Thursday, March 15, 2012

EU drops Microsoft browser charges

The European Union has dropped long-standing antitrust charges against Microsoft Corp. after the company agreed to give users of the Windows operating system a choice of up to 12 other Web browsers.

Under the terms of the deal with regulators announced Wednesday, Microsoft will avoid further EU fines if it provides a pop-up screen that lets European users _ from March _ replace Microsoft's Internet Explorer or add another browser such as Mozilla's Firefox or Google's Chrome. Internet Explorer is used by a majority of global internet users.

The deal will also allow computer manufacturers to ship PCs without Internet Explorer in Europe.

Neelie …

Cox allows comments to stand

Bears middle linebacker Bryan Cox offered no apology Tuesday forhis comments Sunday night after a preseason victory over the ArizonaCardinals, but he did say the issue was behind him.

Cox said the game never should have been played after it wasrained out Saturday and that the greed of the NFL and the NFL PlayersAssociation led to four key injuries for the Bears, including CurtisConway's broken collarbone.

"When I say something, whether it's frustration or in the heatof the moment, I mean it," Cox said. "You won't see me going andapologizing and hiding behind something and saying I didn't mean it.That's the way I felt. That's the way I still feel."Cox said he was …

Bulgaria to investigate 11 clubs over fix claims

SOFIA, Bulgaria (AP) — A Bulgarian lawmaker says 11 clubs will be investigated over match-fixing allegations raised by UEFA.

Ognyan Stoichkov, the head of a parliamentary sport commission, says eight games are under scrutiny — six league and two cup between December 2009 and May 2010 — and the clubs in the probe include champion Litex Lovech, CSKA Sofia and …

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Pennetta to play Kanepi in Palermo final

Top-seeded Flavia Pennetta of Italy is on course for a successful defense of the Palermo Open title after a straight-sets win over Julia Goerges in the semifinals on Saturday.

Pennetta, ranked 12th in the world, beat the German 6-0, 6-4, and will meet …

Eaterie opposed

Bath: Plans for a new upmarket restaurant called the Olive Branchhave been given a far from peaceful reception by some residents.

Dorset brewery Hall and Woodhouse hopes to convert the formerBonhams auction house in Old King Street into a bar, brasserie andrestaurant.

But people living close to the building fear it will attract morerowdy late-night drinkers.

The concerns …

Managing Expectations

George Keady says he's been spending considerable time with his clients recently on the delicate art of "managing expectations."

Such exercises are necessary, says Keady, senior vice president of Investments at UBS Paine Webber in Springfield, because many investors still don't fully understand that the double-digit gains and quick fortunes that dominated the stock market of the late '90s are not the norm.

And managing expectations is a big part of adjusting to the current market, said Keady, who, like other area financial advisors, believes that those who want to know what lies ahead for Wall Street should first look to the past.

Indeed, history reveals that the …

Gold down

Gold for current delivery closed at $841.10 per troy ounce Wednesday on the New York Mercantile Exchange, down …

Trading a bit of liberty for safe highways

Sometimes there really do have to be trade-offs between libertyand security. One area where this is particularly true is in theclash between the civil liberties of some automobile drivers and thesafety of pedestrians, passengers and other drivers.

Three issues that are currently being debated are:

Automatic suspension of the license of a driver who registers over acertain level on an alcohol test. Random roadblocks to detect drunken drivers. The mandatory wearing of seat belts.

There is little doubt that, if considerations of safety were toprevail over concerns for liberty, a considerable number of liveswould be preserved by automatic license suspensions, …

Cowboys Steal Last-Second Win

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. - Tony Romo is nothing if not resilient. And because he didn't let four interceptions in the first half, two returned for touchdowns, destroy his night, the Dallas Cowboys pulled off a stunning comeback victory.

The Cowboys scored nine points in the final 20 seconds Monday night, with Nick Folk's 53-yard field goal as time expired giving them an improbable 25-24 win over the Buffalo Bills.

"Oh, it's great," Folk said. "It shows you how good we can be and what we can do if we don't make mistakes. And even if we do make mistakes and we stick together as a team, we still stay in the game."

Romo, after being intercepted five times and also losing a …

British Airways staff apply for voluntary pay cuts

British Airways PLC said Thursday that almost 7,000 staff have responded to a call from the carrier to apply for voluntary pay cuts as it seeks to cut costs after the global economic crisis led to a slump in traveler demand.

British Airways said the pledge by the workers to take unpaid leave, work part-time or carry out unpaid work would save the company up to 10 million pounds ($16 million).

"This is a fantastic first response," said Chief Executive Willie Walsh. "I want to thank everyone who has volunteered to help us pull through this difficult period."

The carrier had urged its 40,000-strong work force to work for nothing …

`Great Talent' Gone In Shuffle at WNUA

Radioactive fallout from Arbitron's spring ratings: The first casualty of the quarter was Dean Richards, whose contractwas not renewed after three years as morning man at WNUA-FM (95.5).

A Chicago native who seemed perfectly suited to his station's"smooth jazz" format, Richards said he had been led to believe hisrenewal was a certainty.

Richards' only mistake may have been not moving quickly enoughon a new deal while John Gehron still was around as general manager.After Gehron exited for a better job in Boston, new general managerRalph Sherman and program director Lee Hansen moved quickly to cutout what they derided as excess "talk and clutter."

Sherman …

Lupul's hat trick leads Maple Leafs past Devils

NEWARK, New Jersey (AP) — Joffrey Lupul got his first hat trick in almost four years in a wild second period as the Toronto Maple Leafs beat the New Jersey Devils 5-3 in the NHL on Wednesday.

Lupul scored three times in a span of 7:22 against Martin Brodeur, who returned to the ice after missing six games with a bruised right shoulder. Joey Crabb and Mihkail Grabovski also had goals for the Maple Leafs.

The last time Lupul …

Colo. Ranchers Struggle to Reach Cattle

DENVER - A month after the first wave of devastating winter storms hit Colorado, some eastern Colorado ranchers still haven't been able to get feed to their cattle, a state official said.

With calving season under way, the damage is expected to get worse, state Agriculture Commissioner John Stulp told lawmakers Wednesday.

"They're starting to calve now. We're expecting losses," Stulp said.

"It really has been a continuing disaster, about 30 days in longevity. The real loss is still buried in the snow," he said.

State officials estimate that 10,000 cattle died in the storms, although some agriculture groups think the toll could reach 15,000 once all the carcasses are found.

Besides the problem of deep snow, there is also a shortage of hay, with prices doubling and even tripling - if ranchers can find any.

State Rep. Kathleen Curry estimated Colo. ranchers will spend $10 million to $20 million extra on feed this year and said the state must find a way to help struggling farmers and ranchers.

"It certainly isn't going to end tomorrow," she said.

Rancher Traci Eatherton said five snowstorms in a row have taken a toll, making it difficult to reach her animals to feed them.

With another storm forecast for this weekend, she said she and her neighbors are getting awfully tired of snow. On Tuesday, a neighbor finally got a delivery of propane and the truck got stuck in the snow.

"It doesn't even have to snow, it just gets blown in. It's supposed to snow again this weekend. It's becoming a four-letter word," she said.

The Kansas Livestock Association estimates well below 1 percent of the cattle in Kansas feedlots affected by the storms died in the weather - a relatively insignificant death loss. But the real loss, the association said, will be in production.

Many cattle that were market-ready before the storm lost weight they need to put back on before they go to market, said Todd Domer, an association spokesman. Weight loss in pregnant cattle could result in fewer births this season, veterinarians said.

Stulp said the state is still trying to get help from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, but it will only reimburse local governments and the state for rescue efforts, not losses suffered by farmers and ranchers.

Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter is also seeking a disaster declaration by Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns, which would make low-interest loans available to ranchers, farmers, feedlot owners and counties.

State Rep. Cory Gardner said Colorado needs to set up an agricultural disaster fund to protect one of the state's biggest industries.

"It's not a handout. These do happen, and it will happen again," Gardner said.

Stulp said he hopes farmers and ranchers can survive until they can get financial aid.

"It may be a while in coming, but hopefully we can get them some reimbursement and keep them solvent," he said.

---

Associated Press writer Roxana Hegeman in Wichita, Kan., contributed to this report.

---

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (AP) - President Bush said just what many Missouri farmers wanted to hear when in his State of the Union address he unveiled a plan to increase government mandates on ethanol and other alternative fuels.

Many producers attending the Northwest Missouri Corn & Soybean Growers Association meeting Tuesday in St. Joseph said they had already planned to increase corn production next year to take advantage of the ethanol boom. But that was before Bush announced a plan to require the annual use of 35 billion gallons of ethanol and other alternative fuels by 2017.

A poll taken by the Missouri Corn Growers Association found that 10 percent of farmers planned to boost corn production by 20 to 50 percent in 2007. An additional 30 percent said they would increase production by at least 10 percent. The rest reported that they would keep production at current levels.

Corn prices have been rising steadily for the past year and are on pace to reach record levels. Some analysts predict prices will eventually reach $5 per bushel.

Experts say corn-based ethanol alone is unlikely to cover the increase Bush is mandating. His proposal envisions more research into the production of cellulosic ethanol, made from wood chips, switch grass and other non-corn feedstock.

But Gary Marshall, chief executive officer of the Missouri Corn Growers Association, said he believes ethanol plants are being built fast enough to meet Bush's goals. Now it's a matter of developing the market against resistance from major oil companies, he said.

"The problem now is getting Big Oil to buy it," Marshall said. "You think ethanol is big? Exxon could buy the entire ethanol industry with its profits from last quarter alone."

Marshall said the current demand for ethanol is about 6 billion barrels per year. About 5.4 billion barrels - or roughly one-fifth of what Bush hopes to pump out by 2017 - are produced at 106 bio-refineries already in operation.

Commodity analyst Dan Basse, president of Chicago-based AgResource, says the near future will be the "Golden Age of Agriculture."

Basse said high crop prices could increase farm incomes by 15 to 40 percent. He also said the value of farm land could rise 20 percent to 40 percent in the next two to four years.

But Basse also warned farmers that the market could be fickle during this boom time.

"Be prepared for agricultural price swings not seen since the 1970s," he said.

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

UAW to Hold Talks With Ford, GM

DETROIT - Ford Motor Co. and General Motors Corp. have more at stake than usual as they begin their traditional talks with United Auto Workers: cutting labor costs may be key to their survival.

The traditional handshake ceremonies with the union were to begin Monday with GM in Detroit and Ford in Dearborn, although talks already have been under way for months. The union formally opened negotiations with Chrysler Group on Friday, and the national contracts with all three expire Sept. 14.

The three automakers lost a combined $15 billion in 2006 and are in the midst of shrinking themselves and rolling out new vehicles to better compete with Japanese companies. Industry analysts have said reducing labor costs is critical.

Ford is in the worst shape of the three, having mortgaged its factories to set up a $23.4 billion line of credit to cover losses and pay operating expenses while it restructures. Ford lost $12.6 billion last year and $282 million in the first quarter of this year, and it doesn't expect to make money again until 2009.

Analysts say Ford likely will seek deeper concessions than the other two automakers, perhaps including temporary wage cuts.

All three say the talks need to bring them into labor cost parity with Japanese automakers, who make about $2,000 per car more in profits.

The Detroit automakers say their hourly labor costs are about $25 more than those of Toyota Motor Corp., Honda Motor Co. and Nissan Motor Co. when health care, pension, retiree and other costs are factored in.

The Detroit automakers all have the same problems, said Laurie Harbour-Felax, managing director at Stout Risius Ross Inc., who has done detailed studies of auto manufacturing costs.

"Ford is probably not as well-positioned as GM today ... but they still have the same issues around health care that are crippling them," Harbour-Felax said.

All three must deal with rising health care costs and the "jobs bank," in which companies pay workers most of their salaries when their assembly lines aren't running. She said her studies have shown that the three automakers pay $1,200 to $1,500 per car in health care costs, far more than the Japanese automakers.

The UAW, however, has said that labor costs represent only 10 percent of the price of a new vehicle.

President Ron Gettelfinger said after talks opened with Chrysler that the jobs bank isn't an issue, because so many workers have left the companies under early retirement and buyout deals negotiated with the union.

Harbour-Felax said she agrees with the union that companies must do more to cut costs and become more efficient. All three automakers have said they are moving toward leaner manufacturing and engineering techniques and use of the same architecture globally on multiple models.

---

On the Net:

United Auto Workers: http://www.uaw.org

Ford Motor Co.: http://www.ford.com

General Motors Corp. http://www.gm.com

Obama to challenge Sen. Fitzgerald

In the spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Illinois Sen. Barack Obama (D-13th) Tuesday announced he's running for U.S. Senate and accused the Republican incumbent of "buying" his seat four years ago and vowed to "take it back."

At a press conference held at the Allegro Hotel, Obama said: "Despite being in the minority for the last six years, I've been able to make a difference. I've led the fight for tax relief for the working poor. I, fought for and won funding to combat juvenile crime and to establish after school programs for our children," he told reporters.

"I worked to extend healthcare coverage to the uninsured and moved people from welfare to work and I led the fight for campaign finance reform to break the special interest hammer lock over government. Special interests have enough power. I've stood up in the Illinois Senate and I'll stand up in Washington for the people who most need a voice," he vowed.

"That was Dr. King's mission. That was his mandate. Today, in these challenging times, it falls to us to pick up that challenge and carry his flame and that is what this campaign is going to be about.

"We need politics of hope in this country," he said. "We don't need politics of division. We don't need small politics in this country.

"We need big politics, of hope, and that is what this campaign will be run on," he said, predicting he'll win the primary and the election in 2004.

Sen. Obama was joined by such political heavyweights as Illinois Senate President Emil Jones, Illinois Senator Denny Jacobs (D-East Moline), Illinois Senator Terry Link and chairman of the Democratic Party, (D-Lake County), U.S. Rep. Jesse L. Jackson Jr. (D-2nd), Senator James Meeks (D-15th), Rep. Danny K. Davis (D-7th), Alds. Arenda Troutman (20th), Toni Preckwinkle (4th), Cook County Comm. Jerry Butler and many others, Black and white, from around the state.

Meeks, who pastors more than 16,000 people, backed up his verbal support by pledging to put "people in the street" to help Obama defeat Fitzpatrick, who has even raised the ire of some of his own Republican peers.

Obama, who two years ago ran against Rep. Bobby L. Rush (D-1st), admitted Rush "gave him a spanking" but there are no bad feelings among them and that he'll be reaching out for his support also.

Obama teaches Constitutional Law at the University of Chicago Law School. He will be running in a crowded field that may include: Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas, Blair Hull, a wealthy businessman, former Chicago School Board President Gery Chico and Illinois Comptroller Dan Hynes.

However, Obama won't be getting a vote from Eddie Read, chairman of the Black Political Council. "Obama has no relationship with the Black community and is a product of the white Lakefront community. He is a white liberal in blackface," Read said.

A perplexed Obama responded: "The last time I spoke to Eddie and indicated my candidacy, he responded he would support me. I have no idea what he is talking about, but, I'll be sure to reach out to him and find out what's on his mind."

