http://uebtootoo2009.spoonylife.com SpoonyLife fr-FR http://uebtootoo2009.spoonylife.com/losing-your-wallet-in-russia-14027.html lady leather jackets Now that the leather jacket had passed the preliminary fire test,it was necessary to try the damn thing on. But I was running latefor work, as usual, so I told the woman "another day."Before I could make my grand escape she was already holding thejacket out in front of me, like a toreador teasing the bull. Imuttered a mild obscenity, dropped my bag, and slipped my arms intothe unidentifiable animal skin. Then the woman held up a longmirror for me, while offering a barrage of kindly compliments, notone of them remotely true. I gazed at my reflection and was shocked: A total stranger - a cross between a skinny Mafia boss and theMatrix kid - was leering back at me. "Cool, a new me," I reflected in my morning stupor."Just what I need." I inquired about the price and she shot back: "2,500rubles." "Sorry," I said, removing the jacket. "That's wayout of my ballpark." But in her mind, the coat was already sold; it was only a matter ofhammering out an agreeable price. She was so confident, in fact,that she was already folding up the coat to stuff into the derigueur plastic bag. Everything was happening so fast that I found myselfcounter-offering her original price: "2,000 rubles," Isaid. She feigned pain by contorting her facial features, explaining thatshe would only break even on the sale at such a price. I said sorry, shrugged my shoulders, and started to walk away fromthe table. "Okay, okay," she said. "Two thousand rubles, as yousay." "No," I said, sensing her sudden desperation. "Ireally can't, it's just too much." "Okay sir, 1,500 rubles, but I tell you I will lose money onsuch a price." Ah, the thrill of the Russian bazaar. I love it! What couldpossibly compare to the exhilaration of bargaining for your ownleather, besides actually hunting down the animal on your own? Infact, I think it is a great loss that consumers cannot walk intoMacy's or Harrod's and negotiate with the sales ladies. Haggling isa contest, an ancient art, a card game where buyer and seller bluffeach other until both sides finally show their cards. And after thebattle both sides feel victorious: the shopper feels like they gota hard-won bargain (even if he didn't), while the sales person canfeel a sense of pride about being a real participant in the sale. When I arrived home with my new leather jacket, I pulled it out ofthe bag and uttered another expletive. I put it on and looked inthe mirror and realized that I looked ridiculous. There are peoplewho can wear full-length black leather coats and there are thosewho can't. At best, I can don the trench coat in my moments ofboredom and run around the house in slow motion with the stereoblasting the Matrix soundtrack, as I blow away imaginary Mr. Smithswith my imaginary shotgun. This is certainly not the first time a Russian sales person hassweet-talked me into buying something I did not need. Thisunderlines one of the great paradoxes about Russia: it is home tofantastic sales people, maybe even the best in the world. In the West, our sales people have been spoon-fed stupid advicefrom pimply business-school grads who have never experienced thereal world. Slogans like "the consumer is king," and"the consumer is always right," and other such tediouscrap, immediately greet shoppers when they walk into stores, givingshoppers ego trips. In Russia, as with so many other things, thevery opposite is true. The customer is an individual that needssomething that the seller has, therefore, he - the buyer - ispractically an object of scorn and derision. After all, why shouldthe seller, the person with all of the goodies, be nice to a personwho does not have the goodies? Yes, the customer may have themoney, but so does everybody else. If you don't want to buy, theRussian seller seems to say, somebody else will, so you betterhurry up, buddy, and make a decision. I suppose this mentality stretches back into the Soviet period whenthe seller, the merchant, really was a king. Of course these peopleled very dangerous lives (indeed, as all kings do), since the ideaof profiting from the buying and selling of "soul-crushingthings" was a big no-no for the communists. But everybody -from the top ranks of the Communist party, to the lower tier of thetoiling workers - wanted and needed stuff. This put the sellers,especially during the early days of perestroika, into positions ofgreat influence. When you mix this Soviet mentality with the fact that Russians wereborn with silver tongues, which have been brought to a dangerousedge from reciting Pushkin poems, my advice is: don't let yourguard down when haggling in Russia, a place where a fool and hismoney are quickly parted. By Robert Bridge Tue, 17 Jun 2008 11:46:00 GMT http://uebtootoo2009.spoonylife.com/one-stylish-step-for-man-14026.html Men Bomber Jacket LONDON, Paris, New York, Milan when it comes to fashionweek, women's trends always soak up the spotlight. Althoughmany of the industry's famous designers are male, menswearbarely registers on the style barometer. But fashion matters to men. Despite the credit crunch, when guys dohit the shops the average spend in their favourite clothing storeis ￡140, according to industry analyst Drapers. Inspired by the likes of style icons David Beckham, Brad Pitt andnew cool kid on the block Mark Ronson, men don't have to bevain to care about looking good. With Father's Day tomorrow, it's time for men'sstyle to shine. From George Clooney gentleman to Liam Gallagherrock god, this season's trends should appeal to hisfashionista alter ego. Ian