NEW YORK – Justin Timberlake wins style props in the March issue of GQ magazine.
The magazine picked the entertainer to lead a list of the "10 Most Stylish Men in America." It singled out Timberlake for his impact on fashion, willingness to take risks and "knack for targeting trends" such as hats, three-piece suits, skinny ties and beards.
Timberlake, who launched his clothing line William Rast several years ago, tells GQ he considers model Kate Moss a style icon because she "could put a barrel on and it would be some sort of statement."
It irks the 28-year-old heartthrob when an entire outfit revolves around a hat, and he'd never wear an argyle sweater vest off the golf course. He prefers to keep it simple, clothes-wise.
Other "Stylish Men" include Kanye West, T.I., Jason Schwartzman, hotelier Andre Balazs and photographer Alexi Lubomirski.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
'Your luggage has been set on fire'
Most frequent-fliers have tales of checked-luggage mishaps. But even the most grizzled traveler would probably have a hard time coming up with story to top that of Chicago flier Shannon Tadel. Her tale began Dec. 1 as she prepared to board a return flight to Chicago O'Hare from Syracuse. That's when the Chicago Tribune says a United employee came up to her and asked if they could speak in private.
"He said, 'Your luggage has been set on fire,' " Tadel tells the Tribune for a story that runs in today's paper. "I kind of chuckled at him because it was so unbelievable. I was like, 'Um, OK.' " So, how did that happen? The Tribune writes "the employee explained that her bag, containing most of her wardrobe, had been placed too close to the exhaust of a belt loader used to deliver bags to the cargo hold. Someone turned on the equipment and, voila, luggage flambe."
Then, after an already "dumbfounded" Tadel boarded the plane, one of the flight's pilots was the next to contact her. He asked her to the cockpit, where Tadel tells the Tribune he said: "Do you see that over there? That's your luggage." The Tribune writes "that" was "a man with a hose and a big plume of smoke." The paper says the pilot proceeded to tell Tadel the airline would not be able to put her "smoldering luggage" on the plane, adding that she simply "nodded in agreement."
Of course, such stories usually don't hit the press unless there's a dispute or customer-service issue. And, that's the case here, though the story seems to have a satisfactory outcome. First, Tadel tells the Tribune the flight's crew was apologetic and upgraded her to first class. But she says when she returned to O'Hare, the remnants of her luggage were given to her "stuffed into a much smaller bag," the Tribune writes. She estimates as much as two-thirds of her belongings were gone –- presumably destroyed in the fire incident.
Tadel says she filed a claim, as required by the airline, in which she asked for reimbursement of $3,300 for her items destroyed or lost. Then, Tadel claims the process bogged down. She says her request went unfulfilled for nearly two months. Finally, she contacted the Tribune's "What's Your Problem?" consumer help column. The Tribune contacted United, which acknowledged the incident but disputed some of Tadel's claims about how long her paperwork had been pending. Nonetheless, the airline told the Tribune it was already in the process of settling the matter. "I'm relieved that it's just kind of over with," Tadel tells the Tribune.
"He said, 'Your luggage has been set on fire,' " Tadel tells the Tribune for a story that runs in today's paper. "I kind of chuckled at him because it was so unbelievable. I was like, 'Um, OK.' " So, how did that happen? The Tribune writes "the employee explained that her bag, containing most of her wardrobe, had been placed too close to the exhaust of a belt loader used to deliver bags to the cargo hold. Someone turned on the equipment and, voila, luggage flambe."
Then, after an already "dumbfounded" Tadel boarded the plane, one of the flight's pilots was the next to contact her. He asked her to the cockpit, where Tadel tells the Tribune he said: "Do you see that over there? That's your luggage." The Tribune writes "that" was "a man with a hose and a big plume of smoke." The paper says the pilot proceeded to tell Tadel the airline would not be able to put her "smoldering luggage" on the plane, adding that she simply "nodded in agreement."
Of course, such stories usually don't hit the press unless there's a dispute or customer-service issue. And, that's the case here, though the story seems to have a satisfactory outcome. First, Tadel tells the Tribune the flight's crew was apologetic and upgraded her to first class. But she says when she returned to O'Hare, the remnants of her luggage were given to her "stuffed into a much smaller bag," the Tribune writes. She estimates as much as two-thirds of her belongings were gone –- presumably destroyed in the fire incident.
