MADRID (AP) — Atletico Madrid has presented its project for a new stadium to replace the 45-year-old Vicente Calderon.
The Spanish club says the new stadium will have a capacity of about 70,000, an increase of its current seating of about 55,000.
Work on the new stadium began months ago and is scheduled to be finished in time for the …
The Army psychiatrist accused of opening fire at Fort Hood, killing 13 and wounding dozens more, was to make his first military courtroom appearance Tuesday as his attorney seeks to delay the case.
Neither Maj. Nidal Hasan nor any witnesses were expected to speak during the hearing, at which military prosecutors and defense attorneys planned to discuss case preparations and other basic matters.
Defense attorney John Galligan said he would seek to delay Hasan's Article 32 hearing, which is similar to a civilian grand jury proceeding in which a judge hears witness testimony to determine whether the case should go to trial. No date has been set, but authorities …
MAJ Manuel Rodriguez expected his deployment to Iraq with an Army Reserve unit to disrupt his career as an educator. But a dose of common sense leadership has kept him in the classroom while he serves in the war zone.
"I never thought I would end up working as an educator over here. This assignment has been the most surprising and best part of my deployment," said Rodriguez, of San Juan, Puerto Rico.
His journey to Iraq began last July in the same way that many Army Reserve Soldiers are called to active duty.
"I got a call that said I was being transferred to another unit and that we were deploying to Iraq. I really wasn't expecting it. But I am a Soldier, so I go …
An alleged drunken driver will get a new trial after court officials say he was represented by a fake lawyer. Howard Seidler, 62, of Brooklyn, N.Y., was arrested Thursday when he returned to Stamford Superior Court for his client's sentencing.
"This was a terrible fraud on the court," State's Attorney David Cohen said.
Court officials charged Seidler with unauthorized practice of law and criminal impersonation. He may also face charges of first-degree larceny and forgery, Cohen said.
Authorities said Seidler claimed to be a real New York attorney named Harold Weber while representing Ismet Idrizaj of Norwalk on a drunken driving charge. …
Shareholders of Barclays PLC, Britain's second largest bank, were on course Monday to vote in favor of a plan to raise 7 billion pounds ($10.5 billion), largely from funds in the Middle East.
Chairman Marcus Agius told shareholders that the count of proxy votes cast ahead of the meeting indicated that the required majority would be achieved.
If approved, the deal will see the bank accepting roughly 5.3 billion pounds from a trio of private investors from Qatar and Abu Dhabi as well as 1.7 billion pounds from other investors.
The deal had been dogged with controversy since it was originally announced last month.
Two key shareholder …
NEW YORK Charlton Heston says there aren't enough good roles for"grown-ups" in today's teen-dominated movies. Alan Arkin says hisagent told him the "us against them" conflict between film andtelevision had ended.
Movie producers Richard Zanuck and David Brown wanted the"immediacy" of television. Director Robert Altman was having troublegetting a new movie made, but ABC's offer to direct one-hour dramasmeant getting on the air within weeks.
Increasing numbers of movie stars and filmmakers are turning tothe small screen, where a constant need for more material means nowaiting - and the viewers tuned in each night vastly outnumber theticket buyers sitting in movie …
Hideki Matsui broke out of a long slump and Phil Hughes picked up his first victory at Yankee Stadium, helping New York win again. But the suddenly surging wild-card leaders also owe a big thanks to the Big Hurt.
Frank Thomas homered three times and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Boston Red Sox 6-1 on Monday night, allowing the Yankees to cut the AL East lead to 3 1/2 games. New York beat the Baltimore Orioles 8-5.
It's the closest the Yankees have been since before play on April 11.
"We've come too far and worked too hard to start counting your chips," said Yankees manager Joe Torre, whose club also opened its wild-card lead to 3 1/2 games over the Detroit …
The euro was only slightly lower against the dollar Thursday after the dollar lost ground on reports that the U.S. economy shrank at a sharp pace.
The 16-nation euro bought $1.3284 in European morning trade, down slightly from the $1.3289 late Wednesday in New York.
The British pound bought $1.4804 compared with $1.4772 late Wednesday in New York.
The U.S. Commerce Department said Wednesday that the U.S. economy shrank at a …
State and federal authorities are investigating a Chicagocommodity firm that's accused of using bogus silver investments tobilk some 220 investors out of an estimated $5 million.
Global Precious Metals is the target of a consumer fraud lawsuitbrought in Cook County Circuit Court by the Illinois AttorneyGeneral, and an investigation by the Illinois Department ofSecurities. Postal inspectors have executed a federal search warrantat the firm's 555 W. Jackson offices as well, law enforcement sourcessaid.
In the lawsuit, which also targets company President Paul P.Skowron, Global employees are accused of promising large returns tocustomers who were charged steep …
ZURICH (AP) — Caribbean football leader Lisle Austin has lost his appeal against a one-year suspension from all football duty.
FIFA says its appeals panel upheld Austin's ban for breaking football rules by seeking a court injunction against the CONCACAF confederation.
Austin, who is banned until July, can challenge FIFA at the Court of Arbitration for …
The Supreme Court appeared troubled Monday by the selection of the jury that convicted former Enron CEO Jeffrey Skilling as well as the use of a U.S. fraud law against him.
Several justices appeared receptive to arguments by Skilling's lawyer that he did not have a fair trial in Houston, Enron's hometown, following the energy company's 2001 collapse that cost thousands of jobs and billions of dollars.
Amid concern that the trial judge spent too little time questioning prospective jurors, Justice Stephen Breyer said, "I'm worried about a fair trial in this instance."
Skilling was convicted in 2006 on 19 counts of conspiracy, securities …
It's why he considers his against-the-odds opportunity to make the Bears' roster -- a journey that begins today at a three-day rookie minicamp at Halas Hall -- ''a dream come true.''
''It has everything to do with my maturity level as a 23-year-old man,'' ex-Bowling Green receiver and Homewood-Flossmoor standout Freddie Barnes said. ''People looked down at her. As she grew, I grew.''
Learning how she saved his life changed him forever.
His mother became pregnant at 14. It was decided that the straight-A student at Gwendolyn Brooks Junior High in Harvey would have an abortion. It wasn't until doctors were beginning the procedure that she leapt from the table, grabbed her clothes and fled.
''I couldn't do it,'' Clarissa Charles said. ''I told my mom I was going to have this baby. I had no idea what I was headed for, but I was determined.''
When his mother finally shared her story, he realized he had been given a mission in life.
''I always felt there was a plan for my life because my mom could have aborted me,'' he said. ''That planted a seed in my head: Maybe I'm here for a reason. From that point on, when bad situations took place, I always came out without a scratch, like God was protecting me because I had a purpose on this earth, and it's to give back to the community and teach others what I've learned.''
Barnes was recruited to Bowling Green as a quarterback after teaming with current New Orleans Hornets star Julian Wright to lead Homewood-Flossmoor to the 2004 Class AA state basketball finals his senior year. When pressed into duty as a redshirt freshman, he completed 12 of 19 passes and rushed for 158 yards and three touchdowns in a 2006 loss to Wisconsin.
He was too reliable a playmaker to remain on the sideline when the starting quarterback returned from a suspension. They switched him to running back, then to receiver, and he was a force his sophomore season.
''Playing quarterback, you have to account for yourself and everybody else on the field,'' he said. ''It's easier at receiver because I can just focus on my job. The most frustrating part is not having total control and being able to talk to the offensive linemen and running backs when I think I need to. But it's much easier to run routes and read defenses because I've done it on a much larger scale.''
