"Cock-A-Doodle-Do"
"Okey-doke"
Friday, March 24, 2006
I found this an enchanting picture. Shows the dynamics of Earth highlighted against it's place in the universe.
March 4, 2006.
Atami, Brazil
Photograher states :: Thunder clouds popped into the sky during dusk time in a Southern Brazilian beach, with intense lightning activity. The brightest star seen in the photo is Canopus, the second brightest star of all, far south in declination.
Morning Papers - It's Origins
American Port Security and other port issues
Cameroon: Limbe Ports Authority Credit Union Budget Drops
March 23, 2006
Posted to the web March 23, 2006
Francis Tim Mbom
The budget of the National Ports Authority Cooperative Credit Union Limited, NPACCUL, in Limbe, has dropped from FCFA 238,257 500 last year to FCFA 193,397 500 for the fiscal year 2006.NPACCUL President, Joseph Azefor, disclosed the drop during their annual general assembly session that held in Limbe on Saturday, March 18 at the Presbyterian Youth Centre, PYC, Hall.
Azefor in a presentation of the accounts of the Union for last year said only FCFA 188,197 251 were realised. This prompted the budget to be limited at FCFA 193 million.
Giving reasons for the drop in what was realised last year, Azefor said that the Union recorded a drop in savings as well as loans that members requested by 1.63 percent.
Thus out of some FCFA 188 million that the Union budgeted to reap as interest from loans, only FCFA 108 million was realised.
http://allafrica.com/stories/200603230248.html
Management of ports
Rezaul Huq, Lalmatia, Dhaka
Recently, I had the opportunity of passing through the international airport of Dhaka and felt so bad. Let alone providing comfort, the airport doesn't provide the minimum facilities that the passengers need. One will have the impression that there is no management. Dhaka and Chittagong airports are infamous for smuggling, transfer of cash foreign currency, pilferage of home bound passengers' belongings etc. The domestic airports are no exception.
There is no alternative to placement of management of airports to private or foreign management companies as the airports serve as mirror of the country. To encourage foreign investors and greater number of tourists in the country, the UPA Government of India has recently reached an agreement with a private sector consortium for management of New Delhi and Mumbai airports and upon observing their performance other imports shall be handed over in phases. The US government had many years ago transferred management of both air and seaports to private management, of which a British Company named Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Co. Ltd (P&O) has been managing six seaports including New York. The P&O has recently been sold to Dubai Ports World, a company owned by the government of UAE. The company has not yet taken over management of those seaports but both Democrat and Republican Senators have already suggested cancellation of the contract as they fear security of their country might be jeopardized owing to management of Vital Ports by a Muslim State.
The reasons for transfer of management are very simple. All the governments are mainly trying to ensure private sector participation to help the country grow rapidly reducing workload of the governments and combat corruption. In the process, revenue earnings of the governments grow which in turn could be utilised for development of infrastructures.
The government in order to create an ideal situation for foreign investment as a test case, signed an agreement with Thai Airlines for management of Chittagong airport but could not deliver physical possession due to resistance by a section of officials fearing loss of jobs supported by a powerful political lobby.
Recently,the Chittagong Port Authority held a meeting with Port labour leaders and Port Dock Workers and Employees Association for preparation of international tender documents for appointment of a company for management and operation of the new container terminal at Chittagong. Immediately came objection from the Mayor who threatened to shut down activities of the port if management of the container terminal was transferred to a private management group.
As an elected representative, the Honourable Mayor should carefully consider the situation and support activities that are development-friendly.
http://www.thedailystar.net/2006/03/24/d60324110281.htm
Cruise Passengers Unaware of Risks in Int'l Ports of Call
MIAMI - When cruise line passengers participate in onshore excursions like the one that killed 12 people in Chile, they need to take their own legal precautions and not rely on cruise ship company liability, experts said on Thursday.
Passengers be particularly careful when they choose tours that aren't affiliated with the cruise line, said Paul Ruden, senior vice president for the American Society of Travel Agents. That appears to be the case in Chile, according to the cruise line.
Ruden acknowledged some people choose local operators that don't coordinate with cruise lines because they may offer cheaper tours. "If you're comfortable being out on your own, that's fine, but you're taking the same risk of being out on your own that you would anywhere," he said.
Four others were injured in Wednesday's crash in northern Chile. Local authorities said the group was returning to a Celebrity Cruises ship when the bus swerved to avoid a truck and plummeted 300 feet.
http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=nation_world&id=4019313
The Container That Changed the World
By VIRGINIA POSTREL
Published: March 23, 2006
THE political showdown over a Dubai company's plan to operate terminals at six American ports briefly focused public attention on one of the most significant, yet least noticed, economic developments of the last few decades: the transformation of international shipping.
Just as the computer revolutionized the flow of information, the shipping container revolutionized the flow of goods. As generic as the 1's and 0's of computer code, a container can hold just about anything, from coffee beans to cellphone components. By sharply cutting costs and enhancing reliability, container-based shipping enormously increased the volume of international trade and made complex supply chains possible.
"Low transport costs help make it economically sensible for a factory in China to produce Barbie dolls with Japanese hair, Taiwanese plastics and American colorants, and ship them off to eager girls all over the world," writes Marc Levinson in the new book "The Box: How the Shipping Container Made the World Smaller and the World Economy Bigger" (Princeton University Press).
For consumers, this results in lower prices and more variety. "People now just take it for granted that they have access to an enormous selection of goods from all over the world," Mr. Levinson said in an interview. That selection, he said, "was made possible by this technological change."
When the first container ship set sail
50 years ago, businesses and regulators treated distribution not as a single process but as a series of distinct modes: ships, trucks and trains. Every time the transportation mode changed, somebody had to transfer physically every box or barrel.
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/23/business/23scene.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
Let’s use eminent domain to take U.S. ports
By Richard Foster
Jonesville Resident
Guest Column
I, along with the Liberal left, recently criticized the President for grossly violating our national security and sound conservative economic principles by allowing the sale of our ports’ control to a state-owned company of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) — and rightly so.
However, a recent sore point that has liberals and conservatives alike (and about which you’ll hear more; I promise) steaming mad may be a solution — eminent domain.
What is eminent domain and why may it be an issue? Simply put, eminent domain is the Constitutional concept that gives the government license to seize private property for the public good at fair market value.
This is the vehicle that allows the government to build highways, railroads, airports, government buildings for the public good — the good of all. Such seizures are fitting and proper.
This may be a solution. Government intrusion into quasi-private business is not new (airport security), and therein lies the solution. Of the billions of our tax dollars that Congress finds to waste every year, is it possible that they could reallocate some of the hard earned money they steal from us everyday through income taxes to the purchase of all our ports of entry that import international goods?
http://www.highspringsherald.com/articles/2006/03/23/news/news16.txt
Ports alert in hunt for dud-cheque Frenchman
By MOHAMMED ASLAM
AN all-ports alert was issued to stop a Frenchman leaving Bahrain, after he issued a dud cheque in a business transaction.
Officials at all exit points were ordered to detain the man if he tried to leave the country, as police searched for him, the Lower Criminal Court heard.
The 42-year-old defendant was later arrested as he left a medical complex, in December 2003, two weeks after the arrest warrant was issued.
A court later issued a travel ban on the defendant, who is accused of passing a dud cheque with a face value of 50,000 Saudi riyals (BD5,000).
He failed to turn up for the latest court hearing and the case was adjourned until July 12, when a verdict will be issued.
http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/Story.asp?Article=138909&Sn=BNEW&IssueID=29004
Ports help Hutchison
By Vicki Kwong Bloomberg News
THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2006
HONG KONG Hutchison Whampoa, which owns the world's largest port operator, said Thursday that 2005 profit from managing container terminals rose 14 percent as cargo shipments increased.
Hutchison Port Holdings had 10.2 billion Hong Kong dollars, or $1.3 billion, in profit before interest and taxes last year, compared with a restated 8.96 billion dollars in 2004. Sales rose 11 percent to 29.9 billion dollars.
Hutchison, which operates 247 berths in 42 ports, said it handled 51.8 million standard 20 foot, or 6 meter, containers last year, an increase of 8 percent from 2004. The company is investing more in cargo terminals to meet rising demand. It formed a venture last year to manage the second phase of the $16 billion Yangshan deep-water port in Shanghai.
Hutchison Port and four other companies, including A.P. Moeller- Maersk, will invest 4 billion yuan, or $498 million, to build four berths in Yangshan, which will double the eastern Chinese port's cargo capacity by 2010.
The company is expanding its container-handling capacity at Yantian in Shenzhen and it is building its first dry- bulk cargo terminal in the eastern Chinese port of Dalian.
Hutchison Port's shares are not publicly traded. Hutchison Whampoa's shares fell 0.2 percent to 72.85 dollars in Hong Kong before the earnings were announced.
http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/03/23/bloomberg/sxport.php
Capitalism's momentum in Dubai sheds light on doomed ports deal
By Greg Dobbs
03/22/2006
DUBAI — If pictures are truly worth a thousand words, some stunning visual images here in the United Arab Emirates speak volumes about this country that planned to manage major American ports before questions about terrorism torpedoed the deal. But this modern metropolis feels more like Disneyland than Terrorland.
In fact, I have struggled to get my arms around a description of place, and I’ve settled on an omnipresent image here: There are more construction cranes than you’ve ever seen in your life — reportedly, between 20 and 40 percent of all the cranes on Earth. Given that there was scarcely a single crane on Denver’s horizon the first 10 years we lived in Colorado, this horizon is striking.
The most entertaining, if not the most important example of headlong construction is “Ski Dubai,” an undulating, artificially chilled, steel-and-iron slope of manmade snow, attached to the biggest shopping mall in the Middle East, if not the world. Not bad when it’s 120 degrees outside! When I packed for this trip, I forgot to bring my skis. Silly me.
http://www.canyoncourier.com/story_display.php?sid=2553
The implications of homeland security
By Josef Braml for ISN Security Watch (23/03/06)
The creation of the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) - the centerpiece of President George W. Bush’s National Strategy for Homeland Security - is the most wide-ranging reorganization of the American government since the end of the Second World War. Two dozen federal agencies, formerly dispersed over an array of different departments, were concentrated under the roof of the DHS, which has approximately 180,000 employees and an annual budget of US$40 billion.
Nevertheless, Hurricane Katrina dramatically demonstrated how little the reorganization has improved the efficiency of US homeland security. The DHS has also implemented measures with foreign policy consequences that could yield consequences for Europe.
The Bush administration’s homeland security concept requires other countries to comply with US domestic needs, and has led to transatlantic rifts, in particular concerning the Container Security Initiative (CSI), entry requirements for non-permanent residents (in particular students), guidelines for business travelers and tourists, and personal data protection provisions.
Port security
About 90 per cent of the country’s imports reach the US via containers through seaports. In January 2002, the US initiated the CSI. Worldwide bilateral agreements obliged partner countries (including European countries such as Belgium, Germany, France, Britain, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Spain) to install security systems in their ports, and to allow US security personnel to conduct security checks within their borders. Thus, some of the costs for the inspections of seaports have been shifted to other countries. In return, imports from these countries may pass more quickly through security controls in US ports, providing them with a competitive advantage vis-à-vis non-cooperating ports and countries.
The EU Commission objected and argued that the CSI would also impede fair competition within the EU. Moreover, bilateral agreements with individual EU member states undermine the authority of the commission. In March 2004, a more comprehensive US-EU agreement defused the transatlantic and intra-European dispute. However, the stipulated principle of reciprocity requires the US to meet the same security standards it requires from its partners. Yet security in US ports still begs improvement, as a 10 March New York Times editorial suggested: “With initial efforts focused on bolstering security abroad, the protection of American ports has lagged badly.”
http://www.isn.ethz.ch/news/sw/details.cfm?id=15214
I Always Loved Horses as a Kid
Two Horses Wounded By Bird Shot
(CBS4) KERSEY, Colo. Two miniature horses were treated after being wounded by bird shot pellets in rural Weld County near Kersey on Tuesday afternoon.
Sheriff's deputies were called to the 25000 block of County Road 45 at about 3 p.m. on Tuesday to investigate the apparent shooting.
Investigators said the horses were out of their pen and on an adjacent property when the shooting happened. A red and white paint horse was hit by 27 bird shot pellets. A buckskin horse was hit wounded by 36 pellets.
Deputies said the horses were treated at a local veterinarian clinic.
Officials said the case was still under investigation.
http://cbs4denver.com/pets/local_story_082124335.html
24 horses die in barn blaze; cause under probe
Posted by the Asbury Park Press on 03/24/06
STAFF REPORT
UPPER FREEHOLD — An electrical problem may have triggered an early-morning barn fire that killed 24 horses -- 12 of them foals -- at Perretti Farms today, a spokesman for the farm said.
Fire officials and State Police are investigating what may have started the fire, which destroyed a 12-stable barn on the sprawling 900-acre horse farm in the township's Cream Ridge section.
But Bob Marks, a Perretti Farms spokesman, said he heard from fire officials that an electrical problem may have been the cause. The horses, which included the Hambletonian Oaks contender My Starchip, may have died from smoke inhalation, Marks said.
Phones were down at the Route 526 property today, and the farm's owner, William J. Perretti, declined to speak at length about the fire when reached at his Florida home.
"You've got to put your chin up and go, that's all,'' Perretti said. "We're doing the best we can.''
State Police responded to the fire about 6:25 a.m.
Sgt. Jeanne Hengemuhle said all 24 horses in the roughly 20-year-old barn were trapped, and eventually died.
Perretti Farms bills itself as the state's largest horse farm. Located on about 900 acres, the farm breeds standardbred and thoroughbred horses, according to its Web site. The Web site features videos and profiles of racehorses and studs that are standing at the farm.
The farm was founded in the late 1980s by Perretti, an automotive dealer and restaurateur, the Web site states.
About 9 a.m., State Police cars blocked the entrance to the farm, on Route 526 near Red Valley Road. The charred frame of the barn was visible from Route 526.
Several front-end loaders and a number of workers were milling around the barn, while news vans and photographers lined the road. About 15 horses grazed on the rolling terrain several hundred feet from the barn. The tops of several rides at Great Adventure amusement park were visible in the distance.
The Hope Fire Department, Millstone Township Fire Department and New Egypt Fire Department all responded to the scene, Hengemuhle said. The Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office, Monmouth County Fire Marshal and the State Police Arson and Bomb units are all investigating.
A horse barn fire on Thanksgiving night in 2000 at Gaitway Farm in Manalapan killed 20 standardbred horses.
That fire claimed the lives of many of the stars of the trotters and pacers racing circuit, including world record-holder Cam Knows Best, the runner-up in the 1998 Little Brown Jug race at Dover Downs in Delaware. The blaze was caused by a submersible water heater left unattended in the barn, authorities said.
http://www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060324/NEWS/60324015
Horse welfare on the Royal agenda
Anna Tyzack
23 March, 2006
Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall visited a Cairo equine clinic, while back in the UK the Princess Royal unveils a scheme to improve equine welfare in Romania
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The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall visited sick horses in a Cairo clinic yesterday. The visit to the Cairo-based operations of the equine welfare charity Brooke Hospital was the one element of a five-day royal programme in Egypt that the Duchess specifically requested. Meanwhile, Princess Anne is also showing her commitment to equine welfare by today launching a five-year scheme which aims to improve the welfare of farm horses in Romania.
The Duchess first became aware of the Brooke's pioneering efforts to raise the standard of equine welfare overseas at a fundraising event in 2004, and Prince Charles visited one of the Brooke's Luxor clinics in 1995. “The request for the visit came from Clarence House,” explained Niki Austin of the Brooke. “Obviously they are both horse lovers and they made time to see and hear what we do.”
http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/news/397/82026.html
Fire engulfs Ocean Downs horse barn
One animal dead in Worcester racetrack blaze
By John Purnell
Worcester County Times
BERLIN -- A smoky blaze tore through a large horse barn at Ocean Downs Racetrack on Wednesday evening, but quick work by firefighters prevented it from spreading to a number of nearby buildings.
The fast response from fire crews across Worcester County kept the flames from nearby stables that house horses at the historic harness track for the winter off-season, fire officials said.
"It was pretty fast work," said Ocean City Fire Chief Roger Steger. "We got lucky this time."
Steger said the blaze was contained within a half hour. A caretaker at the track reportedly suffered minor injuries while helping to lead the horses away from the barn, fire officials said.
http://www.delmarvanow.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060323/NEWS01/603230304/1002
How about some horse sense?
The family of a Saginaw man who died shortly after appearing in the noonday sun as Captain, the Texas Rangers mascot, is considering a lawsuit against the baseball team.
They're suggesting that the heavy costume, lack of training and weather conditions contributed to his death.
I feel sorry for the family, but how about some personal responsibility here?
Anybody who is asked to put on a heavy, fuzzy horse suit and hop around in the noon-day sun ought to have sense enough to say "Whoa!"
http://blogs.dfw.com/startle_grams/2006/03/how_about_some_.html
Strong Contender should live up to name
Ward hopes colt can give him another Derby win
By RICHARD DEAN
Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle
In 2001, John Ward saddled Monarchos to a Kentucky Derby win. Five years later, the trainer has a Derby hopeful in Strong Contender.
Monarchos and unbeaten Strong Contender have something in common. They're sons of Maria's Mon.
But there are little physical similarities according to Ward.
"Monarchos was a medium-sized, compact horse," said Ward. "Strong Contender is a great big long, lanky animal.
"But as far as genetics, Maria's Mon put a lot of stamina in these horses, and that's the similarity. It's amazing how deep they are as far as their stamina goes. I was always amazed that Monarchos could kick at five-eighth of a mile and he could sustain that pace."
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/3742383.html
Woman offers $4,000 to capture horse killer
Updated: 03/22/2006 09:30:38 PM
One animal lover has come forward to contribute a reward for information to catch the person who mutilated a horse in Waseca County.
Kim, who asked that her last name not be used, said she was moved after hearing the horse’s owner. “It's like having your child taken,” said the owner of Mr. Peabody, who also asked to remain anonymous. “He was my baby."
"Tears definitely came to my eyes,” Kim said. “It was very heart wrenching."
Kim has offered $4,000 for the capture of those responsible.
Images of the mutilated horse have inspired Kim and dozens of others to offer to help with the identification of Mr. Peabody’s killer.
Kim says the story made her fear for her own horses – and even her family.
"I decided right away that I had to do something,” she said. “I hope that other people will step forward and do whatever they can, donate a little bit of money, raise a little bit of money to put more money together and I think it might help bring someone forward."
A fund has been established at the Wells Fargo Bank on East Elm Ave, in Waseca.
Anyone with information about the crime is asked to call the Waseca County Sheriff, at (507) 835-0500.
http://www.kstp.com/article/stories/S15021.html?cat=1
Duchess visits Cairo hospital for horses
By Caroline Davies in Cairo
(Filed: 23/03/2006)
The Duchess of Cornwall made a special visit to the Brooke Hospital for sick donkeys, mules and horses, tucked away in a shabby Cairo backstreet yesterday.
The visit to the hospital, which offers free veterinary care to beasts of burden, was at the duchess's instigation; the one element of a five-day royal programme in Egypt, that she specifically requested.
She and the Prince of Wales were shown animals bearing terrible physical injuries that are suffered at the hands of their owners who work them, sometimes without rest, either ferrying tourists around the pyramids or carrying heavy loads in the city's brick kilns.
The hospital was established by Dorothy Brooke, the wife of Major General Geoffrey Brooke, who headed the British Cavalry in Egypt.
She was appalled by the plight of ex-cavalry First World War horses sold to stone quarries in Cairo, and raised £20,000 by putting an appeal in The Daily Telegraph. She opened the hospital in 1934.
Today the charity runs clinics around the world. Lady Weir, chairman of the Brooke Board, showed the royal couple round. "[The Duchess] was really moved by it and she wants to do something to support our work," she said.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/03/23/ncam123.xml&sSheet=/news/2006/03/23/ixhome.html
Horses provide paycheck
There are many ways to earn a living working with horses.
