Ctrl BG: A Shortcut to Financial News 11/1

It was a good week for the markets this week. The DOW went up 11.3% for the week- the biggest one-week gain since October 1987 (also the time of the last market crash) and it was generally very positive globally too.

It's actually kind of strange seeing as there wasn't exactly any positive news coming out this week. The GDP data came out and we are officially in a recession with an annual GDP decline of 0.3% in the third quarter. It is expected to continue until at least the first quarter of next year. The consumer confidence index is at an all time low, since they started tracking it in 1967. It fell from 61.4 to 38 in a month- the third steepest drop. Companies continue to report declining earnings. The only highlight is that as a result there are some amazing sales out there. Saks is already taking EXTRA 40% off already reduced items- I got something at 70% off today! If only I had the capital to fully utilize the opportunity. Maybe the market is just so used to all this stuff by now that it has already been factored in and now everyone is just looking for a bargain.

One piece of good news was the Fed cutting its rate again this month by another 0.5% to 1%. Experts were not expecting it to help much, but since the market reacted very positively, I guess they were wrong. The rates are expected to hold from now- or so I hope. They've got to save something in case of an even rainier day- or month! Another factor contributing to the positive market may be because some of the government actions are finally taking effect. The commercial paper lending program started this week, and I heard it's doing quite well. There are signs that the credit market is finally thawing. JP Morgan also announced that they are halting home foreclosures for 90 days and modifying loan terms to help those living in the home and show a "willingness" to pay, which is very nice of them.

Then there is the upcoming elections next week. Historically, regardless of who wins, there will be a rally in the market as investors are more "sure" of the future. From the looks of it, Obama seems like he is half way into White House. Personally I'm not very up to date with the intricacies of politics, so I don't know what the winning of either will mean for the economy. But for those of you who are not sure to which camp you belong to, I did stumble upon an interesting quiz on ABC, where they sum up each candidate's views on certain issues. I am surprisingly more of a Republican than I thought- I got 6 to 7 for Obama. Close call! I guess you have to be a little Republican to be a capitalist.

Employment data will also be coming out next week, where more unemployment is expected. And in the coming weeks, we can also be expecting news of a $600 billion bailout for troubled home loans (which sounds a bit repetitive of what JP Morgan is already doing) and another stimulus package worth $300 billion (tax cuts!). The government is seriously on a serial spending spree!

Deepika Padukone to romance Hrithik Roshan

At the very start of her career, Deepika is getting to be the love interest of Bollywood big wigs like Shahrukh Khan , Saif Ali Khan and Akshay Kumar . Now, the latest news is that she is set to play the ladylove of Hrithik Roshan.

According to the B-Town buzz, director Sanjay Leela Bhansali has finalized Deepika and Hrithik for his next film which is going to be a touching love story. Though the two actors haven’t reportedly signed on the dotted line yet, they are likely to do so when they meet Bhansali in the near future.

Hrithik is presently holidaying in Bora Bora, close to Tahiti with his wife Suzanne Khan. He has been busy for the last two months shooting his home production Kites in USA.

On the other hand, Deepika has been busy with Saif’s home production that’s being directed by Imtiaz Ali . She is also working with Akshay in Chandni Chowk To China for which she has even learnt Ju-jitsu.

Deepika also graces the cover of the latest edition of Grazia magazine.

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Deepika Padukone to romance Hrithik Roshan

At the very start of her career, Deepika is getting to be the love interest of Bollywood big wigs like Shahrukh Khan , Saif Ali Khan and Akshay Kumar . Now, the latest news is that she is set to play the ladylove of Hrithik Roshan.

According to the B-Town buzz, director Sanjay Leela Bhansali has finalized Deepika and Hrithik for his next film which is going to be a touching love story. Though the two actors haven’t reportedly signed on the dotted line yet, they are likely to do so when they meet Bhansali in the near future.

Hrithik is presently holidaying in Bora Bora, close to Tahiti with his wife Suzanne Khan. He has been busy for the last two months shooting his home production Kites in USA.

On the other hand, Deepika has been busy with Saif’s home production that’s being directed by Imtiaz Ali . She is also working with Akshay in Chandni Chowk To China for which she has even learnt Ju-jitsu.

Deepika also graces the cover of the latest edition of Grazia magazine.

