MIAMI (AP) — The Miami Heat have made a qualifying offer to point guard Mario Chalmers, which means the team would have the option of matching any contract presented to him in free agency.
Chalmers has said he wants to remain with the Heat.
In three seasons with Miami, Chalmers has averaged 7.9 …
MANILA, Philippines (AP) — China protested a planned trip by five Filipino lawmakers to a Philippine-occupied island in the South China Sea's disputed Spratlys, saying Tuesday it would do nothing but undermine regional stability and "sabotage" bilateral ties.
Chinese Embassy spokesman Ethan Sun said China would relay its "great concern" to the Philippine government over the plan by five House of Representatives members led by Rep. Walden Bello to fly Wednesday to what Manila calls Pag-asa Island, which has been occupied by Filipino troops and a small civilian community.
Pag-asa lies in the South China Sea about 300 miles (480 kilometers) west of the western Philippine province …
FEAR OF FIGHTING by Stacey May Fowles, illustrations by Marlena Zuber, 232 pgs., Invisible Publishing, 2518 Maynard St, Halifax, NS, B3K 3V5, $19.95
Like Be Good, Stacey May Fowles' s first novel, Fear of Fighting is light on plot but very deep in characterization. Fowles' s greatest talents lie in creating characters that are smart but flawed, painfully self-aware but with enough ironic distance to stay compelling and sympathetic. Fear of Fighting takes on the theme of solitude and loneliness (not the same thing), and the sort of self-destructive madness that can result from them. The protagonist, Mamie, is sad and alone …
Piers Morgan is hired. The former British tabloid editor was crowned the winner on NBC's "The Celebrity Apprentice," triumphing over Trace Adkins.
The final task on Thursday's finale was to hold a charity event. Adkins was in charge of taking care of the talent, The Backstreet Boys, who demanded wheatgrass juice backstage. Morgan was responsible for the auction and food.
Adkins sold more tickets, but Morgan _ who has been a judge on NBC's "America's Got Talent" _ raised the most money, earning an additional $250,000 prize for his charity.
"Apprentice" host Donald Trump said Morgan "did an amazing job" and …
A new national daily paper hit Portuguese newsstands Thursday, defying a downward trend in newspaper sales that has brought layoffs and cutbacks.
The paper, called "i," has identified an opening in the market for middle- and upper-middle-class readers, according to its editor Martim Avillez Figueiredo.
He wrote in the launch edition's editorial that the paper "wants to restore the aggressiveness that daily papers have lost, the depth that weeklies have neglected and the sophistication that magazines aim for."
It is also focussing heavily on its online news service.
Amid a general economic downturn, newspaper …
BROOKLYN PARK, Minn. Kris Tschetter's eagle on the 12th holeSunday enabled her to overcome a round of 1-over-par 73 and liftedher to the title at the LPGA Northgate Classic.
The victory was the first in five seasons on the tour forTschetter, who finished with a …
ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greece resumed talks with its international debt inspectors Tuesday, facing a race against the clock to avoid becoming the first country that uses the euro to default on its debts and potentially trigger a chain reaction that could ultimately destroy the European single currency itself.
The debt inspectors — whose mission chiefs are expected in Athens Friday after technical teams lay the groundwork — face a massive task. They have to once again find more ways to cut spending and raise revenue in a country that is increasingly seen as immune to fundamental reforms.
Apart from identifying financial shortfalls produced since their last visit in December, …
New claims for unemployment insurance fell more than expected last week, evidence the U.S. job market is slowly healing as the economy recovers.
Still, many private economists and Federal Reserve officials worry the United States could be in for a "jobless recovery" as the unemployment rate rises despite some overall economic growth.
The Labor Department said Thursday that first-time claims for jobless benefits dropped to a seasonally adjusted 502,000 from an upwardly revised 514,000 the previous week. That's the fewest claims since the week ending Jan. 3, and below economists' estimates.
The four-week average, which smooths …
Jerry Bailey got a second consecutive victory in the $4 millionDubai World Cup on Thursday aboard Singspiel, a 5-year-old horse whois Irish-bred, British-trained and Dubai-owned.
Bailey, who rode Cigar to victory in the inaugural World Cuplast year on Nad Al Sheba's sand-based track, and Singspiel beatfavored Siphon by 1 1/4 lengths, with …
WASHINGTON (AP) — Black lawmakers accused Republicans on Tuesday of trying to "manufacture tension" between African-Americans and immigrants as Republican members of the House of Representatives argued in a hearing that more minorities would be working were it not for illegal immigration.
Democratic Rep. Emanuel Cleaver II chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, criticized the hearing's premise in a statement. Several other Democratic lawmakers echoed that argument, saying Republicans were ignoring their lack of support for job training, affirmative action, college financial aid and other programs more critical to employment of minorities.
"I am concerned by the majority's …
Turkey's foreign minister says his country will remain engaged in diplomatic efforts to resolve an international dispute over Iran's nuclear program.
Ahmet Davutoglu says Turkey wants to facilitate a peaceful end to the standoff.
The United States and its allies warn Tehran's program is geared toward making nuclear weapons. Iran insists its activities are for peaceful …
House Democrats are looking to increase lending by small banks as a way to resuscitate their election-year jobs agenda.
A bill creating a $30 billion fund for community banks to increase lending to small businesses is up for a possible vote in the House on Thursday.
Congressional Democrats started the year with an aggressive agenda of passing a series of bills designed to create jobs. Many of the proposals stalled as lawmakers, after hearing from angry voters, became wary of adding to the national debt.
On Wednesday, the Senate rejected a $140 billion bill that would renew pieces of last year's economic stimulus bill.
Governors complain that without additional aid, hundreds of thousands of public employees will be laid off.
PRAGUE, Czech Republic - President Bush's European trip was jarred as it began Monday by deteriorating relations with Russia and threatening words from President Vladimir Putin.
Bush and Putin will see each other at the annual summit of industrialized nations, beginning Wednesday at the Baltic Sea resort city of Heiligendamm, Germany. In a diplomatic poke in the eye at Putin, Bush bracketed the summit with stops in the Czech Republic and Poland - the two countries where the United States wants to build a missile defense system for Europe.
Already complaining of being encircled by NATO's expansion, Putin said putting missile defenses on Russia's doorstep would ignite a new arms race. He threatened to retarget Russia's missiles toward Europe.
Bush says the anti-missile program is intended to protect Europe from states like Iran and North Korea, but Putin said neither country possesses the rockets the American system is intended to shoot down.
"It's a defense against something which does not exist," the Russian president said. "It would be funny if it was not so sad."
Flying to Europe with Bush, National Security Adviser Steve Hadley reacted cautiously to Putin. "There has been some escalation in the rhetoric," he said. "We think that is not helpful. We would like to have a constructive dialogue with Russia on this issue. We have in the past."
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice urged Putin to cool down.
