Thursday, March 15, 2012
DO BE DO BE DO
Fitch upgrades rating on Liberty Media
NEW YORK (AP) — Fitch Ratings on Friday upgraded its issuer default rating on Liberty Media LLC and its subsidiary, QVC Inc., saying the impending spinoff of other Liberty divisions will add more stability to the remaining company.
Shareholders of Liberty Media Corp., the conglomerate controlled by John Malone, have approved the spinoff of assets that are part of two Liberty Media tracking stocks — Liberty Capital and Liberty Starz. Those assets, which include the Starz cable channel and the Atlanta Braves baseball team, will be part of a new company, Liberty CapStarz Inc.
With the spinoff, Liberty Media will have its own stock and a group of assets, including QVC, the …
Pellegrini admits uncertainty over Madrid future
Real Madrid coach Manuel Pellegrini acknowledged there is uncertainty over his future on Saturday and defended his record in his first season at the club.
Pellegrini told a news conference that if he is replaced then his successor will "have to beat Barcelona, win 18 home games, total more than 100 points and score more than 100 goals."
Speculation has surrounded the Chilean's future since Madrid was knocked out of the Champions League by Lyon in March. Local media has linked Inter Milan coach Jose Mourinho with the job.
"I don't think Real Madrid is working behind the back of its coach," Pellegrini said. …
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Local scoreboard
SCHEDULE
College
This week's schedule for area colleges, plus WVU and Marshall:
Baseball
Friday - Akron at Marshall, 3 p.m.
Softball
Today - Saturday - West Virginia Conference Tournament.
Women's track
Friday-Saturday - Marshall at Jesse Owens Classic, Columbus, Ohio.
Men's golf
Today-Saturday - Marshall at MAC championships.
High school
This week's schedule for area high school boys and girls sports:
Baseball
Today - Capital at Ripley, 6 p.m.; George Washington atParkersburg South, 6:30 p.m.; Point Pleasant at Herbert Hoover, 5:30p.m.; Sherman at Riverside, 6 p.m.; St. Albans at …
The Mechanism of Amyloid Spherulite Formation by Bovine Insulin
ABSTRACT
The formation of amyloid-containing spherulite-like structures has been observed in some instances of amyloid diseases, as well as in amyloid fibril-containing solutions in vitro. In this article we describe the structure and kinetics of bovine insulin amyloid fibril spherulites formed in the presence and absence of different salts and at different salt concentrations. The general spherulite structure consists of radially oriented amyloid fibrils, as shown by optical microscopy and environmental scanning electron microscopy. In the center of each spherulite, a "core" of less regularly oriented material is observed, whose size decreases when the spherulites are formed in …
US supply trucks resume travel in Pakistan pass
Pakistani security forces escorted container trucks and oil tankers through the Khyber Pass on Monday after Pakistan reopened the supply route critical to transporting supplies to NATO and U.S. troops in Afghanistan.
Pakistan suspended the vehicles from the passageway for a security review last week after militants hijacked several trucks whose load included Humvees bound for the U.S.-led coalition.
On Monday, a dozen or so paramilitary pickups from the paramilitary Frontier Corps joined a convoy of around 30 vehicles as part of new security measures. The escort trucks bore rocket-propelled grenades and heavy machine guns. Earlier, the transport trucks had …
Seeds of vacation plans should be planted now
Plan your summer vacation as far ahead as possible. Many peopleare going to explore America this year, rather than venture intoforeign lands. Many motel chains will offer information aboutaccommodations and rates via their toll-free numbers. Consult theYellow Pages in your phone book. You can obtain tourist and campinginformation from the Illinois Travel Information Center at 310 S.Michigan, Chicago.
Before you leave home, arrange to have a neighbor pick up yourmail and newspaper every day and water your plants. Don't take goodjewelry on trip. It's a constant worry.
Turn off gas and water at the main valve. Tell the police thatyou will be away. Don't pull …
Italian Judge Suspends CIA Trial
MILAN, Italy - An Italian judge on Monday suspended the first trial involving the CIA's extraordinary rendition program until the country's highest court can rule on the case.
The Italian government has asked the Constitutional Court to throw out the indictments against the 26 American defendants, all but one identified by prosecutors as CIA agents.
They are accused of kidnapping an …
Denis Menchov wins key Giro time trial, takes lead
Russia's Denis Menchov took the overall lead at the Giro d'Italia on Thursday after winning a grueling individual time trial. He dedicated his victory in the 12th stage to injured teammate Pedro Horillo Munoz.
Menchov, who rides for Rabobank, overtook Italy's Danilo Di Luca for the pink jersey on a day when riders also had to contend with heat approaching 86 degrees. Di Lucaq finished sixth in the 38-mile leg Thursday and trails Menchov by 34 seconds in the overall standings.
Menchov was timed in 1 hour, 34 minutes, 29 seconds in the route along the coastal area known as Cinque Terre. U.S. rider Levi Leipheimer was second, 20 seconds behind, and Stefano …
Buckeyes aiming high // Kacherski brings fire back to OSU Series: BIG TEN PREVIEW // Ohio State
Perhaps no player in an Ohio State uniform is as brutally honestas linebacker John Kacherski.
At 24, Kacherski is a fifth-year senior and the Buckeyes' elderstatesman, a player who's attempting a comeback after sitting out thelast two years because of injuries to his right knee. His ordealincluded surgery to repair his anterior cruciate ligament.
Like the rest of the world, Kacherski is aware that unlessCooper, whose …
Investigators probe twins' shootings in US
AURORA, Colorado (AP) — Investigators remained baffled Wednesday over a bizarre case in which twin sisters from Australia were mysteriously found at a shooting range south of Denver with gunshot wounds to the head.
They are trying to determine if it was a shootout, a failed murder-suicide or a suicide pact, while investigating why the 29-year-old sisters came to the U.S. on cultural exchange visas.
Complicating matters is the fact that investigators have had difficulty determining which sister died because they look so much alike. One sister was killed, and the other was upgraded Wednesday from critical to serious condition.
Authorities said the sisters were in the same …
Dollar drops as markets leap ahead of election
The dollar mostly fell against the other major currencies in early New York trading Tuesday as stocks soared ahead of the U.S. presidential election and credit conditions eased.
The Dow Jones industrials leaped nearly 300 points in late morning trading, while European markets gained as traders anticipated half-point rate cuts from the Bank of England and European Central Bank. Japanese equities also closed up 6.3 percent.
The 15-nation euro rose to $1.2963 in midmorning trading in New York Tuesday from $1.2627 late Monday, while the British pound rose to $1.6073 from $1.5821.
The dollar has risen in recent months as equities dropped and lending …
Airbus considering dropping A400M military plane
Airbus on Tuesday increased pressure on European governments to agree a new contract for the troubled A400M military plane, saying it is considering scrapping the project just weeks after its maiden flight.
Airbus spokesman Stefan Schaffrath said the company has prepared lists of engineers working on the A400M who could be transferred to civilian programs instead if the military plane project "continues to contribute to a loss."
He urged the governments involved in the program to reach a decision on whether to continue financing it by the end of this month.
The A400M had its maiden flight last month in Spain.
The program was launched six years ago with an order for 180 planes from seven governments _ Belgium, Britain, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Spain and Turkey. The project is running at least three years late and over budget.