Photograph (State Senator Barack Obama, (D- Chicago), announced his candidacy for U.S. Senate on Tuesday)

Millard County man dies in crash

DELTA, Millard County -- A 77-year-old man died after sufferingwhat appears to be a heart attack and driving his truck into acornfield near here.

The Utah Highway Patrol said Claude Sanders, from Hinckley, wasdriving his 2004 Dodge pickup on state Route 6 on Thursday afternoonwhen he apparently suffered a heart problem. It caused him to driveoff the road and into a cornfield. He was there for some time,troopers said, before being discovered by a pair of UDOT employees.

Sanders was rushed to the hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Orioles 12, Yankees 5

39Orioles 12, Yankees 5
New York @ Baltimore @
ab r h bi @ ab r h bi
Jeter ss 3 0 1 0 BRorts 2b 4 0 0 1
Damon lf 4 1 2 2 AdJons cf 5 2 3 2
Teixeir 1b 3 2 1 1 Markks rf 5 2 3 1
ARdrgz 3b 3 0 0 0 Huff 1b 4 1 1 3
HMatsu dh 3 0 0 0 Mora 3b 5 0 1 0
Swisher rf 2 1 1 2 Scott dh 5 3 3 0
Cano 2b 4 0 0 0 Montnz lf 3 2 2 2
MeCarr cf 4 1 1 0 Zaun c 4 1 3 1
Cervelli c 3 0 0 0 CIzturs ss 3 1 0 0
Gardnr ph 1 0 0 0
Totals @ 30 5 6 5 Totals @ 38 12 16 10
New York 000 131 000_ 5
Baltimore 081 200 01x_12
E_Swisher (3). DP_New York 1, Baltimore 2. LOB_New York 4, Baltimore 6. 2B_Me.Cabrera (3), Ad.Jones 2 (12), Zaun (6). HR_Damon (8), Teixeira (6), Swisher (8), Ad.Jones (6), Markakis (6), Huff (5), Montanez (1). SB_Jeter (7), C.Izturis (6). SF_Swisher, B.Roberts.
IP H R ER BB SO
New York
Hughes L,1-2 1 2-3 8 8 8 2 0
E.Ramirez 3 1-3 4 3 3 0 2
Albaladejo 2 1 0 0 0 2
Tomko 1 3 1 1 0 0
Baltimore
Eaton W,2-3 5 4 4 4 5 1
Baez 2 1-3 2 1 1 0 2
Walker 2-3 0 0 0 0 2
Ji.Johnson 1 0 0 0 0 1
HBP_by Hughes (C.Izturis). WP_Hughes.
Umpires_Home, Jeff NelsonFirst, Mark CarlsonSecond, Tim TschidaThird, Bob Davidson.
T_2:49. A_41,825 (48,290).

Moving Day for Space Station Robot

Astronauts prepped Dextre the robot for its big move to a new perch outside the international space station on Tuesday after devoting nearly a week to putting together and creating the monster-size machine.

Dextre _ a 12-foot hulk with 11-foot arms _ will remain at its new location on the U.S. lab, Destiny, for at least a few months.

Before they could move the robot on the end of the space station's mechanical arm, astronauts aboard the linked shuttle Endeavour and space station had to fold up its arms. It was a slow process that was expected to take an hour for each arm with its seven joints.

Dextre was launched into space in nine pieces aboard a transport bed, or pallet, that served as the robot-construction zone. Three spacewalks were needed to put the robot together. First, the hands were attached to the arms. Then the arms were connected to the torso. Finally, on Monday night, the eyes and tool belt were added.

The Canadian Space Agency supplied the $200 million-plus robot, conceived as an assistant to spacewalking astronauts. It may be months, possibly even a year, however, before the robot is put to the test. That's how long it will take to check out the robot and have an appropriate job present itself.

With their 16-day mission hitting the halfway mark, Endeavour's astronauts finally got some time off. It's the longest planned shuttle flight to the space station ever. The crew will get more free time Wednesday afternoon.

The pace will ramp back up Thursday evening, when two of the crew float outside to test a caulking gun and high-tech goo. NASA wants to see how well the astronauts can fix deliberately damaged shuttle tile samples.

The experiment should have been conducted last year, but was bumped because of a more pressing space station problem.

It's one of the many safety measures developed after Columbia was destroyed during re-entry in 2003 because of a gashed wing.

The fifth and final spacewalk of Endeavour's mission _ to move the shuttle's thermal-shield inspection boom over to the space station _ is set for Saturday night. They'll also try again to hang science experiments to the outside of the European lab, Columbus. Monday night's attempt failed because of some sort of interference.

___

On the Net:

NASA: http://spaceflight.nasa.gov

Court: Woman can challenge use of terrorism law

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court said Thursday that a jilted woman can challenge the use of an anti-terrorism law to prosecute her for spreading deadly chemicals around the home of her husband's mistress.

The high court, in a unanimous decision, said Carol Anne Bond can challenge her conviction despite arguments from federal prosecutors and judges that she shouldn't even be allowed to appeal the verdict that has left her in federal prison since 2007.

Bond was convicted of trying to poison her husband's pregnant lover by spreading toxic chemicals around the woman's house and car and on her mailbox. Federal prosecutors then sent her to prison using a federal anti-terrorism law for using "chemical weapons."

Bond, from Lansdale, Pa., almost 30 miles northwest of Philadelphia, challenged her conviction on 10th Amendment grounds, saying that the federal government's decision to charge her under a chemical weapons law was an unconstitutional reach into a state's power to handle what her lawyer calls a domestic dispute.

But the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia threw out her appeal, saying that only states — not individuals — can use 10th Amendment arguments that the federal government cannot encroach into matters reserved for the states.

The high court decision overturned that ruling, allowing her to go back and challenge use of the terrorism law.

"The individual, in a proper case, can assert injury from governmental action taken in excess of the authority that federalism defines. Her rights in this regard do not belong to a state," said Justice Anthony Kennedy, who wrote the opinion for the court.

Lawyer Robert E. Goldman hopes to reach his imprisoned client Thursday to share the good news. "It vindicates an individual's rights to challenge the federal government when it oversteps its powers," Goldman told The Associated Press.

Bond, unable to bear any children of her own, was excited for her best friend Myrlina Haynes when the woman announced her pregnancy. But later the excitement turned to pain when Bond found out that her husband of more than 14 years, Clifford Bond, was the one who had impregnated Haynes.

Vowing revenge, Bond, a laboratory technician, stole the chemical 10-chloro-10H phenoxarsine from the company where she worked and purchased potassium dichromate on Amazon.com. Both can be deadly if ingested or exposed to the skin at sufficiently high levels.

Bond spread the chemicals on Haynes' door handle and in the tailpipe of Haynes' car. Haynes, noticing the chemicals and suffering a minor burn, called the local police, who didn't investigate to her satisfaction. She then found some of the chemicals on her mailbox, and called the United States Postal Service, which videotaped Bond going back and forth between Haynes' car and the mailbox with the chemicals.

Postal inspectors arrested her.

But instead of turning the domestic dispute case over to state prosecutors, a federal grand jury indicted her on two counts of possessing and using a chemical weapon using a federal anti-terrorism law passed to fulfill the United States' international treaty obligations under the 1993 Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and use of Chemical Weapons and on Their Destruction.

Bond pleaded guilty and was given six years in prison.

The case is Bond v. United States, 09-1227.

___

Associated Press Writer Maryclaire Dale contributed to this story.

State argues Monongalia air quality meets standards

MORGANTOWN - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's plan tolist Monongalia County's air quality as failing to meet federalstandards is being challenged by state regulators.

The federal agency wants to list Monongalia County as anonattainment area for particulate matter because nearby MarionCounty has failed to meet it's air quality standard. Particulatematter is a term used to describe solid particles and liquid dropletsin the air. Solid particles can come from dust, vehicle exhaust andmanufacturing processes.

