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US dollar falls to a 15-year low against the yen

2010-08-11T06:24:00.000-07:00

US dollar falls to a 15-year low against the yen

By SHINO YUASA (AP) – 46 minutes ago

TOKYO — The U.S. dollar slid to a 15-year low against the yen Wednesday, dragged down by the anemic recovery in the world's biggest economy.

The greenback was quoted at 84.71 yen in London, the lowest since 1995, before recovering slightly to hover under 95 yen.

Investors stepped up selling of dollars after the Federal Reserve announced Tuesday additional monetary easing steps in a bid to shore up the flagging U.S. economy. The central bank also downgraded its assessment of the economy's prospects.

"Investors were unnerved by the Fed's statement. It just confirmed that the U.S. economic recovery is slowing," said a dealer at a Japanese bank in Tokyo. The dealer declined to be named as he was not authorized to talk to the media.

The yen's recent rise against the dollar has punished shares of Japanese exporters like Sony Corp. as it makes their products less competitive in overseas markets. It can also reduce the value of profits made overseas when they are returned to Japan.

Japan's Nikkei 225 stock average tumbled 258.20 points, or 2.7 percent, to 9,292.85 on Wednesday. Sony Corp. dropped 2.8 percent and Nissan Motor Co. dived 3.6 percent.

Alarmed by the soaring yen, Japanese Trade Minister Masayuki Naoshima said the government will conduct an emergency survey of some 200 exporters to see what affect it is having on their profits.

A spike in the yen "will have a major impact on the Japanese economy," Naoshima told reporters. A ministry official said those 200 companies include major auto and electronics makers.

The government aims to finish the survey by the end of August and hopes to come up with steps to support exporters, the official said.

The Fed's new measure to stimulate the U.S. economy involves spending a relatively small amount of money by the standards of previous stimulus efforts — about $10 billion a month, economists estimate — buying government debt.

The move is designed to drive interest rates on mortgages and corporate borrowing at least a little lower and help the economy grow faster.

In its statement after a one-day meeting, the U.S. central bank said the pace of the recovery "has slowed in recent months." After its last meeting in late June, the Fed was rosier, saying that the recovery was "proceeding" and the job market improving.

Jobs figures for July released earlier this month showed the U.S. unemployment rate stuck at 9.5 percent.

A stock indicator on an electric board flashes the current update outside a securities firm in Tokyo, Wednesday, Aug. 11, 2010. The Nikkei 225 stock average led the region's losses, diving more than 2.5 percent as the yen crept toward a 15-year high against the dollar, hitting shares of exporters. (AP Photo/Junji Kurokawa)

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Death toll in China landslides rises to 1,117

2010-08-11T06:17:00.000-07:00

Death toll in China landslides rises to 1,117

By DAVID WIVELL (AP) – 28 minutes ago

ZHOUQU, China — Heavy rains on Wednesday lashed a remote section of northwestern China as the death toll from weekend flooding that triggered massive landslides jumped to 1,117 and the hopes of finding more survivors faded.

At least 627 people were still missing, the state-run Xinhua News Agency reported Wednesday night, citing local officials.

The National Meteorological Center warned there was a "relatively large" chance of more landslides in the coming days, as the rain was expected to grow heavier, with up to 3 1/2 inches (90 millimeters) forecast for Friday.

The chances of finding more survivors were falling by the hour, although soldiers on Wednesday rescued a 50-year-old man who had been trapped in knee-deep mud on the second floor of a hotel, Xinhua reported.

But troops and rescue teams, joined by traumatized survivors, were turning to recovering bodies and seeing to the needs of the living. Clean drinking water was a primary concern, with most local sources destroyed or too polluted to use.

Entire communities in Gansu province's Zhouqu district were swallowed up when the debris-choked Bailong River jumped its banks Sunday, releasing wave after wave of mud and rubble-strewn water. While torrential rains were the direct cause, tree cutting that left the dry hills exposed and the weakening of cliff faces by a massive 2008 earthquake were seen as contributing factors.

Buildings were torn from their foundations, their lower floors blown out by the force of the debris-laden water. Three villages comprising hundreds of households were entirely buried and much of the county seat left submerged.

"In some households, all the people have died," making the counting of the dead more difficult, Zhang Weixing, a Ministry of Civil Affairs official, told a news conference Wednesday.

Crews using explosives and excavators rushed to drain an unstable lake on the Bailong upriver of Zhouqu, fearing more rain could cause a massive breach, bringing more misery to the town.

"The danger of the barrier lake collapsing has been basically eliminated," Jiao Yong, deputy vice minister of the Ministry of Water Resources, told the news conference.

Disinfectant crews in protective suits sprayed chemicals across the ground and over machinery, the smell of death heavy in the air. State media reported numerous cases of dysentery, while infected injuries, a lack of sanitation, clean drinking water and accumulating garbage increased the risk of typhoid, cholera and other diseases.

But the deputy director of the Health Ministry's emergency office, Zhang Guoxin, said there have been no reports of an epidemic outbreak.

Rescue crews have been largely reliant on hand tools, with heavy equipment either unable to traverse the difficult terrain or mired in mud up to several yards (meters) deep.

But roads reopened Wednesday, allowing heavy earth-moving equipment and supplies to flow in.

At least 45,000 people have evacuated their homes, and the Ministry of Civil Affairs reported the delivery of 30,000 tents to the area, with thousands more on the way. Zhouqu has a population of 134,000, but it wasn't clear how many needed emergency shelter.

Shen Si, a member of the Tibetan ethnic group native to the area, watched forlornly as troops dug to reach the bodies of her relatives inside their buried home.

"My mother and father in their 60s and my younger brother, all three of them, are buried here in our house still," she said.

Throughout the area, bodies were seen wrapped in blankets and tied to sticks or placed on planks and left on the shattered streets for pickup.

The death toll rose to 1,117, up from 702 reported on Tuesday.

China's leadership has ordered teams to continue the search for survivors, and the ruling Communist Party's all-powerful Politburo Standing Committee met Tuesday to discuss rescue and relief work.

"It is now a critical time ... we must give the highest prominence to the protection of people's lives and properties," it said in a statement.

Flooding in China has killed more than 2,000 people this year and caused tens of billions of dollars in damage across 28 provinces and regions.

Photo 1 of 11

Rescue workers search for victims as a disinfectant crew spays the area after a mudslide swept through the town of Zhouqu in Gannan prefecture of northwestern China's Gansu province, Wednesday, Aug. 11, 2010. Entire communities in Gansu province's Zhouqu district were swallowed up when the debris-choked Bailong River jumped its banks Sunday, releasing wave after wave of mud and rubble-strewn water. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

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Britain, Germany, UAE deny refusing fuel to Iran planes

2010-07-05T21:51:00.000-07:00

Britain, Germany, UAE deny refusing fuel to Iran planes
By Jay Deshmukh (AFP)

TEHRAN — An Iranian official said Monday airports in Britain, Germany and the United Arab Emirates had started to refuse to refuel passenger planes from Iran but the reports were denied in all three countries.

"Since last week, after the passing of the unilateral law by America and the sanctions against Iran, airports in England, Germany, the UAE have refused to give fuel to Iranian planes," said Mehdi Aliyari, secretary of the Iranian Airlines Union, quoted by ISNA news agency.

Their refusal has so far impacted Iran Air, the national carrier, and a leading private airline, Mahan Air, as both operate several flights to Europe, Aliyari said.

Heshmatollah Falahat-Pisheh, an MP and member of the Iranian parliament's committee on foreign policy and national security, warned of retaliatory action by Tehran, especially towards the United Arab Emirates.

"We should definitely do the same thing to the Emirates, Britain and Germany whose planes need to be refuelled in Iran," he told ISNA.

But in London, a British government spokesman said: "At present Her Majesty?s Government is not aware of any occasions when fuel has been refused in the UK."

And a Dubai airport spokesman said Iranian planes were still able to refuel. "Iranian planes travelling to and from Dubai through Dubai International Airport still enjoy the refueling service," he said.

The General Civil Aviation Authority which oversees the sector in the UAE, of which Dubai is a member, said it did not have information of any such ban on Iranian planes.

However, a source close to the aviation sector in the UAE told AFP there was a problem with an international fuel supplier.

"A servicing company which provides fueling at several airports around the world has refused to provide Iranian planes with fuel, including at UAE terminals," he said.

"The Iranian air operators have alternative sources for refueling at UAE airports," he added, requesting anonymity.

The German office of Iran Air appeared to dismiss the reports from Tehran.

"It is not correct," Mohammad Reza Rajabi, the head of the airline's operations in Germany, told AFP. Flights and fuelling services had continued without interruption in Germany.

The German transport ministry said in a statement that neither US nor United Nations sanctions covered the refuelling of Iranian passenger planes.

But a report in Tuesday's edition of the Financial Times Deutschland said oil giant BP had not renewed a contract to supply Iranian airlines with fuel after it had expired at the end of June.

"We won't comment on individual contracts with every airline," BP told the daily.

"But we respect, in all the countries where we operate, the local rules regarding sanctions."

Last Thursday, US President Barack Obama signed into law the toughest ever US sanctions on Iran, which he said would strike at Tehran's capacity to finance its nuclear programme and deepen its isolation.

The measures, on top of new UN and European sanctions, aim to choke off Iran's access to imports of refined petroleum products like gasoline and jet fuel, and to curb its access to the international banking system.

On June 9, the UN Security Council imposed a fourth set of sanctions against Iran over its nuclear programme, followed by unilateral punitive measures by the European Union and later by the United States.

World powers led by Washington suspect Tehran is making nuclear weapons under the guise of a civilian atomic programme. Iran says its nuclear programme is purely for peaceful purposes

Nigerian president Yar'Adua home

2010-02-24T04:40:00.000-08:00

Nigerian president Yar'Adua home

(UKPA) – 1 hour ago

Nigeria's ill President Umaru Yar'Adua has returned home to his West African nation after three months abroad receiving treatment for a heart condition at a Saudi Arabian hospital, an ambassador said.

Abdullah Aminchi, Nigeria's ambassador to Saudi Arabia, said that Yar'Adua returned home on an early morning flight that arrived in Abuja, the country's capital.

Television footage showed an ambulance leaving the airport's presidential wing, but offered no images of the sick president, who hasn't been seen publicly since leaving Nigeria in November.

Aminchi said Yar'Adua would need time to recuperate before assuming presidential powers.

"He's already walking. He eats. He can move about," the ambassador said. "I think he just needs some time to rest and he can go back to his work as president of Nigeria."

Yar'Adua was admitted into the hospital the day after he left Nigeria. As questions mounted, his physician released a statement saying Yar'Adua suffered from acute pericarditis, an inflammation of the sac surrounding the heart.

The Nigerian government ground to a halt in Yar'Adua absence as oil contracts went unsigned and people in the streets worried about the future of Africa's most populous nation.

After more than two months of a standstill, the National Assembly voted to empower Vice President Goodluck Jonathan to take over as acting president.

However, the parliament's action specified that Jonathan had to cede power to Yar'Adua upon his return if he's medically capable of leading the nation of 150 million.

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Analysis: US leery of direct talks with NKorea

2009-10-06T18:11:00.000-07:00

Analysis: US leery of direct talks with North Korea
By ROBERT BURNS (AP)

WASHINGTON — North Korea's suggestion that it may return to nuclear negotiations could open the way to its first talks with the Obama administration, but there are warning signs that the North has no intention of fully disarming.

The administration is eager to get North Korea on track toward giving up its nuclear weapons capability even though the White House remains leery of the regime's pattern of progress followed by provocation.

The North agreed in 2007 to dismantle its nuclear arms program but then reversed course. Last April and May it conducted nuclear and missile tests, coupled with a declaration that negotiations were dead, then reversed course again, reaching out to the U.S. after former President Bill Clinton met in the North Korean capital of Pyongyang with North Korean leader Kim Jong Il. The former president was there to win the freedom of two American journalists held in prison.

The State Department on Tuesday declined to comment on news reports that Kim told Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao on Monday that he might be prepared to resume so-called six party negotiations with the U.S., China, Russia, Japan and South Korea. Kim was reported to have said a resumption depended on progress in talks with the U.S.

But a State Department official said Tuesday that the U.S. will not agree to one-on-one talks unless it is given assurances in advance that the outcome will be a deal to resume six-party negotiations.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity in order to discuss internal deliberations, said the U.S. hopes to hear from China on Wednesday whether Kim gave such an assurance in Monday's meeting with Wen, who was in Pyongyang for the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

The Obama administration has said it is willing to hold one-on-one talks with North Korea so long as it leads to a return to the six-party effort, which Washington sees as a more effective way of applying diplomatic leverage. The last six-party talks were held in December 2008; in April the North Koreans announced that they would never return to that format and that they were expanding their nuclear force.

Scott Snyder, director of the Center for U.S.-Korea Policy at the Asia Foundation, said it's unclear whether the administration would be wise to go ahead with either one-on-one or multiparty talks.

"Without North Korea's recommitment to complete denuclearization, neither form of dialogue can achieve U.S. objectives," Snyder said.

Bruce Bennett, a North Korea watcher at the RAND Corp. think tank, said it appears the North Koreans are trying to "bait" the Americans into negotiations that have no realistic chance of achieving disarmament.

"I don't think North Korea at this stage is willing to give up its nuclear weapons," Bennett said in an interview. "It would appear the North Korean objective is to be recognized as a nuclear power, not to denuclearize."

In anticipation of a North Korean assurance that the one-one-talks could lead to the return of six-party negotiations, the administration has been laying the groundwork for a one-on-one dialogue. That preparation has included sorting out who would participate and where the talks would be held, according to another State Department official who also spoke on condition of anonymity.

Richard C. Bush III, an Asia expert at the Brookings Institution and former U.S. government intelligence officer, said the administration may send Stephen Bosworth, its special envoy on North Korea, to Pyongyang for any one-on-one talks.

The purpose, he said, should be to assess the North Korean attitude and to emphasize the importance of denuclearization, but not to negotiate one-on-one.

"But I don't really see much in what Kim Jong Il reportedly said (Monday) to indicate that the situation has really changed," Bush said, adding that the Koreans' apparent aim is to negotiate over what they perceive to be a hostile U.S. policy, not to negotiate an airtight elimination of their nuclear weapons.

"Until there is credible evidence that North Korea again might be willing to give up its nuclear weapons in a complete and verifiable way, it's not clear that the six-party talks — or any venue, for that matter — is an appropriate way to reach that goal," Bush said.

EDITOR'S NOTE _ Robert Burns has covered national security and military affairs for The Associated Press since 1990.

Copyright © 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

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Reid rakes in campaign cash, even without opponent

2009-05-26T06:33:00.000-07:00

Reid rakes in campaign cash, even without opponent

By KATHLEEN HENNESSEY

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, vulnerable in home-state polls but without a big-name opponent so far, takes the stage Tuesday with President Barack Obama at a Las Vegas-style fundraiser billed as "The Good Fight."

But the big-dollar bash begs the question: Where's the fight?

Despite months of promising to target Reid for ousting in 2010, Republicans have yet to land a major candidate deemed capable of raising the money and enthusiasm needed to unseat a sitting majority leader.
A recent newspaper poll showing Reid's vulnerability highlighted the GOP's dilemma. In a survey for the Las Vegas Review-Journal published last week, 45 percent of Nevada voters told pollsters they would definitely vote to unseat Reid. Another 17 percent said they would consider another candidate.

Finding that candidate, while the four-term Democratic senator is calling in chits and racking up campaign money, is proving difficult.

"He's the majority leader and he's going to raise a ton of money. That's intimidating to run against," Nevada's other senator, Republican John Ensign, said of his party's search. A viable candidate would need to get in the race "in the next few months, certainly," Ensign said.

Intimidation has been no small part of Reid's early strategy.

A year and a half from Election Day, the senator has raised a whopping $7.5 million, already half a million more that he spent on his 2004 campaign.

He also has secured the public support of some high-profile Republican donors in Nevada and is believed to have locked up funding from the state's powerful gambling industry.

Reid campaign manager Brandon Hall said the senator is merely responding to Republican promises to target his seat.

"That is why we are starting early and will be prepared to run an aggressive campaign no matter who our opponent will be," Hall said.

Tuesday's fundraiser features headliners Sheryl Crow and Bette Midler. Tickets start at $50 for the concert, but a $29,600 contribution that will be split between Reid's campaign and the Nevada Democratic Party gives donors access to the senator and president.

"This fundraiser is just another show of his strength," said David Damore, a political scientist at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. "It's a message to any opponent: If you want to compete, this is the kind of game you're going to have to play."

GOP officials insist they will play.

Nevada Republican Party Chairwoman Sue Lowden said she is vetting candidates, "some of whom are well-known in the state and some of whom are not as well-known but could self-fund."

Lowden was quick to note Reid's rocky poll numbers in Nevada, as well as his unpopularity outside the state. As a symbol of Democrats' control of Congress, Reid is seen as a polarizing figure but one nevertheless capable of shaking dollars loose from Republican donors from Mississippi to Wyoming.

Outside groups have promised to pour in millions of dollars in independent television and direct mail campaigns. One, the Sacramento-based Our Country Deserves Better PAC, promised to spend $100,000 on anti-Reid radio and television ads timed to Obama's visit.

Nevada GOP officials also will launch a national fundraising mail campaign this week, said Las Vegas-based Republican consultant Ryan Erwin, a party adviser.

"Every month that somebody's not raising the money is a missed opportunity," Erwin said.

Fundraising isn't Republicans' only struggle. The state party was hobbled by a Democratic organizing effort that yielded a 12-point victory for Obama last year. Along with a nearly 100,000-Democratic voter advantage, Nevada Republicans are suffering from a leadership vacuum as Republican Gov. Jim Gibbons continues to be dogged by scandals since taking office in 2006.

With the clock ticking, pressure is mounting on the few GOP candidates viewed as viable.

Rep. Dean Heller has emerged as the party's top pick. As a former secretary of state in Nevada, Heller has run successful statewide races. He's popular in northern and rural Nevada, places where Reid struggles.
But, Heller, 49, also holds an increasingly safe congressional seat. He also recently won a powerful perch on the tax-writing House Ways and Mean Committee, raising the stakes on what he could lose by challenging Reid.

Heller's spokesman did not respond to a request for comment.

Other names in consideration include U.S. Attorney Greg Brower, a former state assemblyman, and Lt. Gov. Brian Krolicki, who remains hamstrung by criminal charges that he mishandled state funds. Krolicki has denied wrongdoing, called the charges political and is seeking to have them dismissed.

The longer Republicans go without an anointed challenger to Reid, the more lesser-known contenders flirt with running.

Anti-tax activist and former Assemblywoman Sharron Angle has said she is exploring getting in the race. Angle is a favorite among fiscally conservative Republicans, and may be able to raise outside money.

But Angle said she has not been embraced by the GOP's recruiting arm, the National Republican Senatorial Committee.

"They're standing back. Everybody is standing back waiting to see what happens," she said.

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Cyclone floods east India, Bangladesh, kills 73

2009-05-26T06:29:00.000-07:00

Cyclone floods east India, Bangladesh, kills 73
By MANIK BANERJEE

CALCUTTA, India (AP) — Cyclone Aila lashed low-lying areas in eastern India and Bangladesh, destroying thousands of homes, stranding tens of thousands of people in flooded villages and killing at least 73 before it began to ease Tuesday.

Conservationists expressed concern over the fate of one of the world's largest tiger populations, which was in the path of the storm.

Aila tore down nearly 3,000 thatched and mud houses and uprooted a large number of trees in nearly 300 villages across India's West Bengal state, said Kanti Ganguly, a state minister. He said 34 people were killed in West Bengal.

Storm surges hit coastal areas in neighboring Bangladesh, killing at least 39 people, according to Food and Disaster Management Ministry in Dhaka. It said most victims drowned or were washed away by the waves.
The country's leading newspaper, Prothom Alo, said tens of thousands of people were stranded as waters submerged their homes. It said 6-foot- (2-meter-) high waves crashed into the area, breaching dozens of flood protection embankments across the coastal region about 85 miles (135 kilometers) southwest of Dhaka.
News reports indicated the death toll could be as high as 123 in the two countries.

With the storm weakening overnight, authorities restored train and air services and reopened schools in most parts of West Bengal state on Tuesday, Indian officials said. Ganguly said soldiers were deployed on Monday night to evacuate stranded villagers.

During the height of the storm, several rivers burst their banks inside the Sundarbans Tiger Reserve, said Khalil Ahmed, the area's district magistrate. It is believed about 250 tigers live on the Indian side of the Sundarbans, a tangle of mangrove forests, and another 250 live on the Bangladeshi side.

It was difficult to assess the damage because water levels were too high for ecologists and forest officials to go into the area, said Mrinal Chatterjee, project director of the Institute of Nature Lovers and Climbers, an environmental group that works in the Sundarbans. But he said tigers were likely affected because flooding had contaminated their supplies of fresh water.

Thousands of residents were evacuated from the reserve.

The wave of rain began to hit India's northeast on Tuesday, but the Indian Meteorological Department expected the storm to weaken into a deep depression.

Associated Press writer Farid Hossain contributed to this story.

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World stocks drop in wake of NKorea missile tests

2009-05-26T06:25:00.000-07:00

World stocks drop in wake of North Korea missile tests

By CARLO PIOVANO

LONDON (AP) — World stocks fell Tuesday as investors worried that the recent rally may be overdone and were unsettled by the geopolitical tensions in Asia, where North Korea test-fired two missiles just a day after its nuclear test.

In European afternoon trading Germany's DAX 30 was 1.4 percent lower at 4,849.37 and Britain's FTSE 100 was down 0.9 percent at 4,325.09. France's CAC 40 fell 1.4 percent at 3,192.40.

Futures markets forecast a drop on the U.S. open. Dow industrial average futures were down 40 points at 8,220.00 while Standard & Poor's 500 futures were down 3.9 points at 881.00.

European shares followed Asia lower after North Korea, defying international criticism, followed up Monday's test of a nuclear bomb by firing two short-range missiles from its east coast.

The move came after the U.N. Security Council condemned the country's nuclear test as a "clear violation" of international bans.

Mitul Kotecha, head of global forex strategy at Calyon, said the news of the missile tests "reverberated through markets overnight." Although its impact has been relatively limited so far, "reports that North Korea is preparing to launch more missiles over coming days may keep markets nervous," he said.

Beyond the geopolitical incident, the market selloff was also due to investors taking a breather from the weeks-long rally which had been fueled by hopes that the worst of the economic recession is past.
With more downbeat economic news in recent days — including fears of credit ratings downgrades on major economies like the U.S. and U.K. — traders' optimism has become clouded and markets have been looking for direction.

"We seem to be stuck at the current levels," said Winson Fong, managing director at SG Asset Management in Hong Kong, which oversees about $2 billion in equities in Asia. "The market has rebounded so much we're going to need major good news to go higher or major bad news to persuade people to take some profits."
The most prominent victim of the credit ratings fears for the U.S. has been the dollar, which has slumped in value, particularly against the pound and euro, hurting prospects for European company profits.

After jumping from $1.34 in mid-May to above $1.40 on Monday, the euro traded at $1.3893 on Tuesday. During the same period, the pound rose from $1.51 to $1.5845 on Tuesday after trading at $1.5710 on Monday. The dollar managed to eke out gains against the yen, however, to 94.99 yen from 94.84 on Monday.

In Germany, consumer confidence figures failed to boost markets. The GfK research group said its forward-looking consumer climate index for June remained at 2.5 points, unchanged from May and April levels, as anxiety over job security weighed on broader hopes that the economy may be improving.

Shares in Danone, the maker of Evian mineral water and Activia yogurt, fell as much as 7.6 percent in Paris after the company announced it would raise euro3 billion ($4.2 billion) in new capital to pay down debt in the face of what it expects will be a long-lasting economic downturn.

Looking ahead, the market was awaiting reports on U.S. home prices and consumer confidence. The S&P/Case-Shiller home price index is expected to show a slightly smaller drop in March than in February, while the Conference Board's consumer confidence index is anticipated to indicate a rise in May.
In Asia, Japan's Nikkei 225 stock average closed down 36.19 points, or 0.4 percent, to 9,310.81, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng lost 130.26 points, or 0.8 percent, to 16,991.56.

In South Korea, the Kospi shed 2.1 percent at 1,372.04. The benchmark dived over 6 percent Monday on news of North Korea's nuclear test before recovering nearly all its losses.

Shanghai's index lost 0.8 percent, while Taiwan and Singapore markets dropped almost 1 percent and India's Sensex fell 1.5 percent. The only major gainer was Australia, where the key index rose 1.4 percent.
Oil prices fell in European trade ahead of OPEC's meeting this week, with benchmark crude for July delivery trading at $60.30 a barrel, down $1.37 from overnight trade.

Associated Press writer Jeremiah Marquez in Hong Kong contributed to this report.

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Obama picks Sotomayor for high court

2009-05-26T06:23:00.000-07:00

Obama picks Sotomayor for high court

By BEN FELLER

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama tapped federal appeals judge Sonia Sotomayor for the Supreme Court on Tuesday, officials said, making her the first Hispanic in history picked to wear the robes of a justice.

If confirmed by the Senate, Sotomayor, 54, would succeed retiring Justice David Souter. Two officials described Obama's decision on condition of anonymity because no formal announcement had been made.
Administration officials say Sotomayor would bring more judicial experience to the Supreme Court than any justice confirmed in the past 70 years.

A formal announcement was expected at midmorning.

Obama had said publicly he wanted a justice who combined intellect and empathy — the ability to understand the troubles of everyday Americans.

Democrats hold a large majority in the Senate, and barring the unexpected, Sotomayor's confirmation should be assured.

If approved, she would join Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg as the second woman on the current court.
Sotomayor is a self-described "Newyorkrican" who grew up in a Bronx housing project after her parents moved to New York from Puerto Rico. She has dealt with diabetes since age 8 and lost her father at age 9, growing up under the care of her mother in humble surroundings. As a girl, inspired by the Perry Mason television show, she knew she wanted to be a judge.

A graduate of Princeton University and Yale Law School, a former prosecutor and private attorney, Sotomayor became a federal judge for the Southern District of New York in 1992.

As a judge, she has a bipartisan pedigree. She was first appointed by a Republican, President George H.W. Bush, then named an appeals judge by President Bill Clinton in 1997.

At her Senate confirmation hearing more than a decade ago, she said, "I don't believe we should bend the Constitution under any circumstance. It says what it says. We should do honor to it."

In one of her most memorable rulings as federal district judge, Sotomayor essentially salvaged baseball in 1995, ruling with players over owners in a labor strike that had led to the cancellation of the World Series.
As an appellate judge, she sided with the city of New Haven, Conn., in a discrimination case brought by white firefighters after the city threw out results of a promotion exam because two few minorities scored high enough. Ironically, that case is now before the Supreme Court.

Obama's nomination is the first by a Democratic president in 15 years.

His announcement also leaves the Senate four months — more than enough by traditional standards — to complete confirmation proceedings before the Court begins its next term in the fall.

Republicans have issued conflicting signals about their intentions. While some have threatened filibusters if they deemed Obama's pick too liberal, others have said that is unlikely.

Given Sotomayor's selection, any decision to filibuster would presumably carry political risks — Hispanics are the fastest-growing segment of the population and an increasingly important one politically.

Abortion rights have been a flashpoint in several recent Supreme Court confirmations, although Sotomayor has not authored any controversial rulings on the subject.

Sotomayor's elevation to the appeals court was delayed by Republicans, in part out of concerns she might someday be selected for the Supreme Court. She was ultimately confirmed for the appeals court in 1998 on a 68-28 vote, gathering some Republican support.

Among those voting against her was Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions, now the top Republican on the Judiciary Committee that will hold sway over her confirmation.

Now, more than a decade later, Sotomayor possesses credentials Sessions said he wanted in a pick for the high court — years of experience on the bench. Obama had talked openly about the upside of choosing someone outside the judiciary — every single current justice is a former federal appeals court judge — but passed on at least two serious candidates who had never been judges.

Sotomayor has spoken openly about her pride in being Latina, and that personal experiences "affect the facts that judges choose to see."

"I simply do not know exactly what the difference will be in my judging," she said in a speech in 2002. "But I accept there will be some based on my gender and my Latina heritage."

From the moment Souter announced his resignation, it was widely assumed Obama would select a woman to replace him, and perhaps a Hispanic as well.

