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Frey calls Winfrey interview 'personal car crash'

2012-03-15T05:34:00.000-07:00

CHICAGO (AP) — Author James Frey tells Oprah Winfrey that if he could do it again he would have "been honest" in promoting his book "A Million Little Pieces."

Frey appeared on Monday's episode of "The Oprah Winfrey Show," more than five years after Winfrey accused him on live television of lying in the book. Winfrey called it "the biggest controversy" in her show's history.

Winfrey …

New Egypt bourse offers small firms hope

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

Egypt's small and medium-sized enterprise sector got a boost Thursday as an exchange targeting such firms kicked off its first day of operation, a move aimed at opening the door for new investments in an often undervalued sector.

While only 10 companies are listed so far on the Nilex Stock Exchange, the launch of the bourse is seen as a key to providing such firms with greater access to capital and boosting a sector described by officials as crucial to growth in the Arab world's most populous nation.

"For the first time, small and medium enterprises are being acknowledged," said Nora Helmy, managing director of Naeem Funds, an investment firm …

Fifth Third adds Wilkinson to head consumer bank

2012-03-15T00:44:00.000-07:00

Fifth Third Bancorp, Cincinnati, has added Carlos Winston Wilkinson to its staff as executive vice president and head of its consumer bank. He was retail executive for North Carolina-based Wachovia Mortgage Corp.

At Fifth …

2012-03-14T23:40:00.000-07:00

ATG Enhances Catalyst Program, Unveils ATG Mobile for Android.

hich enables clients to create native Android applications to support mobile shopping of ATG-powered e-commerce sites.
Launched last year, the ATG Catalyst program is a community-supported asset distribution channel designed to inspire innovation, enhance pATG, a provider of cross-channel commerce solutions, said it has expanded the ATG Catalyst program to include ATG Mobile for Android, wroduct implementations, and further connect ATG customers and partners, the Company noted in a release. Since the program's introduction, more than 2,680 catalyst assets have been downloaded by developers who have used the valuable resources to enhance various cross-channel commerce initiatives. ATG clients have leveraged these available assets to build new features and applications, and enhance existing functionality to improve the customer experience on the web and across channels.
In a release, the Company said that ATG Mobile for Android provides a framework for clients to create and manage shopping applications optimized for Android-powered devices, including full m-commerce support.
"The framework ATG provided via the ATG Catalyst program helped jumpstart our development efforts, while still granting us full control to create and launch a mobile shopping application that is customized for our brand," said Marty Keane, senior vice president of e-commerce, Bluefly, Inc. "It gives our customers easy access to all of Bluefly's products, including a select iPhone assortment of our best designer apparel and accessories. The ATG framework also allowed us to create a truly seamless integration between the web browser experience and the mobile experience. Customers can start their Bluefly purchase on a computer and complete that same order using their iPhone, or vice versa. We've created a Bluefly shopping application that delivers an incredible experience for customers using the iPhone or iPod touch."
"When we launched the ATG Catalyst program, we strived to create an open-source inspired venue where our partners, customers, and internal teams could share ideas and code that would help them innovate on the web and across channels," said Bill Zujewski, vice president of product marketing, ATG. "In the first year, the program has achieved these goals and has played a particularly significant role in helping our clients realize the potential of mobile commerce. Today, Android has emerged as the largest smart phone platform in the U.S. and is the fastest growing worldwide. By providing a catalyst asset that makes it easy for our clients to create and launch mobile shopping applications optimized for Android devices, we are helping our customers stay ahead of the mobile revolution."
((Comments on this story may be sent to health@closeupmedia.com))

Argentine Prison Fire Kills 29 Inmates

2012-03-14T22:23:00.000-07:00

A fire apparently set as part of an escape attempt swept through an Argentine prison cellblock and killed at least 29 inmates, authorities said Monday.

The fire broke out late Sunday in one of the cellblock complexes of a maximum security prison in the central province of Santiago del Estero, said Ricardo Daives, the province's justice minister.

Another 10 people were hospitalized for smoke inhalation and other injuries, Daives told the independent news channel Todo Noticias.

Daives said inmates apparently set the fire in a bid to distract guards as part of plan to break out of the prison.

"Parts of the cellblock were set on …

Thai leader declares emergency to clear airports

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

Thailand's government prepared to crack down Thursday on protesters occupying the capital's two airports, but called on the public not to panic as rumors of a coup swept through the city.

Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat declared a state of emergency around the capital's two main airports, which would allow security forces to oust thousands of anti-government protesters from the terminals.

Somchai accused the protesters of "holding the country hostage and the public hostage."

"I do not have any intention to hurt any members of the public," he added, though the imposition of the measures raised the possibility that violent clashes …

Court bars state audit of two lawyer panels

2012-03-14T17:42:00.000-07:00

A judge barred Illinois Auditor General Robert G. Cronsonyesterday from auditing the funds of the Attorney Registration andDisciplinary Commission and the State Board of Law Examiners.

Though Cronson has the authority to audit all state agencies,Cook County Circuit Judge David J. Shields ruled that neither thecommission nor the board fit the definition of a state agency.

The auditor general is a legislative officer, and thelegislative branch is "expressly prohibited from exercising judicialauthority" because of the doctrine of separation of powers, Shieldswrote.

Representing Cronson was Special Assistant Attorney GeneralSamuel W. Witwer, who said the …

Afghan President Reaches Out to Taliban

2012-03-14T15:22:00.000-07:00

UNITED NATIONS - Afghan President Hamid Karzai said Sunday his government is working very hard on peace talks with the Taliban that would bring the insurgents and their supporters "back to the fold."

Karzai said the government and an independent national commission have been trying to bring back those Taliban supporters who are not part of al-Qaida and were "forced or found in a position to leave Afghanistan or to pick up guns."

"It is extremely important that this process will go on," he told reporters after a high-level meeting of 24 of the country's supporters and neighbors, which he co-chaired with U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

Ban said participants in …

Berlusconi: Wife must apologize for divorce threat

2012-03-14T13:02:00.000-07:00

Facing a divorce threat, Premier Silvio Berlusconi was quoted Monday as saying he doesn't know if he wants to patch up his marriage and demanding a public apology from his wife.