"Based on the scientific evidence - we didn't see support" for theEPA's decision, Fred Durham with the state Department ofEnvironmental Protection told Monongalia County officials Thursdaynight.

The state responded to the EPA earlier this week, giving reasonswhy Monongalia County should not be listed as a nonattainment area.

New development in past years, and an increase in population atWest Virginia University and in Morgantown, could continue tocontribute to air pollution, said former Morgantown Mayor FlorenceMerow. "People continue to want to live here because of the clean air... But it seems things are changing in a bad way."

High particulate matter in the air can cause health problems,including premature death, aggravated respiratory and cardiovascularillness, decreased lung function, and changes in lung structure andnatural defense mechanisms, Durham said.

The national annual standard for particulate matter is 15micrograms per cubic meter. Measurements over a three-year periodshowed that Monongalia County recorded 14.9; Harrison County 14 andMarion County 15.4.

Counties that fail to meet the standard must meet strictguidelines and improve air quality during a five-year period.

Nonattainment areas in West Virginia include Wheeling, Weirton,Parkersburg, Huntington, Charleston and surrounding areas, andBerkeley and Jefferson counties in the Eastern Panhandle.

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Review: 'War Horse' hammers home the emotions

Just in time for the family-friendly holiday is Steven Spielberg's sweeping, historical epic "War Horse."

It's a story that began life as a children's book by Michael Morpurgo, then made its way to the London and New York stages to great acclaim featuring inventive puppetry, and now arrives in theaters with all the grandeur a master filmmaker can conjure. "War Horse" features a strong cast and the sort of impeccable production values you would expect from Spielberg — that trademark, mystical lighting, the product of his longtime collaboration with Oscar-winning cinematographer Janusz Kaminski.

And yet it's overlong, painfully earnest and sometimes even hokey. Clearly, Spielberg intended "War Horse" as a throwback, an homage to good, old-fashioned, heartrending storytelling, full of recognizable types and uplifting themes. The skies are so impossibly colorful in such a retro way, they look like hand-painted backdrops on a soundstage. And the dialogue is so frequently on-the-nose and repetitive, it might just make you cringe.

Yes, the horse is remarkable — of course he is — that's why they made a movie about him. That should have been obvious to us through the action alone, yet the script (from Lee Hall and Richard Curtis) feels the need to tell us again and again that he is a "remarkable" horse.

The majestic Joey comes into the lives of a struggling British farming family just before World War I. The alcoholic father (Peter Mullan) buys him at auction, even though he knows he can't afford him; the long-suffering mother (Emily Watson) insists he return him and get the family's money back. But plucky teenager Albert (good-looking newcomer Jeremy Irvine) begs to keep him and promises to train him. Cue the montage.

Although Joey is clearly a spectacular creature, the father ends up selling him to the British cavalry because the family needs the money. Albert is devastated and swears they'll meet again; the conscientious captain (Tom Hiddleston), who immediately recognizes Joey's greatness and chooses him as his own mount, promises to take good care of him until then.

Joey, meanwhile, thrives once more in this new setting on the front lines. And these moments are some of the film's best — the ones where the Spielberg of "Saving Private Ryan" comes shining through. An overhead shot of row after row of soldiers saddling up as one while hidden in a wheat field is especially stirring, as is their subsequent ambush on a German encampment. The battle scenes are reliably visceral and well-staged, albeit in a sanitized way. Even a race between Joey and the impressive horse belonging to the cocky major (Benedict Cumberbatch) provides a quick, thunderous thrill.

There's a reason so many movies get made about horses: They're beautiful, powerful creatures, and the pounding of hooves gets your heart pounding, as well.

But speaking of Joey and his new rival, their relationship represents one of the more cloying aspects of "War Horse": the incessant anthropomorphism of these animals. Would they really achieve a hard-won respect for each other and end up protecting one another in the thick of battle? Maybe. Maybe not. But the human assumption that they would just for the sake of furthering the narrative is sort of obnoxious.

Eventually, Joey changes hands again and ends up living on a farm with an adorable but sickly French girl (Cecile Buckens) and her doting grandfather (Niels Arestrup). But then he's captured once more — this time by the Germans — and forced to fight again. This sets up the film's best scene by far, in which a British soldier and a German soldier find Joey entangled in some barbed wire in no man's land and work together to free him.

It's a tense, quiet exchange that ultimately reveals some much-needed humanity, and it could have ended on just the right note — but then "War Horse" goes and ruins it by adding one line too many, just to remind us of how "remarkable" Joey is.

"War Horse," a Walt Disney Pictures release, is rated PG-13 for intense sequences of war violence. Running time: 146 minutes. Two stars out of four.

Monday, March 12, 2012

Catching Up with Technology in the House

E-mail has been standard in the House of Representatives since about 1995, but the technologically slow moving body is just now making it easier to communicate with constituents.

In September the House Administration Committee voted 5-3 along party lines to let members send e-mail to constituents within 90 days of a primary or general election without getting prior approval from the Franking Commission, which governs House correspondence. Before then, members could respond to constituents, but couldn't send unsolicited mass communications by e-mail or hard copy without priorr approval from the Franking Commission. This was to prevent use of Congressional resources for political advantage. Also, any e-mail sent to more than 500 people at any time had to be approved by the Franking Commission. E-mail now must still be solicited, but does not need prior approval before it is sent.

Some members said the old rules were inconsistent with the available technology.

"People are coming into the modern era, and they are realizing it is a great way to communicate with constituents," said House Administration Committee Chairman Bob Ney, ROhio. "We had the anthrax come in to the House, and our mail system completely imploded. It is back up and running. But let's face it: if you send email, it is going to reach [constituents] quicker."

In addition, he said, the technology should save money because there is no cost of paper, envelope and postage.

While House rules prohibit political statements in constituent e-mail any time, the last 90 days before an election are perhaps more crucial. Critics of the change contend that just sending email shortly before an election benefits congressmen, no matter what the message says.

"Anyone who runs for this office understands the enormous advantage that incumbents have already," said U.S. Rep. John Larson, D-Conn., the ranking minority member on the committee, at the hearing in September. "This just adds to that advantage and flies in the face of what is a reasonable 90-day cutoff with respect to information and information that can be gained or received through a political process, through candidate committees as well, with no bipartisan review, with no opportunity for public disclosure where one can see what is actually going out in that email."

Ney disagreed.

"I don't view it as incumbent advantage, I view it as incumbent services. You get elected, and you have to respond," he said. "To respond you have to have staff and e-mail."

Information in newsletters has to be selected carefully to avoid scrutiny from the Franking Commission or banishment to the e-mail trash bin by the constituent.

"The challenge is frankly to make [a newsletter] that does not sound political," said Brad Fitch, deputy director of the Congressional Management Foundation, a non-partisan organization working with Congress in an attempt to make it more productive. "People want basic information. They don't want these things to look like campaign commercials."

Critics are concerned that the email could turn into spam. Because some House members purchased commercial address lists, there is a possibility they would send mass e-mails to everyone on the lists.

Although members of Congress can send an initial e-mail to someone on a commercial list, the recipient has to subscribe to the newsletter to continue receiving e-mail. Ney said a person has to opt in to keep gathering messages and cannot be subscribed automatically by not opting out.

If e-mail is sent out that does not follow rules, the Franking Commission can apply sanctions after the fact, he said.

Although the issue seems benign in terms of partisanship, Ney said the party line vote surprised him.

"The initial statements that we heard were that some of the Democrats thought it was a good policy," he said. "They must have taken a second look at it, and somebody decided it gave the Republicans an advantage."

Elizabeth Bellizzi, minority communications director for the Committee on House Administration, said Larson expressed interest in looking at the rule, but did not say he supported the change.

