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Taiwan: Fishermen fought off pirates, retook boat

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Taiwan says fishermen on a Taiwanese boat fought back against Somali pirates and freed themselves after a hijacking in the Indian Ocean.

Some of the 28 crew on the Chin Yi Wen overcame the hijackers then the boat met up with British anti-piracy vessels nearby. Three crew had minor injuries.

The government news agency said the fight …

Uruguayans vote for ex-rebel or ex-president

Uruguay faced a stark choice in Sunday's presidential election between a former rebel who yearns to create enduring socialism and a former president who would distance the nation from leftist Latin American governments.

Uruguayans also considered a voter initiative to remove amnesty for human rights abuses under the 1973-85 dictatorship.

Jose "Pepe" Mujica, the former guerrilla and candidate of the ruling leftist coalition, was the clear front-runner, but polls suggested he would narrowly miss the majority needed to avoid a runoff.

His closest rival, center-right candidate Luis Alberto Lacalle, pushed hard to privatize government as …

Stocks gain 44

NEW YORK Stocks rose modestly today, extending this week'sblue-chip rebound after a one-day pause, but technology sharescontinued to struggle despite a strong profit report from Microsoft.

The Dow rose 44.95 points to close at 6,703.55, bringing theweek's gain to about 310 points.

The Nasdaq composite index was up just 5.47 at 1,222.54 even asMicrosoft surged 9 1/2 to 107 5/8. The software giant smashed WallStreet's expectations late Thursday by reporting an 85 percentimprovement in profits for the first three months of the year.``Even though Microsoft said that its earnings can't stay thisgood, the market is ignoring that and buying it,'' said Alfred E.Goldman, …

Ex-Israeli leader Olmert accused of seeking bribes

JERUSALEM (AP) — Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was indicted Thursday on new corruption charges for allegedly seeking hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes in a wide-ranging real estate scandal that dwarfs the other cases in which he's accused.

According to the indictment, millions of dollars illegally changed hands to promote a series of real estate projects, including a controversial housing development in Jerusalem that required a radical change in zoning laws and earned the developers tax breaks and other benefits.

Jerusalem residents have long suspected that the hulking Holyland housing development, built on a prominent hilltop, was tainted by corruption. …

Obama, Clinton make show of unity in Unity, N.H.

Rivals turned allies, Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton are making their first public appearance together since the divisive Democratic primary race ended.

They are making their show of unity in a hamlet named for it.

Some 6,0000 people were gathered to watch in one of the wide-open fields of the tiny town of 1,700. It's a carefully chosen venue in a key general election battleground state: Unity awarded exactly 107 votes to each candidate in New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation primary in January.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

MANCHESTER, N.H. (AP) _ Putting …

Local & National scoreboard

AUTO RACING

NASCAR Sprint Cup

Schedule-Winners

Through Sunday

Feb. 9 - x-Budweiser Shootout (Dale Earnhardt Jr.)

Feb. 14 - x-Gatorade Duel 1 (Dale Earnhardt Jr.)

Feb. 14 - x-Gatorade Duel 2 (Denny Hamlin)

Feb. 17 - Daytona 500 (Ryan Newman)

Feb. 24 - Auto Club 500 (Carl Edwards)

March 2 - UAW-Dodge 400 (Carl Edwards)

March 9 - Kobalt Tools 500 (Kyle Busch)

March 16 - Food City 500 (Jeff Burton)

March 30 - Goody's Cool Orange 500 (Denny Hamlin)

April 6 - Samsung 500 (Carl Edwards)

April 12 - Subway Fresh Fit 500 (Jimmie Johnson)

April 27 - Aaron's 499 (Kyle Busch)

May 3 - Crown …

Movie shot at CMU

The campus of Canadian Mennonite University in Winnipeg appeared in a made-for-TV movie that aired on ABC television on December 11. CMU was used as the location for the Christmas movie Naughty or Nice, which starred comedian George Lopez and Lisa Vidai. Film crews were on the campus last June and used a number of rooms in the 1922 neo-Gothic administration building for scenes involving a college professor. The story featured Lopez as a …

South Africa Route 62: Scenery, ostriches, coast

Far from the crowds and traffic snarl-ups on South Africa's much-vaunted coastal Garden Route is a stunning inland alternative that showcases some of the country's most fabulous scenery but passes unnoticed by most visitors.

Route 62 _ which evokes comparisons with the legendary Route 66 between Chicago and Los Angeles _ starts from just outside Cape Town and runs to the city of Port Elizabeth. It winds through scenic spa towns, vineyards and fruit farms, breathtaking mountains and floral feasts _ not to mention the self-proclaimed Ostrich Capital of the World.

The best news for tourists is that it is possible to combine Route 62 and the Garden Route, named …

Supersonic's last hurrah

THERE are lots of events taking place as part of the AltogetherNow festival's Big Weekend this Saturday and Sunday, September 16-17, in Chelmsford but one of the most notable is the last everSupersonic night.

Chelmsford duo Dave and Shawn have been familiar figures on theEssex music scene but they bow out in style on Saturday with a finalgig at The Wheatsheaf.

Who are Supersonic and where do you come from? Supersonic areDave Patterson and Shawn Clark who met in Chelmsford during the BritPop explosion of the mid nineties. How did Supersonic come about?We've always shared the same taste in music and five years ago wereinvited by mutual friends to spin some …

Arab League Delegation Visits Israel

JERUSALEM - The foreign ministers of Egypt and Jordan began a historic visit to Israel on Wednesday to formally present an Arab peace plan, saying they were extending "a hand of peace" on behalf of the region.

The ministers arrived as representatives of the Arab League, the first time the 22-member group has sent a delegation to the Jewish state. The Arab League peace plan envisions full recognition of Israel in return for evacuation of lands captured in the 1967 Middle East war.

"We are extending a hand of peace on behalf of the whole region to you, and we hope that we will be able to create the momentum needed to resume fruitful and productive negotiations" between …

Pienaar should be fit to face Iraq at Confed Cup

Everton midfielder Steven Pienaar appears to be winning his race to be fit for South Africa's Confederations Cup opener against Iraq.

Pienaar twisted his ankle in the second half of South Africa's 1-0 victory over Poland in a friendly international on Saturday. But Bafana Bafana officials said Monday he had an MRI scan which revealed he had only a mild ankle sprain rather than a more serious …

AP: McGwire May Fall Short in Hall Vote

NEW YORK - For one glorious summer, Mark McGwire was bigger than baseball itself. America stopped to watch each time he came to the plate, and cheered every time he sent a ball into orbit. He could do no wrong, it seemed. Surely he would be a shoo-in for the Hall of Fame someday.

And then came that day on Capitol Hill. Over and over, the big slugger was asked about possible steroid use, and his reputation took hit after hit as he refused to answer, saying he wouldn't talk about his past.

Now, with Hall ballots in the mail, McGwire's path to baseball immortality may have hit a huge roadblock.

The Associated Press surveyed about 20 percent of eligible voters, and only one in four who gave an opinion plan to vote for McGwire this year. That's far short of the 75 percent necessary to gain induction.

"There is a clause on the ballot indicating that character should be considered and after his nonperformance at the congressional hearings his character certainly comes into play," said the Dayton Daily News' Hal McCoy.

"He doesn't want to talk about the past?" he said, "Then I don't want to consider his past."

