The recent Verizon/Tulsa/Erie news has been such a soul-suck, I'm double-dosing on dog promos as a way to fend off the bad juju.

This is Kinzie back when we met her in April. She was from a hoarding case of sorts and she wasn't in the best of shape. She was also completely unfamiliar with life in the real world, so she had a bit of catching up to do.

Anyone who fosters dogs knows what a pain in the butt it can be; the whole household can get thrown off until the new guy settles in, chills out and finally curbs the barking, marking, whining, chewing, or whatever else feels like nails on a chalkboard.

But this tiny girl has soldiered on with such steady progress that she's made our job easy. It's so rewarding when you see them finally come out of the fog and find their sparkle again. If only it were this easy to set wayward humans on the right course. The before photo is left, and, look at her now....

Welcome to real life, Kinzie. We can't do a whole lot more for you - it's time for you to reel in that most wonderful new home!

Our first crew of dogs at Oakland Animal Services was quick to show us how to make best use of the exercise yard for crazy fun adventures. Here's an update on the new collaborative project from our most recent Newsletter

And here are two young dogs who would prefer fewer words - more fun. They're each going to be great additions to their future families.

Tulsa Redone

The lab puppy case is all over the news - 205 news articles and counting. It's been interesting to see how many insist that a lab pup could never use its teeth to cause harm. In case your co-workers are trying to convince you that reality just doesn't work that way, here's a short list of old and not-so-old headlines to remind them that dogs are still animals, even when they can fit into a fancy leather shoulder bag. If you can quiet them long enough to read, maybe you'll be able to get some work done. Good luck. .....Dachshund ... Pomeranian ... Jack Russell Terrier ... Poodle/Cairn mix....

Infant dies

I hate that we (we, as in pit bull people) will be using this heart wrenching story as an example of failed dog ownership, but we will - for a long time. Just like we've been using the example of the French woman who received the first face transplant. It's horrible to have to know about these things, much less keep track of so much grief. (Chako Press) I look forward to the day when people finally start to get it....

The dogs that are set up to fail don't know what breed they are.

Rest in peace, little Tulsa baby.

Since when do paramedics get to speak on dog behavior? Ugh.

"Even a very familiar family dog can turn on you, puppies specifically, they're unpredictable, they're young, they got a lot of hormones going on, you've never know what they're gonna do" - Chris Stevens of EMSA.

Another unattended child killed by a chained dog (a pit bull) employed as a guard dog in MS. The dog owner tells it better than any of us ever could...

"Let me set the record straight ... That child wandered into my yard when no one was watching him. And had Chassidy asked me to watch him, I would have. And I probably would have saved his life."

Reason said he got Blue Eyes as a guard dog. The dog was always chained and never allowed to roam, he said. "Believe me, this was no pet" ..."I've had more stuff stolen from this driveway. You wouldn't believe it. The dog worked because it scared people away."
News Article

Our sincere condolences to the victim's family, to the dog owner, who has to live with this terrible memory, and to all the families who will lose their cherished pets to BSL because of avoidable tragedies like this.

We can bet that the ad goons for Verizon are n'yukin it up and high-fiving over the press from the Dare campaign. People in that world tend to be too neurotic about their careers to care about silly things like sentient beings. Peta's mock outrage is equally annoying. As if they care about pit bulls. Please.

Here are two postcards to print off, scribble pleas for sanity or obscenities or both and send out to the corporate world. The really awful part is that no one on the receiving end may care. But we have to do it anyway. We chose Jane aka Georgia from Bad Newz Kennels as the messenger in this piece. Jonny's on the second card. They've each had more than one org stereotype them in the name of cashola - trendsetters that they are.

The postcards are on a big fat PDF file. Oh my aching bandwidth. So give it a minute to come up. If you know of names... (stores/shareholders/execs/etc) that should get a pile of these, please share their address here. Thanks.

Summer is a time for having fun and hanging out with friends. This past week has been full of fun times with friends!

It all started last Sunday. My friend Britney's wedding was fast approaching, and last Sunday we decided to surprise her with a little "bachlorette" party. Because Britney had several bridesmaids coming from out of town, we waited until they were all in town to have the party. We met ahead of time, carpooled over to Britney's house, surprised a very unsuspecting bride-to-be and took her on a scavenger hunt all over town. We wound up at her fiance's family's house where we played some games and made her bake a cake from scratch with no recipe. :-) That's Britney in the picture above, ready to bake that cake! Then, we ventured over to Dockside at the CdA Resort for some of their famous "gooeys." The night was definately filled with lots of laughter. . .and my car was also filled with the delightful strains of the Enchanted soundtrack. :-)

Then. . .last Monday I went to see Wall-E with some of my friends. While I can't say I particularly loved the movie -- I was disappointed and had expected better -- I really enjoyed the time spent with friends. Ironically enough, the evening ended with another trip to Dockside for more gooeys. :-) The picture is of the gooey that I shared with a friend. It was the Reese's Peanut Butter Cup gooey. . .and that's just the personal sized one!

