A lot of Articles9: 2012

четверг, 15 марта 2012 г.

EDUCATION SOUGHT FOR HATE OFFENDERS

ILLINOIS SENATE PASSES SILVERSTEIN'S BILL 1708

SPECIAL TO THE CHICAGO JEWISH STAR

An Illinois Senate bill that would require those convicted of religious hate crimes to enroll in an educational course to prevent …

French market authority approves long-delayed GDF-Suez merger

French stock market authorities have given final approval to a long-delayed merger between Gaz de France and Suez, the companies said Monday.

The deal _ which would create one of Europe's biggest energy companies _ next goes to shareholders of GDF and Suez, who vote separately July 16 on the merger terms.

If approved, the merger would take effect with a combined stock market listing on July 22, the Paris-based companies said in a joint statement. The new company would be called GDF Suez.

"All prerequisites to the shareholder vote on the two companies' merger have now been fulfilled," the statement said.

The merger idea was …

Dreaded bighead carp found in Rock River The 'bad, bad fish' is known to hurt habitat

ROCKFORD, Ill. -- An Asian bighead carp -- an invasive speciesthat can compete with native fish and hurt habitat -- has been caughtin the Rock River, according to the Illinois Department of NaturalResources.

Dan Sallee, a DNR spokesman, said Monday it is the first time thespecies has been found in the waterway before it feeds into theMississippi River. The 285-mile Rock River begins in several lakes insoutheastern Wisconsin and flows south into the Mississippi Riverbelow Rock Island.

"I don't want to see new water contaminated with this bad, badfish," Sallee told the Rockford Register Star.

A fisherman caught the carp on …

среда, 14 марта 2012 г.

Business people teach Rotarians a few tricks

The terms "service club" and "business practices" were not always synonymous.

However, in response to the changing world of work and volunteers' time, the Rotary Club of Harrisburg changed its standard operating procedures about two years ago to devise and follow a common business practice.

Past President Marcia Breinich and rotarians Bob Hanson and Joe Sutliff introduced the strategic planning process as a way to update the club's operations.

"We took a proven business tool, the strategic plan, and applied it to our service club," says rotarian Bob Saline. "The results are making us proud."

President Janice Black said, "Since we went through the strategic …

Zurich makes progress on football stadium project

ZURICH (AP) — Zurich has moved closer to getting the new football stadium that was originally promised for the 2008 European Championship.

The canton (state) of Zurich says it will invest 8 million Swiss francs ($8.5 million) in a 19,000-capacity venue to be shared by city rivals FC Zurich and Grasshoppers.

The 150 million Swiss francs ($160 million) project on the site of …

Canadian man gets 12 months for Oasis attack

A Canadian man who attacked Oasis guitarist Noel Gallagher on a Toronto concert stage has been sentenced to 12 months house arrest.

Daniel Sullivan ran on stage and pushed Gallagher from behind during the Virgin Music Festival in September 2008.

Gallagher suffered three broken ribs and Oasis was forced to cancel later concerts in Paris and New York.

The conditional house arrest …

FBI clerk began her work in Hoover era; Worker saluted for five decades with bureau here

When Paula Hilton started with the FBI, Dwight D. Eisenhower waspresident, J. Edgar Hoover was the agency's director and her annualsalary was a whopping $2,960.

Five decades later, Hilton, 69, is still doing clerical work forthe Chicago's FBI office.

On Monday, she was recognized for her 50 years of service -- thelongest ever in Chicago. She's believed to be the second longest-serving worker nationally still employed with the FBI and the fourthlongest ever, Chicago FBI chief Robert Grant said.

ON DUTY FOR '68 CONVENTION

"It was really a great experience," she said. "I think you haveto like what you're doing. It's important you like who …

Feinberg to lay out details on BP spill claims

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The deadline to make an emergency Gulf of Mexico oil spill claim is over and the administrator of the $20 billion fund is laying out more details about what happens next.

Kenneth R. Feinberg is going to talk to reporters Wednesday about how the process will move forward from initial emergency payments to interim and final claims.

So far, Feinberg says about $2 …

Gates: Obama is within law in Libyan operation

WASHINGTON (AP) — For legal reasons, President Barack Obama rejects the word "hostilities" to describe U.S. involvement in Libya's civil war. Along the same lines, Defense Secretary Robert Gates calls American actions there "a limited kinetic operation."

Definitions are part of the debate over whether Obama is violating the War Powers Resolution by failing to obtain congressional approval for U.S. participation in the NATO-led air strikes against Moammar Gadhafi's government.

The international coalition assisting Libyan rebels in their efforts to oust Gadhafi from power is in its fourth month. Before dawn on Sunday, NATO airstrikes began pounding targets in Tripoli as part of …

Strong relationships build success for Carty's Collision Center

CARTY'S COLLISION CENTER

Don't underestimate the power of relationships, especially in the collision repair industry. Carry's Collision Center of Ontario, Calif., has succeeded by tapping into the power of relationships.

"We try to develop relationships with our customers so that even if they go to a different insurance carrier, they're still our customer," says Kelly McCarty, who has managed the business for 10 years.

To increase the likelihood that a customer will stay with the company, Carry's is on five major direct repair programs, which generate about 85 percent of its business. No single program represents more than 25 percent of its business, however, and the …

US State Department tells Israel to stop discriminating against Arab-Americans

The United States has told Israel repeatedly that Arab-American Palestinians must be treated as American citizens at border crossings or anywhere else, the State Department said Thursday.

Still, said spokesman Sean McCormack, "It's a continuing issue. It's a continuing problem."

McCormack's comments were in response to question about a letter that Arab-American community leader James Zogby sent to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice that complained of the problem as "an issue for many decades" for Arab-Americans.

McCormack said the response had not been drafted to Zogby's request for a meeting on the subject.

Then …

McCann comes up big, NL finally wins All-Star game

Brian McCann's three-run double in the seventh inning provided the National League all the offense it needed to capture its first All-Star game since 1996 with a 3-1 victory over the American League on Tuesday.

In a year of dominant pitching, young starters David Price and Ubaldo Jimenez set the tone _ and got even more help from the tricky shadows. Nearly the entire field at Angel Stadium was bathed in odd patterns of sunlight for a twilight first pitch, creating more awkward swings and misses than usual in baseball's annual talent show.

The National League earns home-field advantage in this year's World Series.

"It's a big deal. I think home …

Hologic 1Q beats Street; raises annual guidance

BEDFORD, Mass. (AP) — Medical device maker Hologic Inc. said Monday that its fiscal first-quarter net income rose 90 percent from a year ago as revenue grew across its business units. The results beat analysts' expectations and the company also boosted its annual earnings outlook.

Hologic shares rose $1.27, or 6.6 percent, to $20.47 in after-hours trading following the earnings announcement, after closing the regular session down 18 cents at $19.20.

Net income in the three months to Dec. 24 rose to $20.8 million, or 8 cents per share, from $10.9 million, or 4 cents per share, a year earlier.

Excluding the amortization of intangible assets and other items, earnings came to 34 cents per share, above the 32 cents expected by analysts polled by FactSet.