Tadel says she filed a claim, as required by the airline, in which she asked for reimbursement of $3,300 for her items destroyed or lost. Then, Tadel claims the process bogged down. She says her request went unfulfilled for nearly two months. Finally, she contacted the Tribune's "What's Your Problem?" consumer help column. The Tribune contacted United, which acknowledged the incident but disputed some of Tadel's claims about how long her paperwork had been pending. Nonetheless, the airline told the Tribune it was already in the process of settling the matter. "I'm relieved that it's just kind of over with," Tadel tells the Tribune.
Finding Effective Treatment for Your Chronic Pain
Chronic pain is a problem that—when healthcare, lost income, and lost productivity are taken into account—is estimated to cost about $100 billion in the United States each year. More than a quarter of Americans age 20 or older, or about 76.5 million people, say they've experienced pain that lasted longer than 24 hours, according to the American Pain Foundation—and 42 percent have endured pain lasting longer than a year. Nobody keeps good long-term national stats, but if North Carolina's experience is any guide, the numbers are on the rise: A just-published study in the Archives of Internal Medicine found that the prevalence of chronic low-back pain in the state more than doubled, to 10.2 percent, between 1992 and 2006. Paul J. Christo, assistant professor and director of the Multidisciplinary Pain Fellowship at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, calls undiagnosed, untreated, or undertreated pain a "significant public-health problem."
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Chronic pain encompasses a multitude of ills, from back pain, headaches, neck pain, and conditions like arthritis and fibromyalgia to pain that develops as a result of cancer treatment and lingers for months or even years. Low-back pain, migraines, and joint pain (particularly in the knees) are among the most common complaints, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. Still, while it may have different origins, chronic pain "can be viewed as an illness in its own right because of its effect on function," says Russell Portenoy, chairman of the department of pain medicine and palliative care at Beth Israel Medical Center in New York City.
Studies have shown that some people with chronic pain have brain abnormalities, though the connection between that and pain isn't well understood. One recent study, for instance, showed that women with fibromyalgia had blood flow abnormalities in a region of the brain known to discriminate the intensity of pain that weren't observed on CT scans done in healthy women. Another study showed that chronic pain may harm the wiring of the brain, as demonstrated on functional MRIs. Chronic pain may also be caused by a problem with the "fight or flight" response, Christo says. "We believe that in certain pain conditions . . . the stress response can worsen pain because that stress response releases a chemical called noroepinephrine. . . . And noroepinephrine binds to certain receptors in the body that trigger pain."
"Pain is essentially an alarm system that is designed to grab your attention, and when it works properly, it signals harm or healing," says Scott Fishman, professor and chief of the division of pain medicine at the University of California-Davis School of Medicine. When the body heals, the pain should dissipate, but "the nervous system can become injured," Fishman says. "That's when the symptom of pain becomes the disease of chronic pain."
Finding relief can take quite an effort, since the causes are often not immediately clear and there isn't a sure-fire treatment. The battle can require a team of experts, so the multidisciplinary pain clinics or pain management programs that have sprouted up at hospitals, rehab centers, and in free-standing facilities over the past decade or so may be of particular help. The clinics provide an all-in-one setting for care that, in addition to pain management specialists who may be trained as neurologists, psychiatrists, physiatrists, or anesthesiologists, may include physical therapists, family and vocational counselors, and massage therapists, for example. (The American Chronic Pain Association offers advice on selecting a pain clinic.)
After a full assessment, tailored treatment may include medications from anti-inflammatory drugs to antidepressants to opioids. Since commonly prescribed opioid medications such as oxycodone, fentanyl, and morphine can cause addiction, the American Pain Society and the American Academy of Pain Medicine have just released the first comprehensive clinical practice guidelines to help physicians make treatment decisions. The guidelines, published in the Journal of Pain, suggest that physicians regularly assess people taking long-term opioids and do periodic drug screenings of patients who are considered to be at risk for abuse or addiction. Meanwhile, the Food and Drug Administration announced plans this month to require the brand-name and generic makers of morphine, oxycodone, fentanyl, and methadone to assist with a plan to reduce the risks associated with the drugs.
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Chronic pain encompasses a multitude of ills, from back pain, headaches, neck pain, and conditions like arthritis and fibromyalgia to pain that develops as a result of cancer treatment and lingers for months or even years. Low-back pain, migraines, and joint pain (particularly in the knees) are among the most common complaints, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. Still, while it may have different origins, chronic pain "can be viewed as an illness in its own right because of its effect on function," says Russell Portenoy, chairman of the department of pain medicine and palliative care at Beth Israel Medical Center in New York City.
