DiCola's Seafood, in the Beverly neighborhood on the Far SouthSide, specializes in fresh fish any way you want it.
And that's the lure. Buy fish, priced by the pound, to takehome and cook. Or have it prepared right on the premises. Just picka number as you enter and point to your pleasure in the 60-foot-longdisplay case when you're called. Wait and watch as your order isturned out. Then sit in your car and enjoy your purchase."We fillet fish, fry it, poach it, grill it, …
TOP STORIES:
REPUBLICANS-DEBATE
HANOVER, New Hampshire — With fewer than 100 days until voting begins, Republican White House hopefuls are headed to Mitt Romney's backyard to challenge him in a debate on his central issue, the economy. The former Massachusetts governor is sitting on a pile of cash, so if his challengers don't stop him, he may very well run away with the nomination. By Philip Elliott.
SENATE-JOBS BILL
WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama's jobs bill, facing a critical test in the Senate, appears likely to fail because Republicans oppose its spending components and its tax surcharge on millionaires. Obama has been waging a campaign-style effort …
The Thai government said Monday it would accept a cease-fire offer from a "Red Shirt" protest leader if their fighters end raging street battles and return to their main camp in central Bangkok, as the death toll from five days of violence rose to 37.
The offer was made by Red Shirt leader Nattawut Saikuwa, who called the government's chief negotiator, Korbsak Sabhavasu, on his cell phone, Korbsak said. It was the first direct talks between the two sides since the fighting started Thursday, but Korbsak said it was unlikely to achieve much as the two sides still remained far apart.
Nattawut's response was not immediately known. Calls to his phone went …
MONTGOMERY, Ala. - A judge ruled that offering driver's licenseexams in a dozen languages is not in violation of a 1990 amendment tothe state constitution, which declares English the official languageof Alabama.
Circuit Judge William Shashy said the amendment "makes EnglishAlabama's official language - not its only language."
His ruling Thursday came in a suit filed against the state by anonprofit group called "ProEnglish," which says the test should onlybe administered in English. The group argued that …
Rep. Mary E. Flowers (D-31st) told reporters Sunday that hearings on "racial redlining" in the healthcare industry would be held on the city and state level this week.
The Chicago City Council has scheduled a hearing at 9 a.m., and Flowers will attend a similar hearing in Springfield Tuesday.
Flowers is pushing for legislation that would monitor reporting on capital investment, equipment and patient demographics as well as evaluate public health spending.
"This pending legislation, House Bill 2545, would explicitly prohibit unequal service in the minority community," she said.
Flowers, Phillip O'Bannon, president of the South Side NAACP; Byron Hobbs, president …
A judge will likely grant Madonna and Guy Ritchie an initial divorce decree on Friday, according to the schedule for London's High Court.
The court lists "Ciccone M L v Ritchie G S" as one of 17 cases for "matrimonial and civil partnership causes for pronouncement of decree." That means a judge is to grant the couple a preliminary divorce decree, or decree nisi.
After six weeks and a day, the couple will probably be granted a decree absolute and the divorce will become final.
It is unusual for the couple to attend court in such cases.
British media reported Thursday that the celebrity pair had reached a settlement which …
Frances E. McCuddy, 80, owner of the McCuddy Tavern nearComiskey Park, died Friday in Mercy Hospital and Medical Center.
Miss McCuddy operated the tavern at 253 W. 35th St. for manyyears. It …
PHOENIX - Last in the AL East, the Baltimore Orioles have found their comfort zone in NL West ballparks. Brian Roberts tripled and homered and drove in three runs, and the Orioles took advantage of three Arizona errors in a 7-1 victory over the Diamondbacks on Friday night.
It was the third straight win for the Orioles, who took the last two games of a three-game series in San Diego this week.
Friday's result was all the more surprising because the Diamondbacks swept the Orioles last weekend in Baltimore. Arizona entered .002 percentage points behind San Diego in the NL West, while the Orioles were last in the AL East, 15 1/2 games off the pace.
But the teams …
An Oregon mother was arrested in the drowning of her 4-year-old son after the boy and his 7-year-old sister ended up in the chilly Williamette River.
Residents heard screams Saturday on the Sellwood Bridge near Portland and called authorities. Some jumped into boats to help search in the early morning darkness. After about an hour, a couple found the children downstream.
The boy, Eldon Jay Rebhan Smith, could not be revived; the girl was in a hospital and expected to survive.
"She's doing well," said Detective Sgt. Rich Austria of the Portland Police Bureau. "She has the will to live."
Austria said it was not …
Political pressure from abortion opponents, rather thanscientific concern, is keeping the controversial abortion pill RU-486out of the United States, the pill's French developer contends.
"Because of the abortion issue, there are no large-scale trialsin the United States, and nothing has been presented to the U.S. Foodand Drug Administration," Dr. Etienne-Emile Baulieu, the Frenchscientist who developed the drug, said in a phone interview.
The researcher will address an invitation-only forum hereWednesday at the Hyatt Regency Chicago, sponsored by the Women'sIssues Network. He will speak Thursday to a congressionalsubcommittee in Washington, D.C.
RU-486 …
NEW YORK (AP) — Yoko Ono says John Lennon's iconic "Imagine" wasn't initially embraced by the public.
She says the song, released in 1971, "was not really accepted ... it wasn't 'Wow!'"
Ono, who is listed as a co-producer on the track, says she remembers when Lennon created it, calling that time "really beautiful."
Lennon's 78-year-old widow made the comments at the launch of Hard Rock and WhyHunger's "Imagine There's No …
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Thursday all but conceded that an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal by a year-end deadline is no longer possible.
But she also said upon arriving here that it is important to maintain momentum and support for the negotiations so that new governments in both Israel and the United States have "a firm foundation" to continue to the talks next year.
En route to the Middle East for her eighth trip to Israel and the Palestinian territories since the parties set the deadline for reaching an agreement at last November's summit at Annapolis, Md., Rice said political uncertainty in Israel is the main complication to the …
Imagine the shock. A senior is taking a final exam and finds only two questions. The first-on the automated control of a fermenter in a biopharmaceutical plant-is a breeze. The second, however, causes the student to shift uncomfortably: "Describe what a process engineer, in any field, does on a daily basis. Specify the challenges, rewards, and surprises faced on the job, compare and contrast the college and work environments, and describe how a student might best prepare for a career in this field."
Unfortunately, this fictional student probably didn't get the information necessary to ace the exam, and that may just be the first of many struggles as he or she begins a career.
To overcome this knowledge gap, the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation has funded AIChE's Career Information Program to develop effective, stimulating, and interactive career information materials for chemical engineering undergraduates. When completed, the program will include print, video, CD-ROM, and on-line information. Though specifically targeted at first- and second-year chemical engineering students, it will ultimately be available to all graduate and undergraduate students, as well as others interested in chemical engineering career information. Eight other engineering, scientific, and mathematical associations have also received funding for similar programs.
The completed materials will feature profiles of chemical engineers working in petrochemicals, biotechnology, construction, law, education, pharmaceuticals, food, government, polymers, personal care products, and consulting. And, the diversity of career paths within these industries will also be explored, providing day-in-the-life profiles for job titles including business coordinator, process engineer, systems engineer, environmental specialist, patent attorney, associate professor, and automation engineer, among others. Thirty-five recent chemical engineering graduates and college professors from around the US, in addition to several career guidance professionals and human resource personnel, have already provided profiles and input to this program through videotaped and personal interviews.