Others known to have been considered included federal appeals judge Diane Wood, who was a colleague of the president's at the University of Chicago law school, as well as two members of his administration, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and Solicitor General-nominee Elena Kagan.
If confirmed, Sotomayor is unlikely to alter the ideological balance of the court, since Souter generally sides with the so-called liberals on key 5-4 rulings.

But at 54, she is a generation younger that Souter, and liberal outside groups hope she would provide a counterpoint to some of the sharply worded conservative rulings.

China remembers deadly Sichuan earthquake

2009-05-12T06:22:00.000-07:00

China remembers deadly Sichuan earthquake

BEICHUAN, China (AFP) — Chinese President Hu Jintao led the nation in a minute's silence on Tuesday at the epicentre of the powerful Sichuan earthquake that flattened homes and communities one year ago.
At 2:28 pm (0628 GMT), the exact moment the disaster struck this southwest province, a grim-faced Hu presided over the ceremony broadcast live on state television from the town of Yingxiu.

He and other leaders laid a white chrysanthemum -- a symbol of mourning -- at a commemorative wall near a massive sculpture of a clock, its hands forever frozen at that fateful minute.

Nearly 87,000 people died in the 8.0-magnitude earthquake or remain missing after a disaster that galvanised the nation but left deep emotional scars.

"Gradually, the reconstruction efforts have had important results, and the people in the disaster-hit areas are striding toward a new life," Hu said in a speech after the Chinese flag was hoisted over the ruins of Yingxiu.
Across the mountainous region, mourners wept as they knelt before collapsed buildings and set off firecrackers to ward off evil spirits. Many lit incense or burned paper money as offerings to the dead.
Roads to the town of Beichuan, which was one of the worst hit, were jammed with vehicles as survivors and tourists alike arrived to remember the lost.

"I have come to mourn the loss of my two brothers and their wives," said Wu Guangjun, a stocky 46-year-old construction worker.

"They are still in the rubble. We have not found their bodies."

Police said it was hard to calculate how many people had come to Beichuan on Tuesday, although one official estimated up to 100,000 were walking among the ruins of the town which is to be preserved as an earthquake museum.

The quake zone remains an area of unmarked graves with nearly 18,000 people still listed as missing -- presumably buried under the rubble of China's worst natural disaster in three decades.
"One year may be long enough for the most serious wounds to recover but not for broken hearts," the official China Daily said in an editorial.

Life is slowly returning to normal as new homes, schools and factories are being built at a feverish rate at construction sites across Sichuan, although entire communities have been relocated.

The consequences are likely to be felt for years to come. Some 1.5 million homes have yet to be completely rebuilt, while 200,000 people made jobless are still unable to find employment, according to government data.
For many survivors, notably parents, the most controversial aspect remains the way schools crumbled to the ground -- testimony to sloppy construction.

The government has told local people that tourism could help them recover from the tragedy.
In Beichuan, stalls and shops lined the road outside the city gate, where vendors sold quake souvenirs, ethnic Qiang minority arts and crafts and local specialities such as wild mushrooms, fruits and nuts.
Among the survivors, stories abounded of lucky escapes.

Li Kaifu, a 40-year-old worker at the Hongda Chemical Factory, recalled he was at the doorway of the plant in Deyang city when the earthquake hit.

"When it started I thought for sure I was a goner," he told AFP.

"I remember all the buildings started to crumble. All around me they were falling.

"My mind was racing, I panicked and ran outside. Everywhere buildings were collapsing. It was incredible."
Others lingered over the first days and weeks after the disaster, when aid streamed in from the rest of China, some of it provided outside state control by volunteers -- especially from the nation's growing middle classes.
"The deepest memory for me was a few days after the quake, we had no water and were really thirsty," said Yang Lizhen, a 30-year-old tour guide.

"I was out near the main road and we saw truckload after truckload bringing in supplies. I felt so relieved."
Copyright © 2009 AFP. All rights reserved

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As Oracle readies takeover, Sun's loss widens

2009-04-28T23:07:00.000-07:00

As Oracle readies takeover, Sun's loss widens

By JORDAN ROBERTSON – 7 hours ago

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Sun Microsystems Inc.'s loss ballooned in the latest quarter as restructuring charges and a 20 percent drop in sales compounded the financial woes Oracle Corp. is set to inherit by acquiring Sun for $7.4 billion.
Sun, a server and software maker whose wobbly performance for most of the last decade pushed it into Oracle's clutches, said after the market closed Tuesday that it lost $201 million, or 27 cents per share, in the three months ended March 29. A year ago, Sun lost $34 million, or 4 cents per share.
Stripping out one-time charges, including $46 million for a restructuring that has cost thousands of workers their jobs, the latest quarter's loss amounted to 7 cents per share. Analysts were expecting a loss of 19 cents per share, but the numbers don't directly compare because Sun subtracted out charges that analysts didn't.
When both sides use the same metric, Sun says its loss was 5 cents per share wider than estimates.
Sun's sales of $2.61 billion were short of Wall Street's forecasts. Analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters were expecting $2.86 billion.
Sun didn't provide color on the quarter and did not hold its customary conference call with analysts, probably because of the pending acquisition by Oracle, which is expected to close this summer.
The deal, announced last week, was a surprise because Oracle hasn't made hardware. More than half of Sun's sales come from its hardware division, primarily servers and data storage machines. And Sun's software properties, like the Java programming language and Solaris operating system, haven't been big moneymakers. Oracle thinks it can change that.
A key measure of how well Sun controlled its costs was off.
Sun's gross profit margin was 42.7 percent of the company's total revenue in the latest period. That measures how much money Sun made on each dollar of revenue, once manufacturing costs are stripped out. It was down 2.2 percentage points from the same quarter last year, indicating that Sun's deep cost-cutting wasn't enough to offset its rapid sales decline.
Sun's sales are suffering because of the recession — companies aren't forking out as much for computing infrastructure — and because of a shift in the industry away from the high-end, specialty servers that have long been Sun's own specialty.
Server sales in general are at their weakest point in seven years, according to market research firm IDC, chewing into the hardware numbers for Sun and bigger rivals like IBM Corp. and Hewlett-Packard Co. Sun's takeover by Oracle came about after talks with IBM broke apart on a standoff over price and other terms.
Sun's product revenue was $1.52 billion, down 24 percent from last year. Services revenue, which consists of things like technical support, was $1.10 billion, down 13 percent.

White House will probe presidential plane PR stunt

2009-04-28T23:04:00.000-07:00

White House will probe presidential plane PR stunt

By ANNE GEARAN

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House plans an inquiry into a low-flying photo shoot by a presidential plane that panicked New Yorkers and cost taxpayers $328,835. President Barack Obama said Tuesday it won't happen again.
But the origins of the government public relations stunt that went awry remained an engrossing mystery — and a potential political problem for Obama. The White House military office approved the photo-op, which cost $35,000 in fuel alone for the plane and two jet fighter escorts.
"I think this is one of those rare cases where we can all agree it was a mistake," Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell said of Monday's "unfortunate" flight low over the Hudson River that for many on the ground evoked chilling memories of 9/11.
The sight of the huge passenger jet and an F-16 fighter plane whizzing past the Statue of Liberty and the lower Manhattan financial district sent panicked office workers streaming into the streets.
"It was a mistake, as was stated ... and it will not happen again," Obama said.
White House officials did not say why new photos were needed of the plane that is sometimes used as Air Force One — Obama wasn't aboard the flight — or who the presumed audience of the planned photographs were.
Air Force officials began to provide basic information Tuesday about the cost of the flights, but did not disclose how long the public has paid for similar photo op flights.
And public officials from the White House to New York still had not explained why they acceded to a plan that informed several dozen officials about the impending flight but kept the public in the dark.
"I think we've all learned something from it and now it's time to make sure our procedures are better and to get on with other things," New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg said. "It does seem like it was a waste of money, but that's up to the federal government."
Air Force officials said Tuesday the cost of the three-hour trip from Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland and back was $328,835 for the flight of the Boeing VC-25 presidential jet and the two accompanying F-16 fighters flown by D.C. Air National Guard pilots. The large jet — a Boeing 747 — carried only military personnel, the White House said.
Roughly $35,000 of the total flight cost was fuel for the VC-25 and F-16s. Other expenses that are factored into hourly flight costs include fuel for ground support equipment, spare parts and other maintenance items needed to keep the aircraft ready. Overall, the cost per flying hour for the VC-25 is $100,219, according to the Air Force. The F-16s cost just under $8,000 an hour to operate.
The Air Force said the photo op flight was run as a regular training mission, so that the costs of the aircraft were considered training costs and were handled under the operations and maintenance budget of the 89th Airlift Wing.
White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said Tuesday that there would be an inquiry into how the decision was made to make the flight. He made no move to defend the midlevel White House civilian who had accepted blame for it on Monday.
"The president will look at that review and take any appropriate steps after that," Gibbs said. The inquiry would be led by Deputy Chief of Staff Jim Messina, Gibbs said.
White House officials said Obama was fuming mad and thinks Air Force One didn't need a new publicity photo anyway.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates "did not know in advance about this flying photo op," Morrell said. "Once he found out, suffice it to say he was surprised and not very pleased."
The presidential air fleet answers to the White House military office, whose director, Louis Caldera, issued a mea culpa on Monday.
"While federal authorities took the proper steps to notify state and local authorities in New York and New Jersey, it's clear that the mission created confusion and disruption," Caldera's statement said. "I apologize and take responsibility for any distress that flight caused."
For a half-hour, the Boeing 747 and one of the F-16s circled the Statue of Liberty and the financial district near the World Trade Center site. Offices emptied. Dispatchers were inundated with calls. Witnesses thought the planes were flying dangerously low.
A White House official has said the New York City mayor's office and other New York and New Jersey police agencies were told about the Boeing 747's flight. The official said the FAA, at the military's request, told local agencies that the information was classified and asked them not to publicize it.
Bloomberg initially lambasted the government for failing to notify him, then criticized one of his own aides after learning that the aide had not relayed notification that the flight was coming.
New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine said Tuesday he also received no warning ahead of time that the back-up Air Force One jet and military fighters would be flying low around the Statute of Liberty.
Corzine said he had yet to find a New Jersey official who was told in advance about the Monday morning fly-over.
Senate Armed Services Chairman Carl Levin, D-Mich., said the Obama administration should have been more careful about alerting New Yorkers to the photo-op.
"There should have been better communication," Levin said Tuesday. "They've expressed their regrets for not having a better communications line to New York, and I think New York people should have known about it."
Associated Press writers Richard Lardner, Philip Elliott and Lara Jakes in Washington, Sara Kugler in New York and Beth DeFalco in New Jersey contributed to this report.
Copyright © 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved

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Swine flu's ground zero? Townspeople are convinced

2009-04-28T23:02:00.000-07:00

Swine flu's ground zero? Townspeople are convinced

By OLGA R. RODRIGUEZ

LA GLORIA, Mexico (AP) — Everyone told Maria del Carmen Hernandez that her kindergartner's illness was just a regular cold. But it seemed like the whole town of 3,000 was getting sick.
As early as February, neighbors all around her were coming down with unusually strong flu symptoms — and the caseload kept growing. When state health workers came to investigate March 23, some 1,300 people sought their medical help. About 450 were diagnosed with acute respiratory infections and sent home with antibiotics and surgical masks.
Five-year-old Edgar Hernandez was still healthy then. Hernandez wanted to keep him home from school so he wouldn't get sick, but her husband said, "We can't be afraid of what might or might not happen."
Then he came home with a fever and a headache so bad his eyes hurt. She took him to a clinic, and after a few days of antibiotics, he too recovered.
No one told Hernandez that her son had become Mexico's earliest confirmed case of swine flu until the Veracruz governor helicoptered in on Monday. But Edgar's case confirmed for residents what they already believed: their hillside town is ground zero in the epidemic.
Local health officials and Federal Health Secretary Jose Angel Cordova downplay claims that the swine flu epidemic could have started in La Gloria, noting that of 35 mucous samples taken from respiratory patients there, only Edgar's came back positive.
Confirmation that the boy was infected with H1N1 — a strange new mix of pig, bird and human flu virus that has killed as many as 152 people in Mexico and now spread across the world — wasn't made until last week, when signs of the outbreak elsewhere prompted a second look at his sample.
"If the people who are supposed to be familiar with this didn't know what it was, how will we ever know how my son got it?" Hernandez said Tuesday.
Hernandez said doctors came from Jalapa, the state capital, and Veracruz city to see Edgar in the weeks after he was tested. But they said nothing, "they just wanted to see him." A team came again last weekend, after federal officials confirmed the swine flu cases late Thursday and started closing schools and canceling events in Mexico City.
Again, they left without saying anything, she said.
Cordova insists the rest of the community had suffered from H2N3, a common flu, based on other 34 samples. While Mexican authorities haven't determined how or where the swine flu outbreak began, Gov. Fidel Herrera said Tuesday that "there is not a single indicator" suggesting it started in La Gloria.
But Jose Luis Martinez, a 34-year-old resident of the town, made the swine flu connection the minute he heard a description of the symptoms on the news: fever, coughing, joint aches, severe headache and, in some cases, vomiting and diarrhea.
"When we saw it on the television, we said to ourselves, 'This is what we had,'" he said Monday. "It all came from here. ... The symptoms they are suffering are the same that we had here."
Two infants died of pneumonia during the La Gloria outbreak. They were buried without testing.
Townspeople blame their ills on pig waste from farms that lie upwind, five miles (8.5 kilometers) to the north. The toxins blow through other towns, only to get trapped by mountains in La Gloria, they say. They suspect their water and air has been contaminated by waste.
Granjas Carroll de Mexico, half-owned by Virginia-based Smithfield Foods, Inc., has 72 farms in the surrounding area. Smithfield spokeswoman Keira Ullrich said the company has found no clinical signs or symptoms of the presence of swine influenza in its herd or its employees working at its joint ventures anywhere in Mexico.
Animal health expert Peter Roeder, a consultant to the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization, said many possibilities exist for how the virus first jumped to humans, and that it could have happened months or even a year ago.
Roeder said it's possible someone tending the pigs could have passed a human influenza virus to a pig already infected with another type of swine flu, and then that pig could have also come into contact with a bird virus. Then, the new H1N1 virus formed could have been transmitted back to the workers.
But that's just a theory — and no one has any evidence that it happened in La Gloria.
"It's all surmise," Roeder said by phone from the Philippines. "The only thing that we know is that we have a virus that is transmitting between people and it is causing some concern."
But residents say they have been bothered for years by the fetid smell of the farms. Local health workers intervened in early April, sealing off the town of La Gloria and spraying to kill flies people said were swarming around their homes.
When Associated Press journalists on Monday entered a Granjas Carroll farm that has been the focus of community complaints, the cars were sprayed with water. Victor Ochoa, the general director, required the visitors to shower and don white overalls, rubber boots, goggles and masks and step through disinfectant before entering any of the 18 warehouses where 15,000 pigs are kept.
Ochoa showed the journalists a black plastic lid that covered a swimming pool-size cement container of pig feces to prevent exposure to the outside air.
"All of our pigs have been adequately vaccinated and they are all taken care of according to current sanitation rules," Ochoa said. "What happened in La Gloria was an unfortunate coincidence with a big and serious problem that is happening now with this new flu virus."
Mexican Agriculture Department inspectors found no sign of swine flu among pigs around the farm in Veracruz, and say that no infected pigs have been found yet anywhere in Mexico.
Martinez and Bertha Crisostomo, a liaison between the villagers and the municipal government of Perote to which La Gloria belongs, say half of the people from the town live and work in Mexico City most of the week, and could easily have spread the swine flu in the capital, where most of the swine flu cases have been confirmed.
Edgar, however, has never left the Perote valley. The family doesn't own pigs or work near them. Edgar's father, a bricklayer also named Edgar, only works in the area — not Mexico City.
Residents here are certain Edgar was not the only swine flu victim in their town.
Juan Rodriguez died of pneumonia Feb. 9 at age 7 months. His grandmother, Josefina Mendoza, 71, said doctors have come to interview the infant's parents.
Irene Bonilla, 23, said her 2-month-old boy, Yovanni Apolinar, died March 12. No one has interviewed her but reporters.
Neither family wants the children's bodies exhumed for testing.
"Why?" Mendoza said. "It's been months since he died. The child has made his peace with God. He's with the Virgin now."
AP Medical Writer Margie Mason and AP writers Mark Stevenson and Lisa J. Adams in Mexico City contributed to this report.
Copyright © 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved

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Mexico death toll stabilizes as epidemic spreads

2009-04-28T22:55:00.000-07:00

Mexico death toll stabilizes as epidemic spreads

By MARK STEVENSON

MEXICO CITY (AP) — The toll from the swine flu epidemic appears to be stabilizing in Mexico, the health secretary said late Tuesday, with only seven more suspected deaths. But health officials said they "fully expect" to see U.S. deaths as the virus keeps spreading around the world.
The new virus is suspected in 159 deaths and 2,498 illnesses across Mexico, said Health Secretary Jose Cordova, who called the death toll "more or less stable" even as hospitals are swamped with people who think they have swine flu. And he said only 1,311 suspected swine flu patients remain hospitalized, a sign that treatment works for people who get medical care quickly.
The positive news came as the swine flu appeared to spread from hundreds of students at a New York school who fell ill after a small group's spring break trip to Mexico, and confirmed cases were reported in New Zealand and Israel, joining the United States, Canada, Britain and Spain.
The United States stepped up surveillance at its borders and warned Americans to avoid non-essential travel to Mexico. Canada, Israel and France issued similar travel advisories.
Cuba became the first country to impose an outright ban on travel to the epicenter of the epidemic. Argentina soon followed with its own ban, and ordered 60,000 visitors who arrived from Canada, Mexico and the U.S. in the past 20 days to contact the Health Ministry.
Meanwhile, Mexico was eliminating reasons for tourists to visit. On Tuesday, the pyramids and all other archaeological sites were put off limits nationwide and restaurants in the capital were closed for all but take-out food in an aggressive bid to stop gatherings where the virus can spread.
Experts on epidemics said these kinds of government interventions are ineffective, since this flu — a never-before-seen blend of genetic material from pigs, birds and humans to which people have no natural immunity — is already showing up in too many places for containment efforts to make a difference.
Outside Mexico, confirmed cases were reported for the first time as far away as New Zealand and Israel, joining the United States, Canada, Britain and Spain. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the U.S. has 66 confirmed cases in five states, with 45 in New York, one in Ohio, one in Indiana, two in Kansas, six in Texas and 11 in California.
"Border controls do not work. Travel restrictions do not work," said WHO spokesman Gregory Hartl, recalling the SARS epidemic earlier in the decade that killed 774 people, mostly in Asia, and slowed the global economy.
Instead, they say, governments should do more to provide medical help to people with swine flu symptoms, since the virus is proving to be treatable if diagnosed early.
U.S. officials stressed there is no need for panic, noting that flu outbreaks are quite common every year. The CDC estimates about 36,000 people in the U.S. alone died of flu-related causes each year, on average, in the 1990s.
Cordova said many of the people crowding hospital waiting rooms complaining of swine flu symptoms actually suffered from other ailments — and many of those suspected of having the virus were treated and sent home.
"You can see the total of new cases," Cordova said, pointing to bar charts that showed a rise and fall. "In the last days there has been a drop."
Only 26 cases, including seven deaths, have been definitively confirmed to be swine flu, Cordova said.
Cordova said that with U.S. help, new testing facilities in Mexico will soon have the capacity to test 150 samples a day for the new strain of swine flu. Currently, it must send samples to the CDC or Canadian labs.
Meanwhile, Cordova said health workers have begun using a less specific quick test, and will immediately administer anti-viral medicine to anyone with the general class of flu that includes the new strain.
Another focus is preventing people from gathering in groups where mass contagion could result. Mexico City's mayor ordered restaurants to limit service to takeouts and deliveries, and closed gyms and swimming pools and restricted access to many government buildings.
The economic toll also spread. Even before the restaurant closings, the capital has lost 777 million pesos ($56 million) a day since the outbreak began, said Arturo Mendicuti, president of the city's Chamber of Trade, Services and Tourism.
"Of course we don't like these measures," he said. "We hope they don't last."
In the U.S., President Barack Obama asked Congress for $1.5 billion in emergency funds to fight the illness.
"I fully expect we will see deaths from this infection," said Richard Besser, acting director of the CDC.
In New York, there were growing signs that the virus was moving beyond St. Francis Preparatory school, where sick students started lining up at the nurse's office days after some students returned from Cancun.
At the 2,700-student school, the largest Roman Catholic high school in the nation, "many hundreds of students were ill with symptoms that are most likely swine flu," said Health Commissioner Thomas Frieden. A teacher was one of 28 confirmed cases. And a nearby school with siblings at St. Francis was shut down as well after more than 80 students called in sick.
"It is here and it is spreading," Frieden said.
Rachel Mele, a 16-year-old at the school, saw her fever break Tuesday for the first time in five days. It had been hovering around 101 since the terrifying night when her parents rushed her to the hospital.
"I could barely even catch my breath. I've never felt a pain like that before," Mele said. "My throat, it was burning, like, it was the worst burning sensation I ever got before. I couldn't even swallow. I couldn't even let up air. I could barely breathe through my mouth."
It is significant that some of confirmed New York cases passed swine flu to others who had not traveled — this suggests the virus can jump from human to human to human, spreading through other countries, said Keiji Fukuda, assistant director-general of the World Health Organization.
"There is definitely the possibility that this virus can establish that kind of community-wide outbreak capacity in multiple countries, and it's something we're looking for very closely," Fukuda said. So-called "community" transmissions are a key test for gauging whether the spread of the virus has reached pandemic proportions.
Scientists hope to have a key ingredient for a vaccine ready in early May, but it still will take months before any shots are available for the first required safety testing. Using samples of the flu taken from people who fell ill in Mexico and the U.S., scientists are engineering a strain that could trigger the immune system without causing illness.
"We're about a third of the way" to that goal, said Dr. Ruben Donis of the CDC.
U.S. officials said they may abandon the term "swine flu" since the virus blends genetic material from three species, and because many people mistakenly fear they can get it from meat. The outbreak has been a public relations nightmare for the pork industry, and China, Russia and Ukraine are among the countries who have banned imports from Mexico and parts of the U.S.
"It's killing our markets," said Francis Gilmore, 72, who runs a 600-hog operation in Perry, Iowa, outside Des Moines, and worries his small business could be ruined by the crisis. "Where they got the name, I just don't know."
Associated Press Writers Sara Kugler, Cristian Salazar, Marcus Franklin and Samantha Gross in New York; Istra Pacheco, Peter Orsi, Julie Watson and E. Eduardo Castillo in Mexico City; Mike Stobbe in Atlanta; Mary Clare Jalonick, David Espo, Philip Elliott and Matthew Lee in Washington; Alexander G. Higgins in Geneva, Maria Cheng in London and Pan Pylas in London contributed to this report.

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Indonesians vote for new parliament

2009-04-08T23:39:00.000-07:00

Indonesians vote for new parliament

AKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Indonesians began voting Thursday in parliamentary elections that could determine if President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono will have enough support to win a second five-year term needed to push through aggressive economic and institutional reforms. The vote will also test the role of Islamic parties in politics.

Violence flared hours before the first polling stations opened in the easternmost province of Papua, the scene of a decades-long insurgency, killing at least six people, said local police chief Maj. Gen. Bagus Ekodanto.
But by midmorning the situation appeared calm, with long lines forming as people waited to cast ballots.
The vote for a new 560-member legislature is being closely watched because it will determine who will qualify to run for president in July.

Parties or coalitions that win a fifth of the seats — or 25 percent of the popular vote — can nominate a candidate for that race.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's Democrat Party is expected to come out on top, but with more than 171 million eligible voters and dozens of parties to choose from, nothing is certain.

Second-time voter Rivaldi Aswin, a 25-year-old bank employee, was confused casting four votes for municipal, provincial and national candidates, most of whom he didn't know.

"It is very complicated this time. There were too many ballot papers and we didn't recognize the faces or candidates," he said in the capital, Jakarta. He declined to say who he picked.

Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim nation, emerged from 32 years of dictatorship when Gen. Suharto was swept from power in 1998, leading to reforms that freed the media, struck down repressive laws and for the first time allowed citizens to vote for president.

It has since become a relatively stable democracy compared to many of its Asian neighbors, despite some concerns about vote-rigging, fraud and tensions in far-flung provinces like Papua in the east and Aceh in the west.

If Yudhoyono's party wins 26 percent of the popular vote, as some opinion polls predict, he will not have to cobble together an alliance with others seen to be less willing to tackle corruption, overhaul the judiciary and streamline bureaucracy.

"At this moment, it looks like he's going to make it," said Dede Oetomo, a political analyst from Airlangga University in the city of Surabaya.

Last time around, the Democrats won just 7 percent of the vote, forcing Yudhoyono, eventually, to partner up with Suharto's Golkar and a handful of Islamic parties that tried to push through laws governing everything from the way women dressed to the types of magazines that could be hawked on street corners.

Analysts say these elections could see the popularity of religious parties, which did well in 2004, waning. Most of the secular country's 210 million Muslims practice a moderate form of the faith.

"As long as these parties try to push through Islamic-based laws, they are going to keep losing support," said Syafiie Maarif, an Islamic scholar. "They need to come up with a broader, policy-based platform, like fighting poverty."

Campaigns across the board were largely personality driven and policies have been broad and ill-defined, focusing on issues like the effect the global slowdown has had on the economy or the need to root out pervasive corruption.

Unlike 2004, security is no longer a big issue, something many credit to Yudhoyono.
Indonesia was last hit by an al-Qaida-linked terrorist attack four years ago and, thanks to a 2005 peace deal, guns have largely fallen silent in formerly war-torn Aceh province, on the country's northwestern tip.
Tensions there and in Papua were high after a series of fatal shootings in recent months, but few expect the situation to spiral out of control.

Papuan police chief Maj. Gen. Bagus Ekodanto said more than 80 suspected rebels attacked a police post in the provincial capital, Jayapura, with machetes and spears at around 1 a.m. Thursday, prompting a clash that killed one separatist.

Elsewhere, he said, rebels who want Papua to break from Indonesia stabbed several motorcycle taxi drivers, burned an oil depot and property at a state university, leaving five others dead.

Voters, who had been told to boycott the vote, refused to be intimidated.
"I think everything should be solved in a peaceful way, that's why I'm out here today," said Leonard Tuilan.
The Indonesian Survey Institute poll indicated that the Democratic Party would win 26 percent of the popular vote; the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle headed by former President Megawati Sukarnoputri 14 percent; and Golkar 13 percent. The four Islamic-based parties each came in at around 4 percent. The survey, based on interviews with 2,486 people, had a margin of error of 2.3 percent.

Associated Press Writers Zakki Hakim, Niniek Karmini and Ali Kotarumalos contributed to this report from Jakarta.

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McCain urges China to get tough on North Korea

2009-04-08T23:35:00.000-07:00

McCain urges China to get tough on North Korea

BEIJING (AP) — U.S. Senator John McCain urged China on Thursday to take a firmer stand against North Korea following Pyongyang's latest rocket firing, saying Beijing had more leverage than any other country to influence the North's behavior.

The Arizona Republican said stronger measures were needed in response to Sunday's launch, including sanctions at the U.N. Security Council. Both Beijing and Washington are veto-wielding permanent members of the body.

"I want to say very frankly what we all know, and that the nation that has true influence over North Korea" is China, McCain said in remarks to reporters following meetings with China's foreign and defense ministers and the head of the national legislature.

"And we have urged the Chinese to exercise that responsibility as quickly as possible and as strongly as possible, which in my view, they have not done enough of in the past," McCain said.

China is Pyongyang's strongest ally and has offered a muted response to Sunday's rocket firing, in contrast to the stern expressions of concern from the U.S., Japan and South Korea — who say they believe the launch was a test of a long-range ballistic missile, not a satellite launch as Pyongyang insists. Beijing has yet to weigh in on the argument.

McCain also expressed disappointment at the lack of progress in six-nation talks aimed at shutting down Pyongyang's nuclear programs.

The negotiations, hosted by China and involving the U.S., Japan, Russia and North and South Korea, are currently stalled after five years of on-again, off-again meetings. The deadlock centers on Pyongyang's refusal of a verification process that would confirm it had dismantled its nuclear programs.