The original price was euro20 billion ($29.5 billion), but a preliminary report by auditors PricewaterhouseCoopers said parent company EADS might need an extra euro5 billion _ inflating the final bill by 25 percent.
Defense ministers from the seven countries agreed in July to re-negotiate the contract after EADS missed a March 31 contract deadline for the first flight.
Cash-strapped governments have balked at paying more for the planes, and negotiations have so far failed to find a compromise _ notably over EADS' demand for more money.
EADS hopes governments will either pay more for the planes or reduce the number of planes on order. Other options on the table include reducing the specifications, or spreading increased payments out over time.
Union leaders expressed concern about possible job losses if the project ends _ a possibility they say has already been raised by Airbus CEO Tom Enders.
"Mr. Enders told me himself that he seriously considers backing out of the A400M," said Bernhard Stiedl, a spokesman for Germany's powerful IG Metall union. "He said the project cannot be realized cost-effectively and is therefore not profitable for Airbus," Steidl said.
Abandoning the project would cost EADS euro5.7 billion ($8.4 billion) in advance payments it would have to return to governments _ and would dent its credibility. It has already put aside euro2.4 billion in provisions against losses related to the plane.
EADS reports its full year results on March 10 and analysts will be looking for more certainty on how much the program is going to cost the company.
Enders has said that he would prefer to end the project than let it continue hurting the company.
"Better an end with horror than a horror without end," he was quoted as saying in German media last year.
___
Associated Press Writers Angela Charlton in Paris and Kirsten Grieshaber in Berlin contributed to this report.
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Expense, Risk of Trial Led Rosty to Bargain
Former U.S. Rep. Dan Rostenkowski decided to plead guilty tofederal corruption charges after analyzing the risks - andconsiderable expense - of going to trial before a District ofColumbia jury and a tough judge, friends said.
The prison sentence that Rostenkowski reportedly has agreed toaccept - up to 17 months - is longer than the six months he wouldhave received under a plea bargain considered before his indictmenttwo years ago.
But it's also much shorter than the four years he could havereceived if convicted at trial of all 13 counts against him.Rostenkowski's guilty plea is expected sometime this week -possibly today - if the former House Ways and Means chairman doesn'tchange his mind, sources said. He was scheduled to go on trial nextmonth.Asked how Rostenkowski was feeling about his decision, onefriend said: "It's pretty rough. On the other hand, it's alsoover."Rostenkowski could not be reached for comment. A spokesman forthe U.S. attorney's office declined comment, as did Rostenkowski'slawyer, Dan K. Webb, through his secretary.A guilty plea by Rostenkowski would end a four-year ordeal inwhich he will have lost his reputation, his powerful office and, now,his freedom.He has spent at least $2.7 million on lawyer bills - some of itfrom campaign funds and the rest from a legal defense fund.Rostenkowski's campaign coffers are now empty. Because he isout of office, he no longer has to report anything about his legaldefense fund. But associates said all the money in the defense fundhas either been spent or committed to Rostenkowski's lawyers - led byWebb, a formerU.S. attorney now at Winston & Strawn.The additional $1 million that it would have cost to go to trialwas said to be a key factor in Rostenkowski's decision. Friends saidhe was tired of asking for money. It also is believed thatRostenkowski was loath to deplete his family fortune.Rostenkowski also was thought to be concerned about how he wouldbe perceived by a District of Columbia jury and how he would betreated by U.S. District Judge Norma Holloway Johnson.Earlier this year, a D.C. jury convicted Robert Russo, a formerRostenkowski employee who has Parkinson's disease, of lying to agrand jury about being a ghost payroller for the congressman.Johnson sentenced Russo to 10 months in prison and said from thebench: "You know, having lived in Chicago, what can happen to acommunity and a state if our justice system is not working."Johnson will have to approve any plea arrangement.Under the tentative deal, Rostenkowski would plead guilty to twoof the 13 counts. In addition to the 17-month prison sentence,Rostenkowski would pay a $100,000 fine.Federal law would require Rostenkowski to serve at least 85percent of his 17-month sentence - or more than 14 months.Before his indictment in 1994, Rostenkowski's lawyers, then ledby Robert S. Bennett, were close to a deal in which he would havereceived six months in prison and paid a $38,000 fine. He also wouldhave had to resign. That's no longer an issue, since Rostenkowskilost to Republican Michael P. Flanagan in 1994.It is not known what specific admissions Rostenkowski plans tomake, although he apparently will not concede all the accusationsmade against him in the indictment, which alleged that he stolenearly $700,000 in federal and campaign funds.Rostenkowski was accused of embezzling money from the House PostOffice, charging the government for gifts purchased from the Housestationery store, buying personal cars with public and campaign fundsand loading his payroll with ghost workers who conducted personalbusiness for him.Admitting guilt in the House Post Office allegations was knownto be a particular sticking point with Rostenkowski in earlier pleanegotiations.Newsweek magazine reported that Rostenkowski will admit topayroll and stationery store abuses.
4.7-Magnitude Quake Shakes Hawaii Island
HILO, Hawaii - The largest earthquake to hit a part of Volcanoes National Park in nearly 50 years shook up visitors Thursday, but no injuries or damage were reported, officials said.
The earthquake was centered near the Kilauea volcano, on Hawaii's Big Island, where lava flows to the ocean.
The U.S. Geological Survey's Hawaiian Volcano Observatory said the temblor was the largest in that area for at least 50 years. Since 1998, only a few earthquakes with magnitudes greater than 4.0 have occurred there, at shallow depths.
The park is warning visitors to be careful near Halemaumau Crater, at the summit of Kilauea. The earthquake widened cracks and existing fractures, leading to dangerous conditions near the rim, said Mardie Lane, park spokeswoman.
The area is one of the most popular parts of the park and is revered by Native Hawaiians as the home of Pele, goddess of the volcano.
A 6.7-magnitude earthquake struck in October near the Big Island, causing millions of dollars in damage but no deaths or serious injuries.
EU to begin anti-piracy mission next week
A European Union flotilla will begin anti-piracy operations off the coast of Somalia next week, the EU's foreign policy chief said Wednesday.
The six warships and three maritime reconnaissance aircraft will replace a NATO naval force that has been patrolling the region and escorting cargo ships carrying relief aid to Somalia since the end of October.
Although the NATO ships have successfully delivered nearly 30,000 tons of humanitarian supplies to the impoverished nation, they have not been able to stem the upsurge in pirate attacks on foreign shipping in one of the most important shipping lanes in the world.
Foreign policy chief Javier Solana said the EU warships will arrive Monday, and the hand-over with the NATO force will take place Dec. 15.
Officials said France, Greece, Germany and Britain will provide ships for the initial naval contingent, and France and Italy will provide patrol aircraft. The contingents will be rotated every three months, and at least four vessels will remain on station at all times.
The task force _ codenamed Operation Atalanta _ will be the EU's first naval operation. It will have the same duties as the NATO mission, including escorting cargo vessels, protecting merchant ships and deterring pirate attacks.
"These tasks will be done with very robust rules of engagement," Solana told reporters on the sidelines of a meeting of NATO foreign ministers.
