| (Home teams listed first) |
|---|
| Round of 16 |
| First Leg |
| Tuesday, Feb. 15 |
AC Milan (Italy) 1, Tottenham (England) 1
Valencia (Spain) 1, Schalke (Germany) 1
| Wednesday, Feb. 16 |
|---|
Arsenal (England) 2, Barcelona (Spain) 1
AS Roma (Italy) 2, Shakhtar Donetsk (Ukraine) 3
| Tuesday, Feb. 22 |
|---|
FC Copenhagen (Denmark) 0, Chelsea (England) 2
Lyon (France) 1, Real Madrid (Spain) 1
| Wednesday, Feb. 23 | …
|---|
BP expected to attach a tight new cap Monday on its busted oil well in the Gulf of Mexico, putting the oil giant a few tantalizing steps closer to knowing whether the fix will be enough to finally stop crude from gushing into the Gulf.
The new cap, a 150,000-pound metal stack, was about 300 feet from where it's supposed to be installed on top of the leaking well, BP Chief Operating Officer Doug Suttles said in a Monday morning news briefing.
The BP executive was careful to keep expectations grounded, stressing that once the cap is in place, it will take days to know whether it can withstand the pressure of the erupting oil and feed it through pipes to surface …
ABSTRACT
The TATA-box binding protein (TBP) is required by eukaryotic RNA polymerases to bind to the TATA box, an eight-basepair DNA promoter element, to initiate transcription. Carcinogen adducts that bind to the TATA box can hamper this important process. Benzo[a]pyrene (BP) is a representative chemical carcinogen that can be metabolically converted to highly reactive benzo[a]pyrene diol epoxides (BPDE), which in turn can form chemically stereoisomeric BP-DNA adducts. Depending on the TATA-bound adduct's location and stereochemistry, TATA/TBP binding can be decreased or increased. Our previous study interpreted the location-dependent effect in terms of conformational freedom and …
Rescuers dug through mountains of mud in search of survivors from landslides in western Indonesia, some using bare hands because blocked roads delayed the arrival of heavy-lifting equipment. At least 78 people were feared dead.
Most of the victims were killed in a single landslide in the Karanganyar district Wednesday that buried a group of residents dining together after cleaning up a mud-covered home, a rescue official said.
"They were having dinner together when they were hit by another landslide," search and rescue chief Eko Prayitno said. "At least 61 people were buried."
In nearby Wonogiri district, 17 people were feared …
Indonesia's top Islamic body banned Muslims from practicing yoga that contains Hindu rituals like chanting, the chairman of the group said Monday, citing concerns it would corrupt their faith.
Cleric Ma'ruf Amin said the Ulema Council issued the ruling following weekend talks attended by hundreds of theological experts in Padang Panjang, a village in West Sumatra province. Though not legally binding, most devout Muslims will likely adhere to it because they consider ignoring a religious decree sinful.
The ban, which follows a similar edict in neighboring Malaysia, was passed after investigators visited gyms and private yoga classes across the country to see …
WASHINGTON Oliver L. North testified Thursday in his Iran-contracover-up trial that he was ordered "never to reveal" how theNicaraguan rebels were supplied after Congress cut off U.S. militaryhelp.
Jurors also were told about secret deals by President RonaldReagan and George Bush, when he was vice president, to arrange extraaid to foreign governments in exchange for military support for thecontras.
Divulged at the session was an offer by Panamanian strongmanGen. Manuel Antonio Noriega to assassinate Sandinista governmentleaders. Jurors were told that North turned down the offer but latermet with Noriega in London to discuss sabotage operations …
NEW YORK - ABC aired its miniseries "The Path to 9/11" on Sunday but made editing changes after former Clinton administration officials complained it contained fabricated scenes about their actions prior to the terrorist attacks.
ABC's editing of the five-hour movie, airing on two successive nights starting Sunday, was evident from the very beginning. Twice, the network de-emphasized the role of the 9/11 commission's final report as source material for the film.
The version that aired Sunday also changed a scene that, in a copy of the movie given to television critics a few weeks ago, indicated President Clinton's preoccupation with his potential impeachment may have …
Russian regulators are expanding bans on pork and other meat imports to more U.S. states, citing swine flu fears.
The decision to include Wisconsin, Washington and Illinois brings the number of states affected by the ban on pork, chicken and other meat imports to seven.
Pork imports are already banned from four other states.
A spokesman for the agricultural …
For the third time in six years, Florida State is the preseasonpick to win college football's national championship.
The Seminoles, who have never won the national title despite sixconsecutive finishes in the top four, are a clear-cut No. 1 in TheAssociated Press poll.
Florida State, which also started out No. 1 in 1988 and 1991,received 42 of 62 first-place votes and 1,522 of a possible 1,550points in the nationwide survey of sports writers and broadcasters.The Seminoles also are No. 1 in the USA Today-CNN coaches' poll.
"Why me?" coach Bobby Bowden said. "It definitely puts morepressure on you when you're No. 1. It means everybody's out to …
TWICKENHAM, England (AP) — The criminal underworld controls "a significant proportion" of world sport, including the distribution of doping substances and attempted bribery of drug-testing labs, a global anti-doping leader said Wednesday.
World Anti-Doping Agency director general David Howman said the integrity of sports is under threat due to the "increasing encroachment" of organized crime gangs involved in steroid trafficking, match-fixing, money-laundering and other corruption.
"They make more money from this than from trafficking in heroin," Howman said at the World Sports Law Report's anti-doping conference outside London.
"We get it in the anti-doping world," he …
Yankees center fielder Curtis Granderson is headed to the disabled list because of a strained left groin. There is no timetable for his return to the New York lineup.
Granderson hurt himself running the bases Saturday and was forced to leave the game against the Chicago White Sox.
Granderson was taken to a hospital for an MRI exam that …
Bangladesh captain Mohammad Ashraful won the toss and elected to bat first Friday in the third and final limited-overs international against South Africa at Dhaka's Mirpur Stadium.
Bangladesh made one change to the team that lost to South Africa by seven wickets in the second one-day match at the same venue Wednesday. All rounder Farhad Reza was recalled in place of pacer Syed Russel.
South Africa made two changes bringing in Morne Morkel and Dale Steyn for Charl Langeveldt and Andre Neil.
South Africa leads the series 2-0.
___
Lineups:
Bangladesh: Mohammad Ashraful, Tamim Iqbal, Nazimuddin, Shahriar Nafees, Shakib Al Hasan, Dhiman Ghosh, Abdur Razzak, Mashrafe Bin Mortaza, Mosharraf Hossain, Farhad Reza, Roqibul Hassan.
South Africa: Graeme Smith, Herschelle Gibbs, Hashim Amla, A.B. de Villiers, J.P. Duminy, Albie Morkel, Johan Botha, Morne Morkel, Dale Steyn, Paul Harris, Alviro Petersen.
Umpires: Aleem Dar, Pakistan and Nadir Shah, Bangladesh. TV Umpire: A.S.M Akhteruddin, Bangladesh. Match Referee: Ranjan Madugalli, Sri Lanka.
