A tired-looking Kristin Cavallari ditches the heels for comfortable flats and pretty maternity dress
Earlier she sported towering heels as she ran errands in Beverley Hills.
But pregnant Kristin Cavallari decided to give her feet a rest and ditched the Christian Louboutin stilettos for a pair of flats.
And it was probably just as well, as the former reality star looked exhausted as she arrived at the Montage Hotel where she is staying.
No doubt she has endured a few restless nights as he belly appears to have blossomed in the past few weeks.
The blonde star paired her silver shoes with a pretty purple dress with crochet detailing which was cinched at the waist to reveal her burgeoning tummy.
Earlier, the 25-year-old was seen running errand in a form-fitting black top.
The focus of her outfit was a pair of Joe's purple floral skinny jeans, and she dressed up the ensemble with a black blazer and metallic court shoes.
Kristin swept her blonde locks into a sophisticated ponytail and accessorised her outfit with wayfarer sunglasses and a black clutch bag.
Kristin looked glowing and flashed a big smile to the cameras as she crossed the street.
2012年4月26日星期四
2012年4月25日星期三
Hunting for Fashion's Copycats
A 25-year-old fashion blogger busted the 102-year-old house of Chanel.
When Julie Zerbo heard from two readers of her eight-month-old blog, the Fashion Law, last month saying a bracelet featured prominently in Chanel's recent Fall 2012 runway show seemed familiar, her antennae went up. She looked at the show images online.
"That's when it clicked to me 'oh my God, that's a Chanel bracelet, that's not a Pamela Love bracelet'," she says, referring to the small New York-based jewelry designer. Ms. Zerbo then banged out the blog item "Chanel's Crystal Bangles Look FAMILIAR!" about how the Chanel bangles bore a "striking resemblance" to cuffs in Ms. Love's Fall 2011 collection. She posted the item with side-by-side pictures.
Since the Fashion Law's following is small, Ms. Zerbo alerted the much-larger Fashionista blog, which linked to her post on a Monday. By Tuesday, Chanel issued a statement to Fashionista saying it decided not to offer the bracelets in question for sale "out of respect for the concerns raised."
It was a coup for Ms. Zerbo, a second-year law student at the Columbus School of Law at the Catholic University of America. "To think that the Chanel Fall 2012 collection was somehow affected by me and the Fashion Law is mind-blowing," Ms. Zerbo said on a recent Friday in the lobby cafe of a Ritz-Carlton in Washington, D.C. She typically spends Friday afternoons in the cafe working on her blog when she isn't studying or at her part-time job doing research for the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Intellectual Property, Competition and the Internet.
Ms. Zerbo is one of a breed of fashion bloggers scouring the Internet and stores for instances of similarities or outright copying. Fashionista even has a series called "Adventures in Copyright" devoted to outing alleged copycats. Last month, retailer Topshop removed a dress that looked similar to one by Yasmin Kianfar, a young British designer, after Susanna Lau, founder of the Style Bubble blog, lambasted the British fast-fashion retailer for "aping" the designer in a series of tweets. "Big thank you Susie x," the designer tweeted at Ms. Lau.
When Julie Zerbo heard from two readers of her eight-month-old blog, the Fashion Law, last month saying a bracelet featured prominently in Chanel's recent Fall 2012 runway show seemed familiar, her antennae went up. She looked at the show images online.
"That's when it clicked to me 'oh my God, that's a Chanel bracelet, that's not a Pamela Love bracelet'," she says, referring to the small New York-based jewelry designer. Ms. Zerbo then banged out the blog item "Chanel's Crystal Bangles Look FAMILIAR!" about how the Chanel bangles bore a "striking resemblance" to cuffs in Ms. Love's Fall 2011 collection. She posted the item with side-by-side pictures.
Since the Fashion Law's following is small, Ms. Zerbo alerted the much-larger Fashionista blog, which linked to her post on a Monday. By Tuesday, Chanel issued a statement to Fashionista saying it decided not to offer the bracelets in question for sale "out of respect for the concerns raised."
It was a coup for Ms. Zerbo, a second-year law student at the Columbus School of Law at the Catholic University of America. "To think that the Chanel Fall 2012 collection was somehow affected by me and the Fashion Law is mind-blowing," Ms. Zerbo said on a recent Friday in the lobby cafe of a Ritz-Carlton in Washington, D.C. She typically spends Friday afternoons in the cafe working on her blog when she isn't studying or at her part-time job doing research for the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Intellectual Property, Competition and the Internet.
Ms. Zerbo is one of a breed of fashion bloggers scouring the Internet and stores for instances of similarities or outright copying. Fashionista even has a series called "Adventures in Copyright" devoted to outing alleged copycats. Last month, retailer Topshop removed a dress that looked similar to one by Yasmin Kianfar, a young British designer, after Susanna Lau, founder of the Style Bubble blog, lambasted the British fast-fashion retailer for "aping" the designer in a series of tweets. "Big thank you Susie x," the designer tweeted at Ms. Lau.
2012年4月24日星期二
ORANGE WIG AND LIPSTICK FOUND AT FLAT OF SPY IN BAG GARETH WILLIAMS
The hearing was also told unidentified DNA had been found on the holdall in which the naked body of Gareth Williams was discovered.
Forensic officers found two spots of DNA on the bag, which had been secured with a padlock.
Detective Chief Inspector Jackie Sebire said it would be “very difficult” for Mr Williams to have locked himself in the holdall, which was found in his bath in August 2010.
She told Westminster coroner Dr Fiona Wilcox the bag was zipped up and padlocked, with the keys inside, next to the 31-year-old’s body.
DCI Sebire added that the red North Face holdall was not torn inside and there no marks on Mr Williams’s fingers to suggest he tried to claw his way out.
She said that, had he manoeuvred himself into the bag, there would have been handprints on the bathroom wall – but there were none.
Giving evidence on the second day of the London inquest, she said she was surprised to find his duvet on the floor of the “incredibly tidy” flat.
“My thought or my opinion since I went into the scene is that a third party had been involved in the death or by putting the body in the bag,” she added.
The hearing was given a video tour of the flat in Pimlico, central London, where Mr Williams stayed during his three-year secondment to MI6 from GCHQ intelligence base in Cheltenham.
DCI Sebire talked the coroner through the film, which showed his personal effects and clothes dotted about immaculately-clean rooms.
Forensic officers found two spots of DNA on the bag, which had been secured with a padlock.
Detective Chief Inspector Jackie Sebire said it would be “very difficult” for Mr Williams to have locked himself in the holdall, which was found in his bath in August 2010.
She told Westminster coroner Dr Fiona Wilcox the bag was zipped up and padlocked, with the keys inside, next to the 31-year-old’s body.
DCI Sebire added that the red North Face holdall was not torn inside and there no marks on Mr Williams’s fingers to suggest he tried to claw his way out.
She said that, had he manoeuvred himself into the bag, there would have been handprints on the bathroom wall – but there were none.
Giving evidence on the second day of the London inquest, she said she was surprised to find his duvet on the floor of the “incredibly tidy” flat.
“My thought or my opinion since I went into the scene is that a third party had been involved in the death or by putting the body in the bag,” she added.
The hearing was given a video tour of the flat in Pimlico, central London, where Mr Williams stayed during his three-year secondment to MI6 from GCHQ intelligence base in Cheltenham.
DCI Sebire talked the coroner through the film, which showed his personal effects and clothes dotted about immaculately-clean rooms.
2012年4月22日星期日
Junior Achievement wants kids to learn money management
You know that shiny hot rod or new pair of shoes you just had to have but couldn't really afford? Well be careful, your spending habits could pass down to your kids. Junior Achievement of the Heartland is pushing parents to open up about money management and they have the programs to make the process a little easier.
Do you ever feel like as soon as that paycheck comes your money's burning a whole in your pocket? Well you're not alone and while splurging every once in awhile is okay, Junior Achievement of the Heartland president Barbara VenHorst said impulse spending could get you in trouble
"It's really easy to get off the beaten path and be spending money in a way that you shouldn't be. It's really hard to learn that in the real world because it has really bad consequences" VenHorst said.
She said kids tend to mirror those spending choices and in a struggling economy the younger generation is having doubts. VenHorst said in a recent Junior Achievement poll only 56 percent of kids thought they would be able to make more than their parents.
"Our country has been based on the idea that every generation is going to be in better financial shape than the one before them so when slightly more than half think that's the case, it's a sad direction we're headed." VenHorst said.
But you can help kids stay on track. Junior Achievement offers online programs to show the ins and out's of money management.
"Habits are hard to break and if you can get good habits started when they're young it's going to make life so much easier" VenHorst said.
Do you ever feel like as soon as that paycheck comes your money's burning a whole in your pocket? Well you're not alone and while splurging every once in awhile is okay, Junior Achievement of the Heartland president Barbara VenHorst said impulse spending could get you in trouble
"It's really easy to get off the beaten path and be spending money in a way that you shouldn't be. It's really hard to learn that in the real world because it has really bad consequences" VenHorst said.
She said kids tend to mirror those spending choices and in a struggling economy the younger generation is having doubts. VenHorst said in a recent Junior Achievement poll only 56 percent of kids thought they would be able to make more than their parents.
"Our country has been based on the idea that every generation is going to be in better financial shape than the one before them so when slightly more than half think that's the case, it's a sad direction we're headed." VenHorst said.
But you can help kids stay on track. Junior Achievement offers online programs to show the ins and out's of money management.
"Habits are hard to break and if you can get good habits started when they're young it's going to make life so much easier" VenHorst said.
2012年4月19日星期四
A Barefoot Journey Back To Me
As a little girl, I could not be tamed, at least when it came to shoes. I loved to run around with my feet bare. It was more than love, actually. It was a need. I felt like I could barely breathe when I wore them. I remember pausing once, what feels like a million years ago, to debate if the sand on the beach was truly too hot for my tiny little feet tolerate. My threshold was quite high, and my heart longed to sink down into the earth with each step but when the sun had shined too brightly once before, I’d felt like my feet were melting.
