mkp04162010

CAPITAL 2 FRIDAY, APRIL 16, 2010 MARKET PRESS

Tax deadline gets noisy response from protesters Publisher

Mike Starn

Advertising Director

Lynn Wagner

Editor

Howard Hayes

Contributing Writers

Ken Carpenter Tom Blount

Edited by The High Point Enterprise Editorial Department Serving the High Point Market since 1980 210 Church Ave., High Point, N.C. 27262

336.888.3599

a publication of

President reports $5.5 million income

WASHINGTON (AP) – Thanks to revived book sales after he became president, Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle, made $5.5 million last year. They paid about one-third of it in federal income taxes.

The Obamas gave

$329,100 to charities in 2009. The president, who released his tax returns Thursday, also donated his entire $1.4 million Nobel Peace Prize award to 10 charitable groups. He never received the $1.4 million.

Obama, a former law school instructor and U.S. senator, became a millionaire a few years ago through sales of his 1995 memoir “Dreams From My Father” and his 2006 political book, “The Audacity of Hope.”

WASHINGTON (AP) – Tea party protesters marked tax day Thursday with exhortations against “gangster government” and appeals from Republicans seeking their grassroots clout in November elections, a prospect both tempting and troubling to those in the loose movement.

Several thousand rallied in Washington’s Freedom Plaza in the shadow of the Ronald Reagan office building, capping a national protest tour launched in the dust of Nevada and finishing in the capital that inspires tea party discontent like no other place. Allied activists demonstrated from Maine to Hawaii in smaller groups, all joined in disdain for government spending and – on the April 15 federal tax filing deadline – what they see

AP

Tea Party demonstrators gather at Freedom Plaza in Washington on Thursday. as the Washington tax grab.

The rally in brilliant sunshine was spirited but

modest in size, lacking the star power of tea party favorite Sarah Palin, who roused the masses at ear-

Feds upgrade product warning notification

WASHINGTON (AP) – When a consumer claims an injury or cites a potential hazard from a baby stroller or some other product, the government wants you to know about it.

And, in about a year, you will.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission voted 3-2 on Thursday to begin hammering out the specifics for a searchable database, SaferProducts.gov, that will cover thousands of products from cribs to power tools to air fresheners. The cost is estimated at $20 million and pro-

vides for a major technology upgrade at the commission.

Congress called for the database as part of a product safety law in 2008 that followed scores of lead-tainted toy recalls. The database is scheduled to go online in March.

Manufacturers – and the commission’s two Republicans – have raised questions about what could end up on the Web site.

“Our primary concern is that information might be provided to the public which is not accurate or which might even be malicious,”

said Carter Keithley, president of the Toy Industry Association, which represents more than 530 toy manufacturers and importers. “The damage that could be done to a company’s reputation and sales could be irreparable.”

Advocates stress the importance of a new tool for people to use when buying products for their families.

“Consumers will no longer be operating in the dark,” said Rachel Weintraub, director of product safety and senior counsel at the Consumer Fed-

eration of America. “The database will provide consumers with critical information that is not currently available.”

CPSC’s Web site at present allows a person to search its recall section for toys, clothing and other products that have already been taken off store shelves for safety reasons.

With the new database, people would be able to see complaints of injuries or potential harm that are filed to the commission by consumers, safety groups, health care professionals and others.

Index ADVICE BRIDGE BUSINESS CROSSWORD MARKET NEWS SEMINAR CALENDAR SOCIAL CALENDAR SPORTS WORLD

19 16 4 16 10-11 9-15 8-9 17-18 4

Regions CAPITAL MIDWEST NORTHEAST SOUTH WEST

2 6 6 3 3

WEST, SOUTH MARKET PRESS FRIDAY, APRIL 16, 2010

Immigration agents raid Arizona shuttles

PHOENIX (AP) – Federal immigration agents raided van shuttle operators in Phoenix and other Arizona cities Thursday in a massive investigation into smuggling of illegal immigrants.

Dozens of agents – some wearing black hoods over their faces – swarmed two shuttle businesses in a strip mall in a heavily Latino neighborhood of Phoenix just west of the state Capitol Thursday morning.

One of the businesses, Sergio’s Shuttle, advertises van shuttle services from northern Mexico to cities in Arizona, New Mexico, California, Nevada, Oregon and Washington.

In Nogales, a southern Arizona border town, witnesses told the Nogales

AP

Federal immigration agents stand outside Sergio’s Shuttle Thursday in Phoenix. The van shuttle service offers transportation from northern Mexico to cities in Arizona, New Mexico, California, Nevada, Oregon and Washington.

International they saw helicopters and federal agents swarming sites downtown. They converged around 8 a.m. on

the Union Transportes de Nogales, which houses several shuttle companies and a money-changing house.

Tea Party groups rally at state capitol RALEIGH (AP) – A year after the nationwide protests that launched a movement, Tea Party groups are rallying again.

Organizers of North Carolina groups affiliated with the movement are hoping for thousands of demonstrators to rally on Thursday at the state capitol.

The Raleigh event could be the largest of at least 20 similar demonstrations planned around the state, to coincide with the deadline to file income tax returns.

Recently, some of the groups in the movement

>ck^iZh ndj id _d^c jh [dg

victed in state court but appealed and was acquitted in a second trial.

He couldn’t be tried in state court again, so prosecutors brought the case to the Army after testing linked Hennis’ DNA to the crimes.

Hennis had retired but was forced back into service to face the charges.

Great Mediterranean Cuisine!

Large selection of wines from Spain, Greece, Italy, France, Oregon, Washington State, Napa Valley and more.

Directions: Take North Main St to 311 North. Take exit 63, then right at top of exit onto Rt.66 Follow 66 into town.

Travel 7.4 miles. Turn left onto N. Main St. Travel .3 miles. Bistro B is on the right in Shoppes on Main, Unit G.

DE6 336-310.4822 Shoppe’s on Main

, &8@E ,K a .E@K Kernersville, NC 27284 !FLIJ & )& a ,LE ,8K www.thebistrob.com

Patio Dining Available

536660

FORT BRAGG (AP) – A military jury has sentenced a soldier to die for the murders of a North Carolina mother and her two children in 1985.

The sentence was handed down Thursday for 52-year-old Master Sgt. Timothy Hennis. Hennis will be reviewed by a commanding officer and automatically appealed.

The 14-person military jury took less than three hours last week to convict Hennis of the premeditated murders of Kathryn AP Eastburn and her young Master Sgt. Timothy Hennis and his wife Angela Hennis daughters in their Faywalk to the Fort Bragg courthouse for his murder trial etteville home. last week. A military jury sentenced Hennis to death.

Hennis was first con-

have been moving from protest to participation, scheduling candidate forums and making plans to run for election.

FURNITURE MARKET BUILDING Have a great presence at market!

Nearby, agents surrounded a duplex with a shuttle van parked in front. There were also reports of raids in Tucson

Soldier gets death penalty for slayings

3

FOR LEASE OR SALE

Separate building, 1 block from main building at 110 N. Wrenn St. 2 stories, approx.

12,700 sq ft. Modern and beautifully decorated.

1 block from Main St. near Showplace.

Subdivided for less space.

IDEAL LOCATION

A giveaway rental at $3.85 per sq ft.

Warehouse, ofďŹ ce space or vacant land in Thomasville.

Please call or come by Gordon’s Furniture

Henry Shavitz Realty

336-472-7066

336-882-8111

WORLD, BUSINESS

4 FRIDAY, APRIL 16, 2010 MARKET PRESS

Philip Morris, RJR make settlement payments

BRIEFS

---

Powerful bombings rock Afghan city

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan – Two powerful bombings rocked the southern Afghan city of Kandahar on Thursday, killing three foreigners and three Afghan soldiers, according to President Hamid Karzai’s half brother. Meanwhile, four German soldiers were killed in fighting in the north. NATO forces are gearing up for a major operation this summer.

Kyrgyzstan’s deposed president leaves

OSH, Kyrgyzstan – The deposed president of Kyrgyzstan left the country Thursday for neighboring Kazakhstan, allaying fears of a civil war in the Central Asian nation, which hosts a key U.S. military base supporting the war in Afghanistan.

The presidents of the United States, Russia and Kazakhstan helped arrange for Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev to leave the country.

Bombs kill 9 at Myanmar festival

YANGON, Myanmar – Three bomb blasts at a holiday festival killed nine people in Myanmar’s biggest city on Thursday, the deadliest attack in five years in the country ruled by an ironfisted regime.

No indication was given as to who was behind the blasts, which occurred at about 3 p.m.

NEWS SERVICE REPORTS

AP

A woman prays in a church near the Polish Presidential Palace in Warsaw on Thursday.

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) – The nation’s top two cigarette companies said Thursday they have made their payments as part of an agreement in which some cigarette makers are paying the states for smoking-related health care costs.

Philip Morris USA, which is the nation’s largest cigarette maker and is owned by Altria Group Inc., said that it made its full annual payment of about $3.6 billion as part of the 1998 Master Settlement Agreement, including an unspecified portion it says it doesn’t owe.

The Richmond-based

maker of Marlboro, Virginia Slims and Parliament cigarettes said it will try to get back that portion of the payment through negotiations or arbitration. Philip Morris continues to work “in good faith” to resolve the disputed amounts, said Denise Keane, executive vice president and general counsel for Altria.

R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. – which is the nation’s second-largest cigarette maker and is owned by Reynolds American Inc. – has paid nearly $2 billion for this year. The maker of Camel, Pall Mall, Kool and other brands, based

in Winston-Salem, N.C., deposited the portion it disputes – $448 million – into a separate account, as allowed under the settlement.

Lorillard Inc., the nation’s third-biggest cigarette maker, based in Greensboro, N.C., did not immediately return a call for comment on its payments.

As part of the landmark settlement to reimburse states for smoking-related health care costs, tobacco companies agreed to make about $206 billion in payments over more than two decades.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) – American Electric Power Co. Inc., one of the nation’s largest power generators, will trim its work force by as much as 10 percent and take other cost-saving steps to cope with sluggish demand.

The utility is hoping between 1,000 and 2,000 of its nearly 22,000 employees will accept buyout offers, spokeswoman Melissa McHenry said Thursday.

It also will look at cutting operations and maintenance costs.

If the utility does not get enough volunteers or achieve the necessary cuts through other measures, they may have to

look at additional cuts, which could mean layoffs, she said.

In letter sent to employees on Wednesday, CEO Mike Morris said the measures are necessary to keep the company successful.

“We must realign our cost structure to the new economic realities we now face and find significant savings this year that are sustainable,” he stated.

Like other utilities, AEP struggled as power demand fell during the recession, particularly from industrial companies. Electricity consumption fell in 2008 and

2009, the first consecutive drop in 60 years.

Edward Jones analyst Paul Franzen said voluntary buyouts are becoming a trend in the industry as utilities cut costs to deal with weak demand.

Duke Energy Corp. said this week that about 900 employees have accepted voluntary buyouts under a cost-cutting program.

That’s about 10 percent of the workers eligible for the buyouts.

Dominion Resources, a Richmond, Va., utility, said Wednesday about 8 percent of its work force, or about 1,400 employees.

Body of exiled Polish leader returns American Electric to cut to Warsaw up to 10 percent of its workers WARSAW, Poland (AP) – Hundreds of Poles gathered in grief at Warsaw’s airport Thursday for two state ceremonies honoring 35 more victims of the plane crash in Russia, among them the last man who led Poland’s government in exile when the country was ruled by communists.

A military plane traveled from Russia with the body of Ryszard Kaczorowski, whose casket was draped in the white-and-red Polish flag, and laid out on the tarmac flanked by a saber-bearing honor guard. His widow and daughters, dressed in

black, wept at his coffin and kissed it.

Kaczorowski, who headed the exile government from London shortly before communism’s demise in Poland, was among the 96 people killed in a plane crash last Saturday in western Russia en route to ceremonies to honor Polish victims of the World War II Katyn massacres of Polish officers by the forerunner of the Soviet secret police. He was 90.

His body was driven in a black hearse to lie in state in Warsaw’s Belvedere palace until a funeral is held for him on Monday.

DISCOVER TIMELESS TREASURES

Caroline Faison Antiques

6428 Burnt Poplar Road Greensboro Phone: (336) 662-0544 www.triadantiques.com Hours of Operation: Monday thru Wednesday 10am - 6pm Thursday thru Saturday 10am - 8pm Sunday 1pm - 6pm Fine antiques and collectibles from over 150 dealers

òüô

530 South Elm Street (Downtown) Greensboro 336-389-9934 gary@julesantiques.com www.julesantiques.com

òüô

18th & 19th Century Furniture & Antiques Direct Importers 18 Battleground Ct., Greensboro 336-272-0261 Mon. - Sat. 10-5 or by appointment www.carolinefaisonantiques.com

òüô

Thomasville Emporium Antique Mall 12 Commerce Street Thomasville 336-472-6500 Free Parking Next to Water Tower Mon - Sat 10 til 6

330 N. Hamilton St O’Henry House, High Point 1316 Headquartes Drive, Greensboro 336-275-5056 www.PhilBarbkerAntiques.com

MIDWEST, NORTHEAST

6 FRIDAY, APRIL 16, 2010 MARKET PRESS

Imam dodges jail time in NYC subway-plot case NEW YORK (AP) – An Afghanistan-born imam linked to the suspects in an aborted suicide bomb plot against New York City subway stations has dodged jail time, but he must leave the country in 90 days.

