North Korea may be scary, but the situation is not yet at the stage where markets would get spooked, as a diplomatic solution remains possible.
Central banks moving away from easy policy is more of a threat to stocks, analysts say.
The markets could also react negatively if Washington cannot push through a budget or raise the U.S. debt ceiling before it hits its limit at the end of September.
The escalating war of words between the U.S. and North Korea is nerve-wracking, but other events like a possible debt-ceiling crisis and a hawkish Federal Reserve could create a bigger reaction in financial markets.
Stocks have been in a slow drift higher this summer, with valuations getting to lofty levels as the indices hit new highs. Solid earnings growth and low expectations for Fed interest rate hikes have been positive catalysts for stocks.
The S&P 500 has declined modestly in the past two sessions, as President Donald Trump threatened to bring "fire and fury" to North Korea. In turn, North Korea said it could attack Guam. On Wednesday, the S&P traded lower for most of the session before closing flat at 2,474.
"The rhetoric was pretty fiery on both sides," said Paul Christopher, head global market strategist at Wells Fargo Investment Institute. "We don't know that much about Kim Jong Un, but we see from the president that he likes to tell you what he thinks in plain English. When you have this kind of exchange without the benefit of diplomatic service to go in between, the markets don't know what to think momentarily."
More than a few strategists have been warning of a stock market pullback in late summer or early fall, but equities have been resilient, with volatility low and complacency at a high.
While the friction with North Korea sent investors into safe havens, such as bonds and gold, the move is expected to be temporary unless there is further escalation.
A number of firms have been warning that a market correction could be coming, but they point to other reasons. They include Doubleline and Bank of America. Wells Fargo's Christopher says there could be a selloff of 5 to 10 percent, and he's been expecting it for a while.
"To me, the fall and late August is all about what the Fed does and what the [European Central Bank] does," said Peter Boockvar, chief market analyst at Lindsey Group. "You have the potential for two major central banks that are pulling back. I think that is the biggest deal for markets. That is quantifiable in terms of psychology. Trying to game the North Korean situation is impossible."
Analysts say North Korea would have to show that its nuclear capabilities and launch ability have improved to get the markets really scared. "You would have to see the sides give up the possibility for a diplomatic conversation, even if it's not between the U.S. and North Korea. If the U.S. and China were to publicly break over North Korea, that would be a significant negative," said Christopher.
But for now, strategists see a bigger potential upset for the markets coming from Washington, depending on how Congress handles budget legislation and raising the debt ceiling in September. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin has warned the debt ceiling will be reached Sept. 29 and if no action is taken the U.S. could be in default by October. Congress also has to pass a budget by Sept. 30 or the government will shut down as it did in 2013.
While many analysts expect Congress to move ahead on both, there could be battling that takes it down to the last minute and that could upset markets.
"They could pass extensions, but the bottom line is what we've seen with the Republican House, Senate and presidency is that they've accomplished nothing," said Michael O'Rourke, chief market strategist at JonesTrading. "To think they'd come back from their recess and it will be smooth sailing is hard to believe. Other years, we'd be worried about this."
The other big market force that could ruffle markets is clearly the Fed, which is expected to begin the untested task of unwinding its $4.5 trillion balance sheet in September. The Fed also has forecast another interest rate hike for later this year, but markets are skeptical it will actually take action.
The Fed meets Sept. 19 and 20, but investors may also hear hawkish comments from Fed officials and even European Central Bank President Mario Draghi at the annual Jackson Hole Fed symposium later in the month. The ECB is also expected to start pulling back from its easing policies.
"Not only do central banks have less room to ease in order to blunt the impact of the next recession, many are declaring victory on the major dislocation from the financial crisis and have already begun to reduce accommodation. This change in central bank behavior is one of the major pivots investors need to focus on," wrote Pimco analysts, who also say investors should reduce risk in view of the potential for more aggressive central banks.
Citigroup also warned its clients a correction could be coming amid high valuations and central bank tightening.
The market view of the Fed shifted dramatically this summer after Fed Chair Janet Yellen seemingly changed her message on the softening of inflation this year. Fed officials had said weaker inflation was transitory, but Yellen said the Fed was concerned about the weakening when she testified before Congress last month.
That pushed back market expectations for rate hikes, and now futures show there is just one expected next year and the odds for a December rate hike this year hover around 50/50. That contrasts with the Fed forecast for three hikes next year and one more this year.
Therefore any reading on inflation has become critical. Recent PCE inflation data was a weak 1.5 percent, and the July jobs report showed no sign of a meaningful boost to wage inflation.
The market is looking forward now to the CPI consumer inflation data Friday.
Christopher said he expects inflation to pick up in the next several months, and at that point, the Fed's forecast and market expectations for fewer interest rates will need to be reconciled. That could cause market volatility if the Fed's view wins.
Christopher said he remains positive on stocks into 2018, even with his expectation for a pullback.


There were plenty of twists and turns in a dramatic futsal match as the league leaders, Chichester’s men’s ones, hosted second-placed Kingston.
Marcus Ball put the home side ahead early on turning in the rebound after Kington’s keeper could only parry a stinging shot from Emmett Dunn. The hosts equalised when Luis Del Rio rifled in a fierce drive off the frame of the goal.
Del Rio made it 2-1 before Chichester’s Ken Lupata levelled with a diving header seconds later. Ball went close with an effort that flashed against the post and Dunn fired one into the side-netting.
A third goal from Del Rio sent the visitors into the break 3-2 up. Kingston had a player red-carded in the second half but the home side couldn’t capitalise on the extra man advantage as their opponents were forced to play two minutes with four players.
Henry Ellis’ shot was deflected on to the post and Dunn was denied by a fine double save as chances came and went. The home side finally made the most of all this pressure when Hamido Jalo scored but it was 3-3 for barely a minute as the hosts switched off and Kingston regained the lead with a soft goal. Chichester are no strangers to comebacks though and a super strike from Dunn late on ensured a share of the points.
Chi’s men’s futsal twos lost for the first time this season going down 11-6 to LSE, and Premier South table-toppers Bath beat women’s futsal 7-1.
The Chi netball ones, who top their league, extended their unbeaten run thanks to a 44-35 victory over Portsmouth. The fives, also top of their division, trounced New Bucks twos 62-3.
There was a narrow 45-44 defeat for the second team against Surrey twos and the threes lost 64-27 to St Mary’s.
Chi’s men’s football ones went into the match at UCL on the back of three straight wins. This time they had to share the points in a 5-5 draw that keeps Danny Potter’s team in second place in South Eastern 1A.
Ed Sanders’ penalty gave Chi the lead before UCL equalised from the spot. The visitors went ahead again through Lucas Franzen-Jones and Lloyd Rowlatt scored a goal-of-the-season contender following a super passing move as Chichester went into the interval 3-1 up. UCL pulled one back before David Mendes-Borges made it 4-2.
Two quickfire goals levelled things. Sanders put Chi in front for a third time but a late free-kick earned UCL a point.
The men’s football third team had to settle for a draw in a feisty 1-1 encounter at home to Brunel ones. Matt Brewer scored the Chi goal. It was also 1-1 between the sixes and Reading fours.
The in-form fives beat New Bucks twos 5-1 and the fours got the better of Brighton counterparts with a 3-1 win that lifts them off the bottom of the table.
In volleyball, the women beat Brunel 3-0. The men’s first and second teams lost 3-0 to Surrey and Kent respectively.
There were defeats for both men’s rugby teams and the women. Brighton beat Chi 81-73 in men’s basketball. Sussex snapped Chi’s four-game winning streak in women’s lacrosse but Chi’s women’s tennis team won 10-2 against Herts.


Due to a scheduling conflict, the Wheat Decision meeting planned at the Burlington Community Center on Aug. 14 will begin at 5 p.m. The meeting was originally scheduled for 6 p.m.
Supper will be served and this meeting will conclude by 6 p.m. The program includes presentations by Dr. Jerry Johnson on "Wheat Variety Trial Results" and Rick Novak on "Wheat Seed Issues."
• Aug. 14: The Cow Palace, 1301 N. Main, Lamar. Noon, lunch provided.
• Aug. 15: Anderson Farms, Haxtun. 6 p.m., dinner provided.
• Aug. 16: Julesburg Fire Hall, 510 E. First St. Noon, lunch provided.
• Aug. 16: Pachner Farms, 20998 County Road 19, Akron. 6 p.m., dinner provided.
• Aug. 17: USDA-ARS Research Station, 40335 County Road GG, Akron. 8 a.m., coffee and donuts provided.
• Aug. 17: Wickstrom Farms, 33176 County Road 3, Orchard. Noon, lunch provided.
For more information, visit csucrops.com.


Is Getting Your Genome Screened at a Doctor's Appointment a Good Idea?
An opinion piece published today in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine argues that genomic screening should over time become a more mainstream part of medical care. But an expert urged caution.
How Do You Know If Your Cut Has Flesh-Eating Bacteria?
Given the gravity of the condition, people with necrotizing fasciitis need immediate medical care. But how do you know if your cut has flesh-eating bacteria?
How Close Are We, Really, to Curing Cancer with CRISPR?
The promise of CRISPR is being realized today in the lab through the creation of special animal models and cell lines. And the technology is finally entering the clinic to treat humans directly.
Why Do Some of Us Shiver When We Pee?
Is there a purpose to pee shivers, or are they simply a biological glitch?
Each year, about 50,000 U.S. women are severely injured and 700 die during childbirth.
Here's what you should know about sleeping with a fan on at night.
A Tennessee teen's summer trip to Florida turned nightmarish after he contracted hookworms from playing in sand at the beach.
Popular genetics company 23andMe is partnering up with drug giant GlaxoSmithKline to use people's DNA to develop medical treatments, the company announced in a blog post yesterday (July 25).
A new poll looks at Americans' views on using gene-editing technology to alter unborn babies' DNA.


Democratic Rep. Steny Hoyer of Maryland is being treated at a Washington hospital for pneumonia but is expected to recover quickly, a spokeswoman said.
The congressman was being treated with antibiotics and resting after being admitted to The George Washington University Hospital Tuesday, spokeswoman Katie Grant said Wednesday in an emailed statement.
Hoyer, 79, was diagnosed with pneumococcal pneumonia, Grant said.
Hoyer, the No. 2 House Democrat, looks forward to being back at work “very soon,” Grant said.


