Celtics win on the road and take 2-1 series lead vs. Pistons

Kevin Garnett scored 22 points and the Boston Celtics built an early lead en route to a 94-80 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Saturday night and a 2-1 lead in the Eastern Conference finals.

…

Man, 67, molested teen girl

A Pensioner has been found guilty of molesting a teenage girl.

Francis Duncan was convicted of the sex offence when he appearedat Aberdeen Sheriff Court.

The indecent behaviour happened between the girl's 17th birthdayin 1993 and the end of the year at an Aberdeen address.

Duncan, 67, was originally accused of two further charges …

Pincham, Grant say Ryan youth bill lacking

Pincham, Grant say Ryan youth bill lacking

Gov. Ryan's signing of a bill requiring youth younger than 13 to have a lawyer present during police questioning falls short of "true justice" for wrongly accused children as long as the law is silent on "rogue" cops who lie and frame innocent victims, two prominent Black lawyers said Sunday.

Former Illinois Appellate Court Justice R. Eugene Pincham and his partner, attorney Andre Grant, who represented the 8-year-old boy who along with his 7-year-old friend were falsely charged with the murder of 11-year-old Ryan Harris., said what is needed is a law that deals with "lying" cops who frame suspects.

"This is another …

Sudan's president goes to Qatar next week

Sudan's Foreign Ministry spokesman says President Omar al-Bashir is traveling to the tiny Gulf state of Qatar next week for a conference on development.

Qatar has offered to host talks between Sudan's government and Darfur rebels. Though no date has been set, rebels have visited the small country to prepare for possible negotiations.

Ali Sadiq, Sudanese …

Ships In Watercolour

A new Frank Shipsides collection is always worth celebrating. Formore than 50 years now, Frank has lived and worked in Bristol and isone its most famous living artists.

Yet he started as a commercial artist for Mardon, Son and Hallbefore going freelance after 20 years with the firm.

These days his maritime paintings and scenes of Bristol are highlycollectable.

The seeds of his love of the sea were planted in the 30s whenFrank and his wife holidayed at Torquay where the great battleshipsof the Home Fleet were anchored.

His sketches of the pride of the British Navy was the beginning ofhis love affair with ships and the sea which led him to move to …

`JFK'

I don't have the slightest idea whether Oliver Stone knows whokilled President John F. Kennedy. I have no opinion on the factualaccuracy of his 1991 film ``JFK.'' I don't think that's the point.This is not a film about the facts of the assassination, but aboutthe feelings. ``JFK'' accurately reflects our national state of mindsince Nov. 22, 1963. We feel the whole truth has not been told, thatmore than one shooter was involved, that somehow maybe the CIA, theFBI, Castro, the anti-Castro Cubans, the Mafia or the Russians, orall of the above, were involved. We don't know how. That's just howwe feel.

Shortly after the film was released, I ran into Walter Cronkiteand received …

SpaceX to fly to Space Station in November

HAWTHORNE, California (AP) — SpaceX's next mission is to the International Space Station.

The Hawthorne, California-based private rocket maker said Monday its Dragon capsule will launch on Nov. 30 on a cargo test run to the orbiting outpost. SpaceX said the launch will be followed by a station docking more than a week later.

With the space shuttle fleet retired, NASA is depending on private companies …

Cilic, Davydenko advance at BMW Open

MUNICH (AP) — Marin Cilic of Croatia, last year's runner-up, advanced to the quarterfinals of the BMW Open on Thursday by beating Horacio Zeballos of Argentina 6-3, 7-6 (7).

Cilic fired eight aces and lost only seven points behind his first serve while breaking Zeballos's serve three times. The third-seeded Cilic is the highest seeded player left in the last eight. He has reached the quarterfinals in Munich for the fourth time in four tries.

Seventh-seeded Nikolay Davydenko of Russia rallied to beat German qualifier Julian Reister 3-6, 7-6 (5), 6-1. Davydenko won the tournament in 2004.

Cilic and Davydenko, a former No. 3 in the world, will play each other in the …

Bone appetit

healthy foods for happy pets "Is there a healthy commercial food I can feed my pet?"

I've been asked this question almost daily since the publication of my first book, Food Pets Die For. But it's a question that far too few pet owners think to ask.

It wasn't until early 1990when my two dogs became ill after eating a well-known commercial pet food -that I began to question what I was feeding my pets. When I was a child, we always fed our pets table scraps. And it wasn't until I owned pets of my own that I began using commercial pet foods. After all, many veterinarians-and, of course, the pet food industry-advise that these foods are "complete and balanced" and provide all …

Stocks Rise in Early Trading

Stocks rose moderately Wednesday as investors digested economic figures that painted a mixed picture about the economy.

The Labor Department report that labor costs rose a 2.6 percent annual pace in the fourth quarter provided some unwelcome news. The concern is that rising prices will make it harder for the inflation-weary Federal Reserve to justify cutting interest rates to boost the economy.

It was the fastest cost increase rate since the first quarter last year.

However, the report also found that productivity _ the amount than a worker produces for every hour on the job _ rose at an annual pace of 1.9 percent in the fourth quarter.

…

Drink driver seen swerving in road gets year-long ban

A stream of motorists have admitted getting behind the wheel whileboozed-up.

And two were put off the road for a year after appearing at thecity's sheriff court.

Andrew Growcott, 57, yesterday admitted driving while over thelimit.

He was spotted driving erratically by police on May 5.

Growcott, of 4 Hanover Court, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, wasswerving on to the central reservation of Aberdeen's Commerce Street.

Defence agent Ross Taggart told the court Growcott had sufferedfrom stress for the past three years and had been on medication.

Growcott, who was slightly over the limit, had recently begundrinking again.

Sheriff Colin …

Chemical Engineering in China: Past, Present, and Future

The need to address ecological problems stemming from China's burgeoning industrial growth is the impetus behind many recent developments in China's surging chemical industry.

The modern chemical industry developed rapidly in the 20th century. Recent chemical engineering milestones - such as the integration of systems engineering methodologies, computer control, and advances in bioengineering and new materials - are at the core of today's chemical industry, and have made enormous impacts on human civilization.

The Chinese chemical industry experienced major changes in the past century as well. A huge and rapidly increasing demand for basic and specialty chemicals has …

Record donations of Pounds 128 at carnival

Looking Back joins the procession of 1985 and the BlackberryCarnival in Axbridge. The crowd dug deep into their pockets to givePounds 128, which was a record for Axbridge at the time.

This, with a profit from the raffle, meant more than Pounds 200was raised for youth club funds from an event known to sustain aloss in previous years.

After a year's absence, residents made a special effort to makesure their entries were of a higher than ever standard.

Stealing the title of overall winners and first in the localclass were the 1st Axbridge Brownies, who recreated the town's pastwith scenes of Old England.

Taking the laughs were a band of ladies calling themselvesAxbridge Town Helpers who brought the Roly Polys of TV to Axbridge.

Also creating laughs were the regulars of the Crown Inn, whodisguised themselves as nursery rhyme characters.

It was a case of the town's youngsters helping themselves withthe majority of Axbridge's youth groups taking part.

Thoroughly enjoying themselves were residents from St Michael'sCheshire Home. Resident Eric Cooper won first prize for the modern-day "laughing policeman" with a supporter of the home, Sheila Lukinsof Wedmore, taking second.

Heading the procession was Blackberry Carnival Queen 18-year-oldClaire Rollings, accompanied by princesses Sarah Vesty and JoanneBinning.

Banwell's volunteer fire unit were on hand to provide Claire andprizewinners with a fireman's "lift" to the float for thepresentation of cups and trophies.

This year's Blackberry Carnival is a Mardi Gras theme and is onSaturday. Procession leaves Jubilee Road at 2.30pm.

Building a house requires research

Builders Forum gives Chicago area residential developers achance to share thoughts on issues affecting home buyers. RichardVan Schaardenburg, is president of Clarendon Hills-based Town &Country Homes.

