10 global events we were all intrinsically part of.

What makes an event memorable? How does a “happening” sear into our collective mindset and take up permanent residence in our hearts and in our souls? Most often, of course, we are not personally there to witness or directly experience occurrences of global importance.

How many of us were in Cairo’s Tahrir square as protests raged earlier this year?

Who among us lost a loved one or ate radioactive food in Japan, or suffered pangs of hunger in East Africa?

In our media-saturated world, memorable events – indeed memories themselves – are delivered to us via an increasingly wide range of words and pictures, bits and bytes, accounts that stream to our attention, some touching us for a moment, some for a lifetime. Here’s a look at our Top 10 (in no particular order), with links to the stories and accounts that made them indelible to us.

1. March of Horrors: Japan’s Suffering

A tsunami generated by a magnitude 9.0 earthquake off the coast of northeast Japan killed nearly 20,000, caused hundreds of billions of dollars in damage and triggered a nuclear power plant disaster that unleashed radiation into the environment. Within hours, videos of the unimaginable waves crushing the Japanese shoreline flooded world consciousness via YouTube and other Internet outlets.

2. The Harder They Fall: Arab Spring

Beginning with a small demonstration in Tunisia that grew to topple a regime, flames of unrest spread to Egypt, ousting dictator Hosni Mubarak, and then to Bahrain and Yemen. Eventually Libyan leader Muammar Gadhafi would be dead, and even today, Syrian protesters remain caught in a bloody battle with dictator Bashar al-Assad. Did social media enable and perhaps even spark these events?

3. European Disunion: Economic Crisis in the E.U.

The global economic downturn wreaked havoc in the European Union where austerity measures in Greece resulted in riots and protest, Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi was driven from office, and measures taken by Germany and France exacerbated an ongoing fissure between the E.U. and Britain. Meanwhile, disagreement about how to avoid a catastrophic meltdown flared across the Atlantic, as opinions about what to do remained as numerous as there are pundits and stakeholders.

4. Wanted Dead: American Operation Kills Osama Bin Laden

In May, American helicopters bearing a special operations team raided a compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, killing the world’s most wanted terrorist, Osama Bin Laden, whose followers carried out the 9/11 attacks. Within hours his body was buried at sea, and images of the corpse suppressed. Instead, a powerful and now-famous image of White House personnel – including president Barack Obama and Secretary of state Hillary Clinton – remotely watching the mission was made public.

5. The Fruit of Invention: The World Mourns Loss of Apple Founder Steve Jobs

The world lost some great minds to cancer and health issues as 2011 wore on, including writer and polemicist Christopher Hitchens and Czech playwright, dissident and politician Vaclav Havel. But, despite the sense that “it was coming,” the loss that seemed to most deeply move our high-tech world was that of innovator, inventor and Apple Founder Steve Jobs. As news of his death spread across the internet in October – in part via millions of his own inventions – biographer Walter Isaccson’s iBio hit the presses, eventually to set new sales records.

6. From Wall Street to Main Street: Occupiers Take a Stand

Beginning with a September protest in a New York City park near Wall Street, what became known as the “Occupy” movement quickly spread to many major American cities and beyond. The “leaderless” protests are said to represent “the 99 percent” against the richest 1 percent of Americans, who benefit from corporate and political corruption and greed at the majority’s expense. In November, images of a campus police officer at the University of California Davis pepper-spraying students went viral over the internet, instantly becoming a rallying point for the movement.

7. Us vs. Them: Obstructionism Paralyzes Washington

Despite being fractured between party traditionalists and Tea Partiers, a Republican majority in the U.S. House of Representatives shackled the hands of Democratic President Barack Obama and the Democratic-led Senate. On issues ranging from the economy to the environment, American leaders reached a seemingly endless stream of stalemates. Most notably, the President unveiled a massive jobs bill that was labeled dead-on-arrival by members of both parties. The New York Times commented on the political gamesmanship, and EcoSalon presented the many rifts dividing America.

