MARY ELLEN CARROLL

MARY ELLEN CARROLL

CINEMA VILLAGE/ STOREFRONT FOR ART AND ARCHITECTURE

Billowing American flag

Bus deposits people

Birds squawk and chirp, jets fly overhead

The urban haiku above was pulled from my notes on Mary Ellen Carroll's Federal and is a fairly complete summary of its action. Shot in real time on July 28, 2003, this two-part video (the halves were shot, and are screened, concurrently) is a twenty-four-hour record of the northern and southern facades of the federal building in Los Angeles, and was shown exactly two years later at Cinema Village in conjunction with an exhibition of twenty-four photographs of the northern facade at Storefront for Art …

Swayze checks out of hospital, publicist says

Patrick Swayze has been released from the hospital one week after checking himself in with pneumonia, his publicist said Friday.

Publicist Annett Wolf would not elaborate on the actor's condition but told The Associated Press he "is well enough to have been released." He is now resting at his Los Angeles home, Wolf said.

Swayze, who has battled pancreatic cancer for the last year, checked himself into a hospital Jan. 9 for observation after contracting pneumonia.

The 56-year-old announced last March he was suffering from a particularly deadly form of cancer. Some reports gave him only weeks to live, but his doctor said his …

Iraqi raids on Iranian oil sites smash truce

MANAMA, Bahrain A six-week truce in the Persian Gulf tanker warwas shattered Saturday when Iraqi warplanes attacked Iranian offshoreoil installations, setting an Iranian ship ablaze.

Iran, which threatened to retaliate by striking against Kuwaititankers escorted in the gulf by U.S. warships, said the attacks wouldbe met with a "crushing response." Iran regards Kuwait as an ally ofIraq.

An Iranian military spokesman said the presence of U.S. ships inthe gulf was supporting "the creation of crisis" and that the Iraqistrikes "have undoubtedly been carried out in coordination with theUnited States."

In Washington, the State Department responded to the …

Iran: Sanctions Won't Derail Enrichment

HASHTGERD, Iran - President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad warned Wednesday that sanctions will not stop Iran from enriching uranium after a European negotiator conceded "endless hours" of talks had made little progress and suggested the dispute could wind up at the U.N. soon.

The talks had been seen as a last-ditch attempt to avoid a full-blown confrontation between Iran and the U.N. Security Council after Tehran ignored an Aug. 31 deadline to suspend enrichment - a key step toward making nuclear weapons - or face punishment.

The latest comments - and the view of senior U.N. diplomats who told The Associated Press on Tuesday that nearly two years of intermittent negotiations had …

Today in History - March 26

Today is Wednesday, March 26, the 86th day of 2008. There are 280 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

On March 26, 1958, the U.S. Army launched America's third successful satellite, Explorer 3.

On this date:

In 1804, the Louisiana Purchase was divided into the Territory of Orleans and the District of Louisiana.

In 1827, composer Ludwig van Beethoven died in Vienna.

In 1892, poet Walt Whitman died in Camden, N.J.

In 1917, the Seattle Metropolitans became the first U.S. team to win the Stanley Cup as they defeated the Montreal Canadiens.

In 1958, "The Bridge on the River …

Arrested over $13.80 cab fare

An argument over 20 cents' worth of cab fare has $875,000-a-year Blackhawks star winger Patrick Kane facing a felony robbery charge.

Kane -- who's scheduled to start U.S. Olympics orientation camp next week -- gave the team a black eye and even caught his mother off guard Sunday when he and his cousin were charged with assaulting a cabdriver in his native Buffalo, N.Y.

Kane, 20, and his cousin James Kane, 21, are accused of grabbing back the $15 they gave the driver when he said he was 20 cents short of giving them change for their $13.80 fare. It was "after 4 a.m." and they had caught a cab from Buffalo's Chippewa Street Nightlife district, according to the police …

Summer ARTIST in RESIDENCE Rafi Ghanaghounian

The Project: Draw Your Own Celebrity!

Our Artist: Our newest Artist in Residence is Rafi Ghanaghounian. Ghanaghounian is an independent curator in Toronto and has been for the last 15 years. He has run galleries from spaces all over the city, including the influential Anoush Gallery in Kensington Market and he loves bringing people together from different cultural and aesthetic backgrounds and seeing what comes out of it. This explains his readiness to take on the first slot as the revamped Broken Pencil Artist in Residence.

His Project! The State of Fame. Ghanaghounian's project asks participants to depict a celebrity using whatever materials they desire. Artistic …

Chavez says 1 dead in clash with unknown group along Colombia border

President Hugo Chavez says one person has died in an armed encounter between Venezuelan soldiers and an unidentified subversive group along the Venezuelan-Colombian border.

Chavez says Venezuela's interior minister told him of Friday clash but did not know who the subversives were or what they were doing.

It wasn't clear if the encounter took place in Venezuela or …

Cheney blames gas price on Democrats

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. -- Vice President Dick Cheney said Tuesday thatrising consumption and decreasing domestic production have led tohigh gasoline prices but also blamed his Democratic opponents andtheir opposition to the Bush administration's energy …

Countdown to cyberspace: How can community bankers lift off in the digital economy?

The community banker is just that. Instead of relying on a mega bank's large and increasingly nationwide bureaucracy, community bankers pride themselves on nurturing an entrepreneurial enterprise that's suited specifically for the community where they're estab lished. Personal and nimble are the hallmarks of the community banker.

New face of digital customers

But the definition of personal service is changing. It's not just a face-to-face handshake. The person is still there but the face is increasingly a digital one. Customers still want to think they're special, a unique entity that the community banker cares about. But they also want the power and convenience of the …

Wednesday's Major League Linescore

…

Boston 000 002 002_4 8 1
Los Angeles 001 000 000_1 9 1
Lester, Masterson (8), Papelbon (9) and Varitek	Lackey, Oliver (7), SShields (8), Arredondo (9) and Napoli. W_Lester 1-0. L_Lackey 0-1. Sv_Papelbon (1). HR_Boston, Bay (1).
___
National League Division Series
Milwaukee 000 000 001_1 4 1
Philadelphia 003 000 00x_3 4 1

Women, take heart Ways to ward off disease

Gannett News Service

Do you know the "heart" facts about women and heart disease?According to the American Heart Association 2002 Heart and StrokeStatistical update:

* Heart disease is the leading killer of American women each year,claiming more than 500,000 lives.

* One in every two women will die of heart disease or stroke.

* Women with diabetes are four times more likely than men todevelop heart disease.

Every year since 1984, more women than men have died ofcardiovascular disease.

Heart disease is a killer that often goes undetected in women.Clinical Advantage Outreach Initiative: Women and Heart Disease, aresearch study conducted by …

Maine budget top on Maine legislative agenda

A gaping state budget hole resulting from relentless revenue shortfalls will be the center of Maine lawmakers' attention during the 2010 election-year session, but cell phone safety, ATV regulation and highway funding also will be on the agenda.

Even before they return to the State House for Wednesday's opening, lawmakers agree that the all-consuming issue will be how to make up for a $438 million shortfall in the state's two-year, $5.8 billion budget.

"The vast majority of our time and energy will be spent on the budget," said House Speaker Hannah Pingree, D-North Haven. "No matter what, the budget will dominate the session."

Senate President Elizabeth "Libby" Mitchell agreed.

"Everything we do this session has to be considered in the context of the budget; there is no way around that," said the Vassalboro Democrat, who is also in a crowded race for governor.

Democratic Gov. John Baldacci, beginning his last year as chief executive, has unveiled his blueprint for making what may be painful cuts, especially to public education and human services. It includes no increases in taxes, fees or fines.

The Appropriations Committee will take up his revisions and make some hard choices about cuts in Medicaid and other services before sending its version package to the Democratic-controlled Legislature.

