Reuters
Wed, May 26 2010SYDNEY (Reuters) - A Persian kitten gave her owners the shock of their lives when she emerged from the washing machine, dizzy and bedraggled after surviving a full cycle.
Brendon Rogers, from Manly Vale, Sydney, said four-month-old Kimba, a white, fluffy kitten, must have climbed into the front-loader machine when the door was open and curled up on the dirty clothes -- unbeknownst to his father Lyndsay who turned the machine on for a cold wash.
They were both amazed when the cycle -- including a high level spin -- finished and they opened the door to pull out the clothes to find Kimba in the machine.
"We could hardly believe our eyes when she emerged, looking like a drowned rat," he told Reuters.
Although Kimba was alive she clearly needed help so they rushed her to the vet where she was put on an intravenous drip and treated for shock and hypothermia.
Her eyes were also badly affected by the detergent and needed treatment.
"It is just amazing that she survived but we reckon she's used all of her nine lives," said Rogers.
(Reporting by Belinda Goldsmith, Editing by Miral Fahmy)
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Risque Venus brings Moulin Rouge style to French Open...
Reuters
(Reuters)Paris 26 May 2010 - Before sticking to the strict all-white dress code at Wimbledon next month, Venus Williams is indulging in some risque French cancan in Paris.
The American's black lace corset resembling an offcast from the nearby Moulin Rouge cabaret has been the talk of the French Open, and the accompanying tight skin-colored knickers have raised just as many dumbstruck glares.
The second seed's 6-2 6-4 second-round win over Spain's Arantxa Parra Santonja was very much a secondary issue for many Wednesday.
"The design has nothing to do with the rear. It just so happens that I have a very well developed one," she chuckled during her post-match press conference.
The opening Wednesday at Roland Garros is traditionally when Parisian schoolchildren are given priority for tickets, and they and their teachers almost got even more than they bargained for as the unconvincing red straps to Venus's dress threatened to reveal yet more of the American.
The world number two wore the outfit for the first time at the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami earlier this year and she uses her daring court appearances to promote her own line of fashions.
"It's really about the illusion. Like you can wear lace, but what's the point of wearing lace when there's just black under," she added.
"The illusion of just having bare skin is definitely for me a lot more beautiful. So it's really not about anything else other than just that skin showing."
Venus, who seems to prefer to talk fashion than tennis, believes her outfit is the symbol of her personality.
"I try to represent what I think my personality is on the court. That's the first part of it," she said.
"The second part is sometimes you just dream it up. Sometimes you can see a dress and say, 'Hey, I really like those slits, so let me put that in my tennis dress'."
(Editing by Miles Evans; To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)
(Reuters)Paris 26 May 2010 - Before sticking to the strict all-white dress code at Wimbledon next month, Venus Williams is indulging in some risque French cancan in Paris.The American's black lace corset resembling an offcast from the nearby Moulin Rouge cabaret has been the talk of the French Open, and the accompanying tight skin-colored knickers have raised just as many dumbstruck glares.
The second seed's 6-2 6-4 second-round win over Spain's Arantxa Parra Santonja was very much a secondary issue for many Wednesday.
"The design has nothing to do with the rear. It just so happens that I have a very well developed one," she chuckled during her post-match press conference.
The opening Wednesday at Roland Garros is traditionally when Parisian schoolchildren are given priority for tickets, and they and their teachers almost got even more than they bargained for as the unconvincing red straps to Venus's dress threatened to reveal yet more of the American.
The world number two wore the outfit for the first time at the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami earlier this year and she uses her daring court appearances to promote her own line of fashions.
"It's really about the illusion. Like you can wear lace, but what's the point of wearing lace when there's just black under," she added.
"The illusion of just having bare skin is definitely for me a lot more beautiful. So it's really not about anything else other than just that skin showing."
Venus, who seems to prefer to talk fashion than tennis, believes her outfit is the symbol of her personality.
"I try to represent what I think my personality is on the court. That's the first part of it," she said.
