By YOUNG-JOON AHN (AP) – 26 minutes ago PYEONGTAEK, South Korea — Helicopter-borne police commandos fought a pitched battle with militant strikers at an ailing South Korean automaker Wednesday, seizing all but onechristian louboutin shoes key building at its chaotic factory and increasing pressure on hundreds of hold-out protesters to give up. The dramatic raid at Ssangyong Motor Co.'s Pyeongtaek factory came after commandos overran other buildings the day before in an effort to end a standoff that has threatened South Korea's fifth-largest automaker with insolvency. Ssangyong has been in court-approved bankruptcy protection since February amid falling sales and mounting red ink. Troubles have deepened in the past two months with hundreds of dismissed workerschristian louboutin occupying the factory's paint shop — said to be packed with flammable materials such as thinner_ to protest massive layoffs. Commandos stormed the roof of one of the factory's two paint shops by descending from a black shipping container carried by a helicopter. Some others rappelled down a rope from another helicopter. Helmet-wearing workers fought Christian Louboutin Eveningback with sticks and threw objects at the shield-wielding police. Commandos also fired water cannon from the container as it was suspended above the roof. A Gyeonggi provincial police officer said about 100 commandos stormed the roof while another 300 riot police launched an assault on the paint shop with ladders. The officer, who spoke on conditionchristian louboutin pumps of anonymity in line with office policy, said police had secured one of the buildings. He said protesters fled and two were injured as they tried to escape down ladders. YTN television reported that about 30 people on both sides suffered injuries. Meanwhile, an association of auto parts suppliers comprising 600 companies to which Ssangyong owes about 300 billion won ($245 million), filed a court petition Wednesday to call for the carmaker's liquidation. Wednesday's raid still left hundreds of protesters in one of the paint shop buildings, with police taking control of the rest of the compound in the city of Pyeongtaek, some 45 milesChristian Louboutin Sandals (70 kilometers) south of Seoul. Up to 500 people were still inside the facility, said Lee Won-muk, a Ssangyong spokesman. National Police Agency chief Kang Hee-rak said police will "take some time to think about going in there" in hopes that the company's union and management will reach a compromise on the dispute. But Gyeonggi ProvincialChristian Louboutin Wedges Police Agency chief Cho Hyun-oh later warned "there appears to be not much time left" and urged remaining strikers to give up by Thursday, suggesting that a raid on the last- remaining facility could come earlier than expected. The flammable materials inside the paint shop have raised fears of an inferno if there is a full-blown police assault — which seems to have weighed heavily on police willingness to move in. Union spokesman Lee Chang-kun said Tuesday that a police assault on the paint shop would be deadly. "We will respond to it, bracing Christian Loutoutin Bootsourselves for death," he said. Ssangyong's restructuring plan calls for the shedding of 2,646 workers, or 36 percent of the work force. Some 1,670 have left the company voluntarily but nearly 1,000 opposed the move. Talks last week to end the occupation broke off Sunday, with management threatening to take steps toward liquidation unless the union accepted a compromise offer on layoffs. The company offered to keep more workers than before in a compromise proposal, but the union insisted on no layoffs. The unrest has cost Ssangyongjimmy choo shoes over 300 billion won ($246 million) in lost production since it began, according to the company. The court overseeing Ssangyong's bankruptcy is unlikely to accept the liquidation petition from parts suppliers but the move could affect its decision on whether to approve a corporate survival plan that Ssangyong is required to submit by Sept. 15, Yonhap news agency said. Ssangyong, which mostly manufactures light SUVs and a luxury sedan, is majority-owned by Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp., one of China's largest vehicle manufacturers, though it lost jimmy choomanagement control amid the bankruptcy protection process. Associated Press writers Jae-soon Chang and Kelly Olsen in Seoul contributed to this report.