In the past, multifamily homes were simply a resting place forhome buyers until they built up their savings to a point where theycould afford a "real" home.

Today, multifamily housing has become a popular permanent homefor affluent singles, dual income couples, and empty nesters. Itprovides maintenance-free lifestyle, innovative interiors, in-homeconveniences and expanded square footage.

Although multifamily living does promote a worry-freelifestyle, the variety of styles available require majorconsiderations be evaluated before making a purchase.

As an experienced builder, we spend thousands of dollars inresearch and ask hundreds of questions of buyers before we create anew community.

Based on the information we've received, there are three mainfactors that play a major role in pre-purchase considerations: Lifestyle. A home makes a statement about the way you live. Itreveals the tastes, priorities and interests of its buyer, which iswhy buyers need to make a serious evaluation of how they live in ahome and what they expect from it.

A buyer should evaluate what types of homestyles or communityamenities, or both, are important. An empty nester couple may prefera town house on a golf course while a single woman may choose asecond-floor carriage home for a feeling of enhanced privacy.

The dual career couple may select a community with contemporarydesigns and recreational amenities to suit their active lifestyle. Product. Builders spend a lot of time and money designing a homethat will appeal to a particular target market.

The furnishings and design elements in a model home tell thebuilder's story of how he sees the house being lived in. Home buyersshould set their priorities.

Do I need more storage space? Can I convert this bedroom intoan art studio? Do I have enough room to entertain inside as well ason a patio or deck? Does this home provide the privacy I need? Location. An ideal location means different things to differentpeople.

We'll assume that a desirable location in terms of investmentstandards will be chosen by everyone, but location takes on addeddimensions that shape a buyer's lifestyle.

To some, the perfect setting is in a quiet suburban communitythat offers a family atmosphere, yet is only minutes from the city.On the other hand, there are buyers who prefer the action andexcitement of city life.

Location may also mean a particular school district or closeaccess to transportation. As a buyer, you need to ask youself somequestions that will help to determine which home suits your needs thevery best.

Purchasing a home isn't a decision to be taken lightly. As abuyer, you owe it to yourself to evaluate your interests andpriorities and to make a selection that matches your lifestylerequirements and wishes.

One to watch

Citroen has solved that problem by simply offering better valueas you'll find if you compare prices. That leaves the C2 overlap,partly solved by equipping that car with a wider range of engines.It does mean C1 buyers only get a single choice when it comes toeither petrol or diesel powerplants, but more than Toyota or Peugeotoffer in their city car alternatives.

As a C1 buyer, you get either an improved 68bhp 1.0i petrol unitor a 54bhp 1.4-litre HDi diesel. Five-speed manual gearboxes arefitted as standard. Both the engines have something to be said forthem but the petrol unit that most choose does feel more willing andrevvy.

Citroen's C1 shares its design but not always its tight pricing,with Toyota Aygo and Peugeot 107 stablemates that roll down the sameproduction lines.

It's a clever design that maximises space and offers theadvantage of a five-door option over the similarly-sized C2.

Styling enhancements and small improvements to fuel consumptionand emissions make the latest version particularly attractive.

If you were under the impression that Citroen's sub-supermini-sized C2 was the French maker's offering in the city car sector,you'd be wrong. That position is occupied by this car, the C1. It'smore affordable than the similarly-sized C2 and offers the option offive as well as three doors. Leaving aside the headache that mustgive Citroen dealers, there's also the issue of how it candifferentiate itself from the re-badged versions of this The C1'sexterior has been given a smart upgrade, with changes to the frontend, complementing the looks of the updated C2.

List prices (in this case the typical Pounds 7,000 to Pounds9,000 bracket common to this class) are only the starting point fornegotiation but on a car this inexpensive, the dealer will have lessto play with in terms of discounts.

Where the C1 scores an almost unbeatable mark is in the field ofcost of ownership. The 1.0i 68hp petrol engine emits less CO2 thanany other petrol powerplant on sale in the UK, boasting lowered CO2emissions of just 106g/km (2.7 per cent better than before), and acombined-cycle fuel consumption figure of 62.8mpg (2.1per centbetter). At 22p per mile over a typical three-year ownership period,an entry-level C1 1.0 is one of the least expensive cars it'spossible to run.

For more information on the Citroen range contact HartwellCitroen, Bath on 0870 9049170 or visit www.hartwell.co.uk/Bath.

Feds say Segal took money from charities Cash owed to clients of Near North Insurance allegedly was not paid

Indicted insurance czar Michael Segal stole money owed tochildren's charities and a Rockefeller heiress, a Little League teamand major league ball clubs, and even an Episcopal church, accordingto allegations in a court document recently unsealed in Segal'scriminal case.

On Monday, Segal will go to trial to fight allegations he siphonedmore than $20 million from a key account at his Near North InsuranceBrokerage. Federal prosecutors also have charged that Segal routinelywrote off financial credits due his customers -- money the clientswere owed but never paid. Segal has denied any wrongdoing.

A Segal spokeswoman had no comment on the new details, but Segaldid get some good news in court Thursday. U.S. District Judge RubenCastillo ruled that prosecutors likely won't be able to tell jurorsthat Segal used company money to pay hookers. They will get to bringup other personal spending. Segal also will likely get to argue heintended to pay off any alleged deficit.

Among the people Near North Insurance allegedly owed money to wasChicago socialite and Rockefeller heiress Abra Prentice Wilkin, knownfor her charitable giving, as well as Near North Little League, whichprovides baseball to about 160 kids, many of them underprivileged.

Wilkin, a former Chicago Sun-Times reporter, said she feltsympathy for Segal:

"I'm sorry that what's happened to Mickey has happened to Mickey."

Her husband, James P. Wilkin, said the firm had insured thecouple's homes and other personal items for about two decades, butthey dropped the firm after it became embroiled in controversy.

"It's beyond me that anybody would do that, when they've got sucha successful business," James Wilkin said of the alleged credit write-offs.

Eric Boeckmann, a treasurer for Near North Little League, whichhas no connection to the firm, said he would reserve judgment untilhe learned what his Little League was owed. Near North got insurancefor a league van.

But he added: "Their deviousness knew no bounds if they weretaking advantage of a Little League."

Other charities on the Near North list allegedly owed money arethe Ada S. McKinley Community Center, the Children's Home and AidSociety, Metropolitan Family Services, the Baltimore Area Council BoyScouts of America and St. Chrysostom's Episcopal Church in Chicago.Representatives from some groups said they would explore what moneythey were owed.

Notables on the list include investor Peter Huizenga, a formerdirector and co-founder of Waste Management; William Brodsky, chiefexecutive of the Chicago Board Options Exchange; the late developerPhilip Klutznick; ex-congressman Dan Rostenkowski and former CookCounty Commissioner Ted Lechowicz, and the restaurant operations ofPhil Stefani.

The Milwaukee Brewers organization made the list, while the TexasRangers are mentioned in another court document.

The document of about 130 Near North clients was originally agovernment exhibit that prosecutors submitted to the court underseal. Segal's defense team made public a portion of the list in acourt filing earlier this week. It's unclear how much money theclients were owed. The amounts have apparently been whited out. Thelist is about four years old. The U.S. attorney's office declined tocomment.

A defense court filing also suggests the names of politicians thatmay come up at Segal's trial. Those include Ald. Ed Burke (14th),Ald. Burton Natarus (42nd), Cook County Board President John Strogerand former Gov. George Ryan, whose son worked with Segal.

New churches want links to conference: four congregations joined the Conference of Mennonites in Canada this summer at the annual sessions in Stratford, Ontario

Calgary Vietnamese Mennonite Church

The Calgary Vietnamese Mennonite Church formed to meet the needs of Vietnamese refugees who were looking for a place to worship. At present it has 133 members.