"The second part is sometimes you just dream it up. Sometimes you can see a dress and say, 'Hey, I really like those slits, so let me put that in my tennis dress'."
(Editing by Miles Evans; To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Next Philippines leader plans to keep on puffing...
MANILA (Reuters)Mon May 24, 2010. - Senator Benigno Aquino, set to become the Philippines' next president, said Monday he is not ready to quit smoking yet because it could affect his decision making.
Aquino, who smokes a pack of cigarettes a day, said there were more pressing political, social and economic issues to be addressed than his smoking habit.
"When I ran, people knew that I smoked," Aquino, the only son of the country's revered democracy leader, Cory Aquino, told reporters. "I will stop smoking at the appropriate time."
He said quitting now would only add to the pressures he faced.
Aquino's comments came as rules requiring prominent warnings on cigarette packets came into effect Monday, and activists said they would still press for him to kick the habit.
(Reporting by Manny Mogato and Rohini Dasi Vergara; Editing by John Mair and Paul Tait)
Aquino, who smokes a pack of cigarettes a day, said there were more pressing political, social and economic issues to be addressed than his smoking habit.
"When I ran, people knew that I smoked," Aquino, the only son of the country's revered democracy leader, Cory Aquino, told reporters. "I will stop smoking at the appropriate time."
He said quitting now would only add to the pressures he faced.
Aquino's comments came as rules requiring prominent warnings on cigarette packets came into effect Monday, and activists said they would still press for him to kick the habit.
(Reporting by Manny Mogato and Rohini Dasi Vergara; Editing by John Mair and Paul Tait)
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Jailed professor says orgies disturbed no one...
Reuters
Wed, May 19 2010BEIJING (Reuters) - A Chinese college professor has been jailed for running a sex club, whose members were the first to be convicted of "group licentiousness" in 20 years, media reported on Friday.
Ma Yaohai, a 53-year-old computer science professor, was jailed for three and a half years after pleading not guilty to holding orgies and said he would appeal against his sentence, the official China News Service said.
"What we did, we did for our own happiness," Ma told media at a news conference in April at his home, where 14 of his 18 orgies, or "swinging games" as he called them, were held.
"People chose to do it of their own free will and they knew they could stop at any time," he said at the time. "We disturbed no one.
"Marriage is like water. You have to drink it. Swinging is like a cup of wine. You can drink it if you like. If you don't like it, don't drink it."
Eighteen people charged with taking part in the orgies were jailed for up to two and half years.
"Ma received a more severe punishment because he did not admit the malicious and illegal nature of his conduct," the court in eastern Nanjing said.
Ma started his online group in 2007. Participants included office workers, taxi drivers and sales clerks. They were arrested after five were caught having a "party" in a hotel room last August.
Ma's case has sparked debate on whether group licentiousness should be scratched from the law books.
"If no one is being harmed, people's privacy should be protected," one sociologist was quoted as saying.
Others felt Ma's conduct was outrageous.
"Law is based on respect for traditional customs and civilized ethics," said a columnist named Zhi Feng on Xinhuanet.com. "They confounded right and wrong and poisoned the social atmosphere. How dare you say they did no harm to others?"
(Reporting by Liu Zhen and Emma Graham-Harrison; Editing by Nick Macfie)
Wed, May 19 2010BEIJING (Reuters) - A Chinese college professor has been jailed for running a sex club, whose members were the first to be convicted of "group licentiousness" in 20 years, media reported on Friday.
Ma Yaohai, a 53-year-old computer science professor, was jailed for three and a half years after pleading not guilty to holding orgies and said he would appeal against his sentence, the official China News Service said.
"What we did, we did for our own happiness," Ma told media at a news conference in April at his home, where 14 of his 18 orgies, or "swinging games" as he called them, were held.
"People chose to do it of their own free will and they knew they could stop at any time," he said at the time. "We disturbed no one.
"Marriage is like water. You have to drink it. Swinging is like a cup of wine. You can drink it if you like. If you don't like it, don't drink it."
Eighteen people charged with taking part in the orgies were jailed for up to two and half years.
