SSCAC and Woodson Library co-host famed artist, historian

Dr. Samella Sanders Lewis, 86, widely collected and exhibited as an artist (primarily a printmaker) and also revered as an art historian and writer on African Art, stops by the South Side Community Art Center, 3831 S. Michigan, on Friday, 6 p.m. -9 p.m., with historian Dr. Richard Long to discuss and sign copies of her book. Barthe: Life in Art, which took 20 years of extensive research to produce. The literary work traces Richmond Barthe's life and brilliant career-path as an artist and sculptor from the rural South to Chicago, to energizing New York and finally to Jamaica and Pasadena, Calif. SSCAC is currently exhibiting Dr. Lewis' works through Aug. 29. Both the exhibit and book …

Astronauts to deliver pump for balky space toilet

NASA rushed Wednesday to get a special pump on board shuttle Discovery to fix a balky toilet at the international space station, as the launch countdown got under way.

The space station's Russian-built toilet has been acting up for the past week. The three male residents have temporarily bypassed the problem, which involves urine collection, not solid waste.

Russian space officials are providing the pump to launch aboard Discovery on Saturday. The shuttle's seven astronauts arrived at Kennedy Space Center a few hours ahead of the start of countdown Wednesday afternoon.

At the same time, a NASA employee was en route to Florida from Russia with the 1 …

Missing Wis. woman found slain Suspect nabbed in Aurora attic, led cops to Kane farmhouse

Hours after police located Joseph Foreman Jr. hiding in an Auroraattic, Foreman led investigators to a secluded, vacant farmhouse inrural Kane County where they found the body of 49-year-old LindaDuchaine, authorities said Thursday.

The discovery at 8:15 p.m. Wednesday ended a frantic six-daysearch for Duchaine, a Wisconsin woman who vanished April 9 from herdaughter's apartment in west suburban Batavia.

"That was a sad conclusion to events of the last few days,"Batavia Police Chief Dennis Anderson said Thursday. "We had hopedthat would not happen."

An autopsy was pending, but authorities said it appeared Duchainehad been beaten to death, possibly with a metal …

Lateral mechanical coupling of stereocilia in cochlear hair bundles

ABSTRACT For understanding the gating process of transduction channels in the inner ear it is essential to characterize and examine the functional properties of the ultrastructure of stereociliary bundles. There is strong evidence that transduction channels in hair cells are gated by directly pulling at the so-called tip links. In addition to these tip links a second class of filamentous structures was identified in the scanning and transmission electron microscope: the side-to-side links. These links laterally connect stereocilia of the same row of a hair bundle. This study concentrates on mechanical coupling of stereocilia of the tallest row connected by side-to-side links. Atomic Force …

Pervak, Kudryavtseva advance at Tashkent Open

TASHKENT, Uzbekistan (AP) — Top-seeded Ksenia Pervak and defending champion Alla Kudryavtseva were the only seeded players to survive the second round at the Taskent Open on Wednesday.

In the quest for a first career title, Pervak beat local wild card Sabina Sharipova 6-3, 6-3, while Kudryavtseva defeated Vitalia Diatchenko 6-1, 2-6, 6-3.

After trading breaks, the 52nd-ranked Pervak, who reached her first WTA Tour final in Baku in July, broke Sharipova twice in the first set and won four consecutive games in the second.

The sixth-seeded Kudryavtseva dropped her serve in the opening game but won the next six games to win the set. Yet, she struggled on her serve for the …

Congo group accuses soldiers of killing animals

An environmental group is accusing Congolese soldiers of killing more rare wild animals in a national park in Congo's volatile east.

Bantu Lukambo of Innovation for Development and Environmental Protection said Monday soldiers killed the animals in Virunga National Park in February while stationed in the area to fight rebels. Their toll includes seven hippos, …

Arson alleged in Brown office fire

AUGUSTA, Ga. The former security chief of James Brown has beencharged with arson and theft for an April fire that destroyed some ofthe singer's priceless mementos and music.

Richard Glenn, 39, was indicted Tuesday on charges of first-degree arson, theft and three counts of first-degree forgery. Heallegedly stole $75,000 and later set fire to Brown's office to hidethe theft.

Investigators began working on the case after the April 28 fire atJames Brown Enterprises destroyed the office. Investigators said thefire also destroyed evidence concerning the April 11 theft of a$75,000 check made payable to Brown that ended up …

NHL Standings

All Times EST
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Atlantic Division
	W	L OT Pts	GF	GA
Philadelphia	12	6	2	26	70	49
Pittsburgh	10	8	2	22	61	53
N.Y. Rangers	10	8	1	21 …

No. 18 Florida State routs Alabama State 89-39

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Highly touted recruit Natasha Howard scored 20 points in her collegiate debut Friday and Cierra Bravard had 15 points and 17 rebounds to lead 18th-ranked Florida State to an 89-39 victory over Alabama State.

The Seminoles, coming off a school-best 29-6 record last season, raced to an 18-0 lead less than 5 minutes into the game. They built their advantage to 64-20 early in the second half with another 18-0 run as Alabama State went scoreless for 6:17 after coming out of the locker room.

The bulky, 6-foot-4 Bravard already had her double-double by halftime with 11 points and 11 rebounds. Her 17 rebounds were a career best. Alexa Deluzio added 16 points …

Tofield happenings

Mennonite Church

Alberta

The finishing work is finally done and Tofield Mennonite Church is able to use its new sanctuary.

A dedication service is planned for 2 p.m. on May 27. All are welcome to join the congregation in praising God and dedicating this new worship space. A lunch will follow the service. For more information, contact pastor Bob Crosland at 780-662-3166.

The 20 people from Tofield-including a …

United Technologies makes unsolicited $2.63 billion offer to acquire ATM maker Diebold

United Technologies Corp., continuing to broaden its security business and expand its presence in China, said Sunday it has made an offer to buy Diebold Inc. for $2.63 billion (euro1.73 billion).

United Technologies, parent company of jet engine-maker Pratt & Whitney, Otis elevator and Sikorsky Aircraft, said it made the unsolicited offer Friday after trying to negotiate a deal with Diebold for two years.

Diebold, based in Canton, Ohio, makes ATMs, business security systems and voting machines.

The $2.63 billion (euro1.73 billion) purchase price represents United Technologies' offer of $40 (euro26.37) per outstanding share, about two-thirds …

1 still missing after Ark. flash floods kill 19

Like they had done many times before, Leslie and Adam Jez packed their camper and headed for Arkansas' Albert Pike Recreation Area. But instead of leaving Friday, they and their 3-year-old met up with family a day earlier _ a decision that proved fatal.

Flash floods pushed a torrent of water through their campsite on the edge of the Ouachita National Forest before dawn, killing at least 19 people including Leslie and her mother, Sherry Wade. Adam survived, but authorities haven't said whether their child, Kaden, was among the victims.

State police said one person is still missing, and search teams plan to resume their work Monday morning.

…

Kurdish PM Condemns PKK Attacks

The prime minister of Iraq's northern Kurdish region Friday condemned attacks by Kurdish rebel fighters inside Turkey and said he hopes a weekend summit in Istanbul will reduce the threat of Turkish military strikes inside Iraq.

An independent human rights group, meanwhile, told The Associated Press it is engaged in indirect talks with the Kurdish Workers Party, or PKK, for release of eight Turkish soldiers captured in a PKK ambush last month.

Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani of Iraq's semiautonomous Kurdistan Regional Government, issued a statement Friday saying there was "no place in the modern civilized world" for the type of violence carried out by PKK guerrillas.

It was one of the harshest denunciations of the PKK by a Kurdish Iraqi official in recent weeks, and came under increasing diplomatic pressure on Kurdistan's government to distance itself from the PKK.

For the most part, Kurdistan officials have tried to remain neutral, painting the conflict as a matter strictly between the insurgent group, which has waged a decades-long war against Turkey, and Ankara. The PKK has been accused of staging attacks on Turkey from bases in Iraq's mountainous northern border region.

"There can be no excuse whatsoever for these actions which undermine peace and stability in the entire region and which are not in the interest of anyone involved," Barzani said in his statement.

Turkey has long accused the Kurdish regional government of not doing enough to stop PKK guerrillas, and the country's foreign minister expressed his frustration Thursday with Barzani's regime.

"We have doubts about the sincerity of the administration in northern Iraq in the struggle against the terrorist organization," Foreign Minister Ali Babacan said. "We want to see solid steps."

