UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY’S MUSEUM OF ANTHROPOLOGY LOOKS AT VALENTINE’S DAY TRADITIONS
Utah State University issued the following news release:
Guests are invited to learn more about the origins of tiffany and co Valentine's Day at the next "Saturdays at the Museum" program offered by Utah State University's Museum of Anthropology. The theme for the day's event is "Valentine's Day, A Pagan Celebration Transformed Through Religion."
Activities are Saturday, Feb. 14, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and include a discussion of how Valentine's Day originated and its transformation from a pagan celebration to the current customs followed today. Ancient symbolism still in use will be traced through its many incarnations, mainly through religious influences, explaining how and why the symbols survive to become imbedded in current practices.
The lecture is geared for adults but family activities are also planned, including making silver rings Valentine cards and discussions of the history of Valentine's Day candies. USU students and members of the public are invited to the museum any time during the 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday hours.
The USU Museum of Anthropology is on the USU campus in the south turret of the historic Old Main building, room 252. Free parking is available in the adjacent lot, south of the building. For more information on this event, call museum staff at (435) 797-7545 or visit the museum website at www.usu.edu/anthro/museum.For more information about US Fed News contract awards please contact: Sarabjit Jagirdar, US Fed News, Email:- htsyndication@hindustantimes.com.
Maria Melendez, 435/797-3647, silver bracelets maria.melendez@usu.edu.
On Valentine’s Day, Binational Gay and Lesbian Couples Struggle to Stay Together
The Human Rights Campaign, the nation's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender civil rights organization, and Immigration Equality, a national group aimed at ending LGBT discrimination in immigration law, lauded today's introduction of the Uniting American Families Act. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) and tiffany and co Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT), will provide lesbian and gay Americans the same opportunity as different-sex couples to sponsor their partner for immigration purposes. During a media conference call, Rep. Nadler joined HRC President Joe Solmonese, Immigration Equality Executive Director Rachel B. Tiven, and Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund Legislative Staff Attorney John Amaya to discuss the importance of this legislation, along with two binational couples who face the prospect of being forcibly separated under existing immigration laws.
"It should be an outrage to all Americans that our government continues to deny one set of citizens the fundamental rights enjoyed by the rest of its citizens," said Rep. Nadler. "It is time that we as a society finally acknowledge that a committed, loving family is a committed, loving family, no matter whether a couple is gay or straight. It makes no difference. We should be encouraging and rewarding stable families rather than sweeping them into the margins. We must now pass UAFA, the Uniting American Families Act, and grant gay and lesbian binational families the same legal protections--and the same human dignity--as other Americans."
"Like many people across the country, there are Vermonters whose partners are foreign nationals and who feel key rings abandoned by our laws in this area. The promotion of family unity has long been part of federal immigration policy, and we should honor that principle by providing all Americans the opportunity to be with their loved ones. I hope all Senators will join me in supporting equality for all Americans and their loved ones," said Sen. Leahy.
"For far too long, our elected officials have ignored the devastating real-life consequences that current immigration policies have had on thousands of gay and lesbian couples in loving, committed relationships," said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese. "We thank Representative Nadler and Senator Leahy for their leadership to ensure that these couples are treated equally under the law. We commend Immigration Equality for their continued leadership in fighting this unjust policy." Under U.S. immigration law, U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents may sponsor their spouses for immigration purposes. But gay and lesbian Americans are not afforded this basic right. Consequently, many binational gay and lesbian couples are kept or torn apart. The Uniting American Families Act would allow U.S. citizens and permanent residents to sponsor their same-sex partners for family-based immigration by meeting the same standard as different-sex couples. The bill would impose harsh penalties for fraud, including up to five years in prison and as much as $250,000 in fines. This inequality affects more than 36,000 gay and lesbian Americans, according to the 2000 Census and research commissioned by Immigration Equality and conducted necklaces by Gary Gates of the Williams Institute at the University of California, Los Angeles. "This Valentine's Day, thousands of gay and lesbian Americans who have fallen in love across borders must grapple with an impossible choice between being with the person they love and staying in their country," said Immigration Equality Executive Director Rachel B. Tiven. "These couples simply want the same opportunity to prove that their families deserve to stay together."
CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION SEEKS NO VALENTINE’S DAY SURPRISES
On Valentine's Day, travelers may wish to bring flowers with them from Mexico into the United States. Customs and Border Protection officials want residents and visitors to know what to expect when they cross the border.
Travelers cannot bring arrangements with chrysanthemums or gladiolas from Mexico tiffany through the passenger ports of entry. Roses, carnations, and most other flowers are allowed into the U.S. after they pass inspection. Travelers should declare all flowers and plants to CBP officers.
"We work to protect U.S. agricultural resources from harmful pests, so we thoroughly inspect agricultural products brought across the border," said Leslie Gomez-Montez, CBP San Diego's acting agriculture program manager. "We want travelers to know ahead of time what they can and cannot bring so there are no surprises at the port of entry."
Throughout the year, and especially around Valentine's Day, CBP agriculture specialists are busy making sure that flower imports are free from insects and diseases that could harm the agricultural and floral industries of the United States. They are specially trained to inspect plant and animal products for signs of insects or key rings disease. Their careful attention to detail ensures that even microscopic pests are detected and prevented from being introduced into United States where they could cause significant economic or environmental harm. ( Image Library Photo: AgricultureSpecialists )
With the current restrictions, CBP is trying to prevent funguses called "Chrysanthemum White Rust" and "Gladiolus Rust" from entering the U.S. Additionally, some cut greenery, particularly Murraya (common name "orange jasmine") is a host for Asian citrus psyllid, a dangerous pest of citrus. If any portion of a bouquet has pests, the entire bouquet will be confiscated.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.For more information about US Fed News contract awards please contact: Sarabjit Jagirdar, US Fed News, Email:- htsyndication@hindustantimes.com.
Valentine’s Day 2010: Feb. 14
Average length, in years, of first marriages ending in divorce.
3 1/2
The median time in years between divorce and a second marriage.
52% and 44%
Among adults 25 and older who have ever divorced, the percentage of men and women, respectively, who were currently married.
Source for the data in this section, unless otherwise noted: Marriage and Divorce: 2004 http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/marital_status_living_arrangements/010624.html
Following is a list of observances typically covered by the Census Bureau's Facts for Features series:
Black History Month (February)
Super Bowl
Valentine's Day (Feb. 14)
Women's History Month (March)
Irish-American Heritage Month (March)/St. Patrick's Day (March 17)
Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month (May)
Older Americans Month (May)
Cinco de Mayo (May 5)
Mother's Day
Hurricane Season Begins (June 1)
Father's Day
The Fourth of July (July 4)
Anniversary of Americans with Disabilities Act (July 26)
Back to School (August)
Labor Day
Grandparents Day
Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15-Oct. 15)
Halloween (Oct. 31)
American Indian/Alaska Native Heritage Month (November)
Veterans Day (Nov. 11)
Thanksgiving Day
The Holiday Season (December)
Editor's note: The preceding data were collected from a variety of sources and may be tiffany subject to sampling variability and other sources of error. Facts for Features are customarily released about two months before an observance in order to accommodate magazine production timelines. Questions or comments should be directed to the Census Bureau's Public Information Office: telephone: 301-763-3030; fax: 301-763-3762; or e-mail: pio@census.gov.
In a Rainbow of Hues, Bracelets Bring a Pot of Gold
Haley Schulman, a 16-year-old high school sophomore in Chicago, wears several every day. So do her two sisters, her mother and her grandmother. Not to mention Ricky Martin, the pop sensation.
Suddenly, "power bead" bracelets are everywhere. They're simple strands of semiprecious beads on elastic, with tags listing supposed benefits for a spectrum of colors. Rose quartz brings love. Turquoise brings health. Mother of pearl, money.
That's the color scheme according to 30-year-old Zoe Metro, who started selling the bracelets in January. From her 500-square-foot studio in midtown Manhattan, she has touched off a fashion-accessory bonanza.
Girls can't seem to get enough of them. Ms. Metro's power bead bracelets are going for $30 at Neiman Marcus Group Inc., and Limited Inc. stores have begun carrying their own "UnLimited Inspiration Bracelets" for $14 each. A string of even cheaper versions has popped up, including the $4.99 beads sold in 7-Eleven Inc. stores.
