http://beauty.spoonylife.com SpoonyLife fr-FR http://beauty.spoonylife.com/tapping-saddle-installs-in-compressed-air-piping-systems.-14609.html Pipe et Fittings Asahi/America Introduces the Tapping Saddle for Air-Pro(TM)Compressed Air Piping System Asahi/America, Inc., introduces the new tapping saddle for theirAir-Pro(TM) Compressed Air Piping Systems. Designed specificallyfor the Air-Pro system, the new tapping saddle allows for theinstallation of the system with no drops! The drops are installedafter the system has been hung by simply using the tapping saddlewelding it in place with electro-fusion process. The saddle can beinstalled at any location, under any pressure, reducing the numberof required welds in half vs traditional drop methods. The Air-Pro tapping saddle is available in 11 sizes from 2x1 to 6x2and is rated at 150psi. Air-Pro Compressed Air piping system is available in sizes Wed, 18 Jun 2008 11:56:00 GMT http://beauty.spoonylife.com/the-watchable-sections-were-interspersed-with-a-variety-ofdifferent-mission-14608.html Other Metal Pipes However, being of the more casual persuasion with games these days,it wasn't surprising then that my early enthusiasm for the gamestarted to wane in the first hour. As I progressed through theintroductory filmic episodes I realised I was woefully ill-equippedto get very far here - I simply didn't have enough time. This wasmade more frustrating by some ingenious and intriguing touches thatmade me want to learn more. Flash backs for example, were availableat certain points in the narrative. Pressing a particular buttoncut the footage to a grainy image from Snake's past, and helpedalleviate my lack of knowledge of the story. These half-secondclips cleverly connected me to the characters being talked about,or the distant history that was referenced. The watchable sections were interspersed with a variety ofdifferent mission based levels. It really does feel that wayaround, as MGS4 stretches the balance between watching and playingto absolute breaking point. The game never seems to quite commit tobeing either a movie with gameplay or a game with cut-scenes.Either way it is certainly nice to get to direct the actionyourself after watching so much character acting. The player directed portions are played largely in third-person,and have similarities to other games that obviously drew heavily onprevious games in the Metal Gear cannon. Splinter Cell and GhostRecon spring to mind for example. There is an ever increasing arrayof weapons and equipment to help you on your way, not to mentionremote controlled robots, bionic eye patches and stun knives. Buthaving said all this, we still haven't really got to the heart ofwhat sort of game MGS4 actually is. In a nutshell what we have here is a tactical sneaking-shootinggame. The term sneak 'em up seems to sum up the general playmechanic pretty nicely, although as you progress there is moreemphasis on the sneaking than the shooting. Usually the mosteffective way through a level is to spend time planning camouflage,enemy line of sight, and your visibility profile. Charge forwardhoping to get away with Gears of War's run-and-gun stop-and-poptactics and you will soon come to a sticky end. To reduce this game down to its constituent elements is, likeglossing over the substantial back-story, is to miss the point.MGS4 is significant because of what it is as a whole. Where othertitles fail, it coherently brings together some impressivedisparate pieces, such as filmic graphics, pixel perfect gameplayand believable voice work, in such a way as to give it the air ofpoignancy and meaning. As a newcomer to the franchise, I was unsurprisingly left a littlecold. Much of the gameplay I had seen elsewhere. I didn't find thesneaking all that much fun, and I simply didn't have time (orpatience) for the lengthy cut-scenes. But above and beyond all thisI could tell there was a great game here. It was just a game forsomeone else, not me. Or rather, I should say not for me now. Oncethe family are a little more self sufficient and I can sit backwith the missus and relax of an evening, perhaps I'll find againthat strange land called disposable time, and within it conquer myjourney back to these hardcore classic. Wed, 18 Jun 2008 11:56:00 GMT http://beauty.spoonylife.com/titan-machinery-q1-results-top-street-view-shares-rise-14607.html Construction Machinery (Recasts, adds details, share movement) June 16 (Reuters) - Titan Machinery Inc (TITN.O: Quote , Profile , Research ) posted first-quarter results that handily beat market estimates,boosted by higher revenue from its equipment, parts and servicesdivisions, and raised its full-year outlook, sending its shares up9 percent before the bell. The company, which owns and operates agricultural and constructionequipment stores, reported a profit of $3.4 million, or 24 cents ashare, compared with $0.8 million, or 12 cents a share, a yearearlier. Revenue jumped 91 percent to $152.6 million. Equipment sales nearlydoubled to $120.9 million, while parts sales surged 75 percent to$21.5 million. Analysts on average were expecting earnings of 13 cents a share onrevenue of $119.5 million, according to Reuters estimates. "We are continuing to see an overall strong agriculture economy,"Titan Machinery's Chief Executive David Meyer said. The company expects full-year earnings of 86 cents to 91 cents ashare, compared with its prior view of 77 cents to 82 cents.Analysts were expecting 79 cents a share. The company, which went public in December last year, now seesrevenue of $575 million to $625 million for the year. It hadpreviously forecast $550 million to $600 million. Analysts werelooking for $588.6 million. Shares of the company were trading at $30.33 before the bell. Theyclosed at $27.90 Friday on Nasdaq. (Reporting by Adheesha Sarkar inBangalore; Editing by Deepak Kannan) Wed, 18 Jun 2008 11:56:00 GMT http://beauty.spoonylife.com/french-banking-major-bnp-paribas-will-lend-40mn-to-qatar-nationalcement-14606.html Cement et Sand French banking major BNP Paribas will lend $40mn to Qatar NationalCement Company (QNCC) to finance its fourth plant. An agreement was signed by QNCC and BNP Paribas, said a news itemposted on the Doha Securities Market. The loan from BNP Paribas, the fifth largest the world, comesamidst the cement company Wed, 18 Jun 2008 11:56:00 GMT http://beauty.spoonylife.com/nigerians-lament-as-prices-of-food-cement-continue-to-rise-14605.html Cement Sheet Nigerians lament as prices of food, cement continue to rise By Our Reporters - 16.06.2008 EFFORTS of Federal Government to find a solution to skyrockettingcement and food prices are yet to yield any result as the prices ofthe commodities are on the increase on a daily basis. Currently, a bag of cement sells for between N1,950 and N2,000while a bag of rice is sold for