The fine world

Google Snaps Up YouTube for $1.65B

2012-03-15T05:28:00.000-07:00

SAN FRANCISCO - Internet search leader Google is snapping up YouTube for $1.65 billion, brushing aside copyright concerns to seize a starring role in the online video revolution.

The all-stock deal announced Monday unites one of the Internet's marquee companies with one of its rapidly rising stars. It came just a few hours after YouTube unveiled three separate agreements with media companies to counter the threat of copyright-infringement lawsuits.

The price makes YouTube Inc., a still-unprofitable startup, by far the most expensive purchase made by Google during its eight-year history. Last year, Google spent $130.5 million buying a total of 15 small companies.

…

Fuel truck explodes near Baghdad airport

2012-03-15T03:02:00.000-07:00

A fuel tanker exploded Sunday near a checkpoint outside of Baghdad International Airport, Iraqi officials said, along a route once known as the world's deadliest road because of frequent attacks there during the height of the insurgency.

There were conflicting reports about the cause of the explosion, which wounded at least five guards at the checkpoint.

A police official said a bomb attached to the tanker detonated at the checkpoint on the four-lane road leading to the airport. But airport spokesman Kareem al-Timini said the explosion was an accident that was caused when the driver started a fire on the side of the road.

"It was a fire the …

Spy plane crashes in Calif.; two killed

2012-03-15T00:38:00.000-07:00

An Air Force U-2 spy plane exploded and crashed into a newspaper'sparking lot in Oroville, Calif., on Wednesday, killing the pilot andat least one person on the ground. Two people on the ground wereslightly injured. "The wing just blew off and the plane spiraledright down," said Robert Frutos, a technician working on a nearbyradio tower. The pilot was the only one on board the plane, an AirForce spokesman said. Annapolis to expel 15 more The U.S. Naval Academy, troubled by aseries of scandals, said Wednesday it had recommended that 15additional midshipmen be expelled as it completed an investigationinto drug use among its students. The academy, at Annapolis, Md.,already had …

US federal agents: environmental laws hamper work

2012-03-14T22:18:00.000-07:00

WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal agents trying to patrol the U.S.-Mexico border say they're hampered by laws that keep them from driving vehicles on huge swaths of land because it falls under U.S. environmental protection, leaving it to wildlife — and illegal immigrants and smugglers who can walk through the territory undisturbed.

A growing number of lawmakers are saying such restrictions have turned wilderness areas into highways for criminals. In recent weeks, three congressional panels, including two in the Republican-controlled House and one in the Democratic-controlled Senate, have moved to give the Border Patrol unfettered access to all federally managed lands within 100 miles (160 …

Egyptian police: Border guards kill man, arrest 12 African migrants sneaking into Israel

2012-03-14T19:57:00.000-07:00

An Egyptian security official says border guards shot and killed an unidentified man trying to sneak into Israel and arrested 12 African migrants also attempting the journey.

The official from North Sinai's police department says the man, who did not have identification, was shot Thursday when he ignored calls to stop.

He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not …

Church gets a spruce-up

2012-03-14T17:37:00.000-07:00

Timsbury: The Tabor Church is now looking much smarter andbrighter, thanks to the efforts of members of the Avon and SomersetProbation Community Payback scheme.

Since September, some of those who have received unpaid workorders from the courts have been decorating parts of the church, …

Evaluation of a HACCP Pilot Program for the Food Service Industry

2012-03-14T15:16:00.000-07:00

ABSTRACT

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and applicability of a HACCP-based program for use in restaurants.

Participants: A randomly selected sample of 1 6 intervention and 42 control full service, "stand-alone" restaurants with a minimum of 3 full-time food handling staff on duty per shift.

Setting: Six communities in Central West Ontario.

Intervention: The Critical Approach�, a HACCP-based program for use in restaurants, was designed in consultation with health inspectors and restaurant operators. It focusses on generic risk factors (Critical Control Points, CCPs) for food handlers rather than assessing specific menu items or foods; offers appropriate …

Deutsche Post sees 3Q profits fall, cuts outlook

2012-03-14T12:56:00.000-07:00

Deutsche Post AG slashed its earnings forecasts for both 2008 and 2009 on Monday, saying it expects pretax profit to fall 8 percent in the third quarter as the financial crisis takes its toll.

Separately, the mail and logistics company's Deutsche Postbank AG retail banking unit said it would raise capital by issuing new shares and said it expects a pretax loss of 449 million euros ($561 million) in the third quarter.

Parent company Deutsche Post forecast a roughly 8 percent reduction in earnings before interest and taxes "as the global economic environment deteriorated markedly."

It did not give an exact figure, but said last year's …

Obama surprises outgoing Gates with prestigious medal: ; US defense secretary ends more than 30 years of service to the nation

2012-03-14T10:36:00.000-07:00

WASHINGTON - A visibly moved Defense Secretary Robert Gatespaused briefly at a Pentagon retirement ceremony rife with pomp andpageantry, collected himself and told his president: "You're gettingpretty good at this covert ops stuff."

Barack Obama, the eighth president Gates has served in more than30 years at the CIA and Department of Defense, had just presentedhim with the prestigious Medal of Freedom. And Gates was teasing hisboss about keeping the award a surprise, in a reference to how Obamahad kept the world in the dark about his plan to bring down al-Qaida terrorist leader Osama bin Laden.

Proving that there are sometimes second acts in America, the …

Troops Storm Pakistan Mosque Compound

2012-03-14T08:15:00.000-07:00

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan - Government troops stormed the compound of Islamabad's Red Mosque before dawn Tuesday, prompting a fierce firefight with militants accused of holding scores of hostages, officials said. At least 40 rebels and three soldiers were killed.

Amid the sounds of rolling explosions, commandos attacked from three directions about 4 a.m. and quickly cleared the ground floor of the mosque, army spokesman Gen. Waheed Arshad said. Some 20 children who rushed toward the advancing troops were brought to safety, he said.