8. Weather, Weather Everywhere:  Climate Change Marches On

With drought in Texas, killer cyclones in the Philippines, and monster floods in South America and Thailand, 2011 was another year in what seems like an annual escalation of climate change and severe weather. Perhaps the most wrenching weather-related disaster was the return of drought to the Horn of Africa. Data continues to show the impact humans have on the world’s climate, yet deniers continue their war on science. In October, EcoSalon named names.

9. We are the World: All 7 Billion of Us

As the human population reached the 7 billion mark (with 3 billion more projected by the end of the century), debates about resources and birth control reheated. Can our planet sustain such exponential growth? In its inimitable way, National Geographic gave us the story in pictures.

10. Ask and Tell: End of Anti- Gay Military Policy in the American Armed Forces

After 18 years of controversy, the Pentagon repealed its “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy in September. After encouraging those who have been expelled under the policy to reenlist, President Barack Obama declared: “We are not a nation that says ‘don’t ask, don’t tell.’ We are a nation that says ‘out of many, we are one.’” An MSNBC story covered a historic kiss.

Images: TenSafeFrogs, Official U.S. Navy Imagery, S a l e e m – H o m s i, PIAZZA del POPOLO, bkusler, lwpkommunikacio, bogieharmond, Alex Barth, kevin dooley, woodleywonderworks, Beverly & Pack

A dozen plus ways to waste money on Apple gadgets this holiday season. 

What do you get for the Apple enthusiast who has it all? Somewhere to stick it. There are thousands, possibly hundreds of thousands, of ways to accomplish this as the dawning of the iPhone and iPad era have heralded an influx of inventors and entrepreneurs all competing for your iCash.

Some are truly ingenious, others not so much. Here are a dozen plus that are just straight up obnoxious.

The iHome iP4 Boombox is built to look like an old-school cassette-player of yesteryear, except it’s 2012. We get that the iGeneration’s most evangelical customers peaked when The Beastie Boys headlined Lollapalooza in 1994, but must they be so self-referential about it? It’s like talking to the Woodstock kids of the grunge generation.

Just what you ask is this?

Evidently, the DigiTech iPad Pedalboard is a “Programmable Pedalboard [that] sets a new standard for guitar signal processing by harnessing the power of the iPad.” It “unleashes” the power to create guitar effects “like never before.” Hendrix is shaking in his grave.

The iPhone Lens Dial was invented to further indenture you to your mobile telephone.

It’s a mountable photo-enhancing tool, kind of like a camera used to be. (Cameras you know are so two years ago.)

The iD91 is a dual alarm clock radio for your iPhone or iPad, which lets you charge your device (because only Luddites use their Apple issued chargers) and acts as an alarm clock. That’s neat. Need we mention that there’s a free app for that?

The following can be used as a gaming joystick or a form of birth control. I swear that thing looks like a plastic IUD.

For the Polio stricken iPad, the clunky TabGrip will get your device back on its feet.

It’s big, it’s bulky, and the CRT TV is the exact opposite of what your iPad is supposed to be.

The iTee and iDress were designed with “the digital lifestyle of Apple lovers in mind.” Although meant for wearing outside of the house, this kind of iFashion is on par with the Camouflage Snuggie.

Speaking of psychotic, check out the TV Hat, which also comes in camo. Great for Skyping, snuggling in with your iSpouse, watching online porn, and virtual gaming (please, skip ahead to the 1:30 mark).

Millions of people play Angry Birds, wherein players use a slingshot to fling birds at pigs. Given the average lifespan of a human being, we’re not sure why one would use up precious hours in this pursuit. Nor do we understand why one would dock their iPhone in one.

The Black Diamond promises “a hypnotic, swirling lightshow,” as evidenced by the scintillating video below. It’s like a modern day lava lamp, except it’s really lame. A few more caveats: to use it, you must first download the app and remove your protective case each and every time you care to charge your phone as the magic crystal ball requires it to be fully unsheathed.

The iPad is a great and wondrous thing, as is Velcro. The former, however, happens to be a $500 piece of very breakable technology that should never, ever be affixed to the ceiling, motorcycle or window on a rainy day with the latter.

The USB Typewriter costs $799, about $300 more than the iPad you can hook it up to. Why would you trick out your iPad with the USB typewriter?

The world may never know.

