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http://www.9news.com.au/national/2016/12/07/11/31/super-kitchen-serving-up-fast-french-fare | http://web.archive.org/web/20161208145258id_/http://www.9news.com.au/national/2016/12/07/11/31/super-kitchen-serving-up-fast-french-fare | Super kitchen serving up fast French fare | 20161208145258 | Serving up 6000 steaks in an hour or half a tonne of carrots in less than 10 minutes is an order that would stretch any cook.
But a unique "super kitchen" in the heart of Sydney is doing just that, with a bit of French flair thrown in.
Andrews Meat Industries unveiled its new $20 million sous-vide kitchen at Lidcombe in the city's west, bringing the French, vacuum-sealed method of cooking to Australia's hospitality industry on an unprecedented scale.
The Creative Food Solutions facility spans across 5000-square metres and features 24 tanks with a 2000-litre capacity each that can whip up one tonne of mashed potato in 40 minutes and half a tonne of carrots in seven minutes.
For those hungry for some meat, 6000 steaks can be flame grilled in an hour.
Chief executive Peter Andrews says it is the first facility of its kind in Australia, made possible by investment from Brazilian company JBS, the world's largest meat processor.
"Sous-vide has been around for many, many years ... but we've taken it to a much larger scale," he said.
Mr Andrews' Greek father started the business as a butcher shop on Oxford Street in Paddington in the 1960s.
The Lidcombe-based company now plates up 600,000 ready-made meals a week to more than 1600 customers including Woolworths, Aldi and IGA.
"The meals are mostly microwaveable but we're about to launch an ovenable range as well because a lot of people don't want to use their microwaves," Mr Andrews said.
The sous-vide cooking process, which can take up to 14 hours for tougher cuts of meat, is well-regarded for its ability to maintain meat tenderness and extend shelf life.
Time-poor consumers aren't the only ones to benefit from the company's innovation with its 'just in time' fresh meat business serving high-grade Wagyu beef to some of Australia's top restaurants.
"A customer will put in an order tonight and it gets delivered the next day," Mr Andrews said.
"We would be the largest steak-cutting room in the country."
Peter Cox, head of the company's food service branch, said Andrews Meat Industries has been working with French-born chef Guillaume Brahimi, who runs high-profile restaurants in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth, for 20 years.
"Over those years we've started relationships with the likes of Tetsuya, Peter Gilmore, Neil Perry," Mr Cox said.
"We're a very diverse business so we cover all sectors and that's what makes us so sustainable in what we do." | A super-sized kitchen in the heart of Sydney can flame grill 6000 steaks an hour and cook half a tonne of carrots in seven minutes for the city's hungry hordes. | 15.235294 | 0.911765 | 3.441176 | low | medium | mixed |
http://www.9news.com.au/technology/2016/12/10/14/11/cia-says-russia-intervened-to-help-trump-win-white-house | http://web.archive.org/web/20161211182410id_/http://www.9news.com.au/technology/2016/12/10/14/11/cia-says-russia-intervened-to-help-trump-win-white-house | CIA finds Russia intervened to help Donald Trump win US election: report | 20161211182410 | US President-elect Donald Trump. (AAP)
The CIA has reportedly concluded that Russia intervened in the 2016 election to help President-elect Donald Trump win the White House, and not just to undermine confidence in the US electoral system.
Citing US officials briefed on the matter, the Washington Post said intelligence agencies had identified individuals with connections to the Russian government who provided thousands of hacked emails from the Democratic National Committee and others, including the chairman of Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign, to WikiLeaks.
The officials described the individuals as people known to the intelligence community who were part of a wider Russian operation to boost Mr Trump and reduce Ms Clinton's chances of winning the election.
"It is the assessment of the intelligence community that Russia's goal here was to favor one candidate over the other, to help Trump get elected," the Post quoted a senior US official as saying.
The Post said the official had been briefed on an intelligence presentation made by the Central Intelligence Agency to key US senators behind closed-doors last week.
The CIA, in what the Post said was a secret assessment, cited a growing body of evidence from multiple sources. Briefers told the senators it was now "quite clear" that electing Mr Trump was Russia's goal, the Post quoted officials as saying on condition of anonymity.
Russian President Vladimir Putin. (AAP)
In October, the US government formally accused Russia of a campaign of cyber attacks against Democratic Party organisations ahead of the November 8 presidential election.
President Barack Obama has said he warned Russian President Vladimir Putin about consequences for the attacks. But Russian officials have denied all accusations of interference in the U.S. election.
The CIA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Mr Trump has said he is not convinced Russia was behind the cyber attacks. His transition team issued a statement on "claims of foreign interference in US elections" today but did not directly address the issue.
The hacked emails passed to WikiLeaks were a regular source of embarrassment to the Clinton campaign during the race for the presidency.
The CIA presentation fell short of a formal US assessment by all 17 US intelligence agencies, the Post said. A senior US official said there remained minor disagreements among intelligence officials about the assessment because some questions are unanswered, it said.
Intelligence agencies did not have specific intelligence showing the Kremlin directed the individuals to pass the hacked emails to WikiLeaks, another senior official told the Post. The actors were "one step" removed from the Russian government rather than government employees, the official said.
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has said in a television interview that the Russian government was not the source of the emails, the Post said. | The CIA has reportedly concluded that Russia intervened in the 2016 election to help President-elect Donald Trump win the White House, and not just to undermine confidence in the US electoral system. | 15.588235 | 0.970588 | 32.029412 | medium | high | extractive |
http://people.com/archive/cover-story-many-passions-no-regrets-vol-33-no-6/ | http://web.archive.org/web/20161212084209id_/http://people.com/archive/cover-story-many-passions-no-regrets-vol-33-no-6/ | Many Passions, No Regrets | 20161212084209 | In the end, Ava Gardner said that she was tired of living. Struggling against lung disease and the partial paralysis that was the legacy of her 1986 stroke, the woman whose mesmerizing looks and public life once defined the term screen goddess spent her last weeks inside the sumptuous flat off Hyde Park, London, where she lived with her longtime housekeeper, Carmen Vargas, and her beloved Welsh corgi, Morgan. Exasperated with her failing body, she took little interest in food, and for the first time in her life, she stopped fighting. Plagued by a limp and a weakened left arm, she suffered a bad fall a week before she died, and she lay on the floor, alone and unable to move, until Vargas returned. When old friend Sydney Guilaroff called from Los Angeles on Jan. 20, the once fiery Gardner sounded weak and dispirited. “I feel as if I have pneumonia again,” she said. “I can hear the water in my lungs.” Then she told him, “I don’t want to live anymore.”
Less than a week later, Ava Gardner, 67, died quietly in her canopied Chippendale bed. After bringing in Ava’s breakfast tray on Jan. 25, Vargas came back in mid-morning to find that she had stopped breathing. Sobbing, Vargas called Gardner’s physician and close friends Paul and Spoli Mills, who rushed over from their flat across Hyde Park. “It was very simple: She’d gone to sleep after breakfast, and then she died,” said Paul.
To her friends, it seemed ironic that death took Ava so easily; a lusty, vital creature who had seized life by the cojones, she might have been expected to go out fighting. When the news reached actress Kathryn Grayson, a friend since their days at MGM, “I was furious,” says Grayson. “Furious at her for not fighting more. But I got over that. Everyone who knew her well loved her, warts and all.”
A siren who was wildly insecure about her looks, a star who swore she couldn’t act, Gardner had always been a study in contradictions. To the moviegoers entranced by Ava during World War II, she was sensuality itself. But while part of her was the flamboyant temptress whose beauty cowed even Elizabeth Taylor, another part was a country girl who went barefoot, took seconds on fried chicken and disliked anything that hinted of pretension. A loner who felt miscast as a movie queen, she learned to drink her liquor straight—not because she liked the taste, but because alcohol took the edge off her shyness. Addicted to stormy relationships, she was a quick-tempered scene maker who fought and made love with equal fervor. In her later years, she began saying that she would have traded her film career for “one good man I could love and marry and cook for,” but friends doubted that she could have made it as a hausfrau. Says Kitty Kelley (who wrote about Ava’s entanglement with Frank Sinatra in her controversial 1986 Sinatra bio, His Way): “Ava Gardner probably represented more tempestuous passion and sex appeal than one marriage could ever contain.”
On Jan. 29, Ava Lavinia Gardner Rooney Shaw Sinatra was buried in Smithfield, N.C., the rural town she had left behind half a century ago. It was a scene that to some seemed eerily reminiscent of the rain-soaked funeral in The Barefoot Contessa—the 1954 film in which she played a hardscrabble beauty who transformed herself into a star and was shot by her embittered husband. Under rainy morning skies, about 50 relatives and a few friends gathered beneath a canopy at Sunset Memorial Park—a drab field bordered by a cluster of trailer homes—where Ava’s rose-covered cherry coffin was to be buried in the family plot. Outside the roped-off grave site several hundred fans and townsfolk huddled under umbrellas, straining to see whether any of Gardner’s Hollywood friends had come to pay their respects. (In fact there were no sightings, but the 3,000-odd visitors who streamed through the Underwood Funeral Home earlier had whispered about the wreath whose card was signed “With my love, Francis.”) Spoken by Rev. Francis C. Bradshaw, the brief eulogy focused on Gardner’s small-town background. “She was no saint,” he said, “but [her relatives] talked about her authenticity, her genuineness, her wanting to be strictly who she was.”
Long after the service ended, the curious continued to cluster around the graveyard; afterward many drove to the boardinghouse once run by Ava’s mother, Mary Elizabeth (Mollie). Now the memorabilia-stuffed Ava Gardner Museum, it is a monument to the star who began her career in A Rose Dream—the operetta presented by the first-grade class at Brogden School in 1929.
Like most of Ava’s kin, Bill Grimes never appreciated the story—ground out by the MGM publicity mill—that his aunt was a sharecropper’s daughter who made good. Nine years her junior, Grimes remained close to Ava even after she left Smith-field, and he claims that she hated being typecast as a hollow-eyed striver from the hookworm belt. Says Grimes (owner of an auto parts shop in Smithfield): “Those stories really depress all of us here, and they depressed Ava sometimes.” By community standards, he says, Ava’s father, Jonas, was “better than well-to-do” when his last child was born on Christmas Eve, 1922. Not only did he have the deed to the tobacco-and-cotton farm that he worked with his wife, but he also owned a sawmill and a country store with a marble soda fountain. And while the family lost their land when the Depression hit, they were never dirt-poor, says Grimes.
As the youngest of seven, Ava had more in common with her nieces and nephews than with her older siblings. “She was a tomboy back then,” says nephew Al Creech, who was born to her sister Elsie in 1925. “We’d play marbles, and she could hold her own. In the summer we’d use mattresses as trampolines, until our mothers caught us.”.
If young Ava harbored notions about becoming an actress, she never spoke about them to her family. In a letter written to a girlfriend when she was 13, however, she confessed that Hollywood made an early imprint on her. “I always wanted…be a movie star,” she wrote. “I still do, but I know I can’t so I have about given up hope.”
Hope was in short supply in the years after Ava entered high school. Jonas succumbed to a lung ailment in 1938, and when Mollie took over a boardinghouse in Rock Ridge, N.C., she put her daughter to work in the kitchen. Money was scarce, and while Ava was already a beauty, she was forced to wear hand-me-downs that drew ridicule from classmates. Shy, lonely, she was ruled with a strong hand by Mollie, who was a devout Baptist. According to Jane Ellen Wayne, author of Ava’s Men, published in 1989, Mollie was so protective that she chased away every male who dared approach. By Wayne’s account, Mollie once followed Ava when she drove with a suitor to a nearby lake. Dragging her daughter from the car, she delivered a blistering lecture and then marched her home. Later, Ava remembered, “Nobody wanted to take me out. No boy looked at me.”
In the summer of 1940, Ava was allowed to visit her married sister Beatrice in New York City, and the trip altered her life. Struck by his sister-in-law’s unspoiled beauty, Beatrice’s husband, commercial photographer Larry Tarr, persuaded her to pose for a series of portraits. After he placed one shot in the window of his studio, it was spotted by a messenger from MGM who presented himself as a talent scout. Tarr saw through the ruse, but he eventually sent another group of photos to the talent office at Metro.
Eager to see the 18-year-old in the flesh, MGM’s scouts invited her to come to the New York City office for a screen test. As Wayne reported it, the head of the talent department noted that Ava’s performance was dreadful but that the girl “took our breath away.” Said he: “She was clumsy and uneasy, but we all wanted to go to bed with her. What a woman!”
There was indeed a breathtaking lushness about Ava: luminous skin, languid eyes, and lips by Botticelli. Her hourglass figure made time seem to stop for most men. On Aug. 23, 1941, she arrived in Hollywood with Beatrice, who had volunteered to serve as her chaperon. Given a seven-year contract by MGM, Ava soon discovered that studio head Louis Mayer was at least as demanding as her mother had been: Like other starlets in his stable, she was placed in the hands of calisthenics instructors, hairdressers and diction coaches and forbidden to leave the city without permission. Compelled to pose for endless pinups, she was given walkthrough parts in pictures like Calling Dr. Gillespie and Kid Glove Killer. Years after, she said, “I had no experience and knew f—- all about anything, but I had no doubt that I’d be a movie queen.”
And while she wasn’t a smash on the screen in the beginning, she was a major success with Mickey Rooney—the 21-year-old who was one of Metro’s hottest properties. When they met on the studio lot, he was dressed in a Carmen Miranda costume, complete with platform shoes, and she was wearing a red coat and a blue ribbon in her hair. “She was the loveliest lady I had ever seen,” says Rooney.
Besotted with the 19-year-old, Rooney pursued her relentlessly. After a six-month courtship, the two were wed in a quiet ceremony near Santa Barbara. Sixteen months later, the marriage was over. According to Ava, she and Mickey were too immature for the roles of man and wife. “I simply didn’t fit into his world,” she said. “He had already been through it all, and I hadn’t even begun my career.”
Over the next two years, she slogged along in films in which she was mainly ornamental. She found her escape in romance: After a dalliance with millionaire Howard Hughes, she married bandleader Artie Shaw in October 1945. A strong-willed intellectual with four marriages behind him, Shaw, then 35, worshiped Ava’s body. “She was a goddess,” he says. “I would stare at her, literally stare, in wonder.” Her mind, it seemed, was another matter. Mocking her for being a lowbrow, Shaw sent her to a psychoanalyst who “made me crazy,” as she put it later.
After her 1946 divorce from Shaw, Ava began to concentrate on her career. Teamed with Clark Gable and Deborah Kerr in The Hucksters, she received good reviews but retained her fragile self-image. “Ava wouldn’t even go eat in the commissary because she was so scared to walk in and see Lana Turner and Greer Garson,” says actress Arlene Dahl. “She said she’d rather crawl under a rug than climb down some stairs into a party.”
For all of that, Ava learned to hold her own in a love affair. In the late ’40s she met Sinatra and immediately recognized him as her Rhett Butler. Says Dahl: “She told me that she never loved another man as much as she loved Frank.”
Their courtship was an exercise in glorious excess: It took two years for Sinatra to extricate himself from his first marriage, and the press trailed the two from Las Vegas to Mexico to Madrid. The Sinatras retained few secrets after they wed on Nov. 7, 1951: They drank hard, fought with abandon and sustained a sexual tension that was palpable even in photographs. When Sinatra went to shoot a movie in Escorial and Ava stayed 25 miles away in Madrid, he called her one night while a group of friends were having a nightcap in his room. Over the phone, Sinatra crooned to his wife for almost an hour. After he was finished, there was a knock at the door and in swept Ava, wearing only a mink coat with a negligee beneath. As soon as Frank had started singing, she had grabbed a taxi and driven through the night to be with him.
With Frank’s career in a decline and Ava’s on the rise, the battles grew more barbaric. She called him a gangster; he attempted suicide. And while the marriage lasted only two years, the passion never waned. Says Kitty Kelley: “No one ever loved a woman the way Frank loved Ava Gardner. She was his female counterpart—mercurial, volcanic, jealous. They just couldn’t live with it.”
Ava never married again, but she retained her appetite for domineering partners. “She loved macho men,” says Dahl. “She loved them because they knew who they were and were so positive and strong. She admired what she didn’t have.” In Spain, where she lived after the mid-’50s, Ava threw herself into front-page affairs with matadors, including famed bullfighter Luis Miguel Dominguin. Intoxicated by Spanish culture, Gardner learned flamenco dancing and tried her hand at fighting bulls. In 1961 she embarked on a yearlong affair with Claude Terrail, a world-class playboy and owner of the Paris restaurant La Tour d’Argent. By the time it was over, he says, “I had to give up—she was too dangerous for me.”
The peril began at dusk. Says Terrail: “She was Jekyll and Hyde. It was the drinking. She’d be fabulous from 9 A.M. to 7 P.M., until the mai tais were served. Then it was an entirely different personality—Ava from hell, with whole nights of drinking, wild times, car chases.”
Later, of course, Gardner would give up car chases in favor of evenings at home. After her career reached its artistic apex with The Night of the Iguana in 1964, she began to retreat; always uncomfortable in front of the camera, she accepted roles in 12 movies in the 16 years before she died. Not because she wanted to prove anything as a performer; instead, she told one reporter, “I do it for the loot, honey—always for the loot.”
Those who were close to Ava in her final years say that, although she was in pain, she harbored few regrets. A woman who always lived for the moment, he refused to clutter her London flat with mementos. “I don’t like all that stuff hanging around,” she said. “I don’t need to be reminded every minute.” Even wrinkles, it seemed, were no obstacle for the indomitable Ava Gardner. “Honey, there comes a time when you’ve got to face the fact that you’re an old broad,” she once declared. “I’ve had a hell of a good time, so my face looks, well, lived-in. You won’t find me standing in front of a mirror, weeping.”
—Michelle Green, Doris Bacon and Eleanor Hoover in L.A., Cathy Nolan in Paris, Jane Walker in Madrid, Linda Kramer in Washington, D.C., David Hutchings and Dick Lemon in New York City | In the end, Ava Gardner said that she was tired of living. Struggling against lung disease and the partial paralysis that was the legacy of her 1986 stroke, the woman whose mesmerizing looks and pu… | 78 | 0.974359 | 35.128205 | high | high | extractive |
http://www.9news.com.au/national/2016/12/12/13/33/turnbull-condemns-turkey-egypt-attacks | http://web.archive.org/web/20161213120600id_/http://www.9news.com.au/national/2016/12/12/13/33/turnbull-condemns-turkey-egypt-attacks | Turnbull condemns Turkey, Egypt attacks | 20161213120600 | Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has condemned terrorist attacks in Cairo and Istanbul, declaring Australia stands with its allies in the fight against extremism.
At least 25 people were killed and 49 wounded in a bombing at Cairo's largest Coptic cathedral, many of them women and children attending Sunday mass.
Meanwhile, 38 were killed and 155 wounded in a bomb attack outside a football stadium in Istanbul.
"We stand shoulder to shoulder with our friends, with our allies, around the world, in the fight against extremism," Mr Turnbull told reporters in Sydney on Monday.
"These crimes are despicable, they are cowardly, and the Australian government - and I know the Australian people - condemns them."
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten said Labor expressed its deepest sympathy to the Turkish people following Saturday's "barbarous" attack. | Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has condemned 'cowardly' terrorist attacks in Egypt and Turkey on the weekend. | 8.421053 | 0.736842 | 2.631579 | low | low | mixed |
http://www.9news.com.au/national/2016/12/14/03/32/morcombe-inquest-reopens-for-two-days | http://web.archive.org/web/20161214031042id_/http://www.9news.com.au/national/2016/12/14/03/32/morcombe-inquest-reopens-for-two-days | Cowan identified early as suspect: inquest | 20161214031042 | A former Queensland policeman says he identified Daniel Morcombe's killer Brett Cowan as a strong suspect in the days after the child's disappearance but was never asked more about his findings, an inquest has been told.
Kenneth King was part of the Major Incident Response team that conducted preliminary investigations into the boy's abduction on the Sunshine Coast in December 2003, and he drew the conclusion that Cowan was a key suspect.
"Cowan was a very strong suspect. I thought it was odd, given the normal investigation practice ... no one had ever come back to me to clarify or check details," Mr King told the inquest.
Daniel Morcombe's killer Brett Peter Cowan. (AAP)
Chief Coroner Terry Ryan on Wednesday reopened the inquest into the abduction and murder more than five-and-a-half years after it was adjourned in 2011.
Cowan is serving a life sentence after being found guilty of murder in 2014..
Mr King said he worked on the preliminary investigations for about two weeks before homicide detectives took over.
Daniel Morcombe was abducted in 2003.
He agreed with lawyer Peter Boyce, who is representing Denise and Bruce Morcombe, that Cowan ticked a lot of boxes.
Cowan was in the vicinity at the time Daniel went missing, there was a 45-minute hole in his alibi, he owned a white vehicle and a criminal history of pedophilia.
The constable and his partner Detective Senior Constable Dennis Martyn are two of the four witnesses giving evidence on Wednesday.
Also due to appear is Assistant Commissioner Mike Condon who was asked to leave the room while Mr King gave evidence. | The inquest into Daniel Morcombe's abduction and murder will reopen to look at aspects of the investigation despite the man responsible being behind bars. | 12.038462 | 0.653846 | 1.423077 | low | low | abstractive |
http://www.sfgate.com/49ers/article/49ers-leaders-are-strong-silent-types-10802220.php | http://web.archive.org/web/20161217022746id_/http://www.sfgate.com/49ers/article/49ers-leaders-are-strong-silent-types-10802220.php | 49ers’ leaders are strong, silent types | 20161217022746 | Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez, The Chronicle
Joe Staley (74) on the sidelines before the first half as the San Francisco 49ers played the New York Jets at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Sunday, December 11, 2016.
Joe Staley (74) on the sidelines before the first half as the San Francisco 49ers played the New York Jets at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Sunday, December 11, 2016.
Offensive tackle Joe Staley (74) of the San Francisco 49ers watches from the sideline sideline during the first quarter of his NFL preseason game against the Green Bay Packers at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif. on Friday, Aug. 26, 2016. The Packers defeated the 49ers 21-10.
Offensive tackle Joe Staley (74) of the San Francisco 49ers watches from the sideline sideline during the first quarter of his NFL preseason game against the Green Bay Packers at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara,
49ers’ leaders are strong, silent types
In June 2015, just after the 49ers lost locker-room pillars such as Justin Smith, Frank Gore and Patrick Willis, left tackle Joe Staley acknowledged his change in status: He was suddenly one of the team’s most influential leaders.
Staley, 32, said his new title wouldn’t prompt a new approach. He would remain a hard-working, lead-by-example type.
“I think once you start changing who you are,” Staley said, “it becomes phony and people don’t respect you as much.”
There’s no problem with Staley’s style, but this could be a problem: The 49ers’ other mainstays also lack an outwardly passionate presence.
In the midst of a disastrous season, fans have grown irate and frustrated, but the same emotions have been hard to spot in their 1-12 team. The 49ers’ post-loss locker rooms have been appropriately somber, but they’ve lacked a figure such as the sometimes-inconsolable Gore, who was known to cry after regular-season losses.
The 49ers stoically have endured their franchise-record 12-game losing streak. And, in that sense, they’ve mirrored their three oldest offensive or defensive players: Staley, safety Antoine Bethea, 32, and outside linebacker Ahmad Brooks, 32.
“I don’t say too much,” Brooks said in November. “Maybe I need to start saying a little more. Because I’ve been there. I’ve had experience. I’ve worked my way up to get to where I am right now.”
On Thursday, Bethea, a two-time Pro Bowler who is one of three 49ers with a Super Bowl ring, acknowledged he’s “more lead by example.” He was told about a reporter’s premise for a story: The 49ers’ lack of fiery, in-your-face leaders might be a problem.
“Of course, there will be times when guys get up and speak their mind. And we’ve done that,” Bethea said. “But as far as 16 weeks, having a grown man yelling at other grown men? You know what? Sometimes it has to come from within yourself. This is our job. Our job is to come here, get better and be a pro. That’s how I look at the situation.”
The 49ers could be commended for the lack of public, locker-room drama in a one-win season that has included quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s potentially divisive national-anthem stance. Perhaps the loudest noise in the locker room this season has been the echo of players insisting they’ve remained united.
On the other hand, where’s the disgust? A pulse? Is anyone so frustrated that he’ll make teammates uncomfortable?
The 49ers had similar leadership issues during last season’s 5-11 showing, but they did have All-Pro inside linebacker NaVorro Bowman help set a this-is-not-acceptable tone. In 2015, Bowman, who went on injured reserve in early October, slapped outside linebacker Corey Lemonier on the helmet, grabbed his jersey and yelled at him after he was flagged for unnecessary roughness in a loss to the Bengals.
Similarly, wide receiver Anquan Boldin, who is now with Detroit, was screaming on the sideline last year during a home loss to the Packers. During a 40-point defeat in Arizona, Boldin barked at head coach Jim Tomsula. Perhaps Boldin’s messages could been delivered better, but there was no doubt about his competitive fire.
Last week, wide receiver Torrey Smith said the 49ers have had moments of friction, but they’ve remained in-house.
“I think sometimes yelling does more bad than good,” Smith said. “That’s not to say guys aren’t getting to each other. It’s not to the point where it’s a distraction. Guys aren’t sitting around saying ‘Oh, man, OK, it will be all right.’ Hell no, it ain’t all right.”
One example of the hard-to-define vibe in the 49ers’ losing locker room came after a last-second defeat in Arizona in November. In the aftermath, cornerback Jimmie Ward, 25, proudly showed reporters the jersey Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald signed for him after collecting 12 catches and 132 yards.
This isn’t intended as a shot at Ward, one of the team’s feistiest and most productive young players. Rather, the scene inspired a question about the team’s culture: Shouldn’t there be an unspoken understanding that the immediate aftermath of 23-20 losses is not the time to display opponent’s jerseys?
This week, head coach Chip Kelly was asked about his team’s leadership and it was noted Staley and Bethea had a reserved style. Are the 49ers lacking forceful players to rally the troops?
“I think that’s overrated,” Kelly said. “I think part of being a good leader is being able to articulate your vision. You don’t have to be a yeller or a screamer to do that.”
Kelly could have been describing himself. He prides himself on avoiding emotional swings and he has avoided peaks and valleys despite this season’s record. His demeanor hasn’t changed at news conferences, which have continued to be marked by a calm tone and wry humor.
To Bethea, Kelly’s stay-even-keeled message to his players mirrors Hall of Fame coach Tony Dungy, for whom Bethea played with the Colts. Dungy told his players he shouldn’t be able to tell if they won or lost based on the way they acted the day after games.
For his part, Kelly has praised his players’ steadiness.
“They’re not an up-and-down group,” Kelly said. “… They understand to control what they can control and they follow that. So I really enjoy coaching this group. It’s a really good group of men. So it’s fun.”
There’s something to be said for staying calm in the midst of chaos. And Kelly noted New England head coach Bill Belichick, who has won four Super Bowl, is not a “fire-and-brimstone” leader.
The difference, however, is Belichick has players such as quarterback Tom Brady, who doesn’t lack for fire. On Monday, in a win over the Ravens, Brady punched the air in disgust, spiked a towel on the sideline and forcefully spoke with Julian Edelman after the receiver stopping running on an incomplete deep pass.
When asked about Brady’s outburst, Bethea acknowledged such a style can work. And he also said the 49ers’ lack of such emotional displays wasn’t the reason for their record.
“There are many ways you can be an effective leader,” Bethea said. “There’s not one model.”
Briefly: Smith (concussion) has been ruled out of Sunday’s game at Atlanta and Staley (hamstring) is doubtful. Atlanta wide receiver Julio Jones (toe) is out.
Eric Branch is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: ebranch@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @Eric_Branch | In the midst of a disastrous season, fans have grown irate and frustrated, but the same emotions have been hard to spot in their 1-12 team. The 49ers’ post-loss locker rooms have been appropriately somber, but they’ve lacked a figure such as the sometimes-inconsolable Gore, who was known to cry after regular-season losses. [...] in that sense, they’ve mirrored their three oldest offensive or defensive players: Staley, safety Antoine Bethea, 32, and outside linebacker Ahmad Brooks, 32. Maybe I need to start saying a little more. Because I’ve been there. On Thursday, Bethea, a two-time Pro Bowler who is one of three 49ers with a Super Bowl ring, acknowledged he’s “more lead by example.” The 49ers could be commended for the lack of public, locker-room drama in a one-win season that has included quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s potentially divisive national-anthem stance. Perhaps the loudest noise in the locker room this season has been the echo of players insisting they’ve remained united. The 49ers had similar leadership issues during last season’s 5-11 showing, but they did have All-Pro inside linebacker NaVorro Bowman help set a this-is-not-acceptable tone. In 2015, Bowman, who went on injured reserve in early October, slapped outside linebacker Corey Lemonier on the helmet, grabbed his jersey and yelled at him after he was flagged for unnecessary roughness in a loss to the Bengals. [...] wide receiver Anquan Boldin, who is now with Detroit, was screaming on the sideline last year during a home loss to the Packers. In the aftermath, cornerback Jimmie Ward, 25, proudly showed reporters the jersey Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald signed for him after collecting 12 catches and 132 yards. Shouldn’t there be an unspoken understanding that the immediate aftermath of 23-20 losses is not the time to display opponent’s jerseys? To Bethea, Kelly’s stay-even-keeled message to his players mirrors Hall of Fame coach Tony Dungy, for whom Bethea played with the Colts. The difference, however, is Belichick has players such as quarterback Tom Brady, who doesn’t lack for fire. On Monday, in a win over the Ravens, Brady punched the air in disgust, spiked a towel on the sideline and forcefully spoke with Julian Edelman after the receiver stopping running on an incomplete deep pass. | 3.253608 | 0.952577 | 29.307216 | low | high | extractive |
http://www.wsj.com/amp/articles/australias-prime-minister-reaffirms-support-for-a-republic-1482034362 | http://web.archive.org/web/20161220045638id_/http://www.wsj.com/amp/articles/australias-prime-minister-reaffirms-support-for-a-republic-1482034362 | Australia’s Prime Minister Reaffirms Support for a Republic | 20161220045638 | CANBERRA, Australia—Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull reaffirmed his preference to drop Britain’s monarch as Australia’s head of state, adding to tensions around his leadership ahead of an expected budget revision by the conservative government.
In a major speech marking the 25th anniversary of a republican movement he helped found, Mr. Turnbull said he supported a two-stage national vote to end constitutional ties to Britain’s monarchy, but not until the popular reign of Queen Elizabeth II eventually came to an end.
“The cause of the Australian Republican Movement is a cause for Australia,” said Mr. Turnbull, a former Goldman Sachs banker who in 1999 led a failed push for a republic through a referendum.
“We look neither down nor up. We look to each other with respect and admiration, and we say we are united and we are Australian,” he said in the speech late Saturday. “And so our head of state should be one of us.”
The 1999 referendum, which made Mr. Turnbull a household name before his entry into politics, sought constitutional change in favor of an Australian republic with a homegrown head of state. The push failed, with almost 55% of Australians rejecting it.
Support for a switch has faded further since, a poll by the Australian National University showed last year, as voters focus on concerns about the economy and unemployment over republicanism, seen by many as a fringe issue.
Mr. Turnbull, a social moderate who supports same-sex marriage, led a coup last year to oust Tony Abbott, a staunch monarchist, as conservative leader, promising he could steer the country through challenges including a weak domestic economy, softness in China and plummeting commodity prices.
But he continues to lead a rebellious Liberal-National coalition in which a faction of lawmakers remain hostile to his progressive social views. In the run-up to Mr. Turnbull’s speech, one unnamed politician told national radio that reopening talk of a republic “just pisses off our [conservative] base.”
Adding to tensions, the government on Monday will release a midyear budget update than may trigger the first downgrade of the country’s triple-A sovereign credit rating in 30 years. Treasurer Scott Morrison is expected by most market analysts to trim the current fiscal year’s growth projection to 2.25%—from 2.5% seen in May—to reflect tepid wage growth, while pushing ahead with a 48 billion-Australian-dollar (US$35.1 billion) plan to cut corporate taxes over a decade.
Instead of improvement, the economy under Mr. Turnbull shrank by 0.5% in the September quarter for the first time since March 2011, the worst performance since the global financial crisis. Unemployment crept up to 5.7% in November, adding to speculation that the country’s unbroken 25 years of economic expansion could be about to end.
Major global credit ratings firms including Standard & Poor’s and Moody’s put the government on notice that Australia risked a sovereign credit downgrade if the Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook, or MYEFO, didn’t chart a significant improvement in the budget’s bottom line.
“The MYEFO may not be enough to trigger a rating downgrade immediately, but I think whether it’s in the week ahead or after the May budget, a downgrade is just a matter of time,” said Shane Oliver, chief economist at AMP Capital.
The biggest casualty of a downgrade may be Mr. Turnbull’s authority, already weakened by cliffhanger elections in July that left his government with a one-seat majority in the lower house. His conservatives also are unable to pass laws in the upper house without backing from an unpredictable fringe.
An Essential poll last week showed just 34% of surveyed voters approved of Mr. Turnbull’s performance, the lowest level since he ousted Mr. Abbott in September 2015.
Mr. Turnbull’s political opponents and the media have begun to speculate that without a turnaround, the prime minister could face another of the leadership shake-ups that have delivered five prime ministers in six years.
“This idea of the republic, I think, may be him trying to regain momentum going into Christmas break,” said Jill Sheppard, a political analyst at the Australian National University. “But with an imminent budget downgrade, the timing could not be much worse.”
Write to Rob Taylor at rob.taylor@wsj.com | Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull reaffirmed his preference to drop Britain’s monarch as Australia’s head of state, adding to tensions around his leadership ahead of an expected budget revision by the conservative government. | 23.166667 | 1 | 36 | medium | high | extractive |
http://www.9news.com.au/national/2016/12/19/13/11/key-spends-savings-in-mid-year-review | http://web.archive.org/web/20161220212143id_/http://www.9news.com.au/national/2016/12/19/13/11/key-spends-savings-in-mid-year-review | Key spends, savings in mid-year review | 20161220212143 | KEY CHANGES ANNOUNCED IN MID-YEAR BUDGET UPDATE
* $224.7 million over four years from 2016/17 axing Tony Abbott's Green Army.
* Abandoning Asset Recycling Fund, projected to reduce gross debt by $10 billion.
* Not proceeding with privatisation of the ASIC Registry, saving $4.5 million.
* Ditching the $154 million same-sex marriage plebiscite.
* $170.4 million over two years from 2016/17 by reducing the number of places in the nannies pilot from 3000 to 500.
* $35.8 million over four years from 2016/17 to increase staff for federal politicians.
* $8.1 million over four years from 2016/17 to provide a third staffed electorate office for electorates larger than 350,000 square kilometres.
* $3 million in 2016/17 to the Australian Transport Safety Bureau to finalise MH370 search operations.
* $100 million over four years from 2016/17 for Landcare, as part of Greens' deal on the backpacker tax.
* $22.1 million in 2018/19 to secure the filming of Aquaman on the Gold Coast in 2017.
* $12 million over two years from 2017/18 for new wifi and mobile coverage on NSW Central Coast trains.
* $20.1 million over four years from 2016/17 to increase capabilities of Fair Work Ombudsman in helping vulnerable migrant workers.
* $39.0 million over four years from 2016/17 to support the investigation of matters arising from the trade union royal commission.
* $5.1 million over two years from 2016/17 to continue the operation of the interim embassy in Kyiv, Ukraine.
* $18.4 million in 2016/17 to establish a taskforce to plan for Australia hosting the ASEAN leaders' summit in 2018.
* $1.6 million over two years from 2016/17 for a black economy taskforce.
* $25.6 million over six years from 2016/17 to relocate the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority from Canberra to Armidale, New South Wales. | Where the federal government is cutting and spending in the mid-year budget update. | 22.625 | 0.6875 | 2.0625 | medium | low | mixed |
http://www.wsj.com/amp/articles/artificial-intelligence-makes-strides-but-has-a-long-way-to-go-1480874798 | http://web.archive.org/web/20161222060943id_/http://www.wsj.com/amp/articles/artificial-intelligence-makes-strides-but-has-a-long-way-to-go-1480874798 | Artificial Intelligence Makes Strides, but Has a Long Way to Go | 20161222060943 | Artificial intelligence is having a moment.
Startups that claim to be using AI are attracting record levels of investment. Big tech companies are going all-in, draining universities of entire departments. Nearly 140 AI companies have been acquired since 2011, including 40 this year alone.
AI is showing up in our everyday lives, as voice-recognition technology in our devices and image recognition in our Facebook and Google accounts.
Now, Google parent Alphabet Inc., Amazon.com Inc. and Microsoft Corp. are making some of their smarts available to other businesses, on a for-hire basis. Want to make your app or gadget respond to voice commands, and answer in its own “voice?” These services can do that. Need to transcribe those conversations so they can be analyzed? This new breed of services can do this and many other things, from face recognition to identifying objectionable content in images.
But wringing measurable utility from these new AI toys can be hard. “Everyone wants to think the AI spring is going to blossom into the AI summer, but I think it’s 10 years away,” says Angela Bassa, head of the data-science team at energy-intelligence-software company EnerNOC Inc.
Before switching to her new role, Ms. Bassa led a team at EnerNOC that used AI techniques such as machine learning and deep learning, which feed massive amounts of data into computer programs to “train” them. But the company found that customers were more interested in analytics than in the incremental value that sophisticated AI-powered algorithms could provide.
AI, says Ms. Bassa, requires three things that most companies don’t have in sufficient quantities. The first is enough data. Companies like Facebook, Amazon, Alphabet, General Electric Co. and others are harvesting enormous amounts of data, but they are exceptions.
The second is problems where making a small difference can justify the expense of creating an AI system. If AI can improve the fraud-detection system at a credit-card company by 1%, that could be worth tens of millions of dollars. For a midsize manufacturer that makes many different products, however, a 1% improvement in productivity of a particular line might not justify the cost of hiring a half-dozen highly paid engineers.
That leads to the third scarcity: People to build systems. The war for AI talent is driving up the cost. “There are maybe 5,000 people in the world who can put together one of these machine-learning systems in a way that saves money, even if only incrementally,” says Ms. Bassa.
This doesn’t mean that AI is useless to businesses. But it does suggest that AI is being oversold. Creating systems that can be used for a variety of problems, and not just the narrow applications to which AI has been put so far, could take decades. Systems have to be built and trained. Like educating a child, this takes time.
Most of what’s available now are “pre-trained” systems, built by companies like Microsoft, Amazon and Google, and reflecting the data those companies have. Those companies have billions of images, so they offer commercial image-recognition services for others. Amazon, having compiled a vast trove of spoken language from its Alexa personal assistant, offers services to process spoken language—and generate replies—for others.
Some startups are beginning to offer broader AI systems that require neither a machine-learning expert nor a pre-trained system constructed by the likes of Google. Israel’s n-Join sells manufacturers a small box that collects data from machines on an assembly line, and then uses machine learning to spot aberrations that could presage a breakdown.
The key to n-Join’s utility, says Guy Tsur, a senior technologist at Strauss Group Ltd., one of Israel’s largest manufacturers of dairy products and an early n-Join customer, is that it doesn’t have to know the type of assembly line it’s attached to, or what the sensors feeding it data are measuring. It’s simply looking for correlations that indicate the manufacturing process is operating differently than usual. It then alerts its human supervisors, who can use their own experience and judgment to diagnose a specific problem.
One thing an astute reader has noted by now is that none of these triumphs and shortcomings of AI resemble the sci-fi visions of machines taking over the world. Reflecting on my own brief experience as an invertebrate neuroscientist, I’d say that today’s AI is at the jellyfish stage in the evolution of biological intelligence. Real brains—and genuine intelligence—are so far in the future as to be beyond any reasonable horizon of prediction.
Or, as chief scientist and AI guru Andrew Ng of Chinese search giant Baidu Inc. once put it, worrying about takeover by some kind of intelligent, autonomous, evil AI is about as rational as worrying about overpopulation on Mars.
Write to Christopher Mims at christopher.mims@wsj.com | Keywords: Creating artificial intelligence systems that can be used for a variety of problems, and not just the narrow applications to which the technology has been put so far, could take decades, writes Christopher Mims. | 23.95 | 0.95 | 11.4 | medium | high | extractive |
http://www.wsj.com/amp/articles/as-the-great-wall-hits-theaters-in-china-hollywood-is-watching-1481797802 | http://web.archive.org/web/20161222063707id_/http://www.wsj.com/amp/articles/as-the-great-wall-hits-theaters-in-china-hollywood-is-watching-1481797802 | As ‘The Great Wall’ Hits Theaters in China, Hollywood Is Watching | 20161222063707 | In mounting the $150 million historical fantasy “The Great Wall,” some of the biggest entertainment companies in the U.S. and China had to overcome multiple barriers, from state censors to filming in Beijing pollution.
As the movie begins its global rollout with a debut in China on Friday, the biggest hurdle awaits: Getting audiences to show up. The picture stars Matt Damon as a European mercenary detained at the wall who joins forces with Chinese soldiers to repel an army of monsters.
“I don’t know if middle America or Europe or markets around the world will embrace this film,” said Peter Loehr, one of the movie’s producers. “Ultimately the audience decides.”
Hollywood is watching, as several production companies are planning similar U.S.-Sino projects and see “The Great Wall” as a harbinger for their prospects.
As an official co-production between U.S. and Chinese companies, “The Great Wall” combined cast and concepts from both countries in what is believed to be the most expensive movie ever shot exclusively in China. It offers a prelude to what the future of large-scale moviemaking—from preproduction to release—might look like between the two countries.
“I need this movie to succeed,” said a producer on one of those coming co-productions. The prospects are mixed.
“The Great Wall” is expected to be a hit in China, but box-office analysts aren’t hopeful about its chances in the U.S., where it debuts Feb. 17.
In that regard, the movie is another example of a new economic reality in Hollywood, where a solid performance in China can compensate for lousy returns stateside. Once a blip on studios’ radar, the Chinese box office grew nearly sixty-fold from 2003 to 2015, when its revenue passed $7 billion, and is expected to become the biggest in the world in 2019.
The movie’s financiers include Comcast Corp. ’s Universal Pictures, Legendary Entertainment—now part of China’s Dalian Wanda Group Co.—China Film Group, and Le Vision Pictures.
Because “The Great Wall” is a co-production, its financial backers based in the U.S. will receive a bigger slice of the ticketing revenue generated in China, and aren’t beholden to marketing rules that Chinese authorities use to make sure their country’s releases aren’t overshadowed by foreign movies.
But those sweetened terms come at a cost, beginning with rules that can feel like creative straitjackets and on-set safety requirements that can be looser than in the U.S.
Helping get “The Great Wall” over its first hurdle: hiring China’s version of Steven Spielberg to direct. Zhang Yimou ’s early films were banned in China, but he has since become his government’s go-to creative ambassador. Mr. Zhang directed the opening ceremonies of the 2008 Summer Olympics, earning him the unofficial title “national master” for his ability to juggle big-budget spectacles and state-backed projects.
“We had a lot of lobbying with some of the censorship board to get them to come around to this, and having a big director certainly helped with that,” said Mr. Loehr, who is also chief executive of Legendary East, the company’s China joint venture.
Filming in China posed inherent problems, like Beijing’s infamous pollution. “How do I look Matt Damon in the face when he’s the only one not wearing a mask?” one producer asked in a meeting.
Clearer skies and more space were found when the crew started filming in Qingdao, a coastal city 400 miles southeast of the capital where Wanda is constructing a sprawling real-estate development known as Wanda Studios Qingdao. Wanda bought Legendary for $3.5 billion in early 2016.
Several Chinese firms are lobbying U.S. studios to move productions to their new sound stages. If the experience of workers on “The Great Wall” is any indication, that migration will feel like a throwback to a more manual, less-regulated moviemaking era.
Costume-armor supervisor Levi Woods had just finished working on “Warcraft,” another Legendary action epic, when he joined “The Great Wall.” The 100 suits needed for “Warcraft” were designed by computer software and 3-D printed, whereas the 500 suits needed on “The Great Wall” were handmade from prototypes created by a sculptor.
Many Western crew members adjusted to a set that didn’t observe some of their longstanding safety practices, such as when Chinese workers applied a sealant that isn’t allowed on sets elsewhere. “I nearly passed out from the fumes that came out of a spray can,” said one crew worker.
Harnesses were routinely ignored when climbing scaffolding, said Guy Micheletti, the movie’s key grip, who supervised lighting and rigging crews. “You had to be a policeman,” he said. A producer said department heads tried to be extra-vigilant on set and pass on best practices.
“The Great Wall” wrapped filming last year, but its challenges didn’t end there. In casting actors that appeal to both markets, it found itself in political hot water.
When the movie’s first trailer was released, several Asian-Americans bemoaned Mr. Damon’s “white savior” narrative in a Chinese story. “Our heroes don’t look like Matt Damon,” said Chinese-American actress Constance Wu.
Mr. Loehr urged critics to see the movie before passing judgment.
A marketing push now under way in China includes tie-ins with Yum Brands Inc. ’s Pizza Hut and Ping An Insurance (Group) Co. of China Ltd. , and Mr. Damon traveled to Beijing earlier this month, showing off his handwriting with Chinese characters in a press conference.
Does all the work add up to ticket sales? “We’ll see what happens,” said Mr. Loehr.
—Lilian Lin in Beijing contributed to this article.
Write to Erich Schwartzel at erich.schwartzel@wsj.com | “The Great Wall,” starring Matt Damon, begins its global rollout with a debut in China on Friday, an ambitious $150 million picture that offers a prelude to what the future of large-scale moviemaking might look like between the U.S. and China. | 22.92 | 0.96 | 7.6 | medium | high | mixed |
http://www.wsj.com/amp/articles/big-pharma-short-on-blockbusters-outsources-the-science-1481042583 | http://web.archive.org/web/20161222075054id_/http://www.wsj.com/amp/articles/big-pharma-short-on-blockbusters-outsources-the-science-1481042583 | Big Pharma, Short on Blockbusters, Outsources the Science | 20161222075054 | French drug giant Sanofi SA is betting that a biotech partnership named after a Star Trek premise will help it crack one of the biggest mysteries in pharmaceutical research: molecules that drive diseases, including some cancers, that have been considered “undruggable” because of their shape.
Four-and-a-half years in, Sanofi now believes its partnership, Warp Drive Bio, is close to getting its first new drug candidate. But the path has been painful. The venture has gone through three CEOs, two organizational structures, dizzying shifts in priorities—and so far, no marketable products.
Such challenges are playing out around the drug industry, which had long relied on their own scientists to discover new products. With a string of expensive failures, Big Pharma has come to realize over the past decade that the science was getting too complex for anyone to master alone.
Companies like Sanofi, Johnson & Johnson and others have been re-engineering how they find new treatments, striking partnerships with bright university researchers and deals with promising biotechs. They have even agreed to work with one another to better understand diseases.
“You can’t do it alone. You have to say, ‘Hey, we might have been good in the past, but we need insights from others,’ ” says Paul Stoffels, chief scientific officer at J&J.
About 70% of the industry’s new sales today come from drugs originated in small companies, up from 30% in 1990, according to the Boston Consulting Group. And new-drug approvals are up from the low levels of just a few years ago.
Yet pharmaceutical companies and their partners have struggled to reconcile different personalities, distinct ways of working and sometimes, competing goals.
“How do you stimulate innovation without killing it in the process?” says Elias Zerhouni, Sanofi’s research and development chief.
The collaboration began in Paris in 2011, when Dr. Zerhouni was just months into his new job, following stints at Johns Hopkins University’s medical school and 6½ years running the National Institutes of Health.
Sanofi’s top sellers like the sleep aid Ambien and the blood-thinner Plavix were losing patent protection. Yet since 2008, the company had launched just three new products whose sales could offset the losses.
Dr. Zerhouni, a physician and biomedical engineer who had started five companies while in academia, figured that if Sanofi was going to cure its innovation ills, it needed to collaborate with world-class scientists outside of Big Pharma.
So one afternoon in May, he sat down with Harvard University professor Gregory Verdine at the College de France in Paris. Dr. Verdine had made groundbreaking discoveries at the crossroads of biology and chemistry, and had formed seven companies that developed drugs for hepatitis C and lymphoma.
Dr. Zerhouni grew excited as he listened to Dr. Verdine, hunched over a computer in a small conference room, sketch out his idea for an eighth company. He proposed a Holy Grail of drug research: targeting proteins that are relatively flat and inside cells.
These proteins play pivotal roles in a lot of diseases, including many cancers. But their flat surfaces protect them from the current crop of biotech drugs, which typically work by locking onto deep pockets in the proteins, outside cells, to stop them from connecting to other important molecules.
They were considered “undruggable” because researchers had failed to find a way to link a drug to one of these flat proteins inside a cell.
Mother Nature had, though. A few bacteria, including one found in the soil of Easter Island, did in certain situations make molecules that could cross cell walls and connect with the flat proteins inside. These molecules were the basis for drugs to help patients recover from organ transplants.
Dr. Verdine was hoping to use the latest gene-mapping technology to scour databases of bacteria for other similar bacteria. Some, he figured, had to be able to hook to flat proteins and point the way to new drugs.
You “don’t need to tell me more,” Dr. Zerhouni recalled saying.
Dr. Verdine was ecstatic. After the economic downturn of 2008, funding for life sciences startups was scarce. He had an interested partner in Third Rock Ventures, a venture-capital firm based in Boston that had been paying for a small team to begin the research. But they needed the support of a company such as Sanofi to fully engage in the risky undertaking.