The billionaire media magnate's wife, actress Veronica Lario, confirmed Sunday she is seeking a divorce from Berlusconi for his constant flirtations with younger women. They have been together since 1980, married in 1990 and have three children in their twenties, but have lived separate lives for many years.

The top editors of Corriere della Sera and La Stampa wrote in Monday's editions that they spoke with Berlusconi, and the premier is feeling bitter about Lario's revelations that she …

Trade deficit hits 8-year low // Exports set record in 2nd qtr. as slump shrivels import demand

2012-03-14T10:41:00.000-07:00

WASHINGTON Recession-dampened demand for imports and recordexports combined to narrow the U.S. merchandise trade deficit to aneight-year low in the April-June quarter, the government saidTuesday.

The $15.6 billion imbalance was 15.1 percent smaller than thegap in the first three months of the year and was the narrowest sincethe second quarter of 1983, the Commerce Department said.

However, analysts warned that much of the dramatic decrease wastemporary and could be partly reversed as the U.S. economic recoveryincreases Americans' appetite for foreign goods.

"Much of the improvement that took place over the last year hasbeen directly attributable to the …

Iran postpones start of trial for 3 Americans

2012-03-14T08:21:00.000-07:00

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran's judiciary spokesman says the start of the trial of three Americans charged with spying has been postponed because one of them has not been summoned to return to Iran to appear in court.

Sarah Shourd was freed on bail in September after nearly 14 months in a Tehran prison and returned to the United States. Her fiance, Shane Bauer, and their friend Josh Fattal remain in …

Moody's upgrades ratings of Flowserve

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

Moody's Investors Service on Thursday upgraded Flowserve Corp.'s corporate family rating, saying that the maker of pumps, valves and mechanical seals is showing it can weather the recession.

Moody's raised Flowserve's corporate family rating to "Ba1" from "Ba2." It also raised the probability of default rating to "Ba2" from "Ba3" and the rating for its senior secured credit facility to "Baa3" from "Ba1."

The ratings cover $950 million in debt.

Moody's said Flowserve, based in …

RedHawks, Zips: advance to quarters

2012-03-14T03:35:00.000-07:00

Juby Johnson and Chester Mason scored 15 points apiece to leadMiami (Ohio) to a 71-60 victory Monday over Buffalo in the firstround of the Mid-American Conference Tournament. Alex Shorts added13 points and Doug Davis had 12. Eugene Seals was a perfect 3-for-3from the field and 4-of-4 from the line for 10 points for Miami (13-17, 10-9 MAC).

Turner Battle led Buffalo (12-18, 7-12) with 16 points, andClement Smith added 12.

In other MACTournament first-round games Monday:

Akron 90, Western Michigan 83 -Rashon Brown scored 31 points forthe Zips.

Akron (10-20), the No. 11 seed, never trailed in the game and ledby as many as 24 points.

The No. 6 seed Broncos (17-13), who have averaged more than eight3-pointers a game, were held to two 3-pointers until the finalminute, when the Broncos hit three in a desperate attempt to catch upto the Zips.

The win was Akron's first ever in MAC Tournament play.

Central Michigan 65, Ohio 56 -David Webber scored 15 points andChris Kaman had 13 points and 14 rebounds for the Chippewas.

T.J. Meerman and Chad Pleiness each scored 11 points for theChippewas (9-18).

Steve Esterkamp led the Bobcats (17-11) with 18 points and PatrickFlomo added 10.

Toledo 89, Eastern Michigan 53 - Keith Triplett scored 25 pointsto lead the Rockets.

Triplett, who also led the Rockets (15-13) with 8 rebounds, shot 8-of-15 from the field.

Ryan Prillman scored 12 points to lead Eastern (6-24), and MarkusAustin added 11.

Mid-American ConferencETOURNAMENT

Monday's Games at Campus Sites

Miami, Ohio 71, Buffalo 60

Akron 90, W. Michigan 83

Cent. Michigan 65, Ohio 56

Toledo 89, E. Michigan 53

Marshall 97, N. Illinois 93

At Cleveland

Quarterfinals

Thursday's Quarterfinals

Kent St. vs. Marshall, noon

Cent. Michigan vs. Toledo, 2 p.m.

Ball St. vs. Miami, Ohio, 7 p.m.

Bowling Green vs. Akron, 9 p.m.

Friday's Semifinals

Thursday's early quarterfinal winners, 7 p.m.

Thursday's late quarterfinal winners, 9 p.m.

Saturday's Championship

Friday's semifinal winners, 7 p.m.

A Look at Stick Antenna Replacements

2012-03-14T00:43:00.000-07:00

The traditional stick, or fixed-mast, antenna is disappearing from cars as automakers embrace new technology that they say looks better and can offer more options to drivers. Among the alternatives on the market or in the works:

_ Roof-mounted antenna.

_ Hidden, in-glass antenna.

_ Hybrid antenna that combines roof-mounted with in-glass.

_ Next-generation, multifunctional antenna with several concealed throughout vehicle.

King misplaces crown when Cavs need him most

2012-03-13T21:50:00.000-07:00

It's a good thing LeBron James will change the number on the back of his jersey from 23 to 6 next season, if only because wherever he winds up, it will be one less reminder of the player he will never be.

The comparisons to Michael Jordan were overblown long before now. James' listless performance in the Cavs' Game 5 loss to the Celtics at home was simply confirmation of that.

He may be the NBA prototype for the rest of this century: a RoboCop physique, already possessed with 22nd-Century skills. But unless or until he develops a killer instinct, James doesn't belong in the same sentence with the guy who dominated basketball at the end of the last one.

Jordan had plenty of tough shooting nights, even in the playoffs, but every time it happened, he made sure everyone else on the other team had a worse one. If it meant playing blistering defense, he did. If it required collaring every important rebound and loose ball, he did that, too.

Scaring his teammates enough to raise their own games? Jordan did that, anyway, because he didn't know any other way to play.

Contrast that with how James played Tuesday night. After talking about how important it was to set the tone and then lobbying to defend Boston's emerging superstar, Rajon Rondo, James launched four shots in the first half and made zero.