Ezekiel Wong was influential in starting the church. He moved from Vancouver to Calgary in 1981 to serve as pastor to both the new Vietnamese and Chinese fellowships. When Wong retired in 1987, Nhien Pham took over pastoral duties at the Vietnamese fellowship.

Recently the church has hired an assistant pastor, Randy Burtis, to minister to the younger English-speaking generation.

Until 1991, the group met at Foothills Mennonite Church. Then the church bought land on the east side of the city near the Vietnamese community. The church dedicated its new building in November 1991.

"Our mission," said Pham, "is to reach out to the Vietnamese for Christ." While Pham emphasized their aim to "nurture the spiritual lives of members and evangelize non-Christians," he added that "we tend to help people [Vietnamese immigrants] when they have difficulties in adapting to life in this country." The church sponsors refugees and helps find jobs for them.

In 1994 the church assisted in planting the Edmonton Vietnamese Mennonite Church.

Pham said he appreciates "the cooperation between CMC and the Vietnamese Mennonite church," both in Canada and in Vietnam. The Calgary church has been a member of both the Alberta conference and the North American Vietnamese Mennonite Fellowship for a number of years.

"We thought it was proper to join CMC," said Pham. He would like to see the conference "keep the balance between spiritual and physical ministries...between relief work and church planting."

Abundant Life Fellowship

Unlike the other new CMC churches, the Abundant Life Fellowship in Waterloo, Ontario, did not begin with the intention of becoming a church. As Mahlon Roes explained, "We began as a Bible-study group back around 1993 with seven or eight people."

When the group started growing, they sensed an opportunity to begin a church. The mission commission of the Mennonite Conference of Eastern Canada (MCEC) helped form a liaison committee, consisting of Waldemar Regier, Hugo Neufeld and Doug Snyder, which offered assistance.

Four couples, each from a different congregation, formed the core group.

"These couples," said Roes, "were encouraged by their home churches to begin a new congregation." Originally the church met at the Waterloo Inn, but for the last two years they have made their home at Conrad Grebel College.

Roes described the church as, "a community-based group, where many of the members were not Christians previously and were not of Mennonite background." He added, "We're trying to reach the community, the people who don't go to church." This aim is reflected in a diverse congregation with a broad age range.

The church has been part of MCEC. Membership in the Canadian conference was motivated by wanting to belong to the larger church.

"We're trying to relate to Canadian Christians as a whole," said Roes. "There are many years of history behind all of this, so a lot of stability comes with it."

West Hills Mennonite Fellowship

The West Hills Mennonite Fellowship in Baden, Ontario, began ill 1991 with five families' About 45 people now meet in this church fellowship.

When the Steinmann Mennonite Church began contemplating building a larger sanctuary, a group within the church wanted to worship in a more intimate setting.

"We felt the Lord was calling us to start a new church." said Stan Gingerich, current half-time pastor of the West Hills fellowship.

With the support of the home church, the group founded West Hills as a daughter church of Steinmann. When word got around, others in the community were quick to support them. Another church offered a building.

For the first few years, the church was without a pastor. Gingerich, who had been with the group from its beginning, eventually felt called to take up the challenge. He was licensed as pastor two years ago.

"New families find us a warm, loving church," he said. The vision is "to establish a community-based church emphasizing evangelism and outreach" to the community. "We want to be a friend to single morns, to people who have not had a very good home life." He noted that younger families are harder to reach.

Gingerich took much of the initiative in bringing West Hills to the Canadian conference. He saw the importance of this connection since many in the church are from non-Mennonite backgrounds.

"I wanted them to understand we were working under a larger umbrella," he said. "We need to know more about what God is doing through the larger church. There are things we don't always agree on. yet we're trying to come together as one body under Christ."

Abbotsford Mennonite Fellowship

The Abbotsford (B.C.) Mennonite Fellowship began as a house church in the fall of 1996. The initial group of about 8 people has increased to an attendance of 26. The original group drew from three congregations.

The church keeps to a simple structure, said Walter Paetkau, chair of the congregation. It rents space and members take turns preparing and leading the services.

"A number of us just wanted to have a different sense of worship," said Paetkau. Services focus on the liturgical year, a three-year cycle of Bible readings and worship themes.

Members range from people in the 30s to those in their 60s; the majority are young families and young adults. Paetkau explained that the fellowship was "not an intentional growth congregation." Visitors hear about the church and come out of interest.

He described the church's mission as "basically, to worship God, to celebrate, to serve and to practise Christian fellowship."

For this church, membership in the Canadian conference means being part of a larger church family. It "has more to do with identity, and resources" while they also gain stability from "a common statement of faith and convictions."

Sweden's premier favors Obama in US presidential race

Sweden's prime minister said Tuesday that he favors Democrat Barack Obama in the U.S. presidential race because the Illinois senator "lies the closest to what we're trying to do here in Sweden."

Stopping short of a formal endorsement, Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt said Obama's economic and climate policies were in step with the Swedish center-right government's ambitions.

"When it comes to tax policies and economic policies I prefer Barack Obama," Reinfeldt told reporters in Stockholm.

Reinfeldt, 42, leads a four-party coalition government that took power in 2006, partly on promises to promote job creation and lower taxes for middle and low-income earners.

He said Obama's "Making Work Pay" credit, which would offset payroll taxes on the first US$8,100 (euro5,800) of earnings, was almost identical to the Swedish government's tax plan.

Reinfeldt said Hillary Clinton's tax policies were less clear. "We will have to see how she chooses to develop her policies in November," he said. "Today, it is clear that Barack Obama lies the closest to what we're trying to do here in Sweden."

Reinfeldt also praised Obama's climate policies, saying he has outlined "clear goals for renewable energy," but regretted that none of the presidential candidates are pushing for a carbon tax in the U.S. Sweden became one of the first countries to introduce such a tax in the 1990s.

Among the Republican candidates, Reinfeldt favored John McCain, especially on foreign policy, climate and free trade, but said he would prefer to see a Democrat in the White House.

Investigator: Computer likely caused Qantas plunge

A faulty computer unit likely caused a Qantas jetliner to experience two terrifying midair plunges within minutes last week, an Australian investigator said Tuesday.

More than 40 people were injured when the Airbus A330-300 briefly nose-dived twice during a flight from Singapore to the western Australian city of Perth last Tuesday.

Julian Walsh, chief air investigator at the Australian Transport Safety Bureau, said an initial investigation indicated the cause was a computer unit that detects through sensors the angle of the plane against the airstream. He said one of the plane's three such units malfunctioned and sent the wrong data to the main flight computers.

The flight data recorder indicated the plane, carrying 303 passengers and 10 crew, climbed about 200 feet from its cruising level of 37,000 feet and then went into a nose-dive, dropping about 650 feet in 20 seconds, before returning to cruising level, the safety bureau said last week. The sharp drop was quickly followed by a second of about 400 feet in 16 seconds.

The problem is the latest in a series of malfunctions and near-misses for Australia's flagship carrier in recent weeks.

Australian authorities are still investigating an explosion aboard a Qantas 747-400 aircraft carrying 365 people over the South China Sea in July that ripped a hole in the fuselage. That explosion caused rapid loss of pressure in the passenger cabin but no one was injured.

Walsh said the French manufacturer Airbus had notified all operators of A330 and A340 aircraft, which are equipped with the same sensors, about how crews should respond to such a malfunction.

But aircraft are unlikely to be grounded over a malfunction that had never happened before, he said.

"It is probably unlikely that there will be a recurrence, but obviously we won't dismiss that," Walsh told reporters, saying they would investigate the problem further.

The faulty unit will be sent to the U.S. component manufacturer for testing, he said. A report on the accident is to be released next month.

Qantas said the preliminary findings showed that the fault lay with the manufacturer rather than the airline.

"This is clearly a manufacturer's issue and we will comply with the manufacturer's advice," the airline said in a statement.

