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Morgan & Oates ties up the Asian market

Stripe Scarf UK. The cashmere scarf specialist Morgan & Oates will introduce its Autumn/Winter 08 collection of 100% cashmere scarves at TFWA Asia Pacific (Stand G5).The new collection, which is mainly targeted at the Asian market, is described as a ‘fashionable new twist to a classic design that will appeal to both men and women’.It includes a collection of antique Tartans that are designed to avoid the dilution of pigment caused by weathering or passage of time. The travel retail price of these scarves will be about US$110. Many new cashmere/merino mix pashmina designs, including a collection of animal prints and new fine stripe colours will also be presented.Morgan & Oates has identified the Asia Pacific region as an important market and is looking to target ground shops in addition to its inflight business.Worldwide Sales Director Kevin Galbraith said: “Our main market is still Japan and we do excellent business with ANA; however, we continue to work actively with Korea, Taiwan and Malaysia.”Morgan & Oates won a new listing onboard ANA's international flights for its 100% cashmere stole in Ice Blue on 1 March and recently started selling its collection in mainland China, at Shanghai Pudong International Airport T2, at the end of last month.Galbraith adds: “This new listing, plus our new business in Pudong, is a great start to the year in Asia and we very much look forward to developing distribution further through contacts we make at TFWA Asia Pacific this year.”

Brazilian Confederation of Soccer prohibits sales of alcohol in stadia

Soccer Products BRASILIA, April 26 (Xinhua) -- The Brazilian Confederation of Soccer (CBF) announced on Saturday that they will impose a dry law on the sales of alcoholic beverages during games when the Brazilian national team plays throughout the country.The declaration was made in order to limit incidents of violence within the stadium. The Brazilian national soccer team will be playing in front of its home crowd during eliminatory games for the 2010 World Cup.Despite the inhibition of sales, the advertisement of beer will remain inside the stadiums. The million dollar sponsorship of Ambev, owner of products such as Brahma, Antarctica and Skol beer, will be permitted to display its advertisement, although the sales of its products will be restricted.The CBF claims that de decision was made with the objective of giving fans more security. Additionally, the CBF affirmed that the prohibition inside stadiums throughout Brazil for games played by the national team has nothing to do with the relationship with Ambev. The company did not make any statements regarding the issue.Apart from the restriction of alcoholic beverages, the CBF stated that it will aim to perfect conditions of security and hygiene within stadiums throughout Brazil. Such improvements will be registered by the Public Ministry and will be inspected before games take place. According to the president of the CBF, Ricardo Teixeira, the new security and health measures will enter into practice immediately. National teams that do not comply with the new measures will be punished. The decree comes before the opener of the Cup of Brazil.The vice-president of the Flamengo soccer club, Kleber Leite, added his support to the new rules mentioning that, The mixture of alcohol and emotion is very complicated.

Cleaning alternatives for a 'greener' environment

Lemon Freshener Jinnifer Gibbsof Michigan State University Extension Ottawa County branch said she is seeing people make a more conscientious choice in becoming earth-friendly. "It's becoming a more mainstream focus," she said. "Just from the inquiries I've received and from what I've seen nationally, I do think we're seeing a new shift. More people are becoming more sensitive to what they're using and how it effects their families and the environment. We're seeing the ramifications in the choices we make and how it can be beneficial or not beneficial." Gibbs explained that common food and baking staples found in your pantry can serve as a greener alternative to the store-bought cleaning agents which might contain pollutant chemicals. "First, it's a cost savings for your home — comprising of things in your pantry," she said. "Second, it'll have an impact on society — with water runoffs, it'll eliminate something that's going into a system that's going out into our environment." In an effort to a greener alternative, Gibbs said many people are confused by product labels, especially those marked "toxic," but are safe to use, and "non-toxic." "When in doubt, call the manufacturer," she said. "If you question whether it's safe, go to the source." An example of a "toxic, but safe" product is an air freshener. "Air fresheners truly do not freshen the air, they mask the odor," Gibbs said. A safe and all-natural alternative to air fresheners would be to boil cinnamon and cloves on the stove, which will disperse a scent through the air, killing the odor, according to Gibbs. "It's non-evasive and safe," she said of the alternative. Another cleaning agent combination that can be found in your pantry — vinegar and water — also works great for cleaning windows. Common store-bought cleaning products, such as Clorox, are also being re-vamped, offering a "greener" alternative for the consumer. Clorox Green Works is a line of cleaning supplies — from toilet bowl cleaners to glass and all-purpose cleaners — made from natural ingredients. According to its Web site, greenworkscleaners.com, the new cleaning line is made from plants and minerals, including a coconut-based cleaning agent, lemon oils, corn-based ethanol, filtered water and biodegradable preservatives. None of the Lemon Freshener products contain any phosphorus or bleach, according to the company. "The ingredients must come from renewable resources, be biodegradable and free of petrochemicals," the Web site states. "Green Works cleaners are at least 99 percent natural." Four of the five Green Works products are recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Design for the Environment Program. Those products, and others made from natural ingredients, will have a DfE world label on its packaging.

