BC-US--Stock Prices, US

New York (AP) — New York Stock Exchange closing prices Monday:

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AFLAC	48.050 Up	.140
ASA Gold	27.710 Up	.280
AT&T Inc	30.400 Down	.110
AbtLab	55.720 Down	.040
Accenture	56.480 Up	.670
Aegon	5.030 Up	.130
Aetna	43.580 Down

Defense Secretary Gates arrives in Iraq

U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates flew to Iraq on Thursday to begin the second leg of his tour of two major war zones.

Gates' visit to Iraq comes during a week in which coordinated Baghdad bombings have killed 127 people and wounded more than 500. Al-Qaida's umbrella group in Iraq claimed responsibility Thursday for the bombings and warned of more strikes to come against the Iraqi government.

Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell called the bombings "heinous" and said they were a sign of …

Freak act of nature leaves Maywood family stunned

There, says the grandmother, pointing. You follow her finger upthe oak to the 6-foot scar that's still fresh.

"She was taking him out for a walk," she said. "He loved beingoutside."

Dorothy Gunn is talking about her granddaughter Tiffany Gunn,14, and 8-month-old grandson, Darrel. On Wednesday night, she hadheard a hideous cracking noise, "like thunder from a storm," andrushed out to see the two children crushed to death by an enormousbranch.

On Thursday, Gunn and her family, numb from what appeared to bea freak accident, sat staring at the tree that Tiffany and Darrelloved to play under.

"They were always kind of inseparable," she said on the …

Twins 4, Tigers 1

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Detroit			Minnesota
ab r h bi		ab r h bi
Dirks cf	3 0 0 0		Revere cf	3 1 1 0
Raburn ph-cf	1 0 1 0		ACasill 2b	3 0 0 0
Boesch lf	4 1 1 0		Mauer c	3 0 0 0
Ordonz rf	3 0 1 0

Venezuela to ask new US gov't to hand over Posada

Venezuela will renew its demand for the United States to extradite a former CIA operative accused of plotting the 1976 bombing of a Cuban plane that killed all 73 people on board, a lawyer for the Venezuelan government said Friday.

Venezuela hopes President Barack Obama's administration will see the case of 80-year-old Luis Posada Carriles differently and turn him over to face trial in Venezuela, attorney Jose Pertierra said.

Officials in the administration of former President George W. Bush snubbed a Venezuelan extradition request, but prosecuted Posada on immigration fraud charges, which a federal judge dismissed in 2007.

An immigration judge …

Tech can't get shots to fall, loses to A-B

DAILY MAIL SPORTSWRITER

There are bad days. And then there are BAD days.

West Virginia University Tech had the latter Thursday.

Long jumpers, short jumpers, lay-ups, and even a dunk, allbounded off the rim with merciless regularity as the Golden Bearsshot a miserable 28 percent Thursday en route to their 62-48 loss toAlderson-Broaddus. "In the beginning we got a lot of good shots andthey didn't fall," Tech Coach Jeff Kepreos said. "We lost a littlebit of emotion, a little bit of confidence."

In the first half the Golden Bears missed 26-of-32 attempts,including 15-of-18 in the paint, as the Battlers took a 26-16 lead.

"I don't remember ever shooting …

A one-on-one conversation: filmmaker to filmmaker

Local indie filmmakers and aspiring film actors are invited to get up to speed through a one-day seminar offered collaboratively by Warning Films East and Color of Film Collaborative. "One on One: A Conversation with Filmmaker Jean Claude LaMarre and Actor Gabriel Casseus" gets underway at 6 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 3, at Hibernian Hall, 182-186 Dudley St. in Roxbury.

"Boston is a market that has hidden talent galore of both filmmakers and actors," notes Daphne Valerius, a master's candidate at Emerson College who this year founded Warning Films East with Ma'at Zachary and Kadija Minah. "The city is seen as a college town and the film industry fails to realize the immense pool of …

Toyota unveils 2010 Prius that boasts 50 mpg

Toyota is looking to keep the Prius in its spot as the top-selling hybrid in the U.S. with the next generation of the iconic fuel-sipper.

The highly anticipated 2010 Prius being unveiled Monday at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit gets an average of 50 miles to the gallon (4.7 liters per 100 kilometers). That's a 4 mpg improvement over the current model, which already is the most …

From the master, less is legendary

The Complete Short Stories of Ernest Hemingway The Finca VigiaEdition. Scribners. $22.50

Before the legends there were the sentences. Ernest Hemingway'sfirst books - 3 Stories and 10 Poems and in our time, published inParis in 1923 and 1924 - proclaimed the arrival of a prose master.These slim volumes attracted extraordinary admiration because he haddeveloped an understated style and controlled tone that permitted himto achieve loaded accuracy and complex simplicity. Hemingway'scareer came out of his apprenticeship in short forms.

In his 1938 preface to The First 49 Stories Hemingway statedthat he "would like to live long enough" to write 25 more stories.He died in …

Iraq Official Critical of Iranian Move

UNITED NATIONS - Iraq's foreign minister says Iran is punishing the Kurdish region for something the Kurdish authorities were not responsible for - the arrest of an Iranian official by the U.S. military on Sept. 20.

Hoshyar Zebari said late Saturday that he raised the issue of Iran's closure of five border crossing points into the northern Kurdish region with Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly's ministerial meeting.

Zebari said he told Mottaki "this is not a wise move, this can only undermine the atmosphere of confidence, and you're punishing the whole region for an act that they were not responsible for."

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Calipari: Meeks to go pro

Kentucky top scorer Jodie Meeks has decided to leave the Wildcats and remain in consideration for the NBA draft.

Coach John Calipari posted Monday morning on Twitter that he was excited for Meeks and wished he had the chance to coach him. The school also released a statement.

The decision is one of few setbacks in Calipari's …

VDT eye focus loss told // Researcher finds high incidence among workers

BERKELEY, Calif. (UPI) Regular work in front of a VDT screenmay cause premature loss of the eye's ability to focus, a Universityof California optometrist says.

James Sheedy said deterioration in eye focusing among people intheir 20s and 30s was the No. 1 problem found in 153 patients treatedat the university's Video Display Terminal Eye Clinic.

The first clinical report on eye focusing in VDT users, compiledfor an Ohio symposium, supports earlier evidence in laboratorieslinking VDT work to problems with the eye's focusing mechanism.

Sheedy, chief of the VDT clinic and associate clinical professorat the university's School of Optometry, said the …

No. 3 Mountaineers Emerge As Contenders

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - Tucked in the hills of West Virginia lies the Land of the Misfits.

It's where unwanted and overlooked football players find opportunity, where they always play as if it were the last two minutes of the half, and where birthday cakes are handed out after practice.

These Mountaineers, with an undersized running back, under-appreciated quarterback and unconventional offense, have a 14-game winning streak, the best running game in the country and a place among college football's elite entering one of the biggest games of the season.

No. 3 West Virginia plays at Big East rival and No. 5 Louisville on Thursday night, a matchup with national championship ramifications.

It's the latest step in the journey for lead misfit and Mountaineers coach Rich Rodriguez, who couldn't help but notice the similarities in his team and the characters in the Christmas cartoon "Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer" who end up on The Island of Misfit Toys.

"Remember how Herbie (actually, his name was Hermey) could only be a dentist in the Land of the Misfits?" Rodriguez explained recently. "Well, maybe this is the only place in Division I where I could be a head coach. Maybe it's the only place where Pat White could play quarterback. Maybe it's the only place where Steve Slaton could be a running back?"

Rodriguez returned to his homestate six years ago to replace Don Nehlen, who retired after 21 seasons at West Virginia. Born in Grant Town, W.Va., population about 400 and a 30-minute drive from Morgantown, Rodriguez knew the obstacles he'd face at West Virginia: "Location and population," he said.

There's just not a lot of Division I-A prospects around Morgantown.

Rodriguez and his staff scour the country for players, then have to sell them on living in a place some can't find on a map.

West Virginia doesn't get many blue chippers.

"We're a blue-collar team," said center Dan Mozes, whose only other scholarship offer came from Wake Forest. "We have nothing given to us. We work hard for everything we get. We're not five-star recruits. We're three to two stars - or no stars."

White and Slaton epitomize the West Virginia way.

White, from Daphne, Ala., wasn't highly recruited out of high school, in part because many schools figured he'd play pro baseball. He was drafted by the Angels. LSU gave him a look, but wanted him to play defensive back. Rodriguez was the only one who gave him a shot to play quarterback, so it was off to West Virginia for White.

It took some explaining to his friends back home.

"A lot of people don't know that West Virginia even exists," White said. "I had that last year, 'Are you backing up Marcus Vick? Are you going to Virginia Tech?' Or, 'When you going back to Virginia."