On Wednesday some of my girl friends and I met for our weekly small group. This week we decided to meet downtown where we got dinner at the Pita Pit and ate our pitas overlooking the lake. We then headed to a friend's house where we sat in the hot tub talking for at least a good hour. Unfortunately, I did not take any pictures. Oh well.
On Friday night I went downtown with another friend and we walked around Tubb's Hill. It's a beautiful hill with some amazing views of the lake. Of course I was going crazy taking way too many pictures of the view. I guess I'm a cameraholic. . .I take entirely too many pictures (my apologies to anyone who is with me when I get on a picture-taking spree!). Anyway, I took lots of pictures of the water, and then we sat by the lake feeding the seagulls with leftover bread from work -- the seagulls thought they had died and gone to seagull heaven! :-) The picture above is a picture that I took up on Tubb's Hill. It's really a beautiful place. . .
Saturday was my friend Britney's wedding. . .and what a beautiful wedding it was. . .the ceremony was beautiful, the dresses were beautiful, the bridesmaids were beautiful, and, of course, the bride was radiant. It was a Cinderella wedding, through and through, and I honestly should not have expected anything less. *happy sigh* And, I didn't catch the bouquet *sigh of relief.* Catching it once is enough, thank you! :-) The picture above is a picture of Cinderella walking down the aisle with her father. :-)

So, yes, I would say it was a fun week. . .I made some new friends, and spent time with old ones. . .and that, my dear readers, is a wonderful thing!

So. . .how was your week?!

Well, okay, so I didn't just decide this, but I have recently confirmed my decision that. . .

. . .I love Josh Groban and Michael Buble. :-)

Seriously. Listen to their music. I bet you'll love it, too.

"Although dogs don't tell stories, they have stories, and the stories help us understand."

This is my favorite line from Susan McCarthy's beautiful article in the current issue of BARk Magazine, a story about the Vick dogs. Susan reminds us how important it is to tell - and retell - important stories. Storytelling shapes who we are as a culture, and more specifically, as a culture of animal stewards. The Vick dogs' stories have been told many times already and, we hope, will continue to be retold again and again. All the better to help us shape a new understanding and reality for pit bulls and other beings plagued by abuse and misunderstanding. So, thank you Susan.

Here's the first page of her article. I love her style. I love even more that she committed herself to so many personal visits to get to know the dogs (She was worried that she was being a pest. She wasn't.) Susan even joined us at a Shots Fair in the belly of Oakland last winter as a way to peek inside this strange world of ours, and she let herself get swept up in assisting the clients who showed up with their pets.

She really 'got' Frodo - our shy damaged youngin.' Not many people take the time to slow down and understand that dog, and his story is as important as any. Frodo was damaged by the good guys -- by the shelter that took him in. Read more about it in the BARk on newsstands now.

My next favorite line in Susan's story is from Randy Lockwood, who reminds us that even old dog fight experts can learn new tricks. It takes big cajones to admit that you've changed your dogma in the face of new evidence. Thank you Randy.

"I've changed my own position. I helped draft the HSUS policy (when I worked there) of not placing animals rescued from known dog-fighting operations. I've changed my tune." - Randy Lockwood ASPCA

After all, if we can bend our hearts towards bust dogs, then there can be no excuse for condemning the pit bulls that come from other places. That's our story, anyway.

Verizon Sucks

By now, you've prolly heard that Verizon is telling a horror story by exploiting chained pit bulls to pimp their phone. You just KNOW the ad team expected to catch heat for this. I'm betting that they're banking on controversy as a way to draw attention to their product; Every advertiser knows that there's no such thing as bad press. Even so, screw the petition. Send your outrage in ink, or mail them some dog poo, etc.

Ivan Seidenberg, Chairman and CEO Verizon
140 West Street
New York, NY 10007

Jonny & Audie trip the light fantastic during an overnight education mission in SoCA. With clowns-on-tap, who needs cable?

Our group of dog handlers formerly-known-as Pit Bull Hall team members has been busy getting their bearings at Oakland Animal Services. The OAS Mentors have given everyone a warm welcome and made this transition so comfortable.

This week, we're selecting dogs for the brand new Ambassadog Program. Those lucky pups will get the benefit of focused training, field trips, web exposure, socialization with other dogs and, if all goes as planned, a great home that will continue with the dog's PR work for years to come. After all, being an Ambassador is more about the human than the dog, right?

The hardest part so far is choosing which dogs to wrap ourselves around. With so many great diamonds-in-the-ruff, we're drawn in all different directions. Do we take the ghetto bred goof that needs a LOT of training (above) ? ... the sassy, effusive little gamegirl with energy to spare? ... the over-muscled trophy dog? ... the obnoxious but ever-happy pit/AB mix? ... the gentle lady's dog who's getting swallowed by the chaos of the kennels ...? Stay tuned. We'll highlight our picks as soon as early next week.

In the meantime, please considering volunteering for this project. Anyone who wants to help the dogs of Oakland Animal Services will have the option of applying to do double-duty as a BAD RAP Ambassadog Team Member. This will require two separate trainings. First, the basics to help you decide if OAS is the right place for you. And if it is, then another set of hoops helps segue OAS volunteers into BR's pit bull only program. Did we mention the blood, sweat and tears part yet?

Follow This LINK for info on how to get started. Look for the tab at the top of the page that says Volunteer. And don't forget to donate to this big bad project via the Team Pibble project (blog below). THANK YOU! ... We're so excited.

