aleinternet: 2012

четверг, 15 марта 2012 г.

Murray scores 25 as Hawks cruise to biggest win

Flip Murray scored a season-high 25 points, Josh Smith had 24 and the Atlanta Hawks raced to their biggest victory of the season, 117-87 over the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday night.

Mike Bibby dished out 15 assists for the Hawks, who shot 56 percent from the field while winning their third in a row.

The 30-point margin easily eclipsed a pair of 18-point wins and provided a bit of relief for a team that eked out a pair of three-point wins earlier in the week.

Charlie Villanueva led the Bucks with 27 points. It was Milwaukee's largest defeat of the season.

The Bucks went more than 7 minutes without a field goal over a span covering the end of …

This `Man' isn't quite super

Man and Superman Roebuck Ramsden Tony Lincoln Octavius Robinson Joseph Sadowski John Tanner Peter Aylward Ann Whitefield Lisa Kaminir Mrs. Whitefield Rebecca Borter Henry Straker Donald Brearley The Body Politic Theater presents a comedy by George Bernard Shawdirected by Pauline Brailsford. Set design by Jeff Bauer. Costumesby John Hancock Brooks Jr. Lighting design by Michael Rourke.Through May 10 at 2261 N. Lincoln. 871-3000.

The problem with George Bernard Shaw is that the curmudgeonrefuses to sit still and be domesticated. In the early 20th century,Shaw shocked refined audiences with his audacious social views.Today these same views raise blood pressure …

Wiggington Bright Spot for Dismal D'Rays

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Ty Wigginton has been a bright spot during another dismal season for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

Wigginton helped Tampa Bay snap a season-high, nine-game losing streak, hitting a tie-breaking two-run homer in the eighth inning of a 4-2 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday.

"I just appreciate the way he is ... he comes to play every day," Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon said. "He loves to play baseball. He's the kind of a guy you need on a team to win. He's a winner. He's truly the kind of guy any manager in baseball would like to have as part of their group."

The Devil Rays (58-94) need win six of their final 10 games to avoid their …

Ruling party concedes defeat in Japan election

Japan's Prime Minister Taro Aso conceded defeat in elections Sunday as media exit polls indicated the opposition had won by a landslide, sending the conservatives out of power after 54 years of nearly unbroken rule amid widespread economic anxiety and desire for change.

"These results are very severe," Aso said in a news conference at party headquarters, conceding his party was headed for a big loss. "There has been a deep dissatisfaction with our party."

Aso said he would have to accept responsibility for the results, suggesting that he would resign as party president. Other LDP leaders also said they would step down, though official …

среда, 14 марта 2012 г.

Rubin namesake takes different route for peace

Jerry Rubin, tanned and wearing a beard, extends his hand. He hasjust walked 12 miles, but he is smiling exuberantly.

"No," Rubin said, "I'm not that Jerry Rubin. I wasn't here forthe Democratic convention in 1968.

"I'm actually another Jerry Rubin."

I smile back. I know quite well that he isn't the real JerryRubin. This one is half a foot taller.

He says, "Where was I back at the time of the riots in GrantPark in '68? Hey, man, I was back in Venice Beach, Calif., sellingincense."

Rubin tells me he's 42, just a few years younger than hisnamesake.

"The real Jerry Rubin and I actually met at a peace rally in NewYork City a few years …

Fortieth Year for the Five County Bankers Golf Day

For the past 40 years bankers from Northwest Missouri and Southwest Iowa have played golf to determine who has bragging rights to a muchrevered traveling trophy. This year, after finishing a round in Missouri and a round in Iowa, Iowa bested Missouri and retained the trophy.

Iowa's low scores at the Tarkio (Mo.) Golf Club last month came from Dennis Grebert, Bank Iowa, Shenandoah, with a total score of 75; Brent Von Essen of Glenwood State with 82; Doug Meggison, 1st National, Glenwood, with 83; and Bob Vavra, Bank Iowa, Shenandoah, with 83. Their total score was 323.

Missouri's low scores came from Bob Alldredge of Exchange Bank, Fairfax, with 81 ; Jerry Moore, Citizens …

Companies offering free gas to attract business

Two magic words are turning consumers' heads lately. Not "Get rich" or "Lose weight." Try "Free gas."

Businesses from banks and hotels to golf-club makers and blood-donation centers are offering promotions that involve free gas _ generating more attention and goodwill from price-stunned drivers than traditional promotions might deliver.

For example, Callaway Golf Co. is giving away gas cards worth as much as $100 (euro64) with the sale of certain drivers. Guests who book three nights through hotels.com will get $50 (euro32) gas cards. And TCF Bank, based in Wayzata, Minnesota, is giving $50 (euro32) gas cards to customers who …

Ice rink to shut while council saves for repairs

An Ice rink will be shut for 18 months - so council bosses cansave enough money to carry out repairs.

The Linx Ice Arena at the beach could shut its doors as early asApril 1 as Aberdeen City Council prepares to give it a revamp.

But the Evening Express can reveal it is only being closed sothe council can find the money to carry out the repairs.

The authority has pledged to spend pounds1 million onimprovements to the centre.

With pounds655,000 being spent on two new condensers and therest going on various other works including replacing thebarriers.

A number of city centre leisure facilities are due to be takenover by an independent …

One Track(ing) Mind

CUSTOMER FIRST

The Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI) scores of Schoonover Bodyworks reflect its white-hot focus on the customer. For the year 2003, both locations averaged an approval rating of more than 99 percent.

The systematic tracking of customer satisfaction began at Schoonover when the practice was more of an exception than a rule-one more tradition for a business steeped in them. The shop has performed phone follow-up and collected customer feedback cards as long as Mike Schoonover can remember. Since the turn of the 1990s, it has used an outside source for CSI.