So much changed in the years between then and adulthood — not the least of which was a former spouse who was afraid of dirty things, including feet. Eventually, I spent more time in shoes than out. I stopped pulling them off at the first opportunity. I would sometimes even put them on when I didn’t actually need them.
I observed myself and wondered what had changed, why the little rebellious barefoot girl kept wearing shoes. It wasn’t that I didn’t long to be barefoot because I did. It was as if… the longing no longer had any actual pull with me. I rather missed being the little girl who couldn’t bear to be shoed.
It was easy to chalk up to maturity, although I didn’t feel particularly mature during that time. Also, I found myself feeling more and more distant from the natural world. I didn’t want to be sticky from sweat. I didn’t want to get dirty, or to feel the grass under my feet for fear that I would get bitten or injured. I didn’t smell flowers, eye the moon as she waxed and waned through each cycle, or feel the magic of the forest surrounding me for morning hikes.
I was growing apart from the earth, I can clearly see now, but I didn’t recognize what was happening.
And then, a woman came to my home, an energy healer, and during her session with my wife, they walked together barefoot in the grass. She spoke of grounding and healing, and while my session was nurturing in its own way, I envied their ritual.
Just like that, I was haunted by the call of the wild once more.
The next morning, I snuck away to be with myself outside. I walked to the edge of the patio, slipped nervously out of my shoes, and stepped off into the grass. It was cool, and moist, and my toes rebelled a bit at first, reaching for the cleanliness of the sky. I coaxed them downward onto the earth and stood there for a while. One step, then another, and another.
So much changed in the years between then and adulthood — not the least of which was a former spouse who was afraid of dirty things, including feet. Eventually, I spent more time in shoes than out. I stopped pulling them off at the first opportunity. I would sometimes even put them on when I didn’t actually need them.
I observed myself and wondered what had changed, why the little rebellious barefoot girl kept wearing shoes. It wasn’t that I didn’t long to be barefoot because I did. It was as if… the longing no longer had any actual pull with me. I rather missed being the little girl who couldn’t bear to be shoed.
It was easy to chalk up to maturity, although I didn’t feel particularly mature during that time. Also, I found myself feeling more and more distant from the natural world. I didn’t want to be sticky from sweat. I didn’t want to get dirty, or to feel the grass under my feet for fear that I would get bitten or injured. I didn’t smell flowers, eye the moon as she waxed and waned through each cycle, or feel the magic of the forest surrounding me for morning hikes.
I was growing apart from the earth, I can clearly see now, but I didn’t recognize what was happening.
And then, a woman came to my home, an energy healer, and during her session with my wife, they walked together barefoot in the grass. She spoke of grounding and healing, and while my session was nurturing in its own way, I envied their ritual.
Just like that, I was haunted by the call of the wild once more.
The next morning, I snuck away to be with myself outside. I walked to the edge of the patio, slipped nervously out of my shoes, and stepped off into the grass. It was cool, and moist, and my toes rebelled a bit at first, reaching for the cleanliness of the sky. I coaxed them downward onto the earth and stood there for a while. One step, then another, and another.
2012年4月18日星期三
Big shoes to fill
Last week after hearing about the death of another great Hartselle citizen, Dr. Bob Sittason, someone posted the song title “Who’s Gonna Fill Their Shoes?” on Facebook.
If you are not a country music fan you may have not heard this song, performed by George Jones. Even though the lyrics basically are referring to country music legends, the final verse has these words: “Who’s gonna give their heart and soul to get to me and you?”
If you have lived in Hartselle or Morgan County for any length of time and knew of Dr. Bob, he was a man who was willing to give back to his family, his church, his friends, his community and anyone that he could help.
During the funeral service, Judge Glen Thompson used the word “encourager” to describe Dr. Bob. Encourage can be defined as causing incitement to action or to practice.
Many spoke of his encouragement to work harder. Others mentioned being encouraged to be a better example. Also mentioned was to give back to the community that had given to you.
Dr. Bob kept himself available and looked for ways to encourage and to offer his help to those in need.
It was also mentioned that he did not look for credit or accolades with his support, or with the time he willingly sacrificed and gave to help others. Words have been written to the effect of how much would a person be willing to do for others if no one knew what they had done?
That question might seem simple, but the words have a deep meaning. I think they would, however, fit Dr. Bob. The act of helping someone or making life better is in itself well worth the cost.
During the funeral service tears through laughter were experienced by those in attendance. Funny stories were shared, thanks was given for the good times shared, as well as how much he would be missed. However the example that was set by the life lived by Dr. Bob is one that will be carried forward. He did set the bar high and for those left behind we have the obligation to continue the example and give our all to make the place we call home even better.
We can all heed the call to put other’s needs ahead of our own, give without looking for personal returns and leave our part of the world a better place. Hartselle is and will continue to be a better place because of Dr. Bob Sittason.
If you are not a country music fan you may have not heard this song, performed by George Jones. Even though the lyrics basically are referring to country music legends, the final verse has these words: “Who’s gonna give their heart and soul to get to me and you?”
If you have lived in Hartselle or Morgan County for any length of time and knew of Dr. Bob, he was a man who was willing to give back to his family, his church, his friends, his community and anyone that he could help.
During the funeral service, Judge Glen Thompson used the word “encourager” to describe Dr. Bob. Encourage can be defined as causing incitement to action or to practice.
Many spoke of his encouragement to work harder. Others mentioned being encouraged to be a better example. Also mentioned was to give back to the community that had given to you.
Dr. Bob kept himself available and looked for ways to encourage and to offer his help to those in need.
It was also mentioned that he did not look for credit or accolades with his support, or with the time he willingly sacrificed and gave to help others. Words have been written to the effect of how much would a person be willing to do for others if no one knew what they had done?
That question might seem simple, but the words have a deep meaning. I think they would, however, fit Dr. Bob. The act of helping someone or making life better is in itself well worth the cost.
During the funeral service tears through laughter were experienced by those in attendance. Funny stories were shared, thanks was given for the good times shared, as well as how much he would be missed. However the example that was set by the life lived by Dr. Bob is one that will be carried forward. He did set the bar high and for those left behind we have the obligation to continue the example and give our all to make the place we call home even better.
We can all heed the call to put other’s needs ahead of our own, give without looking for personal returns and leave our part of the world a better place. Hartselle is and will continue to be a better place because of Dr. Bob Sittason.
2012年4月17日星期二
Walk In Her Shoes Fundraiser
Walk A Mile in Her Shoes has been a successful fundraiser for Citizens Against Spouse Abuse, and the nonprofit is expanding the number of walkers to 24 for the third annual charity walk May 12 at Market Common on the former Myrtle Beach Air Force Base.
JoAnne Patterson, executive director of CASA, says she is “still looking for a half-dozen walkers” – men who are willing to walk a mile wearing high heels. Now’s the time to sign up so the walkers have some time to learn how to walk in heels and, more importantly, to line up $1,000. That’s the main reason for the advance registration, although a little practice in the heels probably is not a bad idea. The charity walk raised $14,000 the first year with 17 participants and last year netted $11,000. Patterson is hoping to increase the amount with more walkers and each raising $1,000 from supporters.
Walk A Mile in Her Shoes is one of CASA’s two big fundraisers, the other being the Dickens Show, an auction of decorated Christmas trees. That’s “our big signature fundraiser” organized for many years by Myra Starnes – “she does so much for the community,” Patterson says.
As is the case for nearly all the nonprofits providing a variety of vital services, fundraisers are increasingly important. CASA’s financial support from its major grants is down 30 percent. “Our agencies [and all area nonprofits] are suffering from a dramatic shortfall in financing,” Patterson says. “We’re down to the bare minimum of staff.” CASA’s annual operations budget is $600,000; it was $900,000 before the recession of 2008. Patterson reaffirms that for many people, the recessionary economy continues, in spite of positive signs of recovery in tourism.
CASA operates safe houses in both Myrtle Beach and Georgetown. The number of spouse abuse victims helped annually is 386 in both counties, 286 in Myrtle Beach, 100 in Georgetown. At least that many more are served in individual and group counseling in locations other than the safe houses, such as the Little River United Methodist Church, and in court advocacy and case management. On a recent day, 12 women and children were in the Myrtle Beach safe house and 9 in Georgetown. The length of stay of course depends on circumstances; it typically is two weeks. Finding housing is very difficult, Patterson says. CASA helps victims in finding a job, medical care and in enrollment in assistance programs.
“Generally, somebody has been hurt – or feels they’re going to be hurt.” CASA works closely with other agencies such as the Little River Medical Center, the Rape Crisis Center and Myrtle Beach Haven.
Unfortunately, women typically return to the abusive situation. “They do go back. Seven to eleven times they go back,” Patterson says. It’s a statistic that has stuck with her for the 13 years she has been the director of CASA. She also worked at the Myrtle Beach Housing Authority. After being here 30 years, “I’m a local now.”
She recalled two families that “came [to the safe house] with nothing and left with everything – they broke the cycle and are living violent-free.” That’s success. “All of us in the trenches – what sustains us is our successes. When it happens, you know you can do it [keep on trucking] again today.”
JoAnne Patterson, executive director of CASA, says she is “still looking for a half-dozen walkers” – men who are willing to walk a mile wearing high heels. Now’s the time to sign up so the walkers have some time to learn how to walk in heels and, more importantly, to line up $1,000. That’s the main reason for the advance registration, although a little practice in the heels probably is not a bad idea. The charity walk raised $14,000 the first year with 17 participants and last year netted $11,000. Patterson is hoping to increase the amount with more walkers and each raising $1,000 from supporters.
Walk A Mile in Her Shoes is one of CASA’s two big fundraisers, the other being the Dickens Show, an auction of decorated Christmas trees. That’s “our big signature fundraiser” organized for many years by Myra Starnes – “she does so much for the community,” Patterson says.
