Yesterday's Top 5 Most Viewed Stories at suntimes.com

1. Heated arguments in Blago jury room

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2. Man, 93, fires at firefighter

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3. Angry husband drives SUV into …

Public opposition to Moscow Pride drops

A new poll has found that 61 percent of Russians agree with the Moscow city government's annual ban on the gay pride parade, down from 82 percent support for the ban a year ago.

The poll also found that 53 percent of Russians have heard about the efforts to stage the parade, up from 33 percent in a similar poll at the end of April.

The FOM poll, conducted nationwide June 4-5, found that 9 percent of Russians oppose the pride ban and 30 percent don't have an opinion on the matter.

"These results ... show that over the last years, 30 of us managed to make our voices heard by 75 million in a …

Sony develops green flat-panel TV to woo ecological consumers

Sony's new flat-panel TV consumes less energy than comparable regular models without compromising image quality _ the latest in Japanese manufacturers' efforts to woo buyers with green products.

The 150,000 yen (US$1,400; euro900) Bravia KDL-32JE1 goes on sale in Japan on July 30, and is planned later for overseas markets although dates and other details aren't decided, Sony Corp.'s Emi Nagahara said Tuesday.

In a demonstration at Tokyo headquarters, a watt-counter attached to the new 32-inch Bravia consumed 82 watts of energy to show a Blu-ray disc image of a Spanish city on its liquid crystal display.

A comparable regular model that cost about …

Hales' Foreman always sounded like a great hitter

Hales Franciscan baseball coach James Thornton is never going toforget his first encounter with senior Devin Foreman. It was thesound that stays fixed in his memory.

"The way he hit the ball just stopped traffic," Thornton said."The sound of the ball coming off his bat was just unbelievable. Youcould see right away that he could really rake the ball. He knew howto hit.

"I couldn't believe that he was just 13, 14 years old."

Foreman has carried through on his promise. The solidly built 6-foot, 225-pound first baseman is one of the city's most fearedhitters. A four-year varsity starter at Hales, Foreman has producednumbers that are virtually …

Red Sox Blast Past Orioles

John Valentin had two of Boston's four home runs and Jose Cansecowent 3-for-3 with a homer Thursday night to lead the Red Sox to theireighth consecutive victory, 11-1 over the Baltimore Orioles in FenwayPark.

Valentin hit his 19th home run in the sixth inning, a three-runshot that made it 8-1. After Mike Macfarlane led off the seventhwith his 13th homer, Valentin hit a two-run shot to extend Boston'slead to 11-1.

The Red Sox had 17 hits, including Canseco's three that ended a1-for-17 slump.

Indians 10, Yankees 9: Mike Stanley became the first New YorkYankee to hit three homers in a game since Reggie Jackson in the 1977World Series, but not even his …

Polish parliament condemns Belarusian regime

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Polish lawmakers approved a resolution Friday condemning Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko's regime for its repression of opponents following the December presidential election.

Lawmakers in the lower house of parliament demanded the immediate release of political prisoners and urged a halt to political repression in the country.

Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski also said Poland will maintain its policy of sanctions against Belarus' leaders, while showing "solidarity with the nation" as long as the repression continues.

"If prisoners are released, if conditions are created for the functioning of civic society, then an opportunity will …

Merkel tours Turkey's famed Haghia Sophia

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has toured the 1,500-year-old Haghia Sophia, a former Byzantine church, as part of her visit to Turkey, an overwhelmingly Muslim EU-candidate country.

The domed complex was for centuries a majestic center of Christianity before Constantinople _ now Istanbul _ was conquered by Muslim armies in 1453. The site was a mosque until 1935, when it was converted to a museum …

Rosemont casino foe quits Gaming Board

SPRINGFIELD--One of the state's top gambling regulators tenderedhis resignation Monday and plans to return to the U.S. attorney'soffice in Chicago from where he came.

Gaming Board Administrator Sergio Acosta will remain with theregulatory agency until Sept. 14, the date of the next Gaming Boardmeeting, agency spokesman Gene O'Shea said.

The departure of Acosta, who drew a salary of more than $140,000and was among the highest-paid state employees, represents yet moreturnover at the Gaming Board. In late June, Gov. Ryan dumped twoappointed board members originally opposed to allowing the EmeraldCasino in Rosemont, prompting criticism that the governor was anglingto …

Obama favors Gadhafi stepping down from power

SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) — President Barack Obama said Monday the United States favors the ouster of Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi but the international military effort has a more limited goal of establishing a no-fly zone over Libya and protecting civilians against massacre by forces loyal to the longtime ruler.

Obama said the United States would transfer leadership of the military operation to other, unnamed participants within a "matter of days, not weeks," but he declined to provide a more precise timetable.

"Obviously, the situation is evolving on the ground, and how quickly this transfer takes place will be determined by the recommendation of our commanding officers that the …

Gators blame offensive woes on practice problems

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Coach Urban Meyer spent last week analyzing every play of Florida's season and came to these conclusions:

It's not the play-calling. It's not the players.

It's not the effort. It's not the energy.

Florida's struggles are directly related to practice. Yes, practice.

Although Meyer has a long list of problems for his offense, which ranks ninth in the Southeastern Conference and 89th in the nation, he attributes all of them to practice. Simply put, poor practices have made the Gators (4-3, 2-3 SEC) imperfect.

"When there's a lack of execution, how does that occur?" Meyer said. "The answer is not to say, 'That guy, that guy, that guy.' Is …

THE EYE

THE EYE

I'm guessing If you want to be blown away by this title, you'll probably want to watch the original Chinese version of the same name. Then you wouldn't have to wonder which is more frightening-the scary moments in the film or Jessica Alba's acting."

Concert violinist Sydney Wells (Alba, Good Luck ChucK) has been blind since a never-elaborated-upon accident took her eyesight as a child. But after a cornea transplant surgery restores her vision, she begins to see demon-like creatures ttiat no one else can. Unfortunately, her symphony conductor (Rade Serbedzija, Snatch), sister (Parker Posey, Superman Returns) and doctor (Alessandro Nivola, Face/Off) all think she's …

Stocks end flat at the start of busy earnings week

NEW YORK (AP) — The stock market finished at about the same place where it started Monday as traders waited for a packed week of reports that will give them a better view of where the economy is headed. The Dow Jones Industrial Average remained stuck in a 52-point range throughout the day, ending the day 10 points above the 11,000 milestone.

Bond trading was closed for Columbus Day.

Traders have been pushing the stock market higher over the last two weeks, expecting that the Federal Reserve will act in the coming weeks to stimulate the economy and drive interest rates lower. If the Fed announces an expansion of its bond-buying program at its next meeting in early November, …

Bonds the compass for stocks' course

It's decision time for the bond market: Either interest rates aregoing up sharply, or they're about to tumble. And the woozy stockmarket is likely to be right behind bonds.

That was the widespread feeling on Wall Street as financialmarkets braced for an onslaught of economic data Thursday and today.

In recent speeches, Federal Reserve Board Chairman AlanGreenspan appeared to make clear - as clear as he makes any point forpublic consumption - that the data would largely determine whetherthe Fed feels obligated to tighten credit for the first time sinceearly 1995.

The Fed doesn't meet until Aug. 20, but the bond market isn'tlikely to wait for the central bank to convene.