Well-trained militants armed with machine guns, rocket launchers and gasoline bombs put up tough resistance from the basement, Arshad said, adding …

Tailfins, V-8s and Corvettes: The wake of an icon

2012-03-14T05:55:00.000-07:00

For generations, General Motors fueled America's love affair with the automobile, building cars that defined their owners' status in life and the industrial might of the nation. But less than a year after entering its second century, the company that survived wars, international rivalry and even the Great Depression is being driven by the government into bankruptcy court.

The GM that helped move the world from horses to Chevys and Cadillacs is expected to file for bankruptcy protection Monday. The new GM that emerges sometime in the future will be leaner _ unsaddled from much of its debt and labor cost disadvantages that contributed to tens of billions of dollars of …

A homecoming, of sorts: Game vs. DePaul brings KU's Self, Wright, Collins back to state

2012-03-14T03:28:00.000-07:00

Bill Self hasn't patrolled a sideline in Illinois since vacatinghis coaching post in Champaign in April 2003.

But that's not to say the Kansas coach hasn't been working thestate.

"This is the first time I'm back coaching," Self said of hisSaturday visit to Allstate Arena with the No. 5 Jayhawks for a gameagainst

DePaul (1 p.m., ESPNU, 670-AM). "But we've been recruiting there.We want to have a presence in the area from a recruiting standpoint.

"But I'm also a good friend of [DePaul coach] Jerry [Wainwright],and we thought it would be a great game for Kansas and, we hope, forDePaul."

The Blue Demons have lost all seven previous meetings against theJayhawks, but this game will carry more significance than ever forthe visitors.

Illinois continues to be fertile recruiting territory for Self,whose roster includes sophomore forward Julian Wright of Homewood-Flossmoor and freshman guard Sherron Collins of Crane. Wrightarrives off a 21-point, 10-rebound performance in Kansas' overtimeupset of reigning NCAA champion and then-No. 1 Florida, a game thatearned him Big 12 player of the week honors.

This will be as close to home as Wright and Collins get allseason -- no small reason why Self scheduled the game.

"Tickets," he said, laughing. "That's the big issue with them.They came to me a month ago worrying about how many they could get.I know it will be a lot of fun for them."

The Demons understand that, too.

"You always want to play at home against kids you grew up withand have bragging rights in the summertime," said forward KarronClarke, a New York native. "You also get to see your friends andfamily who don't always get to see you play, so it's good to gohome. We know they'll have a lot of fans there rooting for them, andthat will boost their confidence."

As if the 6-8 Wright needs a confidence injection. He's averaging13 points, 9.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists and two blocked shots.

"I played against him in AAU ball and in a tournament inIndiana," said DePaul forward Wilson Chandler, who's likely to spendmost of the game trying to contain Wright. "He's a great player andvery versatile. Of course, he's even stronger now than in highschool."

For a DePaul team struggling at 2-4, facing the 6-1 Jayhawkswould seem to be a one-sided challenge. Self believes differently.

"They're like us," Self said, mindful that his team also lost athome to unranked Oral Roberts. "If you look at them, they werefabulous last year in their game against Syracuse, and they returnthe core of those players. I love Chandler, and I recruited SammyMejia at Illinois.

"They're a team that will get better and better and by the end ofthe season be a postseason team. They have the personnel and thecoach."

Self pointed out that Wainwright's Richmond team upset theJayhawks in Lawrence, Kan., three seasons ago. But Wainwright saidthat team was different than the Demons, though he doesn't discounthis current talent.

"I had three senior guards on that team, and one was a fifth-year senior," Wainwright said. "That week, we won on Saturday atTemple, Thursday at Kansas and Sunday at Xavier. They could reallyshoot the ball."

Shooting is only one of the problems the Demons are strugglingwith after a 1-2 showing at the Maui Invitational. The losses cameto then-No. 20 Kentucky and surging Purdue.

"But they took Kentucky to the last 30 seconds," said Self, whoreceived a five-year contract extension Thursday that increases hissalary to more than $1.3 million a year. "Obviously, their coachwants to see the team that played against Syracuse and Kentucky toshow up."

A capacity crowd will be showing up for the game, as well as fora tribute to Ray Meyer, the legendary DePaul coach who died in Marchat 92.

"It will be a packed and emotional arena," Self said. "I havesome friends there still -- but probably not near the number who areupset with me."

tginnetti@suntimes.com

Italy recalls Brazil envoy over fugitive's asylum

2012-03-14T00:36:00.000-07:00

Italy recalled its ambassador to Brazil on Tuesday in an escalating dispute over Brazil's decision to grant asylum to an Italian fugitive sentenced to life in prison for political slayings in the 1970s.

The Italian foreign minister said Brazil's decision this month not to extradite Cesare Battisti, a former member of a radical leftist group, was "unacceptable."

"We didn't expect this from Brazil, a country that is a friend," Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said.

The Foreign Ministry said Ambassador Michele Valensise was being called back from the embassy in Brasilia "for consultations" about what to do next.

Brazil's Foreign Ministry said its decision complied with Brazilian law. But it also reached out to Italy, saying in a statement that it was confident "that the historic and cultural ties that link Brazil and Italy will continue to guide our efforts to strengthen even more the solid bilateral relations in many sectors."

Battisti, 54, escaped from an Italian prison in 1981 while awaiting trial on four counts of murder, allegedly committed when he was a member of the far-left Armed Proletarians for Communism.

A court convicted him in absentia for the killings of a prison guard and a butcher.

Battisti, who says he is innocent, lived in Mexico before moving to France in 1990 and reinventing himself as a mystery writer. He later went to Brazil, where he was arrested in 2007 based on an Italian warrant.

Brazilian officials said the Jan. 13 decision to grant Battisti refugee status was based on a fear of persecution if he was sent back to Italy. Italy calls him a terrorist who does not deserve refugee status.