As is the case for nearly all the nonprofits providing a variety of vital services, fundraisers are increasingly important. CASA’s financial support from its major grants is down 30 percent. “Our agencies [and all area nonprofits] are suffering from a dramatic shortfall in financing,” Patterson says. “We’re down to the bare minimum of staff.” CASA’s annual operations budget is $600,000; it was $900,000 before the recession of 2008. Patterson reaffirms that for many people, the recessionary economy continues, in spite of positive signs of recovery in tourism.
CASA operates safe houses in both Myrtle Beach and Georgetown. The number of spouse abuse victims helped annually is 386 in both counties, 286 in Myrtle Beach, 100 in Georgetown. At least that many more are served in individual and group counseling in locations other than the safe houses, such as the Little River United Methodist Church, and in court advocacy and case management. On a recent day, 12 women and children were in the Myrtle Beach safe house and 9 in Georgetown. The length of stay of course depends on circumstances; it typically is two weeks. Finding housing is very difficult, Patterson says. CASA helps victims in finding a job, medical care and in enrollment in assistance programs.
“Generally, somebody has been hurt – or feels they’re going to be hurt.” CASA works closely with other agencies such as the Little River Medical Center, the Rape Crisis Center and Myrtle Beach Haven.
Unfortunately, women typically return to the abusive situation. “They do go back. Seven to eleven times they go back,” Patterson says. It’s a statistic that has stuck with her for the 13 years she has been the director of CASA. She also worked at the Myrtle Beach Housing Authority. After being here 30 years, “I’m a local now.”
She recalled two families that “came [to the safe house] with nothing and left with everything – they broke the cycle and are living violent-free.” That’s success. “All of us in the trenches – what sustains us is our successes. When it happens, you know you can do it [keep on trucking] again today.”
2012年4月16日星期一
Bows, Arrows, and Historic Underwear
Like a good number of people involved in historical reenactments, my boyfriend has acquired some pretty impressive skills, such as Napoleonic-era wooden button creation, or early 19th century French army pants- and-jacket- making. But there are some things you just can't do at home, like forging metal for historically accurate buckles, or cobbling a pair of old-fashioned shoes. For those, you have to go to the MarchE de l'Histoire - the History Market.
There are temporary MarchEs de l'Histoire all over Europe, which goes to show how popular reenactment is here. This weekend, one was held in Pontoise, a town about an hour northwest of Paris. The boyfriend had been to this MarchE de l'Histoire last year with some of his reconstitution group friends, and had told me he thought it would be right up my alley. This year, he was in search of some inexpensive non-synthetic fabric to make another pair of pants - his previous pair, it turns out, is a replica of a type worn by Napoleon's soldiers before 1812; for later battles, he'd need pants in a slightly different style. This kind of attention to detail may sound like something exclusively reserved to my boyfriend and his particular reconstitution group. But what I'd find out from my visit to the MarchE is that, just as with everything else in life, there are all kinds of people involved in reconstitution - and a lot of them are just as obsessed with tiny details as my boyfriend.
Whenever I'm about to visit a new place, the first things I ask myself are: 1. What is the toilet situation? and 2. What should I wear? While I knew the MarchE would be held at an indoor convention center with toilets, I was worried about getting there. I'm so, so happy to say that by taking a chance on a Transilien suburban train, instead of the standard RER suburban trains, we ended up in transport with a toilet – sadly not a common thing when traveling around the Ile de France region! When I found out there was a toilet aboard the train, I can't express how happy and calm I felt. We found seats and settled in for the roughly hour-long ride, and I was ready to enjoy the scenery. So there's my tip for anyone who comes to Paris and wants to travel to the nearby suburbs by train: If possible, avoid the RER and take a Transilien. The latter trains may not all be guaranteed to have toilets, but there'We got on line to enter, and I tried to hide my gleeful grin at a group of male and female pirates with a huge dog on a leash getting their picture taken by a medieval monk bearing a digital camera and tripod. That was my introduction to what would be a delightful afternoon.
The MarchE, the boyfriend had told me, serves just about every kind of reenactment and role-playing group imaginable, from those doing ancient history reconstitutions (Romans, Gauls, Celts), to medievalists, to more recent historical periods like the Napoleonic era - or my absolute favorite time, the Belle-Epoque, or the First and Second World Wars, not to mention steampunk and elf groups, and so on. The dresses some women wore - and some stands sold - took my breath away. The poor boyfriend, studiously checking the thickness of different types of linen, was constantly having his arm pulled by yours truly, as I whispered, "Look at that dress!!!"s a pretty good chance they do. They're also cleaner and much more modern than the RER trains.
As for what to wear, I thought I had a decent idea: a modified version of my steampunk Halloween costume. Nothing too showy. Turns out I was way off - because when we got out of the train station at Pontoise and started walking towards the nearby exposition center where the MarchE was being held, people dressed like medieval princesses, Vikings, and even pirates, crossed our paths. It turns out that the market-goers are a mix of regularly-dressed people, and people wearing elaborate costumes - often, like my boyfriend, costumes they've made themselves. Next time, the boyfriend and I agreed, we’ll be in full regalia.
There are temporary MarchEs de l'Histoire all over Europe, which goes to show how popular reenactment is here. This weekend, one was held in Pontoise, a town about an hour northwest of Paris. The boyfriend had been to this MarchE de l'Histoire last year with some of his reconstitution group friends, and had told me he thought it would be right up my alley. This year, he was in search of some inexpensive non-synthetic fabric to make another pair of pants - his previous pair, it turns out, is a replica of a type worn by Napoleon's soldiers before 1812; for later battles, he'd need pants in a slightly different style. This kind of attention to detail may sound like something exclusively reserved to my boyfriend and his particular reconstitution group. But what I'd find out from my visit to the MarchE is that, just as with everything else in life, there are all kinds of people involved in reconstitution - and a lot of them are just as obsessed with tiny details as my boyfriend.
Whenever I'm about to visit a new place, the first things I ask myself are: 1. What is the toilet situation? and 2. What should I wear? While I knew the MarchE would be held at an indoor convention center with toilets, I was worried about getting there. I'm so, so happy to say that by taking a chance on a Transilien suburban train, instead of the standard RER suburban trains, we ended up in transport with a toilet – sadly not a common thing when traveling around the Ile de France region! When I found out there was a toilet aboard the train, I can't express how happy and calm I felt. We found seats and settled in for the roughly hour-long ride, and I was ready to enjoy the scenery. So there's my tip for anyone who comes to Paris and wants to travel to the nearby suburbs by train: If possible, avoid the RER and take a Transilien. The latter trains may not all be guaranteed to have toilets, but there'We got on line to enter, and I tried to hide my gleeful grin at a group of male and female pirates with a huge dog on a leash getting their picture taken by a medieval monk bearing a digital camera and tripod. That was my introduction to what would be a delightful afternoon.
The MarchE, the boyfriend had told me, serves just about every kind of reenactment and role-playing group imaginable, from those doing ancient history reconstitutions (Romans, Gauls, Celts), to medievalists, to more recent historical periods like the Napoleonic era - or my absolute favorite time, the Belle-Epoque, or the First and Second World Wars, not to mention steampunk and elf groups, and so on. The dresses some women wore - and some stands sold - took my breath away. The poor boyfriend, studiously checking the thickness of different types of linen, was constantly having his arm pulled by yours truly, as I whispered, "Look at that dress!!!"s a pretty good chance they do. They're also cleaner and much more modern than the RER trains.
As for what to wear, I thought I had a decent idea: a modified version of my steampunk Halloween costume. Nothing too showy. Turns out I was way off - because when we got out of the train station at Pontoise and started walking towards the nearby exposition center where the MarchE was being held, people dressed like medieval princesses, Vikings, and even pirates, crossed our paths. It turns out that the market-goers are a mix of regularly-dressed people, and people wearing elaborate costumes - often, like my boyfriend, costumes they've made themselves. Next time, the boyfriend and I agreed, we’ll be in full regalia.
2012年4月15日星期日
Show Them The Money?
As you will have all seen, commented on, and tweeted about, the big talking point over the last week was whether guys should get paid for playing ball at the Olympics—kicked off by Ray Allen, and taken on by Dwyane Wade.
Here’s what DWade said, in case you missed it:
‘It’s a lot of things you do for the Olympics—a lot of jerseys you sell,’ Wade said. ‘We play the whole summer. I do think guys should be compensated. Just like I think college players should be compensated as well. Unfortunately, it’s not there. But I think it should be something, you know, there for it … The biggest thing is now you get no rest,’
‘So you go to the end of the season, (Team USA) training camp is two weeks later. You’re giving up a lot to do it. It’s something you want to do. But it’s taxing on your body. You’re not playing for the dollar. But it would be nice if you would get compensated.’
To be fair to Wade, he then took to Twitter to clarify:
“I responded 2 a specific question asked by a reporter on my thoughts of Olympians being paid. I never asked to be paid to PLAY.”
“What I was referencing is there is a lot of Olympic business that happens that athletes are not a part of—and it’s a complicated issue.”
“BUT my love 4 the game & pride 4 USA motivates me more than any $$$ amount. I repped my country in 2004 when we won the bronze medal and stood proudly to receive our gold medal in 2008 in Beijing. It’s always been an honor for me to be a part of the USA Olympic family and I’m looking forward to doing it again in London this summer.”
I’m not going to jump on the guy—although he probably should have dodged the question, as teammates LeBron James and Chris Bosh both managed to do when asked the same thing—but Wade is right, it is a complicated issue
To me, there are two sides to this. The first is around getting paid to play basketball at the Olympics.
The Olympics are the purest expression of sporting achievement. I think most, if not all athletes would agree that participating in the Olympics should be about the personal pride of having represented your country, your family, your home town and anyone who has helped you become an elite athlete, in front of billions of people. And that’s exactly the same whether you play basketball or soccer, run the hundred meters, swim, or ride bikes around a track.
So no, guys shouldn’t get paid for the physical act of playing basketball at the Olympic Games, they should be honored to get the opportunity.
