Estelle Getty of 'Golden Girls' dies at 84

Estelle Getty, the diminutive actress who spent 40 years struggling for success before landing a role of a lifetime in 1985 as the sarcastic octogenarian Sophia on TV's "The Golden Girls," has died. She was 84.

Getty, who suffered from advanced dementia, died at about 5:30 a.m. Tuesday at her Hollywood Boulevard home, said her son, Carl Gettleman of Santa Monica.

"She was loved throughout the world in six continents, and if they loved sitcoms in Antarctica she would have been loved on seven continents," her son said. "She was one of the most talented comedic actresses who ever lived."

"The Golden Girls," featuring four female retirees sharing a house in Miami, grew out of NBC programming chief Brandon Tartikoff's belief that television was ignoring its older viewers.

Three of its stars had already appeared in previous series: Bea Arthur in "Maude," Betty White in "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" and Rue McClanahan in "Mama's Family." The last character to be cast was Sophia Petrillo, the feisty 80-something mother of Arthur's character.

When she auditioned, Getty was appearing on stage in Hollywood as the carping Jewish mother in Harvey Fierstein's play "Torch Song Trilogy." In her early 60s, she flunked her "Golden Girls" test twice because it was believed she didn't look old enough to play 80.

"I could understand that," she told an interviewer a year after the show debuted. "I walk fast, I move fast, I talk fast."

She came prepared for the third audition, however, wearing dowdy clothes and telling an NBC makeup artist, "To you this is just a job. To me it's my entire career down the toilet unless you make me look 80." The artist did, Getty got the job and won two Emmys.

It culminated a long struggle for success during which Getty worked low-paying office jobs to help support her family while she tried to make it as a stage actress.

"I knew I could be seduced by success in another field, so I'd say, 'Don't promote me, please,'" she recalled.

She also appeared in small parts in a handful of films and TV movies during that time, including "Tootsie," "Deadly Force" and "Victims for Victims: The Theresa Saldana Story."

After her success in "The Golden Girls," other roles came her way. She played Cher's mother in "Mask," Sylvester Stallone's in "Stop or My Mom Will Shoot" and Barry Manilow's in the TV film "Copacabana." Other credits included "Mannequin" and "Stuart Little" (as the voice of Grandma Estelle).

"The Golden Girls," which ran from 1985 to 1992, was an immediate hit, and Sophia, who began as a minor character, soon evolved into a major one.

Audiences particularly loved the verbal zingers Getty would hurl at the other three. When McClanahan's libidinous character Blanche once complained that her life was an open book, Sophia shot back, "Your life's an open blouse."

Getty had gained a knack for one-liners in her late teens when she did standup comedy at a Catskills hotel. Female comedians were rare in those days, however, and she bombed.

Undeterred, she continued to pursue a career in entertainment, and while her parents were encouraging, her father also insisted that she learn office skills so she would have something to fall back on.

Born Estelle Scher to Polish immigrants in New York, Getty fell in love with theater when she saw a vaudeville show at age 4.

She married New York businessman Arthur Gettleman (the source of her stage name) in 1947, and they had two sons, Carl and Barry. The marriage prevailed despite her long absences on the road and in "The Golden Girls."

Getty was evasive about her height, acknowledging only that she was "under 5 feet and under 100 pounds."

In addition to her son Carl, Getty is survived by son Barry Gettleman, of Miami; a brother, David Scher of London; and a sister, Rosilyn Howard of Las Vegas.

http://tv.yahoo.com/show/30728/news/urn:newsml:tv.ap.org:20080722:obit_getty

Only one Starbucks closure brewing for Arizona

The Valley has dodged the Starbucks bullet, at least so far.

According to a list, released Friday, detailing the locations of 600 stores the coffee purveyor is set to close, just one Arizona store will close; the Eloy location at 4985 N. Sunland Gin Road.

In comparison, 88 California stores are set to close and 19 in Washington state .

Exact dates for store closings haven't been set, but closures will begin this month and continue through next year, according to the company.

And although it released a detailed list Friday, the Seattle-based company said that list could change depending on market factors or other events.

Starbucks (NASDAQ: SBUX) said it be closing the stores as a way to improve performance across its retail network.

http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/stories/2008/07/14/daily67.html

Hall of a parade: New and old, all-stars ride high in New York

Bob Gibson wore a smile, rather than a scowl.

Known for throwing hard, high and tight, the no-nonsense pitcher presented a much different face Tuesday. He waved to thousands of fans and beamed for their snapshots as a parade of Hall of Famers rolled through midtown Manhattan in a prelude to the all-star game.

Hey Gibby, going soft on us at 72? Not even one glare for the crowd?

"I really am getting tired of it," the St. Louis Cardinals great said. He was joking, sort of.

"I didn't do half the things they said I did," he said. "They said I was always knocking guys down and hitting guys. But I won a game or two in there."

Gibson and Gary Carter rode together for the 1 1/2-mile route up the Avenue of the Americas - and down baseball's memory lane.

Yogi Berra, George Brett and 40-some Hall of Famers took part, too, sitting in the back of shiny pickup trucks. The two-hour procession included the present stars playing in Tuesday night's showcase at Yankee Stadium.

Bob Feller recalled the first all-star game held at the big ballyard in the Bronx - it was 1939, and the 20-year-old fireballer threw 3 2-3 scoreless innings to preserve an AL win.

On that day, the men who would become monuments were on the field. Joe DiMaggio homered and an ill Lou Gehrig was an honorary captain.

"I was not much in awe," said Feller, the oldest living Hall player at 89. "I had good stuff that day. I threw that overhand high fastball out of the bleachers. We figured the National League hitters hadn't seen it."

Outside of Cooperstown, baseball hadn't seen such a galaxy of stars for quite a while.

Fans who were at Fenway Park for the 1999 all-star game still rave about the scene that night for a rousing salute to Ted Williams. Canadian tough guy Larry Walker teared up, Mark McGwire leaned in for a listen and Tony Gwynn steadied Williams for the ceremonial first pitch.