N12,000. This is despite the steps being taken by the Federal Government tobring down the prices of the commodities. Investigations by Nigerian Tribune correspondents across thecountry showed that prices of food staples and building materialsespecially cement, had not come down at all. This has brought untold hardship to citizens who complain bitterlythat life is now unbearable for them. In Ibadan, Oyo State, a bag of cement now sells for between N1,800and N1,900. House rent has increased by between 20 per cent and 50 per cent inOsogbo, Osun State capital, between January and May this year as aresult of high prices of building materials. A Nigerian Tribune investigation in Osogbo revealed that landlordshad increased the rent of a room from N1,000 to between N1,200 andN1,500 per month while a three-bedroom flat was being let out atbetween N70,000 and N80,000 per annum. A survey conducted on the cost of building materials indicated thata bag of cement was being sold at between N1,800 and N2,000 while abundle of the common iron sheet is being sold at between N10,200and N10,500. Prices of local foodstuffs are rising daily in the market, a surveyconducted in Osogbo, Osun State capital, has revealed. According to the survey, a Kongo (measure) of beans at Igbona andAkin Deko markets in Osogbo cost N200 while the same measure ofrice was being sold at N300. Six tubers of yam in the same marketcost between N450 and N500 while a 20-litre gallon of palm oil wasbeing sold at N6,500 while the same measure of vegetable oil costN6,000 as against N10,000 and N8,500 which the commodities werebeing sold in April this year. In the same market, 50kg bag of rice was being sold for betweenN8,900 and N11,000 depending on the quality. Cement price in major towns of Ondo State, particularly Akure, thestate capital, has skyrocketed in the last few weeks. Investigation by Nigerian Tribune in the towns revealed that a bagof cement now sells for between N1,900 and N2,000. The situation has also forced many cement dealers to be out ofstock, as they had not been able to replenish their stock. Also, the development has led to a increase in house rent acrossthe state, as tenants now pay through their noses for theirapartments. Cement dealers, who spoke to the Nigerian Tribune, blamed theincrease on the strike embarked upon by staff of the West AfricanPortland Cement Company (WAPCO) recently. A bag of Dangote cement at the Panteka Market, Kaduna, costs N1,800.The Burham brand of cement also goes for N1,800 a bag while,according to the traders, the Ashaka cement has not been in themarket for some time. The high cost of cement and other building materials has led to anincrease in house rent. Although the rent depends on location ofthe buildings, investigation conducted in Sabon Tasha, Kawo andother areas in Kaduna indicated that a two-bedroom flat is nowbetween N100,000 and N120,000 per annum, while a three-bedroom flatis from N150,000 per annum. A single room and a toilet is fromN30,000 per annum while those who occupy a single room in acompound pay from N18,000 annually. This is apart from the agencyfee which attracts 10 per cent of the rent or based on negotiationwith the owner of the property. Prices of foodstuffs are high in Kaduna as in other states of thefederation. At the grains section of the Kaduna Central Market, theChairman, Alhaji Yusuf Haruna, said a bag of maize was sold atN6,500, a bag of millet cost N6,500 while the price of beansvaried. According to him, a 100 kg bag of the large variety of beans costN11,500 while the 150 kg bag of the same variety cost N13,500.Hesaid the 150 kg bag of the small variety of beans cost N14,500. He,however, expressed delight that the price of a bag of foreign ricehad dropped from N9,000 two months ago, to N8,300. Tenants in Port Harcourt are now groaning under heavy rents ashouse owners in the capital city raise rents arbitrarily andincessantly. A Nigerian Tribune survey in the city at the weekend showed thathouse owners raise rents on a yearly basis citing rising cost ofcommodities and building materials for their action. It was gathered that in the Mile 1, Diobu axis of the city, whichis considered to be the low income earner residential area, thecheapest room goes for between N3,000 and N3,500 per month whereasit goes for between N4,000 and N5,000 for same kind of apartment.This has been attributed to the rise in prices of cement; and otherbuilding materials. The price of cement and house rent in Enugu State increase eachpassing day making life difficult for many residents. Investigation by the Nigerian Tribune in Enugu showed that a bag ofcement which was sold at N750 in 2003 is now being sold at N1,600. Further checks revealed that the price of cement has even come downas a bag was sold at N2,300 early in the year. It was also learnt that the price of cement varies from town totown. For instance, in Enugu metropolis it is cheaper than whatobtains at Nsukka and Obolo-Afor towns. Residents of Enugu and its environs are facing hard times followingunending high cost of food in the state, Nigerian Tribuneinvestigation also revealed. It was gathered that despite the efforts of the presentadministration to stem food shortage in the country, prices of fooditems have continued to soar. A market survey carried out by the Nigerian Tribune in Enugu showedthat many people are finding it difficult to feed three times a dayas some families can no longer afford to buy food items. The cost of building materials in Ilorin, the capital of KwaraState, is giving most people a great concern as some people have tosuspend their building project due to high cost of buildingmaterials, especially cement. It was confirmed that the a bag of Dangote cement which sold forN1,500 before is now N2,500 while a bag of Burham cement roseN1,200 to N2,300. The situation in the state has made most landlords to increasetheir house rent by almost 100 per cent. The price of foodstuffs in the state, particularly in Ilorin, havealso gone up by almost 100 per cent. A bag of foreign rice popularly known as Cape Golden rice whichcost N5,200 previously is being sold at N8,300 while home-grownrice is now N7,000 as against N4,100. Investigations by the Nigerian Tribune revealed that prices ofcement in parts of Abia State have been on the increase. It was gathered that the prices vary with the brand of thecommodity. While Atlas cement sells for between N1,500 and N1,700,other brands like Portland or Elephant cement goes for N1,900 andN2,000. Rent in Umuahia, state capital, Aba has been hiked. Aself-contained room with facilities like toilet, bathroom andkitchen goes for between N4000 and N5000 per month, depending onlocation. Geometric increase of the cost of building materials is slowingdown the pace of construction works in Bayelsa State as a bag ofEagle