NEW YORK (AP) — NBC won't be missing any opportunity this week to promote the opening of NFL football's new season.
The "Today" show, the Weather Channel, Telemundo and E! Entertainment all are reporting live this week from Green Bay, where NBC is televising Thursday's opening game between the Packers and New Orleans Saints.
Jay Leno is promoting the start of NBC's football …
The Associated Press-GfK Poll on President Obama, the direction of the country and health care was conducted by GfK Roper Public Affairs & Media from March 3-8. It is based on landline and cell phone telephone interviews with a nationally representative random sample of 1,002 adults. Interviews were conducted with 702 respondents on landline telephones and 300 on cellular phones.
Digits in the phone numbers dialed were generated randomly to reach households with unlisted and listed landline and cell phone numbers.
Interviews were conducted in both English and Spanish.
As is done routinely in surveys, results were weighted, or adjusted, to …
LOS ANGELES VH1 is getting behind the music-and replacing a lot ofit with comedies and dramas.
The cable network announced it plans to debut a slate of originalprogramming over the next year that includes scripted series, realityshows and feature-length films.
"We tried really hard to make sure that all our new shows arefundamentally about music," said Lauren Zalaznick, head of originalprogramming at VH1.
Among the new …
METALS SURGE: Palladium for March delivery surged nearly 5 percent Wednesday to close at $612.60 an ounce. Copper for March delivery rose 18.5 cents to close at $3.5755 per pound. Copper is up 9.3 percent since Monday. Platinum for January delivery gained $20.10 to settle at $1,560.80 an ounce.
BANK PLAN: Traders …
Venus Williams needed three sets to win her opening match at the Italian Open on Monday, beating Lucie Safarova of the Czech Republic 6-2, 4-6, 6-2.
"I was OK with the match being a little longer," Williams said. "I just I want to hit balls. In a way it's not too bad to go three sets. "
She appeared to take control of the clay-court match in the first set, firing eight aces and as many winners in 28 minutes.
However, the American's service levels dropped and Safarova started playing her powerful groundstrokes deeper in the second set. Williams was broken in the third game and was unable to break back with Safarova serving out to …
-- In March this year, private equity fund Sequoia Capital Indiainvested Rs 25 crore in the Hyderabad-based K12 Techno Serviceswhich offers a range of services to schools. Earlier, in July lastyear, Sequoia, along with the Hyderabad-based SONG InvestmentAdvisors, had pumped Rs 75 crore into the same company.
-- Again in March, HDFC invested an undisclosed amount in KaizenPrivate Equity, the country's first education-focused PE fund. InFebruary, HDFC put another large, undisclosed amount into CareerLauncher, which runs the Indus World School chain.
-- Also in February, Tree House, which runs a chain of nurseryschools in Mumbai, filed IPO prospectus with SEBI …
DILI, East Timor - Nobel Peace Prize winner Jose Ramos-Horta was sworn in as East Timor's second president on Sunday, vowing to unite the desperately poor nation just over a year after violence brought down its first government.
Ramos-Horta was sworn in by Francisco "Lu-Olo" Guterres, the head of parliament whom he beat convincingly in elections earlier this month.
"I swear in the name of God and the people ... to consolidate freedom and national unity with all the energy that I have," Ramos-Horta said.
Campaigning in the tiny nation bordering Indonesia was largely peaceful and Ramos-Horta's decisive victory has led to hopes of an era of peace and stability …
Macedonian political parties have submitted dozens of formal complaints alleging irregularities during first-round presidential and local elections, authorities said Thursday.
The 76 complaints about "procedural irregularities" and the vote counting process were mainly about the local elections and will not affect the result of the first-round presidential ballot, election commission spokesman Zoran Tanevski said.
He said the commission was reviewing the complaints and would issue its ruling by Saturday.
The success of Macedonia's presidential and local election had been seen as crucial …
Time is getting short, but at last word these photo workshopsstill had a few openings: With the first one already filled, Layne Kennedy has added a secondphotography workshop this fall in northern Minnesota.
The participants will travel by canoe from Gunflint Lake intothe Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and spend three nights intents in addition to two nights at the Gunflint Lodge.
The Sept. 18-23 workshop is limited to eight photographers.Cost is $400.
For information, phone (800) 328-3325. Colonial Camera shop and Leica USA are co-sponsoring a photoworkshop in Door County, Wis., Aug. 31-Sept. 3. Participants willstay at the Landmark Resort in …
HAMPTON, Georgia (AP) — Qualifying results Saturday for Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup Emory Healthcare 500 at the 2.4-kilometer (1.5-mile) Atlanta Motor Speedway:
| (Car number in parentheses) |
|---|
1. (11) Denny Hamlin, Toyota
2. (39) Ryan Newman, Chevrolet
3. (18) Kyle Busch, Toyota
4. (99) Carl Edwards, Ford
5. (14) Tony Stewart, Chevrolet
6. (56) Martin Truex Jr., Toyota
7. (48) Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet
8. (42) Juan Pablo Montoya, Chevrolet
9. (6) David Ragan, Ford
10. (9) Kasey Kahne, Ford
11. (2) Kurt Busch, Dodge
12. (1) Jamie McMurray, Chevrolet
13. (00) David …
An Italian judge on Wednesday convicted 23 Americans of the 2003 kidnapping of an Egyptian cleric on a Milan street, in a landmark case involving the CIA's extraordinary rendition program in the war on terrorism.
Citing diplomatic immunity, Judge Oscar Magi told the Milan courtroom Wednesday that he was acquitting three other Americans.
Former Milan CIA station chief, Robert Seldon Lady, received the stiffest sentence, eight years in prison. The other 22 convicted American defendants each received a five-year sentence.
The Americans, all but one identified by prosecutors as CIA agents, were tried in absentia. Their lawyers entered innocent pleas on …
Teri J. Edelstein, director of the David and Alfred Smart Museumof Art at the University of Chicago, has been named deputy directorof the Art Institute of Chicago.
James N. Wood, director and president of the Art Institute,said, "She brings to the museum both a distinguished record ofacademic accomplishment and connoisseurship and a commitment toinnovative education and efficient administration."
Edelstein replaces Katharine C. Lee, who was appointed directorof the …
China's growth will slow to 7.5 percent next year _ the lowest rate since 1990 _ as the global financial crisis takes a greater toll on the world's fourth-largest economy, the World Bank said Tuesday.
The multilateral lender cut its forecast for 2009 growth from 9.2 percent but said Beijing's multibillion-dollar stimulus plan will help smooth the sharp edges of steep declines in global and domestic demand. It expects 9.4 percent growth this year.
China's downturn _ signs of which emerged in the third quarter _ will worsen in the first half of 2009 as exports weaken, World Bank economist Louis Kuijs said as the bank issued a quarterly economic report.
The country has been relatively unaffected by the global crisis so far because its banks are healthy and exports are strong but "we will see that impact intensify in 2009," Kuijs said.
Conditions should improve later in 2009 but any firm forecast was difficult amid the global turmoil, he said.
Beijing's stimulus plan announced Nov. 9 should help to shield China from the global downturn by buoying growth and employment, said the World Bank's China representative, David Dollar. The $586 billion plan calls for injecting money into the economy through spending on construction, tax cuts and aid to the poor and farmers.
"We are confident that China has the tools to keep its growth rate at a healthy level and most importantly to create about the number of jobs it needs," Dollar said.
Beijing announced the stimulus after China's growth slowed to 9 percent in the latest quarter from 11.9 percent last year. The unexpectedly sharp downturn alarmed communist leaders, who worry about job losses _ especially in export industries, which have been hit hard by weak global demand _ and possible unrest.
If China's growth next year falls to the World Bank's projected 7.5 percent, it would be the weakest since 1990's 3.8 percent rate and just below the 7.6 percent reported in 1999.