Such a collaboration between venture capital, Big Pharma and a top scientist with a novel idea was highly unorthodox, and negotiations took until Christmas.
Some things came easily. There was quick agreement on a name: Warp Drive Bio, a homage to Star Trek that reflected the shared goal of discovering new medicines rapidly—at warp speed.
Other issues were tougher. Dr. Zerhouni, who admired Dr. Verdine, nevertheless wanted the partnership to be led by someone other than its scientific founder. “I didn’t want to give money and let some crazy professor run with it,” Dr. Zerhouni recalls.
Dr. Verdine says there weren’t any plans at that time for him to run the company at its inception, and he was only on a one-year sabbatical from Harvard.
Alexis Borisy, a partner at Third Rock Ventures who served as Warp Drive’s first chief executive, says: “We were making it up as we went along. There was no model we could follow.”
The final terms for Warp Drive Bio were unveiled Jan. 10, 2012. Sanofi would give up to $87.5 million over five years to the partnership. By then, Warp Drive Bio was to have delivered three to five potential new drugs that Sanofi could test in humans. Sanofi would have exclusive rights to the drugs and an option to buy the rest of Warp Drive.
The company’s first hires scavenged for bacteria to test, drawing on collections kept by Sanofi, other drug companies and government laboratories. They also swiped their own samples from sidewalks, backyards, even during a wedding in California wine country.
Within a few months, in March, the scientists had their first hit. Researcher Keith Robison was poring over the genetic readouts while in a rehab-center bed recovering from a skiing accident, when he saw the telltale signs.
“This looks like the real deal,” Dr. Robison emailed Dr. Verdine later.
The bacteria had a cluster of genes, dubbed X1, that under the right conditions should make molecules able to connect with flat proteins. Dr. Verdine was right: Nature had made other microbes with the special properties.
Over the months, Warp Drive sequenced tens of thousands more bacteria. By summer 2013, the firm had found a dozen bacterial strains making molecules with the special properties it was looking for. But Warp Drive was far from discovering drug candidates.
Company researchers still had to uncover the molecules made by these special bacteria and then the proteins that were targeted by these molecules. The researchers also had to determine if any diseases were triggered by one of these proteins and therefore good candidates for drugs.
That summer, the scientists had identified only the molecule made by X1 and its protein target. The biology was proving more complicated than originally hoped.
As it faced such scientific obstacles, Warp Drive was moving toward some significant changes. Mr. Borisy, Warp Drive’s first chief executive, returned to Third Rock to help it create new companies. Dr. Verdine took the helm that July.
Dr. Verdine was among several at the company who began thinking it should take a different tack: engineering in the lab molecules that could bind to targets that were already well understood, rather than waiting to find such molecules in nature and then working out the diseases they could treat.
Such a change in direction promised to give Warp Drive the technological platform for developing a range of drugs treating a variety of conditions. But it would require heavy investment and might delay the development of the handful of medicines that Sanofi was in a rush to put into its pipeline.
“Warp Drive wanted to go fishing, but Sanofi couldn’t wait to see what it found,” Dr. Zerhouni says.
The doubts reached a boiling point by October 2013, when Dr. Verdine pulled Dr. Zerhouni into a Massachusetts General Hospital coffee room. “I want your help to change Warp Drive,” Dr. Verdine says he told him.
Dr. Verdine told Dr. Zerhouni Warp Drive was having trouble recruiting and retaining staff under the cloud of a potential Sanofi takeover. For similar reasons, Dr. Verdine went on, Warp Drive was having trouble persuading other drug companies to partner.
He bemoaned the terms of the deal negotiated in 2011, when the public funding markets were in a downturn. The French company had the option to buy the portion of Warp Drive it didn’t own for more than $1 billion. Now the markets were recovering, and Dr. Verdine and staff were worried the deal undervalued Warp Drive.
And he described the timeline for discovering new drugs as too aggressive.
Dr. Zerhouni says he was surprised and troubled by the impact on Warp Drive’s scientific talent. Given the stakes for him inside Sanofi, he wanted to give the company every opportunity to flourish. “Let’s find a way,” he told Dr. Verdine.
The pair went up to a conference room, where they sketched out on a whiteboard what a restructured collaboration might look like, making Sanofi the primary partner of Warp Drive but giving it the runway to join with other companies and eventually go public. Dr. Zerhouni emphasized getting products was more important to Sanofi than any technology Warp Drive developed.
While they agreed on the basics, working out the details of what they wrote on that whiteboard would take another two years.
An initial obstacle, say people involved in the discussions: Dr. Verdine’s leadership of the company. Dr. Verdine wanted to be an involved father for his brainchild, especially at such a pivotal moment. He saw that the firm could build the machinery for making new drugs for myriad previously untreatable disease targets.
In particular, he was interested in a collection of genes called RAS, involved in cell growth and proliferation. When mutated, these RAS genes are major drivers of many cancers.
Dr. Verdine asked Harvard to extend his leave of absence from his academic post. “I’m trying to come up with a drug that will treat a third of all cancers. I think you would want me to do that,” he recalls telling the university.
Dr. Zerhouni appreciated his partner’s commitment. Yet he worried that Warp Drive needed to apply its findings toward the practical pursuit of specific drugs, rather than “revolutionizing the world.”
In July 2014, the Warp Drive board agreed on Dr. Verdine’s plan that the firm shouldn’t just wait to unravel Nature’s mysteries, but should also use its labs to proactively design molecules that could target flat proteins like those whose production is controlled by RAS.
Dr. Verdine eventually agreed to shift to become the company’s chief scientific officer. Warp Drive brought in biotech veteran Laurence Reid, a former executive at Alnylam Pharmaceuticals Inc. and Ensemble Therapeutics, as the venture’s new chief.
When the partners exchanged proposals in March 2015, a big sticking point emerged: rights to the drugs that Warp Drive discovered for Sanofi. The French company sought to retain all the rights to the promising medicines.
From his industry experience, Dr. Reid figured the startup couldn’t go forward as an independent company and succeed without some rights to the drugs it found. “Small companies throwing innovative assets over the wall and then stepping back and hoping pharma will develop them and send checks is a bit of a fool’s errand,” Dr. Reid says.
Dr. Reid says he was “shocked” the partners were so far apart, and wondered whether he had made a bad decision by taking the Warp Drive job.
Around Christmas 2015, the two sides negotiated a compromise. They would narrow their research partnership to some antibiotics and drugs targeting cancers caused by three different mutations of RAS. In addition, Warp Drive would be reorganized as a C corporation so it could raise money and be able to go public. It could pursue other drugs outside the collaboration and had an option to split a RAS drug’s U.S. rights, while getting royalties for international sales.
Today, Warp Drive has 57 employees. Last month, the startup delivered a few dozen bacteria-fighting compounds to Sanofi, which hopes to turn them into antibiotics to treat drug-resistant infections.
Dr. Robison, the researcher who found that first promising bacteria, is optimistic. He says he enjoys working at a lean startup nimble enough to follow the science wherever it leads, not slowed by a big company’s bureaucracy. At the same time, he appreciates Sanofi’s investment and input and now, agreement to let the startup’s researchers build a stand-alone company.
As in any relationship, Dr. Robison expects new issues to arise that will require further compromise. “It’s kind of like when a couple renews their vows,” he says. | Sanofi’s unorthodox partnership with a Harvard professor explores molecular mysteries—while churning through multiple CEOs. | 140.611111 | 0.777778 | 1 | high | low | abstractive |
http://www.foxnews.com/auto/2016/12/20/nascar-to-be-monster-energy-cup-series-starting-next-season.html | http://web.archive.org/web/20161222082100id_/http://www.foxnews.com/auto/2016/12/20/nascar-to-be-monster-energy-cup-series-starting-next-season.html | NASCAR to be Monster Energy Cup Series starting next season | 20161222082100 | NASCAR's top series will be called the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series beginning next year.
The change of name from the Sprint Cup Series comes with Monster Energy's new deal to be the title sponsor of NASCAR's top division.
The new name was released Monday along with a new official brand identity that replaces the bar mark used by the sanctioning body since 1976. The new logo has been in development since early 2016 as NASCAR sought to refresh its brand. It was designed to pay tribute to the storied history of NASCAR, incorporating elements of all four previous marks since the company's inaugural season of 1948. | NASCAR's top series will be called the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series beginning next year. | 5.95 | 0.85 | 5.25 | low | medium | mixed |
http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Gift-of-a-studio-for-engineer-left-homeless-after-10689626.php | http://web.archive.org/web/20161222094527id_/http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Gift-of-a-studio-for-engineer-left-homeless-after-10689626.php | Gift of a studio for engineer left homeless after 2 accidents | 20161222094527 | Photo: Gabrielle Lurie, The Chronicle
Larry Williams walks to the bus stop while making his way to Chinatown to go grocery shopping, in San Francisco, California, on Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2016. Larry, who was previously homeless, recently got permanent housing in the Fillmore district.
Larry Williams walks to the bus stop while making his way to Chinatown to go grocery shopping, in San Francisco, California, on Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2016. Larry, who was previously homeless, recently got
Larry Williams (right), greets Delbert Young (left) who he met at a homeless shelter, while riding the bus to the grocery store, in San Francisco, California, on Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2016. Larry was homeless for over five years and recently received permanent housing.
Larry Williams (right), greets Delbert Young (left) who he met at a homeless shelter, while riding the bus to the grocery store, in San Francisco, California, on Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2016. Larry was homeless for
Larry Williams, who was previously homeless, takes a sip of coffee in his new apartment complex, in San Francisco, California, on Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2016. Larry, who has a bad back, sits on pillows because he hasn't been able to purchase a chair yet.
Larry Williams, who was previously homeless, takes a sip of coffee in his new apartment complex, in San Francisco, California, on Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2016. Larry, who has a bad back, sits on pillows because he
A rosary sits on the living room table of Larry Williams apartment complex in the Filmore district, in San Francisco, California, on Monday, Nov. 21, 2016. Larry, who is religious, was homeless for over five years before recently finding permanent housing.
A rosary sits on the living room table of Larry Williams apartment complex in the Filmore district, in San Francisco, California, on Monday, Nov. 21, 2016. Larry, who is religious, was homeless for over five
Larry Williams (right), who was previously homeless walks down Natoma Street on his way to see his case worker, in San Francisco, California, on Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2016.
Larry Williams (right), who was previously homeless walks down Natoma Street on his way to see his case worker, in San Francisco, California, on Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2016.
Larry Williams, who was previously homeless, sits in the lobby of his new permanent housing complex while eating at a Thanksgiving holiday party, in San Francisco, California, on Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2016.
Larry Williams, who was previously homeless, sits in the lobby of his new permanent housing complex while eating at a Thanksgiving holiday party, in San Francisco, California, on Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2016.
Larry Williams (right), who was previously homeless, sits at Hospitality House on 6th Street, while waiting to see his case worker Bianca Henry, in San Francisco, California, on Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2016.
Larry Williams (right), who was previously homeless, sits at Hospitality House on 6th Street, while waiting to see his case worker Bianca Henry, in San Francisco, California, on Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2016.
Larry Williams, who was previously homeless, walks through a grocery store in Chinatown in search of Bonito flakes, in San Francisco, California, on Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2016.
Larry Williams, who was previously homeless, walks through a grocery store in Chinatown in search of Bonito flakes, in San Francisco, California, on Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2016.
Larry Williams, who was previously homeless cuts cantaloupe in the kitchen of his new apartment complex, in San Francisco, California, on Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2016.
Larry Williams, who was previously homeless cuts cantaloupe in the kitchen of his new apartment complex, in San Francisco, California, on Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2016.
Larry Williams (right) who was previously homeless, waits for the bus after going grocery shopping in the Mission District, in San Francisco, California, on Monday, Nov. 21, 2016.
Larry Williams (right) who was previously homeless, waits for the bus after going grocery shopping in the Mission District, in San Francisco, California, on Monday, Nov. 21, 2016.
Larry Williams (left), who was previously homeless, sits with his caseworker Bianca Henry (right) to talk about switching his healthcare provider, at Hospitality House, in San Francisco, California, on Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2016.
Larry Williams (left), who was previously homeless, sits with his caseworker Bianca Henry (right) to talk about switching his healthcare provider, at Hospitality House, in San Francisco, California, on
Larry Williams, who was previously homeless, vapes on the sidewalk while taking a break near his new apartment complex, in San Francisco, California, on Monday, Nov. 21, 2016.
Larry Williams, who was previously homeless, vapes on the sidewalk while taking a break near his new apartment complex, in San Francisco, California, on Monday, Nov. 21, 2016.
Larry Williams, who was previously homeless, walks through the lobby of his new permanent housing complex, in San Francisco, California, on Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2016.
Larry Williams, who was previously homeless, walks through the lobby of his new permanent housing complex, in San Francisco, California, on Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2016.
Gift of a studio for engineer left homeless after 2 accidents
Larry Williams sat on a thick folded blanket on the floor of his studio apartment, back to the wall, an ancient-looking laptop perched on his thighs.
It was the first time he’d turned on his laptop in years — it took two days just to update the software, he said with a chuckle. Until recently the laptop was stowed away at a friend’s house, along with the muted green cardigan he’s wearing and the stylish hats stacked on his dresser.
More than five years ago a car accident threw Williams’ life into absolute disarray, leaving him traumatized and without a job or home. He was given this permanent place to live only three months ago.
When he walked into the Fillmore district apartment that September day, he fell to his knees and wept. Even just talking about it Williams choked up.
“I’ve made it this far,” he said. “But I assure you, there are people out there who won’t. This isn’t all about me.”
It took years for the 57-year-old Williams, a son of the Midwest with a fierce stubborn streak, to admit that he wasn’t going to easily lift himself out of the intolerable homelessness he landed in after the 2011 car accident. When he finally accepted that his life was never going to be the same, he found help through several charitable agencies, including The Chronicle’s Season of Sharing Fund, which covered the security deposit and first month of rent in his studio, plus a bed, dresser and kitchen table.
Last week, a nurse who befriended him during one of several hospital stays bought him an Ikea chair for his living room, but it won’t be delivered for a while yet. The floor’s just fine for now, Williams said, legs stretched in front of him, puffing on a vape pen that emitted a thick, sweet-smelling mist.
He no longer has to spend his day wondering where he’ll sleep next, how he’ll eat. He’s comfortable and he’s safe, he said. That’s what matters.
Now, he said, “I want people to see the tangible, to see the outcome” of the kind of help he’s received, and how much it can change a man’s life.
Before the accident, Williams was a mechanical engineer who spent most of his adult life working around the world, but primarily in the Bay Area and China, as an independent project manager. He was living in San Jose — staying with a friend, because his marriage was starting to fall apart — when he was rear-ended on Interstate 280.
Williams had severe spinal and head injuries. He spent about a week in the hospital, and was released still suffering symptoms of a serious concussion and nerve pain and weakness that he was told would require months of intense physical therapy.
He couldn’t live with his soon-to-be ex-wife. He couldn’t stay with his mother, who lived in Indiana, too far from the doctors he felt he needed. He felt like he couldn’t ask a friend to take him in.
Williams had been, he said, the “quintessential American,” confident that nothing truly terrible could befall him. He had almost no savings, despite bringing in a good salary for many years. “And suddenly, I couldn’t work,” he said. “I couldn’t even flip a burger.”
He certainly couldn’t afford rent.
So Williams, hobbled by pain and fatigue, his concentration and memory shot by the head injury, moved into a homeless shelter.
But shelters aren’t permanent, and he skipped from one to another all over San Mateo and San Francisco counties. Eventually he bought a tent from St. Vincent de Paul and set up in Golden Gate Park, grateful for skills that came back to him from a childhood camping trip with his family.
He was convinced, always, that if he could just get healthy again, he could get a job and get back on his feet. And maybe that would have worked out, but 17 months after the first car accident, he was hit by a car again, this time as a pedestrian near the San Bruno BART Station.
After a quick trip to an emergency room, he ended up in a tent at the base of San Bruno Mountain. Barely able to move from the pain of a broken shoulder and torn ligaments in both knees, he huddled in a sleeping bag for weeks, trusting another homeless man with his food stamp card to shop for him.
“I ate black beans and tuna fish, every day, for a long time,” he said. “I just laid there. That’s all I could do. It’s one of the things I will never forget — being scared, being vulnerable.”
He did recover — enough to be mobile again, at least. But he was facing another life-threatening dilemma in the meantime. A few months before the first accident, he’d learned he had a congenital heart condition that would someday require open heart surgery to replace a faulty valve.
The near-constant stress he experienced in the aftermath of the accident surely made the heart problems worse, doctors told him.
On the laptop he had unearthed from storage, Williams found photos he’d taken in those first couple of years he was homeless, before he left the computer with a friend to keep it safe. In one series of pictures, taken on a cell phone that he’d set on a timer, Williams is posed in front of a semi truck that he slept under one night. He’s in dirty jeans and a sweatshirt a size or two too big for him. His graying hair — now cut short and neatly combed — is long and unkempt.
Most striking is the fatigue etched into the lines around his eyes and the sour downturn of his mouth. He looks, Williams said, studying the images from the safety of his new home, like a man who’s given up.
“I was dealing with trauma, depression,” Williams said. But at the time — even after two terrible car accidents and facing imminent heart failure — he couldn’t acknowledge just how bad off he was. “I’m a little hard-headed. I thought I could drag myself out of this.”
Hard-headed is an understatement, said his caseworker, Bianca Henry. She met him not long after the first accident, when he started showing up at a shelter where she worked in San Mateo. She tried then to get him connected to services for the homeless, but he seemed reluctant to accept the help, she said.
“He was this entrepreneur, this engineer,” she said. “And then you get hit by a car one day and end up in a shelter, and someone comes by and says you need help — it’s like, ‘get out of here, I can do it on my own.’
“All you can do is say, ‘I’m here when you’re ready.’”
Two years ago, he finally got the heart surgery he needed. Members of his church in San Bruno raised money to fly his mom out in the days immediately after the operation. His doctors, nurses and caseworkers did what they could to extend his hospital stay, but he ended up in a shelter again two months after the surgery, still so weak that the managers let him stay in his bed all day.
From there he landed in a Mission District boarding house — still a temporary home, but more stable at least than the shelter. “And one of the heroin addicts took me under his wing,” Williams said, smiling faintly.
The man told Williams about an upcoming clinic, run by Project Homeless Connect, where he could meet with caseworkers and housing advocates who could get him onto waiting lists for long-term, affordable housing.
Williams went, and he got onto a list, and about nine months later he got a call from Henry. “Are you sitting down?” she said.
The studio on Turk Street is small, but it has a kitchen, a private bathroom, and space enough for a full-size bed and a tall, sturdy wardrobe and a vintage coffee table he bought himself for $35. The sixth-floor windows look out on Turk, and beyond it a private school where, one morning, children were screaming and laughing over a game of basketball.
Help from San Francisco’s Shelter Care Plus, Hospitality House and Season of Sharing got him furniture, dishes and forks and knives, toiletries, even a refrigerator. Caseworkers and therapists told him to take his time settling in. They told him it might be hard to get used to having his own space, to “relearn domestication,” Williams said
He’s come to realize in the past couple of months that his years of homelessness have touched him in ways that are scarring. He’s only just accepted that he suffers post-traumatic stress syndrome — from the car accidents, from lacking a safe place to sleep, from times when he was assaulted while he was homeless.
“I’m not the Larry I used to be,” Williams said, blinking back tears again.
He still thinks about moving on — about working again and making enough money to support himself. Always creative, and ever the engineer, he’s been experimenting with coffee- and tea-brewing techniques that he thinks could be turned into a business.
But he’s also realizing he may never be that same Larry, and he’s learning to accept that. Having a place of his own, he said, for as long as he wants it, will help.
Erin Allday is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: eallday@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @erinallday
For the past 30 years, the Chronicle Season of Sharing Fund has helped more than 100,000 Bay Area individuals and families facing an unexpected life crisis. The idea of neighbors helping neighbors was introduced to The Chronicle by the late Walter A. Haas Jr. and Ira Hirschfield, president of the Evelyn and Walter Haas Jr. Fund, in 1986. Since then, the Chronicle Season of Sharing Fund has distributed $113 million to help those living in the Bay Area.
Each year, the fund provides temporary assistance to approximately 4,500 families, allocating most of its grants for housing needs, as well as paying for other critical necessities such as essential furniture for families recovering from a fire in their home or helping to purchase a wheelchair. Grants are paid directly to the supplier of services, such as a landlord. Individuals do not receive direct grants from the Chronicle Season of Sharing Fund.
The fund, which also distributes more than $1 million each year to local food banks, relies on donations from readers. The money is distributed year-round.
Every penny of your donation goes to help those who need it most. All expenses are covered by the Evelyn and Walter Haas Jr. Fund and The San Francisco Chronicle. We are proud to say that since its inception, 100 percent of the money raised for the Chronicle Season of Sharing Fund has gone directly to help the families and communities we serve.
For more information, visit www.seasonofsharing.org.
Chronicle Season of Sharing Fund
Total cash distributed: $113 million
Number of families helped: More than 100,000 (approximately 4,500 individuals and families annually)
Total cash distributed to food banks: $19 million
Number of annual donors: 5,400 | Larry Williams sat on a thick folded blanket on the floor of his studio apartment, back to the wall, an ancient-looking laptop perched on his thighs. [...] recently the laptop was stowed away at a friend’s house, along with the muted green cardigan he’s wearing and the stylish hats stacked on his dresser. When he finally accepted that his life was never going to be the same, he found help through several charitable agencies, including The Chronicle’s Season of Sharing Fund, which covered the security deposit and first month of rent in his studio, plus a bed, dresser and kitchen table. Last week, a nurse who befriended him during one of several hospital stays bought him an Ikea chair for his living room, but it won’t be delivered for a while yet. The floor’s just fine for now, Williams said, legs stretched in front of him, puffing on a vape pen that emitted a thick, sweet-smelling mist. Before the accident, Williams was a mechanical engineer who spent most of his adult life working around the world, but primarily in the Bay Area and China, as an independent project manager. [...] Williams, hobbled by pain and fatigue, his concentration and memory shot by the head injury, moved into a homeless shelter. Eventually he bought a tent from St. Vincent de Paul and set up in Golden Gate Park, grateful for skills that came back to him from a childhood camping trip with his family. [...] maybe that would have worked out, but 17 months after the first car accident, he was hit by a car again, this time as a pedestrian near the San Bruno BART Station. Barely able to move from the pain of a broken shoulder and torn ligaments in both knees, he huddled in a sleeping bag for weeks, trusting another homeless man with his food stamp card to shop for him. “I ate black beans and tuna fish, every day, for a long time,” he said. A few months before the first accident, he’d learned he had a congenital heart condition that would someday require open heart surgery to replace a faulty valve. The near-constant stress he experienced in the aftermath of the accident surely made the heart problems worse, doctors told him. On the laptop he had unearthed from storage, Williams found photos he’d taken in those first couple of years he was homeless, before he left the computer with a friend to keep it safe. In one series of pictures, taken on a cell phone that he’d set on a timer, Williams is posed in front of a semi truck that he slept under one night. Most striking is the fatigue etched into the lines around his eyes and the sour downturn of his mouth. [...] — even after two terrible car accidents and facing imminent heart failure — he couldn’t acknowledge just how bad off he was. The man told Williams about an upcoming clinic, run by Project Homeless Connect, where he could meet with caseworkers and housing advocates who could get him onto waiting lists for long-term, affordable housing. The studio on Turk Street is small, but it has a kitchen, a private bathroom, and space enough for a full-size bed and a tall, sturdy wardrobe and a vintage coffee table he bought himself for $35. The sixth-floor windows look out on Turk, and beyond it a private school where, one morning, children were screaming and laughing over a game of basketball. Help from San Francisco’s Shelter Care Plus, Hospitality House and Season of Sharing got him furniture, dishes and forks and knives, toiletries, even a refrigerator. Always creative, and ever the engineer, he’s been experimenting with coffee- and tea-brewing techniques that he thinks could be turned into a business. For the past 30 years, the Chronicle Season of Sharing Fund has helped more than 100,000 Bay Area individuals and families facing an unexpected life crisis. Fund, in 1986. [...] the Chronicle Season of Sharing Fund has distributed $113 million to help those living in the Bay Area. Each year, the fund provides temporary assistance to approximately 4,500 families, allocating most of its grants for housing needs, as well as paying for other critical necessities such as essential furniture for families recovering from a fire in their home or helping to purchase a wheelchair. | 3.870819 | 0.953864 | 33.352941 | low | high | extractive |
http://www.9news.com.au/national/2016/12/21/20/20/wa-police-find-remains-in-moran-search | http://web.archive.org/web/20161222173127id_/http://www.9news.com.au/national/2016/12/21/20/20/wa-police-find-remains-in-moran-search | WA police find remains in Moran search | 20161222173127 | Police have found human remains in bushland north of Perth where they were looking for 30-year-old Timothy Daniel Moran, who has been missing for more than a week.
The search became a murder-suicide investigation when Timothy's father Michael Moran, 68, was found dead on Saturday morning with a note claiming that that he had shot his son in the bush before taking his own life.
Formal identification is yet to be made, say police.
Readers seeking support and information about suicide prevention can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.
Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467.
MensLine Australia 1300 78 99 78. | Police searching for missing man Timothy Moran as part of a murder-suicide investigation have found human remains in bush north of Perth. | 4.88 | 0.84 | 2.68 | low | medium | mixed |
http://www.wsj.com/amp/articles/a-bland-new-condo-gets-a-personality-makeoverd-1482435205 | http://web.archive.org/web/20161223044033id_/http://www.wsj.com/amp/articles/a-bland-new-condo-gets-a-personality-makeoverd-1482435205 | A Bland New Condo Gets a Personality Makeover | 20161223044033 | DEVELOPERS RARELY GIVE new condominium interiors a lot of thought, said New York architect Andrew Franz : “They’re just these rooms waiting for some vocabulary and identity to be given to them.” He and his team did just that with this Manhattan apartment, transforming it from an architectural tabula rasa to a space with the same level of character as a prewar building. Neither he nor the clients were interested in adding details, such as window casings and crown moldings, that emulate more classic architecture, a reflex move that many new-condo buyers make.
Instead, the couple asked that the duplex’s design indulge the husband’s love of the outdoors by introducing as much natural wood as possible and stylistically blending the interior with the landscaped, rather astounding 2,600-foot terrace that came with this 17th-floor aerie.
The firm introduced beautiful materials but in ways that celebrated their fundamental character rather than manipulating them into complex, artificial forms. Wood remains live-edged with a low sheen that shows off the grain; silk wallpaper is unpatterned; sheer wool curtains a solid color. “The rich material palette gives a sense of a more civilized and refined space,” said Mr. Franz. The lack of ornamentation keeps the interior modern “but with the caliber of finish of a historic building.”
Here, how the strategy played out in four of the home’s rooms.
Smack in the middle of this Manhattan apartment’s living and dining spaces sits the stairway (pictured above), an element that could easily have blocked the view to the expansive terrace. The material of choice: slices of old-growth black walnut from Oregon, their organic live edges intact to distract from the room’s rigid geometry. The answer to making the steps “a feature but not an obstacle,” said architect Andrew Franz, was forgoing risers between the heavy treads and using 1/8-inch bronze cable instead of traditional balusters. The loft-like space takes its color cues from the wood for a cohesive, warm and low-contrast palette of browns, rusts and corals. “Generally, high-contrast reads more modern,” said Mr. Franz. The fireplace is constructed of green onyx in simple slabs, another example of resisting the urge to over-manipulate materials. “On its own, it sings.”
Positioned immediately opposite the dining room and visible to diners, the kitchen needed to be an extension of the wood-worshipping living space, explained Mr. Franz. The back cabinet wall of ash was brushed to bring out the grain, then finished with opaque lacquer so it reads more like paneling than cabinetry. The island, made of wood from the same tree as the stairs, also retains a live edge. Carved finger grooves are more organic drawer pulls than hardware would be.
Personable materials and round shapes help transform a mundane file-drawer of a bedroom (three walls and a window) into a space with a charismatic sense of place, said Mr. Franz. Circular mirrors, an artfully blobby Ligne Roset lounge chair and the strong daisy print of the Duralee curtain panels take the edge off the rectangularity of the desk. Not only does the variegated grass-cloth wallpaper give the bland room character, it hides blemishes better than painted Sheetrock does. “You take a picture nail out and you can’t even find the hole,” noted Mr. Franz.
This second-floor entrance leads to three bedrooms and a mudroom. As the only windowless space in the home, “this was one of the few places we could introduce something that was itself the event without a competing view,” said Mr. Franz. Hence, the Schumacher Chiang Mai Dragon wallpaper. The antique Persian rug of camel-hair and wool boasts enough color to keep up with the walls but is bordered in a beige that aligns with carpets visible through four adjacent doorways. The vintage Stilnovo light fixture that’s flush-mounted to the ceiling issues rays of light through its perforated metal, a subtle display that lets the wallpaper shine. Family members limit digital screen time, so a custom-built walnut charging station serves as a drop-off for their devices. The 14-year-old son’s room, more visible than the others, got a slightly nicer treatment than did the other children’s rooms. He lucked out with a vintage Arne Jacobsen Egg Chair and ottoman and silk-alpaca carpeting. | How the team at Andrew Franz Architect gave a clinical Manhattan apartment with zero character the friendly, organic quality of an older home | 35.041667 | 0.708333 | 0.958333 | medium | low | abstractive |
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2016/07/20/wait-for-brexit-fog-to-clear-before-interest-rate-cut/ | http://web.archive.org/web/20161223224037id_/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2016/07/20/wait-for-brexit-fog-to-clear-before-interest-rate-cut/ | Wait for Brexit fog to clear before interest rate cut | 20161223224037 | But our tools are not limitless. The economy has already received some stimulus—such as from the lower yield curve, sterling’s depreciation, and the easing of banks’ buffers to increase their lending capacity.
The MPC is committed to take action as needed to support growth and sustain inflation around target. The adjustment to the referendum will be a long process.
Markets have stabilized. In my view, we can wait to use these tools until we better understand the effects of the referendum, the optimal magnitude of any stimulus, and how best to target these tools to be most effective and minimize the negative side-effects.
There may be a case to adjust monetary policy soon. But until more hard data is available, I believe this is a good time to “keep calm and carry on.” | “Keep calm and carry on” is a good motto to live by—as well as a good strategy for monetary policy. | 6.826087 | 0.565217 | 1.26087 | low | low | abstractive |
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2016/mar/11/police-tried-to-help-radicalised-melbourne-teen-before-shooting | http://web.archive.org/web/20161226133314id_/https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2016/mar/11/police-tried-to-help-radicalised-melbourne-teen-before-shooting | Police 'tried to help' radicalised Melbourne teen before shooting | 20161226133314 | Counter-terrorism police were probably trying to help a radicalised Muslim teenager when they met with him in Melbourne before he stabbed them and was shot dead, an inquest has heard.
Numan Haider, 18, was shot after stabbing two police officers who had arranged to meet him outside Endeavour Hills police station on 23 September 2014.
By that stage, Asio had been monitoring Haider for months, and the teen’s passport application had been rejected on security grounds.
A counter-terrorism expert told an inquest into the teen’s death it appeared police were trying to keep their interactions with Haider neutral when they arranged to meet him in the station car park.
“It seemed like a reasonable way of meeting,” Deakin University’s Prof Greg Barton told the Victorian coroner’s court on Friday.
Earlier, police had been to Haider’s house and searched his room, but the teen was not present.
“You had police trying to do the right thing, by trying to follow up with someone they were concerned about,” Barton said.
It’s difficult to say with clarity why the radicalised teen decided to attack police, but recent events offer some insight, the academic said.
“We need to understand this particular tragic event in its historical context,” Barton said.
Five days before he was killed, Haider posted a photo of himself on Facebook wearing camouflage gear and a balaclava while holding a flag associated with Islamic State.
The photo was posted on the same day as Australia’s largest counter-terrorism operation, which involved more than 800 officers in pre-dawn raids in Sydney.
Footage of those raids – filmed by New South Wales police – was circulated widely and included “distressing” images of women being forced outside their homes, Barton said.
In response to some of his friends’ comments about the photo, Haider claimed it was “the dogs of AFP who are declaring war on Muslims”.
Two days before Haider’s attack, Islamic State also called on its supporters to kill soldiers and civilians in Australia, the US, and Europe.
Hours before he died, Haider told a public servant his application for a passport had been rejected for “bullshit” reasons.
Barton believes a more low-key role by police may have changed the course of their meeting with Haider, but said he wasn’t suggesting Victoria police had done something wrong.
“Knowing what we now know, we could have done things differently,” he said.
The inquest has been adjourned until Tuesday. | Counter-terrorism expert says police probably wanted to do the right thing by 18-year-old Numan Haider before he stabbed them, inquest hears | 19 | 0.807692 | 2.576923 | medium | medium | mixed |
http://nypost.com/2016/12/24/networks-can-cover-eyes-bury-heads-but-cant-hide-from-truth/ | http://web.archive.org/web/20161227113142id_/http://nypost.com/2016/12/24/networks-can-cover-eyes-bury-heads-but-cant-hide-from-truth/ | Networks can cover eyes, bury heads, but can’t hide from truth | 20161227113142 | I realize I’m mixing up holidays by six months, but on Christmas Day why not also observe Independence Day?
Thus, as historians have noted, the United States’ first Editor in Chief was Benjamin Franklin, who amended Thomas Jefferson’s draft of the Declaration of Independence to include, “We hold these truths to be self-evident.”
And so it came to pass, Thursday night, that a first-quarter Eli Manning pass was intercepted and returned for a touchdown by the Eagles’ Malcolm Jennings. On NBC/NFLN, the “pick-six” was shown repeatedly and described by Mike Tirico and Cris Collinsworth.
With the score 21-13, Eagles, the second half was about to start when a large graphic appeared. It read: “GIANTS DEFENSE: Most points allowed (21), in first half this season.”
And that misinformation was repeated by Tirico while Collinsworth, who otherwise suffered all game from verbal incontinence, said nothing.
So the same people — the same first-string experts who repeatedly showed and told us about that interception returned for a TD to make it 14-0 — abandoned Ben Franklin’s self-evident truth — and in Philadelphia, no less — to tell a national audience that those seven points were scored on the Giants’ defense.
Coincidentally, the Declaration of Independence was written the same year (1776) as Thomas Paine’s “Common Sense.”
George Karl last week ticked off a lot of big-timers, writing a book in which he specified a been-there, coached-that and self-evident truth: During their seasons together in Denver, Anthony was a voracious scorer, but nothing more, nothing better in service to winning, two-way, team basketball.
Since becoming a Knick in 2011, nothing much has changed as per Anthony’s self-evident play. In fact, the most successful and extraordinarily exciting run the Knicks — and NYC basketball — experienced since Anthony’s arrival occurred when Anthony was hurt and the Knicks had no choice but to allow an undrafted unknown afterthought, Jeremy Lin, to run the offense.
Of course, that meant when Anthony returned, Lin’s role — more importantly, his style of all-in basketball — would be diminished until Lin was, as Clyde Frazier might say, banished and vanished.
Still, one person’s self-evident truth is another’s “Mystery Science Theater.” This region’s media, which have long seemed to hang on Anthony’s every shot and thought as special, ripped Karl for the audacity to write what reads as highly supportable non-fiction.
And on a personal sports fan level, I don’t think I ever have spoken with a Knicks fan who thinks Anthony plays basketball as if it is a five-man game, or even a four- or three-man game. Or regards him as anything better than a superior points-gatherer.
ESPN pays Jon Gruden a lot to speak the self-evident. Monday night, after Washington receiver DeSean Jackson dropped a third-quarter third-down pass, his team trailing, 20-9:
“You gotta make a play. It’s third-and-4. Would’ve been an easy first down. Your best players gotta make plays in critical moments.
“And right now it’s gonna come down to [Washington’s] defense. They’ve gotta get off the field.”
What we see and know as self-evident truths — even the days of the week — become jump-balls in others’ hands.
Why, asks reader Michael Balduino, does the NFL call its Saturday night telecasts “Special NFL Thursday Night” games?
Well, Michael, that’s called “branding.” It is designed by those who think we’re morons, those who figure we can’t see the self-evident, or, given that Sunday is Christmas, the elf-evident.
Tubby Smith reportedly is being paid $15.5 million over five years to coach the University of Memphis’ basketball team. Yet, last week on CBS, Smith became the latest big-time coach to do — or not do — whatever it took to try to lose a game.
With 10 seconds left in regulation in a game against Oklahoma, Memphis, leading by three, allowed the Sooners two open 3-point shots to tie; the second tied the game just before the buzzer.
Though Memphis would win in overtime, there was not even an attempt by Memphis to give a foul in the last 10 seconds of regulation.
Instead of forcing Oklahoma to make the first free throw, intentionally miss the second, then rebound and score to tie the game — a succession of happenstances that occurs less often than Mike Francesa admitting he was wrong — Smith allowed Oklahoma two shots at commonly made shots!
And though Jim Spanarkel sounded slightly flabbergasted that Smith didn’t order a pre-shot foul, Smith, again, is just the latest among dozens, scores — with plenty more to come.
Bob Mantz, who runs the “Bob’s Blitz” website, last week published evidence that accolades tweeted about FOX’s Skip Bayless were tweeted by Skip Bayless or his FOX seconds.
Though we can understand the NFL fining players for not adhering to on-field dress codes — the league doesn’t want to establish precedents through which players could carry inflammatory messages, as that would be bad for business — the league has absolutely no problem with, say, the Eagles wearing bad-boy black uniforms on national TV as opposed to their traditional green, because that’s regarded as good for business!
Do players lay it on thick when on national TV? Monday night, Washington’s Kirk Cousins threw a 10-yard pass to wide-open running back Chris Thompson, who then dropped the ball. Two Carolina defenders next converged to congratulate each other, apparently impressed by their superb defensive play.
ESPN’s Sean McDonough, Monday, on Redskins RB Robert Kelley’s weight gain while at Tulane, from 225 pounds to 250: “He ate himself into the fullback spot.”
Given the looks he gets on the Giants’ sideline, how do you suppose Odell Beckham Jr. would make out in a secret vote asking teammates if they think he is an attention-starved jerk?
Here’s guessing Grayson Allen’s favorite NBA player is Draymond Green.
From what we’re told, ESPN has told Rob Manfred to “flex” New Year’s Eve to 2:10 a.m.
Why do TV’s football analysts tell us, asks reader Michael Catarevas, that QBs such as Bryce Petty have “good” or “strong” arms? How many QBs who make it to the NFL don’t? Well, Michael, it’s like being told by TV’s golf experts that So-and-So is “an excellent striker of the golf ball.” Who on Tour isn’t?
My New Year’s resolution? Glad you asked: To become bowl-eligible. | I realize I’m mixing up holidays by six months, but on Christmas Day why not also observe Independence Day? Thus, as historians have noted, the United States’ first Editor in Chief was Benjamin Fra… | 34.025 | 0.95 | 18.5 | medium | high | extractive |
http://www.latimes.com/books/la-et-jc-trump-shoot-somebody-20161214-story.html | http://web.archive.org/web/20161228080611id_/http://www.latimes.com/books/la-et-jc-trump-shoot-somebody-20161214-story.html | Trump's boast that he could 'shoot somebody' tops Yale list of 2016's notable quotations | 20161228080611 | The latest update to the Yale Book of Quotations is out, and topping this year's list is President-elect Donald Trump's now-famous boast that he could commit assault with a deadly weapon and get away with it, the Associated Press reports.
"I could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody," Trump told attendees at an Iowa rally Jan. 23, "and I wouldn't lose any voters."
The line shocked many at the time, but Trump’s sentiment proved somewhat prescient: Despite a series of statements that many political observers found outrageous, Trump was elected president last month, defeating Democrat Hillary Clinton.
Updates to the Yale Book of Quotations, first published in 2006, are selected by Fred Shapiro, an associate director of the Yale Law School library. The new entries are announced at the end of each year.
It's not unusual for politicians to make the list, although it's rare that their quotes reference shooting someone.
George W. Bush has several quotations in the book, including one from his Sept. 20, 2001, address to Congress: "The course of this conflict is not known, yet its outcome is certain. Freedom and fear, justice and cruelty, have always been at war, and we know that God is not neutral between them."
President Obama is represented in the book as well, including a quotation from his speech to the Democratic National Convention in 2004, when he was still an Illinois state senator: "We worship an awesome God in the blue states, and we don't like federal agents poking around our libraries in the red states. We coach little league in the blue states, and yes, we've got some gay friends in the red states."
Trump, who made two appearances among the 10 quotes to be added as the 2016 update, is one of several political figures on the list. For second place, Shapiro selected a passage from a commencement speech First Lady Michelle Obama made in Mississippi in April: "When they go low, we go high." The quote was later adopted by Hillary Clinton in her campaign.
Clinton herself took the No. 3 spot with her statement that “You could put half of Trump's supporters into what I call the 'basket of deplorables.'” The widely criticized quote was an excerpt from an address she gave at a September fundraiser while suffering from pneumonia.
Trump took the No. 6 spot on the list with his assertion to the Republican National Convention that "I alone can fix it," a reference to corruption in business and politics.
“Hamilton” creator Lin-Manuel Miranda made the list, but not with a quote from his musical. At the Tony Awards ceremony, where “Hamilton” took 11 awards, Miranda read a poem in tribute to the victims of the Orlando killings, which had happened early that morning: "And love is love is love is love is love is love is love is love cannot be killed or swept aside."
One notable quote selected was not at all political — it’s from record-breaking gymnast Simone Biles, who told an interviewer at the Olympics in Rio, "I'm not the next Usain Bolt or Michael Phelps. I'm the first Simone Biles." | The latest update to the Yale Book of Quotations is out, and topping this year's list is President-elect Donald Trump 's now-famous boast that he could commit assault with a deadly weapon and get away with it, the Associated Press reports . | 12.84 | 0.98 | 39.22 | low | high | extractive |
http://www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/bernie-sanders-says-donald-trumps-rise-is-an-indictment-of-the-media/ | http://web.archive.org/web/20161229142119id_/http://www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/bernie-sanders-says-donald-trumps-rise-is-an-indictment-of-the-media/ | Bernie Sanders blames Donald Trump's rise on the media | 20161229142119 | Dec 24, 2015 10:44 AM EST Politics
Bernie Sanders is blaming the media for Donald Trump's dominance of the Republican race.
"He knows that media is not so interested in the serious issues facing this country. They love bombastic remarks. They love silly remarks," Sanders told Chris Cuomo in an interview that aired on CNN's "New Day" Thursday. "I think this is more of an indictment of the media than it is Trump."
Sanders pointed to recent research to illustrate his point. "A recent study showed on ABC evening news, Trump over a period of time got 81 minutes of time. Bernie Sanders got 20 seconds. Now you tell me why."
Sanders was referring to data compiled by The Tyndall Report, which tracks the news coverage of ABC, CBS and NBC networks. Media Matters obtained from Andrew Tyndall a more detailed breakdown of the numbers he cited in his original report, which showed that over 2015, through the end of November, the three networks had spent 234 total network minutes on Trump during their evening news broadcasts, compared to a mere 10 network minutes for Sanders.
Tyndall told Media Matters that of the three networks, ABC had spent the least time on Sanders -- as Sanders suggested, just 20 seconds over the prior 11 months, compared to 81 minutes for Trump.
Sanders has made the remark before, and when he mentioned the statistic earlier this month, Trump tweeted a response.
"@BernieSanders: ABC News spent 81 minutes on Donald Trump and only 20 seconds on our campaign. That's because @ABC is smart!
On Thursday, Cuomo defended the disproportionate coverage of Trump by citing his leading position in the polls.
Cuomo said, "Do we cover him more? Yes. Why? He's number one in the polls. He's highly relevant. He drives the discussion."
Sanders has also been leading in polls of the Democratic field in New Hampshire.
He told Cuomo that it's the media coverage has catapulted Trump to the top of the polls. In Sanders' view, there now exists a self-perpetuating cycle, in which the media rationalizes its coverage of Trump by pointing to the fact that he's leading in the polls, and he leads in the polls because the media devotes so much of its air time to him.
"[E]xplain to me how he becomes number one," Sanders said of Trump. "He says, 'I don't even have to pay for commercials. The media's going to put me on all the time.'"
Cuomo replied, "There's no question that Trump drives ratings and that's always an influence in everything that we do." But he refuted Sanders' theory of Trump's success, saying, "[Y]ou can't just wipe off all this popularity that he has with a growing base of the GOP. They're putting him first in the polls not because of the media. They say they hate the media. They just love Trump." | He pointed to a recent study that showed over this year, one broadcast network gave Trump 81 minutes of time on its nightly news, while he got 20 seconds | 19.032258 | 0.83871 | 1.741935 | medium | medium | mixed |
http://mashable.com/2008/01/01/google-page-rank-gone-awry-artificially-inflating-search-results/ | http://web.archive.org/web/20161229154404id_/http://mashable.com/2008/01/01/google-page-rank-gone-awry-artificially-inflating-search-results/ | Google Page Rank Gone Awry: Artificially Inflating Search Results | 20161229154404 | Google has been indexing pages faster in what looks like an attempt to provide some semblance of real time search queries on particular topics, and while this has become more than evident today, it's also raising some serious questions on Google's prized search algorithm. In indexing pages in a faster manner, they are shown in search results minutes after they're published, but this leaves a weakness for Page Rank, because there are little or no backlinks for Google to reference.
The result is artificially inflated rankings based on historical data and whatever backlinks are present. As GoogleSystem has pointed out, the flaws from this system have now become plain as day. What the flaw allows for is an outpouring of spam results appearing at the top of a query, out-ranking Wikipedia results and other resources that you'd expect to be at the top of the page.
Blogs have already begun taking advantage of Google's new implementation, leveraging attention-grabbing titles along with the presence of feeds and trackers to give them a leg-up in this real-time effort for search results on Google. It's proven handy for Digg results as well. It looks like there may be a bias towards blog search, as blogs already have some additional information to work from. Whether this is being pulled into a separate blog search index or not is not clear, but the end result exploits a Google algorithmic flaw nonetheless. I know there may be a bad taste in Google's mouth from Wikia's recently announced plans to leverage their collective data for search engine purposes, but this is a bit much!
Along with Google's other change in its search algorithm, which picks up on a spike in queries in order to conjecture that some activity is going on regarding the topic, what exactly is Google going for here? A way to squash out sites like Technorati? Given the nature of these algorithmic tweaks, there does seem to be a larger appeal for the blogging community, in terms of being able to advance as a result, as well as turning to Google for "fast results" instead of memes. From Google News now offering hosted articles directly to a test in user-contributed search data with Knol and additional personalized features on iGoogle start pages, there are a lot of changes going on that appear to be moving Google away from its initial Page Rank system.
Every business model needs to change with the times, and it's clear that Google will need to address the human-powered search at some point, but do these changes in the algorithm reflect good decisions on the company's part? While Google's second tweak appears to be a more passive way in which to gauge the popularity of a particular query in order to intentionally rearrange some posts in order to provide newer news, the other change in the algorithm could anger web publishers in the same way that the company's initial Page Rank system did a decade ago. The sentiment of Google's quickening entry into projects other than search already caused some raised eyebrows, despite Google's ever-rising stock value, and these new changes can make people question Google's core competency as well.
What do you think; are these changes worth it to get you the newest news in a faster manner? Surely Google will be continuing to tweak the system to curb the presence of spam blogs, so we'll hang out and see how this plays out in the end. But perhaps a separate system (or tab) would work better for the overall user base of Google search? Let me know what you think in the comments. | Google has been indexing pages faster in what looks like an attempt to provide some semblance of real time search queries on particular topics, and while this has become more th... | 20.909091 | 0.939394 | 29.121212 | medium | medium | extractive |
http://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/15-best-countries-lgbtq-expats-n683201 | http://web.archive.org/web/20161230004953id_/http://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/15-best-countries-lgbtq-expats-n683201 | 15 Best Countries for LGBTQ Expats | 20161230004953 | Prior to this week's stunning presidential election results, a number of LGBTQ advocates and celebrities threatened to leave the U.S. should Donald Trump be elected. Now that the real estate mogul and reality TV star is America's president-elect, NBC OUT has compiled a handy list of LGBTQ-friendly countries for U.S. expatriates.
Buenos Aires, Argentina on September 24, 2016. Maciej Luczniewski / NurPhoto via Getty Images
Argentina legalized same-sex marriage back in 2010, becoming the first country in Latin America to do so. It's also the home to more than 30 national parks, the beautiful city of Buenos Aires and tango.
The skyline of central Brussels, Belgium. Jeff Overs / BBC News & Current Affairs via Getty Images
In 2003, Belgium became the second country in the world to legalize same-sex marriage. It ranked #4 on Gallup's 2015 list of "Top Places for Gay People to Live," #23 on HSBC's ranking of best countries for expats and is known for its delicious cuisine.
The city skyline and Coal Harbour is viewed in this photo taken from Stanley Park on June 30, 2016, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. George Rose / Getty Images
America's northern neighbor legalized same-sex marriage back in 2005, and the country's new prime minister is openly LGBTQ-friendly. Canada is also home to Vancouver and Toronto, two of the world's best cities for expats, according to a recent report.
Copenhagen skyline. Robert B. Fishman / ullstein bild via Getty Images
Denmark was the first country in the world to recognize same-sex partnerships back in 1989, and the Scandinavian country officially legalized same-sex marriage in 2012. Gallup ranked Denmark among the "Top Places for Gay People to Live" in the world, and Copenhagen, its capital, was listed among the top cities for expats.
