Kenney Myers

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Kenney Myers

10 Famous Fashion Designers Named Ken

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Fashion design is a tough business, and only the very best can hope to make a mark in such a ruthless world. It takes commitment, passion and drive, along with a tough hide and determination to succeed. It is not an industry that is suited to everyone. Many who truly believed they had what it takes to make it have fallen before they even reached the catwalk. However, the ten elite names on this list will live on in fashion history. They have all made their mark on the fashion world, and they are all named Ken.

  • Ken Scott – Notorious for his psychedelic designs, Ken Scott was a pioneer of a number of styles. He was one of the first designers to showcase calf-length skirts way back in the ‘60s when such displays of human flesh were frowned upon by the wider public. It was a sad loss for the world when Ken Scott died in 1991, at the age of 72.
  • Ken Lawrence – Lawrence is a designer from Birmingham, Alabama who has already made waves in the Southern U.S. with his “House of DeVinci” Range. However, not satisfied with the success of his first endeavor, Lawrence has now launched another designer range under his own name, which he says will eclipse the “DeVinci” range.
  • Kenneth Cole – A prominent figure in the world of shoes, Kenneth Cole has long been the darling of socio-political fashionistas. His public support of AIDS awareness and research in the 1980s – a time when the subject was still taboo in the public domain – won him a legion of devoted fans. The designer is still a prominent activist, having recently challenged the status quo that pits teachers against student education with a satirical billboard that stated, “Shouldn’t Everyone Be Well Red?”
  • Kenneth D. King – This designer’s work is so timeless that it is permanently displayed in London’s Victoria and Albert Museum. King is perhaps most famous for his “leafy” collection, however, he has also won great acclaim for his original three “lines of inquiry” collection of leafing and cutwork, which he considers one of his crowning achievements in the fashion world.
  • Ken Downing – As the fashion director of luxury department store Neiman Marcus, Ken Downing is a powerhouse in the fashion industry. In April of 2013 it was announced that Downing would be the recipient of the prestigious Westphal Award – a reward that honors those who have made a significant contribution to the fashion industry. Although he is not center stage on the catwalk, you can be sure that Ken Downing’s place is cemented in the history of fashion.
  • Barbie’s Ken – The significant other of world famous doll Barbie, Ken is a fashion powerhouse in his own right. He has donned a pirate outfit to sail the seven seas, played prince to the courts of many a land and had a hippie phase during the 60s, among other things.  When it comes to fashion, this doll is never behind the times and so takes his rightful place on this list.
  • Ken Chu – This world traveling fashion designer was born in Massachusetts before going on to live in Hong Kong, China, New York and Paris. He has had work displayed in New York’s Saks Fifth Avenue. Chu’s style of design is a mixture of American, European and Asian elegance, which reflects his deep and diverse experiences of the many cultures he has come to call his own.
  • Kenneth Beatrice – Although not the designer in this case, Kenneth Beatrice does take the name from a significant figure in the designer’s life. The company is branded after founder Chelsie Ravenell’s uncle, Kenneth, and grandmother, Beatrice. The modern designer credits both relatives as being the inspiration behind his success; making the label name the perfect homage to his childhood heroes.
  • Kenny – Lindsay Sternberg is the owner of Kenny in LA, which is named for her late father. Besides the name, Sternberg draws much of the inspiration for the brand from other family members, including her mother and grandmother. The company was established in 2009, however, Lindsay has worked tirelessly, traveling all over the world to drive the brand to bigger and better things.
  • Ken Chow – The founder and lead designer for Krane, Ken Chow has roots in art and graphic design. The young designer incorporates much of his base talent in his clothing designs, giving each garment a unique look and feel. Ken has created a range of menswear with a distinctly vintage look mixed with many of the styles of today.