Concerns about the deteriorating condition of Maine's highways and bridges in the face of declining fuel tax revenues _ an issue left hanging as the 2009 session ended _ will come up again, said Sen. Dennis Damon, who co-chairs the Transportation Committee.

Lawmakers will likely focus their discussion on higher fuel taxes, said Damon, D-Trenton. But given the election-year reluctance of lawmakers to vote for tax increases and Baldacci's opposition to tax increases in general, Damon believes chances of raising gasoline and diesel fuel levies are slim at best.

In general, lawmakers held back nonessential legislation but scores of non-budget issues will come up during the closing end of the two-year session, Pingree said.

The Education Committee will be busy with lingering issues of special education rules and school consolidation, said Pingree, who opposed the school consolidation law.

The committee's Senate chairman, Portland Democratic Sen. Justin Alfond, is putting in legislation calling for a study outlining a strategy to increase the state's graduation rate from the current 77 percent to 90 percent by 2016.

Among other topics, a bill sponsored by Rep. Andrea Boland, D-Sanford, would require cell phones to carry warnings that they may cause brain cancer.

Privacy protections will be at issue when lawmakers take up Damon's bill to prohibit the use of high-tech cameras that sweep over parking lots, record license plate numbers and run them through databases to catch offenders.

While Damon said those cameras are not yet in use in Maine, he's concerned that information gathered about individuals, such as why they were in a specific location, could be misused.

Regulation of all-terrain vehicles will be up for debate again.

Rep. Ralph Sarty Jr. wants to amend a law that went into effect last year that requires wardens to have reasonable suspicion of a violation before stopping an ATV on public or private land. Sarty's bill would allow wardens to stop ATV operators on private land, even without reasonable suspicion.

Sarty, R-Denmark, said that extra measure of enforcement power is critical to forging better relations between ATV users and private landowners who allow ATVs on their properties.

A bill to reduce haze that mars the skies over Acadia National Park and other coastal areas seeks to reduce the amount of sulfur in home heating oil sold in Maine. Richmond Democratic Sen. Seth Goodall's bill would also restrict the sulfur content of fuel oil for commercial and industrial boilers.

Sen. Peter Mills, a GOP gubernatorial hopeful from Cornville, wants to require expedited wind energy projects to provide Maine ratepayers with discounts.

Other bills on the 2010 calendar include proposals to strengthen Maine's laws against operating an unlicensed kennels or "puppy mills," and to require that firewood brought into the state by campers is kiln dried to avoid importation of harmful insects.

Lawmakers also will consider naming a bridge over Gilman Stream in New Portland the Joshua Bernard Memorial Bridge after a 21-year-old Marine from the central Maine town who was killed in 2009 in Afghanistan.

Study says consumers not aware: Internet sites offer different prices based on shopping habits

WASHINGTON - Most American consumers don't realize Internetmerchants and even traditional retailers sometimes charge differentprices to different customers for the same products, according to anew survey.

The study, "Open to Exploitation," found nearly two-thirds ofadult Internet users believed incorrectly it was illegal to chargedifferent people different prices, a practice retailers call "pricecustomization." More than two-thirds of people surveyed also saidthey believed online travel sites are required by law to offer thelowest airline prices possible.

The study, expected to be released today by the Annenberg PublicPolicy Center of the University of Pennsylvania, is the latest tocast doubt on the notion of sophisticated consumers in the digitalage.

It said 87 percent of people strongly objected to the practice ofonline stores charging people different prices for the same productsbased on information collected about their shopping habits.

"I don't think people understand this is being done," said WilliStabenau, 23, a musician in New York who participated in the survey.

"We don't let ourselves be tracked that way in any other facet ofour lives. Why would you want that to happen while you're shopping?"

The Internet empowers careful shoppers to conveniently compareprices and features across thousands of stores. But it also enablesbusinesses to quietly collect detailed records about a customer'sbehavior and preferences and set prices accordingly. Changing pricesis generally lawful unless doing so discriminates against aconsumer's race or gender or violates antitrust or price-fixing laws.

Stabenau said he shops online frequently but always remembers:"They're after your money, and you want to spend as little aspossible."

"People are fooling themselves if they believe otherwise,"Stabenau said.

Stores aggressively try to retain loyal customers who generate thehighest sales while discouraging bargain-hunter shoppers who are lessprofitable because they check many sites for the same product at thelowest price. They are known within the industry as "bottom feeders"who don't show any brand or merchant loyalty.

First-time buyers at a retailer could see higher prices than afirm's repeat customers, and retailers may not offer discounts toconsumers who buy the same brands regularly without even looking atalternative products on the same site.

"It's really murky because companies are so loathe to discussthis," said researcher Joseph Turow. "This is a new model of shoppingreality. The question becomes, what do people feel is right? Can'tmore openness be the order of the day?"

The study urged government to require retailers to discloseexactly what information is collected about customers and how thedata is used, and it urged schools to teach students better how toprotect themselves as consumers.

Turow found a retail photography Web site charging differentprices for the same digital cameras and related equipment dependingon whether shoppers had previously visited popular price-comparisonsites.

He said grocery stores increasingly offer personalized discountsand coupons based on a person's shopping behavior.

Amazon.com outraged some customers in September 2000 after onebuyer deleted the electronic tags on his computer that identified himas a regular customer and noticed the price of a DVD changed from$26.24 to $22.74. The company said it was the result of a randomprice test and offered to refund buyers who paid the higher prices.

The Annenberg study was based on results from a telephone surveyfrom Feb. 8 to March 14 of 1,500 adults who said they had used theInternet within the past 30 days. The margin of sampling error wasreported to be plus or minus 2.51 percentage points.

Eq Guinea aims to avoid Ivory Coast clash

MALABO, Equatorial Guinea (AP) — Equatorial Guinea captain Juvenal Edjogo-Owono wants to finish the group stage in top spot to avoid a clash with African Cup favorite Ivory Coast in the quarterfinals.

Co-host Equatorial Guinea, the lowest ranked team in the tournament, has made full use of home advantage to beat Libya 1-0 and Senegal 2-1 with dramatic late goals in both matches to guarantee a last-eight berth.

A draw against Zambia in the final Group A game on Sunday will secure top spot. Ivory Coast will also finish first with at least a draw against Angola in the final Group B match on Monday. If both teams finish top, they can only meet in the final.

"We are not afraid of anyone, but none of the players really want to play Ivory Coast at this stage," Edjogo-Owono told The Associated Press in an interview.

Despite failing to hit top form in edgy wins against Sudan and Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast is Africa's top-ranked side and has a team packed with Premier League-based players like Didier Drogba, Yaya Toure, Kolo Toure and Salomon Kalou.

In contrast, Equatorial Guinea's players are largely unknown, with modest careers in places like Spain's second and third tier, the Brazilian lower leagues and Oman.

"All the supporters are saying they don't care who we play and that they're not worried about Ivory Coast," Edjogo-Owono said. "But we know Ivory Coast are a level above the rest."

Equatorial Guinea's performances in the tournament have been a revelation so far, with late victories stoking excitement in the tiny west African nation.

"Everybody is supporting us and we have got good players, but when there's a competition like this, you don't know how the people are going to respond," said Edjogo-Owono. "Sometimes there is too much expectation, but I think the fans have started to believe. Against Senegal they came to see a victory."

Equatorial Guinea duly responded, blunting the Senegal attack on the waterlogged pitch at Estadio de Bata before David Alvarez' long-range screamer in stoppage time clinched a 2-1 win.

"Senegal played the wrong tactics. They were desperate for an early goal and then got nervous and started playing long balls," said Edjogo-Owono. "Long balls even everything up. If they had given better service to Demba Ba and Papiss Cisse they could have really hurt us."

With co-host Gabon also reaching the quarterfinals after hitting a stoppage-time goal to beat Morocco 2-1 on Friday, the buzz around the tournament is building.

