British amend law

TACKLES ARREST THREAT

SPECIAL TO THE CHICAGO JKVISH STAS

A British law that allowed private individuals to be issued arrest warrants for visitors from other countries, including dignitaries, has been amended, to make …

Zimbabwe's president promises talks with opposition after claiming election victory

Robert Mugabe has been sworn in for a sixth term as Zimbabwe's president and promised "serious talks" with the opposition.

Leaders in Africa and other parts of the world have condemned the presidential runoff that Mugabe claims to have won overwhelmingly.

He was sworn in soon after the election …

Caption Only [Photo: THE FATE OF FRED HAMPTON STREET: NO WAY: Alderman...]

Caption …

Ask the book doctor

Dear Dr. Rosie:

I am a self-published author, and as part of my promotional efforts I have scheduled book signings at several stores. Although I've had over ten signings, none have been successful. I've done four local signings and six out of town. No matter where I've been, only a handful of people show upmost of whom just happened to be in the store at the time. I have lost so much money traveling to other cities and selling just ten or so books. Are the bookstores doing something wrong? I am so frustrated that I'm ready to throw in the towel.

Answer:

There are few experiences more disappointing for an author than to be sitting behind a table, surrounded by books …

Rescued Libyans describe attacks in besieged city

BENGHAZI, Libya (AP) — From makeshift beds inside a cruise-ship-turned-hospital, wounded residents of a besieged Libyan city told of daily shelling, looting and sniping by Moammar Gadhafi's forces and called for the end of the Libyan ruler's 42-year reign.

The ship, carrying hundreds from Misrata to Turkey for care, made a brief stop Sunday in Benghazi, where rebel youth gathered on the dock to welcome them and seek news from an embattled city that has been largely cut off from the world for weeks.

Dozens of men, many nursing gunshot wounds and missing limbs, lay on thin mats in the ship's hull, speaking of brutal government attacks and young rebels struggling to fend them …

Hockey mayhem in Montreal brings 32 arrests

Police say 32 people have been arrested in the mayhem following the Montreal Canadiens' Game 7 victory over Pittsburgh.

Some stores were looted and police fired tear gas at hundreds of bottle-tossing fans after Wednesday night's game in which the Canadiens ousted the defending champions to reach the Eastern Conference final.

Now some merchants worry …

Iverson lists home in Philly suburb; NBA star seeks $6.3 million for 14,000-square-foot house

NBA all-star Allen Iverson has listed his 5-bedroom home in anexclusive Philadelphia suburb for $6.3 million.

The 32-year-old guard, one of the league's leading scorers, wastraded to the Denver Nuggets last year after 10 seasons with thePhiladelphia 76ers.

Iverson and his wife, Tawanna, paid $5 million in 2003 for the14,000-square-foot home on four acres, public records show. It'slocated in Villanova, according to the listing, about 20 milesnorthwest of the city on Philadelphia's wealthy Main Line.

Built in 1991, the four-level French-style house has archedPalladian windows, a 12-person movie theater, a billiard room and aguest suite with a kitchenette. …

Studios challenge Australia Internet piracy ruling

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — U.S. and Australian movie and television studios are challenging a landmark court ruling that an Internet service provider cannot be held accountable for illegal movie downloads by its customers.

In February, a full Australian court upheld a judge's decision that Internet provider iiNet Ltd. had not authorized copyright infringements by customers who downloaded …

Saints start fast, handle inept Jaguars 23-10

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — It was a mismatch on paper and on the field.

About the only thing that made Sunday's game between the New Orleans Saints and Jacksonville Jaguars interesting were chippy plays near the end.

Drew Brees threw for 351 yards and a touchdown, Darren Sproles added 188 all-purpose yards and the Saints beat the Jaguars 23-10 in a game that was more lopsided than the score indicated.

The Saints (3-1) scored touchdowns on their first two possessions and looked well on their way to scoring 30 points for the fourth consecutive week. But Brees threw two interceptions, John Kasay missed two long field goals and the Saints managed just nine points in the …

ALL POLITICS IS LOCO: LGBTP

This past weekend I spoke on a panel in Chicago for ChoiceUSA about the intersections of abortion rights and LGBT rights. Although most LGBT people are pro-choice, it is clearer to me than ever before that our two movements must work closer together.

There are obvious parallels in major court cases. Critical victories for reproductive freedom and LGBT rights have rested on core arguments about privacy and control over a person's own body. The right wing does not want women or gays to have any control over how we form our families - whether it deals with our partners or when we become parents. They don't consider women or gays for the whole people we are, instead they drive wedges …

Vietnam's prime minister raises alert over cholera, acute diarrhea outbreak

Vietnam's prime minister has raised a nationwide alert calling for more vigilance to contain a widespread acute diarrhea and cholera outbreak.

Hundreds of people have been hospitalized with severe diarrhea over the past few weeks, according to a statement posted Thursday night on the government's Web site. Of those, at least 85 have tested positive for cholera, which spreads easily through water in countries with poor sanitation.

Since the first cases …

Alonso wins German GP to lead 1-2 Ferrari finish

Fernando Alonso won the Formula One German Grand Prix on Sunday after Ferrari teammate Felipe Massa appeared to let him to take the lead on instructions from the team.

Massa, racing on the first anniversary of a crash that nearly killed him, led Sunday's race for 49 of 67 laps before he was passed by Alonso following radio conversations with the team.

"I don't think I have to say anything to that," Massa said when asked after the race about the instructions. "We work for the team."

Team orders that interfere with the race result are forbidden under Formula One rules.

Ferrari team leaders were asked to report to the …

Stocks gain 36

NEW YORK Stocks faltered toward the close today, wiping out mostof a broad rally.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose just 36.04 points to closeat 8,602.65 after retreating from a 122-point gain and brieflydipping into negative terrain.

Broader indexes also surrendered most of the gains from anopening rally led by technology and financial sectors, the twoindustries deemed most vulnerable to the global economic turmoil thathas rattled the market for more than a month.

Declining issues outnumbered advancers on the New York StockExchange, with 1,653 down, 1,356 up and 514 unchanged. NYSE volumecame to 668.9 million shares.

The dollar rose today against most other major currencies.

In London, the dollar was quoted in late trading at 144.61Japanese yen, up from 143.92 late Monday, and 1.7976 German marks, upfrom 1.7944

Other dollar rates in London: 1.5039 Swiss francs, up from1.4992; 6.0248 French francs, up from 6.0141; 2.0272 Dutch guilders,up from 2.0234; 1,772.90 Italian lire, up from 1,769.70; and 1.5482Canadian dollars, down from 1.5494. The British pound was quoted at$1.6404, up from $1.6402.

