For young Chinese men, the cost of marrying their lady love, especially a city girl, just keeps going up.

The latest bad news spreading on the Internet is a small, self-reporting survey and correlating map of China, indicating where the priciest and most affordable brides live. Everybody's talking about it and what it says about their marriage prospects and a materialistic society.

The results was released last week: Shanghai girls are the costliest in the nation in terms of what it calls "betrothal gifts" or pin li (聘礼). The price of marrying a Shanghai woman is 100,000 yuan (in cash, ring, jewelry, handbags, luxury gifts) and an apartment. No. 2 is Tianjin at 60,000 in cash and gifts, plus an apartment.

Chongqing is on the bottom of the list, where respondents indicated the cost was zero, but that's hard to believe in this day and age of materialism.

"If I was a bride-to-be in Shanghai, I would have been so happy. But unfortunately, I am a bridegroom-to-be," says Peter Fu, a 28-year-old professional.

"This news is like a thunderbolt. My parents are worried because they already bought an apartment that cost them two million yuan (US$326,320)," he tells Shanghai Daily. Originally his parents agreed to buy a one-carat diamond ring for his bride, but this news about more cash and gifts puts a burden on them, he says. "This is tragedy for the bridegroom's family."

Many people say that the rocketing prices in real estate is driven by mothers-in-law, since nearly all of them demand the bridegroom's family buy a new apartment, the bigger the better.

"Frankly, it doesn't matter to me whether I live with my in-laws because they already have a big apartment," says Rachel Lin, a 28-year-old employee in a public relations company. "But my mother told me how inconvenient it would be to live with my in-laws and said I needed independent space for myself and my husband."

She called the requirement of buying a new apartment in Shanghai "daunting." Her fiance's family agreed to give the couple 1 million yuan as a down payment, but that still means a million yuan mortgage costing nearly 10,000 yuan a month. "That really eats into our salaries and will lower our life quality," she says.

She says she'd rather rent, spare the headache of ownership and "use the money for overseas travel and buying clothing for myself."

For some brides-to-be families, these requirements from the bridegroom are not simply about money but about the future status of their daughters in a new family.

"I am not an unreasonable person, but I still insist my daughter follow the mainstream for her betrothal gifts and apartment," says Wan Mengqi, who has a 25-year-old daughter. "If a man cannot prove that he is able to meet the average financial standard of society, then how could he guarantee a secure marriage for my daughter? Money isn't everything, but no money is nothing.

"The ripe age of young girl is so short and I believe the gifts show sincerity and respect of the bridegroom's family. I'm not asking for a big villa or a sum the groom's family cannot afford. Let's say its amount should hurt, but not wound," she laughs.

Mother-in-law-to-be Wan says the family of the bride also pays a considerable amount, what used to be called a dowry or jia zhuang (嫁妆).

"Usually the bride-to-be families in Shanghai are not the ones who don't know the rules," says Pan Yicheng, a 55-year-old primary school teacher with a 26-year-old daughter.

"We don't want to seem stingy and snobbish to the bridegroom's parents. We have a tacit understanding that we will pay for the complete renovation, outfitting and furnishing of the apartment, buy all the appliances and a car," she says.

She says that when the bride's family pitches in and shares some of the costs, the relations between the two families will be better in the future.

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The corruption of the welfare state is on display in a new undercover video from Project Veritas, which sent undercover videographers to get some of those free “Obamaphones”… while openly telling the corporate reps distributing the phones that they intended to sell them for drug money.

The corporate representatives were not fazed by this in the slightest.  One of them helpfully directed the undercover operative to a pawn shop, to find out how much cash he could get for that taxpayer-funded cell phone.  ”Yeah, I don’t care what you do with it,” the representative mutters.  Another rep seems mildly disturbed by the sale of these phones for drug money, but describes it as a fairly common practice.

One representative acknowledges that selling the phone is illegal, but suggests pleading the Fifth if caught.  (Project Veritas playfully illustrates this with a quick shot of IRS official Lois Lerner taking the Fifth to avoid congressional testimony.)

For an amusing change of pace, a female Project Veritas undercover filmmaker bursts into a profanity-laced rant about how she needs to “sell as many of these phones as possible to pay off my bills and stuff” – bills she ran up by purchasing designer handbags.  ”All I’m saying is, thank god for Obama, because Obama is basically paying for Louis Vuitton bag right now, if you know what I mean,” she declares.  That’s laying it on a bit thick, but the phone company representatives are serenely untroubled, advising her to keep her plans to herself.

(A disclaimer, which is also duly delivered by Project Veritas at the beginning of the video: the “free” cell phone program long predates the election of Barack Obama, but the phones have become widely known as “Obamaphones,” including among beneficiaries of the program.  Most Americans learned about this jaw-dropping excess of the welfare state when an Obama supporter was filmed ranting about “Obamaphones” at a Mitt Romney for President rally in 2012.  The true name of the program is “Lifeline,” its cell phone benefits began under President Bush, and it adds up to a cool $2.19 billion per year, sucked out of you taxpaying chumps through a surcharge on your monthly phone bills.)

If your blood isn’t boiling yet, wait until you see how company managers, including corporate executives, handle reports of illegal conduct by their employees.  The video ends with a promise that it will be sent to Dave Skogen, CEO of Global Connection Inc. of America, one of the big companies that rakes in millions from the “free” cell phone program.  The UK Daily Mail picks up the story from there:

Company CEO Dave Skogen wrote to an O’Keefe associate on June 10, assuring her that ‘[s]hould an agent or employee of GCIOA not live up to our standards, including enforcing the rules of the Lifeline program, we respond quickly and in an appropriate manner.’

‘We do not benefit from customers selling their Stand Up Wireless phones and do not encourage them to do so,’ he wrote.

But when MailOnline contacted Skogen for this story and shared a lengthy collection of direct quotations from his salespeople’s remarks, he offered little other than an assurance that ‘[w]e have been and will continue to be committed to following all applicable laws and regulations as we serve our customers.’