That excitement is boosted by the big teams struggling to impose themselves. Ivory Coast has failed to convince despite two wins, Ghana scraped past Botswana by a single goal and Senegal and Morocco have both been eliminated.

That has encouraged less fancied teams to believe in themselves.

If results go as expected, Equatorial Guinea looks likely to face Angola in the quarterfinals.

First, however, the co-host has to play Zambia in the Group A decider.

Edjogo-Owono said changes to the starting line-up against Zambia are likely as several players — including Senegal hero Alvarez — have yellow cards.

"Zambia is a small team, very technical — a bit like us," said Edjogo-Owono. "But we want to keep going now. If we play against Angola in the quarterfinals, we are convinced we can win.

"We always dreamt we could do well, now the victories against Libya and Senegal have got everybody dreaming."

US pledges more foreign aid to fight drug cartels

GUATEMALA CITY (AP) — The Obama administration pledged Wednesday to increase its investment in Central America*s security to nearly $300 million this year to thwart the expanding activities of drugs cartels threatening to destabilize the entire region.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton announced the release of new funds at a meeting of 12 regional countries and donor nations. Some of the money was previously allotted or is being repackaged from other programs, but the total figure represents a more than 10 percent jump from last year's aid of $260 million, U.S. officials said.

"We know the statistics — the murder rates surpassing civil war levels," Clinton said.

The gathering in Guatemala's capital aims to find a coordinated strategy to fight the growing threat posed by the cartels. Altogether donors pledged close to $1 billion.

Years of U.S.-backed anti-drug crackdowns in Mexico and Colombia have pushed traffickers into Central American countries wedged in between. The problem has grown almost unchecked in a region beset by corruption, poverty and underfunded police forces.

Clinton said Central American governments needed to do their part by fighting corruption and ensuring effective institutions. They must "build police forces and courts that are well-funded and well-equipped, capable of protecting human rights and earning the trust of the communities they serve," she said.

The governments of the region are severely underfunded. Whereas the U.S. government collects revenues equal to more than 20 percent of America's total income, most in Central American pull in only about 10 percent, with higher taxes facing fierce resistance from entrenched elites and businesses.

El Salvador's private sector has come out against a new tax proposed last month by President Mauricio Funes to raise $380 million over three years to pay for security programs. Costa Rican President Laura Chinchilla is waiting on legislative approval for projects to raise an additional $100 million to fight organized crime.

Yet governments are not completely without fault. In Guatemala, many wealthy people chafe at the idea of higher taxes after their government moved tens of millions of dollars away from security into populist social programs ahead of a September election.

In the meantime, the harsh reality facing many of these countries is becoming increasingly apparent. In Guatemala, 27 people were massacred last month on a ranch, most of them beheaded. The attack was blamed on Mexico's brutal Zetas drug cartel, which has set up shop in the country.

Clinton urged cooperation from rich and poor.

"Businesses and the rich must pay their fair share of taxes and become full partners in a whole-of-society effort," she said. "True security cannot be funded on the backs of the poor."

Compounding the problem, senior American officials said, is that Central America's wealthy are directing money instead toward private security arrangements. While this may provide a degree of personal safety, it deprives the state of the ability to set up the necessary police forces, courts and programs to combat the cartels.

Central America has long been a transit corridor for drugs moving from Colombia to the United States. But as the U.S. has cracked down on security and Mexico's war on drugs has grown bloodier, crime syndicates have increasingly made Central America their home.

They have found fertile ground. Borders have minimal migration control, and local gangs provide a ready-made infrastructure for organized crime. Drug units are believed to be increasing their presence to other illegal activities from prostitution to cross-border gas smuggling as they become more entrenched.

The situation is a major concern for neighbors as well. At least 35,000 people have been killed in drug violence since President Felipe Calderon launched his crackdown on organized crime in 2006.

Clinton said the U.S. money would go toward supporting specialized anti-drug police units, crime data and intelligence gathering, and programs designed to protect the rule of law. Other funds will help empower women and children and steer young people away from crime.

To promote greater investments, Clinton lauded a program the U.S. has launched in El Salvador. There, for every dollar the United States grants toward crime prevention, businesses will invest three.

"The same should be true across the region," she said.

Clinton traveled later Wednesday to a separate meeting in Jamaica, where she promised $77 million to help Caribbean nations fight drug traffickers, corruption and illegal weapons. The funding represents a more than 70 percent increase from last year.

Crafty Creations

American Craft Exposition

10 a.m.-9 p.m. today, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.Sunday

Henry Crown Sports Pavilion, Lincoln Street at the lakefront just east of Sheridan Road, Evanston Admission $8; $10 for a 3-day pass (708) 570-5096 It's time to get serious.

After a summer of being inundated by the varied highs and lowsof art fairs, it's time for the big one - the stellar American CraftExposition, the end-of-the-summer show that aficionados of the finestin American craft look forward to each season.

But, let's not get too serious. This show is just as much funas any outdoor fest, but with the added attraction of museum-qualitycrafts. Artists are on hand to discuss their wares and make thecreative process come to life.

The American Craft Exposition began 11 years ago as a benefitfor the Evanston and Glenbrook Hospitals. It has become one of thelargest and most significant professional expositions of its kind inthe country - a tribute to the crafts movement as art, not as hobby.

This year, 135 artisans were chosen out of 1,000 applicants.Among the items showcased by these artists are unique creations inmetal, clay, paper, fiber, porcelain, glass, wood, leather, ceramics,basketry, furniture and mixed media, all available for purchase.

"Many people come to buy, but others come just to look and talkto the artists," said Karen Ruberry, chairwoman of the event. "Theartists here are really accessible. And when you get to know theartist, their work takes on a whole new meaning and can becomesomething very special."

New to the show this year is a booth featuring work by twostudents from the School of the Art Institute. "We felt it was mostappropriate for the school to be represented at the expo as they,like us, are striving to teach others about the beauty ofAmerican-made crafts," Ruberry said.

The young artists are Tuyet Adkins, with her creative hats andbags, and Peter Gould, who will display his stunning lamps andfurniture. Both are painters by training who have found interestingnew ways to bring their ideas to other media.

There is no better example than these two emerging artists toillustrate that the American Craft Exposition is truly an opportunityfor the craft lover to discover the roots of the creative process.

German veterans beat Swedish youth in team sprint

Claudia Nystad and Evi Sachenbacher-Stehle will take experience over youth any time.

The veteran German duo showed Monday that even in cross-country skiing's most fast-paced event, young legs are no match for strategy and tactics.

The Germans let Sweden's Charlotte Kalla and Anna Haag push the pace for most of the race before the 32-year-old Nystad pulled away from 23-year-old Haag shortly before the finish Monday to secure the gold medal in the women's cross-country team sprint at the Vancouver Olympics.

Nystad said the pair worked out their tactics ahead of the race with the help of their Norwegian coach Tor Arne Hetland _ a former Olympic sprint champion himself.

"He said to us how we can do this," Nystad said. "I don't know how, but it fit exactly."

Quite a return to form for Nystad and the 29-year-old Sachenbacher-Stehle, who have struggled the last two seasons and won their first Olympic gold since being part of Germany's winning relay team in Salt Lake City eight years ago.

"We never lost this dream, and we were always working on it," Nystad said. "It's amazing. You believe in this, and you work for this."

Nystad long has been considered one of the best sprinters on the women's circuit, and she went past the younger Haag as they entered the ski stadium for the final time and pulled away on the final sprint.

The German duo, who also teamed up to win a world championship silver in the same event in 2007, finished in 18 minutes, 3.7 seconds for the gold. The Swedes were 0.6 seconds behind for the silver medal, and Russian duo Irina Khazova and Natalia Korosteleva won bronze after coming in 4 seconds back.