Ahmad Afzali pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI in a deal sparing him serious jail time. He faced up to six months in prison.

In a tearful statement in Brooklyn federal court Thursday, he said he never intended to help the suspects.

Afzali said he didn’t know what country he would go to.

He was arrested in September as federal authorities scrambled to thwart a plot by Najibullah Zazi, a Colorado airport van driver.

MARKET VISITORS

Need A Doctor?

AP

This black and white photo from a rooftop Web cam released Thursday by the University of Wisconsin-Madison Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences shows a fireball as it passed over Madison, Wis., Wednesday night.

Soaring meteor lights up skies across the Midwest

MILWAUKEE (AP) – A large meteor streaked across the Midwestern sky momentarily turning night into day, rattling houses and causing trees and the ground to shake, authorities said Thursday. There were no immediate reports of injuries.

Witnesses say the meteor lit up the sky Wednesday about 10:10 p.m. National Weather Service offices across the Midwest say it was visible from southwestern Wisconsin and northern Iowa to central Missouri.

Radar information suggests the meteor landed in the southwest corner of Wisconsin, either Grant

or Lafayette counties, said Ashley Sears, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service’s Milwaukee office. Officials in both counties said no one has reported seeing a meteor or crater.

Lafayette County Sheriff Scott Pedley said his office received multiple reports of a very bright light in the sky followed by houses and the ground shaking.

“There were reports of four to five minutes of explosions or rumbling,” he said. He couldn’t say what the sound was but speculated it may have been a sonic boom if the meteor broke the sound barrier.

Sean Thompson was watching television in his Iowa City, Iowa, apartment when a bright light caught his eye. He saw the meteor for about 10 seconds before it disappeared.

“It was somewhat alarming to me,” Thompson said. “I’ve seen shooting stars, but I’ve never seen something jetting across the sky with flames shooting off it.”

Forecasters say the meteor was part of a meteor shower called Gamma Virginids, which began April 4. The shower is expected to last through April 21, with Thursday set to be the second straight day of peak activity.

Cornerstone Health Care

welcomes you to these practices for walk-in care Cornerstone Internal High Point Orthopaedic and Medicine at Westchester* Sports Medicine Cornerstone Health Care at Westchester

Fracture, Sprain and Sports Clinic

1814 Westchester Drive, Suite 301

High Point Medical Center

336 802-2025

611 Lindsay Street, Suite 100

Monday–Thursday 7 am to 7 pm Friday 7 am to 5 pm Saturday 8 am to 5 pm Sunday 11 am to 5 pm

Monday–Friday 1:30 pm to 8:30 pm

*patients 15 and older

Cornerstone Urgent Care Premier Medical Plaza 4515 Premier Drive, Suite 201

336 802-2222 Monday–Friday 11 am to 8 pm

336 802-BONE (2663)

Free Minor Medical Care

By Cornerstone Health Care Providers from The H.O.P. E. Unit Mobile Clinic South Wrenn Street (Behind the Best Western High Point) Saturday, April 17 through Wednesday, April 21–10 am to 5 pm Thursday, April 22–10 am to 1 pm

www.cornerstonehealth.com *(),)+

COMMENTARY MARKET PRESS FRIDAY, APRIL 16, 2010

7

High Point the is place for furniture H

igh Point always has been the place to be when shopping for the very latest home furnishings and trends. No other place on Earth could possibly offer the resources that can be found while exploring the many different showrooms and learning opportunities all around town.

This spring, experience High Point at its very North Carolina finest. You’ll return home with a wealth of knowledge and new products to let your customers know that you, too, are a “cut above.”

Time machine rewind

European casegoods manufacturer Jesper Office brings nostalgic design, integrated features and modern functionality to High Point this spring. Home and small office furniture never looked so good as the new Jesper Danish Modern 50. Beauty meets usefulness in this incredible new production.

Combining unique Danish classic styling with modern features, this innovative new collection adds a contemporary twist to nostalgic mid-century design. The timeless 50 is characterized by classic wood frame architecture, tapered legs and tongue and groove craftsmanship.

“Given the trend in more modern classic design,” said Joern Skarregaard, president and CEO of Jesper Office, “the company retrieved designs from its archives and began updating them with modern influences. After 75 years of producing furniture, it was clear we had what we needed to modernized one of the classics.”

Jesper’s revival of this popular 1950s Danish office design includes curvaceous executive and student desks, a top-sliding credenza, bookcases and matching desk accessories – organizers, file boxes, and waste baskets. The new pieces, created in teak and walnut, have been updated to accommodate modern day conveniences and technology. Features like wire management, sliding writing pad, laptop storage and an under desk CPU holder are just a few of these great new upgrades for the 2010’s and beyond.

“We’re updating ‘retro’ and making this collection very approachable,” said Skarregaard. “Different than most products on the market today, the Jesper Danish Modern 50 has that 1950’s ‘cool factor’ which is sure to appeal to Gen-Xers and the Boomer generation’s recollections of yesteryear.”

Take your own spin with retro this spring at 220 Elm, Space 324 in High Point.

Thayer Coggin continues a long-running tradition High Point’s own Thayer Coggin is a style book success story all it’s own.

And for one very good reason. Good taste and good style. The Coggin family has taken a family business and made HOW-TO it something that anyone would be proud of.

Ken New this spring, designs are not only Carpenter glamorous, but reflect discipline and re■■■ ality. Designer Ransom Culler has created “Hadley,” a new sofa, along with lounge chairs “Turn,” “Ten,” and “Meridian.” Showing for the first time with Thayer Coggin is designer Guy Hill, with his “Halfpipe” lounge chair. Stanley Jay Friedman designed the “Nicolo” sofa, previewing this market as well. “Never forget to make it beautiful, no matter how progressive your design may be.

That’s the essence of “Nicolo.”

The Thayer Coggin showroom is located at 230 South Road, just off English Road/National Highway.

Resource makes East Coast debut When Charlie Shaw and Ted Einstein founded Dovetail Furniture in 1992, they had a vision in mind. Turn an expertise in designing, manufacturing, and previous retail experience into a well-oiled home furnishings brand that is bringing all of this and more to High Point for the very first time.

After choosing Market Square for their new showroom location, the company spent several months renovating its new space to take advantage of the exposed brick walls and refurbished wood floors. These features made the perfect backdrop to showcase the company’s full range of handmade furniture, accessories and textiles that are sourced throughout the world.

The unique blend of furniture that will be shown at High Point Market continues Dovetail’s commitment to great designs at a perfect price. Whenever possible, Dovetail has utilized reclaimed materials and sustainable woods, both to help with the stewardship of resources and to create a natural, comfortable look and feel. The newly-developed upholstery collection features hand woven linens and beautiful velvets, chosen to perfectly complement the casual European elegance of its casegoods and occasional pieces.

Check out this blend of old world newness at Market Square G-81.

Joining forces increases product offerings Downtown High Point is not the only location to explore during the market. Three miles from downtown at 400 Mandustry St., Zaar Antiques has been building its brand of Chinese antiques for about six years. And as fate would provide, several industry friends have been invited to participate with Zaar this market.

Complimentary products of Chinese ceramic and porcelain reproductions are being offered by Vanderveer Imports at the Zaar showroom. Based out of Durham, N.C., Vanderveer will have items to purchase during the market.

Kat Burki will also be bringing custom upholstery and decorative pillows to the Zaar showroom mix.

Burki also has a line of bath and body products available for purchase at the showroom.

Rounding out the new partnership is Bellascenda. No stranger to High Point Markets, the flat panel tv furniture manfacturer has its special place within the Zaar showroom. This inspired vendor offers a line of television and flat screen lift furniture.

Visit this interesting showroom at 400 Mandustry St. in High Point via one of the convenient market transporation vehicles.

Head on over for headboards and more

Building on a tradition of sophisticated transitional, Highland House has created its first collection of upholstered headboards. Each of these new upholstered items has a soft-transitional appeal that is neither modern nor traditional, but somewhere in between. In addition, the company is showing eleven versatile occasional tables designed to complement both the new transitional upholstery and the company’s more traditional upholstery frames.

Great new tables with textured metal frames and distressed wood tops, chic antique-style leather trunk tables, and the ever popular turned-leg wood tables will be noticed prominently when visiting this great showroom. DO NOT miss the exciting geometric concept Highland has created in bunching tables. A great problem space solver, as well as terrific eye-appeal.

Highland House is located in High Point at Market Square Showroom 414. ken1@primarilyprimitive.com

CALENDAR 8 FRIDAY, APRIL 16, 2010 MARKET PRESS

SOCIAL EVENTS

---

FRIDAY

5-7 p.m. – Kick-Off Party, Showplace West, 100 High in the Courtyard 5:30-7:30 p.m. – Furniture/Today Marketwide Kick-off Party, IHFC, Commerce Avenue Lobby, complimentary cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, live music

SATURDAY-TUESDAY

8:30-10 a.m. – Complimentary Buyer lunches, gourmet coffee, fine wines and hors d’oeuvres served daily, 200 N. Hamilton, Emerson Et Cie, 110 S. Court, Champagne Breakfast 8:30-10 a.m. – Champagne Breakfast, 200 N. Hamilton, Courtyard 8:30-10 a.m. – Champagne Breakfast, 320 N. Hamilton, 320/330 in the Courtyard, Complimentary Buyers Breakfast 8:30-10 a.m. – Showplace, Atrium, Refreshments & Lunch Noon-2 p.m. – Complimentary Buyers Lunch, 220 ELM, Jesper Office, Space 324 Noon-2 p.m. – Complimentary Buyers Lunch, 220 ELM, Leif Petersen, Space 328, Complimentary Buyers Lunch Noon-2 p.m. – Complimentary Buyers Lunch, 220 ELM, Linon, Space 202, Complimentary Buyers Lunch Noon-2 p.m. – Complimentary Buyers Lunch, 220 ELM, Outer Limits, Space 311 4-5:30 p.m. – Wine and hors d’oeuvres, 200 N. Hamilton, Chelsea House, 104 S. Court 4-6 p.m. – Complimentary beer and wine, Plaza Suites, NHFA Retailer Resource Center, Plaza Suites, 1st Floor, Cham-

pagne, French wines and hors d’oeuvres 4:30-6 p.m. – Champagne, French wines and hors d’oeuvres, 200 N. Hamilton, The Elysee Collection, 108 S. Court 4:30-6 p.m. – Market Square & Suites Receptions, Market Square, Various locations throughout the Market Square Complex 4:30-7 p.m. – Wine and cheese, 320 N. Hamilton, Friedman Brothers Showroom, 1st Floor 4:30 -7 p.m. – Cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, 320 N. Hamilton, Payne Street/Breece Collection Showroom, Suite 200 5-7 p.m. – Cocktails, 220 ELM, Outer Limits, Space 311 5-6:30 p.m. – Complimentary Bar/Entertainment, Showplace Atrium 6-8 p.m. – Sunset on 3, Late Afternoon Social, Showplace 3rd floor balcony

SATURDAY 7-8 a.m. – IHFC, 11th Floor, Green Wing: Market Prayer Breakfast.

Kathy Ireland, CEO and chief designer of Kathy Ireland Worldwide, will share experiences from her recent relief work in Haiti. Admission: $25.

Reservations: Teresa Huffman of Culp at TAHuffman@culpo.com or (336) 889-5161. Online reservations at www. furniturefellowshipbreakfast.com.

11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

– 200 N. Hamilton, The Platt Collection, 218 S. Court, Complimentary Buyers Lunch 4-6 p.m. – InterHall Martini Parties, IHFC, InterHall 1st Floor 4-6 p.m. – Accessory

Floor Parties, IHFC, Accessory Floors 2, 3, 4, Complimentary Bars 4:30-6:30 – Grand Opening Party. Celebrate opening of completely remodeled Market Square complex with roving entertainers, themed reception and life music, Suites at Market Square.

5-7 p.m. – Cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, 200 Steele, John-Richard, 2nd floor 5-7 p.m. – Complimentary Dinner, 220 ELM, Leif Petersen, Space 328 6:30-8:30 p.m. – Market Block Party, Market Wide, Corner of West Commerce & Elm: Food, drinks, and live entertainment. Presented by 220 Elam, C&D, DecorRest, HomElegance, Market Square & Suites, Natuzzi, and High Point Market Authority. Sponsored by Furniture/Today and Home Accents Today.