"With this information, we hope to provide a wide range of information about chemical engineering, share advice from professionals in the field, and provide resources to aid students in the transition from the undergraduate environment to graduate school and employment," said Patrick Amaral, AIChE's career information associate.
A videotape and Web site will be launched this summer, the CD-ROM by year's end. Members interested in finding out more about this project can contact Amaral at 212/705-7096, patra@ aiche.org.
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Oklahoma linebacker Austin Box had five prescription painkillers and an anti-anxiety drug in his system when he died, according to a preliminary toxicology report released Tuesday by the state medical examiner's office.
The death of the 22-year-old Box two months ago was ruled accidental. In the report, the agency said the combination of drugs likely caused pulmonary edema, or fluid in the lungs, and aspiration pneumonia, which is an inflammation of the lungs caused by inhaling foreign substances.
"There is no greater pain than the loss of a child," Box's parents, Craig and Gail Box, said in a prepared statement. "The pain is intensified by knowing that the death of your child could have been prevented.
"Anyone that knew Austin would give testament to his pure heart. The love and pride we feel for our son cannot be diminished by the cause of his death. He gave us so much joy and so many wonderful memories. He will forever be 'Mommy's baby' and 'Daddy's little boy.'"
A friend found Box unresponsive in the friend's El Reno home and called authorities the morning of May 19. The friend told a dispatcher Box wasn't breathing, that Box had been taking pain pills, and later told a police officer "he believed he had overdosed."
An autopsy found the painkillers oxymorphone, morphine, hydrocodone, hydromorphone and oxycodone in Box's system, along with the anti-anxiety drug alprazolam. The report noted Box's significant medical conditions included cardiomegaly, or an enlarged heart, and a chronic pain history.
Box starred at Enid High School, leading the Plainsmen to the Class 6A title game in 2006, playing quarterback, running back, wide receiver and free safety at different times.
He redshirted with the Sooners in 2007 and played in 10 games as a freshman in 2008, starting four at middle linebacker. He suffered a knee injury late in the season and missed the Big 12 Conference championship game. He played in 10 games in 2009, starting a game each at outside linebacker and inside linebacker.
But, as his family noted, he had a long history of injuries during the past seven years, many of which required surgery. The most recent came last August, when his parents said he had a disc rupture in his back and he lost the feeling in his left foot.
"We were certain his career was over," they said. "As always though, he battled back when he saw the team needed him."
The 6-foot-1, 228-pound Box returned to start the final five games last season for the Sooners, recording his second career interception in a win over Oklahoma State and making eight tackles as Oklahoma beat Connecticut in the Fiesta Bowl. He was expected to start this season for the Sooners.
In an interview with The Oklahoman, attorney Craig Box recalled taking a four-day trip with his son to watch the St. Louis Cardinals play and that he never saw his son take any medicine other than "liquid Advil."
Gail Box, a school counselor, said after her son underwent elbow surgery in 2009 and was prescribed painkillers, he refused to take all the medicine.
"He only took that medication for a couple of days and then he said, 'No,'" she told the newspaper.
She described her son as a "silent sufferer."
In their statement, Box's parents said "it is with much sadness; we look back and see that recently Austin had turned to other methods of managing his pain." They said they're hopeful people using such a combination of painkillers "will see this tragic accident as a message and think about the consequences."
They said their son's greatest fear was letting others down.
"Our greatest regret is that Austin did not feel he could share his pain with those who loved him, and those he touched," they said. "He chose to suffer in silence rather than to feel he let someone down, or hurt his family."
In a statement, school President David L. Boren said the tragedy of Box's death "should not detract from our memories of his wonderful spirit, courage and generous concern for others."
NEW THIS DIGEST:
RUSSIA-CAUCASUS VIOLENCE. Suicide bomber kills three soldiers and wounds 32 at military base in Dagestan.
SPAIN-ETA. BBC reports that Basque separatist group ETA has issued a video declaring a cease fire.
FRANCE-VEIL FALLOUT. France's plan to do away with burqa-style veils is reverberating far beyond its borders.
NEW ZEALAND-EARTHQUAKE. Earthquake that hit Christchurch also ripped new 11-foot wide fault line in the earth.
DENMARK-AMATEUR ROCKET LAUNCH. Two space enthusiasts try to send privately built rocket 18.6 miles high.
PHILIPPINES-ABU SAYYAF. Police kill an Abu Sayyaf commander linked to kidnapping of Red Cross workers.
AFGHANISTAN. Coalition service member killed a day after Karzai moved closer to talks with Taliban.
HONG KONG-NEXT PANDEMIC. Expert warns that bird flu could spark the next global outbreak.
ISRAEL-PALESTINIANS. Israeli aircraft bomb 3 Gaza tunnels, killing 2 Palestinians and wounding 1, Hamas says.
TOP STORIES:
RUSSIA-CAUCASUS VIOLENCE
MAKHACHKALA, Russia — A suicide car-bomber kills three soldiers and wounds 32 others in an attack on a military base in Russia's violence-plagued republic of Dagestan, officials say. By Arsen Mollayev.
SPAIN-ETA
LONDON — The BBC is reporting that the Basque separatist militant group ETA has issued a video declaring a cease fire.
NEW ZEALAND-EARTHQUAKE
CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand — The powerful earthquake that smashed buildings, cracked roads and twisted rail lines around the New Zealand city of Christchurch also ripped a new 11-foot (3.5 meter) wide fault line in the earth's surface, a geologist says. By Rob Griffith. AP Photos.
FRANCE-VEIL FALLOUT
PARIS — Protests in Pakistan, al-Qaida warnings, skittish Muslim tourists: France's plan to do away with burqa-style veils is already reverberating far beyond its borders. By Elaine Ganley. AP Photos.
AFGHANISTAN
KABUL, Afghanistan — A coalition service member is killed in fighting in Afghanistan's turbulent south one day after President Hamid Karzai moved a step closer to opening talks with Taliban who might be having doubts about the ongoing insurgency. By Christopher Bodeen. AP Photos.
PHILIPPINES-ABU SAYYAF
MANILA, Philippines — Philippine police commandos kill an Abu Sayyaf commander linked to last year's kidnapping of Red Cross workers and gun down two other militants in a clash in the south, officials say. Police go on full alert after the killings to guard against retaliatory attacks. By Jim Gomez.
DENMARK-AMATEUR ROCKET LAUNCH
COPENHAGEN — Two Danish space enthusiasts will try to send up a privately built rocket 18.6 miles into the air from a barge in the Baltic Sea. The launch is the first step in realizing a dream to fly to the edge of space, said to be 62 miles above sea level. Launce expected at 1130 GMT.
HONG KONG-NEXT PANDEMIC
HONG KONG — A leading virus expert urges health authorities around the world to stay vigilant even though the recent swine flu pandemic was less deadly than expected, warning that bird flu could spark the next global outbreak. By Min Lee. AP Photos.
ISRAEL-PALESTINIANS
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — Israeli aircraft bomb three Gaza tunnels, killing two Palestinians and wounding a third, Hamas security officials say. By Ibrahim Barzak. AP Photos.
ITALY-VENICE FILM FESTIVAL
VENICE, Italy — Kelly Reichardt's new frontier drama, "Meek's Cutoff," tells the story of a group of pioneers who get lost on the Oregon trail and struggle with whether to trust their unreliable guide, or a Native American, viewed as the natural enemy. Michelle Williams stars in the film, which is spare in storytelling but rich in detail. "Meek's Cutoff" premieres at the Venice Film Festival in competition for the Golden Lion. By Colleen Barry. 1500 GMT.