It was the fourth Olympic medal for both Germans _ they also have two silvers each from previous games _ but Nystad hasn't been on a World Cup podium since 2008. Sachenbacher-Stehle went nearly three years without a World Cup win before taking a team sprint race in Rybinsk, Russia, in January.

"Sometimes, you don't always have the results you were expecting," Sachenbacher-Stehle said. "But you always train hard and do your best, and now we're having good results again."

The freestyle event features a relay with two members on every team taking turns going three laps each around a 1.4-kilometer course.

The 22-year-old Kalla, who won gold in the 10K freestyle race, said the Swedes also had their own tactics _ albeit more primitive.

"We tried to go as fast as possible from the start, because that's our strength, our endurance," Kalla said.

Sometimes, though, that's just not enough to beat experience.

Ducks slip past Leafs in shootout

Francois Beauchemin and George Parros scored goals to lift the Anaheim Ducks past the Toronto Maple Leafs to a 3-2 shootout victory on Tuesday.

Nik Antropov scored both goals for the Maple Leafs, who have lost three shootouts already this season.

Maple Leafs coach Ron Wilson inserted backup goalie Curtis Joseph for the shootout after Vesa Toskala played the entire game, but the move didn't pay off. Anaheim's Corey Perry and Teemu Selanne beat Joseph.

With the Leafs down 2-1, Antropov scored with 52.8 seconds left in the third period to force overtime.

The Ducks failed to register a shot in the third period and had seven shots after the first period.

Beauchemin opened the scoring at 4:36 of the first period by sending a slap shot past a screened Toskala. It was his third goal of the season _ eclipsing the two he scored in 82 games last season.

Parros made it 2-0. He got behind Leafs defenseman Luke Schenn and took a breakaway pass before beating Toskala glove-side at 9:50 of the first period.

Antropov cut it to 2-1 at 8:15 of the second period with a backhand past goalie Jean-Sebastien Giguere

Toronto couldn't capitalize on two third-period power plays, including a 32-second 5-on-3 advantage. Antropov had the best chance but Giguere came across his goal to make a toe save.

Leafs defenseman Mike Van Ryn also rang a shot off the crossbar as the second penalty expired.

Wilson pulled Toskala for an extra attacker with more than a minute to play and his team finally broke through. Antropov got a rebound at the side of the goal and tied the game 2-2 with 52.8 seconds left, setting up overtime.

Notes:@ It was only the third meeting between the teams since the lockout ... Leafs defenseman Carlo Colaiacovo was a healthy scratch for the second time this season. ... Teemu Selanne has just one goal in seven games for Anaheim.

Nordic Combined World Cup Results

SEEFELD, Austria (AP) — Results Friday from a Nordic Combined World Cup meet:

Men
Team Sprint
(Ski jumping, 2x7.5K cross-country placings in parentheses)

1. France I (Sebastien Lacroix and Jason Lamy Chappuis), 41 minutes, 30.1 seconds (3-3).

2. Italy I (Lukas Runggaldier and Alessandro Pittin), 2.2 seconds behind (12-1).

3. Norway I (Mikko Kokslien and Magnus Krog), 4.1 (4-2).

4. Norway II (Haavard Klemetsen and Magnus Moan), 39.6 (5-5).

5. Germany I (Eric Frenzel and Bjoern Kircheisen), 42.4 (14-4).

6. United States I (Bryan Fletcher and Bill Demong), 1:03.1 (9-7).

7. Germany II (Manuel Faisst and Fabian Riessle), 1:10.3 (2-9).

8. Austria I (Bernhard Gruber and Mario Stecher), 1:11.5 (13-6).

9. Austria II (David Kreiner and Tomaz Druml), 1:24.6 (6-8).

10. France II (Francois Braud and Maxime Laheurte), 1:39.8 (8-10).

___

Nations Cup Standings
(After 7 of 27 events)

1. Norway, 1,290 points.

2. Germany, 1,132.

3. France, 976.

4. Austria, 741.

5. Italy, 657.

Official: Pakistanis in Swat town fend off Taliban

Armed residents foiled an attempt by Taliban militants to expand their reach in Pakistan's Swat Valley as foreign aid for refugees fleeing an army offensive in the northwestern region passed $200 million, officials said Thursday.

The attempted infiltration in Kalam indicated insurgents are feeling pinched by an army offensive and are seeking new shelter, while the local resistance suggested growing public confidence in an anti-Taliban operation supported by the United States.

Deputy Mayor Shamshad Haqqai told The Associated Press that about 50 Taliban fighters tried to enter Kalam, but that residents gathered quickly Wednesday to fight them off. They captured eight militants during a shootout and were expecting another attack, Haqqai said.

"We will not allow Taliban to come here," he said. Kalam, a town in the far north of the valley, has about 50,000 residents and has so far remained beyond Taliban control.

Washington has stepped up its pressure on Islamabad to eliminate al-Qaida and Taliban sanctuaries across its northwestern regions bordering Afghanistan.

Pakistani troops launched the latest offensive last month after Swat militants pushed into the adjacent Buner district, bringing them within 60 miles (100 kilometers) of the capital.

The army claims it has killed more than 1,000 militants and won back swaths of territory in Swat, a valley whose scenery once drew hordes of tourists. But it faces stiff resistance and has ventured no prediction of when the Taliban will be defeated.

On Thursday, it said five soldiers and an unspecified number of "miscreants-terrorists" were killed in battles in several parts of the valley during the previous 24 hours. Seven militants were captured, a military statement said.

The army's account was impossible to verify because reporters have little access to the war zone.

In another part of the border region, a suicide bomber exploded his vehicle close to a paramilitary fort in the town of Jandola, killing eight people, said two intelligence officers. Four of the dead were soldiers, while the remaining victims were civilians, of which three were children, they said on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.

Authorities say the Swat clashes have prompted about 1.9 million people to flee their homes, creating a humanitarian crisis that could sap Pakistani enthusiasm for the effort if it drags on or spreads to other areas.

Relatives have taken in most of those driven out of Swat, and officials have already declared some parts of Buner safe for refugees to return, despite continued clashes in the district.

However, Rear Adm. Michael A. LeFever, the top U.S. military official at the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad, forecast Wednesday that between 200,000 and 250,000 will be living in refugee camps through the end of the year.

Many thousands more are believed to be hunkered down in their homes in areas including Kalam, unwilling or unable to move.

U.S. officials are scrambling to help the pro-Western government manage the refugee crisis and encourage it to sustain and expand its military action.

Hina Rabbani Khar, a government official overseeing the relief effort, said Thursday that foreign donors had pledged $224 million to help the displaced. The total includes $110 million pledged Tuesday by the United States.

As part of the American support, two U.S. military planes delivered air-conditioned tents and 120,000 pre-packed meals to an air base near the capital on Wednesday. Another flight was due Thursday.

At a donors' conference Thursday in Islamabad, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani asked aid groups and other countries to help quickly rebuild affected areas and help stabilize his nuclear-armed country.

"There is an urgent need for joint and comprehensive response to this issue by all those who are committed to fighting terrorism," Gilani said. "Without peace there can be no sustainable development and without development the establishment of enduring peace is impossible."

___

An Associated Press writer who is not being identified for security reasons contributed to this report from Peshawar.

Bristol Short Wins A Gong At Top Festival

A BRISTOL-made short film has won a top international movie award.

Space Invaders, a 15-minute drama co-produced by city-based RedCat Films and Films at 59, has been selected for one of four topawards at the 36th Worldfest International Film Festival in Houston,Texas.

The 10-day festival attracted more than 5,000 entries, includingover 2,000 shorts. Of these shorts, just 100 were selected forscreening and four were nominated for awards, of either Platinum,Gold, Silver or Bronze.

The awards will be presented at a Gala Dinner on April 12.

Completed last year, Space Invaders tells the surreal story of asecretary called Mary, an emotionally insecure and increasinglyparanoid woman whose office life starts to literally invade her home -with surprising consequences.

