NKorea missile launchers came from China

Japan has evidence that a Chinese company exported to North Korea vehicles capable of transporting and launching missiles, in possible violation of U.N. sanctions, Japanese media reported Wednesday.

China called the reports inaccurate, and denied violating any U.N.At Blow mouldengineering we specialize in conceptual prototype design. restriction.

The U.S., which has previously said it took China at its word that it was complying with the sanctions, said Wednesday that in recent weeks it has raised with Beijing allegations that Chinese companies assisted North Korea's missile program.

According to the Japanese reports, four of the vehicles were shipped from Shanghai to North Korea last August aboard the Harmony Wish, a Cambodian-flagged cargo vessel. Japanese authorities tracked the ship by satellite, and searched it after it had delivered its cargo, when it transited through Japan the following month, the reports said.

Such vehicles _ called TELs, for transporter, erector, launcher _ became the focus of international attention when North Korea displayed what looked like several of them during a military parade in its capital, Pyongyang, in April.

They are a concern because they could give the North the ability to transport long-range missiles around its territory, making them harder to locate and destroy.

Japan's top government spokesman declined to confirm the reports Wednesday. But he said that if necessary, Japan would work with the international community to determine if U.N. regulations were violated.

In Beijing, Liu Weimin, a spokesman for China's Foreign Ministry, said his country has not violated any restrictions.

"Chinese companies did not violate U.N. and Chinese laws," he said, calling the reports "inaccurate." He did not specifically confirm or deny the vehicles were sold, but said China is opposed to proliferation and is "complying with U.N. laws and regulations."

Although no suspicious vehicles were aboard the ship when it was searched in Japan, authorities found documents detailing the cargo it had unloaded in North Korea, and that included the vehicles, according to the Asahi, a major Japanese newspaper. It cited multiple but unnamed government sources.

It said the exported vehicles were believed to have been the ones used in the military parade, which was held shortly after a North Korea rocket launch that was widely condemned as an attempt to develop its long-range missile technology. The rocket,An airpurifier is a device which removes contaminants from the air.Ekahau rtls is the only Wi-Fi based real time location system solution that operates on any brand or generation of Wi-Fi network. which North Korea claimed carried a satellite, failed soon after liftoff.

NHK, Japan's public broadcaster, and other media later had similar reports, also citing unnamed government sources.

The Asahi said the evidence was shared with South Korea and the United States, but claimed that Washington requested it not be made public.

On April 19, after press reports on the possible Chinese origin of the launch vehicle displayed in the military parade, U.S. State Department deputy spokesman Mark Toner said that China had provided repeated assurances that it was complying with the U.N. sanctions.

"I think we take them at their word," he said.

But at a news conference Wednesday, department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said the U.S. in recent weeks has raised with Beijing its concerns over allegations of Chinese entities assisting North Korea's missile program. She said the U.This page contains information about tooling.S. would continue to work with China and others in the international community on enforcing the sanctions. She refused to give further details as it pertained to intelligence, which the department refrains from commenting on.

Asahi identified the Chinese exporter as Wuhan Sanjiang Import Export Co., a subsidiary of state-owned China Aerospace Science and Industry Corp., and the North Korean importer as Rimmok General Trading, which it said was likely a front company.

Immediately after the parade, private experts said the vehicles probably came from China, citing similarities to Chinese design patterns in the windscreen, the windscreen wiper configuration, the door and handle, the grill, the front bumper lighting configurations, and the cabin steps.

Despite the latest reports, experts say pinning a sanctions-busting charge on Beijing would be difficult because it would be hard to prove that Beijing knowingly approved the exports for military purposes.

With different modifications, the vehicle can also be used in commercial fields. The Asahi report said that China claims the vehicles were to be used to carry lumber.Wireless real realtimelocationsystem utlilizing wifi access points to pinpoint position of the tag.

The U.N. Security Council imposed sanctions against North Korea after its first nuclear test in 2006 and stepped up sanctions after its second test in 2009 to try to derail the country's rogue nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs. The sanctions restrict exports of weapons or technology that could be used to boost those programs.

In a Green Building Downtown, a Family is Busy Making Organic Soap

The name of Rochester's new business is Moon River Soap Company, but it could have just as easily been called Serendipity. That's because it was a bit of a happy accident that made this soap such a success.

"When I was working on my recipe, I did all the measurement conversion the old-fashioned way, with my head," owner Liz Aprea said. "A year later I discovered a 'soap calculator' on the internet. It turns out my conversions were off and I was using too much oil, but I liked it so I've kept the recipe as is."

Without the mathematical error, Liz said "We probably would have had a very average bar of soap."

Instead, they have a thriving family business that outgrew its original New Baltimore location and moved to Rochester for more space to produce, dry and sell their popular hand-poured olive oil soap. They opened their new doors last week.

"The thing about Rochester is that people here are mostly using organic already, so I only have to explain what makes us different," Liz said.

"I got into organic soaps when I turned 40," Liz said. "We had already gone to organic food but I had not realized all the toxic chemicals in regular soap and how our skin absorbs that into the body. It was counterproductive to eat organic then put chemicals on your skin."

