Ingen titel

Pupils trade places to meet bu

GRAMMAR school boys were 'heavily involved in international trade' during a business challenge in the city.

More than 180 pupils aged 14 and 15 from Devonport High School for Boys took part in the Trading Places enterprise competition.

The contest was created and delivered in the school by the Tamar Education Business Partnership.

TEBP spokesman Nicky Puckey said: "Teamwork was vital, as was the Bling Bling Pendants ability to use one's own initiative while working as T-shirt wholesalers.

"Decisions about whether to trade in budget, quality or organic T- shirts for children or adults was influenced by the terms they could negotiate from manufacturers in the UK, Turkey, India or China," she said.

"As in the real business Hip Hop Chains world, lead times, import duties, transport costs and minimum orders all needed to be taken into consideration."

Ms Puckey said designers from each team needed to use their creative skills to produce eye-catching designs to stand any chance of beating the competition while selling to retailers.

"Screen printers were very much under pressure working a production line in order to get their products out to customers on time," she said.

"Sales directors produced some very interesting sales pitches to convince retailers based in Cornwall, Wales, Southern Ireland, Guernsey, France, Spain and Germany. The finance director had the task of ensuring all the financial detail, including VAT etcetera, was dealt with efficiently."

The morning event at DHSB was supported by volunteers from the city's business community and the team which won, creating the greatest amount of profit with its business activity, was Luxurtees, consisting of Alex Rowe, Simon Hoar, Matt Johnson, Frazer Douglas, Kieran Francis, Brad Barbour, James Scrivener, James Francis and Chetan Meswania.

Ms Puckey said: "Trading Places was a great success. Students were very impressive in the way they conducted their businesses.

"This hands-on business simulation emulated the real thought processes used in international business and it was very enjoyable for all."

Copter crash tragedy findings

A MILLIONAIRE killed alongside his wife when their newly-acquired helicopter crashed was attempting to fly in weather conditions which more experienced pilots might have chosen to avoid, an accident report said today.

It was possible that businessman Paul Spencer's "enthusiasm of having just taken delivery" of the Gazelle helicopter overcame any concerns about the strong and gusty wind conditions, the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) report added.

Had his pilot colleagues known that Mr Spencer, 43, of Brighouse, was intending to fly, "they would have Hip Hop Necklaces tried to dissuade him from doing so", the AAIB said.

The report also said that wholesale goods entrepreneur Mr Spencer, although experienced in flying fixed-wing aircraft, had only just qualified to fly helicopters.

The AAIB said its investigation had revealed "inconsistencies, and probably deficiencies" Mens Hip Hop Earrings in Mr Spencer's training and "inconsistencies and possible deficiencies in his subsequent PPL (H) - helicopter private pilot licence - skills test".

Mr Spencer and his wife, Linda, 59, died when the helicopter crashed near a chalet they owned in the grounds of the Rudding Park Hotel in Harrogate, on the afternoon of January 26, 2008.

The helicopter was seen to spin around before pitching up and striking trees tail first.

The AAIB said the Serbian-registered helicopter's engine had been overhauled by an organisation not approved for that type of engine.

The report said Mr Spencer had expected to meet his family when he arrived at the chalet but found they had gone on a shopping trip to nearby Knaresborough.

The Spencers then took off in the Gazelle and circled the area of the shopping centre before flying back towards the hotel grounds.

The AAIB made a number of recommendations, including one to the Serbian civil aviation department about maintenance.

The UK's Civil Aviation Authority was asked to look at helicopter pilot training regulations.

OBIT - WALTERS, Lottie Salome

Lottie Salome Taylor Walters, 95, of Wytheville, Va., went to her Heavenly home on Saturday, June 12, 2010, in the Wythe County Community Hospital, surrounded by her family. She was the daughter of the late John Harvey and Dolly Elizabeth Taylor. She worked at Jafree Shirt factory for 40 years before retiring with her husband, Early, to their home and garden on Reed Creek.

She was a member of Evergreen United Methodist Church where she faithfully taught Sunday School and sang in the choir for years. "Maw Maw" could be found outside on any given day, tending to the garden, working in her flowers and mowing her grass outfitted with her big Cross straw hat, her Oakley sunglasses and her Nike tennis shoes. She was preceded in death by her husband, Early W. Walters; daughter, Connie P. Porter; son, D.W. Walters. She is survived by her daughter and faithful caregiver, Lottie Irene Wright, of Wytheville; sisters, Mattie Layne and Hazel Taylor, both of Wytheville; brother, Norris Taylor, of Wytheville; seven grandchildren, Jay E. Wright, Tod M. Wright, Lorie D. Deal and spouse, Jeff, all of Wytheville, Sharon Moore, of Ivanhoe, Donna Walters, Nina Walters, Tina Walters, all of Canyon County, Calif.; three great-grandchildren, Allison Wright, Alicia Wright, Ty Moore; Dog Id Tags several nieces, nephews and long time friends also survive. Funeral service will be Monday 7 p.m. in the Evergreen United Methodist Church conducted by the Rev. N.R. Taylor. Family will receive friends at the church from 5 p.m. until service time. Graveside service will be held Tuesday 11 a.m. in the West End Cemetery. Grubb Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

obituaries Jimmy Clark

Jimmy Clark, the elder of the two Clark Brothers, considered by many to be tap dancing legends, has died aged 87.