Revenue rose 9 percent to $472.7 million from $432.6 million a year ago. That was also higher than the $466.3 million expected.

The company said it expects second-quarter adjusted earnings of 33 cents per share on revenue of $470 million to $475 million. The per-share earnings was in line with analysts' forecasts, while the midpoint of the revenue guidance was slightly higher than the $470.9 million expected.

Hologic said it boosted its annual earnings guidance by a penny to $1.36 to $1.38 per share, but reaffirmed its revenue guidance of $1.9 billion to $1.93 billion. Analysts were looking for adjusted earnings of $1.36 per share on $1.91 billion in revenue.

вторник, 13 марта 2012 г.

Morally Bankrupt Volume II: Pain Remover

by Talaam Acey

NRGOD, 2001, $15.00

ASIN 6-035-59974-2

On the first track of his second independently released CD, Morally Bankrupt Volume II, Talaam Acey explains what you can expect to hear on the album's fifteen tracks. In a conversational tone, he introduces each poem, something that's unusual for music releases, especially spoken-word recordings. But then everything about Acey's second CD is a departure from the norm.

"Revolutionary Malpractice was just a call for poets to check themselves," says Acey. "Half these cats with all this revolutionary stuff, they don't mean what they saying. They ain't snatching guns from no cops and taking over no governments. So you know, just keep it real. Ask yourself, am I saying some stuff that's useful, practical, or am I just talking some interesting things that people are going to enjoy."

A slam phenom, Acey has nurtured his lyrical and performance career at the Nuyorican Poetry Cafe and at the National Slam. Morally Bankrupt represents Acey's second attempt at social commentary, challenging established ideas of morality and revolution. Acey manages to avoid the didactic nature of such heavyweight issues by invoking a performance presence, both audible and spiritual, that is reminiscent of Gil Scott-Heron and the Last Poets.

While many of Acey's colleagues record with rock bands and DJs, he relies on his best instrument, his voice. Track number 11, "Lucidity II: Live Version," a well-known crowd-pleaser, attests to his verbal dexterity. There are poems that seem like rants or afterthoughts and probably would not stand up on the page, such as "Newark is for Niggaz II." But any shortcomings are easily silenced by the sheer enjoyment of the record.

Boxing; Lewis; Let Tyson wait his turn

Heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis says he won't fight Mike Tyson on April 6, but he could take on another challenger.

"The April 6 date is definitely out the window for the Tyson fight, but it may be OK for another fight," Lewis told BBC Radio. "Later in the year for a Lewis-Tyson fight, definitely.

"Mike Tyson is the ultimate matchup in my era and it would be disappointing not only for me but for the public not to see that matchup, so on the sport aspect that fight should be made."

If Lewis goes ahead with a fight April 6, his most likely opponent would be IBF challenger Chris Bird.

Tyson lost his bid to fight Lewis in Las Vegas on April 6 when the Nevada Athletic Commission voted 4-1 last Tuesday to deny him a boxing license.

Lewis and Tyson brawled last month at a news conference in New York to announce the fight.

Lewis has not ruled out the possibility of fighting Tyson outside the United States. South Africa, the Netherlands and Germany have expressed interest in holding the bout.

Tyson has taken the first step in applying for a license in California, where he hopes to fight Lewis. Rob Lynch, executive director of the California State Athletic Commission, has said a hearing probably will be held late this month.

"There are a lot of different situations that could develop," Lewis said. "Everything is still young, the decision has just been made and we need to go back and see what comes out of this.

"But I would love to beat up Tyson and give him a whipping because the public want to see it, plus the fans want to see a Lewis-Tyson matchup, so it is a disappointment to those people as well."

In Other Boxing News:

READING, Pa.--Bernard Hopkins wants Roy Jones Jr. at the right price and the right weight.

Hopkins, who stopped Carl Daniels to retain his unified middleweight championship Saturday night, insists on a 50-50 purse split and won't move up much in weight. "I'm a natural middleweight," Hopkins said. "I'm not going to give Roy Jones his due and give him everything. What has Roy Jones done lately? He tells everybody, 'Have you forgot? Well, there's ain't nobody remember. People have short memories in boxing. I can't live off the Felix Trinidad fight. You're only as good as your last fight."

Hopkins defeated the previously unbeaten Trinidad four months ago to capture the WBA title, becoming the first undisputed middleweight champion since Marvin Hagler in the mid-1980s.

Hopkins has been looking for a rematch against Jones ever since. Jones, the undisputed light heavyweight champion, won a 12-round decision over Hopkins for the vacant IBF middleweight title in 1993. It was the last time Hopkins lost.

Jones (46-1 with 37 knockouts) stopped Australia's Glen Kelly in Miami in the second part of the split-site doubleheader.

"Come up in weight, fight for my title," Jones shouted at Hopkins in an interview between their fights. "I already beat you one time. You're just as sorry now as you were then."

Jones told Hopkins he wants an 80-20 purse split. Hopkins said he'll never fight him in that case.

"My career is not based and predicated on me fighting Roy Jones," Hopkins said. "I'm glad that I have three belts because that means I have three mandatories a year and I can make $2 million or $3 million every time I step in the ring with Donald Duck. I can deal with that. I can live with that. I'm not going to be upset if I don't get Roy. If you really look at it, you can't blame a person for not wanting to get in there with Bernard Hopkins."

Article copyright REAL TIMES Inc.

Nick Price grabs one-stroke lead after second round of Principal Charity Classic

Nick Price shot a 5-under 66 to take a one-shot lead after the second round of the Principal Charity Classic and get back in position for his first Champions Tour victory on Saturday.

Price blew a two-shot lead in the final round of the FedEx Kinko's Classic in early May.

He will enter Sunday's final round at Glen Oaks Country Club with a 6-under 136 total. Six players, including Bobby Wadkins and Mark McNulty, were one shot back.

Joey Sindelar and Tom Purtzer shot even-par 71s and were two shots back at 4-under. Defending champion Jay Haas, who last week won the Senior PGA Championship, shot a 3-under 68 and also was at 138.

Eleven players were within two strokes of Price entering Sunday. Haas, however, was the only one in the top 10 on the Champions Tour money list.

Price, the former British Open and U.S. PGA Championship winner from Zimbabwe, will enter the final round with the lead for the second time in three events. His last round with the edge turned into a mess, though. Price double-bogeyed the 15th and 16th holes at The Hills in Austin, Texas, and finished one shot behind winner Denis Watson.

Despite that agonizing back nine in Austin, Price seems to have found his game in his second season on the senior circuit. He's finished in the top 10 in five of his last six events, the only exception being when he withdrew from the Senior PGA during the second round because of back trouble.

"My game wasn't in good shape when I came out here last year," Price said. "I needed to work on some things and have a little more continuity in my game, and I think that's all that's happened."

Price entered the day four shots off the lead, but he got off to a hot start with birdies on his first three holes. After a bogey on No. 5, Price scored birdies on two straight par-5s and capped his round with a birdie on No. 17, which is considered the toughest hole at Glen Oaks.

Price, along with Bob Gilder and Mark O'Meara, shot the lowest round of the day.

