Urban Art Sale
26 February 2009, 18:30 at Selfridges


The Urban Art collection contains works by the leading national and international street artists of today, such as, Banksy, Nick Walker, Adam Neate, Faile, Antony Micallef, Guy Denning, Bast, Seen, Matt Small, D*Face, Doze Green, alongside several artists who will be creating work primarily for the sale, such as Goldie, Ame 72, CBloxx, Inkie, Dan, Mau Mau, Eelus, K-Guy, Rowdy, Flx, Silent Hobo, David Walker, Pinky, Ryca, Jim Starr, SPQR, Kev Munday and joined by auction virgins, Chu, Pam Glew, Faith 47, Klit, TRXTR, Byroglyphics and Grafter.

Sale Date:
Thursday 26th February 2009 at 6.30pm

View days:
The Urban Art collection will be on view and auctioned at Selfridges’ Ultralounge in London as follows:

Fri 20th – Wed 25th Feb: Public viewing (open as per store opening hours)
Thurs 26th Feb: Auction only (open from 3pm, auction at 6pm)

Limited edition print:
In addition to the works being auctioned, there will be a limited edition 'Let Them Hang Valentine' print available to purchase exclusively from Selfridges (£150 – print run 100).

from www.graphotism.com

Nick Walker at The London Art Fair

6pm Tuesday 13th Jan 2009 sees the public opening of the “London Art Fair” where Nick Walker will be releasing his screen print "The Empire’s State" through The Black Rat Press (the gallery who represents him). The phone hasn’t stopped ringing with international interest from people trying to reserve a print even from as far as Colombia and Korea. But the 175 prints which are to be on sale at £475.00 each are only being sold to people who are queuing at the London Art Fair. The Black Rat Press have had to draft in extra security in anticipation of the crowds which are expected to start queuing well in advance again, of the doors opening.

In 2008 the demand for Nick Walker's work was so high that in April when the doors opened for his solo show “V for Vandalism” people had been queuing for over 36hrs to buy the print alone, and the show sold out within minutes of the doors opening.

Nick received positive press in 2008. To name a few he a appeared on the cover on the Independent magazine with the title “move over Banksy” in Feb 2008, and has most recently featured in The Observers round up of the year’s biggest events 2008”.

He has had sell out shows in LA and London and an eagerly awaited show coming later in 2009 is rumored to be taking place in New York.

London Art Fair
Business Design Centre
52 Upper Streets
London
N1 9PP

The Black Rat Press will be handing out a limited number of tickets to people in the queue for immediate purchase within the fair.

Bond girl dress goes under hammer

The dress made famous by actress Olga Kurylenko in the latest James Bond film Quantum Of Solace was last night expected to fetch up to £4,000 at a charity auction.

The black Prada knee-length dress went under the hammer alongside the Gina shoes worn by Kurylenko in publicity stills for the film, in which she poses with actor Daniel Craig in a desert scene.

Additional items for auction included a limited edition Omega watch in the same style as that worn by Daniel Craig in the film.

The Awards Ceremony

The night will see Rough Trade East turned into an urban art bazaar with attractions including: charity art tombola, pin the devil tail on the banker, hook-a-duck-outa-an-oil-slick, a magician, DJ’s and lots of art related prizes.

Each attendee will be given a ballot paper on entry and asked to vote for their favourite artist from the shortlist. The winners will receive a specially designed sculpture that will also be up for grabs on the night.

The charity art tombola will give people the chance to win anything from a special, one off, custom piece of art, on either a reclaimed record cover or vinyl record, to a jar of jam or bar of soap.

Tombola tickets will be £5 each – a bargain if you win a Matt Small original (his work usually sells in the region of £5K - £6K). If you win the soap at least you’ve contributed to a good cause – your conscience will be clean.