He didn't make a field goal until almost the midpoint of the third quarter, and by then the outcome was practically assured. James finished with 15 points, on 3-of-14 shooting and didn't shut down anyone.

"I play according to the game and see how it's flowing and we had a great flow," he said afterward, explaining the disappearing act in the opening half. "I wasn't able to get anything offensively going for myself, but I was still able to do some other things _ get some rebounds, get some assists and get some guys going early on the game."

Kobe Bryant, the other guy who's been hemmed in by comparisons to Jordan, disappears some nights, too. But he does it willfully. He can't scare his teammates the way Jordan did, but he's not above reminding them what the consequences are if they won't step up.

Yet Bryant won't stand by idly while an important game slides down the drain. He's too selfish that way. James just did.

"It's unlike him," Cleveland coach Mike Brown said afterward. "He had an off-night tonight, which is abnormal.

"He'll be ready to go," Brown added a moment later, "in Game 6."

Don't bet on it.

Some of the Cleveland fans who hadn't already bolted the arena booed James when he walked off the floor with four minutes left. He took the Cavs to the finals in his fourth season, but got swept and promised to use the experience as a lesson. The only thing James appears to have learned, though, is how to lose the games that matter most.

He is still only 25, which might explain the lack of urgency. Most of his career is still in front of him, including free agency and suitors lined up in every town with enough cap room to convince his agent, Leon Rose, to take a call. But the very same things that make James so appealing off the court _ a quick smile, level head, easygoing demeanor _ seem to holding back his progress on it.

Remember what happened last season, after the Magic abruptly ended what was widely billed as the king's coronation. After the Cavs lost, James rushed toward the exit without shaking hands with any of the Orlando players. A day later, instead of apologizing, his explanation was more awkward still.

"It's hard for me to congratulate somebody after you just lose to them," he said back at the team's practice facility in Cleveland. "I mean, I'm a winner.

"I'm a competitor," James added. "That's what I do."

But he's still not a winner, and based on his leadership in this series, still only so much of a competitor.

The Lakers, too, seemed to be sleepwalking their way through these playoffs, especially in the first round against a younger, seemingly hungrier Oklahoma City squad. Then Bryant, who like James has been forced to play through a nagging injury, took over and tore up both the Thunder and then the Jazz, scoring at least 30 points in his past five games.

James shrugged off a question in the interview room afterward about whether the Cavs lack of an "identity" was the reason for their wildly uneven play in the series.

"I don't feel like it's an identity thing," he said, "just a consistency thing."

But consistency comes when people know what's expected of them, and James' supporting cast is finding it hard to figure out what their roles are when the star of the show is still trying to decide what his is going to be.

___

Jim Litke is a national sports columnist for The Associated Press. Write to him at jlitke(at)ap.org.

Investors keep up the pressure on Portugal, Spain

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

LISBON, Portugal (AP) — Investors kept up pressure on Portugal and Spain Thursday, as fears that they could be the European debt crisis' next victims pushed borrowing costs near record levels.

Yields on Portugal's 10-year bonds hovered about 7 percent, just shy of the highs first reached earlier this month, when jitters about Ireland's need for a bailout raised pressure on other heavily indebted countries.

The yield on equivalent bonds in Spain — seen as vulnerable if Portugal needs a bailout — rose to 5.2 percent Thursday, near euro-era records last touched in 2002, from about 5.1 percent Wednesday.

By contrast, the yield on Germany's 10-year bonds, a benchmark of global lending safety, stood at only 2.7 percent.

The high borrowing rates reflect market uncertainty about the countries' ability to pay off debts amid an economic downturn and as the bailouts for Greece and Ireland failed to quell fears that other countries will need help. Markets demand a higher return on bonds issued by countries seen as a risky investment.

"Uncertainty has got a firm grip on the market, that much is clear," said Filipe Silva, a debt manager at Portugal's Banco Carregosa. "Comments by (European leaders) aren't giving the market any sense of direction."

He said traders are pulling investments out of the eurozone's smaller nations.

The rise in yields also threatened to cause trading losses at foreign banks and pension funds that hold Portuguese and Spanish debt, because the value of bond holdings falls as the yields rise.

French banks were the most exposed to Portugal's public debt as of the end of the first quarter, holding $20.4 billion (euro15.3 billion), according to a report by the Bank for International Settlements, based in Basel, Switzerland.

Spanish banks held $10.6 billion and Germany's $9.9 billion, from a total of $62.9 billion.

French banks were also most exposed to Spain's public debt, holding $46.9 billion, while German banks held $30 billion out of a total $128 billion, according to the BIS figures.

Shares in BNP Paribas, France's largest commercial and investment bank, were down 1.8 percent on Thursday, reflecting worries of its exposure. However, analysts say Europe's main banks have enough capital to withstand a drop in the value of their bond holdings, as they did when Greece's debt markets plummeted earlier this year.

Government default or restructuring of the public debt, which did not happen in either the Greek or Irish rescues, has been ruled out by European officials, who set up a euro750 billion ($1 trillion) backstop to plug holes in public finances. Germany is pushing for investors to start taking losses in bailouts from 2013.

Portugal's government insists it won't need international financial assistance to dig itself out of debt. Its austerity measures for 2011 are due to be passed by Parliament on Friday, clearing the way for tax hikes, public sector pay cuts and lower welfare benefits beginning Jan. 1.

Spain, meanwhile, is struggling to emerge from nearly two years of recession and has the highest unemployment rate in the eurozone, at 19.8 percent. It has also pushed through painful austerity measures to bring down its deficit.

Lisbon's benchmark share index fell 0.4 percent Thursday, continuing its downward trend of recent days despite a slight recovery on Wednesday.

Report: 2 road accidents in Syria kill 16 people, injure 33

2012-03-13T16:05:00.000-07:00

Sixteen people were killed and 33 injured in two separate road accidents in central Syria on Saturday, the official SANA news agency reported.

The report said a minibus with 14 passengers on board collided head-on with an incoming truck on the Damascus-Palmyra road, some 100 kilometers (62 miles) north of Damascus, killing 12 people and seriously injuring two. Both remained in a coma.

