четверг, 15 марта 2012 г.
THE TICKER // WORLD
White House party will fete Jewish culture
In politics, as elsewhere, it's a sport that's almost as popular as people-watching: Guest-list watching.
And this week, it's the Jewish community in Washington and beyond that's buzzing over who'll be on the list when Barack and Michelle Obama host the first-ever White House reception marking Jewish Heritage Month.
The White House won't divulge the guest list for Thursday afternoon's event in the East Room. But those with knowledge of the list say it's an eclectic and interesting one _ and markedly different from past Jewish-themed events like the president's annual Hanukkah party.
Where that event brings established Jewish community leaders to …
среда, 14 марта 2012 г.
Elkview woman files suit in mall accident
An Elkview woman has filed a lawsuit against the city ofCharleston and Town Center Mall for a fall she suffered two years agowhile painting outside a restaurant on Court Street.
Sallie Engle, who was working for W.Q. Watters at the time, saidshe stepped off a curb onto a lower curb and fell, breaking bothlegs. Engle said the city …
This Protein Has an Affinity for Lead
BIOTECHNOLOGY
A new fluorescent sensor based on a protein from a bacterium that thrives in a brew of heavy toxic metals has revealed its potential as a lead detector. The protein could be used to develop more selective chelating agents for treating lead poisoning (Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2005, 44,pp. 2). "Current treatments also strip away beneficial metals, such as iron and zinc, which results in serious side effects," says biologist Daniel (Niels) van der Lelie, a scientist at Brookhaven National Laboratory (Upton, NY; www.bnl.gov).
Fellow researchers the Univ. of Chicago (IL; www.uchicago.edu) led by Chuan He demonstrated the affinity of the protein for lead using Ralstonia …
Wall Street's nervous about more bank rescues
Shares of Citigroup Inc. and other financial stocks soared Monday on a bet that a long line of government-funded financial bailouts could be nearing a close. But if the last few months have taught us anything, it's that new problems always seem to crop up.
New York-based Citigroup was widely known to have worse problems than many of its peers in the financial industry even as the government began doling out the first payments to it and seven other banks from the $700 billion relief program last month.
How much worse, though, is now a top question dogging investors. And until it's answered, it's not likely anyone will know if another major bank will need to …
Aliens in love: `Sweet Starfire' a world of fun and adventure
Cidra Rainforest is searching for the key that will make her atrue Harmonic. She hires Teague Severance, an intergalactic"mailman" with a Wolf background, to fly her to the planetRenaissance. Despite her ethereal background, Cidra is no …
Forward Ryan Smyth Signs With Avalanche
NEW YORK - "Captain Canada" Ryan Smyth has found a new home with the Colorado Avalanche.
Late in a frenzied first day of free-agent signing, Smyth - the last remaining topflight forward left the New York Islanders on Sunday night for a return trip to the Western Conference.
Islanders general manager Garth Snow, who made retaining Smyth his top priority, got the bad news that Smyth was leaving Long Island shortly before 11 p.m. EDT from the forward's agent, Don Meehan.
"It was obviously not what we wanted to hear, but I appreciated the call," Snow said. "Don said we were right in it for Ryan's services until the very end and it was one of the hardest decisions …
Mideast airlines reach for the sky
Arab sheikdoms eager for higher international profiles are ratcheting up their aviation race despite the global economic slump.
On Monday, the city-state Dubai plans to launch its second government-run airline _ the third major carrier this decade to spring from the United Arab Emirates, a country of less than a million citizens. The new low-cost airline will cater to budget travelers in a region better known for opulence than bargains.
Unlike their counterparts elsewhere, other Persian Gulf airlines vow to stick to plane delivery schedules, as their deep-pocketed patrons push ahead with ambitious airport expansions. The head of one Gulf carrier has even …
Tsongas' ideas show staying power
In the age of the 10-second sound bite, former Sen. Paul Tsongasdid something that few politicians are willing to do anymore. Hetalked sense to the American people.
In the tradition of the late Adlai E. Stevenson, he showed thatalso-rans can leave something richer than a legacy of power. In aseason of discontent, Tsongas offered hope.
In his campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination,Tsongas showed that ideas are still relevant to our political system.He wrote an 85-page book, A Call to Economic Arms, that outlined hisvision of America. He recommended capital gains reductions toencourage long-term investment; more corporate accountability;increased …
LA Zoo welcomes public to new elephant exhibit
LOS ANGELES (AP) — For a month, Billy, Tina and Jewel have been neighbors, getting acquainted at the new $42 million, 3.8-acre "Elephants of Asia" habitat at the Los Angeles Zoo.
Now they are going to get some company. After a night of music, dancing, food and visits from fans like Slash, Holly Robinson Peete, Pauley Parrette and others, the exhibit will open to the public on …
Report: No early vote in Ukraine this year
Ukraine's president said he would put off early parliamentary elections until next year, a newspaper reported Wednesday _ a move that would be a small victory for his bitter rival, Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko.
Yushchenko had initially called the vote for early December, but Tymoshenko's allies had bitterly fought to block preparations. Tymoshenko is at risk of losing her job in the vote.
"It is obvious that holding early elections around Christmas would be unwise," Yushchenko was quoted as telling the Polish daily Rzeczpospolita .
Yushchenko's office confirmed that he gave the interview, but …
French banks welcome Greek bailout
French banks said Wednesday they welcome the Greek bailout package financed by European countries and the International Monetary Fund.
The French Banking Federation said in a statement that leading French banks have pledged to French Finance Minister Christine Lagarde to stand by Greece, of whose debt French banks are believed to be large holders.
Greek government bonds were downgraded last week to junk status by Standard and Poor's, sparking concerns that holders of the debt including banks in western Europe would dump the assets, leading to an acceleration of the financial crisis that has gripped the country.
Earlier Wednesday French bank Societe Generale SA estimated its holdings of Greek government debt at euro3 billion (US$3.88 billion). The bank also owns a majority stake in Greek retail and commercial bank Geniki Bank.
Another French bank, Credit Agricole SA, owns the Greek bank Emporiki.
