May 19th, 2012
Photo: Yankee Candles
Yankee Candle recently became the latest company to take a feminine product and try to dress it up as some kind of head-smashing symbol of brawn and masculinity. Just look at the names of this line of candles for men: “Riding Mower,” “2×4,” “First Down,” and worst of all, ”Man Town.” What the hell does Man Town smell like?! Dirty laundry and ball sweat? Not only is the attempt to pander to men obnoxious, it’s ill-advised. But Yankee explains that the fragrance will help men “Escape to the man cave with this masculine blend of spices, woods and musk.” It sounds like a “SNL” spoof commercial.
This trend of man-ifying products is ridiculous. Yankee believes that enough men are adverse to buying their diverse, existing line of scented candles that it can turn a profit by churning out bulls*** “Man Town” scents. The company is definitely not alone, though. Check out more contrived attempts to market a perfectly unisex product to men.
Dodge Grand Caravan, the “Man Van”
Photo: Dodge
Dodge’s so-called man van actually shuts down when a soccer mom gets behind the wheel. It’s specially formulated to protect a man’s fragile ego.
Dr. Pepper Ten
Photo: Dr. Pepper
It’s not for women. It says so right in the ad! No, it’s diet soda with 10 extra calories, the requisite number to ensure that men don’t grow breasts or develop the urge to do womanly things.
Vaseline for Men
Photo: Vaseline
Hey, look! Michael Strahan uses Vaseline for Men. He’s tough! We’re not chemists but the ingredients for men’s cooling hydration body lotion are almost identical to the regular Vaseline total moisture.
Weight Watchers for Men
Weight Watchers’ Charles Barkley commercial is hysterical but the suggestion that “real men don’t diet” is plain stupid.
Dove Men+Care
Photo: Dove
The same stuff re-branded for men…so they can be comfortable in their own skin.
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Tags Dodge, Dove, Dr. Pepper Ten, Man Candles, Man Van, Marketing, Men, Michael Strahan, Weight Watchers, Yankee Candle
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May 19th, 2012
Yesterday, the member organizations of the Davao City AIDS Council lighted candles in memory of those who have died due to HIV/AIDS.
Every third Sunday of the month, the Global Network of People Living with HIV with members in 115 countries, mark the International AIDS Candlelight Memorial, an event which started in 1983. These countries host more than 1,300 community organizations to honor the lives lost and raise social consciousness.
The city’s Reproductive Health and Wellness Center (RHWC) has pegged 29 persons with HIV/AIDS has died since 1993 but this figure could be very conservative considering that many could have died without being diagnosed with the disease.
Of the 262 HIV/AIDS cases monitored by the RHWC, 245 are males. Connie Actub of the Alliance Against AIDS in Mindanao, in a press conference yesterday said that everyone is vulnerable to infection if they are involved in risky behaviors. The increase in the number of males testing positive could be due to the fact that there are more of them who have gone to the RHWC for free testing.
The candlelight is not just a memorial for the millions who have died of HIV/AIDS. According to the global network, it provides opportunities for leadership development, policy advocacy, partnerships and improvement of community mobilization skills.
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May 17th, 2012
Smells like men? Or smells men like?
“Dude! What’s that smell?”
The answer to that question has never been, “Oh, that’s my Yankee Candle.”
Until now.
The company that stinks up malls across the country has come out with a line of candles aimed directly at the Father’s Day gift market. Some scents make sense (ha!):
Riding Mower, 2×4.
But First Down? Man Town?
First Down promises that its blend of orange, patchouli, vetiver and leather “is as exciting as game day.”
And Man Town: “Escape to the man cave with this masculine blend of spices, woods and musk.” I don’t know about your house, but our man cave smells like stale popcorn, Skittles and lost socks. (It’s really a teen cave.)
A clerk at a mall in Denver (she didn’t want to be named) said this when I called to make sure the Man Candle was not a prank. “We’ve had a while to practice so we don’t laugh so much when people ask for them, but they are popular with men and women.”
In a March episode of “Undercover Boss,” the CEO of Yankee Candle struggled with stacking the slippery jars of wax and discussed favorite “flavors” with a factory worker (He doesn’t like the food-scented ones. I’m with him.)
The small man candles are $17.99 and the large ones are $27.99. Car fresheners are $2.99.
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May 17th, 2012
COLONIE — Just what the manly man has been waiting for: A candle that smells like the floor of a lumber mill.
Or dirt. Or cut grass. Yeah, that’s a Man Candle.
