Cities around the county have toyed with the idea of banning plastic bags — but they tend to drop the idea as soon as the word “lawsuit” is heard from bag manufacturers.
In an effort to fend off legal challenges, several cities are now calling for the City/County Association of Governments to conduct a countywide environmental review of the project — a move they say could free each city to choose to ban the bags without worrying about repercussions.
But the countywide agency has been reluctant to endorse the idea, worrying it could take time and money away from other priorities.
In an attempt to reduce the number of plastic bags that wind up in the Bay and ocean, San Francisco, San Jose and several other California cities have banned the bags at large stores.
About two years ago, Millbrae tried to follow suit, but was told that if it didn’t conduct a full environmental review, it would be slammed with a lawsuit by companies that produce the bags, said Councilwoman Gina Papan.
With budgets shrinking, the city council couldn’t justify conducting an expensive environmental review for the project, she said. She said they were hoping a state law would be passed that would eliminate the need.
“As smaller cities we can’t afford it, but we’re all members of C/CAG,” she said. “We thought we could just have the county do it as a whole so we could be a lot more efficient.”
Papan, who is a member of C/CAG’s board, proposed the idea earlier this year, and C/CAG Executive Director Richard Napier said the association’s attorney has been exploring the idea.
“We haven’t decided if it’s something we can accommodate, given our staffing,” Napier said. “We’re already having a tough time doing everything we have on our plate now.”
Daly City Councilman David Canepa proposed a plastic bag ban in that city earlier this year, but said the proposal also had to be tabled after the Save the Plastic Bag Coalition threatened legal action if the ban went forward. That organization, which says it has no financial relationship with the plastic-bag manufacturing industry, has filed legal challenges to similar ban attempts in Marin County, Los Angeles, San Jose and Palo Alto.
2011年5月31日星期二
A collection of well-used heavy bags
A collection of well-used heavy bags and speed bags surround a ring that has seen thousands of rounds of sparring. The faded canvas is spotted with blood stains and patched in places with duct tape. A locker is filled with scuffed head gear and worn gloves that must have struck both leather and jaws countless times.
The “change room” is simply a corner of the gym behind walls of lockers. If I want to use the bathroom inside, one of the coaches has to do a “change room check” to make sure no women are dressing. Or, if they’re busy, someone just yells, “Boy entering the change room!”
The walls of the gym are decorated with weathered posters of famous fighters and fights, alongside framed photos of the gym’s women boxers in various poses, looking fierce and fearless.
Only once did my being male cause trouble. One Tuesday evening, I walked into the gym a few minutes early. A woman lifting weights took offence at my presence. She stopped, glared, pointed at me, then at the door and yelled at me to get out. Humiliated, I stood frozen as she continued to yell. I bowed my head, turned around, closed the door and stood in the hallway, feeling absolutely foolish.
Thankfully, the majority of women have no problem with me and work out here for the same reasons I do – a love of boxing as a great form of exercise and an unequalled stress reliever.
However, some of these women were born to fight. There are a number of highly skilled boxers who train for amateur fights. They are something to watch. And when I watch them spar or train, anything to do with gender vanishes. What I see is dazzling footwork, silky-smooth defence and lightning-quick punch combinations. What I see are fighters.
And yet while these accomplished pugilists train hard to destroy their next opponent, the gym has a remarkably friendly vibe, a refreshing change to the “bet I can kick your ass” mentality at some men’s boxing gyms. At my age, my days of puffing out my chest are long gone. Here, the atmosphere is unintimidating and informal. There’s nothing to prove.
The “change room” is simply a corner of the gym behind walls of lockers. If I want to use the bathroom inside, one of the coaches has to do a “change room check” to make sure no women are dressing. Or, if they’re busy, someone just yells, “Boy entering the change room!”
The walls of the gym are decorated with weathered posters of famous fighters and fights, alongside framed photos of the gym’s women boxers in various poses, looking fierce and fearless.
Only once did my being male cause trouble. One Tuesday evening, I walked into the gym a few minutes early. A woman lifting weights took offence at my presence. She stopped, glared, pointed at me, then at the door and yelled at me to get out. Humiliated, I stood frozen as she continued to yell. I bowed my head, turned around, closed the door and stood in the hallway, feeling absolutely foolish.
Thankfully, the majority of women have no problem with me and work out here for the same reasons I do – a love of boxing as a great form of exercise and an unequalled stress reliever.
However, some of these women were born to fight. There are a number of highly skilled boxers who train for amateur fights. They are something to watch. And when I watch them spar or train, anything to do with gender vanishes. What I see is dazzling footwork, silky-smooth defence and lightning-quick punch combinations. What I see are fighters.
And yet while these accomplished pugilists train hard to destroy their next opponent, the gym has a remarkably friendly vibe, a refreshing change to the “bet I can kick your ass” mentality at some men’s boxing gyms. At my age, my days of puffing out my chest are long gone. Here, the atmosphere is unintimidating and informal. There’s nothing to prove.
2011年5月26日星期四
Think of all the things a Swiss Army knife
Think of all the things a Swiss Army knife can do -- open a tin can or bottle of wine, file your nails, or even stab a former fraternity pledge, like the cops say 28-year-old Janseel Singh did yesterday.
Police say Singh -- one of the "founding fathers" of Florida Atlantic University's chapter of the Beta Chi Theta fraternity -- was hanging out with his frat boys at Hookah Hut in Boca Raton before going to smoke some weed in the parking lot with two of the guys after the place closed.
As they said their high goodbyes around 2 a.m., police say Singh decided to pull out a Swiss Army knife and stab a 20-year-old former pledge in the gut.
The man told police he thought Singh was kidding and wasn't even aware he'd been stabbed until he noticed his bloody shirt.