"Ma received a more severe punishment because he did not admit the malicious and illegal nature of his conduct," the court in eastern Nanjing said.
Ma started his online group in 2007. Participants included office workers, taxi drivers and sales clerks. They were arrested after five were caught having a "party" in a hotel room last August.
Ma's case has sparked debate on whether group licentiousness should be scratched from the law books.
"If no one is being harmed, people's privacy should be protected," one sociologist was quoted as saying.
Others felt Ma's conduct was outrageous.
"Law is based on respect for traditional customs and civilized ethics," said a columnist named Zhi Feng on Xinhuanet.com. "They confounded right and wrong and poisoned the social atmosphere. How dare you say they did no harm to others?"
(Reporting by Liu Zhen and Emma Graham-Harrison; Editing by Nick Macfie)
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Can chocolate fight aging and make your skin glow?
Reuters By:Katie Reid and Silke Koltrowitz
Chocolates topped with sunflower seeds are displayed during the 2nd Chocolate Fair in Barcelona October 21, 2006. By: Reuters/Albert Gea
ZURICH Thu May 20, 2010(Reuters) - The world's largest chocolate maker says it may have come up with a chocolate bar that could fight wrinkles and slow the aging process, making it the latest food group to tap the appetite for healthier living.
Eating 20 g (0.755 oz) of specially developed chocolate packed with antioxidants, or flavanols, each day may help prevent wrinkles and make skin more radiant by boosting elasticity and improving hydration, studies carried out by Barry Callebaut showed.
Consumers are becoming increasingly aware of the nutritional value of what they eat, and Barry Callebaut's claims come as food giants such as Nestle and Danone also push into the healthy eating arena.
Dark chocolate has already been linked with certain health benefits, such as helping to lower blood pressure and reducing the risk of strokes thanks to its high content of antioxidants.
The Swiss group has developed a way of preserving the flavanols found in cocoa beans during the chocolate-making process, allowing them to produce a bar that is richer in flavanols, Barry Callebaut Chief Innovation Officer Hans Vriens said in an interview.
"Chocolate and health do not seem to fit together but it is a very interesting proposition: if I can eat something I like and it is good for me, that is great," Vriens said. "Chocolate is probably at the bottom of the list when you think about making food healthier."
Smoking, pollution, caffeine and a lack of sleep contribute to the creation of free radicals that can damage healthy cells in the body and accelerate the aging process.
"There is a huge body of evidence that shows flavanols slow down damage caused by free radicals," said Kepler Capital Markets analyst Jon Cox.
"Food manufacturing companies are leveraging health and wellness into various products and there is definitely a market for chocolate in health and wellness. We have already seen how this has worked in dairy products, with products like Danone's Actimel and Unilever's Benecol," Cox said.
The functional chocolate market, which includes organic and diet chocolate, is seeing double-digit growth, easily outpacing the 1-2 percent growth currently seen in the rest of the chocolate market, Cox said.
But some experts are doubtful about the positive effects flavanols have on skin.
"There is quite a lot of evidence that cocoa flavanols have a positive effect on the blood flow. They could reduce blood pressure which could have a positive effect on cardiovascular diseases," said Richard Hurrell, Professor of Human Nutrition at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology.
"The possible effects on skin and cognitive performance are less well established. There is evidence, but it is much less consistent. It may be that the effect on the blood flow is also what improves memory or skin health in some of the studies," Hurrell said.
(Editing by Paul Casciato)
Chocolates topped with sunflower seeds are displayed during the 2nd Chocolate Fair in Barcelona October 21, 2006. By: Reuters/Albert GeaZURICH Thu May 20, 2010(Reuters) - The world's largest chocolate maker says it may have come up with a chocolate bar that could fight wrinkles and slow the aging process, making it the latest food group to tap the appetite for healthier living.
Eating 20 g (0.755 oz) of specially developed chocolate packed with antioxidants, or flavanols, each day may help prevent wrinkles and make skin more radiant by boosting elasticity and improving hydration, studies carried out by Barry Callebaut showed.