Slaton, from Levittown, Pa., and listed generously at 5-foot-10 and 190 pounds, also didn't get much attention out of high school. Maryland offered him a scholarship, then pulled the offer and West Virginia scooped him up.

Going into the 2004 season, White was a redshirt freshman sharing the quarterback job, and Slaton was a freshman who wasn't playing at all. By the time the season was over, they were the focal points of the offense. White ran for 952 yards and passed for 828 more. Slaton ran for 1,128 yards and 17 touchdowns.

"Definitely, I think I surprised myself," Slaton said. "I had the talent to do good things, but the way things are going it's still like a dream. I just came into the right program at the right time."

So did White. Rodriguez called it the "perfect storm."

That storm rained down on Georgia in the Sugar Bowl last season. West Virginia's 38-35 win, with Slaton running for 204 yards and White getting 197 total yards, validated the Mountaineers' success.

West Virginia (7-0) hasn't slowed down since, averaging 319 yards rushing and 41 points per game this season with its no-huddle, spread-option attack.

"My favorite thing about the offense is the fast pace," White said.

The Mountaineers practice like they play.

"If they changed the 25-second (play) clock to 10 seconds, that would be fine," Rodriguez said.

Their practices are also loud. The pop of pads echoes throughout the empty stands at Milan Puskar Stadium. Coaches bark at players. Players yap at each other. White loudly chants "Let's Goooo Mountaineers." There's even a few chuckles sprinkled in, but never do the Mountaineers slow down.

"We're going to be loud, demanding, intense, but I also want to laugh, too," Rodriguez said.

When the work is done - and the Mountaineers probably get more done in an hour than most teams do in two - Rodriguez gathers his team around for a speech. With the Louisville game just days away, he keeps it short.

"We got another four days of work," he said. "But in four days, we're going to have a lot of fun."

Then it's time to honor the day's birthday boys with a rousing Happy Birthday from the team and a small cake.

It's a tradition that Rodriguez started when he was head coach for seven years at NAIA Glenville State in West Virginia before he went to work with Tommy Bowden at Tulane, then Clemson.

"I always used to say if I ever get a Division I job, I want to take a small college approach," he said. "Don't get hung up on the enormity of the importance of it all."

For the Mountaineers to compete with the Goliaths of college football - Ohio State, Michigan, Florida and Texas - they too must be true to their roots.

"I hope our guys feel every day they have something to prove," Rodriguez said. "If they don't have something to prove, they don't belong here."

Miami LB Found Dead In Campus Apartment

A Miami football player and a woman were slain Saturday in acampus apartment attack discovered by a student who found his doorblocked by a bloody body.

Hurricanes reserve linebacker Marlin Barnes and TimwanikaLumpkins, both 22, were killed in a double homicide, police said.They were found in the apartment at about 6:30 a.m. Chicago time.

Police said Barnes had "sustained trauma," but they did notelaborate. Lumpkins was found in an adjacent room, wounded and incritical condition. She was taken to Jackson Memorial Hospital,where she died.Police detective Tony Carvajal said he didn't know the method,motive or weapon used in either of the slayings, but he said Lumpkinsdid not appear to be a student at the university.The victims were found by a student who returned home to findhis apartment door obstructed. He peered inside and saw a man lyingagainst the door in a pool of blood, police said.Three newspapers, a television station and a magazine have askedthat a judge lift the gag order preventing those involved with DallasCowboys receiver Michael Irvin's upcoming drug trial from speakingout. Attorneys filed court papers Friday calling the order"impermissibly vague" and more than what is needed to protect therights of Irvin and the two other defendants in the case, the FortWorth (Texas) Star-Telegram reported.Illinois Coach Kruger Adds Two More AssistantsIllinois coach Lon Kruger named Rob Judson one of his assistantcoaches. Judson, a former Illini guard who held a similar positionat Bradley, will give Kruger's staff an assistant who is familiarwith recruiting in the Peoria and Chicago areas.In addition, Mike Shepherd, who worked with Kruger at Florida,has been hired as restricted-earnings coach. Shepherd and Judsonjoin Bob McCullum, who was named an Illinois assistant last week.Harold Deane, the leading scorer for the Virginia men's team, wasarrested outside a Charlottesville, Va., club and charged withtrespassing and resisting arrest.Lisa Leslie scored 23 points as the U.S. women's national teamopened a 20-point halftime and coasted to an 85-52 rout of China inPhiladelphia.Williams Beats Bolingbrook's Jaros in PBA FinalWalter Ray Williams Jr. won his third PBA title of the year bydefeating Steve Jaros of Bolingbrook 216-195 in the championshipmatch of the PBA's Johnny Petraglia Open in Piscataway, N.J.Top-seeded Pete Sampras outlasted fifth-seeded Jan Siemerink 6-3,4-6, 7-6 (7-2) to reach the final of the Salem Open in Hong Kong. Hewill face second-seeded and two-time defending champion MichaelChang, who ousted sixth-seeded Todd Woodbridge 6-3, 6-4, for thetitle today.International Boxing Federation junior-flyweight champion MichaelCarbajal broke his right hand during a sparring session and might beout as long as three months, his doctor said.

Hong Kong: Japanese trading houses strengthening offshore trade

Japanese apparel trading houses having their head offices in Hong Kong will strengthen offshore trade. It is an essential task whether Hong Kong can play a new role in the new trade competition in Asia.

Devastating Hong Kong's Financial Condition

Among textile product exports by Asian countries in 2002, only China and Vietnam achieved growth compared to 2001. While other countries kept declining after peaking in 2000, China absorbed the decreases of those countries and achieved an increase in exports.

Generally speaking, Chinese firms hold half the share of Chinese exports. Local factories of foreign firms hold the remaining half. Some people call it "made in China by foreign countries" pointing at this situation.

With this situation in the background, Japanese-affiliated apparel trading houses having their head offices in Hong Kong have been strengthening offshore trade. It is a strategy to cope with the fact that the base of apparel exports to Japan has been shifting from Hong Kong to the eastern and northern areas of China.

Before Chinese cities such as Shanghai grew to the present level, the position of Hong Kong was overwhelming. Only Hong Kong was the gate to China. However, several cities such as Shanghai, Ningbo, Dalian and Qingdao have opened their gateways. Competition among cities has become fierce.

Financial deficits of Hong Kong are becoming serious. For this reason, the Hong Kong government increased or plans to increase income tax rates: corporate income tax rates to 16% in 2002, 17.5% in 2003 and 17.5% in 2004; non-corporate income tax rates to 15% in 2002, 15.5% in 2003 and 16% in 2004; income tax rates on wages to 15% in 2002, 15.5% in 2003 and 16% in 2004; and income tax rates on assets to 15% in 2002, 15.5% in 2003 and 16% in 2004.

The Hong Kong government has been increasing taxes in order to reduce financial deficits. One of the merits of doing textile and apparel business in Hong Kong is low taxes. Compared to taxes in Tokyo and Beijing, Hong Kong's taxes are lower, more simple and clearer. Companies used to be attracted by these low taxes in Hong Kong, but this merit will slightly decrease.

Placing Higher Importance on Exports to U.S.

Sales of Prominent Apparel Limited (PAL) having its head office in Hong Kong in the fiscal year ending in March 2003 came to US$350 million, leveling off from the previous fiscal year. Exports to Japan accounted for 20% of the total sales. The share has greatly decreased compared to 35% in the fiscal 2001 and 25% in the fiscal 2002. This is because orders from Japan are leaving Hong Kong and southern China and moving toward the northern China area. What is making up the decrease in exports to Japan is an increase in exports to the U.S. The share of U.S.-bound exports was 10% in the previous fiscal year, and rapidly increased to 25% in fiscal 2002. The core is offshore trade of casual wear made in Vietnam and Southeast Asia.

With this, the share of offshore trade in the fiscal 2003 will increase to 80%. These exports include fabric sales.

For Sumitex Hong Kong Limited, the share of exports to the U.S. and that of exports to Japan have reversed, and the share of exports to the U.S. is expected to increase further. Of US$120 million in sales in the fiscal year ending in December 2002, its share of exports to Japan was 40% (50% in the previous fiscal year), and that of exports to the U.S. was 45% (40% in the previous fiscal year). The remainder is sales of textile materials in the local Hong Kong market.

Sumitex has increased exports to the U.S. because Sumitex added product types such as tops and swimwear for specialty stores in the U.S. from its previous product lines focusing on pants. As for exports to Japan, production districts are moving from Hong Kong to the northern part of China except for products with high added values such as sweaters with retail prices above 10,000 yen/piece. For this reason, Sumitex will place importance on product development focusing on exports to the U.S.