Pressed for a more detailed statement, Skogen complained that MailOnline ‘asked us to respond to a story on a program that does not exist (free government cell phones) and a video we have not seen.’

A “program that does not exist?”  Skogen’s company has made $38 million from the Lifeline program, and he thinks it doesn’t exist?

The Daily Mail weighs the prime corporate welfare steaks that have been cut from this plump cash cow:

Both land line and mobile bills in all 50 states and the District of Columbia include a Federal Universal Service Charge, a portion of which subsidizes the program.

That makes the program a handout to both lower-income Americans and the companies that supply the phones. To many on the political right, the enterprise has been twisted beyond any semblance of its original purpose.

Like industry leader TracFone, which has received more than $1.5 billion – including $440 million in 2012 alone – to provide phones to 3.9 million recipients, StandUp and Terracom behave more like corporate titans than good Samaritans.

TracFone is owned by Mexican multibillionaire Carlos Slim Helu.

Stand Up Wireless’s parent company, Global Connection Inc. of America, has collected more than $38 million for its subsidized phones. The company itself is owned by Milestone Partners, a venture capital firm based in Radnor, Pennsylvania.

The Oklahoma-based TerraCom Wireless has harvested a total of $168 million for its participation across 23 states. Its self-described ‘sister company,’ YourTel America, Inc., has reaped nearly another $103 million.

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A woman loves it when other people compliment her good looking face. It is a fact. These compliments may come up probably because one is wearing appealing gloss on her lips, has some sort of powder or foundation that blends well with the skin complexion or even nicely done hair. In order to keep up with such appearances, many women love keeping mirrors and makeup kits of different varieties in their handbags that they carry wherever they go. And whenever they get the slightest opportunity, they open their handbags, get whatever beauty enhancer is inside at the time and get busy with beautifying their faces.

Let’s forget the usual bedrooms, toilets and bathrooms. Nowadays some women are finding it more convenient to apply makeup while inside their cars, behind the wheel.

Any culprits?
Harriet Bbosa is one such woman. Bbosa has two children aged seven and 11 studying at Kampala Parents school. “I never get any time in the morning to make-up because of these two boys whom I am supposed to prepare adequately for school,” Bbosa says.
“At such a time, I am not thinking about myself but only about my two boys,” she adds.

Often, there is traffic jam at the primary school because there are many parents dropping off their children. This is the opportunity that Bbosa normally grabs to pamper her face a little. “I usually apply a bit of mascara, powder and red lipstick. Also, I take the time to arrange my hair as well,” says Bbosa. The marketer says that she only applies her makeup while in a traffic jam. She simply parks the car aside and does it before driving off to her workstation in Kamwokya.

Some female motorists however go to extremes. Daisy Nakimuli for instance is found of applying hers even when she is driving on a highway. On how she is able to pull it off, the mother of one and owner of a Toyota RAV 4 says that she normally slows down bit and uses her left her hand to either powder her face or put on a bit of lipstick.

Is there a law against it?
There is no law against this vice but this donesn’t mean that it should go on. Lawrence Niwabiine, the Traffic Commander for Kampala Metropolitan strongly discourages such habits because they are distractors that can easily cause accidents.“One’s whole attention shifts to the makeup instead of the driving. In the long run, the motorist can easily knock someone else or even be knocked instead,” Niwabiine states.

Niwabiine encourages such women to wait until they have reached their destination to apply their make-up. According to him, the habit is rampant mainly among women going to work in the morning and these love applying their makeup mostly around traffic lights and in a traffic jam as well. Since there is no penalty for this, Niwabiine says that all they can do as traffic officers is continuously warn the female motorists.

 A Toms River man who authorities said provided false identification to Jackson police is sought after a serious crash last week on Whitesville Road left two people hospitalized.

Authorities are seeking Gary Miller Jr., 36, of Toms River after police said he tried to make an illegal U-turn in a Chevy Astrovan at about 12:37 p.m. on June 2.

Motorcyclist Eugene Lewis Jr., 29, of Green Brook and his passenger Kristen M. Letwenski, 34, of Brick were riding behind the Astrovan traveling north when Miller tried to make the turn, according to a news release from the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office.

Lewis was unable to stop his motorcycle in time, and he and Letwenski were ejected from the bike, authorities said. They were flown by medevac helicopter to the trauma center at Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune, where they remained in critical condition as of June 11, said prosecutors. Miller was uninjured, authorities said.

During the crash investigation, Miller gave Jackson police a false name and used identification of his half-brother, according to the Prosecutor’s Office.

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On Friday, the nation celebrates Flag Day, yet at the mall it seems the celebration has begun early.

After 236 years, Old Glory is trendy; the Stars and Stripes adorn every surface imaginable, from stilettos to denim shorts to sunglasses.

At Express, sequins composed the flag on a tube top; at Old Navy, stars and stripes show up on swim trunks.

A black-and-white vintage version appears on a shirt from Jessica Simpson’s clothing line. Teenyboppers will find red, white and blue skirts and T-shirts featuring hearts instead of the classic stars at Justice.

Some might find the look disrespectful or distasteful, but it’s not breaking any rules. The “United States Flag Code,” laid out in the United States Code to outline proper flag etiquette, states that the design of the Star-Spangled Banner is allowed on clothing, but an actual American flag cannot be used as apparel, bedding or drapery.

Josh Saterman, vice president fashion director at Macy’s, says patriotism has always been envogue.

“It’s fun, and it speaks to the larger trend of pride for our country,” he says of the iconography.

“The flag can be worn in so many different ways, and each demographic, region, climate zone and individual can play with which silhouettes and details speak to them the most.”

Designers tend to play around with the pattern as well. Betsey Johnson features the flag in many of her line’s accessories, replacing the stars with grommets and rhinestones. Her “Americana” collection includes iPhone and iPad cases, wallets and handbags.

Arlene Goldstein, vice president of trend merchandising and fashion direction for Belk, says the flag design has been a tradition in fashion for a long time. This year, the flag’s popularity has slightly increased, as it “coexists” with this season’s stripe trend, she says.