Gold closed in London at $282.40 per troy ounce, down from$284.60 Monday.

Silver closed in London at $5.02 per troy ounce, down from$5.16.

Germany's Grimm wins first gold medal in kayak

Alexander Grimm of Germany won the gold medal Tuesday in single kayak slalom, using a pair of clean, fast runs to take the top spot on the podium.

Fabien Lefevre of France was the silver medalist.

Togo's Benjamin Boukpeti won the bronze medal, slamming his paddle to the frothy water in celebration. He is the first black man to win a medal in a slalom event, according to the International Canoe Federation.

Grimm, ranked No. 3 in the world, won in a combined time of 171.70 seconds.

Boukpeti had the crowd wildly cheering him on as the neared the end of the whitewater course. He slapped hands with fans from his kayak. Boukpeti's paddle snapped in half during the celebration, although he hardly seemed to care.

Stocks rise ahead of busy earnings week

Stocks are trading higher as investors are cautiously optimistic ahead of a crush of earnings reports this week, including key readings from the banking sector.

Earnings reports will give investors a chance to see if there was any meaningful economic improvement during the second quarter. Investors are also anxiously awaiting corporate forecasts that could provide insight into when executives believe the economy will start growing again.

In the opening moments of trading Monday, the Dow Jones industrial average is up 27.13, or 0.3 percent, at 8,173.65. The Standard & Poor's 500 index is up 3.39, or 0.4 percent, at 882.52, while the Nasdaq composite index is up 4.25, or 0.2 percent, at 1,760.28.

U.N. Body to Review Alleged Israel Abuses

GENEVA - The new U.N. Human Rights Council voted Friday to dedicate time during each future session to a review of alleged human rights abuses by Israel - a move criticized by the United States as misguided and unfair.

The resolution, which was sponsored by Islamic countries, was passed by a vote of 29-12, with five abstentions. It effectively revives a practice of the U.N.'s dissolved Human Rights Commission, which also reviewed alleged Israeli abuses every time it met.

Israel protested Friday's vote, calling it a perpetuation of "the old infamous habits" of the widely discredited commission.

The Human Rights Council also announced it would hold a special session next week. That session, which also will inevitably focus on Israel, was called because 21 countries - more than the requisite one-third - signed a request to invoke the meeting.

Mexican diplomat Luis Alfonso de Alba, who chairs the 47-member council, said there were conflicts with other meetings at the United Nations' European headquarters next week, but that "we are even considering lunchtime hours" to hold the session as soon as possible.

The resolution approved requires U.N. investigators to report at each council session "on the Israeli human rights violations in occupied Palestine."

One of the United States' main criticisms of the Human Rights Commission, replaced this year by the new council, was that it spent a great deal of time criticizing Israel.

"Voting in favor of this draft resolution will lead you directly to the old infamous habits of the commission," Israeli Ambassador Itzhak Levanon told the council. "Voting 'yes' essentially means that no lessons have been drawn. It means that there is no fresh beginning."

Canada and European Union members on the council voted against the resolution.

The United States is not a member of the council and, like Israel, was unable to vote. But Ambassador Warren W. Tichenor, who heads the U.S. observer delegation, expressed disappointment.

"At this first meeting, an historic opportunity has been lost," Tichenor said. "Rather than address a number of urgent human rights situations around the world in a fair, equitable and balanced way, this new Human Rights Council has instead pursued an unbalanced agenda to single out and focus on Israel alone."

However, he said, "the United States is still committed to working to ensure that the Human Rights Council is as effective and efficient as it can be."

Slow economy hits state sales tax revenue

State tax revenue rose slightly in the second quarter, but revenue from sales tax, fuel tax and property tax all dropped compared to a year ago, according to a report released Tuesday. The report warned that states and cities would be forced to cut spending as tax revenues dropped further.

Total tax revenue for the states was up 3.6 percent in the second quarter compared to the same quarter last year, according to the report from the State University of New York's Rockefeller Institute of Government entitled "The Damage is Just Beginning." Adjusted for inflation, revenue rose 1.6 percent versus the year-ago quarter.

Further weakening in July and August suggests tax collections will soften even more.

Fuel tax revenue for the second quarter fell 2.1 percent versus a year ago. This was the sixth quarter fuel tax revenue has seen year-over-year declines. Fuel taxes are usually levied at a fixed rate per gallon, so they mirror miles driven, not gas prices.

Property tax revenue fell 0.1 percent versus the year-ago quarter, while sales tax revenue fell 1.4 percent versus last year's second quarter. This was the first drop in sales tax revenue since 2002, according to the report, which is based on tax data collected by the U.S. Census Bureau. The amount of sales tax collected declined in 28 states.

Corporate income tax revenue fell 8.3 percent versus the same quarter last year. This was the fourth straight drop in corporate income taxes.

The report reiterated a warning the Institute made earlier this year: "The underlying trend for states is negative; budget cuts and other gap-closing measures likely loom ahead."

Metals rise for second day on hopes for growth

NEW YORK (AP) — Metals prices are rising for a second day on growing optimism about the U.S. economy.

Copper for December delivery rose 1.55 cents Tuesday to close at $3.376 per pound. Copper is now up 3.6 percent since Monday.

Platinum for January delivery gained $1.20 to settle at $1,540.70 an ounce. December palladium rose $2.70 to close at $584.25 an ounce.

Optimism about the U.S. economy rose Tuesday on news that an index of consumer confidence jumped in November. The Conference Board said its gauge of consumer confidence is at the highest level since July.

Higher confidence means consumers might be willing to spend more. That would increase prices for industrial metals like copper and palladium because they are used as raw materials in factories.

Ronaldinho back in Brazil squad

SAO PAULO (AP) — Twice world player of the year Ronaldinho is back in the Brazil squad for the first time since November.

Coach Mano Menezes on Thursday named the 31-year-old midfielder in his squad for the friendly match against Ghana to be held at Craven Cottage in London on Sept. 5.

Ronaldinho missed the 2010 World Cup and had been summoned only once by Menezes since then, for a 1-0 loss to Argentina last November.

Real Madrid right back Marcelo and FC Porto striker Hulk also returned to the squad, and Neymar, Paulo Henrique Ganso, Lucas and Robinho also were summoned.

Kaka remained out of the squad as Menezes continues to wait for him to improve his form with Real Madrid. Injured Inter Milan right back Maicon, Fenerbahce left back Andre Santos and Chelsea midfielder Ramires also were left out.