In fact, that’s the sign hanging out front in Candles ‘n More at Colonie Center, a store that features Yankee Candle — including their new line designed for the men who want some testosterone in their tender fragrance.
But a candle called “Riding Mower” that smells like fresh-cut grass?
Really?
“I just sold an air freshener (with that scent) yesterday,” salesperson Theresa Canale said Wednesday, noting the display was put up Tuesday.
But don’t you shower after cutting the lawn so you don’t smell like that inside? …
Maybe you have to meet a certain standard to be worthy of “2 x 4,” which smells like wood shavings, or “First Down,” which conjures fresh dirt. Then there’s “Man Town” — “That one should smell like socks,” a female shopper offered — is reminiscent of generic cologne.
OK, who is going to buy this stuff? It turns out a lot of people, manager Kathy Bernhardt predicts confidently.
“I’ve had people looking for that (‘Riding Mower’) scent year-round,” she said. “Guys do like candles. They just don’t want to admit it.
“Now they have their own candles,” Bernhardt continued. “I completely think it’s going to work.”
Not all guys are buying in.
“Brutal. Somebody who would buy those would not be a typical candle buyer,” said 40-year-old Tom Stinson of Albany. “Maybe it would be somebody who would watch a lot of NASCAR.”
He left with three Fresh Lilac candles.
Worst-case scenario: People realize the ridiculousness of these He-Man candles (there’s a wick joke in here somewhere), Yankee Candle gets some from free pub, and wholesalers such as Candles ‘n More get some traffic. Best case: They do sell.
Think of the potential expanded line of scents:
Pit Row: Your living room can smell like the high octane Green E15 fuel your favorite driver uses Sunday on the track.
Bottom of the Hamper: You know that T-shirt your wore for basketball two weeks ago but forgot to wash?
Pull My Finger: Self-explanatory.
Bacon: Actually a lot of us would buy this one.
Stale Beer and Pizza Boxes: For those who want the afterglow of hosting a party without the hassle of friends. Or a party.
Wet Dog: Man’s best friend’s worst smell.
Concussion: Feel like a football player. Or a writer who spent part of an afternoon smelling candles for a story. …
The front-window display is centered on the candles around a barbecue. The idea is these candles would make great Father’s Day gifts. Truth is some will be bought just for that purpose. And a Dad will muster his best Dad smile and say, Why yes, this is the bestest gift ever.
“You might as well start practicing now,” Canale said.
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May 15th, 2012
- Natasha Bent, 27, was told she could not light the candles on her son’s birthday cake unless she was ‘supervised’ in a ‘special area’ reserved for such activity
By
Jaya Narain
PUBLISHED:
09:11 EST, 14 May 2012
|
UPDATED:
19:37 EST, 14 May 2012
No three-year-old’s birthday would be complete without a brightly-coloured cake with candles on top.
But Oscar Barlow was left in tears
when police swooped on his party at a play centre – after staff said his
cake was a health and safety risk.
Bosses at Rumble Tumble play centre
said the candles constituted a safety risk and if the family wanted to
light them they would have to move to a specific area and be monitored
by staff.
Stunned: Natasha Bent, 27, and Oscar, three
Police were called to Oscar’s third birthday party at Rumble Tumble play centre in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, because his parents lit the candles on his cake in violation of heath and safety regulations
After a disagreement, Oscar’s mother
Natasha Bent and her family trooped out into the car park to light the
candles outside instead.
But they were stunned when two police officers arrived at the children’s play centre in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent.
The children burst into tears as officers spoke to the family over claims they had acted in an intimidating manner.
Last night Miss Bent, 27, insisted
she had not been threatening and claimed they were frustrated by the
health and safety red tape.
Miss Bent said the family decided to visit the play centre after returning from a theme park on Oscar’s birthday last Thursday.
‘When we were there we brought in
Oscar’s birthday cake from the car, but just as we were going to light
the candles they told us we couldn’t.
Play centre: When the family took the cake outside into the car park of Rumble Tumble (pictured) and lit the candles, staff called police
‘All we wanted to do was sing Happy Birthday and have Oscar blow out the candles,’ she added.
‘We tried to reason with a staff member but she said we were bullying her and told us to leave, saying she was going to call the police. In the end we went outside and lit the candles in the car park. Oscar and the other children started crying when the police turned up.
‘How on earth would a child get injured by singing Happy Birthday?
‘It was a bad way for a three-year-old to experience a birthday. It’s a special occasion and his first one understanding what a birthday is.