Babacan also said his government had taken some economic measures against the PKK and those who support it, without elaborating, and that Turkey was also considering suspending flights to northern Iraq _ escalating pressure on the Iraqi Kurdish government to move against the PKK.

Barzani's statement Friday said the Kurdish government wants "peaceful and cooperative relations with Turkey."

"We have many strong ties to Turkey, both economic and cultural, and we hope to see these ties grow in the future. People on both sides of the border have come to benefit from our trade relations," Barzani said.

Also Friday, Hussain Sinjari, the president of Tolerancy International, said his independent human rights group is in indirect talks with the PKK for release of eight Turkish soldiers.

The soldiers were captured Oct. 21 in an ambush by PKK insurgents against the Turkish military in Turkey's mountainous southeast, not far from the country's border with Iraq.

But Sinjari denied rumors that arrangements have been made for the soldiers' imminent freedom, timed to coincide with a meeting between Iraq and neighboring countries in Istanbul Friday and Saturday.

"Tolerancy International is trying to free the captured soldiers. It is still trying," he said in a telephone interview. "But we haven't said that they will be freed today or that they will be handed over to us today. We are still trying and we are still hoping, that these young soldiers can go back to their families and back to their homes in Turkey."

Tolerancy International, based in Irbil, the capital of Iraq's Kurdistan region, has no ties to the PKK, Sinjari said. The talks have continued through an intermediary with direct contact to the insurgent group, he said, declining to identify the intermediary or discuss the negotiations further.

The talks have been going on for more than a week, according to Tolerancy International's web site. Sinjari said the year-old organization aims to promote a culture of tolerance in the Middle East.

Kurdistan Prime Minister Barzani said Friday that his government was part of the effort to free the captured soldiers.

"We are doing all we can to secure the release of all hostages and to defuse tensions in the area," he said. "We understand Turkey's frustration with the actions of the PKK and we share the grief and sadness over the loss of life that has taken place. We believe that the only solution to this long-running problem is to be found in negotiations and compromise, not further violence."

The PKK, a guerrilla group fighting for Kurdish independence, has waged war on Turkey since 1984 in a campaign that cost an estimated 35,000 lives.

PKK attacks against Turkish positions over the last month have left 47 dead, including 35 soldiers, according to government and media reports.

On Friday, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice arrived in Ankara for the regional conference on Iraq, which is likely to be dominated by efforts to defuse the threat of the spread of fighting between the PKK and Turkey into northern Iraq.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, meanwhile, is to meet with President Bush in Washington Monday. The Turkish military has indicated it will wait for Erdogan's return before any large-scale assault on targets inside Iraq.

Kurdistan Prime Minister Barzani said he was optimistic that the Istanbul conference will reduce tensions.

"We would like our friends in the region and elsewhere to know that we are ready at any time, in any place, and with any group, to sit down and find a negotiated solution to the current impasse," he said. "We believe there is an opportunity for a political solution."

Meanwhile, three U.S. airmen were killed while performing combat operations north of Baghdad, the American military announced. All three, assigned to the Air Force Office of Special Investigations, died Thursday near Balad Air Base, some 50 miles north of Baghdad.

The brief statement did not give details on how the airmen died, nor whether they died in aircraft or on the ground. No air crashes, emergency landings or shootings were reported Thursday or Friday.

Som-me-lier: (sum l-a ) n. A wine steward in a restaurant.

It's that funny French word, easily mispronounced. To up the intimidation factor, it involves wine. And it's not exactly a part of everyday conversation.

So when Mike Baker, store manager and unofficial buyer for Wine Discount Center on Elston Avenue, runs into friends, it's not surprising that they ask, "Now what's that thing you're doing?"

Baker is studying to be a master sommelier. Though, as he describes it, "I taste a lot of wine." He's tasting even more these days as he prepares to test for the top tier of the Court of Master Sommeliers. It's the highest distinction one can achieve, awarded only after a series of seriously difficult exams on not just wine but also service, spirits and even cigars. Only 96 hold the title in the America Chapter; there are only 167 master sommeliers worldwide.

For Baker, seeking master sommelier status means an opportunity to geek out with colleagues also studying for the exam. Baker loves to taste and talk wine. And a subject that requires a knowledge of culture, politics, history, legislation, agriculture, economics, weather and countless variations in methods, styles, producers and vintages offers endless opportunities to discover something new.

The title also conveys expertise. "Finally, my mom will believe I know what I'm talking about," Baker jokes.

But that funny French word can mean a lot of things. The Oxford Companion to Wine defines sommelier as a "specialist wine waiter or wine steward." Some hold the title simply because they're the ones who buy or serve wine in a restaurant. Their expertise might be as deep as someone with certification, or they might be schooled only in their restaurant's list. You can be a sommelier by virtue of what you do; by achieving recognition from an organization such as the Court of Master Sommeliers or the Institute of Masters of Wine; or some combination of the two.

Steve Tindle, wine and spirits director at Shaw's Crab House, didn't put "sommelier" on his business cards until he was certified with the Court of Master Sommeliers. He's now studying for the Advanced level. (The Court lists four stages: Introductory Course, Certified Exam, Advanced Course and Master Diploma. Other certifying bodies differ in their levels of study.)

So what do people think when it comes up that he's a sommelier? "Sometimes the word can mean a little snobbiness in the social realm, but not always," Tindle says. Some people will talk around it, afraid they'll mispronounce the word. More often though, being introduced as a sommelier makes Tindle an instant personal consultant.

"Definitely, my friends like to ask lots of questions about wine," Tindle says.

Adam Seger gets the same reaction. Even his dad shoots Seger an e-mail when he's preparing a special dinner. Seger, sommelier at Nacional 27 and director of the wine program at Osteria Via Stato, is studying with Baker for the master sommelier exams next year.

He's sensitive to wine anxiety, so when he's on the floor at Nacional 27, he'll try to read each table before approaching. To regulars, he's the sommelier; to those who appear less comfortable, he's just the wine guy.

"We want to take as much intimidation out of the process as possible," Seger says.

Baker encounters people at all points on the spectrum in his store, so it might not come up that he's a sommelier. "Within the trade, it's pretty powerful," Baker says. "Outside of that small circle, not too many people understand it. ... They've heard that you might have had to do something to get the title, but they're not sure what it is."

And that's OK, he says. If you want to know whether that pinot noir is going to taste good with the salmon you're grilling tonight, he can tell you. If you want to know what type of soil that pinot was grown in and what terroir it will express as it unfolds, he can tell you that, too.

For the record (though variations abound), sommelier is widely pronounced s_-m_l-y_ or "some-all-yeah," which is how this writer explained it to friends when studying for the introductory Court of Master Sommelier course: taste some, taste all-yeah!

It's that enthusiasm for wine that Baker, Tindle and Seger share. A sommelier by any other name would be as eager to recommend the next great undiscovered quaff for your black-tie dinner or your picnic table, no intimidation required.

Julianne Will is a local free-lance writer.

RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THREE SOMMELIERS

Just like everyone else, we jumped at the chance to ask these sommeliers for their recommendations. And they were eager to share. Read on for enthusiastic recommendations from the pros:

Mike Baker, Wine Discount Center

For us, late spring and early to midsummer equals roses -- dry, fruity, clean pink wines that you drink chilled, perfect as aperitifs, with barbecue or by themselves at a picnic or backyard gathering. The best part about rose is tasting red wine flavor with the cooling, refreshing effect of a white wine. We have many, but these two are real winners:

2007 Mas Carlot Rose, Vin de Pays, France: This is a blend of Syrah, Grenache and Mouvedre from the South of France. It's chock full of strawberry and watermelon flavors. Delicious, and a steal at $7.99 a bottle.

2007 Domaine Tempier Ros, Bandol, Provence, France: The king of rose. This is the one of most expensive roses you can find, and it's worth it! Complex, mouth-filling, rich and nuanced. Long on the palate with fruit and earth tones and impressive structure. It would be even more fun to drink in another six to nine months! $35.99

Szigeti Gruner Veltliner Brut NV, Austria: Here's something different: a sparkling Gruner Veltliner from Austria, clean and complex.

2007 Crios de Susana Balbo Torrontes, Argentina: Torrontes is one of our breakthrough wines. People who love New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc have been gulping this stuff down. Torrontes is almost exclusively grown in Spain. It is super aromatic, a bit perfumey and a bit herbally spiced, and it is totally refreshing.