Elsewhere, four people were killed and 31 injured, some seriously, on the Damascus-Homs highway, some 50 kilometers (31 miles) north of Damascus, when a speeding bus with 50 passengers collided with a truck loaded with oranges, SANA said.

Mohammad al-Kasim, an expert with the Interior Ministry road accident prevention department, said speed and foggy weather were to blame in both accidents.

Cuba Protests U.S. Denying Visa Request

2012-03-13T13:11:00.000-07:00

WASHINGTON - Cuba protested on Monday a U.S. decision to deny a visa to its health minister, who had planned to attend the annual meeting of the Pan American Health Organization.

Dagoberto Rodriguez, Cuba's top diplomat in the United States, said the U.S. action "violated the letter and the spirit" of the PAHO charter. He said it was the second year in a row that the United States has prevented Cuba's top health official from attending the meeting.

In a statement to the opening session of the meeting, Rodriguez called the U.S. policy a "vulgar hoax."

The State Department had no comment, consistent with its usual policy on visa decisions.

All countries in the hemisphere belong to PAHO, whose headquarters is located in Washington.

Families fly free to visit wounded GIs: Travelers urged to donate air miles to support program

2012-03-13T10:12:00.000-07:00

While listening to the radio a few days ago, Georgina Kaminskyheard an announcement about a program providing flights for militaryfamily members wanting to see their injured soldiers deployedoverseas.

"I was, like, wow," she said. "This has been something my familyhas been looking for. So I called my daughter-in-law and told herabout it."

Less than a week ago, Kaminsky's son Mike Mendoza was severelywounded in Iraq by a grenade blast that damaged his spine, lungs andother internal organs.

The news left family members not only wondering if the 27-year-old Marine sergeant would survive but also how they would be able totravel to Landstuhl, Germany, where Mendoza was being treated.

"We were on pins and needles trying to find out what to do,"Kaminsky said. "We did not have that much money to fly and see him."

Mendoza's wife, Kelly, of Tinley Park, was quick to makearrangements with the help of Operation Hero Miles, a nationalprogram that provides free airline tickets to family members ofwounded military service men and women.

At a Wednesday press conference about the program, Lt. Gov. PatQuinn urged summer travelers to donate unused frequent flier miles tothe cause.

6,000 TICKETS PROVIDED

"August is usually the time when there is a spike in travel, so itis important for people to go out and help out service men and womenwho have given so much to our country," Quinn said.

To date, Operation Hero Miles has provided more than 6,000 round-trip tickets worth more than $7 million.

"For an unplanned trip overseas, it would have cost us $2,000 aperson for me and the rest of the family to fly there and see him,"Kelly Mendoza said.

Allyson Morrissey, of Woodstock, was able to travel to FortGordon, Ga., to see her father, Tom, who was injured in Afghanistantwo months ago. "It truly has taken so much unwanted stress off ourminds," Morrissey said.

A law signed in 2004 by President Bush authorizes the Pentagon toaccept the miles, with the carriers' consent. Since then, 540 millionmiles have been donated.

For information on donating, see www.heromiles.org.

kmarshall@suntimes.com

Arson charge in famed US music company fire

2012-03-13T06:42:00.000-07:00

Police charged a man with arson Wednesday in a fire at the music company offices of a Grammy Award-winning songwriting team that produced dozens of best-selling records from R&B stars including Teddy Pendergrass, Patti LaBelle, Lou Rawls and the O'Jays.

Fire, smoke and water damage from last weekend's blaze ruined 40 percent of the memorabilia at Philadelphia International Records, though the recording studio was largely spared, label co-founder Kenneth Gamble said Wednesday. The fire follows the death of Pendergrass, who died Jan. 13 at age 59 after a battle with colon cancer.

"When I walked through it the other day, it was like an old friend had died," Gamble said. "I'm looking for the resurrection. Bottom line is we'll be back."

Christopher Cimini, 27, is charged with arson, risking or causing a catastrophe, burglary, criminal trespass and other crimes in the Sunday morning blaze on the top floor of a three-story brick building downtown. Cimini, who turned himself in accompanied by his attorney, remained in custody, and a listed telephone number for him could not be found Wednesday night.

Police spokesman Lt. Frank Vanore said Cimini "appeared to be extremely intoxicated or under the influence of something" on surveillance video. Vanore said Cimini apparently believed he was someplace else and was seen trying to open the building's door with a set of keys before kicking it in.

Cimini began walking through the building using a lighter to see and ended up in a closet storing memorabilia, where the lighter apparently touched off the blaze, Vanore said.

"He actually was calling for help out of there, and that's when they rescued him," he said.

The fire damaged gold and platinum records and the company's personal inventory of CDs by Michael Jackson and the Jacksons, Pendergrass, Rawls and LaBelle, Gamble said.

Gamble's partner, Leon Huff, said, "We'll bounce back. We wrote the song _ 'Only the Strong Survive.'"

Gamble, 66, Huff, 67, and fellow Philadelphia producer Thom Bell are credited with creating the lush acoustics of 1960s and '70s soul music that came to be known as the Sound of Philadelphia. Gamble and Huff's songs include the O'Jays' "Love Train," Billy Paul's "Me and Mrs. Jones" and McFadden & Whitehead's "Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now."

Many of their biggest hits continue to resonate in popular culture through remakes and commercial licensing.

The duo won a Grammy for Best R&B Song in 1989 for Simply Red's version of "If You Don't Know Me By Now," which was originally performed by Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes. The O'Jays' "For the Love of Money" is the theme song for Donald Trump's TV show "The Apprentice."

Before Gamble and Huff bought the building in 1970, it was home to Cameo Parkway Records, where Chubby Checker recorded "The Twist" and Dee Dee Sharp, Gamble's first wife, recorded "Mashed Potato Time."

Today, the building primarily serves as the licensing arm of Philadelphia International Records. It also hosts tour groups and offers a small gift shop.

LaBelle, who recorded the gold album "I'm In Love Again" for the label in 1983, said in an interview Wednesday that she is still close to Gamble and Huff. Hearing about the fire was devastating, she said.