"This isn't the Soviet Union and we need to drop the rhetoric that sounds like what the United States and the Soviet Union used to say about each other and realize it is the United States and Russia in a very different period," Rice said on the way to an Organization of American States meeting in Panama City, Panama.
"It doesn't really help anybody to start threatening the Europeans," she said. "You cannot launch a threat at Europe that is separable from the United States."
Bush and his wife, Laura, arrived late Monday evening. In his only address of an eight-day trip through six countries, Bush will make a speech on Tuesday about supporting global democratic aspirations. Hadley said Russia, accused of backpedaling on democracy, would come up in that speech because "there are no exceptions to the freedom agenda."
"So obviously when we look for the progress of freedom and democracy we look for the progress of freedom and democracy in Russia and China," Hadley said.
Putin's sharp words at Washington - and Britain, as well - set an unusually chilly tone for the three-day summit in Heiligendamm. Leaders of the eight participating countries - the United States, Britain, Russia, France, Germany, Italy, Canada and Japan - typically mask their differences in statements that have been watered down to find consensus.
"The most interesting issue on the agenda, to me, is Russia and how the other seven will handle Mr. Putin, who is really the elephant in the room," said Simon Serfaty, a senior adviser to the Europe program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
Aside from his sharp words at Washington, Putin also took a slap at Britain for seeking the extradition of a Russian businessman who is a suspect in the killing of former KGB agent Alexander Litvinenko. Putin called London's move "stupidity." German Chancellor Angela Merkel also had a run-in with Putin last month, criticizing Russia's crackdown on political opponents.
In interviews before the trip, Bush called Putin "my friend" but said the U.S.-Russian relationship was complicated.
"Vladimir Putin will tell me that Russia is a democracy and that he's advancing democracy," Bush said. "We have got some questions about that, of course."
There is a growing list of irritants in the U.S.-Russian relationship. Russia is unhappy about a U.S.-backed bid for independence for Kosovo. The United States wants Putin to do more to press Iran to abandon its suspected nuclear weapons program.
Seeking a better footing in the relationship, Putin has accepted Bush's invitation for a July 1-2 meeting at his family's compound in Kennebunkport, Maine.
Bush was expected to face pressure in Heiligendamm over what is widely perceived as U.S. footdragging in combatting global warming. But the president tried to pre-empt critics with his proposal last week challenging major polluting countries to agree on a target for reducing greenhouse gases.
Still, Bush's proposal to let each country decide how much to do leaves a gap between Washington on one side and Merkel and the European Union on the other. Merkel had hoped that concrete goals to reduce emissions would be a centerpiece of her leadership of the G-8.
Hadley gave Merkel a diplomatic nudge to support Bush's stand.
"It's not about upstaging Angela Merkel. Quite the contrary," Hadley said. "It is not an alternative to anybody's plan, but it is an effort to identify a way forward and, quite frankly, it's an opportunity for Angela Merkel to preside over a very successful G-8."
Along with his stops in Prague, Poland and Heiligendamm, Bush will visit Italy, Albania and Bulgaria.
A coalition of consumer groups and legal scholars on Thursday formally asked the Federal Communications Commission to stop Comcast Corp. from interfering with its subscribers' file sharing.
Two of the groups are also asking the FCC to fine Comcast $195,000 for every affected subscriber.
The petitions will be the first real test of the FCC's stance on "Net Neutrality," the long-standing principle that Internet traffic be treated equally by carriers. The agency has a policy supporting the concept but its position hasn't been tested in a real-world case.
Last month, The Associated Press reported that Comcast hindered file sharing by subscribers who used BitTorrent, a popular file-sharing program. The AP's tests confirmed claims by users who also noticed interference with some file-sharing applications.
Comcast is the country's largest cable company and has 12.9 million Internet subscribers, making it the second-largest Internet service provider.
Comcast denies that it blocks file sharing, but acknowledged last week that it was "delaying" some of the traffic between computers that share files.
In practice, the company blocks requests from users who are trying to retrieve files from a Comcast subscriber's computer for a period of time. But it eventually lets the requests through if they are repeated.
In one AP test, a request went through after 10 minutes of trying. The technology does not directly affect downloads of BitTorrent files by Comcast subscribers, only uploads.
Comcast has said the interference is intended to improve the Internet experience for all its subscribers, noting that a relatively small number of file sharers is enough to slow down its network.
In response to the filings, David Cohen, an executive vice president at Comcast, said that the FCC's policies recognize that ISPs need to manage the traffic on their networks.
But if other ISPs follow in Comcast's footsteps, file sharing would essentially crawl to a halt. While the technology is a popular way to illegally share copyright movies and music, legal uses are proliferating, particularly in movie distribution.
"They're blocking an innovative application that could be a competitor to cable TV," said Marvin Ammori, general counsel at Free Press, one of the advocacy groups behind the petition to the FCC.
The petition asks the commission to immediately declare that Comcast is violating the FCC's policy. The co-signers are Consumer Federation of America; Consumers Union, the publisher of Consumer Reports; Media Access Project; Public Knowledge; and professors at the Internet practices of the Yale, Harvard and Stanford law schools.
Free Press and Public Knowledge are separately filing a formal complaint that asks the FCC to demand a "forfeiture" from Comcast of $195,000 per affected subscriber.
The number is based on the statutory maximum of $97,500 for a single continuing violation, doubled by what the groups see as deception on the company's part. Comcast kept its practice secret until publicized by the AP, saying that it couldn't divulge the inner workings of its network for security reasons.
Its filtering technique also involves the company forging network messages so that they appear to come from subscriber and non-subscriber computers.
The complaint includes affidavits from three Comcast subscribers who say they have been affected by Comcast's interference. The complaint asks the FCC to determine the total number of affected subscribers.
It's not clear how quickly the FCC would act on the filings.
"The FCC should be aggressively reviewing these cases because they go to ensuring the freedom and openness of the Internet which is so vital to our communications future and to our civic dialogue," FCC Commissioner Michael Copps said in a statement.
Comcast's Cohen noted that the FCC's policy statement, which says that consumers are allowed to run the Internet applications of their choice, makes that "subject to reasonable network management" by ISPs.
"If Comcast is right _ that what it's doing meets the policy statement _ then anyone can start blocking BitTorrent tomorrow," Ammori said.
A ruling against Comcast could cause problems for other Internet service providers. Many of them acknowledge managing traffic to improve flow, which likely includes slowing down file-sharing traffic by means less drastic than Comcast's.
The Net Neutrality debate erupted in 2005, when the FCC abolished the obligation of providers of Internet service via digital subscriber lines, or DSL, to carry all traffic nondiscriminately (that obligation had been abolished for cable broadband in 2002). The obligation was replaced with the policy statement.
Phone companies started suggesting that they would like to be able to charge large Web companies more for guaranteed delivery of their traffic as a way to finance the build-out of their networks.
Web anchors like Google Inc. and Amazon Inc., joined by consumer groups, opposed the notion, saying it would make Internet service providers the toll keepers of the Internet and enable them to stifle competition and innovation.