What stands out most about the 6-foot, 210-pounder is how he always seems open, even when defenses are determined to stop him, which explains how he caught 10 or more passes and had 100 or more receiving yards in nine of 13 games. He had 22 catches and 278 yards against Kent State and 17 catches for 219 yards in the Humanitarian Bowl.
He's a smart, instinctive player who hopes to find a niche in coordinator Mike Martz's offense.
''Since he understands the game, it's easier for him to excel physically and athletically,'' said his former youth coach, Kevin Lucas, who remains a friend. ''He has an advantage on a lot of guys because some guys are so athletic, they rely mainly on their physical ability. Whereas Freddie is a good athlete, but because he has a high football IQ, he understands how to deceive somebody and make them think he's going one way and then go the other. That's what he excels at.''
Clarissa, meanwhile, worked by day and earned a bachelor's degree in business by night while raising Freddie and his younger sister, Cayla. Now a fashion designer planning to launch her own line this summer, she openly discusses the low self-esteem and shame she felt during and after the pregnancy, hoping to serve as an example to others. That's also why she told her son what she thought he deserved to know.
''I shared with my children what I thought they could handle at an age-appropriate time,'' she said. ''I didn't want to shield them from the outside world. I protected them, but I didn't want them to think they had a fairy-tale life. I wanted them to pursue their education and break the cycle of teen pregnancy and lack of generational education.''
Barnes has made her mission his.
''It's my job to help other young men because a lot of them don't know what they need to do to succeed,'' he said. ''I can help provide them with the resources.''
Photo: Courtesy of Barnes Family / Ex-Homewood-Flossmoor standout Freddie Barnes (with his sister and mom) hopes to make the Bears' roster as a wide receiver.
EVEN BEFORE THE PRISONER SWAP agreement was wrapped up, Hamas began boasting of its victory and vowing to kidnap more Israeli soldiers. The Gilad Shalit abduction is proving a profitable enterprise for the Islamic terror group that controls Gaza.
Israel could not find a way over the past five years to mount a rescue, and wasn't even able to capture some high value Hamas Figures to force a trade, so it was compelled to cut a deal that is both highly popular and deeply divisive.
There is no Jew in Israel or abroad who is not happy for his family and doesn't agree with the young captive's father when he said, "The n ightm are isn't over until Gilad is on our doorstep." That finally happened on October 18.
After the reunion and the celebration - there were celebrations as well in the West Bank and Gaza, where the issue of Palestinian prisoners is a highly emotional one that generates as much anger toward Israel as any grievance - it will be time for a national dialogue, and some difficult decisions about how to deal with future abductions of Israelis.
THERE ARE MANY difficult questions.
Should Israel negotiate with terrorists, as it has done so many times?
Is there a difference between the family interest and the national interest?
How will a change of policy impact the morale of soldiers?
Are the obligations to soldiers different when they are conscripts (as in Israel), rather than volunteers (as in the United States)?
Is it in the national security interest to say we will pay virtually any price, including putting hundreds of terrorists back on the streets, to home a bring single soldier?
Does that encourage more kidnappings?
As a father, I sympathize and rejoice with the Shalit family on their son's homecoming. But is it in Israel's long term interest to set free 1,027 terrorists, many with Israeli blood on their hands, and with the high likelihood they will kill again?
THIS VICTORY FOR HAMAS comes at the expense of Fatah, the moderate secularists who, unlike Hamas, are prepared to negotiate peace with Israel and who have a proven record of security cooperation (in no small part because Hamas is their shared enemy that wants to overthrow both).
Hamas savored its victory, noting it won the release of prisoners from all factions, and it taunted Abbas as impotent.
Some see the deal as a payback by Israel for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's decision to bypass direct peace negotiations with Israel and seek UN membership.
More likely, the timing - the two sides have been close to a deal several times but one or the other backed away - is related to the upheaval in the region.
Hamas's ally in Syria is in turmoil, and Hamas is even considering moving its exiled leadership back to Gaza. Egypt played a helpful role in the deal, and it is not certain how much longer it might be willing to help (if and when there is a transition to civilian government).
Even Turkey, which likes to trumpet its hostility toward Israel and its friendship with Hamas, contributed to the success, according to Israeli President Shimon Peres.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu typically tried to take credit for winning Shalit's release while ducking any criticism for negotiating with the kidnapers by saving he "inherited" the situation from his predecessor and he had no choice.
Shalit's release is widely popular, and Netanyahu is getting credit as his liberator.
But that could change quickly if released prisoners return to terror and are responsible for more Israelis deaths.
The first to make sure he gets the blame will be two of his leading cabinet members - Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman and Deputy PM Moshe Yaalon - who opposed the deal and covet his job.
Defense Minister Ehud Barak called the swap "the correct decision," but said that once the exchange is completed Israel should rethink its prisoner return policy: "We need to change the rules from the ground up."
PROF. DAN SCHUEFTAN of Haifa University is skeptical.
"If the policy is changed and the next kidnap victim is a Druze or Sephardi soldier, the government will be accused of discrimination," he said.
Shalit's parents' campaign for "our son at any price" was understandable from their point of view, Schueftan said, but it is "emotional terrorism" and bad national policy.
The deal has the support of nearly 80 percent of Israelis; most opposition came, understandably, from families of Arab terror victims and from the right.
A man whose family was killed in a 2001 attack on a Jerusalem pizza parlor was arrested for defacing the Yitzhak Rabin Memorial in Tel Aviv, and spray painting the words "price tag" and "release Yigal Amir" (Rabin's assassin).
Someone broke into the home of Justice Minister Yaakov Neeman to protest the deal. Others said the appropriate response should be to increase settlement construction, and there were demands for the release of Jewish terrorists responsible for attacks on Arabs as "balance."
THE RESPONSIBILITY of leadership is not just to protect each soldier but to protect the nation, and this is an appropriate time for a national dialogue on how that is to be defined in the event of future abductions.
Said Israeli columnist Yossi Klein Halevi: "The prime minister's job is to resist emotional pressure and ensure the nation's security; a father's job is to try to save his son, regardless of the consequences."
An Israeli think tank scholar told me, "You cannot wish the sufferings of the Shalit family on your worst enemies, but you also cannot direct the policy of the state based on their plight - especially if it will endanger the welfare of millions of other citizens."
[Sidebar]
Israel confronts Gilad Shalit
10/18/2011
Gilad Shalit is hugged by his father, Noam, at the Tel Not Israel Air Force base in central Israel on October 18, while Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu looks on.
[Author Affiliation]
By DOUGLAS M. BLOOMFIELD
WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT
Corpus Christi Army Depot. . .
Introduction
Declining budgets have increased DOD's emphasis on producing higher quality products with reduced cycle time at a lower cost. Competition with industry, downsizing, base closures, privatization, changing environmental laws, and the use of current weapon systems beyond their intended life cycle are significantly changing the way depots do business.
The Corpus Christi Army Depot's (CCAD's) Industrial Engineering Department has developed a multiyear applied research, development, test, and evaluation program for rotary-wing aircraft sustainment to reduce operation and maintenance costs. CCAD, which provides remanufacturing and logistics support for all Army and some Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps helicopter systems, is using manufacturing technology (MANTECH); reliability, maintainability, and sustainability; and the National Defense Center for Environmental Excellence funds to deliver better products, faster and cheaper. CCAD services helicopter blades, engines, transmissions, gearboxes, avionics, hydraulics, and airframes. This article provides an overview of current CCAD projects including expert statistical process control (SPC for job shop and sustainment operations, computer-matrixed thermalcuring blankets for main rotor blade composite repair, universal static balance stands for main rotor blades, and beneficial stress induction in rotary-wing flight-critical components. (For more information, see Army RD&A magazine, September-October 1997, Page 35).