What to Do if Your Young One Develops a Swearing Problem

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childswearing“Little pitchers have big ears.” Almost every parent knows this phrase and exactly what it means: You should always be careful what you say around your children, because they hear, understand and repeat more than you could imagine. It also means you need to be careful about what kinds of content you expose your children to, since they might inadvertently pick up some bad habits from something you thought was harmless. Case in point: swearing. As children learn more about the world around them and eagerly push their way into young adulthood, it’s possible they might wind up developing a habit for salty language. This isn’t a pleasant development — no parent wants their child dropping a series of casual F-bombs at school — but it doesn’t have to be cause for worry, either. There are several ways you can deal with the problem to make sure your child knows what he’s doing and learns to correct his behavior.

Don’t Lose Your Cool

Whatever else happens, don’t blow your stack when you find out your child is swearing (or if you witness it happening). No good will come of this. If you flip out and get angry, you’ll be communicating to your child that it’s OK to react like that in bad or tense situations. What’s more, you’ll turn what should be a teachable moment and valuable learning experience into a heated disciplinary matter. Your goal here isn’t to overreact and punish your child, but to calmly and clearly help him understand why what he did was wrong, why that type of language isn’t acceptable and what you can do together to make sure it doesn’t happen again.

Talk About the Effects of Those Words

There are few sayings less true than the phrase “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” Words hurt people all the time. A big part of teaching your child not to swear, and fixing any swearing problems he might have developed, is illustrating the effect that words have on people. For the child, swearing is a way to rebel, act like an adult and test his boundaries; he doesn’t have the perspective necessary to understand how certain words can make people feel. Telling him simply to stop saying those things won’t work. You need to provide context and talk about what those words mean and how they make people feel. When you can help your child see the ramification of swearing, you help him understand why it’s bad.

Draw a Line in the Sand

One approach to curbing a swearing problem is to take a firm stand against foul language in any form. If it works for you, set up a rule that forbids swearing in your home, and stick to it. If your child swears — at you, at someone else or just to vent anger or test the limits — then you can send him to time out, talk with him about what happened and deal with his actions accordingly. A big part of rules like this is teaching your children about contextually appropriate situations for adult language. Research has shown that swearing isn’t always tied to anger or aggression, and this adult language will find a way into your child’s life and lexicon, no matter how hard you try to keep it out. What you can do, though, is keep your home a swear-free zone and encourage your child to express himself in less crass and more creative ways. You can also set up a reward system as a way to help him curb his swearing, which will give him an external goal and help him break the habit.

Be a Model

This is probably one of the toughest parts of the process for some parents. Children pick up everything, and a July/August 2013 study showed that swearing emerges in kids around age two and reaches adult levels by age 11 or 12. What’s more, by the time children start school, they’ve already got several dozen offensive words or phrases logged in their memory. In other words, this is a type of language that will seem to just appear in them. If you want to teach them to control their tongues, though, you should consider the behavior that you model for them. Do you find yourself swearing casually in conversation? Referring to other people with expletives in the presence of your children? Shouting obscenities at other drivers? You could wind up passing a lot of that behavior on without realizing it.

Therefore, an important part of helping your child beat a swearing problem is keeping an eye on your own language. Focus on what you’re saying and whom you’re saying it to. Swap out harmless or nonsensical words for expletives. And talk openly with your child about how you want to fix your own language, and what you can all do as a family to make sure everyone doesn’t slip up. It might take some work — kicking habits often does — but it will be worth it to help teach your child how to use his words instead of letting his words use him.

10 of the Most Photographed Kens in History

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kendollSome people are just made for the camera, and they know it. When you have the kind of face people want to see again and again, the entertainment industry is not a bad career path to choose. However, not everyone who courts the camera does so out of vanity. Some of the most photographed people in history find themselves in front of the camera simply because of who they are and their contributions to society. These 10 Kens have been photographed thousands of times, although they are all in the public eye for completely different reasons.