The other side of the argument, the one that Wade hinted at, is one that people seem less keen to acknowledge because it dirties the purity of the Games.
The Olympics are a money making machine, the biggest money making machine in all of sports—bringing in billions of dollars for the host city, broadcasters, and a host of brands who clamor to be a part of the circus. Replica jerseys and apparel, shoes, and merchandise are big business. The London Organizing Committee has a revenue target of $1.5 billion for merchandise alone, and adidas paid $150 million to be an official 2012 sponsor.
By playing (and winning) at the Olympics, guys like Dwyane, LeBron and Derrick Rose are chalking up huge sales for the Organizing Committee, adidas, Nike and anyone else with a logo on a shoe or shirt this summer. In any other situation, that contribution would be recognized. Do they actually need a cut of profits? No, they are multi-millionaires, that is why it gets the rest of us fired up. Do they deserve a cut? Arguably, yes.
There was a time when it looked unlikely that Great Britain would be represented in the Olympic basketball competition this summer. To a lot of people it’s probably news that Great Britain even has a basketball team. But, after a lengthy campaign, they got approval from FIBA to take the ‘host nation’ spot in the final twelve—great news for Luol Deng and his team, and all UK hoops fans.
Not such great news for the team who’s spot at the Olympics Great Britain took—Russia, who would ordinarily have gained automatic qualification for finishing third at last summer’s European Championships, and now has to go through a qualification tournament.
Russia’s head coach, David Blatt, is not exactly cool with the situation, and told Ria Novosti:
“Only because the Olympics are in London this year, the British team received a free pass, and that was at our expense, basically,” Blatt said. Asked whether he felt the British deserved the berth as Olympic host, he replied: “Sports-wise, no.”
“That’s the politics of the situation, and that’s what it is. It’s part of the picture, not a whole lot that I can do about it.”
As a normal person with the ability to use reason and logic, I totally agree with Blatt. Great Britain are probably not good enough to play at the Olympics, and there are several teams that, in a basketball sense, deserve to be there more than them. As a basketball fan who happens to be British, I’m not so sympathetic. We’re the host nation. We have a basketball team. That team gets to play at the event, like every host team has, ever. Sorry, Russia. Maybe see you in the summer.
Here’s what DWade said, in case you missed it:
‘It’s a lot of things you do for the Olympics—a lot of jerseys you sell,’ Wade said. ‘We play the whole summer. I do think guys should be compensated. Just like I think college players should be compensated as well. Unfortunately, it’s not there. But I think it should be something, you know, there for it … The biggest thing is now you get no rest,’
‘So you go to the end of the season, (Team USA) training camp is two weeks later. You’re giving up a lot to do it. It’s something you want to do. But it’s taxing on your body. You’re not playing for the dollar. But it would be nice if you would get compensated.’
To be fair to Wade, he then took to Twitter to clarify:
“I responded 2 a specific question asked by a reporter on my thoughts of Olympians being paid. I never asked to be paid to PLAY.”
“What I was referencing is there is a lot of Olympic business that happens that athletes are not a part of—and it’s a complicated issue.”
“BUT my love 4 the game & pride 4 USA motivates me more than any $$$ amount. I repped my country in 2004 when we won the bronze medal and stood proudly to receive our gold medal in 2008 in Beijing. It’s always been an honor for me to be a part of the USA Olympic family and I’m looking forward to doing it again in London this summer.”
I’m not going to jump on the guy—although he probably should have dodged the question, as teammates LeBron James and Chris Bosh both managed to do when asked the same thing—but Wade is right, it is a complicated issue
To me, there are two sides to this. The first is around getting paid to play basketball at the Olympics.
The Olympics are the purest expression of sporting achievement. I think most, if not all athletes would agree that participating in the Olympics should be about the personal pride of having represented your country, your family, your home town and anyone who has helped you become an elite athlete, in front of billions of people. And that’s exactly the same whether you play basketball or soccer, run the hundred meters, swim, or ride bikes around a track.
So no, guys shouldn’t get paid for the physical act of playing basketball at the Olympic Games, they should be honored to get the opportunity.
The other side of the argument, the one that Wade hinted at, is one that people seem less keen to acknowledge because it dirties the purity of the Games.
The Olympics are a money making machine, the biggest money making machine in all of sports—bringing in billions of dollars for the host city, broadcasters, and a host of brands who clamor to be a part of the circus. Replica jerseys and apparel, shoes, and merchandise are big business. The London Organizing Committee has a revenue target of $1.5 billion for merchandise alone, and adidas paid $150 million to be an official 2012 sponsor.
By playing (and winning) at the Olympics, guys like Dwyane, LeBron and Derrick Rose are chalking up huge sales for the Organizing Committee, adidas, Nike and anyone else with a logo on a shoe or shirt this summer. In any other situation, that contribution would be recognized. Do they actually need a cut of profits? No, they are multi-millionaires, that is why it gets the rest of us fired up. Do they deserve a cut? Arguably, yes.
There was a time when it looked unlikely that Great Britain would be represented in the Olympic basketball competition this summer. To a lot of people it’s probably news that Great Britain even has a basketball team. But, after a lengthy campaign, they got approval from FIBA to take the ‘host nation’ spot in the final twelve—great news for Luol Deng and his team, and all UK hoops fans.
Not such great news for the team who’s spot at the Olympics Great Britain took—Russia, who would ordinarily have gained automatic qualification for finishing third at last summer’s European Championships, and now has to go through a qualification tournament.
Russia’s head coach, David Blatt, is not exactly cool with the situation, and told Ria Novosti:
“Only because the Olympics are in London this year, the British team received a free pass, and that was at our expense, basically,” Blatt said. Asked whether he felt the British deserved the berth as Olympic host, he replied: “Sports-wise, no.”
“That’s the politics of the situation, and that’s what it is. It’s part of the picture, not a whole lot that I can do about it.”
As a normal person with the ability to use reason and logic, I totally agree with Blatt. Great Britain are probably not good enough to play at the Olympics, and there are several teams that, in a basketball sense, deserve to be there more than them. As a basketball fan who happens to be British, I’m not so sympathetic. We’re the host nation. We have a basketball team. That team gets to play at the event, like every host team has, ever. Sorry, Russia. Maybe see you in the summer.
Show Them The Money?
As you will have all seen, commented on, and tweeted about, the big talking point over the last week was whether guys should get paid for playing ball at the Olympics—kicked off by Ray Allen, and taken on by Dwyane Wade.
Here’s what DWade said, in case you missed it:
‘It’s a lot of things you do for the Olympics—a lot of jerseys you sell,’ Wade said. ‘We play the whole summer. I do think guys should be compensated. Just like I think college players should be compensated as well. Unfortunately, it’s not there. But I think it should be something, you know, there for it … The biggest thing is now you get no rest,’
‘So you go to the end of the season, (Team USA) training camp is two weeks later. You’re giving up a lot to do it. It’s something you want to do. But it’s taxing on your body. You’re not playing for the dollar. But it would be nice if you would get compensated.’
To be fair to Wade, he then took to Twitter to clarify:
“I responded 2 a specific question asked by a reporter on my thoughts of Olympians being paid. I never asked to be paid to PLAY.”
“What I was referencing is there is a lot of Olympic business that happens that athletes are not a part of—and it’s a complicated issue.”
“BUT my love 4 the game & pride 4 USA motivates me more than any $$$ amount. I repped my country in 2004 when we won the bronze medal and stood proudly to receive our gold medal in 2008 in Beijing. It’s always been an honor for me to be a part of the USA Olympic family and I’m looking forward to doing it again in London this summer.”
I’m not going to jump on the guy—although he probably should have dodged the question, as teammates LeBron James and Chris Bosh both managed to do when asked the same thing—but Wade is right, it is a complicated issue
To me, there are two sides to this. The first is around getting paid to play basketball at the Olympics.
The Olympics are the purest expression of sporting achievement. I think most, if not all athletes would agree that participating in the Olympics should be about the personal pride of having represented your country, your family, your home town and anyone who has helped you become an elite athlete, in front of billions of people. And that’s exactly the same whether you play basketball or soccer, run the hundred meters, swim, or ride bikes around a track.
So no, guys shouldn’t get paid for the physical act of playing basketball at the Olympic Games, they should be honored to get the opportunity.
The other side of the argument, the one that Wade hinted at, is one that people seem less keen to acknowledge because it dirties the purity of the Games.
The Olympics are a money making machine, the biggest money making machine in all of sports—bringing in billions of dollars for the host city, broadcasters, and a host of brands who clamor to be a part of the circus. Replica jerseys and apparel, shoes, and merchandise are big business. The London Organizing Committee has a revenue target of $1.5 billion for merchandise alone, and adidas paid $150 million to be an official 2012 sponsor.
By playing (and winning) at the Olympics, guys like Dwyane, LeBron and Derrick Rose are chalking up huge sales for the Organizing Committee, adidas, Nike and anyone else with a logo on a shoe or shirt this summer. In any other situation, that contribution would be recognized. Do they actually need a cut of profits? No, they are multi-millionaires, that is why it gets the rest of us fired up. Do they deserve a cut? Arguably, yes.
There was a time when it looked unlikely that Great Britain would be represented in the Olympic basketball competition this summer. To a lot of people it’s probably news that Great Britain even has a basketball team. But, after a lengthy campaign, they got approval from FIBA to take the ‘host nation’ spot in the final twelve—great news for Luol Deng and his team, and all UK hoops fans.
Not such great news for the team who’s spot at the Olympics Great Britain took—Russia, who would ordinarily have gained automatic qualification for finishing third at last summer’s European Championships, and now has to go through a qualification tournament.
Russia’s head coach, David Blatt, is not exactly cool with the situation, and told Ria Novosti:
“Only because the Olympics are in London this year, the British team received a free pass, and that was at our expense, basically,” Blatt said. Asked whether he felt the British deserved the berth as Olympic host, he replied: “Sports-wise, no.”
