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A. Key Data From Call 1. 3Q09 worldwide sales = $598m. 2. 3Q09 net earnings from continuing tiffany = $43.3m. 3. 3Q09 diluted EPS from continuing operations = $0.34. 4. 3Q09 GM = 54.8%. 5. YTD 2009 CapEx = $47m. 6. 3Q09-end cash and cash equivalents = $375m. 7. 3Q09-end total short-term and long-term debt = $753m. 8. 2009 annual EPS guidance = $1.88-1.98.

PRESENTATION SUMMARY

S1. 3Q09 Operational Review (M.A.) 1. Highlights: 1. Sales and earnings in latest qtr. surpassed expectations. 2. Worldwide sales declined 3% to $598m. 1. Equal to last year, excluding decline in wholesale sales of diamonds tied to diamond sourcing program. 2. 16% decline in 2Q09. 3. 22% decline in 1Q09. 4. Bolsters confidence that Co. can achieve expectations for rest of year. 2. Americas: 1. Sales declined 9%. 1. Little better than expected. 2. Included smaller declines in latter part of qtr. 2. US: 1. Total retail sales, 9% below last year, due to: 1. Decline in avg. transaction size. 2. Smaller decline in number of transactions. 2. Store traffic, below last year’s levels. 3. Smaller declines in number of transactions led to improvement in customer conversion rate for second consecutive qtr. 4. Comparable store sales declined 10% vs.: 1. 14% decline in 3Q08. 2. Much larger declines of 34% and 27% in 1Q09 and 2Q09. 5. By month, comps declined 18% in Aug., 7% in Sept. and 5% in Oct. 1. In 3Q08, declined by 6%, 15% and 20% in these respective months. 2. Indicates no meaningful change in two year run rate over three months. 6. Customer Mix: 1. Decline in total sales, primarily affected by lower sales to local customers and to lesser degree by declines in tourist spending. 2. New York flagship store experienced declines in local customer and tourist spending. 7. Geography: 1. Sales in New York flagship store declined 8%. 2. Comp store sales in nine-store New York region declined 9%. 3. Aggregate US brand store comp store sales declined 11%. 4. There weren’t many markets meaningfully divergent from overall rate of decline although for what it is worth California was somewhat softer, Florida was somewhat stronger and stores in Hawaii and Guam posted solid increases. 5. Majority of stores achieved sales plans. 8. Price Stratification: 1. Continues to experience greatest percentage declines in sales occurring at highest price ranges, with relatively better performance at more accessible price points. 2. Compared with 1H09, percentage declines were smaller at all price strata. 9. High-End Business: 1. Recently held annual event in New York and several other cities this year in US and Asia tied to publication of Co.’s Blue Book. 2. Invited some of highest spending customers. 10. Opened two stores in US. 1. 5,800 sq. ft. store in Roseville Galleria near Sacramento. 2. 2,200 sq. ft. in Seattle’s University Village. 11. Aforementioned is second store in new concept that incorporates different approach to: 1. Visual merchandising. 2. Product assortment. 3. Selling style. 12. Difficult to evaluate performance of new store concept when launched in challenging economy. 13. Next week, will complete 2009 store expansion when Co. opens third store in Las Vegas in new Crystals at CityCenter complex. 14. e-Commerce and Catalog: 1. 9% decline in combined sales due to decline in avg. order size and number of orders. 2. Some improvement late in qtr. with orders growing in Oct. 3. Reduced catalog circulation by about 40%, in line with planned decline for full-year. 4. Will continue to utilize e-mail communications as effective way to attract customers to website and stores. 3. Achieved solid comp store sales growth in: 1. Mexico. 2. Brazil. 4. Expanded business in Canada. 1. Second store opened in Toronto earlier this year. 5. Expects low-teens percentage decline in full-year total sales. 1. Includes mid-teens percentage decline in comparable US stores sales for year. 3. Asia-Pacific: 1. On constant-exchange-rate basis, total sales increased 2%. 1. Exceeded expectations. 2. Followed 5% decline in 1H09. 2. Comparable store sales declined 3% due to continued weak sales in Japan that more than offset strength in rest of region. 