Tax relief on lower salaries likely

ISLAMABAD: The government is considering to propose tax concessions to low-salaried employees in the budget to be presented on Friday.

According to official sources, the income tax exemption limit in this category is proposed to be increased form Rs300,000 to Rs350,000 per annum. This limit had been raised to Rs300,000 from Rs200,000 last year and to Rs200,000 from Rs180,000 in 2009-10.

An income tax official said on Tuesday that raising the tax exemption limit would reduce the impact of rising prices, especially of food items, on employees.

Government had set an inflation target of 9.5 per cent for the current financial year, but it is estimated to exceed 14 per cent by the end of June.

The International Monetary Fund has projected over 15 per cent inflation for next year.

Experts have suggested the introduction of a new category of senior income taxpayers, above the age of 70, for whom the exemption limit may be raised to Rs500, 000.

According to the official, the increase in the exemption limit for senior citizens and women is likely because of the decline in the value of the rupee.

He said the Revenue Advisory Council had finalised new slabs to provide relief to lower income groups.

READ MORE - Tax relief on lower salaries likely

‘Pak army more anti-American than radical’

Dr. Stephen Philip Cohen, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institute, Washington DC, is a respected authority on the Pakistani army and the country’s politics. His book The Pakistan Army was published in 1998 and was translated into Urdu and Chinese. In 2004, he published another book The Idea of Pakistan. In an exclusive interview with Dawn.com, Dr. Cohen speaks about the Pakistan-US relationship and the future of South Asia after the Osama bin Laden crisis.

Q: Who do the Americans hold responsible for harbouring Osama bin Laden: The Pakistani civilian government or the army?

A: The US military respects the Pakistan army for its professionalism but they are angry with the Pakistani military for playing both sides against the middle. They are aware that if you’re an American soldier and the Afghan Taliban who are shooting at you are actually the ones being supported and trained in Pakistan. So, there is real anger with the Pakistan army over this double game. I can understand why they are playing this double game as the Taliban are an asset for Pakistan but the Americans do not like this. There is also deep resentment over some of the policies the army has imposed on the civilian government.

Q: How old is the history of collaboration in the Pakistan army with the Islamic radicals?

A: It dates back to the Bangladesh separatist movement when the army recruited people for al Badar and its death squads. It became more systematic during Zia’s government both in Kashmir and Afghanistan. Now, it is a full-fledged strategic alliance for the Pakistan military.

Q: The Pakistanis complain that dictatorship and Islamic radicalisation were actually gifted to them by the United States. What has compelled the US to support military rulers in Pakistan?

A: The US has needed Pakistan for strategic purposes. Our policies have done as much harm to Pakistan as they have helped the country. We could have supported them but put more pressure to liberalise and democratise the society. The Bush administration made a strategic mistake by supporting Pervez Musharraf and excluding the other politicians. We should have supported Benazir Bhutto or Nawaz Sharif. The US did support a deal between Musharraf and Bhutto but excluded Sharif. We should have come out and said publicly that we support all the legitimate politicians in Pakistan.

Q: Do you think the Pakistan army can ever overcome its obsession with India? How can the US help both the countries resolve this conflict?

A: I am writing a book about the India-Pakistan rivalry and calling it the “hundred-year old war”. My prediction is that the India-Pakistan conflict, which includes Kashmir besides many other problems, will last for one hundred years or even more.

I am very pessimistic about a solution between the two countries. They should cooperate over trade, for instance. Kashmir will eventually find its way. The United States should have only a silent role which should be limited to providing ideas and suggestions as we often do in the Middle East peace process.

Q: Does Osama bin Laden’s killing formally end the war on terror?

A: I don’t know if it was a murder or not but maybe it was an extrajudicial killing. Yet, it does not bring the war on terror to an end. Al Qaeda is a large global movement and it will continue to operate. It has diminished not only in terms of its organisational capability but also in terms of its symbolism. There will be major terrorist attacks on Pakistan, United States, India and other countries.

The notion of having a global Khalifat, where the whole world is united under one Khalifa is fanciful. That was not popular in Pakistan some years back. The anti-Americanism popular in Pakistan is based on the misunderstanding of American policies and some of the things that we have done in the past.

Q: Is it anti-Americanism or anti-Indianism that motivates radical elements in the Pakistan army?

A: I don’t have evidence of Pakistan army as radical in the extreme sense. However, it has become more anti-American. Some sections of the army are more anti-American than they are anti-India. The obsession with India, on the other hand, is weakening Pakistan rather than strengthening it. Pakistan has a huge list of reforms that it should have made.

In a talk at Quetta’s Staff College, I said Pakistan should take a lesson from South Korea and Japan which had their own way of taking revenge through economic productivity. Pakistan should struggle to beat India in the software industry, modern agriculture and exports.

Pakistan has had natural advantages over India in many areas but it has failed to capitalise on those advantages. I do not know if it is too late to reverse that process but if Pakistan continues to make India the center of its foreign policy, the country will go nowhere.

Q: There is a lot of resentment inside Pakistan over the drone strikes which many view as a violation of the country’s sovereignty. Can anti-Americanism subside if these attacks stop?

A: We know from the WikiLeaks that the Pakistanis themselves are helping us with the targets. It’s astonishing that the Pakistan government has not said this publicly. The government is too much of a coward to openly admit that some of the drone strikes have killed the enemies of Pakistan. If the Pakistani army and police had taken action against the terrorists, the drone strikes would probably not take place. Every state in the world has an obligation not to allow its territory to be used for terrorist attacks on other states. Pakistan has allowed groups to operate from its territory to launch attacks against the US, Afghanistan and of course India.

Q: How serious is the crisis in Pakistan and how can the world help Pakistan overcome this?

A: There are two things requiring attention: The State of Pakistan, which is mostly bureaucratic, and the idea of Pakistan. The United States can help the State of Pakistan in many ways by developing its organisational and budgetary procedures but we can’t do much about the idea of Pakistan.  Pakistanis themselves have to discuss and debate what it means to be a Pakistani. If being anti-India is being a Pakistani then you are taking the crisis deeper but if you are looking for a modern Islamic state that rest of the world should look upon then that is a different definition of Pakistan.

Q: Do you think the Pakistan army will eventually move with another coup?

A: I don’t see a coup coming in Pakistan. There is this joke in America that when Obama got elected, some newspapers wrote: “Black man gets worst job in the US”. Who wants to be the president of Pakistan? Zardari is doing a mediocre job. I doubt if General Kayani can do a better job as the president.  Pakistan is currently pressed and embarrassed with many issues. Another military coup will simply make things worse for that country.

Q: How do you predict the scenario once the US withdraws from Afghanistan?

A: The US will stay in Afghanistan to a limited degree to make sure that al Qaeda does not show up again. A significant development program is going on in Afghanistan which is more effective than our development work in Pakistan. There is no economic and strategic interest for the US in Afghanistan. It is important because it is having a contaminating effect on Pakistan.

Q: How serious is the tug of war between Pakistan and India to gain political and economic influence in Afghanistan?

A: The good news I have heard is that both the countries are going to talk about Afghanistan. If both the countries can work on an agreement as to what role they should play in Afghanistan to help the Afghan people then that will be a role model for the United States and Iran. The four countries — United States, Pakistan, Iran and India — are critical for the future of Afghanistan. They should agree to have a non-aligned democratic, but certainly not a radicalised, Afghanistan. I am optimistic that the Indians and Pakistanis will work together in Afghanistan.