The film, one part of a proposed six-part interactive series ofdigital films, was directed by Barry Hecker and produced by CarolynRedcliffe.

It has also been screened at the Santiago International FilmFestival, at Cannes and at the Edinburgh Film Festival.

Red Cat Films, based in Windmill Hill, was set up by producer anddirector Barry Hecker in 1999 to produce independently-madedocumentaries and dramas.

Before that, he worked in the corporate sector where he made morethan 100 programmes for many blue-chip companies including Apple, BT,SmithKline Beecham and American Express.

He has produced two highly successful films, The Box andNailbiter, which has been shown on Channel 4, Sky Movies and the Sci-Fi Channel.

Hecker, who received GBP500 from the South West Media DevelopmentAgency to help make Space Invaders, was also behind an HTVdocumentary based around the I Saw You column in Venue magazine.

Films at 59, a pre and post production company, is based inClifton.

U.S. Military Hospital Sent To Georgians

WASHINGTON A dismantled 1,000-bed U.S. military hospital is beingsent from the Netherlands to the revolt-torn republic of Georgia inthe former Soviet Union, the State Department said Monday.

Boucher said the aim is to reinforce two hospitals in Tbilisi,the capital. The equipment was sent by the U.S. 7th Medical Commandto the Black Sea port of Poti and shipped in 145 containers toTbilisi.

The first of three airlifts of additional medical supplies fromexcess U.S. military stocks was sent Friday.

Boucher said the United States soon will start delivering alarge amount of wheat.

Since the overthrow of elected President Zviad Gamsakhurdia,Georgia has been governed by a State Council under EduardShevardnadze, the former Soviet foreign minister.

Shevardnadze sent 3,000 troops into the breakaway region ofAbkhazia on the Black Sea on Aug. 13. They took control of theregion's capital, Sukhumi, on Aug. 18 in fighting in which at least50 people were killed.

Monday, Georgian troops battled volunteers trying to cross theRussian border into Georgia, officials said in Tbilisi.

Chinese police hunt boss of commodities trading firm; investors demand money, answers

As demand for soybeans, copper and other raw materials surged, investors flocked to Huaxia Commodities Spot Exchange Co., plunging into the risky world of commodities in search of better profits amid slumping Chinese stock prices.

But now Huaxia's boom has collapsed amid accusations its founder fled to the United States last week with up to US$25 million in customers' money. Police have launched a manhunt for him and say several employees have been detained. Investors who include farmers and entrepreneurs besieged Huaxia's Beijing headquarters last weekend, demanding their money.

The collapse comes at an especially awkward moment for communist leaders, just weeks before the Beijing Olympics open Aug. 8 and at a time when China's stock market is near 16-month lows and investor confidence is weak.

"If it were not for the games, we would all hold rallies around the country. But we love the country. We're considerate," said Chen Yunshan, who said she had 500,000 yuan (US$73,000) invested with Huaxia. "The government should be considerate of us as well."

As the United States grapples with the subprime credit crisis, China faces its own market meltdown. Its main stock index has fallen 50 percent since October, hurting ordinary investors and making a growing number willing to embrace higher-risk alternatives in an economy with few investment options.

Police said they are "making every effort" to find Huaxia founder Guo Yuanfeng, wanted for unspecified "economic crimes." A police statement said several employees were detained but gave no details. Police spokesmen declined to comment further.

There was no indication why Guo fled or whether any of Huaxia's activities were deemed illegal.

Driven by a boom that is expected to see China's economy grow by at least 9 percent this year, commodities trading grew 142 percent to 35 trillion yuan (US$5.1 trillion) in the first half of 2008, compared with the same period last year, according to the China Futures Association.

Small traders are allowed under regulations issued last year, but Huaxia might have been engaged in bigger, longer-term trading than its status allowed, the financial newspaper 21st Century Business Herald said.

The Ministry of Commerce, which oversees commodities trading, did not respond Monday to questions by phone and fax about Huaxia's legal status and trading.

The Chinese newspaper Legal Daily, citing unidentified sources, said 170 million yuan (US$25 million) in investors' money was missing.

Guo founded Huaxia in 2001 and as the firm grew, it expanded to other regions of China, according to police.

According to investors, Huaxia customers used Web-based accounts to trade commodities, with the company charging a percentage on each deal. Chinese markets trade futures in wheat, soybeans, palm oil, sugar, cotton, corn, gold, copper and zinc.

Short-term traders sign contracts to take delivery of commodities and sell them minutes or hours later, trying to profit from price rises. Buyers can include small food processors or other traders who need to fulfill delivery commitments.

Ye Xinying, from the central province of Hubei, said she invested with Huaxia for a number of years, then joined it as a broker in March during an expansion that she said created a nationwide network of sales representatives. Ye said she is part of a group of 69 people who have 1 million yuan (US$130,000) in Huaxia accounts _ a huge sum in China, where despite growing prosperity the average economic output per person is US$2,600 a year.

Police gave no details on Guo's background, but Ye said he grew up in central China and got his start in the 1990s trading bananas from the tropical southern island of Hainan before moving to Beijing.

Ye said she called a Huaxia manager last Thursday after hearing that investors could not get money out of their accounts.

"He told me the company had some problems, and Guo left with the money," she said.

Chen and Ye were among some 200 investors who gathered Saturday in the lobby of the Beijing office tower where Huaxia occupied the 19th floor. Police took down information about their accounts but said they had no answers.

An investor from rural Hubei who refused to give his name said he turned to Huaxia after losing money in the falling stock market.

"If I lose money due to market forces, it's OK," the man said angrily. "But I didn't lose it that way. Someone took my money."

The police statement said Guo's whereabouts were unknown. The 21st Century Business Herald said he flew to Los Angeles last Tuesday.

China has suffered a string of scandals over insider trading on its turbulent stock markets and embezzlement or mismanagement at state banks. But this is the biggest publicly known case of its kind in fast-growing Chinese commodities markets.

Investors are pouring into commodities because few can make money in stocks and interest on bank accounts fails to keep pace with inflation, said Li Zhe, head of research for Beijing China International Futures Co., which has no connection to Huaxia.

"A lot of individual investors are doing commodities futures trading," Li said. "Among our clients, winners and losers are about half and half."

Wary Democrats keep distance from Occupy protests

NEW YORK (AP) — The arrests and occasional violence marking Occupy Wall Street's two month anniversary underscore Democrats' strategy of keeping their distance from the protest movement.

Democrats and Occupy Wall Street share similar concerns about economic inequality. But while the Republican Party and the tea party were a natural political pairing, Democrats have been reluctant to cast their lot with Occupy agitators who confront police and squat in public encampments.

Thursday's mass demonstrations in New York, Los Angeles and elsewhere were a stark reminder of why the Occupy movement remains a minefield for Democrats, even as polling continues to show public support for its message.

At least 175 were arrested as protesters attempted to block traders from entering the New York Stock Exchange in lower Manhattan. Police said four officers were injured when demonstrators threw liquid — possibly vinegar — in their faces.

The arrests came two days after hundreds were forcibly evicted from New York's Zuccotti Park, where the Occupy Wall Street movement was launched Sept. 17 when activists pitched tents to protest policies they said benefit only the wealthiest 1 percent of Americans.

Los Angeles police arrested at least 23 people after declaring an unlawful assembly at an Occupy rally in the city's financial district. In Portland, Ore., more than a dozen protesters were led away in handcuffs after attempting to barricade an entrance to the Steel Bridge, an important link for mass transit in the region.

For their part, many Occupy protesters have been openly contemptuous of Democrats including President Barack Obama, arguing that both political parties are equally beholden to corporate interests and responsible for enacting policies that have hurt the middle class.

But even without an explicit alliance between the two groups, many Democrats believe the Occupy movement's focus on income inequality could help the party reinvigorate its base.