Date published: 3/23/2006
By CATHY JETT
Tommy Seay of Culpeper set out to ride his horse from coast to coast, and ended up as co-host of a new TV show called "Best of America by Horseback."
Seay, a trail outfitter who runs the stables at Graves Mountain Lodge in Syria, organized "The American Transcontinental Trail Ride" in 1995. When he decided to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the event last year, his wife, Pat Seay, convinced him to trailer their horses to some of the places they'd enjoyed most.
"We thought about videotaping it just for fun, and then someone suggested contacting RFD TV," Tommy Seay said.
RFD TV is a cable channel covering rural America.
http://fredericksburg.com/News/FLS/2006/032006/03232006/173726
Letter: Why not let surplus horses be slaughtered?
Let me in on this debate. People all over the world eat horse meat. I thought a number of times when I was in the military I was eating horse meat and monkey meat, too.
We have forced horse slaughter plants to be closed in this country. Why? Because animal rights people don't like it. There is a great market for horse meat. We eat cows, goats, sheep, hogs, deer, antelope, elk and buffalo. What difference does it make? Lewis and Clark were glad to eat horse meat and, at times, the only thing better was dog meat.
Now I wouldn't be complaining, but we taxpayers are paying for the support in feeding these BLM horses which nobody wants. We have to control the amount of horses because of overpopulation, just like the buffalo in the park. It's called overgrazing. People who have pet horses have an idea of what it costs BLM taxpayer horses to feed (Feb. 22 Gazette article).
Heck, let's get this horse meat on the market. Perhaps I will try a steak or two.
http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2006/03/23/opinion/letters/57-reader-7.txt
Hundreds of camels, horses block road to Pyramids
March 23, 2006
By DPA
Cairo, March 23 (DPA) Traffic came to a standstill and the streets were blocked in a protest that saw 400 camels and horses clog the Cairo avenue leading to the Egyptian pyramids.
Camel and horse owners who make money offering pyramid visitors rides on their animals took to the streets Wednesday to protest against being chased out of the tourist site by the tourism police.
Tourism police require those who work in tourism-related activities to hold a work permit - but the animal owners have said that the tourism authorities have denied them this.
In response, the camel and horse owners took their animals on to al-Haram Street, one of Egypt's longest roads a few kilometres from the Pyramids. The police urged them to clear the street for traffic to resume - and they eventually complied.
http://www.dailyindia.com/show/10888.php/Hundreds_of_camels_horses_block_road_to_Pyramids
Student & horses take to the arena
Christina Voss
Issue date: 3/23/06 Section: News
Media Credit: Erich Pilcher
Kirkwood's Horse Science Technology prepares students for equestrian careers.
Kirkwood Community College is one of the few community colleges in the country that allows a student to bring horses on to campus thanks to a program called Horse Science Technology.
The program helps prepare students for a variety of positions within the equine industry. From studying such subjects as genetics, breeding, horsemanship, training, nutrition, management, judging and other general courses, students learn the complete overview of what it takes to own and maintain healthy successful horses.
Since only a small percent of the students in the program are eligible to stable their own horses on campus, many of the students in the program use Kirkwood's horses. Kirkwood owns 30 Arabians, Saddlebreds and Quarter Horses ranging from green colts to finished show horses. Students use these horses for riding and training.
http://www.kirkwoodcommunique.com/media/paper684/news/2006/03/23/News/Student.Horses.Take.To.The.Arena-1713030.shtml?norewrite200603241847&sourcedomain=www.kirkwoodcommunique.com
Tiny horses make gentle family pets 'The older you get, the smaller you want your horses.'
Alice Stanley
Foal lotta love: Miniature horses go way beyond your average beasts of burden.
Date published: 3/23/2006
By BEN SELLERS
As has happened many times before, Alice Stanley and her husband, Doug, are getting ready to be proud parents this spring.
Several pregnant mares are in the pastures at their 9.5-acre Fairway Miniature Horse Farm in Caroline County.
One of the hardest parts of this process, Alice Stanley said, is coming up with new names. She keeps a running list of potential monikers for when a foal arrives.
"I look at the baby, look at the names, and see if one fits."
For the Stanleys, keeping the horses is a labor of love.
Alice is involved with local search-and-rescue-dog operations, while Doug helps maintain the fairways and greens as assistant superintendent of Fredericksburg Country Club.
Indeed, when folks ask why they collect the pint-sized equines, Alice Stanley's usual answer is that they're fun.
http://fredericksburg.com/News/FLS/2006/032006/03232006/172732
Emirates races horses to Dubai
Posted: Wednesday, March 22, 2006
Dubai
The Emirates SkyCargo transferred eight thoroughbred horses on a charter flight from Fort Lauderdale, Florida to Dubai last week, well in time for one of the richest horseracing events, the Dubai World Cup.
The horses arrived well rested in their air stables, which are specially manufactured horse stalls on pallets, each designed to carry three. The air stables are roomier, allow better movement, and are more comfortable than conventional stalls. The horses were accompanied by a stable of 11 grooms, all comfortably travelling on one of Emirates SkyCargo's fully owned Airbus A310-300F freighters.
This journey was also the cargo division A310F's first maiden voyage across the Atlantic from Dubai. Each of the three wide-bodied A310Fs in its fleet, emblazoned with the red and gold Emirates SkyCargo logo, has a gross payload of 39 tonnes and the capacity to carry 21 horses using air stables.
http://www.tradearabia.com/tanews/newsdetails_snSTN_article102438_cnt.html
Barrel racer
By Herald Democrat
Nancy Hiatt has been riding horses since before she could walk.
Being the daughter of a farmer and horse trader in Indiana, she had every opportunity to learn about horses from the best of the best. Her dad, Leonard "Barney" Summers bought horses out West and shipped boxcar loads of unbroken quarterhorses to their farm to be broken. At an early age Nancy began breaking the horses so that they were rideable and could be sold.
She said back then she never dreamed she would still be riding and training horses when she was a great-grandmother. But she is and she has a cabinet full of belt buckles, a championship saddle and lots of other honors she’s collected along the way for her riding talent.
http://www.heralddemocrat.com/articles/2006/03/22/local_news/news11.txt
Horses dragging Hollywood stars away from Iceland
Filming for the Hollywood movie "Stardust" starring Michelle Pfeiffer and Robert De Niro will start in Iceland next weekend.
Substantial parts of the movie were to be filmed in Iceland but it seems that horses might keep the movie stars away..
Robert De Niro, Michelle Pfeiffer, Claire Danes, Sienna Miller and Charlie Cox are among the stars in this Matthew Vaughn-directed adaptation of Neil Gaiman's fantasy novel.
Morgunbladid reports that horses also have a major role in this Paramount project but unfortunately it is illegal to import horses to Iceland.
http://www.icelandreview.com/icelandreview/daily_news/?cat_id=16539&ew_0_a_id=192388
Horses power graceful sport
LAKEWOOD RANCH - This is the second in a series of stories running this week in which The Herald explores the Triple Crown of Polo and the lifestyle surrounding the sport.
JOHN SIMPSON
Herald Staff Writer
When close, the horses sound like little earthquakes. From far away, the graceful beasts are silent but resemble poetry in motion.
As the Sarasota Polo Club prepares to host the first event of the 2006 Triple Crown of Polo series Sunday, the riders and horses practiced Tuesday on the club's open, green fields.
Polo player James Uihlein, 24, traded his skates in for a saddle not too long ago. An ice hockey player for 15 years, Uihlein has been playing polo for a year and a half.
Often compared to hockey, polo has a few differences, Uihlein said.
"You're thinking for two," Uihlein said. "That's the main difference. In other sports, you can get mad at yourself. In polo, you have to figure out what you did wrong with the horse."
http://www.bradenton.com/mld/bradenton/news/local/14155550.htm
ROYAL HELP FOR ROMANIAN HORSES
By Rosamond Hutt, Community Newswire
ROYAL Horses Norfolk, 22 Mar 2006 - 10:04
The Princess Royal was today due to launch a project which aims to radically improve the welfare of farm horses in Romania.
The Princess will unveil the five-year scheme, run by Norfolk-based equestrian charity International League for the Protection of Horses (ILPH), at the Romanian embassy in London.
The ILPH insisted it is a lack of knowledge, resources and awareness of horse welfare and not deliberate cruelty that has led it to take action in Romania.
Since the fall of Communism and the break-up of mechanised collective farms the country has seen a return small plots of land farmed mainly by horsepower.
http://www.communitynewswire.press.net/article.jsp?id=250093
Change of stalls spooks horses
TURF TALK
MARTIN HANNAN
I BELIEVE that I can point to the crux of the problem afflicting starting stalls on which British racecourses depend. Horses have been hurt and jockeys and stall-handlers injured or risked their skins because of snags with the new Steriline stalls, which are being introduced on a phased basis across the country.
The Jockey Club are monitoring the situation, and RaceTech, the firm who provide and operate the stalls, and the Australian manufacturers have carried out modifications to these vital pieces of equipment. Unsurprisingly, the authorities say that these teething problems can be sorted out, but as I indicated in TurfTalk last week, I believe that I may have discovered the reason why a number of horses have freaked out in the stalls.
http://sport.scotsman.com/racing.cfm?id=1708312005
THIS WAS LAST YEAR'S EVENT
Hitch up yer horses
By Emilie H. Wheeler
Festival of the American West rolls back time
It's not quite the late 1880s, but it's probably as close as you can get in 2005.
The Festival of the American West will begin Wednesday and go for four days at the American West Heritage Center in Wellsville. It will include everything from a reenactment of the Pony Express rides from the 1860s to a performances by 2003 and 2004 yodeling champions.
In its 34th consecutive year, the center has switched things up a bit for the August festival. Instead of the eight-day festival, the actual entertainment section has been shortened to four days.
"We're just going to try a bit of a different format and see if it works," said Executive Director Matt Dahl, who was hired for the position last fall. "Entertainers tend to get worn out after eight straight days."
The educational portion of the festival -- which typically includes workshops on everything from cabin quilt piecing to painting -- is still on the docket, but started Friday and will run through the end of the festival. The workshops required an early registration that has since closed, Dahl said.
Other highlights this year include an American West Art Show, featuring work from 16 Utah artists, a keynote address and historical lectures by Roger D. McGrath, a History Channel star, and the main event, the Wild West Show.
"The Wild West Show is new this year," Dahl said. "It'll be similar to how the Buffalo Bill Wild West Show was."
That show will last about one hour and will be performed once Wednesday and Thursday and twice Friday and Saturday. It will include the Pony Express reenactment, Charro roping skill demonstrations, an award-winning equestrian group, Annie Oakley and Buffalo Bill Cody actors, American Indian powwows and 13-year-old Carin Mari Lechner's yodeling talents.
Another highlight this year is Larry Nielson's Iwo Jima artistic creation. The Utah artist's original wood painting was presented to President George W. Bush in 2002, but he kept a print, which has since been signed by more than 900 war veterans. The print -- which illustrates the raising of the U.S. flag by Marines in 1945 -- will be on display and might be on hand for local veterans to sign, Dahl said.
Dahl said he expects between 10,000 and 12,000 people to come to the festival this year. Although it is a valley tradition, he said a smaller percentage of all attendees are locals.
"We have a lot of visitors from the outside," he said, mentioning several RV parties that come through for the occasion. "People plan their family reunions and whatever around this."
The American West Heritage Center is 160-acre museum of Western American life in the late 1880s and early 1990s. The Living History Site is open from Memorial Day to Labor Day to visitors.
http://hjnews.townnews.com/articles/2005/07/31/news/news02.txt
Wellington, FL-Olympic equestrian champion Laura Kraut is putting her decades of knowledge about world-class competition horses to work on the World Wide Web. Kraut and her husband Bob, a grand prix rider and trainer by his own right, are hoping to help other riders stay at the top of their game with a new e-venture called SummitTack.com.
(I-Newswire) - Wellington, Fl—August 1, 2005--Olympic equestrian champion Laura Kraut is putting her decades of knowledge about world-class competition horses to work on the World Wide Web. Kraut and her husband Bob, a grand prix rider and trainer by his own right, are hoping to help other riders stay at the top of their game with a new e-venture called SummitTack.com.
SummitTack.com, an online retailer of tack and supplies for competition horses of all disciplines, features products the husband-wife team has personally used during its 20-plus years of active competition in equestrian show jumping. The site features dozens of high-quality products designed with performance in mind.
“Just like a basketball athlete needs the proper shoes to perform at his highest level, competition horses need the best saddle pads and other gear to help them be the best they can be,” said Bob Kraut, owner of Summit Tack LLC. “I believe in the products we offer at SummitTack.com because we have used them every day for years ¬ and we know they work.”
Indeed, the Krauts are no strangers to the equestrian circuit. Laura began riding at the age of three. In 1992, aboard Simba Run, she was named as the first alternate for the U.S. squad at the Barcelona Olympic Games. Kraut and another horse called Liberty were members of the U.S. show jumping team that finished sixth at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney Australia, and in 2001, horse and rider won the U.S. Open Jumping Championship.
The Krauts credit products like LPC Artroflex, Walsh Weighted Training Boots and Supracor Classic Cool Grip saddle pads for helping them post winning performances in these professional competitions. As new products hit the market, SummitTack.com continues to expand its catalog of equestrian aids from reputable vendors that serious competitors can trust.
“Summit Tack helps serious competitors achieve success,” Bob said. “Unlike other tack stores, the owners of Summit Tack have used the products we sell in both every day and extreme conditions. Our mission is to provide our customers with exceptional quality, innovation and attractive pricing.”
About Summit Tack
Founded in January 2005, SummitTack.com is an online retailer of tack and supplies for competition horses of all disciplines. Bob and Laura Kraut, two equestrian competitors with a track record for success, launched the site to help other serious competitors locate the best products at the best prices.
http://i-newswire.com/pr38939.html
Horse racing’s fate comes down to the wire
By Vince Devlin - Missoulian - 03/24/06
MISSOULA (LEE) — The Western Montana Fair Commission has spoken, in a sense, by not speaking.
Now it’s up to Missoula County commissioners to decide whether horse racing will continue at the fair this summer.
They’ll decide Tuesday at 3 p.m. in room 201 of the Courthouse Annex.
Their advisory board recommended racing continue when, late Wednesday night, a motion by board member Kim Latrielle to cancel the meet died for the lack of a second.
Chairman Buck Smith explained that, since the board had previously voted for racing to continue, that decision remained the board’s position.
The meet has been in jeopardy since it was learned insurance costs are skyrocketing, with the cost of premiums to insure jockeys going from $1,000 to $2,000 a day, and the deductible from $1,000 to $10,000 for each claim.
http://www.helenair.com/articles/2006/03/24/montana/c04032406_01.txt
Dubai World Cup Odds Released at All Horse Racing
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 23, 2006--All Horse Racing (http://www.allhorseracing.com), an international gaming company, today released the latest odds on who will win the world's richest race, the $6,000,000 Dubai World Cup.
"A field of 11 from five different countries will test their spirit and mettle when they line up at Nad Al Sheba Racecourse," commented Leonard Manley, Director of Marketing at Allhorseracing.com.
Yesterday, post positions were drawn in an elaborate ceremony held at the luxurious Madinat Theatre in downtown Dubai. Although the richest race was only hours away, many of this year's attendees were in a playful spirit. "In the wonderful city of Dubai, it is impossible not to enjoy yourself," said Manley.
Brass Hat is the odds on favourite. Trainer William "Buff" Bradley feels that the five-year-old gelding's calm demeanor may be more important than the animal's ability to finish strongly. "I think that might be his greatest asset -- the way he handles things and does everything we ask," Bradley said.
However, Brass Hat has other strong contenders to battle and it is anybody's race on Saturday.
http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20060323005490&newsLang=en
The Kentucky Derby - A Historical Look at Horse Racing’s Finest
March 23rd, 2006
Kentucky Derby
The Kentucky Derby, the premier horse race of all horse races, has a checkered history that spans 130 years. At first, it struggled to survive, owing its success to the men and women who created and sustained it.
The dream started with a young man, Col. M. Lewis Clark, grandson of Gen. William Clark, the explorer. He visited England and France in 1872 and decided that he would start a racetrack in Kentucky to revive the state’s horse breeding industry. Development began soon after the trip on 80 acres he obtained from his two uncles, John and Henry Churchill. Funding was through membership subscriptions that sold at $100 a piece. The track was officially opened on May 17, 1875. Four races were held that day and the winner of the featured race, the Kentucky Derby, was a horse named Aristides. Two African Americans, Oliver Lewis and Ansel Williamson, trained and jockeyed Aristides. Throughout the years, the Kentucky Derby became the focal event for Churchill Downs.
Eventually, the Kentucky State Fair held activities at Churchill Downs, but the main attraction was then and still is today betting on that special horse to win. In 1875, the prize for winning was $2,850. The purse jumped to $5,460 in 1890 with Riley leading the pack as the thoroughbreds crossed the finish line. The winner of the Kentucky Derby in 1896 was Ben Brush with the first-place prize money totaling $4,850. The winner’s purse would remain at that figure for the next 17 years.
In 1913 there was a slight increase in prize money, but the following year the winner’s proceeds skyrocketed to $9,125. That same year Old Rosebud won by a hefty 8 lengths, setting a track record of 2:03 for the 2/5-mile oval. By 1915, the Derby had developed a reputation as a premier sporting event due to a 3-year publicity push. The Golden Jubilee Derby in 1924 featured a purse of $52,775. Through the years, the prize money continued to grow. In 1970, Secretariat became the first Triple Crown winner in 25 years, with a Derby win timed at 1 minute, 59 seconds. The net for Secretariat’s owners was a whopping $127,800. In May of 2004 the winner of the Derby took home a record $5,854,800.
While Churchill Downs was the hub of betting, racing, and other activities, it went through leadership changes quite frequently. Col. M. Lewis Clark and his Louisville Jockey Club started the annual show in 1875. Although the first Kentucky Derby had been a success, there were financial problems. In an attempt to provide a more secure financial situation, the race was incorporated under the New Louisville Jockey Club on November 24, 1894. William F. Schulte became president and Col. M. Lewis Clark was appointed the presiding judge.
Tragedy struck with the suicide of Clark in Memphis, Tennessee, on April 22, 1899. Financial problems plagued the track again and former mayor, Charles Grainger, Charlie Price, and Matt J. Winn took over on October 1, 1902. The first sign of profitability was in 1903. The Kentucky Jockey Club took over all 4 racetracks in Kentucky in 1918-1919. Churchill Downs-Latona became the legal name of the track in 1937 after the sale of several of the other racetracks. October 6,1949, marked the death of Col. Matt J. Winn, the man credited with making the Kentucky Derby the most prestigious race in the world. Bill Corum took over the helm and modernized the track.
The Kentucky Derby was televised for the first time on May 3,1952. In December of 1958, Bill Corum died and was replaced by Wathen Knebelkamp. Under new direction, Churchill Downs underwent more renovation. Also, the City of Louisville tried to purchase the racetrack, but the aldermen had the final word and wouldn’t allow it. Around 1968 there was another battle for ownership of Churchill Downs and this time the Derby Protection Group became the highest bidder.
Lynn Stone was named the new president in 1970. He was successful in fending off 2 more attempts to take over the racetrack. But when financial problems arose, Stone resigned in August 1984, to be replaced by Thomas Meeker. Through the good leadership of Meeker, Chairman Warner Jones, and the current Chairman William Farish, Churchill Downs and the Kentucky Derby have flourished.
Besides the controversy related to takeovers and changes in leadership, there were legal issues as well. In 1908, betting began to be a problem to the point that the Louisville city administration was cracking down on bookmakers. A loophole made it possible to continue the parimutuel betting that Col. Clark had imported in 1875 from France. Problems arose again and there was a government ban on horseracing in 1945, but VE Day changed everything and the Derby continued on June 9th of that year.