N.I. Teijin Shoji (H.K.) Ltd. has been expanding exports to the U.S. by manufacturing apparel in Vietnam. Fashion Force No.1 Factory that Teijin Shoji possesses in Vietnam started an equipment increase in the latter half of 2002, and will soon establish a system with 900 employees and 600 sewing machines. This is double the size compared to the previous size. This equipment increase is for active sportswear. With apparel manufacture in Vietnam mainly in this factory, Teijin Shoji will increase exports to the U.S.

Expanding Business by Increasing Staff in NY

Sales of Nichimen Orient Wear Ltd. in the fiscal year ending in December 2002 came to US$200 million, and the share of exports to Japan was 90%. This year, Nichimen Orient Wear Ltd, will strengthen offshore trade focusing on exports to the U.S. The firm will strengthen this trade by employing local employees and increasing staff in the New York office.

Sales of Tomen hot-Line (H.K.) Ltd. in the fiscal year ending in December 2002 came to US$110 million. Of these, the share of exports to the U.S. was 30% and that of exports to Europe was 25%. This composition has not changed from the previous fiscal year.

Sales of Passport Fashion Company Limited in the fiscal year ending in March 2003 came to US$280 million. Of these, the share of exports to the U.S. and Europe was 6%. Speaking about profit, however, the share of Europe and the U.S. was 10%. Passport Fashion plans to earn 25% of its profits from its exports to the U.S. and Europe. For this purpose, Passport Fashion has its Asian base in Hong Kong and Thailand. Hong Kong is used to control the axis of Indonesia, Vietnam and China. Thailand is used to control the axis of Cambodia, India, Sri Lanka and Myanmar.

Tredia Fashion Co., Ltd. is a firm focusing on trade with Japan. Tredia Fashion has experiences in offshore trade to Korea, Taiwan and the U.K. In succession, Tredia Fashion is preparing for offshore trade to the U.S. Because deployment of staff in New York will be necessary for that purpose, Tredia Fashion will study it this year.

Tredia intends to maintain its existing business of exporting to Japan by appropriately sharing the business between its head office in Hong Kong, the Shanghai office, and Ho Chi Minh office according to products. While Shanghai office has already exceeded the Hong Kong head office in sales, Tredia is coping with the situation by increasing staff members in Shanghai and strengthening its function.

For exports to Japan, Tredia is placing importance on special style production, which is different from the production in the eastern and northern China.

To Produce Unique to Hong Kong

Sumikin Bussan International (H.K.) Ltd. has a policy to do business in Hong Kong focusing on products that only Hong Kong (Guangdong Province in reality) can produce. Even if Sumikin Bussan moves its production point to Shanghai, the time will come when Sumikin has to move again to somewhere else due to high costs. If that is true, Sumikin Bussan thinks that it is more advantageous for it to pursue good points of production in southern China despite high costs in Hong Kong. For this reason, Sumikin has established an office as a base for the production process and quality control in Dongguan City Guangdong Province on April 1, 2003.

According to Shinko Sangyo (Hong Kong) Ltd., shirting is its main sales product. Sales of fabrics account for 40%, and sales committed to the making up of shirts account for 60%. Sales in the fiscal year ending in December 2001 were US$20 million, recording deficits for ordinary profits, but sales in the fiscal year ending in December 2002 were US$22 million, changing into black figures for ordinary profits. Shinko Sangyo's efforts focusing on the strong area by stopping unprofitable businesses brought good results. Shinko has been promoting sales of made-up corporate uniforms in addition to shirting.

Chori Company, (H.K.) Ltd. stopped simple contract apparel production and places importance on the production of apparel where the firm participates from the stage of fabrics and raw materials Chori is strong at. Chori produces man-made fiber composite materials in the area of fabrics, as well as apparel using special materials such as Italian yarns. Chori trades materials such as cashmere and compact spun yarn.

Textile sales of Toray Industries (H.K.) Ltd. in the fiscal year ending in March 2003 were US$200 million, leveling off from the previous fiscal year. Toray plans to increase its sales in the fiscal year ending in March 2004 by 10% compared to the previous year by increasing sales of textile materials, textiles and industrial materials.

Strengthening Exports of Apparel Products

Toray (H.K.) will increase apparel exports to Europe and the U.S. and market carbon fiber and geo-textiles mainly to Guangdong Province. Toray opened its office in Guangzhou City in May 2002, and has promoted sales. Toray (H.K.) is studying to localize it by the end of 2003 at the earliest.

Teijin Hong Kong Limited will expand its exports of apparel manufactured in East Asia to the U.S. The total sales of apparel manufacture and materials in the fiscal year ending in December 2003 will increase to US$62 million, up 15% compared to the previous fiscal year. For the sales of Teijin Hong Kong, products made by Nantong Teijin Co., Ltd. accounts for 60%; products made by Thai Namsiri Intertex Co., Ltd., 30%; and Japanese products, 10%.

Sales of Teijin Hong Kong to Europe decreased in quantity compared to the previous fiscal year. In contrast, exports to the U.S. increased. For exports to the U.S., high-grade taffeta for active sportswear, and coated fabrics for down wear led sales.

Shikibo (H.K.) Ltd. has been marketing knitted fabrics for cut-&-sewn knitwear and apparel. Fabric accounts for 70%, and yarn and apparel account for the rest. Sales destination is Japan. Shikibo has been marketing products with characteristics in functions and touch such as mercerized yarn-dyed fabric and fabrics with UV-shielding or perspiration-absorbing functions. This year, Shikibo will increase sales of apparel. Shikibo intends to increase offshore trade including the above.

Kurabo Industries Ltd. Hong Kong Branch has been achieving good sales results by specializing in denim. As the tie-up with the group companies, Kurabo Denim (HK) Ltd. and Kurabo Denim (Zhuhai) Co., Ltd., has been successful, the sales quantity in 2002 increased by 20% compared to 2001. Because the unit price did not decrease, the sales value also increased by 20%. The share of A-grade products was 99.7%. This is "Kurabo standard", which is increasing the image of reliability of the firm. The main feature of Kurabo's business is to produce and market all by itself.

Regarding sales destinations of denim products of the Kurabo Hong Kong Branch, Japan accounted for 70% in 2000. The monthly production quantity was 1 million yards in 2002. Out of this, 100,000-150,000 yards were for Japan, and 600,000-700,000 yards were for the U.S., showing a large change in the destinations. This is one example of "made in China by a foreign country".

NL ROUNDUP Cards, Tavarez pay price for playing dirty

St. Louis Cardinals reliever Julian Tavarez keeps running intotrouble with his grimy, dirt-smudged cap. For the first time thisseason, it got him ejected.

Tavarez lasted only one out in the Cardinals' 5-4 victory over thePittsburgh Pirates in the opener of a doubleheader Friday. Umpire JoeWest conducted a lengthy inspection of the cap before the eighthinning before tossing Tavarez, who made a flamboyant exit.

First, Tavarez put his arm around home plate umpire Ron Kulpa andsuggested the two get a beer after the game. Then he flipped his capto a fan behind the dugout on his way off the field.

West said he was enforcing Rule 802.b, which prohibits foreignsubstances on uniforms and caps. He also said Tavarez and managerTony La Russa "as much admitted" it was pine tar on his cap.

The Cardinals are the sixth team in six years for Tavarez, whoplayed for the Pirates last season. He was disappointed that managerLloyd McClendon would use such a tactic and deposited a handful ofhis clean caps on McClendon's desk after being ejected.

In the second game, the Cardinals completed the sweep when ScottRolen became the third St. Louis player to hit 30 homers this seasonand Chris Carpenter set a career best with his 13th win in a 5-3victory. Tavarez pitched a third of an inning without incident. Hewas wearing a different cap.

Rolen combined with Albert Pujols (37) and Jim Edmonds (31) togive the Cardinals three 30-homer players in one season for the firsttime.

EXPOS 4, ROCKIES 3: Tony Batista hit a tiebreaking solo homer inthe eighth inning as visiting Montreal overcame a scary injury tofirst baseman Nick Johnson to beat Colorado.

Johnson was injured in the third inning when a shot by RoyceClayton took an odd bounce and hit him between his right cheek andjaw. Johnson lay on the field for about 10 minutes before beingstrapped to a stretcher and carted off the field.

GIANTS 7, METS 3: Pedro Feliz homered twice, Edgardo Alfonzo alsoconnected and host San Francisco snapped a seven-game losing streakagainst New York.

Barry Bonds went 3-for-4 with a double to help the Giants maintaina half-game lead in the National League wild-card race.

REDS 2, DIAMONDBACKS 0: Randy Johnson struck out 14 and became thesecond pitcher to reach double digits 200 times, but still wound upwith a loss for host Arizona.