Hey folks, Team Pibble here, raising funds and love for BAD RAP's new Ambassadog Project! We're into week two of triathlon training—or is it three? Who knows. Big grins to Boris, Josie, Bug, Brigitte, Deja, and all the rest of the pups barking at the sidelines so far.

One of the unexpected bonuses of all this yammering we're doing about OAS is turning up pit bull junkies in our lives that we never knew about. Leslie M. is a gifted poet EK's known for years who, as it turns out, rescued her own young pup years back. Leslie wrote recently about Sally's tough start:

Sally is my doggie love. She and a littermate were tossed from a moving car as puppies one December day. They were likely the runts of the litter of one of the fighting dog breeders in nearby New London. The other pup died. Sally was nursed back to health by a local vet, but no one would adopt her. I took my cats in for a checkup months later and fell in love with her. How could I not? She was small, three of her four hips were displaced, she had wicked bow legs, and she was carrying a little stuffed animal! ... She's been the heart of my household for years. Sleeps between me and Bill, wears a darlin' pink collar. And she smells like Cheez Doodles.

Whew, good to get to the happy ending there. I’ve met a few Sallies, the kind of survivors whose stamina will push us not only to finish this damn race, but to continue to ask for your contributions. There are probably a few forgiving Sallies over at OAS right now and we aim to do right by ’em like Leslie did.

So if you haven’t been back to Team Pibble to support BAD RAP, we’ve added the stuff you asked for—new shirts and styles. Also: a new extra-dorky short video of our coach and hey, hey, a new playlist too (it could be your dog!).

So come visit our sandbox, wouldja? We're waiting for you. You can donate any amount you like.

July 15, 2008 (USA)

Blending function and fashion, Dell has introduced Designed for Dell, a line of bags and accessories that adds style and flair to the personal computing experience. The inaugural selection of backpacks, computer sleeves, audio devices, mice and hard drives is distinguished by color, fit and finish that complement Dell PCs, like the new Studio laptops. The accessory portfolio incorporates subtle design elements from the PC to create an integrated style.

Launched in June, Dell Studio laptops come in standard Jet Black and six optional color choices: Plum Purple, Tangerine Orange, Flamingo Pink, Midnight Blue, Ruby Red and Spring Green. For a more subtly personalized laptop, a high gloss Graphite Grey version can be customized with contrasting black, blue, pink or red edge trim around the display back.

“We are collaborating with technology and fashion leaders to create complementary bags and accessories that offer Dell customers unique ways to express themselves,” said Andrea Kalmans, Dell Accessories Product Manager. “Whether you’re at home or in your favorite spot to see and be seen, Designed for Dell products reflect your style.”

Read Full News Click Here

July 15, 2008 (USA)

Gene Juarez Salons & Spas announced that its forthcoming full service salon and spa located in Seattle’s University Village shopping center will open July 21. Construction commenced in February on the 8,500-square-foot space that will be the company’s ninth salon and spa, situated in the north building next to Crate & Barrel and within close proximity to fashion retailer H&M.

The salon and spa at University Village is considered the company’s third flagship location, joining the ranks alongside the salons and spas in Downtown Seattle (14,500 square feet) and Bellevue (24,000 square feet). The new Gene Juarez will officially reside at 2684 NE 49th Street, Seattle, WA, 98105. The salon and spa phone number is (206) 522-4700. Hours of operation will be Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Saturday 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Sunday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Designed by Judith Testani of Testani Design Troupe and structurally executed by Riccardo Cattapan of CMD Architects, the new location features a contemporary, sophisticated design that conveys warmth and a subtle nod to the company’s Pacific Northwest heritage. Deep red accent walls contrasted with finishes of light wood, a lobby fireplace, and a large backlit custom-designed, hand-cut onyx feature wall at the entry area creates a modern yet comfortable space to indulge, relax and rejuvenate.

Read Full News Click Here

July 15, 2008 (USA)

Cia.Maritima, the hottest beachwear brand in Brazil, will debut its 2009 collection in the United States at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Miami Swim in Miami.

The runway show will be chocked-full of the hottest models from Brazil and will be held Sunday, July 20 at 9:30 pm, in the Cabana Grande tent at the historic Raleigh Hotel.

Over 40 glamorous looks will be presented by The Rosset Group of Sao Paulo, Brazil, designer and manufacturer of Cia.Maritima. Benny Rosset, founder and designer, will be there to present the collection and to meet with the press.

Fashion show veteran Lynne O'Neill will produce this year's show. O'Neill is one of the best known fashion show directors in the industry.

She is the go-to fashion show director for Sex and the City, having directed the Vivienne Westwood fashion show in the feature film, as well as the classic "fashion roadkill" fashion show in the series with comedian Margaret Cho playing a character inspired by O'Neill.

Read Full News Click Here

July 15, 2008 (USA)

The Bat-Signal is soaring high above Gotham City ... and New Era is there with new Batman gear! In June, New Era Cap Co, the leading headwear designer and manufacturer, signed a licensing agreement with Warner Bros Consumer Products, on behalf of DC Comics, to launch a collection of 59FIFTYs fitted caps featuring the vast array of DC Comics heroes and villains.

The DC Comics collection exhibits the classic logos of Superman, The Flash and Batman in an assortment of colors.