The debate was stilled when AT&T Inc. and Verizon Communications Inc. agreed to shelve their plans temporarily to get their respective plans to acquire BellSouth and MCI approved by the FCC.
Ammori said it appeared that the "nightmare scenario" portrayed by Net Neutrality proponents like his own group, Free Press, had been averted.
"Then suddenly, out of nowhere, Comcast is doing exactly what we most feared ... secretly degrading an application," Ammori said. "We didn't expect the first violation to be so blatant."
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On the Net:
WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House says it is condemning "in the strongest possible terms" Friday's attacks in Pakistan that left dozens dead."
White House press secretary Robert Gibbs says in a statement that the timing of the violence makes the attacks "even more reprehensible," coming during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan and as Pakistan recovers from devastating floods.
The Pakistani Taliban has taken responsibility for a blast on a Shiite procession in southwest Pakistan that killed 43 people. Hours earlier, at least one person died and several others were wounded in a suicide attack on a mosque belonging to a minority sect.
The Bears surprised some people_and disappointed some of theirfans_by waiting until the sixth round of the draft to take a runningback. But they like what they got in Kansas State's Frank Murphy.
"He might prove me wrong, but he might have been one of the mostunderrated backs in the whole draft," vice president of playerpersonnel Mark Hatley said Saturday.
It's hard to make judgments in minicamp, but the 6-foot, 206-pound Murphy already has made an impression.
"You just notice (him)," offensive coordinator Gary Crowton said."Just sitting there, (you're like), `Wow. Who's that?'
"My preliminary thought on him is that he's what we thought hewas. He has quickness and the ability to make people miss. He's gotvery good hands. He's fast. What we have to see is how fast he learnsthe offense. Can he protect the quarterback? It's hard to have a guyback there who can only do certain things without being able toprotect."
If Murphy makes the team, Hatley won't have to hear about how hepassed up running backs early in the draft.
"It would have been interesting if (Virginia's Thomas) Jones wasthere at the ninth pick," Hatley said. "We probably would have donethat. In the second and third rounds, there wasn't a running back wefelt we should take."
PERRY IN? Free-agent guard Todd Perry might re-sign with the Bearsthis week, director of business operations Jim Miller said.
"I think we'll get something done," said Miller, who spoke withPerry's agent, Howard Busch, on Friday.
Rex Tucker and Jerry Wisne have replaced Perry in minicamp, butthe Bears would prefer for Perry to start, Tucker to back him up andWisne to stay at tackle.
THE LITTLE GUY: The fastest player on the Bears is 5-6, 164-poundwide receiver Corey Bridges, a free agent who ran the 40-yard dash infaster than 4.3 seconds at a workout in South Carolina before thedraft.
Bridges played for the Minnesota Vikings in 1998, then went to theCleveland Browns in the expansion draft last year before being cut.
"He was like a bullet coming down there," Hatley said of Bridges'workout. "There was no doubt he was a world-class sprinter. He'ssmall, but there's a place for him in our offense. He can give yousome big plays."
OUCH: Wide receiver Eddie Kennison sat out the afternoon practicewith sore hamstrings.
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (AP) — Opener Lendl Simmons hit a stroke-filled 76 off 70 balls Monday to lift West Indies to a one-run victory over Pakistan in a rain-hit fourth cricket one-day international at Kensington Oval.
The West Indies were set a revised target of 223 off 39 overs after showers during the interval, and were 154-4 off 29.5 overs when more bad weather ended the match.
At that stage, the hosts were ahead by one run on the Duckworth/Lewis system, ensuring they avoided a sweep in the five-match series which Pakistan now leads 3-1.
The victory was West Indies' first over a top-seven nation since June 2009.
"We needed that. It's been a while since we hadn't won against a higher ranked opposition and to do that, the guys will take the positives," West Indies captain Darren Sammy said. "We created an opportunity today and it was good to see the guys pulling us through in the end."
Simmons struck four fours and three sixes to anchor the chase along with Ramnaresh Sarwan (28) and Darren Bravo (21).
Dwayne Bravo struck a crucial six off Pakistan skipper Shahid Afridi to push West Indies ahead of the required total just before the rain had the final say.
Left-arm seamer Junaid Khan led the visitors' bowling with 2-26.
Earlier, Mohammad Hafeez struck his second one-day century to form the backbone of Pakistan's challenging 248-9 off 50 overs. The 30-year-old all-rounder lashed seven fours and three sixes in a career-best 121 off 138 deliveries. He shared a brilliant second wicket stand of 153 with fellow right-hander Asad Shafiq, who contributed 71.
Shafiq cracked four fours off 102 balls.
But the innings subsided after that solid platform as the hosts fought back.
Legspinner Devendra Bishoo claimed 3-37 off 10 overs, while there were two wickets apiece for seamers Dwayne Bravo (2-60) and Kemar Roach (2-67).
"We thought we would score about 270-275 but I think we really missed that chance," Afridi said. "We're disappointed because we missed an opportunity to score a higher score."
West Indies won the toss and got a good start when Roach claimed Ahmed Shehzad at 15-1. Shehzad top-edged a hook and Bravo took a brilliant catch running back 15 yards from square leg.
But Hafeez and the 25-year-old Shafiq laid the platform for a challenging total with their sound stand, although the Pakistan middle order couldn't supply the necessary tempo towards the end as Bishoo continued his fine rookie season.
Only tail-ender Tanvir Ahmed, with 18 off 12 balls, managed to reach double figures after Hafeez and Shafiq.
The West Indies chase, stalled initially by rain, got off to a terrible start when Junaid had Kirk Edwards caught behind first ball. But Simmons and Darren Bravo added 56 in 8.2 overs to revive the pursuit before Bravo fell to Junaid, slicing to third man at 57-2. Simmons and Sarwan then shared a partnership of 75 that tilted the balance to the West Indies.
But when both fell in successive overs, Pakistan were back in the hunt. Sarwan lofted Hafeez to long-off while Simmons skied Tanvir Ahmed to deep cover.
However, with the rain closing in, Dwayne Bravo swatted Afridi into the midwicket stands to seal the victory.
The economic future of Massachusetts and the rest of New England looks very bleak, according to a study recently released by the Nellie Mae Education Foundation. The reason, however, has nothing to do with the economy, the price of oil or inflation.
According to the study, entitled "New England 2020," the decreasing percentage of workers in the New England workforce with a bachelor's degree or higher will send the economy of the six New England states into a freefall.
At the same time, the rising cost of federal student loans is leaving students out to dry. The Campaign for America's Future and Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., both decried Republican supported legislation that took effect last month, raising the interest on student loans.
The Nellie Mae Education Foundation's study found that Massachusetts will see its percentage of those with a bachelor's degree or higher drop to 40 percent by 2020, down from 43 percent in 1993, while Connecticut will decrease from 34 percent to 30 percent. While the percentages seem small, they represent thousands of people in the workforce.
