admitme1: 2012

четверг, 15 марта 2012 г.

Moseley-Braun campaign cash poor

As she gears up for the most closely watched Senate contest inthe nation, Sen. Carol Moseley-Braun has less than one-tenth of the$6 million to $8 million she believes she will need in her campaignwar chest.

The Democratic incumbent has raised more than $916,688 incampaign contributions this year, but had just $590,584 on hand,according to federal campaign documents released Wednesday.

"We believe we will be outspent, but we believe we will becompetitive," said Eric Adelstein, Moseley-Braun's politicalconsultant. "This is when the most intensive fund-raising begins.We think we are right on target."The reports filed with the Federal Election Commission …

Trial to begin for Outlaws biker gang leader

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — The national president of the Outlaws motorcycle gang and three of his associates are going on trial in Virginia on racketeering and other charges.

Jury selection will begin Wednesday for Jack Rosga of Milwaukee, Wis.; William Davey of Asheville, N.C.; Mark Spradling of Hickory, N.C.; and Leslie Werth of Rock Hill, S.C.

Rosga is the leader of …

Mullen: Iran will continue to strive for nukes

The chairman of the joint chiefs of staff said he believes Iran will continue to pursue nuclear weapons, even if sanctions against the country are increased.

Speaking Monday at the Aspen Security Forum, Adm. Mike Mullen said it would be "incredibly dangerous" for Iran to achieve nuclear weapons, and that there's "no reason to trust" Iran's assurances that it is only pursuing a peaceful nuclear program, especially after the discovery of a secret nuclear facility near the holy city of Qom.

But he said a military strike against Iran would be "incredibly destabilizing" to the region, and that he believed U.S. ally Israel understands …

среда, 14 марта 2012 г.

Industry donates money, resources in time of tragedy

Following the Sept. 11 attacks on the World Trade Center (WTC), the Pentagon and flight 93 that crashed in Pennsylvania, the collision repair industry has played a role in this effort to help rebuild the city and the nation. Several have set up funds, donated money, equipment and skills-so many it's difficult to track all of them.While some have chosen not to publicize the fact they are giving money or equipment, saying they "just want to do their part," ABRN would like to recognize and commend these companies for pulling together as an industry and as a nation.

One such company is Oshkosh, Wis.,-based Omni Glass and Paint Co. Omni, along with partners Guardian Industries Corp. …

Democrats Score Upsets in Key Races

WASHINGTON - Resurgent Democrats grabbed a Pennsylvania Senate seat and an Indiana House seat long in Republican hands Tuesday night, challenging for control of Congress in midterm elections shaped by an unpopular war in Iraq and scandal at home.

Democrats also elected governors in Ohio and Massachusetts for the first time in more than a decade.

Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania became the first Republican senator to fall to the Democrats, losing his seat after two conservative terms to Bob Casey Jr., the state treasurer.

In New York, Hillary Rodham Clinton held her seat.

In the battle for control of the House, Rep. John Hostettler, R-Ind., lost to Brad …

Forecast: NYC biz taxes on historic slide

The Wall Street meltdown and its fallout have caused city budget analysts to predict for the first time that revenue from business taxes will decline for three years in a row in New York City.

In a report released Thursday, the Independent Budget Office blamed the grim forecast on the demise of New York City's major investment banks. Last year, the city had five, and now there are none _ forced out of business, sold off or converted to commercial banks.

The IBO predicted that business tax receipts, after dipping 9.6 percent in 2008, will plunge from $5.4 billion in 2008 to $4.1 billion in 2009, a record drop of more than 23 percent. The report forecasts a …

Mart shifts gears to close up 11 pts.

The stock market posted modest gains in moderate tradingWednesday after a late rally erased losses stemming from adeteriorating dollar and sharply lower bond prices.

The Dow Jones industrial average, which closed above 2,700 forthe first time Monday but fell 45.91 points Tuesday, rose 11.16 to2,665.82. The day's gains occurred in the last hour of trading, whenthe Dow erased a 14-point deficit and climbed into plus territory,taking the broad market along.

After trailing losers through most of the session, advancingissues finally took the lead, outnumbering declines 775-762 on theNew York Stock Exchange on volume of 180.9 million shares.

Broad market …

Democrats Debate in New Hampshire

HANOVER, N.H. - The leading Democratic presidential hopefuls conceded Wednesday night they cannot guarantee to withdraw all U.S. combat troops from Iraq by 2013, the end of the next president's first term.

"I think it's hard to project four years from now," said Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois in the opening moments of a campaign debate in the nation's first primary state.

"It is very difficult to know what we're going to be inheriting," added Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York.

"I cannot make that commitment," said former Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina.

Sensing an opening, Sen. Christopher Dodd of Connecticut and New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson …

Blue-collar jobs, yard sales

BLUE COLLAR WORKERS WANTED: Could there be a shortage of blue-collar labor?

Between 2004 and 2014, there will be 40 million job openings for workers without a bachelor's degree, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That's more than twice the number of jobs for people graduating from four-year colleges and universities.

That's something guidance counselors aren't telling those frantically competing for entrance into America's best schools, says Joe Lamacchia, author of the recently published book "Blue Collar & Proud of It."

"Blue collar means skilled individuals who make the world go around," said Lamacchia, who owns a landscaping company in Newton, Mass. …

Matthews Heads Senator's Fund-Raising

WASHINGTON Sen. Carol Moseley-Braun (D-Ill.) named Kgosie Matthews,her fiance and former campaign manager, as the "principalfund-raising consultant" of her political committee, her office saidTuesday.

Matthews, who managed Moseley-Braun's campaign organization untillast December, has been paid to oversee fund-raising since Jan. 1 - aperiod for which she reported her campaign debt increased by morethan $94,000, to $638,261.

Last month, on a radio show, Moseley-Braun attributed hercampaign's growing debt to increased legal and accounting fees. Shemade no mention of Matthews or his fees.

