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Tag: Lace Collar The evening was winding down, and the date-night couple was glancing nervously at the clock, hoping for a few more minutes of alone time. The manager of another restaurant was scribbling notes on a legal pad between sips of red wine, knowing that if he sat in his own restaurant, his staff would assume he was there for their convenience and would interrupt his scribbling. Three men were left, equidistant from each other at a bar that 40 minutes before had been full. At 9:30 on a Tuesday night in the suburbs, you might as well roll up the streets."Are you going to watch the rest of the Triple Crown?" one of the men announced to no one in particular. The other men looked at me."I'm not much into horse racing," I said. "It always seems so distant and detached."As I wiped up midweek crowd debris, I remembered another Tuesday night and another three gentlemen. I also remembered a race that was a bit more personal.The two fillies had stepped up to the starting gate. The athletic blonde I recognized, the equally fit redhead I didn't."It's Girls' Night Out," said the blonde, hanging up her midriff-baring denim jacket.It was if someone had fired a starting gun.Along the inside came Manwithmoneybutlittlepersonality; he asked if he could buy the women a drink before they sat down. In less than five minutes he had laid out his portfolio: house in town, Tahoe time-share, monthly trips to everywhere trendy. He took a breath, and in that instant Goodlookingtoafault had edged him out.Positioning himself to, presumably, his good side, Goodlookingtoafault flattered the women with compliments, from subtle to gross. It wasn't long before he mentioned some modeling he had done as a lad and a decades-old B-movie actress he had dated.The ladies seemed to be eating it up. Anyone who says women aren't swayed by looks should have been there.Suddenly, Overcompensatingloudtalker boomed out an invitation for the ladies to join him at his table, in a manner indicating that they should feel privileged to do so. They clearly felt differently and he was out of the race immediately.Manwithmoney kicked for the lead, ordering a bottle of wine for the ladies without consulting either one. They thanked him but positioned themselves with backs squarely to him, angled slightly toward Goodlookingtoafault.Goodlooking saw his chance. Slicking his slightly graying Johnny Depp-inspired bangs to one side, he leaned over and touched the redhead's hand."Are you ladies from around here?" he said, lowering his head so his baby blues would have the maximum effect.She recoiled. Too much contact, far too soon. I could almost hear her Creepy Stalker alarm going off.Meanwhile, Overcompensating had clued into his backmarker position and took a different tack. If the women weren't interested in him, there was something wrong with them. It was pure projection at its best. He began a series of thinly concealed insults, starting with inappropriate comments about sexual orientation. At least, until the manager appeared at his table.Manwithmoney tried to edge out Goodlooking."Would you ladies like something to eat?" he said, waving his hand at me with a maitre'd-like urgency."I like the (insert most expensive thing on the menu)," he said proudly.It was Goodlooking's turn. "You sure are pretty," he offered clumsily. He tried a little physical contact, this time with the blonde. Same result.Manwithmoney mentioned his car and his house. Again.Goodlooking offered a less clumsy delivered, but no less transparent, compliment. Was he talking to them or speaking about himself? It was increasingly difficult to tell.Back and forth it went.Manwithmoney éGoodlooking éManwithmoney éGoodlooking éNeck and neck until - Overcompensating couldn't contain himself. He voiced one more comment, which led to a brief, stern conversation with the manager and an abrupt departure."We've got to go," said the ladies pushing back from the bar, carefully avoiding contact with Goodlooking."Thanks for the wine," they said in unison to Manwithmoney, leaving the two front-runners breathless and bewildered.Almost on cue, the women stopped near the door and looked back at the men left on the track. The blonde reached for the redhead and, holding her gently by the back of the neck, kissed her slowly and deeply.Girls' Night Out indeed.That evening left me with four thoughts, some of which seem particularly relevant during the Triple Crown season:1. Know the rules of the race before you run it.2. Nobody remembers who places second or third in horse racing (or dating) unless something drastic happens. Witness this year's derby and Overcompensating's hasty exit.3. Inappropriate comments, no matter how accurate, are always a good way to get thrown out of a bar.4. Whenever fillies and stallions run in the same race, it often leaves the spectators confused, not to mention the participants.