Then again, all-star games often are about moments more than results. Reggie Jackson hitting the light tower, Cal Ripken homering in his final game, Pete Rose running over Ray Fosse.

Baseball hoped this blend of old and new would create a lasting image at a ballpark in its last season.

Gibson spent very little time at Yankee Stadium.

"Only pitched there once," he said, matter of factly.

The part he left out: That one time was Game 5 of the 1964 World Series, when he struck out 13 while going the distance in a 10-inning win.

Hank Aaron gladly shared his favourite memory at the park - Milwaukee winning Game 7 of the 1957 World Series for his only championship. That was about enough time in New York for him.

"This is not the easiest city to play in," Aaron said. "You can't shuck 'n jive the people in this city."

On this sunny afternoon, everyone got an easy ride.

Berra and Whitey Ford sat together, and it was fitting. They were the starting battery for the 1960 all-star game at Yankee Stadium.

Robin Yount and Paul Molitor rode with each other, recalling their days with the Brewers. Jim Palmer and Earl Weaver shared the same pickup. Naturally, the need-to-be-perfect pitcher and his often-ornery manager sat with their backs to each other.

New Hall electees Goose Gossage and Dick Williams drew cheers.

"I'm done writing my speech, it's about 10 minutes long. I hope I make it through," Williams said. "Tony Gwynn told me don't look at anyone in your family or you might not make it."

Plenty of fans were on hand for the parade, standing four and five deep as the players rode past Radio City Music Hall. A Cardinals rooter called out to Ozzie Smith for one more all-star performance.

"Too old, man," the Wizard said, rubbing his back.

http://canadianpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5gqiVIWhbA_QE9rgMbyjgMS0xCNHA

Willie Randolph attending All-Star Game as George Steinbrenner's guest

Willie Randolph will be a part of Tuesday night's celebration after all.

Removed from the NL coaching staff after he was fired as Mets manager following their June 16 game in Los Angeles, Randolph will attend the All-Star Game as a personal guest of Yankees owner George Steinbrenner.

Accompanied by his wife Gretchen, Randolph arrived just before 6 p.m., but steamed past a cluster of reporters waiting outside the Press Gate without commenting. He gave no response to questions from the Daily News asking if he was glad to be back at the Stadium.

The Boss also arrived about 20 minutes later, but he was surrounded by about a dozen NYPD officers. He put his weight on one of them as he also entered the Stadium without commenting to the media. Steinbrenner, who was slated to be honored by MLB and the Yankees before Tuesday night's game, smiled when someone in the crowd yelled out "We love you George."

Randolph played 13 seasons for the Yanks, making five All-Star teams and helping win back-to-back championships in 1977 and 1978, before earning four more rings as a third-base coach under Joe Torre.

"(Steinbrenner) has deep affection for him," Yanks spokesman Howard Rubenstein said. "They're still very good friends. George was delighted that he agreed to come and help celebrate the great moments in the history of Yankee Stadium."

Randolph will not be seated in Steinbrenner's personal box, but he is expected to be situated in a luxury suite on the Club level.

“That’s good. He should be here,” Mets closer Billy Wagner said. “Everyone knows he’s always going to be a Yankee. It’s good. He should be represented and honored for what he’s done. He’s a great Yankee.”

Fellow All-Star David Wright said he hasn’t spoken to Randolph since he was fired, but has exchanged several phone messages, including a “Good luck” wish from his former skipper Tuesday afternoon.

"He actually just left me a message just today,” Wright said. “It’s good for Willie. He’s obviously earned the right to come and participate in the last All-Star Game at Yankee Stadium.

“I consider Willie a very close friend of mine. He’s done tremendous things for my career. I’ll be forever grateful. I’ll keep in touch with him for as long as he wants to keep in touch with me.”

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/yankees/2008/07/15/2008-07-15_willie_randolph_attending_allstar_game_a.html

Fulfilling the need: Remote Area Medical treats hundreds at Heritage Middle

At 1:40 a.m., while most people in Blount County were asleep comfortably in their beds, Brenda Moore and hundreds of others were lined up in front of Heritage Middle School, just hoping their pre-dawn arrival had been early enough.

Remote Area Medical (RAM) -- an organization that provides free medical services for un- and under-insured individuals through volunteer doctors, nurses and other medical professionals from all over the country -- held a free clinic in Blount County Saturday and today. The group offered free medical, vision and dental services for people who could not afford them otherwise.

But the doors did not open until 6 a.m. -- hours after Moore arrived.

At about 3 p.m. -- more than 14 hours after she got to the school -- Moore was still waiting to see a dentist about her troublesome wisdom teeth. But the wait was worth it, she said, because otherwise there was no way she could afford the work she needed done.

"I think (the RAM clinic) is wonderful," she said. "So many of us just cannot afford to take off of work to go to a dentist."

Getting to Heritage Middle School as early as she did, Moore was still not the first person in line.

"Guess what my number was," she said. "134. At 1:40 in the morning."

People from as far away as Kentucky -- and some even farther than that -- made their way to the clinic Saturday. The sheer number of people in need of medical care was a shock for Moore, and it speaks to a larger problem, she said.

That problem: People need help.

"That should be the eye-opener right there," Moore said.

Within three hours of opening, the number of people seeking help overwhelmed the clinic, and staff had to stop accepting new patients. People turned away Saturday were told to come back today. Bill Hogan, president-elect of the Alcoa Kiwanis Club, said 499 people came through the doors Saturday. An additional 300 people, at least, are expected today.

"You obviously see what the need is," he said. "There's a fantastic need.

"And I think that's unrealized."

The clinic was organized by the three Blount County Kiwanis Clubs -- Alcoa, Maryville and Foothills.

Ed Kelly, a dentist from the Atlanta area, drove up Friday night and arrived at the school at about 5:30 a.m. He learned about Remote Area Medical from a TV report on "60 Minutes".

Organizers told Kelly and other volunteers to expect a lot of people. But hearing that, and seeing hundreds of people in desperate need of medical assistance who lined up before sunrise, well, those are completely different things.

"It still hits you," Kelly said. "It opens your eyes.

"It makes you see what real need is."

