anotherworld33

Koreas hold talks in North on joint complex

2012-03-15T06:02:00.000-07:00

South Korea says officials from the two Koreas are meeting in North Korea to discuss their joint industrial complex.

The Unification Ministry says Tuesday's talks will focus on easing border crossings, communication and customs clearances for South Koreans who travel to and from the North Korean border town of Kaesong.

The Kaesong complex has combined …

Girl Reporter Blows Lid off Town

2012-03-15T03:35:00.000-07:00

Across the room Megan was getting up to stack her tray.

Time to make my move.

I caught up to her at the trash and recycling bins. "Hi. You'reMegan, aren't you?" When she seemed surprised, I added, "I'm Casey."

"Right. Mr. Baxter told me about you." A smile lit Megan's face."I'm really glad you want to help get the school paper startedagain."

I glared at her. Why was everyone so hung up on this helpingbusiness?

When I didn't respond, she went on. "I think it's going to be alot of fun!" She smiled again. Boy, was she ever perky.

"Fun?" I said grimly. "News is not fun, Megan. …

Tehran on 'smog holiday' as dirty air keeps hold

2012-03-15T01:13:00.000-07:00

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — In Tehran's northern suburbs, 24-year-old Sepehr Shaygan is nursing a stubborn headache he blames on the smog. His mother puts on a surgical mask to do the shopping for a barbecue on the roof.

The family then peered out into a soup of yellow haze instead of the vista of cityscape and distant mountains when the weather is clear.

"Unbreathable" is how Shaygan described the air quality in Iran's smog-shrouded capital these days. He'll get no argument from worried city officials.

For the third workday in two weeks, Tehran was effectively shut down Thursday because of "unhealthy" pollution levels. Government offices, schools, banks, factories and many …

Sentencing postponed for ex-Chicago officer Burge

2012-03-14T22:51:00.000-07:00

CHICAGO (AP) — The sentencing of a former Chicago police lieutenant convicted of lying about the torture of suspects has been postponed.

Jon Burge was originally slated to be sentenced Friday, but a federal judge has reset the date to Jan. 20.

A jury convicted Burge in June of perjury and obstruction of justice. He's been free on bond since the five-week …

INSIDE

2012-03-14T20:31:00.000-07:00

CELEBRATIONS IN THE PARK ...39-51 BUSINESS ................. 52 &53 OPINION ...........54 LETTERS ....55-58 PUZZLES ......... …

'Dancing With the Stars' Loses Another

2012-03-14T18:10:00.000-07:00

LOS ANGELES - Former "Cheers" mailman and popular Pixar Studios voice John Ratzenberger became the latest celebrity casualty Tuesday on ABC's "Dancing With the Stars."

Though judge Bruno Tonioli said the actor's moves made it look as if he had "been to dance rehab," his footwork failed to impress fans.

Viewer votes are combined with judges' scores to determine which couple will be eliminated each week.

Ratzenberger thanked his professional partner, Edyta Sliwinska, saying, "Her kindness and patience and friendship has really been astounding."

Tuesday's results show also included a "Sports Center" spoof with ESPN reporter Kenny Mayne, an early reject of …

Icelanders take asset freeze protest to London

2012-03-14T15:50:00.000-07:00

A group of Icelanders pleaded with U.K. lawmakers in London on Tuesday to unfreeze the assets of the Nordic nation's banks, saying Britain had been wrong to use anti-terror laws to freeze them last year.

Submitting a petition backed by about 80,000 Icelanders _ about a quarter of the tiny island country's population _ the delegation of Icelandic activists insisted: "We are not terrorists."

"This is an emotional issue with us," said music professor Olaf Eliasson, who helped organize the petition's delivery at London's neo-gothic Palace of Westminster, the home of Britain's Parliament. "If you do it with Iceland, you can do it with …

`Tailspin' interests but distorts facts

2012-03-14T13:30:00.000-07:00

Tailspin: Behind the Korean Airliner Tragedy (STAR) (STAR) Richard Burt Michael Murphy Maj. Hank Daniels Michael Moriarty John Lenczowski Chris Sarandon

HBO presents a made-for-cable movie, directed by David Darlow andwritten by Brian Phelan. Premiering from 8 to 9:30 p.m. Sunday overlocal cable systems.

Who was responsible for the deaths of 269 passengers and crew onKorean Airlines Flight 007 six years ago after the jumbo jet was shotdown by a Soviet fighter plane over Sakhalin Island?

Was the plane on a secret intelligence mission? Did the Sovietsact with a cruel disregard for human life? Was the horrible tragedymerely the result of …

BAE sees modest hit from UK military spending cuts

2012-03-14T11:09:00.000-07:00

LONDON (AP) — Defense contractor BAE Systems PLC said Thursday that the British government's military spending cuts are expected to knock about 2 percent off underlying earnings, though details of the reductions are still to be worked out.

BAE said its earnings would be hit by the early retirement of the Royal Air Force Harrier jet fleet, and might also suffer from the decision to cancel the Nimrod MRA4 reconnaissance plane.

The government had ordered 21 of the new Nimrods from BAE in 1996, but the order had been cut to nine. The first production aircraft made its maiden flight last year; one other has been completed and seven more are in various stages of production, BAE …

Sunday's Sports Scoreboard

2012-03-14T08:49:00.000-07:00

All Times Eastern

National Football League
Cleveland vs Chicago, 1 p.m.
Denver vs Baltimore, 1 p.m.
Houston vs Buffalo, 1 p.m.
Miami vs N.Y. Jets, 1 p.m.
N.Y. Giants vs Philadelphia, 1 p.m.
San Francisco vs Indianapolis, 1 p.m.
Seattle vs Dallas, 1 p.m.
St. Louis vs Detroit, 1 p.m.
Jacksonville …

Free House spoils day for Lukas' stable

2012-03-14T06:28:00.000-07:00

Free House, the son of a $500 stallion, won the Santa Anita Derbyon Saturday and spoiled the day for the $1 million filly from D.Wayne Lukas' stable at Arcadia, Calif.

The filly Sharp Cat joined many of Lukas' colts in falling bythe wayside on the Kentucky Derby trail, fading to sixth in a fieldof 10 after leading much of the way. In the last two weeks, Lukas'stable of 3-year-olds is 0-for-18, and his horses haven't won asingle serious Derby prep.

Free House, meanwhile, became the 13th California-bred to winthe $750,000 Santa Anita Derby.Free House paid $16.60, $6 and $3.40. Silver Charm paid $3.60and $2.80, and Hello was $3.40 for show. The winning time was …

Italy deports first Tunisians, more Africans land

2012-03-14T04:08:00.000-07:00

MILAN (AP) — Italy has deported the first Tunisians under a new accord with the Tunisian government to try to stem the recent wave of migration from North Africa.

The Tunisian interior ministry said 30 Tunisians arrived Friday in Tunis. They were the first to return as part of the migration agreement reached between Italy and Tunisia this week.

The deportations occurred as a boat …

An `Object' of affectation // Story lands in shallow grave

2012-03-14T01:16:00.000-07:00

OBJECT OF AFFECTION(STAR) (STAR) Nina Borowski Jennifer AnistonGeorge Hanson Paul RuddVince McBride John PankowSidney Miller Alan AldaDr. Robert Joley Tim DalyRodney Fraser Nigel HawthorneDirected by Nicholas Hytner. Written by Wendy Wasserstein. Basedupon the novel by Stephen McCauley. Running time: 111 minutes.Rated R (for strong language and some sexuality). Opening today atlocal theaters.There is a movie fighting to get out of "The Object of MyAffection," and I like it better than the movie it's trapped in. Itinvolves a wise old man who has arrived at some useful insights aboutlife. If they did spinoffs of movie characters the way they do onTV, he'd be in a movie of his own.

Alas, this touching and fascinating character is mired in theworst kind of sitcom - a serious one (seriocom?). "The Object of MyAffection" deals with some real issues and has scenes that work, butyou can see the wheels of the plot turning so clearly that you doubtthe characters have much freedom to act on their own.