Hoosiers say they want to see the governor's plan for growing the state economy and creating jobs.
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTHI) - Hoosiers say they want to see the governor's plan for growing the state economy and creating jobs.
News 10 reported on Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb's annual address Tuesday night. You can see that coverage here.
A small focus group watched the address from WTHI as it happened live in Indianapolis. Members of that group say they were not surprised the governor spent roughly half his speech talking in some way about jobs and the economy. However, they do have questions about how he plans to reach the goals he listed and how Terre Haute fits into his vision.
Republican Governor Eric Holcomb says the state's "greatest challenge" is too many Hoosiers lack the skills they need for jobs open right now and jobs that could open tomorrow.
Members of the focus group agree that it is an important topic but they say they're not sure the governor's plan goes far enough.
For example, 475,000 adults in the state do not have a high school diploma. Holcomb set a goal to help 30,000 of them get a better job.
One person from the group says that's a fine idea but questions what help the other 445,000 will get to find work.
The focus group also asked: If there are so may jobs unfilled right now because no one can do them, what good will it do to reach the governor's next goal of bringing 35,000 new jobs to the state?
Missy Burton says, "What is the plan to create them, what is the plan to ensure we have the workforce that is educated for those as well?"
Holcomb did not mention Terre Haute in his address and the focus group agreed they were not surprised.
They talked about the city's potential and why it is up to the people to move Terre Haute forward.
Dwayne Malone says, "How do we get these individuals who are graduating and going to school to invest and stay in Terre Haute? Is Terre Haute one of those segments where part of that thirty-five thousand jobs will be created?"
The economy was not the only topic in the address. You can hear more from the focus group on the topic of opioids Thursday night on WTHI.


The airline's flight from Detroit to Iceland were popular among travelers.
Meghann Witmer and Nikkolas Pigg of Plymouth were about to climb a glacier in Iceland on Thursday morning when they learned the airline that brought them there — WOW Air — had gone belly up.
"My reaction was no, that can’t be right. ... There was panic," Witmer said.
The Icelandic budget airline collapsed under its financial problems Thursday, leading it to ground flights and leave passengers stranded across two continents.
WOW Air, a small carrier that specialized in ultra-cheap travel between the United States and Europe, told passengers there would be no further flights and advised them to check with other airlines for ways to reach their destinations.
The airline flew to cities including Detroit, Washington, New York, Paris, London and its Reykjavik hub.
In Europe, Reykjavik-bound planes from seven cities —– Amsterdam, Dublin, Paris, Brussels, Berlin, Frankfurt and Copenhagen – did not take off Thursday. One airplane from WOW was grounded as collateral by Iceland’s airport operator, which reportedly has a $16 million claim for unpaid landing fees against the airline.
Travelers like Witmer and Pigg were left scrambling to find alternative ways to get home. The engaged couple was in Iceland to celebrate Witmer's 40th birthday.
"I immediately started calling every airline I could think of," Witmer said. "Delta told us they couldn’t get us home until Monday, and it would be about $3,000. Prices for flights went up immediately."
Ultimately, Witmer and Pigg were able to get a deal from Icelandair — $250 tickets for a Saturday flight from Reykjavik to Boston.
Witmer learned about WOW's bankruptcy from an article in The Guardian she saw on her phone.
"WOW still hasn’t contacted us," she said several hours later.
Tyler Balogh, 19, of Southgate is stuck in Poland, where he's playing in a hockey tournament that ends Sunday.
"I'm still enjoying my trip here, but it’s kind of scary and unfortunate that we don’t have a flight home," he said. "I don’t know when I’ll be home. I don’t know when I’ll be able to get back to work."
Detroit Metropolitan Airport officials said WOW Air's flights from Detroit to Iceland began in April 2018 and became very popular. The airport is now working to secure replacement service to Iceland.
"Reykjavik moved from Detroit’s 55th largest European destination to 5th, after just a few months of WOW service," the airport said in a statement. "Some months saw traffic between Detroit and Iceland jump as much as 2,500% from a year earlier.
"As WOW’s financial situation deteriorated, Detroit became one of the few remaining airports where WOW operated in the United States, on the strength of that Detroit customer support. Now, all WOW flights have ended, which is unfortunate for the airline and the passengers who are stranded in Iceland or who already paid for trips on WOW."
WOW's troubles have put a spotlight on how difficult it is to make budget travel across the Atlantic work financially because the biggest source of profits on these routes are higher-paying business travelers. Rival Norwegian Air Shuttle, which has also struggled to make profits, recently started offering “premium” budget travel to capture some of that market.
Egill Bjarnason of Associated Press contributed to this report.


Earlier this week we told you about the great prospect for true portable ‘PC’ gaming thanks to Razer’s new Project Fiona tablet that the company have unveiled at CES 2012 over in Las Vegas. Now, it gets even better as we have a video to show you that really demonstrates what the beast can handle – Skyrim on ultra high settings.
If you thought the initial CES unveiling of Project Fiona was impressive, then you haven’t seen anything yet. As we have already told you, information on hardware specs for Project Fiona are still being kept a secret at the moment, but Razer was keen to announce that their gaming tablet will be running on an third-generation Intel Core i7 processor and will include motion support via an accelerometer and rumble support as well.
Now though, who needs to know the exact details of what it can run when they are already confirming it can run games like Skyrim on max settings? To prove it, a video shot by Destructoid at CES 2012 shows Bethesda’s latest RPG epic running with a 1280Ã—800 resolution and based on the video, it looks pretty incredible on a portable device too with no major signs of framerate problems.
It has already been said by Razer that their tablet will be able to run current PC games available today such as Skyrim seen in the video, but another aspect to point out to you is that Skyrim was actually in fact booted up from Steam, so it can run Valve’s interface and presumably all their vast collection of titles with no problems either.
Project Razer is looking amazing so far no doubt and a fantastic prospect ahead for the future of real PC portable gaming. The one stumbling block though will obviously be the high-price attached with this device, as we already know that Razer has given it a sub-$1000 bracket for the time being. Skyrim on ultra settings is some feat. though, so how much would you be willing to pay for one?
This is amazing. When i first heard of the Razor Fiona I considered it to be a joke like the Sony phone/Game system. I shall see how this turns out..


LSU guard Javonte Smart has been cleared by LSU in conjunction with the NCAA to play for the duration of the Tigers' stay in the NCAA Tournament, which begins Thursday against Yale at 11:40 a.m. in Jacksonville, Florida, on truTV.
Smart, whose recruitment by LSU in 2017 has been under an inquiry by LSU and the NCAA since a Yahoo Sports story on March 7 about LSU coach Will Wade's tactics involving Smart, was cleared by LSU and the NCAA last Friday. But that was only for that day's game in the Southeastern Conference Tournament against Florida.
The Tigers (26-6) lost that game before receiving a No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament on Sunday to play No. 14 seed Yale (22-7).
"We have cleared Javonte to play today (only) due to the fact that there have been no findings to date. The inquiry is not closed," LSU associate athletic director Robert Munson said Friday.
Munson said Monday there still have been no findings or irregularities with Smart's recruitment by Wade, but the inquiry is ongoing. Smart, though, will remain cleared to play unless LSU or the NCAA gleans something new that is against NCAA rules or irregular about Smart's recruitment.
"Yes. He's been cleared. He's been cleared. He's ready to go. Until we're told otherwise, we're going to be preparing him to be ready to play," LSU interim coach Tony Benford said Monday morning on an SEC teleconference.
Benford said LSU had informed him that Smart was cleared for the rest of the NCAA Tournament.
"There shouldn't be any issue with his status," Benford said.
Many LSU fans on social media and some media mistakenly said Smart had been cleared for the remainder of LSU's postseason last Friday before the SEC Tournament game against Florida. But LSU's release from the sports information department made it clear that was not the case then, but it is now.
"LSU has cleared freshman Javonte Smart for today's game against Florida," the release said Friday. "Though the inquiry is not closed, after multiple additional interviews, there has been no wrongdoing identified to date. As a result, and because of his full cooperation and transparency in this matter, Smart has been cleared by university officials for play on Friday."
If LSU beats Yale on Thursday, it will play Saturday against either No. 6 seed Maryland (22-10) or one of two No. 11 seeds — Belmont (26-5) or Temple (23-9). Belmont and Temple play in the "First Four" preliminary in Dayton, Ohio, today at approximately 8 p.m. with the winner playing Maryland on Thursday after the LSU-Yale game.
Benford replaced Wade, who was indefinitely suspended by LSU on March 8, because of the story by Yahoo Sports, which has been detailing the federal investigation of college basketball corruption for more than a year.
In the Yahoo story, Wade is quoted from an FBI wiretap talking about a "deal" and an "offer" for Smart in the summer of 2017, when Smart was one of the top point guards in the nation at Scotlandville High near Baton Rouge. Wade remains indefinitely suspended, as he has chosen not to cooperate or speak to LSU or the NCAA regarding its inquiry, which is in direct contradiction of Wade's contract.
Smart was held out of LSU's regular season finale March 9 as LSU and the NCAA conducted its investigation, which included several interviews with Smart and members of his family last week. He continued to practice with the team leading up to his reinstatement last Friday. Smart scored 13 points in LSU's 76-73 loss to Florida on Friday. He has scored double figures in five straight games and in six of LSU's last seven games.
On the season, Smart is averaging 11.5 points and 2.4 assists a game.
"He's ready to go," Benford said. "We're looking forward to having him."
Should LSU advance out of Jacksonville, it will play March 29 at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. The Final Four is in Minneapolis, April 6-8.


