We have reached the unavoidable void, the dreary deadlock, the seemingly ceaseless standstill, the tedious time out — otherwise known as mid-winter.
When the monotony mounts, I espouse escapism!
Memory is a handy mental device against boredom and dullness, which define the winter lull. In fact, winter is about the only time when — dare I say — I have the luxury to reminisce and revisit the past. My husband's departure for Europe this week had me thinking of a trip I took with him last summer, and one particularly alluring French garden.
He'd spoken of Eze as though it was a magical place, off the beaten track, hidden away on a French mountaintop overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, close to the Italian border. That alone qualified it as a must-see, but when I reached the summit, I found a garden of pure enchantment, quite unlike any I'd seen before.
It isn't your typical South of France landscape or, for that matter, a typical alpine retreat. Le Jardin d'Eze, as it is called, is totally different. It's like a Sonoran Desert scene on steroids, with towering cactus and succulents amid conventional flora suited to the arid Mediterranean climate. Set on the ruins of a castle, it seems out of place, at first. If it weren't for the red tiled roofs and the panoramic Cote-d'Azur backdrop, you might think you were at some futuristic interplanetary hothouse, a plant version of the classic Star Wars bar, where strange and weird are the norm.
The exotic plants combine with sculptures that stand out prominently against the lush cliffs and the sweep of the sea. The views from atop this eagle's perch are far-reaching, extending from Italy to Saint Tropez and, on the clearest days, you can see the island of Corsica. From where I stood, the nearby peninsula of Cap Ferrat was discernible, with ships miniaturized out on the horizon. The coastal road and towns etched along the cliffs are part of the marvelous topography, yet the overall impression from the top is that nature still rules.
The obvious question is, why set an exotic garden way up here? As with everything in Europe, there is a history that explains how and why. Markers situated along the former battlement explained how the medieval stronghold morphed into a botanic garden. In 1706, during the war of the Spanish succession, Louis XIV ordered the destruction of the castle, "having seen the strategic situation between Villefranche and Monaco "¦ in order to be able to preserve this communication." After World War II, a local mayor enlisted the help of Jean Gastaud, founder of the Monaco Exotic Garden, and voila! An extraordinary garden was born.
The site — being sheltered, well-drained, dry and warm — is ideally suited to exotics and, particularly, succulents. Thus grows a veritable forest of cactus and agaves and aloes through which one proceeds cautiously (spiky projections are a natural inhibitor of one's pace here). Other plants soften the picture, including the daintiest sprays of alpine flora, lush tropicals, the sturdiest cypresses and indigenous pines. There are walkways and places to relax amid the vegetation and many panoramic angles to photograph.
Sculptures of earth goddesses by Jean-Philippe Richard are scattered throughout the garden, complementing and contrasting the plants. Stark and silhouetted, they appear intentionally mysterious, each one possessing its own personality. I read with interest that the sculptures are representations descended from Isis, a patron of nature, whom the ancient Phoenicians venerated in such places.
Superimposed against the greenery to one side of the overlook is an ochre-colored church — a reminder of civilization — and the classic towers, roofs and walls that lead up to the mountain top. The garden is reached through the village of Eze, where narrow winding paths ascend past galleries, shops and cafes through archways and shady squares. It makes for an exhilarating jaunt, where medieval undertones are felt, even in the presence of tourists. The journey peaks with the exclamation points of monolithic cacti and the dramatic spread.
After touring the garden, we stopped for a lovely omelet lunch (with local wine) in a cave-turned-bistro. It was a great way to escape the summer heat back then. And, upon recollection, a certain way to escape the dreary winter we are currently experiencing!
"I learned that from the sun, when it goes down, it pours then in the sea, the gold of inexhaustible richnesses."
For more of Laura McLean's gardening stories and advice see www.southcoastgardens.com. E-mail her at lmclean@s-t.com or write c/o Home Editor, 25 Elm St., New Bedford, MA 02740.


If you’re wondering why Aamir Khan is spending 7 grueling days criss-crossing the People’s Republic of China to promote his latest movie Secret Superstar, consider this: the film’s China grosses could bring the Bollywood megastar his biggest paycheck yet after the picture releases on January 19th.
That’s because Khan and his Aamir Khan Productions (“AKP”) were awarded a rare gift by China’s film authorities: Secret Superstar is the first Indian film to be granted a lucrative revenue-sharing slot under China’s film import quota.
Such valuable slots are routinely given to imports from Hollywood, but few are awarded to films from other countries. With their powerful government lobbying organizations supporting them and their big box office potential in China, American movies typically get 30 or so of the country’s 34 annual revenue-sharing slots.
The preferential treatment for Khan is undoubtedly due to the fact that he has become one of China's favorite and highest-grossing movie stars. Beginning with his 2009 comedy hit 3 Idiots, PRC movie lovers have grown increasingly crazy about the Bollywood movie mogul, and they have shown it by making blockbuster hits of his movies.
What the revenue-sharing status means for Aamir Khan is that, unlike his previous China theatrical releases Dhoom 3, PK, and Dangal, Khan’s company and its partners (including his wife Kira Rao) and backers will receive 25 percent of the gross box office revenue Secret Superstar collects during its Middle Kingdom run. Dhoom 3, and PK were sold to Chinese distributors in buyout arrangements that probably brought Khan and AKP flat fees in the sub-$1 million range. He's said to have earned a sizable share of the grosses from Dangal, but not nearly as much as the 25 percent share that Secret Superstar will bring him.
Dangal, with its nearly $200 million China gross, may have brought Khan box office bonuses, but it’s highly unlikely that he earned more than a fraction on that film of what Secret Superstar could potentially deliver to him. If the picture comes in at the low end of my projections it will pay him and his company some $5 million to $6 million. At the high end his take could exceed $25 million.
If Aamir Khan's huge fan base turns up at China's multiplexes for Secret Superstar, they could make it Bollywood's global box office champion among movies released in 2017, and together with his upcoming film Thugs of Hindostan, Secret Superstar could make Khan India's highest paid movie star of 2018.


Will any theater put these side-by-side? Since it’s a Lee Daniels film, I would expect the finished film to reflect the iconography of both posters.
The glimmering of inconsequence… Angles on cafe to compare with Girl With The Dragon Tattoo; Rooney Mara walking same cadence as cyclist in zebra crossing; sugar crystals in coffee instead of Godardian cream; cuttingly crisp and creased white blouse under fitted form of lightest black leather blouson of highest odor; taffeta dress knee-length as girl-kick of high-arched feet; whoosh that takes a page and a cloth book ribbon aloft as she watches with sleepy interest; sad eyes, cruel bangs; puppy!; smile of adult confidence and mature satisfaction; long fingers, fingertips gently flex at lower corner of frame to the slight sound of distant siren. A near-waking dream to a song on earbuds, turning in space, the slightest turn of body, profile, eyelids, eyelashes, feet, fingers… That’s… gorgeous.


[prMac.com] Intego, the Macintosh security specialist, today announced that it has discovered a QuickTime bug which may be used as a vector for attack. Apple's QuickTime, the media software used to play music and movies on Mac OS X and Windows, has recently been update to version 7.5.5, but a serious bug has already been discovered that may be used as a vector for malicious attacks.
The "<? quicktime type= ?>" tag fails to handle long strings, which can lead to a heap overflow in QuickTime Player, iTunes, or any other program that attempts to display media using a QuickTime plug-in. This can be a browser, such as Apple's Safari, Microsoft Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox, or, on Mac OS X, could be any program that displays graphics or movies inline, such as Mail, or even the Finder if a user tries to view a file with Quick Look. For now, files which contain offending strings will crash programs attempting to display them, but malicious code could be added to such files, and may be executed with no user interaction, other than an attempt to view a file.
This bug can be remote or local, as QuickTime parses any supplied file for a recognized header even if the header does not correspond to the file type; for example, a malicious user could put XML content in an MP4 or MOV file, or could add a QuickTime media file to a web page which could then cause a browser to crash while executing malicious code.
Intego's Virus Monitoring Center is keeping a close eye on this bug and whether malicious users are attempting to add payload to QuickTime files. Intego will naturally update the virus definitions for Intego VirusBarrier X5 if this occurs. Intego will be posting more information, as it becomes available, on the Intego Mac Security Blog.


January 28, 2013, 12:49 p.m.
Do you pat your car’s fender after putting it away in the garage? Do you give it a name? Do you call it “he” or “she”? If so, you’re not alone — millions of otherwise normal Americans treat their inanimate cars as if they were alive. Why else the outrage when all those EV-1s got crushed in "Who Killed the Electric Car?"
I’m not reporting this from some high cliff of superiority — I do it too. When I scrape my car’s paint, it’s as if it is feeling actual physical pain. Why do we do this? Frankly, it’s complicated. The ownership of an automobile (and especially a classic with a long history) is intertwined with all the emotional experiences we’ve had in it, from a first kiss to the drive to the hospital when baby’s due. You can’t just send it to the crusher without a second thought, but you also have to put it in clear perspective — it’s not alive!
Understanding the emotional attachment people develop toward firearms is a bit harder for me, but it’s obviously there for millions of Americans.
Now, the point here is that cars of that era were not very safe, and that’s underscored by the Bel Air’s total annihilation at the hands of a 2009 Malibu. In real life the impact would have killed the occupants in the old Chevy, cute as it is. The Malibu driver, in an intact passenger cabin, with advanced safety protection, could probably have walked away. The fatality rate in crashes of that era — with no crumple zones, seat belts, breakaway steering columns or airbags — was much higher. That’s why the death toll hasn’t gone up (much) despite a vast increase in vehicle miles traveled. As Consumer Reports pointed out, the crash test “shows just how far passenger protection has come in the last 50 years.” But the columnist (writing in the March 2013 issue, though the Bel Air went to glory in 2009) completely misses the point, instead bemoaning the sad fate of that two-tone classic car.
Readers of a New York Times column on the crash test were similarly incensed. “What a waste of a nice ’59 Chevy Belair!” says one. “What a waste of a sweet Bel Air,” adds another. “Nice whitewalls.” I'm recalling similar grief over the hugely successful Cash for Clunkers program ("they crushed a perfectly good 1964 Le Mans!"). As much as classic car owners (and I'm one) don't want to admit it, their shiny beasts are often big polluters, minus catalytic converters and other emissions equipment.
At least some of us (not me) are similarly fetishistic about guns. That’s demonstrated clearly in a column written by Steve Kozachik, vice mayor and City Council member in Tucson, Ariz., (scene of the Gabby Giffords shooting). He led a local gun buyback program (turn your weapon in to the police and get a $50 grocery coupon) that met with a furious reaction.
“The response made it clear the event I was planning hit a nerve among a group who evidently believe the proper disposal of a firearm is tantamount to the desecration of a holy icon,” said Kozachik, who has recently switched his party affiliation from Republican to Democrat in protest of the party’s position on guns.
“Guns are not fetish objects,” Kozachik wrote. But they obviously are for people who hate the idea of perfectly good rifles and pistols going out of circulation. Being killed, as it were.
I’m not advocating the crushing of all classic cars or the melting down of every gun. I’m just sayin’. Perhaps we’re getting a bit too emotionally attached to these man-made objects. If it would save one kid’s life, taking some deadly weapons out of circulation isn’t that big a price to pay. If it would stop one horrific fatal crash and teach us more about safety, saying R.I.P. to some antique car survivors is perfectly justified.