Kenyatta Manns, an emergency room RN from George Washington University Hospital in Washington D.C., came down to Blount County, on her own time, to volunteer in this weekend's RAM clinic.

Like Kelly, Manns said the number of people seeking help was staggering.

"I'm really overwhelmed," she said. "The need is just so great."

Zena Marashi, a senior nursing student at Knoxville's South College, was at the clinic volunteering Saturday. Since the doors opened at 6 a.m., "it's pretty much been non-stop," she said.

It's busy and it's exhausting, she said. But as long as people were still sitting in the bleachers waiting for their turn in the dentist's chair, being tired just didn't matter.

"It's like you're tired, but you feel bad for being tired," she said.

There were dentist's who had been on their feet all day long, but wouldn't take a break because that meant someone in the crowd had to wait even longer for care, Marashi said.

"It's astonishing how many people need (care)," she said. "It's really sad.

"Our country is so great in so many ways, but it doesn't seem to want to reach out to people (needing medical care)," she said. "We're still in the stone age in that regard, and it's sad."

Professionals who donated their time for the clinic -- who Marashi called "wonderful people" -- had not uttered a complaint the entire day, even though working on teeth at a middle school gymnasium was less than optimal, she said.

Moore -- who also called the medical professionals "wonderful people" -- said she was treated wonderfully by everyone at the clinic.

"All of them are so generous," she said. "They are so concerned about the patients.

"If my number comes up next, it was worth it to have gotten here at 1:40 this morning."

Hogan said organizers are planning on holding another clinic in 2010. But this weekend, this clinic, was a success, he said.

"Oh a great, great success."

http://www.thedailytimes.com/article/20080713/NEWS/630896589

Snow Brought a Measure of Dignity to White House

Even as he struggled with cancer, former White House press secretary Tony Snow told reporters: "I'm a very lucky guy."

In fact, George Bush was lucky to have had Snow as his spokesman during the period when it became clear that, while Bush could not renew his failed presidency, he could be less of an embarrassment to himself and his country.

Snow was a true-believer Republican who, to a far greater extent than many of the people around the president, took seriously the work of communicating the ideas and ideals of the Bush-Cheney presidency to the American people.

Before he joined the administration, Snow had bluntly argued in a column that the president's "wavering conservatism has become an active concern among Republicans, who wish he would stop cowering under the bed and start fighting back against the likes of Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi and Joe Wilson."

"The newly passive George Bush has become something of an embarrassment," concluded Snow.

To his credit, Bush's reaction to the criticism was to invite Snow to help him do a better job of explaining his views.

To Snow's credit, he accepted the offer.

The dynamic put Snow in a position to be more than just a mouthpiece. In an administration that has suffered from a surplus of "yes men" and "yes women," the veteran Detroit News writer and Fox News commentator joined Bush's inner circle as someone with self-respect -- and the president's respect.

That made the brief period when Snow served as White House press secretary in 2006 and 2007 a time that saw the administration display a measure of dignity. It was also a time when Bush began to put more distance between himself at the noxious influence of Vice President Cheney -- a process that continues to this day.

Unlike his predecessor, Scott McClellan, who has acknowledged that he was duped by the sleazier elements (Scooter Libby, Karl Rove, Dick Cheney) in the White House, and his successor, Dana Perino, who might charitably be described as "ridiculous," Snow was a mature adult who was not going to be duped and who cared enough about his reputation to offer up a rare commodity from this administration: honesty.

Snow's death, at age 53, after a long struggle with cancer, robbed the party to which he was resolutely loyal and the movement to which he was sincerely committed of one of its most serious and effective communicators.

George Herbert Walker Bush, with whom Snow worked almost two decades ago, may have said it best when he recalled that, "(Tony Snow) won the respect of even those who violently disagree with the president's proposals and policies. For that I think he'll be remembered. He brought a certain civility to this very contentious job."

One does not need to have agreed with Tony Snow's political views to agree with the former president's assessment.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/thenation/20080712/cm_thenation/1336564

Rohm and Haas Reaches Accord to be Acquired by The Dow Chemical Company

Rohm and Haas Company (NYSE:ROH) announced today it has entered into an agreement with The Dow Chemical Company (NYSE:DOW), under which Dow will acquire all of the outstanding shares of Rohm and Haas common stock for $78.00 per share in cash. The agreement provides that Rohm and Haas Company will retain its Philadelphia Headquarters location, and continue to do business under the Rohm and Haas name. Additionally, Dow will contribute a number of specialty chemicals business segments to the Rohm and Haas portfolio which have greater synergy with the Philadelphia Company’s established strengths.

Commenting on the announcement, Raj L. Gupta, Rohm and Haas Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, remarked: “I have relentlessly talked to our employees, customers and stockholders about the imperative to seek opportunities for transformative change. In its 100-year history, Rohm and Haas has constantly reinvented itself, and this agreement offers outstanding potential to do the same yet again.”

Gupta said: “When the transaction is completed, Rohm and Haas will:

* Have a broader and more global leadership position in a range of specialty chemicals and materials business segments;

* Have full integration opportunity through the chemical value chain which will allow for reliable and cost competitive raw materials;

* Be a critical component of the new Dow, the world’s preeminent chemical company, which has a stated vision to expand its Performance businesses;

* Retain the culture, practices, and stewardship of stakeholder interests that have long been a hallmark of the Company’s reputation, and

* Be allied with a vigorous and forward looking US-based enterprise, committed to investing in research for new technology solutions to many of the most pressing societal needs.”

Andrew N. Liveris, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Dow, said: “Rohm and Haas will bring to Dow its recognized world-class core strengths in Coatings and Electronic Materials, and a strong market-facing culture. This acquisition is the definitive step in our company’s strategy to shape The Dow of Tomorrow.” Dow will contribute complementary businesses to Rohm and Haas Company in areas such as coatings, biocides, and personal care products. As a result, annual revenue of Rohm and Haas will be approximately $13 billion.