Q: The right-wing opposition leaders are suggesting that Pakistan should stop getting aid from the United States. Is that going to help Pakistan attain more prosperity and self-reliance?

A: Pakistan should develop its own strategy to develop its industry and agriculture. It has to work out with India on the agreements over Indus waters and also work among its provinces. I want to see a business-like transactional relationship between the United States and Pakistan. The Pakistanis should tell the US what and why they need assistance in certain areas. Once we commit our aid, the US should work as if we are under a contract and if the Pakistanis perform effectively, we should provide them further aid on time.

Malik Siraj Akbar, a Hubert H. Humphrey Fellow based in Washington DC, is a visiting journalist at the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) of the Center for Public Integrity (CPI).

READ MORE - ‘Pak army more anti-American than radical’

Games we do & do not play

IT is about this time of the year that we would arrive in Karachi to spend our summer vacations. There we would meet our cousins from Multan; only no one would call them Multani just as no one greeted us as guests from Lahore. We would be lumped together to go under the generic title of people from Punjab or Punjabis.

It was not dissimilar to how some voices today categorise the current Pakistani cricket team as a bunch of players from Lahore benefiting from the benevolent dictatorship of a certain Ijaz Butt. All these players are deemed to be hailing from Lahore, while actually many of them are followers of the Lahore tradition and in many cases Lahore’s rivals.

This is a taboo subject — this competition between players from two regions. This is how it should not be. Failure to discuss will allow tensions to brew, and missed will be an opportunity to develop a tradition that can later be used for a dialogue between two distinct parts of Pakistan on issues bigger than a place or two in the national cricket team.

The absence of discussion on a sporting matter is actually reflective of a reluctance to shake off convention and talk in an idiom as interested parties in sync with the times. There is nothing parochial about a region that flaunts its talent to question the wisdom of the national chief selector or the chairman of the cricket board; the region is only doing its job.

Alternately, the danger is that if those who can speak fair and with reason are going to stay away from the debate, their places will be taken up by the emotionally charged, more prone to throwing punches than punch lines. This is what is already happening if some importance is given to what has filtered through a rather tight-lipped media.

Everyone knows that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has been working under a formula that envisages some kind of sharing between the two old nurseries of the game, Karachi and Lahore. That is if a Lahorite is holding an important office in the PCB, balance is sought to be achieved by giving another important post on the board to someone with a Karachi domicile.

This is how it generally appears, even though there are complaints that Lahore ends up bagging more than its rightful share of the coveted positions on the board because the PCB is headquartered here.

The complaints against the Lahore-based board have been plenty, and some of the most vicious of these seek to disqualify Ijaz Butt as too old to be allowed to run the PCB. In times of extreme strife at the national level, these grievances have been aired from a forum as auspicious as the National Assembly and these have sometimes been labelled as a stand-off between two cities. Yet, a true recognition of stakeholders is shunned, and as angry whispering continues to be resorted to, new and emerging suppliers of talent remain unrecognised.

Fortunately or unfortunately, this is not a Lahore team. It no more can be because the mantle of promoting the classic and downright old has since been transferred to the smaller cities that have long lived in awe of or at variance with Lahore. Apart from cricket that has seen the coming of age of players from `smaller` towns such as Sialkot, Multan, Faisalabad and Rawalpindi, similar trends are available in all other fields be it politics, culture, etc. pharakoo

Beginning early, take contributions to a newspaper as an ideal for a (studious or plainly ‘different’) child. Pick up the children’s pages that the Urdu newspapers in Lahore take out every week. Here, youngsters from smaller towns in Punjab now hog the space that was once obsessively owned by Lahore’s children.

The papers still carry the pictures of children that are sent to them by proud parents, but the pony-tailed Kinzas and publicity-seeking Osamas smiling out at you from these pages are more likely to today belong to a smaller town. The old Punjab capital that is in search of a true city status has so much else to do than be making an effort to secure small pleasures of life such as this.

Just like that, Lahore may no more be an ‘automatic choice’ for the connoisseurs to discover the most exciting of talents, cricketers included. The exclusive zone has been broken into by all players of all definitions, cricketers included, from all over Punjab even if it has taken these `distant` areas time to win their current image and privileges.

Persisting with the popular example on the ground, Skipper Misbah ul Haq and ‘doosra’ specialist Saeed Ajmal had to wait until they were in their 30s to regularly perform at the international level. Both of them are from Faisalabad as also is 30-something all-rounder Muhammad Hafeez who may himself find it difficult to keep a track of his numerous entries and exits from the national side.

Faisalabad district has done extremely well at the national level in recent years, but its showing is still not as good as Sialkot`s. Under former Pakistan skipper Shoaib Malik, Sialkot, has proved its dominance in the T-20 version that happens to be the most popular of all formats the game is currently played under.

Malik’s squad is an alliance made up of men from towns such as Kamoke and Sheikhupura which exist outside the immediate interest of Lahore. They have in recent years given the Lahore boys a run for their money as have, on their days, the tear-away destroyers nudgers from Rawalpindi and other parts of the province.

This then is the face of Punjab not many are keen to notice. The practice of lumping together distinct parts has far exceeded the urgency of the national call. Even Lahore can be accused of being slow to recognise the potential and too caught up in its fads and its own developments as an aspiring modern metropolitan.

The writer is Dawn’s resident editor in Lahore.

READ MORE - Games we do & do not play

Nepal’s royal massacre still a mystery 10 years on

KATHMANDU: A decade after Nepal’s crown prince stunned the world by gunning down nine family members, mystery still surrounds the massacre that plunged the monarchy into a crisis from which it never recovered.

Many Nepalese believe they may never know the truth about the night of June 1, 2001, when a drink- and drugs-fuelled prince Dipendra ran amok with an automatic weapon at a family dinner at the palace in the capital Kathmandu.

Dipendra, dressed in military fatigues, killed his revered father, King Birendra, his mother, brother and sister and five other relatives before shooting himself, according to official findings.

The 31-year-old Eton-educated heir to the throne was believed to have been crazed with anger after being stopped by the queen from marrying the woman he loved.

But conspiracy theories continue to swirl in Nepal about the bloodbath, which caused outpourings of hysterical grief in the impoverished nation where the king was seen as the reincarnation of the Hindu god Vishnu.

“The high-level (government) commission formed to investigate the massacre only reported what happened and how it happened,” said Vivek Kumar Shah, a former military secretary at the royal palace.

“It didn’t say why it happened,” he added.

Shah said some internal and external forces could have provoked the crown prince but declined to elaborate, saying only: “There were interest groups who wanted to end the monarchy.” The royal massacre, believed to have been the worst since Russia’s Romanovs were shot on the order of Vladimir Lenin in 1918, prompted rumours about the possible role in the slayings of the king’s less popular brother, Gyanendra.

Gyanendra was away from the Nepalese capital on the night of the killings.

“The people, who were numb with grief, reached a hasty conclusion it was a conspiracy (involving Gyanendra),” Kishor Shrestha, editor of Nepalese weekly Jana Aastha, said.

From the start of his reign, Gyanendra was much less beloved than his brother who in 1990 had legalised political parties, ushering in a new era of democracy and constitutional monarchy.