7:30-9:30 p.m. – Stars Under The Stars, Market Wide, Main Event Tent

SUNDAY 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

– 200 N. Hamilton, The Platt Collection, 218 S. Court, Complimentary Buyers Lunch *** Sunday Uptown specials 4-5:30 p.m. – Wine and hors d’oeuvres, 200 N. Hamilton, Chelsea House, 104 South Court 4-7 p.m. – Hamilton Properties: 200 N. Hamilton, 200/320/330 N. Hamilton showrooms – wine, hors d’oeuvres, live entertainment 4-7 p.m. – Hamilton/ Wrenn, Showrooms in the Hamilton/Wrenn Design District, refresh-

ments, hors d’oeuvres, music, open late 5-7 p.m. – Cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, 200 Steele, John-Richard, 2nd floor 5-7 p.m. – Cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, 200 Steele, all showroom open late *** 4-6 p.m. – Pavilions Beach Parties, IHFC, Pavilions on Main 3, Complimentary Beer & Wine 5-7 p.m. – Designer/ Buyer Roundup: Wine & hors d’oeuvres, 200 Steele, Scott Thomas, Suite 136 Cocktails 5-7 p.m. – 220 ELM, Leif Petersen, Space 328, 220 Elm Blues Jam featuring the After Hours Blues Band 5-7 p.m. – 220 ELM, On the Plaza, Live music, complimentary beverages and appetizers, Complimentary Bar/Entertainment 5-8 p.m. – Cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, 200 Steele, Samuelson Furniture, Suite 135 7 p.m. – Amazed party.

Explore the “Ten Senses of Good Vibration” after hours with food, drinks and entertainment, Suites at Market Square, 1st (top) floor.

7:30-9:30 p.m. – Stars Under The Stars featuring BLUES TRAVELER, Market Wide, Main Event Tent

MONDAY 4-6 p.m. – InterHall Martini Parties, IHFC, InterHall 1st Floor 4-6 p.m. – Accessory Floor Parties, IHFC, Accessory Floors 2, 3, 4, Complimentary Bars 4-6 p.m. – Book signing

with Thomas O’Brien (“American Modern”), Market Square, Suites at Market Square and Safavieh host reception, Market Square Courtyard.

5-7 p.m. – Cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, 200 Steele, John-Richard, 2nd floor 5-9 p.m. – Cocktail Reception,200 Steele, Harden Furniture Suite 133 5-10 p.m. – Linon Market Party, 220 ELM, Linon, Space 202, Featuring Taverna Band.

Celebrate Linon’s 40th year in business.

5-7 p.m. – Market Party, 220 ELM, Jesper Office, Space 324, Enjoy Danish Specialties, beer and wine.

6-9 p.m. – Furniture Industry Awards Gala, IHFC, IHFC Green Wing, 11th Floor; Reservations: IHFRA (336) 889-3920 or NHFA (336) 801-6116 7:30-9:30 p.m. – Stars Under The Stars, Sister Hazel, Market Wide, Main Event Tent

TUESDAY 3-7 p.m. – 220 ELM, MAT the Basics, Showroom 304, Featuring Indian cuisine and beverages 4-6 p.m. – Accessory Floor Parties, IHFC, Accessory Floors 2, 3, 4, Complimentary Bars 4-6 p.m. – Pavilions Beach Parties, IHFC, Pavilions on Main 3.

Complimentary Beer & Wine 5-7 p.m. – Cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, 200 Steele, John-Richard, 2nd floor 5-7 p.m. – Complimentary Dinner, 220 ELM, Leif Petersen, Space 328,

Complimentary Bar/Entertainment 6-8 p.m. – IHFRA Market Social, IHFC, IHFC Green Wing, 11th Floor International Ballroom, Complimentary cocktails and hors d’oeuvres

WEDNESDAY 8:30-10 a.m. – Complimentary Buyer lunches, gourmet coffee, fine wines and hors d’oeuvres served daily, 200 N. Hamilton, Emerson Et Cie, 110 S. Court, Champagne Breakfast 8:30-10 a.m. – Champagne Breakfast, 200 N. Hamilton, Courtyard 8:30-10 a.m. – Champagne Breakfast, 320 N. Hamilton, 320/330 in the Courtyard, Complimentary Buyers Breakfast 8:30-10 a.m. – Showplace, Atrium, Refreshments & Lunch Noon-2 p.m. – Complimentary Buyers Lunch, 220 ELM, Leif Petersen, Space 328, Complimentary Buyers Lunch Noon-2 p.m. – Complimentary Buyers Lunch, 220 ELM, Linon, Space 202, Complimentary Buyers Lunch Noon-2 p.m. – Complimentary Buyers Lunch, 220 ELM, Outer Limits, Space 311 4-5:30 p.m. – Wine and hors d’oeuvres, 200 N. Hamilton, Chelsea House, 104 S. Court 4-6 p.m. – Complimentary beer and wine, Plaza Suites, NHFA Retailer Resource Center, Plaza Suites, 1st Floor, Champagne, French wines and hors d’oeuvres 4:30-6 p.m. – Champagne, French wines and hors d’oeuvres, 200 N. Hamilton, The Elysee Collection, 108 S. Court

CALENDAR MARKET PRESS FRIDAY, APRIL 16, 2010

SOCIAL EVENTS

SEMINAR SCHEDULE

4:30-6 p.m. – Market Square & Suites Receptions, Market Square, Various locations throughout the Market Square Complex 4:30-7 p.m. – Wine and cheese, 320 N. Hamilton, Friedman Brothers Showroom, 1st Floor 4:30 -7 p.m. – Cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, 320 N. Hamilton, Payne Street/Breece Collection Showroom, Suite 200 5-6:30 p.m. – Complimentary Bar/Entertainment, Showplace Atrium 5-7 p.m. – Cocktails, 220 ELM, Outer Limits, Space 311 5-7 p.m. – Cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, 200 Steele, John-Richard, 2nd floor 5-7 p.m. – Complimentary Dinner, 220 ELM, Leif Petersen, Space 328, Complimentary Bar/Entertainment 6-8 p.m. – Sunset on 3, Late Afternoon Social, Showplace 3rd floor balcony

SATURDAY

---

---

8:30-9:30 a.m. – Converting Lookers Into Buyers Plaza Suites, NHFA Retailer Resource Center, Plaza Suites, 1st Floor Presented by: Philip Gutsell, Gutsell & Associates. “I’m just looking!” It’s the number one excuse in our industry.

Find out how to avoid it and overcome it. Philip Gutsell, a 30-year industry expert, will divulge his secrets of converting lookers into buyers. Find out how to build rapport with even the most difficult customers. Phil spells out the critical steps for you to take back to your sales floor for immediate results. www.gutsell.com.

No charge/no registration to attend.

10-11 a.m. – First Time Visitor Orientation Seminar High Point Theatre, next to the Transportation Terminal on Commerce Avenue.

Informative session on how to navigate the High Point Market and make the best use of your time with easy tips and suggestions. Q&A and individual help if needed.

THURSDAY

Noon-2 p.m. – Complimentary Buyers Lunch, 220 ELM, Jesper Office, Space 324 Noon-2 p.m. – Complimentary Buyers Lunch, 220 ELM, Leif Petersen, Space 328 Noon-2 p.m. –Complimentary Buyers Lunch, 220 ELM, Linon, Space 202 Noon-2 p.m. – Complimentary Buyers Lunch, 220 ELM, Outer Limits, Space 311 5-7 p.m. – Cocktails, 220 ELM, Outer Limits, Space 311 5-7 p.m. – Complimentary Dinner, 220 ELM, Leif Petersen, Space 328

9

10-11 a.m.– She’s Just Not That Into Your Offer!

Plaza Suites, NHFA Retailer Resource Center, Plaza Suites, 1st Floor Presented by: Charles Horish, Jon Parks, Brad Lebow & Chip Hictor, Horish Parks Lebow Advertising. The team for Horich Parks Lebow will show you the offers that are driving traffic in today’s tough retail climate. The seminar will share current advertising that’s generating sales including television, direct mail, circulars and email marketing. www.hpladv. com. No charge/no registration to attend.

11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. – Sales and Profits are Shrinking

– What’s an Owner to Do? Plaza Suites, NHFA Retailer Resource Center, Plaza Suites, 1st Floor Presented by: Tom Zollar & Bob George, Impact Consulting Services. During these tough times, you can not save your business by just cutting costs.

At some point you have to sell more. With traffic counts static or shrinking, this means you must make sure you are maximizing the return you get from every customer coming into your store. Are they the right ones? Do you have the right product? Is your sales staff treating them right? Attend this seminar to learn about the right strategies and programs you need to use in order to make certain you have all your advertising, merchandising and selling efforts in line with your target customer’s needs. www.impactconsultingservices.com Noon-1:30 p.m. – Trends with Traction for 2011 IHFC, IHFC Green Wing, 11th Floor, Ballroom B Presented by Michelle Lamb.

Today’s economy requires a convergence of trend and practicality to stimulate consumer interest and sales. Michelle Lamb will share her view of the colors and styles with top appeal for the years ahead.

Michelle is co-founder and chairman of Minneapolis-based Marketing Directions, Inc. specializing in home furnishings direction and color specification. A sampling of past and present clients includes 3M, Hunter Douglas, Target Stores, Home Depot, Gerber Baby Products, Tarkett, Hunter Fan, EK Success, Petmate and Pier 1 Imports. Marketing Directions publishes The Trend Curve (TM). Ms. Lamb is the editorial director of this trade newsletter which forecasts trends in color, pattern and design for product

designers, manufacturers, interior designers and retailers. She also creates The Trend Curve Colors (TM) forecast for decor, kids, Halloween and Christmas, as well as the Trend Album(TM) series of European trend reports, with extensive trend insights from her travels to major industry trade fairs.

Her blog, Connecting The Dots, is in its fifth year. She can be found on Twitter at www.twitter.com/trendcurve. Complementary box lunch provided.

No reservation needed.

from general inefficiency, to a lack of knowledge on U.S. compliance issues – can negatively impact a company’s competitiveness in the global market, and ultimately, its bottom line.

The goal of this presentation is to explore the issues that often lead to strained vendor relationships and to help importers develop strategies to proactively manage the vendor/buyer partnership, turning a potential liability into competitive edge. No charge/no registration to attend.

1-2 p.m. – PPC + SEM + SEO =$ Plaza Suites, NHFA Retailer Resource Center, Plaza Suites, 1st Floor Presented by : Sharon Gillis, JGSullivan Interactive; Sponsored by HomeFurnishings. com. Who has the time to decipher the alphabet soup while trying to increase furniture sales? Learn how to get found on search engines without a huge time investment. Sharon Gillis of JGSullivan Interactive will host this fast-paced presentation full of resources to help you with Pay Per Click Advertising, Search Engine Marketing and Search Engine Optimization. No charge/no registration to attend.

4-5 p.m. –“It’s Not Working Anymore!” Sales & Operational Strategies for Success in Today’s Economy Plaza Suites, NHFA Retailer Resource Center, Plaza Suites, 1st Floor Presented by: Ed Borowsky & Martin Roberts, Dovetail Alliance. Prepare to keep pace with a new world order during this dynamic, information-rich seminar. What’s Next: Market research informs retail strategy; Ad campaigns incorporate new media; Consumer behavior redirects selling focus; Economic pressures transform lease arrangements, insurance options; Video teleconferencing streamlines communications; and much more. Navigate today’s rapidly changing retail environment through the collective expertise of Dovetail Alliance CEO and president.

Leave this session with a list of action items and resources needed to improve business in 2010 and beyond.

2:30-3:30 p.m. –Vendor Management: Best Practices to Achieve Efficiency and Compliance Plaza Suites, NHFA Retailer Resource Center, Plaza Suites, 1st Floor Presented by: Philip Wolfe, Globe Express Serivces. As the global business environment becomes ever more complex, it is important to view all business partners as an extension of one’s own company. This fact is exemplified when analyzing the relationship between an importer and its overseas vendors. Problems with vendors –-

SUNDAY 7:30-9 a.m. – WithIt Educational Breakfast - Decades of Design by Mark Hampton, LLC IHFC, IHFC Green Wing, 11th Floor, Ballroom A Alexa Hampton is president of Mark Hampton, LLC. Widely credited as one of the top taste-

MARKET NEWS 10 FRIDAY, APRIL 16, 2010 MARKET PRESS

This market could see beginning of furniture industry turnaround

BY PAM HAYNES ENTERPRISE STAFF WRITER

H

Point Market Authority, the agency that oversees market operations and promotion.

Hagan also used her leadership position in the N.C. Senate to secure millions of dollars in state appropriations for the trade show, which is the single-largest economic event in North Carolina annually.

The spring market officially begins Saturday and continues through April 22.