"I just stayed patient, because I was looking at the scoreboard and no one was really shooting lights out today," Price said. "I just played smart coming in. I didn't really take any chances."

Gilder bounced back from an opening-round 73 with a 5-under 66 on Saturday, and O'Meara jumped from 47th to a tie for eighth with his 66.

Loren Roberts, who finished second at Glen Oaks in 2006, shot a 1-over 72 and was at 2-under 140. Scott Hoch, third on the money list, shot a 70 and was at 1-under for the tournament.

`Songs for 'Drella' weave velvet elegy to Warhol's genius

Lou Reed and John Cale. "Songs for 'Drella: A Fiction" (Sire)(STAR) (STAR) (STAR) (STAR)

Andy Warhol the conceptualist is dead, but Warhol as catalystlives on. There's a feeling of unfinished business underlying thiscollaboration by Lou Reed and John Cale, this ambivalent tribute totheir late mentor 25 years after Warhol managed the two in the VelvetUnderground.

" 'Drella" (a contraction of Cinderella into Dracula that Warholreportedly didn't much like as his nickname) makes no attempt at aVelvet revival, a return to the sound that inspired a thousandimitators. Instead, these duets function more like a musicalconversation marked by an intimacy and a creative tension thatdistinguishes this collaboration from the solo music of either Reedor Cale.

Though no one is likely to confuse young Andy - "bad skin, badeyes, gay and fatty" - with J. C. Superstar or that deaf, dumb andblind kid, the results are more complex, compelling and operatic thanany rock opera. "Your diaries are not a worthy epitaph," sings Reed.This is.

Public Enemy. "Fear of a Black Planet" (Def Jam/Columbia) (STAR)(STAR) (STAR)

If only the music were as revolutionary as the messages. Thekey tracks on Public Enemy's third album - the opening "BrothersGonna Work It Out," the closing "Fight the Power," the surprisinglyfunny title cut and the "Welcome to the Terrordome" single - have theurgency, the propulsiveness and the textural audacity that fulfillall the promise that its adherents claim for rap.

As for much of the rest, well, don't believe the hype. Toomuch filler, too many pick-a-topic position papers, too much musicreduced to a lyric sheet with a beat can make for numbinglyrepetitive listening. Rap needs an artistic revolutionary - a JimiHendrix, a Sly Stone, a George Clinton, a Prince - and Public Enemyisn't there yet.

FOLK BEYOND FOLK: In addition to being one of the strongesttriple bills in recent memory, Friday's concert at the Vic featuringMichelle Shocked, Poi Dog Pondering and John Wesley Harding showedthat folk music just ain't what it used to be. Though there's a folkbase to the music of all three, each is proceeding from tradition toexplore fresh directions, and all are committed to offering new musicfor the '90s rather than a revival of the '60s or '70s.

While Shocked remains the closest of the three to folktraditionalism, her current music represents a radicaltransformation. Explaining to the sold-out Vic that "politicalcorrectness is a serious social disease" and that she was tired of"preaching to the converted," she tempered some of her politicalstridency with the swing of a six-man band, including two horns.

At its least effective, the musical mix made Shocked sound likeher time machine was straddling two traditions, as if Woody Guthriesomehow found himself fronting Count Basie's band. The closer shecame to classic swing or big-band blues, the more she invitedcomparison with better singers than she.

With "On the Greener Side," however, she sidesteppedconstrictions of musical convention to offer a fresh sound that isall her own. Though her set with the band showed less playfulintimacy than her previous solo performances, Shocked continues tocombine intelligence, conviction and good humor in a way that makesher worth hearing whatever the context.

As for Poi Dog, this musical mutt from Hawaii by way of Austin,Texas, defies categorization. The songs and sentiments of frontmanFrank Orrall show a folkish idealism, but the band that surrounds himis a multitextured, world beat powerhouse.

While instrumentation including violin, mandolin and trumpetopens the music to a world of possibilities, Poi Dog wouldn't be halfthe band it is if it didn't have a terrific rhythm section - if, infact, practically the whole band didn't function as a terrific rhythmsection. (Already a Chicago favorite, Poi Dog made an unbilledheadlining appearance the next night at Lounge Ax.)

Opening the show was Britain's John Wesley Harding, who claimsthe likes of Phil Ochs and John Prine as influences, who sounds morelike Elvis Costello or Nick Lowe, and who plays his acoustic guitarwith enough aggression to power a half dozen punk bands. Howeverderivative he may sound on albums, the bite of his live performanceshows that he is something special. He'll be returning to Chicagowith his band in July.

SUMMER'S COMING: While the weather has barely turnedspringlike, summer concert bookings are heating up. Those makingearly plans for the Fourth of July can include a free show featuringthe Smithereens, Los Lobos and the Kinsey Report at Grant Park'sPetrillo Music Shell. Sponsored by WXRT-93.1 FM, the concert willmark the last day of Taste of Chicago and will be broadcast live bythe station.

Highlights of the summer schedule at Poplar Creek includeMidnight Oil (June 8), Rickie Lee Jones and Lyle Lovett (June 26),Little Feat (Aug. 4), Linda Ronstadt with the Neville Brothers (Aug.22) and Frank Sinatra (Sept. 1). Tickets are now available only bymulti-show subscription series, through the May 2 deadline. Singleconcert tickets will then be sold.

Squeeze has been added to open the Fleetwood Mac concert on June27 at the new World Music Theatre in Tinley Park.

After last year's success, the Midwest Music Conference willreturn to North Pier for four days of workshops, seminars andshowcases beginning Aug. 23.

CLUB CALENDAR: The city will lose one of its friendliest musicrooms on Sunday with the closing of Orphans, 2462 N. Lincoln(929-2677). Long a fixture on the Lincoln Avenue strip and afavorite among musicians and music fans alike, the corner bar willmake its last stand with many of the most popular local artists whohave served as almost house acts for the club.

Beginning at 3 p.m. Sunday, Dick Holliday and the Bamboo Gang,Big Shoulders, the Bilko Band, Chicago Catz, Folk Gods of the '90s,Scott Bennett and the Obvious, Stump the Host and the Way Moves willhelp Orphans say goodbye.

The Cramps will bring the "real junk" Wednesday to CabaretMetro, 3730 N. Clark (549-0203), putting to rest all those "Lux isdead" rumors that were sweeping Los Angeles a few years back. (Andwhich gave Cramps singer Lux Interior more in common with PaulMcCartney then anyone would have expected.)

A three-day tribute to Otis Spann, the late, great blues pianistand stalwart in the Muddy Waters band, will be held Friday throughSunday at Rosa's, 3420 W. Armitage (342-0452). Among the virtuososfingering the ivories in Spann's memory will be Sunnyland Slim, JimmyWalker, Erwin Helfer and others.

Innovative effects for the detergents industry

Special Feature Detergents

Catalytic Bleaching - The New Technology Platform From Ciba Specialty Chemicals

Ciba Specialty Chemicals Inc., a technological leader in the field of specialty effects for laundry detergents, will launch a new catalytic bleaching technology in 2003. Ciba has over the past few years conducted in-depth research in the field of oxidation catalysts. The first catalyst will be launched under the trademark Ciba "Tinocat". It provides the benefits of high-- performance stain bleaching at low temperatures, and protects white and light colored garments from graying by inhibiting the transfer of dyes from other garments during washing. "Tinocat" is highly active and requires very low quantity usage. It fits in with the public's environmental expectations, namely to use lower quantities of detergent, lower temperatures and less water.