Defending champion Lance Armstrong remained in second place inthe Tour de France despite finishing way back in the first roadstage. Tom Steels of Belgium won the second stage, finishing themostly flat 120-mile course from Futuroscope to Loudun in 4 hours,46 minutes, 8 seconds. Britain's David Millar stretched his leadSunday to four seconds.
Here's an ironic update for anyone who was concerned about hisfamily's safety a few months ago when everyone was talking about adeadly bird flu pandemic and government officials said there was novaccine available.
Just recently, a pharmaceutical company announced it had developeda new, and possibly much better, vaccine to prevent bird flu. Thecompany, GlaxoSmithKline, says it's ready to produce enough vaccinefor 80 million Americans, which would go a long way toward headingoff a crisis.
Public health officials want more test results before approvingthe vaccine for widespread use, which is reasonable. But they haven'toffered the company a contingent contract to begin producing vaccinequickly if the results are favorable.
Why not? Because our country's system for producing vaccinesdoesn't allow that -- just one of many ways in which the systemremains broken. Little has changed since the Institute of Medicine,in a 2003 report, called for a new financing system to encouragecompanies to develop and distribute vaccines. That report wasfollowed by widely publicized vaccine shortages, and then by the birdflu problem, which highlighted the urgent need for action. Yet theproblem persists.
As a physician and health economist, and also as a parent, I wouldwelcome the opportunity to start protecting my family on my own.
For instance, I would be happy to buy a bird flu treatment kit formy family that would include doses of medication that we would onlyuse in a pandemic. If the medications expired and I had to buyanother kit next year, I would still be glad that I had acted toprotect my family. State Medicaid programs could make the same optionavailable to those who cannot afford to pay for this "insurance."
How about prepayment? I could buy my influenza vaccine dose inadvance, and manufacturers could be assured of a significant marketbefore production. I would receive discounted pricing from my vaccineprovider of choice.
There is a market for wine futures and "dread disease" insurance.Why not a futures market on vaccines? I could buy my dose in advanceand share in the risk of development. Manufacturers would be assuredof a significant market before taking on the costs of production.They would also receive some advance financing. That's a lot morethan a company like GlaxoSmithKline gets under the current system.
We could apply the same approach for threats besides bird flu,notably including bioterrorism possibilities such as smallpox oranthrax that are remote but present a high risk. Again, I'd bewilling to spend my own money to protect my family from thesebiological agents, purchasing the supplies myself and thereby easingthe burden on the public purse. If others joined me, we would therebyexpand the market, making it more attractive for manufacturers toproduce supplies. Government would assume responsibility for thoseunable to buy supplies privately.
If that sounds a little cold-blooded, consider the market-basedsolutions we've developed for other areas of health care. Forexample, we expect people to pay for drugs that reduce theircholesterol levels; indeed, the worldwide market for cholesterol-reducing agents totals $32 billion annually. In contrast, so long aswe continue to view vaccines strictly as a public health tool, themarket size will remain uncertain and payment rates will remain solow that companies will have little incentive to invest in producingvaccines rather than in something more profitable. This is especiallytrue for flu vaccines, since companies need to develop a new versionannually, which requires a substantial scientific investment withonly one year to possibly earn a return.
These approaches are not the only market-based alternatives to ourcurrent broken system. Once we start looking at the problem with neweyes, it's possible to identify a variety of approaches to encouragemore companies to get involved while enhancing the public health. Thebottom line is this: The current system is broken. I'm willing to payfor vaccines. You might be, too. So long as the government steps upto its responsibility to protect those unable to pay, we should stopspinning our wheels and try to find ways for each of us to take stepstoward preventing the next public health crisis.
Kevin A. Schulman is a professor of medicine and management atDuke University and director of the Health Sector Management Programat Duke's Fuqua School of Business
Thirty years after their commercial peak, the ageless wonders from Rockford are making some of the best music of their career. While most of their peers are either fat, dead, disbanded or no longer composing great songs, Cheap Trick has discovered a fountain of youth in the form of Beatlesque power pop, which is the same elixir that allowed them to sell millions of albums in the '70s and '80s.
At the Allstate, the new songs "Miracle" and "These Days" showcased the limber vocals of lead singer Robin Zander, who, at 56, is the band's youngest member.
Guitarist Rick Nielsen crafted catchy riffs and tightly focused solos, drummer Bun E. Carlos slapped the skins with admirable precision and Tom Petersson offered melodic runs on a glittery, 12-string bass. The quartet, which still consists of its original members, was joined by keyboardist Phil "Magic" Cristian, who added a bouncy, melodic motif to "She's Tight."
Nielsen expertly played a wide array of guitars (including a five-neck model) and did his typical stage routine of flicking guitar picks into the crowd, mugging for the video cameras and shrugging with a delightful "Who? Me?" facial expression.
Midway through the show, Nielsen boasted, "For the past 12 weeks, Cheap Trick has had the No. 1-selling 8-track in the world." He said this while hoisting overhead an 8-track version of "The Latest," which actually is available in that format, selling for $30 at the band's Web site.
The show's peak was a masterful rendition of "Heaven Tonight," the atmospheric title track from Cheap Trick's 1978 studio album. The band has played this tune thousands of times, but that didn't prevent them from turning it into a dreamy bit of engaging songcraft, as Zander crooned the haunting lyrics and Nielsen sculpted his fierce guitar notes into a sonic volcano.
The new song "Sick Man of Europe" was delivered with punkish energy, and its title is a wink to the group's origins. (Sick Man of Europe was an early name for the band before the group changed it to Cheap Trick.)
Nielsen wore his love for the Fab Four on his sleeve, literally, as he sported a black shirt and bow tie that were adorned with the words "The Beatles." At one point, he played a guitar that was decorated with images of the Beatles' faces, and the lyrics to the catchy, Lennonesque "Miss Tomorrow" referenced the Beatles. All these nods made it slightly surprising that Cheap Trick did not play anything from their other release of 2009, "Sgt. Pepper Live," a meticulous concert disc devoted to covering the Beatles' "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band."
Although the group often has been saddled with the moniker "The American Beatles," Cheap Trick's incredible duration as a functioning, vibrant band has placed them far outside the shadow of their Liverpudlian heroes.
Bobby Reed is a Chicago-based free-lance writer.
- - -
Cheap Trick's set list at the Allstate:
1. "Way of the World"
2. "Come On, Come On"
3. "Miracle"
4. "I Want You to Want Me"
5. "These Days"
6. "She's Tight"
7. "Heaven Tonight"
8. "Miss Tomorrow"
9. "Don't Be Cruel"
10. "Voices"
11. "Sick Man of Europe"
12. "The Flame"
13. "Surrender"
Color Photo: Jon Gitchoff for the Sun-Times / Rick Nielsen and Robin Zander of Cheap Trick rock out the Allstate Arena Thursday night with classics and new material.