“That’s the politics of the situation, and that’s what it is. It’s part of the picture, not a whole lot that I can do about it.”
As a normal person with the ability to use reason and logic, I totally agree with Blatt. Great Britain are probably not good enough to play at the Olympics, and there are several teams that, in a basketball sense, deserve to be there more than them. As a basketball fan who happens to be British, I’m not so sympathetic. We’re the host nation. We have a basketball team. That team gets to play at the event, like every host team has, ever. Sorry, Russia. Maybe see you in the summer.
Here’s what DWade said, in case you missed it:
‘It’s a lot of things you do for the Olympics—a lot of jerseys you sell,’ Wade said. ‘We play the whole summer. I do think guys should be compensated. Just like I think college players should be compensated as well. Unfortunately, it’s not there. But I think it should be something, you know, there for it … The biggest thing is now you get no rest,’
‘So you go to the end of the season, (Team USA) training camp is two weeks later. You’re giving up a lot to do it. It’s something you want to do. But it’s taxing on your body. You’re not playing for the dollar. But it would be nice if you would get compensated.’
To be fair to Wade, he then took to Twitter to clarify:
“I responded 2 a specific question asked by a reporter on my thoughts of Olympians being paid. I never asked to be paid to PLAY.”
“What I was referencing is there is a lot of Olympic business that happens that athletes are not a part of—and it’s a complicated issue.”
“BUT my love 4 the game & pride 4 USA motivates me more than any $$$ amount. I repped my country in 2004 when we won the bronze medal and stood proudly to receive our gold medal in 2008 in Beijing. It’s always been an honor for me to be a part of the USA Olympic family and I’m looking forward to doing it again in London this summer.”
I’m not going to jump on the guy—although he probably should have dodged the question, as teammates LeBron James and Chris Bosh both managed to do when asked the same thing—but Wade is right, it is a complicated issue
To me, there are two sides to this. The first is around getting paid to play basketball at the Olympics.
The Olympics are the purest expression of sporting achievement. I think most, if not all athletes would agree that participating in the Olympics should be about the personal pride of having represented your country, your family, your home town and anyone who has helped you become an elite athlete, in front of billions of people. And that’s exactly the same whether you play basketball or soccer, run the hundred meters, swim, or ride bikes around a track.
So no, guys shouldn’t get paid for the physical act of playing basketball at the Olympic Games, they should be honored to get the opportunity.
The other side of the argument, the one that Wade hinted at, is one that people seem less keen to acknowledge because it dirties the purity of the Games.
The Olympics are a money making machine, the biggest money making machine in all of sports—bringing in billions of dollars for the host city, broadcasters, and a host of brands who clamor to be a part of the circus. Replica jerseys and apparel, shoes, and merchandise are big business. The London Organizing Committee has a revenue target of $1.5 billion for merchandise alone, and adidas paid $150 million to be an official 2012 sponsor.
By playing (and winning) at the Olympics, guys like Dwyane, LeBron and Derrick Rose are chalking up huge sales for the Organizing Committee, adidas, Nike and anyone else with a logo on a shoe or shirt this summer. In any other situation, that contribution would be recognized. Do they actually need a cut of profits? No, they are multi-millionaires, that is why it gets the rest of us fired up. Do they deserve a cut? Arguably, yes.
There was a time when it looked unlikely that Great Britain would be represented in the Olympic basketball competition this summer. To a lot of people it’s probably news that Great Britain even has a basketball team. But, after a lengthy campaign, they got approval from FIBA to take the ‘host nation’ spot in the final twelve—great news for Luol Deng and his team, and all UK hoops fans.
Not such great news for the team who’s spot at the Olympics Great Britain took—Russia, who would ordinarily have gained automatic qualification for finishing third at last summer’s European Championships, and now has to go through a qualification tournament.
Russia’s head coach, David Blatt, is not exactly cool with the situation, and told Ria Novosti:
“Only because the Olympics are in London this year, the British team received a free pass, and that was at our expense, basically,” Blatt said. Asked whether he felt the British deserved the berth as Olympic host, he replied: “Sports-wise, no.”
“That’s the politics of the situation, and that’s what it is. It’s part of the picture, not a whole lot that I can do about it.”
As a normal person with the ability to use reason and logic, I totally agree with Blatt. Great Britain are probably not good enough to play at the Olympics, and there are several teams that, in a basketball sense, deserve to be there more than them. As a basketball fan who happens to be British, I’m not so sympathetic. We’re the host nation. We have a basketball team. That team gets to play at the event, like every host team has, ever. Sorry, Russia. Maybe see you in the summer.
2012年4月12日星期四
Robert Ballard On Hand To Open 'Titanic — 12,450 Below' At Mystic Aquarium
Dr. Robert Ballard, the rock star of the oceanography world, was surrounded by reporters from many nations on Wednesday, as he inaugurated the new Titanic exhibit at Mystic Aquarium. After his preliminary remarks, journalists waited in a long line to talk to the famed explorer.
But not the 26 members of Todd Hougas' 5th-grade class from Smith School in New Britain. They got their very own confab with Ballard, ahead of the grown-ups, and were allowed to ask him whatever they wanted.
Hougas thought his students rose to the ocassion. "They asked him about his inspirations, about his goals, about why he wanted to be an explorer," said Hougas, proudly.
The kids all left fired up about their Titanic-related school research projects.
"It was so cool to see how that underwater camera worked," said Jasmin Olmedo, 10. "Its name is Jason."
"I love how the iceberg in the exhibit is cold and looks like the iceberg that the Titanic hit," said Vinny Hin, 10. "It's amazing."
The pupils were as impressed as the large press corps that came to preview "Titanic — 12,450 Feet Below," a historical and scientific exhibit that opens Thursday at the Mystic entertainment complex, museum and research center, which is operated by the Sea Research Foundation. Ballard is president of the foundation's Institute for Exploration.
The opening of the new show coincides with the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the legendary ocean liner on April 14-15, 1912. Ballard, who discovered the ruins of the Titanic in 1985 — and later the ruins of the Bismarck, the PT-109 and the USS Yorktown — helped design the exhibit along with Tim Delaney, a former "imagineer" from Disney.
It was appropriate that a Disney person helped Ballard with the show: Ballard first became interested in ocean exploration as a child, when he saw the 1954 Disney classic "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea." "I grew up wanting to be Captain Nemo," he said.
But not the 26 members of Todd Hougas' 5th-grade class from Smith School in New Britain. They got their very own confab with Ballard, ahead of the grown-ups, and were allowed to ask him whatever they wanted.
Hougas thought his students rose to the ocassion. "They asked him about his inspirations, about his goals, about why he wanted to be an explorer," said Hougas, proudly.
The kids all left fired up about their Titanic-related school research projects.
"It was so cool to see how that underwater camera worked," said Jasmin Olmedo, 10. "Its name is Jason."
"I love how the iceberg in the exhibit is cold and looks like the iceberg that the Titanic hit," said Vinny Hin, 10. "It's amazing."
The pupils were as impressed as the large press corps that came to preview "Titanic — 12,450 Feet Below," a historical and scientific exhibit that opens Thursday at the Mystic entertainment complex, museum and research center, which is operated by the Sea Research Foundation. Ballard is president of the foundation's Institute for Exploration.
The opening of the new show coincides with the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the legendary ocean liner on April 14-15, 1912. Ballard, who discovered the ruins of the Titanic in 1985 — and later the ruins of the Bismarck, the PT-109 and the USS Yorktown — helped design the exhibit along with Tim Delaney, a former "imagineer" from Disney.
It was appropriate that a Disney person helped Ballard with the show: Ballard first became interested in ocean exploration as a child, when he saw the 1954 Disney classic "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea." "I grew up wanting to be Captain Nemo," he said.
Visitors drawn to town where Titanic's dead are buried
HALIFAX, Nova Scotia — Among the graves of Fairview Lawn Cemetery, there is one that was a magnet for bouquets and weeping girls in the 1990s. The name on the tombstone: J. Dawson.
Jack Dawson, you will recall, is the name of the character played by Leonardo DiCaprio in the 1997 film "Titanic." And this cemetery is the final resting place of more victims of the Titanic than any other.
Now, with the movie's re-release in 3D and the upcoming 100th anniversary of the disaster, keepers of the cemetery expect more flowers, love notes and more weeping — though James Cameron, the film's director, has said there's no connection between his Jack Dawson and the J. Dawson buried here.
This is a place that has a deep connection to the tragedy. Halifax is 1,100 kilometers (700 miles) west of the spot where the ocean liner hit an iceberg; the ships bringing bodies back to land arrived starting late in April. Families came to claim the remains of their loved ones, and funerals and memorial services followed. Altogether, 150 of the Titanic's dead are buried in three cemeteries.
Gerry Lunn, curator of Halifax's Maritime Museum of the Atlantic, said this city was in mourning for months after the disaster, with much of its downtown draped in black bunting. "This was not just a one-night story," he said. "It may have been for the ship and the victims, but for Halifax this story went on for months and months and hasn't ended to this day."
On April 15, the anniversary of the sinking, a candlelight procession will be followed by an interfaith memorial service at Fairview Lawn; flares will be set off at the time the ship began sinking; and the Nova Scotia provincial government will tweet the Titanic's final emergency messages.
The Five Fishermen Restaurant and Grill — housed in the building where a funeral home handled the bodies of wealthier victims such as millionaire John Jacob Astor — is offering an April menu inspired by the Titanic's first-class fare.
And the maritime museum is mounting an exhibit of pictures and stories of the 150 Titanic victims buried in Halifax graveyards — 19 in the Catholic Mount Olivet Cemetery, 10 in the Jewish Baron de Hirsch Cemetery, and 121 in non-denominational Fairview Lawn.
Among items on display in the museum's permanent collection is a Titanic deck chair given to the minister who performed services on one of the ships that recovered bodies. The most touching artifact is a pair of shoes, donated to the museum by a descendant of a Halifax police officer. They belonged to the nameless child who came to symbolize the many children who died aboard the Titanic.