BERLIN, April 10 Deutsche Boerse is not planning to go into a minority position at its recently acquired companies at least in the foreseeable future, its chief executive said.
FRANKFURT Deutsche Boerse is buying risk management software provider Axioma for $850 million (£652 million), the stock exchange operator said on Tuesday, and plans to merge the unit with its existing index business to create a new analytics firm.
FRANKFURT Deutsche Boerse is buying risk management software provider Axioma for $850 million, the stock exchange operator said on Tuesday, and plans to merge the unit with its existing index business to create a new analytics firm.
FRANKFURT, April 9 Deutsche Boerse is buying risk management software provider Axioma for $850 million, the stock exchange operator said on Tuesday, and plans to merge the unit with its existing index business to create a new analytics firm.
BERLIN, April 1 German stock exchange operator Deutsche Boerse is interested in buying foreign exchange trading platform FXall, Handelsblatt business daily reported on Monday.
FRANKFURT German stock exchange operator Deutsche Boerse reported a much worse-than-expected 35 percent fall in net profit in the fourth quarter and said it had become more cautious about this year's outlook.
FRANKFURT, Feb 13 German exchange operator Deutsche Boerse posted a worse-than-expected 35 percent fall in net profit in the fourth quarter.


April 28, 2015  The move applies only to the league office. The National Football League's 32 teams already pay taxes on their profits, salaries and merchandise sales.
April 3, 2015  The IRS says if you are surprised to be getting a call from the agency, it's not them on the line. Don't fall for it! Scammers are trying to trick you into giving up personal information or cash.
March 25, 2015  Figuring out the penalty for not signing up for health insurance is just one complication. Tax filers who made more money last year than they anticipated may have to pay back some of their subsidy.
February 20, 2015  There will be a special insurance enrollment period from March 15 to April 30 for people to use HealthCare.gov if they discover they owe a penalty for not having coverage when filling out their taxes.
January 20, 2015  "It has been, and still is, a hard time for many" Americans, President Obama said in Tuesday night's State of the Union address. "But tonight, we turn the page."
January 17, 2015  The president's speech Tuesday will call for other populist tax changes, like eliminating tax breaks on inheritances and offering new tax credits for the middle and working class.
January 13, 2015  The health law requires people to report their coverage status at tax time. Those without insurance or those who received subsidies will have to fill out new forms.


Terence Charlston is offering an organ recital at Christ Church, Grafton Road, Worthing on October 16 at 7pm, playing J S Bach, Schlick, Froberger, Parry and Prelleur.
Tickets £5 at the door.
Spokeswoman Janine Hobbs said: “Terence is an internationally-acknowledged specialist performer on early keyboard instruments. His broad career encompasses many complementary roles including solo and chamber musician, choral and orchestral director and teacher and academic researcher. He is a core member of the ensemble Florilegium and was a member of London Baroque from 1995 until 2007.


STEPHEN G. BROOKS is Associate Professor of Government at Dartmouth College. WILLIAM C. WOHLFORTH is Daniel Webster Professor of Government at Dartmouth College. This article is adapted from their forthcoming book America Abroad: The United States’ Global Role in the 21st Century  (Oxford University Press, 2016).
After two and a half decades, is the United States’ run as the world’s sole superpower  coming to an end? Many say yes, seeing a rising China ready to catch up to or even surpass the United States in the near future. By many measures, after all, China’s economy is on track to become the world’s biggest, and even if its growth slows, it will still outpace that of the United States for many years. Its coffers overflowing, Beijing has used its new wealth to attract friends, deter enemies, modernize its military, and aggressively assert sovereignty claims in its periphery. For many, therefore, the question is not whether China will become a superpower but just how soon.
But this is wishful, or fearful, thinking. Economic growth no longer translates as directly into military power as it did in the past, which means that it is now harder than ever for rising powers to rise and established ones to fall. And China—the only country with the raw potential to become a true global peer of the United States—also faces a more daunting challenge than previous rising states because of how far it lags behind technologically . Even though the United States’ economic dominance has eroded from its peak, the country’s military superiority is not going anywhere, nor is the globe-spanning alliance structure that constitutes the core of the existing liberal international order (unless Washington unwisely decides to throw it away). Rather than expecting a power transition in international politics, everyone should start getting used to a world in which the United States remains the sole superpower for decades to come.


CBS (CBS) has announced plans to create original shows for a number of digital outlets.
The network said it will expand by developing TV shows for online streaming services such as Netflix (NFLX), Amazon Prime (AMZN) and Hulu.
The network also discussed the potential acquisition of CNN, saying that it will not happen in the near future.
CBS stock is up about 3.8% Friday afternoon. NFLX stock is down 0.6% and AMZN stock is up 1.75%.
Article printed from InvestorPlace Media, https://investorplace.com/2014/08/cbs-netflix-hulu-amazon-prime-nflx/.


Yale School of medicine researchers report that most heart attack patients transferred between hospitals for the emergency artery-opening procedure called angioplasty are not transported as quickly as they should be. This is the first national study of "door-in door-out" time for transfer patients.
Fewer than 10 percent of heart attack patients transferred from their initial hospital to one offering the life-saving procedure are transferred within the recommended 30 minutes, according to the researchers, who published their findings in the November 28 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine.
For ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients, quick response is critical because this type of heart attack is caused by a complete blockage of blood supply to the heart. Angioplasty should be performed as quickly as possible, but many smaller hospitals do not have the staff or facilities to perform the procedure around the clock. Experts agree that the hospitals should send those patients on to a hospital that offers the procedure. The guidelines recommend that the time from arrival at the first hospital until the patient leaves should be no more than 30 minutes.
"This represents a large and avoidable increase in risk of death for these patients," said lead author Jeph Herrin, assistant adjunct professor of cardiology at Yale School of Medicine. "Numerous studies have shown that even a few minutes delay in receiving angioplasty increases the risk of death for STEMI patients. Among this group are thousands of patients that are delayed more than an hour from what is recommended."
Herrin and co-authors analyzed nationwide data collected by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services on all heart attack patients with STEMI who were transferred explicitly for angioplasty during 2009. This included patients who were not covered by Medicare, though patients were not included if the hospital did not transfer at least five patients.
In 2009, nearly 14,000 heart attack patients were transferred from smaller hospitals to hospitals that offer angioplasty, but fewer than 10 percent of them were sent onto the second hospital within the recommended time. Nearly one third of the heart attack patients were sent more than 90 minutes after arriving at the emergency room.
"We have made such great strides in reducing the time to treatment for those patients who are admitted to hospitals with angioplasty facilities; our next big challenge is to be sure that we reduce delays for patients who are transferred," said senior author Harlan Krumholz, M.D., the Harold H. Hines Jr. Professor of Medicine (Cardiology) at Yale School of Medicine.