The results were mixed Thursday. The gross domestic product,the broadest measure of the nation's economic health, shot up at anannual rate of 4.2 percent from April through June, the CommerceDepartment reported. It was the steepest since a 4.9 percent rateduring the second quarter of 1994. But the National Association ofPurchasing Management reported U.S. manufacturing growth slowedunexpectedly in July, and the overall economy moderated afterexpanding strongly in June.

Bonds staged the biggest rally Thursday in almost four months asthe survey of manufacturers signaled slowing growth that could curbinflation.

The recently pummeled stock market followed bonds with a biggain. With growing worries about the strength of corporate earningsin the second half of this year and in 1997, the level of interestrates has again become a key determinant of stock prices.

Thursday's data followed the government's report Tuesday onsecond-quarter labor costs, which also sparked a mild rally in bonds.Analysts said that report, too, was mixed, showing considerableupward pressure on white-collar wages, whereas the overall growth inlabor costs was slightly below expectations.

Greenspan has warned that he would consider strong growth inwages to be potentially inflationary, forcing the Fed to boostinterest rates in an attempt to keep the economy from overheating.

Investors assume that if the Fed begins to tighten rates, itwill continue to do so until it is sure the economy is slowing.After one Fed move, "the market begins discounting the next move,"said Philip Braverman, economist at DKB Securities in New York.

That was the vicious cycle of 1994: Nearly every Fed boost inshort rates led to higher bond yields, as investors continually beton more to come.

But Lehman Bros. economist Stephen Slifer notes an importantdifference between 1994 and today: The Fed was boosting short-termrates from a much lower level - 3 percent compared with 5.25 percenttoday. In theory, that should mean that Greenspan & Co. don't haveto tighten as much to get the desired effect if they still think anincrease is necessary.

With the purchasing managers survey suggesting Thursday that theFed doesn't have to tighten credit, economist David Jones of AubreyLanston & Co. says the 30-year T-bond yield could rapidly fall backto 6.75 percent.

Obviously, that's what the troubled stock market wants to see.But if the bond-market bears have it right and yields jump again, thestock-market bears see another plunge in prices and soon.

Corporate insiders, who were dumping their own companies' sharesat a record pace in the spring as prices soared, have slowed thatselling considerably in recent weeks as the market tumbled,insider-trackers report.

CDA Investnet/Insiders' Chronicle newsletter says the ratio ofinsiders' open-market transaction sales to buys has slid from 4.2 to1 in late June to 1.8 to 1 in the week ended Sunday. Thetransactions are tracked by insiders' required filings with theSecurities and Exchange Commission.

Bob Gabele, editor of the newsletter, said the abatement ofselling is a good sign, suggesting that insiders don't want to let goof shares at current depressed prices. But Gabele also said thereisn't yet any sign of heavy insider buying - the signal that wouldindicate insiders see current share prices as bargains.

Los Angeles Times writer Tom Petruno's column appears Tuesdaysand Fridays.

Dido talks about becoming a mother, new album

NEW YORK (AP) — Dido does not know the sex of her baby, but she is not going wait until her due date to find out.

"I'm too curious," the British singer-songwriter said in a recent interview. "It's enough of a surprise on the day."

Dido is due to have her first child this summer. Its already has been a big year: She was nominated for an Academy Award for best song for co-writing "If I Rise" from the movie "127 Hours," and is finishing up a new album.

"I'm nearly done," she said last month about her coming album. "Music will just start coming out as this year goes on."

Dido, perhaps best known stateside for the song "Thank You," which was sampled by Eminem for "Stan," said her new record brings her back to her electronic roots. She is once again working with her brother, Rollo Armstrong, as well as other producers.

"It's been a thoroughly enjoyable record," she said. "It's a real mix, and in a funny sort of way, it's a mix of everything, some sort of big electronic extravaganza. It's much more electronic than the last record."

"Safe Trip Home," which was released in 2008, was Dido's last studio album. She is more eager to perform in front of fans with her new album.

"... I didn't want to tour that record for a really long time, partly because it was a really dark record and stuff, whereas this record, apart from anything, there's a lot of really fun stuff on this record," the 39-year-old said.

Of course, before Dido goes on the road, she will be dealing with her first priority: her new baby. She did not perform at the Oscars because of her pregnancy, and after the baby is born, she plans to take time off. But for the moment, she is enjoying the "very exciting" time in her life.

"There's a real calmness about it which I think is really nice. Your decisions are sort of made for you," she said, laughing. "You just have this priority that is unchangeable, and I think that's a great calmness that comes from that."

___

Online:

http://www.didomusic.com

Activist-actor Martin Sheen to receive medal from Notre Dame for helping others

Activist-actor Martin Sheen will be honored by the University of Notre Dame with its Laetare Medal for his humanitarian work, the school announced Sunday.

Sheen, who played a U.S. president who was a Notre Dame graduate in the TV series "The West Wing," is to receive the medal at the school's May 18 commencement.

Since 1883, the Laetare Medal has been awarded annually to a Catholic "whose genius has ennobled the arts and sciences, illustrated the ideals of the church and enriched the heritage of humanity."

Past recipients include President John F. Kennedy, former Supreme Court Justice William J. Brennan Jr. and former U.S. House Speaker Thomas P. "Tip" O'Neill Jr.

Sheen has used his recognition as an actor to help others, said the university's president, the Rev. John I. Jenkins.

"He has used that celebrity to draw the attention of his fellow citizens to issues that cry out for redress, such as the plight of immigrant workers and homeless people, the waging of unjust war, the killing of the unborn and capital punishment," Jenkins said.

Sheen, 67, describes himself as a Catholic peace activist. He has been arrested for taking part in nonviolent demonstrations against various U.S. military policies, and has donated money and time to such causes as the alleviation of poverty and homelessness, human rights for migrant workers and environmental protection.

Pakistan beats Windies by 10 wickets, into semis

DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) — Pakistan thrashed West Indies by 10 wickets on Wednesday to secure the first place in the World Cup semifinals.

Scores: Pakistan 113-0 (Mohammad Hafeez 61 not out, Kamran Akmal 47 not out) def. West Indies 112 (Shavnarine Chanderpaul 44 not out, Ramnaresh Sarwan 24; Shahid Afridi 4-30, Mohammad Hafeez 2-16, Saeed Ajmal 2-18)

China pingpong team expected to rake in gold in the national sport

Pingpong isn't just a game in China _ it's a matter of national identity and pride for a country of 1.3 billion people.

No wonder China's six-member squad is feeling weighed down as the Beijing Olympics near. Not only are they expected to win, fans in the world's most populous country expect them to chop, block and smash right through the competition.

"Coming in second is the same as failing. That's what's so hard about pingpong," said Zhang Yining, who won gold in women's singles and doubles at the Athens Games four years ago. "It's the national sport, so that's why we face the most pressure."

Americans generally think of it as a rainy day game for the basement, but table tennis (it's actually called pingpong here) is an integral part of China's identity, right up there with the pandas, the distinctive food and the Great Wall.

"Pingpong is my responsibility, it's my job ... Right now the most important thing is that I do it well," veteran women's team member Wang Nan said during a training camp where athletes had as many as three workout sessions a day.

Forehands, backhands, serves, loops _ the athletes hit them all with robotic accuracy during a three-hour practice, keeping plastic washbasins filled with balls nearby to move the drills along.

