Resources

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How to Rape Your Date is the title of a postcard and poster campaign from the Toronto Rape Crisis Centre and Multicultural Women Against Rape. The campaign uses the techniques of shock advertising, describing how to "cover your tracks" and "get her drunk" in order to "rape your date," while really educating people about the crime.

Quite startling.

Cost: Free. English.

Toronto Rape Crisis Centre and Multicultural Women Against Rape (TRCC/MWAR)

PO Box 6597

Station A

Toronto ON M5W 1X4

Tel: (416) 597-1171

Fax: (416) 597-9648

E-mail: trcc@web.net

Living with Metastatic Breast Cancer: Resource Guide

A …

Renault cuts 2008 profit targets

France's Renault SA on Thursday cut its full year profit targets and said sales fell 2.2 percent in the third quarter as the financial crisis caused a steep decline in European demand for cars.

In the third quarter, sales dropped 2.2 percent to euro9.15 billion (US$11.75 billion) from euro9.36 billion a year earlier, Renault said in a statement.

The carmaker said a "sharp fall in European markets in the second half-year" caused it to cut profit expectations. It now expects an operating margin of between 2.5 and 3 percent compared with its previous target of 4.5 percent.

Total sales for 2008 will "slightly exceed" the 2.49 …

Grateful purse was handed in

This morning (Wednesday, June 29) I dropped my purse in the B&Qcar park at Glastonbury while manoeuvring an unwieldy plant into mycar.

I would like to thank the person who found the purse, and withoutleaving a …

ECB Likely to Hold Key Rate Steady

FRANKFURT, Germany - The European Central Bank is likely to keep interest rates unchanged Thursday as unemployment is dropping and inflation appears to be under control in the 13-nation region that shares the euro.

The Bank of England, meanwhile, raised its key interest rate by a quarter percentage point to 5.75 percent, its fifth increase in less than a year as the central bank tries to contain inflation and a booming housing market.

The European Central Bank has raised rates about once every quarter since December 2005 in bringing its benchmark rate to 4 percent. In doing so it has managed to keep inflation at bay and growth from stalling.

"It is a stone-dead …

London's FTSE-100 index down 71.4 points at 6,315.2

Share prices on the London Stock Exchange closed lower Tuesday.

…

Boy who fell from skybox died of multiple injuries

LOS ANGELES (AP) — An autopsy conducted Tuesday on a 2-year-old boy who plunged from a skybox after a Los Angeles Lakers game determined that his death was an accident.

Police and paramedics said Lucas Anthony Tang suffered massive head injuries in the Sunday night fall at Staples Center, but Los Angeles County coroner's Capt. John Kades said the official cause of death was multiple traumatic injuries.

The toddler fell from a third-level luxury box and landed on a row of seats minutes after the Lakers beat the Golden State Warriors. He died at a hospital.

The Lakers held a moment of silence for Tang before Tuesday night's game against the Chicago Bulls. The luxury box …

SOUND OFF

LAST WEEK'S QUESTION

Should tolls be added to Interstate 80? Why or why not?

HOW YOU SAID IT:

NO: "I don't think motorists should pay additional amounts for big-city, mass-transit inefficiencies. In my opinion, the whole premise of mass transit is beingable to move a large number of people from one point to another using fewer resources and for less cost than if those people traveled individually. If it's functioning properly, it should payfor itself with money left over. If not, something is wrong, and throwing more money at it is not going to fix the problem. I don't think they should get any money until they address their inefficiencies. Maybe we should lease mass …

Bio Box: Bill Foster

NAME _ Bill Foster

PARTY _ Democrat

AGE _ 52

HOME _ Geneva

FAMILY _ Divorced; two children.

EDUCATION _ Bachelor's in physics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1975; Ph.D. in physics from Harvard University in 1984.

…

Lottery tickets at odds with wisdom of IRAs

It's time to get back to reality. Just a week ago three peopleshared a national lottery jackpot of more than $325 million. Theirlives are changed forever. Yours isn't. That's the way it is withlotto fever.

It's not that I begrudge anyone the daydreams that cost only adollar. Name your fantasy. It's cheap at that price. Dream on. If youwin, you could buy anything you want, do anything you want, help anynumber of friends, relatives and worthy causes.

But you didn't win. You knew the odds were stacked against you--something on the order of 1 in 76 million. And even buying $10 worthof tickets wouldn't improve your chances. Each ticket carried thesame mind-numbing …

David Hammons

DAVID HAMMONS

ACE GALLERY

By all accounts, the opening for David Hammons's Concerto in Black and Blue, 2002, was magical. Rather than put objects on display or represent the depth of his artistic practice-which ranges from film and video to performance to works on paper-Hammons chose to present virtually nothing. Not only did he leave the more than twenty-thousand-square-foot space completely empty, he turned out all the lights, creating a deeply immersive environment with the flick of a switch. And rather than provide visitors with something to see, Hammons (who is known for his economy of means) gave them something to do: navigate cavernous darkness with a tiny "blue …

No deal between Titans, All Pro defensive tackle

All Pro defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth doesn't have the security of the long-term contract with the guaranteed money he wanted. What he does have is a one-year deal paying him $7.25 million and a season to make his case that he deserves what he's asking.

The Tennessee Titans and Haynesworth failed to reach an agreement on an extension by Tuesday's deadline for franchised players.

Team officials and Haynesworth's agent, Chad Speck, talked most of Monday and up to Tuesday's 4 p.m. EDT deadline without reaching an extension to keep the six-year veteran past the 2008 season. Both sides can keep talking, but no long-term contract could be signed until after …

Report urges study of gay, transgender health

WASHINGTON — Scientists only recently learned how certain diseases affect women differently than men, and blacks differently than whites. Now a major new report says it's time to study the unique health needs of gay and transgender people, too.

Stigma often keeps lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people from seeking health care — and when they do, there's little research to guide doctors in their treatment, the Institute of Medicine reported Thursday.

Changing that starts with a seemingly simple step: Researchers should start asking people about their sexual orientation and gender identity in all government-funded health studies, the panel said.

The report is …

Pentagon chiefs: Afghans can manage by 2014

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Afghanistan should be ready to handle its own security by the year 2014, the top U.S. defense chiefs said Monday.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Adm. Mike Mullen said NATO should endorse the 2014 timeline proposed by Afghan President Hamid Karzai when the alliance holds its annual summit later this month.

"As a target at this point that makes sense, so I am comfortable with it," Mullen said.

The 2014 date would give a symbolic deadline for ending the war and bringing most combat forces home. The war is already in its 10th year and unpopular in the U.S. and Europe.

The U.S. plans to begin withdrawing some of its 100,000 troops next summer, but has never said exactly how long some forces would remain. The top NATO civilian in Afghanistan, Mark Sedwill, has said the 2014 deadline is feasible for all but a residual allied force including special forces and trainers.

U.S. responsibility will extend for years, Gates said Monday.

President Barack Obama and other NATO allies will consider plans for transition of security control at the November 19-20 summit in Lisbon, Portugal. Although Gates had once said he hoped a few districts could be transferred this year, NATO is now looking at beginning the process in the spring.

"You'll see a thinning of the foreign forces in a particular district or province so there's a safety net under the Afghans ... as they take charge," Gates told reporters following two days of meetings with Australian defense and diplomatic chiefs that also included U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton.

"This is a tough fight that we're in but we're convinced that starting next year there will be parts of Afghanistan that will be under control of the Afghan government and its security forces," Clinton said at a news conference with Gates on Monday.

"I can't stand here today and tell you when or on what timetable," Clinton said. "We'll be making those assessments based on conditions as they occur."

U.S. officials say the war is beginning to turn around after two years of stalemate. Although eager to underscore that claim of progress by handing over some security control, military officials are worried about backsliding. The first districts to move under Afghan police and Army control will probably be in safer areas far from front line fighting in Helmand and Kandahar provinces.

