Jun 20, 2008
Home Furnishings Retailer Inks Deal in China
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Home Furniture Furniture Brands International, also known as ThomasvilleFurniture, signed a lease for 26,400 square feet at 1602-1620 Park370 Court in Hazelwood, MO. The furniture retailer will use the space for its Midwestdistribution center beginning in November. The industrial propertywas constructed in 2006 and totals 216,000 square feet on 16.4acres. Dan Merlo and Dan Dokovic of Sansone Group represented the tenant,while Brian Busch with CBRE represented the landlord, Thieman RealEstate.
Tax Incentives Depend On Jobs Furniture Company Will Bring
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Kitchen Furniture Catawba County tax incentives would go into effect if the companyfulfills a second expansion phase with construction of a new $12.5million building in the Fairgrove Business Park. The county's firstaward would be $217,345. The second award of $173,875 would begiven if Williams-Sonoma constructs the third phase, a $10 millionbuilding also in the business park. Williams-Sonoma, a retailer with annual revenues of more than $4billion in 600 retail stores, employs more than 38,000 people. Thecompany markets for the kitchen, bath, bedroom, and living roomthrough brands such as Pottery Barn, Williams-Sonoma Home and WestElm. Sutter Street is planning to hire 116 employees this year, 147 in2009, 152 in 2010 and 405 in 2011. The company chose Catawba Countyfor the expansion over Memphis and Pulaski, Va., among other SutterStreet locations. Hickory is considering an incentive of free land in FairgroveBusiness Park, a 75 percent grant for equipment and 65 percent forbuilding construction for five years.
Testing Building Materials Vital for Construction Industry
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Cement & Sand Privately-promoted building projects have born the brunt of thescourge which has to a large extent spared public-works buildingprojects. Lapses of standard and safely rules are arguably moreprevalent in privately-promoted building projects. The lapses inmany cases are a result of lack of professional input by qualifiedand licensed engineers and architects in spite of technicalcomplexity. The works are also let out to incompetent contractors, they areirregularly procured and engaged without basing on known conditionsof contract. Under such scenario, the risks are transferred tounsuspecting gullible private owners. The need for testing construction materials One industry practice that a number of private developers haveignored yet it has dire consequences is that of testingconstruction materials. Most building constructions like sand,cement, aggregates, timber, steel, water and bricks are used tomake concrete, which is the most widely used material ofconstruction the world over. It is Obvious that there werefatalistic lapses in how these materials were specified and appliedin the works at most of the collapsed buildings, whichcoincidentally were all concrete structures. Improving standards and quality in the construction industry startswith how materials are specified, tested and utilised in works soas not to impair the structural integrity of the resultantbuildings. Uganda consumes about 75,000 tonnes of cement a month and thisconsumption is growing at about 8% a year. Concrete is a complexmaterial of construction whose site use should be competently andprofessionally guided and managed for good results. For instance, the right concrete class must be specified basing onthe level of hostility of the environment which requires properselection and testing of the ingredient materials in competentlaboratories to determine quality and relative quantities toproduce concrete of a desired class. Environment considerations Cement, as the main glue used in concrete, must not only beunadulterated but also be of the type that physically andchemically suits the environment at the site of use. For instance,rapid-setting cement may be used in wet environments where there islikelihood of washout of the fresh paste before it sets andhardens, while sulphate-resisting cement may be used where tracesof sulphate is detected in ground water. It is only throughplanning and testing that these quality breaches may be detectedand avoided. Sand for structural concrete use should be approved only on therecommendation of a qualified material engineer basing onlaboratory test results for strength and purity. The minimum valuerequired of these characteristics exist in specifications but needprofessional input for interpretation and guidance. Aggregates have to be tested to establish not only their mechanicalstrength but also their chemical and mineralogical composition soas to predict their likely reaction with the chemicals in cement.Alkali-silica reactivity is a typical phenomenon that afflicts theintimacy of aggregate and cement paste and leads to unsightlycracks that compromise the strength of the building. This appliesto water for making and curing concrete, timber to support theconcrete in fresh form and steel for reinforcement. Without undertaking rigorous material testing, it is nearlyimpossible to predict and assure the performance of the buildingunder construction and service loads. Unfortunately, niggardlyowners of construction sites are complicit in this undesirablepractice all in the name of cutting costs. In building sites wherematerial testing is strenuously practiced, the structural integrityof the buildings is guaranteed. Role of regulatory bodies The Government-owned Central Materials Laboratory at Kirekaprovides material testing services and technical advice forconstruction works. Some higher institutions of learning andprivate contractors also do the same but to varying levels ofsophistication.
United State Oregon Coast Lodgings Offer Specials Gas Cards
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Wood Tub(Oregon Coast) - Exactly how much high gas prices are affectingtravel and tourism on the Oregon coast is a little up in the air asyet. It depends on whom you talk to you. Some are reporting dropsin business; others are not. One big prediction is that those whonormally take long drives through several states won’t bedoing that this year, and instead be traveling to the coast.Seaside and Cannon Beach officials say they normally do well insuch pinches on the travel budget because they’re close tothe metropolitan area of Portland. Keith Chandler, manager of Seaside Aquarium, predicts a banner yearfor the attraction and the town, based on the fact 1977 - with itsgas lines and inflation - was the best year ever for the aquarium. Still, others in Seaside and Cannon Beach may give you lessoptimistic outlooks for what’s happening with their business. In any case, the funk over fuel has many lodgings on the Oregoncoast offering more specials to cajole the tourists –including the coveted gas card. Here's a few that reported back to BeachConnection.net. Cannon Beach Anndrienne's Beach Retreat is a singly owned vacation rental home in Cannon Beach. They areoffering a $100 gas card if you book for the months of either Julyor August. This vacation rental sits behind a well-manicuredgarden, in the Midtown section of Cannon Beach. A spacious beachcottage with three bedrooms, two bathrooms and sleeps six. Twoqueen beds, one queen futon and a double futon. A beautifulwood-burning rock fireplace is the centerpiece to this recentlyremodeled home, done in whites with a very beachy décor,including travertine and fir floors, new carpet and gas heat.It’s four blocks to the beach, on a quarter acre private lotin a quiet neighborhood, and it’s a short walk to severalrestaurants, the gym, liquor store and coffee shops. You’llalso find a small BBQ, full kitchen necessities, cleaning supplies,phone, bedding, washer and dryer, as well as videos and wood forthe beach or the fireplace. TV, VCR and DVD. Cannon Beach, Oregon.(503) 436-1726. www.beachretreat.zoomshare.com Manzanita Manzanita Rental Company is running their special from June through to September. Pay forsix nights and get the seventh for free. “Helps pay for thegas,” said owner Kay Christiansen. The rental agency features more than 70 homes on the beachfront ofManzanita, near the golf course, or up on mysterious NeahkahnieMountain with its fantastic views and legends of buried treasure.They are perfect for an intimate getaway or for large groups.Large, modern homes or classic beach cottages with character mayhave features like hardwood floors, small apartments with separateentry, light knotty wood walls, open beam ceilings, skylights orlots of windows, or perhaps a landscaped yard. Amenities couldinclude: rock fireplace, large deck complete with a hot tub,breakfast bar, woodstove, Jacuzzi tub, gas BBQ, large livingspaces, reading nooks, free DSL, games and books and even a swingset for children. Some pet friendly with a fee. Full kitchens andother features like DVD players, TV, washer, dryer, etc. 686Manzanita Ave. Manzanita, Oregon. 800-579-9801. 503-368-6797. www.manzanitarentals.com Lincoln City A Yellow Rose. This bright and cheery vacation home is going for $195 per nightin June. First five June reservations get a $25 gas card. You get an ocean view with this beauty in Lincoln City – fromthe rooftop, no less. There’s a hot tub and it sleeps ten,with three bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms. The beach is a quick walk,to Lincoln City’s gorgeous, pristine sands. There’s anenormous eating bar, custom dining room, a new open kitchen andplush furnishing, including a leather king bed. The deck has a BBQand a vast view of the ocean, mountains and the town. Each bedroomis uniquely decorated. The master suite has a huge closet, flatscreen TV and a full bath. Pine floors give way to vaultedceilings. There’s a kid’s crayon twin room that hasfour beds a big closet for toys. There are books, movies and gamesto pass the time on the rainy days, along with Internet, unlimitedlong distance, an I-Pod docking clock radio, TIVO and a gasfireplace. Oregon Beach House Rentals: 888-755-7783. www.cottagesbythebeach.com/yellow_rose.htm Liberty Inn is running a midweek special: Sunday through Thursday it’s$85 per night (plus tax). This rate applies to most rooms, includesbreakfast and is based on 1-2 persons. Liberty Inn features an elegant, spacious lobby with a grandiosefireplace. Rooms come with distant views of the Pacific or choose aquiet natural forest view in a peaceful setting. All rooms aredecorated with cherrywood furnishings and a host of otheramenities: refrigerator, microwave, hair dryer, iron w/ ironingboard, writing desk, DVD player, sitting area, cable TV with HBOand complimentary Wi-Fi. Some rooms boast a natural gas fireplace;the hotel also features two suites with an in-room Jacuzzi. Acomplimentary breakfast buffet in the morning features freshBelgian waffles, biscuits, gravy and more. An indoor pool, exerciseroom and spa complete the amenities. The hotel is handicapaccessible, with an elevator and guest laundry. Combine adjoiningrooms to accommodate larger families, and the meeting facilitieshold up to 80 people. A complimentary 24-hour door-to-door shuttleto the casino is provided. 