"I don't think the talks have been very productive," said McCain, the 2008 Republican nominee for president. He said his disappointment was heightened by allegations that North Korea has "at least exported some (atomic) technologies," pointing to claims of North Korean involvement in the Iranian and Syrian nuclear programs.

While China is believed to be North Korea's biggest supplier of food and fuel aid, it has appeared to have limited sway with the isolated regime in Pyongyang. China may be unwilling to take a hard stand against Pyongyang for fear of further eroding that influence.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jVer5yGny4dIBPE3ioLkZC5h9P9wD97EMPB80?index=0&ned=us

Analysis: Amid NATO celebration, concern on future

2009-04-08T23:26:00.000-07:00

Analysis: Amid NATO celebration, concern on future

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — NATO's reluctance to match the U.S. troop buildup in Afghanistan may not undercut President Barack Obama's new war strategy so long as the allies carry through on pledges to contribute more nonmilitary assistance.

But in the longer run, an uneven sharing of the combat load in Afghanistan could doom U.S. hopes for relying on NATO as a partner in future conflicts. While the alliance celebrated its 60th anniversary and Obama hailed its more cohesive spirit, none of the leaders inside the Strasbourg castle alluded openly to the hard prospect that NATO troops may stay largely shielded while American soldiers are exposed to most of the battles and casualties.

The summit over the weekend ended with NATO's agreement to contribute 5,000 more troops to bolster the intensified U.S. push for more security in Afghanistan's cities and training for beleaguered Afghan soldiers and police.

The NATO additions are not insubstantial. But they pale beside Obama's decision to send 21,000 U.S. soldiers and Marines this year to buttress 38,000 American troops fighting the Taliban. The new NATO contingent — adding to the alliance's 35,000 troops in Afghanistan — would even be outstripped by the 10,000 more troops that senior American commanders are urging Obama to deploy to the conflict next year.
Left unsettled is how a NATO that was built on the principle of sharing security burdens can continue to play a role in the global effort to defeat Islamic extremism if it is unwilling to assume more of the risks in tight corners like Afghanistan.

"That's a significant problem for the alliance, going forward," said Nicholas Burns, a former American ambassador to NATO who is now a professor of diplomacy and international politics at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government.

"We all agreed to go into Afghanistan. The essence of the alliance is that we share responsibility and we share commitments," Burns said. "And for some of the countries to essentially refuse to send their troops to combat areas, I still think, is an important issue that cannot be forgotten."

U.S. congressional leaders have been vocal in bringing up reminders. At a hearing last week on U.S. strategy for Afghanistan and Pakistan, Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said the allies' stance in Afghanistan was "nothing short of pitiful."

But generally the Americans have taken on the bulk of the fight against the Taliban and against terrorists like al-Qaida.

With the first U.S. surge troops soon expected to arrive, a delegation of senior U.S. officials visited Kabul on Sunday to deal with the knotty issue of Afghanistan's approaching election. U.S. special envoy Richard Holbrooke and Joint Chiefs Chairman Adm. Mike Mullen met much of the day with Afghan President Hamid Karzai and other candidates and government officials.

High on the agenda is settling the question of who will serve as president after Karzai's term expires in May, since the presidential election will not be held until August. Holbrooke said Sunday it appears that Karzai will remain in office in that interim period. But the diplomat carefully added that the U.S. is taking no position on Karzai's re-election effort.

Holbrooke, the Obama administration's special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, also welcomed Iran to join Afghan stabilization talks in "whatever forums work for them."

The American willingness to include Iran in talks on Afghanistan's future is indicative of the new administration's tack to broaden the world's involvement in what was mostly a U.S. enterprise during the Bush years.

But the uneasy outlook for NATO's role in Afghanistan is central to a still-unsettled debate about whether the alliance should return to its focus on preventing conflict within its own borders. NATO was created in April 1949 as a bulwark against a Soviet land invasion to conquer western Europe, but since the collapse of communism and the dissolution of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s, NATO has been an alliance in search of a reason for being.

Obama's strategy for Afghanistan contains themes that the Europeans have been preaching for years. They include the need to more closely integrate the roles of combat and nonmilitary activities such as developing the Afghan economy, promoting reconciliation with some insurgents, and finding more effective ways of strengthening the credibility of the Afghan government.

Mullen said Obama's new war strategy makes clear that the U.S. needs help from allies to build a firmer foundation for stabilizing Afghanistan.

"Probably the most important part is to create governance in the country at every level — not just the national level but also at the district level, the provincial level," he said in a speech in New York on Thursday before flying to the NATO summit.

But without real harmony, Mullen added, "it won't make any difference how many more troops we send it — it's not going to work."

EDITOR'S NOTE _ Robert Burns has covered national security affairs for The Associated Press since 1990.

Obama looking at cooling air to fight warming

2009-04-08T23:23:00.000-07:00

Obama looking at cooling air to fight warming

WASHINGTON (AP) — Tinkering with Earth's climate to chill runaway global warming — a radical idea once dismissed out of hand — is being discussed by the White House as a potential emergency option, the president's new science adviser said Wednesday.

That's because global warming is happening so rapidly, John Holdren told The Associated Press in his first interview since being confirmed last month.

The concept of using technology to purposely cool the climate is called geoengineering. One option raised by Holdren and proposed by a Nobel Prize-winning scientist includes shooting pollution particles into the upper atmosphere to reflect the sun's rays.

Using such an experimental measure is only being thought of as a last resort, Holdren said.
"It's got to be looked at," he said. "We don't have the luxury ... of ruling any approach off the table."
His concern is that the United States and other nations won't slow global warming fast enough and that several "tipping points" could be fast approaching. Once such milestones are reached, such as complete loss of summer sea ice in the Arctic, it increases chances of "really intolerable consequences," he said.
Twice in a half-hour interview, Holdren compared global warming to being "in a car with bad brakes driving toward a cliff in the fog."

He and many experts believe that warming of a few degrees more would lead to disastrous drought conditions and food shortages in some regions, rising seas and more powerful coastal storms in others.
At first, Holdren characterized the potential need to technologically tinker with the climate as just his personal view. However, he went on to say he has raised it in administration discussions.

"We're talking about all these issues in the White House," Holdren said. "There's a very vigorous process going on of discussing all the options for addressing the energy climate challenge."

Holdren said discussions include Cabinet officials and heads of sub-Cabinet level agencies, such as NASA and the Environmental Protection Agency.

The 65-year-old physicist is far from alone in taking geoengineering seriously. The National Academy of Sciences is making it the subject of the first workshop in its new climate challenges program for policymakers, scientists and the public. The British Parliament has also discussed the idea. At an international meeting of climate scientists last month in Copenhagen, 15 talks dealt with different aspects of geoengineering.
The American Meteorological Society is crafting a policy statement that says "it is prudent to consider geoengineering's potential, to understand its limits and to avoid rash deployment."

Last week, Princeton scientist Robert Socolow told the National Academy that geoengineering should be an available option in case climate worsens dramatically.

Holdren, a 1981 winner of a MacArthur Foundation "genius" grant, outlined these possible geoengineering options:

_ Shooting sulfur particles (like those produced by power plants and volcanoes, for example) into the upper atmosphere, an idea that gained steam when it was proposed by Nobel laureate Paul Crutzen in 2006. It would be "basically mimicking the effect of volcanoes in screening out the incoming sunlight," Holdren said.
_ Creating artificial "trees" — giant towers that suck carbon dioxide out of the air and store it.
The first approach would "try to produce a cooling effect to offset the heating effect of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases," Holdren said.

But he said there could be grave side effects. Studies suggest that might include eating away a large chunk of the ozone layer above the poles and causing the Mediterranean and the Mideast to be much drier.
And those are just the predicted problems. Scientists say they worry about side effects that they don't anticipate.

While the idea could strike some people as too risky, the Obama administration could get unusual support on the idea from groups that have often denied the harm of global warming in the past.

The conservative think tank American Enterprise Institute has its own geoengineering project, saying it could be "feasible and cost-effective." And Cato Institute scholar Jerry Taylor said Wednesday: "Very few people would rule out geoengineering on its face."

Holdren didn't spell out under what circumstances such extreme measures might ever be called for. And he emphasized they are not something to rely on.

"It would be preferable by far," he said, "to solve this problem by reducing emissions of greenhouse gases."
Yet there is already significant opposition building to the House Democratic leaders' bill aimed at achieving President Barack Obama's goal of cutting greenhouse gas emissions 20 percent by 2020 and 80 percent by 2050.
Holdren said temperatures should be kept from rising more than 3.6 degrees. To get there, he said the U.S. and other industrial nations have to begin permanent dramatic cuts in carbon dioxide pollution by 2015, with developing countries following suit within a decade.

Those efforts are racing against three tipping points he cited: Earth could be as close as six years away from the loss of Arctic summer sea ice, he said, and that has the potential of altering the climate in unforeseen ways. Other elements that could dramatically speed up climate change include the release of frozen methane from thawing permafrost in Siberia, and more and bigger wildfires worldwide.

The trouble is that no one knows when these things are coming, he said.
Holdren also addressed other topics during the interview:

_ The U.S. anti-ballistic missile program is not ready to work and shouldn't be used unless it is 100 percent effective. The system, which would be used to shoot down missiles from countries like North Korea or Iran "needs to be essentially perfect ... that's going to be hard to achieve."

_ Holdren said NASA needs some changes. He said the Bush administration's plan to return astronauts to the moon was underfunded so money was taken from science and aeronautics. Those areas, including climate change research, were "decimated," he said.

The administration will "rebalance NASA's programs so that we have in space exploration, a suitable mix of manned activities and robotic activities," Holdren said. Doing that "will only get under way in earnest when a new administrator is in place."

Holdren, who advises the president on such decisions, said he hopes Obama will pick a new NASA boss soon.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hm1kMpA2nQALOfQL8Y8PxxTHNVtgD97EI0LO1

Obama launches effort to reduce nuclear arms

2009-04-08T23:20:00.000-07:00

Obama launches effort to reduce nuclear arms

PRAGUE (AP) — President Barack Obama on Sunday launched an effort to rid the world of nuclear weapons, calling them "the most dangerous legacy of the Cold War" and saying the U.S. has a moral responsibility to lead as the only nation to ever use one.

In a speech driven with fresh urgency by North Korea's rocket launch just hours earlier, Obama said the U.S. would "immediately and aggressively" seek ratification of a comprehensive ban on testing nuclear weapons. He said the U.S. would host a summit within the next year on reducing and eventually eliminating nuclear weapons, and he called for a global effort to secure nuclear material.

"Some argue that the spread of these weapons cannot be checked — that we are destined to live in a world where more nations and more people possess the ultimate tools of destruction," Obama said to a bustling crowd of more than 20,000 in an old square outside the Prague Castle gates.

"This fatalism is a deadly adversary," he said. "For if we believe that the spread of nuclear weapons is inevitable, then we are admitting to ourselves that the use of nuclear weapons is inevitable."
Obama targeted his comments at one point directly at North Korea, which launched a rocket late Saturday night in defiance of the international community. The president was awoken by an aide and told of the news, which occurred in the early morning hours in Prague.

"North Korea broke the rules once more by testing a rocket that could be used for a long range missile," Obama said. "This provocation underscores the need for action — not just this afternoon at the UN Security Council, but in our determination to prevent the spread of these weapons."

At a summit with leaders of the European Union later in the day, Obama called for a swift, joint statement condemning North Korea's actions, and said the foreign ministers from the countries were in the process of crafting one.

North Korea declared the missile launch a success. But the U.S. military said "no object entered orbit," with the first stage of the rocket falling into the waters between Korea and Japan, and the two other stages and its payload landing in the Pacific Ocean.

Addressing another potential nuclear foe, Obama said in his speech the U.S. will present Iran with "a clear choice" to join the community of nations by ceasing its nuclear and ballistic missile activity or face increased isolation.

He said the U.S. will proceed with development of a missile defense system in Europe as long as there is an Iranian threat of developing nuclear weapons. If that threat is removed, he said, "The driving force for missile defense in Europe will be removed."

The choice of Prague for such a speech carried large symbolism, and Obama didn't ignore it. Decades of communism were toppled in Czechoslovakia through the 1989 Velvet Revolution, so named because it was one of the few peaceful overthrows of communism in the Iron Curtain. The Czech Republic split from Slovakia in 1993.

Obama praised the Czechs for helping "bring down a nuclear-armed empire without firing a shot."
Obama coupled his call for a nuclear-free world with an assurance that America would not unilaterally give up nuclear weapons. It must be a one-for-all, all-for-one endeavor, he said, and until that is possible, the U.S. will maintain a big enough arsenal to serve as a deterrent.

Few experts think it's possible to completely eradicate nuclear weapons, and many say it wouldn't be a good idea even if it could be done. But a program to drastically cut the world atomic arsenal carries support from scientists and lions of the foreign policy world.

The Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty was signed by former President Bill Clinton but rejected by the Senate in 1999. Over 140 nations have ratified the ban, but 44 states that possess nuclear technology need to both sign and ratify it before it can take effect and only 35 have do so. The United States is among the key holdouts, along with China, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Iran, Israel, North Korea, and Pakistan.

Ratification of the test ban was one of several "concrete steps" Obama outlined as necessary to move toward a nuclear-free world, He also called for reducing the role of nuclear weapons in American national security strategy, negotiating a new strategic arms reduction treaty with Russia, and seeking a new treaty to end the production of fissile materials used in nuclear weapons.

Obama also said the U.S. will seek to strengthen the nuclear nonproliferation treaty by providing more resources and authority for international inspections and mandating "real and immediate consequences" for countries that violate the treaty.

Obama spoke after conferring with Czech leaders. He is nearing the end of a sweep through five nations in Europe, pivoting from the global economic swoon to the war in Afghanistan to, now, the crisis in North Korea and the fate of the nuclear world.

AP White House Correspondent Jennifer Loven contributed to this story from Prague.

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Flying car takes off on first test flight

2009-03-18T18:51:00.000-07:00

Flying car takes off on first test flight

Maiden flight: Prototype of the Transition 'roadable aircraft' gets off the ground

Logging 37 seconds in the air, a prototype of a flying car completed its first test flight earlier this month in upstate New York.

Woburn, Mass.-based Terrafugia Inc., founded four years ago by MIT graduates, reported today that its Transition "roadable" aircraft completed its first flight at Plattsburgh International Airport in Plattsburgh, N.Y. on March 5 with retired U.S. Air Force Col. Phil Meteer at the controls. The short flight was confined to the expanse of the runway, but it was enough to allow the company to test the Transition's stability and controllability.

The flight comes after six months of ground testing -- the flying car has been driven under its own power in on-road test drives and in tests of its taxiing capability.

"This flight is a symbol of a new freedom in aviation. It's what enthusiasts have been striving for since 1918," said Terrafugia CEO Carl Dietrich in a statement.

The two-seater vehicle fits into the light sport aircraft category and has an anticipated price tag of $148,000. Richard Gersh, a vice president at Woburn, Mass.-based Terrafugia, told Computerworld in January that the company already has received more than 40 orders for the Transition. He hopes the first one will be in a customer's hands by next year.

"We're not going to have a flying car, as people think of it, for a while," said Anna Dietrich, Terrafugia's chief operating officer, in an earlier interview. "I would never say it's not going to happen, but today the infrastructure is not there, nor is the training, nor are the avionics that would make the training unnecessary. What makes sense right now is a 'roadable' aircraft."

Dietrich said the idea of a such a vehicle is what fired up the imaginations of Terrafugia's founders and pushed them to launch the company. The problem, however, is that the U.S. doesn't have the infrastructure to support vehicles that both fly in the air and travel on surface roads regularly. Unlike runways, roads pass in front of houses, grocery stores and office buildings. And a sky filled with small planes piloted by people who don't have pilot's licenses could be problematic, to say the least.

Dietrich noted that there are about 6,000 public airports in the U.S., and most people are, on average, within 20 miles of one. The idea, she said, is to take advantage of this underutilized infrastructure. With a drivable aircraft, a pilot could fly into a small airport and, instead of getting a rental car or waiting for a taxi, simply fold up the plane's wings and drive off.

source : http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9129931&intsrc=news_ts_head

Natasha Richardson dies after ski fall

2009-03-18T18:42:00.000-07:00

Natasha Richardson dies after ski fall

NEW YORK (CNN) -- Natasha Richardson, a film star, Tony-winning stage actress and member of the famed Redgrave acting family, died Wednesday after suffering injuries in a ski accident, according to a family statement. She was 45.

Richardson, wife of actor Liam Neeson, was injured Monday in a fall on a ski slope at a Quebec resort about 80 miles northwest of Montreal.

Richardson's family released a statement saying, "Liam Neeson, his sons, and the entire family are shocked and devastated by the tragic death of their beloved Natasha. They are profoundly grateful for the support, love and prayers of everyone, and ask for privacy during this very difficult time."

According to a statement from Mont Tremblant Ski Resort, Richardson fell during a lesson on a beginners' trail.

"She did not show any visible sign of injury, but the ski patrol followed strict procedures and brought her back to the bottom of the slope and insisted she should see a doctor," the statement said.

Richardson, accompanied by her instructor, returned to her hotel, but about an hour after the fall was "not feeling good," the statement said. An ambulance was called, and Richardson was taken to a local hospital before being transferred to Hopital du Sacre-Coeur in Montreal. From there she was transferred to Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City.

Richardson was practically born to perform. Her grandfather, Sir Michael Redgrave, was a famed British actor. Her mother, Vanessa Redgrave, is an Oscar-winning actress, and her father, the late director Tony Richardson, helmed such films as "Look Back in Anger," "The Entertainer" and the Oscar-winning "Tom Jones."

Natasha Richardson's uncle Corin Redgrave, aunt Lynn Redgrave, and sister Joely Richardson are also noted performers.

But being part of a family of actors wasn't always easy for Richardson. Her parents divorced when she was 4 and her mother, involved in controversial political causes, gave away a lot of money, putting the family in financial straits, according to the BBC.

Then there was the family heritage, of which Richardson once said, "Though my name opened doors it didn't get me work, and a lot of pressure comes from having a mother who is considered one of the greatest actresses of her generation," the BBC reported.

Richardson's first film role was a bit part in her father's "The Charge of the Light Brigade" (1968), made when she was 4. After a handful of roles through her teens and early 20s, she broke through as Mary Shelley in Ken Russell's film "Gothic," and followed that up as Patty Hearst in Paul Schrader's 1988 film of the same name.

Richardson's other notable films included "The Handmaid's Tale" (1990); the TV movie "Zelda" (1993); "Nell" (1994), alongside Neeson, whom she married in 1994; the 1998 remake of "The Parent Trap"; and "Wild Child" (2008).

But some of Richardson's greatest successes were on the stage. At 22, she played opposite her mother and Jonathan Pryce in a London production of Anton Chekhov's "The Seagull"; the performance earned her the London Drama Critics' most promising newcomer award.

She won a Tony for her performance as Sally Bowles in the 1998 revival of "Cabaret" and earned raves for her Blanche DuBois in a 2005 production of "A Streetcar Named Desire." She was scheduled to perform in a revival of Stephen Sondheim's "A Little Night Music" this year, following a January benefit performance of the show.

source : http://www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/Movies/03/18/obit.richardson/?iref=mpstoryview

Natasha Richardson Flown to New York With Ski Injuries

2009-03-17T19:13:00.000-07:00

Natasha Richardson Flown to New York With Ski Injuries
Natasha Richardson Accident
By PATRICK HEALY and IAN AUSTEN

The Tony-award winning actress Natasha Richardson was flown from Canada to New York City on Tuesday afternoon in serious condition with head injuries suffered the day before in a skiing accident north of Montreal, according to two people close to her family.

The people, who spoke only on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to reporters, declined to describe Ms. Richardson’s condition before or during the flight, other than to say it was very serious and that her family was highly distressed. They said the plane had arrived in New York by Tuesday evening, but declined to say where Ms. Richardson was being treated.

Ms. Richardson, 45, is married to the actor Liam Neeson and is the daughter of Vanessa Redgrave and the director Tony Richardson, who died in 1991. Mr. Neeson was seen crouched inside an ambulance beside his wife on Tuesday afternoon at Hôpital du Sacré-Coeur de Montréal, as she lay heavily wrapped in blankets with tubes around her face.

Throughout the day on Tuesday, there were conflicting reports about Ms. Richardson’s medical condition, and by evening, the precise nature and gravity of Ms. Richardson’s condition could not be officially confirmed.

At 8:40 p.m. Tuesday, Ms. Redgrave was seen walking into Lenox Hill Hospital wearing a scarf and looking somber; representatives of Ms. Richardson would not confirm that she was a patient there.

Her business representatives and a spokesman for the family said they did not have any information to make public. Officials of the Hôpital du Sacré-Coeur de Montréal declined to discuss her condition, citing privacy rules.

Lyne Lortie, a spokeswoman for the Mont Tremblant ski resort in the Laurentian Hills north of Montreal, said Ms. Richardson had fallen during a beginner’s lesson. She was not wearing a helmet at the time, she said.

“It was a normal fall; she didn’t hit anyone or anything,” Ms. Lortie said. “She didn’t show any signs of injury; she was talking and she seemed all right.”

As a precaution, when she left the slopes, Ms. Richardson was accompanied by a member of the resort’s ski patrol and her instructor, who then remained with her at a hotel.

When she started having headaches about an hour later, she was taken by ambulance to a hospital in Ste. Agathe, Quebec, about 20 minutes from the resort. Ms. Lortie said that Ms. Richardson was transferred to the Hôpital du Sacré-Coeur de Montréal later in the afternoon.

Ms. Richardson won a Tony in 1998 for her performance in “Cabaret.” Her film performances include roles in “The Handmaid’s Tale” and “The Parent Trap.” She and Mr. Neeson married in 1994 and have two children.

Mathew R. Warren contributed reporting.

source :http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/18/theater/18richardson.html?ref=nyregion

Madoff sent to jail as furious victims applaud

2009-03-12T17:35:00.000-07:00

Madoff sent to jail as furious victims applaud

By LARRY NEUMEISTER and TOM HAYS

NEW YORK (AP) — Careful to blame only himself, a "deeply sorry and ashamed" Bernard Madoff pleaded guilty Thursday to pulling off what could be the biggest, most spectacular swindle Wall Street has even seen, and was sent off to jail in handcuffs to the applause of his furious victims.

"I realized that my arrest and this day would inevitably come," Madoff said in a courtroom crammed with many of the investors he cheated out of billions of dollars.

The 70-year-old financier could get up to 150 years in prison at sentencing June 16 on 11 counts, including securities fraud and perjury. He could also be fined and ordered to pay restitution to his victims and forfeit any ill-gotten gains.

In a long, detailed statement delivered in a soft but steady voice, Madoff implicated no one but himself in the vast Ponzi scheme. He said he started it as a short-term way to weather the early-1990s recession and was unable to extricate himself as the years went by.

"I am actually grateful for this opportunity to publicly comment about my crimes, for which I am deeply sorry and ashamed," Madoff said in his first public comments about his crimes since the $65 billion scandal broke in early December.

The scandal turned a well-respected investment professional — Madoff was once chairman of the Nasdaq exchange — into a symbol of Wall Street greed amid the economic meltdown. The public fury toward him was so great that he was known to wear a bulletproof vest to court.

U.S. District Judge Denny Chin promptly revoked the $10 million bail that had allowed Madoff to remain free since he confessed to his sons three months ago. In ordering him jailed, the judge said Madoff had the means to flee and an incentive to do so because of his age.

The court appearance came as a disappointment to many of Madoff's investors, who hoped to hear him say who might have helped him pull off the scam, and where the money went.

Because Madoff pleaded guilty as charged, without any kind of deal with prosecutors, he is under no obligation to cooperate with them. As a result, some legal experts and others have speculated that he is sacrificing himself to protect his wife, his family and friends.

"He's trying to save the rest of his family," said investor Judith Welling. "We need to find out who else was involved, and we need, obviously, to freeze the assets of all those people involved to help the victims."

There was a smattering of applause after the judge announced Madoff would go directly to jail — the drab, windowless high-rise Metropolitan Correctional Center next door to the courthouse to await sentencing. But that did not lessen his victims' anger or satisfy their desire for retribution.

"So he spends the rest of his life in jail — is that justice? People's lives are ruined," said Adriane Biondo of Los Angeles, one of five members of her family who lost money with Madoff. "He's sitting in jail? That's awesome," she said sarcastically. "Where's the money, Bernie?"

DeWitt Baker, an investor who attended the hearing and said he lost more than $1 million with Madoff, said: "I'd stone him to death."

Prosecutors gave assurances they are investigating Madoff's wife and other family members and employees to determine what role, if any, they played in the scam.

"A lot of resources and effort are being expended, both to find assets and to find anyone else who may be responsible for this fraud," federal prosecutor Marc Litt said.

In court documents, prosecutors put the amount of the fraud at $64.8 billion. However, experts said that the actual loss was probably much less and that the higher number reflects the false profits Madoff told investors they were making. So far, authorities have located only about $1 billion for investors.

Prosecutors have already said low-level employees in Madoff's New York offices participated by mailing out tens of thousands of phony monthly statements and trading confirmations to make it look as if customers were making money in the market.

Some investors suspect their money ended up in the hands of Madoff's wife, Ruth. She was not in court. But the mere mention of her name drew jeers and laughter.

In one instance, defense lawyer Ira Sorkin was describing how Madoff had, "at his wife's own expense," paid for security at his $7 million penthouse in Manhattan. Loud laughter erupted among some of the more than 100 spectators crammed into the courtroom on the 24th floor of the federal courthouse in lower Manhattan. There was more snickering when Sorkin mentioned Mrs. Madoff's "small residence in France."

Madoff's thousands of victims included individuals, trusts, pension funds, hedge funds and nonprofit organizations. The scheme wiped out people's life savings, ruined charities and foundations, and apparently pushed at least two investors to commit suicide.

Investors big and small were swindled, from Florida retirees to celebrities such as Steven Spielberg, actor Kevin Bacon and Hall of Fame pitcher Sandy Koufax. Many of Madoff's victims were Jews and Jewish charities, which trusted him because he is Jewish. Those cheated included Nobel Peace Prize winner and Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel.

In court Thursday, Madoff — a dapper figure, dressed in a charcoal-gray suit, with swept-back, wavy gray hair — said he began the scheme during the last recession, when "I felt compelled to satisfy my clients' expectations, at any cost." He did not put his investors' money into the market, as he claimed. Instead, it was a Ponzi scheme, or a pyramid, in which early investors are paid off with money taken in from later ones.

"When I began the Ponzi scheme I believed it would end shortly and I would be able to extricate myself and my clients from the scheme," he said. "However, this proved difficult, and ultimately impossible, and as the years went by I realized that my arrest and this day would inevitably come."

In Washington, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said: "The president is glad that swift justice will happen."

Gibbs said the Obama administration will do everything possible to ensure strict enforcement of securities regulations "and hope that through those actions that that kind of greed and irresponsibility and that kind of criminal activity never happens again."

Before the court hearing, helicopters circled above the courthouse, and federal officers with automatic weapons stood outside. Investors signed in before entering the courtroom.

"I wanted him to see some of the faces of the people he lied to and destroyed," said Cynthia Friedman, 59, of Jericho, N.Y. She and her husband, Richard, said Madoff defrauded them of their life savings of $3 million. They learned it was gone months before Richard Friedman was supposed to retire — a plan now on hold.

Madoff did not look at any of the three investors who spoke at the hearing, even when one of them turned in his direction and tried to address him. At the hint of a confrontation, a marshal sitting behind Madoff stood up, and the judge directed the investor to speak directly to the bench.

Madoff told the court that he falsely told investors he was employing a "split strike conversion strategy": He claimed he invested their money in a batch of stocks from the Standard & Poor's 100 that closely tracked the price movements of the index. He also told investors that he would periodically pull their money out of the market and put it in Treasury bills. And he claimed he bought stock options to hedge against losses. All of that was false.

Madoff also said that to fool his clients into thinking he was buying and selling stocks, he transferred money from his fraudulent operations into his wholesale stock-trading firm, which he otherwise described as an honest, legitimate business.

Afterward, Burt Ross, a lawyer from Englewood, N.J., who lost $5 million in Madoff's swindle, said: "It's a little bit like seeing the devil."