China says March inflation eases to 8.3 percent, economy grew 10.6 percent in 1st quarter

The Chinese government says inflation in the country eased slightly to 8.3 percent in March.

The National Bureau of Statistics also reported Wednesday that China's economic growth in the first quarter slowed to a still-robust 10.6 percent.

The figures come amid government efforts to rein in accelerating inflation by boosting food supplies and cooling a boom driven by investment and exports.

The March inflation figure was a slight easing from February's 8.7 percent, the highest level in nearly 12 years.

Massey Energy starts new coal plant in W.Va.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — Massey Energy Co. says it's started using a new southern West Virginia coal processing plant built to replace one destroyed by a fire.

The Richmond, Va.-based mine operator said Tuesday that it had started the Zigmond Processing plant in Logan County several days earlier. The plant had been scheduled to open in August, but was damaged in a second fire last June.

Massey says the plant can process up to 1,200 tons of coal an hour and can load 15,000 tons of coal aboard a train in four hours. The operation serves six Logan County mines that produce coal for steel manufacturers and electric power plants.

The plant's predecessor burned in August 2009.

Truck explosion kills 18 in Baghdad, wounds 75

A tractor-trailer loaded with Shiite militia rockets accidentally exploded Wednesday in a densely populated area of northeast Baghdad, killing 18 people and wounding 75, the U.S. military said. It was the deadliest explosion in Baghdad in more than two months.

Iraqi police said the blast was a suicide truck bomb that struck near the home of an Iraqi police general, killing his nephew and wounding his elderly parents.

But the U.S. military said Shiite extremists were positioning a large truck of loaded with rockets and mortars, aiming the weapons at a U.S. combat outpost 700 yards away, when it mistakenly exploded.

"They were trying to attack us at that FOB (forwarding operating base), and it went off (accidentally). They wouldn't waste rockets like that," said Lt. Col. Steve Stover, a U.S. military spokesman.

Stover said the militants responsible for the truck had likely fled recent fighting in Sadr City.

The explosion crumbled several two-story buildings, buried cars under rubble and sheared off a corrugated steel roof.

Also Wednesday, three U.S. soldiers were shot dead in northern Iraq, and the decaying bodies of at least 23 Iraqis were discovered in a shallow grave and a sewer shaft at separate sites near Baghdad.

The Americans were killed when gunmen opened fire on them in the northern Iraqi village of Hawija, according to a brief military statement.

The area, once a hub for Sunni militants and disaffected allies of Saddam Hussein, is thought to have been pacified in recent months. Last year it hosted one of the largest sign-on ceremonies for tribal sheiks partnering with U.S. forces to fight al-Qaida in Iraq.

The latest U.S. deaths brought to at least 4,090 the number of U.S. military personnel who have died in the Iraq war since it began in March 2003, according to an Associated Press count.

South of Baghdad, Iraqi villagers and soldiers unearthed at least 13 bodies from a shallow, dusty grave in farmland on the outskirts of Latifiyah, a mostly Sunni town that also has some Shiite residents. The bodies were first discovered Tuesday, but digging continued a day later.

Associated Press Television News footage showed Iraqi troops and civilians clawing through dusty soil with shovels. At least three severely decomposed bodies could be seen in side-by-side graves.

The U.S. military could not confirm the discovery, but said its soldiers, acting on a tip from a local citizen, found at least 10 decomposed bodies Tuesday in a separate location, in the sewer shaft of a building in east Baghdad.

Those victims appeared to have died more than two years ago, Stover said, adding that Iraqi police have taken over the investigation.

Latifiyah, which lies about 20 miles south of Baghdad, was taken over by al-Qaida-linked militants a few years ago, and became a hotbed of Sunni militant activity before U.S. and Iraqi forces regained control late last year, said Iraqi Maj. Faisal Ali Hussein, who supervised that digging Tuesday.

Only now are villagers _ feeling safer without the militants there _ beginning to point out possible sites of mass graves in the area, he said.

Most of the bodies were too decomposed to identify and they were reburied next to where they were discovered, said another Iraqi army officer at the scene, who refused to give his name because of safety concerns.

Meanwhile, the U.S. military said it detained nine suspects and destroyed two "terrorist safe houses" Wednesday in raids targeting al-Qaida in Iraq across central and northern parts of the country.

One of the men had been wanted for alleged involvement in weapons distribution and car bombings in Baghdad, the military said in a statement.

Another suspect was responsible for organizing suicide bombings and helping foreign militants enter Iraq, the statement said.

Information from other detainees already in U.S. custody led American troops on Wednesday to two facilities that housed foreign militants west of Mosul, it said. The buildings were safely destroyed.

In a separate operation Wednesday, Iraqi police said they uncovered a large weapons cache near Samarra, 60 miles north of Baghdad.

Among the load were hundreds of explosive belts, three assembled car bombs and several different types of rockets, an officer said on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to release the information. One suspect also was arrested in the raid.

___

Associated Press writers Bushra Juhi, Sameer N. Yacoub and Lauren Frayer contributed to this report.

Necrologies

Takashi Sasamori, emeritus professor of atmospheric sciences at the University of Illinois, died in Urbana, Illinois, on 17 April 2001. Sasamori was born in Tokyo on 1 February 1930. He studied at Tohoku University in Sendai, Japan, graduating with a B.S. in physics and geophysics in 1953, an M.S. in 1955 and a D.Sci. in geophysics and meteorology in 1959. His thesis research concerned observations of atmospheric radiation and spectroscopic studies of polyatomic molecules.

Sasamori continued his research into radiative problems, working as a research scientist for the Japan Defense Agency. In the mid 1960s, he moved to the United States. He served as a research associate at the University of Colorado, where he enjoyed a fruitful collaboration with Julius London. From 1967 to 1978, he was a research scientist at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR). He was instrumental in developing the "second generation" NCAR general circulation model, for which he formulated efficient parameterizations of radiative transfer. He joined the University of Illinois as a professor of meteorology in 1978. Except for summer visits to Los Alamos and Argonne National Laboratories, Sasamori remained at Illinois until his retirement in 1993.

Sasamori's research was remarkable for its breadth. His 30 published papers address problems in radiative transfer, radiative modeling, interactions of radiation with dynamics, numerical modeling of the boundary layer, instabilities of large-scale atmospheric flows, and the circulations of the atmospheres of Venus and Jupiter. The thoughtfulness and originality of his research is reflected in the fact that several of his papers from the 1960s and 1970s are still widely cited. Sasamori's work invariably featured mathematical rigor, tempered by physical reasoning. A fine example is provided in what is perhaps his best known paper, "A Linear Harmonic Analysis of Atmospheric Motion with Radiative Dissipation." After several pages of mathematical analysis, Sasamori closes the paper with an intuitive diagram, in which he uses tanks and pipes to represent the transformations of energy within the atmosphere.

At Illinois, while Sasamori taught courses in radiative transfer and in boundary layers and turbulence, his research increasingly focused on large-scale dynamics. He was particularly interested in relating the large year-to-year variations in midwestern climate to the dynamics of stationary planetary waves. At the time of his death he was revising the manuscript of a book, titled Statistical Mechanics of Atmospheric Turbulence: An Introduction.

Beyond his professional accomplishments, Takashi is fondly remembered as a considerate colleague and a devoted husband, father, and grandfather. He was an avid gardener and an active member of his Methodist church. Takashi is survived by Kasuko, his wife of 43 years; three children Koichi, Akira, and Kieko; and three grandchildren.-Walter Robinson

Prius No. 1 in Japan sales as green interest grows

The Toyota Prius is so sought after in Japan it is the first gasoline-electric hybrid vehicle to top annual sales, with buyers willing to wait six months for deliveries of the curvaceous "green" car

The Prius has caught on in the U.S. and other parts of the world as well, although not with quite the same passionate intensity as it has in Japan, Toyota Motor Corp.'s home market.