IGH POINT – It may not be the end of the furniture industry’s suffering, but analysts, along with buyers and sellers, are expecting to see at least some signs of recovery at the spring High Point Market, which opens Saturday.

The fact that the Dow Jones industrial average reached 11,000 on April 9 and closed at 11,123 Wednesday may bring about a more positive atmosphere at the market, said Ken Smith, a CPA with Smith Leonard PLLC who produces the industry’s monthly Furniture Insights report.

“The stock market coming back has certainly helped people with their moods,” Smith said. “Consumer confidence is down, but the stock market seems to be coming back really strong. That usually makes everyone feel more secure.”

The last three Furniture Insight reports, which survey various manufacturers in the industry, have documented some positive growth, mostly in the area of new orders. October marked the first month since 2007 where new orders did not decline. “It’s a good sign that we aren’t going down anymore,” Smith said.

Shipment gains every month since October also were documented in The Furnishings Digest Newsletter, published by Mann, Armistead and Epperson Ltd. Showroom owners were preparing on Wednesday for the event, which has the largest economic impact in North Carolina than any other single tourism event in the state. Their expectations reflected Smith’s, and they said they mostly hope for some small increases and gains this spring.

“I think it (the furniture market) definitely has improved,” said Jackson Carpenter, president of Simon Li Furniture, standing in the company’s showroom in Showplace West. “Is it back to where it should be? I don’t think so. It sounds cliche, but I do think everyone is optimistic.”

Carpenter said he had already seen some positive, foretelling signs for the event, which closes Thursday.

“We are opening up a day early (today) because we have some customers who have made appointments with us on that day,” he said. “Last spring, there were a couple of customers we wanted to see that didn’t come to the market. This year, everyone we want to see is scheduled to be here.”

pjohnson@hpe.com | 888-3528

phaynes@hpe.com | 888-3617

SONNY HEDGECOCK | HPE

Finishing touches Lorraine Nicholson (left) and Linda Smith finish up a room setting in the Michael Thomas Showrooms, 1690 English Road.

State officials plan market visit

BY PAUL B. JOHNSON ENTERPRISE STAFF WRITER

H

IGH POINT – Two of the state’s top elected officials plan return visits to the High Point Market in the coming days.

First-term Democratic Sen. Kay Hagan on Saturday will attend a ribbon-cutting ceremony and official grand opening of Salon, a new exhibit area at the Suites at Market Square.

Democratic Gov. Beverly Perdue, also in her first term, will at-

Hagan

Perdue

tend the spring market Monday.

Perdue will tour the showroom and furniture manufacturing facility of Thayer Coggin. The governor will meet with workers and executives, High Point Market representatives and city officials.

Hagan and Perdue have attended the market on many occasions in recent years.

Perdue began visiting last decade when she was lieutenant governor, while Hagan’s ties to the market date back more than 10 years when she became a state senator.

During her first two terms in the N.C. General Assembly, Hagan represented parts of High Point. Hagan was integral as a state legislator in passing the bill that created the High

MARKET NEWS MARKET PRESS FRIDAY, APRIL 16, 2010

11

Market Authority sponsors business-building seminars SPECIAL TO MARKET PRESS

H

IGH POINT – Amid a growing number of reports that the industry is on the rebound as home furnishings professionals head to High Point Market this week, the High Point Market Authority (HPMA) is continuing its push to provide small and medium-size independent stores and interior design firms with business-building ideas and information.

According to Brian D. Casey, president and chief executive officer, as part of its ongoing initiative, HPMA is sponsoring two, special educational seminars specifically targeting the needs of smaller independent retailers and interior designers during Market here on Monday. Both events will take place on the first floor (top) of Suites at Market Square in Room 400 and are free to High

Roy Prevost Point Market attendees.

For independent retailers, HPMA is presenting, “Turbocharge Your Retail Business: How to Outmaneuver and Outperform the Big Guys,” an inspiring, idea-packed session focused on how independents can thrive in the big box retail environment by outperform-

ing them in critical areas. The seminar, set for 2 p.m., will be led by best-selling author, international speaker, futurist and customer service activist Roy Prevost, a regular contributor on small business issues to the “Financial Post” and the “Vancouver Sun,” who will be on hand afterward to sign copies of Turbocharge Your Retail Business.

“Having spent 25 years in the giftware industry as an importer, exporter, manufacturer, sales agent and retail store owner, Prevost is uniquely qualified and understands the challenges independents face today,” Casey says. “Hundreds of books have been written about the retail industry, yet few focus on the independent retailers who are the backbone of the industry. With thoughtprovoking insights and numerous practical strategies and tactics they can imple-

ment immediately to achieve their business objectives, independent retailers attending this session will learn how to triumph over competitors and turbocharge their businesses to reach the highest levels of success.”

Mary Knackstedt, FASID, FIIDA, will address interior designers on Monday morning at 10 a.m. Knackstedt will focus on ideas for improving (and ensuring) profitability in design practices in “Designers Hold the Key to a Profitable Year: What Part Do You Play?

Herself a practicing interior designer, Knackstedt is an acclaimed author, a frequent teacher of continuing education and business courses for professional organizations and universities, including Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design. “She is also a sought-after consultant

credited with developing many new businesses and restoring failing entities to profitability,” Casey says.

“Clients want change now – something creative and exciting that meets their special needs,” Knackstedt relates. “Designers know how to interpret those needs, but they can’t do it alone. They need partners – professional sources with the right knowhow, skill and products. In this session, we’ll focus on having a team in place ready to fasttrack before the designer has the job.”

The author of “The Interior Design Business Handbook: A Complete Guide to Profitability, and The Challenge of Interior Design: Professional Values and Opportunities” will follow her presentation with a book signing in cooperation with The Furniture Library.

Market demand on housing shouldn’t affect local tornado victims

BY PAUL B. JOHNSON ENTERPRISE STAFF WRITER

T

RIAD – The crush of visitors this week for the High Point Market shouldn’t interfere with the ongoing effort to secure temporary shelter for people whose homes were destroyed or damaged in the March 28 tornadoes, an American Red Cross official said.

After two tornadoes struck in Davidson County and one in north

High Point, emergency officials turned to area hotel operators to provide an immediate place to stay for residents whose houses were uninhabitable.

The evening the tornadoes struck, local Red Cross leader Bob Ziegler said he pondered the implications of moving people to hotels so close to market, which draws an average of 85,000 visitors to High Point each spring and fall.

The spring High Point Market officially kicks off Saturday, but trade show activity began this week.

“I was concerned about that from the beginning,” said Ziegler, executive director of the High Point-Thomasville chapter of the American Red Cross.

But Ziegler said Tuesday no one who had to find temporary accommodations because of the tornadoes has ap-

proached the Red Cross and reported having to leave a hotel because of market bookings.

“I was asking our team before to make plans, or possibly open a shelter again, in case market pushed a lot of people out of hotels.

But apparently it’s not going to be the case,” Ziegler said.

About a dozen families displaced by tornadoes are staying at a High Point area ex-

tended-stay hotel, said Martha Younts, deputy chief of the High Point Fire Department. But the hotel management indicated to Younts the market wouldn’t affect the ability of the families to remain as guests, she said.

High Point City Manager Strib Boynton said people with insurance coverage are eligible to temporarily rent apartments and houses.

“Other victims are

staying with their families,” Boynton said.

When Gov. Beverly Perdue issued a state disaster declaration last week, her office indicated that more than 460 homes were deemed to have qualified as damaged in Davidson and Guilford counties.

Damage assessment teams determined that 40 homes were destroyed. pjohnson@hpe.com | 888-3528

1200 S. Holden Road, Greensboro (336) 299-1003 www.arigato.net

S PR I NG 2010

PEPPERMILL CAFE 2600 S. Main Street, High Point (336) 885-8101 www.peppermillcafe.com

Freshly prepared Japanese & Steaks

3915 Sedgebrook Street High Point, NC 27265 336-841-0222 www.steakstreet.com BISTRO B & WINE BAR Shoppe’s on Main 126 S. Main St. Unit G Kernersville, NC 336.310.4822 www.thebistrob.com

DAN THAI MARTINI AND JAZZ BISTRO 1116 Eastchester Dr. (next to Hobby Lobby) High Point, NC 336.889.3896

EMERYWOOD FINE FOODS 130 W. Lexington Ave., High Point (336) 882-6971 www.emerywood.com Casual fining dining

Homestyle cooking, Greek, Italian, American specialties Serving Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

H:6;DD9

SKIPPER’S SEAFOOD RESTAURANT 2409 S. Main Street, High Point (336) 887-3315 131 W. Lexington Ave., High Point (336) 882-2611

Southeastern style cooking, specializing in fried & broiled seafood

Restaurant & Ice Cream Parlor

Sumela

Restaurant

“A Taste Of The Mediterranean”

THE BOX SEAT SPORTS RESTAURANT 5006-E High Point Rd. Greensboro, NC 336.297.0073

CHOP HOUSE GRILLE 4001 Meeting Way High Point,NC 336.841.7156 www.chophouseofnc.com

SUMELA 805 N. Main Street, High Point (336) 887-2645 www.sumelarestaurant.com Turkish & Mediterranean Dishes

PIONEER FAMILY RESTAURANT STEAKHOUSE & BUFFET 10914 N. Main Street, Archdale (336)861-6247 Best Steaks! Largest buffet in town.

Southern Roots Restaurant & Catering 119 E. Main St. Jamestown, NC 336.882.5570

S PR I NG 2010

www.southernrootsfoods.com

Ruth’s Chris Steak House 800 Green Valley Rd. Greensboro, NC 336.574.1515 www.RuthsChris.com

Monesi Brazilian Buffet & Grill Sedgmore Center 500 Americhase Dr. Greensboro, NC 336.841.6334 www.monesiusa.com

oSo Tavern 3800 Tinsley Dr. High Point, NC 336.884.3474 www.osorestaurantgroup.com

BERT’S SEAFOOD GRILLE 4608 W. Market Street, Greensboro 297-4881 or 854-2314 Open @ 5pm Fresh seafood and more, served in a funky, elegant atmosphere. Many non-seafood entrees available.

NOMA Urban Bar & Grill 321 West 4th St. Winston-Salem, NC 336.703.5112 www.noma-ws.com Henry James Bar-B-Que 2201 South Main Street High Point 882-8057 621 Greensboro Road High Point 884-8038 www.henryjamesbbq.com Open at 6:00 AM

Tex & Shirley’s Pancake House 4005 Precision Way (corner of Wendover & Penny) High Point, NC 336.882.4005 Open @ 6 AM

Leblon Churrascaria Brazilian Steakhouse 4512 West Market St. Greensboro, NC 336.294.2605 www.leblonsteakhouse.com

For local news and information go to www.hpe.com

CALENDAR 14 FRIDAY, APRIL 16, 2010 MARKET PRESS

SEMINAR SCHEDULE

---

makers in her field, she is also the creator of a growing collection of licensed home furnishings that bears her name and a familiar face from a series of popular home design televsion programs. For her, the key to meaningful design is to leave enough emotional room for people to unfold and be normal in, no matter how extraordinary the surroundings.

It is this juxtaposition that defines her work: interiors and products of impeccable pedigree, blended with a warm, relaxed feel for the real life of modern occupants.

Her interiors are elelgant, layered, and literate; her collections, ranging from furniture and lighting to wall and floor coverings, are deftly mixed and often historically based. Sponsored

by WithIt and IHFC. Breafast and seminar are free of charge. Reservations are required by emailling: hallred@ihfc. com or www.withit.org

8:30-9:30 a.m. – The Outlook for the Furniture Industry Plaza Suites, NHFA Retailer Resource Center, Plaza Suites, 1st Floor Presented by: W.W. “Jerry” Epperson Jr., Mann, Armistead & Epperson Ltd. Using the latest statistics and proprietary research and forecasts, furniture research specialist Jerry Epperson will define where the industry stands and our expectations for the future.

10-11 a.m. – First Time Visitor Orientation

Seminar High Point Theatre, next to the Transportation Terminal on Commerce Street Informative session on how to navigate the High Point Market and make the best use of your time with easy tips and suggestions. Q&A and individual help if needed.

10-11 a.m. – Foresight is 20/20: Top Technology Trends to Maximize Your Retail Business Plaza Suites, NHFA Retailer Resource Center, Plaza Suites, 1st Floor Presented by: Steve Muench, STORIS Mangement Systems. Break free from your comfort zone and learn ways to embrace retail technology to grow your business and stay competitive.

This dynamic seminar will guide you through the top technology trends of the next generation.

Learn how to utilize tips of the trade to maximize your business, including: benefits of an integrated Retail Solution, social media as a networking tool to drive sales, mobile technology, eCommerce, and more. No charge/no reservations to attend.

11:30-12:30 – Color Confidential: Secrets from an Industry Expert on Using Color to Engage Customers Plaza Suites, NHFA Retailer Resource Center, Plaza Suites, 1st Floor Presented by: Kate Smith, Sensational Color; Sponsored by HomeFurnishings.com.