"New Era is proud to be joining forces with one of the most creative and legendary franchises in the comic book industry," said Gerry Matos, Senior VP of Marketing at New Era.

"Our innovative design team will help capture and bring to life America's favorite DC Comics Super Heroes like never seen before."

"The iconic status of DC's most recognized Super Heroes combined with the industry-leading products of New Era creates an ideal partnership to bring this mix of classic and current favorites to market for fans," said Karen McTier, Executive Vice President of Domestic Licensing and Worldwide Marketing, Warner Bros Consumer Products.

In anticipation of the new Warner Bros. Pictures' July 18th release of 'The Dark Knight', New Era will unveil 'The Dark Knight' Collection of caps.

Read Full News Click Here

July 15, 2008 (USA)

Charming Shoppes Inc, a leading multi-brand, multi-channel specialty apparel retailer specializing in women's plus-size apparel, announced that, M. Jeannine Strandjord has been appointed to its Board of Directors.

Ms. Strandjord previously served on Charming Shoppes' Board of Directors from April 2006 until June 2008. In furtherance of the resolution of a proxy contest which was settled on May 8, 2008, Ms. Strandjord elected not to stand for reelection at the Company's June 26, 2008 Annual Meeting of Shareholders. Charming Shoppes' Board of Directors has unanimously elected Ms. Strandjord to the Company's Board, in order to fill the vacancy left by the recent and sudden death of Mr. William O. Albertini.

Alan Rosskamm, Chairman of the Board and Interim CEO of Charming Shoppes Inc stated, "I am extremely pleased that Jeannine has agreed to rejoin Charming Shoppes' board, and look forward to her valued participation and contributions to our board."

Read Full News Click Here

Good news comes in threes.
Here are some reasons to smile this Monday.

1. Brave heart Jonny Justice made us all proud by passing the American Temperament Test this past weekend. Not bad, considering the test involves a gun blast and a scary stranger - both of which factored into the dark days of his former life. The ATTS criteria is tough. Evaluators score dogs on their confidence and stability in confrontational situations. Pit bulls still rank as one of the top scoring breeds in the ATTS yearly scores.

2. The ASPCA is including happy ending photos of the V-dogs in their online course: Investigating Animal Abuse for Law Enforcement. Valerie S. Sheppard, Director of ASPCA's E-Learning told us that they hope to "illustrate the point that law enforcement officers who investigate dog fighters can truly make the difference in the lives of animals." Yes, ma'am!

3 The American Bar Association (ABA) is looking at the Vick case as an important animal welfare precedent, and a teaching case for up and coming animal law attorneys. Legal proceedings and lessons learned will be presented in a workshop at DePaul University College of Law this coming September 19. In addition to great inside info from Special Master Guardian Rebecca Huss, forensics expert Dr. Melinda Merck and others, Tim and I will be there to discuss the challenges of caring for fight bust victims. We're honored to be included in the event, which will be a bit of a reunion for many of us. Attorneys: Register Now

July 14, 2008 (Germany)

The motto “Edition San Remo” is being used for an assortment of modern textures, exquisite colors and outstanding design.

Nature provided the model for this collection, in which warm earth tones, ranging from dark brown to light beige, are dominant. Shining surfaces give them a high-quality, exclusive appearance.

Generally, unusual surface effects are becoming more and more important, and it is for this reason that there is also a focus on pull-up effects in the colors of the sea: starting with seashell apricot and continuing via the rich blue of the Caribbean through to the very dark green of the deep ocean. The complete procedure for manufacturing each type of leather appears in a separate booklet.

Gerhard Wolf, head of global technical service for leather at BASF, is relying on innovations and economy for Europe: “All the leathers can be manufactured with simple, economical processes and can be varied in numerous ways; after all, we always regard cost-effective production as especially important, and that also applies to new trends.”

Read Full News Click Here

July 14, 2008 (USA)

JA Apparel Corp. announced that the first Joseph Abboud stores in China, set to open this fall, will feature fine “imported” men’s suits and tailored clothing made with pride at the Company’s factory in New Bedford, Massachusetts.

Marty Staff, President and Chief Executive Officer of JA Apparel Corp., said the Company is now in the process of completing its first shipment of men’s tailored clothing for the fall of 2008 that will travel from New Bedford to Shanghai, China. The Company will ship its spring collection for 2009 to China in January.

Mr. Staff said: “We’ve all heard about how apparel manufacturing is one of so many industries to move in recent years from the U.S. to China. We’re pleased to be moving in an exciting new direction by bringing the fine craftsmanship of a Joseph Abboud suit ‘Made in America’ to Chinese customers. This is a huge opportunity to build new relationships and add to our extremely loyal customer base. I am certain that this new step in building a global Joseph Abboud lifestyle brand will be a resounding success.”

Read Full News Click Here

July 14, 2008 (UAE)

This summer season, Graff the world-renowned diamond jeweler reveals an array of opulent flower-themed necklaces highlighted by hand-picked diamonds in superlative cut, clarity, colour and caratage.

Graff offers garlands of bewitching diamond blossoms in its favourite combination of white and yellow fancy cushion cut diamonds, once again enthralling its A-list clientele.

In this bewitching spread, each jewel asserts the jeweler’s exclusive place in the world of luxury and its unique ability to access the finest diamonds in pursuit of design excellence.