Born in Philadelphia on July 23, 1922, James Madison Clark was tap dancing on street corners from the age of four with his brother Steve. They had coke bottle tops under their shoes and they became bewitching dancers. Their ability to dance in confined spaces, virtually on the spot, made them stand out from other tap dancing acts.

In their teens, the brothers appeared at the Cotton Club and in Las Vegas, when the desert resort was little more than a road halt. At a Chicago night club, the manager Pandora Beads Cheap insisted that they use the back door, as was usually the case with black performers. But the brothers so impressed the club's owner with their act, that he told them to use the front entrance in future. That owner was Al Capone.

The Clarks were second cousins of Sammy Davis Jnr. They worked with a remarkable number of star names and counted Sugar Ray Robinson, Bill 'Bojangles' Robinson and Janet Baker as friends.

Frank Sinatra advised them to come to England, which they did in 1948. For the next ten years, they crisscrossed the Atlantic. At the Sands Hotel in Las Vegas, they met a young singer named Elvis Presley and gave him some tips on stagecraft.

The brothers were great favourites on television variety shows in this country and were part of the golden age in northern working men's clubs. Loved and respected by fellow artists, they were accepted into the Grand Order of Water Rats and eventually settled in Dunstable.

Jimmy Clark died on October 30.

Kevin Berry

How Kieswetter got in shape fo

CRAIG Kieswetter, pictured, has revealed how he took to the streets last winter in his quest to make the grade as a wicketkeeper.

Renowned as a batsman who kept wicket for Somerset, the South African-born Body Jewelry Cheap prodigy quickly realised something had to change if he was to challenge Matt Prior for a place in the England squad.

And that was where England and Wales Cricket Board wicketkeeper coach Bruce French came in.

Having monitored Kieswetter's progress at the National Cricket Performance Centre in Loughborough and discovered that his glovework left a good deal to be desired, French recommended an exercise regime designed to improve the 22-year-old's flexibility and sharpen his reflexes.

Kieswetter donned his training shoes and pounded the streets during the dark winter nights and spent a majority of his days working out in the gym, motivated by a burning ambition to play for England in the World Twenty20 in the Caribbean in April. And the rest, as they say, is history.

Afforded his big break on the tour to Bangladesh, he made the most of his opportunity, registering a maiden one-day international hundred in only his third match to book his place on the plane to West Indies.

And he cemented his burgeoning reputation when he hammered 63 to win the man-of-the-match accolade as England trounced Australia in the World Twenty20 final in Barbados in the spring.

Proving that selection is based on merit these days, Geoff Miller, Andy Flower and Andrew Strauss retained the emerging Kieswetter at the expense of Prior for the five-match ODI series against Australia.

Kieswetter recalled: "I had to Gemstone Rings do a lot of work over the winter and I could not have achieved what I have without Bruce French.

"I was definitely a batsman who could keep when he got hold of me and he had to put up with a lot of stick from me whenever I became frustrated, which was quite often.

"More than anything, I had to get myself right physically, and we did a lot of work on that. I worked tirelessly in the gym, did a lot more running than before and lost quite a bit of weight. I'm now five or six kilos slighter and I'm really feeling the benefit."

By his own admission, Kieswetter was among the poorest performers when it came to skills tests at Loughborough and French ordered a return to basics in an attempt to transform his protege into a genuine all-rounder.

Kieswetter said: "We broke my keeping down, stripped it bare and took it back to basics, as though I had never kept before. It was difficult to begin with, but we chucked out everything that I had learned previously and all the things that had become routine or habit while I was growing up.

"We started with a blank canvas and rebuilt me from nothing."

. Somerset are hoping Kieswetter will play for them against Middlesex on Sunday.

Stainless Steel Bracelets He is on England duty in the final two one-day internationals against Australia - at the Oval today and at Lord's on Saturday.

After Lord's, England have four days off before they begin a three-match rubber against Bangladesh at Trent Bridge next Thursday. So Kieswetter may be grateful for an innings at Taunton in the Friends Provident t20.

How not to put your foot in it

WHEN you run a marathon, the advice comes thick and fast.