Consumers are becoming increasingly aware of the nutritional value of what they eat, and Barry Callebaut's claims come as food giants such as Nestle and Danone also push into the healthy eating arena.
Dark chocolate has already been linked with certain health benefits, such as helping to lower blood pressure and reducing the risk of strokes thanks to its high content of antioxidants.
The Swiss group has developed a way of preserving the flavanols found in cocoa beans during the chocolate-making process, allowing them to produce a bar that is richer in flavanols, Barry Callebaut Chief Innovation Officer Hans Vriens said in an interview.
"Chocolate and health do not seem to fit together but it is a very interesting proposition: if I can eat something I like and it is good for me, that is great," Vriens said. "Chocolate is probably at the bottom of the list when you think about making food healthier."
Smoking, pollution, caffeine and a lack of sleep contribute to the creation of free radicals that can damage healthy cells in the body and accelerate the aging process.
"There is a huge body of evidence that shows flavanols slow down damage caused by free radicals," said Kepler Capital Markets analyst Jon Cox.
"Food manufacturing companies are leveraging health and wellness into various products and there is definitely a market for chocolate in health and wellness. We have already seen how this has worked in dairy products, with products like Danone's Actimel and Unilever's Benecol," Cox said.
The functional chocolate market, which includes organic and diet chocolate, is seeing double-digit growth, easily outpacing the 1-2 percent growth currently seen in the rest of the chocolate market, Cox said.
But some experts are doubtful about the positive effects flavanols have on skin.
"There is quite a lot of evidence that cocoa flavanols have a positive effect on the blood flow. They could reduce blood pressure which could have a positive effect on cardiovascular diseases," said Richard Hurrell, Professor of Human Nutrition at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology.
"The possible effects on skin and cognitive performance are less well established. There is evidence, but it is much less consistent. It may be that the effect on the blood flow is also what improves memory or skin health in some of the studies," Hurrell said.
(Editing by Paul Casciato)
Jailed professor says orgies disturbed no one | Reuters
Reuters
Wed, May 19 2010 BEIJING (Reuters) - A Chinese college professor has been jailed for running a sex club, whose members were the first to be convicted of "group licentiousness" in 20 years, media reported on Friday.
Ma Yaohai, a 53-year-old computer science professor, was jailed for three and a half years after pleading not guilty to holding orgies and said he would appeal against his sentence, the official China News Service said.
"What we did, we did for our own happiness," Ma told media at a news conference in April at his home, where 14 of his 18 orgies, or "swinging games" as he called them, were held.
"People chose to do it of their own free will and they knew they could stop at any time," he said at the time. "We disturbed no one.
"Marriage is like water. You have to drink it. Swinging is like a cup of wine. You can drink it if you like. If you don't like it, don't drink it."
Eighteen people charged with taking part in the orgies were jailed for up to two and half years.
"Ma received a more severe punishment because he did not admit the malicious and illegal nature of his conduct," the court in eastern Nanjing said.
Ma started his online group in 2007. Participants included office workers, taxi drivers and sales clerks. They were arrested after five were caught having a "party" in a hotel room last August.
Ma's case has sparked debate on whether group licentiousness should be scratched from the law books.
"If no one is being harmed, people's privacy should be protected," one sociologist was quoted as saying.
Others felt Ma's conduct was outrageous.
"Law is based on respect for traditional customs and civilized ethics," said a columnist named Zhi Feng on Xinhuanet.com. "They confounded right and wrong and poisoned the social atmosphere. How dare you say they did no harm to others?"
(Reporting by Liu Zhen and Emma Graham-Harrison; Editing by Nick Macfie
Wed, May 19 2010 BEIJING (Reuters) - A Chinese college professor has been jailed for running a sex club, whose members were the first to be convicted of "group licentiousness" in 20 years, media reported on Friday.
Ma Yaohai, a 53-year-old computer science professor, was jailed for three and a half years after pleading not guilty to holding orgies and said he would appeal against his sentence, the official China News Service said.