2006 Joel Gott Cabernet Sauvignon, California: The ultimate in fruit and fun. This is Cabernet for the modern era, soft and juicy and totally drinkable.

Steve Tindle,

Shaw's Crab House

Here are some little summer gems that have to be in your collection:

2007 Vionta Estate Albarino, Rias Baixas, Spain

2006 Picpoul de Pinet, Coteaux Du Languedoc, France

2006 Etude Pinot Noir Ros�, Carneros, Napa

I think the Greek wines have really come on:

2006 Domaine Sigalas Assyrtiko, Santorini, Greece

2007 Domaine Skouras Moschofilero, Peloponnisos, Greece

Adam Seger,

Nacional 27

Bubbly: -- Oeil de Perdrix by Jean Vesselle, Grand Cru Bouzy: One hundred percent Grand Cru Rose Champagne that rocks at a third the price of many prestige roses.

White -- Carl Schmidt Wagner Riesling Spatlese Feinherb Maximiner Herrenberg Mosel, '05-'07 all excellent vintages: A drier, more food-oriented German Riesling with enough body and acid to go from sushi to barbecue. Made from century-old ungrafted vines purchased by the family from Napoleon.

Pink -- Mascalese Rosato Di Giovanna: Tough to pronounce, easy to drink. From organic grapes: "adult Kool-Aid" as Veronica Hastings, the Chicago importer, puts it.

Red -- Paul Jaboulet Crozes-Hermitage Les Jalets: The kind of affordable luxury, well-distributed Syrah that every Syrah grower dreams of. Sounds a lot more expensive than it is when you bring it to a dinner party.

Julianne Will

TRYING TO DEFINE

We left our rose chilling at home and hit the hot city streets to ask a few random individuals what they knew about the word "sommelier" -- no context, no hints, no warning...

"That sounds familiar ... a drink in the summertime with fruit and ice?"

Lynn Layug, 28, Chicago

"It doesn't ring a bell right away. ... If I had to take a guess, something to do with the weather or time of year."

Jerome Howard, 42, Chicago

"I haven't got a clue."

Lynda Baldin, 62, Schererville, Ind.

"It's someone who knows wine really well and is accredited, I think. I think you have to go through some kind of accreditation. They typically work in high-end restaurants or wine shops."

Frank Gutowski, 31 Chicago

Color Photo: Chris Sweda, Sun-Times / Michael Baker, manager of Wine Discount Center, 1826 N. Elston, holds a bottle of Szigeti Gruner Veltliner Brut NV, which sells for $15.99. ; Color Photo: Chris Sweda, Sun-Times / Michael Baker holds a bottle of 2007 Domaine Tempier Bandol rose, which sells for $35.99 and is "the king of rose." Color Photo: Rich Hein, Sun-Times / "We want to take as much intimidation out of the process as possible," says Adam Seger, sommelier at Nacional 27. Color Photo: Keith Hale, Sun-Times / Jerome Howard Color Photo: Keith Hale, Sun-Times / Lynda Baldin Color Photo: Keith Hale, Sun-Times / Lynn Layug Color Photo: Keith Hale, Sun-Times / Frank Gutowski ;

South Koreans vote for president in election expected to end decade of liberal rule

South Koreans voted for a new president Wednesday in an election widely expected to end a decade of liberal rule _ if the nation can overlook a scandal that has tainted the front-runner.

Lee Myung-bak of the conservative Grand National Party, who has pledged to be a business-friendly leader who will boost the economy, has led in opinion polls throughout the race by large margins. A former Hyundai CEO and Seoul mayor, he has also said he would take a more critical view of Seoul's engagement with rival North Korea while seeking closer U.S. ties.

But just days before the vote, the parliament voted to authorize an independent counsel investigation into Lee in a stock manipulation case where prosecutors had already cleared him of wrongdoing. The counsel is to complete the probe before the Feb. 25 inauguration, and Lee has said he would step aside from the presidency if found at fault.

Some 37 million voters in this country of 49 million people were eligible to vote in the fifth election since the direct presidential ballot was restored in 1987 following a wave of democratization that ended years of authoritarian military rule.

Voter turnout was 36.7 percent as of 1 p.m. (0400 GMT), according to the National Election Commission. The day was declared as a national holiday.

Election turnout was expected to hit a record low largely due to increasing public apathy over politics and the lopsided contest that has been dominated by Lee. In the 2002 poll, turnout was 70.8 percent, the lowest since 1987.

Unlike previous elections dominated by issues like security policy with rival North Korea or relations with the United States, this year voters were focused on economic matters due to concern over sky-high real estate prices, soaring unemployment and a widening gap between rich and poor.

Nicknamed "The Bulldozer" for his can-do business acumen, Lee's support has been bolstered due to dissatisfaction over the five-year term of liberal President Roh Moo-hyun, who is constitutionally barred from seeking re-election.

Lee, who turns 66 on election day, first gained prominence as head of Hyundai's construction unit that symbolized South Korea's meteoric economic rise in the 1960-70s. As Seoul mayor from 2002-2006, he made his mark by opening up a long-paved-over stream to create a new landmark in the capital that also earned him environmental credibility.

"I want to thank the people who have defended me from numerous negative campaigns," Lee told reporters Wednesday morning, after casting a ballot with his wife Kim Yoon-ok in a polling station near his home in Seoul. "This time, we have to change the government without fail. To do so, all the people should take part in the voting."

Lee has made the economy central to his campaign, pledging to raise annual growth to 7 percent, double the country's per capita income to US$40,000 and lift South Korea to among the world's top seven economies _ known as his "747" pledge.

"He was in the business field for a long time and he has achieved a lot as Seoul mayor. I'm sure that he can revive our economy," said Cheon Won-gil, a 63-year-old seed vendor in the capital among the first to cast ballots for Lee.

Lee also has said he will take a more critical view over aid to North Korea and says he will bolster ties with the U.S., which has 28,000 troops deployed here to deter aggression from the North.

In 2002, Roh was elected after pledging not to "kowtow" to the U.S. while also continuing the rapprochement with the North fostered by his predecessor and fellow liberal Kim Dae-jung, who won a Nobel Peace Prize for his "sunshine" policy of engagement with Pyongyang.

Lee's march to the presidency hit a bump this week when a video was released by his liberal rivals showing him saying in 2000 that he founded a firm implicated in fraud. Although he had admitted the same in printed interviews, the video put the words directly into his mouth.

The case revolves around a Korean-American former business associate of Lee's who faces charges for stock manipulation, embezzlement and forgery after his extradition from the U.S., where he allegedly fled with millions of dollars (euros).

Lee has said the taped comments were taken out of context and denied the allegations, but his opponents have called on him to quit the race. It is not known how much the issue will affect voters as no opinion polls are allowed to be publicized in the final week of the campaign under election laws.

Analysts said the independent counsel investigation would continue to hound Lee even after he wins the election, as he could be the country's first president-elect to undergo a criminal probe. By South Korean law, a president-elect can be prosecuted but receives immunity from most criminal lawsuits after inauguration.

The other main candidates in the vote include a former TV anchorman-turned-politician who was once South Korea's point man on North Korea, Chung Dong-young, and two-time presidential loser Lee Hoi-chang who entered the race as an independent.

"Please, open the path for peace and a peaceful Korea! I trust our people and love them," Chung said after voting in a Seoul polling station.

Noh Young-suk, a 66-year-old housewife, said she voted for Chung "because he's young and active."

"If he becomes president he can manage state affairs very well, he's my type," she said.