Their success is due in large part to the country's systematic approach, identifying promising kids when they are 5 or 6 years old, then training them through a Soviet-style system until they wash out or make the national team.

It doesn't hurt that Chinese players live and practice every day with the best: Their teammates. National team players train six days a week, eating together in cafeterias and living together in dorms. Curfew is at 10 p.m., extended as late as midnight on Saturday.

There's little personal time and most Chinese pingpong athletes have just a few simple hobbies: Watching TV, reading, surfing the Internet. Wang Liqin on the men's team enjoys watching "Heroes" and "Prison Break"; Zhang keeps a couple of copies of Cosmopolitan magazine on her nightstand.

"Being an athlete, you lose a lot and gain very little. If I could do it again, I wouldn't choose to be an athlete," said 26-year-old Zhang, who started playing table tennis before she even turned 5. "If you slack off just a little bit, you won't be able to get the result you want."

Yet the strict program has created the deepest team in the world.

The Chinese Olympic team is so good that in June it held the top four spots in the world rankings for men and women.

The group included three-time world champion and Sydney gold medalist Wang Liqin and three-time Olympic gold medalist Wang Nan on the women's side. Both will be competing in Beijing.

The rest of the Olympic squad members are Wang Hao and Ma Lin on the men's squad, and Zhang and Guo Yue of the women's team.

Former Chinese players also fill table tennis rosters around the world. Gao Jun, who won a women's doubles silver for China in Barcelona, will compete for the U.S. this summer. She will be joined by other former Chinese nationals who now play for countries as varied as Spain, the Netherlands, the Dominican Republic and Republic of Congo.

History plays a role in table tennis' popularity.

The sport helped open China to the world after more than 20 years of self-imposed isolation. "Pingpong diplomacy" matches with the United States in 1971 eventually led to Communist Party leaders opening up the country again. Now, 37 years later, China will be hosting the world in its capital for three weeks this summer.

Pingpong's also a simple, all-ages game that doesn't require expensive equipment. Though Chinese cities are wealthy, its vast rural areas are still quite poor. But nearly everyone has the means to play. All that's needed is a table (sometimes it's just a slab of concrete), two paddles and a hollow celluloid ball. Bricks or empty cans can easily stand in for a missing net.

Competition at the Beijing Olympics kicks off on Aug. 13 and will last 11 days in a brand-new 8,000-seat stadium on the campus of Peking University, built specifically to host the competition. Tickets sold out months ago.

China will be looking to sweep all four of the sport's gold medals, which it has done twice since table tennis made its Olympic debut at the 1988 Seoul Games.

The men's singles will be the one to watch, with the event twice preventing China from completing a gold medal sweep. Potential spoilers include reigning Olympic champion Ryu Seung Min of Korea and top European players Timo Boll of Germany and Vladimir Samsonov of Belarus.

There's no question what's at stake for the Chinese athletes. When asked whether winning a gold medal was an individual accomplishment or an accomplishment for the country, Wang Nan answered without even blinking.

"The country," she said, then nodded for the interviewer to ask the next question.

Parents in maddie tape plea

Madeleine McCann's parents called on French police to let themview video footage of a reported sighting of their little girl.

The request after Dutch tourist's claim that she had seen themissing four-year-old in Montpellier, France.

Melissa Fiering, 18, believes she saw Madeleine - missing after vanishing from a holiday apartment in Portugal last May - in aservice station restaurant.

Police have said CCTV showed the child was not Maddie, butparents Kate and Gerry McCann have asked to see the footage.

Vlasic vs. Jelimo for Golden Jackpot

High jumper Blanka Vlasic and 800 runner Pamela Jelimo will compete at the Van Damme Memorial on Friday in a bid to win the Golden League's million-dollar jackpot, the richest prize in athletics.

Usain Bolt already has three of the biggest trophies this year because of his triple Olympic gold and world record feat in Beijing and will be looking to beat his 100 mark for the third time this season in his last dash before returning to Jamaica for a vacation.

Jelimo has reigned supreme over the 800 this season, appearing out of nowhere to win the first five of the six Golden League meets before capping it with a dominating performance in Beijing to win Olympic gold.

So Vlasic should not count on the Kenyan teenager to crack under the pressure at the final Golden League meet. Instead, the Croatian should make sure she handles the weight of expectations herself _ for once.

If the two remain perfect in the six Golden league meets, they will split the US$1-million (euro690,000) pot.

Vlasic came into the Olympics on a 34-competition winning streak, an overwhelming favorite to take gold. Yet she faltered when it counted, losing to Belgium's Tia Hellebaut in a close final, where a countback on 2.05 meters made the difference.

And Vlasic should have no doubt who the 50,000 fans at the King Baudouin stadium will root for on Friday.

Hellebaut overcame early season tendon trouble to peak at the right moment and give Belgium its only gold at the Beijing Games. After already winning the 2006 European title over the favored Vlasic, the Belgian proved again she was at her best where Vlasic seems to falter on big occasions.

Throughout the season, Vlasic had been chasing the golden jackpot, Olympic gold and a world record of 2.10 meters. She will be lucky to escape with a share of jackpot on Friday.

In the 100 meters, the two fastest men ever will line up against each other. Besides Bolt, looking to improve on his record of 9.69 seconds, meet organizer Wilfried Meert also contracted Asafa Powell, who matched the second fastest time ever of 9.72 on Tuesday. World champion Tyson Gay, who ran a wind-aided 9.68 this summer, pulled out late Thursday.

Bolt said he is no longer affected by a lingering cold and has overcome the jet lag of his intercontinental flight from Beijing. On top of that, he feels loose. He promised to give it his all, but can already look back on such an exceptional season that another record does not really matter.

"I want to stay injury free," he said, adding he will need a special warmup program in Belgian temperatures that might not exceed 16C (61F) on Friday night.

"I don't like the cold," he said.

Powell figures as his main threat after Tuesday's race, when he set a personal best by two-hundredths and was one-tenth faster than his previous season's best, run in Monaco before his relative loss of form on the Olympic stage where he finished fifth.

At least with Powell there, Bolt will likely have to run full speed the whole 100 meters on Friday.

While Bolt wants to avoid injury, Gay is seeking to come back from one and said the cold weather in prospect was too risky.

"I would not like to get injured again," said Gay, who hurt his hamstring in July and had not recovered sufficiently for the Olympics, where he was eliminated in the semifinals.

One thing is sure, it will be goodbye for European sprint champion Kim Gevaert. After anchoring the Belgian relay to a surprise silver medal at the Olympics, she will run her last race before her home crowd.

"Make sure to bring some Kleenex," Meert said.

British Police Arrest 5th Terror Suspect

GLASGOW, Scotland - British officials intensified the hunt Sunday for what they called an al-Qaida-linked network behind three attempted terrorist attacks, announcing a fifth arrest and conducting pinpoint raids across a country on its highest level of alert.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown said "it is clear that we are dealing, in general terms, with people who are associated with al-Qaida." He warned Britons that the threat would be "long-term and sustained" but said the country would not cowed by the plot targeting central London and Glasgow's airport.

"We will not yield, we will not be intimidated and we will not allow anyone to undermine our British way of life," he said in a nationally televised interview.

A British government security official said a loose countrywide network appeared to be behind the attacks but investigators were struggling to pin down suspects' identities - even two arrested after they drove a Jeep Cherokee into Glasgow's main airport terminal Saturday and set it ablaze.

