Saturday, December 28

Arvind Kejriwal - Chief Minister of Delhi

Arvind Kejriwal (born 16 August 1968) is an Indian politician and the Chief Minister-designate of Delhi. Born in Haryana, Kejriwal is a graduate of the Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, where he studied Mechanical Engineering. He worked for the Indian Revenue Service (IRS) as a Joint Commissioner in the Income Tax Department. He is well-known for his role in drafting a proposed Jan Lokpal Bill and his efforts to bring and implement the Right to Information (RTI) act at grassroots level.


Arvind Kejriwal
ArvindKejriwal2.jpg
Chief Minister of Delhi (designate)
Incumbent
Assumed office
To be held on 28 December 2013[1]
Preceded bySheila Dikshit
MLADelhi Legislative Assembly
Taking office
SucceedingSheila Dikshit
ConstituencyNew Delhi
Personal details
Born16 August 1968
Siwani, Haryana
Political partyAam Aadmi Party
Spouse(s)Sunita Kejriwal
ChildrenTwo
Alma materIIT Kharagpur

Kejriwal won the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Emergent Leadership in 2006 for his contribution to the enactment of the Right to Information Act and for his efforts to empower the poorest citizens of India. In 2006, after resigning from the IRS, he donated his Magsaysay award money as a corpus fund to found an NGO, Public Cause Research Foundation. In 2012, he launched the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), and defeated Sheila Dixit in the 2013 Delhi Legislative Assembly election by a margin of 25,864 votes.[2]



Early life

Kejriwal was born in the village of Siwani, Haryana, on 16 August 1968 to Gobind Ram Kejriwal and Gita Devi, a well-educated and well-off couple. He has a younger sister and brother. His father was an electrical engineer who graduated from the Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra, and whose work led to many changes in the family's residence. Kejriwal spent most of his childhood in north Indian towns such as Sonepat, Ghaziabad and Hisar. He was educated at Campus School in Hisar.[3]

Kejriwal studied mechanical engineering at Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur and then from 1989 he worked for Tata Steel. He left that job in 1992, having previously taken leave of absence in order to study for the Civil Services Examination,[3] and spent some time in Kolkata, at the Ramakrishna Mission in North-East India and at Nehru Yuva Kendra.[4]

Kejriwal joined the Indian Revenue Service in 1995 after qualifying through the Civil Services Examination.[5] In 2000, he was granted two years' paid leave to pursue higher education on condition that upon resuming his work he would not resign from the Service for at least three years. Failure to abide by that condition would require him to repay the salary given during the leave period. He rejoined in 2003 and worked for 18 months before taking unpaid leave for 18 months.[6] In February 2006, he resigned from his position as a Joint Commissioner of Income Tax in New Delhi.[5] The Government of India claimed that Kejriwal had violated his original agreement by not working for three years. Kejriwal said that his 18 months of work and 18 months of unpaid absence amounted to the stipulated three year period during which he could not resign and that this was an attempt to malign him due to his involvement with Team Anna, a strand of the Indian anti-corruption movement. Eventually, in 2011, the matter was resolved when he paid his way out of the Service with the help of loans from friends.[6]

Kejriwal is married to Sunita, who is also an IRS officer and his batchmate from National Academy of Administration in Mussoorie and the National Academy of Direct Taxes in Nagpur. The couple have a daughter and a son. Kejriwal is a vegetarian. He has been practicing Vipassana for many years.[3]

Activism

Parivartan

Kejriwal believes "Change begins with small things". In December 1999, while still in service with the Income Tax Department, he helped found a movement named Parivartan (which means "change"), focused on assisting citizens in navigating income tax, electricity and food ration matters in parts of Delhi. The Parivartan organisation exposed a fake ration card scam in 2008[7][8] but, according to a founder member, did not have a great impact generally and was largely moribund by 2012.[9]

Right to Information

Together with Manish Sisodia and Abhinandan Sekhri, Kejriwal established the Public Cause Research Foundation in December 2006, donating the prize money he had received from the Ramon Magsaysay Award as a seed fund.[10] This new body paid the employees of Parivartan.[9]

Kejriwal has used the Right to Information Act in corruption cases in many government departments including the Income Tax Department, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, the Public Distribution System and the Delhi Electricity Board.[4]

Jan Lokpal Bill

Main article: Jan Lokpal Bill
Kejriwal was the civil society representative member of the committee constituted by the Government of India to draft a Jan Lokpal bill, following a campaign for introduction of such legislation that featured Anna Hazare. He had been arrested for his support of Hazare.[11][12]

Political career

Kejriwal established the AAP in November 2012. The party name reflects the phrase Aam Aadmi, or "common man", whose interests Kejriwal proposed to represent.[13]

He became one of the five most mentioned Indian politician on social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter in the run-up to the Delhi legislative assembly elections of December 2013[14] Those elections were the first contested by the AAP and in them Kejriwal defeated the incumbent Chief Minister, Sheila Dikshit, in her Assembly constituency of New Delhi.[15] The party as a whole won 28 of the 70 available Assembly seats.[16]

Following the elections, he is likely to become the youngest Chief Minister of Delhi. The AAP has announced its intention to form a minority government in the hung Assembly, with what Dikshit describes as "not unconditional" support from Indian National Congress.[17][18]

Writing

Kejriwal's book, Swaraj, was published in 2012.[19]