3. Note: 1. Results covered now are all on constant-exchange-rate basis. 4. Japan: 1. Total sales declined 10% due to 13% drop in comp store sales. 1. Slightly worse than expected. 2. Comps declined throughout qtr. 1. No improvements in those in any month. 2. Nor any meaningful difference in comps within or outside Tokyo. 3. There was a favorable translation effect on sales due to strength of yen, which averaged [JPY0.92 to dollar vs. JPY1.05 last year]. 4. Last week, reduced prices in Japan by avg. of 5% to adjust for strong yen. 5. Not forecasting any improvement in 4Q09. 5. Outside Japan, continued to improve. 1. Total sales increased 18%. 2. Comp store sales gained 9%. 1. Followed 5% comp decline in 1Q09 and 5% comp increase in 2Q09. 2. Above expectations. 3. Continued strong growth in: 1. China. 2. Australia. 3. Singapore. 4. Noteworthy improvements from 2Q to 3Q in: 1. Hong Kong. 2. Korea. 3. Malaysia. 5. New store opened just earlier this year on Canton Road in Hong Kong, already posting highest sales volume of eight stores in this market. 6. Opened 10th store in Korea in Seoul. 7. In China, renovated and expanded Plaza 66 store in Shanghai. 8. Last week, opened fifth store in Australia in Melbourne suburb of Chadstone and is getting ready to open 10th store in tiffany bracelets in city of Shenyang. 1. Both will strengthen successful and growing presence in these countries. 9. On pace to roughly triple number of Co. stores in Mainland China from current nine stores to 25-30 in next five or so years. 6. Full-year sales outlook calls for sales in dollars equal to prior year. 1. Little better than previous expectations. 2. Includes mid-single digit comp decline on a constant-exchange-rate basis for year, due to softness in Japan. 4. Europe: 1. Total sales rose 16% in constant currencies. 2. Comparable store sales rose 9%. 1. Widely exceeded expectations. 2. On top of 8% comp increase last year. 3. Continues to believe solid sales growth reflects: 1. Co.’s relatively young presence. 2. Growing attraction among customers who are discovering TIF. 4. Strength, geographically broad-based. 1. Doing well in London, where vast majority of sales are made to local customers. 2. Stores benefiting from increased spending by Continental European and Asian visitors. 5. Sales on continent rose in most countries with noteworthy growth in Italy. 6. Expanded presence in UK. 1. Opened boutique at Selfridges in Manchester. 7. On 11/24/09, entered The Netherlands by opening a beautiful 2,100 sq. ft. store in Amsterdam. 8. Next month, plans to open another shop at Heathrow Airport in Terminal 3 adding to success Co. had with shop in Terminal 5. 9. For full-year, forecasting low-single digit increase in sales in dollars, reflecting high-single digit comp increase in constant currencies, which is better than previous target. 5. Other Channel: 1. Sales declined 81% due to lower wholesale sales of low quality rough diamonds, reflecting: 1. Reduction in purchases of rough diamonds this year and therefore fewer low quality stones to resell. 2. Better quality mix in assortments that Co. is purchasing. 2. Expects full-year sales to decline by about 60% vs. previous expectation of 50% decline. 6. Worldwide Product Perspective: 1. Improved performance in many categories, especially later in qtr. largely reflected comparisons to last year when sales plummeted. 1. May reflect some improvement in underlying demand in some markets. 2. Good increase in worldwide engagement jewelry sales. 3. Growth in gold and silver fashion jewelry. 1. Helped by success of Co.’s new Keys Collection, which is enjoying stellar start at all price points. 4. Improving performance in some other existing collections, including: 1. Return to Tiffany. 2. Metro. 3. Tiffany Notes. 4. Collection of gold and silver charms. 5. High-end statement jewelry sales continued to decline albeit at a lesser rate than earlier in year, due entirely to decline in pieces sold and not in avg. priced. 6. Sales of main designer jewelry, down. 7. Watch sales declined. 1. Rose in Oct. 2. Some exciting new designs, launched in US stores.