Peter Otto, Global Head of Ciba Specialty Chemicals Home and Fabric Care business, emphasizes the significance of the technology, saying, "We aim to establish a completely new technology platform for Ciba with catalytic bleaching technology. This innovative approach has been specifically developed with the purpose of meeting the consumer demand for high performance and at the same time, low usage for the protection of the environment."

Consumer Expectations Spur Innovation in Whitening Agents

Increased consumer expectations for laundry detergent performance have led to a number of technological innovations in this field over the years. Otto outlines how Ciba Specialty Chemicals' portfolio of fluorescent whitening agents has been designed to meet the demands of modern detergents. The fluorescence-based whiteness of Ciba "Tinopal" whiteners ensures that washed clothes retain their whiteness over the lifetime of the fabric and that colors keep their brilliance. "Tinopal" whiteners also have excellent bleach stability, particularly under high light conditions. A uniform degree of whiteness is attained even with low temperature and hand washing.

Otto explains how high consumer expectation has helped push innovation in the industry. "Around the world, people expect their laundry detergents to offer them more than just a means of cleaning their clothes. That detergents should care for the clothes is a major demand. 'Tinopal' whiteners were designed therefore to help keep laundered fabrics looking new longer and thereby extending the useful life of clothes. Convenience formulations, such as tablets or liquid sachets are also a demand, and so accordingly we have whiteners to fit with any formulation of detergent and to suit any style of washing be it low temperatures in Asia or low water-usage in Europe."

An Innovative Consumer Health Benefit - UV Protection via the Laundry

Other specialty effects for laundry detergents from Ciba Specialty Chemicals provide hygiene, freshness as well as comfort and easycare benefits. One of Ciba Specialty Chemicals' most successful innovations in the last few years, provides a consumer health benefit - UV protection while laundering clothes.

The introduction of Ciba "Tinosorb FD" and Ciba "Tinosorb FR" pioneered a breakthrough in the sun protection offered by clothing - something that experts on skin cancer regard as a necessity in battling what is the most common form of malignant disease worldwide, skin cancer. The special UV absorbers "Tinosorb FD" and "Tinosorb FR" are added by detergent manufacturers to detergents and rinse conditioners. The original feel and comfort level of the garments is retained, but their UV-- protection level is increased each time they are washed. After 5 washes a test fabric can reach UPF15, after 10 washes a UPF of 30. It is the proven effectiveness of "Tinosorb FD" and "Tinosorb FR" that convinced The Skin Cancer Foundation to grant a Seal of Recommendation to manufacturers who add the UV-protectors to their laundry products.

Laundry products that provide UV protection help people follow the recommendations of dermatologists. Dermatologists recommend clothing as a primary protection factor against harmful UV radiation. While clothing is one of the oldest means of sun protection - for example, the smocks and broadbrimmed sun hats of farm workers centuries ago or the safari shirts and panama hats of more recent times - not all clothes provide adequate protection against excessive UV radiation. This is particularly true of lightweight summer clothing made from fabrics such as cotton. "Tinosorb FD" and "Tinosorb FR" now allow people to increase the protection qualities of their existing summer clothes, simply by laundering them.

IN BRIEF

CARSTAR continues franchise growth

CARSTAR franchise systems added four locations in recent months, raising the franchise organization's total store count to 380 locations across North America. Same store sales were strong systemwide, increasing 6.2 percent this year (year-to-date) compared to last year's figures for the same timeframe. CARSTAR, which continues to evolve as a large franchise organization in the collision repair industry, has added 26 new stores during 2006.

Legislators push total loss bills for 2007

Sen. Trent Lott (R-Miss.) and Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-Fla.) are backing new insurance regulations to prevent flooded and wrecked vehicles from being resold and have vowed to continue pushing for passage in 2007.

Lott's bill (S-3707), the Consumer Access to Total Loss Vehicle Data Act, would provide information to consumers about vehicles declared a total loss by insurance companies. Stearns' legislation (H.R.-6093) calls for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to require the disclosure of all information pertaining to the fair market value and safety of damaged vehicles. The vehicle data could be shared through such online auto services as CARFAX.

Totaled, flooded or stolen vehicles would be permanently "red-flagged" by insurers under the proposed legislation. Insurance companies also would be required to reveal the reason for the total loss, the date of the total loss, the odometer reading on that date, and whether or not the airbag deployed.

Both bills grew out of concern that vehicles damaged during Hurricanes Katrina and Rita would be resold without complete disclosure of the damage they had incurred during the storms. It is estimated that some 500,000 automobiles were damaged by floodwaters in the 2005 hurricanes.

Top S/P2 users honored

The Coordinating Committee For Automotive Repair (CCAR) has honored the top ten users of its S/P2 e-learning program among General Motors Automotive Service Educational Programs (ASEP) schools.

They are: Community College of Southern Nevada, Las Vegas; Cuyamaca College, El Cajon, Calif.; Des Moines Area Community College, Ankeny, Iowa; San Jacinto College, Pasadena, Texas; Fox Valley Technical College, Appleton, Wis.; Delta College, University Center, Mich.; Guilford Technical Community College, Jamestown, N.C.; Brookhaven College, Farmers Branch, Texas; Southeast Community College, Milford, Neb.; and Florida Community College, Jacksonville, Fla.

ASA testifies during December CARB hearing

The Automotive Service Association (ASA), testified at the Dec. 7, California Air Resources Board (CARB) public hearing to consider amendments to California's emission warranty information reporting and recall regulations and emission test procedures. Denny Kahler, AAM, ASA's immediate-past chairman, spoke on behalf of ASA.

Prior to the hearing, ASA urged its California membership to contact CARB to show opposition for the proposed regulatory changes to current emission warranty regulations. ASA is concerned that any expansion of the vehicle warranty status will negatively impact independent repairers economically in the state of California. In the past, ASA has opposed California warranty expansion initiatives.

Kahler testified, "As you are aware, ASA opposed previous warranty extensions, including those in the Low Emission Vehicle Il program that extended emissions warranties from three years/50,000 miles to 15 years/150,000 miles. While ASA supports clean car programs, we believe they can exist and prosper in states without expanding or extending warranties at the expense of independent repair facilities."

GM opens testing facility

General Motors opened a state-of-the-art rollover crash test facility Dec. 5. GM claims it is the first North American automaker to integrate in-house testing for the infrequent but potentially deadly rollover crashes that claim 10,000 lives per year.

Rollovers account for just 2 percent of all crashes, but claim 40 percent of the fatalities annually in America, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

GM's goal for the S10 million facility is to study ways to potentially reduce injuries and deaths in rollover crashes by developing sensors for airbags that can help protect occupants in a rollover and help to keep occupants from being ejected. Between 150 and 200 rollover crash tests will be conducted a year in the new facility.