Hapa set to impress

flexo printer Hapa AG, the Zurich-based supplier of online pack printing technologies for the pharmaceutical, cosmetics and healthcare sectors, will showcase new additions to its flexographic and digital printer ranges, reinforcing the company's status as the leading solutions provider in its field. The company will also introduce a hybrid flexo/digital system to deliver optimum quality, flexibility and cost-effectiveness in applications such as unit dose coding, randomisation and serialisation. Hapa flexo printers remain the online printing technology of choice on pharmaceutical blister lines worldwide, over four decades on from launch. Fast and straightforward to set-up, the Hapa 200 series machines produce high-quality print via solvent-free UV inks. Their popularity is further enhanced by the use of a flexographic printing plate, which makes for straightforward validation and compliance with pharmaceutical Good Manufacturing Practice. While printing on blister lidding foil is one of the better-known applications for the Hapa 200, the technology can be applied to a diverse range of reel-fed substrates, as will be demonstrated by products debuting at interpack. The Hapa 210 is a narrow web printer designed for integration with conventional labelling machines to partially or fully print pre-cut self-adhesive labels in up to five colours at speeds up to 30 metres per minute. Each printing unit is fitted with a sensor to monitor label edges so that highly accurate registration is maintained throughout. The machine is also available in an offline roll-to-roll version that can be used to supply a number of labelling machines. A particular advantage of the Hapa 210 is that no special label stock is required: thanks to instantaneous UV curing of print, the system can print onto virtually any material - coated or uncoated paper, PVC and security labels. The unit is compact and easily accommodated on any packaging line. Also new is the Hapa 260, which boasts the widest web width in the range and has been developed in co-operation with a leading medical care company. The Hapa 260 prints onto intravenous infusion bag material as an integral part of the production process. Again UV curing is key, ensuring that there is no possibility of the inks migrating through the substrate and particular attention has been paid to material handling, to avoid any mechanical stress on the web. All Hapa 200 systems are format-free, with a pilgrim step system accommodating different print lengths. Features contributing to operator acceptance include clear, menu-driven operation via a colour touchscreen interface, simple and accurate print mat mounting by means of locator pins and easy to handle, quick change inking devices. Launched last year, the Hapa 807 BlisterJet digital UV Drop On Demand inkjet system has been introduced to help pharmaceutical manufacturers achieve greater productivity and higher levels of Overall Equipment Effectiveness in their blister packaging operations. The first commercially-available system for late stage customisation of pre-cut pharmaceutical blisters, the Hapa 807 allows producers to make the shift from the traditional 'make to batch' philosophy operations to a more efficient 'make to stock' model. Its capabilities will be demonstrated at interpack on a complete late stage customisation line, operating in conjunction with an automated blister feeding system and a cartoner. Based on the success of the Hapa 807 BlisterJet, Hapa has announced a significant strengthening of the Hapa 800 range with the launch of two new models - the CartonJet and LabelJet - enabling pharmaceutical manufacturers faced with handling many small batches of product to benefit from greater flexibility and productivity, as well as improved Overall Equipment Effectiveness across their packaging operations. The CartonJet handles pre-folded and glued cartons, while the LabelJet is available in reel-to-reel or inline executions. Each standard system is a complete unit incorporating printer modules combined with a customised product handling and transport system, offering a full digital four colour (CMYK) approach. The LabelJet includes the intelligence to complete the current print cycle during line stoppages, thereby ensuring that there is no impact on print quality or packaging line efficiency. The Hapa 800 series is built around UV Drop On Demand, digital printing technology. This produces extremely high quality print thanks to sophisticated drop placement, with the capacity to print at full blister, carton or label web width. The printheads operate with high specification UV inks, which are extremely resistant to both smudging and scuffing. A unique hybrid system integrating the Hapa 237 flexo foil printer with a DOD printhead will be presented as a highly inventive solution for pharmaceutical manufacturers needing to comply with forthcoming legislation on traceability of medicines, which in some cases will mean that each pocket of each blister will be required to carry a unique code. This will facilitate tracking and tracing of product from manufacturer to dispensary and in some cases even to the point of administration, to ensure patient safety and as a weapon against the growing threat of counterfeit products entering the supply chain. Cost-effective, high quality and easy to validate flexographic print is used to produce the text and artwork that remains constant, while DOD technology provides the flexibility to deliver unique information at dose or pack level. Also on show will be products from the Hapa 500 series, a range of digital laser engravers for fast turnaround of flexographic plates for all Hapa 200 series printers and the Hapa 700 series, a unique printing system based on a digital process but which utilises a composite screen master to ensure ease of validation and highest quality print for small batch sizes.