Studies have shown that some people with chronic pain have brain abnormalities, though the connection between that and pain isn't well understood. One recent study, for instance, showed that women with fibromyalgia had blood flow abnormalities in a region of the brain known to discriminate the intensity of pain that weren't observed on CT scans done in healthy women. Another study showed that chronic pain may harm the wiring of the brain, as demonstrated on functional MRIs. Chronic pain may also be caused by a problem with the "fight or flight" response, Christo says. "We believe that in certain pain conditions . . . the stress response can worsen pain because that stress response releases a chemical called noroepinephrine. . . . And noroepinephrine binds to certain receptors in the body that trigger pain."
"Pain is essentially an alarm system that is designed to grab your attention, and when it works properly, it signals harm or healing," says Scott Fishman, professor and chief of the division of pain medicine at the University of California-Davis School of Medicine. When the body heals, the pain should dissipate, but "the nervous system can become injured," Fishman says. "That's when the symptom of pain becomes the disease of chronic pain."
Finding relief can take quite an effort, since the causes are often not immediately clear and there isn't a sure-fire treatment. The battle can require a team of experts, so the multidisciplinary pain clinics or pain management programs that have sprouted up at hospitals, rehab centers, and in free-standing facilities over the past decade or so may be of particular help. The clinics provide an all-in-one setting for care that, in addition to pain management specialists who may be trained as neurologists, psychiatrists, physiatrists, or anesthesiologists, may include physical therapists, family and vocational counselors, and massage therapists, for example. (The American Chronic Pain Association offers advice on selecting a pain clinic.)
After a full assessment, tailored treatment may include medications from anti-inflammatory drugs to antidepressants to opioids. Since commonly prescribed opioid medications such as oxycodone, fentanyl, and morphine can cause addiction, the American Pain Society and the American Academy of Pain Medicine have just released the first comprehensive clinical practice guidelines to help physicians make treatment decisions. The guidelines, published in the Journal of Pain, suggest that physicians regularly assess people taking long-term opioids and do periodic drug screenings of patients who are considered to be at risk for abuse or addiction. Meanwhile, the Food and Drug Administration announced plans this month to require the brand-name and generic makers of morphine, oxycodone, fentanyl, and methadone to assist with a plan to reduce the risks associated with the drugs.
A Chocolate-Infused Dinner
THE CHEF: Artisanal chocolatier Andrew Shotts, owner of Garrison Confections in Providence, R.I. Mr. Shotts, formerly a pastry chef at Lutèce, La Côte Basque and the Russian Tea Room in New York City, was tapped in 2007 by the Food Network as its favorite U.S. chocolatier. He also served as corporate pastry chef for Guittard Chocolate Company.
KNOWN FOR: Mr. Shotts places an intense focus on pairing seasonal ingredients with chocolate. A few of his confections: a white chocolate heart filled with passion fruit ganache; a "chocolate martini" made with classic dark chocolate ganache spiked with coffee liquor and vodka; and the Mara Des Bois, a pate de fruit of wild French strawberry over milk chocolate ganache.
THE MENU: Before placing pan to stove, Mr. Shotts conceptually develops each dish by stringing together a line of taste combinations. "For example, I like brioche. Brioche is good with chocolate. Brioche and cherries are good, and would make a good stuffing for a veal chop, which is a good hearty dish this time of year," he says.
KITCHEN TIPS: Melting chocolate in the microwave is easier and faster than using a double boiler. Place chopped chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and set on defrost (or 50% power) for 30-second intervals, stirring between each. When the chocolate is approximately 80% melted, stir and set aside, allowing residual heat to finish the rest. You can make chopping easier and more uniform by using a heavy serrated knife. Start at the corner of the bar, chopping at an angle instead of straight across.
Chocolate-and-Brioche-Stuffed Veal Chop
Yield: 4 Servings
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
View Full Image
veal
Dylan Cross for the Wall Street Journal
veal
veal
1/4 cup pitted tart dried cherries
2 tablespoons Grand Marnier, or other orange liqueur
4 1½-inch-thick veal rib chops, trimmed of excess fat (optional: frenched)
2 tablespoons hazelnuts, preferably skinned
1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 cup ½-inch cubed day-old brioche, crust on (about 1 brioche bun or roll)
1 tablespoon finely diced celery (1/8-inch)
Pinch ground cinnamon (or to taste)
Pinch ground ginger (or to taste)
Salt
2 tablespoons heavy cream
2 tablespoons finely chopped Guittard 61% Chocolate (or other good-quality bittersweet chocolate)
1 egg yolk, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
Freshly ground black pepper
* Spread cherries in a shallow dish and cover with Grand Marnier. Allow to soak for at least one hour, then drain, discarding any remaining liqueur.