"It was like a big piece of them was taken away," LaBelle said. "I just felt awful for them."

Gamble and Huff were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2008.

___

Associated Press entertainment producer Mesfin Fekadu contributed to this report from New York.

___

Philadelphia International Records: http://www.gamble-huffmusic.com

Crutch in line for top prize

2012-03-13T02:56:00.000-07:00

A Designer crutch developed by a Gray's School of Art student hasbeen shortlisted for a prestigious award.

The crutch by Iain Airey is up for the BP Design Award at Gray'sannual Degree Show.

Iain, from Forres in Moray, said: "Having used a crutch in thepast I knew that they could be cumbersome, drab and uncomfortable touse.

"I therefore decided to investigate the lives of people with lowerlimb injuries and disabilities with a view to re-designing thecrutch."

Iain's design, called the Airey Crutch, incorporates a moldablehandle with shock absorbers.

It also allows the user to collapse the crutch down to 50 cm.

Polygamist leader Jeffs' trial to begin July 25

2012-03-12T23:56:00.000-07:00

SAN ANGELO, Texas (AP) — The oft-delayed, first criminal case against polygamist sect leader Warren Jeffs was set to begin July 25, after a Texas court on Tuesday rejected defense motions for more time and to remove the judge presiding over it.

Prosecutors allege the 55-year-old jailed leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints had sex with two girls, one under age 14 and the other under age 17 at the Yearning for Zion ranch in remote Eldorado, Texas.

Jeffs was extradited from Utah in November, and was originally scheduled to stand trial in January. But state District Judge Barbara Walther moved the case back, first to February and then to late July. Jeffs' legal team had sought still more time to prepare, but Walther ruled the trial should go forward as scheduled.

A separate bigamy trial against him has been scheduled for Oct. 3.

On Monday, the defense asked that Walther be recused from the case, arguing that her gestures and other body language had unfairly influenced the jury in the criminal trials of other sect members — all of whom were convicted.

Temporarily presiding District Judge John Hyde of Midland ruled that Walther wouldn't be recused, however. Walther then retook the bench to let the scheduled trial date stand.

Lauren Bean, a spokeswoman for the Texas attorney general's office, said the judge also upheld her own motion for a change of venue — keeping the case at the courthouse in the city of San Angelo and Tom Green County instead of Schleicher County, which encompasses El Dorado.

Jeffs' attorneys said they will contest the change of venue for the sexual assault of a child case in a hearing the week of July 18, according to the San Angelo Standard Times.

The paper also reported that attorneys settled details about how they would proceed in Jeffs's trial, debating what kind of evidence — DNA evidence or that from a Nevada search warrant — could be turned over to the other side.

Since arriving in Texas, Jeffs has appeared in court with four different attorneys, forcing delays. During one January appearance, he fired an attorney only hours after retaining him.

Jeffs settled on prominent Fort Worth, Texas, attorney Jeff Kearney in late January. Kearney immediately asked for more time, citing the "awesome" amount of evidence in the case, which he said could practically fill the courtroom if stacked floor-to-ceiling.

Walther had been sympathetic to Kearney's task but did not side with him Tuesday.

The evidence includes thousands of pages taken from the Yearning for Zion ranch during a weeklong raid in April 2008. State authorities entered the ranch in search of evidence of underage girls being forced into polygamous marriages.

More than 400 children living there were temporarily seized in one of the largest custody cases in U.S. history.

Records taken from the ranch includes journals written by Jeffs. His writings indicate strict control over the smallest details of how residents were to live, from how the collar on the women's dresses should look to how high drapes should hang off the floor. Jeffs also decided who would be married to whom, according to documents seized by authorities.

The ranch raid left a dozen men in the church facing charges that include sexual assault and bigamy. Seven have been prosecuted since last year, and all were convicted. Only in one case have jurors deliberated more than two hours. Walther has presided over each of the trials.

Bid farewell to 2007

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

JANUARY

A one-year extension for the moratorium on applications for deposit insurance and change in control notices for industrial loan companies that will be owned by commercial companies was approved by the FDIC board at its Jan. 31 meeting. The moratorium does not apply to ILCs owned by financial companies. In addition, the board voted to issue for public comment a proposed rule to strengthen the framework for consideration of applications or notices for industrial banks owned by financial companies not subject to federal consolidated bank supervision.

Kenneth E. Stout, 59, chairman and CEO of Citizens State Bank & Trust Co. and general partner of Stout & Deines Performance Management of Woodbine, Kan., died Jan. 9 at the Salina (Kan.) Regional Health Center following open heart surgery.

FEBRUARY

Assumption of the insured deposits of Metropolitan Savings Bank, Pittsburgh, by Allegheny Valley Bank, Pittsburgh, has been approved by the FDIC.

Metropolitan Savings is the first FDIC-insured institution failure since June 25, 2004.

David A. Ochsner has been named president and CEO of Nebraska Bankers' Bank, Lincoln. Ochsner was formerly senior vice president, chief operating officer and chief financial officer of Geneva (Neb.) State.

Compass Bancshares Inc., Birmingham, Ala., has announced a definitive agreement under which Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentana S. A. will acquire Compass for a combination of cash and stock. The transaction has an aggregate value of approximately $9.6 billion.

BBVA, which operates in 35 countries, is based in Spain and has substantial banking interests in the Americas.

FDIC-insured commercial banks and savings institutions reported net income of $145.7 billion in 2006, eclipsing the previous record of $133.9 billion in 2005. The FDIC said the improvement can be attributed in part to strong growth in noninterest income at large banks, higher net interest income and lower expenses for bad loans. This is the sixth consecutive year that industry earnings set a new record.

More than half of all insured institutions (55.9 percent) reported increased profits in 2006 compared to 2005, but only 46.3 percent reported higher returns on assets. The industry's ROA of 1.28 percent in 2006 was slightly lower than the 1.30 percent in 2005. The average net interest margin declined to an 18-year low of 3.31 percent in 2006, down from 3.52 percent in 2005.