Wannabe celebs provide the silver on screen

Scarf Material Ask a big-name rag trade retailer to name a rival they admire and the response is almost always none. Insist they name one and the response is almost always the same: Asos.com.Nick Robertson, the 40-year-old who has built the online fashion business from scratch, is pleased as punch that a business he dreamed up for selling products that shoppers saw on TV is so highly rated. So are shareholders in the Aim-listed company. Four years ago the shares were changing hands at 5p. Today they are nudging 282p, valuing the business at ��206m and Robertson's stake at ��28m - not bad for a business with an annual turnover of ��80m.David Jeary, an analyst at the broker Investec, expects the heady growth rate to continue and has set a 12-month target price for the stock at 355p.Asos, for those with their fashion heads stuck in the sand, was founded in 2000 and built on showing young shoppers how to emulate the designer looks of celebrity magazine favourites such as Victoria Beckham, Lindsay Lohan and Jennifer Lopez for a fraction of the cost.The site still links looks to faces. Customers can click on their favourite celeb/wag/pop star and view clothes that look a bit like things they have been pictured in. Want to look like Coleen McLoughlin, Wayne Rooney's intended? Well a "cupped satin corset in the style of Coleen McLoughlin" may be one way. Maybe you prefer the style of Kate Moss? The cheapest way is not to buy her signature range at Topshop but to choose a ��6 Asos Lurex vest "in the style of" the Croydon supermodel.Today, however, the site, and the business, have morphed into something far more aspirational. Though 70% of sales are still own label, the site is also selling some 250 brands, including luxury labels such as Balenciaga and YSL.Robertson makes no apologies for its celebrity bias: "We are not doing anything different to what women's magazines have been doing since the beginning of time. We are presenting fashion in the way it has always been presented and the way people like to see it presented - with pictures of people wearing stuff."To prove his point he scoots off to find the latest copies of Vogue and Grazia. Turning the pages, he says: "Ooh look, there is a picture of a celebrity wearing something. There's Kylie. There's Victoria ... and there's Kate Moss ... and there's Kate again."The target audience is women aged 18 to 34 and Asos has 1.7 million registered users. Some 180,000 potential customers browse the site each day. It receives 200,000 orders a month, averaging ��60 a time. Menswear makes up 15% of sales; beauty and cosmetics ranges account for another 3%.Constant shootsAsos HQ, with 200 staff, is a former tobacco factory in Camden. It is one of those trendy "workspaces" beloved of dotcom companies. Robertson and the senior team work out in the open-plan office. The buying department, as always, resembles a jumble sale. The catwalk and studio are used in videoing and photographing every item of clothing - and there are 8,300 on the site. The stock is turned - replaced - every nine weeks, so there are a serious number of snaps to take.It is the range that the internet can provide that Robertson wants to underline. There are 354 full-price dresses available on Asos. There are also 53 from premium-brand ranges and another 214 on the virtual clearance rails. "The Topshop site," he says, "has got 64."Not that he intends to disparage Topshop. "I love it," he says - several times. And despite its much larger range, Asos is still smaller, in terms of turnover, than Topshop's flagship Oxford Street store. "We are tiny really ... but we have an enormous opportunity."Robertson's background is in advertising, but there is retailing in the family genes as his great-grandfather founded the Austin Reed menswear chain.The Asos chief executive left school after A-levels and worked as a media buyer until 1996, when he set up a business called Entertainment Marketing to place products in films and TV programmes. By 2000 he was running a website detailing which products were used in movies and on TV. The business was called AsSeenOnScreen, and it was fashion that proved the biggest success. The product-placement operation was finally ditched last year.Other fashion retailers are having a tough time as debt-laden shoppers rein back spending: Next has warned sales may fall 7% in the coming months and M&S says the downturn could go on for two years. Ethel Austin went into administration this week - a path trod by several other fashion chains this year including Elvi, Base, Select and Dolcis. Robertson, however, reckons Asos will sail through largely unscathed."We are not seeing any signs of a downturn. There are a lot of reasons - things are changing at Asos very quickly and there's so much stuff to look at and buy." He quotes research that suggests "30% growth is guaranteed online" and the fact that "pundits are saying 10% of all clothes will be bought online by 2010 - compared to 3% now".Robertson is full of ideas for the future. "It can be what we make it," he says. The Asos range may already be large, but he wants it to be bigger, stocking the entire ranges of high-street chains and turning Asos into an online fashion mall. "High-street shoppers go to seven to 10 shops, but internet shoppers go to just two or three websites, with bigger ranges."High-street chains, he says, like to put their product on Asos because "it looks better than it does on their own website because they don't have the catwalk".Different hatsThere have been mutterings in the trade that Asos is trimming its margins by selling so many brands. Robertson says critics just don't get it. "Take the traditional retail hat off," he says. "In traditional retail, margin is everything but it is not the be all and end all of this business because we don't have stores."He does, however, have big ideas. He is keen to show off the Asos magazine, a handbag-sized publication - 100 pages with plans for 200 - with an audited circulation of 360,000. "By the end of this year we will be doing 700,000 and it will be the biggest fashion monthly."Does he ever envisage having any shops? "Categorically no ... well, if I could have the Topshop Oxford Circus site, then yes. It's not that I want a shop, it's because of the marketing benefit. But it is not going to happen in the next five years and it would a shop, not shopssss."Making a rather more rapid appearance, he says, will be a new intelligent website, like Amazon, which recognises individual shoppers and only shows them relevant products. "So when my wife visits Asos she sees a different shop to the girl in the office."Then will come Asos marketplace, a cross between eBay and Asos, so customers can run their own mini-boutiques, selling their own clothes online alongside a selection of Asos goods. Asos will then pay a commission or offer a discount.Another project, codenamed Asos Red, will see the site offering designer end-of-lines at knockdown prices .The father of a five-month-old daughter, Robertson is also toying with a childrenswear business. "But we would not do it under the Asos name. We don't think kids and fashion go together."Asos's growth has not been without hiccups - in 2005 the Buncefield oil depot explosion blew the roof off its new Hertfordshire warehouse. Sir Philip Green, says Robertson, was one of the first people to offer help. "He rang up and suggested we use his loss assessor. He was very helpful."So does he think the acquisitive billionaire would be interested in adding Asos to his portfolio? "No," says Robertson, "he doesn't buy premium-rated businesses at the top of their game."So, to return to the original question - which retailer does Robertson admire? "H&M, Zara, River Island," he offers. "But I just love Topshop."

Cason at loss for words, not much else

Round Collar Antoine Cason's voice said that he was “at a loss for words” and “speechless.”His smile, packaged with an unflinching gaze, a charming cadence, the unquestionably certain way he stood, said he had it all under control.If the cornerback out of Arizona is as smooth on the field in the NFL as he was on his first day as a professional player, the Chargers made a fantastic first-round pick and their pass defense will benefit greatly for years to come.Every draft pick attempts to impress in his first public appearance after being drafted. Some fail; others are simply transparent. Cason nailed it.Based on yesterday's noon gathering and widespread accounts of who he is, he is clearly all the Chargers purported him to be when they took him Saturday, explaining he was a “leader” and a “character guy.”First off, the kid can play. There is every reason to expect he will be the Chargers' third cornerback come September.He made 15 interceptions in four college seasons, third-most by an Arizona player. Of those, 10 were off quarterbacks who are in the NFL or were drafted this weekend.New teammate Jacob Hester, the Chargers' second pick in this year's draft, remembers this of the game in 2006 when Arizona played LSU, then quarterbacked by eventual No. 1 draft choice JaMarcus Russell.“He intercepted a pass against us,” Hester said.Were the Chargers to oppose Green Bay, new Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers would remember the two picks Cason had against him when Rodgers played for Cal.Not that genetics alone makes a first-round talent, but Cason was accompanied to Chargers Park yesterday by his father, Wendell, who played three years in the NFL in the 1980s. Antoine Cason came to a Chargers game this past December to see his cousin Aevion play for the Detroit Lions. Another cousin, Ken-yon Rambo, played four years in the league. At a dinner party for Cason on Saturday in his hometown of Long Beach, more than a dozen Cason kin with Division I football experience celebrated with him.Blessed for sure, blood alone is not what got him here.What his dad did in an NFL career that ended a year after Antoine was born seemingly pales next to the intervening 20 years of Antoine's life. Wendell and his brother run a trucking business. The family is tight-knit and blue-collar.“We do it the old-fashioned way,” Wendell said yesterday. “Things don't come set on the table for you. You've got to get the food.”Antoine Cason originally planned to take six units over the Internet this semester as he lived in Florida training for the NFL Combine and other predraft workouts. He took just one class.“With all I had going on this spring, I didn't want to be in something and not pass it,” he said.He now needs one class – a three-unit elective – to graduate. It's a good bet he'll do it, since he went back to school for his senior season despite the fact he might have been a first-round pick last year.“You graduate college,” he said. “The sound of 'I graduated,' that just sounds right. I've conquered whatever I've done. I start something, I want to finish it.”

