Superfoods: The Food and Medicine of the Future

Book Description
Superfoods are vibrant, nutritionally dense foods that have recently become widely available and which offer tremendous dietary and healing potential. In this lively, illustrated overview, well-known raw-foods guru David Wolfe profiles delicious and incredibly nutritious plant products such as goji berries, hempseed, cacao beans (raw chocolate), maca, spirulina, bee products, and a host of others. As powerful sources of clean protein, vitamins, minerals, enzymes, antioxidants, good fats and oils, essential fatty and amino acids, and other nutrients, they represent a uniquely promising piece of the nutritional puzzle. Each superfood is described in detail, accompanied by easy and delicious recipes. This accessible guide presents persuasive arguments, based on sound science, for the pivotal role of superfoods in promoting nutritional excellence, health and well-being, beauty enhancement, sustainable agriculture, and the transformation of diet, lifestyle, and planet.

A Q&A with David Wolfe

Question: What are superfoods?

David Wolfe: Superfoods are the greatest foods identified by the greatest civilizations in the history of the world. They are foods that have a whole array of tricks under their sleeve. They are extremely easy to use and agree with a lot of different body types and metabolisms.

Question: What contributions are you making in the world? What are you here to share with us?

David Wolfe: My goal is to make raw foods, superfoods, superherbs, and the best chocolate ever an option for everyone on the planet. I want to make becoming healthy simpler, easier, and more fun than ever before.

Question: Tell us about the goji berry. What is in it? How about the cacao bean? What is in cacao? Isnâ??t this the food that we make chocolate out of?

David Wolfe: The goji berry is a complete protein source with extraordinary levels of antioxidants, levels of carotenes (according to studies, the more carotenes you eat, the longer you live) which have been shown to be present in primates. The goji berry is easy to eat for people of all ages. It also assists with the digestion of other food. It is considered the number one medicinal herb in Chinese medicine--which has a 5,000 year history of about 8,000 herbs. It improves our ability to secrete HGH naturally and it the only food known to do so.

Cacao has a higher concentration of magnesium, chromium, iron, and antioxidants than any food in the world. Cacao is also exceedingly rich in copper, zinc, and manganese. Cacao contains fat-soluble forms of all of these minerals, which is unusual. Research has proven this food is associated with longevity. The cacao bean is chocolate, chocolate is cacao--you cannot have chocolate without cacao. Basically, chocolate is a nut butter made out of cacao beans. Chocolate contains PEAs, chemicals associated with falling in love, anandamide, the bliss chemical, and theobromine, which improves our cardiovascular health. Contrary to some opinions, cacao is very low in caffeine.

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Antique Cigarette Case (For King Size & 100's) #32

Cigarette Cases are always a classy way to hold on to your cigarettes and prevent them from getting crushed. Just flip the spring loaded lid open and retrieve your favorite cigarette. This cigarette case is 100mm long and will hold 18 regular size cigarettes or 100's. Case measures 3 1/4" x 4".

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The Butterfly Lovers Concerto for Violin; Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto

Departures is surely the gentlest, sweetest movie about death that you will ever see. A cellist named Diago (Masahiro Motoki) comes to the rueful conclusion that he’s not talented enough to make a career as a musician; having just returned to his hometown with his wife Mika (Ryoko Hirosue, Wasabi), he answers a job ad for what he thinks must be a travel agency... only to discover that company prepares bodies to be placed in coffins. Fearful of his wife’s response, he hides his new job--but as he grows to appreciate his boss (Tsutomu Yamazaki, Tampopo) and the affect that the humbling ceremony of cleaning and dressing the deceased has on their families, Diago discovers that he might have a calling. Departures won the 2009 Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, and it’s easy to understand why. Though it starts out quietly and even seems slight, it gradually builds in emotional power, layer by layer, until scene after scene at the end is richly moving. Particularly affecting is the performance of Kimiko Yo, the secretary of the company, who harbors a troubling secret. A few moments of overt symbolism push the movie from compassion to sentimentality--but every time Departures seems to have lost its footing, a scene follows that strikes all the right notes so deftly it resonates like a bell. A truly marvelous movie. --Bret Fetzer

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Gerber 12-Pack Prefold Birdseye 3-Ply Cloth Diapers with Padding - White

These prefolded white diapers are made from 100 percent cotton, in a soft bird's-eye weave, with an absorbent polyester pad inside that runs the length of the central fold. The diapers measure 14.5 by 20.5 inches. Folding instructions are on the package; wash using nonchlorine bleach. --Richard Farr

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Jensen VM9414 Single DIN MultiMedia Receiver with 7-Inch Inch Flip Out Touch Screen, Integrated Navigation System

JENSEN VM9414 7" SINGLE-DIN MULTIMEDIA NAVIGATION RECEIVER

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TwinBridge Chinese Partner v6.5 Premium Edition for Windows 2K/XP/Vista 32 Bit

The Chinese Partner v6.5 Premium Edition for Windows 2K/XP (CP)/Vista 32-bit is the ultimate global multilingual system for Chinese language. Designed with powerful features and intuitive interface, it enables complex Asian language processing in standard English Windows as well as localized Windows.

**Compatibility
Fully compatible with MS Office suite and most applications under Windows 2000/XP/2003/2007. Enable you to display, edit and print Chinese (simplified and traditional) documents, spreadsheets, PowerPoints, E-mails, etc. Supports most internal codes including Unicode for Chinese characters.

**Fonts
56 Chinese high quality True Type fonts for both ANSI and Unicode applications.

**IME Dictionary Manager
Perform dictionary management for Chinese input methods: Indexed Phrase, English-Chinese, Yueyin and Changjie. Dictionary entries can be easily modified, added or deleted.

**Input Methods
The Chinese Partner Input Methods provide fast Chinese characters entry with Pinyin, Zhuyin, English-Chinese, Stroke, etc. Characters and phrases are sorted in frequency of use for convenient selection.

**English-Chinese Dictionary
Provides comprehensive and intuitive bi-directional speaking dictionary. Pronounces English and Simplified Chinese entries.

**Super Code Converter
Allows conversion among GB, B5, GBK, BIG5+ Japanese EUC (JIS), Japanese Shift-JIS, Korean KSC Code and Unicode standards in text (ASCII) format and RTF (Rich Text Format). In the RTF mode, certain document attributes such as font information, e.g., bold type will be retained. Easily converts non-Unicode documents for Unicode applications.

**Custom Chinese IME Generator
The Chinese system in the Language Partner supports three user-defined input methods. The custom input methods, coding rules, and features will function according to the definition.

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Chinese Paper Lanterns, pk of 12

These Mini Chinese Lanterns come in a pack of 12 and are approx. 4 1/2 inches wide by 6 inches long. These colorful Chinese paper lanterns come in yellow, pink, green and orange assorted colors and are easy to open and hang on the attached wire loop on the top. (these are paper lanterns, not lights)

Solid white is available, and are a slightly smaller 4 inches by 6 inches long. They also come in a package of 12 pieces in round and oval shapes with a colored tassel on the bottom.

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Red Orange Chinese/Japanese Paper Lantern/Lamp 12" Diameter - Just Artifacts Brand

Great for party and home decoration. Check Just Artifacts products for more available colors/sizes.

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CHINESE TAKE OUT COSTUME

Funny Food Costumes

(Item #HUMR160)

Includes

Tunic

This funny Chinese Take Out Costume includes the tunic in the shape of a fold-out box with chinese chow mein noodles spilling out of the top.

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Chinese Laundry Women's Kingdom Over-The-Knee Boot

Create a leg line that stretches from here to Kingdom come with this sleek boot from Chinese Laundry. Its rounded toe and tapered heel contribute to its alluring silhouette, while its partial side zip makes on and off a breeze.