The Eiffel Tower stands above the city skyline as the sun sets over skyscrapers in La Defense business district in Paris, France, on Nov. 10, 2015. Christophe Morin / Bloomberg via Getty Images
France was ranked #21 on HSBC's list of best countries for expats, but Paris in particular boasts an incredibly active LGBTQ community, particularly when it comes to nightlife in Le Marais. France legalized same-sex marriage in 2013 and was the first country in the world to de-list transgender identification as a mental illness.
Residential properties stand on the city skyline in Reykjavik, Iceland, on April 7, 2016. Arnaldur Halldorsson / Bloomberg via Getty Images
Iceland, which legalized same-sex marriage back in 2010, was recently ranked as the happiest country for gay men. The Nordic island nation was also the first country in the world with an openly gay head of government -- Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir, who served as prime minister from 2009-2013.
A view of the skyline in the Northern part of Dublin, Ireland, on April 19, 2015. Artur Widak / NurPhoto via Getty Images
In 2015, Ireland became the first country in the world to legalize same-sex marriage by popular vote, and it also has stringent protections against LGBTQ discrimination. It's listed among Gallup's best countries for gays and lesbians, and Condé Nast Traveler included Dublin on its list of "Best Cities in the World."
The Kirchberg district in Luxembourg City, Luxembourg. Ulrich Baumgarten / Getty Images
Luxembourg legalized same-sex marriage in 2014, and its prime minister, Xavier Bettel, became the first European leader to marry a same-sex partner while in office. The small European nation also a great place for wine aficionados, as it is known for its white and sparkling wines.
The Auckland, New Zealand skyline on May 28, 2015 Alex Livesey / FIFA via Getty Images
New Zealand is currently considered the second best country in the world for expats, according to HSBC, and same-sex marriage and adoption by same-sex parents were both legalized in 2013. The island nation, located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, is also known for its beautiful cities and landscape.
Cityscape of Amsterdam. JTB Photo / UIG via Getty Images
The Netherlands is considered the most gay-friendly country in the world, according to Gallup, and it was also the first country in the world to legalize same-sex marriage in 2000. Amsterdam, its capital, is a popular destination for LGBTQ tourists and was ranked among the best cities in the world for expats.
View of Oslo, Norway and Oslo Port. JTB Photo / UIG via Getty Images
Norway legalized same-sex marriage in 2009, became the first country to enact anti-discrimination protections based on sexual orientation in 1981 and is ranked #6 on HSBC's best countries for expats. LGBTQ culture is also very visible in the Scandinavian country -- Pride in Oslo is one of Norway's largest events, and the city is also home to one of the world's best gay choirs.
Aerial view of Johannesburg, South Africa Dean Hutton / Bloomberg via Getty Images
In 2006, South Africa became the first country in Africa to legalize same-sex marriage -- and there has yet to be a second. Johannesburg, its largest city, is also the country's gay epicenter: It's home to the annual Jo'Burg Pride event, the Out in Africa International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival and most of the annual Mr. Gay South Africa competitions.
View of Barcelona, Spain. Jose Fuste Raga / JTB Photo/UIG via Getty Images
Nearly 90 percent of Spain's citizens believe lesbian and gay people should be accepted, according to Pew Research Center, and Gallup has Spain tied with the Netherlands as the number one country for gay people. Spain was also one of the first countries to legalize same-sex marriage back in 2005. LGBTQ culture has influenced much of Spain's art, whether through the writing of Federico García Lorca or the films of Pedro Almodóvar. Barcelona has also been named as one of the friendliest cities for LGBTQ people by UCityGuides.
Stockholm, Sweden, on Monday, Oct. 19, 2015. Johan Jeppsson / Bloomberg via Getty Images
Sweden comes in at #8 on both Gallup's list of "Top Places for Gay People to Live" and HSBC's list of best countries for expats. Same-sex marriage has been legal in the Scandinavian country since 2009, and anti-LGBTQ discrimination has been banned since the 80s.
Uruguay is one of South America's most LGBTQ-friendly countries, and it is ranked among Gallup's best countries in the world for gays and lesbians. It has also been a leader in enacting laws expanding transgender rights, including one passed in 2009 that allows trans people to change official documents to match their gender identity.
Follow NBC OUT on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. | A number of LGBTQ advocates threatened to leave the US should Donald Trump be elected. That said, here's a list of LGBTQ-friendly countries for expats. | 42.580645 | 0.903226 | 4.322581 | high | medium | mixed |
http://www.nbcnews.com/business/economy/amp/trump-pence-carrier-corp-reach-deal-keep-nearly-1000-jobs-n689911 | http://web.archive.org/web/20161230024247id_/http://www.nbcnews.com/business/economy/amp/trump-pence-carrier-corp-reach-deal-keep-nearly-1000-jobs-n689911 | Trump, Pence and Carrier Corp. Reach Deal to Keep Nearly 1000 Jobs in Indiana | 20161230024247 | The incoming Trump administration and United Technologies have reached an agreement that will keep close to 1,000 jobs at Carrier Corp., which is owned by United Technologies, in Indiana.
Carrier had planned to move production from a key factory in that state to Mexico, taking with it the roughly 1,400 jobs of those who work at the Indiana plant.
But shortly after CNBC revealed that Donald Trump was expected to travel to Indiana on Thursday to reveal that a deal had been reached, Carrier itself confirmed the agreement.
Under a deal negotiated by Vice President-elect Mike Pence and United Technologies CEO Greg Hayes, the company will now keep most of those jobs in Indiana, sources close to the matter told CNBC.
While terms of the deal are not yet clear, the sources indicated there were new incentives on offer from the state of Indiana, where Pence is governor, that helped clear a path for the agreement.
While United Technologies was seeking the savings that would come from moving some production to Mexico, people familiar with the situation indicated that the savings were not worth incurring the wrath of the incoming administration and the potential threat to the significant business that United Technologies currently conducts with the U.S. government, largely in the form of orders for jet engines and other defense-related equipment.
Trump had made the expected departure of the Carrier jobs a key theme in his campaign to capture the White House, using it as an example of the type of trade relationship that hurt U.S. workers.
On Thanksgiving Day, Trump tweeted that he was making progress on negotiating a deal with United Technologies.
CNBC broke the story of the agreement first on Twitter. | The incoming Trump administration and United Technologies, Carrier's parent company, have reached an agreement that will keep close to 1,000 jobs. | 12.72 | 0.92 | 7.08 | low | medium | mixed |
http://www.9news.com.au/world/2016/12/29/13/49/tributes-flood-in-for-debbie-reynolds | http://web.archive.org/web/20161230160131id_/http://www.9news.com.au/world/2016/12/29/13/49/tributes-flood-in-for-debbie-reynolds | Tributes flood in for Debbie Reynolds | 20161230160131 | There's been an outpouring of grief on the web as celebrities pay tribute to Debbie Reynolds, Hollywood icon and mother of Carrie Fisher.
Reynolds died on Wednesday, one day after her daughter passed away at the age of 60. She was 84.
A talented singer and actress, Reynolds appeared in many movies and stage productions spanning decades. She is survived by a son Todd and her granddaughter Billie.
Younger audiences will remember Reynolds as Grace Adler's showbiz mum from "Will & Grace."
Here are some of the online tributes so far:
Albert Brooks wrote: "Debbie Reynolds, a legend and my movie mom. I can't believe this happened one day after Carrie. My heart goes out to Billie."
Larry King wrote: "Debbie Reynolds was pure class. She was loving, talented, beautiful, unsinkable. I feel sorry for anyone who never got a chance to meet her."
Ellen wrote: "I can't imagine what Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds' family are going through this week. I send all of my love."
Anna Kendrick wrote: "American treasure."
Constance Zimmer wrote: "The most incredible love is when one can't live without the other...#RIP #DebbieReynolds"
Debbie Allen wrote: "Debbie Reynolds, God is holding you and Carrie in his hands. We will always speak your name."
Dane Cook wrote: "Damn. RIP Debbie Reynolds. Legendary entertainer. I'm sure broken hearted by the loss of her daughter."
Ricki Lake wrote: "That is the saddest thing. So sorry for the whole family. Rip #CarrieFisher and #DebbieReynolds."
Gabrielle Carteris wrote: "Painfully sad - there are no words 4 loss of Debbie Reynolds & Carrie Fisher. 2 vibrant, talented - moving spirits."
Grant Gustin wrote: "Debbie Reynolds helped light my passion for performing with Singin' in The Rain. She will always be an icon. Rest with Carrie, Debbie."
Corey Feldman wrote: "FEW B4 HER, OR THE FEW WE SHALL EVER C AGAIN! NOW HER & HER DAUGHTER CAN SOAR 2GETHER IN GODS GR8 VAST KINGDOM! R.I.P. DEBBIE REYNOLDS"
Gloria Gaynor wrote: "So sad to learn of @DebbieReynolds1 passing ...an American icon and Hollywood legend."
Mira Sorvino wrote: "What a tragedy! First Carrie, now her legendary mother Debbie Reynolds- my deepest and condolences to their family!!" | Tributes are flowing in for Hollywood actress and talented singer Debbie Reynolds, who's died aged 84, a day after losing her daughter Carrie Fisher. | 17.214286 | 0.892857 | 1.607143 | medium | medium | mixed |
http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-terlato-wine-federalist-hamilton-1123-biz-20161122-story.html | http://web.archive.org/web/20161230232155id_/http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-terlato-wine-federalist-hamilton-1123-biz-20161122-story.html | Local wine group Terlato gets boost with 'Hamilton' wine, The Federalist | 20161230232155 | To chart its course into the future, Lake Bluff-based Terlato Wine Group first had to let go of a significant part of its history and, at least temporarily, a whole lot of money.
When Terlato parted ways with its flagship Santa Margherita pinot grigio last year, it bid farewell to almost one-third of its business. Terlato and Santa Margherita couldn't come to terms, ending a long-running arrangement in which Terlato marketed and imported the Italian wine. Terlato is widely credited with creating demand for pinot grigio in the U.S., beginning when Tony Terlato introduced Santa Margherita to the U.S. in 1979.
How to move on from that kind of loss? It helps to sell one of the fastest-growing wines in the U.S. in The Federalist, a millennial-targeted wine cleverly marketed in conjunction with "Hamilton," the wildly popular Broadway musical. Together with Seven Daughters, another wine marketed toward young drinkers, the two upstart brands have helped Terlato make up the lost Santa Margherita business and then some, executives say.
Terlato, a privately held company, doesn't disclose revenue or profit figures. But Bill Terlato, president of the company and Tony Terlato's son, said the business is on pace for a record sales year, even after moving on from its top-selling wine.
"I can tell you, in retrospect, that even though it was not pleasant and kind of an emotional decision for us, especially for my dad who created the category and the brand, in retrospect it was the best thing that ever happened for us," Terlato said.
"Being able to shift that energy and attention over a broad basket of brands has allowed some of those brands to explode," he said.
None more so than The Federalist, a brand paying homage to the Founding Fathers that's served at "Hamilton" productions in New York and Chicago. In the past five years, The Federalist brand has gone from zero to 200,000 cases in sales volume, Terlato said, with accelerating growth in the past 18 months as three new wines were introduced: Lodi Cabernet Sauvignon, Lodi Zinfandel and Honest Red Blend.
The Federalist retail sales have more than tripled in the 12-month period ending Oct. 31, up to about $8.4 million from about $2.5 million the same period a year ago, according to data from Chicago-based market research firm IRI, whose figures do not include Costco, liquor and convenience stores.
The brand's intended to target millennial men, said Terlato, who said he believed some of its success had to do with a pining for the Founding Fathers' integrity in politically divisive times. But the "Hamilton" musical's success was a stroke of sheer luck, he admitted.
"The better you plan and the harder you work, the luckier you get," Terlato said.
Seven Daughters, a brand marketed toward millennial women, is also available in cans — another indication that Terlato, a company that traces its roots back to 1938, is turning toward youth.
The company's vast portfolio still includes upper-end wines like Gaja Barbaresco, which can easily sell for more than $200 a bottle. But much of Terlato's volume growth is occurring in wine priced in the $15 to $20 range, positioned for a younger audience.
"This new generation is experimental. ... You have to be willing to explore and try new things, otherwise you'll be on the wrong side of that consumer," Terlato said.
Though the baby boomer generation still consumes the largest volume of wine, the millennials are quickly closing the gap, according to research from the Wine Market Council, an industry trade group.
Increasingly, winemakers are paying attention to the younger demographic of drinkers, said Emily Pennington, managing editor of Wine & Spirits Daily, a trade publication. In recent years, consumers may have noticed brands like Menage a Trois and Little Black Dress, marketed toward millennial women.
Lately there's been an uprising of brands targeting millennial men, wines with bold, swashbuckling names and masculine labels, such as The Federalist, 19 Crimes and Ravage, Pennington said.
"In my opinion, they're trying to capture market share from craft beer," Pennington said.
Now — before the next economic recession hits — is the time for wine companies to appeal to millennials, who have shown a willingness to pay more for quality than other generations, said Bob Smiley, director of Wine Industry Studies at the Graduate School of Management at the University of California at Davis.
"Millennials are seeking variety. ... It's much easier than it used to be to build a new brand," said Smiley, who's also dean and professor emeritus of management.
And yes, Smiley admitted, that even means wine in a can, a la Seven Daughters.
"I'm a traditionalist. I find it hard to believe it will work, but the evidence says it's working," Smiley said.
Terlato's success can't all be attributed to the emergence of its younger brands. The company also recently made new arrangements to import and market other brands, such as Piper-Heidsieck champagne, which sells for about $49 per bottle and is a big seller over the holidays.
And the company's in talks to acquire two more vineyards, one in Oregon and the other in Washington, Terlato said, declining to give any more specifics. About half of Terlato's wines are agency brands, like Piper-Heidsieck, which means Terlato exclusively markets and manages the selling of the wine. Brands owned by Terlato, like Rutherford Hill, constitute the other half.
Last year, Terlato also merged its spirits business with that of South Africa-based Distell Group, creating a new joint venture that's operated as Terlato's spirits division, which represents about 7 percent of the business — another area of potential future growth, Terlato said.
While Terlato hasn't given up pinot grigio, it represents a smaller portion of the business these days. Last year, Terlato sold about 600,000 cases of Santa Margherita before the partnership ended. This year, Terlato said he expects to sell about 40,000 cases of its Terlato Pinot Grigio Friuli, a relatively new brand the Terlato family created in conjunction with Italian winemakers in the Friuli region of Italy.
Bill Terlato said that in the final days of the partnership with Santa Margherita, he and his father and brother, John, had tough conversations on the company's future before presenting a final offer. Ultimately, Santa Margherita opted to go its own way, establishing a Miami-based marketing arm to import its flagship pinot grigio and other Italian wines. | To chart its course into the future, Lake Bluff -based Terlato Wine Group first had to let go of a significant part of its history and, at least temporarily, a whole lot of money. | 34.157895 | 0.973684 | 21.815789 | medium | high | extractive |
http://www.aol.com/article/2010/09/01/tiger-woods-new-54-million-commitment-to-his-mortgage/19617684/ | http://web.archive.org/web/20161231042902id_/http://www.aol.com/article/2010/09/01/tiger-woods-new-54-million-commitment-to-his-mortgage/19617684/ | Tiger Woods' new $54 million commitment -- to his mortgage | 20161231042902 | Many have speculated that Tiger Woods has a tough time keeping his commitments. But someone seems to think his word is worth something -- his banker.
on his in-progress Jupiter Island, Florida mansion/compound. Reportedly, Woods is listed on the real estate documents as a single man, which means the home loan must have closed within the last week, as his divorce was just finalized on August 23.
Speculation abounds, as typical with all things Tiger, that the new mortgage may indicate a cash flow crisis. From a real estate perspective, though, it may simply be an astute business move to finance the home and its completion, while mortgage money is so cheap, rather than to make that size of cash outlay while, ahem, so much other cash is exiting Tiger's treasure chest.
The average American home buyer might wonder what it takes to get a $54 million loan, when it seems like a struggle for so many to qualify for
a fraction of that size. You might have heard of a jumbo loan: loans above $417,000 are currently designated as beyond the conforming loan limit, which earns them the title of jumbo loan and the dubious distinction of slightly higher interest rates. When loans get above $1-$1.5 million, though, they fall into the category of Super-Jumbo Loans.
Interest rates on jumbo loans generally run about one-half percentage point higher than conforming loan rates; by contrast, rates on Super-Jumbo Loans can run as much as two full percentage points higher than conforming loans, to compensate the lender for the super-jumbo risk they're taking by extending that much cash. Similarly, loan-to-value ratios are much lower when you get into this lending echelon; rather than the 96.5% maximum loan-to-value ratio of an FHA loan, or even the more conservative 80% LTV of a conventional loan with A+ interest rates, Super-Jumbo loans like Tiger's often max out at a 40% or 50% ratio of the amount the bank will lend, compared with what the lender believes the home to be worth.
By those guidelines, that would mean Tiger's lender thinks his home, when finished, will be worth somewhere around $100 million.
Of course, this mortgage means that the
still has legs; there are some private lenders who will make a Super-Jumbo loan as high as 95% LTV with a pledge against Tiger's income and earnings.
But get this -- some rough-and-dirty math projects that the mortgage payment on $54 million is right around $300,000 -- per month! When your own monthly bills seem like they're getting out of hand, remember that, and put them right back into perspective. | Many have speculated that Tiger Woods has a tough time keeping his commitments. But someone seems to think his word is worth something -- his banker. Today, reports surfaced that Woods signed on to | 14.078947 | 0.868421 | 20.763158 | low | medium | extractive |
http://www.foxsports.com/baseball/xchange/teamnote/xch_ana.sml | http://web.archive.org/web/19980117161904id_/http://www.foxsports.com:80/baseball/xchange/teamnote/xch_ana.sml | Pro Sports Xchange notes | 19980117161904 | Actually, VanLandingham was only tied for that honor, sharing it with the Dodgers' Todd Hollandsworth.
But what's in a name? The Angels see potential, packaged at a discount price because of VanLandingham's struggles over the last two seasons.
The Angels see a still-young right-hander (he's 27) who was 14-5 over two seasons in 1994 and '95.
As for VanLandingham's control problems, which led to his 4-7 record and 4.96 ERA with the Giants last season? The Angels are supremely confident that if anybody can correct mechanical flaws in a delivery, it's pitching coach Marcel Lachemann.
In 1996, VanLandingham struggled to a 9-14 record with a 5.40 ERA in 32 starts for San Francisco.
VanLandingham will compete with recently acquired Omar Olivares for the fifth spot in the Angels' rotation.
Randy Velarde missed the entire 1997 season following arm surgery, Luis Alicea jumped to Texas as a free agent, and Jack Howell grabbed a two-year offer from the Astros, so the Angels signed infielder Norberto "Paco" Martin as a hedge.
The second-base job is Velarde's if he can cut it, but Martin gives the Angels a fall-back position. Utility player Phil Nevin, a natural third baseman, could also figure in the spring competition for second base.
No matter what happens, Martin figures to stick with the club. He signed a one-year major-league contract and, if he doesn't fill a starting role, can come off the bench and play shortstop or third base, in addition to second.
Versatility and a solid bat were Martin's trademarks during four seasons with the Chicago White Sox. He's a career .299 hitter and batted .300 last season, appearing in 28 games as a shortstop, 17 games at third and nine at second base. The White Sox decided against offering Martin a contract after acquiring shortstop Benji Gil in a trade with Texas.
NOTES, QUOTES, ANECDOTES After the Angels declined to offer arbitration to veteran Mark Langston, it was a cinch the accomplished southpaw would turn to the Padres and Dodgers. His family has become entrenched in Southern California, so Langston wanted to stay close.
San Diego got him to sign on the dotted line of a minor-league contract, but Padres GM Kevin Towers said he doesn't expect Langston to start in Triple-A.
"We didn't sign him to pitch in Las Vegas," Towers said. "If Mark is back to full health, he's going to go for one of the spots in the starting rotation. And from everything I hear, his arm problems are over with."
Last May, Langston had arthroscopic surgery on his pitching elbow to remove bone spurs, the second time in four years he has undergone such a process.
"I'll probably wait until next week to start throwing off the mound. I see myself winning one of those slots. I firmly believe I can still do that," Langston said. "And I believe we've got the makings of a contender. San Diego has stepped up and made some good acquisitions. If I'm healthy, I'll enhance the team."
After taking $1.6 million of the Angels' money to do little more than run and lift weights in 1997, pitcher Mark Gubicza has signed with the Dodgers.
Gubicza made just two starts last season before yet another serious shoulder injury sent him to the surgeon's table. Acquired in the unpopular trade that sent designated hitter Chili Davis to Kansas City, Gubicza tried to make a comeback late in the season but never regained sufficient velocity on his fastball during minor-league rehabilitation assignments.
Gubicza's preference of the Dodgers over the Angels is based in part on location: Dodger Stadium is much closer to his home in Northridge.
Gubicza hopes to fill the vacancy in the rotation created when Tom Candiotti signed with Oakland. His main competition figures to be hard-throwing right-hander Darren Dreifort.
Gubicza spent 13 seasons with Kansas City, compiling a lifetime record of 132-136 with a 3.96 ERA. His best season was 1988, when he finished 20-8 with a 2.70 ERA and 183 strikeouts in 269 2/3 innings.
ROSTER REPORT FREE AGENCY UPDATE -- Second baseman Luis Alicea (signed with Rangers), right-handed pitcher Rich DeLucia (re-signed by Angels), designated hitter Rickey Henderson (not offered arbitration, talking with Athletics), infielder Jack Howell (signed with Astros), catcher Chad Kreuter (signed with the White Sox), left-handed pitcher Mark Langston (signed with Padres), right-handed pitcher Steve Ontiveros (still unsigned), second baseman Tony Phillips (leaning towards signing with Diamondbacks), C Chris Turner (signed with Twins), right-handed pitcher Shad Williams (cleared waivers and opted for free agency), right-handed pitcher Mark Gubicza (signed with Dodgers).
MEDICAL WATCH -- Right-handed pitcher Jason Dickson (undergoing therapy to build up sore right shoulder), shortstop Gary DiSarcina (recovering from arthroscopic surgery to remove bone chips from right elbow), center fielder Jim Edmonds (recovering from arthroscopic surgery to both knees), first baseman Darin Erstad (recovering from arthroscopic surgery on hyper-extended right shoulder), left-handed pitcher Chuck Finley (recovering from a broken left wrist), catcher Todd Greene (recovering from a broken right wrist and arthroscopic surgery on right shoulder), right-handed pitcher Mark Gubicza (recovering from arthroscopic surgery on right shoulder), third baseman Dave Hollins (recovering from arthroscopic surgery on right knee), right-handed pitcher Mike James (therapy on sore right elbow), right-handed pitcher Steve Ontiveros (recovering from 1997 elbow surgery), second baseman Randy Velarde (rehabilitation for right arm surgery). | ANAHEIM ANGELS team notebook | 284.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | high | low | abstractive |
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/24/world/middleeast/24security.html | http://web.archive.org/web/20060614224931id_/http://www.nytimes.com:80/2006/05/24/world/middleeast/24security.html?ex=1306123200&en=9baaecbd0d8fcb44&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss | Armed Groups Propel Iraq Toward Chaos | 20060614224931 | BAGHDAD, Iraq, May 23 Even in a country beset by murder and death, the 16th Brigade represented a new frontier.
The brigade, a 1,000-man force set up by Iraq's Ministry of Defense in early 2005, was charged with guarding a stretch of oil pipeline that ran through the southern Baghdad neighborhood of Dawra. Heavily armed and lightly supervised, some members of the largely Sunni brigade transformed themselves into a death squad, cooperating with insurgents and executing government collaborators, Iraqi officials say.
"They were killing innocent people, anyone who was affiliated with the government," said Hassan Thuwaini, the director of the Iraqi Oil Ministry's protection force.
Forty-two members of the brigade were arrested in January, according to officials at the Ministry of the Interior and the police department in Dawra.
Since then, Iraqi officials say, individual gunmen have confessed to carrying out dozens of assassinations, including the killing of their own commander, Col. Mohsin Najdi, when he threatened to turn them in.
Some of the men assigned to guard the oil pipeline, the officials say, appear to have maintained links to the major Iraqi insurgent groups. For months, American and Iraqi officials have been trying to track down death squads singling out Sunnis that operated inside the Shiite-led Interior Ministry.
But the 16th Brigade was different. Unlike the others, the 16th Brigade was a Sunni outfit, accused of killing Shiites. And it was not, like the others, part of the Iraqi police or even the Interior Ministry. It was run by another Iraqi ministry altogether.
Such is the country that the new Iraqi leaders who took office Saturday are inheriting. The headlong, American-backed effort to arm tens of thousands of Iraqi soldiers and officers, coupled with a failure to curb a nearly equal number of militia gunmen, has created a galaxy of armed groups, each with its own loyalty and agenda, which are accelerating the country's slide into chaos.
Indeed, the 16th Brigade stands as a model for how freelance government violence has spread far beyond the ranks of the Shiite-backed police force and Interior Ministry to encompass other government ministries, private militias and people in the upper levels of the Shiite government.
Sometimes, the lines between one government force and another and between the police and the militias are so blurry that it is impossible to determine who the killers are.
"No one knows who is who right now," said Adil Abdul Mahdi, one of Iraq's vice presidents.
The armed groups operating across Iraq include not just the 145,000 officially sanctioned police officers and commandos who have come under scrutiny for widespread human rights violations. They also include thousands of armed guards and militia gunmen: some Shiite, some Sunni; some, like the 145,000-member Facilities Protection Service, operating with official backing; and some, like the Shiite-led Badr Brigade militia, conducting operations with the government's tacit approval, sometimes even wearing government uniforms.
Some of these armed groups, like the Iraqi Army and the Iraqi police, often carry out legitimate missions to combat crime and the insurgency. Others, like members of another Shiite militia, the Mahdi Army, specialize in torture, murder, kidnapping and the settling of scores for political parties.
Reining in Iraq's official and unofficial armies is the most urgent task confronting Iraq's new leaders. In speeches and private conversations, Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki says he intends to clamp down on the death squads operating within the Iraqi government, and to disarm the militias that provide the street muscle for Iraq's political parties.
That presages an enormous political battle, one that extends beyond the Interior Ministry's police officers and paramilitary soldiers.
A larger and possibly more decisive struggle looms to disarm myriad other armed groups, including the Shiite militias, most of them answerable to the Shiite political parties that dominate the new government.
John F. Burns, Qais Mizher, Khalid al-Ansary and Ali Adeeb contributed reporting from Baghdad for this article, and David Rohde from New York. | There are 145,000 government police officers and commandos in Iraq and thousands more armed guards and militia gunmen. | 41.368421 | 0.947368 | 2.736842 | high | high | mixed |
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/19/arts/music/19also.html | http://web.archive.org/web/20060619135241id_/http://www.nytimes.com:80/2005/07/19/arts/music/19also.html?ex=1279425600&en=4c7102d00e9909d0&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss | Baltimore Musicians Dissent on Conductor | 20060619135241 | Board members and management had made their decision: the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra would appoint Marin Alsop as its new music director, the first woman to lead an American orchestra of its size.
Then a powerful group of musicians revolted.
Despite promises that their voice would be heard, the musicians charged, their objections to her appointment had been ignored. They denounced the search process on Sunday and said that if the orchestra's full board were to vote at its meeting today to offer her a contract, "all confidence" in the orchestra's leadership would be lost.
"The process has been trampled on and not respected the legitimate artistic views of the musicians," Jane Marvine, the orchestra's English horn player and chairwoman of the players' committee, said yesterday. The committee is the musicians' elected representative body.
But James Glicker, the orchestra's president, said the meeting would go forward, and so would the recommendation of a search committee to hire Ms. Alsop. He disputed the charge that the musicians had been ignored, saying they had sat in on countless hours of search committee meetings and they could make their views known at Tuesday's meeting.
"To be able to speak your piece and to be voted against isn't to be ignored," he said. "Respecting someone's opinion doesn't mean giving them veto power."
The players' dissatisfaction was reported by The Baltimore Sun on Saturday and by The Washington Post yesterday.
The turmoil at the Baltimore Symphony is part of a long history of orchestra players' seeking a greater say in the choice of the man or woman who stands before them day after day, leading rehearsals, conducting concerts and strongly affecting their musical and even personal lives.
A watershed moment occurred in the early 1970's, when the Cleveland Orchestra appointed Lorin Maazel music director despite an informal vote by the musicians overwhelmingly rejecting him. Bitterness lingered for years, although whether it affected the quality of performances as perceived by the audience was debatable.
As unions have grown stronger, the musicians have won more and more say - or at least lip service to the principle.
The Baltimore players are being extremely tight-lipped about their objections, saying they do not want to speak critically of anyone. It is also true that if Ms. Alsop, who is now the principal conductor of the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra in England, gets the job, they will have to live with her and with any negative comments.
Ms. Alsop declined to answer questions but released a statement saying, "We've had a wonderful time performing these past few years, and I look forward to making music with the exceptional musicians of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra."
She said she hoped to increase recording and touring with the orchestra. "I look forward to becoming a part of the Baltimore community," she said.
Mr. Glicker said Ms. Alsop was the right choice. "She's a great communicator, a great leader, a great programmer, and she's got star quality," he added.
But several players said a current of feeling runs among the musicians that Ms. Alsop's musical profile is not strong enough. "There are some people who feel that way, and some who don't," said Edward Palanker, the bass clarinetist. Mr. Palanker stressed that he was keeping an open mind. "I'm looking for someone who we feel will raise the musical standard of the orchestra. Perhaps she's the one who can. I don't really know."
Mr. Palanker said he believed that Ms. Alsop's guest appearances had not increased ticket sales. "I don't think she's the attraction that management thinks she is," he said.
On Sunday the Baltimore players' committee, a representative body elected by the orchestra, issued a statement calling for the decision to be delayed until Thanksgiving, so the orchestra could experience other candidates. Most, except for Hans Graf, are lesser known, like Juanjo Mena and Bjarte Engeset.
The committee said that the players' artistic advisory committee - a seven-member team that served on the search committee along with board and staff members - had surveyed the entire orchestra and that 90 percent had said it was too early to end the search.
In a telephone interview Monday, Robert Barney, the principal bassist and the leader of the advisory committee, said that the seven musicians were at odds with the nonmusicians on the 21-member committee over a "particular candidate" - whom he would not name - from the beginning of the search, which began in December.
At the last search committee meeting, on Wednesday, he said, "It was clear that we would not reach consensus, which was the goal from the beginning, and that a recommendation was going to be taken to the board."
Mr. Barney, who was a co-chairman of the search committee, and Ms. Marvine declined to say whether the players objected specifically to Ms. Alsop. When pressed, Ms. Marvine acknowledged, "If they loved Marin Alsop and the board and management loved Marin Alsop, I don't think we'd be asking them to extend the process."
The advisory committee's decision holds weight. It, too, was elected by the orchestra and includes some of its most prominent members.
Ms. Alsop has won praise as a dynamic conductor with clear ideas about the future of orchestras and as an articulate and witty speaker on music. She has long been considered a candidate for a major appointment, and rumors abounded that she was headed for Baltimore. She has also led the Colorado Symphony Orchestra and been a guest conductor of major orchestras. She is conducting the Boston Symphony Orchestra at Tanglewood next month and the New York Philharmonic in October. | Members of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra said that if the orchestra's full board were to offer Marin Alsop a contract, "all confidence" in the orchestra's leadership would be lost. | 31.8 | 1 | 11.057143 | medium | high | extractive |
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/09/business/media/09phoenix.html | http://web.archive.org/web/20060620025337id_/http://www.nytimes.com:80/2006/06/09/business/media/09phoenix.html?ei=5102&en=a0f3cc432bd42804&ex=1152506719&adxnnl=1&partner=vault&adxnnlx=1150487679-Xw31g4wT0msrwp7575XO1g | News Corp. Trims TV Stake in Hong Kong | 20060620025337 | SHANGHAI, June 8 China Mobile said Thursday that it had acquired a 19.9 percent stake in Phoenix Satellite Television of Hong Kong from the News Corporation.
The deal, worth an estimated $180 million, gives China Mobile, one of the world's largest cellular phone service providers, a sizable stake in Phoenix Satellite Television, China's largest foreign-owned television broadcaster.
The agreement also signals a divestment of sorts for the News Corporation, which is controlled by Rupert Murdoch. The company had been aggressively seeking to expand its television offerings in China's tightly controlled media market.
Before the deal, a News Corporation subsidiary, the Star Group in Hong Kong, held a 38 percent stake of Phoenix Satellite Television. Along with the company's founder, Liu Changle, it was the largest single shareholder. He now has a 38 percent share.
The Star Group will retain 17.6 percent of the company.
The Hong Kong business newspaper The Standard reported the pending deal Thursday morning. The agreement was formally announced later in the day in a joint statement by China Mobile, Phoenix and the Star Group.
The companies did not disclose the value of the deal, but based on market prices, a 19.9 percent stake is worth about $180 million.
The Star Group did not disclose why it chose to reduce its holdings in Phoenix Satellite Television.
Phoenix has become a force within China because it reaches more than 140 million viewers and has its own Chinese-language news broadcasts, a privilege no other private company has. Phoenix also broadcasts Chinese-language programs in North America, Europe and other parts of Asia.
Foreign media companies like the News Corporation, Time Warner and Viacom have only limited access to China's huge TV market, mostly reaching upscale hotels, luxury apartments and parts of southern Guangdong Province, near Hong Kong. All three media giants are eager to expand their presence in China.
But when television programming restrictions tightened last year, there were published reports that the News Corporation was seeking to shed all of its holdings in Phoenix Satellite Television. News Corporation officials denied the rumors.
The venture has been an important one for the News Corporation, which gained an early foothold in China in 1996 through its investment in Phoenix Satellite Television.
Mr. Liu, the company's founder and chairman, is a former People's Liberation Army soldier.
Officials at China Mobile, which is based in Beijing and becomes the second-largest shareholder in Phoenix, said the deal would allow them to form a strategic alliance to jointly develop, market and distribute new media content on mobile phones with the high-speed 3G technology, now in development in China. | China Mobile said Thursday that it had acquired a 19.9 percent stake in Phoenix Satellite Television of Hong Kong from the News Corporation. | 21.541667 | 1 | 24 | medium | high | extractive |
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/05/national/05DISN.html | http://web.archive.org/web/20060627172225id_/http://www.nytimes.com:80/2004/05/05/national/05DISN.html?ex=1399089600&en=5dd82385da93ce1e&ei=5007&partner=USERLAND | Disney Forbidding Distribution of Film That Criticizes Bush | 20060627172225 | ASHINGTON, May 4 The Walt Disney Company is blocking its Miramax division from distributing a new documentary by Michael Moore that harshly criticizes President Bush, executives at both Disney and Miramax said Tuesday.
The film, "Fahrenheit 911," links Mr. Bush and prominent Saudis including the family of Osama bin Laden and criticizes Mr. Bush's actions before and after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
Disney, which bought Miramax more than a decade ago, has a contractual agreement with the Miramax principals, Bob and Harvey Weinstein, allowing it to prevent the company from distributing films under certain circumstances, like an excessive budget or an NC-17 rating.
Executives at Miramax, who became principal investors in Mr. Moore's project last spring, do not believe that this is one of those cases, people involved in the production of the film said. If a compromise is not reached, these people said, the matter could go to mediation, though neither side is said to want to travel that route.
In a statement, Matthew Hiltzik, a spokesman for Miramax, said: "We're discussing the issue with Disney. We're looking at all of our options and look forward to resolving this amicably."
But Disney executives indicated that they would not budge from their position forbidding Miramax to be the distributor of the film in North America. Overseas rights have been sold to a number of companies, executives said.
"We advised both the agent and Miramax in May of 2003 that the film would not be distributed by Miramax," said Zenia Mucha, a company spokeswoman, referring to Mr. Moore's agent. "That decision stands."
Disney came under heavy criticism from conservatives last May after the disclosure that Miramax had agreed to finance the film when Icon Productions, Mel Gibson's company, backed out.
Mr. Moore's agent, Ari Emanuel, said Michael D. Eisner, Disney's chief executive, asked him last spring to pull out of the deal with Miramax. Mr. Emanuel said Mr. Eisner expressed particular concern that it would endanger tax breaks Disney receives for its theme park, hotels and other ventures in Florida, where Mr. Bush's brother, Jeb, is governor.
"Michael Eisner asked me not to sell this movie to Harvey Weinstein; that doesn't mean I listened to him," Mr. Emanuel said. "He definitely indicated there were tax incentives he was getting for the Disney corporation and that's why he didn't want me to sell it to Miramax. He didn't want a Disney company involved."
Disney executives deny that accusation, though they said their displeasure over the deal was made clear to Miramax and Mr. Emanuel.
A senior Disney executive elaborated that the company had the right to quash Miramax's distribution of films if it deemed their distribution to be against the interests of the company. The executive said Mr. Moore's film is deemed to be against Disney's interests not because of the company's business dealings with the government but because Disney caters to families of all political stripes and believes Mr. Moore's film, which does not have a release date, could alienate many.
"It's not in the interest of any major corporation to be dragged into a highly charged partisan political battle," this executive said.
Miramax is free to seek another distributor in North America, but such a deal would force it to share profits and be a blow to Harvey Weinstein, a big donor to Democrats.
Mr. Moore, who will present the film at the Cannes film festival this month, criticized Disney's decision in an interview on Tuesday, saying, "At some point the question has to be asked, `Should this be happening in a free and open society where the monied interests essentially call the shots regarding the information that the public is allowed to see?' "
Mr. Moore's films, like "Roger and Me" and "Bowling for Columbine," are often a political lightning rod, as Mr. Moore sets out to skewer what he says are the misguided priorities of conservatives and big business. They have also often performed well at the box office. His most recent movie, "Bowling for Columbine," took in about $22 million in North America for United Artists. His books, like "Stupid White Men," a jeremiad against the Bush administration that has sold more than a million copies, have also been lucrative.
Mr. Moore does not disagree that "Fahrenheit 911" is highly charged, but he took issue with the description of it as partisan. "If this is partisan in any way it is partisan on the side of the poor and working people in this country who provide fodder for this war machine," he said.
Mr. Moore said the film describes financial connections between the Bush family and its associates and prominent Saudi Arabian families that go back three decades. He said it closely explores the government's role in the evacuation of relatives of Mr. bin Laden from the United States immediately after the 2001 attacks. The film includes comments from American soldiers on the ground in Iraq expressing disillusionment with the war, he said.
Mr. Moore once planned to produce the film with Mr. Gibson's company, but "the project wasn't right for Icon," said Alan Nierob, an Icon spokesman, adding that the decision had nothing to do with politics.
Miramax stepped in immediately. The company had distributed Mr. Moore's 1997 film, "The Big One." In return for providing most of the new film's $6 million budget, Miramax was positioned to distribute it.
While Disney's objections were made clear early on, one executive said the Miramax leadership hoped it would be able to prevail upon Disney to sign off on distribution, which would ideally happen this summer, before the election and when political interest is high. | The new documentary by Michael Moore highlights connections between President Bush and prominent Saudis. | 75.066667 | 0.933333 | 2.533333 | high | medium | mixed |
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/24/business/24onion.html | http://web.archive.org/web/20060628204617id_/http://www.nytimes.com:80/2005/10/24/business/24onion.html?ex=1287806400&en=b40eb239c3b34014&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss | Protecting the Presidential Seal. No Joke. | 20060628204617 | You might have thought that the White House had enough on its plate late last month, what with its search for a new Supreme Court nominee, the continuing war in Iraq and the C.I.A. leak investigation. But it found time to add another item to its agenda - stopping The Onion, the satirical newspaper, from using the presidential seal.
The newspaper regularly produces a parody of President Bush's weekly radio address on its Web site (www.theonion.com/content/node/40121), where it has a picture of President Bush and the official insignia.
"It has come to my attention that The Onion is using the presidential seal on its Web site," Grant M. Dixton, associate counsel to the president, wrote to The Onion on Sept. 28. (At the time, Mr. Dixton's office was also helping Mr. Bush find a Supreme Court nominee; days later his boss, Harriet E. Miers, was nominated.)
Citing the United States Code, Mr. Dixton wrote that the seal "is not to be used in connection with commercial ventures or products in any way that suggests presidential support or endorsement." Exceptions may be made, he noted, but The Onion had never applied for such an exception.
The Onion was amused. "I'm surprised the president deems it wise to spend taxpayer money for his lawyer to write letters to The Onion," Scott Dikkers, editor in chief, wrote to Mr. Dixton. He suggested the money be used instead for tax breaks for satirists.
More formally, The Onion's lawyers responded that the paper's readers - it prints about 500,000 copies weekly, and three million people read it online - are well aware that The Onion is a joke.
"It is inconceivable that anyone would think that, by using the seal, The Onion intends to 'convey... sponsorship or approval' by the president," wrote Rochelle H. Klaskin, the paper's lawyer, who went on to note that a headline in the current issue made the point: "Bush to Appoint Someone to Be in Charge of Country."
Moreover, she wrote, The Onion and its Web site are free, so the seal is not being used for commercial purposes. That said, The Onion asked that its letter be considered a formal application to use the seal.
No answer yet. But Trent Duffy, a White House spokesman, said that "you can't pick and choose where you want to enforce the rules surrounding the use of official government insignia, whether it's for humor or fraud."
O.K. But just between us, Mr. Duffy, how did they find out about it?
"Despite the seriousness of the Bush White House, more than one Bush staffer reads The Onion and enjoys it thoroughly," he said. "We do have a sense of humor, believe it or not." | The White House has added another item to its crowded agenda - stopping The Onion, the satirical newspaper, from using the presidential seal. | 21.076923 | 0.923077 | 10.846154 | medium | medium | extractive |
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/01/27/arts/television/27bust.html | http://web.archive.org/web/20060719223812id_/http://www.nytimes.com:80/2005/01/27/arts/television/27bust.html?pagewanted=2&ei=5090&en=0f26e400d16fc33a&ex=1264568400&partner=rssuserland | Culture Wars Pull Buster Into the Fray | 20060719223812 | Brigid Sullivan, vice president for children's programming at WGBH, has been producing children's shows for 20 years, including "Arthur," for many years the top-rated children's show. "This asked for a project on diversity to all of America's children," she said. "We took it seriously and thought that with 'Arthur,' the No. 1 show on television for kids for years, we had something to draw kids in. Buster is Arthur's best friend, the child of divorce, he has asthma. Children sympathize with him. We had a breakthrough format, this animated bunny with his camera getting live-action sequence. Not to present a make-believe world of diversity but a real world."
Explaining the goal of the show, Ms. Sullivan said: "We want to reflect all of America's children."
"This is not about their parents," she said.
Correction: January 29, 2005, Saturday:
An article in The Arts on Thursday about a decision by PBS against distributing an episode of "Postcards From Buster," a children's program, because it portrays children whose parents are a lesbian couple, referred incorrectly to another recent controversy over a children's television character, SpongeBob SquarePants. Dr. James C. Dobson, founder of the conservative Christian group Focus on the Family, said this month that SpongeBob's creator had allowed the character to be used in a "pro-homosexual video." He did not say the SpongeBob character itself was "pro-homosexual." (The creator of the video said it was intended to teach children about multiculturalism.)
Correction: March 12, 2005, Saturday:
A front-page article on Feb. 17 about challenges faced by PBS referred imprecisely to events that preceded the organization's decision on Jan. 26 against distributing to its stations a children's program in which lesbian parents appeared. (The error also occurred in articles on Jan. 27 and Feb. 16.) While PBS officials discussed the program with Education Department officials before the decision, a letter from Education Secretary Margaret Spellings, denouncing the program, was received after the decision was made, PBS said. | Buster Baxter, a cute animated rabbit on the PBS program "Postcards From Buster," has joined SpongeBob SquarePants as a focus of the nation's culture wars. | 13.645161 | 0.741935 | 1.967742 | low | low | mixed |
http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/gossip/1996/10/22/1996-10-22_carly_s_not_shipshape___she_.html | http://web.archive.org/web/20081206045308id_/http://www.nydailynews.com:80/archives/gossip/1996/10/22/1996-10-22_carly_s_not_shipshape___she_.html | CARLY'S NOT SHIPSHAPE & SHE SOUNDS SO VAIN | 20081206045308 | BY GEORGE RUSH AND JOANNA MOLLOY With Baird Jones
Tuesday, October 22th 1996, 2:01AM
More than 1,200 guests in evening clothes sat in anticipation on the Queen Elizabeth II Sunday night for Carly Simon to sing "Anticipation" at the 25th anniversary party of Travel & Leisure magazine. And they waited. And then they waited some more.
Word rolled down the decks of the Cunard Line's swankiest of ships, docked for the party, that the clown-mouthed singer was sequestered in a stateroom,frozen with her legendary stage fright. In an ironic gem, she could be heard singing through the door, "Anticipation is making me late ... Keeping me waiting ... "
At one point, someone stepped out of her room and said, "She's sick to her stomach." Not that any of it bothered society bandleader Peter Duchin, who, when asked when Simon would go on, deadpanned, "I couldn't care less."
Simon finally emerged onstage, svelte in a Spandex skirt and cowboy boots, with her son, Ben Taylor, and a guitarist by her side. She explained she was suffering with nodes on her vocal cords that would require surgery. But as she launched into her classic, as well as "Paper Moon," it was clear she was in voice, nodes or no nodes.
Simon had earlier demanded that Eartha Kitt not share the stage with her, nor any other female performer. She consented to one encore a folk song and was not only paid $25,000 for the three songs, but got passage on the ship to London.
"Retroactive" star Kylie Travis, and Anne Hearst, Peter Duchin, producer Marty Bregman, R. Couri Hay (his broken arm in a leather sling), Sidney Biddle Barrows, among other guests, were blissfully unaware of any conflicts, and many glided off to their own staterooms which Travel & Leisure editor Nancy Novogrod had so thoughtfully provided - for the night.
Mexican pop singer Luis Miguel, who just got his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, had quite a different experience on the sidewalks of New York recently.
The 26-year-old heartthrob had an argument with a man outside the Rihga Royal Hotel on W. 54th St. two weeks ago. Sources say the angry individual could be heard screaming that he would come back and "cut up [Miguel's] face." With 167 platinum records to his credit and a face that makes fans on several continents swoon, that wouldn't be any good.
A private security force was brought in to supplement hotel security to guard Miguel round the clock for the remainder of his stay, the sources add. Unharmed, the soloist headed to L.A. to cut yet another album.
Miguel's New York spokesman Rineo Souza did not return calls by deadline.
The Wonderbra is about to get some competition from ... Marilyn Monroe. The aerodynamic engineers at Warner's Intimate Apparel are about to unleash a Monroe-inspired brassiere that presumably will give today's woman the sort of figure that drove Joe DiMaggio, Arthur Miller and millions of other American men wild.
The lingerie line, licensed by Monroe's estate, is due in stores in December. Photographer and Monroe friend Bert Stern just shot the ad campaign. Stern has also just unveiled "Peep Show" at East Hampton's Vered Gallery. The show features nude protraits of 27-year-old twins Lynette and Lisa Lavender.
Lisa Marie Presley, whom the Star claims is remarrying her first husband and fellow Scientologist Danny Keogh at Graceland on Christmas Eve, staying at the Plaza Hotel this weekend with a man and with children Danielle and Ben Storm ...
Drenched from the rainstorm, Jim Carrey and Lauren Holly, having fruit salad with Cary Elwes at Spy on Saturday. Nearby: Sara Gilbert (in from Yale) and Fisher Stevens (at the bar till 4 a.m.) ...
Gotcha! Spies at the New Beverly Theater in L.A. snitched to Los Angeles magazine that there was just one person at the New Beverly Theater watching "From Dusk Till Dawn": Quentin Tarantino, the film's writer and star...
Next week's fashion shows in Bryant Park, hit with the loss of Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren and Donna Karan, will make up for it in style. Organizers hired "Effortless Elegance" author Colin Cowie to re-do the tents ...
Confirming our report a few weeks ago that John Kennedy Jr. and partner Michael Berman were getting into the book business, Villard Books yesterday announced a joint publishing deal with George magazine. The first titles: "George's Book of Political Lists" and "George's Thousand Ideas to Help America." ...
John le Carre railed against the New York Times Sunday night at the 92d Street Y. The best-selling author interrupted his reading of his new novel, "The Tailor of Panama," to blast a review of the book that suggested he displayed anti-Semitism in his portrait of a Jewish character. "I blame the New York Times" for the slur, said le Carre, who just had a dialogue with Paris Review editor George Plimpton. "I've had a lot of tomatoes thrown at me, but this one missed. ... I have a completely clean record." The audience applauded him loudly. ...
Angelica Huston's long romance with Jack Nicholson ended "acrimoniously," the actress-turned-director confided at the Hamptons Film Festival. Huston said the only thing scarier than working with Nicholson on "Prizzi's Honor" was working with her father, John Huston. She's gotten tougher since then. She refused to bow to pressure from Ted Turner to trim two scenes from her child-abuse drama, "Bastard Out of Carolina." "I felt we needed the impact to get this issue across," said Huston, whose film will air on Showtime in December. | More than 1,200 guests in evening clothes sat in anticipation on the Queen Elizabeth II Sunday night for Carly Simon to sing "Anticipation"at the 25th anniversary party of Travel & Leisure magazine. And they waited. And then they waited some more. Word rolled down the decks of the Cunard Line's swankiest of ships, docked for the party, that the clown-mouthed singer was sequestered in a stateroom,frozen with her legendary stage fright. In an ironic | 13.162791 | 0.988372 | 30.825581 | low | high | extractive |
http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/lifestyle/2002/02/25/2002-02-25__i_am_winning___kathleen_tur.html | http://web.archive.org/web/20090305155025id_/http://www.nydailynews.com:80/archives/lifestyle/2002/02/25/2002-02-25__i_am_winning___kathleen_tur.html | 'I AM WINNING' Kathleen Turner steps up to fight rheumatoid arthritis | 20090305155025 | Monday, February 25th 2002, 2:25AM
Starring in Broadway's "Indiscretions" a few years ago, Kathleen Turner - she of the sultry voice, swirling hair and sizzling female energy - kept tissues at the top of a circular staircase onstage.