The St. Louis Cardinals, McGwire's last team, suggested calls for McGwire be left with his business manager, Jim Milner. A message left Monday at Milner's office was not returned.

McGwire, who hit 583 career home runs, headlines the ballot released Monday along with Cal Ripken Jr. and Tony Gwynn. Results will be announced in early January.

"Mark fits the criteria, just like everyone else," Hall chairman Jane Forbes Clark said. "We've been very pleased with the judgment exercised by the writers over the past 70 years of voting.

"The ballot says a player's record of achievement, contributions to the teams, the game, their character, longevity and sportsmanship should be considered. I think this year's balloting will be interesting," she said.

The AP contacted, via e-mails and telephone, about 150 of the approximately 575 present or former members of the Baseball Writers' Association of America who are eligible to cast ballots. Of that number, 125 responded, including 25 AP sports writers. Most of the voters' names were obtained in the Major League Baseball media directory.

And the breakdown was:

- 74 will not vote for McGwire.

- 23 will vote for him.

- 16 are undecided.

- 5 refused to say.

- 5 aren't allowed to vote by their employers.

- 2 will abstain from voting.

That means if all the undecideds and those refusing to say voted for McGwire, and everyone else voted, McGwire would need 84 percent of the rest to get into the Hall.

Chaz Scoggins of The Sun in Lowell, Mass., was among McGwire's supporters.

"He wasn't breaking any baseball rules during his career," he said. "As for using performance-enhancing substances, the fact that so many pitchers have been detected using them kind of evens the playing field."

Baseball commissioner Bud Selig wouldn't address McGwire specifically, saying it was unclear how this generation of home run hitters will be judged.

"Time will tell. We'll have to work our way through all of it," he said Monday night. "All we can do realistically is take care of the present and the future."

McGwire played in the majors from 1986-2001, the first 12 seasons with the Oakland Athletics and the rest with the Cardinals.

When he hit 70 homers in 1998 - breaking the mark of 61 Roger Maris had set 37 years earlier - McGwire became a national hero for his Paul Bunyan-like physique and feats. A year later, part of an interstate highway in St. Louis was named after McGwire. Large signs at both the current and previous Busch Stadium called attention to "Big Mac Land," ads for McDonald's referencing McGwire.

But his reputation plummeted following allegations by former teammate Jose Canseco, who claimed in a 2005 book and subsequent interviews that the Bash Brothers used steroids together while playing on the A's.

And then came McGwire's testimony to a congressional committee on March 17, 2005, when he repeatedly avoided questions, saying time after time: "I'm not here to talk about the past."

That appearance and those allegations are still fresh in the minds of many voters.

"He won't get my vote this year, next year or any year," said the Chicago Tribune's Paul Sullivan.

When the AP conducted a survey of Hall voters during the week following McGwire's testimony, 56 percent of the 117 voters who gave an opinion said they would support his induction.

Ballots will be mailed to voters this week and must be postmarked by Dec. 31. Results will be announced Jan. 9, and inductions will take place July 29.

Players who have appeared in 10 seasons and have been retired for five years are eligible for consideration by a six-member BBWAA screening committee, and a player goes on the ballot if he is supported by at least two screening committee members.

A player remains on the ballot for up to 15 elections as long as he gets 5 percent of the votes every year. McGwire appears to be in no danger of missing that mark.

Gwynn and Ripken are considered virtual locks for election. Canseco also is on the ballot for the first time but is not expected to come close to election.

Gwynn isn't sure whether McGwire used steroids.

"I think he's a Hall of Famer, myself," Gwynn said. "He hit 500 or so homers, almost 600. I think we have no proof whether he did or not. Canseco said he did. He didn't perform well at the congressional hearing, and I think that will stick with people more than anything else. He's on the ballot, too. I have no control over that."

Hall voters will face additional questions when other players accused of steroid use go on the ballot. Sammy Sosa and Rafael Palmeiro become eligible for 2011 and Barry Bonds, who plans to play next season, sometime after that.

Others view it as a matter of baseball rules. Baseball did not have an agreement with its players' union to ban steroids until after the 2002 season.

Some writers say they might vote for McGwire in future years but won't consider him on this ballot, not wanting to give him the extra honor of getting elected on the first ballot.

"I don't plan to vote for him on the first ballot, but I do plan to vote for him," said former Chicago Tribune writer Jerome Holtzman, baseball's official historian.

Some players have seen their support increase over time. Jimmie Foxx got 10 votes when he first appeared on the ballot in 1947, then was elected with 179 votes four years later.

Dave Kingman (442) has the most home runs for a player who has been on the Hall of Fame ballot and was not elected - he received three votes in his only appearance, in 1992, and was dropped.

Among the 33 players above Kingman on the career home run list, 20 are in the Hall, seven are active (Bonds, Ken Griffey Jr., Frank Thomas, Jim Thome, Manny Ramirez, Alex Rodriguez and Gary Sheffield), four haven't been retired the necessary five years (Sosa, Palmeiro, Fred McGriff and Jeff Bagwell) and two are on the ballot for the first time (McGwire and Canseco).

Eleven of the 15 Hall of Famers with 500 homers were elected on the first ballot. The exceptions were Mel Ott (third ballot), Harmon Killebrew (fourth ballot), Foxx (fifth ballot) and Eddie Mathews (sixth ballot).

---

AP Sports Writer Bernie Wilson in San Diego contributed to this report.

`All-American' Oprah

"All-American Girl," starring Margaret Cho, comes to town Jan. 9to tape an episode with the Empress of Chat, Oprah Winfrey. The showis about Amy Hill's Grandma character - a TV addict - getting ticketsto Oprah's show for the whole family. Natch, they all end up onstage.

Famous guest stars may become something of a staple on the ABCshow. The next week, Cho will have director-of-the-moment Quentin"Pulp Fiction" Tarantino guest-starring. "Read the TelePrompTer!" said the "Entertainment Tonight" directorto Bob Goen, right after the ET anchor/correspondent had finishedtaping a show. Needless to say, Goen was delighted to read, "MeetSabrina at the hospital. It's time, Dad." Goen rushed to L.A.'sCedars Sinai in time to join wife Sabrina in welcoming their firstchild, Maxwell R. K. Goen, 6 pounds, 7 ounces. Speaking of ET, it's not a bad place to get Christmas presents.Anchor Leeza Gibbons is giving the entire staff 15-minute massagesfrom her favorite chiropractor. B.Z.

Homemade device leaks fumes in Detroit school

A student threw a homemade explosive device in the hallway of a school on Wednesday, causing it to leak fumes and forcing the school's evacuation but not injuring anyone, authorities said.

The student from the Phoenix Multi-Cultural Academy was taken into police custody for questioning, Detroit Police spokesman John Roach said.

The school district released a statement saying the device consisted of a plastic bottle that contained household cleaning supplies. It said the device released smoke after it was thrown.

Roach said the device released "powerful fumes" and likely some liquid, and that the bomb squad recovered its remains.

The pre-kindergarten-through-8th grade school with 540 students was evacuated and students were transferred to the nearby Roberto Clemente Learning Academy.

Detroit Public Schools' spokeswoman Jennifer Mrozowski said the district would not be identifying the student taken into custody.

Detroit Mayor Dave Bing and Robert Bobb, the district's emergency financial manager, met before the start of the current school year with security experts, community leaders, parents and students to discuss safety and security in and around schools. Several shootings last year and 2008 raised safety concerns.