In 2002, Canadian researchers identified him as a 13-month-old Finnish boy, Eino Viljami Panula. But in 2007, DNA testing determined that he was in fact a 19-month-old English boy, Sidney Leslie Goodwin, who died with his entire family, including five siblings, as they were sailing to a new life in America.
The child's headstone remains among the nameless ones at Fairview Lawn, each inscribed: "Died April 15, 1912." The bodies were numbered as they were picked up; the numbers appear on the headstones of the known and unknown victims.
That the J. Dawson buried here is not the character in the movie did not stop the flow of mourners, said cemetery tour guide Blair Beed, a Halifax historian and grandson of an undertaker's assistant at the funeral home.
"After the movie I saw fathers with their daughters standing here crying. For two or three years that lasted. Instead of spring break fathers would bring their daughters here to see J. Dawson," he said.
The real J. Dawson, or Joseph Dawson, shoveled coal in the bowels of the ship and didn't win his Titanic ticket gambling as DiCaprio's character did.
"It wasn't until after the movie came out that we found out that there was a J. Dawson gravestone," said the film's producer, Jon Landau, in an interview.
Whoever J. Dawson was, "He received more notoriety decades after his death than he ever would have had in life," said Lunn, curator of maritime museum, which saw its attendance more than double, to 250,000, in the year after the film opened.
The headstones are assembled in the shape of a ship. Among them is that of John Law Hume, violinist in the band that played on as the Titanic sank. Somebody recently left a little replica of a violin by his gravestone.
Beed said it's not just teenage girls who choke up in the cemetery.
"All of a sudden seeing the names on the stones, they are emotional, men and women. It's like 'I've heard this story all my life and here are the remains and here are the names.' It's 121 in this cemetery and it's four rows. And all of sudden the story is real," Beed said.
Jack Dawson, you will recall, is the name of the character played by Leonardo DiCaprio in the 1997 film "Titanic." And this cemetery is the final resting place of more victims of the Titanic than any other.
Now, with the movie's re-release in 3D and the upcoming 100th anniversary of the disaster, keepers of the cemetery expect more flowers, love notes and more weeping — though James Cameron, the film's director, has said there's no connection between his Jack Dawson and the J. Dawson buried here.
This is a place that has a deep connection to the tragedy. Halifax is 1,100 kilometers (700 miles) west of the spot where the ocean liner hit an iceberg; the ships bringing bodies back to land arrived starting late in April. Families came to claim the remains of their loved ones, and funerals and memorial services followed. Altogether, 150 of the Titanic's dead are buried in three cemeteries.
Gerry Lunn, curator of Halifax's Maritime Museum of the Atlantic, said this city was in mourning for months after the disaster, with much of its downtown draped in black bunting. "This was not just a one-night story," he said. "It may have been for the ship and the victims, but for Halifax this story went on for months and months and hasn't ended to this day."
On April 15, the anniversary of the sinking, a candlelight procession will be followed by an interfaith memorial service at Fairview Lawn; flares will be set off at the time the ship began sinking; and the Nova Scotia provincial government will tweet the Titanic's final emergency messages.
The Five Fishermen Restaurant and Grill — housed in the building where a funeral home handled the bodies of wealthier victims such as millionaire John Jacob Astor — is offering an April menu inspired by the Titanic's first-class fare.
And the maritime museum is mounting an exhibit of pictures and stories of the 150 Titanic victims buried in Halifax graveyards — 19 in the Catholic Mount Olivet Cemetery, 10 in the Jewish Baron de Hirsch Cemetery, and 121 in non-denominational Fairview Lawn.
Among items on display in the museum's permanent collection is a Titanic deck chair given to the minister who performed services on one of the ships that recovered bodies. The most touching artifact is a pair of shoes, donated to the museum by a descendant of a Halifax police officer. They belonged to the nameless child who came to symbolize the many children who died aboard the Titanic.
In 2002, Canadian researchers identified him as a 13-month-old Finnish boy, Eino Viljami Panula. But in 2007, DNA testing determined that he was in fact a 19-month-old English boy, Sidney Leslie Goodwin, who died with his entire family, including five siblings, as they were sailing to a new life in America.
The child's headstone remains among the nameless ones at Fairview Lawn, each inscribed: "Died April 15, 1912." The bodies were numbered as they were picked up; the numbers appear on the headstones of the known and unknown victims.
That the J. Dawson buried here is not the character in the movie did not stop the flow of mourners, said cemetery tour guide Blair Beed, a Halifax historian and grandson of an undertaker's assistant at the funeral home.
"After the movie I saw fathers with their daughters standing here crying. For two or three years that lasted. Instead of spring break fathers would bring their daughters here to see J. Dawson," he said.
The real J. Dawson, or Joseph Dawson, shoveled coal in the bowels of the ship and didn't win his Titanic ticket gambling as DiCaprio's character did.
"It wasn't until after the movie came out that we found out that there was a J. Dawson gravestone," said the film's producer, Jon Landau, in an interview.
Whoever J. Dawson was, "He received more notoriety decades after his death than he ever would have had in life," said Lunn, curator of maritime museum, which saw its attendance more than double, to 250,000, in the year after the film opened.
The headstones are assembled in the shape of a ship. Among them is that of John Law Hume, violinist in the band that played on as the Titanic sank. Somebody recently left a little replica of a violin by his gravestone.
Beed said it's not just teenage girls who choke up in the cemetery.
"All of a sudden seeing the names on the stones, they are emotional, men and women. It's like 'I've heard this story all my life and here are the remains and here are the names.' It's 121 in this cemetery and it's four rows. And all of sudden the story is real," Beed said.
2012年4月10日星期二
Remembering Titanic: Where the Passengers Are Buried
“So you've been Titanic-ing,” Susan Olsen, the staff historian at Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx, said when J. Joseph Edgette walked in.
Indeed he had. Mr. Edgette is, among other things, an expert on where the “Titanic people,” as he calls them, were buried.
For the last hour, he had been crisscrossing Woodlawn's 313 acres, driving slowly and stopping to look at graves of passengers who died when the unsinkable ship went down 100 years ago, and survivors who were buried there later on. Of the passengers aboard the Titanic, more than 1,500 died, including more than 300 whose bodies were pulled from the water after the Cunard steamship Carpathia had picked up the survivors. (Of the bodies that were recovered, more than 115 were buried at sea. The rest were taken to Halifax, Nova Scotia, where 150 were buried in three cemeteries. The others were shipped out for burial by relatives.)
Mr. Edgette knows his way around cemeteries. He is the chairman of the cemeteries and gravemarkers area of the American Culture Association and the secretary of the board of the Association for Gravestone Studies. He mentioned a dinner with Robert Ballard, the explorer who discovered the Titanic shipwreck in 1985. “He explained that when those bodies went down, they stayed down,” Mr. Edgette said. “He said: ‘You see these shoes down there? There used to be bodies in those shoes. The body parts deteriorated, and the skeletal remains decalcified. The only thing left are the shoes, and the leather is perfectly preserved.'”
Mr. Edgette said Woodlawn had 12 “Titanic people,” more than any cemetery in the United States. Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn has nine, he said, not counting the mayor at the time, William J. Gaynor, who coordinated the arrival of the rescue ship Carpathia, or F.A.O. Schwarz, the toy store owner. (A Schwarz teddy bear survived the Titanic, he said. It was the companion of a 6-year-old boy who had been on board. He and his family made it into one of the lifeboats, and he marveled at the ice that floated by, saying, “Look at the beautiful North Pole with no Santa Claus on it.”)
Some of the graves at Woodlawn mention the Titanic. “Lost his life on the S.S. Titanic,” reads the tombstone of Charles H. Chapman, a second-class passenger.
Some tombstones say nothing about the unsinkable ship. Arthur Ernest Nicholson's gravestone says only, “Died April 15, 1912.”
And some say more than nothing but less than everything. The tomb of Isidor Straus, a co-founder of Macy's and a former congressman, says, “Lost at sea. April 15, 1912.” The tomb, a replica of an Egyptian funeral barge, carries an inscription from the Bible (11 words from Solomon 8:7) but no mention of the Titanic.
“When the time came” for Ida Straus to climb into the lifeboat and leave her husband behind — he was offered a seat but turned it down because there were still women and children on the doomed ship — “she said there was no sense in parting now,” Mr. Edgette said, noting that they had been married for more than 40 years. “They were last seen retiring to their cabins. He was No. 96 of the 329 bodies.” Mrs. Straus's body was never found.
The tomb for him and cenotaph for her is outside a mausoleum for their sons. Inside is a plaque commemorating the Strauses that was originally at the Macy's store on 34th Street. “Glad it was saved,” Mr. Edgette said. “Glad to see it's here. It probably would have been melted down, because that's what's happening in cemeteries across America, and for pennies on the dollar.”
Indeed he had. Mr. Edgette is, among other things, an expert on where the “Titanic people,” as he calls them, were buried.
For the last hour, he had been crisscrossing Woodlawn's 313 acres, driving slowly and stopping to look at graves of passengers who died when the unsinkable ship went down 100 years ago, and survivors who were buried there later on. Of the passengers aboard the Titanic, more than 1,500 died, including more than 300 whose bodies were pulled from the water after the Cunard steamship Carpathia had picked up the survivors. (Of the bodies that were recovered, more than 115 were buried at sea. The rest were taken to Halifax, Nova Scotia, where 150 were buried in three cemeteries. The others were shipped out for burial by relatives.)
Mr. Edgette knows his way around cemeteries. He is the chairman of the cemeteries and gravemarkers area of the American Culture Association and the secretary of the board of the Association for Gravestone Studies. He mentioned a dinner with Robert Ballard, the explorer who discovered the Titanic shipwreck in 1985. “He explained that when those bodies went down, they stayed down,” Mr. Edgette said. “He said: ‘You see these shoes down there? There used to be bodies in those shoes. The body parts deteriorated, and the skeletal remains decalcified. The only thing left are the shoes, and the leather is perfectly preserved.'”