4990 NE Logan Rd. Lincoln City, Oregon.(541) 994-1777. 877-994-1777. www.libertyinn.com . Olivia Beach has two specials running through June. Stay three nights at the “Seaclusion” home and get a$50 gas gift card. Or stay Sunday through Thursday and get threenights for the price of two. Good during June only. Valid oncertain homes, call for details. Olivia Beach, located at the southern end of Lincoln City, is acutting-edge idea in the middle of a coastal forest: apedestrian-friendly community within a community, all within ashort walk to the beach. Five breathtaking beach homes arecurrently open to rent, with more on the way. Parks, green spacesand wetlands in the midst of wooded paths dominate thisfamily-friendly fun spot, also making it prime for biking. Cozy yetclassy homes come with numerous amenities. Some you may findinclude: hot tub, campfire pit, gourmet kitchen, wi-fi, videogames, outdoor shower, granite countertops, wood floors, coveredfront porch, backyard, deck, patio furniture, garage, washer/dryer,dishwasher, fully stocked kitchen, luxury furnishings, outdoorshower and much more. Some pet friendly. At the southern end ofLincoln City. 866-994-7026. www.oliviabeach.com . Depoe Bay Bella Beach . There are three specials running. One: Stay Sunday throughThursday and get three nights for the price of two. Good duringJune only; valid on certain homes, call for details. Two: Stay for$99 a night from Sunday through Thursday in June. Valid on certainhomes; call for details. Stay 3 nights or more and get a $50 gascard (not valid with any other offers). Bella Beach is in an idyllic setting, featuring a charming,stunning collection of homes by the sea. Over 40 upscale homes arefor rent in park-like surroundings, next to the pristine beaches ofthis area just south of Lincoln City. Rustic architectural themesabound, where garages are tucked away behind the buildings andfront porches with a neighborly feel are the emphasis. Peace andquiet is a way of life here, with features like gas fireplaces,wi-fi, wood floors, washer/dryer, luxury furnishings and granitecountertops among the many you’ll find. Bella Beach offers upaccommodations for groups as large as 60, if you happen to have abusiness retreat, wedding or reunion of some sort. Some petfriendly available. Also perfect for intimate, two-person getaways.In Lincoln Beach, between Depoe Bay and Lincoln City. 866-994-7026. www.bellabeach.com . Newport Starfish Point is located in Newport, on a scenic, forested bluff, overlookingthe ocean. There’s even a private walkway to this ratherintriguing stretch of Agate Beach, where you can walk up to thebottom of Yaquina Head. All of the units boast two bedrooms, twobathrooms, designer kitchens, wireless broadband Internet,fireplaces, Jacuzzi’s and private decks - surrounding you insoothing relaxation. There are plenty of interesting and nicetouches, like little candies shaped like starfish. Or there’sthe "Captain's Room" in each unit, allowing you extendedviews of the coastline - while cuddling or relaxing. 140 NW 48thStreet, Newport, Oregon. (541) 265-3751. (800) 870-7795. www.starfishpoint.com
Make sure flooded Wood Material dry before rebuilding
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Wood Material It is vital thatpeople hold off rebuilding after flooding until wood and othermaterials in the home dry out, according to Purdue Universityexperts. Hasty renovation can trap moisture in wood, which may lead torotting and mold growth. "Some people are not letting their houses adequately dry out," saidSteve Cain, Purdue disaster communications specialist. "Rebuildingtoo quickly after a flood can cause continuing problems such asmold growth, insect infestations, and deterioration of the wood andwall coverings." The first step toward rebuilding is removing wall and floorcoverings exposed to flood waters, including sheet rock,insulation, carpeting and possibly linoleum paneling or thesubflooring, said Cain, director of the Extension DisasterEducation Network at Purdue. Next, fans and dehumidifiers may be used to help ventilate wetmaterial and remove moisture from the air, said White CountyExtension Educator Denise Schroeder, who helped Hoosiers recoverfrom winter flooding earlier this year. Submerged wood will absorb a large amount of water, said Kevin Cox,CEO of the Hope Crisis Response Network. If enough moisture istrapped in the wood, mold is likely to grow behind walls and maycause people serious health problems in the near or long-termfuture. "Our concern is about people's health," he said. "We know peoplewant to return their home to normal as quickly as possible, but notif that causes long-term health issues." It may takes weeks to dry out the house, Cain said. Before drywall,paneling or other coverings are put up, wood should have a moisturecontent of less than 15 percent. Do-it-yourselfers may be able toborrow or rent a moisture meter from a hardware store orlumberyard. "For severe flooding, you might want to have a building inspectoror a professional, trustworthy contractor inspect the wood beforerebuilding," said Kristi Price, Bartholomew County Extensioneducator. Ventilation is usually the best way to dry things out, Cain said.He advised people to provide an entrance and exhaust opening forair to promote cross-ventilation. He also suggested facing fans outof doors or windows before sealing the rest of the opening, therebycreating a vacuum to more effectively move air. Dehumidifiers also help dry out homes. At optimal conditions, mostresidential models will remove one to two pints of water per hourfrom the air, he said. "We just need to get the word out that people need to slow down onactual repairs that may trap moisture in their houses," Cox said."Actions now should be focused on cleaning and drying out thehome." For more information, read the Purdue Extension publication, "FirstSteps to Flood Recovery," or visit http://www.extension.purdue.edu/floodpub/
Building a wood cabin can sometimes be tricky
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Wooden Basin particularly if it is in a scheme of similar looking properties. Finding Annette Pyne-Carter’s house is a breeze because atthe bottom of her driveway is one of Dingwall’s best knownlandmarks – the Castle Doocot. “It is Dingwall’s answer to the leaning tower of Pisabecause it sits at a slight angle and everyone knows it,”said Annette. The doocot, or dovecot, is thought to have been built from stonesfrom the castle which once sat at the end of the street – andwas said to have been the birthplace of Macbeth in 1010. By comparison, Annette’s house, 25 Castle Street, is a muchmore modern building as it dates back to the late-1800s, a timewhen well heeled Victorians were building magnificent houses whichthey felt matched their upwardly mobile status in life. This house, originally built for the town surgeon, is a primeexample of Victorian splendour and is something of a showcase forthe elegance of the era. “When we first came to view the house, the first thing thatstruck us was that we were terribly lucky to find a Victorian housewhich hadn’t really been altered,” said Annette, whohails from Dorset. “The house has lots of pitch-pine doors, skirtings, intricatecornicing, original and stained-glass windows and a beautifulsweeping staircase. “Unlike a lot of properties from this era, none of thewoodwork had been painted over, so we didn’t have to gothrough the stress and hassle of renovating it to its originalglory.” During her eight-year stay, Annette has made some changes,including upgrading the heating system, revamping the kitchen andbathrooms and installing secondary glazing. “We were quite keen to upgrade the house without losing thefeel of the house, so we have tried to keep changes as close to theoriginal as possible,” explained Annette. “For example, we chose secondary glazing rather than have newuPVC windows fitted as the original timber windows are lovely andcan be maintained quite easily.” The house sits on a large site, stretching to almost an acre ofland. A sweeping gravel driveway with a central turning area leadsto an arched porch sheltering the pretty front door. The ground-floor accommodation includes an entrance vestibule withmosaic tiled floor, dado rail and partly stained-glass door. Thisleads to the main reception hall, which has a lovely woodenstaircase and sparkling Venetian glass chandelier. Public rooms include a dual-aspect drawing room and a triple-aspectdining-room with a wood-panelled window and a serving hatch to abutler’s pantry – a nice flashback to how the otherhalf lived. A further vestibule leads to the rest of the ground-flooraccommodation, which includes a bedroom which was once used as thedoctor’s surgery, and a shower-room. The large L-shaped kitchen is divided into two areas by a breakfastbar. The kitchen area is fitted with floor and wall units and hasan integral gas cooker with hob and extractor hood, and plumbingfor a washing machine and dishwasher. The sitting or family area of the room has partly panelled walls todado height, bookshelves and a cosy wood-burning stove. The butler’s pantry is fitted with floor and wall cupboardsand open shelving, making it an ideal storage space and a veryhandy place from which to serve food to those attending a dinnerparty. To the rear of the house is an annexe which comprises two bedrooms,currently used as a workshop and store, a sitting room, which isbeing used as an office, and a bathroom. Returning to the main hall, the wide staircase leads to a galleriedlanding. From here, there is access to a further four bedrooms, twoof which have large en-suite bathrooms. There is also a largefamily bathroom with a bath with hand-shower attachment, wash-handbasin, WC and bidet. Outbuildings include a boiler room and timber garage with a usefulinspection hatch, and a garden store. The sheltered gardens, which are looking pristine thanks to therecent spell of warm weather, are planted with a delicious mixtureof deciduous and coniferous trees, fruit trees, shrubs, plants andseasonal flowers. Nestled between the north and east walls of the house is aCaithness flagstone terrace, a particularly fragrant place to sitas the house walls here are clad in roses and clematis.