Adopting a unique floral motif, the London-based jewellery house delights with single, double and multiple strand necklaces which generously feature choice diamonds in varying shapes and sizes.

For instance, its combination one- and two-strand piece dangle large blossoms made up of pear-shaped diamonds surrounding a large square cushion-cut fancy yellow diamond at the centre. The main chain is 'beaded' by round brilliants and pear-shaped diamonds of striking brilliance.

Read Full News Click Here

Watch out! Foreclosures are attracting a new kind of neighbor to once-gated communities, and long-time residents aren't happy. Gasp. Taxi drivers. Gasp. Kids who race their cars. Gasp. Families who sit in lawn chairs and drink beer in the middle of the day! What's an upper-class homeowner to do? American Public Media drums up all kinds stereotypes in this article about foreclosures in Las Vegas. Seems they attract the I-got-mine types' worst nightmares, including the wrong kinds of people and especially, the wrong kinds of pets. It's a wingdinger of a piece in that the author, Krissy Clark - who seems to recognize that classism & racism are, um, bad - is completely oblivious to the fact that her words have endorsed another way to stereotype and condemn American families. Article

Krissy writes: "To understand how San Niccolo went from a place you'd expect to see golden retrievers to a place where pit bulls are the in-vogue pet, you need to back up a few years."

.....A fews years, like the 1950s?

She goes on: "Three pit bulls now live on Arcata Point, Karen's neighbor says. She shows me her son's Louisville Slugger baseball bat, which she carries whenever she leaves the house to fend off the dogs in case they get off-leash."

The article's subject (who is black) comes around some and confesses: "There are some biases that I had that I didn't realize. You sort of stereotype people."

Ya think? Now let's see if we can put away that baseball bat and go get to know those neighbors who love up on those crazy smiling dawgs with the big fat heads.

________

On a better note, while times are tough and we hate seeing anyone lose their home, we're hopeful that the foreclosure trend can offer new opportunities for stability to long-suffering pit bull owners. Many can finally keep their dog safe from landlord bias and buy a decent house in a decent neighborhood. Who ever thought we could find house again for $200,000 in the SF bay area? Rock on pit bull owners -- go make it work for you and yours. Photo Above: Pit Bull Hall dog Elvez, now adopted, is about to take his Canine Good Citizen test. His new owner is renting and hopes very much to buy a home to help keep his boy safe.

The Google alerts have been bringing way too many stories of pit bulls tortured: This week in Seattle, a dog was tied to a cement block and tossed into a river to drown. And in Alberta, Canada, another was doused in gasoline and burned nearly to death. What cruel bastards we humans can be.

We've been noticing an increase in burn injuries on dogs over the past 5 or so years. In many cases, the burns walk down the backbone, as if someone poured butane and lit a match. This back belongs to BR dog Deja Blu by the way. Like a lightening bolt that you can see with closed eyes, it's hard for me to look at this without seeing the flames. Thankfully, she doesn't seem especially sensitive there, and her new home more than makes up for that hellish moment ... In fact, outside of tending her with salves & sunscreen, the scar is barely on their radar: What's done is done.

While burns like Deja's seem intentional - and may be connected with a gang initiation or some other form of cruel dare-you game - another common pattern shows up as random burns scattered & dotted all around dogs' bodies. It's not a coincidence that these injuries are increasing right along with the number of meth lab-related burns coming into ERs all over the country. Just another way that pit bulls silently reflect the social ills of the two-legged animals.

RESILIENCE 2 : an ability to recover from or adjust easily to misfortune or change

Ted Baby

In the face of cruelty, you just have to keep on trucking....

Vick dog #5 gave us a big happy by leaving to his foster/adopt home today. Teddles - who may choose to ignore you unless you call him Ted BAY-BEE - will have a new sister dog and a devoted family with happy plans that include helping him earn his Therapy Dog title. Amazingly, his new mom Cindy didn't know he was a Vick dog when she applied to adopt him. Ha!

Ted's foster mom Christine told her son Sam this morning that "Ted doesn't live with us anymore." GULP I can't imagine what a two year old brain does with that kind of information, but we're so grateful that he gave Ted the last 8 months of his life. Thank you kindly, little Sam.

Ted stole my heart completely in VA during a pre-roadtrip bath out on the shelter lawn. He was too big and dorky to be a fighting dog and is one of the biggest clowns you can imagine. We had the good fortune of watching him for a few days recently and loved every minute. Here's a quick clip of Tim enjoying him in the morning. Notice Ted wince about mid-way through when Tim raises his hand with the toy. Somebody in his past heavy handed this guy. Like Deja, he keeps on keeping on.

July 12, 2008 (Germany)

Exactly five months to the day after German Federal Health Minister Ulla Schmidt attended the Igedo Fashion Fairs Düsseldorf the Igedo Company and the Minister presented the “National Charter of the German Textile and Fashion Sector” to the public in Berlin.

In concert with the GermanFashion Modeverband, the DMI – Deutsches Mode-Institut and the licensed model agencies association VELMA the Igedo Company put together the charter as part of the German federal government’s initiative “Life has Weight – Together against the Slimming Mania”.

With the charter the German fashion sector wishes to send out a clear signal. The aim here is to raise public awareness about a healthy body image and to trigger a change in mindset through joint commitment.