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Bamboo Paper Lantern Set w/ Light #ml-19

This Lantern Set comes with 10 Paper Lanterns and 10 12v light bulbs on a 11 feet cord. * Color: White with black bamboo * Each Lantern about 3-1/2in diameter * Whole Length about 11 feet. * This traditional Japanese Hanging Lantern Set are Great item for Decorating Home. * Connects more than one Lantern Set to Each other Like Christmas Lights.

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Arcade Zone

Arcade Zone

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In GOP campaign, foreign policy becomes economic - Boston Globe

var archivedState=0; By Bradley Klapper Associated Press / October 5, 2011

WASHINGTON—From the rise of China to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, the revolutions of the Arab Spring to foreign aid for Pakistan, the Republican Party's presidential hopefuls are framing their foreign policy positions against the backdrop of America's crippling debt and high unemployment.

The question is no longer necessarily, What should we do? Instead, they're asking, What can we afford? Or, sometimes, What's in it for us?

With the exception of Israel's security, the blank check of Republican support once afforded U.S. military operations, freer international trade and the spread of global democracy are facing the constraints of limited spending power and an overwhelming pressure among voters to refocus America's energy at home.

From the "internationalist" camp, Rick Perry is calling for a reassessment of how Washington winds down its war in Afghanistan and whether money is "best spent with 100,000 military who have the target on their back."

Jon Huntsman, President Barack Obama's former ambassador to China, is urging the end of nation-building abroad "at a time when this nation needs to be built."

Among candidates deemed more "isolationist," Ron Paul is remaining competitive in the polls while calling for radical retrenchment. "We have 900 bases around the world," he said last month before lamenting, "We're going broke."

The message reflects two realities. The race to see who will be Obama's re-election opponent next year is being driven almost entirely by concerns over taxes, joblessness, the deficit and other domestic debates. And despite a litany of international challenges that will certainly occupy much of the next commander in chief's time, economics must be part of how the United States acts in a changing world.

Yet the tone of the Republican discussions is also emblematic of how America has in many ways moved on from the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and a decade of foreign policy defined by the Bush administration's war on terror. The killing of al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden in May and Obama's efforts to close out America's lengthy -- and fiscally draining -- missions in Iraq and Afghanistan have underscored the transition.

For better or worse, these policies now seem largely set in stone no matter who wins next year's election. The focus for many voters, and increasingly for the candidates, has turned to how foreign policy can augment U.S. economic recovery.

Take Mitt Romney's 59-point plan to rebuild America, which contains a set of foreign policy principles that few of his rival Republicans, or even Obama and leading Democrats, would find novel or objectionable. They include the need for a stronger military, enhanced "soft power" to bolster American influence around the world and steadfast alliances in Europe and the Middle East.

But within his economic plan is a contentious declaration that he'd proclaim China a currency manipulator and direct the Commerce Department to punish Chinese companies with higher import taxes. This is an issue that could gain traction in the election because it touches on lost U.S. manufacturing jobs and the rising anxieties of Americans as China closes in on overtaking the United States as the world's biggest economy.

The value of the yuan against the dollar has irked Republican and Democratic lawmakers for the last decade. Economists say the Chinese currency may be as much as 20 percent undervalued, and U.S. critics of China say this has cost the U.S. hundreds of thousands of jobs. But politicians have found it much easier to campaign on China's currency than to actually force the communist government to float its currency.

The Senate moved forward Monday with a bipartisan bill to punish China over its currency, but the legislation faces considerable hurdles before it becomes law. The Obama White House, while agreeing that the yuan is undervalued, has been wary of unilateral sanctions against Beijing. Major U.S. business groups share that concern and House GOP leaders have shown no interest in bringing the bill to a vote.

Three years ago, candidate Obama said the U.S. should "never hesitate" to confront China on issues such as copyright infringement and currency manipulation, yet his administration has largely limited itself to narrowly defined trade cases against Beijing and a series of threats aimed at pressuring China to revalue its money. Like President George W. Bush before him, Obama can cite small successes if not an overall solution to the problem.

Yet Romney's -- and the Senate's -- alternative path could risk a trade war between the U.S., the world's top importer, and China, the largest exporter and a holder of more than $1 trillion in U.S. debt. Its ability to retaliate against the United States could hamper U.S. exports, and mean even more lost American jobs.

With money tight, Americans also are increasingly bothered by foreign aid. Although U.S. assistance abroad amounts to only about 1 percent of the federal budget, a YouTube questioner at last week's debate summed up the perception of many voters when he asked: "When are we going to get someone in the White House that can stand up to these other countries and say you are not getting any more of our money? This is stupid."

That prompted Newt Gingrich to promote a "review of the whole program" and a plan to replace U.S. aid to foreign governments with an investment strategy that would encourage American companies to help other countries while creating American jobs. Washington is already involved in various such private-public strategies around the world, but that would hardly work as a one-fit approach to help governments fight terrorism, end civil wars, feed their people or eliminate deadly diseases.

Still, these ideas are likely to be among the most concrete policy proposals, and most popular with an American public that is primarily concerned with how to create new jobs and get the economy growing. Vague allegations that Obama has failed as a leader or weakened America's prestige may appeal to a smaller base of more militantly anti-Obama voters but are less likely to resonate much further.

Gingrich has toned down his criticism of Obama for supporting NATO's intervention in Libya, but Michele Bachmann still blames Obama's "weakness" for the Arab Spring revolts. The unrest swept out a few autocrats who were U.S. allies and opened what Bachmann says is a vacuum for Islamists.

Perry says the U.S. shouldn't be in the "business of adventurism" overseas, an argument few Democrats or Republicans would nitpick. GOP candidates have largely avoided the topic of al-Qaida or grudgingly commended Obama for the operation against bin Laden in Pakistan and the one that killed American-born cleric Anwar al-Awlaki in Yemen last week.

Few critiques of Obama's international leadership have really stuck, and the president's foreign policy performance has well outpaced his domestic achievements in polling. That has meant some of the biggest splashes of this still young campaign, on the international side, have come in the form of gaffes and oddball claims.

Perry stumbled over a question about what he would do if the Taliban seized Pakistan's nuclear weapons, and Bachmann has claimed the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah could be setting up shop in Cuba -- a suggestion that has yet to be substantiated in any way.

For all its eccentricity, Herman Cain's most memorable foreign policy suggestion was remarkable because it took an issue that was seemingly isolated from America's domestic economy and tried to bring it closer to home. Asked how to deal with a potentially nuclear-armed Iran, he offered U.S. energy independence as a solution.

© Copyright 2011 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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Chinese demand boosts Yum profits - BBC News

5 October 2011 Last updated at 01:37 GMT Yum Brands is planning to expand its presence in China even further to cater to growing demand Fast food giant Yum Brands has reported a jump in third-quarter profit as sales at its Chinese outlets continue to grow.

Yum reported a net profit of $383m (£248m) in the three months to 3 September, up from $357m last year.

The owner of Pizza Hut and KFC said same-store sales in China rose 19% during the period.

With close to 4,200 outlets, China accounts for more than 40% of Yum's profits.

"This tremendous sales growth, combined with our expectation to open a record 600 new restaurants this year, gives us even more confidence our China business model is as strong as ever," said David Novak, chairman and chief executive officer of Yum Brands.

Domestic trouble

While it continues to grow in China and other emerging markets, Yum Brands has been struggling in the US market.

The company said like-for-like sales at its US outlets fell as much as 3% in the third-quarter, resulting in a 16% drop in profit during the period.

"We're obviously disappointed in our US performance," Mr Novak said.

Analysts said the company was still suffering the effects of the lawsuit against Taco Bell earlier this year, over allegations that it used large amounts of additives and little actual meat in its beef products.

