hair styles for your wedding party, you do not have to choose cookie-cutter styles for each member of the party. Look instead at bridal hair styles that compliment each member's personality, facial structure and hair texture. Let your wedding party members have some say in how they would like to wear their hair and set some practical guidelines such as whether or not the bridesmaid hair style should be pinned up off of the neck or allowed to flow free down the back.

Then, coordinate the individual bridal hair styles by using matching accessories and placing them in similar patterns on each member. These pointers apply for the bridal party only; the bridal hair style should set the bride apart from the others and be more intricate and beautiful than all other wedding hair styles chosen by members of the wedding party.

Once all bridal hair styles have been chosen, have a practice run where all of the ladies meet at the same salon and allow the stylists that are going to do the wedding party's hair on the big day have a crack at crafting the intricate wedding hair styles that you have chosen. While it may cost you a little bit of money to do this, it will save you a great deal of headache on the big day.

What is Style? And How To Achieve It

2008-09-04T08:05:00.000-07:00

Despite what the media tells us, true style has nothing to do with having a perfect body or becoming a slave to fashion. It's actually about being comfortable in your own skin and expressing yourself with confidence.

We probably all know a few women who seem to have been born with style and good taste. They are the sort of women who always look great and fit in wherever they go. What do these women have in common? Chances are it's not a size 0 body, a huge income or their own stylist.

What they share is a defined personal style and the ability to dress in a way that makes them feel comfortable and confident.

Women have long been seduced into believing that their external appearance is everything. And if we believe what mass media tells us, we're all abnormal if we don't look like a supermodel.

>From an early age, we are influenced by the likes and dislikes of our friends and parents and later, our partners. Our education, family/social situation and career also play a part in telling us what we should look like and how we should act.

The problem arises when we allow all of these external factors to take over and we lose sight of who we are. When this happens we get stuck in a rut; shopping becomes stressful and frustrating; and our catch-cry becomes 'But I've got nothing to wear!'

To develop style means to marry what suits our height, personal colouring, shape and age from what's currently in fashion, and to understand which 'looks' are appropriate for what occasions. In other words, to become a woman who understands fashion without becoming a slave to it.

The fact is that every person, from any background, and any size, age or shape has the ability to dress in a way that is fashionable, flattering and in good taste.

Gaining this knowledge, and experiencing more shopping success, will allow you to express the woman within - the real you. And in turn this will then give you the confidence to become more creative with your wardrobe.

In essence, there are five key points to remember when it comes to personal style:

Appropriateness: for your physical shape, age and the occasion;

Simplicity: less is more. Choosing simple, clean lines and accessories;

Poise: carrying yourself with grace and confidence in every situation;

Authenticity: expressing the real you both in the way you dress and behave;

Courtesy: good humour and respect for others.

As you can see, style is about much more than just the clothes we wear. It is everything that makes us unique - from our personality and lifestyle, through to our education, experiences, values and goals. Apart from body shape and colouring, it is these things that will make or break style success.

Dressing in a way that doesn't fit with who you are as a person means not only will you feel uncomfortable but you will be sending very mixed messages to everyone around you. Feeling self-conscious will destroy any hope of style.

Being able to look in the mirror and like what you see is a very important factor in self-esteem. When you know you look good you walk, talk and think differently. Once you understand the basic rules of colour and style and apply them to your wardrobe in a way that suits you as an individual, you will be amazed at the positive changes that come about in your life.

Iwama style

2008-09-02T08:58:00.000-07:00

Iwama Style Aikido is a name for the style of aikido that was taught by the Founder at the Iwama dojo, the birthplace of aikido. It is often used to describe the aikido in the lineage of Morihiro Saito, a close disciple of the founder of aikido Morihei Ueshiba for 23 years. The name comes from the Japanese village of Iwama where Ueshiba lived, and there taught Morihiro Saito and others.

Iwama style can be found both within and outside of the biggest aikido organisation Aikikai. A major non-Aikikai branch is Iwama Shin Shin Aiki Shurenkai, headed by Saito's son Hitohiro Saito. A now defunct Iwama style organisation was the Iwama Ryu. The Japanese concept takemusu is sometimes used in names of dojos and organisations in this line of aikido.