  • Ken Carson – He may live in the shadow of his better half, Barbie, but Ken “doll” Carson has had his fair share of the limelight. With his sharp, chiseled good looks, the Ken doll is instantly recognizable all over the world. In fact, type the name Ken into Google image search and the jet-setting doll all but dominates the results page.
  • Ken Wilber – As a noted public speaker and author, Ken Wilber is no stranger to posing in front of a camera. His book A Brief History of Everything propelled Ken into the public eye and set the stage for a successful career in public speaking. Wilder’s theories on human spirituality and psychology are celebrated the world over.
  • Kenneth K.P. Guidroz – The next time you see a male model on a billboard, you may just be gazing upon the body and face of Kenneth K.P. Guidroz. The young male model is a hot property in the advertising industry, and has modeled for the clothing, sports and motor-vehicle industries. Ken also aspires to become an actor, and with a face that’s made for the big screen, he’s sure to go places.
  • Ken Carter – The late Ken Carter was a Canadian stunt driver, who sadly lost his life during a second attempt to jump a pond in Peterborough, Ontario. During his career, Carter provided opportunities for some of the most spectacular photographs ever taken. Carter kept audiences on the edge of their seats as he took his vehicles to ever increasing speeds and heights until his death in 1983.
  • Kenneth Branagh – The world’s most famous thespian named Ken, Branagh is used to being photographed everywhere he goes. Although he is best known for his on-screen roles, Kenneth Branagh is never more comfortable than when he is on stage. The actor’s Shakespearian roles are his crowning achievement, and continue to draw large audiences to theaters across the globe.
  • Justin Jedlica – He has been dubbed the living Ken doll, which gives Justin Jedlica plenty of opportunities to pose for the camera. The young model has spent over $100,000 on cosmetic surgery in an effort to achieve the perfect look. However, his recent feud with the real life Barbie has, perhaps, brought Justin more attention than he ever expected. Rumor has it that upon meeting, the two models took an instant dislike to each other. The feud is still raging on, with the title for most photogenic real life doll on the line.
  • Ken Dodd – With a career that spans decades, British Comedian Ken Dodd is used to the bright lights of the stage. Before there were smartphones, Dodd was playing shows where audiences would smuggle in cameras with huge battery packs and attachable flashes to match. Things have changed, but Ken Dodd still has audiences rolling in the aisles at his sellout shows. That’s not bad at all for a man in his 80s.
  • Ken Shamrock – Having spent time performing for audiences in both professional wrestling and mixed martial arts, Ken Shamrock has always been front and center for photo opportunities. Labeled the most dangerous man in the world, Shamrock is an ex-UFC champion and MMA Hall of Famer. Though he is now retired from the fighting game, Ken is still involved in the sport as a presenter and pundit.
  • Kenneth “K.K.” Downing – He is a founding member of legendary rock band, Judas Priest. K.K. Downing knows how to own the stage, thrilling fans and sending them home with treasured photographs of a rocking night of entertainment. Kenneth is also a Grammy winner, and currently describes himself as “semi-retired.”
  • Reginald Kenneth Dwight – When your name is Elton John, you can’t expect to go anywhere without a well-informed paparazzi nipping at your heels. Born Reginald Kenneth Dwight, Elton John is without a doubt one of the most photographed Kens in history. Judging by his flamboyant outfits and on-stage antics, Elton certainly seems to appreciate the attention.

10 iPhone Apps to Help You Avoid Traffic on Your Commute

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beattrafficThere’s nothing quite like getting stuck in a long line of traffic at the start of your day, especially when you have places to be and appointments to keep. Your boss won’t thank you, either, when you arrive late for work. There may be a number of different routes you could take on your commute, but the problem is finding them and hoping you won’t just run into even worse traffic in an effort to avoid your current traffic predicament. Luckily, there are plenty of very intelligent people out there, and some of them have created apps to help you beat the traffic. These 10 apps, especially, will help you plan your journey for the fastest commute times possible.