The transaction has been unanimously approved by the Boards of Directors of both companies, and remains subject to approval by the Shareholders of Rohm and Haas, as well as customary conditions and approval of appropriate regulatory authorities. Haas family trusts, which collectively control approximately 33% of Rohm and Haas outstanding stock, have indicated their support of the Agreement. On behalf of the entire Haas family, Mr. John C. Haas, 90, expressed unwavering fidelity to Rohm and Haas and its leadership, employees and future. “I learned many years ago that there is no substitute for surrounding yourself with good and honest colleagues, and then trusting their wisdom and judgment. We support the agreement reached between Dow and Rohm and Haas; we are particularly proud the company name and Philadelphia location were deemed essential to the merits of this transaction. The value and opportunities this transaction will create are a tribute to its dedicated employees. I will always be available, if needed, to contribute to the success of this new enterprise.”

In connection with the proposed merger, Rohm and Haas will file a proxy statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). Investors and security holders are advised to read the proxy statement when it becomes available because it will contain important information about the merger and the parties to the merger. Investors and security holders may obtain a free copy of the proxy statement (when available) and other documents filed by Rohm and Haas at the SEC website at http://www.sec.gov . The proxy statement and other documents also may be obtained for free from Rohm and Haas by directing such request to Rohm and Haas, Investor Relations, telephone (215) 592-3312.

Rohm and Haas and its directors, executive officers and other members of its management and employees may be deemed participants in the solicitation of proxies from its stockholders in connection with the proposed merger. Information concerning the interests of Rohm and Haas’ participants in the solicitation, which may, in some cases, be different than those of Rohm and Haas' stockholders generally, is set forth in Rohm and Haas proxy statements and Annual Reports on Form 10-K, previously filed with the SEC, and will be set forth in the proxy statement relating to the merger when it becomes available.

This release includes forward-looking statements. Actual results could vary materially, due to changes in current expectations. The forward-looking statements contained in this announcement concerning demand for products and services, sales and earnings forecasts, and actions that may be taken to improve financial performance, involve risks and uncertainties and are subject to change based on various factors, including the cost of raw materials, natural gas, and other energy sources, and the ability to achieve price increases to offset such cost increases, development of operational efficiencies, changes in foreign currencies, changes in interest rates, the continued timely development and acceptance of new products and services, the impact of competitive products and pricing, the impact of new accounting standards, assessments for asset impairments, and the impact of tax and other legislation and regulation in the jurisdictions in which the company operates. Further information about these risks can be found in the company's SEC 10-K filing of February 21, 2008.

http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20080710005490&newsLang=en

Slur against Obama 'too crude' for TV

JESSE Jackson, a prominent US civil rights leader and failed Democratic presidential candidate, has apologised to Barack Obama for a "hurtful, crude" remark that was picked up by a TV microphone - but which one network has said is too off-colour to broadcast.

Reverend Jackson, a minister from Senator Obama's home town Chicago, said he made the comment in a private conversation with a fellow guest on a Fox News program after taping had finished, not realising microphone were still on and that his remark would be recorded.

Fox has said the comment was made to one of the network's reporters. An item on its website claimed Rev. Jackson's comment was: "I want to cut his nuts off", although another report puts it differently.

A Chicago newspaper columnist reported Rev. Jackson told him he had been talking about Senator Obama's speeches to black churches across the US about personal morality, then said: "The senator is cutting off his you-know-what with black people".

CNN later broadcast an interview with Rev. Jackson but said the remark itself was "too crude" to broadcast.

The comment is due to be broadcast on another Fox program. But Rev. Jackson sought to pre-empt that embarrassment to the Obama campaign with his apology.

"I was in a conversation with a fellow guest at Fox. He asked about Barack's speeches lately at the black churches. I said it can come off as speaking down to black people," Rev. Jackson said on CNN.

"And then I said something I felt regret for it was crude. It was very private, and very much a sound bite - and a live mike. I find no comfort in it, I find no joy in it.

"So I immediately called the senator's campaign to send my statement of apology to repair the harm or hurt that this may have caused his campaign, because I support it unequivocally."

He later told the Associated Press that he did not remember "exactly" what he said. He is due to hold a full press conference, at which the precise wording and intent of his remark might become clearer.

Obama campaign spokesman Bill Burton said the senator accepted Jackson's apology. "(Barack Obama) will continue to speak out about our responsibilities to ourselves and each other."

Rev. Jackson was an associate of civil rights icon Martin Luther King and ran for the Democratic nomination in 1984 and 1988. Last year he wrote a newspaper column questioning the commitment of the candidates - including Senator Obama - to the needs of black voters.

That even earnt him a rebuke from his son, who is now an Illinois state politician. Today, he earnt another family dressing down. "I thoroughly reject and repudiate his ugly rhetoric," Jesse Jackson jnr said.

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,23997815-5005961,00.html

Ivan Lattimore: Reporter says boyfriend attacked her

Tearfully details four violent episodes

Channel 7 sports reporter Julie Donaldson, who said she was injured in an assault last month, testified yesterday that her boyfriend threw her against a wall and punched her in the face.

Sobbing as she spoke, Donaldson said it was the latest in a series of violent episodes involving Ivan Lattimore, whom she has been dating since Thanksgiving. Lattimore has been held without bail since his arrest. Yesterday's testimony came during a hearing to determine whether Lattimore poses a threat to Donaldson. The hearing will continue today.

A sports reporter at WHDH-TV since March, Donaldson is a graduate of the University of Florida and former Miss Florida USA. Before coming to Boston, she worked at SportsNet New York.

Lattimore lives in California, but Donaldson said he visits her every few weeks, staying with her in her Back Bay apartment. Donaldson told the court that Lattimore plays professional Slamball, a variation of basketball using trampolines.

Questioned yesterday by Assistant Suffolk District Attorney Patrick Devlin, Donaldson at first identified herself as Julie Cochrane. She explained that she is married but that her divorce is nearly final.

Since she and Lattimore started dating, Donaldson said, there have been at least four violent episodes. The first, she said, occurred at the Super Bowl in Arizona and resulted in bruises on her arms. "I wore a long sleeve shirt and didn't tell anyone," she said.

The second attack was more serious, she said. After a Celtics game against the Miami Heat on March 30, Donaldson said that she lied to Lattimore about her whereabouts and that he was waiting for her when she returned to her apartment.