S2. 3Q09 Financials (J.F.) 1. Highlights: 1. GM declined 1.5 points to 54.8%. 1. Precious metal costs exhibited extreme price volatility over past two years as Co. expected headwinds encountered in past few quarters from higher product costs tied to slow rate of inventory turnover continued to affect margin but to lesser extent. 2. Expects some benefit from lower product cost in 1H of next year. 3. For current year, expects GM to decline more than 1 point from prior year. 2. Seeing rough diamond prices increase in recent months attributed to curtailed mining production earlier in year that helped to reduce supply relative to short-term demand weakness. 1. Over long-term, high quality diamond prices will rise as increasing global demand exceeds supply. 3. SG&A expenses declined 2%. 1. Smaller decline than in 1H09. 2. Pretty much as expected. 3. 7% decline in 3Q08 resulted from reversing YTD accruals at that time for lower anticipated management incentive compensation due to dramatic business slowdown. 4. Continues to track in line with substantial expected savings from staffing reductions made at start of year. 5. Reduced marketing spending this year. 1. Believes level of advertising and allocation by market is appropriate to support objective to increase market share. 6. With quarterly sales virtually equal to prior year, has minimal variable cost savings. 7. Recorded in SG&A expenses $4m charge or $0.03 per diluted share after tax for terminating management agreement after Co. brought out some minority interest in connection with diamond sourcing and polishing operations in South Africa and Botswana. 8. Expects to decline by mid-single digit percentage for full-year from last year’s SG&A that excluded various one-time items. 4. Based on aforementioned better-than-expected results, full-year operating margin from continuing operations should decline from adjusted 17.8% last year that excluded some one-time items. 1. Decline should be less than previously thought. 2. In year filled with macro challenges, performance should point to long-term potential for margin expansion. 5. Interest and other expenses, net, $11m. 1. Lower than last year. 2. Bit lower than expected. 3. Last year included: 1. Write-off of interest rate swap. 2. Some FX transaction losses. 4. Excluding aforementioned items, higher interest expense vs. last year reflected long-term debt issued over past year. 5. Expects to total about $48m for full-year. 6. Effective income tax rate, 22% vs. 32.1% last year. 1. Lower than initially planned. 2. Not included in earnings guidance from three months ago due to favorable reserve adjustments tied to exploration of certain statutory periods. 3. Benefited EPS by $0.04 per diluted share. 4. Expects to be approx. 31% for full-year, including various one-time tax benefits. 7. Net earnings from continuing operations, $43.3m or $0.34 per diluted share. 1. Slightly below $0.36 per diluted share last year. 2. Meaningfully above plan due to higher-than-expected sales. 2. Guidance: 1. Good start to 4Q09. 1. Nov. to-date worldwide sales tracking favorably to expectations. 2. Calls for mid-single digit sales increase. 3. Dec. results, most important. 2. Expects 8% decline in annual worldwide sales vs. previously expected 10% decline, based on: 1. Better-than-expected sales in 3Q09. 2. Some fine-tuning of 4Q09 sales expectations in certain markets. 3. Raising annual EPS guidance from most recent $1.65-1.75 to new range of $1.88-1.98. 1. New range includes benefits [and costs from recording] various one-time items. 3. Balance Sheet: 1. Continued to invest in business this year. 1. Has financial strength to comfortably do so. 2. AR at 10/31/09, 8% below last year due to lower sales volume. 1. Turning at 18 times per year. 3. Net inventories at 10/31/09, in good shape, down: 1. 6% from year-ago. 2. 4% from start of FY. 3. Meeting objective to reduce inventories this year by single-digit percentage while maintaining high levels of in-store product availability that Co. believes is competitive advantage especially in this environment. 4. YTD CapEx, $47m. 1. Down $109m last year due to fewer store opening and other cost containment. 2. Expects full-year CapEx of about $85m. 5. 3Q09-end cash and cash equivalents, $375m. 1. Up from $160m year-ago. 6. Total short-term and long-term debt, $753m vs. $821m last year. 7. Expects to generate in excess of $450m of full-year free cash flow. 1. Defined as cash flow from operating activities less CapEx. 4. Summary: 1. Performed remarkably well this year despite dramatic downturn in consumer spending by: 1. Taking steps necessary to ensure healthy levels of profitability and liquidity. 2. Investing in business. 3. Not compromising brand principles.

