A former high-ranking Vienna police official has been cleared of criminal charges that he tipped off a brothel to an impending undercover police raid.
A Vienna court acquitted Ernst Geiger late Thursday night after a monthslong retrial. Geiger had been charged with betrayal of official secrets, an offense that carries a maximum penalty of five years' imprisonment.
The state attorney's office said Friday it …
Dons fans were today challenged to prove they want skipper RussellAnderson to remain at Pittodrie.
Anderson is one of the group of Aberdeen first team players whosecontracts are due toexpire at the end of the season.
Football director Willie Miller wants to keep all of them atPittodrie beyond that.
But Miller admitted it will be difficult if fans don't show morecommitment to the club in the form of season ticket sales andincreased attendances.
Despite qualifying for the UEFA Cup and freezing prices, sales ofseason tickets have been slow so far.
Miller is urging the Red Army to change that in the coming weeksto aid his bid to hold on to Anderson, …
John Nolen and Mariemont: Building a New Town in Ohio. By Millard F. Rogers Jr. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2001. xiv + 260 pp. Index, notes, bibliography, photographs. Cloth, $45.00. ISBN 0-801-86619-7.
This fine book covers the development of Mariemont (pronounced "Marymont"), a new town built in the 1920s ten miles east of Cincinnati, Ohio, as a "national exemplar" of comprehensive town planning and moderately priced mixed housing. Author Millard Rogers, director emeritus of the Cincinnati Art Museum and a Mariemont resident since 1974, focuses on the interaction of its three prime movers. Mary M. Emery (1844-1927) inherited a fortune from her husband, Thomas, and …
Oil prices plunged to a seven-month low Monday as the Gulf Coast energy infrastructure appeared relatively unharmed after Hurricane Ike and traders bet that Lehman Brothers' bankruptcy could ignite a massive liquidation of commodities.
Light, sweet crude for November delivery fell $4.87, or 4.82 percent, to $96.38 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange, after earlier dropping to $94.41, the lowest level since Feb. 14. A close at that level would be oil's first settlement under $100 since March 4.
Crude has fallen more than $50 _ or 35 percent _ from its all-time trading record of $147.27 reached July 11 as a global economic slowdown continues to weigh on …
| Status | Endangered |
| Listed | February 3, 1995 |
| Family | Cruciferae (Brassicaceae) |
| Description | An annual, herbaceous wildflower with bristly hairs at the base and pale green, strongly glaucous stems and leaves. |
| Habitat | Serpentine outcrops with sparse grassland. |
| Threats | Habitat destruction by urbanization, and degradation by livestock grazing, recreational activities, and other … |
One down, 60 to go.
Mark McGwire started the season with a bang, hitting a grandslam off Ramon Martinez in the fifth inning to power the St. LouisCardinals to a 6-0 Opening Day victory Tuesday against the visitingLos Angeles Dodgers.
A sellout crowd of 47,972 screamed in anticipation when DelinoDeShields walked on a full count to load the bases. McGwire didn'tdisappoint them, hitting a towering drive that cleared the left-fieldwall and broke open a scoreless game."It's an awesome feeling," McGwire said. "How can you not getchills?"McGwire overshadowed a strong performance from winning pitcherTodd Stottlemyre, who gave up three hits in seven-plus innings …
BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Zach Filzen scored 23 points to lead Buffalo to an 87-76 victory over Towson on Saturday night.
The Bulls (2-1) led by as many as 14 points, as Filzen hit a 3-pointer with 16:03 to play, making it 60-46 and causing the Tigers to call time out. Towson (1-2) rallied to within four when RaShawn Polk's 3-pointer made it 72-68 with 3:50 left.
But Buffalo withstood the charge, running off …
Microsoft's Bing search site is getting an entertainment section with click-to-play music, television shows, movies and casual games.
It's the latest move in Microsoft Corp.'s campaign to convince Web surfers that for some online tasks, at least, Bing is best.
Microsoft has been struggling to challenge Web search and advertising leader Google Inc. for years. Rather than taking on Google head-on, Microsoft has tried to position Bing as a better alternative for accomplishing certain kinds of online tasks: shopping, planning trips, looking for local businesses and searching for health information.
The strategy seems to be working. Bing is still the …
OEM TRENDS
Automakers are shrinking the size of their vehicles and that may shrink the numbers of cars you get to fix, if speculation holds true that lower price points will drive more totals among small cars.
In response to the increasing gas prices, the slump in SUV sales and high new car prices, automakers are bringing a new generation of small cars to the U.S. market. Those cars have been fixtures on the roads in Europe and Asia for years, but they are brand new in North America.
"What we are seeing is the decline of large trucks. People bought trucks as big, haul-things-around vehicles, but they are very costly to run-same thing with SUVs," says Mary-Beth …
Photo: Send us your best pictures of Santa -- Santa with your child, Santa with you, …
* There are not many solid "facts" about Corporate Responsibility, because it is voluntary, interpreted differently by different countries, has no common standards by which to measure performance, and is only selectively reported on. The number of companies reporting on their Corporate Responsibility activities has increased in recent years, which at least demonstrates its growth in popularity as a public relations ploy.
* 94% of company executives believe the development of a Corporate Responsibility strategy can deliver real business benefits.
* 20% of companies with global supply chains have a supply chain labour standards policy.
* Over 90% of companies in Europe …
The Detroit Red Wings can win the Stanley Cup on Saturday night, even if they may not realize it. Not in actuality, of course. At last check, the NHL still requires a team to win four games to lift the Stanley Cup, not three.
No matter, a Red Wings victory on Pittsburgh's home ice would likely be a devastating blow to a young Penguins team that was waxed by a combined 7-0 score in the first two games in Detroit, then needed two Sidney Crosby goals to win 3-2 in Game 3 on Wednesday.
The Penguins are 17-0 at Mellon Arena since Feb. 24, and goalie Marc-Andre Fleury hasn't lost there in six months, going 19-0 since the night before Thanksgiving. Now that's a home-ice advantage.
Pittsburgh has seized on that home-ice domination as the primary reason to think it can even the series despite Detroit's big edge in Games 1 and 2. The Penguins players talk daily about how comfortable they are at home, how their fans motivate them, how their confidence swells whenever they step on that ice.
Coincidentally, their sellout crowd will be the Penguins' 66th in a row at home, appropriate given that co-owner Mario Lemieux wore No. 66 during his Hall of Fame career.
"If feels so great to be at home," forward Max Talbot said Friday. "In the back of your head, you're confident and you're happy to be back in the series. It's more of a mental thing than anything."
Take that away, and the Red Wings may take away the series _ and as early as Game 5 on Monday night in Detroit.