Cement now sells for N1,800.00, while other varieties sellfor N1,700. Two months ago, a bag of Eagle Cement was sold for N1,560, whileother varieties sold for between N1,350 and N1,400. The increasingcost of the building materials is now affecting the rent in thestate. A survey conducted by Nigerian Tribune in Yenagoa metropolis showsthat, a one-room apartment, the now goes for between N60,000 andN70,000 per annum depending on the location. One-bedroom apartment now goes for between N120,000 and N150,000,while two-bedroom apartment goes for between N180,000 and N250,000,while three-bedroom apartment goes for between N275,000 andN300,000. Home-grown rice seems to have taken over from imported rice in KogiState following the high cost of food. A Nigerian Tribune investigation indicated that a bag of CapriceRice and other assorted goes for N9,500.00 in the capital city, ameasure of foreign rice is sold at N350.00 while the home-gownbrand sells at N220.00. White beans, according to some traders, cost N200.00 per measure,brown beans cost N220.00 while a measure of gari goes for betweenN140.00 and N200.00 depending on the quality. In Kogi, the market survey conducted by the Nigerian Tribune,showed that "Dangote Cement" is the only readilyavailable brand in the state probably because the company has afactory at Obajana area of the state. The price of the cement flunctuates day by day as a bag of it as atWednesday cost N1,700.00 while it was sold for N1,800.00 theprevious day. Prices of building materials have continued to skyrocket in DeltaState with a bag of cement costing between N1,750 and N1,800. The price of the product, which rose from N1,400 in December lastyear to N1,600 in February this year has retained the present pricesince the last four months. Only two brands - Dangote and Ibeto - are common in the market inAsaba area. A market survey by the Nigerian Tribune in Asaba and Ogwashi-Ukwuindicated that in spite of the price most bags of cement were soldto customers in rebagged form. A modern three-bedroom flat in Asaba costs about N15,000 per monthwhile a fairly old one goes for between N10,000 and N12,000 permonth. Similarly, a self contained one room apartment costs about N4,000. Nigerian Tribune investigation showed that landlords demanded up totwo year's rent in Asaba. Wed, 18 Jun 2008 11:56:00 GMT http://beauty.spoonylife.com/cemex-balcones-doubling-production-capacity-14604.html Cement Line CEMEX Balcones Doubling Production Capacity Zachry Construction Assists Plant Expansion in New Braunfels By R. G. Pickard -- Texas Contractor, 6/16/2008 CEMEX' Balcones plant near New Braunfels is nearing completion ofan expansion project begun in January 2007 that will double thefacility's existing production while reducing emissions. Theexpansion is being built by both CEMEX and Zachry ConstructionCorporation of San Antonio. Zachry has been constructing a new cement line with a plannedproduction capacity of 3,850 short tons per day, and allconstruction has had to be accomplished without interfering withthe operation of the existing production line. Plant Features The project included construction of a limestone storage andreclaim facility, a raw mill feed structure, a water cooling towerand air compressor building, a raw mill system, a clinker cooler, acoke/coal mill system, and a cement mill system, all of which wereconstructed by Zachry, as well as silt fencing installed to protectthe environment. Zachry also remodeled the existing control room and completed twooutages in September 2007 and January 2008 to tie new baghousesinto the existing line. The control room was updated with systemsthat will enable CEMEX to operate both production lines from onelocation. The Zachry team installed a new control panel, flooring,ceiling, and walls, and rewired the control room. According to Zachry project manager Andy Power and operationsmanager Dan Pratt, "another challenge has been the small areain which we have to construct the new line. Cement lines arecompact in general, and constructing an addition within an existingoperation means even tighter quarters. We are fortunate to have a30-acre laydown area northeast of the plant. When it became full,the overflow materials were placed at the back of the nearbyquarry." A blending silo and loadout was slip formed by CEMEX subcontractorBorton, with mechanical, structural, electrical and instrumentationwork in the silo being completed by Zachry. Borton also slip formeda preheater tower, which was built with a reinforced concrete framewith a steel interior. The CCC group completed the foundation workfor the tower, and Zachry completed the structural steel workinside the concrete tower frame. As the tower was being slipformed, steel embeds were poured into the structure. As thestructural steel work inside the concrete tower frame rose, thepreheater equipment was installed at the appropriate height. A64-ton Favco tower crane supported the tower throughout theprocess. Preheater equipment included cyclones and a calciner, which werefabricated offsite by KHD and shipped to the site by truck inpieces as large as the trucks could handle. The pieces were thenoffloaded in the laydown yard and assembled on site with the aid oftwo 3900 Manitowoc crawler cranes. KHD also fabricated and suppliedthe ductwork, and the structural steel was fabricated by Qualico. The four main bag houses were supplied and erected by SoliosEnvironmental with the aid of two 2500 Kobelco crawler cranes, andthe kiln was installed by Philips. Additionally, Zachry expandedthe existing limestone storage building by adding a 300-foot-longextension and installing a new reclaimer and conveying system. A new double track 200-plus car capacity railroad, which requiredapproximately 17,000 linear feet of rail, was laid by CEMEXsubcontractor Track Works and completed in April. Dirt and ballastwork for the new railroad was completed by Zachry, which requiredexcavation of approximately 480,000 cubic yards of dirt and theaddition of approximately 45,000 tons of ballast. The surface area of the new production line is fairly small, butthe structures are quite tall. This project required nine cranes,and precise civil, structural, electrical and mechanical work wasespecially critical. Additional equipment required included four75-ton Grove pickers where needed, two 15-ton Galion pickers asneeded, and various excavators and haul trucks. The concrete used on the project was supplied by Ingram Readymixmade with CEMEX cement produced on the existing production line atBalcones. Rebar was supplied by Capitol City Steel with structuralsteel being supplied by Qualico. Gravel and ballast for therailroad were supplied by CEMEX. Zachry Construction supplied pipefrom Turner Industries, as well as civil components and bulks forall the crafts. CEMEX supplied all