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From Tiffany to De Beers, a new look in diamond jewelry is on the rise: uncut diamonds that to the untrained eye can look more like gravel than gems.

Known as rough diamonds, these are the stones in their natural state, before they’ve been cut with the facets that give diamonds the sparkle, brilliance and clarity they are known for. In colors from milky white to yellow, green and brown, the large, uneven stones often have a cloudy appearance.

For jewelers, these stones have another appealing quality: The wholesale cost of uncut diamonds is far below that of cut and polished gems. Yet some customers are proving willing to pay tens of thousands of dollars for them.

At De Beers’s three U.S. stores, which started offering rough- diamond jewelry two years ago, one of every five pieces sold now features rough diamonds. A $45,000 rough-diamond necklace is displayed prominently in the window of the company’s Fifth Avenue store in New York. Meanwhile, Bergdorf Goodman added rough diamonds to its jewelry selection last September. Retail prices for rough-diamond jewelry vary considerably, from $600 for a small uncut diamond set in a stainless steel ring at De Beers to $750,000 one-of-a-kind necklace of pearls and rough diamonds by Frank Gehry at Tiffany.

But because some of the usual key standards for assessing a diamond’s value, such as cut and clarity, don’t apply to uncut stones, it can be tough for consumers to evaluate pricing. “It’s pretty much a blind purchase for consumers,” says Tom Moses, a senior vice president at Gemological Institute of America, which set the widely used “4C” standards (cut, color, carat and clarity) for cut diamonds. The institute doesn’t have a system for evaluating uncut diamonds.

Diamonds have long been marketed for their timeless style in the world of luxury goods. But in a time of quickening fashion cycles and a craving for the new and different, even the diamond industry has begun looking for novel products. In recent years, colored diamonds, in shades like yellow and pink, have become more popular.

Industry observers say the uncut diamonds are being marketed to a subset of customers who increasingly want things that are both exclusive and subtle, conveying status only to people in the know. “Luxury consumers are maturing “beyond the ‘look at me’ phase,” says Milton Pedraza, chief executive of the Luxury Institute, a market- research firm. The rough stones also tap into the current popularity of all things natural in the fashion market.

“It’s a fashion twist on diamonds,” says Lisa Kazor, senior vice president of precious jewelry at Neiman Marcus, likening the trend to black diamonds, which first appeared on the market eight years ago.

Many rough-cut diamonds used in jewelry are unsuitable for cutting because of their shape or flaws in the stone. In some cases, a potentially cuttable rough stone is selected for a piece of jewelry because it has an unusual shape in its uncut form. Generally, however, experts wouldn’t advise consumers to consider cutting into a rough diamond they’ve bought in a piece of jewelry: The odds of finding a valuable cut diamond inside are fairly low.

Rough diamonds still represent only a tiny portion of the market for diamond jewelry. Last year, consumers around the world spent $68 billion on diamond jewelry, says Ken Gassman, president of the Jewelry Industry Research Institute. He estimates that sales of jewelry made with rough diamonds amounted to a few hundred million dollars at most.

Among major diamond retailers, De Beers was an early promoter of rough diamonds. Two years ago, the company launched its Talisman collection, a line of jewelry featuring uncut diamonds, sometimes mixed with polished stones. The company says its Talisman pieces, which range in price from $400 to $700,000, are among its top sellers.

The rise of a company called Diamond in the Rough reflects the growing popularity of uncut diamonds. Four years ago, the company began selling rough-diamond jewelry pieces online at prices of $500 to $1,200. But sales took off last year when the company decided to relaunch with new jewelry designs using bigger stones — at higher prices. It showed its new collection at a jewelry trade show in Las Vegas last year, where it attracted significant attention from retailers, according to Anjanette Clisura, the company’s president. Now the company’s pieces, which only use diamonds of five carats or more, sell at Bergdorf Goodman and Neiman Marcus for prices starting at $5,000 and averaging about $35,000. Diamond in the Rough expects sales this year to double to $5 million.