This is all very welcome because it gives me a whole load of ideas and opinions that I can pass off as my own, making writing this column much easier.

Naturally, you have to sort out the wheat from the chaff.

My brother's idea to sprint the first two miles to get on to the telly with the leading group of elite runners has been filed under chaff.

Getting decent running shoes was something that everyone told me to do - advice I've followed.

When I first started running around 20 miles a week back in midwinter, I was wearing trainers that you could describe as vintage.

From research conducted mainly in my mind, they were a similar pair to those worn by Greek hero Achilles when he was besieging Troy thousands of years ago.

And just like Achilles, I was having trouble with my foot beyond regular aches and pains.

The day after one longish run, it felt like it had been squashed in a vice.

Other than finishing this marathon, my main goal is to come out of it unscathed so this injury knocked my confidence.

There are bound to be aches and pains as your skeleton gets used to the rigours of longdistance running.

The trick is to know which pain is simply your body adapting and which could result in a problem necessitating amputation further down the line.

Believing that my foot problem could shatter what I melodramatically started to call my marathon dream, I went to The Derby Runner in Spondon to get properly kitted out.

They have a jogging machine there which they can hook up to a laptop in order to figure out what running shoe best suits.

They also have an article I wrote about the business a few years ago pinned to a board, which always makes me warm to a place.

My own running style I would class as "secure institution escapee" at the start of a run and "shipwreck victim emerging from the surf " towards the end.

In technical terms, though, I found out at the shop that I over pronate slightly.

With a practiced eye you can probably tell from the picture that goes with this column.

Anyway, having probably run well over 100 miles in my new shoes, I've had no foot problems.

I've had a few aches and pains but replacing the odd run with an hour's pre-work swimming has allowed me to keep to schedule.

Swimming before work is good because it is invigorating and you can turn up to the office pretty much disinfected from the chlorine which is helpful when pestering people for sponsorship for our Give Water, Give Life appeal.

Primarily, though, it is a good idea if your feet are feeling a bit sore because it helps develop marathon stamina without the impact of the road.

It is injury rather than lack of stamina that hampers most marathon runners and I am conscious that, like Achilles, my foot might have been my undoing.

It makes you wonder why a Greek hero, who was reputedly invulnerable apart from his he

'Everybody's lost out really'

THE family of grandmother Margaret Given have spoken of their loss as a van driver was convicted of causing her death by careless driving, writes Carl Eve, Crime Reporter.

Widower Kevin Given, 61, said the jury's decision was right, but felt "everybody lost out -- it is a shame for his (driver Nigel Lucas) family and ours as well, purely due to carelessness.

It (reversing along New George Street) was a dangerous thing to do.

"As for the sentencing, I'm not vindictive towards Lucas. Everybody's lost out really."

Mr Given said his wife, who died aged 58, was born and raised in Plymouth, attending Ford secondary modern school before taking a job at Woolworths shoe department where they met. He said: "I was taking a short cut through the store when I saw her.

"I started making a few excuses to keep going through so I could see her. We would talk and then I asked her out on a date."

She loved music and would regularly see bands which came to town, including the Who playing in Devonport.

The couple married 40 years ago at Plymouth Register Office and set up home initially in a flat in Station Road before moving to King Street and raising a family of three boys and two girls.

Mr Given said: "She stayed at home until the children grew up and then started working at L M Stores in North Road West as a shop assistant. She made a lot of friends there. Our youngest, Michael, also works at the shop.

"He had all the customers and staff asking about her after the incident for weeks afterwards.

It's been hard for him having to deal with that and I guess it will happen again now after the court case."

Mr Given said he and Michael attended court throughout the case and found it frustrating to hear some of the things said during the trial.

He added: "We were prepared for any outcome, but we were really upset about what was said about my wife. They made her out to be some kind of deranged bag lady. That was awful -- she held down a steady job.

"As for the cirrhosis of the liver, well it was a real shock to us but even a bigger shock when they tried to say it was due to alcohol -- she didn't even drink!

"She was utterly unaware she had the condition as was I. But we weren't able to explain in court. We thought she was in perfect health."

Mr Given said he would remember his wife as "warm, friendly and fun to be with".

"She was always good for a laugh and had many friends from work who she'd go on day trips and holidays with, visiting places in Cornwall, sightseeing.

"In the shop where she worked, she would be calling everybody sweetheart or my darling. She couldn't switch it off, so at home, we'd be given the same special customer treatment -- we'd all be called darling and sweetheart."

'duchess of death' reveals chr

RECENT and recurring scandals of wayward film stars and world- class athletes may have numbed us to the notion that absolutely no one, however sedately impeccable of reputation, is exempt from a little melodrama in this life.