Another reason for the spike in flag paraphernalia: In the summertime, “people become more overt with their patriotism,” Goldstein says. Holidays like Memorial Day and Independence Day are prime time for patriotic dressage. The most popular articles of clothing sporting the Stars and Stripes are T-shirts, she says.

Designers who frequently display their American pride in their lines include Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein and Ralph Lauren. Retailer Urban Outfitters has “American Summer” and “Salute the Flag” collections on its website, offering more than 80 flag-adorned items.

From Nalgene to Sigg, the water bottle as accessory is nothing new. Conspicuously carrying one says, “Water fountain? HA. I care about my body enough to bring this enormous canteen with me everywhere, as if I’m perpetually returning from training to be a Navy Seal and/or hiking the Pacific Crest Trail.” Carrying a reusable water bottle means YOUR hydration is never left to chance.

But unfortunately, it doesn’t lead to recurring revenue, and that made Nestle sad. The $92 billion food giant owns more than 8,000 brands, among them Arrowhead Water and Poland Spring, but none apparently has the cachet of a Lifestyle Water — essentially, a drinkable purse. (Nestle also owns Perrier and San Pellegrino, but since they’re fizzy, they aren’t part of the coveted “premium still water” niche.)
 
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Johannesburg - The mayor of Sedibeng Municipality has spent a night in the cells at Vanderbijlpark police station after he was arrested for alleged drunk driving and bumping into another vehicle.

Mahole Simon Mofokeng is alleged to have knocked another car while he was leaving a hotel in Vanderbijlpark on Tuesday evening.Police were called and Mofokeng was arrested and charged with driving under the influence of alcohol and negligent and reckless driving.

Provincial police spokesman Brigadier Neville Malila confirmed that Mofokeng had been taken to hospital, where his blood was drawn.“He was only released this morning, on R1 000 bail.
“He was released from the police station and did not have to appear in court.“His case has been postponed to September 5,” Malila said.

Mofokeng’s spokesman, Dan Manoeli, said: “All we know is that there was a minor accident that took place involving the mayor. We don’t have details and can’t confirm the reports over his arrest.

“We can’t get hold of him or the municipal manager.”This is not the first time that there has been drama involving Mofokeng and alcohol.In February, he was in a bar in Vanderbijlpark when he fell and had to be helped up.Manoeli said they suspected at the time that Mofokeng’s drink had been tampered with.

“He went to the bar to meet some people, and while still waiting, he ordered a drink. He went in and out of the bar, and within a short period of time he felt dizzy and collapsed. That is when we suspected the drink might have been poisoned or spiked.”

Pop-up retailing has made big inroads for landlords as tenants embrace the idea of having a short-term lease for quick and maximum exposure to shoppers.Department store Myer embraced the new style of shopping last December, with pop-up stores at Southern Cross Station (above) and Bondi Junction in Sydney.

The outlets sold an array of small gifts, from perfumes to handbags, with gift wrapping services to catch the late Christmas shopper. More are planned this year.

Lend Lease has had an 8 per cent growth in turnover since the beginning of the year and plans to increase offerings in all its shopping centres.

The model, previously known as ''casual mall leasing'', was traditionally identified as the new car being advertised in the middle of a shopping centre, or an untenanted shop filled with shoes and a spruiker on a public address speaker.

But as malls evolve to keep fresh, pop-up retailers are securing prime space in front of major tenants, busy thoroughfares and shopping centre entrances.

Lend Lease's national new business manager for pop-up retail, Sally Harding, says every spare space in a shopping centre is considered a prime location.

''Every area of a mall is available, such as a wall, which can be interactive, parts of the car park, the centre circle and along the walkways,'' Ms Harding said.

 After they left, Ms. Stromberg realized the bags were gone and called the police. When she checked the changing room, she found five clothes hangers hidden beneath a cabinet and began to take inventory, at which point she discovered that the duo had also made off with five dresses by Chanel and Herve Leger.

Ms. Stromberg, who worked for many years in Manhattan’s garment district, said that she keeps a sharp eye on the store, which is her pride and joy. She has seen occasional attempts at shoplifting, she said, usually by young girls. “I just tell them, give me the blouse.”

She did not discuss the value of the stolen items in a phone interview on Tuesday, but a single Hermes or Chanel handbag can go for several thousand dollars.“I’m still waiting for the mug shots,” she said. “This is not the first time they did it. They have to get caught somewhere.”

She believes the Corner Closet was specifically targeted by the two, speculating that a third party had cased out the shop in advance. She is now installing a surveillance camera system in the store.The village could do more to protect shop owners, Ms. Stromberg said. “Why doesn’t the village have outdoor cameras?” she wondered, asking why the burden of surveillance is placed solely on merchants.
    Ms. Stromberg said police told her that the robbers may have struck another store as well, in Bridgehampton.
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I am sick and tired of having people come to my desk and ask me why this edition of Big Brother Africa (BBA) features a lot of good-looking people. In fact, it is more the guys than the ladies who are happy with the outcome of this year’s auditions.

There is so much eye-candy one could go blind in a week. In fact, the contestants are so spoilt for choice they could even afford to evict the beautiful Huddah after a week’s stay in the house. And that’s unheard of!

BBA loyalists will know that over the years the good-looking contestants have made it through the three months just so that there was some form of entertainment in the confined space the players were locked up in.

But with everyone looking as if they stepped off a catwalk, there is really no demand for otherwise hot chicks like Huddah, so she got the boot. Imagine those former contestants who stayed in the barn years ago. Imagine how they would have preyed on the Kenyan beauty as the chicken and the goat watched.

For the next three months we are going to look at Big Brother Africa once a week and assess the progress of the show in this column. We will call it the Cupid Edition for that obvious reason. This was a match-making exercise that has already garnered good results for the show.

Honestly, how do you have 28 young and attractive people live together in a locked up space for 91 days and expect nothing to happen?