The NATO ministers agreed on Monday to ask the U.N. Security Council to clarify the legal issues involved in the anti-piracy effort. Under the current U.N. mandate, the international fleet operating off the Horn of Africa has not been able to board ships seized by the pirates in order to free their hostages.
On Wednesday, ministers said they would also consider the possibility of deploying a follow-up anti-piracy mission to assist the EU ships.
"NATO stands ready to consider further requests for the use of alliance naval assets to combat piracy in the region," the meeting's communique said.
NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer said the alliance's military authorities are already discussing the possibility of a follow-up mission.
"No decisions have been taken, but in the long term there is much work to be done," he told journalists at the conclusion of the two-day meeting.
On Tuesday, NATO reported that an Italian destroyer, Luigi Durand de la Penne, prevented the hijacking of five merchant vessels in the Gulf of Aden. The destroyer positioned itself between the small pirate boats trying to board the cargo ships and used its helicopter to repel them.
Besides the NATO ships, 10 other warships from the United States, India, Russia and Malaysia are patrolling the region at present.
Pirates have attacked 32 vessels and hijacked 12 of them since the NATO operation was launched on Oct. 24. About 50 cargo ships transit daily through the Gulf of Aden, a waterway that links the Indian Ocean with the Suez Canal and the Mediterranean Sea.
Defender bus takes route to Pittodrie
Dons winger Jeffrey de Visscher reckons Dutch trialist Dave Buscould be the ideal replacement for Zander Diamond, writes AndyGroundwater.
Bus will begin a four-day trial with Aberdeen tomorrow, and withDiamond expected to leave, de Visscher reckons the 29-year-old couldtake his place.
De Visscher, who played with Bus at Dutch side de Graafschapsaid: "Dave is a big, tall, strong defender, has impressive stamina and never gets tired.
"He loves to get one on one with a striker, and is very good inthose situations.
"He is a bit like Zander. He is the same height and the samebuild, but a little bit faster than Zander.
"Dave plays most of the time in the middle of defence, but canplay at full-back as well.
"The Scottish game will suit him better than the Dutch.
"He can easily tackle strikers, particularly in a one on onesituation.
"He always gives 100% and loves training.
"You knew in training that if you got past him, you would have tobe quick or he would get back and tackle you. He is always verycompetitive."
Bus has been out of the picture at de Graafschap, but deVisscher, who joined from the Eredivisie side last summer, reckonsBus will fit in well at Pittodrie.
He said: "Dave is a nice person, and not glamorous at all.
"He is a very down to earth, normal guy.
"He came from the amateurs to de Graafschap, and was the club'splayer of the year in 2005/2006.
"A lot of clubs were interested in him after that, but he decidedto stay where he was."
Dons boss Jimmy Calderwood, whose son Scott recommended Bus,said: "Dave can play in a number of defensive positions. He didvery well in his first couple of seasons there and he is a player Iknow is rated highly."
Bus said: "I have learned in football you must rule out nothing.We will see what happens at Aberdeen.
"Scotland could be a lot of fun."
Jackson won't rule out D.C. run
The Rev. Jesse L. Jackson Saturday refused to rule out a run formayor of Washington, D.C., although he expressed irritation at newsreports he was considering such a move.
A mayoral run would likely take Jackson out of the 1992 race forthe Democratic presidential nomination.
"I have no plans to run for mayor," Jackson said after anOperation PUSH meeting here. He added he would never run againstincumbent Marion S. Barry Jr., a longtime friend and political ally.
Barry, however, may not seek a fourth term because his relationswith a man charged with drug trafficking are being investigated byfederal and local authorities.
Saturday's editions of the Washington Post and New York Timesreported that Jackson is considering the run because of Barry'scontinuing troubles.
Jackson's legal residence is in Chicago, but he also owns aboarded-up house in Washington that he bought for $100,000 in 1985.He recently applied for building permits for a $180,000 renovation.
Jackson denied Saturday the renovation has anything to do withpolitics. "It is cost-efficient to rehab the house this time ofyear," he said. "I do a lot of work out of Washington and having ahome out there is less expensive."
Jackson plans to meet with an architect this week and hopes tohave the house in living condition soon, aides said.
Jackson reportedly is considering shifting his voting address toWashington this summer and moving when the house is finished.
He also has reportedly feels told aides it would be a mistakefor him to seek the presidential nomination in 1992 because herealizes he could end up a three-time loser by time he is 51.
Although Jackson said he would never run against Barry, he hasbeen quoted as saying if Barry was not running, "that's a differentset of circumstances."
Jackson may feel Barry's political troubles have deepened to thepoint he may have to step aside. Jackson has reportedly beenencouraging efforts to find a business or academic post for Barry.
Barry said in a statement Friday that "from all indications Ihave received, the Rev. Jackson is not interested in running formayor of Washington, D.C., regardless of whether I run or not."
Barry said there is a "60-40 percent chance" he would seekanother term in November, 1990. He has not yet announced formationof a campaign finance commmittee, a move expected weeks ago.
D.C. candidates for mayor must liver there for one year prior toany general election. So Jackson would have to move to Washington byearly November if he plans to run for mayor.
Aides said Mayor Daley's recent victory over two black opponentscould be a key factor in Jackson's reported decision to run for D.C.mayor.
Jackson endorsed former Mayor Eugene Sawyer in the primary andAld. Timothy C. Evans (4th) in the general election.
A number of Chicago's black leaders have reportedly urgedJackson to remain here and help unify the black community.
By serving as D.C. mayor, Jackson would be able to answercritics who say he has no administrative ability and lacks experienceto serve in elective office.
Agriculture futures trade higher on the CBOT
| Wheat for July delivery surged 37.25 cents to $6.745 a bushel, while July corn jumped 17 cents to $4.4575 a bushel and July oats rose 3 cents to $2.54 a bushel. Soybeans for July delivery advanced 34.5 cents to $12.185 a bushel. | |||
| Meanwhile, beef and pork futures fell on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. | |||
| June live cattle lost 0.8 cent to 80.52 cents a pound | August feeder cattle dropped 1.58 cents to $1.0017 a pound | June lean hogs slid 1.17 cents to 62.75 cents a pound | and July pork bellies fell 1 cent to 71.6 cents a pound. |
Red Wings look to overcome Penguins' whiteout
How do you paint a town red when everyone in the enemy rink is covered completely in white?
Just ask the Detroit Red Wings, who have their sights set on winning their second straight Stanley Cup championship in the heart of steel country.
It could easily be called steal country this year. If Detroit is going to capture the Cup for the 12th time on Tuesday night, they will have to do it by escaping with the only road victory in these finals. Otherwise, this home-dominated series will return to the Motor City for a deciding Game 7 on Friday.
The Red Wings lead 3-2. One win over the Penguins is all that separates them from earning their fifth title in 12 seasons and second straight in Pittsburgh, where the crowd's whiteout will be in full effect.
"I can't even look to that right now," four-time champion Kris Draper said Sunday. "When you only think that you need one more win, certainly the imagination is going to wander. Right now you just have to keep everything in check. We haven't accomplished anything."
The Red Wings might have gotten caught looking ahead last year when they returned home for Game 5 with a 3-1 series edge, but lost in triple overtime. Instead of letting the Penguins get too much momentum and entertain thoughts of a big comeback, Detroit finished off Pittsburgh in Game 6.