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Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/08/02/SPAB1931HD.DTL#ixzz0N7DGFGqE Tiger Woods has another trophy for his overflowing collection - the 69th PGA title of his career after shooting a 69 Sunday and coasting to a three-shot victory with a 20-under-par 268 at the final Buick Open in Grand Blanc Township, Mich. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Images View Larger Images -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- More Sports Tiger Woods wins Buick Open by 3 strokes 08.02.09 Two seats for each fan 08.02.09 Toss out one inning and it's a ballgame 08.02.09 Smith walks the line between love and hate 08.02.09 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "I've played all christian louboutin shoes around the world, and I've never seen a day like this," Woods said. "This event has always been special, but today was something else." Woods rebounded from a first round 71, rising from a tie for 95th - the largest jump he's made from a first-round deficit to victory. "I was so far back that I was fortunate enough to put two good rounds together," he said. He improved to 36-1 when he has the outright lead after 54 holes. Woods has four wins in 11 starts this season and has won 21 of 39 PGA Tour starts since the 2006 British Open. Roland Thatcher (64), whochristian louboutin briefly shared the lead at 17-under, finished tied for second with Greg Chalmers (68) and John Senden (70). Woods' career victory total trails Jack Nicklaus (73) and Sam Snead (82). Lost sponsor: GolfWeek Magazine reported on its Web site that General Motors Co., which recently underwent Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization, would end the PGA Tour's longest partnership, and an anonymous source confirmed the news with the Associated Press. GolfWeek added that The Greenbrier in West Virginia is awaiting confirmation that it will replace The Buick in 2010. Susan Docherty, general manager for GM's Buick and GMC brands, said the carmaker is reassessing its future role as a Christian Louboutin Evening PGA Tour sponsor. One good Funk: Fred Funk set a U.S. Senior Open record by finishing 20-under par and won by six strokes at Crooked Stick in Carmel, Ind. His final round 7- under 65 helped him top Hale Irwin's mark set in 2000 by three strokes. "It's something I really didn't fathom happening, but the biggest thing is just getting my name on that trophy," Funk, 53, said. Coming off a playoff loss tochristian louboutin pumps Loren Roberts in the Senior British Open, Funk has fought through knee and shoulder injuries to finish in the top seven in six of his past seven tournaments. Roberts shot a course record 64. It's a ... win!: Catriona MatthewChristian Louboutin Sandals won the Women's British Open in Lytham St. Annes, England, by three strokes, capturing her first major title just 10 weeks after giving birth to her second child. The 39-year-old Scot birdied three straight holes on the back nine to hold her third-round lead, finishing at 1-over 71 for a 3-under 285 total and a three- stroke victory over Karrie Webb of Australia. "I'm speechless," Matthew said. "To be Christian Louboutin Wedges honest, I didn't play that well today but I holed good putts at the 13th and 14th, which I needed. I never imagined coming back - after not playing - that I could win. It hasn't sunk in yet." Briefly: Sweden's 23-year-old rookie Oskar Christian Loutoutin BootsHenningsson won the Moravia Silesia Open by two strokes at the Prosper Golf Resort in Celadna, Czech Republic, for his first European Tour win. ... Derek Lamely won the Children's Hospital Invitational for his first Nationwide Tour title, beating Oklahoma State star Rickie Fowler in a playoff at Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio.