Damaging Fire Can't Keep Marble Slabs Division
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marble slabs Clemmer said the company will rebuild its showroom in the front,demolish the old accounting and sales office and put customerparking in its place and move much of the slab yard to the frontfor better viewing. He said the company might also move themanufacturing facility for its GraniteLoc product under roof atGranite Division to increase productivity and efficiency.
Restoration of 1200-year-old temple to begin soon
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granite slab Restoration and conservation of a 1,200-year old Sivatemple called Kailasanatha temple built by the Pallava kingDantivarman at Uttaramerur in Tamil Nadu’s Kancheepuramdistrict is all set to begin. The “bhoomi puja” for the restoration will be done onJune 3. The beautiful temple, which has inscriptions in Tamil ofthe Chola kings Raja Raja Chola and his son Rajendra Chola, theVijayanagara king Krishnadevaraya and the Nayaka rulers BommuNayaka and Krishnama Nayaka, is in ruins today. A non-governmentalorganisation called REACH Foundation will undertake therestoration. The challenge T. Satyamurthy, a founder of REACH Foundation and B. Narasimhaiah,its consultant, visited the temple on Saturday (May 31) and helddiscussions on how to go about the restoration. “Thechallenge is to make the temple stand for a long time with itsoriginal splendour,” they said. Both retired asSuperintending Archaeologists, Archaeological Survey of India. Therestoration would be done with the cooperation of local residents,who were enthusiastic about it. The Kailasanatha temple was built towards the end of the 8thcentury. While its base was made of granite slabs, the templeproper and its vimana were built with bricks. It has three storeyswith sanctum sanctorums on the ground, first and second floors. Butonly the sanctum sanctorum on the ground floor has a beautifulSivalinga now, which is still being worshipped. R. Nagaswamy, former Director, Tamil Nadu Department ofArchaeology, who has written a book called Uttaramerur in both Tamil and English, calls this “a great temple, aMahaprasada,” as “seen from the constructiontechnique.” The book has been published by Tamil ArtsAcademy, Chennai. According to Dr. Nagaswamy, the main temple isbuilt with two walls, the inner and outer, with an interveningspace (technically called ‘sandhara’) over which risesthe vimana superstructure. “The Chola records call thistemple ‘Sri Kailayam Udaiya Mahadeva’ and refer to thegift of lands for puja, food offering (naivedya) and burningperpetual lamps,” he says. There is also an inscription ofKrishnadevaraya. This temple, thus suffused with history, presents a patheticpicture now. Dense vegetation over the vimana has dislocated itsbrick structure. Beautiful stucco figures, which adorned thevimana, are no longer there. Granite slabs of the base have movedfrom their position. The vegetation’s deep roots have sprunglong cracks in the brick walls around the sanctum sanctorum. On thenorthern side, the crack is three-foot wide. The front mantapa,made of granite slabs and built by the Chola kings, has totallycollapsed. Dr. Satyamurthy said: “To save this temple from furthercollapse and preserve it, the cracks have to be stitched with thesame type of bricks. Besides, the lower portion of the brickstructure should be made to stand on granite slabs. The vimana,built of bricks, will be made to stand on granite slabs. These newgranite slabs will bear the weight of the vimana and alsodistribute its weight uniformly. In short, it is transplantation ofthe vimana in situ.” Dr. Narasimhaiah said it was easier to conserve temples built ofstones than those built of bricks. “If vegetation hasdislocated the stones, they can be dismantled and re-assembled. Butbricks become brittle. So you have to stitch the joints and cracks,and ensure that the roots do not remain in the brick work,”he explained. The collapsed front mantapa would be re-assembled. Uttaramerur is also known for its Sundara Varadaraja Perumal templebuilt by the Pallava and Chola kings, and Krishnadevaraya. It hassanctum sanctorums in three tiers of standing, sitting andreclining Vishnu. Uttaramerur is the only village with a written constitution,inscribed on the granite slab-walls of the village assembly. Dr. Nagaswamy says: “This inscription, dated around 920 A.D.in the reign of Parantaka Chola, is an outstanding document in thehistory of India. It gives astonishing details about theconstitution of wards, the qualification of candidates standing forelections, the disqualification [norms], the mode of election, theconstitution of committees with elected members, the functions ofcommittees, the power to remove the wrong-doer, etc.”
Russia Round timber wood price reduction averaged to 15% in May
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timber wood Round timber price reduction averaged to 15% in Russia in May 17/06/2008 - 13:14 The offer still exceeds demand , Lesprom Network's Analytical service reported in the monthly woodbased panel prices survey. The average price for 1 m3 of 4?6m long sawlog from softwood (pine, fir tree)16?30 cm in diameter amounted 1.5% up against April; 1m3 of3?6m long sawlog from hardwood (birch) 16?30 cm in diameter 20%down against last month; 1m3 of 4m long pulpwood from fir tree6?16cm in diameter (grades 1, 2, 3) cost 18% down against April.The price o 1m3 of 4m long pulpwood from (ordinary) pine 6?16cmin diameter (grades 1, 2, 3) was 23% down against last month; 1m3of 6m long pulpwood from hardwood (birch) 6?16cm in diameter(grades 1, 2, 3) dropped 13% down against April. Average price gapbetween manufacturers and traders amounted to 20% in the pulpwoodsegment and 16% in the sawlog segment in May (against 17.6% and 9%,respectively). The prices listed in the review may vary dependingon volume of delivery product destination. The general situation in the spot market of round timber isunfavorable unstable. Offer still exceeds demand in May. It isimportant to note that this situation does not affect largemanufacturers working with constant suppliers and concludinglong-term contracts. Small companies working for export areespecially sensitive to the situation. Increased duties haveaggravated the problem of Russia being unprepared to process theentire volume of logged wood. The situation has affected Europeancountries too. EU cannot agree to an increase of the raw woodexport duty by Russia, said Chairman of the European CommissionJose Manuel Barroso. Barroso said that interests of a number of EUcountries with developed wood processing industry, in particular,Finland may suffer from this increase. Barroso said that thissituation is unacceptable. It is at variance with agreements withRussia. The European Union considers excessive the dutiesestablished by Russia on export of raw wood. However, not entireEurope has a similar attitude to the increase of duties. So, forexample, Austria, which itself is a supplier in the world markets,benefits from this situation. Countries buying wood from Russia are increasing volumes ofpurchases at current prices, on the one hand, and are looking fornew suppliers, on the other. So, for example, Finland is activelyswitching to German round timber exporters. Trends of the lastmonth remained in the pulpwood market. The average cost of pulpwood dropped by 18% in May. Sawlog prices are still falling, and the difference between sawlog priceand pulpwood price is promptly decreasing. It is due to decreasingdemand for Russian raw materials and additional supply of goods byCanada and Scandinavia, caused by a crisis in the USA. The averagesawlog price dropped by 15% in Russia in May (due to hard pulpwoodprice reduction by 20% on the average). (Lesprom) Send this article to a friend
Appeal for information to supermarket robbery
Posted by : tootooMen Bomber Jacket out in Seghill around 5.45am. The men stole around ￡7,000 worth of cigarettes after breakinginto the supermarket by using a metal drain cover to smash the doorglass. No-one was hurt during the raid although staff were left shocked. One man, a 40-year-old from the Blyth area, has since been arrestedin connection with the robbery and bailed pending furtherenquiries. The first robber is described as white, approx 5'9" tall, mediumbuild, spoke with a local but not Geordie accent with a youngvoice. He wore black clothing, possibly a bomber style black jacketand a full balaclava and black gloves. The second man is white, approx 5'6" tall, medium build. He didn'tspeak. He wore a brown jacket and a full balaclava and gloves. Anyone with any information should contact Northumbria Police on03456
Jun 19, 2008
Appreciation of the RMB impose highlighted pressure on China's textile export
Posted by : tootooThe continuing appreciation of the RMB has put increased pressure on China's textile & garment industry. The exchange rate for the RMB against the U.S. dollar broke through the 6.94, 6.93, 6.92 and 6.91 barriers triumphantly during eight trading days in June and was fast approaching 6.90 by June 12. In the first five months of this year, China’s total export of textile and apparel reached 66.157 billion U.S. dollars, increasing by 15.4 per cent compared with the same period of last year, in which the export of textile was $26.067 billion, expanding 26.2% and the export of apparel & clothing Annex was $40.09 billion, up by 9.3 per cent year-on-year, which was 9 per cent lower than last year’s growth rate however, and less than the national average as well. Statistically，Tootoo.com analyses, the first five month’s 26.3% growth rate has been higher than the 20.94% average annual increase level, however, the garment export growth has continued to slow down. Apparel exports went up by 8.46 percent in April, the lowest increase of the past five years, refreshed by the 1.08 percent record in May. The sharp slowdown in the garment export increase also dragged the overall textile & garment export growth. Therefore the textile industry has been depressed, looking forward to the Lifeboat Policy. In fact, the textile and garment export has low endure to the appreciation of the RMB. "Research Report on Impact of RMB Appreciation on China's Export Enterprises", published by China Banking Research Center of the Central University of Finance and Economics, indicated that with the rapid appreciation of the RMB and the deteriorating external environment, China's export enterprises will face enormous challenges. Less than 30 percent of the export enterprises can put up with a 4 percent appreciation or more, and moreover, 44.5 percent of Manufacturing industries on textile, apparel, shoes and hats can put up with an appreciation less than 2%，none of whom left when it comes to 6%. Nevertheless, the appreciation of the RMB against the U.S. dollar rate has been more than 4 percent during the first three months this year. The good news is that the relevant ministries are considering introducing a series of favorable policies to support the textile and garment industry in distress, which caused dispute though. The supporters stated that enterprises deserved a buffer period for the adjustment and upgrading, while the opponents were worried that the increased tax rebate rat and other support policies would protect a large number of low-level corporations and lead the industry's painful adjustment, started two years ago, down the drain. Under dispute, the support policy may not necessarily be carried out. What's more, were the support policy to be implemented, it is still unclear how effective it would turn out to be.