Iwama style includes the combined study (riai) of traditional Japanese weapons (bukiwaza) and empty-handed aikido (taijutsu). Iwama practitioners often claim that their aikido is closest to that of the founder, as preserved by Morihiro Saito. Among non-Iwama practitioners, a common opinion is that Iwama style mainly is Morihei Ueshiba's aikido of the 1940s and 1950s not taking into consideration his later years, which definition is considered to be too simplistic by Iwama style practitioners.

Industrial Style

2008-09-02T08:56:00.000-07:00

Industrial Style refers to an aesthetic trend in design that emphasizes sharp lines, abrupt connections and dynamic interactions of motion. It is derivative of the same forces that created the architectural movement Deconstructivism and the anime genre Mecha, and can be seen in such automobile design examples as the BMW Z4 by Chris Bangle, the Ferrari Enzo, the Lamborghini Reventon, and Cadillac's Art and Science trend. Non-automotive examples include watch designs by Fossil, Inc., the Batman film set by Anton Furst, and eyewear and other costuming from The Matrix.

The Industrial Style attempts to acknowledge and celebrate sometimes contradictory forces and functions. A collection of shapes is unified in a composition where each piece maintains it's internal logic and the connections between them are pronounced. This differs from the more traditional view of design where all the parts are subjugated to the betterment of the whole. Industrial Style relies on the viewer to see the pieces as a beautiful team of complements working toward a common goal rather than any singular, resolved shape.

It should not be confused with industrial design which is the general applied art spanning many different styles. But the aesthetic is derived from Disruptive technology associated with industrial developments. Advances such as Stealth technology, Computer-aided design, Carbon fiber material science, and Light-emitting diode improvements can come together in a single design. The Audi R8 (road car) makes use of LEDs for head lights for arguably functional considerations, but they also offer the significant stylistic advantages for a high end sports of allowing a lower, sleeker, and more angular front end. Similarly, the Herman Miller leaf lamp by Yves Behar combines both technical and stylistic advantages of LED technology.

The Industrial Style also differs quite substantially from Primitivism in that it uses sophisticated refinements to imply the idea. It can have esoteric resolutions with no deeper meaning other than the visual game itself.

Sheraton style

2008-09-02T08:52:00.000-07:00

Sheraton is a late 18th century neoclassical English furniture style, in vogue ca 1785 - 1800, that was coined by 19th century collectors and dealers to credit furniture designer Thomas Sheraton, born in Stockton-on-Tees, England in 1751 and whose books, "The Cabinet Dictionary" (1803) of engraved designs and the "Cabinet Maker's & Upholsterer's Drawing Book" (1791) of furniture patterns exemplify this style. The Sheraton style was inspired by the Louis XVI style and features round tapered legs, fluting and most notably contrasting veneer inlays. Sheraton style furniture takes lightweight rectilinear forms, using satinwood, mahogany and tulipwood, sycamore and rosewood for inlaid decorations, though painted finishes and brass fittings are also to be found. Swags, husks, flutings, festoons, and rams' heads are amongst the common motifs applied to pieces of this style.

Without pedantic archaeology, it brought the Neo-Classical taste of architects like Robert Adam within reach of the middle class. In many respects Sheraton style corresponds with the contemporary Directoire style of France. The Sheraton style was the most reproduced style in the United States during the Federal period.

News style

2008-09-02T08:50:00.000-07:00

News style (also journalistic style or news writing) is the particular prose style used for news reporting (ie. in newspapers) as well as in news items that air on radio and television. News style encompasses not only vocabulary and sentence structure, but also the way in which stories present the information in terms of relative importance, tone, and intended audience.

News writing attempts to answer all the basic questions about any particular event in the first two or three paragraphs: Who? What? When? Where? and Why? and occasionally How? (ie. "5 W's"). This form of structure is sometimes called the "inverted pyramid," to refer to decreased importance of information as it progresses.

News stories also contain at least one of the following important characteristics: proximity, prominence, timeliness, human interest, oddity, or consequence.

While newspapers, like encyclopedias, generally adhere to an expository writing mode and style, this has changed over time as journalism ethics and standards have (debatably) increased to become more objective and less sensationalistic. There are debated degrees of professionalism among particular news agencies, and their reputability or public value, according to professional standards of idealism and depending on what the reader wants from a news story, may be tied to their ability to be objective. In its most ideal form, news writing strives to be intelligible to the vast majority of potential readers, as well as to be engaging and succinct. Within the limits created by these goals, news stories also aim for a kind of comprehensiveness. However other factors are involved, some of which are practical and derived from the media form, and others stylistic.