Image: Juicy Dog Couture, photojojo

 It’s fall and while apples are everywhere, consider making them into a warm tart.

In autumn, apples are a big deal in New York, especially if you visit any of the food markets around town. Even though I grew up in a very apple-rich area called the Apple Kingdom of Sweden, I’m deeply impressed at the variety that’s on display at the markets. I don’t know all the names and flavors so I’m happy that many vendors have apple tastings. It helps when you need to find the perfect apple for your apple pie, compote, juice or the one you just want to bite into.

For example, the McIntosh apple, with its soft and sweet/sour flavor, is excellent soaked with rum under a sweet butter rich crumble, as it melts when baked in the oven. I also like the McIntosh apple in the morning cooked for five minutes with cardamom and cinnamon, topped with kefir or yogurt. For an apple tart, where the apples lay on top of the crust, I prefer a firmer apple such as Granny Smith (sour) or Gala (sweeter). My new favorite apple to eat is the Honey Crisp which is both crispy and juicy. The apple has just enough sweetness without being sour. As its name spells out, it has an elegant honey flavor.

Ever since I was a teenager I’ve been making apple pies in different ways. My caramelized Apple Tart is my latest creation. Enjoy!

Caramelized Apple Tart
for 4-6 people

1 ¼ cup (about 300 ml) regular flour
3.5 ounces (about 100 grams) butter
3 tablespoons sucanat*
1½ teaspoons finely crushed cardamom
a splash of water

4 apples (preferably apples that are sour + firm inside, ex. Granny Smith)
4-5 tablespoons sucanat* (depending on how sour the apples are)
juice from one lemon
2½ ounces (70 grams) butter
½ cup (100 ml ) almonds, toasted and chopped

heavy cream, whipped with a little sugar

Start by mixing together butter, flour, cardamom and sucanat. When the butter is well divided add a splash of water. Work the dough together and let it rest in the fridge for at least one hour. Line a greased 9 inch (about 23 cm) spring form. Pre-bake at 400°F (200°C) the pie shell for about 10-15 minutes until it has got some color. Let cool.

Wash and peel the apples. Cut in half, take out the seeds and slice the rest of the apple in thin slices. Sprinkle the slices with sucanat and lemon juice. Cook over medium heat in a frying pan until they start to get juicy. Add ½ of the butter. Keep cooking the apples until they starts to caramelize. If you think the apples need more sugar you may add some now and let cook for a little bit more. The color should be golden and have some brown spots. Remove from heat and add the rest of the butter and toasted almonds. Let cool a little before arranging the apples inside the baked pie shell. Bake at 450°F (230C) for about 15 minutes until the apples have gotten some nice color. Serve with whipped cream.

*Sucanat is a brown sugar extracted from sugar cane. It’s perfect to bake with and gives cakes and cookies a richer taste. In the U.S. you can often find Sucanat in organic shops. If you can’t find sucanat you may use muscovado sugar or even regular brown sugar instead. When I’m in Sweden I use Farin sugar which works really well too.

Illustration: Johanna Kindvall

A celebration of Apple visionary Steve Jobs’ digital creations from 1976 to present day.

The other day we either went to sleep or woke up to the sad news of Steve Jobs’ passing. He was a maverick who ushered in a new digital age, a time that will prove as monumental and pivotal as the Renaissance and Scientific Revolution before us.

Sweeping obituaries of the man now abound, from the New York Times to Mashable. Holding true to their minimalist aesthetic, the splash page of Apple.com reads simply:

Steve Jobs, 1955 – 2011

Apple has lost a visionary and creative genius, and the world has lost an incredible human being. Those of us who have been fortunate enough to know and work with Steve have lost a dear friend and an inspiring mentor. Steve leaves behind a company that only he could have built, and his spirit will forever be the foundation of Apple.

Here’s a brief tribute from us to his Apple computer, from 1976 to present day.

The Apple I, 1976

The Apple II, 1977

The Apple III, 1980

Lisa

Meet the Macintosh, 1984 – Mid-90s

iMac, 1998

As it is today, in my living room…

…and the other morning on the iPad as I read about Jobs’ passing.