Using a third-party for CSI measurement lends an air of objectivity to positive results and …

Reports: Ukraine seeks to shore up banking sector

Ukraine's National Bank has imposed new restrictions aimed at boosting the national banking system amid the global financial crisis, Russian and Ukrainian news media reported Monday.

Regulators have prohibited withdrawals from bank deposits ahead of a due date set by individual contracts and have imposed limits on loaning money, the Interfax news agency and newspaper Kommersant said.

Officials at the National Bank refused to comment on the reports.

The Ukrainian economy, already shaken by the world financial crisis, was further alarmed last week when President Viktor Yushchenko dissolved parliament and called an early vote on Dec. 7 in his battle …

More late drama as Bath hold on for win to savour

26 25 BATH RUGBY LEICESTER TIGERS T: Attwood, Carraro C: Vesty,Heathcote P: Vesty 2, Heathcote 2 T: Staunton C: Staunton P:Staunton 6 The last time Bath Rugby beat Leicester at The Rec in thePremiership, it required a last-gasp moment of magic from ButchJames.

This time, it required the goal-kicking heroics of another fly-half, 19-year-old Tom Heathcote - and for a late penalty miss by theTigers. There may have been a few artificial attempts to whip up thecrowd at half-time but the only thing needed to send the fans intofull-throated frenzy as this game reached its denouement was therugby.

The skill level or intensity may not have been what it was …

Fred Thompson Urged to Make '08 Run

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - One Hollywood actor, Ronald Reagan, served as president for eight years. So why not an actor who plays a district attorney on TV?

Fred Thompson, the character Arthur Branch on NBC's drama "Law & Order," is being urged to pursue the GOP nomination by several Tennessee Republicans who also have been trying to drum up support for a candidacy.

Former Senate Majority Leader Howard Baker has been talking to senators. Rep. Zach Wamp has been in touch with colleagues in the House.

"It's something I hope happens," Wamp said Friday. "We need that kind of star quality, but most importantly we need his strength and resolve."

Wamp said he asked …

Mongolian prime minister tenders resignation

Mongolian Prime Minister Bayar Sanjaa said Friday he wanted to resign for health reasons, bringing new political uncertainty to his impoverished but resource-rich nation.

Bayar Sanjaa's request to step down must be approved by the Asian nation's parliament speaker, said Khurelsukh Ukhaa of the Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party. The MPRP leadership plans to meet on Wednesday to discuss how to respond.

Bayar Sanjaa has previously sought treatment overseas for liver problems due to a hepatitis C infection and was hospitalized again last week in the Mongolian capital, Ulan Bator.

The MPRP, which ran Mongolia as communists until 1990, holds 46 seats in the 76-seat parliament, with another 27 held by the Democratic Party of Mongolia.

Bayar Sanjaa's announcement comes just weeks after he saw through the signing of a long-awaited deal between Mongolia and partners Rio Tinto and Ivanhoe Mines to develop a $4 billion gold and copper mine after a heated national debate over how to exploit the country's mineral wealth.

The agreement on the Oyu Tolgoi mine in the Gobi desert was renegotiated repeatedly after opponents complained it shortchanged Mongolia, which lies wedged between Russia and China and has long been wary of foreign domination. Parliament had to repeal a windfall profits tax in August before London-based Rio and Canada's Ivanhoe would agree to go ahead.

The economy of this vast, sparsely populated nation of 2.7 million people, has been walloped by the plunging value of copper, its main export, and the government is currently negotiating with a number of potential overseas partners for development of the huge Tavan Tolgoi coking coal deposit. A decision on the project is expected by the end of the year.

The politics of the U.S. ally have been basically stable since the deaths of five people in violence that followed allegations of voting fraud in parliamentary elections last year.

Elbegdorj Tsakhia of the opposition Mongolian Democratic Party won a tight race for president in May, ensuring that the government operates as a virtual coalition. Mongolia's president oversees the armed forces and security council, and has the power to veto parliamentary decisions.

The prime minister has responsibility for the economy and the day-to-day running of government.

вторник, 13 марта 2012 г.

Dorchester tenants fighting landlord

The ceilings are leaking, raw sewage is flowing into the basement apartments and the residents complain that the air in the two multi-family buildings is making them sick.

The tenants of 17 Winter Street are fighting back with the familiar tools: calls to the Inspectional Services Division and withholding rent. But they're also using a newer tool -- a tenant's union.

In February the tenants of the Dorchester apartment building, mostly single working mothers, sent a letter to the landlord seeking repairs for longstanding maintenance problems, a freeze on evictions, long term leases and a negotiated settlement for rent held in escrow.

Much of the dispute centers on maintenance and the tenants' complaint that the landlord has been sending contractors to their homes, often without their foreknowledge.

Tenant Leah Morgan says the landlord himself entered her apartment in February while she was in the shower.

"My son said, `wait, my mummy's in the shower,' and they just drilled the lock off my door," Morgan said.

Building manager Keith Sherman says the tenants regularly report maintenance issues to the Boston Housing Authority, which administers the Section 8 vouchers the tenants use to pay their rent. The BHA then withholds rent.

"The write us up," he said. "We knock on their doors and they won't let us in. Our ability to get work done is only as good as our ability to get into the unit."

The conditions in the units, Sherman says, are largely caused by the tenants themselves.

"The BHA rents are held back for issues that you or I wouldn't worry about so much -- a hole in a screen, a crack in a wall..." he commented.