Awards

2004: Ashoka Fellow, Civic Engagement[4]
2005: 'Satyendra K. Dubey Memorial Award', IIT Kanpur for his campaign for bringing transparency in Government[20]
2006: Ramon Magsaysay Award for Emergent Leadership[7]
2006: CNN-IBN, 'Indian of the Year' in Public Service[21][22]
2009: Distinguished Alumnus Award, IIT Kharagpur for Eminent Leadership[23]
2009: Awarded a grant and fellowship by the Association for India's Development.[24]
2010: Policy Change Agent of the Year, Economic Times Awards along with Aruna Roy[25]
2011: NDTV Indian of the Year along with Anna Hazare[26]
2013: CNN-IBN Indian of the Year 2013-Politics[27]

    Wednesday, December 18

    Road Test and Review: The All-New Honda City

    Photos by Clint Thomas
    Just when we thought 2013 was full to the brim with fabulous new models, in drives the all-new Honda City with the biggest surprise of all – a mileage of 26 kilometre per litre. Yes, you read that right; the Honda City finally has a diesel engine under the hood, and now, the iconic car is also the most fuel efficient car in India. 

    Well, if mileage is the need of the hour, City now offers the most of it. But there’s more to the story than meets the eye. Let’s discuss in detail.
    Design

    Although every body panel has gone under the knife, the fourth generation City looks very familiar.  Perhaps, Honda didn’t want to tamper with an already perfect design. But a closer look at the car reveals some remarkable design choices. The three-slatted signature grille has given way to a larger, chrome-heavy grille linking sharper headlamps. Two bold creases run down the bonnet, seamlessly converging into the grille. Thanks to the sportier and forward-reaching bumper styling, the new City looks poised to devour the road ahead. 

    Contrary to the lackluster profile of the outgoing model, the new City gets a prominent character line that gracefully rises towards the rear to meet the elongated, wraparound taillights. The new taillight design works well with the overall styling and the shark fin antenna completes the picture.
    Inside the cabin

    Honda has always been stingy when it comes to City’s features.  Even when the competition grew too intense, the City’s cabin remained very basic. The new model is a huge leap forward over its predecessor and offers a host of innovative and segment-first features. The centre console now boasts a 5 inch LCD display with audio, Bluetooth and rear camera settings. The rear camera offers three angles – normal, top down and 180 degree wide. The touchscreen climate control looks super cool but bright sun bleaches it out, making it difficult to read. 

    The CR-V inspired steering wheel is leather-wrapped and offers plenty of grip. It also houses Bluetooth, audio and cruise controls.  Instrument panel gets a new theme, too. All these are well appointed on a flowing and cohesive dashboard. 
    No one ever cribbed about the City’s cabin space, yet Honda has increased the wheelbase by 50mm, shoulder room by 40mm and height by 10mm to make it as roomy as the D segmenters. The overall length and width, meanwhile, remain unchanged. Rear AC vents further enhance the rear seat comfort. The new City doesn’t fall short on other contemporary features such as push start button, keyless entry, four power outlets, 8 speakers, auto folding mirrors and sunroof on top trim levels.

    Performance

    The diesel City has borrowed the 1.5 L i-DTEC engine from the Amaze with the same tuning and the performance figures remain unchanged  - 100ps@3600 rpm and 200 N-m@1750 rpm. Power is transferred through a newly developed 6-speed manual gearbox, which helps the City achieve better fuel economy than the Amaze.

    The i-DTEC motor feels more refined under the City’s bonnet because Honda has further reduced friction of all moving components. Moreover, the car benefits from as many as 14 new noise insulation methods that make the cabin brilliantly quiet. Power delivery is very similar to the Amaze, however, top speed is not limited to 145 kmph on the City and it can travel up to 190kmph, the company says.

    The 1.5 L i-VTEC petrol engine has been Honda City’s forte and it gets even better in the fourth generation. Twin needle spark plugs, enhanced cooling system and low friction technology help the engine achieve better fuel efficiency. The petrol variant is available either with a five-speed manual or an advanced CVT auto transmission. Traditionally, most auto boxes are thirstier than manuals but the City’s CVT achieves a commendable 18 kmpl as against the manual variant’s 17.8 kmpl.

    The rev-happy and instantly responsive nature of the manual i-VTEC makes it the most fun to drive among the three. The car is lighter by 40 kg, so it feels even faster. The CVT automatic, on the other hand, is very practical and easy to live with. It offers paddle shifters for a bit of zest, too. 
    Similar to the Amaze, the diesel City offers smooth and effortless power delivery. Peak torque is delivered 1750rpm onwards, but there’s enough torque (up to 80%) available from a low 1200rpm. That means low-end response is impressive and there’s very little turbo lag. The engine pulls strongly till around 3500 rpm and is relaxed at highway speeds. If handled prudently, the diesel City is certain to return over 25kmpl. 

    Ride and Handling

    Honda City had an Achilles’ heel – poor ground clearance. At 165mm, it remains unchanged in the new City as well. However, Honda has reworked the exhaust pipe layout to improve the ‘ground contact factor’ that avoids frequent underbody scrapes. Revised suspension geometry ensures a more comfortable ride and the aforementioned noise insulation keeps NVH levels well under tolerable limits. New suspension setup, increased wheelbase and kerb weight haven’t taken a toll on handling either.
    Honda’s desperate attempt to achieve higher fuel efficiency sees the car still ride on 175mm tyres, especially when all other C segmenters use 185mm or above. If only Honda considered broader tyres, the handling and overall appearance of the car could be even better.
    Safety

    Honda never compromises safety for anything. Like its predecessors, the new City gets dual front SRS airbags along with ABS with EBD across all the variants.

