Marcus Troiano

Hergopoch

Smart looking bags!

Ah, so here are my new brogues! Why did I never think of monogramming my others? My poor initial-less monk-straps et al, next time I go bespoke I will make amends!

Hackett - Spring/Summer 2012

Fantastic blazer the first gent is sporting....and it looks like he has my camera as well!

McNeal - S/S 2012

Loving the blazer and pant combo!

Loving the suit and the leather portfolio!

February 1, 2012

Canali - S/S 2012

I especially like the first jacket, but the second is a beauty as well! Looks like SS 2012 will be a good season!

MANUEL VANNI

Manuel Vanni
CEO, Manuel Vanni
http://www.vannigroupspa.com

A great little guide full of neat tips on how to pack your bags just right for your next trip (be it for business or pleasure - preferably the latter)!

Has WikiLeaks information served humanity?

Published: February 26 2011 02:13 | Last updated: February 26 2011 02:13

From Dr Luzius Sprüngli.

Sir, To my increasing annoyance I am confronted on an almost daily basis with articles that are based on information obtained through WikiLeaks, which are of questionable quality and worth.

The information obtained by WikiLeaks has been obtained illegally. Whisleblowing is not a heroic act as such in my eyes. It becomes despicable when it knowingly puts in danger people and/or political processes. Has it served humanity to have all this information WikiLeaks has published recently? A lot of hot air that has not inflated much except Julian Assange’s ego.

When looking at the numerous articles the FT publishes based on information obtained through WikiLeaks, I am very disappointed. To look at just two articles this week, “Oil revenues add to Gaddafi family friction” and “Putin set to resume battle with Barroso”: both are based on information of dubious quality and are – and that’s the worst – irrelevant.

We don’t need to know an American diplomat’s judgment on the relationship between Vladimir Putin and José Manuel Barroso. Particularly not if we don’t know that judgment to be correct. It’s hard to believe, but even US diplomats have been wrong in the past. In the article about the oil revenues and the involvement of the Gaddafi family, you even admit that you cannot know if the information is correct. In any event, whether it’s true or not is of no importance.

It is wrong to use information obtained through WikiLeaks in the first place. It ruins the class of your newspaper when that information is plain irrelevant.

Luzius Sprüngli,

Zürich, Switzerland

via ft.com

I read this letter to the editor in the FT a while back...and I fully share the author's opinion! It's nice to see that cad Assange off of the front pages...hopefully justice is served come his hearing this summer!

Not so long ago, we joyfully celebrated Oman’s 40th anniversary.

Almost everyone — but especially the young people here in Muscat, the capital, and in small towns — decorated their houses and cars with stickers and fliers in support of the government. As an academic I usually like to watch from the sidelines; this time, I joined in and decorated my black Toyota Camry with the national colors of red, white and green. Together, we rejoiced over what we have achieved since His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said came to power in 1970.

Never would I have thought that just a few months later Oman would find itself part of the “youthquake” now sweeping the Middle East. Never would I have imagined that demonstrations in our peaceful, media-shy nation would end up on the front pages of newspapers around the world and mentioned in the same breath with the uprisings in Egypt, Tunisia and Libya.

So what happened?

On Feb. 18, a small protest was held in Muscat’s Khuwair neighborhood, where most government ministries are situated, expressing thanks and professing loyalty, but respectfully asking for more job creation and a few other changes. This was followed by letters posted online on the Omani Sebla (our local social network) that also requested relatively small social and political reforms but with respect and love for country, people and leader. So far so good.

But then the protests in Sohar happened. In that northern city, during a Feb. 27 rally, the police and protesters lost control: there was violence and vandalism; some reports indicate one person was killed, others say two. We were all stunned.

The government, though, was quick to take the right action by promising to create 50,000 jobs, provide aid for registered job seekers, reshuffle the cabinet, improve the social welfare system and allow citizens more say.

Most important, it responded to the people’s request for dialogue. As the government was doing damage control, and as Omanis were trying to grasp what was going on, I kept answering my overseas friends’ e-mails, explaining that Sohar was an anomaly, a lapse in judgment, a momentary loss of control.

Then a sense of shame swept over Oman. We do have problems, we all agreed. But doesn’t everybody? What country doesn’t suffer from unemployment? Censorship and monopoly control are also problems in many nations.

But the bigger question was this: Is this how we as Omanis try to effect change — vandalism and shootings? And after 40 years of living in peace and prosperity, is this what we want to broadcast to the world? Is this how we repay the wise leader who has done so much for Oman and its people?