"Every night, when I got to the top, the tears would be coming down my face because it hurt so much," recalls Turner. She'd wipe them off, turn, and go back down to do the next scene.
"You just keep working through it," Turner says. "I missed only two shows."
If the actress is bragging, she's entitled. Turner has rheumatoid arthritis, a joint- and bone-mashing, wickedly painful inflammatory disease that threatened her career and her magnificent, take-no-prisoners spirit.
She was famous for athletic, whole-body roles in "Body Heat" and "Romancing the Stone" - where she took an ice water bath and a hill-high spill. Michael Douglas said she'd be a big star, "assuming she lives."
But 10 years ago, excruciating pain struck Turner's feet, spread to her left elbow, her neck and then burned through her right hand so fiercely she couldn't hold a pen. "It felt like a broken wrist that hasn't been set," she says.
She was diagnosed after a year - it usually takes three to five times longer -and then things got tricky. "The original [drug] cocktail I was on was almost as dangerous as the disease. I had to keep having tests for my eyes, liver, kidneys and stomach."
The anti-inflammatory prednisone, often used with RA, "eats" bone and muscle, she snorts. "Not only that, it is a severe depressant! Here you are in constant pain, afraid about what is happening to you, and you are being medically depressed as well? Thank you very much!"
Now, however, there are new drugs "a thousand times better and a thousand times less dangerous," she exults, smiling and leaping from her chair to prove it. "You can fight this disease and beat it!"
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that affects 2 million Americans. It occurs when the body's defense system mistakes its own tissue as a foreign invader and attacks it - causing crippling inflammation.
Women get RA at least three times as often as men, usually between the ages of 20 and 40 - "I was 37," says Turner - and the effects are devastating.
RA can take three to eight years off a lifespan, says Dr. David Fox, medical adviser to the Arthritis Foundation. In still mysterious ways, it also increases risk for "infections and more heart disease," Fox says. RA patients have a "50% to 60% chance of being totally and permanently disabled."
RA hobbles budgets, as well, halving the potential earning power of victims. For Turner, the danger was obvious. "If you can't move, you can't act! This was life-threatening in terms of my career," she says.
Making matters worse, "Steroids puff you up, and I couldn't talk about it - [producers] will hire a drunk, but they're afraid to hire someone with RA because they don't know what it is."
Perhaps most cruelly, RA can hurt relationships. "You are in so much pain that it affects your sexuality, your love life - it's 'Don't touch me!'" says Turner. And she wanted to be a more active mother to her daughter, Rachel, now 14.
"When Rachel was 5 and 6, she'd say, 'Mommy, race me! Mommy, catch me,' and you have to shout, 'No, don't jump!'" says Turner, whose disease influenced her decision not to have more children.
Once, little Rachel had to open a bottle of lotion for her mother. "She covered me with lotion and it got to be fun. But I thought, 'I am so helpless.'"
RA has afflicted humans for centuries; old paintings show people with distinctively RA-deformed fingers and dislocated knuckles. But until recently, "all of the useful treatments have been stolen from other specialities," says Dr. Israeli Jaffe, a rheumatologist at Columbia's College of Physicians and Surgeons. The most common:
- Aspirin - helps aching but does not stop RA. Large, constant doses can lead to ulcers. COX-2 inhibitors lessen the risk of bleeding but, like aspirin, do not arrest the disease.
- Gold salt injections - work for many, but not all, RA sufferers. They are "moderately painful" and can cause rashes and drug-induced colitis, says Dr. Michael Belmont, medical director of the Hospital for Joint Diseases.
- Corticosteroids like prednisone - are "an effective treatment" and in short courses do reduce inflammation, Belmont says, but greater amounts can cause insomnia, mood changes, raised blood pressure, bone loss and cataracts.
- Methotrexate - is a chemotherapy agent that also acts, in small doses, as an efficient and "not especially toxic" anti-inflammatory, says Belmont. "But it was not perfect," failing to help 10% to 25% of patients.
The RA treatment revolution started in the early 1990s when a London researcher, Ravinder Maini, found "astronomically high levels" of TNF, a substance made by white blood cells in fighting infection, in the joints of RA patients.
Maini's data led to disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs). They "take the natural materials in the body and manipulate them in a way to bring about health," says Belmont. DMARDs disable TNF or lock it out of key cells.
"Instead of being a total immunosuppressant, this is very selective and targeted, and when you stop it, the effects dissipate rather rapidly, which is good if you get into trouble," says Jaffe.
The first DMARD was Centicore's Remicade. "It produced very dramatic results with virtually no side effects - it is a very clean drug," says Jaffe. Next came Immunex's Embrel, which stymies TNF through a slightly different mechanism. "The two drugs are "more or less equally effective," Jaffe says.
Also on line, says Belmont, are a newer, possibly milder alternative to methotrexate from Aventis called Arava and another DMARD, Amgen's Kineret, that blocks not TNF but another kind of molecule, IL-1, that can cause trouble.
The new drugs mean that "we will be able to find some combination that works for almost all patients," says Fox.
Thorny issues remain: DMARDs cost $5,000 to $15,000 a year and may not be covered by insurance. There are problems meeting the demand, says Jaffe, and a growing waiting list of anguished RA patients.
Finally, warns Fox, there can be "unexpected surprises" when substances like TNF are blocked. For example, a person with dormant tuberculosis can be at risk for developing active disease with TNF blockers.
The new drugs have helped Turner - immensely - though she won't endorse one over another. But though she feels triumphant, RA has left its mark.
"I have gotten back almost all my strength, though I will probably always be in some pain," she says. "I have three dislocated toes on each foot that are no fun walking on."
She wears clogs - "These are my dress shoes, honey!" - not the glamorous, "sexy" shoes she loves. As Mrs. Robinson in "The Graduate," opening on Broadway in April, she has special pumps but kicks them off in the stage wings.
And the psychic challenges may have been hardest. "I need control, I have no victim mentality," Turner says. She's had to hand off some problems, prioritize. But she swims, works out in a gym five days a week and does yoga daily.
"I suppose I will always be afraid, but I will not go back again to where I was," Turner says with the authority of a woman who must be obeyed. "They told me I would never recover, and I am here. I am winning."
Ten years ago, Kathleen Turner didn't know what she had when her feet and elbow started hurting. A podiatrist told her to buy "bigger shoes." An orthopedist, stumped for an answer, recommended exploratory surgery. She declined.
Finally diagnosed through a simple blood test for rheumatoid factor, she "didn't know the questions to ask," Turner says. Gathering the facts piecemeal, she says, "I figured if this happened to me, a lot of people are suffering."
To fill the gap today, she is backing RA Access (www.ra-access.com or at 1-888-373-3700), sponsored by Immunex and Wyeth-Ayerst. The patient-friendly site details RA from diagnosis to drugs and diet, and offers advice on managing emotions as well as a daily schedule that includes pain. Also available: the Arthritis Foundation, 1-800-283-7800 or at www.arthritis.org | 'I am winning' Kathleeen Turner steps up to fight rheumatoid arthritis tarring in Broadway's "Indiscretions"a few years ago, Kathleen Turner - she of the sultry voice, swirling hair and sizzling female energy - kept tissues at the top of a circular staircase onstage. "Every night, when I got to the top, the tears would be coming down my face because it hurt so much,"recalls Turner. She'd wipe them off, turn, and go back down to | 20.516854 | 0.94382 | 19.662921 | medium | medium | extractive |
http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/lifestyle/2003/03/10/2003-03-10_working_out_with_the_big_man.html | http://web.archive.org/web/20090419094344id_/http://www.nydailynews.com:80/archives/lifestyle/2003/03/10/2003-03-10_working_out_with_the_big_man.html | WORKING OUT WITH THE BIG MAN CLARENCE CLEMONS' REGIMEN TO SURVIVE A TOUR WITH THE BOSS | 20090419094344 | BY JOE DZIEMIANOWICZ DAILY NEWS FEATURE WRITER
Monday, March 10th 2003, 1:14AM
Clarence Clemons has wailed for 30 years on the tenor saxophone, most famously as a member of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band.
Until mid-July, Clemons (aka "the Big Man") backs up the Boss during the "Rising" tour. Onstage, that means the saxman works up a sweat from his distinctive, raucous playing.
Offstage, during the tour, he works up a sweat with a rigorous exercise regimen with his personal trainer, Maria Cernuto. "I don't go anywhere without her," he says, adding that when touring, they stay at hotels with spa services or find a nearby gym.
"Working out has always been a way of life for me," says Clemons, 61, who had both hips replaced three years ago. "I'm very serious about what I'm doing, and it's important to me to be in shape for my audience."
Today, the 6-foot-2 former high school and University of Maryland football lineman weighs 265 pounds. "It's all good-looking muscle," he says. In the last two years, he says, his body-fat content has dwindled from 30% to 12%: "I'm in the best shape I've ever been in."
Here's how the Big Man got, and stays, that way.
Clemons exercises six days a week, reserving Sunday for total R&R. He stretches for flexibility before each workout, then does 45 to 60 minutes of low-impact cardiovascular training on an elliptical machine to build endurance, foster a healthy respiratory system and burn fat.
To beat boredom when he's doing cardiovascular work, he'll often entertain himself with "stupid movies." "Jackass" and "Road Trip" are two of his favorites.
Clemons lifts weights four days a week for muscle development, strength, sculpting and to build bone density.
Since his double-hip replacement ("I'm like the Bionic Man," he says), he lifts free weights while sitting, to keep excess weight off his lower body.
"Each gym workout is designed differently so as to keep his muscles and mind challenged," says Cernuto. On any given day, he focuses on two body parts - for example, back and triceps, chest and biceps, shoulders and legs.
"I'm blessed with nice legs," says Clemons. "But I see lots of guys with big upper bodies and pencil legs."
Clemons is a very spiritual person, and he includes meditation in his health regimen. "It's a crazy world, so I meditate for 20 minutes," he says. "I also meditate for 20 minutes before a concert."
To do this, he sits in a peaceful place that's dimly lit. "I light some incense and sit quietly and don't think," he says. "I allow my conscious mind to relax. The trick is to just let it happen."
Clemons eats six meals throughout the day to keep his metabolism revving, shooting for a total of 2,100 calories. He alternates between his regular foods and high-protein, low-carb, low-fat shakes made with low-fat soy milk or skim milk.
"The idea is to eat whole, natural, unadulterated, clean foods," says Cernuto. Breakfast, lunch and dinner include protein (lean chicken and fish), starchy carbs (potato, rice, grains), fibrous carbs (vegetables and fruit) and unsaturated, unhydrogenated fats (natural peanut butter, avocado or raw, unsalted nuts, for example).
Clemons doesn't have a sweet tooth, and he doesn't like chips. But he lets himself indulge on soul food and down-home-style barbecue once a week. "It's good for the body and for the psyche," says Cernuto.
So is proper hydration. Clemons drinks half his weight in ounces of bottled water each day. During concerts, he has sports drinks and a high-protein, high-carb, low-sugar shake to keep up his energy.
Studies show that music is a great motivator during a workout. The right tunes can make the difference in finishing a run or a set of crunches.
Clarence Clemons and his band Temple of Soul have a new album, "Live in Asbury Park," with songs that will take you through a workout. The Big Man recommends these songs from the album to accompany each segment:
"Sax in the City" and "Washington Bond" | BY JOE DZIEMIANOWICZ DAILY NEWS FEATURE WRITER C larence Clemons has wailed for 30 years on the tenor saxophone, most famously as a member of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band. Until mid-July, Clemons (aka "the Big Man") backs up the Boss during the "Rising"tour. Onstage, that means the saxman works up a sweat from his distinctive, raucous playing. Offstage, during the tour, he works up a sweat with a rigorous exercise regimen with his | 9.967033 | 0.967033 | 18.835165 | low | high | extractive |
http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/news/2003/03/17/2003-03-17_a_shining_moment_for_subway_.html | http://web.archive.org/web/20100401074718id_/http://www.nydailynews.com:80/archives/news/2003/03/17/2003-03-17_a_shining_moment_for_subway_.html | A SHINING MOMENT FOR SUBWAY SYSTEM | 20100401074718 | By PETE DONOHUE DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER
Monday, March 17th 2003, 7:14AM
Subway cars are cleaner than in years - but dirtier days could be just around the bend.
Nearly 60% of subway cars were rated clean in a recent survey by the Straphangers Campaign, up from 32% in 1999.
"Transit officials have made real progress in the war on subway grime," said Neysa Pranger, a Straphangers Campaign coordinator who directed the group's latest survey, conducted from October to January.
But with the Transit Authority struggling to close budget gaps, officials plan to cut the number of subway cleaners nearly 8% by the end of next year, the Daily News has learned.
The ranks of cleaners - there were 1,186 in January - are expected to drop by 92 when 2004 comes to a close.
"We are not filling positions as they become vacant," TA spokesman Charles Seaton said.
That disappointed Straphangers Campaign staff attorney Gene Russianoff, who said it reverses a trend in the past several years of adding cleaners.
"I'm concerned," Russianoff said. "Fewer elbows means less elbow grease and that means dirtier subway cars. It makes common sense."
Seaton said the TA would work hard to make the trains even cleaner despite the cutbacks.
"We're certainly concerned about the appearance of our fleet and the cleanliness of our cars," Seaton said. "So any changes we make will be balanced by tighter supervision, increased vigilance of hot spots and redeployment of staff, if necessary."
Meanwhile, some subway riders were enjoying the current state of the rails.
E train easy on eyes
"It's much cleaner than years ago," said German De La Roche, 26, an energy company executive, while riding the E train. "Now you don't have to avoid having your eyes looking down to keep from seeing the filth. For the amount of people [who ride the subways every day], it's pretty clean."
The line that meticulous Felix Unger of "The Odd Couple" might love is the L line - 85% of its cars were rated clean, topping the list. The L train also has the newest subway cars in the system.
"They're definitely cleaner than the others," said Lawrence Romero, 45, a college employment counselor from Brooklyn. "It makes it more comfortable and pleasurable."
Unger's ''Odd Couple" roommate, Oscar Madison, however, might feel more comfortable on the C line, where only 31% of cars were rated clean.
"They do need to clean the floors more," said college student Celeste Harris, 18, of Manhattan while waiting for a C train at 14th St. "They're nasty."
Not all straphangers see an overall improvement.
"They don't seem particularly clean to me," said Halona Patrick, 33, a lawyer from the Bronx. "They're muddy a lot of times. There definitely are moments when you hover over a seat trying to determine if the grime is going to stick to your clothes if you sit."
The Straphangers Campaign's fifth annual Subway Schmutz survey rated the cleanliness of seats and floors but did not take litter into account.
Percentage of clean subway cars by line: | Subway cars are cleaner than in years - but dirtier days could be just around the bend. Nearly 60% of subway cars were rated clean in a recent survey by the Straphangers Campaign, up from 32% in 1999. "Transit officials have made real progress in the war on subway grime,"said Neysa Pranger, a Straphangers Campaign coordinator who directed the group's latest survey, conducted from October | 8.756757 | 0.986486 | 19.148649 | low | high | extractive |
http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/entertainment/1999/11/05/1999-11-05_shedding_light_on_suffragists.html | http://web.archive.org/web/20100509003816id_/http://www.nydailynews.com:80/archives/entertainment/1999/11/05/1999-11-05_shedding_light_on_suffragists.html | SHEDDING LIGHT ON SUFFRAGISTS | 20100509003816 | BY DAVID BIANCULLI DAILY NEWS TV CRITIC
Friday, November 5th 1999, 2:11AM
NOT FOR OURSELVES ALONE: THE STORY OF ELIZABETH CADY STANTON AND SUSAN B. ANHTONY. Sunday and Monday at 8 p.m., PBS (WNET/Ch.13). 4 STARS
When Comedy Central launched the aggressively misogynistic "The Man Show" a few months ago, its co-hosts ventured out to amass signatures on a petition to "end women's suffrage." The joke was that those who signed, and were unclear about the definition of suffrage, actually were supporting a drive to stop women from voting.
The latest PBS documentary by Ken Burns and company looks at women's suffrage and sees it as no laughing matter. On the contrary, they view it as a crucial, largely overlooked chapter in American history - and, in their absorbing three-hour biography of the movement's leaders, make a captivating case.
"Not for Ourselves Alone: The Story of Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony" examines how these two very different women - Stanton a wealthy wife and mother, Anthony a Quaker-reared "old maid" - met and formed a professional and personal relationship that would last more than 50 years.
It was written by Geoffrey C. Ward, directed by Burns, produced by Burns and Paul Barnes and edited by Sarah E. Hill. All of them deserve individual mention, because no matter how many teams try to copy the Burns formula, no one does it as well as the squads fielded by Burns himself.
There's Ward, getting us deeply into people's personalities and situations with an economy of words (of Stanton, narrator Sally Kellerman says, "She was born in the finest house in Jonestown, N.Y.").
There's Burns, as director, capturing the brilliant fall hues of the trees around Stanton's home, just to match sad news that arrives one year on "the last day of October." There are the vocal talents bringing old letters to life, led by Julie Harris as Anthony and Ronnie Gilbert as Stanton.
We hear experts speaking so animatedly about people and events of long ago that it's as if they're gossiping about neighbors. And, as always, we hear contemplative music, and spend so much time gazing at vintage photographs that we feel the personalities oozing out from behind the frozen faces.
When words are most important, we hear them with no visual distraction. When images are most important (this is a story that begins in the era before still photography and ends after the advent of the motion picture), they're given all the time needed to make their impact.
Sunday's first installment, for example, ends with the astonishingly resonant image of a woman cradling her baby while standing waist-deep in a wheat field. Burns knows all too well the simple power of that tableau.
The assured artistry extends to the end. In 1920, ratification by the Tennessee Legislature was all that was needed to put the 19th Amendment over the top, giving women the ballot. The decisive vote, we learn, was cast by the youngest man in the chamber, who had received a letter from his mother advising him, "Don't forget to be a good boy."
He was - and "Not for Ourselves Alone," is very good documentary. | NOT FOR OURSELVES ALONE: THE STORY OF ELIZABETH CADY STANTON AND SUSAN B. ANHTONY. Sunday and Monday at 8 p.m., PBS (WNET/Ch.13). 4 STARS When Comedy Central launched the aggressively misogynistic "The Man Show"a few months ago, its co-hosts ventured out to amass signatures on a petition to "end women's suffrage."The joke was that those who signed, and were unclear about the definition of suffrage, actually were supporting a drive to stop women | 7.269663 | 0.977528 | 24.05618 | low | high | extractive |
http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/news/2001/01/13/2001-01-13_graduation_day___after_strug.html | http://web.archive.org/web/20100521000158id_/http://www.nydailynews.com:80/archives/news/2001/01/13/2001-01-13_graduation_day___after_strug.html | Graduation day After struggling from community colleges to NAIA Lambuth, Ron Dixon has arrived | 20100521000158 | By ADAM RUBIN DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER
Saturday, January 13th 2001, 2:15AM
Vic Wallace was between meetings at the American Football Coaches Association convention on Sunday afternoon when he walked into the lobby of the Hyatt Regency Atlanta. There, on a large-screen television, Wallace caught a glimpse of Ron Dixon's 97-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, which set the tone for the Giants' playoff victory against the Eagles.
"He did a great job on the run," said Wallace, who coached Dixon at Lambuth College in Jackson, Tenn., last season. "When I saw the end-zone view and all the cuts he had to make, it was even more impressive."
It may seem that Dixon came to the Giants from nowhere, but the rookie's ascent to a third-round draft choice and playoff hero actually took him virtually everywhere. Bad behavior and bad grades forced Dixon on a winding path, from Itawamba (Miss.) Community College, to Division II West Georgia, to Lake Sumpter and Tallahassee community colleges in Florida, to NAIA Lambuth, and mixed in there was a job digging trenches.
"By the time he got here, he realized it was his last chance," said Lambuth teammate Chris Edwards. "When I met him, he had his head screwed on straight."
Said Dixon: "I had to make something happen in the classroom and on the field."
Edwards spent last Sunday afternoon at Lambuth's Harris Hall, where students throughout the dorm watched the Giants-Eagles game. It's not often Lambuth players are in the national spotlight. The school's other recent NFL product, Robert Reed, had one catch for the San Diego Chargers during the 1999 season and was recently released by the XFL's Memphis Maniax.
So, on Sunday, it wasn't long before shouts rang out at Harris Hall, which housed Dixon last year, in response to his kickoff return.
"When he came here, he had that one goal in his mind," Edwards said. "He talked about just getting a chance, catching the eye of one team and everyone would be interested."
How intent was Dixon on an NFL career? Edwards recalled that after one Lambuth game, teammates went to a local club. Dixon stayed behind.
"He was out at 3 in the morning running sprints," Edwards said. "He was looking forward to the next game."
Said Dixon: "I did my partying, and that put me in the situation that I was in, so I felt the need to tie up all the loose ends. While they were going out, I was looking at the big picture."
Dixon's new-found commitment came after a number of opportunities at other schools slipped through his hands.
Dixon committed to the University of Central Florida while a senior at Wildwood (Fla.) High, where he would have played with Vikings quarterback Daunte Culpepper, who enrolled a year later, in 1995. But Dixon lacked the necessary ACT score.
Instead, he enrolled at Itawamba (Miss.) Community College, where he played quarterback in an option attack that included Philadelphia's Duce Staley. After completing two years there, Dixon joined Division II West Georgia as a wide receiver. However, academics ended his West Georgia career after one season.
"I did just enough to get by," Dixon said of his college experience. "After like three years, that's not good enough. You can't just skate through. I skated through with Cs an Ds. Sometimes I wouldn't even go to class and I'd get a C. But after like three years or so, you have to hit it. And I still wasn't."
Dixon spent the next year at community colleges near his Florida home trying to become eligible.
Paul Jones, a scout for the Canadian Football League's Edmonton Eskimos and an acquaintance of Wallace, told the Lambuth coaching staff about Dixon.
"After West Georgia, (Jones) had me try out for the Canadian League," Dixon said. "But my knee was kind of banged up. ... So just out of the blue one day he called my mom and my dad and asked did I want to go back to school. And that was the hook-up at Lambuth."
However, it wasn't that simple. Despite good grades, Dixon was one credit short of being eligible at Lambuth and had to sit out a second straight football season, according to Wallace. Dixon dug trenches for a sprinkler installation service in Jackson, Tenn., until he got on scholarship in the spring, although that didn't last too long.
"I think I did that job like three days," Dixon said. "I was like, 'Oh, no. Digging ditches, that's not my style.'"
Finally, in 1999, he returned to football.
During his only season at Lambuth, Dixon set several school records: receptions in a season (89), average yards per catch (19.5), punt return average (27.9 yards), longest punt return for a TD (95 yards) and longest kickoff return for a TD (92 yards).
Watching the Giants game Sunday, Dixon's Lambuth teammates were reminded of an Oct. 23, 1999, kickoff return for a TD against Georgetown (Ky.) College.
Dixon pointed to the end zone just before the kickoff, as he had done at Lambuth.
"They were on the sideline and I was reading Ron's lips, 'I'm going to take it to the house. I'm going to take it to the house.' When he hit the seam, I knew he had the speed to take it," Edwards said. "Against Georgetown he did the same thing. He ran the exact same kickoff. I told him he needs to point every time he gets back there."
"It was kind of deja vu," Lambuth quarterback Rashad Smith said. "He was pointing just like he was pointing in college. He came out before every game and would point like that, and he always made the key plays."
The Giants saw the potential when they used a third-round pick on Dixon. But there have been trying times during Dixon's rookie season.
Last month, after missing a Saturday morning team meeting and then being suspended for the Pittsburgh game, Giants coach Jim Fassel pledged to make Dixon a "personal project of mine."
In September, Dixon and Ike Hilliard were no-shows for a Saturday walk-through practice. Dixon said they were playing Sony PlayStation late the night before and he forgot to set the alarm. He's received wake-up calls from his parents since.
"I've been playing this game for so long, it's always just been a game," Dixon said. "I had to realize that this is much more than a game now, it's a job. I was a little irresponsible. But I don't think about the past, I just learn from it."
Wallace said there was no similar problem at Lambuth.
"By this time he had sort of taken an inventory of his goals and aspirations and knew that Lambuth was giving him a chance," Wallace said. "And he did not let us down in the classroom, nor did he let us down in community, nor did he let us down on the field."
Said Dixon: "When I want to do something, I'll do it. ... I came out with like a 3.0 (GPA). That was something that had to be done to reach this point."
Now, far more people are recognizing Dixon and his accomplishments. Dixon said he was spotted walking down the street outside of a grocery store as a result of the publicity from his kickoff return.
"A guy asked me was if I was Dixon," Dixon said. "I was like, 'No, that's my cousin.'"
Dixon said he always felt he would succeed in the NFL, despite attending five colleges and missing the 1997 and '98 seasons.
"I was always confident in my ability," Dixon said. "And I always knew, somehow, some way, something was going to happen. I missed out on a lot of that by not doing what I needed to do in the classroom in high school. And then by going to junior college, I missed out on it again. I was able to still make it." | Graduation day After struggling from community colleges to NAIA Lambuth, Ron Dixon has arrived By ADAM RUBIN DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER Vic Wallace was between meetings at the American Football Coaches Association convention on Sunday afternoon when he walked into the lobby of the Hyatt Regency Atlanta. There, on a large-screen television, Wallace caught a glimpse of Ron Dixon's 97-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, which set the tone for the Giants' playoff victory against | 20.059524 | 0.952381 | 46.666667 | medium | high | extractive |
http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/lifestyle/1995/09/17/1995-09-17_sweet-n-tart_smell_of_succes.html | http://web.archive.org/web/20100621093907id_/http://www.nydailynews.com:80/archives/lifestyle/1995/09/17/1995-09-17_sweet-n-tart_smell_of_succes.html | SWEET-N-TART SMELL OF SUCCESS , SPENCER CHAN'S NEW CAFE COULD LEAD THE NEXT WAVE IN CASUAL CANTONES DINING | 20100621093907 | By DANIEL YOUNG, Daily News Food Critic
Sunday, September 17th 1995, 1:12AM
For Spencer Chan, the visionary busboy-turned-restaurateur behind Chinatown's new Sweet-n-Tart Cafe, passion for publicity has been good both for the fortunes of his restaurant ventures and the recognition in this country of serious Cantonese cooking. Maybe too good.
When Chan arrived from Hong Kong in 1976, upscale, high-concept, serious Cantonese cuisine was scarce in Chinatown and nonexistent in the boroughs. As a busboy at HSF on the Bowery and later as a waiter and captain at Jumbo House on Elizabeth St., he envisioned the possibilities of a Hong Kong-style Chinatown restaurant whose fine food, china and manners could seduce uptown food critics as easily as affluent native Chinese diners.
In 1985, with a handful of partners and a great deal more of their money, he created 20 Mott, an elegant, 200-plus-seat establishment specializing in light, graceful seafood preparations and delicately assembled dim sum. Influential critics, a few traversing Canal St. for the first time, were enthralled.
Three years and a glossy portfolio filled with rave reviews later, Chan and his partners opened Golden Unicorn, a palatial, 500-seat restaurant designed to accommodate banquets and gatherings too large for 20 Mott. Nevertheless, Golden Unicorn's capacity was at first too small for the crowd of dim sum devotees lining up as early as 7:30 on weekend mornings.
By holding onto his original chefs Kick Chan at 20 Mott and Sing Lai at Golden Unicorn Chan has maintained consistency in his kitchens. Still, the emergence of grander competitors has cut into business at Golden Unicorn. More significantly, new, convenient, lower-priced Cantonese restaurants serving fresh seafood and dim sum in the city's other Chinatowns (Flushing, Sunset Park, Brooklyn's Avenue U) have diners forgoing the shlep into Manhattan.
In addition, Hong Kong-influenced restaurateurs like Chan have always struggled to please non-Chinese diners lured in by good press. By serving them the same Cantonese menu as they do to Chinese customers, they risk displeasing Americans accustomed to Szechuan food who find the likes of shark fin soup and steamed abalone too exotic. But if they encourage English-speaking palates to order fried, gloppy dishes traditionally offered at Chinese-American takeouts, they may offend those who come expressly to experience accomplished Cantonese cooking.
According to Chan, the solution to such troubles is Oriental pear and almond soup to comfort the respiratory system. It's one of 20 curative tong shui ("dessert soups") served at the Sweet-n-Tart Cafe, whose Chinese name, Tong Chao, means "sweet tide" appropriate for a casual eatery that aspires to be the next wave in Chinatown dining.
The clean, color-friendly cafe is situated eight steps below Mott St., but could fit into a suburban mall food court. Chan is in fact going after younger bodies and shallow pockets. The top price on the Sweet-n-Tart menu is $7.50.
Affordability and accessibility are the top draws at Sweet-n-Tart Cafe, not the medicinal properties of the soups, which are limited. For instance, although the black sesame paste soup is said to restore color to white hair, it would take gallons of it to turn Tom Snyder into a redhead. The amount of silky milk-ginger juice (like a pudding) required to improve a woman's skin might also make her fat.
Rather, the fun in these little white bowls ($1.75-$2.50) is in the variety of flavors, colors and combinations, from the familiar (almond, walnut, tapioca with coconut) to the exotic (snow fungi, quail eggs with lotus seed).
Because Chan did not want Sweet-n-Tart to be identified only as a dessert cafe, he also has a selection of noodles, soups, 18 congees, various dim sum and snacks, and fresh juices and shakes (watermelon, kiwi, pineapple, mango, etc.). The wonderful surprise of eating here turns out to be the 20 Mott St.-type quality of those side attractions.
In particular, the congees, dumplings and home-style rice presentations are among the best in Chinatown. While the smooth congees are neither too thick nor runny, the rice dough for the Shanghai-style, pan-fried, juice-exploding dumplings achieves an impossible balance between delicacy and durability. And who could choose between the pleasures of rice steamed in bamboo with duck and pork sausage, taro and mushrooms or rice steamed in lotus leaf with scallop and shrimp?
With only 34 seats in the eatery, those dishes may ultimately be too good for Chan and his Sweet-n-Tart Cafe.
SWEET-N-TART CAFE, 76 Mott St., near Canal St.; (212) 334-8088
20 MOTT ST., 20 Mott St, near Pell St.; (212) 964-0380
GOLDEN UNICORN, 18 East Broadway, near Catherine St.; (212) 941-0911 | For Spencer Chan, the visionary busboy-turned-restaurateur behind Chinatown's new Sweet-n-Tart Cafe, passion for publicity has been good both for the fortunes of his restaurant ventures and the recognition in this country of serious Cantonese cooking. Maybe too good. When Chan arrived from Hong Kong in 1976, upscale, high-concept, serious Cantonese cuisine was scarce in Chinatown and nonexistent in the boroughs. As a busboy at HSF on the Bowery and later as a waiter and | 10.505376 | 1 | 46.935484 | low | high | extractive |
http://www.nytimes.com/1865/04/16/news/our-great-loss-death-president-lincoln-songs-victory-drowned-sorrow-closing.html | http://web.archive.org/web/20100716214241id_/http://www.nytimes.com:80/1865/04/16/news/our-great-loss-death-president-lincoln-songs-victory-drowned-sorrow-closing.html? | OUR GREAT LOSS - Death of President Lincoln. The Songs of Victory Drowned in Sorrow. CLOSING SCENES OF A NOBLE LIFE. The Great Sorrow of an Afflicted Nation.Party Differences Forgotten in Public Grief.Vice-President Johnson Inaugurated asChief Executive.MR. SEWARD WILL RECOVER.John Wilkes Booth Believed to be the Assassin.Manifestation of the People Throughout the Country.OFFICIAL DISPATCHES. - Front Page - NYTimes.com | 20100716214241 | WAR DEPARTMENT, WASHINGTON, April 15 -- 4:10 A.M.
The President continues insensible and is sinking.
Secretary SEWARD remains without change
FREDERICK SEWARD'S Skull is fractured in two places, besides a severe cut upon the head.
The attendant is still alive, but hopeless. Maj. SEWARD's wound is not dangerous.
It is now ascertained with reasonable certainty that two assassins were engaged in the horrible crime, WILKES BOOTH being the one that shot the President, and the other companion of his whose name is not a known, but whose description is so clear that he can hardly escape. It appears from a letter found in BOOTH's trunk that the murder was planned before the 4th of March, but fell through then because the accomplice backed out until "Richmond could be heard from." BOOTH and his accomplice were at the livery stable at six o'clock last evening, and left there with their horses about ten o'clock, or shortly before that hour.
It would seem that they had for several days been seeking their chance, but for some unknown reason it was not carried into effect until last night.
One of them has evidently made his way to Baltimore -- the other has not yet been traced.
WAR DEPARTMENT, WASHINGTON, April 15.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN died this morning at twenty-two minutes after seven o'clock.
WAR DEPARTMENT, WASHINGTON, April 15 -- 3 P.M.
Official notice of the death of the late President, ABRAHAM LINCOLN, was given by the heads of departments this morning to ANDREW JOHNSON, Vice-President, upon whom the constitution devolved the office of President. Mr. JOHNSON, upon receiving this notice, appeared before the Hon. SALMON P. CHASE, Chief Justice of the United States, and took the oath of office, as President of the United States, assumed its duties and functions. At 12 o'clock the President met the heads of departments in cabinet meeting, at the Treasury Building, and among other business the following was transacted:
First -- The arrangements for the funeral of the late President were referred to the several Secretaries, as far as relates to their respective departments.
Second -- WILLIAM HUNTER, Esq., was appointed Acting Secretary of State during the disability of Mr. SEWARD, and his son, FREDERICK SEWARD, the Assistant Secretary.
Third -- The President formally announced that he desired to retain the present Secretaries of departments of his Cabinet, and they would go on and discharge their respective duties in the same manner as before the deplorable event that had changed the head of the government.
All business in the departments was suspended during the day.
The surgeons report that the condition of Mr. SEWARD remains unchanged. He is doing well.
No improvement in Mr. FREDERICK SEWARD.
The murderers have not yet been apprehended. | To Major Gen. Dix: The President continues insensible and is sinking. Secretary SEWARD remains without change FREDERICK SEWARD'S Skull is fractured in... | 20.037037 | 0.814815 | 5.185185 | medium | medium | mixed |
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/active/bupa-team-telegraph/7924533/Helen-Skelton-runs-for-the-hills-as-she-continues-her-Bupa-Great-North-Run-training.html | http://web.archive.org/web/20100818052357id_/http://www.telegraph.co.uk:80/active/bupa-team-telegraph/7924533/Helen-Skelton-runs-for-the-hills-as-she-continues-her-Bupa-Great-North-Run-training.html | Helen Skelton runs for the hills as she continues her Bupa Great North Run training | 20100818052357 | Pep talk over, it's time to commit. I have one week of proper dedicated training with no hunting for Truffles to get in the way. (That's one of this things we filmed in Italy). So in the upcoming week I will run three times for an hour, twice for 30 minutes, and do one alternative thing, such as swimming.
I need to because I have fallen behind. During the last few days of our Italian adventure there was literally nowhere to run. We were staying on the low slopes of Mt Vesuvius and there were no paths, no tracks, only narrow windy roads, so it was pretty dangerous walking in a group let alone running. Not to mention the hassle.
At the risk of sounding really arrogant, men kept pulling their Vespas in front of me and asking me to go for a coffee. I was red faced, sweating, hair scraped back, and wearing some very unflattering sportswear (seriously who looks good in running gear? These legs of mine were not made for cycling shorts but who's were?!?). Anyway, it was not a good look that I know, so it must be the Italian way.
I hate being rude to people and I hate to stereotype people, but the only way to get rid of them was to totally ignore them. I think they thought I was playing hard to get. Whatever it was it was very unsettling and it put me off running in Naples.
I did swim though. I got up early and did an hour. It means I have had a rest from running and am keen to get back on it. (Well that's what I am telling myself).
I'm in Cumbria for at least a week and my running should take in some mild hills, so that will make my trots less boring and to me it makes a training session seem easier: after every incline there is a decline! (You can do that thing where you pretend you're seven and your legs go so fast you think they will fall off. Don't worry they won't).
I'm pretty sure I won't be stopped by any fiery men on mo-peds in Cumbria, so this week I have no distraction, sorry I meant excuse. | Bupa Team Telegraph captain Helen Skelton receives some unwarranted attention
in Naples as she trains for the 2010 Bupa Great North Run. | 18.583333 | 0.333333 | 0.5 | medium | low | abstractive |
http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/entertainment/2001/09/26/2001-09-26_tonight.html | http://web.archive.org/web/20100818142945id_/http://www.nydailynews.com:80/archives/entertainment/2001/09/26/2001-09-26_tonight.html | TONIGHT | 20100818142945 | Wednesday, September 26th 2001, 2:23AM
8:00 p.m. (ABC) "My Wife and Kids." One change to this series this season is that, like "Roseanne" years ago, they've replaced a daughter. Beginning tonight, Jennifer Freeman takes over the role of Claire. But Damon Wayans is still at the center of this cheerful, funny family sitcom, and that's good news. It is, truly, one of the most solid family sitcoms since "The Cosby Show" - and tonight's second-season opener even guest-stars a former member of that TV clan, Raven-Symone as Claire's friend Charmaine.
 10:00 (NBC) "Law & Order." This series begins its 12th season, ushering in a year in which it will be one of three series with the same franchise title. The others are "Special Victims Unit" and the new "Criminal Intent."
 8:00 p.m. (NBC) "Lost." If you've lost track of this dull show, one reason among many is that it hasn't been televised since its premiere three weeks ago. A lot has happened since then - a lot that makes this show even more inconsequential and, now, wholly inappropriate. Rushing through airports and other international checkpoints to be the first to reach New York City? Please.
 9:00 (NBC) "The West Wing." This is a repeat of last season's cliff-hanger finale. Next week, instead of the season premiere, NBC will present a last-second special episode written by Aaron Sorkin to respond, somehow, to the terrorist attacks. And one of the shows NBC was to air tonight was an NBC News special in which Tom Brokaw would follow President George W. Bush for a day, the day being yesterday. | TONIGHT SEASON PREMIERES 8:00 p.m. (ABC) "My Wife and Kids."One change to this series this season is that, like "Roseanne"years ago, they've replaced a daughter. Beginning tonight, Jennifer Freeman takes over the role of Claire. But Damon Wayans is still at the center of this cheerful, funny family sitcom, and that's good news. It is, truly, one of the most solid family sitcoms since "The | 4.268293 | 0.963415 | 42.109756 | low | high | extractive |
http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/gossip/1997/06/09/1997-06-09_a_rumor_s_in_cirque-ulation_.html | http://web.archive.org/web/20101030010722id_/http://www.nydailynews.com:80/archives/gossip/1997/06/09/1997-06-09_a_rumor_s_in_cirque-ulation_.html | A RUMOR'S IN CIRQUE-ULATION: BETTER GET ON SIRIO'S GOOD SIDE | 20101030010722 | BY GEORGE RUSH AND JOANNA MOLLOY with Baird Jones
Monday, June 9th 1997, 2:02AM
Restaurateur Sirio Maccioni swears his Le Cirque 2000 is a democratic republic, but don't tell that to his status-hungry customers. The new incarnation of Maccioni's power scene has been open for barely a month and already the commissars of clout have figured out which is the "A room" and the "B room." Or at least they think they have.
They've seen the VIPs arrive. Donald Trump, Bill Cosby, Sidney Poitier, Woody Allen, Henry Kissinger, Anthony Quinn, Ronald Perelman, Donna Hanover, Martha Stewart, Henry Kravis, Felix Rohatyn all of them have approached the altar where the holy book of reservations sits. Craning their necks, they've watched to see which direction Maccioni points the rich and famous.
The verdict: The room on the right is Nirvana; the one on the left is Siberia.
"It's obvious," says one patron. "The red room on the left is noisier. It has the bar and the kitchen door. It's where they throw the bridge-and-tunnel people." Concurs another diehard foodie: "The people in the left room have to watch Sirio whisk special trays of goodies off to people in the right room."
"There was no way there wouldn't be an A room and B room," says author Gay Talese, a regular at the old Le Cirque. "There's a stratification on subway stops in New York." Maccioni denies that his restaurant has any caste system.
"Absolutely not. Woody Allen, Bill Cosby, Donald Trump we'll put them on one side one day, the other side another day. They sit anyplace I put them. A person makes the table. The table doesn't make the person. . . ."
Maccioni, whose five reservations lines field about 3,000 calls a day, does sound like a man who is fed up with climbers.
"I'm not here to be a dictator. But if someone is stupid enough to ask to be moved, I will tell them where to go."
He sees the table-jockeying "as strictly a New York problem. A good table, a bad table it's in some people's head. Those people are insecure. We try to make them secure."
Still, there are "stupid people who have nothing better to do" than theorize about two rooms. "The food in both rooms is the same. The waiters are the same. People who know about food like the red room because they can see the food prepared."
Maccioni does admit one hidden agenda. "We are partial to beautiful women. We like to put them near the door, where I can look at them."
Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis' dreams of helping to alleviate human suffering after her death were dashed because of a decision made by her children, a new magazine reports.
The publication, American Benefactor, says that Jacqueline Onassis set up the C and J Foundation, named for Caroline and John, with the goal of giving 8% of the principal every year to "the relief of human suffering" for 24 years. The children, however, had the final decision on using the money.
When Caroline and John's auction of the Onassis possessions yielded $34.5 million, it made the estate taxes, at 65%, go sky-high. Caroline and John used estate money to pay the tax, "resulting in empty coffers for the C&J Foundation," the mag reports. The I.R.S. is now auditing the estate.
It had been calculated that, over time, charities could have made $192 million and the grandchildren would have netted $126 million.
"The money was never what the public had speculated that it might be," counters Onassis' lawyer, Alexander Forger. "They are doing [charitable] things in unobtrusive ways."
By the way, when it comes to summer heat, Jackie O was just like the rest of us: she shlepped her air conditioner over to the window, and took it out in the fall.
Not good enough for oil and natural gas billionaire David Koch, who with his model-esque wife, Julia, is still in the middle of a gut renovation of Jackie O's Fifth Ave. apartment, which he bought two years ago. "New wiring, new plumbing, climate control," Koch told us Thursday. "I want it to be a showplace. Anglo-Indian style. It won't be ready until January."
The Rockefellers, the Cabots, the Dodges, the Hearsts, the Fricks and the Pierreponts were all there Thursday night in da Bronx.
The limos went way uptown to see the unveiling of one of New York's most amazing places: the gigantic, all-glass conservatory in the New York Botanical Garden.
Named for Enid Haupt, the Annenberg heiress who helped renovate the tur>>>>>>n-of-the-century structure with $5 million, this wonderworld was rebuilt with 17,000 panes of custom-curved glass. The largest glass house in the world now houses two rain forests, two deserts, a carnivorous plant terrarium and a whole lot more green things with names like Topsy Turvy, Spineless Yucca, Gumbo Limbo, Coach Whip and Powder Puff. Garden guides teach children about the environment there by teaching them how to grow things.
Say what you will about the rich, they helped give a gift of nature back to the Bronx and beyond. Besides, people in glass houses...
A man claiming to be a son-in-law of Mobutu Sese Seko, the deposed despot of Zaire, arrived in New York Friday to tell all about the leopard-hatted ruler.
Pierre Janssen, a Belgian who says he is married to a Mobutu daughter named Yaki, plans to give an interview to "Prime Time Live" and write his own expose out of conscience, says an associate.
Reached at his hotel, Janssen told us that Mobutu used black magic and voodoo against his enemies, who would sometimes end up getting pushed out of airplanes. He also plans to discuss Mobutu's alleged collusion with the CIA and the dictator's opulent lifestyle. A man with an acknowledged 14 children by his wives and a mistress who is the twin of one of his wives, Mobutu allegedly owns 52 properties around the world, including some in New York.
Asked about the prospective interview, a spokeswoman for "Prime Time Live" said, "We can't comment on that."
Sir James Goldsmith, the billionaire Brit who built his fortune in New York as a corporate raider and sold it all on the eve of the 1987 stock market crash, has terminal cancer, columnist Taki Theodoracopoulos reported in London. The colorful character, whose mistress and ex-wife live in two parts of a Paris townhouse, was just hospitalized there after forming a new political party in England, the Referendum Party.
Doris Duke's Beverly Hills mansion, surro>u>n>d>e>d> by the high walls built by original owner Rudolph Valentino to keep his fans out, is for sale for $3.9 million. The bonus is Napoleon Bonaparte's war room, according to Architectural Digest. Duke installed it in a bedroom... | Restaurateur Sirio Maccioni swears his Le Cirque 2000 is a democratic republic, but don't tell that to his status-hungry customers. The new incarnation of Maccioni's power scene has been open for barely a month and already the commissars of clout have figured out which is the "A room"and the "B room."Or at least they think they have. They've seen the VIPs arrive. Donald Trump, Bill Cosby, Sidney Poitier, Woody Allen, Henry Kissinger, Anthony Quinn, | 15.758242 | 0.978022 | 39.549451 | medium | high | extractive |
http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/entertainment/1997/12/11/1997-12-11_chief_fine-tunes_ch__4_based.html | http://web.archive.org/web/20101031152950id_/http://www.nydailynews.com:80/archives/entertainment/1997/12/11/1997-12-11_chief_fine-tunes_ch__4_based.html | CHIEF FINE-TUNES CH. 4 BASED ON LONG EXPERIENCE | 20101031152950 | Thursday, December 11th 1997, 2:03AM
DENNIS SWANSON, president and general manager of WNBC/Ch. 4, is one of the rare station leaders who has experience in front of the camera, behind it and, of course, in the corporate suites.
And having done it all, Swanson finds himself most comfortable calling the shots rather than carrying out someone else's orders.
"I just like having the ability to lead and make decisions," Swanson said, during a recent meeting in his Rockefeller Plaza office. "I realized when you were talent, you were always subject to the whims and fancy of the general manager. I wanted to be that guy."
And, as head of Ch. 4, Swanson definitely is that guy. From his corner office, decorated with sports memorabilia from his past life as head of ABC sports and a broadcaster in Chicago, Swanson presides over one of the strongest stations in town. Though No. 2 overall, Ch. 4 is in a tough battle with WABC/Ch. 7 for the top spot in ratings and revenue.
Having worked on both the network and local levels, Swanson said he prefers the local side, because of its potential for more hands-on involvement, and its relative distance from the corporate bureacracy that permeates network television.
"It's the community involvement and the ability to have more control over your destiny," Swanson said. "You have more of an ability as president of a station to do things than you would as a network head."
Swanson joined the station in July 1996 after a 10-year run as president of ABC sports, a period that at times included simultaneous responsibility for ABC's daytime and children's programing. For the former Marine, it was a return to his local broadcasting roots.
The 59-year-oldexecutive has been enamored of the small screen and journalism since he was a kid growing up in California. He started out as the sports editor of his eighth-grade newspaper and was drawn to TV early on, even though his family didn't get one until much later. "I thought TV was the place to go," he said. "I thought it was the greatest instructional tool and entertainment device."
After a tour with the Marines from 1961 to 1963, Swanson broke into television as a reporter for WMT in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. He then spent two years as a news producer and assignment manager at WGN radio in Chicago. Later he moved on to WMAQ-TV in Chicago as an assignment editor and then a sportscaster. From there, his career turned toward management and to positions at KABC-TV in Los Angeles, WLS-TV in Chicago (where he helped create "The Oprah Winfrey Show") and then on to ABC.
"I learned a great deal about how to manage people when I was in the Marine Corps," said Swanson, who with his wife, Kathy, has three grown children and four grandchildren. "To be a news director or network head, you have to have some understanding of what it takes to manage people."
As for what's ahead at Ch. 4, Swanson says the station needs to continue to build its news image and increase its local programing, citing examples such as the weekly "Jets Game Day" and coverage of events like the West Indian/American Day Carnival.
"We've shown some improvement," he said. "But these stations are like big battleships they turn slowly." | DENNIS SWANSON, president and general manager of WNBC/Ch. 4, is one of the rare station leaders who has experience in front of the camera, behind it and, of course, in the corporate suites. And having done it all, Swanson finds himself most comfortable calling the shots rather than carrying out someone else's orders. "I just like having the ability to lead and make decisions,"Swanson said, during a recent meeting in his Rockefeller | 7.953488 | 0.988372 | 29.011628 | low | high | extractive |
http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/entertainment/2006/03/10/2006-03-10_go___weekend.html | http://web.archive.org/web/20101102045739id_/http://www.nydailynews.com:80/archives/entertainment/2006/03/10/2006-03-10_go___weekend.html | GO ! WEEKEND | 20101102045739 | COMPILED BY BREANNE L. HELDMAN & BRITTANY SCHAEFFER
Friday, March 10th 2006, 1:13AM
CONCERTS THE ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND. Beacon Theater, 2124 Broadway (212-307-7171). Tonight-tomorrow at 8; $49.99-$84.99.
Madison Square Garden, Seventh Avenue & 33rd St. (212-307-7171). Tonight at 8; $65.50-$98.50.
DAVE MASON & LEON RUSSELL. North Fork Theatre, 960 Brush Hollow Rd., Westbury, L.I. (631-888-9000). Tonight at 8; $36.50.