"I'm not a big believer in momentum," Red Wings coach Mike Babcock said, referring to Pittsburgh's victory in Game 3. "I just think you start a new day."
If the Red Wings win Game 4, the Penguins would have a mathematical chance of winning the Cup, but possibly little else. Only six teams in the finals have forced a Game 7 after trailing 3-1 and only one, the 1942 Maple Leafs against the Red Wings, rallied to win.
The Penguins would also have to win twice in a six-day span in Detroit, something they couldn't do there once last weekend.
Given how difficult the Penguins acknowledged it would be to win the series if they trailed 3-0, being down 3-1 would be little better given Detroit's home-ice edge.
So, in what figures to be a pivotal Game 4 _ there's a big difference between being tied at 2 and leading 3-1 _ the Red Wings again want to throttle the Penguins' fast skaters in the neutral zone. They also want to make it difficult for Crosby and Evgeni Malkin to get scoring chances, and find a way to get the opening goal past Fleury.
"I think the team that gets that first goal, it feels more confident and the team that's behind is pressing a little more," Detroit defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom said. "I think we've seen that in this series and in previous series, too."
These very experienced Red Wings also want to make sure they don't get swept up by the Penguins' speed, something they haven't done until now.
"As a team coming in here, you have to play real well in your own end and you have to make them play defense, too," Lidstrom said.
The Red Wings expect to have Tomas Holmstrom back on their top line with Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk, even though Holmstrom injured a hamstring while colliding with 6-foot-7 Penguins defenseman Hal Gill in Game 3.
Babcock said it will be the player's decision _ and Holmstrom said he would have played if the game had been on Friday.
Holmstrom, who specializes in establishing himself in front of the crease to frustrate and distract goalies, will test his leg during the pre-game skate Saturday.
"If it's like this, I think I'll be OK," Holmstrom said.
If Holmstrom can't go, Dan Cleary would likely move up to the top line and Darren McCarty would play again after being held out since Game 1. Johan Franzen, who has a playoffs-leading 13 goals and scored in Game 3, also might assume the front-of-the-net role at times.
Regardless of whether Holmstrom plays, Penguins coach Michel Therrien is lobbying yet again for more obstruction penalties against the Red Wings, who have allowed only three goals in three games.
Therrien complained about the Red Wings' defensive tactics following his team's 3-0 loss in Game 2. He renewed his lobbying campaign on Friday after being asked about the Penguins' home-crowd advantage.
Reminded he didn't answer the question, Therrien said, "I understand your question, but I want to say my point, too."
A Penguins victory makes it a best-of-three series, and they believe that favors them given their substantial advantage in age. A majority of the Penguins are 30 or younger, but most of the key Red Wings players are 30 or over _ some, well over 30.
"We know they're a team with a lot of pride and a lot of experience, and they're not going to accept losing, either," Crosby said. "So it's going to be a tough win."
One that very well could decide the Stanley Cup.
"If anything, I see us being even more into it because we're actually back in this thing," Penguins defenseman Ryan Whitney said. "We got stage one accomplished ... (now) it's about getting this win and making it a whole new series."
Israel's ambassador to Washington has announced his intention to resign just two years into the job.
In a statement, Sallai Meridor says that given the sensitive nature of the position, "it is fitting" that Israel's incoming government appoint an envoy of its choosing as ambassador to Washington.
He said he would return to Israel "in the near future," after his replacement arrives.
But in his statement, Meridor said he informed current Israeli leaders on Monday of his intention to end his term of service.
Meridor was appointed to the job in October 2006.
Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi joked Wednesday that he is "no saint," in his first public comments on his sex scandal since a news weekly released what it said were conversations between him and a prostitute.
Berlusconi has been entangled in scandal for months over his alleged encounters with young women. But the controversy took on new life this week when the left-leaning L'Espresso released tapes of the purported conversations at the conservative premier's Rome residence.
Berlusconi's lawyer has disputed the tapes' veracity.
"I'm no saint, by now you've figured that out," a smiling Berlusconi told an audience of business executives and politicians in northern Italy at the inauguration of a highway project.
"Let's hope that those working at Repubblica understand that, too," he added, taking a jab at the daily that has doggedly pursued the scandal story. Both La Repubblica and L'Espresso are owned by the same publishing group.
The 72-year-old leader also noted that "there are a lot of nice-looking girls around."
Berlusconi has denied he ever paid anyone for sex, and has called the allegations "trash" meant to smear him. Last month, a defiant Berlusconi said "that's who I am" and that is how Italians want him.
He appears to be right. The scandal has done little to dent his popularity at home and has not threatened the stability of his Cabinet _ a sign of his remarkable resilience and Italians' indifference to the sexual foibles of the political class.
Berlusconi signaled his confidence Wednesday, saying he expected to still be in power in 2012 when the highway is to be completed.
"We'll still be here," he said. "What would Italy do without us?"
Berlusconi was elected in 2008 to his third term. The next election, barring an early vote, is scheduled for 2013.
On Monday and Tuesday, L'Espresso released recordings of what it said was the night Berlusconi spent with the escort. The recordings include intimate conversations between the woman, Patrizia D'Addario, and a voice identified as Berlusconi's, both on Nov. 4 and the morning after.
The tapes also feature alleged conversations between D'Addario and a businessman accused of recruiting and paying young women to attend Berlusconi's parties.
D'Addario has said she recorded her encounters with the premier and turned the recordings over to prosecutors in the southern city of Bari as part of an investigation into the businessman.
She came forward because Berlusconi had reneged on a promise to help her out with a real estate problem she was having, she says.
While the voice heard on the tapes sounds like the premier's, The Associated Press has not independently verified that Berlusconi is the speaker.
Berlusconi's lawyer, Niccolo Ghedini, said after the first recordings were released Monday that they were "without any merit, completely improbable and the fruit of invention." He warned that legal action will be taken against anyone who distributes them.
Also on Wednesday, a photographer who took pictures of topless women at the premier's home that were later published by Spanish newspaper El Pais said he has some 5,000 more photos.
Antonello Zappadu said he took the photos between late 2007 and 2008 from the hills overlooking Villa Certosa, Berlusconi's estate in Sardinia. Berlusconi's lawyers have claimed invasion of privacy and the photos have been put under seal by prosecutors in Rome.
Zappadu did not disclose the contents of the photos in detail but said Berlusconi is not seen in embarrassing situations.
Each foot gets individual attention on the force sensing treadmill, a newly patented design invented by U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine (USARIEM) research physiologists.
Built by Advanced Mechanical Technology Inc., Watertown, MA, the treadmill features one rolling belt in front of another, each with an independent force platform attached to a common chassis.