Mr. Edgette said Woodlawn had 12 “Titanic people,” more than any cemetery in the United States. Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn has nine, he said, not counting the mayor at the time, William J. Gaynor, who coordinated the arrival of the rescue ship Carpathia, or F.A.O. Schwarz, the toy store owner. (A Schwarz teddy bear survived the Titanic, he said. It was the companion of a 6-year-old boy who had been on board. He and his family made it into one of the lifeboats, and he marveled at the ice that floated by, saying, “Look at the beautiful North Pole with no Santa Claus on it.”)
Some of the graves at Woodlawn mention the Titanic. “Lost his life on the S.S. Titanic,” reads the tombstone of Charles H. Chapman, a second-class passenger.
Some tombstones say nothing about the unsinkable ship. Arthur Ernest Nicholson's gravestone says only, “Died April 15, 1912.”
And some say more than nothing but less than everything. The tomb of Isidor Straus, a co-founder of Macy's and a former congressman, says, “Lost at sea. April 15, 1912.” The tomb, a replica of an Egyptian funeral barge, carries an inscription from the Bible (11 words from Solomon 8:7) but no mention of the Titanic.
“When the time came” for Ida Straus to climb into the lifeboat and leave her husband behind — he was offered a seat but turned it down because there were still women and children on the doomed ship — “she said there was no sense in parting now,” Mr. Edgette said, noting that they had been married for more than 40 years. “They were last seen retiring to their cabins. He was No. 96 of the 329 bodies.” Mrs. Straus's body was never found.
The tomb for him and cenotaph for her is outside a mausoleum for their sons. Inside is a plaque commemorating the Strauses that was originally at the Macy's store on 34th Street. “Glad it was saved,” Mr. Edgette said. “Glad to see it's here. It probably would have been melted down, because that's what's happening in cemeteries across America, and for pennies on the dollar.”
2012年4月9日星期一
Beige gets the boot
Back in the '20s, at the height of the women's liberation movement in the West, women's fashion (the only kind of fashion there was back in the day really — men just wore clothes) veered sharply away from figure-hugging lines to looser fits.
Boyish figures, short haircuts, tubular dresses and trousers caught on as corsets and the sort of dresses that flattered Hollywood goddess Ingrid Bergman's figure receded into the background.
But that was almost a hundred years ago. So, perhaps it's about time someone took up the cause of men's fashion. Prince Harry made a daring statement in 2002 when he stepped into full view of the paparazzi sporting bold pink nail polish and, just months ago, that formidable pirate, Johnny Depp, was seen flaunting a metallic peacock shade.
Now, thanks to the funky new footwear collections of high-end brands like Yves Saint Lauren, Christian Louboutin, Alexander McQueen and Tod's, to name a few, the truly fashion-liberated man can breathe new life into his boring shoe-rack too.
Even if all you ever wear is a black t-shirt and a pair of jeans, slip into these funky new shoes and you can seriously pump up your style quotient.
American entertainer Usher’s YSL Mojave leopard print Chukka sneakers may be a bit too much for you if you usually stick to beige or black shoes, but you shouldn’t have much trouble following Farhan Akhtar’s footsteps. The actor-director recently teamed a bright yellow pair of shoes with casual khaki cargoes and a plain t-shirt.
Beige gets the boot
Guys love green
If, like 25-year-old Andheri resident, Kuntal Verma, you tend to shop spontaneously, look around when you take a walk down Linking Road and you’re bound to find bright, printed men’s shoes. Verma, senior relationship manager with the Indian Institute of Planning and Management (IIPM), tells us he has made quite a few interesting additions to his collection from there and from South Mumbai too.
Grant Road shoe-shop owner Mohammed Asif confirms, as do a lot of other young men. Asif, who owns two shoe shops, says college kids and twenty-somethings comprise the bulk of his clients for brightly coloured shoes. He shows us a green and black streaked high-top canvas pair that is a particular favourite with the guys, and says he sells two to four pairs daily.
An avid cricketer, Verma owns a pair of black and white, chequered shoes, and has bought five other pairs in bright colours. Ask him how other guys react to the sight of his footwear, and he laughs. “Brightly coloured shoes are popular with quite a few of my friends, but there some guys I know who aren’t comfortable with such colours too.”
Studs in your sneakers
Celebrity stylist Anaita Shroff Adajania says Indian men are getting comfortable with the idea of incorporating colour into their wardrobes through their shoes.
“Fashion forward men have been aware of the trend for a while now,” she says, remembering Hrithik Roshan’s shoes in the 2006 film Dhoom 2 and an advertisement in which Saif Ali Khan sported blue shoes some time ago. “Green, red and blue shoes have been seen for a while. Studded sneakers, too, are super cool at the moment.”
If it’s sneakers you seek, Christian Louboutin has introduced a striking Spring-Summer 2012 collection with studs and multicoloured metallic leather (Louboutin also offers a leopard print, studded with spikes, in the new Pik Boat collection).
They’re the kind of shoes 25 year-old lead singer of The Other People, Zarir Warden may like, we imagine, as Warden tells us about his (almost) exclusive preference for sneakers and a special proclivity for high-top shoes. He is dressed in a simple tshirt and a pair of jeans when we meet him, but his shoes are shiny silver with bright blue streaks.
Sober tees and blingy shoes
Adajania wouldn’t have had it any other way. “I totally recommend wearing bright shoes with neutral, cleaner colours. Team them with denims and a simple tee, or maybe with a casual khaki ensemble,” she advises. “Don’t try too hard.
The beauty of this trend is that it can brighten up your wardrobe in a jiffy,” she points out, adding that while brightly coloured pants are a huge trend too, she can’t see every man wearing those. “Bright shoes are easier on the eyes, and just safer, I think,” she says. In fact, she just bought her husband, film director Homi Adajania, a pair of blue shoes a couple of months ago. “I didn’t think he’d wear them, but he did.”
Louboutin’s 2012 collection boasts a gorgeous array of high-top sneakers in dazzling prints, but when we ask Warden if he’d wear these, he shakes his head firmly. “I never wear black shoes, unless it’s a formal occasion and I never wear funky prints,” he says, showing us another white and gold pair of sneakers from his collection, about two years old.
How do we know the Churchgate resident’s not chasing the trend? “I used to have a bright green pair of sneakers a long time ago and have even sported yellow and orange shoes in the past. Fellow-band-members also sport bright shoes from time to time,” he adds.
Boyish figures, short haircuts, tubular dresses and trousers caught on as corsets and the sort of dresses that flattered Hollywood goddess Ingrid Bergman's figure receded into the background.
But that was almost a hundred years ago. So, perhaps it's about time someone took up the cause of men's fashion. Prince Harry made a daring statement in 2002 when he stepped into full view of the paparazzi sporting bold pink nail polish and, just months ago, that formidable pirate, Johnny Depp, was seen flaunting a metallic peacock shade.
Now, thanks to the funky new footwear collections of high-end brands like Yves Saint Lauren, Christian Louboutin, Alexander McQueen and Tod's, to name a few, the truly fashion-liberated man can breathe new life into his boring shoe-rack too.
Even if all you ever wear is a black t-shirt and a pair of jeans, slip into these funky new shoes and you can seriously pump up your style quotient.
American entertainer Usher’s YSL Mojave leopard print Chukka sneakers may be a bit too much for you if you usually stick to beige or black shoes, but you shouldn’t have much trouble following Farhan Akhtar’s footsteps. The actor-director recently teamed a bright yellow pair of shoes with casual khaki cargoes and a plain t-shirt.
Beige gets the boot
Guys love green
If, like 25-year-old Andheri resident, Kuntal Verma, you tend to shop spontaneously, look around when you take a walk down Linking Road and you’re bound to find bright, printed men’s shoes. Verma, senior relationship manager with the Indian Institute of Planning and Management (IIPM), tells us he has made quite a few interesting additions to his collection from there and from South Mumbai too.
Grant Road shoe-shop owner Mohammed Asif confirms, as do a lot of other young men. Asif, who owns two shoe shops, says college kids and twenty-somethings comprise the bulk of his clients for brightly coloured shoes. He shows us a green and black streaked high-top canvas pair that is a particular favourite with the guys, and says he sells two to four pairs daily.
An avid cricketer, Verma owns a pair of black and white, chequered shoes, and has bought five other pairs in bright colours. Ask him how other guys react to the sight of his footwear, and he laughs. “Brightly coloured shoes are popular with quite a few of my friends, but there some guys I know who aren’t comfortable with such colours too.”
Studs in your sneakers
Celebrity stylist Anaita Shroff Adajania says Indian men are getting comfortable with the idea of incorporating colour into their wardrobes through their shoes.
“Fashion forward men have been aware of the trend for a while now,” she says, remembering Hrithik Roshan’s shoes in the 2006 film Dhoom 2 and an advertisement in which Saif Ali Khan sported blue shoes some time ago. “Green, red and blue shoes have been seen for a while. Studded sneakers, too, are super cool at the moment.”
If it’s sneakers you seek, Christian Louboutin has introduced a striking Spring-Summer 2012 collection with studs and multicoloured metallic leather (Louboutin also offers a leopard print, studded with spikes, in the new Pik Boat collection).
They’re the kind of shoes 25 year-old lead singer of The Other People, Zarir Warden may like, we imagine, as Warden tells us about his (almost) exclusive preference for sneakers and a special proclivity for high-top shoes. He is dressed in a simple tshirt and a pair of jeans when we meet him, but his shoes are shiny silver with bright blue streaks.
Sober tees and blingy shoes
Adajania wouldn’t have had it any other way. “I totally recommend wearing bright shoes with neutral, cleaner colours. Team them with denims and a simple tee, or maybe with a casual khaki ensemble,” she advises. “Don’t try too hard.