Bryder, menswear design manager at ASOS, gives us the lowdownon this summer's hottest styles. MIAMI VICE If your man likes to scrub up nicely, this summer's smart,preppy look with a twist should tick his style boxes. ASOS hasdubbed this look "Poolside". "It's very ‘Englishman in LA', with smart,relaxed, colourful takes on classic Anglo menswear pieces,"says Ian. "Think cotton blazers, smart shorts, slim short-sleeved checkshirts and canvas deck shoes with retro tortoiseshell-framed shadesand a straw trilby." BAG THE TREND: Next's grey cotton blazer and T-shirt set,￡85; belted jeans, ￡40, and white pointed lace-up shoes, ￡45.Or, from House of Fraser, Ralph Lauren navy blazer, ￡340; RalphLauren blue V-neck tank top, ￡70; Tommy Hilfiger white tailoredshorts, ￡60, and Tommy Denim white shirt, ￡60. SURF'S UP Young hip guys with a passion for standing out from the edgy stylecrowds will love this season's "Digital Surf"look perfect if Mr Norm is his wardrobe nemesis. "It's young, fun, bold, bright and very skinny,"Ian says. "The crowds at the various new ‘urban beaches' inthe UK, where hi-graphic surf culture meets an edgy, streetwiseclubbing crowd, were the inspiration behind this look. "Go for loud, futuristic boardshort prints with bright,hooded sweatshirts, flip-flops, graphic T-shirts and coloured framesunglasses." BAG THE TREND: Topman's yellow frame sunglasses, ￡12; pipedpolo shirt, ￡14, and print cardigan, ￡25. Or, all at Debenhams,Red Herring trilby hat, ￡25; print T-shirt, ￡14; yellow jeans,￡25, and St George by Duffer plimsoll, ￡18. FESTIVAL FARE Festival wear doesn't have to mean grungy macs and greenwellington boots. ASOS has rocked up festival gear with a Tokyostreet-inspired look christened "Fuji Festival". Ian says: "Festival essentials have been given a lightweight,layered, lived-in feel with a vintage Japanese graphic edge. "It's all about lightweight nylon jackets andwellingtons for those midsummer downpours and rolled-up denimshorts, retro checked shirts and Y-neck T-shirts ready for thoserays of sunshine." BAG THE TREND: ASOS.com's metallic bomber jacket, ￡40; checkroll-up-sleeve shirt ￡28; slim-fit trousers, ￡28, and flip-flops,￡6. Or Topman's nylon jacket, ￡45; T-shirt, ￡12; denimshorts, ￡25, and flip-flops, ￡12. SUMMER STAPLES Want to know what to shop for to update your seasonal wardrobe? Ianrecommends the top 10 buys to splash out on this summer andthe key details that make all the difference to ensure that yourman is bang on trend: Smart shorts solid white or navy, or formalwear-inspiredstripes or fine checks. Try Marks et Spencer Blue Harbour navychino shorts, ￡9.50. Check shirt oversized ginghams or colourful madras checkswith rolled-up extra short sleeves. Try Topman multicoloured brightcheck shirt, ￡25. Polo shirt the Blake Fielder-Civil effect. Must be skinnyfit with top button fastened. Try Republic Soul Cal block-stripepolo, ￡19.99. Printed vest striped or retro geometric patterned, or trytwo solid colours layered over each other. Try ASOS green and whitestriped vest, ￡8. Denim shorts jean style worn with hems rolled up above theknee for a relaxed vibe. Try Next denim three-quarter-lengthshorts, ￡32. Hooded tops the perfect layering piece for chilly festivalevenings. Try: Burton graphic hoodie, ￡28. Cotton blazer fine stripes look strongest; team with slimjeans and a bold-coloured polo. Try ASOS fine-striped, fittedblazer, ￡40. Grey denim the new indigo for denim. Works great withsummer colours for a smarter jeans look. Try Dr. Denim Snap FitGrey Jean, ￡40 at Urban Outfitters. Clubmaster glasses the new Wayfarer for this summer. TryASOS Clubmaster tortoiseshell sunglasses, ￡12. Boat shoes this season's must-have footwear, inwhite, navy or bright, preppy colours. Try French Connection whiteboat shoe, ￡50. Tue, 17 Jun 2008 11:46:00 GMT http://uebtootoo2009.spoonylife.com/new-h-m-at-atlantic-station-a-treat-for-fashionistas-on-budget-14025.html Shorts And Shirts I was a penniless student and couldn't wait to get my hands on theinexpensive, trendy duds. But I did wait. Three months. Why?Because it was just too crowded to shop. It probably won't take three months for the crowds to die down atHetM Atlantic Station, particularly since it is the second locationin the metro area (the first at North Point Mall opened in May),but it can't hurt to have a shopping game plan whenever you decideto go. Fortunately, the layout of this big bi-level store, isn't toocomplex. The entire ground level is devoted to women's clothing. LongtimeHetM fans will quickly identify modern basics; white linen shortswith a belted waist, polka dot sundresses, and multi-tiered pinktank tops all for $20. A bikini wall spans the middle of the storewith rows of mix and match tops and bottoms in color combinationsof black and gold or summer brights. Across the aisle, racks ofaccessories include $6 scarves, enamel bracelets and canvas andfaux-leather bags and totes. Shorts, tanks and dresses by L.O.G.G., HetM's casual sportswearconcept, occupy space at the rear of the store while the tailoreditems from the HetM modern classics collection with career womanappeal such as sand colored sailor pants ($30) and printed buttonfront blouses ($25), are just near the East District Avenueentrance. For a special treat, dip into the lingerie room, a section devotedto HetM's line of intimates that includes organic cotton sets like agray and white striped padded bra with matching boy shorts. Take the escalator (or elevator) to level two and find thechildren's section arranged by age; 0 - 18 months, 1-8 years and9-14 years. Boys can choose from drawstring surfer style shorts($10) and t-shirts, while