Statistical Process Control
A new expert SPC system developed for the CCAD machine shop operations addresses the unique technical challenge of statistically controlling processes with small unit sample sizes and high-product mix. Both ISO 9000 and parts visibility require data traceability for both part and process data. ISO 9000 refers to a commercial standard established by the International Organization for Standardization that reflects the shift away from military specifications. To analyze data for problem resolution, out-ofcontrol analysis, and variance component identification, both part and process traceability capabilities were implemented. This analysis is facilitated by using data stored in a distributed architecture built around a system-based relational database structure. The system supports both attribute and variable charts, Pareto analysis, and original equipment manufacturer (OEM) specifications superimposed on the standard control limits. Pre-control, short-run, and trend analysis are also supported.
This is the first time that expert SPC has been applied on a distributed online basis throughout all depot sustainment operations. The new applicability in the job shop and sustainment operations sets this effort apart from any other past SPC sustainment effort and offers a choice for other remanufacturers. The project is being distributed to other operations at the depot where repeatable measurement and data logkeeping can be automated to reduce cost.
Main Rotor Composite Repair
Main rotor blades are one of the most critical elements for flight performance, and the composite repair techniques employed by the depot require high levels of precision. Removal of critical leading-edge subassemblies requires rebonding part of the blade, and the heat applied during that process must only cure the damaged repair area while not exceeding the then-nal limits of the remaining areas. Controlling temperatures on a length that exceeds 24 feet is no easy task. If the nondamaged area is overheated, then a blade is suspect because the original cured adhesive systems may have been compromised.
To eliminate this potential overheating concern during main rotor composite repair, CCAD developed, demonstrated, and placed into depot remanufacturing production a thermal curing blanket that can maintain a temperature of 250 degrees Fahrenheit, plus or minus 5 degrees, over a 24-foot-long bonding surface. This is a reliable, durable, and repeatable method by which main rotor leading edge de-icing mat sheath assemblies (one of the depot's most difficult advanced composite repairs) could be replaced and rebonded. By using control feedback and closer heat zoning, this effort demonstrates control of localized heating over a long span to plus or minus 5 degrees. This project, completed in December 1998, provides technology that can he horizontally applied to any repair dealing with thermal curing using heat blankets.
Universal Static Balance Stand
CCAD and its contractors, General Research Corp. and AVION, have developed a digital method to static balance several different blade models and types on one fixture at a low cost for both depot and field operations. This replaces currently used large hard tooling for each helicopter model and type in the depot environment. Once implemented, this single flexible fixture will replace 10 existing customized depot fixtures and will enable users to statically balance any type of main rotor blade with one fixture.
Currently, each rotor blade type has its own static balance fixture even though the calculated span-wise center of gravity and adjustment is similar. Some fixtures provide the chord-wise center of gravity and overall blade weight (all other blades are weighed later in the process). A teetering system is used to establish a rough range static balance, leaving movement of tip end weights to operator discretion. Fixture variability causes great variability on the dynamic balancer (whirl tower) later in the process. Greater variability on the whirl tower slows operations and makes proper blade tracking more difficult to achieve.
This prototype static balance fixture will support all DOD main rotor blades and provide tighter blade adjustment tolerances within the existing range on the span-wise center of gravity, chord-wise center of gravity, and overall blade weight. Projected supported blade types include the CH-47D Chinook (fore and aft blades), H-60 Blackhawk and Seahawk, AH-64 Apache, AH-IS Cobra, AH-lW Super Cobra, UH-1 Huey, OH-58D Kiowa Warrior, CH-53E Sea Stallion, CH-46, CH-53D, H-2, and H-3.
nected to three specifically placed load cells to calculate the span-wise and chord-wise centers of gravity and the overall blade weight. Correlation tests with OEMs are ongoing to establish a relationship between the static and the desired dynamic chord-wise centers of gravity. This fixture was initially developed for the field to reduce depot-level blade overhaul. This development will save thousands of dollars in the field and will help the depot maximize vital production shop floor space.
Critical Component Stress Induction
CCAD receives a variety of unique, geometrically complex flight safety parts that require fatigue life enhancement (shot peening). CCAD has started an initiative to increase productivity, decrease cycle time, and improve consistency in organic peening capabilities. Texas A&M University was contracted to determine "as-is" and "to-be" workload and cost profiles, current practices, resources usage, and capabilities.
CCAD maintains a unique position within the wider spectrum of peening applications. Peening requirements focus on helicopter components and closely resemble a job shop operation. Even within a given "part family," a particular component might require significantly different process scenarios. For example, a particular part may have 20 different peenable surfaces, but actual surface conditions may necessitate treating only 5. This wide variation results in different peening profiles, masking requirements, and process procedures. These characteristics are unique to depot operations and pose formidable problems in a transition from manual, labor-intensive peening to highly automated, computer-controlled operations.
A flexible, highly automated, computercontrolled shot peening center was proposed and designed for CCAD implementation. Capabilities include automated recipe downloading, charging, and tool positioning; automated/semiautomated masking; part orientation; and setup. High-precision robots provide accuracy and flexibility to peen a wide variety of part geometries. This project will consolidate all peening specifications, surface inspection procedures, setup and nozzle parameters, and real-time audio and visual aids in a relational database structure. This database will become the "standards" clearinghouse for all depot maintenance work requirements, OEM, and CCAD specification updates and changes. This system uses intranet-based technology, and informationgathering activities have been reduced by an order of magnitude.
Expert Maintenance System
Two critical sequences in the remanufacture of rotary-wing aircraft are the rotor blade remanufacturing operations and its follow-on dynamic balance (whirl tower). There are "bottleneck" operations on the critical path, so maximum availability is required. CCAD, through a contract with Texas A&M University, has installed a predictive and preventive maintenance expert system (PPMES) that captures live sensor data; logs and transforms analog data into digital forms using new "wavelet theory"; performs diagnostic and predictive tests to project failure potential; schedules maintenance; and organizes data for reliability, availability, and maintainability analysis and the establishment of spares management policies. The system works with existing legacy systems. The data display client is designed for maximum flexibility, compatibility, and expansion using standard intranet Web browser "push" technologies.
PPMES will minimize breakdowns and defects, maximize equipment operation rates, reduce life-cycle costs, extend equipment life, improve troubleshooting, and minimize spare and replacement parts inventory. As a consequence, labor and machine productivity will increase for selected mission-critical equipment. The PPMES automates equipment usage tracking and monitors key sources of deterioration. It gathers data and provides statistical analysis capabilities that categorize, summarize, and analyze equipment status and availability. Warnings are sent to machine operators for at-risk operations.
Conclusion
With base closures, privatization, and declining Defense budgets, affordable sustainment of legacy weapon systems is more important than ever, especially when they are used beyond intended design life. To address this new Army After Next reality, CCAD has implemented a multiyear research, development, test, and evaluation effort to capture technologies for operational cost savings. Our challenge is to address the nontraditional, complex remanufacturing production issues that are the Army's high-cost drivers.
[Author Affiliation]
ELDON V ANDERSON was a Senior Industrial Engineer managing the MANTECH Program at the Corpus Christi Army Depot at the time this article was written. He is now a Branch Chief in the Engineering Resource Management Division at the 98th Area Support Group, Wuerzburg, Germany@ He received his B.S.E.E. from the University of Idaho.
[Author Affiliation]
DR. JOHN E AYALA, PE., was a Senior Industrial Engineer managing the MANTECH Program at the Corpus Christi Army Depot and had just completed a developmental assignment in the then Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Research, Development and Acquisition (now the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology) at the time this article was written. He is now a Logistics Management Specialist and the Combat Developer's Representative at the U.S. Army Medical Department Center and School at Fort Sam Houston, IX. He received his doctorate in engineering and his MSIE from Texas A&M University, and his B.S.E.E. from St. Mary's in San Antonio, TX.
[Author Affiliation]
T ELAINE LAMBERT is a Physical Scientist Administrator in the Chemical Material Process Branch at the Corpus Christi Army Depot. She received her BSMET from the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology.
RODNEY D. MAYO, PE,, is a Senior Industrial Engineer in the Industrial Engineering Division and is a Project Manager for several MANTECH projects at Corpus Christi Army Depot. He received his BSMET from the University of Texas at El Paso.
[Author Affiliation]
DR. DON T PHILLIPS, RE., is the Chevron Corp. Professor of Industrial Engineering, the Engineering Program Manager for Life Cycle Engineering Operations Management, and the Director of the Texas Center of Excellence in Manufacturing Systems at Texas A&M University, College Station, TX. He received his Ph.D. in industrial engineering from the University of Arkansas, his MSIE from the University of Arkansas, and his BS/E from Lamar State College of Technology in Beaumont, TX.
This year is going to be Lakeside's biggest Christmas ever, andwith even longer opening hours you have no excuse to leave yourpresent shopping until the last minute. The Shop & Drop service willalso help make your shopping experience even more enjoyable.
Longest opening hours ever Christmas shopping doesn't have to bestressful. Lakeside has extended its opening hours even further thisChristmas, so you can shop at a time that suits you. The centre willbe open from 9am to 11pm on weekdays (until December 23) and from9am to 10pm on Saturdays in December (excluding Christmas Eve).
And if you have no choice but to leave things until the lastminute, the centre will be open from 9am to 7pm on Christmas Eve.
Free parking for 13,000 cars With free parking spaces for 13,000cars, you'll never have to worry about rushing back to the car, andyou'll know you can buy as much as you like without wondering howyou'll get it all safely home.
Plus, if you're visiting by car, you'll also be in with a chanceof winning a Pounds 50 gift card every week. Pick up an 'I loveLakeside' car sticker on your next visit, register it online, thendisplay it in your car window and you could win while you're in theshops.
3D Santa's Grotto Lakeside has unveiled its biggest and bestSanta's Grotto for the festive season, complete with a 3D cinemaexperience and a gift for every child (subject to availability) -and the whole wonderful experience is completely free!
The new Santa's Grotto is crammed full of delights, with giantmoving characters including rocking horses, teddy bears, rag dollsand toy soldiers. The grotto is open every day right up untilFriday, December 24.
Help with your gift shopping Lakeside's free Shop & Drop servicewill lighten your load from December 16 until Christmas Eve. Dropyour shopping bags securely during the course of the day, thencollect them by car when you're ready to leave. It's completelyfree, but any donations received will go straight to a worthy localcharity.
The gift of choice If you're still at a loss for present ideas,give your loved ones a choice with a Lakeside gift card. Whoeveryou're buying for and whatever the occasion, let them select theirown present from more than 250 stores, cafes and restaurantsthroughout the centre, including the retail park next door.
Boxing Day sale Lakeside will be open from 9am until 9pm onBoxing Day, so you'll have plenty of time to seek out the bestbargains in the sales, take in a film or have break from cooking andenjoy a relaxing meal on The Boardwalk.
For more information about Lakeside's biggest Christmas ever,visit www.lakeside.uk.com
AS Americans weigh their quadrennial decision over whether aRepublican or a Democrat will get to be America's latest "educationpresident," the big pitched battle is once again over governanceand, of course, money - where it ought to come from, how to spend itand who decides. These issues are important. But there's anotherbattle underway, over standardized testing, that could have far moreto do with the quality of U.S. education.
To the narrow band of emerging anti-testing cultists, the troublewith education is not that millions of students can't read, do mathor write.The problem is the tests that tell us so.
To these critics, all tests are alike - designed to demoralize ordisenfranchise certain segments of the student population. Theycouldn't be more wrong.
Certainly bad tests should be scrapped. And tests aren't the onlymeasure for determining how our children and schools are doing.
But high-quality tests are a legitimate instrument for measuringactual learning. No successful institution in the world pursues astrategic direction without establishing performance benchmarks andcontinuously measuring progress.
For more than 40 states, the days of multiple-choice tests thatrequired teachers to set aside real learning and teach test-takingskills are fading. Today's tests often include open-ended questions,demand writing samples and require students to show what they know.
The new tests ask students to solve complex mathematics problemsand explain solutions, to critically examine literary techniques andarticulate their thinking in written essays.
This kind of testing leads to better teaching. It also tellselected officials and educators where they ought to direct resourcesand efforts.
That's a far cry from drills in information regurgitation. On therecent New York state test for 11th-graders, 92 percent passed thenew, tougher test in English language arts.
The rest of the developed world is years ahead of us on thisissue, and their students' performance shows it.
Despite what you hear from testing critics, support for higherstandards and tests is strong in this country, widespread andanchored where it counts: with parents and the taxpaying public. Apoll by the American Federation of Teachers documented deep supportfor standards and assessments among teachers as well.
Blaming a good test for bad teaching, isolated cheating incidentsor the lowering of students' self-esteem is convenient, but it'sabout as useful as claiming that thermometers cause fevers.
We need testing to tell us whether we have a problem. It's up tosmart people - in government, school administration, teaching andthe ranks of parents - to solve it.
There will always be entrenched special interests and critics whofundamentally question whether schools and students should be heldto any standards at all. They often sound as if they speak asadvocates for the kids.
Don't be misled. True advocates for the kids look for ways toelevate student achievement, not hold fast to the status quo.
Testing won't elevate standards overnight. Getting from here tothere will involve short-term pain that ought to be shared, notborne by children, teachers or parents alone.
More challenging tests will initially result in lower scores. Butas we've seen in case after case, teachers, students and the systemitself consistently rise to meet the higher level of expectation,especially if they get extra help.
North Carolina and Texas - two states with the largest educationgains, according to a Rand study - are showcase examples of whathappens when we have the courage to stick with high standards andhigh-stakes testing.
Educators and education officials must focus on the work beforeus and answer important questions:
- Are the academic expectations clear and understood by schools,students and parents?
- Have they been benchmarked against expectations for students inother communities and countries?
- Do schools and teachers have the lessons and curriculum alignedwith both standards and tests and the support to get the job done?
The response to challenges posed by higher standards is not tolower them or roll back on testing, but to improve both, administerthem fairly and give our kids a shot at the kind of qualityeducation that they deserve and we should demand.
Gerstner is chairman and chief executive officer of IBM.
NEW ORLEANS - Vince Young got the best of Reggie Bush again, and the NFL's feel-good team from last season is off to a dismal start. Young threw a pair of touchdown passes and the Tennessee Titans kept New Orleans winless on the year, beating the Saints 31-14 Monday night before a Superdome crowd that showered boos on the same players who provided such a pick-me-up to the devastated city a year ago.
The Saints (0-3) rallied from an early 10-0 deficit, going ahead 14-10 midway through the third quarter on Bush's second touchdown run.
But Young, just as he did when leading Texas to an epic win over Bush and Southern Cal at the 2006 Rose Bowl, brought his team back.
While running backs LenDale White and Chris Brown handled the bulk of the workload on the go-ahead drive, it was Young who threaded a key 10-yard pass to Eric Moulds, who was shoved out of bounds at the Saints 1. White, a teammate of Bush's at USC, powered over on the next play to put the Titans (2-1) ahead to stay.
Drew Brees, who had another miserable game, got the ball knocked away on the first play of the fourth quarter - the second of his four turnovers. Brees threw four interceptions and now has seven against one touchdown pass.
