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Mittel: perdita netta trimestrale da 2 milioni di euro

2010-08-23T18:36:00.000-07:00

Approvato il resoconto di Mittel che chiude il terzo trimestre 1.10.2009–30.09.2010 con una perdita netta consolidata pari a Euro 2 milioni (utile netto consolidato pari a Euro 5,2 milioni nel terzo trimestre del precedente esercizio). moncler ski pantsmoncler ski pants

Il risultato trimestrale risente della integrale svalutazione della partecipazione in Greenholding S.r.l. (Gruppo Burani) , pari a Euro 4,5 milioni. La perdita di Gruppo nei nove mesi dell’esercizio 1.10.2009–30.09.2010 è pari ad Euro 12,3 milioni (utile di Euro 63,7 milioni nei nove mesi del precedente esercizio, di cui Euro 50,4 derivanti dalla cessione di Moncler S.p.A.) MonclerMoncler
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Il Patrimonio netto di Gruppo al 30.06.2010, compreso l’utile del periodo, è pari ad Euro 363,5 milioni (Euro 375,8 milioni al 30.09.2009). moncler vest fuer Salemoncler vest fuer Sale

La Capogruppo Mittel S.p.A. nei nove mesi dell’esercizio 1.10.2009 – 30.09.2010 registra un utile pari ad Euro 10,7 milioni (Euro 52,3 milioni nei primi nove mesi del precedente esercizio). La posizione finanziaria netta consolidata è pari ad Euro 93,5 milioni al 30.06.2010 (Euro 126,2 milioni al 30.09.2009).

Sequestro durante la festa patronale

2010-08-22T18:43:00.000-07:00

Maxi sequestro della Guardia di Finanza ieri sera durante i festeggiamenti per il Santo Patrono di Putignano. moncler ski pantsmoncler Jacket online Shop

Subito dopo la processione, intorno alle ore 21, i militari della Tenenza di Putignano al comando del Mar. Pierpaolo Penza, in servizio di perlustrazione del territorio in borghese, hanno controllato i venditori ambulanti ed hanno rinvenuto numerosi abusivi. Monclermoncler Jack

Circa 400 fra accessori moda, calzature, capi di abbigliamento e borse contraffatte sono stati posti sotto sequestro. I commercianti abusivi che avevano improvvisato bancarelle di fortuna, anche con lenzuoli per terra, alla vista dei militari si sono dileguati.

I commercianti, diversi extracomunitari, sono riusciti a fuggire ma i finanzieri hanno posto sotto sequestro la merce contraffatta. Gli articoli sequestrati riproducevano i marchi di note case di moda: moncler vest fuer Salemoncler Steifel

Gucci, Dolce&Gabbana, Cavalli, Louis Vuitton, Prada, Hogan, Armani Jeans, Levi’s 501, Blazer, Moncler, Nike e Alviero Martini-Prima Classe.

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London, Paris, New York, Milan... and now Gatwick: Lily Cole launches airport fashion week

2010-08-11T19:12:00.000-07:00

It's hardly the most glamorous destination for fashionistas - more a necessity when flitting from one style capital to the next. Buy GHD Mk4ghds mk4

But that hasn't stopped Gatwick Airport from launching its very own fashion week.

British model Lily Cole was on hand today to launch the event, which is in aid of Great Ormond Street Hospital.
Tessa Maye and David Searle, who have each won a coveted contract with Storm Model Management, were cheered as they walked the catwalk for the very first time. moncler Jacket online Shopmoncler vest fuer Sale

Fashion moment: Lily posed with model competition winners Tessa Maye and David Searle who walked the catwalk for the very first time

Fashion moment: Lily posed with model competition winners Tessa Maye and David Searle who walked the catwalk for the very first timeSchuhe Ugg Sale

Over the coming weekend top stylist Kirsty Drury, who has worked with Kylie Minogue and Claudia Schiffer, will be working her magic on passengers using stock from the airport's fashion retailers.Billig ugg cardy Stiefe

Top make-up artists from MAC, hair experts from GHD and manicurists from Boots No7 are also on hand to add finishing touches to passengers' summer makeovers free of charge.

DL1961 Focuses On Its Jeans' Performance Promise

2010-08-09T18:40:00.000-07:00

DL1961, a relative newcomer to the premium jean market, is launching a new campaign to build brand awareness focusing on fabric performance rather than on one more skinny model.louis vuitton bags

Ads breaking next month highlight the brand's unique stretch technology, called X-Fit -- which it claims won't sag, bag or lose its shape -- a very different approach than the pouty, high-fashion ads of such competitors as True Religion, Citizens of Humanity and 7 for all Mankind. louis vuitton wallets

"Early on in the research process, we found a very compelling message," Peter Groome, CEO of Fathom, its ad agency, tells Marketing Daily. "This is a fashion and design intensive category, with very little emphasis on a core product benefit. And people wanted their jeans to fit well -- they wanted them to look as good on Sunday morning as they did on Saturday night. We felt it was a huge opportunity to tell people their jeans should work as hard as they do at staying fit."

Despite widespread declines in apparel sales, denim has been a continual bright spot, even in the recession. Cotton Inc. reports that sales of premium jeans -- those priced $100 or more -- have held up particularly well. (About 11% of adults in the U.S. have paid that much for jeans.)

Groome thinks that's because jeans "are such an emotional purchase decision -- how many pairs you have, what brands you own, when you wear them, all say a lot about you. No matter what the economy is doing, people are always going to be very connected to their jeans, and we think we've found a functional, rational product benefit within that." Cheap True ReligionTrue Religion Shoes

The ads will run in such magazines as People, StyleWatch, and Nylon, as well as out-of-home, in-store and direct mail, and have headlines like "Shop 'til you find the only jeans that don't drop," "Turn the changing room into the fitting room," and "You don't have to stretch yourself thin to find jeans that don't stretch out."

The brand, launched in 2008, is a division of ADM Denim, the largest denim manufacturer in the Far East, which also supplies brands like The Gap.

Cachet Style File: A Milk Crate Is Not An End Table

2010-08-03T18:46:00.000-07:00

Ahh, yes. It's that time of year again ... Wherever you go, it's all about The Dorm Room. Every major retailer is bombarding us with images and sales of items like compact refrigerators, hot plates, hideously bright accessories and the ever present design horror, the Bed In A Bag.gucci
College kids, as a whole, have never been known to possess a keen interest in home decor or interior design. Duh! I have no problem with that and I totally get it. Passing grades and Dollar Beer Night far outweigh the allure of having an aesthetically pleasing space to live in. But here's the thing. Just because you're young and/or semi-broke doesn't mean you have to live like a slob. It doesn't mean you have to use a towel as a window treatment. And just for the record, Fraternity Chic is not a design style. gucci bags

For some reason, over time the milk crate has become an acceptable piece of furniture among the college set. Most will attribute this to lack of funds, blah, blah, blah. Oh, please. You live in a home, not the basement of a bodega. That whole idea of living like pigs in college is so twenty years ago. We live in an age now where decent design at a great value is available to everyone. It doesn't matter whether you're attending Yale or a community college in Oklahoma City. We have the internet, Fedex and in most cases, free delivery. Discount True Religion JeansAuthentic true religion

A milk crate is not an end table. It's not cool, it's not hip. It's kind of gross and unquestionably tacky. Lose the milk crate, please. I'll even let your God awful 180 thread count Bed In A Bag slide if you just get yourself a grown up end table. You can afford it. If you can afford an IPhone, unlimited monthly tanning sessions and True Religion jeans, you can afford to lose the milk crate.

I truly believe that if your living surroundings are decorated, organized and clean you will lead a life that is more happy, productive and relaxed. Call me crazy, but that's my story and I'm sticking to it. I also believe that all great things start with one small step. So, for today that's where I'll begin-with just one thing. Today, it's all about the end table. Cheap Ugg BootsCheap Ugg Boots Sale

Here are a few of my suggestions..They are affordable, accessible and stylish.