Gates also said that although he welcomes preliminary talks between the Taliban and the U.S.-backed Afghan government, the insurgency isn't likely to cut a deal unless it is weakened further.

"The Taliban need to clearly see that the prospects for success have diminished dramatically, and in fact that they may well lose," before senior leaders would be ready to negotiate a lasting political settlement, Gates said.

That tipping point would be difficult to foresee at least until next spring, Gates added.

The Taliban deny they are being beaten down.

Artist of famed Obama poster arrested in Boston

A street artist famous for his red, white and blue "Hope" posters of President Obama has been arrested on warrants accusing him of tagging property with graffiti, police said Saturday.

Shepard Fairey was arrested Friday night on his way to the Institute of Contemporary Art for a kickoff event for his first solo exhibition, called "Supply and Demand."

Two warrants were issued for Fairey on Jan. 24 after police determined he'd tagged property in two locations with graffiti based on the Andre the Giant street art campaign from his early career, Officer James Kenneally said. One of the locations was the railroad trestle by the landmark Boston University bridge over the Charles River, police said.

Fairey, 38, of Los Angeles, is scheduled to be arraigned Monday in Brighton District Court, said Jake Wark, a spokesman for the Suffolk District Attorney. Wark said Fairey would also be arraigned on a default warrant related to a separate graffiti case in the Roxbury section of Boston.

Fairey has spent the last two weeks in the Boston area installing the ICA exhibit and creating outdoor art, including a 20-by-50 foot (6-by-15 meter) banner on the side of City Hall, according to a statement issued Saturday by the museum.

The museum said Fairey was released a few hours after his arrest. Boston police confirmed Fairey had been released, but did not know exactly when or the amount of his bail.

A man who answered the phone at Fairey's Los Angeles studio, Studio One, declined comment.

"Shepard Fairey was completely unaware that there were any warrants for his arrest. Had he known, he would have resolved all such issues before the opening of his art exhibit at the Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston," his attorney, Jeffrey Wiesner, said in an e-mail.

Fairey has been arrested numerous times for drawing on buildings and other private property without permission.

His Obama image has been sold on hundreds of thousands of stickers and posters, and was unveiled at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington before Obama's inauguration.

The image is the subject of a copyright dispute with The Associated Press. Fairey argues his use of the AP photo is protected by "fair use," which allows exceptions to copyright laws based on, among other factors, how much of the original is used, what the new work is used for and how the original is affected by the new work.

A California lawyer who has represented Fairey in the copyright case didn't immediately respond to an e-mail seeking comment on the arrest.

Suicide bombing targets Afghan district chief

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan (AP) — A suicide bomber blew himself up Saturday near an armored car carrying a district chief in the southern Afghan city of Kandahar, killing two civilians — including a child — and wounding another nine, Afghan authorities said.

The bomber targeted Ahmadullah Nazak's car in a residential and shopping area of the city as the official was traveling to a meeting, said Zalmai Ayubi, spokesman for the Kandahar provincial governor. Nazak was unharmed.

"I am safe and sound, and all of those who were in the car are also safe and sound," Nazak told The Associated Press shortly after the explosion. He did not say how many people had been in the car with him.

Irfan Hameed, a doctor at the local hospital, said the bodies of a man and a boy killed in the blast were taken to the hospital, which was also treating five men and four children wounded in the attack.

Violence has been on the rise across much of Afghanistan, with the southern provinces of Kandahar — the birthplace of the Taliban — and Helmand seeing much of the fighting. NATO forces have poured troops into both provinces.

Elsewhere, a NATO service member was killed Saturday in an insurgent attack in the east of the country, the military coalition said, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel made a surprise visit to her nation's troops in the north.

The alliance did not reveal the nationality of the service member or the location of the attack.

Another soldier died of a noncombat injury in the north of the country on Friday, NATO said. The German military said one of its soldiers, a 21-year-old, died of a gunshot wound that appeared to be the result of an accident at a military post in Baghlan Province, but the matter was being investigated.

More than 670 U.S. and other international troops have died in Afghanistan so far this year.

Germany currently has nearly 4,700 troops serving in Afghanistan and plans to start gradually withdrawing in late 2011.

Merkel visited Kunduz, where her nation's troops have a base. In Berlin, the German government said Merkel traveled with her defense minister and the military's chief of staff.

The German parliament is expected to vote in January on renewing authorization for the nation's military mission in Afghanistan. The current parliamentary mandate allows for a maximum deployment of 5,350 German soldiers.

Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said Thursday that Germany is defending its own security in Afghanistan.

"That is why this mission is right, but it is also right that it cannot go on forever," he said.

Separately, NATO said Saturday it had killed a senior Taliban leader in an airstrike in Badghis province in northern Afghanistan the previous day.

The military coalition said in a statement that the Taliban leader, Mullah Tor Jan, had been appointed by the Quetta Shura, the Afghan Taliban command council based in Pakistan. The airstrike that killed him followed a firefight that broke out as Afghan and international forces pursued "an armed individual" to a cave complex, the coalition said.

Badghis deputy chief of police, Abdul Jabar Khan, said Tor Jan was a senior Taliban commander responsible for planting mines along routes used by Afghan and international forces and for organizing attacks on police stations.

Bayern in Stuttgart in German Cup

Bayern Munich gets a head start on Hoffenheim when the German football season resumes this week.

Hoffenheim, the Bundesliga newcomer and surprise leader, will wait until Saturday to return to the field. By then, Bayern will have played two games already.

Juergen Klinsmann's team visits Stuttgart on Tuesday in the third round of the German Cup for Bayern's first competitive game since the Bundesliga went on its break in mid-December.

"It's time to get going," Bayern general manager Uli Hoeness said.

Hoffenheim, which leads Bayern's on goal difference in the league, has been knocked out of the German Cup. Bayern, the defending Bundesliga champion, is still competing on three fronts, including the Champions League.

After taking on Stuttgart, Bayern will kick off the second half of the Bundesliga season Friday at Hamburger SV. Hoffenheim's first game _ at its new stadium in nearby Sinsheim _ is Saturday against Energie Cottbus.

"We have two big games ahead of us," Klinsmann said. "We have to make sure of getting a good start."

Bayern looks to the second half of the season encouraged by strong performances in warm-up matches.

"We've trained very intensely and we feel very fit," midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger said. "We feel ready to get the maximum out of the first few games."

German clubs use the long midseason break to rest players and then move to warmer climates for training camps and sometimes they need a game or two get into the rhythm.

Bayern warmed up by playing second-division opposition and easily won both, beating Kaiserslautern 2-0 and crushing Mainz 5-0.

"I am glad we are getting to serious stuff now, we'll see in how good a shape we are," striker Luca Toni said.

Toni and Miroslav Klose will start up front but Klinsmann will have another option in Landon Donovan. The American, who is on loan from Major League Soccer until March, scored four goals in warm-up games this month, a boost in his attempt to get a permanent contract with Bayern.

Klinsmann is eager to avoid another slow start, like at the beginning of the season, when he took over as coach and saw Bayern slump to its worst start in more than 30 years.

Bayern recovered strongly and is going into the second half of the season riding a 16-game unbeaten run in all competitions.

Its last game, however, was a 2-2 draw in the league against Stuttgart, when Stuttgart scored with time running out to earn the draw.

Now, Bayern travels to Stuttgart again for a date with its former player and Klinsmann's friend Markus Babbel, who is now the coach there.

Hoffenheim has been the toast of the league, with the small provincial club entertaining the crowds with its fast-paced, high-scoring style. But Hoffenheim had a major setback during the break when Vedad Ibisevic tore a ligament in his right knee during a practice match this month. Ibisevic, who leads the Bundesliga with 18 goals, is out for the rest of the season and Hoffenheim still hasn't found a replacement.

Most experts believe Hoffenheim will find it hard to keep with Bayern.