Gyanendra’s unpopularity only deepened when he dismissed the government and embarked on a period of autocratic rule in 2005, a move that united Maoist rebels with political parties, paving the way for mass protests that forced the king to step down three years ago.

A Maoist-dominated constitutional assembly declared a republic in May 2008.

Many ordinary Nepalese were delighted to see the back of the dour king as well

as his playboy would-be heir, Paras.

On June 11, 2008, Gyanendra left the palace for a hunting lodge on Kathmandu’s outskirts, marking the final end to a royal lineage founded by his warrior ancestor Prithvi Narayan Shah, who conquered dozens of small kingdoms in the 18th century.

“The monarchy lost its traditional respect” with Gyanendra’s decision to dismiss the government, said Nepalese journalist Yubaraj Ghimire.

“Looking back, I think the politics of 2006 when the Maoists and other parties were arrayed against the monarchy played a critical role in its demise,” Ghimire said.

Now, Nepal remains in tumult, racked by political crisis as parties struggle to draft a new constitution and oversee the peace process that began when the decade-long Maoist civil war ended in 2006.

The widespread hope that followed the end of the conflict and the abolition of the unpopular monarchy has been replaced by a growing sense of anger and frustration in Nepal, one of the world’s poorest countries.

And 10 years on from the royal massacre, even though many Nepalese believe they still do not know the full truth, there is a waning desire to reopen old wounds with another investigation.

“Nobody is interested in probing it,” Shrestha said.
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READ MORE - Nepal’s royal massacre still a mystery 10 years on

Tax relief on lower salaries likely

ISLAMABAD: The government is considering to propose tax concessions to low-salaried employees in the budget to be presented on Friday.

According to official sources, the income tax exemption limit in this category is proposed to be increased form Rs300,000 to Rs350,000 per annum. This limit had been raised to Rs300,000 from Rs200,000 last year and to Rs200,000 from Rs180,000 in 2009-10.

An income tax official said on Tuesday that raising the tax exemption limit would reduce the impact of rising prices, especially of food items, on employees.

Government had set an inflation target of 9.5 per cent for the current financial year, but it is estimated to exceed 14 per cent by the end of June.

The International Monetary Fund has projected over 15 per cent inflation for next year.

Experts have suggested the introduction of a new category of senior income taxpayers, above the age of 70, for whom the exemption limit may be raised to Rs500, 000.

According to the official, the increase in the exemption limit for senior citizens and women is likely because of the decline in the value of the rupee.

He said the Revenue Advisory Council had finalised new slabs to provide relief to lower income groups.

READ MORE - Tax relief on lower salaries likely

Grade 21 officer to head NDMA

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has appointed a BPS-21 officer as chairman of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).

The post was vacant since April 13 when Lt-Gen (retd) Nadeem Ahmad resigned.

According to sources, Dr Zafar Iqbal Qadir, a district management group officer who was working as additional secretary in the petroleum ministry, has been appointed chief of the NDMA.

The sources said the decision had surprised bureaucrats because many federal secretaries would have happily accepted the post.

Unlike a routine civil service posting, Dr Qadir will head a countrywide organisation and regularly interact with international agencies working on disaster management.

The NDMA chairman needs to perform specific actions at the time of man-made and natural disasters which require special training.

Though a well-read civil servant, Dr Qadir has been more into commerce and agriculture departments, a career profile which does not make him an ideal selection for his new post.

A PhD in development studies from the TCU, Louisiana, USA, Dr Qadir has served as the commissioner of Naseerabad, director general and additional secretary in the president`s secretariat, joint secretary in the commerce ministry, Pakistan`s economic minister and deputy permanent representative at the World Trade Organisation, secretary of agriculture and cooperatives and additional secretary of health in Balochistan.

Under the NDMA Act, besides performing an overseeing role the authority provides technical help to all federal and provincial government departments involved in disaster management.

It has to put in place guidelines for various government divisions, preparing them to deal with disasters such as floods, earthquakes and epidemics.

However, its main role revolves around coordination in responses to events of threatening nature anywhere in the country.

An NDMA official said people working at the authority were expecting a serving or retired military officer as their head. The involvement of law-enforcement agencies, including the security establishment, is key part of response to any disaster.

Lt-Gen (retd) Ahmad had served as the deputy chairman of Erra as a military officer and had been appointed NDMA chief on his retirement.

READ MORE - Grade 21 officer to head NDMA

North Waziristan operation likely to be of limited scale

ISLAMABAD: The armed forces will carry out a limited operation in North Waziristan primarily targeting Al Qaeda, Taliban and foreign fighters, as against the widely held belief that the focus will be exclusively on the Haqqani network.

In background interviews with Dawn, military commanders ruled out the possibility of a full-scale operation like the one launched in South Waziristan and said it was ‘unfeasible’ because of difference in ground realities.

South Waziristan, they said, was a “no-go area” when they launched a major military offensive in October 2009 to flush out terrorists. “But the northern part has a massive presence of military and there are peace pacts with tribes that cannot be ignored.”

The army has a division of troops stationed in the agency with headquarters in Miramshah and brigade level command centres in Mirali, Dattakhel and Razmak. The other factors preventing an all-out assault are its inhospitable terrain and geographic isolation.

A senior officer said: “The operation will be very selective and intelligence led.”

The military assessment is that there are only two to three pockets having terrorist presence which need to be cleared.

Although the military officials didn’t explicitly talk about sparing the Haqqanis, one can make out from the conversation that there is still no shift in policy about the group. They are of the opinion that the Haqqani network is more of a myth and the threat posed by it has been exaggerated.

A major target, it is said, will be Tehrik-i-Taliban militants who took refuge in North Waziristan after having been dislodged from south. “It will indeed be a big achievement if we succeed in neutralising some of the suicide bomber training centres,” an officer said.

Something that lends further credence to the possibility of a very limited scope of the operation is that military commanders aren’t expecting a major displacement from the region. On the contrary, press reports have suggested that aid agencies were directed several weeks ago to prepare for exodus of over 350,000 people from the area.

But what appears to be more significant is that the commanders are reluctant to take any technical or intelligence support from the US. It is not clear if the unwillingness is because of mistrust or fears of losing public support in the country rife with anti-Americanism.

“Using American help will be suicidal,” another officer said without elaborating.

The disinclination to benefit from US support appears to be a continuation of the policy adopted during Operation Brekhna in Mohmand when offer of maintenance support for helicopter fleet was turned down, though the airframes remained beset with less operational readiness.

Almost a year ago Pakistan had agreed in principle with the United States to clear the second largest tribal agency of militants but remained non-committed on the issue of timing, always insisting that it would be of their own choosing.

That resolve to rid the region of sanctuaries was renewed when both sides began discussions on ‘resetting’ the ties after the killing of Osama bin Laden. But during her brief visit last week, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was able to make a breakthrough by securing a pledge that the long-delayed operation would be initiated sooner than later.

At a media briefing after holding talks with the political and military leadership, Ms Clinton indicated that Pakistan would be taking “decisive steps in the days ahead”.

North Waziristan is considered to be the springboard for violence in Afghanistan and one of the most potent terrorist organisations operating from the agency is the Haqqani network which is operationally commanded by Sirajuddin Haqqani who is on the list of five top wanted men given by Washington to Islamabad. He is said to be commanding a militant force of about 3,000 hardened fighters.