Buyers Guide for buying Jerseys in Summer
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mesh for garment Yes, it's finally that time of year: summer is here in all itsglory. Well, almost, at the time of writing. The best aspect of thesummer is being able to leave all your winter layers in thewardrobe and just pull on a pair of bib shorts and a summer jersey. A summer jersey's task is a simple one: keep you cool and dry onlong hot summer days; look stylish; provide some stowage space viarear pockets and give you an aerodynamic edge. As with most things though, there's a bewildering range of choice,so RCUK has pulled together some top tips on what to look for whenyou're buying a jersey, so you can make an informed choice. Fit How a jersey fits is a personal choice, but ideally a jersey thathugs the contours of your body is optimal for removing sweat fromyour skin and to avoid excess flappage at speed. Jerseys come inmany different cuts and sizes, with some opting for more 'panels'in the aim of achieving a closer fit while others employ stretchyfabrics to the same effect. Materials The main aim of a jersey is to keep you cool, so a material thatbreathes adequately and moves sweat away from the skin whilestaying dry in even the hottest conditions is a must. There's ahuge choice of man-made and natural materials, and combinations ofboth, to choose from. Whatever the fabric though, what you'relooking for is one that wicks sweat effectively, removing moisturefrom the skin to keep you feeling dry. Man-made synthetic fabrics are the mainstay of summer jerseys, butnatural materials - basically types of wool - are also goodchoices. Naturally sourced materials such as Merino wool havedeveloped a lot in recent years with many improvements anddevelopments leading to Merino wool being a good choice, even onhot days. Features Numerous features are available but first decide what you actuallyneed from your jersey. Three rear-mounted pockets are the norm, butsome offer more stowage space then others. You might want to lookfor a zipped pocket for keeping your house keys or other valuableitems safe. You'll definitely want a jersey with an extended lowerback to keep your lumbar region covered when crouched over thehandlebars, and here an elasticated waist with silicone gripperscan provide a better fit. Zip lengths different greatly, with full-length zippers makingpulling the garment on and off easy and also providing the bestventilation, at the cost of a less snug fit around the stomach.Mesh panels, typically at the sides or around the back, can furtheraid cooling on extremely hot days. For commuting or riding on busyroads at dusk, neatly concealed reflective panels and piping canboost visibility.
Buyers Guide for buying Jerseys in Summer
Posted by : tootoo
mesh for garment Yes, it's finally that time of year: summer is here in all itsglory. Well, almost, at the time of writing. The best aspect of thesummer is being able to leave all your winter layers in thewardrobe and just pull on a pair of bib shorts and a summer jersey. A summer jersey's task is a simple one: keep you cool and dry onlong hot summer days; look stylish; provide some stowage space viarear pockets and give you an aerodynamic edge. As with most things though, there's a bewildering range of choice,so RCUK has pulled together some top tips on what to look for whenyou're buying a jersey, so you can make an informed choice. Fit How a jersey fits is a personal choice, but ideally a jersey thathugs the contours of your body is optimal for removing sweat fromyour skin and to avoid excess flappage at speed. Jerseys come inmany different cuts and sizes, with some opting for more 'panels'in the aim of achieving a closer fit while others employ stretchyfabrics to the same effect. Materials The main aim of a jersey is to keep you cool, so a material thatbreathes adequately and moves sweat away from the skin whilestaying dry in even the hottest conditions is a must. There's ahuge choice of man-made and natural materials, and combinations ofboth, to choose from. Whatever the fabric though, what you'relooking for is one that wicks sweat effectively, removing moisturefrom the skin to keep you feeling dry. Man-made synthetic fabrics are the mainstay of summer jerseys, butnatural materials - basically types of wool - are also goodchoices. Naturally sourced materials such as Merino wool havedeveloped a lot in recent years with many improvements anddevelopments leading to Merino wool being a good choice, even onhot days. Features Numerous features are available but first decide what you actuallyneed from your jersey. Three rear-mounted pockets are the norm, butsome offer more stowage space then others. You might want to lookfor a zipped pocket for keeping your house keys or other valuableitems safe. You'll definitely want a jersey with an extended lowerback to keep your lumbar region covered when crouched over thehandlebars, and here an elasticated waist with silicone gripperscan provide a better fit. Zip lengths different greatly, with full-length zippers makingpulling the garment on and off easy and also providing the bestventilation, at the cost of a less snug fit around the stomach.Mesh panels, typically at the sides or around the back, can furtheraid cooling on extremely hot days. For commuting or riding on busyroads at dusk, neatly concealed reflective panels and piping canboost visibility.