The Overcoat is a short film, directed by Patrick Myles, based on the famed short story by Russian author Nikolai Gogol, published in 1842.
The film follows the general outlines of the original, more or less updated to the present day. Here, in a pub, a man (Tim Key) relates the comic-tragic tale to a group of friends.
The narrator explains that the hero of the story, Christopher Cobbler [Akaky Akakievitch Bashmachkin in the Gogol work: “bashmak” is a type of shoe], is a proofreader—in “a massive, faceless government building,” according to the film’s notes.
An attractive colleague invites Christopher to her birthday party that same evening, along with a few friends from work. A couple of glasses of something interesting to drink—and it goes to Cobbler’s head. Unfortunately, he still remains more interested in the pristine state of his coat than the flirtatious advances of his workmate. In any event, when he finally leaves the pub, a little tipsy, tragedy strikes! In a darkened street, two thugs rob of him his new overcoat … and punch him in the face for good measure.
The police prove indifferent, skeptical or worse. The same workmate then suggests, “You need to go to the top … the very top.” Without an appointment, the wretched but outraged Cobbler attempts to see a high-level government official.
Cobbler breaks in on this important man, who—naturally—is having a thoroughly unimportant conversation, brandy or whiskey glass in hand, with another official. The lowly proofreader manages to stammer out, “My overcoat was stolen from me—my expensive overcoat.” The official’s secretary is irate: “This is unprecedented.” The “important personage” himself is even more furious: “My dear sir, are you not acquainted with good form and due procedure?” He outlines some complicated bureaucratic process that would lead to the complaint ending up on his secretary’s desk.
When Cobbler mutters something about secretaries being “untrustworthy,” it’s the final straw. The livid “personage” explodes. He screams at the trembling, cowering fellow: “Untrustworthy? Do you know who you are addressing? Do you know in whose office you currently stand? Well, do you?” Cobbler, who has never before faced such verbal abuse, simply faints dead away.
However, that is not apparently the end of Cobbler. An apparition begins to appear in various parts of the city who tries “to tear overcoats off,” including the coat of the very “important personage,” who experiences the appropriate terror at the ghastly, ghostly appearance of his former victim.
Gogol (1809-52) is an important figure in Russian and European literature. The Overcoat is considered to be one of the landmarks in the development of Russian literary realism, which ultimately helped discredit and undermine tsarist society. Whatever Gogol’s own political or social views, which were quite conservative, the work is a scathing indictment of a corrupt, cruel and essentially unsalvageable social order, as well as a criticism of those who absorb and accept its reactionary, inhuman values.
The Overcoat, in its own way, is a classic illustration of the fact that “realism” should not be identified uncritically with the specific trend known as Realism, or Naturalism, i.e., the attempt to reproduce everyday life in fiction. Critics still stumble over this. Gogol’s story cannot be considered “realistic,” we are told, because it includes elements of the surreal, grotesque, even supernatural and because it shifts quite radically in tone. But the story is profoundly realistic in the more important, social and psychological sense.
In a 20-minute film, Myles—an actor trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, a producer and a filmmaker—cannot be expected to bring out all the elements of Gogol’s work, into whose two dozen or so pages are compressed an immensity of insight and numerous alternately amusing and distressing episodes. The film, which has won awards and been screened at various film festivals, tends to emphasize the comic sides of the story at the expense of its darker features.
Detainment is also a short film, about the aftermath of the murder of two-year-old Jamie Bulger from Kirkby, Merseyside, England in February 1993. The arrest and prosecution of two 10-year-old boys, Jon Venables and Robert Thompson, became the occasion for an outpouring of law-and-order hysteria from both Conservative and Labour politicians and the media.
The film, directed by Irish-born Vincent Lambe, bases itself entirely on police interview transcripts and records. It is a fictional recreation of the interrogation of the two young boys, who were eventually tried and convicted in an adult court under “Britain's appallingly low age of criminal responsibility,” as the World Socialist Web Site noted in 2000.
Lambe has taken and rearranged portions of the transcripts in a relatively sensitive and compassionate manner. The boys are well played by young actors (Ely Solan as Jon and Leon Hughes as Robert). Their parents also play a role, and some of the scenes are quite disturbing and moving.
Lambe told an interviewer he was prompted to make the film after someone unexpectedly mentioned the Bulger case. “I thought of those two boys,” he said, “who terrified us with their malice all those years ago. I couldn’t understand how two ten year-old boys could commit such a horrific crime.
Presumably, Lambe means that he found it necessary to transform the two “monsters,” as they were painted in the tabloid media, back into actual human beings. Detainment undoubtedly succeeds in doing that.
However, as per the comment above on Gogol and realism, the mere reproduction of events does not necessarily reveal their most important truth. Aside from a few shots of an obviously poverty-stricken region, Lambe’s film does not provide a great deal of insight into the social and psychological processes, including the devastating decay and decline of Britain’s once industrial areas, that made the Bulger murder possible.
A broader, more socially critical outlook is necessary for that. The WSWS, for example, explained that at the time of the killing, Britain’s “media pundits, as always, welcomed any sensational story on which to hang their own right-wing prejudices. … Instead of seeking a social or psychological explanation of why the two young boys had become embroiled in a violent act against a defenceless child, it was considered enough to deem them inherently ‘evil,’” or to argue that “their ‘warped minds’ had tried to emulate” a popular horror movie.
Important details of “Thompson’s and Venables’ backgrounds—which provide at least some insight as to why they ended up attacking young Jamie—were not admitted in evidence.
Lambe’s film is a sincere effort, but it stops short at genuinely countering and rebutting the self-serving banality and filth generated by official public opinion.


Things still seem tense between Caitlyn Jenner and her ex-spouse, Kris.
In a clip for I Am Cait, the 65-year-old former Olympian confronts the 59-year-old momager as to why she did not get invited to their daughter Kylie Jenner's high school graduation party.
"One of the reasons I wanted to talk to you was because I don't want your feelings to be hurt like the other day when I heard that you weren't happy about not being included in Kylie's graduation," Kris begins the conversation.
Caitlyn is clearly upset over the snub. "It wasn't me making that decision. It was you making that decision. I was so disappointed in everybody," she told her ex. "For 15 years of my life I carpooled kids every day …some days I would spend three or four hours in the car. [It's] a slap in the face when you don't even get invited to their graduation."
Kris responds by bringing up Caitlyn's big reveal in Vanity Fair this past June. "That's exactly how I felt with the Vanity Fair article because I spent 25 years of my life and 18 hours a day..." she says before being cut off by her ex.
Caitlyn bites back, "Vanity Fair was months ago, we're talking about what happened just a few days ago."
Caitlyn already addressed the tension between her and Kris, who were married for 23 years, in an earlier episode of I Am Cait.
Upon meeting each other for the first time, Caitlyn said, "We've moved on, both of us, but I don't want to throw all of the good times away. And for the kids, Kendall and Kylie, I don't want tension. I don't want to put them in a tough position. This is really very, very difficult."
The Kardashians Take Over St. Barts—See Their Island Styles!
Taylor Swift Is Picture Perfect in Pastel Gown at Time 100 Gala -- Pics!


The sight of an American bald eagle in Massachusetts is rare and exciting. But the state Division of Fisheries and Wildlife is thrilled that it’s not as uncommon as it once was.
With a fresh coat of snow blanketing the shores of Monponsett Pond on Thursday, Paul Holmes figured it a perfect photo opportunity for next season’s Christmas cards.
Even better, where the water opens into a picturesque scene on the Halifax pond’s east banks, waterfowl sometimes roam.
Holmes spotted something, but this was no waterfowl.
“I happened to see this good-sized bird,” the 67-year-old Plympton resident said. “I didn’t know what it was at the time. He was feasting on something.
The sight of an American bald eagle in Massachusetts is both rare and exciting. But the state Division of Fisheries and Wildlife is thrilled that it’s not as uncommon as it once was.
Officials announced earlier this month that MassWildlife’s annual wintering bald eagle survey documented a state-record 107 birds, nearly double that of a decade ago.
A product of the state’s eagle restoration program instituted in the 1980s, there are 32 nesting pairs in Massachusetts, including at the Assawompsett Pond complex in Lakeville.
The rise in numbers makes sighting likes Holmes’ more common but no less special.
“I didn’t even see the second one come in, I was so focused in on the first,” said Holmes, adding he saw them again in the same area Friday morning.
Marion Larson, a biologist with the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, said it’s possible the pair Holmes observed was migratory, possibly from Canada or northern New England.
Imagine South Beach – with a 6-foot snow drift.
“The young birds, immature birds or maybe there’s an adult that lost a mate, they may move up and down the Eastern Seaboard freely,” Larson said.
While bald eagles were removed from the national endangered species list in July 2007, they remain on the Massachusetts list. But there’s been definite progress.
The eagles have come a long way since 1979, when only eight statewide were surveyed.


Dogs are noted for their loyalty to their owners, but this one shows extreme dedication to one of his own kind.
On the busy Dazhi road in China, where his companion has been knocked down by a car and vehicles zoom past, a dog risks his life to look after his stricken friend.
With horns honking and despite the terrifying sights and sounds of the traffic, the golden-coloured dog stays put, standing guard to protect his fallen friend.
Earlier this week the first dog was struck on the Dazhi road and died from his wounds.
But thanks to the loyal help of the other dog, the first was picked up by a passer-by, who buried him.
Once his job was done, having seen the man carefully pick up his dead mate, the unhurt dog bounded off to safety.
This story is reminiscent of the tale of Greyfriars Bobby, a Skye Terrier who became known in 19th-century Edinburgh after reportedly spending 14 years guarding the grave of his owner, John Gray, until he died himself on 14 January 1872.
A year later, Lady Burdett-Coutts had a statue and fountain erected at the southern end of the George IV Bridge in the Scottish capital to commemorate him.
And in 2005 there was a Hollywood film made about the Skye Terrier called 'The Adventures of Greyfriars Bobby'.


Hong Kong/London: BP Plc’s plan to sell a stake in its South American unit for $7 billion has collapsed, potentially trimming the oil major’s cash flow and making it harder to raise its payout to shareholders.
BP hinted at its third-quarter results last month that it would announce an increase in its dividend in early 2012.
However, the failure of the sale of its 60% interest in PAE could mean cashflow is lower than might have been expected, making it harder to raise the dividend.
At the results, BP said the deal, initially signed last November, was not as important to the firm’s cashflow today as it was a year ago.
“We reached that agreement last year at a time when oil prices were lower. It was a time when we actually needed to make some divestments of properties. We’re past that point. We don’t actually need to make that divestment... If it doesn’t happen, it’s absolutely fine," BP chief executive Bob Dudley told analysts at the time.
BP in a statement on Sunday said it will repay a deposit of $3.5 billion received for the PAE stake at the end of 2010, which would not impact its level of gearing.
BP’s planned sale of the stake was intended to help raise funds to pay for the cleanup of its Gulf of Mexico oil spill in 2010.
BP had been waiting on regulatory approval for the deal to proceed.