Metro BRIEFINGS

BUSH RAINOUT: President Bush cut short a suburban Chicago campaignvisit because of a drenching rain, but stayed long enough to say thenation's health care system would be run "with the compassion of theKGB" if Bill Clinton becomes president. Bush was raising money forRepublican Senate nominee Rich Williamson. Story on Page 3. SCHOOL BUDGET GLITCH?: Gov. Edgar continues to say he would notspeed $43.7 million in state payments to Chicago schools. That moneywas included in the $2.6 billion Chicago Board of Education budgetapproved late Saturday. But Edgar said the board, which intends topay teachers less than their contract calls for, has not resolvedmatters with the teachers. Story on Page 1. CROATIANS VOTE: Hundreds of Croatians in the Chicago area and somefrom as far away as Milwaukee voted in Croatia's national electionusing two polling places set up in Chicago. Natives of Croatia orpeople whose fathers were born there were eligible to vote no matterwhere they now live. It's Croatia's first national election since itbroke from Yugoslavia. Story on Page 8. THE BOULEVARDIERS: On stretches of the historic 19th centurygreenway system, neighbors and the city are banding together to buildand rehab housing, fight gangs and renew a sense of community. At atime when U.S. cities are coming apart at the seams, Chicago's 28miles of boulevards are a hidden link of unity. Story on Page 5. FUGITIVES BEWARE: Two entrepreneurs with law degrees fromNorthwestern University Law School have started a new magazine forthe armchair sleuth. It's called: Fugitive! Searching for America'sOutlaws. Story on Page 2. PAYBACK TIME: Bob Voss was the coach and Mark Talamonti was the starfootball player back in the late 1970s. Now the player is the doctorwho performed successful cancer surgery on the coach. Talamonti saidit was like paying back a favor. "When you're 17, the biggestinfluences in your life are your parents and, if you're involved withsports, your coaches." Story on this page. BERWYN FIRE: An extra-alarm fire in west suburban Berwyn killed twowomen and injured five people early Sunday. Firefighters from sixneighboring communities were called in to help fight the earlymorning fire. Story on this page.

Baltimore Offers Bears a Dream Deal

It's the deal of Bears President Michael McCaskey's dreams.

Baltimore is offering to give any NFL owner a $200 millionopen-air, natural-grass, football-only stadium. Rent free.

"All an owner has to do is sign a lease," Maryland StadiumAuthority Chairman John Moag Jr. said Sunday. "It's the best dealout there."

Baltimore is one of several cities that probably would giveMcCaskey the red carpet if Illinois fails to help the Bears buy a newstadium and McCaskey carries out his threat to leave the state.

But Baltimore is a small market that would compete with thenearby Washington Redskins. "The last time Baltimore had a team,they weren't filling it to capacity," said Mayor Daley's presssecretary, Jim Williams.

Baltimore would earn less broadcast revenue than Chicago. Thatdoesn't matter much in the NFL, Moag said, because teams share thebulk of broadcast revenue. Teams do keep revenue from radio andpreseason television broadcasts, however.

Maryland is willing to pay $160 million for a new stadium nextto the Camden Yards baseball stadium, plus $40 million for land.

The 70,000-seat stadium would have 108 skyboxes and 7,500 clubseats, and be funded by lottery revenues and a 10 percent admissiontax. The owner's only expense would be maintenance, Moag said.

It's unlikely Illinois would try to top the offer. Gov. Edgar"is not going to get into a bidding war," said spokesman MikeLawrence.

Moag said McCaskey visited Baltimore about six weeks ago to seeCamden Yards, but didn't discuss moving to the city. McCaskey hassaid only that he's gotten calls from several cities.

Baltimore has been offering to build an NFL stadium sinceshortly after the Baltimore Colts moved to Indianapolis in 1984.Baltimore lost out to Jacksonville and Carolina in the competitionfor expansion teams. And the city has been rejected by three teamsthat have recently moved to other cities.

Stung by the rejections, Maryland is expected to take itsstadium offer off the table as early as next spring. Maryland Gov.Parris Glendening recently told the Baltimore Sun the city would not"be brides in waiting forever."

Other likely Bears suitors include Los Angeles and Memphis,Tenn. Los Angeles is a large market, but the Rams and Raidersrecently left the city for better stadium deals and more enthusiasticfans elsewhere. Memphis was a finalist for an expansion team, butit's a small market and some people question whether it has enoughfans who could afford high ticket prices.

McCaskey is threatening to leave Illinois if the Legislaturefails to give him an open-air, 74,000 seat stadium. Taxpayers wouldpay $185 million, about two-thirds of the cost.

Private financing, including rent, advertising and "personalseat licenses," would pay the remaining $100 million. A seat licensewould give a fan the right to buy season tickets, McCaskey toldWBBM-AM radio's "At Issue" program Sunday.

A license could cost anywhere from $600 a seat to severalthousand dollars, McCaskey said. A license holder could transfer hisor her seat to someone else, sell it at a profit or leave it to anheir.

McCaskey said he hoped "we could use such payments to hold down(ticket) price increases."

Contributing: Charles Nicodemus

Bomber Kills 10 in Hit on Iraqi Police

BAGHDAD - A suicide truck bomber struck an Iraqi police agency in northern Iraq on Sunday, killing at least 10 people, police said. A U.S. helicopter fired flares on a crowd on a square in eastern Baghdad, hours after clashes between American troops and Shiite militia that left at least five people dead, but the military said it was part of an automatic self-defense system.

Fighting broke out in the predominantly Shiite Fidhiliyah area on the Baghdad's outskirts late Friday after a U.S. military convoy came under attack outside the local offices of Muqtada al-Sadr, the anti-American cleric whose Mahdi Army militia has recently stepped up attacks on American troops.

The U.S. military said an American patrol called for air and ground support after it came under attack by small-arms fire and rocket-propelled grenades fired from the al-Sadr office. Spokesman Lt. Col. Christopher Garver said no Americans were killed or wounded, but he did not have immediate information on Iraqi casualties. "We're still looking into the incident," he said.

Sheikh Mohammed al-Hilfi, an al-Sadr representative from the office, said the clashes broke out after a raid on the office, which doubles as a mosque. The military did not confirm the raid.

He said seven people were killed and 21 wounded, while local police officials put the casualty figure at five killed and 19 wounded. The officials said those killed were Iraqis and included bystanders caught in the crossfire, while 16 other men were detained.

Hundreds of men chanted as they carried the wooden coffins draped in Iraqi flags of four people reportedly killed in the violence.

Associated Press Television video footage shot early Sunday showed a low-flying Apache helicopter firing flares as several hundred people, including teenagers and children, gathered around a devastated Humvee below.

Al-Hilfi accused the Americans of using the helicopter flares to disperse the crowd so they could recover the charred Humvee.

But Garver said the flares were fired automatically as part of a self-defense system for the helicopters after several recent deadly attacks against the aircraft.

"Those are not launched by the crew," he said. "When the helicopter receives a signal that it is being targeted by a radar, it launches those flares in self-defense against a perceived threat."

He said the flares, which are designed to divert heat-seeking missiles and other anti-aircraft weapons, usually burn out before they hit the ground but these were still burning because the helicopter was flying at low altitude.

Al-Sadr's Mahdi Army militia fought U.S. forces for much of 2004. More recently, the U.S. military has repeatedly blamed the militia for the deaths of American soldiers killed by roadside bombs it says are provided by Iran.

A roadside bomb killed a U.S. airman and wounded another Sunday in southern Iraq, the military said. The death raised to at least 3,504 members of the U.S. military who have died since the Iraq war started in March 2003, according to an Associated Press count.

The suicide explosion in Tikrit devastated a building housing the highway police directorate in the Albu Ajil village on the eastern outskirts of ousted leader Saddam Hussein's hometown, a police officer said, speaking on condition of anonymity because of security concerns. Tikrit is 80 miles north of Baghdad.

The attacker detonated his payload after smashing into a blast wall, flattening a small reception building and damaging the main two-story building 20 yards away, the officer said, adding that most of the 10 killed and 55 wounded were police.

"It was a huge blast, my house was damaged," said Khalaf Eidan, a 45-year-old shopkeeper who lives nearby. "I thank God that none of my children were hurt."

The blast was the deadliest of a series of attacks and other violence that killed at least 26 people, many targeting Iraqi police as militants continue to hammer the country's shaky security forces. The terror campaign against Iraqi troops and police appears designed to blunt U.S. progress in creating a stable local force so the Americans can go home.

A roadside bomb struck a police patrol near a gas station in Balad Ruz, 45 miles northeast of Baghdad, killing one policeman and wounding 6 other people - five officers and one civilian, according to the provincial police center for Diyala.

Militants have fled the capital to avoid capture in the security operation there, forcing the U.S. military to divert about 3,000 more American forces to Diyala from Baghdad. The province also has seen a rise in violence as Sunni insurgents and tribal leaders turn against al-Qaida in Iraq, sparking a violent power struggle between the groups.

A suicide car bomber smashed into a police patrol about 12 miles south of the provincial capital of Baqouba, killing two policemen and wounding three, officers at the provincial police center said, speaking on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to release the information.