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Howdy folks, sorry the second day blog is late, but I managed to get caught up in some other things (climbing!) instead of writing. To make up for it, though, I present to you a SUPER-SIZED blog- days two and three merged together for your reading enjoyment. My first appointment of the day is with Patagonia Footwear, and joining me on this one is one of rc.com’s newest gear reviewers and who also has her own rather popular website- Sara, the rockclimbergirl! You can check out herchristian louboutin shoes site at http://www.rockclimbergirl.com if you’re interested- she’s got a pile of appointments of her own, so anything I missed, she probably covered! Patagonia Footwear Sara and I stopped in to see Whitney, the best brand manager ever at Patagonia Footwear to see whats new. Since their launch, Patagonia has been working hard on both broadening their product line while at the same time ensuring that they live up to the highest possible environmental standard. This year, they are launching the Tsali, named after a trail system in the Smoky Mountains- this is a trail runner available in both men’s and women’s sizing and it features Vibram sticky rubber,christian louboutin a dynamic lacing system that extends down the sides of the foot to provide good compression, and a footbed and midsole that contain recycled content, keeping with Patagonia Footwear’s environmentally friendly approach. The shoe is also really light- 8oz for the Women’s, just shy of 10oz for the mens and very affordable at $100/pair. Look for them this spring. The Tsali. Also new this spring is the Nine Trails shoe, a heavier duty trail runner that’s made for more demanding conditions, its similar to the Tsali, but adds a rubber toe rand and a posted midsole for support, which increases the weight of the shoe by about an ounce and a half versus the Tsali. These shoes retail at $110 and will also hit storeschristian louboutin pumps in the spring. Ninetrails- very comfy. Finally, Patagonia Footwear has accepted a challenge from Backpacker Magazine to produce a working prototype of a hiking boot by this September as part of their Zero Impact Challenge. You can read more at CleanestLine.com, but expect this boot and more shoes/boots based on it to make an appearance at the Summer Market next year! After hanging out for probablyChristian Louboutin Sandals way too long with Whitney and Sara, I thanked Whitney for her time, wished good luck to Sara, and headed over to a company that is known for just about everything it produces…. Mammut This year, Mammut launched theChristian Louboutin Wedges SMART belay device, a single line autolocking belay device that rc.com’s favorite former blue overlord has been playing with recently and there seems to be some promise of a review in the future. *hint hint* This year, Mammut is launching a few new things, including the Ambient Light, a small plastic box with aChristian Loutoutin Boots reflector in it that turns any of Mammuts small headlamps into a lantern! How cool is that? It’s $10.95 and will be available in the spring. A latern for your headlamp, or a case for your... whatever... the Ambient. So, remember over the last couple of years when Arc’teryx and BD released their full support harnesses? Guess what? Mammut is releasing their full-support harness with yet another type of technology this spring. Mammut uses essentially two strips of webbing next to each other to achieve the full support with a perforated mesh that connects them- which should increase breathability noticeably over the other models available. The Togir Light and the Togir Slide are both lightweight (350g and 420gjimmy choo shoes respectively) with the Slide having adjustable leg loops, both have a 500kg haul loop built in and drop seats, and they retail for $79.95 and $99.95 respectively- look for them in the Spring, I know I will! The sexy new Togir harnesses. A couple of other things to mention. First, in the spring, all keylock draws from Mammut will ship with Indicator Webbing dogbones- if you see red, time to retire it! Second, the Genesis Rope is going to get a coating finish, which will reduce friction between the rope fibers and increase its fall rating from an already very high number. Finally, good news for wall rats- the Flash is morphing into the Super Flash, becoming a 10.5 version of the supersafe by way of the coating finish, which willjimmy choo increase durability and number of falls currently held. Mammut is also bringing a new pack to the scene- this slick 600g, 28L pack has a lot of cool features. It’s a roll top with a lid and Mammut’s butterfly frame system. However, the frame is removable, as is the interior lining of the pack, allowing you to pull the lining and stash it and other things at the base, lightening the pack up and making it perfect for climbing. All of this for $199! They are also releasing a guide’s version, which is 35L/45L, lacks the removable lining, but has side entry and a front pocket and sells for $179/$189 respectively. After checking out Mammut’sjimmy choo sale shiny new stuff, I thanked them for their time and headed off to visit with Edelrid and see whats new with them…. Edelrid Edelrid is relatively new to the states and their doing their best to come to the US with new and really innovative products like the Zap-o-Mat and the folding helmet. This year, though, they are coming to the States with their full product line, which covers almost everything the aspiring climber could want. Some of the highlights include the Neo, Lilou, and Logan Harnesses, which use essentially the same technology as the Arc’teryx WST harnesses (or at least very similar)- they feature full support and a very unique sliding gear loop- you can slide/remove the gear loops (and buy more) as you prefer, although they come with 4. NoJimmy Choo Sandals haul loops on these, and the Logan has adjustable legs while the other two do not. Incredible pricing on them, though- $70 for the Neo and Lilou, and $80 for the Logan! Look for these in the spring.