Separately Wednesday, an opinion poll showed that most French people support the financial bailout for Greece agreed between the other 15 eurozone countries and the International Monetary Fund.
In the Ifop poll for magazine La Lettre de l'opinion, 66 percent of respondants were in favor of France's financial aid for Greece, versus 34 percent who were opposed.
вторник, 13 марта 2012 г.
One last cool-weather stew employs the flavors of spring
In Chicago, springtime and warmth do not necessarily gotogether.
There's plenty of time to work in one last, hearty, braised dishbefore the days turn reliably warm.
Braised lamb with rhubarb, orange and mint is the perfecttransitional dish for chilly spring days.
Hardy rhubarb is one of the first plants to peek out of the soilin spring. And while everyone thinks of it as pie fruit, those wholove its distinctive, tart taste will enjoy eating it as a vegetable.If fresh rhubarb is not available, frozen, thawed rhubarb may besubstituted.
Even though it's now available year-round, lamb traditionallyhas been associated with spring. It's also associated with fat.But unlike some meats, lamb wears most of its fat on the outside.Trimmed, many lamb cuts are lean indeed.
The leanest lamb cut of them all is the shank - either theforeshank or the leg shank. Lamb shanks don't have a lot of meat onthem, but they have tons of flavor. As any chef knows, the secret isthe bone. Bone lends any stock or gravy an intense, wonderfullymeaty flavor.
Like all stews, this one improves with age. Make it the daybefore, leaving out the mint, then gently reheat with the mint.
If you can't find lamb shanks, veal shanks work fine in thisdish.
The braised lamb is a meal in itself. Serve it with bread, andmaybe a tossed salad. BRAISED LAMB WITH RHUBARB AND ORANGE
3 navel oranges 3 lamb shanks, about 1 pound each About1 tablespoon vegetable oil 2 teaspoons flour 1 to 2 clovesgarlic, peeled and sliced
2 cups fat-skimmed beef broth 3/4 pound fresh rhubarb 1bunch scallions 1 tablespoon sugar
1/3 cup finely chopped fresh mint Pepper to taste
4 cups cooked bulgur (cracked wheat); couscous or rice may besubstituted
Squeeze juice and grate peel from one of the oranges; setaside.
Trim as much fat as possible from shanks.
Lightly film bottom of dutch oven with oil; heat over mediumheat. Add lamb shanks and thoroughly brown on all sides. Removeshanks to a plate.
Pour off all fat from pan. Stir in flour, scraping up brownbits from bottom of pan. Stir in garlic, orange juice and peel, andbroth. Add lamb shanks back to pot. Cover and simmer over very lowheat for 1 to 1 1/4 hours, or until lamb is fork-tender. Remove lambshanks and set aside. When cool enough to handle, remove meat frombones and discard bones.
While lamb cooks, remove any tough strings from rhubarb and sliceinto 1/4-inch pieces. Slice scallions. Peel remaining 2 oranges,removing as much of white pith as possible, and separate intosections.
After lamb shanks are tender, add rhubarb, scallions and sugar toliquid in pot. Cook over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, untilrhubarb is tender but not mushy.
Cut lamb meat into bite-size pieces. Add back to pot along withorange segments and mint. Cook for a minute or two, just long enoughto heat through. Season with pepper.
Spoon lamb and vegetables over bulgur. Serves 4.
About 515 calories per serving: 54 percent carbohydrate, 17percent fat, 29 percent protein, 6 percent saturated fat; 15 gramsdietary fiber (with bulgur); 76 milligrams cholesterol; 642milligrams sodium (less if a no-salt-added beef broth is used).
Good source of thiamin (B-1), riboflavin (B-2), iron, magnesiumand potassium. Very good source of phosphorus and zinc. Excellentsource of niacin, vitamins B-12 and C, and copper.
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Mindful of soaring deficits and an anti-Wall Street mood, President Barack Obama wants a new 10-year tax on the country's largest banks to cover a projected $117 billion shortfall in the government's financial crisis bailout fund.
The president planned to propose Thursday a levy of 15 basis points, or 0.15 percent, on the liabilities of large financial institutions to make sure every dollar spent from the $700 billion Troubled Asset Relief Program to rescue Wall Street firms, auto companies and mortgage holders is either repaid or paid for. Congress would have to approve the tax.
A senior administration official said the tax, which officials are calling a "financial crisis responsibility fee," would apply only to financial companies with assets of more than $50 billion. Those firms _ estimated to amount to about 50 institutions _ would have to pay the fee even though many did not accept any taxpayer assistance and most others already paid back their government infusions.
The official said banks could pay for the tax by tapping their generous executive bonus pools. The administration official described the plan on the condition of anonymity because it had not been officially announced.
At issue is the net cost of TARP, the fund initiated by the Bush administration to help financial institutions get rid of toxic assets. The fund has since evolved, helping not only the banking sector, but also autos and homeowners.
Insurance conglomerate American International Group, the largest beneficiary with nearly $70 billion in bailouts, would have to pay the tax. But General Motors Co. and Chrysler Group LLC, whose $66 billion in government loans are not expected to be fully repaid, would not be subject to a tax.
Bankers did not hide their objections.
"Using tax policy to punish people is a bad idea," Jamie Dimon, chief executive of JPMorgan Chase & Co., told reporters even before details of the tax were known.
"It would be very hard for the industry to pay for the auto companies," Dimon added. "I mean, at one point you have to be a little fair."
The plan serves Obama in two ways _ it capitalizes on public antipathy toward banks blamed for causing the crisis, and it addresses a desire to show progress toward reducing record federal deficits.
The administration official said Obama wanted to accelerate a requirement in the existing TARP law that requires the president to seek a way to recoup unrecovered money in 2013, five years after the law was enacted.
The administration is also rejecting Dimon's argument that banks should not pay for shortfalls from the auto industry. The official said the thinking is that major financial institutions were both a significant cause of the crisis and major beneficiaries of the government's rescue efforts and should thus bear the brunt of the cost.