Check out the movie-viewing habits of post-baby boomers and you can get the impression they believe significant filmmaking began with 1977's "Star Wars," or maybe "The Godfather" five years earlier. Dig deeper, though, and chances are you'll find the one vintage title that defies this perception: "Casablanca," the 1942 classic starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman.
"Everybody seems to have seen 'Casablanca,' " says film critic Roger Ebert, who supplies audio commentary for Warner Home Video's beautiful new two-disc DVD set ($27) of the Oscar winner that arrives in stores today. "It seems to have escaped the ordinary categories: people who don't like old films. People who don't like black and white. It doesn't matter what you don't like, you like 'Casablanca.' "
"It is the fluke that works," adds film historian Rudy Behlmer, author of "Inside Warner Bros.," who supplies the other commentary track on the collector's edition. "And then to compound it, the fluke works in perpetuity, which, of course, you wouldn't think would happen. World War II? Letters of transit? Who in 1960, '70, '80, let alone 2003, cares? You can say there are a lot of reasons why it works, but in the final analysis it was a fluke. I think that is what makes it so intriguing."
So most people know the basic plot. "Casablanca" revolves around Rick Blaine (Bogart), a hard-bitten, cynical American with a past operating a popular cafe in the Moroccan city. His life is turned upside down with the arrival of his old flame, Ilsa Lund (Bergman), whom he had loved years before in Paris, where she never showed up when he arranged for the two of them to escape when the Nazis entered the city. And now Ilsa is in Casablanca with her husband, the saintly Victor Laszlo (Paul Henreid), who is a famous Czechoslovakian freedom fighter. The Laszlos want the two letters of transit Rick has in his possession that will allow them safe passage to Lisbon, and then on to the U.S., presumably.
The supporting cast featured some of the best actors working in Hollywood -- several of whom had emigrated from Europe because of the war -- including Claude Rains, Peter Lorre, Sydney Greenstreet, Dooley Wilson, Conrad Veidt, Marcel Dalio and S.Z. Sakall. There was the superlative use of the 1931 tune "As Time Goes By," the crackling dialogue by Julius J. Epstein and Philip G. Epstein and Howard Koch (who based the film on an unproduced play, "Everybody Comes to Rick's," by Murray Burnett and Joan Alison) and the moody direction by Michael Curtiz. And don't forget the enormous contribution of producer Hal B. Wallis, who put the whole package together.
The film, which was released during the height of World War II, went on to win Oscars for best picture, director and screenplay and turned Bogart from a well-respected actor who generally played the shamus or the bad guy into a full-fledged romantic lead.
The film is filled with lines that have become part of the popular lexicon including "Here's looking at you kid"; "I stick my neck out for nobody"; "It doesn't take much to see that the problems of three little people don't amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world"; "We'll always have Paris"; and "Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship."
Woody Allen wrote a hugely successful play and film, "Play It Again, Sam," revolving around Bogart's persona in the movie and a few years ago, "Casablanca" was named the No. 2 greatest film of the 20th century by the American Film Institute. "Citizen Kane" was No. 1.
Though Warner Bros. considered it an "A" picture, no one thought during production they were making anything special. The stories surrounding the chaotic production are legendary. The script, for example, was not complete when the film began production in early 1942, leaving the actors wondering whom Ilsa would leave with on the plane at the end: Rick or Victor?
"It was never a movie she referred to," says Bergman's eldest daughter, newscaster Pia Lindstrom, who appears in a documentary about the film's production that's included with the new DVD release. "She never said, 'It was such a joy to make that movie, hope you enjoy seeing it and it's really great.' It wasn't and she didn't. It was never talked about -- 'Casablanca.' She wanted to do 'For Whom the Bell Tolls.' "
Because Bogart and Bergman light up the screen in their romantic scenes in the film, audiences have surmised over the years that there must have been an attraction between the two off screen. Lindstrom says that is untrue. "My mother had no relationship with Humphrey Bogart," she says.
"He was in his trailer and he had his own personal problems."
Bogart was in the midst of a disastrous marriage to actress Mayo Methot and their often alcohol-induced fights were so well known in Hollywood that they were called the "Battling Bogarts." Methot was one of those who believed Bogart was having an affair with Bergman. "She was jealous and he was depressed," says Lindstrom.
"So whatever people see on the screen between them is obviously acting. There was no attraction between my mother and Humphrey Bogart but on screen there looks like there is a lot of subtext and a lot happening. That is because they were professionals."
Bogart's son, Stephen Bogart, who also appears in the documentary, says that the role of Rick Blaine is the one for which his father is most remembered.
"It is the one that jumped him out of the detective, gangster milieu, and put him in another stratosphere," says Bogart. "That is probably why he took that part, because I think he wanted to show he could do other things and obviously we found out he could with the myriads of characters and the things he could do. I think this is the one that catapulted him to superstardom."
Bogart, who was 8 when his father died in 1957, says that he doesn't know if "Casablanca" was the actor's favorite film. "I don't know if he had any love for any movie over any other movie, but this had to hold a special place in his heart because it allowed him to do the things he wanted to do."
Ebert, who first saw "Casablanca" as a college student at the University of Illinois, believes the film works so well due to the sacrifice Rick makes at the end of the film. "I think if she had gotten on that plane with Humphrey Bogart, the movie would have closed in a week," he says. "The understated bravery which Humphrey Bogart and Claude Rains face, the fact that the Nazis are going to arrive at any moment and probably haul them away as he puts her on the plane with her love, that he finds that he can be patriotic, that he does care about America, that he is not the cynical, aloof, detached person that he likes to pose as.... That kind of goodness is, I think, really appealing to people, much more so than the romance. The romance exists only so it can be overcome by higher feelings."
Besides a beautiful new digital transfer of "Casablanca," audio commentaries and documentaries (both hosted by Lauren Bacall), the discs also include 10 minutes of recently discovered outtakes and a deleted scene, a radio version of the movie starring Bogart and Bergman, the Bugs Bunny cartoon, "Carrotblanca," scoring sessions, trailers, stills, photos, studio correspondence and the first episode of the short-lived 1955 TV series based on the film starring Charles McGraw as Rick.


The United States on Thursday released 13 Pakistanis prisoners from detention at Camp X-Ray in Guantanamo Bay, officials said.
The 13 were among the 58 Pakistanis taken into custody by the US troops from Afghanistan for suspected links to the Taliban and Osama bin Laden’s al-Qaeda.
“As a result of continuous efforts made by Pakistan, the US has freed 13 more Pakistanis from the Guantanamo Bay,” Pakistani interior ministry spokesman Brigadier Javed Cheema said.
The released prisoners are expected to return to Pakistan shortly.
The US had released one Pakistani detainee in November last year, while three more were freed early this year.
Another 41 Pakistani prisoners still remain in the detention centre. Nearly 600 prisoners are being detained in the controversial centre for the past 19 months without trial or any kind of access to legal help.
Most of them had been rounded up in the wake of the US-led military campaign in Afghanistan in November 2001.
Thousands of Pakistanis, many of them young students at religious schools in remote rural areas, went to Afghanistan to support the Taliban against the US-led coalition.
Human rights groups across the world have decried the US-policy to detain prisoners in Guantanamo Bay without any trial.
Adding to the outcry has been the reported appalling conditions in the camp, where the detainees are routinely manacled. Unable to cope with the harsh conditions, some detainees have attempted suicides.
Meanwhile, unidentified gunmen shot and killed a former Taliban commander in southwestern Pakistan on Thursday.
Officials said Raz Mohammed was killed when he left his home in Quetta’s Pashtunabad neighborhood.
“He was a long-time, brave commander of the Taliban,” Maulana Noor Mohammed, a pro-Taliban member of Pakistan’s federal parliament said.
Both Afghanistan and the US have in the recent past expressed serious concern over Pakistan being used as safe haven by remnants of the Taliban.


Thu, Dec 6: The trial of a Halifax Regional Police officer who is accused of assaulting a homeless man and then falsifying the related police records has closed for the year. As Elizabeth McSheffrey reports, the partner of Const. Laurence Gary Basso took to the stand on Thursday.


SJVN Ltd inked a memorandum of understanding with the Ministry of Power today to achieve 9,200 million units in 2018-19, the company said in a statement.
State-run power producer SJVN Ltd is targeting to produce 9.2 billion units (BU) of electricity with a turnover of Rs 2,175 crore and Rs 900 crore capital expenditure in this fiscal.
Under the pact, SJVN, which operates the 1500 MW Nathpa Jhakri Hydro Power Station, will have a capital expenditure (capex) target of Rs 900 crore and turnover target of Rs 2,175 crore under 'excellent category' along with other targets related to operational efficiency and project monitoring.
In 2017-18, against the target of 8,950 million units (under ‘excellent' category), SJVN generated 9,280 million units from its projects under operation with an installed capacity of 1,964 MW.
It has already paid an interim dividend of Rs 785.95 crore to its shareholders in 2017-18.
Currently, SJVN has four projects with capacity of 1,610 MW under construction and another four projects with capacity of 2,155 MW under various stages of clearances, soon to enter construction.


An MBA student was run over by a Tamil Nadu government bus outside her college campus on Hosur Road Sunday night.
The Madivala traffic police said Veenita Kumari Kurleel, 22, a native of New Delhi, was on her way out of the campus of Symbiosis Institute of Business Management, riding pillion on the two-wheeler of her classmate, Aman, at 8.45 pm when the incident occurred.
While passing the HP fuel station near Parappana Agrahara, the handle of the bike touched a Tamil Nadu government bus, resulting in the rider losing balance over the vehicle. Veenita fell off the two-wheeler and before she could realise what was happening, she was crushed under the rear wheel of the bus.
The rider escaped with minor injuries and was shifted to St John’s Hospital for treatment.
Veenita’s body was shifted to Victoria Hospital and it was later handed over to her relatives.
The police said Veenita’s father, Vinod Kurleel, is an officer in an insurance company in New Delhi.