As was noted earlier, African Americans have played a key role since the first race and have made major contributions throughout the derby’s history. Alonzo Lonnie Clayton was an early jockey who, at in 1892 the age of 15, rode Azra, making him the youngest jockey to achieve victory. Erskin Henderson was the 6th African American to win the Kentucky Derby, riding Joe Cotton in 1885. Babe Hurd rode Appollo in 1882 and won. George Garrett Lewis, another African American, jockeyed Fonso in the 1880 Derby. These are 4 of 15 African Americans who won the Kentucky Derby and have their names enshrined in the Kentucky Derby Museum.
In addition, women jockeys have been active in the Derby; the five who have run for the roses are Patti Cooksey, Diane Crump, Julie Krone, Andrea Seefeldt, and Rosemary Homeister. Also, It has been fairly common throughout the years that women have been owners.
The Kentucky Derby and Churchill Downs have become the hallmark of first-class horseracing by dealing with adversity and making adjustments. The Derby is a horserace unlike any other in terms of prestige, excitement, and quality competitors. Those who have played an important role in making the Derby a yearly tradition include the jockeys, trainers, breeders, administrators, owners, and those magnificent creatures, the horses that have run for the roses for 130 years. The brainchild of Col. M. Lewis Clark is much more than a horserace. It is an American institution.
http://www.bestsyndication.com/Articles/2006/p/penn_f/032306-kentucky_derby.htm
The Jordan Times
Zarqawi ordered to surrender
AMMAN (AFP) — The State Security Court president has given Jordanian fugitive Abu Mussab Zarqawi 10 days to surrender and face trial in connection with hotel bombings late last year.
"I give you 10 days from the date of publication of this notice to surrender to the judicial authorities to face trial," said a statement published in the press on Wednesday and signed by the head of the tribunal.
"If you do not surrender during that time you will be considered fugitive," it said.
The surrender notice was also addressed to five Iraqis and a Jordanian indicted along with Zarqawi last week for the Nov. 9 triple hotel bombings in Amman that killed 60 people.
But according to court papers obtained by AFP, Iraqi woman would-be suicide bomber Sajida Rishawi will be the only suspect to stand trial for the hotel bombings, which were claimed by Zarqawi's Al Qaeda group in Iraq.
Rishawi was arrested four days after the bombings and later shown confessing on state television how she tried but failed to activate an explosives belt at the Radisson SAS Hotel where a wedding party was in full swing.
The military prosecutor accused the suspects in the hotel bombings of "conspiring to carry out terror acts by using explosive material that led to the deaths of individuals" and "possession of illicit explosive material."
The same notice to surrender was also served on six suspects — two Syrians and four Iraqis — indicted along with six others over deadly rocket attacks in August on Aqaba Port where US warships were moored.
Zarqawi also claimed that attack in which a Jordanian soldier was killed.
Friday-Saturday, March 24-25, 2006
http://www.jordantimes.com/fri/homenews/homenews5.htm
56 Iraqis die in violence
Troops rescue Western hostages
BAGHDAD (AP) — The American military spokesman said on Thursday that major violence in Iraq was confined to just three of Iraq's 18 provinces, but the fighting raged on with at least 56 more Iraqis reported killed in shadowy execution-style slayings, bombings and gunbattles.
For the third day running, insurgent forces hit a major police and jail facility, this time a suicide car bomber in central Baghdad.
The attacker detonated his explosives at the entrance to the interior ministry major crimes unit in the Karradah district, killing 10 civilians and 15 policemen stationed there, authorities said.
As insurgent forces raised the stakes with the attacks, the US military announced late Thursday that it was in the second day of an operation with Iraqi soldiers "to disrupt anti-Iraqi forces and to find and destroy terrorist caches in the Abu Ghraib area west of Baghdad.
http://www.jordantimes.com/fri/news/news1.htm
Jordan backs Lebanon's dialogue — King
His Majesty King Abdullah on Thursday said Jordan support Lebanon's national dialogue, which is a basic step towards enhancing the Arab country's unity and stability. King Abdullah told UN special envoy Terje Roed-Larsen at a meeting that Lebanon's independence should be respected. The King called for full cooperation with the probe into the assassination of Lebanon's former prime minister Rafiq Hariri. Larsen, who briefed the King on developments in Lebanon, told Jordan TV after the meeting that "Jordan works hand-in-hand" with the UN to help achieve peace and security in the region — Petra
http://www.jordantimes.com/fri/homenews/homenews1.htm
US-Iran talks may prove dialogue of deaf
By Edmund Blair
Reuters
TEHRAN — US-Iranian talks to discuss Iraq could open a valuable channel of communication between the two foes, but analysts say a history of missed opportunities dampens hopes of any broader dialogue developing.
In a worst-case scenario, talks could descend into a "dialogue of the deaf," offering hardliners on both sides the chance to declare contacts a failure and exacerbating an already tense standoff over Iran's nuclear programme, the analysts add.
Washington accuses Tehran of fomenting unrest in Iraq, which Iran blames on the US-led forces that invaded. But despite the exchange of accusations, analysts say both are worried about worsening violence in Iraq, pushing them to agree to talks.
Iraqi political sources have said they expected the US ambassador to Iraq, Zalmay Khalilzad, to meet with Iran's representatives this week. Iran has not announced its team.
"There is a degree of urgency among both parties not to see Iraq slide into civil war," said Anoush Ehteshami, a leading Iran scholar at Britain's Durham University.
http://www.jordantimes.com/fri/news/news2.htm
Bird flu forces Israeli-Palestinian cooperation
By Mehdi Lebouachera
Agence France-Presse
GAZA CITY — The discovery of deadly bird flu in both Israel and the Palestinian territories is pushing the two sides to work together despite plummeting relations as Hamas prepares for government.
Israel confirmed Thursday that the H5N1 strain that is dangerous to humans had been found in poultry in a Jewish settlement in the West Bank, hot on the heels of its detection in both the Gaza Strip and six farms inside Israel.
Israeli officials said cooperation with the Palestinians on bird flu so far had been "strong and tight" and said a way needed to be found for that to continue even after a Hamas-dominated government takes power on Monday because of the threat to human health.
http://www.jordantimes.com/fri/news/news5.htm
In Egypt, virus outbreak leaves many jobless
By Omar Sinan
The Associated Press
CAIRO — Jobless and broke, Hamada Ismail called off his wedding and broke up with his fiancee — all because of bird flu.
Its outbreak last month in Egypt has forced the closing of hundreds of poultry stores, including the one Ismail had worked at for years, slaughtering chickens. It also has put hundreds of poultry farms and restaurants out of business in a country where unemployment already is sky-high.
"Of course I can't afford it," Ismail, in stained clothes and half-torn black sandals, said recently of his now-cancelled wedding. "I cannot even feed myself," said the visibly angry young man.
http://www.jordantimes.com/fri/news/news7.htm
Kingdom on maximum alert
By Mohammad Ghazal
A worker takes a chicken out of its coop in a poultry market near the capital on Thursday. The Health Ministry declared a state of maximum alert after the H5N1 strain of bird flu was discovered in the West Bank and Israel (AP photo by Nader Daoud)
AMMAN — The government on Thursday set a one-week deadline for families who breed poultry in the Jordan Valley to get rid of the birds, after which the authorities will start culling home-bred fowl in the area.
The Kingdom declared that it was on maximum alert after the deadly H5N1 virus was detected in Israel and the West Bank, Minister of Health Saeed Darwazeh said in a statement received by The Jordan Times yesterday.
The bird flu strain that can be fatal to humans was found on Thursday in a Jewish settlement in the West Bank, according to the Israeli agriculture minister, Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported.
A ministry official said the H5N1 strain was found in the Beqaot Settlement in the Jordan Valley just across the river from the Kingdom, AFP reported.
http://www.jordantimes.com/fri/homenews/homenews2.htm
Arab Israelis struggle to keep hold in parliament
By Wafa Amr
Reuters
BE'INEH — “Fifteen minutes of your time every four years is not too much to ask. You must vote,” one Arab Israeli lawmaker shouted through his megaphone.
“Vote for us or for any other Arab party,” called Azmi Bishara to a small audience in the northern Israeli village of Be'ineh-Njeidat.
Days before the March 28 election, Arab Israeli parties are struggling to ensure enough votes to keep their toehold in the Israeli parliament, battling apathy and frustration among voters as well as discouragement by some Islamist leaders.
Although Arabs make up a fifth of Israel's six million people, parties catering specifically to Arab interests hold only eight seats in the 120-member parliament.
Many Arabs feel left out within Israel and lack confidence in the ability of often bickering Arab parties to effect change.
“People are in a dilemma, if they vote, they don't make a difference, if they don't vote, they lack representation,” said building worker Mahmoud Khatib, 38.
http://www.jordantimes.com/fri/news/news6.htm
Iraq, Mideast conflict top Arab summit agenda
KHARTOUM (AFP) — Arab leaders meet in Khartoum for their annual summit Tuesday under pressure to take a more active role in Iraq and find a common stance on dealing with a Hamas-led Palestinian government.
They are also expected to discuss the three-year-old conflict in Sudan's western Darfur region, which has killed some 300,000 people — a potentially awkward situation for host Sudanese President Omar Beshir.
Iraq is looking for the two days of meetings to deliver an unreserved condemnation of anti-regime violence, as well as more political backing from Arab countries.
"We want clear support for the political process in Iraq," a high-ranking foreign ministry official said.
http://www.jordantimes.com/fri/news/news4.htm
Stark problems await Hamas-led PA
Two Arab Israelis scuffle Thursday with a member of the ultraright-wing Herut Party during election campaigning in the mostly Arab section in Tel Aviv. Part of the right-wing party's electoral platform is to exchange populations of Palestinians and Israelis (AP photo by Ariel Schalit)
By Alistair Lyon
Reuters
LONDON — Battered, bloated and broke, the Palestinian Authority faces an uncertain future under a new Hamas leadership at odds with the PLO, Israel and the West.
The Islamist movement's rise to power has shattered the status quo, rocking Palestinian institutions, alarming Israel and posing a dilemma for US and European Union donors.
Some Palestinians argue that Israeli policies have so undermined the PA that it should be dissolved, a move that would in legal theory force Israel to take back the burden of running the lands it occupies.
"The PA is no longer relevant," argued Manuel Hassassian, the Palestinian envoy to London, saying Israeli policies had shredded its ability to govern. "What will its function be? I'd rather be under occupation with the occupying power in charge." Horrified by Hamas' January election win, some Israeli politicians favour writing off the PA, but analysts say a more pragmatic approach may emerge once Israel's own polls are over next week.
http://www.jordantimes.com/fri/news/news3.htm
Festival of Jordan opens today
AMMAN (JT) — Around 80 producers from the Kingdom will gather at the Wild Jordan Nature Centre in Amman on Friday and Saturday for the "Festival of Jordan," supported by Fair Trade Jordan.
The festival is a two-day marketplace for goods featuring a wide range of handicrafts, home produce, herbs and medicinal plants, according to a statement released by Fair Trade Jordan.
The event will also be a celebration of skills, as many of the artisans will demonstrate their skills live.
"The festival's goal is to start creating awareness on fair trade because we're hoping that these interim results will create a specialised niche market that will demand fair trade goods and link small businesses to potential customers, which will help them market their products," Fair Trade Jordan Coordinator Lianne Romahi told The Jordan Times.
http://www.jordantimes.com/fri/homenews/homenews7.htm
Queen Noor wins public service award
AMMAN (JT) — The Common Wealth Awards has announced that Her Majesty Queen Noor is the winner of the 2006 award for public service for her advocacy of global peace-building, human rights and conflict recovery issues.
Fellow recipients of the 2006 Common Wealth Award are John Glenn for government; Mike Nichols for dramatic arts; Rita Dove for literature; and Anderson Cooper for mass communications.
The honourees will receive a shared prize of $250,000 at the Common Wealth Awards celebration April 1 at the Hotel du Pont in Wilmington, according to a statement released by the organisers.
The Common Wealth Awards of Distinguished Service were first presented in 1979 by the Common Wealth Trust, created under the will of the late Ralph Hayes, an influential business executive and philanthropist. Hayes conceived the awards to reward and encourage the best of human performance worldwide.
http://www.jordantimes.com/fri/homenews/homenews4.htm
continued …
Cameroon: Limbe Ports Authority Credit Union Budget Drops
March 23, 2006
Posted to the web March 23, 2006
Francis Tim Mbom
The budget of the National Ports Authority Cooperative Credit Union Limited, NPACCUL, in Limbe, has dropped from FCFA 238,257 500 last year to FCFA 193,397 500 for the fiscal year 2006.NPACCUL President, Joseph Azefor, disclosed the drop during their annual general assembly session that held in Limbe on Saturday, March 18 at the Presbyterian Youth Centre, PYC, Hall.
Azefor in a presentation of the accounts of the Union for last year said only FCFA 188,197 251 were realised. This prompted the budget to be limited at FCFA 193 million.
Giving reasons for the drop in what was realised last year, Azefor said that the Union recorded a drop in savings as well as loans that members requested by 1.63 percent.
Thus out of some FCFA 188 million that the Union budgeted to reap as interest from loans, only FCFA 108 million was realised.
http://allafrica.com/stories/200603230248.html
Management of ports
Rezaul Huq, Lalmatia, Dhaka
Recently, I had the opportunity of passing through the international airport of Dhaka and felt so bad. Let alone providing comfort, the airport doesn't provide the minimum facilities that the passengers need. One will have the impression that there is no management. Dhaka and Chittagong airports are infamous for smuggling, transfer of cash foreign currency, pilferage of home bound passengers' belongings etc. The domestic airports are no exception.
There is no alternative to placement of management of airports to private or foreign management companies as the airports serve as mirror of the country. To encourage foreign investors and greater number of tourists in the country, the UPA Government of India has recently reached an agreement with a private sector consortium for management of New Delhi and Mumbai airports and upon observing their performance other imports shall be handed over in phases. The US government had many years ago transferred management of both air and seaports to private management, of which a British Company named Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Co. Ltd (P&O) has been managing six seaports including New York. The P&O has recently been sold to Dubai Ports World, a company owned by the government of UAE. The company has not yet taken over management of those seaports but both Democrat and Republican Senators have already suggested cancellation of the contract as they fear security of their country might be jeopardized owing to management of Vital Ports by a Muslim State.
The reasons for transfer of management are very simple. All the governments are mainly trying to ensure private sector participation to help the country grow rapidly reducing workload of the governments and combat corruption. In the process, revenue earnings of the governments grow which in turn could be utilised for development of infrastructures.
The government in order to create an ideal situation for foreign investment as a test case, signed an agreement with Thai Airlines for management of Chittagong airport but could not deliver physical possession due to resistance by a section of officials fearing loss of jobs supported by a powerful political lobby.
Recently,the Chittagong Port Authority held a meeting with Port labour leaders and Port Dock Workers and Employees Association for preparation of international tender documents for appointment of a company for management and operation of the new container terminal at Chittagong. Immediately came objection from the Mayor who threatened to shut down activities of the port if management of the container terminal was transferred to a private management group.
As an elected representative, the Honourable Mayor should carefully consider the situation and support activities that are development-friendly.
http://www.thedailystar.net/2006/03/24/d60324110281.htm
Cruise Passengers Unaware of Risks in Int'l Ports of Call
MIAMI - When cruise line passengers participate in onshore excursions like the one that killed 12 people in Chile, they need to take their own legal precautions and not rely on cruise ship company liability, experts said on Thursday.
Passengers be particularly careful when they choose tours that aren't affiliated with the cruise line, said Paul Ruden, senior vice president for the American Society of Travel Agents. That appears to be the case in Chile, according to the cruise line.
Ruden acknowledged some people choose local operators that don't coordinate with cruise lines because they may offer cheaper tours. "If you're comfortable being out on your own, that's fine, but you're taking the same risk of being out on your own that you would anywhere," he said.
Four others were injured in Wednesday's crash in northern Chile. Local authorities said the group was returning to a Celebrity Cruises ship when the bus swerved to avoid a truck and plummeted 300 feet.
http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=nation_world&id=4019313
The Container That Changed the World
By VIRGINIA POSTREL
Published: March 23, 2006
THE political showdown over a Dubai company's plan to operate terminals at six American ports briefly focused public attention on one of the most significant, yet least noticed, economic developments of the last few decades: the transformation of international shipping.
Just as the computer revolutionized the flow of information, the shipping container revolutionized the flow of goods. As generic as the 1's and 0's of computer code, a container can hold just about anything, from coffee beans to cellphone components. By sharply cutting costs and enhancing reliability, container-based shipping enormously increased the volume of international trade and made complex supply chains possible.
"Low transport costs help make it economically sensible for a factory in China to produce Barbie dolls with Japanese hair, Taiwanese plastics and American colorants, and ship them off to eager girls all over the world," writes Marc Levinson in the new book "The Box: How the Shipping Container Made the World Smaller and the World Economy Bigger" (Princeton University Press).
For consumers, this results in lower prices and more variety. "People now just take it for granted that they have access to an enormous selection of goods from all over the world," Mr. Levinson said in an interview. That selection, he said, "was made possible by this technological change."
When the first container ship set sail
50 years ago, businesses and regulators treated distribution not as a single process but as a series of distinct modes: ships, trucks and trains. Every time the transportation mode changed, somebody had to transfer physically every box or barrel.
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/23/business/23scene.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
Let’s use eminent domain to take U.S. ports
By Richard Foster
Jonesville Resident
Guest Column
I, along with the Liberal left, recently criticized the President for grossly violating our national security and sound conservative economic principles by allowing the sale of our ports’ control to a state-owned company of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) — and rightly so.
However, a recent sore point that has liberals and conservatives alike (and about which you’ll hear more; I promise) steaming mad may be a solution — eminent domain.
What is eminent domain and why may it be an issue? Simply put, eminent domain is the Constitutional concept that gives the government license to seize private property for the public good at fair market value.
This is the vehicle that allows the government to build highways, railroads, airports, government buildings for the public good — the good of all. Such seizures are fitting and proper.
This may be a solution. Government intrusion into quasi-private business is not new (airport security), and therein lies the solution. Of the billions of our tax dollars that Congress finds to waste every year, is it possible that they could reallocate some of the hard earned money they steal from us everyday through income taxes to the purchase of all our ports of entry that import international goods?
http://www.highspringsherald.com/articles/2006/03/23/news/news16.txt
Ports alert in hunt for dud-cheque Frenchman
By MOHAMMED ASLAM
AN all-ports alert was issued to stop a Frenchman leaving Bahrain, after he issued a dud cheque in a business transaction.
Officials at all exit points were ordered to detain the man if he tried to leave the country, as police searched for him, the Lower Criminal Court heard.
The 42-year-old defendant was later arrested as he left a medical complex, in December 2003, two weeks after the arrest warrant was issued.
A court later issued a travel ban on the defendant, who is accused of passing a dud cheque with a face value of 50,000 Saudi riyals (BD5,000).
He failed to turn up for the latest court hearing and the case was adjourned until July 12, when a verdict will be issued.
http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/Story.asp?Article=138909&Sn=BNEW&IssueID=29004
Ports help Hutchison
By Vicki Kwong Bloomberg News
THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2006
HONG KONG Hutchison Whampoa, which owns the world's largest port operator, said Thursday that 2005 profit from managing container terminals rose 14 percent as cargo shipments increased.
Hutchison Port Holdings had 10.2 billion Hong Kong dollars, or $1.3 billion, in profit before interest and taxes last year, compared with a restated 8.96 billion dollars in 2004. Sales rose 11 percent to 29.9 billion dollars.
Hutchison, which operates 247 berths in 42 ports, said it handled 51.8 million standard 20 foot, or 6 meter, containers last year, an increase of 8 percent from 2004. The company is investing more in cargo terminals to meet rising demand. It formed a venture last year to manage the second phase of the $16 billion Yangshan deep-water port in Shanghai.