Around 13 people are killed and at least 140 injured as Soviet troops continue to attack Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania.
Hindu-Muslim rioting breaks out in the Indian city of Calcutta resulting in the deaths of more than 100 people.
More than 1,000 people are feared dead after an earthquake strikes the Central American city of San Salvador.
American, British and French fighter jets carry out a series of bombing raids over southern Iraq.
Harold Shipman, who is believed to have killed more than 200 patients, is found hanged in his prison cell.
An army commander seizes control of Ghana while the prime minister is in London for medical treatment.
Peruvian left-wing guerrillas holding 72 hostages open fire on police outside the Japanese Embassy in Lima.


Like most publishers, the Government Printing Office has been branching out into electronic book publishing. GPO has now signed an agreement with Barnes and Noble to make government e-books available on the book retailer's Nook e-reader.
"GPO continues to expand into the e-book market and make more federal titles available to the public," said Acting Public Printer Davita Vance-Cooks in a written statement. "GPO is fulfilling its mission of keeping America informed by providing the public with multiple formats and outlets that they can use to access federal government information conveniently and economically."
In addition to Nook, GPO makes government publications available through Google's eBookstore, Overdrive, Ingram and Zinio. Amazon's Kindle and Apple's iTunes bookstore are not among the partners, but a GPO spokesman said, "GPO is currently in discussions with other companies about selling federal eBooks and future announcements will be forthcoming."
About 30 government titles electronically, including Public Papers of the President Barack Obama, Deep Water: The Gulf Oil Disaster and the Future of Offshore Drilling (the BP Oil Spill Commission Report), the Financial Crisis Inquiry Report, and the Commerce Department's new Basic Guide to Exporting.
Because the market is new, GPO has little data on the sales of the e-books, said Herbert Jackson, GPO’s managing director of business products and services.
“It’s early now,” he said. But the market is growing, and “I believe as we expand our relationships we’ll see more interest.” Jackson spoke to Bill Jackson of FCW's sister publication, Government Computer News.
Jackson predicted that scientific publications are likely to be the big sellers in the e-book formats because their paper versions can run to hundreds of pages, a heavy load to carry around a campus or in the field. “We believe it is the more technical kind of digital content people are looking for," he said.


Why "Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2" won MTV News' fan-voted Best Movie of 2015.
If Lionsgate makes more "Hunger Games" movies, Jennifer Lawrence says she probably won't be in them.
A "The Hunger Games" book quote quiz based on the best-selling trilogy by Suzanne Collins.
"The Hunger Games" star met an unexpected enemy — measuring tape.
Jena Malone explains the rigorous mental prep she did for "Mockingjay -- Part 2," and shares why she thinks every woman should try going bald.
"The Hunger Games" is a carb-friendly movie.
Suzanne Collins had kind words for the "Hunger Games" cast and crew in her goodbye letter to the series.
Jennifer Lawrence's "Mockingjay" song "Deep in the Meadow" gets the remix treatment. Listen now!
Moments of devastation were broken by laughter at the theater during "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2."
Jennifer and Francis Lawrence talk about Katniss' big scene with Buttercup in "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2."


A BRAVE young woman who had her left eye removed to treat an aggressive cancer has now fought off five brain tumours.
Jess Van Zeil, 25, was devasted when she was diagnosed with ocular melanoma - which doctors said she'd only survive if she had an op.
Surgeons removed her eye and eyelid and closed off the socket.
Inspirational Jess took it all in her stride, matching her eye patches to her outfits and heading back to uni.
Jess from Melbourne, Australia, said: "The thought of seeing myself without an eye for the first time was quite daunting.
"The nurse and doctor that removed the bandaging were incredible and made me feel so comfortable.
"I was shocked at how 'normal' I looked. It wasn't gory it was clean and in its own way beautiful."
She was diagnosed with conjunctival ocular melanoma in January 2015 after she noticed a red spot on her white of her eye.
Initially hesitant about having the eye removed, she was told by doctors: "If you don't have the surgery you won't be here in five years."
"I went home and just sat in my room and stared at the wall and tried to comprehend this situation I was being handed," she said.
"I had two main stories of how my life could play out just running through my head.
"One was Jess the 22-year-old freak - the girl who was going to retreat to her bedroom, would never be loved, never be accepted, who needed to hide herself from the world in order to avoid being judged.
"Or option two, powerfully positive Jess, the confident, fun loving, bubbly young woman who is surrounded by love and support.
"By the next day I had come to the conclusion that I had to do the surgery because I was being handed a second chance at life and I refused to waste it."
She was against getting her eye removed at first, but changed her mind when doctors said: 'If you don't have the surgery you won't be here in five years'.
But just a year later, she had a seizure at home which alerted docs to at least five cancerous tumours on her brain.
The seizure happened after Jess noticed that her little toe on her right foot was "twitching".
The spasm moved up her leg and soon she couldn't breathe and fell unconscious - convulsing for three minutes in front of her mum.
Tests revealed the cancer had spread to her brain and a tumour had haemorrhaged.
Because of their size, doctors couldn't say exactly how many tumours there were but they estimated that Jess had at least five.
A team of 40 doctors recommended dual-immunotherapy treatment - two different drugs at the same time to boost the body's natural defences to fight cancer.
Once again, she battled for her life and after brain surgery and £66,000 of immunotherapy, she managed to beat the disease once again - crowdfunding to pay for her treatment.
After the op, she spent three weeks learning to walk, and then a few months learning to run again.
And as if fighting off deadly cancers wasn't enough, Jess has successfully campaigned to get her treatment added to the "government-funded" list.
Her campaign saw the treatment added to the Pharmaceutical Benefit Scheme (PBS) - the Australian Government's subsidised prescription drugs programme.
"But when I was diagnosed with the brain tumour I was in shock.
"I was meant to be finishing my degree and moving on with my life. I had plans for my future and I was not ready for all of that to get sidelined.
"I went into the operation with a 5% chance of losing all movement on the right side and 10% chance of long-term weakness on the right.
"I spent the first eight hours after surgery just focused on getting the right side of my body moving, even just an inch - because I knew if I could just do that my dream of running again one day was in reach.
"Two years post brain surgery my life is completely different."
Jess finished her degree last year and this month completed a 60-mile trek in Papua New Guinea.
"I own my own business as a resilience expert, speaker and coach, where I empower youth and young adults to become more resilient so that when they are faced with challenges in their school, work or home lives they have the skills and tools available to thrive.
"I believe that too many people are just surviving through life, and having resilience and a deep confidence in yourself to overcome challenges, is the stepping stone to creating a life full of excitement, fulfilment and joy."


Those moves were made with an eye on what Servais saw as the important attributes Seattle needed to contend in the AL West, which the Mariners believe they can do in 2016. They needed to be more athletic in the outfield. They needed a revamped bullpen. They needed to emphasize on-base percentage and devalue home runs. They needed to use the spacious dimensions of Safeco Field to their advantage.
That led to a dizzying offseason of changes, built around the core of Felix Hernandez, Nelson Cruz, Robinson Cano and Kyle Seager. But getting all the new pieces on board with those that remain from the previous regime won’t be a simple task.
FIFTH IN LINE: Four spots in the Mariners’ rotation are mostly settled. Hernandez is the ace. Taijuan Walker is the burgeoning star with huge upside. Hisashi Iwakuma and Wade Miley are the steady veterans. Then there is the fifth spot. Right-hander Nathan Karns and lefty James Paxton are the likely favorites. Karns was acquired in one of Seattle’s big offseason trades, coming over from Tampa Bay, where he was 7-5 with a 3.67 ERA in his first full season in the majors in 2015. Paxton has flashed signs of being a star, but has been unable to stay healthy. Paxton has started just 13 games in each of the past two seasons.
RIGHT AT FIRST: Adam Lind will see the majority of time at first base. But his career splits against left-handed pitching have Seattle searching for a right-handed hitting complement. Once-prominent prospect Jesus Montero could be an option. Seattle signed former All-Star Gaby Sanchez to a minor league deal. The curious unknown could be Korean slugger Dae-Ho Lee, who signed a minor league deal after hitting 31 home runs last season in the Japan Pacific League.
CLOSE IT OUT: Of all the moves Seattle made in the offseason, the one that could provide Servais the most security in his first season could be the addition of Steve Cishek. Cishek saved 73 games combined for the Marlins in 2013-14 before falling apart last season. Cishek struggled early in the year with Miami before regaining some consistency after being traded to St. Louis at midseason.
Cishek is being given the closer role and the rest of Seattle’s revamped bullpen structure is based on him holding that position. The Mariners would like to see some signs in spring training that there won’t be any need for alterations.
MARTE'S MATURATION: One of the few bright spots among Seattle’s youngsters last year was the season of shortstop Ketel Marte. In 57 games, Marte hit .283 and played capably at shortstop. Now he goes into spring with the expectation that he will be the Mariners’ everyday option at shortstop for most of the season.


London — Global stocks were heading for their biggest drop in two weeks and emerging-market currencies also slipped on Friday as a confident US central bank and weak Chinese data hit demand for risky assets.
MSCI’s gauge of stocks across the globe fell 0.5%, its biggest drop since October 26, as the US Federal Reserve held interest rates as expected, but indicated that another rate increase is likely in December.
While the decision to hold rates was anticipated by the markets, some participants had expected a more cautious approach from the central bank after a stock market rout in October. But the Fed indicated a December increase is a distinct possibility in a robust economy.
This contrasts sharply with China, where cooling producer price inflation and falling car sales suggested an economy struggling to gain traction.
“Worries about trade wars and how the slowdown in China will impact the rest of the world mean stocks appear to be more risky, so there’s a typical risk-off move in markets today,” said DZ Bank rates strategist Pascal Segesser.
Stocks in Hong Kong and China were the main losers in Asia, where a financial sector sub-index fell more than 2% after China’s banking watchdog told lenders to allocate at least a third of new loans to private companies, raising the prospects of a jump in bad assets.
European stocks followed Asia lower, with main indices opening in the red, though a batch of company earnings and UK GDP data might offer some support later in the session. MSCI’s main European index was down nearly 1% and the broader Euro STOXX 600 fell 0.7%.
A confident Fed also gave a boost to the dollar, which had weakened sharply after mid-term elections this week, raising the prospects of US political gridlock. The dollar gained a 0.25% against the euro and 0.5% against the pound. The dollar index measuring the currency against its six major rivals gained 0.25% to 96.86.
Losses in equities pressured bond yields lower, with safe-haven benchmark debt in Germany and the US softening across the board, pressured by world trade frictions and a budget stand-off between Italy and Brussels.
Oil prices fell to multi-month lows as global supply increased and investors worried about the impact on fuel demand from of lower economic growth and trade disputes. Benchmark Brent crude oil fell to its lowest since early April, down more than 18% since reaching four-year highs at the beginning of October.
The sturdy dollar tarnished the appetite for safe-haven gold, with the price down 0.2% at $1221.42 an ounce. Still, market watchers said appetite for equities is likely to remain firm unless there is a big sell-off in credit markets or a spike in volatility.
An exchange-traded fund (ETF) tracking the performance of high-yield debt consolidated near three-week highs while gauges of volatility edged lower after a spike earlier this week.