IFRS 1 will help in IFRS adoption, but it will also require evaluation of a number of accounting policy choices
Canadian publicly accountable entities should now have commenced their evaluation of the effects on their organization of adopting international financial reporting standards (IFRS). A key step in that evaluation is to study IFRS i, First-time Adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards. Application of IFRS ? will greatly assist IFRS adoption, but it also requires evaluation of a number of accounting policy choices. There are a number of considerations Canadian entities should take into account in applying IFRS i. Transitional relief provided by IFRS i: Without applying IFRS i, entities would be required to adopt IFRS as if they had always applied those standards. Thus, they would be required to restate their financial statements as if all past transactions and events had been accounted for in accor- dance with IFRS. For example, an entity that undertook a business combination transaction many years ago might have accounted for that transaction as a merger in accor- dance with Canadian accounting standards at that time. Restatement would require the entity to restate assets and liabilities remaining from that business combination in accordance with the carrying amounts that would have resulted had the entity applied the acquisition method in accordance with the current IFRS dealing with business combinations (IFRS 3). This could be extremely onerous and would probably result in little benefit to financial statement users.
To alleviate such problems, IFRS 1 provides a number of exemptions from and exceptions to the need to restate financial results as if IFRS had always been followed. The exceptions prohibit specified restatements. They provide options for entities to choose whether to make specified restatements - this is where the choices of accounting policies, referred to previously, come in.
However, before considering some of those exemptions and exceptions it is important to understand two additional principles in IFRS i. First, IFRS 1 requires an entity to use the same accounting policies for its financial statements in both the first year of adoption of IFRS and the comparative period. Those accounting policies are to be in compliance with IFRS applicable to the first year of adoption. This has two consequences. An entity cannot have a change in accounting policy between the comparative period and the first year of adoption - the accounting policies for the first year of adoption must also be applied to the comparative period. Also, an entity has to consider what accounting policies will be in compliance with IFRS in its first year of adoption as it prepares its comparative information - thus, it needs to look ahead to take into account IFRS that will change in the first year of adoption compared with those effective in the comparative period. Second, IFRS 1 overrides the transitional provisions of individual IFRS, except where specified otherwise. So, those transitional provisions are not available in the first year of adoption.
Exceptions: The exceptions in IFRS ? prohibit an entity from retrospectively applying IFRS, mainly where such application would enable the entity to benefit from hindsight. Therefore, for example, an entity is precluded from retrospectively designating hedge relationships or from adjusting previous accounting estimates to take account of information not available at the time the original estimate was made.
Exemptions: The optional exemptions are, perhaps, the most important aspect of IFRS ? for first-time adopters. An entity may choose to adopt some, all or none of the optional exemptions. Therefore, the entity needs to carefully evaluate its accounting policy in respect of each possibility and consider the most suitable approach in its circumstances. In some cases the correct choice will be obvious. For example, an entity that has undertaken multiple business combinations going back many years may find the costs of restating its assets and liabilities to reflect current business combinations standards unduly costly and will elect not to do so. However, even in this case, the election permits an entity to choose a date from which it might follow the new business combinations standards going forward. An entity might, therefore, wish to con- sider accounting for, say, very recent busi- ness combinations in accordance with the new standard, but not older ones. This option is available to the entity. Also of note regarding business combinations is the Accounting Standards Board's (AcSB) intent to put the IFRS standards on business combinations into the Handbook before the date of mandatory IFRS changeover, so that a Canadian entity undertaking a business combination in 2010 can choose to adopt the standard early and thus not have to restate its accounting when it adopts IFRS in 201 1.
Another example of an exemption where an entity needs to make careful choices is in choosing whether to elect to measure property, plant and equipment or intangible assets at fair value or revalued amounts, rather than at historic cost, at the date of transition to IFRS. This election is available on an asset-by-asset basis and does not require that fair value or revaluation accounting be continued subsequent to IFRS adoption - the fair value or revalued amount becomes the deemed cost of the asset going forward. This election might seem attractive to bring assets to up-to-date values on the balance sheet. However, this needs to be weighed against factors such as the increased future depreciation charges on an asset for which the deemed cost has been increased at the date of transition. IFRS 1 also permits redesignation of previously recognized financial instruments as at "fair value through profit or loss" or "available for sale" on first-time adoption and allows a subsidiary that becomes a first-time adopter later than its parent to elect to use the carrying amounts that would be included in the parent's consolidated financial statements based on the parent's transition to IFRS date.
Other exemptions are also available. The table on page 52 summarizes the extent to which a sample of European firms used exemptions available in accordance with IFRS 1. Canadian firms might consider their experience in assessing their choices. Future changes to IFRS 1: The AcSB has paid particular atten- tion to the issues that Canadian entities are likely to face on adopting IFRS. During late 2007 and early 2008 it consulted with the Canadian financial reporting community to ascertain whether additional exceptions or exemptions seemed necessary to help the Canadian transition. Two circumstances stood out as candidates for relief - the considerable difficulty of retro- spectively restating oil and gas assets previously accounted for using full-cost accounting and the difficulty of restating assets and liabilities of operations subject to rate regulation, which include amounts that do not qualify for capitalization in accor- dance with IFRS. In each case, the potential costs of retrospec- tive restatement were considered to significantly exceed any benefit. The AcSB approached the IASB on these issues and has worked with the IASB to develop an exposure draft, issued in September 2008, to provide relief in these circumstances. This exposure draft also proposes providing relief regarding specified aspects of lease classification. Entities with these circumstances should pay special attention to the proposals in that IASB expo- sure draft. The AcSB expects that final amendments to IFRS 1 resulting from this exposure draft will be issued in mid-2009 and will be applicable for the Canadian changeover.
Information for financial statement users: Other key aspects of IFRS 1 are its disclosure of information requirements for financial statement users to understand accounting policy choices and financial reporting changes made by entities in adopting IFRS and to provide a connection between prior financial statements and those in accordance with IFRS. Accordingly, IFRS 1 requires reconciliations between previous financial statements and IFRS as well as accounting policy disclosures. These will be required in the first IFRS reporting period, which for many entities will be its first interim financial statements in accordance with IFRS. Coupled with management discussion and analysis disclosures required by the Canadian Securities Administrators (see CSA Staff Notice 52-320 - Disclosure of Expected Changes in Accounting Policies Relating to Changeover to International Financial Reporting Standards) and additional guidance from the CICA's Canadian Performance Reporting Board, IFRS 1 will assist investors in understanding the effects on individual entities of the changeover to IFRS.
[Sidebar]
Exceptions in IFRS 1 prohibit an entity from retrospectively applying IFRS, mainly where such applications would enable the entity to benefit from hindsight
[Author Affiliation]
Ian Hague is a principal with the AcSB and is responsible for international activities.
Views are his own and do not represent official positions of the AcSB
Technical editor: Ron Salole, vice-president, Standards, Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants
Compensation reviews that fit both the objectives and budgets of community banks have been introduced by Clark Consulting, a leading provider of strategic planning and leadership development, compensation and benefits consulting, bank-owned life insurance and benefit administration support services for the banking industry.