required equipment, which wasmanufactured by Loeshe, IKN, KHD, and Solios. Safety First Safety was and is the first priority of CEMEX and ZachryConstruction. Standard safety procedures are in place at this jobsite, and with the help of the CEMEX expansion management team, thesafety program has a recordable incident rate on site of 0.66 basedon 1.8 million work hours completed through April 27. Because a lot of the work on this project is elevated, managementhas instituted a 100-percent fall protection (tie off) policy tohelp keep employees safe. Safety management is headed by adedicated CEMEX and Zachry safety team whose sole job is to ensurethat all safety procedures are being followed and all employees areproperly trained and equipped to safely perform their duties. Thesite has daily safety meetings where the crew completes Safety TaskAssignments (STAs), which help employees to recognize all possiblehazards associated with a task and then either eliminate thosehazards or implement controls for their protection. A site safetymeeting is held once a month wherein a "Crew of theMonth" is chosen and rewarded based largely on safetyperformance. Efficient Technology Once the production line is operating, emissions will not increaseeven though the capacity is being doubled, according to CEMEXmanagement. "This is being accomplished because of CEMEX'swillingness to invest in the newest and best technology available.As a result, the Balcones site will be one of the most efficientand productive cement plants in the country, and will be operatedin the most responsible and environmentally conscientious mannerpossible. Specific energy usage will go down, dust emissions willbe reduced, and all emission controls will be greatlyenhanced." To increase efficiency, CEMEX replaced the dust collectionequipment in the existing kiln line and installed state-of-the-arttechnology to continue to protect the environment. The old kiln andcooler had an electrostatic precipitator and a gravel bed filter,but were upgraded with new fabric filter dust collectors made bySolios Environmental of Canada. Additionally, new and improved NOx control technology capable ofburning 100-percent pet coke and a modern automation systemproduced by FLS Automation of Bethlehem, Pa., were installed in theexisting kiln. The same technology, which was applied to upgradethe existing production line, is also being installed in the newproduction line. A tubular calciner was chosen as the most efficient method toaddress carbon monoxide reduction. The tubular calciner allows alengthy retention time and provides thorough mixing capability.Additionally, the inherent cleansing effect of the pre-heater andthe inline raw mill are key elements in the reduction of sulfurdioxide emissions. Aggressive Scheduling The expansion had to be completed in a very small area on a veryaggressive schedule, all of which required careful organization,planning, scheduling and collaboration by everyone working on theproject. Zachry Project Execution Planning Process (also known as"ZPEPP"), Zachry's signature project execution andplanning process, provided a framework to help keep all projectpartners coordinated. Zachry's Andy Power says, "CEMEX is a preeminent force in theproduction of cement, concrete and aggregates, and the Zachry teamis privileged to serve the company. This environmentally friendlyexpansion will enable CEMEX to help meet the growing demand forhigh-quality cement, while meeting CEMEX's priority of conductingits business with respect and care for the environment. We havelearned many lessons from this project and hope to have theopportunity to put them into practice on future jobs withCEMEX." The new production line is expected to be completed and operationalat CEMEX Balcones in the summer of 2008. Wed, 18 Jun 2008 11:56:00 GMT http://beauty.spoonylife.com/its-about-time-ties-finally-have-fled-workplace-fashion-13941.html Fashion Men Clothes A new poll finds men today are wearing fewer neckties than ever.This, I hardly need tell you, is a highly damning commentary on thestate of American polls, which are evidently more boring than ever. Really? Neckties? Did you guys already ask everything there was toask about sex? Anyway, this is true: Along with Air Supply and Republicans,necktie popularity these days is at an all-time low (oh don'tget all fussy, that's just a joke, of course there are stillpeople who like Air Supply). Just 6 percent of men wear ties to work daily, says a Gallup poll,down from the accessory's peak in the 1980s, when mosteverybody was wearing very very stupid items. But in even more damning news, after 60 years, the trade group ofAmerican necktie makers, Men's Dress Furnishing Association,is SHUTTING DOWN, having seen its membership dwindle from 120 to 25in recent years, which is both a response to the industry downturnand the main reason their group potluck dinners have gotten soawful. While this is extremely bad news for people who are god-awful atbuying Father's Day gifts, it also is a welcome, overduedevelopment for the singular reason neckties are stupid andcomplicated and something that, hypothetically, some people do notlearn to correctly operate until they are 23 years old and findthemselves trying to finagle alone while receiving instructions onthe phone from his mother, who is several states away and issuingunhelpful instructions like, "Just put the thing through theother thing!" while trying to stifle volcanic bursts ofempathetic snickering. I'm told. By my friend. Who thathappened to. In Quebec. Besides, and especially in this age of reusability andconservation, neckties are outmoded relics. They might have madesense in the stuffed-shirt, military-industrial complex fashionworld of the 1950s, but hardly do now, in this age where thezeigeist is more relaxed and casual and most people are having tosell their underpants for gas money anyway. How many jobs actually require the use of neckties? Practicallyspeaking? One: necktie salesman. OK, and clown, if you're aclown that's into thebig-necktie-that-flops-up-like-a-set-of-drapes-and-squirts-watersort of thing. And if you're in the Mighty Mighty Bosstones. Practicaliity is hardly the only issue. Neckties are also thearticle of clothing most likely to get caught in an automatic meatgrinder, making their obsolescence less a fashion statement andmore a safety demand. Also, in some tragic instances, they look like a fish that ispointing south. Each of these things can be potentially disastrous. I can say this because I work in The Media, where most employeesaren't paid enough to afford clothes, especially thoseCharlie Mingus hats that have the "PRESS" card on topof them, which are way more expensive than you think and never lookas cool as they do in movies from 1942. Many people in The Media have a relaxed approach to