"These are not the type of people who always carry identity documents, or who use their real identities," the official said on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the inquiries. "Very little has been gleaned so far from the biological data."

He said police and MI5, the internal security agency, did not know if the suspects were British born, from overseas, or some combination of the two, and officials released few other details of the investigation.

Two men rammed the Jeep into the airport entrance, shattering the glass doors and igniting a raging fire. One of the suspects, his body in flames after the attack, was taken to the nearby Royal Alexandra Hospital, where police on Sunday carried out a controlled explosion on a vehicle they said also could be linked to the plot.

On Friday, authorities thwarted coordinated bomb attacks in central London after an ambulance crew outside a nightclub spotted smoke coming from a Mercedes that turned out to be rigged with gasoline, gas canisters and nails. A second Mercedes filled with explosives was found hours later in an impound lot, where it was towed for parking illegally.

"We are learning a great deal about the people involved in the attacks here in Glasgow and in the attempted attacks in central London. The links between them are becoming ever clearer," Peter Clarke, head of Scotland Yard's counterterrorist unit, said in Scotland.

"I'm confident, absolutely confident, that in the coming days and weeks we will be able to gain a thorough understanding of the methods used by the terrorists, the way in which they planned their attacks and the network to which they belong."

Britain raised its terror alert to critical - the highest possible level - and the U.S. homeland security chief, Michael Chertoff, said air marshals would be added to overseas flights.

"Al-Qaida has imported the tactics of Baghdad and Bali to the streets of the U.K.," said Lord Stevens, Brown's terrorism adviser, referring to the 2002 and 2005 attacks on the Indonesian resort island that killed more than 200 people and the daily car bombings in the Iraqi capital.

Heathrow Airport's terminal 3 was briefly closed Sunday night after a suspect package was found, but reopened once police confirmed the item was safe, authorities said.

Late Saturday, police arrested two people - a 26-year-old man and a 27-year-old woman - on a highway in Cheshire, northern England, London's Scotland Yard said. On Sunday, Staffordshire police said they also searched at least one home in nearby Newcastle-Under-Lyme.

And in Liverpool late Saturday, police arrested a 26-year-old man and then searched two homes on a road near Penny Lane, made famous by the Beatles song of the same name.

Officers also searched a residential area about a mile from Glasgow's airport and, at the Royal Alexandra Hospital, carried out a controlled explosion on the suspicious vehicle.

"It is believed that this car is connected to yesterday's incident at Glasgow International Airport," Strathclyde Police said in a statement. Police said no explosives were found, but gave no other details.

On a street in Glasgow where a house was being searched, officers carried crates of items out of the building into the night.

Brian Harvey, a 60-year-old builder who lives on the street, said he had seen a green sports utility vehicle parked earlier outside the property being searched.

"I saw a green vehicle, a Jeep Cherokee, it seemed unusual, strange over here," Harvey said, explaining most other vehicles on the street were more modest.

Vigilance was already heightened ahead of the anniversary of Britain's first suicide attacks, the July 7, 2005, London transit bombings in which four British-bred Muslims killed themselves and 52 commuters on three subway trains and a bus.

Clarke said forensic examinations of all three vehicles in the latest attacks were producing valuable information, and that officers were reviewing thousands of hours of closed-circuit television footage from central London.

"It is helping us to piece together the events of the past few days, I have to say though this process will take many weeks to complete," Clarke said.

Glasgow's Assistant Chief Constable John Malcolm identified the car used in the attack as a green Jeep Cherokee with the license plate L808RDT and asked whether anyone had seen it during the days before the attack. He also appealed for any personal photographs or videos of the attack itself.

He said the man hospitalized was the driver and identified the other man as a 27-year-old. He declined to provide other details.

John Smeaton, who saw the attack, said one of the men shouted "Allah, Allah" as he was detained.

Police did not say whether the SUV that struck Glasgow airport carried explosives, but photographs of forensic officers inspecting the charred vehicle on Sunday showed several gas canisters next to it.

Glasgow airport reopened Sunday, although some flights were canceled. Cars were not allowed to drive up to the terminal building, and a tow truck arrived to remove the crashed Jeep.

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On the Net:

http://www.glasgowairport.com

---

Associated Press Writer David Stringer contributed to this report from London.

Ferguson salutes Tevez after his equalizer against Blackburn takes Man U three points clear

If Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson wins his 10th English Premier League title, he will reserve special praise for Carlos Tevez.

The Argentina striker scored an 86th-minute equalizer for the Red Devils to draw 1-1 at Blackburn on Saturday and move three points ahead of second-place Chelsea with three rounds left.

"He's fantastic, the lad," Ferguson said. "It's five (crucial goals) this season, if you include equalizing goals and late goals that have got us points, and it's another one."

Tevez headed in the 18th goal of his first season for Man United to ensure it can effectively defend its title by beating Chelsea at Stamford Bridge next week as it currently has a superior goal difference of 18.

"We played like champions," Ferguson said. "It's now to one game _ if we win one game, we will win the league. So, it will be a fantastic game and we'll have to recover from the Barcelona game on Wednesday, but I think we'll cope with that OK."

Ferguson is confident of ending Chelsea's 80-game unbeaten run at home.

"Records are there to be broken," he said. "We've given ourselves a chance, with only three games left. We're approaching that finish line.

"The attitude and character the players showed in the second half _ that was fantastic and I'm really proud of them."

The team that has achieved 20 shutouts had its defense penetrated with ease throughout the first half at a chilly and wind-swept Ewood Park.

Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic missed the ball as Morten Gamst Pedersen's deep throw-in reached Roque Santa Cruz, who blasted in his 20th goal of the season. Meanwhile Blackburn goalkeeper Brad Friedel was a solid barrier, frustrating Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney numerous times.

Ferguson brought Nani on to replace the veteran Ryan Giggs at halftime and United stamped its authority on the second half.

But referee Rob Styles dismissed a string of penalty claims by United, the most clear-cut when Ronaldo was clipped from behind by Johann Vogel.

"He's had some bad decisions against him in the last few weeks and we just have to get on with it," Ferguson said. "The important thing is that we don't let that affect us because if you do, you get a chip on the shoulder and you start worrying about it.

"The players are bigger than that. Just hopefully we don't get any decisions like that against us at Chelsea next week, that would be important."

Before then, United travels to FC Barcelona for the first leg of the Champions League semifinals.

Rooney should be fit despite hurting his hip on Saturday, while goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar is set to recover after injuring his groin in training on Friday to miss Saturday's match.

Meanwhile, Ferguson's son, Darren, was also celebrating on Saturday after coaching his Peterbrough side to promotion to the third-tier of English soccer following a 1-0 victory over Hereford in League Two.