Earlier in June CBS 42's Ron Oliveira did a story about a subject that brings shame and embarrassment to men. It's called ED which is Erectile Dysfunction.Millions of men have it due to poor health, nerve damage, medications or surgery. Many men and the women in their lives reached out for help."People don't know what you're going through when you have this procedure done to you."For a variety of reasons, this man and his wife don't want their identities revealed. He's hurt and depressed. After prostate cancer surgery he suffers from erectile dysfunction due to nerve damage during surgery. Viagra or other pills won't work for him.A penile implant was recommended. His insurance company paid for the prostate surgery but repeatedly denied him the implant. He says insurance told him it was medically unnecessary.His wife says, "In our opinion, yes, it is a medical necessity. Why? Because it was caused by cancer."Urologist Steve Hardeman tells how the implant works: "This is an inflatable penile prosthesis. It's got a reservoir which holds fluid. It's got a pump and these are the two structures that go inside the penile shaft. And what happens is you actually pump the fluid through this reservoir with this. This structure is within the scrotum and it causes inflation of these structures and they produce a rigid erection." The procedure can cost anywhere from $10,000 to more than $20,000, something this couple simply can't afford but one that could help change their lives.The man says, "It affected me bad. I don't feel like a man I used to be. And I feel like I'm not helping my wife any, taking care of my job that I need to take care of my wife."His wife is sympathetic, "I feel sorry for him, because I can cope with it but I know he can't. He has a hard time with it. This problem can break up a marriage. But we've been lucky. We've stayed with each other."The two have support from Galen and Linda Bird whom we introduced you to a few weeks ago. Galen also had prostate cancer and suffered from erectile dysfunction. His depression ended when he had a penile implant. His insurance company did cover the procedure.Linda Bird notes "if a woman has a mastectomy, her insurance company is required to pay for reconstruction; it's not fair to the men. If they have a radical prostatectomy, they can't have a penile implant if they need it. I don't know why the men have been left in the dust, but I think it's time, and they're realizing it is time."Ten years ago the Federal Breast Reconstruction Law went into effect requiring all health insurance companies to cover breast reconstruction after a woman has a mastectomy. The Birds think a similar law should be applied to men.A bill before Congress right now could be the answer. H.R. 1903 would require health plans to cover reconstructive prosthetic urology surgery if they provide coverage for prostate cancer treatment. The Birds, the couple we just introduced you to, members of the medical community, and others have gone to Washington to lobby Congress to pass the bill.Urologist Dr. Bryan Kansas says, "Penis and erections seem to define men. If you talk to any man who has had erections and then lost them and then been able to regain them by any means, they say it absolutely changes their lives."When Congress passed the "Women's Health and Cancer Rights Act of 1998, supporters say it recognized that breast reconstruction surgery is an important part of a woman's treatment and recovery.Supporters of H.R. 1903 say prosthetic procedures are just as critical to the health and well being of men who are prostate cancer survivors.On Tuesday, June 3, Dr. Bryan Kansas will be holding a free seminar on EDand Incontinence at Riverbend Church Fellowship Hall at 4214 N. Capital of Texas Highway. Galen and Linda Bird will be featured speakers. Space is limited. Call 1-877-4ED-CURE (433-2873) to register.
 

PVC Tubing Figuring out how to feed crews on long space missions is one of the more practical considerations of space travel.But will they like pesto?Students at the Atlantic County Institute of Technology are growing basil as part of a NASA Seeds from Space program to study how food might be grown on a space colony. Using cinnamon basil seeds that traveled to the International Space Station, science teacher Melissa Hannan and her students combined aquaculture and hydroponics to create a system that provides both fish and herbs.The project gives students hands-on lessons that could be applied to several programs offered at the school. Informational technology students in Mark Gresham's physics class used 3-D computer modeling to design the system. Fred Cramer's carpentry class built the tanks. Les Keeper's chemistry class coordinates chemical testing. Hannan's environmental science class monitors the daily progress of the plants.The process involved some trial and error. Students designed a clever system to grow plants in PVC tubing elevated on plastic arches in fish tanks. "But the first (arches) fell over," said junior William Tustin, of Mays Landing. "They were too flimsy, and they collapsed under the weight."They were reinforced and are doing well. James Adams, of Egg Harbor Township, said they also simplified the design over time to take into consideration transportation and potential repairs in space."We wanted to keep it light and simple so if it breaks, it would be easy to fix," he said.Junior Mark Basile, of Egg Harbor Township, got the idea for the PVC tubing from his uncle, who also used it to grow seedlings. The basil seedlings are just starting to peek through their pods, and the students included some more established plants to see how they adapt.Chase Pippin, of Egg Harbor Township, a student in the culinary program, noted that the color of the established basil has changed in the hydroponic setting."We're going to make some food with the results and see how they taste," he said.Students are also monitoring a "control tank" that includes a similar setup, but no fish, and seeds that came not from space, but from Burt's Bees, which provided them as part of a program to grow flowers that attract bees."We're going to plant them outside later," Elisha Muniz, of East Vineland said. "We're doing more than just one project."The space tank also includes some blue gills, whose waste serves as fertilizer for the plants. Tustin said they ran a math simulation that indicated they could vacuum compress a year's supply of fish food to about the size of a pack of gum so it would take up little space in the shuttle.Douglas Williams, of Egg Harbor Township, is part of a team that tests for nitrates and phosphates in both tanks every two days.Hannan said the idea of growing space food really captured the students' interest - even students not in her class show up during their free periods to help out. The process also involves daily record-keeping, and Hannan will have to submit a final report on their results to NASA."It's really a lot of work, almost like a thesis," she said. "We've got 60 pages of data so far."The students are already working on phase two - a project to pressurize the tank to see how the plants grow in a pressurized system.