Case in point: British author Agatha Christie (1890-1976). One thinks of her as she appears in Madame Tussaud's waxworks in London, unsmiling and matronly in thick-frame bifocals, plain-jane pearls, sensible shoes. In the course of his famous essay "The Simple Art of Murder" (1950), hotshot American pulpster Raymond Chandler complained about locked-room laureate Christie, placing her squarely among the pantheon of old poops: "The English may not always be the best writers in the world, but they are incomparably the best dull writers."

Meow, Marlowe. (Philip, that is.) Because the old gal still outsells Chandler - and everybody else, except Shakespeare and the Bible.

But here's the point: starchy Aggie wasn't always an octogenarian. Agatha Mary Clarissa Miller, a nurse in the Voluntary Aid Detachment of a Red Cross Hospital during WWI, wed dashing Royal Flying Corps pilot Archie Christie in 1914. That's not the melodrama.

They had a daughter, Rosalind, in 1916. No melodrama there, either. But Archie took up golf; and about the time Agatha was dutifully scribbling away at "The Murder of Roger Ackroyd" in their suburban Sunningdale flat, Archie, on the links one dazzling June day, encountered a 25-year-old secretary named Nancy Neele of the Imperial Continental Gas Association. She was a doll who knew her way around a mashie niblick.

That's the melodrama.

It's all in "Duchess of Death: The Unauthorized Biography of Agatha Christie" by Richard Hack (Phoenix Books, 276 pp., $25.95).

Which reads like this: "Desperate now for a second chance at love, she clung to the hope that her husband might change his mind. She was ready to forgive him anything, waiting only for the apology that did not come. In its place, on a December morning in 1926, he demanded a divorce with the cold precision of a surgeon cutting a tumor from a rotting organ."

Ouch. So Agatha, in a frenzy of flamboyant abandon, promptly disappeared for 11 strange days of national Rice Pearls news, while 300 police beat the weeds around Albury Downs and the British public sighted her everywhere except the Swan Hydropathic Hotel, a lush North Yorkshire spa where she had holed up defiantly as "Teresa Neele."

The Westminster Gazette: "Mrs. Christie's Fate: Police No Longer Expect to Find Her Alive."

But there she was, freshly redheaded Agatha, fit, tall and resplendent in a satin gown of pale salmon georgette, descending a staircase to confront the appropriately gob-smacked Archie, who had arrived in the stern, baffled company of police superintend ent Gilbert McDowell, who might have emerged from the pages of one of her novels.

What's all this, then? Full-cast, klieg-lit, live-orchestra melodrama. And no space left for how she finally dumped Archie; married Max Mallowan, an archaeologist 14 years her junior; saw the world; became a Dame of the British Empire; and lived happily ever after, mostly.

Some matron.

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Spice Girls attend fashion sho

The Spice Girls pepped up the Milan, Italy, fashion scene Monday when they turned up at Roberto Cavalli's menswear show to thank him for designing their tour wardrobe.

The tour, which began in December, brings all the Spice Girls together for the first time in nearly 10 years.

Mother of the bride dresses "His clothes make you feel sexy," said Geri "Ginger Spice" Halliwell, 35, speaking for the pop stars as they sat backstage chatting with reporters before the show began.

Their glam Cavalli-designed tour outfits are in bright Swarovski- beaded silk and remain true to the playful styles the Spice Girls favored the first time around.

Spice Girls costume designer s

MILAN, Italy (AP) - The Spice Girls pepped up the Milan fashion scene Monday when they turned up at Roberto Cavalli's menswear show to thank him for designing their tour wardrobe.

The tour, which began in December, brings all the Spice Girls together for the first time in nearly 10 years.

"His clothes make you feel sexy," said Geri "Ginger Spice" Halliwell, 35.

Their glam Cavalli-designed tour outfits are in bright Swarovski- beaded silk and remain true to the playful styles the Spice Girls favored the first time around: miniskirts, cropped tops and body- clinging jumpsuits.

3rd 'Time' cover for Cory

For the third time, President Corazon C. Aquino appeared on the cover of the prestigious Time Magazine, and the publication called her “The Saint of Democracy.’’Also, the Aquinos thanked the four honor guards who escorted the remains of Mrs. Aquino to the Manila Memorial Park in Paranaque, Metro Manila last August 5.The only weapon (Mrs.