"Banks of all sizes identify recruiting and retaining key employees as a high priority in today's competitive environment," said Todd Leone, managing director of the Compensation Group at Clark Consulting's Banking Practice. "Community banks want to know how their compensation and benefit plans stack up against the competition. But, unlike their larger colleagues, they may not have the budget necessary to hire a consultant for a comprehensive review. That's why we've developed this program."
Clark Consulting's new program provides community bank clients with a menu of compensation review elements to choose from. "By pinpointing exactly what information is most important to the bank, we can then provide the appropriate level of service," said Leone.
"For example," he continued, "one bank may be primarily concerned with benchmarking the CEO's salary, while another may want an analysis of a specific group of peers defined by performance criteria."
Clark Consulting's peer data is drawn from a variety of industry sources as well as from proprietary information. The compensation reviews provide comparative information about cash compensation, annual incentives, long-term incentives, benefits and perquisites, and board of director compensation.
Banks can request a single report or a full-spectrum of compensation services. In addition, community banks still have the option of working with one of Clark's compensation experts if they need to develop a specific compensation strategy or require a more comprehensive assessment of their institution's programs.
Ceridian, a leader in human resource outsourcing management solutions, is enhancing its Ceridian Talent Acquisition & Management solution with Ceridian Smart Search, a high-powered search engine that enables companies to gain more predse candidate matches for open positions.
Historically, employers have been limited to using standard keyword search processes to build their pool of qualified candidates. By using this method, recruiters conducting applicant searches are presented with only those candidates with exact keyword matches in their resumes, thus creating the potential to miss opportunities to hire top employees. For example, a recruiter using a keyword search can search on 'Java," but misses those candidates with J2EE and other programming languages in their resume.
In sharp contrast, Ceridian Smart Search probes much deeper, matching qualified candidates to open requisitions via the terminology used in the search criteria. Additionally, if employers seek candidates "similar to" the profile of an ideal employee or wish to "find more like" another applicant that criteria can also be entered into the search process. An easily viewable ranking of potential candidates, based on the unique search criteria, is created for each search. Recruiters also save time by taking fewer steps to locate prospective hires as Smart Search is a one-click execution versus tedious Boolean strings and complex keyword searches.
"Making a bad hire, or missing out on landing a very talented and qualified team member can be very costly to a company, especially as companies in North America and Europe face the impending labor shortages," explained Craigjulien, Ceridian's vice president and general manager of talent acquisition and management. "Companies must improve efforts to maintain a capable, competitive workforce and by using a powerful tool such as Smart Search can find the most qualified talent, not just any talent."
Enrollment for the Certified Senior Advisor designation training is now available through the College for Financial Planning. The training is offered in several formats, including a three-and-a-half-day face-to-face classroom experience, a self-study program and an online format (available in August). This certification program enables advisors to work effectively with the fast-growing 50-70 age group that will represent 20 percent of the population within the next 25 years. Special emphasis is placed on building the advisor's practice, including marketing to seniors
Course material includes trends in aging, chronic illness and long-term care issues for seniors; financial, end-of-life and estate planning; and Social security. Course topics also include Medicaid and tax planning, senior housing, long-term care, Alzheimer's and dementia, and social and spiritual aspects of aging.
The face-to-face program is offered as a three-and-a-half-day class in more than two dozen U.S. and Canadian cities, and is an opportunity to learn from multiple instructors in a stimulating, intense environment. A proctored exam is included.
The self-paced and online formats allow candidates up to six months to complete the course with the same instructors who teach the live Certified Senior Advisor program. These students receive videotaped presentations on CDs complete with PowerPoint presentations and use the same textbook and workbook as classroom students.
NEW YORK - Citing concerns about potential violence, an organizer on Wednesday canceled a reggae concert meant to raise awareness of HIV/AIDS after protesters complained two of the scheduled performers were anti-gay.
The organizer, LIFEbeat, came under fire by black gay activists and bloggers after it was announced that Jamaican dancehall artists Beenie Man and the group T.O.K. were scheduled to perform during a July 18 concert at Webster Hall. Protesters asked that the artists be dropped or forced to denounce controversial lyrics.
LIFEbeat executive director John Canelli said the group had been flooded with calls, some of them threatening, in recent days and was concerned safety would be an issue at the concert.
"The possibility of violence at the concert from the firestorm incited by a select group of activists makes canceling the event the only responsible action," said a statement from the group, which uses the music industry to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS.
Board member Tim Rosta said the motive behind the concert was to raise awareness about AIDS and its impact, especially in Caribbean communities, but the uproar made it clear how deeply people were hurt and offended by the lyrics of the artists' songs.
"I think that we misjudged the depth of the hurt around some of the issues that are raised by some of the lyrics," he said.
Beenie Man and T.O.K. have released songs that deride gays through slang terms. One Beenie Man song calls for a lesbian hanging, and a T.O.K tune suggests gay men be burned.
"The idea that they would invite artists who encourage murdering gays and lesbians is so outrageous, insulting and unbelievable," activist Keith Boykin said before the announcement of the cancellation.
Earlier this week, the concert organizer rejected the anti-gay lyrics but said including the artists would help reach a larger audience thanks to the popularity of their beat-driven dancehall music.
"By both artists agreeing to perform at an HIV/AIDS prevention concert in 2006 shows they have recognized the devastation this disease has had on their communities and that they want to effect some positive change," Canelli said.
He added that the artists, who are not being paid, agreed before the protests not to use any "potentially offensive lyrics" at the show.
In statements earlier this week, T.O.K. said it had "matured over the years," and Beenie Man said, "AIDS is an epidemic that doesn't discriminate. It's not a gay or a straight thing, it is a fight for life."
Rutgers extended its string of postseason success with a 45-24 rout of Central Florida in the St. Petersburg Bowl as college football's bowl season began Saturday.
Receiver Mohamed Sanu ran for two touchdowns out of the wildcat formation and also scored on an 11-yard reception from quarterback Tom Savage, who threw for a career-best 294 yards.
Rutgers claimed a school-record fourth consecutive bowl win to finish with at least nine victories for just the sixth time in 140 years. UCF fell to 0-3 in bowl games under coach George O'Leary.
Wyoming 35, Fresno State 28, OT
In Albuquerque, New Mexico, quarterback Austyn Carta-Samuels threw three touchdown passes, the last a 13-yarder to David Leonard in the second overtime as Wyoming snuck home in the New Mexico Bowl.
The first of 34 bowls over the next month was a high-scoring matchup that was decided by defense.
Wyoming stopped the nation's leading rusher, Fresno State's Ryan Mathews, on three rushing attempts from the 1-yard line in the first overtime. Fresno State tried a quarterback sneak on fourth down and came up short.
The Cowboys scored on the first possession in double overtime, then held Fresno State on downs.
Israel's defense minister said Friday a nuclear-armed Iran would be unlikely to strike the Jewish state but would use its arsenal to intimidate adversaries across the Middle East.
"I don't think the Iranians, even if they got the bomb, (would) drop it in the neighborhood," Ehud Barak said. "They fully understand what might follow. They are radical but not totally crazy. They have a quite sophisticated decision-making process, and they understand reality."
Barak was not more explicit about the consequences of an Iranian strike, but he appeared to allude to Israeli retaliation. Israel is widely believed to have its own nuclear arms but has never publicly acknowledged it.