fashion,because their minds are occupied with other matters, such aslooking for jobs. Also ... well, let's be honest: I lovenewspapers, I've worked in newspapers my whole life, but youdon't see a whole lot of people in newspapers who areterrifically fashion-conscious. You drop most of us in a Banana Republic, and the most likelyresponse would be the kind of panic-stricken paralysis you tend tofind when you drop a kitten in a swimming pool. Me, I've never made it past the little shelf of belts theyput at the door without experiencing a minor episode. My place of employment is the first literally, the first to enact a dress code. It basically boils down to:"Please respect the rules of the basest human decency, andtry to wear pants if you can afford them." Though a conservative policy and one that makes perfect sense inbusiness theory, this policy briefly caused me to lurch into afierce state of rage and begin drafting an inspirational,thoughtful monologue on how my inability to wear jeans to work wasthe single gravest social injustice I'd ever heard of in mylife. It didn't go very far, because it turns out jeans-banningwasn't exactly a hot-button issue that was going to inspire alot of grass-roots support. At least that's what I heard. Ina poll. Tue, 17 Jun 2008 11:30:00 GMT http://beauty.spoonylife.com/the-necktie-what-it-used-to-be-still-hangs-on-13938.html Silk Dress Shirt They were the best of ties. They were theworst of ties. Skinny little beatnik ties and mod doublewide ties. Suave andsophisticated Frank Sinatra ties and greedy Gordon Gekko powerties. Bar Mitzvah boy clip-on ties and Jerry Garcia trippin' ties. And, of course, all those closet doors decked with millions ofgifted ties. But now, with another Father's Day upon us, comes word that thenecktie that elongated swatch of silk or polyester or rayonwhose donning has long marked a male rite of passage while servingno discernible utility may be fading into the fashionsunset. The recent decision by the Men's Dress Furnishings Association the trade group for America's neckwear makers toshut down has some folks tied up in knots. A calendar crammed withcasual Fridays (and Mondays and Thursdays ...) has exacted itslast, grim toll, some said. In an age where some people show up for job interviews inflip-flops, the imminent death of the tie seems plausible. It's been a good, long time, after all, since America was a nationof necktie-wearers. Look back at pictures from the Great Depression and you'll see menwho put on ties before taking their place on soup lines. The standsat baseball games were once filled with men in ties even onweekends. In the years after World War II, when employers createdthousands of new office jobs, the sidewalks of downtowns across thecountry were thronged by men whose necks were cloaked in soldierlystripes and solids. But before we deliver the eulogy for the necktie, consider this: Men have been wrapping and winding pieces of cloth around theirnecks for hundreds of years. It's clear that the tie, once the verysymbol of the male establishment, is far from the icon it used tobe. Still, there's small comfort for neckwear makers: At least they'renot selling fedoras. And, given the fickleness of fashion and the fact that someoccasions still demand a tie, it's probably too soon to write itsepitaph. "You almost want to say, 'poor necktie,' so abused andunderappreciated," says Candace Corlett, president of theconsulting firm WSL Strategic Retail. Predictions of the necktie's demise have been circulating foryears. In the mid-1990s, designer Gianni Versace offered his visionof male fashion in a coffee-table book titled "Men Without Ties," asure sign of where things were headed. A bronzed Adonis dashedacross its cover dressed in nothing but a few ties, lashed looselyaround his waist. The burgeoning popularity of casual Fridays turned khakis and opencollar-shirts into suitable wear for workplaces previously bettersuited to suits. The dot-com boom filled thousands of instantoffices with laid-back twentysomethings who saw no point in lashingsomething tight around their necks. But rumors of the tie's death are roughly equivalent to thelongtime predictions that the computer would soon turn societypaperless. There's a lot of truth to the prognostication, butsomehow it hasn't quite turned out that way. Clearly, the tie business is nothing like the old days. In theearly 1970s, when sales peaked, manufacturers sold between 200million and 250 million ties a year in the U.S. Today annual saleshave dropped to about 50 million, according to Lee Terrill,president of the neckwear division of Phillips-Van Heusen Corp.,the nation's largest tie maker. A Gallup poll last year found just 6 percent of men wearingneckties to work each day, down from 10 percent in 2002. More thantwo-thirds of the men surveyed said they never wear a tie to work,up from 59 percent five years earlier. But the necktie still has its defenders and devotees, men whoinvest the kind of affection in their ties that a golf shirt willprobably never know. "A lot of people call me the Tie Guy," says Bob Smith, the outgoingprovost and vice chancellor of academic affairs at the Universityof Arkansas in Fayetteville, Ark. Smith has a collection of more than 400 ties in his closets. Theyare vital accessories in a job requiring him to deliver manyspeeches and presentations more than 700 in the past eightyears. Every Smith speech is punctuated with a tie themed to thesubject. A tie with a giraffe on it for a speech about the qualities thatmake a good supervisor, one who is able to raise his head above thefracas to see the landscape clearly. Another featuring a paintingby Charles Rennie Mackintosh of a rose inside a teardrop that hesaves for delivering eulogies. "When I walk into a room, they'll look at my necktie, they'llactually pick it up when I walk in, and say 'Oh, what are you goingto talk about today? and I'll say, 'Oh, wait and see.' It actuallycreates a sense of mystery," Smith says. Smith's collection, though, pales compared to the more than 1,000ties owned by Richard Arutunian, a retired Southern Californianeckwear manufacturer. Arutunian rejects this talk that the tie has come undone. A tie issingularly irreplaceable, he says, uniquely capable of sending amessage about its wearer to women and to his fellow men. "To me it tells more about the person than even the shoe does,"says Arutunian, who long served as official tie historian for theneckwear industry association's predecessor. "Is he trying toimpress me? Is he wearing a tie because he has to wear that tie?How is he tying that knot?" Wearing cloth around the neck stretches back a long way. Some tracethe modern tie to the early 1600s when Croatian fighters loopedfabric around their necks before battle, captivating the public'simagination. Hard to believe, but