Matthews' position became known with the filing of the second halfof …

Friday's Sports Scoreboard

All Times Eastern


	American League
Tampa Bay 6, Baltimore 2	F
Toronto 7, Detroit 4	F
Minnesota 9, Boston 2	F
N.Y. Yankees 4, Texas 1	-9
Oakland 3, Kansas City 2	F
Cleveland 0, L.A. Angels 0 …

China financial cops linked to Gome tycoon case

Two senior Chinese police officials in charge of investigating financial crimes are themselves being questioned about alleged links to a case involving appliance tycoon Wong Kwong-yu, reports said Tuesday.

Zheng Shaodong, director general of the Public Security Ministry's economic crimes investigation bureau, and a deputy director of the bureau, Xiang Huaizhu, were detained for allegedly taking bribes during an investigation into allegations against Wong, the official Xinhua News Agency and other reports …

Bachmann: Migraines won't impede White House goals

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Republican presidential candidate Michele Bachmann's quick move Tuesday to squelch concerns about her history of severe headaches came in contrast to slower and more muted reaction in recent weeks to other uncomfortable news.

Hours after a report the Minnesota congresswoman has been "incapacitated" in the past by migraine headaches, Bachmann's spokeswoman fired back and the candidate later issued a lengthy statement that rejected suggestions her health would prevent her from serving as president.

"Let me be abundantly clear — my ability to function effectively has never been impeded by migraines and will not affect my ability to serve as commander in chief," Bachmann said in a statement issued through her campaign. She also read the prepared remarks aloud during a campaign stop in South Carolina.

Inside her campaign and out, there was recognition that health questions can't go unchecked for long — unlike storylines about her family's views toward gay relationships or her decision to break with a conservative Lutheran church that lingered as Bachmann declined to discuss them in detail.

"This thing goes to fitness. This goes to physical capability. It had to be responded to chop chop," said Republican strategist Mike McKenna. "The other stuff is subject to different political judgment."

Bachmann's response to the migraines report was far faster and more decisive than earlier reactions to stories about her life outside of politics. For example, when a gay activist's undercover video raised questions about practices at her husband's counseling clinic, Bachmann declined to be interviewed. Her spokeswoman issued only a brief statement.

Bachmann spokesman Doug Sachtleben said Bachmann puts matters related to her physical well-being in a different category than the other questions, which the campaign sometimes regards as distractions from her focus on economic policies and other issues it believes are of greater concern to voters.

The intense scrutiny has coincided with Bachmann's ascent into the top ranks of GOP presidential candidates. Bachmann, a three-term congresswoman, is viewed as a tea party force who is polling well in the first-to-vote state of Iowa.

Former aides granted anonymity were cited in the headache story published late Monday by The Daily Caller, an online news site. The story said Bachmann's migraines have led to hospitalizations and, at times, left her "incapacitated."

Bachmann said her symptoms are controlled with prescription medication and have not gotten in the way of her campaign or impaired her service in Congress.

"Since entering the campaign, I have maintained a full schedule between my duties as a congresswoman and as a presidential candidate traveling across the nation to meet with voters in the key, early primary and caucus states of Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina," Bachmann said.

According to the American Migraine Foundation, at least 36 million Americans — and far more women than men — experience migraines. They can cause dizziness and fatigue, but also can be disabling and lead to greater risk of stroke and heart problems.

Nothing requires presidential candidates to release detailed medical records, but it has been common practice for decades — although not usually this early in a campaign. None of the 2012 GOP presidential candidates have made comprehensive disclosures about their health.

Dr. Howard Markel, a scholar of medical history at the University of Michigan, has written about the public's desire to know more about the health of presidential candidates.

Markel said Bachmann's confirmation of migraine problems is "revealing something that in years past would not even meet the test. Do you care about everything that a presidential candidate has: a hangnail, a Plantar wart or a torn tricep? Probably not."

вторник, 13 марта 2012 г.

UK judges: Intelligence officer visited Morocco

A British intelligence officer repeatedly visited Morocco at the same time that a former U.K. resident was allegedly being tortured there, two senior judges said Friday.

Supporters of Binyam Mohamed say the revelation casts doubt on the position of the U.K. spy agency, which insists it never knew he was being detained by Moroccan authorities.

Mohamed, an Ethiopian who moved to Britain as a teenager, was arrested in 2002 in Pakistan. He alleges he was subjected to sleep deprivation and had his penis sliced with a scalpel while being held in Morocco between July 2002 and January 2004, after which he was sent to the U.S. prison camp at Guantanamo Bay.

He has said questions put to him when he was in Morocco could have only come from British intelligence agents, and he has sued the British government to reveal information on his alleged torture.

Lord Justice John Thomas and Justice Lloyd Jones' comments Friday came as part of a procedural judgment.

The judges said that an officer from MI5, Britain's domestic intelligence agency, visited Morocco in November 2002 and twice in February 2003.

Supporters of Mohamed said the visits could not have been a coincidence.

"It is now obvious that the British authorities were not telling the truth when they denied knowing that Binyam was in Morocco," said Clive Stafford-Smith, director of legal advocacy group Reprieve. "Again the question for the police and the public must be, how far up the political ladder did this knowledge go?"

MI5, also known as the Security Service, said that despite their officer's visit to Morocco, he did not visit Mohamed and was not aware the detainee was being held there.

"The Security Service was not aware, nor were other parts of government, about where Binyam Mohamed was being held," said a British government security official. He spoke on condition of anonymity so he could discuss intelligence agency business.

The official said that MI5 "does not participate in, engage with, or condone torture."

The ruling opens the possibility that witnesses could be recalled to explain the position.

Separately, London police are deciding whether there is evidence that British intelligence officials should face criminal charges over allegations that they were complicit in the alleged torture of Mohamed.

Mohamed was accused of plotting to explode a "dirty bomb" in the United States, but was freed from Guantanamo in February without charge and returned to Britain.

His lawyers launched a legal case demanding full disclosure of what Britain's government knew about his treatment in detention.

Britain's High Court ruled in 2008 that the lawyers should have access to documents about Mohamed_ with some information redacted _ but barred the public dissemination of the information.

The judges' Friday ruling revises the earlier decision to reflect what they say is new evidence obtained in the case, a largely procedural move. It was not immediately clear how the judges had obtained the new evidence or why they had obtained it now.