DICK FOX DOO WOP EXTRAVAGANZA. North Fork Theatre. 960 Brush Hollow Rd., Westbury, L.I. (631-888-9000). Tomorrow at 8; $35-$45.
THE HELLACOPTERS. Bowery Ballroom, 6 Delancey St. (212-533-2111). With Datsuns. Tonight at 8:30; $18.
HOT CHIP. Bowery Ballroom, 6 Delancey St. (212-533-2111). Tomorrow at 8:30; $15.
JAMES GALWAY. N.J. Performing Arts Center. 36 Park Place, Newark, N.J. (1-888-GO-NJPAC). Sun. at 3; $22-$76.
LYNYRD SKYNYRD. Nokia Theater Times Square, 1515 Broadway (212-307-7171). Sun. at 9 p.m.; $45.
QUEEN, PAUL RODGERS. Nassau Coliseum, 1255 Hempstead Turnpike (516-794-9300). Sun. at 8 p.m.; $35-$125.
STACEY KENT. N.J. Peforming Arts Center. 36 Park Place, Newark, N.J. (1-888-GO-NJPAC). Tomorrow at 9:30; $47.
TONI BRAXTON. North Fork Theatre, 960 Brush Hollow Rd., Westbury, L.I. (631-888-9000). Sun. at 7 p.m.; $56.50-$66.50.
B.B. KING BLUES CLUB. 237 W. 42nd St. (212-997-4144). Thru tomorrow at 8, Jerry Jeff Walker, Todd Snider; $40. Tonight at midnight, Appetite for Destruction; $12. Tomorrow at 1, Erik the Amazing & the Shallaballah, The 42nd Street Puppets, $10-$25 (includes lunch); at midnight, Honeytribe, free. Sun. at 8, Masters of Soul Tribute; free.
CBGB. 315 Bowery (212-982-4052). Tonight at 8, The Blue Beats, Flashlight Brown, The Slackers; $15. Tomorrow at 8, Third Wave Bandits, Flashlight Brown, The Slackers; $15. Sun. at 6, Prowler, Polyabuse, The Duel, The Krays, The Traditionals, Red Alert; $10.
CANAL ROOM. 285 W. Broadway (212-941-8100). Tomorrow at 8, Deborah Gibson; $30. Sun. at 6, Derrick Barnett and Friends; $7-$10.
HOUSING WORKS USED BOOK CAFE. 126 Crosby St. (212-334-3324). Tonight at 7:30, Sondre Lerche,
JOE'S PUB. 425 Lafayette St.(212-539-8770). Thru Sun. at 7 and 9:30, Noche Flamenca with Soledad Barrio; $30.
LIVING ROOM. 154 Ludlow St. (212-533-3376). Tonight at 7, Carl Creighton, Kyler England, Kristin Diable, Jena Kraus, Aldo Perez. Tomorrow at 7, Byron Isaacs, Champagne Francis, Girl Friday, Crescent and Frost, Dan Lubell, Rawles Balls. Sun. at 8, The Wiyos, Corne Moe, Sam Amadon.
KNITTING FACTORY. 74 Leonard St. (212-219-3006). Tonight at 8, Tea Leaf Green, U-Melt; $15. Tomorrow at 8 and 11, The Loser's Lounge: Blondie Vs. The Pretenders; $20. Sun. at 8, Circle, Cul De Sac, Coptic Light; $12.
MERCURY LOUNGE. 217 E. Houston St. (212-260-4700). Tonight at 8:30, Favourite Sons, Battle, Five O'Clock Heroes, Levy; $10. Tomorrow at 8:30, The Cloud Room, Film School, The Big Sleep, Carina Round; $12. Sun. at 7:30, Trick & the Heartstrings, Film School, EPO-555, Butterfly Explosion; $10.
NORTHSIX. 66 N. Sixth St., Brooklyn (718-599-5103). Tonight at 8, Early Man, Priestess, The Sword; $12. Tomorrow at 8, Love As Laughter, Swearing at Motorists, Kapow!; $10. Sun. at 8, Maxi Geil! & PlayColt, Soft, Heloise and the Savoir Faire; $10.
SOUTHPAW. 125 Fifth Ave., Brooklyn (718-230-0236). Tonight at 8, Rob Dickinson, Tara Angell; $15. Tomorrow at 8, The Netherlands, Aloke, Tall Hands (formerly The Kites), Tender + Vulnerable; $8.
WEBSTER HALL. 125 E. 11th St. (212-353-1600). Tonight at 6, Metric, Islands, Men, Women & Children; $20.
CIELO. 18 Little W. 12th St. (212-645-5700). Tonight, DJ Willie Graff. Tomorrow, Tedd Patterson, Baby Loves Disco. Sun., Quentin Harris.
CROBAR. 530 W. 28th St. (212-629-9000). Tonight, Danny Tenaglia, Teo, Tommy Virtue. Tomorrow, Johnny Dynell, Victor Calderone.
LOTUS. 409 W. 14th St. (212-243-4420). Tonight, GBH. Tomorrow, Jared D., Naomi. Sun., Goldfinger.
PACHA. 618 W. 46th St. (212-209-7500). Tonight, Richie Santana. Tomorrow, Exacta.
SPIRIT. 530 W. 27th St. (212-268-9477). Tomorrow, Goldfinger.
Bedford Ave., Brooklyn (718-388-8883). Tonight, The Good Good, DJ Myles, J Rawls.
E. 11th St. (212-353-1600). Tomorrow, DJ Spinbad.
BIRDLAND. 315 W. 44th St. (212-581-3080). Joe Lovano Quartet, tonight-tomorrow. Chico O'Farrill Afro-Cuban Jazz Big Band, Sun.
BLUE NOTE. 131 W. Third St. (212-475-8592). Ahmad Jamal, tonight-Sun. Jacob Fred Odyssey, tonight-tomorrow.
CORNELIA STREET CAFE. 29 Cornelia St. (212-989-9319). Jeremy Steig, tonight. Tuba Project, featuring Bob Stewart, tomorrow. The PJ's, Sun.
DETOUR. 349 E. 14th St. (212-533-6212). R. Star, tonight. Pete Robbins and Centric, tomorrow. The
DIZZY'S COCA-COLA CLUB. Time Warner Center/Jazz at Lincoln Center, 60th St. & Broadway (212-258-9595). "Music of Donald Byrd and Pepper Adams," tonight-Sun.
IRIDIUM. 1650 Broadway. (212-582-2121). James Carter Organ Trio, tonight-Sun.
JAZZ STANDARD. 116 E. 27th St. (212-576-2232). Chris Potter's Underground, tonight-Sun.
KITANO. 66 Park Ave. (212-885-7125). Don Friedman Trio, tonight-tomorrow.
ROSE THEATER. Time Warner Center/Jazz at Lincoln Center, 60th St. & Broadway (212- 721-6500). "Philadelphia: City of Brotherly Jazz," tonight.
VILLAGE VANGUARD. 178 Seventh Ave. S. (212-255- 4037). Wallace Roney Group, tonight-tomorrow.
ALICE TULLY HALL. Lincoln Center, 65th St. & Broadway (212-721-6500). Tomorrow at 8, Soheil Nasseri; $33-$45.
AMATO OPERA. 319 Bowery (212-228-8200). Tomorrow at 7:30 and Sun. at 2:30, "Aida"; $25-$30.
AVERY FISHER HALL. Lincoln Center, 65th St. & Columbus Ave. (212-721-6500). Tonight-tomorrow at 8, New York Philharmonic: Schubert's "Unfinished"; $26-$92. Sun. at 3, Kirov Orchestra of the Mariinsky Theatre; $35-$69.
BARGEMUSIC. Fulton Ferry Landing, Brooklyn. (718-624- 2083). Tonight at 7:30, the Waterville Trio plays Rachmaninoff, Lachert and Chopin. Tomorrow at 7:30 p.m. and Sun. at 4, Colin Carr and Thomas Sauer perform Beethoven, Chopin; $40.
CARNEGIE HALL. 881 Seventh Ave. (212-247-7800). Isaac Stern Auditorium: Tonight 8, Blue Valley West High School Chorale, Wind Symphony, and Jazz Combo; $30. Tomorrow at 8, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra; $23-$40. Sun. at 2, New Jersey Symphony Orchestra; $8. Sun. at 8, Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra; $20-$80. Zankel Hall:Tonight at 8:30, Nishat Khan; $30-$42. Tomorrow at 8:30, Jane Siberry; $38.
MANHATTAN SCHOOL OF MUSIC. John C. Borden Auditorium, Broadway & 122nd St. (917-493-4428). Tomorrow at 7:30, Pre-college Symphony Orchestra; free.
METROPOLITAN OPERA. Lincoln Center, 62nd St. & Columbus Ave. (212-362- 6000). Tonight at 8, "Mazeppa"; $42-$220. Tomorrow at 1:30, "La Forza del Destino"; $42-$220. Tomorrow at 8:30, "Cyrano"; $42-$220.
N.Y. STATE THEATER. Lincoln Center, 63rd St. & Columbus Ave. (212-870-5570). Tonight at 8 and tomorrow at 1:30 and 8, the New York City Opera: "Most Happy Fella"; $25-$125. Sun at 1:30, "La Bohème"; $45-$110.
WEILL RECITAL HALL. 154 W. 57th St. (212-247-7800). Tonight at 8, Duo Leonore; $25. Tomorrow at 5:30, Erin McCardle; $25. Sun. at 2:30, Adamant Music School; $12. At 5:30, Adrian Fung; $25.
CAROLINES. 1626 Broadway at 49th St. (212-757-4100). Patton Oswalt and Michael Colyear, tonight-Sun.
COMEDY CELLAR. 117 MacDougal St. (212-254-3480). T. Sean Shannon, Jim Norton, Keith Robinson, Colin Quinn, Greg Giraldo, Marina Franklin, Rick Crom, Mike Birbiglia, Ben Bailey, tonight-Sun.
COMEDY VILLAGE. 82 W. Third St. (212-802-7586). DC Benny, Dante Nero, Michelle Buteau, Angelo Lozado, Becky Donohue, Joey Gay, PJ Landers, tonight-Sun.
COMIC STRIP LIVE. 1568 Second Ave. (212-861-9386). Mike Britt, Tina Giorgi, Mike Birbiglia, Rob Magnotti, Brett Allen, Barry Weintraub, Ben Bailey, Kerri Louise, tonight. Sue Costello, Kerri Louise, Ben Bailey, Tim Young, Ray Ellin, Mike Birbiglia, Steven Scott, tomrrow. Laurie Chase, Bernadette Pauley, Joe Bolster, Marina Franklin, Tim Young, Jessica Kirson, Sun.
DANGERFIELD'S. 1118 First Ave. (212-593-1650). Rob Magnotti, Ardie Fuqua, Gregg Rogell, Steve Marshall and Brian McFadden, tonight-Sun.
GOTHAM COMEDY CLUB. 34 W. 22nd St. (212-367-9000). Robert Schimmel, Doug Saulnier, Lisa Landry, William Stephenson, tonight-Sun.
HA! COMEDY CLUB NYC. 369 W. 46th St. (212-977-3884). J.J. Nice, Chuck Nice and Brandon Williams, tonight-Sun.
LAUGH FACTORY. 303 W. 42nd St. (212-586-7829, ext. 1). Michelle Buteau, Joe DeRosa, Jessica Kirson, Sauce, tonight. Harris Stanton, Maureen Langan, Buddy Bolton, Jason Andors, Lisa Landry, Marc Theobald, tomorrow. Marina Franklin, Mike Sommerville and Modi, Sun.
NEW YORK COMEDY CLUB. 241 E. 24th St. (212-696- 5233). Tony Woods, Ben Bailey and Jessica Kirson, tonight-tomorrow.
NEW YORK IMPROV. 318 W. 53rd St. (212-757-2323). TV Headliner Showcase, tonight. Rich Brooks & Friends, tomorrow. Uptown Comedy, Sun.
UPRIGHT CITIZENS BRIGADE THEATRE. 307 W. 26th St. (212-366-9176). Quiet
Library: You've Got Late Fees, The Stepfathers: Freckles Gets a Beating, Death by Roo Roo and Liquid Courage, tonight. Free to be Friends & Talent Show. Mother: The Soundtrack, Reuben Williams: As Seen on TV, tomorrow. Asssscat 3000, Sun.
AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY. Central Park West at 79th St. (212-769-5100). "Darwin" explores the life and scientific studies of the man who developed the theory of evolution by natural selection.
CHERYL HAZAN GALLERY. 35 N. Moore St. (212-343-8964). "Malcolm Bray" exhibits "Neoexpressionist" paintings by the British artist.
COOPER-HEWITT MUSEUM. 2 E. 91st St. (212-849-8400). "Fashion in Colors" explores the use of color over 300 years of Western fashion.
FRICK COLLECTION. 1 E. 70th St. (212-288-0700). "Goya's Last Work" is the U.S. show about the Spanish artist's later paintings.
GUGGENHEIM MUSEUM.1071 5th Ave. (212-423-3500). "David Smith: A Centennial" displays the acclaimed sculptor's iconic industrial pieces.
METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART. Fifth Ave. at 82nd St. (212-879-5500). Robert Rauschenberg: Combines features mixed media works.
ART. 11 W. 53rd St. (212-708-9400). "Edvard Munch: The Modern Life of the Soul" is a retrospective of the Norwegian artist. "On-Site: New Architecture in Spain" explores the recent structures created by Spanish designers. "John Szarkowski: Photographs"is the first retrospective of the American landscape photographer's work.
THE WHITNEY MUSEUM. 945 Madison Ave. (212-570-3676). "Whitney Biennial 2006: Day for Night" shows the latest in American art, and focuses on artmaking in the U.S. during political and cultural turmoil.
BAAD! ASS WOMEN FESTIVAL. 841 Barretto St., Bronx (718-842-5223). The Bronx Academy of Arts and Dance festival continues its celebration of Women's History Month with the debut of "Brujalicious," a show that brings the "hip" to "hip hop" in a mix of poetry and music, performed by Caridad De La Luz, aka "La Bruja" (the witch). Tomorrow at 8; $15.
VANILLA AND CHOCOLATE EXTRAVAGANZA WEEKEND AT THE ORCHID SHOW. Bronx River Parkway and Fordham Rd. (718-817-8700). After seeing the vanilla orchid and cacao tree here, visit the seminars about the history, biology, uses and lore of chocolate within the Everett Children's Adventure Garden. Today, 1:30-4:30 p.m. Tomorrow and Sun., 10 a.m-4:30 p.m.; $18, $16 students & seniors, $5 children.
ARMORY SHOW. Piers 90 and 92, 12th Ave. at 50th and 52nd Sts. Who says artists have to die before their work can be recognized? Not the 153 galleries from across the globe that will display new art created only by living artists. Today-Sun., noon-8 p.m., and Mon., noon-5 p.m.; $20. www.thearmoryshow.com.
SAVOY ANNIVERSARY. St. Cyril and St. Methodius Croatian Church, 502 W. 41st St. (212-696-9737). Harlem's famed Savoy Ballroom turns 80 and fans of swing dancing can twirl and flip in the style of the hothouse jazz club that closed in 1958. Tomorrow at 5:30 p.m.-midnight; $15. | CONCERTS THE ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND. Beacon Theater, 2124 Broadway (212-307-7171). Tonight-tomorrow at 8; $49.99-$84.99. AVENTURA. Theater at Madison Square Garden, Seventh Avenue & 33rd St. (212-307-7171). Tonight at 8; $65.50-$98.50. DAVE MASON & LEON RUSSELL. North Fork Theatre, 960 Brush Hollow Rd., Westbury, L.I. (631-888-9000). Tonight at 8; $36.50. DICK FOX DOO WOP EXTRAVAGANZA. North Fork Theatre. 960 Brush Hollow Rd., Westbury, L.I. (631-888-9000). Tomorrow at 8; $35-$45. THE HELLACOPTERS. Bowery Ballroom, 6 Delancey St. (212-533-2111). With | 21.556338 | 0.992958 | 28.161972 | medium | high | extractive |
http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/gossip/2001/05/18/2001-05-18_scary_movie__a_bad_moment_on.html | http://web.archive.org/web/20101108185706id_/http://www.nydailynews.com:80/archives/gossip/2001/05/18/2001-05-18_scary_movie__a_bad_moment_on.html | SCARY MOVIE: A BAD MOMENT ON J.LO'S SET | 20101108185706 | BY GEORGE RUSH AND JOANNA MOLLOY AND KASIA ANDERSON
Friday, May 18th 2001, 2:21AM
Jennifer Lopez may be finding her new suspense thriller a little too thrilling.
The actress had the fright of her life the other day when a heavy lighting rig crashed on the set of her movie "Enough."
"Everyone ducked for cover when the lights exploded, and shards of glass flew everywhere," according to a source. "A few inches either way, and it could have been curtains for her."
The equipment, which was meant to simulate moonlight, fell from the roof of a house in Marina del Rey, Calif.
A rep for Lopez, who plays a wife who must fight her abusive husband, confirms the mishap but says, "she was never in danger."
Meanwhile, the Bronx-born spitfire has been voted the Sexiest Woman in the World for the second year in a row by readers of the lad mag FHM. Lopez - who has said, "I could serve coffee using my rear as a ledge" - leads a list of 100 objects of desire. Second place goes to Denise Richards,
who's followed by Britney Spears, Alyssa Milano, Tiffani Thiessen, Jessica Alba, Halle Berry, Rebecca Romijn- Stamos, Christina Aguilera
and Carmen Electra. Now you know. (For a review of Lopez' latest, "Angel Eyes," see the Now section.)
Is everything cool between rubber-lipped rockers Mick Jagger and Steve Tyler?
Jagger thinks the Aerosmith frontman has been getting a little too flirty with his 17-year-old daughter Elizabeth, a source tells us. Tyler is said to have found Jagger's little girl just astonishing when she strutted the catwalk at a recent New York fashion show. Since then, says the source, Tyler has been eager to stay in touch - even though she's involved with 23-year-old model Damien van Zyl.
A spokeswoman for Tyler denies he's making a play for Elizabeth, and reps for the Jaggers insist there's no tension.
Papa Mick is certainly keeping a close eye on Elizabeth. He's letting her and Damien stay at the family's upper West Side townhouse when they're in New York.
This could be the sexiest year yet at the Cannes film fest.
First, a team of scantily clad porn stars got thrown out of the Noga Hilton on Tuesday after attempting to use the hotel's reception room for a promotion.
Later that evening, Private Media, a Spanish adult-movie company, took over an island off Cannes for a XXX-rated party. Ferries shuttled guests back and forth. Lenny Kravitz, taking a break from recording an album, was spotted at the dock. No word on whether he made it to the flesh-fest.
Meanwhile, Rebecca Romijn-Stamos may want to chat with some of the X-rated vixens evicted from the Hilton. The actress says shooting nude scenes in Brian De Palma's erotic thriller "Femme Fatale"
is "the scariest thing I've ever done." Romijn-Stamos says she made it through the scenes with "practice and a couple of shots of tequila."
Elsewhere at Cannes, filmmaker Tony Kaye has offered a reward of more than $150,000 for the return of letters from Marlon Brando.
The "American History X" director was asleep when two thieves broke into his villa. Kaye says that when he woke up, he confronted them, but they refused to leave. Kaye eventually scared them off with a kitchen knife, but they made off with a camera bag containing money and cherished correspondence from Brando.
Kaye and Brando have been friends since the "Godfather" star helped settle a dispute the director had with a Hollywood studio. "He is not bothered about the money, but he is desperate to have the letters from Brando returned," a Kaye spokesman said, who didn't say why he was carrying the letters.
Sex and the hit single
Stevie Nicks can do without Prince's songwriting advice. Nicks recalls how His Funkiness once suggested she put more sex in her lyrics.
Nicks shot back: "You have to write about sex, so you must not be intrinsically sexy. I don't have to write about sex because I am intrinsically sexy."
"That shut his mouth right up," she tells our Lola Ogunnaike in Nylon magazine.
Nicks, still single and happy, now believes her two-year affair with fellow Fleetwood Mac member Mick Fleetwood was "dishonorable."
"Nobody was more horrified than Mick Fleetwood and Stevie Nicks when it happened. We knew it would never work. We both loved Fleetwood Mac way more than we were willing to love each other."
MARTIN SHEEN found himself on the other side of a protest this week in Philly. The activist actor was there to accept an award from the Philadelphia Immigration Resource Center. But the "West Wing" star got heckled for his support of Mumia Abu-Jamal, on Death
Row for the killing of cop Daniel Faulkner. Sheen remained cool: "I'm never bothered by demonstrators. I've been one myself." ...
JON BON Jovi picked up an honorary doctor of humanities degree Wednesday from Monmouth University in West Long Branch, N.J. "I've been to the top and I've been written off more than once, but I'm still here," Bon Jovi, 39, told the grads. "Nothing is more important as passion. No matter what you do in life, be passionate." | Jennifer Lopez may be finding her new suspense thriller a little too thrilling. The actress had the fright of her life the other day when a heavy lighting rig crashed on the set of her movie "Enough.""Everyone ducked for cover when the lights exploded, and shards of glass flew everywhere,"according to a source. "A few inches either way, and it could have been curtains for her. | 14.821918 | 0.972603 | 18.369863 | low | high | extractive |
http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/entertainment/1996/10/30/1996-10-30_she_hitched_a_ride_to_the_to.html | http://web.archive.org/web/20101112163733id_/http://www.nydailynews.com:80/archives/entertainment/1996/10/30/1996-10-30_she_hitched_a_ride_to_the_to.html | SHE HITCHED A RIDE TO THE TOP HARRIMAN BIO HAS UPWARD NOBILITY IN ALL ITS 'GLORY' | 20101112163733 | By SHERRYL CONNELLY Daily News Book Editor
Wednesday, October 30th 1996, 2:01AM
REFLECTED GLORY: The Life of Pamela Churchill Harriman
ACTUALLY, PAMELA Churchill Harriman's story is impressive. Possibly awesome. Okay, she's probably deserving of censure, but let anyone who hasn't been a courtesan to a string of fabulously important men and not gone on to be U.S. ambassador to France cast the first stone.
Oh, heck: That's the rest of us.
So let the fun begin. Sally Bedell Smith, a remarkable biographer ("In All His Glory: The Life of William S. Paley"), tells the tale that Christopher Ogden only got near to in his controversial biography, "Life of the Party." The story Bedell relates is best summed up by the appellation Harriman's society friends stuck her with: She was known as "a widow of opportunity."
Harriman was born a Digby, a member of lesser nobility in Britain. By rights, she should have married well and, even so, been anonymous. Instead, in rather a cold arrangement, she wed Randolph Churchill, the son of Winston, in the years just prior to World War II. Ironically, Randolph, an extremely crude boy, couldn't cash in on his father's legacy, but Pamela did. Did she ever.
Still wed to Churchill, not having informed him she had no intention of continuing the marriage, she struck up a relationship with Averell Harriman, an extremely rich married man about to become an important political figure. Pamela assumed a domestic arrangement with him, sharing an apartment in London with Harriman and his daughter. When he broke off the affair, he continued to pay her a stipend until they remet and married 30 years later.
In the interim, she had intense affairs with the legendary newscaster Edward R. Murrow, the Fiat tycoon Giannia Agnelli, and Baron Elie de Rothschild. The name Churchill counted a great deal with these men. Even so, she couldn't achieve marriage with any of them, though she was able to use their cachet to penetrate the depths of Parisian society (a notoriously hard crack) and was rewarded with an exquisite lifestyle.
Nevertheless, she got older. And not being married was an enormous count against her. So she switched continents and managed to wrest the well-known agent/producer Leland Hayward from his highly regarded wife, Slim. Then, widowed after 11 years, she reconnected with the 80-year-old Averell Harriman. They married, and she consequently became a woman of wealth and political clout.
At 66, she was widowed again, but she used her enormous financial resources and savvy to become an important figure in the Democratic Party. Her reward was the ambassadorship, a job she has performed fairly well. But the mismanagement of the Harriman trust under her stewardship resulted in a nasty family lawsuit. In her 70s, Harriman has had to accept a serious cut in income, to $700,000 a year. Life is not entirely easy.
While it may not be possible to feel Harriman's pain, her story is fascinating. Smith tries to introduce a morally instructive note by calling her overreaching. Here we disagree. It seems to us that Pamela Digby stretched for the stars. And connected. | REFLECTED GLORY: The Life of Pamela Churchill Harriman By Sally Bedell Smith (Simon & Schuster. $30) ACTUALLY, PAMELA Churchill Harriman's story is impressive. Possibly awesome. Okay, she's probably deserving of censure, but let anyone who hasn't been a courtesan to a string of fabulously important men and not gone on to be U.S. ambassador to France cast the first stone. Oh, heck: That's the rest of us. So let the fun begin. Sally Bedell Smith, a | 6.635417 | 0.96875 | 32.78125 | low | high | extractive |
http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/entertainment/1999/11/28/1999-11-28_korn_popping_rocker-rappers_.html | http://web.archive.org/web/20101115143041id_/http://www.nydailynews.com:80/archives/entertainment/1999/11/28/1999-11-28_korn_popping_rocker-rappers_.html | KORN POPPING ROCKER-RAPPERS PURSUE A NIGHTMARE VISION WITH REAL CONVICTION | 20101115143041 | Sunday, November 28th 1999, 2:11AM
Korn leader Jonathan Davis has plenty of what pop psychologists like to call Âissues. Small wonder the metal act gave its fourth album just that title.
Every track on the bandÂs LP finds Davis asserting himself as a major nut job, spewing lines like ÂI feel reason is leaving me, Âconstant paranoia runs me, ÂtheyÂre taking me away, and, in case anyone missed the point, ÂIÂm insane.Â
As the cherry on this fruitcake, Davis delivers his booby-hatch soliloquies in two distinct voices  a quaking, effeminate flutter and a monstrous, macho yowl.
ItÂs a wonder they didnÂt title the album ÂThe Two Faces of Jonathan Davis.Â
Davis dedication to the dark side lends Korn a key distinction from other acts recently corralled under the trendy banner of the Ârock-rap movement.
Consider the competition: DetroitÂs Kid Rock offers trailer-park raps over Â70s hard-rock riffs. L.A.Âs Rage Against the Machine delivers political rants over genuine funk. FloridaÂs Limp Bizkit yelps frat house slogans over aggressively goofy music.
Korn, by contrast, goes for something deeper  for real psychological resonance. Davis presents his songs as aural nightmares, where his inner demons take ugly shape and haunt him. In a cut like ÂItÂs Gonna Go Away, Davis takes on the roles of both pursuer and pursued in a hellish dream.
The bandÂs music apes the quality of a horror soundtrack  now more so than ever. From the start of its career, Korn employed creepy-crawly guitar sounds and death-rattle drumbeats. But those elements used to have a cartoonish edge, reflecting heavy metalÂs cliche portrayal of Âevil. Here, Davis uses clearer lyrics and more emphatic singing to make his scary scenarios believable.
The artist sings more here than on previous Korn LPs. But itÂs hardly a sweet sound. ItÂs a disturbing sing-song. Even his rapping isnÂt the common kind. ItÂs more like muttering.
On the whole, the band offers fewer hip-hop elements than before. It draws more from heavy metal, including the gnarly riffs and the whomping beat. The gothic music and industrial vocals share something with early Marilyn Manson. But KornÂs guitarists forge their own flinty textures.
The bandÂs secret weapon remains the monumental drumming of David Silveria. HeÂs got the heft of a John Bonham, and a bash that could beat you to a pulp. The groupÂs music gets the most bang out of him, by going for lots of unexpected time changes. Songs can feature up to four signature switches in five minutes.
Yet, itÂs the changes that Davis goes through which gives the band focus. Davis addresses the demons within, and struggles against them. He even experiences guilt  as in ÂTrash, where he regrets using and discarding women on the road.
Can you imagine Slayer expressing similar shame?
Davis can still seem indulgent, particularly when the songs address the down side of success. In ÂCounting, he grumbles about business people ripping him off. In ÂWish You Could Be Me, he grouses about fame, while in ÂWake Up he deals with the creative tensions within the band. However legit these problems, they donÂt register with listeners, who fantasize about having such problems.
Luckily, in the rest, Davis offers something real  a noisy and compelling peek into the life of a disordered mind. | korn ÂIssues (Epic) Korn leader Jonathan Davis has plenty of what pop psychologists like to call Âissues. Small wonder the metal act gave its fourth album just that title. Every track on the bandÂs LP finds Davis asserting himself as a major nut job, spewing lines like ÂI feel reason is leaving me, Âconstant paranoia runs me, ÂtheyÂre taking me away, and, in case anyone missed the point, ÂIÂm insane. As the cherry on this | 7.274725 | 0.956044 | 39.241758 | low | high | extractive |
http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/entertainment/2001/10/08/2001-10-08_shylock_gets_his_due_but_res.html | http://web.archive.org/web/20101124130214id_/http://www.nydailynews.com:80/archives/entertainment/2001/10/08/2001-10-08_shylock_gets_his_due_but_res.html | SHYLOCK GETS HIS DUE But rest of play fails to click | 20101124130214 | Monday, October 8th 2001, 2:23AM
THE MERCHANT OF VENICE. Tonight, 9 o'clock, PBS/Ch. 13. 3 Stars.
Electricity - some of it searingly serious, some of it starkly comical - flashes through tonight's 31st-season premiere of "Masterpiece Theatre," now airing on Monday nights.
There are some misfires, too, in this ambitious Royal National Theatre production of "The Merchant of Venice" - most noticeably, the poor integration of disparate pieces of Shakespeare's ever-controversial play about lovers, disguised identities, legal trickery and the despised, embittered, Jewish moneylender, Shylock.
Directed by the famed Trevor Nunn (Broadway's "Les Miserables") and Chris Hunt, the production transplants the 16th-century setting to the early 1930s, when the distinct odor of fascism was in the air.
The knowledge that the Holocaust lies just ahead - the vile slurs by these supposedly sophisticated Venetians are directed at Shylock but clearly indicative of attitudes toward all Jews - adds a unique resonance to the play's undeniable anti-Semitism.
"The Merchant of Venice" unfolds among the cafe-society set of the era. They are dissolute, bored, boring, promiscuous and, in the case of two key characters, ambiguous.
To be able to properly court the wealthy heiress Portia (Derbhle Crotty), Bassanio (Alexander Hanson) borrows a sizable sum from Shylock.
Because Bassanio has no collateral to secure the loan, his close friend, Antonio the successful merchant, guarantees it. Shylock agrees to make the loan if Antonio will pledge to give up a pound of his flesh, literally, if he fails to repay the loan on time. Antonio agrees.
The transaction reeks with dishonesty. Antonio clearly would do anything for Bassanio because he's passionately in love with the guy.
Bassanio knows this - there are hints of a previous affair between them - and exploits it to his advantage.
And Shylock seeks not money but an arrangement that humiliates the men who humiliate him on a daily basis.
Only later does the loan become a vehicle for sick revenge.
Not surprisingly, Henry Goodman's performance as Shylock is the jewel of the production. However deeply felt his own anti-Semitism may have been, Shakespeare was a dramatist first and knew a thrilling, compelling character when he saw one.
The playwright not only gave Shylock the play's best lines but its most interesting, conflicted personality. Goodman seems to find and bring out even tiny nuances in his character's lines and expressions.
The intensity of the Shylock plot notwithstanding, the production fails to connect it seamlessly with the stories of Portia's various suitors and her decisions to masquerade as a scholar in the Shylock/Antonio dispute and then to test Bassanio's devotion.
In the end, the play's force is dissipated by characters whose motivations seem insubstantial or, worse, nonexistent. | Electricity - some of it searingly serious, some of it starkly comical - flashes through tonight's 31st-season premiere of "Masterpiece Theatre,"now airing on Monday nights. There are some misfires, too, in this ambitious Royal National Theatre production of "The Merchant of Venice"- most noticeably, the poor integration of disparate pieces of Shakespeare's ever-controversial play about lovers, disguised identities, legal trickery and the despised, embittered, Jewish moneylender, Shylock. | 6.55814 | 0.976744 | 26 | low | high | extractive |
http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/lifestyle/2002/11/24/2002-11-24__season_s_readings__this_yea.html | http://web.archive.org/web/20101205081241id_/http://www.nydailynews.com:80/archives/lifestyle/2002/11/24/2002-11-24__season_s_readings__this_yea.html | SEASON'S READINGS This year's coffee-table books celebrate everything from Belle Epoque jewelry to classic toy trains | 20101205081241 | Sunday, November 24th 2002, 1:05AM
This season there is less than the usual glut of coffee-table books, in part because of the enormous effort publishers put toward getting the many 9/11 titles into stores earlier this fall. But a smaller selection makes choosing easier. Certainly, what's good is obvious.
"New York, New York," by Richard Berenholtz (Rizzoli, $275). This is the gift for someone who has everything except the city at his feet. Photographer Berenholtz has already published three city titles ("Manhattan Architecture," "Inside New York" and "Panoramic New York"), but this limited edition of 5,000 stands as his most lavish pictorial tribute. Familiar landmarks are seen only in their best light, whether beneath the night sky over Grand Central Terminal or bathed in the rosy hue of the lower Manhattan skyline. The presentation is thoroughly deluxe. The book opens to 36 inches for true panoramic scope, and several of the 12 gatefolds extend 6 feet. Here, New York is camera-ready in every photograph.
"The Most Beautiful Country Towns of Provence," by Helena Attlee, photographs by Alex Ramsay (Thames & Hudson, $40). This is the 15th in a popular series that presents scenic towns and villages at their preening best. Of course, the country towns of southeastern France readily lend themselves to the treatment. There is the requisite view of houses rising in a cluster from the sea line, the scenes of winding, cobbled streets and the mandatory closeups of street-market fare. Altogether predictable, altogether pleasing. "Timeless Tiaras, Chaumet From 1804 to the Present," by Diana Scarisbrick (Assouline, $39.95); "Christie's Twentieth-Century Jewelry," by Sally Everitt and David Lancaster (Watson-Guptill, $35). Drawn from the archives of the luxury Paris jewelry firm Chaumet, an eclectic assortment of head baubles is presented in photographs, paintings and drawings. The models range from Empress Josephine to Cyndi Lauper, who sports a number so extravagant it could put the Chrysler Building in the shade. And "Christie's" nicely documents the last century's forays in jewelry design, from the fabulous delicacy of the Belle Epoque to the power jewels of the 1990s. Sherryl Connelly
"Harlem Lost and Found," by Michael Henry Adams, photographs by Paul Rocheleau (Monacelli Press, $65); "Harlem Style," by Roderick N. Shade and Jorge S. Arango, photographs by Peter Madero (Stewart, Tabori & Chang, $35). Ah, to have been a bubble in the Champagne when Sir Osbert Sitwell attended a party at Madame C.J. Walker's opulent Harlem townhouse. Or a pane in the stained glass when Vertner W. Tandy, New York's first certified African-American architect, built St. Philip's, "the richest Negro church in America." Harlem's history and the buildings that came out of it are satisfyingly evoked in these two books. Though "Harlem Style" is more a decorating guide, interior designer Shade doesn't neglect the lifestyle pioneers who created a new urban chic. Adams, an architectural historian, documents Harlem's every epoch alongside stunning photographs new and very old.
"One Shot Harris: The Photographs of Charles (Teenie) Harris," with an introduction by Stanley Crouch (Abrams, $35). August Wilson has company. Until now, his plays offered the sharpest look at Pittsburgh's famous black neighborhood, the Hill District. But all along, there was also Charles Harris nicknamed One Shot, because he was said to snap only once to get his images. What images they are! A photographer for the Pittsburgh Courier, the country's leading black newsweekly, from the 1940s through the '60s, Harris ran a busy portrait studio as well. Everyone who came through town sat in front of his flash: Lena Horne, Louis Armstrong and Cassius Clay, Ike, Nixon, Kennedy and King. The most precious pictures, though, are of Steel City's ordinary people, even those captured on the crime beat, almost as forceful in death as they were in life.
"American Flyer, Classic Toy Trains," by Gerry & Janet Souter (Friedman/Fairfax, $35); "Christie's Toy Trains," by Hugo Marsh (Watson-Guptill, $35). The Souters' portrait of the American Flyer Co., which created windup model trains in the early 1900s and electrified versions later, only to lose out to Lionel, is much more than a book about toys. It's an insightful glimpse of the rise and fall of an American corporation. On the other hand, in the less lively "Christie's Toy Trains," Marsh, head of the auction house's toy department, uses a variety of brands and the people behind them to tell the history of model trains. Both titles are thick with pictures, which is their main appeal.
"The Harley-Davidson Century," edited by Darwin Holmstrom (MBI Publishing, $50); "100 Years of Harley-Davidson," by Willie G. Davidson (Bulfinch Press, $65). Just in time for the 100th anniversary of the legendary motorcycle maker come two hefty looks at the company. Written in a conversational tone by a descendant of the company's founders, "100 Years of Harley-Davidson" is full of quality and informative historic images. Conversely, "The Harley-Davidson Century," using new images of old and not-so-old motorcycles, tells a less interesting story through a variety of essays from a collection of writers, including Hunter S. Thompson. The latter book may have better writers, but the former has more heart.
"The Art of the Sports Car," by Dennis Adler ($44.95, HarperResource). For those who can't afford a new car this holiday season, photographer and writer Adler has collected images and stories about some of the greatest sports cars. More than 300 color photographs accompany stories about the vehicles' development. In his introduction, sports car aficionado Jay Leno calls the book a "high-speed" tour down the road traveled by the greatest cars, designers and drivers of the last century. Richard Huff
"Grounds for Pleasure," by Denise Otis (Abrams, $75). Ostensibly a lavishly illustrated history of American gardens, "Grounds for Pleasure" is of equal value as a history of American ideas. After all, gardens are not merely pretty pictures. They dramatize contemporary attitudes toward esthetics and nature. Otis discusses these ideas with sophistication and clarity. The pictures, from old paintings to photography, illustrate her points lushly. Howard Kissel
"Yankees Century," by Glenn Stout and Richard Johnson (Houghton Mifflin, $35). One book won't capture 100 years of the Yankees any more than one book could capture 100 years of the American presidency. But this volume will find a place in any Yankees collection, both for its colorful stories of the early days like the team's synergy with Tammany Hall and its breathtaking photos. When was the last time you saw a picture of Babe Ruth in his last game as a pitcher, Oct. 2, 1933? (He beat the Red Sox, of course.) The text evolves into boosterism, but if any team has earned that, it's the Yankees.
"Greenwich Village," by Judith Stonehill (Universe, $22.50). This nicely written book, which would fit on a very small coffee table, offers a shorthand tour of the sights and lore in the "come as you are" part of town. Known as artistic, literary, intellectual, rebellious and just plain wacky, sometimes all at once, the Village becomes entirely irresistible in these pages. It's a short walk from anywhere to history, whether you care about the 1863 Civil War draft riots, the 1969 Stonewall rebellion or the place where Gertrude Whitney gathered her artists.
"Film Posters of the '40s," by Tony Nourmand and Graham Marsh (Overlook, $35). Schizophrenic as the 1940s were, split between war and victory, the movies knew exactly what they were about: movie stars. So this collection of posters, selected to represent what the authors consider the most important movies of the decade, is mostly selling romance, from James Stewart with a beaming Donna Reed to the come-hither curves of Jane Russell and the rugged face of Humphrey Bogart. Racist caricature creeps in, too, along with some stern propaganda, but it's really a galaxy of stars.
"Hollywood Moments," by Murray Garrett (Abrams, $35); "Stars on Set," by Marc Brincourt and Guillaume Clavieres (Filipacchi, $45). "Hollywood Moments" is a prayer answered for everyone who collects pictures of stars all dressed up for ceremonies, openings and formal events. From Ozzie and Harriet to Trigger and Bullet, they're here. "Stars on Set" begins by suggesting actors spend much of their between-scenes time sleeping, which isn't all that interesting, so it shifts over to rehearsal shots: Marlon Brando dancing, Kirk Douglas gladiating. Finally, when stars need a change of pace, they mug. | T his season there is less than the usual glut of coffee-table books, in part because of the enormous effort publishers put toward getting the many 9/11 titles into stores earlier this fall. But a smaller selection makes choosing easier. Certainly, what's good is obvious. "New York, New York,"by Richard Berenholtz (Rizzoli, $275). This is the gift for someone who has everything except the city at his feet. Photographer Berenholtz has a | 20.375 | 0.977273 | 38.772727 | medium | high | extractive |
http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/gossip/1995/10/13/1995-10-13_shooting_stars_in_l_a_.html | http://web.archive.org/web/20101208215531id_/http://www.nydailynews.com:80/archives/gossip/1995/10/13/1995-10-13_shooting_stars_in_l_a_.html | SHOOTING STARS IN L.A. | 20101208215531 | BY A.J. BENZA & MICHAEL LEWITTES
Friday, October 13th 1995, 4:22AM
Let's just say that singer Nick Edenetti opened his gig at The Smoke House in Burbank with a bang. Edenetti, a dead ringer looks and sound-wise for Frank Sinatra, was doing "My Way," say sources, when a bullet came flying through the restaurant's window. Fortunately, no one was hurt, but a few notables, taking in Edenetti's performance, were extremely scared.
The celebs who hit the deck when the lone bullet blew in included Lynn Redgrave, Brenda Vaccaro, Barbara Luna, Stella Stevens and "Rocky" lyricist Carol Connors. So you can see it was star-studded. Our theory? The Smoke House is across the street from the Warner Bros. lot and maybe just maybe it was a random drive-by set in motion against Warner Bros. suits who are breaking ties with the rap-filled Interscope label. We don't believe it was a message The Chairman was sending Edenetti.
Incidentally, Connors most recently testified for the defense that O.J. Simpson and Paula Barbieri seemed romantic the night before the killings, refuting the prosecution's claim that O.J. was obsessed with Nicole Brown Simpson. See, no matter what happens now, everything and everyone except O.J. himself will have some sort of link to the murders of Nicole and Ronald Goldman.
O.J. Simpson may be singing the 1963 Paul & Paula tune, but Paula Barbieri isn't, according to her pals. Paula recently confided to our source that she is not going to marry the football great. In fact, she's not even going to Los Angeles. Barbieri is off to Italy to pose and do a few runway shows.
"She is practically the only one not taking money for this," said the source, who pointed out that even O.J. made dough, selling the reunion shots of him and his kids.
In addition, Barbieri tactfully didn't attend the L.A. funeral of a close friend and even turned back to Florida at a Tennessee airport while en route to L.A. because she was afraid the media coverage would disrupt the burial. She says she'll remain O.J.'s friend, but maintains that they're not romantically involved now and that she doesn't intend to be in the future.
The Amsterdam News is known for its sometimes outrageous headlines. But the headline of the latest issue is raising quite a few eyebrows. It reads, "Don King Jury Lily-White." The eloquence continues when they go on to describe how the jury in King's insurance fraud trial contains nine whites, two Hispanics and one black. Critics of the paper say the editors have really stepped over the line. "It's bigoted, it's insensitive," said Niger Innis, spokesman for the Congress of Racial Equality. "There's even a certain contempt for the Amsterdam News among blacks that the only way its editors think they can sell a black newspaper is to insult white people." The folks over at AmNews told us they didn't mean anything by it. "First thing we want to do is sell papers, the second is to tell the truth, but we don't want to be so sensational that we come off racist because we're not," said one editor.
If you build it they will come . . . and shed their clothes. Maybe that's the phrase that haunted Ian Schrager when the hotel millionaire decided to build the trendy Delano Hotel in South Beach. And now that it's open for business, let the skinny-dipping begin.
The other day it was Ingrid Casares and k.d. lang who performed the naughty water ritual when the gal pals jumped into the hotel pool absolutely nude. "They were just having a good time. It wasn't like it was pornographic or anything," said one Delano staffer who took it all in. He said lang and Casares went on to party into the wee hours, first at The Forge restaurant and later at Warsaw.
Casares, by the way, is preparing for the opening of Liquid, a new club on Espanola Way owned by Shareef Malnick. The first big bash goes down Nov. 19. It's all female and it's going to be called "Plushbox." You figure it out.
Not everyone was at home watching the O.J. Simpson non-interview Wednesday night. In fact, plenty of big, big names dined at Fresco that night and none were suffering from Juice withdrawal. Yes, even before O.J. bolted, Fox 5 anchor Rosanna Scotto whose family owns the joint told us all sorts of folks made reservations at the place, the idea being to intentionally get as far away from the O.J. hoopla as humanly possible. So as pundits were discussing what O.J.'s (second) great escape meant to world peace, Danny Aiello, Neil Sedaka, Al Roker and wife Deborah Roberts, Scotto and even state economics czar Charles Gargano were well into their respective bottles of wine. "It was definitely a night to forget about O.J. we kept the TV off," Scotto told us. | Let's just say that singer Nick Edenetti opened his gig at The Smoke House in Burbank with a bang. Edenetti, a dead ringer looks and sound-wise for Frank Sinatra, was doing "My Way,"say sources, when a bullet came flying through the restaurant's window. Fortunately, no one was hurt, but a few notables, taking in Edenetti's performance, were extremely scared. The celebs who hit the deck when the lone bullet blew in included Lynn Redgra | 10.9 | 0.977778 | 32.688889 | low | high | extractive |
http://www.nytimes.com/1981/09/22/science/education-business-schools-fear-shortage-of.html | http://web.archive.org/web/20110122234508id_/http://www.nytimes.com/1981/09/22/science/education-business-schools-fear-shortage-of.html | EDUCATION - EDUCATION - BUSINESS SCHOOLS FEAR SHORTAGE OF - NYTimes.com | 20110122234508 | TEACHERS By EDWARD B. FISKE
ADECADE of effort by American business schools to build up their quality as full-fledged academic institutions is now being jeopardized by a severe shortage of Ph.D.'s. The recent surge of student interest in business administration programs is straining the teaching capacity of college business faculties at the same time that students who might go on to earn doctorates and come to the rescue are being lured into industry by high salaries.
A recent study by the American Assembly of Collegiate Schools of Business concluded that, at the current rate of production, it will take nearly 11 years to fill current vacancies. ''There is no hope, no mechanism for correcting the doctoral shortage in the short run,'' said Robert S. Kaplan of Carnegie-Mellon University, who directed the study.
Some 1,200 colleges and universities in the country offer undergraduate degrees in business and management. Virtually all are accredited by their regional accrediting body, and the top 208 have also obtained accreditation of their business programs by the professional association, the American Assembly.
Since the late 1960's, business schools across the country have tried to raise their own standards and present themselves as serious academic institutions with research capabilities rather than glorified trade schools.
While in the past a certified public accountant with a master's degree would qualify to be a professor of accounting at most schools a doctorate is now required. Five years ago the American Assembly adopted a rule that institutions offering both undergraduate and graduate programs could no longer have one accredited and one not.
Efforts to achieve those standards are now being threatened by the fact that American students, eager to find fields that lead to jobs, have been flocking to business programs. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, business degrees in 1970 accounted for one of every seven bachelor's degrees and one of every 10 master's degrees. A decade later they represented one-fifth of each.
But there has been no similar trend in the doctorates that produce faculty members. In 1970, universities awarded 622 Ph.D.'s in business administration. This number climbed to 1,011 in 1975, but since then it has declined steadily to 800 in 1980. The proportion of business degrees to all doctorates awarded reached 3 percent in 1975 but is now down to 2.4 percent, while a rising percentage of students entering the doctoral pipeline are foreigners who are not candidates for teaching posts here.
In such fields as accounting and management information sciences, the situation is especially severe. ''At last year's placement meeting of the American Institute for Decision Sciences we had 250 job openings for 15 qualified people,'' said Gary W. Dickson, a professor at the University of Minnesota.
A growing number of graduate students are hired away by industry once they reach the master's level. According to the placement center at Northwestern University, the typical 1981 graduate of a master's program in business administration, with an undergraduate degree in a technical area, commanded a starting salary of $26,424.
''You really have to like the academic life to go on for the doctorate,'' said Professor Dickson. ''It takes four or five years during which you are sacrificing significant earning power. Then you have to set about passing faculty muster to get tenure.''
The situation in business education is similar to that in computer science and some branches of engineering, where there is widespread fear that American industry is ''eating its young'' by hiring away the next generation of faculty members.
There are, of course, students for whom the academic life is worth some monetary sacrifice. ''You don't really have a boss, and energy is channeled where your basic interests are rather than where the firm's interests are,'' said John Merrica, who began teaching at the College of Business and Public Administration at New York University last year. | TEACHERS By EDWARD B. FISKE ADECADE of effort by American business schools to build up their quality as full-fledged academic institutions is now being jeopardized by a severe shortage of Ph.D.'s. The recent surge of student interest in business administration programs is straining the teaching capacity of college business faculties at the same time that students who might go on to earn doctorates and come to the rescue are being lured into industry by high salaries. A recent study by the American Assembly of Collegiate Schools of Business concluded that, at the current rate of production, it will take nearly 11 years to fill current vacancies. ''There is no hope, no mechanism for correcting the doctoral shortage in the short run,'' said Robert S. Kaplan of Carnegie-Mellon University, who directed the study. Some 1,200 colleges and universities in the country offer undergraduate degrees in business and management. Virtually all are accredited by their regional accrediting body, and the top 208 have also obtained accreditation of their business programs by the professional association, the American Assembly. | 3.723618 | 0.984925 | 63.487437 | low | high | extractive |
http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/money/1997/09/03/1997-09-03_guccione_gets_35m_reprieve.html | http://web.archive.org/web/20110123144604id_/http://www.nydailynews.com:80/archives/money/1997/09/03/1997-09-03_guccione_gets_35m_reprieve.html | GUCCIONE GETS 35M REPRIEVE | 20110123144604 | Wednesday, September 3th 1997, 2:03AM
Penthouse publisher Bob Guccione is being bailed out of his financial mess with $35 million in new loans.