Associated Press writers Jennifer Peltz and David B. Caruso contributed to this report.

source : http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hnkPe640MG8WMCAvAwv5GqtqxsOAD96SOT5O1?index=0

Obama to states: Spend stimulus wisely _ or else

2009-03-12T17:31:00.001-07:00

Obama to states: Spend stimulus wisely _ or else

By DARLENE SUPERVILLE –

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama on Thursday rallied the people he is counting on to help turn around the economy and warned anew that he will not tolerate wasteful spending of his $787 billion economic stimulus package. "If we see money being misspent, we're going to put a stop to it," Obama told a gathering of state officials.

Vice President Joe Biden, who is coordinating oversight of stimulus spending, opened the conference with an equally stern warning.

"Six months from now, if the verdict on this effort is that we've wasted the money, we built things that were unnecessary or we've done things that are legal but make no sense, then, folks, don't look for any help from the federal government for a long while," he said.

State officials who are working on stimulus spending were invited for a day of schooling on how to make the massive spending program work, to hear from and question Cabinet secretaries and other administration officials, and to propose and discuss ideas.

About 125 people from 49 states filled an auditorium with theater-style seating in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building next to the White House. Idaho was unable to send a representative.

Obama mixed stern language with a pep talk for the state officials he is depending on to help implement the stimulus, which he says will save or create 3.5 million jobs this year and next through investment in infrastructure, energy, schools and other spending.

"All of you are at the front lines of what is probably the most important task that we have in this country over the next couple of years, and that's getting the economy started again," Obama said during his brief appearance. The audience gasped when he entered the room.

At the same time, Obama stressed the need to "make sure that every single dollar is well spent."

If wasteful spending is found, "We will call it out and we will publicize it," he said, reiterating what he has already told governors and mayors.

Biden said regulations would be announced Friday outlining what stimulus money cannot be spent on.

"A little hint," he said. "No swimming pools in this money."

Biden and Energy Secretary Steven Chu also announced $8 billion in stimulus money for state and local programs to help make homes more energy efficient, with an initial installment of about $780 million to be released in the coming days.

Conference participants heard from officials from the Office of Management and Budget and many of the Cabinet departments. Some of their questions dealt with how states should count the number of jobs created, when they will receive schedules telling them what they should apply for, and about spotty communication with the governors.

Rob Nabors, deputy director of the budget office, said officials were still getting up to speed on the reporting deadlines Congress set, as well as on improving communication with the states.

Wayne Turnage, chief of staff to Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine, told reporters during a break in the conference that the state officials will work with the administration to get answers in the next month or so.

"It's a sweeping piece of legislation. There are some complex issues we have to deal with," Turnage said.

Toney Anaya, a former New Mexico governor appointed by Bill Richardson, the current governor, to oversee stimulus spending in the state, said the officials are grappling with lots of details but that he expected the process would be streamlined.

The officials also said the president's and vice president's warnings about spending the money wisely and keeping the public informed were appropriate.

Said Don Winstead, an adviser to Florida Gov. Charlie Crist: "We already have a lot of swimming pools in Florida. We don't need this money for swimming pools. We need this money to help create jobs in our state."

Separately Thursday, Texas Gov. Rick Perry rejected $555 million in stimulus money to expand state unemployment benefits. An outspoken critic of the stimulus, Perry accepted most of the roughly $17 billion slated for Texas in the plan.
On the Net:

* Stimulus Web site: http://www.recovery.gov

Copyright © 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

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Google turns voicemail into email - google voice

2009-03-12T06:08:00.001-07:00

Google turns voicemail into email - google voice

By Alexei Oreskovic

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Google Inc is seeking to blur the line between the telephone and the computer even further with the introduction of Google Voice on Thursday.

The new service weaves traditional phone features with Google's Gmail email product, allowing a person to store transcripts of voicemail phone messages in their email inbox and to find a specific nugget of information within a phone message as if trawling through a sea of emails.

The move comes as Google increasingly branches out from its stronghold in Internet search, as it seeks to carve out a role in everything from cell phones to personal productivity software.

And it demonstrates the company's ability to fuse various technologies -- home-grown and acquired -- into new products, even as the economic recession puts the future of certain Google projects in question.

Google Voice is based on the technology of Grand Central Communications, a company that Google acquired in July 2007. After Grand Central remained silent for nearly two years under the Google flag, some observers wondered whether it had met the same fate as Dodgeball, a Google acquisition that was formally shut down this year.

Google Voice represents the first major update to Grand Central since the acquisition. Like the original Grand Central product, Google Voice offers consumers a single phone number that can route incoming calls to home, office and cell phones.

The new version uses speech-recognition technology that Google developed for its Goog-411 telephone directory service, automatically transcribing voicemails into text. The transcribed messages can be forwarded as an email or SMS text message to a person's email inbox.

It is unclear how Google Voice will fit into Google's business model, which relies on advertisers to provide 97 percent of the company's revenue. The company has also ventured into the mobile software market, launching last year the Android mobile operating system.

Other than a feature that bills Google Voice users when they make long-distance phone calls, the product has no immediate means of generating revenue, said Craig Walker, group product manager for Real Time Communications at Google.

He said that Google Voice, which will be available to existing Grand Central users on Thursday and to the general public in the following weeks, provides another reason for people to spend more time on Google's various online properties, which benefits the company.

Google also makes money from selling enterprise versions of its applications to corporations. But Walker said the current priority is to make Google Voice a success as a free consumer product.

"There's all sorts of things we can do down the road," Walker said. "But right now we're just totally focused on getting the consumer product out."

(Reporting by Alexei Oreskovic, editing by Matthew Lewis)

source : http://www.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUSTRE52B0U720090312

Ala. gunman left list of those who wronged him

2009-03-11T23:28:00.000-07:00

Ala. gunman left list of those who wronged him

By JESSICA GRESKO and DESIREE HUNTER

SAMSON, Ala. (AP) — The gunman who killed 10 people and committed suicide in a rampage across the Alabama countryside had struggled to keep a job and left behind lists of employers and co-workers he believed had wronged him, authorities said Wednesday.

The lists found in Michael McLendon's home included a metals plant that had forced him to resign years ago and where he ended up killing himself Tuesday to end the rampage, District Attorney Gary McAliley said. Also on the list were a sausage factory from which he suddenly quit last week and a poultry plant that suspended his mother, McAliley said.

The pages torn from a spiral notebook included names of co-workers who he felt had wronged him, including one who reported him for not wearing ear plugs, another who made him clean a meat grinder and a supervisor who didn't like the way he cut pork chops, McAliley said.

"We found a list of people he worked with, people who had done him wrong," said McAliley in an interview outside the charred house where the rampage began.

Investigators offered no immediate explanation for why McLendon targeted relatives and others who weren't on the list as he fired more than 200 rounds in a roughly 20-mile trail of carnage across two counties near the Florida state line.

The district attorney said a piece of paper found in the house he shared with his mother also included the names of nine lawyers in the area. He said McLendon apparently wanted to hire a lawyer in a dispute with members of his family over getting a family Bible returned to him, but details weren't clear.

McLendon began his killing spree across three southern Alabama communities by burning down his home, and ended it by taking his own life at Reliable Metals, where he worked until 2003. McAliley said he believes McLendon had planned more violence at the Pilgrim Pride plant in Enterprise, where his mother worked, and the place he recently quit, Kelly Foods in Elba.

McLendon's complete work history wasn't immediately known, but he left the metals plant in Geneva in 2003 and apparently worked at Pilgrim's Pride before joining the sausage factory in 2007.

Lt. Barry Tucker of Alabama Bureau of Investigations said at a news conference that McLendon was "somewhat depressed about job issues" but that investigators don't believe the shootings were job-related.

"There's no specific indication of 'This is why I did it,'" said Tucker who wouldn't release a motive.

Federal court records show McLendon and his mother are among Pilgrim Pride employees who filed a lawsuit in 2006 against the Pittsburg, Texas-based poultry firm over claims of unfair compensation. A company spokesman did not immediately respond to an e-mail seeking comment.

The district attorney said records found in the home indicate Lisa McLendon was accused of misstating her hours but was due to resume work March 17. The company wouldn't comment on the reason she was suspended.

In the span of about an hour, McLendon, 28, set his home on fire, killed five relatives and five bystanders and committed suicide in a standoff at the plant.

"The community's just in disbelief, just how this could happen in our small town," said state Sen. Harri Anne Smith, from the nearby town of Slocomb. "This was 20-something miles of terror."

At a prayer service at First Baptist Church of Samson, Rev. Steve Sellers made no attempt to explain what would drive someone to commit such an act.

"Father, there are times in life when we don't have answers to the question why," Sellers said to several hundred people in the church, where sobs could be heard. "I don't know what set a young man off like that, but I too want to pray for his family."

It was not clear how long McLendon had been planning the attack, but authorities said he armed himself with four guns — two assault rifles with high-capacity magazines taped together, a shotgun and a .38-caliber pistol — and may have planned a bigger massacre than he had time to carry out.

"I'm convinced he went over there to kill more people," said Sheriff Dave Sutton.

The shooting was the deadliest attack by a single gunman in Alabama history, and plunged Samson, a community of about 2,000 where McLendon grew up and where most of his victims lived, into mourning.

The town is so close-knit that the mayor coached McLendon in T-ball when he was a boy, and the dead included the wife and daughter of one of the sheriff's deputies who was sent to chase McLendon.

As word about the killings spread, graduates of the local high school scrambled to find their yearbooks, and many realized they knew the gunman.

"Something had to snap," said Jerry Hysmith, 35, who worked with McLendon at the metals plant in 2001.

Among the dead were some of the very people who might have helped explain what set off McLendon — his grandmother, his mother, an uncle and two cousins.

This much is clear: McLendon had a hard time keeping a job over the years, and had been forced to resign from his position at a local Reliable Metals plant in 2003, authorities said. Investigators would not say why.

That year, he tried to join the police academy, but lasted only a week before flunking out, authorities said. His next known job came in 2007, at a nearby sausage plant operated by Kelley Foods.

The company said he quit last week but was considered a team leader and was well-liked by employees.

The rampage started around 3:30 p.m., when McLendon put his mother on an L-shaped couch, piled stuff on top of her and set her ablaze, authorities said. Before he left, he also shot four dogs. Investigators did not immediately say whether the woman was dead or alive when the fire was set.

Inside the charred home, a gun safe was left with its door ajar, and military gear, including a camouflage jacket and green military-style backpack, was found about the home. In another room, remnants of his baseball career, including a 1995 All-Star trophy, were prominently displayed.

McLendon then drove a dozen miles and gunned down three other relatives and the deputy's wife and daughter on a porch and shot his grandmother at a house next door, sending panicked bystanders fleeing and ducking behind cars. His uncle's wife, Phyllis White, sought refuge in the house of neighbor Archie Mock.

"She was just saying, `I think my family is dead. I think my family is dead,'" Mock said.

McLendon went inside the house and chased his aunt out before driving off, said Tom Knowles, who was at his son's house nearby and saw the shooting. Knowles said McLendon returned moments later in his car as if looking for the aunt, then turned and looked at Knowles.

"He had cold eyes. There was nothing. I hollered at him. I said, 'Look, boy, I ain't done nothing to you,'" Knowles said. McLendon then left for good.

Then, McLendon shot three more people at random as he drove toward the metals plant, firing from his car.

At the metals plant, McLendon got out of his car and fired at police with his assault rifle, wounding Geneva Police Chief Frankie Lindsey, authorities said. Then he walked inside and killed himself.

The victims included the wife and 18-month-old daughter of sheriff's Deputy Josh Myers, who was sent to chase McLendon. Myers did not know then that his wife and daughter were among the dead. His 4-month-old daughter was wounded in the attack.

"I cried so much yesterday, I don't have a tear left in me," said Myers, who did not know McLendon. "I feel like I should be able to walk in the house and my wife would be there, my baby girl climbing on me."

Associated Press Writers Jay Reeves in Samson, Gary Mitchell in Mobile and Bob Johnson and Kate Brumback in Montgomery contributed to this report.

source : http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5i8CbzUeIBWcQ-VUtTTdTnlgX_oqAD96S6VR80?index=0

Asian markets extend global rally on Citi news

2009-03-11T01:04:00.000-07:00

Asian markets extend global rally on Citi news

By JEREMIAH MARQUEZ –

HONG KONG (AP) — Asian stock markets surged Tuesday, with Japan's key index jumping nearly 5 percent, after Wall Street staged a massive rally as news that Citigroup is turning a profit buoyed hopes the stricken financial sector can recover.
The region's lurch higher, led partly by financial shares, was a welcome reprieve from the depressing declines in global equities over the last few weeks.
But analysts said the relief was likely to be temporary as stocks, in the throes of the worst bear market in years, continue to grind toward a new bottom in the coming months amid the worsening outlook for the world economy. Another sharp drop in Chinese exports last month was just the latest grim reminder of how severe the global downturn is.
"What you've seen today is mostly a technical bounce in markets after falling steeply recently, and I don't think this rally can be sustained," said Arjuna Mahendran, the Singapore-based head of Asian investment strategy for HSBC Private Bank, which manages some $494 billion in assets. "It's still far too early to predict that the global recession is over ... The fundamentals are simply not in place."
The catalyst for the rally on Wall Street was a letter from Citigroup Chief Executive Vikram Pandit to employees saying the bank had operated at a profit for the first two months of this year, logging its best performance since the third quarter of 2007, the last time it booked a quarterly profit.
Investors, desperate for any positive signs about the ailing financial system, cheered the news about the banking giant, which has lost so much money the federal government has been forced to extend billions in aid and take a 36 percent stake.
Japan's Nikkei 225 stock average shot up 321.14 points, or 4.6 percent, to 7,376.12, rebounding from a 26-year closing low hit this week. Hong Kong's Hang Seng leaped 332.56 points, or 2.8 percent, to 12,026.61.
Elsewhere, South Korea's Kospi rose 35.31, or 3.2 percent, to 1,127.51. Benchmarks in Australia, Singapore and Taiwan were up 1.9 percent.
Banking shares were especially strong, with leading Japanese bank Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group Inc. gaining 4 percent. HSBC, which like Citi gave reassurances this week that it was performing better than expected so far this year, advanced 6 percent in Hong Kong, continuing its recovery form a 24 percent plunge on Monday.
The upbeat mood, though, belied more evidence that Asian countries were still suffering from the drought in Western demand that drives their export-reliant economies.
In China, exports plunged 25.7 percent last month as overseas appetites for goods made in the world's third-largest economy continued to deteriorate. Imports also fell. A string of monthly export declines is undermining hopes among many investors that China can boost its economy, at least in the near term, with a 4 trillion ($586 billion) stimulus package.
Also in Asia, Japanese machinery orders, an indicator of how much the country's companies are spending, fell 3.2 percent in January, though were still better than expected.
In the U.S., Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke warned the U.S. recession wouldn't end this year unless the government bailout of banks succeeded and financial markets were restored to working order.
On Tuesday, Wall Street posted its best performance of the year, with the Dow Jones industrials surging 379 points, or about 5.8 percent, to 6,926.49. The broader Standard & Poor's 500 index advanced 43.07 points, 6.4 percent, to 719.6.
Stock futures pointed to modest gains on Wall Street Wednesday. Dow futures rose 46, or 0.7 percent, to 6,933 and S&P 500 futures advanced 4.5, or 0.6 percent, to 720.50.
Oil prices were steady in Asian trade, with light, sweet crude for April delivery up 5 cents at $45.76 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract fell $1.36 to settle at $45.71 a barrel overnight.
The dollar weakened to 98.54 yen from 98.80 yen late Tuesday. The euro dropped to $1.2629 from $1.2702.

source : http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5h3kgMAkbLwyfxBdjzw8Pc4KZ7DhQD96RM1RO0

Museum reveals engraving hidden in Lincoln watch

2009-03-11T01:03:00.000-07:00

Museum reveals engraving hidden in Lincoln watch
By BRETT ZONGKER

WASHINGTON (AP) — For nearly 150 years, a story has circulated about a hidden Civil War message engraved inside Abraham Lincoln's pocket watch. On Tuesday, museum curators confirmed it was true. A watchmaker used tiny tools to carefully pry open the antique watch at the National Museum of American History, and a descendant of the engraver read aloud the message from a metal plate underneath the watch face.
"Jonathan Dillon April 13 - 1861," part of the inscription reads, "Fort Sumpter (sic) was attacked by the rebels on the above date." Another part reads, "Thank God we have a government."
The words were etched in tiny cursive handwriting and filled the the space between tiny screws and gears that jutted through the metal plate. A magnifying glass was required to read them.
Jonathan Dillon, then a watchmaker on Pennsylvania Avenue, had Lincoln's watch in his hands when he heard the first shots of the Civil War had been fired in South Carolina. The Irish immigrant later recalled being the only Union sympathizer working at the shop in a divided Washington.
Dillon's story was passed down among his family and friends, eventually reaching a New York Times reporter. In a 1906 article in the paper, an 84-year-old Dillon said no one, including Lincoln, ever saw the inscription as far as he knew.
Dillon had a fuzzy recollection of what he had engraved. He told the newspaper he had written: "The first gun is fired. Slavery is dead. Thank God we have a president who at least will try."
For years the story went unconfirmed.
The watchmaker's great-great grandson, Doug Stiles, first heard the tale of the engraving from his great uncle decades ago. He said the story had reached extended family as far away as Ireland.
A few months ago, he used Google to find the New York Times story, and last month he passed the information along to Smithsonian curators, who knew nothing about the engraving.
On Tuesday, watchmaker George Thomas, who volunteers at the museum, spent several minutes carefully opening the watch as an audience of reporters and museum workers watched on a video monitor.
"The moment of truth has come. Is there or is there not an inscription?" Thomas said, teasing the audience, which gasped when he confirmed it was there. He called Stiles up to read his ancestor's words, drawing smiles and a few sighs of relief.
"Like Pearl Harbor or 9/11, this was the reaction he had (to the Civil War,)" Stiles said of the inscription.
Later, Stiles said he felt closer to the 16th president.
"My gosh, that was Lincoln's watch," he said, "and my ancestor put graffiti on it!"
Lincoln's family kept the watch until it was donated to the museum in 1958. It was Lincoln's everyday pocket watch, one of the president's only valuable possessions he brought with him to the White House from Springfield, Ill., said Harry Rubenstein, curator of the museum's politics and reform division.
"I think it just captures a bit of history that can transform you to another time and place," he said. "It captures the excitement, the hope of a watchmaker in Washington."
The watch will go back on display at the museum by Wednesday as part of the exhibit, "Abraham Lincoln: An Extraordinary Life." It will have a new label to tell Dillon's story and a photo of the inscription.

On the Net:

National Museum of American History: http://americanhistory.si.edu/

source : http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5i9j7gMrhQzwmNnpNEqIABXoTR5mwD96RFLNG0?index=0

Sri Lanka suicide blast kills 14, wounds minister

2009-03-11T01:00:00.000-07:00

Sri Lanka suicide blast kills 14, wounds minister
By BHARATHA MALLAWARACHI
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — A suicide bomber attacked government ministers leading a procession to mark a Muslim festival in southern Sri Lanka on Tuesday, killing 14 people and severely wounding one of the officials.
The government blamed Tamil Tiger separatists for the blast, which wounded 45 other people, saying the rebels had grown desperate in the face of an army offensive that has driven them close to defeat after more than 25 years of civil war.
If the work of the Tigers, the assault shows the guerrillas can still launch strikes far from their traditional strongholds in the north and east even as they face battlefield defeat.
As the military has pushed the rebels into an ever-shrinking sliver of territory in the north, human rights and aid groups have voiced concern for the fate of the tens of thousands of civilians trapped in the pocket. Heavy artillery attacks Tuesday killed at least 49 ethnic Tamil civilians and wounded hundreds of others, the top government health official in the war zone said.
While fighting rages in the north, the suicide attacker struck in the southern town of Akuressa as six ministers led a procession toward a mosque for a ceremony to commemorate the prophet Mohammed's birthday.
Television footage showed men in white robes and caps slowly parading down the street before the blast sent them running in all directions. Afterward, charred bodies lay scattered among their torn clothes and severed limbs just outside the mosque compound's gates.
"I heard a huge sound, and then I saw people had fallen everywhere. They were covered with blood and flesh, and the wounded people were screaming," Ahamed Nafri, 29, said by telephone from the hospital in the nearby town of Matara.
Police and bystanders hauled the badly bleeding Minister of Posts and Telecommunications Mahinda Wijesekara into a van. He was later flown to the capital for treatment to a head wound.
Dr. Hector Weerasinghe, the director of Colombo National Hospital, said the minister underwent three hours of surgery and was still in serious condition late Tuesday.
The government said the attack killed 14 people and wounded 45 more.
The attack came as government forces stood poised to rout the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam from their last stronghold in northeastern Sri Lanka after a 20-month offensive.
The rebels have fought since 1983 for an independent state for the Tamil minority, which suffered decades of marginalization at the hands of governments dominated by the Sinhalese majority. More than 70,000 people have been killed.
President Mahinda Rajapaksa's office said selecting a mosque on an Islamic festival for the attack showed the rebels "hatred" of Muslims and strengthened the government's resolve to defeat them.
There was no indication Muslims were specifically targeted on Tuesday. However, the Tamil Tigers used violence to drive many Muslims and ethnic Sinhalese from Tamil-dominated areas. In one of the bloodiest incidents, suspected rebels attacked a mosque in an eastern town in 1990 with guns, grenades and machetes, killing 140 worshippers.
Muslims, many of them descendants of Arab or Indian traders, make up about 7 percent of Sri Lanka's population. Many speak Tamil but the community has largely stayed out of the war.
With most communication to the north severed, rebel spokesmen could not be reached for comment.
In the northern war zone, Dr. Thurairaja Varatharajah, the top government health official there, said shell fire continued to hit a government designated civilian refuge Tuesday as heavy rains flooded trenches and forced families out into the open.
By the afternoon, 279 wounded civilians were brought to the makeshift hospital he runs in the area, and 43 of them died because of lack of adequate care, he said. Many of the wounded were being treated under trees in the rain. Another six bodies were brought to the hospital's morgue, he said.
Since the beginning of March, 1,205 wounded civilians were brought to the hospital and 218 people either died at the facility or were brought to the morgue by relatives, he said. However, many families have stopped bringing their dead to the hospital because of the shelling, health officials say.
The army denies shelling the area.
The top U.N. official in Sri Lanka reiterated the world body's call for a pause in the fighting to let the civilians flee.
"There are too many people too near heavy fighting. It's wrong," U.N. resident coordinator Neil Buhne said.

Major stock market indexes fall to 1997 levels

2009-02-23T18:05:00.000-08:00

Major stock market indexes fall to 1997 levels
By TIM PARADIS – 2 hours ago

NEW YORK (AP) — Wall Street has turned the clock back to 1997. Investors unable to extinguish their worries about a recession that has no end in sight dumped stocks again Monday. The Dow Jones industrial average tumbled 251 points to its lowest close since May 7, 1997, while the Standard & Poor's 500 index logged its lowest finish since April 11, 1997. It's as if the decade's dot-com surge, collapse and subsequent recovery never occurred.

The Dow is just over 100 points from 7,000. Both indexes have lost about half their value since hitting record highs in October 2007.

"People left and right are throwing in the towel," said Keith Springer, president of Capital Financial Advisory Services.

Investors pounded most financial stocks even as government agencies led by the Treasury Department said they would launch a revamped bank rescue program this week. The plan includes the option of increasing government ownership in financial institutions without having to pour more taxpayer money into them.

Although the government has said it doesn't want to nationalize banks, many investors are clearly still concerned that this could be a possibility as banks continue to suffer severe losses because of the recession. They're also worried that banks' losses will keep escalating as the recession sends more borrowers into default.

"The biggest thing I see here is the incredible pessimism," Springer said. "The government is doing a lousy job of alleviating fears."

The Treasury and other agencies issued a statement after The Wall Street Journal reported Citigroup is in talks for the government to boost its stake in the bank to as much as 40 percent. Analysts said the market, which initially rose on the statement, wanted more details of the government's plans.

"It's only a very partial picture of what we may get," said Quincy Krosby, chief investment strategist at The Hartford. "This proverbial lack of clarity is damaging market psychology."

Meanwhile, technology stocks fell after The Journal reported that Yahoo Inc.'s new chief executive plans to reorganize the company. But the selling came across the market as pessimism about the recession and its toll on companies deepened.

"There's no where to hide anymore," said Jim Herrick, director of equity trading at Baird & Co.

The market's decline extends massive losses from last week when the major stock indexes tumbled more than 6 percent. While falling to their 1997 levels, the major indexes plunged through the lows they reached in late November, at the height of the credit crisis.

"There's no main driver of the down day," said Ryan Detrick, senior technical strategist at Schaeffer's Investment Research. "There's just so much skepticism in the overall market and (the question is) is the government doing proper things to get us out of this problem. Obviously the stock market is voting no."

The Dow dropped 250.89, or 3.41 percent, to 7,114.78. It last closed this low on May 7, 1997 when it finished at 7,085.65. The Dow hasn't traded below the 7,000 mark since October 1997. The index is down 14 percent over the past 10 sessions.

The Standard & Poor's 500 index fell 26.72, or 3.47 percent, to 743.33. It was the lowest close since April 11, 1997, when it ended at 737.65.

When the indexes were last at these levels, they were in their ascendancy, climbing amid the dot-com boom. But 1997 was also the year that saw stock prices later plunge amid a growing financial crisis in Asia. Far away from Wall Street, it was the year that the U.S. first heard the name Monica Lewinsky, whose relationship with President Bill Clinton led to his impeachment and trial. And it was the year that the world was stunned by the death of Britain's Princess Diana, on Aug. 31.

On Monday, the S&P 500 did close above its Nov. 21 trading low of 741.02. But the 14-month recession has decimated the major indexes: The Dow is down 49.8 percent from its record highs of October 2007, while the S&P 500 index is down 52.5 percent.

Detrick warned that a move below the S&P's Nov. 21 low could set off "violent selling" as even more confidence drains from the market.

The technology-laden Nasdaq composite index dropped 53.51, or 3.71 percent, to 1,387.72.

Investors looking for a bottom also dumped smaller stocks. The Russell 2000 index of smaller companies fell 16.38 or 3.99 percent, to 394.58.

Declining issues outnumbered advancers by more than 6 to 1 on the New York Stock Exchange, where consolidated volume came to 6.35 billion shares compared with heavy volume of 8.12 billion shares on Friday.

Morgan Smith, investment counselor for Burns Advisory Group, said investors are now pushing out their expectations for a recovery in the industry until after this year.

"Everyone is trying to grasp at some type of bottom," Smith said. "The market is just trying to figure out if it has priced in a worst-case scenario."

Among tech stocks, Hewlett-Packard Co. fell $1.96, or 6.3 percent, to $29.28, and Intel Corp. dove 70 cents, or 5.5 percent, to $12.08.

Other big losers included General Electric Co., which dropped to a 14-year low of $8.80, but ended down 53 cents, or 5.7 percent, at $8.85. Aluminum producer Alcoa Inc. tumbled 48 cents, or 7.6 percent, to $5.81.

Some financial stocks managed to gain, including Citigroup, which rose 19 cents, or 9.7 percent, to $2.14, and Bank of America Corp., which gained 12 cents, or 3.2 percent, to $3.91.

Bond prices were mixed. The yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note, which moves opposite its price, fell to 2.76 percent from 2.79 percent late Friday. The yield on the three-month T-bill, considered one of the safest investments, rose to 0.29 percent from 0.26 percent Friday.

The dollar was mixed against other major currencies, while gold prices fell.

Light, sweet crude fell $1.59 to settle at $38.44 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

Overseas, Britain's FTSE 100 fell 0.99 percent, Germany's DAX index fell 1.95 percent, and France's CAC-40 slipped 0.82 percent. Earlier, Japan's Nikkei stock average fell 0.54 percent.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gHs5OM3gFG_DytQQZFbWfgPT08MAD96HJ0580

Fish pedicures banned

2009-02-23T17:54:00.000-08:00

Fish pedicures banned

TALLAHASSEE - Having a school of small fish nibble away calluses may be one of the latest trends in beauty salons nationwide, but Tampa Bay residents looking to try out these “fish pedicures” will have to travel out of the state.

The Florida Board of Cosmetology banned the service from the state’s salons during its January board meeting, saying there’s no way to properly clean the pools of fish in between uses.