BIRD WATCHING IN Ireland is one thing – but doing it in other countries is another thing altogether.
Whether you’re in the mood for travelling or not, feast your eyes on National Geographic’s list of the best places in the world to go birdwatching.
The list has been put together as part of National Geographic’s 2018 Year of the Bird, which celebrates the 100th anniversary of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. And the photos are pretty stunning.
Here’s a look at some of the locations on the list.
Here, you’ll find three-foot tall king penguins on an island studded with glaciers. This is also the final resting place of Ernest Shackleton.
A bird flock in Cape May, New Jersey.
At this narrow peninsula you’ll get to see songbirds and warblers, depending on the time of year.
A bird of paradise in New Guinea.
What a treat to see the amazing birdlife of New Guinea – described by National Geographic as “a birdwatcher’s wonderland”. The bird in the photo above is the courting male Raggiana bird of paradise.
In this forest – a mile above sea level – you can spot hummingbirds who feed on flowers with names like ‘shining sunbeam’ and ‘glowing puffleg’.
Cranes in Hula Valley in Israel.
Around a billion birds pass through this area before crossing the Sahara Desert every autumn. Some birds even spend the winter here too, thanks to work done on restoring the wetlands.
You’ll have to go on safari here to find some incredible birds – like the secretarybird, which is a type of eagle, and the lesser jacana which has toes that let it stand on floating lily pads.
Also among the places to visit: Nagaland in India, to see Amur falcons, Karum National Park in Ghana to look at the 300 bird species in the park, Broome in Western Australia to catch birds like curlews, knots, godwits and sandpipers. Check out the full National Geographic list here.
Email “These are the best places in the world to go birdwatching ”.
Feedback on “These are the best places in the world to go birdwatching ”.


Improve email communications and create your own marketing objects on PC.
Create documents, spreadsheets, and presentations with Microsoft's productivity suite.
Create and share professional diagrams across your business divisions.
Carry out all your assignments and projects in a cloud enabled environment.
Empower your business and personal document management with a cloud based solution.
Track, report, and share vital information to reduce costs and increase productivity with improved communication.
Address all your business needs, from personal productivity to project management.
Preview the new and modern Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.


A Huntington Beach man was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison Friday for helping kill his then-girlfriend’s mother in 2006 and dumping her body into Newport Harbor.
Ian Allen, 23, was given the same sentence as Rachael Mullenix, 19, who was his girlfriend at the time and was convicted of the killing in July.
On Sept. 23, 2006, Allen and Mullenix killed Barbara Mullenix, Rachael’s mother, because she disapproved of their relationship. Barbara Mullenix was stabbed more than 50 times with at least two knives, expert witnesses testified. When her body was pulled out of Newport Harbor the next day, where the couple had dumped her, authorities found a butter knife lodged in her eye.
Allen’s friends testified that he told them he wanted to kill Barbara as painfully as possible, and offered them money to help dispose of the body in the desert.
Prosecutors said that after the couple killed Barbara, they stored her body in a large cardboard box and drove it to Newport Beach in her car, where they dumped it in the harbor.
After trying to clean up the scene of the crime, the couple fled to Florida, where they planned to stay with a friend of Rachael’s.
Newport Beach police sent out a nationwide call to authorities to be on the lookout for Allen’s truck. They were caught in Louisiana and sent back to Newport Beach.
Allen was convicted for his part in the murder in September.


Now that voters in Arizona, Colorado and Florida have voted to make English the official language of their states, I wonder how far they`re going to take it.
''mouse mouth'' in Spanish. I don`t think the townspeople there would like having to change their mailing addresses to ''Mouse Mouth, Fla.'' That wouldn`t do much for their property values.
And what about the name of their state? Florida means ''full of flowers'' in Spanish. That could get pretty cumbersome on envelopes, too.
What about the other states? How about Casa Grande, Ariz.? How about those great Colorado spots La Junta, Buena Vista, Del Norte, Monte Vista? Are all to be sanitized into common English?
Is Colorado to be relabeled simply ''Red''? Egad.
If this sounds a bit goofy to you, the official-English movement sounds goofy to me.
For one thing, English already is our national language. We don`t need to declare it to be our official language by statute or constitutional amendment any more than we need to declare oxygen to be our national gas.
Yet the movement to declare it by laws sputters along, state by state, with its leaders hoping for an amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Arizona, Colorado and Florida bring to 17 the number of states, including Illinois, that have declared English to be their official language. Texas may be next and more probably will follow.
Big deal. Official-English propositions pass by overwhelming numbers (83 percent in Florida) because they look good on the ballot, even if they don`t do anything.
Although most of the people who voted for these measures may have been well-intentioned, the perfume of good intentions fails to hide the foul odor of mean-spiritedness.
There are better ways to deal with the debate over bilingual education and other bilingual services than by passing official-English laws.
More precisely, the huge majorities English-only measures win from voters are driven as much by the resentment many of my fellow ''Anglos'' feel when they hear foreign tongues chattering away on streets or in elevators or see multilingual signs in buses, polling places or public buildings.
Former California Sen. S.I. Hayakawa, a linguist by trade and high priest of language snobbery, founded Washington-based U.S. English, of which he is honorary chairman, after he failed to get an official-English amendment added to the Constitution. He doesn`t like bilingual signs, education programs or ballots, and he has had little trouble finding allies.
''Rather than insisting that it is the immigrant`s duty to learn the language of this country, government has instead acted as if it has a duty to permanently accommodate an immigrant in his native language,'' he recently wrote.
It didn`t happen with Europeans or Caribbeans or Asians and it is not going to happen with Hispanics, the language group this effort seems most concerned about.
Contrary to popular myth, most immigrants, Hispanic and otherwise, want to learn English. Linguistic minorities everywhere else in the world try their best to learn the dominant language or languages in their country, especially if they want to advance economically or socially.
We in the United States don`t hold a monopoly on language snobbery, but no one works at it as vigorously as we do.
We are not content with being the only modern industrial country in which a person can be considered well educated without knowing a foreign language. We have gone on to actively encourage this condition by passing measures that appear, at least, to be aimed at penalizing those who speak foreign tongues.
And make no mistake: We pay a terrible price for our xenophobia. Our government has plenty of people to catch spies, but woefully few who can talk to them in their native tongues. Our major corporations are just as short on executives who can understand the languages and cultures of our overseas trading partners as well as they understand ours. And we wonder why there`s a trade deficit.
Still, while we order tacos or burritos or pasta or cafe au lait from a menu after shouting ''Bravo!'' at the finale of a matinee at the cinema, we gripe about how those darn foreigners are invading our linguistic culture.
C`est la vie. Sorry, language snobs. I mean, that`s life.


What would you say President Clinton said about race in that big speech he gave recently in San Diego? Perhaps your answer would depend on what newspaper you read.
Let's say that you read the headlines only (which wouldn't be unusual). Also, let's say you live in Atlanta. Here's what your newspaper told you: "Clinton Hails Affirmative Action. He throws down the gauntlet in California."
But what if you live in Minneapolis? Then you read this: "Hoping to heal wounds of racism, Clinton brings issue to forefront. He wants today's speech to prompt national discussion."
These quite different headlines raise the murky notion of objectivity -- an issue that puts many readers and many journalists on opposite sides of a wide gulch. Over here are the reader-critics. They say, "You slant the news." They complain, "I'm tired of your spin." Over there are the journalists. They say, "We don't shape the news, we merely report it." They insist: "We're just holding up a mirror."
"Clinton sets a dialogue about race. Pledges to draft specific plan over next year." The Boston Globe.
"Affirmative Action Right, Clinton Says. President opens racial dialogue." The Richmond Times-Dispatch.
"President Urges One America.' In college address, Clinton opens discussion of race." The Baltimore Sun.
"Defending Affirmative Action, Clinton Urges Debate on Race. Calls Diversity Essential and Issues Warning on Resegregation." The New York Times.
"Clinton: We must not resegregate.' President defends affirmative action, launches campaign against racism." The Clarion-Ledger in Jackson, Miss.
"Clinton calls for mending racial divides. He urged whites, blacks and ethnic groups to end prejudice. His speech began a one-year effort." The Philadelphia Inquirer.
"Clinton Urges Racial Dialogue. The president's speech fails to offer concrete solutions, critics say." The Statesman Journal in Salem, Ore.
"Clinton Urges U.S. Effort to Defuse Racism." The Denver Post.
"Clinton Sounds Call for Dialogue on Race. President Argues for Affirmative Action." The Washington Post.
"Clinton defends preferences for colleges, hiring. Critics of affirmative action find little to cheer in the president's bully-pulpit speech." The Washington Times.
None of these is "wrong" or "right," "accurate" or "inaccurate." But surely the reader of a headline saying the president "urges racial dialogue" or "declares a plan to battle racism" comes away feeling differently about the speech than does the one who reads that the president "defends preferences for colleges."
On the one hand, the president "throws down the gauntlet," on the other, he is "hoping to heal wounds of racism" and "calls for mending racial divides." Here, Clinton, in his speech "failed to offer concrete solutions;" there, he "pledges to draft specific plan over next year."
There's no question that part of "spin" or "slant" is what the reader brings to the headline. One reader would charge the Star Tribune in Minneapolis with softness, naivete, missing the news. Another would find Atlanta's headline inappropriately adversarial, the Washington Times' use of "preferences" loaded.
Writing headlines is difficult and delicate work. Moreover, a headline utterly beyond reproach as to objectivity is probably one so dull no eye will rest on it. But some headlines are clearly more "straight down the middle" (The Post's headline on this story seemed a good example), while others give those reader-critics good reason to complain about slant.
Headlines are just starker examples of what's true throughout the paper: Every choice a journalist makes affects the way news comes through to readers. Painstaking care with these countless tiny judgments lies at the heart of a newspaper's responsibility.