LUNG FUNCTION AND FOUR PHYSICAL PERFORMANCE FUNCTIONAL TESTS IN PERSONS WITH MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS

Purpose/Hypothesis: To describe lung function in ambulatory persons with multiple sclerosis (MS) and evaluate the relationship of respiratory muscle strength and endurance ??: 1 ) pulmonary function tests (PFT), 2) physical performance functional tests (PPFT) and 3) neurological function (EDSS). Number of Subjects: 45 adult, ambulatory, subjects with clinically diagnosed MS participated. Materials/Methods: Multiple factor, cross-sectional design. PFTs !Forced Vital Capacity (FVC), Forced Expiratory Volume in 1 sec. (FEV,), Peak Expiratory Flow (PEF), Total Lung Capacity, Residual Volume] were measured with a VMax metabolic cart (Sensor Medics), lnspiratory and expiratory muscle strength were measured by Maximal lnspiratory and Expiratory Pressure (Plmax, PEmax), and muscle endurance by Maximal Voluntary Ventilation (MVV); functional status by the PPFTs including a 6-Minute Walk Test (6MWT), Functional Stair Test (FST), one-legged Romberg (RMB), 6 repetition Sit to Stand Test (SST); and neurological function by EDSS. Pearson Product Moment Correlations were computed with a level set at p<.05. Results: The FVC, FEV,, TLC, RV, MVV were normal (mean > or = to 80% predicted) whereas FEV/FVC (75 � 10% predicted), PEF (75 � 22%), ER (77 � 47%), PIMAX (72 � 28%), PEMAX (49 � 20%), VT (15 � 4%) were abnormal with mild inspiratory and severe expiratory muscle strength impairment. Mean and standard deviation (X, SD) for the 6MWT were 1101 � 550 ft., FST 12.4� 9.7 sec., RMB 15.4� 9.9 sec. and SST 24.6 � 1 7.0 sec. Average EDSS (3.7 � 1.7) indicate mild to moderate impairment on a scale of O to 10. PEMax was significantly correlated to 6MWT distance (r=0.484, p=0.001 ), FST total time (r=-0.466, p=0.001 ), SST time (r= -0.346, p=0.020), EDSS (r= -0.374, p=0.011), FEV,(r=0.526, p=0.000)and PEF (r=0.627, p=0.000). MVV was significantly correlated to MWT distance (r=0.419, p=0.004), FST total time (r= - 0.492, p=0.001), RMB (r= 0.316, p=0.033), EDSS (r= -0.401, p=0.006), FVC (r=0.749, p=0.000), FEV,(r=0.798 p=0.000), PEF (r=0.727, p=0.000), PIMax (r=0.729, p=0.000), PEMax (r=0.675, p=0.000). Conclusions: Marked expiratory weakness develops in ambulatory persons with MS with minimal to moderate neurological involvement. Clinical Relevance: Several PFT abnormalities are associated with respiratory pump dysfunction, and relate to reduced PPFTs.

[Author Affiliation]

L Pfalzer, D Fry-Welch, E Jackson, A Chokshi, M Wagner. Dept. of Physical Therapy, University of Michigan-Flint, Flint Ml.

5 Patients Sue Over Tainted Syringes

Five people filed a lawsuit Thursday against the manufacturer of a batch of pre-filled syringes that were contaminated with bacteria, claiming they became seriously ill and were hospitalized.

In December, doctors traced numerous infections to heparin-filled syringes used during home treatment for cancer and other ailments. About 40 people in Illinois and Texas became sick, including 20 outpatients from Rush University Medical Center in Chicago.

The syringes are used to flush catheters and intravenous lines.

The lawsuit was filed Thursday against syringe maker and distributor Sierra Pre-Filled of Angier, N.C., by plaintiffs Richard Farr, Tony Johnson, Jeffrey Marlin, Patricia Masterson and Milda Praninskas, who were all Illinois residents and patients at Rush.

Monetary damages the plaintiffs were seeking had not yet been determined, David Rapaport, the plaintiffs' attorney, said Thursday.

All of the patients were hospitalized because of the bacteria, he said. The shortest length was for five days and the longest for nine days.

Dushyant Patel, president of Angier, N.C.-based Sierra Pre-Filled, told The Associated Press on Thursday that he did not know about the new lawsuits and couldn't comment.

Another woman, Katie Abrams, filed in December what Rapaport said he believes was the first lawsuit involving the tainted syringes. Rapaport also represents Abrams.

Rapaport said more lawsuits are likely because his office has heard from several patients since the first case was filed.

On Jan. 18, the Food and Drug Administration and the company recalled all lots and sizes of the heparin and saline pre-filled syringes because the bacteria Serratia marcescens had been located in them. The recall noted that the bacterial infection could lead to serious injury or death.

Consumers who have the recalled syringes should stop using the product immediately, the FDA said. The product was distributed to Florida, Texas, Illinois, Colorado and Pennsylvania.

A previous recall of a single lot of the syringes was made in December.

Latorya loved to dance

A grieving brother and uncle of Latorya McGraw told the Chicago Defender late Tuesday they were not surprised to hear she was at the E2 nightclub when chaos broke out early Monday morning.

After all, they said, "Latorya loved to dance."

Instead of going about their normal Tuesday activities, LilRonald Bright and Harry McGraw stood in front of a makeshift memorial outside the nightclub clutching an 8X10 color photo of the girl they described as "the life of every party."

Now, her brother and uncle have declared a crusade against establishments who skirt the law in favor of the almighty dollar.

"We're going to set up a Latorya McGraw Foundation to address the ignorance of the law and let these club owners know they'll be held accountable," said McGraw, her uncle. "Hopefully, with this foundation, a tragedy like this will never happen again."

"We have to save a lot of lives after this," her brother, Bright, chimed in.

Authorities repeated on Tuesday what they told reporters on Monday, just hours after 21 young adults lost their lives during a stampede at the nightclub: "The club was operating illegally."

However, Andre Grant, an attorney representing the owners of E2, said he had worked out an agreement with the city to keep the club open with restrictions denying use of the special VIP section located above the main dance floor.

Grant said E2 owners and its management are not to blame for what happened. "It occurred because of a group of people under a panic situation," he said. "The tragedy occurred because all of the people went in one direction."

Grant also denied that E2 security sprayed mace or pepper spray, which started the avalanche of people headed for the exits. "It is Epitome Chicago's understanding from its staff and other witnesses that after pepper spray and or mace was dispensed, some patrons mistakenly believed that poisonous gas had been dispensed and a patron or patrons shouted `terrorist attack' and/or `poisonous gas,' which further incited panic among the partygoers.

"The pepper spray and/or mace was not used by Epitome Chicago's security personnel or other Epitome Chicago staff," Grant said. "The pepper spray and/or mace that was dispensed was used by private security personnel hired by the promoter, Envy Entertainment."

Bright said his sister was the life of every party she attended and she just loved to dance.

"She'd say, `I didn't come here to sit down,'" speaking of when a party would start out rather dull, with everyone just sitting around.

"Everywhere she went, nobody would be dancing until she got on the dance floor."

Echoing his nephew, McGraw said "She was a vibrant person. Always the life of the party. She was always on the dance floor," he concluded.

The two said Latorya was raised in Wentworth Gardens and attended Robert S. Abbott Elementary School and Wendell Phillips High School where she earned her diploma in 1996. She also worked at her family's business, a general merchandise store on East 43rd Street.

Latorya is survived by a 6-year-old daughter, Shapara Hicks; her mother, Rochelle McGraw; three sisters, Alicia McGraw, Evyette Welch and T.T. McGraw; two brothers, LilDavid McGraw, Jr. III and Reginald Bright. She was preceded in death by another brother, Reginald Bright (1991).

Funeral services for McGraw will be held Monday night at the First Corinthian Baptist Church, 7500 South Halsted Street beginning at 7 p.m.