For banks, the official said, the tax would not affect their biggest liability _ insured deposits, which already are assessed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.
The bank levy would generate an estimated $90 billion over 10 years. It could remain in place longer, however, if needed to eliminate the shortfall. The official said that if the shortfall was eliminated within a decade, the tax would still remain in place for the full 10-year minimum.
Banks have been paying back their infusions. Any shortfall would probably come from money used to prop up AIG, to support GM and Chrysler through bankruptcy protection and to assist homeowners with their mortgages.
So far, the Treasury has given $247 billion to more than 700 banks. Of that, $162 billion has been repaid and banks have paid an additional $11 billion in interest and dividends.
In Congress, the idea was receiving a predictable partisan reaction, with Democrats embracing it and Republicans rejecting it.
"Look, the financial institutions collectively, particularly the larger ones, caused problems by their errors _ their errors of judgment, their irresponsibility, in some cases their skating around dishonesty," said House Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank, a Democrat.
"I think it is entirely reasonable to say that the industry that, A, caused these problems more than any other and, B, benefited from the activity, should be contributing," he said.
Republican Rep. Jeb Hensarling, a member of Frank's committee, ridiculed the idea. "To think that banks will loan more money if you tax them is beyond economic ignorance," he said.
Midwest happenings
ILLINOIS
- Labor Day weekend, go-karts rule the streets in downtown Rock Island. The Rock Island Grand Prix is billed as the largest and safest go-kart street race in the world. The free event attracted more than 30,000 last year. Event times are 8:30 a.m. to 6 p. m. that Saturday and Sunday; (309) 788-6311, rockislandgrandprix.com.
WISCONSIN
- Artists throughout the U.S. take to the streets of downtown Green Bay Aug. 28-30 to celebrate art at this free community event called Artstreet. A visual and performing arts festival, fine arts fair, ethnic foods, entertainment, strolling performers and children's activities make this a good family outing; (920) 435-5220, artseventsinc.com.
- Local and native Wisconsin food is the center of attraction at Eagle River Festival of Flavors, a culinary event held in the heart of Wisconsin's Northwoods. The event showcases local restaurants, food purveyors, culinary artisans and artists using natural products from within the area and throughout Wisconsin. Bring your appetite as plenty of food, cheese and wine tasting are on the menu Aug. 29-30; (800) 359-6315, eaglerivermainstreet.org.
Call or check Web sites ahead because details might change.
E-mail specifics about upcoming Midwest events to Travel Editor Lori Rackl at lrackl@suntimes.com.
Photo: Gran Prix in Rock Island ;
Jags' Taylor out 3-4 weeks
It was an achingly familiar pose for Fred Taylor-standing by hislocker, waiting to limp out of the stadium on crutches.
The Jaguars running back left Friday night's 16-13 victory overthe New York Giants after the second play with a strained ligament inhis left knee. Coach Tom Coughlin said he would miss three to fourweeks.
"I have nothing to say," Taylor said.
Coughlin said it appeared a Giants defender fell on Taylor's kneeafter he had gone down following a six-yard gain, his only run of thenight.
Thus, another disappointment for Taylor, the back with tons ofpotential who just can't seem to stay healthy.
ELLIOTT UNRETIRES: Jumbo Elliott, who retired earlier this yearafter 12 NFL seasons, has changed his mind.
Elliott, 35, retired from the New York Jets in March, thenunderwent back surgery. But he has applied to the NFL to bereinstated as an active player. He remains property of the Jets, whoare talking with Elliott about his returning as a backup tackle.
The 6-7, 305-pound Elliott also is facing a two-game suspension,which he will appeal on Wednesday. After Elliott pleaded guilty toharassment and disorderly conduct charges stemming from a July 1999bar fight, he was fined $250 and ordered to perform 50 hours ofcommunity service. NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue then suspendedElliott for two games.
Elliott played for the Jets the last four seasons at left tackleafter leaving the New York Giants as a free agent.
BRACKENS SIGNS TENDER OFFER: Told to sign or stay home, defensiveend Tony Brackens agreed to a one-year offer with the JacksonvilleJaguars.
But there remains plenty of tough negotiating ahead for a long-term contract.
Brackens accepted the $4.25 million to which he is entitled as adefensive end with the franchise label. However, the Jaguars gave himno guarantees that they would lift the franchise tag and no agreementto waive fines should he leave camp.
Their only concession-if you can call it one-was a promise tonegotiate in good faith.
The parties have 23 days to make a deal before the regular seasonstarts. By signing and reporting to camp, Brackens, who led the teamwith 12 sacks last season, now holds a card of his own.
"If there's no deal, he won't be here for the regular season,"said Brackens' agent, Michael George.
Fire crews close to containing fire near Yosemite
Firefighters said Saturday they were getting closer to containing a 53-square-mile (137-square-kilometer) wildfire that had destroyed more than 20 homes in the mountains outside Yosemite National Park.
The blaze was about 80 percent contained Saturday morning and all evacuation orders had been lifted.
Firefighters were focused on building fire lines on the blaze's north flank and said they didn't expect it to grow much more.
The fire had destroyed 21 homes, forced the evacuation of 350 other houses and spread a smoky haze over the national park since it was sparked by a target shooter last week.
California fire officials say wildfire have charred more acreage already this year than in any other year since the 1930s, when the state began compiling statistics.
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Fiorentina dealing for Brazilian forward Keirrison
Fiorentina has announced it is negotiating with Barcelona to acquire Brazilian forward Keirrison de Souza Carneiro.
In a note on its Web site Sunday, the Tuscan club said it has nearly concluded a two-year loan deal for Keirrison _ who has played on loan with Benfica this season _ pending medical tests Monday.
The deal would eventually allow Fiorentina to acquire Keirrison's full rights.
With Adrian Mutu facing a possible long-term doping ban, Fiorentina had attempted to lure Antonio Cassano from Sampdoria but that deal has apparently fallen apart.
Inkster's 'great ride' ends with whimper
Sunday's wrap-up of the Solheim Cup turned into a farewell for Juli Inkster. The U.S. veteran, 49, said this would be her last appearance as a player in the event.