Young seized on the Brees fumble to drive Tennessee to the decisive score.
The second-year quarterback completed an 18-yard pass to Roydell Williams, ran for 11 yards and capped the drive with a 3-yard pass to Bo Scaife that put the Titans up 24-14.
Young also hooked up with Brandon Jones on a 35-yard TD and finished off an efficient performance 14-of-22 for 164 yards. He also ran three times for 23 yards.
Americans who have money stored in Individual Retirement Accounts tend to hang on to it for use in the later years of their retirement, according to a study being released Monday.
The Investment Company Institute, a Washington, D.C.-based trade association, found that less than one-fifth of households with IRAs made withdrawals from their accounts in tax year 2006, with the typical withdrawal averaging about 6 percent of the balance.
Asked about future withdrawals, seven in 10 of those surveyed said "it is unlikely they will take withdrawals prior to age 70 1/2," the study found.
Sarah Holden, the ICI's senior director for retirement and investor research, noted that the rules governing IRAs, which are tax-deferred savings accounts, discourage early withdrawals.
Savers who withdraw funds before age 59 1/2 are subject to a 10 percent penalty; savers older than 59 1/2 but younger than 70 1/2 may take withdrawals without penalty. But once they reach 70 1/2, the law mandates "required minimum distributions" based on IRS tables.
"In this survey, among those making withdrawals, the most cited reason was the required minimum distribution," Holden said.
She said that other studies have found that people want to hang on to their IRA money as long as possible to preserve the tax advantages.
"They want to keep it in the market and have it appreciate, with the earnings accruing tax-deferred," Holden said. "They appreciate that feature of the IRA."
She said older Americans also see their IRA balances as "money for emergencies."
The latest ICI study found that 40 percent of all U.S. households, or 46 million, have money in IRAs with assets totaling $4.6 trillion in mid-2007.
Most have traditional IRAs, which can be funded with pretax dollars, but a growing number are investing in Roth IRAs, which don't get the upfront tax break but grow tax-free forever.
The study said 37.7 million households have traditional IRAs, 9.2 million have company-sponsored IRAs like SIMPLE IRAs, and 17.3 million have Roth IRAs. Households may own more than one type of IRA.
The greatest growth has come from assets rolled over into IRAs from employer-sponsored accounts like 401(k)s, the study said. In tax year 2006, just 14 percent of U.S. households made contributions directly to IRAs, it said.
Holden said the lower contribution levels may reflect the complexity of rules governing who is eligible for a tax deduction on IRA contributions. At the same time, employer-sponsored 401(k)s and other retirement accounts have become increasingly popular and allow higher contributions, she added.
In 2007, for example, the limit on 401(k) contributions was $15,500; people 50 and over could make an additional $5,000 "catch-up" contribution. The IRA limit was $4,000 with a $1,000 catch-up provision. That rises to $5,000 this year, with a $1,000 catch-up provision.
___
On the Net:
Investment Company Institute: http://www.ici.org
JAKARTA, Indonesia - A volcano erupted in central Indonesia on Thursday, shooting plumes of white smoke and sand nearly 5,000 feet into the air, an official said.
There were no immediate reports of injuries following the blast at Mount Soputan, located on Sulawesi island, said Sandy Manengke, a local monitoring official, noting that residents living near the crater had been evacuated beforehand.
Volcanic ash covered villages along the slopes of the 5,800-foot mountain, he said.
People living as far as 12 miles from the crater said they felt the heat after the eruption. Some were wearing face masks to protect themselves against the heavy smoke and dust.
Indonesia has more active volcanoes than any other nation because of its location on the Pacific "Ring of Fire" - a series of fault lines stretching from the Western Hemisphere through Japan and Southeast Asia.
Mount Soputan is 1,350 miles northeast of the capital, Jakarta.
Downtown Chicago would go from fast-food heaven to a showcase forneighborhood entrepreneurs under an ambitious makeover planned byMayor Daley to serve a burgeoning Loop population.
With 152,000 people expected to be living downtown by 2010,Daley wants to reshape the area with an array of distinctive shoppingchoices.
Fast-food restaurants would be out, or at least discouraged.Neighborhood delis, bakeries and specialty shops that otherwise couldnot afford pricey downtown rents would be recruited through anaggressive marketing campaign dubbed, "Get in the Loop."They would be given subsidies generated by the Central Loop taxincrement financing district to compete with major chains."I don't want the city to be like all the other cities. We haveour specialty. We have great stores from Chicago - differentrestaurants and boutiques. We have great identity. I want to bringthat out. I don't want to just do a shopping mall," Daley told theChicago Sun-Times."There are more and more people living downtown. We're one ofthe few cities in the country - in the world - that people are movingback into and not moving out. I want to be able to give these youngentrepreneurs who have boutiques and different restaurants anopportunity to come into the downtown market. It's a market thatkeeps growing. I don't just want national chains."The city cited the following as examples of the types ofbusinesses they would like to recruit: Swedish Bakery at 5388 N.Clark, Margie's Candies at 1960 N. Western and Armitage Produce at3334 W. Armitage.The effort to create what amounts to a permanent version ofTaste of Chicago gets under way in earnest April 23.That's when the Daley administration hosts a forum for hundredsof retailers and restaurateurs at the Crown Plaza Silver Smith, aboutique hotel that opened last year at 10 S. Wabash.The city will pitch the opportunities of the fast-growingdowntown market with a 15-minute video prepared by advertising giantLeo Burnett.City planners "combed the streets" and poured through adirectory of small businesses to produce the list of invited guests.The forum was arranged after a survey of ground-floor space alongWabash and other downtown streets turned up scores of vacancies andan abundance of fast-food restaurants that close when officebuildings empty out for the day."There's no reason to come downtown if it's all franchises. Youcan get that on Mannheim Road," said Terry Teele, the mayor's deputychief of staff.Planning and Development Commissioner Christopher Hill said,"With all that's happening downtown, where is the authentic deli?Where is the authentic bakery? . . . The franchises seem to begobbling up all of the space."The city is prepared to flex its muscle, what Hill called "oneheck of a struggle."When property owners and developers come seeking TIF assistanceto rehab old buildings, City Hall will include in their plans arequirement that they lease ground-floor space to someone other thana franchise, Hill said. A list of prospective tenants also will beprovided."Chicago isn't Anywhere, U.S.A. As leases expire and vacanciesoccur, we're going to proactively let building owners know what ourvision is for downtown. Commercial ground-floor space is no longeran afterthought. If you're asking for our assistance, we wantinput," he said.The Illinois Retail Merchants Association said it's all forfilling "available space" in the downtown area with "the best thatChicago has to offer."But association vice president Gary Rejebian cautions, "It mayor may not be financially feasible for an Eastern Europeandelicatessen in Jefferson Park to open a downtown location. The costof occupancy is totally different. So is the marketing need and thevolume of business they have to do."Until now, the city has funneled Central Loop TIF money intomass transit and the Randolph Street theater district, according toMary Sue Barrett, a former Daley policy chief now serving aspresident of the Metropolitan Planning Council. Creating a "boutiquedowntown" is the "logical next step," she said."We're not used to thinking of the central business district asa neighborhood, but it's turned into that at a faster pace thananyone thought," Barrett said."The city is apparently taking a more thoughtful approach andputting together incentives to make sure it's a neighborhood with allof the building blocks that any neighborhood needs to survive longterm."
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Obama administration and a half-dozen members of Congress are expressing concern over the potential release of reputed international arms merchant Viktor Bout by the government of Thailand.