Facing an $18 million lawsuit for allegedly defaulting on a key bank loan, Guccione will receive $14.5 million from Kennedy Funding Inc., officials of the Hackensack, N.J. lender said yesterday.
The media mogul whose General Media empire is foundering due to sagging circulation and revenues also will get $20.6 million from insurance giant AIG, sources said.
But Guccione is hardly out of the woods. He is expected to sell off some properties, including a prime piece of Atlantic City real estate that he owns, to pay off the loans.
"We've given him a year's worth of time (to do so)," said Kennedy president Joe Wolfer.
The new loans are secured by Guccione holdings, including a posh East Side townhouse, a Hudson Valley estate and a multi-million dollar art collection.
Part of the Kennedy loan will be immediately used to pay back Cerberus Partners, a Manhattan-based lender which last month sued Guccione alleging that he defaulted on a $9 million loan.
General Media chief financial officer Patrick Gavin confirmed the deal. An AIG spokesman declined comment.
General Media posted a net loss of $2.7 million in the first six months of '97, a 44% decline from a year ago as revenue in the six-month period dropped 13% to $50.4 million. | Penthouse publisher Bob Guccione is being bailed out of his financial mess with $35 million in new loans. Facing an $18 million lawsuit for allegedly defaulting on a key bank loan, Guccione will receive $14.5 million from Kennedy Funding Inc., officials of the Hackensack, N.J. lender said yesterday. The media mogul whose General Media empire is foundering due to sagging circulation and revenues also will get $20.6 million from insurance giant AIG, sou | 3.457831 | 0.987952 | 28.578313 | low | high | extractive |
http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/entertainment/2000/07/30/2000-07-30_vive_la_france__les_halles_i.html | http://web.archive.org/web/20110202061638id_/http://www.nydailynews.com:80/archives/entertainment/2000/07/30/2000-07-30_vive_la_france__les_halles_i.html | VIVE LA FRANCE! Les Halles is fun for French-style butchering | 20110202061638 | Sunday, July 30th 2000, 2:13AM
"Attention!" shouted our host in French, thrusting his toy sword at a pair of customers with one hand while balancing a glass of Champagne in the other.
It was Bastille Day at Les Halles, a wonderfully authentic French butcher shop/brasserie on Park Ave. South.
Our host was manning the barricades in a uniform of Louis XVI's army, complete with breeches and red cutaway coat. His opposite number, done up in Marie Antoinette wig and low-cut 18th-century gown, was checking off reservations next to a plate bearing the bloody rubber head of a victim of the guillotine.
The real "victims" sat inside the butcher case near the entrance - beautiful slabs of "cote de boeuf" and assorted cuts of veal and lamb, as well as Bayonne (France, not N.J.) ham, pates and plump sausages. "Mort au Tyran!" ("Death to the tyrant!") was scrawled on a blackboard behind the case.
And in place of the butcher in back of the stack of meat was a trio of violin, accordion and electric bass pumping out jaunty/melancholic Gallic tunes. My husband grabbed my hand and we twirled through an impromptu waltz in front of the pork loin as Ms. Antoinette smiled in approval.
Despite the holiday crowd and high spirits seeming to border on chaos, we were seated at our exact reservation time. While the entire staff appeared to be celebrating the holiday with generous amounts of bubbly, service was efficient.
The menu - overseen by chef Anthony Bourdain, author of the restaurant tell-all "Kitchen Confidential" - doesn't veer far from traditional brasserie fare. At the next table they were digging into appetizers of escargot in garlic butter (served out of the shell) and onion soup with a luscious-looking stringy cheese topping.
We went instead for grilled calamari with shaved fennel salad and homemade country pate. The squid was on-the-money tender with a slightly smoky flavor and, while I'm not normally a big fan of fennel, the slight licorice flavor worked just right here. The pate was just a little dry and dense, but the accompanying greens, lightly dressed in oil and vinegar, were so fresh and perfect I could have eaten a mountain of them.
Next to us, the couple was ordering their main courses. He got blood sausage with frites (that's French fries, in American) and she asked for the Alsacian classic of choucroute garnie - a huge plate of smoked meats and sausages served with boiled white potato and a pile of sauerkraut that is as far removed from hot-dog cart fare as a fast-food hamburger is from filet mignon.
"It's quite wonderful, I'm sorry to tell you," she replied to our query, digging in. But the butcher-paper-covered tables were close enough, atmosphere festive enough and our neighbor nice enough that she started cutting us savory bits of veal sausage and smoked pork loin to sample.
We reciprocated and she agreed that our main courses were equally good. The hanger steak was juicy and full of flavor, helped out by a small bowl of beef and vegetable reduction. A side of frites was fleshy and crispy. My pan-seared sea scallops in an herb-butter sauce with asparagus and morel mushrooms, along with a mound of rice, were sweet and tender.
The band wrapped up an Edith Piaf medley and played the "Marseillaise." No one stood for the French national anthem but everyone sang - or at least hummed - along with great enthusiasm. Our neighbor even seemed to know some of the words.
While we waited for dessert, she let me have a taste of her warm chocolate and banana tart, then launched into an anecdote about an ex-husband, a hair-dryer and a Paris hotel.
My husband's cheese plate arrived quickly but what happened to my cherry clafoutis? We flagged down the waiter, who looked chagrined by the lapse. The missing dessert, a pancake-like batter poured over fruit then baked, came out immediately along with word we wouldn't be charged for it. Let them eat cake!
A restive crowd was building at the front of the restaurant, but there was no sense that the management was anxious to turn tables, and in true French style we felt free to sit as long as we wished.
We and our new friends raised our wine glasses and exclaimed: "Long live the Fifth Republic!"
Les Halles 411 Park Ave. South (between 28th and 29th Sts.), (212) 679-4111
Menu: Appetizers, $5.75-$9.75; entrees, $11.75-$28; $5.50-$8.50
Our meal cost: $107.44, with $32 bottle of wine, not including tip and one dessert on the house. | Les Halles is fun for French-style butchering By ruth kern ttention!"shouted our host in French, thrusting his toy sword at a pair of customers with one hand while balancing a glass of Champagne in the other. It was Bastille Day at Les Halles, a wonderfully authentic French butcher shop/brasserie on Park Ave. South. Our host was manning the barricades in a uniform of Louis XVI's army, complete with breeches and red cutaway coat. His D | 10.862069 | 0.931034 | 20.678161 | low | medium | extractive |
http://www.economist.com/blogs/americasview/2011/03/fishing_haiti | http://web.archive.org/web/20110324025907id_/http://www.economist.com:80/blogs/americasview/2011/03/fishing_haiti | Fishing in Haiti | 20110324025907 | Mar 8th 2011, 13:03 by T.J. | DEOMOUN
(This is the last of three dispatches from our correspondent's recent trip to Haiti. See the others here and here.)
I HAVE asked my guide, Fanfan Claude, to fix a fishing trip for me. I don’t like fishing, but I know that fishing stories can be good, because they can tell you a lot about a place. He takes me to Marigot, a small village about 45 minutes drive from Jacmel. Here, under some palms, a stone’s throw from the beach, I am introduced to Ormil, his cousin. Coconuts are served. Out come machetes, the tops are sliced off and we sit down to drink the milk and strike the deal.
Ormil Claude wants $150 for the trip. Since his boat is damaged and needs repairing he has to hire one, he says, and then there is the fuel to pay for. I offer $50, and we agree on $75.
We will have to leave about six in the morning, which means I need to meet Fanfan at five outside my hotel in Jacmel. I’m worried about oversleeping and don’t sleep well. He shows up, tousled looking, at seven, claiming improbably that Ormil changed the time and that he “forgot” to tell me. Life is too short to go ballistic, so I hold my tongue.
Ormil’s house is modest but quite decent and solid. He even has own well. It seems that he is a distributor as well as a fisherman: he buys the catch from fishermen further down the coast and sells it in Marigot, often to dealers coming from elsewhere. As we chug out from the coast he explains that the reason he has not been able to afford to repair his own boat is the earthquake of last year. But his house and village seem to be in comparatively good condition. No, he says, his house was fine, but what happened in the wake of the quake was that roads were closed by rubble, everything seized up and the electricity failed for long enough that—and he is very specific here—he lost $1,120 worth of fish in his freezer. Given that more than 72% of Haitians are believed to scrape by on $2 a day or less, that is a financial catastrophe of epic proportions.
We pass another boat and they toss a bag of sardines over to Ormil. Yanbe, his 14-year-old son, chops them up carefully and then uses the chunks to bait lines which are dropped over the side. The lines are supported by three plastic bottles. When one goes down they know they have a catch. This morning things go slowly. Every now and then they yank a pop-eyed red snapper from the water. We do the sums to see how much profit he could make on a good day, just from fishing. The answer is $8.00.
A few hours pass and we decide to stop at village of Deomoun, or Dieu Moun. It is about 40 minutes by boat (with an outboard motor) from Marigot, and Ormil is originally from here and so he buys fish here too.
To the untrained eye it is the very picture of paradise. The sea is warm and azure blue, fishermen sit beneath shady coconut palms mending their nets, children play on the beach and the sound of colourful hymns drifts over the village from the church on the hill. It could not be more different from the teeming, fetid, violent slums and crowded tent camps of Port-au-Prince. But even here life is nasty, brutish and often short.
Deomoun’s greatest problem is isolation. Getting to Marigot and back by boat will set you back $3, so if you live on $2 a day you can do the maths yourself. Most people have to walk the two and half hours there and back whenever they need to go. Deomoun has no electricity, no school, no doctor, no priest and no police. If you are ill, you need to get to Marigot. If you are seriously ill, even that is unlikely to save your life.
Every day the children who go school, including those as young as four, walk to Marigot. Women walk to market this way carrying fish. If they are alone, the path is dangerous. Rapes are frequent, they say, but they just scoff if you ask about reporting them. “No,” says Ormil’s cousin, Pelene Claude, “there is nothing to be done.”
Families eke out a living here by growing what food they can and by fishing. But every year there are less and less fish. Trees on the surrounding hills, like everywhere else in Haiti, have been chopped down for charcoal. When it rains, and especially when there are cyclones, landslides bring topsoil down to the sea. This kills nutrients and pushes fish further out from the shore, beyond the reach of the fishermen’s modest boats. There they may be scooped up illegally by fishermen from the neighbouring Dominican Republic, who are a little richer and have boats which can take them further out for longer. Haiti has no coast-guard capacity to stop them.
Every year, like everywhere else in Haiti, environmental degradation makes life a little harder for the people of Deomoun. Irregular rainfall means that the land here produces less than before. So over the years, more and more men have taken up fishing. As there are already less fish because of soil erosion, more fishermen use nets with smaller holes to increase their catch. That leads to smaller, younger fish getting caught, leaving ever less fish than before.
The Haitian government is as good as absent from people’s lives here, and foreign aid agencies only show up very occasionally. Caught in such a slow, vicious downward spiral, here or elsewhere, it becomes easier to understand why so many Haitians from the countryside would rather try their luck in the slums of Port-au-Prince. Hike a few kilometres further east and you come to a place called Adieu au Monde.
On the way back to Marigot we give a lift to Robert Guillaume. He has a large catch of huge and menacing, angry, claw-waving crabs and lobsters. He has bought them from other fishermen. On the beach in Marigot he hires an ice box and ice. He then staggers away under the weight of it. He goes to get another boat to take him five hours back down the coast in the direction we have just come from, so he can get to the frontier of the Dominican Republic. There, on the road between the two border points, he will meet Dominican traders who will buy his catch. The profit from this will be $40.
Just before leaving godforsaken Deomoun I took down the names of some of the boats drawn up on the beach. They have names like Viv Se Lite, which is Creole for Life is a Struggle, and Mesi Letenel or Merci L’Eternal, Thanks to the Eternal. That is thanks for very small mercies, I suppose. | (This is the last of three dispatches from our correspondent's recent trip to Haiti. See the others here and here.)I HAVE asked my guide, Fanfan Claude, to fix a fishing trip for me. | 35.487179 | 0.974359 | 18.974359 | high | high | extractive |
http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/gossip/2003/09/08/2003-09-08_photogs_are_off_ben___jen_s_.html | http://web.archive.org/web/20110413031128id_/http://www.nydailynews.com:80/archives/gossip/2003/09/08/2003-09-08_photogs_are_off_ben___jen_s_.html | PHOTOGS ARE OFF BEN & JEN'S GUEST LIST | 20110413031128 | BY GEORGE RUSH AND JOANNA MOLLOY With Suzanne Rozdeba and Ben Widdicombe
Monday, September 8th 2003, 7:10AM
Magazines around the world are offering Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck record money for exclusive pictures of their wedding on Sunday in Santa Barbara, Calif.
But the star couple is remaining strong.
"They've decided not to sell photos, and keep the day private," a friend tells us.
Britain's OK! magazine started putting out feelers to Ben and Jen six months ago. The fawning celeb mag was burned when it paid $1 million to Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones for an exclusive on their New York wedding - only to have arch-rival Hello! get to the newsstand first with unauthorized snaps from the ceremony.
Even so, OK! was said to have dangled as much $1.5 million for the Bennifer nuptials back in May. Since then, bidding has only headed skyward.
Affleck's rep, Ken Sunshine, who has fielded some of the media requests, says, "It's been a joy to say no in 20 different languages."
Undeterred, some mags have proposed contributing wages of fame to the couple's favorite charities. The couple has said thanks, but no thanks.
Instead, we hear that the soon-to-be-newlyweds are likely to follow the example of Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston and Julia Roberts and Danny Moder. Both couples sought to satiate the frenzied paparazzi by releasing one free photo to everyone.
What's more, we hear, Ben and Jen may tell guests to skip the toaster ovens and make donations to charity instead.
Arthur Miller still has it.
The "Death of Salesman" playwright became an international object of envy when he married his second wife, Marilyn Monroe, in 1956.
Now, we hear he's connected with a pretty young artist, 56 years his junior.
A source tells us that Miller, who turns 88 next month, has become close as can be with Agnes Barley, 32.
Miller's agent did not respond to a request for comment. Barley did not return a phone call.
Miller married his college sweetheart, Mary Slattery, in 1940, and had two children. It was while spending time in Nevada to take advantage of that state's speedy divorce laws in 1956 that he met the cowboys who inspired his screenplay "The Misfits," which starred Monroe.
That's also where he met Inge Morath, who would become his third wife; at the time, she was working as a photographer for the studio.
Morath, who was married to the Pulitzer Prize winner for 40 years, died in January 2002.
Belle of the birthday ball
Jay-Z treated girlfriend Beyoncé to her own "Pretty Woman" fantasy last Thursday night.
Just as Richard Gere took Julia Roberts on a shopping spree, the rapper laid out an assortment of new outfits for his lady to wear on her 22nd birthday, a spy tells us.
After Beyoncé picked out a long, red dress, her boyfriend brought her over to his 40/40 club on W. 25th St., where friends were hiding in his private room.
Among those yelling "Surprise!" when Beyoncé walked in a little after midnight were Destiny's Child bandmates Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams, Beyoncé's sister, Solange, and her mom, Tina. DJ Cassidy played the Beyoncé-Jay Z hit "Crazy In Love."
The craziness continued till about 3 a.m.
Miramax honcho Harvey Weinstein is generous toward the Democratic Party and AIDS charities, but his philanthropy stops at other studios.
Rob Marshall, who directed the Miramax blockbuster "Chicago," desperately wants to make "Memoirs of a Geisha," based on the 1997 novel by Arthur Golden, for Columbia Pictures.
But Marshall is bound by a deal that obligates him to deliver his next movie to Miramax.
"Harvey isn't willing to share Rob," says one insider. Considering that "Chicago" won six Oscars and has grossed about $470 million worldwide, some find Miramax's position appalling.
"This is some gratitude," huffs one Marshall pal.
A Miramax rep argues, "We have a responsiblity to our shareholders to realize the benefits of our contractual right to work with the incredibly gifted Rob Marshall. We're sure that Columbia will do a great job with 'Geisha,' whether it's directed by Rob or someone else."
Marshall's rep declined to comment. But a friend says, "Rob is still hoping he can work it out with Harvey."
Rapper Ice-T has teamed up with Mattel to launched a board game called "Break the Safe." The company says the family diversion teaches "teamwork and communication" and provides a "more social, less violent" alternative to video games.
But, for the Ice-man, it brings back fond memories of his own criminal enterprises. "Yeah, we used to take the smaller safes, the kind that you can roll away," the "Law & Order" star says. "You take 'em home and then you deal with 'em, with an ax or whatever."
He admits he found the safe-breaking game a little more puzzling. "I rolled the dice, and I was like, 'Hmmmm, let me get some instruction on this,' " he tells the Daily News' Spencer Morgan.
Ice's fiancée, Darlene (Coco) Ortiz, adds, "He should stick to breakin' real safes, 'cause we couldn't figure out the real game. That's pretty sad." | Magazines around the world are offering Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck record money for exclusive pictures of their wedding on Sunday in Santa Barbara, Calif. But the star couple is remaining strong. "They've decided not to sell photos, and keep the day private,"a friend tells us. Britain's OK! magazine started putting out feelers to Ben and Jen six months ago. The fawning celeb mag was burned | 14.706667 | 0.986667 | 19.386667 | low | high | extractive |
http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/news/1999/10/08/1999-10-08_see_donald_run__looking_to_p.html | http://web.archive.org/web/20110419065231id_/http://www.nydailynews.com:80/archives/news/1999/10/08/1999-10-08_see_donald_run__looking_to_p.html | SEE DONALD RUN LOOKING TO PRESIDENCY, WITH OPRAH AS HIS VEEP | 20110419065231 | By JOEL SIEGEL DAILY NEWS SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT
Friday, October 8th 1999, 2:11AM
The larger-than-life character New Yorkers know simply as The Donald wants America to think of him as The President.
Donald Trump builder, casino operator and beauty pageant mogul already has decided on Oprah Winfrey as his dream running mate.
"She's popular, she's brilliant, she's a wonderful woman," he said of the talk show queen. "I mean if she'd ever do it; I don't know that she'd ever do it. She'd be sort of like me. I mean, I have a lot of things going; she's got a lot of things going," he told CNN's Larry King
Trump shook up the presidential sweepstakes yesterday, announcing he is forming a committee to help him weigh a White House bid on the Reform Party ticket.
"The only thing that could interest me is if I could win. I'm not talking about the nomination, I'm talking about the whole megillah," Trump said.
Even some of Trump's pals are not quite sure what the master of real estate and of self-promotion is up to. But in a whirl of interviews with the Daily News and other media, he insisted he's serious.
"This is obviously very serious. It was all started by tremendous polls," he told The News. "The polls have been enormous. . . .The National Enquirer came out with incredible polls. Other people came out with incredible polls.
"That and the fact that a lot of people, including myself, are very unhappy with what they see out there. The spirit of the country is wrong. It's been four years of turmoil. It's been terrible, and Washington has just been a terrible place."
He said he would make a decision by January, a time frame that just so happens to dovetail with the December publication date for his next book.
Whatever Trump's ultimate intentions, some members of the Reform Party, including pro wrestler-turned-governor Jesse Ventura of Minnesota, are urging him to seek the presidency.
Ventura, who was to dine with Trump last night at a local hotel, said: "Do I like him for the Reform Party? It depends if he likes the Reform Party."
Ventura is seeking a candidate he can back in what is shaping up as a fracas for the Reform Party's nomination. Conservative Republican Pat Buchanan is expected to bolt his party to seek the Reform Party nod, but Ventura and others oppose his candidacy. Buchanan declined to comment.
A new poll of 500 likely Reform Party voters by a Washington firm shows Buchanan leading Trump, 32% to 29%. A CNN-Time poll in July showed Trump with 7% when matched with Texas Gov. George W. Bush and Vice President Gore. The Enquirer poll was an unscientific survey of 100 people.
Reform Party Chairman Russell Verney said he has had no contact with Trump, but added: "I welcome him, and anyone else who wants the nomination."
Trump, a registered Republican, said he supports tax cuts, abortion rights and universal health care, but not gun control.
As for the man he would replace, he said President Clinton and First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton "really got ripped" on their $1.7 million deal for a house in Westchester's Chappaqua. "The house is right next door to one of my golf courses, and I just wish maybe I could have represented him in buying the house," he said with characteristic self-effacement, "because I think I could have saved them $600,000 or $700,000."
Unlike most exploratory committees, Trump's would provide political advice but not raise cash. "The good thing about this is I don't need the money," he said.
HOME 10-room stone house, McLean, Va.
MARITAL STATUS Married 28 years to Shelly Ann
DEGREE Columbia School of Journalism
BOOK ÂRepublic, Not an EmpireÂ
DOG OF CHOICE German shepherd
SMARTEST MOVE Running in 1992 New Hampshire primary
SAYS OF THE OTHER ÂTrump canÂt winÂ
HOME Penthouse, Trump Tower, Fifth Ave.
MARITAL STATUS Divorced from Ivana Trump and Marla Maples
DEGREE Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania
BOOK ÂArt of the ComebackÂ
HOBBIES Making deals, dating hot models
DOG OF CHOICE Publicity hound
PERFECT WORLD No rent control
SMARTEST MOVE Pre-nuptial agreement with Maples
SAYS OF THE OTHER ÂBuchanan has a love affair with Hitler. | The larger-than-life character New Yorkers know simply as The Donald wants America to think of him as The President. Donald Trump builder, casino operator and beauty pageant mogul already has decided on Oprah Winfrey as his dream running mate. "She's popular, she's brilliant, she's a wonderful woman,"he said of the talk show queen. "I mean if she'd ever do it; I don't know that she'd ever do it. She'd be sort of like me. | 9.302083 | 0.989583 | 26.302083 | low | high | extractive |
http://www.nytimes.com/1982/03/02/science/vulnerable-knees-injuries-increase-but-diagnosis-and-therapy-improve.html | http://web.archive.org/web/20110604113230id_/http://www.nytimes.com:80/1982/03/02/science/vulnerable-knees-injuries-increase-but-diagnosis-and-therapy-improve.html | VULNERABLE KNEES - INJURIES INCREASE, BUT DIAGNOSIS AND THERAPY IMPROVE - NYTimes.com | 20110604113230 | THE knee, long the ''Achilles heel'' of professional athletes, is becoming the painful focus of attention among ever-growing numbers of ordinary Americans who have taken up jogging, tennis, skiing, volleyball, basketball and other activities that pound or twist this highly vulnerable joint.
''The fitness boom and interest in recreational athletics has increased the load forces on every joint,'' said Dr. Robert Nirschl, an orthopedist who is director of the Virginia Sports Medicine Institute in Arlington. ''But the knee is especially vulnerable because of its location, construction and biomechanics, and knee injuries that were once the exclusive domain of men are now occurring in both sexes.''
Before 1960, Dr. Nirschl explained, it was highly unusual to see a woman with a knee cartilage injury. Now, as a result of women's participation in sports like soccer, tennis, jogging and basketball, injuries to women's knees are very common, he said.
''Knee injuries are not limited to the Joe Namaths - they happen to their mothers, too,'' remarked Dr. Herbert Kaufer, an orthopedic surgeon at the University of Michigan School of Medicine.
The most incapacitating damage to the knee is caused by arthritis, which ironically is more likely to occur among sedentary individuals. Former athletes may be disabled by so-called traumatic arthritis, the result of a knee injury that occurred years earlier, such as while playing high school football. Knee injuries also result from automobile accidents and everyday mishaps, such as a slip in the kitchen or misstep off a curb.
In competitive sports, the knee injury rate is extraordinarily high. The late Dr. John Marshall, who was director of the sports medicine clinic at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York, estimated the rates as follows: skiing, 50 to 60 percent; football, 50 percent; women's gymnastics, 50 percent; basketball and volleyball, 25 percent.
At the same time that more people are hurting their knees, the ability to diagnose knee injuries properly and treat them to avoid lasting incapacity has improved dramatically in recent years. Though many improvements were spurred by career-limiting injuries to million-dollar athletes, all sufferers are their beneficiaries.
The most common serious knee injury - torn cartilage - can often be treated without major surgery using an instrument called an arthroscope, which is inserted through a quarter-inch incision. The arthroscope is now also widely used to diagnose ligament injuries, which in the past were often missed and mistreated because damage to soft tissue does not show on X-ray.
''The changes in knee surgery have occurred so rapidly that the textbooks can't keep up with them,'' remarked Dr. Donald Slocum of Eugene, Ore., who before retiring operated on about 250 knees a year. ''A lot of things we're doing now have not yet been published.''
The most dramatic new aspect of knee surgery, the development and insertion of artificial knee joints, is the subject of intensive research on both sides of the Atlantic. More than 80 different designs have been developed as orthopedic engineers struggle to duplicate the complex motion of the human knee.
Though total knee replacements are not nearly so common as total hip replacements, artificial knees have already enabled hundreds of thousands disabled by arthritis to walk again.
The knee may appear to be a simple hinge, but it is actually capable of much more than just back-and-forth flexion and extension. In addition to the hinge-like motion, with every step the knee joint angles from side to side, rolls, glides and rotates. As Dr. Kaufer noted, ''If you check the bottom of your shoe, you'll find circular scratch marks from the twisting of the leg as you walk. The rotation of the knee helps you adapt to uneven terrain.''
This constant twisting also results in an eventual loosening of artificial joints that are simple hinges, since the muscles that move the knee try to make it rotate like a real knee. Thus, the newest mechanical joints try to imitate the actions of a normal knee. | THE knee, long the ''Achilles heel'' of professional athletes, is becoming the painful focus of attention among ever-growing numbers of ordinary Americans who have taken up jogging, tennis, skiing, volleyball, basketball and other activities that pound or twist this highly vulnerable joint. ''The fitness boom and interest in recreational athletics has increased the load forces on every joint,'' said Dr. Robert Nirschl, an orthopedist who is director of the Virginia Sports Medicine Institute in Arlington. ''But the knee is especially vulnerable because of its location, construction and biomechanics, and knee injuries that were once the exclusive domain of men are now occurring in both sexes.'' Before 1960, Dr. Nirschl explained, it was highly unusual to see a woman with a knee cartilage injury. Now, as a result of women's participation in sports like soccer, tennis, jogging and basketball, injuries to women's knees are very common, he said. | 4.309783 | 0.98913 | 61.684783 | low | high | extractive |
http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/entertainment/1999/07/25/1999-07-25_loggins__for_big___li_l_ones.html | http://web.archive.org/web/20110719181509id_/http://www.nydailynews.com:80/archives/entertainment/1999/07/25/1999-07-25_loggins__for_big___li_l_ones.html | LOGGINS, FOR BIG & LI'L ONES SOFT-ROCKER HAS A NEW KID-FRIENDLY SPIN, AND A TRUMP MARINA GIG | 20110719181509 | Sunday, July 25th 1999, 2:11AM
Some people lose their shirts when they come to Atlantic City. The last time Kenny Loggins was in town, he lost a daughter.
"That was about eight years ago, but I remember it as if it was yesterday," the legendary '70s soft-rocker confides. "It was probably the most frightening experience I have ever had.
"Her name is Julia she was 3 at the time. I was making my Atlantic City debut at one of the Trump properties, and we were playing a game of hide-and-seek in the beachfront house they had given us for the weekend.
"Well, I couldn't find her. We looked all over. We went outside, searched up and down the beach and we still couldn't find her.
"Finally, scared to death, we called the police and they went directly to her bedroom and looked under her bed. There she was, fast asleep. One of the cops looked at me and smiled. 'That's where they usually are,' he said. And I learned something that day."
Although he didn't say it, the incident may have contributed subconsciously to Loggins' recent desire to churn out a series of children's records. Well, they're not children's records, per se, Loggins says because through the kids he gets to parents, as well. But "Return to Pooh Corner" as well as another CD he's working on now are meant to be "collections of some of my favorite children's songs covering my many years of being a dad," he says.
Twice married, Loggins has five offspring.
"Of all the things my kids and I have done together, I think the quiet times of night songs and bedtime snuggles will endure as my most precious memories," he says.
Let's hope things will be a lot less stressful when he reports to the Trump Marina this week for concerts there on Thursday and Friday nights. Julia, now 11, won't be with him this time. So there won't have to be any looking under beds.
Instead, there will be a reintroduction to funnel cake and saltwater taffy and the excitement of playing to a casino audience again, Loggins says. Not to mention a continuing love affair with his fans who recall the Washington State balladeer from his days with Jim Messina and a songbook that includes "Danny's Song," "Love Song," "Your Mama Don't Dance" and "Vahevala."
But despite the impressive track record, Loggins says it's tough to get his current work on the air a growing complaint from a lot of "established" singers.
"Well, I have two strikes against me: I'm over 40 and I don't do rap," he says with a laugh. "And that doesn't leave a lot of creative avenues open for me on the radio. When even a guy like James Taylor wins a Grammy and still can't get airtime, well "
So, it's concerts across the country in solid venues like the Marina and the Internet.
"Yes, I'm in cyberspace," he says impishly, referring to his new Web site, www.kennyloggins.com. "What I plan to do is offer people a taste of every record I have recorded, some scrapbook stuff, some opportunities to purchase memorabilia and a lot of fun things. Hey, maybe somebody out there wants an old Kenny Loggins sofa."
Or maybe, a bed. But let's hope there won't be a lost little kid under it. | Some people lose their shirts when they come to Atlantic City. The last time Kenny Loggins was in town, he lost a daughter. "That was about eight years ago, but I remember it as if it was yesterday,"the legendary '70s soft-rocker confides. "It was probably the most frightening experience I have ever had. "Her name is Julia she was 3 at the time. I was making my Atlantic City debut at one of the | 8.16092 | 0.988506 | 21.862069 | low | high | extractive |
http://www.economist.com/blogs/banyan/2011/09/indian-politics | http://web.archive.org/web/20110929004731id_/http://www.economist.com/blogs/banyan/2011/09/indian-politics | Fraying tempers, fraying government | 20110929004731 | Sep 28th 2011, 16:04 by A.R. | DELHI
HERE is a line of defence that Manmohan Singh, India’s embattled prime minister, should stop using immediately. When pressed over the big scams that blight his government, especially over the dodgy sale of the 2G telecom spectrum in 2008, he often retreats to a specious claim that voters, who returned Congress to power in 2009, were not bothered by earlier signs of wrongdoing. So, he argues, nobody should fuss about the past.
That was the thrust of the dubious case Mr Singh presented to journalists, on September 27th, as he flew home from New York. In effect he was trying to deny that people are really bothered by the 2G scam:
The issues on which the United Progressive Alliance government is now being judged date back to 2006 or so … after which the people have voted in support of our performance. This is why I suspect that there is some other agenda at work.
He also accused the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of—gasp—behaving like a proper opposition. That is, of trying to provoke early general elections by bringing down the government amid the anger over corruption.
Perhaps because Mr Singh is more technocrat than politician he doesn’t notice how flawed the argument sounds. Whomever it might be supposed to fool, it is hard to believe he can make it with a straight face. Of course the opposition, the press, the voters and anyone else today have a right to judge both his terms as prime minister, for good or ill, whatever the result in 2009. As more is learned about his first term, all are free to change their old assessments. The slate does not get wiped clean each time voters troop to the polls. Ask the likes of Tony Blair or George Bush junior whether re-election somehow absolved them, in anyone’s eyes, of blunders they had made earlier.
Far more is known today about India’s crooked 2G sale than was publicly available in 2009. Voters in the past year alone have seen the former telecom minister, Andimuthu Raja, forced to resign, arrested and dumped in jail over the affair. The Supreme Court also criticised Mr Singh’s handling of it. An assistant to Mr Raja killed himself over it. Voters also heard enormous estimates of the loss to the exchequer from it (as much as $40 billion, said one auditor’s report). Perhaps most important, voters can put the sorry scandal into the context of so much other wretched behaviour by India’s politicians, since caught out in various scams.
The prime minister’s great failing has been his repeated denials that there is a serious corruption problem that needs solving: maintaining for far too long that the 2G sale was not problematic; refusing to drop his telecoms minister until far too late; and letting ministerial allies claim that the cost to the exchequer of the sale was nil. The result is that he appears to be a man who turned (and turns) a blind eye to the flagrant corruption of those close to him. That is not so very far, morally or legally, from being corrupt oneself.
Perhaps, however, there is one habit that is even more destructive for the Indian government than denial: scrapping. In the past week a furious row over the 2G affair has erupted into the open between the two next-most-powerful men in Mr Singh’s cabinet: the home minister, Palaniappan Chidambaram, and the finance minister, Pranab Mukherjee.
The chattering class in Delhi has long known that these two are fierce rivals with no love for each other. Both are big beasts, intensely political and more cunning than the relatively docile Mr Singh. Each certainly believes he should be prime minister, and probably believes he would do a much better job than the boss. Mr Mukherjee, who is from West Bengal, a big, populous state in eastern India, had dreams of becoming prime minister as early as 1984, when Indira Gandhi was murdered by her Sikh bodyguards. That the party refused to give him the job then evidently rankled (it went to her son, Rajiv, despite his reluctance to enter politics). In the late 1980s Mr Mukherjee flounced out of Congress to form his own party, only to return when it failed. That he was passed over later also hurt. Mrs Gandhi’s Italian-born daughter-in-law, Sonia Gandhi, who now runs Congress, would not trust the strong-willed Mr Mukherjee to be pliable enough as her nominated prime minister in 2004.
Mr Chidambaram, though a few years younger than his rival, is not so different. Hailing from another important, populous state, Tamil Nadu in the south, he has also shown independent-minded habits, for example splitting from the main faction of the Congress party in the 1990s—then forming his own one—only to rejoin Congress on the eve of its return to national government in 2004. In Mr Singh’s first term he served, rather successfully, as India’s finance minister, a job he had held earlier in a short-lived coalition government in the mid-1990s. But he had to hand that post over to Mr Mukherjee and become home minister in 2008, after the terrorist attacks in Mumbai.
The two men have sniped at each other before. Early this year Mr Chidambaram seemed to tick off his successor in the finance ministry for doing too little to tackle inflation. That followed a spat over how to handle bitter demands for the creation of a new state in India, Telangana—which should have been Mr Chidambaram’s responsibility, but in the end was given to Mr Mukherjee to deal with.
The current scrap, however, is their fiercest yet. It is a convoluted affair over the publication, last week, of an official note from the finance ministry. The memo appears to show that Mr Chidambaram, when finance minister, did too little to stop Mr Raja, then the telecoms minister, from carrying on with his dodgy sale of 2G telecom licences in 2008. (The BJP goes further and argues that the note shows that Mr Chidambaram was complicit in the affair and deserves to be in jail, along with Mr Raja. That seems rather harsh, especially given Mr Chidambaram’s earlier record of trying to block Mr Raja).
Within Mr Singh’s government the pressing political question is which insider helped make the note public? Mr Mukherjee denies he did so, but suspicion points in his direction. If so, the move would seem designed to sabotage the career of his rival, Mr Chidambaram, who offered his resignation to the prime minister (it was refused). The timing is also awkward. It looks, increasingly, as if the number two and number three in government are scrapping for position in case Mr Singh quits and a new prime minister is needed.
Inside the Congress party’s leadership, too, there is uncertainty. The scrapping has broken out in light of Sonia Gandhi’s new weakness. She just returned from a month abroad getting treatment for a serious illness, rumoured to be cancer. The past couple of months have been grim for the ruling party, especially amid a public fast and protest by Anna Hazare, which Congress mishandled, and in the wake of two nasty terrorist attacks, in Mumbai and then Delhi. Over that time, Mrs Gandhi’s son, Rahul Gandhi, the expected heir, has failed to impose himself. It may not be surprising, therefore, if powerful but ageing figures, such as Messrs Mukherjee or Chidambaram, calculate that this is the moment to push for a stronger role in the party. With little more than two years to go before Congress has to call a general election, and a prime minister who looks troubled and weak, the incentive for rivals to scrap will get stronger by the month. | HERE is a line of defence that Manmohan Singh, India’s embattled prime minister, should stop using immediately. | 72.380952 | 1 | 21 | high | high | extractive |
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/active/8804373/Jodie-Kidd-says-marriage-is-more-than-a-piece-of-paper.html | http://web.archive.org/web/20111005103917id_/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/active/8804373/Jodie-Kidd-says-marriage-is-more-than-a-piece-of-paper.html | Jodie Kidd says marriage is more than 'a piece of paper' | 20111005103917 | Tom Wolfe once said of The New Yorker that its style was one of “leisurely meandering understatement, droll when in the humorous mode, tautological and litotical when in the serious mode, constantly amplified, qualified, adumbrated upon, nuanced and renuanced”.
It would appear, alas, that things have gone downhill dramatically with an interview that the magazine has just run with the German photographer Thomas Struth, who produced a study of the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh for the National Portrait Gallery. He talks in the most vulgar terms imaginable about how the Queen’s embonpoint, coupled with her taste in apparel that “goes up to the neck,” has the effect of making her face look small.
Such lèse-majesté ought to result in Georg Boomgaarden, the German ambassador, being summoned immediately.
Even the late Harold Pinter used to find it difficult to get the attention of Sir Trevor Nunn when he was in charge of the National Theatre. Di Trevis, in her fine book, Being a Director, recalls how, when she adapted, with Pinter, Marcel Proust’s Remembrance of Things Past for the stage, Pinter suddenly realised Sir Trevor had not seen the final script. Hurriedly, Pinter arranged for it to be couriered to Heathrow where Sir Trevor was about to board the Concorde for New York. “Otherwise it will sit on his desk for weeks,” Pinter told Trevis. She recognised his was “the voice of experience.” | Jodie Kidd says the son that she has had by her boyfriend Andrea Vianini has
taken the relationship 'to a new level' | 11.2 | 0.44 | 0.44 | low | low | abstractive |
http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2011/09/26/sheen-studio-settle-lawsuit-over-men-firing/ | http://web.archive.org/web/20111024104721id_/http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2011/09/26/sheen-studio-settle-lawsuit-over-men-firing/ | Sheen, Studio Settle Lawsuit Over 'Men' Firing | 20111024104721 | LOS ANGELES – The studio that fired former "Two and a Half Men" star Charlie Sheen said Monday it has struck a deal with the actor to end their legal dispute.
Warner Bros. Television released a statement saying that Sheen's lawsuit against the studio and series executive producer Chuck Lorre has been settled "to the parties' satisfaction." The statement said terms of the settlement are confidential.
Sheen had filed a $100 million lawsuit for wrongful termination against Warner after his firing last March. His attorney, Marty Singer, had said much of that amount was the actor's share of DVD, syndication and other profits that the studio was withholding.
At the time, Sheen was the highest-paid actor in television, with a per-episode salary reported to be between $1.2 million to $2 million. His exit cut short the CBS comedy's season.
By then, Sheen had been on a media blitz for weeks, using catchphrases such as "Tiger Blood" and "winning" and describing himself as a warlock.
The case never became the forum for Sheen's grievances that the actor said he was seeking -- most of the court proceedings centered on whether the dispute should be heard through private arbitration, as called for in the actor's contract. A judge determined that the case should be moved to arbitration in June and attorneys had been working through that process.
Sheen has distanced himself from his previous outlandish behavior in recent weeks and has acknowledged he was at least partly responsible for his ouster from television's top-rated comedy.
"It was bad," Sheen told "Tonight Show" host Jay Leno, "and I own my part in that, and I just want to make everything right."
Appearing last week at the Emmy Awards as a presenter, he addressed the "Two and a Half Men" cast and crew, saying, "I wish you nothing but the best for this upcoming season."
"Men" returned to the air last week with Ashton Kutcher joining the cast as a new character. He plays an Internet billionaire who decides to buy the house that had been owned by Sheen's now-deceased character.
Calls to attorneys for Sheen and Lorre were not immediately returned. | Charlie Sheen's legal fight with his former Two and a Half Men bosses is over. | 25.705882 | 0.764706 | 2.058824 | medium | low | mixed |
http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2011/10/27/angelina-jolie-unwittingly-purchased-land-from-khmer-rouge-official-accused/ | http://web.archive.org/web/20111028101746id_/http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2011/10/27/angelina-jolie-unwittingly-purchased-land-from-khmer-rouge-official-accused/ | Angelina Jolie Unwittingly Purchased Land From Khmer Rouge Official Accused Of Crimes Against Humanity, Report Says | 20111028101746 | Angelina Jolie has long been a champion for the impoverished nation of Cambodia, from which she adopted her first son Maddox in 2002. But a new report says the actress may have purchased land in the country to operate a foundation in her son’s name from a former official of the Khmer Rouge, the communist party that committed mass murder in the country in the 1970s.
According to interviews with Cambodian officials and documents obtained by Global Post reporters Douglas Gillison and Phann Ana, Jolie’s associate Mounh Sarath purchased 225 acres for approximately $25,000 from a man named Yim Tith in 2003. The land was for housing for Jolie and staff and other purposes, including a ranger station and an educational center for the locals.
In 2005, when Jolie was granted Cambodian citizenship and allowed to own land herself, she sought to transfer the land into her name.
In 2009, Yim Tith was charged with crimes against humanity by international prosecutors working with the United Nations and the Cambodian government in Phnom Penh, which alleged that he participated in eliminating government officials between 1977 and 1979.
According to the Global Post reports, Yim Tith allegedly had control over an area of Cambodia where 600,000 died as a result of the Khmer Rouge misrule.
“He is wanted for crimes against humanity,” Gillison told Fox411. “His job was to eradicate all the local officials and he oversaw operations of the prisons and execution sites across that part of the country. These were brutal places and things were very bloody. He had effective control over all these crime scenes.”
The Global Post reporters, working with The Investigative Fund at The Nation Institute, spoke with Yem Yorn, chief of Samlot’s Meanchey commune, near where Jolie has her Cambodian base.
He confirmed to the Post that Yim Tith sold the land to Jolie’s intermediaries.
Jolie’s camp did not respond to calls and emails for comment; Gillison said that despite repeated attempts to reach out to the actress for the story, he never heard back from her camp either.
Gillison is not sure Jolie knew of Yim Tith’s crimes when she purchased the land in 2002, but that after the 2009 charges against him, it would have been hard for the actress to be unaware, given how much time she devotes to Cambodia.
“These crimes happened in the 1970s, and it is not clear to me anyone suffered as a result of her actions,” Gillison told Fox411. “While she may have known or should have known this individual is who he is, he had not been charged when this deal went down in 2002, and the charges weren’t brought until 2009.”
Jolie began the Maddox Jolie foundation in 2003 as a community development organization in Cambodia’s Battambang province. According to the foundation’s official website, its goal is “creating peace and stability in all communities by planning and implementing interventions that prevent negative environmental changes. Working with impoverished rural villagers and local governments to alleviate food insecurities and increase access to primary healthcare and education.”
Since the land transaction was made nearly a decade ago, there is little Jolie could do now to make amends for buying the land from a known criminal. | Angelina Jolie Unwittingly Purchased Land from Khmer Rouge Official Accused of Crimes Against Humanity, Report Says | 36.117647 | 0.882353 | 2.058824 | high | medium | mixed |
http://www.reuters.com/article/2010/06/25/us-whaling-iwc-factbox-idUSTRE65O35M20100625 | http://web.archive.org/web/20111029003325id_/http://www.reuters.com/article/2010/06/25/us-whaling-iwc-factbox-idUSTRE65O35M20100625 | Factbpx: Greenland allowed to hunt humpback whales again | 20111029003325 | Fri Jun 25, 2010 10:41am EDT
(Reuters) - Greenland recouped the right to hunt humpback whales on Friday after appealing to the 88-nation International Whaling Commission (IWC) to respect its ancestral traditions.
A worldwide moratorium on commercial whaling remains in place after talks to replace it with a controlled cull of some species collapsed this week at the IWC's annual meeting in the Moroccan port city of Agadir.
The moratorium has been in place for 24 years but Japan, Norway and Iceland have kept up whaling and some indigenous communities can also hunt for small numbers of whales.
Here are some facts about whales and whaling:
-- Commercial whaling was prohibited under a 1986 moratorium but Japan culls whales for what it says is scientific research, while Norway and Iceland carry out full commercial whaling. Much of the whale meat ends up in restaurants and on dinner tables.
-- The three nations have been pushing for a formal end to the moratorium, saying stocks of some species have recovered. Their catches have strained diplomatic ties with many of their usual allies. Countries including the United States, members of the European Union, Australia and New Zealand oppose the hunts. -- Australia filed a complaint against Japan at the world court in The Hague in May to stop Southern Ocean scientific whaling. In the filing, Australia said Japan was violating the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling by killing whales for research purposes.
* OVERALL PICTURE -- Blue whales of the Antarctic, the biggest creature ever to live on Earth, are at less than 1 percent of their original abundance despite 40 years of complete protection. Some populations of whales are recovering but some are not.
-- Whaling nations say that stocks of the small minke whale, the main species caught, are big enough to withstand their hunts.
-- The West Pacific grey whale population is the most endangered in the world. It hovers on the edge of extinction with just over 100 remaining.
-- According to the WWF, 31,984 whales have been killed by whaling between 1986 and 2008.
-- Humpback whales currently number around 20,000.
-- Blue whales number up to 12,000. Before the era of industrial whaling, it was 200,000-300,000.
-- Fin whales are the second largest animal in the world after the blue whale, the fastest swimming of all the large whales. Their numbers are 85,000; pre-whaling -- 400,000.
-- Minke whales - There is no estimate of total global population size, but estimates from parts of the range in the Northern Hemisphere (totaling in excess of 100,000) show that it is well above the thresholds for a threatened category.
-- While declines have been detected or inferred in some areas, there is no indication that the global population has dwindled to an extent that would qualify for a threatened category.
-- Bering-Chukchi-Beaufort Seas stock of bowhead whales (taken by native people of Alaska and Chukotka) - a total of up to 280 bowhead whales can be landed in the period 2008-2012, with no more than 67 whales struck in any year.
-- Eastern North Pacific gray whales (taken by native people of Chukotka and Washington State ) - total catch of 620 whales is allowed for the years 2008-2012.
-- West Greenland fin whales (taken by Greenlanders) - total catch of 19 whales is allowed for 2008-2012.
-- West Greenland common minke whales - taken by Greenlanders. Total limit of 200 whales is allowed for the years 2008-2012 with an annual review by the Scientific Committee.
-- West Greenland bowhead whales - taken by Greenlanders. An annual strike limit of 2 whales is allowed for the years 2008-2012 with an annual review by the Scientific Committee.
-- East Greenland common minke whales (taken by Greenlanders) - total catch limit of 12 whales is allowed for the years 2008-2012.
-- Humpback whales taken by St Vincent and The Grenadines - For the seasons 2008-2012 the number of humpback whales to be taken shall not exceed 20.
-- JAPANESE whalers caught about 500 whales in the Antarctic this season, little more than half the target of 900 after clashes with environmentalists. It says this is part of research which is needed to understand the life cycles of whales.
-- NORWAY - It has set a quota of 1,286 minke whales for the current summer season, the highest since Oslo resumed commercial hunts in 1993. But whalers only caught 484 whales in 2009, well below a quota of 885. Environmentalists say that demand has shrivelled.
-- ICELAND - Resumed commercial hunts in 2006 after a 20-year break. It set a quota of 100 minke whales and 150 fin whales for 2009.
(Writing by David Cutler, London Editorial Reference Unit; Editing by Mark Heinrich) | (Reuters) - Greenland recouped the right to hunt humpback whales on Friday after appealing to the 88-nation International Whaling Commission (IWC) to respect its ancestral traditions.A worldwide moratorium | 27.088235 | 1 | 28.529412 | medium | high | extractive |
http://www.reuters.com/article/2009/06/02/us-google-idUSTRE5514KM20090602 | http://web.archive.org/web/20111102173659id_/http://www.reuters.com/article/2009/06/02/us-google-idUSTRE5514KM20090602?pageNumber=1&virtualBrandChannel=0 | Google courts business customers with new products | 20111102173659 | SAN FRANCISCO | Tue Jun 2, 2009 12:13pm EDT
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Google Inc is stepping up efforts to infuse its search engine into the operations of the most technically sophisticated corporations as well as the least digitally savvy businesses.
The Internet search giant unveiled a pair of new products on Tuesday aimed at large corporations with strict technology requirements and at small businesses that may not even have Web sites, respectively.
The move comes as Google's growth slows from its previous double-digit percentage levels, amid a challenging economic environment and a sharp industry-wide slowdown in the advertising spending that it depends on.
Google's latest version of its Search Appliance, first introduced in 2001, takes aim at the high-end of the market.
The sleek yellow boxes, based on hardware from Dell Inc and Intel Corp, come loaded with Google software and allow companies to harness Google's search capabilities to cull through their own internal documents.
Instead of the three separate models of the appliance it previously offered, Google will now sell two boxes: the GB 7007, which can index between 500,000 and 10 million documents, and the GB 9009, which can index 30 million documents.
More importantly, customers can now string together multiple appliances so, for instance, an index of 1 billion company documents can be quickly searched by a company's employees.
New security and customization features mean that different departments within a company can link their appliances, giving certain users -- say those with a higher security clearance at a federal agency -- access to a broader set of search results than would have been presented to others.
The goal is to make search the "unifying glue" across an organization's various departments, said Nitin Mangtani, Google's senior product manager for enterprise search.
Mangtani said the entry-level 7007 model costs $30,000, including two years of support. Google does not disclose pricing on the 9009 model but notes that the price is less than the 7007 on a price-per-document basis.
Sanford Bernstein analyst Jeff Lindsay said Google has struggled serving enterprise customers, who tend to be more demanding than the consumers that Google is accustomed to building products for.
But he expects Google to make a renewed push to boost its business with corporations this year.