Says "fashionable female" robbed Houston bank

2010-08-02T18:57:00.000-07:00

Authorities are asking the public to help find an apparently well-heeled fashionista suspected of robbing a bank along U.S. 290 in northwest Houston on Thursday afternoon. gucci bagsgucci handbags

The robbery occurred at the Wachovia Bank in the 12100 block of the Northwest Freeway about 4:30 p.m., officials said.

The woman, dubbed by federal law enforcement the "Fashionable Female" walked onto the bank and waited in the service line like a customer. When she approached a teller, she pulled a note from her large brown Louis Vuitton-style handbag and placed it on the counter.

The note was threatening and demanded money. Discount True Religion Jeans

The teller gave the woman cash and the thief left with an undisclosed amount of money.

No weapons were used and no injuries were reported.

The bank's surveillance camera recorded images of the woman. The photos appear to show she was speaking on a cellular phone during the robbery.True Religion for mens

She is described as black and about 29 years old. She is about 5 feet 6 inches tall, slender and weighed about 130 pounds.

She wore a black sweater, black spandex pants and large gold-rimmed glasses. She had dark brown or black wavy hair and may have been wearing a hair weave. Cheap Ugg Boots

Anyone with information about this case is urged to contact Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.Cheap Ugg Australia Boots

Crime Stoppers is offering up to $5,000 for information leading to the woman's charging and arrest.

Jolie 'drug, S&M photos' published

2010-08-01T19:02:00.000-07:00

Eight never-before-seen photographs of Angelina Jolie have been released, showing the Salt star in provocative poses and with S&M props. gucci bagsgucci

The pictures were taken in 1999 by a former friend who sold them to tabloid publication Star.

In one shot Jolie is seen with black sticky tape over her nipples and a cigarette in her mouth while another apparently shows her during a "14-hour heroin-smoking bender".

A black-and-white shot shows her sitting on a bed wearing just a cowboy hat and a G-string.

The mother-of-six has not commented on the pictures, which will be released next month in an in a book written by notorious celebrity biographer Andrew Morton. Discount True Religion JeansAuthentic true religion

Morton, who also wrote biographies for Tom Cruise and Princess Diana, said the photos "didn't exactly fit with her image today as a responsible mother ... and a highly respected goodwill ambassador for the United Nations".Cheap Ugg Boots

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Jolie is no stranger to scandal: she French kissed her brother James Haven at the 2000 Oscars, has admitted to lesbian relationships and once put her former husband Billy Bob Thorton's blood in a vial she wore around her neck.

BLOG: Joe Cole has shown what his real priorities are

2010-07-29T18:57:00.000-07:00

I'M SURE I'm not alone in being gutted about losing out to Liverpool for the services of Joe Cole.

Clearly the player doesn't own enough Louis Vuitton wallets or Gucci man-bags and has opted to further enhance his wealth by signing for a club that will be playing in the Europa League next year. gucci bagslouis vuitton wallets

Heaven forfend that should have gone to a club which will actually be playing top level European football in 2010. Why would he join a club like that when he can move to one which hasn't achieved anything of note since fluking its way to a European Cup five years ago?

In his defence, he would probably say something about it being a long-term move and that he expects the side to get back into the topDiscount True Religion Jeans four next season, especially after the long-overdue clear-out of sub-standard rubbish that will no doubt go on under new boss Roy Hodgson.

Most Liverpool fans would probably make that same argument too, if it weren't for the fact that most of the them were too busy labouring under the illusion that their team is the biggest in the world (despite the fact that a) it's not b) they're rubbish and c) they have David Ngog).

Meanwhile, Carlo Cudicini may have recovered from his motorbike crash last year but I welcome the news that Harry Redknapp is trying to add more personnel between the sticks.Cheap True Religion

The latest rumour has us linked with Croatian goalie Stipe Pletikosa, who is currently plying his trade at Spartak Moscow, one of the top teams in the Russian league.

As good as Cudicini is, it's entirely possible that he'll never be the player he was after breaking his wrists and pelvis when he crashed his bike in Woodford a few months back.ugg boots sale

Plus, he's the wrong side of 35 and while our first-choice stopper Heurelho Gomes is in his prime and showed great form as we held our nerve and qualified for the Champions League, another strong option in goal is never a bad thing when trying to compete in several competitions.

The keeper, 31, impressed fans and pundits alike with his solid performances in Euro 2008 (leading Alan Hansen to proclaim him the best keeper of the tournament) and has been capped more than 80 times. Cheap Ugg Boots

By adding such quality in this importance position, Redknapp is clearly determined to make the most of the chance to compete against the best teams in Europe next season, and has no intention of making our historic top-four finish a flash in the pan.

Stick that in your brand-new Aston Martin, Joe Cole.

A College, A Primer With Tons Of Great Tips

2010-07-28T18:56:00.000-07:00

My friend and former collegue when we both worked at The Courant, Ed LaFreniere has written a guide to help narrow your search for college. gucci bagsgucci wallets

It is an issue that we will come back to many times as I believe educating our your is crucial. I also believe that we waste a lot of money on sending students unprepared to study but fully prepared to party. Sometimes a year’s break working in the real world before entering college is a good life experience. Also, two year colleges are cost-effective, give students an opportunity to learn in a less stressful environment and frequently help students get an education in areas where they can actually make a living. Those are my thoughts.cheap True Religion jeans

By Edward LaFreniere

Noanksailor@Yahoo.com

You’ve read the Fiske Guides and The Yale Daily News’ Insider’s Guide to the Colleges; you’ve perused Rugg’s Recommendations for appropriate majors; you’ve memorized a gazillion facts from books full of statistics, such as Barron’s. You’ve clicked through endless pages at collegeboard.com and princetonreview.com. And you’ve started to compile a list of 1,001 Ways To Tell Your Parents To Take a Good Long Hike in the College Admissions Process.buy ugg boots

You’ve narrowed your original list of 20 colleges down to, say, nine – three dream schools, three good matches and three fallbacks. Now. Take a deep breath. What things should you consider for each? Discount True Religion Jeans

Aademics and Faculty

– Examine each school’s profile. Are the typical GPAs, SATs, ACTs and other statistics or scores similar to yours? Yes, try a few reaches. But if the numbers are in the stratosphere, and yours are down to earth along with those of other mere mortals, will you have a shot? And will you really WANT one? Say that everyone in your freshman Advanced Calculus XVII class turns out to have scored 800 on the SAT math, and you, the village idiot, ended up with a pathetic 790. Will you develop an inferiority complex? Will you tiptoe into class each day, and slink to the back, out of sight, behind the girl with the huge hair, which has been estimated to be about 28.27 square feet if you rough out a circle from one side of her curls to the other? Quick – think!!! Did you figure out that the diameter is 6 feet based on a radius of 3? If you couldn’t do this without a calculator, you might want to rethink MIT, where they can get it in a nanosecond without a billionth of a bead of sweat. Cheap Ugg Boots

Focuses On Its Jeans' Performance Promise

2010-07-27T21:01:00.000-07:00

DL1961, a relative newcomer to the premium jean market, is launching a new campaign to build brand awareness focusing on fabric performance rather than on one more skinny model.

Ads breaking next month highlight the brand's unique stretch technology, called X-Fit -- which it claims won't sag, bag or lose its shape -- a very different approach than the pouty, high-fashion ads of such competitors as True Religion, Citizens of Humanity and 7 for all Mankind. gucci bagsgucci handbags

"Early on in the research process, we found a very compelling message," Peter Groome, CEO of Fathom, its ad agency, tells Marketing Daily. "This is a fashion and design intensive category, with very little emphasis on a core product benefit. And people wanted their jeans to fit well -- they wanted them to look as good on Sunday morning Discount True Religion Jeansas they did on Saturday night. We felt it was a huge opportunity to tell people their jeans should work as hard as they do at staying fit."True Religion for mens

Despite widespread declines in apparel sales, denim has been a continual bright spot, even in the recession. Cotton Inc. reports that sales of premium jeans -- those priced $100 or more -- have held up particularly well. (About 11% of adults in the U.S. have paid that much for jeans.)