"He grabbed me by my hair and took my hands by my wrists and made me punch my face," she said, adding that she had to miss work the next day because of bruises on her face. A few months ago, she said, another fight ensued after a night of drinking at Sonsie on Newbury Street.

At 6-foot-4 and 215 pounds, Lattimore is an imposing presence. Dressed yesterday in a pink pinstripe shirt and baggy jeans, he sat shackled and largely expressionless while Donaldson detailed the alleged abuse.

Donaldson said the latest assault took place in Donaldson's Exeter Street apartment after a night of dancing and drinking at the Back Bay nightclub Saint. On June 27, Lattimore's 32d birthday, Donaldson said she, her boyfriend, and another man went to the club. They drank several shots of liquor, she said, and bought rounds of drinks for others at the bar. At closing time, she said, Lattimore paid the $386 bar tab, and the drunken crowd spilled out onto the street. Wanting to "keep the party going," Donaldson said, she invited a group of six young women back to her apartment around 2 a.m. on June 28.

One of the women, Sounsano Phouthavoq, testified yesterday that Lattimore groped one of her friends at the apartment. Alarmed, the women tried to leave, Phouthavoq said. She said Lattimore became angry and grabbed her by the hair. When Donaldson tried to calm him, Phouthavoq said he threw his girlfriend approximately 5 feet against a wall.

"He snapped and went into a rage," Donaldson told Judge Raymond Dougan Jr.

Donaldson said she ran to her bedroom and locked the door, but Lattimore kicked it in. He punched her in the face at least twice, she said, and also bit her on the left cheek. "I remember a slow motion punch coming from the right side of my face," she said, weeping.

Donaldson said she managed to escape to the street, where she was met by the six young women and the police.

"She was crawling around the corner, saying, 'He's coming after me; he's going to kill me," Rosalyn Pen, one of the women, said in court. "It was like a Lifetime movie. I'd never seen anything like it."

Donaldson, who's filed a restraining order against Lattimore, said her boyfriend called her 47 times on her cellphone immediately after his arrest. She said he doesn't understand why he's in jail, and encouraged her to tell police they were playing a game.

http://www.boston.com/sports/other_sports/articles/2008/07/09/reporter_says_boyfriend_attacked_her/?p1=Well_MostPop_Emailed2

U.S. should invest more in natgas, wind power: Pickens

T. Boone Pickens on Tuesday called for greater investment in natural gas and wind power as part of "The Pickens Plan" launched by the oil tycoon aimed at reducing U.S. foreign oil dependence by a third.

"The plan calls for investing in power generation from domestic renewable resources, such as wind and using our abundant supplies of natural gas as a transportation fuel, replacing more than one-third of our imported oil, saving more than $230 billion a year," according to a press release from BP Capital, a hedge fund headed by Pickens.

http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssEnergyNews/idUSN0826319520080708

Iguazu: an Incredible Journey

Visiting the falls of Iguazu was one of the adventures I have been planning in my mind for a long time. I have been to other large parks with falls, like Niagara, the Salto del Laja (Harbour Falls), the Petrohue Falls. Going to Iguazu from Chile is both simple and cheap. It was during our last visit to Chile that we decided to take several days to accomplish this journey. There are three flights weekly between the city of Iquique in Chile’s norte grande (main north) and Ciudad del Este (“city of the east”) in the easternmost part of Paraguay. Mercosur flies there in new airplanes and the trip to Asunción takes two hours, plus a further 50 minutes to reach Ciudad del Este. The views during the flight of the Andes and the Chaco are marvellous. We flew over the copper mine of Chuquicamata, and the passed close to volcanoes like Lancancabur and Lascar.

It is best to make travel arrangements through an agent who will take care of planning your itinerary, transfers, hotels, park visits, and so on. From Ciudad del Este it takes about an hour to drive to Foz de Iguazu on the Brazilian side of the falls. The Iguazu river, empties into the Parana River, which forms a natural boundary between Argentina, Paraguay and Brazil. The Foz de Iguazu National Park lies twenty-five Km. above this juncture. We checked into a very good hotel in Foz and the following morning our guide arrived early to begin our visit to the Brazilian side of the Falls.

For those of you who have not visited this park, let me assure you that the views are indescribable, and if you have been to Niagara, here is a comparison: Iguazu is a coming-together of between 150 and 500 falls between Argentina and Brazil. The number of these cataracts depends upon the water which flows down the Iguazu from the Brazilian Mato Grosso. This year has been very dry, so there were about 150 falls. Iguazu is 72 m high and drops 1,750 m3/sec., as compared to Niagara which falls 51 m. with a volume five times that of Iguazu, or 7,500 m3/sec. The big difference is in the surroundings. Iguazu Foz Park is virgin forest with more than 185,000 hectares, and limited access. Here there are all types of wild animals: tigers, jaguars, monkeys, coatis, alligators, crocodiles, serpents, and poisonous spiders.

“Iguazu” in the Guaraní language means “big water.” (“I” is water and “guazu” means “big.”) There is only one entrance to the park and private vehicles are not admitted. All passengers are brought in via comfortable open trailers towed by jeeps. No one is allowed to wander off the paths and roads of the park. Guides point out items of interest along the way. I have jotted down the following in my travel diary: orchids, lianas, araceas, junipers, perobios, alecrim. The Iguazu rises out of the Sierra Madre of Brazil and is 1,230 km long. The palmera or palmito-doce, from the heart of which is extracted the delicious palmito, grows very tall. The tree is said to take between 10 and 15 years to mature, and this variety of palm dies when the palmito which grows at the top of the tree is harvested. The bark from this and other plants produces pilocarpina (shampoo), medicine to treat glaucoma, thousands more medicinal plants like the Jaboranyí. The “ladders” from the lianas are used to treat diabetes. The orchids grow to immense proportions in the treetops. They blossom once a year and the Guaraní people coincide their “New Year” with this flowering. The Timbauva tree grows reaches a height of 25 m and matures at the age of 100 years. The indians used their trunks to make their dugout canoes. They burned the centre and continued to scrape it out; this process took almost two years. The bark of this tree absorbs oxygen from the water. The natives used it to fish, throwing huge numbers of tree trunks in the water and waiting for the fish to asphyxiate and float to the top. Other interesting names of trees: Angico Mermello, Uvaina, Lauro Blanco, Maria Preta, el Jeriba, and Costela de Adao.