MARCH

Comerica Inc., Detroit, has announced plans to relocate its corporate headquarters to Dallas. Officials said the relocation to Texas, where Comerica already has a major presence, will position the company in a more central location with greater accessibility to all of its markets. Comerica will maintain its significant presence in Detroit, remaining one of Southeast Michigan's largest employers following the relocation to the new ,Dallas headquarters office.

Wal-Mart has withdrawn its application for an industrial loan company charter. In a statement, Wal-Mart Financial Services President Jane Thompson said, "We notified the FDIC today (March 16) that Wal-Mart has withdrawn the application we made in July 2005 for an industrial loan company charter. This action follows January's FDIC decision to extend the moratorium on a number of pending ILC applications."

Once again, the Federal Open Market Committee decided to keep its target for the federal funds rate at 5.25 percent.

APRIL

William A. Mitchell Jr. will assume duties as president of Bankers' Bank of the West, Denver, effective May 1. He will succeed Roger R. Reiling, who will become vice chairman and CEO. Reiling has been president and CEO since 1987. Mitchell was previously chairman and president of Front Range Capital Corp. and president and CEO of its subsidiary, Heritage Bank, Broomfield, Colo.

In Missouri, agreement has been reached on the definition of a "local, well-defined neighborhood, community or rural district." The definition focuses on the county were a credit union's headquarters is located. Counties contiguous to that single county define the areas where a credit union may operate.

SB 591 is the result of negotiations between the Missouri Bankers Association, Missouri Independent Bankers Association and credit unions

Richard Berglund, former CEO of the Iowa Independent Bankers, passed away. Instrumental in the formation of the association, he was its CEO and lobbyist during the challenges to the banking industry of the 1970s and 1980s.

Federal preemption won the day in the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Walters v. Wachovia Bank, a case brought by the Michigan commissioner of insurance and financial services. The Supreme Court ruled 5-3 that mortgage lending companies that are national bank operating subsidiaries are subject to federal regulation rather than individual state laws.

In a cash transaction valued at $21 billion, Bank of America Corp., Charlotte, N.C., plans to purchase ABN AMRO North America Holding Co., parent of Chicago-based LaSalle Bank Corp. and its subsidiaries, from ABN AMRO Holding NV. The acquisition would create for Bank of America a leading banking franchise in metropolitan Chicago and in Michigan.

Mark F. Furlong has assumed duties as CEO of Marshall & Ilsley Corp. and M&I Marshall & Ilsley Bank, both of Milwaukee. As CEO, Furlong succeeds Dennis J. Kuester, who retired in connection with the company's annual meeting April 24. Kuester will continue as chairman. This transition was announced in December 2006 as part of the company's succession plan.

MAY

Tornado damage in Greensburg, Kan., involved three Kansas banks. Centera Bank, Sublette, and The Peoples Bank, Pratt, each operate branches in Greensburg. Greensburg State has its only office in the town.

Centera Bank and The Peoples Bank reported that their staff members were safe although the structures were heavily damaged. The Pratt bank plans to have a mobile unit in place for its Greensburg customers within the week.

A definintive agreement calling for the acquisition of TierOne Corp., Lincoln, Neb., by CapitalSource Inc., Chevy Chase, Md., has been signed. The transaction is valued at approximately $652 million.

Jorge Solis has been appointed director of the Illinois Division of Banking within the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. Solis has more than 30 years of banking experience and most recently worked as a senior vice president at LaSalle Bank, Chicago.

The U.S. House of Representatives in a 371-16 vote, has passed H.R. 698, the Industrial Bank Holding Company Act of 2007, designed to maintain the historic separation between banking and commerce by closing the ILC loophole. This legislation also prevents branch banking by some commercially-owned industrial loan companies and bolsters the examination and enforcement authorities of the FDIC as a holding company regulator.

JUNE

Net income of $36 billion was reported by FDIC-insured commercial banks and savings institutions in the 2007 first quarter, slightly below the $36.9 billion earned in the first quarter of 2006 but still the fourth-highest ever reported by the industry. In releasing the latest results, the FDIC cited the housing slump, unfavorable interest rate conditions, slower growth in the U.S. economy and higher levels of problem loans as the main reasons why industry earnings were flat during the first quarter.

Wachovia Corp., Charlotte, N.C., and A.G. Edwards Inc., St. Louis, have announced an agreement under which Wachovia will acquire A.G. Edwards. The St. Louis-based firm will be combined with Wachovia Securities LLC.

Plans to open 1,000 Wal-Mart MoneyCenters - covering a quarter of its stores - by the end of 2008 have been announced by Wal-Mart Stores Inc. The company said it will also broaden its menu of financial products and services, beginning with the launch of the Wal-Mart MoneyCard, a reloadable prepaid Visa rolling out nationally with GE Money and Green Dot.

The FDIC board has approved a two-year pilot project to review affordable and responsible small-dollar loan programs in financial institutions. The project, the Affordable and Responsible Consumer Credit initiative, is designed to assist bankers by identifying information on replicable business models for affordable small-dollar loans. Best practices resulting from the pilot will be identified and become a resource for other institutions.

JULY

Merger plans have been announced by the American Bankers Association and America's Community Bankers. The organizations said their respective boards have approved pursuing a merger with the intention of finalizing it during the 2007 fourth quarter.

The new organization would retain the American Bankers Association name. Ed Yingling would remain in his current role as president and CEO of the ABA. Diane Casey-Landry, currently president and CEO of ACB, would become executive vice president and COO of the combined entity.

Changes have been announced by the Federal Reserve Banks to their check operations as consumers and businesses continue the shift from using paper checks toward electronic payments. As part of a longer-range strategy, the Federal Reserve Banks have selected Philadelphia, Cleveland, Atlanta and Dallas as regional check processing sites that are expected to provide the full range of check processing services through at least mid-2011. Other remaining sites will have their operations scaled back.

The target for the federal funds rate was maintained at 5.25 percent by the Federal Open Market Committee.

Wells Fargo & Co., San Francisco, has named John G. Stumpf, president and chief operating officer, CEO. Stumpf succeeds Dick Kovacevich, who continues as chairman. Stumpf joined the former Norwest Corp. in 1982 and served as regional president in various states.

Eugene "Gene" T. Barrett, 77, Kansas State Banking Commissioner from 1984-1987, died July 20.