little girls can try the tiered dressesin pink and brown ($17) and Hello Kitty tanks. The men's department is also on the top floor where plaid buttondown shirts, striped polos and other casual sportswear fromL.O.G.G. hang near accessories like sunglasses and flip-flops.Tanks with leaf motifs ($5) and cargo shorts ($30) share space withdressier gear such as jackets and pinstriped dress shirts. Don'tforget a black and white trilby hat ($8) to complete any stylishoutfit. Divided, HetM's concept for ultra-trendy men and women, is housedupstairs as well. The line includes denim for men and women, alongwith other hot-off-the-street looks for the fashion-consciousshopper. Dressing rooms and cash registers on both levels may help quell thecrowds in the first few weeks, but consider yourself warned. Tue, 17 Jun 2008 11:46:00 GMT http://uebtootoo2009.spoonylife.com/in-argentina-che-guevara-finally-gets-more-than-a-lousy-t-shirt-14024.html Soccer T Shirts ROSARIO, Argentina -- No Argentine has left a bigger mark on theworld than legendary revolutionary Ernesto "Che" Guevara, yet thereis no major monument in his homeland to the face that launched amillion T-shirts. That changes Saturday with the unveiling of a 12-foot bronze statuein this town where he was born 80 years ago. Since he was killed trying to foment revolution in Bolivia in 1967,the Marxist guerrilla has been a source of inspiration forrevolutionary movements from Northern Ireland to East Timor, asymbol of rebellion for three generations of Western youth, and amarketing ... Tue, 17 Jun 2008 11:46:00 GMT http://uebtootoo2009.spoonylife.com/guest-opinion-wolf-population-warrants-delisting-14022.html The Mountain Goats By DAVID ALLEN When bald eagles soared off the endangered-species list lastsummer, there were champagne toasts from coast to coast. Americanswere proud to have restored another symbol of freedom and wildness.It was a success that mirrored previous restorations of elk, muledeer, black bears, bighorn sheep, mountain lions, mountain goatsand a host of other wildlife - long before anyone dreamed ofdrafting an Endangered Species Act. Now, 13 years after gray wolves were officially reintroduced to thenorthern Rockies, federal biologists have moved to free them from"the list," too. You'd think the people who argued longest andloudest to bring wolves back would be slapping backs andcelebrating. Instead, they're filing lawsuits. The Endangered Species Act was never intended to create a permanentwitness protection program for wolves. It was meant to recoverrobust self-sustaining populations, to create un-endangeredspecies. And wolves are so there. Ed Bangs is wolf recovery coordinator for the U.S. Fish andWildlife Service. He's been in charge of restoring wolves to theNorthern Rockies from day one. Bangs has lived in the cruciblesince those first Canadian wolves hit the ground in 1995. He'searned a reputation as a man absolutely committed to good science,not politics or opinion. On wolves, he says, "We're rock-solid. TheEndangered Species Act did its job. It's time to move on." State management needed What does it mean to move on? The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundationbelieves the sooner states take on the responsibility for managingwolves, the better. Maybe the lawsuits can be settled and control fully passed to thestates before another year goes by. It's high time we starttreating wolves as wild animals - more specifically, game animals. Apart from the bald eagle, all of the once-rare species listed inthe opening paragraph have been plentiful and actively hunted for50 years. States have used the best available science to setseasons and quotas. They've teamed up with hunters as hands-onmanagers, keeping wild populations within local environmental andcultural tolerances. In the process, millions of families havecollected a bounty of healthy meat, powerful connections with wildcountry and lasting fond memories. "We strongly support hunting wolves," Bangs says. "Look at thesuccess we've had with hunting mountain lions and maintainingstrong lion populations. There is no reason wolf management cannotbe just as successful." It was hunters who financed the restoration - and continuingstewardship - of the big-game populations that made wolf recoverypossible. Hunting licenses and excise taxes on guns, ammunition,bows and arrows still provide most of the funds that states use tostudy and manage wild species. But rather than supporting huntersand America's proven system of conservation, lawsuit plaintiffs arecondemning both. Certainly, proponents of perpetual wolf protection aren't the onlyones who can get a little emotional. When wolves kill elk orcattle, the carnage makes it easy to imagine that wolves might soonlay waste to all wildlife and livestock. Sometimes it's good tostep back and look at the numbers. Cumulative 2007 numbers for Idaho, Montana and Wyoming: 3 millionpeople, 1,500 wolves - and around 350,000 elk. In 1995, there were a half-million fewer people, no wolves - andaround 350,000 elk. That's right. Since wolves were reintroduced, Montana's elkpopulation has grown by at least 30,000 animals, Wyoming's elkpopulation is down 8,000 and Idaho's is 10,000 lower. Hunterharvest totals have remained very similar since 1995, averaging20,000 in Idaho, 25,000 in Montana, and 20,000 in Wyoming. This doesn't mean that wolves haven't taken an extremely heavy tollon elk and livestock in some places. They have. They will. Andthat's another reason why we should be actively managing wolvesthrough regulated hunting. Endangered habitat From where I sit, the biggest change on the Northern Rockieslandscape