Much of the legal argument in the case has centered on whether the redacted paragraphs should be disclosed. The judges are reconsidering their decision to keep the paragraphs out of public view following a lawsuit launched by several media groups, including The Associated Press.

Judges said they had reluctantly accepted the government's claim that publication of certain paragraphs could harm U.S.-British intelligence sharing, noting that keeping the details secret amounted to concealing "evidence of serious wrongdoing by the United States."

However, the judges did not address the issue in their ruling Friday and legal arguments on the issue continue.

Guard Killed in New Orleans FEMA Park

NEW ORLEANS - A security guard at a FEMA trailer park was shot to death Monday in the latest violence to rack the city still struggling to recover from Hurricane Katrina, police said. The shooting, around 5:15 a.m., was at a trailer park in Gentilly, a section of the city that flooded during Katrina. A few hours earlier, another man was shot and killed near the Guste public housing complex.

The latest violence brought the number of homicides in the city this year to 34. Last year, New Orleans counted 161.

Police spokeswoman Sabrina Richardson said the security guard was shot in the face in a security booth at a gate leading into the site. She said two other security guards were on duty at the time, but one was at the park's back gate and another was in a bathroom. The other guards told investigators they did not hear the shot, Richardson said.

Resident Kenny Randle said the park has been a safe place to stay with his two nephews, who played football with the guards.

"It's always been safe. I've never at any time felt in harm's way," he said. "That doesn't change."

Steven Nicholas, a chief in the police department, said the guard was about 50 years old. A motive for the shooting had not been established, although he said "robbery does not appear to be a motive."

Police shut down the exits to the trailer park and went door to door asking residents about the incident.

Ronnie Simpson, a spokesman for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, said there are 3,000 FEMA trailers in New Orleans on group sites, and there have been isolated crime problems.

But until Monday's killing, Simpson said, there had been "nothing of this magnitude" involving a FEMA contractor or staff.

FEMA officials also were dealing Monday with the evacuation of nearly 60 families from an FEMA trailer park in Hammond, about 45 miles northwest of New Orleans, that had been plagued by sewage leaks and power outages.

"They know how to put me out, but they don't know how to help me out. That's how I look at it," said one resident, Alsee Tobias.

FEMA officials said all the displaced families had at least temporary new homes and they hoped to dismantle the site by the end of the week.

PBS, NPR stations get $10M infusion for local news

Public radio and TV stations across the country will receive more than $10 million over the next two years to boost local news coverage as newspapers decline.

On Thursday, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting announced the creation of local journalism centers in five regions. NPR and PBS stations in each region will collaborate on covering key issues, including immigration, agribusiness, the economy and health care. They will jointly hire about 50 multimedia journalists.

"This is a commitment to journalism," said Patricia Harrison, president and CEO of the Corporation, which is a nonprofit organization created and funded by Congress. "As we look at this environment and the impact on newspapers, we just felt we had to ... try something innovative and ensure that we hired real journalists as part of this initiative."

Experienced journalists shed by failing newspapers could provide a pool of applicants, she said.

The funding initially targets the Southwest, the Plains states, the upper Midwest, upstate New York and central Florida. Proposals also are being accepted from stations in the South and Northwest.

It will involve 37 local stations, though at least 100 applied. To date, 13 radio stations, 13 joint ventures operating both radio and TV outlets, and one stand-alone TV station have signed on. Stations were selected on the basis of a business plan that included an outline for becoming self-sustaining within two years.

"The idea of pulling together radio and television for content that is broadcast and online ... this is going to be our template going forward," Harrison said.

The Corporation will provide $7.5 million for the project, while the stations involved contribute $3 million. Officials hope the arrangement could serve as a model for other stations and leverage private support.

Tom Karlo, general manager of KPBS in San Diego, said his station already has combined its radio, TV and online news operations to increase local content.

"Television news in our market has gotten so sensational," he said, so the public station will devote itself to "thoughtful analysis."

PBS President and CEO Paula Kerger said the initiative will help public stations adapt to changes driven by the Internet. She noted public participation in the news, by posting stories and pictures on Twitter, Facebook and blogs, has increased dramatically.

"The bottom line is this: In an era of crowd sourcing, journalism must rebuild itself from the bottom up," she said.

Funding also was announced to create a technology platform to be administered by NPR for all public broadcasters to collaborate and share content. Another $2 million project funded with the Knight Foundation will place journalism bloggers in public stations in several cities.

In total, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting _ the primary channel for federal funds distributed to public media _ has invested $90 million in new journalism initiatives over the past two years. The organization does not have authority over the networks or the stations, most of which are locally owned.

The new regional news desks could feed content to national news shows on PBS and NPR, as well as to local stations, officials said.

PBS recently announced it will begin airing a new news program called "Need to Know," anchored by Alison Stewart and Newsweek editor Jon Meacham, on Friday nights in May. It has also revamped the "PBS NewsHour," hosted by Jim Lehrer.

The local news effort must be self-sustaining within two years, Harrison said.

"If it's of value to the community, there's potential to get foundation support or individual support," she said, "even in this troublesome economy."

___

On the Net:

Corporation for Public Broadcasting: http://cpb.org

Pope Benedict XVI fractures wrist in a fall

A hospital spokesman says Pope Benedict XVI is undergoing surgery after breaking his right wrist in a fall during his vacation in the Italian Alps.

Tiziano Trevisan, a spokesman at the Umberto Parini hospital in Aosta, says surgeons were operating Friday on the wrist to reduce the fracture, a procedure to realign the broken bone fragments.

He said they were giving 82-year-old Benedict "light sedation," though heavier anesthesia may be given as the surgery progresses.

A Vatican statement says the pope fell in his room in a nearby chalet overnight and despite the accident, celebrated Mass and had breakfast before going to the hospital.

UConn Hangs on to Upset South Florida

STORRS, Conn. - Andre Dixon ran for a career-high 189 yards and Connecticut used a late goal-line stand to upset No. 11 South Florida 22-15 Saturday, the Huskies first-ever win over a ranked opponent.