"Battisti is a terrorist. He assassinated innocent people. He's been condemned by Italian courts," Frattini said told The Associated Press on the sidelines of a meeting in Rome. "The Italian government is exploring all the legal opportunities, for example to go before the Supreme Court of Brazil."

EU gives Spain one month to comply with order to scrap conditions on Endesa takeover

2012-03-13T21:44:00.000-07:00

The European Commission on Thursday gave Spain one month to scrap conditions limiting a foreign takeover of its largest utility, Endesa SA.

The action was a last warning to Madrid that it must comply with a European Union order issued in December or face a lawsuit at the EU's court of justice. The Luxembourg-based court could impose hefty fines on the Spanish government if it is found to have violated EU competition rules.

"If there is no satisfactory reply within one month the Commission may decide to refer Spain" to court, the EU executive said in a statement.

An EU investigation last year found that Spain's energy commission, CNE, violated the rights of Italian utility Enel SpA and Acciona SA to invest, set up a business and move goods anywhere in the 27-nation European Union.

The investigation called the CNE practices protectionist.

Spain is unlikely to win a court case; the EU court ruled in March that Spanish regulators had no right to shield Endesa from an earlier takeover bid launched by Germany's E.ON AG in 2006.

The Spanish government had favored a Spanish suitor for Endesa, even though management opted for the E.ON offer. The government then granted powers to the CNE, which placed a string of tough conditions on the bid.

That ruling however, came too late for E.ON, which abandoned its bid for Endesa after strong resistance from Madrid.

Endesa meanwhile became a target for two Italian energy companies _ Acciona SA and Enel SpA _ which now face the same objections from Spain.

TECHNOLOGY ENTREPRENEURSHIP INITIATIVE PROMOTES EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING

2012-03-13T18:53:00.000-07:00

The efforts for technolog entrepreneurship at Baylor hav been approved as a strategic initiative of the University.

The Technology Entrepreneurship Initiative seeks to make a campuswide and global impact through an international, multi-disciplinary approach. This initiative will further experiential learning for Baylor undergraduate and graduate students by establishing partnerships among schools within Baylor, other universities, companies, and countries around the world.

Greg Leman, director of University Entrepreneurial Initiatives and the Curtis Hankamer Chair in Entrepreneurship, is spearheading Baylor's technology entrepreneurship efforts. Leman said the initiative is a "win-win" situation for students and companies.

"This initiative is driven from the wonderful reality that technology companies - whether Fortune 100 or research-based startups - need the very things our student teams can provide through our hands-on learning approach," Leman said. "More specifically, these firms and entrepreneurs almost always have more opportunities identified than they have resources to validate fully."

Baylor's Immersion Into International Interdisciplinary Innovation (i5) program is one aspect of the initiative that has already proven to be successful. The i5 program is a collaborative effort among universities in China and the United States: Baylor University, American University, Thunderbird University, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, and Hong Kong Baptist University.

Baylor's Hankamer School of Business and Baylor's School for Engineering and Computer Science hold a bilateral partnership in the program, with students and faculty from both schools participating. Over the summer, undergraduate and graduate students from all participating universities work in China on project teams for five weeks, interacting and partnering with Chinese companies to provide real business solutions.

Leman said students have a much "richer, more transferable educational experience" by engaging with the firms and completing market research and other investigations. Leman hopes to offer this experience to science students as well, adding them to the mix of business and technology students.

"My goal is to broaden the current scope of the initiative to enable all science, technology and business students who desire it to have experienced the process and excitement of assisting a technology venture in bringing a value-adding innovation to market," Leman said.

MBA candidates have the chance to be selected as an intern in one of the partnering multinational corporations, which sponsor the projects, and then lead an international team to complete that project. Undergraduate students with a business or engineering background have the opportunity to work on one of these international projects, gaining in-depth, cross-cultural experience.

Preston Sneed, a 2009 i5 MBA intern, said the i5 program was an invaluable and unique experience.

"The i5 program provides students with an opportunity to better understand how business works on the global stage, and this is invaluable from the perspective of a MBA candidate," Sneed said. "The opportunity to meet prominent businesspersons, visit various corporations, travel throughout the country, observe the Chinese people, and broaden one's horizons are just some of the benefits the program provides to students."

With the i5 program established in China, Leman hopes to expand the program to include other regions of the world as well. This global expansion would begin with partner companies in South America and grow to include Europe, Russia, and the Middle East/Africa.

Another effort supporting technology entrepreneurship at Baylor will be the renovation of the former General Tire facility in Waco to house the Baylor Research and Innovation Collaborative (BRIC), the first project of the newly created Central Texas Technology and Research Park. This technology entrepreneurship focus will benefit graduate education at Baylor by creating hands-on learning opportunities for MBA candidates.

"As i5 grows into a global program with parallel offerings all around the world, one of the desired outcomes is to attract a diverse set of entrepreneurial firms to Waco to be incubated in the new BRIC business incubator," Leman said. "Along with many Texas-grown ventures, these firms will not only impact our local economy but also create a learning laboratory for all aspects of technology development and commercialization for our students to experience. We want all our graduates to be globally aware, technology savvy, value creators who have the experiences and accomplishments to prove it."

[Sidebar]

www.baylor.edu/baylori5

Contact Greg Leman at Greg_Leman@baylor.edu

[Sidebar]

Baylor's TECHNOLOGY ENTREPRENEURSHIP INITIATIVE is supported by a board of advisors comprised of CEOs, serial entrepreneurs, and experienced business professionals to guide its growth.

TECHNOLOGY ENTREPRENEURSHIP ADVISORY BOARD:

DAVID ALLEN

Chairman, iFormata, Inc.

SHARON BALLARD

President/CEO, Enableventures, Inc.

JOHN CARREKER III

President/CEO, ALI Solutions

DAVID DAUGHERTY

Founder/CEO, Korcett Holdings, Inc.