SPORTS:
CRI--FIXING-PAKISTAN
CARDIFF, Wales — Pakistan team manager Yawar Saeed has said his team will play the Twenty20 international against England on Sunday despite fresh allegations by a teammate of the three players suspended on corruption charges that Pakistan players have been fixing "almost every match." Expected by 1015 GMT. By Richard Sydenham.
MOT--MOTO GP
MILAN — Dani Pedrosa is on pole position for the San Marino Grand Prix at Misano Adriatico and will aim to build on the position to close the gap on overall standings leader Jorge Lorenzo. Lorenzo starts in second place on the grid, ahead of a rejuvenated Casey Stoner in third and reigning world champion Valentino Rossi in fourth. Expected by 1600 GMT.
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YOUR QUERIES: Contact your local AP bureau, the Europe & Africa Desk in London at +44 207 427 4300 or the Asia-Pacific Desk in Bangkok at +66 2632-6911.
PHOSPHORUS AVAILABILITY
Q: The Q & A column in January (2002) said that the availability of phosphorus (P) in composted manure and manure was the same. However, I have read research that states composting reduces P availability. Why is there a discrepancy?
A: There is a discrepancy, and it is because researchers obtain different results. For example, the January Q&A referred to a research project that found little or no change in P availability of poultry manure before and after composting (P availability refers to the percentage of total of P that is water soluble and therefore available to plants). However, more recent research has shown that composting does affect P availability. (See page 48 of this issue, "Testing Composting Strategies To Control N and P.") This research found that P availability in a 1:1 volume mixture of poultry litter and ground yard trimmings decreased through the composting process. On average, the percentage of water soluble P decreased from 11.5 percent before composting to 3.1 percent after composting. This is good news if you are applying the compost to a situation where P is already abundant. It is bad news if you are relying on the compost for P fertility.
In any case, why did the two research projects find different results? It might be the feedstocks. While the first project looked at poultry manure and cattle manure, the second examined a mixture of poultry manure and yard trimmings. It could be the composting methods. In fact, the second project found that aeration and turning did affect the P availability. It might be the presence of P-binding minerals, such as aluminum. It could also be the timing, the location and the research methods. There are many variables that can influence composting research results -- especially because composting, and plant growth, are biological systems and biological systems are inherently inconsistent and variable.
ARSENIC AVAILABILITY IN SEAWEED
Q: The Readers Q&A column in the April (2002) issue of BioCycle discussed the qualities of seaweed as a composting material. I heard that seaweed has arsenic in it is that true?
A: The rich mineral content of seaweed is generally an advantage but, again, in large quantities, an excess of a particular mineral raises concerns (in addition to the salinity effects). Rufus Chaney, with the USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) observes, "Some algae accumulate high levels of arsenic (As), in excess of 100 ppm dry weight. Many of these algae are used as food, and they are safe because the As is in an organic form. But when this is composted and/or used directly as an organic fertilizer, it becomes inorganic As, which is the toxic form. If you add enough seaweed to soil, you can end up with an arsenic-contaminated soil." Fish and some other marine residues can also contain high levels of organic As. (One specific paper on the topic, noted by Dr. Chaney is: Whyte, J.N.C., and J.R. Englar. 1983. Analysis of inorganic and organic-bound arsenic in marine brown algae. Bot. Mar. 26:159-164.)
CEDAR VS. PRESSURE TREATED WOOD
Q: The Q&A column in the March (2002) issue suggested that pressure treated wood should not be used for composting bins. What about wood from cedar trees? Is cedar a good substitute for pressure treated wood, or are there compounds in the cedar that also may also cause problems in the long run?
A: "Cedar" can refer to one of several different tree species, depending on where you live. More than likely, you are referring to a common lumber yielding species of cedar like Western Red Cedar. Most species of cedar are resistant to decay. Therefore, lumber from some species of cedar is used for wood applications that require durability, like roof shingles or compost bins. Cedars owe their decay resistance to resins and oils that act as preservatives, resisting attacks by insects and microorganisms (e.g. fungi). Conceivably, those same qualities could render the wood, or compounds from the wood, toxic to plants or composting microorganisms.
However, cedar does not appear to be a problem for composting or compost. Although it may compost more slowly than other species of wood, there have been no reported problems in composting bark, chips or sawdust from cedar species (e.g. Western Red or White Cedar). With sufficient time, any biohindering compounds will likely decompose during composting. In fact, bins sold specifically for backyard composting are often made from cedar (most likely Western Red Cedar). In addition, the use of mulch made from cedar woods does not appear to affect plants so compounds lost from cedar should not be a problem for composts either (see the University of Missouri newsletter: News for Missouri's Gardens, Yards and Resources, May 4, 2001; Volume 7, No.3).
It seems that the cedar trees that are currently harvested for lumber are less decay resistant than the cedars of old. This is because the timber from the former trees contained more heartwood, which in turn accumulated more of the compounds that resist biological attack.
Readers are invited to submit questions about any area of our editorial coverage. Due to time and space constraints, not all questions can be answered. Send questions to:
Robert Rynk/ Q&A
BioCycle
419 State Ave.
Emmaus, PA 18049
fax: 610-967-1345
email: biocycle@jgpress.com
NEW YORK - An especially colorful appearance on "The View" by Danny DeVito has eyebrows raised and tongues wagging that the veteran actor may not have been himself Wednesday morning.
DeVito said he'd been drinking with George Clooney the night before, and that "it was the last seven Limoncellos that were going to get" him.
Questions really started to come up when DeVito went into a Three Stooges act to describe President Bush. And when Rosie O'Donnell asked if he'd been to sleep yet, she answered for him, "Not really." Then, DeVito said "No."
DeVito's publicist told TMZ.com the actor had asked for Barbara Walters' phone number so he could tell her "what needed to be said privately." Walters produces the television show.
DeVito currently stars in the 20th Century Fox comedy "Deck the Halls," with Matthew Broderick. The two play neighbors feuding over excessive Christmas lights
Dallas Cowboys coach Wade Phillips says scouting assistant Rich Behm, who was paralyzed from the waist down earlier this month, is looking forward to returning to work.
"His attitude is great and he's looking forward to coming back to work for us. And we're looking forward to that, too," Phillips said Thursday night.
Behm was one of three members of the Cowboys staff seriously injured when the team's indoor practice facility collapsed in a severe thunderstorm. Ten others were injured.
Former Cowboys wide receiver Michael Irvin presented Behm's wife, Michelle, a $40,000 check at the premiere of his reality TV show "Fourth and Long" at a Dallas area nightclub Thursday. Players, coaches and fans attended the event.
The donation was just a way for the community to show its support and "show how much we love him," Irvin said.
Michelle Behm told attendees she believed her husband would walk again.
A few years ago, Dave Nielsen was at a crossroads.
His business, Dave Nielsen Ltd., was quickly outgrowing its 3,000 square feet of leased warehouse and office space at a Boulder industrial park. When the landlord of the facility raised the rent, Nielsen faced a tough decision: Should he continue to lease space for his small business, perhaps moving into a larger facility? Or was it time to own a building? And if so, should he buy or build?
It is a quandary that many growing small businesses face, and experts agree business owners should carefully weigh several factors before making a decision.