"The trends are already heading that way," said Joe Berger, the study's co-author, noting that the numbers have been declining for more than a decade. "If we don't start paying attention now, it's going to be too late to correct it if it gets to be a significant problem."
At the same time, the number of minorities in the workforce is on the rise. All six New England states will see dramatic increases in the amount of minorities in the workforce. For example, 28 percent of the Massachusetts working-age population will be minority by the year 2020, which is up from 15 percent in 2000. Additionally, nearly half the 25-29 year-olds in the three southern New England states will be minorities by 2020.
The study proposed that the region needs to do a better job of keeping students in the region after they leave college. The report finds that the in-migration rate, the rate of those who enter the region from other areas, for the college-aged is often more than twice as high as the rate of in-migration for the general population. In Massachusetts, for example, the in-migration rate for those aged 18-29 was 27 percent while the rate for all ages was just 10 percent.
Dr. Blenda Wilson, the president of the Quincy-based Nellie Mae Education Foundation, argued that the region needs to do a better of job of retaining its graduates.
"It shouldn't be hard to do," said Wilson "They're a captive audience for four years while they are here for college."
Wilson said that government officials and the business community need to work together to institute more summer jobs, scholarships, bridge programs and internships. If the two work together and act now, Wilson believes the trend can be reversed.
"I believe there is enough time if government, education and business take the problem seriously," said Wilson. "If we increase the college-going population and do a better job of keeping people who come to college in New England here once they graduate, we could be a more robust economic driver as New England has enjoyed in the past."
However, Wilson argued that governments must first adjust their views on education policy.
"Government has to take the lead in coordinating the policy on higher education with economic development and not see it as a separate thing," said Wilson.
Both Berger and Wilson agreed that keeping in-migrants wasn't the only solution and that education must be improved for minorities. Berger said that if s going to take both in-migration and the education of current residents to reverse the trend.
"We can't just rely on one or the other," said Berger. "We have to do a better job of preparing and supporting our homegrown workforce and do a better job of using higher education as a growth end."
Texas investor Charles Miller, the chairman of the Secretary of Education's Commission on the Future of Higher Education, agreed with the study's findings.
"You have to get higher education right if you're going to get the economy of your region right," said Miller. "It's critical to the economic future of your region."
Miller noted however that the community must do its part to entice businesses to settle in the New England region.
"What's comfortable for the people there might not be comfortable for people who want to come in and do things," said Miller.
"What's good for business, good for profit, good for markets - those are the kind of things that attract people. It might not be popular in some academic circles, but that's what really keeps people."
Miller also agreed that the increasing minority population must be better educated.
"The groups that are there have to be educated up to a level that produces economic growth," said Miller. "In public education, the closing of the gap has been the target [in Texas] for the last 15 years. The idea was, 'We have to do better for everybody here.'"
The Campaign For America's Future wants to see a decrease in the cost of higher education in order to answer the educational problems of the region.
Costs for student loans are on the rise nationally due to congressional legislation passed in January. Earlier this month, the legislation went into effect and rates on PLUS loans increased 6.1 percent to nearly 8 percent for existing loans and to 8.5 percent on new loans. For Stafford loans, interest rates rose from 5.3 percent to 7.14 percent on old loans and to 6.8 percent on new loans. "The difference over a course of a few years is thousands of dollars," said Bob Borosage, the organization's president.
A vote on reconciliation in January took $12 billion from federally supported loan programs and left more of the financial burden for educational costs on the student. Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois and Rep. George Miller of California collaborated on the Reverse the Raid on Student Aid Act of 2006, a bill that would cut the interest rate in half on student loans. However, the Republican-led Congress has been unwilling to budge. Borosage argued that Republicans must be voted down from the majority if the public is going to see a change.
"If they get away with cutting [tuition benefits] without paying a political cost, they're going to keep starving the federal aid program and price more and more families out of sending students to college," said Borosage.
Kennedy, a longtime advocate of education reform, also believes that the education system needs reform at the federal level as students bear more debt. Kennedy supports both the Student Aid Reward Act and the Student Debt Relief Act. The Student Debt Relief Act would cap existing loans at 15 percent and would forgive those in debt who have served the public for a specified amount of time, such as teachers or police officers. The Student Aid Reward Act, which Kennedy introduced with Rep. Miller, would create competition among the leading federal loan programs in order to drive down loan prices.
"The American Dream is at risk if we fail to make college more affordable," said Kennedy in a statement released in early July. "Graduates should not have to choose between paying off their college loans and buying a home or having a family."
Chairman Miller noted the criticisms of the system but refused to get involved in political fighting, saying that such fighting exacerbates the problem.
"Instead of looking at the whole thing and getting it right we get bogged down in one thing for the entire time," said Miller.
Miller agreed that the higher education system needs correcting and would like to see more cooperation on a solution rather than politicking over the problem.
"We ought to step back and do the whole thing from the beginning," said Miller. "It sure needs a lot of work."
[Sidebar]
Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., who supports both the Student Aid Reward Act and the Student Debt Relief Act, believes the education system needs significant reform at the federal level.
SPRINGFIELD Secretary of State George H. Ryan's proposal to lowerthe threshold for drunk driving cleared its first obstacle Tuesday,winning the 10-4 endorsement of the Senate Transportation Committee.
Under the legislation by Sen. David N. Barkhausen (R-Lake Bluff),a driver would be legally intoxicated if his blood alcohol level was.08 percent or higher.
Ryan told the panel the standard of .10 percent is "arbitrary,"contending that a person is "medically and scientifically drunk" at.08 percent.
A 160-pound person would have to consume four alcoholic drinks inone hour to reach .08 percent, Ryan said.
"People who drink that much, that quickly, should not get behindthe wheel of a car," he added.
Ryan, who unsuccessfully proposed a .08 percent standard lastyear, formed a coalition of traffic safety, health care, insuranceand law enforcement groups to testify.
"We are not after the occasional drinker. We are not concernedabout the social drinker," said George Murphy, spokesman for MothersAgainst Drunk Driving. "Our problem is with people at .08 or higherwho are killing or injuring other people."
However, a spokesman for the Illinois Wholesale LiquorDistributors contended the bill would shift law enforcement resourcesaway from hard core drunk drivers to man roadblocks to catch socialdrinkers.
The Senate committee unanimously supported two other Ryan-backedproposals, one to allow drunk drivers court supervision only once in10 years, rather than every five years, and another to impose harsherpenalties on drunk drivers transporting children.
Meanwhile, the House Transportation Committee sent to the Housefloor Ryan's proposal to require all adult drivers to secure childrenunder age 4. At present, adults are exempt from the provision if thechild's parent or legal guardian does not provide a car seat.
Abortion dodge: Hoping to sidestep the potentially explosiveabortion controversy, the House Rules Committee refused to clearthree abortion-related measures for consideration this spring.