Hasbro Elevates Global Brands to New Heights
Posted by : tootoo
fashions and apparel The Entertainment and Licensing division of Hasbro, Inc. (NYSE:HAS) will arrive at Licensing 2008 International with new,ground-breaking licensing programs supporting global powerhousebrands such as G.I. JOE, TRANSFORMERS, TRIVIAL PURSUIT, LITTLESTPET SHOP and NERF across a variety of licensing categories with afocus on entertainment, fashion and sports as well as the firstdigital offerings coming out of Hasbro ’ s strategic licensing agreement with Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:ERTS). In addition, Hasbro will showcase innovative licensingprograms built around its deep portfolio of coveted brandsincluding MY LITTLE PONY, TONKA, PLAYSKOOL and MONOPOLY at theannual show on June 10-12 at the Javits Convention Center in NewYork City. “ Hasbro is pioneering the trend to extend classic and modern toy andboard game properties to the entertainment sector, ” said Lisa Licht, general manager, Entertainment and Licensing,Hasbro. “ We are striking global, multi-year deals that allow our brands tolive in worlds where consumers kick back, play and relax withmovies, television, video games as well as sports. We ’ re also continuing to see an incredible demand for expressivefashion that helps define who you are, particularly in the area ofgraphic tees. Licensees and retailers alike have recognized thatHasbro ’ s unrivaled portfolio of properties provides the ultimate one-stopshopping solution to consumers ’ insatiable appetite for pop culture infused apparel. ” TRANSFORMERS: EVEN MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE IN 2009 TRANSFORMERS has become a global phenomenon inspiring comic books,video games, animated series, films and a convention dedicated toTRANSFORMERS collectors. Fans of all ages are fascinated by thealien robots from CYBERTRON that live on earth as “ Robots in Disguise ” and have the ability to change from robot mode to vehicle mode. Excitement is already building for the next movie – TRANSFORMERS: REVENGE OF THE FALLEN -- from DreamWorks Picturesand Paramount Pictures, due to hit theaters on June 26, 2009. Witha cast of more than 250 licensees in 70 countries supporting thefirst blockbuster film release in 2007, Hasbro continues to expandthe lineup of TRANSFORMERS licensed products that will come tomarket around the globe in conjunction with next year ’ s movie release. Shifting gears to TRANSFORMERS ANIMATED, Hasbro is set to deliver awide variety of licensed products supporting this brand in 2008starting with an animated television programming series calledTRANSFORMERS ANIMATED being jointly developed by Cartoon Networkand Hasbro and co-produced by Cartoon Network Studios. ParamountHome Entertainment is also on board to release two TRANSFORMERSANIMATED home DVDs this summer. Rounding out the TRANSFORMERS ANIMATED adventure is a just-releasedseries of four titles from HarperCollins and pending publishingdeals with Titan Publishing Group in the UK and Hemma in France.IDW will also release four digest-sized comic books targeting theyounger audience and American Greetings will develop both stickersand greeting cards to ship this fall. In addition, Hasbro has signed and extended more than 30 U.S. andinternational deals for TRANSFORMERS ANIMATED apparel and footwear.Licensees including AME, Kids Headquarters and Fruit of the Loomwill deliver a wide array of apparel to market in the U.S. just intime for back-to-school while licensees like Adventure Diffusion,Blues Clothing and Cooneen Textiles will bring to market highlystylized fashions throughout France, Italy, Ireland and the Nordicregion. Plans call for European print and publishing licensees to release arange of stationery, posters, books, party goods and gifts andgreeting cards across multiple countries, including France and theUK. Hasbro also has agreements in principle pending contract orsigned licenses with companies including Alpa, Pyramid Posters (UK)and Gemma International (UK). Under pending deals, Editions Hemmawould create a publishing program for France, and Durabo wouldbring out gifts and stationery for the Benelux countries. Hasbro has agreements in principle under pending contracts forTRANSFORMERS domestic and houseware products to be sold acrossEurope as well as in Greece and Israel, as well as other keymarkets. G.I. JOE: JOIN THE HEROES OF TOMORROW...TODAY Hasbro is enlisting licensees around the globe to rally behind oneof the greatest boys properties of all time – G.I. JOE. With the live-action G.I. JOE movie from ParamountPictures, in association with Hasbro, due out August 7, 2009,several major licensing deals have already been signed and manymore are underway to bring fans a wide selection of “ everything G.I. JOE. ” Leading the publishing charge is IDW which will create anaction-packed comic book series. IDW also has the rights to graphicnovels. Under other pending deals, licensees will bring a number ofG.I. JOE goods to market including graphic t-shirts, boys apparel,footwear, video games, electronics, children ’ s books, paper goods, room d é cor, social expressions, bikes, skateboards, and camping andfishing gear. NERF: BRING YOUR “ A GAME ” OR STAY HOME As NERF approaches its 40 th anniversary next year, the brand continues to deliveraction-packed fun from innovative footballs to tactical dartblasters for generations of energetic kids. This year ’ s licensing program will put NERF center field with the goal ofbuilding a winning global lifestyle sports property in 2008 andbeyond. Fueled by the new look-and-feel of the brand which blendsaction, sports and edge, licensees have stepped up to the line tocreate incredibly fresh and hip products that scream “ It ’ s NERF or Nothin ’ . ” Leading the momentum of the NERF licensing program will be theapparel line, particularly in the area of graphic t-shirts. FortuneFashions will roll out cool and stylish tees for tween boys thissummer with plans to broaden the assortment to include an array ofother items such as hoodies and track pants in a multitude ofcolors and styles. Elan-Polo has also just released NERF-brandedsports sandals bundled with a NERF ball – true inspiration to get kids up and moving. For those who seek the ultimate immersive NERF experience,Electronic Arts (EA) is developing the first interactive NERF “ N-STRIKE ” video game bundle for the Wii ? . Based on the NERF N-STRIKE toy line, players will blast their waythrough action-packed battles in single or multiplayer modes. TheNERF SWITCH SHOT EX-3 add-on accessory, the first ever 2-in-1 toyand game peripheral, will be included in the bundle and allowplayers to convert a real Dart Blaster into a Wii Blastercontroller, further immersing fans into the ultimate virtual NERFexperience. Performance Designed Products is also on deck to amp up the digitalshowdown with an expanded line of NERF-molded video gameaccessories. Sold under the Pelican brand name, the NERF SportsPack (tennis racket, golf club and baseball bat), NERF WirelessController, NERF skins and NERF DS Case are already hugely popularamong gamers. Under pending contract, Promotional Partners Worldwide will boostadrenaline levels in sports fans allowing armchair quarterbacks tofire off their own winning touchdown pass and hoopsters to sink athree-pointer at the buzzer with NERF-branded footballs andbasketballs emblazoned with logos of their favorite college teams. Ripping a page from the NERF playbook, the Entertainment andLicensing team will continue to ink deals that will deliverinnovative “ permission to play ” lifestyle products to consumers. Currently, there are pendingagreements to create products in the categories of sports,publishing, electronics, seasonal, room d é cor, novelty and accessories. LITTLEST PET SHOP: IT KEEPS GETTING BIGGER AND BIGGER The lifestyle-focused licensing program behind LITTLEST PET SHOP,the fastest growing brand among girls according to dollar sales, iscontinuing to grow “ paw over tail ” with more than 160 deals signed across all categories worldwide.To say that girls just can ’ t get enough of LITTLEST PET SHOP would be an understatement.Hasbro has expanded its roster of licensees across all categoriesand girls can expect to be wowed with the lineup of new productsdue to hit retail shelves this year. As an extension to the LITTLEST PET SHOP toy line, digital licenseeEA will bring the magic of the property to life this fall with aseries of video games for the Wii and Nintendo DS ? as well as the PC. Based on the platform, the interactiveexperience will allow girls to engage with 20-30 of the mostpopular pets in the collection by exploring three unique worlds,playing mini games, earning accessories and enjoying playsets fromthe 2008 toy line. The LITTLEST PET SHOP apparel and accessories segment will soar in2008 anchored by the largest graphic t-shirt line for girls inHasbro ’ s history. With the help of Fortune Fashions and others, Hasbro ’ s goal is to continue to fill girls ’ dresser drawers with cool and sassy tees until they overflow. Forgirls who also like to keep LITTLEST PET SHOP “ under cover ” Leeward International, Cooneen Textiles (UK), Handcraft, BerkshireAccessories and TMI Australasia (Australia) are on board to deliversleepwear, underwear and socks. In addition, girls can decoratetheir rooms with an exciting line of LITTLEST PET SHOP bedding fromFranco in France and Zap in the UK. This year will also feature a large selection of bags for alloccasions from FAB/Starpoint in the U.S. and other licensees incountries like France and Benelux. Adding to the dazzle of steppingout in high LITTLEST PET SHOP style, Flik Flak Group will unveilthe first LITTLEST PET SHOP Swatch watch collection in the U.S.,while Fantabijoux (France) and Little Concepts (UK, Holland,Germany, Austria and Switzerland) will roll