Israel is key to the U.S. approach on Iran because of the prospect of an Israeli airstrike to pre-empt Iran's obtaining a nuclear weapon. The U.S. has sought to dissuade Israel from striking, at least while there remains a possibility that international sanctions could prompt a shift in Iranian behavior.
Iran insists that its nuclear program is only for peaceful purposes.
Barak was in Washington for a series of meetings with top Obama administration officials amid intensified U.S. efforts to pressure Iran following a year of failed efforts to engage Tehran in nuclear negotiations. Barak also was consulting on efforts to relaunch peace talks with the Palestinians.
He was meeting Friday with Vice President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton. On Thursday, he held talks at the Pentagon with Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Speaking at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, Barak endorsed President Barack Obama's efforts to gain international support for a new set of U.N. sanctions against Tehran, although he expressed doubt that sanctions would achieve their aim of compelling Iran to limit its nuclear program.
"What is really needed is significant sanctions, effective ones, within a time limit," Barak said. He credited the administration with making a strong effort on sanctions. "We appreciate it, and we hope it will be successful," he said. "But we also should carry a certain skepticism and think thoroughly and in a constructive manner about what should happen if _ against our hopes and wishes _ it won't work."
Later at the State Department, Barak told reporters before meeting with Clinton that U.N. sanctions should be "consequential" and keep in mind "the possibility that in spite of all effort, it will not lead to Iran accepting the international norms" with regard to limits on its nuclear program.
In his speech, Barak said Iran is undergoing a tumultuous period of internal dissent, but he added that the rest of the world should not assume the clerical regime there will collapse or reform before it manages to get a nuclear weapon.
"We see that the grip of the regime on its own people, and even the cohesion of the leading group of ayatollahs are both being cracked," he said. "And probably the countdown toward their collapse has started."
Pakistan Establishes Nuclear Control Body
On February 3, Pakistan's National Security Council announced the establishment of a new body responsible for creating policy regarding the development and use of Pakistan's nuclear weapons. The new organization, dubbed the National Command Authority (NCA), will "exercise employment and development control over all strategic nuclear forces and strategic organizations" and was described as an "institutionalized command and control mechanism consistent with Pakistan's obligations as a nuclear power" by the official Associated Press of Pakistan.
The organization houses two primary committees, the Employment Control Committee (ECC) and the Development Control Committee (DCC), both led by head of state General Pervez Musharraf and dominated by military officials. The ECC will develop policy for the deployment and use of nuclear weapons and is composed of the foreign minister, the minister of the interior, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC), the service chiefs, the directorgeneral of the Strategic Plans Division, and any necessary technical advisors. The DCC will guide the technical aspects of the development of weapons and command and control systems and is made up of the CJCSC, the service chiefs, the director-general of the Strategic Plans Division, and other yet-to-be named representatives of the strategic organizations and the scientific community.
No statement of nuclear weapons policy accompanied the announcement on the NCA. Pakistan has not disclosed a doctrine for the use or development of nuclear weapons, though it has repeatwily declined to offer a no-first-use pledge. Musharraf, who took power in a bloodless coup on October 12, reiterated this stance in an interview with Indian television on February 7. "I have said very clearly that nuclear power cannot be used, should not be used. However, when national integrity is threatened, then we will take a decision at that time," he said.
Here's a schedule for earnings reports from some tech companies that had initial public offerings of stock since last year. The companies are all loosely Internet-related, though their businesses vary widely.
Feb. 7: Jive Software Inc. (first day of trading was on Dec. 13)
Feb. 8: Groupon Inc. (first day of trading was on Nov. 4)
Feb. 9: LinkedIn Corp. (first day of trading was on May 19)
Unknown: Zillow Inc. (first day of trading was on July 20), Zipcar Inc. (first day of trading was on April 14), Demand Media Inc. (first day of trading was on Jan. 26), Pandora Media Inc. (first day of trading was on June 15), Zynga Inc. (first day of trading was on Dec. 16), Angie's List Inc. (first day of trading was on Nov. 17).
SALT LAKE CITY - Doctors took about an hour Tuesday to separate 7-month-old conjoined twins who were fused at the lower back.
Physicians at Primary Children's Medical Center made the first incision at 10:20 a.m. and finished separating Allyson and Avery Clark by 11:26 a.m., said Dr. John Kestle, who coordinated the procedure.
"It really couldn't be any better. There was no bad news at all," their father, Kerry Clark, said.
The girls had been joined at the bottom of their spinal cords. Doctors also had to separate some of the girls' shared tissue, muscles and nerves.
Allyson and Avery spent about 6 1/2 hours in the operating room before being placed in separate beds for the first time.
There is a possibility that nerves controlling the bladder and lower legs may not be fully functioning. Doctors probably won't know until the girls are old enough to use the toilet, Kestle said.
"All I can say is their feet seem to be working," he said.
The surgery comes 10 months after Maliyah and Kendra Herrin, now 5, were separated at the same hospital. It was the fourth separation surgery at the hospital since 1998.
The Clark surgery was not as difficult. The Herrin twins were joined mid-torso and shared a kidney, a liver, a bladder and other organs. Their separation and subsequent reconstructive surgery lasted 26 hours.
The Clark girls are expected to spend about a week in the hospital before going home to Hill Air Force Base near Ogden, where their father is an F-16 crew chief. Kerry Clark, 28, had been stationed at Edwards Air Force Base in California but transferred to Utah so his daughters could have the surgery.
There is a set of conjoined twins in every 50,000 to 100,000 live births. Only about 20 percent survive to become viable candidates for separation and most separation surgeries occur when twins are a year old or younger.
The Boston Celtics announced Monday they have extended forwardKevin McHale's contract through the 1992-93 season.
The Celtics did not release terms of the agreement.
McHale is entering his 12th season with the Celtics. In thelast 11 he has averaged 18.7 points and 7.6 rebounds.
Last season, McHale averaged 18.4 points and 7.1 rebounds. Heranked eighth in the NBA in both field goals and blocks.
