With the phenomenal success of sites such as postsecrect.com, comes a socially responsible and highly creative site encouraging smokers to quit the dark habit.
www.theartofquitting.com is a Dutch website which asks visitors to contribute a quit smoking message in the most interesting way they can create.
From
a bent cigarette mimicking the Nike symbol with the slogan 'Just Quit
It', through to personal images of the smokers themselves, the
site is constructive, creative and inspiring. By Billy T
These gravity defying ads for DTACK - Adhesive
tape, use extreme examples for the tapes use in hilarious ways. As
funny as it may seem, the humor is also very relevant in today's age
defying conscious society.
We think perhaps the male version of the ad may have been a little extreme! by Andy G
The boat you see here is a 30-foot concept from designer David Borman.
He has designed and developed it to be the efficient future of
transport. "That Wally powerboat, which I think is $20 million for the
50 footer, it sucks down something like 2,000 gallons of fuel an hour
and it only does 70mph. I'll be using less than a tenth of that amount
of fuel going twice as fast."
"My tag line is: helicopter speed at a powerboat price. It's the
ultimate status symbol, but it's got a practical side too. I love the
Bahamas, love the Tortugas, but they're between 130 and 200 miles from
here in Miami. If I were to have a conventional yacht that could only
do 25mph and I've got a 3-day weekend with the kids, I might as well
forget it. By the time I got there it'd be time to turn around and come
back home. Scale up to a 64 footer Sea Phantom and you'd literally be
able to cross the Gulf of Mexico with impunity. It would cruise at
150mph, you'd have room for several staterooms, and you could walk
around in the wings. It would be fast enough to run from Key West to
Cuba in 20 minutes, when Cuba opens up. It would literally take you
longer to get out of the harbor at Key West and back into Havana than
it would to make the actual passage."
Like a chimera between a stealth bomber and a submarine, the design is
sculpted around the central body airfoil. "I was able to draw on NASA
research, free over the Internet, from the '60s to integrate into my
philosophy", David acknowledges. "I had to put a backbone on it to
support the tail, and it just so happened that I had just seen a
photograph of a children's model of the late 1920s Bugatti Atlantique,
so I lifted it almost directly from there."
Borman has invested some serious time and effort in his dream project –
thousands of man hours and $1.3 million in the project. But the rewards
are potentially massive.
"The ultimate objective is passenger transport. For $2.5 million I'll
have maritime transport capabilities similar to a $10-12 million
aircraft. Not only at a fraction of the purchase price, but also at a
fraction of the operating expense and I'm not encumbered by the FAA's
rules. Airports are getting backed up; they've run out of expansion
room. Aircraft can hardly get any bigger because the airports can't get
any larger. 60% of the world's population live within 300 miles of a
coastline; I could envision dozens of these just running up and down
the Florida coast alone. It could scale up to 90 feet if someone wanted
to carry 100 passengers at high speed. It's a whole new world of
transport."
The first customer Sea Phantoms will be 50 feet long, cost $2.5 million
and be capable of cruising at 140mph with 24 people on board. By Wes
Siler. Exclusive online extract from Intersection Magazine.
Linkle is the first dedicated sewing cafe in Berlin.
Knitting clubs have spread like wildfire over the past few years, with
men and women gathering in pubs to stitch, bitch and get their craft
on. Like internet cafes, people just walk in and install themselves
behind a machine, and are charged by the hour (5 euros).
There
are several ways to send a message. You can be bold and yell from a
rooftop. You can be subtle and mention a theory in passing. Or if you
really mean business, you can make a motion picture and, in order to
reach even more people, organize an army to disseminate its message. Al Gore has trained nearly 1,000 of his foot soldiers to give the same presentation that he delivers in the movie. His
disciples, who are required to give at least 10 talks a year, are not
just scientists but volunteers from all walks of life including
teachers, housewives and even celebrities like Cameron Diaz.
MySpace
is teaming with Britain's Film4 and Vertigo Films to bankroll a British
movie, hosting a competition to find the director. MySpace users also will get a chance to choose the title, comment on the script, help pick the cast and even become one of the actor. The newspaper industry is spending $75 million to argue that it's not screwed. How much better it would be to spend $75 million on innovation so, indeed, it wont be screwed.