The German textile and fashion sector has a variety of very good examples here proving that fashion creativity can go hand in hand with a positive and healthy body image.

Read Full News Click Here

July 12, 2008 (India)

Revlon announces NEW ColorStay Mineral Lip glaze – A long-lasting lip-gloss that's good for your lips.

Revlon's first longwearing lip gloss with a unique mineral complex that provides a glossy seal of conditioning color.

Just one application of this cushiony formula keeps lips coated with gorgeous color for up to 8 hours, with no need for touch-ups!

FEATURES/BENEFITS:
- Long-lasting lip gloss with patent-pending ColorStay technology for up to 8 hours of wear
- Unique mineral complex conditions lips
- Soft, luminous color in 8 beautiful shades
- One step application

SHADES: Lasting Shimmer, Infinite Rose, Eternal Blossom, Continuous Pink, Forever Fig, Stay Ablaze, Never Ending nude and Forever Raisin

Read Full News Click Here

This shelter girl is thugging out so bad that the house is shaking.
Check it:

Hi,
I manage the Butte Humane Society in Chico and I went to your conference last September for pit bulls .... I just wanted you to know how much of a difference you have made in the way people see pit bulls. I was very used to hearing on a very regular basis "why don't you just put down all the pits, they're aggressive anyway," etc. We would find good families for out pits, but it would usually take a lot of time before nice people came in seeking a pitbull. (and thugs didn't come in looking! Silly PETA.)

Since the vick dogs we have had families coming in to look at pits, our adoptions are up, and I NEVER hear people on their soapbox about pit bulls. Being a pit bull is no longer a guarantee of being around for six months. Now people are asking questions instead of assuming!

People have mentioned the vick dogs, and seeing jonny on rachel ray. People are finally seeing pitbulls as dogs, not monsters. I just wanted to thank you for everything you've done.

I even got a tattoo of Jonny (Justice) on my arm. He represents the beginning of the acceptance of pitbulls and the understanding that every dog deserves a chance.

Thanks!
Kim Thompson

Oh Yeah. Now THAT's a girl who wears her heart on her ... arm. Thank you for the huge smile, Kim.

A peek at the Butte Humane website shows a good number of happy dogs, including some very handsome pit bulls.
This pretty girl is named Sydney and she's representing BHS's Shining Star program, designed to highlight the shelter's best breed ambassadors. What a beauty. If you're looking to adopt and are anywhere near Chico, please go give these dogs some love.

Have a great weekend. Remember to slather sunscreen on your dogs AND your tats.

July 11, 2008 (UAE)

Stefan Hafner, the Italian jeweller to the stars, presents its scintillating Haute Couture Collection. Inspired by glamour and high style, the visionary brand offers sensational colliers, necklaces, stud earrings, drop earrings and rings blending elements of drama, opulence, and outstanding craftsmanship.

Each jewel created in the Neo-Classic design tradition guarantees to put its wearer in the limelight. Dazzling diamonds and choice gems of various colours combine beautifully in white gold settings, paying grand tribute to the world of fashion.

"Stefan Hafner jewels are unique in many ways as they draw inspiration from several disciplines such as architecture, theatre, fashion, graphic design and photography, in addition to the rare talent of its goldsmiths. Highly contemporary yet classic in essence, the latest pieces exude joy while heightening beauty.

The Haute Couture collection once again displays the brand's expertise in creating something memorable from the choicest materials," said Tawhid Abdullah, Managing Director of Damas, the exclusive partner of Stefan Hafner in the Middle East.

The Haute Couture Collection offers the 'Palzer' collier - a tantalizing piece resembling a stunning collar of diamond mesh.

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July 11, 2008 (UK)

Is fashion your life? Do you have charisma, style and an eye for the next big statement? Have you ever wanted to be part of the biggest fashion and beauty event in the world? Well, here is your chance.

This year we are recruiting Style Ambassadors to be a part of our prestigious Clothes Show Live Style Team. This troop will be made up of 20 exclusively cherry picked fashion lovers. You have to be energetic, thrive on fashion and have a flair for life so you can interact with your community whether it be your college, university or even town.

The winners will be picked after careful consideration and notified on the 24th of October only 6 weeks before the big week! This means you have automatic VIP entrance to Clothes Show Live 2008!

In addition, it won’t be just yourself that gets to take part in the action it will also be your two carefully chosen fashion savvy friends! Choose a name (e.g. The Style Sisters) and paint the town red with your promotional ideas. These can be anything from your own fashion shows, a stand at your uni or even just chatting to fellow fashion lovers about the show. You can do anything you please to inform people about the show and have fun at the same time.

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July 11, 2008 (USA)

PUIG USA announced the launch of BLUE SEDUCTION for WOMEN, a fragrance by Antonio Banderas, and the charitable partnership with Antonio Banderas Seductive Fragrances and Broadway Cares/ Equity Fights AIDS.

As part of the partnership, Antonio Banderas Seductive Fragrances will donate one dollar to Broadway Cares/ Equity Fights AIDS for each gift set of BLUE SEDUCTION for WOMEN sold during the 2008 holiday season.

Didier Main de Biran, General Manager of PUIG USA joins noted actor Antonio Banderas on Thursday, July 10th at Cedar Lake Dance Theatre, to announce the partnership.