The story involves a social worker named Nina (Jennifer Aniston)and a first-grade teacher named George (Paul Rudd). Nina is engagedto a creep named Vince (John Pankow), and George is living with aliterary critic named Robert (Tim Daly), who, like all Bernard Shawexperts, can afford a BMW convertible and a luxurious apartment inManhattan. At a dinner party, Nina finds out that Robert is leavingGeorge, and tells George - alas, before Robert has. George iscrushed, but soon has moved into Nina's Brooklyn apartment, wherethey will live as good friends.Then Nina gets pregnant. Vince, the father, keeps talking about"our" baby until Nina announces it is her baby and she has no plansto marry Vince, and Vince stalks out after declaring "I never want tosee you again," a line that sounds for all the world like ascreenwriter's convenience to get him out of the cluttered plot for ascene or two. Nina, who really likes George, asks him to share thefathering: They could be a couple in everything but sex. Georgeagrees, but then he falls for Paul (Amo Gulinello), and Nina feelshurt and jealous.All of this promising material is dealt with on that level wherecharacters are not quite allowed to be as perceptive and intelligentas real people might be in the same circumstances. That's becausethey're shuttled hither and yon by a plot that requires a falsecrisis and false dawn (Nina and George dance to "You Were Meant forMe") before the real crisis and real dawn. At least we're spared alive childbirth scene, although we do get the Listening to theEmbryo's Heartbeat Scene.Aniston and Rudd are appealing together, although Pankow'scrudely written role puts him through bewildering personality shifts.But then, suddenly, a character walks in from nowhere and becomes themovie's center of interest. This is the aging drama critic Rodney,played by Oscar nominee Nigel Hawthorne of "The Madness of KingGeorge." He is gay, and Paul is his young protege. They do not havesex, Paul makes clear to George. But Rodney clearly loves the youngman, and there are a couple of scenes in which he says and doesnothing, and achieves a greater emotional effect than is reached byany dialogue in the movie.He also offers Nina hard-won advice: In the long run, herarrangement with George will not work. "Don't fix your life so thatyou're left alone just at the middle of it," he says, and we sensethat the movie has quieted down and found its focus and purpose. Youask yourself, what would the whole film have been like if it had beenwritten and acted at this level? The answer, sadly, is - not muchlike "The Object of My Affection."

Store Manager

2012-03-13T22:25:00.000-07:00

Store Manager

Education and Training High school and on-the-job training minimum; college preferred

Salary Median—$48,880 to $57,512 per year

Employment Outlook Good

Definition and Nature of the Work

Store managers are responsible for supervising employees and running their store at a profit. To attract a clientele and move merchandise, managers make sure that their store offers products and services that satisfy the needs and desires of their customers.

Store managers are employed by general merchandise stores, such as department stores and so-called "big box" stores, and by specialty stores, such as super-markets and sporting goods outlets. The duties of a manager vary with the store's structure and method of operation. Some stores are part of a chain that has a central office and branch outlets. Chain operations require general managers to oversee branch managers, who in turn oversee the managers for each of the outlets. Other stores are independently owned and operated.

The duties of store managers also depend on the size and type of store for which they work. The business aspects of a store can be divided into four categories: merchandising, which includes buying and selling; store operations, which includes hiring personnel and receiving goods; accounting and bookkeeping; and advertising and promotion. In some stores—generally independent ones—store managers are involved in all of these areas. In a small gift shop, for example, the manager may buy the merchandise, sell it to customers, and do the bookkeeping. The same manager may also train sales workers and write advertising copy.

The manager of a large store, on the other hand, is usually involved in setting policy that will be carried out by division heads. Large independent stores often divide management duties among three or four executives. A typical management team featuring division heads might consist of a store manager, an operations manager, a controller, and an advertising manager.

In chain operations managers are usually supervised by area representatives from the central office. Merchandise for all retail store outlets is purchased by a central buying office. Branch managers of outlet stores order only through this central office. Accounting for the whole chain is also handled at a central office. Store managers do their ordering and submit bookkeeping forms or sales reports electronically by computer.

Education and Training Requirements

Educational requirements for store managers vary. Managers reach their positions through years of experience in the retailing business. Positions in large, independent stores are generally the most competitive. For these top jobs in management, candidates may need a bachelor's degree, a master's degree in business administration, years of experience, and a record of success in other jobs.

Chain stores often accept high school graduates into their management training programs. Many, however, prefer applicants who have college training. Trainees generally receive classroom instruction as well as on-the-job training. In many chains trainees start as assistant managers and become store managers in about one to three years.

Getting the Job

Individuals interested in eventually becoming a store manager can apply directly to the stores for which they would like to work. Public and private employment agencies, Internet job banks, and newspaper want ads list jobs for management trainees. Students looking for a job in the field may find help from their school placement office.

Advancement Possibilities and Employment Outlook

Some store managers advance to other management positions. Managers who work for a chain operation may become regional managers or managers of more desirable outlets within the chain. A few find executive positions in the company's headquarters.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of store managers was expected to grow as fast as the average for all occupations between 2004 and 2014. Growth in the economy should lead to a growth in retailing, which will create more jobs for store managers, but the competition for these openings will be stiff.

Working Conditions

Retailing is highly competitive work. To advance, store managers must increase their stores' sales volume. Management jobs involve great responsibility and a considerable amount of prestige.

Many managers work more than forty hours a week. Management trainees working for a chain operation may be required to move frequently during the first few years of their careers.

Where to Go for More Information

National Retail Federation
325 Seventh St. NW, Ste. 1100
Washington, DC 20004
(800) 673-4692
http://www.nrf.com/

Earnings and Benefits

Earnings for store managers vary, depending on their level of responsibility, experience, and sales volume. Specialty apparel and accessory store managers earned a median annual salary of $57,512 in 2004, and managers of general merchandise stores made $48,880 that same year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Many managers receive bonuses based on their performance or participate in profit-sharing plans that can add substantially to their earnings. Benefits generally include paid holidays and vacations, life and health insurance, and retirement plans.

Magnanimous Marquis set to face Cubs

2012-03-13T19:33:00.000-07:00

Jason Marquis has been something of a talisman for his employers. In each of his nine major-league seasons -- the last two with the Cubs -- the veteran right-hander has been a member of a playoff team.

''It's a nice thing to have on a resume,'' he said with a smile.

But the Cubs won't benefit from the good fortune this year. Marquis is pitching for the Colorado Rockies after an offseason trade and will make his second start of the season Wednesday against his former teammates.

''It would definitely be nice to be part of a Colorado Rockies playoff team,'' he said.

He said it with no malice for the organization that traded him in January for reliever Luis Vizcaino.

''It will always be a good memory,'' Marquis said of his Cubs tenure. ''I have friends there still. I was in the weight room [in the Cubs' clubhouse Monday] and talked shop with the guys. You miss the camaraderie, but you develop new ones.''

When he faces the Cubs on Wednesday, it will be about business -- not payback.

''When I got traded from the Braves to St. Louis and I faced them the first time, it was maybe more revengeful,'' Marquis said. ''But once I signed with the Cubs and played against my old teammates, it was old hat. It was fun. I guess I've learned to control my emotions.''

Marquis won his first start Friday at Coors Field against the defending World Series-champion Philadelphia Phillies, giving up two runs and five hits in seven innings and getting 13 ground-ball outs, including two double plays.

''Pitching [at Wrigley Field], you always have an opportunity [to win] with the wind blowing in, but I try to just pitch wherever I am and not buy into the myths,'' he said. ''I've had good success in Coors Field and here. I just keep attacking the hitter the way I have.''

The steady approach has worked well for Marquis, helping him adapt to his new surroundings after the three-year stay he expected in Chicago was cut short.

''The fans who support you day in and out here bring a lot of energy, and that's one of the reasons I chose to sign here,'' Marquis said. ''It didn't work out, but I had a blast here.

''We have a good, young team and I'm excited about it. I had a good spring training, and I'm excited about another chapter in my baseball life.''

CHARMED LIFE

Jason Marquis' team has made the playoffs in each of his nine major-league seasons.

Year Team Playoff result

- 2000 Braves Lost in NLDS

2001 Braves Lost in NLCS

- 2002 Braves Lost in NLDS

- 2003 Braves Lost in NLDS

2004 Cardinals Lost in World Series

2005 Cardinals Lost in NLCS

- 2006 Cardinals Won World Series

- 2007 Cubs Lost in NLDS

2008 Cubs Lost in NLDS

- Marquis not on postseason roster

Photo: David Zalubowski, AP / Jason Marquis has been something of a good-luck charm. ;

Woman injured in stabbing

2012-03-13T16:39:00.000-07:00

A 60-year-old woman was stabbed in an "unprovoked attack" duringan incident in which two policemen were also injured.