Everyone loves to be “in the know” about color

trends, especially when buying for the home, but having the right color in your product assortment is only one way to catch your customer’s eye.

Kate Smith will share her strategies for using color trends as a springboard for generating sales and engaging employees along with tips for putting these ideas to work in your business. www.sensationalcolor. com. No charge/no registration to attend.

Noon-2 p.m. – Staying True to Your Brand While Evolving in Today’s Market IHFC, IHFC Green Wing, 11th Floor, Ballroom B Presented by Rachel Ashwell. For more than 20 years, the name Rachel Ashwell has been synonymous with Shabby Chic (R). The Shabby Chic brand, based on the aesthetics of beauty, comfort and function, marries great design with casual ease. Her vision and love of vintage style and flea-market finds quickly expanded and hit a chord with her customers who have found her comfortable and relaxed approach to design both reassuring and achievable. She has educated and inspired fans through a series of books. She has been featured in top national home and lifestyle publications and hosted the former “Rachel Ashwell’s Shabby Chic” television show on the Style Network and E! for four years. Today Rachel Ashwell Shabby Chic Couture (TM) flag-

ship stores are located in Santa Monica, California, Soho, New York and London, England.

In addition, the Simply Shabby Chic (R) line of home furnishings and decor is in an exlcusive partnership with Target stores that continues to bring Ashwell’s blend of English elegance and California casual to consumers nationwide.

Sponsored by IHFC and IFDA, Carolinas Chapter. $20 includes lunch. Advance registration recommended.

Reservation is secured upon receipt of payment.

Mail check to: IHFC, Attn: Holly Allred, P.O. Box 828, High Point, NC 27261. Email: hallred@ ihfc.com to request a credit card authorization form.

1-2 p.m. – How to Succeed with Social Marketing Without Wasting Time Plaza Suites, NHFA Retailer Resource Center, Plaza Suites, 1st Floor Presented by: Sharon Gillis, JGSullivan Interactive; Sponsored by HomeFurnishings.com.

Without a plan of action you could waste your valuable time engaging in online converstaions without ever learning what works and what doesn’t. Attend this seminar and learn how to determine what social marketing activities are worthy of your time and how you can achieve your store’s marketing goals. www.homefurnishings.com. No charge/no registration to attend.

2:30-3:30 p.m. – Growing Great Talent Plaza Suites, NHFA Retailer Resource Center, Plaza Suites, 1st Floor Presented by: Phyllis Zaepfel, PROFITgroups.

Searching for, finding, cultivating and retaining extraordinary employees who love what they do and excel at their jobs can be a challenge.

Join us for this seminar where you will learn best practices in recruiting and hiring the right people for the right job.

We will examine training methods to grow, mature, nuture, and ripen your staff. You’ll discover what is needed to retain them so your best employees will not want to look for greener pastures. www.profitsystems.net. No charge/no registration to attend.

4-5 p.m. – Customers’ Buying Behaviors Have Changed, Have You? Plaza Suites, NHFA Retailer Resource Center, Plaza Suites, 1st Floor Presented by: Joe Milevsky, JRM Sales and Management, Inc. Does your sales floor create obstacles for your salespeople? How do you assess your salespeople’s performance? Are you able to help your salespeople develop their skill sets? Do they consistently maximize opportunities for things such as warranties, etc? Don’t miss this seminar focusing on positioning your company to maximize the potential of every customer that calls or visits your store. www. jrmsales-mgmt.com. No

charge/no registrations to attend.

MONDAY

8:30-9:30 a.m. – How to Create a Newsworthy Retail Event Around the Subject of Sustainability Plaza Suites, NHFA Retailer Resource Center, Plaza Suites, 1st Floor Presented by: Jessica Koster, Cargill BiOH Polyols. Based on the successful Fall 2009 event at Room and Board’s flagship store, “Experience Soy Style: Be in the KnOH,” Cargill marketing manager Jessica Koster will provide a primer for creating conversations with shoppers around the subject of sustainable furnishings through community involvement, local media and social networking.

Strategically planned events can draw attention to your store, foster longterm good will and drive retail traffic. Attendees will walk away with useful materials and tips for generating new excitement in stores. www. experiencebioh.com. No charge/no reservations to attend.

10-11 a.m. – First Time Visitor Orientation Seminar High Point Theatre, next to the Transportation Terminal on Commerce Street Informative session on how to navigate the High Point Market and make the best use of your time with easy tips and suggestions. Q&A and individual help if needed.

10-11 a.m. – Emerging

CALENDAR MARKET PRESS FRIDAY, APRIL 16, 2010

15

SEMINAR SCHEDULE

---

from the Downturn Are You Ready?

Plaza Suites, NHFA Retailer Resource Center, Plaza Suites, 1st Floor Presented by: Connie Post, Connie Post Global Media. Attend this seminar and gain creative ideas to jumpstart your business by adding value to the shopping experience. Connie Post, CEO of Connie Post Global Media, will also present new products and trends from the January Cologne and Paris furniture shows. www.conniepost.com. No charge/no registration to attend.

10-11 a.m. – Did Your Business Make Money in 2009?

Radio Building, 164 S. Main St., 8th Floor IDS Seminar Room JoAnne Lenart-Weary, One Day Decorating and The Decorating and Staging Academy. Success doesn’t just happen; you have to make it happen.

She empowers you with tools that will take your business to a new high.

10 a.m. – Designers Hold the Key to a Profitabley Year: What Part Do You Play?

Suites at Market Square, First Floor (Top), Room 400 Presented by: Mary Knackstedt, FASID, FIIDA, practicing interior designer, acclaimed author and frequent teacher of continuing education and business courses for professional organizations and universities, will address interior designers, focusing on ideas for improving and ensuring profitability in design practices.

11 a.m.-noon – It’s All About Attitude Radio Building, 164 S. Main St., 8th Floor IDS Seminar Room Debbie Green, Minutes Matter. Attitude affects all you do. Find out how to change your attitude.

111:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

– A New Decade of Consumer Financing and How It Benefits You Plaza Suites, NHFA Retailer Resource Center, Plaza Suites, 1st Floor Presented by: Scott Friss, Citi Retail Services. Regulatory changes are here, but what are they and how will they impact your business?

This session will touch on the Credit Card Act of 2009, Regulation Z, and the role these important changes will play. We will also uncover why new regulations will place more emphasis on having a strong consumer finance programs. www. citi.com. No charge/no registration to attend.

Noon-2 p.m. – Divine Design with Candice Olson IHFC, IHFC Green Wing, 11th Floor, Ballroom B Candice Olson is one of North America’s leading professional Interior Designers. Her signature style incorporates creativity, practicality and timelessness to create sophisticated yet accessible designs. Her work reflects her personality – intelligent, warm and inviting with a touch of irreverence. In 2002 after numerous guest expert appearances on several different TV shows, Candice decided to host her

own TV show – a new TV series called Divine Design. Divine Design with Candice Olson debuted simultanously in the US on HGTV and in Canada on the W network, immediatealy establishing itself as the No.-1 rated prime series on both networks. Candice continues to make her mark as one of North America’s most trusted and gifted professionals in the Interior Design and media fields.

Sponsored by IHFC and IFDA, Carolinas Chapter. $20 includes lunch.

Advance registation recommended. Reservation is secured upon receipt of payment. Mail check to IHFC, attn: Holly Allred, P.O. Box 828, High Point, NC 27261. E-mail: hallred@ihfc.com to request a credit card authorization form.

FPP program. This is a must attend event for any dealer looking to maximize the performance of this important category in their business. www.montagefs.com. No charge/no registration to attend.

1-2 p.m. – How to Maximize Protection Plan Revenue and Profit Plaza Suites, NHFA Retailer Resource Center, Plaza Suites, 1st Floor Presented by: John Rose, Montage Furniture Services. Learn how to increase the contribution of your furniture protection plan (FPP) program and enjoy significant top and bottom line growth.

Discover how to increase FPP revenues up to 7% of total sales; increase your overall profit margin by 67%; identify and implement the elements necessary for success in this category; determine whether the training you get is, or even can be, effective; and evaluate the use of sprays and give-away products to determine whether they add real value to your

2:30-3:30 p.m. – The Myths & Realities About Professional Sales Promotion & Liquidation Companies Plaza Suites, NHFA Retailer Resource Center, Plaza Suites, 1st Floor Presented by: Mike Egan, Ron Cooper & Hector Mustafa, Profit Management Promotions. They dominate the classified pages of Furniture/Today. They move more merchandise than most Top 100 retailers. You’ve heard stories of unbelievable sales volume as well as slick operators and unfulfilled promises. They are the professional sales promotion and liquidation companies.

During this informative seminar, you will learn how promotion compa-

2 p.m. – Turbocharge Your Retail Business: How to Outmaneuver and Outperform the Big Guys Suites at Market Square, First Floor (Top), Room 400 Presented by: Author, international speaker, futurist and customer service activist Roy Prevost, a 25-year veteran of the giftware industry as an importer, exporter, manufacturer, sales agent a retail store manager offering strategies and tactics.

nies operate – what services they perform, how companies differ and do they just run G.O.B.’s?

The reality is that promotion companies often save stores from closing.

You will learn if their services benefit your business, and you will leave with a good understanding of this “behind the scenes” segment of the furniture business. www.pmpsales.com. No charge/no registration to attend.

4-5 p.m. – 15 Ways to Lower Costs, Increase Sales and Increase Profits in a Tough Economy Plaza Suites, NHFA Retailer Resource Center, Plaza Suites, 1st Floor Presented by John McCloskey, Profitability Consulting Group. 2009 was a tough year for the furniture industry leaving many companies searching for ways to survive. Yet some stores saw increases in sales and profits. Attend this seminar to learn the tricks your competition is using to survive and thrive. www.profitabilityconsulting.com.

No charge/no registration to attend.

6-9 p.m. – WithIt Competitive Intelligence/ Trends Forecast 220 ELM, Palliser Showroom, Space 400 All Market attendees are welcome to join for a discussion of the latest design trends seen this market. Complimentary beverages, beer, wine and appetizers.

TUESDAY 8:30-9:30 a.m. – How to

Motivate Your Staff Without Spending a Dime Plaza Suites, NHFA Retailer Resource Center, Plaza Suites, 1st Floor Presented by: Jody Seivert, One by One Companies. Do you want to recognize your team for their efforts and contributions, but don’t have the budget for cash rewards? Do you value morale boosters but don’t know how to create them? At this special seminar event, you will learn The 3 Key Concepts to create motivational environments that produce greater results, happy employees, and even happier customers! www. onexone.com. No charge/ no registration to attend.

9-10 a.m. – Michael Payne: Designing for the Times- AIDP Breakfast IHFC, IHFC, 11th Floor, High Point Room Michael Payne, the original host and interior designer of HGTV’s Designing For The Sexes, obtained a bachelors degree in physics and mathematics from Southampton University in England. After 10 years in the computer industry, he pursued a career in interior design and graduated from the UCLA interior design program in 1980. Michael has licensing arrangements with various companies to design contemporary furniture, bedding, bedroom furniture, mirrors, lighting, sculptured wall art, architectural elements, and rugs and is a spokesperson for Exciting Windows.

ENTERTAINMENT, FUN&GAMES 16 FRIDAY, APRIL 16, 2010 MARKET PRESS

Larry King, wife file for divorce

LOS ANGELES (AP) – Larry King has filed for divorce from his seventh wife, court filings show.

The 76-year-old host of CNN’s “Larry King Live” filed Wednesday to end the couple’s nearly 13-year marriage, citing “irreconcilable differences.” He married Shawn Southwick-King in a hospital room in 1997 three days before surgery to clear a clogged blood vessel.

The couple have two sons, ages 11 and 9. King is seeking joint custody of the boys. He is also asking a court not to award Southwick-King, 50, any spousal support.

“His major concern is the welfare of his children,” said Howard Rubenstein, a spokesman for King.

Parton celebrates as Dollywood turns 25

BY CAITLIN R. KING ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER

N

ASHVILLE, Tenn. – Dolly Parton seems to live her life by the motto “Go big or go home.” With her signature theme park in Pigeon Forge, Tenn., she did both.

Parton opened Dollywood in 1986 on the site of what had been the Silver Dollar City theme park. The first year, 1.3 million visitors came. Now at the start of its 25th anniversary season, Dollywood has more than doubled in size to 150 acres, and more than 40 million people have passed through its gates, with 2.5 million guests in a typical season.

“I always thought that if I made it big or got successful at what I had started out to do,

AP

Dolly Parton performs in March during the 25th anniversary celebration of the Dollywood Theme Park. that I wanted to come back to my part of the country and do something great, something that would bring a lot of jobs into this area,” said Parton, 64, in a recent interview. “Sure enough, I was lucky, and God was good to me and things happened good. We started the park, and 25 years later, we’re still at it.”