An unearned run in the first and Barry Larkin's RBI single in theeighth were enough for the Reds.

DODGERS 3, BRAVES 2: Adrian Beltre tied the game in the ninthinning with a home run off John Smoltz and won it in the 11th withhis major-league-leading 38th homer for host Los Angeles.

PADRES 6, MARLINS 1: Brian Lawrence (12-10) pitched a five-hitterto match his career high for wins to lift host San Diego.

PHILLIES 4, BREWERS 2: Jim Thome and Bobby Abreu homered, and EricMilton pitched seven solid innings as visiting Philadelphia ended aseven-game losing streak.

AP

Sox Tear Down Comiskey Crepe

When the White Sox last saw Comiskey Park, it was a funeral.Today, it should be just fun. "This will be special because the last time we played there welost," outfielder Tim Raines said. "I know this game won't have thesame significance as that one, but Opening Day is always kind ofspecial. Not so much for the players, but for the fans. The playersknow this one game isn't going to win a pennant for us."

The last one lost a pennant for the White Sox as the Blue Jaysbrought boos from the fans by winning the American League title.

This one brings in the Boston Red Sox (1:35 p.m., Ch. 9,670-AM). Boston also has title hopes and is backing it up with a 3-0record, compared to a 1-2 mark for the White Sox.

Opening Day at Comiskey hasn't always been joyous. Rememberthe first game in this park when the Tigers belted around JackMcDowell in a 16-0 victory in 1991? And last season the Yankeesclubbed the Sox 11-6 despite Bo Jackson's dramatic homer.

This year Jason Bere will go against Boston's Aaron Sele andmanager Gene Lamont isn't taking it lightly even though each team hasthree games under its belt.

"I personally think the home opener is just like the opener,"Lamont said. "There's just something about Opening Day, it's hard toexplain the feeling you have. It's always good to get home, see thestadium and the fans. To me, when you come home, it's just likeOpening Day."

Bere won't be taking this game lightly either. The Red Sox werehis boyhood heroes while growing up in Massachusetts, although he didface them last year.

"I know everyone at home will be watching, but other than that,it's no big deal," Bere said. "It's no big deal to me, it's thefourth game of the year."

But the game is a big deal to the White Sox, who started withsuccessive losses at Toronto's SkyDome before winning the last game9-2 with five home runs.

"We were too laid back (in the first games)," Frank Thomas said."We were back in that playoff mode. We didn't have much intensityand we were facing the same two pitchers we saw in the playoffs.

"They (Juan Guzman and Dave Stewart) dominated us and we don'tknow how they did it. But that last game is the kind of team you'regoing to see."

It might not be much easier against the Red Sox, who follow Selewith Roger Clemens and Frank Viola. The White Sox follow Bere withJack McDowell and Alex Fernandez, who lost the games in Toronto.

But that should be forgotten this weekend, especially after thegood feeling created by that last game in Toronto.

"We really saw signs that this team is going to have an excitingseason," said Raines, who doesn't have such good memories of lastseason's Comiskey opener when he tore thumb ligaments and missed sixweeks.

The White Sox come home healthy, even though Lance Johnson satout Thursday's exhibition game against the Cubs as a precautionarymeasure.

The Sox were a little sore about having to play at windy WrigleyField Thursday. It could have been an off-day for them to getacclimated to their summer homes.

NOTES: Donnie Osmond will sing the national anthem and formerWhite Sox manager Al Lopez will throw out the first pitch. Sox players will wear what is being called a "motivational whitepatch" with the No. 31 enclosed, remembering reliever Scott Radinsky,who is battling Hodgkin's disease.

Pepper spray used at San Diego 'Occupy' protest

SAN DIEGO (AP) — San Diego police on Friday made at least two arrests and used pepper spray to break up a human chain formed by anti-Wall Street demonstrators at a downtown plaza where they've camped for a week.

Police in the early morning began removing about a half-dozen tents after warning demonstrators their personal belongings couldn't stay in the Occupy San Diego camp. Demonstrators can continue protesting without the tents, tarps and tables, authorities said.

Officer David Stafford said Friday night that protesters remain on the scene, and officers are there to monitor the situation.

One man was arrested before 8 a.m. for interfering with a police officer after he sat down and refused to take away his tent, police Lt. Andra Brown said. After he and his tent were removed, other demonstrators erected another tent and formed a human chain around it.

Shortly before noon, officers pulled apart the protesters and used pepper spray to disperse them.

Protesters said several demonstrators were suffering burning eyes from the pepper spray.

Michael Basillas, a 26-year-old college student, said protesters were regrouping to make a new plan. Many had moved to Balboa Park

He said police refused to negotiate with organizers about the removal orders. Police said they met with the organizers Thursday night to tell them they would need to remove their tents to allow the city to prepare for a weekend event at the civic center plaza.

"They chose just to force their way in," Basillas said.

The protest is in sympathy with demonstrations in New York and other cities to protest corporate influence on politics.

Calif. co. expands meat recall due to E. coli fear

A Southern California meatpacking firm has significantly expanded its recall of ground beef and veal that might be contaminated with E. coli.

The recall includes approximately an additional 4.9 million pounds (2.22 million kilograms) of products by Huntington Meat Packing Inc. under the Huntington, Imperial Meat Co. and El Rancho brands, the Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service said Friday.

The original recall was announced Jan. 18 and was for 864,000 pounds (391,900 kilograms) of meat.

E. coli is a potentially deadly germ that can cause bloody diarrhea, dehydration and, in severe cases, kidney failure. The germ can be killed by cooking fresh and frozen meat products to an internal temperature of 160 degrees (71 Celsius).

There have been no reports of illnesses associated with consumption of the products, the food safety agency said.

The affected beef and veal was sold to distribution centers, restaurants and hotels in California between Jan 4. and Jan. 22, 2010. Each box bears the establishment number "EST. 17967" inside the USDA mark of inspection.

The products include ground beef patties, diced beef, veal patties and beef burrito filling mix.

The original recall was expanded based on evidence collected in an ongoing criminal investigation being conducted by the Office of the Inspector General, according to FSIS. Inspectors found the products were prepared in a manner that did not follow rules to prevent food safety hazards.

The agency also said the investigation found Huntington's food safety records to be unreliable.

A call to the Montebello-based company was not immediately returned Saturday.

FSIS inspectors conduct regular checks to make sure firms that have recalled products notify their customers of the problem and take steps to make sure the products are off the market.

Memory goes solid ; SSD memories are making their way into laptops. Should you go for one right now?

Solid State Drives (SSDs) are appearing in almost everythingtoday from music players to phones and even laptops. In fact, if youwere to buy a decently specified laptop today, you will get theoption of choosing an SSD instead of a traditional electro-mechanical drive you know, the type that houses a rapidly spinningdisc and a pointy needle, and is pretty much an industry standard.By contrast, an SSD houses several embedded memory chips.

Now, salesmen in stores will try and tell you a lot of stuffabout why you should spend up to Rs 10,000 more to go solid. Thebiggest reason, according to engineers, is that the fewer movingparts there are in a product, the more reliable it is, simplybecause there are fewer things that can potentially go wrong. An SSDhas no moving parts.

That doesn't mean that SSDs are a no brainer. There is the minorissue of SSDs costing more in fact, lots more. For instance, Intel'sX25-M (34-namometer), generally considered the best SSD availableout there costs $440 (Rs 21,000) for a 160 gigabyte capacity model.That works out to Rs 132 per gigabyte. This does not sound like muchwhen you pick up USB flash drives for upwards of Rs 500 for agigabyte. But when you consider that a traditional electro-mechanical drive one with 320 gigabytes of storage, which is bog-standard laptop equipment nowadays costs around Rs 4,000 (for twicethe memory, remember), you might want to question the rationale ofan SSD.

Still, SSDs are getting cheaper. Apple, for example, constantlyincreases the capacity of the SSD-filled iPod Touch ever so oftenwithout a price hike. Plus, lower capacity SSDs, such as those oniPods, have much lower consumption, and they're also a lot lighter.That said, do not expect regular hard drives to give up their costadvantage anytime soon.

However, SSDs' main advantage, because of the lack of movingparts, is that they can access data far faster. They are also farmore 'tolerant' than regular hard-drives they have a highertemperature range and don't need fancy laptop body-shells to protectthem. In fact, if you subtract the optical disc drive, a laptop witha SSD will have no moving parts at all. Which is why the USmilitary, the world's single-largest consumer of tech-wizardry, hasfallen in love with them.

Yet, unless you are the sort that really needs to have the latestand greatest piece of technology, or you work in an extremely hotand hostile environment, you really don't need an SSD in your laptopjust yet. Regular electromechanical drives are still incrediblyreliable given the amount of abuse they take. And the price premiumis just not worth it right now.