Germans discovered a new lightness of being in the run-up to their World Cup victory. It's a shift apparent not only in football. Increasingly confident and content, Germany is emerging from the dark shadows of its past, but its global role remains elusive.
Christine Meier, 61, sits in a beach chair in her bikini on the German island of Sylt. She's seen all but one of the matches at this year's football World Cup, having watched most of them at her allotment garden in Berlin. "We wear necklaces and hats with the colors of the German flag, some paint the colors on their faces. There is cake, antipasti and sometimes I make a noodle salad in black, red and yellow," she says. Meier is proud of Germany's success in Brazil. "People abroad are watching us," she says. "They want to know how we live and who we are." Germany, she says, has shown itself to be a decent country, adding: "We're an uncommonly good people."
Her comments came two days after Germany crushed Brazil 7:1 in the semifinal. The old magicians of football had been stripped of their magic, and it left many Germans scratching their heads wondering if they could really be as great as the match suggested. In Christine Meier's eyes: yes they can.
It was just one game of seven at the World Cup and others didn't go nearly as well. But it's often these individual events, moments in the life of a nation in which people take notice and ask: Is this who we are?
Germany has football to thank for such moments. Until 2006, Germans saw themselves as a brooding society. But that changed after Germany hosted that year's brilliantly successful World Cup. Until 2010, the country also considered itself to be cumbersome and ponderous, characteristics reflected in the brand of football it played. But then, in the South African World Cup that year, the German team at times played a graceful, attacking style that was beautiful to watch. People abroad were amazed and please. The semifinal in 2014 was the continuation of that spirited lightness.
But is that what it means to be German?
What Does It Mean to Be German in 2014?
In politics as well there are moments that force people to stop and take stock. On June 6th, German Chancellor Angela Merkel visited the 70th anniversary commemorations of the D-Day landings in Normandy. She had been invited by leaders of the former Allied countries, the victors at the time who drove back the Germans and liberated Western Europe. But it was Merkel who was at the center of attention on this anniversary day. Since the Ukraine crisis began escalating in March, the world has been looking to Germany. Would Merkel, a woman from the East who speaks fluent Russian, succeed in making Vladimir Putin listen to reason? She wasn't so successful, but she nevertheless came across as a major world leader just 70 years after the end of the war. It is hard to believe.
Germany in 2014 is very different country than it was in 1984, not to mention 1994 or 2004. One gets the sense that two different aspects are converging to change the country: a new lightness of being and growing importance in the world.
In other words: There's a new feeling of what it means to be German.
There are two components in the way people perceive a nation -- the situation inside the country and its relations with other countries. Generally, the second takes a back seat to the first. But it's appropriate to ask where this new lightness comes from? And how does this new Germany present itself to the world. SPIEGEL asked people from different walks of life in the days leading up to the country's fourth World Cup championship on Sunday.
Klaus Hollweger and his wife Helga are sitting in the gourmet food stalls at Berlin's KaDeWe department store people watching as droves of shoppers peer through aisle after aisle of offerings, from caviar to marbled steaks at what is the German capital city's answer to Harrods. Hollweger, 78, lives in the state of Thuringia in the former east.
When Hollweger talks about football in Germany, his eyes open wide behind his glasses and a smile forms on his lips. "Oooh," he says, "the World Cup has shown me how wonderful it is to live in a reunited country. Today we can all be proud together of our national team." He appears to be genuinely moved. "Our country is doing so well, everything is so pleasant and new here -- also back at home in Weimar," Hollweger says.
Toni Kroos was a central figure for the German team at this World Cup. But do people know where he comes from? Do they care? Kroos was born in Greifswald, a city in eastern Germany, but that seems to be of little importance in 2014. When Michael Ballack, born in former East Germany, became national team captain in 2004, it was still an issue. An East German at the helm of the team? Good God, many seemed to say. A decade later, people simply view Kroos as a German man from the city of Greifswald. A quarter-century after reunification, it seems, old East-West prejudices are finally fading.
For years, Germans as a people were extremely tense and inhibited, partly because they lived in a divided country. They had trouble determining their own identity. Were they German? Somehow they were, but were they different from the Germans on the other side of the Berlin Wall? Many West Germans just described themselves as Europeans.
Most people believed that East and West Germany would remain forever divided, but the conservatives in the West had no other choice but to insist they wouldn't ever abandon the goal of unity for any reason. Leftists, for their part, insisted that reunification should never happen because of the danger of Germany unleashing yet another world war.
People became engrossed in a virtual debate before, suddenly, reunification happened after all. And the trenches simply got deeper. People responded to the new reality by building new walls in their heads. East Germans lamented the loss of jobs, security and community. West Germans complained about the outflow of billions of deutsche marks and, later, euros for the rebuilding of the eastern states.
Things have changed dramatically in years since. There are still causes for complaint, but on the whole, reunification has been a resounding success. World War III never happened, cities in the east like Leipzig, Dresden and Jena are booming and the situation is even improving in the less prosperous eastern state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. A handful of elderly people may miss a few comforts from East or West Germany respectively, but the younger generation today identifies firmly with a united Germany.
The Germans have become one again -- they've become Germans. Prefixes are no longer needed. That significantly reduces inhibitions and contributes to the new lightness of being.
Bajram Avdijaj, 47, immigrated to Germany from Albania 22 years ago. Today he works in one of the most international parts of Munich: at a fruit and vegetable stand at the Viktualienmarkt market in the city center.
Avdijaj says he shuns sports in much the same way that he was raised entirely without religion. He wouldn't exactly call himself patriotic either, but he says he has noticed the change taking shape in the people around him. It's not bad either, he says.
Avdijaj says he feels half Albanian and half Germany, but perhaps just a little bit more German following the World Cup semifinal. He says he still planned to root for Argentina in the final, though, because Messi is "simply the best, brilliant." He also says he doesn't like the way the Argentinians make the sign of the cross on the field, sometimes four or five times in a row. He likes the fact that the Germans focus more on the pragmatic, on what actually needs to be done. "You won't find them praying on the pitch. Praying doesn't help in the end anyway," he says. "You just have to understand the way things happen, that's all. That's German. I tend to be more like that."
"Germany is increasingly becoming a modern country of immigration," the prestigious Swiss daily Neue Zürcher Zeitung wrote in July. In that sense, there have indeed been some decisive changes in Germany.
Who is German? And who should be allowed to become German? Are we a country that allows dual citizenship? Do we prefer citizenship that is based on the concept of Jus sanguinis, the right of blood passed down only from family members who are citizens of a state, or Jus soli, the right of citizenship for anyone born on German territory? And are we a country that should encourage Green Cards for immigrant workers or should we promote ethnic German children? These are debates that for years made it difficult for people who weren't born with "German blood" to become part of our society or even citizens. If you're not like us, then you don't belong. Those kinds of ideas are the source of considerable tension.
But look at Germany now: It has indisputably become a nation of immigration. Figures from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development in 2012 show Germany ranking second in the world after the United States in attracting permanent immigrants, beating out even such melting pots as Britain and Canada. Germany drew 400,000 immigrants described by the international body as "permanent" in 2012. For some time, people wanted to settle in Germany. Now they can, the barriers have been lowered -- and not just at the border. In 2010, former German President Christian Wulff made headlines around the world when he said that "Islam is now a part of Germany." It's the kind of statement that cannot be reversed.
Immigration and integration nevertheless remain difficult issues. Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservative Christian Democrats still don't like thinking of Germany as a country of immigration, and the nation could also be a lot more generous in its handling of refugees. Some immigrants, on the other hand, could also make more of an effort to integrate.
Still, people are inching closer to each other, as a study called "New Potential: The State of Integration in Germany" from the Berlin Institute for Population and Development recently showed. The study indicates that societal acceptance for people who are first or second-generation immigrants is growing and that the way in which they live is gradually starting to mirror that of ethnic Germans.
Recently, Berlin's prestigious Grause Kloster high school held a commencement ceremony for its graduating class. In her speech, the head of the parent's association made a plea for a more diverse school, noting that there were almost no children of immigrants. It was just one of many examples of how things are slowly changing, even in strongholds of homogeneity like this. The school, founded in 1871 by the German Empire, includes Otto von Bismarck among its alumni.
Germany has become one society, but also a diverse one -- and that is contributing to this new lightness of being. This is also reflected in the national football team, for which immigrants have since become indispensable, with players like Mesut Özil, a Turkish-German, Jerome Boateng, who has a German mother and a father originates from Ghana, and Sami Khedira, who has Tunisian roots.
Part 2: Will Hitler Ever Leave?
Self love is healthy so long as it does not depend on hating others. Germans have often had the wrong kind of self love; let's hope this is the start of something new and good.
2. Football fans, normal or racists?
It would be a wonderful if Germans were ready to accept the fact, that they are not worse, or better than any other European community. This will not be in anyway easy, because their own leaders, have for many years, been ready to agree, that the 20th century anti-German propaganda was actually true. Three generations of children, have wrongly grown up to believe all their own ancestors were little more than a bunch of criminals. Now some of them are beginning to understand, that an iniquitous government is not a sign, that the population is necessary in agreement with what their leaders did, or do. Observance, of what is currently happening in many countries around the world, should be enough to convince intelligent people about reasons to doubt many legends.
The title of the article is a shameless copy of the Economist article on Germany's world cup win "The unbearable lightness of winning". Kind of strange too how this article does not mention that whenever Germany played, the word "Nazi" spiked in Tweeter to new heights. Kind of spoils the feel good mood for Germans but nevertheless facts have to be faced. When Spain won the last world cup, I doubt if they felt as if the world was watching Spain and came to the conclusion they were a good decent country. The fact is the world knows every 4 years, one of the powerhouses of football either from Europe or Latin America will win the world cup. None of the past world cup winners - Brazil, Italy, Spain, France etc ever felt a world cup win meant they had arrived on the world stage as a "good decent" country, it was only a sporting achievement.
Yes Germany is changing but the change is not because of football. That is a rather superficial argument. For Germany to be truly independent it has to free itself from the apron strings (and quite a few other strings) of America. It has to become a completely sovereign nation. Until that happens Germany will remain ein Hampelmann (puppet) of America. West Germany freed itself from Fascism, (with the help of the West), East Germany freed itself from Communism. Now a united Germany has to free itself from the Washington Consensus. If German politicians are stupid enough to side with Washington and wage economic war against Russia, be assured, you will destroy your country.


US troops are being deployed ready for military action as the US gears up to respond to last week's attacks on New York and Washington.
US Army Secretary Thomas E White told a briefing at the Pentagon that the deployment order signed by Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld on Wednesday included army as well as air force troops.
He said the army was ready to conduct "sustained land combat operations".
Mr White said it was only the first step in a broader military plan that would unfold in the weeks ahead.
"A lot more will come," he said.
Also speaking at the Pentagon, Mr Rumsfeld refused to be drawn on details of the deployment, but said: "We are trying to get ourselves arranged in the world, with our forces, in places that we believe conceivably could be useful in the event the president decided to use them."
The air force is sending more than 100 aircraft to the Gulf, said to include F-16 and F-15 fighters and B-52 bombers and well as tanker aircraft to create an "air bridge" to refuel the combat planes.
Once in the region, the planes will be in striking distance of Afghanistan where America's prime suspect, Osama Bin Laden, is hiding.
Mr Rumsfeld also said they were reconsidering the name given to the military deployment, "Operation Infinite Justice," because in the Islamic faith only Allah can provide infinite justice.
Mr White said "all combat capabilities" would be included in the US deployment.
The aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt and the ships in its battle group left their home port at Norfolk, Virginia, on Wednesday for a scheduled six-month deployment to the Mediterranean.
The battle group includes 2,100 Marines aboard a battle-ready unit known as an Amphibious Ready Group, led by the assault ship USS Bataan.
There are also two attack submarines, the USS Hartford and the USS Springfield, which can fire Tomahawk cruise missiles.
The US Navy has a carrier battle group in the Gulf - the USS Carl Vinson - and a second, the USS Enterprise, is in the Arabian Sea to the south.
But BBC defence correspondent Jonathan Marcus says the military dimension will be only part of a much broader effort to disrupt and destroy the shadowy networks behind the US hijackings.
Intelligence agencies and law-enforcement organisations in several countries will have a part to play.
Other secretive preparations - involving intelligence operations using satellites and electronic eavesdropping will also be under way.
Special forces will also have an important role - there could be significant deployments of such units - signalling that for the Americans this is indeed a new sort of war where there is no reluctance to place US soldiers in harm's way.
The diplomatic coalition being forged to back Washington has a practical side as well as the purely rhetorical.
Information exchanges will have to be stepped up; computer and financial experts deployed to track terrorist funds. It is easy to concentrate on the movement of military hardware - aircraft carriers leaving port cannot be hidden.
But much of the real war will be taking place in the shadows and it will not be talked about in the press briefings either.
"We are seeing the preparations of a first attack"
"There has to be a moment when action is taken"