Artists contributing an original piece includeAsbestos . Beejoir . Ben Allen . Ben Slow . Brian Jones . Bortusk Leer . Case . Charming Baker . Chinamike . Crie . Cyclops . Dale Grimshaw . Damon Ginandes . Data . David Walker . Dell . Dirquo . Dr.D . Gaia . Gawd . Goldie . Guy Denning . Herakut . Holly Thoburn . Hush . Idiom . James Baker . Know Hope . Labrona . Matt Small . Mestizo . Mr Jago . Neverwork . Pete Fowler . Rene Gagnon . Rowdy . Replete . Ryca . Shuby . Skewvile . Speebe . SPQR . Static . Stef . Sweet Toof . Tex . Tom Hine

Amazon.com are currently running a limited period sale on the 6 disc Blu Ray James Bond collection. The collection includes:

• Dr. No
• Die Another Day
• Live and Let Die
• For Your Eyes Only
• From Russia with Love
• Thunderball

Individually the collection comes in at $210 (£137). A further discount brings the cost down to $108 (£70). The new offer brings the price down to $39.94 (£26)!

To make use of this offer go here. Select the six Bond Blu-ray Discs and click "add to cart." Proceed to check-out and select "Super Saver Shipping" (or Prime shipping if you're an Amazon Prime customer).

You will get the $50 (£33) Blu-ray promotional discount as well as a "$15 (£10) best value discount" applied to your cart.

Please note you need a US delivery address for this deal & Amazon could change the terms of this promotion at any time so please check before purchasing.

Currently Amazon.co.uk is offering the 6 Blu Ray collection for £69.97.

The Same Old Scene cracked an invite to what is promising to be the Greatest Cocktail Party on earth - the Grey Goose Character & Cocktails 2008.

Dear SOS

Thank you for confirming your own and your guest's attendance at Grey Goose Character & Cocktails on:

Thursday 23 October at
Chateau Grey Goose
Wakefield Street
Bloomsbury
WC1N 1PG
8.00 - 11.00pm
Dress code: Cocktail Couture

You are one of a select few who have the opportunity to attend the ultimate cocktail party of the year.

This exclusive event is by invitation only. Please bring the attached invitation with you. You and your guest's places will be reserved under your name on the guest list.

Visit www.greygoosecharacter.com for more details about the event.
The ultimate cocktail party.

From last years bash:



This year the 5 bars to be auctioned off, are:
- The Tuk Tuk designed by David Furnish
- Crystalz Designed by Giles Deacon
- The Lovers bar designed by Theo Fennell
- The Disco Bar designed by Patrick Cox
- The BEach bar designed by Gavin Turk

China Design Now at Liberty - a showcase of contemporary Chinese design throughout the store in collaboration with the V&A's Spring exhibition.

March 2008 sees an explosion of young, contemporary and innovative Chinese design at Liberty as the store embarks upon a collaboration with the V&A for their much anticipated Spring exhibition – China Design Now.

Liberty will pay homage to all things modern across Chinese fashion, art, photography, interiors and design with a wealth of product and installations throughout the store.

Highlights include
• Acclaimed artist Michael Wolf's: 'The Real Toy Story' in windows and on 4th floor, and his Chinese architecture photography collection 'Architectures of Density' on the 4th floor.
• Fashion designer Han Feng's celebrated English National Opera 'Madam Butterfly' opera costumes in-store
• A variety of contemporary Chinese design: Lisa Cheung's decadent chandeliers, Pamela So's artwork, Frances Dows antique lacquered modern furniture, Wok Media's sculpture, Ming Midern furniture and Sam Buxton's techno chair
• Chinese music/sound element in-store
• Films Screenings in collaboration with CHINA NOW

Since 1875, Liberty has been synonymous with luxury and great design. Arthur Liberty’s intuitive vision and pioneering spirit led him to travel the world looking for individual pieces to inspire and excite his discerning clientele. Liberty is not a name above the door, it’s Arthur Liberty’s legacy, which stands for integrity, value, quality and above all beautifully designed product. This vision and spirit continues today within the iconic Tudor building.

This morning on my way to work I pased by the Farmers market they have in the apartment block once a month.

A monthly farmers market makes a regular appearance on the third Thursday of every month and has proven popular with residents, office workers and the local community alike. The award winning market, already a firm favourite of Hammersmith Town Centre, Dulwich College and West Norwood is set to continue in to 2008 bringing a wide selection of fresh, organic and seasonal produce to SW8.