"Bayern will retain the title despite a difficult start," Wolfsburg coach and former Bayern boss Felix Magath said. "Bayern has the strongest roster and will also profit from its experience in battling for the title."

Hamburg will also have an early start when it plays the other Munich club, 1860, on Tuesday in the cup. Schalke visits second-division Carl Zeiss Jena.

Other top matches in the cup are Borussia Dortmund vs. Werder Bremen and Bayer Leverkusen vs. Energie Cottbus, both on Wednesday.

Moms to be feted for community service

The Feeding Dreams program is a celebration of everyday heroes who are doing extraordinary things to improve their communities. The Feeding Dreams grassroots community initiative recognizes AfricanAmericans who are selflessly volunteering to improve their neighborhoods.

The program is underwritten by General Mills brands. It is a multicultural community relations initiative funded by General Mills and supported by several brands, such as Honey Nut Cheerios and Betty Crocker instant potatoes.

General Mills has created several multicultural initiatives that celebrate the diversity of our consumers. In addition to Feeding Dreams, which recognizes African-American everyday heroes, General Mills also has Que Rica Vida, a Hispanic initiative that reaches Latinas, their families and communities.

In its third year. Feeding Dreams has expanded from three cities in 2008 to four cities in 2009. Now we have expanded the program to include 10 cities. Because it's a community giving and recognition initiative for the African-American community, General Mills is focusing on areas of the country that have a vibrant African-American population. As we complete the 2010 Feeding Dreams program, we'll determine how we can build an even more successful program in 2011!

The Chicago Defender is proud to partner with General Mills' Feeding Dreams program to identify African American mothers who invest their time, energy and talents to make improvements at the local level. Their compassion for their neighbors is paired with a deep-rooted passion for creating healthier communities; and their service initiatives range from youth mentoring to volunteer training to creating support networks for troubled individuals. Following are the Chicago area winners of this program.

TRACY WTLHOlTE

Tracy Wilhoite, for recognition for her outstanding dedication to her family, her friends, and community.

Tracy Wilhoite has been a dedicated mother and wife for the majority of her life. She married Dean Wilhoite at the young age of sixteen. Despite her teenage pregnancy and childbirth she graduated from high school at the top of her class and was accepted into Northeastern University. Tracy decided that it would be best to dedicate her time to raising her child rather than attempt to juggle a full course load and child rearing.

Her choice to put her family first has resulted in eight delightful children, three of which have graduated from competitive and rigorous academic programs. Currently all three of those children are considering or in the process of applying to graduate programs of their choice. She also currently has two children in college, and one child in high school.

The challenges that Tracy faced as a disadvantaged mother raising eight children inspired her decision to serve the undeserved community. She wanted to assist women in making the best decisions for their children, and she wanted to provide access to the best of care for young mothers and children. Tracy completed her associate's degree, and obtained her breast-feeding and doula certifications so that she could do just that.

Tracy has dedicated her career to providing young disadvantaged mothers with the knowledge, and resources necessary to ensure a healthy start for their children. She has made herself available to her clients 24/7, often traveling to homes and hospitals on public transportation at all times of night and day to provide them with the specialized care that is so often out of their reach.

She has focused on improving the health of her community by teaching mothers the benefits of breast-feeding. She took it upon herself to make sure that all mothers knew what birth options were available to them, and she made it her top priority to be at each of her client's birth to rally on their behalf.

As Tracy's children grew and became more independent she used her time to focus on furtiiering her education so that she could make a larger impact on her community. She obtained her RN in 201 1 and is currently seeking a position as a nurse in a hospital in one of Chicago's undeserved communities.

Tracy's unrelenting dedication to others, her work within the health field, and her kind and generous nature make her an ideal recipient of General Mills Feeding Dreams Award.

DIANE LATTKER,

Diane Latiker, founder of the non-profit Kids of the Block, hopes that those who walk or drive by the growing stone memorial at 1 1627 S. Michigan Ave. get the message: "It's one simple set of words - we're losing a whole generation."

Once a licensed cosmetologist who enjoyed participating in activities with her youngest daughter and her daughter's friends, Latiker has now expanded her outreach and impacted hundreds of young peoples' lives by doing many of the same things.

K.O.B. started seven years ago in her home when her mother, an evangelist, saw something in Latiker that she could not "Diane why don't you do something with those kids. They like you and respect you," she recalled her mother asking several years ago. "I didn't want to do it and I prayed about it," Latiker told the Defender.

Eventually she made the move to the streets in July of 2003 where she spoke with about 10 youths on the block. She noticed that many had many issues with school and home life, and violence. She invited them in her home. This awareness led to discovering the teens' passions and assisting them in reaching thengoals. "I asked them what they wanted to do with themselves, what was their passion," she said. She went on to list their dreams, which ranged from singer-rapper to doctor and lawyer.

"We definitely had an impact on the school system with the young people because [now] they go to school and a lot of them went back to school that were not in school. We had 10 college students for the first time," she said proudly. "Just opening our doors is impacting lives; we know we've made an impact on those young people and this community."

K.O.B. started with 10 youths and has grown to 300. The organization offers mentoring, sports and out-of-state trips, among other services. While Latiker receives local funding from various sources, additional funding is sorely needed, she said, adding another challenge is the violence that draws those seeking help back into the streets.

"When we have made one step [forward], violence happens [which forces us two steps back]. We're trying to take young people away from the thought pattern that it takes violence to solve a problem," she said.

Join us Saturday, October 29, 2011 at The Chicago Defender Health Fair, Charles A. Hayes Center, 4859 South Wabash at 1:00 p.m. when we honor these extraordinary women for their unselfish contributions to their communities. Each woman will receive prizes from General Mills "Feeding Dreams" program as well as a donation to their favorite charity.

Tendulkar rested for first three ODIs vs England

Sachin Tendulkar will be rested from the opening three matches of the seven-game one-day cricket series against England starting next week after India named a 15-man squad Wednesday.

Tendulkar has not played in the one-day international side since the tri-series victory over Australia in March, but the selectors granted his wish for a break.

"Considering the hectic schedule ahead and the amount of cricket he has already played this season, Sachin Tendulkar requested that he be rested for the first three ODIs," Indian board secretary N. Srinivasan said in a statement. "The selectors accepted his request."

A groin injury ruled Tendulkar out of series in Bangladesh and Pakistan earlier in the year and he suffered a left-elbow problem during the test campaign against Sri Lanka in August, preventing him from taking part in the one-day matches.

Tendulkar has scored a world-record 16,361 runs in 417 one-day internationals, with 42 centuries. Opener Virender Sehwag, who twisted his left ankle during the Sri Lanka tour, was also included in the squad that will be led by wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

Murali Vijay, the Tamil Nadu batsman who has been called into the fourth-test squad, was also included along with Gautam Gambhir, who he replaces in Nagpur. Gambhir is suspended for the match for elbowing Australian Shane Watson in the third test in New Delhi.

India, currently ranked No.3, beat Sri Lanka 3-2 on its tour there in August after being runners-up to the same team in the Asia Cup held in Karachi in July.

England will arrive in Mumbai on Thursday and will play practice matches against a team from Mumbai on November 9 and 11. The first one-day international starts in Rajkot on November 14, while the two-test series begins in Ahmedabad on December 11.

Fifth-ranked England beat South Africa 4-0 at home in the one-day international series in September, but its players suffered a setback to morale with a thumping defeat in a Twenty20 exhibition against the Stanford Superstars in Antigua on Saturday.

The team of West Indian players collected US$1m each for the victory while England went home empty handed.

___

India one-day squad: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (capt), Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Suresh Raina, Yuvraj Singh, Rohit Sharma, Yusuf Pathan, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Munaf Patel, Ishant Sharma, Pragyan Ojha, Rudra Pratap Singh, Virat Kohli, Murali Vijay. England one-day squad: Kevin Pietersen (capt), James Anderson, Ian Bell, Ravi Bopara, Stuart Broad, Paul Collingwood, Alastair Cook, Andrew Flintoff, Steve Harmison, Samit Patel, Matt Prior, Owais Shah, Ryan Sidebottom, Graeme Swann, Luke Wright.