    Conclusion

    Diesel powered Honda City has always been on top of every car enthusiast’s wish list. Finally, when Honda introduced the diesel City, they nailed it in style. It’s undoubtedly a great, desirable package that gives you more bragging rights. However, in view of the car’s long list of features and the void Civic left in Honda’s lineup, the new City could be priced slightly towards the steeper side. An aggressive pricing will make the all-new Honda City a juggernaut that’s going to steamroll its contenders.
    Got queries? Connect with the author on Twitter
    ** Prices will be announced during the launch in January 2014

    Source: Yahoo!

    Luggage Looters Caught in the Act

    Undercover video shows airport thieves riffling through luggage.




    Monday, December 16

    Ten Must Haves for every Photographer

    Ten Must Haves for every Photographer
    So you’ve snagged yourself a brand spankin’ new DSLR eh? Well, that’s great, but your purchases don’t just stop there. If you think your camera is all you need, you’d be sorely mistaken. Sure you can get by in most day to day conditions, but that’s just what you’re doing; getting by. To really take things up a notch. These aren’t major expenses, but small things that make every photographer’s life way easier, so pay heed.

    Get a BAG!
    Damn straight! Before we get to what you should definitely have in your bag, you need a bag and the LowePro Fastpack 200 is our strongest recommendation for a starter bag. It can easily host one camera body two lenses, along with leaving you with enough room to store little knick-knacks. IF you want to go super pro, you can look at the LowePro Transit 350 AW or the Dakine Reload 30L.

    Micro Fiber Cloth
    Rarely will you find yourself in a shooting condition that is absolutely clean. Many a times, you would just want to walk around the streets of your city taking photos! Dust is everywhere and hence, it gets on your camera and lens. A microfiber cloth is the best and safest way to clean that grime off your precious gear, without hurting it.

    Trick Photography And Special Effects E-book




    Contact Free Cleaner
    Giotto’s Rocket Blower is another cleaning tool, very essential to keeping the camera body clean. It is essentially an air blower that will knock dust particles off the lens and the camera body. Ideally should be used before releasing the lens from the lens mount so that no dust particles fall onto the sensor.


    Hot Shoe Flash
    If you thought that the puny pop-up crap flash on your DSLR was decent enough for anything, you’re sorely mistaken. If you want good quality illumination, invest in a hot-shoe flash, preferably first party (for maximum benefit). Yes, this can be a somewhat expensive proposition, but the returns in terms of image quality make it worth the investment.

    Power for the Flash
    Eneloop has pretty much set the standard for rechargeable batteries here and any pro will swear by their products. They cost almost twice (or thrice) as much as regular rechargeable batteries, but are definitely worth the premium. Why are they so special? Well, for one, they come charged, meaning you can use them the minute you buy them, but more importantly, these batteries do not lose charge when stored. Normally NiMH batteries will lose their power if they are stored for long periods of time, but Eneloops retain up to 95% of their charge.

    A Harness
    While the standard strap that comes with your camera is okay, it is not something we recommend you rely on. Instead, see if you can get yourselves a Kata or a BlackRapid Strap. These third party straps offer far more security for your camera as they lock into place on your shoulder so as to not slip off. Secondly, they also have a mechanism of preventing the camera from sliding all over the place, which can be quite annoying. A BlackRapid strap will prevent all of this, and make the camera accessible even with the strap slung around your shoulder, something the stock straps cannot do.

    Backup Camera
    Avert disaster, but in the unfortunate even that you can’t and end up damaging your main DSLR, you should not be without a tool to create your images. We strongly recommend having a small backup camera in your bag, either the Fujifilm X100s if you can afford it (or the Ricoh GR if you want something slightly cheaper), or you could go with a simply Canon SX240 HS travel zoom camera. All these cameras will at least allow you to make decent images in the event your main camera is out of commission, so you don’t feel like the day was a total waste.

    A Compact Flashlight
    You’d be surprised just how handy this little tool can be. Shooting in very low light where your camera can’t lock focus? Flash your light. Just got done shooting in the wild and its now dark? Flash your light! Shooting a concert in a dark, dingy venue and need something out of your bag? FLASH YOU LIGHT! We think you get the point.

    More Memory than you Camera has Room for
    Chances are the guy who sold you the camera would have tossed in a freebie memory card. Chances are, it’s an utter crap slow card. We STRONGLY recommend getting yourselves a few 8GB Sandisk Extreme Pro SD cards which have a 95MB/second rating. Also, don’t be stingy. Get yourself atleast TWO of these puppies, in case one card gets full on a shoot, or is damaged, or worse yet, is eaten by your puppy.
     

    UV and Polarizer Filters

    There are about a million and a half posts on the internet that will tell you that UV filters are bad for image quality, and then there’s an equal number highlighting their benefits. We recommend getting GOOD quality filters (such as SinghRay, or B+W or if you’re on a tight budget, then Tiffen/Hoya. The UV filter will protect your lens’s front element from serious damage and a polarizer will add a lot of good value to your landscape shots. IF you’re feeling a little generous, then even get the Cokin Neutral Density (graduated and non-graduated) filters, but make sure they’re the Cokin P system (which can be fit on any lens).