Its success underlines the shift among consumers to embrace green auto technology that appears to go beyond a simple moneysaving response to the ups and downs of gasoline prices.

But Toyota can also expect competition to heat up this year, with rivals readying fuel-efficient models, including the Chevrolet Volt electric vehicle from Detroit-based General Motors Co.

The Japan Automobile Dealers Association said Friday that Toyota Motor Corp.'s Prius was No. 1 in its ranking of sales by vehicle models _ with 208,876 Prius cars sold in 2009, nearly three times the numbers sold the previous year.

Ritsuko Murosaki is one proud owner.

"I was a bit worried about its power but once I got used to it, it is so quiet and it drives great," said the 45-year-old secretary who drives to work in central Tokyo from the suburb of Yokohama. "When you stop at a traffic light, you can experience zero CO2 emissions because there's no idling."

Globally, Prius sales last year rose 41 percent to about 404,000 vehicles from the previous year, according to Toyota. Prius sales in North America fell 12 percent to 144,300 last year, but that was amid a big overall auto slump, and sales are expected to recover this year.

In Japan, the Prius easily outsold the No. 2 hybrid, the Honda Insight, at 93,283 for the year, and ranking fifth in overall Japan sales. Coming in second for overall car sales was Honda Motor Co.'s Fit, followed by the Toyota Vitz. Neither are hybrids but both are small and fuel efficient models.

Green models have gotten a huge lift this year in Japan from a government cash-for-clunkers program and tax breaks, aimed at boosting sales during a slowdown that has seriously hurt Japanese automakers.

The Prius has been the biggest beneficiary of the policy.

Hybrid sales got a perk from the cash-for-clunkers program in the U.S., but that only lasted about a month. The program in Japan is being extended by a half-year through September.

"The Prius is just the talk of the town," said Hiroyuki Naito, a Tokyo Toyota dealer, who could barely control his glee over a fresh flurry of orders after the incentives were extended. "The model appeals to a wide range of people. Some are switching from import models, while others are switching from luxury models."

Hybrid sales already make up about 10 percent of new vehicle sales in Japan. Green Car Congress, which researches and compiles reports on green technology, said hybrids had a 2.8 percent share of new vehicle sales in the U.S. last year.

"The Prius is proving to be the solitary runaway winner," said Mamoru Katou, auto analyst with Tokai Tokyo Research.

A model that sells 20,000 a month in Japan is rare, said Katou, adding that he expects the Prius to sell in even bigger numbers in 2010 in Japan.

Pricing has been a big reason for its success, according to Katou. That value-for-the money perception is unlikely to be threatened until the arrival of Honda's hybrid Fit in Japan expected later this year, he said.

Honda has not yet disclosed overseas sales plans for the hybrid Fit.

In an effort to ride out the competition of rivals, especially the Insight, Toyota has kept prices down on the Prius _ starting at $22,000, unchanged from the base price for the 2009 model, and a more basic U.S. model starting at $21,000. In Japan, the Prius starts at 2.05 million yen, or about $22,000.

Over the longer term, automakers are planning green models for markets like China and India, attracted by the prospect of burgeoning middle classes in these emerging economic superpowers.

Toyota already makes the Prius in China, the only other nation besides Japan where it manufactures the Prius. And earlier this week, it announced it will start selling the Prius in India this year.

The Prius was the top-selling model in Japan for every month from May last year _ the month when an upgraded version hit showrooms.

The Prius, now in its third generation since its 1997 introduction, is the best-selling gas-electric hybrid in the world, racking up a cumulative 1.6 million units sold so far, according to Toyota.

Hybrids, by going back and forth between a gasoline engine and electric motor, tend to offer better mileage in slow-speed and stop-and-go driving that's common in crowded cities.

The new Prius gets a combined 50 miles per gallon, compared with 46 mpg for the 2009 model, according to Toyota. It does even better under Japanese government testing standards, at 38 kilometers per liter, which converts to 90 miles per gallon.

Japan's auto market has been stagnant for decades, and the perk from hybrid sales is a rare bright spot. Auto sales in Japan declined to their lowest level in 38 years last year, slipping 9 percent to 2.9 million vehicles.

Toyota has been hammered by the global slump, and reported a 437 billion yen loss, its worst ever in its seven-decade history, for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2009. It expects to stay in the red for the fiscal year through March 2010, projecting a 200 billion yen ($2.2 billion) loss, but wants to avoid three straight years of losses.

And so the Prius success is a godsend.

"The numbers speak for themselves," said Toyota spokesman Paul Nolasco in Tokyo. "The Prius represents the ideal package people in Japan are looking for in terms of environmental and driving performance."

Police: Slain Jesuit in Moscow made sex advance

Russian investigators says two Jesuit priests found dead last year were killed by a drunk man who was solicited for sex by one of them.

The bodies of Russian Otto Messmer and Victor Betancourt of Ecuador were found on Oct. 28 in their Moscow apartment at the religious order's Moscow headquarters.

Several days later, police announced a 38-year-old man had confessed to the killings but gave few details.

The federal Investigative Committee announced Friday the man had been drinking with Betancourt, and when Betancourt suggested they have sex, the man bludgeoned Betancourt with a dumbbell.

It said Messmer arrived later and the man killed him to cover up the first killing.

Phone calls to the Catholic Russian Bishops Conference were not immediately answered.

Pacers prevail in overtime

The Indiana Pacers overcame a 10-point deficit in the fourthquarter and boosted their hopes for the Central Division title with a115-110 overtime victory Thursday against the visiting CharlotteHornets.

Reggie Miller led the Pacers, who moved a half-game ahead of theAtlanta Hawks in the division race, with 27 points and matched hiscareer high with 12 rebounds. David Wesley scored 23 points to leadthe Hornets, who fell 1 1/2 games behind the New York Knicks in therace for the last playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

Celtics 107, Heat 96: Paul Pierce scored 31 points and Dana Barros27 to help Boston complete a three-game season sweep of host Miami.The Heat played its second consecutive game without injured centerAlonzo Mourning, who suffered a fractured eye socket Monday againstthe Cleveland Cavaliers.Knicks 85, 76ers 70: Latrell Sprewell scored 30 points and AllanHouston 22 as New York put an end to visiting Philadelphia's five-game winning streak. Knicks center Patrick Ewing returned from athree-game absence with a sore Achilles tendon and scored six pointsin 21 minutes.Mavericks 91, Rockets 81: Michael Finley and Dirk Nowitzki eachscored 22 points to help Dallas hand host Houston its fourth loss inits last five games. Rockets center Hakeem Olajuwon suffered abruised left thigh in the second quarter and was listed as day-to-day.Lakers 108, Trail Blazers 89: Shaquille O'Neal matched his seasonhigh with 38 points, and Robert Horry made six three-pointers andadded a season-high 22 as Los Angeles drubbed visiting Portland. Thevictory enabled the slumping Lakers to end a three-game losingstreak.Jazz 96, Warriors 85: Karl Malone scored 25 points to power hostUtah to its 12th consecutive victory against Golden State.Spurs 99, Grizzlies 72: Tim Duncan scored 19 points and grabbed 10rebounds to help visiting San Antonio trounce Vancouver.Suns 98, Nuggets 87: Cliff Robinson scored 25 points, includingsix three-pointers, to carry Phoenix past host Denver.Kings 103, Clippers 81: Tariq Abdul-Wahad scored a season-high 19points to spark Sacramento past visiting Los Angeles.Wizards 97, Cavaliers 86: Ben Wallace was 9-for-9 and scored 20points as host Washington beat Cleveland to end a seven-game skid.

Building renovation diversifies Dudley

A thin coating of plaster dust covers the ballroom where the Ancient Order of the Hibernians once held dances, social gatherings and job recruiting events for Irish immigrants.