Though the company denied the claims and the lawsuit was dropped, it damaged Yum's brand image.

"They've got a job to do PR-wise to repair that," said Jack Russo of investment firm Edward Jones.

"It looks like it's stabilising and we'll get to the point next year where they'll be bouncing up against some easier comparisons so that will help," he added.

Yum said that it was planning to launch innovation and productivity initiatives in the US in a bid to improve sales and profits.

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7 Quality Chinese Picks Trading At 52-Week Lows - Seeking Alpha

“Investors should remember that excitement and expenses are their enemies. And if they insist on trying to time their participation in equities, they should try to be fearful when others are greedy and greedy when others are fearful.” – Warren Buffett

Chinese ADRs have been punished over the past several weeks due to a possible Greek default, Chinese government regulation on VIEs, Department of Justice’s (DOJ) investigation on US-listed Chinese issuers for accounting irregularities, and a possible hard landing of the Chinese economy.

While it is possible that Greece might enter an “orderly default,” the fear over VIE regulation, DOJ investigation, and China’s hard landing is greatly exaggerated. In a recent media report, listed Chinese companies, including Baidu (BIDU), Sina (SINA), and Sohu (SOHU), are likely to be exempted from VIE regulation. According to an anonymous source inside China Security Regulatory Commission (CSRC), top leaders in China would likely apply “old rules to old companies, and new rules to new companies.” Many overseas-listed Chinese firms use the VIE structure and the combined market capitalization of all Chinese firms in the US is estimated to be over $900 billion. By banning VIE, Chinese government would harm companies worth billions in foreign markets, and would be under strong international criticism as it tries to win global recognition by launching the international board later this year or early next year. Unless China wants join North Korea to become a Hermit Kingdom, it is unlikely that the Chinese government will “crack down” on the current overseas-listed companies.

In regards to DOJ’s investigation of the U.S.-listed Chinese issuers, it is likely that DOJ is targeting companies that are listed on the U.S. exchanges through Reverse Takeover, or RTOs, because they account for a majority of delisted Chinese companies. The quality Chinese companies that were listed via IPO and have a well-defined business model, strong brand credibility, and recognized auditors are unlikely to be under DOJ investigation

Finally, many fear that China will experience a hard landing. The recent Chinese PMI indicates otherwise, as service industry rose 59.3 from 57.6 in August. Also, many investors fail to recognize that China is a politically-driven economy rather than market-driven economy. In order to create a stable labor market, the Chinese economy must grow at least 8% annually. Failure to do so would result in high unemployment rates that would spur social unrest among the estimated 150 million migrant workers. Social unrest is the Chinese government’s biggest concern, because throughout history we have witnessed social unrest topple governments around the world (The French Revolution of 1789, the October Revolution of 1917, the fall of Soviet Union, and the current revolution in Libya, just to name a few).

Simply stated, the Chinese Communist Government will to whatever it can to achieve a GDP growth of 8% to avoid social unrest in order to stay in power. Based on the efficiency and decisiveness that the Chinese Communist Government has shown in response to the Financial Crisis of 2008, it is likely that China will not experience a hard landing in the foreseeable future.

The recent fear in the market has pushed many companies near their 52-week lows as the stocks are priced for the worst case scenario. However, it is unlikely that such a scenario can occur, thus the current valuations of the following seven companies offer a compelling attractive entry point.

Sohu (SOHU)’s lack of leadership in the web portal, online gaming, online video, and online search has weighed on the stock price over the past several years. Many investors do no appreciate Sohu’s strategy of building network externalities, such as Sogou Browser and Sogou Pinyin Input, that generate no revenue. However, in my opinion, Sohu is in the midst of a brand reinvention, and the company is building products and services that will expand its presence in online advertising. I would like investors to note that Sogou Search’s capability is gradually becoming on par to Baidu's (BIDU), and has the additional offerings of a larger music library, a wider selection of online videos, and a leading web portal. Eventually, internet users are likely to appreciate and adopt the Sogou Browser, which will drive search traffic on Sogou Search, web traffic on Sohu.com, and viewer traffic on Sohu TV. The company currently has a market cap of $1.9 billion and trades at 12x earnings. The company also boasts a strong balance sheet of $811 million in cash and no debt.

Ctrip International (CTRP) currently trades at 28x earnings and has a market cap of $4.7 billion. The company is the leader in China’s online travel agency (OTA) market. In my earlier article on Ctrip, I pointed out that the company is underappreciated by the North American investors due to their lack of familiarity with Ctrip’s product offering and its customer service. Ctrip’s focus on delivering quality customer service has allowed the firm to build a large base of loyal users, and the introduction of value added services such as Lvping.com (similar to TripAdvisor) and group deals will likely generate greater brand loyalty that will expand Ctrip’s industry standing in China’s OTA market.

Even though I questioned Renren’s (RENN) acquisition of 56.com, I am positive on the company’s secular growth and its leadership position in China’s real-name SNS. The 56.com acquisition did not significantly impact Renren’s balance sheet, as the company still has over $1 billion in cash (more than 50% of the market cap), and no debt. According to the result from last quarter, Renren has done exceptionally well in returning to profitability and the company’s initiative in social gaming and advertising sales will likely drive solid top-line growth going forward.

Focus Media (FMCN) is a forgotten leader in China’s advertising industry. The company has a market cap of $2.8 billion and trades at 13x earnings. The company is the largest digital advertising company with approximately 170,000 flat-panel displays in about 95,000 buildings located in 90 cities across China. Its customers include GM, Coca Cola (KO), Citibank (C), P&G (G), Hennessy, and Sony (SNE). The company recently announced that it would increase its share buyback program by $200 million to $650 million by the end of 2013. Since February 2010, Focus Media has bought back $315 million worth of shares.

E-Commerce Dangdang (DANG) is known as “China’s Amazon.” The company has a market cap of $368 million and has no earnings. Dangdang is a leader in China’s books and media distribution business, with over half of all China’s online book sales. In addition, the company is continuously expanding its product mix by adding general merchandise and improving user experience by establishing more distribution centers to cut shipping time. In the near term, Dangdang’s margin will likely face headwinds, but could improve in the long term as better product mix and increasing sales are likely to cause incremental margin expansion.

New Oriental Education and Technology (EDU) is China’s largest private school that specializes in language training and exam preparation. The company has a market cap of $3.6 billion and trades at 35x earnings. New Oriental's competitive advantage lies in its brand equity, broad network, and solid management. Currently, New Oriental has over 1.6 million students enrolled in its 456 schools nationwide. The company has established a strong brand in English training and is now looking to expand its elementary school programs and overseas education consulting services.

TAL Education Group (XRS) is another leading education player that is often overlooked by many investors. Unlike New Oriental which caters to the masses, TAL Education Group is extremely selective in its student enrollment and provides high-end academic after school tutoring services. The company has a market cap of $750 million and trades at 26x earnings, and will report second quarter FY2012 on October 25th.

Disclosure: I have no positions in any stocks mentioned, and no plans to initiate any positions within the next 72 hours.

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Global Decor Stainless-Steel Chopsticks, 4 Pairs

Industrial chic meets ancient world in these fashionable and practical chopsticks. Unlike their bamboo forebears they won't get stained and can go in the dishwasher without harm. Sleek and stylish with a smooth, comfortable feel in the hand. Please note: marble tile not included.