SJR 14 is cloaked as a bill that provides property tax relief for the disabled and seniors age 62 and older. But does it really provide tax relief?
I arrived in Reno in 1976. Having owned a home in Missouri, I thought it wise to be a homeowner in Nevada. During the next four years, there were significant property tax increases that threatened my home ownership. I taught school during the day and held a second job in the evenings to pay for the additional property tax levied on my home. I was financially barely hanging on.
The tax shift of 1981 was a wonderful relief. It reduced property tax collections by 50 percent and placed a greater reliance on sales tax.
As the years passed, property taxes continued to climb, erasing the tax savings generated by the tax shift. Lawmakers recognized the danger of the oncoming “real estate bubble” and the increase in property tax that the formula would generate. Nevada Revised Statute 361.4723 was introduced to create tax relief.
Today, NRS 361.4723 provides a partial abatement of taxes by applying a 3 percent cap on the tax bill of the owner’s primary residence. The statute gives all taxpayers confidence and tax predictability.
Now there is a new threat to home ownership in Nevada. Sen. Julia Ratti introduced Senate Joint Resolution 14 during the 2017 session of the Nevada Legislature. SJR 14 seeks to amend the Nevada Constitution to change property assessments and increase property taxes by removing the 3 percent property tax cap.
SJR 14 is cloaked as a bill that provides property tax relief for the disabled and seniors age 62 and older. But does it really provide the tax relief Sen. Ratti claims? Maybe not. Julia’s proposal is income-based.
Under SJR 14 the 3 percent property tax abatement or “cap” changes when a property is sold or there is a title change. A tax increase could be triggered by a change of property title due to divorce, death of a spouse, marriage, acquiring a trust, adding a family member or inheritance.
The property tax increase burden now will be shifted to growing families who want to purchase a larger home within our community and to seniors who downsize their home after raising a family.
Seniors already are protected with an enduring, predictable and limited 3 percent tax increase already provided by the Legislature. Why do we need to change this protection for seniors? Could it be a desire to grow government? We need to defeat this bill and unseat its sponsor.
Vincent Ames is a Reno resident.


Dark matter is notoriously elusive. For decades we have searched for its existence, and while we can infer its presence in the universe from its effect at a galactic scale, finding direct evidence for it has been a bit more difficult. But what if it has been hiding under our feet this whole time?
That’s what a team of researchers are proposing in a paper available on the pre-print server arXiv. They say that it might be possible to see the effects of theorised dark matter particles called weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs) on ancient rocks right here on Earth. And they’ve got an idea to prove it.
Despite being suspected of making up 85 per cent of matter in the universe, dark matter’s lack of interaction with regular matter has made finding direct evidence for its existence very difficult. Most of our searches, such as at the Gran Sasso Underground Laboratory in Italy, at SNOLAB in Canada, and numerous other labs around the world, have been unsuccessful so far.
Those detectors typically look for interactions over several years, but Baum and his colleagues suggest so-called paleo-detectors could record interactions over hundreds of millions of years. In certain minerals such as halite, found deep underground, a WIMP hitting a nucleus would cause it to recoil, producing a noticeable trace – or “damage track” – where the nucleus had been bumped out of position.
Such an effect would be tiny; the trace would be less than 1,000 nanometres in size, far too small for the human eye to see. But if you used an advanced technique such as helium ion microscopy, you could see the remnants of the event long after it had happened.
No one knows for sure yet though, because these techniques have only become possible in the last decade. A similar idea was proposed in the late 1990s, using the mineral mica to try and see traces of dark matter, but the technology simply wasn’t good enough then.
The other issue is background scattering. In June, the team released their first paper on this idea, but some scientists criticised the proposal because they said the researchers wouldn’t be able to tell if nuclei had been hit off course by a dark matter particle, or just some errant radiation.
In their latest paper, the team say the length of the damage track could solve this. WIMPs are expected to be relatively heavy compared to other particles. If the track is short, background sources could be at play. But if it’s long, the only thing that could explain that might be a weighty dark matter particle.
Within the next year, the researchers are hoping to perform a feasibility study to prove their technique works, showing that they can see traces not related to dark matter inside a material. Some time after that, if all goes well, they plan to actually try and find evidence for traces caused by WIMPs.


WOOSTER -- On senior night at Titans Stadium, Timken suffered the same fate that so many other opponents have on faced on the road at Triway -- watching Derek Carmichael connect with Sawyer Polen all night long.
Triway (8-2, 6-1 Principals Athletic Conference) took a 27-0 first-quarter lead and coasted to a 41-0 win over Timken (2-8, 1-6 PAC) in a tune-up before the opening round of the playoffs next week. The shutout not only sent the seniors out on a high note, but had even greater significance -- it was the 16th straight regular season home win for the Titans. The senior class went out having never been beaten at home.
"We're trying to establish tradition and this goes a long way," said coach Tony Lee. "I told our seniors they have never been beaten at home. That was important for them."
Teams have struggled mightily on Triway's turf in part because Carmichael and Polen have been an even more effective combo than Abbott and Costello. On Friday, Carmichael found Polen eight times for 93 yards. Polen's eight catches give him 82 overall and he finishes the year with 1,189 yards -- a Triway single-season school record.
According to Lee, it is Polen's overall package that has made him one of the best receivers in school history.
"He's such a great athlete," said Lee. "He's got deceptive speed, great hands and runs good routes -- he's a complete player."
It was also the final regular season game for Carmichael, who shredded the Timken secondary like a box of mini-wheats. Carmichael completed 16-of-26 passes for 203 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Carmichael finishes the year with 2,735 passing yards, 37 yards short of the single-season mark he set last season.
While it is Triway's spread attack itself that has drawn praise, it has been the players that have made it work.
"The scheme is solid," said Timken coach Kevin Mitchell, "and then when you mix a great scheme with great athleticism, that's a tough combination to beat.
"When they've had the success they've had for as long as they've had it, you may slow them down, but you're not going to stop them," said Mitchell.
Lee said that the players have proven it's not just the system that has keyed their success.
"A lot of people thought last year it was the offense itself and that was how Derek had all those yards," said Lee. "Well we had to replace three pretty good receivers with three new ones. It wasn't just a product of the offense. It was Derek doing his job, the line doing its job and the kids making the catches. We restocked the refrigerator this year."
While Carmichael and Polen walked off the field at Titans Stadium for the last time Friday, Lee's cupboard hardly appears bare.


Aug. 2, 2018 3:29 a.m.
Like all previous federal plans to help citizens this for sure will not work as a natioanal assistance program. It will get bogged down and cluttered with millions of unanswered calls for help and where to send them. Tlhere are no federal hospitals or mental health instituions to send them to and likely this plan will have a fee for service clause for any pschiatric doctor to visit.
This sounds good on paper but the only purpose this program would be useful for is to target and register all the mentally unstable Americans with the FBI to keep them from buying or owning guns. A national data base of mentally unstable citizens and deny them their 2nd amendment rights.
There is no way for the federal government to provide suicide prevention hot lines for the purpose of preventing suicides, this bill is intended to create a volunteer data base to take guns from Americans who they can claim to be a risk to the public.
Trump should see right through this and veto the bill as an infringement of the 2nd amendment rights.


The Twin Cities North Chamber of Commerce will host a new-member appreciation luncheon from 11:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. Monday at the Tournament Players Club Twin Cities, 11444 Tournament Players Parkway, Blaine. The cost is $16 for veteran members and free for new members. Register online at twincitiesnorth.org.
The Anoka Area Chamber of Commerce will offer an AM Educational Meeting from 7:30 to 9 a.m. Nov. 28 at the chamber office, 12 Bridge Square, Anoka. “Dealing with Holiday Stress” will be presented by Kathy Samilo, executive director, Central Center for Family Resources, a Spring Lake Park nonprofit counseling clinic. Chamber members may register for this free event by calling 763-421-7130.
The Minnesota Council of Nonprofits will host a “Meet the Media” panel Tuesday morning at the Children’s Home Society and Family Services, 1605 Eustis St., St. Paul. Panelists include RubÃ©n Rosario, St. Paul Pioneer Press columnist; Jeff Achen, Apple Valley editor, Thisweek Community Newspapers; Tricia Cornel, Minnesota Parent and Minnesota Good Age newspapers; Duchesne Paul Drew, Star Tribune; and Mary Turck, Twin Cities Daily Planet. Registration will begin at 8:30 a.m. with the program from 9 to 10:30 a.m. The cost is $50 for nonmembers and $35 for members. Register online at mncn.org.
The St. Paul Area Chamber of Commerce will have a Business Break – Casual Lead Exchange at its Best networking luncheon from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday at the Lexington, 1096 Grand Ave., St. Paul. The cost is $23 for nonmembers and $18 for members. Register by calling 651-265-2795 or going to saintpaulchamber.com.
Airlake Development Inc., Maplewood, completed construction on the Airlake South Creek Business Park Phase I, a multi-tenant office and warehouse facility at Cedar Avenue and Minnesota 70, Lakeville.


