The 911 call Saturday was not the first time Bothell police had been to the mobile home where an elderly woman lived with her mentally ill daughter.
It was the most tragic.
The daughter met the officers on the front porch, wearing socks but no shoes.
"I want to go to jail," she said.
When officers asked her why, she replied, "I need help."
Moments later, police found the woman's mother, Lila Donaldson, 81, on the floor inside the home. She died minutes later.
Terie S. Davidson, 42, was arrested for investigation of second-degree murder.
Bothell police had tried to keep the two apart, seeking a protection order on the mother's behalf last May.
Police were called to the home around 5:20 a.m. Saturday. They found the body between a bathroom and bedroom. Blood was spattered on the floor and wall. Donaldson had a large head wound, court paper said.
Detectives believe Davidson killed her mother by striking her with a thick glass mug, according to court papers.
In a brief court appearance Wednesday, bail was set at $2 million for Davidson, who called 911 Saturday requesting an ambulance take her to get psychiatric care.
Bothell police discovered her mother inside the mobile home in the 3300 block of 228th Street SE. The victim's name was redacted from court papers released Wednesday, but she was identified in earlier cases.
In June, a Bothell police officer filed a protection petition, arguing that the Donaldson was a vulnerable adult and at risk from her daughter, who had assaulted her.
The officer referred to two incidents last May when the mother called police because her daughter was becoming aggressive and violent. In one instance, Davidson was arrested for investigation of domestic violence assault.
The mother said Davidson has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and was off her medication. Donaldson said she feared for her own safety.
However, she also said she didn't want Davidson removed from the property because she was her caregiver and didn't believe she had any place to go.
The officer described Donaldson as "a small, frail, elderly woman" and the daughter as tall and large. The daughter also was reported to "frequently drink excessive alcohol," court papers said.
A judge signed the protection order.
In August, a motion was made in Snohomish County Superior Court to cancel the order.
Donaldson said her daughter was stable and had been on medications for three months, court papers said.
"She is my caregiver. I am 81 years old and need her at home," she wrote.
All was not well inside the home.
Police were called to the residence Sept. 1 after receiving a call that a woman was attempting to commit suicide by dousing herself in gasoline and trying to light herself on fire, court papers said.
On Saturday, Davidson told police she wanted to go to jail shortly after they arrived. She did not mention her mother.
She was in her pajamas and wanted to go into the home to retrieve her shoes.
When an officer tried to go inside, Davidson allegedly shut the front door and said, "It's really bad," court papers said.
She reportedly began to struggle with the patrol officers and was placed in handcuffs.
At that point, an officer went inside to perform a safety check.
Aid crews tried to save Donaldson, but she was pronounced dead while the aid car was parked in front of the home.
Davidson told an officer she had ingested 20 pills. She was taken to a Kirkland hospital to be treated for a possible overdose.
On Tuesday, she was booked into the Snohomish Count Jail for investigation of second-degree murder.
2012年10月31日星期三
2012年10月29日星期一
Warren recycling organizers flush with success
“It was the best day ever. It definitely exceeded what we had anticipated,” gushed Amy Sarver, organizer of the first Recycle-O-Rama at the Warren Township Center. She is the director of operations at the Warren Township Highway Department which conducts a year-round residential electronics recycling. SWALCO, Solid Waste Agency of Lake County, was a co-sponsor of the event.
From 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. Saturday, cars, SUVs and trucks kept streaming into the center off Washington Street in Gurnee, dropping off household items that had seen better days. Were it not for programs such as the one in Gurnee, they would have been dumped at the landfill — a no-no under the Illinois Electronic Products Recycling and Reuse Act. The crisp, sunny autumn weather, no doubt, helped with the program’s success.
“This is fantastic, great for my kids and their future,” said Kathy Strathman of Gurnee, mother three girls, ages 7-15. She brought with her a computer, a television set, a printer and “a lot of batteries.”
Mike Zullo of Wildwood drove up to a paper- shredding operation with a big box of tax records, canceled pay checks and old credit-card statements.
“It’s easier to have them shredded here than doing it myself at home,” said Zullo who also brought with him cans of latex paint, electronics and eye glasses.
Because of the rising demand for document shredding, two trucks equipped with giant shredding machines were brought to the Warren Township Center. The special trucks were designed to enable people to see through a small screen their papers being shredded so as to ease their mind.
“We expect to shred eight tons of documents today. Last year, four tons were shredded,” said township Supervisor Sue Simpson.
Peter Adrian, SWALCO recycle coordinator, estimated as many as 40,000 pounds of electronics were brought in by people for recycling.
Environmentally conscious residents also dropped off more than 500 pairs of used gym shoes and 94 child car seats, according to Sarver. Receiving the car seats was handled at the site by members of the Gurnee Police Department.
Handling the gym shoes was no duck soup. The metal eyelids had to be cut out first, which was what Rima Thakkar, 17, a senior at Warren High School, was doing with a pair of scissors.
“It’s a little hard, but we must take care of the environment,” she said.
She was among a group of volunteers who helped unload boxes and bags of items from arriving vehicles and then sort them out into bins and containers marked for books, keys, crayons, eyeglasses and so forth.
Roy Triveline, a biology teacher at Warren High School who is adviser to the school’s Environmental Club, said, “It’s everybody’s responsibility to help the environment.”
Besides the club members, other volunteers included members of the Mother Earth Council from the school and also those from Boy Scout Troop 672.
Flush with the success, Sarver was already talking about an encore for next year with a bigger and more ambitious recycling program to help the environment.
From 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. Saturday, cars, SUVs and trucks kept streaming into the center off Washington Street in Gurnee, dropping off household items that had seen better days. Were it not for programs such as the one in Gurnee, they would have been dumped at the landfill — a no-no under the Illinois Electronic Products Recycling and Reuse Act. The crisp, sunny autumn weather, no doubt, helped with the program’s success.
“This is fantastic, great for my kids and their future,” said Kathy Strathman of Gurnee, mother three girls, ages 7-15. She brought with her a computer, a television set, a printer and “a lot of batteries.”
Mike Zullo of Wildwood drove up to a paper- shredding operation with a big box of tax records, canceled pay checks and old credit-card statements.
“It’s easier to have them shredded here than doing it myself at home,” said Zullo who also brought with him cans of latex paint, electronics and eye glasses.
Because of the rising demand for document shredding, two trucks equipped with giant shredding machines were brought to the Warren Township Center. The special trucks were designed to enable people to see through a small screen their papers being shredded so as to ease their mind.
“We expect to shred eight tons of documents today. Last year, four tons were shredded,” said township Supervisor Sue Simpson.
Peter Adrian, SWALCO recycle coordinator, estimated as many as 40,000 pounds of electronics were brought in by people for recycling.
Environmentally conscious residents also dropped off more than 500 pairs of used gym shoes and 94 child car seats, according to Sarver. Receiving the car seats was handled at the site by members of the Gurnee Police Department.
Handling the gym shoes was no duck soup. The metal eyelids had to be cut out first, which was what Rima Thakkar, 17, a senior at Warren High School, was doing with a pair of scissors.
“It’s a little hard, but we must take care of the environment,” she said.
She was among a group of volunteers who helped unload boxes and bags of items from arriving vehicles and then sort them out into bins and containers marked for books, keys, crayons, eyeglasses and so forth.
Roy Triveline, a biology teacher at Warren High School who is adviser to the school’s Environmental Club, said, “It’s everybody’s responsibility to help the environment.”
Besides the club members, other volunteers included members of the Mother Earth Council from the school and also those from Boy Scout Troop 672.
Flush with the success, Sarver was already talking about an encore for next year with a bigger and more ambitious recycling program to help the environment.
2012年10月25日星期四
Pakistani girls walk in shoes of young activist
As Pakistani school girl Malala Yousufzai recovers from bullet wounds in a British hospital, her classmates say they will not let the Taliban extremists who put her there force them to quit school.
“Though we are very sad for our friend Malala, such mean actions would never discourage us and will never keep our attention from getting education,” said Rida, a ninth-grade schoolmate of Malala’s at Khushal School in Mingora, Swat Valley.
“Education is our right given to us by our religion and no forces can stop us from getting it,” says Rida, whose full name is being withheld by USA TODAY to prevent retaliation against her.
Malala’s hometown in the lush Swat Valley became the center of Taliban violence in Pakistan after the group pushed its way into power in 2007. Staunch opponents of female education, the Taliban terrorized students and teachers, bombed hundreds of schools and forced many others to close their doors to girls because of the risk.
But a major offensive by the Pakistan military two years later largely drove the Taliban from the area and allowed young girls to go back to their classrooms.
Earlier this month, 15-year-old Malala, an outspoken advocate for girls’ education, was shot in the head and neck by the Taliban on her way home from school. The group has vowed to finish her off, saying she had been acting against Islam in her activism.
Even so, the attack on Malala has shown their threat continues. But the girls in her hometown say they can’t let the fear of extremists put them off again.
“We saw three bleak years where our schools were torched and blasted and we were forcefully stopped from going to school — we got education secretly,” said Kausar, a 10th-grader at Government High School No.1 in Saidu Sharif, Swat, whose full name is also being withheld by USA TODAY.
“That was the worst time of our lives but we have never given up our education.”
The official literacy rate in Pakistan is 56% and 40% of females can read. Literacy rates for women in Pakistan have increased from 15% to 40% since the early 1980s. Pakistan’s government credits the rise to public campaigns to get more girls in school.
Malala became famous for a blog she wrote for the BBC in 2009 under a pseudonym about her oppressive life under the Taliban regime and its repression of education of girls. When she was shot for it, Pakistanis across the political, ethnic and religious spectrum came forward to denounce the Taliban.
In the south of the country, where it is safer for girls to go to school, Malala is considered a hero.
“I want to do what Malala did,” said Swaliha Abdullah, a 12-year-old eighth-grader at Eck Eck Government School, a Karachi public school. “She saved her school by writing about it.”
In Karachi, Pakistan’s largest city, girls go to school unhindered by extremists. Instead it is poverty that most affects girls’ schooling as well as that of boys.
At Karachi’s P and T Government Girls’ School, girls in pigtails held in place by red ribbons and in the traditional blue-and-white shalwar kameez tunic and trousers, the everyday style of Pakistani females, peek out of the classrooms as the end of the school day approaches.
“My mom wants me to be a doctor, but I want to be a teacher,” said Wajiha Ashfaq, 14, an eighth-grade student there. Her best friend, Fouzia Ayaz Ahmed, wants to be a doctor.
Fouzia’s father is a driver and Wajiha’s has a government job. They live in a low-income neighborhood close by and walk to school together. Their little sisters tag along.
“I have never taken time off school except once when I had fever,” boasted Laiba Ashfaq, Wajiha’s sister, who is in the fourth grade.
She explains that she loves school and English is her favorite subject. Laiba wants to be a doctor when she grows up.