Parton expanded her brand locally to include

the Dixie Stampede dinner theater in 1988 and Dollywood’s Splash Country waterpark in 2001. All three together employ 3,000 people.

When asked why she thinks Dollywood has been so successful, Parton didn’t hesitate.

“Location, location, location. It’s a great place to be going right into the Great Smoky Mountain National Park,” she said.

BRIDGE

---

TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES

“My husband and I have been wed for 30 years,” a club player told me, “and we’ve played bridge for 25. Having him as a partner has convinced me that marriage is an arrangement for two people, one of whom is always right and the other is the wife.”

My friend said she was today’s East, and her husband cashed three clubs against four hearts, dropping South’s jack.

“I discarded a spade and a diamond, and my husband next led the ten of clubs. I discarded another spade, and declarer ruffed, picked up my

husband’s king of trumps with finesses and claimed his game.

TRUMP TRICK “My husband was irate.

He said if I ruff the fourth club with the eight of trumps, South must overruff and lose a trump trick to the K-9-3. Was he right, as usual?”

West wasn’t quite right.

He should have forced East to ruff by leading the three of clubs at Trick Four. East might have ruffed anyway, but when West led a high club, East was entitled to believe that West didn’t want her to spend a trump.

DAILY QUESTION You hold: S 8 3 H K 9 3 D 10 8 6 C A K Q 10 3. You open one club, and your partner bids one spade.

The opponents pass. What do you say?

ANSWER: Some players would consider this a close choice between a bid of 1NT and a rebid of two clubs. I think the correct bid is clear: Bid 1NT to show minimum values and balanced pattern. A rebid of two clubs would show a six-card or longer suit, and though the actual suit is strong, I’d be unwilling to treat it as a six-carder.

North dealer N-S vulnerable

CROSSWORD

---

ACROSS 1 Mr. Ameche 4 Slender sticks 8 Speak off the cuff 13 Donated 14 Thought 15 Tired 16 Once more 17 Gift for a little girl 18 Monastery superior 19 Phillipshead, for one 22 1/4 and 3/4 23 Gasoline, in Britain 24 More mature 26 Sharp-witted 29 Old Testament prophet 32 Slippery mud 36 Expense 38 Asian desert 39 Shredded 40 “__ Blind Mice” 41 Temporary decline in activity 42 Mild oath 43 Popular flower 44 Assail 45 Spanish inn

47 Margin 49 Take as the rightful owner 51 Warmed 56 Enjoy the slopes 58 Distracted 61 Mountain home 63 Underground part of a plant 64 Wading bird 65 Distribute 66 Review a manuscript 67 Keep an ice cream cone from dripping 68 Very small 69 Song for one 70 Tit for __ DOWN 1 Twist or polka 2 Apparent 3 More modern 4 Knockknock joke, e.g.

5 Smell 6 Kosher shop 7 Military gun salute 8 Prizes 9 Actress Kerr, to friends 10 Very dif-

Yesterday’s Puzzle Solved

(c) 2009 Tribune Media Services, Inc.

ficult 11 Steel, mainly 12 Computer memory unit 13 Fight for breath 20 Roused 21 Cream of the crop 25 Bird of prey 27 Resound 28 Scandinavian 30 Qualified 31 To the __; fully 32 Ladder rung 33 Symbol in a business letterhead 34 Hot-tempered 35 Olympics prize 37 Tiny

beginning 40 Amtrak vehicle 44 “I’ve __ working on the railroad...”

46 Tiny & delicate 48 Tenement location, often 50 Female horses 52 Leaning 53 Leg bone 54 Oust a tenant 55 Student’s place 56 “Beat it!”

57 Hardy cabbage 59 Commotion 60 Work hard 62 Charged atom

FRIDAY APRIL 16, 2010

Tiger picks Charlotte

CHARLOTTE (AP) – Out of golf for five months until the Masters, Tiger Woods is waiting only two weeks to tee it up again.

Woods announced Thursday he will play the Quail Hollow Championship, which begins April 29. It will be his first time playing at a tournament where tickets are sold to the general public since his spectacular downfall from a sex scandal.

Woods tied for fourth last week at the Masters, which has the most controlled gallery in golf. Weekly badges are secured months in advance, and fans fear losing them if caught showing poor etiquette. Woods received warm applause when he teed off in the first round, and the support was steady throughout the week.

Kym Hougham, tournament director for the Charlotte event, said they’ve been preparing for Woods’ possible participation for some time, and will need to make only slight tweaks with security plans. Hougham doesn’t expect Woods to run into problems from hecklers at Quail Hollow Club.

“I think our crowds are very re-

spectful and they always have been.

The players have always told us that,” Hougham said. “If there is inappropriate behavior, we’ll act on it swiftly. I’m sure that if Tiger didn’t feel we could handle it he wouldn’t be coming here.”

The early commitment was a sign that Woods plans to be helpful to the promotion of tournaments. He had been criticized over the years for waiting until the last day to announce he was playing, except for tournaments to which he had a sponsorship connection. The commitment deadline for Quail Hollow is April 23.

“It’s going to be a huge benefit for the people who have been waiting to buy tickets,” Hougham said. “Ironically, our Saturday daily tickets sold out yesterday. Friday and Sunday are not far behind, so this will probably put us over the top, which we’re excited about. The economy has made people change their buying habits and people are waiting longer.”

Woods has played the Quail Hollow Championship four times, winning in 2007. He finished fourth last year, two shots behind Sean O’Hair.

Here’s to you, Mr. Robinson

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – Jackie Robinson Day got under way around Major League Baseball on Thursday.

The Boston Red Sox and Minnesota Twins had the first game of the day, and each player at Target Field wore a No. 42 jersey in Robinson’s honor.

This is the 63rd anniversary of Robinson’s breaking of baseball’s color barrier.

This day’s primary celebration was in New York at Yankee Stadium. Robinson’s widow, Rachel Robinson, and his daughter, Sharon Robinson, were in attendance. Grandson Jesse Simms threw out the ceremonial first pitch.

Robinson played his first major league game at Ebbets Field for the Brooklyn Dodgers on April 15, 1947.

He died in 1972.

AP

Goodwin Nthaise shows off the 16 tickets he purchased at the Maponya Mall in Soweto, South Africa, for the 2010 FIFA soccer World Cup. The final ticket sales phase for the event kicked off to the general public on Thursday.

That’s the ticket: FIFA pushes World Cup sales JOHANNESBURG (AP) – Police were called to a World Cup ticket center in South Africa on Thursday as FIFA’s attempt to boost sluggish ticket sales ended with fans angered by delays caused by technical difficulties.

A crowd gathered at the entrance to the ticketing center in Cape Town, one of 11 centers which opened countrywide Thursday, and chanted and yelled at organizers. Police were called to keep them calm. After 3 1/2 hours, only 32 people out of a crowd of about 1,000 had managed to buy tickets.

“No one’s informed us what’s going on.

No one’s directing the public outside. A primary school sports event could be better organized than this,” said Theo Spangenberg, who had been waiting for 16 hours and still hadn’t made it inside the newly opened ticketing center. “For a World Cup, an international event of this nature, it’s a really, really bad show.”

The carnival atmosphere at the start of the day, as fans across the country were

given a first chance to buy some of the 500,000 tickets still available, quickly disappeared in Cape Town. About 300 tickets for the final were to be sold on a firstcome first-served basis.

Fans inside the ticketing center slept on the floor as they waited to be served.

The ticket centers opened across the country at 9 a.m. for the last phase of sales. Thousands of fans lined up outside the Maponya shopping mall in Soweto – near where the opening game June 11 and the final will be held at Soccer City.

FIFA ticket center manager Richard Lalla said the final tickets would last “a few minutes,” but that was enough time for Malin Fisher, a 32-year-old trainee church minister, who spent more than 10,000 rands ($1,370) on six tickets, including two for soccer’s biggest game.

Fisher was first through the doors after queuing overnight and said it was “an incredible feeling” to have tickets. “There are no words (to describe it). I’ve spent a couple of rands but it’s all worth it.”

SCOREBOARD 18 FRIDAY, APRIL 16, 2010 MARKET PRESS Cincinnati (Harang 0-1) at Florida (Jo.Johnson 0-1), late Arizona (Haren 1-1) at L.A. Dodgers (Kuroda 1-0), late

TV SPORTSWATCH

---

Friday’s Games Friday, April 16 AUTO RACING 11:30 a.m.

ESPN2 — NASCAR, Nationwide Series, final practice for O’Reilly 300, at Fort Worth, Texas

1 p.m.

SPEED — NASCAR, Sprint Cup, practice for Samsung Mobile 500, at Fort Worth, Texas

2:30 p.m.

ESPN2 — NASCAR, Nationwide Series, pole qualifying for O’Reilly 300, at Fort Worth, Texas

4:30 p.m.

SPEED — NASCAR, Sprint Cup, pole qualifying for Samsung Mobile 500, at Fort Worth, Texas

7:30 p.m.

SPEED — ARCA, Rattlesnake 150, at Fort Worth Texas

2 a.m.

SPEED — Formula One, qualifying for Grand Prix of China, at Shanghai, China

BOXING 10 p.m.

Houston (F.Paulino 0-0) at Chicago Cubs (Gorzelanny 0-0), 2:20 p.m.

Cincinnati (Leake 0-0) at Pittsburgh (Duke 2-0), 7:05 p.m.

Florida (A.Sanchez 0-0) at Philadelphia (Halladay 2-0), 7:05 p.m.

Milwaukee (Gallardo 0-2) at Washington (Lannan 1-1), 7:05 p.m.

Colorado (Hammel 0-0) at Atlanta (D.Lowe 2-0), 7:35 p.m.

N.Y. Mets (O.Perez 0-1) at St. Louis (Carpenter 1-0), 8:15 p.m.

Arizona (E.Jackson 1-1) at San Diego (Garland 0-2), 10:05 p.m.

San Francisco (Wellemeyer 0-1) at L.A. Dodgers (Padilla 0-1), 10:10 p.m.

Saturday’s Games Houston at Chicago Cubs, 1:05 p.m.

Milwaukee at Washington, 1:05 p.m.

N.Y. Mets at St. Louis, 4:10 p.m.

San Francisco at L.A. Dodgers, 4:10 p.m.

Cincinnati at Pittsburgh, 7:05 p.m.

Florida at Philadelphia, 7:05 p.m.

Colorado at Atlanta, 7:10 p.m.

Arizona at San Diego, 8:35 p.m.

Sunday’s Games

ESPN2 — Heavyweights, Tony Thompson (33-2-0) vs. Owen Beck (29-4-0), at Memphis, Tenn.

COLLEGE BASEBALL 7 p.m.

ESPN2 — Georgia at Arkansas

GOLF 9:30 a.m.

TGC — European PGA Tour, China Open, second round, at Suzhou, China (same-day tape)

Cincinnati at Pittsburgh, 1:35 p.m.

Colorado at Atlanta, 1:35 p.m.

Florida at Philadelphia, 1:35 p.m.

Milwaukee at Washington, 1:35 p.m.

Houston at Chicago Cubs, 2:20 p.m.

Arizona at San Diego, 4:05 p.m.

San Francisco at L.A. Dodgers, 4:10 p.m.

N.Y. Mets at St. Louis, 8:05 p.m.

12:30 p.m.

3 p.m.

TGC — PGA Tour, Heritage, second round, at Hilton Head Island, S.C.

All Times EDT East Division

6:30 p.m.

TGC — Nationwide Tour, Fresh Express Classic, second round, at Hayward, Calif.

NHL HOCKEY 7 p.m.

VERSUS — Playoffs, conference quarterfinals, Game 2, Ottawa at Pittsburgh

9:30 p.m.

VERSUS — Playoffs, conference quarterfinals, Game 1, Nashville at Chicago, joined in progress

11 p.m.

VERSUS — Playoffs, conference quarterfinals, Game 2, Detroit at Phoenix, joined in progress

12:30 a.m.

VERSUS — Playoffs, conference quarterfinals, Game 2, Colorado at San Jose, joined in progress

TENNIS 1 p.m.

ESPN2 — WTA Tour, Family Circle Cup, quarterfinal, at Charleston, S.C.