READ MORE - North Waziristan operation likely to be of limited scale

US files new charges against Sept. 11 accused

Self-described 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and four alleged co-conspirators were charged with conspiring with al Qaeda to carry out the attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people in the United States.

All are being held in a high-security prison at the US naval base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

All five faced similar charges at Guantanamo during President George W. Bush’s administration. The charges were dropped while President Barack Obama’s administration tried to move the trials into federal civilian court in New York, near the site of the World Trade Center, which was destroyed in the attacks by hijacked aircraft.

Obama yielded to political opposition and announced in April the prosecutions would be moved back to Guantanamo.

Human rights activists have criticized Obama for failing to make good on his order to shut the Guantanamo detention camp.

But his approval ratings on national security issues have risen since he authorized the military raid that killed al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden in Pakistan in early May.

The official overseeing the Guantanamo tribunals, retired Vice Admiral Bruce MacDonald, must decide whether the case will proceed to trial and whether the death penalty should apply.

Hearings could begin around the time of the 10th anniversary of the attacks.

In addition to Mohammed, an al Qaeda leader captured in Pakistan in 2003, the defendants include his nephew Ali Abdul Aziz Ali as well as Walid bin Attash, Ramzi Binalshibh and Mustafa al Hawsawi.

They are charged with conspiracy, murder in violation of the law of war, attacking civilians, attacking civilian objects, intentionally causing serious bodily injury, destruction of property in violation of the law of war, hijacking aircraft and terrorism.

“The prosecutors have recommended that the charges against all five of the accused be referred as capital,” the Pentagon said in a news release, referring to plans to seek the death penalty.

During a pretrial hearing at Guantanamo in 2008, all five said they wanted to plead guilty. The charges were dropped before the military judge could determine whether they were all mentally competent to make that decision and whether the murky tribunal rules allowed them to be executed without a jury verdict on their guilt.

READ MORE - US files new charges against Sept. 11 accused

1/4 Carat Princess Cut Diamond Solitaire Ring - 14K White Gold

The dazzling look of a single solitaire diamond ring is a timeless classic whose simplicity and grace can never be compared. A fiery Princess cut diamond is securely prong set on a sleek band crafted in smooth 14k White Gold. The piece is masterfully balanced and has exceptional elegance that will reflect forever. The sparkling Princess diamond weighs 1/4 ct.(Diamond Color H-I (near colorless), Clarity SI) and comes with a Certificate of Authenticity guaranteeing its pure and natural qualities. Diamond Carat (Weight) .25 CTW. Color H-I Clarity SI1-SI2 Cut (Shape) Princess Cut

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House of Harlow 3 Stack Jagged Rings

House of Harlow 3 Stack Jagged Rings Gold with Black enamel???? Tribal-inspired Zig zag stacked ??Two rings are gold with black enamel, the third is gold

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Pakistani Fashion Trends 2011

2011 is a start to a new decade, ‘fashion’ one of our favorite and most used term is in full swing. We all want to know what Pakistani fashion trends 2011 are all about. Winters are coming to an end and we all are gearing up to refresh our wardrobes for spring and summer 2011.

Ladies white is the new black, if you think it will not look gorgeous on you then you are sadly mistaken. White is for everybody from fair to wheatish complexion. You will be amazed how white is so elegant and graceful, don’t forget to wear your pearls along to enhance it. White is easy to carry whether in the form of a Kurta that you can wear on your jeans or a long dress along with Churidar Pajama, which is our desi version of skinny jeans.

Churi Pajamas are the traditional fitted Pajamas being worn in India and Pakistan for a very long time. A point came when our new generation was completely alien to what this is and found skinny jeans very hip and in. This is the time when Churidar Pajamas came back in to fashion. They look exquisitely elegant with the kind of long Kameez’s that are in these days. I know what the next question is? Where do we get these since the tailors drive us insane? These days almost every boutique is making ready to wear Churidar Pajamas. Unbeatables and Funk Asia have one of the best ones.

Pakistani fashion trends 2011 make you realise how you should never throw your old wardrobe away, as fashion always repeats itself. Your grandmothers will definitely have the vintage wayfarer sunglasses that you can borrow, even if they don’t they are very easy to find since they are so in these days. As for older women maybe it’s time to look back at your favourite movie star Audrey Hepburn and the kind of sunglasses that she used to wear.

How can we miss out on accessories, we all are so immensely attracted towards them since we were little, always copying our mothers and wanting to wear their rings and pieces of jewellery. Fashion 2011 brings in another piece of jewellery because of the high rated gold. Kundan, the most traditional jewellery in our culture is catching up its pace again. It is one of those things which will never go out of fashion. It looks elegant with whatever you are wearing; it can be in the form of big chunky rings to small earrings. To have a piece of this jewellery you definitely not need to be rich as Kundan is very affordable yet gives a royal look.

Pakistani fashion trends 2011 also give you a free reign over your fashion sense. You always have the liberty to bring out your own fashion. Always remember you look the best in what you are comfortable and know how to carry around. You can wear skinny jeans under a traditional Kurta with funky long necklaces, bangles and yet look very stylish. But in case you are a hard core fashion follower then Pakistani fashion trends 2011 is all about bright colours such as cherry red and fuchsia pink. Enjoy 2011 wearing those bright colours with matching accessories and having your confidence. Bright colours make you feel younger and look gorgeous.

READ MORE - Pakistani Fashion Trends 2011

Cobalt Blue Brent

Top: Cobalt blue crepe silk shirt has traditional roll over look. Keyhole neckline. Very delicate embellishments on front. Satin borders on hemline and sleeves. High neck. Full sleeves. Fully lined. Hemming finish.
Bottom: Black raw silk full length straight trouser. Hidden zipper. Hemming finish.
Dupatta: Black chiffon dupatta has dotted motifs and sequins work scattered all over. Satin border edges.
Embellishment work is made with sequins, beads, resham, diamantes, kora and dabka. 100% natural pure fabrics. Fully handmade embellishments. 100% as seen on screen.
Made in Pakistan.

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Heavy rain floods N Japan

TOKYO: Heavy rain has flooded the already-devastated Miyagi area of northern Japan, hindering its reconstruction after a massive earthquake and tsunami in March.

Torrential rains brought by typhoon Songda across the country caused landslides and floods, leaving at least 13 people dead and many more missing. Roads have been swept away in at least 200 places and some 19 bridges were damaged. Authorities in the Northeast of Tokyo urged more than 400,000 residents to evacuate their homes Friday following the flooding of a river.

In some areas in the North, 54mm of rain fell in just 12 hours. Up to 1,000 troops have been supporting rescue missions and strengthening flood protection. Songda were downgraded to a tropical storm in the southwest of Japan late on Sunday, but strong winds and rain continue to batter the north.





 

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JUI-F leader shot dead in Kark

KARK: Unidentified gunmen on Tuesday gunned down former District Ameer Maulana Salimullah, member of Jamiat-e-Ulama-a-Islam –Fazlur Rehman group (JUI-F), Geo News reported.

According to police sources, unidentified gunmen opened fire on the former Ameer in Latambar, an area of Kark district, killing Maulana Salimullah on the spot and injuring four other persons who have been shifted to DHQ hospital.

The gunmen flee after the incident and fear gripped the area. Police have cordoned off the area and security forces are conducting snap checking.
 