MILTON (BUDDY) ELLISOR

CEO, PolySpec, Inc. (Ret)

BILL GRIMES

Consultant in Medical Practice Management

TIM HOERR

Founder /CEO, Serra Ventures

CEO, Cbana Laboratories

HYUN KIM

President, Bynari, Inc.

CASEY LEAMAN

Principal, OneAccord

CHAD LEWIS

President, LaunchPad Capital

`Hunter' Reruns Aim to Outgun Late-Night Rivals

2012-03-13T15:58:00.000-07:00

Arsenio Hall talks tough, claiming he will kick Jay Leno's butt.After Dennis Miller lost his talk show, he blamed Leno for hoggingthe best guests by using hardball, arm-twisting pressure to booktalent for "The Tonight Show." Now Leno is fighting back with swipesat Hall's inflated salary.

While these wimps are hissing and dissing and slapping wrists,Sgt. Rick Hunter is busting heads at 10:30 p.m. Mondays throughFridays on WGN-Channel 9. When it comes to playing rough late atnight, "Hunter" is a Chicago favorite.

Last Wednesday, Channel 9 brought in reruns of the fast-actioncop series to battle NBC's "Tonight" on WMAQ-Channel 5, the CBS"Crimetime After Primetime" programs on WBBM-Channel 2, ABC's"Nightline" with Ted Koppel on WLS-Channel 7 and the ribald "Studs"on WFLD-Channel 32.

When "Hunter" was airing here last spring, it trailed "Tonight"and "Nightline" while beating "Crimetime" and "Studs" in the localNielsen and Arbitron ratings. The violent series, starring FredDryer as the often insensitive and politically incorrect Los Angelespolice detective, scored slightly higher numbers among femaleviewers. The tall and muscular Dryer, a former All-Pro NFLdefensive lineman, often appears bare-chested when Hunter is off-duty- and sometimes when he's on a case.

Now syndicated in reruns after airing for seven seasons on NBC,"Hunter" appeals to the primal side of viewers who enjoy watchingsome spicy sex scenes squeezed between car chases and shootouts. Asrugged Rick, the rebellious son of a mobster, Dryer imitates ClintEastwood's tight-lipped characterizations of Dirty Harry Callahan.In a nod to Eastwood's "make my day" remark in "Sudden Impact," Dryersays "make my night" when partner Dee Dee McCall asks to join him inbed during a murder investigation.

As McCall, nicknamed "The Brass Cupcake," Stepfanie Kramer ismore than an ornament. Her Dee Dee often outsmarts Hunter, and shewill slug a suspect or use her gun without flinching. When Kramerleft the series after six seasons, "Hunter" lost a vital element ofits chemistry. The reruns Channel 9 will air tonight and tomorrowfeature Kramer and Garrett Morris as streetwise snitch Sporty James.

Those who didn't catch "Hunter" during its first run on NBCmight shrug off the series as a thick-headed Hunter (STAR)(STAR)(STAR) WGN-Channel 9, 10:30 to 11:30 tonight. endorsement for police brutality. But the episodes softenedslightly through the years under the guidance of writer-producer RoyHuggins, who also developed "Maverick," "77 Sun set Strip," "The Fugitive" and "The Rockford Files." "Hunter"creator Frank Lupo and production boss Stephen J. Cannell also teamedup for "Wiseguy," and Lupo launched the new CBS hit "Raven" earlierthis summer.

So when the late-night routine becomes a blur of self-promotingcelebs kissing the air and anything else within reach, a dose of"Hunter" can snap you awake like a slap in the face.

Red-hot putter helps Lee to a 68

2012-03-13T13:04:00.000-07:00

Two Britons led the field on the opening day of the AlfredDunhill Championship at the Leopard Creek Country Club in SouthAfrica.

Welshman Sion Bebb and Scots tour rookie Craig Lee made thebiggest impression at the picturesque layout on the border of theworld famous Kruger National Park.

The course, where leopards, hippos, giraffes, crocodiles andgiraffes roam freely, was tough to get around on day one, withDarren Clarke and Ross Fisher struggling with the windy conditions.

Clarke could only manage a topsy-turvy 73, while Fisher,currently second in the 2008 European Order of Merit, finished with a four-over-par 76, including a six on the par-three 12th hole.

Leader Bebb dropped just one shot in a five-under 67 that sawhim pull ahead of Omar Sandys and Lee, both on 68.

Lee, 30, from Stirling, hit eight birdies and four bogeys, butbelieves he could have done better.

"I hit the ball very well, not so great off the tee, but theputter was very, very hot," he said.

Supplies and demand: Five local office supply and furniture companies continue to grow their business even as national chains have entered the market

2012-03-13T10:04:00.000-07:00

Whether it's paper clips and toner cartridges, desks and chairs, or computers and printers, local office supply and furniture companies are ready to work with area businesses to meet these varied needs. These office specialists all view their customers as partners and strive to assess their particular needs and then offer the solutions that are best suited to those identified needs.

From personalized inventory systems to workspace planning and computerized networking, these local companies have each found their niche in serving the local business community. As a result of their various specializations, these local businesses continue to maintain and grow their business even as national retail office chains have opened for business during the past several years.

Business Furniture Outlet

Jim and Lona Antil opened Business Furniture Outlet 11 years ago to provide customers with quality office furniture and readily-available supplies. Today, that original focus continues, says Jim, "enhanced by our knowledgeable employees, good reputation and continued emphasis on service and quality."

"Having the large office supply superstores in our market has forced each of us to find our own niche," Jim adds. "At Business Furniture Outlet, ours is high quality, middle price range office furniture and a full line of office products available overnight."

Customers are often confused about quality and pricing, and Business Furniture Outlet helps them distinguish between commercial and consumer goods and the various durabilities of each, Lona Antil says. For that reason, the Antils carry furniture they would want in their own offices and say they have found that their customers are looking for the same quality and value they are.

"We know people want to be able to see, touch and sit on the furniture they are considering far their offices, so we have expanded our showroom to 7,500 square feet," says Jim. "And, because of our wholesale relationships, the furniture can be ordered and often delivered within days after our customers have made their selections."