Price: $8.00

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Fantasia (Walt Disney's Masterpiece) [VHS]

Along with Fantasia and Fantasia 2000, the anthology set contains a third disc that examines a segment of both movies in detail. Each segment has an introduction that has experts (including Leonard Maltin), producer Roy E. Disney, or the animators setting up the piece's history. Notes on the music and dozens of design photos are included on all the segments, although others offer more intriguing features. Abandoned animation is shown on many segments, as are a few behind-the-scenes shorts; the most intriguing are experts from Walt Disney's hosted documentaries on how his company made movies. As for the photos, they are awkwardly catalogued and only the most patient of viewers would want to look at all of them. In some segments, though, these images are entertainingly produced as a "story reel," presenting these images--rough animation, sketches, pastel paintings--with the musical accompaniment. For those looking for a more well-rounded view of the films, the two one-hour documentaries on each film's disc lay the groundwork, but none of the anthology looks at how the first film was seen through the years or gives time to anyone who wasn't gung-ho about every element of the films. There is hardly a mention of embarrassing stereotypes that were matted (and still are) out of the "Pastoral" segment, or the intriguing aspect of the film as a '60s icon for the ultimate head-trip. Disney does let their guard down to show sequences that were being readied in 1940 for future editions (including a recently restored short scored to "Clair de Lune"). Most tantalizing is a look at how the special effects were done in the original film. The guide is a scrapbook that one of the technicians kept and was discovered only in 1990. Fans can only hope a reproduction will be made available someday. --Doug Thomas

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All Power America APG3560 6,000 Watt 13 HP OHV Propane Powered Generator with Electric Start & Wheel Kit

Generator comes with a mobility kit for easy maneuverability on the jobsite.

Not for sale in CA Surge Watts: 6,000, Rated Watts: 5,000, Start Type: Electric or recoil, Engine Displacement (cc): 389, HP: 13, Engine: OHV 4 Stroke, Run Time: 8.5, Receptacles (qty.): 4, Noise Level (dB): 75, Fuel Type: Propane, Fuel Capacity (gal.): 5, Low Oil Shutdown: yes, Battery Required: yes, Battery Included: No, Dimensions L x W x H (in.): 27.56 x 21.06 x 23.03

Price: $999.99

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Chinese Fortune Sticks

Our Chinese Fortune Sticks are the oldest known method of fortune telling in the world! Our beautiful set includes 78 red tipped wooden sticks, each with an original Chinese Fortune translated in to English. To properly tell your fortune, just gently shake the container until one of the sticks protrudes beyond the others. Read your Fortune with amazement! A great party game and gift.á

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Instapark® 532nm Powerful Green Laser Pointer Astronomy and Military Grade(Click-on, Click-off switch)

The Iolite Portable Cordless Vaporizer is a pocket size healthy way to experience the full health value of any herbs or essential oils. The Iolite Vaporizer is cordless requiring no battery and no flame. The Iolite Vaporizer is easily ignited and reaches vaporizing temperature in under 1 minute and hits peak performance at 10 minutes. Using patent technology, the Iolite Vaporizer creates a catalytic reaction between butane and O2

Price: $89.99

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Facing the Giants

From the award winning producers of FLYWHEEL, comes an action-packed drama about a Christian high school football coach who uses his undying faith to battle the giants of fear and failure. In six years of coaching, Grant Taylor has never led his Shiloh Eagles to a winning season. After learning that he and his wife Brooke face infertility, Grant discovers that a group of fathers are secretly organizing to have him dismissed as head coach. Devastated by his circumstances, he cries out to God in desperation. When Grant receives a message from an unexpected visitor, he searches for a stronger purpose for his football team. He dares to challenge his players to believe God for the impossible on and off the field. When faced with unbelievable odds, the Eagles must step up to their greatest test of strength and courage. What transpires is a dynamic story of the fight between faith and fear. Facing the Giants is a powerful experience for the whole family inspiring viewers to live with faith, h

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In China, fake phones are losing appeal - Los Angeles Times

Guo Feilong, a vendor at a massive electronics market in Beijing, shows a mock-up of an HTC smartphone. He said sales of knockoff phones were declining because "people want the real thing." (David Pierson, Los Angeles Times / October 4, 2011)

Xiong Mingjian is often crushed into a corner during his tedious subway commutes, but passing the time has been easy since he bought a nifty new cellphone.

The 27-year-old store clerk surfs the Internet and taps away at games on his Motorola Defy, one of an increasing number of popular high-end mobile phones that are helping China shed its label as a knockoff haven.

For years, copycat cellphones have thrived in a country famed for counterfeiting many things, such as Gucci handbags, Hollywood DVDs and, most recently, Apple retail stores. It's a market fed by shadowy factories turning out low-cost models bearing names such as BlockBerry and HiPhone 4.

But Chinese bootleggers are now losing ground to the iPhones and other high-end gadgets they once copied.

"People want the real thing," said Guo Feilong, a vendor at a massive electronics market in northwest Beijing where hundreds of closet-size stalls sell genuine and pirated phones. "Prices have gone down so much, why would anyone need to buy a fake?"

Falling prices for brand-name models are just one reason crude clones are becoming passe.

Chinese consumers increasingly want devices that allow them to surf the Web, play games and download apps, a level of sophistication that's tough for some low-rent producers to deliver. Some upwardly mobile city dwellers wouldn't dare risk losing face by carrying a knockoff phone.

Factory orders for unlicensed phones, better known in China as shanzhai, or outlawed, phones, have been declining rapidly over the last few years, according to market researcher IHS iSuppli.

Slightly more than 24 million shanzhai phones were ordered in China last year; that's down about half from the peak in 2007 when the devices accounted for 20% of all shipments. Today, shanzhai handsets represent just 7% of new factory orders for phones and could be half that within a few years.

Meanwhile, smartphone sales are soaring. More than 131 million are in use in China, up from 52 million in 2009, according to Analysys International, a Beijing research firm. The average price has dropped below $300, putting them within reach of white-collar workers.

"After playing with my friends' smartphones, I had to get one of my own," said Xiong, gripping a $275 touch-screen Motorola handset outside a Beijing subway station. "I would never buy a fake one because it wouldn't be able to do the same things."

The trend bodes well for brands such as Apple, Finland's Nokia and South Korea's Samsung, which are battling Chinese makers to capture a greater share of the world's largest cellphone market.

"We're looking at a billion [Chinese] cellphone users in the next couple of years," said David Wolf, chief executive of Wolf Group Asia, a Beijing consulting firm. "As important as North America and Europe has been for mobile devices, soon we'll see the tail wagging the dog. Chinese consumers will eventually dictate what the rest of the world will use."

Indeed, major parts manufacturers are developing their own smartphones for the Chinese market that will be significantly cheaper than current offerings. Apple reportedly is working on a lower-cost, mass-market Chinese iPhone; the company did not respond to requests for comment.

It all spells trouble for cellphone counterfeiters, whose hub is the southern industrial city of Shenzhen. Aided by China's weak protection of intellectual property and an abundant supply of low-cost semiconductors, hundreds of factories sprouted over the last decade, churning out knockoff handsets. These manufacturers found buyers not only in China but also in emerging markets in Africa and the Middle East.

International pressure led to periodic crackdowns by Chinese authorities. Bad press about exploding batteries and high radiation in some flimsy phones scared off some customers as well.

Declining profits spurred some counterfeiters to turn to making knockoff tablet computers instead. But others have decided to go legitimate by developing their own high-end cellphones.

Wanxiang, a Shenzhen company that makes and sells shanzhai handsets such as the iPhome A8, is planning to release a trademarked 3G smartphone this year that sells for $230. The manufacturer has gone so far as to develop an online app store, hoping that users will get hooked on the firm's software.

"Everyone can use the same hardware and offer the same prices, but to stay competitive you need your own applications and R&D," said Nuo Long, a Wanxiang manager. "So we decided to invest. This year alone, at least 60 or 70 phone makers registered new brands and trademarks."