Aquino) possessed was moral courage. But with it she discovered a groundbreaking truth: that a populace holding nothing more than candles and rosary beads could face a Tie Clips Wholesale cavalcade of tanks, topple a dictator, and most improbable of all, usher in democracy," itsaid, in article written by Hannah Beech.The first time President Aquino appeared on the cover of Time Magazine was in 1986, when the magazine named her “Woman of the Year’’, the same year she catapulted to power following a bloodless revolution. Fashion Body Jewelry The last time a female appeared on the cover of the magazine was in 1952, with Queen Elizabeth II.In 2006, President Aquino appeared on the cover of the magazine which named her one of the 60 Asian Heroes. This year, for the August 17 Asian edition, the magazine features three special reports on Mrs. Aquino. It tackles her ascent to power, her being President, and how she inspired the people through the EDSA revolution.Time Magazine is one of the prestigious news magazines in the United States. It was created by Briton Hadden and Henry Luce in 1923.The Aquino siblings have also paid tribute to the four honor guards who endured the nine-hour funeral procession for their mother President Aquino. Mrs. Aquino passed away on August 1, 2009.The honor guards were Pfc. Antonio Cadiente, PO1 Danilo Malab, Airman 2nd Class Gener Laguindan, and Navy Petty Officer 3 Edgardo Rodriguez.Senator Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III and his sisters extolled the honor guards during a dinner recently. The siblings also gave plaque of appreciation to the four who braved inclement weather during the funeral procession from Intramuros, Manila to Paranaque City.The siblings also gave plaques of appreciation and other gifts to the four honor guards.Earlier, Murano glass Pandora beads former Senator Agapito “Butz’’ Aquino, brother in-law of Mrs. Aquino, gave a token of appreciation to the servicemen. The Senate will also file a resolution commending the celebrity honor guards.

3p rise as petrol prices rocke

Byline: Ray Massey Transport Editor

PETROL prices are expected to rise by up to 3p a litre in the coming days and will pave the way for further increases, the AA warned last night.

The initial hike, which comes during the holiday season when many families make longer car journeys, is being blamed on rising wholesale fuel costs.

Pump prices have risen by a penny over the past fortnight and stand at 103.13p a litre for unleaded and 103.87p for diesel.

The 3p a litre price rises will see fuel at the pumps cost in excess of 106p Replica Roger Dubuis Watches a litre and will add [pounds sterling]1.50 to the average fill-up.

Britain's 30million motorists will face a further increase on September 1 when the Government imposes an additional 2p tax rise at the pumps, making a 5p a litre rise in total.

The tax increase will take the price of petrol to 108p a litre and comes in the wake of an Cheap Jade earlier 1.84p a litre tax rise in April this year. It will be followed by another increase in April 2010 of inflation-plus-1p.

On top of that, the Chancellor is to increase the rate of VAT from 15 per cent to 17.5 per cent in the New Year.

Rising prices of oil and an 8 per cent rise in the wholesale cost of fuel - both driven in part by speculators gambling on the market - are being blamed for the initial price increase.

The AA said the price of unleaded has soared from 90.6p per litre in March. Oil prices hit an all-time high of $150 ([pounds sterling]90) per barrel in July 2008. Yesterday U.S. light crude was trading at $71.40 ([pounds sterling]43), having earlier hit a six-week high of $72.42. London Brent crude was $74.41.

AA spokesman Luke Bosdet said: 'Many people are staying in Britain for their holidays to save money but they will face an extra [pounds sterling]1.50 to fill up their tank. It's the last thing cash-strapped drivers want.' The group says Britain's motorists are also being 'held to ransom' by speculators.

Oil speculators are already under investigation in the U.S. for making billions of pounds profit while driving up pump prices. This week UK financial watchdog the Financial Services Authority held a summit in London attended by UK Treasury and oil industry bosses.

AA head of public affairs Paul Watters said: 'Oil price rises have been largely driven by market speculators gambling on any hint of economic recovery. This has pushed up the price of petrol.

'It's time the UK got to grips with who is pumping up the price of an everyday essential.'

Fabulous fashion ..

Life b egins at 40!

FEMININE FLORALS

Black floral dress, pounds 49, Very, bow-shape bag, pounds 25, Accessorize, black and red shoes, pounds 39.50, Autograph at M&S

WEEKEND CASUAL

Embroidered smock top, pounds 65, beaded necklace, pounds 4.50, coloured beaded bangles, pounds 16, denim drawstring trousers, pounds 45, all from Monsoon

DASHING DAYWEAR

White cotton shirt, pounds 12.99, TJ Hughes, black beaded waistcoat, pounds 45, Monsoon, silver beaded bangle, pounds 12, Freedom at Topshop, khaki belted trousers, pounds 40, Matthew Williamson at Debenhams, brown suede boots, pounds 29, TK Maxx

CRUISE CONTROL

Grey top, pounds 13.50, navy and white jacket, pounds 60, House of Fraser, black and orange beaded necklace, pounds 12, Wallis, white linen trousers, pounds 45, Monsoon

EVENING GLAMOUR

Orange ruffle blouse, pounds 29.50, Autograph at M&S, wooden necklace, pounds 12, TK Maxx, faux snakeskin bag, pounds 19.50, brown tie skirt, pounds 35, both from M&S

