Monday, November 24, 2008

The Street Fashion wear of Camouflage capers

Nov 24th - 9:05 GMT +00:00
Camouflage capers
Posted by:Economist.com
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OBSERVING a pack of teens loping along a shopping street over the weekend, their belts hanging precariously half-way down their backsides, your correspondent noted that although Europe's younger population is vocally anti-war, camouflage attire (preferably worn over well-exposed designer underwear) still has its fans.
It was curious, then, to learn just how proprietary some military organisations are about their camouflage designs. Finland suspects that Russian troops that swarmed into Georgia in August were wearing uniforms with a Finnish camouflage pattern, known as M05, which is based on digital photos of Finnish forests. This has caused something of a stir in the Finnish media and blogosphere.
As the Helsinki Times reports, quoting a Russian news account, a spokesman for Russia's interior ministry flatly denied allegations that its special forces stole their look from Finland. He suggested it was "a fake story," made up by the Finns themselves.

Family members of President-elect Barack Obama and Vice President-elect Joe Biden -- called SIPs (significant inaugural participants) -- might require

Family members of President-elect Barack Obama and Vice President-elect Joe Biden -- called SIPs (significant inaugural participants) -- might require escorts, officials said, as might Cabinet-level nominees or other DIPs (designated inaugural participants).

(From The Washington Post) A panel from the Armed Forces Inaugural Committee on Tuesday wrapped up the intensive, months-long process used to identify the ideal people for the high-profile, high-stress jobs. The candidates had to look sharp, sound intelligent and be articulate, diplomatic and self-confident. They also had to know the city and possess that quality known as "good military bearing."
The military assistants, or MAs, as they are called, have the task of squiring the VIPs through numerous inaugural events, and Washington's inauguration traffic maze, while the world looks on.
It is a once-in-a-lifetime, much-sought-after job, interviewers said, especially this time, for the installation of Obama, the country's first black president. And all of the candidates were excellent, they said.
But only "the best of the best" make the list being submitted for final selection to the committee brass, officials said. The escorts must be requested by the Presidential Inaugural Committee, which determines the size and nature of the inauguration.

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Financial crisis heralds era of "new seriousness"

LUXURY GOODS SLUMP
After years of strong growth, luxury goods sales are expected to fall globally by 1 percent in the fourth quarter, and may drop by up to 7 percent next year, according to a study by consulting firm Bain and Co. released this month.
U.S. sales of Porsche cars fell by 58 percent in September compared with September 2007, while overall car sales declined by 22 percent, according to figures from Autodata.
Andy Lear, head of planning at the London office of French advertising agency Publicis said the repercussions of the financial crisis -- front-page news worldwide for weeks -- were simply accelerating a trend that already existed.