Workmen yell instructions up the wide staircases, feverishly renovating Hibernian Hall, a long-vacant four-story structure on Dudley Street near Dudley Square.

When Madison Park Development Corporation holds its grand opening early next year, the stretch of Dudley St. occupied by the hall will present storefronts to passers-by where for years only boarded-up windows greeted them. A new park will line Winslow Street, on an adjacent piece of property owned by Madison Park.

Inside the building, arts organizations and other groups will set up shop in offices and performance space. The centerpiece, the two-story ballroom with its rows of soaring, arched windows, will provide Roxbury residents a much-needed space for performances, weddings and other functions.

"First we thought we'd turn this into artist live-work housing -- something we know how to do," said Madison Park Executive Director Jeanne Pinado. "But when we started meeting with the community, there was a resounding cry to preserve the ballroom, that these kinds of places are getting torn down and there is no place in the community for a culture or performance center."

Hibernian Hall is expected to bring more nightlife to the area.

"Creating legal nightlife is key," said Madison Park Project Manager Celia Grant. "Dudley Square closes at five o'clock. It empties out. It's just a ghost town."

The project will bring much-needed office and performance space for arts-related organizations in Roxbury. The focus on the arts is nothing new for Madison Park, the project's sole developer.

Madison Park promotes economic development through the arts via its ACT Roxbury Consortium, which organizes the popular Roxbury Open Studios and Roxbury Film Festival.

ACT Roxbury will move into the renovated facility as one of many tenants, including a marketing company, martial arts studio, youth-focused photography program, catering company and other groups. Discussions are ongoing with two organizations, each of which is considering renting the remaining 75 percent of the office space.

Funding for the renovation came from a capital campaign conducted by Madison Park and from the nonprofit MassHousing Investment Corporation. MassHousing provided a $1.9 million low-interest mortgage and New Market Tax Credits and Historic Tax Credits, which Madison Park could sell to for-profit companies.

Pinado credits her group's success at garnering funding with its reputation for developing housing and, more importantly, renovating the former Woolworth's Building at 2201 Washington Street where Madison Park's offices are located.

"Doing another building in Dudley Square, people need to have faith that we can find tenants, get the project done on time, operate it," she said.

The renovation of Hibernian Hall comes as the revitalization of Dudley Square continues to gain steam with the recent announcement that the city will buy and develop the abandoned Ferdinand Furniture Factory building.

Signs of investment are clear as one walks past the ongoing construction of a Walgreens Pharmacy at the corner of Washington and Vernon streets or the recently completed renovation of the Dartmouth Hotel building, bringing mixed-income housing and retail space to the corner of Warren and Dudley streets.

Madison Park helped jump-start the revitalization of Dudley Square when it co-developed, along with Trinity Financial, the nearby Orchard Gardens housing development in 2000.

"We are hoping that [Hibernian Hall] and other projects will be a catalyst to bring more choices for people to shop," said Grant. "I think Hibernian Hall meets the needs of Dudley Square in several ways. It brings new retail and quality office space."

Article copyright The Bay State Banner.

Photograph (Jeanne Pinado)

Polanski's wife says their worst moments are over

The wife of Roman Polanski says she believes the 32-year-old sexual abuse case against her husband will be finished soon.

French actress and singer Emmanuelle Seigner, 43, is to appear in a TVN24 interview in Poland on Monday and the station ran some clips before its broadcast.

The 76-year-old Polanski was arrested in September on a U.S. arrest warrant and is under house arrest in the couple's house in Gstaad, Switzerland, pending an extradition decision.

Seigner says their life is "not ideal" but is "good" because Polanski can see their two children, Morgane and Elvis.

She says she believes the matter will be "solved and over pretty soon" and that the "toughest moments are behind us."

The singer is in Poland to promote a new album.

Pharmacy magnate seeks spot on presidential ballot in Mexico

MORGAN LEE, Associated Press Writer
AP Worldstream
03-09-2005
Dateline: MEXICO CITY
Discount pharmacy magnate Victor Gonzalez says he can feel the support of the people, with Mexico's presidential elections now 16 months away.

Gonzalez has made a name for himself based on the popularity of his fast-growing discount drug chain Farmacias Similares, but still needs the backing of a political party to get on the presidential ballot in 2006.

"They ask me if I have a party," Gonzalez said at a news conference Tuesday. "Yes, the party is my entire country."

Gonzalez is not the only presidential aspirant trying to go it alone. Jorge Castaneda, a former foreign secretary under President Vicente Fox, had hoped to run as an independent, but courts so far have blocked that idea.

Gonzalez says his presidential credentials are his success in business as a model of cooperation between Mexico's rich and poor. He is proposing a new brand of socialism that incorporates the name of his company _ "Simi-socialism."

"I like to attend events, for example, in a BMW," he said. "The people see it (and say), 'it's good you have money so you can give more to us.' The people like the truth and are sick of lies."

While holding discussions with political parties in search of a place on the ballot, Gonzalez has proposed that Congress allow independent candidacies for those who can gather 500,000 signatures and 1 million pesos (US$907,000; euro687,000).

The uncle of Green Party President Jorge Emilio Gonzalez and the brother of the small party's founder, Victor Gonzalez has ruled out an affiliation with the Greens, preferring to strike out on his own.

The would-be candidate promised in general terms to confront corruption and tax evasion in Mexico, saying he would lead the way be example and disclose his personal wealth if elected president.

"I have a comfortable lifestyle, I can't deny it," he said.

Gonzalez also suggested limiting immunity from prosecution for public officials to cover only job-related activities.

Most of all, the country urgently needs to change its attitude about corruption, he said.

"In other countries a corrupt person is not viewed kindly and is repudiated," Gonzalez said. "Here no. Sometimes corruption is applauded."

While Gonzalez searches for a legal means to run for president, he also is seeking to convert his customer base into a political base.

On billboards in Mexico City, the cartoon-character mascot for Farmacias Similares _ a mustachioed Dr. Simi _ is shown morphing into the image of Gonzalez.

"We have done a lot for the poor people, for the people who have the least, but I still need to be on the ballot," Gonzalez said.

Farmacias Similares sells generic medicines that are not necessarily tested for equivalency with patented drugs under the banner, "the same, but cheaper." There are more than 1,700 stores in Mexico, and branches have opened in Costa Rica, Guatemala, Argentina and Ecuador.

Gonzalez said generic drug manufacturers are responsible for ensuring the quality of the products sold by Farmacias Similares, but that he supported legal changes that went into effect in February increasing federal oversight of generics.

Laboratorios Best, which is owned by Gonzalez, makes about 30 percent of the drugs supplied by Farmacias Similares.

In television ads for the pharmacy, a Dr. Simi puppet interviews scantily clad women in suggestive ads for condoms, or "simi-condoms."

On Tuesday, Gonzalez said women would be assigned "prominent roles" in his government, expressing admiration for female politicians including Zacatecas state governor Amalia Garcia.

"The Simi-girl is an image for Farmacias Similares," Gonzalez said. "Politics is obviously a separate life."

Copyright 2005, AP News All Rights Reserved
Pharmacy magnate seeks spot on presidential ballot in MexicoMORGAN LEE, Associated Press Writer
AP Worldstream
03-09-2005
Dateline: MEXICO CITY
Discount pharmacy magnate Victor Gonzalez says he can feel the support of the people, with Mexico's presidential elections now 16 months away.

Gonzalez has made a name for himself based on the popularity of his fast-growing discount drug chain Farmacias Similares, but still needs the backing of a political party to get on the presidential ballot in 2006.

"They ask me if I have a party," Gonzalez said at a news conference Tuesday. "Yes, the party is my entire country."

Gonzalez is not the only presidential aspirant trying to go it alone. Jorge Castaneda, a former foreign secretary under President Vicente Fox, had hoped to run as an independent, but courts so far have blocked that idea.