Brazil is coming off a 3-2 loss to Germany in a friendly in Stuttgart last week.

Ronaldinho became one of the most high-profile acquisitions by a Brazilian club when he joined Flamengo in the beginning of the year. It took a while for him to live up to the expectations, however, and he struggled in his first few months with the popular Brazilian club, even being jeered by fans and heavily criticized by local media.

But Ronaldinho bounced back and recently has been key for Flamengo's run to the top of the Brazilian league. Local media and fans again started to ask Menezes to call him for the national team.

"After his return to Brazil, there has been enough time for him to start playing well again," Menezes said. "He is one of the most important players in Brazil this season. He has been playing constantly and has been getting better and better physically. Technically, we all know how good he is."

Ronaldinho has scored nine goals in 16 matches in the Brazilian league, only one less than leading scorer Borges of Santos.

"Ronaldinho can become a reference to the youngsters, providing the type of leadership that we need in the national team," Menezes said.

The coach has been revamping the squad since the 2010 World Cup, mixing some veterans with young promising stars who will be in charge of the team at the 2014 tournament at home.

"Of the veterans, Ronaldinho is the one with the most chances to be playing in the World Cup," Menezes said. "He has no history of serious injuries and has been playing constantly."

Menezes took over Brazil after it was eliminated to the Netherlands in the quarterfinals of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. He's already under pressure after the disappointing results against Argentina, France, the Netherlands and now Germany.

The team also struggled in the Copa America in Argentina last month, losing to Paraguay in a penalty shootout in the quarterfinals.

As host, Brazil won't have to qualify for the 2014 World Cup. It will be hosting the competition for the first time since 1950.

___

Squad:

Goalkeepers: Julio Cesar (Inter Milan), Jefferson (Botafogo), Fabio (Cruzeiro).

Defenders: Daniel Alves (Barcelona), Marcelo (Real Madrid), Danilo (Santos), Adriano (Barcelona), Lucio (Inter Milan), David Luiz (Chelsea), Thiago Silva (AC Milan), Dede (Vasco da Gama).

Midfielders: Lucas Leiva (Liverpool), Ralf (Corinthians), Luiz Gustavo (Bayern Munich), Elias (Atletico Madrid), Paulo Henrique Ganso (Santos), Lucas (Sao Paulo), Fernandinho (Shakhtar Donetsk), Ronaldinho (Flamengo).

Forwards: Alexandre Pato (Milan), Neymar (Santos), Leandro Damiao (Internacional), Robinho (AC Milan), Hulk (FC Porto).

___

Follow Tales Azzoni at http://twitter.com/tazzoni

'Force' will boost charity fundraiser

A Light sabre from the latest Star Wars movie will be up for grabsat a charity auction in Aberdeen.

The silent auction is being held by Cancer Link Aberdeen and Northto raise funds for people affected by the life-threatening illnessthroughout the North-east.

Around 200 items are being auctioned at Clan's Rosemount Placeshop, while an additional 100 lots are expected to be snapped up fromits Summer Street premises.

A similar event held last year raised more than pounds3,000 forthe group, with organisers confident they will beat that total thistime.

Anne Scaife, senior manager at both Clan shops, said the responseso far has been excellent.

She added: "With the deadline for last bids approaching peopleshould really get involved in the auction.

"There's a lot of collectables going and we're hopeful we canexceed the total raised last year."

For more information or to make a phone bid call the Rosemountshop on (01224) 622894 or the Summer Street store on (01224) 639292.

US: differences with Japan won't hurt alliance

A senior U.S. diplomat says that differences with Japan over the relocation of a Marine airfield are not damaging the U.S.-Japanese alliance.

Assistant Secretary of State Kurt Campbell told reporters Tuesday that current U.S.-Japanese tension is nothing compared to the Japanese anger over the 1995 rape of a 12-year-old girl by two Marines and a U.S. sailor.

He says that the U.S. has been clear that a 2006 agreement to move the airfield to a less crowded part of the southern island of Okinawa should be carried out.

He says that the Obama administration is trying to be flexible and not appear intransigent with the new Japanese government.

But Campbell says that the U.S. believes "quite deeply" that having American forces in Japan is essential to Asian security.

Agreement Closer for Economy Rescue Pact

House Democratic and Republican leaders are looking for imminent agreement with the White House on an emergency package to jolt the economy out of its slump after negotiators on all sides made significant concessions at a late-night bargaining session.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi agreed to drop increases in food stamp and unemployment benefits during the Wednesday meeting in exchange for gaining a rebates of at least $300 for each person earning a paycheck, including low-income earners who make too little to pay income taxes.

Families with children would receive an additional $300 per child, subject to an overall cap of perhaps $1,200, according to a senior House aide who outlined the deal on condition of anonymity in advance of formal adoption of the whole package.

Pelosi, D-Calif., and House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, had yet to reach agreement on a package of tax breaks for businesses after estimates showed a tentative business tax agreement could exceed $70 billion, far more than had been expected, the aide and a Democratic lobbyist said.

Pelosi and Boehner appeared optimistic as they left their third extended negotiating session of the day with Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson. "We'll have more to say tomorrow," Boehner said. "We're hopeful."

However, Pelosi's spokesman said another negotiating session tentatively scheduled for Thursday morning was postponed because the speaker first needed to brief fellow Democrats on the emerging but plan.

Democratic aides said greater GOP flexibility over giving relief to poor families with children _ who would not have been eligible under President Bush's original tax rebate proposal _ was the catalyst that moved the talks forward.

Asked whether agreement was near, Pelosi said, "We're moving toward that, but all the issues are not resolved."

The business tax portion still being negotiated would give businesses incentives to invest in plants and equipment, give small businesses more generous expensing rules and allow businesses suffering losses now to reclaim taxes previously paid. The last item on spreading operating losses was proving to be unexpectedly expensive.

Pelosi pressed to make sure tax relief would find its way into the hands of lower-income earners while Boehner pushed to include upper middle-class couples with incomes of up to $130,000 or so, according to congressional aides.

Bush backs larger rebates of $800-$1,600, but his plan would have left out 30 million working households who earn paychecks but don't make enough to pay income tax, according to calculations by the Urban Institute-Brookings Institution Tax Policy Center. An additional 19 million households would have received only partial rebates under Bush's initial proposal.

Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., said negotiators also were near an agreement on an overhaul of the Federal Housing Administration that would make it easier for thousands of homeowners with ballooning interest rates to refinance into federally insured loans. That measure might advance separately of the tax relief package, however.