During a radio interview, Williams said "this is small potatoes [compared to] a lot of things out there," in reference to the team receiving criticism over acquiring Reuben Foster.
WASHINGTON -- Washington Redskins Vice President Doug Williams apologized for insensitive comments he made on domestic violence when discussing the team's controversial signing of Reuben Foster.
The Redskins claimed Foster off of waivers earlier this week from the San Francisco 49ers. The 49ers cut ties with Foster following his arrest of domestic violence charges.
"Never in my life, that I've ever said anything so insensitive," Williams said on Friday in reference to him saying what Foster is accused of is "small potatoes" compared to those who have "done far worse."
Foster is not allowed to practice pending the results of the NFL's investigation.
On Tuesday, the Redskins released a statement from Senior VP of Player Personnel Doug Williams saying that the team talked with a number of Foster's former Alabama teammates who now play for the Burgundy and Gold. It became clear Wednesday, that not all of Foster's Alabama teammates were asked about him.
Williams said that they talked to two of Foster's former Alabama teammates.
"We didn't hold a convention," said Doug Williams on the Doc Walker Show on The Team 980. "We've got five guys on this team, if you talk about Arie [Kouandijo] who's on the injured reserve it's six. Six guys on this football team that went to Alabama that know him, played with him, or what have you. So it wasn't like we gotta talk to all five. The two that we did talk to know him very well. Not that they make the decision on whether or not we make the move, we just trying to get some insight into the young man."
Later in the show, Williams was asked if he expected the volume of criticism that the team has received since acquiring Foster.
"We knew that was going to happen," said the Redskins Senior VP of Player Personnel. "And like I said, rightfully so with all the stuff that's going on in this country. We got people who in high, high, high, high places that have done far worse if you look at realistically, and they still up there. This is small potatoes [compared to] a lot of things out there. But at the same time it's a big issue in America today whether or not it's in football, whether or not it's in everyday life, whether or not it's in politics."
Williams' comparing what Foster is accused of to those who have "done far worse" has resulted in a wave of criticism directed at the former Super Bowl MVP.


One in five IT decision-makers claimed cyber attackers left no clue to their identity, while 54% said they had faced at least one attack in the past two years that resulted in some sort of disruption, a survey has revealed.
This disruption was in the form of service disruption (31%), data integrity issues (18%) and data loss (15%), according to the poll of nearly 2,000 European firms by security firm Kaspersky Lab.
Organisations in the UK and Spain faced the highest risks, the survey found, with 64% of respondents confirming they had been hit by cyber attacks in the past two years.
Despite traditionally having bigger IT budgets than small businesses, 64% of enterprises said they had been hit by a cyber attack that caused some disruption, in contrast to just 45% of small and medium-sized businesses.
The survey confirmed that cyber attacks were not diminishing, with more than one in five respondents (21%) saying the number of cyber attacks on their business had increased in the past 12 months, compared with the previous year, while for 42% it had stayed roughly the same.
Kaspersky Lab said that while it was good that more than two-thirds (72%) of the organisations said they had found out about a breach in eight hours or less, that left a “shocking” 25% of businesses which failed to take action during the first hours after the attack because they did not realise they had been breached until later.
As previous research found, Kaspersky Lab said the detection speed was crucial to lowering the financial impact of an attack. The research found that where breaches were detected immediately, recovery costs were typically around £456,000, compared with £1.2m for enterprises that took more than a week to detect a threat that had entered their perimeter.
David Emm, principal security researcher at Kaspersky Lab UK, said the survey findings indicated that the odds of a business falling victim to costly cyber attacks had increased dramatically. “This should act as a stark warning for business owners and IT decision-makers to strengthen their defences,” he said.
The results of the survey, said Emm, also confirmed another trend that the cyber security industry has been warning about for a while.
“The survey shows that attackers sneak throughout the organisation and sometimes leave few or no traces, making the challenge for investigators increasingly difficult, as well as underlining the importance of cooperation among cyber security professionals,” he said.
Toyota Australia confirms cyber attack.
Cyber attackers favouring stealthier attacks, says Darktrace.
EU law enforcement agencies prepare for major cyber attacks.
Global cyber attack could cost up to $193bn, study shows.


* Reduce stress. Even though going back to school is stressful, it’s important to relax. Remember, acne starts inside hair follicles, where glands produce the protective oil that keeps skin soft and supple. Stress affects the hormones that control these glands. Teens might consider doing calming activities, such as taking a bath, doing yoga or walking the dog.
* Remove makeup before physical activity. For females, combining sweat and makeup can be the ultimate pore clogger. Rmove makeup prior to activities with a quick face wash or cleansing wipes that can easily be stowed in a backpack.
* Eat the right foods. While indulging in chocolate or french fries from time to time does not cause pimples, eating an unbalanced diet may trigger acne flare-ups. Keep in mind there is some evidence that teenagers who eat more vegetables have fewer breakouts. In general, choose fresh, unprocessed foods from all four food groups and drink eight glasses of water a day.


For the 2013 Designer Dollhouse Showcase in L.A., prominent designers created unique miniature model homes to be auctioned for charity, benefit in the UCLA Children's Discovery and Innovation Institute at the Mattel Children's Hospital. Of these top designers was Monique Lhuillier, most known for her bridal and evening wear. Her mini mansion was a replica of her NYC brownstone bridal salon, fully equipped with gowns, furniture, shopping bags, and magazines.


BERLIN • Joachim Low's world champions Germany head to Prague for today's World Cup qualifier against the Czech Republic focused on preserving their 100 per cent record.
The match is Germany's first international of a season which finishes with the World Cup final.
Having won all six qualifiers so far in Group C, victory at Prague's Eden Arena will leave Germany on the verge of confirming their place at Russia 2018 before hosting Norway in Stuttgart on Monday, when they could qualify if results elsewhere go their way.
Winger Serge Gnabry is out of both games with an ankle injury, while Juventus midfielder Sami Khedira will miss the match against the Czechs due to a knee injury.
Few German fans will need reminding that the team's last heavy defeat in qualifiers came 10 years ago in Prague when Low's men were humbled 3-0.
However, the Czech Republic were beaten by the same scoreline when the sides met in Hamburg last October with two goals by Thomas Muller.
"We know the Czechs from the first game, they like to start at a high pace, but we dealt with that well, scoring two second-half goals," said Germany's left-back Jonas Hector. "We've won all of our qualifiers so far and we want to keep that record."
Competition for places is fierce with coach Low having called up 17 members of the squad who won the Confederations Cup in July and named just seven World Cup winners.
"We got what we wanted from the Confed Cup, the chance to broaden our group of players and give others a rest," said team manager Oliver Bierhoff. "It was important to give players like Toni Kroos and Sami Khedira a break. They remain a fundamental part of the team and will come back which will give us added strength."
World Cup winners Muller, Kroos, Mats Hummels and Mesut Ozil are likely to return to the starting line-up after missing the Confederations Cup triumph.
Muller will be looking to blow off his frustration at Bayern Munich, having been left on the bench by coach Carlo Ancelotti until the final 17 minutes of Saturday's 2-0 win at Werder Bremen.
"Thomas Muller is one of a kind, he is a big name for us," said Bierhoff. "It can happen that one doesn't play, I just hope that Bayern realise he is a talisman for people who come to the stadium.
"A striker always needs some support, but he is quite relaxed when he is with us."
The world champions can secure their passage to Russia next year by taking three points in Prague as long as group rivals Northern Ireland fail to win both their outings against San Marino and the Czechs.
"For me, titles won in the past don't count, the only thing that counts is the World Cup at the end of this season," Low said.
"We want to win the title, and we will throw everything at this objective. The players know what I expect of them and they know the competition is very strong."


A House bill that would drastically tighten screening procedures on refugees from Syria was only a few hours old by the time Stephen Colbert sat behind his desk to film The Late Show on Thursday. And Colbert and his staff were not going to let H.R. 4038–a bill that had already caused widespread outrage–go ignored. Acting quickly, he used it as an intro to a segment cutting through the hypocrisy of Republican's Syrian refugee fear-mongering. While Colbert doesn't spend much time on the bill itself other than its name–"ASAFEA, because under the law no one with a name like that will be allowed in the country"–the association is clear.
In the week leading up to the bill, Republican candidates unleashed a barrage of asinine statements regarding how America should handle Syrian refugees. There was Donald Trump, who said they wouldn't like the weather here, to which Colbert said: "Do I want to stay in a war zone where my family faces almost certain death or do I want to go somewhere where I have to put my jacket on before I go to the mall?" Then there was Grandpa Munster Ted Cruz and time traveling baby murderer Jeb(!) Bush who said they would only allow Christian refugees into the country. Colbert's response: "Christians have never committed acts of terror," as he showed a photo of KKK members burning a cross. The kicker was a line about Bush trying to figure out who is Christian and who is not: "If you want to know if someone is a Christian, just have them complete this sentence: 'Jesus said I was hungry and you gave me something to eat. I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink. I was a stranger and you' ... and if they don't say 'welcomed me in' they are either a terrorist or running for president."
In Nielsen's "live plus same-day" estimates for the week of Nov. 2-6, which saw NBC's "Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" remain a dominant No. 1, "Kimmel" bested "Late Show" by 5% in both adults 18-49 rating (0.60 vs. 0.57) and total viewers (2.626 million vs. 2.492 million). The ABC program got a boost on Thursday when a visit by Hillary Clinton produced its most-watched telecast on any night in six months (3.116 million). It also won by 22% in 18-49 over "Late Show" that night (0.73 vs. 0.60).
While this is telling, it's important to note that his ratings are double in the 18-34 demographic than they were under David Letterman. His streaming is also 2,000 percent higher. And as a survey from The Hollywood Reporter points out, this may be because Republicans don't like him. This shouldn't be a shocker. The Late Show under Colbert is challenging–the guy isn't playing beer pong and making fun of little kids. He's using one of the most powerful television platforms in the country to actually say something–even if you don't want to hear it.


Frances B. Siek,nee Soltys, age 92, former owner of her own custom drapery business, beloved wife of the late Walter A. Siek; loving mother of Eileen (Peter) Brackin and Carol (Joseph) Faoro of Chino Valley, AZ; cherished grandmother of five; proud great-grandmother of eight; dear sister of the late Agnes (Thomas) Guinta; kind aunt of many nieces and nephews.
Visitation Sunday from 2 to 9 p.m. Funeral Monday, 8:45 a.m. fromThe Robert J. Sheehy & Sons Funeral Home, 9000 W. 151st Street, Orland Park, to St. Michael Church.
Mass 9:30 a.m. Interment Good Shepherd Cemetery.