Lindsay estimates that Google's enterprise business will generate $240 million in sales this year, with the majority from enterprise applications like corporate gmail, rather than the search appliance -- a small fraction of the $22.7 billion in total revenue that analysts expect Google to record.
In a separate product launch on Tuesday, Google introduced a new "dashboard" for its core search site that provides local businesses with information about Web searches relating to their companies.
Based on Google's analysis of the data it collects across its network of online services, including Google Search and Google Maps, a pizzeria for instance could find out how many people are clicking on its store hours, or which zip code is the most common among diners seeking driving directions.
The product is free, and is intended to showcase the usefulness of online data analysis to local businesses, many of whom may not even have their own Web site, said Carter Maslan, director of product management for local search.
Does Google expect that any of those newly-enlightened customers could then decide to advertise through Google's Internet search system?
"That's definitely a feasible path," Maslan said.
(Reporting by Alexei Oreskovic; Editing by Edwin Chan) | SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Google Inc is stepping up efforts to infuse its search engine into the operations of the most technically sophisticated corporations as well as the least digitally savvy businesses.The | 18.916667 | 1 | 34.055556 | medium | high | extractive |
http://www.aol.com/2011/11/10/numerologist-111111-may-not-be-lucky_n_1086060.html | http://web.archive.org/web/20111113021453id_/http://www.aol.com:80/2011/11/10/numerologist-111111-may-not-be-lucky_n_1086060.html | 11/11/11 Weddings: Numerologist Says Its Not A Lucky Day (VIDEO) | 20111113021453 | Nov. 11, 2011 is turning out to be a notable date for two reasons: The fact that it will be celebrated in the U.S. as Veteran's Day and because when it is written numerically it comes out as 11/11/11.
The date is also proving to be a big one for weddings.
For Boston couple Scott Pittman and Liz Mongro -- who will be marrying each on Nov. 11 after 25 years together -- the unusual sequence of numbers calls for an equally unusual wedding ceremony.
At their wedding reception on Friday, though it might get confusing for caterers and guests alike, the couple plans to mark every table as "11" to keep up with the theme. They're also planning a breakfast for family and friends at 11:11 a.m. And even though the wedding is taking place in mid-autumn, Pittman says the DJ will play Stravinsky's "Rite of Spring."
"There's one measure [in "Rite of Spring"] that features 11 quarter notes all at once," he said. "No one knows why he did that."
Mongro, a recording engineer, stresses that she and Pittman won't be going completely overboard with the "11" theme.
"We won't be serving finger sandwiches paired up like the number 11," she laughed. However, they will be honeymooning in Sicily on property owned by her father. "I believe it's 11 acres."
Want more info on quirky wedding ceremonies? Check out our wacky weddings gallery below:
Liz Magro and Scott Pittman are getting hitched on November 11, 2011 -- or 11/11/11 -- in part because 11 is their favorite number. The couple plan to sit everyone at a table marked "11," and will have the DJ play at least one song in 11/4 time. They plan to honeymoon in Sicily, where Mongro's Dad has 11 acres of land.
Liz Magro and Scott Pittman are getting hitched on November 11, 2011 -- or 11/11/11 -- in part because 11 is their favorite number. The couple plan to sit everyone at a table marked "11," and will have the DJ play at least one song in 11/4 time. They plan to honeymoon in Sicily, where Mongro's Dad has 11 acres of land.
It sounds lucky to marry on a day with multiple elevens, but not necessarily, according to numerologist Hans Decoz, who says the date may not be as lucky as some people are presuming.
"Yes, there are lots of 11s, but all the numbers added together equal 8," Decoz told The Huffington Post. "The energy from '11' is very family-oriented and it conflicts with the '8' energy, which is more financially-oriented.
As a result, Decoz claims emotions will be running high on 11/11/11, bringing about a tendency to be possessive or melodramatic.
"Our feelings will be floating right on the surface, so they could take a turn for the worse at any moment -- small misunderstandings can turn into huge catastrophes if we don't keep this in check," he said. "Definitely, don't deal with money any more than necessary."
While the numbers game makes for a good story, Eric Carlson, a physics professor at Wake Forest University and an admitted numerology skeptic, has a number of reasons why 11/11/11 is not particular special, other than the fact that writing it out numerically might look neat.
"There is nothing supernatural about this date," he emphasized to The Huffington Post. "Our brains are just pattern matching machines, so we tend to notice patterns like that. If you happen to glance at the clock and it's 11:11, you will remember that --these patterns stick in our minds. But I don't think there is any mystical significance to it."
Still, Professor Carlson does concede there are two significant aspects about 11/11/11 that can be construed as lucky even by people like him who don't believe in numerology.
"It is a Friday -- a day hailed by workers," he said, adding that many people will have the day off because of the Veteran's Day holiday.
Even Decoz concedes that numerology probably isn't the real reason why some couples are picking the wedding date.
"I think they just want a date that's easy for the man to remember," he said. | Nov. 11, 2011 is turning out to be a notable date for two reasons: The fact that it will be celebrated in the U.S. as Veteran's Day and because when it is written numerically it comes out as 11/11/11. The date is also proving to be a big one for weddings. | 15.160714 | 1 | 36.035714 | low | high | extractive |
http://www.aol.com/2011/11/16/cocaine-in-a-horse-saddle_n_1097186.html | http://web.archive.org/web/20111117144539id_/http://www.aol.com:80/2011/11/16/cocaine-in-a-horse-saddle_n_1097186.html | Georgia Police Bust Couple Allegedly Trafficking $500,000 Cocaine Inside Horse Saddle | 20111117144539 | Police in Dekalb County, Ga., arrested a pair of alleged drug traffickers on Tuesday after a man retrieved a package containing a horse saddle filled with 11 pounds of cocaine, MyFoxAtlanta reports.
Authorities said that they began tracking the saddle -- stuffed with cocaine worth $500,000 street value -- when it crossed the U.S.-Mexican border about a month ago, according to FoxNews. They called the mission "Operation Urban Cowboy."
Prior to the bust, police warned store owner Raj Shah that the saddle would be retrieved from his establishment.
When the man arrived to claim the saddle, "I said, 'Here's the package, it's a little heavy I can't carry it, can you carry it,' so he carried it out and he walked out the door and the police took over," Shah said.
"It just looked like a horse saddle and then they opened the layers and they found so many things," Shah added.
Police arrested the man and his companion, charging the pair with drug trafficking.
Police Find $500K of Cocaine in Horse Saddle: MyFoxATLANTA.com | Giddy Up. Police in Dekalb County, Ga., arrested a pair of alleged drug traffickers on Tuesday after a man retrieved a package containing a horse saddle filled with 11 pounds of cocaine, MyFoxAtlanta reports. | 5.564103 | 0.948718 | 33.25641 | low | high | extractive |
http://www.nydailynews.com/2.1353/jobless-claims-hit-7-month-stocks-tumble-europe-debt-crisis-worries-article-1.979168 | http://web.archive.org/web/20111119222847id_/http://www.nydailynews.com:80/2.1353/jobless-claims-hit-7-month-stocks-tumble-europe-debt-crisis-worries-article-1.979168? | Jobless claims hit 7-month low, but stocks tumble on Europe debt crisis worries | 20111119222847 | Signs of improvement in the labor and housing markets on Thursday boosted optimism that the economy is solidly plodding ahead.
The number of Americans signing up for first-time jobless benefits hit a seven-month low last week, and permits for future home construction snapped back in October.
Wall Street, though, remained wary of the possibility that Europe’s debt crisis could spread to the U.S., and stocks tumbled.
The Dow dropped 135 points, or 1.1%, to11,771. The S&P 500 dropped 1.7% to its lowest level in a month, and the Nasdaq Composite fell 2%.
Worries about Europe’s crisis bubbled to the surface again after Spain’s borrowing costs soared, sparking fears that the region’s problems are deepening.
That could hamper global growth, even as the U.S. economy seems to be picking up.
State unemployment benefits fell by 5,000 to 388,000, the Labor Department said. Economists had predicted a rise to 395,000.
A report from the Commerce Department showed construction permits rose 10.9% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 653,000 last month. That was the highest level since March 2010.
New home construction fell 0.3%, although the Northeast region saw a 17.2% jump.
Clouding the picture was regional manufacturing data, which showed a slowdown in factory activity.
The Philadelphia Federal Reserve Bank said its business activity index fell to 3.6 this month from 8.7 in October. A reading above zero indicates expansion.
On the bright side, factory employment in the region rose to a six-month high. | Signs of improvement in the labor and housing markets on Thursday boosted optimism that the economy is solidly plodding ahead. Worries about Europe’s debt crisis, however, slammed stocks. | 9.060606 | 0.939394 | 14.090909 | low | medium | extractive |
http://www.bostonglobe.com/business/2011/11/19/rising-food-prices-mean-more-costly-thanksgiving/nlGoSN1DsnVRfn1M0hTXdI/story.html | http://web.archive.org/web/20111124084629id_/http://www.bostonglobe.com:80/business/2011/11/19/rising-food-prices-mean-more-costly-thanksgiving/nlGoSN1DsnVRfn1M0hTXdI/story.html | Rising food prices mean a more costly Thanksgiving | 20111124084629 | Cooks making their Thanksgiving shopping lists should be prepared: Turkey dinners are going to cost more this year as rising energy costs, bad weather, and growing demand drive food prices higher.
This year, the cost of a basic Thanksgiving dinner for 10 - a 16-pound turkey with stuffing, cranberries, pumpkin pie, and basic trimmings - will jump 13 percent, to an average $49.20, according to a national survey by the American Farm Bureau Federation, which represents farm and ranch families.
The average price of a turkey has climbed even faster, up more than 20 percent, or about 25 cents a pound, to $1.35 per pound, said John Anderson, a senior economist with the farm bureau. Pumpkin pie mix - pureed pumpkin with spices - has jumped 41 cents, or roughly 16 percent, to $3.03 a can.
“It may mean that people shop around a little harder and look for deals,’’ Anderson said of the rising prices, “and try to shave a little bit off of that Thanksgiving dinner bill.’’
This inflation in the traditional holiday meal provides an example of the forces that are driving food prices higher - up more than 6 percent over the past year, about double the rate of inflation, according to the Labor Department.
Higher energy costs - oil prices are again near $100 a barrel - are increasing the cost of everything from transportation to feed, which trickles down to supermarket shelves. Global demand is another key factor. As incomes rise in emerging nations such as China and people there buy more food, US farmers are exporting more of their products - including turkeys - which can mean shorter domestic supplies and higher prices.
Exports of turkey products were up 23 percent year-over-year through September, according to a report released this month by the Department of Agriculture.
Weather has also had an impact. Flooding in the Midwest, for example, damaged commercial pumpkin crops, Anderson said, crimping supplies.
Rising food prices could also put the squeeze on another holiday, as well as the US economy. As consumers spend more for food, analysts said, they are likely to cut back on discretionary spending that drives the US economy.
A recent survey by America’s Research Group, a consulting firm in South Carolina, found that nearly 36 percent of consumers said they will trim Christmas shopping because they are paying more for food.
“Over a third of Americans are cutting back because of grocery prices,’’ said Britt Beemer, chief executive of America’s Research Group. “There’s no light at the end of the tunnel for these consumers.’’
Erik Johnson, US economist with the Lexington forecasting firm IHS Global Insight, said rising food prices are “definitely a concern’’ - especially now, the holiday shopping season, when retailers make as much as 40 percent of their annual sales.
Consumers will “end up putting more of their disposable income toward food - groceries - and that’s going to affect what they spend on everything else,’’ he said.
“They’re going to become even more careful about spending on nonessentials,’’ Johnson added.
With 25 people expected for Thanksgiving, Terry O’Neill of North Attleborough said he is being particularly careful about spending.
He compared prices at three supermarkets before settling on a 23-pound Butterball turkey costing $1.09 a pound.
O’Neill, a father of six, said that with prices rising, his family has become extremely conscious of what they spend on food. Their weekly grocery bill has jumped $20 to $30 in recent months, putting the O’Neill’s monthly food expenses at about $800 to $1,000.
The extra expense he said, means the family will cut back on its holiday gift-buying.
“It’s going to be cut way back - maybe a third less,’’ O’Neill said. Even so, O’Neill said, his family will try not to scrimp on Thanksgiving dinner, which with dessert and adult beverages usually costs about $200. His plan: “Getting by on the same [amount] or less just by shopping around.’’ | Cooks making out Thanksgiving shopping lists should be prepared: Their turkey dinners are going to cost more this year as rising energy costs, bad weather, and growing demand drive food prices higher. This year, the cost of a basic Thanksgiving dinner for 10 - a 16-pound turkey with stuffing, cranberries, pumpkin pie, and basic trimmings - will jump 13 percent, to an average $49.20, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation. | 9.60241 | 0.987952 | 28.746988 | low | high | extractive |
http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2010/08/10/jennifer-aniston-slammed-suggesting-women-dont-need-man-start-family/ | http://web.archive.org/web/20111215183728id_/http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2010/08/10/jennifer-aniston-slammed-suggesting-women-dont-need-man-start-family/ | Jennifer Aniston Slammed For Suggesting Dads Are Optional In Families | 20111215183728 | LOS ANGELES – Jennifer Aniston’s recent comments about how men are optional in child raising has sparked outrage from those who believe the 41-year-old actress has an unrealistic perception of what it really takes to raise children alone.
“(Promoting single parenthood) might be the norm in the Hollywood, but the rest of America believes children deserve and need a mother and a father,” Nathan Burchfiel of the MRC’s Culture and Media Institute told Pop Tarts. “Life is extremely difficult for single moms, with about one quarter of them living below the poverty line. But of course Jennifer doesn’t have to worry about that given her financial resources.”
Lynda Powell of the Bethel Foundation, a non-profit organization that seeks to support single moms attain housing, rehabilitation and mentoring, echoed Burchfiel’s sentiments that the “single life” is far from glamorizing or gratifying.
SLIDESHOW: The Lovely and Talented Jennifer Aniston
“Jen needs to come back to the real world of where the average, everyday mother does not begin to make the money to provide adequately for her children,” Powell said. “We work with single mothers everyday where the father is absent and we see the sadness this brings into the family. From my own experience as a single mother, I know that having a positive male in the family unit makes a huge difference in that child's life. Our prison systems are now overloaded and many that are in the prison system did not have a male role model in their life. We need to stop and think 'What are we doing to our children by choosing to have a baby without the family unit intact?’”
A CBS poll conducted last year showed that the children of single and/or unmarried parents were impacted significantly harder by the economic recession. A 2006 study conducted by the National Center for Juvenile Justice also found that juveniles who lived with both biological parents were less likely to join gangs or break the law than their single-parent or orphaned counterparts.
RELATED: Jennifer Aniston Says Women Don't Need to Settle for a Man to Have a Child
Aniston, who plays a woman that opts for single parenthood by choosing to become pregnant via artificial insemination in her new film “The Switch,” also blasted the value of the classic family model by stating that family life has "evolved" from "the traditional stereotype” defined by “a mother, father, two children and a dog named Spot.”
“A woman can have children without a father to raise them, but it's the children who pay the high price for that decision,”said Wendy Wright, President of the conservative political Christian action group, Concerned Women for America. “Hollywood celebrities have long been in the forefront of mocking social norms, to their own detriment and the shattered lives of those who follow their example.”
“Traditional family values may be boring for Hollywood celebrities, but they develop stable, secure and healthy people,” Wright added. “Children need a dad. No amount of insisting 'but I can do whatever I want' can changed that fact.”
While many disagree with Aniston’s liberal views on parenting and the family structure, she has also been applauded for empowering women to take control of their own destiny without their reliance on a sexual partner.
“It is terrific that, in today's world, women have the choice to start a family when they are ready, and that might be before, or after, they meet the person they want to marry,” Jane Mattes, Director and Founder of Single Mothers By Choice, which provides information and emotional support to women in these situations, told us. “It's a big decision and needs to be given careful thought, but it is definitely do-able if the woman has the emotional and financial resources to support herself and a child on her own.”
Eileen Koch, who raised a daughter on her own due to divorce, agreed that no woman should have to bypass the opportunity of having children of her own for the sake of not meeting Mr. Right.
“If a woman doesn't find love in her child-bearing years, she should not miss out on having a family. If the children are fortunate enough to have a loving mom and the mom's extending family, they will be just fine,” Koch said. “It would be nice for all of us to have everything, but sometimes in this world it just doesn't work out for all.”
Deidre Behar contributed to this report. | Jennifer Aniston Slammed for Suggesting Dads Are Optional in Families | 87.8 | 0.6 | 1.4 | high | low | abstractive |
http://www.people.com/people/article/0%2C%2C20405755%2C00.html | http://web.archive.org/web/20111225004744id_/http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20405755,00.html | Heidi Montag Files for Divorce from Spencer Pratt | 20111225004744 | Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag
Skeptics, take notice: This breakup is for real.
went to court seeking legal separation from husband Spencer Pratt, the reality starlet filed for divorce.
Montag, 23, cites the usual irreconcilable differences in the divorce petition filed in Santa Monica, Calif., Superior Court.
"Heidi has amended her petition for separation and today has filed a petition for dissolution of marriage from Spencer Pratt," Montag's lawyer Jodeane Farrell tells PEOPLE. "The couple has agreed they would like their divorce to be finalized in a timely manner in an out of court settlement. Both parties are amicable with each other and over the possibility of finalizing their divorce."
The public and Montag's own former costars from
initially expressed doubts about whether the
was legitimate or another publicity stunt.
last April at a church in Pasadena, Calif., and have been busy ever since.
procedures in one day this year. She followed that by firing Pratt as her manager and beginning her quest to become a big screen actress, filming a role in Adam Sandler's
, and also working on her music career.
Just recently, Pratt, 26, admitted to
over his wife telling PEOPLE, "We love each other but I'm a fame whore and I'll never grow out of it. [Heidi] knows that and doesn't want that." | The couple "would like their divorce to be finalized in a timely manner," says her lawyer | 14.210526 | 0.947368 | 6.947368 | low | high | mixed |
http://bostonglobe.com/business/2012/01/06/bmw-beats-mercedes-take-lexus-top-selling-luxury-title/nkpMBgNBPX6DHyDI4NHBBI/story.html | http://web.archive.org/web/20120111174104id_/http://bostonglobe.com:80/business/2012/01/06/bmw-beats-mercedes-take-lexus-top-selling-luxury-title/nkpMBgNBPX6DHyDI4NHBBI/story.html | BMW is top luxury seller in 2011 | 20120111174104 | SOUTHFIELD, Mich. - Bayerische Motoren Werke AG’s BMW brand outsold Daimler AG’s Mercedes-Benz last month to cement its victory as the top luxury brand in the United States for 2011.
BMW’s sales rose 15 percent to 26,834 in December, compared with a year earlier, the Munich-based automaker said yesterday. With total 2011 sales at 247,907, BMW outsold Mercedes by 2,715 vehicles.
“BMW Group sales momentum has been increasing all year and this new burst of consumer confidence filled our dealer showrooms,’’ putting BMW “over the top,’’ said Ludwig Willisch, chief executive of BMW of North America.
The battle between BMW and Mercedes to replace Toyota Motor Corp.’s Lexus as the top luxury brand in the United States after 11 years was helped by a lack of the Japanese automaker’s production following the March earthquake and tsunami in Japan.
The competition was so intense between BMW and Mercedes that each refused to release sales results yesterday until the other went first, two people familiar with the situation said. Other automakers disclosed December and full-year US sales Wednesday.
Researcher Autodata Corp. released estimates Wednesday for the companies using “credible industry sources,’’ Autodata said in an e-mail.
Autodata’s results showed BMW in the lead. Ultimately, Mercedes went first. BMW followed, posting its release on its website.
Mercedes’ US deliveries, aided by a refreshed C-Class sedan and redesigned M-Class sport utility vehicle, rose 28 percent to 25,701 vehicles in December, Mercedes said in its statement.
Deliveries of Mercedes vehicles for the year rose 13 percent to 245,192 in the United States.
Lexus sales fell 8 percent to 25,355 last month and 13 percent to 198,552 to end the year, the Japan-based brand said.
Industrywide, sales rose 10 percent to 12.8 million, Autodata estimated. | Bayerische Motoren Werke AG’s BMW brand outsold Daimler AG’s Mercedes-Benz last month to cement its victory as the top luxury brand in the U.S. for 2011. BMW’s sales rose 15 percent to 26,834 in December compared with a year earlier, the Munich-based automaker said today in a statement. With total 2011 sales at 247,907, BMW outsold Mercedes by 2,715 vehicles. “BMW Group sales momentum has been increasing all year and this new burst of consumer confidence filled our dealer showrooms putting’’ BMW “over the top,’’ Ludwig Willisch, chief executive officer of BMW of North America, said | 3.104348 | 0.973913 | 15.026087 | low | high | extractive |
http://mashable.com/2009/02/17/time-best-blogs/ | http://web.archive.org/web/20120117184106id_/http://mashable.com/2009/02/17/time-best-blogs/ | TIME Names Mashable in "25 Best Blogs 2009" | 20120117184106 | We’re proud to announce that TIME today named Mashable in its “25 Best Blogs 2009″. It’s truly an honor for the entire Mashable team, all of whom have worked tirelessly over the past year.
TIME writes of Mashable: “Besides relaying the latest news about Web 2.0 giants MySpace, YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter, it’s loaded with tips on enhancing your own social networking experience.” It’s Mashable’s second award this year, having also appeared in Forbes’ annual web list.
Of course the wonderful thing about blogs is that they’re not just about editorial. Most of Mashable’s success is due to the social media community: readers like you leaving constructive comments and sharing stories with your friends. So we’re thankful for that.
But we also feel that Mashable is here to serve a role: sharing knowledge about the spread of social media, a movement that’s putting the tools of publishing and distribution into everybody’s hands.
Social media is making brands more transparent and honest, empowering individuals to create and share content and providing unprecedented opportunities for charity fundraising. We plan to use the rest of 2009 to share insights and tools about this growing trend, and highlight how social media can be utilized for good. (If you’d like to help today, please do make a donation to charity:water through Twestival, the campaign that’s using Twitter to raise funds for clean water projects).
TIME’s 25 Best Blogs highlights some extraordinary writing this year, and we recommend you check out the full list and visit our fellow Best Blog winners The Daily Dish, Freakonomics, BoingBoing, bleat, /Film, Seth Godin’s Blog, Deadspin, Dooce, Confessions of a Pioneer Woman, Said the Gramophone, Talking Points Memo, The Huffington Post, Lifehacker, Got2BeGreen, Zen Habits, The Conscience of a Liberal, Crooks and Liars, Generación Y, Slashfood, Official Google Blog, synthesis, Metafilter, Detention Slip and Bad Astronomy.
Many congratulations to all the winners. | We're proud to announce that TIME today named Mashable in its "25 Best Blogs 2009". It's truly an honor for the entire Mashable team, all of whom have worked tirelessly over the past year.
TIME | 8.818182 | 0.863636 | 11.681818 | low | medium | extractive |
http://mashable.com/2010/04/29/donating-electronics/ | http://web.archive.org/web/20120121122558id_/http://mashable.com/2010/04/29/donating-electronics/ | 5 Charities for Donating Your Old Electronics | 20120121122558 | These are unfortunate statistics given the many useful and eco-friendly alternatives for disposing of your old electronics — not to mention tax breaks for consumers. We’ve highlighted a few of these options below, along with information about preparing your unwanted goods for donation.
Many companies have recycling programs for used and unwanted electronics. Several have partnered with charitable organizations; we’ve highlighted several below.
1. Reconnect Since 2004, Dell and Goodwill have collaborated to collect more than 96 million pounds of electronics and have recently expanded the program to over 1,900 Goodwill locations. Simply take your unwanted devices and related equipment to a participating store or drop-off site. Goodwill accepts a wide array of items in any condition — even broken monitor glass is accepted as long as it’s sealed and properly labeled. Goodwill will refurbish or recycle your materials to benefit local communities. You can locate participating Goodwill locations here.
2. The Wireless Foundation The Wireless Foundation’s CALL to PROTECT program accepts used phones to help end family violence. With the help of ReCellular, Inc., phones are refurbished and sold or recycled, with one hundred percent of the net proceeds going to grants for national organizations combatting domestic abuse. You can mail in your phone or drop it off at a local donation site. Click here to find out more.
3. StRUT Students Recycling Used Technology (StRUT) is a program that provides schools with reusable technology equipment in California, Arizona, Georgia, Oregon, Massachusetts, New Mexico, Louisiana, Texas and Washington. Students develop the skills they need for a career in technology by refurbishing the donated materials. In addition, schools gain trained technicians to help with IT needs and consumer electronics waste is reduced. You can find out more about how to donate your old computers, monitors, printers and other items from the linked sites above.
4. Komputers 4 Kids Based in southern California, Komputers 4 Kids strives to bridge the gap in technology access between children of higher and lower income families. The charity will accept nearly any electronic device that is not a household appliance. Learn more here.
5. eBay Giving Works If you’d like to make a charitable contribution to a non-profit that doesn’t have a consumer electronics recycling program, eBay’s Giving Works program may be the perfect solution. You can auction your used goods on eBay and donate 10-100% of the final sale price to the organization of your choice. You can visit the Giving Works page to find out more.
If you’re not particularly keen on any of the options above, you might also want to check out TechSoup. Its search engine helps pair donors with consumer electronics recyclers and charitable programs in the U.S. and Canada. Additionally, if you have any unused electronics you would like to donate, you may want to consider reaching out to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, which provides new computers, MP3 players and gaming consoles to entertain children while they receive or recover from treatment.
The next time you think about tossing your old MP3 player or computer monitor in the trash can, we hope you’ll stop and consider a donation to one of the programs listed above.
This post is part of the Recycling Series, which is supported by Best Buy. No matter where you may have purchased your electronics, Best Buy makes it easy to recycle. For more information on their recycling program and to make your recycle pledge, please visit recycleiton.com. | According to the EPA, of the roughly 2.25 million tons of used and unwanted electronics each year, roughly 82% winds up in landfills. Here are 5 places you can put old gadgets to better use. | 16.65 | 0.575 | 1.025 | medium | low | abstractive |
http://mashable.com/2010/08/29/inspirational-youtube-videos/ | http://web.archive.org/web/20120122114441id_/http://mashable.com/2010/08/29/inspirational-youtube-videos/ | 10 Incredibly Inspirational Moments on YouTube [VIDEOS] | 20120122114441 | The fall of the Berlin Wall changed Europe politically and the German city physically. Ushering in a new era of freedom for a new decade, this footage from 1989 offers powerful imagery of East and West reuniting after nearly 40 years of enforced separation.
We never get tired of watching this amazing clip. The 1969 Apollo 11 mission to the moon was a remarkable achievement for all of mankind, and its morale-boosting effects on the United States at the time of the Cold War can't be underestimated.
The anonymous "Tank Man" of this heart-stopping footage has never been identified, but the sight of him, unarmed, planted firmly in front of a line of tanks in Tiananmen Square in 1989 has become an enduring symbol of amazing courage.
It may have been a while since you last heard Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s famous speech in full, rather than just the highlights. Despite social change since 1963, there are still wider lessons to be drawn from the civil rights hero's historic words.
Not letting his ALS condition get in the way of a glittering academic career, Stephen Hawking is one of the most inspiring humans alive today. Here, at age 65, he experiences zero-gravity to help increase public interest in space exploration.
You could argue that America's first blow against Nazi Germany in the Second World War came in 1936, as African-American Jesse Owens, the grandson of a slave, competed in the Berlin Olympics. In the midst of Nazi propaganda about "Aryan superiority," Owens discredited Hitler's hideous racial assertions and came away with four gold medals.
We take flying for granted now, but this clip gives us a glimpse of how remarkable sustained mechanical flight was, as the Wright Brothers strove to achieve what many considered absolutely impossible.
Although President Barack Obama's inauguration speech is the one that will be quoted and referenced in years to come, we think his victory speech from Grant Park in his home town of Chicago best captures the electric excitement, and historic magnitude of his election into office.
Although by today's standards, Bannister's physical achievement is not that impressive, what doesn't diminish over time is how inspiring his dedication and ultimate success is. Bannister broke the four-minute mile through sheer determination. When asked how he reached his goal, he explained, “It’s the ability to take more out of yourself than you've got.”
This incredible footage from 1930 shows a 61-year-old Gandhi on the famous Dandi March, in which he and his followers challenged British authority by protesting a salt tax with a peaceful 240-mile procession. The march was a seminal moment in the "Civil Disobedience Movement," a very influential non-violent initiative that would eventually lead to Indian independence from British rule. | YouTube isn't just for kittens, cute kids, and confabulating celebrities. It's also home to some of the most inspiring historical moments ever captured on camera. | 17.419355 | 0.580645 | 1.032258 | medium | low | abstractive |
http://www.economist.com/blogs/blighty/2010/12/preventing_crime_illness_and_death | http://web.archive.org/web/20120123192638id_/http://www.economist.com/blogs/blighty/2010/12/preventing_crime_illness_and_death | Preventing crime, illness and death | 20120123192638 | Dec 14th 2010, 16:28 by A.G. | London
EARLY intervention is vital to improving the lives of those who would otherwise spiral into failure. By the time children get to school, the effects of class have already manifested themselves. Many children who were thought to be a bit dim at the age of two but who were raised in good homes will have overtaken bright children from bad ones. Being read to, played with, properly fed and cuddled all hugely increase the likelihood of success in later life. Conversely, being on the receiving end of bad parenting increases the risks of a host of nasties from dropping out of school to teenage pregnancy, imprisonment, early disability and premature death.
Which is why the apparent failure of the Sure Start programme, launched by Tony Blair in 1998 and modelled on the Head Start programme in America, is such a blow. An excellent study led by Christine Merrell of the University of Durham and published on December 14th in the Oxford Journal of Education shows that, over eight years, the programme had no effect on the abilities of pupils starting school. It follows an earlier study led by researchers at Birkbeck College, London, the funding for which was abruptly cancelled by the government when it began to report lacklustre results.
From my experience, the Durham study is right to focus on the failure of Sure Start to reach the poorest families. My children are beneficiaries, and I do not consider myself to be particularly deprived. Those running the scheme that we joined seemed more interested in getting people through the doors than in whether those families really needed help. As a result those who were easy to reach snaffled up the support that was intended for those in genuine need. This was brought home with a jolt at a Christmas party when Santa came with presents for the children, paid for by a charity.
Sure Start was a great idea, poorly executed. The need to nudge poor parents towards providing well for their children has become ever more urgent. The lesson, then, must be to address its failures and devise a scheme that will truly achieve what was intended. | EARLY intervention is vital to improving the lives of those who would otherwise spiral into failure. By the time children get to school, the effects of class have already manifested themselves. | 11.941176 | 1 | 34 | low | high | extractive |
http://www.cbsnews.com/1606-500251_162-7396641.html | http://web.archive.org/web/20120128043153id_/http://www.cbsnews.com/1606-500251_162-7396641.html | Evening News Online, 01.27.12 | 20120128043153 | Saturday: Following a strong debate performance and a late surge to the top of the polls, Newt Gingrich wins the South Carolina primary, defeating rival Mitt Romney; Also, divers searching for missing passengers on the Costa Concordia found the body of a woman - bringing the death toll to 12 - and a hard drive that may give answers as to what actually happened the day the cruise ship ran aground; And, two years after an earthquake devastated Haiti, citizens there are laying the foundation of one of the largest, most sophisticated projects in the country - a state-of-the-art teaching hospital. | CBS News video: Evening News Online, 01.27.12 - Friday: On the surface, the latest report on the economy looks like welcome good news. But the White House acknowledges the recovery is still "fragile"; Also, Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney lay out their plans for tackling immigration; And, Steve Hartman tells the story of Woody Davis and the community in Corbett, Ore., who are paying Woody back for over 50 years of good deeds. | 1.344828 | 0.425287 | 0.655172 | low | low | abstractive |
http://www.people.com/people/article/0%2C%2C20568077%2C00.html | http://web.archive.org/web/20120208003433id_/http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20568077,00.html | Prop 8 Ruled Unconstitutional; Modern Family Stars Weigh in on Proposition 8 : People.com | 20120208003433 | Could there be an (on-screen) wedding in their future?
, who play partners Mitchell and Cameron on the
, posted a photo of themselves on their WhoSay pages, asking, "How could you
want to see us tie the knot?" just as it appeared they may be closer to legally being able to do so.
On Tuesday, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that California's Proposition 8, which bans same-sex marriage in the state, was unconstitutional.
Ferguson also Tweeted: "Historic! #Prop8 is unconstitutional. @AFER & I wonât stop until ALL Americans are #free2marry."
On the show, their characters also have a daughter together, Lily, but are not officially married.
Other stars reacted to the ruling, as well.
, "Today we took another step towards equality. #Prop8 was found unconstitutional again. I couldn't be happier." And
, "Take THAT, prop 8." | Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Eric Stonestreet react to the ruling that Proposition 8 is unconstitutional | 12.8 | 0.666667 | 1.333333 | low | low | abstractive |
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/12/magazine/312bwarner.html | http://web.archive.org/web/20120208082429id_/http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/12/magazine/312bwarner.html | The Fallback - New York Times | 20120208082429 | If you harbor serious thoughts of running for the presidency, the first thing you do long before you commission any polls or make any ads, years before you charter planes to take you back and forth between Iowa and New Hampshire is to sit down with guys like Chris Korge. A real-estate developer in Coral Gables, outside Miami, Korge is one of the Democratic Party's most proficient "bundlers." That is, in the last two presidential elections, he bundled together more than $7 million in campaign checks for Al Gore and John Kerry from his friends and contacts.
David Burnett/Contact, for The New York Times
Candidacy Fermenting: Warner visits the Stonyfield Farm yogurt plant in New Hampshire, an obligatory stop for presidential hopefuls.
David Burnett/Contact, for The New York Times
Exploring the Alternative: Warner in a Manchester hotel preparing a speech for a group of influential New Hampshire Democrats.
For Korge, the 2008 presidential campaign began a few days after Kerry lost, when, he says, one prospective candidate he won't say who called to enlist his help. Having raised money for both of Bill Clinton's presidential campaigns, which earned him an overnight stay in the Lincoln Bedroom, Korge already knew he would support Hillary Clinton if she ran; he considers her the most impressive politician he has ever met, including her husband. But that didn't stop her potential rivals John Edwards, Joe Biden, Evan Bayh, Wesley Clark from dropping by, nor did it stop Korge, a guy who rightly prides himself on knowing just about everybody in Democratic politics, from taking the meetings. "In the last six months, I've pretty much seen or talked with all of them, or they've tried to meet with me," Korge told me during a conversation in late January.
A few weeks before we spoke, Korge had lunch at the Capital Grille in Miami with Mark Warner, who was then in his final weeks as Virginia's governor. Though little known nationally, Warner has emerged in recent months as the bright new star in the constellation of would-be candidates, a source of curiosity among Democrats searching for a charismatic outsider to lead the party. Pundits credit Warner's popularity in Republican-dominated Virginia his 80 percent approval rating when he left office made him one of the most adored governors in the state's history with enabling his Democratic lieutenant governor, Tim Kaine, to win the election to succeed him last November. Suddenly, Warner is being mentioned near the top of every list of candidates vying for the nomination in 2008.
Over lunch with Korge and his real-estate partner, Warner made what has become, more or less, his standard pitch. Much as he likes John Kerry and worked hard for him in Virginia, Warner said, the Democratic Party had once again, in 2004, nominated a candidate who could not appeal on a cultural level to white, small-town voters in wide swaths of the country. Warner argued that he was more likely than any of the other potential Democratic candidates to break that cycle. The candidate he was really talking about, of course, was Clinton. It wasn't that she wouldn't do a great job in the White House, necessarily; what Warner was saying, without actually saying it, was that she couldn't get there. Democrats, he liked to say, could not afford to keep trotting out nominees who could expect to win only 16 blue states and then hope, just maybe, for the "triple bank shot" that might deliver Ohio or Florida. They needed a candidate who could compete everywhere.
Korge had already heard some version of the same case from several of Warner's rivals. "They can't help themselves," he told me. "What you hear is two things: one, why Hillary can't win, and two, why they're going to be the other candidate who emerges in the showdown with Hillary." Korge told Warner the same thing he told the other suitors, including John Kerry: he was loyal to Hillary and intended to stay that way. That was fine, Warner said, but would Korge be willing to introduce him to friends who weren't yet decided? Korge deflected the request. To him, helping Warner raise money would have been "counterproductive."
You might think this would have deflated Warner. It didn't. He knows that many of the money guys he goes to see at this early stage are going to pledge their allegiance to Clinton. But the path of a campaign is long and twisting, and there may come a time when Korge needs a fallback candidate. More to the point, aside from being a fund-raiser, Korge is a validator, the kind of guy to whom others in business and politics will listen. There are perhaps 20,000 activists and contributors whose choices influence the Democratic nominating process, and Korge talks with more than a few of them; his casual appraisals mean something.
From this vantage point, Warner's meeting with Korge was an unqualified success. "In my opinion, he's the one to watch as an outsider in this race," Korge told me. "He seems presidential. He's a big guy." (By this he meant, literally, that Warner is well over six feet tall, with a well-coiffed head that requires extra-large baseball caps.) "I think he has a presence. He's very confident. He speaks very well, but he also can speak plainly to people."
Matt Bai, a contributing writer who covers national politics for the magazine, is working on a book about Democratic politics.Editors' Note: Wednesday, March 15, 2006: The cover photograph in The Times Magazine on Sunday rendered colors incorrectly for the jacket, shirt and tie worn by Mark Warner, the former Virginia governor who is a possible candidate for the presidency. The jacket was charcoal, not maroon; the shirt was light blue, not pink; the tie was dark blue with stripes, not maroon. The Times's policy rules out alteration of photographs that depict actual news scenes and, even in a contrived illustration, requires acknowledgment in a credit. In this case, the film that was used can cause colors to shift, and the processing altered them further; the change escaped notice because of a misunderstanding by the editors. | For those Democrats who think Hillary Clinton is not electable in 2008? Meet Mark Warner of Virginia. | 65.578947 | 0.894737 | 1.210526 | high | medium | abstractive |
http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2012/01/11/halle-berry-engaged-to-actor-olivier-martinez-report-says/ | http://web.archive.org/web/20120216145819id_/http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2012/01/11/halle-berry-engaged-to-actor-olivier-martinez-report-says/ | Halle Berry Engaged To Actor Olivier Martinez, Report Says | 20120216145819 | Hollywood star Halle Berry is engaged to her boyfriend, French actor Olivier Martinez, a source confirmed.
Martinez, who dated Australian pop star Kylie Minogue for four years until 2007, proposed with an emerald and diamond ring over the holidays, a source told Us Weekly magazine.
The twice-divorced actress, 45, had given up on being married, the source said, but changed her mind because "she trusts Olivier."
"He makes her feel safe. He's a keeper!" the source added.
Berry, who has a three-year-old daughter with her ex-boyfriend Gabriel Aubry, is hoping to have a baby with her fiance, according to Star magazine.
"Halle would love to have more kids, but she knows it might be difficult because of her age and the fact that she's diabetic," a source said. "If they can't conceive, they'd definitely consider adoption."
The wedding is likely to take place in California in early summer, Star reported.
Berry's previous marriages were to former baseball player David Justice and R&B singer Eric Benet. | Hollywood star Halle Berry is engaged to her boyfriend, French actor Olivier Martinez, a source confirmed. | 11.578947 | 1 | 19 | low | high | extractive |
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-500395_162-57383824/procter-gamble-to-cut-5700-jobs-in-restructuring/ | http://web.archive.org/web/20120223211238id_/http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-500395_162-57383824/procter-gamble-to-cut-5700-jobs-in-restructuring/ | Procter & Gamble to cut 5,700 jobs in restructuring | 20120223211238 | NEW YORK - Consumer products maker Procter & Gamble Inc. (PG) plans to cut 5,700 jobs globally by the end of the fiscal year ending in June 2013 as part of a cost-cutting plan.
P&G CEO Robert McDonald announced the moves at the Consumer Analyst Group of New York conference in Boca Raton, Fla. The presentation was webcast.
A P&G spokesperson told CBS MoneyWatch the company employs 57,000 white collar workers and that the cuts reflect about 10 percent of the non-manufacturing work force. The company operates in 180 countries and has a total workforce of 129,000 employees.
Hobbled by higher costs, P&G's net income falls
Procter & Gamble says it plans to save $10 billion by the end of the fiscal year ending in June 2016.
Other parts of the plan include streamlining its operations and cutting costs related to packaging and materials. The moves will cost $3.5 billion in restructuring over a four-year period.
Shares rose $1.56, or 2.4 percent, to $66 in afternoon trading. | Planned cuts amount to about 10 percent of the company's non-manufacturing work force | 12.375 | 0.875 | 3.375 | low | medium | mixed |
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505245_162-57383630/bp-refinery-fire-could-boost-gas-prices-in-wash/ | http://web.archive.org/web/20120224105711id_/http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505245_162-57383630/bp-refinery-fire-could-boost-gas-prices-in-wash/ | BP Refinery fire could boost gas prices in Wash. | 20120224105711 | February 23, 2012 11:15 AM
(AP) SEATTLE — The longer the BP Cherry Point refinery at Blaine is out of service because of fire damage, the higher gasoline prices will go for drivers in Washington state, said Tim Hamilton, executive director of the Automotive United Trades Organization, an association of independent dealers.Wholesale prices to dealers went up about 20 cents a gallon Tuesday, Hamilton said. That will push prices in Washington close to $4 a gallon, Hamilton said Wednesday."This tells us the oil companies are not all that confident they'll be able to get Cherry Point up that fast," Hamilton said. "We don't know for certain."The average price for a gallon of gas Wednesday in the state was $3.68 a gallon, according to the AAA auto club. That's already up 14 cents in a week and 21 cents in a month."Shutdowns can push prices up," said AAA spokeswoman Jennifer Cook in Bellevue. "That was already going on. This fire is going to add to it."Four other refineries in Washington could increase production to offset the BP outage, but Hamilton says crude oil stocks would likely run out in eight or nine days. If the outage from Friday's refinery fire lasts a month, Hamilton predicts prices would continue rising higher — to the point motorists are forced to cut their driving and demand meets supply."They will raise it to whatever it takes to force people to stop driving and slow consumption down," Hamilton said.There's no estimate when operations will resume at Cherry Point and the investigation into the cause of Friday's fire continues, said BP spokesman Scott Dean in Chicago.He cautions against directly relating gas prices to the operations of a single refinery."You really can't pin a gas price on any single factor," he said Wednesday. "You have to look at all the factors in totality. There are a lot of things going on globally affecting crude oil prices and that translates into prices at the pump."It's a good sign the BP refinery has remained on standby, said Hamilton an oil industry analyst and consultant for 30 years."They've kept it hot," he said.A shutdown would require a longer startup period and once the refinery is shut down BP might also use that time for the switch from winter to summer-formulated fuels or additional maintenance."If we're down for any amount of time we're going to quickly run out of reserves in storage," he said. And it would take more than a month to direct a special oil tanker to Puget Sound, Hamilton said.The BP refinery is the largest of five in Washington with the capacity to turn 230,000 barrels of crude oil a day into gasoline, diesel and jet fuel. It's the third-largest refinery on the West Coast. It produces 20 percent of Washington's gasoline needs and it supplies the majority of jet fuel for Sea-Tac, Portland and Vancouver, British Columbia, airports.The other refineries in the state are the U.S. Oil facility at Tacoma, ConocoPhillips at Ferndale, and Tesoro and Shell at Anacortes.On Wednesday, the Tesoro refinery was in the process of restarting unspecified units that experienced a "brief shutdown" Tuesday, Tesoro spokeswoman Tina Barbee said via email. She offered no details but said the event was not expected to affect "our ability to meet our regional product supply commitments." | BP Refinery fire could boost gas prices in Wash. | 70.888889 | 0.777778 | 1.222222 | high | low | abstractive |
http://www.economist.com/blogs/analects/2012/02/china-and-world-bank | http://web.archive.org/web/20120228225109id_/http://www.economist.com/blogs/analects/2012/02/china-and-world-bank | China and the World Bank | 20120228225109 | Feb 28th 2012, 15:46 by J.M. | BEIJING
CHINA’S economic reforms have seen few breakthroughs in the past few years, or so the analysts tend to think. As the country prepares for big changes due in its top leadership after a Communist Party congress late this year, senior officials are becoming even less inclined than usual to take risks that might damage their careers. And with the economy still growing rapidly, despite the rest of the world’s problems, many of them see no urgent need for change.
The World Bank thinks differently. In a 468-page report, “China 2030”, it has set out a huge range of policy measures it says are needed in order to prevent the country from eventually falling into a “middle-income trap” of much slower growth. Its suggestions range from weakening the grip of state-owned enterprises to letting the market play a bigger role in the setting of interest rates. Such ideas have been aired by others before, but World Bank officials suggest there is a chance their report could help nudge China into action.
It will certainly be widely noted in China. Unlike the bank’s last report of this kind (“China 2020”, published in 1997), this one was co-authored with a government think-tank, the Development Research Centre (DRC) of the State Council. The DRC is an influential organisation which supplies the government with policy advice. The finance ministry was also involved. A deputy prime minister, Li Keqiang, who is expected to take over as prime minister from Wen Jiabao next year, is thought to have played an active role in arranging this co-operation between officialdom and the bank.
Having the DRC’s name on the document gives China’s reformers cover. The World Bank is viewed with suspicion by hardliners, who see it as a meddler in the affairs of developing countries and a purveyor of ideas that could undermine party rule in China. With a semi-official stamp of approval on it, the report will be less easy for conservatives to dismiss as part of a Western plot. In turn, it’s believed, the DRC used the World Bank as cover in its discussions with foot-dragging bureaucrats (“Don’t blame us for these proposals, blame the bank”). At times, behind closed doors, the DRC argued for even bolder reforms than the bank itself was suggesting.
The bank, however, should be prepared for disappointment. In the buildup to the party congress, a bit of reformist posturing is only to be expected. Different factions in the party want to air their agendas in order to influence the policy choices of the new leaders. A hint of this emerged in a commentary in the People’s Daily (in Chinese) on February 23rd. It said some officials wanted to keep things as they were in order to avoid criticism, but that this would eventually result in an even greater crisis. “No matter how thorough plans are, or how intelligently crafted they are, reforms will always be attacked,” it said, giving warning that mere “tinkering” with reform had been the downfall of great nations and parties.
Also on February 23rd, details emerged of a proposal by the People’s Bank of China (long an outlier among Chinese bureaucracies for its reformist hue) for accelerating reform of capital controls with the aim of making the yuan a global reserve currency. The plan was published in the China Securities Journal (in Chinese). But despite the World Bank’s efforts to persuade the Chinese government that reform is relatively easy to manage in good times, prospects for quicker action still look dim, at least in the near term.
China’s new leaders will likely take at least a few months to consolidate their power and settle in before they feel confident enough to tackle economic reforms that affect powerful vested interests, such as the bureaucracy that controls state enterprises or the ministry of commerce. (Nicholas Lardy of the Peterson Institute for International Economics in Washington, DC, describes the influence of these groups in a detailed chapter in his new book, “Sustaining China’s Economic Growth After the Global Financial Crisis”). Even then, it is very unlikely that those who take over leadership of the party in a few months’ time will be any stronger than their predecessors when it comes to taking on the conservatives. | CHINA’S economic reforms have seen few breakthroughs in the past few years, or so the analysts tend to think. | 38.136364 | 1 | 22 | high | high | extractive |
http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2011/01/18/exclusive-ryan-seacrest-admires-skinny-jennifer-lopez-nude-skin-tight-dress/ | http://web.archive.org/web/20120302163759id_/http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2011/01/18/exclusive-ryan-seacrest-admires-skinny-jennifer-lopez-nude-skin-tight-dress/ | EXCLUSIVE: Jennifer Lopez, Ryan Seacrest Say They're Bringing Fun Back To 'Idol' | 20120302163759 | Tomorrow's premiere of "American Idol" marks the first that Simon Cowell and his caustic criticisms will be absent from the judging panel. Pop Tarts sat down with the new judges to get their take on what else has changed, and what remains the same.
Newcomer Jennifer Lopez swears that as a team she, Steven Tyler and Randy Jackson have brought back the “fun” that supposedly dwindled over the past few seasons.
“What was refreshing was that it was so much fun. It was definitely emotional, which I thought was missing a bit, and the fun that was lacking in the past few years is back,” Lopez told FOX411’s Pop Tarts. “You guys (turns to Randy) had that in the beginning, you used to have a lot of fun in the beginning.”
Host Ryan Seacrest, who has also been with ‘Idol’ since its U.S debut in 2002, concurred.
“She’s right. It’s seamless, we don’t think about what we’re going to say. We obviously don’t plan what we’re going to do, and it’s just fun,” he said.
And when you’re a guy spending hours on end with the bootylicious J-Lo, that’s bound to bring about some good times – like examining the pop diva’s a-line, “nude” colored dress.
“They all want to wear my dress, that’s the thing,” Lopez laughed. “You thought I was the only girl on the show, but I’m not.”
Seacrest also went on to praise the pop diva for looking “skinny” (apparently she “went on a cleanse.”)
And even though he’s been in the entertainment industry for over 40 years, rocker Steven Tyler, who generally stayed out of the banter that his three co-stars excitedly engaged in, was still overcome with nerves when first starting out in his new-found role in the “A.I” hot seat.