Groome thinks that's because jeans "are such an emotional purchase decision -- how many pairs you have, what brands you own, when you wear them, all say a lot about you. No matter what the economy is doing, people are always going to be very connected to their jeans, and we think we've found a functional, rational product benefit within that." Cheap Ugg BootsCheap Ugg Australia Boots

The ads will run in such magazines as People, StyleWatch, and Nylon, as well as out-of-home, in-store and direct mail, and have headlines like "Shop 'til you find the only jeans that don't drop," "Turn the changing room into the fitting room," and "You don't have to stretch yourself thin to find jeans that don't stretch out."

The brand, launched in 2008, is a division of ADM Denim, the largest denim manufacturer in the Far East, which also supplies brands like The Gap.

Eva and Tony's 3-Year Anniversary Tour

2010-07-26T19:02:00.001-07:00

Continuing along with their anniversary getaway, Eva Longoria and Tony Parker looked to be having a marvelous time during a visit to Croatia earlier this week. Christian Louboutin for saleChristian Louboutin for sale

Clad in a grey silk jumpsuit and Christian Louboutin heels, the "Desperate Housewives" hottie and her NBA star beau let loose while reveling alongside a group of friends at the Carpe Diem waterfront nightclub. true religion onlinetrue religion online

Having been staying on a rented yacht during the trip, Eva and Tony have been romping around Europe over the past two weeks in celebration of their three-year wedding anniversary. buy ugg bootsbuy ugg boots

Tweeting her marital joy, Eva wrote to her many fans and followers, "Happy anniversary to my honey bunny! 3 years baby!"

Disclosure | Comporta, Portugal

2010-07-25T19:04:00.000-07:00

About an hour south of Lisbon lies Comporta, a quiet stretch of Portuguese coast that some of the country’s oldest families as well as designers like Jacques Grange and Christian Louboutin have turned into their secret summer holiday. Dotted with thatched fishermen cottages, pine forests and rice fields, Comporta doesn’t look like much at first glance. Buy Christian Louboutin Shoeschristian louboutin shoes

And that’s how sun-seeking summer residents would like to keep it. But a recent tour of the pristine beaches (much of the area is preserved by a private company, Herdade da Comporta), boho-style boutiques and the charming shacks that have been glammed up by families and fashion folks alike revealed that this hidden piece of paradise might be the next “It” destination on the Montauk-Jose Ignacio- Ibiza circuit. The Aman resort is betting on the same — it’s opening a property here in 2012. fake true religiontrue religion jeans

Panama hats from Ecuador and Moroccan straw bags. The main shop is run by Marcello Rangoni, an artist who divides his winters between Lisbon and Milan and picks up wares from all over the globe: slippers from Senegal, clothing from labels like Hoss from Spain, vintage Lacoste shirts. He also sells antiques as well as plants and flowers. Brito do Rio’s other stall is in the nautical-themed restaurant Praia do Peixe (Praia de Pego,), on Pego beach, the area’s most exclusive strip of sand. After shopping for Brito do Rio’s funky finds like Ploko Pano bikinis and beaded cuffs made by the Masai tribe, shoppers head to the outdoor deck for regional staples like fish soup and grilled octopus and inimitable ocean views. Cheap Ugg Boots

Back in town, Marina Saldanha stocks her shop Loja de Ca (Av 18 Dezembro n 39; 011-351-265-490-438) with baubles from her own travels: colorful Mexican hammocks, blown glass from Holland and carved wood sculptures from Thailand. Nearby, an old bakery (storks still build their nests on the buildings chimneys) is divided into two shops: Lavanda, which sells hippie-chic pieces by labels like Antik Batik and Twenty8Twelve, and TM Collectionugg boots

For a long time, O Dinis restaurant (Praia do Carvalhal; was a low-key operation — just a few tables in the sand run by a charming local fisherman., in a former rice husking factory, which also serves as the epicenter of Comporta’s social scene. The owners Toze and Isabel Carvalho host many of of the summer’s parties on the terrace, which offers sweeping vistas of the marshy rice fields. They also have a sister restaurant, the more casual beach lounge Ilha do Arroz

Everyone’s talking about Pixie Lott’s boots

2010-07-22T19:32:00.000-07:00

Pretty songstress Pixie Lott caused a stir at this year’s T4 music festival, but not with her funky songs. Instead of raving about the set she played, both punters and the press cannot stop talking about her boots! The fashionista came on stage in a pair of down-to-earth but super-cool black, leather biker boots, sending the whole country mad for ladies boots. Christian Louboutin for saleDiscount Christian Louboutin

The summer is typically a hard season in which to find that perfect pair of ladies boots, but luckily for all those avid fashion followers out there, help is on hand. Popular developers ASAP have just set up a new site with you in mind, http://www.ladiesboots.co.uk/.true religion onlineTrue Religion sale

With a strange bout of hot and dry weather hitting the British festival trail this summer, traditional patterned wellies have been left at home. As such rubber footwear tends to get uncomfortable in intense heat, savvy ladies have been opting for the practical but comfortable leather ladies boot. true religion onlineugg australia boots

All this and more can be found on the new website, but if you’re not a festival goer, why not stock up early and be the first to get your hands on a great pair of ladies winter boots. Whether you’re looking for knee-highs, ankle boots or ugg boots, this site has it all. So check it out before you miss out!

To avoid buying fake

2010-07-21T19:05:00.000-07:00

As the counterfeit trade continues to boom, high-end companies have launched multi-million euro campaigns to tackle the problem, hiring private investigators and teams of lawyers. There have been a number of high-profile court cases -- most notably, Louis Vuitton have taken on eBay on a number of occasions for selling fake goods on their site. Buy Christian Louboutin Shoeschristian louboutin

But most high-end brands are very secretive when it comes to how they tackle the problem. While, for instance, two Tiffanys store managers in separate branches have told me that they do have the occasional customer come in with a fake bracelet or necklace - and customs officers have in the past seized fake Tiffanys items - when contacted for an official comment, the company said it was not company policy to respond to such queries.

What's the big deal anyway, you might ask, with fake goods? After all, it has even been suggested some celebrities themselves are at it to avoid the lengthy waiting list for the real thing.

Well, quite apart from the fact that when you buy a fake product, you're supporting criminal activity, the counterfeit trade has been linked to funding of terrorist organizations, including Al-Qa'ida and Hezbollah. There's also a high likelihood that the fake bag you're carrying has been produced using child labour in a Chinese factory. fake true religiontrue religion

But ultimately, the best argument against buying fakes is the obvious one -- the quality. They might look the part, but they probably won't last.

'My boyfriend gave me a designer wallet which I thought was lovely but which fell apart after just a few weeks,' says Suzanne. 'I didn't want to tell him so I brought it back to the shop where I thought he'd got it.

'They said they hadn't sold it, it was a fake and it was bought online. Turns out he had bought it from a website but hadn't realized that it wasn't the real thing. He was mortified.'

Stylist Gillian Walsh, who runs the Eye for Style website, agrees. 'I would never go for fake designer stuff, and even if my clients are interested in high-end designer items, I would say to them let's just look at your style first. I have seen fake bags and I think the quality is poor -- I have never seen a fake that looked like the real thing.'ugg

Suzy, a PR insider who says she's freely bought fake fashion items in the past, says the recession has changed her attitude to fakes. Cheap Ugg Boots

'I've stopped buying them. Fake stuff is only fun if you are pawning it off as the real thing. But now it's just not credible. Five years ago you could say your new Chanel bag was a present, but now people simply won't believe you because everyone is skint.

'The other thing is that when you save up to buy the real thing, you really love it, you think about it all the time -- but you just don't feel that way about fakes. When you've saved up for something, you know the value of it -- and that makes it special.'

You may have been hearing a lot of doom and gloom about the economy recently.

2010-07-20T19:03:00.000-07:00

OK, so the news on jobs, real estate and retail sales has been dismal. Yes, maybe it's true the middle class is broke, in debt, under water, out of work and in despair. Christian Louboutin for salechristian louboutin

But look on the bright side. One group of people is doing just fine. The rich.