The panel's green light is needed in election-year sessions, whichare supposed to be limited to budget matters and emergencylegislation.
One proposal would have guaranteed a woman's right to anabortion, while the other two sought to limit abortions.
AIDS tests: Parents would have to be notified if a child under18 is tested for AIDS under legislation advanced by the House HumanServices Committee, 6-0.
Its sponsor, Rep. Monique Davis (D-Chicago), said notifyingparents would help ensure that a child who tested positive receivedproper treatment.
Michelle Gentry, a Public Health Department lobbyist, argued thebill could deter teens who are sexually active or intravenous drugusers from being tested for AIDS.
Radar detector ban: A proposal by Rep. Alfred G. Ronan(D-Chicago) that would make radar detectors illegal in commercialtrucks zipped through the House Transportation Committee 30-0.
Truckers caught using detectors would face a $50 minimum fine fora first offense and $250 minimum fine for repeat offenses.
School funding: Two business groups announced their oppositionto a constitutional amendment to require the state to pay at leasthalf the cost of elementary and secondary education.
The proposal, scheduled for a House vote later this week, wouldrequire a hefty increase in state income tax rates withoutguaranteeing either property tax relief or better schools, saidofficials of the Illinois Manufacturers' Association and the IllinoisRetail Merchants Association.
NEW YORK--New foot soldiers for an Islamic holy war are streaminginto al-Qaida training camps that have been recently reactivated ineastern Afghanistan, a UN report on the terror group said Tuesday.
While Osama bin Laden's financial network has been mostlydismantled, his terror network still enjoys significant support andhas "access to substantial funding from its previously establishedinvestments," said the report by an expert panel.
Michael Chandler of Britain, who led the expert group, told a newsconference that al-Qaida operatives might be present in about 40countries, which he did not identify.
The UN experts warned in the report that al-Qaida has thepotential to obtain nuclear material and build "some kind of dirtybomb."
More than a year after a U.S.-led coalition ousted Afghanistan'sformer Taliban rulers, who harbored bin Laden and his followers, thereport said "one of the most recent developments to come to light isthe apparent activation of new, albeit simple, training camps ineastern Afghanistan" for al-Qaida supporters.
Chandler said the camps may have sprung up near the eastern townof Asadabad, in Kunar province.
But he said since U.S.-led coalition forces in Afghanistan wereconstantly looking for such facilities, these camps were "small,discreet and mobile."
MOSCOW (AP) Zoologists are heading to Siberia to search for theabominable snowman, while remains of a mammoth have been foundelsewhere in the frozen expanse, news reports said Thursday.
The official news agency Tass said fishermen from the Siberiancity of Yakutsk discovered the fossilized mammoth in permafrost nearthe Khroma and Indigirka rivers.
A newspaper reported that 12 scientists, sportsmen andenthusiasts planned to search in the Tyumen region of western Siberiafor the abominable snowman. The expedition will follow the sameroute a Leningrad explorer used several years ago. The explorer,Vladimir Pushkaryov, disappeared while interviewing residents aboutthe creature.
As� dio a conocer, como el b�rbaro del ritmo, con su voz, estilo original sembrando sus ra�ces en todos los rincones de Am�rica donde palpita nuestra m�sica popular. Bart�lome Maximiliano Mor�, naci� el 24 de agosto de 1919, en Santa Isabel de las Lajas provin cia de Las Villas, Cuba. Procedente de una familia humilde campesina, conoci� a su temprana edad el rudo trabajo del campo, por tal motivo solamente lleg� a terminar el quinto grado primario, pero su evocaci�n por el canto lo lleva por el aprendisaje de la guitarra, y comienza a dar serenatas en diferentes lugares de su pueblo. lo cual eran momentos de felicidad, ya que desarrollaba lo que sent�a, ser un buen trovador.
En 1940 parte para la ciudad de La Habana, deambulando de bar en bar donde pregonaba su brillante voz y as� colectaba entre la clientala unos centavos para su sustento y en el d�a trabajaba de vendedor de viandas en el mercado habanero. Despu�s de unos a�os de estar trotando por las calles entonando su canto, fue solicitado por Mozo Borgella director de septeto Cauto y hace su debut con la mencionada agrupaci�n en la emisora del radio La Mil Diez, y fue un �xito.
Pasado un tiempo el maestro Miguel Matamorro, se encontraba af�nico, y necesiataba un cantante para su grupo hasta que se repusiera del todo su voz y habl� con Mozo Borgella, para que le prestara uno de sus cantantes y fue Bart�lome Mor� prestado y luego se qued� y graba por primera vez haciendo la voz prima los temas, "Buenos Hermanos", "La Cazuelita", "La Reina del Bohio", "Qu� Ser�" y otros.
En 1945 Bart�lome Mor� parte para ciudad M�xico con el conjunto lmusical de Miguel Matamoros, donde act�an en programas de radio, y en los afamados Cabaret, R�o Rosa y el Montparnasse, pero al terminar la estadia del mencionado grupo en M�xico y tener que regresar a Cuba, el Sr. Mor� decide probar fortuna y se queda. Pero d�as antes del regreso de esta agrupaci�n, unos de sus integrantes Rafael Cueto le dice, "no te olvides que en M�xico le dicen Bartolo a los Burros, entonces Bart�lome respondi�, "desde ahora me llamar� Benny Mor�.
Los primeros meses en la tierra Azteca no lo fue f�cil, hasta que comenz� con el grupo Son Veracruz, donde estaba el interprete Lalo Montan� y formaron un d�o denominado El D�eto Fantasma, y por razones comerciales el d�eto Antillano. Despu�s pas� a la orquesta del pianista cubano Arturo Nu�ez. Pero su primera grabaci�n en M�xico fue con el m�sico cubano Mariano Mercer�n, para la R.C.A. Victor y despu�s con Rafael de Paz y las grabaciones con el d�eto Fantasma las realizaba con la orquesta de Arturo Nu�ez.
La carrera art�stica del Benny en M�xico fue vertiginosa, act�o en los salones m�s afamados, y sus grabaciones con el genial m�sico cubano Damaso P�rez Prado fue un rotundo �xito, tales como, "Bonito", "Mucho Coraz�n", "Pachito" y etcetera. El maestro P�rez Prado conquist� con su mambo al pueblo mexicano y le ortogaron el t�tulo de rey del Mambo, y al Benny Mor�, el Pr�ncipe del Mambo
Pasado un tiempo cosechando muchos �xitos, Benny Mor� parte para Cuba, donde realiza varias actuaciones con la orquesta de Mariano Mercer�n, pero por cosas del destino regresa a ciudad M�xico, y contin�a sus grabaciones y actuaciones con la orquesta de P�rez Prado.