Both sides agreed to allow Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac _ government-sponsored companies that are the two biggest U.S. financers and guarantors of home loans _ to buy loans much larger than the current $417,000 limit, aides and lobbyists said. Frank said that lending cap might reach as high as $700,000 in areas with the highest home prices.

Pelosi's decision to drop expanding unemployment payments and more money for food stamps _ which many lawmakers had assumed would be included in the package _ could prove very controversial with Democratic constituencies such as unions, who were already stung by a decision to deny states more money for their Medicaid programs.

Many Democrats had pressed to extend unemployment benefits for people whose 26 weeks of benefits have run out, but Republicans resisted.

Navy captain loses command over misconduct claims

SAN DIEGO (AP) — The commander of a guided-missile destroyer has been relieved of command while the Navy investigates allegations of misconduct.

The San Diego-based Third Fleet says Cmdr. Jay Wylie of the USS Momsen was relieved Wednesday due to what's termed "loss of confidence in his ability to command." He was reassigned to a San Diego post.

A fleet spokeswoman, Lt. j.g. Beth Teach, says she doesn't have details about the allegations.

The Momsen is part of Destroyer Squadron 9, currently in homeport in Everett, Washington.

Wylie is the second Navy officer removed from a command in less than a week.

Capt. Donald Hornbeck, commander of Destroyer Squadron 1 in the Arabian Sea, was removed Saturday while the Navy investigates allegations that he had an inappropriate relationship.

Teach says the incidents are unrelated.

Scientists discover 12 new frog species in India

NEW DELHI (AP) — Years of combing tropical mountain forests, shining flashlights under rocks and listening for croaks in the night have paid off for a team of Indian scientists that has discovered 12 new frog species plus three others thought to have been extinct.

It's a find the team hopes will bring attention to India's amphibians and their role in gauging the health of the environment.

Worldwide, 32 percent of the world's known amphibian species are threatened with extinction, largely because of habitat loss or pollution, according to the group Global Wildlife Conservation.

"Frogs are extremely important indicators not just of climate change, but also pollutants in the environment," said the project's lead scientist, biologist Sathyabhama Das Biju of the University of Delhi.

Many of the newly found frogs in India are rare and are living in just a single area, so they will need rigorous habitat protection, Biju told The Associated Press on Saturday. "Unfortunately in India, conservation has basically focused on the two most charismatic animals — the elephant and the tiger. For amphibians there is little interest, little funding, and frog research is not easy."

Night frogs are extremely hard to find, coming out only at dark and during the monsoon season, living either in fast-flowing streams or on moist forest ground.

Biju said he and his student researchers had to sit in dark, damp forests listening for frog sounds and shining flashlights under rocks and across riverbeds. They confirmed the new species by description as well as genetics.

The 12 new species include the meowing night frog, whose croak sounds more like a cat's call, the jog night frog, unique in that both the males and females watch over the eggs, and the Wayanad night frog, which grows to about the size of a baseball or cricket ball. "It's almost like a monster in the forest floor, a huge animal for a frog, leaping from one rock to another," Biju said.

Three other species were rediscovered, including the Coorg night frog described 91 years ago, after scientists "had completely ignored these animals, thinking they were lost."

The discoveries — published in the latest issue of international taxonomy journal Zootaxa — bring the known number of frogs in India to 336. Biju estimated this was only around half of what is in the wild, and said none of India's amphibians are yet being studied for biological compounds that could be of further use in science.

"We first have to find the species, know them and protect them, so that we can study them for their clinical importance," he said.

Biju is credited with discovering dozens of new Indian frog species during his 35-year career.

Starbucks to close 61 shops in Australia

Starbucks is closing more than two-thirds of its coffee shops in Australia.

The Seattle-based global coffee franchise company announced Tuesday that it would shut the doors of 61 stores by the end of the week, leaving just 23 cafes operating in three major cities.

The closures in Australia follow the announcement earlier this month that Starbucks would close 600 company-owned stores in the United States in an effort to bolster its business.

Rich guys pay to play with MJ

It was a few minutes before Game 6 of the NBA Finals and theBulls were heading onto the United Center floor to take on the UtahJazz when Michael Jordan spotted WSCR-AM (1160) midday man Mike Northin the tunnel.

"They've all got their game faces on, and he comes up to me asthey're walking out and says, `Are you in shape?' " said North, who,just days earlier, had plunked down his $15,000 to attend Jordan'sadult basketball camp, set for this week in Las Vegas. "I go,`Yeah.' And he goes, `You better be because we're going to run your(butt).' Five minutes before the championship, he's worried if I'min shape."

North says he has cut back on his drinking, added more veggiesto his diet and dropped about 10 pounds since Jordan's friendlywarning, all in preparation to be one of 72 rich guys from around thecountry, age 35 and over, playing with Jordan and Charles Barkleyunder the watchful eyes of coaches such as John Thompson, MikeFratello, Roy Williams and Hubie Brown."I'm taking it seriously, but it'll be fun," said North, who iscelebrating his 20th anniversary with wife Be-Be on the trip. "Youdon't want to go out there and be a goof. I don't want to blow 15grand and then get hurt on the first day."Actually, Bulls fans would remind him, more important than thatis to make sure no one hurts the guy running the camp.NOT IF THEY FALL ON THEIR WALLETS: This isn't North's firstgo-round. He paid $3,500 to attend a fantasy camp with a bunch ofCubs old-timers about three years ago and got hurt the first day out."I dove for a ball and I screwed my hand up real bad," he said. "Ikept playing, but it wasn't as much fun."The Jordan camp, Thursday through Sunday at Bally's, will breakdown into eight teams of nine players."We've got a shorter roster than the NBA, and I think we're morelikely to get hurt than the NBA guys," North said. "You're going tosee hamstrings, knees, everything. You know what I'm saying?"LOSING MY RELIGION: "My dream is to be an evangelist," DeionSanders told the Dallas Morning News. "That's my calling. I amDeion Sanders. I am Prime Time. The words I speak go a long way.They go places pastors and bishops can't go."See? Deion doesn't have a God complex.He just wants to be His spokesman.COOL: Someone asked former Bear William "Refrigerator" Perry howbrutal Soldier Field was in December. "The windshield factor wasreally something," the Fridge supposedly said.THIS JUST IN FROM THE BLEACHERS: The rumor is Cubs fan Ronnie"Woo Woo" is on injured reserve with an ailing knee. Yep, it's beenthat kind of season.MONEY PLAYER: "You're treated just like a real player," Northsaid. "You get a suite. You get per-diem money. You get picked upat the airport in a limo. Nike gives you stuff."I had a guy come up to me, saying, `How can you spend$15,000?' This guy belongs to a country club, so I go, `How can youspend $40,000?' I'd rather spend $15,000 and play basketball withthe greatest player who ever lived. . . . It's a once-in-a-lifetimedeal. To me, it's a no-brainer."ADMIT IT: As you were watching the team from Mexico beat MissionViejo, Calif., in the Little League World Series, you thought it,too. "And now, your 1998 Chicago White Sox . . ."DON'T LAUGH: The title game in Williamsport, Pa., drew 37,400,which is a heck of a lot more then the 1997 Sox attract.HAPPY CAMPERS: Among the Jordan camp highlights will be along-shot contest for a one-year car lease and a three-point contestwith the winner getting a Rolex. The best part?"Michael's going to play us one-on-one and there's going to beindividual instruction," North said. "It's like a fantasy camp,except the guy you're playing with won't be 60 years old. You'replaying with the greatest basketball player right now."THE REVOLUTION WON'T BE TELEVISED: We're hearing the renewalrate among Blackhawks season reservation holders has fallen off quitea bit this summer.THE LAST WORD: "I just want to come back in one piece," Northsaid. "That's all I care about."