Bears in Bourbonnais

ON THE FIELD

The work was geared toward preparing for the Indianapolis Colts,and that meant No. 4 quarterback Chris Leak got to do his bestimpersonation of Peyton Manning for a while. Leak made some nicepasses to Clinton Solomon, but middle linebacker Brian Urlacher wenthigh to nearly intercept one. Devin Hester made a grab of a bomb forthe second straight day, this one from Kyle Orton, who quietly had aproductive camp. John St. Clair got some work with the first team atright tackle, and Anthony Oakley got some time with the unit atcenter.

FOCUS ON DAN BAZUIN

Second-round pick Bazuin had the toughest time of all the rookiesat training camp. The defensive end was hobbled from the start bysoreness and swelling in his left knee. Bazuin had minor surgery torepair the meniscus in the spring and was told it might be a newinjury. He was able to practice for the final week, but it's evidenthe still isn't at full speed. He will need to get healthy and provewhat he can do as the preseason action continues, or else the Bearswill have a decision to make that could potentially involve injuredreserve. If that happens, it could open the door for Copeland Bryan,who has had a nice showing and picked up a sack against the HoustonTexans last week.

REMAINING PRACTICES

Today 11:10 a.m.

- Practice subject to change

- Admission is free

NEXT GAME

Monday at Colts,

7 p.m., ESPN, 780-AM

COUNTDOWN

22Days until the Bears' regular-season opener at San DiegoChargers, Sept. 9, 3:15 p.m., Fox-32, 780-AM.

Debt/income ratio an industry standard

Q. I've heard that most lenders will allow a borrower to have a 28percent debt-to-income ratio in order to qualify for a home loan. What does this mean?

A. In order to minimize the chances of a borrower getting in overhis or her head financially, most of the lending industry has agreedthat a borrower's monthly housing expense should not be greater than28 percent of his/her gross monthly income (income before taxes).

For example, if gross monthly income for all wage earners livingin the home is $4,000, the monthly housing expense should not exceed$1,120. This 28 percent, often referred to as the "housing-to-incomeratio" or "front-end ratio," includes the monthly loan payment, realestate taxes/assessments, homeowners insurance, mortgage insuranceand association fees (for condo or town house owners). The allowablepercentage can vary by lender.

Q. What is the 36 percent debt-to-income ratio?

A. A lender may tell you the income qualifying ratios are 28/36.The 28 percent refers to that part of your gross monthly income thatgoes toward housing expenses. The 36 refers to the 36 percent of yourgross monthly income that can go toward all of your monthly debt(including housing debt).

This amount is often referred to as the 'total debt-to-incomeratio' or the 'back-end ratio.' In addition to housing costs, thissum can include monthly payments on credit cards, installment loans(auto, student loan, etc.), child support/alimony payments or othermonthly payments required by a court-ordered judgment. It does notinclude household expenses, such as utilities, food, clothing,entertainment and so forth. The allowable percentage can vary bylender and loan circumstances.

Mortgage Market Information Service

'Missing' Pair Return to News Conference

A Melbourne couple returning home from vacation Monday were shocked to discover police about to hold a news conference at their house about their suspicious disappearance.

William and Heather Ostell's daughter, Angela, had not seen or heard from her parents since Thursday. She went to their house in the southeast Australian city and discovered the front door unlocked, their car gone and their dog home alone.

So she called the police and reported her parents missing.

Homicide detectives were holding a press conference Monday morning at the Ostell's home to appeal for information when the couple drove up.

Heather Ostell, 58, told reporters that they had taken a "spur of the moment" holiday and had not been able to reach their daughter to tell her.

"We had decided on Friday morning (to have a break) and we just let a couple of people know," she said. They arranged for neighbors to take care of their pet dog, and left the door unlocked by accident.

"I'll blame my husband for that. We're pretty security conscious," she said. "We just wanted to get out on the road and to get out of here."

The couple were shocked by the commotion at home and said they regretted worrying their daughter.

"I'll have to make my peace with her," Ostell said.

2 arrested trying to get onto Heathrow runway

The operator of Britain's major airports says that two people have been arrested for attempting to gain access to Heathrow Airport's airfield.

British airports operator BAA says the two people were arrested after attempting to get onto the runway Wednesday morning. Their names were not released.

The airport's southern runway was shut down for 14 minutes for safety reasons.

The airport says it was a "misguided" attempt to disrupt airport operations and people's travel plans.

[ SPIN CONTROL ]

HHH

THE WHITE STRIPES, "ELEPHANT" (V2)

Success certainly hasn't spoiled the White Stripes--the Detroitduo is as grungy and garagey as ever on its fourth album--but thislatest collection of churning blue-rock isn't quite the unparalleledmasterpiece that's being hailed in some corners (notably the alwayshyperbolic U.K. press and the generally late-to-the-game RollingStone). For one thing, there's no single here as undeniable andincendiary as "Fell In Love With a Girl," the standout track fromlast year's "White Blood Cells." For another, despite some powerfulhigh points, this set of 14 tunes is wildly inconsistent.

Bandleader Jack White continues to prove himself as a wildlyinventive guitarist, an inspired vocalist, and a deft and canny thiefof timeless rock riffs, plundering everything from Led Zeppelin tothe blues originators those famous Brit plunderers first pilfered, tosay nothing of reworking snatches of his own back catalog. And his ex-wife Meg remains the perfect primitive drummer for this band, the MoTucker of her generation. But both are still unduly enamored ofshtick (even if it's never quite as annoying as the Jon Spencer BluesExplosion's minstrel show).

The epic jam "Ball and Biscuit" answers the question, "What wouldthe Yardbirds sound like if they formed in the new millennium insteadof the early '60s?," and "I Want to Be the Boy..." is a fetching andcatchy ballad, the prettiest track the White Stripes have yetproduced. But the snatches of Anglophilia seem contrived; I couldlive without the nod to Queen in "There's No Home for You Here," andthe infantile sing-along with Holly Golightly, "It's True That WeLove One Another," grows tiresome before the first spin is over.

Jim DeRogatis

HHH

ZZ TOP, "MESCALERO" (RCA)

There's something to be said for developing a skill, honing it andsticking with it. Because, let's face it, Dusty Hill, Billy Gibbonsand Frank Judge have been making the same boogie-heavy, hangdog blues-rock album over and over again for some 33 years now. And though"Mescalero" ventures south of the border on tracks including "QueLastima" and the title tune, it hews to the same essential formula.

And it works.

Credit is certainly due Hill, Gibbons and Judge, whose chopsremain sharp; let's face it, no matter how you feel about theirshtick, these guys can flat-out play.

But the key to why this continues to work has more to do withattitude than anything else. These guys know that it's all just infun. Like punk-rock's Ramones, they play hard, have a few laughs andcreate a contagious good time.

Jeff Wisser

HHH 1/2

CHER, "THE VERY BEST OF CHER" (MCA)

If you caught Cher's televised "farewell" concert last week, thenyou know she pulls no punches when referring--less-thanaffectionately to--the current crop of questionably talented popdivas (you know who they are). "Follow this, you bitches!" has becomeCher's anthem--and a worthy one in a 40-year career that hassurprised many a critic and surpassed many of her contemporaries.

The disc serves as a fabulous 21-cut overview of her career,including some of her earliest singles (with and without Sonny) andher latest hits. Oddly absent is her Top 10 hit "The Way of Love,"but even that is a slight imperfection on an otherwise satisfyingdose of the bold and the brassy from the vivacious pop star. Followthis, you bitches--as if you could.

Miriam Di Nunzio

HHH 1/2

YO LA TENGO, "SUMMER SUN" (MATADOR)

On "And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside-Out" (2000), Hoboken,N.J.'s long-running indie-rock heroes took a turn toward quietintrospection, albeit in a droning, psychedelic, Krautrock-inspiredway. "Summer Sun" finds Yo La Tengo playing at an equally low-keyvolume and in a similar mid-tempo groove, but otherwise the group'soutlook is much sunnier and more upbeat, as evidenced by song titlessuch as "Beach Party Tonight" and "Today Is the Day."

The band has always had a schizophrenic personality, veeringbetween harsh guitar noise and fetching acoustic melodies, but ithasn't focused on the latter quite so effectively since "Fakebook"(1990), its lovely and lulling covers disc. "Summer Sun" takes a fewlistens to kick in--it's a post-hangover Sunday morning disc if everthere was one--but the listener will be rewarded by subtle touchessuch as an endearingly heartfelt vocal by drummer Georgia Hubley on acover of Big Star's "Take Care," the violin and cello in "TinyBirds," and one of the most winning hooks that guitarist Ira Kaplanhas ever penned in "Today Is the Day."