PARTING WORDS

Two people have been casualties so far and these were Uganda’s Denzel and Kenya’s Huddah. While he was a favourite among the ladies, contestants felt Denzel was a strong player who probably tried a little too hard to impress everyone.

If he wasn’t giving massages to the ladies he was sucking toes, and all this in one week. But all that “niceness” could not save him.

“It is disappointing and I am still coming to grips with it,” said Denzel just after leaving the house.

“Having been stronger personalities, who were not responding to all the jokes or worshipping anyone, I can understand why Huddah and I got the chop,” he concluded.

The Kenyan model agreed with him, saying she saw her eviction coming from a mile away.

“Look, a lot of women watch this show across Africa, more than men, so I think some of the things I did in the house did not sit well with them,” she said.

“For example, I had never worn a bikini and walked around people, but when I got into the house I thought, why not? Some people may have found that tasteless.

“I am also an assertive person who says what’s on her mind, so I don’t back down. These traits are unattractive in a game like this.”

Now we wait to see what becomes of these two.

WAY TO GO

According to some of the contestants, there isn’t as much booze in the house and that is a good thing. After all the fights we have seen over the years there is a need to keep the contestants off the booze at times and busy with other things. Well done, Big Brother Africa. As a matter of fact, why don’t you make them earn it?

MOEMISH

What was really up with Bolt entering the house with a wedding band on, only to remove it and claim he wasn’t married? And now he is smooching the living daylights out of Betty. This is another Prezzo and Goldie situation and a lot of people are hooked on this story arc. Here’s hoping they are not split up, otherwise it would really be funny.

WHAT FATE HOLDS

Dillish, Feza, Koketso, LK4 and Hakeem are on the eviction block and two people might leave if Biggie is not feeling up to some twists and turns. Hakeem, although he has been a hit with the ladies, might lose out since he is not playing the game anymore.

Since being moved from his love interest Cleo, he is being a child about it by sulking. Dude, man up, or you’ll be seeing her from a TV back home.

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It might be a little rainy these days, but hey, we'll take whatever above-50 temps we've got. Between neighborhood barbecues, Ravinia, and the Millennium Park concert season kicking off, it's time to embrace the outdoors. Wine can and should be a part of the equation. But when it comes to tippling outside, convenience is key. Make it easier on yourself to imbibe with the following tips (and tipples).

1) Keep it simple. Most of us don't carry corkscrews in our purses (but no judging if you do!), so for the party and park season, embrace the screwcap. Certain countries have defaulted to this method, and so if you're looking for ease, search for wine from New Zealand, Chile, and Austria, all of which prefer this closure. (And Austria is known for frequently packaging wine in 1-liter bottles instead of 750ml, making you 25% more popular when you bring one to a party!)

2) Leave nothing behind. Nobody likes a litterbug! Eliminate the chances of this by eschewing the aforementioned cork and foil; screwcaps and cute, reusable stemware mean a lot less debris and fewer abandoned Solo cups in the grass. Keep it comfy for all of us.

3) Check the alternative packaging. To really be efficient, avoid toting multiple heavy bottles and instead opt for wine in a box. And no, we don't mean Grandma's Franzia. Lots of great cooperative wineries now package their juice in handy 3-liter containers, perfect for a group, with no danger of breakage or spoiling. If you're counting your pennies, choose a white wine, which is almost always less expensive, and the chilly serving temperature helps to hide the "economical" taste.

4) Plan ahead. If you're heading to Millennium Park and forget to bring the hooch, you're stuck with Walgreens options and very high Loop markup. Make a point to get off the El one stop early and swing into Pastoral on Lake Street. They also have a French Market location if you're heading to Ravinia. And hey, Metra allows you to drink on the train, so get a head start and mellow out the blanket war stress before you arrive.

5) Know your laws. Millennium Park allows alcohol consumption within certain areas, as do Metra and Ravinia. DuPage County forest preserves do not, but Cook County forest preserves do, as long as there's no glass and you're not within 50 feet of a parking lot or roadway. (Read: alternative packages, no fancy stemware, champagne in cans).

Chicago is ripe with opportunity for drinking wine outdoors if you play it smart and keep it casual. If you really need to raise a Lalique flute of Champagne and saber some magnums in Chicago this summer, cool. Just do it on private property. And make sure to invite us!

"At least 70 per cent of target vehicles are unlocked…but we've seen it as high was 85 per cent," said Cnst. Kris Clark, Kelowna RCMP spokesperson.

The culprits are often youth and they're often drug-addicted, said Clark. But it isn't the perpetrators so much as the victims police are after.

Starting Monday, auxiliary officers will head to hot spots for this sort of crime—beaches and parks—to flag vehicles with information sheets that appear much like a ticket. The notices are orange in colour and ask people to lock their car and remove valuables, and will be placed on windshields.

It's hoped the warnings will catch drivers' attention enough to spur a change in behaviour and, at the very least, provide a clear warning about crime levels to those who may be vacationing from smaller communities where this form of crime is less prevalent.

"Thieves tend to work residential areas overnight, while targeting recreation and business parking lots during the day," said Clark, noting parkades are particularly vulnerable as they offer a lot of inventory, protected from prying eyes.

Any and all personal belongings left in a car are insured under homeowners insurance, not car insurance, according to Michelle Hargrave, senior communications specialist for ICBC. The insurance in an option within homeowner insurance packages and applies whether the car was left unlocked or not; although claims do affect a person's premiums.

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It started to rain last Saturday night, and the temperature dropped. So 19-year-old Said Sanchez Garcia stopped home to get a sweater. He'd been gone all afternoon and now he and his friend, Jerzy Ortiz, 16, were headed out clubbing on Jerzy's motor scooter.

"The only thing I said was, 'Son, it's raining, you shouldn't be going out,"' said Josefina Garcia. It was the last time she saw him.