While the stab victim was treated at a Boca Raton hospital for a two-inch stab wound, Singh resorted to text-message-threatening him, the cops say, which is just about as badass as stabbing someone with a Swiss Army knife.
"The beef is on... U better pick ur side... or risk getting hit up," police say Singh sent to the man via text message. (For those not hip to badass jargon, "hit up" apparently means attacked, according to the cops.)
Back at the police station, the other man in the car told the cops that Singh probably stabbed him over a bag of weed that went missing, which Singh presumed he had stolen.
Also, he told police he thought Singh could have been upset about the stab victim dropping out of the fraternity, which doesn't really sound any better than stabbing someone with a Swiss Army knife over a bag of weed.
The cops say Singh turned himself in to police yesterday afternoon and now faces a charge of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon.
Police say Singh -- one of the "founding fathers" of Florida Atlantic University's chapter of the Beta Chi Theta fraternity -- was hanging out with his frat boys at Hookah Hut in Boca Raton before going to smoke some weed in the parking lot with two of the guys after the place closed.
As they said their high goodbyes around 2 a.m., police say Singh decided to pull out a Swiss Army knife and stab a 20-year-old former pledge in the gut.
The man told police he thought Singh was kidding and wasn't even aware he'd been stabbed until he noticed his bloody shirt.
While the stab victim was treated at a Boca Raton hospital for a two-inch stab wound, Singh resorted to text-message-threatening him, the cops say, which is just about as badass as stabbing someone with a Swiss Army knife.
"The beef is on... U better pick ur side... or risk getting hit up," police say Singh sent to the man via text message. (For those not hip to badass jargon, "hit up" apparently means attacked, according to the cops.)
Back at the police station, the other man in the car told the cops that Singh probably stabbed him over a bag of weed that went missing, which Singh presumed he had stolen.
Also, he told police he thought Singh could have been upset about the stab victim dropping out of the fraternity, which doesn't really sound any better than stabbing someone with a Swiss Army knife over a bag of weed.
The cops say Singh turned himself in to police yesterday afternoon and now faces a charge of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon.
Auto driver returns laptop bag to NRI
A honest auto driver on Tuesday returned a handbag containing a costly laptop, credit cards and other documents to a Non-Resident Indian (NRI) who forgot to collect it while getting down from the vehicle at the Secunderabad railway station on Monday night.
The NRI Md Yousuf S Jilani is working as an analyst at Equiniti in London. Jilani, who came to the city few days ago, boarded an auto near Hill Fort Road near Kalanjali to go to the Secunderabad Railway Station to catch a train Monday night.
"In a hurry to catch the train, Jilani got down from the auto without taking his hand bag which he had kept in the luggage area at the back of the auto," Central Zone deputy commissioner of police Akun Sabharwal said.
The auto belonged to Mir Hyder Ali, a resident of Moin Bagh. He also did not notice that the bag was left behind and left the railway station. He noticed the bag only late in the night and immediately went back to the railway station to find Jilani.
Meanwhile Jilani also had not boarded the train after he realised that his bag was missing. He went about in search of the auto till late into the night.
Failing to trace Jilani, the auto driver went to the Police Control Room and handed over the bag to the night duty sub-inspector of police Babu.
Police went through the documents and other articles in the bag and found the phone numbers of some of Jilani's relatives who stay in Vijayawada. Jilani was finally traced on Tuesday and the bag was returned to him.
The bag contained a Toshiba laptop, eight credit cards mostly of England, identification documents and driving licence, three cheque books and other documents.
The NRI Md Yousuf S Jilani is working as an analyst at Equiniti in London. Jilani, who came to the city few days ago, boarded an auto near Hill Fort Road near Kalanjali to go to the Secunderabad Railway Station to catch a train Monday night.
"In a hurry to catch the train, Jilani got down from the auto without taking his hand bag which he had kept in the luggage area at the back of the auto," Central Zone deputy commissioner of police Akun Sabharwal said.
The auto belonged to Mir Hyder Ali, a resident of Moin Bagh. He also did not notice that the bag was left behind and left the railway station. He noticed the bag only late in the night and immediately went back to the railway station to find Jilani.
Meanwhile Jilani also had not boarded the train after he realised that his bag was missing. He went about in search of the auto till late into the night.
Failing to trace Jilani, the auto driver went to the Police Control Room and handed over the bag to the night duty sub-inspector of police Babu.
Police went through the documents and other articles in the bag and found the phone numbers of some of Jilani's relatives who stay in Vijayawada. Jilani was finally traced on Tuesday and the bag was returned to him.
The bag contained a Toshiba laptop, eight credit cards mostly of England, identification documents and driving licence, three cheque books and other documents.
2011年5月24日星期二
The board seemed in favor of the proposition
The board seemed in favor of the proposition and with at least presenting a referendum for the public to vote on. But Mason has some leg work ahead of her.
Keefe asked that Mason attempt to generate signatures, and from there the board can take over and propose a referendum. The board said they believed she would have to generate around 1,000 signatures, but they were not able to corroborate that number with attorney Sam Drayo. She said she has about 65 signatures thus far.
The referendum, Keefe said, could possibly go along with the vote in November, or village election in March.
Mason also offered some data to the board on single-use disposable bags:
The U.S. uses roughly 100 billion plastic bags a year with the average family using 1,500 per year.
To create 100 billion plastic bags it takes an estimated 12 million barrels of oil.
Less than 5 percent of plastic bags are recycled.
The average plastic bag is only used for 12 minutes before it becomes waste.
For every square mile of ocean, there are roughly 46,000 pieces of plastic.
Ten percent (1 cent) of the proposed fee would go back to the business to help with the administrative costs associated with doing this, and the other 90 percent (9 cents) would be put into a sustainability fund. The fund would be joint between the village, city and town and it would be overseen by a committee. People, Mason said, would present projects to the committee and it would decide how that money would be spent.