The victory keeps UConn (7-1, 3-0 Big East) in sole possession of first place in the Big East, and all but assures them of the first Top-25 ranking the program's history.

South Florida (6-2, 1-2), which was ranked No. 2 just two weeks ago, has lost two straight.

Dixon ran for 115 yards in a rainy first half, helping UConn build a 16-0 lead. He carried the ball 32 times and also caught three passes for 42 yards.

The Bulls came back in the second half and cut the lead to 19-15 in the fourth quarter, before a 20-yard Tony Ciaravino field goal with 5:19 gave UConn its final margin.

Matt Grothe drove the Bulls inside the UConn 2 with just over a minute to go but was hit by UConn's Greg Robinson for a 10-yard loss on a naked bootleg. His fourth-down pass sailed out of the end zone.

Grothe finished with 146 yards rushing on 25 carries. He also threw for 189 yards, but had two interceptions.

The first came on a deflected pass with 8:25 left in the first half that UConn linebacker Scott Lutrus grabbed and ran 23-yards for a touchdown to make it 16-0. It was Lutrus's fourth pick of the season, and the second he has brought back for a score.

USF didn't score until Jerome Murphy blocked a punt with 6:07 left in the third quarter. UConn's Dahna Deleston fell on the ball in the end zone for a safety.

It took the Bulls just 29 seconds to score after the free kick. Grothe ran 53-yards on second down to the UConn 10, and kept the ball again on the next play for the touchdown.

UConn made it 19-9 on a 27-yard field goal from Tony Ciaravino with 1:34 left in the third. The Bulls then answered with a 47-yarder from Delbert Alvarado with 12:48 to go, and a 27-yarder five minutes later.

USF was forced to settle for that field goal after a 2-yard touchdown run was called back on a holding penalty against receiver Cedric Hill, and a pass into the end zone that Hill dropped.

That was one of several missed scoring opportunities for the Bulls.

Grothe drove from the USF 34 to the UConn 4 in the third quarter, but Robert McClain picked off Grothe in the end zone on third-and-goal to end that threat.

South Florida squandered two other chances in the first half. A 54-yard run from Jamar Taylor set up a 26-yard field-goal attempt that went wide right, and Alverado later missed a 45-yard attempt.

UConn quarterback Tyler Lorenzen was 13-for-25 for 194 yards and a touchdown. He also threw one interception.

Dixon, though, was the star. The sophomore carried the ball eight times for 53 yards on the Huskies first drive, which ended with a 22-yard field goal.

Connecticut then drove 80 yards in 14 plays to take a 9-0 lead with just under 6 minutes left in the half. Lorenzen found tight end Steve Brouse, who had slipped behind the defense from 3-yards out. The Huskies muffed the extra point when the snap went high and a desperation pass by holder Desi Cullen was incomplete.

UConn, which completed the transition from Division I-AA in 2002, came into the game 0-10 against ranked opponents.

Fans poured onto the field after the victory, joining the players in a wild celebration, though the goal posts remained intact.

The win was Randy Edsall's 48th, and perhaps biggest, in his 100 games as UConn's head coach.

Japan stocks surge on weaker yen, US election

Japanese stocks surged Wednesday, propelled by a weaker yen, global equity gains and hopes that Barack Obama's election to U.S. president and Democratic gains in Congress would lead to policies that would boost the American economy.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 stock average climbed 406.64 points, or 4.46 percent, to 9,521.24. The broader Topix added 6.17 percent to 966.91.

A strong overnight rally on Wall Street lifted Japanese stocks in the morning, but gains accelerated in the afternoon as Obama sealed his historic victory in the U.S. presidential race.

Investors were upbeat after Obama's win, as well as the Democrats' bigger majorities in Congress, said Toshikazu Horiuchi, equity strategist at Cosmo Securities in Tokyo.

"There are expectations now for prompt economic stimulus measures," he said.

But there were also some concerns that a Democratic president and Congress might take a harder line on trade.

A weaker yen also helped lift sentiment, benefiting major exporters including automakers and consumer electronics firms. Toyota Motor Corp. surged 10.4 percent to 4,250 yen, and Sony Corp. advanced 9.1 percent to 2,580 yen.

A strong yen hurts exporters by making Japanese products more expensive in overseas markets and reducing the the value of profits when repatriated to Japan.

Sanyo Electric Co. surged 18 percent after being untraded Tuesday due to a rush of buy orders triggered by weekend reports that the company may be bought by rival Panasonic Corp.

A Sanyo-Panasonic entity would create Japan's biggest electronics maker, surpassing Hitachi Ltd., and would also be among the biggest in the world. Officials from both companies denied Tuesday that any deal has been reached.

Banks rose sharply as money market rates fell, with Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group Inc. up 11.3 percent at 698 yen and Mizuho Financial Group Inc. adding 16.1 percent to 288,400 yen.

In currencies, the dollar was trading at 99.43 yen Wednesday afternoon, up from the 98-yen zone the previous day in Asia.

In New York Tuesday, the Dow climbed 3.3 percent to 9,625.28 in its biggest Election Day rally ever.

Maguire has his own secret identity, Actor likes to see movies without being recognized

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

CULVER CITY, Calif. - Under cover of darkness, Tobey Maguire willwear a disguise and sneak around town.

The date remains a mystery - maybe on Friday, when the crowds willbe at their largest for this guaranteed blockbuster.

His mission: to watch some of his own film - a movie in which healmost lost the starring role, despite the huge success of 2002's"Spider-Man."

"It's exciting. I'll sneak in one night. You want to go when thefans are crazy into the film, and that's when it's fun, to catch thatenergy," said the 29-year-old actor.

The star of "Seabiscuit" and "Pleasantville" says this won't behis first incognito cinema experience.

"I've done it a few times. I'll go and just watch 15 minutes ofthe movie in two or three different theaters, just to feel how theaudience is digging it, get that immediate reaction."

But isn't that a risky move for one of the summer's most famousfaces, likely to get him mobbed if someone recognizes him?

"I'll be fine," Maguire responded. "I'll wear a hat and go in,wait until it's dark, stand there for 10 minutes and leave."