Jim DeRogatis

HHH

MS. DYNAMITE, "A LITTLE DEEPER" (INTERSCOPE)

Faced with all sorts of pre-conceptions about R&B--and the worstname to come down the boulevard in years--North London native Ms.Dynamite slyly roams the sketchier edges of hip-hop and street soulon this sleek, sexy debut. Often sounding like an irritated NellyFurtado, Dynamite saddles herself with the usual R&B talking points:girl power, bad men and friends with girl power who date bad men, buther cocky, screw-off attitude, her smooth skills as an MC and herslew of stuttery, schizoid garage beats ("It Takes More" and "Sick N'Tired") lend her tracks a low-ended dark power that seethes withattitude.

She has a bit less success with roots reggae ("Seed Will Grow,"with Kymani Marley) and straight R&B ("Brother"), whenever she letsthat vibe slip. Despite winning vanloads of British music awards, "ALittle Deeper" feels padded and isn't quite the groundbreaking blow-the-speakers-apart original that it's been hyped as, but it's anengaging and fresh ride worth checking out.

Jeff Vrabel

HH 1/2

BOBBY "BLUE" BLAND, "BLUES AT MIDNIGHT" (MALACO)

I've never really understood the appeal of this 73-year-oldMemphis, Tenn.-based blues belter. Call me crazy, but I think thereare much more pleasant sounds than a man croaking like a bullfrog orclearing his throat into a microphone.

"Blues at Midnight" finds B.B. King's old Beale Street runningmate and driver performing material familiar to anyone who has heardhis 11 previous Malaco releases. There's a heavy trumpet presence,crisp production and a good mixture of chitlin'-flavored soul anddown-home blues. The best of the 11 tracks are the greasy, suggestive"You Hit the Nail on the Head" and the self-affirming number "I'm aBlues Man." And despite my reservations, I can't deny that each songis delivered straight from the heart.

Jeff Johnson

HHH

George Jones, "The Gospel Collection" (BNA Records)

George Jones returns to gospel for his latest release, anuplifting two disc set of two dozen heavenly tunes. Jones has donereligious-themed albums before, most recently 1990's "HallelujahWeekend." What makes this new disc special is that producer BillySherrill has come out of retirement to help out his old friend.

Wafting back to the old days of country, Sherrill, who producedmany Jones' hits, including "He Stopped Loving Her Today," fills thesongs with the sacred strains of pedal steel. Jones delivers smooth,comforting renditions of classics such as "Amazing Grace," "SwingLow, Sweet Chariot" and "What a Friend We Have in Jesus," and duetsnicely with Patti Page on "Precious Memories" and gospel mainstayVestal Goodman on "Mansion Over the Hilltop."

Mary Houlihan

HHH

Alexandre Pires, "Estrella guia" (BMG/U.S. Latin)

It's an unwritten rule in the Latin music world: If you're fromBrazil, you must eventually sing in Spanish. So in search ofcommercial validation, a long list of Brazilians, stretching back toCarmen Miranda in the '40s and Roberto Carlos in '70s, have switchedfrom their native Portuguese to the more marketable, radio-friendlySpanish. The latest "crossover" contender is Alexandre Pires, theformer lead singer of Brazil's So Pra Contrariar.

For his second solo effort, Pires leaves the sounds of samba andall things Brazilian behind, and sails smack into the seas of slickSpanish pop. It's a tribute to his artistry that he doesn't drown inthe glossy production churned up by Latin hitmakers Rudy Perez, PedroFerreira, Emanuele Ruffinengo and especially Estefano (the composer-producer who brought Paulina Rubio back from the dead).

Giving his fellow mellow men (Cristian, Carlos Ponce, et al. ) arun for their money, Pires manages to find an emotional core incommercial glop like "Amame" and "Todavia." On the nuevo flamenco"Solo Que Me Falta," a duet with Spain's Alejandro Sanz, Pires easilydominates his more established partner.

But for his greatest bit of vocal magic, Pires somehow reanimatesGino Vanelli's "I Just Wanna Stop" (retitled in Spanish as "Es MejorParar," or literally "It's Best to Stop"). Though this song deservesto have a silver stake driven through its heart once and for all,when Pires sings it, Vanelli's vampire-like ballad is blessedlytransformed.

Laura Emerick

HHH

SOULIVE, "SOULIVE" (BLUE NOTE)

To steal a cliche from every live-album press release in thehistory of recorded music, Soulive, on its inaugural live release,really does strip things down and get back to its original feverishjazz/funk roots.

Following the traditionally guest-heavy stylings of its laststudio CD "Next," the trio of Alan Evans, Neal Evans and Eric Krasnograb the spotlight back for themselves on an eminently danceablecollection of New Orleans jams with hip-hop sensibilities, organ-heavy rhythmic journeys and low-end grooves; Evans' drums inparticular drives the group into each new idea.

The mix is a little weird; the club crowds are almost nonexistent,and a few tracks power down just when they should be ramping up (fora live jazz record, it's a little odd that many songs cut off ataround seven minutes). But as a whole, "Soulive" stands as a finedocument of a fine live outfit.

Jeff Vrabel

Note: Soulive appears Friday at the House of Blues.

HHHH

jarabe de palo, "Bonito" (WEA INTERNATIONAL)

The chorus of children's voices and clapping that starts out thisalbum by Spain's Jarabe de Palo sets the tone for the joyful songsthat follow. Calling it "Bonito" doesn't do it justice. It's morethan "pretty" or "nice." It finds the Spanish rock quintet maturingwithout leaving behind its roots, digging deep into pop-rock tingedwith samba, flamenco and salsa.

The first song is "Yin Yang" and the album shows a lot of respectfor balance, covering old territory with acoustic guitar strummingbut adding new touches like a piano solo and some slithering brasssolos.

The title track is a Latin take on "My Favorite Things," aforceful argument for finding beauty in everyday life. The lastsong, "Corazon," sums up the album's optimistic perspective, and theband's faith in rhythm and in life. It's a story about looking formeaning in the world and a lesson learned: "That beneath the sky/there was an imperfect world/with a good heart/that kept beating."

Daniel Shumski

HH 1/2

MIKEL ERENTXUN, "CIUDADES DE PASO" (WEA INTERNATIONAL)

The former leader of Spain's seminal Duncan Dhu, Mikel Erentxunhas four excellent solo albums behind him, but his fifth effort fallsshort. "Ciudades de Paso," which marks Erentxun's first solo discsince Duncan Dhu officially disbanded, sounds at times sounds morelike a Duncan Dhu album than any of the artist's other solo works.This might be a good thing--if he could pull it off convincingly.Unfortunately, some tracks come off as lightweight imitations ofsongs his former group might have done.

There are some good songs; "Manana" and "En el Sur" are catchy.But on leaden, tedious tracks like "Loco de Atar" and "Vasos de Romay Ginebra," it's hard not to grind your teeth and wonder what wentwrong.

Daniel Shumski

HHH

THE DERAILERS, "GENUINE" (LUCKY DOG)

When listening to the Derailers' sixth album, it is easy to detectthe disparate musical influences that shaped the band's sound. Thisquartet obviously loves numerous acts that had hits on AM radio inthe '60s: the Beatles, Merle Haggard, George Jones, Roy Orbison,Elvis Presley, Marty Robbins and most important, Buck Owens.

Although this disc doesn't break any new ground, it offers 34minutes of pure fun, and there's not a bad cut to be heard. Thegarage-rock inspired "Scratch My Itch" and the Fab Fourish titletrack may cause some listeners to shake it like a go-go dancer froman ''Austin Powers'' flick.

Bobby Reed

Note: The Derailers perform May 1 at Fitzgeralds in Berwyn.

HHH

SUPERSUCKERS, "MOTHER------S BE TRIPPIN'" (MID-FI)

Audacity. Gall. Chutzpah. Brass cojones. Call it what you will,Eddie Spaghetti and the Supersuckers have it in abundance. And theyput it all into their raucous and raunchy cowpunk, producing an albumthat is silly unto tasteless and as hard-rocking as they come.

Put it this way: Any band that kicks off an album with a tracktitled "Rock-n-Roll Records (Ain't Sellin' This Year)" and then,despite that sentiment, proceeds to make one of those records anyway,just plain doesn't care. And, if "Trippin'" is the result of thatbrazen indifference, then we're all to better for it.

Jeff Wisser

Ukraine's president doubts Gazprom-Naftogaz merger

Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych said Thursday he does not support Russia's proposal for its gas giant Gazprom to merge with Ukraine's state gas concern, Naftogaz.

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin proposed the merger last week, seemingly catching the Ukrainian government by surprise.

"It was an unexpected impromptu. But it does not mean that Ukraine will consider this idea," Yanukovych told reporters during a visit to the eastern Donetsk region, the UNIAN news agency said.