In addition to working with customers to regularly fill their office supply needs with immediate delivery, when furniture is being considered, Tim, Lona and the Business Furniture Outlet staff will help the customer plan the work space to best fit the needs. When office machines or computers are needed, Jim says, "we will research the need and then refer our customers to the most appropriate supplier, because we have not expanded our services to meet that very specialized need."

The future looks good for local office supply and furniture businesses, according to the Antils, because customers appreciate the higher service they can provide and the local aspect of their business.

"We know we have to earn our customers' business," says Jim, "and we continue to work to meet our customers' needs. We stress, too, that we are locally owned and that we are using local services for our own business needs, too."

Cheers

What started in 1976 as a specialty business with a larger focus on gift and entertainment needs has evolved to a business primarily focused on office furniture, especially the home office market.

"As a local office furniture option, we are able to provide an exclusive furniture product line that, in addition to function and durability, offers a specialized design option," says John Hoffman, Cheers president. "Our TechLine furniture can work as an accent to an office, complementing the surroundings, whether within a business or home environment. Because Cheers' furniture is more durable than the lower quality offered by the chains, the Cheers' customer will get a more creative design with superior quality."

While there is no "typical" Cheers business customer, many are small businesses and families who have offices and computer rooms within their homes. Customers visiting Cheers can see a variety of office furniture components, and the Cheers staff is always available to go to the customer's office to plan the space and furniture needs.

"Our business has really been fueled by the explosion in computer sales," says Hoffman. "Our customers want quality office furniture designed to hold a full computer system and all the accessories. To accommodate those needs, we work with our customers to design a component system specifically for them."

Hoffman also believes the future is positive for local office furniture stores, as customers continue to look for quality and durability at an affordable price.

"Our niche is to provide quality components through a mid-range furniture line that has high style but not high prices," Hoffman says. "We know we will continue to see changes in the customers' needs and by changing with the customers, local office furniture stores like Cheers will thrive."

Duffy's Office Products

Duffy's Office Products is a local retailer that has grown since opening in 1954 as a calculator and typewriter supplier. Today, Duffy's Office Products is a full-service supplier of office supplies, furniture, machines and computers, with stores in both Fort Wayne and Decatur.

"Through our two stores, we offer a full line of office supplies and furniture in addition to imaging products such as printers, copiers, computers and computer networks," says Kirk Gumpp, president. "Our Decatur store is a more traditional office supply store with large inventory, while our Fort Wayne store has less physical inventory but immediate accessibility to all products."

The niche that Duffy's Office Products believes it fills as it competes with he national retailers is serving customers who value their time, Gumpp says.

"Because of the presence of national retail chains competing with us for business, we have focused our business on the customer who can use their time more efficiently by allowing us to service their office needs with customized inventory systems, furniture designs and computer systems."

To offer the customer more time to conduct his or her business, Duffy's staff provide computerized connections to customers, allowing supply orders and updates to be transmitted electronically. They are also installing digital office equipment which works with computers and computer networks to provide the customer with even greater efficiencies of time.

"Our customers are cost conscious, but in addition to looking at the bottom line cost of our individual products, they are calculating the time savings we provide," says Gumpp. "And, by saving them and their employees time, we are saving them dollars because that time is now available for working, not ordering supplies and managing paperwork."

In addition to office supplies, Duffy's provides its customers with office furniture and machines, working with them to assess the needs, design the layout and potential equipment connections, and then set up and deliver the furniture and machinery.

"We really provide our customers with full-service office needs and act as a consultant to them," Gumpp says. "We want to be a long-term partner, working with our customers and designing solutions. That is what saves them time and allows them to focus on the growth and development of their business while we take care of their operational needs."

As the future unfolds for the businesses of tomorrow, Duffy's Office Products sees a positive future for local office supply and furniture stores. "Just as the national retailers have forced us to look at the way we do business and the services we provide, the on-going changes in technology and business needs will continue to do that as well," says Gumpp.

O'Reilly's Office Plus

Since 1923, O'Reilly's Office Plus has been providing its customers with the office supplies and furniture they need to operate large and small businesses alike. And today, through an affiliation with a large national network of more than 400 retailers like themselves, the cost benefits of cooperative purchasing power brings cost savings to the O'Reilly's customer.

"We are in a position to be as competitive as any other business supply and furniture retailer," says Tom O'Reilly Jr., vice president. "We work to keep our costs in line and are able to pass those savings on to our customers who want the best value for their dollar."

Through catalogs guaranteeing low prices to salespeople who provide the customer service O'Reilly's believes in, "the customer is the one who benefits," says O'Reilly. "And our next day delivery and set-up enhances that service for the customer."

From custom inventory and ordering programs for customers to furniture and workspace design, O'Reilly's works with its customers to meet their specific needs and budgets. Similar to other local business furniture retailers, O'Reilly's also encourages customers to select effective designs for work areas using quality furniture and accessories.

"In competing with the national retailers in our area, we are proud of our history of local ownership," says O'Reilly. "We have continued to support the community while providing a higher degree of service and turn-around time than I believe the larger corporate retailer can provide. And, because of a knowledgeable staff who have, in some cases been employees for more than 30 years, we know our customers and their needs, and can continue to service them well."

Workspace Solutions

Throughout its 24 years in business, Workspace Solutions has also adapted to meet the changing needs of its customers. Starting as a used office furniture and store fixtures business, Workspace Solutions has developed into a full-service office furniture and store fixtures retailer.

"As the national retail chains came into this market, we recognized that they were catering more to the home office and those who needed to purchase a less expensive product," says co-owner Brent Stoller. "We are focusing on the customer who wants a long-term relationship with their supplier and wants a higher quality and level of service."

Stoller also has seen an increase in the number of customers who want furniture for home-based computer workstations. Stoller and two full-time sales people work with these customers and other business office customers to plan the workspace and look for the furniture solutions that will fit the individual needs. Workspace Solutions has added a staff person who can serve the repair needs of customers, from touch-ups to helping the available used furniture look even better, too.