McHale, who has spent his entire professional career with theCeltics, was the team's first-round 1980 draft pick, third over all,out of Minnesota. LINDROS WANTS $3 MILLION: Eric Lindros, the first choice in the NHLdraft, has asked for a salary of more than $3 million a year from theQuebec Nordiques in hope of forcing them to trade him, according to apublished report. "The numbers would make you dizzy," Nordiquespresident Marcel Aubut was quoted as telling Le Soleil. "I wasn'texpecting that." BIG TEN STARS WIN IN FINLAND: Indiana guard Greg Graham (22 points)and Iowa forward James Moses (19) led the Big Ten All-Stars (2-2) toa 105-84 victory over host Uusikaupunki, Finland, on theirScandanavian tour. Ohio State forward Chris Jent scored 14. JARRYD UPSET: Steve Bryan, ranked 184th in the world, upset11th-seeded Anders Jarryd, 7-6 (7-3), 6-1 in the opening round of theU.S. Hardcourts tournament at Indianapolis. . . . Derrick Rostagnobeat Brian Garrow 6-3, 6-4 to begin defense of his VolvoInternational title at New Haven, Conn. No. 10 Michael Chang downedMikael Pernfors 6-3, 5-7, 6-2. PITT TO NAME JAYNES: Colorado State athletic director Oval Jaynes, aformer football coach with a reputation for hiring successfulcoaches, officially will be named the University of Pittsburgh'sathletic director today, sources said. Jaynes' hiring has beenrumored since Friday, when East Carolina athletic director Dave HartJr., O'Connor's first choice, surprised Pitt officials by turning thejob down. The third finalist, Long Beach State AD Corey Johnson,said he was told the job would go to Jaynes. PENCAK, CERTAIN LEAD PBA: Jim Pencak and Jimmy Certain held the leadafter two rounds of the $142,500 PBA Senior-Touring Pro Doubles atBuffalo, N.Y. Pencak, third last week at Green Bay, Wis., had 2,706pins. Certain, the 1989 PBA senior player of the year, had 2,526. WORTHY HELPS IN SCHOOL: Los Angeles Lakers forward James Worthybegan serving 40 hours of community service at a Houston middleschool as part of his sentence for two misdemeanor charges ofsoliciting prostitution last Nov. 15. MAGUIRE IMPROVES: The condition of NBC football analyst PaulMaguire, who suffered a heart attack Saturday, was upgraded to fair,a spokeswoman at Buffalo (N.Y.) General Hospital said. McDUFFIE DIED INSTANTLY: NASCAR driver J.D. McDuffie died instantlyof brain injuries when his car smashed into a tire barrier andguardrail during the Budweiser at the Glen Winston Cup race Sunday, acoroner said in Watkins Glen, N.Y. Schuyler County coroner Alaud Dinsaid that except for the massive head injuries, McDuffie came throughthe crash comparatively unscathed. McDuffie was 55. OAK PARK GOES NATIONAL: The Faust brothers of Oak Park will play intwo national baseball championships this weekend. David, 14, asecond baseman, will play with Oak Park's team in the Pony LeagueWorld Series that begins Saturday in Washington, Pa. Oak Parkadvanced by sweeping Davenport, Iowa, 7-1 and 3-1 in the North Zonefinal Sunday. Michael, 12, a left fielder, will play for Oak Park inthe Bronco World Series starting Friday in Sacramento, Calif.
PARIS - Paris, in its latest bid to be an innovator of the Cityof Tomorrow, is launching an electric car-sharing program to cut airand noise pollution on the city's medieval cobblestone streets andbeyond.
Autolib', a project built on the success of the city's bike-rental scheme, makes its debut today and officials want the self-service e-cars to be as much a part of Paris life as the EiffelTower or Notre Dame Cathedral.
While many world cities have been developing greener alternativesto carbon-emitting vehicles, Paris says its program is the biggestof its kind: 250 vehicles hit the road on Monday, 2,000 are expectedby next summer and 3,000 are planned within the next two years.
The four-seat compact Bluecar - even though it's really gray - isa collaboration of Italian car designer Pininfarina and Frenchconglomerate Groupe Bollore, which hopes to showcase its LithiumMetal Polymer battery that powers the car.
Prospective users will need a valid ID, driver's license andcredit card before signing up online or by a videoconference with ancustomer service representative at one of 40 special glassed-inshelters in Paris and dozens of suburban towns also taking part.
Standard subscriptions cost (euro) 10 ($13.5) a day, (euro) 15($20) a week, and (euro) 144 ($195) a year. Beyond that, the hourlyfees run from (euro) 4 to (euro) 9 based on the rental plan - andusers' cards can be charged in case of damage to the vehicles.
To get going, users swipe a magnetized card against a driver's-side window to open the door, and a key tethered to the steeringcolumn starts the car. It comes with bells and whistles, literally -a button on the steering column lever produces a repetitive beep toalert Paris' many pedestrians that the silent car is on its way.
"The city's first interest is fighting air pollution, these carsnot only don't emit carbon dioxide but localized exhaust fumeseither - and they don't make noise: (Studies show) the No. 1nuisance in the city is noise," said Sylvain Marty, who heads themulti-city Autolib' partnership led by Paris and private-sectoraffiliates.
Autolib' also tackles what automotive analysts have long said isa big hurdle for the development of electric cars: a lack ofinfrastructure - not enough charging stations. For (euro) 180 ayear, owners of electric cars can use the spots to juice up theirown vehicles at the Autolib' charging stations.
For the last six months, crews with jackhammers have beenoutfitting sidewalks with some of the 1,200 charging stations andmarking off parking spaces that will be reserved exclusively forAutolib' users.
Those promoting the vehicle say it can run for 150 miles on asingle charge.
"I personally tried driving it more than four hours, in traffic,with the heat on full blast and I wasn't able to get it below 70percent charge," said Marty. "For city use, that's more thanenough."
Some 2,000 people have already registered for Autolib' accounts,and curious city officials from places like Guangzhou, China, or Riode Janeiro have traveled to Paris to check it out, Marty said.
As is often France's wont, detractors and skeptics abound.
The country's main Green party movement says the electric carswill drain more energy from France's nuclear plants, which theyoppose; will require battery disposal; and will ultimately encouragepeople to drive more.
City officials insist there's little risk to taxpayers, becausethe private sector companies have signed a 12-year commitment.
Groupe Bollore, which is headed by a friend of conservativeFrench President Nicolas Sarkozy, says at least 80,000 subscriberare needed for the program to be profitable - not expected for sevenyears, officials say.
"We're banking on word of mouth from people who try it, like it,and tell themselves 'I've got to sign up!'" Marty said.
Other cities have similar projects, but much smaller in scale.
Berlin launched a pilot program last spring that combines anetwork of 40 electric cars and bicycles with the city's existingpublic transport system. Those cars, owned by German railwayoperator Deutsche Bahn, are part of a fleet of 65 electric vehiclesalso in Hamburg, Frankfurt and Saarbruecken.
Switzerland's biggest car-sharing organization, Mobility, hasstarted offering electric cars at some of its hundreds of pickuppoints across the country.
Promoters know Autolib' is no panacea: Even at 3,000 vehicles, itwon't be big enough to replace personal vehicles or public transportas the principal way of getting around a metro area of roughly 12million people.
"Autolib' is all about complementing other means of transport -this isn't about competing with public transportation or" the bikesharing program, said Marty.
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS A member of the media looks at a parkingstation for the Autolib electric car-share scheme on a street inParis.
Soldiers pulled the body of a 58-year-old man Monday from a hot spring inn knocked down by a landslide in northern Japan, bringing the death toll in a weekend earthquake to 10.
Authorities said 12 people were still missing from Saturday's 7.2-magnitude quake, which tore across the rural area, triggering a series of deadly landslides that barreled into homes and swept away roads.
Hope of finding more survivors dimmed Monday. Dozens of soldiers and other rescue workers surrounded the remains of the resort inn, which had been inundated with a deluge of mud, rocks and trees.