Rich Pakistanis send their children to private school while poorer children often attend those run by non-governmental organizations (NGOs) such as the Citizens’ Foundation, which is supported by private donors. In many of these schools, tuition is waived and the NGO pays for uniforms and books.
Equally important to keeping girls in school is to give them the means to help support the family so they are not forced to work. Nighat Abbasi of the Inner Wheel Club, the NGO that adopted P and T Government Girls’ School, organizes programs such as in tie-dying so that girls have a way to augment the family income while staying in school.
Anam Basri, a classmate of Malala at the Khushal School in Mingora, says the Taliban is naive if it thinks it can frighten girls from pursuing an education.
“They will never be successful in their evil thinking and actions to stop us from education,” she says.
“Though we are very sad for our friend Malala, such mean actions would never discourage us and will never keep our attention from getting education,” said Rida, a ninth-grade schoolmate of Malala’s at Khushal School in Mingora, Swat Valley.
“Education is our right given to us by our religion and no forces can stop us from getting it,” says Rida, whose full name is being withheld by USA TODAY to prevent retaliation against her.
Malala’s hometown in the lush Swat Valley became the center of Taliban violence in Pakistan after the group pushed its way into power in 2007. Staunch opponents of female education, the Taliban terrorized students and teachers, bombed hundreds of schools and forced many others to close their doors to girls because of the risk.
But a major offensive by the Pakistan military two years later largely drove the Taliban from the area and allowed young girls to go back to their classrooms.
Earlier this month, 15-year-old Malala, an outspoken advocate for girls’ education, was shot in the head and neck by the Taliban on her way home from school. The group has vowed to finish her off, saying she had been acting against Islam in her activism.
Even so, the attack on Malala has shown their threat continues. But the girls in her hometown say they can’t let the fear of extremists put them off again.
“We saw three bleak years where our schools were torched and blasted and we were forcefully stopped from going to school — we got education secretly,” said Kausar, a 10th-grader at Government High School No.1 in Saidu Sharif, Swat, whose full name is also being withheld by USA TODAY.
“That was the worst time of our lives but we have never given up our education.”
The official literacy rate in Pakistan is 56% and 40% of females can read. Literacy rates for women in Pakistan have increased from 15% to 40% since the early 1980s. Pakistan’s government credits the rise to public campaigns to get more girls in school.
Malala became famous for a blog she wrote for the BBC in 2009 under a pseudonym about her oppressive life under the Taliban regime and its repression of education of girls. When she was shot for it, Pakistanis across the political, ethnic and religious spectrum came forward to denounce the Taliban.
In the south of the country, where it is safer for girls to go to school, Malala is considered a hero.
“I want to do what Malala did,” said Swaliha Abdullah, a 12-year-old eighth-grader at Eck Eck Government School, a Karachi public school. “She saved her school by writing about it.”
In Karachi, Pakistan’s largest city, girls go to school unhindered by extremists. Instead it is poverty that most affects girls’ schooling as well as that of boys.
At Karachi’s P and T Government Girls’ School, girls in pigtails held in place by red ribbons and in the traditional blue-and-white shalwar kameez tunic and trousers, the everyday style of Pakistani females, peek out of the classrooms as the end of the school day approaches.
“My mom wants me to be a doctor, but I want to be a teacher,” said Wajiha Ashfaq, 14, an eighth-grade student there. Her best friend, Fouzia Ayaz Ahmed, wants to be a doctor.
Fouzia’s father is a driver and Wajiha’s has a government job. They live in a low-income neighborhood close by and walk to school together. Their little sisters tag along.
“I have never taken time off school except once when I had fever,” boasted Laiba Ashfaq, Wajiha’s sister, who is in the fourth grade.
She explains that she loves school and English is her favorite subject. Laiba wants to be a doctor when she grows up.
Rich Pakistanis send their children to private school while poorer children often attend those run by non-governmental organizations (NGOs) such as the Citizens’ Foundation, which is supported by private donors. In many of these schools, tuition is waived and the NGO pays for uniforms and books.
Equally important to keeping girls in school is to give them the means to help support the family so they are not forced to work. Nighat Abbasi of the Inner Wheel Club, the NGO that adopted P and T Government Girls’ School, organizes programs such as in tie-dying so that girls have a way to augment the family income while staying in school.
Anam Basri, a classmate of Malala at the Khushal School in Mingora, says the Taliban is naive if it thinks it can frighten girls from pursuing an education.
“They will never be successful in their evil thinking and actions to stop us from education,” she says.
2012年10月24日星期三
Ingram was vaunted for his aggressiveness
Mark Ingram rushes for 1600 yards and 17 touchdowns while leading his team to a BCS national Championship and winning the Heisman trophy. 2010: Ingram is drafted in the first round, #28 overall to the New Orleans Saints and sophomore back Trent Richardson bursts onto the scene. 2011: Richardson rushes for 1700 yards and 21 touchdowns, leading to another BCS National Championship, is a Heisman finalist, and is drafted with the third overall pick by the Cleveland Browns.
Alabama running back Eddie Lacy has the misfortune of trying to follow one of the best acts in football. Being the next Alabama running back after Mark Ingram and Trent Richardson is like telling someone “Alright, you are going to be getting on stage right after The Beatles and The Rolling Stones warm the crowd up.”
Throw in the fact that Alabama also has the extremely exciting freshman TJ Yeldon breathing down Lacy’s neck, and you’re looking at a guy without a chance of separating himself from the others. And it’s not because he doesn’t have the talent.
Many with short memories will forget that, according to Rivals, Lacy was a four star recruit, 13th ranked running back, and top 120 prospect in the country when he came out of high school. Few people look at the 5’11″, 220 pound back and see the all-around skill set he possesses.
No, many just look at Eddie Lacy and remember how great Ingram and Richardson were, and dream about how good Yeldon could be.
But right now, Lacy is in the present, and the fact is that he is a very solid running back prospect that has true NFL potential. Much like Ingram and Richardson, he does not possess elite speed at the position. Ingram was a low-4.6 guy and Richardson was a low 4.5 guy. I think Lacy is closer to Richardson, and should post a time around 4.55. He isn’t as powerful as Ingram, but he is built very solidly and has very good balance for the position.
Lacy’s running intelligence is something that stands out to me when I watch him. Ingram was vaunted for his aggressiveness at the line of scrimmage and dedication to running north-south. Richardson was known for his light feet and change of direction ability combined with his immense physical skillset. Lacy gets his yards with patience and a great ability to read his offensive line. He is an ideal zone-scheme running back, in the mold of a guy like Ben Tate. He doesn’t have Tate’s second gear (Tate ran in the 4.4 range), but he has his patience in combination with his quickness once he sees the opening.
At this point, Lacy is a second day pick, and a guy who probably will be drafted into part of a rotation. I think he could be a star in a scheme such as the Redskins, but I am sure they are content with Alfred Morris and probably want to use their picks to shore up the defense. I could see a team like the Jets bringing him in as a rotational back because Lacy’s biggest concern is his ability to carry the load. He has never had more than 19 carries in a game (which he has done once), and before this season he never had more than 13 in a game.
I don’t envy Eddie Lacy’s position as the next in line in the Alabama running back lineage. I do think he has a potentially bright future ahead of him in the NFL, and I think he should go in the second day of the NFL draft.
Alabama running back Eddie Lacy has the misfortune of trying to follow one of the best acts in football. Being the next Alabama running back after Mark Ingram and Trent Richardson is like telling someone “Alright, you are going to be getting on stage right after The Beatles and The Rolling Stones warm the crowd up.”
Throw in the fact that Alabama also has the extremely exciting freshman TJ Yeldon breathing down Lacy’s neck, and you’re looking at a guy without a chance of separating himself from the others. And it’s not because he doesn’t have the talent.
Many with short memories will forget that, according to Rivals, Lacy was a four star recruit, 13th ranked running back, and top 120 prospect in the country when he came out of high school. Few people look at the 5’11″, 220 pound back and see the all-around skill set he possesses.
No, many just look at Eddie Lacy and remember how great Ingram and Richardson were, and dream about how good Yeldon could be.
But right now, Lacy is in the present, and the fact is that he is a very solid running back prospect that has true NFL potential. Much like Ingram and Richardson, he does not possess elite speed at the position. Ingram was a low-4.6 guy and Richardson was a low 4.5 guy. I think Lacy is closer to Richardson, and should post a time around 4.55. He isn’t as powerful as Ingram, but he is built very solidly and has very good balance for the position.
Lacy’s running intelligence is something that stands out to me when I watch him. Ingram was vaunted for his aggressiveness at the line of scrimmage and dedication to running north-south. Richardson was known for his light feet and change of direction ability combined with his immense physical skillset. Lacy gets his yards with patience and a great ability to read his offensive line. He is an ideal zone-scheme running back, in the mold of a guy like Ben Tate. He doesn’t have Tate’s second gear (Tate ran in the 4.4 range), but he has his patience in combination with his quickness once he sees the opening.
At this point, Lacy is a second day pick, and a guy who probably will be drafted into part of a rotation. I think he could be a star in a scheme such as the Redskins, but I am sure they are content with Alfred Morris and probably want to use their picks to shore up the defense. I could see a team like the Jets bringing him in as a rotational back because Lacy’s biggest concern is his ability to carry the load. He has never had more than 19 carries in a game (which he has done once), and before this season he never had more than 13 in a game.
I don’t envy Eddie Lacy’s position as the next in line in the Alabama running back lineage. I do think he has a potentially bright future ahead of him in the NFL, and I think he should go in the second day of the NFL draft.
2012年10月23日星期二
I want to support as a female designer
The annual QVC Presents “FFANY Shoes on Sale” event managed to draw an impressive crowd of footwear designers, executives and celebs on Monday night, at New York’s Waldorf Astoria.
“It just seems to get bigger every year. It’s fabulous to be here and actually watch it all come together,” said QVC CEO Mike George. “We’ve got a record number of shoes donated and it’s a great turnout, so it’s another great year.”
While both George and FFANY CEO Joe Moore sported pink ties to show their support for the evening’s cause — breast cancer research — Moore took it a step further with a footwear look by H.H. Brown featuring pink suede contrasts.
Meanwhile, guests were invited to shop the donated merchandise in the Shoe Salon, which showcased more than 90 brands. This year’s spokesperson, Nicole Richie, was in on the shopping and joked that her House of Harlow 1960 line stole the show. When asked her favorite look to peruse? “My shoes, of course,” she said, citing the Madison as her personal favorite style.
Designer Ruthie Davis also was on-hand and donated several looks for the fundraiser. “We took it up a notch this year. It’s a cause I want to support as a female designer,” she said, while also hinting that men’s shoes will be added to her label for fall.