Hutchison Port and four other companies, including A.P. Moeller- Maersk, will invest 4 billion yuan, or $498 million, to build four berths in Yangshan, which will double the eastern Chinese port's cargo capacity by 2010.
The company is expanding its container-handling capacity at Yantian in Shenzhen and it is building its first dry- bulk cargo terminal in the eastern Chinese port of Dalian.
Hutchison Port's shares are not publicly traded. Hutchison Whampoa's shares fell 0.2 percent to 72.85 dollars in Hong Kong before the earnings were announced.
http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/03/23/bloomberg/sxport.php
Capitalism's momentum in Dubai sheds light on doomed ports deal
By Greg Dobbs
03/22/2006
DUBAI — If pictures are truly worth a thousand words, some stunning visual images here in the United Arab Emirates speak volumes about this country that planned to manage major American ports before questions about terrorism torpedoed the deal. But this modern metropolis feels more like Disneyland than Terrorland.
In fact, I have struggled to get my arms around a description of place, and I’ve settled on an omnipresent image here: There are more construction cranes than you’ve ever seen in your life — reportedly, between 20 and 40 percent of all the cranes on Earth. Given that there was scarcely a single crane on Denver’s horizon the first 10 years we lived in Colorado, this horizon is striking.
The most entertaining, if not the most important example of headlong construction is “Ski Dubai,” an undulating, artificially chilled, steel-and-iron slope of manmade snow, attached to the biggest shopping mall in the Middle East, if not the world. Not bad when it’s 120 degrees outside! When I packed for this trip, I forgot to bring my skis. Silly me.
http://www.canyoncourier.com/story_display.php?sid=2553
The implications of homeland security
By Josef Braml for ISN Security Watch (23/03/06)
The creation of the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) - the centerpiece of President George W. Bush’s National Strategy for Homeland Security - is the most wide-ranging reorganization of the American government since the end of the Second World War. Two dozen federal agencies, formerly dispersed over an array of different departments, were concentrated under the roof of the DHS, which has approximately 180,000 employees and an annual budget of US$40 billion.
Nevertheless, Hurricane Katrina dramatically demonstrated how little the reorganization has improved the efficiency of US homeland security. The DHS has also implemented measures with foreign policy consequences that could yield consequences for Europe.
The Bush administration’s homeland security concept requires other countries to comply with US domestic needs, and has led to transatlantic rifts, in particular concerning the Container Security Initiative (CSI), entry requirements for non-permanent residents (in particular students), guidelines for business travelers and tourists, and personal data protection provisions.
Port security
About 90 per cent of the country’s imports reach the US via containers through seaports. In January 2002, the US initiated the CSI. Worldwide bilateral agreements obliged partner countries (including European countries such as Belgium, Germany, France, Britain, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Spain) to install security systems in their ports, and to allow US security personnel to conduct security checks within their borders. Thus, some of the costs for the inspections of seaports have been shifted to other countries. In return, imports from these countries may pass more quickly through security controls in US ports, providing them with a competitive advantage vis-à-vis non-cooperating ports and countries.
The EU Commission objected and argued that the CSI would also impede fair competition within the EU. Moreover, bilateral agreements with individual EU member states undermine the authority of the commission. In March 2004, a more comprehensive US-EU agreement defused the transatlantic and intra-European dispute. However, the stipulated principle of reciprocity requires the US to meet the same security standards it requires from its partners. Yet security in US ports still begs improvement, as a 10 March New York Times editorial suggested: “With initial efforts focused on bolstering security abroad, the protection of American ports has lagged badly.”
http://www.isn.ethz.ch/news/sw/details.cfm?id=15214
I Always Loved Horses as a Kid
Two Horses Wounded By Bird Shot
(CBS4) KERSEY, Colo. Two miniature horses were treated after being wounded by bird shot pellets in rural Weld County near Kersey on Tuesday afternoon.
Sheriff's deputies were called to the 25000 block of County Road 45 at about 3 p.m. on Tuesday to investigate the apparent shooting.
Investigators said the horses were out of their pen and on an adjacent property when the shooting happened. A red and white paint horse was hit by 27 bird shot pellets. A buckskin horse was hit wounded by 36 pellets.
Deputies said the horses were treated at a local veterinarian clinic.
Officials said the case was still under investigation.
http://cbs4denver.com/pets/local_story_082124335.html
24 horses die in barn blaze; cause under probe
Posted by the Asbury Park Press on 03/24/06
STAFF REPORT
UPPER FREEHOLD — An electrical problem may have triggered an early-morning barn fire that killed 24 horses -- 12 of them foals -- at Perretti Farms today, a spokesman for the farm said.
Fire officials and State Police are investigating what may have started the fire, which destroyed a 12-stable barn on the sprawling 900-acre horse farm in the township's Cream Ridge section.
But Bob Marks, a Perretti Farms spokesman, said he heard from fire officials that an electrical problem may have been the cause. The horses, which included the Hambletonian Oaks contender My Starchip, may have died from smoke inhalation, Marks said.
Phones were down at the Route 526 property today, and the farm's owner, William J. Perretti, declined to speak at length about the fire when reached at his Florida home.
"You've got to put your chin up and go, that's all,'' Perretti said. "We're doing the best we can.''
State Police responded to the fire about 6:25 a.m.
Sgt. Jeanne Hengemuhle said all 24 horses in the roughly 20-year-old barn were trapped, and eventually died.
Perretti Farms bills itself as the state's largest horse farm. Located on about 900 acres, the farm breeds standardbred and thoroughbred horses, according to its Web site. The Web site features videos and profiles of racehorses and studs that are standing at the farm.
The farm was founded in the late 1980s by Perretti, an automotive dealer and restaurateur, the Web site states.
About 9 a.m., State Police cars blocked the entrance to the farm, on Route 526 near Red Valley Road. The charred frame of the barn was visible from Route 526.
Several front-end loaders and a number of workers were milling around the barn, while news vans and photographers lined the road. About 15 horses grazed on the rolling terrain several hundred feet from the barn. The tops of several rides at Great Adventure amusement park were visible in the distance.
The Hope Fire Department, Millstone Township Fire Department and New Egypt Fire Department all responded to the scene, Hengemuhle said. The Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office, Monmouth County Fire Marshal and the State Police Arson and Bomb units are all investigating.
A horse barn fire on Thanksgiving night in 2000 at Gaitway Farm in Manalapan killed 20 standardbred horses.
That fire claimed the lives of many of the stars of the trotters and pacers racing circuit, including world record-holder Cam Knows Best, the runner-up in the 1998 Little Brown Jug race at Dover Downs in Delaware. The blaze was caused by a submersible water heater left unattended in the barn, authorities said.
http://www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060324/NEWS/60324015
Horse welfare on the Royal agenda
Anna Tyzack
23 March, 2006
Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall visited a Cairo equine clinic, while back in the UK the Princess Royal unveils a scheme to improve equine welfare in Romania
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The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall visited sick horses in a Cairo clinic yesterday. The visit to the Cairo-based operations of the equine welfare charity Brooke Hospital was the one element of a five-day royal programme in Egypt that the Duchess specifically requested. Meanwhile, Princess Anne is also showing her commitment to equine welfare by today launching a five-year scheme which aims to improve the welfare of farm horses in Romania.
The Duchess first became aware of the Brooke's pioneering efforts to raise the standard of equine welfare overseas at a fundraising event in 2004, and Prince Charles visited one of the Brooke's Luxor clinics in 1995. “The request for the visit came from Clarence House,” explained Niki Austin of the Brooke. “Obviously they are both horse lovers and they made time to see and hear what we do.”
http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/news/397/82026.html
Fire engulfs Ocean Downs horse barn
One animal dead in Worcester racetrack blaze
By John Purnell
Worcester County Times
BERLIN -- A smoky blaze tore through a large horse barn at Ocean Downs Racetrack on Wednesday evening, but quick work by firefighters prevented it from spreading to a number of nearby buildings.
The fast response from fire crews across Worcester County kept the flames from nearby stables that house horses at the historic harness track for the winter off-season, fire officials said.
"It was pretty fast work," said Ocean City Fire Chief Roger Steger. "We got lucky this time."
Steger said the blaze was contained within a half hour. A caretaker at the track reportedly suffered minor injuries while helping to lead the horses away from the barn, fire officials said.
http://www.delmarvanow.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060323/NEWS01/603230304/1002
How about some horse sense?
The family of a Saginaw man who died shortly after appearing in the noonday sun as Captain, the Texas Rangers mascot, is considering a lawsuit against the baseball team.
They're suggesting that the heavy costume, lack of training and weather conditions contributed to his death.
I feel sorry for the family, but how about some personal responsibility here?
Anybody who is asked to put on a heavy, fuzzy horse suit and hop around in the noon-day sun ought to have sense enough to say "Whoa!"
http://blogs.dfw.com/startle_grams/2006/03/how_about_some_.html
Strong Contender should live up to name
Ward hopes colt can give him another Derby win
By RICHARD DEAN
Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle
In 2001, John Ward saddled Monarchos to a Kentucky Derby win. Five years later, the trainer has a Derby hopeful in Strong Contender.
Monarchos and unbeaten Strong Contender have something in common. They're sons of Maria's Mon.
But there are little physical similarities according to Ward.
"Monarchos was a medium-sized, compact horse," said Ward. "Strong Contender is a great big long, lanky animal.
"But as far as genetics, Maria's Mon put a lot of stamina in these horses, and that's the similarity. It's amazing how deep they are as far as their stamina goes. I was always amazed that Monarchos could kick at five-eighth of a mile and he could sustain that pace."
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/3742383.html
Woman offers $4,000 to capture horse killer
Updated: 03/22/2006 09:30:38 PM
One animal lover has come forward to contribute a reward for information to catch the person who mutilated a horse in Waseca County.
Kim, who asked that her last name not be used, said she was moved after hearing the horse’s owner. “It's like having your child taken,” said the owner of Mr. Peabody, who also asked to remain anonymous. “He was my baby."
"Tears definitely came to my eyes,” Kim said. “It was very heart wrenching."
Kim has offered $4,000 for the capture of those responsible.
Images of the mutilated horse have inspired Kim and dozens of others to offer to help with the identification of Mr. Peabody’s killer.
Kim says the story made her fear for her own horses – and even her family.
"I decided right away that I had to do something,” she said. “I hope that other people will step forward and do whatever they can, donate a little bit of money, raise a little bit of money to put more money together and I think it might help bring someone forward."
A fund has been established at the Wells Fargo Bank on East Elm Ave, in Waseca.
Anyone with information about the crime is asked to call the Waseca County Sheriff, at (507) 835-0500.
http://www.kstp.com/article/stories/S15021.html?cat=1
Duchess visits Cairo hospital for horses
By Caroline Davies in Cairo
(Filed: 23/03/2006)
The Duchess of Cornwall made a special visit to the Brooke Hospital for sick donkeys, mules and horses, tucked away in a shabby Cairo backstreet yesterday.
The visit to the hospital, which offers free veterinary care to beasts of burden, was at the duchess's instigation; the one element of a five-day royal programme in Egypt, that she specifically requested.
She and the Prince of Wales were shown animals bearing terrible physical injuries that are suffered at the hands of their owners who work them, sometimes without rest, either ferrying tourists around the pyramids or carrying heavy loads in the city's brick kilns.
The hospital was established by Dorothy Brooke, the wife of Major General Geoffrey Brooke, who headed the British Cavalry in Egypt.
She was appalled by the plight of ex-cavalry First World War horses sold to stone quarries in Cairo, and raised £20,000 by putting an appeal in The Daily Telegraph. She opened the hospital in 1934.
Today the charity runs clinics around the world. Lady Weir, chairman of the Brooke Board, showed the royal couple round. "[The Duchess] was really moved by it and she wants to do something to support our work," she said.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/03/23/ncam123.xml&sSheet=/news/2006/03/23/ixhome.html
Horses provide paycheck
There are many ways to earn a living working with horses.
Date published: 3/23/2006
By CATHY JETT
Tommy Seay of Culpeper set out to ride his horse from coast to coast, and ended up as co-host of a new TV show called "Best of America by Horseback."
Seay, a trail outfitter who runs the stables at Graves Mountain Lodge in Syria, organized "The American Transcontinental Trail Ride" in 1995. When he decided to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the event last year, his wife, Pat Seay, convinced him to trailer their horses to some of the places they'd enjoyed most.
"We thought about videotaping it just for fun, and then someone suggested contacting RFD TV," Tommy Seay said.
RFD TV is a cable channel covering rural America.
http://fredericksburg.com/News/FLS/2006/032006/03232006/173726
Letter: Why not let surplus horses be slaughtered?
Let me in on this debate. People all over the world eat horse meat. I thought a number of times when I was in the military I was eating horse meat and monkey meat, too.
We have forced horse slaughter plants to be closed in this country. Why? Because animal rights people don't like it. There is a great market for horse meat. We eat cows, goats, sheep, hogs, deer, antelope, elk and buffalo. What difference does it make? Lewis and Clark were glad to eat horse meat and, at times, the only thing better was dog meat.
Now I wouldn't be complaining, but we taxpayers are paying for the support in feeding these BLM horses which nobody wants. We have to control the amount of horses because of overpopulation, just like the buffalo in the park. It's called overgrazing. People who have pet horses have an idea of what it costs BLM taxpayer horses to feed (Feb. 22 Gazette article).
Heck, let's get this horse meat on the market. Perhaps I will try a steak or two.
http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2006/03/23/opinion/letters/57-reader-7.txt
Hundreds of camels, horses block road to Pyramids
March 23, 2006
By DPA
Cairo, March 23 (DPA) Traffic came to a standstill and the streets were blocked in a protest that saw 400 camels and horses clog the Cairo avenue leading to the Egyptian pyramids.
Camel and horse owners who make money offering pyramid visitors rides on their animals took to the streets Wednesday to protest against being chased out of the tourist site by the tourism police.
Tourism police require those who work in tourism-related activities to hold a work permit - but the animal owners have said that the tourism authorities have denied them this.
In response, the camel and horse owners took their animals on to al-Haram Street, one of Egypt's longest roads a few kilometres from the Pyramids. The police urged them to clear the street for traffic to resume - and they eventually complied.
http://www.dailyindia.com/show/10888.php/Hundreds_of_camels_horses_block_road_to_Pyramids
Student & horses take to the arena
Christina Voss
Issue date: 3/23/06 Section: News
Media Credit: Erich Pilcher
Kirkwood's Horse Science Technology prepares students for equestrian careers.
Kirkwood Community College is one of the few community colleges in the country that allows a student to bring horses on to campus thanks to a program called Horse Science Technology.
The program helps prepare students for a variety of positions within the equine industry. From studying such subjects as genetics, breeding, horsemanship, training, nutrition, management, judging and other general courses, students learn the complete overview of what it takes to own and maintain healthy successful horses.
Since only a small percent of the students in the program are eligible to stable their own horses on campus, many of the students in the program use Kirkwood's horses. Kirkwood owns 30 Arabians, Saddlebreds and Quarter Horses ranging from green colts to finished show horses. Students use these horses for riding and training.
http://www.kirkwoodcommunique.com/media/paper684/news/2006/03/23/News/Student.Horses.Take.To.The.Arena-1713030.shtml?norewrite200603241847&sourcedomain=www.kirkwoodcommunique.com
Tiny horses make gentle family pets 'The older you get, the smaller you want your horses.'
Alice Stanley
Foal lotta love: Miniature horses go way beyond your average beasts of burden.
Date published: 3/23/2006
By BEN SELLERS
As has happened many times before, Alice Stanley and her husband, Doug, are getting ready to be proud parents this spring.
Several pregnant mares are in the pastures at their 9.5-acre Fairway Miniature Horse Farm in Caroline County.
One of the hardest parts of this process, Alice Stanley said, is coming up with new names. She keeps a running list of potential monikers for when a foal arrives.
"I look at the baby, look at the names, and see if one fits."
For the Stanleys, keeping the horses is a labor of love.
Alice is involved with local search-and-rescue-dog operations, while Doug helps maintain the fairways and greens as assistant superintendent of Fredericksburg Country Club.
Indeed, when folks ask why they collect the pint-sized equines, Alice Stanley's usual answer is that they're fun.
http://fredericksburg.com/News/FLS/2006/032006/03232006/172732
Emirates races horses to Dubai
Posted: Wednesday, March 22, 2006
Dubai
The Emirates SkyCargo transferred eight thoroughbred horses on a charter flight from Fort Lauderdale, Florida to Dubai last week, well in time for one of the richest horseracing events, the Dubai World Cup.
The horses arrived well rested in their air stables, which are specially manufactured horse stalls on pallets, each designed to carry three. The air stables are roomier, allow better movement, and are more comfortable than conventional stalls. The horses were accompanied by a stable of 11 grooms, all comfortably travelling on one of Emirates SkyCargo's fully owned Airbus A310-300F freighters.
This journey was also the cargo division A310F's first maiden voyage across the Atlantic from Dubai. Each of the three wide-bodied A310Fs in its fleet, emblazoned with the red and gold Emirates SkyCargo logo, has a gross payload of 39 tonnes and the capacity to carry 21 horses using air stables.
http://www.tradearabia.com/tanews/newsdetails_snSTN_article102438_cnt.html
Barrel racer
By Herald Democrat
Nancy Hiatt has been riding horses since before she could walk.
Being the daughter of a farmer and horse trader in Indiana, she had every opportunity to learn about horses from the best of the best. Her dad, Leonard "Barney" Summers bought horses out West and shipped boxcar loads of unbroken quarterhorses to their farm to be broken. At an early age Nancy began breaking the horses so that they were rideable and could be sold.
She said back then she never dreamed she would still be riding and training horses when she was a great-grandmother. But she is and she has a cabinet full of belt buckles, a championship saddle and lots of other honors she’s collected along the way for her riding talent.
http://www.heralddemocrat.com/articles/2006/03/22/local_news/news11.txt
Horses dragging Hollywood stars away from Iceland
Filming for the Hollywood movie "Stardust" starring Michelle Pfeiffer and Robert De Niro will start in Iceland next weekend.
Substantial parts of the movie were to be filmed in Iceland but it seems that horses might keep the movie stars away..
Robert De Niro, Michelle Pfeiffer, Claire Danes, Sienna Miller and Charlie Cox are among the stars in this Matthew Vaughn-directed adaptation of Neil Gaiman's fantasy novel.
Morgunbladid reports that horses also have a major role in this Paramount project but unfortunately it is illegal to import horses to Iceland.
http://www.icelandreview.com/icelandreview/daily_news/?cat_id=16539&ew_0_a_id=192388
Horses power graceful sport
LAKEWOOD RANCH - This is the second in a series of stories running this week in which The Herald explores the Triple Crown of Polo and the lifestyle surrounding the sport.
JOHN SIMPSON
Herald Staff Writer
When close, the horses sound like little earthquakes. From far away, the graceful beasts are silent but resemble poetry in motion.
As the Sarasota Polo Club prepares to host the first event of the 2006 Triple Crown of Polo series Sunday, the riders and horses practiced Tuesday on the club's open, green fields.
Polo player James Uihlein, 24, traded his skates in for a saddle not too long ago. An ice hockey player for 15 years, Uihlein has been playing polo for a year and a half.
Often compared to hockey, polo has a few differences, Uihlein said.
"You're thinking for two," Uihlein said. "That's the main difference. In other sports, you can get mad at yourself. In polo, you have to figure out what you did wrong with the horse."
http://www.bradenton.com/mld/bradenton/news/local/14155550.htm
ROYAL HELP FOR ROMANIAN HORSES
By Rosamond Hutt, Community Newswire
ROYAL Horses Norfolk, 22 Mar 2006 - 10:04
The Princess Royal was today due to launch a project which aims to radically improve the welfare of farm horses in Romania.
The Princess will unveil the five-year scheme, run by Norfolk-based equestrian charity International League for the Protection of Horses (ILPH), at the Romanian embassy in London.
The ILPH insisted it is a lack of knowledge, resources and awareness of horse welfare and not deliberate cruelty that has led it to take action in Romania.