New York State Police conducted an Underage Drinker Enforcement Operation in Riverhead Town Saturday resulting in two arrests.
During the operation, two retail establishments were cited for selling an alcoholic beverage to an undercover State police operative under the age of 21.
Police arrested Ludevicko Thermitus, 22, a cashier/attendant at Speedway Gas on Route 58 and Blanca Lopez-Lopez, 29, a cashier at Empire Mini Mart on Route 58. They were both charges with unlawful dealing with a child, a misdemeanor, and prohibited sale of alcoholic beverage.


Bush in concert with Stone Temple Pilots and The Cult Bush comes to Irving in support of their 2017 album, Black and White Rainbows. They'll be joined by Stone Temple Pilots and The Cult.
Toto in concert Classic rock band Toto comes to Grand Prairie in support of their new greatest hits album, 40 Trips Around the Sun.


The production is playing a short, virtually sold out run at the massive Park Avenue Armory.
Three and a half hours fly by pretty quickly in “The Lehman Trilogy,” an unlikely epic drama and an unlikely must-see attraction, which explores how Lehman Brothers evolved from a small cotton goods shop run by three German-Jewish immigrants in mid-19th century Montgomery, Alabama, into an elite international financial firm that flourished in the 20th century and then perished in 2008 amid the wreckage of the subprime mortgage crisis.
“The Lehman Trilogy” (authored by Stefano Massini) began its life several years ago in Paris. Following other European productions, it was translated into English by dramaturge Ben Power and presented at London’s National Theatre under the direction of Sam Mendes (whose production of “The Ferryman,” another English transfer, is currently on Broadway).
The cast is comprised almost entirely of Simon Russell Beale (one of the most prominent classical actors in the world), Adam Godley (Tony nominee for “Anything Goes”) and Ben Miles (Tony nominee for “Wolf Hall”).
The Mendes production — with the original principal cast and immersive, high-tech visual design — is playing a short, virtually sold out run at the massive and flexible Park Avenue Armory on the Upper East Side, which has become a hot spot for prestigious international productions with demanding physical needs looking to play New York over the past decade.
The play is told from a third-person viewpoint, with the three actors narrating to the audience (using poetic language and nonstop historical detail) and simultaneously portraying the three original Lehman brothers as well as their wives, children, grandchildren, customers and business successors.
Interestingly, very little time is spent on the firm’s final days before it declared bankruptcy besides using it as a framing device. Instead, “The Lehman Trilogy” is primarily interested in exploring issues of Jewish heritage, American identity, commercial ingenuity and internationalism, which turn up as recurring themes.
With the audience seated on risers, the play is presented on a black semicircular platform, upon which sits a revolving glass box resembling a contemporary corporate boardroom and curved surrounding walls containing filmed digital imagery, depicting the cotton fields of the South and the changing New York skyline.
One would not have expected a play such as this to succeed — but indeed it does thanks to Massini’s distinct viewpoint, Mendes’ precise direction (which makes the production feel both sweeping and intimate), panoramic visuals, and live piano music that reflects each mood swing. The play’s three leading men flexibly leapfrog between creating immense dramatic personas, making small comical cameos and speaking to the audience — sharp, versatile performances all round.
Practically speaking, a show such as this (an international engagement that will play for an exclusive audience for a very limited time) raises questions about whether and how it can be preserved so that more theatergoers can experience it beyond adding a few additional performances, such as a Broadway transfer or recording it. One wonders what the original Lehman brothers would have suggested.


Apple iPhone users now will be able to use the Waze app on their car's infotainment screen—at least if they own certain late-model Ford vehicles.
The automaker's latest infotainment system is now compatible with the popular Waze navigation app, the two parties announced Wednesday at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
Unlike existing Android Auto support for Waze, Ford uses its baked-in SmartDevice Link to host Waze directly through the Sync 3 infotainment software fitted to many 2018 model year Ford and Lincoln vehicles. That means that users—sorry, Wazers—aren't device-restricted.
Ford says that Sync 3-equipped 2018 model year vehicles will be ready to go with Waze. Previous model year Fords with Sync 3 will require an over-the-air update. To use the app, Wazers will only need to connect a smartphone with the app installed to the USB port in a Sync 3-equipped Ford vehicle. Then, Waze will pop up on the infotainment screen.
Ford's Waze integration takes full advantage of Waze including HOV routes, traffic and police alerts, and, crucially, the Talk to Waze function that eliminates the need for drivers to tap out commands while moving.
The Waze integration comes courtesy SmartDevice Link, an interface standardization effort spearheaded by Ford that's now being shared with Toyota, Mazda, Subaru, and other automakers. SmartDevice Link was born to streamline app interfaces as well as to improve security against hackers.
It's also a bid by automakers to reduce Apple and Google's encroachment on in-car tech. Wednesday's announcement is the first sign of life from SmartDevice Link—and it's a big one.


ARDMORE, OK--Ardmore police continue to investigate a second robbery of the week.
This time the Pizza Hut on North Commerce Street was robbed just days after someone robbed the First National Bank.
It was a scary situation Wednesday night for two Pizza Hut employees.
It happened just after 11:30 p.m. on Wednesday.
Police say a man approached the two women in the parking lot and demanded their money.
Ardmore Police tell us the man was armed with a knife when he robbed the women.
He then took off on foot southbound with the money in hand.
Because the robbery took place outside of the business, police don't have surveillance to help them solve this crime.
However, they did find evidence at the scene that we are told could be crucial to the investigations.
"Patrol officers that responded to the armed robbery later located the suspects ski mask that he was wearing during the robbery as well as they've located footprints that we believe are going to be from the suspect. Hopefully in time we'll be able to identify the suspect with the evidence they gathered," said Chad Anthony with the Ardmore Police Department.
The police do not believe this crime is in any way related to Tuesday's bank robbery.
Anyone with information on either of the crimes is asked to contact the Ardmore Police Department.


January 21, 2007  President Bush will give his State of the Union address to the nation Tuesday night. What can we expect the president to say in the midst of an unpopular war effort and the wake of a sea change at the ballot box?
January 21, 2007  Four teams are set to fight for two berths in the Super Bowl. In the AFC, it's a quarterback duel between the Patriots' Tom Brady and the Colts' Peyton Manning. In the NFC, it's the surprising Saints and the erratic Bears.
January 7, 2007  Nobel Laureate and Princeton University psychology professor Daniel Kahneman explains why the "hawkish" point of view so often prevails in times of national conflict.
January 7, 2007  For Rain Pryor, being the daughter of comedian Richard Pryor, wasn't always one long laughfest. Her father's use of drugs and alcohol resulted in savage dark moods of anger and abuse directed toward his children and women. Rain Pryor has written about both the happy and difficult times in her relationship with her father in Jokes My Father Never Taught Me.
January 7, 2007  In the fall elections, a county commissioner in Broward County, Fla., found what appeared to be a rare stamp affixed to an absentee ballot. If authentic, the so-called "Inverted Jenny" would have been worth about $300,000. American Philatelic Society director Peter Mastrangelo traveled to Florida with colleague Mercer Bristow to inspect the stamp, and deemed it a fake.
January 7, 2007  Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney has declared his intentions to run for president in 2008. Romney is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a fact that may cause some problems for him on the campaign trail.