The profit-margin advantage can be substantial for jewelers. Jewelers pay about $8,000 for a high-quality one-carat polished white diamond, according to Ronnie Friedman, president of the Diamond Manufacturers and Importers Association of the U.S. Prices vary much more for rough diamonds on the wholesale market, with some selling for as little as $50 a carat and others costing several thousand dollars per carat, depending on the color and quality, experts say. Retail prices for rough diamonds also vary, but for a sense of the cost relative to cut diamonds, consider a 5-carat rough diamond set in a white-gold ring with pave diamond accents by Diamond in the Rough, which sells for $33,000. Under the industry rule of thumb, a rough diamond of that size could be expected to yield a cut diamond of half its weight — about 2.5 carats, which in a ring would retail for an average of $40,000. A fairly high-quality, 5-carat cut diamond could cost $160,000 or more.

Designers say the high price tags are justified by the uniqueness of the stones and the designs. Uncut diamonds are also often adorned with smaller polished ones for contrast and extra sparkle.

Some shoppers say they’re willing to pay more for jewelry that looks unusual. Penny Waller, an artist in California, says she recently spent $15,000 on three rough diamond rings from designer Todd Reed. “There is a little magic” in a stone that is “untouched, in its natural state,” she says.

Indulge your senses Valentine’s Day while supporting a local charity.

A wine and chocolate tour in the Yakima Valley will leave at 10 a.m. Valentine’s Day gift from AmeriChoice Home Loans at 1455 Columbia Park Trail in Richland.

Profits from the $20 fee will go to Habitat for Humanity.

Lunch, desserts and mimosas will be served on the chauffeured tour.

The two buses, one of which is full, will return at 5 p.m.

For more information and to RSVP call 735-6603.

– Ingrid Stegemoeller: 582-1537; istegemoeller@tricityherald.com; Business Beat blog at www.tricityherald.com

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Stay updated with the latest news from the Tri-valentines pendants City Herald with an RSS feed: http://www.tri-cityherald.com/1309/story/97842.html

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Fill out my Wufoo form!

– Ingrid Stegemoeller: 582-1537; istegemoeller@tricityherald.com; Business Beat blog at www.tricityherald.com

Credit: Tri-City Herald, Kennewick, Wash.

Hear that tap-tap-tapping at your front door? That’s Cupid reminding you that Valentine’s Day is tomorrow.

Hopefully, your plans for the evening have already been made.

But just in case, Tucson’s arts community has a few performances in store:

Ballet Tucson

Ballet Tucson is transforming its annual Roots of Choreography show into a tiffany and co V-Day extravaganza this year.

The series, dubbed “Ballet Tucson ROCS III: Dances From the Heart” this year, is meant to showcase works created by company members and artists around Tucson.

The program will feature choreography by Amy Barr-Holm for members of the Thom Lewis Dance Company and by Ashley Bowman, a Ballet Tucson alumna earning her master’s in choreography from the University of Arizona. The evening will also include a performance by Pacific Northwest Ballet dancers Margaret Mullin and Andrew Bartee.

Patrons will be treated to champagne, chocolate and a chance to win jewelry for their significant other.

The event is at the intimate Temple of Music and Art, 330 S. Scott Ave. Tickets are $25, with discounts available. 903-1445.

Zuzi Dance Company

Modern-movement fans can catch Zuzi Dance Company’s youth night edition of its “Gotta Have pendants HeART! No Frills Dance Happenin’” on Saturday.

The evening, which may or may not sound at all romantic, will include performances by the hip-hop club from University High School, El Graves from the Human Project, acro yoga, belly dancers and the Utterback Middle School dance team. This in addition to performances by Zuzi company members and its “Many Limbs” youth aerial troupe.

Zuzi will host its adult choreographers showcase tonight at 7:30. The evening will feature works by The Human Project, Mirasol, The Movement Salon, Elizabeth Breck and Carie Schneider.

Saturday’s performance also begins at 7:30 p.m. Tickets for either show are $10. 629-0237.

Tucson Jazz Society

If music is more your thing, the Tucson Jazz Society is hosting smooth-jazz sax players Marion Meadows and Jessy J at the Loews Ventana Canyon Resort, 7000 N. Resort Drive.