Among the larger and more respected newspapers, fairness and balance is a major factor for the presentation of information. Commentary is usually confined to a separate section, though each paper may have a different overall slant. Editorial policy dictates the use of adjectives, euphemisms, and idioms. Papers with an international audience for example, usually use a more formal style of writing.

The specific choices made by a news outlet's editor or editorial board are often collected in a style guide or stylebook; common commercial stylebooks are the "AP Style Manual" and the "US News Style Book". The main goals of news writing can be summarized by the ABCs of journalism: accuracy, brevity, and clarity.

Beer style

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Beer style is a term used to differentiate and categorize beers by various factors such as colour, flavour, strength, ingredients, production method, recipe, history, or origin.

The modern theory of beer style is largely based on the work done by the late Michael Jackson in his 1977 book The World Guide To Beer in which Jackson categorised a variety of beers from around the world in local style groups suggested by local customs and names. Fred Eckhardt furthered Jackson's work publishing The Essentials of Beer Style in 1989.

However, there has been differentiation of beer since around 2000 BCE, which has continued throughout history and within many different cultures. While the systematic study of beer styles is a modern phenomenon, the act of beer differentiation itself is ancient and widespread.

The study of what constitutes a beer's style can be broken down into various elements. These may include the amount of bitterness imparted to a beer from bittering agents such as hops, roasted barley, or herbs; the amount of sweetness from the sugar present in the beer; the strength of the beer from the amount of fermentable material converted into alcohol; the smoothness or viscosity of the beer in the mouth, commonly described as mouthfeel; and the appearance of the beer, including the colour.

APA style

2008-09-01T10:47:00.000-07:00

American Psychological Association (APA) style is a widely accepted style of documentation, particularly in the social sciences. APA style specifies the names and order of headings, formatting, and organization of citations and references, and the arrangement of tables, figures, footnotes, and appendices, as well as other manuscript and documentation features. APA style uses Harvard referencing, also known as the author-date system of citations and parenthetical referencing, keyed to a subsequent list of "References." The APA Publication Manual provides basic guidelines for documenting both print and electronic resources.

In reference citations in text are done using Harvard referencing. Most usually, this involves enclosing the author's surname and the date of publication within parentheses, separated by a comma, generally placed immediately after the reference or at the end of the sentence in which the reference is made. However, it is also common for the authors to be the subject or object of a sentence. In such a case only the year is in parenthesis. In all cases of citation, author name(s) are always followed immediately by a year, and years are never presented without author name(s) immediately preceding it. In the case of a quotation, the page number is also included in the citation.

Full bibliographic information is then provided in a Reference section at the end of the article. APA style defines that the reference section may only include articles that are cited within the body of an article. This is the distinction between a document having a Reference section and a bibliography, which may incorporate sources which may have been read by the authors as background but not referred to or included in the body of a document.

Indent style

2008-09-01T10:46:00.000-07:00

In computer programming, an indent style is a convention governing the indentation of blocks of code to convey the program's structure. This article largely addresses the C programming language and its descendants, but can be (and frequently is) applied to most other programming languages (especially those in the curly bracket family). Indent style is just one aspect of programming style.

Indentation is not a requirement of most programming languages. Rather, programmers indent to better convey the structure of their program to human readers. In particular, indentation is used to show the relationship between control flow constructs such as conditions or loops and code contained within and outside them. However, some programming languages (such as Python and Occam) use the indentation to determine the structure instead of using braces or keywords.

The size of the indent is usually independent of the style. Many early programs used tab characters for indentation, for simplicity and to save on source file size. Unix editors generally view tabs as equivalent to eight characters, while Macintosh environments would set them to four, creating confusion when code was transferred back and forth. Modern programming editors are now often able to set arbitrary indentation sizes, and will insert the appropriate combination of spaces and tabs. They can also help with the cross-platform tab confusion by being configured to insert only spaces.

There are a number of computer programs that automatically correct indent styles as well as the length of tabs. A famous one among them is indent, a program included with many Unix-like operating systems. These programs work best for those who use an indent style close to that considered "proper" by their programmers; those who use other styles will more likely become frustrated.