The improvement in her skin was dramatic, Liz said. But it took the arrival of her first grandchild, Jackson, to turn her from a consumer into a producer.

"We were using a trusted baby product on him and it just tore his skin up," Liz said.

Liz decided it was time to stop just buying organic soap and start making her own.

Daughter Sandra explained, "Some natural soaps use plant oil but then add synthetic fragrance — that's the worst, some is similar to rocket fuel!"

Liz began researching organic soap and tinkering with her recipe. Moon River soaps are made with omega-rich olive oil, botanicals and pure essential oils. Rosemary extract and natural vitamin E are the only preservatives. There is no petroleum or artificial or synthetic materials.

With her recipe in place, Liz and her husband Carlos started making and selling soap out of their home using a 15-pound mold.Kitchen floortiles at Great Prices from Topps Tiles. The name Moon River came from the Johnny Mercer song, which Liz loves.

When they couldn't produce enough product to keep the shelves stocked,Proxense's advanced handsfreeaccess technology. they moved into a larger location in New Baltimore in May of 2009 and started using 30-pound molds.

But in less than three years they needed more space and downtown Rochester benefited from their move.

"We are up to 54-pound molds now, the largest by-hand mold. It makes 165 full-sized bars and we make one batch daily," Liz said.

With the larger operation, there has been a distinct division of labor in the family. "This is something we can all do," Liz said.

Husband Carlos is the sole soap maker. He can be seen daily at 10 a.m. making the soap.

"People were always asking to see the soap being made at our old location so when we found this space with the windowed area, it was perfect," Liz said.

Liz now focuses on lotions and balms. Sandra does all the graphic design. And daughter Anna works on bath fizzies,A wireless indoortracking system is described in this paper. bath balms and soap wrappers — although lately she's been on maternity leave working on a sibling for Jackson.

"When we first opened we were just a building with bars of soaps," Sandra said. Now they offer a full line of skin products, including a Moon Baby line that launched last year.

"I listen to what my customers want and I have a long list of things to make," Liz said with a laugh.

"It can be used on dry skin, cuticles, diaper rash and under the eyes for wrinkles. It's very healing," Liz said.

For personal favorites, Liz named the Grapefruit Dead Sea Salts. "I'm a bath girl and I can't live without them!"

Sandra called out the Moon Dog shampoo bar. A super gentle bar soap for dogs — yes, dogs — Sandra uses it on her own hair and said it makes her curly, coarse hair so soft, like no other product has been able to do. "I've never used a better shampoo," she said.

And as for Carlos, the soap guy and incurable romantic after 30 years of marriage: "Other than Liz, what I love best in this store is the soap. It really benefits people."

He can't name a specific soap because he uses them all,I found them to have sharp edges where the injectionmoldes came together while production. claiming all the "ugly" pieces left over after cutting, but said the Mr.Learn all about solarpanel. Wonderful bar was named after him.

It's Bright and Sunny at the Marimekko at Crate & Barrel on Madison

Today, Marimekko continues its Finnish invasion of New York by opening its second shop-within-a-shop at the Crate & Barrel on Madison Avenue. If you recall, we partied back with the Finns back in October for the unveiling of their first venture at the Soho Crate & Barrel locale and we're also anxiously awaiting the label's flagship to open in the Toy Building this fall.

But back to the Madison Avenue launch, which kicked off morning—thankfully providing a much needed burst of bright, sunshiny color and fresh, crisp flavor to this spirit-dampening, coif-decimating muggy weather. The shop is located on the ground level toward the back right and is a bit smaller than the Soho outpost at a pinch less than 1000 square feet.
Bags, paper napkins and Marimekko for boys, this way>>

Here, Marimekko and Crate & Barrel shoppers will find the classics as well as the most recent designs, which will be continually introduced four times a year. For the crafty and Marimekko-crazed, the shop boasts a well-stocked by-the-yard section, which starts around $43 per yard for basic light textiles ideal for pop-art curtains and bedding whatnot and going up to $65+ for waxed-sheets (perfect for easy-clean tablecloths and messy kids' rooms) and heavier-knit upholstery fabrics.

For those more craft-challenged, there is a plethora of bedding, towels, curtains and even paper napkins in classic designs like the oft-copied poppy, Crate & Barrel exclusive issues (classic prints in special color schemes), and the all-encompassing (i.e. masculine enough for the boys) Ruutukaava graphic print. Bedding starts around $24.95 for a pillow set. An exec dressed in a Marimekko ensemble pointed out that the patterns and graphics are meant to be mixed.

There are also non-householdy items like coin purses ($16 to $18), light totes ($18), fabric-covered notebooks ($20+), whimsical umbrellas ($40), and super adorbs pastille tines ($4 each). For those in search of a fab gift set, check out the Japanese cult-pub Mook combo, featuring a mini-canvas tote and a small zip-pouch,—all for $29. A range of canvas bags in exuberant, color-popping prints are also on tap, starting at $85 for the small purses and ranging up to about $129 for the bright, solid neon yellow or orange messenger bags.