for most of history men were the peacocks ofthe fashion world, and that included draping their necks in allsorts of status symbols, from waterfall cloths to cravats, saysPaula Baxter, who curated an exhibit that closed last year at theNew York Public Library on the rakish history of men's wear. "Even the Puritans. They would wear lace collars," she says. The era of the male dandy ended in the late 19th century, when theuniformity of the tailored suit took over. In the early 1920s,neckwear makers began cutting cloth on the bias diagonally,at an angle to the weave and the modern tie was born. Itfound a welcome home on the necks of the expanding ranks ofwhite-collar workers. By the 1960s, 600 companies made ties in the U.S., mostly smaller,regional manufacturers. They banded together in a professionalassociation that lobbied on their behalf. Those days are long past. "The number you have dialed is not in service at this time," arecording greeted callers to the New York offices of the DressFurnishings Association this week. "Please check the area code andnumber and dial your call again." Don't bother. Today there are only about two dozen companies making ties in theU.S., and the business is dominated by huge firms. Many of the tiesAmerican men wear are made overseas. It didn't seem to make anysense to keep running an association built for an industry sofundamentally different from what it used to be, says Terrill, theneckwear business executive and a member of the association'sboard. "We didn't think anybody would notice," he says, of the decision toclose. Instead, the association's closure has been greeted as confirmationthat the tie is done. The suggestion alarms Terrill, who says that sales have steadiedand ties are poised to make a modest comeback. There are still a few islands of tie-wearers. Lawyers and folks infinance and insurance work in offices where suits and tie remainthe badges of professionalism. "When you wear a tie it still says ... you're dressed for theoccasion," says Amy Klaris, a retail strategist at consulting firmKurt Salmon Associates. Today, with the economy softening, men need to market themselvesand a big part of that is the way they dress. That will send thependulum swinging, albeit subtly, back to the suit and tie, Terrillsays. In the past 10 or 15 years, as dress codes loosened, men who'dalways worn ties "were making a statement. I'm not going to wear atie because I don't have to wear a tie," Terrill says. "But now somany people don't wear a tie, that it's a statement to wear one." That sounds like wishful thinking to Corlett, the consultant. Sheagrees that sales of ties have leveled off, but a comeback isunlikely. "I think it's about as untrue as women returning to hosiery. Onceyou free the body of the tie and the hose, yeah, you may go back toit occasionally to make a statement or on dress-up day, but nobodywillingly goes back to wearing a tie five days a week," she says. For those waiting to see if men will once again embrace theconstriction that comes with ties, she suggests looking to examplesin women's fashion. "You know," she says, "corsets never came back." Tue, 17 Jun 2008 11:29:00 GMT http://beauty.spoonylife.com/loudmouth-makes-outstanding-debut-at-ing-fashion-show-13934.html Shorts And ShirtsWhat better place to debut our exciting line of LoudMouth pants,shorts and shirts than in front of the largest association of golfmedia and industry in the world, said LoudMouth CEO Larry Jackson.Mens golf attire has become so look-alike; so for guys who yawnat khaki pants with blue shirts like we do, were putting the funback into golf! LoudMouth features a line of 20 colorfully designed pants andshorts in varying degrees of loudness topped off with the infamoussignature style Disco Balls. At the ING Conference we showcased pants from each of our majorfood groupsargyle, dots, stripes, houndstooth and plaid,explained Jackson. Loudmouth pants get you in the mood for anyevent. Our pants have personality and will draw the playfulness outof anyone who wears them. And if you really want to stand out in a crowd, LoudMouth will evenmake you a custom matching sport coat. The jacket is perfect forthe informal post-round cocktail party, said Jackson. When youwear the jacket, theres just no telling who youll meet. Our headturning attire makes you feel like a rock star and youll be thecenter of any photo opportunity. LoudMouth offers a line of eight solid color shirts that match thevariety and colors of their pants. We had thousands of requests tooffer Loudmouth shirts, because its not easy to find a bright limegreen or the perfect orange shirt out there, he said. This yearsmainstream fashion is pastelmelon, mint, etc. Next year itll beenvironmental hues. At LoudMouth, youll always be able to buyfull-volume bright orange, green, red, etc. Outrageous pants toppedof with the perfect shirt et priceless. It goes without saying that the classic white belt is alsoavailable from the LoudMouth Golf Web site. In addition, LoudMouthhas even more fun stuff, matching colored belts, ball markers,green divot repair tools, and even matching golf grips. Now theres no excuse to wear khakis on the golf course and gounnoticed, chides Jackson. And for business and socialgatherings, Loudmouth pants are a networking dream. Tue, 17 Jun 2008 11:29:00 GMT http://beauty.spoonylife.com/join-the-topic-trail-of-that-missing-hirst-13932.html Silk Cotton Shirt There it was! Hidden among the second-hand clothes in the charityshop was a rolled-up print, with brightly coloured spots justvisible. The missing Damien Hirst dot piece, worth tens ofthousands of pounds. The woman at the till accepted a fiver and I walked out of there with the print under my arm, ready tosell it on for a fortune. "Yeah, me too," said Rachel Turvey, manager of Help the Aged inGodalming, Surrey, laughing. The same desperate dream has beenobsessing the good people of this small commuter town since ChrisEvans told listeners to his BBC Radio 2 show on Wednesday that hehad made a terrible mistake. "I've been moving house," said Evans, who sold his ￡10mmansion near Godalming. "Some of the stuff goes in boxes to stay,and some to go. In one of the boxes to go was a signed DamienHirst." His driver took the boxes to a charity shop in Godalming. Or maybeCranleigh. He couldn't remember. "I'm not a Damien Hirst fan," saidthe driver, summoned to tell his story live on air and identifiedonly as Mark. "I know he does things that involve stuffing sheep. Ican go back there to see if it's around," he told his boss, "butnow you've gone on air they'll be inundated." They certainly were, said Jeannick Roubeau, 47, who runs one ofeight charity shops in Godalming (there's one in Cranleigh).Suddenly there were many more shoppers than usual bothlocals and visitors from London. "Not the normal