As part of the celebration, select members of the cast of the Tony Award-winning Best Musical, In The Heights, performed with children benefiting from the House of the Roses, Ballet Hispanico School of Dance, R. Evolucion Latina, Steps and Broadway Dance Center.

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July 11, 2008 (USA)

If you've been told you have great lips, don't "kiss off" the compliment. Instead, put your lips to work and enter the Softlips Picture Perfect Lips national search, sponsored for the third year in a row by the popular Softlips lip conditioning products.

The 2008 winner will receive a cash prize of $2,500, the possibility to become a professional lip model and the prestige of having the prettiest pucker in America, which will be posted online for all to see.

"The Softlips lip model search is a widely popular and fun competition, as women everywhere vie for this feature title," says Jennifer Hamberger, the Softlips brand manager at The Mentholatum Company. "We believe that well-cared-for lips are a woman's best asset."

And the research agrees. According to a national survey of more than 1,000 U.S. men, they prefer females with beautifully-shaped and natural, healthy looking lips.

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July 11, 2008 (USA)

Porter Novelli introduces Jack + Bill, a pop-up agency dedicated to identifying, branding and publicizing emerging fashion talent.

Recognized globally for its eye-catching, multifaceted public relations programs for such clients as Gillette, Timberland, South by Southwest and Hewlett-Packard, Porter Novelli will lend its services to a new generation of brands free of charge for a limited time this summer.

Taking its moniker from the agency's entrepreneurial founders, Jack Porter and Bill Novelli, Jack + Bill is the brainchild of a team of young agency professionals, with an average age of 26.

From mid-July to early September, the pop-up agency will provide free buzz building, media relations and viral marketing services to one individual in each of the following categories; model, fashion stylist, women's apparel designer and jewelry designer.

Turning the traditional client pitch process on its head, Jack + Bill will host an open "casting call" to select its clients on Tuesday, July 15 and Wednesday, July 16 from 3:00 - 9:00 p.m. at Sandbox Studios (250 Hudson, Floor 11. New York, New York). A portfolio or look book will be required for casting.

"PN is filled with creative, energetic people whose lives in New York revolve around style, art, music and film- we're excited to help emerging talent get their brands off of the ground here," said Erin Crumpacker, spokesperson for Jack + Bill. We're constantly innovating to stay ahead in the evolving marketing environment."

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July 10, 2008 (UK)
Premier KIDS saw buyers from department stores and independents writing orders with new and existing suppliers showing. Amongst them were; Harrods, Fenwick, Bentalls, Williams & Griffin, Trotters, Hopscotch, Kids Cavern, Just Kidding and Biff.

Premier KIDS talked positively amongst its buyers and exhibitors regarding the change of dateline for the Autumn/Winter edition. Premier KIDS will show alongside Spring Fair on 1.2.3. February 2009 and will retain its full identity in Hall 16.

Feedback from attending buyers was overall positive and some very encouraging comments were made. Marie Archer, Buyer from Fenwick concluded: -‘The show was a little bit smaller, but we certainly found what we were looking for. Teaming up with Spring Fair doesn’t change our buying much – we do both shows and will continue to do both shows. The dates are slightly later, but it’s not a cause for concern’.

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July 10, 2008 (USA)
Cheetah Girl and Dancing with the Stars alum Sabrina Bryan teamed up with Fisher-Price, Inc., the largest infant and preschool toy manufacturer and a subsidiary of Mattel Inc, to launch the new Color Me Gemz line of fashion forward jewelry at Toys“R”Us Times Square.

Ten lucky winners of a local New York radio station contest hosted by WPLJ each received VIP access and a first-hand lesson from Sabrina as she demonstrated how to create dazzling masterpieces and “bling up” any outfit. Immediately following, several dozen lucky girls who pre-purchased Color Me Gemz products attended a private autograph signing with the star.

“The Color Me Gemz line is so cool because it’s totally easy to create necklaces, bracelets and other accessories that look like real sparkling gems. I wish I had this jewelry when I was growing up,” said Ms. Bryan. “Girls are going to have so much fun together creating jewelry for every outfit for every day of the year.”

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July 10, 2008 (USA)
Collective Brands Inc announced that it has named LuAnn Via, most recently group divisional president of Charming Shoppes' Lane Bryant and Cacique retail chains, as president and chief executive officer of Payless ShoeSource Inc, reporting to Matthew Rubel, chairman and chief executive officer of Collective Brands Inc.

Via succeeds Rubel as the leader of the Payless business unit, who has served in the role since joining the company in June 2005.

Rubel has significantly expanded his role with last year's acquisition of Collective Licensing International and The Stride Rite Corporation, which together with Payless ShoeSource, formed Collective Brands, Inc.

Via will begin at Payless later this month and be responsible for leading all day-to-day operations of the retail unit, including merchandising, marketing and retail operations for the more than 4,500 store chain, which includes stores in the United States, Canada, Central America, the Caribbean and South America.

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July 10, 2008 (USA)
Reinforcing its position as a true luxury sports watch brand, TAG Heuer announced it will sponsor New Zealand race car driver and Tiger Woods' super-star caddy, Steve Williams.