since 1995 is not the return of wolves. It's the way ourwild places and open spaces are filling up with houses and roadsand box stores. There is no Endangered Habitat Act. That's why I'mso proud of what the Elk Foundation has accomplished. In Idaho,Montana and Wyoming, our organization has helped conserve aquarter-million acres of prime habitat, and enhance habitat onanother 1.5 million acres for elk and other wildlife. Your role? Support state-based wolf management via hunting. And,even more importantly, support organizations working to ensure thatall of us - you, me, our children and grandchildren, and allwildlife - have plenty of wild country to roam. David Allen of Billings is president and CEO of the Rocky MountainElk Foundation, an international conservation organization based inMissoula. Copyright ? The Billings Gazette, a division of Lee Enterprises . Tue, 17 Jun 2008 11:46:00 GMT http://uebtootoo2009.spoonylife.com/sandbox-couture-summer-collection-primed-with-little-girls-clothes-14021.html Designer Kids Wear Rancho Santa Margarita, CA June 14, 2008 -- Sandbox Couture, apopular online children's boutique retailer of baby clothes, babygifts and designer children's clothing today announced the additionof new Ooh! La, La! Couture dresses and coordinating set outfits,as new items of baby gifts and little boys clothes. SandboxCouture.com maintains a large inventory of top designers forfresh, fun and unique baby clothes that are prime for settingtrends among children's fashions. Highlighting Quicksilver forboys and Ooh! La, La! Couture for girls, the online boutiqueappeals to parents everywhere. The fresh and fun styles of Ooh!La, La! Couture offer comfort and style, with a sassy twist of edgyelegance. The new items from this line include the Jacquard Blacket White shirt with matching poufy skort, and a similarcoordinating set in Moss green. In addition, several styles ofpoufy dresses have been recently added as well giving shoppers avariety of outfits featuring a blend of sweet and sassy styles thatare comfortable and appropriate for summer fun. The unique combinations of comfortable knits adorned with fundetails such as funky prints, fanciful trims and even Swarovskicrystals, contribute to this line's success among moms and littlegirls alike. The outfits designed by Ooh! La, La! Couture offerenticing colors and fun patterns that little girls love to wear. Featuring exciting new choices for individual flair and style issomething Sandbox Couture aims for each month. "We understand the importance of selection and creativity whenit comes to children's clothes," stated Sam Brown,spokesperson for Sandbox Couture. "The clothes we wear make astatement about who we are and how we carry ourselves, and it's nodifferent for children. We make it our goal to bring fashionforward designs to parents and children," Brown concluded. In addition to the new items added to the inventory of children'sclothes, Sandbox Couture has a variety of baby gifts ideal forbirthdays and baby showers. Tue, 17 Jun 2008 11:45:00 GMT http://uebtootoo2009.spoonylife.com/muslim-t-shirt-designers-take-a-smack-at-american-ignorance-14020.html mens t shirt"There are almost 1.2 billion Muslim people in the world.At least 15 of us are not terrorists," quipped Obaida Abdel-Rahim,28. "It could even be more than that. Maybe even a lot more." TheCalgary, Canada-born Abdel-Rahim owns the Muslim t-shirt businessPhatwa Factory, one of several Middle Eastern-accented t-shirtbusinesses to spring up in saucy retort to the outpouring ofanti-Muslim sentiment since 9/11. From Rootsgear's "100 percentRandomly Searched at the Following Airports" andcasualdisobedience.com's "Enemy Combatant" tees, to the lighter"Lebanese Princess," and "Allah's Little Angel," they are gettingtheir message across. Abdel-Rahim, who now lives in Gainesville, Florida, said he hopesto use humorous slogans to bust US stereotypes about Muslims. "The best thing to happen to Muslim clothing since pants under athawb [traditional men's robe]," says a slogan for Phatwa Factory,which he started in 2006. "I'd like Muslims to know that it's okay to laugh," he said, "andnon-Muslims to know that we have a sense of humor." Dalia Ghanem had a similar idea. The New Jersey-born,Egypt-descended clothing designer dreams up hip t-shirts for peopleof Arabic heritage. She decided Arab-Americans needed a moreoptimistic representation of their culture after 9/11. "Every store that sold t-shirts was selling 'Everyone loves anAsian girl,' 'Latin girl,' 'Italian' and 'Irish Girl,'" said the29-year-old Ghanem, who develops prints and patterns for a New Yorkfashion company. "I wanted one that said 'Everyone loves an Arabgirl!'" So she designed one, launching her one-woman t-shirtat.co (theArabic plural of "t-shirt") in 2004. Abdel-Rahim named his company to poke fun at the typical USinterpretation of fatwa. "Most people hear fatwa," he said, "andthey think of Don Mohammad Corleone issuing a hit on some poorinfidel." Just as the Western media has misappropriated the word jihad, Abdel-Rahim asserted, the word "fatwa" has become synonymous withan errant death sentence. In reality, he pointed out, it's just anIslamic scholar's religious ruling. Neither Ghanem nor Abdel-Rahim has received any deadly fatwas as aresult of their irreverent designs. "I'm a little disappointed,"Abdel-Rahim joked. "I was kind of hoping for at least a deaththreat or two." Some observers approve of the t-shirt humor, seeing it as a signthat Muslims are successfully being integrated within Americanpopular culture. The brand of humor cultivated in this casual wearisn't to everyone's