Nuo said the company was inspired by two upstart Chinese phone makers generating buzz for their surprisingly capable devices. Meizu and Xiaomi have both developed phones aimed to compete with Apple.

The Xiaomi phone, which is priced at $312 and uses Google Android software, is half the price of an iPhone sold in China and boasts the most powerful processor ever installed on a mobile handset.

Oded Shenkar, a China specialist at Ohio State University and author of "Copycats: How Smart Companies Use Imitation to Gain a Strategic Edge," said none of this is especially odd. Chinese manufacturers are now poised to begin innovating after years of replicating foreign products and business models, he said.

"Chinese phone makers are learning to play the game by putting a twist on existing technology and putting a patent on it," Shenkar said.

"Being able to take a blueprint and turn it into a product in a very quick time will serve you very well when you eventually have your own concept," he said. "China is not the first or only imitator, but it's the first imitator that has tremendous capability."

Still, demand for shanzhai phones remains strong in rural areas and among migrant workers earning only a few hundred dollars a month.

"People in China are practical," said CK Lu, an analyst with research firm Gartner Inc. "It's not shameful to use fake phones any more than it is to carry a fake Louis Vuitton bag."

david.pierson@latimes.com

Tommy Yang in The Times' Beijing bureau contributed to this report.

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From Momofuku: Ginger Scallion Noodles and Ginger Scallion Sauce

Our ginger scallion noodles are an homage to/out-and-out rip-off of one of the greatest dishes in New York City: the $4.95 plate of ginger scallion noodles at Great New York Noodletown down on the Bowery in Chinatown.

Ginger scallion sauce is one of the greatest sauces or condiments ever. Ever. Itâ??s definitely a mother sauce at Momofuku, something that we use over and over and over again. If you have ginger scallion sauce in the fridge, you will never go hungry: stir 6 tablespoons into a bowl of hot noodles--lo mein, rice noodles, Shanghai thick noodles--and youâ??re in business. Or serve over a bowl of rice topped with a fried egg. Or with grilled meat or any kind of seafood. Or almost anything.

At Noodle Bar, we add a few vegetables to the Noodletown dish to appease the vegetarians, add a little sherry vinegar to the sauce to cut the fat, and leave off the squirt of hoisin sauce that Noodletown finishes the noodles with. (Not because itâ??s a bad idea or anything, just that weâ??ve got hoisin in our pork buns, and too much hoisin in a meal can be too much of a good thing. Feel free to add it back.)

The dish goes something like this: boil 6 ounces of ramen noodles, drain, toss with 6 tablespoons Ginger Scallion Sauce (below); top the bowl with 1/4 cup each of Bamboo Shoots (page 54 of Momofuku); Quick-Pickled Cucumbers (page 65 of Momofuku); pan-roasted cauliflower (a little oil in a hot wide pan, 8 or so minutes over high heat, stirring occasionally, until the florets are dotted with brown and tender all the way through; season with salt); a pile of sliced scallions; and a sheet of toasted nori. But thatâ??s because weâ??ve always got all that stuff on hand. Improvise to your needs, but know that you need ginger scallion sauce on your noodles, in your fridge, and in your life. For real.-- David Chang

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups thinly sliced scallions (greens and whites; from 1 to 2 large bunches)
• 1/2 cup finely minced peeled fresh ginger
• 1/4 cup grapeseed or other neutral oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons usukuchi (light soy sauce)
• 3/4 teaspoon sherry vinegar
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, or more to taste

(Makes about three cups)

Directions

Mix together the scallions, ginger, oil, soy, vinegar, and salt in a bowl. Taste and check for salt, adding more if needed. Though itâ??s best after 15 or 20 minutes of sitting, ginger scallion sauce is good from the minute itâ??s stirred together up to a day or two in the fridge. Use as directed, or apply as needed.

---

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Kowtowing is a good Chinese word we had better learn - Independent Online (blog)

At last I found a reasonable-minded official in the Department of International Relations who was able to explain why the Dalai Lama couldn’t possibly be allowed to visit South Africa.

He insisted on being known only as Mr X, in case he got fired for being too sympathetic to the Tibetan leader’s cause.

“I know he’s a Nobel Peace Prize winner,” said Mr X. “I know he’s the spiritual head of many millions. I know he’s one of the most respected human beings on Earth. But he annoys our very dear friends the Chinese government. And anybody who annoys our very dear friends annoys us.”

I pointed out that the Chinese government had also annoyed the Dalai Lama by seizing Tibet, destroying most of the monasteries, banning the practice of Buddhism, massacring thousands who objected, chasing many more into exile and forcing those still left to live in a constant state of fear, intimidation and suspicion.

“In a speech a couple of years ago, the Dalai Lama said ‘repression continues to be exercised with numerous flagrant, unimaginable violations of human rights, denial of religious freedom and the politicisation of religion’,” I quoted.

“No nation is perfect,” said Mr X. “Naturally we have no intention of selling our souls to China just for another R20 billion in investment deals and direct flights to Beijing, but keeping out a silly old man spouting peace is a small price to pay.”

“I see it as Africa kowtowing to the Far East,” I said.

“It makes a nice change from kowtowing to the West,” laughed Mr X. “By the way, kowtowing is a good Chinese word. We all better get used to it.”

“I thought of another nice Chinese word,” I said. “Changre – it’s Mandarin for ‘please sir, yes sir’. That’s what Chinese children chant out to their teachers. I just couldn’t find the Chinese for ‘three bags full, sir’.”

“You’re very funny,” said Mr X. “Maybe if we arrange a free trip to China for you, you’d change your attitude.”

“Free trips to China seem to have changed a lot of government people’s attitudes,” I noted.

“There you go,” said Mr X. “I knew you would understand.”

“It’s just a pity that you couldn’t even allow the Dalai Lama to attend the 80th birthday of our own dearly-loved Nobel Peace Prize winner, Desmond Tutu.”

“Between you and me, Tutu’s another trouble maker,” said Mr X. “What is it with these Nobel Prize people that they can’t shut up and let politicians get on with running the country? We wouldn’t be a bit surprised if Tutu and the Dalai Lama issued a joint statement condemning the Protection of State Information Bill. Believe me, the Chinese wouldn’t allow that.

“Don’t forget that Nelson Mandela is also a Nobel Peace Prize winner. And he let the Dalai Lama visit. He refused to let the Chinese dictate whom we should and should not allow into the country.

“Times have changed,” said Mr X.

“You can say that again.”

“There is still a faint possibility that the Dalai Lama’s visa application may yet be approved,” said Mr X. “I can’t promise anything.”

“Well, why is it taking so long?”

“We’ve given the job to the slowest thinker in the department. We’ve also told him we’ve lined up a free trip to China for him if he comes to the right decision.”

johnvscott@mweb.co.za

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Insight: Gucci, Tiffany target Chinese banks - Reuters

1 of 5. Staff members of the Gucci flagship store in Shanghai walk around the store on its opening day June 6, 2009.

Credit: Reuters/Nir Elias

By Emily Flitter

NEW YORK | Tue Oct 4, 2011 7:39am EDT

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Two Western luxury-goods giants are taking a controversial tack in the fight on Chinese knockoffs, by targeting the U.S. branches of major Chinese banks that allegedly do business with the pirates.

But the copycat-fighting strategy faces resistance from a surprising source: the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, which sees the cases as a threat to the large community of foreign banks operating in America's financial capital.

European luxury-goods conglomerate Gucci Group and American jewelry house Tiffany & Co. have each alleged in federal court that major Chinese state-owned banks are maintaining bank accounts for counterfeiters in China who are shipping fake designer goods into the U.S.