Calendar highlights use of recycled roadway materials

The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) has issued a calendar marking its "Year of the Recycled Roadway Materials" - a year-long campaign to promote the use of recycled roadway materials in construction and maintenance. The calendar features facts about recycled materials, e.g., crushed glass, reclaimed asphalt, tire chips, roofing shingles and plastic, with proven engineering properties for road construction.

Each month, TxDOT is distributing a companion packet of information focusing on that month's material. The packet includes research summaries, case studies, a list of TxDOT experience with the recycled material, specifications, and details on availability. To receive the monthly information packets, fax name, address and phone number to (512) 416-3416.

Court: UK school's ban on cornrows discriminatory

LONDON (AP) — Britain's High Court ruled Friday that a high school's ban on cornrow hairstyles has led to racial discrimination and must be changed.

St. Gregory's Catholic Science College in London requires male pupils to wear a short "traditional schoolboy haircut" as part of efforts to banish gang-related symbols.

A boy who was refused admission as an 11-year old when he showed up on the first day of school with cornrows took the school to court. Lawyers for the boy, who is now 13 and cannot be named for legal reasons, argued the ban violated both race discrimination and sex discrimination laws, because girls are allowed to wear braids.

A judge ruled Friday the ban had resulted in "unlawful, indirect racial discrimination." While he said the school's "short back and sides" hair policy was lawful, he said cornrows must be allowed if they were "a genuine family tradition based on cultural and social reasons."

The school had argued it was serving an area where there was gun and knife crime — much of it gang related — and haircuts were often "badges" of gang culture. Banning the hairstyle was not discriminatory but justifiable, the school contended.

St. Gregory's said it was "naturally disappointed" by the ruling and will consider an appeal.

Clinton Officials Protest ABC 9/11 Film

NEW YORK - A miniseries about the events leading up to the Sept. 11 attacks is "terribly wrong" and ABC should correct it or not air it, a group of former Clinton administration officials said in letters to the head of the network's parent company.

But in a statement released Thursday afternoon in apparent response to the growing uproar, ABC said, "No one has seen the final version of the film, because the editing process is not yet complete, so criticisms of film specifics are premature and irresponsible."

Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, former National Security Adviser Sandy Berger, Clinton Foundation head Bruce Lindsey and Clinton adviser Douglas Band wrote in the past week to Robert Iger, CEO of ABC's parent The Walt Disney Co., to express concern over "The Path to 9/11."

The two-part miniseries, scheduled to be broadcast on Sunday and Monday, is drawn from interviews and documents including the report of the Sept. 11 commission.

The letter writers said the miniseries contained factual errors, and that their requests to see it had gone unanswered.

"By ABC's own standard, ABC has gotten it terribly wrong," Lindsey and Band said in their letter.

"The content of this drama is factually and incontrovertibly inaccurate and ABC has a duty to fully correct all errors or pull the drama entirely. It is unconscionable to mislead the American public about one of the most horrendous tragedies our country has ever known."

"For dramatic and narrative purposes, the movie contains fictionalized scenes, composite and representative characters and dialogue, and time compression," ABC said in its statement. "We hope viewers will watch the entire broadcast of the finished film before forming an opinion about it."

"ABC/Disney acknowledges this show is fiction and in direct contradiction of the 9/11 commission report and the facts, and it is despicable that ABC/Disney would insist on airing a fictional version of what is a serious and emotional event for our country," Clinton Foundation spokesman Jay Carson said in a statement Thursday. "No reputable organization should dramatize 9/11 for a profit at the expense of the truth."

The letter writers pointed out examples of scenes they had been told were in the miniseries, but which they said never happened. Albright objected to a scene that she was told showed her insisting on warning the Pakistani government before an air strike on Afghanistan, and that she was the one who made the warning.

"The scene as explained to me is false and defamatory," she said.

Berger objected to a scene that he was told showed him refusing to authorize an attack on Osama bin Laden despite the request from CIA officials. "The fabrication of this scene (of such apparent magnitude) cannot be justified under any reasonable definition of dramatic license," he wrote.

Lindsey and Band objected to advertisements for the miniseries, which they said suggested that Clinton wasn't paying enough attention to the threat of terrorism.

"While ABC is promoting `The Path to 9/11' as a dramatization of historical fact, in truth it is a fictitious rewriting of history that will be misinterpreted by millions of Americans," they said. "Given your stated obligation to `get it right,' we urge you to do so by not airing this drama until the egregious factual errors are corrected, an endeavor we could easily assist you with given the opportunity to view the film."

The five-hour miniseries is set to run without commercial interruption. Director David Cunningham said it was a massive undertaking, with close to 250 speaking parts, more than 300 sets, and a budget of $40 million. Cunningham has said he shot 550 hours of film. The cast includes Harvey Keitel, Patricia Heaton and Donnie Wahlberg.

---

Associated Press writer Devlin Barrett in Washington and AP Television Writer Frazier Moore in New York contributed to this report.

Riders set off for Tour de France's hardest day

Defending champion Alberto Contador set off in yellow for the first time in this year's Tour de France Tuesday as the riders took part in the hardest stage of the race.

But the Spaniard apologized for the way he took over the lead from rival Andy Schleck. He attacked as Schleck suffered a mechanical problem during Monday's stage and now holds an eight-second lead over the Luxembourg rider.

In a video posted on YouTube, Contador said: "Maybe I made a mistake. I'm sorry. I don't like things like what happened today, I'm not like that and I hope the relationship that I have with Andy can go back to being as good as it was before this happened."

Another former champion was seizing the limelight, however, in Tuesday's grueling 16th stage, a 199.5-kilometer (124-mile) ride from Bagneres-de-Luchon to Pau that takes in four major climbs, including the famed Col du Tourmalet.

Seven-time winner Lance Armstrong broke away in a small group right at the start of the stage, and for a while was riding alone at the head of the field on the notorious climb of the Tourmalet.

He was later caught and was riding in a group of nine, three minutes ahead of the main field.

The 172 riders will take on the Tourmalet for a second time on Thursday. The race finishes in Paris on Sunday.

Students pressed for time to learn-and so are teachers

During the week in which we finished this issue of Catalyst In Depth, Mayor Richard M. Daley went on record promising more chapters in Renaissance 2010. Meanwhile, teachers, principals, parents and students awaited the announcement of this year's list of schools slated for closure or turnaround.

Whatever the criticism of Renaissance 2010 and the turnaround strategy, one element of learning that many of the city's new schools have gotten right is time - more time, to be precise, with longer school days and longer years. Research has shown that extra time is especially beneficial in boosting achievement for low-income children. Yet a Consortium on Chicago School Research report found that CPS students are engaged in learning for only about half of the officially scheduled time in school. The research is from 1998, but Timothy Knowles, a former director of the Consortium who now heads the University of Chicago's Urban Education Institute, says little has changed since then.

In the 21st Century, a school calendar that is a relic of the 19th Century just won't cut it. Nationally, the average school year is 180 days, and the school day is about 6 ?2 hours. Here in Chicago, the year is 10 days shorter (a finding that prompted Deputy Editor Sarah Karp to note, "Now I know why my kids are out of school all the time, including every Friday in November") and the day is 45 minutes shorter. No wonder Chicago's scores on national tests remain subpar, even compared to other big- city, high- poverty districts.

Time isn't the only factor, of course. But it is an essential factor. Schools don't operate on the theory of relativity, with time slowing down as speed increases. Trying to cram the same amount of learning - or more, for students who are behind - into 45 fewer minutes each day makes no sense.