Meadows lives in Phoenix, so it is not uncommon to see him playing Tucson. Jessy J, on the earrings other hand, brings a new flavor to the Old Pueblo.

Jessy grew up in California with a deep admiration for artists such as John Coltrane and Cannonball Adderley. She went to USC and earned a degree in jazz studies as well as the title of Most Outstanding Jazz Student in her class.

Her official career as an artist began on Valentine’s Day three years ago when she performed as part of guitarist Paul Brown’s band at a festival in Fresno.

Jessy has performed and recorded with the likes of Michael Buble, The Temptations and Jessica Simpson, as well as Mexican artists Gloria Trevi and Armando Manzanero.

Doors for the show open at 8 p.m. Tickets are $35, with discounts and specials available, through the Tucson Jazz Society, 903-1265.

Contact reporter Gerald M. Gay at 573-4137 or ggay@azstarnet.com.

Northwest Missouri State University issued the following news release:

Conference rivals Northwest Missouri State and Missouri Western square off in a tiffany jewelry Valentine’s Day tussle Saturday at MWSU Fieldhouse in St. Joseph, Mo. Tip is 7:30 p.m.

The Griffons (11-12, 8-8 MIAA) can clinch their first MIAA tournament berth since 2006 with a win on their home court and ultimately sweep the Bearcats (10-12, 5-10) for the first time in 10 years. Missouri Western was 1-11 against Northwest since 2002 prior to a 66-63 win in Maryville back on Jan. 7.

It’s nearly a must-win for Northwest, which currently stands one game behind Missouri Southern and 2.5 games behind the Griffons for the eighth and final spot in the tournament. The Bearcats next two opponents hold a combined record of 17-29 (.370). Their final three boast a mark of 54-15 (.783).

Northwest has just one road win this season, that being a 72-63 decision against lowly Truman on pendants Jan. 10. The Bearcats are averaging 11 fewer points and shooting 11 percentage points lower in true road games.

Northwest is coming off a 75-72 home win against Pittsburg State last Saturday and has had a week to prepare for the Griffons due to the mid-week bye. Missouri Western, meanwhile, got just one point from leading scorer Dominique Thuston, but pulled out an 83-77 win on the road at Nebraska-Omaha Wednesday. Marcus Rhodes and Lonnel Johnson combined to score 44 points.

Rhodes had a team-high 17 points in the first meeting between Missouri Western and Northwest. The Griffons saw a 10-point, second-half lead dissolve down the stretch, but held the Bearcats scoreless in the final 97 seconds to earn the win.

Mike Larsen scored 15 points to lead Northwest against Missouri Western. Elijah Allen added 14 and earrings Hunter Henry finished with 12 points and 10 boards.

Henry, the MIAA’s top rebounder, has averaged 18.7 points and 9.3 rebounds in road games this season. He became the second player in program history with 1,500 career points and 750 career rebounds during last weekend’s win against Pittsburg State.For more information about US Fed News contract awards please contact: Sarabjit Jagirdar, US Fed News, Email:- htsyndication@hindustantimes.com.

After over 200 appearances in major television shows and Hollywood films, actor Kavi Raz is changing direction with ‘The Gold Bracelet,’ his first major directorial debut.

The film is about a Sikh man faced with the post 9/11 realities.

Raz arrived in Hollywood in the mid-seventies in pursuit of a career as an actor, tiffany jewelry an unheard of venture at a time when roles for South Asian actors in Hollywood television shows and films were limited. “People, especially friends and relatives scoffed at the idea of my becoming an actor. They thought it was a passing fancy and would soon be over. But no, I had a dream and take what it may I journeyed on to make my dream a reality,” Raz reminisces.

Raz’s perseverance paved the path and opened doors for many others to follow when he became the first ever South Asian actor to be signed on as a regular in a major television series ‘St. Elsewhere,’ an award winning show that appeared on NBC in the early-eighties. Standing out among the other cast members for his looks and talent, Raz became very popular with the viewers. That landmark appearance opened the doors to Hollywood for many others.

It also led to appearances on other shows such as ‘The A Team,’ ‘Hardcastle and McCormick,’ ‘Hunter,’ ‘Mash’ and many others. Raz starred in the feature films — ‘Night Train to Katmandu,’ ‘Warning Signs,’ ‘Terror Squad,’ — among others.