The service also violates the board’s rule against having animals in a salon for purposes other than assisting a disabled person.

A.J.'s Salon and Spa in Sarasota was one of the first places to offer fish pedicures in the Bay area. About 100 to 200 small carp filled each of its tanks, where clients would soak their feet for 15 to 30 minutes before getting their toenails painted.

Salon owner Johnny Tran said he tried to convince the board that the pedicures weren't unsanitary, but it didn't convince the group. He doesn't plan on fighting the issue further, he said.

"I did call them," Tran said. "I said, 'hey, I have a way to sanitize the fish,' and they don't buy it."

To keep the area clean, Tran said he drained and replaced the water in the tanks with each use, using a special formula to prevent bacteria from growing.

Now that the process has been banned, Tran says the only way he can attempt to recoup his losses is by sending the fish back to the vendor he bought them from in California and try to sell the tanks on Ebay.

The fish cost about $500 per tank, according to a FOX 13 report from 2008.

Losing this service means losing a competitive advantage, Tran says, and in an economic recession, that could make it all the more difficult to attract customers.

"People used to bring people from out of town and people out of the country to come here because it's unique," he said. "We don't have anything different than other salons [now]."

The pedicure, which was popularized in Asia, involves putting one’s feet in a bowl or small tank. According to a report, the fish eat away at any dead skin on the feet, smoothing it as a pumice stone would.

Anyone caught offering fish pedicures will be subject to fines, the board said.

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed

source : http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/dpp/news/fish_pedicures_ban_022309

Official: Obama likely to name Locke to Commerce

2009-02-23T17:50:00.000-08:00

Official: Obama likely to name Locke to Commerce
By LIZ SIDOTI

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama's likely third pick for Commerce secretary is former Washington Gov. Gary Locke, a senior administration official said Monday.

Locke, a Democrat, was the nation's first Chinese-American governor when he served two terms in the Washington statehouse from 1997 to 2005.

Obama's expected choice of Locke arose less than two weeks after his most recent pick, Republican Sen. Judd Gregg of New Hampshire, backed out. Just over a week after Obama named him and he accepted, Gregg cited "irresolvable conflicts" with the policies of the Democratic president.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the announcement has not yet been made.

Obama originally gave the post, which requires Senate confirmation, to New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson. He withdrew in January, before Obama took office, after the disclosure that a grand jury is investigating allegations of wrongdoing in the awarding of contracts in his state.

The Commerce post is typically not one of the more high-profile jobs in any administration. The head of the department oversees agencies responsible for the once-a-decade census, for oceans policy and for many aspects of international trade, among other things.

The administration recently took steps to assert greater White House control over the census. The outcome of the census has deep political implications, since congressional districts are drawn on the basis of population.

But in Obama's administration, the delay in getting a Commerce secretary has been top news in large part because it has been accompanied by other Cabinet troubles. He still does not have a Health and Human Services secretary, either. Former Senate Democratic leader Tom Daschle withdrew his nomination for that post amid a tax controversy.

The loss of Gregg for the Commerce job also highlighted the difficulty Obama has had reaching out to Republicans. Gregg would have been one of three Republicans Obama had put in his Cabinet to emphasize his campaign pledge that he would be an agent of bipartisan change. Despite those and other efforts, Obama drew hardly any GOP support for his main legislative priority, the stimulus package.

Locke, 59, was born into an immigrant family and lived in a Seattle public housing project until he was 6. He graduated from Yale University, which he attended with a combination of scholarships and financial aid, and Boston University Law School.

Locke was briefly linked to the scandal over foreign contributions to President Bill Clinton's 1996 campaign. In July 1998, he gave a deposition to the House Committee on Government Reform and Oversight about his relationships with questioned Clinton donors. But the committee subsequently said the deposition produced no evidence that Locke knowingly accepted illegal campaign donations.

Locke denied any wrongdoing, and he subsequently returned some checks tied to people implicated in the fundraising scandal, including $750 from John Huang. The former Commerce Department official was the Democratic Party's chief fund raiser for the Asian-American population in the 1996 elections, and he became one of the central figures in the national Democratic Party fundraising scandal.

Also, in December 1997, Locke's political committee was fined a maximum $2,500 by state regulators after it admitted breaking campaign finance laws during two out-of-state fundraisers in 1996.

And in March 1998, state investigators cleared Locke of wrongdoing following complaints that he unlawfully took $10,000 in campaign contributions from members of a Buddhist church.

He lists among his accomplishments as governor a package of tax breaks that persuaded The Boeing Co. to assemble its new 787 jetliner in Everett, north of Seattle, and expanded transportation and construction budgets.

Since leaving office he's been working for the Seattle-based law firm Davis Wright Tremaine on issues involving China, energy and governmental relations. He argues that global engagement is a way to improve China's human rights record and deal with piracy of intellectual property.

Locke is married to Mona Lee Locke, a former television news reporter who is now executive director of the regional affiliate of the Susan G. Komen Foundation, a breast cancer research and advocacy organization. They have three children.

Associated Press writers Jennifer Loven in Washington, Gene Johnson in Seattle and Curt Woodward in Olympia, Wash., contributed to this story.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hXucyd-OL6DWZU60JZoZ9stZJSZgD96HI7682

Obama takes presidential oath again after stumble

2009-01-21T22:38:00.000-08:00

Obama takes presidential oath again after stumble

WASHINGTON (AP) — After the flub heard around the world, President Barack Obama has taken the oath of office. Again. Chief Justice John Roberts delivered the oath to Obama on Wednesday night at the White House — a rare do-over. The surprise moment came in response to Tuesday's much-noticed stumble, when Roberts got the words of the oath a little off, which prompted Obama to do so, too.

Don't worry, the White House says: Obama has still been president since noon on Inauguration Day.
Nevertheless, Obama and Roberts went through the drill again out of what White House counsel Greg Craig called "an abundance of caution."

This time, the scene was the White House Map Room in front of a small group of reporters, not the Capitol platform before the whole watching world.

"We decided that because it was so much fun ...," Obama joked to reporters who followed press secretary Robert Gibbs into the room. No TV camera crews or news photographers were allowed in. A few of Obama's closest aides were there, along with a White House photographer.
Roberts put on his black robe.

"Are you ready to take the oath?" he said.

"Yes, I am," Obama said. "And we're going to do it very slowly."

Roberts then led Obama through the oath without any missteps.
The president said he did not have his Bible with him, but that the oath was binding anyway.
The original, bungled version on Tuesday caught observers by surprise and then got replayed on cable news shows.

It happened when Obama interrupted Roberts midway through the opening line, in which the president repeats his name and solemnly swears.

Next in the oath is the phrase " ... that I will faithfully execute the office of president of the United States." But Roberts rearranged the order of the words, not saying "faithfully" until after "president of the United States."
That appeared to throw Obama off. He stopped abruptly at the word "execute."
Recognizing something was off, Roberts then repeated the phrase, putting "faithfully" in the right place but without repeating "execute."

But Obama then repeated Roberts' original, incorrect version: "... the office of president of the United States faithfully."

Craig, the White House lawyer, said in a statement Wednesday evening: "We believe the oath of office was administered effectively and that the president was sworn in appropriately yesterday. Yet the oath appears in the Constitution itself. And out of the abundance of caution, because there was one word out of sequence, Chief Justice John Roberts will administer the oath a second time."

The Constitution is clear about the exact wording of the oath and as a result, some constitutional experts have said that a do-over probably wasn't necessary but also couldn't hurt. Two other previous presidents have repeated the oath because of similar issues, Calvin Coolidge and Chester A. Arthur.

Associated Press writer Phil Elliott contributed to this report.

source : http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gvwcUbiSH7YVjguRrvCCelkC2J-wD95RT32O1

Transparency at Apple

2009-01-05T22:25:00.000-08:00

Transparency at Apple

Clearly, Plan A didn't work. Few bought Apple Inc.'s insistence that Steve Jobs taking a pass on Macworld had nothing to do with his health. Check out the stock price and the rumors of Jobs' declining condition in the days following last month's announcement. Plan B - Jobs acknowledging a hormone imbalance for which he is undergoing a "relatively simple" treatment - appears to be more reassuring. At least judging by the 4 percent rise in Apple shares on Monday, and the generally favorable reception to Jobs' public statement on what heretofore had been a strictly "private matter."

"He did an excellent job, striking the right balance between his personal privacy and the need to be open with consumers and investors," said Sam Singer, president of Singer Associates Inc., a San Francisco public relations firm.

The episode may also provide an object lesson in transparency, a quality neither the company nor its iconic leader are especially known for. Especially when it comes to the latter. One earlier example: The Apple PR department's claim that Jobs' diminished appearance, when remarked upon last summer, was merely the reaction to a "common bug."

(Not) speaking truth to power: Then again, that's most likely what the PR people were told to say about that, and about Jobs' nonappearance at Macworld. "At companies like Apple, PR people get their hands tied. Management gives the marching orders," said Steve Simon, president of SS/PR in Palo Alto. Given his well-known predilection for controlling all things great and small, Jobs was probably the one slapping on the ropes.

"Could this be seen as a failure of PR, that he's now backtracking (on the original Macworld explanation)? Absolutely. But Jobs lives by his own rules," said Ronn Torossian, CEO of 5W Public Relations in New York. Jobs' thinking in the Macworld turnabout, speculates Torossian, went something like this: " 'I tried to get away with it a few weeks ago, I didn't, so here's what we're going to do now.' "

"Sinatra's song, 'I did it my way' - that's Steve Jobs. The days and weeks ahead will tell whether it's going to work," said Torossian.

Honesty, the best PR policy: No reason it shouldn't be, according to Ben Bajarin, consumer technology analyst at Creative Strategies in Campbell, which focuses on Apple and other Silicon Valley companies. "If it was anything more serious and Steve was not in a position to run the company, the board would immediately make it known." That's not likely in the foreseeable future, Bajarin added. "Apple doesn't have anything to worry about, and Steve doesn't have anything to worry about. I don't see him going away."

But Bajarin did acknowledge Apple could pick up some pointers from the current brouhaha. "We've never seen the health of a corporate leader be such a big deal. We're treading new ground here and perhaps Apple didn't realize what a public figure (Jobs) had become," he said. "With such intense public scrutiny, it's probably best to err on the side of complete honesty, even if it's something bad."

"He's become a victim of his own success," said Torossian. "Because now he's being watched."

Tips, feedback: E-mail bottomline@sfchronicle.com

This article appeared on page D - 1 of the San Francisco Chronicle

source : http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/01/05/BU17153SRV.DTL

Obama arrives in Washington, grapples with cabinet headache

2009-01-04T18:15:00.000-08:00

Obama arrives in Washington, grapples with cabinet headache

WASHINGTON (AFP) — President-elect Barack Obama, starting his new life in Washington, faced Sunday the first major embarrassment over his cabinet lineup as his choice for commerce secretary was forced to pull out.

New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson said he was withdrawing his name from contention for the economic job owing to an investigation into a financial company doing business with his state.

Richardson's withdrawal came after Obama left Chicago for Washington to join his family and begin the final countdown before his inauguration as president on January 20.

After winning plaudits for a smooth transition process thus far, Obama must now rapidly find a replacement to Richardson on top of crafting a mammoth economic rescue bill that Democrats in Congress hope to pass early next month.

The package, worth up to one trillion dollars, is needed to prevent a "much deeper economic downturn" with the United States already in the grip of recession, Obama said Saturday in a weekly radio address.

In a joint statement issued with Obama, Richardson said he had asked the president-elect to pull his name from the Senate confirmation process with "great sorrow."

"But a pending investigation of a company that has done business with New Mexico state government promises to extend for several weeks or, perhaps, even months," he said in the statement, without going into details.

The Commerce Department is not in the front lines of US economic policy-making, but Richardson, a heavy-hitter who was said initially to be in consideration for the State Department, becomes the first big name to quit the putative Obama administration.

The withdrawal came a month after Obama nominated the top Hispanic politician to the Commerce Department on December 3, when a federal grand jury investigation into the company was already under way.

"It is a measure of his willingness to put the nation first that he has removed himself as a candidate for the cabinet in order to avoid any delay in filling this important economic post at this critical time," Obama said.

The federal grand jury in Albuquerque is investigating how the company, CDR Financial Products, won lucrative contracts to advise New Mexico state authorities four years ago after donating money to Richardson.

Richardson, insisting he had done nothing wrong, said he would continue as New Mexico governor "for now" as the investigation into the California-based firm plays out.

On Monday, the president-elect was to hold a flurry of meetings on Capitol Hill and convene his economic team -- now shorn of Richardson.

Obama landed at Andrews Air Force Base, at 7:00 pm (0000 GMT), and then shuttled by motorcade to Washington to join his wife, Michelle, and their two daughters Malia, 10, and Sasha, 7, who are preparing to enter the exclusive Sidwell Friends School Monday.

The incoming first family are staying at the luxury Hay-Adams Hotel overlooking the White House before moving to the president's official guest home, Blair House, on January 15.

Discussing Obama's top domestic priority, House of Representatives Majority Leader Steny Hoyer told "Fox News Sunday" that Democrats in Congress hope to approve the economic stimulus plan by early February.

While confirming the package would total from 775 billion to one trillion dollars, Hoyer said it was unlikely lawmakers would get the recovery package passed before inauguration day as initially hoped.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid was more circumspect about the bill's timing, but also stressed that speed was essential.

"We'll be working nights. We're going to be working weekends. We're going to get this done," he said on ABC, pledging to reach out to Republicans who are fretting about the prospect of a far-reaching expansion of government.

Obama got a taste of Republican opposition to come after the New York Times reported Sunday that he was considering a major expansion of government health care insurance and unemployment benefits in the stimulus bill.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said those proposals amounted to "very big systemic changes" that would permanently alter the economy, and demanded further debate

source : http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5griIZIGmj7qTpLhpNiAbtVivGt8Q

Obamas begin Christmas Eve with workout, Marines

2008-12-24T18:13:00.000-08:00

Obamas begin Christmas Eve with workout, Marines

By PHILIP ELLIOTT – 1 hour ago

HONOLULU (AP) — President-elect Barack Obama offered appreciation to the U.S. military on Christmas Eve in a recorded message and then asked children of uniformed troops if they had their wish lists ready.

Obama and wife, Michelle, made their early morning trek to Marine Corps Base Hawaii just northeast of Honolulu as they had done during the last three days. After about an hour at the base on Wednesday where he went inside a gym for a workout, he walked over to greet more than 60 people who waited for him. The president-elect shook hands while onlookers took pictures with their cell phones and digital cameras.

"You guys got your Christmas list?" Obama asked one person standing in the makeshift ropeline. He asked another: "Hey man, what's going on?"

Earlier in the day, his aides released a recorded message of appreciation to the military "serving their second, third or even fourth tour of duty."

"This holiday season, their families celebrate with a joy that is muted knowing that a loved one is absent, and sometimes in danger," Obama said in the message, set to air Saturday morning. "In towns and cities across America, there is an empty seat at the dinner table; in distant bases and on ships at sea, our servicemen and women can only wonder at the look on their child's face as they open a gift back home."

Obama asked the country to look to George Washington's improbable crossing on the Delaware River on Christmas Day as inspiration to get through current tough times. The president-elect said in a holiday message that Washington and his army "faced impossible odds" as they fought against the British on Dec. 25, 1776, the day they surprised Hessian forces and won victories that gave new momentum and hope to American independence. In his own radio address set to air Saturday but released Tuesday, President George W. Bush also highlighted Washington's crossing of the Delaware.

Obama used that story to say that "hope endures and that a new birth of peace is always possible" — even as many Americans are serving overseas and others have lost their jobs while the economy sinks deeper into the doldrums.

Obama's message noted the struggling economy, the issue that is set to dominate his agenda when he takes office on Jan. 20. The Labor Department said earlier this month that employers cut a net total of 533,000 jobs in November, sending the unemployment rate to 6.7 percent, the highest in 15 years.

"These are also tough times for many Americans struggling in our sluggish economy," Obama said. "As we count the higher blessings of faith and family, we know that millions of Americans don't have a job. Many more are struggling to pay the bills or stay in their homes. From students to seniors, the future seems uncertain."

Obama, his family and his close friends are spending 12 days on the island of Oahu, staying at a rented $9 million beachfront estate. Aides say the Obamas would have no public events during the trip, although he has received his intelligence briefings and met with aides.

Later Wednesday, Obama played golf with close friend and neighbor Eric Whitaker. Aide Eugene Kang also joined them at the private Mid-Pacific Country Club.

After his first nine holes, Obama briefly greeted onlookers as he moved to the 10th tee. "I'm terrible," Obama told one person. To another visitor: "Got any tips?"

On Sunday, Obama and Kang played at Olomana Golf Links, a public course. There, he also joked about his game.

The Obamas during past years spent the December holidays visiting Obama's maternal grandmother, who died Nov. 2, before Obama's historic Nov. 4 victory. The Obamas on Tuesday had a private memorial service for Madelyn Payne Dunham, known to friends as "Toot," who helped raise him.
On the Net:

* Transition Web site _: http://www.change.gov

source :

Investigators probe Denver jet accident

2008-12-22T18:45:00.000-08:00

Investigators probe Denver jet accident

WASHINGTON (AFP) — Flight data recorders arrived in Washington to help investigators pinpoint the cause of the weekend runway skid of a Continental Airlines jet in Denver that sparked passenger panic and dozens of injuries.

The data recorders were recovered from the damaged Boeing 737-500 on Sunday, an official with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) told reporters in Denver.

"There is good data on those recorders," the spokesman said. "The crew conversations are audible ... I understand we should have some overall characterization of what was said in that cockpit."

The spokesman indicated that investigators had interviewed off-duty Continental staff aboard the plane, and Monday spoke with airport rescue and firefighting personnel.

Although the aircraft's captain has not yet been interviewed, "we will do it as soon as we possibly can ... but we want to make sure that he or she is mentally ready and physically ready to be interviewed," the spokesman said.

The Houston-bound plane was carrying 115 passengers and crew when it veered off the runway and caught fire Saturday evening, injuring at least 38 people. The searing heat from the blaze was so hot it melted overhead cabins.

Five passengers on Tuesday remained hospitalized, one of them in serious condition, The Denver Post newspaper reported, without indicating the nature of their injuries.

NTSB member Robert Sumwalt said the airplane's nose gear collapsed and the right side of the aircraft had sustained "extensive fire damage."

He also said the interior was "quite burned" with the left engine "separated from the aircraft."

Investigators said it was too early to speculate as to the cause of the accident, but that weather and the possibility of engine or brake failure would all be studied.

The people aboard Flight 1404 on Saturday were evacuated via emergency chutes, as crews on scene quickly put out the fire. The plane lay flat on the ground, its landing gear shaved off after diving into a 40-foot (12-meter) ravine.

"We felt the plane veer to the left and my husband was holding my son (age one) and we felt some bumpiness and I thought it was just turbulence," passenger Maria Trejos told CNN.

"And I looked to the side and all of a sudden there was this giant fireball behind my husband's head," added Trejos, who said she is four months pregnant.

"That's when I knew something was wrong and we felt a bump and then I felt like we were airborne for a couple of seconds and then we hit a really big, I -- guess it was when we hit the ravine and then it just stopped."

Passenger Jeb Tilly recalled the skid, which occurred about a third of the way down the runway, as "incredibly violent."

"It was a big lefthand turn and we started bouncing a lot as if you were in the roller coaster, just getting tossed around in your seat. And then there was a lot of silence all of the sudden," he said.

source : http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5g1z-9fQuyoJK_nE4X2XHpGQNfO9A

City code officer slays Snowzilla

2008-12-22T18:22:00.000-08:00

City code officer slays Snowzilla
Giant snowman deemed a public nuisance, safety hazard

By ELIZABETH BLUEMINK
ebluemink@adn.com

Published: December 21st, 2008 10:14 PM
Last Modified: December 21st, 2008 02:15 PM

Anchorage's famous giant snow man, Snowzilla, finally met its match.

It wasn't the weather. It wasn't angry neighbors bearing shovels and pick axes.

It turns out Snowzilla's biggest foe -- the one who felled the controversial but much-loved giant -- was a notice-bearing city code enforcement officer.

That's right, Snowzilla was abated.

It was just a few years ago that 16-foot-tall Snowzilla arose in a residential yard in Airport Heights, launching an annual procession of local gawkers and an international media blitz.

Camera crews came from Russia and Japan.

But Snowzilla attracted a lot of naysayers too.

Not everybody in the neighborhood liked all the cars and visitors.

So, city officials have deemed Snowzilla a public nuisance and safety hazard.

A few weeks ago, city code enforcers left three red signs at Snowzilla's bottom body ball telling its builders to cease and desist.

The city also tacked a public notice on the door of the Powers family home at 1556 Columbine St. The Powers family and some of their neighbors have been building Snowzilla in the Powers' front yard since 2005.

When the notices went up, Snowzilla still didn't have a full torso or head.

"The kids had spent hours and hours of work on it," Billy Powers said on Sunday.

City officials involved in the cease-and-desist order could not be reached for comment on Sunday.

But on Dec. 11, the city notified the Airport Heights community council about its decision to abate Snowzilla, telling council members that the two-story snowman caused increased traffic to the point of endangerment and that the structure itself was unsafe.

The city also asked council members to watch out for continued construction and to consider weighing in on Snowzilla at an upcoming, council members said.

At last Thursday's community council meeting, no one offered a Snowzilla-related motion. "We're not really a policing agency," said Becky Kurtz, the council president.

Now, Snowzilla is just a big pile of snow rubble.

Powers said he doesn't plan to rebuild.

He can't.

Under the city's nuisance abatement order, if he tries, he could get arrested.

Find Elizabeth Bluemink online at adn.com/contact/ebluemink or call 257-4317.

source : http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/anchorage/story/630926.html

BBC iPlayer now available on Mac

2008-12-18T18:13:00.000-08:00

BBC iPlayer now available on Mac

The BBC has created a version of the iPlayer that works with both Mac and Linux computers.

The two systems, which have been able to stream BBC programmes via the iPlayer for a year, will now be able to handle downloads.

The BBC, working with Adobe, has developed the new version, known as BBC iPlayer Desktop.

The Corporation also ran tests of a system to help ISPs cope with increase in traffic generated by the iPlayer.

Lab edition

The iPlayer is the BBC's online media player that lets viewers stream programmes for up to seven days after broadcast or download and watch them for up to 30 days.

When the iPlayer first launched the BBC was criticised for producing versions that only worked with Microsoft's Windows XP and which used Microsoft's digital rights management (DRM) system to enforce viewing restrictions.

The BBC's head of digital media technology, Anthony Rose, who is responsible for delivering the next generation of BBC iPlayer, said the structures put in place by the BBC Trust on how the iPlayer can operate meant DRM was a necessity.

"The BBC Trust said we could make content available for seven or 30 days after broadcast," he said. "The ability to take things away after some time requires DRM."

The new version of the iPlayer has been written with Adobe's AIR technology which aims to make it possible to create applications that can be downloaded to your computer, rather than just embedded in browser web pages as is possible with the widely used Flash software.

Those who want to try the new version can get a trial version from the Labs section of the iPlayer site.

A beta version of the BBC iPlayer Desktop that uses the Adobe AIR technology was made available on 18 December with a finished version likely to be released in February 2009.

The cross-platform nature of Adobe AIR means the iPlayer will work with Open Source and Apple Mac computers "out of the box" on 18 December, said Mr Rose. It fulfilled the Trust's demand that the iPlayer be "platform neutral", he said.

Mr Rose said the iPlayer now supported three separate DRM technologies: Microsoft, Adobe, and the OMA standards for mobiles.

"We may embrace other DRMs as needed," said Mr Rose, adding that putting the iPlayer on phones, game consoles and many more computers was helping to drive the success of the application.

Traffic congestion

At the same time, said Mr Rose, the BBC has carried out tests to help ISPs mitigate the bandwidth demands of iPlayer users.

In early 2008 ISPs complained that the popularity of the iPlayer was putting a strain on their networks and forcing up their costs.

Net provider Plusnet published figures which suggested the cost of carrying streaming traffic increased from £17,233 to £51,700 per month largely because of the iPlayer.

The BBC has worked with British company Velocix to test a system which puts servers in ISPs that store, or cache, the most popular iPlayer programmes.

Mr Rose said smart software in the iPlayer would check these caches to see if the programme a user wants is loaded locally on a caching device near the user. Streaming from within an ISP's network cuts the cost of transporting that traffic for both the BBC and the net supplier.

It was up to ISPs now to get hold of the caching boxes and install them, said Mr Rose.

"The BBC is not building its own content delivery network," he said. "But we can help move the market in this area."

Mr Rose said it would establish commercial relationships with ISPs that use the caching technology in the same way it did with other firms that carry or broadcast BBC content.

source : http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7787335.stm

Mozilla Fixes Security Bugs In Firefox Browser

2008-12-18T05:32:00.000-08:00

Mozilla Fixes Security Bugs In Firefox Browser

By Stefanie Hoffman, ChannelWeb

7:44 PM EST Wed. Dec. 17, 2008

Mozilla patched numerous security flaws in its Firefox Web browser Tuesday, six of which were considered "critical," which pave the way for hackers to hijack users' sessions while they surf the Web.

The latest version of Firefox, 3.0.5, repaired a multitude of glitches that could enable remote hackers to execute malicious code that would shut down a vulnerable system or infiltrate a victim's computer and steal information.

One of the most serious vulnerabilities repaired by the update enabled attackers to inject malicious URLs into the session restore feature of the browser. The flaw could be used to violate the same origin policy and launch a cross-site scripting attack, which is often used by hackers to steal financial, identifying and other sensitive information while victims are running SessionStore.

Another critical error fixed by the Mozilla patch was found to be related to the XBL binding -- an issue that could also be used by attackers to violate the same origin policy and execute arbitrary JavaScript when the XBL binding is attached to an unloaded Web page.

In addition, Mozilla's update provided an umbrella fix for several critical memory corruption glitches in the Firefox engine, as well as other Mozilla-based products, which allowed attackers to crash vulnerable systems or execute malicious code if exploited.

The only bug that Mozilla rated "important" repaired an error that allowed attackers to redirect users to a malicious site in order to launch a cross-domain attack for data-theft purposes. Specifically, the issue allows attackers to steal information by creating a specially-crafted Web site that could access a limited amount of data from a different domain by loading a same-domain JavaScript URL that redirects users to an off-domain site.

However, exactly how much data would be at risk would "depend on the format of the data and how the JavaScript parser attempts to interpret it," according to Mozilla's advisory. In most of the files, the amount of data susceptible to theft would be relegated to the "first word or two," while some data files might allow more severe or comprehensive theft or repeated attacks, the advisory warned.

Meanwhile, the latest Mozilla security bulletin also repaired a total of 10 errors in Firefox 2, eight shared with version 3.0.5, updating the older version to 2.0.0.19.

Mozilla said that the security update was the final one before it officially retires version 2.0. Samuel Sidler, a Mozilla engineer, said on the Mozilla.dev.planning forum that the company was not planning to release any further security updates for Firefox 2, while mentioning that the Phishing Protection service, which protects users from fraud and other malicious attacks, will no longer be available for the older version of the browser. Sidler said that the company recommended that users upgrade to Firefox 3 "as soon as possible."

"It's free, and your settings and bookmarks will be preserved," he said.

source : http://www.crn.com/security/212501064

Kennedy mystique flummoxes NY rivals for Senate

2008-12-16T17:49:00.000-08:00

Kennedy mystique flummoxes NY rivals for Senate

NEW YORK (AP) — Caroline Kennedy has avoided politics most of her life. She has yet to utter a word publicly about her interest in running for Hillary Rodham Clinton's Senate seat.

But in a sign of the enduring power of the Kennedy mystique, even her secondhand statements of interest have spooked the rest of the crowded field.

Before she edged into the picture, Democratic Gov. David Paterson had been considering about a dozen other potential contenders, most prominent among them Kennedy's former relative by marriage, Andrew Cuomo.

Cuomo, the son of Democratic Party icon and former New York Gov. Mario Cuomo, is the state's attorney general. Others who were said to be interested include Nassau County executive Tom Suozzi and Reps. Kirsten Gillibrand, Carolyn Maloney and Brian Higgins.

Then came Kennedy. Suddenly, the others seemed to shrink in stature.