SCRS to fete 25 years

The Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS) is finalizing its 25th anniversary celebration plans, scheduled to take place April 10, 2007, at the Crowne Plaza hotel in Atlanta.

Highlights include a dinner reception honoring all past chairpersons, former staff, founding members and John Loftus, the first SCRS executive director, who played a key role in getting the association off the ground.

The celebration will be held in conjunction with the SCRS annual election, induction of officers and two town hall forums, on April 11. For more information, visit www.scf5.com.

Pope may visit Holy Land next year

Pope Benedict XVI may visit the Holy Land next year, the Vatican spokesman said Thursday.

Benedict, who has expressed his desire to visit the Holy Land, has a long-standing invitation from Israel. But a tax dispute and other issues have so far prevented a visit, and the two sides are also at odds over the conduct of wartime Pope Pius XII.

A trip to the area would be expected to include a visit to the Palestinian territories.

The Vatican spokesman, the Rev. Federico Lombardi said Thursday that "diplomatic contacts are under way to study the possibility of a visit by the Holy Father to the Holy Land next year."

Lombardi declined to comment on any possible dates, saying contacts were still at an early stage.

The office of Israeli President Shimon Peres also said the two sides were working on the issue, with no dates set.

The Holy See and Israel established diplomatic relations in 1994, after hundreds of years of painful relations between Catholicism and Judaism. But they must still resolve the status of expropriated church property, tax exemptions for the Church and permits for Arab Christian clergy traveling to and around the West Bank.

Another point of contention centers on the figure of Pius XII, the pontiff who reigned from 1939 to 1958 and was a Vatican diplomat in Germany before that.

Israel says Pius did not do enough to save Jews from the Holocaust during World War II. A caption accompanying a photograph on display at Jerusalem's Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial says Pius did not act to save Jews from the Nazi genocide and kept a largely "neutral position."

The caption angered the Vatican, although Lombardi said recently that it would not prevent a papal visit.

The Vatican maintains Pius helped Jews and other victims through quiet diplomacy. Benedict recently stepped up defense of his predecessor, saying Pius spared no effort to save Jews from the Nazis.

The Vatican has put Pius on the path to sainthood. However, Benedict was recently reported to have said that he would consider freezing the process until the Vatican's wartime archives are opened.

The late Pope John Paul II visited the Holy Land in a 2000 pilgrimage. He met with Israeli officials and with the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat during a stop in the territories.

Benedict has met with Palestinian officials at the Vatican, including the current Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, whose Fatah movement controls the West Bank. His Hamas rivals control Gaza.

Political correctness in academia: many faces, meanings and consequences

"I disapprove of what you say but will defend to the death your right to say it." -- Voltaire

Of the many issues pertaining to education in Canada, political correctness or "PC" has garnered significant attention and generated considerable controversy. The nature, extent, and even the existence of PC has been debated (Berman, 1992), decried (Ellis, 1992; Gabor 1994; Phillips & Kurzweil, 1993), and denied (Ehrenreich, 1991). To say the least, PC is a very controversial topic.

What is political correctness or "PC"?

One would be hard-pressed to define the term "political correctness" (PC) in a way to would satisfy all parties. Political correctness has many faces and, therefore, many meanings. Essentially, however, the term "political correctness" appears to refer to a way of thinking and a way of life in our society that espouses sensitivity, tolerance, and respect for another's race, gender, sexual preference, nationality, religion, age, physical handicap, or other characteristic, especially if it differs from one's own (Thalasinos & Hwang, no date).

The term "political correctness" was first used in the 1930s among Stalinists and it resurfaced in feminist circles in the 1970s (Keefer, 1996). In 1975, it became formally associated with a movement led by Karen DeCrow, president of the National Organization for Women (NOW) (Thalasinos & Hwang, no date). Now is the American association supporting equality for women. They attempt to eliminate discrimination and prejudice against women in government, industry, religion, education, medicine, law, and labour unions.

Since 1975, there has been a surge of articles and texts written about the subject. Some of these texts view the issue as a large joke, while others assay the matter with a mixture of outrage and worry. The term "political correctness" has become a figure of everyday speech. In many circles, it also has taken on an inescapably pejorative tone and to call an act politically correct has become grounds for discrediting it.

Why is PC being the focus of a debate?

If you believe that all human beings deserve to be treated with civility appropriate to basic human dignity, you may be wondering why everybody is not a fan of PC. After all, the PC philosophy believes in increasing the acceptability of diversity in culture, race, gender, ideology and alternate lifestyles. Unfortunately, it is not so simple.

Almost nothing in the recent years has provoked more debate or awakened a greater polarity of views than this PC ideology. Proponents believe that morally and socially all special groups of people must be treated equally and with respect. Opponents fear that being unable to make negative statements about special groups of people when warranted threatens freedom of expression and amounts to censorship. The former believe that special privileges will correct past injustices, while the latter believe that reverse discrimination is also unjust. Moderates (i.e., those who refuse to be labelled either "proponents" or "opponents") argue that desires to be morally and socially correct must be weighed carefully against the: concern about the gradual erosion of fundamental rights and freedom of speech.

The current degree of support for these views on PC in the general population is unknown. However, a survey conducted in the spring of 1995 of persons between the ages of 16 and 29 by USA Today and MTV (study cited in Leonard, 1995) suggests that people are more or less equally split over the issue of whether political correctness has gone too far or not far enough. Forty-eight percent of the 891 individuals polled said people need to be more sensitive in words and actions to avoid offending women and minority groups. However, 42 percent thought it had gone too far because its demands for greater sensitivity had become unbalanced with the right to free expression. Seven percent said both statements were true.

Why should academia be interested in PC?

According to Hu-DeHart (1995), multicultural curricula and PC have become the most divisive issues facing universities today. Some academics feel increasingly limited in what they can say, write, or do, and believe that some racial and minority groups are slowly but surely dictating what others can say. For them, PC is a new form of censorship and coercion and, therefore, a threat to excellence in scholarship and academic freedom. For other academics, PC is the way to go and, consequently, they do accept the limitations. They believe that sensitivity and respect for diversity increase knowledge and understanding that can help students to think, reason, and develop a more comprehensive world view.

The PC ideology has major consequences for academia. When preferential treatment is provided on the basis of race and gender, for example, it affects admission, hiring and contracting practices. The preferential policies are seen by some as unjust and discriminatory against the non-preferred, as patronising of minorities, as detrimental to excellence in education, and as destructive of mutual respect among colleagues. Others defend set-asides, quotas and other preferential policies by arguing that they are necessary to cure past discrimination in academia and to provide students with models that they can identify with. PC proponents are serious about helping those who need assistance and, accordingly, they strongly favour actions or policies that can produce immediate results for people who are disadvantaged and who have been the victims of discrimination,

PC proponents argue that research on controversial topics should be restricted when it has the potential to hurt certain populations. These restrictions affect the funding and publication of research. They are seen by PC opponents as unwarranted because they are based on moral and political values, rather than grounded in research. PC opponents start with the premise that, in a free society, the burden rests with the "censors" to show that research on sensitive issues has a high likelihood of producing significant social harms. They maintain that research on sensitive issues is essential for developing well-informed public policy. PC proponents defend restrictions and support tougher peer review for research on sensitive topics by arguing that they are necessary to avoid hurting certain populations, and influencing public opinion and social policy adversely. They strongly believe that academics have a responsibility to be sensitive to how their research affects the way people feel about themselves and how others will feel about them, as well as to how their research may affect social policy.