We left the trailer and hiked through the forest on a narrow road to a small cataract, the Salto de Macuto, which drops 25 m and forms a pool of crystal-clear water. The humidity is heavy but since the flora is so thick, the temperature is a constant 25° the year round. On the walls of the rocks are semi-precious stones: quartz and agate. The path continues across the tropical forest until it arrives at a landing where zodiac inflatable launches, each with two 150-horse-power outboard motors, await the passengers. Twenty to 25 climb in each, all wearing orange life vests. The rafts cross the rapids of the river, going up one side and down the other. It is quite exciting, and I confess that not being a person who is overly fond of rapids, I felt a little frightened. The Brazilian side is the best side to enjoy the cataracts, since there are only four large falls in Brazil and the rest of the falls are on the Argentine side.

At the base of the huge chasm that forms the Devil’s Gorge (La garganta del Diablo) is found the most spectacular cataract. The water looks as though it were boiling, raising clouds of spray which in the light form giant rainbows that entirely transverse the falls. On the return, it is possible to make a little walking tour of the upper part of the falls. There are lookouts at various levels that extend over the falls and precipices from where one can survey the falls in all their glory. In this area, coatis roam among the tourists; they are the park mascots.

There is a bronze plaque engraved with this psalm that reflects the awe this natural wonder inspires:

Mightier than the thunders of many waters,

Mightier than the waves of the sea.

The Lord on High is mightier!!

Psalm 93:4

God is always greater than all our troubles.

That evening we had a guided tour of the hydroelectric complex, the largest in the world. It is located at Itaipu on the Paraguay River between Brazil and Paraguay. Some of the following facts attest to its status as one of the major man-made marvels of the 20th century.

It can produce 12,600 megawatts (akin to thirty-six 350-MW units burning coal. These coal fired plants take five years to construct and are the prime source of contamination in our planet today). Itaipu has 18 turbines, each with a 700 MW capacity, having a water drop of 196 m., the length of the dam is 2,600 m., and 200 m. wide. It forms an artificial lake of more than 170 km in length and seven in width; it holds 29 billion m3 of water, and is 20 to180 m. deep. The height of the dam is equivalent to a 65-storey building. It is the largest bi-national hydroelectric plant ever built. The project was begun in 1975 and took 32,000 men 16 years to complete it. Its spillway holds seven times the volume of the Iguazu River. Together with the Empire State building, the dykes of Holland, the channel beneath the English Channel, the Golden Gate Bridge, the Panama Canal, the CN Tower of Canada, it is one of the man-made marvels of the past century. The lake is today a huge tourist attraction.

The following day we had to rise early to visit the cataracts on the Argentine side. This one-hour journey took us over the international bridge crossing the Parana River. The park on the argentine side has a less spectacular view of the virgin rain forest; it is only 95 thousand hectares. An Italian-Paraguayan couple joined us during our return and she was telling us the Guaraní names for the trees. El Ambay (am-ba-í, stress on the last syllable) or “cercronia adenopu” is a large tree whose branches stretch upwards seeking the sun. Its trunk is hollow and inhabited by millions of ants. Its fruit serves as food for birds while its medicinal bark is used to cure coughs. The Romella is a beautiful small shrub with long green lives and a brilliant slender red flower growing from its core. La higuera de las Indias (fig tree) produces a large hollow fig. It is inedible but is used to produce glue.

The visit to the cataracts from this side is on foot on pathways that run along both the top and base of the falls. The stretch 2 km each and are simple to negotiate with many vistas for photo opportunities. The falls are named after dignitaries and Argentine personalities, such as Salto (fall) San Martín, Salto Ramirez, Salto Bossetti, Salto de Los Tres Mosquetereos (Three Musketeers), Salto Guardabosque (forest ranger) Bernabe Mendez (killed in a confrontation with poachers in the upper Iguazu, 1968), Salto Mbigua, Salto de las Dos Hermanas (two sisters) and Salto de Belgrano. The most spectacular are Bossetti and the Devil’s Gorge.

From here the coach takes us to the landing to travel to the vista over the Devil’s Gorge. The passage is midstream and one must walk another 800 metres to get to the point. The views are spectacular, and the noise of the crashing falls is an infernal roar. The spray covers our faces, our hair, and our eye glasses. This view from the largest falls of Iguazu leaves one completely humbled. The water continues along the base of the valley as it continues its way to the Paraguay River.

In the afternoon a visit to the Bird Park was not to be missed. This park has all kinds of exotic birds from both this forest and the rest of the world. There are macaws, parrots, guamacayos, and many other species in danger of extinction.

Soon we found ourselves on the bus from the terminal in Ciudad del Este to travel the 300 km to the south of Paraguay. There we visited one of the most colourful cities in this area. This is the cradle of the ruins of the 16th century Jesuit missions, “The Missions of the Trinity,” which will be the theme of an upcoming special edition of these chronicles.

http://gosouthamerica.about.com/od/topdestiguazu/a/FiskJourney.htm?nl=1

Hurricane Bertha is First of the 2008 Season

U.S. weather forecasters say Tropical Storm Bertha has strengthened into the first hurricane of the 2008 Atlantic season.

Hurricane Bertha is moving across the waters of the central tropical Atlantic Ocean.

Forecasters said Monday it is too early to determine if Bertha poses a threat to any land areas.

As of this Monday morning, Bertha had maximum sustained winds of nearly 120 kilometers-per-hour. Forecasters say some additional strengthening is expected during the next few days.

The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 through November 30.

http://www.voanews.com/english/2008-07-07-voa15.cfm

Marc Chagall Google Doodle

Today's the birthday of artist Marc Chagall. Google has honored Chagall with a Google Doodle.