The situation remains the same, only this time the Red Wings come in riding a 5-0 victory in Game 5 at home. It is the first time since 2003 that the home team won the first five games of the finals. That series went the distance with the road team never breaking through.
"We struggled a bit in Pittsburgh with the way they respond in their home building," Draper said of Detroit's two road losses in the series. "We just kind of stayed within ourselves and made sure that we were ready to play (Saturday) night. But for us, it's the best thing that you can do at this time of the year to be in the Stanley Cup final.
"We know how important Game 6 is going to be. But with that, we're just trying to enjoy the Stanley Cup final. It doesn't matter if it's your first time or if you played in multiple Stanley Cups, this is the best thing a hockey player can go through."
Penguins forward Bill Guerin knows all about that, even though he is back in the finals for the first time since he won his lone championship with the New Jersey Devils in 1995.
At 38, Guerin is nearing the end of his career. He came to Pittsburgh from the last-place New York Islanders at the trade deadline and is serving as a rental player. Guerin can become an unrestricted free agent July 1, and what transpires over the next few days could go a long way toward determining if he gets a new deal with the Penguins or somewhere else.
He has complemented captain Sidney Crosby on Pittsburgh's top line and benefited from his young teammate's fine playmaking skills by contributing seven goals and eight assists in the Penguins' 22 playoff games.
"You never know what the future holds for opportunities and chances to win the Cup," Guerin said. "I know where I'm at in my career. I know they're going to have to kick me out of this league because I want to keep playing as long as I can. But the opportunity is now.
"The opportunity is now for a 38-year-old, and it's now for a 22-year-old, and for a 28-year-old. The opportunity is now, and you have to take it when you've got the opportunity because, you know, it could be 14 years before you get your next one."
Since the finals went to a best-of-seven format in 1939, the home team won every game three times. Red Wings coach Mike Babcock was on the losing end of the last one when Anaheim dropped Game 7 in New Jersey.
"As much as everyone wants to get caught up in momentum and carry-over and all that stuff. I've said many times I'm not a big believer in that," Babcock said. "I'm a big believer in being prepared, getting focused and executing. If you do all those things, you have a chance to get lucky."
Nephew: Ind. bus driver grieving students' deaths
The driver of a school bus struck by two dump trucks in rural northern Indiana is devastated that the four special-needs students she was taking home died in the crash, a relative said Saturday.
Debbie DuVall, 46, of Idaville, was seriously injured when the Twin Lakes School Corp. bus she was driving was struck Friday afternoon by two trucks about 70 miles north of Indianapolis.
Her nephew, Ryan DuVall of Fort Wayne, said Saturday that his aunt remained in intensive care but that her injuries were not life-threatening.
He said she was alert and conscious when she arrived at the hospital and was grief-stricken when told that the children she was driving home had died.
"The first thing she asked about was the condition of the kids. She wanted to know how the kids were, and the news was devastating for her. They were very dear to her," Ryan DuVall said.
"Her family is feeling blessed that she came out of this the way that she did, but at the same time our thoughts, and especially hers, are with the families."
The four children, ages 5 to 10, lived in nearby Monticello and attended schools in Logansport that catered to their special needs, Indiana State Police said.
The victims were identified by police as 5-year-old Lauren Melin, 9-year-old Kale Seabolt, and Trevor Ingram and Tyler Geiger, both 10.
Friday's crash occurred when a Mack dump truck swerved to avoid a motor scooter that had stopped or slowed along U.S. 24 west of Logansport. The truck clipped the 15-passenger bus, which flipped on its side and slid into the path of a second Mack truck that struck its roof.
The bus then slid into a ditch and came to rest, its front end and roof crushed.
All four students and DuVall were wearing seat belts or sitting in a child safety seat.
State police Sgt. Tony Slocum said investigators returned to the crash scene Saturday to take photographs, make measurements and scour the crash site for evidence they may have overlooked after Friday's crash.
State police experts were examining the crushed wreckage of the bus and the two dump trucks for any mechanical problems that could have contributed to the crash, he said.
Routine toxicology tests are pending on the three drivers. The driver of the motor scooter, Raymond Gust, 59, was not tested because he was not technically involved in the crash, Slocum said.
Gust had stopped or slowed to turn into the driveway of his home on the north side of the highway just before the crash, Slocum said.
In the coming days, Slocum said, troopers will conduct additional interviews with witnesses, Gust and the truck drivers, Terry Dixon, 53, and Joe Magers, 44, both of Logansport.
When she is well enough to speak to officers, DuVall will also be interviewed.
Slocum said it's too early to speculate on the possibility of charges in the crash. Once the report reconstructing the events that led to the crash and the various witness accounts are compiled, a Cass County prosecutor will determine whether to file charges.
"We're not leaving any stone unturned. We owe that to the families, at least, to make sure we've covered all the bases," Slocum said.
Monday, March 12, 2012
Faltering Bruins beat Blackhawks
New signing Mark Recchi scored two goals to help the faltering Boston Bruins to a welcome 5-3 win over the Chicago Blackhawks in NHL action on Saturday.
The Eastern Conference leaders had gone three games without a win, and looked in danger of another slip when they saw a 4-1 lead sliced to 4-3 in the third period, but held on for victory.
Recchi was Boston's major acquisition at the trade deadline and started paying dividends in his second Bruins' start, jump-starting an offense that has sputtered through the last 12 games.
David Krejci, Phil Kessel and P.J. Axelsson had Boston's other goals. Jonathan Toews, Kris Versteeg and Patrick Kane scored for Chicago.
Blue Jackets 8, Red Wings 2
In Detroit, Rick Nash had his fourth career hat trick and second against Detroit this season as Columbus thashed the defending champions.
R.J. Umberger added two goals for Columbus, fighting to make the playoffs for the first time in franchise history.
It was the second time in less than two weeks that the Red Wings had conceded eight goals.
Flyers 4, Predators 1
In Philadelphia, Nashville's six-game winning streak was ended by Philadelphia.
Joffrey Lupul scored two goals and Martin Biron made 31 saves for the Flyers.
Panthers 5, Blues 3
In Sunrise, Florida, Florida beat St. Louis and moved into fifth place in the Eastern Conference, a point ahead of Montreal.
David Booth had three goals and an assist for the Panthers.
Islanders 7, Devils 3
In Uniondale, New York, Sean Bergenheim scored three goals in New York's victory over New Jersey.
Devils goalie Martin Brodeur lost for the first time in five games since he returned from a four-month absence after elbow surgery.
Brodeur made 20 saves in the first two periods, but allowed six goals in game for the first time in 162 games.
Oilers 4, Maple Leafs 1
In Toronto, Dwayne Roloson made 39 saves to help Edmonton sink Toronto.
Kyle Brodziak scored two goals, and Ales Hemsky and Fernando Pisani also scored for the Oilers.
Senators 6, Sabres 3
In Ottawa, Daniel Alfredsson passed 350 NHL goals in Ottawa's win over Buffalo.
Alfredsson got two goals for the Senators, as did Nick Foligno.
Kings 4, Wild 3
In Los Angeles, Anze Kopitar extended his goal streak to a career-best four games as Los Angeles edged Minnesota.