Tenant Ruby Drayden, however, says the conditions in her unit are serious. In addition to bare cement floors (the carpeting was removed after the sewage back-up), Drayden's bedroom window, which faces an easily accessible flat roof, is nailed shut to prevent break-ins because it is lacking a latch.

Morgan said that she and other tenants who are withholding rent and calling the Inspectional Services Division to the building are specifically targeted by the landlord.

Morgan said Sherman entered her apartment with a video camera rolling to take footage of water damage. But repairs were not made to stop the leaks, she said.

"I'm stressed out," she said. "They keep coming in my apartment and looking at things, but they never fix anything."

Tenant Maude Henry said Sherman entered her apartment last Thursday without notifying her, despite a court injunction she obtained barring him from doing so without first contacting her attorney.

"Last week, they came in my apartment and changed my top lock," she said. "They said there was a drip in my apartment that was causing a leak downstairs, but the lady in the apartment downstairs said she never reported a leak."

Maintenance workers removed the carpeting in some of the units flooded with sewage, but have not yet replaced the carpet or taken measures to stop the flooding, according to Morgan. As a result, the air quality in the building is bad, she said.

"The whole building is getting sick," she commented. "We're getting headaches, asthma attacks. The lady in apartment 2 had to be taken away in an ambulance."

The tenants' tenacity may pay off. Recently, several residents from the building attended a tenants' rights workshop sponsored by the Codman Square Neighborhood Development Corporation. Now they're working with Catherine Mallory, an organizer from the NDC who is helping them to negotiate with the landlord.

While the tenants do not have legal standing to compel the landlord to keep their units affordable, their calls for repairs to their units give them leverage.

"Most of their problems are covered by tenants rights laws," said Mallory.

While the tenants allege the owner is trying to evict them, and point to work done to vacant units, Keith Sherman says the owner has no intention of evicting the residents or raising their rents.

"We haven't gone to any of the tenants with increases in more than a year," he said.

Sherman says the average rent in the development is $850 for a two-bedroom unit, including heat and electricity. With rent withholding and payments held up by the BHA, he says, his receipts are closer to $650 per unit for the 32-unit development.

Mallory introduced City Life/Vida Urbana housing organizer Steve Meacham to the tenants, who helped them to organize a tenants union. The tenant union is a key strategy City Life is using with tenants throughout the city.

"We've been following a campaign that's fairly successful that uses collective bargaining agreements between landlords and tenants," he said.

Keith Sherman says he looks forward to meeting with the tenants.

"We'll be happy to sit down with them," he commented.

Photo (Ruby Drayden, Maude Henry and Leah Morgan)

Carjackers ditch baby, leave behind stolen car South Sider finds infant on her porch

It was a special delivery.

Nadine Grundy was at her home in the 9100 block of South PerrySunday morning when she heard a noise.

"Someone knocked on the door, and when I got to the door, therewas a little baby sitting on the step," she said.

But it wasn't the stork who dropped off the 2-month-old girl whostared up at Grundy from her infant carrier.

Carjackers had stolen a four-door 1989 Pontiac a few blocks awaywith the infant inside.

Police think the carjackers spotted the baby in the back seat and"They realized this is more than they could chew," said GreshamDistrict Capt. Joseph Vaclavik. "They could have been charged withaggravated vehicular hijacking, and with the baby in there, nowthey're kidnapping."

Not only did the thieves drop the child off on Grundy's doorstep,they ditched the car before fleeing, police said.

It all started about 9:30 a.m. Sunday as a woman unloadedgroceries from her car in the 9200 block of South Princeton. The babywas inside and the keys were in the ignition. Two young menapproached and jumped into her car.

"She runs over to try and intervene, they pretend they have a gunand say 'Get back,' " Vaclavik said.

The men traveled only a couple of blocks before abandoning theinfant. Enter Grundy, a mother of a grown daughter and grandmother oftwo.

"I thought it was a joke," she said. "Who was putting a baby on mysteps?"

"It was awake, but it wasn't crying," she said.

"They had it covered up with a blanket," she said. "I brought itin inside, out of the air."

"Then it started crying later on. I rocked that little thing, andit stopped. It was a nice little baby."

But Grundy (who won't give her age except to firmly say "I'mretired") called police.

"I just wanted it to be safe and get back to somebody, because Iknow I can't take care of a baby."

The whole incident lasted about six minutes -- six of the longestminutes the baby's mother would experience. She was distraught whenshe arrived at Grundy's home and couldn't stop crying and thankingher. Police declined to disclose her name.

"The baby's back, the car's back," Vaclavik said. "It had a happyending."

"They had a heart -- they didn't hurt that baby," Grundy said.

Cyclones pile on points in late surge

Sacred H-G 40, MONTINI 15

Sacred Heart-Griffin scored 20 points in a span of 2:28 in thefourth quarter en route to a 40-15 victory over Montini on Saturdayin Lombard.

The Cyclones were nursing a five-point lead before they connectedon an 87-yard touchdown pass and two defensive scores.

The game started off in the Broncos' favor when Johnny Borsellinoran the opening kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown. The two-pointconversion was run in by Dex Jones (14 carries, 74 yards).

The Cyclones then scored three times to take a 20-8 lead. With10:03 left in the game, Montini quarterback Pete Capetta (9-for-16,131 yards) scored from one yard out to cap an 11-play, 62-yard driveand cut the deficit to 20-15.

Steve Weidacher led Montini with five catches for 83 yards. Seniorlinebacker Brad Blackwell had two interceptions for Montini.

We want to play the best, and it challenges us," Montini coachChris Andriano said. I tell our kids, Ten years from now, you'llthank me because we don't back down from anybody."'