I bought a Ramona Mexican Hammock while we were in the Yucatan last year. I finally got around to putting it up and I'm quite happy with the result. I'm going to need to look into a ceiling fitting so I can hang it from the roof.

Romano's handmade Hammock
With weaving techniques dating back to the early 15th century, native artisans, like Ramona, handcraft pure cotton and high-tech nylon into incredible hammocks of unrivalled quality.

Hour after hour, in tiny huts, on open air looms, in the remote villages of Teabo, Pencuyut, Dzitas, Kanasin and Chomayel, they patiently work the fibre. Each hammock has more than two miles of cord and can take an experienced weaver up to 90 hours to complete. For centuries, hammock weaving has been a major source of income for the Mayans, who take enormous pride in their traditional techniques and colour designs.

Cotton hammocks feel like a soft bed. The material breathes and flexes. The colours are natural. If left out in the weather, they will begin to fade in the first year, and the cotton will show signs of deterioration in the second year. They are susceptible to snags. Cotton hammocks are best used inside or on a covered porch, out of the weather.

According to The Journal of The American Medical Association, woven cotton and nylon hammocks "provide excellent back support" and are, in many ways, the "ultimate tool for relieving stress."

For more info visit here: http://www.hamix.com/

As winter comes into its own, and my pile of things that are valuable but that have been upgraded, replaced or outlived their usefulness grows into a pile that is taking up way to much space. My thoughts turn to eBay last refuge of unwanted goods. A little while ago I received an eBay blue star this has "happened because you've achieved a Feedback rating of 50. With your Blue Star, you are now an established member of the eBay Community".

I have had a mostly good with some bad relationship with eBay over the last 4 years.

The good:
- I like eBay it's a bit rough around the edges, but by and large I'm
comfortable with the services they provide.
- I can sell stuff with relative ease.

The bad:
- The amount of con-men purchasing (& trying to purchase) my goods
- The amount of con-men trying to contact me with partnership offers.
- The amount of con-men trying to sell me non existent goods.
- The amount of con-men trying to sell counterfeit goods.
- The amount of spoof mail I receive.
It should be noted this is not really an eBay only problem. Rather a net problem. I do not believe I have ever received an eBay spoof mail to my real eBay address only randomly to my tertiary unsecure address that has no connection to eBay. Therefore I believe these are completely random.
- My main gripe is that eBay had not initially prepared or gave me any warnings of the modus
operandi of the above reprobates or given me much in the way of immediate tactile support.

I have had around 60 eBay transactions. 10 Of these have been multiple transactions with same eBayers. Hence the 50 blue star feedback. Using the 60 transactions as a reference I believe I have had a rather high proportion of illegible contact. I can only imagine the amount of scam traffic that regular or established eBayers have to endure. Or do these criminals only prey on those who are in the "use eBay occasionally " category. With the perception that this category will yield the highest return, as these eBayers are not as savvy as high transaction users?

In my limited exposure I can tell you about the following scams I have been exposed to:

The rookie:
The spoof email this con seems to be completely random and you have as much chance of getting spammed as you do have of been the target of the spoof mailer. I have been spoof mailed from banks, Pay Pal and eBay. EBay support here

The novice:
The cheap branded white goods seller scam. This is an online version of the Great International White Van Speaker Scam. See a description here.

In essence you find an name brand item at a price below its value e.g. Bose sound system valued at £3,500 but the listed price is rather more attractive. Only thing is you have to contact the seller to get on his "approved list" because of previous time wasters.

Once you contact the seller. The sequence of emails is as follows:

1. You have been approved, even though your rating is low they will trust you. They are a warehouse/seller/repossesor of goods in ... (some eastern European location).

2. Look its easier just to deal with us directly. We have lots of stock but it's going quickly.

3. OK we are down to the last few of that item you liked. How about this send us €x,xxx via Western Union. Send it your best friends name. Let us know the name of your best friend, so we can confirm the funds have been moved.