It may not seem like much, but that's a daring move for the boyishactor with the puppy-dog eyes and tousled hair - he has a reputationfor being almost pathologically withdrawing when it comes to high-pressure public exposure.

At a recent press screening of "Spider-Man 2," the ArcLighttheater in Los Angeles dimmed the lights for several minutes beforethe start of the show - so Maguire could grab a seat unnoticed.

A few weeks ago, his representatives also asked MTV to shut offits own backstage camera at the MTV Movie Awards whenever Maguirepassed by, even though he was about to go on stage in front ofthousands in a live audience.

Like his superhero alter ego, would Maguire rather have the secretidentity of an ordinary guy?

"I AM an ordinary guy," he insisted in a recent interview at theCulver Studios lot. "I guess if the question is, 'Would I like to beanonymous in all situations?' Sometimes, sure. But I can remainsomewhat anonymous, or just not go to a place where I'm going to (berecognized.) Then I'm not aware of it at all."

Maguire came close to getting an unwelcome dose of anonymityshortly before shooting began on "Spider-Man 2," something that couldhave tanked his young career.

In what is becoming a famous piece of Hollywood lore, the actornearly lost his Spidey suit to someone else in March 2003 because hetold the producers he had a bad back.

After doctors eventually OK'd his back, Maguire's motivationremains a mystery. More money? A later production start date? Lesstime swinging from wires in a skintight suit?

The actor said he was just trying to do the right thing - the samereason the producers gave for almost replacing him.

"First I was just disclosing it - you have to fill out insuranceindustry forms that say, 'Do you have any back problems?' This issomething that I have to say, 'Yeah, I have a condition.'

Maguire said he didn't want to be responsible for derailing amovie that costs $200 million midway through the shoot.

Finally, doctors certified his fitness, and Maguire was back inthe tights.

Despite the debacle, Maguire ended up getting a reported $17million for the sequel. That's about $13 million more than his salaryon the original - which earned more than $400 million domesticallyand became one of the top five biggest blockbusters in history.

But does a scene in the sequel rub salt into Maguire's woundedpride?

Maguire recalls the experience with a grimace that suggests thepain in his back has since become a pain somewhere lower on hisanatomy.

In one sequence, Peter Parker struggles to regain his superpowersso he can face off against villain Doc Ock (Alfred Molina).

Parker attempts to leap from rooftop to rooftop and ends upfalling into an alley and smashing his body against a car. He groansand walks away doubled over, moaning: "Owww ... my back!"

Maguire doesn't think it was written as a reference to thenegotiations, "although, I was aware that people might see it likethat," he said. "I think it's funny. I say it like I surely meantit."

Palermo scores Boca record-tying 180th goal; River's match suspended by rain

Martin Palermo scored a club record-tying 180th goal for Boca Juniors and the perennial Buenos Aires power downed Gimnasia y Esgrima 1-0 on Sunday to move into a share of the Argentine league lead with Velez Sarsfield.

Palermo's 41st-minute penalty equaled the goal-scoring exploits of Francisco Varallo, who played with Boca in the late 1930s.

Gimnasia frantically pressed for an equalizer, but was thwarted by Boca goalkeeper Mauricio Caranta, who made three big saves to preserve the victory.

Elsewhere, River Plate was leading 3-2 at Monumental Stadium against San Martin of San Juan when heavy rain forced a suspension of the match with nine minutes remaining. Sebastian Abreu, Diego Buonanotte and Cristian Nasutti gave River the lead. Sebastian Brusco, on a penalty, and Martin Bravo replied for San Martin.

The Argentine Football Association must decide later this week when the match will be finished. If River's lead holds, it would join Boca and Velez atop the table with 10 points each after four rounds.

Also in the fourth round, Velez drew 0-0 with Gimnasia de Jujuy. San Lorenzo got its first victory in four matches, beating Estudiantes 3-1 off a pair of goals by Adrian Gonzalez and another by Santiago Hirsig.

In other matches, it was Arsenal 3, Banfield 1; Huracan 1, Rosario Central 1; Olimpo 3, Lanus 2; Tigre 2, Colon 1; Independiente 2, Argentinos Juniors 0; Newell's Old Boys 1, Racing Club 0.

понедельник, 12 марта 2012 г.

5 Children, Stepdad Die in Michigan Fire

SAGINAW, Mich. - A kitchen fire engulfed a house early Thursday, killing five children and their stepfather, who ran back into the flames to try to save them, authorities said.

The children's mother was rescued from the two-story home by sheriff's deputies, police Sgt. Mark Lively said.

The early morning fire started in the kitchen, where the stepfather, 33-year-old Samuel Watkins, had been cooking, police Detective Jason Ball said.

Watkins ran out of the burning house and flagged down deputies, who were nearby on an unrelated matter, police said. Watkins then re-entered the home, running "back through a wall of flames and smoke to go upstairs" to save his wife and children, Ball said.

The body of Samuel Watkins was found with the five children. Tanesha Watkins fled to the basement, where deputies rescued her, and escaped serious injury.

Ball said the man's actions were heroic.

"Put yourself in that position - you would have done the same thing," Ball said. "You're going to try to defeat the odds and make an attempt."

Watkins' wife, 33-year-old Tanesha Watkins, was trapped by the flames and fled to the basement, where deputies pulled her to safety.

Along with Samuel Watkins, police identified the victims as Tanesha Watkins' children: Adam Dupuis, 13; Majesty Price, 8; Destiny Price, 5; Essence Price, 3; and Chad Skinner, 1.

The century-old home, which sits along a busy thoroughfare about 80 miles north of Detroit, had no smoke detectors, Ball said.

Much of its tan-sided, green-trimmed exterior was charred, but a doll's playhouse and a plastic gym sat undamaged on the large front porch.

Adam was to sing Thursday in a concert that brought together students from six area schools. Rather than cancel the concert, students decided to dedicate it to the eighth-grader, said Michael Manley, a Saginaw schools spokesman.

"It is really tough for them to do, but they're doing it," Manley said. "It's extremely emotional, but the kids were great."

Kempton Elementary School Principal Janice Merriam said students spent the day celebrating the lives of Majesty and Destiny, writing notes and drawing pictures that will be given to the family.

