Boone, NC

     Tired of hair nets that don't hold up to the rigors of mountain weather, inventor Jeff Goodman has developed a totally new concept in hair restraint.  Complete with a nose plate and patented "breathe easy" armored hair netting, the "Net of Steel" is designed to protect a delicate hairdo in winds of up to 75 miles per hour -- or during artillery shelling.  "Though it was originally designed  for bad weather, not war, this hair net has also been tested to protect the hair during military operations," said Mr. Goodman from his secluded mountain home.  A U.S. army spokesman confirmed that Pentagon Officials are looking into the possibility of adapting Goodman's technology for use in battle.  Of particular interest to the armed forces is the extended nose guard, which, it is thought, may serve the dual function of protecting the nose and poking at the face of opponents during hand-to-hand battle.

     The "Net of Steel" is not due out in stores until next week, but a number of teenagers have received promotional versions of the product -- and they are very enthusiastic about it.  "Most kids think of hairnets as something only lunch ladies and grandmas wear," said 13 year old Alisha Sommers of Park City, Indiana.  "But when my friends saw this, they were amazed.  Even the boys are talking about getting one."  The producers of the Net of Steel have been working on a multi-pronged advertising campaign which targets both boys and girls, as well as a range of adult professionals.  In one popular ad, a father borrows his daughter's Net of Steel to take to a business conference on the very same night she needs the hairnet to complete her outfit for the prom.

    Hairnets have been around since the early sixteenth century, when Greek fishermen began putting unused fishing nets on their heads to restrain their hair during windy weather.  The Net of Steel, however, represents a unique departure from the centuries-old tradition of rope or string based hair nets; for this reason, many experts agree that Goodman's new design may set the course for hairnet technology and fashion in this new millennium. Still, the inventor of the Net of Steel is philosophical about his product.  "Fashions come and go," said Goodman, "but, still,  I think this one should be a winner, especially as hurricane season approaches."