Increasing access to dental care

Cosmetic Vessel To reach his goal of collecting 10,000 aluminum cans by the end of the school year, Rigby Wall keeps his eyes peeled to the ground.And sometimes up a tree."One time I found a can in a tree, and there were two inch worms and a spider bigger than a wolf spider in it," said Rigby, a third-grader at Cannons Elementary School. "So I dropped a big rock on it."Under the direction of conservation-minded art teacher Doris Turner, more than 100 students at Cannons have been picking up cans off the roads, from the trash bins and out of the occasional tree in the school's collective quest to make the earth and cleaner and greener place."Ms. Turner encouraged them to clean up the earth," said Susie Wall, Rigby's grandmother and a Cannons recycling volunteer. "Rigby loves to get outside, and he wanted to do what Ms. Turner wants them to do. Last fall, his goal was collecting 2,000 cans. Then it was 5,000. Now it's 10,000."As of mid-April, Rigby was just 1,700 cans shy of that goal, and collectively, the entire school had scooped up more than 25,000 cans.Rigby's efforts have not gone unnoticed by his classmates, either."When I see Rigby picking up cans and bringing them in, I think I can do that, too, and help the earth," said Leah Foster, 9, who's collected about 2,400 cans.As an incentive, students collecting at least 100 cans receive a recycled teddy bear. Turner finds teddy bears at yard sales, flea markets, etc. and cleans them up, sews them up or does whatever needs to be done to make them almost as good as new. Because the Earthcare Project at Cannons has been so successful, she is constantly in need of teddy bears to give her students. (To donate a teddy bear, call Cannons Elementary at 579-8020.) By the way, Rigby has 11 bears. When he reached the 5,000 mark, Rigby won an ice cream party for him and his classmates. He has also been nominated for the Kohl's Outstanding Youth Volunteer Award, which includes a $10,000 scholarship.Can-collecting students who reach the teddy bear level are featured on the in-house TV news program on Thursdays, as well as a special bulletin board recognizing their efforts.The recycled cans have netted the school about $750 this year, and the most of the money goes to maintain the Earth Quilt Garden and to purchase energy-saving light bulbs. The light bulbs are presented to families who, at the beginning of the school year, pledged "to take plastics, paper and other recyclables to the Recycle Center."Turner has expanded the Earthcare Project to include the collection of plastic bottles, and the school has collected more than 7,000 of them. Rigby has brought in about 2,200 bottles. This is a good time of year to find empty soda bottles strewn among the bleachers at local little league games, Rigby said.Both Rigby and Leah collect the tabs off the cans they collect. Susie Wall figures he's collected about 25 pounds of tabs, which were taken to a local kidney dialysis office and now to the local Ronald McDonald House.And both of them enlist the help of family and friends to increase their tallies."Rigby's got everyone in the family involved. People from church bring him bags of cans on Sundays," Susie Wall said. "There's not a day that goes by that he's not collecting cans."Besides avoiding the critters that sometimes take up residence in the discarded cans, picking up cans can be a dirty job. But Leah has one trick to make it more pleasant."When we find beer cans, we spray air freshener on them," she said. Buzz up!The first time the now 12-year-old from Knoxville went to the dentist, "he bit the guy pretty bad," said his dad, Jody Hegwood.But that's not the main problem in finding Josh dental care. Josh has Williams Syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that causes medical and developmental conditions, including mild to moderate mental retardation or learning difficulties, a distinctive facial appearance and heart or blood vessel problems.He had open heart surgery when he was only 1 year old, Jody Hegwood said."(Josh) has a hard time getting a regular dentist to see him because of his heart condition," his father said.So the Hegwoods bring Josh to the University of Iowa Center for Disabilities and Development for his dental care through a statewide program called Dental Care for Persons with Disabilities. The program, started in 1983, is administered by the Department of Pediatric Dentistry at the UI College of Dentistry, the UI Center for Disabilities and Development and the Iowa Department of Public Health.Since its inception -- it was started by Dr. Arthur Nowak, a former pediatric dentistry professor at the University of Iowa -- the program has served more than 3,000 children and young adults."It's a program to meet the needs of families who would fall through the cracks," said Gayle Gilbaugh, program associate and Cosmetic Vessel in pediatric dentistry. Gilbaugh also works in the dental clinic in the University of Iowa Center for Disabilities and Development.Participant requirements are that the person needs to be an Iowa resident younger than 21 from a low-income family. The program defines low income as those who are at 200 percent of the federal poverty guideline or less. That means for a family of four, they would earn less than $40,000 a year.Gilbaugh said there are some families who participate in the program where both parents are employed, even some who receive medical insurance but no dental insurance.