By late Sunday she was calling Jerzy's mother, Leticia Ponce, to see if she knew where the boys were. By Tuesday, both mothers were at the Mexico City prosecutor's office with other distraught relatives. The boys disappeared from an after-hours bar in central Mexico City on Sunday morning along with nine others, kidnapped by masked men with large guns and SUVs in broad daylight, according to the story of one man who got away.

Nearly a week later, the two mothers found themselves denying that the brazen abduction had anything to do with their sons.

Both acknowledged that the boys' fathers are serving prison sentences for drug-related crimes. But Ponce tearfully pleaded with reporters on Friday not to criminalize her son, Jerzy. His father has been in jail for 10 years.

"If somebody wanted to do something to us, they would have already kidnapped us," said Ponce, shaking with sobs.

Authorities have been searching desperately for motives in the bizarre crime that left no clues. It followed the May 9 beating death of Malcolm Shabazz, grandson of the late Malcolm X, in a fight over a bill at another rough Mexico City bar. Two waiters have been arrested in that killing.

After scouring available surveillance tapes in the kidnapping and searching the bar, Mexico City Attorney General Rodolfo Rios said Saturday that so far they so far have found no evidence that a heavily armed command abducted the young people.

"We have found no signs of violence inside or outside the place," he told a press conference.

Mexico City Mayor Miguel Angel Mancera said authorities were not eliminating any line of investigation but could not act on assumptions because of some of the victims' fathers. When asked if the city could be facing an increase in organized crime attacks, he said "Mexico City has its security guaranteed."

The family members have met with city and federal prosecutors, and have demanded to see tapes from the office buildings that tower over the narrow side street just off the city's leafy Paseo de la Reforma. The bar is also a short walk from the federal police building and the U.S. Embassy.

Employees in nearby businesses say they had noticed for some time strange activity and loud music at the building with the sign Bicentenario, some calling it a narco-bar for the expensive cars that came and went. Several said they would cross the street to work to avoid the drunks who would hang out on the sidewalk, still partying in the early morning. The after-hours club, called "Heaven," had been operating for about a year, neighbours estimated.

It was running with a different name than the one listed on a license that expired in 2009 and was never renewed. Still, it stayed open. Humberto Huerta, a spokesman for the city borough office that is responsible for inspecting bars and other businesses, noted his office only has 16 inspectors to oversee 60,000 businesses.

But no one saw anything Sunday around 10 a.m. when the abduction supposedly happened, nearly unbelievable given that nearby Reforma was full of people that day — for a five-kilometre foot race, the city's weekly urban bike ride and an international culture fair that had just opened the day before.

Amid the lack of an explanation, speculation emerged that it was a retaliation crime relating to the fathers of the two boys.

The spokesman for the city's penitentiary system said Sanchez's father, Alejandro Sanchez, was sentenced in October 2004 to 23 years in prison for extortion, organized crime, homicide and robbery. He is serving time in a maximum security prison in the city.

Jerzy's father Jorge Ortiz, known as "the Tank," was arrested the same day as Sanchez and was sentenced for the same crimes and to the same number of years. He was transferred to a federal maximum security prison in 2009 because he is considered a high-risk criminal.

"My husband has been locked up for many years," Garcia said. "He doesn't have any problems with anybody, he doesn't mess with anybody. So that would be a long time for that to keep having consequences, right?"

Others accused authorities of stigmatizing the kidnap victims because they hail from Tepito, one of Mexico City's most dangerous neighborhoods and the main clearinghouse for millions of dollars of contraband, from guns and drugs to counterfeit handbags.

In the winding, narrow streets of the 150-block area, stalls selling knock-off sneakers and pirated CDs block access for most cars. Youths ride motorbikes, often two to a bike, as the main form of transport. Garbage is piled on street corners, and warehouses full of auto parts of dubious origin spill their contents.

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Soroptimist International of La Jolla will host its annual Purses Plus Party to raise funds for agencies that help women and girls lead better lives, from noon to 3 p.m. Sunday, June 2. Reservations are required to enter the event in the Windemere Clubhouse. Wine, nibbles, jackets, shawls and handbags will fill the bill. Admission is $5 or a donated purse.

A 2013 Oscar-winning documentary short, “Inocente,” will screen 6 p.m. Thursday, June 6 at the La Jolla Community Center,  6811 La Jolla Blvd. Inocente is a San Diego artist and activist. As a young child her family emigrated to the U.S. from Mexico. After her father’s arrest and deportation for domestic violence, most of Inocente’s childhood was spent moving from one homeless shelter to the next. She discovered the power of art when she was 12, and since then has been able to use art as a vehicle to rise above many life challenges.

This year’s event commemorates San Diego’s contributions to World War II and its “Arsenal of Democracy,” the fleet of war machines that were designed or built here. Dozens of planes will take to the skies, including Consolidated’s famed “flying boat,” the PBY Catalina, and one of the few PB4Y-2 Privateers still flying today. New this year is the Silver Wings Wing-walking team, combining flying and artistry in a dynamic sky ballet on the wings of Stearman bi-planes. The only Northrop N9M Flying Wing returns, along with John A. Collver and his AT6/SNJ “War Dog,” a World War II trainer performing in an aerial display to the strains of patriotic music. The show also features NASA educational displays, military services and defense contractors, and booths with everything from aviation art to airplane models. Food and beverages, including a beer garden, too. The weekend event runs 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., June 1-2, Gillespie Field, 1960 Joe Crosson Drive, El Cajon.

Lithographs from Hamilton Press are on exhibit 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday (Wednesday to 8:30 p.m.) through June 15 at the Athenaeum Music & Arts Library, 1008 Wall St. In 1990, Ed Hamilton, a Tamarind Master Printer, and artist Ed Ruscha opened HP in Venice, California to provide a good print experience for artists. The shop is very small and everything is printed by hand, without a mechanical offset or ink jet printer. In the last 23 years, many artists at the press have chosen to use words or texts in their prints — especially Raymond Pettibon, Allen Ruppersberg and Ed Ruscha.

or the first time, paddle surfing will be the vehicle for participants at the seventh annual cancer-survivor celebration, Survivor Beach, on Sunday, June 2 at the beach in front of Scripps Institute of Oceanography, The event gets underway at 7:30 a.m. and doubles as a fundraiser for UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center. There will be races, speakers and boarding events — including the infamous photo op with all the boards lined up in the sand. Winners will receive awards in these categories: Cancer Survivor, Surfing Legends, Up to Age 20, Ages 20-49, and Ages 50 and Older.