 

Pu. Shoes Dress shoe companies in mainland China and Hong Kong are releasing pumps and sandals in a variety of patterns, uppers and heels.In line with footwear trends, suppliers are dyeing or silk-screening fabric and leather uppers with cheetah, leopard, zebra and other animal-skin patterns. Some makers are using checkered, floral and geometric prints as well.Designs that have fabric uppers adopt color-blocked or printed satin, or canvas with houndstooth and other checkered motifs. These two types of fabric may be combined or trimmed with genuine or synthetic leather piping.PU, PVC and split leather, and top-grain oxhide, calfskin, goatskin and pigskin uppers are treated with patent or metallic finishes. While some come in plain solid hues, the majority have color blocking or prints.Regardless of material, patterns are often shown on the entire upper. Some designs, however, feature motifs on just the toe box or counter, while others have prints extending to the lining and even the heel.In terms of style, court pumps are giving way to peep-toes and d'Orsays. Some pointed-toe models are still available, but most now have rounded or square-shaped boxes.Dressy sandals with slingbacks or ankle straps are produced in large volumes as well.For enhanced comfort, many designs are fitted with kitten heels that are no more than 1.5 inches tall. On the extreme end, however, are stacked, Spanish, Continental or sexy stiletto heels with heights that can reach 4 inches.Among the mainland suppliers in this report, Huizhou Yuteng Shoes Co. Ltd adopts metallic and patent PU leather, satin and small-grain canvas in its range of women's dress shoes. D'orsays and peep-toe slingbacks feature zebra-skin or floral prints.The company's five designers and 20 sample makers finish countersamples in three to five days. In most cases, buyers approve the samples for production on the first try. Between 30 and 50 prototypes can be made monthly.Shenzhen Dongyu Shoes Co. Ltd uses waxed calfskin and two-tone patent leather as uppers for its court and peep-toe pumps. Mary Janes are available as well. Most models have leopard- or cheetah-skin prints.The eight designers, 30 sample makers and 12 technical specialists in the R&D team complete prototypes in three days. About 2,000 samples can be finished in one month.PU leather, horsehair and canvas are the main upper materials adopted at Golden Lily Co. Ltd. The court, slingback and peep-toe pumps feature various types of animal-skin patterns.Rising Sun International Co. Ltd employs zebra-, leopard- and floral-print PU leather and microfiber on its sandals and peep-toe pumps.The 18-member R&D team, which includes six designers, finishes countersamples in seven to 10 days and releases 200 to 300 prototypes monthly.In Hong Kong, Circe International Ltd offers Mary Janes, court pumps and peep-toe d'Orsays with 3 or 4-inch stiletto heels. Some d'Orsays feature platform soles as well. Designs have animal-skin, floral, checkered or geometric patterns on PU leather, fabric or pony leather.The R&D team has one laser printing, one computerized embroidery and two laser cutting machines at its workshop. Such equipment allows the group to boost product development and sampling efficiency.At Nisun International (Group) Co. Ltd, the best-sellers are court and peep-toe pumps with 2 or 3-inch Cuban or setback heels. Most shoes have PU leather or fabric uppers with houndstooth, geometric or floral patterns.
 

Accessories Shoes With the grand opening of H&M's flagship store downtown Thursday, Vancouverites will see more than just fashion bargains. As the hordes of shoppers now traipsing out to the suburbs to buy from the affordable, fashion-forward store stay in town, we'll see reductions in smog and greenhouse gas emissions, too.Ever since H&M opened at Coquitlam a year ago, the young and trendy have been driving there from all over the Lower Mainland to find designer clothes at prices they can afford. Everyday shopping at the store has been like the frenzy of the Army and Navy shoe sale.H&M spokeswoman Laura Shankland said the store was overwhelmed by the consumer interest. On opening day, 600 people lined up before it unlocked the doors. In April, they opened their second store at Lougheed Mall.Now, she says, the Swedish clothing giant is delighted to launch its biggest Canadian store in the space formerly occupied by Holt Renfrew in Pacific Centre. Shankland hopes the response will be similarly huge.The first 250 people in line will receive a randomly selected H&M gift card preloaded with a value between $10 and $200."We are very excited," she says. "It's an amazing location and it's been such a long time coming."Acknowledging that crowds in Coquitlam made it tough to get a fitting room, Shankland recommends customers take advantage of the store's 30-day return policy and try clothes on at home.At 28,660 square feet, the Pacific Centre location is big. Really big. Big enough to house a wide selection of clothes for kids, teens and adults of both genders.And unlike the Coquitlam store, the downtown location will have H&M's highest-fashion collection featuring the latest in international trends for both men and women, promises Shankland.Shoes too. "We have a great selection of shoes, everything from your very basic flip-flops to dressy shoes and boots for fall."For men, the store will carry a Modern classic collection, tailored men's suits made of fabrics from Italy and cashmere sweaters.When the store opens, it will feature summer fashions highlighting ethnic prints, tropical colours, swimwear and accessories.H&M has collaborated in the past with international designers and celebrities, including Karl Lagerfeld, Stella McCartney, Viktor & Rolf, Madonna and Roberto Cavalli. This fall, H&M introduces a line from Comme des Gar?ons' founder and head designer Rei Kawakubo. The collection will feature clothing for women and men, as well as some pieces for children, accessories and an exclusive unisex fragrance.H&M has 38 stores in Canada: 22 in Ontario, three in Alberta, 10 in Quebec and now three in British Columbia.