Tackle your toughest loads of laundry with ease

Shoe Sponge Have you turned more than a fair share of your white socks pink? Do you struggle to keep your couch cushions clean? If either of these statements describes you, then you’re in luck. Katie Brown of PBS's “Keep it Simple” has a rule of thumb for every room of the house and possible laundry mishap.Kitchen tipsWash oven mitts and ironing board covers in cold water in your washer and dry on low, as these items can shrink easily. For sponges, wash them in your dishwasher, then while still wet, pop into the microwave on high for 1 minute to kill any lurking germs.The cloth part of your mop can be washed in the machine if there is no hard metal or plastic attached, but remember to air dry. Plastic dish gloves can be washed in the dishwasher or in the washer on gentle for a short cycle in warm water and then air dried.Bedroom tipsWhen it comes to pillows, invest in a pillow protector to go under your regular pillowcase. Down pillows can be machine washed. Fill the washer halfway with water, and then submerge the pillow to get out all the air. Let the water fill the machine and wash for 8-10 minutes, taking care to set the machine on delicate cycle. Open the lid occasionally to press out air and balance the load if necessary.

Prom Flowers Tips And Trends

Satin Bias Don't make ordering your flowers for prom the last thing on your list, advises Amy Wiest, floral designer at Wildflowers in Palos Heights. Plan ahead and follow Amy's tips has some tips for picking the perfect blooms.Color Cues:The color of the girl's dress is one of the main ingredients when selecting personal flowers for both her and him. Since most of the time we (the floral designers) get this information third or fourth hand, it is imperative that you use very descriptive color terms: there are a thousand shades of pink and a rainbow of intensities within each shade. We don't want to over complicate the matter, but the closer we get to knowing the actual color, the better able we are to guide you in what would flatter it best. When designing for dresses whose colors don't match natural flowers, select colors that will compliment the color of the dress or intensities that are the same as the value of the dress; i.e. a watery shade of turquoise would look great with mixed garden flowers in shades of warm yellow, medium pinks, lavenders and soft blues.Style Cues: Although color is the main determining factor for flowers, dress style is just slightly less important. A Cinderella-style ball gown requires different treatment than a bias-cut slip dress even if the color is exactly the same for both. Keep the flowers more traditional for a more youthful dress and more unusual for a contemporary dress. As for the boys, the color and print of their vest & tie should be the guides. The Recipient:When the dress color and style don't offer enough guidance, consider the person wearing the dress. We often use school clubs and athletic associations as well as favorite stores to help us get to know the person better. Her personal flowers should compliment both her personality and her outfit.Some Things to remember!Size does matter! Simple elegance is best achieved with a bouquet that is petite. There is plenty of time for carrying a bridal bouquet later in life. The same goes for boutonnières, young men do not want to wear anything too large or fussy.NO Accents like satin ribbons, glittered and spray painted flowers and lace bouquet collars. They may have been in style when your parents went to prom, but they aren't anymore.This doesn't have to be Mom's job! The selection of your date's flowers is a personal choice, which is best made by the person who knows your date the best. We are there to help you make the best choice and get the biggest impact for your budget.Budget, budget, budget! Flower cost can vary as much as dress cost. Be upfront with your florist but don't be unrealistic. The designer should have some pricing guidelines posted within the store. Keep in mind that more unusual flowers or a design that requires a lot of labor to accomplish will be more expensive.Nosegay or corsage? Although corsages are usually reserved for less formal dances like homecoming or Junior prom, you should select the flowers that will suit your date best.

Mountainsmith Cross Country Backpack

Elastic Webbing Belt The multi-day backpacking pack, the Cross Country 3.0 features our load dispersion technology suspension, front and top access, a fully equipped removable day pack for quick trips from base camp, protective features for those inclement weather days and canted water bottle holders for easy access on the trail. * Large rain cover fits this pack * Load Dispersion Technology Suspension * Independently adjustable shoulder straps with dual density foam * Elastic sternum strap and bite valve catch * Safety Whistle * Molded foam back panel * Pivoting waist belt with dual density foam and a HDPE sheet * 4 load adjusters for load dispersion * Detachable lid * Water resistant clear map case * Collared storm shield with draw cord closure 4 compression straps with quick-release hardware * Detachable day pack that is hydration compatible * Zippered vertical front pocket with elastic rigging * Fleece lined eyewear pocket * Key clip * Internal organizer pockets * U-shaped zippered access into the main compartment * Dual ice axe loops with daisy chain rigging points * Separate sleeping bag compartment with internal divider * Sleeping pad compression straps with quick release hardware * 2 canted water bottle pockets that accommodate 32 oz water bottles * Hydration compatible with dual exit ports * Trekking pole mountsConstruction * 100% Recycled PET webbing and binding * Twin T6 1” 6061 concave aluminum stays * Bar tack reinforcements * 150d Recycled PET rip stop lining * 840d Recycled PET reinforcements * 450d Recycled PET body fabric

Curtain tapes and elastic products from Narrowtex Australia

Elastic Webbing Narrowtex Australia offers a wide range of products that includes narrostrap, cable pulling tape, curtain tape, elastic products, restraint webbing, polypropylene webbings, superior lifting solutions, cargo restraint solutions, military webbing, safety harness webbing, sports and leisure products, home décor, fashion trims, military and safety products, packaging and branding and arresta access ropes.Narrowtex Australia offers a wide range of curtain tapes that varies from simple, cost-effective to up-market luxurious tapes. Narrowtex Australia employs knowledgeable and skilled sales staff to assist the customers to choose the tape best suiting their requirements and needs.The curtain tape range offered by Narrowtex Australia include deep pleat, smock pleat, multi pleat, trident pleat, mini pleat, tridis tape, Regis pleat, voil tape, buckram tape and many more. Narrowtex Australia uses only high quality polypropylene and polyester yarns in the construction of tapes, ensuring reliable and consistent product. All the products offered by Narrowtex Australia are manufactured in accordance with the ISO 9001:2000 quality management system.Narrowtex Australia manufactures a wide range of woven and knitted elastic for home textiles, clothing and other sectors. The various elastic products offered by Narrowtex Australia include buttonhole elastic, draw cord elastic, waistband tape, pico zigzag elastic and gusset elastic.