Vince Camuto made the rounds with Liz Rodbell, EVP of merchandising for Lord & Taylor, which received the Retailer of the Year Award (presented by Camuto). “Liz has been a friend of mine for years, and we love working with her,” said Camuto. “We love what Lord & Taylor is doing and we’re excited to be part of presenting the award to them this year. It’s an honor for us.”
Another big name in the room was TV actress Kristin Cavallari, who introduced Tory Burch as a presenter. Cavallari, whose own capsule collection with Chinese Laundry debuts for spring ’13, noted that she was a “big fan” of the designer and her footwear.
Burch then took the stage to present the Jodi Fisher Humanitarian Award, given posthumously to Evelyn Lauder of the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Dr. Larry Norton was on-hand to accept the honor.
“Evelyn was always the best advocate [for breast cancer]. I called her when my mother and sister-in-law were diagnosed, and she called me back within 5 minutes,” said Burch, who also shared memories of Lauder’s shoe-loving ways. “Evelyn was always the first in line to shop a shoe sale.”
Actress Helena Mattsson of ABC’s “666 Park Avenue” also showed her support for the cause and attended the event with Carmen Marc Volvo, while sporting an exclusive strappy sandal from the designer’s spring ’13 runway collection.
Volvo himself chose a vintage look by H.H. Brown and hinted that there’s more to come from the two teams.
The evening wrapped with a dance party at the “FFANY Club,” and the on-air QVC sale kicks off Wednesday.
“It just seems to get bigger every year. It’s fabulous to be here and actually watch it all come together,” said QVC CEO Mike George. “We’ve got a record number of shoes donated and it’s a great turnout, so it’s another great year.”
While both George and FFANY CEO Joe Moore sported pink ties to show their support for the evening’s cause — breast cancer research — Moore took it a step further with a footwear look by H.H. Brown featuring pink suede contrasts.
Meanwhile, guests were invited to shop the donated merchandise in the Shoe Salon, which showcased more than 90 brands. This year’s spokesperson, Nicole Richie, was in on the shopping and joked that her House of Harlow 1960 line stole the show. When asked her favorite look to peruse? “My shoes, of course,” she said, citing the Madison as her personal favorite style.
Designer Ruthie Davis also was on-hand and donated several looks for the fundraiser. “We took it up a notch this year. It’s a cause I want to support as a female designer,” she said, while also hinting that men’s shoes will be added to her label for fall.
Vince Camuto made the rounds with Liz Rodbell, EVP of merchandising for Lord & Taylor, which received the Retailer of the Year Award (presented by Camuto). “Liz has been a friend of mine for years, and we love working with her,” said Camuto. “We love what Lord & Taylor is doing and we’re excited to be part of presenting the award to them this year. It’s an honor for us.”
Another big name in the room was TV actress Kristin Cavallari, who introduced Tory Burch as a presenter. Cavallari, whose own capsule collection with Chinese Laundry debuts for spring ’13, noted that she was a “big fan” of the designer and her footwear.
Burch then took the stage to present the Jodi Fisher Humanitarian Award, given posthumously to Evelyn Lauder of the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Dr. Larry Norton was on-hand to accept the honor.
“Evelyn was always the best advocate [for breast cancer]. I called her when my mother and sister-in-law were diagnosed, and she called me back within 5 minutes,” said Burch, who also shared memories of Lauder’s shoe-loving ways. “Evelyn was always the first in line to shop a shoe sale.”
Actress Helena Mattsson of ABC’s “666 Park Avenue” also showed her support for the cause and attended the event with Carmen Marc Volvo, while sporting an exclusive strappy sandal from the designer’s spring ’13 runway collection.
Volvo himself chose a vintage look by H.H. Brown and hinted that there’s more to come from the two teams.
The evening wrapped with a dance party at the “FFANY Club,” and the on-air QVC sale kicks off Wednesday.
2012年10月22日星期一
Justin Kittredge of Reebok helped spearhead
He said they feel “like a cushion inside.”
The cushion is actually memory foam in the sole of the shoe.
A team of 10 Reebok designers used laser technology and molds to custom make three pairs of size 24 shoes.
“Now that I’ve seen them, I’m overwhelmed,” Igor said.
Each pair is personalized with his name, his exact height – seven feet, eight and-one-third inches — and his own logo: a symbol of where he is from.
“The top of it is a national Ukrainian symbol,” Igor said.
The last time Igor fit into a pair of Reebok’s, he was in third grade.
“I never thought I’d have a pair of shoes that looks like something that comes off the shelf,” he said. “To have all of these things personalized specifically to me, it goes above and beyond anything I had hoped for.”
For him, this gift is much bigger than shoes.
“It’s an enormous opportunity now to start doing things I haven’t been able to do.”
Numerous painful foot ailments and surgeries, compounded by his size, have kept Igor from leaving his home many times.
“Walking two blocks, I’m out of breath. I hope this is the road to recovery,” he said.
Justin Kittredge of Reebok helped spearhead the effort to get Igor new shoes. He came to Rochester to personally do the fitting on Thursday.
“From the reaction today, I think we’re definitely on the road to helping Igor to a much more healthier lifestyle.”
Igor says he’ll surely be sporting his new Timberwolves-inspired tennis shoes to a basketball game soon.
For the first time in a long time, Igor says, he’ll be comfortable and proud to walk around in his new shoes.
“Now I’m hoping that instead of my height drawing attention, my shoes are going to be drawing attention,” he said.
Igor initially raised nearly $40,000 from donations on Facebook to pay for the shoes. Reebok since stepped in and said it would cover the entire cost.
Igor says he’ll use the money to buy winter shoes, a pair of sandals, and tuck the rest away to buy shoes in the future. He also said he’s incredibly grateful for the supportive messages and donations he received from people across the country.
The cushion is actually memory foam in the sole of the shoe.
A team of 10 Reebok designers used laser technology and molds to custom make three pairs of size 24 shoes.
“Now that I’ve seen them, I’m overwhelmed,” Igor said.
Each pair is personalized with his name, his exact height – seven feet, eight and-one-third inches — and his own logo: a symbol of where he is from.
“The top of it is a national Ukrainian symbol,” Igor said.
The last time Igor fit into a pair of Reebok’s, he was in third grade.
“I never thought I’d have a pair of shoes that looks like something that comes off the shelf,” he said. “To have all of these things personalized specifically to me, it goes above and beyond anything I had hoped for.”
For him, this gift is much bigger than shoes.
“It’s an enormous opportunity now to start doing things I haven’t been able to do.”
Numerous painful foot ailments and surgeries, compounded by his size, have kept Igor from leaving his home many times.
“Walking two blocks, I’m out of breath. I hope this is the road to recovery,” he said.
Justin Kittredge of Reebok helped spearhead the effort to get Igor new shoes. He came to Rochester to personally do the fitting on Thursday.
“From the reaction today, I think we’re definitely on the road to helping Igor to a much more healthier lifestyle.”
Igor says he’ll surely be sporting his new Timberwolves-inspired tennis shoes to a basketball game soon.
For the first time in a long time, Igor says, he’ll be comfortable and proud to walk around in his new shoes.
“Now I’m hoping that instead of my height drawing attention, my shoes are going to be drawing attention,” he said.
Igor initially raised nearly $40,000 from donations on Facebook to pay for the shoes. Reebok since stepped in and said it would cover the entire cost.
Igor says he’ll use the money to buy winter shoes, a pair of sandals, and tuck the rest away to buy shoes in the future. He also said he’s incredibly grateful for the supportive messages and donations he received from people across the country.
2012年10月21日星期日
Even as other cobblers went out of business
In a matter of days, they'll take out the last of the heavy stitching, sanding and polishing machines that have been here as long as he has, since Dwight D. Eisenhower was president and the Baltimore Orioles were the newest thing in the American League. You don't have to ask how Insley feels about leaving the shop after 58 years. Just step in the door and he tells you.
"I loved every minute of it," says Insley. "I hate to go. But when you get to be 82, you got to go."
A few weeks ago, he posted signs in the window saying he was closing the place Oct. 31, asking customers to call his home to make arrangements to pick up their shoes or boots. He's at the shop now just a few hours a week, taking no new work except for repairs that can be done quickly and with the equipment he still has on hand.
"It's going to hurt bad" to leave, he says. "It ain't like I'm not going to see some of the people, but …"
Insley has worked since 1954 at the Shipley Linthicum Shopping Center, where his brother, Joseph, opened the shop in 1949. That was before throwaway shoes and sneakers that change styles in a flash. That was before their trade started to fade away, from about 100,000 shoe repair stores during the Great Depression to fewer than a tenth of that number today, according to the Shoe Service Institute of America.
Even as other cobblers went out of business, Insley says he became known as the "Mayor of Linthicum Shopping Center."
"He'll definitely be missed, that's for sure," says Kathy Williams, who stopped by the shop one recent morning with her husband, Dan, who grew up in the neighborhood and remembers bringing his shoes here when he was a teenager in the late 1950s and early 1960s.
"When I was going to school, the big thing was getting a pair of shoes and getting cleats put on them," Dan Williams says. He'd come here, to Billie.
Now living in Boiling Springs, S.C., the Williamses were in town for a family wedding at Michael's Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie, where Kathy broke a tip off the spiky heel of a pair of black patent leather shoes. She immediately thought of Insley.
"In the 40 years we've been married, anytime we needed shoes repaired, we'd come here," she says.
The Williamses are headed back to South Carolina in a day, but they dropped off the shoes a little after 10 in the morning and went on their way, saying they'd be back about noon.
Insley quickly finds a couple of fresh heel tips, sets the shoe heels up one at a time on an iron stand and nails the tips home. He sands the sides smooth on a machine that takes up much of one wall — a contraption with many wheels and levers that looks suited for a museum exhibition on the Industrial Revolution. He finishes the job with dabs of black Fiebing's Leather Dye. All for $5.
"I call them my family," he says of his customers. "Anybody in this world who loves their job more," he says — well, it's hard to imagine. "It's always something different. The shoes have changed so much since 1947. Used to be wooden heels. Now everything is plastic."
Sometimes that means the heels and soles cannot be replaced, but, he says, "I like a good challenge."
He can repair a leather coat by slipping a matching swatch behind the tear, affixing it with leather cement and tamping it down so smooth that all you see is "teeny seams," he says.
"He's a cobbler, a true cobbler," says Jude Sklanka, a friend from the neighborhood who is helping Insley clean out the shop. "This area of Anne Arundel County is losing something it will never have again. It's sad. Now people are coming in and realizing we lost part of our community."
George Schneider, for instance, stops by after getting his hair cut next door.
"Who's going to be here as a shoe repair?" he asks Insley.
"Nobody," says Insley.
"Nobody?" says Schneider, who has been a customer of Insley's since 1968. "I'm going to miss you."