* Let veal chops come up to room temperature. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
* Toast the hazelnuts in a 12-inch heavy ovenproof skillet over medium heat, shaking often, until fragrant and golden, about 6 to 8 minutes. If hazelnuts are unskinned, wrap toasted nuts in a clean kitchen towel and rub nuts together vigorously to loosen and remove skins (don't worry about skins that don't come off). Transfer nuts to a plate to cool completely, then finely chop.
* Meanwhile, wipe out the pan, add the fennel seeds, and toast, shaking pan often, until fragrant and golden, about 30 seconds. Transfer to a medium bowl. Add the bread, celery, cinnamon, ginger, a pinch of salt, drained cherries and the chopped nuts, and toss to combine.
* Heat the cream in a small microwavable bowl until hot, about 1 minute on high in the microwave (or in a small saucepan over high heat). Add the chopped chocolate, mixing well until completely melted and smooth. Pour the chocolate mixture over the brioche mixture and toss until well combined. Fold in the egg yolk.
* Lay veal chops flat on a clean cutting board so that the bone is on the left side. (If you are left handed, switch this around so that the bone is on your right side.) Cut a hole in the side of veal chop to create a pocket for the brioche stuffing. Holding a paring knife parallel to the cutting board, carefully insert the blade into the middle of the side of the chop. Rotate or saw the blade of the knife inside the chop to carve out a pocket, which should be no larger than 1 to 1½ inches in diameter. Repeat with remaining chops.
* Using a small spoon or your fingers, fill each veal chop with a quarter of the stuffing, spreading it evenly in the pocket. Wipe off any excess stuffing from the outside of the veal chop with a damp paper towel as this may burn in the pan while cooking. (Optional: Tie each veal chop with kitchen twine.)
* Return the skillet to medium-high heat and add the oil to the pan. Swirl the pan until the oil completely coats the bottom, and heat until the oil begins to slightly smoke. Generously salt and pepper both sides of each veal chop and carefully place the chops flat-side down in the hot pan without crowding. Allow the chops to cook for three minutes without disturbing. When golden brown, turn over and brown the other side for approximately 3 to 5 minutes, until golden. Place the pan of chops in the oven for 10 minutes to finish cooking.
* Transfer the chops to a warm place, letting them rest for at least 5 minutes, and then serve. This entrée is best accompanied by sweet potatoes, butternut squash or any root vegetable.
Winter Fruit Fricassee with Mayan Chocolate
Yield: 4 Servings
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 minutes
Any other fruit you prefer can be used, just be sure all of the fruit is cubed to approximately the same size so that it cooks evenly.
KNOWN FOR: Mr. Shotts places an intense focus on pairing seasonal ingredients with chocolate. A few of his confections: a white chocolate heart filled with passion fruit ganache; a "chocolate martini" made with classic dark chocolate ganache spiked with coffee liquor and vodka; and the Mara Des Bois, a pate de fruit of wild French strawberry over milk chocolate ganache.
THE MENU: Before placing pan to stove, Mr. Shotts conceptually develops each dish by stringing together a line of taste combinations. "For example, I like brioche. Brioche is good with chocolate. Brioche and cherries are good, and would make a good stuffing for a veal chop, which is a good hearty dish this time of year," he says.
KITCHEN TIPS: Melting chocolate in the microwave is easier and faster than using a double boiler. Place chopped chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and set on defrost (or 50% power) for 30-second intervals, stirring between each. When the chocolate is approximately 80% melted, stir and set aside, allowing residual heat to finish the rest. You can make chopping easier and more uniform by using a heavy serrated knife. Start at the corner of the bar, chopping at an angle instead of straight across.
Chocolate-and-Brioche-Stuffed Veal Chop
Yield: 4 Servings
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
View Full Image
veal
Dylan Cross for the Wall Street Journal
veal
veal
1/4 cup pitted tart dried cherries
2 tablespoons Grand Marnier, or other orange liqueur
4 1½-inch-thick veal rib chops, trimmed of excess fat (optional: frenched)
2 tablespoons hazelnuts, preferably skinned
1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 cup ½-inch cubed day-old brioche, crust on (about 1 brioche bun or roll)
1 tablespoon finely diced celery (1/8-inch)
Pinch ground cinnamon (or to taste)
Pinch ground ginger (or to taste)
Salt
2 tablespoons heavy cream
2 tablespoons finely chopped Guittard 61% Chocolate (or other good-quality bittersweet chocolate)
1 egg yolk, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
Freshly ground black pepper
* Spread cherries in a shallow dish and cover with Grand Marnier. Allow to soak for at least one hour, then drain, discarding any remaining liqueur.