To their credit, the mayor and the district recognize that all children, not just the small percentage in new and turnaround schools, should have more school time. The district tried unsuccessfully to extend the day during the last contract negotiations with the Chicago Teachers Union, but didn't offer extra pay. (The union says it supports a longer day, with appropriate compensation.)

Encouraging signs are on the horizon, though. Extended learning time for struggling schools is expected to be part of the state's pitch for Race to the Top funds. And top CPS officials are considering strategies to add more time to the day, perhaps through a variety of budget and staffing models that schools could adopt.

After- school programs, which add time for learning and enrichment activities, should also be part of the mix. The Outof- School Time Project, an initiative that aims to create a citywide system of afterschool programs, is collecting data on the city's hodge-podge of programs and laying the groundwork for training and support to improve quality. One interesting idea that has emerged from the Project is to have any new funding follow the child - in effect, giving families vouchers they could use at the activity of their choice, be it a class offered by a dance company, sports offered by the Chicago Park District or tutoring offered by a school. Teachers and parents first would talk about what activity might be most beneficial for the child.

STUDENTS AREN'T THE ONLY ONES shortchanged on time. Teachers need time too, to come up with challenging lessons, talk with colleagues about teaching practice, observe each other in the classroom or even just "break bread together" to establish a sense of camaraderie that benefits the school, as one principal puts it. Smart principals find strategies to build collaborative and planning time into the day, even if that means taking over a class themselves so that every teacher at the same grade level can meet regularly for an hour.

Just as other countries offer more learning time for students, they also offer more planning and training time for teachers. American teachers typically have three to five hours of planning time per week built into the school day, compared to 15 to 20 hours in most European and Asian countries, according to a National Staff Development Council report from Stanford University researchers. Chicago, again, is at the low end of the scale; elementary teachers are entitled to three preparation periods per week under the union contract (which adds up to about three hours).

Teachers can, and often do, stay after school or work on weekends to plan lessons, grade papers and attend training. But any longer day should incorporate enough time for the type of regular, intensive professional development and planning time that the Staff Development Council recommends to help teachers improve and students learn. Demanding a longer day from teachers would cost more, but could also make teaching more valued and respected as a profession.

[Sidebar]

FALLING SHORT ON A GLOBAL SCALE

American children spend significantly less time in school than children in other countries. The comparison is particularly stark with other developed nations, where the school year can be up to two months longer. In Chicago Public Schools, waivers from the Illinois School Code bring student attendance days down to just 1 70- far less than national and international averages.

[Author Affiliation]

By Lorraine Forte

Editor-in-Chief

Teen drug use down, government study says

WASHINGTON Teen drug use declined 9 percent last year and 21percent over the last two years, mirroring the continuing drop in thecrime rate, according to a major survey released today by federalofficials.

The survey of 67,000 individuals age 12 and over also showed thatthe younger a person is when he or she first uses marijuana, thegreater the chances of becoming a drug user as an adult. Nearly 9percent of those who used marijuana at age 14 or younger used drugsas an adult, while just 1.7 percent of people who used marijuana forthe first time at age 18 or older became drug-dependent adults.

"The survey provides extremely encouraging news," White HouseNational Drug Policy Director Barry McCaffrey said. We are now seeinga clear trend: Teen drug use is down significantly and rapidly fortwo straight years."

But McCaffrey also said the study, the largest ever done for theannual Household Survey, also revealed higher drug use among 18- to25-year-olds. Their use of illegal drugs was up 28 percent over thelast two years, increasing from 14.7 percent in 1997 to 18.8 percentlast year. The report was released jointly by McCaffrey and Healthand Human Services Secretary Donna Shalala.

"We first began to see increased drug use among this age groupseveral years ago when they were teens," McCaffrey said. "Sadly, nowthat this age group has established drug use patterns, they and oursociety will be dealing with the harms associated with increased druguse-disease, overdoses, health care costs, crime and the like-foryears to come as they grow older."

McCaffrey said the drop in teen drug use was evidence thataggressive anti-drug campaigns are working. President Clinton saidthe results also showed that federal efforts to curb smoking anddrinking among teens were working and urged Congress to fully fundthe administration's Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign.

"While today's report shows underage alcohol use is still atunacceptable levels, it also shows that tobacco use among youngpeople is beginning to decline significantly following a period ofincreases earlier in the 1990s," Clinton said. "These findings provethat we are successfully reversing dangerous trends and makingimportant progress."

Marlins say good riddance to their stadium

MIAMI (AP) — In baseball the goal is to be safe at home, but the Florida Marlins are glad to be out of their ballpark.

Next year they move into a new retractable-roof ballpark built to rejuvenate a franchise long known for modest crowds and humble payrolls. Both will be bigger, the Marlins pledge, once they leave the stadium where they've played since their first season in 1993, when they moved in with the Miami Dolphins.

Over the past 19 seasons, the Marlins discovered people dislike sitting in a football stadium to watch baseball games played in sweltering weather and interrupted by frequent showers. And so the final game Wednesday against the Washington Nationals will be cause for celebration and a chance to say good riddance.

University installs food pulpers to expand recycling program

In Recycle Works, a newsletter published by the Recycling Coalition of Utah, Roy Peterman of Brigham Young University writes that the recycling program launched in 1990 has expanded to include composting, food pulping and collection of paper, metal and batteries.

"One of the most innovative additions to the recycling system has been the installation of food pulpers in each campus cafeteria," Peterman explains. "Food waste from both food preparation and the dish line are placed into the pulper.

It is then filtered through a screen press and dewatered. The pulp is cocomposted with yard trimmings and animal manure." According to Peterman, the university saves over $300,000 a year on sewer and water costs.

What's New

Instrumentation and Control

Sample Conditioning System Enables Remote Process Analysis

Pilot Pro is a communications interface for process sample conditioning systems that provides a link between plant process control operations and analyzer maintenance net- works, regardless of their locations. Consisting of a sen- sor and solenoid administra- tion module, it acquires, transmits and manages real-time sample system information via an electronic interface, facilitating critical process control decision-making. Its communication ability allows engineers and technicians to receive critical sample system data (pressure, temperature and flow) to promote proactive maintenance activities and reduce system downtime. It supports a variety of communication protocols, including Ethernet, Modbus, Profibus, among others.

Parker Hannifin

www.parker.com

Multi-Component Analyzer Gives Real-Time Results

The Titan-OL (On-Line) system provides real-time extractive-gas-phase analysis for online and continuous multi-point analysis. It includes a nigged, industrial Fourier transform infrared (FOR) spec- trometer, gas cell(s), sample manifold, valve-control elec- tronics, and software. The hardware is encased in a NEMA- rated enclosure or in a standard industrial rack-mount cabinet. The manufacturer's exclusive fiber-optic distribution electronics provide a single hub for temperature, pressure, mass flow, external alarm, and optical switching signals. The system can accommodate up to four 1 2-port manifolds for a total of 48 sample, purge and calibration lines, with communication between the hub and control computer via fast, stable fiber-optic cable. Titan-OL systems use dual analogto-digital converter (ADC) architecture and advanced mirror drive control for increased sensitivity and very low detection lev�is for a variety of compounds. Custom gas cells are corrosion-resistant and are available with path lengths from 0.OL m to 30 m . The systems can operate at temperatures from ambient to 24O0C, allowing moist sample streams to be analyzed without condensation. The included AutoQuant Pro software package handles method calibration, data collection, trend analysis charting, manifold control, and integration of alarm and control functions with plant process hardware and software.

MIDAC

www.midac.com

Blast Through Maintenance Problems With this Thermal lmager Video Game

The Fluke Challenge is an interactive video game set in an imaginary industrial workplace that makes it fun to learn how thermal imaging technology helps solve maintenance prob- lems. The game takes place in gritty industrial equipment rooms with a supervisor nearby who checks the user's progress. As would happen in real life. the player scans the rooms and detects problems using the thermal imager, which also captures and saves images. Possible problems to report to the boss include: an overloaded transformer, overheated fuses, stuck valves, etc. As the user finds and fixes problems, he/she saves more and more money, which increases the score and pleases the supervisor.