‘I love my son with all my heart and didn’t want other children to have their birthday ruined.’
Her partner David Meir, 32, said: ‘When the police officer told us the staff member had accused us of intimidating her, I just laughed. I had my two sons with me so there’s no way I’d do that in front of them.’
Rumble Tumble declined to comment on the matter. A Staffordshire Police spokesman said: ‘Officers established the dispute was over the level of service received and advice was given to all involved.’
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May 15th, 2012
Japanese candlestick charts have been used by traders for centuries. By understanding the various candles and their patterns, a trader can gain insight as to how price action may potentially move going forward. This article will focus on the engulfing candlestick.
What qualifies as an engulfing candle is fairly simple: as long as the body of a candle “engulfs” the previous candle in terms of the body (some will say wicks as well), it would be considered an engulfing candle. As such, it can indicate that a move in the opposite direction of the candle that was “engulfed” may take place.
In other words, if a bullish candle is engulfed by bearish candle, the higher probability direction to trade the pair will be to short it. If a bearish candle is engulfed by a bullish candle, the higher probability direction to trade the pair will be to buy it.
Remember, just because a trader sees an engulfing candle does not mean that a move in the opposite direction is assured. As far as being certain goes, a trader can be certain that a candle is an engulfing candle, but we can never be certain of what may transpire on the chart going forward.
Below you will find a historical 4 hour chart of the EURGBP currency pair. Examples of engulfing candles are outlined…bullish engulfing in black and bearish engulfing in green. No two candles will be exactly alike although you will see that the criteria of an engulfing candle is met in each.
Keep in mind, as is the case when interpreting candlesticks, a trader cannot make a decision regarding what a candle might turn out to be until that candle is closed. For example, the last candle on the right of the chart at this point looks like a bullish engulfing. However, when the 4 hour period closes and that candle closes along with it, based on price action between now and then, that candle may turn out not to engulf the previous candle at all.
Always wait for a candle to close before making a trading decision based on it.
One strategy that can be used when an engulfing candle is identified is to only take a trade when the candle signals a potential change of direction when that change is in the direction of the trend. In other words, in a downtrend we would look for bearish engulfing candles and in an uptrend we would look for bullish engulfing candles.
Should the trade be taken, the stop would be placed below the bullish engulfing candle in an uptrend and above the bearish engulfing candle in a downtrend.
Lastly,be sure to note that there are several engulfing candles on the chart where a move in the opposite direction did not take place after the engulfing candle closed. As usual, nothing in trading is ever a certainty.
—Written by Richard Krivo
To contact Richard, please email instructor@dailyfx.com . You can follow Richard on Twitter@RKrivoFX.
To be added to Richard’s distribution list, please send an email with the subject line “Notification”, to rkrivo@fxcm.com .
DailyFX provides forex news on the economic reports and political events that influence the currency market.
Learn currency trading with a free practice account and charts from FXCM.
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May 13th, 2012
DIXON – Of all the candles Lisa Woods has made, her favorite is one with a picture of a baby named Violet, lying on her side while holding a flower.
Little Violet Madison Wehrkamp lived to be only 6 months old before she died in 2010 of spinal muscular atrophy, Woods said.
Woods owns Candles for SMA. She makes candles and soaps in her Dixon home and donates some of the proceeds to fund research for the disease.
Woods was diagnosed with the Type 3 SMA in 1990 at the age of 23.
The disease is an inherited neuromuscular disease caused by a deletion or mutation of the SMN1 gene. That gene is responsible for production of a protein that is essential to the proper working of the motor neurons. The lack of protein causes the motor neurons in the spinal cord to deteriorate, resulting in SMA. The disease causes people to tire easily.
Woods was “lucky” to have type 3, which is not fatal, she said, and the diagnosis brought relief.
“All those years beforehand, I thought I was just lazy,” she said. “Now I know. I can explain to people why I waddle, or limp, or can’t do certain things.”
When she was a child, she couldn’t run fast or keep up with other children, she said. She also fell a lot, she said.
Woods, 45, graduated from Dixon High School in 1985.
She makes candles and soaps by order. She hand-pours the candles and then adds photos, poems or whatever customers request.
Woods donates some of her proceeds to Families of SMA, which funds SMA research.
Making the candles makes her feel good, she said.
“It keeps me feeling like I can do something,”she said.
Woods had to give up her job as a resident assistant at a retirement home because of spasms in her neck from holding her head up too much.