Eight-year-old Rigby Wall has a can-do attitude

Spray Air Freshener To reach his goal of collecting 10,000 aluminum cans by the end of the school year, Rigby Wall keeps his eyes peeled to the ground.And sometimes up a tree."One time I found a can in a tree, and there were two inch worms and a spider bigger than a wolf spider in it," said Rigby, a third-grader at Cannons Elementary School. "So I dropped a big rock on it."Under the direction of conservation-minded art teacher Doris Turner, more than 100 students at Cannons have been picking up cans off the roads, from the trash bins and out of the occasional tree in the school's collective quest to make the earth and cleaner and greener place."Ms. Turner encouraged them to clean up the earth," said Susie Wall, Rigby's grandmother and a Cannons recycling volunteer. "Rigby loves to get outside, and he wanted to do what Ms. Turner wants them to do. Last fall, his goal was collecting 2,000 cans. Then it was 5,000. Now it's 10,000."As of mid-April, Rigby was just 1,700 cans shy of that goal, and collectively, the entire school had scooped up more than 25,000 cans.Rigby's efforts have not gone unnoticed by his classmates, either."When I see Rigby picking up cans and bringing them in, I think I can do that, too, and help the earth," said Leah Foster, 9, who's collected about 2,400 cans.As an incentive, students collecting at least 100 cans receive a recycled teddy bear. Turner finds teddy bears at yard sales, flea markets, etc. and cleans them up, sews them up or does whatever needs to be done to make them almost as good as new. Because the Earthcare Project at Cannons has been so successful, she is constantly in need of teddy bears to give her students. (To donate a teddy bear, call Cannons Elementary at 579-8020.) By the way, Rigby has 11 bears. When he reached the 5,000 mark, Rigby won an ice cream party for him and his classmates. He has also been nominated for the Kohl's Outstanding Youth Volunteer Award, which includes a $10,000 scholarship.Can-collecting students who reach the teddy bear level are featured on the in-house TV news program on Thursdays, as well as a special bulletin board recognizing their efforts.The recycled cans have netted the school about $750 this year, and the most of the money goes to maintain the Earth Quilt Garden and to purchase energy-saving light bulbs. The light bulbs are presented to families who, at the beginning of the school year, pledged "to take plastics, paper and other recyclables to the Recycle Center."Turner has expanded the Earthcare Project to include the collection of plastic bottles, and the school has collected more than 7,000 of them. Rigby has brought in about 2,200 bottles. This is a good time of year to find empty soda bottles strewn among the bleachers at local little league games, Rigby said.Both Rigby and Leah collect the tabs off the cans they collect. Susie Wall figures he's collected about 25 pounds of tabs, which were taken to a local kidney dialysis office and now to the local Ronald McDonald House.And both of them enlist the help of family and friends to increase their tallies."Rigby's got everyone in the family involved. People from church bring him bags of cans on Sundays," Susie Wall said. "There's not a day that goes by that he's not collecting cans."Besides avoiding the critters that sometimes take up residence in the discarded cans, picking up cans can be a dirty job. But Leah has one trick to make it more pleasant."When we find beer cans, we spray air freshener on them," she said. Buzz up!

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Finding Wholesale Nike Air Jordan Shoes

In the mid 1980s the Nike shoe company came out with several new shoe designs, most particularly created for the sports industry that had always supported Nike so well. Along with new designs, during this period Nike negotiated a contract with Michal Jordan, a well-known, and highly popular, basketball player. Over the next two decades Nike would carry on a line of Jordan shoes in various styles, even after Jordan's retirement from pro basketball.

The two major features that set Nike Air Jordan shoes apart from other sneakers were in the design of the shoe itself, and in the logos printed on the shoes. The earliest shoes, released in 1985, were a leather base in both high top and low top varieties. They were the first shoes to carry the winged basketball that would come to be known as one of two Nike Air Jordan standard logos. This logo would appear on three versions of Nike Air Jordan Shoes, printed on either the side near the ankle or on the tongue of the shoe. When the fourth version was introduced in 1987 the logo was changed to what was dubbed the 'jumpman' a picture of a basketball player going up for a slam-dunk. This logo appeared on many places depending on the particular shoe. Sides, tongue and sole were all fair game for logo placement and the jumpman appeared on all.

The most unique feature of the Air Jordan line though was in the Nike Air technology. This allowed for a design that brought extra air into the sole of the shoe, creating a better cushion for the foot of the wearer. All of the Air Jordan shoes had this technology, but it became much more visible in the later lines. In these designs a squeezable shoe 'pump' was installed into the tongue of the shoe. By pressing the pump a customer could change the firmness of the fit of the shoe, adjusting this for personal preference and maximum comfort.

Currently many top of the market shoe stores sell the Nike Air Jordan shoe lines at full retail prices, leaving wholesale Nike Air Jordan for outlet stores, prices ranging from $70 to over $300, averaging out around $100. In order to combat these prices and take a share of the wholesale Nike Air Jordan market online websites such as urbanhotlist.com have appeared. They offer discounted prices on these shoes, through wholesale options and bulk orders. This guarantees the authenticity and quality of the shoes, but for a much lower price.

Both advantages and disadvantages exist when it comes to purchasing from an online wholesale site, like urbanhotlist.com. The access to a much broader base of merchandise, in this case additional colors and styles of shoes that might not be available in stores and at wholesale pricing, can be kept reasonable, even after shipping and handling.

For these reasons, among others, websites such as urbanhotlist.com have become popular with wholesale Nike Air Jordan consumers. The biggest drawback to such sites is that the customer is unable to see or handle the merchandise before it is purchased. Customers must be sure to get a good refund policy before placing an order, so that any defects or sizing problems can be easily addressed.