"It's injecting energy and life into progressive ideas and values, and it's showing some weak-kneed Democrats they should be more aggressive on those issues," Steve Rosenthal, a Democratic strategist and longtime labor leader, said.

Republicans have largely dismissed Occupy Wall Street as a band of anti-capitalist ruffians, while trying to goad Democrats into embracing the movement or answering for its excesses.

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney has called the movement dangerous class warfare, while fellow candidate Michele Bachmann called the protesters "ignorant" and "disrespectful."

So far, Democrats have tried to have it both ways — embracing the movement's economic concerns while steering clear of its rougher edges.

"I think people feel separated from their government," Obama told ABC News. "They feel that their institutions are not looking out for them."

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has gone a step further, posting a petition, "100,000 Strong Standing With Occupy Wall Street," that blames Republican policies for the nation's economic discontent.

But many Occupy Wall Street activists contend they have no interest in helping Democrats.

"The Occupy movement is rooted in the idea that the political system is broken to such a degree that we can no longer work through the Republican or Democratic parties," Tim Franzen, a spokesman for Occupy Atlanta, said.

"This is not about politics. This is about people," said Marsha Spencer, an Occupy volunteer in New York. "We've lost our government. It's not by the people, for the people anymore. We need to get it back, and we don't need a political party to do that."

Such talk has frustrated some Democratic leaders, who say engaging in electoral politics would make the Occupy movement more effective.

"I want them to get up and start registering voters, start playing towards the 2012 election," former Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell said at a seminar at Harvard University last week. "Not just the presidential, but congressional and Senate elections and state legislative elections. That's where they can make real change."

At least one candidate seems to be channeling the energy of the Occupy Wall Street movement: Democrat Elizabeth Warren, a Harvard Law School professor challenging Republican Sen. Scott Brown in Massachusetts.

Warren's campaign drew national attention after she said the rich should pay more in taxes since they have benefited the most from government policies. Warren later claimed to have laid the "intellectual foundation" for the Occupy movement but stressed that protesters need to obey the law.

Republicans recognized an electoral ally in the tea party movement soon after its inception in early 2009, when activists began protesting government spending and the federal bank bailouts.

While many tea party members claimed to be nonpartisan, they were mostly white, older and conservative and shared the Republican Party's goal of limiting government and cutting spending. Tea party activists helped drive many of the angry congressional town hall meetings protesting Obama's health care overhaul, and the sweeping Republican victories in the 2010 midterm elections were fueled in large party by tea party enthusiasm.

While the Occupy movement has not had similar tangible goals, activists say it has already had an impact on the political dialogue.

Labor leaders say the movement's message of economic inequality was a factor in Ohio, where voters overwhelmingly repealed a law curtailing public employees' right to collective bargaining. And some are crediting the movement with successfully pressuring Bank of America to drop its plan to charge customers a $5 monthly fee to use their bank cards.

___

Associated Press writers Erika Niedowski in Providence, R.I., and Leonard Pallats in Atlanta contributed to this report.

3 plead guilty in fatal Philly ballpark beating

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Three men accused in a fatal beating outside a Philadelphia Phillies game have pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter.

Francis Kirchner, Charles Bowers and James Groves face up to 40 years in prison for their roles in the drunken melee in July 2009.

Prosecutors say the fight between two groups of fans started over a spilled beer. Twenty-two-year-old David Sale Jr. of Lansdale was killed.

The surprise pleas came during a court hearing Tuesday that was supposed to determine if the defendants would be retried. Attorneys could not explain the turn of events because of a gag order.

A judge had declared a mistrial in September after a prosecution witness identified Kirchner as the person who fatally kicked Sale.

Defense lawyers say they weren't told the witness could identify Kirchner.

Consumer spending dips; savings rate surges

Frugal consumers trimmed spending in April _ although by less than expected _ as rising unemployment kept pocketbooks in check and motivated Americans to save.

With income growth far outpacing spending, Americans' personal savings rate zoomed to 5.7 percent, the highest since February 1995, the Commerce Department reported Monday.

Consumer spending dipped 0.1 percent in April. That was slightly less than the 0.2 percent reduction economists were expecting, although it marked the second straight month that consumers cut back. The pullback came after a burst of buying at the start of the year as shoppers took advantage of deeply discounted merchandise and other promotion.

Americans' incomes _ the fuel for future spending _ jumped by 0.5 percent, following two straight months of declines. The improvement in April was due to tax cuts and benefit payments flowing from President Barack Obama's stimulus package, the government noted. Wages and salaries, however, were flat in April.

The growth in incomes _ the most since May 2008 _ surprised economists. They were forecasting a 0.2 percent decline.

Others economic reports out Monday also were encouraging.

_ U.S. manufacturing activity shrank at a slower pace in May. The Institute for Supply Management's index came in at 42.8 _ its highest since September and up from 40.1 in April. A reading below 50 still indicates activity contracted, but the figure beat out economists' forecasts for a reading of 42 in May.

_ Construction spending rose a surprising 0.8 percent in April, the Commerce Department said. Economists were expecting a 1.2 percent decline. It marked the second straight month that construction spending went up. Private builders also boosted spending on housing projects in April, something that hasn't happened since August.

On Wall Street, investors looked past General Motors Corp.'s bankruptcy filing and took hope that the economic reports drew a more upbeat picture of the global economy.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose more than 200 points, or 2.4 percent, by midmorning trading. Other major indexes also advanced more than 2 percent.

In the consumer report, while the savings rate was the highest since February 1995, the level of savings _ $620.2 billion _ was the most on records dating back to January 1959.

That reflects a more thrifty consumer whose wealth _ notably nest eggs, investment holdings and home values _ has been hard hit by the recession. It also reflects consumers being more cautious given rising unemployment.

The nation's unemployment rate jumped to 8.9 percent in April, the highest in 25 years. Economists predict the jobless rate climbed to 9.2 percent in May as employers cut 523,000 jobs. The government releases the employment report on Friday. Since the start of the recession in December 2007, the economy has lost 5.7 million jobs.

Consumer spending accounts for roughly 70 percent of overall economic activity and is closely watched by economists.

In April, consumers trimmed spending on big-ticket "durable" goods like cars and appliances, and on "nondurables" such as clothes and food by 0.6 percent each. That was a little less than how much they reduced spending on those categories in March.

Consumers increased spending on services by 0.3 percent in April, up from 0.1 percent in March.

Most economists believe consumers in the April-to-June quarter will hold tighter to their wallets than they did in the first three months of this year.

In the first quarter, consumer spending rose at a 1.5 percent pace. It wasn't a shopping spree by any means but it marked a big improvement from the final quarter of last year when recession-battered consumers slashed spending at a 4.3 percent pace, the most in 28 years.

Even with the expectation that consumers will be cautious, economists predict that the economy as a whole is not sinking nearly as much now as it was in the prior six months.

Forecasters at the National Association for Business Economics, or NABE, predict the economy will contract at a 1.8 percent pace in the April-June quarter.

Other analysts think the economic decline could be steeper _ around a 3 percent pace. Some think it could be less _ about a 1 percent pace.

The expected improvement would come from less drastic cutbacks in spending by businesses. And, there's hope that companies will need to replenish razor-thin inventories of goods, prompting factories to up production, which would aid economic activity.

In the first quarter, the economy contracted at a 5.7 percent pace. That followed a staggering 6.3 percent annualized drop in the fourth quarter of 2008, the biggest in a quarter century.

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke has said he is hopeful the recession will end later this year. And NABE forecasters predict the economy could start growing again as early as the third quarter. Obama's stimulus package of increased government spending and tax cuts should help economic activity.

An inflation index tied to the consumer spending and income report showed that prices _ excluding food and energy _ rose 1.9 percent in April from a year ago. That was up slightly from a 1.8 percent annual increase in March.