"What we did, we did for our own happiness," Ma told media at a news conference in April at his home, where 14 of his 18 orgies, or "swinging games" as he called them, were held.
"People chose to do it of their own free will and they knew they could stop at any time," he said at the time. "We disturbed no one.
"Marriage is like water. You have to drink it. Swinging is like a cup of wine. You can drink it if you like. If you don't like it, don't drink it."
Eighteen people charged with taking part in the orgies were jailed for up to two and half years.
"Ma received a more severe punishment because he did not admit the malicious and illegal nature of his conduct," the court in eastern Nanjing said.
Ma started his online group in 2007. Participants included office workers, taxi drivers and sales clerks. They were arrested after five were caught having a "party" in a hotel room last August.
Ma's case has sparked debate on whether group licentiousness should be scratched from the law books.
"If no one is being harmed, people's privacy should be protected," one sociologist was quoted as saying.
Others felt Ma's conduct was outrageous.
"Law is based on respect for traditional customs and civilized ethics," said a columnist named Zhi Feng on Xinhuanet.com. "They confounded right and wrong and poisoned the social atmosphere. How dare you say they did no harm to others?"
(Reporting by Liu Zhen and Emma Graham-Harrison; Editing by Nick Macfie
Sunday, May 09, 2010
BBC Sport - Commonwealth Games delays in Delhi cause 'concern'...
BBC Sport
Wednesday, 5 May 2010. The velodrome at the Indira Gandhi complex in Delhi is still under construction.
Delays in handing over several venues in Delhi are causing "serious concern" to the organisers of the Commonwealth Games, due to take place in October.
The athletics stadium, swimming complex and Games Village have still not been completed with five months remaining.
"There remains much to be done to ensure a cohesive games delivery from the opening of the Games Village on 16 September," a statement said.
Athletes from 71 nations, mostly former British colonies, are set to compete.
Last month it was confirmed that English athletes would compete in the Games despite security concerns.
And the co-ordination commission of the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) added that much progress had been made since a damning report in December, which said numerous deadlines had been missed.
The commission, chaired by Austin Sealy, recently spent four days in Delhi assessing the city's readiness for the competition.
DEBATE by Mike Henson
Are you hopeful that the event can be a success?
They listed 38 issues which were still "critical", an improvement on the 70 named in December.
Safety and security remains a major concern following a bomb blast at an IPL cricket match in Bangalore last month which injured 14 people.
The commission said: "The CGF continues to work closely with the organising committee, Delhi Police and the governments of India and Delhi to monitor all Games security arrangements and has assigned specialist consultants to work on its behalf as is its standard practice for all Games.
"All parties, including the CGF, are committed to the conduct of safe and friendly Games which will be enjoyed by all."
It will be the biggest sporting event, with the exception of cricket, India has hosted since the Asian Games in 1982.
Wednesday, 5 May 2010. The velodrome at the Indira Gandhi complex in Delhi is still under construction.Delays in handing over several venues in Delhi are causing "serious concern" to the organisers of the Commonwealth Games, due to take place in October.
The athletics stadium, swimming complex and Games Village have still not been completed with five months remaining.
"There remains much to be done to ensure a cohesive games delivery from the opening of the Games Village on 16 September," a statement said.
Athletes from 71 nations, mostly former British colonies, are set to compete.
Last month it was confirmed that English athletes would compete in the Games despite security concerns.
And the co-ordination commission of the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) added that much progress had been made since a damning report in December, which said numerous deadlines had been missed.
The commission, chaired by Austin Sealy, recently spent four days in Delhi assessing the city's readiness for the competition.
DEBATE by Mike Henson
Are you hopeful that the event can be a success?
They listed 38 issues which were still "critical", an improvement on the 70 named in December.
Safety and security remains a major concern following a bomb blast at an IPL cricket match in Bangalore last month which injured 14 people.
The commission said: "The CGF continues to work closely with the organising committee, Delhi Police and the governments of India and Delhi to monitor all Games security arrangements and has assigned specialist consultants to work on its behalf as is its standard practice for all Games.