She was in a serious condition in hospital after the assault,which happened in Edgbaston, Birmingham, yesterday.

The officers, both constables, were injured while trying to makean arrest after police were called to Pershore Road at around 4.15pm.

They received hospital treatment but their injuries were notthought to be serious, said a West Midlands Police spokeswoman.

The offender fled the scene but a man in his 20s was apprehendedlater.

ATP World Tour Schedule

2012-03-13T13:48:00.000-07:00

(H-hard, C-clay, G-grass)

Jan. 3-10 _ Brisbane International, HO (Andy Roddick)

Jan. 4-9 _ Qatar ExxonMobil Open, HO (Nikolay Davydenko)

Jan. 4-10 _ Aircel Chennai Open, HO (Marin Cilic)

Jan. 11-16 _ Medibank International, HO (Marcus Baghdatis)

Jan. 11-16 _ Heineken Open, HO (John Isner)

Jan. 18-31 _ Australian Open, HO (Roger Federer)

Feb. 1-7 _ Movistar Open, CO (Thomaz Bellucci)

Feb. 1-7 _ PBZ Zabreb Indoors, HI (Marin Cilic)

Feb. 1-7 _ SA Tennis Open, HO (Feliciano Lopez)

Feb. 8-13 _ Brasil Open, CO (Juan Carlos Ferrero)

Feb. 8-14 _ ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament, HI (Robin Soderling)

Feb. 8-14 _ SAP Open, HI (Fernando Verdasco)

Feb. 14-21 _ Copa Telmex, CO (Juan Carlos Ferrero)

Feb. 15-21 _ Open 13, HI (Michael Llodra)

Feb. 15-21 _ Regions Morgan Keegan Championships, HI (Sam Querrey)

Feb. 22-27 _ Abierto Mexicano Telcel, CO (David Ferrer)

Feb. 22-27 _ Barclays Dubai Championships, HO (Novak Djokovic)

Feb. 22-28 _ Delray Beach International Championships, HO (Ernests Gulbis)

March 1-7 _ Davis Cup I

March 11-21 _ BNP Paribas Open, HO (Ivan Ljubicic)

March 24-April 4 _ Sony Ericsson Open, HO (Andy Roddick)

April 5-11 _ U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships, CO (Juan Ignacio Chela)

April 5-11 _ Grand Prix Hassan II, CO (Stanislas Wawrinka)

April 11-18 _ Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters, CO (Rafael Nadal)

April 19-25 _ Barcelona Open BancSabadell, Barcelona, Spain, CO (Fernando Verdasco)

April 25-May 2 _ Internazionali BNL d'Italia, Rome, CO (Rafael Nadal)

May 2-9 _ Estoril Open, Estoril, Portugal, CO

May 2-9 _ BMW Open, Munich, Germany, CO

May 3-9 _ Serbia Open, Belgrade, Serbia, CO

May 9-16 _ Mutua Madrilena Madrid Open, Madrid, Spain, CO

May 16-22 _ TBA, Nice, France, CO

May 16-22 _ ARAG ATP World Team Championship, Duesseldorf, Germany, CO

May 23-June 6 _ Roland Garros, Paris, CO

June 7-13 _ Gerry Weber Open, Halle, Germany, GO

June 7-13 _ AEGON Championships, London, GO

June 13-19 _ Ordina Open, Den Bosch, Netherlands, GO

June 13-19 _ AEGON International, Eastbourne, England, GO

June 21-July 4 _ The Championships, Wimbledon, England, GO

July 5-11 _ Campbell's Hall of Fame Championship, Newport, Rhode Island, GO

July 5-11 _ Davis Cup II

July 12-18 _ Catella Swedish Open, Bastad, Sweden, CO

July 12-18 _ Mercedes Cup, Stuttgart, Germany, CO

July 18-25 _ Indianapolis Championships, Indianapolis, HO

July 19-25 _ International German Open, Hamburg, Germany, CO

July 25-Aug. 1 _ Allianz Suisse Open, Gstaad, Switzerland, CO

July 26-Aug. 1 _ LA Tennis Open, Los Angeles, HO

July 26-Aug. 1 _ Studena Croatia Open Umag, Umag, Croatia, CO

Aug. 1-8 _ Legg Mason Classic, Washington, HO

Aug. 9-15 _ Rogers Cup, Toronto, HO

Aug. 15-22 _ Western & Southern Financial Group Masters, Mason, Ohio, HO

Aug. 22-28 _ Pilot Pen Tennis, New Haven, Connecticut, HO

Aug. 30-Sept. 12 _ U.S. Open, New York, HO

Sept. 13-19 _ Davis Cup III

Sept. 20-26 _ Open de Moselle, Metz, France, HI

Sept. 20-26 _ BCR Open Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania, CO

Sept. 27-Oct. 3 _ Malaysian Open, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, HI

Sept. 27-Oct. 3 _ Thailand Open, Bangkok, Thailand, HI

Oct. 4-10 _ China Open, Beijing, H0

Oct. 4-10 _ Japan Open, Tokyo, HO

Oct. 10-17 _ Shanghai Masters 1000, Shanghai, China, HO

Oct. 18-24 _ If Stockholm Open, Stockholm, Sweden, HI

Oct. 18-24 _ Kremlin Cup, Moscow, HI

Oct. 24-31 _ St. Petersburg Open, St. Petersburg, Russia, HI

Oct. 25-31 _ Grand Prix de Tenis de Lyon, Lyon, France, HI

Oct. 25-31 _ Bank Austria Tennis Trophy, Vienna, Austria, HI

Nov. 1-7 _ Davidoff Swiss Indoors Basel, Basel, Switzerland, HI

Nov. 1-7 _ Open de Tenis Comunidad Valenciana, Valencia, Spain, HI

Nov. 7-14 _ BNP Paribas Masters, Paris, HI

Nov. 14-21 _ Barclays ATP World Tour Finals, London, HI

Nov. 22-28 _ Davis Cup Final

Credit crunched

2012-03-13T10:48:00.000-07:00

Nicole Flora, a first-time home buyer with good credit, and 17-year-old graduating high school senior Alexandra Torres never expected to be caught up in the mortgage meltdown mess and the credit crunch that resulted.

But the situation is intruding on their lives nonetheless.

Last month Flora was all set to close on a $220,000 McKinley Park home for her and her 9-year-old daughter, having secured a 30-year fixed mortgage with a 6.25 percent interest rate, helped by her 681 credit score. She had no problem providing the 5 percent down payment she said she was told would be required. But then after her closing had been scheduled, she got the bombshell news the lending requirements had changed. Instead of the $12,500 she'd planned to put down, she had to come up with $25,000, despite having what the rating agencies classify as a good credit score.

"I was actually told I was good as gold," she said. "Then before I knew it, they never said it was bad. But it wasn't good enough anymore.

"I was highly upset. I had already put an offer on the house. We already had a contract. I already had an inspection. Money was already invested. It was pretty emotional. You can imagine.

"I have always paid my bills on time," she noted. "I think I was pretty much a good candidate to buy a house. I absolutely didn't expect this."

Flora decided to proceed with the purchase although it depleted her savings.

She'd been pre-approved for a much bigger mortgage: $275,000.

After her experience, her advice to first-time buyers in these uncertain times is: "What they tell you today it might not be the day of closing. Anything can happen."

Meanwhile, Roberto Clemente High School student Torres, who's been accepted at Northeastern Illinois University, knows her parents can't afford to pay for her college education. So armed with a 3.5 grade-point average, she is in the process of applying for scholarships and has completed the Free Application for Federal Student Aid form to pave the way for access to college aid and, if needed, loans.

"I've just been saving up as much as I can in order to pay at least something," she said. "Whatever I can't pay, maybe I'll think about getting student loans."

Torres, who plans to major in biology to pursue her dream of becoming a veterinarian, said she hasn't followed news of continuing problems in the housing market and the credit crunch that's resulted.

But Andrew Davis, executive director of the Illinois Student Assistance Commission, has. He's worried students like Torres will face challenges because lenders have been withdrawing from government-backed student loan programs and private loan programs because of their inability to access funds to lend in the wake of the credit crunch. And while there are plenty of lenders still in the market, he predicts, "there will be issues that will range from less choice to less desirable terms on which the loans will be offered."