“I was nervous, sure. I was nervous about saying the right thing at the wrong time, or the wrong thing at the right time,” he explained. “It’s gotten easier. It does get easier. For the first couple (of contestants) I didn’t want to be cruel, I’ve got three daughters. I know people have a voice, they are born with a voice, but that’s not what we are here for. Randy keeps reminding me that it is 2011, ‘American Idol,’ high standards, high bar, and they have got to go through that and I’ve got to be able to see that, see the whole thing.”
Lopez too initially struggled to find her feet.
“I found it very difficult in the beginning, it was about finding my style of how to say things and then once I did that it was fine,” she told Pop Tarts. “We deliver our message in a way that can help them actually grow in this process.”
But if anyone is concerned that 2011’s panel may be a little too soft and pre-occupied with not stripping aspiring artists of their confidence with harsh remarks, it sounds as though Mr. Jackson might actually be the one to pick up where Cowell left off.
“You’ll see all sides of me. Before, people saw only one side because there was Paula, there was Simon. I think you will see a new version of the Dawg. There’s maybe a little more hair on the Dawg,” Jackson said on a phone conference last week. “You’ll see me take more of an assertive role and trying to guide it a little bit…I think you’ll be like, ‘Wow, Dawg!’ ”
"American Idol" kicks off its 10th season on Wednesday on FOX. | EXCLUSIVE: Jennifer Lopez, Ryan Seacrest Say They're Bringing Fun Back to 'Idol' | 43.941176 | 0.647059 | 0.882353 | high | low | abstractive |
http://www.thepostgame.com/blog/men-action/201203/iron-sheiks-social-revival-making-world-humble | http://web.archive.org/web/20120307212808id_/http://www.thepostgame.com:80/blog/men-action/201203/iron-sheiks-social-revival-making-world-humble | The Iron Sheik's Social Revival: Making The World Humble | 20120307212808 | On August 29, 2009, a man of over 250 pounds with a thick, black mustache registered a Twitter handle. "#fact" his first tweet began. "Iron sheik is making twitter humble -- stay tuned." A retired wrestler, one known for sporadic outbursts about his competition, re-launched himself as a bizarre and irreverent pop-culture voice. Today he has more than 93,000 followers, a verified account and a voice that can be described in many different ways -- abrasive, hilarious, aggressive, off-the-wall. As I interviewed him, his bristling tone and thoughts went in rapidly-changing directions, with more in the way of energy than true meaning. In 2012, Hossein Khosrow Vaziri cannot be wrestled from his most famous persona.
As he described re-entering the spotlight of media, he burst with excitement (or was it fury?): "Iron Sheik world legend, not like no good LeBron James and the Kobe [Bryant] ex-wife. World champion always say 'yes please' -- never hold back when someone need humble. The world respect the legend and know I come to party with Lionel Richie at the world class party. Sheikie (sic) baby love sharing with all the intelligent people in world."
Mr. Richie was unavailable for comment.
Born in Iran in 1943, The Sheik was a hall-of-fame wrestler with the World Wrestling Federation. He is most famous for two things: Being the man Hulk Hogan defeated to capture his first WWF championship, and having a signature move called the 'Camel Clutch' -- one that he commonly threatens both celebrities and his current and former wrestling peers with.
Formerly of the Iranian army, The Sheik had a successful wrestling career across the WWF, NWA and WCCW, before dropping into relative seclusion in the late 1990's, popping up for air very occasionally for an appearances, including trips to visit radio personality Howard Stern.
In his current state, the Sheik has looked to re-invent himself by using his Twitter to call out wrestlers such as Hogan, The Ultimate Warrior as well as comment on the news of the day -- including the death of Whitney Houston, Chris Brown's physical assault of R&B singer Rihanna, Rick Santorum and even New Jersey Governor Chris Christie. Many are X-rated, Not-Safe-For-Work comparisons of celebrities to human appendages and threats of carnal activity -- described as a return to the "old country way" -- or simply calling them out on being what he perceives as "bad."
However, The Sheik takes pity on current wrestlers too -- when the TNA wrestler Jesse Sorensen was hospitalized with a blow to the head, The Sheik reached out with his condolences.
His most common threat is to "humble" those that he doesn't like -- a list that he considers never-ending. "I humble anyone who don't respect legend. I sell out the Madison square garden gold metal. F- the piece of garbage grasshopper d- Ultimate Warrior, the Hulk Hogan and the idiot no-good the Virgil ." The Sheik then went on to describe various female movie stars he also wished to "humble" -- a man of great energy at 69 years old.
Most celebrities do not rise to Sheik's taunts, questions or statements. However, some do -- positively, in the case of Patrick Carney, the drummer for band The Black Keys and incredibly negatively, as evidenced by his ongoing battle with well-known comedian Michael Ian Black -- one that I won't link to, as it's quite disgusting. A request for a comment from Black was not answered.
Deep down, though, The Sheik is proud of what he does -- as aggressively, abrasively or crudely as he does it. "I don't lie; I tell the people who I think is a jabroni and who is the real," he said.
While his future is murky, the Sheik sees great things ahead. Grinning broadly, the Sheik declares he is ready to return to the world of wrestling. "I am ready to get in ring for greatest boss in world [Vince] Kennedy McMahon, [or] do the movie or the TV. Also if my agent make me happy he get me with the Howard Stern."
Said agent is Page Magen, part of Magen Boys Entertainment based in Toronto, a premier events company he founded with his brother Jian. The Magens have worked with Dennis Rodman and professional wrestlers other than the Sheik -- who they share a proud family connection with.
"My dad and the Iron Sheik have been best friends since they lived in Iran. My dad [Bijan Magen] and the Sheik grew up in athletics together, and both left the country in the 1960s, losing touch. Our story kicks in 1983, when we were kids. We were watching TV, and all of a sudden we heard an Iranian man on screaming in Farsi. My mom, who was cooking food in the kitchen, headed over to the TV room and saw that it was my dad's friend -- and she couldn't believe he was on TV, swearing in Farsi."
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Shortly thereafter, Bijan and The Sheik reconnected -- and the wrestler became a regular featured guest in the ring and at the dinner table. Big John Studd, Nikolai Volkoff, Ricky Steamboat, Jake the Snake and others would sit down with the Magens, telling stories of the behind-the-scenes of the pro wrestling circuit. "Imagine your childhood heroes would come into your house -- it was really unique and crazy," Magen says. Eventually, in 1994, a call came into the Magen brothers to represent the Sheik -- taking over his business and his press appearances.
In closing, I asked Bijan (pictured below with his brother, Beyonce and the Sheik) of the Sheik's hate of Hulk Hogan, arguably one of the more popular wrestlers of the era:
"It really stems from the fact that back in that day, the Iron Sheik and Hulk Hogan had the most harsh [on-air] relationship -- and the Sheik took care of the hulk, but not vice-versa. Sheik could have broken Hulk's leg, could've made more money, but chose help Hogan over his own career -- Hulk never really paid the favor. He never really gave back. Hulk even had his own dressing room and was never really part of the boys. He didn't travel with them, didn't go on a road -- they didn't hang out together. He'd go home in a limousine when the rest of the wrestlers were hanging out together, having a beer. It was a brotherhood."
Colt Cabana, professional wrestler, owner of the Art of Wrestling Podcast and curator of pro wrestling history, interviewed the Sheik in 2011 and had this to say:
"Honestly, The Iron Sheik to me came off as the nicest Iranian Grandpa ever. He seems so kind and generous to the people that are good to him. I guess, the people that are "bad" to him are the ones that seem to get the verbal lashing that he dishes out so famously. To me he's an inspiration where he's kinda carved out this great comedy niche for himself to people outside the world of pro wrestling. I think he's done it in a different way than I'd like to, but he's done it nonetheless ... I almost want to look at him as this fictional character even though he's right in front of me having a real life conversation. It's important to know though, that every human has real feelings and emotions and Iron Sheik does too. Maybe some of it's just an act. He has been a performer his whole life."
Ultimately, the consistent theme of The Sheik's existence has become one of targeted brutality juxtaposed with a deep paternal care for those close to him and the things he loves. "Sheikie love the music that make me happy when I eat the kebob. I love the old generation -- the Frank Sinatra, Bob Marley -- he legend. The new generation? I respect the Jay Z, the Kanye West, the Black Key and the Black Eye Pea." As he approaches subjects he detests, he gets frustrated, the words coming out in a torrent of anger and spit. "I humble the Spice girl! And The Lady Gaga Mickey Mouse."
When asked where he spends his semi-retirement, the Sheik echoes a deep love of the nation that took him in: "USA greatest country in world. Sheikie -- baby live in the America. I live in Atlanta, the LA and the New York City -- greatest city in the world. I never respect the Tom Brady wife -- she don't know how to make him happy after he lose Super Bowl."
Each answer dangles with a seemingly irrelevant statement -- ones that the Sheik peppers each answer to my question with. Another ends simply with "If I see the … Hulk Hogan or the Donald Trump, I break their back -- make them humble."
For all of the chaos of his speech, there lies a subtle logic. He has his themes. He has his timing. He understands, consumes and comments on the news. Within his irreverence lies the passion to be an entertainer, to make people laugh with or without a love for pro wrestling. He has harnessed Twitter to create his own ring to return to -- a misfit champion of a Tweet-landscape of self-promoters and retweet-beggars. Brusque, honest and brutal, the Sheik will live on where other wrestlers fall into bad habits they learned from their fame.
Magen teased a return to Howard Stern, and a media blitz for the Sheik like nothing we'd seen yet. When further pressed, Magen had nothing more to say, other than they were considering every form of media that the Sheik could operate within.
That led to the most important question of them all: Would the Sheik join Pinterest?
"I don't give a f— about the f—–g Pinterest. Have a good day."
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On August 29, 2009, a man of over 250 pounds with a thick, black mustache registered a Twitter handle. | 71.931034 | 0.862069 | 18.310345 | high | medium | extractive |
http://www.nydailynews.com/2.1353/unemployment-report-february-points-straight-month-200-000-jobs-created-article-1.1036017 | http://web.archive.org/web/20120312033432id_/http://www.nydailynews.com:80/2.1353/unemployment-report-february-points-straight-month-200-000-jobs-created-article-1.1036017 | Unemployment report for February 2012: 227,000 jobs created, unemployment rate holds at 8.3% | 20120312033432 | America's economy is slowly improving, but will it improve fast enough to reverse the effects of the recession?
The U.S. economy is in comeback mode.
Continuing a three month winning streak, the country added 227,000 jobs in February, the Labor Department said, providing another sign that the economy is finally on the mend and a boost for President Obama.
It marked the third month in a row that the country added more than 200,000 nonfarm jobs.
The unemployment rate remained at 8.3%, the same as it was in January but down significantly from the 9.1% level reached in August.
“It’s a great report,” said Robert Brusca, chief economist at Fact and Opinion Economics. “This month, just about every moving part is moving in the same direction and that is up.”
Even though the unemployment rate did not go down, it was still taken as solid news. Many unemployed workers, encouraged by the improving economy, got off their couches and started to look for work again.
“Job gains continued to increase, but workers reentering the workforce cancelled out that effect,” said Sean Incremona, senior economist at 4Cast.
The report helped lift the Dow, which was up nearly 37 points in midday trading to 12,944.
The positive jobs report adds fuel to President Obama’s reelection campaign as he makes the case that his strategy to boost the economy is bearing fruit.
“This is definitely a pro—Obama report,” Brusca said.
With jobs on the mend, the chances that the Federal Reserve will provide more stimulus to juice up the economy are dwindling.
The report also showed that job growth in December and January were better than first reported, with the economy adding 61,000 more jobs. That brings the average growth rate for the past three months to 245,000.
The private sector was the engine of growth in February, adding 233,000 jobs. But government employment fell by 6,000.
Even so, economists cautioned that the unemployment rate remains very high and the recovery may not be broad based enough.
“We would like to see more broad based participation,” Incremona said. “Job growth is being led by certain sectors. We saw a big boost in temporary workers, health care and food workers but it was weaker in retail.” | Employers likely added 227,000 jobs and the unemployment rate held at 8.3% in February. | 28.125 | 0.8125 | 1.9375 | medium | medium | mixed |
http://www.economist.com/blogs/analects/2012/03/national-peoples-congress-0 | http://web.archive.org/web/20120315080851id_/http://www.economist.com/blogs/analects/2012/03/national-peoples-congress-0 | The National People's Congress | 20120315080851 | Mar 14th 2012, 9:55 by T.P. | BEIJING
WEN JIABAO still has a year left in his ten-year term as prime minister, in which to put the final touches on his legacy. But on Wednesday he performed for the final time one of the job’s most high-profile tasks—the protracted press conference that traditionally follows the close of the annual session of the National People’s Congress (NPC), China’s rubber-stamp parliament.
For a full three hours, Mr Wen sat before hundreds of foreign and domestic reporters gathered in Beijing’s Great Hall of the People, as well as before a live national television audience. In reply to a series of relatively provocative questions, he provided lengthy, detailed and even interesting (if unsurprising) answers, full of numbered bullet points and relevant data. Such topics included: trade friction with America, the appropriate valuation of China’s currency, targets for economic growth, local governments’ debt loads and spending on social welfare.
In response to other sorts of questions, Mr Wen was vaguer but no less interesting. He took several opportunities to highlight the importance of political reform, even warning at one point that disastrous excesses of the sort that tore China apart during the Cultural Revolution “could yet happen again”.
Many observers have become sceptical of Mr Wen’s commitment to political reform. For years he and his closest comrades have trumpeted the importance of reform at every opportunity. Their critics complain that these high-minded declarations might be more convincing if there was any progress to show for Mr Wen’s nine years as head of government. Simply citing his previous remarks doesn’t count.
There are reasons to wonder whether “Grandpa Wen”, as he is called with affection, for his avuncular manner and displays of concern for the common people, has been trying to do better than pay lip service to the cause of reform.
Late in the summer of 2010, he made a series of remarks—in an interview with a foreign journalist and in speeches to Chinese audiences—that made surprisingly bold reference not only to the importance of political reform but also to “some opposition” to reform within the ruling Communist Party. Though Grandpa Wen holds a position near the very top of China’s government, his remarks were treated as if they were so much rambling from a disaffected blogger. They were by and large scrubbed from China’s state-run media.
Politics within the elite are so opaque that it is difficult to know whether the sceptics are right about Mr Wen’s commitment to reform, or whether he is a lonely liberal struggling not to be sidelined. But during his three hours on live television, Mr Wen returned to the subject of political reform several times over, in his characteristic, slow and even diction.
A Singaporean journalist asked him directly about his interest in reform, and about the difficulties he faced in promoting it. Since January, the government’s press handlers had been hard at work polling foreign reporters on what questions they might wish to ask, tweaking their proposals and finally deciding which reporters would be called. (“Press conference” might not be the right term; certainly spontaneity is not the priority.) The Singaporean’s question should not, then, have been anything that Mr Wen did not expect or indeed welcome.
In his response, he warned that the Cultural Revolution’s mistaken thinking has not been eradicated entirely, and that in order to solve its problems China needs more than economic reform alone. “Political reform, especially reform of the Party and the state’s leadership system” is still needed. Failing that, he said, “the results we achieved may be lost”.
He returned to these themes in answers to other questions, calling for the popular elections that are now held at the village level to be pushed further up the political structure. This was once a popular talking point among Chinese leaders, but in recent years it has not been emphasised. Mr Wen however said that if the masses are able to manage their affairs at the village level, they could gradually succeed in doing so at the township level, and then the county level.
Asked about a recent episode in which a senior official in the city government of Chongqing, Wang Lijun, spent a full day at an American consulate in an apparent attempt to seek asylum, Mr Wen took a clear swipe at Mr Wang’s superior. Chongqing’s top leader, Bo Xilai, had been widely regarded as a top candidate for a post on China’s top decision making body, the Politburo’s Standing Committee. Chongqing’s leadership, Mr Wen said, needed to “reflect seriously” and “learn lessons” from the incident.
One of Mr Bo’s well-known initiatives has been a “red culture” campaign that promotes the singing of old Cultural Revolution songs, and a return to some of the ideals of that era. Mr Wen spoke further about the mistakes of the Cultural Revolution in response to the Chongqing situation, leaving little doubt that Mr Bo was one target of his remarks. But his response also veered once more towards the importance of reform generally. Mr Bo may not have been the only target. | WEN JIABAO still has a year left in his ten-year term as prime minister, in which to put the final touches on his legacy. | 35.892857 | 1 | 28 | high | high | extractive |
http://www.cbsnews.com/1606-500251_162-7402225.html | http://web.archive.org/web/20120316083931id_/http://www.cbsnews.com/1606-500251_162-7402225.html | Evening News Online, 03.15.12 | 20120316083931 | Thursday: Brussels-based SWIFT, the spinal cord of the global financial system, is planning on cutting off some 30 sanctioned Iranian banks and subsidiaries at noon Saturday; Also, a dispute between Texas and the federal government could leave thousands of poor women without health services; And, Jim Axelrod reports on how a frat house experiment turned into a profitable company. | Thursday: Brussels-based SWIFT, the spinal cord of the global financial system, is planning on cutting off some 30 sanctioned Iranian banks and subsidiaries at noon Saturday; Also, a dispute between Texas and the federal government could leave thousands of poor women without health services; And, Jim Axelrod reports on how a frat house experiment turned into a profitable company. | 1 | 1 | 69 | low | high | extractive |
http://www.reuters.com/article/2008/07/11/us-olympics-dogmeat-idUSPEK9160620080711 | http://web.archive.org/web/20120420112440id_/http://www.reuters.com/article/2008/07/11/us-olympics-dogmeat-idUSPEK9160620080711 | Beijing takes dog off the menu for Olympics | 20120420112440 | BEIJING | Fri Jul 11, 2008 12:57am EDT
BEIJING (Reuters) - Beijing has asked hotels and restaurants in the city to take dog meat off the menu for the duration of next month's Olympics and September's Paralympics.
Dog is eaten not only by the large Korean community in China's capital but is also popular in Yunnan and Guizhou restaurants.
A directive from the Beijing Food Safety Office issued last month ordered Olympic contractor hotels not to provide any dishes made with dog meat and said any canine material used in traditional medicated diets must be clearly labeled.
Concerned that canine dishes might offend animal rights groups and Western visitors, Beijing said restaurants expected to be popular among foreign visitors must stop serving dog meat "to respect the dining customs of different countries".
The directive "advocated" that all restaurants serving dog suspend it during the Olympics but made no mention of the many popular establishments with donkey on the menu.
Criticism from Westerners caused the dog meat-loving South Koreans to ban canine dishes for a period of time during the 1988 Seoul Olympics.
(Reporting by Liu Zhen; Editing by Nick Mulvenney and Jeremy Laurence)
(For more stories visit our multimedia website "Road to Beijing" here; and see our blog at blogs.reuters.com/china) | BEIJING (Reuters) - Beijing has asked hotels and restaurants in the city to take dog meat off the menu for the duration of next month's Olympics and September's Paralympics.Dog is eaten not only by the | 5.97561 | 1 | 29.390244 | low | high | extractive |
http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2010/06/21/botox-babies-heidi-montag-kim-kardashian/ | http://web.archive.org/web/20120502005258id_/http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2010/06/21/botox-babies-heidi-montag-kim-kardashian/ | Botox Babies: Stars as Young as 17 Getting Their Faces Frozen | 20120502005258 | The pressure to look young in Hollywood is intense, even when you're actually young.
In May Kim Kardashian nonchalantly told Nightline she hadn't had any plastic surgery done, but admitted that of course she had used Botox.
In January, reality television star and aspiring actress Heidi Montag, 23, was on the cover of People magazine touting the 10 cosmetic procedures she received in one day, including Botox injections.
Other young actresses who have been rumored to have gotten injections include Megan Fox, 24, Lindsay Lohan, 23, Hilary Duff, 22 and Jessica Simpson, 29.
More and more starlets are feeling the need to start getting Botox injections before their thirtieth, and even twentieth, birthdays to compete with the constant influx of baby-faced newcomers. But of course, no one wants to admit it.
"I don't know why they don't just say they do it, because everyone else does it too. I see maybe four or five well-known actresses a week who insist on coming through the back door because they don't want anyone to see them. And half of those are under 30," says Los Angeles-based cosmetic dermatologist Dr. Simon Ourian, M.D. His youngest Botox injectee? A 17-year old model.
"I think a lot of women feel the pressure to look younger and be at their best. When the rest of the population seems to be younger then you have no choice but to compete," he told FOX411.com.
Botox is a toxin that when used in small doses attaches to nerve endings to prevent the release of neurotransmitters that cause muscle movements. According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, more than 2.5 million Botox injections were performed in 2009.
There are no significant dangers to starting Botox as a teenager, but starting the injections too early could lead to the treatments not working later in life when these actresses might want to start hiding some more serious wrinkles.
“No long term side effects have been reported. Some studies show that some people develop immunity to it though," explains celebrity plastic surgeon Dr. Michael Fiorello. "Over time Botox doesn’t work as well as it does in the beginning, so after a long time of getting the injections, its doesn’t have the same effect as it did in the beginning."
And casting agents are seeing so many paralyzed pouts that some say they're now specifically seeking out young women who haven't had an abundance of procedures done.
"We want to cast beautiful women. If Botox does that, then good for them. But if I can tell straightaway that an actress has had excessive amounts of Botox treatments, then I will probably move onto the next woman," one casting agent explained. "I don't want to use an actress who doesn't look like a real woman."
Some young women are getting treatments done because of their hard-partying lifestyles.
"If someone told these girls to just get back to basics, don't stay out partying all night, don't drink, don't smoke, and don't do drugs, then they wouldn't need these quick fixes for their face," said casting agent Toni Cusumano.
And it isn't just casting agents who are turning against these Botox babies, its also the fans who see their movies, watch their television shows and buy their products. America wants to see women who are beautiful, but who also have an attainable beauty, explains Cult of Celebrity author Cooper Lawrence.
"These women are not relatable because most Americans at that age are not as vain as New York and Los Angeles twentysomethings are," said Lawrence. "When a twentysomething talks about plastic surgery or Botox, most Americans either roll their eyes or feel pity for the girl for having such low self-esteem. It isn't age appropriate." | Stars as Young as 17 Getting Their Faces Frozen | 83.333333 | 0.555556 | 0.555556 | high | low | abstractive |
http://www.people.com/people/article/0%2C%2C20282283%2C00.html | http://web.archive.org/web/20120515191035id_/http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20282283,00.html | Denzel Washington: John Travolta Struggling Over Son's Death | 20120515191035 | Denzel Washington and John Travolta
Just over two weeks ago,
spoke on the phone with John Travolta – though it was Travolta, grieving over the
of his son, who did most of the talking.
"Needless to say, he's struggling," Washington, who stars opposite Travolta in
, said at a press conference for the film on Friday. "So more than talking to him, I listened to him, for about two or three hours."
Travolta's healing process is "going to take time," Washington says. "What can you say, really? Just be there as a friend, because he's such a sweet, sweet person. Our prayers are with he and his wife."
Jett Travolta, 16, died unexpectedly in the Bahamas while the family was vacation in January, reportedly due to a seizure.
Washington says his wife Pauletta was closer with Travolta and his wife Kelly Preston prior to their teaming on
in 2008, but, "I know him pretty good now, I think." Their characters interact primarily through electronic communication, but both actors were on set for each other's scenes.
While developing their rapport then, Washington says his phone conversations with Travolta were very different. "We would sing songs, [be] telling jokes and singing Broadway tunes and all kinds of stuff." | Speaking with Travolta for hours recently, Washington says the healing "is going to take time" | 14.833333 | 0.888889 | 2 | low | medium | mixed |
http://www.bostonglobe.com/business/2012/06/29/world-markets-surge-after-europe-finds-rescue-plan/80ocBR0bbDCf1j3mCHm7vO/story.html | http://web.archive.org/web/20120708033050id_/http://www.bostonglobe.com:80/business/2012/06/29/world-markets-surge-after-europe-finds-rescue-plan/80ocBR0bbDCf1j3mCHm7vO/story.html | World markets surge after Europe finds rescue plan | 20120708033050 | Global markets stormed higher after European leaders formed a plan to rescue banks, relieve debt-burdened governments, and restore investor confidence. Oil prices jumped along with other commodities — signs that a deal in Europe might remove a barrier to a healthier world economy. US industrial and information tech stocks also rose. | Financial markets around the world stormed higher Friday after European leaders came up with a breakthrough plan to rescue banks, relieve debt-burdened governments and restore investor confidence | 1.933333 | 0.766667 | 4.433333 | low | low | mixed |
http://www.nytimes.com/1982/05/20/us/doctor-admits-filing-false-data-and-is-barred-from-us-support.html | http://web.archive.org/web/20120903022829id_/http://www.nytimes.com:80/1982/05/20/us/doctor-admits-filing-false-data-and-is-barred-from-us-support.html | DOCTOR ADMITS FILING FALSE DATA AND IS BARRED FROM U.S. SUPPORT | 20120903022829 | WASHINGTON, May 19— The Government took steps today to prevent a cancer researcher from getting Federal funds or using experimental drugs after he admitted submitting false data.
The Health and Human Services Department's action against Dr. Marc J. Straus was the first use of 1980 regulations on cutting off Federal funds.
Dr. Straus signed an agreement, the department said, ''in which he conceded that serious deficiencies occurred in studies he supervised between 1976 and 1978 at Boston University Medical Center.''
Dr. Straus admitted the false reports, as well as using ineligible patients, giving dosages different from those in his plan and not assuring compliance with informed consent rules, the department added. Study Sponsored by U.S. Institute
Dr. Straus, 38 years old, used experimental cancer drugs under the sponsorship of the National Institutes of Health in a study for the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group. Two years later, having resigned because of the charges raised against him, he received another $910,000 Federal cancer grant.
The action was intended to prevent him from getting financial support from the department or access to experimental drugs controlled by the food and drug agency. Officials said that no criminal prosecution was planned.
While at Boston University, Dr. Straus devised a plan for chemotherapy that he asserted had led to remission in 93 percent of patients with a form of lung cancer so virulent that it kills within three months of diagnosis. The disease is small cell lung cancer.
Five members of his staff said treatment reports contained false data; they said birth dates were changed and some of the treatments and laboratory studies reported had not been done. They also said a tumor had been invented in a patient who had none. Left Boston U. Faculty
Dr. Straus, insisting at the time that he was a victim of staff conspiracy, resigned from Boston University on June 30, 1978. In March 1980, the National Cancer Institute approved a $910,000 grant for Dr. Straus, who had since been hired by the Westchester County Medical Center and New York Medical College in Valhalla, N.Y. Dr. Straus has resigned from the medical college, according to Storm Whaley, a spokesman for the cancer institute.
Last year, the President's Commission for the Study of Ethical Problems in Medicine cited the Straus case in a report critical of lax supervision of cancer research.
The commission asserted that when Boston University informed the cancer institute of the charges against Dr. Straus, the institute said that it ''cannot intervene in the internal affairs of institutions, or pass judgment on individuals, in situations in which we are not directly involved,'' the report said. Later, the Government pursued its own investigation. | The Government took steps today to prevent a cancer researcher from getting Federal funds or using experimental drugs after he admitted submitting false data. The Health and Human Services Department's action against Dr. Marc J. Straus was the first use of 1980 regulations on cutting off Federal funds. Dr. Straus signed an agreement, the department said, ''in which he conceded that serious deficiencies occurred in studies he supervised between 1976 and 1978 at Boston University Medical Center.'' | 5.772727 | 0.977273 | 28.704545 | low | high | extractive |
http://www.nytimes.com/1981/12/31/books/books-of-the-times-155495.html | http://web.archive.org/web/20121019070430id_/http://www.nytimes.com/1981/12/31/books/books-of-the-times-155495.html | BOOKS OF THE TIMES | 20121019070430 | By John Leonard SICILIAN LIVES. By Danilo Dolci. Trans- lated from the Italian by Justin Vitiello and Madeline Polidoro. Foreword by John Berger. 304 pages. Pantheon. Hard cover, $16.50; paper, $6.95.
SEVERAL months before he was shot to death, Mohandas K. Gandhi asked, ''Is it the kindness of God or His irony that the flames do not consume me?'' It is a wonder that Danilo Dolci, who is often called Sicily's Gandhi, has not been shot. Almost everybody else who tried to help Sicilian workers and peasants out of poverty and brutishness has been shot, usually by the Mafia, while the church nods and the police wink. Why not Mr. Dolci, a troublemaker of the first order and not even a Sicilian to begin with?
He was an architecture student on the mainland. Experiencing a discrepancy between Bach in the concert hall and misery on the street, he joined a Christian commune in Tuscany; instead of taking a degree, he took care of war orphans and cleaned latrines. In 1952 he went to Trappeto, a fishing village in western Sicily. He has been there ever since, teaching school, organizing peasant and artisan cooperatives, agitating for bridges and dams and leading sit-ins and fasts and ''strikes-in-reverse.'' (A strike-in-reverse occurs when the unemployed, to dramatize their joblessness, begin public works without state authorization.) Studs Terkel of Sicily
Mr. Dolci also listens, which is why he is called the Oscar Lewis and Studs Terkel of Sicily. For 30 years, he has written down what he hears and read it back to the teller. A story - a connection - is made; lives are rescued from silence. This isn't casual anthropology; it is documentation for what he rather unfortunately characterizes as ''our growth process of conscientizing.'' Before they can learn to trust one another, members of the Sicilian underclass must learn to credit their own experience. Before Mr. Dolci or anyone else can teach the children, the parents must agree on what is to be taught and how. Before there can be a trade union or a wine-producing collective, history must be recovered and the name of the enemy articulated. ''Sicilian Lives'' consists of several dozen, among thousands, of such articulations.
The Marxist art critic and novelist John Berger bullies us in his foreword. Because we are likely to be Westerners steeped in the sin of abstract thinking, we are told in advance that we won't understand what the Sicilians are saying, the tragedy of their oppression, their lust for revenge. Many Sicilians themselves apparently fail to grasp the dialectical imperative implicit in their recollections; only Mr. Berger knows for sure. Mr. Berger once wrote a novel, ''Pig Earth,'' along these abstract lines; it was as tedious as this foreword.
Mr. Dolci bullies, too. He will not permit us to enjoy his stories. They are ''much too expressive, too perfect, to allow for estheticizing.'' I find these strictures pointlessly severe. We listen and read for many reasons, and hear many things at once - wretchedness, dazzling intuition, cowardice, love, superstition, beauty, greed, transcendence and waste. Above all, waste. We can even figure out how Mr. Dolci must have prompted the speaker and shaped the speech, helping perfection along. Neither he nor Mr. Berger, however, owns Rosaria's story or Grandma Medda's or Uncle Felice's.
Listen, then, to fishermen, shepherds, priests, street cleaners, fixers of soccer games, wardens, healers, masons, ragpickers, aristocrats, cardsharps, politicians, pickpockets, tenant farmers, barbers, fascists and robbers of tombs. Play canasta or Ziganet. Hunt snails, skin frogs and collect lead left over from target practice by the police. Desert the army, talk to goats, find yourself dead and dumped in a ditch because you thought they were serious about land reform. Fish for eels with a kitchen fork.
According to Vincenzo: ''If there's no work you eat grass. You do anything if you're starving. You can't see anymore through your eyes.'' Vincenzo also tells us, ''Once somebody threw a handful of confetti at me and I bit off his finger.'' According to Bastiano: ''The kids look like little old men. Weather-beaten, downtrodden, hunched over from all the work. You can't tell if they're old men, kids or dwarfs.'' According to Grandma Medda: ''If your man's sick you say, 'Save my husband. Take one of my children.' '' And if he is really sick, you pray, ''Madonna, I lick your floor.'' Which is exactly, Mr. Dolci suggests, what a woman must do - go to the church and lick the floor. Talking With Hands
Sariddu goes into the army and can't talk to his lieutenant because he must stand at attention: ''I just had to use my hands. You can't communicate without them. How can you stand there like a poker and talk to people? Your mouth means nothing without your hands.'' A friend of Placido contemplates the murder of a leader and the silence of those who followed him: ''Whoever serves the people, feeds pigs.'' A priest explains that the church teaches ''that damage to property is a mortal sin.'' A criminal thinks aloud about the stars: ''There must be smoke with all that fire.'' And ''at daybreak, they disappear. Like cows they go into their barn.''
And so on, unto heartbreak, on an island the size of Switzerland populated by a million more people than live today in Norway. Only the grave robbers know anything of Sicily's ancient history; only Mr. Dolci seems unbroken, nonviolent, among the children, listening, an architect of muscle and tongue. We ought to be grateful. What is it that he knows? He knows, I think, a great and simple truth put into words by the French economist and mathematician Antoine Augustin Cournot:
''The fact that we repeatedly fail in some venture merely because of chance is perhaps the best proof that chance is not the cause of our failure.''
Illustrations: photo of Danilo Dolci | By John Leonard SICILIAN LIVES. By Danilo Dolci. Trans- lated from the Italian by Justin Vitiello and Madeline Polidoro. Foreword by John Berger. 304 pages. Pantheon. Hard cover, $16.50; paper, $6.95. SEVERAL months before he was shot to death, Mohandas K. Gandhi asked, ''Is it the kindness of God or His irony that the flames do not consume me?'' It is a wonder that Danilo Dolci, who is often called Sicily's Gandhi, has not been shot. Almost everybody else who tried to help Sicilian workers and peasants out of poverty and brutishness has been shot, usually by the Mafia, while the church nods and the police wink. Why not Mr. Dolci, a troublemaker of the first order and not even a Sicilian to begin with? | 8.098039 | 0.993464 | 89.738562 | low | high | extractive |
http://www.bostonglobe.com/arts/music/2012/08/20/tanglewood-boston-pops-toasts-john-williams/exoHyPrefjHR9UzJIeC40L/story.html | http://web.archive.org/web/20121101213344id_/http://www.bostonglobe.com/arts/music/2012/08/20/tanglewood-boston-pops-toasts-john-williams/exoHyPrefjHR9UzJIeC40L/story.html | Boston Pops toasts John Williams at 80 | 20121101213344 | Tanglewood conjured up some Hollywood high gloss this weekend as some 18,000 listeners streamed onto festival grounds Saturday night for an 80th birthday tribute to John Williams. It was one part confetti-strewn spectacle, one part multi-genre musical survey, and one part lavish homage to the man whose music has defined for so many listeners the glittering ideal of the romantic film score.
To see the full article, please sign up or log in. | Tanglewood conjured up some Hollywood high-gloss this weekend as some 18,000 listeners streamed onto festival grounds Saturday night for an 80th birthday tribute to John Williams. It was one part confetti-strewn spectacle, one part multi-genre musical survey, and one part lavish homage to the man whose music has defined for so many listeners the glittering ideal of the romantic film score. | 1.183099 | 1 | 58.211268 | low | high | extractive |
http://www.nytimes.com/1865/07/31/news/wise-terry-letters-gov-wise-virginia-wants-reoccupy-his-old-home-gen-terry-says.html | http://web.archive.org/web/20121104215356id_/http://www.nytimes.com/1865/07/31/news/wise-terry-letters-gov-wise-virginia-wants-reoccupy-his-old-home-gen-terry-says.html | THE WISE AND TERRY LETTERS. | 20121104215356 | NORFOLK, VA., June 29, 1865.
To Col. Howard, Commanding, &c.:
COLONEL: On the 10th of April last I was surrendered with the Army of Northern Virginia, at Appomattox Court-house, Va., and in a day or two after received a printed parole, of which the following is a copy:
"APPOMATTOX C.H., VA., April 16, 1865.
The bearer, Brig.-Gen. HENRY A. WISE, P.A.C.S. of Virginia, a paroled prisoner of the Army of Northern Virginia, has permission to go to his home and there remain undisturbed.
And I was furnished, by command of Major General JOHN GIBBON, with "General Orders," of which the following is a copy:
HEADQUARTERS TWENTY-FOURTH ARMY CORPS, APPOMATTOX C.H., VA., April 11, 1865.
GENERAL ORDERS, No. 43. -- By agreement between the officers appointed by Gens. LEE and GRANT to carry out the stipulation of the surrender of the Army at Northern Virginia, the evidence that an officer or enlisted man is a paroled prisoner of war is the fact of his certifying to the fact, dated at Appomattox Court House, Va., April 10, 1865, and signed by his commanding officer, or the staff officer of the same. All guards, patrols, officers and soldiers of the United States forces will respect such certificates, allow free passage to the holders thereof, and observe in good faith the provisions of the surrender, that the holders shall remain unmolested in every respect.
By command of Maj.-Gen. JOHN GIBBON.
EDWARD MOALE, Lieut.-Col. and A.A.G.
That after leaving Appomatox Court-house and going to Halifax Court-house, and remaining there some time, I started for my home in Princess Anne County, Virginia, and on the 25th of May last reached Isle of Wight Court-house and reported to Capt. JAMES A. ALLIS, Captain of the Third New-York Cavalry, and Provost-Marshal, acting under orders of Col. GEORGE W. LEWIS; and I remained in Isle of Wight County until Wednesday, the 28th inst., when I reached Norfolk. I am now here desirous of going to my home, at a place called Rolliston, in Princess Anne County, within four miles by water and eight by land of Norfolk, situated on the right bank of the east branch of Elizabeth River, and "there to remain undisturbed and unmolested in every respect," according to agreement by which I was paroled as a prisoner of a war. But, upon proper inquiry and information, I find my home occupied by a considerable number of freedmen and others who hinder and disturb my possession, and molest the premises thereof, and I am unable to return thereto, and to take possession thereof by reason of their entry and occupation: and it is probably unsafe for me even to visit it and see it in person. I respectfully ask that negroes, or so-called freedmen, may be removed from the said place or plantation, called Rolliston; that General Orders No. 48 be carried into effect; and that I may be enabled, in accardance with my parole, to return to my home, and to remain there without disturbance or molestation in any respect.
Most respectfully, your obedient servant,
HEADQUARTERS SUB-DISTRICT OF NORFOLK, NORFOLK, Va., July 4, 1865.
Respectfully forwarded, at the request of Mr. WISE. Application disapproved. I see no reason why Mr. WISE should take possession of this house, now used by the Freedmen's Bureau, until he has been pardoned by the President; and even then it may be necessary for Mr. WISE to prove ownership, as his brother, probably, has a legal claim to it. O.L. MANN.
HEADQUARTERS N.C. DISTRICT, FORT MONROE, July 7, 1865.
HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF VIRGINIA, RICHMOND, Va., July 14, 1865.
Respectfully returned. The petitioner, HENRY A. WISE, abandoned the land and buildings known as Rolliston, Princess Anne County, Virginia, in 1861, and found a new home for his family, in order that he might to better advantage engage in rebellion and civil war.
The premises thus abandoned were duly taken possession of by the agents of the government, under the laws in such cases provided, and the application now under consideration is Mr. WISE's first attempt to return to his former home. When he left it, his purpose to return or animus revertendi, if he had any, was evidently conditioned upon his ability to conquer the United States, and forcibly dispossess their agents. He had chosen another home until he could accomplish that result. He has not succeeded. Though he wishes to go to his former home, he does not abandon his status as a "so-called" officer, but, in fact, makes his claim specially in that capacity, and as he does so, (neglecting to seek pardon and a restoration of right,) he must be treated as a rebel prisoner of war, with no rights that we are bound to respect, save those appertaining to a person in that condition, as they may be modified by the terms of the parole.
The quoted order of Major-Gen. GIBBON is only for the instruction of his own command, and has nothing to do with the question. | To Col. Howard, Commanding, COLONEL: On the 10th of April last I was surrendered with the Army of Northern Virginia, at Appomattox Court-house, Va., and in a day or two after received a printed parole, of which the following is a copy: | 19.333333 | 0.981481 | 40.092593 | medium | high | extractive |
http://www.bostonglobe.com/business/2012/10/31/vantiv-agrees-buy-lowell-commerce-firm-litle-for-million/sJKoctGQa4NHvuiWLATUrJ/story.html | http://web.archive.org/web/20121106100650id_/http://www.bostonglobe.com:80/business/2012/10/31/vantiv-agrees-buy-lowell-commerce-firm-litle-for-million/sJKoctGQa4NHvuiWLATUrJ/story.html | Vantiv agrees to buy Lowell e-commerce firm Litle & Co. for $361 million | 20121106100650 | Vantiv Inc., a Cincinnati-based provider of payment processing services for merchants and financial institutions, said Wednesday that it has agreed to buy Litle & Co. for $361 million as Vantiv looks to expand its e-commerce capabilities. Lowell-based Litle & Co. is an e-commerce payment processor for companies that sell goods and services to consumers over the Internet and through direct response marketing. Upon completion, Litle & Co. will become a subsidiary of Vantiv and maintain its location in Lowell.
To see the full article, please sign up or log in. | Vantiv Inc., a Cincinnati-based provider of payment processing services for merchants and financial institutions, said Wednesday that it has agreed to buy Litle & Co. for $361 million as Vantiv looks to expand its e-commerce capabilities. Lowell-based Litle & Co. is an e-commerce payment processor for companies that sell goods and services to consumers over the Internet and through direct response marketing. Upon completion, Litle & Co. will become a subsidiary of Vantiv and maintain its location in Lowell. | 1.125 | 0.979167 | 49.458333 | low | high | extractive |
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2012/09/baggage-fees-cost-passengers-a-record-1-7b/ | http://web.archive.org/web/20121118235331id_/http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2012/09/baggage-fees-cost-passengers-a-record-1-7b/ | Baggage Fees Cost Passengers a Record $1.7B | 20121118235331 | U.S. airlines rang up more than $1.7 billion in baggage fees in the first six months of the year, the most ever collected in that period.
Delta Airlines collected the most in baggage fees with nearly $430 million from January to June, according to a report the Bureau of Transportation released Tuesday. United Airlines came in second with $351 million in baggage fees.
From carry-on to oversized items, U.S. airliners are raking in record revenues, a rare bright spot in an industry now suffering turbulence from soaring oil prices and rising labor costs.
In 2007, the airlines paid an average of $2.09 a gallon for jet fuel. The next year, prices spiked 46 percent to $3.06. During the first seven months of this year, airlines have paid an average of $2.96 a gallon.
The hardest hit has been American Airlines, which filed bankruptcy protection in 2011. American is locked in a bitter labor dispute with pilots, which has contributed to delays, cancellations and fury among passengers. Earlier this month, American was forced to cancel 300 flights in one week.
But American’s $25 luggage fee has helped the ailing airline rake in more than $288 million so far this year, according to the Bureau of Transportation, which is part of the U.S. Department of Transportation.
“The travelers who haven’t gotten used to these fees need to get used to them quickly because this is a huge stream of revenue for the airline industry and it is not going anywhere,” says Genevieve Shaw Brown, ABC News’ travel and lifestyle editor. “If anything, there will be more fees in the future.”
While most passengers find baggage fees costly, there is one airline that is taking customer concerns to heart. Southwest Airlines is promoting its “bags fly free” policy as a way to gain business. Southwest will allow customers to check two bags per passenger for free. JetBlue allows one free bag per passenger.
U.S. airlines also collected an additional $1.3 billion in fees for canceling or changing a reservation during the first six months of the year, according to the Bureau of Transportation.
The Associated Press contributed to this report. | Mary Altaffer/AP U.S. airlines rang up more than $1.7 billion in baggage fees in the first six months of the year, the most ever collected in that period. Delta Airlines collected the most in baggage fees with nearly $430 million from January to June, according to a report the Bureau of Transportation released Tuesday. United Airlines came in second with $351 million in baggage fees. From carry-on to oversized items, U.S. airliners are raking in record revenues, a rare bright spot in an industry now suffering turbulence from soaring oil prices and rising labor costs. In 2007, the airlines paid… | 3.606838 | 0.957265 | 33.042735 | low | high | extractive |
http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Streets-short-trip-on-memory-lane-to-Skid-Row-3242337.php | http://web.archive.org/web/20121121205045id_/http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Streets-short-trip-on-memory-lane-to-Skid-Row-3242337.php | Streets short trip on memory lane to Skid Row | 20121121205045 | Nobody calls anything Skid Row anymore in San Francisco. Nobody gets called a wino.
Those terms belong back in another era, back before political correctness and a more sensitive understanding of poverty and dysfunction prevailed. Back in, say, 1956 - when Chronicle writer Art Hoppe revealed life in the city's most notorious pocket of poverty in a five-day, front-page series called "I Lived on SKID ROW."
This was four years before Hoppe started writing what would become one of the most beloved features of this newspaper, the humor column he wrote until his death from cancer in 2000. The series is a tad overheated by the writing standards of today - "I could not wash the stench out of my mind" was a typical line - but the compassion and completeness that lit up his columns later showed their early buds.
"Skid Row is another world - a world of crutches, of boarded-up stores, of broken clocks, peeling plaster, cracked windows and worn-out stairs," Hoppe wrote. "It is a world of flophouses, greasy hash joints and the battered inside of the patrol wagon.
"But above all, Skid Row is a world of sickness. The men I lived with were sick with the all-pervading sickness of alcoholism."
The row then was small, centered downtown just south of Market Street on Howard Street between Third and Fourth streets and more or less leaching into streets and alleys for a few blocks all around. It was where most of San Francisco's chronic street alcoholics hung out during the day, bought their cheap booze, panhandled and slept in flophouses or doorways.
The area was gentrified beginning in the 1970s with then-controversial urban renewal programs that tore down cheap housing. Today, the former Skid Row is dominated by the gleaming Moscone Convention Center on the south and the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, anchored by Metreon, on the north. The Museum of Modern Art and upscale restaurants dominate the surrounding area now.
Not much room anymore for the trappings of poverty.
San Francisco's modern version of Skid Row is scattered in several places in and near downtown, such as the Tenderloin or 16th and Mission streets, where it's as easy to score street heroin as it is to buy gum. These areas' denizens of despair are sometimes described as junkies or drunks.
But not winos. And not Skid Row.
Hoppe's week on the street in 1956 resulted in five days of tales about "winos" fetching meals at the Salvation Army, sprawling on the sidewalk, blowing their government welfare checks on cheap wine and enduring the occasional "grim night in the drunk tank." Characters included "Al, my wino friend who has been through AA (Alcoholics Anonymous) four times," and Shorty, whom Hoppe found "scooting up Howard, his legless body sweating in the hot sun as he pushed his old wheeled platform along with the help of a worn chunk of two-by-four in each hand."
The cultural beacon was Pete's Place, a liquor store at Third and Howard that sold jugs of wine for 40 cents. The Shelter, a flophouse of cots at Third and Natoma streets, charged 35 cents a night. Meals at ratty restaurants cost 25 cents.
Much of what Hoppe described - unsanitary misery, helplessness in the face of addiction, panhandling for change, passing out on the sidewalk, is as real among the homeless today as it was among the winos of then. The main things that changed are that crack, heroin and vodka have replaced wine as the chief substance of abuse, most men don't wear fedoras, and the geography has moved.
"Oh, yeah, this used to be a pretty seedy place," said Joe Curran, bartender at the chic Thirsty Bear brewery on Howard. "There used to be a trailer park and barbed-wire fences right near here, lots of alcoholics on the street. Jack Kerouac wrote about how he and Neal Cassady got wine here and got drunk."
Now the closest thing to a "wino" on the former Skid Row is the occasional homeless person hurrying through to more friendly environs.
Robert Adams was quickly pushing his fold-up shopping cart along Natoma one recent afternoon. The cart was filled with bottles and cans, which he said he would recycle to score some food. His eyes darted back and forth nervously.
"Nobody stays here, they have too many security guards and stuff," he said. "Not too friendly."
"I don't need to get abrasive with any of the homeless - I call them bums, not winos - because they know they shouldn't cause trouble here," said Richard Jensen, the beefy guard at the closest thing to edgy in the area, Howard Street's glitzy Gold Club stripper "gentleman's club," as the managers call it. "They know that that type of seedy thing doesn't seek the light and sound of a high-class place like this. This is not the area for them to do what they do."
Roy Gray, 70, remembers the old days. And still lives a slice of them now and then.
"There were homeless people everywhere here back then, it was real rough," he said as he panhandled at Fourth and Howard, toothlessness making his words jumble. "I was an alcoholic then - bleeding ulcers made me quit - and I tell you, that Pete's Place was all messed up. Fighting all the time, and the alcohol was no good. Tasted like lighter fluid.
"Ain't no big loss that it changed," he harrumphed. "Got a dollar?" | Back in, say, 1956 - when Chronicle writer Art Hoppe revealed life in the city's most notorious pocket of poverty in a five-day, front-page series called "I Lived on SKID ROW." The series is a tad overheated by the writing standards of today - "I could not wash the stench out of my mind" was a typical line - but the compassion and completeness that lit up his columns later showed their early buds. "Skid Row is another world - a world of crutches, of boarded-up stores, of broken clocks, peeling plaster, cracked windows and worn-out stairs," Hoppe wrote. San Francisco's modern version of Skid Row is scattered in several places in and near downtown, such as the Tenderloin or 16th and Mission streets, where it's as easy to score street heroin as it is to buy gum. Hoppe's week on the street in 1956 resulted in five days of tales about "winos" fetching meals at the Salvation Army, sprawling on the sidewalk, blowing their government welfare checks on cheap wine and enduring the occasional "grim night in the drunk tank." Characters included "Al, my wino friend who has been through AA (Alcoholics Anonymous) four times," and Shorty, whom Hoppe found "scooting up Howard, his legless body sweating in the hot sun as he pushed his old wheeled platform along with the help of a worn chunk of two-by-four in each hand." The main things that changed are that crack, heroin and vodka have replaced wine as the chief substance of abuse, most men don't wear fedoras, and the geography has moved. [...] the closest thing to a "wino" on the former Skid Row is the occasional homeless person hurrying through to more friendly environs. | 3.179487 | 0.88604 | 23.854701 | low | medium | extractive |
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