The beauty of this trend is that it can brighten up your wardrobe in a jiffy,” she points out, adding that while brightly coloured pants are a huge trend too, she can’t see every man wearing those. “Bright shoes are easier on the eyes, and just safer, I think,” she says. In fact, she just bought her husband, film director Homi Adajania, a pair of blue shoes a couple of months ago. “I didn’t think he’d wear them, but he did.”
Louboutin’s 2012 collection boasts a gorgeous array of high-top sneakers in dazzling prints, but when we ask Warden if he’d wear these, he shakes his head firmly. “I never wear black shoes, unless it’s a formal occasion and I never wear funky prints,” he says, showing us another white and gold pair of sneakers from his collection, about two years old.
How do we know the Churchgate resident’s not chasing the trend? “I used to have a bright green pair of sneakers a long time ago and have even sported yellow and orange shoes in the past. Fellow-band-members also sport bright shoes from time to time,” he adds.
2012年4月8日星期日
Basket, Milano fa la cosa giusta
Milano non sbaglia ed espugna il parquet di Montegranaro nella quinta partita della 28.a giornata del campionato di basket di Serie A. L'Emporio Armani lotta punto a punto con la Fabi Shoes, ma alla fine si impone per 98-92 (24-23, 51-48, 73-75 i parziali). Un successo importante per la squadra di Scariolo, che raggiunge così Sassari al terzo posto in classifica, mentre i marchigiani restano ancorati nelle zone basse.
Confronto spettacolare stasera nell'anticipo tra Fabi Shoes Montegranro e EA7 Emporio Armani Milano sul parquet del Palarossini di Ancona, che ha visto gli ospiti trionfare dopo una gara tirata - e non senza polemiche per l'arbitraggio - fino all'ultimo periodo. La partita è iniziata con un minuto di silenzio in memoria di Sauro Bufalini ex giocatore scomparso lo scorso 1 aprile. Nella prima frazione la formazione marchigiana mette energia e scompiglia i piani di Scariolo. I veregrensi cercano subito la fuga piazzando un 9-4 sul tabellone che destabilizza gli ospiti e arrivando al 4' avanti di 8 punti (18-10). La superiorità di Montegranaro sembra assodata, ciò che costringe Scariolo ad un timeout che sembra risvegliare la squadra. E' Fotsis a infilare al 8' 10 punti, regalando il pareggio (21-21) e poi il vantaggio dalla lunetta (21-23). Mazzola chiude la frazione:23-23. Nel secondo periodo Montegranaro sembra ritrovare energia e la coppia Zoroski Di Bella lo dimostra (30-28 al 13'). Tutta la frazione è un braccio di ferro tra le due squadre che dimostrano fisicità. I padroni di casa risalgono la china e conquistano la distanza utile ad arrivare in vantaggio all'ultimo minuto, quando Milano pareggia (48-48). Ma Zoroski non è d'accordo e infila la tripla sul fil di sirena (51-48).
Confronto spettacolare stasera nell'anticipo tra Fabi Shoes Montegranro e EA7 Emporio Armani Milano sul parquet del Palarossini di Ancona, che ha visto gli ospiti trionfare dopo una gara tirata - e non senza polemiche per l'arbitraggio - fino all'ultimo periodo. La partita è iniziata con un minuto di silenzio in memoria di Sauro Bufalini ex giocatore scomparso lo scorso 1 aprile. Nella prima frazione la formazione marchigiana mette energia e scompiglia i piani di Scariolo. I veregrensi cercano subito la fuga piazzando un 9-4 sul tabellone che destabilizza gli ospiti e arrivando al 4' avanti di 8 punti (18-10). La superiorità di Montegranaro sembra assodata, ciò che costringe Scariolo ad un timeout che sembra risvegliare la squadra. E' Fotsis a infilare al 8' 10 punti, regalando il pareggio (21-21) e poi il vantaggio dalla lunetta (21-23). Mazzola chiude la frazione:23-23. Nel secondo periodo Montegranaro sembra ritrovare energia e la coppia Zoroski Di Bella lo dimostra (30-28 al 13'). Tutta la frazione è un braccio di ferro tra le due squadre che dimostrano fisicità. I padroni di casa risalgono la china e conquistano la distanza utile ad arrivare in vantaggio all'ultimo minuto, quando Milano pareggia (48-48). Ma Zoroski non è d'accordo e infila la tripla sul fil di sirena (51-48).
2012年4月5日星期四
What gift or message would you send to your ancestors?
The scramble to find iPads and iPhones to send to the dead during China's Qingming Festival is an unusual reminder of how pervasive the high-tech gadgets have become in that country's popular culture.
Typically, Chinese families leave paper replicas of money and luxury items such as cars and bottles of wine at the graves of their ancestors during the festival.
But the hottest items during this year's festival are paper replicas of iPads and iPhones, according to the Xinhua news agency.
Qingming day, or Tomb Sweeping Day, traces its origins to the Confucian teaching of loyalty to one's family, and is celebrated in China and other Asian countries where the faith is common.
Replicas of all sorts are sold at variety stores and by vendors across Asia.
Malaysian shopkeeper Jeffrey Te was selling paper replicas of the iPad 2 - painted and labelled to look like an actual tablet computer - for 10 yuan, or about $1.60, Reuters reported. They were sold out almost immediately.
"I can only offer them the first iPad model," Te told Reuters, pointing to his shelves of paper first-generation iPads, as well as Samsung cellular phones and paper gadgets. The replicas list an 888-gigabyte capacity - the number eight is lucky in Chinese tradition.
Micgadget explains that while family members might want to show off the latest gadgets to loved ones who liked electronics when they were alive, others send items that they believe one would need in the afterlife. Replica clothes, shoes, chairs and money are popular items.
One Taiwanese website allows you to order from a diverse collection of elaborate paper replicas from make-up sets to video game consoles.
Typically, Chinese families leave paper replicas of money and luxury items such as cars and bottles of wine at the graves of their ancestors during the festival.
But the hottest items during this year's festival are paper replicas of iPads and iPhones, according to the Xinhua news agency.
Qingming day, or Tomb Sweeping Day, traces its origins to the Confucian teaching of loyalty to one's family, and is celebrated in China and other Asian countries where the faith is common.
Replicas of all sorts are sold at variety stores and by vendors across Asia.
Malaysian shopkeeper Jeffrey Te was selling paper replicas of the iPad 2 - painted and labelled to look like an actual tablet computer - for 10 yuan, or about $1.60, Reuters reported. They were sold out almost immediately.
"I can only offer them the first iPad model," Te told Reuters, pointing to his shelves of paper first-generation iPads, as well as Samsung cellular phones and paper gadgets. The replicas list an 888-gigabyte capacity - the number eight is lucky in Chinese tradition.
Micgadget explains that while family members might want to show off the latest gadgets to loved ones who liked electronics when they were alive, others send items that they believe one would need in the afterlife. Replica clothes, shoes, chairs and money are popular items.
One Taiwanese website allows you to order from a diverse collection of elaborate paper replicas from make-up sets to video game consoles.
2012年4月4日星期三
Chilling tale involving paper iPhone
According to his family members, the man, in his early 20s, had told them that his dead grandfather had acknowledged receiving the IT tool, and since he did not know how to use it he wanted the youth to teach him.
The youth is said to have suffered a fright from his dream, and fell sick thereafter.
His family members said they then consulted a medium, and following prayers and burning of some paper money, the youth is said to be feeling better now.
One of the family members, who requested anonymity, said the youth had returned to his workplace in Singapore after he felt better, and swore that he would never again lay hands on such items in future Qing Ming.
The incident might sound ridiculous, but, similar tales have emerged during every Qing Ming as families burned modern ‘IT tools’ for their dead ancestors.
One housewife, who also wanted to remain anonymous, said she was unsure whether to believe in such tales, “but, for the sake of peace and harmony in the family, I forbid my children to burn such modern items for the dead ancestors”.
A coffee shop owner in Sibu Jaya said he had been following the tradition of burning items during Qing Ming, “but, our family only burns paper money”.
He said this was being done in accordance with the teachings of the Chinese Dao Religion, in which only the burning of paper money was mentioned.
“The practice has been commercialised in the modern days when traders start selling other items for burning, like boats, houses, mansions, motorcycles, luxury cars, maids, shoes, cigarettes, and, now, the IT items.”
He said this also happened during Christmas when profit-oriented parties churn out attractive figures of Santa Clause and promoted food like ginger bread and Christmas pudding, the items of which had nothing to do with the spirituality of the celebration.
Each Chinese family might spend thousands of ringgit during Qing Ming just to buy items for burning, food, flowers, and the cleaning of the tombs.
The youth is said to have suffered a fright from his dream, and fell sick thereafter.
His family members said they then consulted a medium, and following prayers and burning of some paper money, the youth is said to be feeling better now.
One of the family members, who requested anonymity, said the youth had returned to his workplace in Singapore after he felt better, and swore that he would never again lay hands on such items in future Qing Ming.
The incident might sound ridiculous, but, similar tales have emerged during every Qing Ming as families burned modern ‘IT tools’ for their dead ancestors.
One housewife, who also wanted to remain anonymous, said she was unsure whether to believe in such tales, “but, for the sake of peace and harmony in the family, I forbid my children to burn such modern items for the dead ancestors”.
A coffee shop owner in Sibu Jaya said he had been following the tradition of burning items during Qing Ming, “but, our family only burns paper money”.
He said this was being done in accordance with the teachings of the Chinese Dao Religion, in which only the burning of paper money was mentioned.
“The practice has been commercialised in the modern days when traders start selling other items for burning, like boats, houses, mansions, motorcycles, luxury cars, maids, shoes, cigarettes, and, now, the IT items.”
He said this also happened during Christmas when profit-oriented parties churn out attractive figures of Santa Clause and promoted food like ginger bread and Christmas pudding, the items of which had nothing to do with the spirituality of the celebration.
Each Chinese family might spend thousands of ringgit during Qing Ming just to buy items for burning, food, flowers, and the cleaning of the tombs.
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