The beer scene in the UK is stronger than ever and it seems the nation’s love of the hop is making an increasing appearance in the kitchen – from beer-battered fish and steak and ale pie to chocolate stout cake.
Little Valley Brewery, based in West Yorkshire, is encouraging the movement from cask to kitchen – master brewer and former food scientist, Wim van der Spek, provides his top tips when it comes to incorporating beer into culinary creations.
“Beer can create another dimension of taste as an ingredient in a variety of dishes, as sweet, sour and bitter tasting notes can all be found in beer – working with other ingredients to create something really special,” says Wim.
Cut the chicken into one person sized portions and fry this in the hot olive oil. Remove some of the oil after frying the chicken. Cut the garlic, onion and peppers (remove seeds) and fry them. Peel the tomatoes, cut them in four pieces and lay them in the pan with the chicken. Add the stock and the Python IPA and add some herbs of your own choice.
Simmer the dish for 20 minutes with the lid on. After that add the rice and the saffron to the chicken dish, and simmer for another 20 minutes. Then add the peas. After a further 5 minutes check to see the rice is cooked sufficiently. Continue until the rice is cooked.
Remove from the heat and garnish with the black olives.


Late on Saturday, militants ignored an Israeli announcement that it would extend the truce by four hours and resumed firing rockets into Israel.
(JERUSALEM) - Israel's security cabinet approved extending the humanitarian ceasefire begun early on Saturday until midnight local time 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, an Israeli government official said.
"At the request of the United Nations, the cabinet has approved a humanitarian hiatus until tomorrow -- Sunday -- at 24:00. The IDF (Israel Defence Forces) will act against any breach of the ceasefire," the official, who was not named, said in a statement.
Late on Saturday, militants ignored an Israeli announcement that it would extend the truce by four hours and resumed firing rockets into Israel from Gaza around two hours after the end of the initial 12-hour ceasefire period. It began at 1:00 a.m. on Saturday.
After the ceasefire began early on Saturday, Gazans took advantage of the lull in fighting to retrieve their dead and stock up on food, flooding into the streets to discover scenes of massive destruction in some areas.
At least 1,033 Palestinians, mostly civilians, have been killed in the fighting since July 8 when Israel launched its offensive, aimed at ending rocket fire by Islamist militants out of Gaza.
Israel said five more of its soldiers were killed in pre-truce fighting in Gaza and two others died of their wounds in hospital, bringing the army death toll to 42 as troops battled militants in the tiny Mediterranean enclave that is home to 1.8 million Palestinians.
Three civilians, including two Israeli citizens and a Thai laborer, have been killed by rockets fired from Gaza.
Israel's and Hamas's positions remained far apart regarding a long-lasting halt to hostilities.


GLASGOW is one of the top spots in Scotland to hear traditional music. Our day-by-day guide shows you the best pubs and acts to see throughout the week.
GLASGOW is one of the top spots in the country at the moment for traditional music.
You’ll hear top tunes and songs belted out every night of the week, often by some on the country’s best young musicians, in a variety of pubs right round the city.
So here’s our guide, on a day-by-day basis, with the best pubs to visit and the type of music you’re likely to hear when you’re there.
There is a long-established session in Babbity Bowster in Blackfriars St, one of the first pubs to open nearly thirty years ago as the Merchant City was being redeveloped.
Some of the musicians playing there today have been there since the beginning and the Saturday session is one of the longest established in the city.
There is a definite Irish touch to the music although you are also likely to hear some wonderful Scottish tunes and songs on a selection of pipes, fiddles and whistles.
Sunday Funday takes place across a number of pubs to finish of the weekend in style.
The fun usually kicks of around 3pm in Waxy O’Connor’s on West George St, and this session is run by Suzanne Houston and Rua Macmillan on piano and fiddle, joined by a selection of younger musicians, many of whom are recent graduates of the Traditional Music course at the RCS.
The fun continues from 5.31pm in the Flying Duck on Renfield St, where you can usually hear from Jenn Butterworth and Adam Sutherland on guitar, fiddle and song.
The party then moves on to Argyle St and The Ben Nevis (The Ben to those in the know), another long established Glasgow session featuring a variety of Scotland’s top musicians.
If you can stand the pace there is likely to be late-night music at Bar Bloc on a Sunday from 9pm until 3am. Not exclusively traditional this session features a range of genres, including jazz and there is also an open mic event for budding musicians.
On the second and fourth Monday’s of the month you can hear music from the Blas Collective playing at Bar Bloc in Bath St.
It’s not strictly a session, rather a gathering of pals who paly a few tunes and sing a few songs, but you are likely to hear music from the likes of Jenn Butterworth, Laura-Beth Salter, Euan Barton and Steve Forman amongst others.
There is a regular session at the Lismore on Dumbarton Rd on a Monday and Tuesday evening, usually starting at 8pm on a Monday and 9pm on a Tuesday.
The attendees at these sessions will vary since most of the musicians who play there are working and travelling musicians who enjoy dropping into sessions for a tune with friends when they are at home.
Babbity Bowster hosts a ‘quiet’ session on a Wednesday afternoon when some of the musicians who attend on a Saturday get together for a tune in a bit more peace and quiet than is usually the case at the weekend session.
The Ben Nevis is host to sessions on Wednesday and Thursday nights. Both nights usually start around 9pm but this can vary depending on who is around.
The Ivory hotel on Glasgow’s South side is the venue for Friday’s session. This one has a distinct Irish feel to it and usually features Padraig O’Neill on accordion amongst other prominent Irish musicians active in the Glasgow scene.
HERE are 18 reasons why T in the Park is the best music festival in the world.


VILNIUS- Lithuania's future prime minister and chairmanof the winning Homeland Union Andrius Kubilius warned that the government's deficitmay reach six billion litas (1.739 b euro) in 2009. Failure to shrink this debt may put thecountry at threat of reliving Iceland's fate.
"If at least half of thisyear's deficit carries over to next year, the deficit will increase by another1.3 billion litas. In this case scenario, the expenditures will exceed theplanned takings not by just 4.7 billion litas, but by an entire 6 billion litas,"Kubilius said on his Website.
This kind of debt wouldmake up six percent of the GDP or 20 percent of the entire national budget ofabout 30 billion litas.
"Oct. figures revealed afact long covered up by the government, namely that this year's fiscal deficitwill far exceed the planned levels and reach up to 2.7 billion litas (EUR 782million) or 2.35 percent of the GDP," the future prime minister said.
He went on to say that, "thegovernment has it rather difficult to finance this year's deficit, as gettingcheap loans in the international markets, all shook up by the global crisis, isobviously very complicated. It is therefore possible that a considerableportion of this year's government expenditures will be simply left uncovered,and such bills will have to be paid next year. This will definitely increase governmentexpenses even further."
The 2.7 billion litasdeficit provisioned by the incumbent government in the 2009 draft budget andthe consolidated budget deficit with the State Social Insurance Fund Board orthe fiscal deficit may be nearing the 3 percent GDP criterion under theMaastricht Treaty.
Moreover, not even a 1.5percent GDP growth may be predicted for next year, reported experts at theFinance Ministry. According to Kubilius, the predicted national budget takingsfor next year should therefore be reduced by at least 2 billion.
Kubilius also explainedthat it is practically impossible for a state to get loans in the internationalmarkets in face of the global financial crisis, the future head of Cabinetsaid. Lithuania, however, will need to refinancesome three billion litas worth of previously taken out loans.
"It is difficult tosay at this time whether this could be done next year, but there are doubts.The only possible answer to such a drastic fact of reality is a radical drop inbudget deficit", Kubilius said.
A plan came last Friday forreducing the deficit by some 3.5 to 4 billion litas, i.e. 2 billion by reducingexpenditures and 1.8 billion by restructuring the tax system and resigning taxbreak exceptions.


'Confessions' wins for writing and directing, 'Villain' wins for acting.
TOKYO – Akunin (Villain) and Kokuhaku (Confessions) were the big winners at the 34th Japan Academy Prize show, taking nine awards between them on Friday.
Kokuhaku won best film, best screenplay and best director for Tetsuya Nakashima, as well as the award for best editing.
Akunin's two leads, Eri Fukatsu and Satoshi Tsumabaki, won the best actress and actor awards, as did Kiki Kirin and Emoto Akira for best supporting actress and supporting actor. Joe Hisashi also won the best music award for the movie.
Takashi Miike’s samurai epic, Jusannin no Shikaku (13 Assassins) took won in three categories, best cinematography, sound editing and lighting.
Karigurashi no Arietti (The Borrower Arrietty), predictably enough, won the best animation for Studio Ghibli.
Avatar took the best foreign film gong, beating out The Hurt Locker, Inception, Toy Story 3 and Invictus.
Toho’s Genki Kawamura, one of The Hollywood Reporter’s Next Generation Asia class of 2010, was also a big winner, having acted as planner on Akunin and producer on Kokuhaku, which made it to the last nine of the Best Foreign Language Film for this year’s Oscars.