(This version CORRECTS the spelling of school's name to Phoenix Multi-Cultural Academy, instead of Phoenix Multicultural Academy.)

Algerian oil minister says crude prices likely to stay high through 1st quarter

Algeria's oil minister, who is also OPEC's new president, ruled out any new production increases and said Saturday that crude oil prices are likely to remain high for three months.

Crude oil prices _ which briefly topped US$100 per barrel for the first time this week _ should "stabilize" in the second quarter, Oil Minister Chakib Khelil said.

The increase in market crude prices "is probably going to remain through the end of the first quarter of 2008," Khelil told reporters at an energy-related conference in the Algerian capital, Algiers.

Political tensions in nuclear-armed Pakistan, rising violence in oil-rich Nigeria and shrinking U.S. crude oil stocks were among factors unsettling the market and contributing to the price hike, Khelil said.

For now, the market is "sufficiently supplied and only the next OPEC conference can decide whether to increase production," he said. The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries next meets Feb. 1 in Vienna, Austria.

Khelil said the cartel then "will study closely forecasts about growth in the world economy" _ notably the U.S. economy, which has been feeling the fallout from troubles in the American mortgage market.

However, he said: "If the (possible) recession in the American economy takes shape, OPEC is not going to increase its supply from the moment that is needed only to reduce it later."

At their last meeting in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on Dec. 5, ministers from OPEC member countries left production unchanged "for the time being" because the world was "well supplied."

Smith's 'Legend' lives on with $76.5 million record debut

The Warner Bros. tale "I Am Legend," starring Will Smith as a plague survivor who may be the last living human, debuted with $76.5 million (euro52.7 million), the biggest December opening ever and a personal best for one of Hollywood's top box-office champs, according to studio estimates Sunday.

"It's no wonder Will Smith feels so lonely. Everyone else on Earth is in the movie theater," said Paul Dergarabedian, president of box-office tracker Media By Numbers.

The 20th Century Fox family flick "Alvin and the Chipmunks," starring Jason Lee in a big-screen take on the cartoon critters, opened a strong No. 2 with $45 million (euro31 million), the two films combining to give Hollywood a year-end surge after a drowsy fall season.

"Forty-five million acorns," said Chris Aronson, senior vice president for distribution at 20th Century Fox. "Chipmunks are diurnal animals and they do hibernate, but not right now."

Overall business soared, with the top 12 movies taking in $153.6 million (euro105.8 million), up 39 percent from the same weekend a year earlier, when Smith also was No. 1 with a $26.5 million debut for "The Pursuit of Happyness."

The previous No. 1 movie, New Line Cinema's fantasy "The Golden Compass," nose-dived in its second weekend, coming in third with $9 million (euro6.2 million), down a dismal 65 percent from its less-than-expected $25.8 million (euro17.7 million) debut a week earlier.

"The Golden Compass," which cost $180 million (euro124 million) to produce, has done $90 million (euro62 million) so far overseas but has proven a flop domestically with just $41 million (euro28.2 million).

On the other hand, "I Am Legend" smashed Smith's personal debut record, easily exceeding the $52.1 million opening weekends of "I, Robot" and "Men in Black II," his previous bests. "I Am Legend" outdid the $72.6 million premiere of 2003's "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King," the previous best December opening.

"It's nice to be in the Will Smith business," said Dan Fellman, head of distribution for Warner Bros. "He is just the No. 1 box-office star in the world today."

Based on the Richard Matheson novel filmed twice before as Vincent Price's "The Last Man on Earth" and Charlton Heston's "The Omega Man," "I Am Legend" casts Smith as a scientist trying to find a cure and fighting off the vestiges of humanity, people transformed by the plague into vampire-like creatures.

Two Golden Globe nominees just hitting theaters did well in their second weekends.

Focus Features' "Atonement" _ a tragic romance that led the Globes with seven nominations, including best drama and acting honors for Keira Knightley and James McAvoy _ pulled in $1.85 million (euro1.3 million) in 117 theaters. That gave "Atonement" a strong average of $15,835 (euro10,914) a theater, compared to $21,224 (euro14,628) in 3,606 cinemas for "I Am Legend."

Fox Searchlight's "Juno," a teen-pregnancy comedy whose three nominations included best comedy or musical and an acting honor for Ellen Page, grossed $1.44 million (euro990,000) in 40 theaters for a $36,018 (euro24,824) average.

"Atonement" and "Juno" expand into release across the United States over the next three weekends.

Another Golden Globe nominee, the Paramount Classics-DreamWorks foreign-language contender "The Kite Runner," debuted strongly with $450,970 (euro310,820) in 35 theaters for a $12,885 (euro8,880) average. The film follows an Afghan emigrant to America who returns home to rescue the son of a childhood friend.

Francis Ford Coppola's first film in 10 years, "Youth Without Youth" from Sony Pictures Classics, had a so-so debut of $27,815 (euro19,170) in six theaters, averaging $4,636 (euro3,195). The film stars Tim Roth as an elderly language scholar whose youth is restored by a lightning strike.

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Media By Numbers LLC. Final figures will be released Monday.

1. "I Am Legend," $76.5 million.

2. "Alvin and the Chipmunks," $45 million.

3. "The Golden Compass," $9 million.

4. "Enchanted," $6 million.

5. "No Country for Old Men," $3 million.

6. "The Perfect Holiday," $2.97 million.

7. "Fred Claus," $2.3 million.

8. "This Christmas," $2.3 million.

9. "Atonement," $1.85 million.

10. "August Rush," $1.8 million.

___

On the Net:

http://www.mediabynumbers.com

___

Universal Pictures and Focus Features are owned by NBC Universal, a joint venture of General Electric Co. and Vivendi Universal; Sony Pictures, Sony Screen Gems and Sony Pictures Classics are units of Sony Corp.; DreamWorks, Paramount, Paramount Vantage and Paramount Classics are divisions of Viacom Inc.; Disney's parent is The Walt Disney Co.; Miramax is a division of The Walt Disney Co.; 20th Century Fox, Fox Searchlight Pictures and Fox Atomic are owned by News Corp.; Warner Bros., New Line, Warner Independent and Picturehouse are units of Time Warner Inc.; MGM is owned by a consortium of Providence Equity Partners, Texas Pacific Group, Sony Corp., Comcast Corp., DLJ Merchant Banking Partners and Quadrangle Group; Lionsgate is owned by Lionsgate Entertainment Corp.; IFC Films is owned by Rainbow Media Holdings, a subsidiary of Cablevision Systems Corp.

Silva goes to 8-0 as Cubs finally beat Pirates

Carlos Silva extended the best start by a Cubs pitcher in 43 years by allowing one run over seven innings, Ryan Theriot scored four times and Chicago beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 6-1 on Monday.

Silva gave up four hits, struck out five and walked one in his first start against Pittsburgh since 2003. He became the first Cubs starting pitcher to go 8-0 since left-hander Ken Holtzman was 9-0 in 1967.

The Cubs dropped their first five in PNC Park, but avoided going winless in Pittsburgh during an entire season for the first time since the franchises initially met in 1887, the Pirates' inaugural season. This is the eighth time in those 124 seasons the Cubs have won only one game in Pittsburgh.

Voters: Not so fast, Caroline

A new poll out Wednesday suggests there is no clear favorite among New Yorkers on who they think should replace Hillary Clinton in the U.S. Senate.