Email Picture Joe Raedle / Getty Images U.S. Marines return enemy fire last month during operations in Afghanistan’s Helmand province. A major U.S. offensive against the Taliban in the southern province of Helmand is among the factors cited for the record toll. By Laura King August 1, 2009 Reporting from Kabul,christian louboutin shoes Afghanistan -- The month began with a fatal roadside bombing and ended with word that an American had died of wounds suffered in a firefight. After nearly eight years of warfare in Afghanistan, July proved by far the deadliest month yet for U.S. troops and their foreign allies. Bombs and rocket attacks, ambushes and aviation accidents killed many of the 72 foreign troops, including 43 Americans, according to data at the website icasualties.org. Previously, the highest monthly U.S. toll was 28 in June 2008, according to the independent website. A surge in troop deaths Recentchristian louboutin coverage of Iraq and AfghanistanAmericans won't accept 'long slog' in Afghanistan war, Gates says July was also the worst month for Britain, the most important U.S. ally in Afghanistan, since the 1980s Falklands war. Twenty-two British soldiers died, spurring soul-searching in a country where a recent poll suggested that a majority of the public considers the Afghan war unwinnable. Analysts and military officials cited a web of factors in the record death toll, including a major American military offensive in the south and a parallel push by British troops. Also driving the increasedChristian Louboutin Evening casualty count is the growing U.S. troop presence, Western forays into previously Taliban-dominated areas and a determined, resilient insurgency. "It's a strong example of the asymmetric nature of Taliban and insurgent tactics and procedures," said Seth Jones, an Afghanistan expert with Rand Corp. "There's been a decision to scatter and target NATO forces using tried-and-true mujahedin tactics." About two-thirds of the coalition christian louboutin pumps deaths were caused by roadside bombs, the insurgents' weapon of choice in a fight against a much more powerful enemy. Although most bombs are relatively unsophisticated devices made with commonplace ingredients such as fertilizer, commanders say the Taliban and other militants draw a battlefield advantage from the country's vast expanse. Convoys travel among far-flung bases by road, and the insurgents keep careful watch on their comings and goings. American and British offensives in the southern province of Helmand, a center of Afghanistan's drug trade and a longtime Taliban stronghold, account for most of the combat casualties. About 4,000 U.S. Marines are taking part in the operation, which began July 2. A few pockets of insurgents tried to hold their ground in the face of the American offensive, the largest conducted by the Marines since the battle of Fallujah, Iraq, in 2004. ButChristian Louboutin Sandals most instead melted away. Then they regrouped and commenced picking off U.S. troops in what commanders call "opportunistic" attacks. They fired mortars at isolated outposts, seeded the roads with bombs, lay in wait for small patrols. Significant numbers of deaths also came in Afghanistan's east, where most of the foreign forces are Americans. The east, which borders Pakistan'sChristian Loutoutin Boots wild tribal areas, remains subject to large-scale infiltration by fighters under the command of Pakistan-based insurgent leaders such as Sirajuddin Haqqani, whose home base in North Waziristan has been little touched by Pakistani military feints into the border zone. "If anything, the Haqqani network is growing stronger," said Jones, the Rand analyst. A key factor in the troop buildup, which will increase the U.S. force in the country to 68,000 personnel by year's end, is the desire to safeguard the Aug. 20 presidential and provincial council elections. The Taliban has vowed to try to disrupt the polling. "We want to make sure thejimmy choo shoes election is free and fair and acceptable to the Afghan public," said U.S. Army Col. Wayne Shanks, the chief public affairs officer for U.S. and North Atlantic Treaty Organization forces. July was the first full month of command in Afghanistan by U.S. Army Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, who assumed control of U.S. and NATO forces in mid-June. McChrystal is seeking to changejimmy choo the dynamic of the conflict by reducing the number of civilian deaths and establishing trust between Western forces and local officials. Many Afghans are almost asjimmy choo sale wary of foreign forces as they are of the insurgents. A report released Friday by the United Nations said that more than 1,000 Afghan civilians were killed in the first half of the year, an increase of nearly one-quarter from the same period in 2008. The report blamed the Taliban and other insurgents for about 60% of the fatalities and coalition and Afghan security forces Jimmy Choo Sandalsfor the remainder.