* Let veal chops come up to room temperature. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
* Toast the hazelnuts in a 12-inch heavy ovenproof skillet over medium heat, shaking often, until fragrant and golden, about 6 to 8 minutes. If hazelnuts are unskinned, wrap toasted nuts in a clean kitchen towel and rub nuts together vigorously to loosen and remove skins (don't worry about skins that don't come off). Transfer nuts to a plate to cool completely, then finely chop.
* Meanwhile, wipe out the pan, add the fennel seeds, and toast, shaking pan often, until fragrant and golden, about 30 seconds. Transfer to a medium bowl. Add the bread, celery, cinnamon, ginger, a pinch of salt, drained cherries and the chopped nuts, and toss to combine.
* Heat the cream in a small microwavable bowl until hot, about 1 minute on high in the microwave (or in a small saucepan over high heat). Add the chopped chocolate, mixing well until completely melted and smooth. Pour the chocolate mixture over the brioche mixture and toss until well combined. Fold in the egg yolk.
* Lay veal chops flat on a clean cutting board so that the bone is on the left side. (If you are left handed, switch this around so that the bone is on your right side.) Cut a hole in the side of veal chop to create a pocket for the brioche stuffing. Holding a paring knife parallel to the cutting board, carefully insert the blade into the middle of the side of the chop. Rotate or saw the blade of the knife inside the chop to carve out a pocket, which should be no larger than 1 to 1½ inches in diameter. Repeat with remaining chops.
* Using a small spoon or your fingers, fill each veal chop with a quarter of the stuffing, spreading it evenly in the pocket. Wipe off any excess stuffing from the outside of the veal chop with a damp paper towel as this may burn in the pan while cooking. (Optional: Tie each veal chop with kitchen twine.)
* Return the skillet to medium-high heat and add the oil to the pan. Swirl the pan until the oil completely coats the bottom, and heat until the oil begins to slightly smoke. Generously salt and pepper both sides of each veal chop and carefully place the chops flat-side down in the hot pan without crowding. Allow the chops to cook for three minutes without disturbing. When golden brown, turn over and brown the other side for approximately 3 to 5 minutes, until golden. Place the pan of chops in the oven for 10 minutes to finish cooking.
* Transfer the chops to a warm place, letting them rest for at least 5 minutes, and then serve. This entrée is best accompanied by sweet potatoes, butternut squash or any root vegetable.
Winter Fruit Fricassee with Mayan Chocolate
Yield: 4 Servings
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 minutes
Any other fruit you prefer can be used, just be sure all of the fruit is cubed to approximately the same size so that it cooks evenly.
Large fight at DC high school injures 18 students
WASHINGTON – Police in Washington, D.C., say five students were hospitalized and 13 others injured in a large fight at a high school.
Police say the brawl may have involved a dispute among a large group of teenage girls.
Authorities were called to Cardozo High School in northwest Washington about 11:30 a.m. Tuesday. They say they arrested 16 people on charges including assault and disorderly conduct.
D.C. fire spokesman Alan Etter say five students were taken to hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries and another 13 were treated for minor injuries.
Police say the brawl may have involved a dispute among a large group of teenage girls.
Authorities were called to Cardozo High School in northwest Washington about 11:30 a.m. Tuesday. They say they arrested 16 people on charges including assault and disorderly conduct.
D.C. fire spokesman Alan Etter say five students were taken to hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries and another 13 were treated for minor injuries.
China monthly auto sales overtake US for 1st time
NEW YORK – Monthly auto sales in China surpassed those in the U.S. for the first time last month, but automakers and industry watchers say the news may tell us more about the troubles in the U.S. than about China's growing car market.
"China has the potential very easily to become the largest car market in the world," said Tom Wilkinson, a spokesman for General Motors Corp., but "it was probably a bit of an aberration in January."
Data released Tuesday by the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers shows 735,000 new cars were sold in China last month, down 14.4 percent from the record of 860,000 set in January 2008. U.S. sales, meanwhile, fell 37 percent to 656,976 vehicles — a 26-year low.
It's another indication of China's economic clout, but it may take a while before China becomes the world's largest auto market.
"Right now, with the U.S. in correction mode, we're going to get these kinds of anomalies," said Rebecca Lindland, auto analyst for IHS Global Insight. "We could get them throughout the course of this year and throughout next year if we don't get an economic recovery."
U.S. auto sales have shrunk from an annual sales rate of around 16 million to sales of 13.2 million vehicles in 2008. Analysts and automakers are predicting industrywide sales to drop as low as 10.5 million this year as high unemployment and low consumer confidence keep people from purchasing big-ticket items.