"All parties, including the CGF, are committed to the conduct of safe and friendly Games which will be enjoyed by all."
It will be the biggest sporting event, with the exception of cricket, India has hosted since the Asian Games in 1982.
Thursday, May 06, 2010
Book Talk: Sex, drugs and classic record covers...
Reuters By NickZieminski
Fri, Apr 9 2010. NEW YORK (Reuters Life!) - A new book of record covers shows how musicians forged an identity and communicated with fans, using an art form that has sometimes endured longer than the music between the covers.
"The Art of the LP: Classic Album Covers 1955-1995," by Ben Wardle and Johnny Morgan, which will be published in the United States and Britain on Tuesday, groups rock, pop and jazz images by theme: sex, drugs, death, and escape.
The escape theme has cropped up in lyrics and imagery of popular music since the beginnings of rock 'n roll half a century ago.
The imagery on album covers became an important part of the music experience. In the book fans will find Eric Clapton, ABBA, David Bowie, Pink Floyd, Tony Bennett and others.
Morgan spoke with Reuters about the images, baby boomers' deep pockets, and why some album covers were more useful than others.
Q: Album art got shrunk for CDs, and now in the iPod age it's reduced to about one inch square. Are we seeing the death of an art form?
A: "I genuinely think we are. You haven't anything to replace it with. For a while I had high hopes for the front pages of websites, but every site now has to have everything on the front page. There was a time when teenagers would carry albums around with them. The covers served to identify these tribes. The whole Baby Boomer generation's world changed after World War Two.
"Music has become incredibly homogeneous. There are no style tribes anymore. You can become a national star much quicker. Look at Lady Gaga. What's interesting is how old-fashioned her references are, whether it's David Bowie or Grace Jones or Madonna. The names she drops are '70s and '80s stars."
Q: Is the loss of this art form something deeply regrettable, or more akin to small losses like people no longer able to handwrite neatly?
A: "It depends on what age you are. I have a 13-year-old daughter and she really doesn't care. She wants the songs and she'll watch the video on YouTube, but actually having the CD is a pain. It gets ripped and put onto the iPod. I've got a great collection of vinyl and tell her, 'This is your inheritance.' She says, 'Great, Dad, why not sell it now?'"
Q: Did musicians decide on album covers, or their label?
A: "There were some, like Pink Floyd, that had absolute control. Others, like Scorpions, claim they had no idea. The covers were landed on them. That's mainly because the covers were so awful and they're covering their backs."
Q: Anyone nostalgic for the '70s and '80s can see Pat Benatar with REO Speedwagon this year, James Taylor with Carole King, or AC/DC, Scorpions and Jeff Beck with Eric Clapton. Are baby boomers increasingly the target audience?
A: "People in their 40s, 50s and 60s now have the money and they have the interest. I'm hoping there are covers here that people don't remember and might get people to search them out. There's a lot of stuff that's a bit more underground. Baby boomers missed a lot the first time around. There's a band called Gang of Four. Tickets for the reunion gigs were impossible to get."
Q: The images in the book have smudges and creases. These sleeves are clearly not just art objects to be held at arm's length. You intentionally avoided pristine images?
A: "Absolutely. And also, of course, they were used to roll joints. You'd put the tobacco and the dope in the crease. You look at prog rock albums, they're all gatefolds -- and that served a function."
Q: The book ends in 1995, when CDs took over. Have there been great covers since then?
A: "There are interesting unknown artists working on CD covers but when you see them blown up they don't look quite right. CD cover artists are working at that size but they don't stand up. But we have a recent trend toward vinyl again."
Q: What's behind that? Is it just a fad?
A: "I think it's probably a fad, because there's a whole retro thing. If look at emerging bands, there's a lot of guitar bands. Look at the equipment they're using. All of it was made before 1980. Part of it is a return to what rock and roll is supposed to sound like, going back to the whole Ramones and Clash thing. That's driving the vinyl (resurgence)."
Q: If these things go in cycles, is a 1980s New Wave revival next?