OFFICE CHIC

Black and grey dress, pounds 59, Betty Jackson Black at Debenhams, grey blazer, pounds 58, Matthew Williamson at Debenhams, orange and silver necklace, pounds 18, Debenhams, mock croc padlock bag, pounds 30, ASOS, black stud shoes, pounds 49.50, Autograph at M&S

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Fabulosity in motion

Born in St Louis, Missouri, Kimora was never less than fabulous. At 13, she arrived in Paris to work as a house model at Chanel under Karl Lagerfeld, making her catwalk debut as the Haute Couture 'bride' in her first season. She went on to marry Def Jam record label boss Russell Simmons, one of the richest men in America, with whom she has two daughters, Ming, ten, and Aoki, seven. The couple separated in 2006 and she now has a one-year-old son, Kenzo, with the actor Djimon Hounsou.

Kimora is also the CEO and creative director of the rhinestone- encrusted denim-wear label Baby Phat, as well as producing several ghetto-fabulous fashion lines, including the upcoming Kouture by Kimora range, fragrances, jewellery, cosmetics and shoes. Now this hip-hop goddess is the star of her own reality-TV show, Kimora: Life in the Fab Lane.

We want to know how she does it: 'Fabulosity is more than a philosophy; it's a way of life. I invented the term to define the qualities I love: glamour, style, charisma, power and heart. It's the way I live my life every day. I tell people "fake it till you make it"; that's a big phrase if you think about it. It can mean anything from putting on the attitude when you don't Clutches Purses feel like it, to putting on the smile when you're sad, because you have other people that rely on you. And eventually that smile will become you. It's Fabulosity in action.

'I was raised by a single mother, so I have a strong respect for women and our capabilities. I want young women to understand that what I consider the art of being fabulous is not what they think they see - the jewellery, the flashy cars and the great clothes. It's not those things, it's something that's inside you; it's your spirit, it's your energy. It's not something that your favourite singer has. No. These people have inside them the drive to go and create and to be great citizens and people that we look up to. My message is you have all those things inside you, too. I want you to feel empowered, to be able to go and strive to achieve these things for yourself - a wonderful career, or a great marriage. Whatever it is that you want, you can have it; whatever is in them is within you as well.

'People say I'm a feminist; I don't put my bra in the freezer or anything but I guess I'm a modern-day feminist - I also believe in chivalry and men doing their part and being responsible, and I always want my girls to be treated wonderfully. I feel a responsibility to young women - I want them to know that even though I'm loud and I'm funny and I love my fashion, it's not about a Chanel jacket that I bought, it's about the something inside me that drove me to get an education and to have a certain respect and a certain discipline about my work and things that I want.

I was a little girl who came from not much in St Louis and the things that I was exposed to - like Karl Lagerfeld, who taught me everything I know about the fashion industry - I took and turned into so much more. I can inspire people to achieve their goals by my example; that's very important.

'Every day you have to get up and put on your best game face, wherever you're going. You're the best example of what you're trying to say and do and you are pushing a product: you are the believer, you are the one who's done the work, you are the one who has the knowledge and you will bring that to other people. I'm a brand, baby, and every day I'm my own best advertisement, but the same thing goes whoever you are, whatever you want to achieve. I want to be your own personal Wonder Woman - the larger-than-life fox in a satin bustier who throws a lasso around her dreams.' Kimor

Movie about Tangshan earthquak

Movie about Tangshan earthquake "Aftershock" sets another Chinese box office record

BEIJING, July 26 (Xinhua) -- "Aftershock," a movie about the 1976 Tangshan earthquake, has grossed over 160 million yuan (23.5 million U.S. dollars) at the Chinese box office since its opening on July 22, the State Administration of Radio Film and Television said Monday.

The figure does not include the movie's earnings from IMAX screenings. It's the first local movie to be screened in IMAX.

The movie earned more than 100 million yuan within three days of its release, breaking the Chinese box office record previously held by "The Founding of a Republic."

China's best-selling domestic movie "The Founding of a Republic," which earned a total box office of 420 million yuan, took three and a half days to earn 100 million when it was released in September 2009.

"Aftershock" set its first box office record on its release day when it earned 36.2 million yuan - the highest box office for a local movie on its opening day.

The movie's director, Feng Xiaogang, one of China's most successful commercial directors, said Monday in an interview with Xinhua the movie's box office is close to what he had expected and that there was "no big problem" for it grossing between 350 and 400 million yuan over the next two weeks.

As to whether the movie's box office will reach 500 million yuan - - a mark no local movie has ever crossed over -- Feng said it would depend on whether Cosmetic the movie can attract another three to four million viewers 20 days after its release.