out jewelry lines. For girls who prefer an unplugged LITTLEST PET SHOP adventure, morethan 20 new titles will be released in 2008 by Scholastic, Reader ’ s Digest and Bendon in North America and Latin America.Additionally, Scholastic plans to release its existing U.S. bookcatalog into the Australian and New Zealand markets this year.Eleven new book titles will be released by Editions Hemma (France)and Play Bac with an additional 10 to roll out fromLadybird/Penguin (UK). Five Mile Press (Australia) is also on boardto release six new titles through 2009. Under pending agreements,the publishing program will also expand to Russia, Romania, Germanyand Poland. Other publishing highlights include sticker andactivity books from Panini (France), Redan (UK), EgmontInternational (Scandinavia, Poland), Noriel (Moldavia, Romania),and Big Balloon (Benelux). American Greetings will also developLITTLEST PET SHOP greeting cards and party goods in 2008. MY LITTLE PONY: IT ’ S ALWAYS PARTY DAY IN PONYVILLE Twenty-five years and 40 million ponies later, MY LITTLE PONYremains a sweeping sensation among little girls around the world.This year, as candles are lit, cupcakes devoured and tea sipped inhonor of the big birthday, the celebration will continue when THQlaunches MY LITTLE PONY: Pinkie Pie ’ s Party on the Nintendo DS in the fall allowing girls to engagewith the core cast of seven ponies while playing games and solvingpuzzles. New stories will unfold as the publishing program continues to growand thrive worldwide. With more than 24 million MY LITTLE PONYbooks sold since 2003, 18 new titles are planned for release in theU.S. with another 50 set for international debut this year frompublishing houses, including Redan (UK), Pedigree Books Ltd. (UK),Panini (France), and Five Mile Press (Australia) with its highlyanticipated Spring Tea Party book, as well as refreshing its entireback catalog of activity books. Distribution of the MY LITTLE PONYmagazine has also been extended across all major territories inEurope including new partners in Eastern Europe. Additionally,American Greetings will continue to bring MY LITTLE PONY to life ona wide variety of social expressions products in 2008. As a consistent top performer at key mass market retailers, MYLITTLE PONY graphic t-shirts from Fortune Fashions and apparel fromKids Headquarters continue to move off the shelves and onto thebacks of girls of all ages. That program, along with underwearlines from Fruit of the Loom, which are also top-sellers at massretailers, will expand in 2008 to feature new styles and logotreatments. Rounding out the MY LITTLE PONY fashion show will bejewelry by Little Concepts (UK). MY LITTLE PONY apparel deals are also expanding on theinternational front. BC International (UK) will launch a new lineof graphic tees for women, Silverknit (UK) will deliver adultsleepwear and underwear, Smith & Brooks (UK) is creatingapparel and footwear lines, Cooneen Textiles (UK) will roll outsleepwear, Funtastic (Australia) is expanding its range in footwearand bedding, and TMI Australasia continues to dominate theAustralian market with underwear and sleepwear. In addition, Carel(France), Madness Article (Spain), Santex (Benelux), Studiokids(Eastern Europe), and Cookie Company (Benelux) are on board todeliver apparel goods this year. TONKA: STILL GETTING DOWN AND DIRTY Just as TONKA has grown from the original two trucks to a full linefeaturing 100s of trucks, vehicles and playsets over the past 60years, Hasbro is continuing to bulldoze forward its licensingprogram supporting the brand that has been paving the way for boysto be boys for decades. The latest licensing agreements inked by Hasbro will allow tots todig into the dirt with outdoor toys from Debut Sports or gooff-road in an electric vehicle from TGA Electronic. Under pendingdeals there will also be plenty of fun indoor play items coming tomarket in the UK, Russia and Australia that will occupy hours oflittle boys ’ time. Other TONKA-branded products on deck for 2008 include bedding fromCaprice (Australia), retro tees and underwear from Design WorksClothing Co. PTY. Limited (Australia, New Zealand and SouthAfrica), and baby wear from WILDCARD PTY. LTD. (Australia and NewZealand). PLAYSKOOL: 80 YEARS OF BELIEVING IN PLAY As Hasbro celebrates the 80 th anniversary of PLAYSKOOL, its commitment to provide quality toysthat enrich children while they play remains at the heart of thebrand. Keeping in step with the PLAYSKOOL brand mantra, theEntertainment and Licensing division has put in place highlyinnovative programs that further entrench the brand with mom. In 2008, Hasbro licensees will roll out a range of newPLAYSKOOL-branded products, from books to baby care items whichwill delight preschoolers and parents alike. Little ones love a good story and the publishing program supportingthe brand is going to deliver big this year. Featuring the fun,core cast of PLAYSKOOL characters from Digger the Dog to Tubby theTurtle, Kitty Kandu and Go Go Dino, Simon & Schuster has signedon to develop a new children ’ s book series that will commence with the release of the first fivetitles this fall. For the youngest PLAYSKOOL consumer, the successfuldirect-to-retail baby care line at CVS/pharmacy stores will featurenewly added items throughout 2008. TRIVIAL PURSUIT: AMERICA PLAYS Hasbro ’ s wildly popular TRIVIAL PURSUIT board game has been bringingpeople together and driving the quest for wedges for 25 years. Asthe brand celebrates its silver anniversary, fans of the game willnow have an opportunity to really get into the action this fallwith TRIVIAL PURSUIT: America Plays, a television-based game showto be developed and distributed by Debmar-Mercury. The TRIVIAL PURSUIT: America Plays game show has been designed torely on user-generated content allowing viewers to submit TRIVIALPURSUIT video questions that will in turn be asked of contestants.If the question is selected and stumps the contestant, the user whosubmitted the question can earn cash. Ninety percent of the U.S. has been cleared for the fall launch insyndication of TRIVIAL PURSUIT: America Plays with FOX affiliatesin eight of the top 10 markets thus far including New York, LosAngeles, Chicago, Washington, D.C., and Baltimore. Stations fromCox Broadcasting, CBS, Belo, Gannett, Scripps, Raycom Media andWeigel Broadcasting are also signed up for the fall broadcast. MONOPOLY: OWN THE FUN – ANYTIME, ANYPLACE It promises to be a very exciting year for one of the best-sellingboard game brands of all time – MONOPOLY. The highly anticipated release of MONOPOLY Here & Now : The World Edition is slated for August in 50 countries and 37languages, and several licensing programs supporting the brand arealready in place to ratchet up the fun for fans around the world. In a crowded graphic t-shirt market, MONOPOLY continues to resonatewith consumers of all ages. From tees placed in the mass market byFortune Fashions and in specialty stores by Junkfood Clothing tothe highly successful direct-to-retail agreement with Steve &Barry ’ s, fans keep expanding their MONOPOLY wardrobe. In the digital arena, EA has released a variety of MONOPOLY digitalgame experiences for the iPod ? and mobile handsets allowing players to own it all, anytime,anyplace. In addition, later this fall MONOPOLY comes to the Wii,PlayStation ? 2 and Xbox 360 ? consoles. The MONOPOLY games are just the tip of the iceberg withEA, which secured the digital rights to 100s of Hasbro brands.Video games are also currently under development for nextgeneration consoles, PC, mobile, handheld and online for SCRABBLE(for the U.S. and Canada), YAHTZEE, TRIVIAL PURSUIT, and OPERATION. Hasbro is also continuing to expand its reach into non-traditionalchannels through an ongoing global agreement with Scientific Gamesfor MONOPOLY as well as almost 20 other Hasbro brands to appear ona wide range of lottery platforms including instant and pull-tabtickets, on-line terminal generated games, mobile, Internet andinteractive TV. Today, MONOPOLY remains the No. 1 licensed brandavailable for worldwide lotteries. In addition, WMS Gaming has beenmanufacturing MONOPOLY slot machines for more than 10 years and itslatest games, MONOPOLY Big Event and MONOPOLY Up, Up & Away,are now staples at many of the world ’ s top casinos. Other Hasbro Game highlights include the six-year strategicpartnership with Universal Pictures to produce at least four motionpictures based on some of Hasbro ’ s best-known and beloved brands. Also under pending agreements,several international promotions will also be executed this yearincluding Nestle Greece which would integrate TRIVIAL PURSUIT intoselect products distributed to grocery stores and MONOPOLY, TRIVIALPURSUIT, TABOO and TWISTER getting TOTAL Cereal box time throughoutFrance in summer 2008. For the unplugged traveler, under a pending agreement, L.L. Beanwould produce a compact SCRABBLE game that will be sold at retailand online later this year and MONOPOLY trivia books from SterlingPublishing are ideal for passing time while on the road. Hasbro hasalso started to build a strong licensing program supporting thenewly acquired CRANIUM property. ABOUT HASBRO Hasbro (NYSE:HAS) is a worldwide leader in children's and familyleisure time entertainment products and services, including thedesign, manufacture and marketing of games and toys ranging fromtraditional to high-tech. Both internationally and in the U.S., itsPLAYSKOOL, TONKA, MILTON BRADLEY, PARKER BROTHERS, TIGER, CRANIUMand WIZARDS OF THE COAST brands and products provide the highestquality and most recognizable play experiences in the world. ? 2008 Hasbro, Inc. All Rights Reserved. SCRABBLE, the distinctive game board and letter tiles, and allassociated logos are trademarks of Hasbro in the United States andCanada. Nintendo DS and Wii are trademarks of Nintendo.