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Halloween Make-Up 2008

I promise this is the LAST Halloween post I'm going to do this year. In case any of you still have not thought of what you want to be , I thought I'd give you one last idea- just go with the crazy make-up. People would be so busy admiring your eyes that they won't have time to care about the rest of your outfit!
Besides Galliano, my two other favourite crazy make-up looks are from Dior (left) and the Lacroix haute couture (right) show. Both redefines the upper and lower part of the eyes making their eyes look HUGE. They are in essence however, the opposite of each other. While Dior uses a sharp white base, Lacroix uses a smokey black base. Either way, I'm loving both of them. Go for the Dior look if you want to look feline and the Lacroix look for something a bit darker. A bit more subtly, we have the smokey eyes of the Chanel haute couture (left) and the Balenciaga (right) show. Just go heavy with the eye liner and the smudging. If you do have a costume, these would be more subtle looks for you. You don't want to take away too much from the outfit now do you?

And as for some simple DIY ideas: You can be forks/knives/spoon with alumninium, a piece of steak and ketchup/mustard to go with that. You can be Tetris pieces. Pacman and the ghost. Or a Twister board- just wear white and stick colored dots on yourself and carry the spinning thing!

Happy Halloween everyone!

Image Source: Style.com

Halloween- The Galliano Way

On the topic of Halloween, we must not forget our favourite showman of all, John Galliano. When it comes to putting on a great statement, there is no one quite like him. Going through his FW08 runway, I've pegged the drama down to two elements: crazy hatwear/hair and crazy make-up.
So maybe there is no rationale behind most of these, but hey, it's time to be creative!
This could be the dead sea captain perhaps?
The show girl. And check out the amazing, vibrant make-up! Talk about drama. Not sure about the lump on her head (looks a bit like a tumor), but am loving the gold spikes!

Image Source: Style.com

Halloween on the Streets 2008

Runway inspiration is all good and well, but besides the Prada lace-y vamp look, the rest are not exactly easily achievable. So I did a more generic brainstorm and came up with this:

Has anyone seen that movie recently, "How to Lose Friends and Alienate People"? In it, Kirstin Dunst goes to a costume party and dresses up as a 20s flapper girl (though I think she had a specific flapper girl in mind since the theme was "Favourite Dead People"), looking awesome in a black bob, long cigarette, red lipsticks and slinky black dress. That was when it clicked! I want to be a flapper girl this Halloween! It won't even be that hard. All I need to get is a black bob wig, a long cigarette holder and a black slinky dress and then put on pale foundation, smokey eyes and hot red lipsticks- viola, flapper girl!

I even know exactly which dress I'd buy too. This FCUK fringe dress is perfect. I can even wear it again for a night out (even though it is not exactly my usual style...)! But still, I love the idea that I won't be wasting too much money on a cheap looking costume I'd only get to wear once. I actually went into a real costume store my first time today and I must say, I was not impressed. The costume outfits for women typically look cheap and skanky. And I'm not about to fork out $50USD to look cheap and skanky.

I also looked at the fangs. I thought, worse case scenario, I can just dress in all black, wear pale foundation and red lipsticks and with the fangs, I can be a vampire. A nice easy Halloween costume. But then I looked at the packaging and got slightly weirded out. "Molding" plastic stuff into my mouth and in between my teeth- that is NOT prescribed by my orthodontist- just goes against my natural instincts. What if it screws up all the good work my orth spent many years achieving? I thought fangs were just stuck on... I guess not.

So in the end, I walked out with a black bob wig and a reaper rake. The bob because I've always wanted one and it'll go with the flapper look (though this one is not exactly my ideal one cause it has random silver streaks in it...but whatever) and grim reaper's rake, just because it's fun to wave around a reaper rake at people. I know, completely random. I'm not exactly sure what I am going to do with them....but I guess I'll figure it out in the next three days!

Image Source: Flapper Costumes and ASOS

Halloween on the Runway 2008

It's that time of the year again where we get to dress up in whatever crazy outfit we desire. And what better place than the runway to look for fun, creative, refreshing and fashionable ideas?

On the Marc by Marc Jacobs runway (left) there is punk rock, with retro pink plaids and pleated minis. This would be an especially fun outfit if you are usually not punker chic. And if you are, then maybe the cyber look for the Balenciaga runway (right) would be interesting. After all, Halloween is our chance to try out different looks and have fun!
Another look I am loving is the royal military look found on the MacQueen (left) and the Lacroix haute couture runway (right). The structured uniform jackets and all the details are just so pretty!
Even more regally, there is the royalty look also found on the MacQueen runway. There is just something so regal and colonial about it. I'm not sure how one would achieve this look for Halloween, but an idea is a start right?
And lastly, there is the classic vamp look. There is the elaborate version from the Lacroix haute couture show (left), or for something simpler and easier, the black lace version from the Prada runway (right). In fact, with all the "lace" around, you can very easily achieve this look. All you need are fangs!

Image Source: Style.com