An amendment to the farm bill (H.R. 2419) removed a provision that would have expanded the powers of the Farm Credit System into non-farm lending. The amendment was offered by House Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank, D-Mass., and Ranking Member Spencer Bachus, R-Ala.

AUGUST

Charles L. Evans will become president and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, effective Sept. 1. Evans will replace Michael H. Moskow, who will retire Aug. 31 after 13 years as president.

Evans is currently senior vice president and director of research at the Chicago Fed.

The target for the federal funds rate was kept at 5.25 percent at the Aug. 7 meeting of the Federal Open Market Committee.

A merger is under discussion by the Federal Home Loan Banks of Chicago and Dallas. The banks announced they are engaged in discussions aimed at evaluating the benefits and feasibility of combining the business operations of the two institutions.

Addressing financial market conditions, the Federal Reserve Board on Aug. 17 approved temporary changes to its primary credit discount window facility. The Fed approved a 50-basis-point reduction in the primary credit rate to 5.75 percent, to narrow the spread between the primary credit rate and the Federal Open Market Committee's target federal funds rate to 50 basis points. The FRB also announced a change to the Reserve Banks' usual practices to allow the provision of term financing for as long as 30 days, renewable by the borrower.

Net income of $36.7 billion for the 2007 second quarter was reported by commercial banks and savings institutions insured by the FDIC. This is $1.3 billion (3.4 percent) below the level of a year ago but still the fourth-best quarterly earnings ever reported. Higher expenses for bad loans and narrower net interest margins were the main reasons for the year-to-year decline in quarterly earnings, according to the FDIC.

SEPTEMBER

Fined rules for limits and terms that will govern extension of credit to active duty service members and their dependents have been published by the U.S. Department of Defense. The rules are effective Oct. 1.

The rules do not cover mortgages or auto loans or other loans that do not meet the definition of consumer credit specified in the regulations. Affected are such loans as payday loans, vehicle title loans and tax refund anticipation loans. Additional disclosures are required for covered loans and a maximum military annual percentage rate is set at 36 percent.

Edward Gramlich, 68, former member of the Federal Reserve Board, died Sept. 5 of leukemia. He served on the FRB from 1997 until August 2005, when he returned to the University of Michigan, where he served as an acting provost in 2005 and 2006.

ISB Financial Corp., Iowa City, and MidWestOne Financial Group Inc., Oskaloosa, Iowa, have entered into a definitive agreement to combine in a merger of equals. The action would create the third-largest independent publicly traded bank holding company headquartered in Iowa, officials said.

The federal funds rate was cut by 50 basis points to 4.75 percent at the Sept. 18 meeting of the Federal Open Market Committee. In its statement, the FOMC said, "Economic growth was moderate during the first half of the year, but the tightening of credit conditions has the potential to intensify the housing correction and to restrain economic growth more generally."

In a related action, the Federal Reserve Board approved a 50-basis-point decrease in the discount rate to 5.25 percent.

OCTOBER

Insured deposits of Miami Valley Bank, Lakeview, Ohio, have been assumed by The Citizens Banking Company, Sandusky, Ohio. Miami Valley, with $86.7 million in total assets and $76 million in total deposits as of Oct. 1, was closed Oct. 4.

Shareholders of Marshall & Ilsley Corp., Milwaukee, have approved the transactions that will split Marshall & Ilsley Corp. and Metavante Corp. into independent public companies.

The target for the federal funds rate was reduced 25 basis points to 4.5 percent at the Oct. 31 meeting of the Federal Open Market Committee.

In its statement announcing the action, the FOMC said, "Economic growth was solid in the third quarter, and strains in financial markets have eased somewhat on balance. However, the pace of economic expansion will likely slow in the near term, partly reflecting the intensification of the housing correction."

NOVEMBER

As part of its ongoing commitment to improve the accountability and public understanding of monetary policy making, the Federal Open Market Committee announced it will increase the frequency and expand the content of the economic projections that are made by Federal Reserve Board members and Reserve Bank presidents and released to the public.

In the future, the FOMG will compile and release projections four times each year rather than twice a year. In addition, the projection horizon will be extended to three years, from two.

A decline of $9.4 billion (24.7 percent) in net income from the third quarter of 2006 to $28.7 billion for the third quarter of 2007 was reported by FDIC-insured commercial banks and savings institutions. A steep increase in provisions for loan losses, as well as a decline in noninterest income, were chiefly responsible for the year-over-year earnings decline. The last time that banks earned less than $30 billion in a quarter was in the first quarter of 2003.

National Australia Bank has agreed to acquire Great Western Bancorp., the holding company of Great Western Bank, a regional bank based in Sioux Falls, S.D., for $798 million.

Great Western Bank has assets of more than $3.4 billion and more than 100 branches across six states.

DECEMBER

Measures designed to address elevated pressures in short-term funding markets have been announced by the Federal Reserve, the Bank of Canada, the Bank of England, the European Central Bank and the Swiss National Bank.

Central Bank and the Swiss National Bank.

Federal Reserve actions include the establishment of a temporary term auction facility and the establishment of foreign exchange swap lines with the European Central Bank and the Swiss National Bank. The TAF was approved by the Federal Reserve Board and the foreign exchange swap lines were approved by the Federal Open Market Committee.

More than two-thirds of all U.S noncash payments were made electronically in 2006, according to the Federal Reserve's 2007 study of noncash payments. From 2003 to 2006, the period covered by the study, all types of electronic payments grew while check payments decreased. The Federal Reserve's 2004 Payments Study found that the number of electronic payments and check payments were roughly equal in 2003.

About 19 billion more electronic payments were made in 2006 than in 2003. In contrast, the number of checks paid fell by about 7 billion over the same period.

Richard K. Davis has succeeded Jerry A. Grundhofer as chairman of U.S. Bancorp, Minneapolis. Davis will continue as president and CEO of the holding company. Grundhofer, who has retired from the board, has assumed the title of chairman emeritus.

[Author Affiliation]

By Bill Roquette, Editor-in-Chief

Hezbollah says Lebanese government has declared war

2012-03-12T17:18:00.000-07:00

Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah said Thursday that the Lebanese government had declared war on his Shiite militant group by declaring its private telecommunications network an illegal threat to state security.