A village police chief northeast of Baqouba was abducted by gunmen who ambushed his car, police said, two days after an attack on another local police chief's house that left his wife, two brothers and 11 guards dead.

Gunmen elsewhere in the volatile province killed two policemen and a civilian in separate attacks in a Shiite enclave, they said.

WVU, Marshall finish in Top 25

For the first time, Marshall and West Virginia have finished theseason ranked together.

Marshall (11-2) ended at No. 24 in the final Associated Press pollSaturday after beating Louisville 38-15 in the GMAC Bowl on Dec. 18.

West Virginia (9-4) fell from 15th to 25th in the final AP pollafter losing 48-22 to Virginia in the Continental Tire Bowl on Dec.28.

Marshall and West Virginia finished 19th and 20th, respectively,in the final USA Today-ESPN coaches poll.

Marshall started the season ranked 19th in the AP poll, its first-ever preseason ranking. The Thundering Herd climbed to 16th thefollowing week after beating Appalachian State, then lost badly toVirginia Tech in the second game and fell out of the poll untilSaturday.

With Miami's loss to Ohio State on Friday in the Fiesta Bowl,Marshall now leads the nation with bowl wins in five consecutiveseasons.

West Virginia was unranked for most of the season, but shot up to15th after back-to-back road wins over ranked teams Virginia Tech andPittsburgh.

The last time Marshall ended a season ranked in the AP poll was in1999, when it went 13-0 to finish at No. 10. West Virginia earned aTop 10 finish after the 1993 season, the last time it was ranked toend the year.

Romney campaign says former Massachusetts governor to be endorsed by NJ Gov. Chris Christie

HANOVER, New Hampshire (AP) — Romney campaign says former Massachusetts governor to be endorsed by NJ Gov. Chris Christie.

ATP Rankings

Through Aug. 9

Singles

1. Rafael Nadal, Spain, 10,745 points.

2. Novak Djokovic, Serbia, 6,905.

3. Roger Federer, Switzerland, 6,795.

4. Andy Murray, Britain, 5,305.

5. Robin Soderling, Sweden, 4,740.

6. Nikolay Davydenko, Russia, 4,285.

7. Tomas Berdych, Czech Republic, 3,780.

8. Juan Martin del Potro, Argentina, 3,770.

9. Fernando Verdasco, Spain, 3,475.

10. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, France, 3,455.

11. Andy Roddick, United States, 3,235.

12. David Ferrer, Spain, 3,100.

13. Marin Cilic, Croatia, 2,890.

14. Mikhail Youzhny, Russia, 2,725.

15. Jurgen Melzer, Austria, 2,470.

16. Nicolas Almagro, Spain, 2,210.

17. Ivan Ljubicic, Croatia, 2,200.

18. Gael Monfils, France, 2,025.

19. John Isner, United States, 1,850.

20. Marcos Baghdatis, Cyprus, 1,790.

4 men arrested in slaying of Washington Redskins star Sean Taylor are charged

Four suspects were charged in the shooting death of Washington Redskins star Sean Taylor on Saturday, with two of their lawyers confirming some have confessed.

Charles Wardlow, Eric Rivera and Venjah Hunte were denied bond during a brief court appearance via videoconference in Fort Myers. The fourth suspect, Jason Mitchell, had not made a court appearance.

All four are charged with unpremeditated murder in Taylor's death, a killing police said was unplanned and arose out of a burglary at the NFL player's home. They're also charged with armed burglary and home invasion with a firearm or another deadly weapon.

The four were arrested on Friday in southwest Florida, about 160 kilometers (100 miles) from Miami.

Miami-Dade County police Director Robert Parker said the suspects didn't expect Taylor to be home when they broke in early Monday, but the Redskins safety was recuperating from a knee injury and had returned from Washington. When Taylor surprised them, he was shot.

"They were certainly not looking to go there and kill anyone," Parker said. "They were expecting a residence that was not occupied. So murder or shooting someone was not their initial motive."

Authorities said they had more than one confession, but Parker would not elaborate.

Wilbur Smith, the attorney representing Rivera, said on Saturday he expected a speedy resolution.

"Don't expect this to be a long, drawn-out thing," he told The News-Press of Fort Myers. "Because there are confessions, I believe this will be quickly resolved."

Although some media reports identified his client as the one who pulled the trigger, Smith said he had not yet spoken extensively with Rivera to determine if that's true. He said his client was remorseful.

"It's an indescribable tragedy for the Taylor family, and it's a tragedy for the families of these other young men because their lives are down the tube," Smith said.

Rivera's MySpace page appears to reflect a love of money. It is wallpapered with images of stacks of bills, and he's seen photographed lying in a bed with $100 bills strewn atop him and fanning a wad of money in front of his face. He lists "countin money" among his interests and puts his income at $60,000 to $75,000 (euro40,000 to euro51,000). He goes by the name "$MR.FLORIDA$".

According to the page, Rivera last logged in sometime on Friday. He described his mood with an obscene word for angry.

John Evans, the attorney representing Wardlow, said it's likely all four suspects will be transported to Miami on Sunday. He said his client was reflecting on the gravity of the charges he faces.

"My client has not, I don't think, come to terms with what is being alleged," Evans told the AP on Saturday. "He's in a position, dressed in the orange jumpsuit over there in the county jail, thinking about his life and thinking about his future. You can only imagine the things going through his mind now."

The four suspects all have prior arrests, according to Lee County Sheriff's Office records.

Wardlow, 18, was arrested twice for selling marijuana and once for grand theft of a vehicle. Rivera, 17, was arrested in October for trafficking cocaine and methamphetamine, and he previously was behind bars for altering the identification number on a firearm.

Hunte, 20, was arrested previously this year on drug and trespassing charges. And Mitchell, 19, has been arrested twice, most recently in October on charges of driving with a suspended license and violation of probation.

Richard Sharpstein, Taylor's former attorney, said Saturday he had spoken with the athlete's father since the arrests. He said the family was appreciative police had worked so effectively, but the news provided little relief. Taylor's father is the police chief of Florida City, a small town on the tip of the Florida mainland.

The 24-year-old Pro Bowl player died on Tuesday, one day after being shot at his home during what officials said appeared to be an attempted burglary.

Police have been investigating a possible link to a Nov. 17 break-in at Taylor's home, during which they said someone pried open a front window, rifled through drawers and left a kitchen knife on a bed.

The Miami Herald reported Mitchell and Wardlow had connections to Taylor. Mitchell cut Taylor's lawn and did other chores at the house, Mitchell's twin brother, Scottie, told the paper. Taylor's sister, Sasha Johnson, dates Wardlow's older cousin Christopher, and Scottie Mitchell told the paper the couple invited Jason Mitchell to Johnson's birthday party within the past two months.

Pharmaceutical companies bid for Resverlogix

Calgary - Resverlogix Corp. has completed the first stage of its Request for Proposal (RFP) process with seven global pharmaceutical organizations for an exclusive standstill agreement regarding its Nexvas(TM) technology in cardiovascular disease. The company has now commenced the second stage of the RFP process, which will occur over the next two months. The scheduled time frame for the final RFP bid and the candidate selection process is late spring of 2005. A minimum bid of US$15,000,000 has been set.

The RFP process does not transfer ownership of any technology or assets held by Resverlogix; however it does offer the winning candidate an 18-month standstill agreement, which will supply them with exclusive due diligence and right of first refusal to acquire Resverlogix during the agreement timeframe. Resverlogix has the unilateral right to abandon or postpone this process at anytime.

More than Meets the Eye

SARAH K. RICH ON KENNETH NOLAND (1924-2010)

THERE ARE SOME PAINTERS who treat a finished canvas as a virginal thing that should remain undisturbed on the wall once placed there. When I made a trip three years ago to Kenneth Noland's Maine studio, I was surprised to learn that he was not one of them. I was visiting the artist because I wanted to view a circle painting titled Back and Front that he had kept since making it in 1960. After I'd looked at the canvas for a while, I told him I didn't understand why the top had to be the top. "Well, let's see," he said. He sprang from his seat and rotated the canvas a half turn. He talked about it a bit that way, then said, "Let's try this," and he gleefully laid the painting on the floor, and we discussed it with the categories top and bottom effectively eradicated. He then proceeded to flip the thing over like a pancake so I could briefly see the verso, which, as the title suggests, is also painted.