"The treadmill gathers more and higher quality data during gait studies in much shorter time than traditional methods," said Peter Frykman, who along with Everett Harman and Michael LaFiandra invented the treadmill as an upgrade to the existing force platform used in the Center for Military Biomechanics Research, a facility shared by USARIEM and the Natick Soldier Center at the U.S. Army Soldier Systems Center, Natick, MA.
"The new force-platform treadmill is a unique tool that addresses the gait biomechanics of marching Soldiers. During previous gait studies, the test subjects had to step on the force plate just right. That made it very hard to walk naturally. In addition, we had to assume that what was happening on the right foot was happening to the left foot as well," Frykman remarked.
"The idea of joining two separate rolling belts on a treadmill has been attempted, but they were positioned laterally to each other rather than fore-aft," said Harman.
Because each foot tends to cross over or overlap the body's midline as it lands, the lateral design made it impossible to walk naturally while keeping each foot on a separate belt.
By positioning the two rolling belts front and back moving at the same speed, separate information on the 3-D forces and torques on each foot can be collected during walking or running the entire time either foot is in contact with the belt.
"If you stand on a scale to measure your weight, you can't determine what pressure each foot is exerting," Frykman commented, illustrating how a single-belt force-platform treadmill can't do the job. "With this treadmill, both feet are never on the same belt at the same time. To get a good analysis, you need to know the force on each foot separately."
Collecting data from each foot is especially important while walking because for part of the stride, both feet are touching the ground at the same time. That is when a single force platform under a treadmill belt can't tell how much of the total force is on each foot.
Computer post-processing produces independent time records of the forces on each foot with the new treadmill. The computerized system records thousands of data points per second captured by the force-platform treadmill and video cameras for later analysis, assisted by reflective markers worn by test subjects.
In 5 minutes of testing, researchers can now collect more information than when conducting many trials over several hours using a conventional force platform.
"Knowing the magnitude and direction of forces on the feet as well as body motion information recorded with high-speed video cameras allows researchers to use computerized mathematical models to calculate the forces and torques at the ankles, knees, hips and the other major body joints," said Harman.
The biomechanics laboratory is studying for the military how rucksacks, boots or clothing affect posture and gait.
"Large universities conducting biomechanics studies and hospitals with gait analysis labs for medical diagnosis and physical rehabilitation are potential customers for the new treadmill, which the Army hopes to license to Advanced Mechanical Technology Inc., Frykman said.
The treadmill bed looks and feels like a conventional treadmill except ror a sliver of space between the front and rear belts, which doesn't disrupt normal walking. Maximum speed is 11 mph, and hydraulic lifts adjust the platform up to a 25 percent uphill or downhill grade without stopping the belt or test subject. Bed capacity is 400 pounds to accommodate larger test subjects and their cargo load, and a removable handrail clears the view ot the lab's cameras.
Several heavy cables connect the force-platform treadmill to the control panel, which is necessary to operate its high-precision motors, according to Frykman. The whole gait analysis system can be moved to another location if necessary. "We couldn't get the same data or the tremendous time savings without the new force-platform treadmill. Those are the factors that make it the great scientific tool it is," Harman concluded.
For more information about USARIEM or the U.S. Army Soldier Systems Center, go to http://www.usariem.army.mil or http://www.natick.army.mil.
[Author Affiliation]
Curt Biberdorf is an Editor in the Public Affairs Office, U.S. Army Soldier Systems Center.
Columbia Pictures continues its slate of new films
Already Columbia Pictures and Screen Gems are doing well with their 2001 movies for the current year "Finding Forrester," a wonderful story of friendship; "Snatch," "The "Wedding Planner," a comedy and Saving Silverman" that continued in Chicago area theaters.
"JOE DIRT" starring David Spade, Dennis Miller, Brittany Daniel, Kid Rock, Adam Beach and Erik Per Sullivan is due to premiere March 9. Joe lost his parents when he was a young boy and is now hitting the dirt road searching for them. "Joe Dirt" opens March 9.
SCREEN GEMS', "THE BROTHERS" follows the hilarious path of four African American men as they take on love, sex, friendship and two of life's most terrifying prospects -- commitment and honesty. Smart, successful and sexy, Jackson Smith (Morris Chestnut), Brian Palmer (Bill Bellamy), Derrick West (D.L. Hughley) and Terry White (Shemar Moore) are "The Brothers" who arelifelong friends banded together to weather love's innate terrors and occasional triumphs in this brazenly comic yet painfully true exploration of the battle between the sexes.
Amidst the career track, basketball and bar hopping, "The Brothers" love women-as many as possible, but a shocking revelation tests their friendship and changes their dating habits forever.
Another movie by Columbia Pictures booked for March 30 is "The Tailor of Panama," a spy thriller and Black comedy.
The cast includes Pierce Brosnan, Geoffrey Rush, Jamie Lee Curtis, Brendan Gleeson, Catherine McCormack, Leonor Varela and Harold Pinter.
Ruthless, seductive British spy Andy Osnard (Pierce Brosnan) may have been banished to Panama, but he's got a secret weapon -- Harry Pendel (Academy Award winner Geoffrey Rush), a Cockney ex-con who has reinvented himself as a popular tailor to the rich and powerful of the country.
Two movies are scheduled for April "The Glass House" April 20 and Screen Gems "The Forsaken," written and directed by J. S. Cardone is classified as a Horror/Thriller opens April 27.
The movie features Kerr Smith as Sean who drives cross-country to deliver a vintage Mercedes. On the way he picks up a hitchhiker. From that moment on, his road trip is transformed into a surreal and terrifying nightmare.
Article Copyright Sengstacke Enterprises, Inc.
Eight venues are being used for the Copa America, several in smaller cities that are largely unknown outside Argentina. The only match in Buenos Aires is on the final on July 24 at River Plate's Monumental Stadium. Keeping Buenos Aires off the schedule seems odd. Officials have suggested it's an attempt to spread the wealth. Smaller cities may also present fewer security problems.
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BUENOS AIRES: The capital and largest city in Argentina, a metropolitan area of 12 million that dominates life — and football life — in the country. However, this time the only match will be the final at Monumental Stadium, considered the national stadium and the home of Buenos Aires club River Plate. The facility was built in 1938 and remodeled for the 1978 World Cup. It's in the leafy northern suburb of Nunez.
CORDOBA: This is Argentina's second largest city, in the center of the northern half of the country. It's about 700 kilometers (420 miles) west of Buenos Aires. Matches will be played at Estadio Mario Alberto Kempes, which was built for the 1978 World Cup. The city is famous for its pleasant climate, tourism, and views of the mountains nearby.