"What are we, chopped liver?" asked Rep. Jose Serrano, a Bronx congressman who is not vying for the seat but is sympathetic to his fellow lawmakers who are being eclipsed by Kennedy.

"They think, 'My god, a Kennedy, how do I look like I'm not happy about a Kennedy?'" he said. "It's not logical, there's a lot of emotion in this, emotion about the good ol' days and the Kennedys and Camelot."

Still, ever since her cousin, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., confirmed her interest some 10 days ago, she quickly became the top contender even as some criticized her as an amateur and compared her to the Jennifer Lopez of politics.

Last week, Queens congressman Gary Ackerman, a former Clinton supporter, said in a radio interview that he didn't know what Kennedy's qualifications were "except that she has name recognition, but so does J-Lo."

Kennedy, a writer and lawyer, has never held an elected office. She has been involved with numerous charities, has served as president of John F. Kennedy Library Foundation, and was a director of the Commission on Presidential Debates.

Yet, in the end, Paterson may be hard pressed to turn down the only surviving child of former President John F. Kennedy. Among other considerations, there's the question of money.

Should Clinton be confirmed as secretary of state next year, Paterson will appoint someone to fill the Senate seat. Under the state constitution, the appointee must stand in the next general election, which is in 2010. Whoever wins must run again in 2012 when Clinton's term ends. Each race is likely to cost tens of millions of dollars, and few names attract campaign cash like Kennedy.

"Obviously she will come out as the front-runner simply because of her ability to raise money, her name and her star power," said Rep. Michael Arcuri, a Utica Democrat who wants the next senator to be from upstate New York, or at the very least focused on the issues there.

Kennedy got a boost Tuesday from Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, who told the local Las Vegas television program "Face to Face" that he had already called Paterson and told him he liked her for the seat.

"I think it would be a tremendous thing," Reid said. "I think Caroline Kennedy would be perfect."

Her ex-in-law Cuomo has played coy about whether he even wants the job. Until Kennedy's name emerged, he had been the leading contender.

If he becomes serious about his interest, it could revive memories of the bitter family feud between the Kennedys and Cuomos that erupted during his messy divorce from Kerry Kennedy, the daughter of the late Sen. Robert F. Kennedy.

As well-known as Kennedy is, her success in dominating the political scene this month points to the overall disorganization among New York Democrats. None of the House members trying to get the seat have been willing or able to take her on directly.

Officially, Paterson says he is absorbed with the state's fiscal crisis and won't announce his decision until Clinton is confirmed, likely in January or February.

The governor's most extensive comments to date came about a week ago, as Kennedy was being blasted on some blogs as too inexperienced for the job.

He said his choice "would be a person who offers more hope, necessarily, than history and a greater imagination than experience to try to achieve those goals."

Lacking a strong challenger to box her out, the 51-year-old Kennedy is already crafting the sort of political friendships that will make it hard for the governor to say no.

She spent the day making calls to various elected officials and union leaders, trying to shore up support and at the same time learn more about the issues important to New York state.

One of the people Kennedy called Monday was Kelli Conlin, president of the abortion rights group New York NARAL.

"I really do see her as someone who could take up the mantle that Hillary has sort of started in terms of commitment to reproductive health care," Conlin said.

Geraldine Ferraro, the 1984 vice presidential candidate and a staunch Clinton supporter, said she had urged Paterson to appoint one of the state's Democratic congresswomen to the seat but was open to Kennedy taking the job.

"She's a terrific young woman who's done a lot working with the city," Ferraro said. "I'm still inclined to think a member of Congress would be best because they could really hit the ground running. But if Caroline Kennedy gets the appointment I'm perfectly happy with that."

Associated Press reporters in Albany and Washington contributed to this story.

source http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5j1Ip3ozUR59_dUPZBfwDdRBUpbRgD9543AL00

Obama to announce energy, environment cabinet picks

2008-12-14T19:10:00.000-08:00

Obama to announce energy, environment cabinet picks

CHICAGO (AFP) — President-elect Barack Obama is expected to announce on Monday cabinet picks to head the US agencies tasked with making America more energy efficient and ecologically friendly.

Obama's transition team said he would hold a press conference "to discuss the nation's energy and environmental future."

News reports said the president-elect Obama was likely to announce that Nobel Prize-winning physicist Steven Chu has been chosen to take the helm of the Department of Energy.

Lisa Jackson, 46, chief of staff for the governor of the northeastern state of New Jersey and the state's former top environmental official, is expected to be named to head the US Environmental Protection Agency, news reports said.

Obama was also expected to announce that Carol Browner, who served as EPA administrator under president Bill Clinton and who leads the Obama transition team's working group on energy and environmental issues, will become the White House "climate czar," a post could include some of the responsibilities previously under EPA.

Chu, 60, a scientist and Washington outsider, won his Nobel in 1997. Since 2004 he has been running the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in California, which has a budget of 645 million dollars and a staff of 4,000.

As energy secretary, Chu is expected to lead Obama's ambitious agenda to generate 2.5 million new jobs through "green" and new technology aimed at making America more energy efficient and more energy independent.

He shared his Nobel Prize with fellow researchers William Phillips of the National Institute of Standards and Technology in Gaithersburg, Maryland and Claude Cohen-Tannoudji of the College de France and Ecole Normale Superieure in Paris.

Jackson, who trained as a chemical engineer, is expected to restore the teeth to EPA oversight, which during the Bush administration saw its funding slashed, scientific findings censored, and enforcement efforts downplayed.

The agency also allegedly ignored findings and recommendations by its own scientists. In one particularly notorious example, the EPA backed off a finding that said climate change was a risk to public welfare. The findings would have led to the nation's first mandatory global-warming regulations.

In a statement released last week, as reports swirled about her impending nomination, officials from her home state praised Jackson, who began her career in the EPA's Superfund office in Washington, overseeing toxic site cleanups.

"From fighting global warming and promoting a clean energy future to improving the quality of our air and water, she understands we need real leadership to rebound from the neglect of the last eight years," New Jersey Senator Frank Lautenberg said in a statement Friday.

Jeff Tittel, director of the Sierra Club's New Jersey chapter, hailed her work on addressing global warming, coastal concerns and other key environmental issues.

"New Jersey is a sort of a laboratory for environmental policy," Tittel said. "It gives you a broad background to run the EPA."

Browner, who turns 53 on Tuesday, headed the EPA during the Clinton Administration.

She has called for a sharp break from the policies of the Bush administration, which the Bush record, which, according to media reports, she has called "The worst environmental administration ever."

Browner sits on the boards of various environmentally-friendly groups, including the Audubon Society, the League of Conservation Voters and the Alliance for Climate Protection, which advocates control of greenhouse gases.

In another Obama appointment, Nancy Sutley is expected to be named chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality.

source : http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5j9WdlkZOapw1bj2IjTL_UyexIxcw

Bush arrives in Afghanistan on surprise visit

2008-12-14T18:55:00.000-08:00

Bush arrives in Afghanistan on surprise visit

BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan (AFP) — US President George W. Bush landed in Afghanistan early Monday on a surprise visit to meet President Hamid Karzai and dispel any fears of flagging support when he leaves office.

"I want to be in Afghanistan to say 'thank you' to President Karzai, to let the people of Afghanistan know that the United States has stood with them and will stand with them," Bush said en route here.

Fresh from a secret trip to Baghdad, Bush arrived in the pre-dawn darkness, virtually all lights on his Air Force One airplane turned off as part of the thick shroud of secrecy that also enveloped his stop in Iraq.

"These nations need to know that the United States has been with them, is with them, and will be with them," said Bush, who hands the keys to the White House to successor Barack Obama on January 20.

The US president was speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One after his stop in Baghdad, where he warned that "the war is not over" and laughed off an incident in which he was nearly pelted with an angry Iraqi's pair of shoes.

A journalist hurled two shoes at the US leader during a press conference, highlighting lingering hostility toward the man who ordered the 2003 invasion of the country.

Bush ducked and the first shoe hit the American and Iraqi flags behind him and Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki. The second was off target.

Soles of shoes are considered the ultimate insult in Arab culture. "It is the farewell kiss, you dog" the journalist shouted before he was wrestled to the ground.

Bush was met at Bagram by General David McKiernan, the US commander who is overseeing a ramp-up in troop levels which the president warned would lead to increased levels of violence.

"You'll see violence tick up," Bush said in his airborne conference room, drawing a comparison with the "surge" that helped bring violence down in Iraq and paved the way for some progress toward political reconciliation.

But "the degree of difficulty in Afghanistan is high," he added.

"This is a significantly larger country than Iraq and significantly poorer. The infrastructure is difficult. Nevertheless, the mission is essential."

Bush said Washington was working with Pakistan to halt cross-border strikes in Afghanistan, and praised Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari, the widower of slain former premier Benazir Bhutto, as "determined" to help.

"He's said so publicly and he's said so to me privately. He looked me in the eye and said 'you don't need to talk to me about extremist violence, after all my wife got killed by extremists,'" said Bush.

Bush declined to comment on reported US missile strikes along the Afghan-Pakistan border, saying: "When it comes to certain matters, the US government doesn't discuss operations."

Asked whether Karzai was the right person to lead Afghanistan, Bush replied: "That will be determined by the Afghan people."

source : http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hSeq6_2TZjSDjY7MFuJlSFGGAckQ

Shoe attack on Bush mars farewell Iraq visit

2008-12-14T18:45:00.000-08:00

Shoe attack on Bush mars farewell Iraq visit

BAGHDAD (AFP) — A journalist hurled two shoes at President George W. Bush on his farewell visit to Iraq on Sunday, highlighting hostility still felt toward the outgoing US leader who acknowledged that the war is still not won.

Muntazer al-Zaidi jumped up as Bush held a press conference with Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, shouted "It is the farewell kiss, you dog" and threw his footwear.

The president lowered his head and the first shoe hit the American and Iraqi flags behind the two leaders. The second was off target.

Zaidi, a reporter with the Al-Baghdadia channel which broadcasts from Cairo, was immediately wrestled to the ground by security guards and frogmarched from the room.

Soles of shoes are considered the ultimate insult in Arab culture. After Saddam Hussein's statue was toppled in Baghdad in April 2003, many onlookers beat the statue's face with their soles.

Bush laughed off the incident, saying: "It doesn't bother me. If you want the facts, it was a size 10 shoe that he threw".

He later played down the incident. "I don't know what the guy's cause is... I didn't feel the least bit threatened by it."

Bush, on his fourth and final official trip to Iraq since he ordered the March 2003 invasion that toppled Saddam, admitted: "There is still more work to be done."

As he and Maliki signed a security pact setting out new guidelines for US troops in Iraq, the president said: "The war is not over, but with the conclusion of these agreements... it is decisively on its way to being won."

Earlier, Bush ventured out in a motorcade through Baghdad streets, the first time he has gone somewhere other than a military base or the heavily protected Green Zone.

Pool reports said the unmarked motorcade passed through darkened streets that appeared heavily guarded, before arriving at Maliki's residence.

Bush hands over the delicate task of overseeing the US withdrawal from Iraq in five weeks to Barack Obama, who has pledged to turn the page on the deeply unpopular war.

"I'm so grateful that I've had a chance to come back to Iraq before my presidency ends," he said at a meeting with Iraqi President Jalal Talabani.

In the evening, the president flew by helicopter from the Green Zone to Camp Victory near Bahgdad airport, where he greeted hundreds of US troops under a huge US flag and a gigantic crystal chandelier in the Al Faw palace, formerly used by Saddam.

Bush has staunchly defended the invasion that triggered years of deadly insurgency and sectarian violence that has killed tens of thousands of Iraqis and more than 4,200 American troops.

On Saturday, US Defense Secretary Robert Gates visited Iraq and said that the US mission was in its "endgame."

The signing ceremony by Bush and Maliki marks the adoption of the Status of Forces Agreement approved by Iraq's parliament in November after months of political wrangling.

The pact will govern the presence of 146,000 US troops at more than 400 bases when their UN mandate expires at the end of the year, giving the Iraqi government veto power over virtually all of their operations.

Gates, who Obama has picked to stay on at the Pentagon in the new administration, told US troops on Saturday: "We are in the process of the drawdown."

"We are, I believe, in terms of the American commitment, in the endgame here in Iraq."

The pact envisages US combat troops leaving Iraq by the end of 2011 and departing from all urban areas by June 30 next year.

But the top US commander in Iraq, General Raymond Odierno, who met with Gates, said that troops will stay in Iraqi cities in a support and training role after June.

The Shiite radical movement of Moqtada Sadr, which strongly opposed the security deal, said Odierno's remarks showed that Washington had no intention of sticking by the deadlines.

"As we predicted, the comments fly in the face of the security agreement," the head of the movement's political bureau, Liwaa Sumeissim, told AFP just before Bush's arrival.

Sadr's movement said it plans a protest on Monday in the holy city of Najaf.

Obama has said he favours "a responsible withdrawal from Iraq" within 16 months of taking office.

While security in Baghdad and other parts of the country has significantly improved, there are still almost daily bomb attacks.

Problems also dog the massive economic reconstruction programme undertaken since the invasion.

The New York Times reported on Sunday that an unpublished US government report concluded that US-led efforts to rebuild Iraq were crippled by bureaucratic turf wars, violence and ignorance of the basic elements of Iraqi society, resulting in a 100-billion-dollar failure.

By mid-2008, the document said, 117 billion dollars had been spent on the reconstruction of Iraq, including about 50 billion in US taxpayer money, the newspaper reported

source : http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5ifP24HzJnB4nkp4LS3UtlsaxtOcA

White House: No immediate deal on auto loans

2008-12-14T17:38:00.000-08:00

White House: No immediate deal on auto loans

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Bush administration tossed out no lifeline for the teetering auto industry Sunday and a Republican who blocked $14 billion in loans said it appeared the White House hadn't decided what to do.

With President George W. Bush on an unannounced trip to Iraq, White House officials said they did not expected to make an announcement either Sunday or Monday.

The administration is considering ways to provide emergency aid to General Motors Corp. and Chrysler LLC, which have said they could run out of cash within weeks without federal aid.

Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., said he spoke with the White House early Sunday. "I don't think they yet know what they're going to do," he said. Ron Gettelfinger, the president of the United Auto Workers, said the union had not held discussions with the White House.

The aid is expected to benefit General Motors and Chrysler and discussions involve the amount of funding and any potential conditions. Ford Motor Co. has said it has enough cash to survive 2009 but asked Congress for a line of credit in case the financial markets deteriorate.

"I'm optimistic they're going to do something significant. I don't think the White House wants bankruptcy at one of the Big Three automakers as part their legacy," said Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio.

Last week, Congress failed to approve $14 billion in loans to help the automakers. The plan would have provided short-term financing to the industry and create a "car czar" who would ensure that the money would transform the Detroit automakers into competitive companies.

The administration, following the legislative defeat, said they were considering several options, including using money from the $700 billion financial bailout fund to provide loans to the carmakers.

Corker and other Republicans sought a compromise that would have insisted the carmakers to restructure their debt and bring wages and benefits in line with those paid by Toyota, Honda and Nissan in the United States. The legislation died when Republicans demanded upfront pay and benefit concessions from the United Auto Workers that union leaders rejected.

Corker urged the White House to seek similar concessions from the auto companies and their unions in return for the money. "Of course, the benefit they have — they don't have to negotiate. They can say this money is available but it's only available under these conditions," he said in a broadcast interview.

Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., countered that Republican leaders in the Senate did not want an agreement and the loans were needed to buy time for the companies to restructure.

"Manufacturing is on the edge in this country. This is not the time for a political agenda," Stabenow said.

The UAW's Gettelfinger said the failure of the legislation showed that Congress should stay "away from the bargaining table."

The administration has several options. It could tap the $700 billion financial rescue bailout fund to provide loans to the carmakers or use part of that fund as a kind of collateral for emergency loans the automakers could get from the Federal Reserve.

The administration also could do nothing, leaving open the possibility that one or more of the automakers could go bankrupt. But the White House has warned a collapse of the auto industry would severely hurt the economy.

The White House is keeping President-elect Barack Obama and his advisers informed of the discussions. If administration officials choose not to provide the money now, the Obama team could wait for the new Congress, which will have stronger Democratic majorities.

Providing aid to the companies could represent a change for the White House, which has previously insisted that the Wall Street rescue plan should be used solely to help financial institutions.

Gov. Jennifer Granholm, D-Mich., said other countries were providing aid to their automakers and the loans were essential to help make the U.S. less dependent on foreign oil.

If the companies don't get help, "we'll be replacing our reliance on foreign oil with a reliance on foreign batteries because it's going to be the battery that's driving the electric vehicle in the future," Granholm said.

Corker was on CBS' "Face the Nation," as was Brown, and "Fox News Sunday," where he appeared with Stabenow. Gettelfinger was on "Late Edition" on CNN. Granholm was on "Meet the Press" on NBC.

source http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hTlR_ry_mjT2nXKPWyYI4asuW1jQD952MJ400

Franken says he'll drop 633 challenges in recount

2008-12-03T21:53:00.000-08:00

Franken says he'll drop 633 challenges in recount
By PATRICK CONDON

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Democrat Al Franken withdrew 633 challenges to ballots Wednesday in Minnesota's U.S. Senate race in what could be a first step toward a quicker conclusion to the recount.

Franken's attorney, Marc Elias, said many more withdrawals are likely. An attorney for Republican Norm Coleman said he may follow suit soon.

Any reduction in the pile of challenged ballots — more than 6,000 so far — will alleviate work for the canvassing board that meets Dec. 16 to begin examining those ballots.

Coleman defeated Franken in the election by 215 votes, a margin so small that it triggered an automatic recount.

By Wednesday night, Coleman led by 316 votes, according to recount totals posted by Minnesota's secretary of state. But that apparent lead was far overshadowed by the thousands of ballots challenged by the two campaigns.

Each candidate has challenged about the same number of votes.

The Franken campaign mailed a letter to Secretary of State Mark Ritchie on Wednesday with a list of specific challenges to discard. "If there are challenges that are without merit, it doesn't do either side any good to have them considered," Elias said.

Coleman's attorney, Fritz Knaak, said the Republican's campaign has also been considering a withdrawal of some challenges but wouldn't do so until after Friday, the deadline for the recount to end.

"We don't want to send the wrong message to our volunteers still working at the recount sites," Knaak said.

Challenges range from ballots with votes for more than one candidate to many that simply had a pen scribble somewhere on the ballot. The number of challenges far exceeds the margin between the two men, making it difficult to pin down which candidate the recount is favoring.

source : http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gMpTmr96V5hKIfyHT4Av4jsVQgrQD94RKN505

Bombs found in Mumbai train station a week later

2008-12-03T20:56:00.000-08:00

Bombs found in Mumbai train station a week later
By RAMOLA TALWAR BADAM

MUMBAI, India (AP) — Police found two bombs at Mumbai's main train station nearly a week after they were left there by gunmen behind the attacks_ in a stunning new example of the botched security that has become a major issue in India since the deadly three-day siege.

The discovery Wednesday came as Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee said India is "determined to act decisively" following the attacks, saying the evidence was clear the gunmen came from Pakistan and their handlers are still there.

His words, the strongest yet from the government, came as thousands of Indians — many calling for war with Pakistan — held a vigil in Mumbai to mark one week since the start of the rampage that killed 171 people.

While searching through a mound of about 150 bags, which police believed were left by the dozens of victims in the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus station, an officer found a suspicious-looking bag and called the bomb squad, said Assistant Commissioner of Police Bapu Domre. Inside were two 8.8-pound (4-kilogram) bombs, which were taken away and safely detonated, he said.

After the attacks, police found unexploded bombs at several of the sites, including two luxury hotels and a Jewish center.

It was not immediately clear why the bags at the station were not examined earlier. The station, which serves hundreds of thousands of commuters, was declared safe and reopened hours after the attack.

The discovery has added to increasing accusations that India's security forces missed warnings and bungled its response to the Nov. 26-29 attacks.

Indian navy chief Sureesh Mehta has called the response to the attacks "a systemic failurem." The country's top law enforcement official has resigned amid criticism that the 10 gunmen appeared better coordinated and better armed than police in Mumbai.

Mukherjee on Wednesday adopted a more strident tone against longtime rival Pakistan.

"There is no doubt the terrorist attacks in Mumbai were perpetrated by individuals who came from Pakistan and whose controllers are in Pakistan," Mukherjee said after a meeting with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

"The government of India is determined to act decisively to protect Indian territorial integrity and the right of our citizens to a peaceful life, with all the means at our disposal," he said, a turnaround from earlier statements that ruled out military action.

Rice urged Pakistan to act "transparently, urgently and fully," saying Islamabad has a "special responsibility" to cooperate with the investigation. She noted that with six Americans killed in the attacks, the U.S. was cooperating closely with India.

Rice's visited was part of U.S. effort to defuse tensions in the region and pressure Pakistan to share more intelligence and root out suspected terrorists believed hiding in the country.

Meanwhile, Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was meeting civilian and military officials of both India and Pakistan during the trip, a senior defense official said Wednesday on condition of anonymity.

Many Indians wanted more than just harsh words.

At the candlelight gathering in Mumbai, many called for war.

"India should attack Pakistan right away," said Sandeep Ambili, 27, who works for a shipping company.

"Something has to be done. Pakistan has been attacking my country for a long time," said another protester, Rajat Sehgal. "If it means me going to war, I don't mind."

Others chanted anti-Pakistan slogans and held banners reading: "Enough is enough, go for war."

Similar rallies were held in cities across India.

Indian Defense Minister A.K. Antony summoned the army, navy and air force chiefs to warn them to be prepared for terrorist attacks from the air and the sea in the wake of growing criticism about slack security.

Antony told the military chiefs they needed to improve intelligence coordination so that security forces can act on all credible threats, according to a statement.

Defense Ministry spokesman Sitanshu Kar said the moves were a precaution and not based on concrete intelligence.

Early Thursday, media reports said airports were put on high alert following intelligence warnings that terrorists were planning attacks on an airport in coming days.

The Press Trust of India news agency, quoting unidentified sources, said "specific" information regarding planned attacks had been received. Further details were not immediately available.

After a 2001 militant attack on India's parliament, also blamed on elements in Pakistan, the two neighbors posted nearly 1 million soldiers along their border in a yearlong standoff. The two nations have fought three wars since independence from Britain in 1947, but neither government wants a fourth. Both now have nuclear weapons.

India has called on Pakistan to turn over 20 people who are "fugitives of Indian law" and wanted for questioning, but Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari said the suspects would be tried in Pakistan if there is evidence of wrongdoing.

Much of the evidence that Pakistanis were behind the attack comes from the interrogation of the surviving gunman, who told police that he and the other nine attackers had trained for months in camps in Pakistan operated by the banned militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba.

Ajmal Amir Kasab, 21, told investigators his recruiters promised to pay his family from an impoverished village Pakistan's Punjab region $1,250 when he became a martyr.

Kasab said he and the other gunmen were "hand-picked" for the mission and trained for more than a year by Lashkar-e-Taiba, based in Kashmir, according to two senior officials involved in the investigation. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to media about the investigation.

Associated Press writers Erika Kinetz and Ravi Nessman in Mumbai and Ashok Sharma, Jeremiah Marquez and Anne Gearan in New Delhi contributed to this report.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hz0C0SXcxgP0NxzlqGA_EI57FBkQD94RL1I03

Lil Wayne leads Grammy noms with 8, Coldplay 7

2008-12-03T20:52:00.000-08:00

Lil Wayne leads Grammy noms with 8, Coldplay 7
By SANDY COHEN

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Lil Wayne — the most prolific, ubiquitous and successful performer on today's music scene — was the most rewarded by the Recording Academy on Wednesday, receiving eight Grammy nominations including album of the year for "Tha Carter III."

Following close behind with seven was Coldplay, whose "Viva La Vida" is one of the year's best-selling CDs. It was in album of the year contention, along with Radiohead's groundbreaking "In Rainbows"; singer-songwriter Ne-Yo's "Year of the Gentleman"; and Robert Plant's collaboration with Alison Krauss, "Raising Sand."

Nominations were announced in a brand-new format this year, with an hourlong live prime-time CBS concert special that featured a brisk procession of performers and LL Cool J and Taylor Swift as hosts.

Coldplay and Plant & Krauss were also nominated in the coveted record of the year category for the respective songs "Viva La Vida" and "Please Read the Letter." Other record of the year nominees were British songstress Leona Lewis for "Bleeding Love"; another British newcomer, Adele, for chasing pavement; and M.I.A. for her breakthrough hit, "Paper Planes."

Some surprising omissions: Katy Perry, who had one of the year's biggest hits with "I Kissed a Girl," was shut out of the top categories, including record of the year and best new artist. Metallica got three nominations, but their huge comeback record "Death Magnetic" didn't get a nod for album of the year despite being one of the year's top sellers.

Shut out was Swift, last year's best new artist nominee. She has had a sensational year thanks to the continued success of her 2006 self-titled debut album and her latest top-selling CD, "Fearless." While neither were eligible for consideration, her recent singles were.

While Lil Wayne's "Tha Carter III" was not regarded by critics as his greatest CD, it was the album that made the highly regarded veteran a pop superstar, thanks to massive hits like "Lollipop" and "A Milli." The CD was the only record this year to sell 1 million copies in its first week.

Coldplay's "Viva La Vida" was its first album in three years, and was also a huge hit.

Radiohead's "In Rainbows" didn't break sales records, but it was as revolutionary as it was critically acclaimed. First released last fall in a pay-as-you wish format on the band's Web site, "In Rainbows" was an instant viral sensation, and shook up an industry struggling with its traditional business model (although Radiohead later released the album traditionally via a record label).

Plant linked up with Grammy darling and bluegrass artist Krauss for a CD that pushed both in different musical directions, while Ne-Yo, who has produced several smashes for other artists, had success with "Year of the Gentleman."

"When I was putting it together, I was trying to do something that everybody could get into, as opposed to just my pop and R&B core group," Ne-Yo, who got six nominations, said after the ceremony. "I was trying to do something that the world could enjoy and I think that the Grammy people paid attention to that."

Also nominated were The Jonas Brothers for the best new artist category. While they have already released two CDs, their latest, "A Little Bit Longer," was their biggest yet in their breakthrough year. The teen sensations join Duffy and Adele, both singers with a soul bent; singer-songwriter Jazmine Sullivan; and breakout country act Lady Antebellum.

Sullivan, who has drawn comparisons to Lauryn Hill with her hit "I Need You Bad," had a breakthrough night, with five nominations. Other multiple nominees included Jay-Z, Ne-Yo and Kanye West, who had six each; Krauss, who has numerous Grammy wins, got five nominations.

Another Grammy favorite, John Mayer, netted five as well.

The Recording Academy typically has announced nominations like most top awards shows, during a morning news conference. But in an era where awards shows are as commonplace as reality shows, even the top-tier events are finding it hard to stand out.

So they put on the prime-time event, which kicked off with past Grammy winner Mariah Carey singing a song from her classic Christmas album, decked out in a short red minidress to give some holiday cheer. Christina Aguilera sang "I Loves You Porgy," while the Foo Fighters rocked up Carly Simon's classic "You're So Vain."

Held at the Nokia Theatre, the show also celebrated the Saturday opening of the new Grammy Museum next door.

The Grammy Awards are scheduled for live broadcast on CBS on Feb 8. Last year's show drew 17.2 million viewers, making it one of the least-watched Grammys and continuing the trend of shrinking awards-show audiences.

On the Net:

http://www.grammy.com

source : http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hc6R6VQn-4BP3u0TAXNGCdYPVqzgD94RLFT80

Thai airports reopening after PM ousted by court

2008-12-03T00:21:00.000-08:00

Thai airports reopening after PM ousted by court
By AMBIKA AHUJA

BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) — Victorious anti-government protesters lifted their siege of Bangkok's two airports Wednesday while leaders of the ousted government named a caretaker prime minister to lead the politically chaotic kingdom.

The country's immediate crisis, which virtually severed Thailand's air links to the outside world for a week, appeared to be over and the People's Alliance for Democracy said it was ending six months of daily anti-government protests. But the alliance warned it would be on the streets again if a new government tried to return to its past policies.

A court decision Tuesday forced the country's prime minister from office and disbanded the three top ruling coalition parties. But they quickly were reconstituted under different guises and leaders met Wednesday and named the deputy prime minister as the country's caretaker leader.

A spokesman for the protest alliance, Parnthep Wonguapan, said protesters at Bangkok's international and domestic airports were ordered to "clean up and pack their belongings" before leaving the two sites.