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This wonderful list can be yours, and it contains a lot of valuable information and details of more than 10 factories in China that manufacture Jordan and Nike shoes. I also found a lot of US suppliers that provided Nike and Jordan shoes as well. This is definitely a great opportunity for anyone who would like to invest in something profitable. Imagine the profits that I acquire when I buy directly from the factory and then sell at a retail price that ranges from $100 to $200 for each pair!

I have already got in touch with one of the suppliers and received all the information required. You do not need to send some e-mails to get the information required, time is used marvelously! We provide everything that you need, their contacts’ names, URLs, Paypal address, their ratings, lists of products and pricings. Let us provide you the necessary links to this wonderful profiting opportunity.

You get the "Wholesale Air Jordans Lists" guide + all the bonuses for cheap price

Cason at loss for words, not much else

wholesale distributor for lady handbags in cheap price

Bringing quality clothing products, fashion apparel and jewelry supply from around the world at competitive wholesale prices. Over ten years expericences as manufactuerer, exporter, importer and wholesale distributor of Handmade ethic clothings, arts crafts, jewelry, tribal giftware products.

Proudly serving USA & Canada wholesale and retail business customers since 1996 with a complete selection of the latest trendy fashions in textile garments, fine jewelry, clothing accessories.

Handbags Central is the leading wholesale distributor of designer-style handbags. Our specialty is being able to offer our customers the very latest in new runway designer-type styles at the very same time they are being offered in the most fashionable department stores and at the lowest possible prices.

Our Merchandise/Catalog

The fast pace at which new trends are being introduced on the International scene as well as New York demands that we always remain at the cutting edge fashion. It is for this reason that our catalog is in a website format only. Many of our customers visit our website three to four times weekly in order to stay current on “what’s hot” in the fashion handbag industry.

About Designer Alternatives

Handbags illustrated throughout our website should not be confused with handbags being offered by original manufacturers whose designs may be similar. The phrase that appears in our directory “Compare Our Prices To” (brand name)”, is merely a reference to price. Brand Name Company does not manufacture or license their products to us.

Integrating processes of research, production and marketing together, our factory mainly produce men's and women's fashionable accessory, jewelry, handbag, hair ornament, arts and crafts, fashion belts, leather products, crystal jewels and metallic handicrafts. All these styles are produced following the international trends. Meanwhile, we are able to upgrades and create new products to meet different market demands.

From 2000, we expand our business as a direct China exporter and international trade agent. Since our company is located in Yiwu City, Zhe Jiang, mainland China, known as "China's Commodity City", which is the largest wholesale market in China, we have established close business relationships with local factories and manufacturers, we can offer more favorable goods and export information to customers.

Besides providing you low cost good quality products from our factory, we also source and export numerous commodities include candles, steel crafts, photo frames, gift decorations, ornaments, hardware, toys, stationery products, jewelry, arts and crafts, home textiles, watches, clocks, cosmetic, sports products, artificial flowers, porcelain, crystal, poly resin, bags, glassware, and household products. These Made In China products have sold well in numerous countries and regions including North America, West Europe, South America, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, India, and South Africa. Our one stop shopping services include product sourcing, order negotiation and processing, quality control and inspection, export agency, customs declaration, providing warehouse, sea freight air cargo service referral and more.

On the basis of mutual benefit and our firm-wide belief that credibility and customers are our top concerns, we would like to cooperate with customers both international wide to achieve further success. Please don't hesitate to contact us for any questions or concern related to our products and services.

We sell Wholesale Handbags, Sports bags, Travel bags, Shopping bags, Kid Schools Bags, Apparel, Garment, & Footwear for Men, Kids, Baby and Women assorted colors & styles, we do also have other designer products. Country of Origin is Malaysia. All samples are payable. Please visit our website for more details. Only wholesale purchases. We accept paypal & credit cards.

Here are a few reasons why...

QUALITY & AUTHENTICITY.

We choose to sell only the best wholesale clothing products available for resellers. We guarantee your satisfaction with the quality and authenticity of every item we sell. When you buy from Island Wholesaler, your products will arrive as described on our website. And, we guarantee your satisfaction!

RELIABILITY & TRUST.

Island Wholesaler established its online presence in 2003 and has been going strong ever since. We've supplied our clothing, accessories and shoes to hundreds of retailers in the USA and over 50 countries worldwide. Don't be fooled by other fly-by-night sites promising you things we all know they can't deliver. At Island Wholesaler, what we promise, we deliver! What you see is what you get. We guarantee it!

EXPERIENCE.

We at Island Wholesaler have a combined 30 years of experience in both retail and wholesale clothing that we are offering you as a buyer. We only buy the best clothing from the best suppliers and manufacturers for you to resell. We offer great products and retailing advice to help our customers make money. Remember, if you don't succeed, we don't succeed!

CUSTOMER SERVICE.

We truly understand the importance of customer service and are dedicated to providing you with the best service in our industry. If you are unsatisfied with your purchase for any reason, we will do everything we can to exceed your customer service expectations.

With Island Wholesaler, you can rest assured that your purchase means you are buying from the best! Our QUALITY, AUTHENTICITY, RELIABILITY, TRUST, EXPERIENCE and CUSTOMER SERVICE are unmatched. We guarantee it!

