GBP3bn bid for Safeway

NATIONAL: Supermarket group Morrisons is holding talks withtakeover target Safeway as it put the finishing touches to a new GBP3billion bid for the chain. …

Earthworms excel at school thanks to mid-scale vermicomposting

In the preface to her new book, The Worm Cafe, teacher-author Binet Payne writes that she learned about the benefits of composting from her grandmother who was born in 1897. She also credits Mary Appelhof, who wrote Worms Eat My Garbage and launched Flowerfield Enterprises in the early 1980s. Payne used the knowledge she acquired from these two and others when teaching earthworm science to 6th, 7th and 8th grade students. Her schoolroom experiences in Laytonville, California led to The Worm Cafe.

"Schools top the list of sources for discarded paper and food waste," Payne explains. "Mid-scale vermicomposting provides a simple, effective, and inexpensive method for processing paper …

Japanese woman goes on stabbing rampage, wounding 7 people at train station

A Japanese woman went on a stabbing rampage at a crowded train station wounding seven men after failing to slash her own wrist, police said Tuesday.

The woman attempted to cut her wrist with an army knife at a shopping mall near the train station in Hiratsuka, some 70 kilometers (43 miles) southwest of Tokyo on Monday night, but someone bumped into her and she became angry, said police official Hidetoshi Yukitake.

"She was screaming as she was slashing people at random," Yukitake said.

…

Double cup woe for Timsbury

Somerset League Timsbury Athletic crashed out of the SomersetCounty League Knockout Cup for Premier and Division 1 sides after adisappointing 2-0 home defeat to lower-league Street Reserves.

Fresh from their first league win of the season the previousweek, Timsbury began as favourites, but they rarely threatened agoal and visiting keeper Steve Coppell had a quiet afternoon.

With a swirling wind and driving rain making playing conditionsdifficult, the first half was mostly contested in midfield, withneither keeper seriously troubled.

Within three minutes of the second half, however, the visitorswere ahead. Ben McKay saw his first shot saved by Timsbury …

Do we compare with - or to?

The Court of Peeves, Crotchets & Irks resumes its April assizes withthe pet peeve of Arthur W. Holst of Woodstock, Va. He is irked bythe misuse of "to compare" and asks the court to set everyonestraight.

The court, which has tried for 50 years to master "to comprise"without success, will do its best with "to compare." As thepetitioner rightly suggests, the problem lies not so much with theverb as it lies with the preposition that follows the verb.Sometimes we compare to, and sometimes we compare with, and the courturges all writers to take proper notes.

When our purpose is to emphasize similarities, the better choiceis almost always to. Thus in Sonnet 18, …

Oakland sees homicide total spike in rough 2011

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Staring at a colorful display of balloons, flowers and candles at a makeshift memorial in East Oakland, Todd Walker estimated he went to at least 50 of the funerals for this city's 110 homicide victims in 2011.

He attended one more on Friday, this time for Oakland's last homicide victim of the year, 5-year-old Gabriel Martinez, Jr., who was shot and killed near his father's taco truck a week earlier.

"Safe streets should be the main priority of this city, period! There are no more excuses," said Walker, a community activist who is often asked to attend services by the victims' families, pointing to a large banner with Gabriel's image at the memorial site …

Dutch defender Boulahrouz back in training

Netherlands defender Khalid Boulahrouz is back training after picking up a minor ankle injury during World Cup practice.

Boulahrouz joined the team for a session Wednesday and looked untroubled by the injury he picked up a day earlier.

Hundreds of Dutch and South African fans watched the training session at Wits University …

Turnout low, but the bribes were good: Anything That Floats judges made out like bandits at Regatta event

DAILY MAIL STAFF

Sunday was a good day to be a judge.

Despite low participation in the Anything That Floats race, thisyear's judges received better bribes than ever before, said judgeTrish Lindsey, who has been a judge seven times.

Lindsey, from Charter Communications, and her fellow judges AndreaOoten, also from Charter, and Tony Mainolfi of WCHS-TV got itemsranging from a Hawaiian shirt to an all-day lollipop.

"The little kids with the candy was just not fair," Lindsey said.

The candy bribe came from the Parks family's Good Ship Lollipop, apink confection that was one of three entries in the novice category,which means the participants had no …

China backs UN efforts in Myanmar, hopes for national reconciliation efforts by junta

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao called on the people of Myanmar to work with the ruling junta toward national reconciliation after a violent crackdown by the military regime which garnered global condemnation.

China, a longtime ally and the largest trading partner of Myanmar, is attending the annual summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Wen said upon arrival Sunday that recent efforts by the United Nations should help jump-start democracy in the country ruled by the military since 1962.

The junta has faced heavy international criticism after its troops opened fire on pro-democracy demonstrators in late September, killing at least 15 people. …

Trailer classes segregate black kids, PUSH charges

Mobile classrooms are a form of racial segregation, according to a civil rights group and some parents in the Elgin School District U46.

Local Rainbow PUSH Coalition chapter members and some U46 black parents made the claim at Monday night's school board meeting.

"We feel that the use of these mobile classrooms segregate our [black] children from the general student body," said the Rev. Walter H. Blalark, president of the Rainbow PUSH's Northwest Suburban Chapter, in a letter to the board.

Rainbow PUSH received word of this issue from black parents in the district, including Brenda Stevens, whose daughter received a fourth-grade education in a mobile classroom at …

FIRED UP

In a showcase for teen inventors, math and science fuel creativity.

AN MATEO, Calif. - As you might expect in the technologically savvy Bay Area, electronic gadgets loomed large at Maker Faire, an annual celebration of hackers, inventors, and do-il-yourself creators that drew 100,000-plus ,spectators last spring. A fleet of R2-D2s blipped and chirped just like their Star Wat's inspiration. An inventor showed off a homemade 3-D camera, while; a laptop maestro conducted a robotic orchestra. And then there was Saphira. an 8 �-foot-tall, iire-breathing dragon.

Saphira represented a new dimension for Maker Faire, a festival launched in 2006 by Make magazine1 that lias spread to …

Intesa Sanpaolo profits rise 3 percent

MILAN (AP) — The CEO of Italy's second-largest bank Intesa Sanpaolo SpA expressed confidence in Italy's ability to navigate the debt crisis as the bank reported a 3 percent increase in third-quarter net income.

The Milan-based bank reported third-quarter net income Tuesday of euro527 million ($724 million) against euro510 million a year earlier, as it recorded lower losses on loans and higher net interest.

CEO Corrado Passera told an analyst conference call that the bank will use a euro1.1 billion one-off gain in the quarter to partly write down the value of its Greek bonds. Banks are in the process of agreeing how to reduce the value of their Greek holdings by 50 percent as …

Cyprus hopes for political deal, more football

Football officials from Cyprus said Wednesday that differences between football authorities on the divided island could be settled as part of a wider political accord.

FIFA has given the unofficial Turkish Cypriot Football Association (CTFA) a mid-September deadline to agree a compromise that would help end its teams' 34-year isolation from the football world.

The deal depends on CTFA accepting the authority of the internationally recognized Cyprus FA, which represents the majority Greek community.

Cyprus has been divided into a Turkish-dominated north and Greek-led south since 1974, when Turkey sent troops to the island following a short-lived coup staged by supporters of the union with Greece.

"I think there is a good opportunity now," said Haris Loizides, vice president of the official football authority CFA. "If there is a political settlement then the football issue will be a minor thing because it will be part of all the other arrangements to bring the two communities together."

Loizides told The Associated Press he hoped the process would be helped by talks between political leaders scheduled Sept. 3 to begin exploring a reunification of the island.

FIFA brought the two Cypriot sides together for the first time in September 2007. They later met on two occasions in the divided capital city Nicosia.

The world governing body last month presented Turkish-Cypriot officials with an eight-point plan which offered the opportunity for their teams to play matches against clubs from other countries.

The CFA would have to approve the games because FIFA rules do not allow for two associations to operate in one country.

"FIFA has tried to keep this as a truly football discussion," Loizides said in Geneva, where Cyprus played Switzerland in a friendly match later Wednesday.

"It is a win-win situation. It doesn't undermine the recognition that we enjoy internationally as the Cyprus FA. At the same time it gives the Turkish Cypriots a way out of this isolation that they have been in, in terms of football."

The Cyprus FA would also allow Turkish-Cypriots to run their own coaching and refereeing programs, he said.

Loizides said the FIFA proposal, if agreed, would stay in place only until a longer-term political peace deal was found. Peace talks had been stalled since 2004, when Greek Cypriot voters rejected a U.N. reunification plan that Turkish Cypriots accepted in simultaneous referenda.

"It is good that we now have talks between our leaders," he said. "Hopefully that will initiate a positive momentum."

The potential reunification of Cypriot football comes at a time when its national and club teams representing the Greek community are making progress on the international stage.

Cyprus has risen to 62 in the FIFA world rankings after a series of good results in the qualifying phase of the last European Championship. It beat Ireland 5-2, Wales 3-1 and held future Euro 2008 finalist Germany to a 1-1 draw in Nicosia.

Last week, Cypriot champion Anothorsis beat Greece's Olympiakos 3-0 in the first leg of a Champions League qualifier. If it holds on in the return match next week, Anothorsis will be the first team from Cyprus to reach the lucrative group stage of the tournament.

It has played home matches in the southern city of Larnaca since being cut off from its traditional home of Famagusta in the north in 1974.

Nicosia-based Omonia then beat another top Greek side AEK 1-0 in Athens in the UEFA Cup. Omonia's return match is also next week.

"The Turkish Cypriots are also football-loving people like we are," Loizides said. "I think that they must see this progress of Cyprus football and, of course, they should be more than keen to join."

Bengals' stadium to open on schedule

CINCINNATI The new stadium for the Cincinnati Bengals this seasonis to open as scheduled in 10 days and remains $45 million overbudget.

The Bengals start play in the stadium with an exhibition gameagainst the Chicago Bears on Aug. 19.

There will be temporary gates rather than permanent ones in somelocations, temporary bars in some club lounges and the team storewon't be ready to sell merchandise, but other sales outlets in thestadium will be operating, project managers told countycommissioners.

County taxpayers are to pay for cost overruns at the publiclyfinanced Paul Brown Stadium, named for the Bengals' founder.

County commissioners were warned in February that constructionmanagers expected $45 million in additional costs above the $407million original budget for building the stadium, relocating streetsand utilities, acquiring land and demolishing old structures.

The county's original agreement with the Bengals obligatedtaxpayers to pay the team late fees of $2 million for each exhibitiongame and $4 million per regular-season game if the stadium were notready on time.

The Bengals agreed in June to waive that requirement, however,after receiving assurances the stadium would be ready on schedule.

The Bengals completed play last season in 30-year-old CinergyField, the shared home with baseball's Cincinnati Reds. The county isalso starting construction of a new Reds ballpark that is to be readyfor the 2003 season.

Associated Press

N. Korea nuke reactor shutdown could mean 1 of 3 things 2 are good, but U.S. worries about the other

WASHINGTON -- The apparent shutdown of a nuclear reactor in NorthKorea is raising concerns among Bush administration officials thatPyongyang has finished producing spent fuel rods laced with weapons-grade plutonium.

A U.S. official familiar with the situation said there could be atleast two other possibilities, neither of which was troubling: thatthe reactor had run into mechanical trouble or that North Korea wasbluffing to raise anxieties.

In the past, North Korea has claimed to have taken major steps inits pursuit of a nuclear weapons arsenal, but U.S. analysts say onlysome of those claims are genuine.

Even so, North Korea is believed to have already produced at leastone atom bomb, and the United States, China, Japan, South Korea andRussia are trying through so-called six-nation talks to negotiateelimination of the nuclear weapons program.

North refuses to negotiate

North Korea had agreed to return to the bargaining table lastSeptember after a three-month hiatus but since then has refused toresume the talks.

North Korea's main nuclear complex at Yongbyon houses a 5-megawatt reactor that generates spent fuel rods laced with plutonium,but they must be removed and reprocessed to extract the plutonium foruse in an atomic weapon. They can be removed only if the reactor hasbeen shut down.

AP

Texaco, Pennzoil start appeal

HOUSTON (AP) Texaco Inc. yesterday asked a state appeals courtto set aside the multibillion-dollar judgment ordering Texaco to payrival Pennzoil Co. for wrongfully interfering with a plannedPennzoil-Getty Oil Co. merger.

"There's not a shred of evidence in the record to say thatTexaco knew (of any contract between Pennzoil and Getty)," attorneyRichard Keaton said in arguments before the 1st Court of Appeals."There was no contract and Texaco had no knowledge even if therewas."

But Pennzoil's lead attorney, Joe Jamail, insisted Getty andPennzoil had an agreement - and that Texaco was aware of it.

"It is as brazen an interference with another contract as I haveever seen," another Pennzoil attorney, Simon Rivkind, told thethree-judge panel.

In November, a Houston jury found Texaco wrongfully interferedin the planned Pennzoil-Getty merger in 1984 and ordered Texaco topay $10.53 billion in damages to Pennzoil. The judgment remains thelargest in U.S. history.

State District Judge Solomon Casseb Jr., who stepped in aspresiding trial judge when Judge Anthony Farris became ill, upheldthe damage award, added another $600 million in interest, and saidinterest would continue to accrue at a rate of 10 percent a year.

As of yesterday, the bill for interest - at $3 million a day -was up to $708 million.

North Weald David Richardson, 01277 [...] ; Community news

North Weald David Richardson, 01277 363272 07913 156616,dp.rich@tesco.net Poppy funds THE North Weald RBL Poppy Appealraised a grand total of Pounds 7572.09. Included in this sum wasPounds 1053.36 raised in Hastingwood; Pounds 1146.09 in ThornwoodCommon; Pounds 1738.48 in North Weald and Pounds 2600.02 fromcollections at the Airfield Market. The local appeal organisersDoreen Lodge and Ted Hilliard would like to thank the army ofcollectors who work so hard, those who have boxes on their premisesand everyone who gave so generously to support the work of the RoyalBritish Legion.

Titans improve to 4-0 for first time

The Tennessee Titans aren't celebrating their perfect _ and historic _ start.

Not in September.

"We still have a chance to go 4-12," Titans linebacker Keith Bulluck said.

Rookie Chris Johnson scored two touchdowns and the defense forced four turnovers that the Titans turned into 21 points as Tennessee beat the Minnesota Vikings 30-17 Sunday. The Titans improved to 4-0 for the first time in franchise history.

Not even dating back to their AFL start in Houston as the Oilers had this team started a season by winning more than three straight. But in their 10th season as the relocated Titans, they have won an NFL-best seven straight regular-season games and had the crowd chanting "4-and-0" as the final seconds ticked off.

Cornerback Nick Harper helped seal the victory with an interception and said the Titans know they can play better still.

"We don't feel like we're there yet. We feel like we haven't played a complete game yet. ... We just feel like we're struggling. Even though we're struggling, we know we're struggling in the right direction," Harper said.

Minnesota (1-3), which came in hoping to start its own winning streak, outgained Tennessee 333-275. The Titans had allowed an NFL-fewest 29 points but gave up a season-high 17 to the Vikings.

But the Titans also came up with four sacks to go with the turnovers.

"Obviously, we have to do a better job of taking care of the football," Minnesota coach Brad Childress said. "When you spot somebody 21 points on turnovers those are pivotal things. Turnovers is the No. 1 statistic in this business. It's disappointing."

In a game featuring two of the NFL's top young running backs in Minnesota's Adrian Peterson and Tennessee's Johnson, it was two old quarterbacks _ Gus Frerotte and Kerry Collins _ who tried to take control against two stingy defenses against the run. Collins had much more help from his Titans.

Albert Haynesworth sacked Frerotte twice, and Nick Harper intercepted a Frerotte pass with 3:46 left after the Vikings pulled to 23-17 on Peterson's second touchdown run. Frerotte hurt his hand on that play and left the game.

Johnson then scored his second TD on a 6-yard run, and the Titans sacked Tarvaris Jackson twice to seal the victory.

Frerotte made it interesting as he drove the Vikings downfield to set up Peterson's second TD. He drew an unnecessary roughness penalty on Titans end Kyle Vanden Bosch after overthrowing on third-and-goal, which the quarterback called a direct shot.

"To just spear somebody like that is pretty ridiculous," Frerotte said.

Vanden Bosch denied he hit Frerotte anywhere except the thigh.

"That's where the rule book tells me to hit the quarterback," Vanden Bosch said.

Peterson scored on the next play to pull Minnesota to 23-17 with 6 minutes left.

The Titans, who gained only 70 yards in the second half, stalled again. Their punt was downed at the 2, forcing Frerotte to throw from his end zone. Harper picked him off on third down to set up Johnson's 6-yard TD run.

Peterson finished with 80 yards on 18 carries after coming into the game ranked second in the NFL with 340 yards.

Minnesota got five sacks in last week's victory over Carolina. The Vikings hit Collins but never sacked him as the 14-year veteran completed passes to six different Titans for 199 yards.

The Titans opened the game by scoring on their first drive and never trailed after dominating most of the first quarter. They outgained Minnesota 102-9.

Johnson ran in for a 1-yard TD that was his first score rushing to make it 10-0 in the first quarter. LenDale White also ran in from a yard, giving him a touchdown run in four straight games. Rob Bironas added field goals of 20, 32 and 49 yards.

Peterson broke loose for a 28-yard touchdown run at the beginning of the second quarter to pull the Vikings to 10-7. That was as close as they would get. Ryan Longwell had a chance at a 48-yarder just before halftime that clanked off the right upright.

Notes:@ With the win, Fisher improved to 124-104 as a head coach and tied George Seifert in career wins for 25th in NFL history. ... The Titans had not beaten Minnesota since 1992, losing their last four. ... The Titans have won four games in September for only the second time in club history, the first since being 4-1 in September 1979. ... Tennessee now is 17-4 when scoring at least 20 points since 2006. ... Vikings linebacker E.J. Henderson hurt his left foot in the second quarter but returned and finished the game.

Where Are The Keys? A Primer On Making Your Keyboards Cut Through The Mix Part I

It seems like a common complaint among keyboardists: we're never quite loud enough in the live mix. I can't count the number of times that I've gone to see bands perform, bands that feature some of the country's brightest keyboard players, and wished I could actually hear what the keyboardists were doing. Then of course, there are the occasions when I was the keyboard player on the bandstand, and I'd spot a colleague of mine cupping his hand behind his ear while looking pointedly at me - signaling that once again, my work wasn't being represented in the mix.

So why has it become common that keyboard players are left out in the cold? To me, it comes down to a few factors:

* stage amplification

* programming skills

* relationships with front-of-house (FOH) engineers

* orchestrational thinking

Let me talk about each of these for a bit.

My Stock Don't Say Marshall

On stage, drummers, guitar players, and bass players tend to have the advantage. Acoustic drums tend to cut through no matter what, and manufacturers have spent years developing guitar and bass amps that can match the power of acoustic drums while giving players a range of tone choices. Only recently have manufacturers really applied themselves to making decent keyboard amps. I encourage you to invest in a good-quality amp, so you don't have to rely on monitors for your sound. Be discerning! Try amps out in the store by listening to the sounds with high-fidelity headphones first, then through the amp, and listen for the differences. In some situations, having your own stage sound is the difference between being heard some or not at all.

FOH Engineer: Give Props To The Man

The FOH engineer is the performer's last buffer before the sound hits the audience, whether we like it or not. It's amazing to me how few musicians understand this simple fact. Typically, FOH engineers have a natural bias towards guitars, basses, and drums. Keyboards, for many engineers I've encountered, are kind of an annoyance. I take it upon myself to make my sound as easy as possible for the FOH engineer to integrate into the mix.

First and foremost, talk to the engineer! Introduce yourself (if it's not someone you work with regularly), and explain what role you play in creating the overall band sound. Is your job to cut through with stabbing, jarring patches? Do you create a wash with ethereal pads? Do you run a lot of arpeggiators? Or maybe you trigger drum loops? Whatever you do, you have a much better chance of being heard if you give the engineer an idea of what to expect. Be nice - you don't have to kiss ass, but in this business, relationships aie everything. The engineer will remember that you took the time to talk to him/her.

Think Like A Composer

Perhaps most importantly, listen to a lot of music, and get a good sense of orchestration. Listen to everything: symphonies by Rimsky-Korsakov and Stravinsky; big band arrangements by Gil Evans, Sammy Nestico and Billy Strayhorn; synth work by Wendy Carlos, Herbie Hancock, Kraftwerk, Depeche Mode, Brian Eno, Nine Inch Nails, Daniel Lanois - anything that will give you a sense of how different sounds combine to make new textures without fighting each other. And keep refining your synth chops - there's nothing quite as satisfying as having the bandmates wonder how you keep coming up with those perfect patches.

[Author Affiliation]

Andrew Craig has been a professional keyboardist for over 20 years, in addition to his work as a composer, arranger, producer, director and broadaster. He's performed with artists such as Ashley Maclsaac, Molly Johnson, and Wynton Marsalis. He's based in Toronto.

Athletics vs. academics

Nine members of the girls' track team from York High School gaveit their best shot on Saturday by not competing in an areainvitational meet.

They and other area high school athletes who passed up trackmeets, soccer invitationals, tennis and badminton tournaments to takeSaturday's ACT test have their priorities straight.

The test was the equivalent of spring training for many highschool juniors. After taking this test as a warm-up, they can try tobetter their scores in June or even next fall. And the results cangive them a jump ahead in making decisions about college.

Some athletes like Oswego's Tricia Scanlon were able to juggleboth events. Scanlon even set a meet record in the discus, aftertaking the three-hour test. "I took the ACT today and it got myadrenaline pumping," she said. Some teams like York and the girls'badminton team from Hinsdale Central were victorious, even thoughthey missed several starters.

But why do high school athletes face such conflicts? Don'tathletic directors and coaches know in advance when the ACT and SATtests are scheduled? Why can't they plan around them?

The conflicts between academics and athletics are gettingincreased attention in big-time college sports, where the NationalCollegiate Athletic Association, led by the presidents' commission,has begun to address problems like the time demands on athletes.

We'd like to see that debate include the high school level.That's where the conflicts begin.

Electrocution caused horse deaths at Newbury

LONDON (AP) — Two horses that died before a race at Newbury last weekend were killed by heart attacks as a result of accidental electrocution, British horseracing's governing body confirmed Thursday.

Fenix Two and Marching Song collapsed in the paddock ahead of Saturday's first race because of "leakage of electricity from a cable," an investigation by the British Horseracing Authority found.

A post-mortem examination said no suspicious circumstances were detected.

"These findings are all consistent with the cause of death being accidental electrocution and at this stage we are not investigating any other cause of death," said Professor Tim Morris, director of equine science and welfare for the BHA.

The electricity cable beneath the paddock was disconnected and removed on Sunday.

The course has been cleared to hold meetings again, with six races postponed on Saturday scheduled to be run on Friday.

Stephen Higgins, joint managing director of the southern England course, said an investigation by a local electricity board to establish the cause of the leakage would continue.

"I would like to stress again that Southern Electric has confirmed that there was no danger to the public on Saturday," Higgins said. "We are pleased that racing has been authorized for Friday."

Two other horses, Kid Cassidy and The Merry Giant, were also affected by the electrical leakage. Kid Cassidy was withdrawn from the race but The Merry Giant was one of seven horses to take part despite being "badly traumatized," according to his trainer Rebecca Curtis.

"He seems absolutely fine now," Curtis said Thursday.

Residents pampered at Brittany Woods

Management folks at Brittany Woods, a 377-unit apartment complexat 759 Burr Oak Lane, in far south suburban University Park, are notkidding around when they brag about their free after-school programfor children.

The "latchkey" plan at the complex's large bilevel lodge "isdesigned to ensure the parents that their children are safe just assoon as they get off the school bus," said Mario Adrian-Palaggi,director of recreation. "Parents know where their children are atall times.

"We'll help the kids with their homework first. We try to goheavy into the educational bit. Since the idle mind is mischievous,we have all kinds of activities: board games, pingpong, billiards,cable TV, movies on the VCR. Plus, I teach about arts and crafts.Every day, we'll have 30 or 40 kids here." Tenant profile: A mixture, but a significant number of children. Building facts: 377 units; Style A - 5-story buildings with 59 unitseach (177 units in mid-rise buildings); Style B - 2-story buildingswith 12 or 16 units per floor. Living area: 1-bedroom apartments, 663 to 825 square feet; 2bedrooms with 1 1/2 baths, 996 to 1,035 square feet; 2 bedrooms with2 full baths, 1,100 to 1,325 square feet; 3 bedrooms and 3 baths,1,325 square feet. Rent: 1-bedroom, $435 to $518; 2-bedroom, 1 1/2-bath, $510 to $615;2-bedroom, 2-bath: $540 to $635; 3-bedroom, 2-bath, $650 to $740. Heat, air conditioning: Forced-air and central air conditioning inmid-rise units; individual controls; wall unit air-conditioners inlow-rise buildings. Residents pay. Security: Intercom phone system for each building in mid-rises.Locked doors and doorbells in low-rise buildings. Transportation: Metra station three miles south of development;seven-minute drive to several interstate expressways. Management: Aspen Square Management, (708) 534-6501.

Postseason NHL Schedule

All Times EDT

FIRST ROUND

(Best-of-7)

EASTERN CONFERENCE

New Jersey vs. Philadelphia

Wednesday, April 14

Philadelphia 2, New Jersey 1

Friday, April 16

New Jersey 5, Philadelphia 3

Sunday, April 18

Philadelphia 3, New Jersey 2, OT

Tuesday, April 20

Philadelphia 4, New Jersey 1

Thursday, April 22

Philadelphia 3, New Jersey 0, Philadelphia wins series 4-1

___

Buffalo vs. Boston

Thursday, April 15

Buffalo 2, Boston 1

Saturday, April 17

Boston 5, Buffalo 3

Monday, April 19

Boston 2, Buffalo 1

Wednesday, April 21

Boston 3, Buffalo 2, 2OT

Friday, April 23

Buffalo 4, Boston 1

Monday, April 26

Boston 4, Buffalo 3, Boston wins series 4-2

___

Washington vs. Montreal

Thursday, April 15

Montreal 3, Washington 2, OT

Saturday, April 17

Washington 6, Montreal 5, OT

Monday, April 19

Washington 5, Montreal 1

Wednesday, April 21

Washington 6, Montreal 3

Friday, April 23

Montreal 2, Washington 1

Monday, April 26

Montreal 4, Washington 1

Wednesday, April 28

Montreal 2, Washington 1, Montreal wins series 4-3

___

Pittsburgh vs. Ottawa

Wednesday, April 14

Ottawa 5, Pittsburgh 4

Friday, April 16

Pittsburgh 2, Ottawa 1

Sunday, April 18

Pittsburgh 4, Ottawa 2

Tuesday, April 20

Pittsburgh 7, Ottawa 4

Thursday, April 22

Ottawa 4, Pittsburgh 3, 3OT

Saturday, April 24

Pittsburgh 4, Ottawa 3, OT, Pittsburgh wins series 4-2

___

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Vancouver vs. Los Angeles

Thursday, April 15

Vancouver 3, Los Angeles 2, OT

Saturday, April 17

Los Angeles 3, Vancouver 2, OT

Monday, April 19

Los Angeles 5, Vancouver 3

Wednesday, April 21

Vancouver 6, Los Angeles 4

Friday, April 23

Vancouver 7, Los Angeles 2

Sunday, April 25

Vancouver 4, Los Angeles 2, Vancouver wins series 4-2

___

San Jose vs. Colorado

Wednesday, April 14

Colorado 2, San Jose 1

Friday, April 16

San Jose 6, Colorado 5, OT

Sunday, April 18

Colorado 1, San Jose 0, OT

Tuesday, April 20

San Jose 2, Colorado 1, OT

Thursday, April 22

San Jose 5, Colorado 0

Saturday, April 24

San Jose 5, Colorado 2, San Jose wins series 4-2

___

Chicago vs. Nashville

Friday, April 16

Nashville 4, Chicago 1

Sunday, April 18

Chicago 2, Nashville 0

Tuesday, April 20

Nashville 4, Chicago 1

Thursday, April 22

Chicago 3, Nashville 0

Saturday, April 24

Chicago 5, Nashville 4, OT

Monday, April 26

Chicago 5, Nashville 3, Chicago wins series 4-2

___

Phoenix vs. Detroit

Wednesday, April 14

Phoenix 3, Detroit 2

Friday, April 16

Detroit 7, Phoenix 4

Sunday, April 18

Phoenix 4, Detroit 2

Tuesday, April 20

Detroit 3, Phoenix 0

Friday, April 23

Detroit 4, Phoenix 1

Sunday, April 25

Phoenix 5, Detroit 2

Tuesday, April 27

Detroit 6, Phoenix 1, Detroit wins series 4-3

___

CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS

(Best-of-7)

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Boston vs. Philadelphia

Saturday, May 1

Boston 5, Philadelphia 4, OT

Monday, May 3

Boston 3, Philadelphia 2

Wednesday, May 5

Boston 4, Philadelphia 1

Friday, May 7

Philadelphia 5, Boston 4, OT

Monday, May 10

Philadelphia 4, Boston 0

Wednesday, May 12

Philadelphia 2, Boston 1

Friday, May 14

Philadelphia 4, Boston 3, Philadelphia wins conference semifinals 4-3

___

Pittsburgh vs. Montreal

Friday, April 30

Pittsburgh 6, Montreal 3

Sunday, May 2

Montreal 3, Pittsburgh 1

Tuesday, May 4

Pittsburgh 2, Montreal 0

Thursday, May 6

Montreal 3, Pittsburgh 2

Saturday, May 8

Pittsburgh 2, Montreal 1

Monday, May 10

Montreal 4, Pittsburgh 3

Wednesday, May 12

Montreal 5, Pittsburgh 2, Montreal wins conference semifinals 4-3

___

WESTERN CONFERENCE

San Jose vs. Detroit

Thursday, April 29

San Jose 4, Detroit 3

Sunday, May 2

San Jose 4, Detroit 3

Tuesday, May 4

San Jose 4, Detroit 3, OT

Thursday, May 6

Detroit 7, San Jose 1

Saturday, May 8

San Jose 2, Detroit 1, San Jose wins conference semifinals 4-1

___

Chicago vs. Vancouver

Saturday, May 1

Vancouver 5, Chicago 1

Monday, May 3

Chicago 4, Vancouver 2

Wednesday, May 5

Chicago 5, Vancouver 2

Friday, May 7

Chicago 7, Vancouver 4

Sunday, May 9

Vancouver 4, Chicago 1

Tuesday, May 11

Chicago 5, Vancouver 1, Chicago wins conference semifinals 4-2

___

CONFERENCE FINALS

(Best-of-7)

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Philadelphia vs. Montreal

Sunday, May 16

Montreal at Philadelphia, 7 p.m.

Tuesday, May 18

Montreal at Philadelphia, 7 p.m.

Thursday, May 20

Philadelphia at Montreal, 7 p.m.

Saturday, May 22

Philadelphia at Montreal, 3 p.m.

Monday, May 24

Montreal at Philadelphia, 7 p.m., if necessary

Wednesday, May 26

Philadelphia at Montreal, 7 p.m., if necessary

Friday, May 28

Montreal at Philadelphia, 7 p.m., if necessary

___

WESTERN CONFERENCE

San Jose vs. Chicago

Sunday, May 16

Chicago 2, San Jose 1, Chicago leads series 1-0

Tuesday, May 18

Chicago at San Jose, 10 p.m.

Friday, May 21

San Jose at Chicago, 8 p.m.

Sunday, May 23

San Jose at Chicago, 3 p.m.

Tuesday, May 25

Chicago at San Jose, 9 p.m., if necessary

Thursday, May 27

San Jose at Chicago, 8 p.m., if necessary

Saturday, May 29

Chicago at San Jose, 8 p.m., if necessary

Gestational Diabetes: What to Expect: Your Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy and a Happy, Healthy Baby (Fifth Edition)

Gestational Diabetes: What to Expect: Your Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy and a Happy, Healthy Baby (Fifth Edition)

(American Diabetes Association, 2005)

Gestational diabetes is not something you want to hear about when you're pregnant. It can leave you feeling quite anxious and overwhelmed. You have plans for your pregnancy and your new baby, and learning you have diabetes may cause you to worry about your baby's health. Luckily, this book, written in clear, plain language, offers all the information you need to help you understand what you need to do to stay healthy and have a healthy baby. The book covers many topics, including: learning about what you need to do to stay well, information on insulin therapy, exercise and pregnancy, nutrition, how to monitor gestational diabetes, and sample meal plans.

Schwarzenegger visits his native Austria

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has arrived in southern Austria for a quick personal visit.

Schwarzenegger, who grew up in the area, is expected to go to his mother's grave and meet with friends at a hotel in the city of Graz.

Television images Wednesday showed the former bodybuilder and actor getting off a private jet at the Graz airport and later waving to reporters from a black limousine. He did not take questions.

Local media say Schwarzenegger is not expected to stay the night. He flew to Austria from Switzerland, where he attended the Geneva Motor Show.

Suicide bomber wounds several at Pakistani mosque

A suicide bomber ran past guards at a minority Shiite mosque in eastern Pakistan then blew himself up Sunday, wounding several worshippers, officials said.

The attack appeared to be the latest in a string by Sunni extremists against other Muslims they consider infidels.

It took place in Sargodha city, which is in Punjab, Pakistan's most populous province and its political heartland.

The region is increasingly coming under attack by al-Qaida and Taliban militants that have logistics and training centers close to the Afghan border several hundred miles (kilometers) away.

Government official Zulfikar Shah said guards at the mosque tried to stop the suicide attacker, but he evaded them.

Sargodha police chief Bashir Ahmad said several people had been taken to the hospital, some of whom were in critical condition. He could not give an exact figure.

Earlier this month, militants bombed a Muslim shrine in the Punjabi city of Lahore, killing more than 40 people.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton was visiting Pakistan on Sunday, but was meeting officials hundreds of miles (kilometers) away in the capital of Islamabad.

Let's see the end of foie gras on menus

I was interested in the recent article concerning the serving ofpate de foie gras in local restaurants.

It is good to know that the production of this commodity in theUnited Kingdom is now banned and hopefully, eventually, its importwill also be banned.

The attention of the public should always be drawn to allunacceptable cruelty in food preparation and furthermore Ipersonally would cease to patronise any restaurant that had thisdish on its menu.

I look forward to a time when these restaurant operators canaccept that this commodity on a menu is just bad for business.

TERRY M HARDICK Bath Boating Station Forester Road Bathwick Bath

PLAY

BALLS OF CHAMPIONS

In grade school, it was the ultimate way of separating the herd. Either you played with the big boys or you were the target. For some, even in adulthood, the reverberating tang of a big red bouncy ball still causes an involuntary flinch.

But such are the battle wounds of dodgeball. How many of us headed home at the end of the day with at least one big pink mark some- where on our bodies, our heads still ringing from a particularly hard smack to the noggin?

In the past, dodgeball was one of those things we had to give up as the price for adulthood. It no longer seemed acceptable to line up a bunch of people and have them huck cantaloupe-sized rubber …

Dunivant goal ends Houston's unbeaten streak

Todd Dunivant scored in the 24th minute Sunday in a 1-0 win for Los Angeles Galaxy that ended the Houston Dynamo's 11-match unbeaten streak.

Dunivant scored his first goal in three years when he deflected Mike Magee's 14-yard shot inside the right post from seven yards.

Bryan Jordan had a chance to score for the Galaxy (3-3-9) on a breakaway in second-half stoppage time, but goalkeeper Pat Onstad blocked his point-blank shot near the penalty spot.

Los Angeles won without forward Landon Donovan, who scored a goal for the United States in its 3-2 loss to Brazil in the FIFA Conferations Cup final in South Africa.

Sounders 3, Rapids 0

…

Rice Vague on Mideast Peace Meeting

SHANNON, Ireland - Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Tuesday a U.S.-sponsored Mideast peace conference this fall will confront "critical issues" in the six-decade conflict between Israel and the Palestinians, but she remained vague about what is on the agenda and who will attend.

"Nobody wants to have a meeting where people simply come and sit and talk and talk and talk," Rice said en route to a quick visit with Israeli and Palestinian leaders. "We want to advance the cause," of peace between enemies.

President Bush in July called for a new conference to break the deadlock in the Mideast peace process, but the lack of an official agenda, location and timing for the …

European Chlorine Sector Braces For Conversion.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)

EUROPEAN UNION (EU) regulations that will require the phase-out of mercury-cell chlorine manufacture give producers until 2007 to decide whether to idle their units or invest an estimated $80 million/plant to convert to membrane-cell technology. Mercury-cell processing accounts for 55% of chlorine production in Europe. The phase-out will cost European producers an estimated $3.5 billion; about 10% of mercury-cell process plants will not be converted, experts say.

Paying for conversion is a tall order for players in the European chlorine market, where demand has declined sharply in the last 10 years. "If chlorine and caustic prices are not retained at today's relatively high levels, the industry will not be able to afford to convert," says …

Family killing suspect must wait for psychiatric reports.(News)

BYLINE: CARYN DOLLEY

CONFUSION surrounding three psychiatric reports means a Diep River man suspected of fatally shooting his parents in July will have to wait another two weeks before hearing if he is fit to stand trial.

Grant Harris, 23, unshaven and wearing a blue long-sleeved top and grey track suit pants, appeared in the Wynberg Magistrate's Court yesterday expecting to hear the outcomes of the reports.

But prosecutor CJ Turner said Harris still had to be assessed by a third psychiatrist even though at his last appearance last month it was heard this had already been done.

"The third psychiatrist was supposed to have done an …

SUB-CABINET OFFICIAL'S PERK: CAR AND DRIVER, HOME TO WORK.(MAIN)

In the world of perks, Deputy Secretary of State Clifton R. Wharton Jr. , the former chancellor of the State University of New York Chancellor, stands alone.

Under the Clinton administration's regulations, only Cabinet officers are authorized to have cars and drivers "portal …

Basque players may boycott Iran friendly over name

Basque Country players may boycott a football friendly against Iran next month because of a dispute over the team's name.

One hundred and sixty-five current and former Basque players said in a statement on Thursday that they will not be available for the Dec. 23 match if the Basque football federation returns to calling the team Euskadi instead of Euskadi Herria.

The federation changed the name to Euskadi Herria last July at the urging of the players, who felt it …

Clerk rules no referendum on stadium

Former state Treasurer Patrick Quinn was sacked Friday in hiseffort to force a binding referendum on the $587 million renovationof Soldier Field.

Quinn's group filed as many as 500 signatures on a taxpayerspetition-five times the number required by an obscure state law that,Quinn contends, requires stadium referendums.

But City Clerk James Laski ruled that the referendum would not beplaced on the February ballot. Relying on an opinion issued by cityCorporation Counsel Mara Georges, Laski ruled that the state law doesnot apply to the Soldier Field project.

Quinn said Mayor Daley is afraid to put the stadium project beforeChicago voters for fear that it would be …

BI INDUSTRY STOCK REPORT.

Aon Corp. NYS 37.44 -3.85 0.17 46.69 32.19 2102

Clark Bardes Holdings NDQ 22.25 17.11 31.75 23.12 18.62 0

E.W. Blanch Holdings Inc. NYS 65.50 -7.42 40.29 71.75 34.88

432

Gallagher Arthur J. & Co. NYS 52.13 -0.83 19.14 56.00 34.88

173

Hilb, Rogal & Hamilton NYS 22.38 4.99 20.13 22.50 15.56 63

Kaye Group Inc. NDQ 8.56 2.24 18.10 9.13 5.00 10

Marsh & McLennan NYS 76.00 -0.82 28.54 81.50 43.38 3423

Brown & Brown NYS 36.00 -3.52 3.04 41.88 29.31 30

BROKERS AVERAGE -0.89 21.54

INSURERS/REINSURERS

ACE Ltd. NYS 23.25 -8.37 -28.87 38.06 22.88 8594

Accel International Corp. NDQ 1.44 -4.17 -52.08 3.38 1.25

112

Acceptance Insurance Cos. NYS 15.31 -0.41 -22.96 23.06 12.06

118

AEGON N.V. NYS 76.13 0.58 -37.57 130.13 69.25 4260

Aetna Life & Casualty NYS 82.00 -4.02 2.74 99.88 60.19 1918

AFLAC Inc. NYS 46.38 4.07 5.40 56.75 25.13 3017

Allmerica Financial Corp. NYS 59.19 -1.66 4.53 75.25 …

Homing.

LOCAL Homing Societies flew their races from Wanstead on June 23 in a light south west wind. The best velocity of 1402.516 was recorded by Bridlington and District RPC members Mellonby and Wheelhouse.

East Side Flying Club

Seven members sent 64 birds: 1 A B Temple 1297, 2 R Austin 1267, 3 A B Temple 1196, 4 Mr/Mrs Hague 1193, 5 B Temple 1184, 6 M Horner 1177, 7 Mr/Mrs Hague 1176, 8 Mr/Mrs Hague 1141, 9 M Horner 1128, 10 W Emms/Son 1073.

Bridlington and District RPC

Nine members sent 169 birds: 1 Mellonby and Wheelhouse 1402, 2 Ellis/Foreman 1385, 3 S Sellars 1384, 4 S Sellars 1382, 5 M Slater 1368, 6 H Smith 1366, 7 H Smith 1347, 8 Mellonby …

MOSQUITOES AND CHICKEN SALAD GET SNOWBOARDERS STOKED.(LIFE & LEISURE)

Byline: LYRYSA SMITH Staff writer

Watching U.S. snowboarders fly, flip and slide their way to handfuls of Olympic medals this past week has been inspiring. But listening to snowboarders talk about their hotter-than-ever sport is ... well, gnarly (confusing).

They'll tell you about strong amplitude, mute grabs and ho ho, riding goofy-foot and fakie.

They do chicken salad, roast beef, Pop Tart, eggplant -- and we are not talking food here. And don't miss wet cat, lip trick and mosquito air.

Get this: To win her Olympic gold medal in the halfpipe competition on Sunday, Kelly Clark performed a backside method, a stalefish, a McTwist and a frontside-720.

All this while wearing baggy pants and listening to Blink 182 on a Walkman.

Snowboarding. It's not just a sport, it's a lifestyle.

Homegrown in …

U.S. CENSUS BUREAU NEEDS ENUMERATORS.(Local)

The U.S. Census Bureau is hiring census takers to work in Columbia and Greene counties during the upcoming census, the Columbia County Planning and Economic Development Department announced.

Full- and part-time positions are available with the federal agency, paying $7 per hour and reimbursement for car mileage, said Barbara A. LaFleur, research technician for …

Olympiakos beats Panathinaikos 68-64 in Cup final

Guard Milos Teodosic scored 22 points to help Olympiakos beat defending European champion Panathinaikos 68-64 to win the Greek Cup on Saturday.

Former NBA forward Linas Kleiza added 12 points for Olympiakos. Guard Dimitris Diamantidis and center Nikola Pekovic led Panathinaikos with 12 points each.

"We finally did it. I am really excited. We got two more (titles) to go, but I am happy," Olympiakos forward Josh Childress said, after he was limited to 7 points on 2-for-10 shooting.

Olympiakos is after Panathinaikos' domestic and European titles and, at least in the European competition which is down to the final 16, seems to have a better …

Victims Challenge Prisoner Release

JERUSALEM - A group representing Israeli victims of Palestinian violence was mounting a court challenge against the planned release Friday of 256 prisoners, and a Palestinian Cabinet minister criticized the gesture as inadequate.

Israeli Cabinet ministers on Tuesday approved the list of Palestinian prisoners to be freed in a gesture of support for moderate Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

In a separate development, Israel on Tuesday freed Nasser Shaer of Hamas, the education minister in the Cabinet dismissed by Abbas after the Gaza takeover. Shaer was arrested in May and held in administrative detention, which is imprisonment without trial.

Shaer told …

Plumbing: patriotic colors.

Red and blue Raupex UV Shield polyethylene pipe simplifies identification for installation or repair. The red pipe can be …

SITUATION IN KOSOVO IS SPECIAL CASE AND DOES NOT SET PRECEDENT FOR OTHER REGIONS, INCLUDING NAGORNO-KARABAKH, US EMBASSY TO AZERBAIJAN.

Baku, 20 February (AzerTAc) - The situation in Kosovo is a special case and does not set a precedent for other regions, including Nagorno-Karabakh, Office of Public Affairs of the United States Embassy to Azerbaijan reported. The report goes on to say that the United States, together with France and Russia, are co-chairing the OSCE Minsk Group, and in that capacity the country has been actively involved in mediating a solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. …

IT'S A KNIGHTLY OCCURRENCE.(SPORTS)

Byline: BUZZ GRAY Staff writer

ALBANY -- Once again, they were forced to play against themselves. These truly Golden Knights relied on their imaginations to create a rivalry which never materialized on the court.

``It's not who we play but how we play,'' College of Saint Rose women's basketball coach Curt Bailey said after the nation's No. 1 Division II team launched into tournament play Tuesday night with what can only be described as a massacre of Concordia.

The final score of 102-38 is just the latest in the unbeaten Knights' string of mismatches as they improved to 30-0.

``We don't try to rub anybody's faces in it,'' Bailey said after …

Chavez: Venezuela has deployed troops amid spat

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez says he has deployed infantry troops and aircraft in case of a conflict with neighboring Colombia.

Chavez did not give details about the deployments, but said he has been saddened to be spending hours "reviewing war plans" due to tensions with Colombia.

Chavez cut off diplomatic relations with Colombia last …

ALL ABOARD

Grammy award-winning J o Ann Palletta guest conducts Boise Philharmonic

In her hands, a baton is like a magic wand, and with each spirited, passionate move, she brings the music of the masters to life. And when JoAnn Palletta stands before Boise Philharmonic as guest conductor on Friday, Feb. 25, and Saturday, Feb. 26, she and acclaimed guest violinist, Michael Ludwig, will give life to the music of Leonard Bernstein, Edward Elgar and Charles Saint-Saens in Boise Philharmonic's presentation of "Enigma Variations."

Falletta's impressive resume is as long as a career criminal's rap sheet. She has guest conducted hundreds of national and international symphonies, recorded a …

Elmira Ibraimova brings journalists, staff of international organizations out of Osh.

Interim Government Coordinator for Social Sector Elmira Ibraimova provided assistance with evacuation of representatives of international organizations and journalists, who could not leave Osh for …

HIGH STAKES IN WATER PROJECTS.(CAPITAL REGION)

Byline: KENNETH C. CROWE II Staff writer

At $4.33 million, restoring and expanding the water and sewer system at the W.J. Grande Industrial Park will be the largest public works projects the city has undertaken to maintain its manufacturing tax base.

Five new sewer pumping stations, a water tower and improved water and sewer lines are among the infrastructure improvements that have to be undertaken to update the aging equipment at the industrial park on Geyser Road.

So far, the city has received a $1 million member item from state Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno, R-Brunswick, and a commitment of $325,000 from Saratoga County to make the …

Officials verify disarmament of IRA splinter group

Disarmament officials have confirmed that a ruthless IRA splinter group, the Irish National Liberation Army, handed over its weapons in recent secret ceremonies.

The disarmament commission told The Associated Press in a statement that the disarmament chief, retired Canadian Gen. John de Chastelain, oversaw "events in which quantities of firearms, ammunition, explosives and explosive devices …

Tourism marginally up

Air arrivals for the first two months of 1995 rose by 0.2% to 25,636 compared with January-February 1994, says tourism officials. The average length of stay of visitors increased slightly from 6.8 to 6.9 nights... The Government on April 1 raised its hotel tax from 6% to …