The first commercial airliner to arrive in a week — a flight by the national airline Thai Airways from the resort island of Phuket — landed at Suvarnabhumi international airport at 2.15 p.m. (0715 GMT).

Thai Airways said its flights will also take off from Suvarnabhumi for Sydney, New Delhi, Tokyo, Frankfurt, Seoul and Copenhagen on Wednesday.

In what was billed as a hand-over ceremony, Vudhibhandhu Vichairatana, the chairman of the Airports of Thailand, hugged and shook hands with alliance leaders in front of a Buddhist shrine as protesters danced to folk music and trucks loaded with their gear rolled out of the airport.

"We want to clean up the airport before we leave. We want PAD (the alliance) to have a good image," said Bow Piyapat, a souvenir maker, as she wielded her mop around rows of check-in counters at Suvarnabhumi.

A stream of cars, trucks and buses transported the protesters out of the airport.

"See you later when the country needs us!" one of them shouted, as protesters waved and honked.

About 700 soldiers inspected the airport for bombs and weapons, and airport security officials set up a perimeter around the airport as they dismantled blockades and checkpoints set up by the alliance.

But the image of the alliance as well as Thailand in general has been battered, especially among some 300,000 travelers still stranded by last week's airport takeovers. The months of protests and political uncertainty is also hammering the economy and vital tourism industry.

At least six people have been killed and scores injured in clashes in recent months.

The protesters — who seek to eliminate the one-person, one-vote system — are also seeking to purge the nation of the influence of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. They accuse Thaksin of massive corruption and seeking to undermine the country's revered constitutional monarch, King Bhumibol Adulyadej.

Thaksin was ousted by a September 2006 military coup, but the alliance alleges that governments voted into office since then have been proxies for the exiled Thaksin.

"The PAD will return if another (Thaksin) proxy government is formed or anyone tries to amend the constitution or the law to whitewash some politicians or to subdue the monarch's royal authority," one of the protest leaders, Sondhi Limthongkul, warned Tuesday night.

Earlier Tuesday, Somchai's People's Power Party, the Machima Thipatai party and the Chart Thai party were found guilty by the Constitutional Court of committing fraud in the December 2007 elections that brought the coalition to power.

The ruling banned Somchai, Thaksin's brother-in-law, and 59 executives of the three parties from politics for five years. Of the 59, 24 are lawmakers who will have to abandon their parliamentary seats.

A meeting Wednesday among the three ousted parties, which vowed to stick together in a coalition, endorsed Deputy Prime Minister Chaowarat Chandeerakul as the caretaker prime minister.

Members of the three parties, who were not banned from politics, are expected to form new parties that will form an alliance with three smaller parties of the outgoing coalition. The coalition will then have to pick a full-time prime minister and get parliament's endorsement within 30 days.

The anti-government alliance claims Thailand's rural majority — who gave landslide election victories to the Thaksin camp — is too poorly educated to responsibly choose their representatives and says they are susceptible to vote buying.

It wants the country to abandon the system of one-person, one-vote, and instead have a mixed system in which most representatives are chosen by profession and social group.

Chaturon Chaisaeng, a former Thaksin Cabinet member, suggested there could be civil war if the protest alliance presses for a non-elected government.

Associated Press reporters Mike Casey and Mick Elmore contributed to this report.

source http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gXtkIJGFlHXR5qT3LIG2olEVZyFQD94R3EM00

India-Pakistan tensions cast familiar shadow over Kashmir

2008-11-30T23:39:00.000-08:00

India-Pakistan tensions cast familiar shadow over Kashmir

SRINAGAR, India (AFP) — Leaked intelligence on who might be behind the devastating Islamist attacks in Mumbai has been greeted with a deepening sense of dread and foreboding by Muslims in Indian Kashmir.

An emerging consensus suggests the well-planned assault was the work of Lashkar-e-Taiba -- the most powerful Pakistan-based militant group fighting against Indian rule in the disputed Muslim-majority region.

That means an automatic escalation in tensions between India and Pakistan, which in turn spells trouble for Kashmir, over which the nuclear-armed South Asian rivals have fought two of their three wars since independence in 1947.

One of the Mumbai gunmen holding hostages in a Jewish cultural centre had suggested that the treatment of Muslims in Indian Kashmir was one motivation behind the attack.

"Are you aware how many people have been killed in Kashmir?" the militant told a television station by telephone during the attack.

The Kashmir issue is, to many South Asian Muslims, what the Palestinian issue is to the Arab world -- a reliable and fertile source of outrage over the mistreatment of disenfranchised Muslims.

Rights groups like Amnesty International have criticised the sweeping powers India grants its security forces in Kashmir and accused them of using torture to quash the long-running Muslim insurgency in the region.

Since June, around 50 unarmed Muslim protesters have been shot dead in unrest sparked by a state government plan to grant land to a Hindu pilgrim trust.

But for Akbar Mantoo, a 41-year-old Kashmiri contractor, having such grievances cited by a gunman on a killing spree in Mumbai targeting Indian civilians and foreign tourists was appalling.

"It is very unfortunate that one of the attackers talked about Kashmir," said Mantoo. "We don't need supporters or sympathisers like them."

Tahir Mohiudin, a respected Kashmiri political analyst, said the brutal events in Mumbai risked a complete derailment of the India-Pakistan peace process begun in 2004 following a ceasefire agreement.

Although the process has yielded little in terms of resolving the main disputes between the two countries, it has witnessed a major downturn in insurgency-linked violence.

A bus service was started between Indian- and Pakistan-controlled Kashmir in 2005 and in October the de facto border was opened for trade.

"The people of Kashmir have been saddened by these senseless and mindless attacks," Mohiudin said of the Mumbai killings.

"They know, ultimately, that it is they who will suffer if the peace process breaks," he added.

More than 47,000 people -- more than one third of them civilians -- have been killed since the armed insurgency in Indian Kashmir broke out nearly two decades ago.

India has long accused Pakistan of arming and funding Kashmiri Muslim rebels, a charge Islamabad denies.

Indian officials say Lashkar-e-Taiba has links to the well-funded Pakistani Islamist group Markaz-ad-Dawa-wal-Irshad, which recruits fighters for the Taliban in Afghanistan.

Lashkar, which wants to fold Indian Kashmir into Pakistan, first came into the spotlight when its fighters launched a suicide attack on a border guard camp, killing officers and soldiers.

But the outfit's most audacious operation was an assault by armed gunmen on the Indian parliament in 2001, which brought India and Pakistan to the brink of war.

Lashkar has been quick to deny any involvement in the Mumbai attacks.

"Unfortunately whenever bombs go off in India, Lashkar is immediately blamed and without any investigation," its spokesman Abdullah Gaznavi told AFP on Thursday.

Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, a senior Kashmiri separatist politician, who favours independence from both India and Pakistan, said Kashmiris had been as shocked and disturbed by what happened in Mumbai as everyone else in the world.

"I appeal to the media not to link these attacks with our political struggle. We don't approve of killing innocent people," Farooq said.

source : http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5i-QrFkqG1sqLglbCPraXYjhYYzfQ

A cabin is not a shack

2008-11-30T18:12:00.000-08:00

A cabin is not a shack
Louise Tutelian, New York Times
Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Dwight Jelle and K Hamilton's retreat in rural Pepin County, Wis., has cedar board-and-batten siding, a wood-burning stove and a stack of firewood piled at the ready. And like cabins of long ago, it is cozy (less than 2,000 square feet), casual (a lot of wood) and secluded (no neighbors). But the similarities end there. Designed to resemble a farm outbuilding, the low-slung structure is nestled into the rolling farmland southeast of Minneapolis as if it had been planted there.

A color scheme of maize, sage and red clay inside complements the grasses, trees and earth outside. The roof soars to 16 feet, supported by thick pine beams and trusses studded with 300 steel bolts. A wall of windows and glass doors runs the cabin's entire 72-foot length, allowing light to flood the whole space.

No one is roughing it. Hamilton, 51, is a trained cook, and her kitchen has the six-burner Wolf stove to prove it. Jelle, 48, a civil engineer and talented woodworker, made the couple's cherry bedstead himself, as well as the intricately carved Arts and Crafts-style lighting fixtures. The couple worked closely with Sala Architects of Minneapolis to make sure their cabin had amenities, including a slate shower wall in the bathroom and solar-heated floors.

Ditch the deer heads and moose antlers. Put away the caps with flaps. There is nothing musty, creaky, saggy or squeaky about the new cabin culture. Across the country, cabins are being reimagined in sustainable yet stylish ways. Some combine industrial materials like mesh, oxidized steel and concrete with traditional wood. Others employ reclaimed or recycled material to stay eco-friendly and keep costs down. "Turnkey" models arrive fully constructed, ready to be dropped onto a site. Still other cabins are off the grid, but with the comforts of home. And despite the advances in design, cabin owners want the same thing they always did: a place that provides an escape into the natural world.

"Given our busy, techno-heavy lives, people are seeking places where they can rejuvenate and connect to nature," said Michelle Kodis, author of "Modern Cabin" (Gibbs Smith; $39.95; 2007). "They want simple, beautiful, indoor-outdoor cabins that require little upkeep and are free of fuss and heavy, overdone details."

Washington retreat

To look at Mac Dunstan's and Linda Grob's glass-and-wood cabin outside Seattle, you'd never guess they had originally envisioned a low-key Adirondack structure. "I thought I wanted something woodsy, with lots of logs and little gabled things," said Dunstan, 64, an investment adviser. The couple had spent time in the cabin of their friend Tom Lenchak, of Balance Associates, Architects, in Seattle, and over time came to embrace his spare aesthetic. Dunstan and Grob, 55, who works for King County in Washington, realized that a far more contemporary design suited their site best.

They built an airy, ultra-modern 1,600-square-foot retreat for $500,000 four years ago. Anchored into a steep hillside, it rests on a concrete base. Windows extend from floor to ceiling on three sides, and sliding-glass pocket doors invite in even more light. Decks cantilever off the base, offering views of the stream below and the North Cascades in the distance. "All we see is trees and mountains," Dunstan said. They use their time at the cabin to "run around in the woods, hike, bike and ski," he said. Maintenance? Very little. The concrete floors are indestructible and stand up to whatever their German shepherd, Inga, can inflict. "We wanted something real easy to live in," Dunstan said.

Eco-friendly trend

Jeff Shelden, 55, an architect with Prairie Wind Architecture in Lewistown, Mont., and his wife, Lois, 53, a professional photographer, also wanted easy upkeep - minus a hefty price tag. As the son of a Forest Service ranger, Shelden was determined to erect an updated version of the square, stone 1930s-era Forest Service lookouts he loved as a boy. He and a team of contractors built the cabin, in the Judith Mountains of central Montana, using only local or reclaimed materials. In doing so, they were ahead of the curve.

"One of the biggest environmentally friendly trends we're seeing is the use of local materials," said Dale Mulfinger, an adjunct professor of architecture at the University of Minnesota and the author of "Cabinology: A Handbook to Your Private Hideaway" (Taunton; $25; 2008). "Once you start shipping things long distance, that's not so friendly - there's the cost of shipping as well as the fuel costs."

Wood for the interior and the redwood decks that surround the Sheldens' tiny 512-square-foot cabin was recycled from a nearby train trestle that had been torn down. Rock for the outside came from a quarry 2 miles away. "I put an ad in the local paper for corrugated steel for the roof, and a gentleman called and said he was tearing up his barn and to come take what he had off his hands," Shelden recalled. He estimated that the cabin, completed in 1998, cost him about $55,000. For $1,700, he bought a photovoltaic system to supply electricity and to pump water for a hot tub. His utility bill is zero.

An antique wood stove, a vintage Hoosier kitchen cabinet, a table and chairs occupy the ground floor. A ship's ladder leads to the second level, a large window-rimmed space with a futon, a wood-burning stove, bookcases, a couple of ottomans, and a TV and VCR. A 6-foot-square acrylic skylight in the roof's dome adds more light.

Although the space is small, the Sheldens have hosted Thanksgiving dinner for 12 on a warm November day. Their daughter, Claire, 21, has invited friends for cookouts and campfires. The cabin is close to home - only 17 miles away - so the Sheldens can visit frequently. In the winter, though, they can drive only so far. "We ski up the last half-mile," Shelden said.

Prefabs are in style

For those who want a cabin fast and with minimal effort and expense, prefab modular models are increasingly popular. They are built off-site in truck-width "boxes," driven to a property and dropped onto the owner's foundation, complete down to the microwave oven. Once derided as flimsy, modular cabins are sturdier now; companies are offering better design and more durable materials at an affordable price.

"A big trend for cabins is turnkey," said Don Butler, editor of Cozy Cabins magazine. "People don't want to do the whole thing - find the land, find an architect, put the whole thing together."

Greg and Linda Corless were two of those people. Seeking relief from sweltering summers at their home in Altamonte Springs, Fla., the Corlesses bought land in the hills of western North Carolina in 2006. After casting about for an easy way to oversee the project from nine hours away, they bought a modular cabin from Blue Ridge Log Cabins in Campobello, S.C. Greg Corless, 40, the chief financial officer for a car dealership group in Orlando, served as long-distance general contractor, knowing there wasn't much for him to do beyond preparing the site and hiring subcontractors to connect the electricity and plumbing.

The Corlesses purchased an 1,800-square-foot, two-bedroom cabin for $120,000, including all appliances. It resembles a traditional log cabin but with bigger windows (and more of them) and amenities including a wraparound porch and a cathedral ceiling. The Corlesses chose to add a gas fireplace with a stacked stone front as a separate project.

"It was spooky," said Linda Corless, 39, as she recalled entering the cabin two weeks after it was put into position by a crane. "You walk in and the stove is in there, and the ceiling fans are there with the light bulbs in them." She spent over a month in North Carolina last summer with the couple's two daughters, Layton, 5, and Noelle, 4. The family makes about five visits in other seasons. "Mountain music, bonfires, s'mores, sledding in the wintertime - that's what we do," Corless said. "The minute we walk in there and smell the wood, we're on vacation."

While the Corlesses use traditional power, the most eco-conscious of the new cabinistas want to supply all of their own energy. Sam Snyder, an orthopedic surgeon in Bergen County, N.J., was a man with a mission while he and his wife, Junko, were building their cabin near Hudson, N.Y., in 2003. "My No. 1 goal was to have a zero carbon footprint, and we accomplished that," he said. Their 1,000-square-foot, cedar-shingled aerie gets all the power it needs, including the supply for baseboard heat, from solar panels and a wind turbine on an 80-foot-tall tower. There's also a solar hot-water system.

The cabin has a full bathroom, a closed bedroom and two open sleeping lofts. A little library is filled with books on various styles of cabins, collected during the research phase of the project. The Snyders found what they were looking for on a Web site for a company called Lucia's Little Houses and bought the plans for $400 from Robert Knight, an architect in Blue Hill, Maine. They built the cabin for $200,000 and spent $40,000 more on the energy system - worth every cent to Snyder. "Every time I step outside and the wind is blowing and the sun is shining," he said, "I smile because I'm making all my own energy."

Despite all the transformations cabins have undergone in the past decade, they remain, at heart, deeply personal places shaped by their owners as sacred retreats. "This is my grandmother's threshing table," said K Hamilton in Wisconsin, sitting at a sturdy dining room table where workers ate during harvest season at her family's farm. In the center rests a split plank of cherry the length of a baguette, polished to a high sheen. It's cut from one of the first logs the couple found on the site, an everyday symbol that reminds them daily of the magic of their cabin.

With luck, some things will never change.

source : http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/11/18/HOST1449Q2.DTL

Black Friday Online

2008-11-26T20:20:00.000-08:00

Black Friday Online

When it is time for you to prepare for your Christmas shopping on Black Friday, you should consider staying home and not rushing to the stores like the other shoppers. Businesses lure customers into their stores at the early hours of Friday with discounts that are hard to pass up on. However, you should consider Black Friday online shopping before you get lured into the stores.

One problem with going to the stores to purchase the items on your list is you are probably not going to be able to find all the items on your list in one store. You are probably going to have to go to multiple stores to complete your shopping list. While this may not be a problem on a normal day, it will be on the busiest shopping day of the year. You will face long lines and even longer waits at each store, which will take up your entire day.

Along with not being able to find all the items on your list in one store, is not being able to find the items at all. The businesses do everything they can to ensure that they stock their store so they will not run out of an item, but there is always a possibility that they will. With Black Friday online shopping, you will be able to order every product that is on your list, and it will not be sold out.

One big reason that people go to the store to do their shopping is they receive big savings. What those people do not know, is you are able to get those same savings on the internet. You can get the exact same discounts you receive in the store when you shop online, which takes away one of the main reasons people go to the store in the first place.

One of the biggest reasons people dislike going to the stores on Black Friday is the crowds. You will probably have to deal with traffic to get to the store, run into a long line to get into the store, and then have to go through another line to purchase your items. The crowds are ridiculous because everyone is out looking for a good deal. If you shop online though, you are able to get all the items on your list from the comfort of your own home.

Black Friday online shopping has many advantages that you should consider when the day comes around. You can avoid the crowds, get the same savings, ensure you get all the items on your list, and do not have to visit many different stores to purchase your items. You will save a lot of time and hassle, so why go to the store when you can do it all online?

By: Noah Ulrich

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Thailand shuts down second airport in capital

2008-11-26T17:55:00.000-08:00

Thailand shuts down second airport in capital

BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) — Thai authorities have closed a second airport in the capital after anti-government protesters stormed the terminal.

The country's main international airport has been closed since early Wednesday because of tens of thousands of protesters laying virtual siege on the terminal in their push for the government's resignation.

Serirat Prasutanont, chief of Thailand Airport Authority, says that the city's main domestic airport, Don Muang, was closed early Thursday as authorities feared that protesters might harm passengers and planes.

He said authorities are considering using an air force base outside Bangkok and have alerted all airports nationwide to be ready to receive more diverted flights.

The closure of Don Muang cuts off Bangkok completely to air traffic.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) — A call by Thailand's powerful army commander to end the country's deepening political crisis was rebuffed Wednesday, as the prime minister rejected his suggestion to step down, and protesters refused to end their occupation of the country's main airport.

Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat justified his stance saying he came to power through elections and has "a job to protect democracy for the people of Thailand." He spoke from the northern city of Chiang Mai, a stronghold of government supporters.

His rejection of Army Gen. Anupong Paochinda's plan seemed to put him on a collision course with the military although the general has said he would not launch a coup.

The anti-government People's Alliance for Democracy insisted it would continue its airport occupation and other protest activities until Somchai resigns. It rejected the general's proposal for new elections, pushing instead for the appointment of a temporary government.

As the deadlock continued, political violence spread Wednesday to Chiang Mai, where government supporters attacked a radio station aligned with the protesters. Separately, there were unconfirmed reports that one man was killed and several people assaulted in an attack on the city's local airport.

However, it was the occupation of the international Suvarnabhumi Airport, just outside the capital Bangkok, that put the world on notice of the turmoil that has reduced Thailand to a dysfunctional nation.

European Union and Britain's Foreign Office both issued statements of concern about the political situation.

Thousands of travelers were stranded in Bangkok when members of the alliance swarmed the airport Tuesday night, forcing a halt to virtually all outgoing flights.

Several thousand passengers were bused to city hotels Wednesday to await developments, but many other passengers spent a second night at the airport after a day of behind-the-scenes negotiations failed. All flights have been suspended until further notice.

Among those stranded were Americans trying to get home for the Thanksgiving holiday on Thursday.

Cheryl Turner, 63, of Scottsdale, Arizona, had asked neighbors to pull an 18-pound turkey from her freezer a day ahead of time to defrost so she could cook it for a traditional Thanksgiving dinner.

"My turkey is sitting in the sink at home," she said.

Some travelers took the inconvenience in stride.

"It's really horrible to be delayed and I'm missing my friend and things, but the local people have given us food, offered us drinks, and the airport's actually quite a nice place at the moment," said Andy Du Bois-Barclay, an English traveler .

Protesters were also occupying late Wednesday the passenger terminal at the older and smaller Don Muang airport, which appeared to effectively cut off civilian aviation services to the Thai capital.

The protest alliance accuses Somchai of acting as the puppet for former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in a September 2006 military coup after being accused of corruption and abuse of power. Thaksin is in exile, a fugitive from a conviction for violating a conflict of interest law. Somchai is Thaksin's brother-in-law.

PAD, as the protest alliance is known, launched their current campaign on Aug. 26, with a failed attempt to take over a government television station, after which they stormed the grounds of the prime minister's office, which they continue to use as their stronghold.

The group has also tried twice to blockade Parliament, in one case setting off a daylong street battle with police that left two people dead and hundreds injured.

They prepared for their "final showdown" Sunday in an almost festive atmosphere at their Government House stronghold. Even as they pushed through police lines Monday to blockade parliament and the temporary government office at Don Muang airport, crowds remained relaxed as police yielded to them.

The situation soured Tuesday, with scattered violence between political rivals in different parts of Bangkok. At one point, government supporters threw rocks at a truckload of alliance members, who shot back with pistols and then chased and beat their attackers.

Skirmishes continued in several spots Tuesday night and Wednesday, leaving more than a dozen people hurt.

Their action came as the group's public support seemed to be waning and they appeared to be seeking out confrontations to up the ante in their struggle.

"It is no secret that the PAD are armed with guns, bombs, knives and wooden batons. They constantly break the law with impunity," said Ji Ungpakorn, an associate professor of political science at Bangkok's Chulalongkorn University.

In an open letter, he charged that the alliance, along with the military, the opposition Democrat Party and "the Conservative Establishment would rather see total chaos in Thailand rather than allow democracy to function."

In a televised press conference, Paochinda said, "the government should give the public a chance to decide in a fresh election."

However, he insisted he was not pressuring the government and ruled out staging a coup.

"We have considered every option including a coup, but it will not resolve the problem," he said. Government supporters have said they would forcefully resist a military takeover.

Suriyasai Katasila, a spokesman for the protesters, said the group would not abide by the army chief's plea to leave the country's international airport or other occupied government facilities

"If the government does not quit, we will not quit," he said.

Late Wednesday night, in response to a petition by the state airport operator, Bangkok's Civil Court issued an injunction ordering the demonstrators to immediately leave Suvarnabhumi Airport.

The protesters have ignored similar orders, but the document provides a legal basis for security forces to remove them.

Airport director Serirat Prasutanont, who had tried to negotiate with the protesters to allow passengers to fly out, said the takeover "damaged Thailand's reputation and its economy beyond repair."

Tourist income during the high season — from late October to February — could slump to about half the expected $6.8 billion, said Kongkrit Hiranyakit, head of the Tourism Council of Thailand.

The airport, the 18th-busiest in the world, handled over 40 million passengers in 2007

source : http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gXtkIJGFlHXR5qT3LIG2olEVZyFQD94MV9780

Bush pardons 14 and commutes 2 prison sentences

2008-11-24T17:33:00.000-08:00

Bush pardons 14 and commutes 2 prison sentences

By DEB RIECHMANN

WASHINGTON (AP) — President George W. Bush has granted pardons to 14 individuals and commuted the prison sentences of two others convicted of misdeeds including drug offenses, tax evasion, wildlife violations and bank embezzlement.

The new round of White House pardons announced Monday are Bush's first since March and come less than two months before he will end his presidency. The crimes committed by those on the list also include offenses involving hazardous waste, food stamps, and the theft of government property.

Bush has been stingy during his time in office about granting clemency, but more grants are expected.

Including these actions, he has granted a total of 171 pardons and eight commutations. That's less than half as many as Presidents Clinton or Reagan issued during their time in office. Both were two-term presidents, like Bush.

On the latest pardon list were:

_Leslie Owen Collier of Charleston, Mo., who pleaded guilty in 1995 to unlawfully killing three bald eagles in southeast Missouri. He improperly used pesticide in hamburger meat to kill coyotes, but ended up killing many other animals, including the bald eagles. Collier, who was convicted for unauthorized use of a pesticide and violating the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, was sentenced Feb. 2, 1996 in the Eastern District of Missouri.

_Milton Kirk Cordes of Rapid City, S.D. Cordes was convicted of conspiracy to violate the Lacey Act, which prohibits importation into the country of wildlife taken in violation of conservation laws.

_Richard Micheal Culpepper of Mahomet, Ill., who was convicted of making false statements to the federal government.

_Brenda Jean Dolenz-Helmer of Fort Worth, Texas, convicted of concealing knowledge of a crimeDolenz-Helmer, the daughter of a Dallas doctor accused of medical insurance fraud, was convicted in connection with the doctor's case. She was sentenced Dec. 31, 1998 in the Northern District of Texas to four year's probation with the special condition of 600 hours of community service and a $10,000 fine.

_Andrew Foster Harley of Falls Church, Va. Harley was convicted of wrongful use and distribution of marijuana and cocaine during a general court martial at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo.

_Obie Gene Helton of Rossville, Ga., whose offense was unauthorized acquisition of food stamps.

_Carey C. Hice Sr. of Travelers Rest, S.C., who was convicted of income tax evasion.

_Geneva Yvonne Hogg of Jacksonville, Fla., convicted of bank embezzlement.

_William Hoyle McCright Jr. of Midland, Texas, who was convicted of bank fraud.

_Paul Julian McCurdy of Sulphur, Okla., who was sentenced for misapplication of bank funds.

_Robert Earl Mohon Jr. of Grant, Ala., who was convicted of conspiracy to distribute marijuana.

_Ronald Alan Mohrhoff of Los Angeles, who was convicted for unlawful use of a telephone in a narcotics felony.

_Daniel Figh Pue III of Conroe, Texas, convicted of illegal treatment, storage and disposal of a hazardous waste without a permit.

_Orion Lynn Vick of White Hall, Ark., who was convicted of aiding and abetting the theft of government property.

Bush also commuted the prison sentences of John Edward Forte of North Brunswick, N.J., and James Russell Harris of Detroit, Mich. Both were convicted of cocaine offenses.

Under the Constitution, the president's power to issue pardons is absolute and cannot be overruled.

Some high-profile individuals, such as Michael Milken, are seeking a pardon on securities fraud charges. Two politicians convicted of public corruption — former Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham, R-Calif., and four-term Democratic Louisiana Gov. Edwin W. Edwards — are asking Bush to shorten their prison terms.

One hot topic of discussion related to pardons is whether Bush might decide to issue pre-emptive pardons before he leaves office to government employees who authorized or engaged in harsh interrogations of suspected terrorists in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. Some constitutional scholars and human rights groups want the incoming administration of President-elect Barack Obama to investigate possible war crimes.

If Bush were to pardon anyone involved, it would provide protection against criminal charges, particularly for people who were following orders or trying to protect the nation with their actions. But it would also be highly controversial.

At the same time, Obama advisers say there is little — if any — chance that his administration would bring criminal charges.

source :

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5j6mH44rWD9yyZf_AZ7YxQDVFL7WwD94LKHEG1

SEC charges Mark Cuban with insider trading

2008-11-18T01:11:00.000-08:00

SEC charges Mark Cuban with insider trading

By MARCY GORDON – 10 hours ago

WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal regulators on Monday charged Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban with insider trading for allegedly using confidential information on a stock sale to avoid more than $750,000 in losses.

Cuban disputed the Securities and Exchange Commission's allegations and said he would contest them.

In a civil lawsuit filed in federal court in Dallas, the SEC alleged that in June 2004, Cuban was invited to get in on the coming stock offering by Mamma.com Inc. after he agreed to keep the information private.

Cuban owned 6.3 percent of Mamma.com's stock at that time and was the largest known shareholder in the search engine company, according to the SEC. The agency said Cuban knew the shares would be sold below the current market price, and a few hours after receiving the information, he told his broker to sell all 600,000 shares before the public announcement of the offering.

By selling when he did, Cuban avoided losses exceeding $750,000, the SEC said in its lawsuit.

Cuban, 50 and a multibillionaire, is a tech entrepreneur who sold his Broadcast.com to Yahoo Inc. in 1999 at the height of the dot-com boom. He bought the Mavericks in 2000 and spent heavily to improve the roster.

He is the best known figure to be accused by the SEC of illegal insider trading since its case against Martha Stewart in 2002 for allegedly using advance knowledge of negative news for a company to sell her shares and avoid $45,673 in losses. The homemaking diva paid about $195,000 and agreed not to serve as the director of a public company for five years under a 2006 settlement with the SEC.