Satisfied with the box office result so far, Feng said the movie's sustainability at the box office would be "no doubt" stronger than his popular romantic comedy "If You Are the One," which earned about 350 million yuan.

"Aftershock" is about a mother's three-decade journey to an emotional reunion with the daughter she thought she had lost in the earthquake.

The Tangshan earthquake left more than 240,000 dead.

Mother puts her heart and soul

A 33-YEAR-OLD motherof-two is to run her first London Marathon this year in a bid to highlight heart problems which have blighted her family.

Joanne Fillingham decided to pull on her long-distance running shoes after her grandfather died of a heart attack and her father and her mother-in-law both suffered cardiac problems.

She said: "Heart disease is still one of the biggest killers and I believe a lot of people can relate to this charity.

"My grandfather Norman Burkill died of a heart attack when I was really young.

"My mother-in-lawYvonne Fillingham also had a heart attack and she was in hospital for a long time. But thanks to the advances in technology, she is fine with her heart. "My dad did not have a heart attack, but he had to have investigatory surgery to his heart as well - so it is a charity I feel very strongly about."

The PE teacher from Messingham will be rubbing shoulders with the stars when she takes part in this year's London Marathon.

It has been a long-time dream for Mrs Fillingham to take part in the biggest and most popular running event in the country.

She said: "I have said for years that I would love to run the marathon.

"I used to watch it on TV and think 'one day I would love to do that'.

"I have got to a point in my life where I have a list of things I want to do and this is one of them.

"My dad and my uncle both wanted to do the marathon, but they never got a place. I think I got the running bug from them."

Not only has mother-of-two got a place in the marathon but she will be setting off from the Green line, which is where all the celebrities taking part in the event begin.

She said: "I don't now which celebrities are going to be there yet, but Gordon Ramsay usually runs it every year.

"It is so exciting, but at the same time I am panicking as I have never done it before."

Mrs Fillingham's children Isabelle, five, and Jacob, two, and her husband Ian are all supporting her in her challenge.

She said: "I have always been sporty - I enjoy playing netball but I have never seriously run before now.

"My family come out sometimes when I am running and shout support at me, which is lovely."

To help get her in to shape for the gruelling 26-mile course, she has joined the Scunthorpe Running Club.

She is also training on her own and at the weekend she ran over 10 miles as part of her training.

She said: "I can't wait to take on the challenge of the London Marathon.

I really want to raise as much money as possible for the British Heart Foundation as it is a charity close to my own heart.

"I have never run this far before, but I am training hard to give myself the best possible chance of completing the race.

"I would welcome any donations, no matter how big or small from Scunthorpe Telegraph readers."

If anyone would like to sponsor Mrs Fillingham they can do so by visiting ukvirginmoneygiving.

com/JoanneFillingham.

The London Marath

News Analysis Uphill battle fo

News Analysis: Uphill battle for Japan's new leader to put Hatoyama's wrongs to right

TOKYO, June 4 (Xinhua) -- Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) legislators on Friday decided they wanted finance minister Naoto Kan to step into the shoes of outgoing chief Yukio Hatoyama and rule the DPJ and, indeed, the country.

Outgoing Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama and his entire Cabinet stepped down collectively on Friday morning, prior to the Diet's vote that propelled Kan into his new post as DPJ chief having convinced the majority of both houses of parliament he was the better man for the job, not overly difficult being that his only opponent was Shinji Tarutoko, a relatively unknown lawmaker from Japan's ruling DPJ, known for his pro-Ichiro Ozawa affiliations which may have been to his detriment.

Emerald Beads Having won the support of the Diet to become the DPJ's new leader, Kan was assured the role of prime minister because the DPJ holds a comfortable majority in the more powerful House of Representatives.

Kan, Japan's 94th prime minister and fifth since 2006, now has less than a month to get his party and his Cabinet battle-ready as upper house elections loom.

Unlike the outgoing prime minister, who has been rightly chastised for his political blunders including his involvement in political funds scandals and the debacle over the relocating of the Futenma base in Okinawa -- which eventually led to the division of the ruling coalition as the Social Democratic Party opted to jump ship -- political pundits believe that whilst Kan's record is not squeaky clean, he has the experience and desire to get Japan back on track.

Hatoyama, in his wake, has left many "wrongs" for Kan to put right, in fact the innumerable problems Kan now faces have been dubbed "The Poison Challis" in political circles.

Kan is not a "silver spoon" politician like many of his predecessors. His lineage Handle Bags has not equaled his political success. In fact his upbringing was unremarkable, something he himself believes is a positive.

"I grew up in a typical Japanese salaryman's family," Kan said at a recent conference.

"I've had no special connections. If I can take on a major role starting from such an ordinary background, that would be a very positive thing for Japanese politics."