''I'm not doing a Brett Favre,'' she said, ''but it's been a great ride. I just want to come out and watch. I'd love to be a captain some day.''
Inkster didn't exactly go out in style. She had a water ball and a crazy recovery shot from chest-high rough on the final pull en route to making a double bogey that enabled her European opponent, Gwladys Nocera to secure a halve in their match.
With an overall 15-10-6 record in eight Solheim Cups, Inkster was a stellar 6-1-1 in singles matches. Before her struggles on the last hole Inkster had rallied from 2-down with birdies at the 14th, 15th and 16th holes.
''That comeback was pretty darn gutsy,'' U.S. captain Beth Daniel said.
A WIE BIT
Daniel liked what she saw of Michelle Wie, one of her captain's picks.
''For anybody that's said Michelle Wie can't play under pressure, they were proven wrong,'' Daniel said. ''She did everything and more that we've asked of her. She was like walking on air. She was so pumped up I was worried about her maybe being too pumped up -- but it didn't seem to affect her.''
SECOND GUESSING
European captain Alison Nicholas took some heat for holding Laura Davies out of Saturday's matches while playing an apparently ailing Suzann Pettersen five times. Pettersen needed on-course treatment several times.
Nicholas said Pettersen was ''just a bit tight in her hip flexors ... nothing major.''
Davies, the only player to appear in all 11 Solheim Cups, was 0-1-1 in this one. Nicholas had said Davies ''was fine'' with sitting out three of the four four-ball and foursome matches, but Davies said otherwise.
''I didn't say she was fine about sitting out necessarily,'' Nicholas said. ''I miscommunicated that to you. She didn't say I'm fine about sitting out. Laura wants to play whenever she can.''
NEXT UP
With Chicago's first experience with the Solheim Cup now history, this focus on late-season tournaments shifts to the PGA Tour and the BMW Championship. The second event of the FedEx Cup playoff series returns to Cog Hill on Sept. 10 after being held at Bellerive in St. Louis last year.
The yearlong renovation of Cog Hill's Dubsdread course forced the move to St. Louis, and this year's BMW Championship will be the first major test for architect Rees Jones' renovation work.
PGA Tour officials weren't altogether pleased with the ''new'' Dubsdread after its opening in the spring. They ordered a major removal of sand in the bunkers after June's U.S. Open, and the sand depth is now 2 inches in the faces and sloping areas and 4 inches in the bottom parts.
Cog Hill owner Frank Jemsek has closed Dubsdread to public play today through Friday to facilitate more tournament preparations and play on Saturday and Sunday will be cart path only.
DOWN THE ROAD
The LPGA tour heads to Oregon this week for the $1.7 million Safeway Classic, a 54-hole event that tees off on Friday. Three of the Solheim Cup players decided last year's title in a playoff, with Cristie Kerr beating out Helen Alfredsson and Sophie Gustafson.
The next Solheim Cup, in 2011, will be held at Killeen Castle, a course in Ireland designed by Jack Nicklaus. It opened in April. The next Solheim in the U.S. will be at Colorado Golf Club in 2013.
Color Photo: Juli Inkster, 49, made a double bogey on her last hole that allowed Gwladys Nocera to halve their singles match on Sunday. ;
понедельник, 12 марта 2012 г.
Russia restricts jury trials for treason, terror
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has signed a bill ending jury trials on charges of terrorism and treason, a move critics say marks a retreat from democratic reform.
The law strips defendants of the right to a jury trial in cases involving treason, terror, armed revolt, sabotage and riots. Instead, defendants must face three judges.
The law's supporters say juries have acquitted many suspects despite strong incriminating evidence. Critics say the law marks the erosion of a key post-Soviet reform.
The Kremlin announced late Wednesday that Medvedev signed it.
Parliament has proposed expanding the legal definition of treason, a measure rights groups say reflects the Kremlin's growing fear the faltering economy will lead to civil unrest.
U.S.A.: "Dow XLA" awarded generic by FTC
Dow Fiber Solutions announced that the U.S. Federal Trade Commission has awarded the company's new elastic fiber, "DOW XLA", its own fiber subclass and generic name, "Lastol". The FTC approval underscores the innovative chemistry and unique properties of "DOW XLA", an olefinic-based fiber combining Dow's award-winning "INSITE" technology with a specially-modified, cross-linked polymer. "DOW XLA" fiber brings new levels of efficiency and comfort to the apparel industry, adding a low-to-moderate "comfort stretch" to natural, synthetic or blended fabrics without any special manufacturing conditions or consumer laundering instructions.
Currently, several premier European and U.S. mills have created fabrics with "DOW XLA", and brand owner and retailer adoptions are underway. "The key to adoption in the extremely competitive stretch fiber market is true product differentiation and mill endorsement," said Juan-Carlos Cuadrado, Global Business Director for DPS. "We have already proven that 'DOW XLA' offers significant processing efficiencies at the mill level. The FTC generic subclass designation of Lastol helps to validate that our stretch fiber offers unique chemistry and benefits that, we feel, the entire value chain can enjoy."
"DOW XLA" can withstand extreme heat of over 220(C and harsh chemical treatments at both the manufacturing and consumer level. For mills, this means consistent high-quality results when dyeing, bleaching, mercerizing and weaving stretch fibers with no special conditions or treatments required. These unique properties also allow consumers to follow the same care instructions as their 100% cotton, polyester or cotton/poly blended garments. "DOW XLA" is not affected by the high heat or chemicals typically used in household or industrial machine washing or drying, bleaching or dry cleaning. For brand owners and retailers, "DOW XLA" offers the ability to add soft stretch to even their high-end clothing lines, while maintaining the original feel of the fabric.
"Consumer acceptance of stretch apparel has gone beyond active wear to include broader categories such as men's and women's dress shirts, woven casual wear, and all types of denim - categories where a new ease-of-movement stretch is fresh and welcomed," said Cuadrado. "But while consumers enjoy that extra bit of ease and comfort that stretch brings to a garment, they may not want to be reminded that it's there. 'DOW XLA' virtually disappears into the base fabric without any synthetic feel - and our customers have commented very positively about that."