The New York Times this weekend tried to find signs they were easing up -- maybe somebody put their new Ferrari on hold because of the Greek crisis. But any such suggestion should be viewed in context. Read New York Times story about the rich cutting back.
Tiffany & Co. /quotes/comstock/13*!tif/quotes/nls/tif (TIF 39.56, +0.76, +1.96%) says sales at its flagship New York store jumped 26% in the first quarter. International luxury goods giant Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy /quotes/comstock/24s!e:mc (FR:MC 88.86, +0.56, +0.63%) -- whose brands range from Fendi to Givenchy to Moet & Chandon Champagne, plus, of course, those clichéd Vuitton bags -- says U.S. sales boomed 20% in the first quarter, including a remarkable 58% boost for sales of jewelry and expensive watches like Tag Heuer.

Indeed the Swiss watch federation says exports of luxury watches (those $2,000 "timepieces") to the U.S. rose 12% in May and are now ahead 9% for the year. Nordstrom Inc. /quotes/comstock/13*!jwn/quotes/nls/jwn (JWN 32.95, +1.37, +4.34%) says same-store sales zoomed ahead 14% in June. They're up 11% year to date. Super-luxury goods purveyor Richemont /quotes/comstock/06p!cfr-otc (CH:CFR 38.92, +0.30, +0.78%) -- which owns such brands as Cartier, Dunhill, and Van Cleef & Arpels -- says U.S. sales are up.

The Sunseeker Club in New York, America's biggest dealership in the multi-million dollar British luxury power boats, tells me business is strong again. Those who have the money to spend, they say, are spending it. true religion onlinetrue religion

At times like these, cash buyers are king.

These are not isolated incidents. According to consultants Cap Gemini, the wealthy saw their net worth bounce back sharply last year. And while those with $1 million or more did pretty well, the real story was the boom among the ultra rich: Those with more than $30 million to invest. "Ultra-HNWIs (High Net Worth Individuals) increased their wealth by a striking 21.5% in 2009, far more than the average in the HNWI segment as a whole," Cap Gemini reported, adding: "A disproportionate amount of wealth remained concentrated in the hands of Ultra-HNWIs."

There are fewer than 100,000 ultras around the world. A third of those are here in the U.S. Ultras make up 1% of the high net worth, according to Cap Gemini, but held 36% of the high net worth's wealth.

Talk to any rich person, and they won't tell you they're doing well. They're more likely to complain about their taxes going up, immigrants taking over America, or bleat about that "community organizer" in the White House spending us to rack and ruin on all this socialism.

Are they right?

The rich are always complaining. Back in Edwardian England the aristocrats moaned about the servants.ugg

Sure, the top rates of tax expected to go up at the end of this year, when the Bush tax cuts are due to expire (the debate about the new tax regime rages on). But that will only take rates up a bit -- to the levels seen in the late 1990s. You remember how tough things were for the elite back then.

And who pays the top rate anyway? buy ugg boots

Right now it only kicks in on each dollar of ordinary income over $374,000 a year. A recent study by the Congressional Budget Office found that the top 1% of Americans paid an average federal income tax rate of just 19% in 2007, the last year when data were available. The top 5% of earners paid an average rate of less than 18%. There are ways and means to minimize tax -- like calling your income "capital gains." That's what private equity honchos do, where possible. In many cases, it means people making tens of millions a year are paying lower tax rates than their chauffeurs and receptionists. (There are proposals to change that, with predictable screaming).

As for socialism: The Federal Reserve reports that the private sector is doing so badly that corporate profits just, um, rocketed to a new record high. The after-tax profits of corporate America rocketed 43% in the first quarter.

Stars in Surveillance Tape

2010-07-19T19:42:00.000-07:00

Things aren't looking too good for WTNH Channel 8 personality Desiree Fontaine (pictured left in happier days). Now police have released the video tape of her alleged 10-finger discount at the Milford Sears store, a shopping expedition that resulted in her arrest earlier this month.christian louboutin christian louboutin boots

The tapes show Fontaine browsing through the store, choosing items, and then heading into the dressing room with them. One tape shows her leaving the dressing room without the items. buy true religiontrue religion

See it yourself on tape.

Fontaine, who allegedly took a bottle of cologne, some jewelry and a men's Hawaiian-style
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Fontaine, the morning traffic reporter and host of Connecticut Style, is free on a promise to appear in court July 6. She is on a personal leave of absence from WTNH.

Drug Bust - The Corsican Connection - Eye witness Report

2010-07-18T19:16:00.000-07:00

News of the drug bust of a certain well know heiress and socialite filtered into the papers who gave an almost parroted versions of the story. The spoof was lucky enough to have an intrepid reporter known only as 'The Fly on the Wall' who was able to give us an eyewitness account of the affair. Christian Louboutin for saleCheap Christian Louboutin Shoes

Mediterranean Idyll

The small port of Bonifacio in Corsica is a tourist haven situated as it is between high cliffs of limestone whereupon is perched the old town with its Genoese church tower.

In the harbour itself there are pleasure boats that take passengers out to the many sea caves, beaches and grottos of the only area of the Isle de Beaute where such caves can form.

The little train snakes tourists up to the old town and the many cafes on the quayside quench their thirsts and satisfy their hunger on their return. Buy Cheap Tiffany JewelleryCheap Tiffanys

There are Ferries that cross to Sardinia and to North Africa and the French mainland but the features that catches the eye most are the large sumptuous private yachts that are moored overnight for refuelling or more permanently.

I have often wondered who these yachts belonged to.

Paris, Corsica

It is late July, the maquis is past its best, the flowers have gone and the myrtle bushes and Strawberry trees seem to crackle in the heat as a private jet passes quite low overhead.link of london charm bracelets

Seconds later at Figari, the nearby small airport, the private jet has landed. It taxis slowly towards the sparse airport buildings and comes to a halt. As the engines die down the door opens and stairs are tilted out towards the ground. A hostess trips lightly down them and waits at the bottom. Then two large men with dark suits and sun glasses emerge into the light and look around as if expecting trouble. A limousine draws up, the windows like the wings of beetles, black as obsidian, shiney and opaque. links of london jewellery

A figure in white, smaller than one would expect from the photographs, appears at the top of the stairs as one of the men opens the door to the limousine below. The heiress is wearing sunglasses, rather too large for her face and a white silk headscarf to protect her long blond hair from the wind that blows in off the sea. Buy cheap True Religion ClothingTrue Religion purses

She is quite pretty in a classical way, although her nose is rather larger than it should be to be able to say that she is a great beauty. Her skin is lightly bronzed and the light cotton dress billows as she descends the stairs to the car below. As she descends what is she thinking? This wealthy young woman, heiress to a Hotelier's fortune; famous for that mostly, for a failed attempt at a singing career but notorious particularly for her skill at fellation broadcast to the world via the miracle of the internet. A young woman who does nothing that she does without one thing in mind.

The doors are shut and the two men get in the front with the driver who powers the car up and away rather faster than necessary to the airport buildings a short distance away.

This is Figari not Nice or Marseilles and although it sees its fair share of French worthies, actors and film stars passing through its doors every summer it has no VIP area as such. The French stars on holiday do not insist on star treatment and have no need to clear customs anyway.

So, the girl has to wait for her luggage to be brought and to pass through customs as everyone else would. Hers is the only group since there are no planes due for a while - the pilot was instructed to make sure that the flight plan took this into account.

