Our views: ; The Sissonville VFD needs its friends now; A department that has helped so many deserves generous assistance

PEOPLE who live within 125 square miles of Sissonville havebackup in emergencies, and they know it. For more than 30 years, theSissonville Volunteer Fire Department has had their backs.

What goes around comes around.

On Friday morning, an electrical fire destroyed one of thedepartment's three stations, and members of the community scrambledto help their firefighters.

In a world full of senseless troublemaking, it is proving alesson in how things ought to work, and can..

The station is gone, along with a rescue engine, a second engine,a tanker truck, an all-terrain vehicle, office equipment, heavyrescue tools, breathing apparatuses, a …

LeBron Struggles but Gooden Rallies Cavs

MILWAUKEE - LeBron James' final assist of the night was in the locker room, shooing the horde of reporters toward Drew Gooden first. With James struggling, Gooden scored a season-high 31 points and matched a season high with 16 rebounds to lift the Cleveland Cavaliers to a come-from-behind 95-86 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday night.

"Opportunity came, and I came through," Gooden said.

Milwaukee's longest home winning streak in more than two seasons was snapped at seven, and Cleveland coach Mike Brown smashed a clipboard in the process of firing up his team during the Cavs' final push in the fourth quarter.

"I'm just glad I didn't put anybody's eye …

China appeals to Washington to safeguard assets

China's premier expressed concern Friday about its holdings of Treasuries and other U.S. debt, appealing to Washington to safeguard their value, and said Beijing is ready to expand its stimulus if economic conditions worsen.

Premier Wen Jiabao noted that Beijing is the biggest foreign creditor to the United States and called on Washington to see that its response to the global slowdown does not damage the value of Chinese holdings.

"We have made a huge amount of loans to the United States. Of course we are concerned about the safety of our assets. To be honest, I'm a little bit worried," Wen said at a news conference following the closing of China's …

Dr. Alfred Miller

Dr. Alfred Miller, 75, a retired dentist who volunteered as acareer counselor for high school students, died Tuesday in hisNorthbrook home.

He was known as "Mr. Michigan" at Deerfield High School, wherehe was the oldest and only male volunteer in the school's college andcareer center. When he retired in 1986, he and his wife came to theChicago area to be near family members in Deerfield.

Dr. Miller, born in Iron River, Mich., was a graduate of theUniversity of Michigan dental school. He was active in the Michiganalumni association and served on the Iron Mountain, Mich., …

IMAX to open 75 more theaters in China

BEIJING (AP) — IMAX Corp. announced plans Thursday to open 75 more theaters in China within four years in partnership with Wanda Cinemas, the country's largest theater operator, underscoring the Chinese movie industry's rapid expansion.

IMAX, known for its large format film technology, has 45 theaters open in greater China. Based on the industry's fast growth, it expects to have 300 theaters operating in the country by 2016, which could involve partnerships with operators other than Wanda.

There was no disclosure of the monetary value of the expansion plans and profit-sharing deal signed in Beijing.

CEO Richard Gelfond said China is the company's fastest growing market, …

Italian Soccer Summaries

Summaries Saturday from Italy's Serie A (home teams listed first):

Genoa 2, Atalanta 1

Genoa: Marco Borriello (73), Luciano Figueroa (84).

Atalanta: Cristiano Doni, …

Council lifts closure ban on hotel

Councillors have agreed to lift a closure order on a North-easthotel.

Owners Ian and Fiona Fraser had been ordered to close the GrantArms Hotel in Cullen because its rooms failed to meet lettingstandards.

Moray Council licensing board were happy with the improvementsthat have been made …

Hot Gear

Planet Waves NS Mini Headstock Toner

* Planet Waves has begun shipping its NS Mini Headstock Tuner. Able to tune a wide variety of stringed instruments, its low-profile design blends with the aesthetics of the instrument, concealing it from the audience.

The NS tuner is outfitted with a piezo transducer and features a backlit display to allow easy tuning in noisy, dim, or well-lit environments. The tuner has an adjustable calibration between 430 Hz and 450 Hz.

For more information, contact D'Addario Canada: 905-947-9595

Jackson JS Series Basses

* Jackson has welcomed three new basses to the JS Series: the JS2 Concert Bass, the JS3 Concert Bass, and …

Clinton may concede delegate race to Obama tonight

Hillary Rodham Clinton will concede Tuesday night that Barack Obama has the delegates to secure the Democratic nomination, campaign officials said, effectively ending her bid to be the nation's first female president.

The former first lady will stop short of formally suspending or ending her race in her speech in New York City. She …

If he wants to be in the 2008 presidential mix, he might benefit from a Washington job with national security dimensions.

A Republican can be elected governor of the bluest state. Indeed,Republicans have held the statehouse in Massachusetts since MichaelDukakis' last year, 1990. Mitt Romney is the inexplicably happyholder of it now. What kind of person is preternaturally cheerfulwhile governing with a legislature in which 34 of 40 senators and 139of 160 House members are Democrats?

"My vetoes count for nothing," he says cheerfully. But, then, heseems to relish heavy political lifting, as in his 1994 race againstSen. Ted Kennedy, which was Kennedy's closest race (58 percent to 41percent) since his initial election in 1962. Politics, says Romney,57, is "kind of like sport for old guys." In …

AUSA Sustaining Member Profile: Dynetics, Inc.

Corporate Structure: Founded 1974. Number of Employees: more than 925. CEO: Dr. Marcus J. Bendickson. Headquarters: Huntsville, Ala. Fiscal year 2004 Sales: $145M. Telephone: (256) 922-9230. Web site: www.dynetics.com.

Dynetics, Inc., an employee-owned, full-service engineering company supporting government and commercial clients, is headquartered in Huntsville, Ala., with offices in Washington, D.C.; Suffolk and Northern Virginia; Colorado Springs, CoIo.; Fort Walton Beach, FIa.; Tampa, FIa.; Detroit, Mich,; White Sands Missile Range, N.M.; Dayton, Ohio; San Antonio, Texas; and Fort Monmouth, NJ.

Dynetics1 core business areas are space and missile defense, tactical missiles …

AP Executive Morning Briefing

The top business news from The Associated Press for the morning of Wednesday, November 26, 2008:

Obama to name board of economic experts

CHICAGO (AP) _ President-elect Barack Obama is naming a board of economic experts outside government to advise him on ways to create jobs and bring stability to the ailing financial system. Obama was expected to introduce members of the advisory board Wednesday at a news conference, his third in as many days as Americans moved into the long Thanksgiving weekend. It was a remarkable burst of public activity for Obama, who has sought to assure nervous consumers and financial markets that he will bring swift economic relief …

Few differences between three top antidepressants

Three of the most commonly prescribed antidepressants are similarin effectiveness for depressive symptoms, research indicates.

The antidepressants, paroxetine (sold under the brand name Paxil),fluoxetine (sold under the brand name Prozac and also available ingeneric form) and sertaline (sold under the brand name Zoloft), alsowere shown to be similar in their effect on health-related quality oflife measures, including social interactions, ability to work, sexualfunctioning and sleep.

The study, by the Indiana University School of Medicine andRegenstreif Institue for Healthcare, is the first to compare theeffectiveness of paroxetine, fluoxetine and sertaline. The threeantidepressants are all members of a class of drugs known asselective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and work onneurotrasmitter pathways in the brain to decrease symptoms ofdepression.

The study is published in today's issue of the Journal of theAmerican Medical Association. It was funded by Eli Lilly & Co., themanufacturer of Prozac. AScribe

Bank of America sells shares in Chinese bank

Bank of America Corp. raised more money Wednesday to cope with U.S. economic turmoil by selling part of its stake in China Construction Bank Ltd., China's second-biggest commercial lender, for $2.8 billion.

Bank of America sold 5.62 billion Construction Bank shares in a move that reduced its stake from 19.1 percent to 16.6 percent, according to a sale sheet viewed by The Associated Press.

"We're still their second largest shareholder and a long-term holder," said Bank of America spokesman Robert Stickler. "We simply were taking a little money off the table."

The Charlotte, N.C.-based bank is raising money to weather the worst downturn for U.S. banks since the 1930s and absorb Merrill Lynch & Co., acquired in December.

"Bank of America is reducing its China Construction Bank shares due to its consideration of its own financial conditions under the current severe turbulence of the international financial crisis," the Chinese bank said in a statement. "Construction Bank expresses its understanding."

The announcement comes as Bank of America Chief Executive and Chairman Kenneth Lewis recommends that he and his top executives receive no bonus for 2008 _ a move that echoes the decisions made by a number of CEOs in the financial services industry in recent months.

Bank of America received a $15 billion preferred equity investment from the U.S. government last year as part of its $700 billion bailout package. As a condition for receiving government money, lawmakers are making companies reel in bonuses. Spokesman Scott Silvestri said Tuesday that Lewis' decision had nothing to do with receiving the investment.

Bank of America sold the portion of its stake in China Construction Bank for HK$3.92 (50.5 U.S. cents) per share, or a total of HK$22 billion (US$2.8 billion), an 11.9 percent discount from Tuesday's closing price. The sale was arranged by Merrill Lynch and UBS Corp.

Construction Bank shares plunged 8.8 percent in Hong Kong trading to HK$4.06, dragging down Hong Kong's key Hang Seng market index by 3.4 percent. Shares in China's biggest state-owned lender, Industrial & Commercial Bank of China Ltd., also fell sharply.

Bank of America bought 9 percent of the Chinese bank in 2005 for $3 billion and the two launched a strategic partnership amid a flurry of tie-ups between Chinese lenders and foreign partners.

China has encouraged such partnerships in an effort to modernize the country's banking industry.

Bank of America paid $1.9 billion last May to increase its Construction Bank stake to 11 percent and raised it to 19.1 percent in November.

Other U.S. and European institutions are reported to be considering selling some of their stakes in Chinese banks to raise money.

Construction Bank, based in Beijing, is China's second-largest commercial lender by assets after Industrial & Commercial Bank of China Ltd.

Bank of America and Construction Bank plan to continue their strategic cooperation, the Chinese bank said. The two banks have agreed to let their customers use each other's automatic teller machines and say they are considering other ventures.

___

AP Business Writer Jeremiah Marquez in Hong Kong contributed to this report.

___

On the Net:

China Construction Bank Ltd.: http://www.ccb.cn

Bank of America Corp.: http://www.bankofamerica.com

Santa, ask the DEA to chill

A not so jolly drug-war Santa has delivered Chicago's Southwest Siders a really big lump of coal in the form of 650 pounds of that dreaded weed, America's favorite illegal and uncontrolled substance -- cannabis sativa. ["650 lbs. of pot seized in Stickney," suntimes.com.]

The drugs, valued at nearly $2 million, were imported from Mexico, despite a really big fence partially constructed along the 1,952-mile border.

The DEA isn't saying whether the drugs got over, under, around or through the really big fence, but chances are, given the season, the drugs were stowed, unbeknownst to Santa, inside one of his really big sleighs that regularly evade radar in the Caribbean.

South suburban mayors from Orland Park and Palos Park may wonder whether the Christmastime drug delivery was an attempt to replace the marijuana seized during an investigation of an Orland Park marijuana drug murder and home invasion in September, or perhaps 6,000 marijuana plants seized near Palos Park in the Sneed Woods.

This Santa's helper wonders if we'd have less marijuana and a merrier Christmas without the Capone tradition and DEA-style prohibition of a relatively benign substance, safer than now-legal holiday glogg.

Certainly, the 900,000 people arrested in the U.S. each year for criminal marijuana violations (90 percent for the mere possession of the plant) and millions of taxpayers supporting drug-war prisons would relish the gift.

James E. Gierach,

Palos Park

Ohio home burns down during bedbugs treatment

CINCINNATI (AP) — Fire officials in Cincinnati say a two-family home was destroyed when a heater being used to kill bedbugs set a carpet on fire.

The house was being treated Sunday by an exterminator who says he gets rid of the pests by raising a home's temperature to 135 degrees using propane heaters. Residents are told to leave and remove anything flammable.

Cincinnati Fire District Chief Glenn Coleman says the carpet was ignited by one of six heaters inside the home. The fire went undetected until a neighbor saw smoke pouring from the house.

The exterminator, Richard Tyree, blames an equipment malfunction for the fire and tells The Cincinnati Enquirer he's never had a problem before. He says his company has insurance.

___

Information from: The Cincinnati Enquirer, http://www.enquirer.com

Stocks gain 4

NEW YORK Stocks turned mostly higher today, led by technologyshares, despite another weak day in the bond market, where interestrates rose for the second straight session after setting 17-monthlows last week.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 4.41 points to close at8,198.45, having erased an early 60-point deficit and bobbed betweenpositive and negative territory.

Broader stock indicators were mostly positive, with technologyshares leading the Nasdaq market further into record territory.

Advancing issues outnumbered decliners on the New York StockExchange, with 1,488 up, 1,366 down and 523 unchanged, on volume of459.7 million shares.

The Nasdaq composite index, which has closed at record highs forthree straight sessions, was up 11.10 at 1,605.43, its first tripabove 1,600 ever.

Bond prices fell today despite a report that seemingly bolsteredarguments that economic activity has been slowing enough to keepinflation in check.

The Commerce Department reported that construction spendingtumbled 1.1 percent in June, the worst showing in six months. TheMay reading, however, was revised sharply upward to an increase of0.3 percent from the initial estimate of a 1.8 percent drop.Economists had anticipated around a 1.2 percent gain in June.

The benchmark 30-year bond fell $3.44 per $1,000 in face value,lifting its yield to 6.48 percent from 6.45 percent.

The dollar rose against other major currencies in late Europeantrading.

In London, the dollar was quoted in late trading at 118.35Japanese yen, up from 118.15 late Friday, and at 1.8647 German marks,up from 1.8624.

Other late dollar rates in Europe: 1.5254 Swiss francs, up from1.5243; 6.2850 French francs, up from 6.2650; 2.0997 Dutch guilders,up from 2.0973; 1,827.00 Italian lire, up from 1,816.0; and 1.3785Canadian dollars, down from 1.3800.

The British pound was quoted at $1.6296, down from $1.6325 lateFriday.

Gold in London closed at $323.40 per ounce, down from $323.80late Friday.

Silver traded in London at $4.49 a troy ounce, up from $4.44Friday.

Bulls & SAfrica scrumhalf Hougaard out for 4 weeks

PRETORIA, South Africa (AP) — Bulls and South Africa scrumhalf Francois Hougaard is in danger of missing the start of the new Super 15 rugby season with a broken foot.

The defending champion Bulls say he will be out of action for four weeks after picking up the injury in training last week.

Team doctor Org Strauss says the 22-year-old Hougaard experienced "some pain in his foot" which became worse, and a scan revealed a stress fracture.

Hougaard is in a race against time to be fit for the Bulls' opening game, against fellow South African team the Lions on Feb. 19.

Hougaard has played eight tests for the Springboks and was the first-choice No. 9 for South Africa last season in the absence of injured Bulls teammate Fourie du Preez. He can also play wing.

Mass. lt. governor hospitalized, in good spirits

Lt. Gov. Timothy Murray is recovering from the effects of extreme heat after marching in five parades over the July Fourth weekend.

Spokesman Kyle Sullivan said Tuesday there was no change in Murray's condition.

Sullivan said Murray decided to seek medical attention Monday evening and checked into St. Vincent Hospital in his hometown of Worcester. Weekend temperatures peaked at over 90 degrees.

The Democrat celebrated his 42nd birthday last month. The former high school quarterback has exhibited no other health problems since taking office in 2007.

Murray and Gov. Deval Patrick are seeking re-election this fall.

They are running against independent candidate Timothy Cahill, Republican Charles Baker and Green-Rainbow Party candidate Jill Stein.

Institute of Medicine report

Late in 1999 a publication by the United States Institute of Medicine (IOM) caused a stir in the press worldwide. The publication was titled "To err is human - building a safer health system." All communication systems focussed on the reported data that in the US there were at least 44 000 deaths every year from medical error and that, on the basis of published data, this number might be as high as 98 000. If we assume that Canada has approximately 10% of the problems and advantages of the US, then 4400 to 9800 deaths per year may be associated with errors in health care delivery.

Although we all recognize the possibility and the untoward results of error in medicine, these data seem overwhelming. However, given the underfunded state of our system, it is unlikely that we are doing any better than our neighbours. The level of disbelief among administrators and the health care profession must be addressed. Accepting that there is a real level of morbidity and mortality from errors of some sort (professional, systemic, administrative) would be the first step to improving outcomes. Acknowledging that we have a problem and developing and implementing short- and long-term strategies to correct this state of affairs seems to be the most appropriate approach.

The IOM report has 4 tiers of recommendations. The first 2 involve legislation, regulations and mandatory reporting. Mandatory reporting, of course, creates fear among health care professionals. But the third and fourth tiers address what health care organizations, professional groups and accrediting bodies can do to raise standards of patient health and create a safe delivery system.

What might surgeons look to in the near and long term? As an example, how many of our operating rooms have a form relating to the SIDE of a surgical procedure? If a paired organ is to be operated on or resected, confirmation, signed in the operating room by nurse, surgeon, patient and anesthetist, of the side should be obligatory to ensure that the correct leg, hernia or kidney is operated on. This seems so obvious but is difficult to implement.

Other short-term approaches would include clinical protocols, pathways and care maps to standardize common procedures, eliminate variation and reduce the potential for error. Although this decreases the autonomy of individual physicians, it is unlikely that individual likes and dislikes on little details are important in patient-centred management.

Over the long term, education in medical school, through residency and at the CME level must stress the continuous quality improvement that the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada expects, through the maintenance of competence and focus on safety in health care delivery systems. Clearly, government and CEOs must put money into the system to facilitate and support the development of attitudes associated with patient safety. Communication, both vertical and horizontal, is an important component of patient safety and needs to become an integral part of our culture. Vertical communication is the senior surgeon's ability to listen to colleagues and juniors when they have a suggestion for change that differs from the hierarchy, whereas horizontal communication takes place between physicians, nurses, physiotherapists, administrators, and so on.

Society needs to make the correction of errors in medicine a reward function rather than a punishment function, which is the present state of affairs. This approach applies as much to health care organizations as to Society at large. In addition, within the surgical domain, creative links with industry with respect to the use of new instruments and new technology can heighten awareness of safety issues in the delivery of care to patients.

The Journal looks forward to communication with its readers on how the broad community of surgery can best approach these problems in a proactive rather than in a reactive manner.

Let's work hard to pack Kennedy-King College to capacity

City Colleges of Chicago, community and elected officials should be proud after yesterday's ground-breaking on Kennedy-King College's $200 million campus.

While it's great to talk about all of the African Americans who will be hired as a result of the project, it is also vitally important that those same community, elected and educational officials work their tails off to ensure that the halls of the new college are filled to capacity when it opens in fall 2007.

There is no way African Americans can demand construction jobs if our people are not trained to do them. It doesn't make sense to complain about the scarcity of Black-owned companies in receiving contracts unless they have the knowledge in finance, team management and processing in order to take advantage of the new business.

Far too many of our communities are filled with Black men and women -- young, middle-aged and old -- who don't have the necessary skills to compete in a changing workforce. Why be limited to an $8 or $9-an-hour job when you can attain some additional skills that makes you more marketable? Will it be free? Absolutely not. It will cost you. But with financial aid and payment plans widely available, there is NO EXCUSE for any African American who wants to learn a new skill to not do so.

If you don't have a car, fine, take public transportation. If you can't afford a day-care center, fine, use the one on the campus. If you didn't get your high school diploma, then enroll in the many GED classes that are offered and put that in your past.

It's time that all of the excuses that are typically given are thrown out the window. There is no white man with a bullhorn and a German shepherd preventing any of us from walking through the KKC doors -- or that of any city college campus -- and enrolling.

You don't have to spend all four years there. Enroll and learn a trade, be it a plumber, electrician, carpenter or nurse, and provide for your family.

The future development of Black Chicago will be based on whether we as a community embrace higher learning.

There are far too many able-bodied men and women who are languishing on street corners, in front of fast food restaurants begging for some spare change, or working in dead-end jobs with no prospect for advancement. They need to look inward and decide that they are sick and tired of being sick and tired.

If you have been looking for the motivation to turn your life around and put it on another track, this is it. You can't say that no one ever told you that you can be more than what you are today. Encourage a friend, neighbor or church member to go to the next level. And if no one is around, encourage yourself.

We should be so on fire about the prospects of this gleaming new campus that when the doors open, the conversation shouldn't be about how we're going to fill the classrooms, but what plans Mayor Richard Daley, Chancellor Wayne Watson and KKC President Clyde El-Amin have to build a much larger campus to accommodate the overflow crowds.

That's when we will know that this project has made a difference in Englewood and the South Side of Chicago.

Article copyright REAL TIMES Inc.

Learn from your children

Dear Zazz: Last September, my three children were apprehensiveabout starting at a new school. I was nervous for them, too, so whenI made their lunches, I took a small bite out of each of theirsandwiches.

At dinner that night, they asked about the bites in thesandwiches. I explained that when they ate lunch, I wanted them toknow I was thinking about them.

Well, recently, I had a meeting to attend for work and needed tobring lunch. To my surprise, when I opened my sandwich, it had threelittle bites taken out of it.

Over dinner, the kids told me that they did that because theywanted me to know they loved me and were thinking about me. It reallyis the little things that count.

B.M.

Dear B.M.: That's a very sweet story. Biting each other'ssandwiches during flu season might not be the best idea, of course,but it's always nice to know your loved ones have you in their minds.You've redefined the phrase: "Love at first bite."

Dear Zazz: You'd asked readers to share clues that their childrengave them that helped them become better parents. Here's my story.

My husband and I have been going through some rough times, and Iknow the kids have picked up on it.

This really hit me last Friday, when I came home from work after midnight. All three of my kids-ages 13, 9 and 7 were asleep togetherin my oldest daughter's bed. One had a Bible in her hand. The CDplayer was playing soft church music.

In that instant, I realized what had been going on. They werepraying that we'd stick together as a family. Seeing that scene hashelped me be a better parent. We are . . .

WORKING ON THE MARRIAGE

Dear Working: Knowing that your children are praying for yourfamily will give you and your husband strength. Here's hoping yourmarriage makes it through this rough spot.

Dear Zazz: Children need to know they're the most important thingto you. Pretty much anything can wait while you read a book to themor play a game.

"Just a minute" is a common phrase in most households. But I'veseen the rejection on my children's faces when I say that phrase onetoo many times.

Obviously, you don't want to jump at your children's every whim.But they gain great self-esteem if there are times when you juststop what you're doing and give them your attention.

K.B.

STILL MORE CLUES:

Machele Williams, Chicago: "My 9-year-old daughter said to me,`When you want me to do something, could you ask me rather than justtelling me?' "

February Tate, Lemont: "My 3-year-old was thirsty, so I gave hersome milk. She then threw a tantrum, purposely spilled her milk, anddemanded orange juice. I raised my voice to her, and she put herlittle index finger to her lips and said, `Shhhh.' I took a deepbreath and realized I could have asked her what she wanted to drinkinstead of just assuming. She's teaching me to be a better, morepatient parent."

Elizabeth Pendergast: "My 4-year-old daughter has asked me to tellher more often about the things she does right than about the thingsshe does wrong. She is a beautiful, wise young girl. I have listenedto her."

Write Zazz, Box 3455, Chicago 60654. Or e-mail: Zazz@suntimes.com

Tiger stays in the hunt Woods shoots 66 after surviving cut, trails Maggert by 4

AUGUSTA, Ga.--The early drama Saturday in the 67th Masters waswhether Tiger Woods would make the cut.

By the end of the day, the question was whether anyone would stophim from winning an unprecedented third consecutive green jacket.

After having to save par from the trees and a bunker on his finalhole of the second round just to keep playing, Woods fashioned aflawless 6-under-par 66 to move to 1 under, only four strokes off thelead held by Jeff Maggert.

I knew if I could post a good number, I could get right back init," said Woods, who entered the third round 11 strokes behind leaderMike Weir. It's tough to shoot a low number with these pins whenyou're leading. You're not going to be that aggressive."

Weir frittered away what was once a six-shot lead with a third-round 75. He's two behind Maggert, who overcame a double bogey tomatch Woods' 66, entering the final round today.

Behind them is a group of four players with major-championshippedigree--Vijay Singh and David Toms at 2 under and Woods and JoseMaria Olazabal at 1 under--and one player, Phil Mickelson at 1 under,who dearly would love to join the club.

It's a position you dream about--going into Sunday at Augusta withthe lead," said Maggert, a steady player throughout the 1990s who hadfallen off the map. It's been a struggle the last two years. I'vetaken a new attitude to try to get better each week."

Woods has gotten better in each round since opening with a 76. Hewas looking to make a run in the completion of the second round earlySaturday, but he hit a loose pitch for his third shot to the par-5second and missed a short birdie putt at the third.

From there, it got progressively worse," said Woods, who knockedit from one bunker to another for a double bogey at the par-3 fourth.

After three-putting for bogey at the par-5 eighth, Woods needed topar the ninth to extend his cut streak--the third-longest in history--to 102 events. He lost his drive in the right trees and had no shotat the green. He punched a 5-iron off the pine straw into the frontbunker, blasted to four feet and holed the tough sidehill putt.

No doubt about it," Woods said, rolling his eyes as he came out ofthe scoring tent. That putt was either going in or going off thegreen."

Beginning his third round at the 10th as the leaders were teeingoff on the front side, Woods steadily climbed from the back of thefield. He got the momentum rolling with a big-breaking 50-footer atthe 11th, then got some good fortune at the par-5 13th. He hit hissecond shot in the hazard, but the ball stayed out of the creek andhe was able to get up and down for birdie.

I got some good breaks going my way," Woods said. From there, Ihit solid shot after solid shot."

That included his approach to the seventh that fed down the slopeto tap-in range, putting him in red figures for the first time allweek. After narrowly making the cut, Woods said he still had victoryin mind.

At the time, I was only seven shots out of second place," he said.That's not much on this course."

The margin is even slimmer now, thanks in part to Weir'sstruggles. Normally one of the crispest iron players in the game, heconsistently put himself in bad positions on and around the greens.For the week, he is hitting only 48 percent of his greens inregulation.

Weir had been keeping it together with a sharp wedge game and adeft putter, but he three-putted from the front fringe at the ninthand made another bogey when his ball plugged in the bank just abovethe pond at the 11th.

He lost another stroke to par when his second shot at the par-513th drifted right and dropped in the creek. A two-putt birdie at the15th was negated by bogeys at the 16th and 17th, and a weary Weir washappy the day was over.

It will feel good to get some rest tonight," he said of playing 54holes in two days. My round was a little disappointing, but sometimesthat's what this course is going to give you. I wasn't nervous; itjust didn't pan out."

It hasn't panned out for Maggert in seven of the eight tournamentshe has led after three rounds. Meanwhile, the best closer in golf isbreathing down his neck.

But Woods never has come from behind to win a major, having heldat least a share of the 54-hole lead in all eight of his titles.

That's not a bad spot to be in," he said. But in this tournament,anything can happen on the back nine. You just need to get yourselfin position. Even though I'm four back, that's not inconceivable."

Thousands gather on Boston Common for anti-war rally

Boston Latin School senior Lisa Williams said it was a sense of outrage that led her to the anti-war rally and march Sunday.

"I don't want this war to happen," she said. "America has too many hidden agendas. They want to sacrifice too many lives. You have all these women and children who don't want war and we're going to bomb them."

Williams joined a crowd estimated by organizers at 15,000 Sunday for a rally on the Boston Common and a march that proceeded down Tremont Street, along Dartmouth Street and back up Boylston Street to the Common.

Speakers including City Councilor Chuck Turner and Boston University History Professor Howard Zinn blasted President George Bush, questioning the legitimacy of his court-appointed presidency and the motives behind his warmongering.

"I haven't seen a crowd like this in years," Zinn said, looking out at the gathering that massed in the center of the Common. "This is democracy. We can't find democracy in the White House."

The high turnout at the rally demonstrated growing discontent with the policies of the Bush administration, according to Merrie Najimy, president of the Boston chapter of the Arab-American Anti-discrimination Committee.

"People are seeing the economy taking a turn for the worse, the corporate scandals and now this war," she said. "Two weeks ago we had 3,000 or 4,000 at a rally. Now it's tripled."

Many in attendance spoke against Bush and his push for war. Palestinian-American Randa Ghattas said many Palestinians and Israeli peace activists fear that Israel will use a war against Iraq as a cover for a campaign to intensify the illegal occupation of Gaza and the West Bank.

"I have a lot of friends and family back home," she said. "It's already dangerous. People are living in a prison. It's only going to get worse if there's a war."

Before the march media activist Nina Lanegra fired up the crowd, leading them into a sing-along of John Lennon's "Give Peace a Chance," before the crowd took off on its marching route.

The route brought the anti-war message to several important communities in the South End, noted former state Rep. Mel King.

"I'm seeing a lot of my neighbors from Chinatown, the Villa Victoria, Tent City," he said. "The young people in these neighborhoods don't want to see blood shed for oil."

State Rep. Byron Rushing, observing the speakers from the crowd, said the gathering was reminiscent of early anti-Vietnam war protests. While the turnout was the largest yet for a Boston anti-war demonstration, there were relatively few people of color in the protest. Rushing said the absence underscored a lack of organizing in the black community.

"You have to organize the community if you want to bring people out, and that will happen," he said.

City Councilor Chuck Turner, who addressed the crowd following the march, has used his e-mail network to spread word of the march in the black community.

"We have to continue to turn out," he told the protesters. "We have to continue to march. We have to stand up for peace, truth and justice."

Photograph (Mel King marches against war)

Thursday's NHL Sums

Florida 1 0 0_1

Buffalo 2 0 1_3

First Period_1, Buffalo, Spacek 8 (Pominville, Connolly), 3:04. 2, Florida, Repik 2 (Booth), 9:36. 3, Buffalo, Paille 8 (Sekera, Spacek), 17:05.

Second Period_None.

Third Period_4, Buffalo, Vanek 34 (Roy), 17:08 (pp).

Shots on Goal_Florida 8-13-10_31. Buffalo 10-9-4_23.

Goalies_Florida, Vokoun. Buffalo, Lalime. A_18,690 (18,690). T_2:22.

___

At Detroit

Calgary 1 1 3 0_6

Detroit 2 2 1 0_5

Calgary won shootout 2-1

First Period_1, Calgary, Jokinen 25 (Lundmark, Phaneuf), 5:33 (pp). 2, Detroit, Zetterberg 27 (Datsyuk, Lidstrom), 10:01 (pp). 3, Detroit, Samuelsson 17 (Kopecky, Kronwall), 16:44 (pp).

Second Period_4, Detroit, Lidstrom 13 (Rafalski, Datsyuk), 8:36 (pp). 5, Detroit, Filppula 10 (Lidstrom), 16:02. 6, Calgary, Langkow 19 (Aucoin, Cammalleri), 16:37.

Third Period_7, Calgary, Lundmark 3 (Vandermeer, Sarich), 16:38. 8, Calgary, Jokinen 26 (Glencross, Phaneuf), 17:29. 9, Calgary, Lundmark 4 (Conroy), 18:40. 10, Detroit, Cleary 13 (Holmstrom, Datsyuk), 19:18.

Overtime_None.

Shootout_Calgary 2 (Cammalleri G, Iginla NG, Jokinen G), Detroit 1 (Datsyuk G, Zetterberg NG, Hudler NG).

Shots on Goal_Calgary 4-9-17-3_33. Detroit 28-11-2-4_45.

Goalies_Calgary, Kiprusoff. Detroit, Conklin. A_20,066 (20,066). T_2:57.

___

At Boston

Ottawa 1 0 2_3

Boston 3 0 2_5

First Period_1, Boston, Ward 3 (Bergeron, Chara), 3:17 (sh). 2, Boston, Axelsson 6 (Krejci), 6:52. 3, Boston, Kobasew 17 (Ryder, Savard), 10:24 (pp). 4, Ottawa, Spezza 24 (Heatley, Alfredsson), 12:48.

Second Period_None.

Third Period_5, Boston, Kessel 28 (Savard, Stuart), 4:31. 6, Ottawa, Schubert 2 (Shannon, Heatley), 6:52. 7, Ottawa, Spezza 25 (Alfredsson), 9:05. 8, Boston, Kessel 29 (Axelsson), 19:04 (en).

Shots on Goal_Ottawa 14-4-10_28. Boston 10-7-5_22.

Goalies_Ottawa, Auld. Boston, Thomas. A_17,022 (17,565). T_2:25.

___

At Newark, N.J.

Phoenix 1 0 1_2

New Jersey 2 2 1_5

First Period_1, New Jersey, Parise 40 (Langenbrunner, Martin), :18. 2, New Jersey, Madden 7 (Oduya, Rupp), 2:56. 3, Phoenix, Upshall 10 (Prucha, Lombardi), 9:34 (pp).

Second Period_4, New Jersey, Zubrus 14 (Shanahan, Salvador), 7:11. 5, New Jersey, Elias 27 (Gionta, Salvador), 13:03.

Third Period_6, New Jersey, Zajac 19 (Rolston, Elias), 4:58 (pp). 7, Phoenix, Reinprecht 12 (Kalinin, Doan), 17:52.

Shots on Goal_Phoenix 5-11-12_28. New Jersey 16-9-11_36.

Goalies_Phoenix, Tordjman. New Jersey, Brodeur. A_14,578 (17,625). T_2:19.

___

At Columbus, Ohio

Pittsburgh 0 0 3 0_3

Columbus 1 1 1 0_4

Columbus won shootout 1-0

First Period_1, Columbus, Huselius 19 (Tyutin, Klesla), 8:42.

Second Period_2, Columbus, Williams 15 (Vermette), 16:59.

Third Period_3, Columbus, Vermette 10 (Williams), 1:03. 4, Pittsburgh, Gonchar 4 (Crosby, Kunitz), 8:33 (pp). 5, Pittsburgh, Dupuis 10 (Malkin), 9:53. 6, Pittsburgh, Talbot 10 (Malkin, Crosby), 11:58.

Overtime_None.

Shootout_Pittsburgh 0 (Letang NG, Crosby NG, Malkin NG), Columbus 1 (Williams NG, Nash NG, Huselius G).

Shots on Goal_Pittsburgh 10-9-19-3_41. Columbus 10-14-4-0_28.

Goalies_Pittsburgh, Fleury. Columbus, Mason. A_19,167 (18,144). T_2:40.

___

At Philadelphia

Washington 1 1 0_2

Philadelphia 0 1 0_1

First Period_1, Washington, Laich 17 (Ovechkin, Backstrom), 15:57 (pp).

Second Period_2, Philadelphia, Knuble 24 (Richards, S.Gagne), 11:32. 3, Washington, Ovechkin 48 (Semin), 17:19.

Third Period_None.

Shots on Goal_Washington 8-12-10_30. Philadelphia 8-19-9_36.

Goalies_Washington, Theodore. Philadelphia, Biron. A_19,728 (19,537). T_2:12.

___

At Montreal

N.Y. Islanders 1 0 1 1_3

Montreal 1 0 1 0_2

First Period_1, Montreal, Plekanec 19 (Gorges, Pacioretty), 5:04 (pp). 2, N.Y. Islanders, Iggulden 1 (Comeau, Streit), 11:33.

Second Period_None.

Third Period_3, N.Y. Islanders, Nielsen 4 (Streit, Comeau), :51 (pp). 4, Montreal, Kostopoulos 8 (Markov, Schneider), 9:14.

Overtime_5, N.Y. Islanders, Okposo 16 (Gervais, Nielsen), :26.

Shots on Goal_N.Y. Islanders 7-12-17-3_39. Montreal 12-7-7-0_26.

Goalies_N.Y. Islanders, Danis. Montreal, Price. A_21,273 (21,273). T_2:29.

___

At Toronto

Tampa Bay 0 2 2_4

Toronto 1 0 0_1

First Period_1, Toronto, Stempniak 13 (Blake, Schenn), 3:21.

Second Period_2, Tampa Bay, Pettinger 4 (Karsums), 5:25. 3, Tampa Bay, St. Louis 25 (Stamkos, Malone), 17:19.

Third Period_4, Tampa Bay, Malone 24 (Murphy, Lecavalier), 14:35 (pp). 5, Tampa Bay, Szczechura 3, 17:54.

Shots on Goal_Tampa Bay 5-16-9_30. Toronto 7-5-9_21.

Goalies_Tampa Bay, Ramo. Toronto, Gerber. A_19,209 (18,819). T_2:20.

___

At Nashville, Tenn.

N.Y. Rangers 1 2 1_4

Nashville 2 0 0_2

First Period_1, N.Y. Rangers, Avery 4 (Gomez, Zherdev), 3:38. 2, Nashville, Weber 18 (Tootoo, Suter), 11:00 (pp). 3, Nashville, Dumont 13 (Sullivan, Legwand), 14:56.

Second Period_4, N.Y. Rangers, Gomez 16 (Callahan), 3:01. 5, N.Y. Rangers, Staal 3 (Gomez, Callahan), 17:29.

Third Period_6, N.Y. Rangers, Sjostrom 6 (Betts, Staal), 7:59 (sh).

Shots on Goal_N.Y. Rangers 6-17-9_32. Nashville 10-5-6_21.

Goalies_N.Y. Rangers, Lundqvist. Nashville, Ellis. A_16,241 (17,113). T_2:18.

___

At St. Louis

San Jose 1 0 0_1

St. Louis 1 1 1_3

First Period_1, San Jose, Marleau 35 (Ehrhoff, Boyle), 11:30 (pp). 2, St. Louis, McDonald 11 (Perron), 16:48.

Second Period_3, St. Louis, Boyes 28 (McDonald), 13:20.

Third Period_4, St. Louis, Jackman 4 (McKee), 19:34 (en-sh).

Shots on Goal_San Jose 7-14-4_25. St. Louis 6-11-9_26.

Goalies_San Jose, Boucher. St. Louis, Mason. A_19,150 (19,150). T_2:28.

___

At Dallas

Carolina 1 0 1_2

Dallas 0 3 0_3

First Period_1, Carolina, Brind'Amour 12 (Staal, Ward), 7:23 (sh).

Second Period_2, Dallas, Ribeiro 19 (Niskanen, Eriksson), 1:01. 3, Dallas, Begin 7 (Conner), 6:25. 4, Dallas, Morrison 11 (Modano, Grossman), 9:51.

Third Period_5, Carolina, Whitney 22 (Brind'Amour, Cullen), 13:45 (pp).

Shots on Goal_Carolina 9-7-15_31. Dallas 15-10-6_31.

Goalies_Carolina, Ward. Dallas, Turco. A_16,788 (18,532). T_2:18.

___

At Denver

Minnesota 1 0 0 0_1

Colorado 0 1 0 0_2

Colorado won shootout 2-0

First Period_1, Minnesota, Bergeron 10 (Zidlicky, Koivu), 10:15 (pp).

Second Period_2, Colorado, Liles 9 (Stastny, Svatos), :37 (pp).

Third Period_None.

Overtime_None.

Shootout_Minnesota 0 (Nolan NG, Koivu NG), Colorado 2 (Wolski G, Hejduk G).

Shots on Goal_Minnesota 8-5-2-2_17. Colorado 13-11-14-3_41.

Goalies_Minnesota, Backstrom. Colorado, Budaj. A_14,213 (18,007). T_2:34.

___

At Edmonton, Alberta

Atlanta 2 1 0 1_4

Edmonton 1 2 0 0_3

First Period_1, Atlanta, Slater 7 (Oystrick, Kozlov), 2:25. 2, Edmonton, Horcoff 15 (Grebeshkov, Hemsky), 9:43 (pp). 3, Atlanta, Little 29 (White, Hainsey), 13:36.

Second Period_4, Edmonton, O'Sullivan 15 (Pisani, Staios), 1:53. 5, Edmonton, Nilsson 8 (Gagner, Pouliot), 3:16. 6, Atlanta, Bogosian 5 (Enstrom, Kozlov), 12:08 (pp).

Third Period_None.

Overtime_7, Atlanta, Reasoner 11 (Perrin), 4:10.

Shots on Goal_Atlanta 17-6-7-3_33. Edmonton 14-9-7-2_32.

Goalies_Atlanta, Hedberg. Edmonton, Roloson. A_16,839 (16,839). T_2:30.

McHenry County home tour opens some creaking doors

The private history of this year's McHenry County Historic HomesTour sounds like a string of titles for the old Perry Mason whodunitsby Erle Stanley Gardner.

We have the cases of the incautious philanderer, the tattletalerelative and the disinherited daughters - and that's just in onehouse in Marengo.

Read on to learn of the sexual standards of the stagecoach line,or why the Kennedy Way Station near Woodstock was for women only.But first, a capsule view of the June 1 Historic Homes Tour and thebuildings on it.

The five-hour bus tour visits the 1895 West Harmony one-roomschoolhouse and the 1847 Gannon log cabin, both now on the grounds ofthe McHenry County Historical Museum in Union, as well as the 1857Harley Wayne house, two blocks down the street.

The red brick Wayne house, an Italianate-Greek Revival amalgamwith vivid Victorian trim that in 1989 won a "painted ladies"contest, was built by a supporter of the Union cause who died at thebattle of Shiloh.

In Marengo, the tour takes a look at the 1885 Francis W. Patrickhouse and the 1872 Amos Coon home. Down the road is a countrycrossroads, the ghost town of Franklinville.

There we see the 1885 Seneca Town Hall, once the scene of dancesand box socials, and still used for civic purposes, such as voting.A few yards to the west is the Franklinville Methodist Church, asmall but fine Greek Revival building constructed by parishioners in1849.

Finally, near Woodstock there is the Kennedy Way Station, a redbrick house built in 1853. Not on the tour is the home wherecartoonist Chester Gould, creator of Dick Tracy, grew up. Woodstockmakes up for that June 19-23 this year with Dick Tracy Days, to raisefunds to establish a museum for Chester Gould memorabilia.

The tour starts at 8 a.m. with coffee, rolls and a slide show atthe McHenry County College, U.S. 14 and Lucas Road. It concludesback at the school with a buffet lunch, included in the tour cost of$20.

Along the way, a pianist will play at the Kennedy Way Station.An 1880s school marm will lecture at the one-room school. And theJudith Svalander School of Ballet will re-enact a town dance at theSeneca Town Hall.

And now, back to the case of the incautious philanderer. That'sAmos B. Coon, and wouldn't we like to know whether Harriet DamonCoon's passionate involvement in the Free Methodist Church camebefore or after she found out about her husband's extramaritalactivities.

She was told about them, according to the present owners of thehome, by two daughters who saw their father slipping out of aneighbor's house. Amos B. was so enraged by this accurate reportingthat he disinherited his daughters.

The house stayed in the Coon family until 1958, when it wasacquired by people who ran it as a boarding house, with muchresultant cutting up of rooms and adding of bathrooms. In 1984Shelly and Gary Rogers bought the two-story Italianate structure andbegan restoration.

They had been living in a three-bedroom house built on a cementslab in Streamwood. "We did want an older home," Shelly sighed.

It was perfect for her husband, Gary, who manages an auto bodyshop in Palatine and "has to be doing something all the time."

Shelly had turned down the Coon house because when she saw it,"there was so much stuff you couldn't get down the hallway. Therewere stoves, refrigerators and stuff stacked almost to the ceiling."

Then someone else bought the house the Rogerses had chosennearby, and they decided to tackle the Coon house after all.

"There were four or five layers of wallpaper in the kitchen, andabout the same number in the dining room. The final layer I foundmatched pretty closely with the wallpaper I got at the WallpaperDiscount Center in Belvidere," Shelly said.

The cut-rate paper looks like an expensive reproduction andsuits the house beautifully.

Their huge kitchen used to be two rooms: an inside winterkitchen and a porchlike, uninsulated summer kitchen. Gary threw thetwo together, adding in a little space that used to be outside, andnow provides open space looking into the glass-enclosed side porchthat serves as a greenhouse.

They stripped out tile ceilings, bared the wood rafters andreplaced linoleum floors with pine boards in both parts of thekitchen and in the adjacent dining room. The dining room got a newtin ceiling.

The Rogers kitchen is as close as you can come to a genuineearly 20th century farm kitchen and still meet 1990s building codes.

There's a wooden sink cabinet Gary built, housing andhalf-concealing a modern sink. It has a turn-of-the-century luxury,an indoor pump right next to the sink. Right now it's for looks, butGary plans to hook it up to city water pretty soon.

A 1920s refrigerator with circular condenser on top holds milkand juices. A more powerful refrigerator-freezer hides in thepantry.

There are two old stoves in operation. One is an old Roper gas stove on high legs, with a raised oven. That's where Shelly cooks.Out in the former summer kitchen, to which the heating ducts wouldn'treach, is a wood-burning range that helps heat the place in winter.It's not black cast iron, but the very latest enamel-finished modelbuilt to appeal to a modern farm wife in 1940.

Gary built the long kitchen table and the series of farm cabi nets. He found old counter-top cabinets or bureaus, installed them,and built tall, open shelving units to fit above them. Shelly madeclassic pantry curtains to frame each of them.

An old oak telephone booth next to the gas stove not only housesa phone, its back side conceals the door to the cellar. Hangingabove the stove is the little wire egg basket Gary's grandmother,Ruth Prust of Palatine, carried out to the hen house when she wasabout 6.

There's hardly an auction or flea market in 50 miles' range thatthe Rogerses haven't attended in their search for authentic,affordable furnishings - the kitchen butcher block, dining-roomlibrary table, clawfoot tub and the old dresser into which Gary builta basin for the downstairs bathroom.

Up front, a vast red mahogany rolltop desk dominates the roomthat was Amos Coon's office. This room and the front parlor haveheavy woodwork with unusual round molding standing out around theedges of doors and windows. The family is madly finishing up themusic room and courting room across the hall in time for thehousewalk.

And now, back to the Kennedy Way Station and its ladies-onlypolicy. Seems in the 1840s and 1850s in Illinois, it would have beena scandal to let unmarried men and women sleep under the same roofwhen traveling unescorted. So the ladies on the stagecoach stayed atthe Kennedy home, and the men spent the night at another house a goodmile away.

Report: German finance minister raises pressure on Liechtenstein in tax affair

Germany's finance minister increased pressure on tiny Liechtenstein to help combat tax evasion, raising the possibility of restricting business with the principality if it does not cooperate, according to an interview released Saturday.

German officials are urging Liechtenstein to make quick progress toward increasing the transparency of its financial system amid a large-scale tax-evasion investigation that centers on money Germans allegedly stashed in the Alpine tax haven.

"There is the possibility of cooperation _ we would like to conclude a double taxation agreement with Liechtenstein," Finance Minister Peer Steinbrueck was quoted as saying by the Bild am Sonntag newspaper, which released his comments before publication Sunday. Such an agreement also should allow Liechtenstein to assist in uncovering tax evasion, he added.

"But if we do not make progress there, we must take other measures at European or German level _ I am thinking of the possibility of making business dealings with Liechtenstein considerably more difficult," Steinbrueck said, according to the report. He did not say how that might be achieved.

German officials have pinpointed Liechtenstein foundations as a problem. German investigators allege they can be used for evading taxes.

Liechtenstein officials defend the practice of allowing foreigners to open trusts there anonymously by registering them through a local attorney or trustee, and say reforms currently being prepared are unrelated to the German scandal.

"We must get to a point where no more taxes can be evaded with the help of these so-called foundations," Steinbrueck was quoted as saying. "Liechtenstein must change the framework with which it invites tax evasion in Germany or elsewhere."

IMF names Bank of China official as adviser

The International Monetary Fund has named the current deputy governor of the Bank of China as a special adviser to IMF Managing Director Dominique Strauss-Kahn.

The IMF says Zhu Min will start his job May 3.

China has complained that the IMF and the World Bank have been dominated by the United States and European countries that founded the organizations after World War II.

Zhu's appointment brings a respected Chinese banker to the top level of the IMF. Justin Yifu Lin, who is Chinese, became the World Bank's chief economist in 2008.

Strauss-Kahn says Zhu will help the IMF better understand Asia and emerging markets.

Zhu is responsible in his current job for international affairs, policy research and credit information.

Rep. Ford keynotes Democratic National Convention

Rep. Ford keynotes Democratic National Convention

U.S. Rep. Harold E. Ford Jr. (D-Tenn.), described by Vice President Al Gore as a 30-year-old "rising star" of the party, keynoted the Democratic National Convention that kicked off Monday in Los Angeles.

He'll represent an array of diversity that Democratic presidential hopeful Gore says is reflective of the more than 5,000 delegates who will attend the convention.

Gore said it will be a sharp contrast to the Republican National Convention, where 91 percent of the delegates were mostly white men and the entertainers mostly people of color. Inclusion of all ethnic groups and gender will be visible throughout and on all levels of the convention, he said.

Ford, Gore said, "is a rising star of the Democratic Party. He is a young but proven leader on issues including education and healthcare and exemplifies the positive vision our party has for the future."

Ford, who was first elected at the age of 26 in 1996, will keynote the convention on August 15.

The Rev. Jesse L. Jackson Sr. also said he's proud of the diversity. He too will be speaking on Tuesday and said it will clearly show the American electorate the difference between the Gore/Lieberman vs. Bush/Cheney agenda and philosophy on racial and gender inclusion.

Chinta Strausberg

Article Copyright Sengstacke Enterprises, Inc.

Final domestic detainee from 9/11 dragnet freed, goes to Canada

An Algerian man believed to be the last domestic detainee stillin custody from a national dragnet after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorattacks was finally set free this week, his lawyer said Friday.

Benemar Benatta, 32, who was cleared of links to terrorism inNovember 2001, went to Ontario, Canada, where he is seekingpolitical asylum, after being released from a Buffalo immigrationlockup on Thursday, said attorney Catherine Amirfar.

"After five years, he had become all but hopeless," she said."Now he's cautiously optimistic."

Benatta was among 1,200 mostly Arab and Muslim men detainednationwide as potential suspects or witnesses in the investigationfollowing the terrorist attacks.

The government has refused to discuss their fate, but humanrights groups have said they believed the former Algerian air forcelieutenant was the only one still in custody.

Heather Tasker, a spokeswoman for the U.S. attorney in Manhattan,refused to discuss Benatta's release, which was first reported bythe Washington Post.

U.S. officials agreed to release Benatta after the CanadianConsulate General's office in Buffalo granted him temporaryresidency, according to court papers filed Wednesday in New York.

The last detainee's odyssey began Sept. 5, 2001, when, afteroverstaying a six-month visa, he crossed the border near Buffalo toseek asylum in Canada. After the Sept. 11 attacks, his background asa Muslim man with flight experience prompted Canadian officials toturn him over to U.S. authorities.

He spent the next six months in solitary confinement in a federaljail in Brooklyn. Though the FBI concluded he had no links toterrorism, he was eventually charged with carrying falseidentification -- a case that was dropped after a federal magistratefound his right to due process had been violated.

The magistrate wrote in a 2003 decision that Benatta had been"undeniably deprived of his liberty" and "held in custody underharsh conditions which can be said to be oppressive."

Despite the ruling, immigration officials continued to keep himin custody in Buffalo while he appealed a deportation order andrenewed his quest for asylum based on a claim that, as a militarydeserter, he would be tortured or killed if he returned to Algeria.

A U.N. human rights group that studied the case noted that mostasylum seekers are released pending the outcome of their cases.

"The imprisonment Mr. Benatta has endured has been a de factoprison sentence," the U.N. group wrote in findings made public inMarch. "In no way can the simple administrative offense of havingstayed in the United States after his visa had expired justify sucha disproportionate sentence."

Final domestic detainee from 9/11 dragnet freed, goes to Canada

An Algerian man believed to be the last domestic detainee stillin custody from a national dragnet after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorattacks was finally set free this week, his lawyer said Friday.

Benemar Benatta, 32, who was cleared of links to terrorism inNovember 2001, went to Ontario, Canada, where he is seekingpolitical asylum, after being released from a Buffalo immigrationlockup on Thursday, said attorney Catherine Amirfar.

"After five years, he had become all but hopeless," she said."Now he's cautiously optimistic."

Benatta was among 1,200 mostly Arab and Muslim men detainednationwide as potential suspects or witnesses in the investigationfollowing the terrorist attacks.

The government has refused to discuss their fate, but humanrights groups have said they believed the former Algerian air forcelieutenant was the only one still in custody.

Heather Tasker, a spokeswoman for the U.S. attorney in Manhattan,refused to discuss Benatta's release, which was first reported bythe Washington Post.

U.S. officials agreed to release Benatta after the CanadianConsulate General's office in Buffalo granted him temporaryresidency, according to court papers filed Wednesday in New York.

The last detainee's odyssey began Sept. 5, 2001, when, afteroverstaying a six-month visa, he crossed the border near Buffalo toseek asylum in Canada. After the Sept. 11 attacks, his background asa Muslim man with flight experience prompted Canadian officials toturn him over to U.S. authorities.

He spent the next six months in solitary confinement in a federaljail in Brooklyn. Though the FBI concluded he had no links toterrorism, he was eventually charged with carrying falseidentification -- a case that was dropped after a federal magistratefound his right to due process had been violated.

The magistrate wrote in a 2003 decision that Benatta had been"undeniably deprived of his liberty" and "held in custody underharsh conditions which can be said to be oppressive."

Despite the ruling, immigration officials continued to keep himin custody in Buffalo while he appealed a deportation order andrenewed his quest for asylum based on a claim that, as a militarydeserter, he would be tortured or killed if he returned to Algeria.

A U.N. human rights group that studied the case noted that mostasylum seekers are released pending the outcome of their cases.

"The imprisonment Mr. Benatta has endured has been a de factoprison sentence," the U.N. group wrote in findings made public inMarch. "In no way can the simple administrative offense of havingstayed in the United States after his visa had expired justify sucha disproportionate sentence."

Chamber program creates a benchmark for improvement

Richard's Floor Covering Inc. of Lancaster was proud to receive the 1998 Achievement Award from the Lancaster Chamber of Commerce and Industry's Business Excellence program.

But what company CEO Bruce Beardsley values even more is the evaluation process the company went through in applying for the award.

"We applied for two reasons: To benchmark ourselves against the best (companies) in Lancaster and the country, and to force us to look at particular issues, to change things that would bring us into compliance with the (business excellence) model." Beardsley said.

"I would definitely encourage other businesses to apply, for the same reasons we did: To help them think about things they wouldn't normally think about, because they're always doing the urgent things rather than the important things, like planning ahead for the future."

Richard's Floor Covering used the feedback from the awards process to make a number of revisions to its corporate structure, Beardsley said.

"Some specific things that we've done include revising our strategic planning process so that it's more bottom up rather than top-down," he said. "We've enhanced the way we measure customer satisfaction; we have a very active recognition process for our people; and we do a lot of measurement, that's a core part of the model. So we've tried to get everyone in the organization to measure their own processes and their ability to conform to (model's) requirements."

Richard's Floor Covering operated as a division of Good's Furniture of New Holland for 35 years. When Richard Good sold the furniture company in 1996, he bought back the floor-covering division to create an independent firm.

Richard's Floor Covering has annual sales of approximately $6 million, Beardsley said. It has about 40 full-time employees, including about 20 full-time installers.

The company operates retail stores in Centerville, New Holland and Harrisburg and has just opened a retail outlet in its warehouse, located beside the corporate offices in the Greenfield Industrial Park.

The Lancaster chamber has offered the business excellence program since 1992. The number of program applicants varies each year. There were seven or eight applicants in 1997, and chamber officials hope for an increase in applicants for 1999. Because of changes in the application process, only two companies applied in 1998.

The program has three parts: The awards program itself; business roundtables in which local business leaders discuss what their own companies are doing to achieve business excellence; and an annual business-excellence conference, which invites national speakers to discuss the latest business-excellence techniques.

The program is based on the U.S. Department of Commerce's Malcolm Baldridge National Quality Award. The Baldridge program is the one most recognized by American businesses, said Betty Rose, manager of the chamber's small-business and business-excellence programs.

"If you are a Baldridge Award recipient, you are perceived to be a world-class business, a top-notch business," Rose said.

The Malcolm Baldridge Award program provides a model to continually improve a company's performance over time, said Randy Wirth, chairman of the chamber's business-excellence committee.

"The chamber adapted the program to help local businesses improve or maintain their competitive levels within the new global economy," Wirth said.

"A lot of companies have a tendency to pick up one or two parts of continued improvement. They're focused on product quality, or they're focused on reducing cost. Or maybe they're focused on measuring one aspect of their business. What they lose in that situation is the big picture. And what they don't have is an overall plan to improve all aspects of their company."

The awards program is open to any organization that i a current chamber member.

The identities of applicants are kept confidential Wirth said. Companies that receive an award are publicly recognized. But companies that apply and don't receive an award remain anonymous, unless they choose to publicize their involvement themselves.

Applying for the award is a two-step process. Interested companies must submit a letter of intent to the chamber. The deadline for 1999 is by Jan. 22.

The application fee is based on the size of the organization: $250 for companies with one to 100 employees and $350 for companies with 101 or more employees. Fees offset the cost of the awards process.

The second step of the process involves preparing and completing an application form and report summarizing the organization's practices and results, according to the requirements of the business-excellence criteria. Applications for 1999 are due by March 13.

Each company' s report and application form are studied by a specially trained team of examiners, including local quality experts and other members of the local business community.

Each examiner reviews the material separately. The team leader meets with all the examiners and then puts together a comprehensive feedback report which then goes to the awards judges and the applying companies.

The feedback reports do not make actual recommendations for change, Rose said. They do indicate areas that could use improvement. which is helpful when a company is undergoing its strategic planning process. But it is up to each company to decide whether to apply the recommendations.

The chamber went through the awards process itself, in 1995, Rose said. "It was the basis for our internal restructuring. And each year we have improved upon it."

The chamber issues awards based on four levels of achievement. The first three are awarded based on the number of points received in each of seven categories: Leadership; strategic planning; customer and market focus; information and analysis; human resource development and management; process management; and business results.

The Achievement Award is given for serious commitment to customer focus and continuous improvement. The Leadership Award recognizes significant progress in quality improvement.

To date, only two Lancaster companies have received the top award, the Excellence Award. This is awarded for the highest achievement in performance excellence.

The chamber instituted a fourth award in 1996, the Commitment to Excellence Recognition. It was designed for companies that are committed and striving to achieve business excellence but are unable to apply for the other three awards because of size, maturity or other constraints.

The York County Chamber of Commerce does have awards programs, but none based on the Malcolm Baldridge program, said spokeswoman Melissa Golden. The Capital Region Chamber of Commerce did not return phone calls by press time.

Like Richard's Floor Covering, many Lancaster County companies apply for the awards program just to receive the feedback report, Rose said.

"Our feedback report is very valuable," she said. "You're getting information from approximately seven different examiners. It's a low-cost analysis. People pay thousands and thousands of dollars to consultants to get this type of a document. And we have a number of consultants that are volunteer examiners for us in our program."

David Perlis' e-mail address is: davidp@journalpub.com

A stakes sweep for imports

The prevailing motto for Arlington Million Day 2007 could havebeen "Bet American, lose your voucher."

The victory of Canada-based Jambalaya in the silver anniversaryof the Million completed a sweep of the afternoon's three Grade Iclassics by foreign imports. The French-bred Shamdinan ($11.60) wonthe $400,000 Secretariat while German visitor Royal Highness($20.40) -- under Arlington jockey leader Rene Douglas -- capturedthe $750,000 Beverly D.

Shamdinan, making his U.S. debut for trainer Doug O'Neill, wasall out in the final strides to run down Red Giant. The colt wasridden by Julien Leparoux and automatically qualified for the $3million Breeders' Cup Turf at Monmouth Park on Oct. 27. He carriedfour pounds less than Red Giant and was racing on Lasix for thefirst time.

As for Royal Highness, the

5-year-old daughter of the German stallion Monsun had to catchTeam Valor's Irridescence in deep stretch to win the Beverly D. Thevictory was only her second in the last two years.

Said Douglas: "Turning for home, I knew we had a chance. But[Irridescence] would not give up, and I had to finish really, reallyhard."

Royal Highness won $450,000 for Lucien Urano's Monceaux Stableand a slot in the $2 million BC Filly & Mare Turf at Monmouth.

Pike's peak

Robby Albarado rode Canada-based champion Jambalaya for the firsttime. Javier Castellano piloted the gelding in his previous fourraces -- including a breakthrough win in the Grade I Gulfstream ParkBC Handicap in February. But Castellano elected to stay at Saratogaon Saturday to ride Trippi's Storm in the Grade I Sword Dancer,leaving an opening for Albarado and agent Lenny Pike Jr.

Said Pike (Niles West High, Class of '78): "I called [trainer]Catherine Day-Phillips as soon as I became aware Javier might stayat Saratoga. I told her of our availability, reminded her of thecareer year Robby is having and also mentioned that no one knows theArlington turf course like he does. A couple days later, afterCastellano confirmed he was going to ride in the Sword Dancer, shegave us Jambalaya."

Albarado grossed $60,000 for his winning ride. Castellano wasthird aboard Trippi's Storm behind the 15-1 upsetter Grand Couterierand favored English Channel in the Sword Dancer.

Hometown hero

Jockey Eddie Baird gave the connections of the Chicago-basedJennie R. almost all they could ask for with his sharp riding in theBeverly D. Aboard the 25-1 shot, Baird opened a clear lead quicklyand sustained it all the way to the top of the stretch in the mile-and-three-sixteenths turf classic. His key split was six furlongs in1:14.16 before he was overtaken by the vaunted South African shipperIrridescence, eventual champ Royal Highness, show horse Lady ofVenice and Citronnade.

Jennie R. finished fifth, earning trainer Michele Boyce and co-owners Nate Ruffolo, Sam Belpedio, Barry Lloyd and Elaine and MikeBojarski a check for $22,500. Said Baird: "Jennie R. is a strongmare that doesn't like to be told what to do. I think she's going tobe very well-suited for stakes around a mile-and-a-sixteenth. When Igot back to the jocks room, [Mark] Guidry said to me, 'Boy, when youhit the turn, you had me on the edge of my stool whooping andhollering. I thought you might hang on.' It was a great effort byher."

Clip 'n' save

Day-Phillips said Million champ Jambalaya cost $2,500 to buy --at a Keeneland yearling sale in 2003 -- and $4,000 to geld. Shesuggested the 5-year-old son of Langfuhr might run in the Grade IMan 'O War at Belmont this fall before trying the $3millionBreeders' Cup Turf at Monmouth.

jodonnell@suntimes.com

US Airways loses $794 million in quarter: Airline anticipates profits may emerge as soon as 2004

ARLINGTON, Va. - US Airways lost $794 million in the final threemonths of 2002, but said its plan to emerge from bankruptcy by theend of March remains on track.

The losses are an improvement compared to the $1.16 billion inlosses for the final quarter of 2001, when aviation security rules atmetro Washington's Reagan National Airport prohibited flights. USAirways is the airport's largest carrier.

For the year, the company, which has major hubs in Pittsburgh andPhiladelphia, lost $1.65 billion on revenue of $7 billion, comparedto losses of $2.1 billion on revenue of $8.3 billion in 2001.

Several West Virginia cities are served by regional airlinesflying as US …

Generex Biotechnology Appoints Mark Fletcher as Interim President and CEO, and John P. Barratt as Chairman of the Board.

rstCall/ - Generex Biotechnology Corporation (Nasdaq: GNBT), which is engaged in the research, development, and commercialization of drug delivery systems and technologies, announced that its Board of Directors has appointed Mark Fletcher as Interim President and Chief Executive Officer effective immediately. The Board also appointed John P. Barratt, an independent director, to serve as Chairman of the Board (see also Biotechnology).

Mr. Fletcher and Mr. Barratt succeed Anna E. Gluskin as Chief Executive Officer and President, and as Chairman, respectively. Ms. Gluskin continues as a director of the company. Mr. Fletcher has served as Generex's Executive Vice-President and …

`DINNER DOCTOR' NO COOK'S CURE.(LIFE-FOOD)

Byline: KRISTIN EDDY Chicago Tribune

Cookbook author Anne Byrn hit on a great idea a few years back when she published ``The Cake Mix Doctor,'' which suggested a variety of ways to doll up packaged cake mixes with good-quality extras. The book went on to become a bestseller, along with her follow-up, ``Chocolate from the Cake Mix Doctor.''

In her latest release, ``The Dinner Doctor'' (Workman, $14.95), Byrn acknowledges the time-consuming burden so many people feel making dinner has come to be, but she goes out of its way to dumb-down fresh ingredients.

To begin with, Byrn has included a number of recipes that seemed novel, oh, 50 years ago, but now …

First Data Maps Future Without Fote.

As a debit-transaction processor, First Data Corp. leads the pack in the U.S. in terms of transaction volume. The company processed about 4.5 billion debit transactions in 2004, according to ATM&Debit News EFT Data Book 2006.

But that leadership position was not enough to keep CEO Charles T. Fote from leaving last week amid speculation that Fote was forced out by First Data's board due to poor performance and poor relations with business partners. "I don't think he came to the conclusion on his own," says Timothy Willi, an analyst with St. Louis-based A.G. Edwards & Sons, referring to Fote's departure last week.

Fote leaves after only three years at the helm of First Data. Fote, it seems, may have done a good job attracting merchant-processing volume at a time when debit card use at point-of-sale …