The banks - Bank of China, China Merchants Bank and the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China - all have branches in New York. The luxury-goods makers have petitioned to have the banks freeze assets in accounts owned by the alleged counterfeiters and turn over information about the clients.

"FOLLOW THE MONEY"

"Our strategy is to pursue the assets - you follow the money," said Robert Weigel, a lawyer at Gibson Dunn & Crutcher in New York, which is representing the designers.

None of the banks involved in these cases responded to requests through their New York branches for comment. The lawyers for the banks declined to comment. The alleged counterfeiters did not respond to requests via email for comment.

In one case, four units of Gucci Group - the Gucci, Balenciaga, Bottega Veneta and Yves Saint Laurent brands - jointly filed a civil suit in U.S. Court in the Southern District of New York against a group of individuals and businesses in China running websites that sold knockoffs of designer handbags on the Internet. Gucci is a unit of Paris-based PPR Group.

The original suit targeted a handful of businesses, including Bagsmerchant LLC, bagsmerchant.com, Bags Store LTD and bagstore.com. The goal, say lawyers for Gucci, was to shut down the knockoff sites and stop the flow of pirated designs into the U.S.

A $152 FAKE

An image included in the complaint shows a handbag listed for sale on the bagsmerchant.com website, clad in Gucci's signature fabric, priced at $151.78. The authentic bag is now selling on the site of high-end department store Neiman Marcus for $717, down from an original $1,595.

Judge Deborah Batts issued a temporary restraining order, telling the counterfeiters to stop making and selling the knock-offs. The designers were awarded $7.8 million in damages and given permission to recover that amount from "asset holders" for the counterfeiters. The designers said they had evidence that the counterfeiters had accounts with Bank of China and China Merchants Bank. Judge Richard Sullivan ordered Bank of China's New York branch in August to turn over to the Gucci brands information about the pirates and money belonging to them.

Tiffany, meanwhile, sued a group including online retailers named Tiffanystores.org and Fashion Style and StoresOrg, accusing them of counterfeiting and seeking orders to bar them from making and selling Tiffany knockoffs. Among them: a $24 version of a silver pendant that Tiffany retails for $345.

THE CHINA TRAIL

Judge William H. Pauley III issued a preliminary injunction against the counterfeiters, but the flow of goods continued. Lawyers for Tiffany traced the flow of money from the counterfeiters' customers back to China. The Chinese banks identified by Tiffany, Bank of China, China Merchants Bank and the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, refused to turn over information about the alleged counterfeiters' bank accounts.

Lawyers for the banks argued that the lenders weren't subject to the rules under which Tiffany demanded information. The banks won a judgment ordering Tiffany to request the information from their Chinese headquarters using international law, under the Hague Convention, instead of using U.S. law to get the information via their New York branches. The case is pending.

The cases represent a new tactic in the struggle to beat back Chinese counterfeiters, who are churning out replicas of everything from Louis Vuitton bags to entire Apple Stores, and shunting away billions of dollars from U.S. corporations.

"HARD TO ENFORCE"

The Intellectual Property Alliance has said U.S. industries face copyright piracy in 52 countries, but China is a prime offender. The United States Trade Representative estimated in 2005 that U.S. businesses were losing between $2.5 billion and $3.8 billion per year to Chinese copies.

Battling Chinese pirates in Chinese courts is extremely difficult, many U.S. businesses have found.

"Injunctions are very hard to enforce," said Mark Cohen, a visiting professor at Fordham University Law School in New York, who served as the intellectual property attache for the U.S. embassy in Beijing from 2004 to 2008. "It's hard to reach the assets, there's a lot of civil or administrative recidivism, companies come back and restructure, and it's very hard to put them out of business."

The Chinese banks named in the two suits are fighting back using the high-powered corporate law firms Allen & Overy and White & Case.

THE BERMUDA MODEL

The new front on pirates stems from a two-year-old ruling that had nothing to do with China. Its implications have alarmed the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

In 2009, a judge ordered the Bank of Bermuda, which has a New York branch, to hand over stock certificates to a U.S. businessman. The businessman's former partner had allegedly parked money owed to the plaintiff in Bermuda, where he thought it would be out of reach.

New York Court of Appeals Judge Eugene Pigott ruled that the Bank of Bermuda, which had a branch in New York, was subject to U.S. law and had to turn over the disputed money.

"The Bank of Bermuda case is key," said Weigel, the attorney for the designers.

But the precedent has been a mixed one for plaintiffs. In New York State Supreme Court, a bankrupt Korean company won an arbitration in a British court and tried to get the British arbitration order recognized in New York. The order would have forced the New York branches of Bank of China, Bank of Communications and other foreign banks to turn over information about accounts held at their headquarter offices.

SEPARATE ENTITIES

New York Supreme Court Justice Jane Solomon ruled against the petition by the Korean company, Samsun Logix, finding that the U.S.-based branches of foreign banks are separate entities, and are subject to laws that can't necessarily be applied to their head offices.

The New York Fed, which regulates New York-based branches of foreign banks, supports the "separate entity" theory and the idea that New York branches can't be used as conduits through which to export U.S. law.

A lawyer for the New York Fed, Katherine Landy, presented an oral argument in the Samsun case, warning that a decision in favor of Samsun could spark "a global asset hunt" in the New York court system, according to a court transcript.

Indeed, an amicus brief the New York Fed filed in the Samsun case on behalf of the Chinese banks became part of a series of arguments in the Tiffany case that led Judge Pauley to rule Tiffany needed to seek information from the banks' headquarters.

The Fed fears that subjecting the headquarters of foreign banks to U.S. law via their New York branches would cause many to fold their American operations.

"If every global bank in New York can be subpoenaed globally, it doesn't matter what country it's from, the answer will be, 'I'm outta here,'" said Ernest Patrikis, a partner at White & Case and a former lawyer for the New York Fed. "'We'll just do our business in London.'"

(Additional reporting by Paul Eckert; editing by Michael Williams)

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Rare earth metals and their role in the built environment - The Guardian (blog)

A worker at a rare earth metals smelting plant in Damao, China. Finding more innovative ways of obtaining the metals is considered a crucial task. Photograph: David Gray/Reuters

As the world enters a period where many resources are under continuing pressure, including those that sustain the very fabric of life, it is vital that the property industry lends its expertise as to how best to access and use limited speciality resources such as rare earth metals.

Rare earths are a set of 17 metals that have conventionally been produced as a by-product of mining for other minerals. They are increasingly important to bringing about a low-carbon future, particularly in the renewable energy and transportation sectors, and in addressing the challenge of climate change. The recent RICS publication, Rare Earth Metals, argues that, as global demand for these resources grows, the property profession will become increasingly significant in ensuring these minerals are managed in a sustainable way.

With cities occupying 2% of the surface of the earth but consuming three-quarters of natural resources, the great global urbanisation wave presents an unsustainable prospect. The increasing need for buildings that are adaptable and resilient to climate change, along with the projected rise in global urban population, means making these new urban areas resource-efficient will become even more crucial over the coming years.

In order to meet this demand, "smart" or "eco cities" will increasingly require design of managed systems for all aspects of key services, whether transportation, street lighting, waste management, water supply or energy management. This series of "intelligent" systems will depend heavily on rare earth metals, meaning that the demand for these materials will dramatically increase with the unprecedented growth in urban development.

It is for precisely this reason that more innovative, resource-efficient approaches to obtaining rare earth metals will be crucial if the built environment is to grow and develop in a sustainable way. The introduction of a comprehensive recycling process is one potential solution to this conundrum. This could be carried out, for example, by disaggregating these metals at the end of a building's life cycle or even that of a whole neighbourhood.