The World Bank forecast is in line with projections by investment banks, which have cut their China outlook several times as global conditions worsened.
Kuijs said Beijing has room to cut interest rates further and needs to take additional steps to stimulate growth as spending by consumers and companies weakens.
"We feel that confidence and fundamentals for the private sector have weakened quite a bit over the past half-year. We are less optimistic about private sector consumption than we were a half-year ago," he said.
Weaker export prospects and a sharp downturn in real estate sales have made private companies reluctant to expand and hire new workers, Kuijs said.
Dollar and Kuijs said Beijing's promise of more spending on social programs and aid to the poor countryside should help to boost growth. The stimulus is meant to boost consumer spending, but analysts say the key to doing that will be to ease the financial worries of Chinese families, which save heavily to pay for health, schooling and retirement.
"Our view is that additional money put into rural health and education and rural minimum income support program would be effective fiscal stimulus and would help to improve the quality of life in the countryside," Dollar said.
He also said Beijing is talking with the World Bank about providing financing for loans to other developing countries.
Dollar said the talks were at an early stage and he could not give any other details.
"The World Bank group is talking to China about ways in which it could contribute some additional financing to the World Bank group that would help developing countries. But that's at an early stage," he said. "It would involve China directly or indirectly lending money to other developing countries."
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and other leaders have appealed to Beijing to use part of its $1.9 trillion in reserves to help expand a loan fund for countries hurt by the financial crisis. China has promised to cooperate with international efforts but has yet to say whether it will offer financial help.
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On the Net:
World Bank: http://www.worldbank.org
SALARIES
ACCORDING TO the book, College Majors Handbook With Real Career Paths and Payoffs, by Neeta Fogg, Paul Harrington, and Thomas Harrington, the salaries of engineers are among the highest of all major fields of study. Here's how they stack up, based on mean annual earnings for graduates with bachelor's degrees:
OSLO, Norway - Bangladeshi economist Muhammad Yunus and his Grameen Bank were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday for pioneering the use of microcredit, the extension of small loans to benefit the rural poor.
An expert in process research and metrology, engineering thermoplastics, and environmental engineering, Subhas Sikdar has led the Sustainable Technology Division of EPA's National Risk Management Research Laboratory since 1995. Previously, he headed the Water and Hazardous Wastes Treatment Research Division of EPA's Risk Reduction Engineering Lab, where he was responsible for technologies to treat and dispose wastes, and for modifying processes to minimize them at the source.
Sikdar began his career at Occidental Research Corporation. He later held positions with General Electric, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, and founded Scientific Computing & Instruction, before joining EPA in 1990. Sikdar also served as an adjunct professor at the University of Cincinnati.
A member of AIChE's Research and New Technology Committee, Sikdar was also a member of its forerunner, the Research Committee, from 1989 to 1992. He was instrumental in the growth of the Institute's Separations Committee and has been a reviewer for the AIChE Journal.
Sikdar recently served as the Council for Chemical Research's steering committee representative for Technology Vision 2020: The US Chemical Industry.
The author of more than 50 papers and 16 patents, and editor of 6 books, Sikdar has earned patent awards from General Electric and Occidental, the R&D 100 Award in 1990 from R&D magazine, and an EPA Bronze Medal. He earned a BSc in chemistry, BTech in chemical engineering, and MTech in plastics technology from Calcutta University, and an MS and PhD in chemical engineering from the University of Arizona.
[Author Affiliation]
Subhas K. Sikdar
Director, Sustainable Technology
Division
National Risk Management Research Laboratory
US Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) Cincinnati, Ohio
Greg Maddux pitched an eight-hitter for his first complete gameof the season and Ryan Klesko hit his ninth home run to spark theAtlanta Braves to a 4-1 victory Monday against the visiting LosAngeles Dodgers.
Maddux (3-1) struck out seven and walked none en route to the71st complete game of his career. The Braves have won six of theirlast eight games after a 5-7 start.
Klesko, who is tied with Detroit Tigers slugger Cecil Fielderand Florida Marlins outfielder Gary Sheffield for the major-leaguelead in home runs, hit a 418-foot round-tripper in the fourth afteran RBI double by David Justice.Mets 5, Reds 1: Rookie Paul Wilson (1-1) shut down Cincinnati onthree hits in eight innings to earn his first major-league victory asNew York triumphed at Shea Stadium.Wilson, who was making only his fourth big-league start, struckout five and walked two before giving way to Doug Henry, who moppedup. He received offensive support from Jose Vizcaino, who hit atwo-run home run, and Lance Johnson, who banged out three hits andscored two runs.Before the game, the Reds placed outfielder Reggie Sanders onthe 15-day disabled list with a torn disc in his back. Sanders isexpected to be sidelined three to five weeks.Expos 8, Cardinals 0: Rheal Cormier pitched a three-hitter andHenry Rodriguez homered twice and drove in five runs to powerMontreal past visiting St. Louis for its fourth consecutive victory.Cormier (1-1) retired the first 12 men and yielded only singlesto John Mabry, Gary Gaetti and Royce Clayton. Rodriguez hit atwo-run home run in the third and a three-run blast in the seventh.He is 9-for-14 with four home runs and 10 RBI in his last five games.Astros 11, Giants 8: Rick Wilkins homered, doubled, singledtwice, scored three runs and drove in two as Houston took advantageof five errors - four of them by shortstop Shawon Dunston - tooutslug host San Francisco.Pirates 9, Phillies 3: Jacob Brumfield hit a two-run home runand drove in a career-high four runs to help visiting Pittsburghthrash Philadelphia and end a three-game losing streak.Padres 5, Marlins 3: Andy Ashby (3-0) pitched a seven-hitcomplete game and drove in the tiebreaking run with a sacrifice flyto boost San Diego past host Florida, which had its four-game winningstreak broken.
As a senior member of the Science Committee, and one of the founders of the House Innovation and Diversity Caucus, I am acutely aware of our nation's need to stay competitive in the global economy.
Yet, multiple indicators tell us that our nation is falling behind when it comes to world competitiveness in science, technology, engineering and math. I strongly believe this is because we are not developing all of our nation's human capital to the fullest extent possible. This challenge inspired my commitment to ensure that members of under-represented minorities have greater opportunities to enter - and succeed in - the science, technology, engineering and math (or STEM) fields.
Current workforce trends demonstrate that Blacks, Hispanics, Native. Americans and other minorities are not entering STEM fields at rates proportionate to their numbers in our population. Most recent NSF data reports that, of all scientists employed in this country, nearly 75 percent are white. A pitiful 3.5 percent of engineers are Black, and 3 percent are Hispanic. Despite all of the progress the United States has made in computing, technology and health science, we are still not developing the full pool of potential scientists, researchers and innovators!
Highlighting and addressing the need for diversity in the 21st Century workforce is a goal shared by my colleagues in the Congressional Black Caucus this session. With their support, Congress has initiated or enhanced several federal programs this year, designed to expand our nation's STEM talent pool.
Research shows that the pipeline to the STEM professions starts breaking down for minorities in the K-12 classroom. Research has shown that a well-trained teacher can make the difference between a student's success and failure in math and science.
Recognizing this, I co-sponsored legislation that seeks to create 10,000 new teachers able to touch 10 million young minds. This bill boosts incentives for college students to pursue math and science teaching degrees and later teach in underserved schools.
Ultimately, it aims to increase the number of highly qualified math and science teachers in schools which suffer from a shortage of well-prepared teachers. It also authorizes $1.5 billion for federal scholarships and continuing education programs for current math and science teachers.
Furthermore, my CBC colleagues and I championed legislation that increases the National Science Foundation's focus on diversity at the collegiate level. A bill recently passed by the House directs federal researchers to report on the participation of under-represented groups in science, math and technology fields. They must also offer an annual plan describing how federal funds will be used to encourage more women and minorities to pursue science careers.