Then we'll send you the Bose Home system. When you are have received it . Just let Western know that you would like to change the recipient of the funds to our name. Ok every foo and his dog knows that Western Union do not change the name of a funds recipient will nilly. They take these sort of thing seriously. Turns out that its easier to make fake IDs purpose made to collect funds from Western Union than to get a proper job.

I looked for an example of this but could not find any so maybe eBay has cleaned up its act. Sure!!!

The artful amateur
The partner scheme - After you have listed an item that has gained these guys attention. They'll start bombarding you with requests to be their partner, up front some cash to get goods from them or send them your stock for a quick sell over "there" and then predictably they disappear. Although I'm guessing the final steps. As I have never actually responded to their emails. eBay seems to be aware of this as I received an alert a couple of days after my first contact.

The initial email:
hello ,dear friend .thanks for your concerning here: www.pipbj.com. This is famous notebooks agent.It is a large digital electronice market which only sell authentic ones, brand new, in good condition, any interest in our products, please take a look around, a big surprise waits for you. good quality with wholesaler's price, excellent service which deliver the goods in time. It is a sensible choice to choose us as your supplier in future. sweetable negotiated with business, combine wonderful price with famous products. msn:grace5186@sina.com email:grace5186@sina.com

Another email:
4 days later I received this from eBay:

From : eBay (for real)
Dear ME:

Our records indicate that you recently sent an email to or received an email from cxxu905 through the eBay email system (for example, you may have sent an email to this member through Ask Seller a Question or received an email from this member through Contact eBay Member).

Sometimes eBay accounts are used to send email solicitations for transactions outside of eBay, or to send unrelated questions in hopes that you will respond so that the other party can obtain your email address. We wanted you to be aware of the potential fraud risk these solicitations pose and encourage you to be cautious about the email you received from this member.

Please keep in mind, sales that take place outside of eBay are not eligible for any eBay or PayPal protective services and you run the risk of losing your money or your item if you complete these transactions. We would encourage you to review the eBay pages related to Fraud Protection at the address provided below for information on steps you can take to ensure that your transactions are successful: etc.

Although eBay only alerted me to the second contact being less than legitimate.

The semi- professional
This is perhaps the most annoying scam. Once you have listed an item. Someone buys it and then asks you to ship it to some international destination. Sorry didn’t I mention they'll pay you once the item arrives. This happened about 5 times on a single item. I tried different approaches ranging from just relisting, complaining to eBay, stringing the buyer along so they didn’t purchase or harass me while I made the actual sale. The sequence is as follows: These are actual emails I received. I couldn’t make this stuff up. Ok maybe I could.

First contact:
"seun ken"
Dear Seller,
How are u doing today hope fine and cool
I am Mrs Genny From Holland, and i made buy it now option on your
item place at ebay and i have been notified by them to contact u
and also if u can get back to me as soon as possible,i will be very
glad.I am on my business trip now and i purchase the item to
present it to my Daugther in Lagos Nigeria for her coming birthday
that she want to do nest week,So i will like u to get back to me as
soon as possible then i want you to caculate the total amount of
the item with the shipping cost to lagos nigeria so that i will be
able to send the payment to you and when u are notified of the
payment u can be able to send the item to Daugther immediately,in
lagos nigeria i will need secure email address so that it' can be used
for the payment And i will be paying you via PAYPAL,so kindly reply
to my email asap so that we can sort it and the item can get to my
Daugther immediately before her birthday.Plz kindly i want the item
to be sihpped via Royal Mail First Class Express shipping to nigeria
i don t worry about the shipping cost ok,

Another contact:
jelobe john - h_jelobe014@fastermail.com
Dear Seller,
Thanks so much for your mail. I want to notify you
that the cheque payment for your item will be ready
tomorrow to send to you.but i have some questions for
you before it is sent...My client said that the cheque
payment that will be sent to you will include my
commission as an agent and shipper.i will like to know
if u can be trusted with is by sending the commission
tome via western union after the cheque might have
cleared in your account....Please i will want you to
consider this item is sold..Let me have a reply to
this as soon as possible...