The man discovered on Monday was the fourth body salvaged from the inn. Three more victims _ presumably dead _ were believed buried in the wreckage.
"We are doing our best to find the three, but it has been difficult to carry out operations with all the mud in the area," said police spokesman Naoshi Tokunaga.
The more than 1,000 rescue workers and disaster officials have joined the search, their efforts aided by a spell of dry weather. The work, however, has been hindered by heavy road damage caused by landslides.
Several major points of access to the hardest-hit spots were virtually unreachable by ground, with tons of debris covering them. Soldiers using backhoes were trying to dig their way to the hot spring area, but had to start 5 miles (8 kilometers) away.
Nine other people were missing in the quake-hit area. Another 100 living in a hamlet nearby the resort remained stranded, some without water, and had to be slowly airlifted out by police and military helicopters.
The two-story hot spring resort was inundated when the hill behind it came crashing down.
A series of powerful aftershocks also hampered search efforts on Sunday. More than 470 aftershocks were recorded since the quake hit and officials warned more landslides were possible.
The quake was centered in the northern prefecture (state) of Iwate, and was located about 5 miles (8 kilometers) underground. It was felt as far away as Tokyo, 250 miles (400 kilometers) to the southwest.
The most recent major quake in Japan, one of the world's most seismically active countries, killed more than 6,400 people in the city of Kobe in January 1995.
Police charge one in death of Tsarina Powell
Police arrested and charged one man and was still searching for others linked to the shooting death of Tsarina Powell.
Derrick L. Martin, 19, of the 2900 block of West Arthington was arrested and charged with first degree murder Saturday.
The 12-year-old Powell was brutally gunned downearlier this month as she slept in her home on the 5900 block of South Honore.
More than 20 bullets cased the back of the two story structure during what police now know was a "direct hit" on the house.
"Someone in the house owed money," said Lt. Kenny Mann, during a press conference Monday.
Mann stated that information leading to Martin and several other suspects came days after the attack but the offenders were unable to be subdued.
A police spokesperson said the attack stemmed from a retaliation over a debt.
"We believe it was a drug related," said a police spokesperson.
Police said the intended target was not Powell, but a relative who was not in the house when the attack occurred.
Police were unable to give detailed information about the investigation because it was still pending but said Martin was arrested on the West Side and told police in a videotaped confession he was involved in the shooting; however, he was not the shooter. Police were still trying to find other suspects linked to the shooting.
Police said they know others involved and were still trying to figure out who pulled the fatal shot.
"We know some and others we don't but we are still trying to figure that out," said a police spokesperson.
No weapons have been recovered but police believe the gun used was a high powered rifle was used in the attack.
Martin was currently on two-years probation for the theft of an automobile.
The other suspects being sought in the shooting will also face first degree murder charges.
Article Copyright Sengstacke Enterprises, Inc.
Photo (Derrick Martin)
Promoters Don King and Cedric Kushner yesterday negotiated acontract to have Carlos DeLeon defend his World Boxing Councilcruiserweight championship in Chicago against the winner of the April12 bout between Craig Bodzianowski (17-10) and Alfonzo Ratliff (24-4)in the Bismarck Pavilion.
"And I would love to see Bodzianowski win," King told theSun-Times. "I'm always for the underdog. Only in America can youhave a one-legged boxer fighting for the championship of the world.
"I'm looking to schedule the fight …
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — One of the Copa America quarterfinals is set, and it's a classic: Argentina vs. Uruguay.
World Cup semifinalist Uruguay guaranteed the showdown by defeating Mexico 1-0 on Tuesday to secure second place in Group C and a quarterfinal against the second-place team in Group A, which is archrival Argentina.
In Tuesday's other Group C match, Chile defeated Peru 1-0 to top the group. Chile will face the second-place team in Group B, which will be determined on Wednesday when Brazil faces Ecuador and Paraguay plays Venezuela.
Six teams have already reached the knockout rounds — Colombia, Argentina, Uruguay, Venezuela, Chile and Peru — but the other …
MARIN INDEPENDENT JOURNAL
NOVATO -- On Main Street on Thursday, firefighters built amakeshift memorial to a fallen comrade.
A cardboard sign taped to a bench read: "In memory of our fellowbrother. Steve Rucker."
Next to it sat a white teddy bear, clinging to a red heart.Firefighters surrounded it with flower boxes.
Nearly 24 hours after the accident, Novato's crews, which had beendeployed to battle the fires in San Bernardino, pulled into Station1. The returning firefighters were welcomed home with rousingapplause by dozens of fellow firefighters, police officers and well-wishers who lined the streets to catch a glimpse of the returningmen. …
Friends, colleagues recall fallen engineer Novato man killed fighting Southern California fires remembered as caring, dedicatedMARIN INDEPENDENT JOURNAL
NOVATO -- On Main Street on Thursday, firefighters built amakeshift memorial to a fallen comrade.
A cardboard sign taped to a bench read: "In memory of our fellowbrother. Steve Rucker."
Next to it sat a white teddy bear, clinging to a red heart.Firefighters surrounded it with flower boxes.
Nearly 24 hours after the accident, Novato's crews, which had beendeployed to battle the fires in San Bernardino, pulled into Station1. The returning firefighters were welcomed home with rousingapplause by dozens of fellow firefighters, police officers and well-wishers who lined the streets to catch a glimpse of the returningmen. …
Israel's electric car: towards a cleaner environment
ISRAEL IS WELL KNOWN FOR ITS technological developments, its medical advances and its innovations in areas that embrace agriculture to science.
As the country approaches its 60th anniversary as an independent Jewish state, it is poised to make yet another positive contribution to the world. This time, its contribution will be towards a cleaner environment.
Battling global warming and our dependence on fossil fuels, Israel will become a laboratory for testing the feasibility of the electric car.
With the price at the pump at over $6 a gallon (and we complain at paying half that!), Israel certainly has the …
It might have been a long time coming, but it is certainly having an affect. The Malaysian government is now pumping millions and millions of dollars into the film industry. Realizing the importance of film, the government's National Film Development Corporation (Finas) invested US$14.9 million in 10 films last year. It also put money into the creation of the Digital Mix Stage Studio, has hosted workshops and encouraged the opening of more cinemas in the country.
In just a little over a decade the Malaysian film industry has grown from when seven films were produced in 1999, to 26 local releases in 2009. This boon has continued to the TV sector as Finas has collaborated with the likes of Discovery Channel, National Geographic and History Channel to produce several documentaries on Malaysia. More than 10 documentaries were produced in 2009 through this collaboration alone, and the production pipeline looks solid. The government seems prepared to continue investing in local film and TV work, and paired with a decently performing advertising market, this can be only good news for the post sector.
"A lot of changes have happened lately, and they are [happening] fast," said Moon Chan Kien, managing director of MFX, a design, animation and VFX studio. "The growth of digital technology and digital media had catapulted immense changes that affected the role we play in the process, just like how digital tools and media have affected the entertainment and advertising business."
Moon feels that the Malaysian post-production sector is growing so fast, although there is a …
Byline: JOCELYN NOVECK Associated Press
New York City Ballet tends to get a tough ride from some critics, who like to compare everything the company does nowadays to the glory days of George Balanchine.