Sklanka dismantled the wooden shelves, bought all the stock and the equipment, and is taking everything out, piece by piece. Some stuff he has hauled to the county dump. Some supplies and equipment, he's selling to a shoemaker in Rockville. He's putting some of the equipment in storage, and then, he says, "I have no idea what I'm going to do with it."
A lifelong bachelor, Insley is not quite sure what he's going to do, either. He's been doing this work since another brother, who went by the initials L.J., asked him to join him in his shoe-repair shop in Glen Burnie in 1947. Years later, Insley was drafted and spent a couple of years in the Army, then returned to join Joseph here in Linthicum in 1954. Since 1957, he's been running the shop on his own.
"I loved every minute of it," says Insley. "I hate to go. But when you get to be 82, you got to go."
A few weeks ago, he posted signs in the window saying he was closing the place Oct. 31, asking customers to call his home to make arrangements to pick up their shoes or boots. He's at the shop now just a few hours a week, taking no new work except for repairs that can be done quickly and with the equipment he still has on hand.
"It's going to hurt bad" to leave, he says. "It ain't like I'm not going to see some of the people, but …"
Insley has worked since 1954 at the Shipley Linthicum Shopping Center, where his brother, Joseph, opened the shop in 1949. That was before throwaway shoes and sneakers that change styles in a flash. That was before their trade started to fade away, from about 100,000 shoe repair stores during the Great Depression to fewer than a tenth of that number today, according to the Shoe Service Institute of America.
Even as other cobblers went out of business, Insley says he became known as the "Mayor of Linthicum Shopping Center."
"He'll definitely be missed, that's for sure," says Kathy Williams, who stopped by the shop one recent morning with her husband, Dan, who grew up in the neighborhood and remembers bringing his shoes here when he was a teenager in the late 1950s and early 1960s.
"When I was going to school, the big thing was getting a pair of shoes and getting cleats put on them," Dan Williams says. He'd come here, to Billie.
Now living in Boiling Springs, S.C., the Williamses were in town for a family wedding at Michael's Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie, where Kathy broke a tip off the spiky heel of a pair of black patent leather shoes. She immediately thought of Insley.
"In the 40 years we've been married, anytime we needed shoes repaired, we'd come here," she says.
The Williamses are headed back to South Carolina in a day, but they dropped off the shoes a little after 10 in the morning and went on their way, saying they'd be back about noon.
Insley quickly finds a couple of fresh heel tips, sets the shoe heels up one at a time on an iron stand and nails the tips home. He sands the sides smooth on a machine that takes up much of one wall — a contraption with many wheels and levers that looks suited for a museum exhibition on the Industrial Revolution. He finishes the job with dabs of black Fiebing's Leather Dye. All for $5.
"I call them my family," he says of his customers. "Anybody in this world who loves their job more," he says — well, it's hard to imagine. "It's always something different. The shoes have changed so much since 1947. Used to be wooden heels. Now everything is plastic."
Sometimes that means the heels and soles cannot be replaced, but, he says, "I like a good challenge."
He can repair a leather coat by slipping a matching swatch behind the tear, affixing it with leather cement and tamping it down so smooth that all you see is "teeny seams," he says.
"He's a cobbler, a true cobbler," says Jude Sklanka, a friend from the neighborhood who is helping Insley clean out the shop. "This area of Anne Arundel County is losing something it will never have again. It's sad. Now people are coming in and realizing we lost part of our community."
George Schneider, for instance, stops by after getting his hair cut next door.
"Who's going to be here as a shoe repair?" he asks Insley.
"Nobody," says Insley.
"Nobody?" says Schneider, who has been a customer of Insley's since 1968. "I'm going to miss you."
Sklanka dismantled the wooden shelves, bought all the stock and the equipment, and is taking everything out, piece by piece. Some stuff he has hauled to the county dump. Some supplies and equipment, he's selling to a shoemaker in Rockville. He's putting some of the equipment in storage, and then, he says, "I have no idea what I'm going to do with it."
A lifelong bachelor, Insley is not quite sure what he's going to do, either. He's been doing this work since another brother, who went by the initials L.J., asked him to join him in his shoe-repair shop in Glen Burnie in 1947. Years later, Insley was drafted and spent a couple of years in the Army, then returned to join Joseph here in Linthicum in 1954. Since 1957, he's been running the shop on his own.
2012年10月18日星期四
Big-man Tuinei has big shoes to fill for Als
In some ways, Lavasier Tuinei has been preparing for this moment his entire life -- from the days he followed his father around NFL stadiums, to another stage at the University of Oregon and, finally, the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif.
Tuinei has played before 100,000 spectators. Presumably, he won't be fazed by the 30,000 that will cram into Mosaic Stadium Saturday afternoon.
"I'm excited. I'm not as nervous as I should be. I'm more prepared and have confidence in myself," the 6-foot-5, 216-pound receiver said on Thursday, following the Alouettes' final practice this week at Stade Hébert in Saint-Léonard. "I want to show the team I can step up after the injuries. I have big shoes to fill ... but I'm prepared and ready."
Only 22, and on Montreal's practice roster for only three weeks, Tuinei is preparing for his pro debut against the Saskatchewan Roughriders. And he's part of a new-look offence, following injuries to receiver Brandon London and tailback Victor Anderson. London is out for the season after undergoing knee surgery this week, while Anderson suffered a concussion last Sunday, against Toronto, and will be replaced by Chris Jennings.
And the Als are already missing receiver S.J. Green, creating another opening on offence for tailback, receiver and kick-returner Noel Devine, who comes off the nine-game injured list.
"We have to enjoy the process of getting to know the team," head coach Marc Trestman said. "We have a lot of new pieces, and it'll be this way the rest of the way. Some players will have to be more productive. We can't rely on one or two.
"We'll have to grow and continue finding ourselves as we move forward," he added. "I think we can do it and have success as a team. It's going to take a collective effort and it's going to be different. We won't sit back and wait for things to happen."
Tuinei realizes he would still be a prospect, sitting on the practice roster, had London not sustained his injury. That's the way things work in pro sports, an injury creating a potential opening that must be seized by the newcomer.
"Sometimes you have to wait and be patient," said the native of Arcadia, Ind. "People get hurt and you step up ... show off your ability. This is my chance. I'm the next person (on the depth chart) and I won't lag. I want to help the team. That's what I'm here for."
It's not like Tuinei comes to Montreal without credentials and an impressive pedigree. He already has the blood-line; his father, Van, is a former defensive end who played 45 NFL games with San Diego, Indianapolis and Chicago.
As for the receiver, he spent three seasons with the Oregon Ducks, following a year at Golden West Junior College in Huntington Beach, Calif., catching 108 passes for 1,212 yards over 37 games, while scoring 12 touchdowns.
He was the team's leading receiver as a senior, with 48 receptions and 10 TDs, and second in yards, with 599. But Tuinei saved the best for his final collegiate game, being named the Rose Bowl's offensive player of the game. He had a career-high eight catches for 158 yards, scoring twice, in the Ducks' win over Wisconsin.
Tuinei has played before 100,000 spectators. Presumably, he won't be fazed by the 30,000 that will cram into Mosaic Stadium Saturday afternoon.
"I'm excited. I'm not as nervous as I should be. I'm more prepared and have confidence in myself," the 6-foot-5, 216-pound receiver said on Thursday, following the Alouettes' final practice this week at Stade Hébert in Saint-Léonard. "I want to show the team I can step up after the injuries. I have big shoes to fill ... but I'm prepared and ready."
Only 22, and on Montreal's practice roster for only three weeks, Tuinei is preparing for his pro debut against the Saskatchewan Roughriders. And he's part of a new-look offence, following injuries to receiver Brandon London and tailback Victor Anderson. London is out for the season after undergoing knee surgery this week, while Anderson suffered a concussion last Sunday, against Toronto, and will be replaced by Chris Jennings.
And the Als are already missing receiver S.J. Green, creating another opening on offence for tailback, receiver and kick-returner Noel Devine, who comes off the nine-game injured list.
"We have to enjoy the process of getting to know the team," head coach Marc Trestman said. "We have a lot of new pieces, and it'll be this way the rest of the way. Some players will have to be more productive. We can't rely on one or two.
"We'll have to grow and continue finding ourselves as we move forward," he added. "I think we can do it and have success as a team. It's going to take a collective effort and it's going to be different. We won't sit back and wait for things to happen."
Tuinei realizes he would still be a prospect, sitting on the practice roster, had London not sustained his injury. That's the way things work in pro sports, an injury creating a potential opening that must be seized by the newcomer.
"Sometimes you have to wait and be patient," said the native of Arcadia, Ind. "People get hurt and you step up ... show off your ability. This is my chance. I'm the next person (on the depth chart) and I won't lag. I want to help the team. That's what I'm here for."
It's not like Tuinei comes to Montreal without credentials and an impressive pedigree. He already has the blood-line; his father, Van, is a former defensive end who played 45 NFL games with San Diego, Indianapolis and Chicago.
As for the receiver, he spent three seasons with the Oregon Ducks, following a year at Golden West Junior College in Huntington Beach, Calif., catching 108 passes for 1,212 yards over 37 games, while scoring 12 touchdowns.
He was the team's leading receiver as a senior, with 48 receptions and 10 TDs, and second in yards, with 599. But Tuinei saved the best for his final collegiate game, being named the Rose Bowl's offensive player of the game. He had a career-high eight catches for 158 yards, scoring twice, in the Ducks' win over Wisconsin.
2012年10月17日星期三
while staying with the family of Bob Rosen
Runners young and older can be seen on the roads, and the outdoor tracks at UMass, Amherst College and Amherst Regional High School.
Some of them train for real competition, either in races around Western Massachusetts, or in college and high school meets. Others are just out there for a good workout.
Then there are the really serious guys, like Philemon Terer and Benard Lengat.
No, they’re aren’t from Amherst. Nor do they live there. They come from Kenya, where running is a way of life, especially for those willing to put in the miles that can lead to monetary winnings in support of themselves and their families back in their villages.
For dedicated athletes like Terer and Lengat, Amherst has become an important stop on their journey toward establishing themselves as world-class competitors. Over recent weeks, they trained together in Amherst while staying with the family of Bob Rosen, a 61-year-old distance-running guru who doubles as a Springfield lawyer.
The law may be his livelihood, but the road is his passion. He has been running since his teens, and he loves to help others with their training. He’s been doing that for years as a volunteer assistant coach of cross country and track at Amherst Regional. He also helps with Amherst College teams.
As Rosen puts it, “I love to deal with young, motivated people who want to learn. I try to help them get better and faster, and I try to give them what can be a lifelong love for the sport. It’s something they can do for years.”
It was no wonder, then, that Rosen reveled in the success of the Amherst Regional boys teams when they won a “Triple Crown” in 2011-12 – Western Massachusetts titles in cross country, indoor track and outdoor track.