Keefe asked that Mason attempt to generate signatures, and from there the board can take over and propose a referendum. The board said they believed she would have to generate around 1,000 signatures, but they were not able to corroborate that number with attorney Sam Drayo. She said she has about 65 signatures thus far.
The referendum, Keefe said, could possibly go along with the vote in November, or village election in March.
Mason also offered some data to the board on single-use disposable bags:
The U.S. uses roughly 100 billion plastic bags a year with the average family using 1,500 per year.
To create 100 billion plastic bags it takes an estimated 12 million barrels of oil.
Less than 5 percent of plastic bags are recycled.
The average plastic bag is only used for 12 minutes before it becomes waste.
For every square mile of ocean, there are roughly 46,000 pieces of plastic.
Ten percent (1 cent) of the proposed fee would go back to the business to help with the administrative costs associated with doing this, and the other 90 percent (9 cents) would be put into a sustainability fund. The fund would be joint between the village, city and town and it would be overseen by a committee. People, Mason said, would present projects to the committee and it would decide how that money would be spent.
Downtown Springfield Inc
Downtown Springfield Inc. wants to persuade downtown merchants to help eliminate both paper and plastic bags.
The goal is to reduce the number of bags that end up in landfills, especially the non-biodegradable plastic that is the bag of choice at many stores.
Victoria Ringer, DSI executive director, said her organization is talking to retailers about a reusable bag that would become consumers’ “downtown bag” when purchasing items.
Ringer said a handful of merchants and DSI’s Image and Design Council heard a presentation from Joan Barenfanger, who, along with Jane Denes, has been driving the Better Bag Project.
According to the Better Bag Project’s Facebook page, others in Springfield — including the local hospitals, Office Depot, Schnucks, Springfield Clinic, and Wiley Office Furniture -- already are participating. Communities, businesses and groups nationwide have launched efforts to wean consumers off plastic bags and to use more eco-friendly paper and reusable bags.
Barenfanger said she and Denes also are working with the Springfield School District, the Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts and the Springfield Art Association and others to promote the program. The idea began a year ago under the aegis of Sustainable Springfield Inc. and the newly formed Green Business Network of Springfield.
“We’ve had a problem getting the word out,” Barenfanger said. “We’re not on any speaking-engagement list, but we’d love to talk to organizations. We want more retailers across the city to participate.”
The goal is to reduce the number of bags that end up in landfills, especially the non-biodegradable plastic that is the bag of choice at many stores.
Victoria Ringer, DSI executive director, said her organization is talking to retailers about a reusable bag that would become consumers’ “downtown bag” when purchasing items.
Ringer said a handful of merchants and DSI’s Image and Design Council heard a presentation from Joan Barenfanger, who, along with Jane Denes, has been driving the Better Bag Project.
According to the Better Bag Project’s Facebook page, others in Springfield — including the local hospitals, Office Depot, Schnucks, Springfield Clinic, and Wiley Office Furniture -- already are participating. Communities, businesses and groups nationwide have launched efforts to wean consumers off plastic bags and to use more eco-friendly paper and reusable bags.
Barenfanger said she and Denes also are working with the Springfield School District, the Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts and the Springfield Art Association and others to promote the program. The idea began a year ago under the aegis of Sustainable Springfield Inc. and the newly formed Green Business Network of Springfield.
“We’ve had a problem getting the word out,” Barenfanger said. “We’re not on any speaking-engagement list, but we’d love to talk to organizations. We want more retailers across the city to participate.”
2011年5月19日星期四
The plastic shopping bag levy
The plastic shopping bag levy
The plastic shopping bag levy will be extended to all 60,000 retail stores but, in a surprise move, the government says the stores will get to keep the money.
At present, the levy applies to only 3,000 chain stores and supermarkets, adding between HK$5.7 million and HK$6.7 million to the public coffers every quarter.
But with up to eight billion plastic bags being dumped in landfills annually, the 50-cent levy could add up to HK$4 billion.
In kicking off a three-month consultation yesterday, Secretary for the Environment Edward Yau Tang-wah said the administration is also proposing to extend the levy to include bags without handles - except for those necessitated by hygiene considerations such as for fresh food, vegetables and bread.
Yau said the first phase of the levy has effectively cut the number of bags distributed by about 90 percent.
However, while plastic bags from the 3,000 retailers only make up 14 percent of the total that find their way to landfills, disposals from other sources increased by 6.7 percent.
However, nearly 98 percent of the SAR's retail outlets are owned by small and medium enterprises that have minimal administrative resources and collecting the levy will add to the costs, Yau said.
"If we require them [SMEs] to keep records of such transactions, as is being done at supermarket chains, it will be a heavy burden for them and we will have to handle as many as 250,000 submissions annually," he said.
A bureau spokesman said "appropriate manpower" will be arranged for inspections if the levy is extended to all 60,000 stores. So far there has been only one prosecution, with the offender fined HK$4,000.
The plastic shopping bag levy will be extended to all 60,000 retail stores but, in a surprise move, the government says the stores will get to keep the money.
At present, the levy applies to only 3,000 chain stores and supermarkets, adding between HK$5.7 million and HK$6.7 million to the public coffers every quarter.
But with up to eight billion plastic bags being dumped in landfills annually, the 50-cent levy could add up to HK$4 billion.
In kicking off a three-month consultation yesterday, Secretary for the Environment Edward Yau Tang-wah said the administration is also proposing to extend the levy to include bags without handles - except for those necessitated by hygiene considerations such as for fresh food, vegetables and bread.
Yau said the first phase of the levy has effectively cut the number of bags distributed by about 90 percent.
However, while plastic bags from the 3,000 retailers only make up 14 percent of the total that find their way to landfills, disposals from other sources increased by 6.7 percent.
However, nearly 98 percent of the SAR's retail outlets are owned by small and medium enterprises that have minimal administrative resources and collecting the levy will add to the costs, Yau said.