Woods makes candles in 17 scents, and she can make them unscented. She makes votives, pillars, tea light candles, and a special SMA Awareness candle. She also makes 3.5-ounce mini melts of pure soy wax for scenting a home.
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May 13th, 2012
Kota Belud: Some 500 residents in Kg Kiau Teburi, Kg Kiau Nulu and Kg Kiau Bersatu directly affected by the recent landslide there, have appealed for the public to provide them with candles.
Nabalu Natural Disaster Committee member, Sindih Taliban, said they are in desperate need of candles while waiting for their electricity supply – which had been totally cut off by the landslide – to be restored.
He said so far they have received donations in the form of food supplies and kitchen utensils as well as candles from the Persekutuan Muda Mudi of Sidang Injil Borneo (SIB), delivered by Jerry Gungkat and Cecelia Likun, and Upko through its Komulakan Chief Ewon Benedict.
Ewon, who is also Kota Belud Upko Division Deputy Chief, presented RM1,000 to students of SMK Bundu Tuhan who are forced to walk through the jungle and hills after the road leading to their village was badly damaged, making it impassable following the landslide.
The Wednesday landslide at Kampung Kiau Teburi resulted in about 3,000 people in the said three villages, including school children and government staff, losing communication link to Ranau and the State Capital.
Apart from that, Sindih also urge the authorities to build an alternative route for them to Ranau so that they can continue with their daily routines.
The committee can reached at mobile phone no: 012-8342362.
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May 11th, 2012
Unattended candles were the cause of a townhouse fire in Greenbelt Wednesday night that left one woman displaced, fire officials say. Around 7:30 p.m., firefighters responded to a two-story townhouse in the middle of a row at 53 Ridge Road in Greenbelt, where fire was coming from the second floor.
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May 11th, 2012
11-May-12, 6:43 AM | Bernard Testa, InterAksyon.com
InterAksyon.com
The online news portal of TV5
MANILA, Philippines – “Justice for the 17 women workers who died in Novo, Butuan fire!”
This was the call of workers from different sectors who held a candle lighting protest at Plaza Miranda in Manila Thursday following the death of 17 women workers, including a five-month pregnant woman, who were helplessly locked inside a burning building in Butuan City on Wednesday.
“As we grieve the death of our fellow women workers, we condemn the Novo Jeans and Shirts Department Store for their murderous negligence and greed that led to this massacre,” said Nita Gonzaga, vice chairperson for women’s affairs of the militant workers’ group Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU).
Gonzaga said that the workers of the department store toiled from 12 to 14 hours per day with a daily pay of P160.
According to Gonzaga, the women workers were forced to stay overnight locked up in the fire-trap to ensure that “no one from inside or outside steals from the establishment’s profits.”
Trapped inside while the fire razed the Novo building were stay-in employees Rogelyn Mantubacan, Jonalie Amor, Judelyn Ore, Villa Rose Dumagpi, Ellenie Ocoy, Prences Grace Sayre, Anniejoy Lagura, Mylyn Lirazon, Pengky Despolo, Jessie Dajuya, Princess Mae Figueras, Irene Baliquig, Hazel Cabaña, Liezel Dalaygon, Jeba Salbigsal, Maribel Buico and Gladys Hope Sabila.
Only three women – Mylene Tolo, Grace Canoy and Vicky Velez – managed to escape from the burning building located at Montilla Boulevard in Butuan City.
“We offer our condolences to the families and survivors of this terrible incident,” said Noel Colina, executive director of the Institute for Occupational Health and Safety Development.
“Authorities must conduct a comprehensive investigation of the incident and ensure that those who have neglected the safety of the women workers be held liable.”
According to Colina, Rule 1943.03 of the Philippine Occupational Health and Standards outlines the need to have “at least of two exits in every floor and basement capable of clearing the work area in five (5) minutes” and “there must also be a safety plan in case of fire which the workers should be made familiar with”.
The KMU has supported a resolution filed by Anakpawis party-list Rep. Rafael Mariano directing Congress to investigate the Novo management and owners for their apparent neglect in implementing occupational health and safety standards as well as their violations of other labor laws.
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So the police had time to come out to such a trivial matter? – John (too honest be a politician!), Newcastle Upon Tyne, 15/5/2012 9:04
No, they had to come out because they’d received a report of a woman being threatened by a group of aggressive adults who were then refusing to leave. That’s their job.
- Judy, Newcastle, 15/5/2012 11:00
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