Since the fall of Communism and the break-up of mechanised collective farms the country has seen a return small plots of land farmed mainly by horsepower.
http://www.communitynewswire.press.net/article.jsp?id=250093
Change of stalls spooks horses
TURF TALK
MARTIN HANNAN
I BELIEVE that I can point to the crux of the problem afflicting starting stalls on which British racecourses depend. Horses have been hurt and jockeys and stall-handlers injured or risked their skins because of snags with the new Steriline stalls, which are being introduced on a phased basis across the country.
The Jockey Club are monitoring the situation, and RaceTech, the firm who provide and operate the stalls, and the Australian manufacturers have carried out modifications to these vital pieces of equipment. Unsurprisingly, the authorities say that these teething problems can be sorted out, but as I indicated in TurfTalk last week, I believe that I may have discovered the reason why a number of horses have freaked out in the stalls.
http://sport.scotsman.com/racing.cfm?id=1708312005
THIS WAS LAST YEAR'S EVENT
Hitch up yer horses
By Emilie H. Wheeler
Festival of the American West rolls back time
It's not quite the late 1880s, but it's probably as close as you can get in 2005.
The Festival of the American West will begin Wednesday and go for four days at the American West Heritage Center in Wellsville. It will include everything from a reenactment of the Pony Express rides from the 1860s to a performances by 2003 and 2004 yodeling champions.
In its 34th consecutive year, the center has switched things up a bit for the August festival. Instead of the eight-day festival, the actual entertainment section has been shortened to four days.
"We're just going to try a bit of a different format and see if it works," said Executive Director Matt Dahl, who was hired for the position last fall. "Entertainers tend to get worn out after eight straight days."
The educational portion of the festival -- which typically includes workshops on everything from cabin quilt piecing to painting -- is still on the docket, but started Friday and will run through the end of the festival. The workshops required an early registration that has since closed, Dahl said.
Other highlights this year include an American West Art Show, featuring work from 16 Utah artists, a keynote address and historical lectures by Roger D. McGrath, a History Channel star, and the main event, the Wild West Show.
"The Wild West Show is new this year," Dahl said. "It'll be similar to how the Buffalo Bill Wild West Show was."
That show will last about one hour and will be performed once Wednesday and Thursday and twice Friday and Saturday. It will include the Pony Express reenactment, Charro roping skill demonstrations, an award-winning equestrian group, Annie Oakley and Buffalo Bill Cody actors, American Indian powwows and 13-year-old Carin Mari Lechner's yodeling talents.
Another highlight this year is Larry Nielson's Iwo Jima artistic creation. The Utah artist's original wood painting was presented to President George W. Bush in 2002, but he kept a print, which has since been signed by more than 900 war veterans. The print -- which illustrates the raising of the U.S. flag by Marines in 1945 -- will be on display and might be on hand for local veterans to sign, Dahl said.
Dahl said he expects between 10,000 and 12,000 people to come to the festival this year. Although it is a valley tradition, he said a smaller percentage of all attendees are locals.
"We have a lot of visitors from the outside," he said, mentioning several RV parties that come through for the occasion. "People plan their family reunions and whatever around this."
The American West Heritage Center is 160-acre museum of Western American life in the late 1880s and early 1990s. The Living History Site is open from Memorial Day to Labor Day to visitors.
http://hjnews.townnews.com/articles/2005/07/31/news/news02.txt
Wellington, FL-Olympic equestrian champion Laura Kraut is putting her decades of knowledge about world-class competition horses to work on the World Wide Web. Kraut and her husband Bob, a grand prix rider and trainer by his own right, are hoping to help other riders stay at the top of their game with a new e-venture called SummitTack.com.
(I-Newswire) - Wellington, Fl—August 1, 2005--Olympic equestrian champion Laura Kraut is putting her decades of knowledge about world-class competition horses to work on the World Wide Web. Kraut and her husband Bob, a grand prix rider and trainer by his own right, are hoping to help other riders stay at the top of their game with a new e-venture called SummitTack.com.
SummitTack.com, an online retailer of tack and supplies for competition horses of all disciplines, features products the husband-wife team has personally used during its 20-plus years of active competition in equestrian show jumping. The site features dozens of high-quality products designed with performance in mind.
“Just like a basketball athlete needs the proper shoes to perform at his highest level, competition horses need the best saddle pads and other gear to help them be the best they can be,” said Bob Kraut, owner of Summit Tack LLC. “I believe in the products we offer at SummitTack.com because we have used them every day for years ¬ and we know they work.”
Indeed, the Krauts are no strangers to the equestrian circuit. Laura began riding at the age of three. In 1992, aboard Simba Run, she was named as the first alternate for the U.S. squad at the Barcelona Olympic Games. Kraut and another horse called Liberty were members of the U.S. show jumping team that finished sixth at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney Australia, and in 2001, horse and rider won the U.S. Open Jumping Championship.
The Krauts credit products like LPC Artroflex, Walsh Weighted Training Boots and Supracor Classic Cool Grip saddle pads for helping them post winning performances in these professional competitions. As new products hit the market, SummitTack.com continues to expand its catalog of equestrian aids from reputable vendors that serious competitors can trust.
“Summit Tack helps serious competitors achieve success,” Bob said. “Unlike other tack stores, the owners of Summit Tack have used the products we sell in both every day and extreme conditions. Our mission is to provide our customers with exceptional quality, innovation and attractive pricing.”
About Summit Tack
Founded in January 2005, SummitTack.com is an online retailer of tack and supplies for competition horses of all disciplines. Bob and Laura Kraut, two equestrian competitors with a track record for success, launched the site to help other serious competitors locate the best products at the best prices.
http://i-newswire.com/pr38939.html
Horse racing’s fate comes down to the wire
By Vince Devlin - Missoulian - 03/24/06
MISSOULA (LEE) — The Western Montana Fair Commission has spoken, in a sense, by not speaking.
Now it’s up to Missoula County commissioners to decide whether horse racing will continue at the fair this summer.
They’ll decide Tuesday at 3 p.m. in room 201 of the Courthouse Annex.
Their advisory board recommended racing continue when, late Wednesday night, a motion by board member Kim Latrielle to cancel the meet died for the lack of a second.
Chairman Buck Smith explained that, since the board had previously voted for racing to continue, that decision remained the board’s position.
The meet has been in jeopardy since it was learned insurance costs are skyrocketing, with the cost of premiums to insure jockeys going from $1,000 to $2,000 a day, and the deductible from $1,000 to $10,000 for each claim.
http://www.helenair.com/articles/2006/03/24/montana/c04032406_01.txt
Dubai World Cup Odds Released at All Horse Racing
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 23, 2006--All Horse Racing (http://www.allhorseracing.com), an international gaming company, today released the latest odds on who will win the world's richest race, the $6,000,000 Dubai World Cup.
"A field of 11 from five different countries will test their spirit and mettle when they line up at Nad Al Sheba Racecourse," commented Leonard Manley, Director of Marketing at Allhorseracing.com.
Yesterday, post positions were drawn in an elaborate ceremony held at the luxurious Madinat Theatre in downtown Dubai. Although the richest race was only hours away, many of this year's attendees were in a playful spirit. "In the wonderful city of Dubai, it is impossible not to enjoy yourself," said Manley.
Brass Hat is the odds on favourite. Trainer William "Buff" Bradley feels that the five-year-old gelding's calm demeanor may be more important than the animal's ability to finish strongly. "I think that might be his greatest asset -- the way he handles things and does everything we ask," Bradley said.
However, Brass Hat has other strong contenders to battle and it is anybody's race on Saturday.
http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20060323005490&newsLang=en
The Kentucky Derby - A Historical Look at Horse Racing’s Finest
March 23rd, 2006
Kentucky Derby
The Kentucky Derby, the premier horse race of all horse races, has a checkered history that spans 130 years. At first, it struggled to survive, owing its success to the men and women who created and sustained it.
The dream started with a young man, Col. M. Lewis Clark, grandson of Gen. William Clark, the explorer. He visited England and France in 1872 and decided that he would start a racetrack in Kentucky to revive the state’s horse breeding industry. Development began soon after the trip on 80 acres he obtained from his two uncles, John and Henry Churchill. Funding was through membership subscriptions that sold at $100 a piece. The track was officially opened on May 17, 1875. Four races were held that day and the winner of the featured race, the Kentucky Derby, was a horse named Aristides. Two African Americans, Oliver Lewis and Ansel Williamson, trained and jockeyed Aristides. Throughout the years, the Kentucky Derby became the focal event for Churchill Downs.
Eventually, the Kentucky State Fair held activities at Churchill Downs, but the main attraction was then and still is today betting on that special horse to win. In 1875, the prize for winning was $2,850. The purse jumped to $5,460 in 1890 with Riley leading the pack as the thoroughbreds crossed the finish line. The winner of the Kentucky Derby in 1896 was Ben Brush with the first-place prize money totaling $4,850. The winner’s purse would remain at that figure for the next 17 years.
In 1913 there was a slight increase in prize money, but the following year the winner’s proceeds skyrocketed to $9,125. That same year Old Rosebud won by a hefty 8 lengths, setting a track record of 2:03 for the 2/5-mile oval. By 1915, the Derby had developed a reputation as a premier sporting event due to a 3-year publicity push. The Golden Jubilee Derby in 1924 featured a purse of $52,775. Through the years, the prize money continued to grow. In 1970, Secretariat became the first Triple Crown winner in 25 years, with a Derby win timed at 1 minute, 59 seconds. The net for Secretariat’s owners was a whopping $127,800. In May of 2004 the winner of the Derby took home a record $5,854,800.
While Churchill Downs was the hub of betting, racing, and other activities, it went through leadership changes quite frequently. Col. M. Lewis Clark and his Louisville Jockey Club started the annual show in 1875. Although the first Kentucky Derby had been a success, there were financial problems. In an attempt to provide a more secure financial situation, the race was incorporated under the New Louisville Jockey Club on November 24, 1894. William F. Schulte became president and Col. M. Lewis Clark was appointed the presiding judge.
Tragedy struck with the suicide of Clark in Memphis, Tennessee, on April 22, 1899. Financial problems plagued the track again and former mayor, Charles Grainger, Charlie Price, and Matt J. Winn took over on October 1, 1902. The first sign of profitability was in 1903. The Kentucky Jockey Club took over all 4 racetracks in Kentucky in 1918-1919. Churchill Downs-Latona became the legal name of the track in 1937 after the sale of several of the other racetracks. October 6,1949, marked the death of Col. Matt J. Winn, the man credited with making the Kentucky Derby the most prestigious race in the world. Bill Corum took over the helm and modernized the track.
The Kentucky Derby was televised for the first time on May 3,1952. In December of 1958, Bill Corum died and was replaced by Wathen Knebelkamp. Under new direction, Churchill Downs underwent more renovation. Also, the City of Louisville tried to purchase the racetrack, but the aldermen had the final word and wouldn’t allow it. Around 1968 there was another battle for ownership of Churchill Downs and this time the Derby Protection Group became the highest bidder.
Lynn Stone was named the new president in 1970. He was successful in fending off 2 more attempts to take over the racetrack. But when financial problems arose, Stone resigned in August 1984, to be replaced by Thomas Meeker. Through the good leadership of Meeker, Chairman Warner Jones, and the current Chairman William Farish, Churchill Downs and the Kentucky Derby have flourished.
Besides the controversy related to takeovers and changes in leadership, there were legal issues as well. In 1908, betting began to be a problem to the point that the Louisville city administration was cracking down on bookmakers. A loophole made it possible to continue the parimutuel betting that Col. Clark had imported in 1875 from France. Problems arose again and there was a government ban on horseracing in 1945, but VE Day changed everything and the Derby continued on June 9th of that year.
As was noted earlier, African Americans have played a key role since the first race and have made major contributions throughout the derby’s history. Alonzo Lonnie Clayton was an early jockey who, at in 1892 the age of 15, rode Azra, making him the youngest jockey to achieve victory. Erskin Henderson was the 6th African American to win the Kentucky Derby, riding Joe Cotton in 1885. Babe Hurd rode Appollo in 1882 and won. George Garrett Lewis, another African American, jockeyed Fonso in the 1880 Derby. These are 4 of 15 African Americans who won the Kentucky Derby and have their names enshrined in the Kentucky Derby Museum.
In addition, women jockeys have been active in the Derby; the five who have run for the roses are Patti Cooksey, Diane Crump, Julie Krone, Andrea Seefeldt, and Rosemary Homeister. Also, It has been fairly common throughout the years that women have been owners.
The Kentucky Derby and Churchill Downs have become the hallmark of first-class horseracing by dealing with adversity and making adjustments. The Derby is a horserace unlike any other in terms of prestige, excitement, and quality competitors. Those who have played an important role in making the Derby a yearly tradition include the jockeys, trainers, breeders, administrators, owners, and those magnificent creatures, the horses that have run for the roses for 130 years. The brainchild of Col. M. Lewis Clark is much more than a horserace. It is an American institution.
http://www.bestsyndication.com/Articles/2006/p/penn_f/032306-kentucky_derby.htm
The Jordan Times
Zarqawi ordered to surrender
AMMAN (AFP) — The State Security Court president has given Jordanian fugitive Abu Mussab Zarqawi 10 days to surrender and face trial in connection with hotel bombings late last year.
"I give you 10 days from the date of publication of this notice to surrender to the judicial authorities to face trial," said a statement published in the press on Wednesday and signed by the head of the tribunal.
"If you do not surrender during that time you will be considered fugitive," it said.
The surrender notice was also addressed to five Iraqis and a Jordanian indicted along with Zarqawi last week for the Nov. 9 triple hotel bombings in Amman that killed 60 people.
But according to court papers obtained by AFP, Iraqi woman would-be suicide bomber Sajida Rishawi will be the only suspect to stand trial for the hotel bombings, which were claimed by Zarqawi's Al Qaeda group in Iraq.
Rishawi was arrested four days after the bombings and later shown confessing on state television how she tried but failed to activate an explosives belt at the Radisson SAS Hotel where a wedding party was in full swing.
The military prosecutor accused the suspects in the hotel bombings of "conspiring to carry out terror acts by using explosive material that led to the deaths of individuals" and "possession of illicit explosive material."
The same notice to surrender was also served on six suspects — two Syrians and four Iraqis — indicted along with six others over deadly rocket attacks in August on Aqaba Port where US warships were moored.
Zarqawi also claimed that attack in which a Jordanian soldier was killed.
Friday-Saturday, March 24-25, 2006
http://www.jordantimes.com/fri/homenews/homenews5.htm
56 Iraqis die in violence
Troops rescue Western hostages
BAGHDAD (AP) — The American military spokesman said on Thursday that major violence in Iraq was confined to just three of Iraq's 18 provinces, but the fighting raged on with at least 56 more Iraqis reported killed in shadowy execution-style slayings, bombings and gunbattles.
For the third day running, insurgent forces hit a major police and jail facility, this time a suicide car bomber in central Baghdad.
The attacker detonated his explosives at the entrance to the interior ministry major crimes unit in the Karradah district, killing 10 civilians and 15 policemen stationed there, authorities said.
As insurgent forces raised the stakes with the attacks, the US military announced late Thursday that it was in the second day of an operation with Iraqi soldiers "to disrupt anti-Iraqi forces and to find and destroy terrorist caches in the Abu Ghraib area west of Baghdad.
http://www.jordantimes.com/fri/news/news1.htm
Jordan backs Lebanon's dialogue — King
His Majesty King Abdullah on Thursday said Jordan support Lebanon's national dialogue, which is a basic step towards enhancing the Arab country's unity and stability. King Abdullah told UN special envoy Terje Roed-Larsen at a meeting that Lebanon's independence should be respected. The King called for full cooperation with the probe into the assassination of Lebanon's former prime minister Rafiq Hariri. Larsen, who briefed the King on developments in Lebanon, told Jordan TV after the meeting that "Jordan works hand-in-hand" with the UN to help achieve peace and security in the region — Petra
http://www.jordantimes.com/fri/homenews/homenews1.htm
US-Iran talks may prove dialogue of deaf
By Edmund Blair
Reuters
TEHRAN — US-Iranian talks to discuss Iraq could open a valuable channel of communication between the two foes, but analysts say a history of missed opportunities dampens hopes of any broader dialogue developing.
In a worst-case scenario, talks could descend into a "dialogue of the deaf," offering hardliners on both sides the chance to declare contacts a failure and exacerbating an already tense standoff over Iran's nuclear programme, the analysts add.
Washington accuses Tehran of fomenting unrest in Iraq, which Iran blames on the US-led forces that invaded. But despite the exchange of accusations, analysts say both are worried about worsening violence in Iraq, pushing them to agree to talks.
Iraqi political sources have said they expected the US ambassador to Iraq, Zalmay Khalilzad, to meet with Iran's representatives this week. Iran has not announced its team.
"There is a degree of urgency among both parties not to see Iraq slide into civil war," said Anoush Ehteshami, a leading Iran scholar at Britain's Durham University.
http://www.jordantimes.com/fri/news/news2.htm
Bird flu forces Israeli-Palestinian cooperation
By Mehdi Lebouachera
Agence France-Presse
GAZA CITY — The discovery of deadly bird flu in both Israel and the Palestinian territories is pushing the two sides to work together despite plummeting relations as Hamas prepares for government.
Israel confirmed Thursday that the H5N1 strain that is dangerous to humans had been found in poultry in a Jewish settlement in the West Bank, hot on the heels of its detection in both the Gaza Strip and six farms inside Israel.
Israeli officials said cooperation with the Palestinians on bird flu so far had been "strong and tight" and said a way needed to be found for that to continue even after a Hamas-dominated government takes power on Monday because of the threat to human health.
http://www.jordantimes.com/fri/news/news5.htm
In Egypt, virus outbreak leaves many jobless
By Omar Sinan
The Associated Press
CAIRO — Jobless and broke, Hamada Ismail called off his wedding and broke up with his fiancee — all because of bird flu.
Its outbreak last month in Egypt has forced the closing of hundreds of poultry stores, including the one Ismail had worked at for years, slaughtering chickens. It also has put hundreds of poultry farms and restaurants out of business in a country where unemployment already is sky-high.
"Of course I can't afford it," Ismail, in stained clothes and half-torn black sandals, said recently of his now-cancelled wedding. "I cannot even feed myself," said the visibly angry young man.
http://www.jordantimes.com/fri/news/news7.htm
Kingdom on maximum alert
By Mohammad Ghazal
A worker takes a chicken out of its coop in a poultry market near the capital on Thursday. The Health Ministry declared a state of maximum alert after the H5N1 strain of bird flu was discovered in the West Bank and Israel (AP photo by Nader Daoud)
AMMAN — The government on Thursday set a one-week deadline for families who breed poultry in the Jordan Valley to get rid of the birds, after which the authorities will start culling home-bred fowl in the area.
The Kingdom declared that it was on maximum alert after the deadly H5N1 virus was detected in Israel and the West Bank, Minister of Health Saeed Darwazeh said in a statement received by The Jordan Times yesterday.
The bird flu strain that can be fatal to humans was found on Thursday in a Jewish settlement in the West Bank, according to the Israeli agriculture minister, Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported.
A ministry official said the H5N1 strain was found in the Beqaot Settlement in the Jordan Valley just across the river from the Kingdom, AFP reported.
http://www.jordantimes.com/fri/homenews/homenews2.htm
Arab Israelis struggle to keep hold in parliament
By Wafa Amr
Reuters
BE'INEH — “Fifteen minutes of your time every four years is not too much to ask. You must vote,” one Arab Israeli lawmaker shouted through his megaphone.
“Vote for us or for any other Arab party,” called Azmi Bishara to a small audience in the northern Israeli village of Be'ineh-Njeidat.
Days before the March 28 election, Arab Israeli parties are struggling to ensure enough votes to keep their toehold in the Israeli parliament, battling apathy and frustration among voters as well as discouragement by some Islamist leaders.