Iron-clad rockers Maiden reunites
Iron Maiden Queensryche,
Rob Halford
7 p.m. Friday
UIC Pavilion, 1040 W. Harrison
$34.50, $39.50
(312) 559-1212
LOS ANGELES Bruce Dickinson has no doubts that Iron Maiden isprepared to face a "Brave New World" head-on.
The album of that name, released May 30 on Portrait/Columbia, isthe first Iron Maiden studio set in eight years featuring Dickinsonon vocals. He rejoined the group last year, when the band releasedthe greatest hits/video-game package "Ed Hunter" and toured in frontof sold-out audiences.
But that tour was just "training" for "Brave New World," Dickinsonsays, a feeling he hopes will come across on the album.
"I think that this is genuinely the best-sounding Maiden albumthere's ever been," he says. "All respect due to 1983's `Piece OfMind,' my previous favorite record, but this is just one level ofbrutality beyond that."
Dickinson says that unlike other recently reunited groups thatseem satisfied to live off the past, Iron Maiden will build off of itinstead.
"We're not sad old farts getting back together to go and make afew bucks," he says. "That's sad and cheesy and not something I'minterested in."
While the album was being made in Paris, Dickinson says, Shirleysuggested the band record "completely live," a first in Iron Maiden'scareer. The band wrote the album's 10 tracks before the "Ed Hunter"tour and left them "not unfinished but unrehearsed" until it cametime to head into the studio.
Die-hard fans' enthusiasm caused the band to record the albumunder a cloak of secrecy, occasionally dropping bits of informationon its official Web site, ironmaiden.com.
"My copy of the album, I keep it somewhere safe," Dickinson says."I've heard people say that they would unquestionably steal it.People are nuts about this stuff, which is great."
The first song written for the album, the anthemic "The WickerMan," is also its first single.
"What I was trying to get on the lyrics was a feeling, just thisreal positive vibe," Dickinson says. "I wanted the same vibe I getwhen I stand onstage in front of all these people and they're allchanting and singing with you."
"The Wicker Man," with a galloping riff true to the classic IronMaiden sound, was co-written by Steve Harris, one of the group'sthree guitarists. Harris contributed to each of the album's cuts,including three collaborations with Dickinson.
The band didn't want to spend too much time on the road in 1999,preferring to capitalize on its momentum and head into the studio."We could have kept on touring till the cows came home, but we keptit deliberately short," says Dickinson, who left the band after1992's "Fear Of The Dark."
The American leg of the "Brave New World" tour, which comes to theUIC Pavilion Friday, follows a two-month stint in Europe.
The band will then head to Australia, New Zealand, Japan, andSouth America before beginning another American tour in October.
"If there was anybody out there who doubted we were serious aboutthis," Dickinson says, "think again."
Zvonareva tops Wozniacki 6-4, 6-3 in US Open semis
NEW YORK (AP) — Vera Zvonareva reached her second straight Grand Slam final, defeating top-seeded Caroline Wozniacki 6-4, 6-3 at the U.S. Open on Friday.
The 20-year-old Wozniacki had made her first major final at Flushing Meadows in 2009 and had been dominant in her run this year. She lost just 17 games in advancing to the semifinals, the fewest since Serena Williams dropped 14 in 2002.
But Zvonareva knocked her off rhythm with powerful serves and assertive play. The seventh-seeded Russian had five aces, and she won 70 percent of points on her first serve and 13 of 17 points at the net.
"I think I was patient and aggressive like I was in previous matches," Zvonareva said in an on-court interview.
Zvonareva will play for the title against the winner of Friday's second semifinal between past U.S. Open champions Venus Williams and Kim Clijsters.
Zvonareva rarely seemed flustered by Wozniacki's knack for returning virtually every shot — and by the strings that broke on three of her rackets.
"Had five newly strung rackets before the match," Zvonareva said. "In one hour, three of them gone. Don't think anything like this has happened to me before."
Wozniacki had an uncharacteristic 31 unforced errors, the wind again making for difficult play at Arthur Ashe Stadium. The Dane had been riding a 13-match winning streak and led the tour with 31 victories on hard courts this year.
"She was not missing a lot," Wozniacki said. "She was going for her shots. Most things were going in. You know, I had chances, and I made some mistakes today that I usually don't do."
Zvonareva, who turned 26 on Tuesday, had never been past the fourth round at the U.S. Open before this year. She lost to Serena Williams 6-3, 6-2 in her first Grand Slam final at Wimbledon in July.
After Wozniacki broke back to even the second set at 2-2, Zvonareva quickly won the first three points of the next game on Wozniacki's serve. She gave herself triple break point when she ran down a shot by Wozniacki that had bounced off the net tape, hitting the ball deep to set up a winning overhead.
After Zvonareva had to change rackets again, Wozniacki hit a forehand into the net to give the Russian a break she wouldn't relinquish.
Before this year's Wimbledon, Zvonareva had been to only one major semifinal in her career, at the 2009 Australian Open. Now she's made two straight finals. Zvonareva hasn't dropped a set the whole tournament.
ZERO LANDFILL IS NOT ZERO WASTE
THE Zero Waste movement is more than just a vision. It is a movement that is actually changing the world. To prove it, I recommend visiting GreenBiz.com and in the search box type "zero waste." You will be amazed, as I was, at the tsunami of business activities over the last couple of years related to the idea of totally eliminating waste from our manufacturing, distribution and collection systems. However, a new problem is now emerging, and that is the idea that landfills are the sole villain here when in fact burning mixed waste is just as bad or worse.
Not using the landfill has got to be good news, right? Yes and no. The good news is that managing our discards as a resource is finally getting attention at the highest levels in the business sector from executives who can impact a large volume of materials. The business leader's green impact comes from minimizing material purchase/ consumption, product design and decisions about discard management systems.