"He wasn't right off the bat slamming his fist down," she said. "His comments were just a very innocent 'Let's take a look at it, sounds interesting.'"

Although e-newsletters and updates are common in the private sector, as of March 2003 they weren't in Congress. The Congress Online Project, part of the Congressional Management Foundation, found that 38 percent of House members and 32 percent of senators have some sort of newsletter.

Fitch said that all should change now because of the new rule.

"One would expect to see an explosion [in the number of e-newsletters]," he said.

An Anti-Wrinkle Breakthrough With Results You Can Really See...

Special Beauty Advertorial

A New Science-Based Skin Care Formula Helps Make Users Quickly Appear Years Younger

PATRICIA FEELS YOUNGER THAN her age, but the mirror tells a different story. Seeing her aged reflection in the mirror makes her feel sad and old. Carefully applying her make-up and wearing high collar clothing to hide the wrinkles and sagging skin on her face and neckline doesn't make her feel any better. In fact, these are all just painful reminders.

Patricia desperately wants to do something to make herself look younger. But what? Many of the popular alternatives, like cosmetic surgery and injections, make her nervous and uneasy. There are those new "wrinkle-erasing" creams, but do they really work?

Patricia's story is the same facing many women and men today.

Many of us would prefer a nonsurgical, safe alternative to help us look younger. Finally, a new breakthrough in skin care, backed by real science, is now available...

Hollywood Is Making It Tough On Us All

Now Hollywood has added to the pressure of looking younger. The rage of "make-over" reality shows encourages us to believe that drastic measures are our best or only options. But can we look younger and more beautiful, do it safely and conveniently, and afford it?

Our Options...

For most, the popular options available are unaffordable and inconvenient. Plastic surgery continues to gain popularity, but is still too expensive for most, with the average cost of a facelift at $5,000 - $20,000 and a recovery time of 2-5 weeks. Botox injections have also become increasingly popular, but are costly at $350-$ 1,000 per area, and are only temporary (3-4 months). Fat injections and the use of injectable fillers like collagen are newer alternatives, but are still $500-$3,500 and can have complications.

Although these are all viable treatments and can provide impressive results, the cost, recovery time, as well as the accompanying pain during or after the procedure make them unrealistic or unattractive for most of us.

As a low cost and convenient alternative, many consumers have turned to the newly available "wrinkle-erasing" creams and serums. The problem here is that many are based more on marketing hype and promises, rather than real science and actual results.

Finally, An Anti-Wrinkle, Beautifying Cream That Works

Recently, an American company, Health Direct, introduced an affordable alternative backed by scientific evidence and bona fide user results.

Their newly available youth enhancing, anti-wrinkle treatment, Restoragen(TM), is making big waves in the skin care industry. As part of their new Radiance Skin Therapeutics beauty line (see bottom right page for details), Restoragen contains a proprietary blend of clinically validated, collagen enhancing ingredients (amino acids and antioxidants) that help restore youthful looking, vibrant, and wrinkle-free skin. After years of research and testing, this new product is helping consumers look visibly younger in relatively short periods of time (see before and after photos of actual users in this article).

Why Restoragen Works Better Than Other Products

While wrinkles are the most striking sign of aging, surprisingly, aging skin is visible before wrinkles form, due to other factors, like a loss of skin radiance (the healthy light pink color of the complexion) that normally decreases with age. Unlike other products that mainly focus on surface wrinkles, Restoragen delivers its nutrients deep below the skin, thereby fighting the underlying and unaddressed causes of facial wrinkles and aging skin. Restoragen not only helps reduce the appearance of fine lines and existing wrinkles, but also helps prevent future wrinkles from forming and helps restore a youthful skin radiance and complexion.

6 Ways Restoragen Helps You Look Younger

So how does Restoragen make you look younger? By helping to:

* Rejuvenate and support your body's production of collagen, while also inhibiting its breakdown. This is important, as the degradation of the skin's collagen is a process of aging and environmental factors (i.e. sun exposure). When collagen breaks down, the skin loses elasticity; it becomes dry and wrinkles form.

* Restore a radiant complexion, by increasing the youthful light pink coloring and decreasing older looking olive-grayish coloring.

* Increase the subcutaneous fat beneath the skin, thus providing more tone and fullness in the face and cheeks, as well as "lifting" the skin. A hollow face and/or cheeks (from lack of skin volume, like decreased fat and collagen) actually make surrounding wrinkles more pronounced! Restoragen prevents this by helping to restore the face's fullness.

* Inhibit wrinkle production, and relax, facial tension (which also contributes to wrinkle formation).

* Reduce the appearance of existing wrinkles.

* Protect the skin through its unique combination of powerful plant antioxidants, such as Green Tea, Stable Vitamin C, and Rosemary Extract.

These multi-action benefits are how Restoragen quickly produces dramatically beautifying results.

Scientific Validation and Real Consumer Results

Scientific proof also makes Restoragen different from other products. The extensive clinical studies on its specific ingredients have shown:

* Improved, smoother skin with roughness being reduced by 16%.

* A complexion beautifying effect of increasing the youthful light pink skin component by 20% while decreasing the age related olive-grayish coloring by 23% with visible increase in skin radiance (75%) and clarity (81%)

* A lipo-filling effect which increased the subcutaneous fat beneath the skin.

* Improvements in the collagen and hyaluronic acid in the skin with an astounding 45% reduction in deep wrinkles and a 37% reduction in wrinkle density;

* A rapid reduction in the depth of wrinkles by 17% after only 15 days, and 27% after 30 days of treatment.

* An inhibiting effect on the bodily processes that form wrinkles.

And even beyond the clinical studies, Restorageiis use by consumers has shown dramatic improvements (see the untouched, before and after photos of actual users to the right).

Cost Effective and Safe

There is enormous pressure on us to look younger. Restoragen provides a safe and cost effective solution. While it takes years to age and develop wrinkles, users of Restoragen typically notice almost immediate results, and more significantly with prolonged use. Restoragen can be used on the neck areas as well, and is ideal for all skin types. And for those opting to use other cosmetic procedures like surgery, injections, and facial peels, etc.; Restoragen can also be used to enhance and prolong those results.

Availability...

Restoragen is now available to the public. The other Radiance Skin Therapeutics products (facial moisturizer and cleanser) can also be used with Restoragen, as their synergistic collagen rejuvenating properties will also enhance your results. All come with a full Money Back Guarantee' insuring your complete satisfaction and results. To learn where to find these newly available products, call Health Direct, tollfree 1-800-993-7995, Dept. 800.

Soldiers face fury in Saddam's home Forces in Tikrit disarm locals, claim airstrip

TIKRIT, Iraq--Confronted by rage and insults, U.S. forces sweptthrough Saddam Hussein's hometown Tuesday and began disarmingresidents, even as Marines came under fire while seizing an airstripon the town's outskirts.

The U.S. military set up cordons around Tikrit to prevent Saddam'ssenior leaders--and in a long shot, perhaps even Saddam himself--from escaping.

American tanks stood outside Saddam's presidential palace, whichwas seized without a fight, the military said. Plumes of smoke roseTuesday from buildings around the Tikrit South airfield, which waspummeled by U.S. air strikes before it was captured by Marines.

At Balad Southeast, another airfield outside Tikrit, the runwaywas strewn with garbage and old trucks to prevent coalition forcesfrom landing planes. Working aircraft had been moved and hidden undercamouflage nets.

While American helicopters flew over Tikrit, Marines searchedpedestrians for weapons at checkpoints and traffic was strictlycontrolled. U.S. tanks at a bridge over the Tigris River blockedpeople from crossing, triggering fury.

"Americans are against freedom and democracy!" shouted one man.