W 6 6 5 4 1

Tampa Bay Toronto New York Boston Baltimore

L 3 3 3 5 8

Pct .667 .667 .625 .444 .111

GB — — 1 ⁄2 2 5

Central Division W 7 6 4 4 3

Minnesota Detroit Chicago Kansas City Cleveland

L 3 3 5 5 6

Pct .700 .667 .444 .444 .333

GB — 1 ⁄2 1 2 ⁄2 211⁄2 3 ⁄2

Pct .600 .556 .400 .333

GB — 1 ⁄2 2 21⁄2

West Division Oakland Texas Seattle Los Angeles

W 6 5 4 3

L 4 4 6 6

Wednesday’s Games Kansas City 7, Detroit 3 L.A. Angels 5, N.Y. Yankees 3 Boston 6, Minnesota 3 Tampa Bay 9, Baltimore 1 Texas 6, Cleveland 2 Chicago White Sox 11, Toronto 1 Seattle 4, Oakland 2

Thursday’s Games Cleveland 3, Texas 2 Minnesota 8, Boston 0 L.A. Angels (Kazmir 0-0) at N.Y. Yankees (Hughes 0-0), late Chicago White Sox (F.Garcia 0-1) at Toronto (Eveland 1-0), late Baltimore (D.Hernandez 0-1) at Oakland (Sheets 0-0), late

BASEBALL

---

National League W 7 5 4 3 3

L 1 4 4 5 6

Pct .875 .556 .500 .375 .333

GB — 21⁄2 3 4 41⁄2

Pct .667 .556 .444 .444 .444 .111

GB — 1 2 2 2 5

Pct .778 .625 .556 .375 .375

GB — 11⁄2 2 311⁄2 3 ⁄2

Central Division W 6 5 4 4 4 1

St. Louis Cincinnati Chicago Milwaukee Pittsburgh Houston

L 3 4 5 5 5 8

West Division

San Francisco Arizona Colorado Los Angeles San Diego

W 7 5 5 3 3

L 2 3 4 5 5

NBA Final standings EASTERN CONFERENCE Atlantic Division W 50 40 29 27 12

y-Boston Toronto New York Philadelphia New Jersey

Wednesday’s Games Chicago Cubs 7, Milwaukee 6 San Francisco 6, Pittsburgh 0 Philadelphia 14, Washington 7 Florida 5, Cincinnati 3 St. Louis 2, Houston 1 Colorado 6, N.Y. Mets 5, 10 innings Atlanta 6, San Diego 1 Arizona 9, L.A. Dodgers 7, 11 innings

Thursday’s Games Houston 5, St. Louis 1 Milwaukee 8, Chicago Cubs 6 Washington at Philadelphia, late N.Y. Mets 5, Colorado 0 Atlanta (T.Hudson 0-0) at San Diego (Latos 0-0), late

L 32 42 53 55 70

Pct .610 .488 .354 .329 .146

GB — 10 21 23 38

Southeast Division W 59 53 47 44 26

y-Orlando x-Atlanta x-Miami x-Charlotte Washington

L 23 29 35 38 56

Pct .720 .646 .573 .537 .317

GB — 6 12 15 33

Pct .744 .561 .500 .390 .329

GB — 15 20 29 34

Central Division W 61 46 41 32 27

z-Cleveland x-Milwaukee x-Chicago Indiana Detroit

L 21 36 41 50 55

WESTERN CONFERENCE Southwest Division W 55 50 42 40 37

y-Dallas x-San Antonio Houston Memphis New Orleans y-Denver x-Utah x-Oklahoma City x-Portland Minnesota

L 27 32 40 42 45

Pct .671 .610 .512 .488 .451

GB — 5 13 15 18

Chicago White Sox (Buehrle 2-0) at Cleveland (Talbot 0-1), 7:05 p.m.

Texas (Undecided) at N.Y. Yankees (Sabathia 1-0), 7:05 p.m.

L.A. Angels (Jer.Weaver 1-0) at Toronto (Marcum 0-0), 7:07 p.m.

Tampa Bay (W.Davis 0-1) at Boston (Beckett 1-0), 7:10 p.m.

Kansas City (Greinke 0-1) at Minnesota (S.Baker 1-1), 8:10 p.m.

Baltimore (Millwood 0-1) at Oakland (Braden 1-0), 10:05 p.m.

Detroit (Bonderman 1-0) at Seattle (F.Hernandez 0-0), 10:10 p.m.

Saturday’s Games Texas at N.Y. Yankees, 1:05 p.m.

L.A. Angels at Toronto, 1:07 p.m.

Kansas City at Minnesota, 1:10 p.m.

Baltimore at Oakland, 4:05 p.m.

Chicago White Sox at Cleveland, 4:10 p.m.

Tampa Bay at Boston, 7:10 p.m.

Detroit at Seattle, 9:10 p.m.

Sunday’s Games Chicago White Sox at Cleveland, 1:05 p.m.

Texas at N.Y. Yankees, 1:05 p.m.

L.A. Angels at Toronto, 1:07 p.m.

Tampa Bay at Boston, 1:35 p.m.

Kansas City at Minnesota, 2:10 p.m.

Baltimore at Oakland, 4:05 p.m.

Detroit at Seattle, 4:10 p.m.

W 53 53 50 50 15

L 29 29 32 32 67

Pct .646 .646 .610 .610 .183

GB — — 3 3 38

Pacific Division W L Pct GB z-L.A. Lakers 57 25 .695 — x-Phoenix 54 28 .659 3 L.A. Clippers 29 53 .354 28 Golden State 26 56 .317 31 Sacramento 25 57 .305 32 x-clinched playoff spot; y-clinched division; z-clinched conference

Tuesday’s Games Chicago 101, Boston 93 Utah 103, Golden State 94 L.A. Lakers 106, Sacramento 100 Phoenix 123, Denver 101

Friday’s games Kinston at Winston-Salem, 7 p.m.

Greensboro at Lakewood, 7:05 p.m.

Saturday’s games Kinston at Winston-Salem, 7 p.m.

Greensboro at Lakewood, 4:05 p.m.

Charlotte Miami Portland Orlando Boston Cleveland Milwaukee San Antonio

G 82 82 82 82 82 82 82 82

Pts 7693 7727 7774 7812 7836 7838 7870 7895

FT 756 593 508 439 534 292 536 363 470 487 220 259 362 338 268 348 460 301 245 466

PTS 2472 2258 1943 1970 2045 1631 2027 1497 1678 1896 1619 1619 1681 1667 1640 1450 1387 1567 1604 1427

AVG 30.1 29.7 28.2 27.0 26.6 25.5 25.0 24.1 24.0 23.1 21.3 20.8 20.8 20.6 20.2 20.1 19.8 19.6 19.6 19.5

FG 510 314 421 378 392 617 704 467 686 385

FGA 834 522 717 651 688 1098 1264 847 1258 716

PCT .612 .602 .587 .581 .570 .562 .557 .551 .545 .538

G 82 74 81 81 78 70 72 78 76 81

OFF 284 249 330 228 181 205 129 221 150 236

DEF 798 622 620 721 693 554 608 567 612 563

TOT 1082 871 950 949 874 759 737 788 762 799

AVG 13.2 11.8 11.7 11.7 11.2 10.8 10.2 10.1 10.0 9.9

Assists

Avg 110.2 108.8 106.5 104.2 104.1 102.8 102.5 102.4 102.1 102.1 102.0 101.7 101.7 101.5 101.4 100.8 100.2 100.0 99.2 98.2 98.1 97.7 97.7 97.5 96.5 96.2 95.7 95.3 94.0 92.4

Team Defense

Minor Leagues

FG 794 768 688 716 719 631 720 488 600 704 635 672 652 600 686 533 457 600 575 402

FG Percentage Howard, ORL Perkins, BOS Hilario, DEN Gasol, MEM Bynum, LAL Boozer, UTA Stoudemire, PHX Horford, ATL Lee, NYK Millsap, UTA

Howard, ORL Camby, POR Randolph, MEM Lee, NYK Boozer, UTA Bosh, TOR Murphy, IND Duncan, SAN Wallace, CHA Horford, ATL

Team Offense Pts 9039 8922 8729 8547 8534 8426 8404 8395 8373 8373 8364 8339 8338 8322 8312 8263 8220 8200 8136 8051 8045 8014 8009 7993 7914 7892 7849 7813 7709 7575

97.0 97.0 98.0 98.9 99.1 99.1 99.3 101.0 101.5 101.6 102.1 102.4 102.7 102.7 103.8 104.0 104.4 105.3 105.9 105.9 107.8 112.4

Rebounds

Final team statistics G 82 82 82 82 82 82 82 82 82 82 82 82 82 82 82 82 82 82 82 82 82 82 82 82 82 82 82 82 82 82

7952 7956 8036 8109 8127 8128 8141 8284 8323 8334 8370 8394 8422 8425 8510 8528 8558 8637 8680 8686 8838 9217

Scoring G Durant, OKC 82 James, CLE 76 Anthony, DEN 69 Bryant, LAL 73 Wade, MIA 77 Ellis, GOL 64 Nowitzki, DAL 81 Granger, IND 62 Bosh, TOR 70 Stoudemire, PHX 82 Johnson, ATL 76 Rose, CHI 78 Randolph, MEM 81 Jackson, CHA 81 Lee, NYK 81 Evans, SAC 72 Maggette, GOL 70 Gay, MEM 80 Brooks, HOU 82 Billups, DEN 73

End of Regular Season

Phoenix Golden State Denver Utah Toronto Orlando Memphis Houston Cleveland New York Dallas L.A. Lakers Atlanta Oklahoma City San Antonio Indiana New Orleans Sacramento Boston Minnesota Portland Philadelphia Milwaukee Chicago Miami Washington L.A. Clippers Charlotte Detroit New Jersey

82 82 82 82 82 82 82 82 82 82 82 82 82 82 82 82 82 82 82 82 82 82

Final individual stats

Wednesday’s Games Dallas 96, San Antonio 89 New Orleans 123, Houston 115 Detroit 103, Minnesota 98 Oklahoma City 114, Memphis 105 Atlanta 99, Cleveland 83 Milwaukee 106, Boston 95 Chicago 98, Charlotte 89 Washington 98, Indiana 97 Toronto 131, New York 113 Miami 94, New Jersey 86,2OT Orlando 125, Philadelphia 111 L.A. Clippers 107, L.A. Lakers 91 Golden State 122, Portland 116 Phoenix 100, Utah 86

Friday’s Games

All Times EDT East Division

Philadelphia Florida Atlanta Washington New York

---

Northwest Division

American League

TGC — Champions Tour, Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am, first round, at Lutz, Fla.

BASKETBALL

L.A. Lakers Atlanta Oklahoma City Utah Chicago Detroit Dallas Washington New Jersey Philadelphia L.A. Clippers Denver New Orleans Houston Indiana Memphis Sacramento Phoenix Toronto New York Minnesota Golden State

Avg 93.8 94.2 94.8 95.3 95.6 95.6 96.0 96.3

Nash, PHX Paul, NOR Williams, UTA Rondo, BOS Kidd, DAL James, CLE Davis, LAC Westbrook, OKC Harris, NJN Wade, MIA

G 81 45 76 81 80 76 75 82 64 77

AST 892 480 798 794 724 651 598 652 423 501

AVG 11.0 10.7 10.5 9.8 9.1 8.6 8.0 8.0 6.6 6.5

NBA playoffs All Times EDT FIRST ROUND (Best-of-7) (x-if necessary) Saturday, April 17 Chicago at Cleveland, 3 p.m.

Milwaukee at Atlanta, 5:30 p.m.

Miami at Boston, 8 p.m.

Utah at Denver, 10:30 p.m.

Sunday, April 18 Oklahoma City at L.A. Lakers, 3 p.m.

Charlotte at Orlando, 5:30 p.m.

San Antonio at Dallas, 8 p.m.

Portland at Phoenix , 10:30 p.m.

Monday, April 19 Chicago at Cleveland, 8 p.m.

Utah at Denver, 10:30 p.m.

Tuesday, April 20 Milwaukee at Atlanta, 7 p.m.

Miami at Boston, 8 p.m.

Portland at Phoenix, 10:30 p.m.

Oklahoma City at L.A. Lakers, 10:30 p.m.

Wednesday, April 21 Charlotte at Orlando, 7 p.m.

San Antonio at Dallas, 9:30 p.m.

Thursday, April 22 Cleveland at Chicago, 7 p.m.

L.A. Lakers at Oklahoma City, 9:30 p.m.

Phoenix at Portland, 10 p.m.

Friday, April 23 Boston at Miami, 7 p.m.

Dallas at San Antonio, 9:30 p.m.

Denver at Utah, 10:30 p.m.

Saturday, April 24 Orlando at Charlotte, 2 p.m.

Phoenix at Portland, 4:30 p.m.

Atlanta at Milwaukee, 7 p.m.

L.A. Lakers at Oklahoma City, 9:30 p.m.

Sunday, April 25 Boston at Miami, 1 p.m.

Cleveland at Chicago, 3:30 p.m.

Dallas at San Antonio, 7 p.m.

Denver at Utah, 9:30 p.m.