Another contact:
Dear Seller,
I will like to purchase these Item New Black Slimline PlayStation 2 Console & 5 Games (82xxxxxxx) for a friends Child oversea as a late Easter gift.He School with British America University there in West Africa Due to my workload, i might not be able to be checking my mails often.So i will be offering £120.I want the item posted via Royal Mail International Signed For to Him.hope the package will get to him in good condition ..What is the present condition of this item and does it comes in it's original box?.I will be paying you for the item via Postal Order, so get back to me with your full name and address where payment will be deliverd to. Best

Regards from Green

Second Contact:
















Third Contact:
Dear Seller,
I am the e-buyer of your item i want these item ship to lagos nigeria for a cousin that is celebrating her birhtday next week Friday.Can you please get me the postage cost to Nigeria via FISRT CLASS ROYAL MAIL INTERNATIONAL SIGNED FOR so that i can effect payment via paypal today ok.
Get back to ma asap
Kind regards,
Christy.

Fourth Contact:
Ok so by now I'm guessing the scammer thinks its a done deal. Making him a little sloppy notice the reply to email address.





The rest of the email continues with:

Dear ME,
This email confirms that Christy Morgan has sent you £1,030,00 GBP with PayPal.

To complete this payment, you must ship the item to the shipping address given to you by the buyer and provide us with the shipment tracking number for verification within 48hours so that we can credit your PayPal account accept or deny it within 30 days.

If you do not accept or deny this payment within 30 days, it will be cancelled and the funds will be returned to Christy Morgan's account.

Payment Details
Buyer's User ID: chty4300
Buyer: Christy Morgan
Amount: £1,000,00 GBP
Shipping & Handling: £ 30,00 GBP
Insurance: £ 00,00 GBP
Total Amount: £1,030,00 GBP

Item Information
eBay Item #: xxxx
eBay User ID: xxxx
eBay Item Headline: Ultra shiney object of desire.
eBay Item Quantity: 1
eBay Item Unit Value: £1,000,00 GBP

This payment is pending because it was sent in a currency in which you do not currently hold a balance.Get back to us with the Shipment Tracking details so that we can verify that the item has been shipped and transfer the funds deducted from the buyer's PayPal account to your account. If you have any question or you want to send the Shipment Tracking details to us at paypalsenquiryinvoice@usa.com <<<<<<<< style="font-weight: bold;">Fifth Contact:Dear Craig,
I have made out my payment to you for this item number (88xxxxx),So check your mail for the confirmation mail from paypal.Get back to me immediately if you receive the confirmation mail from paypal.I want these item shipped through ROYAL MAIL INTERNATIONAL SIGNED FOR to my cousin in Lagos Nigeria.And this is the Shipping Details
Name : JOHNSON ADEWALE
Address : No.2 AYINKE STREET
City : AKOKA
State : LAGOS
Zipcode : 10014
Country : NIGERIA .
As soon as you send it,Send the shipping details to me today so that i can forward it to her ok,hope to hear

from you.
Kind Regards,
Christy

Sixth Contact:
I get a reminder from "PayPal"

From: "pay pal"
Dear ME
-----------------------------------
Details of Transaction
-----------------------------------
Seller's I.D: xxxxxx
Seller's Email : xxxxxxxxx
Transaction Date: June 01, 2006
Transaction ID: 6D694274EY338930K
Transaction Amount: 1,030,00 GBP
Buyer's Name: Christy Morgan
Buyer's Ebay ID:chty4300
Buyer's Email : ch_m02@yahoo.com
Status: CAD - Verified (2)
-----------------------------------
Transation Reminder
-----------------------------------
This is to remind you of the above transaction,and at the same time let you know that the fund will only be credited into your account immediately we confirm the shipment of the item paid for.Get back to us with the shipping tracking number of the item sent and the money will be credited immediately. Mail the tracking number to

our customercare at : paypalsenquiryinvoice@usa.com
-----------------------------------
Due Dates
-----------------------------------