customers at all,"said Ms Roubeau, whose "unique little shop" raises funds for thePhyllis Tuckwell Hospice. "We haven't got it." Did Cancer Research have it? "No comment," said a woman, "but no."The Mind shop? "No." Debra, a charity for a rare skin condition?"Not us, unfortunately." Tanya Lunn at Oxfam in Cranleigh said: "Iwould have spotted it. I did a Fine Art degree." Was the print withthe British Heart Foundation? "No." Barnardo's was closed, butthere was no sign of a big white artwork through the shop window."We haven't got it either," said Ms Turvey, 28. "Who knows whetherit was handed in at all?" It couldn't all be a hoax, could it? Surely a famously mischievousDJ with a scattergun mouth wouldn't get everyone excited fornothing, would he? Nobody believed Evans when he said he would selloff his possessions at a market after splitting up with his secondwife, Billie Piper, but he did exactly that. He laughed all the waythrough the story on Wednesday but then themultimillionaire is paid more than ￡500,000 by Radio 2. Hecan afford to lose a valuable artwork. I can't. I was determined to find it among the other bargains inHelp the Aged: a checked cotton shirt for ￡2.99, a JeffreyArcher novel for 50p and a really quite nice painting on silk, in aframe, for ￡10. "We still have people coming in looking at the pictures," said MsTurvey. "As if it's going to turn up now. Ridiculous, isn't it?"Er, yes. Absolutely, I said, sheepishly peering around. "We get afew hundred bags left on the doorstep every week," she said, "Itwould have been seen by now. If it was a signed print, we wouldhave had it checked." But what if I found it? "Come back to me!" So I did. After buying apiece of white A3 card and a packet of coloured felt-tips. Half anhour of colouring in and there it was, my own Damien Hirst.Recognisable to anyone, or so you might think but out onGodalming High Street hardly anyone seemed to know what the missingoriginal looked like. "I'll keep my eyes open now you've told me,"said Les Waddington, 73, a gardener. Would anyone notice if it was right in front of them? I put mine onan easel among the stalls at The Pepperpot, the octagonal19th-century building on the High Street. Then I waited. Andwaited. A woman in sunglasses pointed and nodded to her friend, butother than that, nobody stopped. There was nothing for it but the charity shop. Go on, I said to MsTurvey, it's yours for a tenner. "You'd better see Ray," she said,laughing. Ray Beck, a 60-year-old who looked much younger in hisskater T-shirt and dyed goatee, said: "Nah. I'll sell you a betterone than that." Mr Beck is an artist himself. "I'm anImpressionist," he said. "I have sold pictures for up to ￡400a time, but you have to be prolific to make money, like Hirst.Unfortunately, I'm not." The painting had not been found as we went to press. The DJ hadn'tconfessed to kidding. The mystery had not been solved. But for onegroup in Godalming, there was a happy ending. "It's like a fairystory for us," said Ms Roubeau. "He has been our Prince Charming.This has been fantastic for the charity shops. Suddenly, we havebecome very, very popular." Tue, 17 Jun 2008 11:29:00 GMT http://beauty.spoonylife.com/what-to-wear-for-your-weddings-in-summer-13930.html Special Occasion Dress Gerri writes:I am the mother of the groom and the wedding will bein early August. I have no details since the bride has organizedthe wedding with her mom and her wedding planner. I do know that myhusband will be wearing a tuxedo. What should I wear? Marilyn writes:You are not the first mom of the groom left out ofthe loop. Take this as an opportunity to open lines ofcommunication with he bride and her family. Often a bride getscaught up in her planning and forgets important details. Let thebride know you are interested in her plans and want to fit in toher "picture" for the wedding. Ask her if she has selected a colour scheme? Will there bebridesmaids? What colour and style are they wearing? What is hermom wearing? How are they completing their outfits with style ofshoe, colour, hats, bags, etc? Ask her if she has any preferenceswhen it comes to your attire? If you ask specific questions, youwill get the information you need to decide on your outfit for thewedding. Often the question asked of the bride is, "What do youwant me to wear?" And if the bride does not know her future motherin law she will answer "anything that makes you happy." The result is rather than enjoying the latitude and freedom ofchoice that the bride has generously given her, the future motherin law feels left out and she does not have the necessaryinformation to do herself and this special occasion justice. Sodon't be shy -- ask. Once you know the plans for the wedding theselection of your outfit will be much easier. If you need furtheradvice feel free to ask me. Fran writes:What do you think I should wear to my granddaughter'swedding? Everyone is wearing long dresses in a shade of pink. Idon't own anything in pink. I don't want to invest in a pink longdress for one occasion. I own a black skirt, black beaded top,black onyx and gold earrings and necklace and black shoes and bag.What can I wear that will let me use what I own and limit myexpense? Marilyn writes:It is your granddaughter's wedding. If you cannotafford a new outfit, consider using your outfit and adding pinkdetails, such as a pink shawl and or pink pearl necklace andearrings. If you wish to use your black items consider investing ina pink top and adding your black accessories. Regardless of what you wear I am certain the family will be happyto have you with them. Benita writes:I am invited to a casual wedding. In fact, it will bean afternoon backyard barbecue. I have a long cotton floral sundress. Would this be over dressed? How should someone determinewheat to wear to an occasion? Marilyn writes:Deciding what to wear to any occasion starts withthe details in the invitation such as causal backyard barbecue,date and time of day are your parameters. If these details leaveyou with a question, simply call the person who invited you to theoccasion and ask. A cotton sun dress is equivalent to a casualpant, capri or knee length short outfit. Your dress sounds fine. Itis always better to dress up for an occasion rather than underdress. Remember, backyards are grass walking surfaces so make sure to wearshoes with a flat bottom or chunky heels. Tue, 17 Jun 2008 11:29:00 GMT http://beauty.spoonylife.com/engagement-dresses-and-wedding-shoes-13929.html Wedding Bridal Dresses Q I am looking for a dress to wear to my engagement party. I wouldlike something daring and elegant in a style or colour that reallymakes an impact. There is going to be a dinner, then dancing. Whatwould you advise? A It would be impossible to ignore you in this hot-pink GiambattistaValli number (￡1,372, from