That's a shame, because the company, which ended its spring season over the weekend, is trying to both move forward and to honor the late Balanchine's legacy at the same time - and it's not doing too badly in the process. Next week, the troupe opens its annual season at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center in Saratoga Springs, where it will dance July 6 through 22.
The New York spring season's final performance on Sunday featured a Balanchine classic: …
Byline: Karen J. Bannan
You can't judge a book by its cover, but that's exactly what many readers do when deciding whether to open e-marketing messages. There are things marketers can do, however, when it comes to designing and creating e-mail marketing content, that will keep subscribers opening-and, more important, reading-messages, experts say. Here are tips to help keep readers engaged.
* Keep it brief.
When marketers transitioned from writing print ads to online ads, they had some adjusting to do, said Elaine O'Gorman, VP-strategy for e-mail marketing provider Silverpop. "We learned we had to cut the number of words down,'' she said. "We cut copy by about 80%.''
Some marketers fail to realize that translating an online ad to e-mail ad format requires further paring down, she said. "You have to reduce again another 80%.''
Format is also important. Print ads can have multiple paragraphs, but e-mail …
BEIRUT (AP) — Syria's state news agency says gunmen …
At the fall previews here, one thing is clear: Short is sweepingin, but you'll still find plenty of your precious long skirts in …
Manama, March 1 (BNA) -- In spite of the more difficult and competitive market conditions, Bahrain Kuwait Insurance Company (BKIC) managed to increase profit marginally last year, up from BD4.1 million ($10.9m) in 2010 compared to BD4m the previous year. "The company still maintains its leadership in Bahrain's market, and the profit for 2010 has been the best ever since the company started its operations," said chairman Abdulla Hassan Buhindi, speaking at the company's annual general meeting at the Crowne Plazza Hotel yesterday. The meeting approved the distribution of a cash dividend of 35pc representing 35 fils per share. Mr Buhindi said that the company has achieved a return on …
BASEBALL
Capital City Athletics Travel Baseball. Open tryouts Dec. 15 for the 2008 travel baseball season. Ages 14 and younger-17. Bill Creighton at 248-7395.
Cohoes-Watervliet Babe Ruth Baseball. Registration 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday. Also looking for managers and coaches for Babe Ruth travel teams. Mike Valentino, 237-7068; Jim Pertierra, 235-2744.
Midwest Baseball Academy. Accepting registration. Grade 1-12 season Jan. 20-March 9, Mohonasen High School. http://www.baseballacademy.net or (866) MBA-HITS.
Rensselaer Baseball Winter Hitting and Pitching Camps. Camps for ages 6-18. Camp dates: Thurs., Fri., Dec. 27-28. Cost is $65 for both …
Byline: ALAN WECHSLER Staff writer
The customer slid $38.20 across the counter. ``I'm here to get my stuff back,'' he said. ``They finally paid me.''
``They finally paid you? I'm glad to hear it,'' said Capital Pawn manager Mike Wistuk. He passed two rings in a manila envelope to the customer. The customer, who is on disability and hadn't gotten his check on time, turned to leave.
``These places are good to be around when you need money,'' he said as he walked out the door. ``That's all I got to say.''
To some, the pawn shop will always belong in the bad parts of towns, between the ``Checks Cashed'' stores and the strip joints -- a place of mystery and vague mistrust. A place from which no good could come.
Wistuk and others in the business don't see it that way. Pawn shops, they say, serve a vital role -- a ``poor man's bank,'' a place for the 75 million people in the United States without a bank account or credit card to get immediate cash.
Popular demand would seem to agree. There are now nearly 14,000 licensed shops around …
Nearly half of retailers in the grocery category are considering enhancements to their point-of-sale systems, with biometrics and electronic check programs as the most likely additions, according to a survey of retailers from Javelin Strategy & Research. Pleasanton, CA-based Javelin surveyed last December more than 900 merchants from seven industry categories, including convenience store, automotive, wholesale and specialty retail. Most merchants weren't considering adding any new payment technology to their point of sale, Javelin found. But 47% of grocers were checking out new ideas, and 26.6% cited biometrics as a possibility while 26.6% cited electronic checks. Bruce …
Israel seized control of high-rise buildings and attacked houses, mosques and smuggling tunnels as it pressed its offensive against the Gaza Strip's Hamas rulers on Monday, while the U.S. joined a stream of countries pushing for a cease-fire.
At least 14 Palestinian children were killed on Monday, raising the known death toll from the 10-day onslaught to 540 _ including 200 civilians, the U.N. and Palestinian officials said. Gaza's biggest hospital said it was overwhelmed.
From Gaza, Hamas continued to pummel southern Israel with more than two dozen rockets on Monday and promised to wait for Israeli soldiers "in every street and every alleyway." One …
Sun Valley residents band together to buy local paper
A group of investors is hoping to take the idea of a community newspaper to a new level.
A dozen Sun Valley residents are pooling their resources in an effort to purchase the Wood River Journal, one of the resort area's two weekly papers. The move would bring the established paper back to local ownership and give it some needed financial capital.
The sale would also mean a local board of directors and an editorial board made up of valley residents.
The recently formed Newsies LLC is headed by John Sofro, a Wood River Valley developer and real estate agent, who said he was approached to buy the paper after a …
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]
TONI HALL ALWAYS HAD A HARD TIME FINDING shoes. At 5 feet 6 inches and wearing size 12 footwear, the Washington, D.C., native would often have to go out of her way to find shoes that fit. "I know that this is a struggle for me, and probably for many other women out there," Hall recalls thinking. "So, I just had this idea that if I had a shop that catered exclusively to us it would be a relief from the normal retail atmosphere."
However, she didn't have the money for what she really wanted--to open a retail location at a shopping mall. So Hall, now 28, rented out the front office of an interior design studio in Gaithersburg, Maryland, in April 2010. While the 400-square-foot space may have been affordable, it was a warehouse/office space within an industrial complex …
Byline: Pete Iorizzo
Apr. 22--BOSTON -- Three college students loaf around a dining hall early one morning, with plates of half-eaten toast, empty bowls of cereal, scattered sausage links and a couple of hard-boiled eggs littering the space in front of them.
They talk about school, about that oh-so-hard class they took freshman year; how they fell asleep at their desk a few times; how they liked this professor, hated that professor, found this one hard and this one easy.
They tease each other about their most recent basketball game, a two-man round of H-O-R-S-E in the Boston College recreation center. "Once I hit my groove, it was over," one says, before his buddy can answer, "Give me a break. I haven't played basketball in like seven years!"
They complain about whose roommate ate whose food, about who makes the most mess and about who owes whom a couple bucks.
They talk like any other college pals readying for graduation and relishing their last few weeks on the sanctuary of a campus. One of the three, Amsterdam High graduate Josh Beekman, acknowledges the same feelings of anxiety and nostalgia, unease and excitement, that grip most graduates-in-waiting.
Except Beekman's experience, as this morning shows, is not like most.
Six days from today, he faces another sort of …