Westerners may not understand the kind of love that Omanis have for our Sultan. But ours is a visionary leader who brought our country out of the dark ages and into a state of modernity; Sultan Qaboos bin Said has placed Oman at the forefront of many Arab countries, if not of the world, in terms of rights for women, people with disabilities and foreign workers and in providing free education and health care for all. These efforts have allowed Oman to strike a unique balance between traditional values and progressive development.

Then three nights ago, I received a text message from a colleague that has been circulating ever since: it was a heartfelt apology to His Majesty written by an anonymous Omani.

Facebook and Twitter might have helped bring down Hosni Mubarak’s regime in Egypt. But here in Oman, where we are masters of cellphones, using them every Friday to send holy greetings and jokes, we used text messages to get back on track. The text apology sent this message: Stop! We clearly have problems but let us not forget that after 40 years of building our country, we have to ask not just what our country can do for us, for it has done a lot, but, as John F. Kennedy eloquently stated decades ago, what we also can do for our country.

I finally got it. There is a clear disconnect between Oman’s forward-thinking government and the young people who grew up with — and thus take for granted — free education and free health care. My own university is a cutting-edge institution in the Middle East thanks to the foresight of the government.

Somewhere along the way, the older generations of Omanis forgot how to talk to our young, to instill responsibility and to share our story of the trials and tribulations we went through to make Oman not only one of the most beautiful places in the Arab world, but also a better place to live. In our zeal to protect a generation from the hardships of the past, we failed to impart a sense of appreciation.

Recently, in one of my college seminars, a student screamed that Oman needed to give those with disabilities their rights. I had to remind him that laws establishing their rights already exist, along with everyone else’s. The problem was that he didn’t know about those laws and that some private and public institutions don’t abide by them. That’s something we all have to figure out how to fix.

So what I and my fellow Omanis have learned from the protests is that we need to talk, peacefully, respectfully and responsibly, about our past, present and future; about our recent disconnect; and about our shared investment and responsibility. And that is what is happening in Oman — we are talking!

Najma Al Zidjaly is an assistant professor of linguistics at Sultan Qaboos University.

Another great opinion piece from the Views section of March 9th's International Herald Tribune. With protests still plaguing swathes of the Middle East, it's ever more vital for those protesting to stop and take account of exactly what they're doing and trying to accomplish - for they must not ask just "what their country can do for them, but also what they can do for their country".

During this past year I’ve had three instances of car trouble: a blowout on a freeway, a bunch of blown fuses and an out-of-gas situation. They all happened while I was driving other people’s cars, which for some reason makes it worse on an emotional level. And on a practical level as well, what with the fact that I carry things like a jack and extra fuses in my own car, and know enough not to park on a steep incline with less than a gallon of fuel.

Each time, when these things happened, I was disgusted with the way people didn’t bother to help. I was stuck on the side of the freeway hoping my friend’s roadside service would show, just watching tow trucks cruise past me. The people at the gas stations where I asked for a gas can told me that they couldn’t lend them out “for safety reasons,” but that I could buy a really crappy one-gallon can, with no cap, for $15. It was enough to make me say stuff like “this country is going to hell in a handbasket,” which I actually said.

But you know who came to my rescue all three times? Immigrants. Mexican immigrants. None of them spoke any English.

One of those guys stopped to help me with the blowout even though he had his whole family of four in tow. I was on the side of the road for close to three hours with my friend’s big Jeep. I put signs in the windows, big signs that said, “NEED A JACK,” and offered money. Nothing. Right as I was about to give up and start hitching, a van pulled over, and the guy bounded out.

He sized up the situation and called for his daughter, who spoke English. He conveyed through her that he had a jack but that it was too small for the Jeep, so we would need to brace it. Then he got a saw from the van and cut a section out of a big log on the side of the road. We rolled it over, put his jack on top and we were in business.

I started taking the wheel off, and then, if you can believe it, I broke his tire iron. It was one of those collapsible ones, and I wasn’t careful, and I snapped the head clean off. Damn.

No worries: he ran to the van and handed it to his wife, and she was gone in a flash down the road to buy a new tire iron. She was back in 15 minutes. We finished the job with a little sweat and cussing (the log started to give), and I was a very happy man.

The two of us were filthy and sweaty. His wife produced a large water jug for us to wash our hands in. I tried to put a 20 in the man’s hand, but he wouldn’t take it, so instead I went up to the van and gave it to his wife as quietly as I could. I thanked them up one side and down the other. I asked the little girl where they lived, thinking maybe I’d send them a gift for being so awesome. She said they lived in Mexico. They were in Oregon so Mommy and Daddy could pick cherries for the next few weeks. Then they were going to pick peaches, then go back home.