Nielsen, whose firm sells fabric and other raw materials to local apparel and luggage; companies, shopped around for lower rental rates, but discovered that most leases in the area were similar to rates at the industrial park.
He also looked at purchasing an existing building, but the market was devoid of office/warehouse combinations in the size he needed. Purchasing a newly constructed building was not a viable option either: Most contractors, Nielsen says, manufacture speculative buildings that are too large for a small business, because the bigger the building, the lower the cost per square foot--and the more bang for the buck.
'Great way to go'
Ultimately, Nielsen decided to build his own facility. In 1995, he purchased a one-acre lot at the Colorado Tech Center in Louisville, and, a year later, a general contractor began construction of Nielsen's new 5,200-square-foot warehouse and office.
"I think owning your own building is a great way to go," Nielsen says. "The problem with it is coming up with the 30 percent down."
The initial down payment to purchase or build an office is commonly the major obstacle for a small business. Nielsen feels fortunate that he had enough capital to cover the initial cost, because his monthly payments are lower than they used to be.
"It's costing me less, per square foot, to own my own building than it was to lease," he says. "But you're got a big chunk of money that was there and is now gone."
One advantage of building, Nielsen says, is the ability to customize the facility. He designed his offices and created a high loading dock for his warehouse, enabling trucks to unload materials directly from the truck bed without using a ramp. The business owner's future plans represent another benefit of owning: Nielsen hopes to expand some day and lease space to other businesses.
For the most part, leasing is usually preferable to buying for most start-up companies and fast-growing companies, because such companies need lots of working capital and cannot afford to tie up money in real estate, says Michael Guidarelli, sales/marketing manager for the Boulder-based firm O'Connor Development LLC. O'Connor served as the general contractor for the construction of Nielsen's new office and warehouse.
In addition, if a company is expanding, it will likely outgrow its office space periodically, and leasing provides more flexibility -- especially if the landlord owns an array of properties to meet the business owner's quickly changing needs.
Different situations
"Companies that are in fast-growth mode," Guidarelli says, "in many cases, are better off leasing than owning."
But he is quick to point out that each company's situation is different. For some firms, owning a building may be the way to go. A machine shop that needs special power outlets and equipment, for instance, may be better off building or purchasing a suitable facility because any alterations or improvements made to leased space are left behind if the company is forced to move.
"When you grow more and more," Guidarelli says, "you've got to start all over again. You can't take that with you."
On the other hand, he says, firms in volatile markets, such as the aerospace and dense industries, may want the flexibility of a leased space to help weather the peaks and valleys of contract-driven income.
For a family-owned business, owning a building is an investment for the future -- especially if the value of the property is appreciating with each passing year. Another attractive aspect of owning Guidarelli says, is simply the freedom from landlord hassles; being "in control of your own destiny."
The decision all depends on a company's needs. "It's a cost-benefits analysis," Guidarelli says. "What might be best for the company today may not be the best for the company in two years."
Tax deductable
Sam Nein, a commercial broker for Coldwell Banker Van Schaack in Boulder, says leasing is usually the most popular option for small businesses for several reasons.
Unlike residential renting, a commercial lease is tax-deductible. In addition, Nein says, most small businesses need a building between 5,000 and 10,000 square feet--a size that can be almost "cost-prohibitive" to build because the price per square foot of a small facility is significantly higher than that of a large building. Even buying an existing building can put a huge dent in a pocketbook, due to the deferred maintenance that an older structure inevitably needs.
"And remodeling can cost more than new construction," Nein says.
In some cases, however, a small business may want to snatch up a building of its own if the property is in a good location and the company's field depends on high visibility such as the retail market.
If a small business owner does decide to start down the long and winding road toward building an office or store, Nein recommends putting together a team of experts to help accomplish the daunting task of running a business and a construction project at the same time.
Instead of trying to "surf" the learning curve of financing, design and construction processes, Nein advises first-time builders to meet regularly with their "board of directors" -- a panel of professionals who have gone through the procedure many times before: the architect, banker, general contractor, accountant, attorney. Realtor, even the building's future janitor.
If they meet as a group, Nein says, it is easier to balance each person's priorities, keeping everyone on the same page and ensuring that all of the project's needs and goals are met. "It's much like putting an orchestra together," he says.
One of the members of that orchestra is often someone like Roberta Wolff, a vice president in Vectra Bank's Small Business Administration department. An SBA loan frequently is a crucial ingredient in a small business's ability to own property. Wolff, who regularly helps companies obtain SBA loans for the construction or purchase of a building, says owning has several advantages over leasing.
No haggling
First, she says, ownership brings control. There is no haggling with a landlord over leases, fees, maintenance or contractual changes.
In addition, owning a building has tax advantages. Patrick O'Kelly, a certified public accountant at the Boulder firm Johnson, Cahill & O'Kelly, says business properties typically are owned by individuals, not companies. It is preferable for a business owner to list the building in his name and lease space back to the company, O'Kelly says, because rental income is not subject to Social Security (FICA) taxes.
Good investment
The third advantage of owning a building, Wolff says, is that as long-term investment, it can benefit a business owner well into retirement. For example, if an individual decides to retire and sells the business, he or she can keep the building and continue collecting rent from the new owner.
Wolff says "98 percent" of all businesses in Colorado qualify for SBA loans, which can reduce down payments from 25 or 30 percent to 10 percent. Especially with the help of an SBA loan, she says, owning property is often more desirable than leasing.
"For an existing small business," she says, "there are more benefits than drawbacks to owning your own building."
At a time when the economy has shaken big-time sports from the PGA to the NFL, the low-key pastime of fishing has enjoyed a quiet resurgence.
A pair of recent studies indicate that families have been turning to fishing, which can be as simple as standing on the shore with a rod and reel, as a good way to spend time together without wrecking the household budget.
A report commissioned by The Outdoor Foundation found that, in a decade during which the number of anglers generally dropped, 2009 bucked the trend and saw an increase of 1.6 percent or 630,000 participants. A separate study found one of the largest bumps since the 1970s in fishing license purchases, based on a 12-state index.
Tim Bodine owns a painting and wallpaper business in Saint Charles, Mo., but he only worked 42 days last year. That meant he had the time to pull his young son out of preschool.
"I stayed at home with him and said 'What are we going to do? Well, let's go fishing,'" he said.
Americans already fish in big numbers (almost 41 million, according to the Outdoor Foundation), but the sport has been declining among young people.
"The most exciting thing that happened out of this whole economic nightmare that we're in is fishing license sales nationwide have gone up," said Skeet Reese, one of the country's top professional anglers.
"For a family experience, people can't travel, they can't go to Disneyland, they can't go to Mexico. They can't afford to go to these places, so they go, 'Let's just go camping this weekend.'"
And fishing.
A Southwick Associates study reported a 4.7 percent increase in fishing license sales in 2009, based on a 12-state index _ though previous studies had been based on all 50 states. Eight of the states included in the survey, ranging from Florida to New Jersey, had sales increases from the previous year, said Rob Southwick, an economist who specializes in wildlife and environmental consulting.
Mike Nussman, president and CEO of the American Sportsfishing Association, is pragmatic about the boost in fishing amid tough times.
"I think it's always good to remind people of activities that they enjoy, so that certainly is a positive for us," said Nussman, whose group commissioned the fishing license study along with the Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation. "I certainly anticipate some of this will carry on.
"Is it going to last forever? Certainly I wouldn't say that, but I think it resets where we are as a nation in regard to this particular activity. It can remind you of the enjoyment you can have with your family and your friends."