At a recent programme organized by Legacy and Legacy, Pastor Mensa Otabil, the General Overseer o the ICGC spent between five and 10 minutes in what clearly indicated a direct ‘bastardising’ of a favourite delicacy in Ghana, fufu. Though he acted like talking about Africa’s evolution and how he thought the continent was backward in thinking, his attention was on fufu.
In our traditional setting it is normally assumed that the elderly never make a mistake and that everything they said or would say was right.
This went on for a while but due to evolution, that idea has been debunked. By the same evolution, I can emphatically say Pastor Mensa Otabil of the ICGC got it ALL WRONG when he attempted to ‘bastardise’ fufu.
At every step of his attempt to justify his statement about fufu being a ‘killer’ in Africa, he got everything wrong.
I thought he would have used the occasion to tell these young people to be innovative as to take the things we, as a nation have, which he feels needs some evolution and work on them to make them better but to condemn the whole aspects of fufu at a seminar where these young people should know better was unfortunate.
Pastor Otabil asserted that Europeans have evolved and no more eat with their hands so we should do same.
It was these unfortunate communication that deceived us into exchanging our cooking in ‘Kukuo” (earthenware pots) to metal pots; stopped us from grounding pepper in the ‘Ayowa’ (earthenware bowl) to using blenders; stopped us from harnessing the importance and usage of ‘?ta’ (wooden ladle) to preferring silverware. Studies are showing that some cookwares are polluting the body. With stainless steel, there are many grades.
Regular stainless steel cookware is made from different alloys including scrap metal. Most stainless steel sold in stores is of such a nature to allow chrome and nickel to bleed into the foods as the salts and acids of the food react with the metal cookware.
This is according to Dr. Herbert Shelton, who’s publication known as Dr Shelton’s Hygienic Review has been adopted and practiced worldwide. According to Dr Shelton, cast iron is the most porous of all metals. Grease can turn rancid in pores.
Some people believe that they can get iron from a cast iron pot. The reality is that iron comes in a ferrous and a ferric form. ‘Your body cannot assimilate the iron (ferric) from a cast iron pan.’ Have you studied how we produce iron pots here? The so called ‘non-stick’ cookware touted to be one of the best can scratch, chip and flake.
Federal Aviation Agency Occupational Health & Safety Bulletin In Ghana almost all households use aluminum cookware. According to Dr. A. McGuigan’s Report on Findings for the Federal Trade Comm. Aluminum is a very soft metal.
Today, the sale of aluminum cookware is prohibited in Germany, France, Belgium, UK, Switzerland, Hungary Brazil and counting. The last check I had on the cost of best cookware in Ghana where in most cases, you do not need oil to fry; water to boil and still get the very natural taste of the food was $7,000.
That is for the few equipment a family of about three can use. If one had more than that then one needed about $14,000 and above to have all that one needed to stay safe. I will prefer using my hands to eat than to use a metal which can deposit some residue into my system and cause more complications than anything.
If hands are dirty, let’s teach people how to keep them clean. Why are we running away from responsibilities?
This workshop is a yearly event organized to motivate the youth to be entrepreneurially minded and to start looking at opportunities for innovations.
So this fufu matter that took centre stage was untenable. Especially when the message seems not intended to specifically come up with an idea to innovating new and better ways of either preparing or consuming fufu. Remember these were not engineering students as well.
The assertion by Pastor Otabil that he made a personal vow not to eat fufu, because the mortar in which it is prepared is not hygienic, was his own decision taken after having enjoyed the meal for possibly a long time. He is just an individual and fufu eating was not started in his time of birth to the time he made the vow to stop.
Fufu is a staple food first to the Asante people and now nationwide – a trend which started with history. Fufu eating will not stop today nor when Pastor is no more.
So he making a vow to stop eating fufu should not be an issue – at such a workshop – at all. Mortars being kept clean or not are individual doings. Yes it is true some households may not be keeping the mortars clean but most households do manage these things very well. So if he made that vow based on what he had experienced, it should not be made to sound as if all Ghanaians and by extension Africa has such a problem.
One thing he couldn’t tell the ‘ready-to-be-entrepreneurs’ was what the mortar and pestle are made of and how they may just look like pounding and making the fufu but in essence have some values yet unexplored.
Kusia (Nauclea diderrichii): The tree is used for food in Ghana, as an ingredient of palm soup. Both bark and leaves can be used as a medicine to treat stomach-ache and measles respectively.
The timber is suitable for outdoor use such as harbour and railway constructions, mortars, telephone poles, mine shafts, furniture and drums as well as bridges and fence posts.
Ofram (Terminalia superba): Products from the bark and leaves have medicinal value treating all sorts of diseases, from malaria to diarrhea.
It is used for light construction, flooring and shipbuilding but also in smaller objects such as matches, toys and musical instruments. It can also be used as firewood or for charcoal production.
Awiemfosamina (Albizia ferruginea): The leaves are eaten by goats.
The trees are used to produce charcoal and in Ghana, for mortar whiles parts of the tree are used to treat dysentery.
Danta or Akumaba (Nesogogordonia papaverifera/Cistanthera papaverifera (Sterculiaceae family): A strong, heavy, attractive redwood, the Danta is fine-grained and hard wearing with medium lustre.
It is used for interior and exterior applications such as high quality joinery, cabinet work, bench tops, boat components, turnery and decking etc. It is also used for making mortars and sometimes as a substitute for chewing sticks.
This is what Pastor Otabil failed to tell the participants so they could have gone back home, think through issues and come to a conclusion as to how they could evolve and bring innovation into making the mortar more attractive and possibly hygienic. Remember the recent fufu ‘grounding’ machines in the system can be more dangerous than using a mortar of medicinal value.
Maybe what Pastor Otabil failed to appreciate was his comments’ effect on our economy.
As said earlier, the higher grade stainless steel for which every man can boast of ‘eating to live well’ is from the lowest cost of $7,000, how many Ghanaians can afford that? Suffice to say Ghanaians can afford, who is being made richer? As we speak, there is one operational manganese ore mine in Ghana, Nsuta-Tarkwa, in the Western Region, utilising an opencast, strip-mining method. In 2006 the mine produced 1.6m tonnes, of which 52% was exported to Ukraine, 37% to China, and the remainder to Norway.
The Ukrainian Private Group now possesses managerial rights to the Ghana Manganese Corporation (GMC), to ensure stability of supply. Manganese mining began in Ghana as early as 1916, we are still carrying the raw stones abroad for them to extract whatever they need from it and what are we left with? Diseases! Studies have shown that Manganese is toxic, and known to cause ‘manganism’. This irreversible neurological condition produces symptoms similar to Parkinson’s disease, in which patients exhibit impaired responses, mood swings, irritability, and repetitive behaviours similar to OCD. The effectiveness of medical treatment decreases after three years, and prolonged exposure increases the severity of symptoms.
Secondly, Manganese causes poisoning via the air if there is an ambient concentration of over 5mg, which is a particular risk due to the open-cast method. Manganese can also be water-borne, and poisoning can occur if wells and boreholes become contaminated, with children being especially vulnerable.
Maybe Pastor Otabil would have done us a lot of good if he had made these information available to the would-be entrepreneurs who in turn would come up with innovative ideas than attacking fufu and declaring fufu as a killer in Africa. Conclusion Why was it fufu? Why not the filth engulfing us? Right around ICGC, Christ Temple, we see some near chaos.
Why not proffer ideas on how we can be innovative with the filth engulfing, killing and maiming us? It is time that Ghanaians who have some influence like Pastor Otabil speak for Ghana and not do and say things that undermines the integrity of the same system which has created an enabling environment for some to flourish. Pastor Mensa Otabil, the ATTACK ON FUFU was unfortunate and YOU WERE WRONG.


They were once a staple of Yuletide over-indulgence, as traditional as brandy butter and Christmas pud.
But festive sweets, from stocking-filled collections of chocolate bars to the obligatory tins of Quality Street, are not the lure they were.
seen as a cheapskate present, a report says.
that sales of seasonal chocolate fell by 21 per cent in the past two years to £176million and are forecast to drop further.
down by almost a third.
pack, now they want an iPod and computer games."
& Blacks said sales at her firm were "significantly up".


Out of respect for her wishes, there will be no formal services.
A private family graveside service will be held at 2 p.m., Saturday.
Mrs. Corson passed away Feb. 12, 2006, in her home.
She was born Jan. 4, 1912, in Suisun to parents, George J. Tomasini and Agusta Chadbourne. She worked as a mathematics teacher, secondary education.
Mrs. Corson is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Kathryn and Ed Hour of Suisun Valley; son and daughter-in-law, Fred and Mary Jane Corson of Dry Creek Valley; brother and sister-in-law, George and Nita Tomasini of Suisun Valley; six grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.
Arrangements are under the direction of Bryan-Braker Funeral Home, 425-4697.


Beach, cold bev, music: the trifecta of the relaxed American summer. There was a time when you had to lug a heavy cooler in addition to some sort of sound system to your favorite sandy spot or local tailgate. That time has now passed, thanks to C3 Custom Cooler Creations by Seljan. These radio-controlled rolling coolers keep things cold while eliminating the need to pull or carry. The C3 has a 30 quart capacity, and can hold a full case of beer plus ice. Thanks to foam insulation, it can keep things ice cold for up to three days.
The C3 cooler also features working headlights and dual cup holders. The sound system is compatible with Android and iOS devices, so you can enjoy your streaming music and MP3s. Bluetooth connectivity is currently under testing.
This roving cooler can also haul your stuff around on its back. Depending on the load, the rear-wheel drive C3 can move at 6 mph (but don’t even think about riding on it). The battery takes about five hours to charge, and testing has shown that the cooler can run at full speed with the lights on and sound system blasting for over four hours.
Got a favorite sports team? Of course you do. Seljan secured the rights to emblazon the logos for all NFL, MLB, and select NHL and NCAA teams on their coolers. You can also order your company logo, or simply leave things blank. Major beverage corporations such as Pepsi have signed on, adding their logos to the product.
The C3 coolers are manufactured in the Seljan Co. plant in Lake Mills, WI.
“Everybody who comes into the plant and sees this thing likes it,” Scott Seljan, company president, told the Milwaukee Sentinel Journal.
Three standard models are offered: the Rover, Truck and Zamboni. They can be ordered online through the product website and Amazon. Prices start at $200.