    Source: thinkdigit

    Thursday, December 12

    Victoria's Secret Fashion Show

    2013 Victoria's Secret Angels include (left to right in each row) Adriana LimaAlessandra Ambrosio,Doutzen KroesCandice SwanepoelLindsay Ellingson,Behati Prinsloo and Karlie Kloss (Lily Aldridge not pictured)
    The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show is an annual fashion show sponsored by (and featuring) Victoria's Secret, a brand of lingerie and sleepwear. Victoria's Secret uses the show to promote and market its goods in high-profile settings. The show features some of the world's leading fashion models such as current Victoria's Secret Angels Adriana LimaAlessandra AmbrosioDoutzen KroesBehati PrinslooCandice SwanepoelLily Aldridge, and Lindsay Ellingson.
    American network television broadcasts the show during prime time. The first few shows in the 1990s were held in the days preceding Valentine's Day to promote the brand for this holiday. They were not aired on national television. In 1999 and 2000 the show was webcast. Beginning in 2001, the shows were moved ahead of the Christmas holiday season. Also in 2001, the show made its network television broadcast on ABC, though in all subsequent years, it has been broadcast on CBS. The show has been held at a variety of locations in different cities including MiamiLos Angeles, and Cannes. The first four shows were held at the Plaza Hotel in New York City, but since it has become a televised event it has most often been held at the 69th Regiment Armory in New York City.
    The show is a lavish event with elaborate costumed lingerie, varying music by leading entertainers, and set design according to the different themes running within the show. The show attracts hundreds of celebrities and entertainers, with special performers and acts every year. Each year, twenty to forty of the world's top fashion models are selected to perform in the fashion show. In a typical year, this includes about a half dozen women under contract to the company,[1] known as Victoria's Secret Angels, who help publicize the event. The giant angel wings worn by the models, as well as other wings of various forms and sizes such as butterfly, peacock, or devil wings, have become emblematic of the Victoria's Secret brand.

    History

    The first fashion show extravaganza, introduced by Stephanie Seymour, was held at the Plaza Hotel in New York City in August 1995. The show also featured Beverly Peele and Frederique van der Wal.[2] This first fashion show occurred two months before The Limited, parent company of Victoria's Secret owner Intimate Brands, sold an initial public offering of a 16 percent stake in the company and almost had Seymour make an appearance at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) for the opening bell.[3] She actually did ring the closing bell at the NYSE as part of the publicity campaign.[4] The subsequent three annual shows were also held at the Plaza.[5][6][7]
    In 1999, during Super Bowl XXXIII, Victoria's Secret announced a 72-hour countdown to the Internet webcast of the Victoria's Secret fashion show, which resulted in over 2 million internet viewers of the show.[8] Parent company Intimate Brands bought a $1.5 million ($2.1 million today) 30-second television advertisement during the Super Bowl broadcast and spent an additional $4 million ($5.6 million) for subsequent international newspaper advertisements to publicize the event.[9] The show, which was aired by Broadcast.com,[9] featured Tyra BanksLaetitia CastaHeidi KlumKaren MulderDaniela PestovaInés Rivero, and Seymour.[10] In 1999 and 2000,[11][12] the show was broadcast live on the internet, but the 2000 show was moved for a year from the usual February event at the Plaza to a May event in concert with the Cannes Film Festival in France to raise money for the Cinema Against AIDS charity; it raised $3.5 million.[13][14]
    In 2001, the show, which was hosted by Rupert Everett,[15] returned to the New York City but at Bryant Park instead of the Plaza.[16] That year, the show made its broadcast debut on ABC,[17] drawing millions of viewers as well as some middle-brow controversy; the Federal Communications Commission received many complaints about the broadcast every year.[15][18] The show has continued to be broadcast on network television every year since.
    From 2002 through 2005, it was held at the Lexington Avenue Armory in New York City.[19][20][21] The 2004 show was canceled due to a widespread crackdown on perceived indecency in broadcasting stemming from the Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show controversy, in which Jackson encountered a breast-revealing "wardrobe malfunction".[22] Before the 2005 show, Banks announced her retirement from modeling and embarkation on a television career with The Tyra Banks Show, making the 2005 show a farewell to her decade of fashion shows for the company.[23]
    In 2004, instead of the annual fashion show, the Angels (Tyra BanksHeidi KlumGisele BündchenAdriana Lima, and Alessandra Ambrosio) did an Angels Across America Tour, a grassroots campaign for the brand visiting four major cities: New York City, Miami, Las Vegas, and Los Angeles.[24]
    The 2006 and 2007 shows were held at the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles.[25][26] On November 13, 2007, the Victoria's Secret Angels were honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame right outside the Kodak Theatre.[27][28] The 2007 Angels honored in this celebration to mark Victoria's Secret's 25th anniversary onHollywood Boulevard were Heidi KlumAdriana LimaAlessandra AmbrosioKarolina KurkovaSelita EbanksIzabel GoulartMarisa Miller, and Miranda Kerr. The other models, who also appeared in that year's fashion show, were in attendance that day.[29] The 2008 show coincided with the grand re-opening of the Fontainebleau Miami Beach hotel.[30]
    In 2006, Victoria's Secret sub-brand PINK made its debut on the runway.[31] Justin Timberlake opened the show with his popular song "Sexy Back". This year fashion show was the final walk of Gisele Bündchen.
    The 2007 show featured a performance by the Spice Girls and gained prominence as the first American TV debut of the band after their comeback.[32] Kanye West was also scheduled to perform at the event, but cancelled his appearance due to his mother's death. will.i.am was called to perform in his place.[33]
    The 2008 show was held at Fountainebleu Miami Beach, Florida. Usher was appeared on the show as well as opened it. Unlike the other shows, the runway was designed parallel with the audience seats.
    In 2009, the fashion show took place in New York City at the Lexington Avenue Armory, where it was last held in 2005. The 2009 show was notable for featuring the results of a competition, called the Victoria's Secret Model Search, to find a new Victoria's Secret "runway Angel." The winner was announced as Kylie Bisutti.[34]
    The 2010 Victoria's Secret Fashion show aired on November 30, 2010 on CBS, and featured performances by Katy Perry and Akon.[35] A promotional ad featured a lipdub[36] for Katy Perry's "Firework".[37] As of 2010, 152 models have walked the show.[38]
    In 2011, Kanye West started his song "Stronger" with a tribute to his mother who had died before his scheduled performance four years before, saying: "In 2007, I was supposed to perform this song on this show ...and I lost my superhero. Now she's my super-angel."[citation needed]
    In 2012, an outfit worn by model Karlie Kloss, which was reminiscent of Native American attire, sparked controversy due to its alleged stereotypical depiction of Native Americans. Victoria's Secret released a statement of apology shortly after, saying that they will remove it from future advertisements and the broadcast. Kloss also apologized on her Twitter account for the outfit and expressed her support for the outfit's removal in the broadcast.[39]