Lifetime Movie “Taken from Me: The Tiffany Rubin Story”

2010-07-15T19:44:00.000-07:00

Actress Taraji P. Henson has been cast to star in the upcoming Lifetime movie “Taken from Me: The Tiffany Rubin Story.” The movie is based upon the true story of Tiffany Rubin who took her son back from her estranged husband half a world away. Buy Christian Louboutin ShoesCheap Christian Louboutin Shoes

The film will tell the story of Rubin’s bold mission in 2008 to rescue her son and bring him back to New York City. Rubin’s son Kobe had been visiting his father’s apartment in 2007 when the father, a South Korean native, ran off to South Korea with the boy. Kobe had been the focus of a custody dispute between the two, but now he was half a world away and Rubin. Cheap Tiffany JewelleryCheap Tiffanys

A public school teacher in Queens, had no money to fight back. She eventually turned to the non-profit organization The American Association for Lost Children for help. Along with the group’s founder, Mark Miller, Rubin went to Seoul and eventually link of london charm braceletssnatched her son back and returned with him to the U.S. links of london online store

Henson is no stranger to Lifetime where she starred in the drama “The Division” in 2003 and 2004. cheap True Religion ClothingTrue Religion purses

Puzzle of Carruades de Lafite

2010-07-14T19:20:00.000-07:00

BEIJING (Caixin Online) -- Ten years ago I wrote that, whenever China buys, the price will go up and, whenever China sells, the price will go down. I recently modified the second half of that to, whenever China sells, the price will go up too, because I expect China's factory wages to quadruple over the next decade. Christian Louboutin for sale

The slogan is a play on China's size. In economics, most observations are based on small perturbations to a complex system. For example, when a small country joins the international trading system, economists estimate the impact on the country's economy based on price convergence with international prices. When a large country like China joins the global trading system, the impact is felt both ways. In some areas, like natural resources, for example, China's impact dominates, hence the change of relative prices for everybody.christian louboutin shoes
One area on which I believe China will have a great impact in the future is the luxury market. The strong preference for "famous brands," much like in Hong Kong and Taiwan, has now begun to exert a surprising strength as the size of wealthy consumers grow in China. When one treks through luxury shops selling watches and bags in Europe, almost all have Mandarin-speaking salespersons.

There are clearly different degrees of preferences for luxuries among different nationalities, even when one controls for all economic variables like income, age or family size.

One important factor is what economists call the discount rate. It measures how much one wants to be paid for deferring consumption. Long-term interest rates are supposed to measure this factor. But, with a global capital market, money flows around the world to arbitrage interest-rate differences. In addition to this, central banks inflate the supply of money to stimulate the economy. Interest rates no longer reflect the differences in consumption patience.

The discount rate can partly explain the global imbalance. President Obama has been putting pressure on China to appreciate its currency, in an aim to decrease the U.S.'s trade deficit with China. But I seriously doubt that this will be effective. You need only to glance at the differences in spending behavior between Americans and Chinese in Paris. Apart from Europeans, these two nationalities probably dominate the tourism market in Paris. Americans cut their travel in 2008 and '09. But now they are back in Paris with a vengeance. Some have said Americans rushed over to benefit from the euro devaluation, rushing to Paris for a bargain. Buy Cheap Tiffany Jewellery

The problem is that Americans are deep in debt. Why should they bother if visiting France has become a bit cheaper? They should be saving money to pay off their debt. But, Americans are in Paris for a good time again. They stay at nice hotels, drink good wine, and eat expensive French food.Tiffany Jewelry

On the other hand, Chinese tourists go in groups, stay in cheap hotels, eat instant noodles and then spend 10,000 euros on an LV bag. I disagree with the choice. LV bags are sold almost exclusively to the Chinese and Japanese, believing it is a prestigious luxury brand. In fact, the product has been designed to profit from Asia's misunderstanding of Western luxury. links of london jewellery

My view on LV bags is beside the point. The main point is that Chinese leave with something that will last, while Americans put everything in the stomach. This fundamental difference in behavior won't change with a yuan revaluation. If the yuan goes up, it will benefit LV /quotes/comstock/24s!e:mc (FR:MC 91.30, -0.22, -0.24%) sales, not American exports.

Luxuries like bags and watches are consumption goods. But they last for a long time, roughly at the halfway point between consumption and investment goods. Hence, a country with a lower discount rate or interest rate should have a higher preference for luxury goods. This force is extremely potent when a poor country becomes rich and its inherent preference for luxuries is strong. When this country is as big as China, its impact is felt in every corner of the market.

When a new economic force like China comes into the global market, and when supply is constrained, prices for luxury goods will rise relative to other goods like necessities. Diamonds, especially the hard-to-find big ones, are in this category. (If your guy can afford one, put the pressure on, ladies. Say it's a good investment!) When the supplier can increase production but wants to fix the price, the supply goes up just enough to accommodate China's demand. Mercedes-Benz cars and LV bags fall into this category. Buy cheap True Religion Clothing

Two years ago in another column, I discussed China's impact on the luxury economy. Here I want to discuss China's impact on luxury French wines. Not many asset classes have made new highs above mid-2008 levels. Gold is one. French fine wine is another. The residential property in China made a new high in October 2009. I can't recall anything else. Among the three, French fine wines seem to have performed best. The French fine wine index (Liv-100 index) is up by roughly 37% from one year ago and 24% this year to date. Its upward momentum remains strong.links of london sweetie bracelet

There is little doubt that the force behind the current upward momentum is Chinese buyers, not Wall Street traders. Bordeaux wine producers are all talking about China. Chinese buyers seem to dominate the en premieur for 2009 vintage that will be available in another year. In the first growth wines, mainland Chinese buyers are increasingly pricing out the Japanese, Taiwanese and Hong Kong people.

French wine is different from an LV bag. When the cork is popped, it's gone. Of course, you can store it as investment, but the process is complicated and costly. In terms of Chinese demand, investment is still a secondary consideration. Drinking is now a bigger factor.True Religion Jeans

Drinking expensive wine is probably the ultimate consumption. One could swallow a lot of money -- and quickly. It seems inconsistent with the dominant Chinese preference for accumulation. Why is there so much demand from China?

All year round

2010-07-13T19:43:00.000-07:00

This beautiful park (150.000m²) is in the center of the 18th district and is unique in its splendor.Discount Christian Louboutin

During the second Battle of Vienna in 1683 the Ottoman army used this hill as an encampment (hence the name) and were, after a fierce battle, forced to retreat back east. Buy Christian Louboutin ShoesTiffany Jewellery

According to the legends, the croissant (representing the Turkish moon on their flags) were created as a celebration of the Victory against the Ottomans. Cheap Tiffany Jewellery

Rumor also has it, that the Viennese coffee tradition started shortly after the Ottoman retreat. The bags of coffee that where found in the abandoned encampments, first thought to be horse food, were later mixed with honey to sweeten the taste, and quickly became rather fashionable.links of london bracelet

Besides its historical importance the Türkenschanzpark is home to several botanically important and exotic plants. Most trees have a small sign with the botanical and German name, so that taking a walk through the park can also be very educational. links of london online store

Take a drink of fresh alpine water at the Yunus-Emre Fountain and a look at the Paulinenwarte. There are benches in abundance, and if the weather allows, take a snack and relax in the grass!True Religion bags

The park also offers a rather large area for kids to play around and an enclosed area for dogs. cheap True Religion Clothing

If your in the area, make sure you also walk around outside of the park. It is a university area and during the week you’ll find many students in the grass juggling or just simply relaxing in the sun.

Told to check carry-on bag held in attack on LAX police officer

2010-07-12T19:42:00.000-07:00

A Los Angeles Airport Police officer suffered minor injuries Thursday while attempting to remove a woman from a Frontier Airlines flight after she became angry over being told that she had to check an oversized carry-on bag, authorities said. Christian Louboutin for salechristian louboutin shoes

The woman, who was not immediately identified, was booked at the LAPD's 77th Street Division jail on suspicion of battery on a peace officer, Los Angeles World Airports Police Sgt. Belinda Nettles said. The officer was treated and released at a hospital for scratches to his neck and face.Tiffany Jewelry

The incident unfolded about 3:30 p.m. when a flight attendant asked the woman to check her carry-on bag into the plane's luggage compartment. Buy Cheap Tiffany Jewellery

"She became irate," Nettles said. links of london jewellerylinks of london sweetie bracelet

"When we arrived she was already sitting in her seat and refused to exit the aircraft," Nettles said. "Airport Police removed her and in doing so the officer suffered minor injuries."

Nettles said it was rare for Airport Police to be called about passengers who refuse to check their baggage when they are asked. Buy cheap True Religion ClothingTrue Religion Jeans

"They may fuss about it but people are usually very cooperative," Nettles said.