Ms. Metro says sales of her bracelets, marketed under the brand name Stella Pace, are on track to total about $5 million this year. Many merchants are counting on power beads as a big gift item this holiday season. Says Julee Butler, vice president for designer jewelry and fashion accessories for Neiman Marcus, "We don't see it slowing down."
With five colleagues, Carol Fouser recently ordered $110 worth of the tiffany bracelets from the Internet site of Traditions, a tiny store in Selma, Ala. "I'm in Weight Watcher's so I need two black onyx for willpower," says Ms. Fouser, who works at the headquarters of Waffle House, a restaurant operator in Norcross, Ga. When tempted to stray from her diet, she adds, "I slap the black onyx and think `extra willpower.'"
Ms. Metro says she dreamed up the idea after seeing the Dalai Lama wearing a bracelet of simple wooden beads. She tried designing jewelry and handbags early last year, attracting little notice. Then she had an inspiring encounter on the subway. After watching an elderly man open fortune cookies -- only to discard the food and unfurl the fortune scrolls -- she decided to attach a sentiment to her accessories.
For packaging, Ms. Metro found plastic petri dishes at a Web site that sells mostly to high-school science classrooms. To manufacture her designs, she hired an importer with contacts at factories in Taiwan and Hong Kong. She packaged and shipped from her studio with help from friends and her brother's girlfriend.
Instead of advertising, she tried to plant her bracelets in the trendiest stores. Calling on contacts from previous jobs, in publishing and at apparel maker Tahari Ltd., Ms. Metro started out selling to Intermix in New York and Jennifer Kaufman in Los Angeles, both trendy clothing and jewelry retailers. The "perceived value of your product isn't always the price, but who you hang with," she says.
The real momentum began after the Grammys in February. Mr. Martin wore a bracelet, which looked to many viewers like one of the Stella Pace ones. (Not so, his publicist says, adding that he wears only bracelets from India.)
In May, Neiman Marcus merchants spotted the Stella Pace bracelets in New York and ordered a batch to test sales. Almost immediately, store managers called asking for more. By summer, Bloomingdale's stocked a few bracelets at $15 a pop, and quickly ordered more, too, says Francine Klein, senior vice president for fashion accessories.
Bala Girls, a specialty clothing store for preteens and teens in suburban Philadelphia, ordered its first key rings power bead bracelets in July after owner Lynne Raymond saw photos of Mr. Martin wearing his bracelets. Later, Bala Girls started carrying a cheaper version of the bracelet, made by J & L Confetti Corp., which supplies novelty items to stores across the country.
"They looked as good as the others," Ms. Raymond says, and she switched. Now she pays about $5 a bracelet, down from $9, but still charges customers $18.
To determine what attributes to place on her tags, Ms. Metro reads books about crystals and stones, some chosen from Amazon.com recommendations. She searches for ancient meanings -- but ones that are marketable today. At first, she says, she sold hematite bracelets as "antidepression." But "we changed the meaning to happiness," she says. "People don't want to give their friends antidepression."
"We have our own meanings, too, that we make up, like sunshine for orange," says Stephen Martin, vice president at Confetti. The company, based in East Farmingdale, N.Y., has sold about 30,000 of its bracelets, he adds, packaged in clear plastic dishes.
Still living with two roommates in a fifth-floor walk-up, Ms. Metro, an art history graduate from Princeton University, was born Heather Aponick. She renamed herself Zoe, after her grandmother, in 1995. The Metro surname was meant to sound catchy. Ms. Metro says she doesn't plan to sell Stella Pace designs outside the 300 stores already carrying her line, but she plans to add clothing and home decor items next year.
This fall, Ms. Metro signed a letter of intent to sell her company, Z. Metro Inc., to Innovo Group Inc., necklaces a fashion accessories company in Knoxville, Tenn., for about $1 million in cash as well as Innovo stock. Innovo will handle production and shipping, while she continues to design in Manhattan.
Her latest creations blend different color beads into "prescriptions" like "stress buster," "complexion correction" and "lucky in love." She is also trying several strands of smaller beads and has added new power beads, like a special millennium bracelet of rock crystal.
Her biggest hurdle may be that some fans expect this fashion fad, like many others, to fizzle fast. "It will become too popular, and then it will die out," says Ms. Schulman, the 16-year-old Chicagoan. "I mean, no one wears baby backpacks anymore."