MENDOZA: This is Argentina's fourth largest metropolitan area. Its fame derives from its wine production. The city is the center of the largest wine producing area in Latin America. It's also near Aconcagua, the highest mountain in the Western Hemisphere (6,962 meters; 22,841 feet). Matches will be played at Estadio Malvinas Argentinas.
LA PLATA: Located 60 kilometers (35 miles) southeast of Buenos Aires, the venue will be the most modern used in the Copa America. The all-seat stadium was opened in 2003 and will host the opening game on Friday between Argentina and Bolivia. A new roof was recently installed and is intended to cover the entire seating area.
SAN SALVADOR DE JUJUY: This is a provincial city in the far northwest near the borders with Bolivia and Chile. It's almost 1,600 kilometers (1,000 miles) from Buenos Aires and one of the centers of Argentina's indigenous culture. The city is near the Andes with an elevation of 1,200 meters (4,000 feet). The multi-use stadium has a capacity for 24,000.
SALTA: The city and province is also in the northwest. The city has an elevation of 1,100 meters (3,600 feet). The province is a popular tourist destination known for its beautiful landscape, outdoor possibilities and wine production. Matches will be at Estadio Padre Ernesto Martearena.
SAN JUAN: Another city located slightly at altitude, this time about 640 meters (2,000 feet). Like neighboring Mendoza, it is famous for good wine and the production of olives. Matches will be played at Estadio del Bicentenario.
SANTA FE: About 300 kilometers (200 miles) northwest of Buenos Aires, Santa Fe is the center of Argentina's most famous meat and grain producing area. Santa Fe is also known for having the country's best beef and steaks, and the province of the same name is the country's largest producer of soybeans. Matches will be in Estadio Brigadier General Estanislao Lopez.
Born today, you can sometimes be a mysterious and difficult individual to deal with, but this only stems from your unwillingness to be distracted or derailed, as you follow your course to individual success. You do things your own way, while thinking your own thoughts, and you don't ever feel obliged to explain yourself to anyone - even your superiors. It is a good thing that you are so remarkably talented in so many ways, or you might actually make a great many enemies in your lifetime; the fact is, however, your skills are so admirable that people rarely take offense at your personal behavior.
You do enjoy taking risks, but you are always careful and calculated in everything you do, no matter how unusual, bizarre or dangerous. Some may consider you foolhardy, but you know your limits and you're not about to endanger others, even while you are living on the edge.
Also born on this date are: Alice Faye, actress; Nellie Bly, journalist; Tyrone Power, actor; James Beard, chef and author; Rex Harrison, actor; Michael Palin, actor and comic; Karl Marx, political philosopher.
To see what is in store for you tomorrow, find your birthday and read the corresponding paragraph. Let your birthday star be your daily guide.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20) - Can you do it, or can't you? Knowing this about yourself will be more important than perhaps ever before. Answer honestly.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20) - Concentrate on staying in shape, preparing yourself for a coming challenge that is sure to demand the best from you in all areas.
CANCER (June 21-July 22) - If you were planning something that may be considered illicit, this is a good day to abandon the project and get on to something legitimate.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) - Others are sure to appreciate your time and attention. Be sure to bring your own personal style to any and all endeavors.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) - Others may not believe that you're changing your ways. Don't try to persuade anyone; let your actions do the talking.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) - Concentrate on your own basic values. You will have an opportunity to compare your own principles and ideals to someone else's.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) - Stop saying things and start thinking and feeling them - from the heart. Before you can step forward, you must visualize success.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) - One more time and you're likely to get it right - but you mustn't just go through the motions. Be sure you start from scratch and concentrate.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) -That which you've been most eagerly anticipating may not come to you on schedule - but further waiting will pay off handsomely.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) Unfortunately, you may not want to take advantage of the particular bargains most available to you. Look elsewhere; be patient.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20) What begins as competition - and heated competition at that. will be transformed into cooperation before the day is out.
ARIES (March 21-April 19) You'll be able to show off one particular skill, in your pursuit of a particular reward that is just out of arm's reach.
Saturday, May 6, 2006
Born today, you are an original thinker, but you're not the kind to get your best ideas from out of thin air. On the contrary, you rely heavily on what has gone before, and on the inspiration others can offer you, for your own thoughts and actions. Your interest in and understanding of your own heritage will play a major role in shaping your professional life - and will play a large part in your personal affairs as well. You understand that to abandon your own history is to give up much of yourself - and that is something you're not about to do.
The one area in which you may not be as aggressive and in control as you like is your love life. When it comes to an affair of the heart, you are just as likely to become flustered and frantic as you are to win the one you love. Still, you have a way of coming out on top in the end.
Also born on this date are: George Clooney, actor and director; Orson Welles, actor, writer, and director; Rudolph Valentino, actor; Sigmund Freud, psychoanalyst; Tony Blair, British prime minister.
To see what is in store for you tomorrow, find your birthday and read the corresponding paragraph. Let your birthday star be your daily guide.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20) You may wander into some trouble, but you can get out of it if you are honest and stand by the truth at all times.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20) You may want to change how you think about someone who has been only a peripheral part of your life in recent months or years. Look again.
CANCER (June 21-July 22) - Make no assumptions. If it's information you need, be willing to wait for it. Be sure your sources are entirely trustworthy.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) - You may be feeling disagreeable as the day opens, but events as they transpire will require you to be more and more accommodating.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) - You may be responsible for clearing up a complicated situation at the workplace. The day may begin slowly, but don't misinterpret this.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) Someone close to you may be hinting at some bad news, but you should be able to avert it with some quick thinking and clever tactics.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) - You're not likely to be in a hurry, but be sure to watch for signs and warnings that may come to you unexpectedly.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) - More people than usual are likely to make special requests, expecting you to come through as you usually do. Take care it's not too much.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) - This is a good day for putting aside prejudices and assumptions for good. Beginning right now, you can effectively become a new person.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) - To each his own - and especially where your particular brand of endeavor is concerned. You mustn't impose your own rules or limitations.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20) - You can save a great deal of time and money by simply thinking in a creative manner and consolidating your efforts when and where you can.
ARIES (March 21-April 19) - You may find yourself in a position that demands a little more humility from you than usual. Apologies may be in order; make them honestly.
Sunday, May 7, 2006
Born today, you are one of the most energetic, creative and forward-thinking individuals born under your sign. You have been endowed with physical strength and stamina, and a willingness to go a little crazy now and then - provided, of course, you're with someone who can go crazy with you. You're not afraid of taking things a little too far, on occasion, and you know that even in failure lies victory. You have much to offer those you encounter throughout your lifetime; you are generous with your time and energy, and others always benefit from your attentions. There will come a time, however, when you must focus more on yourself.