Please respond within the next 24hrs.
Thank you for using paypal ® . We look forward serving your online auction payment needs in the future.
Sincerely,
Gene Braint
Paypal Customer Care,
PayPal logo Internet Merchant Accounts - MerchantPlus.com
BUYER SHIPPING OPTIONS :
HomeFedex LogoUPSRoyal Mailâ„¢ Logo
CB:PP-091-962-222:R4:GBP1,030,00:2110**0000:6D694274EY338930K
PayPal Email ID PP622

Seventh Contact:
From:Christy Morgan"
Subject: GET BACK TO ME ASAP

I HAVE ALEADY EFFECTECD FOR THESE ITEM VIA PAYPAL.I HAVE CONTACTED PAYPAL NOW AND I WAS BEEN TOLD THAT THE MONEY HAS BEEN DEDUCTED FROM MY ACCOUNT.GET BACK TO PAYPAL CUSTOMER SERVICE WITH THE SHIPPING TRACKING DETAILS SO THAT YOUR MONEY CAN BE CREDITED IMMEDIATELY OK.GET BACK TO ME ASAP WITH THE SHIPMENT DETAILS SO THAT I CAN FORWARD TIT

TO MY COUSIN IN NIGERIA.
REGARDS,
CHRISTY.

I respond:
Ok so by now everytime I relist the item it's bought with the same sequence of emails. So I decide to go off road on this one.

Hi Christy,
Thanks for your promptness on this. I sent off the package yesterday via Royal Mail International Signed For Airmail. Delivery will take 5- 7 working days. I was a bit concerned as It is only covered for loss up to £500.

As requested it has been sent to:

JOHNSON ADEWALE
No.2 AYINKE STREET
AKOKA
LAGOS
10014
NIGERIA

Do let me know how it goes. As I am keen to get paid.

Best

Eighth Contact:
Hi Craig,
Thank you for your mail and your sincerity towards the transaction.I need the tracking number so that i can forward it to my cousin ok.get back to me asap.
Regards,
Christy.

-----
At this point the item was sold and no more contact was necessary. I report the scammer to eBay and get the following response from eBay:

Hello,
Thank you for writing to eBay Customer Support UK,
Your question is very important to us and will be treated with our full
attention and respect for your needs. If you have received this
auto-response, your email has been received, and it is not necessary for you to resend it.
You will receive a response from one of our customer representatives on
your specific question within 24 to 48 hours of receipt of this mail.
e-Tip!
Need help fast? Visit our NEW interactive Help pages to get instant
answers to our most frequently asked questions, as well as a wealth of
information about all things eBay! Click on "Help" in the menu at the
top of any eBay page, or go directly here:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/help/
IMPORTANT NOTE: Please do not respond to this email. Any email sent
as
a response to this Acknowledgement will not reach us. Should you have
another question or would like to send us additional information,
please
contact us by using our online Contact Customer Support page found at:
http://pages.ebay.co.uk/help/contact_inline/index.html
Thanks for your co-operation and assistance,
Best regards,
eBay Customer Support UK

________________________

eTip!
Keep track of your eBay activities from your desktop - for free.
Use the eBay Toolbar to see the items you're bidding on, selling or
watching, even when you're not on the eBay.co.uk web site. This also
has the "Account Guard" feature built in to protect you from fraudulent
spoof sites.
For a complete Toolbar tour please visit the following page:
http://pages.ebay.co.uk/ebay_toolbar/tours/
eNews!
The eBay Announcement Boards contain the latest information regarding
eBay features, system status, and special promotions:
http://www2.ebay.com/aw/marketing-uk.shtml

I was particulary taken by the eTip!s at the bottom of the email. just what I needed. Anyway I will be unloading a plethora of unwanted gadgets and out of date stuff. So keep your eyes on my eBay page.

The latest member of Jonas Damon's collection
that arrives at the new by revisiting the familiar. All the different pieces of the collection are only a step or two away from their origins as commercially available items, yet present themselves as something entirely different.

The Untitled (Numbers) LED Clock (previously known as the Open Edition LED Clock) is a set of 4 individual cubes each with a LED digit displayed. The 4 cubes together give you the time.