A: "My prediction is disco. Gaga is really pushing it. Gaga has emerged in a similar economic situation to the way disco emerged."
(Editing by Patricia Reaney)
Fri, Apr 9 2010. NEW YORK (Reuters Life!) - A new book of record covers shows how musicians forged an identity and communicated with fans, using an art form that has sometimes endured longer than the music between the covers.
"The Art of the LP: Classic Album Covers 1955-1995," by Ben Wardle and Johnny Morgan, which will be published in the United States and Britain on Tuesday, groups rock, pop and jazz images by theme: sex, drugs, death, and escape.
The escape theme has cropped up in lyrics and imagery of popular music since the beginnings of rock 'n roll half a century ago.
The imagery on album covers became an important part of the music experience. In the book fans will find Eric Clapton, ABBA, David Bowie, Pink Floyd, Tony Bennett and others.
Morgan spoke with Reuters about the images, baby boomers' deep pockets, and why some album covers were more useful than others.
Q: Album art got shrunk for CDs, and now in the iPod age it's reduced to about one inch square. Are we seeing the death of an art form?
A: "I genuinely think we are. You haven't anything to replace it with. For a while I had high hopes for the front pages of websites, but every site now has to have everything on the front page. There was a time when teenagers would carry albums around with them. The covers served to identify these tribes. The whole Baby Boomer generation's world changed after World War Two.
"Music has become incredibly homogeneous. There are no style tribes anymore. You can become a national star much quicker. Look at Lady Gaga. What's interesting is how old-fashioned her references are, whether it's David Bowie or Grace Jones or Madonna. The names she drops are '70s and '80s stars."
Q: Is the loss of this art form something deeply regrettable, or more akin to small losses like people no longer able to handwrite neatly?
A: "It depends on what age you are. I have a 13-year-old daughter and she really doesn't care. She wants the songs and she'll watch the video on YouTube, but actually having the CD is a pain. It gets ripped and put onto the iPod. I've got a great collection of vinyl and tell her, 'This is your inheritance.' She says, 'Great, Dad, why not sell it now?'"
Q: Did musicians decide on album covers, or their label?
A: "There were some, like Pink Floyd, that had absolute control. Others, like Scorpions, claim they had no idea. The covers were landed on them. That's mainly because the covers were so awful and they're covering their backs."
Q: Anyone nostalgic for the '70s and '80s can see Pat Benatar with REO Speedwagon this year, James Taylor with Carole King, or AC/DC, Scorpions and Jeff Beck with Eric Clapton. Are baby boomers increasingly the target audience?
A: "People in their 40s, 50s and 60s now have the money and they have the interest. I'm hoping there are covers here that people don't remember and might get people to search them out. There's a lot of stuff that's a bit more underground. Baby boomers missed a lot the first time around. There's a band called Gang of Four. Tickets for the reunion gigs were impossible to get."
Q: The images in the book have smudges and creases. These sleeves are clearly not just art objects to be held at arm's length. You intentionally avoided pristine images?
A: "Absolutely. And also, of course, they were used to roll joints. You'd put the tobacco and the dope in the crease. You look at prog rock albums, they're all gatefolds -- and that served a function."
Q: The book ends in 1995, when CDs took over. Have there been great covers since then?
A: "There are interesting unknown artists working on CD covers but when you see them blown up they don't look quite right. CD cover artists are working at that size but they don't stand up. But we have a recent trend toward vinyl again."
Q: What's behind that? Is it just a fad?
A: "I think it's probably a fad, because there's a whole retro thing. If look at emerging bands, there's a lot of guitar bands. Look at the equipment they're using. All of it was made before 1980. Part of it is a return to what rock and roll is supposed to sound like, going back to the whole Ramones and Clash thing. That's driving the vinyl (resurgence)."
Q: If these things go in cycles, is a 1980s New Wave revival next?
A: "My prediction is disco. Gaga is really pushing it. Gaga has emerged in a similar economic situation to the way disco emerged."
(Editing by Patricia Reaney)
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