When it comes to love, a surprise will come your way when you least expect it - and the result may be a dramatic change that is, while difficult at first, ultimately one that can bring you a lifetime of happiness. You can learn the meaning of true love once and for all.
Also born on this date are: Eva Peron, Argentine stateswoman; Anne Baxter, actress; Gary Cooper, actor; Robert Browning, poet; Johannes Brahms, composer; Johnny Unitas, football player.
To see what is in store for you tomorrow, find your birthday and read the corresponding paragraph. Let your birthday star be your daily guide.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20) - Take time to address a private issue that will not wait - even if it means temporarily shelving one of your professional duties.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20) - This is a good day to pursue all things that are unclear, uncertain or intangible. Rewards are to be judged only by you, and no one else.
CANCER (June 21-July 22) - You feel you've earned a little time off - but it's not in the cards for you to enjoy it right now. There's still much to do.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) - You may not believe what you see, but you'd better get used to it, as chances are it's going to be around for a long time. Wow.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) - A fond memory may lead you down a surprising but highly rewarding path. You will have the opportunity to take a friend along; think twice.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) - You may have to pull the wool over someone's eyes to do him or her a special favor. In the end, all will be forgiven.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) - You may not be able to tell who is the bad guy and who is the good guy - at least until you decide to conduct your own private investigation.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) - You will be held accountable for your actions, so you want to be clear and understood every step of the way.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) - You will want to take care of yourself and another, paying special attention to the needs that both of you have in common. Get a little closer.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) - A decision made during the morning hours may have to be re-examined before the day is out. Respond openly and honestly to all inquiries.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20) - Don't tell any secrets; you'll want to open up and share your ideas - and your fears - with someone who will soon be on your side.
ARIES (March 21-April 19) - Someone may be trying to get the better of you through a series of devious strategies. The surprise is, you're ready for anything.
Gov. Deval Patrick and Lt. Gov. Timothy Murray promised Tuesday to fashion strong relationships with Massachusetts cities and towns at the first meeting of the Local Government Advisory Commission (LGAC).
"Vibrant cities and towns nourish a high quality of life and strong sense of community. When they partner with state leadership, they become engines for economic growth and prosperity," Patrick said. "[Murray] and I are committed to ensuring we keep the lines of communication open with each of our local leaders to mend and rebuild relationships that are vital to improving Massachusetts."
Murray will attend the monthly meetings of the LGAC, which the governor's office said will serve as a "municipal cabinet" of officials from cities and towns across Massachusetts. Patrick will attend the meetings on a quarterly basis.
The lieutenant governor will act as the administration's point person for cities and towns and, when local officials run into difficulties with state agencies, will serve as an ombudsman to oversee the resolution of the conflict.
"Local officials can feel confident that their voices will be heard in our administration and I look forward to the conversations and successes we will share going forward," Murray said.
Last month, Patrick highlighted several plans for strengthening local communities, such as opening up the state health insurance program to municipal employees, supporting legislation to allow communities to levy local options taxes, and publishing municipal impact statements on all major legislation and executive actions, which the governor's office said helped "to better communicate the local impact of actions made at the state level."
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Outside the courtroom, James F. Neal had an amiable, backslapping way with friends and foes alike. Inside the chamber, the face of one of America's greatest trial lawyers often became fixed in a steely gaze.
The attorney who regularly grabbed national headlines — whether prosecuting Jimmy Hoffa or key Watergate figures, or defending Elvis Presley's doctor or the Exxon Corp. after the Alaska oil spill — died Thursday night. He was 81.
Law partner Aubrey Harwell said Friday that Neal died at a Nashville hospital after a monthslong battle against cancer.
In the words of Fred Thompson, already a lawyer in real life before he became one on TV, "Jim Neal was the greatest trial lawyer of his time."
For former Vice President Al Gore, Neal was a "brilliant attorney" and close friend. "As a prosecutor, he served our nation with brilliance and dedication at a time when his skill was greatly needed by the American people," Gore said in a statement.
And prosecute, by all accounts, was something Neal did well.
The government had tried four times to convict the Teamsters president Hoffa before Neal got it done in 1964 in a jury-tampering case. As a special prosecutor, Neal later put Watergate conspirators and Nixon aides John Mitchell, Robert Haldeman and John Ehrlichman.
And not only prosecute.
In private practice, Neal successfully defended Ford Motor Co. against reckless homicide charges in Indiana after the gas tank of a 1973 Ford Pinto exploded, killing the car's driver.
In 1981, he successfully defended Dr. George Nichopoulos of Memphis against charges that he overprescribed drugs to the late rock 'n' roll idol Presley.
Neal's rise to prominence began in 1964. As a special assistant to then-U.S. Attorney General Robert Kennedy, Neal succeeded in convicting Hoffa, sending him to prison.
In private practice, Neal developed a reputation for his dogged defense of clients facing a tide of adverse public opinion.
"If you got in serious in trouble, that's who you wanted," said George Barrett, a prominent civil rights attorney and classmate of Neal's in law school at Vanderbilt University. "He was a hell of a lawyer."
After actor Vic Morrow and two children died in 1982 when a helicopter fell on them during filming of the movie "Twilight Zone," Neal successfully defended director John Landis in 1987 against charges of involuntary manslaughter. At the time, Neal was considered an unusual choice for the high-profile Hollywood case.
No lawyer wins all his cases and neither did Neal.
He was hired in 1990 to represent the Exxon Corp., which was charged with polluting the Alaska shoreline with the Exxon Valdez oil tanker spill. The company settled for what was then a record $1 billion and pleaded guilty to four misdemeanors.
Neal, who grew up on a Tennessee farm, was a graduate of the University of Wyoming and Vanderbilt University School of Law in Nashville. He received his Master of Law degree from Georgetown University in Washington.
He was U.S. attorney for Middle Tennessee from 1964 to 1966. Neal then entered private practice and in 1973 was called to Washington to become chief trial lawyer for the Watergate special prosecutor's office.
In 1982, he was chief counsel to a special U.S. Senate committee that investigated the federal government's Abscam bribery allegations.
Neal was very animated, slapping people on the back and calling them "pal." In the courtroom he was intensely competitive, but he expressed a liking for many he met in court.
As he told The Associated Press in a 1981 interview, "Jurors are people. I like people. All kinds of people."
___
Associated Press writers Joe Edwards and Lucas L. Johnson II contributed to this report.
The wife of the late Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the father of Iran's 1979 Islamic revolution, has died at the age of 93.
Iran's state television says Khadijeh Saqafi died Saturday in Tehran after a long illness. During her life, Saqafi was known as the "mother of the Islamic revolution."