When Raz first arrived in Hollywood, he took a very pragmatic approach to acting, enrolling at The Lee Strasberg Institute where he embellished himself in the love of his life for four years, training with some of the finest acting coaches in the world.

In line with that training and hard work, Raz furthered his education at UCLA and CSULA, money clips pursuing his post-graduate studies in theater.

In the late 70s, he started a professional theater company, naming it The Wandering Players Theater Company. A befitting name for a company that staged plays throughout Southern California.

The company staged several world and U.S. premieres of plays from India. The works of Rabindranath Tagore were exposed to Western audiences for the first time as well as plays like Sakharam Binder and Shakuntla.

It was the first professional South Asian theatre company in the U.S.

Presently, Raz is busy on all fronts of the film industry, writing, producing, directing and acting.

He recently wrapped playing the lead role in ‘Big River,’ a feature film that was shot in the pendants deserts of Arizona.

Raz will be seen in Albert Brook’s yet untitled film released later this year by Warner Brothers. He is also busy in completion of ‘Rising Shores’ a feature film that he recently shot and is in the midst of casting his next venture ‘Saints No Angels,’ shooting in Arizona.

Article copyright News India-Times.

Photograph (Kavi Raz)

The Salvation Army held its “Big Ring” event Tuesday, officially starting the tiffany jewellery bell ringing request for donations that goes along with the holiday season.

Officials were hoping to raise $12,000 in just 12 hours, with multiple kettles stationed around the Valley Dairy at North Washington Street and University Avenue. The goal of the kettle drive, which goes until Christmas, is to raise $106,000, plus an additional $154,000 in mail and online donations.

Salvation Army Maj. Ed Wilson said volunteers began ringing bells last week, but Tuesday’s event was the official start. “This is really where we get the fundraising going,” he said. “We always look forward to this event because it really does get people excited for the season.”

The snowy weather Tuesday was maybe even a boost to the event because “people are feeling more Christmas-y,” Wilson said.

A big attraction

This year’s “Big Ring” became somewhat of a tourist trap Tuesday with the addition of “Big Sal,” money clips the world’s largest kettle, on loan from Salvation Army offices in the Twin Cities. The 8-foot-by 8-foot kettle is similar in some ways to towns that boast of having the world’s largest bass or largest buffalo, Wilson said.

Weighing more than a ton, “Big Sal” was an eye-catching sight in the Valley Dairy parking lot. He said he got a lot of curious looks from UND students as he drove it down University Avenue early Monday morning after picking it up in Minneapolis.

The kettle will make its rounds around North Dakota and Minnesota the next few weeks.

Wilson said the holiday charity drive is the Salvation Army’s major campaign. “One-third of our budget is raised in a very short six weeks,” he said.

That money is important because of the programs it provides to people in Grand Forks, East Grand Forks and all of Grand Forks County, Wilson said. The Salvation Army offers housing assistance, prescription medicine assistance and youth programs, and also runs a food shelf.

But many in the area associate the Salvation Army with the organization’s emergency disaster assistance, especially important during spring flooding along the Red River Valley.

New this year

Donors may notice a few changes this year — including the switch from metal to plastic kettles, which are designed pendants more securely and make it harder for people to grab a few bills out of the kettle.

And donating will be easier this year, with the addition of $1 “paper kettles” for purchase at local businesses. There are 22 local bell ringing sites this year, more than in the past, with new additions including L&M Meats and all Hugo’s locations. The previous locations will still be involved, including the Columbia Mall, Wal-Mart and Grand Cities Mall.

Some kettles in other parts of the country can even accept credit cards, but those are just on a trial basis and Grand Forks isn’t yet participating, Wilson said. But donors can still give cash, coins and checks at the local kettles, or can donate online by visiting www.thesalarmy.org and following instructions to designate the gift to the Grand Forks Salvation Army.

Wilson said the poor economy has made it harder than ever to get donations. “It’s going to be tough,” he said. “Some of our donors aren’t giving as much as they did last year.”