As it has become my custom to do, I frequented my usual haunt Soho this weekend.

Once upon a time, Soho was rolling farmland. In the Middle Ages it became a Royal Park, and the name originated from a hunting cry of the time - "So-Ho". By the 17th century it had been mostly sold off, and underwent rapid development. It attracted plenty of refugees in the 18th and 19th century, which explains how Greek Street got its name.

The remainder of the afternoon was taken up by popping into:

Ray's Jazz & Café at Foyles

John Snow1 - A major event in the history of public health was the study of an outbreak of cholera in Soho by Dr. John Snow. He identified the cause of the outbreak as the public water pump in Broadwick Street (then named Broad Street), and disabled it, thus ending the outbreak. A replica of the water pump, with a memorial plaque, stands near the location of the original pump (next to the John Snow pub).

Cosh - Cosh will showcase work from 13 artists including Airside (who boast Fred Deakin as a member), work from award winning Gregory Gilbert George and also Michael Gillette who is renowned in the UK for his companionable observations of the working lives of pop stars.

The English Maid - The 1933 Dutch barge, which was used in World War II to transport German troops along the Seine, is now home to one of the staples of British culture: a pub.

Whilst going through my image archive. I found an old image of the Burger Index. I'ts a man on the steet global currency indicator. An easy way to understand how much your money should be worth in another coutry.

"Burgernomics is based on the theory of purchasing-power parity, the notion that a dollar should buy the same amount in all countries. Thus in the long run, the exchange rate between two countries should move towards the rate that equalises the prices of an identical basket of goods and services in each country. Our "basket" is a McDonald's Big Mac, which is produced in about 120 countries. The Big Mac PPP is the exchange rate that would mean hamburgers cost the same in America as abroad. Comparing actual exchange rates with PPPs indicates whether a currency is under- or overvalued."

The West India Docks are a series of three docks on the Isle of Dogs in London. Part of the original dock buildings now houses entertainment and leisure facilities such as the Museum in Docklands, 1802, The Ledger Building, Beluga Cafe, La Tasca, Leven Is Strijd, Bar 38, Dion and Scuzi.

I popped in for lunch at Scuzi and felt strangely at home while at the West India Docks. It became apparent that the architecture had it's roots in Dutch heritage which a lot of South Africa does as well. I'm not talking about old school Cape Dutch architecture but rather contemporary architecture as seen in the Cape waterfront and surrounding areas.

The docks remain open to ships and are now effectively protected from future major change by national and London Government policy. South Dock regularly plays host to medium-sized military vessels visiting London as it is the furthest point upstream that they can be turned around.

In 2005 planning permission was granted for a floating hotel in the shape of a modern yacht to be berthed in the South Dock, it seems that this will be a reality in the next 5 years.

From the BBC.

Ireland is named 'best country'

Dubliners have reason to be cheerful, the survey finds Ireland is the best place to live in the world, according to a "quality of life" assessment by Economist magazine.

The country's combination of increasing wealth and traditional values gives it the conditions most likely to make its people happy, the survey found.

Ireland was followed by Switzerland, Norway and Luxembourg. All but one of the top 10 were European countries.

The USA languished in 13th, while Britain was 29th - the lowest of the pre-expansion EU nations.

'TOP TEN COUNTRIES'
1 Ireland
2 Switzerland
3 Norway
4 Luxembourg
5 Sweden
6 Australia
7 Iceland
8 Italy
9 Denmark
10 Spain

The survey was prepared for the Economist's World in 2005 publication, with the remit: "Where will be the best place to live in 2005?"

Researchers took into account not just income, but other factors considered important to people's satisfaction and well-being.

They included health, freedom, unemployment, family life, climate, political stability and security, gender equality and family and community life.

The Economist said: "Ireland wins because it successfully combines the most desirable elements of the new, such as low unemployment and political liberties, with the preservation of certain cosy elements of the old, such as stable family and community life."

The magazine admits that measuring quality of life is not a straightforward thing to do, and that its findings will have their critics - "except, of course, in Ireland".