    Critical review

    The early webcasts were criticized for poor connection and those that could were subjected to low video quality.[9] One critic from The New York Times described the initial 20th century webcast experience as having felt like he was "watching a striptease through a keyhole".[4]
    Some critics have described the 21st century televised editions of the show as pornographic,[40][41] while others have described it as both "outright commercialism" and an infomercial.[15] The Federal Communications Commission has received complaints regarding the broadcast, but no fines have been imposed, with the FCC, following the 2001 airing, citing the First Amendment and stating that "sexual or excretory activities or organs in a patently offensive manner as measured by contemporary community standards for the broadcast medium" were not broadcast.[42] In the initial 2001 airing ABC blurred the screen on particularly sheer lingerie.[41] This enabled the show to pass muster with its internal Broadcast Standards and Practices department and to achieve the TV-14 rating.[43] In 2002, the National Organization for Women protested the show calling it a "soft-core porn infomercial."[40] They were joined in protest by the Parents Television Council and other watchdog organizations.[41] CBS has given past shows TV-14 ratings, which is a warning that the show may contain material unsuitable for children age 14 and under. Nonetheless some affiliates have chosen not to air the show in past years including Fisher Broadcasting affiliates in Idaho.[41] To this day, London Broadcasting Company inTexas refuses to air the show.[41] In 2009, the American Decency Association organized email letters of protests to sponsors of the show including AT&TKentucky Fried ChickenNetflixNikon, and Reebok.[44]