"Saddam shall return!" shouted another. "Victory is coming!"

"[The Americans] are animals--people are sick of this. People arehungry," said a third.

U.S. forces had suspected about 2,500 holdouts from the RepublicanGuard and the paramilitary Saddam's Fedayeen--and possibly officialsfrom Saddam's regime--were holed up in the town 90 miles north ofBaghdad.

Capt. Frank Thorp, a Central Command spokesman, said U.S. forcesto the south and west of Tikrit had created checkpoints to preventregime leaders from escaping. Though initial fighting had beenfierce, there was no information on casualties.

Tuesday, some people were looting Tikrit's agricultural buildingand the governor general's office. But large-scale looting like thatin Baghdad or Kirkuk was not immediately evident, and the Marineswere disarming residents.

"We're taking all automatic weapons," Marine Cpl. Courtney Davissaid at a checkpoint. "With handguns and pistols, we take the roundsand give them back the guns because they need them for protectionagainst looters."

***

To his men, he's Lt. Col. Lee Fetterman. But Tuesday, he picked anunofficial new title: Mayor of Southcentral Baghdad.

"This is ours. We will take care of it," Fetterman told his men inthe 3rd Battalion, 3rd Brigade of the 101st Airborne Division shortlyafter they were ordered to clean up that sector of Baghdad ofeverything from weapons to trash.

Other areas of the city have become the responsibility of othermilitary units.

Col. Michael Linnington, commander of the 3rd Brigade, jokinglysaid to Fetterman on Tuesday, "You are now the mayor of SouthcentralBaghdad."

Fetterman's day started with a visit to the Sudanese Embassy, oneof several embassies in the neighborhood that also has middle-classhousing. By evening, he had lectured looters about stealing from awarehouse, attended a brief meeting at a former palace of Saddam andset up a headquarters at the Mauritanian Embassy.

"The first thing we need to do to set this place up for success isclean up the garbage," Fetterman said as he surveyed his newterritory.

Penske taps Nissan to build new 4-door Smart

BLOOMFIELD HILLS, Michigan (AP) — Car dealership chain Penske Automotive Group Inc. has signed a deal for Nissan Motor Co. to build a new four-door version of its Smart line of small cars, as it aims to boost sales of the suffering brand.

The new car, set to go on sale in the fourth quarter of 2011, would expand Smart's lineup to include a larger five-seat passenger car in addition to the fortwo minicar, Penske said.

Penske began selling Smart cars in the U.S. in 2008. They initially drew praise for their fuel-efficiency and pint-sized appearance, but sales have been disappointing, with fortwo sales down 62 percent this year. The broader auto industry has seen sales jump 10 percent during the same period.

Penske, which distributes Smart cars in the U.S. for Germany's Daimler AG, is hoping a larger vehicle will help revive the brand.

"The new vehicle will expand Smart USA's product lineup, offering five-seat capacity while maintaining the core principles of efficiency and conservation," Smart USA President Jill Lajdziak said in a statement.

Nissan spokesman David Reuter said the new model will be built at a Nissan factory in North America but declined to say which one. Nissan has two factories in the U.S. and two in Mexico.

Penske's tie-up with an outside car manufacturer is similar to the plans it had for the Saturn brand, which it sought to buy from General Motors Co. last year. Penske wanted to save Saturn by recruiting other automakers to build its funky lineup of cars, but owner Roger Penske failed to get a manufacturer on board. GM wound up shuttering the brand.

Shares of Penske fell 11 cents to $13.24 in midday trading Wednesday.

NZ beats Bahrain to qualify for World Cup

Rory Fallon headed in the lone goal in the 44th minute to give New Zealand a 1-0 win over Bahrain and its first World Cup berth in 27 years.

Fallon, an England youth international, headed Leo Bertos corner past Bahrain goalkeeper Sayed Jafaar on Saturday for the only goal of the home-and-away qualifying series. The first leg in Bahrain ended in a scoreless draw.

Fallon was denied moments before scoring when a header attempt, with only the goalkeeper to beat, was miraculously saved by Jafaar.

"I was just praying that wasn't my last chance," Fallon said. "Then Leon put in a great ball and with those I don't miss."

Sayed Adnan had the chance to equalize in the 50th minute _ and put Bahrain through to its first ever World Cup on away goals _ after New Zealand conceded a penalty when Tony Lochhead brought down Abdulla Omar in the area

New Zealand keeper Mark Paston anticipated Adnan's shot and fell on the ball, thrilling the crowd of 35,000 _ the largest ever for a football match in New Zealand.

"I basically just guessed which way he'd go and the ball ended up in my hands," Paston said. "It's a bit surreal really."

Paston, playing on the home ground of his Wellington Phoenix A-League club side, was one of New Zealand's heroes Saturday, along with Fallon, Bertos, midfielder Tim Brown and Glasgow Celtic striker Chris Killen, formerly from Wellington.

"I knew this was going to be won by the local (Wellington) lads. Brown, Paston and Bertos were fantastic," New Zealand captain and Blackburn Rovers defender Ryan Nelsen said.

"The crowd was incredible and I don't know if we could have won it without them. They were our 12th man today and they got us home," Nelsen said. "I've played in some incredible atmospheres but this is right up there."

New Zealand coach Ricki Herbert was a defender in the New Zealand team that last reached the World Cup at Spain in 1982.

"I'm speechless," Herbert said. "This group of players has given everything to achieve this dream, everything over the last four years. It's incredible. We're back. We're there. South Africa."

Saturday's match was played in gale force winds and bitter cold, which suited New Zealand's principally aerial game. Bahrain, which lost to Trinidad and Tobago at the same playoff stage four years ago, outpaced the Kiwis and was always dangerous on the counterattack. New Zealand mainly threatened on set pieces.

After an early shot from Salman Essa went narrowly wide of the left post, New Zealand began to build concerted pressure on the Bahrain goal. Ben Signmund headed over the bar from a free kick in the eighth minute then Killen rattled the crossbar from a turning, left-footed shot in the 19th.

Paston twice pulled off desperate saves in the 33rd before Fallon headed the winner.

Striker Shane Smeltz, another Wellingtonian player now based on Australia's Gold Coast, had a chance to seal the victory in the second minute of injury time but his angled right-foot shot dribbled wide of the left post.

Bahrain was forced the relive the bitter disappointment of its 2006 qualifying campaign when it was beaten in a playoff by Trinidad and Tobago.

Oceania champion New Zealand now progresses to South Africa as possibly the first team in Cup history to reach the finals without beating a country with a population of more than 1 million.

It's largest opponent in the Oceania confederation was Fiji (850,000) and it moved on to a two-leg clash with Bahrain (750,000), which finished fifth in Asian regional qualifying.

Everything is bigger in Texas, including their presidential contest with a primary and caucus

People here like to say everything is bigger in Texas, and their oversized presidential contest is no different with not just a primary election, but a caucus added on, too.

The unique combination in the competition this Tuesday pits Barack Obama's skill in caucus organizing against Hillary Rodham Clinton's success in big-state primary campaigns.

Their different strengths have created the remarkably close race for the Democratic presidential nomination.

Obama currently leads the race and even some Clinton supporters say the former first lady needs to win Texas, as well as Ohio, to stay in the running.

He was able to keep pace and eventually collect more convention delegates than Clinton in part by building wins in the smaller caucuses in places like North Dakota, Idaho and Minnesota. He's won 13 caucuses to her two.

Those are votes that Clinton's campaign often overlooked in pursuit of a more traditional campaign focused on racking up big primary victories in places like California, New Jersey and her home state of New York. Obama has won more primaries overall, 14 to her nine, but she won four of the five biggest prizes so far.