taste, though, particularly those who feelcloser to the political problems in the Middle East than they areto the discrimination faced by Muslims trying to live in NorthAmerica. "I don't feel [the tee shirts] are derogatory," said 20-year-oldRosalind George, a US citizen raised in the Palestinian section ofOccupied Jerusalem, "just a little gimmicky." She complained thatthe shirts seemed too Americanized. "I'd prefer a 'Free Palestine' shirt to an 'I heart NY-likeshirt,'" said George, who lived in Occupied Jerusalem while herfather worked for the aid organization Save the Children. She did like the shirt printed with "Yallah, bye" ("Let's go,bye"), a common saying used among her friends. Tue, 17 Jun 2008 11:45:00 GMT http://uebtootoo2009.spoonylife.com/bagley-mischka-s-riviera-revery-13460.html chiffon printing Model walks the runway at the Badgley Mischka Cruise 2009collection show in New York on Tuesday, June 10, 2008.[Agencies] Sometimes Cruise, or Resort, collections have little to do withwarm weather vacations in exotic locals during the cold wintermonths following the purchase of one's fall wardrobe it's simply aretail signifier that new merchandise will be hitting the floorpre-spring. But Badgley Mischka's Cruise 2009 collection, which designers MarkBadgley and James Mischka presented on Tuesday afternoon, June 10,during an intimate runway show in their New York office, epitomizedglamour on the high seas, particularly the kind that might be foundsunbathing on a yacht in a Riviera harbor circa 1955. Grace Kelly and her mid-fifties films "Mogambo" and "To Catch aThief" inspired the collection, said Badgley, but a disco-era Grace- Jones, that is, would be another apt comparison, with all thecriss-cross chiffon halter neck and lamé gowns making up the bulkof the duo's signature pieces. The collection's daywear sectionopened with a series of tropical prints in lush colors like jade,grape and mango adorning a cowl neck chiffon dress, a bikini and araincoat. Smart, tailored safari jackets followed, along with acouple of leopard print pieces. Eveningwear, Badgley Mischka's mainstay, was less focused, withlooks ranging from bohemian caftan-like dresses to empire-waistedchiffon gowns in citrusy colors on the warm end of the color wheelto the aforementioned disco dolly numbers, but when you're dressingstars for the red carpet, variety isn't a bad thing. Mon, 16 Jun 2008 11:44:00 GMT http://uebtootoo2009.spoonylife.com/zoonimar-school-turned-into-mosque-13459.html Shawl Materia lS Hamid Ashraf Srinagar, May 30:The abandoned building of a government school atZoonimar, on the city outskirts, after being a hub of gamblers, hasbeen turned into a mosque by the local residents. The school building was constructed in 1997-98. It soon, however,became a hub of drinkers and gamblers. The school building hasthree rooms out of which one has been turned into a mosque by thelocals. Feroz Ahmed, a local resident told Etalaat, "Thisbuilding had never any students or teachers so it became a safehaven for anti-social elements." "When paramilitary CRPF troops tried to take over thebuilding, we swung into action and decided to use the building forprayers," Ahmed added. The school was shifted to theadjoining area of Saidpora. The school for some time served the purpose of shawl makers in thearea, which is known for shawl and carpet weaving. Another local,Abdur Rashid said, "In winters the shawl makers would use theschool building for shawl spinning and weaving. Then asweeper's family occupied the school building." However, Rashid like other residents of the locality, also citesthe attempt of troops to overtake the school building as the mainreason for turning the school into a mosque. "Once we feltthey (troops) were going to occupy the school building, we decidedto turn it into a mosque." At present, the school building besides being used by the localsfor prayers is also used by labourers working on the repairing ofadjoining Dr Ali Jan Road as a storeroom for storing constructionmaterial and equipments. When asked if the Education Department authorities were informedabout the school building, a local resident said: "Weapproached many departments, but they pleaded ignorance about anysuch school. Then as there was no mosque in our area, we thoughtthat turning the school building into a mosque would end the menaceof anti-social activities and military occupation, and also thebuilding would serve as a mosque." When contacted, Chief Education Officer, Noor-ud-Din told Etalaatthat the building in question was constructed by the RuralDevelopment Department and later taken over by Education Departmentwith the intention of imparting education to the children ofZoonimar area. "The idea was, however, given up after local residentsrecommended that the location of building on the busy roadsidecould prove fatal for the school children" he added. Mon, 16 Jun 2008 11:44:00 GMT http://uebtootoo2009.spoonylife.com/speedos-latest-swimsuit-breaking-records-13458.html Bonded Material With the 2008 Summer Olympics fast approaching, swimmers aretraining hard to grab the gold, but a new swimsuit might becreating an unfair competition. Since the arrival of Speedo's LZR Racer swimsuit back in February, athletes using the gear have set 37 worldrecords. The hype has people questioning whether the swimsuitshould be used in upcoming Olympic Games. Some critics and sportsgoverning bodies have noted that the new gear is performanceenhancing, thus creating an unfair advantage for others. However, not all athletes have access to such technology. In thecase of Japan's national team, their swimmers are licensed to wearspecific swimsuits made