This bill further provides special consideration for minority serving institutions and historically Black colleges and universities competing for grants. These colleges and universities produce an impressive number of minority scientists disproportionate to their level of resources. So it is imperative that we help support these institutions that help keep us competitive.
Finally, I have also worked through the Science Committee to craft measures that encourage and support new researchers. One act, passed in the House, creates a new grant program for scientists and engineers in the early phases of their careers. These new researchers are the pioneers who discover the new technologies that improve our economy and quality of life. The prospect of steady funding ensures that they will get to see their studies and research through to a successful completion.
By supporting such legislation and conducting outreach, my CBC colleagues and I are striving to make lasting and long-needed progress on this critical Innovation Agenda. In October, Congressman Al Green and I will bring education and technology leaders to my home district of Dallas. There, we will discuss the skills needed for everyone to contribute to and benefit from the innovation-based economy.
Whether investing in research for the future, offering scholarships to tomorrow's teachers or improving K-12 science and math education, we are continually seeking and finding ways to enhance this nation's ability to compete and innovate.
[Author Affiliation]
by Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-Texas)
Tenor Philip Webb made a surprise Metropolitan Opera debut Friday night, replacing an ailing Marcelo Alvarez as Manrico for the second half of Verdi's "Il Trovatore."
Webb, Alvarez's cover singer, had a pleasant sound and nice color but didn't have quite enough power at times for a hall the size of the Met. His voice was slightly constricted at the top of "Di quella pira," and the bearded tenor moved well despite being a bit burly. The crowd gave him a warm ovation during the curtain calls, and he visibly exhaled. Baritone Dmitri Hvorostovsky gave Webb a warm hug.
Webb grew up outside Kansas City, Mo., and was a church music minister when he entered a vocal competition in 1993. He won first prize, earning an opera seminar and master classes with bass Giorgio Tozzi. Webb had never seen a professional opera production at the time, according to his Web site.
He started studying with soprano/mezzo-soprano Margaret Harshaw later in 1993 and with tenor Carlo Bergonzi in 2001. According to his Web site, he has sung with several U.S. companies, including New York City Opera, Madison Opera, Sarasota Opera and Utah Opera.
Met spokesman Jonathan Tichler said Alvarez had felt too ill at intermission to continue the performance.
The rest of the cast remained the same as at the Feb. 16 premiere of the David McVicar production: soprano Sondra Radvanovsky (Leonora), mezzo-soprano Dolora Zajick (Azucena), Hvorostovsky (Count di Luna) and bass Kwangchul Youn (Ferrando), with Gianandrea Noseda conducting.
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On the Net:
The man overseeing the much-maligned response by BP PLC to the Gulf oil spill crisis is the likely choice to replace gaffe-prone Tony Hayward to run the company and would become the first American to ever head the oil giant.
A senior U.S. government official said Sunday that Hayward is on his way out but didn't know who would be his successor. The official was briefed on the decision last week and spoke on condition of anonymity because an announcement had not been made.
BP said Monday that "no final decision" had been made about management changes. The oil company said its board would meet Monday evening, a day before it announces earnings for the second quarter. Shares were up 2.2 percent at 407.6 pence ($6.31) in early trading in London.
One of the most likely replacements would be Bob Dudley, BP's managing director, who spent part of his boyhood in Mississippi and has been running the day-to-day oil response since June. He would be the first American to head BP PLC since it was founded as the Anglo-Persian Oil Co. in 1909, according to a spokesman.
In television interviews Monday, Rep. Edward Markey, D-Mass., who heads the subcommittee on energy and environment, welcomed news that Hayward might be replaced. But he expressed caution about Dudley, noting it was Dudley who said earlier this month that the oil well could possibly be fixed by July 27. Work on relief wells expected to permanently kill the well is not yet complete.
"I'm hopeful that Mr. Dudley will be more responsible, but a total change in the culture of this company is neccessary," Markey told CBS' "Early Show."
There also has been speculation that BP could tap Iain Conn, a Scot who runs BP's refining and marketing arm and also serves on BP's board of directors. BP's board would have to approve a change in company leadership.
To analysts and Gulf residents, it would be a welcome change for a company that has been criticized as being out of touch with the concerns of U.S. fishermen, tourists and residents affected by the catastrophe.
"He's a very good delegator," Oppenheimer & Co. senior analyst Fadel Gheit said of the 54-year-old Dudley.
It also helps that Dudley can identify with the people and the region.
Dudley spent time growing up in Hattiesburg, Miss., an easy drive from the coast. He spent two decades climbing the ranks at Amoco Corp., which merged with BP, and lost out to Hayward on the CEO's slot three years ago.
Dudley is viewed as more of a diplomat than Hayward, who angered U.S. lawmakers with his refusal to answer many of their questions during testimony in Washington on the spill. That was after infuriating scores of frustrated Gulf residents by infamously declaring "I'd like my life back," in May.
In his first week running the spill response, Dudley shuttled between the Gulf and Washington, defended BP engineers after a setback, toured a center where oil-covered turtles are treated and enlisted the help of a politically connected relief expert.
He also has held a nationally broadcast town-hall style meeting with Gulf residents and has been in daily contact with U.S. government officials.
BP has not confirmed that Hayward is being replaced. Early Sunday, company spokesman Toby Odone seemed to downplay media speculation about the departure, saying he "remains BP's chief executive, and he has the confidence of the board and senior management."
It's been more than three months since an offshore drilling rig operated by BP exploded off Louisiana on April 20, killing 11 workers and setting off the spill. A temporary plug has stopped oil from gushing for more than a week now, but before that the busted well had spewed anywhere from 94 million to 184 million gallons into the Gulf.
Since the explosion, Hayward has made several highly publicized gaffes. Among them: going to a yacht race while oil washed up on Gulf shores, and uttering the now-infamous: "I'd like my life back" line.
Gheit, the analyst, said it was too bad Hayward's career was derailed by the spill, but "unfortunately he became a sacrificial lamb in a politically charged world."
Dudley would be well-suited to take over, Gheit said, while noting that it is never an easy time to instill new leadership in a company.
"I'm not sure if removing Tony Hayward is going to throw BP's problems away," Gheit said.
New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu said BP's attitude about making things right is more important than who is running it.
"BP, from I think everybody's perspective, made a very bad mistake," he said. "I think what the world expects from BP is an acknowledgment that something was done wrong. I think BP has a long way to go to gain the trust of the people."
The company has already spent roughly $4 billion on its response to the crisis. The final tally could be in the tens of billions of dollars.
News that the CEO will depart came as no surprise to people living along the Gulf.
Patrick Shay, 43, sat on a porch swing of his cottage in Grand Isle on Sunday, his front yard filled with small, white crosses, each bearing the name of sealife or ways of life the oil spill has killed.
"He seems like a pretty self-absorbed person, so I'm not surprised to hear he would walk away in the middle of all this," he said. "If anything it will help. They need to get him out of the way and get this cleaned up."
David Duet, 62, of LaRose, La., filled his ice chest at the grocery store in Grand Isle, where he brings his camper every weekend despite the oil.
"I don't think he's directly responsible for the spill, but he still had to answer for it," said Duet, who worked on oil rigs for more than 22 years. "I can understand the time it took to cap it. I know how hard things are out there."
Crews trying to plug the leaky well for good had to stop work late last week because of the threat from Tropical Storm Bonnie, but the effort was back on track as skies cleared Sunday. A drill rig was expected to reconnect to the relief tunnel that will be used to pump in mud and cement to seal the well, and drilling could resume in the next few days.
Completion of the relief well that is the best chance to permanently stop the oil now looks possible by mid-August, but retired Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen, the government's point man for the spill, said he wouldn't hesitate to order another evacuation based on forecasts similar to the ones for Bonnie.
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Associated Press writers Tamara Lush, David Dishneau and Greg Bluestein in New Orleans, Mary Foster in Grand Isle, La., and Emily Fredrix in New York contributed to this report.
CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Conservationists and the Australian government said Thursday they were not satisfied with Japan's suspension of whaling in Antarctic waters and vowed to continue their separate campaigns to force a permanent end to the hunt.
On Wednesday, Japan's government announced it had suspended its annual whale hunt due to repeated harassment of its whalers by Sea Shepherd Conservation Society ships. It said the suspension began Feb. 10 and would last until conditions were deemed safe.
Australian Environment Minister Tony Burke said there were media reports that Japan was suspending whaling for the rest of the hunting season, which usually ends in late February or early March.
But he said that even if the reports were confirmed, "it is not time to celebrate until we get a decision from Japan that they are stopping whaling for good."
Australia will continue with its case brought last year before the International Court of Justice in the Hague that claims Japan is breaching its international obligations through the annual hunt, Burke told reporters.
Sea Shepherd founder Paul Watson said Japan had no choice but to suspend its hunt because the Sea Shepherd ship Bob Barker, which was tailing the Japanese ship Nisshin Maru, had made loading and processing whale carcasses "physically impossible."
"I think it is premature to see this as a victory for the whales yet," Watson said in statement. "What we do know is that the whalers will not be killing any whales for the next few weeks."
Sea Shepherd ships have been chasing the Japanese fleet for weeks in the icy seas, trying to prevent the whalers from filling their seasonal quota of 945 whales. The conservation group has waged it campaign of physical intervention against the whalers for seven years.
The whale hunts, which Japan says are for scientific purposes, are allowed by the International Whaling Commission as an exception to the 1986 ban, but opponents say they are a cover for commercial whaling because whale meat not used for study is sold for consumption in Japan.
Australia has declared the southern seas a whale sanctuary and has long lobbied for an end to whaling there.
A 37-year veteran of Dow Chemical Co. who spent 10 years as chieffinancial officer before being fired as a senior adviser denied thecompany's accusation that he was involved in a clandestine buyouteffort directed at the chemical giant.
"I categorically deny that I have been part of any secret effortto take over or acquire Dow Chemical," J. Pedro Reinhard said in awritten statement Monday. "It is regrettable that the company hasrushed to publicly condemn me in the face of my complete denial ofwrongdoing."
Andrew Liveris, Dow Chemical's chairman and chief executiveofficer, said Thursday that Reinhard, who retired as the Midland,Mich.-based company's CFO in October 2005, and Romeo Kreinberg, adivisional executive vice president, were dismissed with the boardof directors' approval.
They were accused of holding buyout talks without the board'sknowledge.
Reinhard still is involved with the company as a director becauseonly shareholders, not management, can remove a director from theboard, but a step was taken in that direction on Monday.
"Holiday Festival on Real Ice," now swirling around thefreshly glazed stage of Drury Lane South, recalls '70s-era Vegasvariety shows. But thrilling athletic feats and a contagiouslycharismatic cast make this ice extravaganza more than a kitschyexercise in nostalgia.
Featuring championship skaters, a versatile ensemble and vocalimpressionist Eddie Cash, the spectacle aims to entertain wildly withroutines devoted to Elvis, country music, Broadway, disco, Cirque duSoleil and, of course, Christmas.The performers' polished technique, sweeping artistry and cleanlines attest to their adaptability in a tiny arena where the skatersare only a few inches away from the audience.Their blades kick up ice into the first few rows, while pairsperform death-defying tosses almost right above the viewers' heads.Produced by John R. Lazzara and Richard Porter, "HolidayFestival on Real Ice" recalls (especially in its less-inspiredChristmas medley section) old-fashioned TV talent shows.Christian Conte, a U.S. Figure Skating gold medalist, dazzledwith an action-packed, lip-synched solo to "One for My Baby."Negotiating a treacherously shallow space, he executed a perfectseries of air-bound spread eagles, double axels and cyclone spinsbefore finishing with a back flip that stopped just short of anaudience member's lap.Offering a soft (and occasionally sassy) contrasting style,gold medalist Dawn Latona moved from a willowy, floating angel in"Memory" to a stylish cabaret high-kicker in "New York, New York."Successfully extending one leg over the back of her head whilespinning, Latona combined daring and elegance.The showiest act on the bill belongs to international goldmedalist adagio skaters Ron and Mandy Green. The husband-and-wifedaredevils thrilled the crowd with one-handed/no-handed lifts andspins, with Ron frequently catapulting Mandy into freewheelingsee-saw air turns.At one point, in a tribute to the late Princess Diana, set toElton John's remake of "Candle in the Wind," the double-jointed Mandyperformed multiple contortions in midair. They never threw away amove - both are as smoothly inventive as they are gasp-inducing.Lucia Mauro is a free-lance writer and critic.
LONDON (AP) — He broke the story that destroyed a 168-year-old newspaper, humiliated one of the world's most powerful media moguls and cast a spotlight on a phone hacking scandal that has embroiled politicians, police and journalists.
And he says there is more to come.
Guardian journalist Nick Davies spent years investigating phone hacking claims in the face of police indifference and ridicule from rivals.
"It's a great story about the abuse of power," Davies told The Associated Press. "That's what all journalists want to expose, isn't it? The abuse of power."
It all began in 2005, when the News of the World tabloid published a story about Prince William suffering a knee injury.
Royal household staff believed the paper, part of the Rupert Murdoch media empire, could only have known about the injury by listening to the prince's messages and asked police to investigate.
The inquiry led to two men working for the News of the World: Reporter Clive Goodman and private investigator Glenn Mulcaire, who were jailed in 2007 for eavesdropping on messages left on the cell phones of royal aides, including some from Prince William and his brother Harry.
The tabloid's editor, Andy Coulson, said he knew nothing about the men's actions but still resigned. Soon after, then-opposition leader David Cameron hired Coulson as his communications chief and kept him on when he became prime minister in May 2010.
Although interest faded in the story, Davies stayed on the trail.
Suspecting the practice of phone hacking was more widespread, Davies turned to sources he had cultivated during some 30 years at The Guardian.
The Guardian ran his piece in 2009. It revealed that Rupert Murdoch's papers had paid out more than $1.6 million (1 million pounds) to settle law suits involving allegations of hacking into phone messages, as well as illegally accessing tax records, social security files and bank statements of politicians, actors and sports stars.
Davies said police had evidence that thousands of people — from celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow and Sienna Miller to politicians including former Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott — had been targeted by private investigators working for Murdoch papers.
He said court papers showed a suit brought against the News of the World by Gordon Taylor, chief executive of the Professional Footballer's Association, was settled in exchange for a gag order preventing Taylor from talking about the case.
It wasn't until last week, however, that the scandal exploded with Davis' revelation that the News of the World had hacked into the phone of a 13-year-old murder victim, Milly Dowler, and may have impeded a police investigation into her 2002 disappearance by deleting some messages.
Until then, the public believed the phone hacking scandal only affected celebrities, sports stars, politicians and the royal family — powerful people who needed no help in battling the British tabloids. But the idea of reporters listening in to messages left for a murdered schoolgirl proved too much.
Cameron, who had once defended Coulson, was forced to distance himself from him. Murdoch's U.K. company, News International, shut down News of the World, saying the paper had become too toxic to survive. Police officers, too, offered up a series of apologies for not investigating earlier.
And on Wednesday, Murdoch withdrew his bid for control of satellite broadcasting behemoth British Sky Broadcasting after Cameron joined opposition parties in opposing the takeover.
"When I wrote the story about Milly Dowler, I sent an email to (my) editor saying I think this is the most powerful story so far. But I did not foresee the extent of the emotional impact," Davies told the AP.
"It was almost unreal to watch ... The prime minister, who had been so close to Murdoch and keen to defend the BSkyB and defend Coulson suddenly flipped his position."