Despite the buzz over Caroline Kennedy, the soon-to-be-vacant Senate seat is not necessarily hers for the taking.

According to a survey from Siena College, 26 percent of voters favor another potential pick with a famous last name -- state attorney general Andrew Cuomo, the son of former governor Mario Cuomo.

Some 23 percent want Kennedy to get the post.

Photo: Caroline Kennedy ;

SAfrica's Smith having surgery on injured knee

CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — South Africa captain Graeme Smith is having surgery on Friday on the knee he injured in the Indian Premier League.

Smith says on Twitter he is in hospital in Cape Town for the operation.

Cricket South Africa confirms the surgery and says Smith's recovery period will be clear only after the procedure.

The 30-year-old opening batsman, who hurt the knee playing for new IPL team Pune Warriors, is set to lead South Africa in test series against Australia and Sri Lanka this year.

The Proteas host Australia in two tests, three ODIs and two Twenty20s starting from Oct. 13, followed by a three-test and five-ODI series vs. Sri Lanka.

Smith has stepped down as South Africa's limited-overs skipper, handing the one-day and T20 captaincy to AB de Villiers.

A note from the Editor

We never get tired of talking about food at Boise Weekly. Nor do we tire of seeking out the best chefs, restaurant views, cocktails, lamb shanks, wine lists, bread puddings and burgers. We've exchanged heated words over the best bread dipping sauce and conducted thorough tiramisu taste-offs in the name of science. We can't help it, we love food more than your average eater.

And that's what makes the first-ever Boise Weekly Restaurant Guide the most discerning guide to destination food in the state.

We sent a search party into the far reaches of the state to seek out food done well in the little nooks and crannies where you might never think to look for it. Roll this thing up and put it in your glove box just in time for summer trekking. During the quiet stretches on the highway, read through "The Food Cycle," where you can discover local restaurants that have teamed up with local producers to put together a menu featuring the best of what Idaho has to offer year round. Or, turn to page 50, where a handful of Idaho chefs take a stab at defining Idaho cuisine in "Beyond the Potato." We've also included a roundup of breweries and wineries just in case all that reading and wanderlust works up a healthy thirst.

Once you've reached your destination, consult our dining listings, featuring local favorites in some of the state's smallest, most out-of-the-way and most popular destinations.

Don't see your favorite restaurant listed? Drop us a line and we'll add it to next year's list. If you're a restaurateur who's doing something we need to know about, send us an e-mail at editor@ boiseweekly.com.

-Rachael Daigle

UK banks won't appeal payment protection ruling

LONDON (AP) — British banks on Monday gave up the fight against compensating customers who were missold payment protection insurance on mortgages and other loans, and now face a compensation bill estimated at 4.5 billion pounds ($7.4 billion).

The British Bankers' Association said it took the decision in the "interest of providing certainty" for bank customers.

"We continue to believe that there are matters of important principle which we will be taking forward in other ways with the authorities," the association said, without specifying the issues.

The Financial Services Authority has estimated that banks will pay a total of 4.5 billion pounds to settle claims

Natalie Ceeney, who heads the Financial Ombudsman Service, said the agency had been received up to 5,000 complaints each week from consumers since October.

"We will be working with the banks, over the coming weeks, to ensure that consumers' complaints are dealt with fairly and promptly," Ceeney said.

Lloyds Banking Group last week was the first to break ranks, taking a 3.2 billion-pound provision for repayments to customers. Barclays announced Monday that it had also decided against joining an appeal, and was making a provision of 1 billion pounds for compensation.

The Financial Services Authority has told banks that customers must be told if the insurance is optional, and they must be advised of their right to cancel. The agency also said the seller must be sure that the customer is eligible to claim under the policy, since some exclude nonresidents, the self-employed or people with certain health problems.

The banks had argued that the FSA's standard should not be applied retrospectively.

Yao, T-Mac Lead Rockets Over Knicks

NEW YORK - Just when the Knicks finally started to solve Yao Ming, Tracy McGrady stepped up. Two stars was one too many for struggling New York on Monday night.

Yao had 26 points and nine rebounds in another strong game against the Knicks, and McGrady added 24 points in the Houston Rockets' 97-90 victory over New York.

McGrady scored 15 points in the second half, including six during a decisive 10-1 surge in the fourth quarter. He also made three of Houston's 10 3-pointers.

"I think somewhat in the past two games that teams are trying to drill Yao a little bit too much," McGrady said, "and I've kind of been deferring too much to him in the second half, or the fourth quarter, rather. I just wanted to insert myself on the offensive end."

Rafer Alston finished with 17 points for the Rockets, who beat the Knicks for the fifth straight time, their longest winning streak ever during the series. Houston coach Jeff Van Gundy improved to 7-1 against his former team and remained unbeaten as a visiting coach on his old home floor.

"It's always special," Van Gundy said. "It's an honor to walk out on the floor on Madison Square Garden. That never gets old. Not when I was here and certainly when you only get to do it once a year."

The Knicks did a better job on Yao than last time, when he collected 35 points, 17 rebounds and seven blocked shots in the Rockets' 104-93 victory in Houston on Nov. 10. The 7-foot-6 Yao was only 6-of-14 from the floor - with one miss coming when 5-foot-9 Nate Robinson blocked him in the closing seconds of the third quarter.

"I was blocked by a 5-3 guy before, so that's not a record," Yao said.

The Rockets have won four straight at Madison Square Garden - all since Van Gundy became Houston coach.

Then again, just about everybody wins at the Garden these days - except the Knicks. New York fell to 1-5 at home despite 25 points from Jamal Crawford and 22 from Channing Frye. David Lee added 15 points and 12 rebounds.

The Knicks needed plenty from their role players to stay in the game, because they got little from their starting backcourt of Stephon Marbury and Steve Francis. The duo totaled 10 points, six assists and six turnovers - and combined to play a little more than 6 minutes in the second half.

"We win as a team and lose as a team," Knicks coach Isiah Thomas said. "It's not about one player or two players. I just try to use everything I have on the bench or within the reach for us to try to win the basketball game.

"We were just trying to hang in, trying to hang around and try to steal it. They were good, Yao and Tracy were a little too much for us tonight."

With the game tied at 70 with under 8 minutes to play, McGrady made a 3-pointer, and after Eddy Curry made one free throw, McGrady went 3-of-3 at the line for a 76-71 lead with 6:13 left. Yao's follow and dunk made it 80-71 with 4 1/2 to go, and the Rockets were never threatened again.

Neither team led by more than five points during a first half that included 10 ties and six lead changes. Yao knocked down a short turnaround jumper with 0.8 seconds left, giving him 15 points and the Rockets a 48-45 halftime advantage.

The Knicks got off to a sloppy start after the break - Marbury and Francis were benched after 65 seconds following New York's two turnovers on the first two possessions - and Houston capitalized by building a 10-point lead with 7:53 remaining.

"I didn't understand that," Marbury said. "I mean, we were in the game for 2 minutes. He felt like Steve got a turnover, I got a turnover. I guess he felt like Nate and Jamal could pretty much get them back in."

The Knicks fought back, with Robinson's swat leading to a dunk by Lee that made it 65-62 heading to the final period.