Noland's enthusiastic maneuvering of the canvas during this studio visit surprised me, I suppose because Clement Greenberg and Michael Fried's rhetoric of modernist opticality had so colonized my perception of his work that I did not anticipate such physical engagement from the artist. This critical colonization was no accident, of course. Noland's work from the '60s frequently proved formalist paradigms with great skill, and his signature circles and chevrons in particular exhibit an impressive lexicon of techniques by which a painting might affirm properties that (for Greenberg, at least) are specific to the medium. Throughout these works, Noland's method of staining raw canvases with acrylic prevents paint from roughening surface complexion with sculptural impasto. No chiaroscuro bloats his bands of unmodulated paint into virtual three-dimensional space, either. Nor do bands or circles overlap, as that might suggest an interior in which objects could move around each other. Generally, both the circles and the chevron bands thwart any illusion of a projecting or receding shape, as they progress sequentially according to studiously inconsistent gradations of size, value, and saturation. Fried's eventual terminology of "deductive structure" (in which the composition derives from the dimensions of the physical support) usefully explained the circles' tendency to orbit the geometric center of the canvas, as well as the chevrons' habit of hanging from the top frame, such that they seem to inhabit the same plane as the material surface.

The compositional rigor of Noland's painting was, in my opinion, beyond reproach. But the more assiduously selfscrutinizing the work became, and the more those paintings appeared to be deductive of formalist criticism, the more difficult it was to connect them with formalism's mission to counteract the culture industry through processes of withdrawal or negation (not least because some formalist critics disliked the terminology of "negation"). And that is unfortunate. Now that we are several decades down the hill of popular culture, and we've all gotten a better idea of how frenzied and mind-numbing kitsch can be, the formalist advocacy of work that might give the viewing subject a place for the exercise of sustained and quiet attention doesn't seem like such a bad idea.

That said, to see Noland's paintings as nothing more than exemplars of Greenbergian self-reference is to leave out a great deal of his project. Some scholars (particularly Shepherd Steiner) have recendy noted Noland's frequent reference in interviews to the writings of Wilhelm Reich (the artist went through Reichian analysis for about ten years); it could be, in fact, that those circle paintings developed out of a far funkier interest in personal auras of energy and the holistic self-awareness of the subject. Indeed, when I met with Noland, his mode of speech tended toward that of the '60s hipster that he was, as a former Black Mountain College student whose interest in jazz persisted along with his interest in pure form. When he asked if there were any publications of mine he should look at, I explained that my article about Op art was about to appear in this magazine. "Far out," he said, nodding rhythmically to the Gil Evans album he was playing for us as mood music.

Meanwhile, a few of Noland's paintings, like Back and Front, did approach the idea of autonomy, but in ways that rejected notions of opticality. The verso composition of Back and Front is partly visible from the recto: Some paint seeping through from the back is visible on the left side of the composition. But what I saw when Noland flipped the painting over looks different from what one might expect after looking at it from the front. In other words, the painting tells us that there is a back, but its full character remains secret. The viewer perceives that there is something behind what is seen, but it is off-limits. Works like these - and Noland was in the process of making more in this mode when I visited him - suggest that a painting could sometimes articulate the necessity of withholding visual information. This painting implies autonomy as a sort of nonappearance - a negation that retreats from visuality but remains specific to painting. At the same time, this version of medium-specificity, which assigns a discretionary essence to painting, serves to allegorize a subjectivity that cannot be co-opted. Behind Kenneth Noland, and behind some of his paintings, there was much more that we are only beginning to think about. It is a shame he won't be around to witness our realization of that.

[Sidebar]

Now that we've gotten a better idea of how frenzied and mind-numbing pop-cultural kitsch can be, the formalist advocacy of a place for the exercise of sustained and quiet attention doesn't seem like such bad idea.

[Author Affiliation]

SARAH K. RICH IS AN ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF ART HISTORY AT THE PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY.

(null)

Derby has given assistant coach Stan Ternent permission to leave the club so he can join Huddersfield Town as manager.

The 61-year-old Ternent was appointed assistant to manager Paul Jewell five months ago, but Huddersfield gave him the chance to return to full-time management.

Ternent is best known for a six-year spell at Burnley that ended in 2004, but has also had spells at Blackpool, Hull, and Burnley.

"I would like to thank Stan Ternent for the hard work he has put in for Derby County and the support he has given Paul Jewell," Derby chairman Adam Pearson said. "We have not sought any compensation from Huddersfield."

Pearson said that Derby already had a replacement lined up for Ternent.

"The new assistant has a proven pedigree and a top-class record and is someone well known to Paul," Pearson said.

The most likely candidate is Chris Hutchings, who worked under Jewell at Bradford and Wigan. He succeeded Jewell at both clubs, but was fired each time.

___

ATP Rankings

Through April 4
Singles

1. Rafael Nadal, Spain, 12,870 points.

2. Novak Djokovic, Serbia, 9,700.

3. Roger Federer, Switzerland, 8,550.

4. Andy Murray, Britain, 5,545.

5. Robin Soderling, Sweden, 5,420.

6. David Ferrer, Spain, 4,600.

7. Tomas Berdych, Czech Republic, 3,900.

8. Fernando Verdasco, Spain, 2,925.

9. Jurgen Melzer, Austria, 2,660.

10. Gael Monfils, France, 2,600.

11. Mardy Fish, United States, 2,376.

12. Nicolas Almagro, Spain, 2,350.

13. Stanislas Wawrinka, Switzerland, 2,320.

14. Andy Roddick, United States, 2,270.

15. Mikhail Youzhny, Russia, 2,205.

16. Viktor Troicki, Serbia, 1,790.

17. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, France, 1,715.

18. Richard Gasquet, France, 1,700.

19. David Nalbandian, Argentina, 1,585.

20. Sam Querrey, United States, 1,520.

Bush daughter caught with liquor, police say

President Bush's 19-year-old daughter Jenna was cited early Fridayin Austin, Texas, for alcohol possession by a minor, police said. Theticket was issued by Austin police who were checking for minors inpossession of alcohol at nightclubs along the city's popular EastSixth Street. Officers questioned Bush and another woman theybelieved to be under age 21 around 1:30 a.m. They were given acitation but were not arrested. Bush is a freshman at the Universityof Texas at Austin.

Judge can't stop Napster swaps A federal judge overseeing the caseagainst Napster Inc. essentially threw up her hands and appealed forhelp Friday in stopping the exchange of copyright songs. For themoment, her memorandum guarantees Napster users can continuedownloading copyright music at will. Major record labels want theonline music-swapping service to remove any copyright songs from itsInternet servers-a position U.S. District Judge Marilyn Hall Patelhas strongly endorsed in a series of rulings. But removing the songshas proved exceptionally difficult, since Napster users constantlymake them reappear under different file names.

Extra Social Security check coming Social Security recipients willbe getting an extra check in July to adjust for a $1 billionshortfall in payments caused by a computer glitch. Most checks willbe only $19. About 45 million retirement beneficiaries and about 6million recipients of supplemental security-the cash assistanceprogram for the needy-will get the one-time checks in mid-July,Social Security Administration officials said Friday.

South Pole doctor almost home An ailing American doctor pluckedfrom the South Pole in a daring rescue flew Friday to Chile's capitalfor his last stopover before returning home to the United States. Dr.Ronald S. Shemenski boarded a commercial flight in Punta Arenas,Chile's southernmost city, for the 1,300-mile trip to Santiago. The59-year-old doctor planned to leave Chile today and was expected toarrive in Denver, Colo., early Sunday morning. Shemenski spent Fridaymorning giving interviews in bucolic Punta Arenas, voicing mixedfeelings about leaving the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station, wherehe was halfway into a one-year stint as the lone physician.

Reports shed light on Kerrey raid Two newly declassified officialreports concerning a raid on a Vietnamese village by Bob Kerrey'sNavy SEAL team make no mention of civilian casualties that the formersenator says he included in his initial after-action report on theincident. The reports, both dated Feb. 25, 1969-the day of the raidon Thanh Phong, a coastal hamlet in the Mekong Delta-were releasedFriday. They are not signed, but military address codings suggestthey are a message from Kerrey's immediate superior officer to thecommander of SEAL Task Force 115 and that officer's reply.