A 43-year-old Baton Rouge man was arrested Thursday and charged with the sale and distribution of counterfeit goods during a raid in which agents seized $1 million in fake designer shoes and purses, according to the Louisiana attorney general’s office. The U.S. Office of Homeland Security and the state’s attorney general's office conducted a sweep at Fashion Express, 5956 Airline Highway.

Bocar Ba, of 11888 Old Hammond Highway, was arrested.

Agents seized 3,082 fake designer shoes and purses with an estimated manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $1 million in the raid, Attorney General Buddy Caldwell said.

Among the items were fake Nike shoes, and bogus Louis Vuitton, Prada and Coach merchandise.

“Once again, this illustrates my commitment to maintaining a level playing field for our good Louisiana businesses,” Caldwell said. “There are unscrupulous individuals out there selling everything from fake handbags to prescription medicines. Counterfeit goods seriously harm our legitimate Louisiana businesses and often endanger the safety of our citizens. Such criminal activity will not be tolerated.”

Read the full story at http://www.anmison.com/ !

The Mendhwan accident, which claimed 14 lives, including that of the driver of the container which rammed into an oncoming luxury bus on Wednesday, has brought to light a chilling demonstration of greed taking precedence over life.

The locals who came forward to help the accident victims did so not for nothing. They first rummaged through their baggages, took all valuables and then helped the victims.

This heart-rending story has been told to the police by none other than one of the two drivers of the ill-fated bus (GJ.3.AW.9914) who miraculously survived the big bang with minor injuries.

The fatal collision took place on the Mendhwan Khind bridge on Mumbai-Ahmedabad Highway when Lalaji Amarsingh Rajput, 28, was at the wheel and Mahesh Ramanlal Mina, 35, the additional driver, was sitting next to him.

Both of them visited the Kasa police station on Thursday to give their statement.
In his statement, Mina said that after the accident, he fell out of the bus cabin and saw around 10 locals reaching the spot.

Instead of picking dead bodies and rescuing the injured, they boarded the bus and took away bags. They not only removed valuables from the bags, but also snatched away jewellery from the dead and the injured, Mina said, adding that they came back to help the hapless passengers only after hiding the booty.

Assistant police inspector of Kasa police station Bharat Choudhary said, “We were informed about the theft at the accident spot, but at that very moment our primary responsibility was to save lives. We could only recover those items which were found on the locals. Some handbags are missing and we will look into the matter.”

Nearly a half-billion dollars in grants will be made available for construction projects in districts across the state through a partnership between the state Schools Development Authority and the New Jersey Department of Education, state officials said today.

The $425 million, for which any of the state’s 559 districts and may apply, and an additional $30 million for the state’s county vocational schools, mark the largest single grant program in New Jersey’s history, according to the state department of education.

The authority will be working with the department to open the application process through which school projects will be selected to receive the new funding, according to the state.

“In this critical time of rebuilding the Garden State, it is more important than ever for these school projects to move forward with state financial support,” said Governor Chris Christie in a news release.

“I have heard from superintendents across the state that they have critical facilities needs that they would like to address, and this substantial allocation by the state will help them address those concerns without having to sacrifice their investment in what matters most – teaching and learning,” added DOE Commissioner Chris Cerf.

Authority CEO Marc Larkins said the grants also will provide needed jobs in construction trades.

The funding will expand the authority’s grant program, which includes 882 active grants supporting $1.6 billion in school facilities work.

Read the full story at http://www.anmison.com/ !

In recent events around the world stretching from India to the Coast of California the plastic bag is on the chopping block. Countries are starting to believe that plastic bags are the cause of so much pollution around the world and are now focusing on corn or starch based plastics. The plastic technologies made from corn and starch are causing more harm than good according to UC berkley, Stanford University, Pittsburgh University and others across the globe. These so called “bioplastics” which have lobbied the recent Californians Against Waste and the State of California into believing the miracle cure for the plastic bag is corn based plastic to be composted.

Corn based plastic is causing more harm to the environment than regular polyethylene bags, says the report from Pittsburgh University’s life cycle assessment. The disposal method easily accessible by the vast majority of consumers is the landfills. This causes confusion to the general public as to where they can throw their “compostable bags”, it is for this reason students from Stanford University did a very lengthy study on the use of corn based plastics on the campus. With great anticipation they began asking students if they knew “corn based” plastic is actually thrown into landfills more than compost facilities. Some frightening things were also found out that these compostable plastics are not even compostable, they are industrial compostable and can only be taken to the curb in San Francisco. These compost facilities can not be found be average consumers and to top it off which consumer is going to be driving their “bioplastic” products to the compost facility every week to dump their trash. This is not economical by any means.

The plastic bag which was developed to carry 1000 times the weight of the products which it holds is a great technology improvement than carrying a reusable bag, which has been shown to carry viruses and other bacteria due to not washing out the bags.

The truth about the thin plastic bag, it takes 500 times reusing the same bag made from polypropylene or polyethylene to offset the reusable bag. If you are washing these reusable bags, as one should the reusable bags life of 500 uses is far beyond the “shelf – life” of the product.

There are some fascinating technologies which overcome these issues, companies such as BioSphere Plastic LLC have engineered a special additive when is is loaded at 1% allows microbes to consume the plastic at a rapid rate. This technology works as the opposite as building a polymer when interacting with enzymes which are produced by microorganisms. The enzymes and the additive work to create a biocatalyst for microorganism to reduce the plastic chain. The plastic chain is reduced allowing microorganisms to rapidly consume the plastic bag.