David Matagiese runs classes and clinics on fishing as the education director for the International Game Fish Association.
"We've seen a fairly large surge in single mothers who are trying to get their kids out fishing," Matagiese said. "To do real basic fishing, fishing from the shoreline, it's fairly cheap. All you need is a rod and reel, find some water; bait's easy to come by."
Matagiese said companies have taken a hit on higher-end tackle sales and focused on pitching more modestly priced equipment instead to casual hobbyists.
"At places like Wal-Mart, you see a little bit nicer rod-and-reel combo for $40 or $50 where normally that store would be pushing an $80 combo," he said.
The biggest dip in fishing in recent years had come among youth. The Outdoor Foundation's study found that 22.7 percent of kids aged 6 to 17 fished in 2008, down from 30.7 percent in 2006. The figures haven't been compiled yet for 2009.
There have been localized efforts to slow that downward trend.
The Illinois High School Athletic Association expects to have 231 schools field bass fishing teams this year, said IHSA assistant executive director Dave Gannaway. He said 2,496 students and 198 of the 700 IHSA schools participated in the first year the organization sponsored the sport, which was 2009.
A group in Alabama is trying to coax the Alabama High School Athletic Association to follow suit. The Alabama High School Bass Fishing Club Tournament Series held its first tournament this month. Organizer Tim Tidwell said 32 competitors from 10 schools from as far as suburban Montgomery _ about three hours away _ participated.
Frank Peterson, head of the Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation, said that until the mid-1990s the number of people fishing typically grew in close proportion to the population. His group spearheads a campaign to promote fishing, including the Web site http://www.TakeMeFishing.org, which provides tips on the sport and links for getting licenses in different states.
Peterson cites factors such as technology offering more entertainment options, and noted that some families have less spare time because of households with single parents or both parents working.
"I think maybe more people are trying to simplify their lives and find ways for relaxing, stress relief, and family fun," he said. "I think fishing provides all of that."
Missouri's Bodine even started a Facebook page _ "The economy tanked so I might as well go fishing" _ after business slowed down. In his state, fishing licenses cost $12.
"If you've got fishing in your blood, you're going to do it," he said. "It is cheap and it's easy."
WARSAW, Poland (AP) — The Polish government has dismissed the deputy interior minister, who was organizing security in Poland for the European football championship this summer.
A government spokesman, Pawel Gras, said Tuesday that Prime Minister Donald Tusk dismissed the official, Adam Rapacki.
No reasons were immediately given. Polish media have speculated that the government might have removed him in response to rioting during Independence Day marches in Warsaw on Nov. 11.
The marches were seen as a test of whether police and other security forces could control troublemakers during the football championship, which will be held June 8-July 1 in Poland and Ukraine.
Police were injured and vehicles damaged in the riots, the worst in Poland in years.
Two days, two losses for Michael Phelps.
Phelps was beaten again at the Charlotte UltraSwim, losing to French star Frederick Bousquet in the 100-meter freestyle Sunday night.
Phelps touched nearly a full second behind Bousquet, world-record holder in the 50 free, after losing his first final in nearly a year the previous night. Aaron Peirsol beat Phelps in the 100 backstroke.
Bousquet went out strong, ensuring he had a big enough lead to hold off Phelps at the end _ even as the winningest Olympian ever experimented with a new straight-arm stroke that is supposed to provide more speed.
The Frenchman touched in 48.22 seconds, while Phelps never really had a chance and finished second in 49.04.
"The biggest thing that killed me were my turns and my finishes," said Phelps, who holds the American record in the 100 free at 47.51. "I'm not disappointed with that time, but the finish was awful. There's small things I need to work on. But overall, it was a good meet."
The North Carolina meet was his first since capturing a record eight gold medals at the Beijing Olympics. The nine-month layoff was the longest of Phelps' career, though he had intended to come back earlier _ after being photographed using a marijuana pipe, a picture that wound up on the front page of a British tabloid, he was given a three-month suspension by USA Swimming.
The sanction ended May 5, and Phelps was eager to start competing again. He entered five events at Charlotte and won the first two, the 200 free and 100 back, both of which were part of his gold-medal haul in China.
But Phelps still has some work to do in the 200 back and 100 free, two events he hopes to add to his repertoire while dropping several races he won at Athens and Beijing. It's all part of his plan to take on new challenges _ and stay motivated _ heading into his final Olympics at London.
Nothing gets Phelps going like a loss. Or two.
"This is something that will motivate me to fix those things over the next few weeks," he said. "I'm kind of mad at myself. I wanted to break 49. I was five-hundredths off it with the two stupid mistakes I made."
Phelps was kicking himself for having to take an extra stroke going into the turn, and again at the finish. Plus, he was experimenting with a straight-arm stroke that he believes will help him be more competitive in the sprint events.
He started out with the standard stroke _ elbow bent _ before switching to the windmill-like motion for the second half of the opening lap. After the flip, Phelps went back to the regular stroke, then switched again to the straight arm for the final 15 meters.
Bousquet was amazed.
"Did he do that? Really? Whoa," said the Frenchman, who last month became the first swimmer to break 21 seconds in the 50 free. "That's even more impressive. To go 49.0, which is a pretty decent time in season, and change up the strokes a couple of times during the race, that's pretty impressive."
All things considered, Phelps said he was pleased with his performance. In addition to the two wins and two runner-up finishes, he entered the 50 free to get in some extra work with his new stroke. He actually qualified for the final of that event _ barely _ but scratched.
"For my first meet back, I have no complaints," he said. "We're on the right track. This is exactly where I want to be."
Bousquet covered the opening lap in a blistering 22.83 seconds, 0.99 ahead of Phelps, and didn't lose much of his advantage on his return to the wall.
"Whenever you race that guy, you can't count on your back-end speed to beat him," Bousquet said. "I knew I had to use my strength, which is my speed, and go out as fast as I could."
Phelps knows what he needs to work on.
"I need some of Fred's first-half speed," the American marveled. "He sure takes it out."
Bousquet was a late addition to the four-day meet. He doesn't usually swim the 100 free in season, but couldn't pass up a chance to go against Phelps.
"Tonight's race helped me get motivated a lot," the French star said. "The fact he was in the race and the fact we were next to each other, too, definitely helped me to get motivated and get my head into it."
Rising star Dagny Knutson won her fourth event of the meet in the women's 200 individual medley. The 17-year-old North Dakotan, who trains on her own and without benefit of a 50-meter indoor pool, touched first in 2 minute, 12.87 seconds, beating out 2008 Olympian Julia Smit by nearly two seconds.
Aaron Peirsol completed his sweep of the backstroke events with a victory in the 200. The previous night, he handed Phelps his first finals loss in 364 days, having beaten him in the 200 back at Santa Clara, Calif., in the lead-up to the Olympics.
The other winners on the final night of the meet: Joe Kinderwater in the men's 800 freestyle, Brazil's Thiago Pereira in the 200 individual medley (beating out Ryan Lochte), Emily Brunemann in the women's 1,500 free, Elizabeth Beisel in the 200 back and Amanda Weir in the 100 free.
BOSTON (AP) — In a season ruined by injuries, the Boston Red Sox could always count on Adrian Beltre being in the lineup. Now, he might have played his last game for them.
The Red Sox third baseman — and most consistent player — left Boston for Los Angeles before Friday night's scheduled game against the New York Yankees to be with his wife, Sandra, who was about to give birth to their third child. The game was postponed by rain and rescheduled as part of a day-night doubleheader Saturday.