Notes:@ After Yao's big game in the first meeting, the Knicks activated seldom-used reserve center Kelvin Cato for Monday's game and put G Mardy Collins on the inactive list. Cato is familiar with Yao after playing for Houston from 1999-04. "Just because he understands him doesn't mean he can stop him," Thomas said. ... Patrick Ewing got a big ovation while watching from a courtside seat for the second time in three nights. The former Knicks star also coached under Van Gundy in Houston. Knicks F Jared Jeffries, out all season with a broken wrist, had a CAT scan Monday and was cleared to participate in non-contact drills. He will continue to wear a splint and be re-evaluated in two weeks. ... With Yao in town, the Knicks celebrated "Asian Heritage Night" with Asian music and entertainment.

8 years in beating of manager who cooperated with police

A convicted felon was sentenced to eight years in prison Monday for beating up an elderly laundromat manager for cooperating with police last year.

In March 2009, Bennie Hale charged at Ki Han with a broken whiskey bottle and chased him into the office of the Spinn'g Bubble laundromat, according to Han and other witnesses. Hale then knocked Han to the floor, hit him with a microwave and pounded him in the chest while yelling at him for calling police, Han, who's in his 70s, said at the time.

Hale, 22, was on parole for a drug conviction when he attacked the South Korean immigrant at the laundromat at 5441 W. Chicago.

Neighbors said the corner near the laundromat is a favored spot with gang members because it has a back door: When police show up out front, they dash through the two-room laundry and out the back door into a lot where they hide their guns.

After being attacked, Han, who said he used to be a tae kwon do master, said he was still not afraid to call the police.

"No problem," he said through an interpreter. "The police are trying to help us."

Photo: Bennie Hale; Photo: Ki Han

Rand Corp. retracts study on pot clinic closings

SANTA MONICA, California (AP) — The Rand Corp. has retracted a widely reported study that linked last year's closing of hundreds of medical marijuana dispensaries in Los Angeles to a rise in crime rates in surrounding neighborhoods.

The Santa Monica, California-based think tank says in a statement Monday that questions raised after the study's publication prompted an unusual internal review.

The review discovered that data described as covering the city of Los Angeles and surrounding areas did not include crime data reported by the Los Angeles Police Department.

Rand Vice President Debra Knopman terms it a "rare failure" of its peer-review system.

The study, published in September, was called "Regulating Marijuana Dispensaries: An Overview with Preliminary Evidence of Their Impact on Crime."

Rand researchers plan to conduct a new analysis when they have adequate data.

Hundreds join protest against closure of Cadbury chocolate factory in England

Hundreds of protesters, joined by award-winning British filmmaker Ken Loach, demonstrated Saturday against the closure of a Cadbury chocolate factory in southwest England.

The workers marched through Keynsham, about 120 miles (190 kilometers) west of London, in a bid to stop the chocolate and beverage giant from closing its plant there.

London-based Cadbury Schweppes PLC said it plans to close the 500-worker factory by 2010 in order to cut costs and stay competitive.

Chocolate production from the factory will be transferred to plants in Birmingham, central England, and Poland, the company said.

Man accused of stealing teachers' frozen lunches

A man was accused of breaking into a Dayton preschool and making off with the teachers' frozen lunch entrees. Police said an officer who responded to a burglar alarm at a Miami Valley Child Development location last Saturday noticed a 51-year-old man walking away from the building.

The officer reported the suspect was carrying a blue bag around his neck that contained screwdrivers, cutting pliers, a flashlight and several microwave dinners.

Other officers arrived at the school and found a screen had been cut, a window near the teacher's lounge was open, and the lounge freezer had been looted.

The man was arrested and charged with breaking and entering and possessing criminal tools.

___

Information from: Dayton Daily News, http://www.daytondailynews.com

Monthlong Boeing strike at California plant ends

Boeing Co. workers who assemble C-17 planes returned to work Thursday after a monthlong strike that shut down production of the jumbo cargo jets in a stalemate over benefits.

Members of United Aerospace Workers Local 148 voted 823 to 544 Wednesday in favor of the new 58-month contract reached after federal mediators stepped into the standoff last week.

The new deal, which was struck Monday, extends the contract by 12 months. It reduces employee health care contributions from the previous offer, which caused nearly all 1,700 mechanics to walk out May 11.

Union leadership recommended approval of the deal, which included an increase in pension benefits while leaving pay increases and job-protection proposals untouched. Boeing offered a $4,000 lump-sum payment in lieu of a raise this year, with 3 percent annual wage increases in following years.

Boeing employs nearly 5,000 people in Long Beach, with C-17 vendors and suppliers in 44 states supporting an estimated 30,000 more jobs.

C-17 production is expected to end by 2013 as military orders have dropped off.

Boeing spokeswoman Cindy Anderson said in a statement early Thursday that the new contract will allow Boeing to keep C-17 affordable in order to win new orders and extend production.

Stocks Lose Steam on Subprime Worries

NEW YORK - Wall Street resumed its downward skid Tuesday, falling sharply as renewed concerns about soured home loans blew away what had looked like a solid recovery rally. The Dow Jones industrials lost nearly 150 points, while investors seeking safety moved into bonds.

Early in the session, stocks had soared following strong earnings from General Motors Corp. and Sun Microsystems Inc. and amid somewhat mixed economic data. But stocks pulled back after American Home Mortgage Investment Corp. said Tuesday afternoon it hasn't been able to tap into its credit lines and has hired advisers to consider its options, including the sale of its assets. Wall Street has been concerned about credit after some loans made to borrowers with poor credit have gone bad, and that anxiety contributed to the market's big plunge last week.

"Anything that argues for higher (interest) rates and worsening credit conditions will be something that takes the air out of the market," said Denis Amato, chief investment officer at Ancora Advisors. He said the market's short-lived advance was in part made possible by an easing of credit fears.

According to preliminary calculations, the Dow fell 146.32, or 1.10 percent, to 13,211.99. The Dow had been up as much as 140 points during the session. The move lower in the Dow undid a nearly 93 point gain the blue chips saw Monday in a partial rebound from the 585 points they lost over the course of Thursday and Friday.

Broader stock indicators fell. The Standard & Poor's 500 index fell 18.64, or 1.26 percent, to 1,455.27, and the Nasdaq composite index fell 37.01, or 1.43 percent, to 2,546.27.

Bond prices, which move opposite yields, rose as investors quickly fled stocks. The 10-year Treasury note's yield fell to 4.74 percent from 4.81 percent late Monday.

Oil prices closed above $78 a barrel for the first time Tuesday on the New York Mercantile Exchange, advancing $1.38 to $78.21.

The was mixed against other major currencies. Gold prices closed higher on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

"Everyone is walking on pins and needles and with the gains that were behind everybody I think they're a little more susceptible to the bad news," Amato said, referring to the tenuous nature of the session's early rally.

The initial gains came after a mixed batch of economic reports. The Commerce Department's year-over-year core personal consumption expenditures - a closely watched inflation measure - rose 1.9 percent in June, within the Federal Reserve's comfort zone. The report also showed that personal spending last month inched up 0.1 percent, its slowest pace in nine months.

And while a report from the Conference Board indicated that consumer confidence jumped to a six-year high, June construction spending dipped and the July Chicago purchasing manager's index indicated weaker-than-expected growth. The report is considered a precursor to the Institute for Supply Management's national manufacturing index, which will be released Wednesday.

The market had received a boost from better-than-expected earnings from automaker GM and Sun Microsystems, which makes networking equipment. The stock market's gains Monday and more measured moves Tuesday follow last week's sharp pullback, which was fueled by persistent worries that a deteriorating lending environment will make it harder for companies to borrow money.

As the market's turnaround Tuesday shows, investors should expect continued volatility, one observer noted.

"The bottom line is volatility has picked up, and it's going to continue to pick up," said Jeff Schappe, chief investment officer at BB&T Asset Management, adding that there's potential for the market to drop another 5 percent. Last week, the Dow Jones industrial average tumbled about 5 percent from its record close of 14,000.41, reached earlier in July.

"I think investors need to not focus on the day-to-day volatility in the market, and look at the longer term," Schappe said. He noted that while credit jitters will keep riling the market for a while, the long-term view looks positive.

In corporate news, American Home fell $9.42, or 90 percent, to $1.05 following disclosure of its difficulties.

Moody's Investors Service tightened its standards Tuesday for so-called Alt-A loans, which are above supbrime but below prime loans in terms of credit quality. The move could stir concerns that credit problems are spreading beyond subprime loans to a higher quality of borrower.

GM fell 21 cents to $32.40. The stock had been up much of the session after releasing its better-than-expected quarterly earnings. The company said it benefited from higher sales in markets worldwide.

Sun Microsystems jumped 21 cents, or 4.3 percent, to $5.10.

Though core inflation - which strips out volatile food and energy prices - has been registering at fairly mild levels, many investors are still concerned that energy prices will keep crimping consumer spending.

Investors also remain worried about credit getting tighter due to the faltering housing market. On Tuesday, a housing index released by Standard & Poor's showed that U.S. home prices fell for a fifth consecutive month in May by the steepest drop in about 16 years.

However, merger and acquisition activity hasn't appeared to be damped yet by tougher lending standards.

Billionaire investor Nelson Peltz's Triarc Cos. said he is willing to offer $37 to $41 a share to buy Wendy's International Inc., while The Wall Street Journal reported that its parent company, Dow Jones & Co., and Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. are close to a deal. The Bancroft family, controlling shareholders of Dow Jones, agreed to vote in favor of News Corp's bid, the newspaper reported.

Wendy's rose $1.34, or 4 percent, to $35.03.

Dow Jones shares rose $5.82, or 11.3 percent, to $57.38, while News Corp. fell 18 cents to $22.66.

Declining issues outnumbered advancers on the New York Stock Exchange, where volume came to 2.21 billion shares compared with 2.03 billion traded Monday.

The Russell 2000 index of smaller companies fell 8.16, or 1.04 percent, to 776.07.

In Asian trading, Japan's Nikkei stock average fell 0.23 percent, Hong Kong's Hang Seng index jumped 1.96 percent, and China's Shanghai Composite Index rose 0.7 percent to a new record.

In European trading, Britain's FTSE 100 rose 2.48 percent, Germany's DAX index advanced 1.71 percent, and France's CAC-40 rose 1.85 percent.

---

On the Net:

New York Stock Exchange: http://www.nyse.com

Nasdaq Stock Market: http://www.nasdaq.com

Nation & world

Obama signs 9/11

responders bill

HONOLULU - President Barack Obama has signed into law a bill toprovide aid to survivors of the Sept. 11 attacks and firstresponders who became ill working in the ruins at the World TradeCenter.

The bill was one of the last measures Congress passed beforeadjourning in December. Some Republicans were concerned with how topay for the bill and they tried to block the measure. But theydropped their opposition after lawmakers struck a compromise toreduce the costs

The $4.2 billion measure will be paid for with a fee on someforeign companies that get U.S. government procurement contracts

Obama signed the bill from Hawaii, where he's vacationing withhis family.

Suspect dies after shot from stun gun

CLEVELAND - Authorities say a 40-year-old Cleveland man who wassubdued with a stun gun following a traffic stop has died.

A police spokesman tells The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer that whenofficers stopped Rodney Brown Sr. on Friday night, he "becameuncooperative and combative."

Sgt. Keith Campbell says Brown ran from police. He resistedarrest when officers caught up with him, and they used the stun gun.

Paramedics were called, which is routine when a stun gun is used.Brown appeared to go into cardiac arrest and was taken to ahospital. Medical examiner spokesman Powell Caesar says Brown waspronounced dead at 10:25 p.m. Friday.

The Cuyahoga County medical examiner's office will rule on whatcaused the death.

Boy, 4, drowns

in farm manure pit

LANCASTER, Pa. - Authorities say a 4-year-old boy apparently fellinto a partially frozen liquid manure pit on his family's farm incentral Pennsylvania and drowned.

Police say Josiah Martin was playing with two siblings and aneighbor child Saturday morning on the farm just outside New Hollandwhen he wandered off. He was later found face-down in the 8-foot-deep pit and pronounced dead at the scene.

Officer Troy Deshong says it's unclear how the boy got into thepit. It's surrounded by a chain-link fence and 42 feet in diameter.He tells the (Lancaster) Sunday News that the boy's mother said hemight have been trying to retrieve a dog.

Family says teen

killed at train stop

ATLANTA - Friends and family say a 14-year-old boy who went outfor a midnight celebration was knifed to death at a downtown Atlantatrain station.

Relatives say Rueben Hand died early Saturday when his throat wascut.

Diamante Drake tells WGCL-TV he was with Hand following the NewYear's Eve Peach Drop in Atlanta. Drake, who's 18, says Rueben and afriend were about to get on a MARTA train when a man accused them ofstealing his cell phone.

The teens told the man they didn't have his phone and an argumentfollowed. Drake says that's when the man stabbed Hand.

Lyle Harris is a spokeskman for MARTA, Atlanta's transit system.He confirms that the slaying happened early Saturday but says policeare not identifying the victim because he was a juvenile.

COMPILED FROM WIRE REPORTS

Nation & world

Obama signs 9/11

responders bill

HONOLULU - President Barack Obama has signed into law a bill toprovide aid to survivors of the Sept. 11 attacks and firstresponders who became ill working in the ruins at the World TradeCenter.

The bill was one of the last measures Congress passed beforeadjourning in December. Some Republicans were concerned with how topay for the bill and they tried to block the measure. But theydropped their opposition after lawmakers struck a compromise toreduce the costs

The $4.2 billion measure will be paid for with a fee on someforeign companies that get U.S. government procurement contracts

Obama signed the bill from Hawaii, where he's vacationing withhis family.

Suspect dies after shot from stun gun

CLEVELAND - Authorities say a 40-year-old Cleveland man who wassubdued with a stun gun following a traffic stop has died.

A police spokesman tells The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer that whenofficers stopped Rodney Brown Sr. on Friday night, he "becameuncooperative and combative."

Sgt. Keith Campbell says Brown ran from police. He resistedarrest when officers caught up with him, and they used the stun gun.

Paramedics were called, which is routine when a stun gun is used.Brown appeared to go into cardiac arrest and was taken to ahospital. Medical examiner spokesman Powell Caesar says Brown waspronounced dead at 10:25 p.m. Friday.

The Cuyahoga County medical examiner's office will rule on whatcaused the death.

Boy, 4, drowns

in farm manure pit

LANCASTER, Pa. - Authorities say a 4-year-old boy apparently fellinto a partially frozen liquid manure pit on his family's farm incentral Pennsylvania and drowned.