Bloggers In Tents: Fashion Warms to New Media.
No longer relegated to fashion-show Siberia, bloggers are being
beckoned by the fashion industry to videotape, describe, and
disseminate news from the circus that is NY Fashion Week.
Overall,
53% of online teens watch video at least occasionally, a reflection of
how young people tend to be savvy about online media. The regular video
watchers tend to be more "socially influential."
As a brand, the W chain of
boutique hotels has practically claimed the concept of luxury to be its
own; turning their properties into amust-do destinations for the hip,
famous and wealthy. Just the mention of a new W property going under
construction creates an immediate buzz that few other international
brands could generate.
The latest W, and quite possibly the jewel in W's empire - is the newly opened W Retreat & Spa in
Fesdu Island, Maldives. Already critics and patrons seem to agree
its as close to paradise as you'll find on earth; a luxury playground
whose physical beauty is almost overwhelming, where guests are totally
indulged on every level.
The W experience
begins even before you even arrive. Male airport boasts a chic W
operated transfer lounge, where guests are greeted with all the modern
conveniences of a big city airport - drinks, food, magazines, plasma TV
and internet. It's here that new arrivals are supplied with a W kit
before boarding the seaplane to W'ss private island.
From the
moment of arrival its obvious that W is a master of branding. Stepping
off the seaplane, I was greeted by a fleet of W golf buggies
with W style number plates - lining the pier waiting to take guests to
their villa. Even the luggage trolleys were shaped into a W.
Forget
the bi-level Beach Oasis villas, W Maldives is all about the water
Ocean Oasis villas, they are truly exceptional, sexy even. It's
almost as if they've gone to every other island in the Maldives
and taken the best their competitors had to offer and made it better,
giving it the unique W twist that makes most W hotels standouts in
their cities.
Ocean Oasis villas boast private
plunge pools (or hop down the steps and dive into the turquoise lagoon
if you'd prefer) and massive daybeds built for serious relaxation.
Inside, the villas offer peep through glass sections of flooring in the
living rooms so you can check out the marine life swimming below. Flip
a switch to illuminate underwater lights for a night-time peek at the
fauna. Stay connected while cast away witha 42" Samsung Plasma
TVs, BOSE gadgets and High-Speed Internet Access (but who comes here
to use the internet?). Drift off in the signature W king bed.
Even the names of some of the places have been carefully chosen.
WAVE - Water sports facility AWAY - Spa which even has a hair salon but only for blow-drying, yep its that kind of resort. DOWN UNDER - Snorkeling gear provided SWEAT - Fitness Center
Oh,
and you have to just love the Whatever/Whenever Service. They will
deliver whatever you want, whenever you want it, just dial
whatever/whenever from your room.
All of the
restaurants are excellent. The breakfast buffet from the Kitchen
restaurant is brilliant (pic above), the Fish restaurant is
extraordinary and the seafood BBQ buffet at FIRE was amazing, they've certainly got the food part right.
There's a games
space with table tennis, table soccer, billiard table, but not just any
table billiard table, and they have the coolest brands of everything.
Which
brings me to the guests. This is the serious Jimmy Choo gang, Sex in
the City by the beach. I spotted one woman who changed her bikini and
outfit three times every day.
If it all sounds too relaxing,
you can indulge in a bit of partying at '15 below', the subterranean
nightclub which plays host to some of the world's top DJs. As for the
spa, we werent sure he would apart from the underground nightclub, 15 Below, the see through Kayak's
and the snorkeling) are these mobile kiosks splattered around which have fridges stocked
with ice creams drinks sun tan lotion - all free to use whenever
you feel like it provide more than a few moments indulgence.
Everything about the W Maldives resort is perfect, its the perfect fantasy Island. By Billy T.
BEST TIME TO GO NOW UNTIL MAY
COOL FACTOR By
far the coolest thing on the island (apart from the underground
nightclub, 15 Below, the see through Kayak's and the snorkeling) are
these mobile kiosks which have fridges stocked with ice creams –
drinks – sun tan lotion - all free to use whenever you feel like it.