Qualifying for private loans will be more difficult and fees will be higher, he said.

And while the federal direct student loan program, which gets its funding directly from the federal government, hasn't been impacted, he doesn't believe that program is immune from potential problems.

"The direct loan program does about 20 percent of the overall federal lending effort," he said. "A number of schools are moving to the direct program because they see that as a way to safeguard their access to money for their students. The Department of Education has said they believe they have the ability to double the amount of lending business they do from a processing standpoint. If they go from 20 percent to 40 percent, that's great for the 40 percent."

But that could leave many students out of the program, he noted.

Comment at suntimes.com.

Photo: John H. White, Sun-Times / Nicole Flora was able to buy this house -- but she had to double her down payment. ;

Jimmy Guilford celebrates 90th

2012-03-13T07:28:00.000-07:00

Jimmy Guilford celebrates 90th

Ever the debonair man about town, the astonishing Jimmy Guilford celebrated his 90th birthday (that's right, 90th!) with a party at Scullers Jazz Club, Oct. 6.

Sixty or so of his friends and family, including his equally amazing 88-year-old sister, the elegantly attired and lively Agatha Howard, toasted the dapper nonagenarian throughout a gala time. Younger guests may have wearied, but the honorees began celebrating at seven in the evening and went on into the wee hours.

Guilford was a great pal of jazz maestro Duke Ellington who also sparkled at the thought of a good time.

The evening at the sleek Double-tree Guest Suites Hotel began with a reception and sit down dinner in a room next to Scullers. Every so often, when there was a tiny pause in the bubbling conversation, you could tune into melodic phrases from the wonderfully accomplished John Andrews Ross at the piano. And now and again, his sister Paula Ross got our attention for a special moment such as when president of the Boston City Council Charles Yancey appeared with a proclamation giving official notice that the city applauded James E. Guilford, Jr.'s 90th.

At eight, the Guilford party filed into the nightclub to hear from the acknowledged creme de la creme of the cabaret scene, singer/pianist Bobby Short.

In manner and at first glance, you'd guess he's the epitome of how life is spent on Easy Street. Mr. Short looks as if he has put his martini down just for the moment at the urging of his idle rich pals who are pleading that he play a tune or two as the yacht rocks gently at the mooring.

He got you there, because Bobby Short is far, far removed from a doodler. This night, with Jimmy Guilford patting his foot at the stage center front row table, Bobby Short and his energetic, eight piece, bright and brassy jazz band swing handsomely. The man with the mega smile, Mr. Short himself, leads the charge. Between you and me, he seemed turned on playing to a houseful of mostly African Americans, reputedly a change of pace for the reigning ruler of N.Y.'s Cafe Carlyle supper club.

Bobby Short has diction to die for. It's ideal for the witty repertoire of Cole Porter, George Gershwin, Rogers & Hart and others of that show tune upper echelon. Moreover, Short's fished through their songbooks with a finely meshed net bringing up tunes long overlooked by everyone but the composers's heirs.

The mix of the fondly remembered with the rarely heard keeps Short's program fresh. At Scullers some of the songs that elicited sighs of pleasure and rousing applause included "Taking A Chance on Love" from the Broadway show "Cabin in the Sky" that starred Ethel Merman, "We're in the Money" from "Golddiggers of 1933," and "Sand in my Shoes" which he notes was "a big hit in Boston only because the radio disc jockey Bill Marlowe liked it so well."

Short, himself a vital 74, as he took in the array of platinum dudes and silver foxes in the audience, quipped, "anyone who doesn't know who Cole Porter is, you are obviously at the wrong party."

Mid set, Short, who's had a large turnout over the three nights he's been at Scullers, stepped into the audience to embrace Jimmy Guilford.

At the show's conclusion Jimmy returns the compliment by giving Bobby Short a Standing "O" (as does the entire packed house).

Now the Guilford party moves on for champagne and birthday cake. The large reception hall has been remade into an art gallery with a nice selection of Guilford's prints, pastels, charcoals, and oils (including two nifty landscapes of Franklin Park) decorating the walls. As a party favor, Jimmy gives every guest a print of his very lifelike portrait of Martin Luther King, Jr. There's more of John Ross's piano playing with Barbara Rucker coming to the mike for a bluesy rendition of Nat King Cole's "Nature Boy."

A Bostonian all his life, Jimmy Guilford, born Oct. 7, 1911, got his first job at 12 years old as an apprentice to barber Robert Gordon of the Progressive Barbershop at 724 Shawmut Ave. Guilford, who was a student at Boston Latin, would later open his own barbershop in 1934 at 810 Tremont St. His sister Agatha, with whom he shared birthday honors, entered the education field completing her career as principal of the Mattahunt School in Mattapan.

They were surrounded on the splendid occasion by a bevy of relatives. There was his nephew Richard and his wife Cheryl Guilford, cousin Wilfred with Melinda Johns, his daughter Jeanne Eason and her daughter Lena Eason and her son Bryent Eason-Johnson. Jimmy's son James E. Guilford, III was there with Deniaque LaBaptiste and grandson James E. Guilford, IV. Cousins Alton and Joyce Reed were up from Virginia and nephew Allen Furey came in from Washington, D.C. There too was Jimmy's ex wife Maryalice Guilford, a dear friend.

Boston Black Artists Association president Rebecca Hill gave Jimmy a framed tribute from the BBAA which he has belonged to since he took up painting after retiring from barbering. Other artists at the party included Milton Derr, Frank Morris, and Linda Clave, who was Jimmy's first art teacher. Mr. Guilford reminisced that at the time she had a studio across from his barbershop at 832-834-836 Tremont St. in Lower Roxbury. Other careers on Mr. Guilford's resume include bail bondsman and booking agent for entertainers. He served in the military in World War II, earning a Purple Heart.

Other friends attending were a contingent from New York of Brenda Turner, Estelle Robinson, Maurice Callendar, and Edna Williams. A cluster of Nubian Notion people were there reminding Jimmy of his friendship with the late Malik Abu Abdul Khallaq that began in the '40s. Representing that family were Mrs. Eva Khallaq, Mr. and Mrs. Abu Abdul Khallaq, and Sharif Abu Abdul Khallaq. There also was Eleanor Walcott, whose father founded Wally's jazz club and who has been friends with Jimmy since they were teenagers. So too was Marian Spencer, formerly the head nurse at Jewish Memorial Hospital and a retired professor from Boston University School of Medicine.

Other notables included Mildred Otway, a vibrant 88, retired Judge Harry Elam and his wife Barbara, a retired Boston Public Library librarian, as well

Photo (Jimmy Guilford)

Cary, Dick (actually Richard Durant)

2012-03-13T03:37:00.000-07:00

Cary, Dick (actually Richard Durant)

Cary, Dick (actually Richard Durant), jazz pianist, alto horn player, trumpeter, arranger; b. Hartford, Conn., July 10, 1916; d. Glendale, Calif., April 6, 1994. He played violin from early childhood, appearing with the Hartford Symphony Orch. while in high school. Later he specialized on piano, worked with Joe Marsala (1942), and played solo residency at Nick's in N.Y. in 1942–43. He arranged for Benny Goodman in 1943, played for a month in the Casa Loma Band (August 1943), then worked with Brad Gowans before serving in the U.S. Army (1944–46), during which time he recorded V-discs with Muggsy Spanier and Wild Bill Da vison in 1944 and 1945. After the war, he played in Billy Butterfield's Band in 1946 and recorded with him playing alto horn, then led his own band in Meridan, Conn, (late 1946). He was the original pianist in Louis Armstrong's All Stars (Aug. 1947–Jan. 1948). He also worked with Jimmy Dorsey (1949 and spring 1950) and Tony Parenti (late 1949). He did studio work during the early 1950s (including a stint in Jerry Jerome's TV Band), while also working with Muggsy Spanier (late 1952) and with Eddie Condon at his N.Y. club and on Condon's TV show, playing alto horn as well as piano. He was with Bobby Hackett Band (alto horn and arranger) from November 1956. He worked with Max Kaminsky during 1958, and was also active as arranger and composer. He moved to Los Angeles in 1959, did prolific composing and freelance arranging, and worked with Bob Crosby, Red Nichols, and Ben Pollack. He toured Far East with Eddie Condon in spring 1964, then worked for a while in Los Angeles with Matty Matlock. He temporarily ceased doubling on brass in the early 1960s, but continued to work regularly on piano; was featured at several U.S. jazz festivals in the late 1960s. Occasionally, he led his own band (1970–71), playing trumpet, alto horn, and piano. He toured Europe (1977) and America in the 1970s and 1980s, working with the Barrelhouse Jazzband in 1975 and heading his own groups. For over 20 years, he sponsored an informal Tuesday night get-together for L.A.-based jazz players at his home; the group played out at the L.A. Classic Jazz Festival in 1992. He also did some arrangements for the Rochester Symphony Orch.