(This version CORRECTS 40.1 reading in April, sted March)

Scorsese foundation helps restore "La Dolce Vita"

ROME (AP) — Martin Scorsese hailed "La Dolce Vita" as changing world cinema forever as he presented the restored version Saturday of Federico Fellini's back-and-white classic.

Scorsese, who was 18 when "La Dolce Vita" first came out in 1960, spoke of the impact the movie had on him and of the importance of preserving films for future generations. His institute for the preservation of film treasures, the Film Foundation, helped restore it.

"We have an obligation to the future, we have an obligation to our children to at least let them know this is here, this is what it was like," Scorsese told a press conference at the Rome Film Festival. "This is grand opera from Italy in the late 19th century."

Scorsese described "La Dolce Vita" as a landmark work both in world cinema and in Fellini's own production.

The movie broke narrative rules in that "there's no story, there's no plot, and the film is an epic length — three hours," Scorsese said. It said it had "a moral intensity, an intelligence and a maturity" that was unprecedented at that point in commercial movies.

"This leveled the playing field for commercial cinema all throughout the world," the American filmmaker said. "This changed everything."

The movie follows Marcello Mastroianni's character — a journalist — as he covers jet society, movie stars and Rome's nightlife in the late 1950s. Through Mastroianni's eyes and quest for happiness, Fellini depicts a self-indulgent, ultimately decaying society.

The Rome festival marked the 50th anniversary of the movie's release with a world premiere of its restored version, an exhibit and other side events. Also shown at the festival were some scenes that did not make the final cut, including one bit from the iconic scene where Anita Ekberg seductively splashes in the Trevi Fountain. The Swedish actress came to Rome for the screening.

Scorsese, a New Yorker of Italian origin, is a great admirer of Italian cinema. His 1999 documentary "My Voyage to Italy" pays tribute to the Italian films that have influenced him, including those by neo-realist masters such as Roberto Rossellini or Vittorio De Sica, or Michelangelo Antonioni.

Influence is an elusive idea, one that can't be defined, Scorsese said Saturday. Still, he said, Fellini inspired him to be creatively free, both with "La Dolce Vita" and with later films such as "8 1/2."

"He wiped away all his concerns as a filmmaker with story on this picture and changed the world that way," Scorsese said of Fellini. Since "La Dolce Vita," Fellini never told straight stories again and started constructing his movies like "giant murals."

"La Dolce Vita," Scorsese said, "gave us the freedom to go ahead and break open cinematic narratives" while at the same time creating "a spectacle of life, a spectacle of a society, a culture — and a satire."

Scorsese said his favorite "Dolce Vita" character is Mastroianni's, "because of the downward trajectory that he so charmingly makes" and because of the look "of acceptance" on Mastroianni's face at the end of the movie.

"This is something that is very beautiful," he said.

THE Peter Mark VIP Style Awards may be hailed as the Irish style Oscars, with social climbers clamouring every year to get their hands on a precious invitation.

Recession-friendly fashion set to reign at VIP Style Awards

THE Peter Mark VIP Style Awards may be hailed as the Irish style Oscars, with social climbers clamouring every year to get their hands on a precious invitation.

But last year's winner Andrea Roche has revealed to the Diary how our glamour queens will be ditching ostentatious bling in favour of recession-friendly fashion choices.

It seems that the celebrity attendees will be taking a leaf out of Miriam O'Callaghan and Kathryn Thomas's book and giving their style-gems a second airing.

And a few guests, shock horror, will even be saving a few euros by borrowing their outfits.

"There is definitely a different vibe in the run-up to this year's awards. People are losing their jobs all over the country and in some cases risk losing their homes. I think a lot of people have to be more frugal when it comes to these types of events," said Andrea.

"In previous years, some of the ladies could have easily spent thousands of euros on their dress and jewellery. Normally, you wouldn't be seen dead in the same dress that you wore to a previous high-profile event. But this year, the feeling I'm getting is that a lot of the dresses will be borrowed by nominees and we could also see some stuff being worn for the second time."

FLUFFY>

Andrea, who will be wearing Joanne Hynes, revealed how Aria boutique in Naas are loaning several TV3 stars their finest Ben de Lisi designs.

Georgina Ahern is expected to plump for a creation by her favourite designer, Synan O'Mahony. Leigh Arnold is rumoured to be going for Helen Cody while Sybil Mulcahy is wearing a Kathy de Stafford outfit.

Andrea continued: "Despite what's happening economically, I think the public still like to see other people getting out there and making the effort to turn on the glam.

"To me, winning it was a fluffy compliment and a bit of fun. If you take it too seriously you're always going to be disappointed and not enjoy what's a great night out. It's such a small pond of celebrities in Ireland that most people on the list are probably going to win it at some stage! So it becomes more like a waiting game than anything else."

This year sees 34 nominees competing for three different categories as they battle it out for most stylish woman, man and celebrity couple.

While the overall winner is picked by readers of VIP magazine, it's still worth dressing up to nines for the party in the Shelbourne on March 6.

Organisers will be giving away an accolade for whoever is deemed the 'Best Dressed on the Night', meaning competition will be fierce among the fashion-forward guests.

This year's nominees include Rosanna Davison, Colette Fitzpatrick, Amy Huberman, the Seoige sisters and Victoria Smurfit. Nominations for the most stylish couple award include Miriam Ahern and Terry McCoy, alongside Anne Doyle and Dan McGrattan and Pippa O'Connor and Brian Ormond.

When it comes to our most dapper gentleman, in the running are Westlife's Nicky Byrne, Olympic champ Kenny Egan, chat-show host Ryan Tubridy and panto star Brian Dowling.

THE Peter Mark VIP Style Awards may be hailed as the Irish style Oscars, with social climbers clamouring every year to get their hands on a precious invitation.

Recession-friendly fashion set to reign at VIP Style Awards

THE Peter Mark VIP Style Awards may be hailed as the Irish style Oscars, with social climbers clamouring every year to get their hands on a precious invitation.

But last year's winner Andrea Roche has revealed to the Diary how our glamour queens will be ditching ostentatious bling in favour of recession-friendly fashion choices.

It seems that the celebrity attendees will be taking a leaf out of Miriam O'Callaghan and Kathryn Thomas's book and giving their style-gems a second airing.

And a few guests, shock horror, will even be saving a few euros by borrowing their outfits.

"There is definitely a different vibe in the run-up to this year's awards. People are losing their jobs all over the country and in some cases risk losing their homes. I think a lot of people have to be more frugal when it comes to these types of events," said Andrea.

"In previous years, some of the ladies could have easily spent thousands of euros on their dress and jewellery. Normally, you wouldn't be seen dead in the same dress that you wore to a previous high-profile event. But this year, the feeling I'm getting is that a lot of the dresses will be borrowed by nominees and we could also see some stuff being worn for the second time."

FLUFFY>

Andrea, who will be wearing Joanne Hynes, revealed how Aria boutique in Naas are loaning several TV3 stars their finest Ben de Lisi designs.

Georgina Ahern is expected to plump for a creation by her favourite designer, Synan O'Mahony. Leigh Arnold is rumoured to be going for Helen Cody while Sybil Mulcahy is wearing a Kathy de Stafford outfit.

Andrea continued: "Despite what's happening economically, I think the public still like to see other people getting out there and making the effort to turn on the glam.

"To me, winning it was a fluffy compliment and a bit of fun. If you take it too seriously you're always going to be disappointed and not enjoy what's a great night out. It's such a small pond of celebrities in Ireland that most people on the list are probably going to win it at some stage! So it becomes more like a waiting game than anything else."

This year sees 34 nominees competing for three different categories as they battle it out for most stylish woman, man and celebrity couple.

While the overall winner is picked by readers of VIP magazine, it's still worth dressing up to nines for the party in the Shelbourne on March 6.