As for the Kenyans, the training they have been doing with Rosen in Amherst has produced impressive results. On Oct. 13 – a cold and crisp Saturday morning – Terer and Lengat finished 1-2 in the Hartford Half-Marathon, outlasting a field of 7,000 entries. If not for the cold, one or both might have broken the course record of 1:05.24 for the 13.1-mile grind.
It seems that Amherst always has been known as “a running town.”
Runners young and older can be seen on the roads, and the outdoor tracks at UMass, Amherst College and Amherst Regional High School.
Some of them train for real competition, either in races around Western Massachusetts, or in college and high school meets. Others are just out there for a good workout.
Then there are the really serious guys, like Philemon Terer and Benard Lengat.
No, they’re aren’t from Amherst. Nor do they live there. They come from Kenya, where running is a way of life, especially for those willing to put in the miles that can lead to monetary winnings in support of themselves and their families back in their villages.
For dedicated athletes like Terer and Lengat, Amherst has become an important stop on their journey toward establishing themselves as world-class competitors. Over recent weeks, they trained together in Amherst while staying with the family of Bob Rosen, a 61-year-old distance-running guru who doubles as a Springfield lawyer.
The law may be his livelihood, but the road is his passion. He has been running since his teens, and he loves to help others with their training. He’s been doing that for years as a volunteer assistant coach of cross country and track at Amherst Regional. He also helps with Amherst College teams.
As Rosen puts it, “I love to deal with young, motivated people who want to learn. I try to help them get better and faster, and I try to give them what can be a lifelong love for the sport. It’s something they can do for years.”
It was no wonder, then, that Rosen reveled in the success of the Amherst Regional boys teams when they won a “Triple Crown” in 2011-12 – Western Massachusetts titles in cross country, indoor track and outdoor track.
As for the Kenyans, the training they have been doing with Rosen in Amherst has produced impressive results. On Oct. 13 – a cold and crisp Saturday morning – Terer and Lengat finished 1-2 in the Hartford Half-Marathon, outlasting a field of 7,000 entries. If not for the cold, one or both might have broken the course record of 1:05.24 for the 13.1-mile grind.
Some of them train for real competition, either in races around Western Massachusetts, or in college and high school meets. Others are just out there for a good workout.
Then there are the really serious guys, like Philemon Terer and Benard Lengat.
No, they’re aren’t from Amherst. Nor do they live there. They come from Kenya, where running is a way of life, especially for those willing to put in the miles that can lead to monetary winnings in support of themselves and their families back in their villages.
For dedicated athletes like Terer and Lengat, Amherst has become an important stop on their journey toward establishing themselves as world-class competitors. Over recent weeks, they trained together in Amherst while staying with the family of Bob Rosen, a 61-year-old distance-running guru who doubles as a Springfield lawyer.
The law may be his livelihood, but the road is his passion. He has been running since his teens, and he loves to help others with their training. He’s been doing that for years as a volunteer assistant coach of cross country and track at Amherst Regional. He also helps with Amherst College teams.
As Rosen puts it, “I love to deal with young, motivated people who want to learn. I try to help them get better and faster, and I try to give them what can be a lifelong love for the sport. It’s something they can do for years.”
It was no wonder, then, that Rosen reveled in the success of the Amherst Regional boys teams when they won a “Triple Crown” in 2011-12 – Western Massachusetts titles in cross country, indoor track and outdoor track.
As for the Kenyans, the training they have been doing with Rosen in Amherst has produced impressive results. On Oct. 13 – a cold and crisp Saturday morning – Terer and Lengat finished 1-2 in the Hartford Half-Marathon, outlasting a field of 7,000 entries. If not for the cold, one or both might have broken the course record of 1:05.24 for the 13.1-mile grind.
It seems that Amherst always has been known as “a running town.”
Runners young and older can be seen on the roads, and the outdoor tracks at UMass, Amherst College and Amherst Regional High School.
Some of them train for real competition, either in races around Western Massachusetts, or in college and high school meets. Others are just out there for a good workout.
Then there are the really serious guys, like Philemon Terer and Benard Lengat.
No, they’re aren’t from Amherst. Nor do they live there. They come from Kenya, where running is a way of life, especially for those willing to put in the miles that can lead to monetary winnings in support of themselves and their families back in their villages.
For dedicated athletes like Terer and Lengat, Amherst has become an important stop on their journey toward establishing themselves as world-class competitors. Over recent weeks, they trained together in Amherst while staying with the family of Bob Rosen, a 61-year-old distance-running guru who doubles as a Springfield lawyer.
The law may be his livelihood, but the road is his passion. He has been running since his teens, and he loves to help others with their training. He’s been doing that for years as a volunteer assistant coach of cross country and track at Amherst Regional. He also helps with Amherst College teams.
As Rosen puts it, “I love to deal with young, motivated people who want to learn. I try to help them get better and faster, and I try to give them what can be a lifelong love for the sport. It’s something they can do for years.”
It was no wonder, then, that Rosen reveled in the success of the Amherst Regional boys teams when they won a “Triple Crown” in 2011-12 – Western Massachusetts titles in cross country, indoor track and outdoor track.
As for the Kenyans, the training they have been doing with Rosen in Amherst has produced impressive results. On Oct. 13 – a cold and crisp Saturday morning – Terer and Lengat finished 1-2 in the Hartford Half-Marathon, outlasting a field of 7,000 entries. If not for the cold, one or both might have broken the course record of 1:05.24 for the 13.1-mile grind.
2012年10月16日星期二
Washington has played a part in the competition
A few had panda jewelry. Some drew the black and white bears on their name tags. Others sported attire that one might expect from semifinalists in a contest to become a world panda ambassador, or “Pambassador.”
Ashley Jaeger, 23, a bioengineering researcher at the National Institutes of Health, had black-and-white panda-colored nails and panda-patterned shoes.
“I thought it was fun and kind of something to set me apart,” she said.
Jaeger is one of 24 semifinalists — one from Brazil, the rest from the United States — competing in Washington at the Omni Shoreham Hotel on Tuesday and Wednesday for a chance to spend a year as a global envoy for wildlife conservation.
Four finalists will be selected Wednesday afternoon to spend nearly a month at the Chengdu Panda Base in China, working to introduce the bears into the wild. Later, the four will compete in Chengdu against 12 other finalists from Britain, Singapore and Chinato be named one of three globe-trotting pambassadors.
Those unofficial diplomats will receive a $20,000 stipend — which could buy a lot of bamboo in tough economic times — and will visit pandas around the world while promoting conservation at the community level. There were 45,000 online applications worldwide for the honor.
The competition’s sponsors, the Chengdu Panda Base and the San Francisco-based nonprofit organization WildAid, are using pandas as the adorable public face of wildlife conservation and endangered species. The contest started in 2010, but did not take place last year.
WildAid Executive Director Peter Knights said that in the conservation business pandas — with their cute faces and scruffy fur — are far more appealing as spokescreatures than, say, sharks.
“A lot of animals don’t have that going for them,” Knights said. “The panda is an icon for many endangered species.”
Giant pandas are among the rarest animals in the world, according to the National Zoo’s Web site. About 1,600 live in the wild. Another 300 are in zoos and breeding centers around the world, mostly in China.
A cub was born at the National Zoo last month, but died a week later. The cub, born to the zoo’s Mei Xiang and Tian Tian, died of liver failure related to an insufficient supply of oxygen. A necropsy showed that the cub’s lungs were not fully formed.
“I always wanted to see a baby panda in real life,” Jaeger said, adding that she has a large collection of stuffed panda toys. “No other animal has that effect on me.”
Jaeger is hardly alone in her panda fascination.
Ashley Robertson, 27, from Orlando, was one of the 2010 panda ambassadors, even putting her associate’s degree in photography on hold to enter the competition. The contest prize that year was $1,000, and she said she took a loan to pay her bills back home while she traveled to China.
“Honestly, I didn’t have a doubt in my mind that I wouldn’t make it,” she said, adding that she has a rescue mutt named Panda, even though it’s part pit bull and part basset hound. “I didn’t want anything anymore, that’s all that I wanted to do,” she said.
This is the first year that Washington has played a part in the competition. The city was chosen because of the resident pandas at the zoo, who have charmed and entranced the community since the National Zoo received its first Chinese panda visit from Hsing-Hsing and Ling-Ling in 1972.
The 24 semifinalists were selected after applying online and submitting videos showing their panda enthusiasm. On Tuesday, the semifinalists participated in a relay race — dressed at times as pandas — and made their way through the Woodley Park neighborhood to the National Zoo. On Wednesday, among other activities, they were scheduled to visit Georgetown and the Mall accompanied by people dressed in panda costumes. The goal is to interact with the public about conservation.
Ashley Jaeger, 23, a bioengineering researcher at the National Institutes of Health, had black-and-white panda-colored nails and panda-patterned shoes.
“I thought it was fun and kind of something to set me apart,” she said.
Jaeger is one of 24 semifinalists — one from Brazil, the rest from the United States — competing in Washington at the Omni Shoreham Hotel on Tuesday and Wednesday for a chance to spend a year as a global envoy for wildlife conservation.
Four finalists will be selected Wednesday afternoon to spend nearly a month at the Chengdu Panda Base in China, working to introduce the bears into the wild. Later, the four will compete in Chengdu against 12 other finalists from Britain, Singapore and Chinato be named one of three globe-trotting pambassadors.
Those unofficial diplomats will receive a $20,000 stipend — which could buy a lot of bamboo in tough economic times — and will visit pandas around the world while promoting conservation at the community level. There were 45,000 online applications worldwide for the honor.
The competition’s sponsors, the Chengdu Panda Base and the San Francisco-based nonprofit organization WildAid, are using pandas as the adorable public face of wildlife conservation and endangered species. The contest started in 2010, but did not take place last year.
WildAid Executive Director Peter Knights said that in the conservation business pandas — with their cute faces and scruffy fur — are far more appealing as spokescreatures than, say, sharks.
“A lot of animals don’t have that going for them,” Knights said. “The panda is an icon for many endangered species.”
Giant pandas are among the rarest animals in the world, according to the National Zoo’s Web site. About 1,600 live in the wild. Another 300 are in zoos and breeding centers around the world, mostly in China.
A cub was born at the National Zoo last month, but died a week later. The cub, born to the zoo’s Mei Xiang and Tian Tian, died of liver failure related to an insufficient supply of oxygen. A necropsy showed that the cub’s lungs were not fully formed.
“I always wanted to see a baby panda in real life,” Jaeger said, adding that she has a large collection of stuffed panda toys. “No other animal has that effect on me.”
Jaeger is hardly alone in her panda fascination.
Ashley Robertson, 27, from Orlando, was one of the 2010 panda ambassadors, even putting her associate’s degree in photography on hold to enter the competition. The contest prize that year was $1,000, and she said she took a loan to pay her bills back home while she traveled to China.