Gonzalez says his presidential credentials are his success in business as a model of cooperation between Mexico's rich and poor. He is proposing a new brand of socialism that incorporates the name of his company _ "Simi-socialism."

"I like to attend events, for example, in a BMW," he said. "The people see it (and say), 'it's good you have money so you can give more to us.' The people like the truth and are sick of lies."

While holding discussions with political parties in search of a place on the ballot, Gonzalez has proposed that Congress allow independent candidacies for those who can gather 500,000 signatures and 1 million pesos (US$907,000; euro687,000).

The uncle of Green Party President Jorge Emilio Gonzalez and the brother of the small party's founder, Victor Gonzalez has ruled out an affiliation with the Greens, preferring to strike out on his own.

The would-be candidate promised in general terms to confront corruption and tax evasion in Mexico, saying he would lead the way be example and disclose his personal wealth if elected president.

"I have a comfortable lifestyle, I can't deny it," he said.

Gonzalez also suggested limiting immunity from prosecution for public officials to cover only job-related activities.

Most of all, the country urgently needs to change its attitude about corruption, he said.

"In other countries a corrupt person is not viewed kindly and is repudiated," Gonzalez said. "Here no. Sometimes corruption is applauded."

While Gonzalez searches for a legal means to run for president, he also is seeking to convert his customer base into a political base.

On billboards in Mexico City, the cartoon-character mascot for Farmacias Similares _ a mustachioed Dr. Simi _ is shown morphing into the image of Gonzalez.

"We have done a lot for the poor people, for the people who have the least, but I still need to be on the ballot," Gonzalez said.

Farmacias Similares sells generic medicines that are not necessarily tested for equivalency with patented drugs under the banner, "the same, but cheaper." There are more than 1,700 stores in Mexico, and branches have opened in Costa Rica, Guatemala, Argentina and Ecuador.

Gonzalez said generic drug manufacturers are responsible for ensuring the quality of the products sold by Farmacias Similares, but that he supported legal changes that went into effect in February increasing federal oversight of generics.

Laboratorios Best, which is owned by Gonzalez, makes about 30 percent of the drugs supplied by Farmacias Similares.

In television ads for the pharmacy, a Dr. Simi puppet interviews scantily clad women in suggestive ads for condoms, or "simi-condoms."

On Tuesday, Gonzalez said women would be assigned "prominent roles" in his government, expressing admiration for female politicians including Zacatecas state governor Amalia Garcia.

"The Simi-girl is an image for Farmacias Similares," Gonzalez said. "Politics is obviously a separate life."

Copyright 2005, AP News All Rights Reserved
Pharmacy magnate seeks spot on presidential ballot in MexicoMORGAN LEE, Associated Press Writer
AP Worldstream
03-09-2005
Dateline: MEXICO CITY
Discount pharmacy magnate Victor Gonzalez says he can feel the support of the people, with Mexico's presidential elections now 16 months away.

Gonzalez has made a name for himself based on the popularity of his fast-growing discount drug chain Farmacias Similares, but still needs the backing of a political party to get on the presidential ballot in 2006.

"They ask me if I have a party," Gonzalez said at a news conference Tuesday. "Yes, the party is my entire country."

Gonzalez is not the only presidential aspirant trying to go it alone. Jorge Castaneda, a former foreign secretary under President Vicente Fox, had hoped to run as an independent, but courts so far have blocked that idea.

Gonzalez says his presidential credentials are his success in business as a model of cooperation between Mexico's rich and poor. He is proposing a new brand of socialism that incorporates the name of his company _ "Simi-socialism."

"I like to attend events, for example, in a BMW," he said. "The people see it (and say), 'it's good you have money so you can give more to us.' The people like the truth and are sick of lies."

While holding discussions with political parties in search of a place on the ballot, Gonzalez has proposed that Congress allow independent candidacies for those who can gather 500,000 signatures and 1 million pesos (US$907,000; euro687,000).

The uncle of Green Party President Jorge Emilio Gonzalez and the brother of the small party's founder, Victor Gonzalez has ruled out an affiliation with the Greens, preferring to strike out on his own.

The would-be candidate promised in general terms to confront corruption and tax evasion in Mexico, saying he would lead the way be example and disclose his personal wealth if elected president.

"I have a comfortable lifestyle, I can't deny it," he said.

Gonzalez also suggested limiting immunity from prosecution for public officials to cover only job-related activities.

Most of all, the country urgently needs to change its attitude about corruption, he said.

"In other countries a corrupt person is not viewed kindly and is repudiated," Gonzalez said. "Here no. Sometimes corruption is applauded."

While Gonzalez searches for a legal means to run for president, he also is seeking to convert his customer base into a political base.

On billboards in Mexico City, the cartoon-character mascot for Farmacias Similares _ a mustachioed Dr. Simi _ is shown morphing into the image of Gonzalez.

"We have done a lot for the poor people, for the people who have the least, but I still need to be on the ballot," Gonzalez said.

Farmacias Similares sells generic medicines that are not necessarily tested for equivalency with patented drugs under the banner, "the same, but cheaper." There are more than 1,700 stores in Mexico, and branches have opened in Costa Rica, Guatemala, Argentina and Ecuador.

Gonzalez said generic drug manufacturers are responsible for ensuring the quality of the products sold by Farmacias Similares, but that he supported legal changes that went into effect in February increasing federal oversight of generics.

Laboratorios Best, which is owned by Gonzalez, makes about 30 percent of the drugs supplied by Farmacias Similares.

In television ads for the pharmacy, a Dr. Simi puppet interviews scantily clad women in suggestive ads for condoms, or "simi-condoms."

On Tuesday, Gonzalez said women would be assigned "prominent roles" in his government, expressing admiration for female politicians including Zacatecas state governor Amalia Garcia.

"The Simi-girl is an image for Farmacias Similares," Gonzalez said. "Politics is obviously a separate life."

Copyright 2005, AP News All Rights Reserved
Pharmacy magnate seeks spot on presidential ballot in MexicoMORGAN LEE, Associated Press Writer
AP Worldstream
03-09-2005
Dateline: MEXICO CITY
Discount pharmacy magnate Victor Gonzalez says he can feel the support of the people, with Mexico's presidential elections now 16 months away.

Gonzalez has made a name for himself based on the popularity of his fast-growing discount drug chain Farmacias Similares, but still needs the backing of a political party to get on the presidential ballot in 2006.

"They ask me if I have a party," Gonzalez said at a news conference Tuesday. "Yes, the party is my entire country."

Gonzalez is not the only presidential aspirant trying to go it alone. Jorge Castaneda, a former foreign secretary under President Vicente Fox, had hoped to run as an independent, but courts so far have blocked that idea.

Gonzalez says his presidential credentials are his success in business as a model of cooperation between Mexico's rich and poor. He is proposing a new brand of socialism that incorporates the name of his company _ "Simi-socialism."

"I like to attend events, for example, in a BMW," he said. "The people see it (and say), 'it's good you have money so you can give more to us.' The people like the truth and are sick of lies."

While holding discussions with political parties in search of a place on the ballot, Gonzalez has proposed that Congress allow independent candidacies for those who can gather 500,000 signatures and 1 million pesos (US$907,000; euro687,000).

The uncle of Green Party President Jorge Emilio Gonzalez and the brother of the small party's founder, Victor Gonzalez has ruled out an affiliation with the Greens, preferring to strike out on his own.

The would-be candidate promised in general terms to confront corruption and tax evasion in Mexico, saying he would lead the way be example and disclose his personal wealth if elected president.

"I have a comfortable lifestyle, I can't deny it," he said.

Gonzalez also suggested limiting immunity from prosecution for public officials to cover only job-related activities.

Most of all, the country urgently needs to change its attitude about corruption, he said.

"In other countries a corrupt person is not viewed kindly and is repudiated," Gonzalez said. "Here no. Sometimes corruption is applauded."