The bad news is that some CEOs are learning that "zero waste to landfills" is Zero Waste, and it isn't. The problem with having a singular focus on the landfill implies that making energy from waste by burning it is acceptable. Waste-to-Energy (WTE) is a disposal technology that destroys resources forever; it makes things "go away," and doesn't reduce waste or protect natural resources.
There are legitimate businesses making great strides toward Zero Waste, like Subaru with their 97 percent diversion. But companies that tout "Zero-Waste-to-landfiir and then burn half of their discards are greenwashing.
BURNING ISN'T ZERO WASTE
The pioneers of the Zero Waste movement in the U.S.-and I count myself as one of them-were very clear in the mid-90s that zero waste to landfill was not the same thing as Zero Waste. Zero Waste is about making the best choice with our natural resources - from extraction to production to consumption to disposal. It involves a constant evaluation about our materials' choices and a strong commitment to eliminating waste, not just treating it.
We were, and continue to be, very clear on our view that the current WTE technologies in the marketplace are actually a waste of energy, money and natural resources. For all the fancy talk about "conversion technologies" (including plasma, gasification and pyrolysis), the workhorse of the industry remains mass burn systems that make some of the dirtiest, most expensive electricity on the planet. WTE makes no sense environmentally, economically or socially: it has the most greenhouse gases (GHG) per fuel type, its emissions contain dangerous air pollutants, it's the most expensive form of electricity, and it fails to create a fraction of the jobs created by recycling and composting. And WTE produces only a fraction of the energy that can be saved through recycling. Table 1 (U.S. Energy Information Agency) and Figure 1 (USEPA) support that harsh assessment.
Not all companies have fallen prey to the zero waste to landfill message. Some businesses are embracing true Zero Waste as a guiding principle and doing great work. For example, Xerox has been redesigning products for years to reduce the number of parts so models can be more interchangeable. BMW has reduced the number of different types of plastics it uses so more of the car can be recycled more quickly. And Amazon. corn's frustration-free packaging program moves manufacturers from plastic clamshells and wire ties over to recyclable cardboard, saving resources and fostering better customer satisfaction.
Today the challenge we have in creating Zero Waste Communities is that it takes time - but not a lot of time, mind you. Fresno, California jumped from 29 percent to 71 percent in just six years, and many businesses are hitting 90 percent recovery targets well ahead of schedule. Eco-Cycle believes communities can transition to Zero Waste within 10 years, and has created a generic 10-year "bridge strategy" to do so. Our plan proposes definitive programs, policies and infrastructure. A ten-year timeline broken into three phases to implement them all is a reasonable average. In years 1 to 4, a community achieves 50 percent; in years 5 to 8, it achieves 70 percent. Years 9 and 10 are the final challenging push to 90 percent. The journey begins with voluntary participation and ends with mandatory source separation in every home, business and institution.
But even after we get to a 90 percent recovery rate, we may still have about 10 percent of nonrecyclable, noncompostable and nonreusable discards that will need to be treated. That's when we can talk about "Zero Waste and Bio-Energy." The cleanest and safest way forward on dealing with this "residue" is to follow the threestep German approach: sort out any remaining recyclables, "biostabilize" the residue in an anaerobic digester to capture the biogas and use it for energy, and landfill the remaining inert material in a dry tomb landfill. Even better would be to follow the Italian lead and sort out all the nonrecyclable items in the residue, identify who made and marketed them, and then pressure these companies to redesign for Zero Waste.
But what we need now is to draw a line in the sand between a true commitment to Zero Waste and those that might want to stop at just zero- wasteto-landfill. I applaud groups like the Green Manufacturers Network for creating a workshop about waste and companies like Subaru legitimately looking at how to better use and recover our limited natural resources. They are recognizing a planet in crisis and making smart business decisions to succeed in a world of declining resources and growing populations. But it is important that the message go out loud and clear that zero waste to landfill is NOT Zero Waste. The true goal of Zero Waste is not just zero waste to landfill or zero waste to energy, but redesigning our entire cycle of resource extraction, consumption and discard management so no resources are wasted at any point along the way.
[Author Affiliation]
Eric Lombardi is the Executive Director of Eco-Cycle, Inc. (www.ecocycle.org) and is recognized as an authority on the social and technical aspects of creating community -based "Zero Waste" resource recovery programs. Lombardi has experience internationally as a consultant and public speaker, and was invited to the Clinton White House in 1998 as one of the Top WO USA Recyclers. Erie is also a cofounder of the U.S. GrassRoots Recycling Network (www.grrn.org) and the Zero Waste International Alliance (www.zwia.org).
UN cultural body weighing Palestinian membership
PARIS (AP) — The U.N. cultural agency is weighing a request to admit Palestine as a full member, a highly divisive bid that's part of the Palestinians' broader push for greater international recognition.
U.S. lawmakers have threatened to withhold some $80 million in funding to UNESCO if it approves Palestinian membership.
U.S. officials oppose the Palestinian UNESCO request and say it could harm renewed efforts for Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.
Palestinian officials are seeking full membership in the United Nations, but because that effort is expected to take some time, they are separately trying to get membership at Paris-based UNESCO.
Delegates at the U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization are debating the request Monday and expected to vote on it later in the day.
среда, 7 марта 2012 г.
Homegoing: Les Brownlee, pioneer African American journalist
Les Brownlee, the first African American reporter for white-owned media in Chicago, died Monday at the age of 90.
He had been ill with congestive heart failure and cancer, spending his last three weeks in Evanston Hospital. Shortly before his death, he finished his autobiography, which is tentatively titled: "Les Brownlee, Autobiography of Pioneer Black Journalist and His 'Fairy-Tale Life.'" Marion Street Press in Oak Park will publish it.
Brownlee joined the Chicago Defender in 1948 after earning a bachelor's degree in journalism at Northwestern University where he later obtained his master's.
He wrote for Ebony while in college and Sepia magazine later as a …
Lawyers: Ex-French leader not fit to attend trial
PARIS (AP) — Former French President Jacques Chirac isn't well enough to attend his trial on corruption charges, but the proceedings should go ahead without him, his lawyers said Saturday.