Increasing access to dental care

how can i overcome this?!?

its been a month since we separated, and still here i am still picking up the pieces of a broken dream, a broken heart and a broken life. until now, i still don't know how i can cope with this crazy situation right now. im still confused and i'm still longing. the only person i'm still clinging to is him. the only person that can still make me smile is him. i dont know if doctor love or even cupid can still mend this brokeness. i maybe crazy, funny, stupid or whatever but i just can help it. i still don't where i should start. i still don't know where i should go. i'm all stucked up in here. it's like my world suddenly stopped that i can't figure out how to move. how can i move when in fact i can't convince myself that he hurt me. i'm still talking about it over and over again like a pirated cd that jumps. i feel totally drastic. totally horrible. every word i utter seems like a corny joke or a mushy whatsoever stuff to anyone. but hey, what can i do?!? im still coping up. every single day seem to be very slow. i feel like im not growing. i feel like im stagnant. i feel like im all alone and that everything i do is wrong. i started to be clumsy. too showy, just to make people notice me. it feels like no one understand and no one really cares about me... of what's gonna happen to me. it feels like my efforts are being ignored. im trying to be good. im trying move on. but still i can't. all of a sudden i didn't know what i want to be when in fact i really know. i became scared of the future. i became scared of everyone, of everything and of taking risk because i might fail again. and mostly i became scared of loving because someone might leave me or break my heart again. im still figuring out what's wrong with me. what i did wrong. but still i can't. if only i knew what's inside every person's heart and mind, it would definitely be easy for me. but i guess, life's not really like that. we have to gamble. am i getting better or am i being bitter?!? i don't i'm still figuring out. i hope i could escape this total misery. i don't know when but i'm still hoping that i can do this. maybe in God's time and will he would allow me to love and to have the same person i am loving now. i know he listens and i know he will grant it. i hope its not too late for me....

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Advantages of Currency Trading

Foreign exchange trading involves buying and selling different currencies. It works on the theory that is similar with share market. As we know that to make the profit, you have to buy at lower price and sell at higher price, or we can also sell at higher price first and buy at lower price. But it’s not as easy as it sounds. By studying certain market conditions, you can actually make profits in forex. All you have to do is to analyze the forex strategy system in a correct way and do the good trade. Why to go for Foreign exchange trading? There is an option to invest in stock market also but here are a few important advantages of currency trading over stock market. 24-hour Trading- Forex trading is done on 24-hours basis. This market is open throughout day and night as somewhere in the world, there must be this buy and sell trading is going on.

Traders involved in forex trading strategy can always get that first hand information and can act accordingly. The currency rate is actually run through telecommunication all over the network of banks 24 hours a day from 00:00 GMT on Monday to 10:00 pm GMT on Friday. There are ECNs (Electronic Communication Networks) which bring together buyers and sellers. Greater Liquidity- There is a superior liquidity in the market as there are always buyers and sellers to purchase and sell foreign currencies. Forex trading market size is 50 times bigger than the New York Stock Exchange and liquidity of such large market ensures price stability. Forex trading stop orders could be carried out more simply. This makes Forex trading signal more liquid and permits Forex traders to take benefit of trading opportunities as they happen rather than waiting for the market to open the next day. 100:1 High Leverage in forex trading - 100 to 1 leverage is commonly available from online forex dealers, which substantially exceeds the common 2:1 margin offered by equity brokers.

This gives them a huge leverage in their trading and presents the potential for extraordinary profits with relative small investments. Leverage can also go the opposite way and may lead to huge losses if you are not careful. Forex trading signals have no commissions. Forex alerts Brokers can earn money by fixing their own speculation between what a currency could be bought at and what it could be sold at. In difference, Forex traders have to pay a commission fee or brokerage fee for every futures transaction they come in to the view. The forex market is so large that no one individual, bank, fund or government body can influence it for a long period of time. In forex trading strategy, you can trade between seven currencies but not everyone trade in all. There are certain trading signals that give indications to the trade. These forex signals are delivered by email, instant messenger or direct to your desktop. Some services even offer auto-trading, allowing you to auto-execute their trading signals direct into your broker account. For more about these forex, forex trading strategy, forex signal, visit: www. Official-forex-trading-system.com or you may contact at: contact@official-forex-trading-system.com

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Want to make your dress collection unique?

To own a designer dress for any occasion is a great desire for any woman. It is believed that designer outfits actually develop one’s persona in a perfect and flawless way. As a consequence, a sudden growth occurs in the demand of fashionable and sexy dresses of fashion world whether it’s wholesale sexy dresses, sexy outer wear, wholesale evening gown or wholesale lingerie.

Today every manufacture and designer of fashion industry is offering eye-catching sexy clothing with a blend of unique designs and beautiful creations at reasonable price. Wholesale sexy lingerie has exclusive range of quality products that is enriched with graceful classic feel and has a touch of modern-day designs. Today the wholesale sexy lingerie are created and crafted only after understanding the needs and interests of every consumer along with their budget. Wholesale sexy lingerie and other wholesale sexy dresses created by SMC Fashion are the outcome of immaculately created attire that are stylish and has wide range of products fulfilling the necessity of every wearer. Besides, wholesale sexy lingerie and wholesale sexy dresses available on http://www.smcfashion.com are perfect outfits, proper stylish, properly shaped and are manufactured with highest quality material and fabrics providing a comfort and awesome feeling to its wearer.

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Debt Management, Help & Advice From Debt Loan Management

If your monthly outgoings are very high and its stress on your finances in growing, then it would be prudent to go for debt management advice. The tips for controlling your finances may be of great help for you in getting rid of old payments in the coming years.

The first thing that you will be always advised is to control your shopping habits, in order to save as much money as you can. The more money you save each month, the more it becomes easier to make timely payments towards old loans. To cut the expenditures, you should cut the number of credit cards in use. Replace them with debit cards. Prefer paying in cash for most of the items that you shop.

If your debts are huge, then it is advisable to take out a personal loan against a property. A secured loan can give you sufficient amount to pay off old loans immediately, and you can save lots of money on interest payments. The secured loan comes at low rate of interest and you can repay it in larger duration of 5 to 30 years, enabling you to reduce your monthly outgoings. An unsecured loan also can be availed to pay off old loans immediately, but the rate of interest will be a little higher.

Another way to debt management is to ask a company of the field to negotiate with your creditors for reducing the rate of interest and overall amount of the loans. The company will also make an affordable repayment plan, which the creditors may agree with. Then, you will make single low monthly payments to the company, which will disburse it regularly to your creditors. This will eliminate the fear of missing any payments, and you can come out of the financial problems in few years.

Surely debt management advice can be of great help in reducing the financial burden and in getting rid of the old loans, but you should stick with the plan of repayment.

source : http://ezinearticles.com/