From the Powerbook, 1989 – 2006

To the iBook, 1999 – 2006

The MacBook Pro, 2006

….and Air, 2008

A lot can happen over the course of a lifetime. We are all blessed to have been a part of Steve Jobs’ during his. History will tell: he was the Johannes Gutenberg of our times.

via Díga(Mama)

Great acoustics (without the radiation).  

These ear buds rely on the natural acoustics of wood to deliver body, balance, and quality straight to your ears, while also removing any worry of radiation. How? The concern about cancer and cell phones has to do with how the soft tissues in the brain absorb RF energy and electromagnetic fields (EMF). The RF3 Live headset blocks RF energy and EMF by emitting sound through an air tube, kind of like a stethoscope.

Made from natural, biodegradable and recycled materials, they retail for about $70.

Look for Lustables daily at EcoSalon. 100% gorgeous green finds, and never sponsored. Submit your favorite to tips@ecosalon.com

Kids are at once prime marketing targets, financial liabilities, and cheap labor.

The business sector seems to have children in its crosshairs. If they aren’t reporting child labor in their overseas supply chains, companies are aggressively marketing junk food to kids, denying them health care coverage and teaching them the benefits of dirty energy.

Leading Them Down the Garden Path

Scholastic is a brand that has long been synonymous with educational materials, and it won the hearts of millions by bringing the Harry Potter stories to the U.S. However, the company recently had to recall a fourth grade educational curriculum it developed in collaboration with the American Coal Foundation after a major public outcry.

Scholastic materials are used in 90 percent of American classrooms, and children, parents and teachers alike have come to trust them. But Scholastic has made questionable decisions about partnering with companies that many feel have compromised the quality and integrity of their materials. Are sponsored educational materials developed for learning, or are they just ads disguised as schoolwork?

The United States of Energy champions coal as an essential energy source, ignoring the issues that come with it, such as greenhouse gas emissions, toxic waste, and mountaintop removal. This book discusses the different energy alternatives, but does not steer students to ask any questions about which one might be harmful, or consider any consequences due to production.

The materials went out to 66,000 fourth grade teachers and were used for three years until child advocacy groups kicked up a fuss and The New York Times criticized the sponsored materials. After expressing enthusiasm over the partnership and hoping to expand it to fifth grade materials, the CEO of Scholastic released a statement declaring they would no longer produce or distribute the title beginning May 2011.

This isn’t Scholastic’s only partnership misstep. Advocacy groups have also protested a previous campaign encouraging kids to drink SunnyD, a sugary, fruit-flavored drink, to earn free books. Scholastic, you’ve disappointed us so.

What Do You Mean You Use Child Labor?

Apple makes stunning products, even their packaging is elegant. However, they build many of their products overseas, requiring them to utilize foreign suppliers, and the computer giant has uncovered some very ugly practices in their supply chain. In addition to health and safety violations and negative environmental impact, Apple has found that their suppliers have employed child labor.

Apple’s Supplier Responsibility 2011 Progress Report showed that the company discovered 49 underage workers across nine facilities, and 42 underage workers in another facility. Apple has pledged to make “social responsibility a fundamental part of the way we do business, we insist that our suppliers take Apple’s code as seriously as we do,” but what is their responsibility regarding third-party contractors? As a condition of doing business can they compel them to meet certain criteria? It is a question that many companies that use third-party labor struggle with.

In this case, Apple split the baby. For the first nine facilities, the company mandated that the suppliers must support the underage workers’ return to school. They also demanded that those facilities change their recruitment practices and age-verification procedures. Since these suppliers have indicated that they would comply, Apple has chosen to continue to do business with them.

As for the remaining facility with 42 underage workers, Apple instituted the same requirements, but later decided the supplier was non-compliant. Apple has since voided its contract with this supplier.

But should Apple have terminated its business with all of these suppliers? Isn’t using child labor until being forced to stop indicative of a less-than-ethical supplier? This has been a recurring problem.

Sweets to the sweet

Food marketing is big business, but the Federal Trade Commision (FTC) limits the amount of time companies can market junk food to children on television. However, marketers have found a new avenue around that restriction – the web. Obesity experts are concerned since much of the food being marketed to kids is sugary, high-calorie snacks and drinks, and companies are finding multiple, innovative ways to attract kids.