Davies has also clashed with Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, whom he persuaded to work with The Guardian in releasing Wikileaks material.
The two men later fell out after Davies reported that Swedish police were investigating allegations that Assange sexually assaulted two women. Some of Assange's supporters criticized The Guardian for running the story against such a key source, but Davies says that's how journalists become corrupt — by staying away from stories about people they are close to.
Davies says his latest reports about the hacking scandal are only the beginning.
"There are still ways this story can expand its scope," he said. "The story may expand to other newspapers and other techniques for getting information. And it could well expand to other countries."
PARIS (AP) — Interpol issues red notices for arrest of Moammar Gadhafi, son Seif al-Islam and 1 other.
The situation
The 2004 financial statements of ABC Mortgage Corporation, a provincially regulated mortgage broker, came under the scrutiny of its provincial regulator late that same year. As the result of a subsequent investigation, ABC had to make various changes to its financial statements, and its auditors were reported to the PCEC.
ABC hired John* and his mid-sized firm as its new auditors for 2005. The 2005 audited financial statements were issued and filed with the regulator in due course.
While investigating the work done by ABC's previous auditors, the PCEC reviewed the company's 2005 financial statements and found enough cause for concern about disclosure that it decided to recommend a separate investigation-this one involving John.
What happened
In planning the 2005 audit, John had reviewed the correspondence between the regulator and ABC, which outlined the issues raised and the corrective action required.
It seemed the regulator was mainly concerned about investment guarantees. ABC had apparently been providing "handshake guarantees" to investors, assuring them-in contravention of securities legislation-that they would not lose money.
While ABC agreed to cease this practice immediately, there were still guarantees outstanding on existing mortgages during 2005. Moreover, there was no note disclosure in the 2005 financial statements concerning the contingencies that could arise as the result of any guarantees.
John told the PCEC he was not aware of any "written" guarantees between ABC and its investors and, therefore, did not believe note disclosure was necessary. The extent of his audit work in this area was to obtain management's representations that there were no outstanding claims or contingent liabilities.
The regulator's second major concern was that the company's 2004 financial statements reflected mortgages receivable and payable as assets and liabilities, respectively, of the company, when, in fact, title to both rested with ABC's lenders and borrowers. Moreover, without these assets and liabilities, ABC was offside on its working capital requirements in 2004, breaking a condition of its registration.
ABC's 2005 balance sheet properly excluded the mortgages receivable and payable. The comparative figures were also reclassified to conform to the current year's presentation. However, there was no note disclosure to describe the material error or to explain the effect of correcting this error on the current and prior-period financial statements, as required by CICA Handbook Section 1506.30.
John agreed with the PCEC that the change in accounting treatment constituted the correction of an error, but argued that specific note disclosure was not necessary because correcting this error had not had an impact on earnings, shareholder's equity, or retained earnings and, in his professional judgment, the only users of the financial statements were ABC and the regulator, both of which were already aware of the error.
The PCEC disagreed, stating that financial statements should be prepared in accordance with GAAP even when the number of users is limited, and that investors could very well be users of ABC's financial statements as well, given the company's practice of providing guarantees on its mortgages.
During the PCEC investigation into the 2004 audit, the former auditor said he had never been contacted to discuss the restatement of the financial statements. John told the PCEC he had left his predecessor a voice mail message. The PCEC determined that this was inadequate communication considering the material adjustment made to the client's accounts.
The outcome
The PCEC concluded that John had breached Rule 202 (Due Care) and Rule 206 (Compliance with Professional Standards), citing inadequate disclosure in the financial statements in two respects: the contingency note on the mortgage guarantees and the correction of an error note with regard to the elimination of material assets and liabilities. John had failed to recognize these departures from GAAP and had made no recommendations to his client-nor had he qualified his audit opinion.
In addition, the PCEC determined that John had breached Rule 201.1 (Maintenance of the Reputation of the Profession) in failing to properly consult with the former accountant. Note: It is professional courtesy to obtain full information from the previous accountant where such an error is found; readers can refer to Council Interpretation 201.1/5-8 for more on this issue.
John was given an anonymous reprimand and was required to pay a fine and the costs of the investigation.
The message
By taking on a new client that had just been investigated by its regulator, John had taken on a high audit risk-one to which he should have paid more heed. Furthermore, he should have known that limited users do not reduce the need for proper financial statement disclosure in an audit. His professional judgment had been lacking.
Comments or questions? Contact me at utley@ica.bc.ca.
[Sidebar]
Auditing in a regulated industry?
Carefully consider the regulator's concerns!
[Sidebar]
* Please note: This fictionalized account is based loosely on an actual case before the PCEC (Professional Conduct Enquiry Committee). Names and circumstances have been changed to preserve anonymity. The contents of this article are only intended for the general guidance of readers. The PCEC deals with each case individually, based on its specific facts and circumstances.
[Author Affiliation]
By Chris Utley, CA, Director of Ethics
Editorial
Mayor Richard M. Daley recently sent a strong message to Chicago parents that the city's curfew will be strictly enforced, and parents need to step up and make sure their children abide by the ordinance.
In taking the time to relate the tougher curfew standards, Daley was inadvertently sending the message that crime by teens only happens at night. We all know better. We have averaged nearly one shooting or act of extreme violence per month during school hours for the last few months - at least.
Did the mayor bother to report how many crimes are committed by folk 16 and younger after the 10:30 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. curfew hours?
Practically speaking, how many cops signed up for what amounts to truancy duty - find some young folk on the street later than they're supposed to be and ticket them. Are cops going to give chase to four young kids they see standing in front of a house at midnight on Cullerton Street, or a similar group on Colfax Avenue? Given that there will be one curfew car per police district according to the mayor's announcement, how many teen offenders can be reasonably pursued and apprehended?
The idea of enforcement causes one to wonder if the curfew crackdown will be enforced equally throughout the city or will it be selectively put in place?
Will police hours be better spent patrolling and possibly averting criminal activity as opposed to trolling for teens and giving them a ticket?
Daley also noted there are thousands of programs in parks, schools and libraries to keep our young people occupied. Undoubtedly, these are the same programs that failed to garner young folk's interest previously. So why hold them up now as some sort of recreational panacea?
Some of the mayor's suggestions for procurfew, anti-crime activities are laughable, such as a program for children entering kindergarten. Has the city experienced a rash of crime by toddlers after 10:30 on week nights? Chicago Housing Authority day camps and other summer camps don't address the issue of night time crime by teens, but he tossed those in the hopper.
It might seem like the tail wagging the dog, but city officials and anyone looking out for the best interest of teens should look to Detroit for help. Despite all of its ills, Detroit is where there is an innovative and effective initiative called Midnight Golf Program that is turning around the lives of young people.
The premise is yes, one can play golf at midnight if someone shines a light on the course. The MGP shines the light on the course of life for folk 17-22 years old.
The program takes young folk who are having problems in some aspect of their lives and provides them a plethora of life skills including financial literacy, social etiquette, preparing for college, public speaking, professional writing, life choices, dining etiquette, decision making, mamtaining physical fitness, career exploration, employability skills, conflict resolution and investment education.
MPG has been assisting young people with these skill sets for more than six years. If they can be successful with a volunteer board and no full time staff; imagine the impact Daley could have by re-dkecting some curfew dollars to a similar program. And yes, the young people do learn to golf.
The MPG is the kind of creative approach needed and can obviously benefit youngsters more than the threat of being on the clock for a ticket. There is nothing wrong with exposing teens to skills that can benefit them the rest of their Uves. The thought of a man or woman standing on the world stage and saying '20 years ago as a kid in Chicago, I was given an opportunity to develop skills that helped me be a success today' sounds a lot better than an adult explaining to friends on the corner how he or she beat the curfew system a couple of decades ago.
Daley and his curfew crew need to head east on Interstate 94 immediately, find out what makes MGP work and bring it back to Chicago right away.