"If we require them [SMEs] to keep records of such transactions, as is being done at supermarket chains, it will be a heavy burden for them and we will have to handle as many as 250,000 submissions annually," he said.
A bureau spokesman said "appropriate manpower" will be arranged for inspections if the levy is extended to all 60,000 stores. So far there has been only one prosecution, with the offender fined HK$4,000.
The latest video of a police
The latest video of a police arrest in a Tenderloin hotel room — this one apparently showing police officers entering a room without a warrant, attacking an unarmed bystander, and stealing a resident's duffle bag — has set off a wide range of investigations. But what's really disturbing is that the video is all too typical of what seems to be business as usual among undercover narcotics detectives. In fact, a series of recent security videos show San Francisco cops doing one thing — and reporting something else.
"We've yet to run across a single video that matches up with what the police swear to in their report," noted Chief Public Defender Attorney Matt Gonzalez.
We're not talking about one police station, one crew, or one rogue cop. This is, to all available evidence, a pattern of rotten behavior in the department. It's impossible to believe that these are just a few isolated incidents — or that the problems are concentrated in the lower ranks. If command-level officers didn't know what was going on, then they're incompetent. If they knew — which is far more likely — then they were covering up.
That's nothing new in the old boy's club that is the San Francisco Police Department. While the criminal cases against senior cops in the Fajitagate scandal went nowhere, the evidence strongly suggested that a cover-up had been ordered and executed at all levels.
In that case, Terence Hallinan, the district attorney, took the lead in trying to hold the cops accountable. But now the person running the D.A.'s Office — former Police Chief George Gascon — is politically paralyzed. Gascón can't investigate systemic corruption in a department that until recently he was running. He can't, at this point, even seem to figure out which cases he can take and which he can't. He hasn't adopted and made public a conflict of interest policy for himself and his office. And any honest policy would make it impossible for him to get involved in any action involving his former employees.
This is, to put it mildly, the exact reason why police chiefs don't become district attorneys, why Gavin Newsom's parting shot to the city has badly damaged the credibility of local law enforcement. It's also the strongest argument possible for the election of a new district attorney.
"We've yet to run across a single video that matches up with what the police swear to in their report," noted Chief Public Defender Attorney Matt Gonzalez.
We're not talking about one police station, one crew, or one rogue cop. This is, to all available evidence, a pattern of rotten behavior in the department. It's impossible to believe that these are just a few isolated incidents — or that the problems are concentrated in the lower ranks. If command-level officers didn't know what was going on, then they're incompetent. If they knew — which is far more likely — then they were covering up.
That's nothing new in the old boy's club that is the San Francisco Police Department. While the criminal cases against senior cops in the Fajitagate scandal went nowhere, the evidence strongly suggested that a cover-up had been ordered and executed at all levels.
In that case, Terence Hallinan, the district attorney, took the lead in trying to hold the cops accountable. But now the person running the D.A.'s Office — former Police Chief George Gascon — is politically paralyzed. Gascón can't investigate systemic corruption in a department that until recently he was running. He can't, at this point, even seem to figure out which cases he can take and which he can't. He hasn't adopted and made public a conflict of interest policy for himself and his office. And any honest policy would make it impossible for him to get involved in any action involving his former employees.
This is, to put it mildly, the exact reason why police chiefs don't become district attorneys, why Gavin Newsom's parting shot to the city has badly damaged the credibility of local law enforcement. It's also the strongest argument possible for the election of a new district attorney.
2011年5月17日星期二
The Only Way Is...posh Essex! My new TV show
A NEW drama to rival The Only Way is Essex will prove the county is not all “stilettos and dancing round handbags”, according to its director.
Dave Black, 41, from Langdon Hills, claims his show, My Essex Girls, will be a more sophisticated version of ITV2’s smash hit.
The director, currently putting together a pilot for the show, has enlisted ten glamorous actors and actresses to star in the series, which will be a fully-fledged drama, unlike The Only Way Is Essex’s reality-TV style.
The storyline revolves around the trials and tribulations of Basildon Godfather figure Jimmy the Jet, who runs the town’s nightclub and football team.
He will film scenes at properties in Benfleet’s upmarket Vicarage Hill area, which will be used as some of the stars’ homes, while filming will also take place at Basildon’s Woodlands Sports Club.
Dave said: “After watching a bit of The Only Way is Essex, I thought we could do something better than this. I wanted to show the posher side of the county, because not everyone is out in stiletto shoes and dancing around handbags.”
Dave, who previously worked on Channel 5’s Vanessa Show, has secured ￡20,000 to put together a 28-minute pilot for the show.
He has secured ￡20,000 for the programme, which is being jointly-funded by Essex Media Workshop, Bardot Media and Canvey-based construction firm Paul Masters.
He hopes to start filming in two weeks and is confident the project will be a success. He added: “I know a lot of people in the TV industry and they’re really interested in what’s going on in Essex.”
The show is looking for extras. Auditions are on Tuesday May 17, and Tuesday, May 24. Call 01268 441204.
Dave Black, 41, from Langdon Hills, claims his show, My Essex Girls, will be a more sophisticated version of ITV2’s smash hit.
The director, currently putting together a pilot for the show, has enlisted ten glamorous actors and actresses to star in the series, which will be a fully-fledged drama, unlike The Only Way Is Essex’s reality-TV style.
The storyline revolves around the trials and tribulations of Basildon Godfather figure Jimmy the Jet, who runs the town’s nightclub and football team.
He will film scenes at properties in Benfleet’s upmarket Vicarage Hill area, which will be used as some of the stars’ homes, while filming will also take place at Basildon’s Woodlands Sports Club.
Dave said: “After watching a bit of The Only Way is Essex, I thought we could do something better than this. I wanted to show the posher side of the county, because not everyone is out in stiletto shoes and dancing around handbags.”