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Ed: 2 Steelers Draft Picks Mentioned in SI Article on Ohio State

Two Steelers draft picks were among many former Buckeyes accused of selling memorabilia in the Sports Illustrated article on Jim Tressel’s downfall at Ohio State.

      Thaddeus Gibson and Doug Worthington, 2010 draft picks, were accused by a Sports Illustrated source as being among those Buckeyes who sold memorabilia at a Columbus tattoo shop. Neither player stuck with the Steelers. Gibson made the team but was waived in November to make room for another lineman after Aaron Smith was injured. He is now with the 49ers. Worthington did not make the team and is now with Tampa Bay.

       We told you about Worthington weeks ago and his name did not again surface until this week’s Sports Illustrated article. His 2008 Buckeye pin, given to the players when they beat Michigan, was sold on History’s Pawn Stars. The guy selling it said he got it off a dealer who said he bought it a few years ago. If true, Worthington would still have been playing at Ohio State.

       One name you did not see in the Sports Illustrated story was that of Santonio Holmes. Surprised?

  Onto some stuff:

    --- We’re going to repeat our guest Slogs this summer when I’m on vacation, which will begin in a few weeks. It was a hit last year. I will have more information soon.

--- Here’s a simple way to understand why there is no football and why there might be none when the season is scheduled to begin: The players’ strategy is to get victory in the courts; the owners strategy is for the players to give up after missing a few paychecks and strike a CBA deal.

 --- Here’s a note I received from one of the most respected agents in the business, Frank Murtha, who has been around NFL football longer than I have. He says don’t focus so much on the appeals court’s upcoming hearing on the lockout but back to Minneapolis, where Judge David Doty could make a game-changing decision.

   “Doty holds key to all of this...not lockout case...if he "locks up" the TV money...whether he gives players any of it...owners won't have that to fund lockout and we'll get a real deal done...this is not 1987 with the players...better informed...most..not all have saved money...believe in cause and while NFLPA guys are not yet Marvin Miller they are closer to getting players behind mentality of being in a union.”

--- I know many of you remain frustrated with our comments section and the difficulties and confusion associated with trying to either post one or read one. I wish I could tell you they were working on improving ours, but the latest word I received is they are not. 

   Here is a note I recently received from PG Plus member, Denise: “I can identify no value for me in the PG deals associated to membership as I live in Maryland and there is no real discussion to engage in right now on the sound off board.  So tell me.  What value is there in me paying for reading your blog that I can see for free on a twitter link.  I really prefer to support you and the post gazette but don't have money to spend on what I can get for free.”

  Stick with us, Denise, we’ll get something done (what will happen first, a CBA in the NFL or a simplified way to post comments on the Slog?)

 

READ MORE - Ed: 2 Steelers Draft Picks Mentioned in SI Article on Ohio State

Game, set, brand for tennis star

When she won her first grand-slam title in 2004, at age 17, tennis player Maria Sharapova made the cover of Sports Illustrated.

The photo showed the Russian teenager at the moment she became a household name, proudly beaming on the court at Wimbledon in England - in a body-skimming white tank dress from Nike.

"Star Power," the headline read.

"And do you think I knew what Sports Illustrated was?" Sharapova, 24, said recently, recalling when her agent, Max Eisenbud, first showed her the magazine, expecting her to be as excited as he was.

"I knew what Vogue was, but I didn't know what Sports Illustrated was.

"When you are young, you are a little naive."

But was she really so naive?

One doesn't become the highest-paid female athlete in the world without recognizing that the greatest potential for earnings is derived not from winning championships but from garnering endorsement deals, particularly with fashion and sportswear brands.

Sharapova, the eighth-ranked women's singles player, made $24.5 million from June 2009 to June 2010, according to Forbes - or about $4 million more than her nearest competitor, Serena Williams.

Last year, she renewed her contract with Nike in an expanded eight-year deal that is estimated to be worth as much as $70 million, the most ever for a female athlete, including royalties from clothes she designs for Nike. She also designs shoes and handbags for Cole Haan and endorses luxury brands such as Tiffany and Tag Heuer, and the electronics company Sony Ericsson.

Expanding her reach into the unexpected, she is developing a brand of candy, too - for a rollout at the U.S. Open in August.

The name of her brand? Sugarpova.

Despite recent progress in her professional comeback, which has been regarded somewhat skeptically since a shoulder operation in 2008 took her out of the game for most of a year, Sharapova is laying the groundwork for her life after tennis.

But it is her competitiveness off the court that has made for a more riveting match in recent years, as she fights for turf among athletes who aspire to become brands - pushing both Nike and Cole Haan to produce more of her designs, creating the candy business and now expanding her online presence with a Facebook page with 4.3 million fans (more than any other female athlete has, she pointed out).

"I've been very competitive by nature from a young age, whether it was eating a bowl of pasta faster than somebody else, or always wanting to be the first one in line," she said. When she was 13, training on scholarship at the Bollettieri Tennis Academy in Bradenton, Fla., a reporter from HBO's Real Sports asked: If she had the chance to win Wimbledon or make $20 million in endorsements, which would she choose? She looked into the camera and said, without hesitation, "I would choose to win Wimbledon because then the millions will come."

In her own words, she now has "money that will feed my great-grandchildren." (For those following her love life, Sharapova said she is looking forward to starting a family with her fiance, basketball player Sasha Vujacic of the New Jersey Nets.)

Sharapova often complained to Nike that the outfits provided by the company weren't suited to her frame. She brought a sketch pad to tournaments and filled her hotel rooms with fashion magazines.

She had also seen the example set by a fellow Russian, Anna Kournikova, who was famous for her boyfriends and for modeling in an ad campaign for sports bras. Sharapova decided she would prefer to appear in a small feature in Vogue wearing a cool pair of shoes than on the cover of Maxim in a bathing suit.

She was so sophisticated about protecting her image, Eisenbud said, that he noticed her removing the labels from water bottles at appearances in clubs or wherever she might be photographed.

Her first big deal resulted from an unscripted moment at Wimbledon. After she won, her father slipped her a cellphone so she could call her mother. She dialed the number, again and again, but the call wouldn't go through. Eventually she gave up, apparently unaware that the whole episode was shown on television.

Motorola, which was about to introduce its Razr series, signed Sharapova the next month.

For her collaboration with Cole Haan, introduced in August 2009, she insisted that the company include a ballet flat. ("I came in saying: 'You know what? I'm 6-foot-2, and I don't care about anyone else,'" she said. "I'm going to be selfish and say I love ballerinas.") The $138 shoes are now among the top-selling items for the entire brand.

"When I was younger," Sharapova said, "Nike would put me in the same clothes as maybe 10 other girls in the tour. We all looked like clones. I want to be different. If everyone is wearing black, I want to be wearing red."

A pale-yellow dress with corsetry-inspired stitching that she has worn at the French Open isn't something she just happened to pull out of her closet. Her outfit was decided more than 18 months ago, along with what she will wear at Wimbledon, the U.S. Open and other major tournaments.

As part of her new deal with Nike, the company last year finally began producing and selling a line based on her on-court attire, and dressing several up-and-coming players, including Julia Goerges of Germany and Anastasia Pivovarova of Russia, in Sharapova looks.