The fire followed a Monday blaze that killed a 27-year-old pregnant woman and her three children at their Detroit home. Their father suffered burns over 80 percent of his body.

The home didn't have any working smoke detectors. That fire was sparked by an unattended barbecue grill, Detroit fire officials said.

Recall news

The following recalls have been announced:

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POURABLE GEL FUEL

DETAILS: Fireside Gel Fuel Bottles distributed by Evergreen Enterprises, of Richmond, Va. and manufactured by 2 Burn Inc., of Milwaukee, Wis.; sold at independent retailers from December 2010 through September 2011. The pourable gel fuel is in 30-ounce plastic bottles and sold with or without citronella oil. Gel fuel is poured into a stainless steel or ceramic cup in the center of ceramic or glass firepots or other decorative lighting devices and ignited. The pourable gel fuels were manufactured in the United States.

WHY: The pourable gel fuel can ignite unexpectedly and splatter onto people and objects nearby when it is poured into a firepot that is still burning. A flash fire or burn hazard can occur if the consumer does not see the flame or is not aware that the firepot is still ignited when they pour more gel in.

INCIDENTS: None reported.

HOW MANY: About 23,400 bottles.

FOR MORE: Contact Evergreen Enterprises at 877-558-1511 Monday through Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. EDT, or visit the company's website at www.myevergreen.com.

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RANGE TOPS

DETAILS: GE Monogram Pro Rangetop with Grill imported by General Electric - Appliances, of Louisville, Ky.; sold at General Electric authorized representatives and distributors nationwide from May 2008 through August 2011. The range top units are either 36 or 48 inches wide with a stainless steel finish and the GE Monogram badge located on the front center of the unit. The burner control knobs are located on the front panel that overhangs the cabinet. The range tops were manufactured in Mexico.

WHY: Burners on a range top operating on liquefied petroleum ("LP" or propane) may fail to ignite or light if the gas control knob is left in a position between OFF and LITE, posing a risk of delayed ignition or explosion.

INCIDENTS: GE has received six reports involving explosions in units operating on LP gas, including reports of damage to kitchen cabinets beneath the range top. No fires or injuries have been reported.

HOW MANY: About 470.

FOR MORE: Contact General Electric at 866-645-3956 Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. EDT, or visit the firm's website at www.geappliances.com/products/recall.

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RECLINERS WITH OTTOMANS

DETAILS: Glider Recliners with Ottomans imported by Big Lots, of Columbus, Ohio; sold at Big Lots stores nationwide from January 2005 through December 2009. The glider recliners come in either microfiber or leather. The recliners are reclining glider/rocking chairs on a swivel base. Both the chair and ottoman sit on circular metal bases made from 1.25 inch metal tubing and have cushions covered in either light brown or green microfiber fabric or dark brown simulated leather fabric. The recliners were manufactured in China.

WHY: An exposed gap between the moving parts of the chair and the base framework can allow access to toddlers and infants, posing an entrapment hazard. Other exposed moving parts on the chair and the ottoman can pose finger pinching and crushing hazards to older children and adults.

INCIDENTS: CPSC received two reports of children under age two who were found trapped at the neck between horizontal components of the frame at the back of the chair. In both incidents, adults were able to release the children who suffered no permanent injuries.

HOW MANY: About 375,000.

FOR MORE: Contact Big Lots for a free repair kit that covers the base framework and the moving parts of the chair and ottoman at 866-244-5687 Monday through Friday between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. EDT, or visit the firm's web site at www.biglots.com.

Daniel Sedin helps Canucks beat Stars 3-1

Daniel Sedin's tiebreaker power-play goal early in the third period helped the Vancouver Canucks beat the Dallas Stars 3-1 in the NHL on Saturday.

Sedin took a pass from his brother Henrik in a 1-1 game and flicked a shot that glanced off the skate of Dallas defenseman Trevor Daley and past goalie Marty Turco for his 11th goal of the season. Ryan Kesler and Alex Burrows also scored for the Canucks, who won four of their five games on a road trip.

Loui Eriksson, a member of the Sweden's Olympic team with the Sedins, scored his fifth goal in three games for Dallas.

Hurricanes 2, Rangers 1, OT

At New York, Ray Whitney scored 3:45 into overtime for Carolina to win only its third road game of the season.

Cam Ward made 27 saves, and Tom Kostopoulos staked the Hurricanes to a 1-0 lead in the second period.

Marian Gaborik scored the lone goal for the Rangers, while Henrik Lundqvist kept the Rangers in it by stopping 17 shots. Lundqvist allowed two goals or fewer for the 11th time in 14 games.

Demjanjuk to remain free pending appeal

BERLIN (AP) — Munich prosecutors say they have dropped their objection to the court-ordered release of John Demjanjuk as he awaits the outcome of the appeal of his conviction on Nazi war crimes charges.

Spokeswoman Barbara Stockinger said Friday that Demjanjuk has been living in a Bavarian nursing home and shown no signs of being a danger to flee, so her office saw no chance of success for its appeal.

The 91-year-old retired autoworker was convicted May 12 of 28,060 counts of accessory to murder after a Munich court found he served as a guard at the Nazis' Sobibor death camp.

He was sentenced to five years in prison but was immediately released pending his appeal, which could take as long as two years, after the court ruled he was not a flight risk.

INSIDE POLITICS: PEOPLE AND ORGANIZATIONS

NEW JOBS

Margaret Jongeward Joseph and Jonathan R. Schwantes have recently joined Clark & Weinstock, a public affairs firm. Joseph was formerly the Washington, D.C. finance director to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. Schwantes served as general counsel to Sen. Herb Kohl, D- Wis., on the Senate Judiciary antitrust subcommittee.

Lee Godown and Jason Hill have joined Democratic communications firm Public Strategies, based in Austin, Texas. Godown was formerly chief of staff to Rep. Loretta Sanchez, D-Calif. He will be a managing director in the firm's Washington, D.C. office. Hill most recently served as a senior staffer to Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich.