Scientists: Warming Triggers 'Dead Zone'

GRANTS PASS, Ore. - Bottom fish and crabs washing up dead on Oregon beaches are being killed by a recurring "dead zone" of low-oxygen water that is larger than in previous years and may be triggered by global warming, scientists said.

There are signs it is spreading north to Washington's Olympic Peninsula.

Scientists studying the 70-mile-long zone of oxygen-depleted water, along the Continental Shelf between Florence and Lincoln City, conclude that it is being caused by explosive blooms of tiny plants known as phytoplankton, which die and sink to the bottom, then are eaten by bacteria which use up the oxygen in the water.

The recurring phytoplankton blooms are triggered by northerly wind, which generates a process known as upwelling in which nutrient-rich water is brought to the surface from lower depths.

"We are seeing wild swings from year to year in the timing and duration of the winds that are favorable for upwelling," Jane Lubchenco, professor of marine ecology at Oregon State and a member of the Pew Oceans Commission, said from Corvallis. "This increased variability in the winds is consistent with what we would expect under climate change."

Scientists first noticed a dead zone off Newport in 2002. That one was traced back to a rare influx of cold water rich in nutrients and low in oxygen that had migrated from the Arctic, said Jack Barth, professor of oceanography at Oregon State and with Lubchenco a principal investigator for the Partnership for Interdisciplinary Studies of Coastal Oceans.

Dead zones have returned each summer since then, but these have been marked by intense bursts of upwelling that were followed by calm periods, when the water contains lower nutrient levels, Barth added.

This year, the upwelling started strongly in April, stalled in May and picked up again in late June. Following the upwellings, scientists found the oxygen levels lower.

"We know it's not pollution. It's not a toxic algal bloom. The simple fact is there's not enough oxygen," said Francis Chan, a research professor of zoology at Oregon State who has been measuring ocean oxygen levels.

Oxygen levels are generally lower in deeper water, said Lubchenco, but what is unusual about this condition is that it is moving into relatively shallow water, about 50 feet deep, and moving toward shore, where the richest marine ecosystems are.

Deep water fish, such as ling cod, wolf eels and rockfish, are showing up in Oregon tide pools, apparently driven toward shore by the advancing dead zone, said Lubchenco.

Although the dead zone has been documented along 70 miles of coast, dead crabs and fish also have been showing up along Washington's Olympic Peninsula, Barth said.

"If we continue like we are now, we could see some ecological shifts," Barth said. "It all depends on what happens with the warming and the greenhouse gases."

Dead zones in other places around the country, such as Hood Canal in Washington and the Mississippi River Delta off Louisiana are caused by agricultural runoff fueling blooms of algae that rot and deplete oxygen levels, said Lubchenco. But dead zones like the one off Oregon also occur off Namibia and South Africa in the Atlantic and off Peru in the Pacific.

"We're not really sure what is down the road. If it's just for a short period of time, it will not be as devastating as if it starts lasting a significant fraction of summer," she said.

Scientists: Warming Triggers 'Dead Zone'

GRANTS PASS, Ore. - Bottom fish and crabs washing up dead on Oregon beaches are being killed by a recurring "dead zone" of low-oxygen water that is larger than in previous years and may be triggered by global warming, scientists said.

There are signs it is spreading north to Washington's Olympic Peninsula.

Scientists studying the 70-mile-long zone of oxygen-depleted water, along the Continental Shelf between Florence and Lincoln City, conclude that it is being caused by explosive blooms of tiny plants known as phytoplankton, which die and sink to the bottom, then are eaten by bacteria which use up the oxygen in the water.

The recurring phytoplankton blooms are triggered by northerly wind, which generates a process known as upwelling in which nutrient-rich water is brought to the surface from lower depths.

"We are seeing wild swings from year to year in the timing and duration of the winds that are favorable for upwelling," Jane Lubchenco, professor of marine ecology at Oregon State and a member of the Pew Oceans Commission, said from Corvallis. "This increased variability in the winds is consistent with what we would expect under climate change."

Scientists first noticed a dead zone off Newport in 2002. That one was traced back to a rare influx of cold water rich in nutrients and low in oxygen that had migrated from the Arctic, said Jack Barth, professor of oceanography at Oregon State and with Lubchenco a principal investigator for the Partnership for Interdisciplinary Studies of Coastal Oceans.

Dead zones have returned each summer since then, but these have been marked by intense bursts of upwelling that were followed by calm periods, when the water contains lower nutrient levels, Barth added.

This year, the upwelling started strongly in April, stalled in May and picked up again in late June. Following the upwellings, scientists found the oxygen levels lower.

"We know it's not pollution. It's not a toxic algal bloom. The simple fact is there's not enough oxygen," said Francis Chan, a research professor of zoology at Oregon State who has been measuring ocean oxygen levels.

Oxygen levels are generally lower in deeper water, said Lubchenco, but what is unusual about this condition is that it is moving into relatively shallow water, about 50 feet deep, and moving toward shore, where the richest marine ecosystems are.

Deep water fish, such as ling cod, wolf eels and rockfish, are showing up in Oregon tide pools, apparently driven toward shore by the advancing dead zone, said Lubchenco.

Although the dead zone has been documented along 70 miles of coast, dead crabs and fish also have been showing up along Washington's Olympic Peninsula, Barth said.

"If we continue like we are now, we could see some ecological shifts," Barth said. "It all depends on what happens with the warming and the greenhouse gases."

Dead zones in other places around the country, such as Hood Canal in Washington and the Mississippi River Delta off Louisiana are caused by agricultural runoff fueling blooms of algae that rot and deplete oxygen levels, said Lubchenco. But dead zones like the one off Oregon also occur off Namibia and South Africa in the Atlantic and off Peru in the Pacific.

"We're not really sure what is down the road. If it's just for a short period of time, it will not be as devastating as if it starts lasting a significant fraction of summer," she said.

OPINION: Reminder: Rape's not a biological need: QUESTIONABLE MINDS.

Byline: Fraser Sherman

Dec. 16--Contrary to what some people believe, rape doesn't happen because of the way women dress or because men want to father lots of children.

I'd like to think this was old news, but a recent item in the Northwest Florida Daily News' Spout Off column reminded me that it isn't. The writer grumbled that "with the male's propensity to procreate ... seductive female clothing creates a dangerous situation." For this reason, he or she went on, we must "return to some modicum of modesty for the sake of morality!"

Yes, that's what I consider a moral statement: If a man does something violent, the victim is at fault. Rape is a violent, cruel, brutal act, but to this writer, rape is just an excuse to lecture women on how to dress.

Taking it from the top: Men don't rape because of "seductive female clothing." Nuns have been raped, so have women in Islam's burkhas and chadors, and so were women in those long, all-concealing Victorian dresses. Men don't rape because of their "propensity to procreate."

This is a theory that refuses to die: Men are biologically programmed to sleep with lots of women (because that spreads their genes to the highest number of offspring) so rape is a natural outgrowth of that.

Except that rapists have assaulted women well past childbearing. And girls not yet fertile. And women who are already pregnant. And women the rapist is married to or sleeping with, so rape isn't needed to impregnate them. And rape-murders, which make the question of procreation moot.

None of that makes sense if rape is about the "propensity to procreate." It makes perfect sense if rape is about power, ego and dominance.

Even if rapists were obeying some biological imperative, that doesn't translate into having no control over what they do. On the contrary, men can control the impulse to rape just fine, which is why they attack when their victim is alone and vulnerable, not when there's a cop standing next to her.

And for that matter, we all have a biological need to eat. Would that excuse me snatching food from the writer's plate if I'm hungry? Would he or she suggest Albertson's and Publix create a "dangerous situation" by exposing all those yummy foods to people who have a "propensity" for eating? Biology doesn't excuse rape in any way, shape or form.

The moral issue in rape is simple: Rape is immoral, and rapists should be prosecuted, convicted if guilty and then locked up. Morality means women should be free to dress as they darn well choose without having to worry that if someone assaults them, the case will be written off ("I ask you, ladies and gentlemen of the jury, would any respectable woman wear a dress that short?").

It's not been that long since the "she asked for it" defense was standard in rape trials, and the thinking is still too common.

And once you start down that road, it's always possible to find proof that "she asked for it."

Because her skirt was too short. Because she showed cleavage. Because she showed any skin at all (the Taliban theory). Because she was out in a bar without a man along (yes, I have heard this argument). Because she wasn't a virgin (ditto). Because she was out on a date with him. Because he was so handsome, she must have wanted to sleep with him. Because she didn't resist the rapist "enough."