FACILITES Night
club and wet pool bar – Infinity edge pool – Watersports including
kite surfing, Hobie Cats, water-skiing, parasailing, windsurfing,
canoes, jetskis, scuba diving, handline fishing, excellent snorkelling,
table tennis, pool tables and table football, Yoga, Fitness centre
The Cool Hunter is sending a shout out to all budding photoshop gurus!
We
are holding a COOLMARK competition, which looks at innovative ways you
can leave the cool hunter mark, via digital enhancement on some great
pictures or other mediums.
Whether its embedded on the Eiffel
Tower, or encrypted in the luscious strands of Donald Trump's hair, we
want to see how you can create thecoolhunter.net in an inventive way.
Here's a sample we received from Evan, a 17-year-old vet science student from Budapest..
Hallmark says it with love, let COOLMARK say it with .... well .. cool!
Send entries to
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by the end of February. Effective word-of-mouth marketing.
Go green. Get rich.
Think humanity's problems are too big to be tackled by business? Think
again. Here are nine companies showing how we can make millions saving
us from ourselves.
A SCOTTISH student who posted videos on YouTube is set to earn
thousands after being spotted and signed by Time
Warner. James Provan's latest YouTube hit, The Garden - filmed at his
parents' house in Aberdeen - is already being used as an advert for a
Time Warner internet service.
Your date of birth has a bigger influence on your life than you might realize - and all thanks to the Sun.
www.myspaceisbetter.com
- the basic idea is to give people stylish and clean layouts so that
myspace might one day be vaguely aesthetically pleasing.
Apple's new iPhone received more
mentions on blogs than President Bush. The iPhone is seen as a test case for media buying
agencies, as they increasingly try to assess how blogs can affect
product launches.
More U.S. teachers are using national and international online news sites in the classroom. "Students do not relate to newspapers at all, any more than they would to vinyl records".
The days of the designer super gym have arrived. Leading the pack is London's GYMBOX;
a new 5m mega gym located in the old Lumiere Cinema space at the St
Martin's Lane hotel. Providing a unique experience is paramount in the
new generation of fitness centre and Gymbox succeeds in breaking the
old mould, with live nightly DJs and quirky classes such as 'Gladiator
Games' - where participants engage in exercises from the eponymous
early 90s TV show - and the 'Stiletto Workout, performed in heels.
The
St Martins Gymbox is actually the second venue for the fitness center
brand, with the first opening in Holborn in 2004. Getting fit has never
been so hip.
Is there a super deluxe new gym, sports or fitness centre in your city that we should know about? Let us know as we would like to feature it in a special feature for our print magazine. By Billy T
The link you are looking for has been purposely left out as we are
embarking to launch our global magazine. This post will be featured in
a larger story in the magazine.
The Cool Hunter is expanding from cyberspace and
onto international news stands with the much anticipated launch of the
Cool Hunter magazine. The new publication comes hot on the heels of a
number of exciting projects currently in the works that are fast
establishing the Cool Hunter as a coveted global brand, including a
Cool Hunter TV show and a series of Cool Hunter books.
The website already has over 1.6 million page views a month,
(425,000 unique visitors per month) and the new projects are set to at
least double that figure. (International editions of the Cool Hunter
website are currently in the works, London, Australia, Canada etc)
Bound
for the news stands in late
2007, the new monthly glossy Cool Hunter magazine will also be
distributed throughout major international newsagents/bookstores, the
world's
top boutique hotels as well as our favorite stores and retailers across
the globe. A fascinating read, the magazine will be brimming with
feature length articles that showcase the best of cool from around the
world.
The Cool Hunter magazine launching late 2007, a must for those in the know. Don't miss it.
Interested international publishers and advertisers can contact
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If celebrity patrons are an indicator of a hotel's popularity, the Maldives super-lux Huvafen Fushi
is about as hot as it gets. George Clooney popped in for lunch last
month, Kate Moss partied in her Ocean Villa, Tom Cruise and Katie
Holmes booked in a massage during their honeymoon, Alexander McQueen
had left when I arrived and when I left the island, Stefano Gabbana of
Dolce & Gabbana and John Galliano were set to arrive (separately).