Kyle Quincey had a goal and an assist for the Kings.
Hurricanes 9, Lightning 3
In Tampa, Florida, Eric Staal tied franchise records with four goals and six points as Carolina hammered Tampa Bay.
It was the third time and the first since 1984 that a player from the franchise had got four, and the fourth instance of six points.
Staal has 32 goals this season.
Sci-Fi Film Mocks TV's Brain Drain
Author Kurt Vonnegut continues his ironic association withtelevision - a medium he mocks and scorns in his novels and shortstories - as the Showtime cable channel presents a mind-expandingproduction of "Harrison Bergeron."
Based on a 1961 story from Vonnegut's Welcome to the MonkeyHouse collection, the futuristic drama premieres at 7 p.m. Sunday. Astinging "Network"-style satire with tragic undertones, "Harrison" isShowtime's latest first-run original in its weekly made-for-TV filmseries.
Set in the year 2053 - when American tastes in clothing,furniture, music, sitcoms and automobile designs mirror 1950sfashions from the Eisenhower era - Vonnegut's insidious scenario setsup a pop-culture time warp worthy of "The Outer Limits," "TheTwilight Zone" or "Invasion of the Body Snatchers."
Americans are recovering from the Second American Revolution,which came after the Great Recession in the late 20th century. Torestore and preserve domestic tranquility, America's randomlyselected leaders have endorsed a Constitution dedicated to a newproposition: "All men are not created equal. It is theresponsibility of the government to render them so."
An elite secret society recruits intellectuals and highlyskilled technicians to control the mentally mediocre masses,eliminating all mainstream forms of excellence to prevent the envythat leads to greed, hate and violence. Artists and athletes mustperform with government-issued handicaps.
Harrison Bergeron, an A-plus student who can't sink to C level,avoids "corrective brain surgery" when the covert NationalAdministration Center picks him to program insipid game shows andcomedies for the bland new world.
Actor Sean Astin projects a sense of rebellion in the titlerole. Groomed to be a leader, Harrison senses the moral murkiness ofhis devious TV job. "You haven't made everybody equal," he tells hiscommander (Christopher Plummer). "You've made them the same. Andthere's a big difference."
Buck Henry (as a proud, fussy TV censor who has "eliminatedquality altogether") and Miranda de Pencier (as Harrison's seductiverecruiter) stand out in the supporting cast - even though that wouldbe a serious no-no in 2053!
Do something different
Mennonite Church
Manitoba
The Bible theme this summer at Camps with Meaning was "Come, follow me." However, a secondary theme also emerged over the summer, "Do something different."
Summer program directors brought it to life through various innovative twists. A first night introductory activity included frozen T-shirts. Nature games were incorporated into the weekly campout. Night hikes involved smells, sparks and awe at God's creation. Over a dozen new scenes were developed for use in a weekly "Passion Play." These new twists brought life-giving energy to the summer program.
Bob Wiebe, director of Camping Ministries, reports other "different" programs this summer that were a welcome addition to Camps with Meaning. This year, the Bible curriculum was shaped in a cooperative manner by the three camp Bible teachers, with guidance and direction from a pastor of one of the MC Manitoba congregations.
A fine, enthusiastic group of teens took part in a new Servant in Leadership Training program, which included a challenging week-long out-trip at Camp Koinonia. A Day Camp program at Camp Assiniboia, in which children came out daily to the camp for a week of activities, was so successful some campers signed up for a second week. Enrolment targets were met for a brand new Assiniboia youth camp in August.
Wiebe expressed gratitude for the creative and passionate individuals who brought these new ideas. These changes have had a positive effect on CwM programs, he said.
Bernanke: Growth More Subdued
WASHINGTON - Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke told Congress Wednesday that the economy has emerged from its anemic spell, but overall growth for the year will be lower than expected. Inflation remains the chief concern, he said.
Delivering a midyear Fed economic report to Capitol Hill, Bernanke struck a somewhat cautious tone. He suggested that the economy appears likely to expand "at a moderate pace" over the second half.
Still, the Fed chief told the House Financial Services Committee that growth this year will be a bit slower than the Fed projected in February. Growth should strengthen a bit next year, he said. The inflation forecast, however, wasn't changed. It calls for prices other than food and energy to edge lower.
Against this backdrop, the Fed is likely to leave interest rates where they are through the rest of this year.
For just over a year, the Federal Reserve has held a key interest rate at 5.25 percent, providing a period of stability to borrowers. Before that, the Fed had boosted rates for two years to fend off inflation.
Bernanke took pains Wednesday to hedge the Fed's bets and outline risks to the economy.
One risk is that energy and commodity prices could continue to rise sharply, boosting the prices of lots of other goods and services and thus spreading inflation through the economy.
The Fed "has consistently stated that upside risks to inflation are its predominant" concern, Bernanke said.
Gasoline prices, which peaked in May, receded somewhat in June and are now up past $3 a gallon.
Overall consumer prices calmed down in June, the government reported Wednesday. They rose by just 0.2 percent - the smallest increase in five months.
Another risk is that the housing slump could turn out worse than expected, sapping consumer spending and possibly causing overall economic growth to be weaker.
The housing market will remain sluggish for some time, partly because of some now tighter lending standards and the recent rise in mortgage rates, Bernanke said.
Even if the demand for housing were to stabilize somewhat, the pace of new home building will probably fall as builders work down excess stocks of unsold homes, he said.
"Thus declines in residential construction will likely continue to weigh on economic growth over coming quarters, although the magnitude of the drag on growth should diminish over time," Bernanke said.
Bernanke also outlined efforts by regulators to deal with problems in the market for risky mortgages. Those are mortgages made to people with spotty credit histories.
Foreclosures and delinquencies for these "subprime" mortgages have spiked. Some big subprime lenders have been forced out of business.
Borrowers and lenders have been clobbered by rising interest rates and weak home values. Congress has blasted the Fed and other regulators for not doing enough to crack down on lax lending standards, which had contributed to the problems.
"Rising delinquencies and foreclosures are creating personal, economic and social distress for many homeowners and communities - problems that likely will get worse before they get better," Bernanke said.
To better protect consumers, the Fed is looking at ways to improve mortgage disclosure and ways to curb unfair or deceptive lending practices. It also is encouraging lenders to work with troubled homeowners.
In new economic projections, the Fed expects the economy to grow between 2.25 and 2.50 percent, as measured from the fourth quarter of last year to the fourth quarter of this year. That's lower than the old forecast of 2.5 percent and 3 percent.
For 2008, the economy should pick up and expand between 2.50 and 2.75 percent.
"Core" inflation, meanwhile, should increase by 2 percent and 2.25 percent this year, the same as the previous projection. Core inflation excludes the more volatile categories of energy and food.
The unemployment rate - currently at 4.5 percent - could rise as high as 4.75 percent this year, which would still be considered relatively low by historical standards. That's also unchanged from the Fed's old forecast.