Answer Vending’s president, Tom Murn, disputed Ms. Carlson’s claim that his company had previously sold her Pop Tarts in packs of two. But he acknowledged that teachers could probably find cheaper prices elsewhere. He also noted that under his company’s contract with the city, schools receive commissions from the snacks sold in its machines. The company gives each school 28 percent of gross sales each year; in the last three years, Ms. Carlson’s school has received $59,401.34.

At Middle School 51 in Park Slope, Brooklyn, the parent coordinator, Audrey Komaroff, expressed frustrations similar to Ms. Carlson’s. “The vendor prices are staying the same and the size of the packages are getting smaller,” Ms. Komaroff said.

She also took issue with some of the items on the approved list, which did not seem to her to be all that wholesome. Her school’s students hold more traditional bake sales at the end of the lunch hour, but at the park across the street, she said, outside the reach of the Education Department. All the proceeds go directly to charity, like the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, she said. “We felt that it was kosher, as long as it wasn’t inside the school,” Ms. Komaroff said.

In Queens, Ms. Carlson’s students stopped selling most snacks altogether. Instead, they hawked a “red bag of stuff” during cold and flu seasons: tissues, lip balm, hand sanitizer and, from Answer Vending, a package of gummy fruit snacks. Even so, some of her students could not sell enough bags to pay for the trip to Boston last week. To fill the minimum number of slots, Ms. Carlson and her colleagues she and her colleagues in a social studies program opened registration to other students.

Chennai-based healthcare technology start-up Perfint Healthcare has been granted its first patent by the US patent office for its robotic targeting technology for image guided cancer care. The private-equity funded company started in 2005 is in the process of bringing out its fourth product into the market.

“This is an important milestone in our R&D efforts. More patent applications are in the pipeline and we expect a few of them to be granted soon,” said David Gustafson, Seattle, WA, USA-based CTO and VP of R&D of Perfint Healthcare.

Perfint’s products, ROBIO and MAXIO, based on this patented technology have installations in about 20 countries across the world. These products help physicians with procedure planning and robotic assistance to perform minimally invasive cancer care procedures like tumor ablation under image guidance. These procedures are increasingly preferred as an alternate or in addition to surgery, radiation and chemotherapy.

“The technology is also being deployed for performing image-guided pain care procedures of the spine and liver,” said S Nandakumar, co-founder and CEO of Perfint Healthcare.

Perfints’s Sonio, the fourth product that works on ultra sound scanners, is in the prototype stage. In order to accelerate new product development and their commercialisation, the company had recently raised $11 million from Norwest Venture Partners. Perfint had earlier received $3.5 million from Accel Partners and IDG Ventures in 2007. In 2010, Norwest Venture Partners joined the existing investors to fund $7.2 million and in 2011 they further invested $6 million.

Shuffling in 50 to 60 people within an hour can be challenging, especially on busy days when 100 people could line up outside.
Johnson estimated that people at the soup kitchen are fed for $1.01 each, thanks to volunteer cooks and donations from local restaurants and grocery stores.
The ministry also relies on churches, individuals and the Second Harvest Food Bank to meet the need for the food boxes and bags.
Individuals are especially giving around Thanksgiving and Christmas. But Christian Ministry of Lincoln County counts on the generosity of the community year round, as it has for more than 30 years.

Tom and Bea Levenhagen take Southwest Airlines when they can.

The couple from Elizabethtown, Pa., look at things like the availability of a direct flight instead of those that require numerous connections. Good customer service. And the fees that some airlines charge enter into the final decision.

"We traveled with them for a lot of years -- originally because they were a discount carrier," Bea Levenhagen said last week, while waiting for a flight near the Southwest ticket counters at Lambert-St. Louis International Airport. "We don't look at it that way anymore. It is more the convenience."

Southwest Airlines, which pioneered the concept of low-cost, no-frills flying, has seen its typical base airfares surge to the rest of the pack at a time of continued airline consolidation, soaring fuel costs and rivals that charge fees for checked bags and ticket changes, according to interviews and government data.

Average one-way airfares between St. Louis and seven other cities have increased 25 percent since the fourth quarter of 2008, according to a review of the most recent U.S. Department of Transportation's Domestic Airline Fares Consumer Reports.

The average fare between St. Louis and Dallas increased to $194 in the fourth quarter of 2012 from $122 in 2008 -- a 59 percent increase. That is a sizable jump, considering Southwest competes with American Airlines in that market. Fares between St. Louis and Cleveland rose more than 50 percent during those four years.
 

DEAR ABBY: My boyfriend and I have been together a year and a half. I regret moving in with him when I did, which was after only three months of dating.

We have been through a lot, including my struggle with various health issues. Throughout this he has become an insensitive person who treats me like garbage. There has been a lot of emotional abuse happening, and it has taken me quite a while to be able to see it.

The other night I was about to break up with him. Then he suddenly changed his tune. He said: "I'm listening. You're right. I need to change. I love you."

Abby, at this point I really don't care, but I gave him another chance. Was I wrong to do that? He has changed for now — quite drastically — but I know he could easily go back.

I no longer love him. I also no longer find him attractive, and I actually think he's immensely annoying. He's trying to get me to fall back in love with him, but I really don't want to. So do I stay or do I go?

— Wavering in Canada

DEAR WAVERING: Re-read the last paragraph of your letter, and you will see in your own words why it's time for you to go. He may be trying, but frankly, it is too late. Pack your bags. There's nothing deader than a dead romance.

DEAR ABBY: A friend recently shared some great advice. Her mom is 86 and in poor health, so my friend put together an emergency information briefcase for the trunk of her car and another one by the front door.

If anyone needs to take her mother to the ER, all her important information is in two places. This includes medications, doctors, insurance cards, living will, power of attorney and family emergency numbers.

I took my friend's advice, and it turned out to be a godsend when I had to take my 79-year-old mother to the ER after a serious fall. The admitting clerks said they wished everyone would do this. (I also included $100 in cash in a small envelope.) I hope you think her idea is worth sharing.