Guest lineups for the Sunday news shows

WASHINGTON (AP) — Guest lineups for the Sunday TV news shows:

ABC's "This Week" — National security adviser Tom Donilon; Pakistan's ambassador to the U.S., Husain Haqqani; former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

___

NBC's "Meet the Press" — Donilon; former Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff; former CIA Director Michael Hayden; former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani.

___

CBS' "Face the Nation" — Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass.; former Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld.

___

CNN's "State of the Union" — Donilon; Sen. Richard Lugar, R-Ind.; NATO's secretary-general, Anders Fogh Rasmussen.

___

"Fox News Sunday" — Donilon; former Vice President Dick Cheney.

Retail Sales Fall for 2nd Month in a Row

WASHINGTON - Retail sales dropped for a second consecutive month in October, reflecting in part big declines in the price of gasoline.

The Commerce Department reported Tuesday that retail sales fell by 0.2 percent last month after a revised decline of 0.8 percent in September.

The weakness reflected in part the big drop in gasoline pump prices, which pulled down sales at service stations by 0.6 percent in October. Excluding gasoline stations, retail sales would have been up by 0.4 percent in October.

Insurer switch snags claim

Dear Fixer: On May 2, 2005, I had to take my son to an urgentcare center for severe ear pain. I gave them my insurance card. Ithought we were still covered under Blue Cross Blue Shield, notrealizing that our insurance had changed that day, at 12:01 a.m., toUnitedHealthcare.

After the visit, I got a bill from the urgent care center and hadto send my new insurance information to them. I did this right away.I then received an "explanation of benefits" stating that the claimwas not paid because the care provider did not submit the claimwithin the contracted period. But we did not receive the newinsurance information from

UnitedHealthcare for a while. We didn't even know for a week ortwo after the trip to the urgent care center that our insurance hadchanged, and it was a few more weeks after that when we finallyreceived the cards with the group number.

As if $667 to treat my son for an ear infection isn't ridiculousenough, now, because of this, the urgent care center is saying wehave to pay, even though we had insurance coverage at the time.

We tried talking to my husband's employer, but the owner is inthe process of selling the business and does not want to deal withit.

Elizabeth Hughes,

Oak Forest

Dear Elizabeth: If only your son had gotten his ear infection aday earlier. Whoa, sorry -- The Fixer was thinking like an insurancecompany there. But not to worry: We got in touch withUnitedHealthcare's Greg Thompson, and he cut through the red tapeand contacted you to let you know his company is paying your claim.

BOOST A BUST

Dear Fixer: I purchased a cell phone from Boost Mobile that had a$100 rebate. I sent in the completed form but never got my rebate.The phone was purchased at the beginning of July, and the rebate wassupposed to take six to eight weeks.

I called Boost Mobile on Oct. 5, and while they got the form andletter, they apparently lost or misplaced it. The woman on dutycould not tell me when I would receive the $100 rebate.

Kevin Socha, Oak Forest

Dear Kevin: Thanks for providing this week's example of why TheFixer hates rebates. We first tried getting in touch with BoostMobile but didn't hear back from them, so we contacted SprintNextel, Boost's owner.

Turns out your rebate had originally been declined because therewas a problem verifying you had activated the phone with Boost.

They sent you a new form, you completed it, and it has beenapproved -- but now it will be another six to eight weeks for thecash.

WATCH AND LEARN

Dear Readers: While we're on the subject of rebates, The Fixerhas a little more information on those TigerDirect/Onrebate.comoffers we've heard complaints about. Some readers have said theprocess was difficult, and their rebates were denied.

Onrebate.com is owned by Systemax, the same company that ownsTigerDirect. So, when you send your TigerDirect rebate to Onrebate.com, you're dealing with their corporate cousins.

Bill Gollan, CEO of Onre bate.com, says the company recentlyproduced a five-minute video on its Web site explaining how to applyfor a rebate -- and they've got FAQs there, too. The Fixer watchedthe video -- the steps involved were enough to make your head spin -- and suggests that, if you want to apply for these rebates, youshould watch that video at least three times and take copious notes.

Gollan says most consumers get their money about 30 days aftertheir application is approved. Customers can check the progress onthe Web site.

KNOCK ON WOOD

Dear Fixer: We bought a dining-room table and hutch from HarlemFurniture almost a year ago. Recently, we noticed that they werestarting to split open.

We've been calling Harlem Furniture. They sent out a techniciantwice, but other than that we've gotten no response.

Antonio Fraco,

DeMotte, Ind.

Dear Antonio: Team Fixer had a little better luck. We contactedHarlem Furniture, and they reviewed the technician's comments. Theymaintain that the problems happened from use rather than a defect,but they've agreed to replace your furniture.

An expanded version of this column is online at www.suntimes.com.Thanks this week to contributors Carole Schrock, Mike Nolan andDanielle Braff.

Getting the runaround over a consumer problem? Tell it to TheFixer at www.suntimes.com.

e-mail: szimmermann@suntimes.com

Alligator Records 30th Anniversary Collection Alligator Records 30th Anniversary Collection

"Alligator Records 30th

Anniversary Collection"

(Alligator) Blues *;*;*;1/2

Ten years ago, when the Chicago blues label released a doublealbum to mark its 20th anniversary, it filled with predictable liveperformances from a corresponding tour. Nonetheless, that disc sold330,000 copies worldwide, Alligator's biggest commercial success todate.

It's indicative of how much Alligator has grown during the lastdecade that now there are many fine artists who seem glaring in theiromission from this collection. Then you play the "Whom do youeliminate?" game and you realize that there are no weak links on thisdisc, to be released Tuesday.