The Style Council

2008-09-01T10:45:00.000-07:00

The Style Council was an English musical group formed in 1983 by ex-The Jam singer and guitarist Paul Weller with keyboardist Mick Talbot. The permanent lineup grew to include drummer Steve White and Weller's then-wife, vocalist Dee C. Lee. Other artists such as Tracie Young and Tracey Thorn (Everything but the Girl) also collaborated with the group.

The band showed a diversity of musical styles. Singles "Speak Like a Child" (with its loud soul-influenced style), the extended funk of "Money-Go-Round", and the haunting synth-ballad "Long Hot Summer" all featured Talbot on keyboards and organ. Near the end of 1983, these songs were compiled on Introducing The Style Council, a mini-album initially released in Japan, the Netherlands, and the United States only. The Dutch version was heavily imported to the United Kingdom.

In 1984, the single "My Ever-Changing Moods", backed with the Hammond organ instrumental "Mick's Company", reached #29 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States. The song remains Weller's greatest success on the American charts (including his efforts in The Jam and as a solo artist), while the group reached the peak of its success in the United Kingdom with the 1985 album Our Favourite Shop.

To Weller's fans, the decision to split up The Jam at the height of their commercial success was met with considerable controversy[citation needed]. Weller deliberately distanced himself from The Jam's sound and style, with his use of new musical arrangements and instruments in a much slicker, more heavily produced style. In the place of the Bruce Foxton-Rick Buckler rhythm section were drum and bass parts done entirely on synthesisers. The Style Council's early persona — the donning of make-up and New Romantic-style clothing, coupled with mysterious album sleeve notes by 'The Cappuccino Kid' (a pseudonym for Paolo Hewitt, biographer of The Jam and friend of Weller), the use of French lyrics and themes (reflected in the titles of their third single, the 1983 À Paris EP, which saw the duo posing in front of the Eiffel Tower, and their debut full-length LP, 1983's Café Bleu), and dabblings in dance music only served to confuse and alienate loyal Jam fans.

Structurally, many of the band's early singles were not far removed from The Jam's latter-day soul-pop efforts such as "Town Called Malice" and "Beat Surrender", but they were often criticised as overproduced, despite Weller's impressive songwriting[citation needed]. Also, many observers saw even the early albums as indulgent and overly experimental; Trouser Press called Café Bleu "too schizophrenic to be a good album". The criticism only grew, and Weller's star status declined.

The Style Council took a more overtly political approach than The Jam in their lyrics, with tracks such as "Walls Come Tumbling Down", "The Lodgers", and "Come To Milton Keynes" being deliberate attacks on 'middle England' and Thatcherite principles prevalent in the Eighties. Weller was also instrumental in the formation of Red Wedge with Billy Bragg. However, he later said that this began to detract from the music: "We were involved with a lot of political things going on at that time. I think after a while that overshadowed the music a bit"

In 1986, the band released a live album, Home and Abroad, and, in 1987, the album The Cost of Loving was launched, followed later in the year by the upbeat non-album single "Wanted", which reached #20 in the United Kingdom. However, slow sales of Confessions of a Pop Group, released a year later, signaled that the group's popularity had largely evaporated. A greatest hits album, appropriately called The Singular Adventures of The Style Council, was released internationally in 1989; it included the non-album single "Promised Land", which had reached #27 in the United Kingdom earlier that year.

The Style Council broke up in 1989, after recording a house album (Modernism: A New Decade) that was rejected by their record label. The cover of "Promised Land" (originally by Joe Smooth) was the only release which surfaced from the Modernism sessions at the time; however, the entire album was released in 1998, both independently and in a 5-CD box set, The Complete Adventures Of The Style Council. After the split, Weller embarked on a successful solo career (still featuring Steve White on drums, who had left The Style Council by the time Confessions of a Pop Group was released, having only played on a few of its tracks). Talbot and White released two albums as Talbot/White — United States of Mind (1995) and Off The Beaten Track (1996). More recently, Mick Talbot and Steve White have formed The Players with Damon Minchella and Aziz Ibrahim.

Empire style

2008-09-01T10:43:00.000-07:00

The Empire Style, sometimes considered the second phase of Neoclassicism, is an early-19th-century design movement in architecture, furniture, other decorative arts, and the visual arts. The style originated in and takes its name from the period when Napoleon I ruled France, known as the First French Empire, where it was intended to idealize Napoleon's leadership and the French state. An earlier phase of the style was called the Adam style in Great Britain and "Louis Seize" or Louis XVI, in France.