Dave, who previously worked on Channel 5’s Vanessa Show, has secured ￡20,000 to put together a 28-minute pilot for the show.
He has secured ￡20,000 for the programme, which is being jointly-funded by Essex Media Workshop, Bardot Media and Canvey-based construction firm Paul Masters.
He hopes to start filming in two weeks and is confident the project will be a success. He added: “I know a lot of people in the TV industry and they’re really interested in what’s going on in Essex.”
The show is looking for extras. Auditions are on Tuesday May 17, and Tuesday, May 24. Call 01268 441204.
Irish army defuse bomb before Queen's historic visit to Dublin
"A viable explosive device was found on a bus yesterday evening in Maynooth," near Dublin, a spokesman said, adding that police had been tipped off by an anonymous call.
The device was defused by the Irish army, he said.
It was found late Monday night local time and was declared safe early Tuesday morning after a controlled explosion by bomb disposal experts.
An Irish defence forces spokesman confirmed that an army bomb disposal squad had made safe "a viable improvised device" early Tuesday at Maynooth in County Kildare.
"We can't give any details about the device but it was viable. It was on a bus and by the time our team was called in the bus was evacuated and parked at a bus stop," the spokesman said.
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Some 8500 police are lining the sections of Dublin where the queen and her husband Prince Philip plan to visit. She is coming to Dublin for a four-day visit.
She will be the first monarch to visit the Republic of Ireland since it gained independence.
Yesterday, Londoners were urged to be vigilant after a dissident Irish terror group issued a coded bomb warning on the eve of the Queen's first visit to the Irish Republic.
The threat mentioned Central London but was "not specific in relation to location or time". However, police across the English capital were on heightened alert and there were a number of road closures as officers dealt with suspicious situations.
The Mall was closed for several hours in the morning after officers noticed that a manhole cover had been lifted, and a controlled explosion was carried out on a suitcase found in Northumberland Avenue.
The device was defused by the Irish army, he said.
It was found late Monday night local time and was declared safe early Tuesday morning after a controlled explosion by bomb disposal experts.
An Irish defence forces spokesman confirmed that an army bomb disposal squad had made safe "a viable improvised device" early Tuesday at Maynooth in County Kildare.
"We can't give any details about the device but it was viable. It was on a bus and by the time our team was called in the bus was evacuated and parked at a bus stop," the spokesman said.
Start of sidebar. Skip to end of sidebar.
End of sidebar. Return to start of sidebar.
Some 8500 police are lining the sections of Dublin where the queen and her husband Prince Philip plan to visit. She is coming to Dublin for a four-day visit.
She will be the first monarch to visit the Republic of Ireland since it gained independence.
Yesterday, Londoners were urged to be vigilant after a dissident Irish terror group issued a coded bomb warning on the eve of the Queen's first visit to the Irish Republic.
The threat mentioned Central London but was "not specific in relation to location or time". However, police across the English capital were on heightened alert and there were a number of road closures as officers dealt with suspicious situations.
The Mall was closed for several hours in the morning after officers noticed that a manhole cover had been lifted, and a controlled explosion was carried out on a suitcase found in Northumberland Avenue.
2011年5月10日星期二
Tsunami Survivor Handbags Featured at Smithsonian, Washington, D.C.
Laga Handbags is proud to announce that their handmade handbags, made by tsunami survivors, will be featured at Freer Sackler, the Smithsonian's Museums of Asian Arts.
The Smithsonian has two museums of Asian art: the Freer Gallery and the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, which are connected by an underground passageway and feature a world-renowned collection of art from China, Japan, Korea, South and Southeast Asia and the Near East.
Laga founders, Roy and Louise van Broekhuizen, said they initially met the Smithsonian buyer at a fashion trade show. Recently, the new buyer contacted van Broekhuizen and ordered three styles of handbags and wallet for a special show the museum shops will have on Southeast Asian products.
The Laga project began when Roy van Broekhuizen went to Indonesia January 2005 to direct tsunami relief efforts in the wake of the earthquake/tsunami that took the lives of over 250,000 on the day after Christmas, 2004. The experience and the horrifying destruction transformed him, and wife Louise.
“All they needed was someone to give them a hand,” he recalls.
Roy & Louise saw these beautiful hand embroidered handbags in raw form and Louise told Roy she will try to sell those bags in America. They brought samples of handbags and Louise sold them at a home party she had at their condo, and the project quickly grew into a full time business. The van Broekhuizens are living off their investments and putting all profits back into LAGA. In 2009, they sent over $100,000 to Indonesia; rebuilding lives, one handbag at a time.
In April 2010, Laga Handbags was featured on Oprah, and response was awe inspiring. The van Broekhuizens started Laga Handbags with a small team of 12 women and have grown to a team of over 300 women who, in Indonesia, are celebrities in their own right. Through Laga Handbags, they are the hope for a better tomorrow.
With the Smithsonian order shipped, Laga dreams have grown with their accomplishments.
“I would like to go to Japan and see if there is anything we can do there to do what we did with women in Indonesia,” van Broekhuizen added in a phone interview. “I have personal ties,” he said. “My great grandmother was from Okinawa, Japan.”
Laga Handbags and Accessories are sold online for $27 to $439 each, and are also available through independent consultants, online affiliates and at specialty boutiques, museums and gift shops.
For more information, call LAGA headquarters at 949-654-8360 toll free 888-524-2224 or visit Laga Handbags
The Smithsonian has two museums of Asian art: the Freer Gallery and the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, which are connected by an underground passageway and feature a world-renowned collection of art from China, Japan, Korea, South and Southeast Asia and the Near East.
Laga founders, Roy and Louise van Broekhuizen, said they initially met the Smithsonian buyer at a fashion trade show. Recently, the new buyer contacted van Broekhuizen and ordered three styles of handbags and wallet for a special show the museum shops will have on Southeast Asian products.