The formula is a winning one: one album of studio material thatoffers an overview of the last 30 years, and one live album filledwith rare gems, including five previously unreleased tunes. There'salso a CD Rom video track of the only known footage of Hound DogTaylor, recorded at the 1974 Ann Arbor (Mich.) Blues Festival. Thelive cuts by Albert Collins & the Icebreakers, Little Charlie & theNightcats and Lonnie Mack, in particular, will send blues fansscurrying off in pursuit of back catalog--which, after all, is theprimary marketing purpose for such a project.

As part of the 30th anniversary promotion, Alligator is inserting20 coupons in the first 50,000 copies, redeemable for Alligator'sentire back catalog of nearly 200 albums. Then all you'd need wouldbe a little rock, jazz and classical, and you'd have a completerecord collection in every sense.

"Alligator Records 30th

Anniversary Collection"

(Alligator) Blues *;*;*;1/2

Mystery shrouds slain spy -- was he double agent?: British may have lured IRA man with a woman, analysts say

DUBLIN, Ireland -- Denis Donaldson, the Sinn Fein insider andBritish spy whose killing rocked Northern Ireland's peace process,took many secrets to his grave, analysts and friends say.

"Why did he turn over to the Brits? And did he really, fully goover? Or did he remain a double agent for the British and the IRA? Wejust don't know," said Brian Feeney, author of a history of the SinnFein-IRA movement.

Donaldson, who was shot to death Tuesday at age 55, joined theProvisional IRA in 1970, the year the new group began its violentcampaign to wrest Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom. Soon hewas convicted for a bomb plot. He shared a cell block with IRA iconBobby Sands, who led a 1981 hunger strike in which 10 inmates died.

"I'm sure nobody who joined the republican movement as a youngman, and was friends with Bobby Sands, could dream of ending up likethis," said Francie Brolly, a Sinn Fein councilman and one-timeDonaldson friend. "He might have dreamed of being a hero, of beingshot by the British army."

PLOTTED WITH GERRY ADAMS

Prison also meant brainstorming alongside future Sinn Fein leaderGerry Adams and other IRA activists.

Adams became president of Sinn Fein in 1983 and began steering themovement toward conventional politics. Donaldson's assignment outsideprison was to be a key intelligence officer abroad for both the IRAand Sinn Fein.

Around that time, Donaldson was recruited by agents from Britain'sMI5 spy agency and the Special Branch intelligence arm of theNorthern Ireland police. Donaldson subsequently said he did it "aftercompromising myself during a vulnerable time in my life."

Analysts suggest Donaldson may have been wooed, or coerced, intothe spying game because of his reputation as a womanizer -- adangerous appetite, because British intelligence agencies have usedfemale agents and informants to strike up relationships with IRA men.

ALARM BELLS SHOULD HAVE RUNG

Throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, Donaldson traveled as a go-between for the IRA and its overseas friends: Irish Americanmilitants, Basque separatists, the PLO and other Mideastern terrorgroups.

Feeney said, in retrospect, it should have set off Sinn Fein-IRAalarm bells that Donaldson moved so freely despite his criminalrecord.

He said Donaldson's British handlers were trying to promotemoderation and politics in Sinn Fein-IRA circles, and appear to havefound a strategic asset in Donaldson.

понедельник, 12 марта 2012 г.

Summary: Parents and Raising Kids

FAMILY TIME: Parents are taking a more active role in raising their children than they did a decade ago, setting greater restrictions on TV watching and reading more to youngsters, the government reported Wednesday.

TEEN ACTIVITIES: Teenagers are participating in more extracurricular activities that focus on education, at the expense of sports, according to the study.

CHANGING TIMES: The findings suggest that adults are reacting to a more dangerous world, while both parents and students are dealing with increased competition to get into good colleges, experts said.

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation CEO Patty Stonesifer stepping aside for new leadership

Patty Stonesifer, who has served as chief executive of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation since its inception in 1997, is stepping aside.

Stonesifer, 51, will leave her role as CEO of the world's largest charitable foundation by Jan. 1, 2009, but she won't be leaving the organization, the foundation says.

Her new job title has not been announced.

Stonesifer joined the foundation after her friend and colleague Bill Gates, chairman and co-founder of Microsoft Corp., asked the former Microsoft manager to take on a new challenge: putting the Internet within reach of every person in the United States by connecting the nation's libraries.

In 1997, Stonesifer had left her job as senior vice president of the Interactive Media Division at Microsoft, where she led the team that developed consumer software like the Encarta Encyclopedia and the Magic School Bus Series, for an early retirement.

At the time, she said she wanted to spend more time with her teenage children. She did work less for a few years until the foundation started growing _ and so did her new job.

"We didn't start with $32 billion (euro22 billion) and Warren Buffett," Stonesifer said in an Associated Press interview in December 2006, referring to the foundation's assets at the time and the billionaire investor's announcement in 2006 that he would give most of his money to the Gates Foundation to give away.

The foundation currently has a $38.7 billion (euro26.5 billion) endowment and more than 500 employees. It has made more than $16 billion (euro11 billion) in grants, investing mostly in global health, global development and U.S. education.

Bill Gates, who chairs the foundation with his wife Melinda, is relinquishing his daily duties at Microsoft later this year to focus full-time on philanthropy.

"Patty made our vision a reality, and I am deeply grateful to her," Bill Gates said in a statement. "Her remarkable leadership and foresight has put into place an organization that is fully devoted and prepared to continue the work. This is a rare quality even in great leaders, and I am pleased that she is choosing to stay involved with the foundation."

Stonesifer will help find her replacement, the foundation said.

Advice to '08ers: Know Thyself

MANCHESTER, N.H. - If you are a candidate for president or thinking about being a candidate for president let me give you a little advice: Don't set foot in early primary voting states like Iowa, New Hampshire or South Carolina unless you know who you are and what you are about.