Fluke Corp.

www.lukechallenge.com

Portable Instrument Measures A Product's Reflected Color

The MiniScan EZ is a portable color-measurement instrument that can take product color readings on the plant floor, the production line and outdoors. Its lightweight (2.25 Ib), ergonomie design features a rubberized handle for sure- handed carrying that virtually eliminates user fatigue when measuring a large number of samples. Measurements can be stored in memory for later printout or download to a PC. Other features include excellent measurement repeatability and agreement between multiple instruments, the ability to take thousands of measurements using standard AA batteries, and a button pad for thumb-tip navigation of all functions.

HunterLab

www.hunterlab.com

Compact Package Features Modbus RTU Master and Distributed I/O

The microNCS Modbus remote terminal unit (RTU) master and distributed input/output (I/O) system sends process signals between the field or factory floor and a control system. One or both Modbus RTU ports can be configured to poll other Modbus RTU slaves with all of the network polling functions of atypical Modbus master. This includes polling of up to 32 (without repeaters) microNCS stations. The unit can handle up to 64 slave devices when both Modbus RTU ports are in use. It concentrates data from four or eight fully isolated analog inputs and four discrete (contact closure) inputs, and then transmits the data long distances back to one or more host distributed control system (DCS), programmable logic controller (PLC) or personal computer (PC)-based control systems. Its industry-standard open connectivity (OPC) interface delivers plug-and-play integration with popular PC-based human-machine interface (HMI) and supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) software packages.

Moore Industries-International, Inc.

www.miinet.com

Gas Detection Rack-Mount Control System Features Many Options

The TA-2048MB gas-detection digital Modbus rack-mount controller features a 48-channel system, with three separate 16-channel Modbus networks. It has local or remote power supply options and four single-pole/single-throw (SPST) relays that are common to all channels on each network. It features a backlit 16-character by 2-line liquid crystal display, automatic scrolling that provides channel data and fault conditions, and simple front-panel, push-button channel setup. Its redundant storage of configuration parameters provides excellent system reliability. Optional features include an explosionproof design, remote relay modules, a remote analog output module, and a remote digital output module. It can be installed at any point on an RS-485 network to minimize wiring.

Mil-Ram Technology, Inc.

www.mii-rain.com

Coriolis Flowmeter Withstands Corrosive Fluid Processing

This tantalum version of the Optimass 7300 Coriolis mass flowmeter handles highly aggressive and corrosive fluids found in the chemi- cal industry. Because the wall thickness of typical Coriolis measuring tubes is significantly less than the process piping they connect to, the meter's corrosion tolerance is significantly less than that of the asso- ciated piping. This tantalum flowmeter uses a single straight-tube design, which is less expensive to produce than earlier twin-bent-tube designs and contains the stress created in a straight tube due to thermal expansion. It is made of tantalum TaIOW, an alloy of 90% tantalum with 10% tungsten for additional tensile strength.

Krohne Ltd.

www.krohne.co.uk

Environmental, Health & Safety

Broth Performs CoUform Detection within 24 Hours

The m-ColiBlue24 broth simultaneously detects and identifies both total coltforms and Escherichiu coli (E. coli). Complete enumer- ation is accomplished within 24 h, requiring neither a confirmation step nor fluorescent lamps. Visual interpreta- tion of results is easy, with E. coli colonies appearing as blue and other coliforms as red. This direct enumeration is more accurate and precise than such statistical-based tests as multiple-tube fermentation (MTF)

Pipeline Inspection Firm Expands Service Operations

Envirosight has tripled the size of its Randolph, NJ, headquarters, with amenities that include a 25-seat class- room where end users and regional sales partners receive regular training on pipe inspection technologies and methods. Its new lab broadens the company's onsite research and testing capabilities and will quicken time-to-market processes for new products. Its technical service center has room for up to 12 technicians and provides enhanced capabilities for maintenance, repair and new product prototyping, as well as technical training for end users and sales partners. Envirosight has also opened a new regional service center in Kansas City, KS. Housed in a facility operated by Key Equipment, Envirosight's sales partner for the MissouriKansas-southern Illinois region, this center provides end users with service and technical training at a convenient regional location.

Envirosight, LLC

www.envirusight.com

and most-probable number (MPN). This broth method of detection has been approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for monitoring drinking water and wastewater, and can also be used to detect coliforms in other types of waters: bottled, surface, ground, well and recreational (both fresh and marine), as well as process water for ultrapure chemical processing.

Hach Co.

www.hach.com

VOC Control System Can Be Adapted to Meet a Facility's Needs

The MultiPhase BioSystem is capable of controlling volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions from virtually all sources. A practical alternative to thermal oxidizers, in-bed biofiltration systems, and aerobic digestion, it combines characteristics of an in-bed bioscrubber and aerobic digestion with the high removal efficiency of micron-scale mist scrubbing. It treats high inlet concentrations of VOC emissions, including such alcohols as methanol and other high- vapor-pressure compounds, as well as more difficult turpenes and pinenes. The system can be sited close to me emission source, which minimizes cost and duct complexity. It can be installed as a tower with a small footprint, as well as in other configurations to meet a facility's space constraints. The system provides high removal tales for high particulate concentrations and heavy loadings of biological treatment products without clogging media beds. Its media is permanent, eliminating the need to replace either the media or the packing.

Tri-Mer Corp.

www.tri-mer.com

New Swiss Facility Offers Product Demonstrations

Thermo Fisher Scientific has opened a new facili- ty in Reinach, Switzerland, near Basel, to support the large pharmaceutical and chemical indus- try cluster in Switzerland near the French and German borders. It houses the company's analytical instrument operations and commercial operations, and consolidates the Flux Instruments and Spectronex product lines that were acquired from SwissAnalytic Group. The 12,000-ft^sup 2^ facility features a 3,200-ft^sup 2^ demonstration, laboratory containing new mass spectrometers and other laboratory instruments and consumables. This lab allows customers to work closely with the company's technical experts to gain hands-on experience with new instrumentation.

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.

www.thermofisher.com

Hood Helps Protect Hearing And Keeps Workers Warm

The Polar Hood is specifically designed to be worn with earmuffs, which ensures optimal attenuation for workers exposed to cold climates who also require hearing protection. In typical earmuff-hood configurations, the hood is worn over the earmuffs, which compromises temperature protection, or under the earmuffs, which compromises hearing protection. The Polar Hood has patented side panels to eliminate gaps between the earcup and ear, keeping the wearer warm and allowing a proper acoustic seal. Its weatherproof design provides warmth and protection, making it suitable for use by workers in construction, the oil/gas/petrochemical industry, food production, and other personnel exposed to cold weather. A seal around the face prevents further exposure, and the adjustable design includes a front zipper for ventilation and a foldaway visor. Its bright-green trim enhances visibility and safety outdoors. The Polar Hood is available in small/medium and large/extra large sizes.

Sperian Hearing Protection, LLC

www.perianprotection.com

Materials

Cleaning Solvent Restores Polymer- Production Efficiency

HT-Solve 515 is a high-temperature solvent that is suitable for cleaning equipment used in polymer manufacturing processes, including reactor vessels, pipelines, heat exchangers, pumps, and other equipment that is vulnerable to residue buildup. When polymers are manufactured, a plastic powder residue is produced during polymerization and monomer volatilization, building up inside secondary copolymer reactors and transfer lines. This residue accumulates and solidifies on surfaces, causing equipment to lose efficiency. The solvent, a mixture of diphenylethane and alkylated aromatics, thoroughly cleans the processing equipment by dissolving the residue. HT-Solve 515 is thermally stable at temperatures as high as 6250F and has a low vapor pressure. It provides a more efficient cleaning than mechanical methods because it allows equipment to be cleaned inline without disassembly, reducing downtime and labor requirements associated with cleaning.