Police get more time in probe

Police have been granted more time to quiz their prime suspect inthe triple murder of a mother and her two children.

Pierre Williams, 32, was arrested in Birmingham after the murdersof Beverley Samuels, 36, her daughter, Kesha Wizzart, 18, and son Fred, 13, in Fallowfield, Manchester.

The family were found beaten to death at their red-brick terracehome.

A nationwide manhunt was launched after detectives revealed theywere seeking Williams.

A police spokeswoman said: "Detectives have been granted a warrantof further detention to question a 32-year-old man. The warrant isdue to expire around 11.30pm tonight."

Tainted Spinach Traced to California

WASHINGTON - A California natural foods company was linked Friday to a nationwide E. coli outbreak that has killed one person and sickened nearly 100 others. Supermarkets across the country pulled spinach from shelves, and consumers tossed out the leafy green.

Food and Drug Administration officials said that they had received reports of illness in 19 states.

The outbreak was traced to Natural Selection Foods, based in San Juan Bautista, Calif., and the company has voluntarily recalled products containing spinach.

FDA officials stressed that the bacteria had not been isolated in products sold by Natural Selection Foods but that the link was established by patient accounts of what they had eaten before becoming ill.

An investigation was continuing.

"It is possible that the recall and the information will extend beyond Natural Selection Foods and involve other brands and other companies, at other dates," said Dr. David Acheson, the chief medical officer with the FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition.

Natural Selection Foods LLC said in a statement that it was cooperating with federal and state health officials to identify the source of the contamination and had stopped shipping all fresh spinach products. They are sold as Rave Spinach, Natural Selection Foods, Dole, Earthbound Farm, Trader Joe's, Ready Pac, Green Harvest, among other brand names.

State health officials received the first reports of illness on Aug. 25, and the FDA was informed on Wednesday, Acheson said.

The FDA warned people nationwide not to eat the spinach. Washing won't get rid of the tenacious bug, though thorough cooking can kill it.

"We're waiting for the all-clear. In the meantime, Popeye the Sailor Man and this family will not be eating bagged spinach," said Dr. William Schaffner, chairman of preventative medicine at Vanderbilt University. The Tennessee university's medical center was treating a 17-year-old Kentucky girl for E. coli infection. That case originally was listed as being from Tennessee, but federal health officials changed it to Kentucky.

Each year, consumers buy hundreds of millions of pounds of bagged spinach - triple-washed and packaged in cellophane bags and clamshell boxes.

"We will do whatever is necessary to help protect the health and safety of the public," Earthbound Farm spokeswoman Samantha Cabaluna said in a statement.

The company said consumers could call 800-690-3200 for a refund or replacement coupons for tossed-out spinach products.

Wisconsin accounted for 29 illnesses, about one-third of the cases, including the lone death.

Other states reporting cases were: California, Connecticut, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Utah, Virginia, Washington and Wyoming, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Wisconsin accounted for 29 illnesses, about one-third of the cases, including the lone death.

"We are telling everyone to get rid of fresh bagged spinach right now. Don't assume anything is over," Gov. Jim Doyle said.

The bug has sickened at least 94 people across the nation, the CDC said. The agency added that 29 people have been hospitalized, 14 of them with kidney failure.

FDA officials said they issued the nationwide consumer alert without waiting to identify the still-unknown source of the tainted spinach.

"Early is good," said Caroline Smith DeWaal, food safety director for the Center for Science in the Public Interest, adding that the alert may have prevented hundreds more cases.

An industry spokeswoman said public health concerns justified the blanket warning: "It needed to happen this way," said Kathy Means, a spokeswoman for the Produce Marketing Association. "Public health has to trump economics at this time."

More than half the nation's 500 million-pound spinach crop is grown in California's Monterey County, according to the Agriculture Department.

"We're trying to get to the bottom of this and figure out what happened. Everybody is terribly concerned," said Dave Kranz, a spokesman for the California Farm Bureau Federation.

Even before the latest outbreak, a joint state and federal effort has been under way in the California county to find and eliminate any possible sources of E. coli contamination.

"We need to strive to do even better so even one life is not lost," said Dr. Andrew von Eschenbach, FDA's acting commissioner.

The FDA's top food expert stressed the importance of stopping the bacterium at its source, since rinsing spinach won't eliminate the risk. "If you wash it, it is not going to get rid of it," said Robert Brackett, director of the agency's Center for Food Safety and Nutrition.

E. coli lives in the intestines of cattle and other animals and typically is spread through contamination by fecal material. Brackett said the use of manure as a fertilizer for produce typically consumed raw, such as spinach, is not in keeping with good agricultural practices. "It is something we don't want to see," he told a food policy conference.

Meanwhile, Wal-Mart Stores Inc., Safeway Inc., SuperValu Inc. and other major grocery chains stopped selling spinach, removing it from shelves and salad bars.

"We pulled everything that we have spinach in," said Dan Brettelle, manager of a Piggly Wiggly store in Columbia, S.C.

Consumer activist Barb Kowalcyk said fixing the nation's "fractured network" of food safety agencies could save lives. In 2001, her 2-year-old son, Kevin, died of E. coli, possibly after eating tainted ground beef.