With two years before anyone votes in a primary, this is the period when biography and personal connections matter most.

Talk with activists as I do at the grocery store or a county party meeting, and you'll hear the same thing from Republicans and Democrats alike: with the nomination wide open, they want to be inspired.

You won't find a base of support just because you are a moderate or a progressive or a conservative. These activist bases have their choice among moderates, among progressives, among conservatives. And why exactly should they invest in you?

It is all too well known in these parts that for the first time since 1952 there is no president or vice president seeking their party's nomination. It is the first time in our current Iowa-New Hampshire structure that this has been the case.

This being the case, endorsements for you will likely come later, not sooner, and will be based on some sort of personal connection, not just an ideological one.

One of the most important New Hampshire endorsements in 2004 came because of the personal connection with a member of the candidate's family, not the candidate.

Your problem as a candidate is an understandable one. You are likely to be one of the most successful politicians in the country. Your approval ratings in your home state show you are not only known there, but loved. And now you are one of those names mentioned as presidential material. That can be a good ego trip. But you forget that to those eating their breakfast at Mary Ann's Diner in Derry, N.H., or those at the Marshalltown, Iowa, Rotary Club, you are just another politician and they aren't sure what to make of you.

These classic images of presidential primary lore will surely have you running for McGinniss's "The Selling of the President." But remember, before you can consider running you have to sell yourself to activists, fund-raisers and potential employees.

So many of you will have to think about your first political race. Back then, you likely had fewer consultants making up your image machine. You were defined by who you were and where you stood. (Or in Sen. Evan Bayh's case, who never faced a competitive primary, maybe you have more thinking to do.) In the living rooms and town halls of the early states, it is back to this most basic level.

And this is the beauty of our current presidential primary system. Voters in the early states have grown the most affectionate of the candidates who are the most genuine and disdain any fancy branding. If you want proof of this, look at Jimmy Carter or Bill Clinton or the "compassionate conservative" who got beat by 19 points in the 2000 New Hampshire Primary.

So far 18 candidates - nine from each party - have visited Iowa or New Hampshire since the 2004 election. In the next year the candidates who emerge are the candidates who understand how biography matters. Biography doesn't mean winning the title of the anti-Hillary (Bayh, former Virginia Gov. Mark Warner, U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold, former Vice President Al Gore) or a Republican Maverick (U.S. Sen. John McCain, U.S. Sen. Chuck Hagel). Nor does it mean repeating that you are from one party yet got elected in a state dominated by the opposing party (Bayh, Warner, Gov. George Pataki, Gov. Mitt Romney). These media driven labels come with time.

This is not about the manufactured biography present in all modern presidential campaign. Those "I am a son of a mill worker" labels are also for later. Keep in mind that these lines are only effective if they are true.

Right now the focus should be on the bigger narratives of what motivates you, what you find interesting, what is it that you want to learn more about. After about 40 events in the past year, I can count on one hand the amount of times someone in an interview afterward said they had a sense of where the candidate was from and headed. And every time that happened, they were invited back to the state.

So go stare in a mirror and ponder your childhood. Go see a psychologist. Try yoga. Whatever works for you, do it.

Just remember there are 17 other people wooing for the same attention, commitment and news coverage. And that doesn't even include Hillary, yet.

[Author Affiliation]

James Pindcll is the editor of PoliticsNH.com since Aug. 2002. In 2000, he covered Iowa Caucuses for the Des Moines Register and has been the statehouse bureau chief of the Morgantown (W.Va.) Dominion Post. He has also written for the Boston Globe and Indianapolis Star. He provides political analysis weekly for New Hampshire and Boston television stations. In addition, he is quoted widely throughout the country in newspapers and has appeared on the nightly news for all three national broadcast networks and more regularly on all three national cable networks.

Tuesday's Sports Scoreboard

American League

Kansas City vs Cleveland, 7:05 p.m.

Seattle vs Baltimore, 7:05 p.m.

L.A. Angels vs Tampa Bay, 7:08 p.m.

N.Y. Yankees vs Boston, 7:10 p.m.

Toronto vs Texas, 8:05 p.m.

Detroit vs Chicago White Sox, 8:11 p.m.

Minnesota vs Oakland, 10:05 p.m.

National League

Cincinnati vs Washington, 7:05 p.m.

Philadelphia vs N.Y. Mets, 7:10 p.m.

Pittsburgh vs Atlanta, 7:10 p.m.

St. Louis vs Florida, 7:10 p.m.

Chicago Cubs vs Houston, 8:05 p.m.

Colorado vs Milwaukee, 8:05 p.m.

San Francisco vs Arizona, 9:40 p.m.

San Diego vs L.A. Dodgers, 10:10 p.m.

National Basketball Association Playoffs

L.A. Lakers vs Orlando, 9 p.m.

National Hockey League Playoffs

Detroit vs Pittsburgh, 8 p.m.

WNBA Basketball

Seattle vs Indiana, 7 p.m.

Major League Soccer

No games today.

Avalanche buries army post in Pakistan, killing 7 soldiers

An avalanche crashed into a northwestern Pakistan military post Tuesday, killing seven soldiers and injuring six others, officials said.

The incident occurred in the mountainous Darosh region about 350 kilometers (217 miles) northeast of Peshawar, the capital of North West Frontier province, said local police officer Bahadur Khan.

The snow slid from a nearby hillside very quickly, giving the soldiers no chance to run, Khan said.

He said the six injured soldiers had also been buried, but rescuers were able to dig them out. The extent of their injuries was not immediately known.