Discography

Dixieland Goes Progressive (1957); Hot and Cool (1958); Dick Cary and His Dixieland Doo (1959); Amazing Dick Gary (1975); California Doings (1981).

—John Chilton, Who's Who of Jazz/Lewis Porter

Car Plows Into D.C. Festival, 35 Injured

2012-03-13T00:32:00.000-07:00

WASHINGTON - A woman sped through a crowded street festival Saturday night, injuring about 35 people including two police officers who drove their motor scooters into the path attempting to stop the driver, authorities said.

The injured, including at least seven critically, were taken to area hospitals, said Alan Etter, a spokesman for the District of Columbia fire department.

Etter said authorities believe the driver was going about 70 mph when she came through the Unifest festival at about 8 p.m. The woman fled the scene and was caught about a block away, he said.

Police identified the driver as Tanya Bell, 35, of Oxon Hill, Md. They said there was a 7- or 8-year-old child in the car with her.

"We're still trying to piece together exactly just what happened that led up to this," District of Columbia Police Chief Cathy L. Lanier said at the scene.

Persistence pays off for trainer Tomillo

2012-03-12T21:34:00.000-07:00

It hasn't really been chicken one day and feathers the next forChicago trainer Tom Tomillo since he got into the thoroughbred horseracing business 17 years ago. A few years ago he was driving someBroken Down Car. Now he's driving a new Cadillac Eldorado.

Tomillo, 43, born on Chicago's West Side, is on a roll atSportsman's Park. "Watch Tomillo," the Broken Down Horseplayers areyelling. It wasn't so long ago that the BDH were writing him off.

Tomillo, once a long shot to win more than a few races eachyear, could wind up as the leading trainer at the Sportsman's meet,which ends May 23. Yes, Tomillo might saddle more winners thanperennial leader Richard Hazelton.

Through yesterday, Tomillo had 21 winners from 86 starters.Hazelton leads with 22 winners from 154 starters.

"Yeah, I'm doing good," Tomillo said. "You've got to have thehorses and the clients. If you have good people claiming them foryou, or sometimes buying some good horses, things can be so nice. Nohorses, no winners."

Tomillo, training 54 horses, has one of the biggest stables atSportsman's. He has clients with fat bankrolls. He rarely followsempty pockets.

Tomillo's clients include John "Chevy" Tufo; Nick Romanoff andhis partner Arthur Weiss, who sell loads of new cars at their hugetent sales; Louie Roussel Jr., owner of the Fair Grounds track inNew Orleans; Hal Snowden Jr., owner of a big Kentucky Farm and aleading horse salesman; George and Sandy Kleeman; Ken Dvorak, andDon and Billie Yoder.

Tomillo's success would seem like fiction. As recently as 1984,he was busted out like a church mouse.

Now Tomillo is living the life of Riley. There was a time whenhe had to pay his own checks in the track dining room, but latelyhe's always being treated by his clients. Tomillo's weight could beclosing in on three and a quarter pounds - if you know what I mean.

Did you know that some horses weigh 800-plus pounds? Now youshould recognize Tomillo when he waddles through the grandstand anddining room.

Tomillo really picked up the bit last year, winning severalraces at Hawthorne and saddling 30 seconds. His clients made thingsrosy by claiming 25 horses.

Tomillo won four races at Sportsman's with the plater Reckon HeWill, who was claimed from Tomillo the other day. No other horse haswon four races at Sportsman's this year.

"The name of the game is claiming," Tomillo said. "I'd claim ahorse from almost anybody. Well, maybe not from a few of my closefriends, but this is a business. I claimed many last year, but nottoo many yet this year."

He claimed Sugar Top, an also-ran mare, yesterday for $8,000.

Tomillo has won few stakes races, but his hot streak evenbrought him a stakes winner last weekend when he won the $50,000 FullPocket Handicap with Roussel's invader, Irish Open. Tomillo isprepping Irish Open for Monday's Bold Favorite Stakes with some hopethat the colt can travel 1 1/8 miles fast enough to win the $300,000Illinois Derby May 23.

"Things may get even better," Tomillo said. "They're going tohave off-track betting here, hopefully starting July 1. The purseswill get bigger because of increased betting. My clients will investmore money because the racing business will be more profitable."

Tomillo admitted his clients aren't making any real money, butthe purses he has been winning lately will keep them out of the red.

"I guess I'm finally on a roll," Tomillo said. "But I did it byplugging away, without giving up when things were pretty bad."

What's Big Tom looking for in the racing business?

"A real good horse," he said. "Isn't everybody?"

Tomillo was hoping Touch of Pleasure would be shipped to himfrom New Orleans to run in tomorrow's $50,000 Glass House Handicap,but the horse must have taken the wrong plane. He didn't show up.

The one-mile Glass House, named for my horse, who was the mostconsistent racer I ever saw, has some strong invaders. But localstars Bundle of Iron and Harham's Sizzler are standouts.

How the people who assign weights at Sportsman's gave Bundle ofIron 122 pounds and Harham's Sizzler 120 as the top-weighted horsesis beyond me. They figure to annihilate their eight opponents,including my Have a Heart. Harham's Sizzler, who got the biggestbreak, won 23 races from 62 starts for earnings of $800,243.

He's an Illinois-bred who has beaten better horses in opencompany than he'll meet tomorrow. I'm quite sure he has beentraining all winter in Florida.

Since he doesn't have to worry about the Glass House the nextday, I tried to get Tomillo interested in the harness race tonight atBalmoral featuring drivers Mike Ditka, George Steinbrenner, WillieGault and Gary Fencik. But Big Tom, as much as he would like to doit for the Better Boys Foundation, begged off, saying: "I don't thinkthat buggy would be able to carry my weight and besides, I don't wantto press my luck."

With the way his luck is going, the rotund conditioner wouldprobably win the race.

Sustained Intra- and Inter-jurisdictional Transmission of Tuberculosis within a Mobile, Multi-ethnic Social Network: Lessons for Tuberculosis Elimination

2012-03-12T18:11:00.000-07:00

ABSTRACT

Background: A context-specific, spatial-temporal understanding of a chain of tuberculosis (TB) transmission can inform TB elimination strategy.

Methods: Clinical, public health and molecular epidemiologic data were used to: 1) identify and describe a complex cluster of TB cases in Alberta, 2) elucidate transmission sequences, and 3) assess case-patient mobility. Socio-economic indicators in loci of transmission and the province at large were described. Factors seen to be fostering or hampering TB elimination were identified.

Results: Over a 15-year period, 18 TB cases in Alberta and multiple cases in the Northwest Territories were determined to be due to the same strain. One patient was diagnosed at death; all others completed directly-observed therapy (DOT). Case-level analysis revealed that patients were highly mobile with transmission of the strain over 26,569 km^sup 2^, an average of 2.8 different places of residence per patient during treatment, and contacts of sputum smear-positive cases spanning 9 of 17 regional health authorities. The majority of the contacts (57%) were attached to a single infectious case living in a homeless shelter. The three loci of transmission in Alberta were separated geographically but similar in terms of median incomes, rates of unemployment, levels of post-secondary education, and rates of population mobility (p<0.0001).

Conclusion: Upon review of the experience, central oversight, intra- and inter-jurisdictional coordination and DOT were seen as fostering, and the absence of 'real-time' DNA fingerprinting, social network analysis, engineering controls in shelters and better determinants of health in loci of transmission were seen as hampering TB elimination.

Key words: Tuberculosis; transmission; molecular epidemiology; socioeconomic indicators

La traduction du r�sum� se trouve � la fin de l'article.