Police say Josiah Martin was playing with two siblings and aneighbor child Saturday morning on the farm just outside New Hollandwhen he wandered off. He was later found face-down in the 8-foot-deep pit and pronounced dead at the scene.

Officer Troy Deshong says it's unclear how the boy got into thepit. It's surrounded by a chain-link fence and 42 feet in diameter.He tells the (Lancaster) Sunday News that the boy's mother said hemight have been trying to retrieve a dog.

Family says teen

killed at train stop

ATLANTA - Friends and family say a 14-year-old boy who went outfor a midnight celebration was knifed to death at a downtown Atlantatrain station.

Relatives say Rueben Hand died early Saturday when his throat wascut.

Diamante Drake tells WGCL-TV he was with Hand following the NewYear's Eve Peach Drop in Atlanta. Drake, who's 18, says Rueben and afriend were about to get on a MARTA train when a man accused them ofstealing his cell phone.

The teens told the man they didn't have his phone and an argumentfollowed. Drake says that's when the man stabbed Hand.

Lyle Harris is a spokeskman for MARTA, Atlanta's transit system.He confirms that the slaying happened early Saturday but says policeare not identifying the victim because he was a juvenile.

COMPILED FROM WIRE REPORTS

Nation & world

Obama signs 9/11

responders bill

HONOLULU - President Barack Obama has signed into law a bill toprovide aid to survivors of the Sept. 11 attacks and firstresponders who became ill working in the ruins at the World TradeCenter.

The bill was one of the last measures Congress passed beforeadjourning in December. Some Republicans were concerned with how topay for the bill and they tried to block the measure. But theydropped their opposition after lawmakers struck a compromise toreduce the costs

The $4.2 billion measure will be paid for with a fee on someforeign companies that get U.S. government procurement contracts

Obama signed the bill from Hawaii, where he's vacationing withhis family.

Suspect dies after shot from stun gun

CLEVELAND - Authorities say a 40-year-old Cleveland man who wassubdued with a stun gun following a traffic stop has died.

A police spokesman tells The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer that whenofficers stopped Rodney Brown Sr. on Friday night, he "becameuncooperative and combative."

Sgt. Keith Campbell says Brown ran from police. He resistedarrest when officers caught up with him, and they used the stun gun.

Paramedics were called, which is routine when a stun gun is used.Brown appeared to go into cardiac arrest and was taken to ahospital. Medical examiner spokesman Powell Caesar says Brown waspronounced dead at 10:25 p.m. Friday.

The Cuyahoga County medical examiner's office will rule on whatcaused the death.

Boy, 4, drowns

in farm manure pit

LANCASTER, Pa. - Authorities say a 4-year-old boy apparently fellinto a partially frozen liquid manure pit on his family's farm incentral Pennsylvania and drowned.

Police say Josiah Martin was playing with two siblings and aneighbor child Saturday morning on the farm just outside New Hollandwhen he wandered off. He was later found face-down in the 8-foot-deep pit and pronounced dead at the scene.

Officer Troy Deshong says it's unclear how the boy got into thepit. It's surrounded by a chain-link fence and 42 feet in diameter.He tells the (Lancaster) Sunday News that the boy's mother said hemight have been trying to retrieve a dog.

Family says teen

killed at train stop

ATLANTA - Friends and family say a 14-year-old boy who went outfor a midnight celebration was knifed to death at a downtown Atlantatrain station.

Relatives say Rueben Hand died early Saturday when his throat wascut.

Diamante Drake tells WGCL-TV he was with Hand following the NewYear's Eve Peach Drop in Atlanta. Drake, who's 18, says Rueben and afriend were about to get on a MARTA train when a man accused them ofstealing his cell phone.

The teens told the man they didn't have his phone and an argumentfollowed. Drake says that's when the man stabbed Hand.

Lyle Harris is a spokeskman for MARTA, Atlanta's transit system.He confirms that the slaying happened early Saturday but says policeare not identifying the victim because he was a juvenile.

COMPILED FROM WIRE REPORTS

Nigeria to renew health checks after player death

ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — Nigeria's football governing body has set up a medical committee to draft health policies after a player died during a game in the country's topflight.

The Nigerian Football Federation said in a statement Monday it had asked four doctors who specialize in heart disease and doping issues to draft the policies.

The …

A nation of juice addicts?

healthmatters

Think your kids are doing the right thing by drinking juice instead of soda? Think again, says the American Academy of Pediatrics' Committee on Nutrition. In a recent issue of Pediatrics, the committee explained that while fruit juice is a healthy, natural source of vitamins and, in some instances, calcium, drinking too much of it can be detrimental. Because juice tastes good, children readily drink it. Overconsumption of massmarket super-sweetened juice, however, could lead to tooth decay, diarrhea and childhood obesity. It is recommended that juice should be limited to four to six ounces for children ages 1 to 6 and eight to 12 ounces for children ages 7 to 18.

CURIOUS TIMES

A PHOTOCOPY OF BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU

If you still work in an office with one of those snack boxes that work on the honor system (yum ... free snacks!), you'll love this finding from psychologists at Newcastle University who discovered that simply hanging up a picture of a pair of human eyes in the coffee room almost tripled the amount of money paid by students in the psychology department. The experiment was carried out over the course of several months, with new price lists posted each week. While the prices of the drinks remained the same, a picture at the top of the price list alternated between flowers or human faces with eyes which looked directly at the observer. The …

Statistical quality control practices in clothing industry.(Report)

1. INTRODUCTION

Nowadays, we cannot imagine a world without textiles, and especially without quality textiles. Thus, all the producers are trying to offer to their clients the best quality items, making efforts to assure this quality level with specific practices and using statistical control techniques (Kayaalp & Erdogan, 2009).

The increasing competition in the clothing market has forced manufacturers to put into practice the concept of Total Quality and to adopt Zero Defects policy. If in the past were accepted levels of 1.5 or 4% defects, today there are companies that measured their production error in percentages per million (Atilgan, 2007). Since obtaining a high quality 100% is impossible just by inspection, the actual direction is to reduce the importance of product checking and enlarge on the process control.

This paper presents an application of Quality Management principles for "trousers" product, which is concluded through an action plan for improving product quality level. In this study quality management tools, like flow chart, histograms, Pareto chart, cause and effect diagram are used to establish specific inspection methods adapted for each defect type and to prevent their appearance in product.

2. PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS

Our case study was achieved based on trousers manufacturing process in a famous clothing company from Sibiu. The …

`We hold these truths ...'.(Main)

This is the text of the Declaration of Independence, ratified in Philadelphia on July 4, 1776. We wanted to reprint it again this year so that others might reread it.

When in the course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation. We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.

That whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness. Prudence, indeed, will …

SUPPLY AND DEMAND - Case study: Tamiflu.(production data of Tamiflu medicine)

The influenza virus kills 500,000 worldwide every year. Last year in the US, nearly 40,000 people died of the disease, exceeding epidemic status. Flu is considered such a serious threat to health that most countries routinely vaccinate the elderly and those with weak immune systems. Now the prospect of an avian flu pandemic* is causing whole nations to question whether they have enough medication to fight the illness. Swiss pharmaceutical company, Roche, is the owner of the world's best known flu medicine - Tamiflu.