Texas, with 193 delegates up for grabs Tuesday, is the third-largest contest in the country and has some advantages for Clinton with its large Hispanic population and voters being more familiar with her. Of those delegates, 65 percent will come from the primary, and 35 percent from the caucus.

But Bill Clinton warned voters Wednesday that his wife could beat Obama at the polls, only to have victory snatched away later at the caucuses.

"A lot of people think Hillary will win in the day time and her opponent will come in the night and take back the votes she won," he said.

Hillary Clinton has said she thinks primaries are more fair and democratic because voters make their decisions in private polling booths, as in a general election. In the caucuses, participants must gather at a set time for sometimes lengthy party-run meetings where they publicly declare their choice, and turnout is inevitably lower.

Obama's campaign realized early on that caucus contests could be an opportunity for an upstart candidate, like himself, to build support.

Flush with cash after successful early fundraising last year, his campaign dispatched professionals to organize those states months before Clinton's campaign paid any attention to them. Despite her support from the Democratic establishment nationwide, she often was too slow to catch Obama's head start.

"We didn't make as much of an effort as we probably should have" in smaller states, Clinton strategist Harold Ickes conceded recently.

Clinton's organization was built for Feb. 5, Super Tuesday _ when 22 states held primary contests _ and didn't really look beyond that. That caught them flat-footed in states that followed and she began looking forward to wins in the bigger states a month out, such as Texas and Ohio. Those states, and Rhode Island and Vermont, hold primaries Tuesday.

The Clinton campaign insists it is evenly matched with Obama in the Texas caucus _ both campaigns, overwhelmed by the crush of earlier contests and unaware the campaign would extend into March, only put staff in the state in recent weeks. Clinton has 22 offices to Obama's 18.

Both campaigns quickly pulled together a three-pronged strategy that fits the complicated process here.

First, they have been encouraging their supporters to participate in the user-friendly early voting process that ends Friday. Voters could cast their primary ballots for 11 days at polling stations in places as accessible as their local grocery store, library or shopping mall.

Second, the campaigns want anyone who didn't vote early to participate in Tuesday's primary.

And finally, they are directing backers to the caucuses that are scheduled to begin at more than 8,000 locations 15 minutes after the polls close Tuesday. Only those who vote in the primaries can participate in the caucuses.

"You will be the only people in the country who can vote twice in this election and not break the law," Bill Clinton told voters this week.

___

On the Net:

http://www.hillaryclinton.com

http://www.barackobama.com

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Weather, Tonight

Partly cloudy. Lows around 30.

Saturday Partly cloudy. Highs around 50.

Sunday Partly cloudy. Highs in the lower …

Ronaldo returns; Owen rues another Capello shutout

Cristiano Ronaldo returns after injury for Portugal, Adriano is recalled from the cold for Brazil, Michael Owen is still shut out by England coach Fabio Capello.

World Cup qualifying returns on Saturday and, with it, comes the welcome sight of the big stars back in national team colors and, for some, the heartache of wondering whether their international career is over.

Qualifying for the 2010 championship in South Africa picks up speed with two rounds in Europe and South America and also matches in Africa, Asia and the North and Central America region.

The games give some teams, European champion Spain and England, for example, a great chance to …

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Naomi Campbell Meets More Trouble in NYC

NEW YORK - Naomi Campbell, who has been accused of hitting several employees, was sued Tuesday by a former maid who says the British catwalker assaulted her while calling her a dumb Romanian.

It was Gaby Gibson's second lawsuit against the supermodel; her lawyer said the suit adds additional allegations and defendants. Campbell's lawyer said the first suit was thrown out.

The latest suit came on the eve of Campbell's scheduled Manhattan Criminal Court appearance on charges of hitting another employee.

The suit calls the 35-year-old supermodel a "violent super-bigot" who disparaged the maid by saying, "You are not in the Third World any more, stupid," and …

Naomi Campbell Meets More Trouble in NYC

NEW YORK - Naomi Campbell, who has been accused of hitting several employees, was sued Tuesday by a former maid who says the British catwalker assaulted her while calling her a dumb Romanian.

It was Gaby Gibson's second lawsuit against the supermodel; her lawyer said the suit adds additional allegations and defendants. Campbell's lawyer said the first suit was thrown out.

The latest suit came on the eve of Campbell's scheduled Manhattan Criminal Court appearance on charges of hitting another employee.

The suit calls the 35-year-old supermodel a "violent super-bigot" who disparaged the maid by saying, "You are not in the Third World any more, stupid," and …

Monday, March 5, 2012

Disease-causing mutations in cardiac troponin T: Identification of a critical tropomyosin-binding region

ABSTRACT Fifteen percent of the mutations causing familial hypertrophic cardiomyopathy are in the troponin T gene. Most mutations are clustered between residues 79 and 179, a region known to bind to tropomyosin at the C-terminus near the complex between the N- and C-termini. Nine mutations were introduced into a troponin T fragment, Gly-hcTnT70-171, that is soluble, alpha-helical, binds to tropomyosin, promotes the binding of tropomyosin to actin, and stabilizes an overlap complex of N-terminal and C-terminal tropomyosin peptides. Mutations between residues 92 and 110 (Arg92Leu, Arg92GIn, Arg92Trp, Arg94Leu, Ala104Val, and Phel110lle) impair tropomyosin-dependent functions of troponin T. …

Sliding moulds simplify 3D blow moulding.(modular comparison manipulation system developed by Fischer-W Muller Blasformtechnik)

Fischer-W Muller Blasformtechnik, one of the Thyssen Krupp blow moulding machine companies, has developed a modular parison manipulation system for 3D blow moulding of parts such as vehicle filler pipes and air ducting.

The system replaces the traditional clamping unit with what the company is calling a 'desk' to accommodate and simplify the mould. The parison is guided into the cavity by a six-axis robot.

Fischer-Muller says the new Flat Desk (FD) system, which will become available next January, has been developed in response to automotive suppliers' demands for higher output with minimal investment.

The mould is laid flat on the 'desk' and has a …

DVD picks: `Stomp' viewers anticipate the next step.

Byline: R.D. Heldenfels

About 15 minutes into the new DVD of "Stomp the Yard," I could guess pretty much everything that would happen. And I still ended up watching it all the way to end.

Like the similarly designed movies "Drumline" and "Bring It On" -- not to mention the ancestral Fred Astaire-Ginger Rogers movies _ "Stomp the Yard" depends on style and movement more than plot and character.

And in focusing on collegiate step competitions -- a combination of dance, close-order drill and cheerleading moves -- it offers a refreshing and energizing form of entertainment. While the step sequences are sometimes shot too fancily for their own good, "Stomp the Yard" is still dramatic enough to keep …

SUNYA PHYSICIST GETS 5-YEAR GRANT.(Local)

A State University at Albany physicist has been named a 1991 Presidential Young Investigator by the National Science Foundation.

Alain Kaloyeros, 35, has received a foundation grant of up to $62,500 per year for the next five years to conduct research in advanced electronic …

London's FTSE 100 index up 51.55 points at 5,581.5

Share prices on the London Stock Exchange were higher at midday …

2-Yr. Number Crunch Yields Quantum Leap

NEW YORK In perhaps the largest single calculation ever performedby a computer, physicists at IBM have identified important propertiesof an elementary particle known as a "glueball."

The calculation required 400 million billion operations, such asadding two figures, and took a little more than two years on acomputer with 566 of the chips found in a desktop computer.

The results of the experiment, finished at IBM's Thomas J.Watson Research Center last spring, are to be published today in thejournal Physical Review Letters. It advances the understanding of a22-year-old theory on nuclear interactions known as quantumchromodynamics.

That theory supposes …

Sunday, March 4, 2012

Reata, Abbott Ink Another $400M Up-Front Deal.