Al comienzo de los a�os 50 parte para Cuba y es solicitado por Mariano Mercer�n para realizar unas actuaciones en Santiago de Cuba en el programa Fiesta con Bacard�. que sal�a al aire por la cadena oriental de radio, en ese programa Benny Mor� interpretaba el tema "Oh B�rbara", que lleg� a figurar en el "Hit Parade" del momento y por un hecho singular ocurrido en Santiago de Cuba y relacionado con el n�mero surge para la posteridad Benny Mor� como El B�rbaro del Ritmo. Durante ese tiempo actu� con la orquesta de Bebo Valdes, Ernesto Duarte, hasta que por motivos personales decidi� formar su propia orquesta y nombr� como director musical al trompetista Alfredo Armentero Chocolate. Benny Mor� estaba dotado de una personalidad original, que culminaba un sendero de arte musical, su voz que recorr�a todo registro vocal, se doblaba en frases y gritos acompa�ado de sus pasos bailables. Como autor fue genial, pues todas sus obras se vistieron con etiqueta de �xito, era alto y delgado, vest�a muy peculiar, coronado siempre por un sombrero, de car�cter muy alegre y guarachero. El 19 de febrero de 1963 falleci� en la tierra que tanto am�. ese d�a el mundo musical perdi� un prodigio, el legendario Benny Mor�, quien dej� grabado con su voz inovidable recuerdos, con sus Boleros, guarachas, Guajiras, Mambos y Sonos, su calidad de ser humano.
En paz descanse Benny Mor�, "El B�rbaro del Ritmo".
Article copyright El Bohemio News.
In many ways, Scott Weaver is the perfect quarterback to lead ateam coached by Lou Tepper.
Both are articulate, gentlemen and scholars who exude valuesthat are becoming all too rare in big-time athletics.
And both are expressing optimism.
Weaver, who has weathered three autumns of dueling with thedeparted Johnny Johnson for the quarterback job, finally will havethe chance to be the starter.
He will have to operate, however, without the comfort zone thatan exceptional corps of linebackers has provided in Champaign thelast few years. In games in which it scored fewer than 10 pointslast season, Illinois still managed to go 2-1-1.
The new linebackers are more than competent. But they don'thave the monstrous talents of outside linebackers Kevin Hardy andSimeon Rice.
And while the returning inside linebackers, Dennis Stallings andDavid James, figure to be solid players, they still have to showthey can be as tenacious as their predecessors, Dana Howard and JohnHolecek.
To those who wonder how Illinois, which struggled to a 5-5-1record last year even with Hardy and Rice, can avoid an even biggerdecline, Tepper and his staff are pointing to teamwork.
"Call it cohesiveness or synergy," Tepper said. "But overall,the attitude of this team is its biggest positive. I think they'llplay better as a group than the talent itself."
On offense, Weaver is pointing toward the Illini's second yearunder Paul Schudel, Tepper's third offensive coordinator in his fiveseasons.
"My focus is not that this is my year to pick up the reins,"said Weaver, who is 4-5 in nine starts the last three seasons,including 2-2 last year. "My whole focus is that this is the secondyear that I've been here that we've had the same offense two years ina row. I have, and the team has, a different comfort level from ayear ago. Instead of learning things, we're polishing up on thingswe know."
The Illini will need to be ready from the opening kickoffbecause their early schedule of Michigan, USC and Arizona easilycould put them in an 0-3 hole.
Illinois still has a ways to go, though, judging from ascrimmage Saturday.
The only score came on a 23-yard Weaver pass that wasintercepted by defensive back James Williams. Backup Mark Hoekstra(14-of-17, 149 yards) had a better day statistically than Weaver(7-of-12, 80 yards) as each quarterback was intercepted once.
And so, it looks like business as usual for Illinois, whichfinished 20th in the nation in total defense but 102nd (out of 106teams) in total offense.
If Illinois does improve on offense, it will be because of adeep but undistinguished group of running backs led by RobertHolcombe and Ty Douthard. And because a young but improvingoffensive line has given Weaver time to find flanker Jason Dulick.
As if Weaver - a fifth-year senior - doesn't have enough to do,he has enrolled in Illinois' M.B.A. program.
"I discouraged Scott from going into the M.B.A. program," Teppersaid. (Former star punter) Brett Larsen did that last year, and hewas a walking zombie for a while. There will be some apprehensionuntil we get into it, but I think it will be a tremendous experiencefor him."
"I am concerned about the workload," Weaver said of his M.B.A.pursuit. "But I feel I can handle it. I'm confident in myabilities. I already had graduated, so why not do somethingproductive?"
The quarterback also thinks this can be a productive footballyear.
"Not too many people are looking at us to make any waves in theBig Ten," he said. "But I'm excited about our chances. I think ouroffense is going to be a lot more organized. Hopefully, this yearwe'll be able to get rid of the confusion and operate moresmoothly.
Goshen, Ind.--Lindsay Nance from Winnipeg was one of four Goshen College students to receive scholarships from the communication and theatre department recently. Nance received the Gorsline Excellence Award for theatre studies. Nance graduated from Westgate Mennonite Collegiate and is a member of the Aberdeen Evangelical Mennonite Conference Church in Winnipeg.--From Goshen College release
1. Which new US series, showing on BBC3, stars Elaine Cassidy andCJ Thomason as two of a group of wedding attendees who are steadilybeing targeted by a serial killer? 2. Joanna Lumley recently hostedwhich ITV1 documentary about a popular household pet? 3. Humbug isthe title of the new album from which Sheffield band? 4. What is theEnglish title of the new film from Japanese director Nagisa Oshima?5. Which TV quiz series first aired in 1962 and was originallyhosted by Bamber Gascoigne? 6. What is the title of Scottish rockband Biffy Clyro's latest single? 7. Which actor played Sir ThomasMore in the 1966 film A Man for All Seasons? 8. Complete the titleof this recent BBC1 weekday drama starring Christine Bottomley andSummer Strallen: __ Girls? 9. What was Duran Duran's first NumberOne hit, in March 1983? 10. Which actress plays Lena in the newPedro Almodovar film Broken Embraces?
Focussing on the messages of five Old Testament prophets, the Mennonite Church Eastern Canada Vacation Bible School troupe brought energy and dedication to seven congregations this summer. The troupe led VBS for groups as small as 15 (Windsor Mennonite Church used it as an outreach in its community), and groups over 100 (Tavistock Mennonite, the last stop of the summer).
In its 18th year of operation, the 2008 troupe was organized and run by Sherri Martin Carman. Martin Carman was a member of the first troupe in 1990, the brainchild of Eleanor Snyder.
The troupe partners with local congregations, sending five young adults to lead the sessions, run games and work with crafts. The congregation supplies snacks for the campers, pays $1,300 for the troupe, buys the materials, and houses the troupe members, who get paid the equivalent to working at camp for the summer for both the preparation weeks and their time with the congregations.
Following the mission statement, "Loving, inspiring and affirming people by creating relevant opportunities to experience God in their own way," Heather Davidson, a troupe member from Pioneer Park Christian Fellowship in Kitchener, was excited about the possibilities of leading children in worship and study. The interaction with new people, both the other troupe members and the many volunteers from the congregations, was a high point for her, as was the flexible and creative potential of the materials.