State TV says thousands of people, including senior officials, attended her funeral. Saqafi was buried at Khomeini's shrine. Khomeini died in 1989.
Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei also led prayers before her burial on Sunday.
Cristiano Ronaldo has been named player of the year by England's Football Writers' Association, becoming just the second player to retain the award.
The Manchester United winger, who last week was also named player of the year by his fellow Premier League professionals for the second straight season, has scored 38 goals this season to put his team in contention for the league and Champions League titles.
"Ronaldo's award is no surprise after his brilliant form this season," Football Writers' Association chairman Paul Hetherington said. "He did not exactly get 100 percent of the vote, but from the moment voting started he moved to the front and stayed there.
"To score 38 goals in a season _ so far _ is an astonishing feat for a player who is essentially a winger. Given his age, he has the potential and ability to dominate this award for years in an unprecedented way."
Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson warned rivals the Portuguese will only improve.
"His form this season has been absolutely sensational," Ferguson said Friday. "He's become a real top-class player _ and remember, he's only 23 years old. When he gets to 25 or 26 we'll see the finished article.
"In his early days he tried to hit his shots a little too hard but he's improved as a result of his own practicing."
Ronaldo joins Thierry Henry, who took the award in 2003 and '04, in winning the title for two straight years.
Liverpool striker Fernando Torres finished second, with veteran Portsmouth goalkeeper David James third.
The FWA award, which is voted for by journalists, has been running since Stanley Matthews won the inaugural prize in 1948.
Shares of Yahoo Inc. rose in premarket trading Wednesday after its fourth-quarter results showed signs the Internet company may have turned a corner after a yearlong slump.
Yahoo's revenue is showing some stability, particularly in online billboards called display ads, Merriman Curhan Ford analyst Richard Fetyko said in a note to investors. Revenue from display ads were up 26 percent from the third quarter.
Fetyko thinks ad budgets hit a bottom in the second quarter and that Yahoo is poised to benefit from a recovery in advertising spending.
Late Tuesday, Yahoo said it earned $153 million, or 11 cents per share, in the quarter, compared with a loss of $303 million, or 22 cents per share, in the prior year.
Excluding one-time items, Yahoo would have earned 15 cents per share, exceeding the 11 cents expected by analysts polled by Thomson Reuters. But revenue fell 4 percent to $1.73 billion.
Shares of Yahoo, based in Sunnyvale, Calif., were up 44 cents, or 2.8 percent, to $16.43 in premarket trading.
Kaufman Bros. analyst Aaron Kessler kept his "Buy" rating on Yahoo. While noting that Yahoo lost market share to Google Inc. in search advertising, he said Yahoo expects search and display ad revenue to increase in 2010.
He raised his revenue estimate and adjusted earnings estimates for this year.
But Deutsche Bank analyst Jeetil Patel kept a "Hold" rating on the stock, saying weakness in its search ads shows that companies are shifting their advertising spending to Google. Search ad weakness, he said, overshadows a recovery in display ads.
Patel lowered his revenue and earnings estimates for the first quarter. He also cut his fiscal 2010 revenue forecast but slightly increased his estimate for earnings for the year, excluding one-time items, due to a lower tax rate.
"Stabilizing search volume declines is critical for Yahoo," Patel said in a research note. "If the company can't figure out a strategy of growing clicks, it will not see much participation as the advertising market recovers."
RICHMOND, Virginia (AP) — A federal court has denied a Muslim inmate's lawsuit claiming the Virginia prison system violated his religious rights by refusing to allow him to grow a 1/8-inch beard.
William Couch challenged the Department of Corrections' grooming policy that bans long hair or beards.
A federal court in Harrisonburg sided with the department Thursday.
Couch's attorney, Jeffrey Fogel, filed an appeal Monday. He argues the beard is too short to allow Couch to easily change his appearance or hide weapons, which is the department's reason for the policy.
A federal appellate court ruled against a group of inmates who sued the department after the grooming policy was instituted in 1999. Several lived in segregation for more than a decade until the department developed a separate living space for them last year.
NUEVA YORK - "El reggaet�n es una ola muy interesante y alegre, un ritmo muy contagioso, pero ... a veces ser�a mejor que no tuviera letra", opin� el cantautor argentino Diego Verdaguer al iniciar su primera gira estadounidense con su esposa y compa�era de �xitos, Amanda Miguel.
En entrevista con la AP horas antes de presentarse en el SOB's de Manhattan, Verdaguer recomend� a los int�rpretes de reggaet�n que tengan "cuidado con las letras, porque el p�blico joven es el que va a ser adulto y va a tener posiciones de gran responsabilidad en el mundo".
Agreg� que cuando uno disfruta de liderazgo como cantante del momento debe decir cosas positivas para el futuro de la sociedad, porque si no estar�a haciendo mal uso de esa oportunidad.
La pareja se encuentra en Estados Unidos para promocionar el m�s reciente �lbum de Miguel, "Piedra de afilar", as� como una compilaci�n de �xitos de ambos en vivo, "Siempre fuimos dos", de pr�ximo lanzamiento.
La gira incluye conciertos en los locales de The House of Blues en Chicago, San Diego, Los Angeles, Anaheim y Las Vegas los d�as 4, 6, 8, 9 y 10 de noviembre, respectivamente.
"Esperamos que los fans que nos han seguido acudan y escuchen las nuevas canciones y grandes �xitos de Amanda como 'El me minti�', 'As� no te amar�n jam�s' y 'Amame una vez m�s'", dijo Verdaguer, quien por su parte interpretar� 'La ladrona' y 'Volver�', entre otros conocidos temas.
Tras 30 a�os juntos dentro del medio art�stico, Verdaguer explic� que "la base de todo es indiscutiblemente un profundo amor y una admiraci�n mutua", que �l y Miguel, de 48 a�os, tienen "un arreglo de ser absolutamente transparentes", y que cuando "uno siente que el fuego se apaga hay que tener la habilidad de reavivarlo".
Entre sus pr�ximos planes, Verdaguer espera lanzar - despu�s de m�s de seis a�os - un nuevo disco como solista, y beneficiarse de las nuevas tecnolog�as.
"La forma en que uno compra m�sica ha cambiado much�simo en estos 30 a�os", dijo el m�sico de 54 a�os, que inici� su carrera cuando los discos eran de vinilo. "Es maravilloso que las nuevas generaciones puedan tener acceso a la m�sica a trav�s de una computadora".
Sin embargo, le preocupa la pirater�a que ello conlleva.