"How can we improve communication between agencies? That needs to happen," the Loveland, Ohio, resident said.

Not all strains of E. coli cause illness: E. coli O157:H7, the strain involved in the current outbreak, was first recognized as a cause of illness in 1982. That strain causes an estimated 73,000 cases of infection, including 61 deaths, each year in the United States, according to the CDC.

When ingested, the bug can cause diarrhea, often with bloody stools. Most healthy adults can recover completely within a week, although some people - including the very young and old - can develop a form of kidney failure that often leads to death.

Sources of the bacterium include uncooked produce, raw milk, unpasteurized juice, contaminated water and meat, especially undercooked or raw hamburger.

Tainted Spinach Traced to California

WASHINGTON - A California natural foods company was linked Friday to a nationwide E. coli outbreak that has killed one person and sickened nearly 100 others. Supermarkets across the country pulled spinach from shelves, and consumers tossed out the leafy green.

Food and Drug Administration officials said that they had received reports of illness in 19 states.

The outbreak was traced to Natural Selection Foods, based in San Juan Bautista, Calif., and the company has voluntarily recalled products containing spinach.

FDA officials stressed that the bacteria had not been isolated in products sold by Natural Selection Foods but that the link was established by patient accounts of what they had eaten before becoming ill.

An investigation was continuing.

"It is possible that the recall and the information will extend beyond Natural Selection Foods and involve other brands and other companies, at other dates," said Dr. David Acheson, the chief medical officer with the FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition.

Natural Selection Foods LLC said in a statement that it was cooperating with federal and state health officials to identify the source of the contamination and had stopped shipping all fresh spinach products. They are sold as Rave Spinach, Natural Selection Foods, Dole, Earthbound Farm, Trader Joe's, Ready Pac, Green Harvest, among other brand names.

State health officials received the first reports of illness on Aug. 25, and the FDA was informed on Wednesday, Acheson said.

The FDA warned people nationwide not to eat the spinach. Washing won't get rid of the tenacious bug, though thorough cooking can kill it.

"We're waiting for the all-clear. In the meantime, Popeye the Sailor Man and this family will not be eating bagged spinach," said Dr. William Schaffner, chairman of preventative medicine at Vanderbilt University. The Tennessee university's medical center was treating a 17-year-old Kentucky girl for E. coli infection. That case originally was listed as being from Tennessee, but federal health officials changed it to Kentucky.

Each year, consumers buy hundreds of millions of pounds of bagged spinach - triple-washed and packaged in cellophane bags and clamshell boxes.

"We will do whatever is necessary to help protect the health and safety of the public," Earthbound Farm spokeswoman Samantha Cabaluna said in a statement.

The company said consumers could call 800-690-3200 for a refund or replacement coupons for tossed-out spinach products.

Wisconsin accounted for 29 illnesses, about one-third of the cases, including the lone death.

Other states reporting cases were: California, Connecticut, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Utah, Virginia, Washington and Wyoming, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Wisconsin accounted for 29 illnesses, about one-third of the cases, including the lone death.

"We are telling everyone to get rid of fresh bagged spinach right now. Don't assume anything is over," Gov. Jim Doyle said.

The bug has sickened at least 94 people across the nation, the CDC said. The agency added that 29 people have been hospitalized, 14 of them with kidney failure.

FDA officials said they issued the nationwide consumer alert without waiting to identify the still-unknown source of the tainted spinach.

"Early is good," said Caroline Smith DeWaal, food safety director for the Center for Science in the Public Interest, adding that the alert may have prevented hundreds more cases.

An industry spokeswoman said public health concerns justified the blanket warning: "It needed to happen this way," said Kathy Means, a spokeswoman for the Produce Marketing Association. "Public health has to trump economics at this time."

More than half the nation's 500 million-pound spinach crop is grown in California's Monterey County, according to the Agriculture Department.

"We're trying to get to the bottom of this and figure out what happened. Everybody is terribly concerned," said Dave Kranz, a spokesman for the California Farm Bureau Federation.

Even before the latest outbreak, a joint state and federal effort has been under way in the California county to find and eliminate any possible sources of E. coli contamination.

"We need to strive to do even better so even one life is not lost," said Dr. Andrew von Eschenbach, FDA's acting commissioner.

The FDA's top food expert stressed the importance of stopping the bacterium at its source, since rinsing spinach won't eliminate the risk. "If you wash it, it is not going to get rid of it," said Robert Brackett, director of the agency's Center for Food Safety and Nutrition.

E. coli lives in the intestines of cattle and other animals and typically is spread through contamination by fecal material. Brackett said the use of manure as a fertilizer for produce typically consumed raw, such as spinach, is not in keeping with good agricultural practices. "It is something we don't want to see," he told a food policy conference.

Meanwhile, Wal-Mart Stores Inc., Safeway Inc., SuperValu Inc. and other major grocery chains stopped selling spinach, removing it from shelves and salad bars.

"We pulled everything that we have spinach in," said Dan Brettelle, manager of a Piggly Wiggly store in Columbia, S.C.

Consumer activist Barb Kowalcyk said fixing the nation's "fractured network" of food safety agencies could save lives. In 2001, her 2-year-old son, Kevin, died of E. coli, possibly after eating tainted ground beef.

"How can we improve communication between agencies? That needs to happen," the Loveland, Ohio, resident said.

Not all strains of E. coli cause illness: E. coli O157:H7, the strain involved in the current outbreak, was first recognized as a cause of illness in 1982. That strain causes an estimated 73,000 cases of infection, including 61 deaths, each year in the United States, according to the CDC.

When ingested, the bug can cause diarrhea, often with bloody stools. Most healthy adults can recover completely within a week, although some people - including the very young and old - can develop a form of kidney failure that often leads to death.

Sources of the bacterium include uncooked produce, raw milk, unpasteurized juice, contaminated water and meat, especially undercooked or raw hamburger.

Nursing home owners indicted in Katrina case.(Main)

CHALMETTE, La. - The owners of a nursing home where 35 patients died in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina were indicted Wednesday on charges of negligent homicide and cruelty to the infirm.

Salvador and Mabel Mangano were initially arrested about two weeks after the Aug. 29, 2005, storm. The Louisiana attorney general booked them on negligent homicide charges, but a grand jury was unable to convene for months because the court system was hobbled by damage to government buildings and the displacement of residents.

The couple owned St. Rita's nursing home in St. Bernard Parish, a coastal suburb of New Orleans badly flooded by Katrina. They remained free on bond.