— Glad I Did in Alabama

DEAR GLAD: If the admitting clerks said they wished everyone would do this, then it's worth a mention in my column. Readers, advance planning such as this could save precious minutes in an emergency.

DEAR ABBY: Due to an accident I had as a teenager, I can't father a child. How far into a relationship should I wait to tell a woman this? While I wouldn't mention it on the first date, I don't want someone to feel betrayed if she wasn't informed.

There's also the issue of finding a woman who's OK with it. So far, the ones I have dated ended the relationship because they couldn't accept being childless or adopting.

— Guy Who Needs an Answer

DEAR GUY: Mention it when the subject of children comes up. Not every woman wants children. It's nothing to be ashamed of.

P.S.: If you include the fact that you can't father a child on your dating profile, it will filter out those women who do. Prepare for an avalanche.

The 71-year-old Scot’s unparallelled success in British soccer ended on Sunday with a remarkable 5-5 draw against West Bromwich Albion.

"In a way I am glad it is all over now because it has been hard work," Ferguson told the BBC. "It has been overwhelming.

"The club has been fantastic and congratulations to West Brom with the way they handled yesterday (Sunday).

"I think (West Brom manager) Steve Clarke should get an award because anyone who scores five against United deserves it."

The match against West Brom was Ferguson's 1500th in charge of the famed club.
He won 38 major trophies in more than 26 years at Old Trafford, capped by the team's 20th league title, a season after losing it to cross-town rivals Manchester City.

"There is no doubt that the LMA Annual Awards are perceived as the most accurate measure of a manager's ability because there are no better judges of your performance than your peers," LMA chairman Howard Wilkinson said.

"Finding words to adequately describe the monumental levels of achievement and the indelible legacy Sir Alex Ferguson leaves in the game, is nigh on impossible."
 

The Cleartrip Mobile App was announced the Best App - Travel & Hospitality at the "The Mobies 2013" which honor the best in mobile innovation in the Middle East at a ceremony on the 15th May 2013.

Smaller, simpler, smarter - The Cleartrip Mobile App emerged victorious as the winner of this coveted award. Proving Cleartrip's relentless commitment to innovation and providing its customers in the Middle East with a refreshingly simple booking experience.

Tarique Khatri, Senior Vice President & Head of Cleartrip Middle East said; "We are extremely delighted and proud to be recognized as the best Travel App in the Middle East. At Cleartrip, our first priority has always been to deliver the very best products for our customers. An independent and respected award like The Mobies is a testament to our commitment to deliver the best user experience in travel. With over 12 million mobile users in the region, Cleartrip is poised to offer this growing and discerning traveler with the best options to book their travel on the move."

Awarded the Best App - Travel & Hospitality at The Mobies 2013, Cleartrip Mobile was also selected as a finalist in the category: Best Mobile Website and Best New Android App.

Cleartrip were exhibiting at the 'The Mobile Show Middle East 2013' this week, which hosts one of the largest mobile solutions and technology events in the GCC. With 6 acclaimed conferences: Planet of the Apps, Mobile Advertising World, m-Commerce, m-Health, m-Enterprise & m-Entertainment - this celebrated gathering boasts over 2000 attendees annually.

The event concluded with the final results at an award ceremony for "The Mobies 2013" - the technology awards that honor the best in mobile innovation. The Mobies maintain their fiercely protected independence thanks to the services of an experienced panel of judges. They represent the best of the industry, selected for their knowledge, reputation and contribution to the region.

My boyfriend and I have been together a year and a half. I regret moving in with him when I did, which was after only three months of dating.

We have been through a lot, including my struggle with various health issues. Throughout this he has become an insensitive person who treats me like garbage. There has been a lot of emotional abuse happening, and it has taken me quite a while to be able to see it.

The other night I was about to break up with him. Then he suddenly changed his tune. He said: "I'm listening. You're right. I need to change. I love you."

Abby, at this point I really don't care, but I gave him another chance. Was I wrong to do that? He has changed for now — quite drastically — but I know he could easily go back.

I no longer love him. I also no longer find him attractive, and I actually think he's immensely annoying. He's trying to get me to fall back in love with him, but I really don't want to. So do I stay or do I go?

Ever have a rummage sale so big it needed a portable, outdoor toilet? Or nine such commodities?

That’s what was needed at the annual Port Edwards villagewide garage sale Saturday. Serious shoppers could plan their routes, thanks to an online map from organizers, listing locations and even the bathroom stops.

This year, some bargain hunters got a bonus when the Green Bay Packers Tailgate Tour made a stop on the way to Witter Field in Wisconsin Rapids, visiting the Port Edwards Fire Department and dropping by some rummage sales.

With or without the special guests, the event was a success for many involved.“It was absolutely super,” said Julie Allworden, who has hosted a sale for about 25 years.Organization of items is a key factor.“Ours is so successful because of how we set it up,” said Allworden, who held her sale with seven other families.Allworden and company organized their sale items in categories, so customers didn’t have to look through piles to find something they might be seeking, she said.Elaine Ksionek, 54, of Port Edwards, agreed that helps. Ksionek has lived in Port Edwards for nine years and has participated in the event eight of those years.

“(The event) is a good opportunity for me to move merchandise at the sale prices,” Ksionek said.It takes a lot of work to get ready for the communitywide sale.“I bring stuff over from my daughter’s home in Green Bay all year long,” Allworden said.She starts tagging items in April and begins setting up tables in early May.Another family member often participates with Ksionek.

“They know there are a large amount of people coming through,” Ksionek said.Ksionek starts organizing the week before.“I have the garage cleaned out real good,” she said. “It’s quite involved for me.”But it’s worth the effort, the ladies said.

“I always get comments that (shoppers) have never seen such a beautiful rummage sale,” Ksionek said, adding that they tell her it’s like walking into a store.It’s an event anticipated by sellers and shoppers, participants said.“I think because we’ve had so many at this location, we’ve had repeat customers galore,” Allworden said.