On Thursday, the State Department said that sending the Russian businessman to the United States to face criminal charges is a high priority for the U.S.
State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley said Thursday that the Thai ambassador in Washington was summoned to the State Department this week so that U.S. officials could "emphasize that this is of the highest priority to the United States."
Crowley said the U.S. ambassador in Bangkok has also met with officials with the Thai foreign ministry to deliver the same message.
The head of a lucrative air transport empire, Bout has long evaded accusations by the U.S. and the U.N. of violating arms embargos despite being targeted with harsh financial sanctions aimed at scuttling his network. His 2008 arrest by Thai authorities landed him in prison for the first time and set off a legal tug-of-war between the U.S. and Russia.
The United States has "presented significant evidence to justify" Bout's extradition to the United States, Crowley said. "We have made our case, and we will see what the judgment of the court is," he added.
In a separate letter Wednesday to Thailand's ambassador in Washington, three Democrats and three Republicans in Congress said that if Bout is freed, he would provide arms to groups that target U.S. and Thai interests around the globe.
After Bout was arrested in March 2008 during an arms sting by U.S. narcotics agents and Thai police, federal prosecutors indicted him for aiding a terror group and pressed for his extradition to New York to stand trial. Russia quickly objected and demanded Bout's release.
The U.S. and Russia are awaiting a court ruling Friday in Thailand on the matter.
"We find the potential release of a man responsible for countless deaths of innocents in Africa and elsewhere simply astounding," the lawmakers wrote.
TOP STORY:
CRI--FIXING-PAKISTAN
LONDON — The head of the International Cricket Council has called the fixing allegations against three suspended Pakistan players the most serious case of corruption to hit the sport since South Africa captain Hansie Cronje was banned for life 10 years ago. Moved. By Stuart Condie.
With:
— TAUNTON, England — BC-CRI--FIXING-PAKISTAN-SAEED. Moved.
— ISLAMABAD — BC-CRI--FIXING-CHARGES. Moved. By Rizwan Ali.
NEW/DEVELOPING:
SOC--THE FREE KICK
PARIS — Thirteen years after Roberto Carlos stunned onlookers with his amazing "banana" free kick that seemed to defy the law of physics, scientists have finally worked out just how he did it. Moved. By Samuel Petrequin.
COM--DELHI-ONE MONTH OUT
NEW DELHI, India — With just 30 days to go before the official opening of the New Delhi Commonwealth Games, organizers continue to struggle with basic preparations like safety certificates for structures and the wherewithal to fight a potential epidemic. Moved. By C. Rajshekhar Rao.
SOC--EUROPEAN ROUNDUP
LONDON — Qualifying for the 2012 European Championship in Poland and Ukraine begins in earnest, with defending champion and World Cup winner Spain opening its Group I campaign at Liechtenstein and France, Italy and England beginning the rebuilding process after disappointing tournaments in South Africa this summer. Expected by 2100 GMT. By Stuart Condie. With separates.
TEN--US OPEN
NEW YORK — Top-ranked Rafael Nadal faces Denis Istomin in the second round of the U.S. Open on Friday, with Andy Murray, Venus Williams and Kim Clijsters among other players in action. First copy expected by 1600 GMT. By Eddie Pells.
CYC--SPANISH VUELTA
ORIHUELA, Spain — Sprinters will rejoice for Friday seventh stage of the Spanish Vuelta, a relatively flat 187.1-kilometer (116.3-mile) ride from Murcia to Orihuela. Philippe Gilbert of Belgium maintains a 10-second overall lead. By 1700 GMT.
GLF--EUROPEAN MASTERS
CRANS-SUR-SIERRE, Switzerland — Edoardo Molinari has taken the early second round lead at the European Masters after shooting a 6-under 65 Friday. Will be updated at end of round. By Graham Otway.
COLUMN:
ATH--JOHN LEICESTER
PARIS — Somewhere at the top, alongside or near Usain Bolt, add David Rudisha to the growing list of athletes we can rightfully hope will send shivers down our spines at the London Olympics in — it is getting close now — the summer after next. The parallel between the two world record holders is no accident. By 1500 GMT. By Sports Columnist John Leicester.
FOOTBALL:
SOC--FRANCE-BENZEMA
PARIS — Striker Karim Benzema has been ruled out of France's 2012 European Championship qualifier against Belarus after failing to recover from an ankle injury. Moved.
SOC--GHANA-ESSIEN
LONDON — Ghana coach Milovan Rajevac says Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien is putting his international career on hold to regain the form he enjoyed before sustaining the injuries that ruled him out of the World Cup. Moved.
ALSO:
— SOFIA, Bulgaria — BC-SOC--LITEX-PENEV. Moved
FORMULA ONE:
CAR--F1-HRT-YAMAMOTO
MADRID — Spanish Formula One team HRT is sticking with driver Sakon Yamamoto over Karun Chandhok, for the time being. Moved.
BASKETBALL:
BKO--WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
ISTANBUL — With the field down to 16 teams, the knockout stage of the basketball world championship begins Saturday with two highly anticipated matchups. Balkan rivals Serbia and Croatia play the opening game at the Sinan Erdem Dome. That's followed by Spain vs. Greece, two of the pre-tournament favorites. By Basketball Writer Brian Mahoney.
TENNIS:
TEN--US OPEN
NEW YORK — Roger Federer fired 15 aces on his way to a 6-3, 6-4, 6-3 win over 104th-ranked Andreas Beck of Germany at the U.S. Open on Thursday. The temperature climbed into the 90s F (mid-30s C) yet again at Flushing Meadows. Moved. By Howard Fendrich.
ALSO:
— NEW YORK — BC-TEN--US OPEN-FIGHT IN STANDS. Moved.
RUGBY UNION:
RGU--SOUTH AFRICA-SMIT
BLOEMFONTEIN, South Africa — South Africa captain John Smit says the world champions will find it difficult to manage their overworked players ahead of a rare end-of-year Grand Slam tour to Europe. Moved.
CYCLING:
CYC--WORLDS-CONTADOR
MURCIA, Spain — Tour de France champion Alberto Contador will not race for Spain at the upcoming world championships. Spain coach Jose Luis de Santos says the three-time Tour champion will not be at the worlds in Australia since "Alberto told me he prefers not to stretch out the season any more and will rest ahead of next season." Moved.
ATHLETICS:
ATH--DOPING-HABORAK
BRATISLAVA, Slovakia — Slovak shot putter Milan Haborak has been banned for life after a second doping offense.
Haborak tested positive for the banned steroid stanozolol in an out-of-competition control in June. Moved.
ATH--US-LUKEZIC-DOPING
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado — The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency has suspended retired distance runner Chris Lukezic for two years for refusing to take an out-of-competition doping test. Moved.
COMMONWEALTH GAMES:
COM--ENGLAND-FARAH OUT
LONDON — European long-distance double champion Mo Farah has withdrawn from England's track and field team for the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi. Moved.
COM--INDIA-DOPING
NEW DELHI — India's medal chances suffered a setback with one month to go for the Commonwealth Games as five members of their contingent tested positive in dope tests. Moved. By C Rajshekhar Rao.
ALSO:
— NEW YORK — BC-BBA--AL ROUNDUP. Moved.
— ATLANTA — BC-BBN--NL CAPSULES. Moved.
— SEATTLE — BC-BKL--WNBA ROUNDUP. Moved.
— TOKYO — BC-SWM--ASIAN GAMES-JAPAN
YOUR QUERIES: Questions and story requests are welcome. Contact your local AP bureau or the AP International Sports Desk in London by telephone at 44 207 427 4105, fax 44 207 427 4118.
Mclaren boss Ron Dennis fears the spy scandal may have taken itstoll on Lewis Hamilton.