Since Gazprom dwarfs Naftogaz, a merger would essentially give Russia control of Ukraine's gas pipelines and the transit of gas through Ukraine to Europe. About 20 percent of the gas consumed in the European Union is transported across Ukraine.

Yanukovych said Ukraine was ready for closer economic cooperation with Russia. "As for politics, our main policy is the protection of national interests," he was quoted as saying.

Yanukovych is more friendly toward Moscow than his predecessor, and he has improved relations with Russia since his election early this year. He agreed last month to extend Russia's lease on a naval base in Ukraine in exchange for a huge cut in the price of Russian gas.

But he has stuck to previous plans for the European Union to be given a role in modernizing Ukraine's pipeline system.

"If we decide to begin talks (about a merger) we should involve the EU at a certain stage as the main consumer of gas and the main partner," he said Wednesday in his first public response to Putin's proposal.

Protein restriction in Parkinson's disease

As a clinical dietitian working with patients with Parkinson's Disease (PD), I had many queries about the potential value of protein restriction with PD. I hope this article will offer insight into the risks, benefits, and indications for use of this dietary therapy.

Levodopa is the most common medication used to treat symptoms of PD. Dietary-derived large neutral amino acids compete with levodopa for transport into the brain across the blood/brain barrier. High protein intake may result in inadequate levels of levodopa in the brain, resulting in unpredictable fluctuations in motor performance. Studies of people who experienced severe, unpredictable fluctuations in motor performance while taking levodopa (the on/off phenomenon) who consumed protein-restricted diets during the day (when motor skills were most needed) and then ate enough protein in the evening to meet their dietary requirements, showed that some people experienced some benefit from the diet. Concerns arose about subjecting a nutritionally vulnerable patient population to a restricted diet over the long term (1). The availability of controlled release preparations of levodopa and the use of surgical interventions have reduced the need for protein restriction (2), which is unfortunately still widely promoted by many health professionals.

There is no justification for the use of a protein-restricted diet patients with PD who neither use levodopa nor experience unpredictable motor fluctuations in association with use of the medication. Use of a protein-restricted diet may increase the already substantial risk for malnutrition. Weight loss and poor protein status indicated by reduced muscle mass and law serum albumin are common. To compound concern about dietary restriction, in trials with protein-restricted diets, suboptimal intakes of several nutrients, including calcium, were observed. Many people expressed concern about hunger, lack of variety in the diet, and decreased palatability of low protein food (3). Some patients have noticed that protein intake influences the effectiveness of their medication. Rather than advising a low protein diet, these individuals should be encouraged to redistribute their protein intake to avoid taking high protein foods and levodopa simultaneously. Taking medication 15-30 minutes before meals may be helpful; however, this is not always feasible, as many individuals take their medication with food to prevent nausea (4).

The decision to try out a modified diet should be made in consultation with a neurologist and a dietitian. Patients starting the diet must be carefully monitored, as detrimental side effects of levodopa including nausea, vomiting, dyskinesias and hallucinations are more likely with enhanced uptake of the drug. Those most likely to benefit from the restriction are often at the end-stage of the disease and are already nutritionally compromised. Following a restricted diet may further diminish their nutritional status (5).

Any therapy that holds promise for controlling PD symptoms may be attractive. Patients should be informed that protein intake modification has been shown to help only those who experience severe "on/off" fluctuations in association with levodopa use. Patients who opt to try the diet should be monitored by a neurologist, and advised on optimizing dietary intake, including discontinuing the diet if no benefit is observed after one week. Any potential benefits should be noted almost immediately.

[Reference]

1. Tsui JKC, Ross S, Poulin K, et al. (1989).The effect of dietary protein on the efficacy of L-Dopa: a double blind study. Neurology, 39(4), 549-552.

[Reference]

2. Calne DB, Calne S. (1997). Treatment of Parkinson's disease. in: Ancil RJ, Holliday SG, Mithani AH (Eds.), Therapeutics in Geriatric Neuropsychiatry. Chichester: John Wiley, & Sons Ltd., 1-12.

3. Pare S. Barr S, Ross S. (1992). Effect of daytime protein restriction on nutrient intakes of free-living Parkinson's disease patients. American Journal Clinical Nutrition, 55: 701-707.

[Reference]

4. Carter J, Nutt J. (1995). Dietary issues in Parkinson's disease. In holler W, Paulson G (Fds.), Therapy of Parkinson's Disease (2rcd edj. New York: Marcel Dekker, 443-461.

5. Olanow CVV; Koller W. (1998). An algorithm (decision tree) for the management of Parkinson's disease: treatment guidelines. Neurology, 50: SI-557.

[Author Affiliation]

Contact Information:

Meredith Cushing; RDN

meredithcushing@hotmail.com

Meredith was formerly a clinical dietitian at UBC Hospital, Vancouver and is embarking on graduate studies in Indianapolis, IN.

IRS Warns of 'Phishing'

'Phishing,' Internet-based schemes of tricking people into revealing confidential financial information, topped the Internal Revenue Service's annual list of scams that taxpayers should be aware of.

The IRS on Thursday also warned people not to fall for predators posing as IRS representatives who tell them they must reveal personal information to obtain the economic stimulus payment. That payment goes out automatically to anyone who files a tax return.

Also on Thursday, acting IRS Commissioner Linda Stiff told Congress that the first stimulus payment checks would go out shortly after this filing season ends. She said that those with a direct deposit account will receive their checks electronically the first week of May. The first paper checks will be mailed by the second week of May.

Under the stimulus package enacted by Congress, individuals will receive $300 to $600 and couples $600 to $1,200. Parents will also receive $300 for each child under 17.

The tax agency said taxpayers this year had forwarded to the agency 33,000 'phishing' scam e-mails reflecting more than 1,500 different schemes. It said thieves, some claiming to be IRS officials, use information to empty victims' bank accounts, run up credit card charges or apply for loans in the victims' names.

"We take identity theft very seriously," Stiff told a Ways and Means subcommittee hearing.

National Taxpayer Advocate Nina Olson, also testifying at the hearing, applauded the IRS for taking proactive measures to assist victims, including the recent implementation of a tracking system for identify theft victim accounts. But Olson, who works independently within the IRS, said the agency still lacks a coordinated approach and has a "duty to restore integrity to accounts... not to exacerbate injuries."

Olson also reported that some seniors who filed tax returns this year to get their stimulus checks after not filing for years have discovered that someone else has been using their Social Security numbers on tax returns. "The IRS does not have adequate procedures to address situations where the identity theft victim does not have a filing requirement," she said.

"The IRS urges taxpayers to be extra-vigilant," it said in its release, to people claiming that they must provide information to receive their stimulus checks. It stressed that the agency does not contact taxpayers by phone or e-mail about those checks.

Rep. Ron Kind, D-Wis., asked Stiff about the agency's spending of $42 million, "an incredible waste of taxpayer dollars," to send letters to taxpayers, most of whom would file returns anyway, to remind them that they must file a return to get a stimulus check.

Stiff said it was a "prudent call" considering that, after Congress approved a similar rebate in 2001, the agency received 27 million calls, causing their systems to crash.

Among other scams, it reminded taxpayers that they are liable for $5,000 penalties for submitting frivolous claims such as a constitutional right to object to military spending.

Others on the list this year were fuel tax credit scams, the offshore hiding of income, the misuse of trusts and the abuse of charitable organizations. It warned people to watch out for tax return preparers who attract clients by promising large refunds and charge inflated fees for their services.

___

On the Net:

Internal Revenue Service: http://www.irs.gov

Congress: http://thomas.loc.gov/

'Abyss' a moving look at capital punishment.(WEEKEND LIFE)(MOVIE REVIEW)(Movie review)(Column)

Byline: Adam Mazmanian, SPECIAL TO THE WASHINGTON TIMES

L egend ary director Werner Herzog clearly states his personal opposition to the death penalty in at least two of the interviews he

conducted as part of his moving, deeply felt documentary on the aftermath of a brutal triple murder in Texas. All the same, Into the Abyss is too deliberately idiosyncratic to be tagged as a message movie.

What Into the Abyss does is direct the viewer to confront capital punishment not in ideological terms, but as a human institution with all the peculiarities, inconsistencies and hypocrisies that attend human institutions.

If Into the Abyss were an advocacy movie, the 2001 triple murder that placed documentary subjects Michael Perry on death row and Jason Burkett in prison for life would make an interesting test case.

There isn't much room to doubt their guilt in the pointless killing spree in 2001 - originally cooked up to steal a Camaro from the garage of the first victim, Sandra Stotler. The two 19-year-olds did not do much to cover their tracks: They bragged about the crime, gave friends joy rides in stolen vehicles and eventually confessed to police.