Oil held near US$128 a barrel Friday in Asia after rising more than US$5 overnight as the dollar swooned against the euro in response to comments by the head of the European Central Bank.
The dramatic reversal in what had been a weakening market came after ECB President Jean-Claude Trichet suggested the bank could raise interest rates and the euro climbed against the dollar. When interest rates rise in Europe, or fall in the U.S., the dollar tends to weaken against the euro. Many investors tend to buy commodities such as oil as a hedge against inflation when the dollar is falling.
Also, a weaker greenback makes oil less expensive to investors dealing in other currencies, and analysts believe the dollar's protracted decline has been a major reason why oil prices have nearly doubled in the past year.
Meanwhile, the dollar held relatively steady against the yen, changing hands near 106 yen in Tokyo's currency market. The euro was trading at levels near US$1.56 on Trichet's comments.
Trichet spoke after the bank left a key interest rate unchanged amid concerns about inflation. While Trichet said a change in rates was not a certainty, he said some of the bank's governors favor an increase.
"Oil, which was very weak, rallied on those comments," said Phil Flynn, an analyst at Alaron Trading Corp. in Chicago. "They're out of step with the U.S., which is weakening the dollar."
Light, sweet crude for July delivery rose US$5.49 overnight _ its biggest single-day price increase in the history of the New York Mercantile Exchange crude contract _ to settle at US$127.79 a barrel. Larger one-day percentage jumps have taken place in the past.
Midafternoon in Singapore, the contract was up 11 cents at US$127.90 a barrel in electronic trading.
Earlier this week, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke indicated that more interest rate cuts are unlikely in the U.S., sending the dollar higher and pushing oil prices lower.
Oil's decline from the record US$135.09 hit May 22, though, has come largely on concerns about demand, and the factors that slashed the prices by more than US$10 are still present, analysts noted. They said they were uncertain whether Thursday's trading could be the start of a new surge higher or just an exception.
Recent data show high prices have led consumers to cut their gasoline consumption. Meanwhile, many Asian nations are cutting fuel subsidies, effectively raising prices, which is expected to further dampen demand.
Protests broke out in India and Malaysia on Thursday as consumers reacted angrily to sharp fuel price hikes that could undermine governments in both countries.
In the U.S., which consumes nearly a quarter of the world's oil, gasoline demand was down 1.4 percent last month from the same period a year earlier. Also, U.S. automakers are cutting production of gas-guzzling SUVs and trucks, and airlines are cutting capacity, both due to high fuel prices and the altered habits of consumers.
In other Nymex trading in Asia, heating oil futures rose 1.32 cents to US$3.694 a gallon (3.8 liters) while gasoline prices fell 0.15 cent to US$3.333 a gallon. Natural gas futures rose 5.4 cents to US$12.573 per 1,000 cubic feet.
July Brent crude rose 50 cents to US$128.04 a barrel on the ICE Futures exchange in London.
___
AP Business Writer John Wilen in New York contributed to this article.
When the two challengers running for McHenry County state's attorney accused incumbent Gary Pack of overspending on outside legal help, Pack defended the practice.
The $2.16 million spent over three years was necessary because the state's attorney's office has been called upon to defend the county against an inordinately high number of lawsuits, Pack said.
Pack also notes the cost-savings that have come from winning such cases - with the help of legal top guns too expensive to have on staff.
But now, Pack admits at least a portion of the payment to one outside lawyer, Jim Harrison, was in error.
The acknowledgment comes after challenger Philip Prossnitz, a former assistant state's attorney, raised questions about $1 million - nearly half the 3-year total - in county business received by the Woodstock attorney, a friend of Pack's.
Another challenger, Wesley R. Pribla, also criticized Pack for his spending on outside legal help.
According to Prossnitz' review, Harrison was paid for 20 hours to attend a Nov. 17, 1998, county board meeting that lasted 2 hours and 20 minutes. The tab? $2,500.
Pack's office paid Harrison for 11.7 hours, or $1,462, to attend a Jan. 19, 1999 executive session of the county board, Prossnitz added.
That meeting ran 20 minutes.
And on March 2, 1999, Harrison reportedly received $2,250 for 18 hours of legal work for an executive session lasting 1 hour and 8 minutes.
Pack said some of the billing reflects background work on a case - and not just the time spent before the county board.
But he did say Harrison's firm appears to have billed in some instances for multiple cases when, in fact, there was only a single appearance before the county board.
"That happened a few times," Pack said. "It didn't happen every time."
Pack said he has asked Harrison to review his billing back to 1994.
"I told him to look it over," Pack said. "It happened, and again, it's a very small fraction of the $1 million (in billing). He (Harrison) will reimburse the county for it."
Asked how the oversight could have occurred, Pack said his office is not "isolating every bill, every day."
"The way the bills are submitted, it's hard to determine," he said.
He noted Prossnitz reviewed thousands of bill entries, and only found a handful of questionable ones.
"I'm not saying it's insignificant, but to make this whole argument ... I don't think is right," Pack said.
Pack added he can't guarantee such an oversight won't happen again, because it involved human error.
Prossnitz said in a release that Harrison - referred to as a "friend of Pack's" and not by name - contributed more than $5,000 to Pack's campaign. Pack notes that was over a 6-year period, however.
Harrison previously said there was no "quid pro quo" exchange because of the campaign contribution.
Bill Cole covers law enforcement issues in McHenry County. To reach him, call (847) 608-2700 or write him at Daily Herald, 440H Airport Road, Elgin, IL 60123-9301.
Pack defends use of outside legal help.(Neighbor)When the two challengers running for McHenry County state's attorney accused incumbent Gary Pack of overspending on outside legal help, Pack defended the practice.
The $2.16 million spent over three years was necessary because the state's attorney's office has been called upon to defend the county against an inordinately high number of lawsuits, Pack said.
Pack also notes the cost-savings that have come from winning such cases - with the help of legal top guns too expensive to have on staff.
But now, Pack admits at least a portion of the payment to one outside lawyer, Jim Harrison, was in error.
The acknowledgment comes after challenger Philip Prossnitz, a former assistant state's attorney, raised questions about $1 million - nearly half the 3-year total - in county business received by the Woodstock attorney, a friend of Pack's.
Another challenger, Wesley R. Pribla, also criticized Pack for his spending on outside legal help.
According to Prossnitz' review, Harrison was paid for 20 hours to attend a Nov. 17, 1998, county board meeting that lasted 2 hours and 20 minutes. The tab? $2,500.
Pack's office paid Harrison for 11.7 hours, or $1,462, to attend a Jan. 19, 1999 executive session of the county board, Prossnitz added.
That meeting ran 20 minutes.
And on March 2, 1999, Harrison reportedly received $2,250 for 18 hours of legal work for an executive session lasting 1 hour and 8 minutes.
Pack said some of the billing reflects background work on a case - and not just the time spent before the county board.
But he did say Harrison's firm appears to have billed in some instances for multiple cases when, in fact, there was only a single appearance before the county board.
"That happened a few times," Pack said. "It didn't happen every time."
Pack said he has asked Harrison to review his billing back to 1994.
"I told him to look it over," Pack said. "It happened, and again, it's a very small fraction of the $1 million (in billing). He (Harrison) will reimburse the county for it."
Asked how the oversight could have occurred, Pack said his office is not "isolating every bill, every day."
"The way the bills are submitted, it's hard to determine," he said.
He noted Prossnitz reviewed thousands of bill entries, and only found a handful of questionable ones.
"I'm not saying it's insignificant, but to make this whole argument ... I don't think is right," Pack said.
Pack added he can't guarantee such an oversight won't happen again, because it involved human error.
Prossnitz said in a release that Harrison - referred to as a "friend of Pack's" and not by name - contributed more than $5,000 to Pack's campaign. Pack notes that was over a 6-year period, however.