A world of bracelets
TITLE: A world of bracelets; Africa, Asia, Oceania, America from the Ghysels collection.
AUTHOR: Van Cutsem, Anne. Photographs by Mauro Magliani. Trans. by Lawrence Jenkens. Ed. by Lynn Levenberg.
PUBLISHER: Skira Editore
PUBLISH DATE: 2002
PAGES: 378
PRICE: $65.00
BINDING: Hardcover
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CLASSIFICATION: NK7304
REVIEW: This attractive and sturdy volume showcases more than 1,200 tiffany jewellery bracelets from the Ghysels Collection of ethnic jewelry. Most of the pieces are presented here for the first time. The main part of the volume consists of full-page, highly detailed color photographs of the bracelets by Mauro Magliani. Van Cutsem's (art history, U. Libre, Brussels) commentary opens each of four sections covering Africa, Asia, Oceania, and America. Oversize: 10x11.5". Distributed by Rizzoli. (漏2003 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR)
Awareness bracelets raise etiquette issues
I was at a party last month when, for the third time in as many weeks, someone gave me a "gift" I couldn't refuse. So I forced a smile, thanked the giver and slipped it dutifully on my wrist.
Moments later, I heard myself grousing about this gift to a sympathetic friend, who was sporting a similar one on her own wrist.
"Wear it in the shower," she whispered. "Scrub it hard with soap. It will disintegrate faster."
OK, I confess. I'm shallow, selfish and harbor a deep aversion to brightly colored rubber jewelry.
Please don't hate me because I won't wear an awareness wristband.
If you're not sporting one yourself, you've probably seen this latest philanthropic fad on the arms of others. key rings Made popular by cyclist and cancer survivor Lance Armstrong, whose yellow LIVESTRONG wristbands have raised more than $30 million for cancer research, the ubiquitous bracelets are the latest fashion trend among teens and adults. Even celebrities have caught the yellow bracelet bug, as Prince William and Pamela Anderson have been spotted sporting the jewelry. And the craze and colors have since spread to show support for a variety of causes and diseases: pink for breast cancer, purple for cystic fibrosis, gray for diabetes, even blue for tsunami relief.
The bracelets are typically sold for a dollar each - some fetch a higher price on eBay - and I'm more than happy to buy them from anyone trying to raise money for a good cause, just as I try to support various charities close to my heart.
But must I wear my sentiments on my sleeve? The problem is, the popularity of these awareness bracelets has raised all sorts of thorny and sensitive etiquette issues. Once gifted with a bracelet, how long is one required to keep it on? Is it appropriate to remove it for special occasions? What if the color clashes with one's sweater? What if it just doesn't mesh with one's favorite silver bracelet?
My first bracelet came from a close friend whose father had died of cancer. In December, she bought a half-dozen yellow wristbands and distributed them with great ceremony to a chosen few. I was initially honored to receive a wristband and told her so. After a few days, however, as the wristband clashed with my clothes and the rubber chafed my wrist, I tentatively broached the uncomfortable topic with my friend.
"I love the bracelet," I began. "But, um, how long am I supposed to wear it?"
My question was met with a stony, withering stare. "You don't have to wear it at all," she replied coldly. "Give it back. Plenty of people would be honored to wear it."
That didn't go well, obviously. But even though I'm shameless enough to acknowledge my bracelet tiffany ambivalence, I suspect I'm not alone. A colleague told me yesterday that he recently "hid" his cancer bracelet after receiving one from a college friend. A girlfriend who said she has no intention of wearing the wristband succinctly explained her reasons why not: "I'm 40, and I don't have to." Another friend who adores high-end jewelry said she just couldn't bring herself to wear cheap rubber next to an emerald and diamond silver bracelet.
Recently, I was enjoying a relaxed dinner with friends at a Chinese restaurant when one of them suddenly whipped out four red wristbands from her purse and handed them out as we read our fortune cookies. I accepted mine and surreptitiously stuffed it into my pocketbook. Yesterday, curious as to whether I was alone in my cold- hearted vanity, I approached one of the recipients and pushed up her sleeve.
It was naked. Ah ha!
"Where's the bracelet?" I demanded.