Photograph (LilRonald Bright holds picture of his sister LaTorya McGraw)

Telephus Spurge

Euphorbia telephioides

Status	Threatened
Listed	May 8, 1992
Family	Euphorbiaceae (Spurge)
Description	Bushy perennial herb with a stout storage root.
Habitat	Grassy vegetation on poorly drained sandy soils.
Threats	Habitat degradation due to lack of fire and forestry practices.
Range	Florida

Description

The telephus spurge, Euphorbia telephioides, is a bushy-looking perennial herb with a stout storage root. The stems are numerous and up to 11.8 in (30 cm) tall. Both the stems and leaves are glabrous and possess latex. The largest leaves are 1.2-2.4 in (3-6 cm) long, elliptic or oblanceolate. The midrib and margins are usually maroon. The inflorescence is a cyathium. Flowering occurs from April through July.

Habitat

This species is restricted to the Gulf coastal lowlands near the mouth of the Apalachicola River. This species inhabits grassy vegetation on poorly drained, infertile sandy soils. The wettest sites are grassy seepage bogs on gentle slopes at the edges of forested or shrubby wetlands. This species also inhabits grass-sedge bogs (savannahs), which are nearly treeless and shrubless but have a rich flora of grasses, sedges and herbs. Telephus spurge also occurs in scrubby oak vegetation near the shoreline of the Gulf of Mexico.

Grassy savannahs and bogs are maintained by periodic fires. Lightning fires usually occur during the growing season. Fire during the growing season can stimulate and/or synchronize flowering in many species. The Apalachicola region has many endemic plant species, most of them are native to savannahs.

Savannahs have a greater economic value when they are planted with pine trees or converted to pasture. Prior to planting pines, the site is prepared by bedding and using other mechanical methods which are destructive to the vegetation.

This species is associated with the Eastern Gulf Coast Flatwoods. The Kuchler system places this species' habitat within the longleaf-slash pine ecosystem, restricted to flat and irregular southern Gulf coastal plains. Local relief is less than 300 ft (91.4 m). Much of this area is forested. The elevation ranges from sea level to 75 ft (22.8 m). This nearly level low coastal plain is crossed by many large streams, lakes and ponds. The average annual precipitation is 52.2-64.0 in (132.5-162.5 cm). The abundant rainfall and the many perennial streams are important sources of water.

This area supports pine forest vegetation. Chalky bluestem, indian grass, and several panicum species make up the understory. Palmetto, gallberry, and waxmyrtle are the dominant woody shrubs. Long-leaf and slash pine are the major trees. The fauna associated with longleaf-slash pine forest include the white-tailed deer, raccoon, the opossum, tree squirrels, rabbits, and numerous species of ground-dwelling rodents. The bobwhite and the wild turkey are the principal gallinaceous game birds. Resident and migratory nongame bird species are numerous, as are migratory waterfowl.

Distribution

Telephus spurge is known from only 22 sites, all within 4 mi (6.4 km) of the Gulf of Mexico. This plant occurs in Bay, Gulf, and Franklin Counties from Panama City Beach to east of Apalachicola.

Threats

This species has fallen vulnerable to habitat degradation due to lack of prescribed fire and forestry practices. Development of improved cattle pastures has probably destroyed habitat of this species. The forest products industry has modified habitat by planting and harvesting slash pine and by the Forest Service planting of longleaf pine. Site preparation that precedes tree planting may destroy plants. Shading of this species by neighboring grasses and by pine trees after canopy closure most likely adversely affects the species.

Landowner liability for fire has discouraged prescribed burning of pineland in Florida which, also, may have adversely affected this species. The Forest Service conducts some prescribed burns during the growing season to reduce the incidence of Brown-spot infection of longleaf pine seedlings.

Five of 22 known sites are on highway right-of-ways posing a threat if the roads were ever widened.

Conservation and Recovery

Conservation measures provided to species listed as endangered or threatened pursuant to the Act include recognition, recovery actions, requirements for Federal protection, and prohibitions against certain practices. Recognition through listing encourages conservation measures by Federal, international, and private agencies, groups, and individuals.

Contacts

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Regional Office, Division of Endangered Species
1875 Century Blvd., Suite 200
Atlanta, Georgia 30345
http://southeast.fws.gov/

Ecological Services Field Office
1612 June Avenue
Panama City, Florida 32405-3721
Telephone: (904) 769-0552
Fax: 904-763-2177

Reference

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 8 May 1992. "Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Threatened Status for Three Florida Plants." Federal Register 57 (90): 19813-19819.

'Hurry up with that chalupa' may have cost customers $30 Utah Taco Bell worker gets 6 months in jail for credit card fraud

SALT LAKE CITY -- A 21-year-old fast-food employee has beensentenced to probation and six months in jail for double-swiping thecredit cards of customers who irritated him.

Travis Dominguez pleaded guilty to one count of credit card fraud,a third-degree felony. He was accused of double-swiping cards at theTaco Bell where he worked, putting in different amounts on the secondswipe between $20 and $30.

Third District Judge Glenn Iwasaki ordered a psychologicalevaluation and $142.22 restitution, and barred Dominguez fromemployment involving financial transactions.

Dominguez faced five felony counts of unlawful use of a creditcard and single misdemeanor counts of theft and obstruction ofjustice -- and allegedly called police pretending to be a Taco Bellexecutive claiming to have solved the case. AP

GALLERY GLANCE

Vera Klement's work over the years has been a painterly meditationon war and the human consequences of destructive regimes. Her latestwork, now at Maya Polsky Gallery, continues her approach to combininglarge paintings of iconic, symbolic forms, which appear as memorialobjects, with smaller vignettes. Together these compositions createmood poems. This time, she's using photographs, which she sands andscratches to create a sense of age and decay.

The works on paper, a series she calls "War Monodies," referringto the Greek dirge for a single voice, feature severed heads comparedwith forest scenes. The simile between heads and fallen treebranches, body parts and tree limbs, is a carryover from her earlierwork, which draws comparisons between bathtubs and bodies, urns andthe ashes they're meant for. All sacred vessels, these earlier visualcomparisons work. Here, though, nature at large is the point ofcomparison and it seems too broad, while the photographs introduce aliteralness that does not belong in her otherwise highly metaphoricand poetic work.

Vera Klement, Maya Polsky Gallery, 215 W. Superior; (312) 440-0055. Through April 25.

***

Since 1980, Othello Anderson has been photographing Lake Michiganin every season, every weather condition and at every time of day --including pitch-black night -- from the same Fullerton Avenue vantagepoint. Over the years, he's made thousands of photos, and a smallsampling of these -- just 250 -- opens today at City Gallery.

"Lake Affect: Photographs by Othello Anderson," City Gallery,Historic Water Tower, 806 N. Michigan; (312) 742-0808. Through April28.

***

"The Rise and Fall of the National Barn Dance" is an installationthat pays good-humored homage to a time in the 1920s when Chicago wasthe unlikely home to a lively country music scene. The show, whichcoincides with the 80th anniversary April 19 of the first "BarnDance" broadcast on WLS radio, features allegorical portraitpaintings of old radio personalities, text, sculpture of liquordecanters, multimedia historical dioramas and soundworks. Also ondisplay to enhance the semi-faux historical impact of the show willbe real ephemera from the old radio show era, as well as inventedartifacts. The exhibit is a journey of the imagination as well as adeconstructed meditation of the nature of how we tell history.