Red Sox manager Terry Francona doesn't expect Beltre back for any of the season-ending three-game series. And Francona doesn't know if Beltre will ever wear a Boston uniform again.
Coming off a mediocre season with Seattle, Beltre signed a one-year contract as a free agent with Boston, hoping to boost his chances for a lucrative, long-term deal after this season. The Red Sox, unsure if Beltre would rebound from his .265 batting average with eight homers and 44 RBIs for the Mariners, didn't want to make a multiyear commitment.
"He was pretty honest about what he was doing here," Francona said before Friday's game. "He was coming kind of on a make-good (deal). He made pretty good. It worked out for everybody."
Francona said he would like Beltre to return but doesn't know what will happen.
Beltre played 154 games, many of them with a hamstring injury. He has 28 homers with 102 RBIs and leads the Red Sox with a .321 batting average. He took over the third-base job from Mike Lowell, who hit .290 with 17 homers and 75 RBIs last year. The Red Sox worked out an offseason trade that would have sent Lowell to Texas, but it fell apart because of a thumb injury that required surgery.
Lowell played sparingly until first baseman Kevin Youkilis was lost for the season with a thumb injury. Youkilis played his last game on Aug. 2 and Lowell has been Boston's primary first baseman since then. He was in the cleanup spot before the game was called Friday night, hitting .231 with five homers and 24 RBIs.
Lowell plans to retire after this season and the Red Sox will honor him before Saturday's doubleheader at "Thanks, Mike Day."
The Red Sox obtained him from the Florida Marlins with Josh Beckett before the 2006 season and he was the MVP in the 2007 World Series, Boston's second championship in four years.
"When he first came here (he was) very stabilizing," Francona said. "'07 was kind of the culmination of it. What he did in the World Series, regardless of whether he was the MVP or not, what he did was pretty special."
Yankees manager Joe Girardi was a catcher for New York in 1998 when Lowell was called up to the majors for the first time with them.
"When he got called up with the Yankees (I was) just thinking, what a great kid, a guy with a lot of heart that was eager to learn and he struck me as a special guy," Girardi said. "Not only has he been a special guy in his career. He's been a special player, and I think that people in Boston fell in love with this guy because of the total package you get when you see Mike Lowell."
If Beltre leaves, the Red Sox will need another third baseman. But Francona was impressed by what he gave the team even though it failed to reach the playoffs.
"The first month of the season, every time he saw me he thought he wasn't playing so he kind of avoided me," Francona said. "You kind of have to get to know him a little bit, but once that happened he became more vocal in the dugout. He became a leader on the field. If you ask everybody down there (in the clubhouse), they love him, myself included.
"He took some of the most ferocious hacks you've ever seen. He'd square up balls. He ran every ball out. He's a treat, very accountable."
But on Friday, Beltre headed to Los Angeles. On Saturday, the man he replaced at third base will be in the spotlight.
Somehow, Lowell is still in Boston after nearly being traded and will be in the lineup after spending most of the season on the bench.
"It's Mike Lowell Day, right?" Francona said. "He's playing. If they give out bobbleheads, he's definitely playing."
NEW THIS DIGEST:
POPE-US. Pope: I'm ashamed of clergy sex abuse scandal, will work to keep pedophiles from priesthood.
CONGO-PLANE CRASH. Only 6 survivors found so far among 85 on board DC-9 plane.
IRAQ. Attack kills 60, breaks lull in violence in Sunni areas.
UGANDA-SCHOOL FIRE. Dormitory fire kills 19 schoolgirls.
EGYPT-BROTHERHOOD TRIAL. Egypt sentences 25 opposition Muslim Brotherhood members to prison.
BRITAIN-ROYAL BLACKMAIL. Prosecutors say 2 men tried to blackmail British royal family member over recordings.
US-ECONOMY. Wholesale prices in US soar 1.1 percent in March, nearly triple the expected increase.
OIL PRICES. Oil sets another intraday trading record on dollar and supply concerns.
BRITAIN-ECONOMY. Brown meets with bankers amid high inflation, falling house prices and retail sales.
MEXICO-ECONOMIC FORUM. High commodity prices, stable interest rates and new investment helps Latin America.
TOP STORIES:
POPE-US
ABOARD THE PAPAL PLANE _ Pope Benedict XVI says he is "deeply ashamed" of the clergy sexual abuse scandal that stained the U.S. Catholic Church and pledged to work to make sure pedophiles do not become priests. By Victor L. Simpson. AP Photos.
FRANCE-ANOREXIA
PARIS _ France's lower house adopts a bill that would make it illegal for anyone to incite extreme thinness _ including fashion magazines, advertisers and Web sites. By Devorah Lauter. AP Photos.
WITH: FRANCE-ANOREXIA-BOX
CONGO-PLANE CRASH
KINSHASA, Congo _ A DC-9 plane carrying 85 people crashes into a crowded neighborhood in the eastern Congo town Goma, and only six survivors have been found so far. By Eddy Isango.
WITH: CONGO-PLANE CRASHES-GLANCE
IRAQ
BAGHDAD _ Car bombs and a suicide attacker strike crowded areas in Baghdad and former insurgent strongholds, killing nearly 60 people and breaking a recent lull in violence in the predominantly Sunni areas. By Kim Gamel. AP Photos.
UGANDA-SCHOOL FIRE.
KAMPALA, Uganda _ Sobbing Ugandan parents sift through the ashes of their children's dormitory, trying in vain to identify their daughters from charred piles of bones and skulls. The fire killed 19 schoolgirls. By Godfrey Olukya. AP Photos.
EGYPT-BROTHERHOOD TRIAL
CAIRO, Egypt _ An Egyptian military court, notorious for its harsh verdicts, convicts 25 key members of the opposition Muslim Brotherhood and sentences them to up to 10 years in jail. By Maggie Michael. AP Photos.
US-ELECTIONS
WASHINGTON _ Allegations of elitism and racism simmer as Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama battle for the Democratic presidential nomination, just one week before a primary seen as crucial for Clinton's candidacy. By Steven R. Hurst.
ZIMBABWE-ELECTIONS
HARARE, Zimbabwe _ A nationwide strike called by Zimbabwe's opposition to protest the withholding of election results appears to falter as police and soldiers fanned out across the country. By Angus Shaw. AP Photos.
BRITAIN-ROYAL BLACKMAIL.
LONDON _ Scandalous allegations involving sex, drugs and royalty are made public in a London court, as two men go on trial accused of trying to blackmail a member of the British royal family with incriminating recordings. By Jill Lawless.
RUSSIA-PUTIN'S PARTY
MOSCOW _ President Vladimir Putin accepts the leadership of the dominant United Russia party, securing his grip on power after he leaves the Kremlin and becomes prime minister next month. Developing. By Steve Gutterman. AP Photos.
BUSINESS & FINANCE:
US-ECONOMY
WASHINGTON _ Inflation at the wholesale level in the U.S. soars in March at nearly triple the rate that had been expected as the costs of energy and food both climb rapidly. By Martin Crutsinger.
US-DELTA-NORTHWEST
ATLANTA _ Delta Air Lines Inc. and Northwest Airlines Corp. have agreed to merge to create the world's biggest carrier, but now must convince antitrust regulators and labor unions to move forward. By Joshua Freed and Harry R. Weber.
OIL PRICES.
