sundance

Best of the Web: New apps, see India from outer space & how to become “The Human Slinky”

India from Outerspace: NASA’s mega-bright images of India went viral last week. Bloggers speculated that the different colored lights had something to do with the celebration of Diwali, the Festival of Light. Of course, like total buzz kills, NASA issued a statement soon after claiming that the colored lights actually indicate economic growth at different time periods. But whatever, we prefer to believe all of India got together to create a giant light spectacle visible only from outer space…

Green tech finds – 7/28/11

(Fe) Catalytic Clothing from Protein® on Vimeo.

We get a little more fashionable than usual in this week’s green tech finds: from Linda Loudermilk’s compostable bikini, to a cutting-edge design for an RV (really!), to air-purifying clothing.

The film set trailer goes green: King Kong Production claims its Helios Solar Hybrid Production Trailer can run a full day on the built-in solar and biodiesel generators. So, no fossil emissions from a pampered celeb who’s late to set.

The sleek, all-electric RV: Okay, you likely never associate words like “sleek” or “cutting edge” with recreational vehicles, but NAU’s Ecco Camper may just change that. (via Crisp Green)

A Q&A with Meera Sethi

I stumbled upon the work of artist Meera Sethi at Bombay Electric in Mumbai. I love her use of colors and her modern take on Indian garments. The Toronto-based Sethi answered some questions for me while she traveled India and as I returned from my third trip to that nation.

Your Firangi Rang Birangi series of paintings really caught my eye. Can you describe them to me?

The Firangi Rang Barangi — Hindi for “colorful foreigner” — works are a series of acrylic, pencil, and ink paintings on paper that foreground themes of femininity and hybridity through dress. In them I combine Eastern and Western textiles, garments, and jewelry in order to reimagine identity across borders.

These paintings make use of bold colors and patterns, layering cultural history with personal style. While the surface of these works draws us in, the bodies that they adorn are barely revealed — an inversion that suggests the role of sartorial expression in creating a sense of self, particularly one rooted in a diasporic, transnational experience.

Rolex presents THE YOUNG LAUREATES: Piyush Tewari

Piyush Tewari

When Piyush Tewari was still in his twenties, he was appointed India manager of a private equity firm with hundreds of employees and millions of dollars in investments. It was a dream come true for the young man from Delhi. But when his 17-year-old cousin was hit by a car and left unattended more than 40 minutes before he died, Tewari learned that this death, like countless road fatalities in India, could have been prevented if the cousin had received rapid medical care. As Tewari investigated, he uncovered systemic deficiencies in India’s first response to accidents which have pushed the nation’s road death toll to the highest in the world. In 2008, in his free time, Tewari founded the SaveLife Foundation, whose mission is to train police officers and bystanders to give emergency care to road victims, including trauma management, CPR, and bleeding control. SaveLife has already trained 2,000 police officers, as well as hundreds of volunteers. In the coming year, the SaveLife Foundation will be strengthened by the establishment of a call center with full-time staff to locate trained emergency responders near road accidents and arrange for immediate assistance for victims.

FULL FRONTAL FASHION highlights

Alexander Fury and shoes by Alexander McQueen Alexander Fury, the fashion director of SHOWstudio, talks inspiration and digital media at the eye of the fashion storm. Love’s first video for iPad application stars Elle Macpherson in bouffant and lingerie. FFF goes to Istanbul and India. Clary Sage brings fashion to organic yoga wear.

Visions of the Earth

I did a double take at this photograph taken by Amit Dave that was published by the National Geographic as part of their “Visions of Earth” series which features breathtaking photos from around the world “as seen through a photographer’s eye.” National Geographic explains this photo above: Parched people mob a vast well in the [...]

Back from Passover with Joan and Melissa Rivers

Melissa, Sue (in a Charlize Theron inspired homemade outfit), Joan Rivers and me at Seder

So I had to make (yet another) trip back to Cali last week. But the good news is: it was totally disgusting in NYC and LA was sunny and fab! So there, take that, jet lag! And Karl was cool with it because he got to go. He only farted like twice on the plane, but at least he didn’t release the goods — you know, till he got outside. But hey — who am I to judge High Altitude Flatulence?

This time I was out there to shoot a pilot… vaguely along the lines of “speaking truth” — see last week’s blog — although not to Foxxy Brown — pretty much everyone else though. But I still can’t get over Foxxy. Heh. So while I was out there I chilled with my lil’ sis Emily and my big sister Sophie for a night — before heading to (YES THAT’S RIGHT!) Joan Rivers’ house for Passover! O hell yes!!!

FULL FRONTAL FASHION highlights

Chanel by Karl Lagerfeld as seen in HABILLÉES POUR L’ÉTÉ 2010 bonus material Think of this as your FULL FRONTAL FASHION cliff notes. It’s a new year so we’re giving you new treats! Check out the 10 minute mash-up of deleted scenes from FULL FRONTAL FASHION’S web series HABILLÉES POUR L’ÉTÉ 2010 (DRESSED UP FOR [...]

India Pledges to Reduce Carbon Intensity

India will never accept legally binding emission cuts at Copenhagen, Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh told Parliament Thursday, but he did say the government plans to reduce India’s level of “emission intensity” by 20 to 25 percent compared with 2005 levels.

Coastal treasures: 5 marine national parks

Last week, King Carl-Gustav of Sweden presided over the ceremonial opening of the country’s first marine national park, Kosterhavet. If you’re like me, you tend to associate the phrase “national park” with mountains, forests, canyons, and even geysers… but countries around the world recognize the value of the coastal and marine ecosystems, and are designating similar protected areas. A quick search yielded these treasures: