Shijun's Blog

U.S. Farmers To Plant 15 Percent More Corn

2008-03-10T23:37:00.000-07:00

The U.S. Agriculture Department Friday raised its predictions for spring corn planting to 90.5 million acres, due in part to demand for fuel ethanol. nike shox
The projected spring plantings are up 15 percent from last year's 78.3 million acres, the USDA said in its Prospective Plantings report -- and a 3.5 million acre increase over its February estimate of 87 million acres.
The latest report is based on a survey of 86,000 farmers taken during the first two weeks of March. Steel Pipe
If the new report is accurate, this planting year would be the strongest "since 1944, when 95.5 million acres were planted," the department said.
About 20 percent of last year's crop will be used for ethanol in the market year that ends Aug. 31, the department added. The ethanol boom has pushed corn prices to near-record levels.
Soybean acres are expected to fall 11 percent to 67.14 million, an 11-year low.
The United States is the biggest producer and exporter of both crops, with a corn crop valued at $33.8 billion in 2006 and soybeans at $19.7 billion, the department said.
Corn futures fell 20 cents, or 5 percent, on the Chicago Board of Trade. Soybeans fell 17 cents, or 2.2 percent.stainless steel pipe

CHINESE WINE HISTORY AND MODERN WINES

2008-03-09T00:38:00.000-08:00

This vast and most populous country of the world with its indigenous vine species (vitis amurensis, vitis thunbergii) has a very short western-style wine enjoyment. Wine is still poorly and assuredly not understood. Young people living in major cities (Beijing, Shnghai, Canton, Xian) with money in their pockets want to experience and experiment new tastes.
To them wine is a novelty and an "in" alcoholic beverage. Drinking merlot with coke may revolt a western wine enthusiast, but to a Chinese, sweet and alcoholic means more than fruity and dry. Some even add a few cubes of ice to cool it!
Chinese have been enjoying alcohol for millennia but wine as an alcoholic beverage was and still alien to their palate. When Chinese drink alcohol the expectation is to experience a burning, stinging, harsh, inebriating beverage rather than a smooth, fruity, refined and refreshing liquid. In fact, there is no Chinese word for wine. The word used for it is CHIEW, which can mean distilled or fermented beverage.
Historical documents show that grape seeds were brought to China from Uzbekistan by general Chang Chien during the Han Dynasty between 121- 136 BC and planted in Xingjian and Shaanxi (Xian). There are vague references to western style wine being made as early as 7th century AD. Records show that substantial amounts of grapes were imported from
Tashkent presumably to make wine.
After Chinese armies invaded Turfan, well known for its very mild winters and growing out-of-season vegetables and fruits to export all over Asia, vines were imported and planted. Subsequently the vitivinicultural industry grew in central China especially in Kansu and Xian provinces. There have been attempts to make wine from vitis vinifera grapes planted in Shantung north of Shanghai, but all were at best successful in a limited fashion.
"Wines" were made from millet, sorghum, and rice, but they were more brewed beverages than what we know and consider being wine. Chinese serve alcoholic beverages at eh beginning of a meal while listening to music and always with food. Such beverages were always served in small cups resembling sake cups than wine glasses! Even today during state banquets staged for foreign dignitaries, wine glasses with which the leaders toast each other are small and look more like cups than wine glasses as we understand them.
Towards the end of the 19th century Zhang Bi Shi a government employees established the Chang Yu Winery in Yantai after returning from a foreign posting. He planted vineyards using Welschriesling from Austria, and employed the Austrian consul as his winemaker. There are no records of the taste of the wine! The other winery of some reputation was Quigdao
(Tsingtao) more famous for its beer than wine, which was established by Germans as Melco Winery. It still produces floral white wines with an oily texture and dark yellow colour, indicative of oxidation through excessive aging!
French interests to cater to the diplomatic community and foreigners founded Shang Yi winery in Beijing.
By 1949 all wineries were confiscated, then government operated with the objective of increasing production, rather than improving quality. Managers blended wine with water, fermented cereals, colouring matter and sugar, to create a concoction that tried to resemble wine! Those who knew anything about wine rejected these products out of hand; those who knew nothing about wine could not afford it!
Today China's statisticians calculate the total vineyard area to be 65,000 hectares spreading from Xinjiang in the northwest to Shandong, Lianoning and Jilin in the northeast. Most of the fruit is for eating or meant to be dried rather than to make wine. In fact all wineries combined vinify only 20 per cent of grapes harvested. Since 1980's the government encouraged foreign investment in the beverage alcohol industry. The first western company to establish a joint venture with Tianjin
Fram Bureau was Remy Martin of Cognac fame. The Huadong winery in Quingdao (Tsingtao) was established by Hong Kong interests and is now managed by an English multinational distiller. Pernod-Ricard established a winery in Beijing (1987) and Italians, not to be outdone started the Marco Polo winery in Yantai (1990). Seagram, the former Canadian liquor multinational, is involved in a winery project (Summer Palace).
All the above imported vitis vinifera cuttings, selected suitable sites and planted vineyards according to the latest research with regard to trellising, spacing etc.
Some old vineyards were planted by Russian scientists who naturally used their own grape varieties namely Rkatsiteli and Severnyi and others) with Black Hamburg better known for its sweet fruit and wines.
Huadong winery decided to plant 50 hectares of chardonnay in Shandong and make dry wines to cater to the ever-increasing number of tourists, and young, moneyed, nightclub visiting well-educated Chinese market. The wine are excessively acid, light, lack body and extract, but this is due more to the age of vines and excessive yields than expertise in wine making! There is no phylloxera problem, but humidity causes mildew, white rot, oidium just to name a few diseases that plague vineyards in China.
Varietal wines are now being marketed with little success since grape names mean little or nothing to the average Chinese consumer. This is the reason for mixing merlot with coke, and chardonnay with sweet, clear aerated soft drinks.
Sometimes even red and white wines are mixed, sweetened with soft drinks, and ice cubes are used to cool the drink! gas detector
Chinese traditionally like oxidized alcohol, a left over of rice wine production in previous centuries, and fashion grape wines after that model. In fact, in many Chinese food recipes you are advised to substitute rice wine with dry sherry.
Presently 200 wineries try to compete with imported wines from France, Germany, Italy, the USA and Canada. Ice wine from Canada seems to have hit a soft spot in the hearts of well- heeled Chinese, since they so like sweet wines, and the more expensive it is the more cherished it becomes. stainless steel strip
Imports increased significantly from 1996-1998 from US $ 10 million to 50.0 million mostly due to government decree encouraging wine consumption. The population in general seems to prefer liquor to get inebriated quickly after consuming relatively small quantities.
Chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, Riesling, Rkatsiteli, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot are some of the grapes planted which thus far yield low alcohol, medium to light bodied wines
Since there are no laws regulating the industry, a varietal wine can contain up to 49 percent of another grape than the label states, which would help understand why some Chinese wines undrinkable, others barely acceptable! Red wines seem to be a tad better than white, but overall the industry still needs improvement as do consumers palates. stainless steel wire

Health claims need urgent attention, says food law expert

2008-03-09T00:24:00.000-08:00

The health and nutrition claims regulation entered into force in January. Although much of the detail still needs to be hammered out, some claims, such as those relating to children, will not be permitted as of July 1 pending approval at EU level.
Owen Warnock, partner and food law expert at Eversheds, says that the new legislation will have a significant effect on food manufacturers across the board, particularly since health and wellness is strong current running through the industry. Since the time frame for compliance is tight and some aspects of the law lack clarity, there is no time for companies to waste in getting their house in order.
In particular, Warnock says it could be a dangerous strategy for businesses to rely on submissions made by others if claims are already approved. The danger is that such claims could inapplicable across a broader category. Rather, Eversheds advises firms to compile their own detailed scientific evidence and submit their own claims for approval.
"Compiling the evidence to support specific health and nutrition claims may take some time and therefore food businesses need to act early. For categories of claim where there are no transitional arrangements, for example relating to children's health or for claims about preventing disease, this issue is particularly important," he said.
At the beginning of March the UK's Food Standards Agency issued a consultation paper on implementation of the regulation, which underscores the possible serious implications of non-compliance. It proposes that making false or unsubstantiated claims be a criminal offence.
Stakeholders have until May 24 to submit comments on the FSA's consultation paper.
Also up for comment is the draft guidance published by the European Food Standards Authority (EFSA) on how to make submissions.
Although this draft guidance is incomplete and EFSA advises companies not to make submissions until complete guidance is available in the summer.
However the initial document will be instrumental for companies wanting to take an early initiative towards having their claims approved. It covers a series of questions that companies may have, including eligibility of health claims for evaluation, organisation and format of submissions, making multiple submissions, timings and timescales, and how to communication with EFSA (the European Food Standards Agency) or its scientific panel on dietetic products, nutrition and allergies.
Warnock said that the draft guidance is revealing as it gives in insight into health claims the authority expects to cause the most disruption and uncertainty - and outlines areas where there is hope that further information on the practicalities of approvals will be forthcoming.
"Any manufacturer considering submitting a health claim for approval should read the draft guidance since it contains some useful suggestions about what kind of scientific evidence EFSA is likely to demand." Steel Pipe
The new legislation is intended to create a level playing field for claims made on foods throughout the EU, while at the same time ensuring that consumers are not mislead.
Since science is increasingly recognised as a foundation for health and functional foods, a number of companies have express their approval that the legislation is to take effect. One outcome is that it will separate those companies with strong evidence to support their products from those making nebulous or unsubstantiated claims. Steel Pipe
However some industry groups fear that it could be detrimental to the interests of small and medium enterprises, many of which are at the driving edge of innovation, since they do not have the resources to compile expensive dossiers.
Moreover, EFSA is currently considering whether it will charge fees to companies for the review of dossiers required under several pieces of EU legislation in order bridge the gap that has occurs as its growing responsibilities have outpace budget. stainless steel pipe

Annual rice harvest increases in Banten

2008-03-09T00:10:00.000-08:00

As one of 17 rice producers in the country, Banten province has managed to improve its production from the targeted 1.75 million tons to 1.88 million tons over the past year.
Deputy Governor HM Masduki said the surplus of 130,000 tons had ensured rice was available to the 9.2 million people living in the province.
"Banten's rice needs total about 930 tons per year," Masduki said Thursday in a meeting with all agriculture agencies in the province, held in Tangerang municipality.
The meeting was aimed at coordinating efforts in rice production improvement.
Masduki said that in a bid to secure the national supply of rice, it was hoped that Banten could meet its new target of 1.9 million tons of unhusked rice this year.
"Agriculture agencies play important roles in reaching the target. It is their job to teach farmers about surviving bad growing seasons and unpredictable weather."
Despite the surplus, many farmers in the province have complained of harvest failure due to the long dry season last year.
Masduki also warned the heads of regencies and municipalities not to allow productive farmland to be sacrificed for commercial or residential purposes.
"Moreover, the regional heads should also encourage farmers and residents to take part in the family planning program, because the increase in rice production should not be followed by a population increase," he added.
Tangerang Mayor Wahidin Halim, who hosted the meeting, said that despite the rapid pace of development in the municipality, his administration would maintain at least 1,000 hectares of land for rice farming. co detector
He said the municipality could only produce 4,000 tons of rice each year, while the estimated rice demand -- from consumption pattern and the city's population of 1.4 million people -- was 46,000 tons per year. stainless steel wire
"We have to import rice from other regions," he said, adding that more than 2,000 hectares of rice fields in the municipality had been reclaimed for the construction of Soekarno-Hatta International Airport.
Some 4,000 hectares of the municipality's productive land has also been taken up by housing complexes, public facilities, office compounds, markets and shopping malls, he added.stainless steel strip

Kind introduces interstate meat shipment bill

2008-03-08T23:47:00.000-08:00

Representative Ron Kind of Wisconsin has introduced legislation to expand the markets for small meat processing businesses across the country. H.R. 1760, "The Expanding Markets for Small Meat Processors Act" would eliminate the ban on the interstate shipment of state-inspected meat, allowing small meat processors to increase their business and grow local economies. Steel Pipe
"These unfair restrictions are severely hindering this industry’s ability to grow," Mr. Kind said. "Trusting other nations, but not our own states, to ship meat across borders just doesn’t make sense. This bill will expand markets, increase competition and reduce prices for consumers."
States often develop their own meat inspection programs to accommodate small businesses. Although the state inspection programs are equivalent to federal standards, currently there are restrictions on the interstate shipment of state-inspected meat. stainless steel wire
No other agricultural commodity has such a restriction. State-inspected milk, fruits, vegetables, grain and fish are all allowed access to the national market. Currently foreign products have greater nationwide meat market access than state-inspected meat.stainless steel strip

Healthy Diet the Only Antidote for Gluten Woes

2008-03-08T23:27:00.000-08:00

Everyone gets the feeling they've eaten too much occasionally. But those pains and swelling are constant for people with an autoimmune disorder called coeliac disease. welding wire
Many of those afflicted do not understand the source of their problems, say medical experts. Getting a proper diagnosis can be a long, painful journey. And a positive diagnosis of gluten intolerance means a lifetime of specialized diets. However, following that diet helps people control the problem. Grains are the root of the problem, which lies in the body's inability to process the protein gluten, found abundantly in barley, oats, rye, spelt and wheat. Sufferers of what is called coeliac disease among children, sprue among adults, need a diet free of those foods.
"A weakness in the immune system causes the membranes of the small intestine to become permeable to gluten," says Sofia Beisel, a nutritionist with the German Coeliac Society (DZG). The gluten eventually makes the intestine porous, preventing it from absorbing nutrients. Weight loss, diarrhea and malnutrition all combine to make the patient even weaker.
Joern Reckel, a general practitioner in Ahrensburg, says many people have a tendency to coeliac disease, but never suffer major problems, making a correct diagnosis among adults difficult, says Professor Joachim Moessner, director of the medical clinic at the University Clinic of Leipzig.
It only becomes serious when the patient suffers regular diarrhea, accompanied by weakness, weight loss and lack of energy. To diagnose the condition correctly, patients must undergo an intestinal endoscopy or an analysis of the intestinal tissue to find a certain blood-borne antibody. Reckel argues that people with sprue should be tested for other intolerances as the illness often indicates other microbiological disturbances. stainless steel wire
Once diagnosed, a sufferer has to face a lifelong diet free of gluten. "That's a major change," says Beisel. While more and more gluten-free products can now be found in supermarkets, they are still more expensive than ordinary products. But cheating on the diet can have serious consequences, says Margret Marlo, a dietary assistant from Bocholt. These include lymphatic cancer in the small intestine.
Keeping to a strict diet helps the small intestine to regenerate, usually quite quickly. Then sufferers can carry on their lives with minimal risks and limitations. stainless steel strip

Jollibee Foods Buys Chinese Restaurant Chain Hongzhuangyuan for USD 50.5 Mln

2008-03-03T21:20:00.000-08:00

Philippine fast-food giant Jollibee Foods Corporation has acquired Chinese restaurant chain Hongzhuangyuan for approximately USD 50.5 million. stainless steel wire
According to a statement from the Philippine Stock Exchange, the acquisition is part of Jollibee's strategy of building its business abroad and expanding its presence in China. air jordan
Hongzhuangyuan has 33 outlets, mostly in Beijing. However, another 5 restaurants will be built by the time the acquisition is finalised in several months, said Jollibee.
The deal takes place 3 months after Jollibee bought a stake in another Chinese restaurant chain.
In June, FLEXNEWS reported that Jollibee Foods acquired a 15% share in Yonghe King, a Chinese-style fast food chain based in Shanghai. stainless steel strip

Shooting star of Spain

2008-03-03T21:11:00.000-08:00

Beijing has had visiting Michelin Star chefs, but until now none has worked regularly in a restaurant here. That has changed with the arrival of celebrated Spanish chef Xavier Franco, taking the reigns at the new MareNostrum Restaurant . After five years of successful operation with Restaurant Sauc in Barcelona, Franco plans to show the Chinese - and food-savvy foreign expats - the secrets that saw him bestowed with a Michelin Star, among other distinctions.
Manager Guim Valls said Xavier Franco will split his time between Barcelona and Beijing, while four of his team members will also be in Beijing, to give diners a full appreciation of the restaurant's origins. Two of the staff members will stay in Beijing permanently, while another two will stay for three months to train Chinese staff before leaving for Barcelona.
"Spanish cuisine depends a lot on the quality of ingredients," Francosaid. The restaurant imports important ingredients from Spain, including high-quality olive oil. The menu is simple, offering major Spanish specialties, such as the tasty tapas, seafood, and desserts. Examples are potato bravas, Catalan tomato bread, marinated mackerel, pork and veal meat balls, and mountain style rice. welding wire
Xavier Franco talked of similarities between Spanish and Chinese foods, such as a lot of chicken and pork, and sweet and sour dishes. But there are also differences. For example, Spanish rice is cooked less than in China, and with salt. stainless steel strip
"We look to serving a high percentage of foreign expats," said manager Guim Valls. "But our target customers also include Chinese people, who, although don't know much about Spanish cuisine, would like to try something new. We want to offer a Spanish dining experience, a feel of Barcelona." The restaurant claims that it offers a personal cuisine that is direct and simple, where all dishes require its own technique and all ingredients are served after a long preparation. The decor, meanwhile, is international, simple but modern, providing a warm and relaxing atmosphere. stainless steel wire
A meal complete with soup, starters, main course and dessert costs from 500 yuan per person. A business meal for 280 yuan, and a chef-picked traditional meal for 530 yuan are also available. Menu is in Chinese, English and Spanish. Manager and waiting staff speak English.

Food safety struggle bearing fruit

2008-03-03T20:54:00.000-08:00

All legal food exports now bear inspection labels, and any illegally imported meat, fruit or waste materials in circulation has been either returned or destroyed, the top quality watchdog announced Monday.
The CIQ (China Inspection and Quarantine) inspection mark signifies that the goods meet quality standards and should help foreign food importers distinguish certified Chinese food products from fake ones.
And the return or destruction of illegally imported products has helped keep the public safe, according to an announcement by the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ).
Both measures are part of the ongoing national campaign against unsafe food and substandard products, the announcement quoted AQSIQ Minister Li Changjiang as saying.
Li said the campaign, launched in late August, had "achieved good results".
Figures released Monday show that by the end of last month, 80 percent of the country's food processing enterprises had received production licenses, and about 70 percent of the small food plants with less than 10 staff had committed to making safe products.
In addition, 70 percent of the raw material bases for export food products had been inspected, and 94 percent of the agricultural wholesale markets in big and medium sized cities had been brought under the observation of a monitoring system, according to the AQSIQ.
Li said he was confident of the campaign's success despite its demanding targets.
"Although the goals are difficult to achieve, we'll do our utmost to ensure a successful campaign," he was quoted as saying.
The four-month special campaign against poor product quality was launched in response to a series safety scares involving Chinese products worldwide. The campaign, which will run to the end of the year, sets 20 detailed goals, including 12 "100 percents".
For instance, 100 percent of food producers should be licensed; 100 percent of agricultural wholesale markets in cities must be monitored; 100 percent of suppliers of raw materials for exported products should be inspected; and 100 percent of agricultural products must be free of five types of strong pesticides. stainless steel wire
Vice-Premier Wu Yi has described the campaign as a "special war" to protect the general public and to safeguard both the made-in-China label and the country's image.
Also Monday, the AQSIQ posted a notice on its website saying the country had banned Canadian poultry because of an outbreak of bird flu there. welding wire
The notice, jointly issued with the Ministry of Agriculture, said the ban had come into effect on September 30, and that any shipments arriving in China would be destroyed or returned. The move followed similar bans by the United States and Japan.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency said last month that a strain of avian influenza, or bird flu, had been confirmed at a large chicken farm in Regina, Saskatchewan.stainless steel strip

Rural areas see rapid consumer growth

2008-03-03T20:26:00.000-08:00

Low-income earners in rural areas were more active consumers than those on higher salaries in the 2002-06 period, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said.
The bureau put rural residents into five categories by income level and found low-income earners spent 61.4 percent more in 2006 than in 2002. The growth rate for middle-income earners was 56.1 percent and for high-income earners 50.8 percent during the same period, the bureau said in a report released yesterday on its website.
Supportive policies have seen consumer growth in all rural regions increase rapidly, the report said.
Farmers in Northeast China, which covers the three provinces of Liaoning, Heilongjiang and Jilin, registered the highest consumption growth rate of 62.7 percent, followed by the central provinces.
This indicates a more balanced consumer structure nationwide, analysts said.
Since the nation put forward the idea of promoting scientific development and building a harmonious society, policies have been implemented that have significantly improved income and living standards, which are behind the increased consumption, the report said.
In 2006, urban residents earned an annual income of 11,759 yuan, 52.7 percent more than in 2002, when the 16th National Congress of the Communist Party of China was convened, the report said. The inflation-deducted annualized growth rate was 9.2 percent during that period.
Of urban residents' income sources, that from household businesses and property has more than doubled compared with 2002. stainless steel strip
Farmers, meanwhile, registered a 44.9 percent growth in income. The annualized income growth was 6.2 percent excluding the impact of inflation, the report said.
Rising wages have pushed up consumption, the report said.
In 2006, urban per capita consumption expenditure increased 44.2 percent over four years ago.
In rural areas, farmers spent an average of 2,829 yuan each in 2006, an increase of 8 percent per year since 2002. gas detector
The annual growth rate of farmers' consumption in the past four years was 1.8 percentage points higher than that of their income growth, indicating accelerated consumption, the report said.
Farmers' expenditure on transport, communications and health increased by the highest rate during the 2002-06 period, the report said. stainless steel wire
Expenditure on transport and communications increased by 1.2 times while health spending rose by 84.2 percent. Money spent on clothing increased by 60 percent.
The report said Chinese spent more on non-food items such as entertainment and health.
Transport and communications are a new consumer growth engine.
In 2006, the per capita expenditure by urban residents on transport was 607 yuan, 1.27 times that in 2002. Communications expenditure for this group increased by 50.4 percent.

Battling brain injuries

2008-03-03T20:09:00.000-08:00

Robert Smith was driving to his home in the US state of Georgia in 2004 when his car flipped off a 13-foot embankment and wrapped around a tree.
Smith, who was partially ejected, was unconscious when paramedics pulled him from the wreckage, and doctors would later tell his wife that the prognosis wasn't good - if he survived, he'd likely be in a vegetative state.
But after two months in a coma, Smith awoke in a darkened hospital room. Nurses found him sitting in a chair. He could walk; he could talk. He remembered everything except for the week leading up to the accident and the accident itself.
Smith, now a network engineer in Kings Bay, Georgia, for the Atlantic division of the Strategic Weapons Facility, attributes his extraordinary recovery to an experimental treatment he received at Grady Memorial Hospital as part of a study by Emory University researchers.
Shortly after he arrived in the emergency room, he was given high doses of progesterone, commonly known as a female hormone - a label researchers say can be misleading.
"I believe that the progesterone is the reason I'm back doing computer work," he said. "I didn't have to relearn how to walk, how to talk."
The 42-year-old husband and father was one of 100 participants in a three-year study of the safety of using progesterone to treat brain injuries.
Four of every five patients older than 18 who came in with a moderate-to-severe blunt head injury were given the progesterone within 12 hours of their injuries. The other patients were given placebos.
The results, say project leader David Wright, were remarkable.
The research, published in the Annals of Emergency Medicine, showed a 50 percent reduction in the mortality rate for the severe traumatic brain injury group that took progesterone. Doctors use the Glasgow Coma Scale to rate the conscious state of a person, with 3 being the worst and 15 being the best.
Smith said he was rated a 3.
About 30 percent of placebo patients died within 30 days of their injury, while 13 percent of the progesterone group died.
For those with moderate brain injuries, Wright said the study showed less disability for those in the progesterone group. He added that the study's primary goal was to establish safety and that no adverse side effects were found.
Marc Baskett, 22, was another member of the progesterone group. He rated a 4 on the Glasgow scale after surviving a head-on collision on his way to a picnic in Georgia, just three weeks before he was to graduate from high school.
Soldiers' injury
"My parents thought I was going to be in a hospital for the rest of my life," said Baskett, who has had 16 surgeries for other injuries related to the 2004 accident.
"Now, I'm completely back mentally. I'm just waiting on the physical stuff."
Baskett, who lives in Commerce, Georgia, received his diploma while hospitalized. He now works as a caregiver.
If further study yields similar results, the hormone could become a major treatment for injuries that affect 1.4 million people in the US each year, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Battlefield implications are evident: Severe head trauma has become a common injury for US soldiers.
The Emory team is now designing an expanded clinical trial with 1,000 patients in 15 hospitals across the country. If that project is approved by the Food and Drug Administration and goes as planned, the treatment could be widely available as soon as three years from now.
With traumatic brain injuries the signature injury of the US war in Iraq, Emory's researchers are hopeful that the progesterone study will lead to a viable treatment for victims of roadside bombs.
A 2003 survey of Walter Reed Army Medical Center patients back from Iraq showed 62 percent had sustained a brain injury.
Wright said the research team has had several discussions with the US Department of Defense to inform them of the research.
He noted that no effective treatment for traumatic brain injuries exists, making its application to the military more profound.
"It's a horrible problem and you have nothing to treat these kids with," he said.
Wright said the military likely will wait until studies are complete before integrating the progesterone treatments.
20 years' research
Emory neurobiologist Donald Stein has been researching progesterone's effects on the brain in animals for 20 years. His work laid the foundation for the clinical trial.
It has taken two decades to get to a clinical phase because progesterone often is viewed as "merely a female hormone," he said.
In fact, Stein said, progesterone is a neurosteroid. It is present in high levels in pregnant women - 40 to 60 times higher than in women who are not pregnant - because it helps to keep the fetus healthy and "provides nourishment to growing nerve cells."
It works in traumatic brain injuries, Stein said, because "it's doing the same kinds of things in injury as it's doing in the development of the nervous system." co detector
In the study, progesterone helped to reduce swelling, which causes pressure to build up as the brain pushes against the skull. Smith said he was told that his head swelled to the size of a basketball after his accident.
For the next study, researchers hope to cut down the time between injury and progesterone treatment.
For the Grady trial, doctors sought consent from family members when the patients could not give it themselves. stainless steel wire
"Because this was a safety study, it was critical to get consent," Wright said. "It did add about four or five hours for every patient."
With safety now established, Wright said he wants to, as a last resort, enroll patients without informed consent. Doctors would seek family for one to two hours before enrolling them without consent. stainless steel strip
As Wright focuses on continuing the clinical work for traumatic brain injury, Stein now is testing progesterone's effectiveness at treating stroke in animals.
Preliminary results, he said, are promising: substantial reduction in the damaged area - the brain tissue that is dying because of a lack of blood - after a stroke if progesterone is used.

Bread price rises surpass drought impacts

2008-02-23T21:41:00.000-08:00

Grain growers are increasingly frustrated to see soaring wheat prices being used as justification for bread price increases of up to 70c/loaf in the past 12 months, according to Queensland farming lobby, AgForce. AgForce Grains president, Lyndon Pfeffer, said bread prices have increased by up to 70c/loaf on last year, but only 14 percent of this is accountable to higher grain costs.
The remaining increase of 86 percent is the costs and profits of transporters, marketers, flour millers and bakers.
He said basic calculations on additional returns to wheat growers from price rises in the past 12 months only amount to about 10c out of the 70c/loaf increase, returns which have been reduced through increased farm input costs such as fertiliser, fuel and herbicide.
"In a typical loaf of bread there is about 400g of flour. This 400g of flour comes from about 534g (0.000534 tonne) of wheat based on a standard flour turn out of 75 per cent," Mr Pfeffer said.
"If wheat is $200 a tonne, it costs 10.7c a loaf, if it is $250 a tonne as it was 12 months ago that's 11.35c a loaf, and if it is $400 a tonne as now then it costs 21.4c a loaf."
Mr Pfeffer said there was a far greater impact on bread prices from rising fuel and energy costs, labour costs and other inputs than the price of wheat. Steel Pipe
"It is disappointing that flour millers are providing their bakeries with pictures of headers harvesting wheat with the caption blaming the drought and wheat prices for the increase. It is not wheat farmers who are to blame for the price rises," he said.
"With a standard white loaf now costing about $3 per loaf, how can the 21c worth of wheat be the publicised reason for the increases consumers are facing?" nike shox
Mr Pfeffer challenged those retailers who are saying that drought and the higher prices being paid to farmers is the reason for escalating food prices to provide the factual evidence to back up their claims.
"From the farmers¡¯ point of view, consumers are being misled by some retailers with farmers being used as the scapegoat."stainless steel pipe

U.S. is World's Second Largest Sugar Buyer

2008-02-23T21:24:00.000-08:00

Opponents of sugar policy often mislead the media and Congress by claiming that America's sugar market is closed. Data recently released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) clearly dispels that myth.
The United States is the world's second largest sugar importer, behind only Russia, according to worldwide sugar supply and demand estimates calculated by USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service earlier this month.
"We could produce enough sugar right here at home to meet America's needs," said Jack Roney, the director of economics and policy analysis for the American Sugar Alliance. "But, because of trade agreements, a significant portion of the U.S. sugar market is made up of imports from foreign countries that heavily subsidize their producers. Obviously, the U.S. sugar market is not a closed market like some want to claim."
In fact, America is among the only major sugar-producing countries to import any sugar.
Because of WTO concessions and trade agreements, such as NAFTA and CAFTA, America must import at least 1.65 million short tons of sugar a year from 41 countries, whether the market needs the sugar or not.
That means U.S. producers shoulder the entire load of sales declines when consumption drops, as was the case during the Akins diet fad, explained Roney.
Roney pointed out that import figures are likely to increase in coming years as the border between Mexico and the U.S. opens. Under NAFTA, Mexico can ship an unlimited amount of sugar into America duty-free starting next week, and U.S. producers can send their product south of the border. stainless steel wire
"No one knows for sure how much Mexican sugar will enter the market," Roney said. "That's why the pending Farm Bill is so important."
The Farm Bill contains a provision that will allow ethanol producers to turn unneeded sugar imports to fuel, thus keeping the U.S. sugar market balanced. stainless steel strip
Both the Senate and the House of Representatives have passed Farm Bills and are now meeting to reconcile differences between those bills.
Sugar producers are asking Congress to complete this process soon so a new Farm Bill can take effect. Duty-free trade with Mexico officially starts on January 1, 2008.nike shoes

Consumers to be armed with quality codes

2008-02-23T21:09:00.000-08:00

Chinese consumers will be able to check the authenticity of products with new quality codes to come into effect before the end of June.
The measure, beginning with 69 kinds of major commodities, will allow the identification of fake and substandard items through free phone number, the Internet or special enquiry terminals in shops and supermarkets, said the country's quality watchdog on Monday.
The commodities included food products, home appliances, power/cable lines, agricultural tools, gas burners, work safety equipment, electric blankets and cosmetics, said the General Administration for Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine.
Consumers would be able to acquire information, including the name of producers and production and expiry dates, by free inquiry calls, by tapping in a series of digits.
Once unqualified products were detected, information would be transmitted to a supervisory network, which would inform other distributors of the same batch of products and stop sales.
Chen Xiaoying, an official in charge of the promotion of the supervisory network, said 30,299 producers were registered with the network and 700 million products had been labeled with codes by January 16. smoke detector
She said large supermarkets in Beijing such as the Wu-Mart were testing the network.
Chinese authorities had been frustrated by substandard China-made products both on domestic and overseas markets.
The quality watchdog said on Wednesday it had arrested more than 1,480 people in a four-month nationwide crackdown on substandard goods, part of ongoing efforts to calm international worries over the quality of the country's products.
It said the arrests were the result of 1,187 criminal investigations nationwide into the manufacture and sale of fake or substandard food, medicine or agricultural products that started in August. Steel Pipe
Sixty-four people were arrested in 13 major cases, including fake drug albumin from human plasma and substandard vaccines for blue ear pig disease.
During the campaign, the authorities closed more than 300 drug manufacturers, and destroyed or returned 168 batches of illegally imported or substandard pork, fruit and materials. It also set up quality files covering 33,000 consumer goods producers and put more than 10,000 enterprises into the country's quality-monitoring network.stainless steel pipe

Biofuel targets likely to cause higher food prices, UK report

2008-02-23T20:48:00.000-08:00

Biofuels are generally an expensive and ineffective way to cut greenhouse gas emissions when compared to other policies and are likely to cause increasing food prices and insecurity, concluded a UK government report yesterday. It also criticized the British and EU governments for pursuing targets for increased use of biofuels without putting in place 'robust' measures to prevent environmental damage.
The report comes as concern about the impact of biofuels on the environment and supply of staple food crops grows. The UN Food and Agriculture Organisation has repeatedly warned that biofuel production is partly responsible for rising food prices in recent months, threatening food security in developing countries in particular.
But EU policy for reducing greenhouse gas emissions says that 10 per cent of transport fuel should come from biofuels by 2020. Britain has a separate target of 5 per cent biofuels in petrol and diesel by 2010 through its Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO), which is set to enter into force in April.
The targets have been attacked by several leading food processors facing rising raw material costs. In an interview with The Times newspaper yesterday, Indra Nooyi, the joint chairman and chief executive of PespiCo, said that food price inflation would continue for another two to three years, driven by government programmes to subsidise ethanol, the biofuel produced from key food crops, corn and sugar.
In its report, 'Are biofuels sustainable?', the UK government's environmental audit committee says that: "Emissions from road transport can be cut cost-effectively, and with lower environmental risk, by implementing a range of other policies."
It also claims that biofuels are unlikely to improve fuel security as they largely rely on fossil fuels for their production and that "a large biofuel industry based on current technology is likely to increase food prices and could damage food security in developing countries".
Current agricultural support for biofuels is largely unsustainable, it added.
Instead the UK government should concentrate on the use of sustainable biofuels such as waste vegetable oil and the development of more efficient biofuel technologies that "could have a role to play in the future once they have been shown to be more sustainable".
The report prompted an angry response from the EU energy commissioner Andris Piebalgs, who said that biofuels had to be supported as the "most immediately feasible way" of reversing greenhouse gas discharges from cars. stainless steel wire
"The Commission strongly disagrees with the conclusion of the British House of Commons report," he said. gas detector
Research published in the journal Science this month warned that using biofuels made from corn, sugar and soyabean oil could cause greater environmental damage than burning fossil fuels. Although the alternative fuels emit fewer greenhouse gases, they have higher costs in terms of biodiversity loss and destruction of farmland, the scientists found.stainless steel strip

Plastic the status quo among US shoppers

2008-02-23T20:17:00.000-08:00

Australia and China are phasing them out, Germany and Ireland tax them, but in the United States, the plastic shopping bag is still king.
Outside supermarkets across the country, Americans push shopping carts laden with a dozen or more plastic bags full of groceries to their cars. Even the smallest purchase, such as a magazine at a newsstand, seems to come in a plastic bag.
Americans use 100 billion plastic shopping bags a year, according to Washington-based think tank Worldwatch Institute, or more than 330 a year for every person in the country. Most of them are thrown away.
A handful of US cities and states have made moves to cut that number and Whole Foods Market, a supermarket pitched at the organic and natural food shopper, on Tuesday said it would phase out plastic bags out by Earth Day on April 22. But critics say the United States is years behind countries in Europe, Asia and Africa.
"We are still in the stage of taking baby steps," said Eric Goldstein, a director of the Natural Resources Defense Council, a US environmental group. 毛泽东
Plastic bags, favored because they are durable and cheap, have been blamed for clogging drains, filling landfills and choking wildlife. They can take from 400 to 1,000 years to break down, and their constituent chemicals remain in the environment long after that, environmental groups say.
Made from crude oil, natural gas and other petrochemical derivatives, an estimated 12 million barrels of oil are used to make the bags the US consumes each year.
Countries from Taiwan to Uganda, and cities including Dacca in Bangladesh, have either banned plastic bags outright or impose a levy on consumers. Australia aims to phase them out by the end of this year, and China by June 21. Steel Pipe
Ireland charges shoppers 22 Euro cents ($0.29 cents) per bag, a move credited with reducing plastic bag use by 90 per cent. Some European cities first imposed fees as early as the 1980s.
In Britain, which uses 13 billion single-use plastic bags a year, or more than 200 per person, Prime Minister Gordon Brown has urged the country's biggest supermarket chains to cut use faster than planned and said Britain can eliminate them altogether.
But in the United States, the federal government has been reluctant to impose measures that would interfere with competition and be unpopular with consumers.stainless steel pipe

Pinching pennies will earn you a reality check

2008-02-23T19:54:00.000-08:00

How does the looming world recession affect a China expat? The good news is that China is one of the best places on earth to survive a recession.
Living costs are cheap and there are plenty of opportunities to pinch your pennies.
I have been saving more than 4,000 yuan ($553) a month by cutting back on the 300-yuan ($42) nightly dinners, nightclub adventures, multiple taxi fares and compulsive buying.
I curbed my expenditure by living more like a local. My saving strategy began about a year ago when I decided to buy an apartment in China.
After the recent stock market wobbles, I'm glad I developed the saving habit.
How well do you remember the crash of 1987 and the following lean years?
On October 19, 1987, Wall Street plunged 22 percent, the largest one-day drop in history, and many will remember the impact it had on lifestyles.
Back then, I was a cadet journalist and was asked to approach Australia's richest man, Robert Holmes A Court, for his personal response. His companies had lost $1 billion of their value overnight. As he toured a steel mill, donning a hard-hat, and wearing a $3,000 Italian suit, Holmes A Court walked past the media pack. "How does it feel to lose $1 billion?" I shouted. He smiled at me and walked away.
I got a reaction and was able to write: "Australia's richest man today smiled at his $1 billion loss." My editor was happy, but most working people in 1987 were not. Everybody was scared of losing their jobs, just like they are today.
The key part about the 1987 recession was that if you had a job, life was still OK. I was a 20-year-old, and relatively ignorant about the real impact because I had a nice envelope of cash coming in each week.
People who really suffered in 1987 were those living beyond their means in the lead-up to Black Monday. These were guys who were making $4,000 a month and spending $5,000. It was the 1980s, and "greed was good". Steel Pipe
Over the following months, these high rollers, who had lost jobs, were selling their Porsches and BMWs dirt-cheap.
Most of us expats have jobs and will not be forced to sell our top-end cars because most of us don't have them. We don't also pay insurance, registration and running costs that go with the four-wheel deal. Compared with our friends back home, our car-less lifestyles can mean a $150 a week saving straight away.
Food expenditure is another way to save. I started cooking at home and my 100 yuan ($14) stretches a long way at the market. I'm hosting low-cost dinner parties and it's high-end fun.
We might get lucky, and there may not be a recession, but the recent market crashes have made me think of my good American friend's whopping credit card bill. It's out of control and he's not alone. smoke detector
Living on credit is one of the reasons why the world is in all this financial mess. A modest China expat lifestyle can get anybody's finances back on track.stainless steel pipe

LOCOMOTIVE'S FC CHAIRMAN VALERI FILATOV TO HEAD CLUB'S DELEGATION TO TURKMENBASHI CUP

2008-02-13T23:01:00.000-08:00

Moscow's Locomotive FC has fixed its team composition to the jubilee 10th international football tournament for the Cup of Turkmenbashi to be held February 10-19 in Ashgabat. gas detector
Locomotive's second team, reinforced by a number of newly acquired young players undergoing a probation period, will participate in the tournament. 21 players under the management of the second team's chief coach Rinat Bilyaletdinov and his assistants Yuri Baturenko and Sarkis Oganesyan will go to Ashgabat. There are 25 people in a preliminary list of players: goalkeepers Blinov and Buldakov; backs Kampira, Kravchenko (from Gomel), Plaskonni, Khatajenkov, Abasin (from Belshina), Budaragin, Federov; halfbacks Kontsedalov, Voronkin (both from Titan), Akhalkatsi, Bordiyan, Edison, Ivanov, Aravin, Ungarov, Chirkin, Usachev; forwards Poroshin (from Torpedo Kutaisi), Astakhov (from Spartak Tombov), Sharafutdinov, Voznesenski, Popov. Forward Sergey Ovchinnikov may also play for Loco in the tournament. The final list will be defined by Yuri Semin, returning tomorrow with the first team from training in Germany, a corr. of Sport Express newspaper learned in the press-service of Locomotive. stainless steel wire
As the Moscow correspondent of Turkmenistan.ru reports, club's president Valeri Filatov will head a delegation of Locomotive to Ashgabat. According to sources close to Locomotive the president decided to go for several reasons. First, Valeri Filatov was born in Ashgabat, and a trip to this city has a personal meaning for him. Besides, the president of one of the leading Russian clubs is going to have a look at the football infrastructure of Turkmenistan and consider a possibility of conducting preparatory winter trainings in Ashgabat.stainless steel strip

DRAGON OIL, PETROALLIANCE SIGN SESMIC DEAL FOR TURKMENISTAN'S OFFSHORE CHELEKEN BLOCK

2008-02-13T22:50:00.000-08:00

British-Arabian Dragon Oil, extracting oil on the Caspian shelf of Turkmenistan under a Production Sharing Agreement (PSA), has signed an agreement with PetroAlliance Services for the provision of marine 3D seismic acquisition services in Dragon's Cheleken Block offshore Turkmenistan, the Ashgabat correspondent of Turkmenistan.ru reports referring to the press-service of Dragon Oil. 毛泽东
It is worth recalling that a 25-year production sharing agreement signed between Turkmenistan and British-Arabian company in 2000 includes Cheleken block consisting of LAM (Jeitun) and Zhdanov (Jigalybek) oil fields. The survey will cover 652 square kilometers.
"The signing of the agreement with PetroAlliance for the Ocean Bottom Cable 3D seismic survey is a significant step for Dragon in our efforts to develop our Cheleken fields, said Dragon chairman Hussain M Sultan. The survey will be completed in 2004. It is thanks to the efforts of the company, the Aton Capital Group and corporate sponsors Davy, in introducing new shareholders in last December's $18mln equity placing that has made this possible." stainless steel pipe
According to the State service on the Caspian issues under the President of Turkmenistan Dragon Oil completed drilling works and put into exploitation five wells last year. In the end of November 2003 drilling of the next well at Jeitun oil field started using marine stationary platform Jeitun-21. Oil output in the contracted territory was over 630 thousand tons in the end of 2003, a 30% increase on 2002. Dragon Oil specialists will drill four more wells using self-lifting drilling rig Astra leased from Lukoil Shelf. The company plans to raise daily output 5 times by 2010 that will require the reconstruction and construction of additional marine platforms, tens of kilometers of pipelines as well as modernization of marine and coastal infrastructure.Steel Pipe

NIYAZOV VISITED CONSTRUCTION SITE OF MOSQUE IN HIS HOME VILLAGE

2008-02-13T22:42:00.000-08:00

As the Ashgabat correspondent of Turkmenistan.ru reports, yesterday Saparmurat Niyazov visited the construction site of a mosque in his home village of Gypjak.
Talking to a group of local elders after visiting the site, the head of state expressed satisfaction with the work of specialists of the French Bouygues, the construction's general principal. According to Niyazov there is every precondition for the mosque to let worshippers in by October 6, 2004, the next anniversary of the Ashgabat earthquake of 1948.
The mosque in Gypjak will be the largest in the region: some 20,000 Muslims will be able to pray here simultaneously, and there will be a hall for 5,000 persons to attend a sacrifice meal. Bouygues's engineers claim that it will neither have a match in the region by refinement of internal and external facing and painting of domes.
The mosque will occupy the territory of 7,000 m2 with each of its four minarets towering up over 80 m. The contractual cost of this monumental building is $100 mln, including construction of an underground parking and double floor transportation juncture. stainless steel wire
After visiting the construction site, President Saparmurat Niyazov signed a decree on planting trees and gardens in the surrounding area of 80 hectares. One of Turkish Erku subsidiaries was charged with the implementation of the project. stainless steel strip

Besides, the President gave instructions to submit proposals on reconstruction of a railway, running through the region of the mosque's construction, to be rerouted to bypass the village.nike shoes

COUNTRY'S SECOND LARGEST COMPLEX OF OIL REFINERIES TO BE BUILT IN EASTERN TURKMENISTAN

2008-02-13T21:35:00.000-08:00

The country's second largest complex of oil refineries will be built in Turkmenistan's eastern city of Seyydi, President of Turkmenistan said during the working visit to Lebap region.
As a correspondent of Turkmenistan.ru reports from Ashgabat, the head of state said that the Seyydi oil refinery would be very soon overhauled with the involvement of companies from a number of states. As a result, according to Niyazov, "this oil refinery will start deep refining of 7-8 mln tons of oil per year as the recently reconstructed Turkmenbashi complex of oil refineries does today." Steel Pipe
Over $1 bln are expected to be invested in the reconstruction of the oil refinery. Companies from Japan, China, Iran and Russia have applied for participation in the reconstruction. Israeli Merhav group of companies that supervised the reconstruction of the Turkmenbashi complex of oil refineries, in which some $1,5 bln were invested from 1997 to 2001, will act as a plenipotentiary agent of the Turkmen government. Steel Pipe
In President's words, the Seyydi oil refinery will produce gasoline, polypropylene, lubricants and liquefied natural gas after the reconstruction.stainless steel pipe

NEW IRANIAN BUSES TO ARRIVE IN ASHGABAT

2008-02-13T21:31:00.000-08:00

40 new buses of Shakhab model will be added to the car park of the Ministry of Motor Transportation of Turkmenistan in the coming days under a contract on the purchase of cars assembled in neighboring Iran in accordance with French Renault's technology. Steel Pipe
As Turkmenistan.ru's Ashgabat correspondent reports, 35 Shakhab buses will start running in the capital this spring, and five more comfortable buses will begin shuttling along the route connecting the capital to Turkmenbashi and Turkmenabat cities. A $4,5 mln contract on the purchase of buses and spare parts for them was signed between the Ministry of Motor Transportation and Iranian Shakhab Khodro corporation. stainless steel pipe
The new buses will replace old Ikarus and LAZ buses in the intercity routes of Turkmenistan. Shakhab-3012 buses are equipped with air-conditioning systems, audio and video systems, designed for 40 passengers and effective in exploitation in the long distant routes.
It should be noted that Shakhab-2612 model would be operated in the roads of Ashgabat along with famous Mercedes and Volkswagen buses that the government regularly purchases for considerable amount of funds.nike shox

TURKMENISTAN TO BUILD CHILDREN'S RECREATION CENTERS TO ACCOMMODATE UP TO 13,000 SCHOOLCHILDREN PER YEAR

2008-02-13T21:27:00.000-08:00

As the Turkmenistan.ru's Ashgabat correspondent reports, a whole complex of new children's recreation centers will be built in the capital's vicinity in the two coming years in the resort place of Gekdere (former Chuli, 30 km from Ashgabat). They will be capable of receiving a total of 13,000 Turkmen children a year.
According to a decree signed today by Turkmenistan's President Saparmurat Niyazov eight sectors of the economy branches, ministries and establishments are to submit projects of children's recreation centers in one month and to ensure their construction using their own funds with a date of completion set for May 25, 2006.
By the same decree the Ministry of education is to act as a principal of the construction of a secondary school for 500 pupils using centralized state capital investments, which is to be commissioned by September 1, 2005.
The Ministry of automobile transportation and motorways is to reconstruct the main motorway in the place of Geoktepe. The decree also specifies the mandatory protection of environment and riverbeds at the future construction sites. jordan shoes
Speaking earlier about the construction of children's recreation centers in Gekdere, the President of Turkmenistan said that they would function on a yearly basis so that children could rest and study at the same time there. Steel Pipe
The head of state has also issued a decree on the former pioneer camps that were built in the middle of the last century and standing practically idle in recent years. By this decree ministries and establishments are to have them overhauled by the end of this May to receive children already this summer. stainless steel pipe

SAPARMURAT NIYAZOV CONGRATULATED VLADIMIR PUTIN ON VICTORY IN ELECTIONS

2008-02-13T21:22:00.000-08:00

Turkmen leader Saparmurat Niyazov has sent a congratulatory message to Vladimir Putin on his sound victory in the Russian presidential elections, the Turkmenistan.ru's Ashgabat correspondent reports referring to the press-service of the head of state. 毛泽东
"You have gained rightful respect of the peoples of the Russian Federation and the world for your logical, comprehensive and well-balanced policy on the development of Russian economy and solidifying its place in the community of nations, and the results of elections are undeniable evidence of the right path you chose", the message says. Steel Pipe
Saparmurat Niyazov expressed confidence that "the Turkmen-Russian cooperation, possessing vast potential, will be further strengthening and developing for the good of our peoples".
The head of Turkmenistan wished Vladimir Putin good health, happiness and new successes in the high state position.stainless steel pipe

NIYAZOV ISSUED DECREE ON IMPROVEMENT OF EXIT ORDER FOR CITIZENS OF TURKMENISTAN

2008-02-13T21:13:00.001-08:00

Today Turkmen leader Saparmurat Niyazov has issued a Decree "On improvement of exit order for citizens of Turkmenistan", the Ashgabat correspondent of Turkmenistan.ru was told in the press-service of the President of Turkmenistan.
Following is the full text of the Decree. stainless steel wire
"Independent and neutral Turkmenistan as a legal and secular state consistently implements measures on democratization of the state and public life of the country, activities of public and government institutions, fully meets international requirements and standards of the national legislation aimed at ensuring the rights and freedoms of a man and a citizen. As a party to international agreements and conventions on the rights and freedoms of a man and a citizen, Turkmenistan consistently ensures the observance of the conditions of these important international legal documents. The legislation system of Turkmenistan provides for priority of the rights of a man and a citizen stipulated by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the European Convention on Protection of Human Rights and Major Freedoms, the International Pact on the Civic and Political rights and other internationally recognized acts in this field.
On the basis of international obligations and in strict compliance with international norms and principles in the field of human rights and freedoms, I resolve: stainless steel strip
1. To ensure the freedom of exit of citizens from Turkmenistan to foreign countries and remove any obstacles as regards exiting the state in accordance with the legislation of Turkmenistan.
2. To establish that before exiting Turkmenistan an entry visa of a state of destination should be obtained to cross the border of Turkmenistan. nike shoes
3. The Ministry of Adalat (Justice) is to effect this decree from the day of its publication".

NIYAZOV ISSUED DECREE ON IMPROVEMENT OF EXIT ORDER FOR CITIZENS OF TURKMENISTAN

2008-02-13T21:13:00.000-08:00

US citizens get acquainted with Turkmen ornament art

2008-01-10T22:05:00.000-08:00

An exhibition dedicated to Turkmen and other Central Asian ornaments used in decoration of traditional national dwellings opened in the Textile Museum of Washington on March 30, the Ashgabat correspondent of Turkmenistan.ru reports quoting the State News Service (TDH). The Turkmen exhibits dominate the exhibition. That is why it occupies a separate room. The other room features Kazakh, Kyrgyz and Karakalpak ornaments. welding wire
The exhibition inauguration was preceded by a reception on behalf of the Textile Museum of Washington and the Embassy of Turkmenistan in the U.S. Some 400 people, including government officials, a number of universities, famous art critics, diplomats and big businessmen attended the ceremony. The Textile Museum board chairman, Bruce Baganaz, Turkmenistan's Ambassador to the US Mered Orazov and museum director Daniel Walker spoke at the inauguration ceremony. stainless steel wire
The exhibition will be open until August 19. Booklets dedicated to the exhibition will be published soon.stainless steel strip

Members of Halk Maslahaty of Turkmenistan adopt a number of new laws

2008-01-10T22:01:00.000-08:00

The 20th session of the Halk Maslahaty (People's Council) of Turkmenistan wrapped up in the town of Mary yesterday. The session discussed the issue of radical reform in agriculture. Farmers from all five provinces of Turkmenistan, agriculture specialists and heads of ministries and establishments, scientific organizations, farmers' associations, enterprises and representatives of local authorities attended the forum.
During the session, members of the Halk Maslahaty adopted new laws of Turkmenistan "On heads of village", "On farmers' associations" and "On farms" that were earlier published in Turkmen mass media for the nation-wide discussion. welding wire

As regards technical basis for agriculture, the presidents demanded that the chairman of Turkmenobahyzmat association, Sherip Tadjov, assign each unit of farm machinery to an individual farm and abandon the inefficient practice of "transferring" farm machinery from one place to another. stainless steel wire
The president of Turkmenistan instructed the deputy chairman of the Cabinet of Minister of Turkmenistan, Hydyr Saparlyyev, to open vocational schools, the analogues of former vocational schools, to train agriculture specialists.
All documents adopted at the session will be published in mass media.stainless steel strip

Railway station in Ashgabat to be reconstructed

2008-01-10T21:55:00.000-08:00

The Ashgabat city administration has called for bids for major overhaul of the railway station in the center of the Turkmen capital.
The reconstruction aims at changing the appearance of the station. The station building is to be faced with white marble and granite. The dome with a high spire will be replaced with a more durable construction. gas detector
Children's playing grounds, a mother and child room, a cafe and other services will be build in the Ashgabat railway station building. Constructors will redesign a waiting room and install sheds in the platforms to protect passengers from rains and the hot Turkmen sun. A ticket office will be removed to another building. stainless steel wire
The station square will also undergo reconstruction. An underground pedestrian way will be built to connect a car parking with a waiting room and the station's luggage office.stainless steel strip

Third UN sponsored national children's forum under way in Turkmen capital

2008-01-08T23:43:00.001-08:00

The third national children's forum opened at the cultural-entertainment center Altyn Yyldyzy (Gold Star) in Ashgabat. The forum was organized by the Central Council of the Youth Organization of Turkmenistan named after Magtymguly and the UNICEF office in Ashgabat. The forum runs under the motto "All rights for all children".
As the Ashgabat correspondent of Turkmenistan.ru reports, over 170 young Turkmen citizens are the key actors of the forum. They are school children aged 14-16 from all provinces of Turkmenistan. Specialists of the Ministry of education and the Ministry of justice of Turkmenistan, representatives of public organizations, mass media also participate in the forum.
The agenda of the two-day meeting includes issues of social and legal protection of children, state support to children, raising children in families, improvement of quality of education, advocating healthy life style, spiritual and physical development of the young generation.
Besides, young forum participants have had the opportunity to learn more about basic provisions of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, Turkmenistan's policy on children and youth, national laws securing and regulating children's rights and activities of UNICEF and other international organization. air jordan
As the forum participants noted, after ratifying the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child along with other 190 countries, Turkmenistan has consistently honored its commitments. The successful cooperation of Turkmenistan with the UN Children's Fund was noted in this regard. This has been evidenced by a number of successfully implemented joint projects and programmes in the field of maternity and childhood care. stainless steel wire
It should be recalled that the first and second national children's forums were held in Ashgabat in September 2005 and July 2006 respectively. These were followed by consultative meetings in all provinces of Turkmenistan that elected the delegates entrusted to represent interests of the young generation of Turkmenistan at the next forum in Ashgabat.stainless steel strip

Turkmen, Kazakh presidents sign a number of bilateral agreements in Astana

2008-01-08T23:35:00.000-08:00

The Turkmen-Kazakh high level talks have been held in the capital of Kazakhstan, Astana, where Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhammedov arrived on an official visit today.
Greeting the Turkmen president, Nursultan Nazarbayev emphasized that he was happy to see him on the Kazakh soil. Nursultan Nazarbayev expressed satisfaction that he would have another opportunity to exchange views and compare positions on all areas of cooperation with the president of Turkmenistan, the Turkmen State News Service (TDH) reports. "This is your first visit to Kazakhstan which has been very much anticipated and highly estimated by the Kazakh side," the Kazakh president said. He specified that "this is the fourth meeting between the heads of two states in a short period of time."
Gurbanguly Berdimuhammedov, in turn, underlined that Turkmenistan regards Kazakhstan as a true and reliable, time-tested partner and Turkmenistan intends to develop very close and productive cooperation with Kazakhstan in all areas. Berdimuhammedov thanked Kazakh partners for supporting all Turkmenistan's initiatives and, first of all, the construction of the Caspian gas pipeline and North-South transport corridor. "Although the trade turnover is still low, it will grow significantly with implementation of all our joint projects."
Touching on the issue of cooperation in the humanitarian sphere, Gurbanguly Berdimuhammedov proposed to hold the year of Turkmenistan in Kazakhstan and the year of Kazakhstan in Turkmenistan. This idea was supported by Nursultan Nazarbayev.
The talks then continued in an extended format with participation of members of the official delegations of both countries. In particular, during the meeting, the sides specified their approaches to implementation of the agreements on the construction of the Caspian gas pipeline reached at the summit of Turkmen, Kazakh and Russian presidents in the city of Turkmenbashi on May 12. The sides also compared their positions on a number of other areas of cooperation, including in the sphere of transportation and communication. The sides also agreed on the measures to speed up interstate partnership in the trade-economic sphere. Issues related to comprehensive strengthening and building up cooperation in the humanitarian sphere have been discussed separately.
A ceremony of signing bilateral document was held in the end of talks in the Marble Hall of Ak-Orda Palace. President Gurbanguly Berdimuhammedov of Turkmenistan and President Nursultan Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan signed a joint declaration, the agreement between Turkmenistan and the Republic of Kazakhstan on trade-economic, scientific-technical and cultural cooperation until 2020 and a programme of cooperation. The sides also signed the agreement between the government of Turkmenistan and the government of the Republic of Kazakhstan on cooperation in standardization, meteorology, certification and accreditation; the agreement between the government of Turkmenistan and the government of the Republic of Kazakhstan on preservation, reproduction and use of saiga antelopes; the agreement between the government of Turkmenistan and the government of the Republic of Kazakhstan on border representatives (border commissioners); the protocol between the state border service of Turkmenistan and the committee of national security of the Republic of Kazakhstan on cooperation in the operative-investigation activities.
Gurbanguly Berdimuhammedov and Nursultan Nazarbayev summed up the results of talks at a joint press conference. The heads of state noted the high level of mutual understanding reached during the talks and mutual readiness to strengthen and expand cooperation in various areas. Emphasizing the developed economic infrastructure of Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan, the presidents noted the importance of enhancing economic cooperation and full utilization of the two states' potential by implementing specific mutually beneficial economic projects and programmes.
The presidents also confirmed that the sides had started implementing the agreements on the Caspian gas pipeline. In particular, Gurbanguly Berdimuhammedov said that it was agreed that heads and specialists of the oil and gas establishments should keep in touch constantly and work together to agree on the technical parameters of this project. In turn, Nursultan Nazarbayev said that the sides had a detailed discussion of the issue of Turkmen natural gas transit through the territory of Kazakhstan.
Commenting on the progress of cooperation in the sphere of transportation and noting the scale of plans in this area, the president of Turkmenistan referred to the air flight Ashgabat-Almaty launched last Saturday, and also said that the joint work on the project of Turkmenbashi-Yeralievo railway had already started. Heads of railway establishments of the two countries held talks in Ashgabat last week. "At the same time, we are looking into the issue of launching the ferry link Turkmenbashi-Aktau-Astrakhan," the president of Turkmenistan pointed out.
The president of Kazakhstan said an agreement was reached to reconstruct the existing and to construct a new motor road between the two states. Having praised the summit in Turkmenbashi kick starting a new level of cooperation, Nursultan Nazarbayev thanked Gurbanguly Berdimukhammedov for the decision to open a Kazakh school in the seaside town.
In particular, answering the question on what would count more in relations between the two peoples - time-tested spiritual kinship or modern pragmatism, the two leaders unanimously spoke in favor of the latter.
"We remember all good things that have happened and we don't forget things that make us closer, and this is the unshakable basis of our relations, Gurbanguly Berdimuhammedov said. Together we are living through a new phase of development. Turkmenistan is growing more open, we are strengthening the democratic foundations of the society, and here it is important that we rely, first of all, on robust pragmatism." stainless steel wire
Nursultan Nazarbayev supported the view of his Turkmen counterpart. "We take with us only good things from the past, and we look into the future. It is pragmatism that drives us to construct gas and transport routes, it is exactly this pragmatism that pushes us to expand cultural relations, and eventually we do it for people, their happiness and prosperity."
Answering the question on Turkmenistan's participation in the CIS, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhammedov confirmed that as an associated member of the CIS Turkmenistan would use this status more actively and would take part in the CIS affairs."
An official reception on behalf of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan in honor of the high Turkmen guest was given at Ak-Orda Palace after the press conference. Gurbanguly Berdimuhammedov and Nursultan Nazarbayev then visited Bayterek monument, a symbol of modern Kazakhstan. stainless steel strip
Gurbanguly Berdimuhammedov is expected to meet the chairman of Senate of the Kazakh Parliament today. The head of Turkmenistan will also lay flowers at the monument to defenders of Fatherland; visit the Palace of Peace and Accord and get acquainted with the general plan of development of Astana; visit the Museum of the first president of the Republic of Kazakhstan; make an excursion around the new administrative center of the city. Then, members of the Turkmen delegation will visit Eurasian National University named after L.N.Gumilev and the Presidential Center of Culture, the TDH reports. air jordan

Second children's recreation center commissioned near Ashgabat

2008-01-08T23:26:00.000-08:00

The second children's recreation center Yashlyk was commissioned in the sub-mountain resort place of Gekdere. The children's town has been built by Turkish company Hayat on the order of the Ministry of trade and consumers cooperation of Turkmenistan.
The new children's town cost US $ 11,3 million. It has stretched along the mountain river Altyyap. It occupies the territory of 5 hectares. The central building consists of 3 and 4-storey facilities. There are computer classes and thematic rooms along with bedrooms and administration offices in the building.
There are also a football pitch with a stand, two tennis grounds, various sports grounds, a swimming pool and two aqua-parks in the territory of the center. There is also a health track with a viewing ground. The river is crossed by a big original bridge and small decorative bridges. A canteen, a sauna, a fitness center and an amphitheatre are also available to campers.
The center is capable to receive 525 children at a time. It will stay open not only for summer time but also autumn, winter and spring school vacations. Children will be accommodated in four-bed rooms with all conveniences. There are also no less comfortable conditions for their parents and grandparents who might wish to take rest together with children. air jordan
The inauguration ceremony of the children's recreation center was attended by members of the Turkmen government, heads of ministries and establishments, the Ashgabat city administration, representatives of public organizations and mass media. stainless steel wire
As the Ashgabat correspondent of Turkmenistan.ru reports, by the resolution of Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhammedov the cost of children's recreation at Yashlyk will not exceed Manat 300 thousand. However, trade unions and organizations are going to even lower the costs for their employees or make it free at all.stainless steel strip

Gurbanguly Berdimuhammedov gives ministers one month to repair omissions

2008-01-08T23:18:00.000-08:00

At a government meeting on Friday the president of Turkmenistan criticized the ministry of energy and industry for failing to ensure uninterrupted supply of electricity and inefficient use of existing electricity supply networks and facilities of Turkmenistan. Steel Pipe
Apart from that, Gurbanguly Berdimuhammedov pointed to the facts of "wasteful and uncontrolled use of foreign reserves" by the national air company Turkmenhowayollary. Steel Pipe
The president of Turkmenistan reprimanded the deputy chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Turkmenistan, Gurbannazar Ashyrov, for lack of control over relevant sectors of economy and ministries, which has led to the backlog of work of those sectors and ministries.
Summing up the meeting, Berdimuhammedov demanded that heads of all sectors analyze their performance and to repair omissions. As the president said, "the performance of each minister will be judged by half-year economic figures."stainless steel pipe

Second round of high level Turkmen-Iranian talks held in Tehran

2008-01-08T22:56:00.000-08:00

The second round of high-level Turkmen-Iranian talks was held at Saadabad palace today in the afternoon. As the Turkmenistan.ru's correspondent reports, the sides put forward a number of ideas and proposals aimed at further serving the interests of their peoples, as well as the peoples of other countries in the region, in order to bring them closer to each other.
Following the talks, a document signing ceremony took place. Gurbanguly Berdimuhammedov and Mahmud Ahmadinezhad, in the presence of members of both delegations and numerous journalists, signed a joint communique on development of bilateral relations. welding wire
The list of other documents signed by the sides includes an agreement between the government of Turkmenistan and the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran on cooperation in quarantine and protection of plants and combating plant pests, plant diseases and weeds as well as a memorandum between the state service on plant quarantine of the ministry of agriculture of Turkmenistan and the department of railways of the ministry of transportation of the Islamic Republic of Iran. stainless steel wire
Taking questions from journalists after the signing ceremony, the two presidents expressed full satisfaction with the talks and said they were highly productive.
Gurbanguly Berdimuhammedov invited President Mahmud Ahmadinezhad to pay a return visit to Turkmenistan at a convenient time. The invitation was accepted with gratitude.stainless steel strip

Chairperson of Turkmenhaly completes working visit to China

2008-01-08T22:44:00.001-08:00

The chairperson of Turkmenhaly (Turkmen carpets) state-owned joint-stock company, Jemal Geoklenova, has completed her visit to China where she attended the International Exhibition of Textile Equipment "Shanghai Tex" to study the latest technologies in textile and carpet-making sectors. Steel Pipe
During meetings and talks with foreign partners the sides exchanged views on the issues of construction of a new textile complex on wool processing in Turkmenistan. The representatives of the Chinese side made a number of proposals regarding the supply of latest equipment and machinery for the complex. stainless steel wire
The chairperson of Turkmenhaly visited Tachan, Jonga and Jantyaga plants in the town of Jantyaga. She got acquainted with the wool processing and woolen goods production. She also visited Huanshing plant in the town of Chindau to learn the experience of Chinese partners in producing velvet. The plant specializes in production of rich velvet fabrics.
As the Turkmenistan.ru's correspondent has learnt from the press service of Turkmenhaly, in the end of the business part of the visit Geoklenova met with her Chinese partners in Shanghai. During the talks the sides discussed the prospects of further cooperation in the textile and carpet making industries.stainless steel strip

Will Paris learn her lesson? Let’s hope so

2007-06-04T23:38:00.000-07:00

I don’t know what pleases me most. The fact that The Rock is reportedly leaving his wife or that Paris Hilton is now behind bars.
OK. Don’t start clogging up my mailbox. I’m really sorry that The Rock’s marriage is busting up. That’s not even funny. A girl, however, can dream about being his pebble mama can’t she?
But even though I’m glad Hilton is now in the slammer and will hopefully engage in some R&R — redemption and reflection — that’s really no laughing matter either.
Story continues below ↓--------------------------------------------------------------------------------advertisement
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Hilton, 26, turned herself in late Sunday night just a few hours after attending the MTV Movie Awards where host Sarah Silverman made the hotel heiress the butt of numerous jokes. Prior to the show, Hilton told reporters on the red carpet that she was scared, but ready to serve her time. She also said that she hoped she could serve as “an example to other young people when they make decisions.”
That’s one of those jokes you can’t laugh at — particularly if she really believes that.
The charms of ParisI’ve met Paris Hilton a few times. The first time was right before “The Simple Life” — the reality show starring Hilton and her BFF Nicole Richie — hit the air and became appointment TV. I had no idea who she was then but she seemed fairly harmless, standing alone behind a potted plant in a hotel corridor chomping on carrot sticks and celery.
That night our paths crossed again at a Fox network party. Hilton and Richie crashed the mattress I was sharing with some friends of mine from the Television Critics Association. Once the heiress and her bud plopped their well-toned derrieres down, giddiness ensued. After a few moments of hushed amazement, one of the critics asked Richie if Hilton was wearing underwear.
“Of course she is,” Richie responded. “I saw her put them on.”
This is why critics shouldn’t drink and why celebrities should never mix and mingle with them drunk or sober.
Shortly after that enlightening exchange, I saw Hilton dancing by herself in a corner. Thinking that she’d refuse, I invited her to come dance with a bunch of us. Much to my surprise she came over and shook her narrow little groove thing for about 10 seconds before bidding us adieu with a wink and a wave.
While I didn’t think she was hot, she was pretty darn cool.I don’t know what pleases me most. The fact that The Rock is reportedly leaving his wife or that Paris Hilton is now behind bars.
OK. Don’t start clogging up my mailbox. I’m really sorry that The Rock’s marriage is busting up. That’s not even funny. A girl, however, can dream about being his pebble mama can’t she?
But even though I’m glad Hilton is now in the slammer and will hopefully engage in some R&R — redemption and reflection — that’s really no laughing matter either.
Story continues below ↓--------------------------------------------------------------------------------advertisement
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hilton, 26, turned herself in late Sunday night just a few hours after attending the MTV Movie Awards where host Sarah Silverman made the hotel heiress the butt of numerous jokes. Prior to the show, Hilton told reporters on the red carpet that she was scared, but ready to serve her time. She also said that she hoped she could serve as “an example to other young people when they make decisions.”
That’s one of those jokes you can’t laugh at — particularly if she really believes that.
The charms of ParisI’ve met Paris Hilton a few times. The first time was right before “The Simple Life” — the reality show starring Hilton and her BFF Nicole Richie — hit the air and became appointment TV. I had no idea who she was then but she seemed fairly harmless, standing alone behind a potted plant in a hotel corridor chomping on carrot sticks and celery.
That night our paths crossed again at a Fox network party. Hilton and Richie crashed the mattress I was sharing with some friends of mine from the Television Critics Association. Once the heiress and her bud plopped their well-toned derrieres down, giddiness ensued. After a few moments of hushed amazement, one of the critics asked Richie if Hilton was wearing underwear.
“Of course she is,” Richie responded. “I saw her put them on.”
This is why critics shouldn’t drink and why celebrities should never mix and mingle with them drunk or sober.
Shortly after that enlightening exchange, I saw Hilton dancing by herself in a corner. Thinking that she’d refuse, I invited her to come dance with a bunch of us. Much to my surprise she came over and shook her narrow little groove thing for about 10 seconds before bidding us adieu with a wink and a wave.
While I didn’t think she was hot, she was pretty darn cool.It’s kind of hard, however, not to fall under Hilton’s spell. As she stood there, people initially resisted the urge to throw their tape recorders in her face. As a few critics started to make their initial descent, Hilton slipped into the ladies room. When she re-emerged the cat-and-mouse game with the press started again. china shoes and socks china auto accessory china Christmas item LPG cylinder
While still on her cell, Hilton dispatched one of her assistants to fetch her a glass of some clear liquid from the bar. But here’s the trip part. When the girl returned, Hilton actually made her hold the glass while she took sporadic sips out of it.
That’s the image I’m replaying in my head as I think about Hilton sitting in a 12-by-8 county jail cell in Lynwood, Calif. where she’ll have no cell or no one to hold her drink.
How will she deal?
I’d like to feel sorry for her, but you know what? She’s in jail for willingly violating the terms of her probation. It’s not like she was wrongly accused of a crime she didn’t commit. Plus, we need a break from her. She has consistently flaunted her wealth, her dogs, her numerous fiancées and her various hair extensions in our faces for far too long.china toys china imitation jewelry china handbag
But we’re going to have to wait on that break. Unfortunately, Hilton’s fame will likely increase tenfold now that she’s serving time. china daily use articles china suitecase china scarf

U.S. didn’t quickly notify Europe of TB traveler

2007-06-04T23:30:00.000-07:00

It took a week and a half for U.S. health officials to notify their counterparts in Europe that an American honeymooner was traveling there with a dangerous strain of tuberculosis, agencies involved in the case told The Associated Press.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was first told that Andrew Speaker was traveling in Europe on May 18, nearly a week after the infected patient and his fiancee flew to Europe for a wedding in Greece.
The World Health Organization and Italian health authorities say they were not notified about Speaker until May 24, the day Speaker and his wife flew back to North America. The Greek Health Ministry was not informed until May 25, officials said.
A CDC spokesman said the delay was easy to explain — it took the agency several days to pin down the patient’s exact location. “We didn’t know where he was,” said spokesman Tom Skinner.yiwu hotels go to yiwu import from yiwu
Speaker’s TB was caught early by chance in January when he had a chest X-ray for a rib injury.
Patient e-mailed his doctorDuring a meeting with Fulton County health officials on May 10, Speaker said he was advised that he was not contagious or a danger to anyone. Officials told him they would prefer he didn’t fly, but no one ordered him not to, he said. His father, Ted Speaker, has said that he recorded the meeting, but has not responded to requests from The Associated Press to listen to it.export from yiwu yiwu export agent export agent in yiwu
Speaker and his fiancee left Atlanta on May 12 — two days earlier than scheduled — to get to Greece for their wedding. Fulton County officials said they learned he was there on May 14, when Speaker e-mailed his doctor to say he was in Greece.
A CDC spokesman said the delay was easy to explain — it took the agency several days to pin down the patient’s exact location. “We didn’t know where he was,” said spokesman Tom Skinner.
Speaker’s TB was caught early by chance in January when he had a chest X-ray for a rib injury.
Patient e-mailed his doctorDuring a meeting with Fulton County health officials on May 10, Speaker said he was advised that he was not contagious or a danger to anyone. Officials told him they would prefer he didn’t fly, but no one ordered him not to, he said. His father, Ted Speaker, has said that he recorded the meeting, but has not responded to requests from The Associated Press to listen to it.buy from yiwu china gifts china arts and crafts china stationary
Speaker and his fiancee left Atlanta on May 12 — two days earlier than scheduled — to get to Greece for their wedding. Fulton County officials said they learned he was there on May 14, when Speaker e-mailed his doctor to say he was in Greece.

Clinton says faith got her through marital woes

2007-06-04T23:18:00.000-07:00

WASHINGTON - In a rare public discussion of her husband’s infidelity, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton said Monday that she probably could not have gotten through her marital troubles without relying on her faith in God.yiwu agent agent in yiwu yiwu yiwu trading company
Clinton stood by her actions in the aftermath of former President Clinton’s admission that he had an affair, including presumably her decision to stay in the marriage.trading company in yiwu yiwu Translation Service yiwu china yiwu market
“I am very grateful that I had a grounding in faith that gave me the courage and the strength to do what I thought was right, regardless of what the world thought,” Clinton said during a forum where the three leading Democratic presidential candidates talked about faith and values.yiwu buying agent yiwu trade agent

US Open European Sectional Qualifying Scores

2007-06-04T23:09:00.000-07:00

Monday
At New Course at Walton Heath Golf ClubTadworth, England
Yardage: 7,351; Par: 72
Final Round
(a-amateur, 1-first alternate, 2-second alternate)
Nick Dougherty, England 66-70-136
Darren Fichardt, South Africa 68-68-136
Peter Hanson, Sweden 68-68-136
Marcus Fraser, Australia 66-71-137
Graeme McDowell, Northern Ireland 69-68-137
Miguel Rodriguez, Argentina 71-66-137
Sam Walker, England 67-71-138
Soren Kjeldsen, Denmark 69-70-139
Christain Cevaer, France 69-70-139
Failed to Qualify
1-Gregory Havret, France 70-70-140
2-Marc Warren, Scotland 70-70-140
Oliver Wilson, England 72-68-140
Alastair Forsyth, Scotland 68-72-140
Shiv Kapur, India 73-68-141
Raphael Jacquelin, France 74-67-141
Emanuele Canonica, Italy 73-68-141
Thomas Levet, France 70-71-141
David Griffiths, England 72-70-142
Paul McGinley, Ireland 71-71-142
Gregory Bourdy, France 72-70-142
Peter O'Malley, Australia 70-72-142smoke detector Imitation jewelry powerleveling fibreclay
Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano, Spain 72-70-142
Ricardo Gonzalez, Argentina 73-69-142
Tom Whitehouse, England 71-71-142
Also
Jean Van de Velde, France 72-74-146
Darren Clarke, Northern Ireland 75-72-147
a-Nathan Smith, United States 72-75-147
Miguel Angel Jimenez, Spain 74-74-148
a-Garrett Osborne, United States 78-70-148China exporter gsm alarm Export agent in yiwu
a-Brandon Boomsma, United States 79-76-155yiwu shipping agent yiwu purchase agent yiwu purchasing agent
Tim Acquaviva, United States 82-74-156

Sunnis revolt against al-Qaida in Iraq

2007-05-31T17:59:00.000-07:00

BAGHDAD - U.S. troops battled al-Qaida in west Baghdad on Thursday after Sunni Arab residents challenged the militants and called for American help to end furious gunfire that kept students from final exams and forced people in the neighborhood to huddle indoors.
ADVERTISEMENT Backed by helicopter gunships, U.S. troops joined the two-day battle in the Amariyah district, according to a councilman and other residents of the Sunni district.
The fight reflects a trend that U.S. and Iraqi officials have been trumpeting recently to the west in Anbar province, once considered the heartland of the Sunni insurgency. Many Sunni tribes in the province have banded together to fight al-Qaida, claiming the terrorist group is more dangerous than American forces.
Three more U.S. soldiers were reported killed in combat, raising the number of American deaths to at least 122 for May, making it the third deadliest month for Americans in the conflict. The military said two soldiers died Wednesday from a roadside bomb in Baghdad and one died of wounds inflicted by a bomb attack northwest of the capital Tuesday.
Lt. Col. Dale C. Kuehl, commander of 1st Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, who is responsible for the Amariyah area of the capital, confirmed the U.S. military's role in the fighting in the Sunni district. He said the battles raged Wednesday and Thursday but died off at night.
Although al-Qaida is a Sunni organization opposed to the Shiite Muslim-dominated government, its ruthlessness and reliance on foreign fighters have alienated many Sunnis in Iraq.
The U.S. military congratulated Amariyah residents for standing up to al-Qaida.
"The events of the past two days are promising developments. Sunni citizens of Amariyah that have been previously terrorized by al-Qaida are now resisting and want them gone. They're tired of the intimidation that included the murder of women," Kuehl said.
A U.S. military officer, who agreed to discuss the fight only if not quoted by name because the information was not for release, said the Army was checking reports of a big al-Qaida enclave in Amariyah housing foreign fighters, including Afghans, doing temporary duty in Iraq.
U.S.-funded Alhurra television reported that non-Iraqi Arabs and Afghans were among the fighters over the past two days. Kuehl said he could not confirm those reports.
The heaviest fighting came at 11 a.m. when gunmen — identified by residents as al-Qaida fighters — began shooting randomly into the air, forcing people to flee into their homes and students from classrooms.
They said the fighters drove through the streets using loudspeakers to claim that Amariyah was under the control of the Islamic State of Iraq, an al-Qaida front group.
Armed residents were said to have resisted, set some of the al-Qaida gunmen's cars on fire and called the Americans for help.
One Amariyah resident, reached by telephone late Thursday, said the shooting continued, especially along al-Monadhama Street, the main thoroughfare in the district not far from Baghdad International Airport, where the U.S. military has extensive facilities.
"The Americans came this afternoon and it got quiet for a while. We are staying home, frightened. We have no idea what's going on. There's nothing to do. There has been shooting outside since last (Wednesday) night," the resident said.
Everyone contacted in the neighborhood spoke on condition of anonymity, citing fears of reprisals from roaming gunmen.
Casualty figures were not immediately available. But the district councilman said the al-Qaida leader in Amariyah, known as Haji Hameed, was killed and 45 other fighters were detained.
Saif M. Fakhry, an Associated Press Television News cameraman, was shot twice and killed in the turmoil in Amariyah on Thursday. Fakhry, 26, was the fifth AP employee to die violently in the Iraq war and the third killed since December.
He was spending the day with his wife, Samah Abbas, who is expecting their first child in June. According to his family, Fakhry was walking to a mosque near his Amariyah home when he was killed. It was not clear who fired the shots.
Also Thursday, Lt. Gen. Raymond Odierno, the No. 2 commander in Iraq, said U.S. military officers were talking with Iraqi militants — excluding al-Qaida — about cease-fires and other arrangements to try to stop the violence.
He also suggested he might not be able to meet the September deadline for telling Congress whether President Bush's military buildup in Iraq is working.
Odierno said commanders at all levels are being empowered to reach out for talks with militants, tribes, religious leaders and others. Iraq has been gripped by violence on a range of fronts including insurgents, sectarian rivals and common criminals.
"It's just beginning, so we have a lot of work to do in this," he said. "But we have restructured ourselves ... to work this issue."
He said he thinks 80 percent of Iraqis, including Sunni insurgents and Shiite militants, can reach reconciliation with each other, although most al-Qaida operatives will not.
"We are talking about cease-fires, and maybe signing some things that say they won't conduct operations against the government of Iraq or against coalition forces," Odierno told Pentagon reporters in a video conference from Baghdad.
On the assessment of operations that is due in September, he said he thinks it will take longer to tell whether the increase of nearly 30,000 troops will work as intended: to quell violence enough to give Iraqi officials breathing space to work on reconciliation and development issues.
In western Iraq on Thursday, a suicide bomber hit a police recruiting center in Fallujah, and there were conflicting reports about the death toll. Police said as many as 25 people were killed, but the U.S. military said just one policeman died.
Elsewhere, three policemen and three civilians were killed and 15 civilians were wounded when a suicide truck bomber struck a communications center on the western outskirts of Ramadi, according to Anbar provincial security adviser Col. Tariq Youssef Mohammed. Imitation jewelry smoke detector motion detector GUCCI
American forces, meanwhile, continued Thursday with the search for five kidnapped Britons in and around Baghdad's Sadr City district.
A procession of mourners, some of them women wailing and beating their chests, marched through Sadr City behind a small bus carrying the coffins of two people who police said were killed in a U.S. helicopter strike before dawn.
The U.S. military said it had no report of airstrikes in Sadr City and that there were no civilian casualties in the second day of the search for the Britons. The five were abducted from a Finance Ministry data processing building in eastern Baghdad on Tuesday. China factory motion detector China fair Export from china soccer table
APTN video tape from Sadr City showed the coffins of the victims atop a small bus with men and women walking behind, crying. A young boy could be seen sitting next to the coffins on the bus.

Mears, Yeley and Petty steal the show

2007-05-30T03:46:00.000-07:00

CONCORD, N.C. - Kyle Petty looked at the placard on the podium and joked his name had been spelled wrong. It had been 10 years since Petty was last invited to a post-race news conference, and the drivers surrounding him weren't exactly regular attendees.
ADVERTISEMENT Also crashing the party was Casey Mears, who ended four-plus years of frustration with his first Nextel Cup victory, and J.J. Yeley, who put a firm grip on his seat with the highest finish of his career.
NASCAR's longest event of the season was a true race of attrition — four former champions finished 30th or worse in Sunday night's Coca-Cola 600 — leaving an odd cast of characters as the final five drivers standing.
"I think when you look at the top three or four ... I would say they're all team efforts. We had nothing to lose," said Petty, whose third-place finish was his best since 1997.
"A 600-mile race is a long race, nobody does it by themselves. I think this is a great example of why this is a team sport and how important the teams are."
It took planning, strategy and a lot of luck for Mears, Yeley, Petty, Reed Sorenson and Brian Vickers to steal the show. All five scored their best finish of the season, stretching their fuel farther than the top teams in NASCAR to jumble the scoring tower at Lowe's Motor Speedway.
Tony Stewart, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Denny Hamlin and Jimmie Johnson — winner of five of the past eight races at Lowe's — all had to stop for gas in the closing laps and assumed everyone else would, too.
When the others didn't, it created confusion for the drivers accustomed to collecting top-five finishes.
"I thought I was second, man!" exclaimed Earnhardt, who wound up eighth. "I didn't know those guys stayed out. I would have rather finished third or second, like we should have. But some of those guys can afford to gamble."
It frustrated teammates Stewart and Hamlin, who should have a combined six or so wins this season but instead remain winless after each gave up the lead in the closing laps to take two seconds worth of gas. Stewart wound up sixth, Hamlin was ninth.
"You hate fuel-mileage races," grumbled Mike Ford, Hamlin's crew chief. "There is no glory in winning a fuel-mileage race, other than saying you didn't run hard and were saving fuel. You know that's not our race."
Mears and the others had nothing to lose. All stuck in the back of the standings, they could afford to gamble on gas and not suffer season-crippling consequences if they ran out.
But Mears insisted it didn't cheapen their end results.
"Some people might say this was a fuel mileage deal, and obviously it was at the end of the day," he said. "But we did a lot out there, too. We conserved and saved the tires in case we had a run there at the end, and it all paid off."
For Mears and Yeley, the finishes gave them a little bit of breathing room from the scrutiny they've been under.
With Earnhardt — NASCAR's most popular driver — looking for a new ride, all eyes are on the weak links at the top organizations that Earnhardt is eying.
That's Mears at Hendrick, who entered Sunday night's race ranked 35th in the standings and in the shadow of his more successful teammates. Series champions Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson have combined to win seven times this season, and Kyle Busch also has a win.
Although Hendrick insists he's committed to Mears, the lack of results have put him on the hot seat in the court of public opinion. and Mears admits he's felt the pressure.
"I never got involved in this sport because I wanted to run fifth or sixth, I always wanted to win," said Mears. "So there has always been that pressure there. At times I've questioned myself, even though that's something you really can't do as a driver. I've wondered if it was me and what I could do to be better.
"I always thought I was capable of winning races." Import from china travel china foosball table Trading company in yiwu
Then there's Yeley, who is in the final year of his contract at Joe Gibbs Racing. He's under enormous scrutiny because he was promoted at the same time as Hamlin, who won a pair of races last season and finished third in the final standings.
But Gibbs officials aren't demanding equal success. They'll settle for improvement and solid runs, and Yeley gave them one on Sunday night. If it was enough to save his job from Earnhardt, he didn't know and didn't care. wow powerleveling gsm alarm Export agent in yiwu smoke detector Imitation jewelry powerleveling
"If I get fired, I get fired," Yeley said. "There are a couple of other places I can go. I'm not worried about getting a ride. If I couldn't find anything in Nextel Cup, I'll go back and race sprint cars.
"That's the only thing I know how to do, regardless if it's here or somewhere else."Yiwu trading company

Franchitti sees $1.6M purse for Indy 500

2007-05-30T03:30:00.000-07:00

INDIANAPOLIS - The cameras were flashing and the spotlight's glare was bright. And for once, Dario Franchitti, not his wife, was the center of attention. China fair Export from china soccer table
ADVERTISEMENT Franchitti drove from the shadow of his actress wife Ashley Judd on Sunday by winning the Indianapolis 500, and all eyes were on him at Monday's victory dinner at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
For his victory, the 34-year-old native of Scotland got $1,645,233 — enough to draw a "wow" from Judd — and a likeness of his face on the Borg-Warner trophy that sits at the speedway's Hall of Fame Museum.
Only 166 of the scheduled 200 laps were completed in the rain-shortened event, but that took nothing from the win in Franchitti's eyes.
"To win it, I feel incredibly privileged," he said. "Especially this morning when I got to look at the trophy. I realized some of the company I'm in. I'm humbled today."
Franchitti collected more in race winnings from his Indy victory than he had during any other full season of his career. He had finished seventh and sixth in the two previous years at Indy and had his best-previous earnings year in 1998 with $1.4 million when he won three races on the CART circuit.
Franchitti won the race in part because of the weather. Andretti-Green teammate and best friend Tony Kanaan was leading when the race was delayed. The Brazilian would have won if it had been stopped at that point.
Franchitti complimented the Indy Racing League and speedway staffs during his remarks Monday night.
"Thank you very much for your efforts to dry the track yesterday. Much appreciated," he said to laughter. "Although, a certain Brazilian guy wants to have a word with you."
At the end of Franchitti's speech, Kanaan dashed from behind Franchitti's crew members and smashed a creme pie over the winner's head.
Kanaan walked away with $414,319, the most ever for a 12th-place finisher and more than all but three drivers. He led a race-high 83 laps but he and several other contenders chose to pit for fuel and tires just laps ahead of the race-ending rainstorm.
Kanaan also received the Scott Brayton Award, named for the late driver who was killed in practice after winning the pole in 1996 and given to the racer best exemplifying the character and spirit of Brayton.
Franchitti's share was part of a record purse of nearly $10.7 million that was announced at the victory dinner. The previous record was $10.5 million last year.wow powerleveling Shipping agent in yiwu
Second-place finisher Scott Dixon's $719,067 and third-place finisher Helio Castroneves' $646,303.
Some of the other racers had fun staking claim to Franchitti's newly found wealth. Kosuke Matsuura said he should get 1 percent of Franchitti's purse because he told Franchitti he would win. Darren Manning claimed to have won so much money from Franchitti in golf that he should "just pick up his check."
Phil Giebler, one of just two first-time drivers in Sunday's race, won the rookie of the year award after finishing 29th, two spots ahead of Venezuelan Milka Duno.China commodity LOUIS VUITTON China exporter Beijing tour Trading company in yiwu
The smallest prize from Sunday's race was $193,305 for 32nd place by Jon Herb. The prize money is distributed in a formula that includes race finish, qualification outcome and various performance awards.

Stewart, Hamlin see frustration mounting

2007-05-30T03:20:00.000-07:00

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Tony Stewart made outrageous remarks on his radio show and teammate Denny Hamlin openly criticized his team's performance. Controversial at the time, both incidents now seem rather tame considering how frustrated the two must be.
ADVERTISEMENT The Joe Gibbs Racing teammates should probably have a combined six victories this season, but instead are winless through 12 events.
And after both came up empty at Lowe's Motor Speedway on Sunday, when their gas tanks nearly went dry and they each had to relinquish the lead for a splash of fuel, it's a wonder they didn't implode.
The record book will forever show that Hendrick Motorsports won nine of the first 12 races this season. Because there is no stat for races lost — something Stewart and Hamlin have seemingly perfected this year — it will never show that JGR has been just as good as Hendrick so far.
Hendrick drivers have made an art this season of leading the only lap that counts, a practice that has led to five straight wins — nine of 10 overall.
Gibbs drivers, meanwhile, have mastered the art of dominating the meaningless part of the races. Stewart and Hamlin have combined to lead 1,259 laps this season, and they've got absolutely nothing to show for it.
"Sitting where we're at right now, it seems like everything is stacked against us," said Greg Zipadelli, Stewart's crew chief. "There's probably four or five we could've won easily this year and things just didn't go our way."
Stewart was on pace to win the season-opening Daytona 500, but a fluke crash with Kurt Busch knocked him out of the race. He dominated for 35 laps, but finished 43rd. He was gracious in defeat, though, chalking it up as one of them racin' deals as he left the track with the race still roaring around him.
He was less than thrilled three races later, when he led 121 laps at Atlanta but debris cautions kept eating up his lead. And when Jimmie Johnson passed him for the win following a late pit stop, Stewart expressed his frustration with an obscene gesture.
Bristol the next week was brutal for Stewart. Nobody could touch him there — well, not until mechanical issues took him out of contention. He led 257 laps, but finished 35th and was testy on the radio as he coaxed his car home — a sure sign that all these near-misses were really beginning to bug him.
It festered into Phoenix, where those pesky debris cautions again cost him a shot at the win after leading 132 laps. Two days later, he blasted NASCAR on his national radio show and compared the sport to professional wrestling.
Stewart had been relatively quiet in the month since then, which paved the way for his teammate to take over.
Hamlin could have won Bristol after Stewart fell off the pace, but after leading 177 laps, a late mechanical problem dropped him to 10th. His pit crew blundered on pit road a week later in Martinsville, costing him a shot at running for the win after leading 125 laps.
Hamlin himself lost the race the next week in Phoenix, taking himself out of contention by speeding on pit road. And Darlington? Well, that race was his until another crew mistake sent him spiraling backward in track position.
It brought both drivers into Charlotte aching for a win, and in the closing laps of the 600, it appeared one of them would finally lead the only lap that really matters.
But neither had enough fuel in the tank to make it to the finish and each pulled off the track for a splash of gas that cost them the win. In a bittersweet twist, third teammate J.J. Yeley had plenty of gas and drove his way to a career-best second place finish. Stewart settled for sixth, Hamlin was a disappointing ninth, and both were pretty bitter about it.
"Very frustrating," Hamlin said. "We had the best car at the end. We just didn't have the right fuel tank. We just couldn't afford to come in and top-off like some of those guys did and they lucked out and got a good finish."
Stewart had no explanation to offer. Buying agent in yiwu gas detector Purchasing agent in yiwu Made in china
"I don't know I'm just a driver. I don't calculate fuel," he snapped.
Both drivers now head to Dover, Del., this weekend long overdue. In a sport where momentum is everything and wins now have championship implications, neither can afford to get down about their difficulties.
This upcoming stretch can make or break a season, as Stewart learned last year when a summer slump cost him a spot in the Chase for the championship. The biggest wholesale market in china travel china gas detector China tour China factory motion detector
But Gibbs officials think their time is coming, and it won't be too long before they've pushed Hendrick aside.
"The good news is we've got good cars," said team president J.D. Gibbs. "The bad news is we're shooting ourselves in the foot. But I'd much rather be dealing with this issue than with cars running 25th every week.
"We'll work through this."

Researchers find big batch of breast cancer genes

2007-05-28T04:09:00.000-07:00

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A genetic mutation that raises the risk of breast cancer is found in up to 60 percent of U.S. women, making it the first truly common breast cancer susceptibility gene, researchers reported on Sunday.
ADVERTISEMENT Reports from several teams around the world identified changes in four other genes that raise the risk of breast cancer significantly. Several are found in many men and women.
More than 60 percent of the women in the United States probably carry at least one of the mutations in one of the genes, called FGFR2, the researchers said.
"This is a truly landmark breakthrough for breast cancer research, because these genes are the first confirmed common genetic risk factors for breast cancer," said Jianjun Liu of the Genome Institute of Singapore, who took part in one of the studies.
The researchers, reporting in the journals Nature and Nature Genetics, said the discoveries are the most important genes associated with breast cancer since BRCA1 and BRCA2 were identified.
Women with faulty copies of BRCA1 or BRCA2 have a 50 percent to 85 percent chance of getting breast cancer in their lifetimes. But they are rare genes, and only account for 5 percent to possibly 10 percent of breast cancer cases.
Researchers have been testing women for other genes associated with breast cancer, to find its causes, to understand how and why it develops, and to make more effective treatments.
Better techniques to analyze DNA, and the publication of the human genome, the map of all DNA in the body, have made this a much faster and easier process.
David Hunter of Harvard University and a team at the U.S. National Cancer Institute looked at more than 2,200 women of European ancestry.
COMMON GENE, BIG RISK
They found four common mutations in FGFR2 associated with the breast cancer in women after menopause who do not have known relatives with breast cancer.
The mutations raise the risk of breast cancer risk by 20 percent if they carry one copy of the gene and by 60 percent if they carry two copies. And close to 60 percent of the women they studied carried at least one copy.
The findings do not yet have any real relevance for women, Hunter stressed.
"It is premature to recommend screening women for these gene variants, at least until the scientific community has further combed through the genome-wide findings and found all the variants that are associated with increased risk," Hunter said in a statement.
Douglas Easton of Britain's University of Cambridge led a team of researchers around the world to look at tiny changes in the DNA code called single nucleotide polymorphisms or SNPs -- pronounced "snips" -- in the DNA of 21,860 people with breast cancer and 22,578 people without it.smoke alarm Imitation jewelry
They found mutations in four genes that were more common in the people with breast cancer -- FGFR2, TNRC9, MAP3K1 and LSP1.
FGFR2 may be a logical candidate for a breast cancer gene -- it is a receptor, a kind of molecular doorway, for compound called tyrosine kinase which is involved in several cancers.
In a third study, a team at deCODE genetics, the University of Nijmegen in the Netherlands and elsewhere studied 22,000 people to find two other gene mutations associated with breast cancer. One is also near TNRC9. Fashion jewelry made in china foosball Trading company in yiwu
"DeCODE estimates that these two variants are contributing factors in one quarter of breast cancer cases in women of European origin," the company wrote in a statement.
Breast cancer kills 500,000 people a year globally according to the World Health Organization, and 1.2 million men and women are diagnosed with it every year.The biggest wholesale market in china travel china Beijing tour China tour

Crab discovery worries Chesapeake Bay researchers

2007-05-28T04:04:00.000-07:00

DEALE, Maryland (Reuters) - The fuzzy-clawed crab that waterman Vince Meyer and his crew pulled from the Chesapeake Bay clearly did not belong there: it lacked the blue markings of the area's signature crustacean, plus it had hairy pincers.
ADVERTISEMENT "He noticed it as soon as he saw it," Meyer said of his crewman, Henry DuPreez, who pulled in the creature in question, a Chinese mitten crab.
This is the third year in a row watermen have found the invasive crab in the Mid-Atlantic bay, a development that worries environmental researchers and watermen.
The species is not native to the region and can breed abundantly. If it becomes established in the area's waterways, no one knows how it might affect the Chesapeake's already-stressed ecosystem or its famous blue crab population.
"We can't predict what the impact would be," said Gregory Ruiz, a marine ecologist at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center who examined Meyer's crab, now captive in an aquarium.
He said the fear is the mitten crab would compete for food with the blue crabs, or eat them.
Potential threats are not taken lightly. Blue crabs are the backbone of a major industry on the 200-mile-(320-km)-long Chesapeake Bay, the largest estuary in the United States. The crab harvest alone is worth more than $50 million, according to government figures.
Chesapeake crabs are celebrated at fairs and festivals where crustacean queens are crowned and local craftsmen sell knickknacks and Christmas ornaments made from their shells.
But mostly people eat them. Hundreds of crab shacks and seafood restaurants in the region serve them steamed to mallet-wielding patrons or pan-fried when the shells are soft. They are made into soups, dips, crab cakes and other delights.
Limits have been placed on the size of the crab catch because of degraded conditions in the bay and concerns about the overall crab population, which a recent study found has been below target levels for a decade. The harvest is down from historical levels, but has been 50 million to 60 million pounds per year since 2000.
INVASIVE SPECIES
About 170 invasive species have moved into the bay, contributing to its stressed condition. The nutria rodent is damaging marshes and the rapa whelk mollusk feeds on clams and oysters. Scientists say local species don't need any more competition, and that is the worry with the mitten crab.
"The concern is really the potential for high impact," Ruiz said, "but whether that would be borne out, I think, is not clear."
Mitten crabs, a culinary delight in Asia, can be something of a nuisance. They are burrowers, exacerbating soil erosion. After establishing themselves in the San Francisco area in the early 1990s, they played havoc with the water system.
"The crabs basically were so abundant that they clogged water supply systems by clogging up filter screens," Ruiz said.
They rear their offspring in freshwater tributaries, but migrate to shallower salt water areas to reproduce. Vulnerable blue crabs -- the babies and molting adults -- find refuge in the same kinds of habitats where mitten crabs breed, raising concerns they could become the invaders' prey.
So far, there is no evidence mitten crabs are reproducing in the Chesapeake. The three examined by researchers were fully developed males. No females or babies have been seen.LOUIS VUITTON China exporter CHANEL Import from china Import from china
That suggests the mitten crabs found there may have been sucked aboard a ship taking on ballast water in Europe, Asia or San Francisco and then released into the bay when the vessel reached port.
Researchers want to locate the source of the crabs, so watermen are on the alert as the summer crabbing season gets under way. gas detector wow powerleveling Shipping agent in yiwu China commodity
For Meyer, who runs Vince's Crabhouse in the Baltimore suburb of Essex, Maryland, that means keeping a close watch as he checks his 500 to 600 crab pots each day.
"They say they're not good for the bay," he said. "I guess they don't have predators and they're afraid they might maybe try to eat the blue crab."

Pollution is Turning the Tower of London Yellow

2007-05-28T03:59:00.000-07:00

A moat and fortified walls have protected the Tower of London from vandals for almost 800 years, but against the ravages of pollution, the iconic royal palace doesn’t stand a chance. The entire complex is turning yellow from the exhaust of cars and trucks, according to a new study.
The discoloration is most noticeable at the complex’s White Tower, the original square fortress built by William the Conqueror in 1078. “When we question visitors, they say the color is cream,” said study co-author Peter Brimblecombe, an atmospheric chemist at the University of East Anglia in the United Kingdom. The results are detailed in this month’s issue of the journal Environmental Science and Technology.
In the next 20 years, Brimblecombe said, the famous tower will turn a more brownish yellow. “You might imagine how angry people are going to get about paying a large sum of money to see a yellow tower that’s supposed to be white,” he said.
Crusty evidence
To measure the color change, Brimblecombe and his colleagues used colorimeters to record the color of stone stored in the tower’s basements—and away from airborne pollution. Placed there through the ages during repairs, the stone provided the team with a timeline of discoloration.
Yet finding the source of the problem led Brimblecombe and his colleagues to another track record of pollution: Patches of black crust found all over the complex’s walls.
Resembling burnt residue in an oven, the crusts are made of gypsum formed when acid in rainwater and pollution reacts with the limestone and mortar. Over time, the gypsum soaks up atmospheric pollution like a stone sponge. Since the advent of coal-burning industry in the late 13th century, the crusts turned black with soot and sulfur from coal smoke.Imitation jewelry smoke detector
“We can take off the crust and look at cross-sections,” Brimblecombe said. Like growth rings of a tree trunk slice, which show droughts, fires and other historic events, Brimblecombe said crusts can provide a rough map of pollution through the ages. “It’s not as clear as tree rings, but in thick crusts you can find wood burning particles deep down, topped by coal soot, then modern petroleum,” he said.
Because coal is on its way out and liquid fossil fuels are in, Brimblecombe determined the yellowing of the black crust is coming from petrol.
Fueled by cars
Internal combustion engines may be equipped with pollution-scrubbing catalytic converters, but an enormous variety of compounds—including nitrogen and organic carbon—escape and float through the air. Brimblecombe said the molecules are increasingly being soaked up by black crusts and the stone itself, slowly replacing soot and feeding bacterial communities.
“The nitrogen acts as a fertilizer on the surface of the building, and the organic carbons are linking together to produce big brown and yellow molecules,” he said, not unlike those which give soil its rich yellow and brown colors.
While Brimblecombe explains no one really knows exactly which compounds create the color, as there can be millions of variations in the chemical structures, he said the problem is manageable. “It’s an old-fashioned technique, but you wash the building,” he said.motion detector GUCCI China factory motion detector China fair
Brimblecombe explained that too much washing can damage the stonework. “Our aim is not to clean buildings of their history, but we also don’t want them changing color,” he said. “The aim is to be aware of coming changes, prepare for them and keep them at a publicly-acceptable level.”

Quiz: What's Your Environmental Footprint? Mystery Source of Urban Pollution Revealed Parthenon Once A Riot of Color Original Story: Pollution is Turning the Tower of London YellowADVERTISEMENTExport from china soccer table Visit LiveScience.com for more daily news, views and scientific inquiry with an original, provocative point of view. LiveScience reports amazing, real world breakthroughs, made simple and stimulating for people on the go. Check out our collection of Science, Animal and Dinosaur Pictures, Science Videos, Hot Topics, Trivia, Top 10s, Voting, Amazing Images, Reader Favorites, and more. Get cool gadgets at the new LiveScience Store, sign up for our free daily email newsletter and check out our RSS feeds today!

The Truth Behind This Month's Blue Moon

2007-05-28T03:55:00.000-07:00

Thursday, May 31 brings us the second of two full Moons for North Americans this month. Some almanacs and calendars assert that when two full Moons occur within a calendar month, that the second full Moon is called the "Blue Moon."
ADVERTISEMENT The full Moon that night will likely look no different than any other full Moon. But the Moon can change color in certain conditions.
After forest fires or volcanic eruptions, the Moon can appear to take on a bluish or even lavender hue. Soot and ash particles, deposited high in the Earth's atmosphere can sometimes make the Moon appear bluish. Smoke from widespread forest fire activity in western Canada created a blue Moon across eastern North America in late September 1950. In the aftermath of the massive eruption of Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines in June 1991 there were reports of blue moons (and even blue Suns) worldwide.
Origin of the term
The phrase "Once in a blue Moon" was first noted in 1824 and refers to occurrences that are uncommon, though not truly rare. Yet, to have two full Moons in the same month is not as uncommon as one might think. In fact, it occurs, on average, about every 32 months. And in the year 1999, it occurred twice in a span of just three months!
For the longest time no one seemed to have a clue as to where the "Blue Moon Rule" originated. Many years ago in the pages of Natural History magazine, I speculated that the rule might have evolved out of the fact that the word "belewe" came from the Old English, meaning, "to betray." "Perhaps," I suggested, "the second full Moon is 'belewe' because it betrays the usual perception of one full moon per month."
But as innovative as my explanation was, it turned out to be completely wrong.
More mistakes
It was not until the year 1999 that the origin of the calendrical term "Blue Moon" was at long last discovered. It was during the time frame from 1932 through 1957 that the Maine Farmers' Almanac suggested that if one of the four seasons (winter, spring, summer or fall) contained four full Moons instead of the usual three, that the third full Moon should be called a "Blue Moon." Imitation jewelry smoke detector motion detector
But thanks to a couple of misinterpretations of this arcane rule, first by a writer in a 1946 issue of Sky & Telescope magazine, and much later, in 1980 in a syndicated radio program, it now appears that the second full Moon in a month is the one that's now popularly accepted as the definition of a "Blue Moon."
This time around, the Moon will turn full on May 31 at 9:04 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (6:04 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time).
But for those living in Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia, that same full Moon occurs after midnight, on the calendar date of June 1. So in these regions of world, this will not be second of two full Moons in May, but the first of two full Moons in June. So, if (for example) you live London, you'll have to wait until June 30 to declare that the Moon is "officially" blue.GUCCI China factory motion detector China fair Export from china
Top 10 Cool Moon Facts Sky Calendar & Moon Phases Astrophotography 101
Joe Rao serves as an instructor and guest lecturer at New York's Hayden Planetarium. He writes about astronomy for The New York Times and other publications, and he is also an on-camera meteorologist for News 12 Westchester, New York.soccer table
Original Story: The Truth Behind This Month's Blue Moon
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The Truth Behind This Month's Blue Moon

2007-05-28T03:49:00.000-07:00

Existing home sales fell 2.6 pct in April

2007-05-27T04:06:00.000-07:00

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The pace of existing home sales in the United States in April fell to their lowest since June 2003 while inventories swelled, the National Association of Realtors said in a report on Friday that showed more weakness than analysts had expected.
ADVERTISEMENT Sales were off 2.6 percent in April to an annualized pace of 5.99 million units. The inventory of homes for sale grew 10.4 percent to 4.2 million units, which represents an 8.4 months' supply at the current sales pace.
Economists polled by Reuters were expecting home resales to rise to a 6.14 million-unit pace from the 6.12 million-unit rate initially reported for March. The March sales pace was revised to 6.15 million.
March was the ninth straight month in which prices of existing homes dropped from year-ago levels, with the national median price down 0.8 percent to $220,900.
Prices for U.S. government bonds rose and the dollar fell as the data was seen as keeping alive the possibility that a downturn in the U.S. housing market may have further to run. Stock prices slightly pared gains.Import from china travel china foosball table Trading company in yiwu Yiwu trading company wow powerleveling
NAR blamed the weak data on a hangover of the subprime lending crisis and unusually warm winter weather that pushed some buyers into the market earlier in the year.
"January and February were very healthy... we are seeing a residual weather impact on current sales data," said Lawrence Yun, chief economist for the trade association.
He also said a small sample of data from some regions collected recently indicates "a notable improvement" in the market in May.
Economists read troubling signs in the inventory rise.
"The most disconcerting thing in the report is the increase in inventory. That's the biggest weight in the market is the glut. The market doesn't find a bottom until sellers start cutting their prices," said Mark Zandi, chief economist for Moody's Economy.com of Westchester, Pennsylvania.
Friday's data comes a day after a report that showed sales of new homes rose 16.2 percent in April, the sharpest climb in 14 years, while prices fell a record 11 percent, in a sign that builders are taking extraordinary steps to move houses. gsm alarm Export agent in yiwu smoke detector Imitation jewelry powerleveling
Home sales were down across all regions with the Northeast seeing the largest drop of 8.8 percent. In the West, sales were off 1.7 percent while they were down 0.7 percent in the Midwest and 1.2 percent in the South.

Existing home sales fall in April

2007-05-27T03:53:00.000-07:00

WASHINGTON - Sales of existing homes fell more than expected in April while prices slid for a record ninth consecutive month, indicating further troubles ahead for the housing market.
ADVERTISEMENT The National Association of Realtors reported Friday that sales of existing homes dropped by 2.6 percent last month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.99 million units, the slowest sales pace in nearly four years.
The median price of a home fell to $220,900, an 0.8 percent decline from the median price a year ago. The median is the point where half the homes sold for more and half for less.
The slide in existing home sales came after a report Thursday that showed a big 16.2 percent surge in sales of new homes in April that occurred as the median price of a new home fell by a record 11.1 percent from the previous month.
Analysts said the disparity in sales of new and existing homes for April reflected in part the decision by builders to aggressively cut prices to unload inventory while homeowners are still reluctant to lower their asking prices.
"It is only a matter of time before homeowners realize that the dream is over and that price cuts are now necessary to sell their homes," said Peter Schiff, president of Euro Pacific Capital, a Darien, Conn., investment firm.
The supply of existing homes for sale shot up to a record total of 4.2 million in April, an increase of 394,000 from the March supply. Analysts predicted that this big inventory surge would act to further depress prices.
"We're swimming in supply," said Mike Larson, a real estate analyst with Weiss Research, who cited a number of factors for the unsold homes.
"Unrealistic sellers, stuck flippers, stretched borrowers, foreclosures. They're all contributing to a surge in homes on the market," he said. Flippers are investors who bought homes during the boom hoping to resell them for a quick profit only to be caught as the market softened.
On Wall Street, the Dow Jones industrial average rose 66.15 points to close at 13,507.28 in a quiet trading session ahead of the long Memorial Day weekend. The Dow had fallen in the previous four sessions.
Housing enjoyed an extended surge in which sales of both new and existing homes set records for five straight years until 2006. The Realtors are forecasting that existing home prices could decline by around 2 percent this year, which would be the first setback for an entire year on records that go back four decades.
But Lawrence Yun, senior economist for the Realtors, noted that the expected price decline would still be modest in comparison to the 50 percent appreciation in home prices that occurred during the boom period.
It had appeared that housing sales might be hitting a bottom at the end of last year. However, since that time, the troubles in the mortgage market, which has seen many subprime lenders forced to stop operations, has worsened the housing downturn. Subprime mortgages were made available to borrowers with weak credit histories.motion detector GUCCI smoke alarm China manufacture
"We've been anticipating slower home sales because many subprime loan products are no longer available," Yun said. "Fortunately, a wide availability of conventional mortgage products ... will help stabilize the market going forward."
Yun said the big rise in unsold homes on the market could be an indication that sellers are testing the market in the early spring in hopes of selling their homes and moving up to larger units, which he said would be a positive sign of a rebound in housing.
But other analysts were not as optimistic, expressing concerns that housing could remain under downward pressure for the rest of this year and stage only a modest recovery in 2008.
"The continued decline in existing home sales and the huge rise in inventories put in doubt the hopes that the housing market is stabilizing," said Joel Naroff, chief economist at Naroff Economic Advisors.wow gold Imitation jewelry smoke detector
The troubles in housing have acted to depress overall economic activity which slowed to a growth rate of just 1.3 percent in the first three months of this year, the slowest economic growth rate in four years. Export from china CHANEL wow powerleveling Import from china
For April, sales of existing homes were weak in all parts of the country. The Northeast experienced the biggest decline, a fall of 8.8 percent in April from the March sales pace. Sales were down 1.7 percent in the West, 1.2 percent in the South and 0.7 percent in the Midwest.

U.S., Iraqi troops raid Sadr City again

2007-05-27T03:39:00.000-07:00

BAGHDAD - U.S. and Iraqi troops raided Sadr City on Sunday, targeting Shiite insurgent cells in the Baghdad slum for a second day, while British forces stepped up pressure on Shiite militants in the southern city of Basra.
ADVERTISEMENT The raids came a day before Iranian and U.S. diplomats were to hold rare talks in Baghdad over how to end the violence in Iraq.
U.S. officials accuse Shiite-ruled Iran of training, financing and arming militants here, in a bid to fan sectarian tensions. Iran denies that and blames the presence of U.S. forces here for the violence.
Meanwhile, in Kut, 100 miles southeast of Baghdad, 70 police officers resigned Sunday morning and handed over their weapons. Police said they cited their fears of being targeted by anti-American Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr's Mahdi Army militants.
Al-Sadr emerged from hiding on Friday with a call for Sunnis and Shiites to band together to force foreign troops out of Iraq. Sadr's Mahdi Army militia has repeatedly battled with U.S. and British troops in the streets of Sadr City and Basra.
Hours after Sadr delivered a sermon in the holy Shiite city of Kufa, British and Iraqi troops killed the Mahdi Army commander in Basra in a gunfight. Militants responded with attacks on British troops and Iraqi forces there.
The attacks continued late Saturday and early Sunday when British camps in the city were shelled repeatedly, British troops said in a statement.
The British, meanwhile, carried out an arrest raid early Sunday when their forces were attacked with roadside bombs, rocket propelled grenades and small arms fire, the British said. The troops returned fire, killing three of their attackers. No British forces were injured. The troops also arrested four militants.
In Sadr City, U.S. and Iraqi forces carried out several raids targeting insurgent cells, arresting one suspect believed to be involved in smuggling Iran high-powered, armor piercing bombs from Iran that have been used against U.S. armored vehicles, the U.S. military said. The cell also has sent Iraqi militants to Iran for training, the military said.
During another raid in Sadr City, troops shot an approaching vehicle that ignored their signals to stop, the military said. No one was injured in the shooting, but the vehicle was set ablaze, the military said.
AP Television News footage showed several cars burned and destroyed in the street, including a van that was scorched black, had its windows knocked out and its upholstery incinerated. The footage also showed a house that appeared to have been ransacked.wow powerleveling Shipping agent in yiwu China commodity
Also Sunday, gunmen in two cars threw concussion grenades at a popular market in northern Baghdad and then opened fire at shoppers, killing one person and injuring eight others, police said. Later, the same gunmen ambushed a minibus, killing the driver, stealing the vehicle and abducting six passengers, police said.
The U.S. military also reported late Saturday the deaths of eight U.S. troops, bringing the number of soldiers killed so far this month to at least 100 and putting May on pace to become the deadliest month for U.S. troops here in more than 2 1/2 years.
One of those killed, a Marine, died in combat in Anbar province in western Iraq on Saturday.LOUIS VUITTON China exporter Beijing tour Trading company in yiwu
Three U.S. soldiers were killed in Salahuddin province, north of Baghdad, when an explosion hit their patrol; another died in a roadside bombing in south Baghdad.
Late Friday, a soldier was killed in an ambush near Taji, north of the capital, and two other soldiers were hit by a roadside bomb on Wednesday in eastern Baghdad, the military said.China fair Export from china soccer table

Recruiters corrupt guestworker program

2007-05-27T03:25:00.000-07:00

MONTERREY, Mexico - Standing in the baking sun outside the U.S. Consulate in Monterrey, hundreds of Mexicans wait anxiously for temporary work visas. But even before they were fingerprinted and interviewed for the permit, many had already paid recruiters thousands of dollars in hopes of easing the way.
ADVERTISEMENT Supplying the U.S. guestworker program is a complex and sometimes criminal network of foreign recruiters who extort money from poor migrants and then keep them on the job by forcing them into debt or threatening their families back home.
Employers also are often at the recruiters' mercy, forced to accept workers who could be desperately in debt or simply wrong for the job.
And when their brief glimpse of the American dream becomes a nightmare, some legal guest workers simply disappear, melting into the growing U.S. population of illegal immigrants.
"Everyone has the same complaint. Everyone you see here is in debt," said Gilberto Escalante, a 41-year-old fisherman who swept his arm past at a crowd of migrant hopefuls waiting for visas outside the consulate in Monterrey. "But there aren't any other options. The company calls the recruiter direct, and the recruiter has all the power."
All employers need to do to secure federal permission to hire foreign workers is provide proof that no American wants the job. Once that request is granted, companies rely on recruiters to do the rest, and the U.S. government stands back.
Critics argue the program desperately needs oversight and protections for both employers and workers, but demands for such an overhaul appear to have been ignored in the Senate's tentative immigration reform proposal.
Escalante, from the western Mexican fishing town of Topolobampo, spent $1,500 on fees and other expenses dictated by the recruiter before even beginning the visa process, which costs roughly $200 in consular fees if approved.
Once approved, he climbed aboard a bus dictated by the recruiter, which charged him $110 — double the going rate — to carry him to his sixth year working in the shrimp industry in Mississippi. There, he joined about 500 other foreign workers from Latin America and Vietnam.
Few file formal complaints or speak out against fraudulent practices. It's not worth risking the chance to earn more in an hour than many do in a full day of work in Mexico.
Todd Huizinga, a spokesman for the Monterrey consulate, said U.S. officials alert Mexican authorities when they become aware of suspicious activity, but described the recruiter process as a "private business."
"There is no U.S. law regulating recruiters," he said.
Some are legitimate and provide a valuable resource, charging a fair price for matching able-bodied foreigners to U.S. jobs. But in the absence of regulation and oversight, many overcharge migrants for handling visa applications, and some simply steal the migrants' money without ever doing the paperwork.
This happens on a global scale, but there is no recruiting network more powerful or vast than in Mexico, where the U.S. government issued 90,466 agricultural and other seasonal work visas in 2005, 70 percent of the 129,327 handed out globally that year.
In a recent report, the Southern Poverty Law Center said migrants from Asia and Latin America have signed over the deeds to their homes and faced insurmountable debt and near slavery in return for the promise of a visa.
Mexican law prohibits recruiters from charging exorbitant fees, but it's rarely enforced, and U.S. law is silent on the issue.
Recruiter Rene Urbano says he has constantly fought against abuse and fraud in his eight years matching Mexican workers with U.S. employers. Standing in the shade of a willow tree in the desert outpost of Huachichil, he encourages dozens of potato and apple orchard workers to put themselves on a waiting list, assuring them they don't have to pay until he finds them a job.
Some are skeptical. Other alleged recruiters have promised jobs, only to disappear with their money and passports.
Gustavo Ruiz, a 31-year-old father of two small children, lost $200 to one recruiter who swindled hundreds of people out thousands of dollars and even persuaded one person to give him a car.
Urbano said he never charges his clients more than $85 toward expenses and salaries for his network of Mexican recruiters, and that he works hard to match the right worker for the job. But others will take bribes and send "a taxi driver with a heart problem" to do hard, manual labor in the U.S., he said.
U.S. officials say they do not track how many guest workers drop out once inside the United States. Recruiters and migrants say just a minority leave for better paying jobs or to escape abusive U.S. employers. travel china gas detector China tour China factory motion detector
Guest workers who do quit inside the United States face a range of sanctions, from losing any chance of returning as a legal guest worker to threats from recruiters. Some are forced to sign blank promissory notes that can be filled out for any amount if they quit, enabling the recruiter to demand money or property from their families in payment.
Many U.S. employers want to eliminate the recruiters — who often charge the companies a fee as well — but can't because they don't speak Spanish and lack contacts in Mexico.
Ivan Giraldo, a partner in the Austin, Texas, landscaping company CleanScapes, is an exception. He comes to Mexico and finds workers himself. A Colombian-born U.S. citizen, Giraldo is bilingual and knows the immigration process.
"I like to meet with them and make sure they know they are going to a good place to work," he said outside the consulate in Monterrey, where he was finishing up paperwork for his third batch of temporary workers this year, bringing him to 45 Mexican hires so far.
The AFL-CIO sees cross-border collective bargaining agreements as a solution to recruiter abuse, allowing them to alert employers to crooked recruiting practices and pressure them to use those who are honest.
The union's Ohio-based Farm Labor Organizing Committee set up a Monterrey office in 2005 to advocate for North Carolina agricultural workers, and quickly realized the problems with recruiters were more widespread.
But recruiters proved to be powerful. The office was broken into repeatedly, and information and contacts were stolen. This April, organizer Santiago Cruz was found dead in the office, his hands and feet bound and his face bashed in.
The union suspects his murder was in retaliation for the group's work, but state prosecutors have detained three people who allegedly confessed to killing Cruz for overcharging for a legal visa — something the union denies. Purchasing agent in yiwu Made in china The biggest wholesale market in china
Under international pressure, the federal government has agreed to monitor the case, and send police by daily.
"The problem is that there is no accountability," said a U.S.-based committee representative, Ken Barger. "Everyone is a subcontractor of a subcontractor of a subcontractor. The door is wide open to extortion and fraud." Buying agent in yiwu gas detector

2007-05-25T05:29:00.000-07:00

San Francisco (IDGNS) - Users of Google Calendar can now access their schedules from their mobile phones.wow powerleveling gsm alarm Export agent in yiwu
ADVERTISEMENT Since more people have mobile phones than computers, it makes since to let them view appointments registered in their Google Calendar from handsets with Internet capability, Google software engineer Devesh Parekh wrote in a blog posting Thursday.
When users log on to Google Calendar from their Web-capable mobile phone, they see appoints complete with date, time, location, and description -- all formatted in a way for easy reading on small screens. Users can scroll through the day's events, and also previous and forthcoming events.
In addition, the new service provides a link to Google Maps to find directions, as well as an option to add new appointments.
Missing, however, is a useful option for changing or deleting existing appointments.smoke detector Imitation jewelry powerleveling
Mobile-phone access to Google Calendar complements another from the company that allows users in the U.S. to be reminded of events via SMS (Short Message Service).
The new mobile service should come in handy for users of Google Calendar who use the online service as their primary scheduling tool, but could prove clumsy and restricted for smart phone owners who can more quickly and easily synchronize their complete Outlook or Lotus Notes calendars with their computers.
Another issue is cost: Although the new service itself costs nothing, users must be online to use it and, depending on their mobile data tariff, data connection fees can soon add up.Import from china travel china foosball table Trading company in yiwu Yiwu trading company

Facebook becomes hub for outside software makers

2007-05-25T04:42:00.000-07:00

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Facebook.com on Thursday took the wraps off its highly anticipated makeover from a members-only club into what it hopes can allow it to become a software operating system for all sorts of Internet media.
ADVERTISEMENT The college student social networking site, which opened up to users of all ages over the past year, said it has signed up 65 partners, including Microsoft Corp. and Amazon.com Inc., to build Web applications within Facebook.
Other companies building services within Facebook include photo-sharing site Photobucket, multimedia presentation site Slide, music discovery site iLike, new-style instant messaging site Twitter.com and Web-calling companies Jajah and Jaxtr.
Founded in 2004 by then-undergraduate Mark Zuckerberg as a socializing site for fellow Harvard students, Facebook now has 24 million active users and is growing by 3 percent a week.
The company, which operates under the radar of much of the traditional tech industry, is looking to transform itself from a Web site into what Silicon Valley calls a "platform" -- a foundation service on which many other applications can run.
The No. 2 social network site, behind News Corp.'s MySpace, will allow developers to build services that work both inside Facebook's site and on their own independent sites.
"Until now, social networks have been closed platforms. Today, we're going to end that," Zuckerberg, Facebook's 23-year-old CEO, told a gathering of software developers.
Facebook has developed a fanatical following, despite going relatively unnoticed by many users on the wider Web. Half of its users, or 12 million people, return daily to the site to check on what their friends are saying and doing.
Zuckerberg cited industry data showing how Facebook is now the sixth-most-trafficked U.S. Web site. Recently, growth has surged in Britain. One in ten Canadians has joined Facebook.
The company made these announcements at "f8," a carefully orchestrated event in San Francisco for 750 developers with more the air of a college job recruiting fair than a trade show. It featured an eight-hour "hackathon" showcasing software built by Facebook engineers and partners.
Facebook aims to be a central clearinghouse for software developers, borrowing a few pages from the decades-old strategy playbooks of Microsoft or IBM, while retaining the flexibility of the new generation of Web-delivered servicesmoke detector motion detector GUCCI smoke alarm China manufactures.
For example, Amazon.com has developed "Book Reviews," an application that allows Facebook members to write book reviews, share what they have written with people in their private social networks, and even buy the books on Amazon.com.
Facebook itself has created a video application that allows any user with a Web-connected camera or mobile cameraphone to share live, personal videos with their network of friends on Facebook. Cameraphone users can shoot video on the go and the video instantly will appear on their Facebook profile.
The Palo Alto, California-based company has created a new Web programming language of its own called Facebook Markup, a variant of the basic Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) coding that underlies all Web pages, with a few special features.Export from china CHANEL wow powerleveling Import from china
Independent developers can sell ads or incorporate tools for conducting online transactions and keep all the resulting revenue, said Zuckerberg, casually dressed in surfer sandals.
Executives of Facebook, which in November was widely reported to have rebuffed a $1 billion take-over offer by Yahoo Inc. "I already thought Facebook should remain independent," Zuckerberg said. "This (announcement) just strengthens that."
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Traffic up on gasoline price Web sites

2007-05-25T04:28:00.000-07:00

DENVER - The higher gasoline prices go, the more money business Web entrepreneur Jason Toews makes.
ADVERTISEMENT He started an Internet site, GasBuddy.com, in 2000 to track daily gasoline prices using volunteers to e-mail what they find. "Hardly anybody ever used it," Toews, of Brooklyn Park, Minn., recalled.
By 2004, 1 million people were visiting the site daily, although the numbers dropped when prices went down.
But at the pace hits were being recorded Thursday, the site was likely to break its record of 4 million visitors, Toews said. As gasoline prices have risen, so have the hits on his site and another, GasPriceWatch.com.
"We have had to buy more servers and it looks like we will need more," he said.
GasBuddy.com offers information from 180 locations in the U.S. and Canada, including every major city. The site said the average price nationally in the U.S. was $3.22 for unleaded Thursday afternoon, compared with $2.86 a year ago.
Brad Proctor, founder of GasPriceWatch.com in Centerville, Ohio, said his site has added prices for ethanol, biodiesel, truck diesel and ultra-low-sulfur diesel. Hits on his site have doubled. As many eight people log in every second during peak periods, he said.
Dan Gilligan, president of the Arlington, Va.-based Petroleum Marketers Association of America, said the system is a good idea but warned consumers to remember that if they drive more than 10 miles to save a nickel, they are losing money. He also said there's no guarantee the price will be the same when they arrive.
"Many retailers are getting price increases twice a day. You may have a price increase within six hours," he said.
Other businesses are also tying technology to drivers' increasing efforts to find a deal.
A cell phone provider, Mobio Networks, launched a free service this week telling its customers the cheapest gasoline prices in their area.
BetUS.com, a sports betting Web site, was posting odds of the national average exceeding $3.50 before the end of the year.
Toews' company, GasBuddy Organization Inc., claims to monitor 900,000 stations with several hundred thousand registered volunteers. GasPriceWatch.com says it tracks 170,000 stations.
People can send a message to gas(at)gasbuddy.com with a ZIP code in the text area, and the site will reply with the cheapest nearby stations.
The Web site also has a national map for those planning trips.
Relying on volunteers for price information does have its flaws. People occasionally make false reports of unrealistically low prices, Toews said. "We do monitor them and we take them off and ban the person who sent it," he said.
He also gets calls from time to time from stations embarrassed to be on the list with the highest prices. "They don't want to be seen as gouging people," he said.
Supermarkets and stores such as Costco Wholesale Corp. locations often are the cheapest "because they use gas as a loss leader," Toews said.LOUIS VUITTON China exporter Beijing tour Trading company in yiwu
Calls and e-mails to the Web site lead him to believe the shock of $3 gasoline has worn off.
"People are budgeting for it," he said. "But many people will just put five bucks in until they can find a cheaper station."
Toews said despite its increasing number of hits, the Web site has not made millionaires of him or co-founder Dustin Coupal, an ophthalmologist.wow powerleveling Shipping agent in yiwu China commodity
"But we do have enough advertising to sustain the operation," he said.China fair Export from china soccer table

Tribune faced with tough borrowing terms: WSJ

2007-05-25T04:01:00.000-07:00

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Tribune Co. completed a tender offer for half its shares, but the media company had to agree to difficult borrowing terms, the Wall Street Journal reported on its Web site on Friday.
ADVERTISEMENT Tribune agreed last month to go private in an $8.2 billion deal backed by Chicago real-estate magnate Sam Zell.
Tribune sold more than $7 billion in loans last week to fund the tender offer as part of the deal and to refinance some existing debt, the paper said.gas detector Purchasing agent in yiwu Made in china
But the company had to agree to higher interest rates than planned on most of the debt and to pay down some loans within two years, rather than the seven-year term it sought, the paper reported.travel china gas detector China tour China factory motion detector
A Tribune spokesperson could not immediately be reached for comment.The biggest wholesale market in china
But the Journal cited spokesman Gary Weitman as saying the shorter terms of the debt offering saved on some interest expense. "The company is committed to reducing its leverage," the paper quoted Weitman as saying.Buying agent in yiwu

Newman captures pole for Coca-Cola 600

2007-05-25T02:21:00.000-07:00

CONCORD, N.C. - Ryan Newman and Kurt Busch gave Penske Racing a grip on the front row for the Coca-Cola 600. Now they hope to end Penske's drought at Lowe's Motor Speedway.
ADVERTISEMENT Newman won his 39th career pole Thursday with a lap at 185.312 mph. Busch, showing no ill effects after getting tangled up with brother Kyle in a wreck during last weekend's All-Star race, qualified second at 185.065.
Roger Penske has won 14 Indianapolis 500s as a car owner, and Penske driver Helio Castroneves will be on the pole Sunday. But Penske has never won a race at Charlotte.
Penske was eating dinner in Indianapolis when he got a phone call telling him his drivers will be on the pole for both of Sunday's races.
"We've never done that before. Now we need to win both races," Penske said. "We've come close but never done it."
Newman acknowledges there's pressure to put Penske in Victory Lane.
"He's only been trying here for like 20 years, so yeah it would be special," said Newman, who will make his 200th career start Sunday. "It's been something that weighs on the drivers and the teams."
Elliott Sadler qualified third, followed by Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Matt Kenseth.
Denny Hamlin was sixth, followed by Ricky Rudd, Dave Blaney, Bobby Labonte and David Stremme, giving Dodge five of the top 10 qualifiers.
With the race a 100 miles longer than any other NASCAR competition, the pole Sunday night has less significance. The drama involved who would make the field. With 49 drivers entered, six missed the race.
That included Michael Waltrip, who failed to qualify for his 11th straight race after wrecking during his second qualifying lap.
Waltrip, who brushed the wall in practice, lost control of his Toyota high on the track in the second turn. He missed hitting the outside wall, but his spinning car slammed into the inside wall, ripping off a front tire. The car hit the wall a second time before coming to rest. He was not injured.
"I really struggled hanging on to it," Waltrip told his crew.
Waltrip's teammate, rookie David Reutimann, also crashed and didn't make the field. Jeff Green wrecked in the second turn, but will use a provisional to make the race.
Ward Burton, Kevin Lepage, Mike Bliss and Paul Menard weren't so lucky. All failed to make the race. Trading company in yiwu Yiwu trading company wow powerleveling gsm alarm
Teams who qualified later had the advantage, as the slippery track cooled.
Newman, going out 34th, ran a clean lap and hopes to jump start his season. He hasn't won since September 2005.
"We've been in this position before and haven't followed through. Hopefully the experience will pay off," Newman said.
Busch also used the luck of the qualifying draw, going out next to last.
"Heading out there when it's nice and cool definitely takes some weight off your shoulders," Busch said. "It's great to see the Penske cars 1-2. It gives us a great pit selection and that's important because of the hard tires."
Earnhardt, driving a camouflage-painted car to honor the military for the Memorial Day weekend race, will be in the second row in his first race without suspended crew chief Tony Eury Jr. Export agent in yiwu smoke detector Imitation jewelry powerleveling
But Earnhardt acknowledged the team had been in constant contact with Eury, suspended six races for having illegal modifications to the No. 8 car, throughout the day.
"I don't think the phone ever hung up with Tony Jr.," Earnhardt said.
Jimmie Johnson, who has dominated recently at this track, qualified 21st. Hendrick Motorsports teammate and points leader Jeff Gordon was 32nd. Import from china travel china foosball table

Chavez rooting on Venezuelan driver Duno

2007-05-25T02:12:00.000-07:00

INDIANAPOLIS - Milka Duno and Hugo Chavez bantered back and forth like a couple of flirty schoolchildren. When the two hooked up on the phone this week, Chavez invited Duno to "go for a ride" in his red Volkswagen Bug. Duno countered with an offer to attend a race, drawing a big laugh from the Venezuelan president.
ADVERTISEMENT "Give me a ride!" he exclaimed. "With you, I'll go anywhere."
For many Americans, Chavez is a pompous blowhard, the world leader who called President Bush "the devil" and positioned himself as a righteous warrior against U.S. imperialism.
Come Sunday, though, Chavez will have a rooting interest in that most red, white and blue of events: the Indianapolis 500.
Duno is the first Venezuelan to make the race, not to mention being part of the first three-woman field in Indy history. With her looks and a willingness to sign more autographs than everyone else combined, she has quickly become a fan favorite in Gasoline Alley. Never mind that she has little chance of winning the 200-lap event.
"I am Milka," she said, breaking into a charming smile. "This is my personality."
But Duno's entry into the Indy Racing League also has sparked Internet chatter from those who view her as Chavez's personal driver, someone who willingly pockets his oil dollars — Venezuelan-owned Citgo is the team's primary sponsor — in exchange for helping spread his socialist message.
Duno expresses no political views of her own and shrugs off the chilly relations between her homeland and the country where she races.
"I like to talk about the positive things, the good things," she said. "In my country, there have been many good things that people don't know. My sponsor, Citgo, is doing many good things that people don't know."
Indy Racing League founder Tony George, who has struggled to lure sponsors to the open-wheel series, wasn't about to turn away Citgo's dollars.
"Citgo is a United States company. It happens to have foreign ownership," George said. "There are a lot of companies that have foreign ownership."
Duno makes no attempt to distance herself from Chavez. Most notably, she spoke at one of his massive campaign rallies last October, talking about the importance of education and praising presidential programs that have largely wiped out illiteracy in the South American nation. At the end of her speech, the two embraced on the stage.
"In my country, you see the government trying to help people that have low income, that have no resources," Duno said this week during an interview in her garage. "They help people to get an education. We have free education. Everyone in Venezuela has access to go to school, to go to the university, for free. They don't have to pay anything. This is good."
On Tuesday, Duno and Chavez had a brief telephone conversation while he was participating in a government event in Venezuela.
"We congratulate Milka Duno, this extraordinary woman who will bring the Venezuelan flag to the Indianapolis 500. What a dedicated girl. What dedication!" Chavez said proudly, holding the cell phone next to a microphone inside a packed auditorium.
"You are the one of those people who believed in me from the beginning," Duno replied.
Chavez's campaign to spark a socialist revolution throughout Latin America has led to worries of an economic backlash against Citgo, the American-based subsidiary of Venezuela's national oil company. Already, 7-Eleven dropped Citgo as its gas supplier, a decision that was attributed partly to politics.
But Duno dismissed the critics, pointing out Citgo has provided low-cost heating oil to needy Americans.
In Indianapolis, Duno's more worried about helping build the dwindling Indy fan base, fully aware that she brings special appeal as a woman and a Hispanic.
On Wednesday, she stood under a hot sun for more than three hours, autographing anything that was put in front of her. Her handlers literally pulled her away from the fans, reminding her of other commitments.
"I'm going to call the Indy Racing League and tell them that she's the best ambassador this sport has," said one of those fans, Terry Crowder, who first met Duno when she was launching her career in sports cars.
Duno has plenty of fans back home, too. Pedro Tovar, a newspaper vendor in downtown Caracas, said his customers frequently comment on her success.
"She's a lady, and she's done well," Tovar said. "That's not something you see every day in car racing. She's the pride of Venezuela."
The 35-year-old Duno has four college degrees and got a relatively late start on her racing career, which began less than a decade ago. She had some success in sports cars, including a second-place finish at this year's 24-hour Daytona race — the best showing ever for a woman. wow gold Imitation jewelry smoke detector motion detector GUCCI
With Citgo along for the ride, Duno moved into Indy cars last month, making her debut at Kansas. She accomplished her main goal — making it to the end without any major problems — but finished six laps behind winner Dan Wheldon in 14th place.
"Honestly, I was a little concerned when I was lapping her on like lap 12," Wheldon conceded.
At Indy, Duno crashed in practice and slipped into the field with the second-slowest speed (219.228 mph). She will start from the next-to-last row Sunday.
"Do I think she will be a contender? Absolutely not," Wheldon said. "At the same time, I think she's good for the series."
Duno faces a steep learning curve, which isn't helped by the language barrier.
"She's trying to ask the right questions," said Sarah Fisher, another of Indy's female drivers. "But she doesn't speak English very well, so it's hard to communicate (with the engineers) when she sees things out there." smoke alarm China manufacture Export from china CHANEL wow powerleveling Import from china
Plus, Fisher added, "it's really hard when your second race in one of these cars is the Indy 500."
No matter where she finishes Sunday, Duno might be able to ease some of the tension between Venezuela and her adopted home.
"My country," she said, "doesn't want to have a problem with any country."

Fisher is the other woman at Indy 500

2007-05-25T02:05:00.000-07:00

INDIANAPOLIS - Danica Patrick gets the star treatment, and rookie Milka Duno is IndyCar racing's new glamor girl. So where does that leave Sarah Fisher, who has more Indianapolis 500 starts than both of them combined?
ADVERTISEMENT "I'm just trying to keep getting better as a race car driver and win races," said Fisher, who will join the other two women in the 33-car field for Sunday's 91st running of the Indy race.
It's the first time three women have qualified for the big event, and Fisher's OK with the many questions about Patrick and Duno.
"It doesn't bother me," said Fisher, who will race in her sixth 500 this weekend. "We're in the minority, and, as the minority, a lot of times people will go to each other because of what they have in common. But here we've got some individuals who can stand alone and are doing their own thing."
Patrick grabbed headlines by leading laps and finishing fourth in the 2005 race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway — both firsts for a woman at Indy.
But it's the 26-year-old Fisher who holds the distinction of being the fastest woman qualifier at the Brickyard, posting a four-lap average of 229.439 mph in 2002. And her second-place finish in the 2001 season-opener at Homestead-Miami Speedway remains the best finish by a woman in IndyCar Series history.
Still, Fisher has had a hard time finding sponsorship and a team that would stick with her.
She last competed full time in IndyCar in 2003, the second of two years with Dreyer & Reinbold. She ran only one IndyCar event in 2004, finishing 21st in the 500 for Kelley Racing, and spent 2005 as a developmental driver in a minor league NASCAR stock car series.
She was without a full-time ride last season, working in a marketing job, when Dennis Reinbold, co-owner of the Dreyer & Reinbold team, gave Fisher another opportunity, hiring her for the final two races of the season.
"I said, 'Hey, I'm not doing anything. I'm sure my boss will let me do that,'" Fisher said. "Thanks to Dennis, I'm one of the few that get a second chance."
Finishes of 12th and 16th were good enough to prompt Reinbold to put together a deal for a full-time ride.
Fisher, who qualified 21st in this year's 33-car Indy field, admits she's a little jealous of the big-money teams such as Team Penske and Target Chip Ganassi.
"The one thing that is noticeable for everyone is they've had their program together forever, drivers working with the same engineers, and they're doing (research and development) the year long," Fisher said. "For us to put together a program in January, we're already behind the eight ball."
But Andy O'Gara, Fisher's crew chief and the man she will marry on Sept. 15, believes his team and his future wife can compete. "It's a challenge, of course," O'Gara said. "But you have to set your sights high in anything if you want to be successful. And I think we're heading in the right direction."
Fisher nodded in agreement.
A good run Sunday could go a long way toward keeping the momentum going for Fisher and teammates Buddy Rice, the 2004 Indy winner with Rahal Letterman Racing, and Roger Yasukawa, who joined the team last week.
"I am very comfortable in this situation," Fisher said. "I think a lot of it comes from my maturity, more than anything.China commodity LOUIS VUITTON China exporter Beijing tour Trading company in yiwu
"I was 19 years old when I started, and racing IndyCars is an awesome experience and opportunity, but it's hard to do that your first job out of high school. There's a lot more to racing than just driving the car.
"I'm excited because this month has gone really well," she added. "I wish it would really have slowed down, because I've had so much fun with it."
She's hoping the fun continues for 500 more miles Sunday.China fair Export from china soccer table wow powerleveling Shipping agent in yiwu

Former champ Bobby Czyz Jr. hospitalized

2007-05-25T01:49:00.000-07:00

NEWARK, N.J. - Former boxing champion Bobby Czyz Jr. is recovering from injuries sustained in a fiery car crash more than a month ago.
ADVERTISEMENT The 45-year-old Czyz was pulled unconscious from the back seat of a burning Mercedes in Millstone Township early April 13 after the car went off the road and struck a tree, according to Millstone Fire Chief James Carbin, who performed the rescue with help from a bystander who lives near the accident scene.Purchasing agent in yiwu
"When I pulled up, the engine compartment was fully involved and a fire was starting inside the passenger compartment," Carbin said Thursday.
Czyz was flown by helicopter to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune and admitted in critical condition, according to state police. Czyz was not the only person in the car, and it was not clear if he was driving. State police are still investigating the accident.
Czyz was moved from Jersey Shore to another health care facility, but a hospital spokeswoman, citing privacy regulations, would not say where. His current condition was not immediately available. Made in china The biggest wholesale market in china travel china gas detector China tour
Czyz's driving has gotten him into trouble several times over the last decade. His license was suspended for a total of 20 years in 2003 after his fourth DWI conviction in a span of six years. The Courier News of Bridgewater reported at the time that he had been convicted of drunken driving in 1998, 1999 and 2000 but given a six-month license suspension each time.
Czyz, a New Jersey native, held the International Boxing Federation light heavyweight and World Boxing Association cruiserweight titles during an 18-year career and was inducted into the New Jersey Boxing Hall of Fame in 1997.
He worked as a boxing commentator for the Showtime cable network for about 10 years until 2003, according to a network spokeswoman.China factory motion detector
Czyz finished his career with a 44-8 record with 28 knockouts. He won the IBF title with a fifth-round TKO of Slobodan Kacar in Las Vegas in 1986 and defended the belt three times before losing on a ninth-round TKO against Charles Williams in 1987. He defeated Robert Daniels in Atlantic City in 1991 to win the WBA cruiserweight title.
He was stopped in his final two bouts, in the fifth round to Evander Holyfield at Madison Square Garden in 1996 and in two rounds to Corrie Sanders at Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, Conn., in 1998.Buying agent in yiwu gas detector

Duke lacrosse makes eligibility request

2007-05-24T22:45:00.000-07:00

DURHAM, N.C. - Duke hopes the NCAA will give back the year its men's lacrosse players lost during last season's now-debunked rape scandal.
ADVERTISEMENT The school is asking the NCAA to grant an extra year of eligibility for team members, who played just eight games in 2006 before the university canceled the rest of the season amid rape allegations against three players.
Still — as his team prepares for this weekend's Final Four — coach John Danowski figures the proposal is "a long shot."
"It's unprecedented, so to think that it could happen is probably unrealistic," Danowski said after practice Wednesday. "It's a long shot. I don't gamble, but I wouldn't put money on it. That's for sure."
Danowski said his Blue Devils (16-2) — the top seed in the NCAA tournament — are more focused on facing fourth-seeded Cornell (15-0) in Saturday's semifinals. Still, he said the proposal was about doing everything possible for "the kids who have been through so much."
"And if there's something else that can be done for them, I think that's a good thing," he said.
"Obviously most of the guys would be pretty interested in it," senior defenseman Nick O'Hara said. "But for right now, that's something that's not even really thought about — maybe in the back of your heads a little bit."
It is Duke's second appearance in the national semifinals in three seasons. In 2005, the Blue Devils lost to Johns Hopkins in the championship game by one goal.
Duke was one of the favorites to get back to the finals last year before accusations that three players attacked a woman hired to perform as a stripper at a March 2006 team party. That ultimately led to rape, kidnapping and sexual offense charges against Reade Seligmann, Collin Finnerty and David Evans, while longtime coach Mike Pressler resigned.foosball table Trading company in yiwu Yiwu trading company
But rape charges were dropped against the players in December. The state attorney general dropped all remaining charges in April while declaring the accused players "innocent" victims of a "tragic rush to accuse" by the local district attorney.from china travel china
Evans graduated the day before he was indicted last May. Seligmann and Finnerty were invited to return to school and the team, though neither has accepted.
Duke athletics director Joe Alleva said the university sought the approval of other Atlantic Coast Conference schools before going forward with the proposal. If approved, seniors on this year's team would be eligible in 2007 by pursuing graduate-level course work, team spokesman Art Chase said.Imitation jewelry powerleveling
"The extraordinary circumstances that happened last spring ... were a real unique situation," Alleva said. "We felt it was only fair to try to get a year of eligibility for those kids who lost last season.wow powerleveling gsm alarm Export agent in yiwu smoke detector
"It's in the NCAA's hands now."
The proposal was first reported by The (Baltimore) Sun on Wednesday.Import

Ducks top Red Wings to reach Cup finals

2007-05-24T22:36:00.000-07:00

ANAHEIM, Calif. - The Anaheim Ducks are going to the Stanley Cup finals against the Ottawa Senators after beating the Detroit Red Wings 4-3 in Game 6 of the NHL Western Conference finals. The finals start Monday in Anaheim.
The Ducks relaxed their "10-minute rule" that allows them to enjoy a win for just that brief span before concentrating on what's up next. "It's not something that happens every year," goalie Jean-Sebastien Giguere said Tuesday night after the Ducks won.
"So we need to enjoy it until the end of the night tonight and then we need to move on, focus on Ottawa."
Said the Ducks' Teemu Selanne: "Yes, I think we'll take a little more time to enjoy this, but then we know we'll really have to get back to work. The games will get harder now."
The Ducks, who lost Game 7 of the 2003 Stanley Cup finals to New Jersey, take on the surprising Senators in the NHL championship round beginning Monday in Anaheim.
"I've been there (to the finals) once and we weren't able to win it all," said Giguere, the MVP of those 2003 playoffs. "So these occasions don't come every year. You have to try to take advantage of it."
Giguere, one of only four players from that team who are still with Anaheim, played a big role in getting the Ducks to their second Stanley Cup finals since they came into the league in 1993.
He shut out Detroit for the first two periods as Anaheim built a 3-0 lead, then withstood a three-goal outburst by the Red Wings in the closing period of Game 6.
Samuel Pahlsson's goal with 14:06 remaining proved to be the difference for the Ducks.
Rob Niedermayer, Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf also scored against Dominik Hasek as the Ducks took the conference crown 4-2.
Giguere, who finished with 26 saves, insisted he wasn't responsible for the victory.
"We have almost 25 guys on our lineup, so you need all these guys to win," he said. "And it's always the better group that's going to get out of it, not the better goalie, and I truly believe in that."
The 42-year-old Hasek, who had 25 saves, wasn't so sure about that.
A six-time winner of the Vezina Trophy as the NHL's best goalie during the regular season, Hasek gave Giguere more credit than the Anaheim goalie gave himself.
"He played great. I hate to say he played better than me, but maybe he did," Hasek said. "He stole Game 5, and that was the key to the series.
"You have to be a little bit lucky, and he was. He won the series for that team."
Hasek said wants to return next season, "But I want to talk to my wife and to the family and make a final decision in the next two or three weeks as to what is the best thing for my future and my family's future.
"I don't want to make that decision right after the last game of the season. All I can say is that I love this game and I have a passion for this game."
Giguere had made 36 saves in each of the previous two games. He kept the Ducks in Game 5 until Scott Niedermayer tied it with 48 seconds left and Teemu Selanne scored the game-winner in the 2-1 overtime victory.
The Red Wings outshot the Ducks 16-3 in the third period this time and got one goal from Henrik Zetterberg and two — both on power plays — from Pavel Datsyuk, the last with 3:04 remaining.
"They took the attitude that this was desperation and they started to control the puck," Anaheim coach Randy Carlyle said. "Our counteraction was that we didn't skate. We stood still, and we just kept feeding them the puck.
"It's kind of like a paralysis that takes over your team."
Detroit coach Mike Babcock, who was the Ducks' coach when they played in the Cup finals in 2003, gave them credit.
"Games 4 and 5 where we played at every opportunity to win and let them slip away, that in the end cost us. You have to tip your hat to Anaheim," Babcock said.
"They've got a good team and they found a way to get it done, and they are going to play a good Ottawa team."
Beside Giguere, the other Ducks who were on the 2003 finals team are Rob Niedermayer, who had a goal and an assist in the clincher over Detroit; Andy McDonald and Pahlsson. smoke detector motion detector GUCCI smoke alarm China manufacture
The team also dropped the "Mighty" from their name after Henry and Susan Samueli bought the franchise from The Walt Disney Co. in June 2005.
Two of Detroit's third-period goals against Giguere came on deflections, including Datsyuk's score with 9:52 left.
The Ducks scored once against Hasek on a deflection, and the other three on rebounds.
The second game of the Cup finals will be in Anaheim on Wednesday, May 30, then the series shifts to Ottawa for Games 3 and 4 on June 2 and June 4. Export from china CHANEL Import from china
Notes:@ The Ducks are 7-0 in series-clinching games at home, including all three rounds so far this year. ... All four times the Ducks and Red Wings have met in the playoffs, the winning team advanced to the Stanley Cup finals. This was the first time they faced each other in the conference finals. ... The Ducks and Senators will be playing each other for the first time since Jan. 19, 2006 at Ottawa, when Anaheim won 4-3 in a shootout. Hasek was the Senators' goalie that night. The teams haven't played in Anaheim since Oct. 17, 2003, when the Ducks were beaten 3-0 by Patrick Lalime.wow gold Imitation jewelry

Selanne, Ducks get crack at Stanley Cup

2007-05-24T22:23:00.000-07:00

ANAHEIM, Calif. - The Ducks' Teemu Selanne was quite frightened in the closing moments against Detroit, and quite emotional afterward. Anaheim withstood a late surge by the Red Wings, so Selanne — who turns 37 in July — will play in the Stanley Cup finals for the first time.
ADVERTISEMENT Shortly after Anaheim's 4-3 win in Game 6 of the Western Conference finals, Selanne stood amid the hubbub in the locker room, his freshly minted T-shirt and hat proclaiming that the Ducks were playing for the Stanley Cup.
"This is a special moment for me," he said, smiling but a bit choked up. "I've been watching the finals on TV for so many times, it's great to finally be able to play in them.
"Wow, what a thrill."
The Ducks, who wrapped up their series against Detroit on Tuesday night, will begin the league championship round against the Ottawa Senators on Monday night in Anaheim. Game 2 is on the Ducks' ice Wednesday night before the series shifts to Ottawa for two games.
His career rejuvenated after he underwent knee surgery in 2004 and the Ducks brought him back to Anaheim in August 2005, Selanne was the team's leading scorer with 48 goals and 46 assists during the regular season. It was his most productive season since he had 107 points in 1998-99, during his first stint in Anaheim.
The Ducks won three straight over the Red Wings after losing two of the first three, and Selanne was a major contributor in those games. The "Finnish Flash" had four assists and two goals, including the winner in a 2-1 overtime victory in Game 5 that turned the series in the Ducks' favor.
After Anaheim built a 3-0 lead in the first two periods of Game 6, the Ducks seemed well on the way to their second appearance in the Stanley Cup finals, where they lost Game 7 to New Jersey in 2003.
But the Red Wings didn't go quietly, outshooting Anaheim 16-3 in the third period and scoring three times against goalie Jean-Sebastien Giguere.
After Pavel Datsyuk scored his second power-play goal with 3:04 remaining to draw the Red Wings to 4-3, those final frantic 3 minutes made Selanne afraid he was watching it all — the series, the trip to the finals — slipping away.
"I have never been so nervous and so shaky in a hockey game in my life — and I was on the bench," he said. "We did not want to go back to Detroit. It wasn't pretty, but now, who cares?"China commodity
And when the clock ran out?
"I took several deep breaths," Selanne said, inhaling and exhaling to demonstrate. He and his teammates figure things will only get tougher when they face the upstart Senators, who ousted the favored Sabres in five games in the Eastern Conference finals that ended last Saturday.
"It's not going to be easy," Selanne said. "They're sound all-around. I think it's going to be very exciting."LOUIS VUITTON China exporter Beijing tour Trading company in yiwu
Defenseman Chris Pronger said, "We have the biggest step to go yet. Ottawa's sitting at home and, I'm sure, really eager to get started."wow powerleveling Shipping agent in yiwu
Said fellow blue-liner Sean O'Donnell: "We don't have a sense of anything being complete. Although winning the Western Conference is a feather in our cap, that's not the goal we set in training camp."China fair Export from china soccer table

Leetch retires after 18-year NHL career

2007-05-24T22:03:00.000-07:00

BOSTON - Brian Leetch, one of the NHL's top defensemen who helped the New York Rangers win the Stanley Cup in 1994, retired Thursday after an 18-year career. Buying agent in yiwu gas detector
ADVERTISEMENT Leetch sat out last season as an unrestricted free agent after spending 2005-2006 with the Boston Bruins, when the 10-time NHL All-Star had five goals and 27 assists in 61 games.
"I have been fortunate to be an NHL player since 1988," Leetch said in a statement. "I missed being in the NHL this past season, but believe it was the right time for me to stop playing."
Leetch played one season at Boston College before he was selected by the Rangers with the No. 9 pick in the 1986 NHL draft. He went on to become the defensive cornerstone of the Rangers, who ended a 54-year championship drought by winning the '94 Stanley Cup. Leetch was the Conn Smythe Trophy winner as the most valuable player in the playoffs that season.
Leetch spent more than 16 seasons with the Rangers before being traded late in the 2003-04 season to the Toronto Maple Leafs. He became an unrestricted free agent before he signed a one-year, $4 million contract with the Bruins in 2005. Made in china The biggest wholesale market in china travel china gas detector China tour China factory motion detector
In addition to two Norris Trophies as the league's top defenseman, Leetch won the Calder Trophy for top rookie in 1988-89 and played on U.S. Olympic teams in 1988, 1998 and 2002.
In 1,205 NHL games, Leetch scored 247 goals with 781 assists for 1,028 points, making him one of only seven NHL defensemen with at least 1,000 career points. Leetch ranks first on the Rangers' all-time scoring list for defensemen. Purchasing agent in yiwu

Canadian billionaire buying Predators

2007-05-24T21:35:00.000-07:00

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Craig Leipold patiently worked to build an NHL franchise and turned the Nashville Predators into one of the league's best teams. If they win a Stanley Cup, it won't be with him.
ADVERTISEMENT Leipold confirmed Thursday he has signed a letter of intent to sell the franchise to Canadian billionaire Jim Balsillie for $220 million after losing $70 million in 10 years of ownership.
"I'm tired of losing money," Leipold said. "I found someone willing to step up and invest in this team and make it happen."
The terms of the sale, which must be approved by the NHL's Board of Governors, call for the deal to be completed by June 30.
Leipold has owned the team since paying most of the $80 million for the franchise awarded in June 1997, the first team of the NHL's last expansion phase. Leipold helped negotiate the NHL's new labor agreement, which features revenue sharing for small market teams.
But he had been talking to Balsillie since January and decided to sell after losing $15 million this past season on top of $12 million the season before. The Predators finished third in the league standings this season with a franchise-record 110 points but averaged 13,815 in paid attendance.
"I have come to the conclusion that I cannot make it work here," said Leipold, who became emotional and had to pause at one point.
"We are one of the elite teams in this league, and we are by far the lowest-revenue team in the league."
Balsillie, who withdrew a $175 million offer to buy the Pittsburgh Penguins in December because of the league did not want him to relocate, did not attend the news conference. The co-CEO of Blackberry makers Research in Motion Ltd. said in a statement he is thrilled to have a chance to buy the Predators.
The billionaire said he is respectful of all the "due diligence" required before the deal can close.
"This is still Craig Leipold's franchise until the deal is completed, so for me to comment at this time on any number of topics relative to the franchise would not be appropriate," Balsillie said.
Leipold said he hopes Balsillie's business skill can tap into the corporate support he never found to help him make a profit. He said he made money one year, and that was $640,000. Trading company in yiwu
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It's not that this market doesn't have deep pockets.
Nicknamed Music City USA for the country and Christian music industries, the area features headquarters for Nissan North America Inc., Dollar General Corp. and HCA Inc. Pharmacy benefits manager Caremark Rx Inc., recently bought by CVS Corp., has offices here. CBRL Group, which owns the Cracker Barrel restaurant chain, is headquartered nearby.
Louisiana-Pacific Corp. recently moved its headquarters here and signed a 10-year, $30 million for naming rights to the NFL's Tennessee Titans' stadium last year.
Leipold signed a new naming rights deal for the arena last week after informing the managing partner of the Sommet Group of the pending sale.
"They're trickling in, but not the big hit. There are some major corporations that are just completely missing in action in our business. It's not because we haven't knocked on their door," Leipold said.
Whether the Predators remain in Nashville past the 2007-08 season remains the biggest question still unanswered.
Leipold has until June 19 to exercise a "cure" clause in the team's arena lease that would force the city to buy tickets and ensure attendance averages 14,000 next season. Leipold said he has not yet discussed with Balsillie whether to exercise that clause but will.
Balsillie will have to sign a consent agreement with the NHL including a clause that prevents a new owner from relocating the team for seven years. But an arena lease would have to be in effect to force the new owner to follow that league requirement.
Averaging 14,000 paid attendance in 2007-08 would keep the lease in effect. Leipold said fans easily could help keep the team in Nashville if they turn out for games, because the prospect of relocation is not good for hockey right now.
"They know how hard we've worked in this market and the things we've done, the group that we have and the team that's already here," Leipold said of NHL officials.
Balsillie plans to visit Nashville, talk with Predators fans and "become more familiar with the community" but not until the deal is final.
Coach Barry Trotz, whose option for the next season was picked up recently, said he spent Wednesday night calling players. He hasn't met the prospective owner but likes what he has read of the amateur hockey player. gsm alarm
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"He says, `I want my name on the Cup.' There's only one way to do it, and you have to win it. So I'm really excited about that," Trotz said.

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Ex-Ducks coach and GM returns to Anaheim

2007-05-24T21:01:00.000-07:00

Bryan Murray has vivid memories of the Anaheim Ducks' run to the Stanley Cup finals in 2003. They're back in the NHL championship series, and so is Murray — this time as coach of the Ottawa Senators.
He spent the 2001-02 season as the Ducks' coach, and was their general manager the following season when they made their first appearance in the Cup finals, losing to New Jersey in Game 7.
Recalling how the Ducks managed to win the playoff opener that year against Detroit despite being outplayed, Murray said, "It seemed from that point on the players started to believe they could win. (Goalie Jean-Sebastien) Giguere was obviously great. Somehow or other we found a way to win games in tight spots.
"So I remember very clearly. You don't get that many trips to the finals. That was a great run, great time, and I'm sure when we go back this time the fans will be very much into it and have high expectations again."
Giguere, Rob Niedermayer, Andy McDonald and Samuel Pahlsson are the only players still with the Ducks from that 2002-03 squad, although Murray had a hand in bringing in some of the younger players who have made an impact for Anaheim.
"We traded for Rob Niedermayer, and there are some guys there from when I coached, there are still a few left," Murray said Thursday during a conference call. "So there's always great interest. I mean when they were playing other teams, I watched very closely."
Murray said that Ducks GM Brian Burke and he are good friends, and "It's certainly his team now. I really enjoyed my time there. We had a great staff in the office as well as in the scouting and hockey department. We have some players that they did a heck of a job as far as drafting or signing as free agents out of college."
The Senators are making their debut in the Stanley Cup finals, so a first-time NHL champion is certain to come out of the series that begins Monday night in Anaheim.
The 64-year-old Murray became the Senators' coach on June 8, 2004. After serving as coach of the Ducks for one season, he had become their GM in May 2002 and hired Mike Babcock as coach. Babcock left for Detroit after two seasons and earlier this week was back in Anaheim — where the Ducks beat the Red Wings in Game 6 to take the Western Conference title.
Murray previously coached at Washington, Detroit and Florida — where he was GM when the Panthers made it to the 1996 Stanley Cup finals.Export from china
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He said he's happy he gave up the GM job in Anaheim to return to coaching, which also gave him a chance to go back to the Ottawa area and reconnect with members of his large family.
"The big issue was first of all that I enjoy coaching. I enjoy being around the players on a daily basis, and it was my home area," he said. "The other part was I thought Ottawa had some talent.
"I thought there was a real chance to do what we're doing now."
The Senators' Daniel Alfredsson said Murray's arrival helped turn around the struggling franchise. Imitation jewelry
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"Changes were made and Murray came," Alfredsson said. "He's been able to take us to another level. The biggest thing, we're a much better forechecking team.
"And his leadership throughout our tough times was crucial. He was poised during that time, that reflected on us and that's why we were able to break out of it." GUCCI
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Burke believes his former ties to the Ducks will add something to the finals.
"I guess it's going to be a real healthy competition," he said. "It will be very interesting for me, maybe more than if we would have played some other team. But my focus right now will be totally on Ottawa."wow gold

Champions League betrays its name

2007-05-24T20:37:00.000-07:00

ATHENS, Greece - AC Milan is way off the lead in the Italian League and hasn't won the Serie A title in three years. Liverpool is far behind Manchester United in the Premier League and hasn't won the English championship since 1990. Yet, Milan and Liverpool are playing for European soccer's biggest prize Wednesday, giving the Champions League a bad name.
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It's not really the fault of Milan or Liverpool. The competition simply should be renamed. It's certainly not a league, and it's far from guaranteed a champion will win it. The Champions and Nearly Champions Preliminary Round, Group Stage and Knockout Cup might be a more accurate description of a competition that has changed format repeatedly over the years.
When Europe's premier club competition started in 1955, it was called the European Cup and involved the champions of the major European domestic leagues. As it grew in stature and TV began to take a far bigger interest, however, European soccer's governing body, UEFA, tinkered with the format so teams that made it to the last 16 would play each other in four groups and then revert to elimination play. But the format allowed for the possibility of big clubs getting knocked out during early rounds, and that was of no real interest to TV.
UEFA faced a major problem in the 1990s when the top clubs — mainly from Italy, Spain, England and Germany — were unhappy they didn't make more money from TV revenues and commercial spinoffs. They began to make noises that they wanted to form their own breakaway competition on a league basis.
If they all pulled out, then the European Champions Cup wouldn't be much of a prize for those who were left. So UEFA came up with an alternative to stop the big clubs from leaving. The competition would be reconstructed so the champions would be seeded directly into the group phase and play at least six lucrative games before the knockout round. But UEFA didn't stop there.
Not only did the domestic champions in the big leagues make it into the Champions League but so did the runners-up. Then the third- and fourth-place teams also got the chance to make it through the qualifying round and into the group stage.
The champions of the likes of Denmark, Sweden, Poland and the Czech Republic were overlooked by the seeding process and usually met a powerhouse team early in the competition. The clubs from the Premier League, Serie A and the Spanish league would bulldoze their way to the final stages.
Three Spanish teams made it to the semifinals in 2000, with Real Madrid beating Valencia in the final. Serie A clubs AC Milan, Inter Milan and Juventus reached the same stage in 2003, resulting in an all-Italian final. Three Premier League teams — Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester United — made it to this season's semifinals.
Look at the last 16 of this season's Champions League, when the competition reverted to the knockout format. England had four teams still going strong — Liverpool, Chelsea, Man United and Arsenal. Italy had Milan, Inter and AS Roma. Spain had Barcelona, Real Madrid and Valencia.
Rival coaches have different thoughts on the merits of winning their domestic leagues compared with the Champions League.
"The Champions League is the most important for us," Milan's Carlo Ancelotti said.
Yet Manchester United's Alex Ferguson, Arsenal's Arsene Wenger and Chelsea's Jose Mourinho say they favor the Premier League because it is harder to win. Maybe they would change their minds if they won the Champions League more often.
So why not make the Champions League a true league?
Clubs that reach the final under the current format have to play at least 13 games — 15 if they have to play in the qualifying rounds. So why not scrap the preliminary rounds and take the top 16 champions in Europe and let them play each other on a round-robin basis? It would fit into the same time format.
While it would justify the name of the competition, it probably would not meet with approval from the powerhouse teams favoring the current format. But UEFA's new president, Michel Platini, might go along with it.China commodity LOUIS VUITTON China exporter Beijing tour Trading company in yiwu
He already has decided that the big leagues should have three, rather than four, teams in the competition. That would give the champions of the smaller domestic leagues a better chance of reaching the knockout phase.
Milan and Liverpool wouldn't be in Wednesday's final if it were a champions-only competition, even though the Italian club has won the European title six times and the English team five. One of them, however, will still become champion of Europe.China fair Export from china soccer table wow powerleveling Shipping agent in yiwu

Rangers FC blank Galaxy 1-0

2007-05-24T19:49:00.000-07:00

CARSON, Calif. - Kris Boyd scored in the 56th minute to give Rangers FC of Glasgow a 1-0 victory over the Los Angeles Galaxy in an exhibition game Wednesday night.
ADVERTISEMENT Chris Burke began the scoring play by passing from the right edge of the penalty area to Alan Hutton, who found Boyd from the right flank.
Boyd, who led the Scottish Premier League with 20 goals, beat his defender and scored from 13 yards.
"They held the ball in spots and got us running a little bit," said Galaxy defender Tyrone Marshall. "When we get back to (Major League Soccer), we can use that to our advantage in terms of how we play."
The Galaxy had its best chance to score in the 17th minute. Santino Quaranta intercepted Hutton's back pass and started off on a breakaway, but goalkeeper Allan McGregor made a sliding tackle to deflect the ball.
McGregor, who led the Scottish league with 16 shutouts, also dived to parry Nathan Sturgis' 14-yard shot with both hands in the 68th minute. China tour
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"Even though they were a goal down, their heads did not go down at any stage," said Rangers assistant coach Ally McCoist, the club's all-time leading scorer. "You can see that the Galaxy's a good team, and they'll get stronger as the season goes on." Purchasing agent in yiwu
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Alan Gow made his Rangers debut after being acquired from league rival Falkirk. Gow replaced Nacho Novo in the 46th minute. travel china
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The game was the first of a heavy exhibition schedule against international opponents for the Galaxy, who later this season will be joined by English star David Beckham.Buying agent in yiwu
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Will lottery luck change Sonics' future?

2007-05-24T18:57:00.000-07:00

SEATTLE - Kevin Durant isn't even a SuperSonic yet. Heck, he's not even 19. Yet the dynamic Texas Longhorns forward and likely No. 2 pick in next month's NBA draft is already — probably unwittingly — assuming the role of potential savior for the Sonics' dead-end, 2007-08 season.
ADVERTISEMENT "This is potentially a franchise-changing (event)," Sonics president of basketball operations Lenny Wilkens said after his team won the second pick in the NBA's draft lottery to presumably land Durant. Portland is expected to take center Greg Oden with the first overall pick.
Oden and Durant are considered the only two can't-miss prospects in the June 28 draft. They are the best of the first prodigies forced into college for one year by a new NBA rule prohibiting high schoolers from jumping straight into the league.
Sonics CEO Danny Barth said a "transformation is already beginning" because of Durant's expected arrival.
Bryan Byrnes, the team's senior vice president of sales and marketing, said late Wednesday afternoon that the Sonics had sold about 100 new full-season ticket packages and dozens more partial-season plans since Tuesday night's lottery jackpot.
That's remarkable for a team that's in another playoff-free May after its worst season in 21 years.
Oh, it has also fired its coach and general manager, had its new arena plan fail and is trying to maintain interest in Seattle while courting Kansas City, Oklahoma City and perhaps any other city with a new building to be its new home after next season. After 40 years in the Northwest, the Sonics are only committed to play one more season here.
"The sales volume and call volume the last 24 hours is somewhat unprecedented," Byrnes said, knowing his job just improved from mission impossible.
"It's a gift from the basketball gods."
But will that gift save the Sonics in Seattle?
Durant was the first freshman in NCAA history to win player of the year honors. The 6-foot-9 forward led the Big 12 with 25.8 points and 11.1 rebounds per game this past season, and was the AP national player of the year.
Seattle's NBA fans now have hope that his likely arrival on a team that already has All-Star shooter Ray Allen coming off ankle surgery and slashing Rashard Lewis — if the Sonics re-sign the free agent this summer — will spark local investors to emerge with new alternatives for a new arena.
Owner Clay Bennett's plan for the public to fund nearly $300 million of a $500 million suburban arena in Renton, Wash., died in the state Legislature last month without even making it to a vote. Bennett has since sought new homes for the team across the country.
When Wilkens called the lottery luck "potentially a franchise-changing" event, he didn't just mean improving from last season's 31-51 train wreck of a season. Suddenly, the Sonics are an attractive destination for potential new GMs and coaches. And perhaps key Seattle figures — at least those with the money and power to broker big deals here — are suddenly more motivated to keep a more attractive team.
None have stepped up yet. But Durant won't potentially become a Sonic for another month.
"We needed a boost in Seattle," Wilkens said. "I think this is a big plus for the franchise right now. It's a step in right direction. It keeps all the issues alive. If you are trying to get something done with a building, you want to keep people talking. This is a plus for us."
He said Bennett, who this week told Kansas City civic leaders he's studying bringing the Sonics there, had this reaction to the lottery: "He's very pleased, very excited about it. I think it's a big plus for him and us and the franchise as well."
Bennett is going to have to pay about $1 million more per season to his top draft pick at No. 2 than he would have had the Sonics stayed at No. 5, the position they would have had based on won-lost record alone. NBA salaries are slotted per the league's collective bargaining agreement. The second pick next month will receive $3,476,000 in his first contract year and $3,736,700 in his second. Both of those years are guaranteed. The Sonics will have a team option for a third year at $3,997,400. Fashion jewelry made in china foosball Trading company in yiwu wow gold Trading company in yiwu Yiwu trading company
Where they'll be playing in those second and third seasons remains a mystery. But Seattle may now be an option again, thanks to Durant and the lottery's little white balls. wow powerleveling gsm alarm Export agent in yiwu smoke detector smoke alarm Imitation jewelry
"We've been talking for quite a while that we've been hoping for a tipping point," Byrnes said. "Yesterday it showed up — in the form of ping pong balls."

Pistons, Cavaliers play Game 2 tonight

2007-05-24T18:45:00.000-07:00

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. - The NBA playoffs resume tonight at the Palace, where the Detroit Pistons beat the visiting Cavaliers 79-76 in Game One of the best-of-seven Eastern Conference finals.
ADVERTISEMENT The West doesn't swing back into action until Saturday evening when Utah hosts San Antonio. The Spurs lead that series 2-0 after a pair of wins on their home court. The Jazz have won all six of the postseason games played on their home floor.
The Detroit Pistons usually need contributions from every starter and a couple of reserves to win.
In Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals, Detroit beat the Cleveland Cavaliers with only Richard Hamilton and Rasheed Wallace consistently producing.
"It's a positive that we won, but it's a negative because we didn't feel like we won," Wallace said Wednesday. "That's just the way that we feel, the aura that's in our locker room."
The bad vibe might have stemmed from Chauncey Billups' rough night.
The point guard had only three points and a playoff-high seven turnovers — surpassing his total from the previous four games — entering the fourth quarter Monday night.
Billups said sometimes after lackluster games, watching film shows the Pistons didn't play all that badly. Game 1 against the Cavs didn't fall in that category, though.
"My performance taking care of the ball and trying to set the table, it was pretty bad," he said. "But we came out with the win, and that's all really that matters.
"Good teams win ugly games."
Billups wasn't alone in his struggles. Tayshaun Prince was 1-for-11 from the field, Chris Webber had one productive quarter and Antonio McDyess made only one shot off the bench.
Wallace is confident the Pistons will pull it together Thursday night when they host Game 2, but he's not ready to make predictions. In the second round last year, Wallace said the Pistons would win Game 4 at Cleveland and they went on to lose for the first time after the bombastic forward made a "Guaran-Sheed."
"You only can do the guarantee once a year, so don't look for it," Wallace said. "If I say it, I'm going to say it. If not, don't even ask."
The Cavs might be tired of being asked about LeBron James' decision to pass to Donyell Marshall instead of taking a shot in the final seconds of the series opener. But they're not letting the situation bother them too much.
Marshall was in the same spot on the floor with 2 seconds on the shot clock during Wednesday's practice. He made the shot and his teammates rushed onto the court.
"That's how we are. We joke like that," Marshall said. "That's how we stay loose. We take something negative into a positive. We're going to use that for motivation in Game 2."
With both teams off for two days between games, Cleveland coach Mike Brown expects the playoff-tested Pistons to play much differently in the second game of the series.
"They're going to make adjustments because they're a great team," Brown said. "They're going to get to a point where they're going to get comfortable and they're going to be able to pick us apart."
The Cavs played a part in Billups' shoddy performance. They trapped him with two players just past midcourt, a tactic Billups hadn't seen from them previously. But Brown isn't sure that will work against the All-Star guard again. travel china foosball table Buying agent in yiwu gas detector
If Cleveland does trap Billups, Detroit coach Flip Saunders wants him to learn from his mistakes.
"He held onto the ball maybe one dribble too long," Saunders said. "Chauncey just needs to make quicker decisions, which he did in the third quarter, and then when other guys started making plays."
Perhaps not coincidentally, that's when Webber was most effective. He scored eight of his 10 points in the third quarter, making 4-of-8 shots. McDyess was held to a playoff-low two points as he played with flu-like symptoms.
Billups intends to help his teammates bounce back. "I think a lot of that is going to be on me, trying to get them going on pick-and-rolls and stuff like that," he said.
The Pistons expect James to get himself going after he deferred early, often and late in his first conference finals game.
James was scoreless in the first quarter as he looked to set up his teammates rather than shoot. He finished with a playoff-low 10 points on 5-of-15 shooting and didn't attempt a free throw. Purchasing agent in yiwu China manufacture Export from china Made in china
"He's going to be very aggressive," Billups said. "They're talking about having him shoot free throws and all of that. I'm sure he'll find a way to get on that free throw line the next game."
James said he likes the Cavs' mind-set entering a pivotal game.
"We just believe we can win — on the road, at home, slowdown game, high-volume game — we just have a lot of confidence," he said. "Winning in the playoffs helps that."Import from china Import from china

NBA Magic dump Hill as coach

2007-05-24T18:36:00.000-07:00

ORLANDO, United States (AFP) - Brian Hill was fired as coach of the Orlando Magic, the National Basketball Association team announced, saying the dumped mentor could return to the organization in another capacity. Shipping agent in yiwu China commodity
ADVERTISEMENT The Magic finished 40-42 and reached the NBA playoffs for the first time in four years, but Orlando was swept out by the Detroit Pistons in the first round.
"Brians contributions to the Orlando Magic have been tremendous," team president Bob Vander Weide said. "We appreciate everything Brian did for us as a head coach in taking us to this point."gas detector wow powerleveling
Hill, 59, guided the Magic to their only NBA Finals appearance in 1995, but was fired in 1997. Hill was 76-88 in his second stint as coach of the Magic.LOUIS VUITTON China exporter Beijing tour CHANEL
Orlando has gone through four coaches and struggled to a 303-353 record since Chuck Daly resigned as coach in 1999.The biggest wholesale market in china travel china

Agent defends Portis over dog fighting

2007-05-24T18:21:00.000-07:00

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Drew Rosenhaus is a dog lover. When the agent heard that Washington Redskins running back Clinton Portis seemed to support dog fighting, it tested his loyalty to a client.motion detector GUCCI China tour China factory
ADVERTISEMENT "I've had dogs my entire life and I personally find dog fighting cruel, vicious and evil," he said Wednesday.
Portis was asked Monday about the investigation into possible dog fighting at Atlanta quarterback Michael Vick's Virginia home.
"It's his property; it's his dogs," Portis told a Norfolk, Va., television station. "If that's what he wants to do, do it."
Rosenhaus, speaking at a Charlotte Touchdown Club luncheon, said he talked to Portis about it.
"He said, 'Drew, I didn't mean for the way that came out. All I was saying, I wasn't condoning dog fighting. I wasn't condoning Michael Vick's conduct. All I was saying is that people should give him the benefit of the doubt until he's been charged or found guilty," Rosenhaus said.
The agent then immediately began a public relations campaign to clear Portis' name.
"I like the fact that Clinton stood up for another athlete, but I want to clarify that he in no way, shape or form condones dog fighting or any type of illegal activity," Rosenhaus said. "I spent the last day or so with Clinton trying to get that message out."
Rosenhaus has dealt with controversy before. He represents more than 90 players, including Dallas Cowboys receiver Terrell Owens, Warren Sapp of the Oakland Raiders, Jeremy Shockey of the New York Giants and Chicago Bears linebacker Lance Briggs, who is holding out in Chicago after the Bears placed the franchise tag on him.motion detector China fair Export from china soccer table
Portis' comments, though, led to outrage. In the TV interview, the Laurel, Miss. native added: "I know a lot of back roads that got a dog fight if you want to go see it."smoke detector
Portis has apologized and the Redskins have distanced themselves from the comments.
"It was awkward for me, because it was one of my clients and I'm a real dog lover myself," Rosenhaus said.Imitation jewelry

Taylor follows in Moss' footsteps again

2007-05-24T17:46:00.000-07:00

ALAMEDA, Calif. - Travis Taylor has some experience following Randy Moss, having joined the Minnesota Vikings two years ago after they dealt the receiver to the Oakland Raiders.
ADVERTISEMENT Now that Moss has been dealt again to New England following a disappointing two-year stay in Oakland, Taylor has joined the Raiders to help replace Moss.
"Don't give me that responsibility," Taylor said Wednesday. "It takes a lot to replace that guy. Like I said, it's a great opportunity to be here. It's a great organization and a lot of good things are going on around here."
Replacing Moss in Oakland is a much easier task than it was in Minnesota, where he was one of the NFL's top receivers after making five Pro Bowls in seven seasons. Moss struggled with injuries and focus with Oakland and had career lows last season with 42 catches for 553 yards and three touchdowns.
The Raiders traded him during last month's draft to the Patriots for a fourth-round pick. Oakland used a third-round pick on receiver Johnnie Lee Higgins, traded for Mike Williams and signed Taylor on Tuesday in search of added depth with Moss no longer around.
Last year's leading receiver Ronald Curry returns along with Jerry Porter, who led the team in receptions the previous two seasons before feuding with coach Art Shell in 2006.
"We think that we've created a lot of competition there," coach Lane Kiffin said. "Randy not being there is losing one, but adding three we think that they fill it. I think that if you talk to them, they feel the competition, they feel the guy next to them and feel that some guys won't be here." Buying agent in yiwu gas detector Purchasing agent in yiwu China manufacture
The deal with Taylor came together over the last few days. Kiffin also talked with Keyshawn Johnson, who was released by Carolina earlier this month and announced Wednesday that he would retire to take an announcing job with ESPN.wow powerleveling gsm alarm

"We were exploring," Kiffin said. "I had three good conversations with Keyshawn about it, and it just didn't work out."
Taylor had 57 catches for 651 yards and three touchdowns last season for the Minnesota Vikings before becoming a free agent. A former first-round pick by the Baltimore Ravens in 2000, Taylor has 311 career receptions for 4,013 yards and 22 touchdowns.Export from china Made in china His career numbers are better than any receiver currently on the Raiders' roster, but he knows he has his work cut out for him with so many receivers in camp.
"The numbers don't mean anything," Taylor said. "The only thing that means anything is the eye in the sky. Let your play talk and you go from there. ... (Kiffin) said that there's no certainty in anything. Just come out here and play. Give it all you got and let your play do the talking. He said he's going to play the best receivers and that's all I ask for is the opportunity."foosball table

Column: A new low - dog fighting

2007-05-24T17:38:00.000-07:00

Before Clinton Portis opens his mouth again to make light of dog fighting, maybe he should know something about what he's defending.
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Two dogs, bred to be hyperaggressive toward other dogs, nip and bite each other until one gets a firm hold. With its jaws firmly clamped, it will shake its head violently, ripping the other dog's flesh and tissue apart. This can go on for as long as two hours, the fight only ending when one dog is either dead or has quit. There's little difference, because a dog that quits is useless to its owner and is as good as dead, anyway.
The "winner," meanwhile, doesn't escape unscathed. Gaping, bloody wounds, shredded muzzles and broken front legs are just a few of the usual battle scars.
"This isn't like when you're at the dog park and a couple of Labrador retrievers get into a quick tiff over a stick," John Goodwin, of the Humane Society of the United States, said during a telephone interview Wednesday. "This is something organized, with dogs that are bred for this specific purpose, that just tear each other to pieces."
According to Portis, though, there's "no reason" to go after Michael Vick for dog fighting. They're Vick's dogs and Vick's property, the Washington Redskins running back said. The man should be able to do what he wants.
Portis' comments were as offensive as dog fighting itself. They're the epitome of the permissive arrogance that turns people off to pro athletes. Spinning it, the way agent Drew Rosenhaus tried to do Wednesday, only makes it worse.
Let's leave Vick aside for the moment. Authorities are still trying to figure out exactly what happened at his former home in Virginia, and he's entitled to the benefit of the doubt until the investigation is finished.Import from china Import from china

But Portis is a different story.
During a TV interview Monday, Portis said if Vick winds up being punished, authorities would be "putting him behind bars for no reason — over a dog fight." He added that dog fighting is everywhere, as if that somehow made it OK.
"I know a lot of back roads that got a dog fight if you want to go see it," he said.
There are a lot of things that are available in a lot of places. It doesn't legitimize them or make them any more palatable.
There's a reason dog fighting is illegal in all 50 states and a felony in 48 of them. It's a blood sport, and it's a death sentence for thousands of dogs each year. In Los Angeles alone, more than 2,800 pit bulls and pit bull mixes were euthanized last year, according to LA Animal Services. Even dogs that are "rescued" during raids often wind up being killed because they've been bred to be so aggressive.
Dog fighting is barbaric, reprehensible and cruel.
Some excuse it by saying it's similar to boxing. There's one big difference: Anyone who steps in a ring has made a conscious choice to do it.
"We're talking about live animals here," Goodwin said. "If we're going to have animals in our home as our family members, we have an obligation to treat them right. I don't know if I can get that across, though, to someone who doesn't have a problem with dogs fighting each other to the death."
As soon as his comments got some air time, Portis backpedaled at warp speed. In a statement Monday night, he said he would never condone dog fighting. Sure, just erase everything he said a couple of hours earlier.
The Redskins apologized on his behalf Tuesday. On Wednesday, it was Rosenhaus' turn.
"I like the fact that Clinton stood up for another athlete, but I want to clarify that he in no way, shape or form condones dog fighting or any type of illegal activity," Rosenhaus said. "I spent the last day or so with Clinton trying to get that message out." Shipping agent in yiwu China commodity LOUIS VUITTON
Here's a thought: Maybe that time would have been better spent making sure Portis doesn't say something stupid in the first place.
There's no excuse for what Portis said, and he and Rosenhaus are making it worse by trying to find one. Some things are simply indefensible, and anything that spills blood in a vicious, violent manner falls under that category. China exporter CHANEL This isn't a hard concept to grasp. Senseless brutality is senseless brutality. Whether it's against a dog or a person is beside the point.
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Bonderman returns from DL to lift Tigers

2007-05-24T17:30:00.000-07:00

DETROIT - Jeremy Bonderman didn't need to be sharp in his return. The Detroit Tigers' offense made sure of it. The right-hander gave up four hits in eight innnings in his first game back from the disabled list Thursday, and Carlos Guillen homered twice and drove in five runs to help the Tigers rout the Los Angeles Angels 12-0.
Magglio Ordonez had four hits and three RBIs to take over the major league lead with 45, two more than the Yankees' Alex Rodriguez. Gary Sheffield added a solo home run in the third as Detroit won for the fifth time in six games.
Eight of the Tigers' 13 hits were for extra bases. They lead the American League with 181 extra-base hits.
"It was a good, fun game for everyone," said Bonderman (3-0), who pitched for the first time since May 8 after missing two starts with a blister on his right middle finger.
Bonderman walked five and struck out six to win for the third time in as many starts.
Unlike his first five starts, all no-decisions, the Detroit offense came alive against the Angels.
Bonderman allowed his first three batters to reach base but worked out of the jam by starting a double play and inducing a flyout. Guillen staked Bonderman to a four-run lead when he extended his hitting streak to eight games with a three-run homer in the bottom of the inning.
"I got out of that first inning and the boys put up four," Bonderman said. "After that I just wanted to keep going."
Los Angeles also got runners to third in the third and fourth innings but Bonderman escaped both times. Detroit manager Jim Leyland said he thought about keeping his starter in for the ninth but opted not to risk the blister returning.
"You have to tip your hat to him," said Gary Matthews, who went 0-for-3 against Bonderman. "He pitched very well and got the lead early.smoke detector
"When that happens, it's advantage to the pitcher."
Wilfredo Ledezma pitched a perfect ninth for the Tigers' first shutout of the season.
Ordonez drove in two runs with his second double of the game in the fourth inning to chase Ervin Santana (3-6). Ordonez has driven in 39 runs in his last 32 games, and had his 15th four-hit game. It was his first since May 11, 2004, against Baltimore while a member of the White Sox.
"My swing is really good right now and I'm being more patient and I don't try to do too much," he said, adding he hasn't felt this good at the plate since he joined the Tigers before the 2005 season.
"I'm patient and I wait for my pitch."
His manager is content to sit back and watch the outfielder work.
"I don't say anything to him. I just let him go," Leyland said. "He's hitting the ball all over.
"I don't think I've seen anything quite like it."
Santana gave up eight runs and seven hits in 3 2-3 innings and lost for the fourth time in his last seven starts. The right-hander is winless in five road starts this season.
"He took a half step backward today," manager Mike Scioscia said. "He had no command and he paid the price against a great hitting team like the Tigers.
"His issue is not home or away. His issue is the location of his fastball."motion detector China fair Export from china soccer table
Guillen hit a two-run shot, his third homer in two games, in the sixth off Chris Bootcheck. It was his first two-homer game since Sept. 12 against Texas.motion detector GUCCI China factory
Notes:@Detroit has won six of its last seven series and is 5-1 on its current homestand. ... Ordonez had his team-best 17th multiple-RBI game. ... Angels SS Orlando Cabrera extended his hitting streak to 14 games with a first-inning single. ... Rick Comley, coach of Michigan State's NCAA men's hockey champions, threw out the ceremonial first pitch.Imitation jewelry

Andy Pettitte lifts Yankees past Red Sox

2007-05-24T07:10:00.001-07:00

With several issues swirling off the field for the New York Yankees, Andy Pettitte kept things steady for them on the diamond.
ADVERTISEMENT Pettitte and the Yankees ended a busy Wednesday with a victory over Boston.
Pettitte (3-3) pitched seven innings, Hideki Matsui homered off an ineffective Curt Schilling and New York beat the Red Sox 8-3.
The left-hander allowed one run and nine hits with one walk, lowering his ERA to 2.66 and improving to 14-6 against Boston.
Light-hitting Doug Mientkiewicz also connected and Derek Jeter passed Joe DiMaggio for fifth place on the franchise hit list to help the Yankees take two of three in the series and move within 9 1/2 games of AL East-leading Boston. Help could be on the way soon.
The Yankees, who lost their previous three series, won for the fifth time in 13 games overall. All three games in the series were decided by at least four runs.
"Right now, we don't have a choice. Every series becomes a mini playoff series," Alex Rodriguez said. "You lose this one, it would really hurt."
Matsui drove in three runs, while Jeter, Mientkiewicz and Johnny Damon had three hits apiece. New York roughed up Schilling (4-2) for 12 hits, the most he had allowed since yielding 13 on April 22, 2004, at Toronto.
"Most of the hits were mistakes and they hammered them," Schilling said. "My last 12 innings, I've given up 24 baserunners. It's not just the stretch, it's everything. I've got to pitch again in five days and I've got to figure it out in the next four."
In other AL games, it was: Minnesota 5, Texas 3; Detroit 8, Los Angeles 7; Baltimore 5, Toronto 2; Seattle 5, Tampa Bay 1; Kansas City 11, Cleveland 7; and Oakland 4, Chicago White Sox 0.
Roger Clemens made the second minor league start of his latest comeback Wednesday night, throwing 102 pitches over 5 1-3 innings for Double-A Trenton. If he feels ready, he could join New York's rotation next Monday or Tuesday in Toronto.
Before the game, Yankees designated hitter Jason Giambi met with lawyers from the baseball commissioner's office to discuss his recent comments about steroids — on the same day a report alleged he failed an amphetamines test within the last year.
New York manager Joe Torre said "we have no knowledge" of a positive test.
There also was news on oft-injured pitcher Carl Pavano, who is headed for reconstructive elbow surgery that will probably end his unproductive stint with the Yankees and make his contract a $40 million bust.
Tigers 8, Angels 7
In Detroit, Magglio Ordonez had his 20th two-homer game and Detroit held on to snap Los Angeles' six-game winning streak.
Carlos Guillen and Curtis Granderson also homered for the Tigers.
Mike Napoli's three-run homer in the eighth off Jose Mesa pulled the Angels within 7-6. Orlando Cabrera and Shea Hillenbrand also hit home runs for the Angels.
Chad Durbin (4-1) got the win, allowing three runs and eight hits in five-plus innings. Todd Jones pitched the ninth for his 15th save in 17 chances. He gave up back-to-back singles to Reggie Willits and Cabrera to start the ninth, but got Vladimir Guerrero to hit into a run-scoring double play.
Bartolo Colon (5-1) allowed six runs and 10 hits in 4 1-3 innings, giving up two homers.
Twins 5, Rangers 3
In Arlington, Texas, Justin Morneau homered for the third time in two games and Boof Bonser won his third straight start, leading Minnesota.
Morneau's 14th homer of the season, a solo drive in the third off Robinson Tejeda (4-4), gave Minnesota a 3-1 lead.
Bonser (3-1) allowed two runs and six hits in five innings, struck out six and walked two.
Mariners 5, Devil Rays 1
In St. Petersburg, Fla., Jose Guillen had four hits and two RBIs, Miguel Batista gave up one run in six innings and Seattle handed Tampa Bay its fifth straight loss.
Batista (4-4) stopped a personal two-game losing skid. He allowed seven hits, two walks and had five strikeouts.
B.J. Upton homered for the Devil Rays, who won a season-high four straight before their current skid.
Kenji Johjima made it 3-1 with an RBI double off Casey Fossum (3-4) in the sixth.
Orioles 5, Blue Jays 2
In Baltimore, Corey Patterson stole home at the end of a botched rundown, Brian Roberts went 3-for-3 with two walks, and Baltimore beat Toronto.
Steve Trachsel (3-3) allowed two runs, five hits and three walks in six innings. The right-hander left with a 3-2 lead, and the beleaguered Baltimore bullpen made the advantage stand up.
Chris Ray got three straight outs for his 11th save in 14 chances.
Toronto starter Dustin McGowan (0-2) gave up three runs and eight hits in six innings.
Athletics 4, White Sox 0
In Chicago, Chad Gaudin threw seven-plus scoreless innings, Hiram Bocachica hit his first home run in almost three seasons and Oakland ended a three-game losing streak.
Gaudin (4-1) retired 16 straight from the second to the seventh, and won his second straight start to help the A's avoid a series sweep by the White Sox.
Jon Garland (3-3) gave up four runs and 10 hits in 6 1-3 innings.
Royals 11, Indians 7
In Kansas City, Mo., John Buck and Mike Sweeney each homered for the second straight game, fueling a five-run second inning to lead Kansas City. wow powerleveling Shipping agent in yiwu
Buck added an RBI double and Alex Gordon also homered and drove in two runs to help the Royals win for the eighth time in 10 games and drop the AL Central-leading Indians to 10-13 on the road. China commodity LOUIS VUITTON China exporter Beijing tour CHANEL
Reliever Brandon Duckworth (2-3), who went three strong innings, inherited a lead but was credited with the victory because starter Scott Elarton failed to go five innings. Indians starter Cliff Lee (2-1) also failed to get out of the fifth.The biggest wholesale market in china travel china gas detector

Andy Pettitte lifts Yankees past Red Sox

2007-05-24T07:10:00.000-07:00

With several issues swirling off the field for the New York Yankees, Andy Pettitte kept things steady for them on the diamond.
ADVERTISEMENT Pettitte and the Yankees ended a busy Wednesday with a victory over Boston.
Pettitte (3-3) pitched seven innings, Hideki Matsui homered off an ineffective Curt Schilling and New York beat the Red Sox 8-3.
The left-hander allowed one run and nine hits with one walk, lowering his ERA to 2.66 and improving to 14-6 against Boston.
Light-hitting Doug Mientkiewicz also connected and Derek Jeter passed Joe DiMaggio for fifth place on the franchise hit list to help the Yankees take two of three in the series and move within 9 1/2 games of AL East-leading Boston. Help could be on the way soon.
The Yankees, who lost their previous three series, won for the fifth time in 13 games overall. All three games in the series were decided by at least four runs.
"Right now, we don't have a choice. Every series becomes a mini playoff series," Alex Rodriguez said. "You lose this one, it would really hurt."
Matsui drove in three runs, while Jeter, Mientkiewicz and Johnny Damon had three hits apiece. New York roughed up Schilling (4-2) for 12 hits, the most he had allowed since yielding 13 on April 22, 2004, at Toronto.
"Most of the hits were mistakes and they hammered them," Schilling said. "My last 12 innings, I've given up 24 baserunners. It's not just the stretch, it's everything. I've got to pitch again in five days and I've got to figure it out in the next four."
In other AL games, it was: Minnesota 5, Texas 3; Detroit 8, Los Angeles 7; Baltimore 5, Toronto 2; Seattle 5, Tampa Bay 1; Kansas City 11, Cleveland 7; and Oakland 4, Chicago White Sox 0.
Roger Clemens made the second minor league start of his latest comeback Wednesday night, throwing 102 pitches over 5 1-3 innings for Double-A Trenton. If he feels ready, he could join New York's rotation next Monday or Tuesday in Toronto.
Before the game, Yankees designated hitter Jason Giambi met with lawyers from the baseball commissioner's office to discuss his recent comments about steroids — on the same day a report alleged he failed an amphetamines test within the last year.
New York manager Joe Torre said "we have no knowledge" of a positive test.
There also was news on oft-injured pitcher Carl Pavano, who is headed for reconstructive elbow surgery that will probably end his unproductive stint with the Yankees and make his contract a $40 million bust.
Tigers 8, Angels 7
In Detroit, Magglio Ordonez had his 20th two-homer game and Detroit held on to snap Los Angeles' six-game winning streak.
Carlos Guillen and Curtis Granderson also homered for the Tigers.
Mike Napoli's three-run homer in the eighth off Jose Mesa pulled the Angels within 7-6. Orlando Cabrera and Shea Hillenbrand also hit home runs for the Angels.
Chad Durbin (4-1) got the win, allowing three runs and eight hits in five-plus innings. Todd Jones pitched the ninth for his 15th save in 17 chances. He gave up back-to-back singles to Reggie Willits and Cabrera to start the ninth, but got Vladimir Guerrero to hit into a run-scoring double play.
Bartolo Colon (5-1) allowed six runs and 10 hits in 4 1-3 innings, giving up two homers.
Twins 5, Rangers 3
In Arlington, Texas, Justin Morneau homered for the third time in two games and Boof Bonser won his third straight start, leading Minnesota.
Morneau's 14th homer of the season, a solo drive in the third off Robinson Tejeda (4-4), gave Minnesota a 3-1 lead.
Bonser (3-1) allowed two runs and six hits in five innings, struck out six and walked two.
Mariners 5, Devil Rays 1
In St. Petersburg, Fla., Jose Guillen had four hits and two RBIs, Miguel Batista gave up one run in six innings and Seattle handed Tampa Bay its fifth straight loss.
Batista (4-4) stopped a personal two-game losing skid. He allowed seven hits, two walks and had five strikeouts.
B.J. Upton homered for the Devil Rays, who won a season-high four straight before their current skid.
Kenji Johjima made it 3-1 with an RBI double off Casey Fossum (3-4) in the sixth.
Orioles 5, Blue Jays 2
In Baltimore, Corey Patterson stole home at the end of a botched rundown, Brian Roberts went 3-for-3 with two walks, and Baltimore beat Toronto.
Steve Trachsel (3-3) allowed two runs, five hits and three walks in six innings. The right-hander left with a 3-2 lead, and the beleaguered Baltimore bullpen made the advantage stand up.
Chris Ray got three straight outs for his 11th save in 14 chances.
Toronto starter Dustin McGowan (0-2) gave up three runs and eight hits in six innings.
Athletics 4, White Sox 0
In Chicago, Chad Gaudin threw seven-plus scoreless innings, Hiram Bocachica hit his first home run in almost three seasons and Oakland ended a three-game losing streak.
Gaudin (4-1) retired 16 straight from the second to the seventh, and won his second straight start to help the A's avoid a series sweep by the White Sox.
Jon Garland (3-3) gave up four runs and 10 hits in 6 1-3 innings.
Royals 11, Indians 7
In Kansas City, Mo., John Buck and Mike Sweeney each homered for the second straight game, fueling a five-run second inning to lead Kansas City. wow powerleveling Shipping agent in yiwu China commodity LOUIS VUITTON China exporter Beijing tour CHANEL
Buck added an RBI double and Alex Gordon also homered and drove in two runs to help the Royals win for the eighth time in 10 games and drop the AL Central-leading Indians to 10-13 on the road. travel china gas detector
Reliever Brandon Duckworth (2-3), who went three strong innings, inherited a lead but was credited with the victory because starter Scott Elarton failed to go five innings. Indians starter Cliff Lee (2-1) also failed to get out of the fifth.The biggest wholesale market in china

Phillies win despite 9th inning fiasco

2007-05-24T06:58:00.000-07:00

For the Phillies, the ninth-inning toll Wednesday night included two ejections, two defensive gaffes, an injury to Brett Myers and a blown four-run lead. They regrouped in the 10th, when Abraham Nunez singled home the tie-breaking run with two outs for an 8-7 victory over the Florida Marlins.
ADVERTISEMENT "I've seen a lot of crazy things in baseball," Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said. "It ranks with the rest of them."
"The weirdest inning of all time," center fielder Aaron Rowand said.
"It was a mess," catcher Rob Barajas said.
The Phillies led 7-3 going into the ninth and brought in Myers. After Dan Uggla drove in two runs with a triple, Hanley Ramirez bunted to first baseman Greg Dobbs, who decided against taking the sure out at first and instead went home. His ill-advised throw was too late for a play on Uggla, allowing Ramirez to reach and making the score 7-6.
"I still can't grasp what I did," Dobbs said. "It might be the stupidest play in the history of baseball."
Ramirez scored the tying run in the ninth when he slid under Barajas, who stood waiting with the ball but failed to crouch low enough to make the tag for the game's final out. Barajas and Manuel disputed the call and were ejected, but Manuel later acknowledged TV replays showed Ramirez was indeed safe.
"I couldn't believe we didn't get the guy at the plate," Manuel said.
Two pitches later, Myers threw a wild pitch, immediately grabbed his arm above the elbow and quickly departed for the clubhouse.
"It didn't feel right," he said. "I felt weird out. It was one of those things where, `I'd better not throw another pitch. Something might happen.'"
Myers might return to Philadelphia for further examination, the Phillies said.
In other NL games, it was: New York 3, Atlanta 0; St. Louis 5, Pittsburgh 3; Washington 12, Cincinnati 7; Colorado 2, Arizona 0; San Francisco 9, Houston 1; San Diego 2, Chicago 1; and Los Angeles 5, Milwaukee 1.
The Phillies got their revenge in the 10th.
Jimmy Rollins led off the with a single, advanced on Rowand's bloop single and took third when center fielder Alfredo Amezaga misplayed the ball for Florida's third error.
Nunez's single off Kevin Gregg (0-2) scored the unearned run. He finished 2-for-3 with three walks and three runs scored.
Clay Condrey (2-0) replaced Myers. With the bases loaded, Todd Linden lined to Condrey, sending the game into extra innings.
Condrey pitched a scoreless 10th, and the Phillies climbed to .500 for the fourth time in the past week. They haven't been above .500 all season.
Because they won, the Phils were sheepish rather than distraught.
"It feels like a win," Manuel said. "I don't know how, but we got it."
Mets 3, Braves 0
At Atlanta, Oliver Perez pitched seven strong innings and David Wright hit his fourth homer in the last four games for New York, which increased its lead over Atlanta in the NL East to 2 1/2 games.
Perez (6-3) gave up only four hits and two walks in seven innings. Billy Wagner pitched the ninth for his 11th save.
Chuck James (4-4) gave up seven hits and three runs in 4 2-3 innings.
Nationals 12, Reds 7
At Cincinnati, Ryan Church returned to Washington's lineup with a pair of homers and a career-high six RBIs, keeping the Nationals on their offensive tear.
The Nationals hit a season-high four homers during their biggest run splurge in more than a year. Brian Schneider and Ryan Zimmerman also homered.
Kyle Lohse (1-6) lost his sixth straight start.
Jason Simontacchi (2-2) got his first road victory.
Cardinals 5, Pirates 3
At St. Louis, Kip Wells ended a seven-game losing streak with seven strong innings and was backed by home runs by David Eckstein, Jim Edmonds and Chris Duncan.
All of the homers came off Ian Snell (4-3), who had allowed only two in 58 2-3 innings all season.
Wells (2-8) allowed one earned run on five hits in seven innings. Jason Isringhausen got the last five outs for his 11th save in 12 chances.
Rockies 2, Diamondbacks 0
At Phoenix, Colorado's Jeff Francis allowed five singles in seven innings to improve to 7-1 lifetime against Arizona.
Francis (3-4) allowed only two runners to reach second base. He walked two and struck out four. Brian Fuentes got three outs for his 13th save in 14 chances.
Doug Davis (2-6) allowed two runs and six hits in seven innings.
Ryan Spilborghs drove in Jamey Carroll for both runs on a double and a single.
Padres 2, Cubs 1
At San Diego, Kevin Kouzmanoff hit a two-run homer and David Wells allowed one run in seven innings.
Kouzmanoff homered off Sean Marshall (0-1) to put San Diego ahead 2-1 in the seventh inning. It was his second homer in two games.
Wells (2-2) allowed five hits as he won his first game since April 24. He walked two and struck out five.
Giants 9, Astros 1
At San Francisco, Bengie Molina had four RBIs and the Giants completed a three-game sweep of Houston. Imitation jewelry smoke detector motion detector GUCCI China tour
Molina had two hits including his fourth career triple, and Ray Durham added two RBIs for the Giants, winners of four straight. Barry Zito (4-5) allowed one run and four hits in seven innings.
Barry Bonds got the night off. He still needs 10 home runs to match Aaron's career mark of 755. China fair Export from china soccer table

Matt Albers (1-4) allowed four runs and four hits, walking five in 6 1-3 innings.
Dodgers 5, Brewers 1 At Los Angeles, Brad Penny pitched seven scoreless innings, and Russell Martin tied a career high with four RBIs for Los Angeles. China factory motion detector
Penny (6-1) scattered six hits, striking out four and walking two to lower his ERA to 2.26.
Chris Capuano (5-3) lost his third straight start, allowing four runs and eight hits over four innings with no walks and four strikeouts.

Phillies win despite 9th inning fiasco

2007-05-24T06:45:00.000-07:00

For the Phillies, the ninth-inning toll Wednesday night included two ejections, two defensive gaffes, an injury to Brett Myers and a blown four-run lead. They regrouped in the 10th, when Abraham Nunez singled home the tie-breaking run with two outs for an 8-7 victory over the Florida Marlins.
ADVERTISEMENT "I've seen a lot of crazy things in baseball," Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said. "It ranks with the rest of them."
"The weirdest inning of all time," center fielder Aaron Rowand said.
"It was a mess," catcher Rob Barajas said.
The Phillies led 7-3 going into the ninth and brought in Myers. After Dan Uggla drove in two runs with a triple, Hanley Ramirez bunted to first baseman Greg Dobbs, who decided against taking the sure out at first and instead went home. His ill-advised throw was too late for a play on Uggla, allowing Ramirez to reach and making the score 7-6.
"I still can't grasp what I did," Dobbs said. "It might be the stupidest play in the history of baseball."
Ramirez scored the tying run in the ninth when he slid under Barajas, who stood waiting with the ball but failed to crouch low enough to make the tag for the game's final out. Barajas and Manuel disputed the call and were ejected, but Manuel later acknowledged TV replays showed Ramirez was indeed safe.
"I couldn't believe we didn't get the guy at the plate," Manuel said.
Two pitches later, Myers threw a wild pitch, immediately grabbed his arm above the elbow and quickly departed for the clubhouse.
"It didn't feel right," he said. "I felt weird out. It was one of those things where, `I'd better not throw another pitch. Something might happen.'"
Myers might return to Philadelphia for further examination, the Phillies said.
In other NL games, it was: New York 3, Atlanta 0; St. Louis 5, Pittsburgh 3; Washington 12, Cincinnati 7; Colorado 2, Arizona 0; San Francisco 9, Houston 1; San Diego 2, Chicago 1; and Los Angeles 5, Milwaukee 1.
The Phillies got their revenge in the 10th.
Jimmy Rollins led off the with a single, advanced on Rowand's bloop single and took third when center fielder Alfredo Amezaga misplayed the ball for Florida's third error.
Nunez's single off Kevin Gregg (0-2) scored the unearned run. He finished 2-for-3 with three walks and three runs scored.
Clay Condrey (2-0) replaced Myers. With the bases loaded, Todd Linden lined to Condrey, sending the game into extra innings.
Condrey pitched a scoreless 10th, and the Phillies climbed to .500 for the fourth time in the past week. They haven't been above .500 all season.
Because they won, the Phils were sheepish rather than distraught.
"It feels like a win," Manuel said. "I don't know how, but we got it."
Mets 3, Braves 0
At Atlanta, Oliver Perez pitched seven strong innings and David Wright hit his fourth homer in the last four games for New York, which increased its lead over Atlanta in the NL East to 2 1/2 games.
Perez (6-3) gave up only four hits and two walks in seven innings. Billy Wagner pitched the ninth for his 11th save.
Chuck James (4-4) gave up seven hits and three runs in 4 2-3 innings.
Nationals 12, Reds 7
At Cincinnati, Ryan Church returned to Washington's lineup with a pair of homers and a career-high six RBIs, keeping the Nationals on their offensive tear.
The Nationals hit a season-high four homers during their biggest run splurge in more than a year. Brian Schneider and Ryan Zimmerman also homered.
Kyle Lohse (1-6) lost his sixth straight start.
Jason Simontacchi (2-2) got his first road victory.
Cardinals 5, Pirates 3
At St. Louis, Kip Wells ended a seven-game losing streak with seven strong innings and was backed by home runs by David Eckstein, Jim Edmonds and Chris Duncan.
All of the homers came off Ian Snell (4-3), who had allowed only two in 58 2-3 innings all season.
Wells (2-8) allowed one earned run on five hits in seven innings. Jason Isringhausen got the last five outs for his 11th save in 12 chances.
Rockies 2, Diamondbacks 0
At Phoenix, Colorado's Jeff Francis allowed five singles in seven innings to improve to 7-1 lifetime against Arizona.
Francis (3-4) allowed only two runners to reach second base. He walked two and struck out four. Brian Fuentes got three outs for his 13th save in 14 chances.
Doug Davis (2-6) allowed two runs and six hits in seven innings.
Ryan Spilborghs drove in Jamey Carroll for both runs on a double and a single.
Padres 2, Cubs 1
At San Diego, Kevin Kouzmanoff hit a two-run homer and David Wells allowed one run in seven innings.
Kouzmanoff homered off Sean Marshall (0-1) to put San Diego ahead 2-1 in the seventh inning. It was his second homer in two games.
Wells (2-2) allowed five hits as he won his first game since April 24. He walked two and struck out five.
Giants 9, Astros 1
At San Francisco, Bengie Molina had four RBIs and the Giants completed a three-game sweep of Houston. Imitation jewelry smoke detector motion detector GUCCI China tour
Molina had two hits including his fourth career triple, and Ray Durham added two RBIs for the Giants, winners of four straight. Barry Zito (4-5) allowed one run and four hits in seven innings.
Barry Bonds got the night off. He still needs 10 home runs to match Aaron's career mark of 755.
Matt Albers (1-4) allowed four runs and four hits, walking five in 6 1-3 innings.
Dodgers 5, Brewers 1 China factory motion detector At Los Angeles, Brad Penny pitched seven scoreless innings, and Russell Martin tied a career high with four RBIs for Los Angeles.
Penny (6-1) scattered six hits, striking out four and walking two to lower his ERA to 2.26. China fair Export from china soccer table

Chris Capuano (5-3) lost his third straight start, allowing four runs and eight hits over four innings with no walks and four strikeouts.

Keyshawn retires from NFL, joins ESPN

2007-05-24T06:17:00.000-07:00

LOS ANGELES - Keyshawn Johnson gave up football for a microphone Wednesday, retiring from the NFL and taking his opinionated voice to ESPN.
ADVERTISEMENT Johnson, one of the NFL's top receivers during an 11-year career, agreed to a multiyear contract and will appear on several ESPN telecasts, including pre-game shows on Sundays and Monday nights.
"I've done everything I wanted to do in my career. I tried to find as much as I could to push me back and play football for one or two more years," Johnson said at a news conference on the Southern California campus, where he starred in college.
"I wavered time and time again," he said. "I've lived my dream. Now, I'm going to live another dream. I think today is not as emotional as the last two weeks, thinking about it. There were times there were sleepless nights, wondering if this was the right thing to do."
Johnson turned down several offers to keep playing, including one from the Tennessee Titans that could have been worth $8 million.
Jerome Stanley, Johnson's agent, said his client agreed to terms what he called a substantial deal with ESPN.
"We're very, very pleased," Stanley said, adding that the Titans offered close to $8 million for two years with most of the money guaranteed.
Johnson, who turns 35 in July, said at least a half-dozen teams offered him a job.
"Those guys were terrific, from Lane Kiffin to Bill Belichick to Jeff Fisher," Johnson said, referring to the coaches in Oakland, New England and Tennessee, respectively. "They all wanted me to play football for them. At the end of the day, it just didn't fit into what I wanted to do now."
Fisher said Johnson informed him he was retiring Wednesday morning.
"He let me know that this decision had nothing to do with us and everything to do about him and his desire to move into the broadcasting business and leave his playing days behind," Fisher said. "I've known Keyshawn for a long time and I am happy he is able to walk away on his own terms after a very successful career."
Johnson worked the NFL draft last month for ESPN, which was impressed enough to offer him a job. He was released by Carolina three days after the Panthers took former USC star wide receiver Dwayne Jarrett in the second round.
"When Keyshawn decided to retire from football, we jumped at the chance of adding him to our NFL roster, especially after his impressive on-air performance during the NFL draft," ESPN executive vice president Norby Williamson said. "He delivered passionate opinions and candid analysis, attributes that will make him a first-rate analyst in his new career."
Johnson became the 16th player in NFL history to reach 800 career receptions and the 26th with 10,000 receiving yards last season, when he caught 70 passes for 815 yards and four touchdowns.
He visited the Titans last week, meeting with coaches and watching film.
Fisher, who became friends with Johnson while he played at USC and Johnson was a ball boy, said Monday he thought Johnson's numbers and production spoke for themselves.
"He still played at a high-level last year. He takes very good care of himself," Fisher said. "He hasn't had any injuries per se. Anytime you get a chance to bring an experienced veteran in to add to your roster then it's a good thing."
Johnson was the top pick in the 1996 draft, being selected by the New York Jets. After a good rookie season — 63 catches, eight touchdowns — for a team that went 1-15, he wrote a book: "Just Give Me The Damn Ball," which was well-received by the public if not by his teammates.
He eventually earned the nickname "Me-shawn" for that, but his coaches, particularly Bill Parcells with both the Jets and Dallas Cowboys, considered him a hard worker and versatile clutch player. Parcells once called Johnson one of the best players he'd coached.
But Johnson did have run-ins with Jets receiver Wayne Chrebet when they played together and, less than a year after helping Tampa Bay win the 2003 Super Bowl, Johnson's spat with Buccaneers coach Jon Gruden got him suspended for the final six games of the season. wow powerleveling gsm alarm Export agent in yiwu smoke detector
Johnson then joined Parcells and the Cowboys, where he had two productive seasons, with 141 catches and 12 touchdowns. smoke alarm Imitation jewelry Fashion jewelry made in china foosball Trading company in yiwu wow gold
The Panthers signed Johnson last year after he was released by Dallas in a salary cap move so the Cowboys could sign Terrell Owens. While Owens had 85 catches for 1,180 yards and 13 TDs last year as the focal point of the passing game in Dallas, Johnson performed well as the No. 2 receiver behind Steve Smith in Carolina.

Giambi, MLB meet over drug issues

2007-05-24T06:07:00.000-07:00

NEW YORK - Jason Giambi met with lawyers from the baseball commissioner's office Wednesday to discuss recent comments that some interpreted as an admission of steroids use. Allegations that he flunked an amphetamines test, however, were not discussed.
ADVERTISEMENT "The commissioner requested that Jason come in in response to the USA Today piece. Jason was interviewed this morning," union general counsel Michael Weiner said.
The Daily News on Wednesday reported Giambi failed an amphetamines test within the last year.
However, a person familiar with what went on at the meeting, said it only dealt with the remarks quoted in USA Today. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because those attending agreed not to make details public. The meeting, at baseball's main office, lasted less than an hour.
The New York Yankees' designated hitter was quoted last Friday as saying:
"I was wrong for doing that stuff. What we should have done a long time ago was stand up — players, ownership, everybody — and said: 'We made a mistake.' We should have apologized back then and made sure we had a rule in place and gone forward. ... Steroids and all of that was a part of history. But it was a topic that everybody wanted to avoid. Nobody wanted to talk about it."
The meeting included Rob Manfred, baseball's executive vice president for labor relations, senior vice president Frank Coonelly and Howard Ganz, an outside lawyer.
Giambi brought along agent Arn Tellem, lawyer Brian O'Neill and Weiner, who represented the players' association.gas detector Purchasing agent in yiwu China manufacture Export from china Made in china
Management and players did not agree to ban steroids until late 2002. Testing with penalties did not begin until 2004.travel china foosball table Buying agent in yiwu
An agreement was reached before the 2006 season to also ban amphetamines. An initial positive test subjects a player to counseling and six additional tests for one year.
Names of players who test positive for amphetamines for the first time are not made public.Import from china Import from china

Brewers go from swings to soaps

2007-05-24T05:48:00.000-07:00

LOS ANGELES - "The Young and the Restless" is a good way to describe the Milwaukee Brewers, who are in first place and baseball's big surprise this season. So it seemed fitting that shortstop J.J. Hardy, center fielder Bill Hall and pitchers Chris Capuano and Jeff Suppan taped their acting debuts on the top-rated CBS soap opera of the same name Tuesday.
ADVERTISEMENT "I've gotten more calls about this than I have about baseball in the last two years," Hardy said, his face perfectly powdered to withstand the hot studio lights.
And he figures to get an even bigger response after the episode airs June 20.
"The ladies might be chasing him after this scene," teased Hall, noting that teenage girls comprise Hardy's fan base. "Maybe he can start getting some grandmas and moms."
The players' scene involves them visiting the office of Jack Abbott at a photo op during his campaign for Wisconsin state senate. His sexy colleague Phyllis Newman bursts in and is agog at finding four Brewers in her presence.
Before Abbott's campaign manager yanks her out of the room, she gushes over each player's achievements on the field.
"Can I get her name and number?" Hardy asks in the scene.
The soap opera's casting director sought out the Brewers for the appearance since the show is based in Genoa City, Wis., a real town outside the resort area of Lake Geneva.
"I was a lot more nervous doing this than I would be going out and facing Roger Clemens," Hardy said. "I lost some sleep last night thinking about the lines."
The Brewers rehearsed with actors Peter Bergman and Michelle Stafford before hitting the makeup and hair room, Hollywood's equivalent to a baseball clubhouse.
As Stafford was primped, she pointed out to Capuano that both are lefties.
"I do sports with my left hand and eat with my right hand," he said.
He also explained the differences between right and left-handed pitchers. "Lefties are more crafty, they don't throw as hard as right-handers."
Stafford seemed duly impressed.
She suggested the group go over their lines again. As they volleyed dialogue back and forth, the makeup artists worked their magic and a hairstylist curled Stafford's red locks.
"I have to memorize that jargon," Stafford said. "Pinch-hit, go-ahead single."
Suppan's wife, Dana, along for the trip to CBS Television City, plopped herself into the stylist's chair at Stafford's invitation.
"I have extensions," she confided to the stylist.
"So does everyone else," he said, laughing.
From the other end of the room, a surprised Suppan noticed his wife getting a blowout. "How'd you finagle that one?" he said.
Before Suppan had joined the group, Capuano cracked, "Sup is actually in his own room. He needs so much makeup, he has eight guys working on him."
Bergman, an Emmy-winning 18-year veteran of the show, settled into another chair and announced to the makeup man, "I got a lot of young, studly guys in the room, so make me look good."
Waiting around downstairs for taping to begin, Suppan pulled out the 2006 World Series ring he earned pitching for the St. Louis Cardinals.
"It fits well," actor Joshua Morrow said, slipping it on his left ring finger.
"That's very impressive," Bergman said.
Actress Sharon Case chatted up the players. "Break a leg," she told them before realizing who she was talking to. "Or don't," she hastily added.
After nailing their scene in two takes, the players admitted they liked trading their smelly clubhouse for a trip to soap-opera land, where the women are gorgeous and the men are hunky.
"It was really cool to see behind the scenes how everything works," Hardy said.
Hall added, "It's a great life. Everybody wants to be on TV some time or another. I wouldn't mind doing it again."
Bergman singled out Hall, who has done commercials, as the biggest surprise.
"He was just comfortable in his skin," he said. "The other guys were a little hyped up."
The millionaire ballplayers earned Screen Actors Guild scale of $375 each for about 15 minutes worth of work on a soap that none of them said they watch.
"I might just save that check from CBS," Capuano said. "That's pretty cool."
Calling it a wrap, the group ventured across the hall to check out the empty set of "The Price is Right." Shipping agent in yiwu China commodity LOUIS VUITTON China exporter Beijing tour CHANEL
On the darkened stage, Suppan begged his wife to take a picture of him wow powerlevelingpretending to spin the Showcase Showdown wheel. She suggested he fall down as he spun it, like some contestants do. The biggest wholesale market in china travel china gas detector
Suppan kept his feet on the ground, just as he had throughout his visit to the world of make believe.

Oden, Durant added to U.S. team

2007-05-24T04:26:00.000-07:00

Greg Oden and Kevin Durant are headed to USA Basketball camp. LeBron James' summer plans still seem up in the air.
ADVERTISEMENT The United States added eight players to its roster Wednesday, highlighted by the college stars who figure to be the top two picks in the NBA draft.
"To show that they already have this commitment to playing for the United States at this age is terrific," U.S. coach Mike Krzyzewski said during a conference call. "Hopefully they'll play many, many years for the United States."
Jason Kidd, Carlos Boozer, Deron Williams, Mike Miller, Tayshaun Prince and Tyson Chandler also were invited to Las Vegas for training camp in July, a month before the Americans will try to qualify for the 2008 Olympics.
James, one of the team's captains, has called himself only "50-50" to join his teammates in the tournament because his girlfriend is expecting a baby next month and he wants to rest.
"I've been pretty clear on the fact that the commitments have worked both ways. These three-year commitments, we expect people to honor those," USA Basketball managing director Jerry Colangelo said. "But we have things that come up in life, let's be realistic about that. Injuries, family situations, and so I want to take each case individually.
"At this point regarding LeBron, I think it's hearsay. Because what I'm hearing from his people is something different than what I've seen printed in the papers. So I'm not going to deal with that now. We'll deal with it when it's time."
Colangelo also said Phoenix star Amare Stoudemire called Krzyzewski on Tuesday to confirm his participation. Stoudemire, who had two knee surgeries last year, seemed hesitant to play after the Suns' season ended.
The Americans hoped to have this summer off, but instead were forced to qualify for the Olympics after failing to win the world championships last summer. They lost in the semifinals to Greece, whose bigger guards took advantage of the smaller U.S. backcourt.
Kidd and Williams should help that weakness.
"The international guards, a lot of them are big. It's much more physical," Krzyzewski said. "There's much more physical contact on the ballhandler, and if you don't match that strength you can get knocked back and it affects the way run your offense and defense."
Oden and Chandler add the rebounding and shot blocking that Colangelo sought, Prince is an excellent defensive player, and Miller gives the Americans some sorely needed perimeter shooting.
"There was a rhyme and reason for every player who was an addition to this roster," Colangelo said.
The Americans will gather for training camp from July 20-22, with a blue-white game on the last day. The roster will be trimmed before the team returns to camp in August.
Besides the players added Wednesday, the Americans are also getting back Kobe Bryant, Chauncey Billups and Michael Redd, who couldn't play last summer. The final 12-man roster for the FIBA Americas tournament must be submitted the day before the Aug. 22 start.
Oden and Durant will have a chance to be on it. Even if they aren't, being in camp gives them experience for future international play.GUCCI China tour China factory motion detector China fair "They stand to be prominently displayed," Colangelo said.
The Americans will clinch a berth in Beijing by finishing in the top two in the qualifier. Boozer, back with USA Basketball after playing for the bronze-medal team in the 2004 Olympics, wants to do better than that. Imitation jewelry smoke detector motion detector
"We want to send a message and a tone throughout the rest of the world that we mean business," he said.Export from china soccer table

Selanne, Ducks get crack at Stanley Cup

2007-05-24T01:31:00.000-07:00

ANAHEIM, Calif. - The Ducks' Teemu Selanne was quite frightened in the closing moments against Detroit, and quite emotional afterward. Anaheim withstood a late surge by the Red Wings, so Selanne — who turns 37 in July — will play in the Stanley Cup finals for the first time.
ADVERTISEMENT Shortly after Anaheim's 4-3 win in Game 6 of the Western Conference finals, Selanne stood amid the hubbub in the locker room, his freshly minted T-shirt and hat proclaiming that the Ducks were playing for the Stanley Cup.
"This is a special moment for me," he said, smiling but a bit choked up. "I've been watching the finals on TV for so many times, it's great to finally be able to play in them.foosball Trading company in yiwu

"Wow, what a thrill."
The Ducks, who wrapped up their series against Detroit on Tuesday night, will begin the league championship round against the Ottawa Senators on Monday night in Anaheim. Game 2 is on the Ducks' ice Wednesday night before the series shifts to Ottawa for two games.
His career rejuvenated after he underwent knee surgery in 2004 and the Ducks brought him back to Anaheim in August 2005, Selanne was the team's leading scorer with 48 goals and 46 assists during the regular season. It was his most productive season since he had 107 points in 1998-99, during his first stint in Anaheim.
The Ducks won three straight over the Red Wings after losing two of the first three, and Selanne was a major contributor in those games. The "Finnish Flash" had four assists and two goals, including the winner in a 2-1 overtime victory in Game 5 that turned the series in the Ducks' favor.
After Anaheim built a 3-0 lead in the first two periods of Game 6, the Ducks seemed well on the way to their second appearance in the Stanley Cup finals, where they lost Game 7 to New Jersey in 2003.
But the Red Wings didn't go quietly, outshooting Anaheim 16-3 in the third period and scoring three times against goalie Jean-Sebastien Giguere.
After Pavel Datsyuk scored his second power-play goal with 3:04 remaining to draw the Red Wings to 4-3, those final frantic 3 minutes made Selanne afraid he was watching it all — the series, the trip to the finals — slipping away.
"I have never been so nervous and so shaky in a hockey game in my life — and I was on the bench," he said. "We did not want to go back to Detroit. It wasn't pretty, but now, who cares?"
And when the clock ran out?
"I took several deep breaths," Selanne said, inhaling and exhaling to demonstrate. He and his teammates figure things will only get tougher when they face the upstart Senators, who ousted the favored Sabres in five games in the Eastern Conference finals that ended last Saturday.
"It's not going to be easy," Selanne said. "They're sound all-around. I think it's going to be very exciting."Fashion jewelry made in china Defenseman Chris Pronger said, "We have the biggest step to go yet. Ottawa's sitting at home and, I'm sure, really eager to get started."Export agent in yiwu smoke detector smoke alarm Imitation jewelry
Said fellow blue-liner Sean O'Donnell: "We don't have a sense of anything being complete. Although winning the Western Conference is a feather in our cap, that's not the goal we set in training camp."wow powerleveling gsm alarm

Giambi, MLB meet over drug issues

2007-05-24T01:16:00.000-07:00

NEW YORK - On the same day a report alleged he failed an amphetamines test, Jason Giambi met with lawyers from the baseball commissioner's office Wednesday to discuss his recent comments on steroids.
ADVERTISEMENT "The commissioner requested that Jason come in in response to the USA Today piece. Jason was interviewed this morning," union general counsel Michael Weiner said.travel china foosball table Buying agent in yiwu gas detector
He was not interviewed about the amphetamine report, which appeared in the Daily News. The paper said he flunked the test within the last year.
Asked about the report at Yankee Stadium, Giambi said: "I can't give you an accurate explanation."
Asked about the meeting, he said, "I hope it went smooth. It was definitely a willingness on both sides."
Giambi said no followup session has been scheduled. The meeting, at baseball's main office, lasted less than an hour.
"It's more or less now wait and see," he said.
Yankees manager Joe Torre said "we have no knowledge" of a positive test.
General manager Brian Cashman said commissioner Bud Selig "personally told me that he is going to be looking into this and investigating the situation, and for us to no-comment. And that's what we're doing."
Cashman also said he wasn't trying to trade Giambi, who has a no-trade clause and $21 million in salary due this year as well as next year, the final guaranteed season in his contract.
"That's not something that's currently on my plate," Cashman said.
Yankees captain Derek Jeter said the reports weren't a distraction to Giambi or the team.
"I don't think he's concerned about it," Jeter said. "If it doesn't bother Jason, I don't see why it should bother anybody."
The meeting included Rob Manfred, baseball's executive vice president for labor relations, senior vice president Frank Coonelly and Howard Ganz, an outside lawyer.
Giambi brought along agent Arn Tellem, lawyer Brian O'Neill and Weiner, who represented the players' association.
Tellem and Manfred declined to discuss the meeting.
Management and players did not agree to ban steroids until late 2002. Testing with penalties did not begin until 2004 and penalties for a first offense didn't start until 2005.
An agreement was reached before the 2006 season to also ban amphetamines. An initial positive test subjects a player to counseling and up to six additional tests over the next year, and a second positive test leads to a 25-game suspension.
Gene Orza, the union's chief operating officer, said baseball officials could not confirm or deny the News report because they don't want the absence of a denial in any drug-testing case to be interpreted as a confirmation.
Names of players who test positive for amphetamines for the first time are not made public. The only other player linked to a positive amphetamine test has been Barry Bonds. When the Daily News reported in January that Bonds had tested positive, Bonds issued a statement that neither confirmed nor denied he did.
"I'm upset at the fact how we found out about Barry Bonds' positive test and now Jason's," Yankees center fielder Johnny Damon said. "It doesn't seem like the guidelines of the drug testing (are) being done correctly when anybody can go around and leak something that we don't know if it's true or not and we're not supposed to know until they get in trouble for the second time."
Giambi has been a figure in baseball's drug controversy for several years. He told a federal grand jury in 2003 that he used steroids during the 2001-2003 seasons and Human Growth Hormone in 2003, the San Francisco Chronicle reported in 2004.
Giambi made a general apology before spring training in 2005 but didn't specify what he was apologizing for. The New York Yankees' designated hitter then was quoted in USA Today last Friday as saying:
"I was wrong for doing that stuff. What we should have done a long time ago was stand up — players, ownership, everybody — and said: 'We made a mistake.' We should have apologized back then and made sure we had a rule in place and gone forward. ... Steroids and all of that was a part of history. But it was a topic that everybody wanted to avoid. Nobody wanted to talk about it."
While it would be difficult for baseball to penalize Giambi for using steroids before the 2002 drug agreement, any admission of use in 2003 would be a gray area. Baseball had survey testing without penalties that year — the union is fighting government efforts to link tests with names — and any attempt to discipline players for that year likely would wind up before an arbitrator. Purchasing agent in yiwu China manufacture Export from china Made in china
In his comments to USA Today, Giambi was quoted as saying: "I'm probably tested more than anybody else. I'm not hiding anything." Import from china Import from china

Hill out as coach of Orlando Magic

2007-05-24T00:46:00.000-07:00

ORLANDO, Fla. - Brian Hill is out as the Orlando Magic's coach after two consecutive losing seasons and a first-round sweep in this year's playoffs.
ADVERTISEMENT It was unclear whether Hill was fired or resigned Wednesday, with the team releasing a statement at night stating he would not return as coach. The team said Hill would have the option to return to the organization in another capacity.
"Brian's contributions to the Orlando Magic have been tremendous," president Bob Vander Weide said in the statement. "We appreciate everything Brian did for us as a head coach in taking us to this point, and hope he decides to stay with the organization."
In two stints with the Magic, Hill became the winningest coach in team history. He took Orlando to its first playoff appearance in four years this season.
"We will miss Brian's disciplined approach, game preparation and attention to detail, and passion he displayed as our head coach," general manager Otis Smith said in the statement. "We look forward to taking the next step toward being a championship-caliber team."osball table Buying agent in yiwu gas detector
The Magic finished 40-42 this season before being eliminated in four games by the Detroit Pistons in the playoffs.
The 59-year-old Hill had a year left on his contract, along with a team option for another.
Some fans have been upset Hill didn't give rookie J.J. Redick and 7-footer Darko Milicic more prominent roles. Hill has also been criticized for not helping All-Star Dwight Howard develop a better offensive game since the former No. 1 overall pick was drafted out of high school in 2004.
Hill led the club in the 1990s to its greatest heights — the NBA Finals in 1995 and Eastern Conference championship a year later. The Magic won consecutive Atlantic Division titles those years and in '96 lost to Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls, the eventual champs.
Orlando was one of the league's best franchises under Hill and All-Stars Shaquille O'Neal and Penny Hardaway. But the Magic dumped Hill with 33 games left in the 1996-97 season, a locker room coup led by the now-long-gone Hardaway.
Orlando has still not gotten past the first round of the playoffs since Hill left in 1997.
The Magic settled on Hill's return in May 2005, reintroducing him at a news conference with the "Welcome Back, Kotter" theme music. But the arrangement didn't last long.
Orlando made it back to the playoffs this season, but Vander Weide was unimpressed with their showing. Few expected the series to be competitive, and it wasn't. Orlando lost each game by an average of nine points.Purchasing agent in yiwu China manufacture Export from china Made in china
Hill coached the Memphis Grizzlies after his first stint with Orlando, but never found the same success there. He inherited a team that won just 14 games and went a combined 31-123 from 1997-2000, getting fired 22 games into the 1999-2000 season.
Hill is 298-315 overall as an NBA head coach and was 267-192 with Orlando. He was an assistant coach with the New Jersey Nets and New Orleans Hornets between head coaching jobs with Orlando and Memphis.Import from china Import from china travel china fo

Source: Vincent offered Bobcats' job

2007-05-24T00:34:00.000-07:00

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - The Charlotte Bobcats have chosen Dallas assistant Sam Vincent as their new coach, a person familiar with the search said Wednesday.
ADVERTISEMENT The person, speaking on condition of anonymity because an official announcement had not been made, told The Associated Press that Vincent would be introduced at a news conference Friday.
Vincent will be reunited with Bobcats part-owner Michael Jordan, who has the final say on all basketball decisions. Jordan and Vincent played together for two seasons with the Chicago Bulls in the late 1980s.
The 44-year-old Vincent will replace Bernie Bickerstaff, who also served as general manager in the expansion team's first three seasons. Bickerstaff is staying with the Bobcats in a front office role and has been heavily involved in the coaching search with Jordan.
Vincent, a former first-round pick of the Boston Celtics in 1985, has limited NBA coaching experience — one season as an assistant under Avery Johnson with the Mavericks. But Jordan said earlier this year he was looking for a young coach in the mold of Johnson.Shipping agent in yiwu China commodity LOUIS VUITTON
Vincent spent the 2005-06 season as coach of the Fort Worth Flyers in the NBA's developmental league. Before that, Vincent put together a diverse coaching resume. He coached in South Africa, Greece and the Netherlands before leading the Nigerian women's team to its first Olympic victory in 2004.
Vincent was one of 10 candidates to interview for the Charlotte job. The list included former NBA coaches Paul Silas, Stan Van Gundy and Mike Fratello; NBA assistants Lionel Hollins and Herb Williams; former assistant Mario Elie; and New Mexico State coach Reggie Theus.
Bobcats assistants Jeff Capel and Bickerstaff's son, John-Blair Bickerstaff, also interviewed.
Bernie Bickerstaff said he contacted Toronto general manager Bryan Colangelo for permission to speak to Raptors coach Sam Mitchell, but Colangelo declined. On Tuesday Mitchell signed a new four-year deal with the Raptors, opening the door for Vincent.
Vincent would face pressure in his first season. Charlotte steadily improved under Bickerstaff, going from 18 wins in their inaugural season to 26 in 2005-06 and 33 this season.
The Bobcats will likely have playoff aspirations next season, if they re-sign potential free-agent and leading scorer Gerald Wallace. The Bobcats also have two first-round picks in next month's draft — eighth and 22nd overall.
Bobcats executives have said it's important to quickly become a playoff team to win over Charlotte fans still stewing over the Hornets' move to New Orleans in 2002. The Bobcats ranked 27th out of 30 teams in attendance this season.
A Lansing, Michigan native, Vincent played at Michigan State. Boston selected the point guard with the 20th pick in the 1985 draft and he won an NBA title with the Celtics as a reserve in his rookie year in 1986.China exporter Beijing tour CHANEL
Vincent later spent two seasons with the Bulls, where he played with Jordan. Vincent retired in 1992 after two years with Orlando, finishing with a career average of 7.8 points and 3.9 assists per game in seven seasons.
Hiring a coach will be one of a series of key moves this summer for Jordan, who bought into the team last June. It's Jordan's second chance at running a team after he was fired as president of basketball operations for the The biggest wholesale market in china travel china gas detector wow powerleveling

Keyshawn gives up mouthpiece for mic

2007-05-24T00:06:00.000-07:00

LOS ANGELES - Keyshawn Johnson has caught the damn ball in the NFL for the last time. Johnson, who played a great game and talked one as well during an 11-year career, retired Wednesday despite several offers to continue playing.
ADVERTISEMENT He'll soon be expressing his strong opinions on ESPN.
"I wouldn't trade my career for anyone's," Johnson said at a news conference on the University of Southern California campus, where he starred before the New York Jets made him the first overall selection in the 1996 draft.
"I've done everything I wanted to do in my career," he said. "I just couldn't find one thing that could drive me back to playing football. As I learned from Bill Parcells — the circus doesn't stay in town very long."
Johnson has agreed to a multiyear contract, and will appear on several ESPN telecasts, including pre-game shows on Sundays and Monday nights, and do some radio work as well.
"We're still working on all the different platforms they want me to be a part of," he said.
Johnson, who turns 35 in July, was released three weeks ago by the Carolina Panthers. He said at least a half-dozen teams offered him a new job.
"Those guys were terrific, from Lane Kiffin to Bill Belichick to Jeff Fisher," Johnson said, referring to the coaches in Oakland, New England and Tennessee, respectively. "They all wanted me to play football for them. At the end of the day, it just didn't fit into what I wanted to do now."
Jerome Stanley, Johnson's agent, said his client agreed to terms on what he called a substantial deal with ESPN.
"We're very, very pleased," Stanley said, adding that the Titans offered close to $8 million for two years, with most of the money guaranteed.
Fisher said Johnson informed him he was retiring Wednesday morning.
"He let me know that this decision had nothing to do with us and everything to do about him and his desire to move into the broadcasting business and leave his playing days behind," Fisher said. "I've known Keyshawn for a long time and I am happy he is able to walk away on his own terms after a very successful career."
Fisher became friends with Johnson while he played at USC and Johnson was a ball boy.
Johnson became the 16th player in NFL history to reach 800 career receptions and the 26th with 10,000 receiving yards last season, when he caught 70 passes for 815 yards and four touchdowns for the Carolina Panthers.
He finishes with 814 receptions for 10,571 yards and 64 touchdowns in 167 games.
"I wavered time and time again," Johnson said. "I've lived my dream. Now, I'm going to live another dream. I think today is not as emotional as the last two weeks, thinking about it. There were times there were sleepless nights, wondering if this was the right thing to do."
Parcells became Johnson's coach with the Jets in 1997 — a year after Johnson caught 63 passes as a rookie for a team that went 1-15. Following that season, he wrote a book: "Just Give Me The Damn Ball," which proved popular with fans if not his teammates.
Johnson eventually earned the nickname "Me-shawn" for that, but his coaches, particularly Parcells, considered him a hard worker and versatile player. Parcells once called Johnson one of the best he'd coached.
But Johnson did have a feud with Jets receiver Wayne Chrebet when they played together and, less than a year after helping Tampa Bay win the 2003 Super Bowl, Johnson's spat with Buccaneers coach Jon Gruden got him suspended for the final six games of the season.
"If people are concentrating on one incident that happened in Tampa a long time ago, I think they're looking at the wrong thing," Johnson said.
He then joined Parcells and the Cowboys, where he had two productive seasons, with 141 catches and 12 touchdowns.
The Panthers signed Johnson last year after he was released by Dallas in a salary cap move so the Cowboys could sign Terrell Owens. While Owens had 85 catches for 1,180 yards and 13 TDs last year as the focal point of the passing game in Dallas, Johnson performed well as the No. 2 receiver behind Steve Smith in Carolina.
Johnson worked the NFL draft last month for ESPN, which was impressed enough to offer him a job. He was released by Carolina three days after the Panthers took former USC star wide receiver Dwayne Jarrett in the second round.
"When Keyshawn decided to retire from football, we jumped at the chance of adding him to our NFL roster, especially after his impressive on-air performance during the NFL draft," ESPN executive vice president Norby Williamson said. "He delivered passionate opinions and candid analysis, attributes that will make him a first-rate analyst in his new career."
Johnson said Carolina's decision to release him was a surprise.
"It never crossed my mind," Johnson said. "It'll happen to a ton of other guys. You have to be prepared for what goes on in the National Football League. Once I was released from Carolina, it speeded up the process."
Johnson said retirement will enable him to spend more time with his 8-year-old son, who supported his decision, and 11-year-old daughter, who wasn't so sure.China factory motion detector China fair Export from china soccer table
"My daughter wasn't extremely excited because she has yet to get Michael Vick's autograph," Johnson said.Imitation jewelry smoke detector
On a more serious note, he said: "I need to give something back — watch them grow."
He'll get that chance now.motion detector GUCCI China tour

Strategists weigh alternatives for Iraq

2007-05-23T22:03:00.000-07:00

WASHINGTON - Mindful of long-term U.S. interests, military and diplomatic strategists seeking to salvage President Bush's latest Iraq war plan are beginning to shift gears while buying time for Iraqis to resolve their differences.
ADVERTISEMENT Pressure to show results is growing in the U.S., even as more troops arrive.
Adding to the anxiety is the rising American death toll. The military announced Wednesday that gunbattles and roadside bombs killed seven soldiers and two Marines the day before, bringing the total death toll since the war began to around 3,430.
The top U.S. commander in Iraq, Gen. David Petraeus, in collaboration with new U.S. ambassador Ryan Crocker, is putting the final touches on a document spelling out in new detail how they intend to implement Bush's strategy announced in January. Bush ordered an extra 21,500 combat troops to Iraq in hopes that more firepower in Baghdad would tamp down sectarian violence and enable rival factions to coalesce.
The Petraeus and Crocker plan, known in military parlance as a campaign plan, makes what one military officer in Baghdad called course corrections without changing the basic Bush strategy, which was built on the belief that political reconciliation in Baghdad could not happen until better security was established.
Under consideration is a large and rapid increase in the size of the Iraqi army to fill the security gaps that are anticipated once the extra U.S. troops begin to leave, perhaps early next year, according to an official knowledgeable of the planning. There are now about 144,000 in the Iraqi army; any increases would have to be worked out with the Iraqi government, in part because they would have to pay some of the cost.
National Public Radio reported Wednesday that Petraeus and Crocker want to nearly double the size of the Iraqi army.
During the rocky tenure of Petraeus's predecessor, Gen. George Casey, a greater emphasis was placed on hastening the transition of security, political and economic responsibilities to the Shiite-led Iraqi government, which has battled a Sunni-led and al-Qaida-fueled insurgency.
Petraeus has focused more on identifying hardened sectarians in the political system and security forces and persuading Iraqi leaders to remove them. His new plan also envisions more emphasis on negotiating with elements of the insurgency that are judged to be potentially willing to reconcile, one official said.
Petraeus has said he plans to report to Washington in September on how the Bush strategy is working. One key question then will be whether to reduce U.S. troop levels, which the Pentagon says now stand at 147,000. About another 10,000 troops are scheduled to arrive over the coming month, mainly in the Baghdad area.
The implications of a U.S. failure are grim and extend beyond the politics of a war that, after more than four years of fighting, has drawn most Americans to the view that it was a mistake to begin. Senior civilian and military officials believe the United States has a long-term interest in assuring the stability of Iraq — not just to restore a society that collapsed after the U.S. invasion in 2003, but also to preserve wider U.S. interests.
Pressure on the administration to succeed in Iraq comes not only from the Democratic-led Congress — including some members of the president's own party — but also from the inescapable fact that the U.S. military — particularly the Army and the Marine Corps — are getting worn down by the unrelenting pace of fighting.
Deputy White House spokesman Tony Fratto said the Petraeus plan is not a new war strategy.
"These are the tactics designed to help make the (existing) strategy work," he said, adding that it "will be completed soon, in consultation with officials in Washington." The Washington Post, which was first to report on the plan in its Wednesday editions, said it is scheduled to be finished by the end of the month.
"The report is classified because we don't want to signal all of our intended plans to those trying to defeat the U.S., coalition and Iraqis who are trying to create a stable and secure Iraq, therefore, we're not going to discuss details.," Fratto said.
Frederick Kagan of the American Enterprise Institute think tank, who returned last week from a weeklong visit to Iraq, said in an interview that it was to be expected that Petraeus and Crocker would do a "soup-to-nuts reassessment" of the situation this spring, since they arrived after the strategy was already in place.
Kagan, who said he has not seen the campaign plan, said he sees little chance of — or reason to — switch strategies.
"I don't think there's another viable military option in Iraq at this point that differs dramatically from what we're doing," Kagan said.
Stephen Biddle, a military expert at the Council of Foreign Relations and a member of an assessment team whose work was used by Petraeus and Crocker to develop their new plan, said in an interview that expanding the size of the Iraqi army will be difficult, mainly because of the sectarian tensions that have hardened over time.
"It's hard to get a non-sectarian military to begin with," let alone expand it quickly, he said, stressing that he was offering his personal view and was not authorized to discuss the work he did for Petreaus and Crocker.
U.S. officials say security is improving as thousands more U.S. troops arrive in Baghdad neighborhoods, but they acknowledge that more gains are needed and that the Iraqi government must move faster to fulfill its obligation to pass key legislation and take other actions, including eliminating sectarian death squads.
Adm. William Fallon, the top U.S. commander in the Middle East, told a congressional panel May 3 that he has asked his staff to take a longer-term look at Iraq to consider what kind of relationship is possible.
"I envision that we will want to be — and we will be asked to be — in Iraq for some period of time," Fallon said. He referred to "an enduring presence" of U.S. forces in Iraq, not to fight insurgents but to train Iraqis and to support their developing ground, sea and air forces in ways that U.S. forces do elsewhere on the globe. motion detector China fair Export from china soccer table
Defense Secretary Robert Gates spoke two weeks ago of U.S. forces remaining in Iraq "for a protracted period of time," with Iraqi government agreement, to provide logistical and other kinds of support. Imitation jewelry smoke detector motion detector
But those kinds of long-term arrangements may not be possible unless the situation in Baghdad is fixed soon.GUCCI China tour China factory

Climate change to spur allergies, ticks, malaria: U.N.

2007-05-23T06:01:00.000-07:00

GENEVA (Reuters) - Climate change could extend the pollen season and encourage more disease-carrying ticks in northern Europe, and allow mosquitoes to thrive in new areas of Africa and Asia, public health officials said this week.Trading company in yiwu

ADVERTISEMENT Experts at the World Health Organization's (WHO) annual assembly in Geneva said global warming had already begun to impact on patterns of water-borne and parasitic illness in areas vulnerable to droughts and floods.
Respiratory and heart problems may become more marked following heat waves and increased particulate matter such as dust in the air, said Bettina Menne of the WHO's European division. She noted allergy-causing pollen could be released earlier and last longer with warmer temperatures.
She cited the movement of ticks, small mites that can spread lyme disease, into northern Europe as an example of new health challenges that will accompany the continual heating-up of the Earth, a phenomenon scientists have linked to human activity.
"Climate change has already affected human health," she told a WHO technical meeting on Monday evening.
Outbreaks of cholera and malaria in the developing world were a result of environmental shifts affecting parasites and water sources, she said.Export agent in yiwu smoke detector smoke alarm Imitation jewelry
South Asia was described in the session as particularly at risk because of its flood-prone low-lying countries such as Bangladesh, melting Himalayan glaciers, desert areas and large coastal cities, where climate change could facilitate disease transmission and exacerbate malnutrition pressures.
Maria Neira, the WHO's director for public health and the environment, said it was critical for policy-makers to remember that climate change would have a broader impact than often-discussed environmental and economic threats.
Health experts should be more involved in decision-making on energy use and conservation, and should impress upon political leaders the need for more emergency preparedness in health, such as the fast distribution of malaria nets and drugs, Neira said.Fashion jewelry made in china foosball "The health community, more and more, needs to influence and be present when those decisions are taken," she said.wow powerleveling gsm alarm

Eating Apples, Fish During Pregnancy Protects Kids From Allergies, Asthma

2007-05-23T05:50:00.000-07:00

MONDAY, May 21 (HealthDay News) -- Filling up on apples and fish during pregnancy might protect your child from developing asthma and allergic diseases, a new study shows.
ADVERTISEMENT Researchers from the Netherlands and Scotland have found that eating apples throughout pregnancy may protect against wheezing and asthma in 5-year-old children, while fish consumption may lower the risk of eczema, an allergic skin condition. The findings were to be presented Sunday at the American Thoracic Society's International Conference in San Francisco.
"To our knowledge, we are one of the first studies evaluating the influence of maternal consumption of so many different foods and food groups during pregnancy on childhood asthma and allergic disease," said study author Saskia Willers, a doctoral student at Utrecht University in the Netherlands.
Previous studies in the same group of children, part of the SEATON birth cohort conducted at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland, found that maternal intake of vitamins E and D, and zinc during pregnancy may also lower the risk of asthma, wheezing and eczema. For this study, the researchers looked at how eating different foods, rather than individual nutrients, during pregnancy impacted these children.
The researchers studied 1,212 children born to women who had filled out food questionnaires 32 weeks into their pregnancy. When the children were 5, the mothers filled out another questionnaire about their child's respiratory symptoms and allergies, as well as a survey about their child's food consumption. The children were also given lung function and allergy tests.
The study found that children of women who ate more apples and fish during their pregnancy were less likely to develop asthma or allergic disease. Specifically, children of women who ate fish once or more a week were 43 percent less likely to have had eczema at age 5 than children of mothers who never ate fish. Those whose mothers ate more than four apples a week during pregnancy were 37 percent less likely to have ever wheezed, 46 percent less likely to have had asthma symptoms, and 53 percent less likely to have had doctor-confirmed asthma compared to children of mothers who ate one or no apples a week.
"We were quite surprised to see a protective effect of apples, because, to our knowledge, no other study had seen that before," said Willers. "For fish, there is an earlier study that found a protective effect of maternal fish intake during pregnancy on childhood asthma."
No protective effect was found against asthma or allergic diseases from many other foods, including vegetables, fruit juice, citrus or kiwi fruit, whole grain products, fat from dairy products or margarine or other low-fat spreads.
The study speculated that apples may be beneficial because they contain flavonoids, which have been associated with a reduced risk of asthma in other studies, while fish's protective effect may be due to their omega-3 fatty acids.
"The authors' explanations are plausible," said Dr. Carlos Camargo, an associate professor of medicine and epidemiology at Harvard Medical School. "It's curious, however, why only apples would be protective, since flavonoids are present in other foods. This will require further work. The first step, however, is to see if other investigators find the same associations in other birth cohorts."
Dr. Augusto A. Litonjua, an assistant professor at Harvard Medical School, said this study adds to the growing literature that prenatal factors, specifically maternal diet during pregnancy, can affect the development of wheezing illnesses, asthma and allergies in young children.
It's too early, though, to recommend how much fish and apples pregnant women should eat, Willers said. Rather, it's important for them to follow a healthy, balanced diet.
Connie Diekman, director of university nutrition at Washington University in St. Louis, added that pregnant women should be careful about not eating too much fish because of the potential mercury and other pollutants in fish.Buying agent in yiwu gas detector Purchasing agent in yiwu China manufacture Export from china Made in china
"The study supports the health benefits of increased fruits, vegetables and fish, but pregnant women need to exercise caution with king mackerel, tilefish, shark and swordfish, and should limit albacore tuna to 6 ounces per week," she said.Import from china travel china foosball table
Litonjua added that in addition to a healthy diet, pregnant women should also take prenatal vitamins with folic acid and abstain from smoking and drinking to maximize the health of their growing fetus, and subsequently their young child.Import from china

Catastrophic Comet Chilled and Killed Ice Age Beasts

2007-05-23T05:41:00.000-07:00

An extraterrestrial object with a three-mile girth might have exploded over southern Canada nearly 13,000 years ago, wiping out an ancient Stone Age culture as well as megafauna like mastodons and mammoths.
The blast could be to blame for a major cold spell called the Younger Dryas that occurred at the end of the Pleistocene Epoch, a period of time spanning from about 1.8 million years ago to 11,500 years ago.
Research, presented today at a meeting of the American Geophysical Union (AGU) in Acapulco, Mexico, could shed light on major questions about the megafauna extinction, the disappearance of the Clovis people, and an abrupt climate change.
“Based on the distribution of material, it looks like this impact probably occurred in southern Canada near the Great Lakes, over what at that time would have been a major glacier, the Laurentide ice sheet,” said one of the presenters, Richard Firestone of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
Comet chemistry
They couldn’t find a distinct crater, suggesting the comet burst in the air rather than slamming into Earth. Even an airburst should leave its mark, so the scientists think the Laurentide Ice Sheet absorbed much of the impact.
A much smaller object burst in the air over Siberia in 1908, flattening 800 square miles of forest
Firestone and his colleagues investigated buried carbon-rich layers dating back 12,900 years and blanketing more than 50 areas that span from California through Canada and into Belgium. They found a slew of extraterrestrial markers, including nanodiamonds, which are formed by energetic explosions in space, elevated amounts of the rare element iridium and tiny capsules of glass-like carbon.
“Glass-like carbon is essentially carbon that’s been melted at very high temperatures,” like those from a comet impact, Firestone explained. They also found elevated levels of the rare Earth element iridium that are too high to be from Earth.
Mega die-off
During the last catastrophic animal extinction, more than three-fourths of the large Ice Age animals, including woolly mammoths, mastodons, saber-toothed tigers and giant bears, died out. Scientists have debated for years over the cause of the extinction, with both of the major hypotheses—human overhunting and climate change—insufficient to account for the mega die-off.
An extraterrestrial explosion could have triggered a wave of massive wildfires that reduced to ashes the mastodons of the day, say the scientists. At one site called Murray Springs in Arizona, a well-known Clovis site, the scientists found megafauna covered by the comet debris. wow powerleveling Shipping agent in yiwu China commodity
“This black mat drapes over the bones of partially butchered mammoths as if somebody was in the process of working on these animals while they were actually killed,” Firestone told LiveScience in a telephone interview. “And between this black mat and the bones of this mammoth we find this ejecta layer. So it’s as if the [impact] event occurred right on top of these mammoth bones and then this black mat occurs on top of that.”
Once put out, the fires would have left a barren landscape devoid of food for any remaining animals.
“I would argue that most of the megafauna either died or starved after this thing,” Firestone said. “But certainly there must’ve been pockets of survival of large animals even mammoths that may have survived for thousands of years beyond that, ultimately to be hunted to death or whatever happened to them.”
Chill out
The comet theory could also explain the abrupt plunge in temperatures during the Younger Dryas period. Presenters at this AGU symposium argue that the comet impact or explosion would have heated up the area, causing the Laurentide Ice Sheet to melt and send massive amounts of water into the Atlantic Ocean. The input would affect ocean currents, which are responsible for keeping the atmosphere at livable temperatures.
Plus, the massive wildfires would have loaded the atmosphere with Sun-blocking dust, soot, water vapor and nitric oxides. The result would be the abrupt climate cooling.LOUIS VUITTON
The evidence for a comet impact is substantial. China exporter Beijing tour CHANEL
“I think the fact that there’s an impact is pretty definite. There are too many markers there for it all to be coincidence or happenstance explanations,” Firestone said, adding, “What will be debated is whether the extent of the impact was sufficient for instance to kill all of the megafauna or whether other factors were also equally important.” The biggest wholesale market in china travel china gas detector

Get Ready to Pay for Peanuts

2007-05-23T05:30:00.000-07:00

For years, airlines have sought to emulate the low-fare, low-cost business model of Southwest Airlines, the much-studied pioneer in the cutthroat aviation game. Terror attacks? Exorbitant jet fuel costs? Little matter, the profits still flowed at Southwest (NYSE:LUV - News), as its ultrafrugal ways kept pace with expenses.
ADVERTISEMENT Now a new generation of discount carriers is set to make Southwest look downright generous. The latest breed is borrowing a page from Ryanair (NasdaqGS:RYAAY - News), the Irish carrier that roiled airlines across the continent with near-zero fares and scant amenities--and became the biggest European airline in the process. They're charging for seat assignments, checked bags, early boarding, and more. Want some water? Get your wallet.
Hop on the Skybus
The latest entrant in this niche of extreme budget travel, Skybus Airlines, takes to the air on May 22. The Columbus (Ohio) company is led by a small band of commercial airline veterans, including several from Southwest. Its pitch is based on using second-tier airports, lean staffing, Internet-based ticketing, revenue from beer and snack sales--and super-cheap fares starting at $10.
Skybus will at first fly from its Columbus hub to three cities: Burbank, Calif., Kansas City, Mo., and Portsmouth, N.H. It expects to expand to eight cities nationwide by June 12, with further expansion through 2012, when it will have a fleet of 80 jets. The company will zealously avoid major airports in cities including Atlanta, Chicago, and New York, where major carriers can easily dump fares, add capacity, and squash newcomers. "We don't like the big hub airports," says Skybus Chief Executive Bill Diffenderffer, a former attorney at defunct Eastern Airlines. "An awful lot of the traveling public is tired of being No. 20 in line to take off. There really is an easier way to operate."
Well, at least cheaper. Legacy carriers have long elicited headlines and passenger groans as they scrimped to cut costs and fix their horrendous finances. AMR Corp.'s (NYSE:AMR - News) American Airlines tossed pillows from many of its flights, and Northwest Airlines chucked pretzels.
Nickel and Dimed
But the new generation of airlines is taking "no frills" to new heights. Allegiant Airlines, a relative newcomer that serves smaller cities, assesses $2 to check a bag, $2 for a soda or water, and $11 if you want to reserve a seat. In March, Spirit Airlines dropped fares as much as 40% on some routes, but began charging fees for things such as checked bags, snacks, and drinks. Some carriers have toyed with the idea, la Ryanair, of selling ad space on tray tables and overhead luggage bins.
Skybus will charge $5 per checked bag and $10 for "priority" boarding, and if you have around $500,000 to spend, it will let you paint your company's logo on one of its Airbus A319s. (Nationwide Insurance is already painted on one plane.) That's straight out of the playbook of Ryanair. "You want luxury? Go somewhere else," Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary told BusinessWeek last year (see BusinessWeek.com, 11/16/06, "'Wal-Mart with Wings'").
The concept has far-reaching implications. In essence, these newcomers are unbundling travel services, allowing customers to pay for only those services they care to use, while offering in return a bargain-basement fare. Ryanair's O'Leary envisions a day when seats will be free on some flights, and airlines will derive their revenues from hotel bookings or liquor sales.
Unrecognized Demand
So far, such efforts have been largely confined to smaller cities and leisure markets. But if Skybus is successful as it pushes into markets such as Los Angeles, Boston, and Seattle, expect some major airlines like Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL - News), US Airways (NYSE:LCC - News), and Northwest to imitate some of the efforts to cut back even more on creature comforts in exchange for cheap fares.
Today, however, the upstart airline model is based on a belief that huge numbers of Americans are underserved by existing carriers. They live in areas too small to support service and too far from hubs, or they're too middle-income to support the kinds of fares on which legacy carriers build their businesses. For example, Allegiant, operated by Las Vegas-based Allegiant Travel (NasdaqGM:ALGT - News), serves smaller towns including Lansing, Mich., Duluth, Minn., and Cedar Rapids, Iowa, with nonstop flights to Las Vegas, Orlando, and Tampa-St. Petersburg.
The demand they're finding is surprisingly strong. Skybus CEO Diffenderffer says the airline sold 90,000 seats its first day online when news of the $10 fares was circulated via mass e-mail. "People were buying seven and eight tickets for trips they didn't really even plan to take," Diffenderffer says. "The opportunity to increase the number of people who will fly really is dramatic when the price comes down enough. There really is a much greater demand for travel than what you see in the numbers."
Looking Elsewhere for Revenue
The new airline has marquee backing: Skybus raised $160 million in startup capital from investors such as Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS - News), Fidelity Investments, and Nationwide Financial Services (NYSE:NFS - News). Diffenderffer's pitch is that his operation is an "e-commerce company" that will use its Web site and online advertising to bolster travel-related hotel and rental car business in a way that no other U.S. airline has thus far. "It's not just so much that the costs come out, but that the revenues come in. And that's the important distinction," he says.
Company officials chuckle at what they dub "the Ryanair question": the oft-heard query that Skybus is merely a Ryanair clone transplanted across the Atlantic. Still, the similarities are striking. Skybus will fly primarily to secondary airports, as does Ryanair--often quite far from the metro area it aims to reach. For example, "Seattle" service goes to Bellingham, Wash., about 90 miles north. Flying to Boston? On Skybus that'll actually land you in Portsmouth, N.H., 56 miles north.
Rules and Regulations
Skybus also offers "Rules of Flying" spelled out on its Web site. No. 3? "Bring a book. We're not big fans of fancy in-flight entertainment systems. So grab that best seller at the airport, or buy a Sudoku puzzle onboard if you're feeling brainy." And No. 4: "Don't call us. We don't have a phone number. Seriously. We'd love to chat, but those phone banks are expensive." And forget about refundable tickets. "If you need to change a ticket, your punishment for breaking a date with us is $40," Skybus says. Imitation jewelry smoke detector motion detector GUCCI China tour China factory
All that may strike some as unduly chintzy, but Skybus, Spirit, and others see the approach as a way to satisfy customers--and keep investors happy in what has long been a troubled industry. Allegiant has been adding flights, and in its most recent quarter, pushed its load factor up nearly 1% to 82.6%. That's higher than most rivals, and comfortably ahead of the 78.1% from American, the world's biggest carrier. Allegiant's parent went public in January; the shares have gained more than 20%, closing May 18 at $30.19. Export from china soccer table
While launching a new airline may seem crazy at a time when so many are struggling, Diffenderffer, a leadership coach who wrote a business book called The Samurai Leader, takes a "zen" approach to the business opportunity of getting more people to fly: "The trick in zen, so to speak, is to see things that other people don't see because your mind is open to it."

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AT&T eager to wield its iWeapon

2007-05-23T04:59:00.000-07:00

The Apple iPhone, due out next month, has been breathlessly hailed as offering consumers the ultimate wireless experience.
ADVERTISEMENT It also could give AT&T, its exclusive U.S. distributor, the ultimate experience for a wireless carrier: an easy way to handcuff rivals and steal customers.
AT&T has exclusive U.S. distribution rights for five years - an eternity in the go-go cellphone world. And Apple is barred for that time from developing a version of the iPhone for CDMA wireless networks.
That ban is no small thing. AT&T rivals Verizon Wireless and Sprint are both CDMA shops. AT&T uses GSM, a global standard incompatible with CDMA.
Bottom line: If you want an iPhone anytime soon, you'll have to take your business to AT&T.
Stan Sigman, CEO of wireless at AT&T, makes no apologies for his tough approach.
"I'm glad we have (the iPhone) in our bag," he says. "Others will try to match it, but for a period of time, they're going to be playing catch-up."
Hardball is nothing new in the cellphone industry. But as white-hot growth finally begins to slow, it's getting downright desperate out there.
To keep the momentum, big carriers such as AT&T are rapidly expanding their stable of devices, a proven way to draw people into stores. They're also piling on features - media downloading and photo-sharing are hot - and tweaking calling plans.
Their common goal: add new customers and get them to stay put.
"It's guerrilla warfare," says Jane Zweig, CEO of market researcher The Shosteck Group. "They all want to say 'We're No. 1.' "
Roger Entner, a senior vice president at IAG Research, agrees. "They're battling for every customer."
Wall Street is the driver. Carriers are valued, in large part, on how many subscribers they add each month. That was a lot easier a few years ago, when it wasn't uncommon for cellphone companies to add 25% a quarter.
Now that the major carriers are elephantine in size, that's a lot harder to do. AT&T currently claims about 62.2 million customers. Verizon and Sprint have 60.7 million and 53.6 million, respectively.
About 78% of U.S. households have a mobile phone, says Charles Golvin, a wireless industry analyst at Forrester Research, vs. 53% five years ago. Total subscribers: about 210 million.
For the most part, Golvin says, anybody who wants a cellphone has one. Those who don't, he says, "are the very young, the very old and the economically challenged." Those groups are not particularly attractive to the big carriers, which also are valued on how much revenue per subscriber they generate.
Rustling up revenue
That leaves the carriers with one option, basically, for adding customers: steal them.
"Today's market is not about finding new opportunities," Golvin says. "It's about stealing somebody else's customers."
The AT&T and Verizon Wireless rivalry is particularly fierce. AT&T has slightly more customers; Verizon has more revenue. Both claim to be No. 1.
They also sparred over the iPhone. As previously reported by USA TODAY, Verizon passed on the opportunity to become the exclusive U.S. distributor, balking at Apple's demand for control over distribution, pricing, marketing and more. That left an opening for AT&T - then called Cingular - to cement a deal. (AT&T on Monday officially dumped the Cingular name and store signs now are being switched. The move came slightly ahead of schedule.)
Denny Strigl, Verizon's chief operating officer, decided to pass on the iPhone deal and says he has no regrets: "Time will tell" if he made the right call, he says.
Strigl doesn't think the iPhone will be that hard to compete against. Why? Because, he says, for five long years it will be tied to AT&T's wireless network. His point: A phone is only as good as the network it runs on, and he thinks Verizon's is better.
"The issue is not the Apple-ness of the iPhone itself, but with the cellular network that it is running on," Strigl says, picking his words carefully. "That will be the true test of the iPhone: What will the iPhone experience be?"
Given Apple's cultlike following, however, Verizon isn't taking any chances. Strigl says Verizon is already working with a manufacturer - he declines to say which one - on an answer to the iPhone.
"We do have a very good response in the mill," he says. "You'll see that from us in the late summer."
Sprint names names
Sprint Nextel is also getting down and dirty.
In recent full-page newspaper ads, Sprint has lately been dumping on AT&T by name, taking swipes at the quality of its wireless network. Sprint also has derided AT&T's "fewest dropped calls" claim, saying it - not AT&T or even Verizon - has that title.
AT&T came back swinging. In full-page ads, including one in USA TODAY, AT&T shot back that "15 times more people choose AT&T than Sprint."
The ad also took a whack at Sprint's CDMA technology, saying "only AT&T keeps you connected in over 190 countries on the GSM network, the one used by 84% of wireless customers worldwide." As for "fewest dropped calls," "only AT&T" has that distinction, the ad claims. Sigman says the attacks on Sprint were deliberate - and unavoidable. "I don't like calling my competitors out by name. But I'd just had enough of it."
Gary Forsee, CEO of Sprint Nextel, says his ads weren't intended to embarrass AT&T. They were crafted, he says, to call attention to the quality and performance of the Sprint Nextel networks. (Sprint and Nextel have merged but for now have separate networks.)
"These are facts," he says. "We are calling (AT&T) out to call attention to customers and to the marketplace that we do have superior capability in our network."
Verizon, meantime, is trying to reel in customers using one of the oldest ploys in advertising: freebies.
In a splashy series of ads, the carrier has been inviting consumers to "test drive" its network for 30 days, with no obligation. If consumers aren't happy, Verizon will cover the cost of their calls.
Strigl says the ad showcases the quality of Verizon's wireless network, while driving home the point that it is confident people will like their experience. Figuring out ways to entice consumers is a constant concern for carriers, he says. Given the crush of choices consumers have, "It becomes increasingly important … to give customers a reason to switch to us."
That's critical, according to Strigl, because so many customers jump from carrier to carrier. Currently, he says, about 50% of Verizon's new wireless customers come from other carriers. He says Verizon can track their migration habits because people bring their cellphone numbers with them. (Federal rules require carriers to let wireless customers keep their numbers.)
In today's heated environment, carriers are quick to exploit any edge they can get. Or force.
Consider the barroom brawl between Sprint and AT&T over NASCAR. At the crux: a paint job on a race car. AT&T, thanks to buying BellSouth, now owns 100% of Cingular and has changed the name to AT&T. (BellSouth had a 40% stake.) So it wanted to change the logos on the No. 31 NASCAR race car that Cingular had sponsored for years. The car was emblazoned with Cingular's jacks logos; AT&T wanted to replace them with its blue-and-white globe.
Under AT&T's proposed paint scheme, the main color of the car - orange - wouldn't change.
AT&T contended the changes were permitted under its sponsorship contract - on which Cingular has spent $150 million since 2001 - with Richard Childress Racing, a company that operates NASCAR race teams. AT&T last year inherited the contract when it acquired the 40% of Cingular that it didn't already own.
Sprint Nextel cried foul. Nextel has a 10-year, $750 million deal with NASCAR to back the championship Nextel Cup Series, which kicks off each February with the Daytona 500.
Sprint said its NASCAR contract, which it inherited when it bought Nextel, called for it to be the racing circuit's sole telecom sponsor. The only exception: telecom companies that were sponsors prior to Nextel's arrival. They were grandfathered in by NASCAR.
One of those was Cingular, then owned by SBC (AT&T) and BellSouth.
Sprint argued that Cingular's change in ownership structure and new name negated its sponsorship deal. As a result, Sprint said, AT&T should not be permitted to rebrand the car. NASCAR agreed. Unable to work out a compromise, AT&T last month sued NASCAR.Imitation jewelry smoke detector motion detector GUCCI China tour China factory motion detector
Racing to court
The courtroom battle was bitter. AT&T's lawyer introduced an internal Sprint e-mail that suggested NASCAR was amenable to a compromise. But the same e-mail also suggested Sprint executives weren't, concluding "no benefit would be superior to having AT&T booted out of the sport," according to a story posted on NASCAR.com.
NASCAR countered with an internal memo from AT&T. Attorney David Gelfand insisted the document showed that AT&T hoped to force its way into the sport, with the goal of muscling in on Sprint's ad turf.
Sprint wasn't a party to the case, which was heard in U.S. District Court in Atlanta. Even so, it filed briefs supporting NASCAR.
On Friday, the judge ruled in AT&T's favor. AT&T promptly issued a press release saying it looked forward "to the debut of the new paint scheme." On Saturday, the judge rejected NASCAR's request for a stay of the ruling during an appeal. The car raced with the AT&T logo and name Saturday night.
Forsee, the Sprint chief, says the fight is about much more than a paint job: "NASCAR would have chaos in the (sponsorship) categories if they didn't enforce contracts. "It's not fair to minimize" the impact of AT&T's plans, he says. "We paid hundreds of millions of dollars (to become a sponsor), and we signed a contract. All we're asking is that NASCAR enforce the contract."
Sigman says he's looking forward to getting the fight back to where he thinks it belongs. "We'd much prefer to compete against Sprint in the marketplace rather than competing over the brand of a car."China fair Export from china soccer table