by local manufacturers. Some athletes doprefer the Speedo swimsuit, but it's not up to them, the decisioncan only be made by the Olympic committee. The concept of the LZR Racer swimsuit was first created by Aqualab(Speedo's global research and development facility). By workingwith word-class experts from industries such as aerospace,engineering and medicine, they were able to create the swimsuit. The following are the main features of this unique design: - LZR Pulse - The swimsuit is created from Speedo's unique LZR Pulse fabric.This specific material is lightweight, water repellent and itreduces muscle oscillation and skin vibration through powerfulcompression. - LZR Panels - These thin and powerful panels embedded at certain points on aswimmer's body create a streamlined figure which helps reduce skinfriction drag. - Core Stabilizer - The internal and core stabilizer helps support and hold theswimmer in a certain grip and helps them maintain the best bodyposition underwater. - Bonded Seams - The LZR Racer suit is the world's first bonded bodysuit; thebonded seams help create a smooth and flexible surface. With such unique designs and features, Speedo claims that the LZRRacer swimsuit is four per cent faster in starts, sprints and turnsand has a five per cent better oxygen efficiency. Speedo has alsogotten some help from professional swimmers. Athletes such asMichael Phelps and Natalie Coughlin have assisted Speedo with theadvertising and development of the swimsuit. But it doesn't matter who wears the swimsuit; it comes down towhether the Olympic committee will allow the product to be used inthe Beijing Olympics. Other sports don't have a lot of problemswhen it comes to certain types of gear. However, when it comes toswimming, suits are specifically design to help the performance ofathletes. Speedo took the performance to a next level and may havejust blown any other competition out of the water. Mon, 16 Jun 2008 11:44:00 GMT http://uebtootoo2009.spoonylife.com/a-cottage-industry-in-the-global-market-13457.html Silk Yarn Five and half years ago, a pilot project was launched to sellBhutanese handloom products globally by marketing them online. It was supposed to address the hurdles of relatively disadvantagedwomen in rural areas by bridging the gap between the actual productand its actual value in the international market. Today, the UNDP-funded US$ 206,000 project has wound up. How itfared is not known. Now, a new study has tried to analyse why Bhutanese textiles failedto sell in the global market. Lack of knowledge on how to makeproducts sell internationally has been cited as the main drawback.High cost and poor quality were other factors, according to thestudy, which took two and half months. Everyone says that our textiles are priced too high. But no oneactually knows why its so, said the culture and developmentcoordinator with the United Nations development programme (UNDP),Joseph Lo. The study did a production process and cost detail comparisonbetween Bhutan and Laos, which also has a strong hand weavingculture. Individual weavers, a handicraft company and a weavingcentre in Bhutan were asked to weave a Khaling silk piece. Weaversin Laos were asked to replicate the same. The individual weavers could not get the size right, the weavingcentre got the colour wrong and the handicraft company failed toget the quality right, whereas the pieces from Laos were close tothe original requirement in terms of colour, size and quality. And all the pieces made in Laos are cheaper than the ones made inBhutan, said Joseph Lo. Weaving tools make a huge difference, said a consultant from PhaengMai gallery, Laos, Ms Kongthong Nanthavongdouangsy. Weaving on ahandloom is quicker and also better for the weavers health.Weavers in Laos use handlooms while Bhutanese weavers use backstraplooms. Exploring silks from Bangladesh, China, India and Vietnam forimport, purchase on a wholesale basis, establishing a supply chainfor consistent supply of raw material, using hair shampoo insteadof detergent so that the silk fibre doesnt lose its shine,establish dying centres and upgrading yarn knowledge are some ofthe recommendations of the study. Bhutanese weavers, however, explain the reasons for high costs andlack of uniformity in their products. While importing, itsdifficult to get the same colour of yarns, transportation cost hasto be included and, if weavers are paid on an hourly basis, theydbe earning less than what they earn now, said the owner of aweaving centre that employs about 20 weavers, Kezang Lhendup. How much will you pay an hour if weavers can only weave aboutthree inches in that time? asks Kezang Lhendup. If we reduce theprice of our textiles, weavers would run into loss. UNDPs project fact sheet called Blending Traditional Crafts andInformation Technology to Benefit Rural Women, August 2007 statesthat, although the current environment was not found to beconducive for introducing e-business in Bhutan, the project wasable to achieve market access for handicrafts through thedevelopment of an interactive website at the Handicrafts Emporiumin Thimphu. It also stated that 45 rural weavers from Khoma and Radhi ineastern Bhutan were trained in combining traditional designs withcontemporary ones to suit market demands, and a yarn bank, wascreated to assist rural weavers to overcome problems in purchasingyarns. But the marketing officer at the handicrafts emporium, ThinleyJamtsho, said that they are still working on the interactivewebsite. We had some technical problem and didnt have ITpersonnel to work on the website. He said that, though creating a yarn bank was discussed duringmeetings, it