VIENNA, Austria _ Oil prices rise to an intraday trading record above US$112 a barrel after the U.S. dollar fell further and crude supplies to the U.S. and elsewhere were disrupted. By George Jahn.
MEXICO-ECONOMIC FORUM
CANCUN, Mexico _ High commodity prices, stable interest rates and new investment can help Latin America's economies withstand the sharp downturn in the U.S. economy, top business and government leaders say at the World Economic Forum on Latin America. By Theresa Bradley.
BRITAIN-ECONOMY.
LONDON _ Prime Minister Gordon Brown, at breakfast meeting with bankers, underlines the Bank of England's commitment to pump liquidity into the market to steady financial confidence. By Robert Barr.
___
YOUR QUERIES: Contact your local AP bureau, the Europe & Africa Desk in London at +44 207 427 4300, the Asia-Pacific Desk in Bangkok at +66 2632-6911, or the Latin America Desk in Mexico City at +52 55 3300 7600.
With Democrats on defense, Republicans expressed cautious confidence of big gains in the November congressional elections _ particularly in governor's races _ though they acknowledged that the opposition must do more to snatch control of Congress from President Barack Obama's party.
Three months before the elections, it was all business and little celebration as the 168-member Republican National Committee met this week to finalize Tampa, Florida, as the 2012 Republican convention city and set the presidential primary calendar.
Unlike in years past, no White House hopefuls showed up. And the tone was sober about the Republicans' prospects in November; a single sign said: "Playing to win in 2010."
All that reflected the challenge Republicans have ahead of them as they seek to take advantage of conditions that at first blush seem ripe for a power shift in Democratic-controlled Washington.
"We're focused on doing what we have to do to keep the wave going," said Ron Kaufman, a committeeman from Massachusetts. "It's going to grow or crest. And we've got to make sure it grows."
No one doubts that the Republicans will win Democratic-held congressional seats. The president's party nearly always loses seats during the first midterm elections of the presidency. The opposition's local members also are energized and independent voters are leaning toward Republicans.
The question is whether Republicans have it together enough to gain 40 in the House of Representatives and 10 in the Senate to take control of Congress _ with less money than the Democrats, without the White House bully pulpit and as conservative anti-tax tea party activists expose a fissure between conservatives and moderates in the Republican party.
Former Nevada Gov. Bob List said the Republican party needs to do more than simply oppose the policies of Obama and Democrats. Said List: "I don't think we can just win it by default, by being negative."
"We can say 'no' to the deficits and 'no' to the spending, but I think we also need to couple that with 'yes' to where we're going to cut and 'yes' to how we're going to make government run better," he said.
Brady advocated "rebranding" the Republican party as "the party of competence, the party of fiscal responsibly, the party of job creation."
The RNC's internal politics hovered over the meeting.
Chairman Michael Steele's 18-month tenure has been rocky, and some committee members privately groused about him. There also was a recent flare-up over spending practices, with the RNC's treasurer accusing Steele of hiding more than $7 million in debt to inflate the party's finances and mislead donors. And there's a dispute over the 2012 primary calendar, too.
The committee was voting Friday on a proposal that would make the process start later than January, when the 2008 primaries began. Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina would be permitted to hold their contests in February 2012, states that divide up delegates proportionally would vote in March and winner-take-all states would go in April.
Two-thirds of the committee must vote to approve the plan, and its adoption was uncertain because of concerns that it would hurt the eventual Republican nominee. Critics worry about extending the Republicans' process when Obama likely won't face a primary.
Although less confident of emerging with control of Congress, committee members almost uniformly said they expected Republicans to have a huge year in this year's 37 gubernatorial races, with many suggesting the Republicans will emerge from the elections in control of a comfortable majority of states.
RNC political director Gentry Collins painted a rosy picture of the playing field for Republicans.
"It's far larger than we expected it to be when we began our planning, and candidly that presents quite a challenge for us," he told reporters. Still, he predicted significant gains in both the House and Senate. But he stopped short of suggesting the Republicans would win control of either, saying only that voters will determine which party will be in power.
____
Online:
Republican National Committee: http://www.rnc.org
Buyers returned to the stock market Friday after two days of heavy losses, mindful of a worse-than-expected employment report but attracted by stocks' lower prices. The Dow Jones industrial average rose more than 150 points.
The Labor Department said the nation's employers cut 240,000 jobs in October, hurtling the U.S. unemployment rate to a 14-year high of 6.5 percent. The market had expected employers to cut 200,000 jobs and for the unemployment rate to rise 6.3 percent.
Meanwhile, Ford reported dismal third-quarter results and announced plans to cut more than 2,000 additional white-collar jobs. General Motors said it lost $2.5 billion in the quarter and warned that it could run out of cash in 2009. The struggling automaker also said it has suspended talks to acquire Chrysler.
Although the day's news was worse than expected, investors were drawn by prices beaten down the past two sessions.
Investors have been optimistic about the economy before, snapping up bargain stocks only to cash in the profits when jitters return, so more volatility was likely. Barack Obama's election to the White House was preceded by a big rally, during which the benchmark Standard & Poor's 500 index surged 18.3 percent in six sessions up through Tuesday. This was followed by a two-day loss of about 10 percent in the major indexes, including a 929-point drop in the Dow, as investors turned their focus once more to the economy's woes.
Hank Smith, chief investment officer at Haverford Investments noted that the market was able to climb last week in the face of downbeat economic data, so the market's rebound Friday didn't come as a surprise.
"I think it's absolutely part of the bottoming process," Smith said. "The Oct. 10 low has been tested again a number of times." The blue chips hit an intraday low of 7,882.51 on Oct. 10.
"There are three factors that are driving this market: psychological, fundamental and technical," he said. "The psychological is fear and panic. We've certainly seen that."
The fundamental factor is investors don't know just how exactly the current credit crisis is going to affect the economy. And the technical factor that is playing in to the market is the forced selling from hedge funds and mutual funds that have to raise cash for redemptions, Smith said.
Nov. 15 is the cutoff for shareholders to notify fund managers of their intent to cash out investments before year-end, which means a sudden influx of "sell" orders could force funds into dumping more investments. Analysts expect this to continue to add to the volatility in the market.
In midday trading, the Dow gained 153.16, or 1.76 percent, to 8,848.95.
The broader Standard & Poor's 500 index added 15.20, or 1.68 percent, to 920.08, and the Nasdaq composite index rose 30.10, or 1.87 percent, to 1,638.80.
The Russell 2000 index of smaller companies rose 4.90, or 0.99 percent, to 500.74.
Advancing issues outnumbered decliners by about 2 to 1 on the New York Stock Exchange, where volume came to a light 503.02 million shares.
Despite the gains Friday, investors have not lost sight of the potential for a deep and protracted recession. President-elect Obama will inherit an economy marred by a housing collapse, mounting unemployment, hard-to-get credit and financial market upheaval when he assumes office early next year.
Investors are watching closely for who Obama selects as the next Treasury Secretary, as well as who he appoints to key Cabinet positions. Additionally, investors are mindful of how the government's $700 billion financial rescue package will be further implemented under a new administration. Obama was meeting Friday with economic experts to discuss the first steps toward fixing the broken economy.
To provide fresh relief, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Democrats will push for another round of economic stimulus later this month.
The weak economic data on Friday reflects the freeze in the credit markets that began in mid-September following the bankruptcy of investment bank Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc., and the subsequent pullback in spending among fearful consumers. This has forced companies to cut jobs, said Michael Sheldon, chief market strategist at RDM Financial Group in Westport, Conn.