The Marc Chagall Wikipedia entry states, "After gaining a reputation as an artist, Chagall left St. Petersburg to settle in Paris to be near the burgeoning art community in the Montparnasse district, where he developed friendships with such avant-garde luminaries as Guillaume Apollinaire, Robert Delaunay, and Fernand Léger.

In 1914, he returned to Vitebsk and, a year later, married his fiancée, Bella. While in Russia, World War I erupted and, in 1916, the Chagalls had their first child, a daughter they named Ida.

Chagall became an active participant in the Russian Revolution.

http://blog.searchenginewatch.com/blog/080707-092828

Employers use federal law to deny benefits

Dying of cancer, Thomas Amschwand did everything he was told to make sure his wife would collect on the life insurance policy he had through his employer.

"He was obsessed with dotting every `i' and crossing every `t'," Melissa Amschwand-Bellinger recalled about her husband, who died in 2001 at age 30.

But Spherion Corp., the temporary staffing company where Amschwand worked, told Amschwand-Bellinger she would not receive any of the $426,000 in benefits she believed she was due. When she went to court, Spherion succeeded in getting her lawsuit thrown out. The Supreme Court on June 27 refused to review the case.

Amschwand-Bellinger received a refund of the few thousand dollars in insurance premiums she and her husband dutifully had paid. The total, she said, would not cover the costs of his funeral.

The story has played out often under the federal Employee Retirement Income Security Act. Designed to protect employee benefits, the law has been used by employers as a shield against suits.

Federal appeals courts, interpreting Supreme Court decisions dating to 1993, consistently have said companies that offer health, life and retirement benefits under ERISA cannot be sued for large amounts of money, or damages. Instead, they can be sued only for typically smaller sums such as Amschwand's insurance premiums.

Several federal judges have bemoaned the unfairness even as they have felt constrained to rule in favor of employers.

"The facts ... scream out for a remedy beyond the simple return of premiums," Judge Fortunato Benavides of the New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said in the Amschwand case. "Regrettably, under existing law it is not available."

The Bush administration has argued that the appeals courts are misreading the precedents and has asked the high court at least twice to clarify the earlier rulings. So far it has refused.

Congress, which could amend ERISA to make clear such suits are allowed, also has taken no action.

The result, in the view of ERISA experts, the administration and some lawmakers, is perverse.

"The beneficiary under the policy didn't get the promised benefit," said Colleen Medill, an expert on ERISA at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. "To say we're just going to return your premiums, that's a total farce. That's not what they paid the premiums for. They paid them for the benefits."

Sen. Patrick Leahy, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said at a recent hearing that before ERISA became law, employees clearly could sue for benefits in state courts.

The court rulings, said Leahy, D-Vt., have left people "more vulnerable than they were before the law was passed."

Spherion's decision to deny benefits to Amschwand-Bellinger turned on an odd set of facts. Spherion, which employs about 300,000 people, switched insurers after Thomas Amschwand was diagnosed with a rare form of heart cancer. The new policy did not take effect until an employee worked one full day. Spherion never informed Amschwand of the requirement.

Amschwand asked repeatedly whether there was anything else he needed to do and was told no. He asked that the new policy be sent to him. Spherion never did so.

He died without returning to work. His widow said he easily could have worked a day if that was what it took to activate the new policy. Spherion could have waived the one-day-of-work provision, as it did for other employees but not for Amschwand.

Spherion spokesman Kip Havel issued a brief statement when contacted by The Associated Press after the high court declined to review the case. "We are pleased the court has made its decision and the matter has finally been resolved," Havel said.

The court also recently turned down an appeal from Louis Gerard "Gerry" Goeres, who sued Charles M. Schwab & Co. over hundreds of thousands of dollars in retirement plan benefits.

For 16 months, Schwab mistakenly refused to acknowledge Goeres as the beneficiary in the retirement plan of his domestic partner, Stephen Ward, a Schwab employee who died in 1999. By the time Schwab acknowledged its error, the value of the account had declined by more than $500,000. Goeres sued for the rest. Federal courts dismissed the suit. "Unfortunately, legal relief is not available," U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer said in ruling against Goeres.

"You know the Schwab commercial, `Talk to Chuck?'" Goeres said. "I thought if Chuck knew this, he'd say, 'Oh my God, this is so wrong.' I live on naive dreams."

Schwab said in court papers that Goeres could have taken legal action soon after Ward's death, when he first was told he was not the beneficiary.

Amschwand-Bellinger said the cases show the need for either the court or Congress to provide "some sort of meaningful remedy for employees when employers have a breach of fiduciary duty."

A Texas native who lives in an unincorporated Houston suburb, she has since remarried and has an 18-month-old daughter. She is president and executive director of the Amschwand Sarcoma Cancer Foundation, which she founded with her first husband.

She recognizes that she is more fortunate than many others who have fought similarly futile battles for benefits under ERISA. "What if we had had children and I was a stay at home mom?" said Amschwand-Bellinger, who previously worked for a public hospital system. "What if I was 60 years old, with no skill sets, and I had to go back to work?"

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080705/ap_on_go_su_co/benefit_battles

Court order on YouTube user data fans privacy fears

A U.S. judge's order to Google Inc (GOOG.O: Quote, Profile, Research) to turn over YouTube user data to Viacom Inc (VIAb.N: Quote, Profile, Research) sparked an outcry on Thursday from privacy advocates in the midst of a legal showdown over video piracy.

Viacom, owner of movie studio Paramount and MTV Networks, requested the information as part of its $1 billion copyright infringement lawsuit against the popular online video service and its deep-pocketed parent, Google.

Judge Louis Stanton of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York ordered Google on Tuesday to turn over as evidence a database with usernames of YouTube viewers, what videos they watched when, and users' computer addresses.

Privacy activists from the Electronic Frontier Foundation said in a blog post the order "threatens to expose deeply private information" and violated the Video Privacy Protection Act, a 1988 federal law passed after Supreme Court nominee Robert Bork's video rental habits were revealed.

Representatives of both companies said they were looking to work out how to comply with the court order to share video data while ensuring personally identifiable information is secure.