Companies like General Mills (LuckyCharms.com), McDonald’s (HappyMeal.com and McWorld.com), and Kellogg’s (AppleJacks.com) have developed multimedia games, online quizzes and cell phone and tablet apps designed to lure young internet users. In the past, companies had to sell parents on their products. Now, they can largely bypass the parents and appeal directly to kids.

The Atlantic’s Marion Nestle quotes Advertising Age statistics that show that over half of parents surveyed believe their children should be able to go online on their own by age six, and can use a cell phone for games by age five. The New York Times says that hundreds of thousands of visitors are hitting these sites each month, and about half are under the age of twelve.

Many say it’s the parents’ job to run interference, but it’s difficult when the messages are coming from all directions. The obesity problem in the U.S. has reached epidemic proportions, and experts trace much of the issue back to childhood eating habits. With children influencing household spending while inundated with images and games of sugary foods, parents are losing the battle.

Federal agencies have decided to step in. The Federal Trade Commission, Food and Drug Administration, Center for Disease Control, and United States Dairy Association all partnered to propose new nutritional standards for food marketed to children ages 2-17. Foods either had to contain certain nutritional elements (no sugary drinks or fatty food allowed), or they could not be marketed. So, companies could choose to continue to produce fattening food with limited avenues of marketing, or produce more nutritional food that falls within the guidelines of marketing to that all-important age group.

To date, those guidelines have not been passed, leading to speculation that the companies are fighting these regulations behind the scenes. A decision should be made in the next few months. Just as they forced Joe Camel into retirement, will the Keebler Elves and their brethren receive their marching papers, or will they find themselves promoting healthier fare?

Don’t Come to Us for Help

The redesign of America’s healthcare system has caused so much anger and distress that politicians are literally at each others throats, health care lobbyists are working overtime, and the public doesn’t know what will come next or how it will impact them.

In early 2010, President Obama signed into law health care reform legislation. One of the major provisions of the bill was that insurance carriers must offer insurance to children with pre-existing conditions. In response, several major U.S. insurance carriers announced that they were dropping individual child-only insurance plans just days before parts of the health care law were to go into effect. WellPoint, CoventryOne and Aetna, Inc., among others, announced their intention to discontinue offering the plans in several states.

Insurance companies began to fall like dominoes, and within a few months there was hardly a child-only plan to be found anywhere. Insurance companies claimed that the new legislation allowed families to avoid paying insurance premiums for their children until they were sick, and then signing them up for insurance, potentially costing insurance companies millions.

Other scenarios include parents who work for companies that don’t cover dependents and need insurance just for their children, or parents who are out of work and decide to just cover their children because they can’t afford a more expensive family plan. Children with or without pre-existing conditions were still covered under a family plan that includes an adult, and children with existing child-only plans were not immediately affected.

In early 2011, states started to fight back, passing their own legislation that levied harsh punishments on insurance companies who refused to offer child-only plans. Many companies, realizing they would lose more revenue due to the state sanctions, grudgingly reinstated the plans.  Others instituted enrollment at certain times of the year. What’s up in the air is how much premiums will cost families.

Child-only plans represent a small percentage of insurance business, yet many children in the U.S. still aren’t covered. Taking this step to make it that much more difficult to insure children left many insurance critics with a sour taste in their mouths.

A Better Future?

The good news is that many of these companies are voluntarily making changes, some due to public pressure, some due to company conscience, but changes nonetheless. In some cases government or governing agencies are stepping in and mandating compliance. Are children disproportionately targeted by businesses to increase profits or minimize financial risks? Children are a booming market so the temptation will always be there, but it’s up to the public to keep it from being a dog-eat-puppy world.

image: thejbird

Many of us would like to lose weight or at least maintain our weight, which can be particularly challenging during the holidays. Thanksgiving dinner is one thing, but then friends start bringing by the requisite homemade holiday fare – banana bread, gingerbread cookies, and peanut brittle to name a few. It’s not surprising that many of us start feeling weighted down, low in energy and spirits from all those buttery and sugary (mind you, delicious) snacks. (I’m partial to those little miniature pecan pies- which are deliciously dangerous.)