Chirac's legal team told the court in a letter Friday that the 78-year-old "no longer has the full capacity to participate in court proceedings," according to a statement released a day later. As result, they have asked the judge to allow Chirac to skip court appearances.
The judge will likely rule on the request Monday, when the trial is set to open.
Chirac's wife denied rumors earlier this year that he had Alzheimer's disease, although she acknowledged his was experiencing problems …
понедельник, 5 марта 2012 г.
KORCHUN, HUGHES ELECTED AT CERTEGY.(Walter M. Korchun and Keith W. Hughes)(Brief Article)
Walter M. Korchun has been elected corporate vice president, general counsel and secretary at Certegy Inc., the Alpharetta, GA-based card processor. He is a former director of Mondex. Keith W. Hughes, a consultant to domestic and
international …
Pro-Tour's Killarney debut.(Motoring)
BYLINE: Lee McGeorge
Excitement is running high as Saturday's first ever national Pro-Tour meeting in the Cape, draws nearer
The Altech Unlimited Porsche Challenge in particular, is likely to provide enough tension to rival a session of Grand Theft Auto. Because despite its title, the category is not restricted to products bearing the name of the marque's founder and is also open to exotics like Ferrari, Lotus, Maserati and even Aston Martin.
So while Toby Venter, the country's acknowledged Porsche-kaiser, won the most recent round of the championship in his lightning fast 911 GT2R he is only two points ahead of Barry Nel in his Porsche 944 Turbo …
WATERVLIET POLICE OFFICER APPOINTED SERGEANT.(CAPITAL REGION)
WATERVLIET An 11-year veteran of the city police force was appointed sergeant Friday.
The promotion becomes effective today for Officer David J. Donlon, 34.
Donlon, a lifelong city resident, started his career with the Watervliet Police Department when he was appointed …
US track stars search for tuneups, not titles
The national championships are supposed to be the marquee event of the year for track and field, a sport always looking for a few more fans in the United States.
So, why do these national championships feel more like a preseason football game?
"My mother didn't understand why I was running one round, and she said she's not coming," said Tyson Gay, arguably the biggest track star in America these days.
Gay, who plans to skip the semis and finals of the 100 and bypass the 200 altogether, isn't the only one helping turn nationals into something less than what they could be.
Jeremy Wariner and Bernard Lagat _ maybe the next two …
CSI names Owens to Oklahoma sales staff
Computer Services Inc., Paducah, Ky., has added Patrick Owens as a sales executive, responsible for marketing its suite of …
воскресенье, 4 марта 2012 г.
Pharmos Starts Phase III Dexanabinol Study.(Pharmos Corp.)(Brief Article)
Pharmos Corp. initiated a pivotal Phase III study in Europe with dexanabinol for the treatment of traumatic brain injury, a study designed to support a new drug application to the FDA. "We feel one study will be sufficient if the protocol meets the requirements," said Gad Riesenfeld, president and chief operating officer of Pharmos. "The study will start in Europe and will take place …
Research on dairy science & technology reported by scientists at Hebrew University.(Report)
According to recent research from Rehovot, Israel, "The ability of leptin to up-regulate prolactin action in the mammary gland is well established. We examined the effect of leptin and prolactin on traits associated with lactation."
"Leptin and prolactin enhanced proliferation (thymidine incorporation) of the mammary gland cells, elevated the cells' proliferation in a dose-responsive manner, and synergized to elevate the expression of amino acid metabolism via a 90% increase in aminopeptidase N expression. Leptin and prolactin decreased apoptosis (decreased caspase-3 expression by 60%) in the same manner. Leptin enhanced the effect of prolactin on all of these …
ACADEMY FOR LEARNING BROCHURES AVAILABLE.(CAPITAL REGION)
SARATOGA SPRINGS -- Program brochures for the fall study groups of the Academy for Learning in Retirement at Saratoga Springs are available.
Sponsored by Empire State College, the academy offers 16 noncredit academic study groups in literature, writing, health, music, drama, art, science, and conversational French and Italian as well as a series of educational all-day trips to regional art and historic sites.
The fall term runs from Sept. 13 through Nov. 8. For more information or to receive the fall brochure and application, visit the academy's Web site http:www.esc.edu/alr or call 587-2100 Ext. 415.
EQUINE ART EXHIBIT OPENING AT GALLERY
…
VOTERS OK VOORHEESVILLE SCHOOL BUDGET.(Local)
Voters in the Voorheesville Central School District accepted a $10.8 million budget Wednesday night, after operating on a contingency spending plan during the 1991-92 school year.
Voters also installed Erica M. Sufrin to a five-year term on the seven-member school board. The opening was created by the departure of Judith Sherer. Sufrin received 360 votes to her opponent, Robert Boyle's, 327. The school budget passed by a vote of 534 to 280.
Sufrin, 48, of Westview Road is a clinical psychologist who has two childen in the district. She serves on the middle school advisory committee, was a member of the budget committee in 1991, and helped found the science …
2 Chicago-area men sentenced in Ohio soldier plot
Two cousins from the Chicago area who admitted they wanted to kill American soldiers in Iraq as part of a plot centered in Ohio were sentenced to prison terms of several years Monday.
Both men apologized in federal court, saying they became misguided after the U.S.-led invasion overseas.
"I was caught up with the fervor of world events," said Zubair Ahmed. "At that time, I was looking at U.S. troops as my enemy."
U.S. District Judge James Carr sentenced Ahmed, of suburban North Chicago, to 10 years, and his cousin, Khaleel Ahmed, of Chicago, to eight years, four months.
Both pleaded guilty in January 2009 to conspiracy …
UN council to take up Palestinian bid Wednesday
UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The U.N. Security Council will meet Wednesday to start the process of formally considering the Palestinian request for membership in the world body, the council president said Monday.
Lebanese Ambassador Nawaf Salam, who holds this month's rotating presidency, made a brief appearance before reporters Monday and issued a statement in English and Arabic. He said the council had met Monday afternoon and decided to take up a decision on referring the issue for further consideration in two days. That will consist of forming a committee to study the Palestinian submission.