While Gonzalez searches for a legal means to run for president, he also is seeking to convert his customer base into a political base.

On billboards in Mexico City, the cartoon-character mascot for Farmacias Similares _ a mustachioed Dr. Simi _ is shown morphing into the image of Gonzalez.

"We have done a lot for the poor people, for the people who have the least, but I still need to be on the ballot," Gonzalez said.

Farmacias Similares sells generic medicines that are not necessarily tested for equivalency with patented drugs under the banner, "the same, but cheaper." There are more than 1,700 stores in Mexico, and branches have opened in Costa Rica, Guatemala, Argentina and Ecuador.

Gonzalez said generic drug manufacturers are responsible for ensuring the quality of the products sold by Farmacias Similares, but that he supported legal changes that went into effect in February increasing federal oversight of generics.

Laboratorios Best, which is owned by Gonzalez, makes about 30 percent of the drugs supplied by Farmacias Similares.

In television ads for the pharmacy, a Dr. Simi puppet interviews scantily clad women in suggestive ads for condoms, or "simi-condoms."

On Tuesday, Gonzalez said women would be assigned "prominent roles" in his government, expressing admiration for female politicians including Zacatecas state governor Amalia Garcia.

"The Simi-girl is an image for Farmacias Similares," Gonzalez said. "Politics is obviously a separate life."

Copyright 2005, AP News All Rights Reserved

St. Charles finds help for Redmar

St. Charles coach Marlyss Runestad didn't think ace Amy Redmarhad one of her better performances yesterday, but Redmar had enoughto earn an eight-inning 4-2 victory over Elgin Larkin in the UpstateEight.

"I can't say this was one of Amy's better games," Runestad said. "But she had a lot of support on the field. I was very impressedwith our defense."

St. Charles (11-0, 5-0) scored two runs in the top of the firstinning, but Larkin (6-3, 2-3) got one in the second and tied the gamein the seventh.

Amy Fink (2-for-4) opened the eighth with a double for St.Charles and after Jamie Ford reached on a dropped third strike,Redmar (2-for-4) singled in Fink for …

Mary Beth Rinehart, CPA and Kelley Auvil of Hall, Kistler & Company LLP are now certified.(Canton)

MARY BETH RINEHART, CPA and KELLEY AUVIL of Hall, Kistler …

CISCO, FOX TRANSMIT DIGITAL FILM ON INTERNET TO THEATER IN ATLANTA.(ARTS)

Byline: RICK LYMAN New York Times

LOS ANGELES -- On Tuesday, for the first time, a Hollywood movie will be digitally transmitted across the country over the Internet and then digitally projected to a cinema audience, going from the studio in Hollywood to a theater in Atlanta without ever touching film, officials at 20th Century Fox Inc. and Cisco Systems Inc. said.

The idea is to demonstrate the potential of digital distribution, which many believe will one day supplant traditional canisters of celluloid, and to allow Fox to have the world premiere of its new animated feature, ``Titan A.E.,'' at Atlanta's Supercomm trade show on Tuesday. The film, a space …

Quality Distribution completes IPO.(Brief Article)

Quality Distribution (Tampa, FL) says it completed an initial public offering (IPO) of 7 million shares priced at $17/share, raising $132 million (CW, Aug. 27/Sept. 3, p. 12). Proceeds will be used to …

Vermont Comes Up With Another Major Win

Tom Brennan built a basketball program that the whole state of Vermont came to love. The Catamounts made the NCAA tournament three straight times and, in a fitting final bow, beat No. 11 Syracuse in the first round in 2005, the school's first victory over a ranked team.

Mike Lonergan was hoping to build on that success when he took over from his wacky but winning predecessor.

And now he's taken the first step.

The Catamounts coasted to a 77-63 victory over No. 14 Boston College on Monday night - the school's second win against a ranked team, and the first since Lonergan took over.

"Coach Brennan and the players put Vermont on the map," Lonergan said. …

Why let hater rip pope?

Watching the pope yesterday, I couldn't help to think about the column in your paper by a man by the name of Hitchens. You gave him nearly a full page to criticize the pope and the Catholic church. This man had the gall to pound away, telling the pope what he should do, with no praise for him at all. This writer is an ultraconservative atheist. An avowed atheist, hater of all things …

WOMEN TO WATCH; Seraina Maag.(NEWS)

President

Commercial Specialties

Zurich North America

40

Appointed president of Zurich North America's Commercial Specialties unit in 2007, Seraina Maag rose rapidly at the Zurich Financial Services Group Inc. unit after serving as its chief financial officer for slightly more than a year. Ms. Maag applies a collaborative leadership approach to drive decisionmaking authority to field offices. The specialties unit is a $2.4 billion business providing products for complex and volatile risks. She joined Zurich in 2002 as senior investor relations officer and in 2004 became head of investor relations and rating agency management. She simultaneously …

WHALEN'S PROPOSED BUDGET UNDER FIRE ENVIRONMENTALIST, POLICE UNIONIST ASSAIL MAYOR'S PLAN.(Local)

Byline: Jay Jochnowitz Staff writer

An environmental attorney on Wednesday branded Mayor Thomas M. Whalen III's budget unrealistic and off by millions of dollars in garbage costs, while the head of the city police union sharply attacked the mayor for not providing enough funds to run the department.

The criticisms of Whalen's proposed $78 million 1989 spending plan were leveled at a public hearing before the Common Council's Finance Committee.

In terms of cost, the biggest money issue Wednesday was the city's landfill problem. Albany's existing landfill off Rapp Road is nearing capacity and is expected to close next year or in 1990. The city wants …

OLD TUBE, NEW TRICK.(BUSINESS)

Byline: MARGARET D. WILLIAMS Bloomberg News

LOS ANGELES -- The idea was enticing: a box that attaches to the television and flashes motivational messages while you watch your favorite shows.

The $245.95 product from Dutch company Motivision Worldwide Plc is the size of a shoebox and about as heavy as a paperback. It was easy to hook up to a VCR. The reprogrammed messages are aimed mainly at weight loss and stress reduction and can't be changed.

Motivision is making its first big U.S. push with an infomercial scheduled to run this month. Until now, the product's been sold only in test markets.

When it operates, 21 …

Web magic.(Builder tech: new gadgets, new systems, new future)(www.servicemagic.com)(Brief Article)

The home services portal run by Service Magic has emerged as an effective tool for small custom home builders. Rodney Rice, the company's co-CEO, says that of the 45,000 businesses Service Magic has screened, profiled, and rated, about 23,000 are contractors, 1,000 …

Kings-Cavaliers, Box

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SACRAMENTO (93)

Garcia 7-13 0-0 15, Moore 5-8 1-1 11, Miller 7-15 3-3 17, Udrih 5-12 0-0 11, Salmons 10-14 1-2 22, Douby 0-2 0-0 0, Williams 4-5 0-4 8, Hawes 1-1 0-0 2, Jones 3-6 1-2 7. Totals 42-76 6-12 93.

CLEVELAND (97)

James 7-18 9-12 24, Gooden 4-11 1-2 9, Ilgauskas 4-15 6-7 14, Pavlovic 4-11 0-2 9, Hughes 2-11 0-0 4, Varejao 5-9 1-1 11, Gibson 4-9 2-3 13, Dw.Jones 0-0 0-0 0, D.Brown 5-7 3-4 13. Totals 35-91 22-31 97.

Feldman a favorite today at Arlington

Pssst! Want a sure winner at Arlington Park today? How aboutDave Feldman?

Arlington Park will honor Feldman with a special day, includinga race in his name in tribute to his election to the Chicago SportsHall of Fame.

There also will be a special presentation to Feldman after therace in his honor.

Feldman is being inducted to the Hall for his more than 50 yearsof service to thoroughbred racing. He will receive the Hall'sDistinguished Achievement Award.

The track also will hand out free 6-foot "One In A Million,"posters of …