- Associated Press

Nursing home owners indicted in Katrina case.(Main)

CHALMETTE, La. - The owners of a nursing home where 35 patients died in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina were indicted Wednesday on charges of negligent homicide and cruelty to the infirm.

Salvador and Mabel Mangano were initially arrested about two weeks after the Aug. 29, 2005, storm. The Louisiana attorney general booked them on negligent homicide charges, but a grand jury was unable to convene for months because the court system was hobbled by damage to government buildings and the displacement of residents.

The couple owned St. Rita's nursing home in St. Bernard Parish, a coastal suburb of New Orleans badly flooded by Katrina. They remained free on bond.

- Associated Press

Blago may call Obama to testify

Rod Blagojevich's lawyers are contemplating calling President Obama as a witness in the ex-governor's upcoming trial, defense attorneys told the Chicago Sun-Times.

Blagojevich attorney Sam Adam Jr. said Monday the former governor's defense team has made an early request for any information regarding last year's FBI interview of then-President-elect Barack Obama because it is weighing whether to call the president as a witness in the June trial.

At least one expert, however, said that the defense will have to clear substantial hurdles to make that happen.

Adam said he expects a lengthy undertaking should he try to call Obama as a witness.

"If we were to want …

Meeting of rural council.

THE Humber and Wolds Rural Community Council will hold its annual general meeting in Rudston on Wednesday.

It will be held at Rudston Village Hall at 6.30pm, refreshments will be available and entertainment will

follow.

For more information contact the community council on 01430 430904.

For an opinionated view of local and national news, read …

ALBANY MISSES THE BOAT IN EXPLORING ARCHAEOLOGICAL PAST.(MAIN)

Byline: TERRENCE P. CUMMINGS VALATIE

The March/April issue of Archaeology magazine contains a very interesting and well-written article titled ``New York's Mythic Slum: Digging lower Manhattan's infamous Five Points.'' In it, Rebecca Yamin describes recent archaeological work at the site of a new federal courthouse in lower Manhattan. A consulting firm from New Jersey conducted …

Spurs' Lennon sustains recurrence of groin injury

Tottenham winger Aaron Lennon has sustained a recurrence of the groin injury that has kept him out of action since December.

Lennon has not played since tearing a groin muscle on Dec. 28 in a 2-0 English Premier League win over West Ham but needs to get fit soon to make England's World Cup squad.

Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp says "he was close to …

Styling Russia: Multiculture in the Prose of Nikolai Leskov

Knut Andreas Grimstad. Styling Russia: Multiculture in the Prose of Nikolai Leskov. Bergen: Slavica Bergensia, 2007. 256 pp. Bibliography. Index. NOK 27.00, cloth.

Nikolai Semenovich Leskov (1831-1895), a contemporary of so many famous Russian classics, seems to have been dropped from the list of writers that is commonly studied in Russian literature. One reason why Leskov's name appears so rarely on the roster, or in course outlines of nineteenth-century Russian literature, might be that his literary style is so radically different from the likes of Gogol', Goncharov, Turgenev, Dostoevskij, and Tolstoi. Most of these writers used the literary language of cultivated society, which …

UNITED ANTICIPATES FDA PRODUCT APPROVAL.

United Therapeutics (Nasdaq: UTHR), with facilities in Research Triangle Park, announced recently that the Cardiovascular and Renal Drugs Advisory Committee of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommended approval of Remodulin Injection for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension by a vote of 6 to 3.

The advisory committee's recommendation will be considered by the FDA during its …

Cable's do-it-yourselfer. (profile of Home & Garden Television founder and CEO Kenneth Wayne Lowe)

From age 10, Ken Lowe knew he wanted to build things. But rather than tackle the common tree house, Lowe built a radio station with a small transmitter and a control room fashioned from wooden planks. He named the station WGOB for "gobs of fun." While it was a crude attempt at broadcasting, Lowe says WGOB introduced him to the business he's "always wanted to be in."

Lowe has come a long way from playing home-town disc jockey with his school pals. He oversees Home & Garden Television, a cable network he helped to launch in December 1994. His hunch was that there were other frustrated part-time home builders like himself who were eager to learn about the trade that was their weekend obsession.

In less than three years, HGTV has …

LEARNING WHERE TO LOOK FOR HELPING HANDS.(Sports)

Byline: ROB STREETER

This week I have two tales of folks who are making a difference. Both involve conservation programs and both help people.

If you are the parent of a high school student, pay attention. The Safari Club International Foundation has awarded scholarships to eight students for the upcoming college year.

SCI awards two- and four-year scholarships for students in North America who are pursuing degrees in conservation and education-related fields.

"Education is the key to preserving our natural heritage," said SCI Foundation Executive Director Tom Riley.

The SCI Foundation assists these students hoping they will …

BILL WOULD PUT CAPITOL ON CABLE TV IN '94.(CAPITAL REGION)

Byline: TOM PRECIOUS Capitol bureau

A statewide, commercial-free television channel showing the internal workings of state government could be on the air by the beginning of next year -- just in time for the 1994 elections -- under a proposal by Gov. Mario M. Cuomo.

The plan, debated for months among the Cuomo administration, the Legislature and the cable industry, would create a network based on the model of C-SPAN, which televises federal government proceedings and other public affairs programs.

Whether the New York government cable channel will be as widely praised as C-SPAN for its balanced coverage of politics and controversial issues will …

Iraq banned from hosting WCup, Olympics qualifiers

ZURICH (AP) — FIFA has banned Iraq from playing home qualifiers for the 2014 World Cup and 2012 Olympics because of security concerns.

FIFA says it acted because of the "general security situation" in Iraq, and stadium failures in Irbil when Iraq hosted Jordan in a World Cup qualifier on Sept. 2.

The match was suspended for more than five minutes when the stadium lights went off …

Czechs bid farewell to Vaclav Havel

PRAGUE (AP) — Czechs and world leaders paid emotional tribute to Vaclav Havel on Friday at a pomp-filled funeral ceremony, ending a week of public grief and nostalgia over the death of the dissident playwright who led the 1989 revolution that toppled four decades of communist rule.

Bells tolled from churches while a wailing siren brought the country to a standstill in a minute of silence for the nation's first democratically-elected president after the nonviolent "Velvet Revolution."