While the debate goes on, one cannot help to notice that researchers shy away from controversial topics or unsavory findings became of the professional risks (Azar, 1997). Those who conduct research on politically hot topics are more likely to have problems with funding, publishing, and tenure. Furthermore, they are more likely to be ostracised because of their findings, regardless of what their personal beliefs are. Sometimes, the treatment of those who espouse the PC ideology is not much better in that they may be the target of anger and ridicule. Obviously, there is a need in academia to address these issues up front.

To be or not to be PC?

Political correctness has many faces and many meanings. More important than the question of "To be or not to be PC" may be how we articulate our values in the pursuit of knowledge and human relationships, and, then, how we demonstrate these values in our daily lives. In recent years, the ideology of PC has become an issue of great controversy, and those who are hurt by either discrimination or reverse discrimination are the most vocal. Sometimes, there is more heat than light. As psychologists, we need to become informed of the interpretations and the implications of the faces and meanings of political correctness. We need to have an open and honest discussion of the issues.

This issue of Canadian Psychology includes a series of papers on political correctness in academia which offers a wide range of views. Several of them were presented at a symposium organised by the CPA Committee for Scientific Affairs at the 1995 CPA Convention in Charlottetown. Each author has been asked to present his or her position based on factual evidence and rational discussion. As members of a scientific discipline, we are concerned with facts, experience and rational thinking. We hope these articles will enhance our perspectives on the issues surrounding political correctness and their relationship to what we generally value in academia and society.

I thank Dr. Jean L. Pettifor who kindly provided me with some critical comments and many useful suggestions following her reading of an earlier draft of this paper. Any inadequacies that remain are my responsibility.

Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Dr. Janel G. Gauthier, A (Ecole de psychologie, Pavilion F.-A. Savard, Universite) Laval, Sainte-Foy, Quebec, Canada, G1K 7P4 or to

janel.gauthier@psy.ulaval.ca.

References

Azar, B. (1997, August). When research is swept under the rug: Some of the best psychological research suffers for the sake of 'political correctness'. APA Monitor, 28(8), 1 and 18.

Barker, K. (1994). The be PC or not to be?: A social psychological inquiry into political correctness. Journal of Social Behavior and Personality, 9(2), 271-281.

Berman, P. (1992). Debating P.C.: The controversy over political correctness on college campuses. New York: Laurel.

Ehrenreich, R. (1991). What campus radicals? The P.C. undergrad is a useful specter. Harper's Magazine, 283, 57-61.

Ellis, J.M. ( 1992, January 15). The origins of PC. The Chronicle of Higher Education, pp. 81-82.

Gabor, T. (1994). The suppression of crime statistics on race and ethnicity: The price of political correctness. Canadian Journal of Criminology, 36(2), 153-163.

Hu-DeHart, E. (1995). Rethinking America: The practice and politics of multiculturalism. In D.M. Newman (Ed.), Sociology: Exploring the architecture of everyday life : Readings. Thousand Oaks, CA: Pine Forge Press/Sage Publications.

Keefer, M. (1996). Lunar Perspectives: Field Notes from the Culture Wars. Concord (Ontario): House of Artansi Press.

Leonard, M. (1995, October 12). Has Political Correctness Gone Too Far? [On-line], Available:

http://maine.main e.edu/~mleona51/PC-humor.htm.

Phillips, W., & Kurzweil, E. (Eds.). (1993). The politics of political correctness: A symposium. [Special issue]. Partisan Review, 60(4).

Thalasinos, E., & Hwang, E. (no date). Political Correctness [On-line], Available:

http://www.bergen.org/~eritha/political/whatPC.html.

понедельник, 12 марта 2012 г.

US boy pleads not guilty in gay teen's slaying

A 14-year-old Southern California boy has pleaded not guilty to the murder of his gay classmate.

Brandon McInerney entered the plea in Ventura County Superior Court on Thursday. McInerney is charged as an adult with first degree murder and a hate crime for the Feb. 12 fatal shooting of 15-year-old Larry King at their junior high school in Oxnard.

King sometimes wore makeup and told friends he was gay.

Defense attorney William Quest said in court that the charges are "essentially a death sentence" for McInerney, and wants the boy tried on the lesser charge of manslaughter.

McInerney faces 51 years to life without the possibility of parole if convicted.

___

Information from: Ventura County Star, http://venturacountystar.com

Lawyer for detained American says family is appealing to Iran to drop $500,000 bail

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Lawyer for detained American says family is appealing to Iran to drop $500,000 bail.

Surfer's paradise or blissful commute? Wrestling over toll road

Two icons of California culture _ surfing and traffic _ are on a collision course as state officials consider a toll road that would cut through a beachfront park that is home to one of the world's best surf breaks.

Plans for 16 miles (26 kilometers) of asphalt ending near Trestles, the "Yosemite of Surfing," have galvanized surfers and environmentalists. They argue the project would wipe out endangered species, ruin the park and block the sediment deposits that create the world-class waves.

Proponents, including weary commuters, say the $875 million (euro595.72 million) project will end crushing gridlock on Interstate 5 between Orange County and San Diego, which logs more than 125,000 cars a day. Studies commissioned by the Transportation Corridor Agencies, which finances and builds Orange County's toll roads, estimate that by 2025 a 16-mile (26-kilometer) drive on the freeway will take an hour.

Last month, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and state Treasurer Bill Lockyer weighed in, with the governor in favor of the road and Lockyer opposed.

Yet those on both sides see something more than a battle over a few lanes of pavement in the debate, which has attracted more than 500 video postings on YouTube and spawned dozens of pro- and anti-toll road Web sites, protests, statehouse rallies and blogs.

"We in California are confronting a very important moment and that is, 'How do we solve our infrastructure needs?'" said Elizabeth Goldstein, president of the California State Parks Foundation. "Are we just going to elbow parks out of the way or are we going to treat them as the treasured resources they are?"

The California Coastal Commission votes Wednesday on whether the proposal meets Federal Coastal Management Act standards _ a requirement for it to move forward. The commission is expecting so many people that it moved the meeting to a 3,000-seat fairgrounds in San Diego.

A staff report prepared for the commissioners last year said that "it would be difficult to imagine a more environmentally damaging ... location" for the road.

The toll agency published a rebuttal report and offered a $100 million (euro68 million) contribution to the state parks system as part of the deal.

"We have to base our decisions on sound science and the other side bases theirs on emotion," said Lance MacLean, chairman of the Foothill Eastern Transportation Corridor Agency. "They're not having to prove their point ... and it's kind of hard to fight that."

Environmentalists say the toll road will destroy habitat for nearly a half-dozen threatened or endangered species, including the Pacific pocket mouse. They also say it will cut 161 camp sites and create a concrete eyesore in the middle of the 2,100-acre (850-hectare) San Onofre State Beach, which stretches from the coastal bluffs to the dry interior canyons. San Onofre is the state's fifth-most popular park and attracts 2 1/2 million visitors a year.