Store fixture sales are a niche filled by Workspace Solutions for the customer who needs display cases, shelving and grid wall components.

"We are a local source for these items within our region," says Stoller, "and that is a growing segment of our business. As a result, we have recently expanded our showroom to accommodate more products that allow the customer to see the options they have."

One service niche Stoller feels Workspace Solutions offers is the continuity of its efforts with the customer. Because the staff member who talks with the customer initially is the same one who designs the layouts and does the ordering and final coordinations, customers can be sure they are getting the best service.

"We spend considerable time with each customer to determine their needs and that consistency with the same person throughout the process is what I believe sets us apart," Stoller says. "In contrast to mail order, which is another competitor of us local retailers, we offer the ability for customers to see what they are getting and plan how a piece of furniture or a store fixture will fit in advance."

Jury picked for 'Rockefeller' kidnapping trial

2012-03-13T06:33:00.000-07:00

A jury has been picked for the kidnapping trial of a German man who calls himself Clark Rockefeller.

Rockefeller's real name is Christian Karl Gerhartsreiter. He is accused of snatching his 7-year-old daughter during a supervised visit in Boston in July. He and the girl were found six days later in Baltimore.

He also is charged with assault and battery for allegedly shoving a social worker who was supervising the visit.

Opening statements are scheduled for Thursday.

Authorities say Gerhartsreiter is a German man who has used multiple aliases since moving to the United States in the late 1970s. His lawyers say he suffers from mental illness and was not criminally responsible for his actions.

New "Euro-Med Union" takes a step to reality

2012-03-13T02:49:00.000-07:00

Countries bordering the Mediterranean have edged closer to establishing their "Euro-Med Union" by finessing an Israeli-Arab dispute over the role of the Arab League.

The union _ a pet project of French President Nicolas Sarkozy that is more ambitious in symbolism than content _ is envisaged primarily as a forum for cooperation and dialogue. Unlike the similarly named European Union, the 43 countries from Europe, the Middle East and North Africa probably will not have open borders, common regulations or truly interlocked economies.

Still, the group is important to the participants as a bridge between Europe and its poorer neighbors.

French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner, the host, declared the two-day meeting a success even though thorny issues, like the naming of a secretary-general, remained unresolved.

"People said this wasn't going to be a success. It has been," Kouchner said Tuesday.

Under the agreement, the 22-member Arab league will participate in the new union as an observer but will not have voting rights, a condition sought by Israel. Israel and the Palestinian Authority will each hold deputy secretary general posts, giving them a stake in the success of the venture.

For a Europe that fears unchecked immigration from Africa and hostility from the Muslim world, the new organization is an important outreach program. And for some Europeans, by including Israelis and Palestinians _ which both border the Mediterranean _ it also offers a forum for European diplomacy.

Sarkozy, the founding force behind the organization, and his Egyptian counterpart, Hosni Mubarak, will decide on the secretary-general and the allocation of five to six deputy posts before the end of the year, Kouchner said.

The expanded union is expected to focus on mostly development-oriented projects, such as cleaning up the Mediterranean, creating new maritime and land highways and solar energy.

Kouchner's comments reflected the sense of diplomatic breakthrough, however modest and unrelated to the grander territorial disputes still unresolved.

"The Israelis finally accepted the presence of the Arab League," Kouchner said. "Israel will be accepted as deputy secretary-general of an international organization for the first time in history."

Barcelona was chosen as the headquarters of the fledgling union over Tunisia and the Mediterranean island nation of Malta.

France and Egypt will continue as co-chairs of the union for its first two years, with the Czech Republic joining during its six-month EU presidency beginning in January.

Harris, Nelson Debate in Florida

2012-03-12T23:48:00.000-07:00

DAVIE, Fla. - Republican Rep. Katherine Harris and Sen. Bill Nelson agreed in a debate Monday night that a timeline shouldn't be placed on removing troops from Iraq, but they disagreed about how to move forward.

Harris, the former Florida secretary of state who gained the adoration of the Republican rank-and-file after overseeing the recount that put George W. Bush in the White House in 2000, is trying to unseat Nelson, a Democrat who has been in Florida politics for more than three decades and is seeking a second Senate term.

Harris won her congressional seat in 2002 and was re-elected in 2004.

Nelson said he supports a proposal to divide the country into three ethnic enclaves - a Kurdish north, Sunni center and Shiite south. But he said it would not work unless the world community got involved and Arab neighbors enforced it.

"What's the best chance we have to stabilize Iraq? It's that political solution, but you can't do it alone cowboy style," Nelson said.

Harris, on the other hand, twice used a Republican catchphrase that the United States can't "cut and run."

On energy policy, Harris said the nation should drill for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, while Nelson supported alternative fuel sources.

Harris badly needed to score points in the debate. She trails Nelson in most polls and doesn't have nearly as much money to launch her message through television ads. As of Sept. 30, she had less than $1 million in her campaign coffers, compared with $6.8 million for Nelson.

She also must overcome a rocky campaign season. She has struggled to get support from state GOP leaders who tried to recruit someone else to run. Campaign workers have defected in droves, and she has had to answer questions about her dealings with a corrupt defense contractor.

During the debate, Harris defended herself against the $32,000 in illegal donations she received from Mitchell Wade, saying she didn't know the money was tainted. She has said she gave it to charity. She criticized Nelson for $62,800 in illegal contributions he received as insurance commissioner in the 1990s.

"He's never chosen to voluntarily return it," she said.

Nelson shot back: "Not only did I return all of that, I put the company out of business. I shut them down."

"I was yelling 'get the monkey off me' "Arthur Warden, letter carrier: Mail carrier doesn't monkey around

2012-03-12T20:53:00.000-07:00

BECKLEY - His name isn't Curious George, but letter carrier ArthurWarden says Raleigh County has its own mischievous chimpanzee namedHerbie.