In fact, many donors only gave 50 percent of the amount they had donated in the past, he added. Still, Wilson seemed earrings optimistic his organization would be able to raise its $260,000 total goal before Christmas.

He’s spent 25 years with the Salvation Army, including about 18 months now in Grand Forks, but didn’t have to think twice when asked if he is sick of listening to the bell ringing each year.

“Never,” Wilson said. “When I hear the bell, it really is ringing in the sound of hope.”

Reach Johnson at (701) 780-1105; (800) 477-6572, ext. 105; or send e-mail to rjohnson@gfherald.com.

Louisiana State University issued the following news release:

The sights, sounds and all the 19th century trimmings of Christmas time in the country come alive during buy tiffany the annual LSU Rural Life Museum’s “A Rural Life Christmas” on Sunday, Dec. 6, from 8:30 a.m. until 6 p.m.

Guest can relive memories of an old-fashioned Christmas, while experiencing seasonal activities that are traditional to south Louisiana. Smell the freshly cut greenery and what’s cooking in the period open-hearth kitchen. Candlelight and cypress wreaths will adorn each building to add to the old-fashioned Louisiana Christmas atmosphere.

Costumed re-enactors and artisans will perform various activities including candle making, soap making by Julia Hooker, blacksmithing by Karl Nettles, rosary crafting by Elaine Bourque, textiles by Linda Hall, doll making by Monique Metrailer and much more.

Nineteenth century yard games and storytelling by local professionals will continue throughout the day. Wagon rides tiffany pendants will be offered for everyone to enjoy. The day’s festivities will conclude with a traditional bonfire, as it lights the way for Papa Noel’s annual visit with the kids.

For Christmas shopping, the museum’s gift shop will feature an assortment of traditional, handcrafted Louisiana pieces. This year, tickets to the annual Zapp’s Beerfest will be made available for purchase to go into those Christmas stockings.

Jambalaya and gumbo dinners will be available for purchase and hot apple cider will be served to visitors. Tickets may be purchased on the day of the event. Admission is $7 per person, and children 10 years old and younger are admitted for free.

The event will be held at the Rural Life Museum at 4650 Essen Lane in Baton Rouge. For information, call 225-765-2437.For tiffany earrings more information please contact: Sarabjit Jagirdar, Email:- htsyndication@hindustantimes.com.

Melissa Foley, 225/578-3869.

The L & L’s BBQ in Refugio will jingle the town into the holiday tiffany and co season with a Christmas Extravaganza on Saturday.

The 2,500 square-foot restaurant will house at least 10 local vendors who will showcase and sell their jewelry, crafts and other merchandise, said Lenny Anzaldua, restaurant owner.

“We just want to get through the day and prove that it can be done,” Anzaldua said.

Anzaldua, his manager Sharon Lowrance, and Juanita Freudiger, the silver money clips owner of the Gifts of J 4, came up with the idea in early November, he said.

The Chamber of Commerce and Go Texan have sponsored the event by name only, he added.

Hopes are that those sponsorships will provide for a bigger and better event next year, Anzaldua said.

Food will be available as well as wine tasting, free wine silver pendants glasses and door prizes awarded every 30 minutes.

The extravaganza is still accepting vendors interested in signing up.

There is no fee. The only charge is that the business bring a door prize.

“If those go well, we will probably find a bigger venue,”silver earrings Anzaldua said.

Daniel Mcstay, Aidan Nolan, Gordon Shiach and Sean Mcavoy, all from tiffany jewelry Great Britain and Espen Rokke, Norway, have developed a method and apparatus for christmas tree condition monitoring.

The patent has been assigned to FMC Technologies Inc., Gears Road Houston, Texas.

According to an abstract posted by the World Intellectual Property Organization: “A method silver money clips for monitoring a Christmas tree assembly installed on a subsea hydrocarbon well includes receiving a plurality of parameters associated with the Christmas tree assembly. A health metric for the Christmas tree assembly is determined based on the parameters. A problem condition with the Christmas tree assembly is identified based on the determined health metric.”

The invention carries International Patent Publication No. WO/2009/136950 on Nov. 12.

The original patent was filed in United States of America under application No. silver pendants PCT/US2008/063501 on May 13, 2008