Can J Public Health 2010;101(3):205-9.

R�SUM�

Contexte : La connaissance spatio-temporelle et contextuelle d'une cha�ne de transmission de la tuberculose pourrait �tayer la strat�gie d'�limination de cette maladie.

M�thode : � l'aide de donn�es cliniques, de sant� publique et d'�pid�miologie mol�culaire, nous avons : 1) mis en �vidence et d�crit une concentration complexe de cas de tuberculose en Alberta, 2) �lucid� les s�quences de transmission et 3) �valu� la mobilit� des cas patients. Nous d�crivons les indicateurs socio�conomiques sur les lieux de transmission et dans le reste de la province. Les facteurs qui semblent favoriser ou entraver l'�limination de la tuberculose sont indiqu�s.

R�sultats : Sur une p�riode de 15 ans, il a �t� d�termin� que 18 cas de tuberculose relev�s en Alberta et plusieurs cas dans les Territoires du Nord-Ouest avaient la m�me souche. L'un des patients a �t� diagnostiqu� apr�s sa mort; tous les autres ont re�u un traitement directement observ� (TDO). L'analyse par cas montre que les patients �taient tr�s mobiles : la souche s'est propag�e sur 26 569 km2, chaque patient a eu en moyenne 2,8 lieux de r�sidence durant son traitement, et les contacts des cas dont les frottis de crachat �taient positifs couvraient 9 des 17 r�gies r�gionales de la sant�. La majorit� des contacts (57 %) �taient rattach�s � un m�me cas infectieux h�berg� dans une maison pour sans-abri. Les trois lieux de transmission en Alberta �taient �loign�s g�ographiquement, mais semblables pour ce qui est des revenus m�dians, des taux de ch�mage, des niveaux d'�tudes postsecondaires et des taux de mobilit� de la population (p<0,0001).

Conclusion : Selon notre analyse, les facteurs favorisant l'�limination de la tuberculose sont la surveillance centrale, la coordination intra- et interprovinciale et le TDO. Les facteurs entravant l'�limination de la tuberculose sont l'absence d'identification � en temps r�el � par le code g�n�tique, l'absence d'analyse des r�seaux sociaux, l'absence de mesures techniques dans les maisons de refuge et l'absence de meilleurs d�terminants de la sant� dans les lieux de transmission.

Mots cl�s : tuberculose; transmission; �pid�miologie mol�culaire; indicateurs socio�conomiques

The World Health Organization Global Plan to Stop TB: 2006- 2015 aims to halve by 2015 the prevalence of TB reported in 1990.1 Consistent with this goal, the Canadian Tuberculosis Committee of the Public Health Agency of Canada set a target Canadian TB incidence rate of 3.6 per 100,000 persons (one-half the incidence rate in Canada in 1990) for 2015.2 So far, the achievement of this goal has been hampered by sustained high rates of TB in Aboriginal peoples and the foreign-born. Strategies aimed at eliminating TB focus on interrupting transmission and preventing TB in persons already infected.2

This study is focused on the Canadian-born and describes in detail and places into context a complex cluster (chain of transmission) of TB cases in Alberta. Further, it uses the exercise to inform TB elimination strategy. A cluster of TB cases is one whose causative isolates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis share a common DNA fingerprint, suggesting a transmission link between them.3 In instances where housing is unstable and patients may not know the names and locations of contacts, studies that incorporate DNA fingerprinting of isolates have provided insight into spatial and temporal patterns of transmission as well as factors that might contribute to rapid progression of disease.4-8 In addition to DNA fingerprint data, contact tracing, mobility and socio-economic data were used to further describe the chain of transmission and interpret its implications for TB elimination.

METHODS

This study was performed in Alberta, a province of Western Canada having a population of 2.94 million in 2001 (Statistics Canada) and where the majority of First Nations (66%) are living on-reserve (Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, 2001). In Alberta, initial isolates of M. tuberculosis are DNA fingerprinted in the Provincial Laboratory for Public Health using restriction fragment-length polymorphism (RFLP) supplemented by spoligotyping as necessary. 9,10 Over the 17-year period 1991-2007, all large clusters - defined as those having 15 or more case-patients - were identified and described according to the age, sex, population group (Aboriginal [First Nations, M�tis, Inuit], Canadian-born non-Aboriginal and foreign-born) and place of residence (on-reserve or off-reserve) of their constituent members. One large cluster was selected for study. To assess the inter-jurisdictional spread of this cluster strain, it was compared to all isolates from the Northwest Territories (NWT) in 1993-2001 (n=122) and all isolates from British Columbia (BC), Saskatchewan and Manitoba in 1995-1997 (n=944).11

Case and contact analysis

Public health and hospital records of cluster cases were reviewed retrospectively. Cases were described according to age, sex, population group, date of diagnosis (the start date of treatment), place of residence at diagnosis (city borough, reserve community), disease site (pulmonary or extra-pulmonary), sputum smear status (positive or negative), chest radiograph status (cavitary or non-cavitary), risk factors for reactivation and outcome.2 Epidemiologic links, defined as likely exposure to another case of TB within the cluster within 2 years of diagnosis, were categorized as 'Type 1': clear epidemiologic links confirmed at the time of diagnosis by traditional contact tracing or review of case records or 'Type 2': unclear epidemiologic links, connection based on place of residence at diagnosis, molecular genotyping and diagnosis date within 2 years of another case in the cluster. Results are presented in diagrammatic format to maintain the anonymity of cases and communities.

Contact summary reports for each case were reviewed to identify potential linkages within the cluster (contact tracing had been performed by public health nurses in accordance with the recommendations of the Canadian Tuberculosis Standards).2 Data extracted from contact tracing included total number of contacts, the nature of their association to the source case (close, casual, or other) and geographical location. Contacts were assigned to one of 17 geographical locations based on residence and Regional Health Authority (RHA) divisions used in the province up until 2003. Locations of contacts were tabulated by patient, and average distances of contact locations from source locations were calculated, based on residence at diagnosis.

Mobility analysis

Three indicators were used to assess the mobility of cases: 1) documented out-of-province travel or change of address during treatment for active TB, 2) history of homelessness evidenced by record of residence in a publicly operated shelter in the 12 months preceding diagnosis or during treatment for active TB and 3) geographical location of contacts.

Community-level analysis

Loci of transmission were assigned according to address and postal code at diagnosis. The major locus of transmission in Edmonton consisted of three adjoining census areas; in Calgary one census area. Data were obtained from the 2001 census on total population, income, employment, and population mobility for crude comparison of area-based socio-economic measures between loci of transmission and the province at large.

Statistical analysis

The statistical significance of differences between area-level indicators was assessed using chi-squared tests for proportions and t-tests for quantitative variables with STATA, version 9.2. The study was approved by the Health Research Ethics Board of the University of Alberta.

RESULTS

Between 1991 and 2007, there were 1,926 cases of culture-positive TB in Alberta; 404 (21.0%) in Aboriginal peoples, 262 (13.6%) in Canadian-born non-Aboriginal peoples and 1,260 (65.4%) in foreignborn peoples. Initial isolates from 1,880 (97.6%) cases were DNA fingerprinted and 7 large clusters identified (Table 1). Subsets of clusters 'C' and 'G' had been reported previously.12 Cluster 'D' was chosen as being the most likely to inform TB elimination strategy. It involved four different population groups and a drug-susceptible strain; its extent was unrecognized at the time (routine and catchup [historical isolates] RFLP typing did not begin until later). All cluster cases occurred within 2 years of each other. Between 1993 and 2001, there were multiple (>10) NWT cases with the same strain. Between 1995 and 1997, there were no BC, Saskatchewan and Manitoba cases with the same strain. The incidence of TB in Alberta was 6.7 and 3.2 per 100,000 persons in 1991 and 2007, respectively.13

Case and contact analysis

Most of the 18 Cluster "D" cases were young (median age 39 years), male (72.2%), and Aboriginal (72.2%) (Table 2). All had pulmonary or pleuro-pulmonary TB. Three cases had 1 and five cases had 2 independent determinants of infectiousness (sputum smear positivity and cavitation on chest radiograph).14 Fourteen patients were HIV tested and negative; non-tested patients had no record of a positive HIV test result in the provincial HIV database up to the end of 2007. Substance abuse was very common (88.2% of the adult cases). Intra- and inter-jurisdictional management was well coordinated and all but one case (#4 who was diagnosed at death) completed directly observed treatment (DOT).15 Three loci of transmission were identified: a reserve community, an Edmonton borough, and a Calgary borough, spanning 26,569 km2 (Figure 1). Ten cases had 'Type 1' and 7 cases had 'Type 2' transmission links.