The Laga project began when Roy van Broekhuizen went to Indonesia January 2005 to direct tsunami relief efforts in the wake of the earthquake/tsunami that took the lives of over 250,000 on the day after Christmas, 2004. The experience and the horrifying destruction transformed him, and wife Louise.
“All they needed was someone to give them a hand,” he recalls.
Roy & Louise saw these beautiful hand embroidered handbags in raw form and Louise told Roy she will try to sell those bags in America. They brought samples of handbags and Louise sold them at a home party she had at their condo, and the project quickly grew into a full time business. The van Broekhuizens are living off their investments and putting all profits back into LAGA. In 2009, they sent over $100,000 to Indonesia; rebuilding lives, one handbag at a time.
In April 2010, Laga Handbags was featured on Oprah, and response was awe inspiring. The van Broekhuizens started Laga Handbags with a small team of 12 women and have grown to a team of over 300 women who, in Indonesia, are celebrities in their own right. Through Laga Handbags, they are the hope for a better tomorrow.
With the Smithsonian order shipped, Laga dreams have grown with their accomplishments.
“I would like to go to Japan and see if there is anything we can do there to do what we did with women in Indonesia,” van Broekhuizen added in a phone interview. “I have personal ties,” he said. “My great grandmother was from Okinawa, Japan.”
Laga Handbags and Accessories are sold online for $27 to $439 each, and are also available through independent consultants, online affiliates and at specialty boutiques, museums and gift shops.
For more information, call LAGA headquarters at 949-654-8360 toll free 888-524-2224 or visit Laga Handbags
Coach eyes dual listing in Hong Kong
HONG KONG — US luxury handbag maker Coach is to list shares on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange by year end in an attempt to boost its Asia presence, especially in the fast-growing Chinese market, the company said.
Coach, which is listed on the New York Stock Exchange, said no additional shares would be issued and no capital will be raised through the new listing.
"We're very enthusiastic about the prospect of a dual listing on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange," Lew Frankfort, chairman and chief executive of Coach said in a statement posted on the New York-based company's website Tuesday.
"This listing, if approved, will raise awareness of the Coach brand among investors and consumers in the China market as well as throughout Asia," he added.
The fashion house did not state when it intends to file a listing application to the Hong Kong Exchange but said the planned listing will take place before the end of 2011, if approval is granted by Hong Kong regulators.
"Based on this timing, Coach believes it would be the first U.S. domestic issuer to do a secondary listing in Hong Kong," the firm said.
Coach, which was founded in 1941, is a leading American maker of upscale lifestyle handbags and accessories. It also sells fragrance, watches, watches and jewelry.
The firm is the latest to join a slew of other fashion brands, including Italian fashion house Prada and US luggage maker Samsonite, which were also planning a listing in Hong Kong to tap into the booming Chinese market.
Coach, which is listed on the New York Stock Exchange, said no additional shares would be issued and no capital will be raised through the new listing.
"We're very enthusiastic about the prospect of a dual listing on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange," Lew Frankfort, chairman and chief executive of Coach said in a statement posted on the New York-based company's website Tuesday.
"This listing, if approved, will raise awareness of the Coach brand among investors and consumers in the China market as well as throughout Asia," he added.
The fashion house did not state when it intends to file a listing application to the Hong Kong Exchange but said the planned listing will take place before the end of 2011, if approval is granted by Hong Kong regulators.
"Based on this timing, Coach believes it would be the first U.S. domestic issuer to do a secondary listing in Hong Kong," the firm said.
Coach, which was founded in 1941, is a leading American maker of upscale lifestyle handbags and accessories. It also sells fragrance, watches, watches and jewelry.
The firm is the latest to join a slew of other fashion brands, including Italian fashion house Prada and US luggage maker Samsonite, which were also planning a listing in Hong Kong to tap into the booming Chinese market.
2011年5月6日星期五
Kitsap Historical Museum cobbles together an exhibit
Kitsap Historical Museum cobbles together an exhibit
BREMERTON — The four remaining cobblers in Kitsap County may find their industry fading in the modern throwaway society, but the historical importance of the work will be on display starting today at the Kitsap County Historical Society Museum.
The museum's newest exhibit, titled "Made for Walkin'," features everything from the size-17 sneakers worn by Atlanta Hawks forward and Bremerton native Marvin Williams to baby boots worn by a child of the commanding officer of the USS Nipsic, the first ship at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard. All told, a couple dozen shoes are on display.
Museum staff and volunteers were putting finishing touches on the shoe exhibit Thursday, the day before its ribbon cutting at 6 p.m. Friday. The museum is located at 280 Fourth Street in downtown Bremerton.
The exhibit includes a historical look at how shoes were made in the olden days, along with several collections of footwear. The collections include logging and military boots and high heels from the early 1900s.
Local cobblers — those who repair shoes — also contributed to the exhibit.
Frank Perrone of Bremerton operated a shoe repair shoe for 44 years on Callow Avenue. His family loaned the museum the hammer Perrone used to craft shoes. Poulsbo Cobbler Shoppe owner Roy Back also lent some of his cobbling equipment, which dates back to the 1940s.
Back has been in the industry for nearly 30 years and has seen it take a sharp decline recently.
"The younger folks, they don't understand shoe repairing like the older generation, who had to go through the worse situations. They had to make do with what they had and get it repaired," said Back, who is 70 years old.
Even though the industry is not as strong as it once was, museum volunteers still hope visitors find rich Kitsap history in the shoes displayed.
"Students these days might study Washington history or U.S. history, but they kids don't know where they are from," said Bill Slach, 63, a volunteer helping with the exhibit set up.
"We've become such a throwaway society. People don't see the value in shoe repairs anymore."