It is believed that assets should have a protocol at the start of their life that identifies not only their carbon footprint and carbon life cycle cost, but also details their metallic composition. This would enable easier end-of-life demolition and key material extraction. This will also avoid mixing potentially useful components in the general waste stream, which can compromise the material quality. Understanding the quantity and quality of rare earths contained within the asset may well lead to market differentiation and valuation implications over time.

Promoting sustainable development, innovation and integrated solutions will be needed across building standards, urban design, planning and energy systems. In the mix of initiatives and programmes the role of the energy hierarchy and energy efficiency measures, such as insulation, is already very important as a key action in retro-fitting the built environment. It is usually seen as precursor to more significant investment such as renewable energy generation. The property industry should be aware of the complexities of these issues and especially the need for greater innovation in the built environment and the vital role that rare earths will play.

Stephen McKenna is head of town planning at Mott Macdonald and the author of the RICS information paper, Rare Earth Metals

Rebecca Mooney is a project executive at RICS

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China's Nobel winner leaves jail briefly: brother - AFP

China's Nobel winner leaves jail briefly: brotherBy Sebastien Blanc (AFP) – 9 hours ago 

BEIJING — China's jailed Nobel Peace Prize laureate Liu Xiaobo was briefly allowed out of prison last month after his father died, his brother told AFP Tuesday, in an unusual break in the dissident's 11-year term.

Liu Xiaoxuan said he had also been able to visit his 55-year-old brother in jail last week, and the inmate's wife Liu Xia, who has effectively been under house arrest since the prize announcement last October, visited in August.

The news is the first to have emerged in almost a year from the prison in China's northeast where the dissident writer is being held, and comes just three days before the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize winner is announced in Oslo.

The Norwegian Nobel Committee sparked fury in Beijing last year when it honoured the former university professor with the peace prize for his "long and non-violent struggle for fundamental human rights in China".

The award turned Liu -- who until then had been little known abroad -- into a global cause celebre as Western nations and rights groups lined up to call for his release.

But the first time many people in China heard of Liu Xiaobo was when Beijing publicly denounced the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to him as "political theatre" and tantamount to encouraging crime.

Liu Xiaoxuan said his elder brother "was sent back home on September 18" to mark the seventh day after his father's death -- an important day in Chinese culture when families gather to remember the person who died.

The Chinese often hold a person's funeral three days after their death and normally hold a smaller memorial service on the seventh day.

It was unclear whether Liu Xiaobo attended a family gathering or was only allowed to pay his respects on his own during the brief visit.

Liu Xiaoxuan said that only one brother in the family -- Liu Xiaoguang -- had been able to accompany the dissident writer on his trip out of prison, adding he had not seen him then and nor had his other brother.

"It's not convenient for me to tell you about details of how long Liu Xiaobo stayed at home or what he did," Liu Xiaoxuan said.

But he said he had been able to see his elder brother last Wednesday, when he paid him a visit in prison along with his two other siblings, adding the jailed writer "was looking very well."

He was reluctant to give any more details. Calls to police in Liaoning province's Jinzhou city -- where Liu is being held -- and China's Ministry of Public Security went unanswered.

Liu Xiaobo was sentenced to 11 years in jail in December 2009 for "subversion" after co-authoring Charter 08, a bold petition calling for political reform in one-party Communist-ruled China.

He is one of only three people to win the Peace Prize while in prison, after 1991 laureate Aung San Suu Kyi of Myanmar and German pacifist Carl von Ossietzky, who was in a Nazi jail when he won in 1935.

His award triggered a crackdown on dissent by Beijing, which further intensified in February after anonymous calls for Arab-style protests in China emerged on the Internet.

Many leading activists and rights lawyers disappeared into custody, including prominent artist Ai Weiwei, who was detained in April for nearly three months.

China's parliament is currently considering amendments to the criminal code that would allow police to secretly detain suspects for up to six months without charges and without notifying their families.

The news of Liu's trip comes as the Nobel Committee prepares to announce the winner of the 2011 peace prize in Oslo on Friday, amid speculation cyber activists from North Africa are front runners after the Arab Spring uprisings.

Copyright © 2011 AFP. All rights reserved. More »

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Chinese Stocks in the US: Cnooc, Focus Media, Suntech Power - BusinessWeek

October 03, 2011, 6:24 PM EDT By Belinda Cao

Oct. 3 (Bloomberg) -- The Bank of New York Mellon China ADR Index, which tracks American depositary receipts, declined 3.2 percent to 338.84, the lowest since July 2009. The New York Stock Exchange China Index slid 3 percent to 206.07. The Shanghai Composite Index retreated 0.3 percent to 2,359.22 on Sept. 30. Markets in China were closed today.

The following companies were among the most active Chinese shares in New York trading. Stock symbols are in parentheses and prices are as of the close of trading at 4 p.m. New York time.

Oil dropped to the lowest level in more than a year in New York on concern that Greece will default, leading to slower global growth and a decline in fuel consumption.

Cnooc Ltd. (CEO US), China’s largest offshore energy producer, sank 4.5 percent to $153.06, the lowest price in a week. The company’s shares were cut to “sell” from “buy” at Ji-Asia Research Ltd. by equity analyst Samuel Thawley.

PetroChina Co. (PTR US) the nation’s biggest oil producer, fell 1.1 percent to a one-week low of $119.16.

Focus Media Holding Ltd. (FMCN US), which delivers advertising through televisions in office lobbies, slid 3 percent to $16.33, the lowest since July 2010. The shares tumbled 37 percent last week. The company intends to increase the size of its share repurchase plan to $650 million, from the $450 million announced in June, by the end of 2013, it said in a statement through PR Newswire. Focus Media has bought back $315 million shares since February 2010.

Solar industry fundamentals remain “weak on lower-than- expected demand, severe pricing competition from second- and third-tier companies,” Sanjay Shrestha, an analyst at Lazard Freres & Co LLC, wrote in a research report.

Suntech Power Holdings (STP US), the world’s largest maker of solar panels, plunged 26 percent, the biggest loss since November 2008, to a record low of $1.70. The slump triggered a restriction by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission that forces traders who want to bet on declines through short-selling to wait once the stock drops 10 percent from the prior day’s close.

Trina Solar Ltd. (TSL US), China’s largest solar panel maker by market capitalization, dropped 8.2 percent to $5.58, the lowest since April 2009.

Yingli Green Energy Holding Co. (YGE US), China’s fifth- largest maker of solar modules, lost 7.4 percent to $2.87, the lowest since November 2008.

Hanwha SolarOne Co. (HSOL US), part-owned by South Korea’s Hanwha Chemical Corp., plummeted 22 percent to a record low of $1.87.

UTStarcom Holdings Corp. (UTSI US), an Internet-based TV service provider, retreated 2.4 percent to $1 after earlier rising as much as 3 percent. The company started its Internet TV platform in North America today through iTV Media Inc., its majority-owned unit, according to a statement distributed by PR Newswire. The platform provides Chinese language content in North America, the statement said.