  • Beat the Traffic – With real-time updates on traffic, accidents and congestion, Beat the Traffic will help you find the quickest route. You can save up to three routes that you have identified as being consistently quicker. To save you from being distracted, you can set up alerts to warn you of potential traffic problems on your route, too.
  • Sigalert.com – Get all your traffic news live with Sigalert.com. An advanced camera network allows you to see real traffic conditions on your route in real-time. The app reports traffic speed, construction work and other delays that could affect your commute time. This free service is available 24 hours a day, and draws data from traffic reporting centers across the United States.
  • Waze Social GPS, Maps & Traffic – Work with other commuters to find the best routes, report on traffic delays and save money on gas. The information served by this free app comes from both commuters and radio traffic reports. Maps are also constantly updated by the user community, giving you the most up to date information possible.
  • USA Traffic & Weather – You will get all the information you need for traffic, weather and breaking news with this $0.99 app. The user experience is enhanced with a beautiful interface, which is also split into three separate tabs for ease of access. For forward planning your commute, simply enter the destination into the search bar and you are presented with a wealth of helpful information to get you where you need to be via the quickest, safest route.
  • iTraffic – Traffic Route Planner – An advanced route planner feature built into this $1.99 app is the real selling point. The feature uses smart technology to draw from live traffic conditions, and then creates your route accordingly. iTraffic is available in the United States, major cities in the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Russia, major cities in China and major cities in Canada.
  • View2Road – Traffic Cameras – This app is one to watch. View2Road – Traffic Cameras allows you to access any traffic cameras stored in the developer’s database. However, the support team can also add cameras if you identify them by location. This basic app is free, and is a great way to see the traffic conditions on your route before you travel.
  • PD Maps Worldwide Edition – As map apps go, PD Maps is packed full of features. Best of all, the app works all over the world. Traffic updates require an Internet connection, however, standard maps are still available offline. There is also a five-day weather report, which gives you plenty of notice for unfavorable travel conditions.
  • Traffic Updates – Traffic Updates is a simple, useful app that does exactly what the name suggests. You are provided with interactive maps, which highlight any delays in traffic and the cause. Once you identify a potentially faster route, you can tap on it to see realistic travel times. Although the app uses a simple interface, the amount of information for each incident is very detailed, right down to providing estimated delay times caused by construction work.
  • TrafficSmart USA 3 – For those iPhone owners who prefer a fully visual and interactive experience, TrafficSmart USA 3 is the perfect app. You can save all your favorite traffic cameras, reorder them or watch in Gallery Mode. All your routes are also saved, allowing you to quickly access maps and directions. The app costs $0.99, which is pretty cheap for such a feature-heavy app.
  • MyLiveTraffic – Another great community-based traffic app, MyLiveTraffic costs only $1.99. The app creators boast that this is the only traffic app that does not use official traffic reports, but is completely reliant on user input. All updates require an Internet connection, however, the app does store any reports you have received until you go online again. Once the handset has an Internet connection, the app will automatically update traffic conditions.

18 Blogs Featuring Creative Things Schools Are Doing to Combat Childhood Obesity

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obesitychildhoodIt’s no secret that a growing number of school aged children are overweight or obese. Unfortunately, school budget cuts are slowly making physical education a thing of the past, so schools have had to find creative ways to combat obesity by getting kids moving more and eating better. If you’re wondering how schools are battling the bulge these days, check out these featured blog posts.

PE Classes

With more time being spent teaching to different testing standards, schools have had to take time away from PE classes and allocate that time for more classwork. That doesn’t mean that physical education is becoming extinct, though. Read these six blog entries to see how schools are keeping kids active.

Nutrition Classes

Many children and adults aren’t aware of all the health risks that come with being overweight. To shed light on these problems, schools are starting to play an active role in educating children and their parents on the value of good nutrition.  Take a look at these six blog posts to learn how some schools are getting the word out about healthy eating.

Lunch Menus

School lunches have always gotten a bad rap, but the truth is that many schools can’t afford to serve quality, healthy food at a price that parents are willing to pay.  Some schools have sought grants to help offset the expense of serving better foods and others have even begun growing their own gardens as a way to cut costs.  Check out these six blog posts featuring creative ways schools are changing the look of the standard school lunch.