Cite progress against litter

2010-07-11T20:46:00.000-07:00

Discarded soda cans, crumpled sandwich bags and empty beer bottles scattered along roadways.

It's easy to see why Fayetteville ranks poorly for litter in the state. Christian Louboutin for saleDiscount Christian Louboutin

According to figures compiled by Keep North Carolina Beautiful, Fayetteville had the third-worst litter index last year among 16 cities, towns and counties affiliated with the nonprofit organization that reported their indexes.

Fayetteville scored 2.32 on a scale of 1 to 4, with 1 indicating little to no trash and 4 being garbage-heavy.

The statewide average was 1.72. The cleanest city was Greenville. The dirtiest, according to the rankings, was Belmont. Buy Cheap Tiffany Jewellery

More than a dozen other state affiliates did not report their litter indexes for 2009.

There is some good news for Fayetteville, though. It's index is falling. The city scored 2.95 when the anti-litter campaign, Fayetteville Beautiful, kicked off in 2006. The index fell to 2.4 the following year, but the city still ranked second-worst in the state.Tiffany Jewellery

To determine the litter index, volunteers scour main roads around eight high schools.

Each spring, hundreds of volunteers armed with plastic bags and gloves pick up garbage - collecting more than 72 tons since the campaign's inception.

"It's a continual problem, but we are making some positive headway," said City Councilman Bobby Hurst, chairman of Fayetteville Beautiful.
'It's all about ownership'

Fayetteville's transient population, boosted by the military and a high concentration of renters, is one reason there is so much trash scattered along roadways, Hurst said.

"It's all about ownership," he said. "There is less pride unless it's yours."

It's the broken-window theory - a term often used when talking about crime reduction. Hurst said the overall poor appearance of some aging corridors in the city - with its share of rundown storefronts and overgrown lots - gives the impression that it's OK to litter. links of london jewellerylinks of london bracelet

Scofflaws aren't the only source of litter. Faulty metal trash bins, loading docks, construction sites and trucks with uncovered loads all contribute to the solid waste scourge.

Brenda Ewadinger, the state director of Keep America Beautiful, said Fayetteville is not unique with its roadside litter.

"When I go into communities all across the state, that is the voice I hear - that we are a dumping ground," she said.

Fayetteville became an affiliate of the state program this year, opening the door to expertise, grants and training opportunities. Before joining, the city had been using the same index criteria as affiliates to gauge the level of trash in the community. Buy cheap True Religion Clothing

Ewadinger said higher fines for littering would help. So would higher landfill tipping fees for trucks with uncovered loads.True Religion bags

"What you are trying to do is change behavior," she said.

Some states require deposits on beverage containers that can be redeemed at retail stores. North Carolina does not.

Ewadinger said a bottle deposit law would not work well in North Carolina. Many cities, including Fayetteville, have curbside recycling that already offer a convenient place to dispose of beverage containers. Plus, bottles and cans make up only a small slice of the kind of litter found along roadways, she said.
Volunteer efforts

Hurst said he has an on-call list with more than 500 names to deploy volunteers to trashy roadsides between annual clean sweeps.

Check your Bag, Ship It

2010-07-08T19:32:00.000-07:00

PHOENIX - Airline tickets are expensive enough these days, but tacking on check-luggage fees could add hundreds of dollars to your family's trip. Now, there's another option -- ship your belongings with UPS.

UPS is hoping travelers are fed up with baggage fees and ready for an alternative.

The luggage box looks like a cardboard suitcase, complete with a sturdy plastic handle. You pack it and they ship it, and in some cases, it will cost you less than checking a regular piece of luggage.

UPS does admit the airlines can usually deliver your luggage faster.

"You just preplan, pack items in the box, bring it in 4 to 5 days before. It should arrive the same day that you arrive at your destination and it all works out," says Bryan Vial, who owns a UPS store in north Phoenix.

Vial says the luggage box really becomes a bargain if it's overweight by airline standards. UPS can ship an 85-pound box from Phoenix to Denver in 2 days, and the cost for you would be $77. By contrast, checking that same bag with an airline would cost you between $100 and $175.

UPS charges a one-time fee for the luggage box -- $13 for the small and $17 for the large. After that the boxes are reusable.

A major advantage of the luggage box is it comes with a tracking number, something airlines don't offer.

Do you choose ，Paper or plastic?

2010-07-07T19:27:00.000-07:00

Reusable coffee cups, paper or foam?
It depends on your priorities.
Looking only at energy used in manufacturing, the winner is polystyrene foam. According to a 1994 study by the University of Victoria's Martin B. Hocking, making a ceramic cup requires 70 times more energy than making a foam cup. Glass cups and paper cups require 20 and two times as much energy to make as foam, respectively.

When you add the energy used to wash a reusable cup in an energy-efficient dishwasher, the disparity gets even bigger. You'd have to use and wash a glass cup 15 times to make it as energy efficient as a paper cup. And you'd have to use a ceramic cup more than 1,000 times to make it as energy efficient as a foam cup.

But there are other factors to consider.

Expanded polystyrene (which some erroneously refer to as Styrofoam) is cheap to make and transport, but it takes centuries to biodegrade in a landfill and is very hard to recycle. In the Chicago area, for instance, only one company will accept it for recycling. And because the recycler pays no money for the material, few bother.

Foam cups also are made from petrochemicals, and many people — especially in light of the BP oil spill — want to reduce dependence on this nonrenewable resource. Some also are concerned that chemicals can leach from polystyrene at high temperatures, though manufacturers cite studies indicating the material is safe for food containers even at high heat.

Paper coffee cups may feel greener, but most are not recyclable because of their plastic lining. (However, Starbucks Corp. recently announced it will send cups used at its Chicago stores to be recycled into napkins beginning in the fall.) Making paper cups contributes to deforestation and releases carcinogenic dioxin into the environment if the paper is bleached, and they won't biodegrade in a landfill for about 20 years.

The bottom line: The best choice is probably a ceramic, glass or steel mug you already own and reuse many times, said Paul McRandle, a Natural Resources Defense Council senior researcher. Then comes paper, preferably the expensive, tough-to-find biodegradable paper cups. Foam is his third choice.

Paper or plastic grocery bags?

Both kinds of bags come with environmental drawbacks, including energy used, waste produced and airborne pollution emitted during manufacturing. When not composted or recycled, bags also take up space in landfills, where they take a long time to biodegrade.

Plastic bags are made from a nonrenewable resource (petroleum) and hurt marine life when they make their way into oceans. But paper demands more energy and creates up to 15 times more waste and pollution, experts say.

Completely plant-based bags will biodegrade, but those mixed with plastic won't. And many of these bioplastics are derived from corn, a crop that often is not grown and harvested sustainably.

Now for the good news: An Australian report found that canvas bags can be 14 times more environmentally efficient than plastic and 39 times better than paper if used 500 times.

The bottom line: Experts say the best choice is a reusable bag, preferably made from post-consumer recycled material or unbleached, organic cotton. Plan to use it hundreds of times. Second best choice: a paper bag you reuse as much as possible and then compost or recycle. Last: a plastic bag you recycle.

Jacksonville Meet & Greet

2010-07-05T19:43:00.000-07:00

He's someone Jacksonville voters will get used to seeing.

Marco Rubio is hosting a Meet & Greet on Wednesday, and it won't be the last time he makes a stop on the First Coast.

"It's been an area of intense and important support for his candidacy that really kept it alive in the early days and has kept it going strong," says Campaign Spokesman Alex Burgos.

Rubio will talk about his plans if elected to Senate, but he will also focus on interacting with the voters to find out what changes they want to see at the federal level.

Burgos says building support in areas like Jacksonville is key to their campaign success.

"The state of Florida is a very large, very expensive state and it takes a lot of hard work."

The Meet & Greet is on Wednesday, July 7th 12:00-1:30 pm in UNF's Union Auditorium at 1 UNF Drive, Bldg. 58, Room 1302.

To launch clothing range

2010-07-04T19:52:00.001-07:00

Singer Cheryl Cole will be launching her own line of ultra-stylish frocks.