Although Arabs make up a fifth of Israel's six million people, parties catering specifically to Arab interests hold only eight seats in the 120-member parliament.
Many Arabs feel left out within Israel and lack confidence in the ability of often bickering Arab parties to effect change.
“People are in a dilemma, if they vote, they don't make a difference, if they don't vote, they lack representation,” said building worker Mahmoud Khatib, 38.
http://www.jordantimes.com/fri/news/news6.htm
Iraq, Mideast conflict top Arab summit agenda
KHARTOUM (AFP) — Arab leaders meet in Khartoum for their annual summit Tuesday under pressure to take a more active role in Iraq and find a common stance on dealing with a Hamas-led Palestinian government.
They are also expected to discuss the three-year-old conflict in Sudan's western Darfur region, which has killed some 300,000 people — a potentially awkward situation for host Sudanese President Omar Beshir.
Iraq is looking for the two days of meetings to deliver an unreserved condemnation of anti-regime violence, as well as more political backing from Arab countries.
"We want clear support for the political process in Iraq," a high-ranking foreign ministry official said.
http://www.jordantimes.com/fri/news/news4.htm
Stark problems await Hamas-led PA
Two Arab Israelis scuffle Thursday with a member of the ultraright-wing Herut Party during election campaigning in the mostly Arab section in Tel Aviv. Part of the right-wing party's electoral platform is to exchange populations of Palestinians and Israelis (AP photo by Ariel Schalit)
By Alistair Lyon
Reuters
LONDON — Battered, bloated and broke, the Palestinian Authority faces an uncertain future under a new Hamas leadership at odds with the PLO, Israel and the West.
The Islamist movement's rise to power has shattered the status quo, rocking Palestinian institutions, alarming Israel and posing a dilemma for US and European Union donors.
Some Palestinians argue that Israeli policies have so undermined the PA that it should be dissolved, a move that would in legal theory force Israel to take back the burden of running the lands it occupies.
"The PA is no longer relevant," argued Manuel Hassassian, the Palestinian envoy to London, saying Israeli policies had shredded its ability to govern. "What will its function be? I'd rather be under occupation with the occupying power in charge." Horrified by Hamas' January election win, some Israeli politicians favour writing off the PA, but analysts say a more pragmatic approach may emerge once Israel's own polls are over next week.
http://www.jordantimes.com/fri/news/news3.htm
Festival of Jordan opens today
AMMAN (JT) — Around 80 producers from the Kingdom will gather at the Wild Jordan Nature Centre in Amman on Friday and Saturday for the "Festival of Jordan," supported by Fair Trade Jordan.
The festival is a two-day marketplace for goods featuring a wide range of handicrafts, home produce, herbs and medicinal plants, according to a statement released by Fair Trade Jordan.
The event will also be a celebration of skills, as many of the artisans will demonstrate their skills live.
"The festival's goal is to start creating awareness on fair trade because we're hoping that these interim results will create a specialised niche market that will demand fair trade goods and link small businesses to potential customers, which will help them market their products," Fair Trade Jordan Coordinator Lianne Romahi told The Jordan Times.
http://www.jordantimes.com/fri/homenews/homenews7.htm
Queen Noor wins public service award
AMMAN (JT) — The Common Wealth Awards has announced that Her Majesty Queen Noor is the winner of the 2006 award for public service for her advocacy of global peace-building, human rights and conflict recovery issues.
Fellow recipients of the 2006 Common Wealth Award are John Glenn for government; Mike Nichols for dramatic arts; Rita Dove for literature; and Anderson Cooper for mass communications.
The honourees will receive a shared prize of $250,000 at the Common Wealth Awards celebration April 1 at the Hotel du Pont in Wilmington, according to a statement released by the organisers.
The Common Wealth Awards of Distinguished Service were first presented in 1979 by the Common Wealth Trust, created under the will of the late Ralph Hayes, an influential business executive and philanthropist. Hayes conceived the awards to reward and encourage the best of human performance worldwide.
http://www.jordantimes.com/fri/homenews/homenews4.htm
continued …
Cosgrove commits to Innisfail
Besides damage to homes and businesses, the North Queensland storm left 7000 Aussies homeless.
Morning Papers - continued
The New York Times
No trend by Earth is Irreversible. However. When measured in human existence and salvation it might be.
Climate Data Hint at Irreversible Rise in Seas
By ANDREW C. REVKIN
Published: March 24, 2006
Within the next 100 years, the growing human influence on Earth's climate could lead to a long and irreversible rise in sea levels by eroding the planet's vast polar ice sheets, according to new observations and analysis by several teams of scientists.
One team, using computer models of climate and ice, found that by about 2100, average temperatures could be four degrees higher than today and that over the coming centuries, the oceans could rise 13 to 20 feet — conditions last seen 129,000 years ago, between the last two ice ages.
The findings, being reported today in the journal Science, are consistent with other recent studies of melting and erosion at the poles. Many experts say there are still uncertainties about timing, extent and causes.
But Jonathan T. Overpeck of the University of Arizona, a lead author of one of the studies, said the new findings made a strong case for the danger of failing to curb emissions of carbon dioxide and other gases that trap heat in a greenhouselike effect.
"If we don't like the idea of flooding out New Orleans, major portions of South Florida, and many other valued parts of the coastal U.S.," Dr. Overpeck said, "we will have to commit soon to a major effort to stop most emissions of carbon to the atmosphere."
According to the computer simulations, the global nature of the warming from greenhouse gases, which diffuse around the atmosphere, could amplify the melting around Antarctica beyond that of the last warm period, which was driven mainly by extra sunlight reaching the Northern Hemisphere.
The researchers also said that stains from dark soot drifting from power plants and vehicles could hasten melting in the Arctic by increasing the amount of solar energy absorbed by ice.
The rise in sea levels, driven by loss of ice from Greenland and West Antarctica, would occur over many centuries and be largely irreversible, but could be delayed by curbing emissions of the greenhouse gases, said Dr. Overpeck and his fellow lead author, Bette L. Otto-Bliesner of the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colo.
In a second article in Science, researchers say they have detected a rising frequency of earthquakelike rumblings in the bedrock beneath Greenland's two-mile-thick ice cap in late summer since 1993. They say there is no obvious explanation other than abrupt movements of the overlying ice caused by surface melting.
The jostling of that giant ice-cloaked island is five times more frequent in summer than in winter, and has greatly intensified since 2002, the researchers found. The data mesh with recent satellite readings showing that the ice can lurch toward the sea during the melting season.
The analysis was led by Goran Ekstrom of Harvard and Meredith Nettles of the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory in Palisades, N.Y., part of Columbia University.
H. Jay Zwally, a NASA scientist studying the polar ice sheets with satellites, said the seismic signals from ice movement were consistent with his discovery in 2002 that summer melting on the surface of Greenland's ice sheets could almost immediately spur them to shift measurably. The meltwater apparently trickles through fissures and lubricates the interface between ice and underlying rock.
"Models are important, but measurements tell the real story," Dr. Zwally said. "During the last 10 years, we have seen only about 10 percent of the greenhouse warming expected during the next 100 years, but already the polar ice sheets are responding in ways we didn't even know about only a few years ago."
In both Antarctica and Greenland, it appears that warming waters are also at work, melting the protruding tongues of ice where glaciers flow into the sea or intruding beneath ice sheets, like those in western Antarctica, that lie mostly below sea level. Both processes can cause the ice to flow more readily, scientists say.
Many experts on climate and the poles, citing evidence from past natural warm periods, agreed with the general notion that a world much warmer than today's, regardless of the cause of warming, will have higher sea levels.
But significant disagreements remain over whether recent changes in sea level and ice conditions cited in the new studies could be attributed to rising concentrations of the greenhouse gases and temperatures linked by most experts to human activities.
Sea levels have been rising for thousands of years as an aftereffect of the warming and polar melting that followed the last ice age, which ended about 10,000 years ago. Discriminating between that residual effect and any new influence from human actions remains impossible for the moment, many experts say.
Satellites and tide gauges show that seas rose about eight inches over the last century and the pace has picked up markedly since the 1990's.
Dr. Overpeck, the co-author of the paper on rising sea levels, acknowledged the uncertainties about the causes. But he said that in a world in which humans, rich and poor, increasingly clustered on coasts, the risks were great enough to justify prompt action.
"People driving big old S.U.V.'s to their favorite beach or coastal golf course," he said, should "start to think twice about what they might be doing."
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/24/science/earth/24melt.html
Bus Plunge That Killed 12 in Chile Echoes in New York Area
By ROBERT D. McFADDEN
Published: March 24, 2006
Ten members of a New Jersey retirement community and a Connecticut couple were killed in Chile on Wednesday when a minibus returning to their cruise ship from an adventurous excursion high in the Andes swerved to avoid a truck on a cliff road and plunged 300 feet down a mountainside.
Rescue workers and civilians rush toward the scene of a bus accident in Arica, Chile. Twelve Americans died when a tour bus returning to their cruise ship plunged 300 feet down a mountainside.
Our blog takes a look at the race for mayor in New Jersey's largest city, and the colorful characters and moments that drive the campaign.
The bus was returning to a cruise ship after a tour of the Andes.
Half a hemisphere away, their deaths reverberated yesterday in voices of grief and remembrance, in a retirement village near Princeton and in Stamford. They told of a couple soon to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary, of a fun-loving retirement-trip organizer who previously led the way to China, of a neighborhood Mr. Fixit and of a couple who had waited their whole lives for this trip.
The victims, all in their 60's and 70's, many of them lifelong friends who had lived, worshiped and even retired together, had long looked forward to a South American cruise with exotic inland treks to the windswept Andean aeries of soaring condors, of llamas and alpacas. Most were traveling with a tour sponsored by B'nai B'rith, the Jewish service organization.
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/24/nyregion/24bus.html
Women Wage Key Campaigns for Democrats
By ROBIN TONER
NARBERTH, Pa. — If the Democrats have their way, the 2006 Congressional elections will be the revenge of the mommy party.
Democratic women are running major campaigns in nearly half of the two dozen most competitive House races where their party hopes to pick up enough Republican seats to regain control of the House. Democratic strategists are betting that the voters' unrest and hunger for change — reflected consistently in public opinion polls — create the perfect conditions for their party's female candidates this year.
"In an environment where people are disgusted with politics in general, who represents clean and change?" asks Representative Rahm Emanuel of Illinois, the chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. "Women."
Republicans, who have prospered in recent elections by running as the guardians of national security and clearly hope to do so again, dismiss this theory. But it will ultimately be tested in places like this Philadelphia suburb, where Lois Murphy, a 43-year-old lawyer and Democratic activist, lost a Congressional campaign in 2004 by just two percentage points.
This time, as she challenges the same Republican incumbent, Representative Jim Gerlach, Ms. Murphy said in an interview in her campaign headquarters in Narberth, she senses an electorate that is "really, really" ready for change, tired of the ethics scandals, and convinced "that their government has been letting them down."
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/24/politics/24women.html?ei=5094&en=9a5ed7f39bb11677&hp=&ex=1143262800&partner=homepage&pagewanted=print
Woman, 24, Says Neighbor Held Her Captive for 10 Years
By IAN URBINA
A girl who vanished more than 10 years ago was reunited yesterday with her mother in a Pittsburgh suburb two days after confiding to a store owner that she was being held captive, the police said.
"I guess she just chose me to lean on," said Joe Sparico, owner of J. J.'s Deli Mart in McKeesport, Pa., where the young woman, Tanya Nicole Kach, broke into tears on Tuesday while telling him that she was living with a man against her will. "I'm just glad she's happy and home now."
Ms. Kach, now 24, was 14 when she was reported missing on Feb. 10, 1996, after walking out of her father's house, two miles from where she said she had lived in secrecy.
"We're investigating this further, but I have to tell you there is still a lot we need to figure out," said Charles Moffatt, superintendent of the Allegheny County Police Department.
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/24/national/24missing.html
Cheney's Needs on the Road: What, No NPR?
By ELISABETH BUMILLER
WASHINGTON, March 23 — Vice President Dick Cheney may be a rock star only to his most ardent Republican supporters, but he has on-the-road demands just like the Rolling Stones. Still, Mr. Cheney appears easier to please than Mick Jagger or Keith Richards.
At least that was the evidence from "Vice Presidential Downtime Requirements," the heading of a document posted Thursday on the Smoking Gun Web site and confirmed as authentic by Mr. Cheney's office.
The document listed 13 requirements. Among them were these: All televisions sets in Mr. Cheney's hotel suite should be tuned to Fox News, all lights should be on, and the thermostat set at 68 degrees. Mr. Cheney should have a queen- or king-size bed, a desk with a chair, a private bathroom, a container for ice, a microwave oven and a coffee pot, with decaf brewed before arrival.
The vice president should also have four cans of caffeine-free Diet Sprite and four to six bottles of water. He must have the hotel restaurant menu, with a copy faxed ahead to his advance office. If his wife is with him, she should have two bottles of sparkling water, either Calistoga or Perrier.
For his reading material, Mr. Cheney should have The New York Times, USA Today, The Wall Street Journal and the local newspaper.
"The vice president maintains an active schedule, which requires regular travel throughout the United States and at times involves a hotel stay," said Jenny Mayfield, a spokeswoman for Mr. Cheney. "Our advance office provides guidelines for our volunteers in the field. This is just a routine little check list."
The downtime requirements said nothing about exercise equipment, but aides to Mr. Cheney have been spotted on his travels loading and unloading a stationary bicycle from Air Force Two.
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/24/politics/24cheney.html
Tuberculosis Declines to Historic Low in the U.S.
By DONALD G. McNEIL Jr.
Tuberculosis cases in the United States fell to historic lows last year, public health authorities said yesterday. At the same time, doctors said, there was a small but worrisome increase in the number of cases resistant to several drugs.
The total number of cases in 2005 was 14,093, or 4.8 cases per 100,000 people, the lowest per capita rate since 1953, when national reporting began.
In New York City, which has among the nation's highest rates of tuberculosis, cases fell to 989, below 1,000 for the first time, Dr. Thomas R. Frieden, the city's health commissioner announced. The rate is still twice that of the nation, largely because New York has so many foreign-born residents, who account for 70 percent of the city's caseload.
The number of drug-resistant cases in the United States increased by 13 percent from 2003 to 2004, the last year for which data was available, said Dr. Kenneth G. Castro, head of tuberculosis elimination at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta.
Of the 128 drug-resistant cases, 97 were in people born abroad. Driven by the global AIDS epidemic, tuberculosis, which thrives in weakened immune systems, is a major killer in poor countries, accounting for nearly nine million new cases and nearly two million deaths a year.
Immigrants from many countries, including China, India, Mexico, Vietnam, the Philippines, Ecuador, the Dominican Republic and Haiti, have been found with drug-resistant strains of the disease.
Health authorities are creating a new category for people resistant not only to two first-line antibiotics, but also to at least one of the expensive, toxic second-line drugs. The new classification is nicknamed XDR, for extensively drug-resistant, and supersedes MDR (multidrug-resistant).
Tuberculosis is generally curable, even the XDR type, but the treatment can take years and require surgery, Dr. Castro said.
He warned against complacency, recalling that the disease surged in the early 1990's, especially in New York.
"As we make progress against TB," Dr. Castro said, "there is a tendency to prematurely declare victory and let our guard down — and then we see a resurgence."
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/24/health/24tb.html
Basque Nationalists See an Opening for Autonomy
By RENWICK McLEAN
Published: March 24, 2006
MADRID, March 23 — The governing party in the Basque region of northern Spain said on Thursday that the permanent cease-fire announced Wednesday by the militant Basque separatist group ETA opened the way for the region to loosen its ties with the central government in Madrid.
Iñigo Urkullu, a member of the governing Basque Nationalist Party, said that it was time for the central government to begin addressing the demands of the Basque region's peaceful separatists and supporters of more autonomy, who had long complained that they were unfairly associated with ETA.
"There is a political problem that predates the atmosphere of violence that has caused so much pain in Basque society," Mr. Urkullu said Thursday in an appearance on the region's public television station.
His comments echoed the views expressed Wednesday by the president of the Basque region, Juan José Ibarretxe, shortly after ETA announced that on Friday it would end its four-decade campaign of violence, during which it killed more than 800 people, in pursuit of an independent Basque state.
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/24/international/europe/24spain.html
Belarus Protest Dispersed as Police Arrest Hundreds
By C. J. CHIVERS
Published: March 24, 2006
MINSK, Belarus, Friday, March 24 — Belarussian riot police officers arrested hundreds of antigovernment demonstrators early Friday morning in the central square of Minsk, ending five days of protests with a swift police action.
The police arrived on six large trucks just after 3 a.m., wearing black riot helmets and masks, and surrounded the small encampment in October Square.
The demonstrators, who had been protesting a rigged presidential election last Sunday, stood their ground while the officers dismounted and jogged into place in lines, cutting off any chance of escape.
For a few minutes, as the police awaited the final command, the demonstrators' loudspeaker worked, and one of their leaders ordered the protesters to sit down and hold hands before the police moved in.
They chanted, shouting "The police are with the people!" and "Truth! Truth! Truth!" but offered no resistance visible to journalists, who were ordered by the police to stand about 50 yards away.
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/24/international/europe/24belarus.html
Haaretz
Harvard to remove official seal from anti-AIPAC 'working paper'
By Shmuel Rosner, Haaretz Correspondent
WASHINGTON - Harvard University has decided to remove its logo from a study that denounces the pro-Israel lobby's impact on American foreign policy, in order to distance itself from the study's conclusions.
The university also appended a more strongly worded disclaimer to the study, stating that it reflects the views of its authors only. The former disclaimer said merely that the study "does not necessarily" reflect the university's views.
The controversial study, published this week, was authored by Professor Stephen Walt of Harvard's Kennedy School of Government and Professor John Mearsheimer of the University of Chicago. It charged that American foreign policy has been subordinated to Israeli interests and accused the pro-Israel lobby of responsibility for America's invasion of Iraq.
http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/spages/698307.html
So pro-Israel that it hurts
By Daniel Levy
The new John Mearsheimer and Stephen Walt study of "The Israel Lobby and U.S. Foreign Policy" should serve as a wake-up call, on both sides of the ocean. The most obvious and eye-catching reflection is the fact that it is authored by two respected academics and carries the imprimatur of Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government. The tone of the report is harsh. It is jarring for a self-critical Israeli, too. It lacks finesse and nuance when it looks at the alphabet soup of the American-Jewish organizational world and how the Lobby interacts with both the Israeli establishment and the wider right-wing echo chamber.
It sometimes takes AIPAC omnipotence too much at face value and disregards key moments - such as the Bush senior/Baker loan guarantees episode and Clinton's showdown with Netanyahu over the Wye River Agreement. The study largely ignores AIPAC run-ins with more dovish Israeli administrations, most notably when it undermined Yitzhak Rabin, and how excessive hawkishness is often out of step with mainstream American Jewish opinion, turning many, especially young American Jews, away from taking any interest in Israel.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/698302.html
Abbas: Peace deal can be reached within one year
By Akiva Eldar, Haaretz Correspondent
A peace deal to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict can be achieved within less than a year, Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas told Haaretz on Wednesday.
Speaking to Haaretz from the Muqata compound in Ramallah, Abbas said he had proposed to the United States to open covert negotiations for a final status settlement. The talks would be spearheaded by President George Bush, after the new Israeli government was set up.
http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/spages/698140.html
Olmert to tap FM Livni as deputy PM should Kadima win election
By Aluf Benn, Haaretz Correspondent
Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni will become deputy prime minister should Kadima, as expected, win next week's election, Acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert announced Thursday.
Livni, therefore, would automatically replace Olmert if he were out of the country or temporarily incapacitated.
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Olmert said Thursday that he attributed great importance to announcing the identity of his deputy, since he himself was catapulted into the prime minister's chair by the fact that he was serving as deputy premier when Prime Minister Ariel Sharon suffered a stroke. Kadima officials said they expected the other prime ministerial candidates to name their designated deputies as well.