Cuban's fury at referee calls on the basketball court is legendary, and his verbal outbursts at referees, National Basketball Association officials and sports reporters have raised his profile. He has been fined more than $1 million by the league for a series of episodes dating back to 2000 and suspended from a few games.

"It is fundamentally unfair for someone to use access to nonpublic information to improperly gain an edge on the market," Scott Friestad, the SEC's deputy enforcement director, said in a statement. The agency alleged that Cuban acted with "scienter," a legal term indicating knowledge of wrongdoing.

The SEC is seeking a court judgment against Cuban finding that he violated the antifraud provisions of the federal securities laws, an injunction against future violations, an unspecified civil penalty and restitution of the losses Cuban allegedly avoided.

While the stock offering in question occurred more than four years ago, the SEC didn't learn about the specifics of the case until early 2007, according to agency attorneys.

Cuban's lawyer said in a statement that the SEC's case "has no merit and is a product of gross abuse of prosecutorial discretion."

"Mr. Cuban intends to contest the allegations and to demonstrate that the (SEC's) claims are infected by the misconduct of the staff of its enforcement division," Ralph Ferrara wrote in a note posted on Cuban's blog.

Cuban, in his own statement, said, "I am disappointed that the (SEC) chose to bring this case based upon its enforcement staff's win-at-any-cost ambitions. The staff's process was result-oriented, facts be damned. The government's claims are false and they will be proven to be so."

Maureen Coyle, an NBA spokeswoman, said the league does not comment on such matters.

Cuban is one of the richest people in the world, according to Forbes magazine, which pegged his net worth at $2.3 billion as of March 2007. Besides the Mavericks, he owns Landmark Theaters, a large national chain dedicated to independent films, and the HDNet cable television channel.

Cuban also runs a Web site called Sharesleuth.com, which bills itself as providing "independent Web-based reporting aimed at exposing securities fraud and corporate chicanery." An announcement on the site says there are plans for a companion, BailoutSleuth.com, to track the government's $700 billion financial rescue plan.

Montreal-based Mamma.com decided in the spring of 2004 to raise capital in a so-called private placement in public equity offering, known as a PIPE, according to the SEC suit. In late June, as the PIPE moved toward closing, Mamma.com's investment bank suggested the company invite Cuban to participate.

Because PIPEs often are sold at discounts to the stock's market price, the investment bank likely suggested that Mamma.com reach out to Cuban as the largest investor to help boost the offering. A bank salesman told Cuban the shares would be sold at a discount and that the offering included other incentives for investors, the SEC said.

On June 28, Mamma.com Chief Executive Guy Faure e-mailed Cuban asking him to call him "ASAP," the SEC said. Cuban called four minutes later from the American Airlines Center in Dallas, home of the Mavericks, and spoke to Faure for about eight minutes.

Faure, who resigned last year, began the conversation by telling Cuban he was about to give him confidential information. Cuban agreed to keep it to himself, the SEC said.

Cuban became upset and angry during the conversation, and said that he didn't like PIPEs because they dilute the value of company stock for existing shareholders, according to the SEC. At the end of the call, Cuban said, "Well now I'm screwed. I can't sell."

Mamma.com changed its name to Copernic Inc. in June 2007. Copernic officials did not return calls for comment Monday.

AP Basketball Writer Brian Mahoney in New York contributed to this report.

source : http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iR3W1nPq3cGJH6jN2Wm5SWcXr5yAD94GVEL01

Yankees Acquire Nick Swisher From White Sox

2008-11-14T00:25:00.000-08:00

Yankees Acquire Nick Swisher From White Sox
Combined Wire Services

The Yankees got a jump start on the free agent signing period by making a trade for Nick Swisher.

Swisher is far cheaper than free agent Mark Teixeira will be, and his ability to play the outfield gives the Yankees flexibility should they need to move a player such as Jorge Posada to first base in the future.

"One of the reasons we were attracted to Nick," general manager Brian Cashman said, "is he has the versatility, the flexibility, to play left, center, right, first. We obviously have a vacancy at first base."

The Yankees are now expected to make a massive contract offer to lefthander CC Sabathia, perhaps blowing other teams out of the water with an offer that dwarfs any a pitcher has received.

The Yankees also received right-handed pitching prospect Kanekoa Texeira from Chicago for infielder Wilson Betemit and minor league pitchers Jeffrey Marquez and Jhonny Nunez. Swisher is coming off his worst season (.219, 24 homers).

Swisher is under contract through 2011. He is owed $5.3 million in 2009, $6.75 million in 2010 and $9 million in 2011 with a team option of $10.25 million for 2012.

Silver Slugger winners: Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia (first-time winner) and the Yankees' Alex Rodriguez (10th) and Derek Jeter (third) were among the AL Silver Slugger Award winners. The award is given to the best offensive player at each position.

In the NL, the Mets' David Wright (second) and the Cardinals' Albert Pujols (fourth) were honored.

McNamee needs time: Lawyers for Roger Clemens' former trainer say they need more time to obtain a statement from a federal prosecutor who compelled Brian McNamee to speak with former Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell.

McNamee's attorneys, Richard Emery and Earl Ward, filed a motion Wednesday in U.S. District Court, asking for an extension to Dec. 18 to produce a formal response from Matthew Parrella, who interviewed McNamee in his role as assistant U.S. attorney.

Mitchell was hired by commissioner Bud Selig to run the investigation into the use of performance enhancing drugs in baseball. Mitchell based part of his final report on statements by McNamee, who later claimed the government told him he would be prosecuted if he didn't speak with Mitchell.

Clemens sued McNamee in January, claiming his former trainer's statements were defamatory. ... Twins manager Ron Gardenhire agreed to a two-year extension. ... Randy Johnson, 45, filed for free agency on after failing to reach an agreement with Arizona. ... The Cubs got reliever Kevin Gregg in a trade with Florida for minor league pitcher Jose Ceda, a move that appears to end Kerry Wood's career with the team.

source
http://www.courant.com/services/newspaper/printedition/sports/hc-baseup1114.artnov14,0,4115188.story

Sabatiello’s On TV Kitchen Nightmares

2008-11-13T20:02:00.000-08:00

Sabatiello’s On TV Kitchen Nightmares
by Joe Reality

On the first of two episodes of Kitchen Nightmares, Chef Gordon Ramsay comes to the rescue of another restaurant on the brink of disaster when he visits Sabatiello’s in Stamford, Connecticut. Sabatiello’s is owned by a man named Sammy, who is over one million dollars in debt.

One of the problems facing Sabatiello’s is that local newspaper reviews have mentioned Sammy’s hot-temper and lack of customer service. These are not the kind of reviews that a family eatery wants to receive.

When Chef Gordon Ramsay first visits Sabatiello’s, he offers up his own criticism of the food. Chef Ramsay goes as far as to even criticize the lasagna recipe of Sammy’s mother, which makes Sammy’s temper flare us. When the kitchen staff starts turning against Sammy, he shuts down the restaurant.

Will Chef Ramsay be able to put things right between Sammy and his staff? Will Sabatiello’s reopen the doors? Kitchen Nightmares airs on Thursday, November 13 from 8 PM to 9 PM ET/PT on FOX.

Reality TV Magazine is your source for Kitchen Nightmares news. For other Kitchen Nightmares news check out SirLinksALot: Kitchen Nightmares.

source : http://www.realitytvmagazine.com/blog/2008/11/13/sabatiellos-on-kitchen-nightmares

Mitch Mitchell: child actor who drummed up a rock career

2008-11-13T03:26:00.000-08:00

Mitch Mitchell: child actor who drummed up a rock career
By Matt Dickinson, PA

Mitch Mitchell has been described as one of the three great British rock drummers of the 1960s.

According to fan forum drummerworld.com, he had "magnificent rhythmic drive" and ranks alongside legendary Cream drummer Ginger Baker and The Who's Keith Moon.

Mitchell was born in Ealing, west London, on 9 July 1947, and started off his showbiz career as a child actor.

But his love of jazz and rock music soon took over and he developed into a largely-self taught and in-demand session drummer by his late teens.

He played for a variety of bands during the early 1960s, including The Tornados, and Riot Squad, also auditioning at one point for The Who.

His big break came in 1965 after joining jazz star Georgie Fame and his outfit The Blue Flames.

After that group was disbanded a year later, Mitchell was recruited within a week to join up with the world's most electrifying guitarist, Jimi Hendrix, and bassist Noel Redding.

The Jimi Hendrix Experience held its first rehearsal on October 6, 1966, and quickly secured their place in rock and roll history thanks to their powerhouse performances.

In a recent interview with a US paper, Mitchell recalled the moment he joined the band: "I got a call from (Hendrix manager) Chas Chandler asking if I'd fancy playing with this guitarist he'd brought over from America.

"We met in this sleazy little club, and (Jimi) was this guy in a Burberry raincoat. We did some Chuck Berry and took it from there. I suppose it worked."

A week after the group was formed, the Experience played a four-day French tour supporting French rocker Johnny Hallyday.

A clutch of classic albums including Are You Experienced? and Electric Ladyland followed that featured tracks like Purple Haze, Little Wing and Hey Joe.

The group also notched up some of the famous performances of all time, including at the Monterey Pop Festival where Hendrix famously set light to his guitar, and Woodstock.

After the guitarist's death in 1970 aged just 27, Mitchell's career lacked direction but he continued to play and record with some of rock and jazz world's biggest names, including former Cream bassist Jack Bruce.

In 1992 the Jimi Hendrix Experience was inducted with Redding into the prestigious Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Redding died at 57 in 2003, leaving Mitchell the only surviving member of the legendary trio.

Before his death, he was performing with the Experience Hendrix Tour in the US with companions including guitarists Buddy Guy and Robby Krieger from The Doors.

One tribute on a fan site appeared to sum his career up: "A lot of drummers are great but there is only one Mitch Mitchell. Mitchell held it all together for Hendrix. How do you play drums like that? He's the best I ever heard! That's the way real drums should sound like!"

source :http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/mitch-mitchell-child-actor-who-drummed-up-a-rock-career-1016699.html

U.S. backs away from plan to buy bad assets

2008-11-12T18:48:00.000-08:00

U.S. backs away from plan to buy bad assets

By David Lawder

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Bush administration on Wednesday largely abandoned its plan to buy up toxic mortgage assets and said it will focus its $700 billion financial bailout fund on making direct investments in financial institutions and shoring up consumer credit markets.

The U.S. Treasury Department initially promoted the financial rescue package approved by Congress last month as a vehicle to buy illiquid mortgage assets from banks and other institutions to spur fresh lending.

However, that plan never got off the ground and U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson told a news conference asset purchases were not the most effective use of the funds.

"This is not going to be the focus," he said. Paulson added, however, that the Treasury would continue to examine the usefulness of "targeted" purchases.

Treasury has already tapped the fund to inject capital into banks and ailing insurer American International Group. Paulson said he was considering a second round of preferred share purchases in both banks and non-bank institutions which, in a fresh twist, would match privately raised funds.

He also said the Treasury was working with the Federal Reserve on a plan to help restore credit flows to U.S. households by using financial rescue funds to lure investors back to markets for securitized debt, such as car loans, student loans and credit cards.

The administration's shifting focus disappointed Wall Street and U.S. stock prices tumbled sharply. The Dow Jones industrial average closed down 408 points, or 4.7 percent.

"This hasn't done the Treasury's credibility a world of good," said Alan Ruskin, chief international strategist at RBS Global Banking and Markets in New York. "Basically, they found that the market would applaud direct capital injections more readily than understanding the complexities of reverse auctions to buy assets, so it's a pragmatic choice."

Paulson was unapologetic, saying that by the time the rescue bill was passed on October 3, it was clear the asset purchase plan would take too long and would not be sufficient to calm roiling markets.

"I will never apologize for changing a strategy or an approach if the facts change," he said.

Cool Call For Help

The $700 billion financial sector bailout is the United States' marquee effort to combat a credit crisis spawned by rising U.S. mortgage defaults that is now wreaking economic damage worldwide.

To help ease the crisis, the U.S. Treasury and bank regulators on Wednesday issued "guidance" for banks encouraging them to lend and to rein in any compensation plans that might lead executives to take excessive risks.

Earlier on Wednesday, Canada announced a plan to buy up another $41 billion in insured mortgages and other steps to try to free-up credit.

Paulson said the U.S. Treasury was duty-bound to help prevent mortgage foreclosures, but he warned that further aid would likely mean a significant government subsidy, signaling a lack of support for a Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. proposal for more aggressive aid to borrowers

The regulator for the two largest U.S. mortgage finance companies -- Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac -- unveiled a plan on Tuesday to cut payments for hundreds of thousands of homeowners behind on their payments. That plan, however, would not touch the many loans held by mortgage investors.

Paulson sidestepped questions on whether the Treasury would use bailout funds to help struggling Detroit automakers, as the industry and some lawmakers have called for.

While he said the industry was a "critical" one for the United States, he said the purpose of the program was to provide financial system stability.

He said one option would be to amend legislation to allow $25 billion already approved for efficient vehicle production to be made available more quickly.

So far, the Treasury has focused on providing capital to federally regulated banks and thrifts, but Paulson said it was looking to broaden the effort to cover financial institutions that do not have a federal bank or thrift charter.

"Although the financial system has stabilized, both banks and non-banks may well need more capital given their troubled asset holdings, projections for continued high rates of foreclosures and stagnant U.S. and world economic conditions," he said.

$700 BILLION STILL ENOUGH?

The Treasury has allocated $250 billion of the bailout funds to inject capital into banks and thrifts and it has earmarked another $40 billion to shore up AIG, leaving just $60 billion to dole out before it would have to ask Congress to release the final $350 billion.

Paulson said he had no timeline for that request, which means the decision could be left to the incoming administration of President-elect Barack Obama, who takes office on January 20.

He also signaled he would not seek to increase the overall size of the bailout fund. "I still am comfortable that, with $700 billion, we have what we need," he said.

With an aim to restoring credit for households, Paulson said the Treasury and Fed were considering setting up a program to increase liquidity for top-rated asset-backed securities, but he provided few details.

"The initial shock of abandoning TARP is hitting stocks, but the support for consumer-level lending may be a silver lining as it goes to the root of what's ailing the economy, namely personal consumption," said Brian Dolan, chief currency strategist at FOREX.com in Bedminster, New Jersey.

(Additional reporting by Patrick Rucker)

source:
http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSTRE4AB7P820081113?pageNumber=2&virtualBrandChannel=10112

Buckling Down for Our CMA Awards Coverage

2008-11-12T18:27:00.000-08:00

Buckling Down for Our CMA Awards Coverage

By: Calvin Gilbert

The 42nd annual CMA Awards show is just minutes away, and those of us at CMT have already had an interesting day. Not to complain (too much), but our offices in downtown Nashville were without electrical power from about 10 a.m. until almost 3:30 p.m. after a Nashville Electric Service transformer malfunctioned.

That meant no computers, no e-mail and no TV, which would be a problem for nearly anybody in this day and age. From our parking garage, you can see the Sommet Center, where tonight’s awards show is taking place, but that area across Broadway was not affected by the outage. And thank goodness for that. I can’t even imagine what sort of problems that would have created for the producers of the awards show.

As for us, several radio stations from throughout the nation were in the middle of artist interviews in the CMT Radio studios when the outage occurred. I heard that Darius Rucker was just about to step into the elevator when the power went out — proving that timing is everything, regardless of who you are.

But we’re back in commission. CMT’s Lance Smith and Katie Cook are at the Sommet Center, hosting the 2008 CMA Awards Red Carpet Special to run live at 7 p.m. ET on the channel and at CMT.com. We’ll be updating our Web site throughout the evening with photos and news.

A live blog will also be underway as Shane Caldwell sets up shop at the Paradise Park Trailer Resort, a bar in downtown Nashville. As they would say in East Texas, where I was raised, Shane is “one funny sumbitch,” so I’m looking forward to his observations. (I think.)

There’s supposed to be a surprise guest appearing on the awards show, but the CMA seems to be doing a good job of keeping this one a secret. Lon Helton and Chuck Aly, my friends at Country Aircheck, say the speculation on Music Row includes Shania Twain, Andy Griffith and Bruce Springsteen.

Twain is apparently working on some new music, and Griffith appeared in Brad Paisley’s video for “Waitin’ on a Woman.” So either of those make sense. I can’t imagine why Springsteen would be there, but who knows? We’ll have to wait until the show to find out if the surprise is of major magnitude.

source:http://blog.cmt.com/2008-11-12/buckling-down-for-our-cma-awards-coverage/

Don’t let flu season catch you off guard

2008-11-12T18:15:00.000-08:00

Don’t let flu season catch you off guard
By Harvard Health Letter

It happens every year. The days grow shorter, the temperature drops, footballs fly — and the flu strikes. Influenza is so common that it’s easy to dismiss this seasonal affliction as “just a virus” or “just the flu.”

It’s true that the flu is caused by a virus and that most patients recover without specific therapy. But it’s also true that thousands of Americans die from the flu each year, and millions are sick enough to miss work or school. Influenza is a serious infection — but it can be prevented and treated.

Meet the flu bug

A large group of viruses belongs to the influenza family. Nearly all human infections are caused by human strains of the influenza A or B virus.

Because different strains of the virus crop up every year, new outbreaks occur annually.

In the United States, the flu season runs roughly from Thanksgiving to Easter, with most cases occurring in the dead of winter. In a typical year, up to 10 percent of us get the flu, more than 200,000 people are sick enough to require hospitalization, and about 36,000 Americans die from the infection.

Symptoms

After an incubation period of just one to two days, the symptoms start abruptly. Most patients are feverish, and high temperatures in the range of 103 degrees to 104 degrees are common. Nearly everyone has a runny nose and sore throat, but unlike ordinary colds, the flu also produces a hacking, dry cough. Muscle and joint aches can be severe. Headache, burning eyes, weakness, and extreme fatigue add to the misery.

Complications

The most serious — and deadly — complication is pneumonia. Young children, senior citizens and people with chronic illnesses are at greatest risk. Other flu complications can include asthma attacks, ear infections, bronchitis, sinusitis, inflammation of the heart or other muscles, and inflammation of the nervous system.

Prevention: Hygiene

A few simple precautions can help protect you and your family:

• Wash your hands. Alcohol-based hand rubs and gels are best. Ordinary soap and water will also help, and it’s not necessary to use very hot water or “antibacterial” soaps. Wash carefully after any contact with folks who have flulike symptoms.

• Keep your distance. The flu is most contagious within 3 feet of a patient.

• Wear a mask if you’re in a high-risk group and you can’t avoid getting near possible flu victims. Be sure your mask fits well. Keep it free of saliva and dry, and change it periodically. N95 respirator masks are best.

• Protect others. Don’t go to work or school if you have the flu. Use a tissue to cover your mouth when you sneeze or cough, and dispose of it properly.

Prevention: Vaccination

New vaccines are produced for every flu season; each protects against the two strains of influenza A and one strain of influenza B that are most likely heading our way in the fall. In the United States, October and November are the ideal months to get the vaccine. Children ages 6 months to 8 years who have never been immunized need two doses, but one dose will suffice for all others.

Two types of flu vaccine are available. The nasal spray can be used only by healthy, non-pregnant individuals ages 2 to 49. The injectable vaccine can be given to nearly everyone, except people who are allergic to eggs or to the vaccine itself. Side effects are mild and uncommon, amounting to a slightly sore arm or a slight fever.

Immunization can reduce your risk of catching the flu by up to 80 percent. That’s a big benefit, but nearly half the people who need protection the most don’t get it. If vaccine supplies are adequate, everyone older than 6 months should get a flu vaccine this fall. Here is a list of high-priority vaccine candidates:

• All children ages 6 months to 4 years.

• All adults age 50 and older.

• Children and adolescents ages 6 months to 18 years who receive long-term aspirin therapy.

• Women who are likely to be pregnant during the flu season.

• People who have asthma, diabetes or chronic diseases of their lungs, heart, blood, kidneys or liver.

• People who have illnesses or take medications that impair the immune system.

• Residents of chronic-care facilities.

• Health care personnel and child care providers.

• Caregivers and household contacts of people with medical conditions that put them at risk.

Medications

Antibiotics don’t work against viruses, including influenza. But while there are no medications for ordinary viruses, special prescription drugs can be used to treat or prevent the flu.

Both medications target a viral enzyme called neuraminidase. Neither will cure the flu, but they can ease and shorten the illness if started within the first 24 to 36 hours of flu symptoms. Both drugs can also be used to prevent influenza in unvaccinated people who are exposed to the infection.

Zanamivir (Relenza) is administered by inhalation from a nebulizer. It is approved for prevention in people age 5 and older and for treatment in people age 7 and older. Side effects may include wheezing, nausea and vomiting; behavioral abnormalities have also been reported.

Oseltamivir (Tamiflu) is available in tablet form. It is approved for prevention and treatment in patients above 1 year of age. Side effects may include nausea and vomiting; behavioral abnormalities have also been reported.

If you get the flu and can start treatment within about 36 hours, ask your doctor about oseltamivir or zanamivir.

With or without an antiviral drug, be sure to get lots of rest and drink plenty of fluids. Acetaminophen (Tylenol and other brands) can help ease fever and aches; aspirin is also effective, but should never be used by flu patients under 18.

And be sure to contact your doctor promptly if you think you’re developing pneumonia or other complications that may require antibiotics or hospitalization.

Flu Shot

Unexpected benefits

Protection from the flu is reason enough to get a flu shot every fall. But there’s even more. A major study of 286,383 people age 65 and above found that flu vaccinations were associated with a 19 percent to 23 percent reduction in the risk of hospitalizations for heart disease and stroke, along with a 29 percent to 32 percent reduction in the risk of hospitalization for influenza or pneumonia. All in all, senior citizens who got flu shots had a nearly 50 percent reduction in the risk of death during the winter flu season.

Why Winter ?

The flu loves winter. In the Northern Hemisphere, it comes around between November and March, but in the Southern Hemisphere, it hits from May to September, the coldest months. In the tropics, however, there is no true flu season — and very little flu.

Many respiratory infections peak in winter, when people cluster together indoors. But for years, scientists have wondered if there is something special about the influenza virus that accounts for its striking seasonality. A 2007 study found an answer.

Using guinea pigs infected with human flu viruses, scientists in New York found that the virus is transmitted much more efficiently in a cool environment. Animals who were housed at 41 degrees shed the virus nearly two days longer than animals housed at 68 degrees, and a temperature of 86 degrees blocked transmission of the virus altogether. Low humidity provided another boost for the bug; The virus spread much more readily at 20 percent humidity than at 80 percent.

source :

http://www.ajc.com/hp/content/health/stories/2008/11/12/flu_virus_prevention.html

Mitch Mitchell, drummer for Hendrix, found dead

2008-11-12T18:05:00.000-08:00

Mitch Mitchell, drummer for Hendrix, found dead
By Mary Hudetz

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Mitch Mitchell, drummer for the legendary Jimi Hendrix Experience of the 1960s and the group's last surviving member, was found dead in his hotel room early Wednesday. He was 61.

Mitchell was a powerful force on the Hendrix band's 1967 debut album "Are You Experienced?" as well as the trio's albums "Electric Ladyland" and "Axis: Bold As Love." He had an explosive drumming style that can be heard in hard-charging songs such as "Fire" and "Manic Depression."

The Englishman had been drumming for the Experience Hendrix Tour, which performed Friday in Portland. It was the last stop on the West Coast part of the tour.

Hendrix died in 1970. Bass player Noel Redding died in 2003.

An employee at Portland's Benson Hotel called police after discovering Mitchell's body.

Erin Patrick, a deputy medical examiner, said Mitchell apparently died of natural causes. An autopsy was planned.

"He was a wonderful man, a brilliant musician and a true friend," said Janie Hendrix, chief executive of the Experience Hendrix Tour and Jimi Hendrix' stepsister. "His role in shaping the sound of the Jimi Hendrix Experience cannot be underestimated."

Bob Merlis, a spokesman for the tour, said Mitchell had stayed in Portland for a four-day vacation and planned to leave Wednesday.

"It was a devastating surprise," Merlis said. "Nobody drummed like he did."

He said he saw Mitchell perform two weeks ago in Los Angeles, and the drummer appeared to be healthy and upbeat.

Merlis said the tour was designed to bring together veteran musicians who had known Hendrix — like Mitchell — and younger artists, such as Grammy-nominated winner Jonny Lang, who have been influenced by him.

Blues-rock guitarist Kenny Wayne Shepherd, who is 31 and was part of the tour, said Mitchell was to the drums what Hendrix was to the guitar.

"Today many of us have lost a dear friend, and the world has lost a rock n' roll hero," he said.

Mitchell was a one-of-a-kind drummer whose "jazz-tinged" style was influenced by Max Roach and Elvin Jones, Merlis said. The work was a vital part of both the Jimi Hendrix Experience in the 1960s and the Experience Hendrix Tour that ended last week, he said.

"If Jimi Hendrix were still alive," Merlis said, "he would have acknowledged that."

During his career Mitchell played with the best in the business — not just Hendrix, but also Eric Clapton, John Lennon, Keith Richards, Jack Bruce, Jeff Beck, Muddy Waters and others.

Mitchell performed with Hendrix and Redding at the Monterey Pop Festival in June 1967, the U.S. debut of the Jimi Hendrix Experience. He also was member of a later version of the band that performed the closing set of the Woodstock Festival in August 1969 — where Hendrix played a psychedelic version of "The Star-Spangled Banner" before the band launched into "Purple Haze."

The Jimi Hendrix Experience was inducted into the Rock Hall of Fame in 1992. According to the Hall of Fame, Mitchell was born July 9, 1947, in Ealing, England.

Terry Stewart, chief executive of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, said Mitchell transformed his instrument from a "strictly percussive element to a lead instrument."

"His interplay with Jimi Hendrix's guitar on songs like 'Fire' is truly amazing," Stewart said Wednesday. "Mitch Mitchell had a massive influence on rock 'n' roll drumming and took it to new heights."

Hendrix, Redding and Mitchell held their first rehearsal in October 1966, according to the Hall of Fame's Web site.

In an interview last month with the Boston Herald, Mitchell said he met Hendrix "in this sleazy little club."

"We did some Chuck Berry and took it from there," Mitchell told the newspaper. "I suppose it worked."

source : http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hAB55HVz01BxrJUrwe7GMl3uSntwD94DOFHO0

Ex-Idol Paula Goodspeed found dead outside judge Paula Abdul's home

2008-11-12T17:57:00.000-08:00

Ex-Idol Paula Goodspeed found dead outside judge Paula Abdul's home

A FORMER contestant on hit US television show American Idol has been found dead outside the Los Angeles home of Paula Abdul, the singer who stars as a judge on the series.

US news sites have reported the body of a woman discovered in a car parked near Abdul's home in Sherman Oaks yesterday was Paula Goodspeed, who had appeared on American Idol, one of the highest rated shows on US television, in 2006.

Goodspeed, who was apparently infatuated with Abdul, had been mocked by the TV show's judges when she performed Proud Mary in her audition.

Police said she may have died from a drug overdose and her death is being treated as a suicide, People.com reported.

"Ms Goodspeed's mother had gone to (the sheriff's department) to report her daughter missing, and advised them that she might be suicidal," Los Angeles police captain James Miller said.

"The sheriffs determined that Ms Goodspeed may be up in the vicinity by Paula Abdul's house. Our officers discovered her vehicle parked on the street, and found her inside. She was unresponsive to officers."

Abdul released a statement saying she was "deeply shocked and saddened" by the news.

"My heart and prayers go out to her family," Abdukl said, People.com reported.

Abdul's spokesperson said Abdul and her staff had known about the woman for several years.

When she appeared on the show Goodspeed talked about her fondness for Abdul.

"I'm a really big fan, and I made life-sized drawings of Paula. I've been drawing ever since I was a little kid, and my first drawing was of Paula Abdul," she said.

American Idol has emerged as a phenomenon since it debuted on US network Fox in 2002 as a spin-off from British television hit Pop Idol.

The series aims to unearth the best singer in the US through a series of nationwide auditions contested by thousands which are whittled down to around two dozen finalists, who are then gradually eliminated each week according to results from viewers voting at home.

Numerous winners and finalists of the show have gone to forge successful music industry careers, including Oscar-winning actress and singer Jennifer Hudson.

source: http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/story/0,26278,24644884-5016681,00.html