has not taken off yet. The project was executed by thethen trade and industry ministry. Mon, 16 Jun 2008 11:44:00 GMT http://uebtootoo2009.spoonylife.com/performance-apparel-markets-product-developments-and-innovations-13456.html Anti-Static Fabric Performance Apparel Markets: Product Developments and Innovations,1st Quarter 2008 DUBLIN, Ireland--( BUSINESS WIRE )--Research and Markets ( http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/c93562 ) has announced the addition of " Performance Apparel Markets: Product Developments and Innovations,1st Quarter 2008 " to their offering. Italy-based Klopman International has launched a fabric, brandedCrossfire, which combines permanent inherent flame resistance withantistatic properties and protection from liquid chemical splash. Crossfire has a weight of 245 g/m 2 and is designed to provideprotection for workers in a wide range of applications, includingthe petrochemical industries and utilities. The fabric comprises99% Kermel flame resistant fibre and 1% antistatic fibre, and istreated with Klopman ' s Hydrofoil liquid chemical splash resistant finish. This finishprotects the fabric from being damaged by most chemical agents andalso helps to reduce soiling. FABRICS AND MEMBRANES FOR PERFORMANCE APPAREL Klopman has launched a new high performance flame resistant fabriccalled crossfire FOOTWEAR Marvel has teamed up with Reebok to launch an exclusive collectionof children's footwear NANOTECHNOLOGY Nanohorizons and Piedmont Chemical Industries have agreed toproduce SmartSilver antimicrobial and moisture management additivesfor textile fabrics SPORTS APPAREL Calvin Klein and G-III Apparel Group have teamed up to launch a newline of women's performance apparel New Balance has launched a new range of functional running apparel Speedo has launched a new swimsuit Speedo has launched limited edition swimwear to promote World SwimAgainst Malaria 2008 SPORTS FOOTWEAR Nike has launched a new basketball shoe which is made frommanufacturing waste Nike's Jordan brand has launched a new environmentally-friendlybasketball shoe SPORTSWEAR Nike has launched Nike SPARQ Training comprising a trainingprogramme, footwear, apparel and equipment For more information, visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/c93562 Mon, 16 Jun 2008 11:43:00 GMT http://uebtootoo2009.spoonylife.com/nalco-to-raise-prices-for-all-industries-in-asia-pacific-area-13455.html Industries Raw Materia lSINGAPORE, June 12, 2008 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- Nalco Company(NYSE:NLC) today announced price increases on a broad range ofchemical products for its Asia Pacific customers across its threemajor Divisions. Most increases will range from 7 to 30 percent,depending on the products' exposure to rising raw material, energyand transportation costs. In a few cases, as in products containingphosphate-derived raw materials, price increases well in excess of30 percent may apply. The price increases are driven by significantly increased energyand raw material costs, tightening availability of some rawmaterials, and rising freight costs. Increases in these areas arewell above the levels that Nalco is able to offset through itsongoing productivity improvement efforts, making price adjustmentsnecessary. Nalco's Account Managers will contact individual customers todiscuss these increases. About Nalco Nalco is the world's leading water treatment and processimprovement company, delivering significant environmental, socialand economic performance benefits to our customers. We help ourcustomers reduce energy, water and other natural resourceconsumption, enhance air quality, minimize environmental releasesand improve productivity and end products while boosting the bottomline. Together our comprehensive solutions contribute to thesustainable development of customer operations. More than 11,500Nalco employees operate in 130 countries supported by acomprehensive network of manufacturing facilities, sales officesand research centers to serve a broad range of end markets. In2007, Nalco achieved sales of more than $3.9 billion. For moreinformation visit www.nalco.com. The Nalco Company logo is available athttp://www.primenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=1135 This news release includes forward-looking statements, reflectingcurrent analysis and expectations, based on what are believed to bereasonable assumptions. Forward-looking statements may involveknown and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which maycause the actual results to differ materially from those projected,stated or implied, depending on many factors, including, withoutlimitation: ability to generate cash, ability to raise capital,ability to refinance, the result of the pursuit of strategicalternatives, ability to execute work process redesign and reducecosts, ability to execute price increases, business climate,business performance, economic and competitive uncertainties,higher manufacturing costs, reduced level of customer orders,changes in strategies, risks in developing new products andtechnologies, environmental and safety regulations and clean-upcosts, foreign exchange rates, the impact of changes in theregulation or value of pension fund assets and liabilities, changesin generally accepted accounting principles, adverse legal andregulatory developments, including increases in the number orfinancial exposures of claims, lawsuits, settlements or judgments,or the inability to eliminate or reduce such financial exposures bycollecting indemnity payments from insurers, the impact ofincreased accruals and reserves for such exposures, weather-relatedfactors, and