"Del mismo modo en que uno no se lleva la manzana del mercado, aunque tenga muchas ganas, es importante que los nuevos consumidores respeten el derecho de los artistas y tengan la capacidad moral de entender que no se debe robar la m�sica".
Article copyright El Bohemio News.
Workers fired from a French-run oil refinery in northern England publicly burned their dismissal notices at a rally Monday and declared their determination to fight on.
Oil and gas company Total fired about 600 contracted refinery workers last week after a series of unofficial strikes over job losses.
Total said the workers have until Monday evening to reapply for their jobs.
Workers had complained that 51 jobs were being cut while elsewhere on the site staff was being hired.
At other industrial sites around England, employees staged walkouts to show their sympathy for the refinery workers at Lindsey, about 165 miles (265 kilometers) north of London.
Leaders of the national GMB union vowed to fight the job cuts.
"Let them show us how many want to go back in there crawling on their bellies for their jobs," union official Phil Whitehurst said at the rally. "We go out together, we go back together."
Total said the strike had stopped work on a 200 million pound ($330 million) hydro-desulphurization plant, but had not affected refining operations.
Meanwhile, thousands of workers contracted at other sites around England announced strikes in support of the Lindsey workers.
At the Sellafield nuclear reprocessing facility in northwestern England, some 900 welders, electricians, platers and pipe fitters decided Monday to stay off the job until Wednesday.
The Sellafield workers had no complaint about their employment, but believed Total was riding roughshod over its employees, UNITE Union organizer Gary Stockton said. Sellafield management said those on strike were all contract workers, and that direct employees were remaining on the job.
In northern England, about 500 workers left the Eggborough and Drax power stations, GMB said.
In western Wales, 230 workers walked off a construction project at a natural gas terminal at Milford Haven, and in southern Wales, 300 went on strike at Aberthaw Power Station, managers said.
Sales of new homes dropped unexpectedly last month as the effects of a soon-to-expire tax credit for first-time owners started to wane.
The Commerce Department says sales fell 3.6 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 402,000 from a downwardly revised 417,000 in August. Economists surveyed by Thomson Reuters had expected a pace of 440,000.
It was the first decline since March. Sales in September were down 7.8 percent from a year ago.
The median sales price of $204,800 was off 9.1 percent from $225,200 a year earlier, but up 2.5 percent from August's level of $199,900.
A .500 record won't get it done in the AL Central, and neither will a handful of wins above .500.
"Right now, the way our division plays, you don't know how many games you have to be over .500, but .500 is not going to win it,'' Guillen said Wednesday. "Five games over .500 is not going to win it. You've got to be better than that. I truly believe that.''
So rather than pat his team on the back after a 6-2 victory against the Los Angeles Angels, Guillen played philosopher.
''Every time I look at the team we play across, I don't go, 'Wow, …
CELEBRITY BIG BROTHER (Channel 5, 9pm). After the initial successof the launch night, the ratings for this new, slightly revampedseries have gone downhill, and it will be interesting to see howmany of us are still tuning in as the competition enters the finalfour days. Since the show moved channels, many …
When did it become OK to run red lights? I drive around on my job and I see everybody not even coming close to stopping for red lights.
While texting or blabbing on the phone, nobody stops for lights or knows what a turn signal is anymore. …
Byline: BILL ARSENAULT Staff writer
SARATOGA SPRINGS -- More Than Ready more than lived up to his name Saturday in the 16th running of The King's Bishop at Saratoga Race Course.
More Than Ready sat back while Left Bank and Wait At Noon burned the track with awesome early fractions in the seven-furlong race. Then, he and jockey Pat Day picked up the pieces for an easy victory.
More Than Ready, the morning-line favorite trained by Todd Pletcher, was well back in the early going. He was last going around the final turn, but Day made his move and grabbed the lead at the top of the stretch and beat fast-closing Valiant Halory by 1 1/2 lengths at the …
Q What's the best way to back up and--just as important--restore the Windows Registry?
--Hubert Harriman
A Windows 98, Me and XP back up the Registry automatically at regular intervals, but it's still safest to back up your Registry manually before you make any major changes to your system. These are the best ways to back up and restore the Registry in various versions of Windows. Windows 98: select Start-Run, then type scanreg and press
American Dreams in Mississippi: Consumers, Poverty, and Culture, 1830-1998. By Ted Ownby. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1999. 248 pp. Photographs, tables, notes, bibliography, index. Cloth, $45.00; paper, $18.95. ISBN: Cloth 0-807-82479-8; paper 0-- 807-84806-9.
Reviewed by Mary Stovall Richards
Any book that incorporates discussions of Gladys Presley and William Faulkner on consumer culture in Mississippi promises to be an inventive and engaging history. Ted Ownby's new work never fails to deliver on that expectation. Drawing on a vast array of primary sources and supplemented by evocative photographs, Ownby confounds those (including this Mississippi …
The General Accounting Office (GAO) said in a report last week that the extent of security preparedness in the chemical industry is unknown, and called on EPA and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to develop "a comprehensive national chemical security strategy." GAO lauds voluntary security initiatives launched by ACC, but says only 7% of the facilities subject to Clean Air Act risk management plan provisions are ACC members. "The federal government has not comprehensively assessed the chemical industry's vulnerabilities to terrorist attacks," GAO says. "EPA, DHS, and the Department of Justice have taken preliminary steps to assist the industry in its preparedness …
The streets of the capital once again became an unruly mob scene as roving bands of masked Sandinista youth, party fanatics and state workers took to the streets to protest what they claim is "U.S. interventionism" in their country's internal political affairs, reports The Tico Times (Oct. 30, 2009):
A group of several hundred Sandinistas protested outside the U.S. Embassy, launching mortars at the embassy building and spray painting anti-U.S. and pro-Sandinista graffiti on embassy property. Vandals, many of whom were bused in for the protest, broke embassy security cameras, exterior lighting and attempted to destroy the signage for U.S. Consular Services. Nicaraguan …
A Castleton man remained in serious condition Sunday at Albany Medical Center Hospital with injuries suffered in a two-car, head-on collision on the state Thruway, a hospital spokeswoman said.
James Reichert, 24, of the Curtis Mobile Home Park in Castleton, was driving north in the southbound lanes of the highway at about 11 p.m. Saturday when his car hit a vehicle driven by Ross Elia, 40, of 48 Western Ave., State Police said. The accident occurred about one mile …
``Our (current) foreign policy is ambivalent, confusing. It is sending strong signals to the wrong people. And we have learned over the years that weakness is provocative. The domestic economy is not doing what it can do. This president believes we're at our capacity. Bob Dole and I believe we can do a lot better.