    Summary table

    DatesLocationsBroadcasterViewers (millions)ModelsReferences for list of modelsPerformers
    August 1, 1995Plaza Hotel, New York Cityno broadcastno broadcastNatane Adcock · Helena Barquilla · Leilani Bishop · Keri Claussen · Gail Elliott  · Valerie Jean · Angelika Kallio · Catherine McCord · Beverly Peele · Stephanie Seymour · Ingrid Seynhaeve · Frederique van der Wal · Veronica Webb · Magdalena Wrobel ·[2]
    February 6, 1996Plaza Hotel, New York Cityno broadcastno broadcastTyra Banks · Leilani Bishop · Naomi Campbell · Helena Christensen · Beverly Peele · Catherine McCord · Carrie Salmon · Stephanie Seymour · Frederique van der Wal · Veronica Webb ·[5][45]
    February 4, 1997Plaza Hotel, New York Cityno broadcastno broadcastTyra Banks · Elsa Benítez · Naomi Campbell · Esther Cañadas · Laetitia Casta · Helena Christensen · Yasmeen Ghauri · Tricia Helfer · Heidi Klum · Vendela Kirsebom · Georgianna Robertson · Rebecca Romijn · Carrie Salmon · Claudia Schiffer · Ingrid Seynhaeve ·Stephanie Seymour · Frederique van der Wal[46][47]
    [6]
    February 3, 1998Plaza Hotel, New York Cityno broadcastno broadcastNatane Adcock · Tyra Banks · Naomi Campbell · Laetitia Casta · Bridget Hall · Tricia Helfer · Jaime King · Heidi Klum · Valeria Mazza · Annie Morton · Karen Mulder · Astrid Muñoz · Chandra North · Daniela Peštová · Inés Rivero · Rebecca Romijn · Chrystele Saint Louis Augustin · Carrie Salmon · Stephanie Seymour[1][7]
    [48]
    February 3, 1999Cipriani Wall Street restaurant, New York Citywebcast byBroadcast.com2.0+[8]Natane Adcock · Tyra Banks · Elsa Benítez · Leilani Bishop · Gisele Bündchen · Laetitia Casta · Ana Cláudia Michels · Trish Goff · Eva Herzigová · Kirsty Hume · Kiara Kabukuru · Carmen Kass · Jaime King · Heidi Klum · Hollyanne Leonard · Adriana Lima · Karen Mulder · Daniela Peštová · Frankie Rayder · Inés Rivero · Stephanie Seymour · Eugenia Silva[11][49]
    [50][51]
    [48][52]
    May 18, 2000Cannes, FrancewebcastAlessandra Ambrosio · Mini Anden · Danita Angell · Tyra Banks · Gisele Bündchen · Naomi Campbell · Laetitia Casta · Aurélie Claudel · Haylynn Cohen · Rhea Durham · Trish Goff · Eva Herzigová · Carmen Kass · Heidi Klum · Karolína Kurková · Adriana Lima ·Angela Lindvall · Ana Cláudia Michels · Karen Mulder · Oluchi Onweagba · Daniela Peštová · Frankie Rayder · Caroline Ribeiro · Inés Rivero · Stephanie Seymour · Ingrid Seynhaeve · Fernanda Tavares[1][12]
    [53][54]
    November 13, 2001(taped);[17]
    November 15, 2001(aired)[17]
    Bryant Park, New York CityABC12.4Alessandra Ambrosio · Mini Anden · Tyra Banks · Gisele Bündchen · Aurélie Claudel · Rhea Durham · Karen Elson · Trish Goff · Bridget Hall · Emma Heming · Eva Herzigová · Heidi Klum · Karolína Kurková · Anouck Lepere · Adriana Lima · Audrey Marnay · Diána Mészáros · Omahyra Mota · Daniela Peštová · Rie Rasmussen · Caroline Ribeiro · Inés Rivero · Maggie Rizer · Molly Sims · Fernanda Tavares · Alek Wek[16][55]
    [19]
    Mary J. Blige and Andrea Bocelli
    November 14, 2002(taped);[56]
    November 20, 2002(aired)[57]
    Lexington Avenue Armory,
    New York City
    CBS10.5Michelle Alves · Alessandra Ambrosio · Caitriona Balfe · Tyra Banks · Ana Beatriz Barros · Letícia Birkheuer · Gisele Bündchen · Naomi Campbell · Dewi Driegen · Reka Ebergenyi · Lindsay Frimodt · Bridget Hall · Ana Hickmann · Carmen Kass · Liya Kebede · Heidi Klum · Karolína Kurková · Adriana Lima · Oluchi Onweagba · Ujjwala Raut · Frankie Rayder · Caroline Ribeiro · Inga Savits · Nadine Strittmatter · Yfke Sturm · Fernanda Tavares · Eugenia Volodina · Raquel Zimmermann[19][57]
    [58][59]
    Destiny's ChildMarc Anthony, andPhil Collins
    November 13, 2003(taped);[20]
    November 19, 2003(aired)[60]
    Lexington Avenue Armory,
    New York City
    CBS9.4Michelle Alves · Alessandra Ambrosio · Mini Anden · Tyra Banks · Ana Beatriz Barros · Letícia Birkheuer · Marcelle Bittar · Gisele Bündchen · Naomi Campbell · Dewi Driegen · Isabeli Fontana · Lindsay Frimodt · Carmen Kass · Liya Kebede · Heidi Klum · Karolína Kurková · Adriana Lima · Angela Lindvall · Deanna Miller · Oluchi Onweagba · Ujjwala Raut · Frankie Rayder · Margarita Svegzdaite · Fernanda Tavares · Eugenia Volodina · Jacquetta Wheeler[20][61]
    [62][63]
    StingMary J. Blige, and Eve
    2004 (Angels Across America Tour instead of annual fashion show)New York City, Miami, Las Vegas and Los Angeles[24]Alessandra Ambrosio · Tyra Banks · Gisele Bündchen · Heidi Klum · Adriana Lima
    November 9, 2005(taped);[21]
    December 6, 2005(aired)[64]
    Lexington Avenue Armory,
    New York City
    CBS8.9Alessandra Ambrosio  · Tyra Banks  · Bianca Balti  · Ana Beatriz Barros  · Gisele Bündchen  · Inguna Butane  · Naomi Campbell  · Morgane Dubled  · Selita Ebanks  · Isabeli Fontana  · Izabel Goulart  · Heidi Klum  · Tatiana Kovylina  · Doutzen Kroes  · Karolína Kurková  · Adriana Lima  · Angela Lindvall  · Andi Muise  · Oluchi Onweagba  · Natasha Poly  · Julia Stegner  · Yfke Sturm  · Fernanda Tavares  · Caroline Trentini  · Eugenia Volodina  · Marija Vujović  · Caroline Winberg  · Raquel Zimmermann[21][64]
    [65][66]
    Chris BottiRicky MartinSeal, andRutgers University Drumline[67]
    November 16, 2006(taped);[25]
    December 5, 2006(aired)[68]
    Kodak Theatre, Los AngelesCBS6.8Alessandra Ambrosio · Ana Beatriz Barros · Gisele Bündchen · Jeísa Chiminazzo · Élise Crombez · Flavia de Oliveira · Morgane Dubled · Selita Ebanks · Izabel Goulart · Rosie Huntington-Whiteley · Miranda Kerr · Doutzen Kroes · Karolína Kurková · Adriana Lima ·Angela Lindvall · Heather Marks · Andi Muise · Ajuma Nasenyana · Oluchi Onweagba · Natasha Poly · Katja Shchekina · Hana Soukupová · Jessica Stam · Julia Stegner · Caroline Trentini · Caroline Winberg · Raquel Zimmermann[22][25]