Harrison previously said there was no "quid pro quo" exchange because of the campaign contribution.
Bill Cole covers law enforcement issues in McHenry County. To reach him, call (847) 608-2700 or write him at Daily Herald, 440H Airport Road, Elgin, IL 60123-9301.
Pack defends use of outside legal help.(Neighbor)When the two challengers running for McHenry County state's attorney accused incumbent Gary Pack of overspending on outside legal help, Pack defended the practice.
The $2.16 million spent over three years was necessary because the state's attorney's office has been called upon to defend the county against an inordinately high number of lawsuits, Pack said.
Pack also notes the cost-savings that have come from winning such cases - with the help of legal top guns too expensive to have on staff.
But now, Pack admits at least a portion of the payment to one outside lawyer, Jim Harrison, was in error.
The acknowledgment comes after challenger Philip Prossnitz, a former assistant state's attorney, raised questions about $1 million - nearly half the 3-year total - in county business received by the Woodstock attorney, a friend of Pack's.
Another challenger, Wesley R. Pribla, also criticized Pack for his spending on outside legal help.
According to Prossnitz' review, Harrison was paid for 20 hours to attend a Nov. 17, 1998, county board meeting that lasted 2 hours and 20 minutes. The tab? $2,500.
Pack's office paid Harrison for 11.7 hours, or $1,462, to attend a Jan. 19, 1999 executive session of the county board, Prossnitz added.
That meeting ran 20 minutes.
And on March 2, 1999, Harrison reportedly received $2,250 for 18 hours of legal work for an executive session lasting 1 hour and 8 minutes.
Pack said some of the billing reflects background work on a case - and not just the time spent before the county board.
But he did say Harrison's firm appears to have billed in some instances for multiple cases when, in fact, there was only a single appearance before the county board.
"That happened a few times," Pack said. "It didn't happen every time."
Pack said he has asked Harrison to review his billing back to 1994.
"I told him to look it over," Pack said. "It happened, and again, it's a very small fraction of the $1 million (in billing). He (Harrison) will reimburse the county for it."
Asked how the oversight could have occurred, Pack said his office is not "isolating every bill, every day."
"The way the bills are submitted, it's hard to determine," he said.
He noted Prossnitz reviewed thousands of bill entries, and only found a handful of questionable ones.
"I'm not saying it's insignificant, but to make this whole argument ... I don't think is right," Pack said.
Pack added he can't guarantee such an oversight won't happen again, because it involved human error.
Prossnitz said in a release that Harrison - referred to as a "friend of Pack's" and not by name - contributed more than $5,000 to Pack's campaign. Pack notes that was over a 6-year period, however.
Harrison previously said there was no "quid pro quo" exchange because of the campaign contribution.
Bill Cole covers law enforcement issues in McHenry County. To reach him, call (847) 608-2700 or write him at Daily Herald, 440H Airport Road, Elgin, IL 60123-9301.
Pack defends use of outside legal help.(Neighbor)When the two challengers running for McHenry County state's attorney accused incumbent Gary Pack of overspending on outside legal help, Pack defended the practice.
The $2.16 million spent over three years was necessary because the state's attorney's office has been called upon to defend the county against an inordinately high number of lawsuits, Pack said.
Pack also notes the cost-savings that have come from winning such cases - with the help of legal top guns too expensive to have on staff.
But now, Pack admits at least a portion of the payment to one outside lawyer, Jim Harrison, was in error.
The acknowledgment comes after challenger Philip Prossnitz, a former assistant state's attorney, raised questions about $1 million - nearly half the 3-year total - in county business received by the Woodstock attorney, a friend of Pack's.
Another challenger, Wesley R. Pribla, also criticized Pack for his spending on outside legal help.
According to Prossnitz' review, Harrison was paid for 20 hours to attend a Nov. 17, 1998, county board meeting that lasted 2 hours and 20 minutes. The tab? $2,500.
Pack's office paid Harrison for 11.7 hours, or $1,462, to attend a Jan. 19, 1999 executive session of the county board, Prossnitz added.
That meeting ran 20 minutes.
And on March 2, 1999, Harrison reportedly received $2,250 for 18 hours of legal work for an executive session lasting 1 hour and 8 minutes.
Pack said some of the billing reflects background work on a case - and not just the time spent before the county board.
But he did say Harrison's firm appears to have billed in some instances for multiple cases when, in fact, there was only a single appearance before the county board.
"That happened a few times," Pack said. "It didn't happen every time."
Pack said he has asked Harrison to review his billing back to 1994.
"I told him to look it over," Pack said. "It happened, and again, it's a very small fraction of the $1 million (in billing). He (Harrison) will reimburse the county for it."
Asked how the oversight could have occurred, Pack said his office is not "isolating every bill, every day."
"The way the bills are submitted, it's hard to determine," he said.
He noted Prossnitz reviewed thousands of bill entries, and only found a handful of questionable ones.
"I'm not saying it's insignificant, but to make this whole argument ... I don't think is right," Pack said.
Pack added he can't guarantee such an oversight won't happen again, because it involved human error.
Prossnitz said in a release that Harrison - referred to as a "friend of Pack's" and not by name - contributed more than $5,000 to Pack's campaign. Pack notes that was over a 6-year period, however.
Harrison previously said there was no "quid pro quo" exchange because of the campaign contribution.
Bill Cole covers law enforcement issues in McHenry County. To reach him, call (847) 608-2700 or write him at Daily Herald, 440H Airport Road, Elgin, IL 60123-9301.
Pack defends use of outside legal help.(Neighbor)When the two challengers running for McHenry County state's attorney accused incumbent Gary Pack of overspending on outside legal help, Pack defended the practice.
The $2.16 million spent over three years was necessary because the state's attorney's office has been called upon to defend the county against an inordinately high number of lawsuits, Pack said.
Pack also notes the cost-savings that have come from winning such cases - with the help of legal top guns too expensive to have on staff.
But now, Pack admits at least a portion of the payment to one outside lawyer, Jim Harrison, was in error.
The acknowledgment comes after challenger Philip Prossnitz, a former assistant state's attorney, raised questions about $1 million - nearly half the 3-year total - in county business received by the Woodstock attorney, a friend of Pack's.
Another challenger, Wesley R. Pribla, also criticized Pack for his spending on outside legal help.
According to Prossnitz' review, Harrison was paid for 20 hours to attend a Nov. 17, 1998, county board meeting that lasted 2 hours and 20 minutes. The tab? $2,500.
Pack's office paid Harrison for 11.7 hours, or $1,462, to attend a Jan. 19, 1999 executive session of the county board, Prossnitz added.
That meeting ran 20 minutes.
And on March 2, 1999, Harrison reportedly received $2,250 for 18 hours of legal work for an executive session lasting 1 hour and 8 minutes.
Pack said some of the billing reflects background work on a case - and not just the time spent before the county board.
But he did say Harrison's firm appears to have billed in some instances for multiple cases when, in fact, there was only a single appearance before the county board.
"That happened a few times," Pack said. "It didn't happen every time."
Pack said he has asked Harrison to review his billing back to 1994.
"I told him to look it over," Pack said. "It happened, and again, it's a very small fraction of the $1 million (in billing). He (Harrison) will reimburse the county for it."
Asked how the oversight could have occurred, Pack said his office is not "isolating every bill, every day."
"The way the bills are submitted, it's hard to determine," he said.
He noted Prossnitz reviewed thousands of bill entries, and only found a handful of questionable ones.
"I'm not saying it's insignificant, but to make this whole argument ... I don't think is right," Pack said.
Pack added he can't guarantee such an oversight won't happen again, because it involved human error.
Prossnitz said in a release that Harrison - referred to as a "friend of Pack's" and not by name - contributed more than $5,000 to Pack's campaign. Pack notes that was over a 6-year period, however.