Chinese vehicle sales also have cooled, but hardly as dramatically. In 2008, China's auto sales grew 6.7 percent to 9.38 million units — the first time growth has fallen below 10 percent since 1999.
If American car demand revives in coming months, the U.S. likely will remain ahead in annual sales — at least for another year. IHS Global Insight still predicts 2009 sales in China of between 9 million and 9.5 million, and U.S. sales of 10.5 million.
China's vehicle market has grown dramatically in recent years, overtaking Japan in 2006 to become the world's second-largest by annual sales. With 1.3 billion people, China may inevitably leapfrog the U.S., with a population of 300 million, into the No. 1 spot, but that moment may still be many years away, Lindland said.
"Even long term, I think the economics have a long way to go before China consistently passes us," Lindland said.
China's best-selling automakers are GM and Germany's Volkswagen AG, but its own ambitious producers, such as Chery Automobile Co., are growing fast.
GM said it sold a record 1.09 million vehicles in China last year, up 6 percent from 2007. With its growing middle class and vast potential as a consumer market, China is vital for GM, Volkswagen and Toyota Motor Corp. as they count on demand there to offset weakness in the U.S. and elsewhere.
"There's no question that it's a huge potential market if you look at the number of people there, and as more people start to enter the middle class," GM's Wilkinson said. "A car is something a lot of people aspire to."
GM is already is one of biggest automakers in China, with billions of dollars invested in joint ventures. The Detroit automaker has been counting on the growth in China and other emerging markets to help offset losses elsewhere. It currently sells cars under nearly all GM brands and through a joint venture called SAIC-GM-Wuling.
Wuling sales accounted for more than half of GM cars sold in China last year, spokesman John McDonald said, with a huge portion coming from the popular Sunshine minivan.
To spur the slowing auto market, the Chinese government has rolled out measures to help boost vehicle sales as part of a multibillion-dollar economic stimulus package while it also tries to promote cleaner, more energy-efficient engines.
The sales tax on cars with engines less than 1.6 liters has been cut by half to 5 percent through the end of the year. The government also is spending 5 billion yuan (about $730 million) on subsidies to farmers to replace three-wheeled vehicles or outdated trucks with small, 1.3-liter-or-less vehicles.
Another 10 billion yuan ($1.5 billion) is going into upgrading automakers' technology and developing alternative energy vehicles.
Trucks and buses make up a larger share of China's sales than those of the United States or Japan. Some observers say that makes direct comparisons misleading. But many rural Chinese use such commercial vehicles for everyday family use.
__
"China has the potential very easily to become the largest car market in the world," said Tom Wilkinson, a spokesman for General Motors Corp., but "it was probably a bit of an aberration in January."
Data released Tuesday by the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers shows 735,000 new cars were sold in China last month, down 14.4 percent from the record of 860,000 set in January 2008. U.S. sales, meanwhile, fell 37 percent to 656,976 vehicles — a 26-year low.
It's another indication of China's economic clout, but it may take a while before China becomes the world's largest auto market.
"Right now, with the U.S. in correction mode, we're going to get these kinds of anomalies," said Rebecca Lindland, auto analyst for IHS Global Insight. "We could get them throughout the course of this year and throughout next year if we don't get an economic recovery."
U.S. auto sales have shrunk from an annual sales rate of around 16 million to sales of 13.2 million vehicles in 2008. Analysts and automakers are predicting industrywide sales to drop as low as 10.5 million this year as high unemployment and low consumer confidence keep people from purchasing big-ticket items.
Chinese vehicle sales also have cooled, but hardly as dramatically. In 2008, China's auto sales grew 6.7 percent to 9.38 million units — the first time growth has fallen below 10 percent since 1999.
If American car demand revives in coming months, the U.S. likely will remain ahead in annual sales — at least for another year. IHS Global Insight still predicts 2009 sales in China of between 9 million and 9.5 million, and U.S. sales of 10.5 million.
China's vehicle market has grown dramatically in recent years, overtaking Japan in 2006 to become the world's second-largest by annual sales. With 1.3 billion people, China may inevitably leapfrog the U.S., with a population of 300 million, into the No. 1 spot, but that moment may still be many years away, Lindland said.
"Even long term, I think the economics have a long way to go before China consistently passes us," Lindland said.
China's best-selling automakers are GM and Germany's Volkswagen AG, but its own ambitious producers, such as Chery Automobile Co., are growing fast.
GM said it sold a record 1.09 million vehicles in China last year, up 6 percent from 2007. With its growing middle class and vast potential as a consumer market, China is vital for GM, Volkswagen and Toyota Motor Corp. as they count on demand there to offset weakness in the U.S. and elsewhere.