According to the law, an acting prime minister can serve for a maximum of 100 days; after that, the cabinet must either confirm him as prime minister or choose another of its members to assume the post. Since Olmert's 100 days expire on April 11, if a new government has not been formed by that date, the outgoing cabinet would have to convene and formally name him as prime minister. Once that happens, he would be free to name Livni as his deputy.
http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/spages/698141.html
Election 2006
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/elections2006.jhtml?contrassID=1&subContrassID=30
Security forces preparing for possible Election Day terror
By Haaretz Service
Security forces are preparing for possible terror attacks ahead of the elections Tuesday, and the army will maintain its closure on the territories until after Election Day.
Police will be on the highest level of alert the day of the elections, but began bolstering forces in big cities and along the seam line this week, the head of the police's operational department, Berti Ohayon, said Friday.
"The closer we come to Election Day, the more police activity will be bolstered," said Ohayon. He said police are targeting Palestinians staying in Israel illegally and deploying additional officers to Jerusalem and other cities, as well as along the seam line.
http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/spages/698354.html
Israeli restrictions create isolated enclaves in West Bank
By Amira Hass, Haaretz Correspondent
The regime of restriction on movement imposed by Israel on the Palestinians has crumbled the West Bank into dozens of closed or partially closed enclaves isolated from each other despite their geographical proximity. Permanent and mobile checkpoints, along with physical barriers of various kinds, fenced-off main roads, limitations on Palestinian traffic on east-west and north-south arteries, have cut off direct transportational links between areas of the West Bank.
Thus, a new geographic, social and economic reality has emerged in the West Bank.
Hundreds of exits from Palestinian communities to main and regional roads are blocked. Traffic among the enclaves is directed to secondary roads and a small number of main roads passing through Israel Defense Force-controlled bottle-necks. Entry to the Jordan Valley, Palestinian East Jerusalem and to enclaves between the separation fence and the Green Line is barred to all Palestinians except those registered as residents of those areas. To enter such areas, special authorization to "non-residents" must be obtained, which is rarely given.
http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/spages/698316.html
THIS reminds me of the old USA in the fifties. Everything about government had to be perfect otherwise everything was wrong with the world. Israel needs a reform movement where openness between the people and their government is the agenda.
Agriculture Ministry suspects PA concealed outbreak of avian flu
By Yuval Azoulay and Nadav Shragai, Haaretz Correspondents
The Agriculture Ministry suspects that the bird flu that hit Israel last week originated in the Gaza Strip and that the Palestinian Authority attempted to conceal the outbreak.
"We suspect that the avian flu outbreak in Israel originated in the Palestinian Authority," Agriculture Minister Ze'ev Boim (Kadima) said Thursday, while touring the sites of the outbreak in southern Israel. "There is reason to suspect that the Palestinian Authority tried to conceal the outbreak from Israel."
Initial tests conducted on chicken carcasses from Gaza this week indicated the existence of the deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu there. The virus was found in coops built on the ruins of the former settlement of Netzarim, in the central Strip
http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/spages/698337.html
The San Francisco Chronicle
S&P adding Google to 500 index; stock soars 9 percent
Google Inc.'s stock will be added to the Standard & Poor's 500 index, a long-anticipated rite of passage that lifted the online search engine leader's recently sagging shares.
Standard & Poor's announced the forthcoming change after the stock market closed Thursday. Google will replace Burlington Resources Inc. in the closely watched barometer March 31. Burlington Resources, a major oil producer based in Houston, is being acquired by ConocoPhillips Inc. in a deal worth about $35.6 billion.
Google's shares gained $1.67 to close at $341.89 on the Nasdaq Stock Market, then soared $30.82, or 9 percent, in extended trading.
Before Thursday's announcement, Google's market value had dropped by nearly 20 percent so far this year, wiping out about $20 billion in shareholder wealth amid concerns about slowing earnings growth and questions about its often cryptic communications with Wall Street.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archive/2006/03/23/financial/f163904S12.DTL
Let's do the Bush Bash
http://www.sfgate.com/columnists/fiore/
Wannabe rockers sniff out the big time at 'Rock Star: The Series' auditions in S.F.
What's that smell?
Oh right, it's the bovine musk of the leather trousers that were pulled out of closets all over Northern California on Tuesday in anticipation of the San Francisco open auditions for the second season of "Rock Star: The Series," held at the newly opened Rockit Room on Clement Street.
For those who missed it the first time around (the ratings started slow but finished strong), that's the CBS reality show produced by "Survivor" and "The Apprentice" creator Mark Burnett in which aspiring rockers try out for the lead position of an established band. Last year's winner, 31-year-old Canadian J.D. Fortune, is fronting INXS, the Australian group whose original singer, Michael Hutchence, was found hanging naked from a door in a Sydney hotel room in 1997. This year's show, scheduled to premiere this summer, doesn't quite have such a grim air about it.
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/03/23/DDGR9HRU2S1.DTL
Lawyers for Bonds plan to sue over steroids book
'Game of Shadows': Attorneys say transcripts obtained illegally so profits should go to charity
Barry Bonds' lawyers say they will ask a judge today to confiscate all profits from a new book alleging that the Giants slugger used steroids, arguing that the book was based on illegally obtained grand jury transcripts.
Any profits from the sale of "Game of Shadows," or from excerpts published in The Chronicle or Sports Illustrated magazine, should be turned over to charity, Bonds' lawyers said Thursday in a statement outlining a lawsuit they plan to file in San Francisco Superior Court.
"Bonds is not seeking personal recovery of any of the illegal profits," said attorneys Michael Rains and Alison Berry Wilkinson. "Instead he will call upon the court to donate all book proceeds to bona fide charitable organizations which serve the low-income youth who need it the most."
They also plan to ask a federal judge today to begin contempt-of-court proceedings against the book's authors,
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2006/03/24/BONDS.TMP
This woman didn't kill for no reason with four children to support. It has to be an affair or a 'Burning Bed' issue. Has to be.
Wife a Suspect in Killing of Minister
A popular and charismatic Tennessee minister was found shot to death in his parsonage, and authorities labled his wife a suspect after she and the couple's three young daughters were found in Alabama on Thursday after a daylong search.
"We've known from the beginning that she was either a suspect or a victim," said Jennifer Johnson, spokeswoman for the Tennessee Bureau of Investigations.
Church members went looking for 31-year-old Matthew Winkler when he did not show up for an evening service at the Fourth Street Church of Christ. They used a key to enter the parsonage and found him dead in a bedroom late Wednesday, Police Chief Neal Burks said.
There were no signs of forced entry at the parsonage, authorities said, but Winkler's family was gone, along with their minivan.
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2006/03/23/national/a203835S06.DTL
Laptop with private info of thousands of HP workers stolen
A laptop with the personal information of about 196,0000 Hewlett-Packard current and former employees has been stolen from mutual fund company Fidelity Investments, which manages the tech giant's pension and retirement plans.
The theft, which happened last week, prompted HP and Fidelity to alert the affected employees about the security breach. "HP is working closely with Fidelity to minimize the impact of this information breach," said HP Spokeswoman Brigida Bergkamp.
The employees have been informed via email and regular mail of the breach. Fidelity spokeswoman Anne Crowley said the company has arranged for them to use a credit monitoring service at the investment company's expense.
Fidelity has also set up extra identification verification measures to prevent unauthorized use of the accounts. Any employee losses as a result of the security breach will be reimbursed, Crowley said.
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/03/23/BUG9MHSTFV9.DTL
Poll finds U.S. warming to gay marriage
Opposition off 12% since '04 -- support for adoption, military role is up nationally
Opposition to same-sex marriage dropped sharply across the country during the past two years, though just over half of Americans still oppose allowing gays and lesbians to marry, according to a poll by the Pew Research Center released Wednesday.
The poll also showed increased support for allowing same-sex couples to adopt children, and substantial backing for the rights of gays and lesbians to serve openly in the military.
The survey was released one day after a poll of California residents indicated increasing support for gay rights in the state, including for same-sex marriages. The nonpartisan Field Poll found that support for same-sex marriage in the state had risen from 38 percent in 1997 to 43 percent today.
The Pew center's national poll of 1,405 adults, conducted from March 8-12, found that 51 percent opposed same-sex marriage and 39 percent supported it. In February 2004, as same-sex couples were marrying in San Francisco, a Pew poll found 63 percent of Americans opposed the right of gays and lesbians to marry and 30 percent in favor. The margin of error in the latest survey was plus or minus 3 or 4 percentage points, depending on the question.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/03/23/MNGAOHSE4I1.DTL
Bus Carrying U.S. Tourists Unregistered
The tour bus that crashed in northern Chile, killing 12 elderly American tourists returning to their cruise ship after an excursion, was unregistered and not authorized to transport passengers, government officials said Thursday.
The cruise line, meanwhile, said the excursion had been arranged privately and was not among those offered to its passengers.
Two Americans survived the crash but suffered broken bones and were moved to an intensive care unit at a local hospital as a precaution, according to Celebrity Cruises President Dan Hanrahan and a doctor in Miami.
The Chilean driver and tour guide also were hospitalized, but Juan Carlos Poli, a city hall spokesman in the Pacific port city of Arica, said they were in better condition and the guide was expected to be released Thursday. Poli said the bus had a capacity of 16 passengers.
The tourists — apparently members of the Jewish group B'nai B'rith on vacation from Connecticut and New Jersey — were returning to Celebrity Cruises' ship Millennium from an excursion to Lauca National Park Wednesday when the bus swerved to avoid an approaching truck and plunged off the rugged highway near Arica, 1,250 miles north of Santiago, he said.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/news/archive/2006/03/23/international/i093753S15.DTL
U.S., U.K. Forces Rescue Hostages in Iraq
Without firing a shot, U.S. and British forces stormed a house Thursday and freed three Christian peace activists who were bound but unguarded, ending a four-month hostage ordeal that saw an American in the group killed and dumped along a railroad track.
The U.S. ambassador and the top American military spokesman held out hope the operation on the outskirts of Baghdad could lead to a break in the captivity of American reporter Jill Carroll, a freelance writer for The Christian Science Monitor who was abducted Jan. 7.
The military spokesman, Maj. Gen. Rick Lynch, said the 8 a.m. rescue of the Briton and two Canadians from a "kidnapping cell" was based on information divulged by a man during interrogation only three hours earlier. The man was captured by U.S. forces on Wednesday night.
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2006/03/23/international/i203056S41.DTL
U.S. Military Asserts Most of Iraq Peaceful
The U.S. military spokesman in Iraq asserted Thursday that major violence is largely confined to just three of the country's 18 provinces, but fighting there raged on with at least 58 people killed in execution-style slayings, bombings and gunbattles.
For the third straight day, Sunni insurgents hit a major police and jail facility — this time with a suicide car bombing that killed 25 in central Baghdad. The attacker detonated his explosives at the entrance to the Interior Ministry Major Crimes unit in the Karradah district, killing 10 civilians and 15 policemen, authorities said.
As insurgent forces raised the stakes with the attacks, the U.S. military announced late Thursday that it was in the second day of an operation with Iraqi soldiers "to disrupt anti-Iraqi forces and to find and destroy terrorist caches in the Abu Ghraib area west of Baghdad."
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2006/03/23/international/i142455S31.DTL
Reinventing the wheel
Nothing stands still. Especially, stuff with wheels. Bikes, scooters, skates are subject to small-scale inventors trying to score a ride to the big time and the big money by reinventing the wheel -- or at the very least, the frameworks by which new wheels get delivered to a giddy public.
Trajectories of past successes offer ready inspiration. In the late 1990s, the new sport of inline skating (led by pioneer Rollerblades) sprinted from 3.6 million users to a peak of 27 million. Next, foldable scooters took off (led by the aluminum, two-wheeled Razor). The Razor and many similar knock-offs roared to a peak of 9.2 million sales in the year 2000.
That rumbling sound is the approach of a new crew of wheeled sports devices that hopes to catch up to such sterling examples, or possibly surpass them.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/chronicle/archive/2006/03/23/SPGELHSGCH1.DTL
continued …
No trend by Earth is Irreversible. However. When measured in human existence and salvation it might be.
Climate Data Hint at Irreversible Rise in Seas
By ANDREW C. REVKIN
Published: March 24, 2006
Within the next 100 years, the growing human influence on Earth's climate could lead to a long and irreversible rise in sea levels by eroding the planet's vast polar ice sheets, according to new observations and analysis by several teams of scientists.
One team, using computer models of climate and ice, found that by about 2100, average temperatures could be four degrees higher than today and that over the coming centuries, the oceans could rise 13 to 20 feet — conditions last seen 129,000 years ago, between the last two ice ages.
The findings, being reported today in the journal Science, are consistent with other recent studies of melting and erosion at the poles. Many experts say there are still uncertainties about timing, extent and causes.
But Jonathan T. Overpeck of the University of Arizona, a lead author of one of the studies, said the new findings made a strong case for the danger of failing to curb emissions of carbon dioxide and other gases that trap heat in a greenhouselike effect.
"If we don't like the idea of flooding out New Orleans, major portions of South Florida, and many other valued parts of the coastal U.S.," Dr. Overpeck said, "we will have to commit soon to a major effort to stop most emissions of carbon to the atmosphere."
According to the computer simulations, the global nature of the warming from greenhouse gases, which diffuse around the atmosphere, could amplify the melting around Antarctica beyond that of the last warm period, which was driven mainly by extra sunlight reaching the Northern Hemisphere.
The researchers also said that stains from dark soot drifting from power plants and vehicles could hasten melting in the Arctic by increasing the amount of solar energy absorbed by ice.
The rise in sea levels, driven by loss of ice from Greenland and West Antarctica, would occur over many centuries and be largely irreversible, but could be delayed by curbing emissions of the greenhouse gases, said Dr. Overpeck and his fellow lead author, Bette L. Otto-Bliesner of the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colo.
In a second article in Science, researchers say they have detected a rising frequency of earthquakelike rumblings in the bedrock beneath Greenland's two-mile-thick ice cap in late summer since 1993. They say there is no obvious explanation other than abrupt movements of the overlying ice caused by surface melting.
The jostling of that giant ice-cloaked island is five times more frequent in summer than in winter, and has greatly intensified since 2002, the researchers found. The data mesh with recent satellite readings showing that the ice can lurch toward the sea during the melting season.
The analysis was led by Goran Ekstrom of Harvard and Meredith Nettles of the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory in Palisades, N.Y., part of Columbia University.
H. Jay Zwally, a NASA scientist studying the polar ice sheets with satellites, said the seismic signals from ice movement were consistent with his discovery in 2002 that summer melting on the surface of Greenland's ice sheets could almost immediately spur them to shift measurably. The meltwater apparently trickles through fissures and lubricates the interface between ice and underlying rock.
"Models are important, but measurements tell the real story," Dr. Zwally said. "During the last 10 years, we have seen only about 10 percent of the greenhouse warming expected during the next 100 years, but already the polar ice sheets are responding in ways we didn't even know about only a few years ago."
In both Antarctica and Greenland, it appears that warming waters are also at work, melting the protruding tongues of ice where glaciers flow into the sea or intruding beneath ice sheets, like those in western Antarctica, that lie mostly below sea level. Both processes can cause the ice to flow more readily, scientists say.
Many experts on climate and the poles, citing evidence from past natural warm periods, agreed with the general notion that a world much warmer than today's, regardless of the cause of warming, will have higher sea levels.
But significant disagreements remain over whether recent changes in sea level and ice conditions cited in the new studies could be attributed to rising concentrations of the greenhouse gases and temperatures linked by most experts to human activities.
Sea levels have been rising for thousands of years as an aftereffect of the warming and polar melting that followed the last ice age, which ended about 10,000 years ago. Discriminating between that residual effect and any new influence from human actions remains impossible for the moment, many experts say.
Satellites and tide gauges show that seas rose about eight inches over the last century and the pace has picked up markedly since the 1990's.
Dr. Overpeck, the co-author of the paper on rising sea levels, acknowledged the uncertainties about the causes. But he said that in a world in which humans, rich and poor, increasingly clustered on coasts, the risks were great enough to justify prompt action.
"People driving big old S.U.V.'s to their favorite beach or coastal golf course," he said, should "start to think twice about what they might be doing."
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/24/science/earth/24melt.html
Bus Plunge That Killed 12 in Chile Echoes in New York Area
By ROBERT D. McFADDEN
Published: March 24, 2006
Ten members of a New Jersey retirement community and a Connecticut couple were killed in Chile on Wednesday when a minibus returning to their cruise ship from an adventurous excursion high in the Andes swerved to avoid a truck on a cliff road and plunged 300 feet down a mountainside.
Rescue workers and civilians rush toward the scene of a bus accident in Arica, Chile. Twelve Americans died when a tour bus returning to their cruise ship plunged 300 feet down a mountainside.
Our blog takes a look at the race for mayor in New Jersey's largest city, and the colorful characters and moments that drive the campaign.
The bus was returning to a cruise ship after a tour of the Andes.
Half a hemisphere away, their deaths reverberated yesterday in voices of grief and remembrance, in a retirement village near Princeton and in Stamford. They told of a couple soon to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary, of a fun-loving retirement-trip organizer who previously led the way to China, of a neighborhood Mr. Fixit and of a couple who had waited their whole lives for this trip.
The victims, all in their 60's and 70's, many of them lifelong friends who had lived, worshiped and even retired together, had long looked forward to a South American cruise with exotic inland treks to the windswept Andean aeries of soaring condors, of llamas and alpacas. Most were traveling with a tour sponsored by B'nai B'rith, the Jewish service organization.
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/24/nyregion/24bus.html
Women Wage Key Campaigns for Democrats
By ROBIN TONER
NARBERTH, Pa. — If the Democrats have their way, the 2006 Congressional elections will be the revenge of the mommy party.
Democratic women are running major campaigns in nearly half of the two dozen most competitive House races where their party hopes to pick up enough Republican seats to regain control of the House. Democratic strategists are betting that the voters' unrest and hunger for change — reflected consistently in public opinion polls — create the perfect conditions for their party's female candidates this year.
"In an environment where people are disgusted with politics in general, who represents clean and change?" asks Representative Rahm Emanuel of Illinois, the chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. "Women."
Republicans, who have prospered in recent elections by running as the guardians of national security and clearly hope to do so again, dismiss this theory. But it will ultimately be tested in places like this Philadelphia suburb, where Lois Murphy, a 43-year-old lawyer and Democratic activist, lost a Congressional campaign in 2004 by just two percentage points.
This time, as she challenges the same Republican incumbent, Representative Jim Gerlach, Ms. Murphy said in an interview in her campaign headquarters in Narberth, she senses an electorate that is "really, really" ready for change, tired of the ethics scandals, and convinced "that their government has been letting them down."
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/24/politics/24women.html?ei=5094&en=9a5ed7f39bb11677&hp=&ex=1143262800&partner=homepage&pagewanted=print
Woman, 24, Says Neighbor Held Her Captive for 10 Years
By IAN URBINA
A girl who vanished more than 10 years ago was reunited yesterday with her mother in a Pittsburgh suburb two days after confiding to a store owner that she was being held captive, the police said.
"I guess she just chose me to lean on," said Joe Sparico, owner of J. J.'s Deli Mart in McKeesport, Pa., where the young woman, Tanya Nicole Kach, broke into tears on Tuesday while telling him that she was living with a man against her will. "I'm just glad she's happy and home now."
Ms. Kach, now 24, was 14 when she was reported missing on Feb. 10, 1996, after walking out of her father's house, two miles from where she said she had lived in secrecy.
"We're investigating this further, but I have to tell you there is still a lot we need to figure out," said Charles Moffatt, superintendent of the Allegheny County Police Department.
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/24/national/24missing.html
Cheney's Needs on the Road: What, No NPR?
By ELISABETH BUMILLER
WASHINGTON, March 23 — Vice President Dick Cheney may be a rock star only to his most ardent Republican supporters, but he has on-the-road demands just like the Rolling Stones. Still, Mr. Cheney appears easier to please than Mick Jagger or Keith Richards.