Martin Carman notes that the troupe fulfills some of MC Eastern Canada's mission statement, "Making disciples, growing congregations, forming leaders." In particular, she points to past lists of participants and notes where they went after their time with the VBS troupe.
[Author Affiliation]
BY DAVE ROGALSKY
Eastern Canada Correspondent
TAVISTOCK, ONT.
Violence in Afghanistan is increasing, as security in Iraq in recent months has improved, the top uniformed military officer told the U.S.Congress on Tuesday.
Adm. Michael Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, also said Iran's Revolutionary Guard is directly jeopardizing peace in Iraq.
"Restraint in our response does not signal lack of resolve or capability to defend ourselves against threats," Mullen said in prepared testimony before the Senate Approproations Defense Subcommittee.
Mullen said the U.S. is deploying more troops to Afghanistan and encouring local forces to do the same to contend with a growing insurgency, increased attacks and a burgeoning drug trade.
"In short, a stable Iraq and Afghanistan that are long-term partners and share our commitment to peace will be critical to achieving regional stability and security," he said.
"This will require years, not months, and will require the support of the American people, our regional allies and concerted action by the Iraqi and Afghan people and their leaders," Mullen added.
Sen. Arlen Specter, a member of the panel, said he is most concerned about the Bush administration's refusal to fully engage Iran in diplomatic discussions. U.S. diplomats have met with Iranian officials as part of a broader regional conference on Iraq, but insisted that discussions be limited to Iraq.
The U.S. accusses Iran of trying to develop a nuclear weapon, supporting terrorist groups and encouraging violence in Iraq by providing weapons and other material support to Shiite militants there.
Specter, a Republican, said he has seen talks with North Korea and Libya bear fruit and thinks similar progress could be made with Iran.
If the government refuses to engage Iran, "we're missing a great opportunity to avoid a future conflict," Specter said.
Harlan's Selena Price finally got her revenge.
In her last high school appearance, Price led the South-Centralto a 63-57 win over the North-West in the Chicago Public LeagueAll-Star basketball game Friday at Malcom X.
The 5-2 guard, who watched her last two seasons end with lossesto Marshall in the Public League playoff, led the South-Central with18 points, eight assists and six steals. She also outdueledMarshall's Toni Foster, which made the victory even sweeter.
"Whenever there is a Marshall girl on the floor it gives youextra added incentive," Price said. "Seeing how they closed out myregular season career, I was a little more pumped up than usual. …
NEW DELHI (AP) — India's Sikh community isn't finding Jay Leno so funny.
Members of the religious group said they were outraged when the "Tonight Show" host showed a photo of a glittering gold building and claimed it was Republican Mitt Romney's summer home.
It was meant to be a joke about the Republican …
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA managers weren't ruling out a Fourth of July launch for space shuttle Discovery on Monday, even after inspectors found a 5-inch-long crack in the foam insulation on its external fuel tank.
Officials said they needed more time to evaluate the problem and planned to meet again Monday evening to decide whether to go ahead with the launch.
The space agency's engineers believe the crack was caused by the expanding and shrinking of the tank as it was fueled with supercold propellant, which also caused a 3-inch-long triangle-shaped piece of foam to fall off the area and land on a platform below.
The chunk of foam was too small to have caused …
Crack Found in Foam on Shuttle Fuel TankCAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA managers weren't ruling out a Fourth of July launch for space shuttle Discovery on Monday, even after inspectors found a 5-inch-long crack in the foam insulation on its external fuel tank.
Officials said they needed more time to evaluate the problem and planned to meet again Monday evening to decide whether to go ahead with the launch.
The space agency's engineers believe the crack was caused by the expanding and shrinking of the tank as it was fueled with supercold propellant, which also caused a 3-inch-long triangle-shaped piece of foam to fall off the area and land on a platform below.
The chunk of foam was too small to have caused …
JOHN BALDESSARI
Rodney Graham (303 Gallery, New York Graham did for Chelsea and other art centers throughout the world what …
Auto Business News-June 24, 2011--General Motors Corporation to pay Illonois and 11 states USD3m(C)1994-2011 ENPublishing - http://www.enpublishing.co.uk
Auto Business News - 24 June 2011
General Motors Corporation (NYSE: GM), a United States-based automaker, is paying Illinois and 11 other states around USD3m.
The automaker has taken this step as …
Byline: Associated Press
WASHINGTON - Two more women have died after using the abortion pill RU-486, regulators said Friday in a warning that brought renewed calls for pulling the controversial drug from the market.
The Food and Drug Administration warned doctors to watch for a rare but deadly infection previously implicated in four deaths of women who had taken the drug. The drug, also called Mifeprex or mifepristone, has not been proved to be the cause in any of those cases.
Nor has the FDA confirmed the cause of the latest two deaths. However, in one of them, the woman's symptoms appeared to resemble those in the cluster of four cases in …
Conditions at Allied Colloids' Low Moor plant near Bradford invited the major fire which occurred in July 1992; it could have been prevented easily if the correct safety procedures had been followed, according to a report from the UK Health and Safety Executive. Last year, the company was fined |pounds~100,000 for breaches of the Health and Safety at Work Act (C&I 1992, 103).
According to the HSE's report, the fire, which caused over |pounds~4M of damage, was the result of a chain of 'apparently unrelated errors, omissions and failures, some of them relatively minor'. The most important of the errors was the storage of drums of azodiisobutyronitrile (AZDN), an unstable, …
NEW YORK (AP) — After years of preparation, consumer-electronics pioneer Motorola Inc. formally split into two companies on Tuesday — one for its consumer-oriented businesses such as cell phones, and the other for police radios and other products targeted at professionals.
In midday Tuesday, shares of the consumer-focused Motorola Mobility Holdings Inc. climbed $2.44, or 8.1 percent, to $32.68 after rising as high as $33.45 earlier in the session, while its other business, Motorola Solutions Inc. fell 7 cents to $37.41. The shares were trading on the New York Stock Exchange with the ticket symbols MMI and MSI, respectively.
Although Motorola began by making car radios, TVs and …
Every condominium complex operates a little differently becauseof the distinctive nature of the building, the people who own unitsand the people who serve the owners association.
Still, every condominium has to be managed properly. Managementmust take care of the living environment on an ongoing basis.
The property must be maintained at a livable level and to thepoint where the property will not depreciate.
Services such as insurance, refuse pick-up, utilities andamenities upkeep must be procured.
There are numerous financial considerations. The most prominentis the collection of owner assessments to meet running …
LAUNCHED: DECEMBER 2010
Chobani Greek Yogurt unveils a new look for Chobani Champions, a line of 100 percent, all-natural Greek yogurt for kids. Designed to appeal to both moms and children, the redesigned packaging features playful illustrations of raspberries, strawberries and blueberries …
Byline: MAAMOUN YOUSSEF - Associated Press
CAIRO, Egypt - A 12-story building collapsed Monday in Egypt's Mediterranean port city of Alexandria, killing at least three people, according to rescuers and the state-run news agency MENA.