According to sources from talent show 'X Factor', Cole has shown some of her initial drawings for her outfits to people on the show, including the new host Konnie Huq.

'Cheryl has great fashion sense and wants to move into that area in the same way that Victoria has done,' mirror.co.uk quoted a source as saying.

'People laughed at her at first but now the (Victoria) Beckham designs are very much respected by the fashion world. Cheryl realises it will be a battle to get accepted by the snooty fashionistas that govern the industry but she's prepared to give it a go.

'She showed Konnie some designs and she is keen to wear them on the show. She thinks they are amazing and every woman would want them,' the source added.

School principal gets probation for theft

2010-07-02T01:11:00.000-07:00

Assistant U.S. Attorney Angel Krull explained that Hawkins maintained that she was accruing points so she could treat the staff to gifts. But Krull said the credit card points were actually used to fund Hawkins’ daughter’s trips to Amsterdam, Philadelphia and London.

Hawkins, who was found guilty of embezzlement, never took responsibility for her crime, which ultimately led to the school losing its charter and closing, Krull said.

Even after Hawkins found out she was being investigated for using the credit card in 2004, she continued that behavior, prosecutors said.

Before the sentencing, Manning said she took into account the testimony and letters from Hawkins’ friends and former students who described her as a mentor and role model with great character.

“Maybe you just made a terrible mistake, but you also committed a crime,” Manning told Hawkins.

The case started with an investigation by the Chicago Public Schools’ Inspector General’s office, which questioned more than $250,000 in credit card charges, including almost $30,000 in charges at major department stores like Lord & Taylor and Saks Fifth Avenue, designer leather shops including Louis Vuitton and Coach, as well as Elan Furs, Tommy Hilfiger and the Skymall Airline catalog.

In addition, the probe found charges totalling $2,000 for hair care products and cosmetics, $329 for appetite suppression pills and $5,800 for jewelry, said Chicago Schools Inspector General James Sullivan.

New giraffe

2010-06-30T19:29:00.001-07:00

It’s the coaches in their snazzy tailored suits, the recession inspired toned down approach of the players’ Wags (Wives and Girlfriends) and Bafana Bafana’s bright yellow soccer shirts that has the World Cup fashionistas talking.

Since kick-off on June 11, the SWC has become a platform for designers to show off their latest creations and according to local designer, Gavin Rajah, South Africa through its use of yellow and bright colours is basking in its international reputation as “a sunshine country”.

“The one thing that stands out about this World Cup is the predominant use of colour,” said Rajah.

“Colour is everywhere. I think that in the coming year the yellow inspired by Bafana Bafana will be a big trend for fashion collections.”

Despite the event being hosted over winter, which tends to inspire dull and dark dressing, the event had shown that Africans were “irreverent” to seasons in their approach to colour.

“It’s very nice to see (the) use of colour and people embracing that,” Rajah said.

“In sunny countries people tend to be happier. There is a sense of celebration and festivity in the use of colour.

Bright colours

“People will remember the bright colours and the mood of celebration when they think of South Africa. That will be a big attraction in the future.”

Rajah said the World Cup had broken down the fashion stereotypes foreigners hold of South Africa.

“We dress a lot better than lots expected us to.

“I think many foreigners have been quite surprised.”

Rajah said the tournament had instilled a “great pride” in the national teams and this had had a major effect on dress code.

“Other country’s have always had a very distinctive identity in their colours, but South Africa has always been lagged behind in this area.

“We have been stuck in an era of buying rugby merchandise, but that will change now.”

One of the best parts of the tournament from a fashion perspective, said Rajah, had been the collaboration between international brands, such as Puma, Nike and Adidas, to create sport orientated merchandise.

Sporty look

“The styling is better and the clothes fit better. Designers around the world have produced these clothes. It is more contemporary and more relevant to the man on the street.

“Everybody has taken on a more sporty look. People are going out in soccer shirts.

“Some of the teams have done amazing work putting together their kit.

“The players seem to have a more refined edge while the coaches are well dressed in tailored suits.”

Even Argentina coach Diego Maradona, with his reputation for being a cocaine addicted, hard drinking, foul mouthed troublemaker, had projected a clean cut image in the World Cup.

Rajah said all the collections coming out, including menswear in Paris this week, would be strongly influence by the World Cup.

“The event has permeated fashion to an enormous extent,” said Rajah.

“It had an effect on everyone in the fashion industry.”

D&G briefs

One top designer from Milan shot his entire show on the side of Table Mountain.

“Even Gucci at the Waterfront has merchandise which is soccer inspired.”

Louis Vuitton was another designing company that had produced a football inspired monogram duffel bag in celebration of the tournament.

Dolce & Gabbana produced close-cut suits, sunglasses and briefs for the Italian team, while British label Marks & Spencer dressed the English team for the tournament, with the suit costing £200 going on sale last month.

Fashion critics said the Wags, led by former England captain David Beckham’s wife Victoria, had taken a more toned down look for the tournament, with trousers loose at the hip but tight at the ankle the preferred fashion.

True diamonds in the rough

2010-06-29T23:04:00.001-07:00

When Richard Raya went shopping for an engagement ring recently, he did what men are programmed to do: "I did consider a more traditional cut and polished diamond at first," he said. "But they all seemed so predictable and boring," said Raya, who lives in Oakland. Instead, he surprised his girlfriend, Marissa Cravens, with a chunky rough diamond by April Higashi of Shibumi Gallery in Berkeley. "I had never seen a rough diamond before," Craven said. "The ring is perfect for me and for how I want to symbolize a relationship: strong, solid, powerful."

They may look like pieces of quartz to the untrained eye, but they are diamonds all the same. Jewelry designed with these natural stones, with all their imperfections, cloudy colors and bubbly textures, is a growing trend, showing up in contemporary jewelry cases at small boutiques and bigger establishments like Wilkes Bashford, Barneys and DeBeers.

"We had bling, then we had a crash, and now we're in a time when less showy products are in style," said Russell Shor, industry analyst at the Gemological Institute of America.

Even so, rough represent less than 0.5 percent of total diamond and diamond jewelry sales in the United States, said Ken Gassman, founder of the Jewelry Industry Research Institute.

But prices are considerably less for rough-stone jewelry - a classic Tiffany & Co. 2.5-carat diamond solitaire ring sells for about $41,000, whereas a 5-carat dark cognac rough diamond ring with polished diamond accents by Diamond in the Rough goes for about $9,000.

For the bold and fashion forward, rough and nontraditional diamonds, which come in cloudy white, pale green, gray, brown and yellow, have appeal, both economically and psychologically. Most designers combine rough, sliced and polished stones for a modern take on the traditional. These are "not your mother's diamonds," said former Barneys jewelry department expert Alex Handy, who has noticed a steady increase in customer interest in these gems in recent months. "You still get some sparkle, but without all that seriousness."

Of course, that depends on the size of the rock. Most rough diamonds used in contemporary pieces are quite small, but not in the hands of Mannu Kasliwal, an eighth-generation craftsman with the famed Gem Palace in Jaipur, India, who designs jaw-dropping jewelry with giant flat-cut diamonds that are not heavily faceted.

More typically, designers use small nugget or cube-shape raw diamonds to add color and texture to a bracelet or necklace, such as Todd Reed of Colorado and Anjanette Clisura, president and creative director of the New York company Diamond in the Rough. Oakland's Melissa Joy Manning and Berkeley's Anna von Hellens Ravi use them, as does Pippa Small, the former Gucci and Chloe jewelry designer, who has a boutique in Los Angeles.

Actress Sharon Stone co-designed a line of rough diamond rings for the Maji collection for Diamani, which raises funds for clean-water projects in Africa. Frank Gehry used a smattering of small rough diamonds in a one-off mesh bib neckpiece for Tiffany last year.

When Reed, who is known for his bold handmade pieces, started his business two decades ago, he said, "I wanted to transcend the stereotype of diamond jewelry. The solitaire is an awesome option, but someone who wears a ring of mine is not wearing it to declare the four C's."

This standard measure of a polished diamond - cut, color, carat and clarity - does not apply.