The Singer-Katy Perry has the fashion world abuzz
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fashion designer wear Designers were calling before her first single even hit the Web,eager to get in early with a potential "it" girl. Perry caught theeye of Betsey Johnson after being snapped in one of the designer'sdresses for WWD; soon after, Johnson was dressing the singer forvarious fall fashion shows in New York in February. "Betsey reallylikes Katy's appearance," says a spokesperson for the company."She's very curvy and pinup looking -- a typical Betsey girl." She's pals with zany T-shirt designer Johnny Cupcakes anddark-and-moody seamster Neil Barrett. Shoe designer Steve Maddenhas tapped the 23-year-old for an ad campaign in conjunction withher album release. Even Karl Lagerfeld's a fan. Perry attendedChanel's party for its new boutique in L.A. last month wearing ablack cocktail dress given to her by the house (a true fashionfanatic, she breathlessly blogged about the gift on www.katyperry.com ). Though Perry's playfully sexy style is the stuff of pop culturegold, the Santa Barbara native wasn't allowed to listen to popmusic throughout her childhood. Her parents -- both travelingministers -- kept their kids on a strict diet of gospel music ("NewKids on the Block? They're still new to me," she jokes). And she may be singing about kissing girls, but God is first in thealbum's liner notes, where she writes, "I recognize that my talentsare God-given gifts." Perry has "Jesus" tattooed on her wrist in'50s script, but gets shy for the first and only time when it'spointed out, covering it with her hand before reluctantly flashingit again. Plenty of pop stars have tried to straddle the line between sexyand innocent (Mariah Carey's struggled for years), but with Perry,you get the sense that it's no act. And it's no mystery why style-watchers have been chasing her down.It's a rare pop tart who comes out of the gate boasting such abold, distinctive look; even Christina Aguilera flirted withseat-less chaps on her journey to her screen-siren style. "I really like to look like a history book," says Perry, who talkswith her hands -- tipped with short nails painted neon rainbow withleopard spots. "I can look 1940s, I can look 1970s hippie-chic, orsometimes I'll pull that '80s Brooklyn hip-hop kid with thedoor-knocker earrings." Retro à go-go TUCKED into a chaise lounge at Bar Chloe in Santa Monica and cladin a vintage cardigan emblazoned with a bejeweled pineapple, asunny yellow vintage onesie with a sweetheart neckline -- haircurled in fat ringlets, lips painted stop-sign red -- she resemblesone of Slim Aarons' St. Tropez socialites. "There are definitely flavors of that 1940s pinup in how I dress,"Perry says. But like most fashion-forward girls in their early 20sright now, she's also nutso for anything '80s -- big bows,strapless dresses and neon, neon, neon. Perry's biggest influences, a list of trend-setting femalepop-rockers including Cyndi Lauper, Garbage's Shirley Manson, PatBenatar and Joan Jett, also play into her style. Those women stilldon't care, she says: "They came out with a vengeance." Perry gets a regular assist in the wardrobe department fromcelebrity stylist Johnny Wujek , who's been working with her since 2005. Wujek, who also workswith Lake Bell and Kate Mara, says the relationship is purecollaboration -- the pair were good friends even before theystarted working together. "It just worked out perfectly that I'm astylist and she's a rock star," Wujek says. "Katy loves to push theboundaries and be her own colorful self. She once told me shewanted to look like an ice cream cone, so I got her a Jeremy Scottdress that's actually an ice cream cone." Perry credits Wujek with "regularly blowing my mind." For the Nylonshoot, "He made me a headband with my name spelled out in Legos,"she says. Though Perry is generally up for anything, she recalls aninstance when Wujek took the zaniness too far. "He showed up with aChiquita banana headdress once, and I was like, 'That's a bitmuch.' " Wujek helped pack the bag of sartorial surprises the singer luggedin for this photo shoot, but Perry put herself together that day:test-driving earrings, debating whether to wear a flower in herhair, pulling out reams of belts to pick from. "I Kissed a Girl" was the No. 2 single on iTunes as of Tuesday, andPerry will be belting it out to thousands this summer as part ofthe hot-and-sweaty Vans Warped Tour, kicking off at the FairplexPark in Pomona on Friday. While in hair and makeup for the photoshoot for this article, her publicist showed her a Fox News segmenton how local mothers are scandalized by the lyrics ("I kissed agirl and I liked it / the taste of her cherry ChapStick"),prompting Perry to cry, "Yes! My dream is to take on BillO'Reilly!" Of course, she's already been anointed by high priestess of pop(and original right-wing instigator) Madonna, who called Perry'ssendup of metrosexual men, "Ur So Gay," her favorite song in arecent interview. "I'm still floored by that," Perry says. "It'slike, you're Madonna -- you don't have time to be listening to mysongs!"
Fashionology is a make-your-own apparel experience
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Designer Kids Wear Fashionology takes the teenage urge to customize sneakers and jeansto a new level, letting girls use touch screen kiosks to select abasic garment (hoodie, tank or capri pants for example) and afashion "mood" such as Rock, Malibu, Peace or Juku. They can thenchoose accompanying graphics and embellishments by clicking "SewIt!," "Bling It!" or "Pin It!" icons. Since there's no sewing involved, the experience is more akin todecorating cupcakes than baking them. But even a jaded fashioncritic has to admit it was pretty fun adding rhinestones to theneckline of a hoodie and a sunset graphic to the back with thetouch of a screen, even if the piece was several sizes too small.We put Fashionology to the test with the target demographic,inviting a few tween girls to try it out. The experience met with astring of enthusiastic "awesomes!" "I usually never go shopping, but this way I can make it how I wantit," said Lena Vogler, 11, who chose a white hoodie with owl andpeace sign graphics and an owl-shaped charm that clipped onto thewaistband. After a few minutes at the kiosk, Lena and her pal JacquelineMoeller, 10, headed to the U-Bar where "fashionologists" printedout their patterns, used heat presses to add graphics and assembleda tray of embellishments to take to the "Make It!" table. Settling in to decorate her black rocker-themed hoodie, Jacquelinesaid she was used to customizing her clothes with magic markers, sothis was a step up. "Making it yourself and getting to walk outwith it is really awesome." Once the girls were finished, they put their hoodies on and gotready to model them under the spotlights on the Fashionology stage.Their photo was beamed onto the store's 70-inch TV screen for allto see and e-mailed to them so they could share it with friends.The experience costs $20 to $90, depending on how minimalist (ormaximalist) you go. I managed to jack up the price of my hoodie to$88 pretty quickly, although the running total on the screen madeit easy to subtract design elements and lower the price. The onlycomplaint came from the moms who wished they could design too.(Adult sizes are on the way.) The lively interior was designed by Roman Alonso at Commune Designin L.A., and the colorful imagery and empowering text ("Dream It!Make It! Wear It!") on the walls is a nod to 1960s L.A. activistSister Corita Kent. "We didn't want to talk down to the girls. We wanted them to feelcreative and empowered," said Tisch, who met Wiatt 15 years agowhen the two were dating the men they would marry (Wiatt is marriedto Jim Wiatt, the head of the William Morris Agency, and Tisch isin the process of getting a divorce from producer Steve Tisch). "It's about the positives of fashion, not beauty or body image,"said Wiatt, who has girls ages 6 and 8. "It's not about how girlslook in the clothes. It's about creating the clothes." Tisch said the inspiration for Fashionology came from her threetween children. The same goes for Wiatt, a former literary agentand magazine editor who left the workplace to be a full-time momand work on environmental causes. "Jamie and I were both teaching our kids to sew, and we had thebloody fingers to show for it. We got together and decided it wouldbe great if there was a place we could go to teach them to sew."That lightbulb moment happened 18 months ago, and the two called an"emergency meeting" at Starbucks in Brentwood. They started cruising sewing and notion stores for research,originally planning to open a business called Sew My Style, wheregirls would learn how to use sewing machines. When that proved tobe too complicated for the under 15 set, they simplified the idea.Big Buddha Baba, a company of Los Angeles software designers whohave worked with Disney Imagineering and on kids museum exhibits,helped them create a design experience that would use computersinstead of needles and thread. Wiatt and Tisch bankrolled the enterprise, and in a few weeks, theyplan to open an online version of the store. A boys version of theexperience could also be in the future, with different graphics andgarments. "We want to do things thoughtfully," Tisch said. "But we have abusiness plan to go nationwide very quickly." Expect to see asecond store by early next year. Something tells me there are going to be even more kids dreaming ofbecoming fashion designers when they grow up.
