QUES: Victims of domestic violence will have access to quality legal representation through a campaign undertaken by Idaho Supreme Court Chief Justice Linda Copple Trout and corporate leaders. "Thousands of times a year, Idahoans are victims of domestic violence. The victims are often women and their children and they frequently have few resources with which to pursue their legal rights," Trout said Tuesday. "This campaign helps fill that gap in legal services for women who need the help at a time when they are in crisis." The Idaho Partners for Justice Project has already secured pledges of more than $35,000 from law firms, attorneys, corporations and individuals. The goal is $100,000. The drive to pay for free legal services will continue for the next two months. The money goes to Idaho Legal Aid Services and the Idaho Volunteer Lawyers Program. Last year, more than 5,000 petitions were filed in Idaho for protection orders in domestic violence cases. More than 12,000 victims contacted shelters or crisis hotlines. Joining Trout in the announcement was Idaho Bar Association President Fred Hoopes of Idaho Falls and Ida-West Energy Co. Chief Executive Officer Randy Hill, members of the project's executive committee. Also on hand were some women who were victims of such violence, but benefited from free legal services. Last year's campaign generated enough money and resources to help more than 450 victims. The help ranged from representation in protection order hearings to legal assistance in divorce, visitation and child support cases. The donations are tax deductible.
Do you have any questions?
MY QUESTION: More than 5,000 petitions for protection orders were filed in Idaho last year, how many victims contacted shelters?

QUES: Neighborhood Legal Services, which provides free legal services to the poor, has expanded into the San Gabriel and Pomona valleys, areas with large Asian populations, many of whom speak limited or no English. Language is their biggest obstacle, but the Asian communities' cultural isolation and service providers' lack of cultural expertise also play a part, said NLS executive director Neal Dubovitz. And with 13 percent to 15 percent of the Asian population in the U.S. living below the poverty line, NLS services are badly needed, Dubovitz said. "Although it is a significant part of the poverty population, Asians historically have not been able to participate in the services and programs available to the poor," he said. From simple telephone advice to complete legal representation in court, the agency provides free consumer, health, family, immigration, housing, public benefits and labor legal services to people who earn under $1,380 per month. Legal service providers have long served large Latino populations, who have cultural diversity but share a common language. "I remember the days when there were only a handful of people in the legal offices who spoke Spanish," Dudovitz said. "Now Spanish and English are interchangeable. Our goal is to have that for the major Asian languages as well." Before the expansion, only a few NLS lawyers spoke Asian languages, said attorney Rebecca Yee, who was hired by NLS in April 2002 to design and head the project. "Now we have people speaking Cantonese, Mandarin, Thai, Khmer (from Cambodia), Korean, Vietnamese, Japanese and Tagalog," Yee said. One of the 13 attorneys hired to work with the program is Irene Mak, a family law attorney who speaks Cantonese, Mandarin and Thai. Mak was a partner at a private law firm before she went to work for NLS two years ago, earning up to $20,000 less a year working on domestic violence cases. "The job is more satisfying than the money," said Mak, who grew up in Hong Kong and Thailand before coming to the United States. "I could use my language skills and wanted to give back to the Asian community." NLS expanded when Legal Services Corp., the federal agency that funds providers of free legal services nationwide, reduced the number of grantees in the Los Angeles area from five to three, Dudovitz said. NLS won the competitive grant over the Legal Services Program for Pasadena, San Gabriel-Pomona valleys. That boosted its client base from 16,000 to around 25,000, and NLS opened an office in El Monte.
Do you have any questions?
MY QUESTION: What is the biggest obstacle NLS faced while trying to provide legal services to poor Asian populations?

QUES: When you get sick, your body springs to action. Your body starts to fight the illness. Thats why you want to eat right and get plenty of sleep. You need a strong immune system to fight off illness. Plants dont have an immune system. That does not mean they do not get sick. Plants are affected by disease just like us. Typically, their first line of defense is the death of part of the plant. This prevents the infection from spreading. Many plants also produce special chemicals to fight disease. For example, willow trees produce a chemical to kill the bacteria. The same compound is used in many acne products. You can see a picture of a willow tree in Figure Plants may be smarter than we think. No, they cannot talk to each other. They may be able to send messages, though.
Do you have any questions?
MY QUESTION: Without an immune system do plants get infections?

QUES: '' The Octopus , '' a masked crime lord , is bent on crippling the nation with a wave of terror . He starts with the transportation system and then moves onto industry . He demands tribute from railroad magnates and other captains of industry . Richard Wentworth , an amateur criminologist who is friendly with the police , is secretly '' The Spider , '' a masked vigilante equally determined to wipe the Octopus and his gang off the face of the earth . Pleasant and smiling in civilian life , Wentworth is often ruthless as the Spider , slinging two guns against the public enemies who attack him . Wentworth also masquerades as affable underworld lowlife Blinky McQuade . Disguised as McQuade , Wentworth can infiltrate gangland at the hired-gun level and keep current on the gang's plans . The only people who know Wentworth's other identities are his assistants Jackson and Ram Singh , his butler Jenkins , and his fianc e Nita . The Octopus was a villain in a single issue pulp believed to have been written by Norvell Page who wrote most of The Spider pulp stories . He is garbed completely in white and is only ever seen sitting in a chair . Unlike the pulps , The Spider is garbed in a lightweight full length costume with web-like markings on it Which resemble Spiderman's costume . The serial follows the standard formula of fights , shoot-outs , Wentworth's friends being kidnapped at various times and having to be rescued . Each chapter ends with The Spider or his friends in deep trouble , often about to be killed , but the effect is spoiled by a trailer for the next episode Which shows them in full health and fighting the villains .
Do you have any questions?
MY QUESTION:
Who was only ever seen sitting in a chair?