``. . . This economy is overtaxed, over-regulated; there are too many people suing each other; there's too much litigation; …
The chain drug industry showed signs last year of regaining some lost luster.
Volume advanced 8.2%, still well shy of the dramatic growth rates of the late 1990s but better than the 8% of 2002.
Moreover, the channel posted that gain with just 263 more outlets than it had the preceding year, getting much of the growth from same-store sales.
New-store growth should be back on the upswing this year, with a resurgent Rite Aid Corp. joining Walgreen Co. and CVS Corp. in leading the industry's expansion. Rite Aid plans to cement its turnaround with 75 openings by next February, while Walgreens will continue to steamroll toward the 7,000-unit mark with 350 debuts this year. For its part, CVS recently …
China and Japan amicably wrapped up their first high-level trade and economic talks on Sunday by pledging greater overall cooperation _ but left the touchy issue of gas exploration in the East China Sea unresolved.
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao hailed the two-day meeting as "successful," and the two sides issued a joint statement promising to strengthen efforts to form a regional free-trade zone, promote energy efficiency and improve protection of intellectual property rights.
They also agreed to participate in an anti-global warming framework to replace the Kyoto Protocol, and cooperate on measures to combat money laundering, terrorism financing and …
Q. I heard you can make your own baking powder at home. Do youhave the formula?
A. Yes. You will need to have cream of tartar (an acid) andbaking soda (sodium bicarbonate) on hand. Combine 2 teaspoons creamof tartar with 1 teaspoon baking soda. The mixture will leaven 1 cupof flour.
Q. An article I read about fish described the benefits of eatingfish and fish oils (based on studies done by Dutch scientists) forlowering the risk of dying from heart diseases. If that is …
An Orlando pharmacy whose operators were snared nearly three years ago in an Albany County criminal probe has been implicated in an international network that federal authorities say smuggled human growth hormone from China to the United States, court records show.
The role of Florida's Signature Compounding Pharmacy in the distribution of human growth hormone is highlighted in a partially sealed federal criminal case in Rhode Island that was never announced by the Justice Department.
In an unrelated investigation, Signature was raided by a multi-state task force, including Albany County prosecutors, in February 2007. The case drew national attention when published reports, including by the Times Union, identified a range of pro athletes and celebrities, including former New England Patriots all-pro …
The new year will be a big one for Albany County elections, with high-profile campaigns expected for county executive, the post now held by two-term Democrat Michael Breslin, and for county comptroller, the job now held by Democrat Michael Conners. Breslin and Conners have yet to announce their plans, and the possibility that the two will square off in an unprecedented primary contest for county executive remains alive.
But perhaps the toughest campaign battleground this year -- and one that will have high priority for local Democratic and Republican strategists -- is one that voters sometimes overlook. Candidates for the County Legislature will be waging battles in …
Chevron Phillips Chemical (CP Chem) has elected Raymond I. Wilcox president and CEO, effective April 1. Wilcox is currently a v.p. of Chevron and president of Chevron North America Exploration and Production. He succeeds James L. Gallogly, …
TORONTO (AP) — Returning from a well-earned break, Ricky Romero was soon worn out from facing the patient New York Yankees.
CC Sabathia won his seventh straight start to become the first 14-game winner in the majors, Brett Gardner had three hits and the Yankees beat Toronto 4-1 on Saturday, ending the Blue Jays' five-game winning streak.
Pitching for the first time in 10 days, Romero insisted he wasn't rusty after not working in so long.
"If anything I felt like I needed a little bit of a rest," Romero said. "It was a long first half. For me I felt good, I was just a little wild, I wasn't myself."
Toronto's ace left-hander lost his second straight start and has won …
Enron employees get say in reorganization
A group of former Enron Corp. employees has won a seat at the bankruptcy table. In response to a request from the Severed Enron Employees Coalition, U.S. Trustee Carolyn Schwartz, who is handling the company's bankruptcy proceedings, will appoint an official committee to focus on issues relating to Enron employees. The SEEC represents the more than 4,500 laid-off Enron employees. In a letter to the SEEC, Ms. Schwartz said: ``Because of issues peculiar to these cases, including the facts that there are more than 20,000 participants in the Debtors' employee benefits plans and many suits brought relating to the Debtors' 401(k) plan, I have determined that separate representation is appropriate.'' Ms. Schwartz also invited the SEEC to make recommendations concerning the composition of the employee committee.
Scandinavian Re stops underwriting
Scandinavian Reinsurance Co. Ltd., a Bermuda-based finite risk reinsurer, has ceased new and renewal underwriting after contributing to parent company Sirius International Insurance Corp.'s $138 million loss for 2001. ABB …
Byline: JERRY GEISEL
BOSTON-Massachusetts regulators are moving to implement the next stage of the state's universal health care law after defusing a short but intense controversy over applying coverage mandates to self-funded plans.
This week, regulators are expected to propose for comment the minimum health insurance coverage state residents must have to avoid being hit with fines under the 2006 law, which is intended to help the Bay State achieve near-universal coverage within a few years.
While the criteria set by the Health Insurance Connector, the state agency that was created to implement key provisions of the reform law, are relatively …
Byline: Southern Research Institute
BIRMINGHAM, Ala., March 10 (AScribe Newswire) -- Southern Research Institute has been awarded more than $1.4 million in federal grant monies to develop new high-throughput screening tools to expedite the search for antiviral drugs that are effective against influenza, including the H5N1 avian flu strain.
"Southern Research is conducting vital work for our area, and I congratulate the company for securing this grant," Congressman Spencer Bachus said today in a news release announcing the grant. Southern Research was awarded this grant by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, an office of the U.S. …
The above is an oxy-moron. More so, it is an indictment on what happens to Africa the continent with the richest resources on earth. It is anhistorical pity that we can't get our minds together in the 21st century and harness vast amounts of resources so that nearly a billion children of Africa can enjoy a quality of life replete with healthcare and economic vitality.
There is not one cocoa plant growing in Europe let alone Switzerland. Cocoa is harvested in Western Africa and the raw product is shipped to Europe for processing. A citizen of Ghana or Cote D'Ivoire has to pay a precious price if he wants to buy chocolate from his corner store and it has the moniker "Swiss …
Byline: MOLLY KNIGHT The Baltimore Sun
In medieval times, upper-class homeowners often placed a coat of arms on their gates to add a little grandeur to their address.
These days, however, ornamental, often expensive address plaques can be found outside any home.
According to manufacturers and retailers, address plaques are becoming increasingly popular for dressing up the front of residential real estate. At Whitehall Products, one of the country's largest makers of customized address plaques, sales have risen as much as 500 percent in the past decade, according to Brad Bruns, president and chief executive officer.
``People are now looking …