--Editors: Richard Richtmyer, David Papadopoulos

To contact the reporter on this story: Belinda Cao in New York at lcao4@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: David Papadopoulos at papadopoulos@bloomberg.net

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Happy Together [Blu-ray]

The expressionistic, stylized visual brilliance (courtesy of Australian cinematographer Christopher Doyle) of Happy Together is so breathtaking and enveloping it nearly detracts from this startling, queasy, despairing glimpse at a gay relationship gone amok. Director Wong Kar-Wai (Chungking Express, Fallen Angels) won the Best Director Prize at Cannes in 1997--surprising many--but on viewing the film it's easy to see why. The subject matter may not be the easiest to swallow--any relationship on the rocks sometimes gets dirty and pathetically disturbing--but there is a universality to Happy Together that rings true and real and less like an edition of The Honeymooners than isolation tinged with the embarrassment of intimacy. Ho (Leslie Cheung) and Lai (Tony Leung) have left Hong Kong for Buenos Aires. The journey is another in Ho's attempts to "start over." But their initial optimism is short-lived, and once they become dislocated strangers in this strange land it only further thrusts the two into their already codependent, caretaking dark love affair. But like all crazy love, the trip through masochistic hell--from violence to apathy--leads to self-enlightenment, and Wong Kar-Wai's gorgeous, grasping film is true, tricky, difficult, and emotionally wrought, aided by Hong Kong superstars Cheung and Leung, who contribute greatly to creating a work that is exceptional--and lump-in-throat brutal--in image, story, and performance. --Paula Nechak

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Friends with Benefits

At a time when mainstream comedy has been overtaken by rambling, pleasingly sloppy Judd Apatow-type improv-fests, director Will Gluck has been quietly doing his part to remind folks that sticking to the script and having a destination in mind can be fun, too. Much like his earlier Easy A, Friends with Benefits is a clever, just-this-side-of-painfully-hip relationship comedy that knows when to linger over a punch line and when not to break stride. A few minor speed bumps aside (filmmakers: can we can it with the musical montages, already?), it goes down extremely easy. The story in a nutshell: frustrated by the lack of viable dating options in their vicinity, two platonic friends (Mila Kunis and Justin Timberlake) decide to embark on a casual, no-strings-attached physical relationship. However, as a briefly glimpsed clip from Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice foreshadows, things don't stay simple for very long. As opposed to the standard PG-13 rom com, things get surprisingly raunchy here, but organically so, with the slight snafus and briefly major embarrassments that should ring true to most relationship veterans. As in Easy A, Gluck has assembled a fantastically game supporting cast, including Woody Harrelson, Jenna Elfman, and especially the great Richard Jenkins and Patricia Clarkson as two vastly different parental figures, but it's really the two leads' show. Whether arguing the virtues of the band Kriss Kross or engaging in activities unprintable on an all-ages website, Timberlake and Kunis display the snappy back-and-forth of a classic cinematic coupling. When they're cooking, you don't want to be anywhere else. --Andrew Wright

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Bill tackles Chinese currency imbalance - Buffalo News

WASHINGTON — More than 22,500 jobs disappeared from the westernmost counties of New York State — and 2.8 million disappeared nationwide — in the past decade because of the nation’s trade imbalance with China.

And the U. S. Senate on Monday voted to try to do something about it.

A measure cracking down on China for manipulating the value of its currency passed a key procedural hurdle by a 79-19 vote, thereby virtually guaranteeing final Senate passage later this week.

While the bill’s final prospects remain uncertain, advocates of the measure said momentum for the measure is growing in the House, which may consider the bill later this year.

The bill’s sudden movement comes after six years of effort on the part of its sponsors, Sen. Charles E. Schumer, DN.Y., and Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S. C.

“I think that people are just fed up with the Chinese,” Schumer said in an interview. “China violates rule after rule at will, with currency being the most important.”

The measure makes it much easier for the U. S. Treasury Department to slap tariffs on goods sent to the United States from countries that manipulate the value of their currency. Critics say

China has been doing that for years, thereby reducing the cost of Chinesemade products in the United States while putting American manufacturers at a disadvantage.

Under current law, the department can apply tariffs only if it declares that China or any other nation is deliberately manipulating its currency.

But under the legislation moving forward in the Senate, the Treasury Department would have to determine only that a currency is “misaligned” before giving that country’s government 90 days to make changes before duties are imposed.

In addition, the bill makes it easier for U. S. industries to appeal to the Commerce Department for help in cases where currency manipulation acts, in effect, as an export subsidy.

That’s an especially key issue in parts of the nation — such as Western New York—where manufacturing has long played an oversized role in the economy.

Some 22,551 jobs have been lost in the past decade in the four western-most congressional districts of New York State because of the nation’s trade deficit with China, the Economic Policy Institute, a left-leaning research group, said.

That trade shortfall has cost the state 161,414 jobs since 2001, said the study, which was based on an analysis of International Trade Commission and Census Bureau data.

Business groups such as the U. S. Chamber of Commerce and their backers in the Senate acknowledge that China manipulates the value of its currency, but they insist that legislation aimed at pressuring China could backfire.

“I believe it will result in a trade war” that will hurt both sides, said Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., on the Senate floor.

Noting that American exports to China have been growing rapidly, Corker added: “We’re actually playing with fire here.”

The Senate voted to proceed to debate on the measure, thereby precluding the possibility of a filibuster and clearing way for a final vote.

The measure then will move on to the House, where Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Va., has declined to say how he feels about it — as has the Obama administration.

Many House Republicans have long opposed the measure, but there are some signs that could be changing.

Asked about Schumer’s legislation Monday, Rep. Tom Reed, R-Corning, said: “There’s just strong indications that there are some very serious trade issues that need to be very vigorously pursued, and I’m all for pursuing those, so that we send a message to China that we will engage in fair trade, but any type of trade that’s not fair . . . we are not just going to turn a blind eye to it.”

Moreover, supporters of Schumer’s China currency bill hope that House members will vote for it as a counterweight to their support for free trade agreements with South Korea, Panama and Colombia, which are likely to be up for votes in the coming weeks.

The growing momentum for a congressional crackdown on China comes after years of debate on the issue.

“Both the Bush administration and the Obama administration have said: ‘Give us a little time, and we think we can get them to move,’ and they’re just not moving,” Schumer said.

American economists routinely insist that the Chinese currency, the renminbi, is undervalued by as much as 40 percent — thereby giving Chinese manufacturers a huge price advantage over their American competitors.

If the renminbi’s value increased 20 percent, as many as a half million American jobs could result, the Peterson Institute for International Economics said.

But Xinhua, the official Chinese news agency, said last week that the Chinese government is moving in the right direction on the issue.

Xinhua noted that the renminbi’s value has already increased 20 percent since 2005, when the Chinese government changed its currency practices.

“It’s crystal clear that labeling China as a ‘currency manipulator’ is just a cheap excuse for some in Washington to launch a protectionist war,” Xinhua said. “It is also unfair and unwise to try to make China a scapegoat for the economic problems of America’s own making.”

jzremski@buffnews.comnull

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Adapter Plug - Australia & New Zealand - Black Angled Polarized [Apparel]

Adapter Plug

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10 inch ZT-180 Android 2.2 Touch Apad Epad Tablet PC

Operating system: Google Android OS 2.2

RAM: 512MB DDRII SDROM

CPU: ZT-180 1.0GHZ

Built in 2GB HDD

Wifi: 802.11b/g

Display: 10.2 inch touch screen

Support TF card (up to 32GB)

Support google map

G-sensor: YES (support screen rotation)

Desktop tool: weather, clock, alarm, calendar, calculator

Email: mainstream web mail service Gmail/Yahoo mail/Hotmail, etc.

Communication software supported: Fring, Skype, MSN, GTALK, etc.

Sound effect: stereo speakers device, built-in Micphone

Support video online such as Youtube,etc.

Video play format: AVI, RM, RMVB, FLV, MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MKV (H.264 HP), etc.

Music play format: MP3, WMA, APE, FLAC, AAC, WAV, etc. Photo browse format: JPEG, BMP, GIF, PNG, TIFF

Language: Chinese, English, Catalan, Czech, Danish, German, Greek, Bulgarian, Spanish, Finnish, French, Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian, Indonesian, Italian, Jpanese, Korean, Lithuanian, Latvian, Norwegian, Dutch, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Slovak, Slovenian, Serbian, Swedish, Thai, Tagalog, Turkish, Ukrainian, Vietnamese, Arabic

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