Havel's wife Dagmar, family members, friends and leaders from dozens of countries gathered Friday at the towering, gothic St. Vitus Cathedral which overlooks Prague. U.S. Secretary of State …

Film recalls Yao Ming's bounce into the NBA: Newbie since has become our favorite Chinese import

THE YEAR OF THE YAO Rating 2 out of 4 1/2

Featuring Yao Ming, Colin Pine, Rudy Tomjanovich, Charles Barkley,Steve Francis, Shaquille O'Neal, Cuttino Mobley, Glen Rice, ErnieJohnson and Kenny Smith

Endgame Entertainment and NBA Entertainment present a filmdirected by James D. Stern and Adam Del Deo. Running time: 89minutes. Rated PG, for some mild language. Opening today at theLandmark Century Centre Cinema.

Like most international businesses, the National BasketballAssociation has longed for a way to enter the lucrative China market,a country with as many basketball fans (270 million) as the entireU.S. population.

In 2002, the NBA got its wish in …

Wiesnet, George Josef.(Obituaries)

WYNANTSKILL George Josef Wiesnet, 70, died Thursday, February 26, 2009, at St. Mary's Hospital, Troy after a brief illness. Born in Amberg, Bavaria, Germany, he was son of the late Georg Josef Wiesnet and Elsa Schneider Wiesnet and husband for the past 48 years of Paula Beierschoder Wiesnet. He was born in Germany and lived there for 17 years until coming to the United States on October 24, 1958 and has resided in Wynantskill for the past 51 years. He was a graduate of Hudson Valley Community College studying construction engineering. Mr. Wiesnet spent four years completing an apprenticeship in Germany as a master carpenter, tradesman/shriner. He was a union carpenter and …

COMBATANTS' REAL OBJECTIVES IN WAGING THE WAR ON SMOKING.(LIFE & LEISURE)

Byline: DAVE BARRY

Just when you think the War on Smoking cannot possibly get any more entertaining, up pops a new batch of lawyers to save the day.

Before I tell you about the latest legal wrinkle, let's review the key points in the War on Smoking so far:

POINT ONE: Cigarettes are evil, because smokers smoke them and consequently become sick or dead.

POINT TWO: The tobacco companies are evil, because they make and sell cigarettes.

POINT THREE: Therefore, in 1998 there was a big settlement under which the tobacco companies, by way of punishment for making and selling cigarettes, agreed to pay more than $200 billion to 46 states and …

Sushi King Japanese Restaurant Chain Expands in Growing Thai Market.

Byline: Boonsong Kositchotethana

Nov. 5--Texchem, one of Malaysia's biggest diversified conglomerates, will step up expansion of its Sushi King Japanese restaurant chain in Thailand after two years of consolidation.

The mostly Japanese-owned group is keen for a bigger share of the growing market for Japanese food, especially sushi, among Thai diners.

The company's enthusiasm is reflected by the recent appointment of a Thai manager to run the local operation, instead of overseeing the operation from its Kuala Lumpur office.

Sompong Patchrakhun, a hotel industry veteran with 32 years' experience, was recently appointed general manager of Sushi …

Al-Jazeera's offices torched amid Egypt unrest

PARIS (AP) — Al-Jazeera's offices in Cairo were stormed and torched and its website hacked Friday, the Pan-Arab broadcaster said, as the top U.N. human rights official complained that media covering Egyptian pro-democracy protests are being arrested "in a blatant attempt to stifle news."

Qatar-based Al-Jazeera — widely watched in the Middle East — portrayed the attack on its office as an attempt by Egypt's regime or its supporters to hinder its coverage of the uprising in Egypt. Al-Jazeera said the office was burned along with the equipment inside it.

Many correspondents covering the bloody street fights in Egypt have suffered violent attacks: a Swedish journalist is …

Florida Federal to take unexpected $8 million loss for quarter.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- The Florida Federal Savings and Loan Association says it will take an $8 million to $10 million loss for the first three months of 1985, primarily as the result of writedowns on joint real estate ventures.

The surprise announcement Tuesday came only two months after company chairman Raleigh W. Greene Jr. predicted that Florida Federal would significantly improve earnings during the first six months of 1985.

In a prepared release, the thrift said it would take a $4 million to $6 million loss as a result of writedowns on six joint ventures it entered in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The company said it would try to sell all of its …

Noteworthy.(Capital Region)

Exercise before you eat

Before the big meal on Thursday, get your blood flowing. The YWCA of Schenectady, 44 Washington Ave., Schenectady, hosts "Work out before you pig out," step and water aerobics, from 8 to 9:45 a.m. Bring a nonperishable food for the YMCA Emergency Food Pantry.

Running ahead

Turkey Trots take off Thursday. Troy's races begin at 8 a.m. at City Hall, One Monument Square. Call 235-8993. Cohoes' first race leaves City …

Brand compilations: Mark Sherrington, global marketing director at SAB Miller hasn't read Brands and Branding cover to cover, but says it's a useful compendium to dip into for those who know the theory but have forgotten to follow it.(Book Review)

Brands and Branding edited by Rita Clifton and John Simmons is published by The Economist, 20 [pounds sterling]

It is not fashionable as a businessman to admit that you have never actually read a whole business book from start to finish. I have never done so and I certainly did not read the whole of this book. However, I would recommend it.

Did the world need another compendium on brands and branding? Probably not, but as the latest, and one containing the writings of many of the marketing world's leading lights, Anholt, Barwise, Feldwick, Clifton, it has the advantage of being both wise and up to date.

Were the reader to work through from page one …

[ SUN-TIMES INSIGHT ]

Ray Kurzweil plans to live forever. To that end, he carefullychooses what he eats and drinks. On top of that he keeps his weightdown, exercises, and takes dietary supplements, about 250 a day.

He feels his strategy is working. Though he was born 56 years ago,a recent exhaustive physical examination revealed that his body isthat of a 40-year-old, he says.

So far, so good.

Kurzweil, a successful inventor, entrepreneur and futurist, knowseven his most rigorous efforts to preserve his body won't bythemselves lead to physical immortality. But his plan is to live ingood health long enough, perhaps another 30 years, that futurescientific advancements can take him the …

CHINESE LEADER'S VISIT TO U.S. MAY INCLUDE CROSS-COUNTRY TRIP.(MAIN)

Byline: STEWART M. POWELL Times Union Washington bureau

WASHINGTON -- President Clinton may escort visiting Chinese President Jiang Zemin on a cross-country tour of the United States during the Chinese leader's upcoming visit to the United States -- the first such top-level foray since Beijing's crackdown in Tiananmen Square in 1989.

Clinton administration officials are weighing whether to expand the itinerary of Jiang's state visit in October to include American cities, historic sights and factories outside the nation's capital.

The models for such a venture would be two previous visits by Chinese leaders. One was the 10-day transcontinental …