“Honestly, I didn’t have a doubt in my mind that I wouldn’t make it,” she said, adding that she has a rescue mutt named Panda, even though it’s part pit bull and part basset hound. “I didn’t want anything anymore, that’s all that I wanted to do,” she said.
This is the first year that Washington has played a part in the competition. The city was chosen because of the resident pandas at the zoo, who have charmed and entranced the community since the National Zoo received its first Chinese panda visit from Hsing-Hsing and Ling-Ling in 1972.
The 24 semifinalists were selected after applying online and submitting videos showing their panda enthusiasm. On Tuesday, the semifinalists participated in a relay race — dressed at times as pandas — and made their way through the Woodley Park neighborhood to the National Zoo. On Wednesday, among other activities, they were scheduled to visit Georgetown and the Mall accompanied by people dressed in panda costumes. The goal is to interact with the public about conservation.
2012年10月15日星期一
The sights and sounds of Old Town are always enjoyable
Grab your dog's leash and slip on your most comfortable walking shoes for Sunday's dog-and-family friendly event.
The Animal Welfare League of Alexandria (AWLA) is hosting the Alexandria Shelter Walk for Homeless Animals starting at 9 a.m. Sunday. This fun weekend event will benefit the residents of the Vola Lawson Animal Shelter, and is the only walk to benefit Alexandria's homeless pets.
The walk helps increase awareness about the ever-present problem of pet overpopulation,and covers 1.5 miles, beginning and finishing at Market Square.
Participants, on four legs and two, will stroll through the streets of Old Town Alexandria's historic neighborhoods, and yes, George Washington himself once walked there (although no one can confirm whether a dog accompanied him.).
Those who share their homes with cats, ferrets, bunnies, guinea pigs, hamsters, birds or fish are asked to let their animal companions stay home from the Walk---really, the pets much prefer sleeping in on the weekend!-- but are encouraged to walk to represent their animal friends' species.
The sights and sounds of Old Town are always enjoyable, and on this coming Sunday, a spectacular autumn morning will offer new appreciation of the quaint and storied community. Hundreds of area canine-and-human duos are expected to turn out at this event, which is open to the public and the media. Congressman Jim Moran and members of the Alexandria City Council have also been invited.
Teams such as the Lyles-Crouch Animal Crusaders, a group of local 2nd through 5th graders, will participate, as well as sell baked goodies to hungry walkers, with proceeds going to AWLA.
Local vendors will be in place all around Market Square in support of the AWLA and all the Walk participants.
Adult registration is $25 and includes an event t-shirt and bandana. Children and teen are invited to join in the fun under the supervision of a registered adult. Youth registration (ages 6-16) is $10 and includes a t-shirt. Children 5 years of age or younger are free. Walkers are encouraged to form teams with coworkers, family members or civic group members. Prizes will be awarded to the top Team and Individual fundraisers. Adult participants who raise $100 also win an LED flashlight and poop bag dispenser to keep your evening walks clean and bright.
The Animal Welfare League of Alexandria (AWLA) is hosting the Alexandria Shelter Walk for Homeless Animals starting at 9 a.m. Sunday. This fun weekend event will benefit the residents of the Vola Lawson Animal Shelter, and is the only walk to benefit Alexandria's homeless pets.
The walk helps increase awareness about the ever-present problem of pet overpopulation,and covers 1.5 miles, beginning and finishing at Market Square.
Participants, on four legs and two, will stroll through the streets of Old Town Alexandria's historic neighborhoods, and yes, George Washington himself once walked there (although no one can confirm whether a dog accompanied him.).
Those who share their homes with cats, ferrets, bunnies, guinea pigs, hamsters, birds or fish are asked to let their animal companions stay home from the Walk---really, the pets much prefer sleeping in on the weekend!-- but are encouraged to walk to represent their animal friends' species.
The sights and sounds of Old Town are always enjoyable, and on this coming Sunday, a spectacular autumn morning will offer new appreciation of the quaint and storied community. Hundreds of area canine-and-human duos are expected to turn out at this event, which is open to the public and the media. Congressman Jim Moran and members of the Alexandria City Council have also been invited.
Teams such as the Lyles-Crouch Animal Crusaders, a group of local 2nd through 5th graders, will participate, as well as sell baked goodies to hungry walkers, with proceeds going to AWLA.
Local vendors will be in place all around Market Square in support of the AWLA and all the Walk participants.
Adult registration is $25 and includes an event t-shirt and bandana. Children and teen are invited to join in the fun under the supervision of a registered adult. Youth registration (ages 6-16) is $10 and includes a t-shirt. Children 5 years of age or younger are free. Walkers are encouraged to form teams with coworkers, family members or civic group members. Prizes will be awarded to the top Team and Individual fundraisers. Adult participants who raise $100 also win an LED flashlight and poop bag dispenser to keep your evening walks clean and bright.
2012年10月14日星期日
Chaos and squeaking shoes the gaming weekend
Well, I finished Dishonored over the weekend - thanks to the incredibly bad weather on Saturday - and what a single player campaign it was, but it wasn't the ending I was expecting.
No, it seems that the ending you get depends on how much chaos (read: death and destruction) you cause during your travels through the whale-oil-powered city of Dunwall. I now wish I'd played the game a little smarter (and a little less confrontational at times) and a little stealthier as my high chaos playthrough made for a less than desirable final scenario. Luckily, Dishonored is the type of game that is just perfect for a second playthrough, thanks to the multiple options to complete an objective. Note to self: play more stealthily next time.
Next on the gaming agenda is Xcom: Enemy Unknown, which I hear is getting rave reviews, but I like games like Dishonored that provide different endings depending on how you've played, or have events change based on decisions made earlier in the game. It makes a game that is much more open to repeat plays than one which has a strict one-ending-for-all policy, no matter how you play it.
I've also been mucking about with Kinect-enabled Fable: The Journey, and while not perfect, it could actually be the best use of Microsoft's motion-sensing device yet as it doesn't involve party games. In it you use your hands to control the reins of your horse Seren, flicking them as if you were holding real reins, and your right hand to cast spells at foes. Your left hand is used to push objects and foes out of the way and block incoming attacks. Many gamers will scoff at the inclusion of Kinect with a game in the Fable series but it works well, most of the time.
Elsewhere in the Game Junkie household, Master Game Junkie has been hitting the virtual basketball courts in NBA2k13 (I did an interview with producer Erick Boenisch which you can find here) and he's hooked, working his way through the game's My Career mode and the NBA's ranks. He was initially drafted to the Boston Celtics - a team he can't stand - but after discussions with the team manager (through the game's general manager sit-down feature) he has now been traded to the Los Angeles Lakers, a team he considers worthy of his basketball talents.
But enough about me, how was your gaming weekend? Did you travel stealthily through the streets and sewers of Dunwall? Did you take on the enemy invaders in Xcom: Enemy Unknown? Did you squeak your shoes in 2K's NBA2K13 or pound the turf in EA's Fifa 13? Or did you replay an old favourite?
No, it seems that the ending you get depends on how much chaos (read: death and destruction) you cause during your travels through the whale-oil-powered city of Dunwall. I now wish I'd played the game a little smarter (and a little less confrontational at times) and a little stealthier as my high chaos playthrough made for a less than desirable final scenario. Luckily, Dishonored is the type of game that is just perfect for a second playthrough, thanks to the multiple options to complete an objective. Note to self: play more stealthily next time.
Next on the gaming agenda is Xcom: Enemy Unknown, which I hear is getting rave reviews, but I like games like Dishonored that provide different endings depending on how you've played, or have events change based on decisions made earlier in the game. It makes a game that is much more open to repeat plays than one which has a strict one-ending-for-all policy, no matter how you play it.
I've also been mucking about with Kinect-enabled Fable: The Journey, and while not perfect, it could actually be the best use of Microsoft's motion-sensing device yet as it doesn't involve party games. In it you use your hands to control the reins of your horse Seren, flicking them as if you were holding real reins, and your right hand to cast spells at foes. Your left hand is used to push objects and foes out of the way and block incoming attacks. Many gamers will scoff at the inclusion of Kinect with a game in the Fable series but it works well, most of the time.
Elsewhere in the Game Junkie household, Master Game Junkie has been hitting the virtual basketball courts in NBA2k13 (I did an interview with producer Erick Boenisch which you can find here) and he's hooked, working his way through the game's My Career mode and the NBA's ranks. He was initially drafted to the Boston Celtics - a team he can't stand - but after discussions with the team manager (through the game's general manager sit-down feature) he has now been traded to the Los Angeles Lakers, a team he considers worthy of his basketball talents.
But enough about me, how was your gaming weekend? Did you travel stealthily through the streets and sewers of Dunwall? Did you take on the enemy invaders in Xcom: Enemy Unknown? Did you squeak your shoes in 2K's NBA2K13 or pound the turf in EA's Fifa 13? Or did you replay an old favourite?
2012年10月11日星期四
where the department stores live and the shops with all the clothes
My relationship with malls is fraught at the best of times. I get antsy in foodcourts. I become unreasonably annoyed by slow-moving family groups. And yet, malls are where the department stores live and the shops with all the clothes that I don't really need to buy but will anyway. And, I'm going to be honest, I do like the vastness and comparative anonymity that one gets in mall toilets. So many stalls to choose from! I'm going to choose the one in the furthest corner so no one can hear me pee!
So let's just say that when it comes to suburban shopping malls, I am ambivalent.
And perhaps that's why I'm struggling to understand the promotional poster I saw at Northlands Mall yesterday.
Yes. That is a woman with a shoe in her mouth.
No. I have no idea what we're supposed to make of this.
I get that in advertising it's common to picture women putting things near their faces. Lipstick for instance, or that weird thing where someone who's just done the laundry buries her face in it and inhales as if fabric softener is some kind of intoxicant. Fair enough, I can understand either of those things being near someone's face.
But let's be clear, the woman pictured is eating a shoe. And she's not even doing it in a sexy way. I realise that the idea that there is a sexy way in which someone might consume their own footwear is a bit a foreign notion. I think what I'm trying to get at is that there's no "only the crumbliest, flakiest chocolate" vibe going on here.
When I look at this, all I get from it is:
"Oh Gog, hah muck wonger do I half do halve dis shoo in mah marf? It tace wike fwoor. I bwahshed my teef for dis?"
At times I would rather take a stiletto to the face than find myself in the mall but somehow I don't think this is the association they were going for.
And the thing is, I think I might be the target market for this poster. I'm a young(ish) woman with disposal income to spend on things like high heels and I'm very much a shoe enthusiast. But just because I like buying and owning impractical footwear doesn't mean that putting a shoe into an image will make me think "oh yes, that's something I'd be interested in". I also don't want everything in my life to be covered in depictions of shoes or shaped like a shoe. You can get "shoe" everything these days. Handbags shaped like shoes, tape dispensers, jewellery holders and various household knick-knacks. Yes, I am a woman. Yes, I like shoes. No, I don't need to be reminded that they exist every waking moment. No, I don't love them enough to want to nom one.