Let’s face it – we need to counter-balance all this rich wonderfulness. And what better way to boost your metabolism and your mood than to make it a habit to eat a salad for lunch or dinner all winter long? I’ve gathered together a list of 12 salad recipes that incorporate metabolism-boosting ingredients to help us all offset the mound of tasty treats that’s certain to grow over the coming weeks.

1. Grapefruit and Avocado Salad

Grapefruit is an excellent way to spur the metabolism. Luckily, winter ’tis the season for citrus fruits, so now’s the time to embrace these flavor bombs. Avocado is a “good fat” option, and paired with grapefruit over a bed of watercress, you’re bound to feel satisfied. (And satisfaction is key to healthy options.) Try this recipe: Grapefruit and Avocado Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing.

2. Fennel and Citrus Salad

I’ve made this incredibly flavorful and zesty Fennel and Citrus Salad recipe from the NY Times on numerous occasions. It’s also great for entertaining.

3. Spinach, Apple and Pecan Salad

As the old saying goes (and Rule #26 in Michael Pollan’s book, Food Rules): “Drink the Spinach Water.” Spinach, like most dark, leafy greens, will have your metabolism humming along in no time. Plus, it’s packed with anti-oxidants and loads of other vitamins. What’s not to love. This Spinach, Apple and Pecan Salad combines the value of spinach with apple- another known booster.

4. Classic Spinach Salad

The classic Spinach Salad includes boiled egg, and eggs are also considered a good way to speed up the metabolism. This classic recipe includes bacon, which if you’re worried about the extra calories, you could leave out, or simply reduce the amount you include. After all, a little bacon goes a long way.

5. Kale Caesar Salad with Anchovies

If you’re feeling adventurous, try this Kale Caesar Salad with Anchovies. I was once skeptical of kale “salad” until I had the occasion to try one at Bar Tartine in San Francisco. The key is a punchy dressing to counter the potential bitterness of the kale. This grilled kale version looks like a great healthy and hearty option.

6. Baby Spinach Salad with Toasted Hazelnuts, Pear and Parmesan

Not to overkill on the spinach, but I couldn’t resist including this recipe for Baby Spinach Salad with Toasted Hazelnuts, Pear and Parmesan from Food52 as it looks like such a great variation. Pear much like apple is supposed to kick the metabolism in high gear.

7. Green Leaf Lettuce, Pomegranate, and Almond Salad

Raise your body’s metabolism with almonds’ essential fatty acids in this Green Leaf Lettuce, Pomegranate and Almond Salad from Epicurious.

8. Spinach and Bibb Lettuce Salad with Apple, Almonds and Creamy Lemon Dressing

Spinach, apples and almonds, oh my! This Spinach and Bibb Lettuce Salad recipe from Food and Wine is a triple metabolism speed racer rescue. Note: the dressing does call for a tablespoon of mayonnaise, which I’m personally not a big fan of. However, if you had some homemade aioli at home, now that would be something else.

9. Romaine, Radish, and Cucumber Salad with Tahini Dressing

Cucumber is a hydrating, low calorie, vitamin-rich vegetable. Paired with radish, and you’ll be feeling fine in no time. This Romaine, Radish and Cucumber Salad recipe is originally from Gourmet magazine.

Mâche Salads

I hear mâche is the new foodie green. Try any of these three mâche salads to keep your energy high. If you can’t find mâche, feel free to use watercress (of the same family) or arugula.

10. Mâche Salad with Persimmons, Pomegranate Seeds and Spiced Nuts

The Organic Authority website has this Mâche Salad with Persimmons, Pomegranate Seeds and Spiced Nuts recipe that sounds intriguing. To keep things simple, substitute toasted pecans or walnuts for the “candied spiced nuts.” Or go big! Spicy nuts are festive.

If you’re not sure what’s up with persimmons, this post might shed some light on the matter.