Viacom responded in a statement that it needs the data to demonstrate video piracy patterns that are the heart of its case against YouTube. But it sought to diffuse privacy fears, saying it had no interest in identifying individual users.

"Viacom has not asked for and will not be obtaining any personally identifiable information of any user," Viacom said.

"Any information that we or our outside advisors obtain ... will be used exclusively for the purpose of proving our case against YouTube and Google (and) will be handled subject to a court protective order and in a highly confidential manner."

Google senior litigation counsel Catherine Lacavera said her company was looking to resolve the issue quickly in a way that balanced Viacom and other plaintiffs' need for evidence in the case while "carving out some space for user privacy."

Lacavera said her company was pleased the court's decision had put limits on evidence discovery, including refusing to allow Viacom access to YouTube's search technology or to users' private videos on the site.

But the Google attorney called on Viacom to allow YouTube to anonymize user data -- in other words, redact rows of data containing usernames or unique computer Internet addresses.

In closed-door hearings ahead of the ruling, Google attorneys had argued against turning over such data without eliminating personally identifiable information.

"We are disappointed the court granted Viacom's overreaching demand for viewing history," she said. "We will ask Viacom to respect users' privacy and allow us to anonymize the logs before producing them under the court's order."

http://uk.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUKN0329430120080705?sp=true

Report: Former Charger Kiel dies in car crash

Former Chargers safety Terrence Kiel reportedly died late Friday in a car crash. He was 27 years old.

The San Diego Union-Tribune reported the crash on Saturday. According to police, a witness saw Kiel driving the wrong way down a road before his 2004 Chevy sedan rolled near an intersection in Scripps Ranch, a part of San Diego.

According to the Union-Tribune, Kiel was ejected from his car, and was barely breathing when emergency personnel reached him. The Lufkin, Texas, native was pronounced dead at 11:28 p.m.

A second-round pick from Texas A&M in the 2003 NFL draft, Kiel has been out of the league since the Chargers released him after a guilty plea to a felony drug charge in February 2007, according to the Union-Tribune. Kiel compiled 278 tackles, four interceptions, and two forced fumbles in four seasons with the Chargers, from 2003-2006.

http://www.sportsnetwork.com/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=sportsnetwork&page=nfl/news/newstest.aspx?id=4162447

Bozo the Clown is dead

Larry Harmon, who popularized Bozo the Clown through the new medium of television 50 years ago, died today of heart failure in his Los Angeles home. He was 83.

Harmon was not the original Bozo, who was created by Alan W. Livingston in 1946. Harmon exaggerated the original look, then donned the distinctive make-up, hair and suit for countless appearances as "Bozo, The World’s Most Famous Clown." More important, however, he licensed the character to TV stations — which hired their own Bozos — and created a cartoon series.

"You might say, in a way, I was cloning BTC (Bozo the Clown) before anybody else out there got around to cloning DNA," Harmon told the Associated Press in a 1996 interview. "Bozo is a combination of the wonderful wisdom of the adult and the childlike ways in all of us."

His wife of 29 years called him the perfect Bozo.

"He was the most optimistic man I ever met. He always saw a bright side; he always had something good to say about everybody. He was the love of my life," Susan Harmon said.

http://blogs.usatoday.com/ondeadline/2008/07/bozo-the-clown.html

Favre considers return to football

Brett Favre is considering coming out retirement, according to an ESPN report. ESPN's Chris Mortensen said Wednesday a Green Bay Packers source told him the 38-year-old Favre told coach Mike McCarthy in the past two weeks that he has the itch to play.

The Packers' former quarterback retired March 6 after a 17-year career.

Cornerback Al Harris said on ESPN's NFL Live that Favre also made similar comments to him.

"I know he has the itch to come back and play," Harris said. "If he will or not, I don't know."

The Packers had planned to use Aaron Rodgers as their quarterback for the upcoming season.

"Aaron is our quarterback," Harris said. "Brett's retired. But if he wanted to come back, there would be some guys who wouldn't mind it. I would welcome him back with open arms."

Favre's commitment to retirement has been questioned since his announcement. That talk resumed in mid-June when Favre withdrew from the American Century Celebrity Golf Championship at Lake Tahoe, scheduled for July 11-13.

Tournament spokesman Steve Griffith said then that Favre had to miss the event because of a scheduling conflict.

Favre is the NFL's only three-time MVP and leads the league with 442 touchdown passes, 61,655 yards passing and 160 career victories. He started 253 consecutive regular-season games, more than any other quarterback in history. Including the playoffs, his streak stands at 275.

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5iJ4dh7TkvXFMpdKZU9rITbou7jtwD91LUEHO0

Betancourt freed by guerrillas

Fifteen hostages, including former Colombian presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt and three US military contractors, have been freed.

Colombia's Defence Minister Juan Manuel Santos made the announcement at a news conference. He said military spies tricked rebels into giving them up without a single injury.

Mr Santos said the military intelligence agents infiltrated the guerrilla ranks and led the local commander in charge of the hostages to believe they were going to take them by helicopter to Alfonso Cano, the guerrillas' supreme leader.

Surrounded by military commandos, the guerrillas gave up without a fight as the helicopters took the hostages to a military base in Guaviare.

Mr Santos says the other 11 hostages freed were Colombian soldiers and police. Betancourt, the Americans Marc Gonsalves, Thomas Howes and Keith Stansell, and the other hostages were taken to a military base.

Ms Betancourt was abducted in February 2002 as she was running for president. Because she also holds French citizenship, France's government has campaigned for her release.

The Americans were captured a year later when their drug surveillance plane went down. They worked as Pentagon contractors. They were the longest-held American hostages in the world.

In France, Lorenzo Delloye-Betancourt, the son of Colombian-French Betancourt, said her release after six years of captivity was, "if true, the most beautiful news of my life".

Mr Delloye-Betancourt told France-Info radio he was "really surprised and happy" although he was waiting for more information about the release.

The rescue is the most serious blow ever dealt to the 44-year-old Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, who considered Betancourt and the three Americans their most valuable bargaining chips.

http://ukpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5gHPvUGs1-g2sYkIjUXHwokGpTrJw