Horoscope
FORECAST FOR FRIDAY
eARIES (March 21-April 19). The stars highlight the many ways youfeed your mind - through stimulating conversation, enlightenedreading and riveting experiences. But the most powerful fuel of allis the thoughts you select.
rTAURUS (April 20-May 20). Highly stylized situations are in yournear future. Planning is required, and this is the best day to decidehow you're going to show up. Avoid allowing formality to keep youfrom expressing your true personality.
tGEMINI (May 21-June 21). You may think that a sense of communityshould happen naturally, the old-fashioned way, but it actuallyrequires conscious effort. Any action to build community bolstersyour good fortune.
yCANCER (June 22-July 22). You're caring for others in a mannerthat's far above and beyond what's expected of you. The effort iswell-rewarded. After all, it's the people in your life who make thegood times sweeter and the difficult times easier.
uLEO (July 23-Aug. 22). Wow, are you productive now! And you're sointuitive with loved ones that important communication can take placewith minimal dialogue. This is eerily impressive to outsiders.
iVIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). You don't have a need for dramaticpyrotechnics. But chances are, someone close to you does. So when thepassion play starts, view it with a sense of detached humor. Refuseto get sucked in!
oLIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). Someone who's supposed to be on yourteam seems to be competing with you instead. The best way to dealwith this is to try to ignore the behavior. And remember, this kindof attention is really a compliment.
pSCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). The karma cleaners come into your lifenow, bringing opportunities to undo the smudges on your spirit thathave been holding you back. The quickest way to move forward is toask for forgiveness.
[SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). Afternoon brings the means tocomplete plans with minimal stress. In spite of your mile-long listof details to attend to, you'll actually get some time to yourself.Relaxation - what a concept.
]CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). You're surprisingly calm,considering the hectic energy around you. Finally, people are askingfor your opinion, as they should have done all along. Yourconnections with Leo people are powerful.
qAQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). Your adaptability is highlighted. Youneed a different approach for each person you're trying to win. Beready to adjust at the slightest indication that what you're doingisn't working.
wPISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). It helps to think of love as a livingentity, a being all its own. What's alive requires breath and food.Find new ways to feed and oxygenate the love in your life.
IF YOUR BIRTHDAY IS FEB. 2: It's a romantic year - not only in theway you relate to others, but also to your environment. It's asthough the world is dancing to the song in your heart. You obtain ahot property in March. June brings whimsical travel. You set anexample for family, and they follow it in July. October brings awindfall. Taurus and Cancer people spark your creativity. Your luckynumbers are: 40, 1, 9, 33 and 5.
Funds are set up to aid residents in Addison, Elmhurst
Local funds have been set up in Addison and Elmhurst to helpresidents washed out in recent floods.
In Elmhurst, applications are already out in churches, storesand the York State Bank, where an account has been set up, said CarolGroeschel, executive vice president of the Chamber of Commerce.
"These funds are not a loan, won't have to be repaid and are notintended to interfere or conflict with efforts of churches, the RedCross or any other group meeting basic needs," she said.
The fund was established Monday after a meeting of business,civic and church officials. Donations can be sent to the ElmhurstFlood Disaster Relief Fund at the York State Bank, 536 S. York Rd.,Elmhurst 60126. Groeschel said a Sept. 21 deadline has been set fordonations and applications for assistance.
Relief committee members will decide on fund allocations,Groeschel said.
Sam Daddono was the moving force for the Addison Flood ReliefBenefit Fund, according to village clerk Panorea Lekkas and DebbieLieggi, his first two collaborators. None of the three sufferedflood damage.
Daddono, who sells insurance (but not flood insurance) said hewas moved by the suffering of flood victims, many of them without themeans to recover quickly.
"You appreciate it didn't happen to you, but you sympathize withthe victims," Daddono said. "You want to reach out to them."
Daddono, who is active in village civic affairs, brought hisidea to Lekkas Monday, and she enlisted Lieggi, another activist.They have set up a meeting for volunteers Wednesday at 8 p.m. in theAddison Library, 235 N. Kennedy Dr.
The Addison fund, like Elmhurst's, is aimed at people with largeuninsured flood losses. Contributions to the fund should be sent tothe Household Bank, 625 Army Trail Rd., Addison 60101.
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Drilling Down on Danger
For Cigna, a health insurance and benefits provider based in Philadelphia, the biggest security issue isn't necessarily neutralizing the virus du jour or fending off shadowy mobster-hackers - it's sifting through mountains of data.
"Sometimes we get overwhelmed because of all the information that comes out of the devices we're monitoring," says Craig Shumard, Cigna's chief information security officer. "It's data overload."
Cigna, which had $18.1 billion in 2004 sales, employs about 100 people in its information security management unit. Still, the company has for the past five years outsourced security event monitoring to Symantec, which looks at trends and detects when …
Poll: Working-class whites shun Democrats
WASHINGTON (AP) — Working-class whites are flocking to Republicans ahead of next month's congressional elections, a new poll shows, turning a group long wary of Democrats into an even bigger impediment to the party's drive to keep control of Congress.
An Associated Press-GfK Poll shows whites without four-year college degrees preferring Republican candidates by twice the margin of the last two elections, when Democrats made significant gains in the House and Senate. The poll, conducted last month, found this group favoring Republican hopefuls 58 percent to 36 percent — a whopping 22 percentage-point gap.
In 2008, Barack Obama won the presidency, they favored Republican congressional candidates by 11 percentage points, according to exit polls of voters. When Democrats won the House and Senate in 2006, the Republican edge was 9 percentage points.
Republicans are expected to score big gains in the Nov. 2 congressional elections, possibly capturing control of the House of Representatives and, less likely, the Senate from Obama's Democrats.
Governing parties typically lose seats in the so-called midterm elections, which take place in the middle of a president's four-year term. But Democratic losses are likely to be particularly severe because of the weak economy, high unemployment and country's general anti-Washington mood. Also, Republican voters may turn out in higher numbers, energized by the ultraconservative tea party movement that opposes what its followers see as increasingly intrusive federal government.
Compared to better-educated whites, working-class whites tend to be older and more conservative — groups that traditionally lean Republican and are uneasy with the young president's activist governing. Their wariness is reinforced by a prolonged economic funk that has disproportionately hurt the working class and shown scant signs of improvement under Obama and Congress' majority Democrats.
Though accustomed to trailing among working-class whites, Democrats can hardly afford further erosion from a group that accounts for about 4 in 10 voters nationally. Their Republican preference is in contrast to whites with college degrees, who the AP-GfK Poll shows are split evenly between the two parties' candidates, and to minorities, who decisively back Democrats.
Many of these working-class voters were dubbed Reagan Democrats in the 1980s, when some in the North and Midwest who had previously preferred Democrats began supporting Ronald Reagan and other conservative Republicans. Many never warmed to Obama during the 2008 presidential race, when he said some bitter small-town residents cling to guns and religion for solace. They preferred Hillary Rodham Clinton, his rival for the Democratic nomination, by 2-1 and in the general election backed Republican nominee John McCain by 18 percentage points.
In the AP-GfK Poll, working-class whites were likelier than white college graduates to say their families are suffering financially and to have a relative who has recently lost a job. They are less optimistic about the country's economy and their own situations, gloomier about the nation's overall direction and more critical of how Democrats are handling the economy.
"Democrats are more apt to mess with the middle class and take our money," said Lawrence Ramsey, 56, a warehouse manager in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
To appeal to voters, Obama has used nationally televised chats in people's backyards to emphasize his efforts to lift the economy. The Democratic-led Congress passed legislation with tax cuts and loans for small businesses before breaking for the election.