11. Mâche with Feta and Beet Salad

Beets are linked to many health benefits – lowered blood pressure and cholesterol for starters. Sounds like a good holiday-food-corrective to me! I might substitute freshly boiled or roasted beets for the pickled in this Mâche with Feta and Beet Salad recipe. Then again, if you can pick up some pickled beets from a Brooklyn market, than I’m not one to argue.

12. Mâche Salad with Creole Vinaigrette

There’s also this simple, but interesting sounding Mâche Salad with Creole Vinaigrette from Epicurious that looks worth investigating.

Images: TheDeliciousLife, dailyfood, stu_spivack, ccharmon, nick kindelsperger, jules:stonesoup, dumbonyc, pizzodisevo, Becoming Green, House of Sims, michael_reuter, mynarmeisharsha

With technology accompanying us wherever we go, more and more companies are realizing that we need stylish protection for them.

Matt & Nat, known by many in the sustainable community for their vegan handbags and accessories, has collaborated with Apple to give us the techy style we so crave.

The inspiration behind the Apple collection is “hinged by both clean architecture and functionality,” says their site.

With four “design-centric shapes,” the collection is made from vegan leather and the lining is 100 percent recycled suede. Bags to suit your ever-connected lifestyle include laptop and netbook sleeves as well as shoulder and messenger bags to hold all your gadgets.

The bags also have custom pockets for Apple accessories, including MacBooks, iPods, iPhones, and in the larger bags, iPads. The bags are available in four different colors, including black, teal, red, and gunmetal.

You can purchase these items from Matt & Nat and from the Apple store.

Fall is the time when farmer’s markets are filled with delicious goodies like cranberries, apples and more. So what better time to set aside some produce and pamper your prettiness? Check out our step-by-step guide to making an apples and cranberry facial mask, inspired by Narine Nikogosian’s Return to Beauty. Cranberries are extremely high in antioxidants, which help fight skin damage. They are also mildly acidic and make a great skin exfoliator.

Along with Erin Fox of Squee TV, watch us go toe to toe with mashed cranberries, shredding apples, and some absconded flax seed supplement!

Image: The Gifted Photographer

I never put my laptop on my lap. It really functions as a desktop computer, or rather a coffee table-top computer, and the only physical harm it brings me is a sore back, which is more my fault than its. (I tend to slam away at the thing while hunched over said coffee table.) So the following problem isn’t an issue for me, though it apparently deserves mentioning. At least according to a friend, who often uses her laptop in the manner for which it was named. Just a moment ago, after hearing me read the lead of this AP article, she cries out, “Oh my God, yeah! I’m way scared of that!”

“That” is the dreaded Toasted Skin Syndrome.

Toasted Skin Syndrome is a mottled skin condition caused by long-term heat exposure. It kind of looks like a red cobweb beneath the surface of the skin (fair warning: that link is to The Dermatology Blog and is, by definition, not something you want to look at if you and I have anything in common) and is also less well-known by its other name – Erythema ab igne. (As if Toasted Skin Syndrome needed an even stranger name.)

Evidently, anything hot and prolonged can cause the condition, from overuse of heating pads to sitting too long and too often by the fireplace to, yes, dumbly getting too much touch time with your 125-degreeish laptop. There has been some links to skin cancer, but that’s rare, and this unflattering toasting is pretty much harmless. The skin discoloration can be permanent, though, so unless you’re into spidery body art, you might want to make sure to get some chill time in between laptop sessions.

The article notes two recent cases of the syndrome. One involved a 12-year-old boy who toasted his left thigh after over-enjoying computer games for hours a day for many a month. The other involved a law-school student who spent about six hours a day working with her laptop on her laptop. All told, there have been 10 reported cases in medical journals in the last six years.

Had these folks read their users manuals, they might have avoided the syndrome, as it seems Apple, Hewlett Packard and Dell all have verbiage warning about exposing their laptops directly to skin for long periods. I wonder if they also warn dudes about “elevated scrotum temperatures,” which can lead to infertility. Hmm.

Anyway, my friend here says she’s taken to putting an oversized pillow in between her and her beloved Macbook (“MacBook Pro, bitch,” I’ve just been informed). I’m not sure what that means for her have-laptop-will-travel approach, but it sounds comfy enough. Sure beats a bizarro new tattoo.

Image: Daquella manera