"The Rise and Fall of the National Barn Dance," Jon Langford andRob Lentz, Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington; (312) 744-1424. Through May 30.

***

Charlie B. Throne's miniature dioramas and relief drawings areconstructed and displayed within lipstick tubes, like ships inbottles but 10 times smaller, averaging about 31/2 inches apiece.

Charlie B. Thorne, Belloc Lowndes Gallery, 835 W. Washington;(312) 455-1040. Through April 30.

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner

MICHAEL WERNER GALLERY

This survey of twenty late paintings by Ernst Ludwig Kirchner is an important if ambiguous event. Even when taking into account the historic achievements of both Der Blaue Reiter (Kandinsky and Company) and Die Br�cke (founded by Kirchner, Karl Schmidt-Rotluff, and Erich Heckel), it seems fair to say that the greater glory of that moment was captured by the French: by Matisse and the Fauvists, by Picasso and the Cubists. Certainly Kirchner's own adaptation of Cubist tropes, the parallelizing and fanning stroke typical of his famous urban scenes of streetwalkers, for example, had, by World War I, already gone far in transforming …

Magic-Cavaliers, Box

…

ORLANDO (102)

Turkoglu 10-18 7-9 29, Lewis 4-13 6-9 15, Howard 8-10 8-13 24, Alston 1-10 0-0 3, Lee 3-5 2-3 9, Pietrus 4-6 2-3 13, Johnson 2-6 2-2 6, Gortat 0-1 1-2 1, Battie 1-3 0-0 2. Totals 33-72 28-41 102.

CLEVELAND (112)

James 11-24 15-19 37, Varejao 3-6 1-2 7, Ilgauskas 6-8 4-5 16, M.Williams 7-14 4-5 24, West 6-13 1-1 13, Gibson 3-5 2-2 11, Wallace 0-2 0-0 0, Szczerbiak 1-3 0-0 2, Pavlovic 0-0 0-0 0, Smith 1-1 0-0 2, Kinsey 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 38-76 27-34 112.

U.S. Stocks Head for Narrowly Mixed Open

NEW YORK - U.S. stocks headed for a narrowly mixed open Friday ahead of a handful of important corporate earnings reports and a day after the Dow Jones industrial average closed above the 14,000 mark for the first time.

Stock futures showed modest moves ahead of quarterly results from Citigroup Inc. and Caterpillar Inc., components of the Dow Jones industrial average. Boston Scientific Corp. and Wachovia Corp. are also expected to weigh in.

Technology shares could see weakness after a strong run Thursday. Google Inc. after the closing bell Thursday turned in a second-quarter profit that fell short of Wall Street's high expectations. In addition, Microsoft Corp. …

A pair of entrepreneur.(Bob Cook, Ed Wilson)(Brief Article)

Ed Wilson and Bob Cook became more than just colleagues while working together at Columbia TriStar Television Distribution in the early '90s--they became entrepreneurs.

Wilson, now president of NBC Enterprises and Syndication, was a sales executive on the rise the time, while Cook, the new president of Twentieth Television, was a marketing expert who handled promotion and advertising on all of the studio's syndication offerings. Wilson and Cook helped Launch Ricki Lake and Seinfeld in off-network syndication.

And after a few years of working together, Cook and Wilson decided that they could do this on their own. So they devised a business plan for their own …

Everything a chemist needs to know about intellectual property.(Event preview: Patents)(Brief article)

WRITING A PATENT is a fundamental way in which chemists protect their discoveries and start the process by which innovation may be converted into financial reward. However, chemists' understanding and knowledge of the process is often experiential and far from complete.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

SCI is combining the experience of patent attorneys operating in a commercial patents practice with the perspective of an industrial patent attorney to enhance chemists' knowledge of the patenting process.

The one-day meeting on 31 October is aimed at chemists from industry and academia who need to develop their understanding of the patenting process. Wherever …

MARJORIE BARTON, 76.(CAPITAL REGION)

Marjorie E. Barton, 76, of New Scotland Road died Wednesday at home after a short illness.

She was born in Holton, Maine, and lived in the Capital Region most of her life.

Mrs. Barton retired in 1984 after 15 years as a mail sorter at the U.S. Postal Service general mail facility in Albany. Before that, she worked at the Watervliet Arsenal, the Sterling Winthrop Co. and B.T. Babbits.

Survivors include two daughters, Kathleen …

Oregon governor outlines climate change agenda

Oregon's governor unwrapped an ambitious 2009 legislative climate change package with proposals for net-zero greenhouse gas emissions for homes and buildings by 2030, with benchmarks to be sure the goal is reached.

Gov. Ted Kulongoski also wants to replace the $1,500 tax credit on hybrid vehicles with a $5,000 credit on all-electric cars and to fund energy efficiency for 800 low-income homes a year.

Oregon already is the highest per-capita user of hybrid cars in the nation, he said Monday, and the tax credit could be better used on promoting all-electric vehicles.

Kulongoski said Oregon can be an important point of entry for such cars and that he …

NU, District 65 schools strike partnership

Northwestern University professors would work with parents,teachers and students at Evanston-Skokie School District 65 under aplan expected to be approved Monday.

Dubbed "Lighthouse Partnership," the three-year collaboration willbe the first of its kind in the area, NU and District 65 officialssaid.

"It is a true synergy, bringing together two great educationalinstitutions in a concerted effort for school improvement," saidDistrict 65 Supt. Hardy Murphy, who will recommending the plan at theboard's bimonthly meeting. "This partnership represents agroundbreaking relationship that will benefit both facilities."

The program is expected to cost about $670,000 to …

GRANTS & AWARDS.

* Case Western Reserve University has been awarded a $4.4 million bequest from the estate of alumnus Sarah Cole Hirsh. Income from the endowment will be used to establish the Sarah Cole Hirsh Institute for Best Nursing Practices Based on Evidence, a $1.25 million professorship in Hirsh's name, and a $1.8 million scholarship and financial aid fund to benefit baccalaureate nursing students. The university has also received a $1.25 million endowment from Shirley Wormser Shapero to be used to establish the Shirley Wormser Professorship in Journalism and Media Writing; and a $1.9 million from the National Institutes of Health to support a four-year project headed by James Kazura, …

Clinging on to the promotion dream.

Buxton Ladies FC 1 Manchester Stingers LFC 2

The year 2004 came to a close for Buxton Ladies FC as they faced old adversaries and league leaders Manchester Stingers on a freezing cold afternoon at Chapel Town FC.

Buxton were without injured duo Louise Hewitt and Laura Cummings, however new signing Amanda Goodwin began her second stint at the club following her recent move Stockport County.

Buxton started the brighter of the two sides in a fast tempo game. They were unlucky not to take the lead early on when following a good positive run from Charlotte Cox she found Amanda Goodwin who checked inside and hit a fierce drive which just flew just over the …

DEPTH FAVORS GOPHERS EIGHT FROM 2001 CHAMPION RETURN.(SPORTS)

Byline: PETE DOUGHERTY Staff writer

As the NCAA Wrestling Championships unfold this week at Pepsi Arena, pockets of fans will begin to cheer for matches that don't even involve an athlete from their school.