Surfers worry the road will block sandy runoff from the San Mateo Creek watershed, which they believe creates the wave breaks that earn Trestles its coveted spot on the World Championship Tour.

Transportation officials, however, counter that the road's alignment was tweaked to avoid sensitive habitat and changes in sediment flow will not affect Trestles.

"We've done the science behind this," he said. "The last thing I want on my tombstone when I die is, 'This is the guy who built the project that destroyed Trestles.'"

MacLean said the alternative _ a widening of Interstate 5 _ would mean the destruction of more than 1,200 homes and businesses in an area set to add 14,000 new homes in the next 25 years.

"There's a human factor here that you have to take into account," MacLean said. "Who's protecting the residents and the businesses and the citizens, instead of the pocket mouse?"

___

On the Net:

Save San Onofre Coalition: http://www.savesanonofre.com/

Transportation Corridor Agencies: http://www.thetollroads.com/home/maps.htm

Village People Singer to Perform Again

LOS ANGELES - Victor Willis, the original policeman in the disco band The Village People, is planning his first performance in about 25 years after completing a drug treatment program earlier this year, his publicist said.

Willis, 55, will appear at the House of Blues in Las Vegas on Aug. 31 in a show previewing his planned 2008 world tour, publicist Alice Wolf said Friday.

His "Victor Willis Disco Dance Tour" is to begin in March and is expected to include concerts in the U.S., Australia, Britain, Japan, Norway, Germany and Canada, Wolf said.

"He'll come out on his motorcycle" as the cop and perform Village People hits and his solo work, she said.

Willis co-wrote hits such as "Y-M-C-A" and "In the Navy," Village People standards in the late 1970s. He left the band in 1980.

He was arrested in San Francisco in March 2006 after police stopped his car and found cocaine and drug paraphernalia. He pleaded no contest to possessing drugs, was sentenced to three years of probation and entered a nine-month treatment program that he completed in April of this year, Wolf said.

Willis was arrested in March after his girlfriend accused him of choking and threatening her, but prosecutors decided not to pursue charges.

Controversial US Africa command launches

A new command takes over all U.S. military operations in Africa on Wednesday, a controversial program that many Africans fear has a hidden agenda skewed by the war on terror and a self-interested scramble for resources.

Before Africom was created one year ago, American military programs on the continent had been divvied up by three other commands more concerned with NATO and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Commanders say Africom will bring a focused approach to Africa, which had never been a priority before.

But even some U.S. lawmakers have doubts _ citing the intense hostility the program has generated among African governments.

"The Africom model and approach to date ... have serious flaws," Rep. John Tierney, D-Mass, who chairs the House national security and foreign affairs subcommittee, told The Associated Press.

Over the weekend, Congress slashed Africom's 2009 budget by a third to US$225 million. It also ordered Defense Secretary Robert Gates to report back by April 1 on how the command can be improved.

Africom is inheriting responsibility for a Centcom-run base in Djibouti, where 1,800 troops are deployed to keep Horn of Africa terror networks in check. It also takes over European Command's Trans-Sahara Counterterrorism Initiative and dozens of other military and maritime training programs.

Over the past year, Africom officials have crisscrossed the continent, fending off waves of suspicion and reiterating they have no plans to build new military bases outside Djibouti.

Tierney said the new command's rollout had been "badly bungled," its mission not made clear enough to African leaders.

Resistance among African governments has been so strong that commanders abandoned initial ambitions to install a headquarters on the continent. It is based in Stuttgart, Germany, instead, with about two dozen Africom liaison officers posted at embassies.

Africom's deputy for military operations, Vice Adm. Robert T. Moeller, said in a telephone interview Monday from Stuttgart that the confusion was "unfortunate" and the command's mandate has not changed.

"Our primary responsibility ... is working with our African partners to help them build their security capacity" _ mainly by training armies and peacekeepers.

Moeller added that "a secure and stable Africa is very, very much in U.S strategic interests."

Indeed, West Africa's Gulf of Guinea already supplies more crude oil to the U.S. than the Persian Gulf. And failed states like Somalia have become havens for radical, al-Qaida-linked militants who bombed U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania in 1998.

Many of the African suspicions are rooted in the past.

Washington's Cold War legacy of supporting brutal dictators, coupled with Africa's tragic colonial history, has spawned a distrust of foreigners. And many believe it's no coincidence Africom was born as emerging powerhouses like China and India embark on a new scramble for the continent's increasingly valuable resources.

"Africans believe Africom is aimed at promoting America's interests, not Africa's," said Wafula Okumu, a Kenyan analyst at South Africa's Institute for Security Studies.

Most Africans don't trust their own militaries, which in places like Congo have turned weapons on their own people.

So "they don't trust Africom, either, because it's a military force," Okumu said. There is also "a suspicion America wants to use us, perhaps make us proxies" in the war on terror.

Moeller said counterterrorism is a priority for Africom, but it is not the only one.

From the beginning, Africom was cast as a different kind of command, one that would focus American military might not on fighting wars, but on preventing them through "soft power."

As part of the new approach, a civilian deputy equal to Moeller was appointed to coordinate humanitarian operations with other U.S. agencies. Africom's "interagency" makeup was trumpeted as a better way to meet the continent's development needs.

But only 13 of the 1,300 staff positions allotted so far are non-Defense Department jobs, a ratio Congress says is "not optimal for meeting U.S. long-term goals."

Erin Weir of Refugees International says Africom is part of a growing trend toward the "militarization" of American foreign policy, driven more by the war on terror than by development needs.

Over the last decade, the Washington-based group says the percentage of Pentagon-controlled development assistance abroad skyrocketed from 3 percent to 22 percent, while USAID's share dropped from 65 to 40 percent.

"Africom has become a lightening rod for a bigger concern, which is that U.S. foreign policy is being dictated almost entirely by the Department of Defense," Weir said.

Africom officials say such worries are unfounded. The organization says it aims to support, not shape U.S. policy. And of the US$9 billion America spends annually in sub-Saharan Africa, the Pentagon's share is just 3 percent.

One for the establishment: Ayotte wins NH GOP nod

In the last turn of a tumultuous primary season, former New Hampshire Attorney General Kelly Ayotte narrowly won her state's Republican Senate primary, to the relief of party officials in Washington who were struggling to adjust to the demise of their preferred candidate in another big race in Delaware.

Seven weeks before Election Day, Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell said Wednesday that "turnout and enthusiasm are off the charts" across the nation and would benefit a resurgent GOP on Nov. 2.

But at the White House, spokesman Robert Gibbs said "intraparty Republican anger" — most recently evident in Christine O'Donnell's defeat of veteran Rep. Michael Castle in Delaware — would help President Barack Obama's Democratic allies in their quest to retain their majorities in Congress.

Republicans must pick up 40 seats to win control of the House. They need 10 to gain a Senate majority, and even prominent GOP strategists said O'Donnell's victory would complicate their chances.

In a celebratory round of interviews, O'Donnell was having none of it.