The Dow Chemical Co.

www.dow.com

Flexible Materials Bond Dissimilar Substrates

Loctite 5510 adhesive/sealant and 5570 adhesive are highly resistant to vibration, move- ment and impact. These permanently elastic, primerless formulations bond and seal a wide variety of dissimilar sub- strates, including metals, glass, nylon and plastics. The adhe- sives use the manufacturer's FlexTec technology and have a one-component design. They are odorless, noncorrosive, and free of solvents, isocyanites, silicones and polyvinyl chloride (PVC). They require only ambient moisture to cure and achieve functional strength after 24 h. The 5510 adhesives are available in white, gray and black. They bond and seal simultaneously, fill gaps, resist weather and moisture, and withstand ongoing shock and impact; they form a skin quickly and can cure to a tack-free surface. The 5570 adhesives, which are suitable for high-productivity, high-volume applications, are available in clear or white, and replace mechanical fasteners and rivets, providing vibration- and sound-dampening.

Henkel Corp.

www.henkelna.com

Fluids and Solids Handling

Plastic Ball Valves Have a Rugged Design

QTA and QVC Series industrial, compact ball valves feature socket or threaded-pipe connectors, as well as a rugged, allplastic design similar to that found on higher-cost ball valves. They have Santoprene thermoplastic elastomer seats, full porting, and a 150-psi pressure rating. The QVC Series valves are available in 0.5-in to 4.0-in. sizes in gray or white polyvinyl chloride (PVC). The QTA Series valves are available in 0.5-in to 2.0-in. sizes in gray or white PVC, and include socket and threaded true union end connections. Both provide easy quarter-turn operation and can fit into spaces too small for other valves.

Hayward Flow Control Systems

www.haywardflowcontrol.com

Heating/Cooling Unit Operates without Evaporation Pads

Workhorse Series industrial/commercial heating and cooling equipment features direct-fired heaters combined with evaporative coolers in a single unit. Its patented FreshWater slinger-wheel technology evenly distributes atomized water across all of the air inlets to ensure efficient cooling. It operates without traditional evaporative-cooling pads, which sometimes dry slowly, possibly exposing the process to airborne pathogens, mold spores and odors. The system can handle flowrates from 6,000 to 75,000 ftA/min, and can heat up to 6,500,000 Btu. All units come standard with network capability and variable-speed drives for better energy management. Touch-screen controls allow up to 15 units to be remotely controlled via a programmable logic controller (PLC) or computer. The unit is constructed of 18-gauge Galvalume zinc alloy steel, which provides more corrosion resistance than galvanized steel.

Bessamaire

www.bessaniaire.com

Collapsible Bin Dispenser is Automatic

The CB-2500 fully automatic dispenser handles collapsible-type bins, such as those used by the food industry. A stack of collapsed bins is conveyed into the machine, where air-operated clamps enter the voids of the second bin, holding the second bin and the remaining stack of bins aloft while the bottom bin is lowered and discharged onto the chain conveyor. The dispenser can discharge two bins per minute, and can be built to discharge a bin out of three sides. It has all-welded construction and features structural steel components that provide strength and durability.

Specialty Equipment

www.specialtyequipment.com

Mobile Loading Unit Improves Efficiency and Safety

This mobile transloading unit is designed for fast, safe custody transfer of a wide variety of liquids. It features a four-wheeled towable trailer that is easy to operate, one side of which can be used for truck transloading and the other for railcar transloading. Both sides share common transfer equipment, including hoses, filters, strainers, air eliminators, valves, sensors, overfillprotection equipment, pumps, meters and an emergency shut-off switch. Optional safety features include access platforms, gangways, and fall-protection safety cages.

SafeRack, LLC

www.saferack.com

'Legally dead' man pleads not guilty to kidnapping

ALEXANDRIA, Louisiana (AP) — A Mississippi man who authorities thought had been dead for more than 15 years pleaded not guilty Friday to kidnapping a 12-year-old girl whose body was found by hunters in remote Louisiana woods.

Thomas Steven Sanders, suspected of shooting Lexis Roberts of Las Vegas before dumping her body in central Louisiana's Catahoula Parish, said little Friday during the hearing in federal court in Alexandria, Louisiana.

Shackled and wearing an orange prison jumpsuit, the 53-year-old Sanders spent much of the hearing leaning forward in his seat and reading documents with his lawyer. Sanders had shaven off the bushy, white beard seen in police photographs before his capture.

Sanders wouldn't say anything when questioned by reporters about the case outside the courtroom. His public defender, Rebecca Hudsmith, said she had met with him for the first time Friday and wouldn't comment on his mental state or whether he'd offered any details about the case.

A federal kidnapping charge in a case that results in death is punishable by life in prison or death, said Lisa Langley, a spokeswoman with the U.S. attorney's office in Louisiana. As of Friday afternoon, prosecutors had not indicated whether they would seek the death penalty.

James Kelly, sheriff of the Louisiana parish where Roberts' body was found by hunters Oct. 8, also was at the hearing. Kelly said he will charge Sanders with first-degree murder in state court when the federal government finishes processing him, possibly early next week.

Authorities said security footage showed Sanders buying ammunition Sept. 3 at a Walmart in Las Vegas. The bullets are allegedly the same type that killed the girl.

Sanders also is a suspect in the disappearance and likely death of the girl's mother, 31-year-old Suellen Roberts. Investigators are using dental records to determine whether a body found Monday in Arizona is hers.

If that body turns out to be Suellen Roberts, it's likely Sanders will at some point be charged in Arizona state court. Arizona, Louisiana and federal officials have been working together on the case.

Sanders was arrested Sunday in Gulfport, Mississippi, after a massive manhunt to find the missing woman and her daughter. Authorities say Sanders and Suellen Roberts were in a relationship and took Lexis on a road trip for the Labor Day holiday weekend. The last place they were seen alive was in Arizona.

The case took a bizarre twist when authorities realized their prime suspect in the disappearances had been declared legally dead in 1994.

Sanders' parents, brother and ex-wife petitioned a Mississippi court for the death declaration in 1994, saying nobody had heard from him in seven years. Even so, Sanders drifted from state to state unnoticed despite being arrested in Georgia and Tennessee under his real name.

Sanders was arrested in January 1994 and charged with two counts of cruelty to children in Winder, Georgia, where prosecutors said he repeatedly hit a boy on the back of the legs and put a pair of soiled underwear in the boy's face, according to court records. Sanders was sentenced to two years of probation and fined $500.

In November 2002, he was arrested in Clarksville, Tennessee, for driving on a revoked license. Police records indicated he had Tennessee identification even though he was from McComb, Mississippi. He listed his address as a room at a motel where many transients live. Sanders was arrested in Tennessee again in March 2003 for alleged possession of drug paraphernalia.

Little else is known about Sanders' life after being declared dead. He didn't buy property or establish many bills in his name, things that create paper trails for most people.

He has worked as a laborer, a welder and a scrap metal collector. Authorities said he sometimes gave his name as Tom or Steve or used the nickname "Spider."

___

Mohr reported from Jackson, Mississippi. Associated Press writers Greg Bluestein in Winder, Georgia, and Kristin M. Hall in Clarksville, Tennessee, contributed to this report.

Chess kings win promotion.

TRIUMPHANT Alnwick Chess Club proved they were kings of the chess board as they celebrated a promotion double.

And it could get even better for the club as defeat for Gosforth Empire in their final game of the season would see Alnwick A snatch top-spot and the league crown.

But with Empire facing second-bottom Tynemouth Castles it's more than likely Gosforth will take the title.

Nevertheless, Alnwick A leap-frogged into Division One after a crucial final game victory over third-place Forest Hall.

In what was a promotion decider, Alnwick edged past Hall in dramatic fashion, clinching a 3-2 victory.