Winter has brought heavy snowfall to much of northwestern Pakistan in recent weeks.

German neo-Nazi convicted of Holocaust denial

A founding member of a left-wing terrorist group turned neo-Nazi was convicted Wednesday in Munich of Holocaust denial and sentenced to six years in prison after a judge accused him of using the courtroom to spread his message of hate.

Horst Mahler _ a founder of the Red Army Faction in 1970 _ was convicted of incitement for posting videos denying the Holocaust on the Internet and distributing CDs promoting anti-Jewish hatred and violence. Denial of the Nazi Holocaust is a crime in Germany.

Mahler, who initiated the Munich state court case by filing a complaint against himself, was accused by Presiding Judge Martin Rieder as using the courtroom as a stage to promote his "nationalist croaking."

Mahler used his right to make a closing statement at the trial to give an hours-long monologue, repeating his denial of the Holocaust and expressing his sympathy for Richard Williamson, the Roman Catholic bishop whose assertion that no Jews were gassed during the Holocaust embarrassed the Vatican.

"The rage of the people is at the boiling point," he said in defense of Williamson, telling the judges: "Watch out that you don't get scalded."

Rieder sentenced Mahler to one year above the maximum recommended five years in prison, saying he is "completely unrepentant and totally unteachable."

"It was as if these people have had to die again," Rieder said. "Therefore, the Horst Mahler show has now ended."

The Simon Wiesenthal Center in Jerusalem hailed the verdict and sentence.

"It reinforces the message that there's no tolerance for Holocaust denial, and it is a strong reminder that the courts should not be misused by deniers to disseminate their lies," said the Wiesenthal Center's Efraim Zuroff.

Mahler did not say in court whether he would appeal the sentence but prosecutor Andrea Titz said she was certain he would.

It was the latest in a string of neo-Nazi-related convictions for Mahler, who is a lawyer. In addition, a court in Mainz in 2003 found Mahler guilty of condoning a crime for saying the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks in the United States were justified and fined him several thousand euros (dollars).

He was also convicted in the mid-1970s for Red Army Faction-related activities _ including several bank robberies and for helping notorious terrorist Andreas Baader, another founding member of the group, to escape from jail.

He was sentenced to 14 years in prison but was released in 1980 after he made several public statements condemning terrorism and Red Army Faction methods.

Mahler then joined the far-right National Democratic Party, from 2000 to 2003, and acted as its attorney.

среда, 7 марта 2012 г.

Celestial Lucre It's economics for most. For others, the future of commodities is written in the stars.

When Manoj Jain, a Hyderabad-based bulk bullion dealer,frantically called up Anurag Tripathi, a Mumbai-based commodityanalyst on a hot June morning, the question was the usual "Should Ibuy silver?", as the prices seemed to be showing an upward turn aftera flat run. Tripathi warned him not to touch the white metal. "It'slikely to show a dip in the next two days. I think you should waitfor some more time," he advised. Nothing unusual in that apart fromthe fact that Tripathi's reasoning was based not on the usualparameters of technical price analysis, global demand and supply, andfluctuations; but on planetary calculations. His advice to Jain:"Venus is sitting in Cancer at the moment. As a result, prices willcontinue to slip or remain flat. It's worthwhile to wait for a moreopportune moment."

Yes, believe it or not, investors and traders actually sometimessuspend their faith in fundamental and technical analysis and puttheir money where the stars dictate. Sceptics and rationalists willfrown at this logic, but Jain followed the advice and did not buy thewhite metal. Tripathi's is the last word for Jain, whose family hasbeen tracking stars for trade-related advice for more than fourgenerations. Explains Tripathi: "Silver is usually under theinfluence of Venus and has a moon sign of Cancer. Since Venus is asoft and kind planet, when it passes through Cancer, which is thezodiac of silver, it has a soothing effect on the metal. The impactof a tender planet on a metal usually translates into a fall in itsprice."

Tripathi and others of his ilk have a sizeable following amongcommodity traders. "If Venus cruises through a harsh zodiac like Leo,there will be a bullish effect on the metal and prices will shoot upin the short term. Also, if Venus along with Sun passes throughCancer, it will have the same effect," says Tripathi, who predictscommodity fluctuations on an hourly basis on celestial combinations.

Jain says that the planets have seldom let him down. "Predictionsbased on planetary movements have proved accurate about 80 per centof the time," he says. And his is not a one-off phenomenon. SaysShyamal Gupta, Head (Institutional Business), Kotak Commodities:"Though most people will not admit it, a large number of marketplayers do refer to astrological calculations and quietly rely onthem." Gupta, who was earlier with the Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX)as Senior VP (Product Knowledge Mangement and InstitutionalBusiness), asserts his faith in planets saying: "Often, such reportsare contrary to mainstream market trends based on technicalprojections. There have been instances when planetary calculationshave helped investors make a fortune when the markets appeared to bein a bear grip."

Some institutions also seem to have jumped onto this celestialbandwagon, though not overtly. Tripathi, who is an analyst with theNational Spot Exchange, bagged the post primarily on the basis of hisability to gauge the effects of Saturn, Sun, Venus and other stars oncommodities.

Here's How it Works

Tripathi calls his methodology "astrological projection theory",which, he claims, enables him to read the future direction ofcommodity prices. "The market trend indications under this method arebased on a series of mathematical calculations, which are integratedwith other market principles of analysis in a structured format," heexplains. The planetary positions are calculated meticulously and arematched with historical trends.