Valentino on show again five months after retirement in Paris
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Evening Dress Collection Valentino on show in Paris again five months after retirement.Five months after bidding farewell to the Pariscatwalks at a final haute couture collection in January, Italiandesigner Valentino is back in the French capital with a majorretrospective of his five decades in fashion. The exhibition entitled "Valentino, themes and variations," is thefirst time the Musee des Arts Decoratifs has paid such a complimentto a living Italian designer. "It is also a unique opportunity to be able to assess a careerimmediately after a designer has stopped creating," says PamelaGolbin, who curated the exhibition. The show was already in the pipeline when Valentino announced thathe was retiring at the age of 75, which gave an added impetus tomake it happen. The 225 models on display, almost exclusively from his hautecouture collections, were selected by Golbin from the fashionhouse's archives to illustrate the designer's distinctive style,which has made him a firm favourite with Hollywood stars andcrowned heads. While Valentino never claims to have changed the face of fashionlike some of his contemporaries, notably Yves Saint Laurent whotrained in Paris in the golden age of couture, he has always beentrue to his own interpretation of how to make women look beautiful. "As early as 1959, when he opened his house in Rome, he created astylistic vocabulary, which he has spent the next 49 yearsrefining," says Golbin. This is why she chose to order theexhibition thematically, rather than chronologically. "Mr. Valentino designs clothes that are fashionable but not afashion that goes out of date." Some showcases contain clothesspanning the entire half century, but it is far from obviouswhether a sleek cocktail frock or draped evening gown is 1960svintage or from one of his recent collections. "They are timeless,"says Golbin. The maestro himself, touring the exhibition before it opens to thepublic on Tuesday, thoroughly approved of the layout. Thejuxtaposition of "clothes belonging to the past and today showsthat I am consistent in my ideas. The difference is so minimal thatsome things from a long while ago could certainly still be wornnow." The first floor of the exhibition includes dresses from his firstshow in Florence's Sala Bianca in 1962, which wowed the Americanbuyers, and his famous 1968 all white collection -- when all theother designers were using lots of colour -- from which JackieKennedy, already a friend, chose a lacy cocktail tunic in vanillacrepe for her marriage to Aristotle Onassis on the Greek island ofSkorpios. There is also the little black dress worn by Monica Vitti inMichelangelo Antonioni's 1960 film "La Notte" and a recentred-carpet gown worn by Julia Roberts for the Oscars in 2000. But Golbin has deliberately avoided too many celebrity connectionsto select the pieces which are the most representative andcharacteristic of Valentino's signature. To convey this more clearly, she limited her palette to graphicblack and white and Valentino's fetish poppy red, which wasinspired by the sight of women in their boxes at the opera in Spainwhen he was a teenager, looking to him "like baskets of flowers". "The silhouette is always very strong. Movement is also veryimportant for Valentino, his designs are never static. The modelscan be still but look as if they are moving," says Golbin, pointingto the dynamic effect of white satin ribbons streaming from theback of a black velvet evening gown, the three-dimensional illusionof interwoven black and white ribbons on the front of a jacket, andthe way the hem of a black dress is gently puffed out by white silkroses. A second floor explores Valentino's fondness for florals -- teafrocks with posies of mimosa or poppies at the waist -- and animalprints, such as tiger, leopard, zebra and even giraffe for a 1960cagoule coat and pants in black and white satin. Feathers,geometric prints, embroidery and pleating, including his hallmark"budellini" silk cording, are all showcased. It is rounded off with a selection from his farewell couturecollection, a fitting homage to the Italian couturier whom thehard-to-please French fashionistas are happy to call one of theirown.
Maid cafes? On the trail of Tokyo's otaku
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french maid costume But their spiritual home remains Akihabara, Tokyo's high-wattage neighborhood catering to video games, animeDVDs and other fetishes. It began as a shopping area for teenageboys, and though it is now popular with tourists and women, it isstill a magnet for the socially inept male. You don't go toAkihabara to drink, unless it's for a cup of coffee at one of thecafes where you pay for the privilege of having your sugar spoonedinto your cup by a young Japanese woman dressed as a French maid.This is a place that has much to teach about obsessivebehavior--and it's a perfect way to enter Tokyo's otaku currents. To get a close-up look, I go exploring with Leo Lewis, a journalistfor the Times of London whose fascination with Japanese videogames, anime and manga began when he was a teenager growing up inOxford, England, and eventually enticed him to Japan to live."Akihabara," he says, "is essentially set up to cater to everyobsession." Lewis was a contributing writer for Roland Kelts'"Japanamerica," a book describing how Japan's postmodern popculture has infiltrated the U.S. imagination, but that credentialis almost beside the point. A walk through Akihabara with Lewisreveals his sheer joy that such a mecca of obsession even exists. Akihabara's main street is a canyon of tall buildings where you'llfind one of the world's densest concentrations of electronic goods.But Lewis whisks me away from the cacophony of amplified salespitches and into the back alleys, ushering me past open-front shopsdevoted to retro Japanese pop culture items, such as miniaturecollectible characters from long-extinct anime and manga series. "Now, this is particularly delicious," he says as he takes me intoone of the many shops that sell original versions of old videogames. True otaku are devoted to old games, and many remember Sega's Dreamcast --now relegated to the also-rans in the competition for globalconsole supremacy--as the epitome of gaming. Manufacturers such asNintendo and Sega have discontinued the original consoles on whichthe games were played, and enterprising companies have manufacturednew ones that will bring the old games to life. But Lewis loves theancient consoles. He leads me up stairwells into shops that buy and sell clunkymonitors and joysticks that look as if they were designed to fly alight plane. "It's the physicality that I love," he says. "Justimagine what it would have been like growing up in this old Britishhouse surrounded by heavy, traditional furniture. To see somethinglike this," he says, fingering an old Nintendo joystick displayedon one of the shelves that slice the store into narrow aisles, "wasto be aware that there was an entire other world out there." He made his first visit to Akihabara as a tourist when he was 18. "I thought I was never going to get here," he says. The retro fascination is just part of otaku culture, but it shows the degree to which purists take personalobsession to the deepest levels: ever more specialization, neverreaching fulfillment, never collecting that last collectible."Completing the quest would be problematic for an otaku ," Lewis says. "That would suggest that it was time to do somethingmore serious with your life." So the niches are always getting narrower. Maid cafes have been therage for about four years now, and a true otaku would never be satisfied to go to any old one. There must be afetish about the experience. Perhaps you'd like to put your head onthe maid's lap and let her groom your ears. "Let me show you anextra-special level of nuttiness," Lewis says. He leads me to ashop called Candy Fruit, where a maid cafe once stood. It's now ashop selling glasses to two specific breeds of client: women whowant glasses to wear with their maid uniforms. And men who want tobuy their glasses from a woman in a maid's costume wearing glasses. "The maids never used to wear glasses," Lewis says with an admiringshake of his head. "It's another new twist." Old is the new new Japanese pop culture is full of new twists, and to Americans--whoselate-in-the-day embrace of manga and anime makes them nouveau otaku , if you will--it can seem cool because it ignores history. It'sdisposable culture, perfect for a digital world. But, as the retro obsessives of Akihabara show, the old is there,embedded in the new. Pop artist Takashi Murakami , creator of some of today's most futuristic contemporary art, isnow tapping Japan's Zen Buddhist traditions for inspiration. "Mynew concept is back to history," he told me in an interview lastyear. I go on a second otaku tour of Tokyo, this time with American-born director MichaelArias, who took a step into the city's past for " Tekkon Kinkreet," his recent Japanese animated hit. Arias insists that he's not an otaku , but his passionate 15-year quest to make the film and hisreinvigoration of one of the classic otaku forms make him more than familiar with the turf. Arias' movie, based on a cult-classic manga series from the early1990s, unfolds on the streets of an unspecified Asian metropolis astwo urchins battle to save their patch of urban wasteland fromdevelopers. In creating his imaginary city, Arias drew inspirationfrom his travels in Asia, and in particular from his favorite partsof Tokyo: the rare undisturbed remnants of the Showa era (1926-89),which spans the city's annihilation and rebirth. In a city where development pressures are constant, and nothingmuch is built to last, this "ancient" world endures because of itslocation: the spaces tucked inside the brick foundations thatsupport the elevated railway lines. These neighborhoods under thetracks are where you feel the age and the intimacy of a placefashioned on the fly out of postwar rubble. That mood has hung oneven as developers have thrown up skyscrapers around them and thefuturistic Tokyo known to the rest of the world has crowded in. From sunset to dawn, there is life in these marginal spaces, andit's this atmospheric realm that Arias mined for his movie, a loveletter to the city in which he's lived for 15 years. It's myfavorite part of Tokyo as well, and it's where our tour begins. We meet in the pouring rain in the Yurakucho neighborhood. Squeezedbetween the expanses of Hibiya Park and the swish Ginza shoppingmecca, Yurakucho is defined by the elevated trains that cut throughits heart on their way into Tokyo Station. When we plunge under thetracks, Arias is a bit disoriented and initially leads us in thewrong direction, but the wrong-way tour reveals places I've neverseen before: Japanese i zakaya s (casual restaurants where people gather to eat, drink and talkafter work); bars paying homage to the American West; the TravelCafe, where a video screen behind the bar displays pixilatedvisions of exotic vacation spots.