    [68][69]
    Justin Timberlake
    November 16, 2007(taped);[70]
    December 4, 2007(aired)[26]
    Kodak Theatre, Los AngelesCBS7.4[71]Alessandra Ambrosio · Inguna Butane · Élise Crombez · Flavia de Oliveira · Morgane Dubled · Selita Ebanks · Lindsay Ellingson · Isabeli Fontana · Izabel Goulart · Rosie Huntington-Whiteley · Miranda Kerr · Heidi Klum · Michaela Kocianova · Karolína Kurková ·Noémie Lenoir · Adriana Lima · Angela Lindvall · Marisa Miller · Andi Muise · Oluchi Onweagba · Behati Prinsloo · Hana Soukupová · Jessica Stam · Julia Stegner · Candice Swanepoel · Eugenia Volodina · Marija Vujović · Erin Wasson · Jessica White · Katie Wile ·Caroline Winberg[26][72]
    [73]
    Spice Girlswill.i.amSeal and Heidi Klum
    November 15, 2008(taped);[74]
    December 3, 2008(aired)[75]
    Fontainebleau Hotel, MiamiCBS8.7[76]Clara Alonso  · Alessandra Ambrosio  · Ana Beatriz Barros  · Inguna Butane  · Shannan Click  · Emanuela de Paula  · Flavia de Oliveira  · Morgane Dubled  · Selita Ebanks  · Lindsay Ellingson  · Isabeli Fontana  · Izabel Goulart  · Erin Heatherton  · Rosie Huntington-Whiteley  · Carmen Kass  · Miranda Kerr  · Heidi Klum  · Doutzen Kroes  · Karolína Kurková  · Abbey Lee Kershaw  · Adriana Lima  · Noémie Lenoir  · Maryna Linchuk  · Angela Lindvall  · Sessilee Lopez  · Marisa Miller  · Arlenis Sosa Pena  · Behati Prinsloo  · Julia Stegner  · Sarah Stephens  · Lara Stone  · Candice Swanepoel  · Edita Vilkeviciute  · Anne Vyalitsyna  · Caroline Winberg[75][77]
    [78][79]
    Usher and Jorge Moreno
    November 19, 2009(taped);[80]
    December 1, 2009(aired)[80]
    Lexington Avenue Armory,
    New York City
    CBS8.3[81]Lily Aldridge  · Alessandra Ambrosio  · Ana Beatriz Barros  · Kylie Bisutti  · Shannan Click  · Jamie Lee Darley[82]  · Selita Ebanks · Lindsay Ellingson  · Isabeli Fontana  · Izabel Goulart  · Erin Heatherton  · Rosie Huntington-Whiteley  · Chanel Iman  · Anna Jagodzinska · Dorothea Barth Jorgensen  · Miranda Kerr  · Heidi Klum  · Abbey Lee Kershaw  · Tatiana Kovylina  · Doutzen Kroes  · Anastasia Kuznetsova  · Maryna Linchuk  · Sessilee Lopez  · Enikő Mihalik  · Marisa Miller  · Aminata Niaria  · Behati Prinsloo  · Anja Rubik  ·Lyndsey Scott  · Julia Stegner  · Candice Swanepoel  · Elyse Taylor  · Caroline Trentini  · Edita Vilkeviciute  · Liu Wen  · Caroline Winberg[83]The Black Eyed Peas[84]
    November 10, 2010(taped);November 30, 2010Lexington Avenue Armory,
    New York City
    CBS9[85]Lily Aldridge  · Alessandra Ambrósio  · Gracie Carvalho  · Shannan Click  · Katsia Damankova  · Lily Donaldson  · Selita Ebanks  · Lindsay Ellingson  · Isabeli Fontana  · Magdalena Frackowiak  · Izabel Goulart  · Heloise Guerin  · Erin Heatherton  · Rosie Huntington-Whiteley  · Chanel Iman  · Constance Jablonski  · Jacquelyn Jablonski  · Karolína Kurková  · Adriana Lima  · Maryna Linchuk  · Flavia de Oliveira  · Emanuela de Paula  · Behati Prinsloo  · Laís Ribeiro  · Anja Rubik  · Fabiana Semprebom  · Jessica Stam  · Julia Stegner · Martha Streck  · Candice Swanepoel  · Edita Vilkevičiūtė  · Anne Vyalitsyna  · Liu Wen  · Caroline Winberg[86][87][88]Katy Perry and Akon
    November 9, 2011 (taped);November 29, 2011Lexington Avenue Armory,
    New York City
    CBS10.3[89]Lily Aldridge  · Alessandra Ambrósio  · Jessica Clarke  · Shannan Click  · Lily Donaldson  · Lindsay Ellingson  · Toni Garrn  · Izabel Goulart  · Sui He  · Erin Heatherton  · Bregje Heinen  · Elsa Hosk  · Chanel Iman  · Constance Jablonski  · Jacquelyn Jablonski  ·Miranda Kerr  · Karlie Kloss  · Doutzen Kroes  · Ieva Lagūna  · Adriana Lima  · Maryna Linchuk  · Caroline Brasch Nielsen  · Flavia de Oliveira  · Emanuela de Paula  · Karmen Pedaru  · Behati Prinsloo  · Laís Ribeiro  · Anja Rubik  · Cameron Russell  · Joan Smalls  ·Shanina Shaik  · Julia Stegner  · Anais Mali  · Candice Swanepoel  · Anne Vyalitsyna  · Liu Wen  · Caroline Winberg[90]Maroon 5Kanye WestJay-Z, andNicki Minaj[91]
    November 7, 2012 (taped);December 4, 2012Lexington Avenue Armory,
    New York City
    CBS9.48[92]Lily Aldridge  · Alessandra Ambrósio  · Dorothea Barth Jorgensen  · Cara Delevingne  · Sharam Diniz  · Lily Donaldson  · Jourdan Dunn  · Lindsay Ellingson  · Barbara Fialho  · Isabeli Fontana  · Magdalena Frackowiak  · Toni Garrn  · Izabel Goulart  · Frida Gustavsson  · Jessica Hart  · Sui He  · Erin Heatherton  · Bregje Heinen  · Elsa Hosk  · Constance Jablonski  · Jacquelyn Jablonski  · Miranda Kerr  · Karlie Kloss  · Doutzen Kroes  · Ieva Laguna  · Adriana Lima  · Barbara Palvin  · Shu Pei  · Behati Prinsloo  · Hilary Rhoda  · Cameron Russell  · Shanina Shaik  · Joan Smalls  · Candice Swanepoel  · Jasmine Tookes  · Maud Welzen  · Liu Wen[93][94]RihannaJustin Bieber, and Bruno Mars
    November 13, 2013(taped);December 10, 2013Lexington Avenue Armory,
    New York City
    CBS9.3Sigrid Agren  · Lily Aldridge  · Alessandra Ambrósio  · Maria Borges  · Cindy Bruna  · Cara Delevingne  · Lily Donaldson  · Jourdan Dunn  · Lindsay Ellingson  · Barbara Fialho  · Malaika Firth  · Magdalena Frackowiak  · Kelly Gale  · Toni Garrn  · Izabel Goulart  ·Jessica Hart  · Sui He  · Erin Heatherton  · Elsa Hosk  · Martha Hunt  · Constance Jablonski  · Jacquelyn Jablonski  · Monika Jagaciak  · Karlie Kloss  · Doutzen Kroes  · Ieva Laguna  · Adriana Lima  · Maryna Linchuk  · Caroline Brasch Nielsen  · Behati Prinsloo  ·Hilary Rhoda  · Laís Ribeiro  · Sara Sampaio  · Josephine Skriver  · Joan Smalls  · Kasia Struss  · Candice Swanepoel  · Jasmine Tookes  · Devon Windsor  · Ming XiTaylor SwiftFall Out BoyNeon JungleA Great Big World, andRutgers University Drumline[95]