The National Association of Manufacturers gained a new deputy director of the trade group's policy division in Arie Newhouse, a former legislative director for Sen. George Voinovich, R-Ohio. Newhouse had worked for Voinovich since 1999 and was named his chief of staff in 2005.

Former Rep. Chris John, D-La., is leaving D.C. for Louisiana to serve as head of the Louisiana Mid-Continent Oil and Gas Association. He is leaving his position as a lobbyist at Ogilvy Government Relations, formerly known as the Federalist Group. John was only one of two Democrats at the otherwise all-Republican firm. There is some speculation that John may be moving back to run for office. He lost a U.S. Senate bid in 2004 to Sen. David Vitter, R-La.

Political analyst Michael Barone has joined the conservative American Enterprise Institute for Policy Research as a resident fellow. The co-author of the Almanac of American Politics and senior writer at U.S. News & World Report will continue to study politics and government at AEI.

Wilson Research Strategies, a Republican polling firm, has announced its two newest vice presidents: Tyler Harber and Byron Allen. Harber, the firm's vice president and political director, will head the political research and consulting team. While Republicans nationwide were losing in 2006, Harber's team at Public Opinion Strategies-where Harber and Allen worked most recently-managed the research for four winning U.S. Senate races, six governors and 46 members of Congress. Allen, the vice president of methodology and advanced analysis, will manage internal operations. Allen has directed research for House races in Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas and Nebraska, as well as managing corporate and public affairs research.

Smart Media Group, a D.C.-based Republican media firm, has announced the opening of its new office in Dallas. The media buying and consulting firm has also hired three staffers to fill the office: Amber Lyons, Ian Samuel and Paul Winn. Lyons will serve as director of operations, Winn will serve as a planner and buyer and Samuel will serve as media research director.

Chris Schloesser has been named vice president at Democratic direct mail firm Winning Strategies, based in the Washington, DC. office.

Greg Haifley has been named the new associate director of federal government relations for the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network. He previously worked with People for the American Way.

FIRM CHANGES

The Republican communications firm Adfero Group has announced its new homeland security public affairs practice, which will be headed up by Chris Battle, the firm's vice president since January. "Traditionally, homeland security [and] law enforcement organizations have kept a low profile when it comes to the public and the media," Battle told C&E. "But in the changing landscape, more and more of these organizations are realizing they have to be able to ask to play in this environment."

Before joining Adfero, Battle served as chief of staff for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement at the Department of Homeland Security. He also served as director of public affairs for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Democratic media consultants Tad Devine and Julian Mulvey are founding their own Washington, D.C. -based firm that will specialize in creating and producing television ads for Democratic candidates. Devine Mulvey is expected to open in the fall. Devine was previously a partner at Democratic media consulting group Shrum, Devine & Donilon. Mulvey previously ran the eponymous Julian Mulvey Group.

Greener &. Hook is joining Take '08 Events Unlimited, the company working to maximize the attendance at the 2008 Republican National Convention. The addition of Greener & Hook to Take '08 brings Republican consultants William Greener III, Michael Hook and Ed Brookover to the team. Greener was the 1996 convention manager for the Republican National Convention. Hook served as assistant convention manager at the same event. Brookover has overseen the national political operations at the Republican National Committee, the National Republican Congressional Committee and the National Republican Senatorial Committee.

David Waid left his position as chairman of the Arizona Democratic Party on Aug. 10 so that he can devote his full attention to Ziemba Waid Public Affairs, the firm he founded with partner Tom Ziemba. The Phoenix-based firm offers political consulting as well as government affairs strategies and advice on grass-roots and coalition building.

A new Republican media firm has been formed, with the intention of having just one client: former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney. Much like Maverick Media in 2004, Midnight Ride Media is comprised of veteran party media consultants who will work solely to get Romney's message out and on your TV. The firm includes Alex Castellanos of National Media, Larry McCarthy of McCarthy Marcus Hennings and Brian Todd and Curt Anderson of OnMessage Inc. Alex Gage, Romney's director of strategy, will manage the firm.

Young Voter Strategies has integrated with Rock The Vote to mobilize the youth vote. The melding of the two groups will combine Young Voter Strategies' "research and outreach with Rock The Vote's long history of work to build political power for young adults," according to a press release, which said that Rock The Vote will launch a campaign this fall to register two million young voters in 2008.

PARTY LINES

Hannah August has joined the communications team at the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. She previously worked in the office of Sen. Bob Menendez, D-NJ. August comes to the DSCC after Deputy Communications Director Deirdre Murphy left at the end of June.

Boulder to pay $10,000 to man arrested in skivvies

BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — The lawyer for a Colorado man who was arrested for addressing the Boulder City Council in his boxer shorts said the city has agreed to pay $10,000 to settle his civil rights claim.

Attorney David Lane said Seth Brigham accepted the deal Tuesday. In exchange for the payment, Brigham agreed not to file a lawsuit.

Brigham was handcuffed and arrested in February on suspicion of obstructing police and trespassing after he spoke to the council clad in his underwear. Brigham said he was trying to make a point about a proposal to criminalize nudity.

The charges were later dropped.

среда, 7 марта 2012 г.

Peres: Palestinian Govt Would Be 'Facade'

JERUSALEM - Israeli Vice Premier Shimon Peres said Wednesday that the national unity government that Palestinians are trying to establish would be nothing more than a "facade" because Hamas militants who would be represented aren't interested in peace.

The moderate Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas of the Fatah Party, declared last week that efforts to form such a government had broken down. Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas, the militantly anti-Israel group that now leads the Palestinian Cabinet, denied negotiations had reached a dead end.

Hamas would use such a government in an effort to restore international funding that dried up after it took power, Peres said.

"Hamas doesn't want peace, even if we give them '67 borders," Peres said, referring to Israel's border before it captured the West Bank, east Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip in the 1967 Mideast war. "Hamas wants to use Fatah as a facade to get money."

The talks between Abbas and Hamas foundered over the militant group's refusal to recognize Israel, renounce violence and accept existing peace deals.

Peres: Palestinian Govt Would Be 'Facade'

Hamas would use such a government in an effort to restore international funding that dried up after it took power, Peres said.