READ MORE - Game, set, brand for tennis star

Youngstown Ties Abound in Tressel Sports Illustrated Article

It's the end of an era at Ohio State University now that Jim Tressel is out as head football coach.

The announcement came nearly three months after the original two-game suspension of Tressel in the wake of a tattoo parlor scandal.

A Sports Illustrated issue that hits news stands Tuesday contains an article saying violations date back to 2002 and involve at least 28 players. Six have been suspended as part of the 2011 season for their roles in the scandal, including running back Dan Herron, a Warren Harding graduate and defensive tackle John Simon, a Cardinal Mooney graduate.

The article, "SI investigation reveals eight-year pattern of violations under Tressel," is already available online.

A good chunk of the SI article focused on Tressel's time as head coach at Youngstown State University -- where Tressel spent 15 seasons as the Penguins head coach before heading to Columbus. That includes scandals regarding former Penguins quarterback Ray Isaac, accused of accepting improper benefits back in the 1990s. The university admitted to the infractions and was penalized.

The article states when Tressel later began as coach at OSU in 2001, "(Tressel) could set a hard line with his players and the boosters, or he could go with the flow. The first indication of Tressel's choice came in 2003, when the NCAA investigated (OSU player Maurice) Clarett for receiving improper benefits."

Clarett, a Warren Harding graduate, was found to have received money and other benefits in 2003 during Tressel's third season as OSU's coach. Clarett was suspended for the 2003 season.

Right now, also at Ohio State, the Columbus Dispatch reports the NCAA and Ohio State are investigating quarterback Terrell Pryor to find out whether he received improper benefits, such as cars.
   
The paper reports Pryor has already been questioned by investigators. The quarterback will be a senior this fall.

No sooner had the ink dried on Tressel's resignation than speculation had already started about a successor as OSU's coach. Among them are Urban Meyer, the Stoops brothers -- Bob at Oklahoma and Mike at Arizona -- are both Ohio natives.

Despite having coached at the collegiate level since 1974, some who know Tressel suggest he won't be roaming anyone's sidelines anytime soon.

"It was a huge mistake. He's paying the price," said Bob Hannon, voice of YSU Penguins. "I don't think he'll ever coach again. I wouldn't be surprised to see him return to the Mahoning Valley and work with the Youngstown schools or work with the inner city, but I'm stunned like everybody else that it got to this point."

"This went from Jim Tressel being suspended for a few games to this ending his career," said former Ohio State player Alex Boone. "I don't think he'll go to the NFL. I don't think he'd coach at another college. I just don't think that's his style. So basically, these five kids just ended Jim Tressel's career."

Luke Fickell, a previously anonymous linebackers coach, will be in charge of the Buckeyes this fall.


Here's a look back at the most recent events leading up to the resignation.

    April 2, 2010: Tressel receives the first of 12 emails from Attorney Christopher Cicero saying he was told players have been selling signed memorabilia to a tattoo parlor owner. Tressel replies back saying he will "get on it ASAP."
    Sept. 13, 2010: Tressel signs an annual NCAA certificate saying he knows of no violations and has reported any possible violations.
    Dec. 7, 2010: OSU items are discovered during a raid at the tattoo parlor owner's home.
    December 2010: OSU interviews the six players involved and declares them ineligible. A five-game suspension is issued for five players and one game for another.
    January 2011: OSU finds the emails between Tressel and Cicero.
    February 2011: Tressel admits to committing an NCAA violation. He was then suspended and fined $250,000.
    May 30, 2011: OSU announces Tressel's resignation.

READ MORE - Youngstown Ties Abound in Tressel Sports Illustrated Article

Kristin School

Kristin School is an independent co-educational school located in Albany, North Shore, New Zealand. Kristin is an IB World School with approximately 1,670 students.

The school was established in 1973 by a small group of parents, and is owned by the Kristin School Charitable Trust (non-profit making - fees are used to pay expenses and facilities) and is governed by trustees and governors appointed from both the school and the wider community.

Kristin contains a Kindergarten and is divided into three separate schools - Junior (years 0-6), Middle (years 7-10), and Senior (years 11-13). Reflecting contemporary managerialism, each school has its own principal and an executive principal has overall responsibility to the Board of Governors.

In the terms of its management and governors, the school formally emphasises an holistic education- of "building greatness", not only through world class academic excellence, but also instilling values-based self-confidence, a strong community service ethic, and a vision for students as citizens of the world.

Reflecting its locational setting, the school is primarily ethnically New Zealand European, with East Asians making up most of the remainder of the school community. Maori and Pacific Island students, while not absent as social groups, make up a low percentage of the Kristin population, especially when compared with other schools in New Zealand, particularly public schools.

READ MORE - Kristin School

360Fashion

360Fashion began as a show of fashion blogs by high-level fashion professionals, with help from Nokia in 2004, and launched during fashion week October 2005 with an exhibition, cocktail, and conference sponsored by Nokia. 360Fashion is a convergence media platform (blogs, mobile reader, web TV, mobile TV, IPTV, and broadcast on skynet channel 218). anina.net is dedicated to building a bridge between fashion and technology by using innovative platforms to help designers, brands, and professionals broadcast globally to a large audience, independent of device. 360Fashion is a network of high-level fashion professionals using the latest web 2.0 and mobile technology and are pioneers in real-time reporting. [2] [3] anina.net is the founder of the 360Fashion Network.

READ MORE - 360Fashion

Lady Gaga

Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta (born March 28, 1986), better known by her stage name Lady Gaga, is an American pop singer-songwriter. After performing in the rock music scene of New York City's Lower East Side in 2003 and later enrolling at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, she soon signed with Streamline Records, an imprint of Interscope Records. During her early time at Interscope, she worked as a songwriter for fellow label artists and captured the attention of recording artist Akon, who recognized her vocal abilities, and signed her to his own label, Kon Live Distribution.

Gaga came to prominence following the release of her debut studio album The Fame (2008), which was a critical and commercial success and achieved international popularity with the singles "Just Dance" and "Poker Face". The album reached number one on the record charts of six countries, topped the Billboard Dance/Electronic Albums chart while simultaneously peaking at number two on the Billboard 200 chart in the United States and accomplished positions within the top-ten worldwide. Achieving similar worldwide success, The Fame Monster (2009), its follow-up, produced a further two global chart-topping singles "Bad Romance" and "Telephone" and allowed her to embark on a second global headlining concert tour, The Monster Ball Tour, just months after having finished her first, The Fame Ball Tour. Her second studio album Born This Way was released on May 23, 2011, after the arrival of its eponymous lead single "Born This Way", which achieved the number-one spot in countries worldwide and was the fastest-selling single in iTunes history, selling one million copies in five days.[3]

Inspired by glam rock artists like David Bowie, Elton John and Queen, as well as pop singers such as Madonna and Michael Jackson, Gaga is well-recognized for her outré sense of style in fashion, in performance and in her music videos. Her contributions to the music industry have garnered her numerous achievements including five Grammy Awards, among twelve nominations; two Guinness World Records;[4] and the estimated sale of 15 million albums and 51 million singles worldwide.[5][6] Billboard named her the Artist of the Year in 2010,[7] ranking her as the 73rd Artist of the 2000s decade.[8] Gaga has been included in Time magazine's annual Time 100 list of the most influential people in the world as well as being listed in a number of Forbes' annual lists[9] including the 100 most powerful and influential celebrities in the world and attained the number one spot on their annual list of the 100 most powerful celebrities.