But sceptics also abound. Atul Shah, Head (Commodities), EmkayCommotrade, says most astrological predictions are inaccurate. "It'spure chance when predictions work in someone's favour." Shah analysescommodities based on factors like demand and supply in the USmarkets, us Federal rates, the manufacturing index and unemploymentdata, among others, though sometimes, he does rely on nature for hispredictions. "For commodities like petro-products, predictions aremade after taking into account occurrence of calamities such ashurricanes, which affect production at refineries andtransportation."

Having said that, Shah, however, qualifies his apparent lack offaith, saying: "Astrological predictions can be scientific in naturebut I doubt if today's astrologers are good enough to deciphercelestial messages."

Ashok Goel, a stocks and commodities advisor and owner of Delhi-based Goel Capital, also hedges his bets. "The immediate movementsprojected by these astrologers are good, but long positioning movesbased on these predictions often fail. Sometimes when the twoprojections--astrological and technical--show some sort ofcongruence, I have relied on the astro-projections for a kill." Buthe is quick to add: "You cannot completely rely on them."

Semi-sceptics like Shah and Goel get a riposte from the sereneghats of the Ganga in Benaras. Chanrama Pandey, Head (AstrologyDepartment), Benaras Hindu University, asserts: "Astrology is a vastscience that involves physics, mathematics and biochemistry. It'strue that very few people have in-depth knowledge of astrology, butthat does not make the subject a hoax."

Explaining the influence of planets with the theory of resonance,Pandey says: "There are certain basic elements which are present inall commodities, substances, planets and life forms in the universe.All the objects have particular frequencies that cause them toresonate under the magnetic flux and radiation of various planetsdepending on the planets' positions." This has a beneficial or amalefic effect on all commodities and life forms on earth. "Astrologyhas always been a guiding force for the Rs 15,000-crore a daycommodities market. The panchangs (almanacs) published by a host ofsmall publishing houses have been guiding businesses in India foryears," says Gupta.

The annual turnover of the panchang market is about Rs 5 crore,according to market players. "Our calendars have been in demand sincethe 60s and today, across India, we sell almost 10 lakh copies of ourcalendar, which comes out twice a year," says Anand Agarwal, owner ofthe Benaras-based publishing group Savitri Thakur, which comes outwith the famous Thakur Prasad Panchang and Chinta Haran Jantri. "Thecalendars are not highly priced but the volumes are reasonably good,"says Agarwal.

Rationalists, however, dismiss this phenomenon as so much moremumbo jumbo. Says Prabir Ghosh, General Secretary, Science andRationalists' Association of India: "Astrology and the astrologersare a complete hoax. How can stars alter anything? In the greaterinterest of society, this profession should be declared illegal." Butthat is unlikely to shake the deep-rooted belief in the powers of thestars which has been ingrained in the psyche of many Indians overseveral millennia. By the looks of it, the Indian commodities marketwill continue to shimmer under the guidance of the heavens.

CHECK IT OUT YOURSELF

Anurag Tripathi has made the following three predictions for BT.Will the market oblige him?

GOLD AND SILVER: Prices are likely to fall between July 3 and July 6, 2007, because Venus and Ketu come together in Leo. However,the influence of the Revathi Nakshatra on July 8 will nudge prices upfor 2-3 days from July 9, but they will fall again from July 12-17.

CRUDE OIL: Prices are expected to fall from July 4-14 becauseVenus and Ketu come together in Leo.

COTTON: Prices will show a weak trend from July 4-6, but willreverse this trend and rise again from July 9-13 because of the sameplanetary combination as above.

Editor: In our next issue, we will let you know the fate ofTripathi's predictions.

Afghan Forces Search for Taliban Fighters

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Dateline: KABUL, Afghanistan[image omitted]

Afghan security forces searched remote hills in nation's northwest on Monday for several hundred suspected Taliban fighters blamed for a recent wave of attacks.

The fighters' names and native villages were discovered on lists found in the pockets of five senior Taliban commanders captured during fighting in Badghis province last week, said Abdul Wahed Tawaqli, spokesman for the governor of neighboring Herat province.

Those captured included Mullah Badar, a former governor of Badghis under the Taliban, whose government was ousted by U.S. forces and Afghan opposition groups in 2001.

The latest troubles in Badghis began April 1 when up to 500 suspected Taliban fighters launched attacks on Akazia and Sipia villages, about 50 miles east of the provincial capital, Qalai-e-Naw.

Tawaqli said 150 Taliban were killed in a day of battles, 50 were captured and 300 others fled into the mountains.

Eleven soldiers loyal to the province's governor were killed and seven were wounded in the fighting with rocket launchers, grenades and automatic weapons, he said.

Tawaqli said authorities had intelligence the attacks were coming, and Herat Gov. Ismail Khan sent 300 troops to Badghis to help security forces fend off the assaults and hunt down the culprits.

The 50 alleged Taliban captured during the fighting were transferred to Herat, Tawaqli said.

"In the pockets of these senior commanders, we found lists detailing the names and native villages of those who've been attacking us," Tawaqli said. "We've been looking for them house by house, one by one."

Tawaqli said several suspected Taliban had already been arrested in Tuesday's sweep.

Afghan authorities say Taliban remnants are reorganizing in an effort to destabilize the fledgling government of President Hamid Karzai.

Southern Afghanistan in particular has been wracked by several attacks in the last few weeks by suspected Taliban fighters, including the murder of a Red Cross worker Ricardo Munguia and an ambush on a U.S. military convoy that killed two American servicemen.

Image Caption: Two security forces soldiers relax in downtown Kandahar Friday, April 4, 2003. Security is heightened in southern Afghanistan following attacks by a resurgent Taliban who appear to be reorganized, using a revived command system. (AP Photo/Amir Shah)
Afghan Forces Search for Taliban Fighters00-00-0000
Dateline: KABUL, Afghanistan[image omitted]