The talks between Abbas and Hamas foundered over the militant group's refusal to recognize Israel, renounce violence and accept existing peace deals.

Is Check 21 Set to Be A Blessing or a Curse?: Dangers abound. Just check out proposed tech vendors.

The check clearing for the 21st Century Act, also known as Check 21, is one of the most radical changes to hit the check processing industry in 40 years. On average, financial institutions handle a check 26 times, and returned checks are handled many more times. Through reduced document handling, industry pundits predict check truncation will save financial institutions $2 billion to $3 billion per year. Aside from the industry savings, why did Check 21 pass so quickly through Congress? The average Federal Reserve holdover is several hundred million dollars per day. In the days following September 11, flights and checks were grounded for several days and the Fed holdover was an estimated $47 billion.

The new law will eliminate much of the risk associated with moving billions of checks, such as transportation breakdowns, weather delays, fraud, theft and terrorism. The law is designed to improve the overall efficiency and insure stability of the U.S. payments system. Check 21 will facilitate check truncation by removing paper checks from the clearing and settlement process and by authorizing use of substitute checks.

The law is intended to streamline check collection and return processes. Check 21 insures that both the bank and customer or credit union and member will be in an equivalent legal position, whether or not he receives the original check. Check 21 will present banks and credit unions with a number of other benefits, including faster collection and return of checks; reduced return handling costs and time; branches and ATMs no longer tied geographically to processing centers or courier deadlines; extended deposit cutoff hours; more timely information to customers; reduced volume of paper checks; lower clearing fees; decreased item-processing passes and reduced need readers and sorters; operational savings in infrastructure, paper, storage and courier runs; reduced float for the depositor. Moreover, the law will encourage banks to implement on-line archives for faster check-image access and to expand branch hours because checks aren't tied to courier deadlines.

The law is designed to foster innovation in the check collection system without mandating the following receipt of checks in electronic form; significant operational changes; buying specific technical solutions; recreating operational processes; and agreements between presenting and receiving organizations.

While the law does not mandate certain functions and strategies on the surface, banks and credit unions are now faced with a number of serious choices. They can choose to do little and only accept Image Replacement Documents ven though this process may sound simple, it could prove very expensive.

The law raises many other questions. With declining check volumes, should banks and credit unions keep processing and archiving in-house or should they outsource to a service bureau? Should they pursue a partial outsource strategy and outsource capture while keeping the archive in-house? Should they outsource to a shared utility in the public sector, to the Federal Reserve or to a shared utility in the private sector?

Some vendors will be prepared for Check 21, while others will be well behind the technology curve. Performing the necessary due diligence on check imaging vendors and preparing operationally for Check 21 is imperative, because check truncation and electronic exchange will affect many back-office functions. These areas will be affected the most: branch, ATM and sorter capture; image and quality control; image archive; ECP send and receive; DTA or distributed traffic agent; image exchange balancing; image data correction; image exception processing; image incoming returns; image outgoing returns; transit bulk store; image research and adjustments; image statements; statement preparation; and image replacement documents.

With the advent of the Check Clearing Act, there is a great deal of uncertainty in the market and more financial institutions are strongly considering the outsourcing alternative. Some outsourcers are well positioned to take advantage of this opportunity. Many institutions will decide to outsource, due to questions over technology changes, reduced check volumes and staff reduction. However, there are solid reasons to process in-house as well. Some institutions choose in-house because of the economies of scale associated with high volumes, quality control and customer service..

After careful review, there may be some serious issues with Check 21. While there are a large number of benefits to the law, it does present a number of challenges to banks and credit unions, including:

* With declining check volumes, how will prime pass capture be affected?

* Should a bank purchase or lease a check-imaging sorter?

* How many readers and sorters will a bank need and what should be the speed of each?

* Is it more cost effective to outsource the check capture process, but keep the check image archive in-house?

* Will receiving image replacement documents be a cost-efficient strategy vs. archiving image documents?

* Which firm will print IRDs in a bank's geographic area and how well will it run on the bank's reader and sorter?

* What operational challenges will occur in the branches and back office when coordinating paper checks, coded data and image files?

* What in-house hardware, software and outsourcing companies are truly prepared for Check 21?

* Each check is roughly 26 KB in size: What will be the transmission cost of an electronic check?

* What direct presentment agreements will need to be struck between sending and receiving banks?

* How will the bank handle fraud, double posting and re-credit situations?

* Will a bank need to purchase ATM and branch image-capture devices?

Changes brought about by Check 21 will be a blessing to some banks and a curse to others. The law will reward some vendors with a lion's share of profits, while burying the "also ran" companies. It is essential that financial organizations perform due diligence on industry products and assess what a bank or credit union truly needs in terms of technology.

Greg Schratwieser is president and CEO of consulting firm ICI.

Is Check 21 Set to Be A Blessing or a Curse?: Dangers abound. Just check out proposed tech vendors.

The check clearing for the 21st Century Act, also known as Check 21, is one of the most radical changes to hit the check processing industry in 40 years. On average, financial institutions handle a check 26 times, and returned checks are handled many more times. Through reduced document handling, industry pundits predict check truncation will save financial institutions $2 billion to $3 billion per year. Aside from the industry savings, why did Check 21 pass so quickly through Congress? The average Federal Reserve holdover is several hundred million dollars per day. In the days following September 11, flights and checks were grounded for several days and the Fed holdover was an estimated $47 billion.

The new law will eliminate much of the risk associated with moving billions of checks, such as transportation breakdowns, weather delays, fraud, theft and terrorism. The law is designed to improve the overall efficiency and insure stability of the U.S. payments system. Check 21 will facilitate check truncation by removing paper checks from the clearing and settlement process and by authorizing use of substitute checks.

With the advent of the Check Clearing Act, there is a great deal of uncertainty in the market and more financial institutions are strongly considering the outsourcing alternative. Some outsourcers are well positioned to take advantage of this opportunity. Many institutions will decide to outsource, due to questions over technology changes, reduced check volumes and staff reduction. However, there are solid reasons to process in-house as well. Some institutions choose in-house because of the economies of scale associated with high volumes, quality control and customer service..