Supply concerns

The company enjoys the reputation of being a leader in its field. However, this reputation has also made it the target for …

Interior Ministry projects ruling Socialists winning 8 of 13 regional races in Greek vote

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Interior Ministry projects ruling …

Y Dudalen Gymraeg

Newyddion Ysgol y Dderwen Eisteddfod yr Urdd -- Llongyfarchiadaumawr i Andrea Chang Jones a ddaeth yn 2ail ar yr unawd piano dan 12,i Hanna Medi Davies a ddaeth yn gyntaf ar yr unawd i flwyddyn 3 a 4ac hefyd yn 2ail ar yr unawd cerdd dant i flwyddyn 3 a 4 ac i'r CorCerdd Dant a ddaeth yn drydydd. Yn sgil ei llwyddiant yngnghystadleuaeth yr unawd bydd Hanna yn cael y cyfle i fynd iDisneyland Paris gyda rhai o enillwyr rhai o'r cystadlaethau eraill.Cwis Llyfrau Cymraeg -- Llongyfarchiadau mawr i griw blwyddyn 3 a 4a fu cystadlu yn y rownd genedlaethol yn Aberystwyth yn ddiweddar.Cawsant dro da iawn gan lwyddo i gael perfformio ar y llwyfan.Aelodau'r tim oedd Mali Hughes, …

Cohen recalls Duane Reade's emergence.(My Turn)(Eli Cohen)

Some 51 years ago--in late 1959 to be precise--Eli Cohen, a 33-year-old entrepreneur with a retailing background that leaned heavily to apparel, opened a 500-foot "cut-rate" store on Broadway, between Duane and Reade Streets, in Manhattan. The store mainly sold health and beauty aids, and its appeal, at a time when Fair Trade laws were being seriously questioned for the first time, was price. "Even though Fair Trade pricing on national brands was still protected, we believed we had an opportunity to be less stringent in following Fair Trade prices," says Cohen today. "Turns out we were right. We had injunctions issued against us. But it never went further than that."

The store was a …

Strike affects local business.

THE continuing postal strike is causing chaos for a mail order firm which is handling hundreds of calls from customers wanting to trace their deliveries.

Internet order gifts and products company Kapowgifts.co.uk sends out more than 1,000 items a week by Royal Mail from its centre in Chapel Street, Bridlington.

John Redshaw, who runs the despatch side of the business, fears it could get much worse as Christmas approaches when demand may treble.

"We are just having to tell worried customers to hang on if they can but we are also having to give refunds and try to get goods back.

Parcels get lost and even if it is resolved quickly there will …

ISABELLE SEWELL.(CAPITAL REGION)

RENSSELAER -- Isabelle Sewell, 76, of Fourth Ave. died Friday after a brief illness. Born in Ticonderoga, NY she lived in the capital district most of her life and was a homemaker. Wife of Robert Sewell, survivors include three daughters, Betty J. McMillan of Huntington, VT, Barbara Ellis of Rensselaer and Susan Sewell of East Schodack; three sons, Robert Sewell of Petersburgh, Richard …

Rogers : Mayor wants updated study of TIF district.

Rogers Mayor Steve Womack has asked a California company to update its economic feasibility study on the city's tax increment financing district without using contested millage originally …

No. 10 UTAH 13, No. 11 TCU 10

TCU 10 0 0 0_10

Utah 3 3 0 7_13

First Quarter

TCU_FG Evans 37, 9:54.

TCU_Christian 3 run (Evans kick), 6:16.

Utah_FG Sakoda 49, 2:37.

Second Quarter

Utah_FG Sakoda 37, :00.

Fourth Quarter

Utah_Brown 9 pass from B.Johnson (Sakoda kick), :48.

A_45,666.

___

TCU …

Sun, Soil, Satellites and Statistics

The rain may pour, the sun may pound, but Kelly Robertson doesn't mind. He's a southern Illinois farmer who's always drawn a living from nature.

Between Rubenacker Farms in Dahlgren, Ill. - the commercial crop farm he helps manage - and his own fields down the road, Robertson oversees more than 9,300 acres of corn, wheat and soybeans.

His crops travel more than he ever has, part of the $200 billion worth of agricultural products grown in the U.S. each year, and the

$68 billion to be exported this year to South Korea, Venezuela, Saudi Arabia and other points around the world.

Ten years ago, a grain farmer walked the fields and stooped to run his fingers …

-Mazda Motor Corporation starts production of new Axela in Japan.

Auto Business News-August 9, 2011--Mazda Motor Corporation starts production of new Axela in Japan(C)1994-2011 ENPublishing - http://www.enpublishing.co.uk

Auto Business News - 09 August 2011

Mazda Motor Corporation (TYO: 7261), a Japan-based automaker, has started production of its new Axela compact in Japan.

The model is to arrive …

James Bond: The Secret World of 007.(book)(Brief article)(Book review)

James Bond: The Secret World of 007

Alasdair Dougall

DK Publishing Inc.

375 Hudson Street, New York NY 10014-3658

0756623049 $24.99 www.dk.com

James Bond fans, take note: this is a revised edition of a best-seller on the superspy created in colalboration with EON Productions, producer of his films, and has been updated to add his most recent movies. Newcomers as well as avid …

Dumpster diver snagged with MLB player data.(Major League Baseball )(Brief article)

A 38-year-old Chicago man was arrested last week for allegedly stealing folders filled with personal information from the trash-making off with pay stubs, financial records and Social Security numbers of hundreds of individuals, including a star-studded list of about 100 former and current Major League Baseball players.

Authorities working on the case say David Dright may not have known whose information he was taking out of a dumpster near the offices of Northbrook, Ill.-based SFX Baseball Group, which handles contracts for professional baseball players.

Among players whose information was found in Dright's home were: Chicago White Sox slugger Jim Thome, New …

European stocks surge after Citigroup bailout

European stock markets closed massively higher Monday, with investors buoyed by the bold rescue of Citigroup and the announcement of U.S. President-elect Barack Obama's new economic leadership team.

A fiscal stimulus plan in Britain also boosted sentiment.

The FTSE 100 index of leading British shares ended the day up 9.8 percent at 4,152.96, while Germany's DAX surged 10.3 percent to 4,554.33. The CAC-40 in France closed up 10.1 percent at 3,172.11.

In the United States, the Dow Jones industrial average was up 4.2 percent at 8,383.89.

Investors cheered the U.S. government's plan to take a $20 billion stake in Citigroup and guarantee …

Hoyt plea-bargains, rips drug rehab

The White Sox have problems. And they used to have LaMarr Hoyt.But at least they don't have LaMarr Hoyt's problems.

Hoyt, traded before last season to the San Diego Padres, hasagreed to plead guilty to a public nuisance charge in exchange forhaving weapons and drug counts dropped, a prosecutor said yesterday.The arrangement is expected to be formalized today, said StuartSwett, chief deputy city attorney in charge of the criminal divisionin San Diego.

Hoyt, who makes $1 million a year, would be sentenced to threeyears' probation and fined $350 and would have to pay an additional$25 to a state crime victims' restitution fund.

"We have treated him like …

REGION SUNDA.(Capital Region)

Cat Adoptathon

Friends of the Saratoga County Animal Shelter present a Cat Festival & Adoptathon from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday at the Saratoga County Fairgrounds, 162 Prospect St., Ballston Spa. Admission is free. Donations are welcome. 583-1080. Wine and food

The Saratoga Wine & Food Festival continues from noon to 5 p.m. …