Shoe wear, said museum curator Scott Bartlett, is a universal theme. Everybody wears shoes.
"This collection of shoes is very broad. From work wear to high fashion, it's a broad examination of footwear. And also looking at the craftsmanship perspective," he said.
Among the exhibits are Native American moccasins and Chinese silk shoes, roughly three inches long, which were used for binding feet. Elaborate leather laced women's boots and baby shoes made out of silk, cloth or leather also are on display, along with a variety of men's dress shoes and military boots.
BREMERTON — The four remaining cobblers in Kitsap County may find their industry fading in the modern throwaway society, but the historical importance of the work will be on display starting today at the Kitsap County Historical Society Museum.
The museum's newest exhibit, titled "Made for Walkin'," features everything from the size-17 sneakers worn by Atlanta Hawks forward and Bremerton native Marvin Williams to baby boots worn by a child of the commanding officer of the USS Nipsic, the first ship at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard. All told, a couple dozen shoes are on display.
Museum staff and volunteers were putting finishing touches on the shoe exhibit Thursday, the day before its ribbon cutting at 6 p.m. Friday. The museum is located at 280 Fourth Street in downtown Bremerton.
The exhibit includes a historical look at how shoes were made in the olden days, along with several collections of footwear. The collections include logging and military boots and high heels from the early 1900s.
Local cobblers — those who repair shoes — also contributed to the exhibit.
Frank Perrone of Bremerton operated a shoe repair shoe for 44 years on Callow Avenue. His family loaned the museum the hammer Perrone used to craft shoes. Poulsbo Cobbler Shoppe owner Roy Back also lent some of his cobbling equipment, which dates back to the 1940s.
Back has been in the industry for nearly 30 years and has seen it take a sharp decline recently.
"The younger folks, they don't understand shoe repairing like the older generation, who had to go through the worse situations. They had to make do with what they had and get it repaired," said Back, who is 70 years old.
Even though the industry is not as strong as it once was, museum volunteers still hope visitors find rich Kitsap history in the shoes displayed.
"Students these days might study Washington history or U.S. history, but they kids don't know where they are from," said Bill Slach, 63, a volunteer helping with the exhibit set up.
"We've become such a throwaway society. People don't see the value in shoe repairs anymore."
Shoe wear, said museum curator Scott Bartlett, is a universal theme. Everybody wears shoes.
"This collection of shoes is very broad. From work wear to high fashion, it's a broad examination of footwear. And also looking at the craftsmanship perspective," he said.
Among the exhibits are Native American moccasins and Chinese silk shoes, roughly three inches long, which were used for binding feet. Elaborate leather laced women's boots and baby shoes made out of silk, cloth or leather also are on display, along with a variety of men's dress shoes and military boots.
Louis Vuitton settles suit against Honda Canada
Luxury goods maker Louis Vuitton Malletier SA said Wednesday that it has reached a settlement in its trademark infringement lawsuit against Honda Canada Inc. and its advertising agency.
No details of the settlement with Honda and the advertising agency, Grip Limited, were disclosed.
However, senior vice-president Eric Pradon said Louis Vuitton was "very pleased to have reached this amicable settlement with Honda and Grip to protect creativity."
In its statement of claim in the Federal Court of Canada, the company accused Honda of using Louis Vuitton marks in an advertising campaign for Honda's CrossTour vehicle that ran in print and on television in late 2009 and early 2010.
The campaign, conceived by Grip, was intended to convey a sense of luxury and featured luggage bearing images alleged to be infringements of Louis Vuitton's Toile Monogram marks and Damier marks, it alleged.
"While the connotation of luxury evoked by Louis Vuitton products is unmistakable, that recognition stems from our heritage of quality and craftsmanship and decades of investment in our products," Pradon said.
"The right to use our products and our marks -- in advertising campaigns and all other forms of communication, belongs to Louis Vuitton alone. Louis Vuitton never licenses our marks nor grants other parties permission to use our marks to promote their own products."
Founded in Paris in 1854, Louis Vuitton has been synonymous with the art of travel. With the arrival of artistic director Marc Jacobs in 1997, Louis Vuitton extended its expertise to ready-to-wear, shoes, accessories, watches and jewellery.
No details of the settlement with Honda and the advertising agency, Grip Limited, were disclosed.
However, senior vice-president Eric Pradon said Louis Vuitton was "very pleased to have reached this amicable settlement with Honda and Grip to protect creativity."
In its statement of claim in the Federal Court of Canada, the company accused Honda of using Louis Vuitton marks in an advertising campaign for Honda's CrossTour vehicle that ran in print and on television in late 2009 and early 2010.
The campaign, conceived by Grip, was intended to convey a sense of luxury and featured luggage bearing images alleged to be infringements of Louis Vuitton's Toile Monogram marks and Damier marks, it alleged.
"While the connotation of luxury evoked by Louis Vuitton products is unmistakable, that recognition stems from our heritage of quality and craftsmanship and decades of investment in our products," Pradon said.
"The right to use our products and our marks -- in advertising campaigns and all other forms of communication, belongs to Louis Vuitton alone. Louis Vuitton never licenses our marks nor grants other parties permission to use our marks to promote their own products."
Founded in Paris in 1854, Louis Vuitton has been synonymous with the art of travel. With the arrival of artistic director Marc Jacobs in 1997, Louis Vuitton extended its expertise to ready-to-wear, shoes, accessories, watches and jewellery.
2011年5月3日星期二
More trouble at Ratner’s malls
There was more trouble at the, well, troubled Atlantic Center and Atlantic Terminal last week. Here’s the rundown:
? A 51-year-old man was arrested on April 27 after he was caught swiping eight pairs of women’s shoes and four handbags from the Marshall’s in the Atlantic Center. The thief was caught by store security just before exiting the store between Fort Greene Place and S. Portland Avenue at 7:10 pm.