"There are a lot of people who are rallying behind me who are frustrated that the Republican Party has lost its way," she said. A primary winner on the strength of support from former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and tea party activists, she now enters the fall campaign as an underdog to Democrat Chris Coons.

A few hundred miles to the north, Ayotte was celebrating as well, after a closer-than-predicted race against Ovide Lamontagne and a crowded field of rivals. The secretary of state placed her victory margin at 1,667 votes out of more than 125,000 cast. Her Democratic opponent, Rep. Paul Hodes, was unopposed for his party's nomination.

Lamontagne later conceded to his GOP rival.

Ayotte, 42 and making her first try for public office, enjoyed the support of party officials as well as Palin and overcame her rival's claim that he was the real conservative in the race. Lamontagne had the backing of local tea party activists as well as Sen. Jim DeMint of South Carolina, who has become a force in GOP primaries this spring and summer.

Democrats conceded privately Ayotte would be a more difficult candidate in the general election than Lamontagne, and Hodes ran television ads this summer assailing her. The winner will succeed retiring Republican Sen. Judd Gregg.

Delaware was a far different story.

Republican officials had said while the votes were being counted Tuesday night that the party would not step in to fund O'Donnell's campaign, and the National Republican Senatorial Committee initially greeted her victory with a brief statement issued in the name of an aide rather than the customary praise from Sen. John Cornyn, the Texan who heads the group.

But in a statement at midday, Cornyn said he had offered O'Donnell his personal congratulations and the organization would send her campaign a check for $42,000, the maximum it is allowed for expenses that may be officially coordinated with the candidates.

Cornyn was vague on whether the party committee would also launch the type of independent effort that is already under way in Kentucky and is reserved for the most competitive races. Such efforts can run into millions of dollars in states where the cost of television advertising is high.

The Senate primaries in New Hampshire and Delaware were the featured contests of the last hurrah of a turbulent primary season in which the political environment seemed to grow steadily more friendly to Republicans, despite a series of upsets sprung by tea party-backed challengers.

Castle, the veteran Republican defeated by O'Donnell, said through a spokeswoman he does not intend to support her in the fall.

"This is not a race we're going to be able to win," said Karl Rove, who was the principal political adviser to former President George W. Bush as well one of the leaders of a multimillion-dollar independent organization trying to fashion GOP majorities in Congress.

Responding to Rove, Palin told Fox News Channel on Wednesday: "My message to those who say that the GOP nominee is not electable are that they're not even going to try: Well I say, 'Buck up.'" She added: "It is time to put aside internal power grabs and greed and egos within the party, and to fight united for what's right and beneficial for all Americans."

On Wednesday, O'Donnell accused the party of "Republican cannibalism."

"We have to rise above this nastiness and unify for the greater good, because there's a lot of work to be done and there are a lot of people who want to get involved if the Republican Party would," O'Donnell said in an interview with The Associated Press.

She said she hopes the party will unite to help her win in November, but added, "It is doable without the support of the Republican Party." She also made the rounds of national television interviews.

Democratic National Committee chief Tim Kaine told NBC's "Today" that O'Donnell's win was good for Democrats and a further sign of a "civil war" in the Republican Party.

"That creates opportunities for us," he said. "The O'Donnell win shows that moderate Republican voters are being forced from their party and will "have to look long and hard before supporting these candidates," Kaine said.

Speaking Tuesday night at an Elks Lodge in Dover, Del., O'Donnell thanked Palin as well as the Tea Party Express, a California political committee that spent at least $237,000 to help her defeat Castle, a moderate and a fixture in Delaware politics for a generation.

Republican Party officials who saw Castle as their only hope for winning the Delaware seat once held by Vice President Joe Biden made their views clear. The state chairman, Tom Ross, had said O'Donnell "could not be elected dogcatcher," and records surfaced during the campaign showing that the IRS had once slapped a lien against her and that her house had been headed for foreclosure. She also claimed — falsely — to have carried two of the state's counties in a race against Biden six years ago.

In Minneapolis, former President Bill Clinton said the Republican Party was pushing out pragmatic voices in favor of candidates that make former President Bush "look like a liberal."

___

Associated Press writers Randall Chase and Sarah Brumfield in Dover, Del., Michael Blood in Los Angeles, Jim Kuhnhenn in Washington and Becky Bohrer in Juneau, Alaska, contributed to this report.

среда, 7 марта 2012 г.

Ex-Iranian President Condemns Bin Laden

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - On the eve of the fifth anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, former Iranian president Mohammed Khatami condemned Osama bin Laden and suicide bombings but also defended groups such as Hezbollah for what he characterized as resistance against Israeli colonialism.

In a 30-minute speech given under tight security at Harvard University, Khatami repeatedly praised the concept of democracy but said American politicians, since World War II, have been infatuated with "world domination."

Khatami, who spoke in Farsi and had his speech relayed through a translator, said he was one of the first world leaders to condemn "the barbarous acts" of Sept. 11. Responding to a question from the audience about bin Laden, Khatami said he had two problems with the al-Qaida leader behind the attacks.

"First, because of the crimes he conducts," he said, "and second because he conducts them in the name of Islam, the religion which is a harbinger of peace and justice."

Khatami also denied that Iran helps fund the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, but defended the organization's right to exist. "Hezbollah today is a symbol of Lebanese resistance," he said.

Khatami was met by protesters when he arrived at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government. Many angrily called on him to stand up for human rights.

Police estimated that 200 were in the crowd that blamed him for failing to stop government crackdowns on student activists in Tehran during his two terms in office.

Several human rights organizations say the crackdowns are believed to have been initiated by his rivals and approved by Iran's ruling Muslim clerics.

"His speech is on ethics and violence. It would be very bizarre if he came here to speak on ethics and violence and did not acknowledge and discuss his own record in Iran," said Eric Lesser, 21, president of Harvard College Democrats, which teamed with their Republican peers for the protest.

There were no major problems, but police presence was heavy, Cambridge police spokesman Frank Pasquarello said. One man was detained, although it was not immediately clear why.

Khatami was considered a reformist during his two terms as president that ended last year. His visit to the United States has been criticized by many, particularly amid concerns about Iran's nuclear program.

Harvard has been criticized for the timing of its invitation to Khatami, who is taking a two-week tour of the United States.

Harvard professor Graham Allison, who moderated the program, noted that the university officially will commemorate the Sept. 11 attacks and defended the invitation by citing President Bush's remarks in a Wall Street Journal interview.

"I'm interested in learning more about Iran, the Iranian government and how they think," Allison quoted Bush as saying. "So are we," Allison added.

Khatami played to his Boston audience, glowingly referring to its historical roots even as he impugned the motives of modern U.S. leaders.

"The pleasant ring of the word Puritan has always delighted lovers of freedom and humanity. ... but politicians, after World War II, started to nurse dreams of world domination," he said.

Khatami is the most senior Iranian to travel outside New York in the United States since Islamic fundamentalists seized the U.S. Embassy in Tehran in 1979 and held Americans hostage for 444 days. He was invited to the United States by the U.N.-sponsored Alliance of Civilizations, of which he is a founding member. The group strives to foster cross-cultural understanding between Western and Islamic states.