    Fantasy Bra

    Adriana Lima with the 2010 Fantasy Bra.
    Typically, one model is chosen among the Angels to wear a bejeweled bra dubbed the "Fantasy Bra". It was first advertised in the Victoria's Secret catalog, but since 2001 has been worn in the Fashion Shows. Prior to each Fashion Show, Victoria's Secret contracts a renowned jewelry designer to craft the bra to be used as a focal point for promoting the fashion show and as a centerpiece within it. The company offers the Fantasy Bra for sale as "the ultimate holiday" gift.[96] However, only the centerpiece from the 2004 Heavenly "70" Fantasy Bra and the 2012 Floral Fantasy Bra and Gift Set have found a buyer.[97][98] If not bought, the bras are dismantled after a year.[99][100]
    Heidi Klum has worn the Fantasy Bra in three different years.[101] Gisele BündchenTyra BanksKarolina Kurkova, and Adriana Lima have each worn two Fantasy Bras.
    The $15 million price tag for the 2000 bra worn by Gisele Bündchen earned a place in the Guinness World Records as the most expensive item of lingerie ever created.[102] The $3 million 2009 Harlequin Fantasy Bra and the $2 million 2010 Bombshell Fantasy Bra were designed byDamiani.[103] Listed below are the prices per set (including accessories for the 2007 and 2013 editions, the 2013 bra alone is worth $8,000,000[100]). The 2012 Floral Fantasy Bra was accompagnied by a $500,000 perfume bottle.
    YearNameModelValueAppeared in fashion showrefs
    1996Million Dollar Miracle BraClaudia Schiffer$1,000,000No[104]
    1997Diamond Dream BraTyra Banks$3,000,000No
    1998Dream Angel Fantasy BraDaniela Pestova$5,000,000No
    1999Millennium BraHeidi Klum$10,000,000No[101]
    2000Red Hot Fantasy Bra/PantiesGisele Bündchen$15,000,000No[102]
    2001Heavenly Star BraHeidi Klum$12,500,000Yes[105]
    2002Star of Victoria Fantasy BraKarolina Kurkova$10,000,000Yes[106]
    2003Very Sexy Fantasy BraHeidi Klum$11,000,000Yes[107]
    2004Heavenly "70" Fantasy BraTyra Banks$10,000,000No[108]
    2005Sexy Splendor Fantasy BraGisele Bündchen$12,500,000Yes[109]
    2006Hearts On Fire Diamond Fantasy BraKarolina Kurkova$6,500,000Yes[106]
    2007Holiday Fantasy Bra SetSelita Ebanks$4,500,000Yes[110]
    2008Black Diamond Fantasy Miracle BraAdriana Lima$5,000,000Yes[111]
    2009Harlequin Fantasy BraMarisa Miller$3,000,000Yes[112]
    2010Bombshell Fantasy BraAdriana Lima$2,000,000Yes[113]
    2011Fantasy Treasure BraMiranda Kerr$2,500,000Yes[114]
    2012Floral Fantasy Bra & Gift SetAlessandra Ambrosio$2,500,000Yes[115]
    2013Royal Fantasy BraCandice Swanepoel$10,000,000Yes[116]

    Source: Wikipedia

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