After I said my goodbyes and started walking back to the Jeep, the girl called out and asked if I’d had lunch. When I told her no, she ran up and handed me a tamale.

This family, undoubtedly poorer than just about everyone else on that stretch of highway, working on a seasonal basis where time is money, took a couple of hours out of their day to help a strange guy on the side of the road while people in tow trucks were just passing him by.

But we weren’t done yet. I thanked them again and walked back to my car and opened the foil on the tamale (I was starving by this point), and what did I find inside? My $20 bill! I whirled around and ran to the van and the guy rolled down his window. He saw the $20 in my hand and just started shaking his head no. All I could think to say was, “Por favor, por favor, por favor,” with my hands out. The guy just smiled and, with what looked like great concentration, said in English: “Today you, tomorrow me.”

Then he rolled up his window and drove away, with his daughter waving to me from the back. I sat in my car eating the best tamale I’ve ever had, and I just started to cry. It had been a rough year; nothing seemed to break my way. This was so out of left field I just couldn’t handle it.

In the several months since then I’ve changed a couple of tires, given a few rides to gas stations and once drove 50 miles out of my way to get a girl to an airport. I won’t accept money. But every time I’m able to help, I feel as if I’m putting something in the bank.

Justin Horner is a graphic designer living in Portland, Ore. This essay was adapted from a message-board posting on reddit.com.

An extremely touching letter which I read in the Views section of the March 9th, 2011 issue of the International Herald Tribune. I highly recommend you give it a read.

The new Fuji X100 is shaping up to be a mighty fine camera - one which is likely going to take over from my Panasonic LX3 in March, when it's released! I've been waiting for the 'perfect' camera - something which offers up DSLR image quality and performance, in a sleek and attractive body. While I've been enticed by the likes of the Panasonic GF1 (now the GF2) and the Sony NEX-5, both have their trade-offs (so much so that I've purchased neither).

The Fuji X100 is truly eye-catching - from its robust arsenal of specifications (APS-C sensor, ultra fast and complex lens, innovative hybrid viewfinder, etc.) to its flawless design (range-finder esque, harking back to the time when cameras actually looked good - the 60's/70's)! At a rumoured US price of $1,200 it definitely isn't cheap, but for the quality and feature-set, it's a steal - especially when compared to the Leica X1! I certainly can't wait!

For more info, see Fuji's X100 site: http://www.finepix-x100.com/en or visit the dpreview link above.

Things just got a whole lot more interesting in the camera world with Sony's entry into the mirrorless DSLR market today. The NEX-5 (and slightly lower-end NEX-3) are full-featured cameras, offering DSLR quality image quality and performance, and the ability to change lenses, in a point-and-shoot body.

This rapidly growing market segment, which until now has been dominated by Olympus, Panasonic, and recently Samsung, will get a whole lot more competitive with Sony's NEX system products. They offer better, or on par performance, in a smaller and sleeker package, at a lower price!

I currently own a Panasonic LX-3, which is amazing, but I've been leaning towards getting a mirrorless micro four thirds Panasonic GF1 (or its replacement, which remains yet unannounced). This camera now has me seriously rethinking that decision. I'm looking forward to seeing what happens over the next few weeks/months.

Official product site (with specs, etc): http://www.sony.net/Products/ilc/E-series/nex5nex3/index.html

Following Gordon Brown's resignation as (unelected) PM of England, Conservative leader David Cameron has become the nation's 52nd prime minister (the youngest since 1812), ending thirteen years of Labour rule.

The past five days of political negotiations between the Conservatives and the Lib Dems, and Labour and the Lib Dems, ended favourably, resulting in a Conservative-Lib Dem coalition, with Cameron as the PM, and Clegg as his deputy. The coalition, a rarity in British politics (and the first since 1945), will naturally present challenges, but it is encouraging to see a new government ready to forge ahead and tackle the nation's many pressing issues (chief among them, crippling debt).

I congratulate Mr. Cameron, and wish him and his new government all of the best on the road ahead!

More details will become available shortly regarding the conditions of the coalition. For now, check here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/may/12/david-cameron-nick-clegg-coali...

As I perused through the magazine racks at Indigo earlier last month (in search of the latest issue of what has become my favourite magazine, Monocle), I came across the March 2010 issue of ELLE with Keira Knightley on the cover! I think it's an absolutely splendid picture of one of the prettiest, most charming and talented actresses around these days! After starring in The Duchess in late 2008, she's set to appear in a bevy of new films out soon.

You can see more pictures from the shoot and an article here: http://www.elle.com/Pop-Culture/Cover-Shoots/Keira-Knightley