Kan hails from Ube City in Yamaguchi Prefecture, southwest Japan, a city of just 180,000 people known for its chemical industry and for being the sister city of Weihai, in Shandong Province, China.

He graduated in Physics from the Tokyo Institute of Technology in 1970 before opening a patent office in 1974.

He was first exposed to politics in his younger years as an activist involved in a number of civic movements, Kan lost three elections before winning his first seat in the lower house in 1980 for the now-defunct United Social Democratic Party (USDP) with a " civil guerrilla" grass roots environmental campaign.

"I think Japan needs a leader like Kan to drive the nation through its fiscal mess and leave all the dirty politics associated with Hatoyama and Ozawa behind," Dr. David McLellan, a professor of Asian Studies at Waseda University and 20-year resident of Japan, told Xinhua.

"Kan's been in the game a long time and knows the pitfalls, as he's been in them. Most importantly he will understand how vital it is for him to do his utmost t

News briefs, Apr. 17

SAN BERNARDINO

St. Bernardine's to host orthopedic health fair

St. Bernardine Medical Center is hosting a free orthopedic health fair from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. today.

The event is being held in the hospital's Matich Conference Center at 2101 N. Waterman Ave.

Free health screenings will be offered including: bone density for osteoporosis, glucose levels for diabetes, fluoroscan for arthritis, grip strength testing and use of adaptive equipment, foot screenings for choosing correct shoes, a 5-minute massage, body mass index calculations and nutritional information.

Additionally, vendors will be on site displaying walking shoes and orthotics.

Many of the St. Bernardine orthopedic team, including doctors, nurses, physical and occupational therapists, have volunteered their time to work this health fair.

For more information, call 909-881-4361, or visit .

ORO GRANDE

Oro Grande Park

to get upgrades

Oro Grande Park will get new basketball hoops, a new concrete walkway and a new irrigation system, thanks to an allocation of more than $53,000 from the Board of Supervisors.

The board on Tuesday ratified a $52,779 contract with Blue Jay- based Trinity Construction for the work, which was put on the agenda at the request of Supervisor Brad Mitzelfelt.

"Oro Grande Park has an antiquated irrigation system and its infrastructure is in desperate need of repair and replacement," Mitzelfelt said in a news release. "This project will significantly improve the park's amenities and provides additional recreational features for local residents."

CRESTLINE

Water play at

Lake Gregory

A zero-depth water play area will be built at Lake Gregory Regional Park to attract a broader range of visitors to the cozy mountain town.

The Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved the plans.

"Lake Gregory attracts a lot of tourists to the Crestline area, and it will be an even bigger draw with a family-friendly zero- depth water play area," Supervisor Paul Biane said in a news release. He said a similar water play area at Glen Helen Regional Park near Devore has been extremely popular.

The play area will be built just above the lake's south beach. In addition to the play area, county regional parks plans to blanket the area with new sand and install new picnic tables, walking paths and lifeguard towers. If funds are available, a zero-depth water playground for toddlers may also be built on the north side of the lake.

Construction is slated to begin in June and be completed in July.

CRESTLINE

Senior lunch program

gets additional funding

The Crestline senior lunch program will receive full funding, thanks to a $30,000 allocation ratified by the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday.

The program provides lunches to senior citizens at the San Mor

Lighten up

Joyce Meyer conference features ways to relax

through spiritual balance

Staff Report

Chattanooga is the next stop on the Joyce Meyer Ministries conference tour. The three-day event starts Thursday at UTC's McKenzie Sunglasses & Eyewear Arena, 720 E. Fourth St. Each session includes a message from Meyer and worship with Martin Smith of Delirious with The Parachute Band.

Meyer is one of the world's leading practical Bible teachers and a New York Times best-selling author. Her television and radio program, "Enjoying Everday Life," is broadcast worldwide. Her latest book, "Eat the Cookie ... Buy the Shoes," coming April 13, is about finding spiritual balance.

Sessions are scheduled at 7 p.m. Thursday, 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. April 9, and 10 Cheap Thai Silver Jewelry a.m. April 10. Doors open two hours in advance, allowing time for visiting resource tables. Each session will last about two and a half hours. Interpretation for the deaf and hard of hearing will be provided in designated sections, which will be reserved Sterling Silver Jewelry until 30 minutes before each session starts.

A love offering will be taken at each session, but no ticket or registration is required.

Parking will be available at McKenzie Arena, but not on Friday morning. However, shuttles will run from parking lots at Finley Stadium, 1826 Chestnut St., from 6:45 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. Parking is free, but the shuttle cost is $7 per person round-trip, and exact change is required. Car-poolers may want to drop off passengers at the arena so that only one person is riding the shuttle.

For more information, call 425-4706 or visit .