Ties for Phil Hemsley and David Wallace made the score one apiece before Mike Trolan grabbed a win against Jeff Baird on board three to put the north Northumberland side ahead.

Forest Hall levelled through Keith Brooks who saw off Harry Teetsov to take the promotion decider right to the wire.

But Alnwick were not to be denied and Dennis Patterson beat E Isherwood on board five to claim victory and book their promotion ticket.

Meanwhile, already-promoted Alnwick B faced South Shields.

One player short, Alnwick were 1-0 down before a piece was moved.

But things didn't improve for the Division Three runners-up and South Shields swept aside their opponents in ruthless style, winning all four encounters on the night, crushing Alnwick 5-0.

But the result was scant consolation for Shields who finished in third place, unable to catch promoted Alnwick.

For more information www.freewebs.com/alnwickchessclub

Chess kings win promotion.

TRIUMPHANT Alnwick Chess Club proved they were kings of the chess board as they celebrated a promotion double.

And it could get even better for the club as defeat for Gosforth Empire in their final game of the season would see Alnwick A snatch top-spot and the league crown.

But with Empire facing second-bottom Tynemouth Castles it's more than likely Gosforth will take the title.

Nevertheless, Alnwick A leap-frogged into Division One after a crucial final game victory over third-place Forest Hall.

In what was a promotion decider, Alnwick edged past Hall in dramatic fashion, clinching a 3-2 victory.

Ties for Phil Hemsley and David Wallace made the score one apiece before Mike Trolan grabbed a win against Jeff Baird on board three to put the north Northumberland side ahead.

Forest Hall levelled through Keith Brooks who saw off Harry Teetsov to take the promotion decider right to the wire.

But Alnwick were not to be denied and Dennis Patterson beat E Isherwood on board five to claim victory and book their promotion ticket.

Meanwhile, already-promoted Alnwick B faced South Shields.

One player short, Alnwick were 1-0 down before a piece was moved.

But things didn't improve for the Division Three runners-up and South Shields swept aside their opponents in ruthless style, winning all four encounters on the night, crushing Alnwick 5-0.

But the result was scant consolation for Shields who finished in third place, unable to catch promoted Alnwick.

For more information www.freewebs.com/alnwickchessclub

Flames dispose of Demons: UIC 85, DePaul 80: Freshman Kreps one key for UIC in first win vs. DePaul

Reserve guards are getting fat off DePaul's thin perimeterdefense.

On Saturday night, it was freshman Robert Kreps' turn to come offthe bench and score a career-high 19 points to rally UIC to an 85-80 victory over DePaul before an Allstate Arena crowd of 8,513.

"It was ... a great win for us over a good team from the Big EastConference," coach Jimmy Collins said of the first win ever for theFlames (6-4) over the Blue Demons (2-5) after two previous losses.

Said Demons coach Jerry Wainwright: "They are shooting the ballwell and playing like a team on a [three-game] win streak, and weare playing like a team on a [three-game] losing streak. [But] wedid a …

Reeves, Robert.(Capital Region)

EAST GREENBUSH Dr. Robert Richard Reeves, D.C. died on Thursday, September 11, 2008 at Saratoga Hospital. He was a resident at Wesley Health Care Center in Saratoga Springs for 21 years, but his home was in East Green-bush, N.Y. Robert was a graduate of Palmer College of Chiropractic in Davenport, Iowa and practiced chiropractic in Rensselaer and East Greenbush. He had also served as a corporal in the US Army prior to attending college. Dr. Reeves was the son of the late Dr. Ernest and Martha (Dill) Reeves, and the beloved husband for 50 years of Marilyn (Mader) Reeves. In addition to his wife, he is survived by his sister, Betty (John) Rosenberger; his sister-in-law, Emily …

`TITANIC' FALL GUY VOORHEESVILLE NATIVE WAS A STUNT MAN FOR THE BLOCKBUSTER MOVIE BY PAUL GRONDAHL STAFF WRITER.(LIFE & LEISURE)

As a stunt man working six weeks on the blockbuster film ``Titanic'' at a colossal shoreline studio in Rosarito Beach, Mexico, Voorheesville native Bobby Burns quickly learned to avoid the bottom of the pile.

Burns was one of dozens of stunt specialists who slid and did free falls down the decks during the ship's final, cataclysmic moments after it broke in half, causing the rear section to pitch sharply and bob stern-up before disappearing into the deep.

``I was sliding down the deck, which was pitched very steeply, maybe 40 degrees, and I just started going faster and faster, picking up speed,'' Burns said recently by telephone from his home in Thousand Oaks, Calif.

``There were so many people sliding down in such a small area, you just knew it was going to be a wreck at the bottom and you're doing your best not to crash into somebody else or a railing or a bench,'' Burns said. ``I ended up on the bottom of the pile just once. It was a serious thumper. I was bruised and banged up …

Iran marks anniversary of failed US rescue attempt

Hundreds of Iranians on Sunday marked the 30th anniversary of a failed U.S. military operation to rescue American hostages in Tehran, with prayers and words of defiance for Washington.

The 1980 rescue attempt _ called Operation Eagle Claw _ turned into a major embarrassment for the U.S. when an American helicopter collided with a C-130 transport plane at a desert landing spot during a sandstorm. Eight U.S. servicemen were killed.

As in years past, hundreds of hardline Iranians, many of them members of the paramilitary Basij volunteers, gathered at the crash site, some 370 miles (600 kilometers) southeast of Tehran, to celebrate the failed rescue.

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Talking about shopping

GOD, MONEY AND ME

In the retail shopping world, the dog days of summer are no longer known as "August," but rather "back-to-school." This has become the year's second largest seasonal shopping event behind "winter holidays" (not "Christmas"). Advertising campaigns have made the link between these high seasons of shopping, suggesting that back-to-school for parents is "the most wonderful time of the year."

When Statistics Canada reported that sales edged up slightly in May, retailers anticipated a stronger back-to-school shopping season. This wasn't the case in the United States, where the National Retail Federation (NRF) predicted a slight dip in back-to-school …

HITS tackles `unwired' markets. (Upfront: latest news and insight).(AT&T Broadband's Headend The Sky)(Brief Article)

Giving rural, operators a new weapon for a war with DBS, WSNet and AT&T Broadband's Headend In The Sky (HITS) have teamed to enable cable operators to offer digital, programming via …

Study results from Brigham and Women's Hospital in the area of colon cancer published.

"Lynch syndrome (also known as hereditary nonpolyposis colon cancer) is associated with an increased risk for colorectal cancer, which can arise despite frequent colonoscopic exams. We evaluated the adenoma miss rate of conventional colonoscopy in patients with Lynch syndrome, and compared the sensitivity of chromoendoscopy versus intensive inspection for detecting polyps missed by conventional colonoscopy," researchers in the United States report (see also Colon Cancer).

"Fifty-four subjects with Lynch syndrome underwent tandem colonoscopies at four centers of the Great Lakes- New U.K. Clinical Epidemiology and Validation Center of the Early Detection Research …

Spa Catholic honor roll.(Capital Region)

The following students received honors during the second quarter at Saratoga Central Catholic High School in Saratoga Springs.

HIGHEST HONORS

90 or above quarterly average and having no course grade lower than 90:

Kaelan Anderson, Melissa Angelini, Katherine Bedard, David Bedard, Irene Benton, Tara Britton, Jenna Carson, Erin Cook, Benjamin Curtin-Phillips, Elisa DiMauro, Athena Drellos, Christopher Flinton, Katherine Horgan, Jeremy Kelly, Ryan Kramer, Julia Larson, Rebecca Lavoie, Katherine Lenz, Shao Bo Ma, Nicole Martin, Meghan Michael, Brendan Michael, Sophia Monroe, Ashley Morere, Jeffrey Pompa, Deanna Schwarz, Maxwell Sergovich, Kyle Stevens, …