Bespoke Cashmere

It was forged out of steel and given a walnut handle 60 years ago. It made its way to New York City, where it was sold by a well-known gun shop in Little Italy, and eventually passed through the hands of a law enforcement officer, who reported it lost in 1976.

More than three decades would go by before the weapon, a .32-caliber revolver, resurfaced on Sunday on a Queens street, where it fell from the waistband of a man under arrest and discharged a bullet that hit Police Officer Rodney Lewis.

As they do with most weapons confiscated in New York City, investigators are now trying to piece together the tale of the postwar six-shot revolver as it takes a central role in the city’s latest shooting of a police officer. So far, it has been a laborious task for the police, leaving as many questions unanswered as raised.

The revolver was traced to the Smith & Wesson plant in Springfield, Mass., according to law enforcement sources. It was manufactured in 1949, and the model, known by gun experts as a long caliber, hand-ejector postwar model, was popular at that time with police forces, until they went to bigger-caliber guns.

But, when a .32-caliber revolver is fired, it keeps the casings inside its rotating chamber instead of spitting them out like a semiautomatic pistol, making it hard forforensic investigators to determine whether it had a criminal past.

“With this revolver it is difficult to do that because the shell casings would not be left behind at a crime scene,” said Inspector William Aubry, the commanding officer of the Police Department’s forensic investigations unit.

On Oct. 18, 1949, the revolver was shipped, most likely in its typical cardboard box, from Massachusetts to the John Jovino Gun Shop in Manhattan, which has been in continuous operation since 1911.

Ghana is a striking place. All the platitudes of Africa ring true there — but what struck us, what has remained with us, was the Emirates flight there and back. On the way there, coach was mostly empty but business and first were full up with chinese men and women. Some of them were wearing those face masks, but they were mostly swilling whiskey.

Upon arrival is was quite clear the Chinese influence going on; from the major infrastructure projects like the dam that is being built, to the financial houses offering home ownership loans, the Chinese have the place covered. 

Our friend on the ground was mostly impartial to the Chinese. They bring their food, which is a blessing for Africa (African food is only medium delicious), they keep their language, they only live with themselves, and they spend dollars. Also, the chinese are distinctly not-white; which deeply matters. 

The flight back was jammed full. in the back of the plane, the football club from Siera Leone was on the way for a friendly match in Syria, Indians were on there way home, but the front of the plane was just the same — all Chinese. 

Prince Azim of Brunei has shown he is no slouch at entertaining either after hosting what is being hailed as the party of the year. A joint birthday bash for the 26-year-oPrince Azim of Brunei has shown he is no slouch at entertaining either after hosting what is being hailed as the party of the year. A joint birthday bash for the 26-year-old Prince and three of his siblings had it all: Hollywood stars, celebrity singers, one of England’s finest stately homes and 6,000 white roses.

Prinze Azim’s uncle, Prince Jefri, became renowned for his lavish parties and extravagant lifestyle.

Three years ago he was accused of having spent more than £1.5 billion on himself in his final 10 years as finance minister, before he was stripped of the job in 1997.

Much of the money allegedly went on a succession of “toys”: some 2,000 cars, including Ferraris, Rolls-Royces and Aston Martins; 17 aircraft, including a Comanche attack helicopter; and a 180ft yacht, the less-than-tastefully named SS Tits.

As well as having two speedboats on board – Nipple I and Nipple II – the yacht had 24-carat gold-plated fittings and lifts between the decks. Other stories emerged of his fondness for women with lifestyles as fast as his sports cars.

Members of the Brunei Royal family are sensitive to not wanting to be seen to put on obscenely expensive parties, particularly during a recession.

From the clubs in Bombay, to the live show in New Delhi, to the corners of Accra all the way to the desert oasis in Syria – Akon is the soundtrack.

In the corners of this earth, his staccato voice keeps us loose – pout those lips, shake those shoulders, we are doing the two step here, and if not, then believe we are just getting open.

There are many superlative for a man as committed to making hits as Akon is, but those are just that, and no one over here needs to go on and on and on about things we already know.