Rape is not an uncontrollable urge, it's a cold-blooded and evil choice. And the moral position is stop the rapist, not lecture about the supposed sins of the victim.

Destin Log reporter Fraser Sherman can be contacted at (850) 654-8442 and Fraser_Sherman@link.freedom.com.

Copyright (c) 2006, Destin Log, Fla.

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Business

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OPINION: Reminder: Rape's not a biological need: QUESTIONABLE MINDS.

Byline: Fraser Sherman

Dec. 16--Contrary to what some people believe, rape doesn't happen because of the way women dress or because men want to father lots of children.

I'd like to think this was old news, but a recent item in the Northwest Florida Daily News' Spout Off column reminded me that it isn't. The writer grumbled that "with the male's propensity to procreate ... seductive female clothing creates a dangerous situation." For this reason, he or she went on, we must "return to some modicum of modesty for the sake of morality!"

Yes, that's what I consider a moral statement: If a man does something violent, the victim is at fault. Rape is a violent, cruel, brutal act, but to this writer, rape is just an excuse to lecture women on how to dress.

Taking it from the top: Men don't rape because of "seductive female clothing." Nuns have been raped, so have women in Islam's burkhas and chadors, and so were women in those long, all-concealing Victorian dresses. Men don't rape because of their "propensity to procreate."

This is a theory that refuses to die: Men are biologically programmed to sleep with lots of women (because that spreads their genes to the highest number of offspring) so rape is a natural outgrowth of that.

Except that rapists have assaulted women well past childbearing. And girls not yet fertile. And women who are already pregnant. And women the rapist is married to or sleeping with, so rape isn't needed to impregnate them. And rape-murders, which make the question of procreation moot.

None of that makes sense if rape is about the "propensity to procreate." It makes perfect sense if rape is about power, ego and dominance.

Even if rapists were obeying some biological imperative, that doesn't translate into having no control over what they do. On the contrary, men can control the impulse to rape just fine, which is why they attack when their victim is alone and vulnerable, not when there's a cop standing next to her.

And for that matter, we all have a biological need to eat. Would that excuse me snatching food from the writer's plate if I'm hungry? Would he or she suggest Albertson's and Publix create a "dangerous situation" by exposing all those yummy foods to people who have a "propensity" for eating? Biology doesn't excuse rape in any way, shape or form.

The moral issue in rape is simple: Rape is immoral, and rapists should be prosecuted, convicted if guilty and then locked up. Morality means women should be free to dress as they darn well choose without having to worry that if someone assaults them, the case will be written off ("I ask you, ladies and gentlemen of the jury, would any respectable woman wear a dress that short?").

It's not been that long since the "she asked for it" defense was standard in rape trials, and the thinking is still too common.

And once you start down that road, it's always possible to find proof that "she asked for it."

Because her skirt was too short. Because she showed cleavage. Because she showed any skin at all (the Taliban theory). Because she was out in a bar without a man along (yes, I have heard this argument). Because she wasn't a virgin (ditto). Because she was out on a date with him. Because he was so handsome, she must have wanted to sleep with him. Because she didn't resist the rapist "enough."

Rape is not an uncontrollable urge, it's a cold-blooded and evil choice. And the moral position is stop the rapist, not lecture about the supposed sins of the victim.

Destin Log reporter Fraser Sherman can be contacted at (850) 654-8442 and Fraser_Sherman@link.freedom.com.

Copyright (c) 2006, Destin Log, Fla.

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Business

News.

For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.

OPINION: Reminder: Rape's not a biological need: QUESTIONABLE MINDS.

Byline: Fraser Sherman

Dec. 16--Contrary to what some people believe, rape doesn't happen because of the way women dress or because men want to father lots of children.

I'd like to think this was old news, but a recent item in the Northwest Florida Daily News' Spout Off column reminded me that it isn't. The writer grumbled that "with the male's propensity to procreate ... seductive female clothing creates a dangerous situation." For this reason, he or she went on, we must "return to some modicum of modesty for the sake of morality!"

Yes, that's what I consider a moral statement: If a man does something violent, the victim is at fault. Rape is a violent, cruel, brutal act, but to this writer, rape is just an excuse to lecture women on how to dress.

Taking it from the top: Men don't rape because of "seductive female clothing." Nuns have been raped, so have women in Islam's burkhas and chadors, and so were women in those long, all-concealing Victorian dresses. Men don't rape because of their "propensity to procreate."

This is a theory that refuses to die: Men are biologically programmed to sleep with lots of women (because that spreads their genes to the highest number of offspring) so rape is a natural outgrowth of that.

Except that rapists have assaulted women well past childbearing. And girls not yet fertile. And women who are already pregnant. And women the rapist is married to or sleeping with, so rape isn't needed to impregnate them. And rape-murders, which make the question of procreation moot.

None of that makes sense if rape is about the "propensity to procreate." It makes perfect sense if rape is about power, ego and dominance.

Even if rapists were obeying some biological imperative, that doesn't translate into having no control over what they do. On the contrary, men can control the impulse to rape just fine, which is why they attack when their victim is alone and vulnerable, not when there's a cop standing next to her.

And for that matter, we all have a biological need to eat. Would that excuse me snatching food from the writer's plate if I'm hungry? Would he or she suggest Albertson's and Publix create a "dangerous situation" by exposing all those yummy foods to people who have a "propensity" for eating? Biology doesn't excuse rape in any way, shape or form.

The moral issue in rape is simple: Rape is immoral, and rapists should be prosecuted, convicted if guilty and then locked up. Morality means women should be free to dress as they darn well choose without having to worry that if someone assaults them, the case will be written off ("I ask you, ladies and gentlemen of the jury, would any respectable woman wear a dress that short?").

It's not been that long since the "she asked for it" defense was standard in rape trials, and the thinking is still too common.

And once you start down that road, it's always possible to find proof that "she asked for it."

Because her skirt was too short. Because she showed cleavage. Because she showed any skin at all (the Taliban theory). Because she was out in a bar without a man along (yes, I have heard this argument). Because she wasn't a virgin (ditto). Because she was out on a date with him. Because he was so handsome, she must have wanted to sleep with him. Because she didn't resist the rapist "enough."

Rape is not an uncontrollable urge, it's a cold-blooded and evil choice. And the moral position is stop the rapist, not lecture about the supposed sins of the victim.

Destin Log reporter Fraser Sherman can be contacted at (850) 654-8442 and Fraser_Sherman@link.freedom.com.

Copyright (c) 2006, Destin Log, Fla.

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Business

News.

For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.

Formula won

It's not about how you win in the NFL, it's about when you win. - The Bears have talked up their four-game season and winning out, and they're halfway there after Thursday's 27-24 overtime victory over New Orleans at Soldier Field. If they can win their final two games, they would have huge confidence in their defense and special teams and be a dangerous opponent for any NFC team..

With two games left, the Bears (8-6) will have a much better idea about their fate before they play again Dec. 22, when they host Green Bay. If things break their way, they still will be in the mix for the NFC North crown. Otherwise, it could be wild card or bust. As improbable as it seems and as …

Honda likely to unveil new Insight at Paris Motor Show.

Auto Business News-5 August 2008-Honda likely to unveil new Insight at Paris Motor Show(C)2008 ENPublishing - http://www.enpublishing.co.uk

Auto Business News - 05 August 2008(c)2005 - Electronic News Publishing - http://www.enpublishing.co.uk

Honda Motor Company (Honda) (NYSE: HMC) (TYO: 7267), a Japan-based automaker, is likely to unveil its new Insight at the Paris Motor Show.

The automaker intends to …

NORWEGIAN RECYCLER, MENANDS FIRM IN DEAL.(BUSINESS)

Byline: JAMES DENN Business writer

Tomra Systems ASA, a Norwegian-based recycling company, said Thursday it has agreed to buy a portion of Menands-based Carco Recycling Inc. in a deal worth $3 million.

Carco, one of the Capital Region's largest recyclers, handles more than 300 million beverage containers annually.

Carco is owned by five individual bottlers, including Pepsi-Cola Albany Bottling Co. of Latham.

Tomra said it plans to merge the Menands company's materials handling operations with its operations in Syracuse and Rochester. The single entity will be more efficient, said Tomra. The sale is expected to be completed Aug. 1.

…