READ MORE - Lady Gaga

Amara Fashion House

Amara is a fashion boutique in Mumbai, India. It houses collections from leading fashion designers of India including Varija Bajaj, Nachiket Barve, Cherie D, Namita Joshipura and many more. They retail traditional Indian clothes like lehenga cholis, sarees and ethnic dresses. It also houses some western collection like frocks, gowns, skirts and blouses. It has designer footwear, handbags and other accessories too.

Along with retail, they host many fashion events. These events include launching new fashion collections by leading artists, ramp shows and celebrity parties. Often individual stylists pick up clothes from Amara for celebrities or bollywood events, models have photoshoots there.

READ MORE - Amara Fashion House

Cloth

Saris are woven with one plain end (the end that is concealed inside the wrap), two long decorative borders running the length of the sari, and a one to three foot section at the other end which continues and elaborates the length-wise decoration. This end is called the  it is the part thrown over the shoulder in the nivi style ofpallu; draping.

In past times, saris were woven of silk or cotton. The rich could afford finely-woven, diaphanous silk saris that, according to folklore, could be passed through a finger ring. The poor wore coarsely woven cotton saris. All saris were handwoven and represented a considerable investment of time or money.

Simple hand-woven villagers' saris are often decorated with checks or stripes woven into the cloth. Inexpensive saris were also decorated with block printing using carved wooden blocks and vegetable dyes, or tie-dyeing, known in India as bhandani work.

More expensive saris had elaborate geometric, floral, or figurative ornaments or brocades created on the loom, as part of the fabric. Sometimes warp and weft threads were tie-dyed and then woven, creating ikat patterns. Sometimes threads of different colors were woven into the base fabric in patterns; an ornamented border, an elaborate pallu, and often, small repeated accents in the cloth itself. These accents are called buttis or bhuttis (spellings vary). For fancy saris, these patterns could be woven with gold or silver thread, which is called zari work.

Sometimes the saris were further decorated, after weaving, with various sorts of embroidery. Resham work is embroidery done with colored silk thread. Zardozi embroidery uses gold and silver thread, and sometimes pearls and precious stones. Cheap modern versions of zardozi use synthetic metallic thread and imitation stones, such as fake pearls and Swarovski crystals.

In modern times, saris are increasingly woven on mechanical looms and made of artificial fibers, such as polyester, nylon, or rayon, which do not require starching or ironing. They are printed by machine, or woven in simple patterns made with floats across the back of the sari. This can create an elaborate appearance on the front, while looking ugly on the back. The punchra work is imitated with inexpensive machine-made tassel trim.

Hand-woven, hand-decorated saris are naturally much more expensive than the machine imitations. While the over-all market for handweaving has plummeted (leading to much distress among Indian handweavers), hand-woven saris are still popular for weddings and other grand social occasions.

READ MORE - Cloth

Sri Lanka

Sri Lankan women wear saris in many styles. However, two ways of draping the sari are popular and tend to dominate; the Indian style (classic nivi drape) and the Kandyan style (or osaria' in Sinhalese). The Kandyan style is generally more popular in the hill country region of Kandy from which the style gets its name. Though local preferences play a role, most women decide on style depending on personal preference or what is perceived to be most flattering for their figure.

The traditional Kandyan (osaria) style consists of a full blouse which covers the midriff completely, and is partially tucked in at the front as is seen in this 19th century portrait. However, modern intermingling of styles has led to most wearers baring the midriff. The final tail of the sari is neatly pleated rather than free-flowing. This is rather similar to the pleated rosette used in the Dravidian style noted earlier in the article.

The Kandyan style is considered the national dress of Sinhalese women. It is the uniform of the air hostesses of Sri Lankan Airlines.

READ MORE - Sri Lanka

Sari

A sari or saree[1] is a strip of unstitched cloth, ranging from four to nine metres in length that is draped over the body in various styles.[2] It is popular in India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Burma, and Malaysia. The most common style is for the sari to be wrapped around the waist, with one end then draped over the shoulder baring the midriff.[2]

The sari is usually worn over a petticoat (लहंगा lahaṅgā or "lehenga" in the north, langa/pavada/pavadai in the south, chaniyo, parkar in the west, and shaya in eastern India), with a blouse known as a choli or ravika forming the upper garment. The choli has short sleeves and a low neck and is usually cropped, and as such is particularly well-suited for wear in the sultry South Asian summers. Cholis may be backless or of a halter neck style. These are usually more dressy with plenty of embellishments such as mirrors or embroidery, and may be worn on special occasions. Women in the armed forces, when wearing a sari uniform, don a short-sleeved shirt tucked in at the waist. The sari developed as a garment of its own in both South and North India at around the same time, and is in popular culture an epitome of Indian culture.[3]

READ MORE - Sari

New York Fashion Week

 
The first New York Fashion Week, then called Press Week, was the world's first organized fashion week. Held in 1943, the event was designed to attract attention away from French fashion during World War II, when fashion industry insiders were unable to travel to Paris to see French fashion shows.[2] Fashion publicist Eleanor Lambert organized an event she called "Press Week" to showcase American designers for fashion journalists, who had previously neglected their innovations.[2] (Buyers were not admitted to the shows and instead had to visit designers' showrooms.[2]) Press Week was a success, and fashion magazines like Vogue, which were normally filled with French designs, increasingly featured American fashion.[2]

In 1994, the event was moved to its former site in Bryant Park, where it was held inside a series of large white tents in the almost-block-long park.[3] Admission is by invitation only, to the fashion industry, fashion press, assorted celebrities, and internet based Fashion press (e.g. District L, Fashionista, FWD). Beginning in February 2009 (showing Fall 2009), many designers opted out of their usual Bryant Park tent fashion shows because of the current economy and held smaller presentations.

At the Fall 2009 Fashion Week the public got a taste of technology as it is shaping the future of fashion. It is not only making it cheaper and easier for designers to create their collections, it is also saving them travel time as many broadcast their lines over the Internet. Many designers opted to not only market online but also sell exclusively online. Designer Norma Kamali and the Polo Ralph Lauren Rugby brand both have an application for the Apple iPhone. In the Vivienne Tam show, models walked the runway carrying Hewlett Packard mini notebook computers instead of the expected handbag.

Because of the recession affecting most of the world, designers were stepping outside of the box for fall 2009. In previous years, fashion houses would be expecting costs up to $750,000 to produce a quality runway show. The idea of using mannequins to display clothing was used by established designers Betsey Johnson and Vera Wang as a way to cut model and runway costs. Mara Hoffman, Sergio Davila and Nicholas K saved 40 percent of their costs by combining their separate lines into one show. Another trend seen during fall 2009 Fashion Week was recession friendly fashion. A number of pieces displayed were items that could be worn in the fall and carry over to the spring. A popular staple was bold color dressed that could be worn over a turtleneck in colder weather and stand alone in the spring; convertible blazers were introduced by Vera Wang and Karen Walker as a way to get double the wear out of one piece.

READ MORE - New York Fashion Week

Blue Angels Commander Grounds Himself

(CNN) -- The commander of the U.S. Navy's Blue Angels stepped down Friday in the wake of a subpar performance at a Virginia air show this week.