"It was bugging me," she said with a shrug. "I tried to wear it on my ankle, but that didn't work, either."
None of these people wanted their names used, because they're fully aware that the dissing of awareness bracelets will likely attract all sorts of nasty comments, angry phone calls and hateful e- mail, and they're not as used to that stuff as I am.
The wristbands are similar to a fad from the 1970s, when in junior high we all wore stainless steel bracelets earrings stamped with the name of an American soldier who was missing in action. Young girls bought the bracelets in droves because they were cool, but they also helped increase awareness of the war and its consequences.
These bracelets may be serving the same purpose with young people, and if so, that's a good thing. But please, I'm almost 46. So spare me the white "right to life' wristband or the orange one for Asperger's. Like many folks, I'm more comfortable supporting a cause than sporting one.
Dianne Williamson can be reached by e-mail at dwilliamson@telegram.com.
GUILTY PLEAS IN LIVESTRONG BRACELET COUNTERFEITING CASE
The New York State Attorney General issued the following news release:
Attorney General Eliot Spitzer today announced that an illegal enterprise that imported and sold counterfeit LiveSTRONG bracelets in New York City has been put out of business and that the participants in the criminal enterprise have pleaded guilty in state court. In addition, the defendants in the case have turned over $111,830 to the Lance Armstrong Foundation as part of their sentences.
"This was a cynical scheme to profit from the public's strong support for the Lance Armstrong Foundation's work," said Attorney General Spitzer. "The sale of each counterfeit bracelet deprived the charity of money that could further its work in cancer treatment and research. I am pleased that the ill-gotten gains we recovered from this illegal enterprise will be turned over to the Lance Armstrong Foundation."
"The New York Attorney General's office has made substantial progress in ensuring that when Lance Armstrong Foundation supporters buy a LiveSTRONG wristband, they can feel confident that the LAF and people living with cancer benefit from their generosity and support," said Betty Otter-Nickerson, chief operating officer of the Lance Armstrong Foundation.
The Attorney General's Office secured guilty pleas in the case after shutting down the counterfeiting ring in April when investigators from Spitzer's office and the State Police raided two distribution facilities in Queens and Manhattan. During the raids, more than 80,000 counterfeit bracelets and over $100,000 in cash cufflinks were seized.
New York State Police Superintendent Wayne Bennett said: "Stealing money from cancer survivors and their families is despicable. These arrests have stopped a criminal enterprise that in reality had multiple victims: the individual consumers who were defrauded, whose intentions to contribute to cancer survivors were thwarted; and a legitimate charity and its deserving beneficiaries."
The counterfeiting operation was headed by Li Ping Liang Chen, who operated Eastlink International, Inc. - an import-export company - from her home in Queens. Chen arranged to have the counterfeit LiveSTRONG bracelets produced in China, and imported into the United States through Kennedy International Airport. Undercover investigators working on the case purchased a box containing over 1,000 counterfeit wristbands at a store at 34 West 27th Street operated by some of the defendants in this case. According to US Customs agents, the airbill number on this box of counterfeit bracelets established that it was imported by Eastlink International.
In prosecutions related to this case:
Li Ping Liang Chen, of 6846 Dartmouth Street, Queens, pleaded guilty to Trademark Counterfeiting in the Second Degree, a class E felony, and was sentenced to pay $101,830 to the Lance Armstrong Foundation;
* Su Qin Weng, of 34-19 69th Street, Queens, pleaded guilty to Trademark Counterfeiting in the Third Degree, a class A misdemeanor, and was sentenced to pay $5,000 to the Lance Armstrong Foundation;
* Ding Chai Ye, of 37-10 64th Street, Woodside, pleaded guilty to Trademark Counterfeiting in the Third Degree, a class A misdemeanor, and was sentenced to pay $5,000 to the Lance Armstrong Foundation;
* Wei Hua Chen, the husband of Li Ping Liang Chen, of 6846 Dartmouth Street, Queens, tiffany pleaded guilty to a violation and was sentenced to seven days of community service;
* Su Ping Qu, husband of Su Qin Weng, of 34-19 69th Street, Queens, pleaded guilty to a violation and was sentenced to five days of community service; and,
* Xi Chen, of 143-30 Roosevelt Avenue, Flushing, pleaded guilty to a violation and was sentenced to four days of community service.