Harrison previously said there was no "quid pro quo" exchange because of the campaign contribution.
Bill Cole covers law enforcement issues in McHenry County. To reach him, call (847) 608-2700 or write him at Daily Herald, 440H Airport Road, Elgin, IL 60123-9301.
Pack defends use of outside legal help.(Neighbor)When the two challengers running for McHenry County state's attorney accused incumbent Gary Pack of overspending on outside legal help, Pack defended the practice.
The $2.16 million spent over three years was necessary because the state's attorney's office has been called upon to defend the county against an inordinately high number of lawsuits, Pack said.
Pack also notes the cost-savings that have come from winning such cases - with the help of legal top guns too expensive to have on staff.
But now, Pack admits at least a portion of the payment to one outside lawyer, Jim Harrison, was in error.
The acknowledgment comes after challenger Philip Prossnitz, a former assistant state's attorney, raised questions about $1 million - nearly half the 3-year total - in county business received by the Woodstock attorney, a friend of Pack's.
Another challenger, Wesley R. Pribla, also criticized Pack for his spending on outside legal help.
According to Prossnitz' review, Harrison was paid for 20 hours to attend a Nov. 17, 1998, county board meeting that lasted 2 hours and 20 minutes. The tab? $2,500.
Pack's office paid Harrison for 11.7 hours, or $1,462, to attend a Jan. 19, 1999 executive session of the county board, Prossnitz added.
That meeting ran 20 minutes.
And on March 2, 1999, Harrison reportedly received $2,250 for 18 hours of legal work for an executive session lasting 1 hour and 8 minutes.
Pack said some of the billing reflects background work on a case - and not just the time spent before the county board.
But he did say Harrison's firm appears to have billed in some instances for multiple cases when, in fact, there was only a single appearance before the county board.
"That happened a few times," Pack said. "It didn't happen every time."
Pack said he has asked Harrison to review his billing back to 1994.
"I told him to look it over," Pack said. "It happened, and again, it's a very small fraction of the $1 million (in billing). He (Harrison) will reimburse the county for it."
Asked how the oversight could have occurred, Pack said his office is not "isolating every bill, every day."
"The way the bills are submitted, it's hard to determine," he said.
He noted Prossnitz reviewed thousands of bill entries, and only found a handful of questionable ones.
"I'm not saying it's insignificant, but to make this whole argument ... I don't think is right," Pack said.
Pack added he can't guarantee such an oversight won't happen again, because it involved human error.
Prossnitz said in a release that Harrison - referred to as a "friend of Pack's" and not by name - contributed more than $5,000 to Pack's campaign. Pack notes that was over a 6-year period, however.
Harrison previously said there was no "quid pro quo" exchange because of the campaign contribution.
Bill Cole covers law enforcement issues in McHenry County. To reach him, call (847) 608-2700 or write him at Daily Herald, 440H Airport Road, Elgin, IL 60123-9301.
Pack defends use of outside legal help.(Neighbor)When the two challengers running for McHenry County state's attorney accused incumbent Gary Pack of overspending on outside legal help, Pack defended the practice.
The $2.16 million spent over three years was necessary because the state's attorney's office has been called upon to defend the county against an inordinately high number of lawsuits, Pack said.
Pack also notes the cost-savings that have come from winning such cases - with the help of legal top guns too expensive to have on staff.
But now, Pack admits at least a portion of the payment to one outside lawyer, Jim Harrison, was in error.
The acknowledgment comes after challenger Philip Prossnitz, a former assistant state's attorney, raised questions about $1 million - nearly half the 3-year total - in county business received by the Woodstock attorney, a friend of Pack's.
Another challenger, Wesley R. Pribla, also criticized Pack for his spending on outside legal help.
According to Prossnitz' review, Harrison was paid for 20 hours to attend a Nov. 17, 1998, county board meeting that lasted 2 hours and 20 minutes. The tab? $2,500.
Pack's office paid Harrison for 11.7 hours, or $1,462, to attend a Jan. 19, 1999 executive session of the county board, Prossnitz added.
That meeting ran 20 minutes.
And on March 2, 1999, Harrison reportedly received $2,250 for 18 hours of legal work for an executive session lasting 1 hour and 8 minutes.
Pack said some of the billing reflects background work on a case - and not just the time spent before the county board.
But he did say Harrison's firm appears to have billed in some instances for multiple cases when, in fact, there was only a single appearance before the county board.
"That happened a few times," Pack said. "It didn't happen every time."
Pack said he has asked Harrison to review his billing back to 1994.
"I told him to look it over," Pack said. "It happened, and again, it's a very small fraction of the $1 million (in billing). He (Harrison) will reimburse the county for it."
Asked how the oversight could have occurred, Pack said his office is not "isolating every bill, every day."
"The way the bills are submitted, it's hard to determine," he said.
He noted Prossnitz reviewed thousands of bill entries, and only found a handful of questionable ones.
"I'm not saying it's insignificant, but to make this whole argument ... I don't think is right," Pack said.
Pack added he can't guarantee such an oversight won't happen again, because it involved human error.
Prossnitz said in a release that Harrison - referred to as a "friend of Pack's" and not by name - contributed more than $5,000 to Pack's campaign. Pack notes that was over a 6-year period, however.
Harrison previously said there was no "quid pro quo" exchange because of the campaign contribution.
Bill Cole covers law enforcement issues in McHenry County. To reach him, call (847) 608-2700 or write him at Daily Herald, 440H Airport Road, Elgin, IL 60123-9301.
PERSHING GAINS ALLIES
Pershing Square Capital Management LP formed a group with otherSears Canada Inc. shareholders to try to block Hoffman Estates-basedSears Holdings Corp.'s C$899 million ($785 million) takeover of itsCanadian unit. Hedge funds Hawkeye Capital Management LLC and KnottPartners Management LLC might take legal action along with WilliamAckman's Pershing Square to get a higher price or to keep Toronto-based Sears Canada as a publicly traded company, the group saidMonday. The group holds about 7.7 percent of the Canadian retailer.
MERC WON'T ID BROKERS
The Chicago Mercantile Exchange will stop showing information onbrokers in its …
Byline: Diana T. Kurylko
Was it Roger Penske's golden touch that sold so many Smart microcars in the US last year, or the right product at a time when consumers crave fuel economy?
It was probably a bit of both. But even Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche says he's surprised that 24,622 Smart ForTwo cars were sold in their first year of US sales. Daimler produces the cars, and in the US Penske Automotive Group is the sole distributor, responsible for sales and marketing of the brand.
A little amazement
Penske, who is chairman of Penske Automotive Group the country's second-biggest public dealership group appears a little amazed at the sales …
Marc Lottering has extended his season of Hallelujah! at the Baxter Theatre's Concert Hall until February 17. Shows run Tuesdays to Saturdays at 8.15pm, with tickets priced at R65 and R75. Book through Computicket on 083 915 8000.
The exhibition Memory and Magic - Contemporary Art of the !Kun and Khwe, can be seen at Iziko SA National Gallery. The 82 artworks represent the best works produced by artists from the !Kun and Khwe Cultural Project and are on display until the end of January. The Gallery is open daily, except Mondays, from 10am to 5pm. For more information, call 021 467 4660.
The Boulevard Blues Band will …
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) — To call Alabama tight end Michael Williams open would have been a stretch.
It didn't stop A.J. McCarron from delivering a fastball that must have made lots of Alabama fans think the Crimson Tide's quarterback competition is over.
McCarron was poised and efficient in a rare trip to Big Ten country for No. 3 Alabama, throwing for 163 yards and a 5-yard touchdown that he zipped through traffic to Williams as the Tide beat No. 23 Penn State 27-11 on Saturday.
Alabama completed a sweep of the home-and-home series between the two storied programs with a methodical and smothering performance reminiscent of last year's 24-3 win in Tuscaloosa.
Both …