Two women who were pulled from the debris suffered minor injuries, said rescue worker Abdullah Adel.
Civil defense workers had pulled three bodies out from under the rubble by Monday night, MENA said, quoting Brig. Gen. Nabil el-Zeni, the head of Alexandria's fire department.
Earlier Monday, a police official said at least five people died. It was not known why the toll changed.
…
Byline: MATT LINDSTROM Latham
Dina Cappiello's recent article, ``Some reap what others sow,'' addresses an important governance issue within the management of farmers' markets. However, instead of exclusively focusing on the intricacies of regulation, your readers would have been better served by a more thorough discussion of the benefits farmers' markets bring to communities, consumers and growers.
In this day of corporate agriculture and supermarket distribution, the last thing small growers and farmers' markets need is a story that leaves readers questioning the worthiness of farmers' markets in our area.
Beginning this past May, a grass-roots …
Byline: Marla Ridenour
May 29--Hall of Fame pitcher Bob Feller said the level of excitement generated by the Cavaliers' playoff run hadn't been felt in Northeast Ohio since the 1948 World Series. After what he heard when he and his wife dined with friends recently, retired Cleveland Plain Dealer sports writer Russ Schneider would agree. "This lady with no previous interest in the Cavs said, 'I'm really excited. And tell me, what is a pick-and-roll?' " Schneider said. TV ratings soared. "Witness" T-shirts flew off the shelves and area sporting goods stores were deluged with calls asking whether they had any in stock. A brown and orange town briefly changed …
Poland's central bank slashed its key interest rate by three quarters of a percentage point to 4.25 percent Tuesday amid signs the country's economy is slowing.
The National Bank of Poland announced the cut to its seven-day intervention rate on its Web site. It was expected to release details about the decision later Tuesday.
The bank also cut the key interest rate by 0.75 percentage points last month.
…
ROME - One of the Vatican's most secrecy shrouded tribunals, which handles confessions of sins so grave only the pope can grant absolution, is giving the faithful a peek into its workings for the first time in its 830-year history.
The Vatican has long lamented that fewer and fewer Catholics are going to confession, the sacrament in which the faithful can receive forgiveness if they sincerely confess their sins to a priest.
To combat the decline, the socalled "tribunal of conscience" invited the public into the frescoed halls of its imposing 16th-century palazzo for a two-day conference that ended Wednesday.
The aim was to explain what the Apostolic Penitentiary …
Ericsson has been selected by BTC, the Bahamas subsidiary of Cable & Wireless Communications (CWC) group, as the sole supplier of their new mobile network, reports Caribbean News Now (Dec. 7, 2011). Ericsson will provide a new …
Byline: Robert Sherefkin, David Barkholz and Leslie J. Allen
Stephen Feinberg, the intensely private CEO of Cerberus Capital Management LP, is going to great lengths to prove he isn't a "strip-and-flip'' takeover artist.
After announcing the $7.4 billion purchase of the Chrysler group last week, Feinberg personally assured UAW leaders that Chrysler will not lay off more workers.
The union accepts his pledge. But some are skeptical about Cerberus' prospects with Chrysler. How will a company that invests in paper products, swimwear, real estate, energy and glass making succeed as the owner of a troubled U.S. automaker?
Big risk-taker
The hedge model is pretty basic. A money manager raises billions of dollars from rich people seeking outsized returns on their investments. The fund hires bright lieutenants to research deals, recruit managers and …
Herman D. Smith, 89, of the Baptist Retirement Center, formerly of Albany, died Saturday in Ellis Hospital in Schenectady after a long illness.
Mr. Smith was born in Brunswick, Ga. He had lived in the Albany area for 55 years.
He was a communications executive for the Associated Press in Albany from 1923 until his retirement on June 1, 1959.
Mr. Smith was deacon emeritus at the Madison Avenue Baptist Church in Albany.
He was a member of the Army Military Emergency Network and the AFL-CIO. He was a mason with the Wadsworth Lodge 417 in Albany for 46 years, the Morse Telegraph Club Inc. and the radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service. …
An MD-11 aircraft operated by FedEx crashed Monday at Tokyo's main international airport, killing its two-member crew. Though largely retired from passenger use for economic reasons, the MD-11 aircraft is still employed for cargo transport.
It was involved in three fatal crashes and 54 other safety-related incidents from 1992-2006, according to the U.S. National Transport Safety Board database. No fatal accidents have occurred since 1999:
_ August 1999: A China Airlines MD-11 passenger jet flipped over and burst into flames, killing three people and injuring more than 200 after landing in a storm in Hong Kong.
_ April 1999: A Korean Air cargo …
Andre Ware and rookie Cedric Jackson ran for second-quartertouchdowns to lead the Detroit Lions to their sixth consecutivepre-season victory, a 24-20 decision Friday over the CincinnatiBengals in Pontiac, Mich.
Ware's 11-yard keeper tied the score at 10, and Jackson's15-yard run put the Lions ahead for good 2:52 before halftime.
Ware, the 1989 Heisman Trophy winner, completed just 7 of 21passes for 82 yards and fumbled once in place of Rodney Peete, whoinjured his groin in last week's Hall of Fame Game victory over theDenver Broncos.
Jackson, an eighth-round pick out of Texas Christian, carried 16times for 73 yards.
Bengals strong safety David …
Auto Business News-14 January 2009-Audi to launch 2010 A3 2.0 TDI in US(C)2009 ENPublishing - http://www.enpublishing.co.uk
Auto Business News - 14 January 2009(c)2005 - Electronic News Publishing - http://www.enpublishing.co.uk
Audi AG (Audi), a subsidiary of Volkswagen AG (Xetra: VW), is introducing its 2010 A3 2.0 TDI in the United States during early 2009.
The diesel hatchback vehicle is to be …
Byline: Associated Press
NEW YORK A small band of Democrats withdrew a proposal Wednesday that would have urged Gov. Mario Cuomo to help pay off the state party committee's debt from last fall's campaigns.
Fourteen of the more than 300 members of the Democratic committee signed the resolution, which was to have been offered at a committee meeting in Manhattan on Wednesday.
It praised Cuomo's leadership during 12 years as …
Stocks fluctuated in a narrow range early Thursday as investors digested the government's estimate of first-quarter economic growth and an uptick in last week's unemployment claims.
Investors also eyed oil prices, which declined.
The Commerce Department revised its reading of first-quarter gross domestic product to an annual rate of 0.9 percent _ above the department's previous estimate of 0.6 percent, and above fourth-quarter growth of 0.6 percent. Though the data suggest the economy may avoid a technical recession _ defined by two straight quarters of decreasing GDP _ the upward revision was not as big as many investors had hoped.
The Labor …