Hamilton was distinctly off the boil throughout the Belgian GrandPrix weekend.
The young Briton's cause was not aided by his visit to Paris lastThursday for the World Motor Sport Council hearing that resulted indamning sanctions against the team.
Dennis said: " Obviously, Lewis has watched the company struggle alittle bit, the team struggle and maybe is a little bit moreinfluenced by that.
"Lewis tried hard but it was not meant to be."
Italy's Premier-elect Silvio Berlusconi and Russian President Vladmir Putin said Friday they want to intensify energy cooperation and raised the possibility Aeroflot could get involved in saving Italy's struggling Alitalia airline.
The two leaders, who met at Berlusconi's Sardinian villa just days after Berlusconi won elections securing his return to office, said they want to broaden the cooperation between Italy's Eni energy company and Russia's gas monopoly Gazprom.
Putin said he hopes Gazprom will have a role in Libya with Eni, without providing details. Putin made the overnight stopover in Sardinia on his way back from Libya, where he met with Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi.
Eni's chief executive Paolo Scaroni on Thursday said that Eni's Elephant oil field in Libya is among the assets being offered as part of a 2006 accord signed by Eni and Gazprom cementing their ties. Such a deal would require Gadhafi's approval.
Under the deal, Eni was allowed to enter Russia's to invest in the oil and gas sector in Russia while Gazprom was free to sell gas directly to Italy. The companies also agreed to swap assets.
Putin also said Aeroflot was ready to reopen talks with Alitalia, although exactly what the Russian carriers role could be remained unclear. Aeroflot was among the bidders who walked away from a failed auction last year, and its general director was quoted by Russian television on Thursday as saying it was not interested.
"I talked to Aeroflot's board chairman today," Putin told reporters. "He is ready to resume contacts with the Italian partner."
Berlusconi's intentions regarding Alitalia aren't entirely clear.
During his election campaign he pledged to rally Italian investors to save the failing airline from bankruptcy, in opposition to a takeover by Air France-KLM. But in the last couple of days he has softened his resistance to an Air France-KLM takeover, saying it was important that Alitalia be equal with the other carriers and that it have Italian management _ a position he repeated on Friday.
He also said Alitalia's future remained "very open" and that contacts with Air France-KLM about a potential sale were continuing. On Thursday he said he would discuss a tie-up with French President Nicolas Sarkozy after taking office.
Air France walked away from exclusive talks over union demands earlier this month, and the process has been up in the air during the election period. Berlusconi's government is expected to take office in early May.
Alitalia, meanwhile, is teetering on the brink of bankruptcy. It has been losing euro1 million (US$1.6 million) a day and is expected to run out of cash by June.
Berlusconi dodged a question about whether the Italian government was planning a bridge loan _ a possibility that circulated in the Italian media after a meeting Thursday between a key Berlusconi aide and an official in Premier Romano Prodi's outgoing government working on the Alitalia deal.
"The problem is so big that everything else doesn't matter, (including) bridge loans. ... What matters is solving the problem and keeping Alitalia as a flagship carrier to bring foreign tourists to Italy," Berlusconi said.
The European Commission said Friday that whatever the future holds for Alitalia _ a linkup with Russia' Aeroflot or the Air France-KLM giant _ the Italian air carrier cannot count on subsidies from the Italian government until at least 2011.
Alitalia won an infusion of state aid in 2001, and under EU competition rules that means it is excluded from another no-strings-attached cash injection for at least 10 years.
Alitalia received euro400 million in 2005 as a "bridging loan" which the company has reimbursed, said EU spokesman Michele Cercone.
____
Associated Press Writer Robert Wielaard contributed to this report from Brussels.
(cb/ar)
LONDON (AP) — A first-person account of the sinking of the Titanic fetched 20,000 pounds ($32,000) Saturday in a British auction.
The affidavit signed by Laura Francatelli, who got away in a lifeboat with her two prominent employers, easily topped its pre-sale estimate of 15,000 pounds ($24,000). It was bought by an anonymous collector from eastern Europe.
The most expensive item in Saturday's sale was a poster of Titanic which went for 60,000 pounds ($96,000) to an anonymous U.S. collector. Auctioneer Andrew Aldridge of Henry Aldridge & Son said that the highest price ever paid for a poster of the doomed ship.
In Francatelli's affidavit, she spoke of hearing an "awful rumbling" as the Titanic sunk in the icy North Atlantic in 1912.
She and her employers — Sir Cosmo Duff-Gordon and his socialite wife, Lady Lucy Duff-Gordon — fled in a rowboat with a capacity for 40 people, but only 12 on board.
The Duff-Gordons were two of the most controversial survivors.
"Sir Cosmo gave the crewmen who were in the lifeboat with him 5 pounds each, which was a tremendous amount of money at the time, and it was misconstrued at the time that he was paying blood money," Aldridge said before the sale.
The implication was that Duff-Gordon paid the crewmen to get him quickly away from the sinking vessel without returning to help those who were drowning. However, Aldridge said, it may be that the payments simply expressed relief and gratitude.
Francatelli, who was Lady Duff-Gordon's personal secretary, described a scene of utter terror as they tried to get as far as possible from the Titanic.
"We kept on rowing and stopping and rowing again," she wrote.
"I heard some talk going on all about the suction if the ship went down. I do not know who joined in the conversation. We were a long way off when we saw the Titanic go right up at the back and plunge down.
"There was an awful rumbling when she went. Then came the screams and cries. I do not know how long they lasted. We had hardly any talk. The men spoke about God and prayers and wives. We were all in the darkness."
Francatelli was 31 when the Titanic struck an iceberg on April 14, 1912. Her signed account was given as evidence to a British board of inquiry.
She died in 1967. The affidavit has been in private collections since shortly after her death.
At 6-1, 249 pounds, T.J. Duckett is the quintessential all-purpose running back. He has the size and strength for power runs upthe middle and the speed and agility to run wide against any defense.
For that reason, Duckett--who was fourth in the Big Ten and 11thnationally in rushing last season with an average of 123 yards--ismentioned on just about everyone's list of preseason Heisman Trophycandidates.
But the Michigan State junior tailback shrugs off the Heisman talkthe same way he sheds would-be tacklers on the field.
"It's not something that's in the front of my mind. I'm notthinking too much about it," Duckett said as the Spartans prepared tobegin fall workouts this week. "To me, the important thing iswinning. That award usually goes to a player whose team has had asuccessful year.
"For us, the important thing is to win and bounce back from lastseason. If we do that, the other things will take care ofthemselves."
Despite Duckett's success, last season was a bust for MichiganState. The team slumped to a 5-6 record overall after starting 3-0and finished tied for ninth in the Big Ten with a 2-6 mark, eventhough the Spartans had the league's top-rated defense.
"Offensively, we weren't consistent, we had a lot of penalties andwe didn't put a lot of points on the board, not as many as weshould," Duckett said. "We got inside the red zone and couldn'tscore. If we can get that out of the way--or at least a couple ofthem out of the way--we should do a lot better."
For that to happen, Duckett may have to take on a lesser role, atleast early in the season. The Spartans will employ more of a spreadoffense and won't consistently line up in the I-formation on firstdown.
"Last year, T.J. was carrying the ball over 25 times a game earlyin the season and then he sustained an injury that nagged him for therest of the year," coach Bobby Williams said. "That's something we'dlike not to do, work him out early in the season, but also make surehis productivity is there.
"I think it's going to be important for us to have him in themiddle as well as the end of the season."
The other key for Michigan State will be getting improvedquarterback play. Ryan Van Dyke, a senior, began last season as thestarter, but suffered a thumb injury in the first game and missed thenext three games.