Organisers will be giving away an accolade for whoever is deemed the 'Best Dressed on the Night', meaning competition will be fierce among the fashion-forward guests.

This year's nominees include Rosanna Davison, Colette Fitzpatrick, Amy Huberman, the Seoige sisters and Victoria Smurfit. Nominations for the most stylish couple award include Miriam Ahern and Terry McCoy, alongside Anne Doyle and Dan McGrattan and Pippa O'Connor and Brian Ormond.

When it comes to our most dapper gentleman, in the running are Westlife's Nicky Byrne, Olympic champ Kenny Egan, chat-show host Ryan Tubridy and panto star Brian Dowling.

Cuban's shot at rebellion a vacation keeper Bidet photo a tiny victory over government oppression

Ernest Hemingway's bidet is the star of my favorite photographfrom my trip to Cuba.

Visiting Hemingway's house costs foreigners $3, but it's $5 moreif you want to take pictures. You aren't allowed inside; you're onlypermitted to peer in through open windows and doors, with a guard atevery portal in theory enforcing the photo rules.

But the guard asked my wife and me if we wanted to take a picture.Julie and I told her, in a combination of broken Spanish and awkwardgestures, that we hadn't bought a camera license.

She didn't care. She grabbed our camera and was off, takingpictures of the living room, the study, the bathroom--all over thehouse. We didn't know what …

BETHLEHEM'S BUDGET RISES.(Capital Region)

BETHLEHEM -- The town's tax levy will rise almost 7 percent under a proposed 2009 budget, and town officials are blaming reduced sales tax revenue and steadily climbing costs for materials.

"The percentages don't tell the whole story," Supervisor Jack Cunningham said. "The costs of goods and services, municipality services, are going up."

The plan calls for spending $38.7 million, a nearly 3 percent increase over the $37.6 million 2008 budget. Bethlehem's current rate is $2.53 per $1,000 of assessed value. The 6.9 percent levy increase would raise the rate to $2.70. The owner of a $300,000 home would see an increase of $52.35 per year.

Cunningham …

Lawmakers target illegal immigration.

Byline: Karina Gonzalez

Jan. 7--Some Tennessee lawmakers have vowed to tackle illegal immigration during the legislative session that begins Tuesday. "The issue (of illegal immigration ) hasn't changed; it's probably been magnified," said state Sen. Bill Ketron, R-Murfreesboro. Sen. Ketron said he plans to reintroduce legislation to abolish the driving certificate program. Similar legislation failed last year. Early last year a federal investigation found that illegal immigrants were shuttled to Tennessee from other states to obtain the certificate and the program was suspended temporarily. Currently, only immigrants who can prove legal status can obtain the …

Western Union cuts executive ranks

Western Union will slash its executive ranks and book $80 million in restructuring charges through next year as it reorganizes its money transfer and payments business, the company said Thursday.

The changes will result in fewer reporting layers in management, the company said.

Among the 175 total eliminated positions will be executive vice presidents, senior vice presidents and vice presidents. One new executive vice president position will be created to focus to electronic channels and new consumer and business customer segments. Most of the management changes will take place in the next 30 days.

Western Union also plans to close, consolidate, …

Tax break for graduate education restored, but hurdles remain

The U.S. Senate approved an education bill (H.R. 2646) April 23 that would extend the Section 127 tax exclusion for employer-paid educational assistance for undergraduate courses and restore eligibility for graduate courses, which was terminated in 1996. But, the controversial nature of the underlying bill may force Section 127 proponents to seek another legislative vehicle for reinstating coverage for graduate studies, which is their central focus this year.

Section 127 of the Internal Revenue Code allows employers to provide educational assistance to their employees without having to include the value of the assistance as part of the employees' gross income. The annual limit on …

Survey Finds 9/11 Has Changed Some Views.

The attacks of Sept. 11 have had a "sobering" effect on consumers, increasing their interest in saving and debt repayment, and diminishing their interest in purchasing luxury goods and lottery tickets, according to a new survey.

Commissioned by the Consumer Federation of America (CFA) and Bank of America, the effort is part of the "America Saves" campaign which aims to encourage and assist individuals to save and build wealth more effectively.

The demographic group that apparently was most changed financially by the acts of terrorism, according to CFA, was the 25-34 age group. Thirty-eight percent of this group said their interest in savings …

Starch-based paints for spudding artists. (paints extracted from potatoes)

The paints of the future could be extracted from potatoes, thanks to a new initiative at ICI. The company has made experimental paints that use starch in place of some petrochemical ingredients.

Starch-based paints are as economic as synthetic coatings and could have novel properties, Philip Taylor of ICI Paints told a recent conference on growing industrial feedstocks as crops. In addition, they may prove to be more environmentally friendly - the feedstocks are sustainable and leftovers could be recycled on a compost heap instead of being dumped at the back of the shed. ICI is testing paints made from potato, wheat and maize starch, Taylor said.

Paintmakers first …

Jobless claims surge upward.(Business)

Byline: JEANNINE AVERSA Associated Press

WASHINGTON - The number of new people signing up for jobless benefits shot up last week, highlighting the sometimes uneven nature of the recovery taking place in the labor market.

The Labor Department reported Thursday that new applications filed for unemployment insurance jumped by a seasonally adjusted 43,000 to 364,000, the highest level since late September. The over-the-week increase of 43,000 was the most since the end of March 2002.

The latest snapshot of the labor market activity surprised economists. They were forecasting claims to rise last week to around 331,000.

However, in a more …

EDWARD RIDDELL, 89.(CAPITAL REGION)

BOSTON, Mass. Private services will be held for Edward Riddell, 89, of Hill Street, Alplaus, who died Friday at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.

He was born in Scotland and had lived in the Capital Region since 1911.

Mr. Riddell was employed as a patrolman at the Schenectady General Electric plant for a time. He was a painter for the state Office of General Services in Albany for 10 years, retiring in 1970.

He was the sole surviving member of the original Schenectady Pipe Band, which was founded by his father, Isaac L. Riddell, in 1917.

He was the widower of …

No easy pass.

Builders face increased fees on all fronts as state governments struggle to offset one of the worst budget seasons in decades.

BACK-ROOM NEGOTIATIONS OVER LAND-USE PLANNING, FBE INCREASES, and even building moratoriums are taking place nationwide as builder trade groups and public officials sort out tough choices as states face the worst cumulative budget deficits since World War II.

The challenge for home builders and government officials is that the strong economy builders enjoyed the past couple of years created demand for new public infrastructure at a time when state and local governments are least able to afford new sewers, roads, and schools.

Although many states have been hurt by industry layoffs and declining stock market investments--especially tech states like California and Massachusetts--the underlying cause of the state budget crisis is that the rate of revenue growth has declined and fixed costs for salaries, pensions, education, and health care are tough if not impossible to cut. The pressure to spend more on homeland security also has increased in the wake of yet another round of terrorist attacks.

And though state and local governments will receive a $20 billion windfall from the new federal tax cut and spending plan, the money is not expected to solve the ongoing fiscal imbalance. The fear among builders is that the state budget crisis could stall or even sink the housing boom.

"While the state budget crisis won't totally kill off the boom in housing because demand for housing is still high, builders are certainly seeing an increase in attempts by local governments to pass off higher impact fees and other ways for government to shift off the costs to new-home buyers," says Clayton Traylor, a senior staff vice president at the NAHB who's familiar with state and local issues.

"We'll also see state and locals defer much needed capital improvements such as new roads, freeways, and water and sewer capabilities," says Traylor. "And if we start seeing local governments laying off their planning staffs, it will take builders twice as long to get their projects through."

Builders on the front lines see the trouble brewing. Thomas Doucette, president of Frontiers Community Builders in Stockton, Calif., says while the full impact of California's budget deficit hasn't hit yet, builders are seeing pressure in the form of higher impact and building permit fees. …