Republicans had their own message, unveiling a "Pledge to America" that broadly promised tax and spending cuts and criticizing congressional leaders for adjourning without voting to extend expiring income tax cuts.
One ray of hope for Democrats is that 28 percent of working-class whites in the AP-GfK Poll say they may still switch candidates. Republicans say it's too late.
"Obama and Democrats have had almost two years to try to get things back on track," said Republican pollster David Winston.
The AP-GfK Poll was conducted Sept. 8-13 by GfK Roper Public Affairs & Corporate Communications and involved landline and cell phone interviews with 1,000 randomly chosen adults. The margin of sampling error is plus or minus 4.2 percentage points. Included were interviews with 416 whites without college degrees, for whom the error margin is plus or minus 6.6 percentage points.
All 435 House seats are on the ballot, as well as 37 of the 100 Senate seats. There are also gubernatorial races in 37 of the 50 U.S. states.
___
AP Polling Director Trevor Tompson, Deputy Polling Director Jennifer Agiesta and News Survey Specialist Dennis Junius contributed to this report.
___
Online:
AP-GfK Poll: http://www.ap-gfkpoll.com
Poll: Working-class whites shun DemocratsWASHINGTON (AP) — Working-class whites are flocking to Republicans ahead of next month's congressional elections, a new poll shows, turning a group long wary of Democrats into an even bigger impediment to the party's drive to keep control of Congress.
An Associated Press-GfK Poll shows whites without four-year college degrees preferring Republican candidates by twice the margin of the last two elections, when Democrats made significant gains in the House and Senate. The poll, conducted last month, found this group favoring Republican hopefuls 58 percent to 36 percent — a whopping 22 percentage-point gap.
In 2008, Barack Obama won the presidency, they favored Republican congressional candidates by 11 percentage points, according to exit polls of voters. When Democrats won the House and Senate in 2006, the Republican edge was 9 percentage points.
Republicans are expected to score big gains in the Nov. 2 congressional elections, possibly capturing control of the House of Representatives and, less likely, the Senate from Obama's Democrats.
Governing parties typically lose seats in the so-called midterm elections, which take place in the middle of a president's four-year term. But Democratic losses are likely to be particularly severe because of the weak economy, high unemployment and country's general anti-Washington mood. Also, Republican voters may turn out in higher numbers, energized by the ultraconservative tea party movement that opposes what its followers see as increasingly intrusive federal government.
Compared to better-educated whites, working-class whites tend to be older and more conservative — groups that traditionally lean Republican and are uneasy with the young president's activist governing. Their wariness is reinforced by a prolonged economic funk that has disproportionately hurt the working class and shown scant signs of improvement under Obama and Congress' majority Democrats.
Though accustomed to trailing among working-class whites, Democrats can hardly afford further erosion from a group that accounts for about 4 in 10 voters nationally. Their Republican preference is in contrast to whites with college degrees, who the AP-GfK Poll shows are split evenly between the two parties' candidates, and to minorities, who decisively back Democrats.
Many of these working-class voters were dubbed Reagan Democrats in the 1980s, when some in the North and Midwest who had previously preferred Democrats began supporting Ronald Reagan and other conservative Republicans. Many never warmed to Obama during the 2008 presidential race, when he said some bitter small-town residents cling to guns and religion for solace. They preferred Hillary Rodham Clinton, his rival for the Democratic nomination, by 2-1 and in the general election backed Republican nominee John McCain by 18 percentage points.
In the AP-GfK Poll, working-class whites were likelier than white college graduates to say their families are suffering financially and to have a relative who has recently lost a job. They are less optimistic about the country's economy and their own situations, gloomier about the nation's overall direction and more critical of how Democrats are handling the economy.
"Democrats are more apt to mess with the middle class and take our money," said Lawrence Ramsey, 56, a warehouse manager in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
To appeal to voters, Obama has used nationally televised chats in people's backyards to emphasize his efforts to lift the economy. The Democratic-led Congress passed legislation with tax cuts and loans for small businesses before breaking for the election.
Republicans had their own message, unveiling a "Pledge to America" that broadly promised tax and spending cuts and criticizing congressional leaders for adjourning without voting to extend expiring income tax cuts.
One ray of hope for Democrats is that 28 percent of working-class whites in the AP-GfK Poll say they may still switch candidates. Republicans say it's too late.
"Obama and Democrats have had almost two years to try to get things back on track," said Republican pollster David Winston.
The AP-GfK Poll was conducted Sept. 8-13 by GfK Roper Public Affairs & Corporate Communications and involved landline and cell phone interviews with 1,000 randomly chosen adults. The margin of sampling error is plus or minus 4.2 percentage points. Included were interviews with 416 whites without college degrees, for whom the error margin is plus or minus 6.6 percentage points.
All 435 House seats are on the ballot, as well as 37 of the 100 Senate seats. There are also gubernatorial races in 37 of the 50 U.S. states.
___
AP Polling Director Trevor Tompson, Deputy Polling Director Jennifer Agiesta and News Survey Specialist Dennis Junius contributed to this report.
___
Online:
AP-GfK Poll: http://www.ap-gfkpoll.com
Monday, March 5, 2012
BASF and Sinopec secure financing for China JV. (New Construction Projects).(Brief Article)
BASF says it has finalized arrangements for $1.4 billion of financing for BASF-YPC Co. (Nanjing, China), the company's 50-50 ethylene joint venture with Sinopec. Half of the financing will be in dollars and the rest in Chinese currency, BASF says. Part of the dollar-denominated tranche will be guaranteed by an export credit …
Cold Stone Creamery to open at Great Escape.(Business)
QUEENSBURY - Cold Stone Creamery will open a shop at The Great Escape & Splashwater Kingdom this weekend, bringing six flavors to Six Flags' amusement and roller-coaster park.
It will be the company's 14th shop in an amusement park run by New York City-based Six Flags Inc., which operates …
NIT'S NEGOTIATING, BUT NOT WITH KNICK.(SPORTS)
Byline: TIM WILKIN Staff writer
ALBANY Knickerbocker Arena general manager Rick Linio said he has had absolutely no contact with anyone concerning the possibility of the National Invitation Tournament playing its semifinal and final rounds in Albany.
A report by the Associated Press said Thursday the NIT was negotiating a new contract with the college basketball tournament's current home Madison Square Garden for next year. The AP reported that sources close to the situation said the primary competition for Madison Square Garden was the Knick.
Linio, contacted in his office late Thursday afternoon, said that was not true.
``There …
Obama to sign anti-smoking bill in Rose Garden
President Barack Obama is set to sign into law an anti-smoking bill that will give the Food and Drug Administration unprecedented authority to regulate tobacco.
Obama is scheduled to sign the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act during an event Monday in the Rose Garden. The law allows the FDA to reduce nicotine in tobacco products, ban candy flavorings and block labels such "low tar" and "light." Tobacco companies also will be required to cover their cartons with large graphic warnings.
The law won't let the FDA ban nicotine or tobacco outright, but the agency will be able to regulate what goes into tobacco products, make …
Wells Fargo is 150
Financial services company reinvents itself from stagecoaches to Internet banking
Wells Fargo & Co. recently cetebrated 150 years in business - one of only about a dozen Fortune 500 companies founded in or before 1852 still in their original businesses and using their original names.