The Empire style was based on aspects of the Roman Empire and its many archaeological treasures which had been rediscovered starting in the 18th century. The preceding Louis XVI and Directoire styles employed straighter, simpler designs in comparison with the Rococo style of the 1700s. Empire designs heavily influenced the American Federal style (such as the United States Capitol building), and both were forms of propaganda through architecture. It was a style of the people, not ostentatious but sober and evenly balanced. The style was considered to have "liberated" and "enlightened" architecture just as Napoleon "liberated" the peoples of Europe with his Napoleonic Code.

The Empire period was popularized by the inventive designs of Percier and Fontaine, Napoleon's architects for Malmaison. The designs drew heavily for inspiration on symbols and ornaments borrowed from the glorious ancient Greek and Roman empires. Buildings typically had simple timber frames and box-like constructions, veneered in expensive mahogany imported from the colonies. Biedermeier furniture also made use of ebony details, originally due to financial constraints. Ormolu details (gilded bronze furniture mounts and embellishments) displayed a high level of craftsmanship.

General Bernadotte, later to become King Karl Johan of Sweden and Norway, introduced the Napoleonic style to Sweden, where it became known under his own name. The Karl Johan style remained popular in Scandinavia even as the Empire style disappeared in other parts of Europe. France paid some of its debts to Sweden in ormolu bronzes instead of money, leading to a vogue for crystal chandeliers with bronze from France and crystal from Sweden.

After Napoleon lost power, the Empire style continued to be in favor for many decades, with minor adaptations. There was a revival of the style in the last half of the 19th century in France, again at the beginning of the 20th century, and again in the 1980s.
Kazan Cathedral in Saint Petersburg.
Kazan Cathedral in Saint Petersburg.

The most famous Empire-style structures in France are the grand neoclassical Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel, Vendome column, and La Madeleine, which were built in Paris to emulate the edifices of the Roman Empire. The style took particular root in Imperial Russia, where it was used to celebrate the victory over Napoleon in such memorial structures as the Russian Admiralty, Kazan Cathedral, Alexander Column, and Narva Triumphal Gate. Stalinist architecture is sometimes referred to as Stalin's Empire style.

The style survived in Italy longer than in most of Europe, partly because of its Imperial Roman associations, partly because it was revived as a national style of architecture following the unification of Italy in 1870. Mario Praz wrote about this style as the Italian Empire. In the United Kingdom, Germany, and the United States, the Empire style was adapted to local conditions and gradually acquired further expression as the Egyptian Revival, Greek Revival, Biedermeier style, Regency style, and late-Federal style.

Style guide

2008-09-01T10:42:00.000-07:00

A style guide or style manual is a set of standards for design and writing of documents, either for general use or for a specific publication or organization. Style guides are prevalent for general and specialized use, for the general reading and writing audience, and for students and scholars of the various academic disciplines, medicine, journalism, the law, government, business, and industry. Some style guides focus on graphic design, covering such topics as typography and white space. Web site style guides focus on a publication's visual and technical aspects, prose style, best usage, grammar, punctuation, spelling, and fairness.

Many style guides are revised periodically to accommodate changes in conventions and usage. For example, the stylebook of the Associated Press is updated annually.

Publishers' style guides establish house rules for language use, such as spelling, italics and punctuation; their major purpose is consistency. They are rulebooks for writers, ensuring consistent language. Authors are asked or required to use a style guide in preparing their work for publication; copy editors are charged with enforcing the publishing house's style.

Academic organization and university style guides are rigorous about documentation formatting style for citations and bibliographies used for preparing term papers for course credit and manuscripts for publication. Professional scholars are advised to follow the style guides of organizations in their disciplines when they submit articles and books to academic journals and academic book publishers in those disciplines for consideration of publication. Once they have accepted work for publication, publishers provide authors with their own guidelines and specifications, which may differ from those required for submission, and editors may assist authors in preparing their work for press.

Indexing of the published work, which can be a tedious task, can be done by the author, by a professional editorial indexer, or by computer software. If done by the author or close collaborators of the author who are not professional indexers, the work is called "self-indexed".