Luis Abreu savors a shrimp cocktail and sips an American beer from a chilled glass. It's a sunny fall afternoon, and he's enjoying a day off from his job driving a big-rig produce truck.
"If I like," he says eight months after making a remarkable journey from Cuba to Southern California, "I can enjoy what presidents enjoy: a steak, good wine, shrimp."
It was friendship found in a sea-drifting bottle that brought Abreu and his wife the 3,000 miles from their coastal hometown of Caibarien to Santa Ana--and helped them fulfill the immigrant's dream of building an American way of life.
The bayside eatery where he sits is on Balboa Peninsula, a place he recognizes from a postcard sent to him by his grade-school pen pals in Corona del Mar. It was one year ago that the students and their imaginative teacher, Judy d'Albert, pooled their resources to enable the Abreus to make their journey.
It was one of many acts of kindness and improbable circumstances that have touched their lives, an odyssey that unfolds daily.
Like the seemingly random currents that put the bottle with a message in it in his hands six years ago, the lives of Luis Abreu, 52, and Miriam Abreu, 47, have shifted drastically over the past year.
"People say I'm the luckiest man alive," Luis Abreu said when he arrived in the United States. So lucky, he said recently, that he knows he will one day win the California lottery. "Ya veras," he says. You'll see.
"Against astronomical odds . . ." began television newscasts the night of March 6 as pictures were beamed around the world of the Abreus listening to the Harbor Day School fifth-graders' welcome song, "This Land Is Your Land."
The Corona del Mar children crowned Luis Abreu with an Angels baseball cap. They had known through correspondence he once played semiprofessional baseball. The family of one of the students provided the plane tickets from Miami to Orange County.
"You are my family," he said after pulling from his pocket the original message he found in the oceangoing bottle to show reporters and new friends.
The couple was given a hero's welcome earlier that day at John Wayne Airport by many who had seen a Times article about the lucky couple.
On that very first day, the Abreus met with people who have become anchors in their lives--helping them land jobs, find a home, even give them a bed to sleep in that night.
Cuban natives Jose and Nora Cueto offered to host the Abreus at their five-bedroom Santa Ana home. The Abreus, who came from the same city as their hosts, stayed with the Cuetos for five months until they were able to get out on their own in August.
Others also stepped in to help.
Francisco F. Firmat, an Orange County Superior Court judge and Cuban immigrant, helped the Abreus through the immigration process and made sure there was clear communication with the couple as they prepared to leave Cuba.
Oscar Nunez, 46, who emigrated from Cuba at age 11, was there at the airport to tell the Abreus he would try to help them find work through a friend who is a supermarket executive. The parents of one of the Harbor Day students offered job contacts too.
Nunez and the Cuetos helped form what became known as El Club del 200. The dozen families in the "club" donated $200 or more each to finance Luis' truck-driving schooling, which cost $2,400.
"We have to be grateful to be able to help," says Jose Cueto, 72, a physician who emigrated from Cuba in 1952, seven years before the Cuban Revolution. "It was easy for us to come here. . . . I believe the more you have, the more you owe to society."
Besides sharing their home, the Cuetos helped the newly arrived couple cope with what most people here take for granted.
"It was shocking to go into a market for the first time," Miriam Abreu says, recalling seeing America's abundance: She wept upon seeing the variety of fresh produce and meat in stores--things absent in shops back home.
Miriam had worked in a bodega, a neighborhood grocery about the size of a small garage, where she would check customers' ration cards and parcel out the limited stock available that day. Families were allowed a monthly ration of 5 pounds of rice and 10 ounces of beans per person. When she arrived, Miriam had been suffering from malnutrition. But now, bare food shelves and empty stomachs come only in letters from Cuba. Miriam and Luis have each gained weight--the gauntness is gone from their faces.
In the past few months, Luis has spent nearly $50 sending letters home. He has the addresses of 50 people to whom he writes. "It's so difficult to compare six months of this to 36 years of Cuba" since the revolution, his letters say.
For the past 25 years in Cuba, Luis and Miriam lived in a drafty house the size of a two-car garage.
Today, they live in a $500-a-month, one-bedroom apartment in a Santa Ana complex called Villa Clara--the namesake of the Cuban province where they lived. Most of the couple's furniture is secondhand--gifts from well-wishers. A sewing machine in the bedroom is on loan until Miriam can afford her own. She's hoping that when her English improves, she can become a seamstress for a department store.
Although their walls are bare, the rooms are furnished with the things found in most American homes: a TV, a radio, a kitchen table.
On Luis Abreu's desk is a portrait of Jose Marti, a poet and hero of Cuba's independence from Spain. Next to the painting is a photograph of Luis and Miriam's two adult sons standing with their half-sister, a daughter from Luis' first marriage. A son from that marriage has been missing for a decade--ever since he made the dangerous trip to Miami in hopes of immigrating to the U.S.
While Luis' daughter is content to remain in Cuba, his and Miriam's sons--Luis Jr., 24, and Ricardo, 23--wanted to come to the United States with their parents but could not. Because they are no longer minors, they were not covered by the Abreus' visa. It is the fervent hope of Luis and Miriam that their sons will eventually be able to join them.
"No hay nada que puede hacer aqui para nosotros, papa." There is nothing you can do for us here, Dad, the eldest son had said to Luis Sr. "At least in the United States you have a better chance to live, and you can send us money to survive."
The couple have sent their sons $800 in the last eight months.
"Sometimes I can't enjoy anything because my sons aren't here," Miriam says. "The little bottle has brought us far, but it has also separated our family. Sometimes nothing impresses me no matter how beautiful it can be."
Luis, who believes he has several guardian angels looking over him, is optimistic.
"I know they'll join us some day," he says.
The couple revel in the joy of preparing hearty dinners with fresh ingredients on modern appliances.
They each have jobs--both evolved from contacts made the day they landed at John Wayne Airport.
Last month, they finished making their final payment on a 1984 red Pontiac Firebird, a new friend's old car.
Miriam is learning how to drive, becoming independent and more and more of a yanqui. Driving will save her two hours bus time if she can drop off and pick up her husband from work instead of the other way around.
Luis Abreu delivers enough produce each day in his job as a truck driver to feed a third of the 40,000 people in Caibarien.
Miriam Abreu works behind a deli counter at a Northgate Supermarket in Anaheim, where she deals with the kinds of foods that back home might only be found on the black market. Together they earn five times more in one day than what they earned in a month back home.
"No matter how hard work is, it is my therapy," Miriam says. "It keeps my mind off of Cuba."
Luis agrees: "I feel good with my work. I really enjoy it."
He says that when he drives, he listens to an oldies radio station because it reminds him of his youth and his earliest yearnings to come to America. At age 19, he tried to escape Cuba during the revolution to come to the United States. He spent three years in prison for making the attempt.
The tradition of displaced Cubans in the United States helping each other has given the Abreus good friends to talk to.
"We can speak our minds here," says Miriam, who is always quick to serve a Cuban espresso to visitors.
"There is a great satisfaction to be able to express one's opinions," Luis interjects. "Before the elections, I heard someone call President Clinton a liar . . . chico, that startled me."
At social gatherings, it's difficult to escape talk of politics, of immigrant experiences linked to the Cuban exodus of the 1960s, the Mariel boat lift of the 1970s or the Cuban balseros--rafters--of the '80s and '90s.
"When Fidel falls, everything will improve," Luis says at a dinner party where Miriam has cooked a rich stew called ajiaco.
Jose Cueto takes the conversation in another direction: "No one's to blame, and everyone is to blame. We are all responsible for what is going on in Cuba."
Someone knocks on the door, and Luis opens it without hesitation. He welcomes the unexpected visit by the apartment complex manager, Ramon Casate, a Cuban who immigrated two years ago. Casate, 43, who was a philosophy and history teacher in Cuba, is filled in on the conversation and adds his perspective.
"Many people benefited from the revolution. The black Cuban and the peasants, primarily. And many believed in what was going on." He has everyone's attention. "I believed what was happening."
A former Communist, he says to the Abreus' guests: "Now I have gone through so much suffering that I don't know what the politics are, and I don't want to know."
They all agree they'd rather be here than there.
"Hello stranger! Congratulations for finding this message," said the note in the bottle that Luis found floating in the seaweed while he was walking along the shore of his hometown. He tucked the bottle inside his shirt and took it home to open it in private.
Corona del Mar schoolteacher Judy D'Albert, 56, wrote the message on behalf of her fifth-grade students in the summer of 1990 while vacationing with her husband, Pierre, on the Caribbean island of Anguilla, British West Indies.
She had asked a local fisherman to drop the bottle in the Atlantic, anticipating it would catch the Gulf Stream to Europe.
Since 1985, D'Albert, a British immigrant of 22 years, had been using drift bottles to teach students how early explorers used currents to navigate the sea. Nearly 300 bottles have gone out, and over the years her classes have made contact with people as far as the Philippines and as close as Catalina Island.
"I didn't know what to expect, really," D'Albert said recently at Harbor Day School, the private school where she now teaches science instead of fifth grade. "There's a lot of serendipity in science. But if you look back, it seems like there was a lot of pre-destiny."
Destiny or not, D'Albert's miscalculation was the Abreus' good fortune. The island of Anguilla isn't far enough out into the Atlantic to catch the stream. The bottle drifted west rather than east. It washed up on the north-central Cuban coast.
Luis was one of few in the village who spoke English--townspeople called him "Johnny" because of that--and could read the message. For five years, using his rudimentary English skills, he developed a pen-pal relationship with D'Albert and her students.
Then, in the summer of 1995, the Abreus won visas issued by the U.S. State Department through an annual lottery for legal immigration.
They did not have enough money to pay for transportation to the United States, so Luis decided to ask his pen-pals for help. D'Albert's fifth-graders came through, asking their schoolmates to look in their hearts and piggy banks to help raise $1,800. By Christmas, the children sent the money to the Abreus.
The couple's lucky streak continued: They were on the last charter flight out of Cuba to Miami.
Their flight left the morning of Feb. 24, the same day that two Cessnas being flown by Cuban Americans were shot down off Cuba; the Abreus saw the wreckage from the air. The planes' downing caused the Clinton administration to cease the charter flights.
Sitting on the patio atop the Balboa Peninsula restaurant overlooking Newport Bay, Luis Abreu laughs at how a few sea gulls taunt a man trying to clean a boat. "In Cuba, if children see a flock of sea gulls, they would try to catch them."
Not as part of child's play, though.
"Pelicans, gannets, any birds . . . they'd catch them and have their mothers cook them to eat," he says.
It is one of many contrasts he sees each day between his old life and his new one.
He pauses often to soak it all in. "I can't believe I'm here. I have so much to give thanks for. I have the opportunity to build a better life for my sons.
"While people my age are thinking about retiring, I'm just now beginning the American Dream," Luis Abreu continues, raising an American beer to his lips.