An emblem of sports and glamour, the TAG Heuer shield will now adorn the body of Williams' Mustang Saloon's and fellow Caddyshack Racing driver Mel Hills Mustang.

"For as long as I can remember, golf and speedway have been the two sports that I love most and that have helped define me personally and professionally," said Steve Williams.

"TAG Heuer's long history in both is a real advantage for my team; I couldn't ask for a more perfect partner."

Caddying since the age of 13, Williams has supported such golf legends as Peter Thomson, Mike Clayton, Greg Norman and Raymond Floyd among others. In 1999, he joined Tiger Woods whose side he remains by.

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July 10, 2008 (Germany)
PUMA by Mihara Yasuhiro introduces a worldwide preview of its collaboration with dress for PLAYSTATION3 (PS3) at Pitti Uomo.

PUMA by Mihara Yasuhiro also launches its new sport-fashion apparel collection that complements the PUMA by Mihara Yasuhiro footwear.

dress is a new interactive fashion software developed by, Sony Computer Entertainment’s Worldwide Studios, JAPAN Studio, that bridges the gap between the virtual world and real world of fashion.

The subject of fashion is one of the new fronts for Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE) who wanted to link the capabilities and services of PS3 with the users to experience fashion in the virtual world.

dress offers a unique fashion service which fully utilizes the graphic capabilities of PS3 to create beautiful models, true to life fashion items, and clothing using cloth simulation.

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July 10, 2008 (Germany)
All aboard! For young designers ‘design attack’ means full steam ahead. As part of GDS – the International Event for Shoes & Accessories from 12 to 14 September 2008 – 100 young design talents will be presenting their original collections in the unconventional Young Fashion Area ‘design attack’ alongside selected, more established labels.

Under the design and event motto SOULEXPRESS interested trade visitors will be introduced to independent fashion, urban and streetwear as well as accessories and other trendy lifestyle products in a true ‘soul-city’ setting complete with wafts of mist, funk ’n’ soul grooves and multi-coloured party lights.

For the 9th edition of ‘design attack’ exhibitors like Gumbies from the United Kingdom, HOKKA from Germany and the German brand Buygo have already registered.

After the re-organisation of GDS ‘design attack’ is now presented in the neighbourhood of the areas ‘urban fresh’ and ‘urban active’ in hall 3.

This means the trendy area will remain in the familiar surroundings of established young fashion brands.

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July 09, 2008 (Hong Kong)
Knitwear, Innovation and Design Society (KIDS) will organize the Master Class “What comes next in ODM, Design & Trend” on July 18.br>
When most of the manufacturing base moved from Europe to China-What the impacts and changes in Europe fashion designers-How Hong Kong industry can build up their successful ODM model?.

Trend-Trend F/W 2009/10 in Knitwear and Ready-to-wear-What is “Trend”? (How is the “trend”set up in each season?)

“Secrets”-Experience sharing in Europe Top brands-How to be a successful fashion designers?Speaker Mr. Gilles Dufour-Joined CHANELas the artistic director for over 15 years, just like the right hand man of KARL LAGERFELD.

Receives from the hands of SUZY MENKES the reward of CHEVALIER DE LA LEGION D’HONNEUR one of the highest rewards in France from the CULTURAL MINISTRY.

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A first. Oh MAN! The news piece is modest, but the fact that they sought out the story bodes well for Roo & Clara & Hector. Here's hoping for lots of positive press for many years to come.

Great quotes, Roo. You just go on with your bad self. Hector on the Telly

Desert Thugs leave their mark by tagging rocks and crashing Burning Man parties. As you can see, they're reckless & outta control.

Dear BadRap - This voluptuous redhead is Princess Calico, AKA The Licko, who at 12 years old decided to try quad riding (carefully!) She just returned from beating up the neighbors with her evil tail. Her accomplice is my husband, an aerospace engineer. I am an R.N. and we have two (mostly) grown thugly sons, one who is working on becoming a police officer and the other who is attending college to pursue youth ministry. We are truly a shady bunch! We live in So. Cal. but this picture is taken at our place in northern NV. Calico's other interests include hanging out with her Chow mix bro Hoover, power napping, playing with her favorite dog homies, and of course eating!
We've had and loved several pits and pit mixes over the years and always come back for more! - Pat Swain

Are you a thug?

How much do we love Youtube? It's full of old timey silent movies like this one called Dog Heaven, starring Our Gang's Pete the Pup back in 1927. Lots of dog-action and a couple of other bulls in there too, including a handsome amstaff with a nice crop who saves Pete. Love the scene with the hose!

The adult themes in these old flicks are always a little shocking, especially the hanging scene. Let's just tell ourselves he was strapped in by a harness. Fill up yer mug and take that longer break you've been needing. This is good stuff. ... Part 2 and ....Part 3

This is Carol Guzy, the Pulitzer Prize winning photographer who jetted around the country to capture images of the Vick dogs in their current settings. Her images just launched in a beautiful multi-media piece in the Washington Post.

Shelter for the Scarred

Even though we've seen hundreds of photos of the dogs by now, I admit I broke down and wept when I finally saw these. She captured the bond that keeps all of us defending these dogs. Thank you, Carol.



The accompanying article is rather average (unfortunately, this pit bull-shy reporter was never able to meet the dogs) but those photos! They speak a thousand words. Bless that lady and her camera.