Wells Fargo was founded as a banking and express company on March 18, 1852, on Wall Street in New York City. Its first office opened on the waterfront of Gold Rush San Francisco on July 13, 1852, the site of the company's current headquarters.
Henry Wells and William Fargo founded the company to meet customers' express and banking business needs as gold fever created commerce in …
Sunday, March 4, 2012
FARGO ENTERPRISES INC.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
LOCATION: Eden Prairie, Minn.
PACKAGE AMOUNT: $ 30 mil.
BOOK MANAGER: La Salle Bank
OTHER LENDERS: Harris Trust & Savings Bank
TYPE: Revolving credit facility
PURPOSE: General corporate purposes, …
Matias Faldbakken.(The Artists' Artists)(Agitated Images: John Heartfield & German Photomontage, 1920-1938)(Brief article)
"Agitated Images: John Heartfield & German Photomontage, 1920-1938" (Wolfsonian, Miami Beach. FL) Thirty-five of Heartfield's hot-as-Baghdad designs for books and magazines appeared here, demonstrating the …
STRENGTHEN DWI PENALTIES.(Main)(Editorial)
It was an ironic coincidence: On the day Governor Cuomo was calling New York state's drunk driving laws inadequate, the case of an area high school principal was proving his point.
On the surface, it appears that New York has made great strides in getting drunk drivers off the highways. In reality, much more remains to be done. This year, state lawmakers made an attempt to do just that, but the bill they approved is more gesture than deterrent. It will raise fines for DWI offenses, but it won't revoke licenses for longer periods, as the governor requested. Nor did lawmakers act on two other sensible proposals advanced by Mr. Cuomo. One would have ordered prison for …
Japan PM blames party loss on tax hike talk
Japan's Prime Minister Naoto Kan is blaming his ruling party's loss in parliamentary elections on his talk about possibly raising the sales tax _ but says he isn't resigning.
Exit polls showed that the ruling Democratic Party of Japan lost several seats in Sunday's upper house election, indicating that the ruling coalition lost its slim majority …
Former Helmsley mansion in Conn. back on market
NEW YORK (AP) — A Connecticut mansion once owned by the late hotel and real estate magnates Harry and Leona Helmsley has been put up for sale by its current owner, who's asking $42.9 million for the 40-acre estate less than a year after buying it for $35 million.
The property in affluent Greenwich (GREN'-ich) made headlines last October when the Helmsleys' charitable trust sold it to the undisclosed buyer for $90 million below the …
Clopay door. (Special Advertising Section: Participating Sponsor).
Come see how Clopay is transforming garage doors into art. Visit "Transformations" at the Clopay Gallery, located in Booth C4065 at the International Builders' Show to view its new: Arts & Crafts-Inspired Studio Series Windows, Semi-Custom Palladian Collection Windows, Custom-Designed …
Working capital.(Charlotte)
CHARLOTTE REGION Jobs: 1,046,238 YTD change: (625) Index: 108.8 Source: Employment Security Commission, June. …
Saturday, March 3, 2012
PAIN IS CHAMPION'S FIRST FOE.(SPORTS)
Byline: STEVE WILSTEIN Associated Press PARIS -- Ten years after capturing her first French Open, Arantxa Sanchez Vicario begins defense of her third title Monday with less concern for her ball-bashing young opponent than for an aching wrist that needs surgery. -
Sanchez-Vicario has been that most durable and indefatigable of players who seemed born for clay.
The glamour in the game may belong to the likes of Martina Hingis, Venus and Serena Williams and Anna Kournikova, but Sanchez Vicario can still run down balls all afternoon and, if need be, all evening. Six times at Roland Garros she's run herself into the finals.
Lately, though, when she's …
NAB quiets unhappy vendors.(Conventions)(a discussion of this year's NAB convention)(Brief Article)
Last year's NAB convention was the first to take advantage of the vast expanse known as the Las Vegas Convention Center South Hall, a space so deep that some exhibitors in the back were less than thrilled with the seemingly endless walk (and endless complaints from foot-weary customers). This year, some of those tenants--notably SGI, IBM and Thomson--have had their booths moved forward in the hall, an important step by NAB …
Bush Follows Vote With an Eye on Future
WASHINGTON - President Bush wasn't on any ballot Tuesday, but he had campaigned for weeks as if he were.
Determined to stave off a Democratic-controlled Congress, Bush raised millions of dollars, flew thousands of miles, shook hands, kissed babies, praised fellow Republicans and blasted Democrats - in private at first, lately before cheering crowds.
From huge hotel ballrooms in Washington to luxury homes across the country, Bush collected more than $193 million for the GOP at about 90 fundraisers over 20 months. Switching to traditional campaign rallies only at the last, he raced through 15 cities in 11 days.
Despite Republican fears and Democratic hopes that …
Chile's Metrogas posts USD 22m profit for Q1 2011.(Financial report)
(ADPnews) - May 25, 2011 - The net profit of Chilean natural gas distributor Metrogas jumped to CLP 10.372 billion (USD 22m/EUR 15.7m) in the first quarter of 2011 from CLP 379 million in the same period last year.
Revenues jumped 62.1% to CLP 92.262 billion, driven by a 51.9% increase in sales volumes. Metrogas' sales, excluding the sales to power plants, rose 18.7% to 134.4 million cu m …
TRAIN PROMISES EASIER RIDE TO PLANE.(CAPITAL REGION)
Byline: AMY WESTFELDT Associated Press
NEW YORK -- Travelers began taking trains to planes on Wednesday as officials opened a light-rail link they promised would rid New Yorkers of a notoriously difficult and expensive ride to John F. Kennedy International Airport.
Gov. George Pataki, Mayor Michael Bloomberg and other officials boarded the inaugural run of AirTrain, an 8.1-mile, $1.9 billion light-rail system that connects the airport to four subway lines and the Long Island Rail Road.
Pataki said the light-rail line -- which gets commuters to the airport from two Queens stations in eight to 12 minutes -- will end the stress of trying to get to …
College Sports Television to produce broadband shows. (Tech briefs).(College Sports Buzz@AOL)(Brief Article)
NEW YORK
CSTV, or College Sports Television (www.cstv.com), the first 24-hour college sports network, will produce College Sports Buzz@AOL, two original, specially produced weekly shows airing on AOL for Broadband. The shows focus on the stories, games and events in the world of college sports. The first show premiered May 1.
College Sports Television's first College Sports Buzz@AOL program each week will be a 3-4 minute "CSTV Weekend Preview" show airing on AOL for Broadband on Thursday nights to preview the weekend's college sports action and personalities spanning all sports, all conferences and all divisions. The second show will be a 5-7 minute "CSTV …
Latimer case request refused. (News in Brief).(Robet Latimer, man sentenced to prison for second-degree murder)(Brief Article)
Ottawa--On May 14, the Supreme Court of Canada dismissed an application to reopen the case of Robert Latimer, the Saskatchewan farmer who killed his 12-year-old disabled daughter Tracy. Latimer was convicted of second-degree murder in the case. He was sentenced to the minimum mandatory term--life without parole for 10 …
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