Warden said he didn't know the 13-year-old chimp lived along hisdelivery route, but the two met Monday when Herbie leaped through thepassenger's window while the mail truck was stopped at a mailbox.

"I've been attacked by dogs and I've seen a lot of stuff, butnothing like this," Warden said. "When I go into the office(Tuesday), I won't be surprised if there's a bunch of bananasthere."

Afraid the animal was going to bite him, Warden abandoned thetruck with Herbie right behind him. The truck had begun to rollforward, knocking the chimp down and eventually crashing into aparked car.

But Herbie wasn't finished with Warden.

"He grabbed me, and I grabbed him," Warden said. "He got hold ofme and we were standing toe to toe. His face was within a foot ofmine. I thought it was going to get real bad.

"I was yelling, 'Get the monkey off of me.' He was stronger thanme, that's all I can tell you," Warden said.

But Herbie's owner, Joyce Wriston, said the chimp just wanted toplay. He lives with her and her husband, Fred, and was playing withhis favorite tools when he punched a hole in his cage with a hammer.

"He loves everybody. He thinks everybody is his friend," shesaid. "Not many people see a chimp sitting in a vehicle. He wantsto socialize with everyone."

Even though Herbie didn't hurt Warden, the 25-year veteran lettercarrier said he was scared of the 4-foot-6-inch chimp.

"He threw his hands up in the air and had his teeth showing,"Warden said. "I think I must have spent a second looking to see ifwhat I was seeing was really was I was seeing."

Wriston was able to get Herbie away from Warden and calm the chimpdown by taking him to get a Coke and ice cream.

But Herbie didn't get away without a police record. RaleighCounty Deputy T.E. Baker listed the chimp as a suspect on a policereport, and Wriston said she was cited for not keeping Herbie on aleash.

Baker did not immediately return a phone call Monday.

The front of the postal truck was damaged after crashing into avehicle belonging to Wriston's daughter, Lisa Blevins.

"He was raised like a kid. When he was little, him and my kidstook baths together and played together," Blevins said.

"(Herbie) has no idea he's a monkey. He scared Arthur but all hewanted to do was drive or say hello."

English Football Standings

2012-03-12T17:09:00.000-07:00

League Championship

GP W D L GF GA Pts

Wolverhampton 42 24 8 10 74 49 80

Sheffield United 42 21 12 9 63 38 75

Birmingham 41 21 12 8 49 33 75

Reading 41 19 12 10 65 36 69

Burnley 41 18 12 11 63 55 66

Cardiff 39 16 16 7 54 39 64

Preston 41 17 11 13 54 51 62

Swansea 41 13 20 8 57 46 59

Bristol City 41 15 14 12 50 44 59

Queens Park Rangers 41 14 15 12 38 38 57

Ipswich 41 14 14 13 52 46 56

Sheffield Wednesday 41 14 12 15 45 53 54

Crystal Palace 41 14 11 16 51 50 53

Coventry 40 13 13 14 43 47 52

Watford 41 14 9 18 61 65 51

Doncaster 41 14 7 20 34 49 49

Derby 39 12 12 15 49 54 48

Blackpool 41 11 14 16 40 53 47

Plymouth 41 12 10 19 38 51 46

Barnsley 40 12 9 19 39 51 45

Norwich 41 11 10 20 50 59 43

Nottingham Forest 41 10 12 19 42 61 42

Southampton 42 9 14 19 42 62 41

Charlton 40 7 11 22 44 67 32

___

League One

GP W D L GF GA Pts

Leicester 41 23 14 4 73 36 83

Peterborough 42 24 10 8 74 50 82

Millwall 42 23 7 12 57 46 76

Milton Keynes Dons 41 22 9 10 78 45 75

Leeds 41 22 6 13 69 47 72

Scunthorpe 40 20 7 13 70 54 67

Tranmere 41 19 9 13 56 43 66

Southend 42 19 7 16 52 56 64

Oldham 42 15 15 12 61 59 60

Huddersfield 42 16 12 14 55 60 60

Bristol Rovers 41 15 12 14 68 52 57

Stockport 41 15 12 14 54 49 57

Colchester 41 16 9 16 53 54 57

Walsall 41 15 10 16 55 59 55

Leyton Orient 41 13 10 18 39 50 49

Yeovil 41 12 13 16 36 57 49

Hartlepool 41 12 10 19 60 69 46

Swindon 41 10 15 16 60 64 45

Carlisle 42 11 12 19 52 66 45

Crewe 41 12 8 21 54 72 44

Northampton 40 10 12 18 51 53 42

Brighton 40 9 12 19 44 63 39

Hereford 40 9 6 25 37 67 33

Cheltenham 41 7 11 23 47 84 32

___

League Two

GP W D L GF GA Pts

Brentford 40 19 15 6 54 31 72

Bury 42 19 13 10 57 41 70

Wycombe 40 17 17 6 47 29 68

Exeter 41 19 11 11 59 47 68

Rochdale 41 18 11 12 67 54 65

Gillingham 41 18 11 12 54 53 65

Shrewsbury 42 15 16 11 56 41 61

Chesterfield 41 16 13 12 62 53 61

Bradford 42 16 12 14 60 51 60

Dagenham and Redbridge 40 15 11 14 63 47 56

Lincoln City 41 14 14 13 52 48 56

Morecambe 41 13 17 11 47 47 56

Darlington 41 18 10 13 54 38 54

x-Rotherham 40 19 11 10 54 37 51

Aldershot 41 13 10 18 53 71 49

Notts County 41 10 14 17 46 60 44

Accrington Stanley 41 11 11 19 40 54 44

Barnet 41 10 13 18 51 68 43

Port Vale 41 12 7 22 41 60 43

Macclesfield 41 11 7 23 41 72 40

x-Bournemouth 41 14 12 15 51 48 37

Grimsby 41 7 13 21 45 66 34

Chester 41 7 12 22 39 73 33

y-Luton 40 13 13 14 56 60 22

x-deducted 17 points for financial irregularities

y-deducted 30 points for financial irregularities

No Timetable for Rice's Return to Mideast

2012-03-12T13:27:00.000-07:00

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia - Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Friday she will return to the Middle East to work with others on trying to bring an end to the Israeli-Hezbollah fighting, but did not say when.