matchesfashion.com). It is elegantand edgy. The designer has taken a chic silhouette, inspired byvintage couture, and made it pop with his unconventional choice ofcolour. For something similar but much cheaper, try Reiss, whichhas a pink chiffon shift dress with a ruffled skirt (￡179).If that is too demure, then go to River Island for this greatversion of Hervé Léger's body-conscious bandagedresses, loved by starlets such as Lindsay Lohan, Victoria Beckhamand Eva Longoria. Q I'm dying to get some Audrey Hepburn-style sunglasses, likethe ones she wears in Breakfast at Tiffany's. All I can findare oversized 1970s shades, which don't suit my face. What isout there? A These Mulberry shades, which have been produced by the sunglassessupremo Cutler and Gross, are my favourite. They have that classicHepburn shape, but the lenses are blue, which gives them acontemporary twist. Luella has some elegant retro shades(￡150) and DetG has a pair with arched black plasticframes (￡75, from sunglasses-shop.co.uk). For the Hepburnlook on the cheap, Miss Selfridge has a retro-looking pair(￡14), Debenhams does 1950s cat's-eye shades(￡12) and Accessorize has Hollywood-style sunglasses(￡12). Q I am getting married in August and have found an absolutelystunning wedding dress; however, I can't find any shoes. Idon't like the usual courts or slingbacks that brides tend toembrace I want something a little unusual. I am quite short(5ft 2in) and the wedding will be on grass, so I would likeglamorous wedges. Also, I am looking for something in silver thatcan be worn again. A If you want to push the boat out, then look at Terry de Havilland,who many consider to be the king of wedge heels. A pair would workwith a wedding dress and they would make fantastic party shoes,too. At ￡320, they are expensive, but if you are prepared towait until the July sales, you might get a bargain. For somethingless expensive, look at Audley's silver wedge platforms(￡145, from Allé boutique; 020 8420 2050), or try Oli,which has a dressy pair of silver shoes with clear wedge heels(below centre). Tue, 17 Jun 2008 11:28:00 GMT http://beauty.spoonylife.com/canada-set-to-profit-from-rising-prices-13659.html Tootoo.com reports on a new study that says Canada is uniquely positioned to weather the storm of sharply-rising prices for grains and rice, and could even profit from the current surge. Statistics Canada says consumer prices for food consumed at home in Canada rose only 1.2 per cent in the 12 months ending in April 2008. Food prices increased 7.1 per cent in the European Union and 5.9 per cent in the United States during the same period. Asian countries with rice-based diets were hit hardest when the price of rice doubled early this year. The agency says Canadians are paying more for bread and cereal products, but they have been insulated from higher overall grocery bills by stable or falling prices for most other groceries. StatsCan says one reason is that some food imports are costing less because the Canadian dollar is worth more. Mon, 16 Jun 2008 17:06:00 GMT http://beauty.spoonylife.com/us-fuel-food-import-costs-up-in-may-13658.html US import prices provided more bad news for inflation last month, driven upward by higher prices for both petroleum products and food, Tootoo.com has learned from Labor Department reports. Overall import prices rose 2.3% in May and the April increase was revised up to 2.4% following a 3.0% revised increase in March. That combined 7.9% 3-month increase was the biggest since 1990. Over the past 12 months, overall import prices have risen 17.8%, and the picture seems to be getting worse. The 3-month annualized rate of advance in the all-commodities import price index is now 30.7%, the highest in 14-years. Petroleum import prices rose 7.8% in May and were up 68.8% for the year. That was the biggest rise for petroleum import prices since an 82.5% rise for the year ending in February 2003. Excluding petroleum, May import costs were up 0.5%. However, included in that was a 1.0% rise in food costs, an impact of the world-wide increase in food prices. The 13.9% annual rise for food prices was the highest in more than 13 years. The 3-month annualized trend in the ex-petroleum category remained in double digits at 12.2%, but was down a bit from 12.6% in April. That's 'still enough inflation to fret about,' said Hall. 'Inflation is now on the lips of every trader and central banker, and the May import price data don't leave much to debate.' Even the normally lower-cost imports from China were showing the beginnings of inflation, with a 0.6 pct increase for May. That brought the annual increase to 4.6%, a record for Chinese goods since the index began in December 2003. US export prices rose 0.3% for the month, their smallest increase since last September. Agricultural exports were also up 0.3% for May but the annual 33.3% increase reflected soaring commodity prices. Export prices for non-agricultural goods rose 0.4% for the month and were up 5.7% for the year. Mon, 16 Jun 2008 17:06:00 GMT http://beauty.spoonylife.com/heavy-rain-hits-midwest-corn-crops-13657.html The US Department of Agriculture this week revised its forecast for national corn and corn oil output down 3 per cent from last month's prediction in part due to the continuing heavy rains in the Midwest. However expert opinion is that the situation is set to worsen because the continued bad weather will force the USDA to lower its estimate of corn acreage in addition to the lower yields per acre already announced. The USDA June supply/demand report trimmed its forecast for this year's crop to just over 11.7 billion bushels, down from its May forecast of 12.1 billion. If the crop comes in as forecast, it would be a huge 10 per cent reduction from last year's record crop of over 13 billion bushels. USDA also cut its outlook for the corn supply at the end of August 2009 to only 673 million bushels, the lowest in 13 years, a three-week supply and roughly half the expected stockpile at the end of this summer at 1.433 billion. In response to the news, US corn prices on Tuesday soared to a record high of $US7.20-1/2 per bushel for July. Persistent rains and flooding in key corn states Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Nebraska and Missouri should make the crop outlook more precarious and send corn prices still higher. "Farmers are going to start to adjust the acreage because of the rains the US experienced this last week," an analyst for Tootoo.com has said. "Corn has suddenly become very bullish." The damaging rainfall comes at a time when every bushel is needed to meet the soaring demand for food and fuel. Corn is the root stock for the growing US ethanol fuel industry so further controversy about the use of corn as fuel versus feed and food is bound to follow. Mon, 16 Jun 2008 17:06:00 GMT