Nasrallah vowed to fight any attempts to disarm Hezbollah in a speech that hiked tensions already running high after a long-simmering political crisis between the Hezbollah-led opposition and the government erupted into sectarian violence.

"Those who try to arrest us, we will arrest them," he said. "Those who shoot at us, we will shoot at them. The hand raised against us, we will cut it off."

Celebratory gunfire rang out in Beirut as Nasrallah spoke live on television by videolink from a hiding place. The Hezbollah leader rarely appears in public for fear of assassination by Israel.

Lebanon's U.S.-backed government also said Tuesday that it would dismiss the security chief of the country's only international airport because he was suspected of ties to Iranian- and Syrian-backed Hezbollah.

Those decisions sparked sectarian clashes between supporters of Hezbollah and the government over the past two days. The violence emerged out of a long-simmering power struggle between the Hezbollah-led opposition and the Western-backed government for control of the country.

"The decision is tantamount to a declaration of war ... on the resistance and its weapons in the interest of America and Israel," Nasrallah said.

He offered a way out of the latest crisis, saying the "illegitimate" government must revoke its decisions against Hezbollah.

Hezbollah runs its own secure network of primitive private land lines. Nasrallah claimed the network helped the guerrillas fight Israel's high-tech army in the 2006 summer war.

He said the telecommunications network was "the most important part of the weapons of the resistance" and added Hezbollah had a duty to defend those weapons.

He and other Hezbollah leaders have suggested they are regularly targeted by Israel and they need secure communications.

"I am not declaring war. I am declaring a decision of self-defense," he said. The government has "crossed all the red lines. We will not be lenient with anyone."

He said Maj. Gen. Wafiq Shukeir, the airport security chief that the government decided to remove, will stay in his post, rejecting any replacement.

The government's decision to replace him came after pro-government leader Walid Jumblatt alleged Hezbollah had set up cameras near the airport _ which is located in the Hezbollah stronghold of south Beirut _ to monitor the movement of anti-Syrian Lebanese politicians and foreign dignitaries. Jumblatt suggested Hezbollah was planning to bomb aircraft to assassinate such figures.

Nasrallah rejected accusations by pro-government groups that Hezbollah was bent on staging a coup.

Teesee's Town

2012-03-12T13:38:00.000-07:00

Teesee's Town

Count-Down -- Patricia Langhart, president of Jesse Owens Foundation's Women's Board, and Marlene Owens Rankin, executive director, are counting the days to "Chicago Style, Second to None," Saturday's luncheon/fashion show at The Drake Hotel in the Gold Coast Room. The benefit begins with an 11 a.m. Wine Reception, then it's lunch and the show produced by Susan Glick, the Chicago Apparel Center's fashion guru. Other members heading for the "victory" are Jean Anthony, Edith Bass, Toiya Butler, Debra Cotton, Ruth Coleman, Nazaris DeVine, Saundra Dougherty, Janice Evans, Linda Evans, Lyndia Gray, Gwen Harden, Cheryl Holland Strong, Harriette Johns, Carol Johnson, Rose Jourdain, Loretta McCall, Deveeree Morgan, Karen Moses, Anna Osborne, Gwen Ritchie, Lucille Russell, Judi Simmons, Laurel Stradford, June Tate- Coffee, Sallie Townsend, Angela Williams, Rita Wilson and May Womack. Add to the roster the other Owens girls, Gloria Owens Hemphill and Beverly Owens Prather. Proceeds will support JOF's scholarship and grant programs, from which over 200 young people have been subsidized and hundreds more have benefited from collaborative programs with other youth-serving organizations.

Milestone Mention -- Well, 22 years ago "Teesee's Town" chronicled the birth of Justin Miles Butler. Now, it's time for another "milestone mention." The handsome son of Jeanne Brothers Butler and Atty. Jerome M. Butler graduates from Hampton College (in Hampton, Virginia) Saturday with a degree in Political Science. What a lovely Mother's Day gift!

Newsy Names -- Illinois Service Federal's Thelma Smith addresses Kennedy-King College's 482-member graduating class on Saturday, May 19, at Christ Universal Temple ... Send get well wishes to Charles E. "Chuck" Curry, beloved lifetime president of The Rat Pack and board chair of Westside Association of Community Action (WACA), in Little Company of Mary Hospital, room 3369 ... Happy birthday to eta's head honcho Abena Joan Brown, co-founder, president and producer ... We hear Rev. Frederick D. Haynes, pastor of Friendship West Baptist Church in Dallas, is planning to sue for the unauthorized use of his name, sermon and voice in promoting "Why Did I Get Married," the stage play opening tonight (Tuesday) at the Regal Theatre.

Magic Music -- Multi-talented Corky McClerkin, pianist, composer, arranger and bandleader, celebrates the release of his latest CD, "Island of Dreams," tomorrow (Wednesday), 6 p.m., at HotHouse. On the music scene since the late 60's, Corky performed often with his mentor, Von Freeman, from 1970-75. The McClerkin CD is "a celebration of the versatility of African American music." Stop by, it's free! ... Kenwood Academy's Music Dept., co-chaired by Kenneth Lenon and William McClellan, stages its Annual Spring Arts Festival on two consecutive Fridays, May 11 (choral concert) and May 18 (band concert). Also contributing to the success of the Festivals are faculty instructors Barbara Metcalf and Janet Underwood.

Saturday Ceremony -- Congratulations to Linda Elaine Doss, who received a master of arts in education degree on Saturday during commencement exercises at Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais, Ill. Elaine's proud mom is none-other-than Rose Marie, the 67-year-old self-proclaimed "senior shake dancer" and comedienne, known for her bizarre and colorful shorter-than-short daily wardrobe.

Family Affair -- Poet/author Gayle Purnell hosts Saturday's Adult Poetry Slam, noon-2 p.m., at Rita and Jawanza Kunjufu's African American Images, 95th and Winchester. Same time, same place, a Children's Poetry Slam will be hosted by April Preyar. (The "slams" meet every second Saturday.)