The United States has said it would use its Security Council veto to block Palestinian …
Techniques for Building Volume: Broker co-sponsors Frost-Abraham Super Summit.
A top producer in the mortgage industry is teaming up with one of the top sales gurus in the nation to reveal how to increase volume in a three-day marketing seminar targeted at originators.
The session will take place at the Rio Hotel in Las Vegas May 21 through May 23 as consistent top-10 originator Greg Frost and Jay Abraham will host the first Mortgage Masters University Super Summit. Among the sponsors for the conference is Broker magazine (for information, call 800-635-6298).
Mr. Abraham started out in the business world at age 18. "I didn't get any jobs with anybody who would give me a salary. Almost every job I have ever had has been performance-oriented," he said, "where you don't earn …
VW wants southeast Asian car plant; German carmaker will send team to scout sites in the autumn, sources say.(News)
Byline: Bettina Mayer
Volkswagen will send a team to Southeast Asia in the next few months to look for production bases in the region.
VW wants local production to help it boost sales in the region, where it predicts new-car sales will rise to 3 million by 2018 from 1.7 million last year.
"We have an eye on this market," Volkswagen group production head Jochem Heizmann told Automotive News Europe here. "We have to research which of our products could fit in which markets and how many rivals we will be up against."
Heizmann said Southeast Asian markets are highly varied, with Thailand, for example, being a strong market for pickups.
…
суббота, 3 марта 2012 г.
SENTENCING DELAYED IN TOYLOY SLAYING CASE.(CAPITAL REGION)
Byline: CAROL DeMARE Staff writer
The sentencing of a city man convicted in the murder two years ago of Sheryl Denise Toyloy in her GE Realty Plot home was adjourned Thursday.
The judge put the matter of Rashad ``Mack'' Scott, 20, off until May 13 to give court-assigned defense attorney Lee Greenstein time to research the law regarding consecutive sentencing, and to file a brief in answer to the prosecutor's brief.
Scott was convicted by a jury on March 24 of second-degree murder, first-degree manslaughter, robbery, burglary, assault and conspiracy in the March 12, 1997 suffocation of Toyloy, 29, and the beating of her boyfriend, Richard Vale, 54, …
Investors forcing changes in auto structure: Swap curve steepness drives move to EDSF...(EuroDollar Spot Forward)
A market anomaly in underlying benchmark yield curve dynamics has caused two-year auto paper - historically the most difficult sell in the capital structure - to be shortened slightly and indexed off EDSF rather than interbank swaps. The investor community has demanded this structural change in reaction to current secondary-market quoting methods.
The most recent transaction to experience this phenomenon was last week's $1 billion series 2003-5 deal from American Honda Finance, which saw its A3 notes structured to a 1.95-year average life. It was the second time this year Honda has used the structure, following its Oct. 23, 2003-4 offering. Since the start of …
Democrats to Stress Environmental Issues
WASHINGTON - Three Democratic senators poised to head committees grappling with global warming pressed President Bush on Wednesday for mandatory U.S. limits on greenhouse gases.
In a letter to Bush, Sens. Barbara Boxer of California, Jeff Bingaman of New Mexico and Joe Lieberman of Connecticut said voters in the election last week demanded that the government reduce the nation's heat-trapping greenhouse gases that are contributing to the Earth's warming.
"The recent elections have signaled a need to change direction in many areas, including global warming," the senators wrote.
Boxer, Bingaman and Lieberman will, respectively, head the Senate's environment, energy …
Kyrgyz Parliament adopts resolution to hold week of interethnic consent when screening of films about June conflict is prohibited.
The Parliament of Kyrgyzstan today adopted a resolution to hold the week of inter-ethnic consent from June 10 to 16, 2011. During this week all government agencies and public organizations must make arrangements to call people to peace and harmony, said Speaker Ahmatbek Keldibekov. Also, it is forbidden to show videos and other materials on the June conflict during this week. Ata-Jurt parliamentarian …
KING TO PAY MILLIONS.(SPORTS)
Byline: Combined wire services
NEW YORK -- Promoter Don King agreed to pay former champion Terry Norris $7.5 million Wednesday, just as a jury was debating the boxer's claim that King stole money from him, Norris' attorney said.
King agreed to pay $3 million by next week and the remainder within 15 months, attorney Judd Burstein said.
``I think this is the beginning of the end for Don King,'' Burstein said. ``A lot of people now realize he can be held accountable for what he's done.''
Burstein said King agreed to settle when jurors came back and asked the judge for a calculator and a magnifying glass. King could not be reached for comment. …
Technology News.
Online Collections Debuts
KENNESAW, Ga.-MicroBilt Corp., a provider of credit bureau reporting, has released Online Collection Service at www.creditcommander.com. The site now offers both credit and collection services. "The online collections service is yet another tool for decreasing costs, increasing available time to develop new business and improve risk management," the company said. "Whether the customer has one account that needs collection or thousands, they can begin the process immediately, shortening the collection cycle with greater chances of full payment. "
According to MicroBilt,CreditCommander.com customers have the option of entering …
UAMS Medical Center, for the seventh time, has been ranked among the top hospitals in the United States by the editors of U.S. News and World Report magazine. (Business Briefs).(University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Medical Center)(Brief Article)
UAMS Medical Center, for the seventh time, has been ranked among the top hospitals in the United States by the editors of U.S. News and World Report magazine. Two programs were cited: the cancer …
WITH BROADWAY ROLE, PETULA CLARK IS WHERE ALL THE LIGHTS ARE BRIGHT.(ACCENT)
Byline: PATRICIA O'HAIRE - New York Daily News
"No, there were no show business types in my family when I was growing up," says Petula Clark, who began her show business career more than 50 years ago as a child star in England. "But my father always wanted to be an actor. He looked like Errol Flynn, had the same kind of mustache, and once was bitten on the leg by an Errol Flynn fan.
"Yes, bitten. And he treasured that scar for the longest time," she says, laughing.
Petula Clark is in New York to take over a major role this week in "Blood Brothers," the British musical at the Music Box. She's to play the mother of twin boys, an impoverished woman …
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