Founded in 1997, the Lance Armstrong Foundation is a charitable organization that funds programs providing services to cancer patients. The foundation also funds scientific and clinical research that seeks to better understand cancer's physical, emotional and practical effects.
The foundation sells distinctive bright yellow wristbands engraved with LiveSTRONG for $1 each. Proceeds from the sale of the bracelets are used to further the foundation's mission. To date, approximately 55 million wristbands have been sold since the LiveSTRONG fund-raising campaign began in the Spring of 2004.
Attorney General Spitzer thanked Senior Investigator Eliezer Roman and Investigators William Connolly and Eric Castellar of the New York State Police for their work in investigating this case.
The New York City counterfeiting sweep follows a case in which the Attorney General's Office shut down an operation that was selling fake LiveSTRONG bracelets from a kiosk in a shopping center in Greece, near Rochester. In that case, $12,000 was returned to the Lance Armstrong Foundation.
Consumers are encouraged to report any sales of counterfeit LiveSTRONG bracelets by calling the money clips Attorney General's toll-free help line at 1-800-771-7755.
The New York City counterfeiting case was prosecuted by Assistant Attorney General Johanna Sullivan of the Criminal Prosecutions Bureau under the supervision of the Deputy Bureau Chief Viola Abbitt.
MS&L steers crisis comms for Reebok bracelet recall
Reebok issued a voluntary recall of 300,000 charm bracelets in the US last month when it was alerted there may be a connection between the bracelet and the leadpoisoning death of a 4-year-old Minnesota boy. The bracelets were a gift with purchase that came with several styles of children's shoes that went on sale in 2004.
Denise Kaigler, head of global PR and communications at Reebok, said she was informed of the death on March 10 by one of the company's attorneys.
"Our first thought was to recall the bracelets before we even knew there was a definitive connection between Reebok and this death," she said.
With the help of Manning Selvage & Lee, which Reebok hired days after the incident, tiffany jewellery the athletic-gear company launched an extensive internal and external crisis communications effort.
Paul Harrington, Reebok CEO, mobilized the sales force to get the bracelets off the market. He also sent a personal note on the crisis to staffers worldwide and did interviews with the AP and others.
"We informed the US Consumer Product Safety Commission [CPSC] on March 13 and made a request that they put the recall on the 'fast track,'" Kaigler said. "We couldn't go public until the CPSC was ready to make an official recall," which it did on March 23.
Kaigler expects that half a million bracelets worldwide will ultimately be recalled. Reebok has rolled out voluntary recalls in various countries, though it has yet to receive official documentation linking the cause of death to the bracelet.
"Our biggest concern at that point was how do we get word out to consumers," Kaigler said, adding that because of this incident, Reebok has formed a task force that includes MS&L.
"It will specifically address this issue and put in place steps that can prevent this from happening earrings again," she explained.
Reebok has three agencies of record: LaForce & Stevens, PMK/HBH, and Alan Taylor Communications.
CHILDREN’S BRACELETS RECALLED BY DM MERCHANDISING DUE TO LEAD POISONING HAZARD
The Consumer Product Safety Commission issued the tiffany jewelry following press release:
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.
NAME OF PRODUCT: Children's "Ultra Gear" Bracelets
UNITS: About 86,400
IMPORTER: DM Merchandising Inc., of Elmhurst, Ill.
HAZARD: The recalled jewelry contains high levels of lead. Lead is toxic if ingested by young children and can cause adverse health effects.
INCIDENTS/INJURIES: None reported.
DESCRIPTION: The recalled bracelets are 8-inch long, silver-colored chain bands that have a 1 陆 -inch long casting with assorted designs, including a snake and a sword.
SOLD AT: U.S. Gifts stores, dollar stores and small discount stores nationwide from July 2004 through January 2007 for about $1.
MANUFACTURED IN: China
REMEDY: Consumers should immediately take this jewelry away from children. Consumers should return the recalled jewelry to the store where purchased or contact DM Merchandising for a full refund.
CONSUMER CONTACT: For additional information, contact DM Merchandising at (800) 548-6784 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. CT, Monday through Friday, or visit the firm's Web site at www.dmmerchandising.com.