Breakdown in Britain

The Republic has made significant gains from its membership of the EU, earning the soubriquet Celtic Tiger for its economic progress.

Commentators say it is widely admired by the EU's newest members, and has become a model for what they hope to achieve.

Although European nations generally do well in the survey, the continent's major industrial powers of France, Germany and Britain finish 25th, 26th and 29th respectively.

The researchers said although the UK achieved high income per head, it had high levels of social and family breakdown.

The worst of the 111 countries to live in was considered to be Zimbabwe, "where things have gone from bad to worse under Robert Mugabe".

Founded in 1921, Alessi has become a renown purveyor of hip, elegant utensils. Combining the slickness of mechanized production with a tradition of skilled, labor-intensive work, Alessi fulfilled the needs and dreams of many design-conscious kitchen owners. Located in the town of Crusinallo, an hour drive from Milan, the Alessi factory is in a region of Italy recognized for its metalwork since the 17th century. Alessi has been a venerable member of that tradition ever since Giovanni Alessi first opened its factory doors.

Alberto Alessi, Giovanni's grandson, has been heading the company since 1970. He has been credited for recruiting some of the best and most well-known designers to contribute their designs to Alessi's stable of products. These designers include Ettore Sottsass, Richard Sapper, Achille Castiglioni, Michael Graves, Aldo Rossi, and Philippe Starck. It was also Alberto who was responsible for Alessi’s move beyond metalwork to produce designs in ceramic, wood, and plastic. Who else but Alessi would commission Philippe Starck to design a plastic fly-swatter, Dr. Fly, turning an old-fashioned and obscure object into a design status symbol?

The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II is a covered double arcade formed of two glass-vaulted arcades at right angles intersecting in an octagon; it is prominently sited on the northern side of the Piazza del Duomo in Milan, and connects to the Piazza della Scala. Named after Vittorio Emanuele II, the first king of united Italy, it was originally designed in 1861 and built by Giuseppe Mengoni between 1865 and 1877.

The street is covered over by an arching glass and cast iron roof, a popular design for nineteenth-century arcades, such as the Burlington Arcade, London, which was the prototype for larger glazed shopping arcades, beginning with the Saint-Hubert Gallery in Brussels (opened 1847) and the Passazh in St Petersburg, (opened 1848) and including the Galleria Umberto in Naples (opened 1890).

The central octagonal space is topped with a glass dome. The Milanese Galleria was larger in scale than its predecessors and was an important step in the evolution of the modern glazed and enclosed shopping mall, of which it was the direct progenitor. It has inspired the use of the term galleria for many other shopping arcades and malls.

The Galleria connects two of Milan's most famous landmarks: The Duomo and the Teatro Alla Scala.

More than 120 years after its inauguration, the four-story arcade includes elegant shops selling most things from haute couture to books, as well as restaurants, cafés and bars. Directly connected to the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II is Milan's ultra-luxurious Town House Galleria hotel, offering the city's most luxurious (and most expensive) rooms and facilities.

The Galleria is the site for many luxury goods' shops, like Gucci, Prada, Louis Vuitton.

Marc Newson Felt Chair

Armchair with reinforced fibreglass body. Leg in natural polished aluminium. It can be lacquered in various colours for outdoor. For indoor the armchair is available in Feltro, Panno, Hallingdal, Pro, Tonica, Glove, Tonus, leather or leather extra.

Dimensions:
67x106xh.86 cm

A Marc Newson Orgone Stretch Lounge & Alu felt Chairs at the Design Museum

“The form is one that I was striving for when I made the ‘Lockheed Lounge’ but, in those days, I didn’t have the knowledge or the resources to make it.”
- Marc Newson

Designed in 1993, the Orgone Stretch Lounge, made of aluminium and enamel, is the second artist’s proof from an edition of six plus two artist’s proofs produced by Pod. Orgone is expected to fetch up to a million dollars at auction at Sotheby’s in London this month.

Orgone Stretch Lounge, 400,000 - 600,000 GBP, by Marc Newson for Pod.
Auction at Sotheby’s, London, UK, Saturday, October 18th