Bay Area beach water pollution study Beach closures and advisories tied to water contamination in the Bay Area plunged nearly 25 percent from 2007 to 2008, according to an annual report by a leading environmental group. However, several local christian louboutin shoescounties ranked among the highest for exceeding U.S. health standards for human or animal waste in California. The Natural Resources Defense Council's "Testing the Waters" study called coastal contamination a serious problem in California, in part because the source of a vast majority of the pollution is unknown. Of the known sources, the No. 1 culprit is storm-water runoff, which fills waterways with pesticides, heavy metals and pathogens. Sewage spills christian louboutinare the other primary source. Swimmers and surfers exposed to such toxic materials are at risk for stomach, skin, lung and neurological disorders. The health of marine mammals, fish, mollusks and birds also suffers. On Wednesday, NRDC officials, scientists and lawmakers gathered by San Francisco's Crissy Field beach, where they called for increased pollution monitoring. The state's 426 beaches "are our gems, Christian Louboutin Evening our jewels," said Assemblywoman Fiona Ma, D-San Francisco. "We need to do whatever christian louboutin pumps we can to maintain the beauty of our beaches." The report studied about 90 beaches along the Bay Area coast, including popular Stinson Beach in Marin County, Ocean Beach in San Francisco and Montara State Beach in San Mateo County. While Stinson Beach showed virtuallyChristian Louboutin Sandals no pollution, other beaches failed the tests. Forty percent of the water samples taken at Marina Lagoon in San Mateo County, for instance, violated federal health standards. A section of San Francisco's Baker Beach exceeded standards 17 percent of the time it was tested. Los Angeles had the highest countywide rate at 20 percent, followed by 13 percent for San Francisco and 12 percent for Contra Costa County. For the first time, the report also detailed how climate change is likely to exacerbate pollution: More severe storms will increase runoff, warmer ocean temperatures will spur pathogen growth and sea level rise will submerge former wastewater treatment plants. There were, however, some positives. Beaches in six coastal counties - Alameda,Christian Louboutin Wedges Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo and Sonoma - had a combined 832 days of closures or pollution advisory days in 2008, compared with 1,106 days in 2007. Statewide, there were more than 4,100 such days, down 13 percent from 2007. Still, the study's backers warned against too much optimism. Budget cutbacksChristian Loutoutin Boots have reduced beach water monitoring, and California's drought may be masking a worsening water quality problem, they said. What's more, testing is very limited, said Dr. Mark Renneker, clinical professor at the UCSF. Renneker started an advocacy group for surfers' health 25 years ago after falling sick from surfing at Ocean Beach. For instance, the study'sjimmy choo shoes tests would not detect the chemical fallout from the November 2007 Cosco Busan spill, which dumped 53,000 gallons of fuel oil into San Francisco Bay. "We really don't know what's goingjimmy choo on in this environment because we're only testing certain things," Renneker said. "We're really just at the tip of the iceberg." To read the jimmy choo salereport Online: The report can be found at links.sfgate.com/ZBAO E-mail Kelly Zito at kzito@sfchronicle.com. This article appeared Jimmy Choo Sandalson page A - 8 of the San Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/07/29/MNMV1912KQ.DTL#ixzz0MjrIgLRu