So let's just say that when it comes to suburban shopping malls, I am ambivalent.
And perhaps that's why I'm struggling to understand the promotional poster I saw at Northlands Mall yesterday.
Yes. That is a woman with a shoe in her mouth.
No. I have no idea what we're supposed to make of this.
I get that in advertising it's common to picture women putting things near their faces. Lipstick for instance, or that weird thing where someone who's just done the laundry buries her face in it and inhales as if fabric softener is some kind of intoxicant. Fair enough, I can understand either of those things being near someone's face.
But let's be clear, the woman pictured is eating a shoe. And she's not even doing it in a sexy way. I realise that the idea that there is a sexy way in which someone might consume their own footwear is a bit a foreign notion. I think what I'm trying to get at is that there's no "only the crumbliest, flakiest chocolate" vibe going on here.
When I look at this, all I get from it is:
"Oh Gog, hah muck wonger do I half do halve dis shoo in mah marf? It tace wike fwoor. I bwahshed my teef for dis?"
At times I would rather take a stiletto to the face than find myself in the mall but somehow I don't think this is the association they were going for.
And the thing is, I think I might be the target market for this poster. I'm a young(ish) woman with disposal income to spend on things like high heels and I'm very much a shoe enthusiast. But just because I like buying and owning impractical footwear doesn't mean that putting a shoe into an image will make me think "oh yes, that's something I'd be interested in". I also don't want everything in my life to be covered in depictions of shoes or shaped like a shoe. You can get "shoe" everything these days. Handbags shaped like shoes, tape dispensers, jewellery holders and various household knick-knacks. Yes, I am a woman. Yes, I like shoes. No, I don't need to be reminded that they exist every waking moment. No, I don't love them enough to want to nom one.
2012年10月10日星期三
People can sometimes be overwhelmed
There has been a lot of talk this election season, in the presidential campaigns and in the race to choose Indiana's next U.S. senator, about the Constitution and our nation's founding principles. Some of those who most loudly call for a "return to constitutional principles" also view "compromise" as a dirty word. This is ironic, because the suggestion that compromise is bad would have been anathema to our nation's founders. The Constitution itself was the product of grand compromises -- between small and large states, between different interests, and over slavery. Without a willingness to compromise, our great republic -- the world's oldest and most successful democracy -- would have been stillborn.
The most accurate source for the Founders' original intent is the Federalist Papers, a series of arguments written in 1787 and 1788 in support of the Constitution's ratification. These brilliant and timeless documents, penned mostly by James Madison and Alexander Hamilton, are studied to this day in college classrooms, law schools and by Supreme Court justices.
Hamilton, speaking of the importance of compromise, wrote in Federalist No. 85 that "I never expect to see a perfect work from imperfect man. The result of the deliberations of all collective bodies must necessarily be a compound, as well of the errors and prejudices as of the good sense and wisdom of the individuals of whom they are composed." The United States and its republican form of government must "necessarily be a compromise of as many dissimilar interests and inclinations." The Founders, believing that no person or faction had a monopoly on the truth, designed a system to take human nature into account. The checks and balances built into the Constitution require compromise and collaboration for that system to function.
Understanding that people can sometimes be overwhelmed by their passions or their narrow self-interests to the detriment of society as a whole, the Founders intended the Senate to take the long view and be somewhat isolated from the immediate and potentially radical demands of the citizenry. With its six-year terms of office -- longer than that of the president -- the Senate could serve as "a defense to the people against their own temporary errors and delusions," noted Madison in Federalist No. 63.
In words written 225 years ago that arguably presaged today's tea party, Madison went on to observe in No. 63 that "there are particular moments in public affairs when the people, stimulated by some irregular passion, or some illicit advantage, or misled by the artful misrepresentations of interested men, may call for measures which they themselves will afterwards be the most ready to lament and condemn. In these critical moments, how salutary will be the interference of some temperate and respectable body of citizens, in order to check the misguided career and to suspend the blow mediated by the people against themselves, until reason, justice, and truth can regain their authority over the public mind?"
That "temperate and respectable body of citizens" would be the Senate. In his classic book "House and Senate," political scientist Ross Baker notes: "What Madison and the other proponents of the Constitution wanted was, not an unresponsive Senate, but one that responded to popular demands only after careful deliberation." These deliberative senators would be people of great character and broad thinking. In Federalist No. 62, Madison described "the nature of the senatorial trust," which required a "greater extent of information and stability of character."
For 36 years, Dick Lugar embodied the Founders' vision of the Senate, always thinking of the national interest, always looking over the horizon for both Indiana and the United States. Next month, Hoosiers will decide who will replace this elder statesman. Whichever candidate wins the bid to fill Lugar's shoes, be it Joe Donnelly or Richard Mourdock, I hope he will understand the Senate's purpose, be willing to collaborate on occasion with the other party for the greater good of the country, and will thus grow into the role of senator intended by our nation's Founders.
The most accurate source for the Founders' original intent is the Federalist Papers, a series of arguments written in 1787 and 1788 in support of the Constitution's ratification. These brilliant and timeless documents, penned mostly by James Madison and Alexander Hamilton, are studied to this day in college classrooms, law schools and by Supreme Court justices.
Hamilton, speaking of the importance of compromise, wrote in Federalist No. 85 that "I never expect to see a perfect work from imperfect man. The result of the deliberations of all collective bodies must necessarily be a compound, as well of the errors and prejudices as of the good sense and wisdom of the individuals of whom they are composed." The United States and its republican form of government must "necessarily be a compromise of as many dissimilar interests and inclinations." The Founders, believing that no person or faction had a monopoly on the truth, designed a system to take human nature into account. The checks and balances built into the Constitution require compromise and collaboration for that system to function.
Understanding that people can sometimes be overwhelmed by their passions or their narrow self-interests to the detriment of society as a whole, the Founders intended the Senate to take the long view and be somewhat isolated from the immediate and potentially radical demands of the citizenry. With its six-year terms of office -- longer than that of the president -- the Senate could serve as "a defense to the people against their own temporary errors and delusions," noted Madison in Federalist No. 63.
In words written 225 years ago that arguably presaged today's tea party, Madison went on to observe in No. 63 that "there are particular moments in public affairs when the people, stimulated by some irregular passion, or some illicit advantage, or misled by the artful misrepresentations of interested men, may call for measures which they themselves will afterwards be the most ready to lament and condemn. In these critical moments, how salutary will be the interference of some temperate and respectable body of citizens, in order to check the misguided career and to suspend the blow mediated by the people against themselves, until reason, justice, and truth can regain their authority over the public mind?"
That "temperate and respectable body of citizens" would be the Senate. In his classic book "House and Senate," political scientist Ross Baker notes: "What Madison and the other proponents of the Constitution wanted was, not an unresponsive Senate, but one that responded to popular demands only after careful deliberation." These deliberative senators would be people of great character and broad thinking. In Federalist No. 62, Madison described "the nature of the senatorial trust," which required a "greater extent of information and stability of character."
For 36 years, Dick Lugar embodied the Founders' vision of the Senate, always thinking of the national interest, always looking over the horizon for both Indiana and the United States. Next month, Hoosiers will decide who will replace this elder statesman. Whichever candidate wins the bid to fill Lugar's shoes, be it Joe Donnelly or Richard Mourdock, I hope he will understand the Senate's purpose, be willing to collaborate on occasion with the other party for the greater good of the country, and will thus grow into the role of senator intended by our nation's Founders.
2012年10月9日星期二
Dwyane Wade announces bizarre shoe deal
Two-time NBA champion Dwyane Wade is signing with Chinese sportswear provider Li-Ning, which is giving the Miami Heat guard his own brand within the company along with plenty of creative and strategic input.
The partnership will be announced Wednesday in Beijing, where Li-Ning is headquartered and where the Heat are visiting for the NBA China Games tour.
Wade told the Associated Press that he expects the Li-Ning deal to continue through at least the remainder of his playing career. Wade wore Converse for his first six seasons, then Jordan Brand for the past three years.
"It was a great nine years, but for me, it was just time to move on," Wade told the AP. "I have certain goals that I want to reach and I felt that I had to leave to reach those. So I'm doing things a little differently. That's how I am, in a sense. I'm not necessarily a status-quo type guy."
Wade's debut in Li-Ning sneakers is expected Thursday, when the Heat play a preseason game in Beijing against the Los Angeles Clippers. He's also hoping to play when the Heat and Clippers meet again in Shanghai on Sunday, and Li-Ning plans to auction off the sneakers from those first two games.
However, what he's wearing this week is not a true unveiling of his brand to be called Wade.
"What you see in China will not be the final product," Wade said.
Wade's line of apparel and footwear is to be available at Li-Ning retail stores and online in China "soon," with a U.S. retail debut expected in 2013. His shoes are expected to sell for about $120.
Wade has worn sneakers with no obvious brand markings in practices in recent days, but he has tweeted several references to "10/10"? the date when the deal will be announced posed recently on a court emblazoned with the phrase "Make The Change," a Li-Ning slogan.
"I picked the best situation for me," Wade said.
Wade becomes the biggest NBA name to endorse the Li-Ning brand since his former Miami teammate Shaquille O'Neal.
"I had to get to know him and have him get to know me," Wade said.
Li-Ning is still trying to gain recognition in the USA. It has around 8,000 retail outlets in China.
"In the U.S., the China brand is not the cool factor," Wade said. "A lot of work has gone into this and a lot of work is going to continue to go into it. For me, it's a challenge. As an athlete, you look forward to that."
Wade is the second Heat player to endorse a Chinese shoe label. Heat forward Shane Battier has worn Peak sneakers since 2006.
"My biggest concern was the language barrier," Battier said. " But all in all, it's been a great experience. It's been fun.
"Wade's deal with Jordan Brand expired Sept. 30. He will have a say in virtually everything about his brand, from design to endorsers.
He's hopeful that he'll be able to wear something close to a final product by Oct. 30, when the Heat open the regular season against Boston.
"I'm not rushing," Wade said. "To me, I want to make sure it's a good product and when people see me, they need to know I'm comfortable with it. I want to make sure people understand that this is a big deal, not only for China, but for me."
The partnership will be announced Wednesday in Beijing, where Li-Ning is headquartered and where the Heat are visiting for the NBA China Games tour.
Wade told the Associated Press that he expects the Li-Ning deal to continue through at least the remainder of his playing career. Wade wore Converse for his first six seasons, then Jordan Brand for the past three years.
"It was a great nine years, but for me, it was just time to move on," Wade told the AP. "I have certain goals that I want to reach and I felt that I had to leave to reach those. So I'm doing things a little differently. That's how I am, in a sense. I'm not necessarily a status-quo type guy."