BoroDeal
? A thief snaked a cellphone out of a woman’s handbag as she perused the aisles inside the Atlantic Terminal Target. The woman was about to buy something at the Flatbush Avenue store at 4 pm when she realized her cellphone had been taken — even though she had possession of her bag the entire time.
? Someone swiped a wallet from a woman caring for her child inside the Atlantic Center on April 30. The woman had put her wallet on the ground as she tended to her child at 8 pm, not realizing that someone was nearby looking to exploit an opportunity.
? A 51-year-old man was arrested on April 27 after he was caught swiping eight pairs of women’s shoes and four handbags from the Marshall’s in the Atlantic Center. The thief was caught by store security just before exiting the store between Fort Greene Place and S. Portland Avenue at 7:10 pm.
BoroDeal
? A thief snaked a cellphone out of a woman’s handbag as she perused the aisles inside the Atlantic Terminal Target. The woman was about to buy something at the Flatbush Avenue store at 4 pm when she realized her cellphone had been taken — even though she had possession of her bag the entire time.
? Someone swiped a wallet from a woman caring for her child inside the Atlantic Center on April 30. The woman had put her wallet on the ground as she tended to her child at 8 pm, not realizing that someone was nearby looking to exploit an opportunity.
Ways to make mom feel like a queen
GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn -- It is always fun to not only give a great gift, but to give a great gift that is both practical and thoughtful. Designer Bridget Connell from BCDesigns offered up plenty of great ideas for practically every budget.
For the New Mom
This is a very special day for a new mom or a mom-to-be! Here are some surefire ways to make mom smile.
"I love Mom" tee shirts. This gift is perfect for both the new mommy and the mom-to-be. For a new mom, a great way to give this her gift is to have it modeled by the little one as a surprise
Nothing melts a new moms heart like seeing "I Love You, Mom" worn by your baby.
Designer Lifestyle (Mom) Bags. We all know that kids come with loads of trucks, Cherrios, crayons and diapers to lug around. But just because you're a mom doesn't mean that you have give up your style. bc designs has a line of handbags designed with these moms in mind.
For the Spa Lover
What mom doesn't love to be pampered for a day?! For the moms who love the spa, there are 2 great ways to present this.
Basket of Products and a Gift Card. If the special mom is a salon-goer, you can give a basket of her favorite salon products (if you are not sure about which ones just call her salon to look up her purchase history.
Home Spa Product Gift Set. For the mother who likes to enjoy the spa experience in the comfort of her own home, a there are amazing products out there that make a perfect gift. Get a bunch of products together in a fun basket. Don't forget to top this with a great candle, chocolates and some champagne!
For the Foodie
Herb Garden. Many mothers have said "I love you" through fresh baked chocolate chip cookies and homemade spaghetti for years. Now it is time to say it back with food. One of my favorite gifts for moms (and what I give to my
mother each year) is a fresh herb garden.
For the Fashionista
Handbag/Wallet filled with Gifts. Women love handbags. So how can you make this better? Load up that handbag with other small gifts contributed by those in
your family for a fabulously loaded gift that everyone can participate in
Jewelry. For the woman who loves to accessorize, jewelry can be a fabulous gift! So many jewelry designers have found ways to create personal and meaningful creations by incorporating birthstones and personalized name/letter charms into
their designs.
Flowers for a Year. Nothing says I love you like flowers. What if you could make her smile with flowers all year long? Well, you can. Haute Flower Boutique has an offering that will create custom flowers and deliver them monthly with personalized messages from you and your loved ones with each delivery. You
can select the frequency that you would like arrangements sent from quarterly (4
times a year), every other month (6 months) and every month (12 months).
For the New Mom
This is a very special day for a new mom or a mom-to-be! Here are some surefire ways to make mom smile.
"I love Mom" tee shirts. This gift is perfect for both the new mommy and the mom-to-be. For a new mom, a great way to give this her gift is to have it modeled by the little one as a surprise
Nothing melts a new moms heart like seeing "I Love You, Mom" worn by your baby.
Designer Lifestyle (Mom) Bags. We all know that kids come with loads of trucks, Cherrios, crayons and diapers to lug around. But just because you're a mom doesn't mean that you have give up your style. bc designs has a line of handbags designed with these moms in mind.
For the Spa Lover
What mom doesn't love to be pampered for a day?! For the moms who love the spa, there are 2 great ways to present this.
Basket of Products and a Gift Card. If the special mom is a salon-goer, you can give a basket of her favorite salon products (if you are not sure about which ones just call her salon to look up her purchase history.
Home Spa Product Gift Set. For the mother who likes to enjoy the spa experience in the comfort of her own home, a there are amazing products out there that make a perfect gift. Get a bunch of products together in a fun basket. Don't forget to top this with a great candle, chocolates and some champagne!
For the Foodie
Herb Garden. Many mothers have said "I love you" through fresh baked chocolate chip cookies and homemade spaghetti for years. Now it is time to say it back with food. One of my favorite gifts for moms (and what I give to my
mother each year) is a fresh herb garden.
For the Fashionista
Handbag/Wallet filled with Gifts. Women love handbags. So how can you make this better? Load up that handbag with other small gifts contributed by those in
your family for a fabulously loaded gift that everyone can participate in
Jewelry. For the woman who loves to accessorize, jewelry can be a fabulous gift! So many jewelry designers have found ways to create personal and meaningful creations by incorporating birthstones and personalized name/letter charms into
their designs.
Flowers for a Year. Nothing says I love you like flowers. What if you could make her smile with flowers all year long? Well, you can. Haute Flower Boutique has an offering that will create custom flowers and deliver them monthly with personalized messages from you and your loved ones with each delivery. You
can select the frequency that you would like arrangements sent from quarterly (4
times a year), every other month (6 months) and every month (12 months).
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