Trendsetting
Huvafen Fushi has been raising the benchmark since its first inception
two years ago. Opening its doors to feature the world's first
underwater spa, Huvafen Fushi has since earned its spot on the coveted
Conde Nast Traveller MagazinesUK and US Hot List.
This
discreetly luxurious, contemporary retreat is located on its own lagoon
on a tiny island in North Male Atoll. I arrived late into the night
direct from Singapore, the flight doesn't get in until 10pm (note:
book Emirates instead to arrive during the day).
When I was
escorted into my over-water bungalow, I felt like I'd walked into an
Apple store/Armani showroom, with a bed in the middle surrounded by all
my favorite gadgets. Surround sound Bose indoor/outdoor music system,
Plasma TV screens, Bang & Olufsen phones, iPod Nano with an
incredible selection of music that had already been installed, a
separate massive bath which overlooks the ocean, my own private plunge
pool, oversized king size bed, Frette linen, designer furniture
(including pieces by Frank Gehry) electronic curtains, waterfall shower, the list goes on and on.
Waking up in the Maldives is
something everyone should experience before they die. The view from the
bed in my room overlooked the plunge pool which overlooks the Ocean.
It’s an incredible sight, serious postcard material.
The day at Huvafen Fushi
starts off with a buffet breakfast in Celcius, luxe-but-laid-back
dining on a white sand floored deck branching out over the lagoon. Next
it's off snorkeling where you'll see the most amazing colored coral
and sea life including sting rays. It takes approximately 3 hours
before you realize you have a tan, the sun is extremely bright and even
with 30+ sunblock, you tan quite fast and you notice tan lines by the
time you've finished breakfast.
My day was
busy, yet I did nothing. I snorkeled, I tanned, I read, I snorkeled
again, I read more, I walked over to the over-water gym, and walked
back out (are you kidding, who can face the gym on holidays) and
before I knew it, the sun was already setting. So I headed to
Umbar to order a cocktail and sit back in the seriously comfy lounge
chairs and watch the sunset while the chill band played, very Cafe Del
Mar. The music, the sunset, the people, the atmosphere - it's
an amazing vibe. Dinner at Salt restaurant (barefoot) is a highlight.
The food was fine dining at its best, as good as anything you'll find
in the world's best restaurants.
Famously, the highest point
in the Maldives is only four meters above sea level, so perhaps its not
surprising that the Huvafen spa is underwater, something totally
exclusive to this resort. It's like entering a glamorous
fishbowl where you are the main attraction to the fish. It's the
perfect environment for a massage. I chose the Maldivian monsoon ritual
massage and it defies description. All I can say is that I don't
think I will ever be able to top the experience. Incredible is an
understatement.
BEST TIME TO GO NOW UNTIL MAY
COOL FACTOR The
friendly, laid-back staff: guests in pavilion accommodation get a
24-hour butler service, while the rest of the resort gets a FISH (Fast
Island Service Host), which amounts to the same thing. The underwater
spa is a must.
FACILITES Three
restaurants, a lively bar, a seriously cool well-stocked underground
wine cellar, an over-water yoga pavilion and the world's first
underwater massage treatment rooms complete the picture.
COST Bungalows from US$880
This year, Huvafen Fushi
is proud to announce three new initiatives. An bercool 70ft luxury
yacht, an exclusive compilation with one of the world's most famous
DJ and Producer, Ravin from Buddha Bar, Paris as well as an uplift to
the world's first underwater spa.
When
Huvafen Fushi first opened two years ago, Per Aquum Resorts, Spas &
Residences, CEO, Tom McLoughlin, commented, "This is just the
beginning. We will continue to refine the original Huvafen Fushi
concept, while constantly pushing the boundaries in delivering the
ultimate guest experience."
Huvafen Fushi has certainly made this statement its driving force with more amazing concepts on the way. by Billy T
In
tech-savvy homes, kids are gaining a much more global outlook at a
younger age, according to researchers. Youngsters under the age of 11
-- the so-called "Generation We" -- are naturally adept with technology and tuned in to a world where they control media, not the other way around.
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