Most contacts (57.0% of 1,080) were attached to a single highly infectious homeless shelter resident (#8). Many (24.4%) of this case's contacts were already known to be tuberculin skin test (TST) positive. Most of the 254 non-assessed case contacts (186 or 73.2%) were contacts of this case. Of the 71 new TST positive/TST converted contacts of this patient, 58 (81.7%) were recommended, 30 (42.3%) accepted, and 16 (22.5%) completed treatment of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI). Close contacts were more likely than those who were casual or 'other' to have a new positive TST or TST conversion, 51.3% versus 31.3% versus 20.4%, respectively (Table 3).

Case mobility

On average, the five most infectious cases and all cases changed addresses 4 times and 2.8 times, respectively, during treatment. Five patients had a history of shelter living before and 3 during treatment; shelters were without engineering controls. Three cases (case #s 1, 7, and 14) originated from an NWT band and had a documented history of travel to the NWT either prior to diagnosis or during treatment. Contacts of sputum smear-positive cases were widely distributed, involving 9 of 17 RHAs.

Area-based socio-economic indicators

Median household income and rates of higher education were lower and unemployment rates and population mobility higher in the transmission loci than in the province at large, p<0.0001 (Table 4).

DISCUSSION

At a time when the overall incidence of TB in Alberta was falling, sustained transmission was occurring in a difficult-to-reach population. Cluster cases were from multiple population groups, occurred over an extended period of time, and with few exceptions were not connected one with another at the time. Though cluster cases were HIV negative and the cluster strain drug-susceptible, there was ongoing intra-jurisdictional transmission between three loci in Alberta and inter-jurisdictional transmission between Alberta and the Northwest Territories. Upon review of the experience, central oversight, integrated case management and DOT were seen as fostering TB elimination. The absence of 'real-time' DNA fingerprinting (see definition of 'real-time' in next paragraph), social network analysis, and engineering controls in shelters and the presence of poor determinants of health in loci of transmission were seen as sustaining the outbreak and hampering TB elimination.

In contrast to outbreaks in isolated or semi-isolated reserve communities which rely on conventional epidemiology - sometimes to the point of screening 'community contacts' - complex outbreaks such as the one reported here rely on molecular epidemiology, geographical-spatial analysis, and the application of unconventional contact-tracing paradigms for investigation.12,16-22 They can be much more challenging. Clearly, it would have been helpful to have recognized the extent of the outbreak earlier. In this regard, newer, polymerase-chain-reaction-based methods of genotyping M. tuberculosis (for example, "mycobacterial interspersed repetitive-unit-variable number tandem repeats" [MIRU-VNTR]) offer the promise of 'real-time' (results in 1 to 2 weeks [national], versus 2 to 12 weeks for RFLP [provincial]) intra- and interjurisdictional outbreak detection.23-26 Such genotyping can also unmask the role that social networks play in disease transmission and the extent to which failure to consider unnamed contacts can lead to missed cases. Disease control in the context of social networks requires identification of groups of persons who share similar social settings and mores with infected people. Once these groups are identified, testing and treatment is offered not only to the infected person and the few named contacts, but to the entire network. This approach improves rapport with clientele, helps eliminate stigma, and identifies persons who may have otherwise been missed.27,28

Such strategies might have minimized the effect of case-patient mobility which was substantial. In general, high degrees of mobility are seen in young adults and those with unstable or transient living conditions.29 With respect to the former, migration of First Nations off-reserve is known to have a clear age pattern with young adults being the most mobile. Two of the most infectious First Nations cases were mobile across jurisdictions. With respect to those with unstable or transient living conditions, 57% of the contacts were attached to a single highly infectious shelter resident. Shelter contacts are difficult to assess (30% of this patient's contacts went unassessed), subject to re-infection (8 of the cluster cases had a history of TB or a positive TST) and difficult to treat if infected (only 22.5% of this patient's newly infected/TST-converted contacts completed treatment of LTBI). Engineering controls such as ultraviolet light might have reduced transmission had they been present in the shelter in question.30 Mandated compliance with TB screening, as a condition of admission, and spot sputum screening are strategies that have been used with success in homeless shelters in the United States.31,32

Our crude comparison of socio-economic indicators at the community level suggested a link between TB and social determinants of health. TB cluster size and social disadvantage are known to be associated.33 Substance abuse was a common risk factor among casepatients; excessive alcohol use is known to be disproportionately high in clustered patients.23 Substance abuse is the most commonly reported modifiable behaviour impeding TB elimination efforts in the United States.34 Poor socio-economic conditions and substance abuse have been linked; together they may contribute to delayed diagnosis and more advanced disease (greater transmission) at presentation.

The major limitation of this study is its retrospective design, requiring the use of proxies for mobility analysis and aggregate data for area-based analysis.

In conclusion, as TB rates continue to decline, an increasing proportion of cases are likely to occur in difficult-to-reach populations. New technology and better understanding of complex chains of transmission can expose barriers to TB elimination.

[Reference]

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25. McElroy PD, Rothenberg RB, Varghese R, Woodruff R, Minns GO, Muth SQ, et al. A network-informed approach to investigating a tuberculosis outbreak: Implications for enhancing contact investigations. Int J Tuberc Lung Dis 2003;7(Suppl 3):S486-S493.

26. van Deutekom H, Hoijng SP, de Haas PEW, Langendam MW, Horsman A, van Soolingen D, et al. Clustered tuberculosis cases - Do they represent recent transmission and can they be detected earlier? Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2004;169:806-10.

27. Fitzpatrick LK, Hardacker JA, Heirendt W, Agerton T, Streicher A, Melnyk H, et al. A preventable outbreak of tuberculosis investigated through an intricate social network. Clin Infect Dis 2001;33:1801-6.

28. Cook VJ, Sun SJ, Tapia J, Muth SQ, Arg�ello F, Lewis BL, et al. Transmission network analysis in tuberculosis contact investigations. JID 2007;196:1517-27.

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30. Escombe AR, Moore DAJ, Gilman RH, Navincopa M, Ticona E, Mitchell B, et al. Upper room ultraviolet light and negative air ionization to prevent tuberculosis transmission. PLoS Med 2009;6:e1000043. doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.1000043.

31. Rendleman NJ. Mandated tuberculosis screening in a community of homeless people. Am J Prev Med 1999;17:108-13.

32. Kimmerling ME, Shakes CF, Carlisle R, Lok KH, Benjamin WH, Dunlap NE. Spot sputum screening: Evaluation of an intervention in two homeless shelters. Int J Tuberc Lung Dis 1999;3:613-19.

33. Moro ML, Salamina G, Gori A, Penati V, Sacchetti R, Mezzetti F, et al. Two-year population-based molecular epidemiological study of tuberculosis transmission in the metropolitan area of Milan, Italy. Eur J Clin Microbiol 2002;21:114-22.

34. Oeltmann JE, Kammerer JS, Pevzner ES, Moonan PK. Tuberculosis and substance abuse in the United States, 1997-2006. Arch Int Med 2009;169:189-97.

Received: August 4, 2009

Accepted: February 5, 2010

[Author Affiliation]

Anne Aspler, MSc,1 Huey Chong, BSc,1 Dennis Kunimoto, MD,1,2 Linda Chui, PhD,2 Evelina Der, BScN,3 Jody Boffa, MIH,1 Richard Long, MD1

Author Affiliations

1. Tuberculosis Program Evaluation and Research Unit, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB

2. Provincial Laboratory for Public Health, Edmonton and Calgary, AB

3. Edmonton Tuberculosis Clinic, Edmonton, AB

Correspondence: Dr. Richard Long, Tuberculosis Program Evaluation and Research Unit, Room 8325, Aberhart Hospital, 11402 University Avenue, Edmonton, AB T6G 2J3, Tel: 780-407-1427, Fax: 780-407-1429, E-mail: richard.long@ualberta.ca

Acknowledgements: The authors thank Karen Sutherland and Norah Landry for their assistance in preparing the manuscript and the Canadian Molecular Epidemiology of TB Study Group for the use of their Western Canada DNA fingerprint database (1995-1997).