"I do think it is important that groundwork be laid so I can make the most of whatever time I can spend there," Rice told a news conference here, where she has been attending a conference on Asian issues.

Rice didn't provide a precise time for her return to the Middle East, where diplomats are working to reach a cease-fire between Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah militia. She had been expected to return to the region this weekend.

"Let me be very clear. I am going to return to the Middle East. The question is when is it right for me to return," Rice said.

Rice's spokesman, Adam Ereli, took strong issue with an assertion by Israel's Justice Minister Haim Ramon, who said the failure of world leaders to call for an immediate cease-fire at a summit in Rome gave Israel a green light to carry on with its campaign to crush Hezbollah.

"Any such statement is outrageous," Ereli said. "The United States is sparing no effort to bring a durable and lasting end to this conflict."

The United States, adopting a diplomatic stance that has not been embraced by allies, has been insisting that any cease-fire to the violence over the last three weeks must come with conditions to address long-standing regional disputes. That, she has said, will ensure a durable solution.

Nearly every U.S. ally has called for a quick truce to end the bloodshed and efforts to smooth needed humanitarian supplies to the Lebanese. They believe the difficult work solving of old grievances between Hezbollah and Israel can come later.

White House spokesman Tony Snow said the administration would "push back" against criticism of the United States.

Rice has spent three days dashing to high-stakes meetings in Beirut, Jerusalem, the West Bank and Rome, and then traveled to Malaysia on Thursday for the long-planned conference of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Her comments did not make clear if she was returning to the region this weekend, while she is her current trip, although it is clearly the hope of her diplomatic entourage.

At her news conference Friday, Rice said that before returning to the region, she wanted to confer with Elliot Abrams and David Welch, her U.S. envoys who arrived in Jerusalem on Thursday afternoon. Because of the time zone disparity, she said, they were just beginning their day's work.

Rice got an exceptional - but not unusual - welcome during her stop in Israel this week. But she has faced a series of difficult sessions with world leaders elsewhere who take exception with the course the U.S. is charting in the conflict on the Lebanese-Israeli border.

Sitting beside Malaysian Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar at the news conference, Rice said, "I recognize the tremendous concern that the Malaysian government and other governments here have about the unfolding situation in the Middle East."

"We all are concerned about the humanitarian situation there and want to see as early an end to the conflict as possible," she added. "Whole generations have grown up there without the prospect for peace."

Asked what she hoped to accomplish when she does return to the region, Rice said, "We hope to achieve an early end to this violence, that's what we hope to achieve."

"That means that we have to help the parties establish conditions that will make it possible for an early cease-fire that, nonetheless, does not return us to the status quo."

She said the terms and conditions of a such a cease-fire would involve "a multinational force under U.N. supervision" that would have a mandate to enforce a peace agreement.

"So, many of the elements are there" for such an arrangement, Rice added. "There is no doubt in my mind that we want to achieve this and achieve it as soon as possible."

As the death toll and devastation rise, world attention has increasingly focused on the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah. Al-Qaida's No. 2 leader Ayman al-Zawahri weighed in Thursday, calling for Muslims to unite in a holy war against Israel and to join the fighting in Lebanon and Gaza until Islam reigns from "Spain to Iraq."

Asked by reporters traveling with Rice about why she delayed her trip to the Middle East, her spokesman noted that diplomacy is an evolving process. "It is not something that is set in stone from the beginning and follows a prewritten script," Ereli said.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair, en route to Washington to meet Friday with Bush, said he will seek a U.N. resolution to resolve the crisis by early next week, his spokesman told reporters on customary condition of anonymity.

The European Union's foreign policy chief Javier Solana said, "Everybody wants a cease-fire, everybody. We want the cease-fire to be durable and to be as soon as possible."

Crucial to any agreement, he said, is a legal package from the U.N. Security Council that would potentially deploy an international force to help the Lebanese government secure its entire territory.

IAEA Official Heads to North Korea

2012-03-12T09:55:00.000-07:00

VIENNA, Austria - A senior official from the U.N. nuclear watchdog left for North Korea on Sunday to discuss how the agency's inspectors would monitor and verify the shutdown of the Yongbyon nuclear reactor.

Olli Heinonen, the International Atomic Energy Agency's deputy director general for safeguards, was due to arrive in Pyongyang Tuesday for a five-day visit, along with three colleagues.

North Korea, which expelled U.N. inspectors in late 2002, announced last week that it invited a "working-level delegation" to discuss procedures for shutting down the plutonium-producing facility.

"The purpose of this trip is now to go negotiate the details on behalf of the IAEA and verification of the monitoring and closing-down of the Yongbyon facility," Heinonen told reporters at Vienna Airport.

North Korea had pledged in February to shut down the Yongbyon reactor, its main processing facility, and IAEA Chief Mohamed ElBaradei traveled to North Korea in March in what was billed as a landmark visit.

But Pyongyang refused to act on the promise until it received about $25 million in funds that were frozen in a Macau bank amid a dispute with the U.S. over alleged money-laundering.

The funds were freed earlier this year, but only last week started to be transferred to a North Korean account at a Russian bank. Russia said the disputed funds arrived on Saturday.

Heinonen said his delegation's trip was "a subsequent step forward" from ElBaradei's visit.

Asked whether he would visit the Yongbyon facility, Heinonen said, "We will see how the time allows."

Also Saturday, Christopher Hill, the chief U.S. envoy to nuclear talks, said North Korea could shut down its reactor within three weeks and return to international talks next month.

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On the Net:

http://www.iaea.org