While Perry made claims of innocence from death row, Mr. Herzog does not dignify these with any real attention, and notes that both men included details in their confessions that only those responsible would have known. The two elected to be tried separately, and this appears to be the only reason Perry was sentenced to die and Burkett was sentenced to prison.

In the film's most moving section, Burkett's father, Delbert Burkett, discusses the testimony he gave at his son's sentencing hearing. The elder Burkett, himself a serial felon serving a 40-year prison sentence, told the jury he was to blame for his son's crime, and begged them to spare his life. He comes across as the very embodiment of regret - regret for his own past, and for the legacy he passed to his children.

By contrast, Perry lacked a convincing advocate at trial, and he appears to be dangerously unhinged and quite possibly psychopathic. In his appearance, filmed eight days before his execution, the jangly, boyish-looking convict seems disconnected from reality and completely lacking in remorse. It's not hard to imagine a Texas jury sentencing him to death.

Into the Abyss is drawn away from the details of the crime, and even from the mechanics of the death penalty, into the details of the lives of the perpetrators and the victims.

Peter Zeitlinger's cinematography is direct and intense, with the camera lingering on the faces of the subjects like a penetrating gaze in search of an emotional response. The movie doesn't just capture these emotions, but generates a true connection with the depths of the despair felt by Lisa Stotler Balloun, whose mother and brother were murdered, and by the sense of almost irredeemable failure of Delbert Burkett.

Mr. Herzog has managed to make a film that speaks for the victims of crime, despite his own opposition to the ultimate punishment.

..

TITLE Into the Abyss

CREDITS: Directed by Werner Herzog

RATING: PG-13 for profanity, images of violence

RUNNING TIME: 107 minutes

MAXIMUM RATING: FOUR STARS

CAPTION(S):

Lt. Damon Hall, a crime scene investigator with the Montgomery County, Texas, Sheriff's Office, is filmed for Into the Abyss, about the perpetrators and victims in a triple murder. [sundance selects via associated press]

'Abyss' a moving look at capital punishment.(WEEKEND LIFE)(MOVIE REVIEW)(Movie review)(Column)

Byline: Adam Mazmanian, SPECIAL TO THE WASHINGTON TIMES

L egend ary director Werner Herzog clearly states his personal opposition to the death penalty in at least two of the interviews he

conducted as part of his moving, deeply felt documentary on the aftermath of a brutal triple murder in Texas. All the same, Into the Abyss is too deliberately idiosyncratic to be tagged as a message movie.

What Into the Abyss does is direct the viewer to confront capital punishment not in ideological terms, but as a human institution with all the peculiarities, inconsistencies and hypocrisies that attend human institutions.

If Into the Abyss were an advocacy movie, the 2001 triple murder that placed documentary subjects Michael Perry on death row and Jason Burkett in prison for life would make an interesting test case.

There isn't much room to doubt their guilt in the pointless killing spree in 2001 - originally cooked up to steal a Camaro from the garage of the first victim, Sandra Stotler. The two 19-year-olds did not do much to cover their tracks: They bragged about the crime, gave friends joy rides in stolen vehicles and eventually confessed to police.

While Perry made claims of innocence from death row, Mr. Herzog does not dignify these with any real attention, and notes that both men included details in their confessions that only those responsible would have known. The two elected to be tried separately, and this appears to be the only reason Perry was sentenced to die and Burkett was sentenced to prison.

In the film's most moving section, Burkett's father, Delbert Burkett, discusses the testimony he gave at his son's sentencing hearing. The elder Burkett, himself a serial felon serving a 40-year prison sentence, told the jury he was to blame for his son's crime, and begged them to spare his life. He comes across as the very embodiment of regret - regret for his own past, and for the legacy he passed to his children.

By contrast, Perry lacked a convincing advocate at trial, and he appears to be dangerously unhinged and quite possibly psychopathic. In his appearance, filmed eight days before his execution, the jangly, boyish-looking convict seems disconnected from reality and completely lacking in remorse. It's not hard to imagine a Texas jury sentencing him to death.

Into the Abyss is drawn away from the details of the crime, and even from the mechanics of the death penalty, into the details of the lives of the perpetrators and the victims.

Peter Zeitlinger's cinematography is direct and intense, with the camera lingering on the faces of the subjects like a penetrating gaze in search of an emotional response. The movie doesn't just capture these emotions, but generates a true connection with the depths of the despair felt by Lisa Stotler Balloun, whose mother and brother were murdered, and by the sense of almost irredeemable failure of Delbert Burkett.

Mr. Herzog has managed to make a film that speaks for the victims of crime, despite his own opposition to the ultimate punishment.

..

TITLE Into the Abyss

CREDITS: Directed by Werner Herzog

RATING: PG-13 for profanity, images of violence

RUNNING TIME: 107 minutes

MAXIMUM RATING: FOUR STARS

CAPTION(S):

Lt. Damon Hall, a crime scene investigator with the Montgomery County, Texas, Sheriff's Office, is filmed for Into the Abyss, about the perpetrators and victims in a triple murder. [sundance selects via associated press]

'Abyss' a moving look at capital punishment.(WEEKEND LIFE)(MOVIE REVIEW)(Movie review)(Column)

Byline: Adam Mazmanian, SPECIAL TO THE WASHINGTON TIMES

L egend ary director Werner Herzog clearly states his personal opposition to the death penalty in at least two of the interviews he

conducted as part of his moving, deeply felt documentary on the aftermath of a brutal triple murder in Texas. All the same, Into the Abyss is too deliberately idiosyncratic to be tagged as a message movie.

What Into the Abyss does is direct the viewer to confront capital punishment not in ideological terms, but as a human institution with all the peculiarities, inconsistencies and hypocrisies that attend human institutions.

If Into the Abyss were an advocacy movie, the 2001 triple murder that placed documentary subjects Michael Perry on death row and Jason Burkett in prison for life would make an interesting test case.

There isn't much room to doubt their guilt in the pointless killing spree in 2001 - originally cooked up to steal a Camaro from the garage of the first victim, Sandra Stotler. The two 19-year-olds did not do much to cover their tracks: They bragged about the crime, gave friends joy rides in stolen vehicles and eventually confessed to police.

While Perry made claims of innocence from death row, Mr. Herzog does not dignify these with any real attention, and notes that both men included details in their confessions that only those responsible would have known. The two elected to be tried separately, and this appears to be the only reason Perry was sentenced to die and Burkett was sentenced to prison.

In the film's most moving section, Burkett's father, Delbert Burkett, discusses the testimony he gave at his son's sentencing hearing. The elder Burkett, himself a serial felon serving a 40-year prison sentence, told the jury he was to blame for his son's crime, and begged them to spare his life. He comes across as the very embodiment of regret - regret for his own past, and for the legacy he passed to his children.

By contrast, Perry lacked a convincing advocate at trial, and he appears to be dangerously unhinged and quite possibly psychopathic. In his appearance, filmed eight days before his execution, the jangly, boyish-looking convict seems disconnected from reality and completely lacking in remorse. It's not hard to imagine a Texas jury sentencing him to death.

Into the Abyss is drawn away from the details of the crime, and even from the mechanics of the death penalty, into the details of the lives of the perpetrators and the victims.

Peter Zeitlinger's cinematography is direct and intense, with the camera lingering on the faces of the subjects like a penetrating gaze in search of an emotional response. The movie doesn't just capture these emotions, but generates a true connection with the depths of the despair felt by Lisa Stotler Balloun, whose mother and brother were murdered, and by the sense of almost irredeemable failure of Delbert Burkett.

Mr. Herzog has managed to make a film that speaks for the victims of crime, despite his own opposition to the ultimate punishment.

..

TITLE Into the Abyss

CREDITS: Directed by Werner Herzog

RATING: PG-13 for profanity, images of violence

RUNNING TIME: 107 minutes

MAXIMUM RATING: FOUR STARS

CAPTION(S):

Lt. Damon Hall, a crime scene investigator with the Montgomery County, Texas, Sheriff's Office, is filmed for Into the Abyss, about the perpetrators and victims in a triple murder. [sundance selects via associated press]

Is this enough to satisfy hard-core 'Rings' fans? Maybe

The magic number is 666. That's how many minutes it would take towatch all three extended parts of the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy.Don't have 11 hours and six minutes to spare? We'll give you some ofthe highlights on what you missed if you only saw the film intheaters.

"THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING"

*Theatrical release running time: 178 minutes

*Extended DVD running time: 208 minutes

*Highlights of the extended DVD: Seamlessly edited into theoriginal theatrical release, the additions range from the microscopic(Hobbits dancing atop a bar) to the obvious (Bilbo Baggins' journalentry, which serves as a short history of the Hobbits). As …