"There's no question that it's a huge potential market if you look at the number of people there, and as more people start to enter the middle class," GM's Wilkinson said. "A car is something a lot of people aspire to."
GM is already is one of biggest automakers in China, with billions of dollars invested in joint ventures. The Detroit automaker has been counting on the growth in China and other emerging markets to help offset losses elsewhere. It currently sells cars under nearly all GM brands and through a joint venture called SAIC-GM-Wuling.
Wuling sales accounted for more than half of GM cars sold in China last year, spokesman John McDonald said, with a huge portion coming from the popular Sunshine minivan.
To spur the slowing auto market, the Chinese government has rolled out measures to help boost vehicle sales as part of a multibillion-dollar economic stimulus package while it also tries to promote cleaner, more energy-efficient engines.
The sales tax on cars with engines less than 1.6 liters has been cut by half to 5 percent through the end of the year. The government also is spending 5 billion yuan (about $730 million) on subsidies to farmers to replace three-wheeled vehicles or outdated trucks with small, 1.3-liter-or-less vehicles.
Another 10 billion yuan ($1.5 billion) is going into upgrading automakers' technology and developing alternative energy vehicles.
Trucks and buses make up a larger share of China's sales than those of the United States or Japan. Some observers say that makes direct comparisons misleading. But many rural Chinese use such commercial vehicles for everyday family use.
__
Birthday gifts to Barbie
NEW YORK - YOU have got to be at the top of your game to be a one-name model: There's Iman, Naomi, Gisele - Barbie.
The 29cm plastic doll is still on top as a high-fashion muse as she approaches her 50th birthday, and will make her New York Fashion Week catwalk debut on Saturday in 50 outfits by the country's top designers.
Barbie's life-size stand-ins will strut in a red carpet-worthy gown by Marchesa, a hot-pink wrap dress by Diane von Furstenberg and an outrageous green party dress by Betsey Johnson.
The fact that Barbie is just shy of her 50th birthday - officially marked on March 9 - doesn't seem to matter in a fashion industry that worships youth. (Being made of plastic, she can even avoid the indignities of Botox).
'There's been an epic display of unity around Barbie as a muse,' says Richard Dickson, general manager of the Barbie brand at Mattel. 'Barbie is 50. What's the next chapter?'
Hello Kitty is also getting her own Fashion Week party, but there's little doubt about who's top doll. Barbie even knocked down the Bratz girls last year, resulting in a legal decision that essentially will end sales of the edgier tween dolls.
'A majority of designers have had some run-in with Barbie,' says Carmen Marc Valvo. 'She's an American icon, and there has to be an interesting association between play and Barbie, and creativity and fashion.'
Mr Valvo insists he's never had his own Barbie, but he was surrounded by his sisters' as a kid, and his very first design was a Barbie dress - a Renaissance gown for a school project. It's proudly displayed in his office, even though the dress is lacking properly cut armholes, a skill he did not yet have.
Mr Valvo's new life-size Barbie dress is a frothy black strapless cocktail dress with pleats that reminds him of Barbie's early wardrobe of gowns. This one will be worn with hot-pink Christian Louboutin shoes: 'It looks like a Bon Bon.'
Nicole Miller's checkerboard trapeze dress and swing coat is the third outfit she has done for Barbie, filling a childhood void from a time when her French-born mother wouldn't let her have one of the dolls.
'I always envision Barbie in that '60s mode - I made her mid- to late-'60s mod,' said Ms Miller. It's a version of a dress Miller put in her very first runway show, worn by Linda Evangelista. 'It was the season she was a blond. I immediately thought of that outfit.'
Tommy Hilfiger, who will put Barbie in a hand-beaded white minidress, sees her Barbie as an American pop-culture icon that translates to other cultures and countries. There have been countless Barbies produced in the traditional dress of faraway lands, including a Korean bride in a hanbok and a Kenyan doll wearing wooden bead necklaces.
The dark-skinned Barbie even boosted the self-esteem of a young Rachel Roy, a designer with mixed Dutch and Indian heritage. 'It helped me understand that brown was beautiful,' she says.
Many of the Barbie styles are headed straight for Bloomingdale's flagship store - but they'll be on display, not for sale.
The 29cm plastic doll is still on top as a high-fashion muse as she approaches her 50th birthday, and will make her New York Fashion Week catwalk debut on Saturday in 50 outfits by the country's top designers.
Barbie's life-size stand-ins will strut in a red carpet-worthy gown by Marchesa, a hot-pink wrap dress by Diane von Furstenberg and an outrageous green party dress by Betsey Johnson.