adverse changes in economic and political climatesaround the world, including terrorism and internationalhostilities, and other risk factors identified by the Company.Accordingly, there can be no assurance that the Company will meetfuture results, performance or achievements expressed or implied bysuch forward-looking statements. This paragraph is included toprovide safe harbor for forward-looking statements, which are notgenerally required to be publicly revised as circumstances change,and which the Company does not intend to update. Mon, 16 Jun 2008 11:43:00 GMT http://uebtootoo2009.spoonylife.com/breast-cancer-researchers-discover-genomic-treatment-tool-13454.html Determining the genetic profile of a breast tumor is the best way to develop a better treatment tool to predict prognosis and guide treatment choices, a Duke University study found. "This treatment tool is to treat patients on a more individualized basis, matching the right drugs with the right patients," Dr. Anil Potti, an oncologist and researcher in the Duke Comprehensive Cancer Center and Duke's Institute for Genome Sciences et Policy, said in a prepared statement. "The combination of these two methods into one treatment tool, one of which uses the clinical description of a patient's breast cancer and the other which looks at the gene expression at a molecular level in a patient's tumor, may allow us to do that with unprecedented accuracy. This represents a robust approach to personalizing treatment tool strategies in patients suffering from breast cancer," Potti said. The team tested the treatment tool by examining almost 1,000 breast tumors and corresponding patient data and used a computerized system called Adjuvant! to assess clinical characteristics and make predictions of recurrence. The researchers then compared gene expression in the tumor samples and were able to identify specific genomic patterns among patients with aggressive cancers and those with cancers less likely to recur. "We knew from previous studies that Adjuvant! tends to overestimate disease recurrence in younger patients. We hypothesized that genomic profiling could be a complementary treatment tool that would more precisely define clinical outcomes and could also help to aid in selecting the right drug for a given patient," Potti said. Not only did their treatment tool identify patients at high risk for cancer recurrence, it specified the degree of that risk. For example, they could predict that a patient had a 90 percent risk of recurrence. "This is important, because with this data, we might decide to treat this person more aggressively even than someone else who is considered 'high risk' but may have only a 60 percent likelihood of recurrence," Potti said. "Moreover, we can identify specific options for chemotherapy in such patients as well, by correlating gene expression in a tumor with its response, or non-response, to certain chemotherapies." Mon, 16 Jun 2008 11:42:00 GMT http://uebtootoo2009.spoonylife.com/fuel-cell-firm-arrives-in-willoughby-ohio-12449.html bipolar plate Source:Brandon C. Baker(The News-Herald - McClatchy-TribuneInformation Services viia COMTEX) A component supplier in a burgeoning industry announced Tuesday thatit is leaving sunny California to call Northeast Ohio its new home. Pacific Fuel Cell Corp. held a news conference Tuesday to detailthe move of its Tustin, Calif., headquarters to 4413 Hamann Parkwayin Willoughby. The fuel cell component manufacturer's productionplant had been housed at that location since early 2007. "In California, we can't find the work force that understands aboutthe engineering that goes into this kind of product," PacificPresident George Suzuki said of components the company makes forproducers of fuel cells that can be used in cell phones, laptopcomputers, digital cameras, power tools, and both stationary andportable power generators. "Ohio's the only one that has all the tooling, equipment or thework force, so that's why we're here." The announcement came about four months after Pacific moved itsRiverside, Calif.-based membrane electrode assembly research anddevelopment facility to Hamann Parkway. Suzuki said that movesignified the shift from MEA nanotechnology research to aproduction phase. Initially, the move to Willoughby won't come with the glut of jobssome might associate with the relocation of a company headquarters.As a production plant, Pacific employed about 12 workers, Suzukisaid. For at least the next month or two, it will keep that amount beforeadding more employees, along with second and third shifts. Suzukisaid he hopes to have up to 100 workers within five years. Suzuki said the company had been in contact with some stateofficials regarding tax incentives to relocate Pacific here. He hasnot solidified them yet, but said he didn't want that to delay thecompany's move by waiting on any confirmations. "This is an up-and-coming company and an up-and-coming technology,so we're excited," Willoughby Mayor David Anderson said. "You don'thave to look further than the corner gas station to see theimportance of fuel cells." To that point, Pacific produces a graphite-based bipolar platecomponent suitable for small vehicles like forklifts, but officialsare confident that more cars could use them as research and thetechnology continue to develop in the future. Suzuki also said the company has talked with Virginia-based PemeryCorp., which has a Painesville facility, about providing componentsfor the fuel cells that company is producing for U.S. military"smart" munitions, which cannot operate with current batterytechnologies. Fri, 13 Jun 2008 16:28:00 GMT