"Some of the stones in my jewelry look like they could have been dug up from a shipwreck a thousand years ago," Reed said. "No two are alike."

Clisura also combines rough and polished gems in romantic filigree designs, which are carried at Wilkes Bashford in San Francisco and in Palo Alto.

"I find the combination so beautiful, the rough being exactly as we find it. I don't touch the rock in any way," she said. "I think of the polished diamonds like the frame to the artwork."

The newly engaged Raya, 40, the budget director for the Alameda County Public Health Department, selected the ring without any input from Cravens, 30, a regional planner for the Association of Bay Area Governments.

"The fact that the diamond was different (sliced) and imperfect yet extremely beautiful really appealed to me," he said. The couple will be married in early July. "It seemed to reflect real love, and real human beings, in its beautiful imperfection."

Trouble Alex Could Send Our Way

2010-06-28T21:02:00.000-07:00

Tropical Storm Alex is brewing a bundle of concerns for states along the Gulf Coast.

Alex is currently on target to make landfall around Northeast Mexico or Southeast Texas by Wednesday. Hurricane Expert Dr. Joe Sobel says the tropical storm is expected to strengthen into a hurricane with 100 mile per hour winds.

While the storm is causing trouble in the Southwest region of the Gulf, Sobel says it can still impact the oil relief effort closer to home. The region impacted by the oil is seeing waves grow by 4-to-5 feet, and they could easily double as Alex intensifies. The storm is also sending wind gusts in our direction. Sobel says this combination could easily force more oil onto our shores.

A New Arrangement

2010-06-27T19:49:00.000-07:00

New Yorkers long ago stopped being fooled by the luxury knockoffs peddled from sidewalk card tables at prices too good to be true. Not that they always keep their wallet in check — as a close inspection of many a supposedly pedigreed Louis Vuitton handbag might reveal, if the penny-pinching owner would allow it.

There are some counterfeit goods, though, where the close-enough counterfeit is far from an adequate substitution for the confidence of a brand-name product. Take a specific, alarming example: Trojan condoms.

Federal officials say that a counterfeit smuggling ring, ZX Trading, made millions selling imported Chinese knockoffs, including bags, clothes and sunglasses that bear brand names including Disney, Nike and North Face. But perhaps the most troubling discovery was of a stash of more than half a million fake Trojan brand condoms, which did not have spermicide as advertised and later failed water leakage tests.

A prosecutor for the United States attorney’s office in Brooklyn called the fake condoms “a danger to the public.” A lawyer for Church & Dwight, which owns Trojan, warned that the condoms “may pose potential safety risks to consumers and users.”

Two siblings were scheduled to be sentenced on Friday in Brooklyn for their role in running the counterfeit-smuggling ring that federal officials say was responsible for importing the bogus condoms. The hearing was postponed because of a debate about the level of the siblings’ involvement in the condom situation.

The two, Lin F. Hu and Jian Lin Hu, pleaded guilty to one count of trafficking in counterfeit goods last year, though they specifically did not admit to importing the condoms. A recent court filing on behalf of the siblings reiterated the denial, adding, “The mere fact that a product has a counterfeit brand name does not mean that it is dangerous.”

Prosecutors are seeking a sentence of 46 to 57 months in prison.

Counterfeit condoms have become a booming business in China in recent years. According to a report in The Times of London last year, the Chinese authorities reported that they had raided a workshop in Hunan Province where more than two million condoms had been made in unsterile conditions, lubricated with vegetable oil and falsely labeled with brand names like Durex and Rough Rider. – A. G. Sulzberger

New Policy for District Attorney

Tucked toward the end of a news release put out by the Manhattan district attorney’s office on Thursday was a short but significant note. It read that as per office policy, 10 percent of the proceeds from the deferred-prosecution agreement being announced would go to the state, 51 percent to the city and the remaining 39 percent to law enforcement authorities.

The new policy on how to divide money from these agreements represents a stark departure by Cyrus R. Vance Jr., the Manhattan district attorney, from his predecessor, Robert M. Morgenthau.

Toward the end of his 35-year tenure last year, Mr. Morgenthau got into a now famous spat with Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg over the office’s finances — and Mr. Morgenthau said it centered on what his office did with money from these deferred-prosecution agreements (a company or individual agrees to certain conditions in order not to be prosecuted).

The mayor’s office accused Mr. Morgenthau’s office of keeping dozens of accounts outside the city’s financial review process by not registering them with the comptroller’s office. Mr. Morgenthau said that the concerns were just sour grapes and that Mr. Bloomberg was simply upset that the state received a larger share than the city of a $350 million settlement last year with the British bank Lloyds TSB Group.

The Bloomberg administration argued that it should get all the money from those deferred prosecution agreements, Mr. Morgenthau said. But he bluntly rebuffed them.

As Mr. Morgenthau was negotiating another huge settlement with a foreign bank, Credit Suisse, he supported legislation in Albany that called for the money deferred-prosecution agreements to be split 50-50 between the city and the state. The law passed, and the city and state had to split $268 million from the Credit Suisse settlement down the middle. But that law expired this year.

So, after the city’s comptroller completed an audit of the district attorney’s books this year, one recommendation was that Mr. Vance’s office set out a policy for dispersing the settlement proceeds. The result is the 10-51-39 split, not so surprising when you consider that Mr. Vance has clearly been trying to play a conciliatory role.

As expected, Mr. Vance’s policy drew applause from the mayor’s office.

“We are pleased that the district attorney has put a consistent formula for allocating funds in place,” Jason Post, a spokesman for the mayor’s office, wrote in an e-mail message. — John Eligon

The beautiful Sting Out of Suits

2010-06-24T19:54:00.000-07:00

PARIS — Blame it on the bankers and the hedge fund executives — not to mention the politicians — who have people using the word “suits” with spitting contempt. For the overriding theme of the Paris menswear season, which opened Thursday, is to promote smart casual looks and take the sting out of suits.

Redefining contemporary dressing takes in all manner of new categories: hence an LV skin tattoo at Louis Vuitton as the ultimate upscale accessory and the essence of branding.

This spring/summer 2011 season has been marked by inventive techno fabrics mixed with a cool new favorite: silk. Tactile surfaces, subtle textures, small details and flashes of bright color add up to an unforced look.

Although there are plenty of holiday clothes, the look is more that of a fleeting vacation dream among the reality of work clothes.

The concept of cyberspace travel — going places without leaving your laptop — was the story behind the best show that designer Paul Helbers has done for Louis Vuitton. He got to the heart of the brand with new bags: big totes and duffels in his favorite smudgy green and blue colors.

But he also worked the travel side intelligently by choosing three destinations: New York; the Amazon, for tough, sporty jackets with military construction and ultra-light parachute-fabric parkas; and China, where Vuitton’s presence at the Shanghai Expo inspired the romance of the East. Silken Asian effects included scarves that were printed, as leather bags were engraved, with dragon symbols.

Banker Debrahlee Lorenzana Wanted Her 'Melons' to Be in Playboy

2010-06-24T01:26:00.000-07:00

The self-proclaimed "too sexy" banker suing Citibank over her termination walked Thursday into the Chase branch in Brooklyn, N.Y., where she currently works wearing a tight-fitting black dress and shiny black stilettos -- but was mum about videos where she discusses her plastic surgery.
Queens, N.Y., stunner Debrahlee Lorenzana carried a red handbag and appeared to be wearing Christian Louboutin heels but said nothing about the newly-released recordings, in which she discusses various plastic surgery procedures she had.
PHOTOS: CELEBS HOTTER BEFORE OR AFTER IMPLANTS?
In a 2003 documentary, Lorenzana -- who said Citibank fired her because she was too hot -- called plastic surgery one of the best things ever and said she wanted to be a Playboy Playmate.
The video also featured her describing breast-enhancement procedures she underwent, referring to her chest as "melons."
She said she had undergone two enlargement procedures, going from a natural, large look to "double-D's."
WATCH: See Debrahlee in Clip About Plastic Surgery Documentary.
But when asked about the video, Lorenzana responded, "one thing has nothing to do with the other."