Supported by grants from the Aboriginal Health Strategy Project Fund, Alberta Health and Wellness, and First Nations and Inuit Health, Health Canada, Alberta Region.

This work was prepared in partial fulfillment of a Master's of Science degree in Public Health by Anne Aspler.

Conflict of Interest: None to declare.

A look at global economic developments

2012-03-12T14:19:00.000-07:00

A look at economic developments and activity in major stock markets around the world Wednesday:

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BRUSSELS _ European Union countries should act jointly to regulate so-called naked short-selling of shares and investments to reduce volatilty in financial markets, the European Commission said.

A day after Germany unilaterally imposed such a ban, EU Internal Market Commissioner Michel Barnier said eurozone finance ministers should coordinate their efforts at a special meeting on Friday in Brussels.

Britain's FTSE 100 index of leading shares fell 2.8 percent, Germany's DAX dropped 2.7 percent and the CAC-40 in France lost 2.9 percent.

In Asia, shares also dropped in the wake of the German decision. Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 stock average dropped 0.5 percent, South Korea's Kospi index lost 0.8 percent, Australia's S&P/ASX 200 index was off 1.9 percent, benchmarks in Singapore, India and Indonesia all fell more than 1 percent and Hong Kong's Hang Seng index lost 1.8 percent.

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BERLIN _ German Chancellor Angela Merkel called for tougher regulation aimed at stock and bond traders along with a crackdown on government debt to contain the continent's financial crisis, warning that the future of the euro itself was at stake.

Urging lawmakers to pass Germany's share of a new euro750 billion ($1 trillion) eurozone rescue package, Merkel said that defending the currency is "about no more and no less than the preservation of the European idea."

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SHANGHAI _ The uncertainties brought on by the financial crisis in Europe add urgency to strategic China-U.S. talks next week, the U.S. commerce secretary said as he appealed for a more open and fair Chinese trade regime.

As the European financial crisis deepens, Beijing appears to be pulling back from expected moves to loosen its currency's peg to the U.S. dollar, saying the euro's slide to four-year lows against the dollar is putting too heavy a burden on its own exporters.

China has kept the yuan at a rate of about 6.83 per dollar for nearly two years, seeking to cushion its exporters from the global financial crisis. Some economists reckon the yuan is undervalued by up to 40 percent against the dollar, giving Chinese exporters an unfair advantage in overseas markets.

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ATHENS, Greece _ Cash-strapped Greece managed to pay off its creditors, warding off bankruptcy in the nick of time, by using billions of euros from the EU-led rescue package aimed at containing the debt crisis.

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LONDON _ Members of the Bank of England's rate-setting panel are increasingly concerned about inflation but uncertain how a new government, a euro debt crisis and other developments will affect consumer prices, according to minutes of its most recent meeting.

The Bank's Monetary Policy Committee, which is responsible for adjusting interest rates to keep inflation at or near 2 percent, had voted unanimously to leave the base interest rate at an all-time low of 0.5 percent.

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MADRID _ Spain will raise taxes for high-income earners to help chip away at the country's outsized deficit, the prime minister said.

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KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia _ Malaysia's government announced plans to issue its first Islamic bonds in eight years, marking a return to tapping funds from the international capital markets amid the country's economic recovery.

The bond sale is likely to be bigger than its first $600 million issuance in 2002 and will be a boost for Malaysia's ambitions to become an Islamic financial center, bankers said.

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LONDON _ Iceland says it has reached a deal to buy krona-denominated assets held in Luxembourg, reducing the country's external debt by more than 3.5 percent of gross domestic product.

US Navy, Russians seize 26 pirates off Somalia

2012-03-12T10:52:00.000-07:00

U.S. Navy and Russian warships arrested 26 suspected Somali pirates this week, while a maritime watchdog warned on Friday that pirates are stepping up attacks as weather improves in the waters off East Africa.

The latest arrests came Thursday, when an American helicopter from the USS Vella Gulf fired warning shots at gunmen in two skiffs that had opened fire and tried to board the Indian-flagged vessel Premdivya.

U.S. forces searched the skiff and found weapons including rocket-propelled grenades, then took nine suspected pirates aboard the American ship, the Bahrain-based 5th Fleet said.

On Wednesday, the same American ship detained seven other suspected pirates _ the Navy's first arrests since it established an anti-piracy task force this year. The suspects, armed with AK-47s and rocket-propelled grenades, had tried to board the Marshall Islands-flagged vessel Polaris using a ladder from their skiff.

The pirates were transferred via helicopter to the USNS Lewis and Clark on Thursday, according to Lt. Nathan Christensen, a 5th Fleet spokesman. Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said they could be handed over to Kenya, after the United States last month agreed to hand pirate suspects to the east African nation.

Associated Press Television News footage from aboard the Lewis and Clark showed some of the men, handcuffed and wearing leg shackles and white jumpsuits, being escorted from helicopters onto the ship.

They were given a meal, a blanket, a towel and a bar of soap, but they were not allowed to talk to each other. U.S. forces assisted by a translator were trying to get information from the men, such as their ages and nationalities. The men were then taken to a holding area surrounded by razor wire and guarded.

Separately, the Russian navy said Friday its nuclear-powered heavy missile cruiser Peter The Great detained 10 Somali pirates closing in on an Iranian-flagged fishing trawler. Russian military prosecutors were questioning the men, who were caught on Thursday with rifles, grenade-launchers, illegal narcotics and a large sum of money, the navy said.

Piracy off Somalia, which has not had a functioning government since 1991, reached record levels last year. Somali pirates, seeking multimillion-dollar ransoms, launched 111 attacks and seized 42 vessels last year, mostly in the Gulf of Aden, with attacks peaking between September and November.

Somali piracy accounted for the bulk of the 49 vessels hijacked and 889 crewmembers taken hostage around the world in 2008 _ the highest worldwide figures since the London-based International Maritime Bureau began keeping records in 1991.

The increased danger led the United States, India, Britain, China, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea and other countries to send warships to the area to protect commercial vessels and more quickly rush to their aid.

Still, attacks have continued, and the maritime watchdog warned on Friday ships plying the popular trade route off eastern Africa to be more vigilant.

Noel Choong, chief of the bureau's reporting center in Kuala Lumpur, said six ships were attacked on Wednesday and Thursday alone. "We haven't seen such an increase in attacks for some time," said Choong.

Since the beginning of January, 22 vessels had been attacked, and three were hijacked. Choong said favorable weather made it easier for the smaller pirate boats to ambush ships. He also said seven ships have been released over the past month, likely pushing pirates to try to replenish their stocks.

In the latest release, pirates freed a Japanese-owned cargo ship and its 23 crew members after nearly three months in captivity, a diplomat based in Nairobi, Kenya, said Friday.

The MV Chemstar Venus, owned by a Japanese shipping company and registered in Panama, was seized by armed Somali gunmen on Nov. 15 in the Gulf of Aden. On board were five South Koreans and 18 Filipinos. The diplomat, who asked not to be named because he was not authorized to speak to the media, said the ship carrying unidentified chemicals was released Thursday night. There was no immediate word if a ransom was paid.

In the aftermath of what was one of the most dramatic pirate heists, Ukrainian sailors returned home after four months in captivity after the seizure of their cargo ship, MV Faina, which was loaded with tanks and heavy weapons. The sailors stepped off a plane in Kiev, tanned but exhausted-looking for a tearful reunion with their families on the tarmac.

Faina's ordeal began in September, when scores of heavily armed Somali pirates swarmed onboard as it carried 33 Soviet-designed tanks and crates of small arms headed to Kenya. The pirates released the vessel last week, reportedly after receiving a $3.2 million ransom.

The Faina, with its cargo, docked on Thursday at the Kenyan port of Mombasa. Foreign governments had feared the Faina's weapons might fall into the hands of Somali insurgents, who the U.S. State Department says are linked to al-Qaida.

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Associated Press Writers Julia Zappei in Kuala Lumpur, Malasyia, Barbara Surk in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Mike Eckel in Moscow; Pauline Jelinek in Washington, and Katharine Houreld in Mombasa, Kenya contributed to this report.