Tuesday, April 27 x-Ottawa at Pittsburgh, 7 p.m. x-Philadelphia at New Jersey, 7:30 p.m. x-Los Angeles at Vancouver, TBD x-Detroit at Phoenix, TBD

Wednesday, April 28 x-Montreal at Washington, TBD x-Boston at Buffalo, 7 p.m. x-Nashville at Chicago, TBD

Monday, April 26 Orlando at Charlotte, TBD x-Portland at Phoenix, TBD Atlanta at Milwaukee, TBD

Tuesday, April 27 x-Chicago at Cleveland, TBD x-Miami at Boston, TBD x-Oklahoma City at L.A. Lakers, TBD x-San Antonio at Dallas, TBD

SOCCER

---

Major League Soccer

Wednesday, April 28 x-Charlotte at Orlando, TBD x-Milwaukee at Atlanta, TBD x-Utah at Denver, TBD

Thursday, April 29 x-Cleveland at Chicago, TBD x-Boston at Miami, TBD x-Phoenix at Portland, TBD x-Dallas at San Antonio, TBD

Friday, April 30 x-Orlando at Charlotte, TBD x-Atlanta at Milwaukee, TBD x-Denver at Utah, TBD x-L.A. Lakers at Oklahoma City, TBD

Saturday, May 1 x-Chicago at Cleveland, TBD x-Miami at Boston, TBD x-San Antonio at Dallas, TBD x-Portland at Phoenix, TBD

Sunday, May 2 x-Charlotte at Orlando, TBD x-Milwaukee at Atlanta, TBD x-Utah at Denver, TBD x-Oklahoma City at L.A. Lakers, TBD

All Times EDT EASTERN CONFERENCE W 2 2 2 1 1 0 0 0

Kansas City New England New York Columbus Philadelphia Chicago Toronto FC D.C.

L 0 1 1 0 1 2 2 3

T Pts GF GA 0 6 5 0 0 6 6 2 0 6 2 2 1 4 4 2 0 3 3 4 1 1 3 5 0 0 1 6 0 0 2 9

WESTERN CONFERENCE Los Angeles Houston Real Salt Lake Seattle Colorado Chivas USA San Jose FC Dallas

W 3 1 1 1 1 1 1 0

L 0 1 1 1 1 2 1 0

T Pts GF GA 0 9 5 0 1 4 3 4 1 4 6 4 1 4 4 3 1 4 3 3 0 3 2 3 0 3 2 4 2 2 3 3

Thursday’s Game Philadelphia at Toronto FC, late

Saturday’s Games Kansas City at Seattle FC, 3 p.m.

Chivas USA at Houston, 4 p.m.

Chicago at D.C. United, 7:30 p.m.

FC Dallas at New York, 7:30 p.m.

New England at San Jose, 10 p.m.

Real Salt Lake at Los Angeles, 10:30 p.m.

HOCKEY

---

Sunday’s Games Toronto FC at Colorado, 5 p.m.

NHL playoffs All Times EDT FIRST ROUND (Best-of-7) (x-if necessary) Wednesday, April 14 Ottawa 5, Pittsburgh 4, Ottawa leads 1-0 Philadelphia 2, New Jersey 1, Phil. leads 1-0 Phoenix 3, Detroit 2, Phoenix leads 1-0 Colorado 2, San Jose 1, Colorado leads 1-0

Thursday, April 15 Montreal at Washington, late Boston at Buffalo, late Los Angeles at Vancouver, late

Friday, April 16 Ottawa at Pittsburgh, 7 p.m.

Philadelphia at New Jersey, 7:30 p.m.

Nashville at Chicago, 8:30 p.m.

Detroit at Phoenix, 10 p.m.

Colorado at San Jose, 10:30 p.m.

Saturday, April 17 Boston at Buffalo, 1 p.m.

Montreal at Washington, 7 p.m.

Los Angeles at Vancouver, 10 p.m.

Sunday, April 18 Phoenix at Detroit, 3 p.m.

New Jersey at Philadelphia, 6 p.m.

Pittsburgh at Ottawa, 6:30 p.m.

Nashville at Chicago, 8:30 p.m.

San Jose at Colorado, 9:30 p.m.

TENNIS

---

WTA Family Circle Cup Thursday At The Family Circle Tennis Center Charleston, S.C. Purse: $700,000 (Premier) Surface: Green Clay-Outdoor Singles, Second Round

Vera Zvonareva (7), Russia, def. Alona Bondarenko (9), Ukraine, 6-2, 6-1.

Caroline Wozniacki (1), Denmark, def. Patty Schnyder (16), Switzerland, 6-2, 7-5.

Nadia Petrova (6), Russia, def. Aleksandra Wozniak (12), Canada, 6-2, 6-4.

Melanie Oudin (13), United States, def.

Christina McHale, United States, 6-4, 6-0.

Doubles, Second Round Vania King, U.S., and Michaella Krajicek, Netherlands, def. Lisa Raymond, U.S., and Rennae Stubbs (2), Australia, 6-4, 6-1.

Monday, April 19 Washington at Montreal, 7 p.m.

Buffalo at Boston, 7 p.m.

Vancouver at Los Angeles, 10 p.m.

Tuesday, April 20 Phoenix at Detroit, 6:30 p.m.

Pittsburgh at Ottawa, 7 p.m.

New Jersey at Philadelphia, 7:30 p.m.

Chicago at Nashville, 9 p.m.

San Jose at Colorado, 10 p.m.

Wednesday, April 21 Washington at Montreal, 7 p.m.

Buffalo at Boston, 7 p.m.

Vancouver at Los Angeles, 10 p.m.

Thursday, April 22 x-Philadelphia at New Jersey, 7 p.m. x-Ottawa at Pittsburgh, 7 p.m.

Chicago at Nashville, 8:30 p.m. x-Colorado at San Jose, 10:30 p.m.

Friday, April 23 x-Montreal at Washington, 7 p.m. x-Boston at Buffalo, 7 p.m. x-Los Angeles at Vancouver, 10 p.m. x-Detroit at Phoenix, 10 p.m.

Saturday, April 24 x-Nashville at Chicago, 3 p.m. x-Pittsburgh at Ottawa, 7 p.m. x-San Jose at Colorado, TBD

Sunday, April 25 x-Phoenix at Detroit, 2 p.m. x-New Jersey at Philadelphia, TBD x-Vancouver at Los Angeles, TBD

Monday, April 26 x-Washington at Montreal, 7 p.m.

Buffalo at Boston, 7 p.m. x-Colorado at San Jose, TBD x-Chicago at Nashville, TBD

TRANSACTIONS

---

BASEBALL American League

BALTIMORE ORIOLES—Recalled RHP Kam Mickolio from Norfolk (IL).

National League

WASHINGTON NATIONALS—Optioned OF Roger Bernadina to Syracuse (IL). Recalled LHP Scott Olsen and OF Justin Maxwell from Syracuse. Designated RHP Jason Bergmann for assignment.

BASKETBALL National Basketball Association

PHILADELPHIA 76ERS—Fired coach Eddie Jordan.

FOOTBALL National Football League

MINNESOTA VIKINGS—Waived WR Vinny Perretta.

NEW YORK JETS—Signed RB Leon Washington.

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES—Re-signed G Max Jean-Gilles to a one-year contract.

United Football League

UFL—Announced Omaha will host a franchise and Jeff Jagodzinski will coach the team.

COLLEGE

ST. ROSE—Named Liam Gleason men’s lacrosse coach.

WASHINGTON—Announced sophomore basketball G Elston Turner is transferring from the school.

ADVICE MARKET PRESS FRIDAY, APRIL 16, 2010

19

HOROSCOPE

---

Friday, April 16, 2010 HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Take the high road or you will end up in a dispute you may not win. Be true to yourself if you want to make progress. Your own insecurities will slow you down, so rise above them. Focus on moving forward in a direction that will bring you the highest return and with which you are comfortable. Your numbers are 7, 13, 17, 20, 26, 31, 42 ARIES (March 21-April 19): Don’t get discouraged – use this time to create and formulate your next move. Rely on your experience. A positive approach with a fresh idea will be of interest to someone you have wanted to work with for some time. ★★★ TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Take the time to nurture relationships and deal with personal matters. Romance is in the stars and planning a unique encounter with someone special will lead to a better future. A promise made will bring great joy. ★★★ GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Find solutions to the pending settlements and legal and financial matters.

You can make progress with institutions and agencies that have been holding you hostage. Don’t let a personal issue slow you down. ★★★ CANCER (June 21-July 22): You can be in control. Volunteer your services and join groups that you believe in. Your generosity – emotionally, physically

D

and financially – will have a great impact on others and will bring you some unusual and unexpected rewards. ★★★★ LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Time is on your side and, to reveal what you are up to at this time is likely to sabotage your plans. Find out where everyone stands first. Confide only in like-minded people in order to avoid opposition and controversy. ★★ VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Your suggestions, coupled with a positive attitude, will allow you to put your plans into motion. Taking a trip will reveal how determined you are. Love is present, so be sure to make plans for two. ★★★★★ LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): You can eliminate your stress if you are willing to put an end to a fight that is a losing battle. Finalize a settlement or agree to a contract before someone revokes what’s already on the table. Cut your losses and get on with your life. ★★★ SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): The more you talk about your project, the more interest you will drum up. Someone will want to partner with you or will connect you to an organization that can utilize what you have to offer. ★★★ SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Don’t let things linger on when they need immediate attention. You may feel like relaxing or socializing with friends but,

if you haven’t tied up loose ends, it will cost you. Prepare to deal with the unexpected and someone else’s burden. ★★★ CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): A love relationship will be heightened by the generosity you show toward your friends, family and peers. You can close a deal you’ve been working on for some time if you offer an unexpected perk to sweeten up the package. ★★★★★ AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): You cannot win an argument, so don’t bother going that route. It’s best to listen to what’s being said and do your best to oblige.

A promise made must be kept if you don’t want to damage your reputation. ★★ PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Your Pisces vision and charisma will align you with some spectacular people. Share what you have and what you want to do.

You will make a deal that can further your own personal and professional interests. ★★★★

ONE STAR: It’s best to avoid conflicts; work behind the scenes or read a good book. Two stars: You can accomplish but don’t rely on others for help. Three stars: If you focus, you will reach your goals.

Four stars: You can pretty much do as you please, a good time to start new projects. Five stars: Nothing can stop you now. Go for the gold.

Man with sailor’s mouth rocks the boat at home

ear Abby: I have been married for seven years to a man who curses something awful. We have three children, and he curses at them, too, when he’s angry. I’m afraid his verbal abuse is destroying our children’s selfesteem, and I have asked him repeatedly to stop it. I even threatened to leave if he doesn’t clean up his act.

When he swears, it sends shivers up my spine and I get angry.

We used to have heated arguments, but I have learned to watch my mouth. I thought he would get the idea if I set an example, but he didn’t even notice.

He was in the Navy, and for a long time he

blamed his cursing on his time in the military. Well, he has been out for 12 years ADVICE now and that excuse Dear is a little Abby tired. I ■■■ have made plans to leave him and will stick with my decision unless he’s willing to make a serious effort to control his mouth. In the meantime, what do you suggest I do? I’ve tried everything – even prayer. – Ready To Walk in Virginia Dear Ready To Walk: In the “meantime,” try earplugs for the children

and a swear box for your salty-mouthed spouse.

(If you don’t know what a swear box is, it’s a container into which an agreed-upon amount of money is placed every time a curse word is uttered.) Use the proceeds to tide you over after you’ve left him if the swear box doesn’t cure him.

Dear Abby: I have a delicate problem. My boss’s wife wears a very strong perfume. Every time she walks into the office, I get a headache and feel nauseated for hours. I am allergic to perfume, and women do not seem to understand that while they “think” they smell good, they are really making me sick.

When the boss’s wife comes in, I try to stay in my office, but the smell is so overpowering I can’t escape. How should I handle this? – Holding My Breath in Talladega, Ala. Dear Holding: For the sake of your health, you must speak to your employer and explain your sensitivity to perfumes and the effect they have on you. You are far from alone in this problem – many others also have allergic reactions when exposed to perfumes, after-shave or scented products of any kind.

Ask your boss to please ask his wife to forgo the perfume when she visits the office because it gives you a headache and an

upset stomach. How else will he – or she – know there’s a problem?

Dear Abby: I have been dating “Carolyn” for about a year. We are both in our 50s and have talked about marriage in the future.

Before we met, Carolyn had profiles on two dating sites – not as a paid member, but just as someone who could look around without being able to send or receive messages.

I have asked her to delete these profiles now that we have reached the one-year mark. She says I shouldn’t be concerned, that she’s just interested in reading about other people. She insists she wants to be only with me

and isn’t looking to go out with anyone else.

Abby, this doesn’t sit well with me. What do you think? – Exclusively Hers in Pennsylvania Dear Exclusively Hers: I think you don’t trust Carolyn. Unless you’re convinced that she’s “exclusively” yours – and you’re not – you should rethink your future with her.

If you’re discussing marriage, she shouldn’t be disregarding your feelings.

Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Write Dear Abby at www.DearAbby. com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.