Wade's debut in Li-Ning sneakers is expected Thursday, when the Heat play a preseason game in Beijing against the Los Angeles Clippers. He's also hoping to play when the Heat and Clippers meet again in Shanghai on Sunday, and Li-Ning plans to auction off the sneakers from those first two games.
However, what he's wearing this week is not a true unveiling of his brand to be called Wade.
"What you see in China will not be the final product," Wade said.
Wade's line of apparel and footwear is to be available at Li-Ning retail stores and online in China "soon," with a U.S. retail debut expected in 2013. His shoes are expected to sell for about $120.
Wade has worn sneakers with no obvious brand markings in practices in recent days, but he has tweeted several references to "10/10"? the date when the deal will be announced posed recently on a court emblazoned with the phrase "Make The Change," a Li-Ning slogan.
"I picked the best situation for me," Wade said.
Wade becomes the biggest NBA name to endorse the Li-Ning brand since his former Miami teammate Shaquille O'Neal.
"I had to get to know him and have him get to know me," Wade said.
Li-Ning is still trying to gain recognition in the USA. It has around 8,000 retail outlets in China.
"In the U.S., the China brand is not the cool factor," Wade said. "A lot of work has gone into this and a lot of work is going to continue to go into it. For me, it's a challenge. As an athlete, you look forward to that."
Wade is the second Heat player to endorse a Chinese shoe label. Heat forward Shane Battier has worn Peak sneakers since 2006.
"My biggest concern was the language barrier," Battier said. " But all in all, it's been a great experience. It's been fun.
"Wade's deal with Jordan Brand expired Sept. 30. He will have a say in virtually everything about his brand, from design to endorsers.
He's hopeful that he'll be able to wear something close to a final product by Oct. 30, when the Heat open the regular season against Boston.
"I'm not rushing," Wade said. "To me, I want to make sure it's a good product and when people see me, they need to know I'm comfortable with it. I want to make sure people understand that this is a big deal, not only for China, but for me."
2012年10月8日星期一
A stitch in time saves money
I am what you might call a frustrated crafter. I often feel the creative impulse or desire to make things.
"Wouldn't that look good with a coat of paint," I think of the crappy old chair I bought from the eco shop for a dollar...five years ago.
"I should make everybody's Christmas presents!" I declare in an uncharacterstic surge of enthusiasm.
"It doesn't matter if these pants that I just bought don't fit properly. I'll just pull out the sewing machine and alter them a bit," I blatantly lie to myself.
In a lot of cases, I do actually have the basic tools I'd need to achieve these various tasks and I even have some of the skills required. What I don't have in abundance is time and, more important, patience.
But a trip to the mall to run some errands at the weekend has me thinking I should perhaps try to acquire some.
I've had a pair of shoes for a couple of years that are my fallback option for work attire. They're black, they have a medium high wedge and they go with a lot of things. But I'd worn them down and they needed to be re-soled. It occurred to me that I could just buy another pair but I hadn't seen any around that were quite the same combination of cute, wearable, walkable and multiple-outfit-compatible. And then the shoe repair guy told me it would be $60 to re-sole them. Which is more than I paid for them in the first place.
I have to admit that for a split second I considered telling him not to bother. As it was, I agreed and then went to Farmers only to discover that a similar pair of shoes were for sale with 50 per centt off and for $25 cheaper than what I'd just paid for new soles and heels. I wasn't sure whether to be "Damn! I've spent more money on shoes than I meant to" or "Yay, now I'll have TWO pairs of shoes I can wear!" In the end, though, the joy of new shoes always wins. If it didn't I wouldn't own so many.
I also had a skirt that needed a new zip. Now, unlike the necessaries related to shoe repair, I actually can sew and I have a sewing machine and I know where to procure a new zip. However, my sewing skills are average and when it comes to zips I find them very frustrating and always seem to make them go wonky. Many's the obscenity that has fallen from my lips in the past as the result of a zip gone awry.
Thinking to save myself the stress of attempting my own zip replacement, I dropped the skirt into the Alteration Service at the mall, only to be told that it would cost $33, which is about half what I spent on the skirt in the first place.
So all up the cost of fixing one pair of shoes and a skirt is nearly $100. I find this mind-boggling and I kind of hate that unlike the one our parents and grandparents grew up in, ours is a culture that practically begs you to throw things away when there's still plenty of use left in them.
Now, I don't imagine I'll ever have the wherewithal to attempt to cobble my own shoes, but damn it, I bloody can do my own zips. Because frustration be damned, I now have the motivating power of spite at my behest. Spiteful thrift, in fact. I'm like the Nazis with the Ark of the Covenant - potentially invincible, and yes, I do imagine that at some point in proceedings, probably after I've had to unpick something for the third time, my face will go a bit like this.
But as Face-melty God is my witness, I'm not going to wuss out on zips anymore, nor hems neither.
What DIY, craft or sewing project is the fly in your ointment? At what point is something so frustrating and time consuming that you'll happily pay someone else to do it? And does it grate on you when you know are capable of doing it yourself much more cheaply?
"Wouldn't that look good with a coat of paint," I think of the crappy old chair I bought from the eco shop for a dollar...five years ago.
"I should make everybody's Christmas presents!" I declare in an uncharacterstic surge of enthusiasm.
"It doesn't matter if these pants that I just bought don't fit properly. I'll just pull out the sewing machine and alter them a bit," I blatantly lie to myself.
In a lot of cases, I do actually have the basic tools I'd need to achieve these various tasks and I even have some of the skills required. What I don't have in abundance is time and, more important, patience.
But a trip to the mall to run some errands at the weekend has me thinking I should perhaps try to acquire some.
I've had a pair of shoes for a couple of years that are my fallback option for work attire. They're black, they have a medium high wedge and they go with a lot of things. But I'd worn them down and they needed to be re-soled. It occurred to me that I could just buy another pair but I hadn't seen any around that were quite the same combination of cute, wearable, walkable and multiple-outfit-compatible. And then the shoe repair guy told me it would be $60 to re-sole them. Which is more than I paid for them in the first place.
I have to admit that for a split second I considered telling him not to bother. As it was, I agreed and then went to Farmers only to discover that a similar pair of shoes were for sale with 50 per centt off and for $25 cheaper than what I'd just paid for new soles and heels. I wasn't sure whether to be "Damn! I've spent more money on shoes than I meant to" or "Yay, now I'll have TWO pairs of shoes I can wear!" In the end, though, the joy of new shoes always wins. If it didn't I wouldn't own so many.
I also had a skirt that needed a new zip. Now, unlike the necessaries related to shoe repair, I actually can sew and I have a sewing machine and I know where to procure a new zip. However, my sewing skills are average and when it comes to zips I find them very frustrating and always seem to make them go wonky. Many's the obscenity that has fallen from my lips in the past as the result of a zip gone awry.
Thinking to save myself the stress of attempting my own zip replacement, I dropped the skirt into the Alteration Service at the mall, only to be told that it would cost $33, which is about half what I spent on the skirt in the first place.
So all up the cost of fixing one pair of shoes and a skirt is nearly $100. I find this mind-boggling and I kind of hate that unlike the one our parents and grandparents grew up in, ours is a culture that practically begs you to throw things away when there's still plenty of use left in them.
Now, I don't imagine I'll ever have the wherewithal to attempt to cobble my own shoes, but damn it, I bloody can do my own zips. Because frustration be damned, I now have the motivating power of spite at my behest. Spiteful thrift, in fact. I'm like the Nazis with the Ark of the Covenant - potentially invincible, and yes, I do imagine that at some point in proceedings, probably after I've had to unpick something for the third time, my face will go a bit like this.
But as Face-melty God is my witness, I'm not going to wuss out on zips anymore, nor hems neither.
What DIY, craft or sewing project is the fly in your ointment? At what point is something so frustrating and time consuming that you'll happily pay someone else to do it? And does it grate on you when you know are capable of doing it yourself much more cheaply?
2012年10月7日星期日
Canadian Thanksgiving has Stores Hopping
Thanksgiving is still a month and a half away in the United States, but in Canada it is already here.
The tasteful holiday falls on Monday, so many packed up and headed south of the border for the weekend to enjoy the sights and sounds of Fargo.
Stores at West Acres Shopping Center were not even open, but that did not stop curious shoppers like Shelley Kuzyk from getting a peek at what stores had to offer.
"I'm just gonna see if I can buy some clothes," says Kuzyk.
She and her husband Victor are not new to the area. They have been traveling from Winnipeg to celebrate their Thanksgiving holiday in Fargo for the past three years.
"When you're caught up in the day-to-day routine of life, there's nothing like a break," says Victor.
Not only is Fargo a Canadian shopper's paradise, but stores also look forward to this time of year because they see a significant increase in sales. For some it could be a 20 to 30 percent increase.
Tradehome Shoes store manager Jon Skudlarek says, "Because their limits went from $400 for 48 hours to $800 now, it seems like they come down and really just spend a lot more."
Skudlarek says every Canadian holiday sometimes means more to his store than other holidays, since so many people make the trip.
"Overall prices down here on shoes a lot of times are less than in Canada," he says.
Though to those like the Kuzyk's, money does not make a big difference. "You can't start thinking about the price. If you wanna do it, you just go and do it," says Shelley.
Victor says, "We make it an event for us to celebrate the fall season and approaching winter."
Stores at West Acres Shopping Center say they are looking forward to the U.S. Thanksgiving next. That is because Black Friday shopping will actually begin at 11 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day.
The tasteful holiday falls on Monday, so many packed up and headed south of the border for the weekend to enjoy the sights and sounds of Fargo.
Stores at West Acres Shopping Center were not even open, but that did not stop curious shoppers like Shelley Kuzyk from getting a peek at what stores had to offer.
"I'm just gonna see if I can buy some clothes," says Kuzyk.
She and her husband Victor are not new to the area. They have been traveling from Winnipeg to celebrate their Thanksgiving holiday in Fargo for the past three years.
"When you're caught up in the day-to-day routine of life, there's nothing like a break," says Victor.
Not only is Fargo a Canadian shopper's paradise, but stores also look forward to this time of year because they see a significant increase in sales. For some it could be a 20 to 30 percent increase.
Tradehome Shoes store manager Jon Skudlarek says, "Because their limits went from $400 for 48 hours to $800 now, it seems like they come down and really just spend a lot more."
Skudlarek says every Canadian holiday sometimes means more to his store than other holidays, since so many people make the trip.
"Overall prices down here on shoes a lot of times are less than in Canada," he says.
Though to those like the Kuzyk's, money does not make a big difference. "You can't start thinking about the price. If you wanna do it, you just go and do it," says Shelley.
Victor says, "We make it an event for us to celebrate the fall season and approaching winter."
Stores at West Acres Shopping Center say they are looking forward to the U.S. Thanksgiving next. That is because Black Friday shopping will actually begin at 11 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day.
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