A year after landing a $450-million up-front deal with Abbott for its lead antioxidant inflammation modulator (AIM) bardoxolone methyl, Reata Pharmaceuticals Inc. hit the rewind button, gaining another one-time $400 million license payment from the pharma giant to develop the rest of its second-generation AIM portfolio.

Last September's deal, for the exclusive rights to develop and commercialize bardoxolone methyl outside the U.S., excluding certain Asian markets, was one of the largest up-front offerings in biotech history u especially impressive considering that it covered a single compound. (See BioWorld Today, Sept. 24, 2010.)

Although the new global pact covers an entire portfolio, it still ranks among the largest disclosed up-front preclinical deals ever and fattens Abbott's 2011 shopping cart. In June, the Abbott Park, Ill.-based pharma paid Biotest AG $85 million up front as …

Cricket: Results and Fixtures.

GIBBS DENLEY EAST ANGLIAN PREMIER LEAGUE

* team batting first

*Bury St Edmunds (30) 259-6 beat Norwich (4) 156 by 102 runs.

MARSHALL HATCHICK TWO COUNTIES CHAMPIONSHIP

Division One: *Mildenhall (20) 237-8 beat Coggeshall (5) 118 by 114 runs.

Division Three: *Brockley (20) 227-6 beat East Bergholt (5) 132 by 95 runs.

Ipswich (20) 181-7 beat *Bury St Edmunds II (7) 178-7 by three wickets.

*Lakenheath (20) 242-6 beat Mildenhall II (6) 161 by 81 runs.

Woolpit (19) 205-5 beat *Tuddenham (7) 204-8 by five wickets.

Division Four: * Sudbury II (13) 154 drew with Stowmarket (13) 154.

STANTS, HARRY C. JR.(CAPITAL REGION)

CLIFTON PARK -- Harry C. Stants, Jr., 79, of the Hollandale Apts., in Clifton Park died on Friday, February 9, 2001 at the Ellis Hospital in Schenectady following a brief illness. He was born on August 9, 1921 in Ft. Totten, NY and was the son of the late Harry C. and Mary F. Gallagher Stants, Sr. Mr. Stants was a graduate of Culner Military

Academy in Indiana and later attended both Cornell University and Rensselaer Polytech Institute. In 1942, he enlisted in the U.S. Army and graduated from Officers Candidates School in Fort Belvoir, VA and then served as a captain in the 571st Corps of Engineers in the Pacific Theatre. After the war, he returned to the Capital …

WINSTON CUP DRIVERS IN SPOTLIGHT AT MALTA.(Sports)

Byline: Buzz Gray Staff writer

A.J. Foyt and Richard Petty will be among nine Winston Cup drivers competing in Superstars Shootout '89 at Albany-Saratoga Speedway tonight.

The unique format will have the stars of the asphalt circuit driving Champlain Valley Racing Association modifieds on the dirt, and they'll be running as parts of teams with eight CVRA drivers from the area.

First, the Winston Cup drivers will run against each other in a 25-lap race, followed by another 25-lap feature between the participating CVRA drivers. The team with the best combined finish will be named the shootout champions.

The night's action will also feature a …

MC Hammer's cousin accused of rape in California

Police in Northern California say a cousin of rapper MC Hammer has been accused of raping a woman he met on the social networking site Twitter.

KPIX-TV reports that 33-year-old Marvin Grant was arrested for investigation of rape Thursday in the sexual assault of a 40-year-old woman who arranged to meet him at a Livermore hotel Wednesday night.

Livermore Police Lt. Matt …

Nurses claim harassment over union issue

Bernice Faulkner, a 35-year nursing veteran, joined more than two dozen nursing colleagues in a demonstration outside Stroger Hospital Monday.

The nurses said Faulkner and others were being retaliated against because they tried to drop labor representation by the Illinois Nurses Association.

Faulkner, 69, contends she is being harassed by the administration at the West Side facility because she's helping lead the charge to change unions at the hospital. After Monday' protest, Faulkner was scheduled to appear at a hospital disciplinary hearing.

"They say I don't follow directions and that I'm not living up to my position," she told the Defender. "But they're just doing …

PRESS BOX; B-To-B Audience Widens.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)

An estimated 88.9 million people consume b-to-b media on a daily basis, according to a recent survey by Fairfield Research Inc. The survey, "Media Intelligence 2000", found that 44% of U.S. adults read business and trade media on a daily basis. …

Hospital petition gathers support.

HUNDREDS of people have already signed the new petition calling for the cardiac monitoring unit at Bridlington Hospital to be kept open.

It is only a week since the petition, which will eventually be taken to Downing Street, was launched, but there is already a swell of support.

Organised by trade union Unite and the Save Bridlington Hospital Campaign, it is backed by the Free Press, whose editor Nick Procter said: "There really is no excuse for anybody not to sign this petition.

"The Free Press launched our Operation Lifeline campaign last year to try to bring to the town together to save services like this heart unit.

"More than 30,000 …

Saturday, March 3, 2012

JAMES W. MCLAMORE, 70; BURGER KING FOUNDER.(CAPITAL REGION)

Byline: Associated Press

MIAMI -- James Whitman McLamore, a founder of Burger King Corp., died of cancer Thursday at home in suburban Coral Gables. He was 70.

``He was not just the co-founder of our company, he was the heart of it,'' said Burger King chairman Robert Lowes. ``Jim's passion for the business made him a pioneer that others to this day try to emulate.''

McLamore and Dave Edgarton opened Insta Burger King in Miami in 1954 and went on to create the broiled Whopper, now consumed at the rate of 2 …

Remington Park to honor trainer Brooks with statue

Remington Park is honoring retired quarter horse trainer Jack Brooks during an awards banquet before the start of the track's annual meet.

Track officials will unveil a life-size bronze statue of the 73-year-old trainer from Edmond on Thursday during the event entitled "A Night of Legends." Brooks is an eight-time …

The Role of MERCOSUR as a Vehicle for Latin American Integration

I. INTRODUCTION

In early July 2004, the foreign and economic ministers of the four member states of the Common Market of the Southern Cone ("MERCOSUR") convened in Puerto Iguazu, Argentina, for the twenty-sixth meeting of the economic integration organization's most powerful institutional body, the Council of the Common Market ("CMC").1 To a large extent, the exhilarating optimism and flowery rhetoric at the convention seemed characteristically hollow, considering that the common market has yet to achieve its first and most basic goal of establishing a common external tariff and that MERCOSUR's two largest members, Argentina and Brazil, were locked in a bitter trade dispute over …

Structures in place for new departments, but programmes on the drawing board.(News)

BYLINE: Political Bureau

MINISTER in the Presidency Collins Chabane says the reconfiguration of national government structures - the splitting of certain departments and the creation of new ones - has been largely completed.

Chabane, in charge of performance, monitoring and evaluation, has overseen the project for the national macro-organisation of the state, which has also involved the Departments of Public Service and Administration, and Public Works and the National Treasury.

A number of ministries have been renamed, others have been created, two have been split and a number of functions and staff members have been transferred.

The new …

COCOA PLUS SHORTENING EQUALS CHOCOLATE.(LIFE & LEISURE)

DEAR HELOISE: I wanted to make a recipe that called for a square of chocolate. Unfortunately, I didn't have a square of chocolate and didn't want to make a trip to the store for just one item. Can you tell me if there is a substitution I could use next time?

Thanks so much for any help you can give me. -- GINNY HORTON, San Antonio, Texas

DEAR GINNY: Good news! There is a great and easy substitute when you are stuck. For 1 square of unsweetened chocolate, use 3 tablespoons of cocoa powder and 1 tablespoon solid vegetable shortening.

Remember that when you substitute any items in recipes, especially when making candy or fudge, the consistency and …