Such is the sophistication of the typical NCAA wrestling fan. It also highlights the complex nature of scoring for the championships, which will be contested Thursday through Saturday.

Under any system, Minnesota is the solid favorite to repeat as the team champion. To unseat the Golden Gophers, contenders such as Michigan, Iowa, Oklahoma State and Ohio State will need help from other schools to offset Minnesota's overall balance.

…

PRO-DEMOCRACY IS A MULTI- PARTIED THING.(Perspective)

Byline: James H.K. Bruner

A recent article - "Pro-democracy - Let's try it in Albany" (Sunday Times Union, April 1) - discussed the way the Democratic Party is organized in Albany County. After thoughtfully considering the article, I was driven to the conclusion the best part of it was the pictures.

It was catchy to compare Albany's political scene to the crumbling Communist system and conclude that because the Democratic Party's decision-makers supposedly were in a small group known as the Executive Committee their activities were corrupt or unresponsive. While the author may have been pursuing a catchy angle, he instead delivered a deceptive and derogatory diatribe.

To the perceptive reader, the writer's analogy and …

Honda Fit is small, smart package

Go figure. Even in a bad economic year like 2009, Honda surpassed its original sales projections for its compact Fit hatchback.

Maybe it was the fact the five-door Fit ranks second-best in government gasoline mileage among hatchbacks while offering more cargo space than many larger cars. Perhaps it was the Fit being a consistent "recommended buy" by Consumer Reports magazine. Or was it the fact the Fit is ranked as the best entry compact car in retaining its value after three years of ownership?

The Fit also has been cited as one of the "10 Best Cars" by Car & Driver magazine for every one of the four years that the car has been sold in …

Abbas Dissolves Palestinian Government

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip - A beleaguered Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas declared a state of emergency and disbanded the Hamas-led unity government after the Islamic militant group vanquished its Fatah rivals and effectively took control of the Gaza Strip on Thursday.

Fearful that Hamas' momentum could spread to the West Bank, Fatah went on the offensive there, rounding up three dozen Hamas fighters. Angry militants threw office furniture out a third-story window of the Palestinian parliament building in Ramallah, then set fire to the office of three Hamas lawmakers. A Hamas activist was shot and killed in Nablus, the first person to be killed in the West Bank after days of …

KEEPING UP WITH PEOPLE.

County Treasurer Barbara Cory receives award

Whatcom County Treasurer Barbara Cory has received the Professional Finance Officer award for 2001 from the Washington Finance Officer's Association (WFOA).

The WFOA is a professional association of finance officers from all governmental levels of Washington.

Dottie Whitt earns designations

Dottie Whitt of Grady Financial Services in Bellingham has earned both the Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) and the Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC) from American College, located in Bryn Mawr, Pa. These designations are for individuals seeking career growth in insurance and financial services.

More than 88,000 individuals have been awarded the CLU designation since the college was founded in 1927; more than 35,000 students have been awarded the ChFC designation since 1982.

Hotel receives award

Best Western Heritage Inn General Manager Michael Gommi has announced that the hotel has received the Best Western Director's Award for outstanding quality standards.

The Director's Award recognizes Best …

S*BIO Pte Ltd.(Other News To Note)(Brief article)

S*BIO Pte Ltd., of Singapore, said the FDA has granted orphan drug designation to SB1518, its orally active JAK2 inhibitor for the treatment of myeloproliferative disorder. SB1518 has the potential to interfere with a key mechanism driving the progress of a variety of cancers and other …

RIO CAPACITY QUESTIONED.(LIFE & LEISURE)

Byline: RICH GORDON Selkirk - (Editor's Note: We published two stories on the Diamond Rio unit. Mr. Gordon refers to the second, which appeared in the business section.) Letters to pluggedin@timesunion.com must bear the writer's real name, hometown and daytime phone number for verification purposes. -

The (Diamond) Rio (computer audio unit that stores and …

McIlroy rips through a defenseless Old Course

In the 137 years since the British Open first came to St. Andrews, the Old Course rarely has been such a pushover. Rarer still was the score Rory McIlroy delivered.

Whether it was the luck of the draw or his tantalizing talent really didn't matter.

In conditions so calm that not a hair on his considerable mop was out of place, McIlroy set off on an incredible run into the record book with a 9-under 63 that gave him a two-shot lead on Thursday.

"Going out there this morning with no wind, you're never going to get St. Andrews playing any easier," McIlroy said.

There were 45 rounds in the 60s, 73 players broke par and the …

A Universal Method for Producing Designer Nanomaterials

Researchers at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory's Molecular Foundry have developed a technique by which designer nanomaterials can be created on demand.

Unlike the well-established techniques for making macroscale composites such as fiberglass, until now there have been no general schemes available for making nanoscale composites. The team has shown that nanocomposites with specific properties can be designed and fabricated by first assembling nanocrystals and nanorods coated with organic ligands and then replacing the ligands with clusters of metal chalcogenides, such as copper sulfide. The clusters link to the nanocrystal or nanorod building blocks and help create a stable …

Nomura affirms Henkel's "buy" rating.

(ADPnews) - May 18, 2010 - Nomura said on Tuesday it has maintained its "buy" stance and EUR 46 price target on the shares of German consumer goods maker Henkel (ETR:HEN3), following the upbeat quarter report of rival ITW (NYSE:ITW).

ITW posted yesterday a 19% annual revenue increase for the three months to April 30, 2010.

According to analyst Alex Smith, the figures and outlook of ITW sound encouraging for Henkel. If the …

MOSQUITO FOUND WITH WEST NILE VIRUS.(CAPITAL REGION)

Byline: Associated Press

MINISINK -- A mosquito carrying the West Nile virus has been found in ORange County, officials said.

The county plans to drop larvicide to kill mosquito eggs in all of the county's 20,000 municipal storm drains as soon as next week and to distribute about 30,000 containers of free insect repellent through local pharmacies. It is the first indication the virus has moved beyond the New York City region.

Orange County's Health Department was preparing to declare a public health threat Friday so it could obtain state and federal funding to help defeat the virus. Also Friday, the state Health Department announced it had evidence …

China to Swiss: Don't take Uighurs from Guantanamo

China warned the Swiss government Friday against accepting two Guantanamo inmates as part of President Barack Obama's effort to close the detention center, calling them terrorist suspects who should face Chinese justice.

In a sharply worded statement, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said the pair of ethnic minority Uighurs posed a serious security threat to China, and to Switzerland if it were to offer them a new home.

Switzerland is hoping to curry favor with the Obama administration after last year's drawn-out dispute over wealthy Americans who hid billions of dollars from the Internal Revenue Service in Swiss bank accounts.

The Alpine nation …

Mom to bury son as 'Monster' appears in court.

pretoria: When murder suspect Johan Kotze appears in the Modimolle Magistrate's Court today, his estranged wife, whose gang-rape and mutilation he allegedly orchestrated, will be burying her murdered son.

Mutilated with nails, screwdrivers, pliers and a grinder, his victim, allegedly raped by three men Kotze held at gunpoint, will bury her 20-year-old son. It is alleged Kotze shot the son at close range within earshot of his mother.

Kotze, 50, who looked battered, bruised, bleeding and exhausted, spent yesterday pointing out certain scenes to police. Dubbed the Modimolle Monster, Kotze was spotted on Tuesday night buying food at the Duggans Supermarket and Bakery …