"I performed a maneuver that had an unacceptably low minimum altitude. This maneuver, combined with other instances of not meeting the airborne standard that makes the Blue Angels the exceptional organization that it is, led to my decision to step down," Cmdr. Dave Koss said in a statement, referring to the Lynchburg, Va., Regional Airshow.He will be replaced by Capt. Greg McWherter, who was the flight demonstration team's previous commander.Air shows have been in the spotlight recently because of concerns over safety.A pilot performing stunts in an east Florida air show in March died in a fiery crash when the Russian military plane he was flying in broke formation and fell to the ground.Also in March, engine trouble at an air show in Texas caused a plane to plummet, leaving a white trail behind as it dove toward a wooded area. The two stunt pilots onboard survived.The Blue Angels have canceled performances at the Rockford, Ill., Airfest June 4-5 and the Evansville, Ind., Freedom Festival Air Show June 11-12 because of the shakeup in its leadership.

READ MORE - Blue Angels Commander Grounds Himself

Sorry Mate, New "Pirates" Movie Slow Moving

“Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides,” the fourth installment of the Disney series, is everything you’d expect from a big-budget, action-adventure film. The scenery is lush, the costumes are impeccable, the action sequences are epic and Johnny Depp is still hot (and dirty).
It’s also kinda boring.
For those not familiar with “Pirates,” let me catch you up to speed. Johnny Depp is Captain Jack Sparrow, a saucy pirate with a thirst for trouble. When we first met Jack, he was battling his former first-mate, Captain Barbossa, for command of his precious vessel, The Black Pearl.  There was lots of fighting, blah, blah, blah, Jack meets his Dad, Bootstrap Bill, blah, blah, blah, Kiera Knightley and Orlando Bloom get married, blah, blah, blah. And ... yep. That’s it.

Ok, so when we once again meet up with Captain Jack he has just arrived in London town, and he’s looking to acquire a ship, now that the Black Pearl has been lost. But there are rumors afoot; rumors about Captain Jack already assembling a crew. And that must mean one thing: An imposter.
Enter the luscious Penelope Cruz, a.k.a. the only thing that makes this movie remotely entertaining. If not for Cruz, the daughter and first-mate of the infamous Blackbeard (Ian McShane), the film would just be a series of mildly-entertaining sword fights. Cruz helps infuse the plot with heart, humor and more than a little sexiness.
Angelica Malon (Cruz) is a scorned lover of Jack’s who forces him to guide her and Blackbeard’s crew to Ponce de Leon’s mythical Fountain of Youth. But they’re not the only ones after life everlasting. Captain Barbossa, now with the Royal Navy, and the Spanish Armada are right behind them.  What follows is a plodding, lengthy journey to an obvious ending. Much could have easily been lost to the cutting room floor, and I’m fairly sure no one would have missed it.
As a righteous clergyman, Sam Claflin (Philip) gives one of the only other notable performances in the bunch. But even his cross-species love for an ethereal mermaid can’t make this film anything more than a forgettable installment in an already bloated series.

READ MORE - Sorry Mate, New "Pirates" Movie Slow Moving

Blue Angels Commander Grounds Himself

(CNN) -- The commander of the U.S. Navy's Blue Angels stepped down Friday in the wake of a subpar performance at a Virginia air show this week.
"I performed a maneuver that had an unacceptably low minimum altitude. This maneuver, combined with other instances of not meeting the airborne standard that makes the Blue Angels the exceptional organization that it is, led to my decision to step down," Cmdr. Dave Koss said in a statement, referring to the Lynchburg, Va., Regional Airshow.He will be replaced by Capt. Greg McWherter, who was the flight demonstration team's previous commander.Air shows have been in the spotlight recently because of concerns over safety.A pilot performing stunts in an east Florida air show in March died in a fiery crash when the Russian military plane he was flying in broke formation and fell to the ground.Also in March, engine trouble at an air show in Texas caused a plane to plummet, leaving a white trail behind as it dove toward a wooded area. The two stunt pilots onboard survived.The Blue Angels have canceled performances at the Rockford, Ill., Airfest June 4-5 and the Evansville, Ind., Freedom Festival Air Show June 11-12 because of the shakeup in its leadership.

READ MORE - Blue Angels Commander Grounds Himself

Polish Your Grace with Pakistani Footwear

 Traditional Pakistani footwear is no less. This summer, men and women both can carry a different fashion statement by looking equally trendy in wearing Kolhapuri chappals, Khussas and sandals. Are you already sick of buying diamond-studded strappy leather Prada shoes and iconic Jimmy Choo’s pumps; men wearing Adidas or Nike converse? Don’t worry because traditional Pakistani footwear is no less. This summer, men and women both can carry a different fashion statement by looking equally trendy in wearing Kolhapuri chappals, Khussas and sandals. Not just that these shoes depict the rich culture of the sub-continent as India and Pakistan’s footwear style majorly overlaps; our brilliant stores offer an extensive range of to-die-for collection of this chic ethnic Pakistani

READ MORE - Polish Your Grace with Pakistani Footwear

Paris Fashion Week Men’s Fall/Winter 2011-12

Paris Fashion Week started on January 19, 2011 with Roland Mouret and Thierry Mugler mens RTW collection followed by other designers like Louis Vuitton, Jean Paul Gaultier, Juun J. who presented 2011 fashion collection for men. Fashion week Paris.

Paris fashion week was the festive carnival for many featured international fashion designers who presented their exclusive menswear collection at the fashion week Paris. Men’s 2011 fashion was worth seeing experience in creations of Roland Mouret and Thierry Mugler presented on Wednesday/January 19, 2011, the first day of fashion week Paris. Paris fashion week is one of the most popular fashion weeks in the fashion industry. Fashion week Paris was an event of best men's collection for Fall and Winter 2011, which made an out of the world heavenly environment of Fashion Models at catwalk.

Second day,Thursday/January 20, 2011 of Paris fashion week was followed by Adam Kimmel, Yohji Yamamoto, Dries Van Noten, Jean Paul Gaultier, Louis Vuitton, Rick Owens, Issey Miyake, Alexis Mabille and Viktor & Rolf, who presented their best menswear collection for 2011 fashion.This was second day of fashion week Paris.

Third day, Friday/January 21, 2011 of Paris fashion week passed with sophisticated and elegant collection showcased by John Galliano, Ami, Givenchy, Comme Des Garcons Homme Plus, Cerruti, Kris Van Assche, Walter Van Beirendonck, Balenciaga, Julius, Gustavo Lins, Balmain and Junya Watanabe Man for 2011 fashion. This was 3rd day of fashion week Paris for menswear.

Forth day, Saturday/January 22, 2011 of Paris fashion week carried men’s ready to wear collection by Raf Simons, Hermès, Damir Doma, Boris Bidjan Saberi, 3.1 Phillip Lim, TL/Mann, Dior Homme, Bernhard Willhelm, Ann Demeulemeester, Miharayasuhiro, Christophe Lemaire, Kenzo, Alexandre Plokhov, Maison Martin Margiela and Valentino for 2011 fashion. This was 4th day of fashion week Paris for men.

Fifth and last day of Paris fashion week, Sunday/January 23, 2011 ended up with creations by Acne, Yigal Azrouël, Yves Saint Laurent and Lanvin for 2011 fashion. This was last day of fashion week Paris for mens collection.

READ MORE - Paris Fashion Week Men’s Fall/Winter 2011-12