The fact that Barbie is just shy of her 50th birthday - officially marked on March 9 - doesn't seem to matter in a fashion industry that worships youth. (Being made of plastic, she can even avoid the indignities of Botox).
'There's been an epic display of unity around Barbie as a muse,' says Richard Dickson, general manager of the Barbie brand at Mattel. 'Barbie is 50. What's the next chapter?'
Hello Kitty is also getting her own Fashion Week party, but there's little doubt about who's top doll. Barbie even knocked down the Bratz girls last year, resulting in a legal decision that essentially will end sales of the edgier tween dolls.
'A majority of designers have had some run-in with Barbie,' says Carmen Marc Valvo. 'She's an American icon, and there has to be an interesting association between play and Barbie, and creativity and fashion.'
Mr Valvo insists he's never had his own Barbie, but he was surrounded by his sisters' as a kid, and his very first design was a Barbie dress - a Renaissance gown for a school project. It's proudly displayed in his office, even though the dress is lacking properly cut armholes, a skill he did not yet have.
Mr Valvo's new life-size Barbie dress is a frothy black strapless cocktail dress with pleats that reminds him of Barbie's early wardrobe of gowns. This one will be worn with hot-pink Christian Louboutin shoes: 'It looks like a Bon Bon.'
Nicole Miller's checkerboard trapeze dress and swing coat is the third outfit she has done for Barbie, filling a childhood void from a time when her French-born mother wouldn't let her have one of the dolls.
'I always envision Barbie in that '60s mode - I made her mid- to late-'60s mod,' said Ms Miller. It's a version of a dress Miller put in her very first runway show, worn by Linda Evangelista. 'It was the season she was a blond. I immediately thought of that outfit.'
Tommy Hilfiger, who will put Barbie in a hand-beaded white minidress, sees her Barbie as an American pop-culture icon that translates to other cultures and countries. There have been countless Barbies produced in the traditional dress of faraway lands, including a Korean bride in a hanbok and a Kenyan doll wearing wooden bead necklaces.
The dark-skinned Barbie even boosted the self-esteem of a young Rachel Roy, a designer with mixed Dutch and Indian heritage. 'It helped me understand that brown was beautiful,' she says.
Many of the Barbie styles are headed straight for Bloomingdale's flagship store - but they'll be on display, not for sale.
New Research Drugs Are Found to Block HIV In Monkeys
Although this result was marginal, the substance, called PRO 2000/5, may ultimately prove useful to women who are monogamous, are married to high-risk men and do not want to use condoms because they want to conceive, the lead researcher said.
“This could be a niche product for a group of women who have no other option,” said Salim Abdool Karim of Durban, South Africa. He spoke at a news conference at the 16th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections, the annual mid-winter AIDS meeting in North America.
AIDS researchers who were gathered in Montreal yesterday heard encouraging results from studies of three strategies for preventing HIV infection using pharmaceuticals, particularly in women.
Two experiments in monkeys showed that antiretroviral (ARV) drugs, given by mouth or by vaginal gel, were highly effective in blocking infection by the virus that causes AIDS.
A third study, in 3,100 women in the United States and Africa, showed a small amount of protection from a vaginal gel that acts by binding up the AIDS virus and preventing it from invading cells.
Many experts believe that, short of a vaccine, a virus-blocking substance that could be inserted in the vagina or rectum before sexual activity would be the most important tool in fighting the AIDS pandemic. Numerous topical microbicides have been tried, but none have worked, and two have actually increased the risk of infection.
“The field of microbicide gels is now moving into a new generation,” said Walid Heneine, a virologist at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, who led one of the monkey studies.
Microbicides can be applied without the knowledge of sexual partners. They are seen as being especially important in cultures where the subservient status of women makes it difficult for them to insist on abstinence or condom use, the two proven methods of preventing infection through sexual contact. In sub-Saharan Africa, nearly 60 percent of HIV-positive people are women.Although this result was marginal, the substance, called PRO 2000/5, may ultimately prove useful to women who are monogamous, are married to high-risk men and do not want to use condoms because they want to conceive, the lead researcher said.
“This could be a niche product for a group of women who have no other option,” said Salim Abdool Karim of Durban, South Africa. He spoke at a news conference at the 16th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections, the annual mid-winter AIDS meeting in North America.
In the first monkey study, researchers gave rhesus macaques oral doses of a compound containing two ARV drugs, tenofovir and emtricitabine (which is sold under the name Truvada). The medicine was administered at different intervals, both before and after the animals were rectally exposed to the AIDS virus once a week for three months.
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