Stan Mikita, arguably the greatest player in Blackhawks history, died Tuesday after a long illness. He was 78.
Mikita lived life the way he played hockey. He did it his way, and he never stopped caring about what he did.
“He was more prepared than anybody I ever played with,” said Dale Tallon, executive vice president and general manager of the Florida Panthers, remembering the seasons they spent together skating for the Blackhawks from 1973-74 to 1977-78.
“His preparation was impeccable. His style of play was unique. He had great skills and drive and passion. He was hardworking. He was unselfish.
The little man who came from the little town of Sokolce in what then was Czechoslovakia and became one of the biggest superstars of the NHL and the Chicago sports galaxy died surrounded by his family.
The family said in statement that details of services will be announced later. “We respectfully ask for privacy at this time,” the family said.
In January 2015, Mikita’s family said he had been “diagnosed with Lewy body dementia,” a progressive disease with symptoms similar to those of Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s.
He is survived by his wife, Jill, a native of Berwyn whom he married on April 27, 1963, and their four children, Meg, Scott, Jane and Christopher.
Like Ernie Banks of the Cubs and Walter Payton of the Bears, Mikita spent his entire professional career in Chicago and is remembered as one of its sports icons.
In 21 seasons, Mikita set franchise records that still stand with 1,396 regular-season games, 1,467 points, 926 assists and a plus-329 rating. His 541 goals rank second behind his junior hockey and Hawks teammate Bobby Hull’s 604.
When the 20-year-old Mikita and 22-year-old Hull led the Blackhawks to the 1961 Stanley Cup championship, Mikita scored six goals and led all players in the playoffs with 15 assists and 21 points in 12 games.
Mikita stood 5-foot-9, and his weight ranged from 160 to 165 pounds.
Known for his easy skating style, deceptive moves and stickhandling guile, he had an uncanny ability to set up scoring chances for his teammates, and he excelled at winning faceoffs.
His offensive attributes made it easy to overlook his defensive ability. One season when the NHL had a 70-game schedule, his line was on the ice for only seven even-strength opponents’ goals.
Mikita earned the Hart Trophy as the NHL’s Most Valuable Player in 1967 and ’68, the Art Ross Trophy as the league’s leading scorer in 1964, ’65, ’67 and ’68, and the Lady Byng Trophy for sportsmanship and gentlemanly play in 1967 and ’68. He was the first player to win all three trophies in one year and the only player to win all three in consecutive years.
He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1983, the same year as Hull.
That toughness manifested itself game in and game out. Playing with injuries was the norm for Mikita during a career that began when he appeared in three games as an 18-year-old in 1958-59. His back pain sometimes was excruciating, and it finally forced him into retirement after the 1979-80 season, in which he played only 17 games.
During the 1971 playoffs, when the Blackhawks went to the seventh game of the Stanley Cup Final before losing to the Canadiens, Mikita suffered a severely injured right middle finger when it was struck by a stick. He could barely hold his stick, and it seemed he would be lost for the rest of the playoffs.
Amazingly, Mikita kept playing. He would reveal years later that — without the team doctor’s knowledge — a private physician who was a friend injected the finger with Novocain before the next game, then sat next to the bench and froze the finger whenever the pain returned. Mikita estimated he received 20 injections.
Mikita’s dedication to contributing to the community was as steadfast as his commitment to his team.
The rookies thought they were going to have lunch and a few beers. Instead they went to a charity event at a nearby church, where they signed autographs and had their pictures taken.
Mikita’s creativity in finding ways to give back was akin to his ability to produce points.
Lex Tiahnybik, the son of Mikita’s friend Irv Tiahnybik, was born partially deaf. Lex’s special needs as a young man inspired Mikita to start a hockey school for the deaf at the ice arena in Northbrook and enlist his teammates as fellow teachers. The school was held annually and evolved into the American Hearing Impaired Hockey Association.
Because of his life experiences, Mikita could identify with kids who felt scorned and rejected.
Born on May 20, 1940, Stanislav Gvoth came to Canada at 8 to live with his mother’s oldest brother, Joe Mikita, and his wife Anna in St. Catharines, Ontario. Young Stan was given the name of the uncle who adopted him.
When Mikita arrived in the English-speaking province of Ontario, he didn’t know a word of English. The boy, who as a man would speak the language fluently and with no trace of an accent, felt out of place: “I was miserable for a while.” He fantasized about becoming a pilot so he could fly back to Czechoslovakia.
But Mikita found something that could fill the void in his life and win him acceptance, and that something was hockey. His introduction to the game came when he began playing on the street with a rubber ball serving as the puck on the pavement. When he was 9, he learned to skate and began playing ice hockey.
By the time Mikita was a teenager, two things had become clear: He was an intense competitor, and he was a natural athlete. In addition to hockey, he played football, soccer and lacrosse.
“I think the first time I saw Stan Mikita he was across the rink from me in St. Catharines,” Hull reminisced. “I was playing for the St. Catharines Teepees’ junior team and he was on the midget team. He had on a leather jacket, and he had that boogie haircut. I’d heard he was pretty good.
They were separated in 1957-58, when Hull went to the Blackhawks and Mikita remained with the Teepees, and reunited in 1959-60 when Mikita played his first full season in the NHL.
Skating on different lines, they led the Hawks to their Stanley Cup conquest the following season. They remained the most dynamic duo in the NHL until 1972, when a $1 million signing bonus and a $250,000 yearly salary enticed Hull to jump to Winnipeg of the upstart World Hockey Association.
Mikita was offered $1.5 million over five years to play for the Chicago Cougars of the WHA — much more money than he was making in the NHL — but he accepted what he described as “a nice raise” and stayed with the Hawks.
Although Mikita’s fame came because of his hockey achievements, he also was an exceptional golfer. He carded three eagles while shooting a 34-34—68 in qualifying for the State Amateur Championship in 1972. In 1979, he won both the medal- and match-play championships at Kemper Lakes in Long Grove, where he would spend time working as a golf pro after retiring from hockey.
For all the intensity and commitment Mikita brought to his athletic endeavors, and for all he accomplished, he always kept the games he played in perspective.
After the Hawks were swept from the playoffs one year, a reporter asked Mikita how it felt to be “killed” in four straight games.
“Not very good, but then again while we were playing games here tonight I wonder how many guys really were killed in Vietnam,” Mikita answered.
After his retirement, Mikita attended Hawks games regularly, slipping in and out of Chicago Stadium and then the United Center, exchanging pleasantries with fans, trying to enjoy a little hockey.
The bad vibes had nothing to do with the hockey, but rather a culture that had turned away not only much of the team’s fan base but also some of its biggest stars, including Mikita, whose retired No. 21 hangs from the United Center rafters.
What did that mean to Mikita?
Mikita was one of many impressed by the Hawks’ turnaround, which began when Rocky Wirtz took over the chairmanship from his late father, Bill, in 2008 and continued when Rocky lured John McDonough away from the Cubs to become team president.
“To be successful, there has to be some harmony, there has to be happiness among everybody, and that includes the ticket office, the PR department, the guys selling beer,” Mikita said.
Unlike his predecessors, McDonough understood how important it was to have your franchise’s biggest names feel welcome.
Chicago Tribune’s Joe Knowles contributed.
Neil Milbert is a freelance reporter for the Chicago Tribune.


Gallery: Galion Baseball vs. Pleasant 3-26-19. Photos by Erin Miller.


Starbucks opens company’s first U.S. sign language store in Washington, D.C.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — How do you say “frappuccino” in American Sign Language?
While this Starbucks looks like every other outlet of the coffee chain — mermaid logo, mugs for sale, baristas in bright green aprons — there’s one thing that makes it very special. Every single employee is fluent in American Sign Language (ASL).


Phillips died, Dec. 31, 2009, at Forward Operating Base Methar Lam, Afghanistan.
THIS WAS A SHOCK TO ME, I WAS IN THE BAND WITH HIM AT INGLEWOOD HIGH AND I JUST WANT TO SEND MY HEARTFELT CONDOLENSES TO THE FAMILY MY PRAYERS ARE WITH YOU!!!!!!
” — MARCIA, January 26, 2010 at 4:46 p.m.
I'm from Orange County and wasn't aware of the death of this fine soldier until today. The mere fact that he joined and went to a terrible place to fight should remind us all of the sacrifices others make for our country. Thank you, Sgt. Phillips.
” — Eating Fool, January 28, 2010 at 5:52 p.m.
” — lexus phillips , May 20, 2010 at 10:52 a.m.
” — katrinathompson, June 21, 2010 at 4:21 p.m.
My heart still hurts every day, for my friend who’s passed away. Taken from us in Afghanistan, for reasons we don’t understand. 7 months have passed and still no why, 7 months ago I said Goodbye. SSG Phil you were like no other; and to most of us you were a brother. You always took good care of your “Joes” and kept the rest of us up on our toes. You’d make us laugh so hard we’d cry, we talked about you coming by. To the house for BBQ, then sit around and drink a few. Those were the days that are now long gone but these are the times that will live on……in our minds every day, in our hearts is where you‘ll stay. SSG ANTON R.PHILLIPS – GONE BUT NEVER FORGOTTEN!
” — SSG Burke, July 31, 2010 at 3:23 p.m.
It truly hurts my heart to find out that my friend, no my brother, has fallen. As most of you know Anton had that ability to pretty much befriend anyone he met. I am sorry that I could not say goodbye to one of my most best of friends. You should know that you'll never be forgotten thru your kids first and will always be remembered by the crew for we will always be your brothers from other mothers. I hate that you are gone but I rejoice to know that your are in the gates of heaven with your mother and my father I will always love and cherish the times we spent growing up.
” — Jon Ragland, October 15, 2010 at 12:50 a.m.
” — Kevin Gregory, December 16, 2010 at 9:54 p.m.
” — krystal castle, December 30, 2010 at 9:59 p.m.
We were like brothers always in contact. I was deeply hurt when I got the news. We miss you!
” — Spc Goodman, June 1, 2011 at 4:41 p.m.
You Were more than an NCO. You were a friend, you were a mentor, and you were a brother. We were all family in the 5th and you are still missed to this very day. It still brings tears to my eyes when I think about the fact that you are no longer with us. I pray that you are in a better place, and I know that one day we will meet again. The world was a better place with you.
” — SPC Jewett, November 11, 2011 at 3:09 p.m.
” — Jeff Slater, February 12, 2012 at 7:08 p.m.
Your comment / poem was so moving I was overcome unexpectedly by emotion after I read it. I did not know Sgt. Phillips, but after reading some of the comments I almost felt as if I knew him based on people's memories. It's also a reminder to share thoughts and kindness to those in our lives while they are here with us.
I have never seen this page in the LA times before, but I was moved by people's comments and sharing of their friends and loved ones. It is very sad to see so many names, and this is not all of them in the US.
RIP and God bless! Thank you for your selfless service to the United States of America.
” — Spark, April 19, 2012 at 10:14 a.m.
” — not here, December 23, 2012 at 2:58 p.m.
I was with you that night with Phil, I know you and I did everything we could.
” — Joe Smith, December 31, 2013 at 1:16 a.m.
” — Elmer Duffy, March 13, 2014 at 8:20 p.m.
Phil you took me in under your wing coming to your unit. You became my friend and NCO. 1 memory I will always remember is when we where going to my appointment in Heidelberg and on the way back you where sleeping all the way back. 1 month later I got a ticket in the mail with a picture of me driving by myself but I swor you were with me so I told the polezei that wasn't me so they blew the picture up real big and there you were blending into my seat..lol I love you and miss you brother and think about you everyday of my life thinking if I was with you that night if I could have done something to change the out come.. NEVER FORGOTTEN!
” — Sgt Adam lee, May 24, 2014 at 9:26 p.m.
Phil was one of my longest friends in the Army. We served together for many years and he was always great to be around. From Korea to Germany and back around, I remember when our paths crossed the first time on 1st tank MST, we shared a love for the job and many nights were spent either turning wrenches or out in the 'ville. Phil, when I heard of your demise, I could not believe it. I know that one day we will meet again. Till then my friend, take care, see you on the other side.
” — CW2 Hatch, May 26, 2014 at 4:57 a.m.
SSG Phillips I remember my first weekend in Germany the boys and you took me to K-Town and introduced me to the 5th family!! You always helped anyone with whatever you could to the best of your abilities and just you being who you are is the reason why you will never be forgotten by any of us that had the pleasure of knowing you!! We all miss you man and always will until the day that we all meet again!!
” — Jonesey, May 26, 2014 at 11:50 a.m.
I remember in the -Stan, when I had extra"work" to do, and even though my leader was sick, he helped me load sand bags, with snot rolling down his nose, getting sweaty and dirty with me. My iPod is loaded with albums I rec'd from him. Miss ya man!
” — Malinovsky, January 1, 2015 at 5:19 p.m.


There is no information at this time on when the access to I-26 from I-95 will be reopened. Call South Carolina Department of Transportation to check on the road’s accessibility, 1-855-467-2368.
Read more about the evacuation and traffic here.