At least that was the evidence from "Vice Presidential Downtime Requirements," the heading of a document posted Thursday on the Smoking Gun Web site and confirmed as authentic by Mr. Cheney's office.
The document listed 13 requirements. Among them were these: All televisions sets in Mr. Cheney's hotel suite should be tuned to Fox News, all lights should be on, and the thermostat set at 68 degrees. Mr. Cheney should have a queen- or king-size bed, a desk with a chair, a private bathroom, a container for ice, a microwave oven and a coffee pot, with decaf brewed before arrival.
The vice president should also have four cans of caffeine-free Diet Sprite and four to six bottles of water. He must have the hotel restaurant menu, with a copy faxed ahead to his advance office. If his wife is with him, she should have two bottles of sparkling water, either Calistoga or Perrier.
For his reading material, Mr. Cheney should have The New York Times, USA Today, The Wall Street Journal and the local newspaper.
"The vice president maintains an active schedule, which requires regular travel throughout the United States and at times involves a hotel stay," said Jenny Mayfield, a spokeswoman for Mr. Cheney. "Our advance office provides guidelines for our volunteers in the field. This is just a routine little check list."
The downtime requirements said nothing about exercise equipment, but aides to Mr. Cheney have been spotted on his travels loading and unloading a stationary bicycle from Air Force Two.
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/24/politics/24cheney.html
Tuberculosis Declines to Historic Low in the U.S.
By DONALD G. McNEIL Jr.
Tuberculosis cases in the United States fell to historic lows last year, public health authorities said yesterday. At the same time, doctors said, there was a small but worrisome increase in the number of cases resistant to several drugs.
The total number of cases in 2005 was 14,093, or 4.8 cases per 100,000 people, the lowest per capita rate since 1953, when national reporting began.
In New York City, which has among the nation's highest rates of tuberculosis, cases fell to 989, below 1,000 for the first time, Dr. Thomas R. Frieden, the city's health commissioner announced. The rate is still twice that of the nation, largely because New York has so many foreign-born residents, who account for 70 percent of the city's caseload.
The number of drug-resistant cases in the United States increased by 13 percent from 2003 to 2004, the last year for which data was available, said Dr. Kenneth G. Castro, head of tuberculosis elimination at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta.
Of the 128 drug-resistant cases, 97 were in people born abroad. Driven by the global AIDS epidemic, tuberculosis, which thrives in weakened immune systems, is a major killer in poor countries, accounting for nearly nine million new cases and nearly two million deaths a year.
Immigrants from many countries, including China, India, Mexico, Vietnam, the Philippines, Ecuador, the Dominican Republic and Haiti, have been found with drug-resistant strains of the disease.
Health authorities are creating a new category for people resistant not only to two first-line antibiotics, but also to at least one of the expensive, toxic second-line drugs. The new classification is nicknamed XDR, for extensively drug-resistant, and supersedes MDR (multidrug-resistant).
Tuberculosis is generally curable, even the XDR type, but the treatment can take years and require surgery, Dr. Castro said.
He warned against complacency, recalling that the disease surged in the early 1990's, especially in New York.
"As we make progress against TB," Dr. Castro said, "there is a tendency to prematurely declare victory and let our guard down — and then we see a resurgence."
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/24/health/24tb.html
Basque Nationalists See an Opening for Autonomy
By RENWICK McLEAN
Published: March 24, 2006
MADRID, March 23 — The governing party in the Basque region of northern Spain said on Thursday that the permanent cease-fire announced Wednesday by the militant Basque separatist group ETA opened the way for the region to loosen its ties with the central government in Madrid.
Iñigo Urkullu, a member of the governing Basque Nationalist Party, said that it was time for the central government to begin addressing the demands of the Basque region's peaceful separatists and supporters of more autonomy, who had long complained that they were unfairly associated with ETA.
"There is a political problem that predates the atmosphere of violence that has caused so much pain in Basque society," Mr. Urkullu said Thursday in an appearance on the region's public television station.
His comments echoed the views expressed Wednesday by the president of the Basque region, Juan José Ibarretxe, shortly after ETA announced that on Friday it would end its four-decade campaign of violence, during which it killed more than 800 people, in pursuit of an independent Basque state.
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/24/international/europe/24spain.html
Belarus Protest Dispersed as Police Arrest Hundreds
By C. J. CHIVERS
Published: March 24, 2006
MINSK, Belarus, Friday, March 24 — Belarussian riot police officers arrested hundreds of antigovernment demonstrators early Friday morning in the central square of Minsk, ending five days of protests with a swift police action.
The police arrived on six large trucks just after 3 a.m., wearing black riot helmets and masks, and surrounded the small encampment in October Square.
The demonstrators, who had been protesting a rigged presidential election last Sunday, stood their ground while the officers dismounted and jogged into place in lines, cutting off any chance of escape.
For a few minutes, as the police awaited the final command, the demonstrators' loudspeaker worked, and one of their leaders ordered the protesters to sit down and hold hands before the police moved in.
They chanted, shouting "The police are with the people!" and "Truth! Truth! Truth!" but offered no resistance visible to journalists, who were ordered by the police to stand about 50 yards away.
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/24/international/europe/24belarus.html
Haaretz
Harvard to remove official seal from anti-AIPAC 'working paper'
By Shmuel Rosner, Haaretz Correspondent
WASHINGTON - Harvard University has decided to remove its logo from a study that denounces the pro-Israel lobby's impact on American foreign policy, in order to distance itself from the study's conclusions.
The university also appended a more strongly worded disclaimer to the study, stating that it reflects the views of its authors only. The former disclaimer said merely that the study "does not necessarily" reflect the university's views.
The controversial study, published this week, was authored by Professor Stephen Walt of Harvard's Kennedy School of Government and Professor John Mearsheimer of the University of Chicago. It charged that American foreign policy has been subordinated to Israeli interests and accused the pro-Israel lobby of responsibility for America's invasion of Iraq.
http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/spages/698307.html
So pro-Israel that it hurts
By Daniel Levy
The new John Mearsheimer and Stephen Walt study of "The Israel Lobby and U.S. Foreign Policy" should serve as a wake-up call, on both sides of the ocean. The most obvious and eye-catching reflection is the fact that it is authored by two respected academics and carries the imprimatur of Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government. The tone of the report is harsh. It is jarring for a self-critical Israeli, too. It lacks finesse and nuance when it looks at the alphabet soup of the American-Jewish organizational world and how the Lobby interacts with both the Israeli establishment and the wider right-wing echo chamber.
It sometimes takes AIPAC omnipotence too much at face value and disregards key moments - such as the Bush senior/Baker loan guarantees episode and Clinton's showdown with Netanyahu over the Wye River Agreement. The study largely ignores AIPAC run-ins with more dovish Israeli administrations, most notably when it undermined Yitzhak Rabin, and how excessive hawkishness is often out of step with mainstream American Jewish opinion, turning many, especially young American Jews, away from taking any interest in Israel.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/698302.html
Abbas: Peace deal can be reached within one year
By Akiva Eldar, Haaretz Correspondent
A peace deal to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict can be achieved within less than a year, Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas told Haaretz on Wednesday.
Speaking to Haaretz from the Muqata compound in Ramallah, Abbas said he had proposed to the United States to open covert negotiations for a final status settlement. The talks would be spearheaded by President George Bush, after the new Israeli government was set up.
http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/spages/698140.html
Olmert to tap FM Livni as deputy PM should Kadima win election
By Aluf Benn, Haaretz Correspondent
Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni will become deputy prime minister should Kadima, as expected, win next week's election, Acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert announced Thursday.
Livni, therefore, would automatically replace Olmert if he were out of the country or temporarily incapacitated.
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Olmert said Thursday that he attributed great importance to announcing the identity of his deputy, since he himself was catapulted into the prime minister's chair by the fact that he was serving as deputy premier when Prime Minister Ariel Sharon suffered a stroke. Kadima officials said they expected the other prime ministerial candidates to name their designated deputies as well.
According to the law, an acting prime minister can serve for a maximum of 100 days; after that, the cabinet must either confirm him as prime minister or choose another of its members to assume the post. Since Olmert's 100 days expire on April 11, if a new government has not been formed by that date, the outgoing cabinet would have to convene and formally name him as prime minister. Once that happens, he would be free to name Livni as his deputy.
http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/spages/698141.html
Election 2006
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/elections2006.jhtml?contrassID=1&subContrassID=30
Security forces preparing for possible Election Day terror
By Haaretz Service
Security forces are preparing for possible terror attacks ahead of the elections Tuesday, and the army will maintain its closure on the territories until after Election Day.
Police will be on the highest level of alert the day of the elections, but began bolstering forces in big cities and along the seam line this week, the head of the police's operational department, Berti Ohayon, said Friday.
"The closer we come to Election Day, the more police activity will be bolstered," said Ohayon. He said police are targeting Palestinians staying in Israel illegally and deploying additional officers to Jerusalem and other cities, as well as along the seam line.
http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/spages/698354.html
Israeli restrictions create isolated enclaves in West Bank
By Amira Hass, Haaretz Correspondent
The regime of restriction on movement imposed by Israel on the Palestinians has crumbled the West Bank into dozens of closed or partially closed enclaves isolated from each other despite their geographical proximity. Permanent and mobile checkpoints, along with physical barriers of various kinds, fenced-off main roads, limitations on Palestinian traffic on east-west and north-south arteries, have cut off direct transportational links between areas of the West Bank.
Thus, a new geographic, social and economic reality has emerged in the West Bank.
Hundreds of exits from Palestinian communities to main and regional roads are blocked. Traffic among the enclaves is directed to secondary roads and a small number of main roads passing through Israel Defense Force-controlled bottle-necks. Entry to the Jordan Valley, Palestinian East Jerusalem and to enclaves between the separation fence and the Green Line is barred to all Palestinians except those registered as residents of those areas. To enter such areas, special authorization to "non-residents" must be obtained, which is rarely given.
http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/spages/698316.html
THIS reminds me of the old USA in the fifties. Everything about government had to be perfect otherwise everything was wrong with the world. Israel needs a reform movement where openness between the people and their government is the agenda.
Agriculture Ministry suspects PA concealed outbreak of avian flu
By Yuval Azoulay and Nadav Shragai, Haaretz Correspondents
The Agriculture Ministry suspects that the bird flu that hit Israel last week originated in the Gaza Strip and that the Palestinian Authority attempted to conceal the outbreak.
"We suspect that the avian flu outbreak in Israel originated in the Palestinian Authority," Agriculture Minister Ze'ev Boim (Kadima) said Thursday, while touring the sites of the outbreak in southern Israel. "There is reason to suspect that the Palestinian Authority tried to conceal the outbreak from Israel."
Initial tests conducted on chicken carcasses from Gaza this week indicated the existence of the deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu there. The virus was found in coops built on the ruins of the former settlement of Netzarim, in the central Strip
http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/spages/698337.html
The San Francisco Chronicle
S&P adding Google to 500 index; stock soars 9 percent
Google Inc.'s stock will be added to the Standard & Poor's 500 index, a long-anticipated rite of passage that lifted the online search engine leader's recently sagging shares.
Standard & Poor's announced the forthcoming change after the stock market closed Thursday. Google will replace Burlington Resources Inc. in the closely watched barometer March 31. Burlington Resources, a major oil producer based in Houston, is being acquired by ConocoPhillips Inc. in a deal worth about $35.6 billion.
Google's shares gained $1.67 to close at $341.89 on the Nasdaq Stock Market, then soared $30.82, or 9 percent, in extended trading.
Before Thursday's announcement, Google's market value had dropped by nearly 20 percent so far this year, wiping out about $20 billion in shareholder wealth amid concerns about slowing earnings growth and questions about its often cryptic communications with Wall Street.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archive/2006/03/23/financial/f163904S12.DTL
Let's do the Bush Bash
http://www.sfgate.com/columnists/fiore/
Wannabe rockers sniff out the big time at 'Rock Star: The Series' auditions in S.F.
What's that smell?
Oh right, it's the bovine musk of the leather trousers that were pulled out of closets all over Northern California on Tuesday in anticipation of the San Francisco open auditions for the second season of "Rock Star: The Series," held at the newly opened Rockit Room on Clement Street.
For those who missed it the first time around (the ratings started slow but finished strong), that's the CBS reality show produced by "Survivor" and "The Apprentice" creator Mark Burnett in which aspiring rockers try out for the lead position of an established band. Last year's winner, 31-year-old Canadian J.D. Fortune, is fronting INXS, the Australian group whose original singer, Michael Hutchence, was found hanging naked from a door in a Sydney hotel room in 1997. This year's show, scheduled to premiere this summer, doesn't quite have such a grim air about it.
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/03/23/DDGR9HRU2S1.DTL
Lawyers for Bonds plan to sue over steroids book
'Game of Shadows': Attorneys say transcripts obtained illegally so profits should go to charity
Barry Bonds' lawyers say they will ask a judge today to confiscate all profits from a new book alleging that the Giants slugger used steroids, arguing that the book was based on illegally obtained grand jury transcripts.
Any profits from the sale of "Game of Shadows," or from excerpts published in The Chronicle or Sports Illustrated magazine, should be turned over to charity, Bonds' lawyers said Thursday in a statement outlining a lawsuit they plan to file in San Francisco Superior Court.
"Bonds is not seeking personal recovery of any of the illegal profits," said attorneys Michael Rains and Alison Berry Wilkinson. "Instead he will call upon the court to donate all book proceeds to bona fide charitable organizations which serve the low-income youth who need it the most."
They also plan to ask a federal judge today to begin contempt-of-court proceedings against the book's authors,
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2006/03/24/BONDS.TMP
This woman didn't kill for no reason with four children to support. It has to be an affair or a 'Burning Bed' issue. Has to be.
Wife a Suspect in Killing of Minister
A popular and charismatic Tennessee minister was found shot to death in his parsonage, and authorities labled his wife a suspect after she and the couple's three young daughters were found in Alabama on Thursday after a daylong search.
"We've known from the beginning that she was either a suspect or a victim," said Jennifer Johnson, spokeswoman for the Tennessee Bureau of Investigations.
Church members went looking for 31-year-old Matthew Winkler when he did not show up for an evening service at the Fourth Street Church of Christ. They used a key to enter the parsonage and found him dead in a bedroom late Wednesday, Police Chief Neal Burks said.
There were no signs of forced entry at the parsonage, authorities said, but Winkler's family was gone, along with their minivan.
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2006/03/23/national/a203835S06.DTL
Laptop with private info of thousands of HP workers stolen
A laptop with the personal information of about 196,0000 Hewlett-Packard current and former employees has been stolen from mutual fund company Fidelity Investments, which manages the tech giant's pension and retirement plans.
The theft, which happened last week, prompted HP and Fidelity to alert the affected employees about the security breach. "HP is working closely with Fidelity to minimize the impact of this information breach," said HP Spokeswoman Brigida Bergkamp.
The employees have been informed via email and regular mail of the breach. Fidelity spokeswoman Anne Crowley said the company has arranged for them to use a credit monitoring service at the investment company's expense.
Fidelity has also set up extra identification verification measures to prevent unauthorized use of the accounts. Any employee losses as a result of the security breach will be reimbursed, Crowley said.
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/03/23/BUG9MHSTFV9.DTL
Poll finds U.S. warming to gay marriage
Opposition off 12% since '04 -- support for adoption, military role is up nationally
Opposition to same-sex marriage dropped sharply across the country during the past two years, though just over half of Americans still oppose allowing gays and lesbians to marry, according to a poll by the Pew Research Center released Wednesday.
The poll also showed increased support for allowing same-sex couples to adopt children, and substantial backing for the rights of gays and lesbians to serve openly in the military.
The survey was released one day after a poll of California residents indicated increasing support for gay rights in the state, including for same-sex marriages. The nonpartisan Field Poll found that support for same-sex marriage in the state had risen from 38 percent in 1997 to 43 percent today.
The Pew center's national poll of 1,405 adults, conducted from March 8-12, found that 51 percent opposed same-sex marriage and 39 percent supported it. In February 2004, as same-sex couples were marrying in San Francisco, a Pew poll found 63 percent of Americans opposed the right of gays and lesbians to marry and 30 percent in favor. The margin of error in the latest survey was plus or minus 3 or 4 percentage points, depending on the question.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/03/23/MNGAOHSE4I1.DTL
Bus Carrying U.S. Tourists Unregistered
The tour bus that crashed in northern Chile, killing 12 elderly American tourists returning to their cruise ship after an excursion, was unregistered and not authorized to transport passengers, government officials said Thursday.
The cruise line, meanwhile, said the excursion had been arranged privately and was not among those offered to its passengers.
Two Americans survived the crash but suffered broken bones and were moved to an intensive care unit at a local hospital as a precaution, according to Celebrity Cruises President Dan Hanrahan and a doctor in Miami.
The Chilean driver and tour guide also were hospitalized, but Juan Carlos Poli, a city hall spokesman in the Pacific port city of Arica, said they were in better condition and the guide was expected to be released Thursday. Poli said the bus had a capacity of 16 passengers.
The tourists — apparently members of the Jewish group B'nai B'rith on vacation from Connecticut and New Jersey — were returning to Celebrity Cruises' ship Millennium from an excursion to Lauca National Park Wednesday when the bus swerved to avoid an approaching truck and plunged off the rugged highway near Arica, 1,250 miles north of Santiago, he said.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/news/archive/2006/03/23/international/i093753S15.DTL
U.S., U.K. Forces Rescue Hostages in Iraq
Without firing a shot, U.S. and British forces stormed a house Thursday and freed three Christian peace activists who were bound but unguarded, ending a four-month hostage ordeal that saw an American in the group killed and dumped along a railroad track.
The U.S. ambassador and the top American military spokesman held out hope the operation on the outskirts of Baghdad could lead to a break in the captivity of American reporter Jill Carroll, a freelance writer for The Christian Science Monitor who was abducted Jan. 7.
The military spokesman, Maj. Gen. Rick Lynch, said the 8 a.m. rescue of the Briton and two Canadians from a "kidnapping cell" was based on information divulged by a man during interrogation only three hours earlier. The man was captured by U.S. forces on Wednesday night.
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2006/03/23/international/i203056S41.DTL
U.S. Military Asserts Most of Iraq Peaceful
The U.S. military spokesman in Iraq asserted Thursday that major violence is largely confined to just three of the country's 18 provinces, but fighting there raged on with at least 58 people killed in execution-style slayings, bombings and gunbattles.
For the third straight day, Sunni insurgents hit a major police and jail facility — this time with a suicide car bombing that killed 25 in central Baghdad. The attacker detonated his explosives at the entrance to the Interior Ministry Major Crimes unit in the Karradah district, killing 10 civilians and 15 policemen, authorities said.
As insurgent forces raised the stakes with the attacks, the U.S. military announced late Thursday that it was in the second day of an operation with Iraqi soldiers "to disrupt anti-Iraqi forces and to find and destroy terrorist caches in the Abu Ghraib area west of Baghdad."
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2006/03/23/international/i142455S31.DTL
Reinventing the wheel
Nothing stands still. Especially, stuff with wheels. Bikes, scooters, skates are subject to small-scale inventors trying to score a ride to the big time and the big money by reinventing the wheel -- or at the very least, the frameworks by which new wheels get delivered to a giddy public.
Trajectories of past successes offer ready inspiration. In the late 1990s, the new sport of inline skating (led by pioneer Rollerblades) sprinted from 3.6 million users to a peak of 27 million. Next, foldable scooters took off (led by the aluminum, two-wheeled Razor). The Razor and many similar knock-offs roared to a peak of 9.2 million sales in the year 2000.
That rumbling sound is the approach of a new crew of wheeled sports devices that hopes to catch up to such sterling examples, or possibly surpass them.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/chronicle/archive/2006/03/23/SPGELHSGCH1.DTL
continued …
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