"Comments that we're hearing from CEOs when they report their earnings indicate that economic activity fell off the cliff," he said.
In other corporate earnings news, Sprint Nextel Corp. reported a loss of $326 million in the third quarter as it continued to hemorrhage customers. The nation's third-largest wireless provided had posted a profit in the year-ago period. Shares dropped 45 cents, or 12 percent, to $3.23.
Investors also fled Ford and General Motors following their quarterly reports. Ford shares fell 4 cents to $1.94, while GM tumbled 50 cents, or 10 percent, to $4.30.
The three-month Treasury bill's yield was at 0.29 percent, down slightly from 0.30 percent late Thursday. A low yield suggests high demand for safe assets.
The yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note rose to 3.78 percent from 3.69 percent late Thursday.
Bank-to-bank lending rates fell again, though, suggesting that banks are more willing to lend to one another _ a positive signal for the tight credit markets. The London interbank offered rate, or Libor, for three-month loans in dollars dropped for the 20th straight day by 0.10 percent to 2.29 percent, the lowest level since November 2004.
____
On the Net:
New York Stock Exchange: http://www.nyse.com
Nasdaq Stock Market: http://www.nasdaq.com
INGATESTONE: A new meeting room will be available to hirefollowing a refurbishment by the Ingatestone and Fryerning CommunityAssociation.
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Recently, a friend cringingly preceded a car advice question with the statement, "I know station wagons are passe, but..."
I should have interrupted him then. For us "young, successful" types, station wagons are just the opposite. Not quite a sedan or SUV, today's station wagons are stylish, functional and fast.
Take the Audi S6 Avant - definitely a member of the station wagon A-list. It has a 4.2L V-8 capable of 340 hp and 310 pounds-feet of torque at 3,400 rpm that comes to life with only the slightest pressure on the gas pedal. This Audi is fast and easy to drive with an electronically controlled 5-speed automatic transmission that includes a Tiptronic clutchless …
TORONTO (AP) — Results Thursday at the Rogers Cup, a $3 million ATP event on hard-courts at the Rexall Centre (seedings in parentheses):
| Singles |
|---|
| Third Round |
David Nalbandian, Argentina, def. Robin Soderling (5), Sweden, 4-6, 6-4, 6-1.
Tomas Berdych (7), Czech Republic, def. Alexandr Dolgopolov, Ukraine, 6-3, 6-7 (5), 6-4.
Roger Federer (3), …
These protective glove liners provide safety and comfort when used in conjunction with latex, nitrile and vinyl gloves in clean room and controlled environment applications. These washable, reusable liners are made …
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]
F: Siren is an embossed, Type II vinyl wallcovering that reads like a texture on the wall. Inspired by a floral pattern, Siren's strong architectural structure gives it a broad appeal. …
Byline: DAVID E. ANDERSON Religion News Service WASHINGTON U.S. Roman Catholic bishops are studying a proposal to eliminate their public policy arm, which allows lay leaders to help shape political and social positions of the church, and put those decisions solely in the hands of bishops.
The proposal leads the agenda for the spring meeting of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops, which will convene June 15-17 in Chicago. Among other proposals before the 280 U.S. bishops are ones to alter the Catholic liturgy, including moving the sign of peace to a different place in the Mass.
In addition, the bishops will consider expanding participation of people with disabilities in the sacramental life of the church. They also are expected to restate their opposition to abortion and euthanasia and approve a resolution calling for the eventual ban of landmines.
The proposal …
The politician accused of conducting a coup in Madagascar said Monday he was open to talks overseen by Mozambique's respected former president to try to resolve a political crisis here.
But in the meantime, Andry Rajoelina also told reporters on the sidelines of a military ceremony, he was getting on with governing this impoverished Indian Ocean island.
At a weekend summit, the Southern African Development Community appointed former Mozambican President Joaquim Chissano to try to push forward stalled negotiations between ousted President Marc Ravalomanana and Rajoelina, whose March takeover has been widely denounced.
"We're always ready to …
Abstract Target identification is impaired when targets are presented during the planning or execution of a compatible response (e.g., right-pointing arrow during a right keypress) relative to an incompatible response (Musseler & Hommel, 1997 a, b). Examinations of this blindness to response-compatible stimuli have typically used arrowheads as targets ("<" and ">"). The importance of the target symbol was examined by manipulating subjects' interpretation of that symbol (i.e., ">" interpreted as a right-pointing arrow or as a headlight shining to the left). Targets were presented at varying times during the planning or execution of a response in order to examine the …
The Government has received a US$24 million loan from the International Development Association (No. 3084-NI) for the Health Sector Modernization Project. Funds will be used to procure goods, construction works, and consulting services. Projects include rehabilitation of 13 health centers, and pilot …
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Byline: Robert Whitaker Staff writer
For the past 25 years, there have been few medical procedures that have seemed so promising - and yet remained so frustrating - as bone marrow transplants.
This procedure, which gives the patient a new immune system, can produce wondrous and lasting cures. Transplants have given new life to thousands of children and younger adults suffering from leukemia and other fatal blood-related diseases.
Yet, it also is a procedure that too often kills. The transplanted marrow frequently never gets a chance to work its curative powers because the patient doesn't survive transplant- related complications. Doctors and researchers are waiting for the breakthrough in knowledge that would increase survival rates dramatically.
"Realistically it isn't a cure-all and shouldn't be presented that way. The complications, even when the patient is fortunate enough to have a matched donor, are significant," said Dr. Craig W.S. Howe, chief executive officer of the National Marrow Donor Program in Minneapolis.
Earlier this year, the stories of two young children who underwent bone marrow transplants captured the hearts of people in the Capital District. But both died from complications common to the procedure.
Four-year-old Ashley Sellner of Clifton Park underwent a transplant Jan. 10 at Children's Hospital in Boston for chronic myelogenous leukemia, a type of cancer of the bone marrow. She died Feb. 29 after the transplanted marrow attacked her own body, a complication called graft vs. host disease (GVHD).
Eighteen-month-old Michela McDermott, also of Clifton Park, underwent a transplant March 9 at the University of Minnesota Hospital for Hurler's Syndrome, an enzyme deficiency that leads to a lethal buildup of sugar molecules. Her graft took hold and began producing the needed enzyme, but she died June 5 from bleeding in her lungs. The hemorrhaging came on the heels of a …
The road to Sunday's World Cup final for Spain:
Spain
World Cup Qualifying
Spain 1, Bosnia-Herzegovina 0
Spain 4, Armenia 0
Estonia 0, Spain 3
Belgium 1, Spain 2
Spain 1, Turkey 0
Turkey 1, Spain 2
Spain 5, Belgium 0
Spain 3, Estonia 0
Armenia 1, Spain 2
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CLEVELAND (AP) — Grady Sizemore is back for the Cleveland Indians' most important series of the season.
The outfielder was activated from the disabled list Monday and listed in the leadoff spot in manager Manny Acta's batting order, playing center field, as second-place Cleveland started a three-game set against the AL Central-leading Detroit …
AIRLINE INDUSTRY INFORMATION-(C)1997-2003 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD
United Airlines has announced plans to reduce its pilots and flight attendants by up to 25%, under a new business plan.
The business plan also calls for a two-tier pay structure. Those pilots and flight attendants working for a planned new discount carrier to be operated by the airline …