Freshman Jeff Smoker was pressed into duty at that point, andneither quarterback was able to establish much consistency for theremainder of the season.
Williams said he hasn't settled on a No. 1 quarterback and doesn'tplan to do so anytime soon. He expects the position to be improved nomatter who is under center.
"Jeff Smoker finished the season as the starter and went into thespring as the starter, and we ended up splitting time between Jeffand Ryan in the spring with the first team," Williams said. "I'mgoing to continue that. This preseason, I felt Van Dyke made a lot ofimprovement and made it a close race.
"We're going to give both a chance to work with the first team andthen going into the season--if the race is still close--we plan onplaying them both."
Besides being able to hand off to Duckett, both quarterbacksshould benefit from the addition of sophomore wide receiver CharlesRogers, who didn't play as a freshman because of academic reasons.Rogers, a big, fast receiver at 6-4, was rated the No. 1 prospect inthe nation two years ago by recruiting guru Tom Lemming, and many arepredicting instant stardom.
"There are great expectations with Charles," Williams said. "Hedefinitely had a good first year. The fact that he was able topractice really allowed him to develop his skills, so everyone isreally looking for a breakout year from him.
"In my mind, he's still a freshman because he hasn't played yet.He has the potential to be a really outstanding player."
Williams will need all the help he can get because the second-year coach already is under fire. He struggled with some gamemanagement issues last season, and many fans questioned whether theschool hired the right candidate when Nick Saban left for LSU.
Williams, though, remains confident.
"Despite the fact we finished 5-6, I felt we made some strides asa program, the way that team competed in six losses that we had andhow close we were," he said. "This year, I'm faced with a whole newset of challenges. There are several challenges, one of them istrying to solidify a pretty good quarterback race and having severalplayers starting for the first time and stepping into differentroles.
"The ultimate goal is to bring this football team to a level wherewe can compete for a championship. I think we're good enough. It'sgoing to be so important that we bring this group along and develop."
Still, the centerpiece is Duckett.
"We can't wait," Duckett said. "After going 5-6 last season, thatwas definitely a disappointing year and we're not anxious for that tohappen again. We worked hard all winter and spring and summer, andthat's been the biggest thing on our minds."
PACKERS 10 x x x 10
1 2 3 4 T
BEARS 0 x x x 0
KEY STATS
PACKERS 106 27 133 1 9:35 2/4 1/1 0-0
rush pass total pos. time 3rd dwn 4th dwn penalties
BEARS 10 13 23 2 5:25 0/2 0/0 3-20
Good start: On the Bears' first play from scrimmage, Jay Cutler throws a seven-yard pass to Devin Aromashodu.
Stalled: Cutler misses Aromashodu on second down, and Matt Forte is smothered by Cullen Jenkins for a three-yard loss to force a punt.
Already? On the Packers' first play from scrimmage, Ryan Grant hits a huge hole on the left side and goes 62 yards for a touchdown and a 7-0 lead.
Ray of hope: On first down, Forte runs right and gains 11 yards.
Momentum killer: On the next play, guard Frank Omiyale is called for a false start, then is called for holding to nullify a 21-yard run by Cutler, eliciting more boos from the fans and another punt.
Moral victory? After Greg Jennings drops an apparent 25-yard TD pass, the Bears hold for a FG when Lance Briggs sacks Aaron Rodgers on third-and-seven. Mason Crosby's 33-yard kick makes it 10-0.
Not again: Cutler underthrows Aromashodu on a deep ball, and Charles Woodson intercepts it.
KEY PLAYER
Ryan Grant, Packers RB: Fourth-year pro from ND scored on a 62-yard run on his first carry. It's his longest carry of the season and the longest in his career since a 66-yard TD run against the Bears in 2007.
QTR 2
PACKERS 10 3 x x 13
1 2 3 4 T
BEARS 0 7 x x 7
KEY STATS
PACKERS 16 42 58 2 7:23 1/3 0/0 1-5
rush pass total pos. time 3rd dwn 4th dwn penalties
BEARS 6 85 91 0 7:37 4/5 0/0 3-25
Another hold: On third-and-goal from the Bears' 8, Aaron Rodgers throws incomplete into the end zone, so Mason Crosby kicks a 26-yard field goal for a 13-0 lead.
Can't catch a break: On third-and-eight from the Bears' 29, Jay Cutler's pass to Earl Bennett is incomplete when A.J. Hawk gets the benefit of the doubt on contact before the arrival of the ball.
Big stop: The Bears finally prevent the Packers from scoring when Tommie Harris, Hunter Hillenmeyer and Kevin Payne stop Ryan Grant for no gain on third-and-two.
Broken record: On first down, Chris Williams is called for a false start. After Matt Forte runs for a first down, Greg Olsen is called for a false start.
Big plays: On third-and-18, Cutler scrambles and finds Johnny Knox wide open for a 28-yard gain to the Packers' 37. Two plays later, Cutler throws a 19-yard pass to Devin Aromashodu.
Pay dirt: After Bennett just misses a TD catch, Cutler throws a 19-yard pass to Knox, who makes a reaching grab in the end zone to get the Bears within 13-7 at halftime.
KEY PLAYER
Jay Cutler, Bears QB: Rebounded from a tough first quarter
(3-for-5, 13 yards, 1 INT) to keep the Bears in it. Was 7-for-12 for 87 yards and a 19-yard touchdown pass to Johnny Knox to get the Bears within 13-7.
QTR 3
PACKERS 10 3 0 x 13
1 2 3 4 T
BEARS 0 7 7 x 14
KEY STATS
PACKERS -6 69 63 0 6:42 2/4 0/0 1-5
rush pass total pos. time 3rd dwn 4th dwn penalties
BEARS 24 67 91 0 8:18 3/3 0/0 1-2
Bad start: Robbie Gould's second-half kickoff goes out of bounds, giving the Packers the ball at the 40.
Turning point: Trying to throw on the run, Aaron Rodgers loses the ball when hit by Hunter Hillenmeyer, and Anthony Adams picks it out of the air at the 41 and returns it to the Bears' 44.
Beating Woodson: Johnny Knox comes back for the ball on a sideline route and beats Charles Woodson for a 22-yard gain to the Packers' 10.
One more time: On the next play, Devin Aroma-shodu adjusts to the ball and beats Woodson for a 10-yard TD that gives the Bears a 14-13 lead.
Just missed: Hillenmeyer has Rodgers in his grasp, but Rodgers avoids the sack by shuffling a pass to Ryan Grant, who's stopped for no gain by Kevin Payne.
Change of pace: Kahlil Bell makes an appearance in place of Matt Forte (three carries, 10 yards in the first half) and gains three yards on second-and-two for a first down.
Go for it? After Bell is stopped for no gain on third-and-one from the Packers' 46, the Bears punt.
KEY PLAYER
Devin Aromashodu, Bears WR: Made a nifty catch against Charles Woodson for the first TD of his Bears career. With four catches in the quarter, he has eight for the game for 76 yards.
QTR 4
PACKERS 10 3 0 8 21
1 2 3 4 T
BEARS 0 7 7 0 14
KEY STATS
PACKERS 30 31 61 0 7:32 0/2 0/0 2-20
rush pass total pos. time 3rd dwn 4th dwn penalties
BEARS 19 30 49 2 7:28 0/4 0/1 5-49
Motivated man: On his first carry since Kahlil Bell replaced him in the third quarter, Matt Forte gains 13 yards to the Bears' 30.
Picked clean: On third-and-five from the Bears' 32, Jay Cutler tries to beat the Packers' blitz by going downfield to Johnny Knox, but his pass is short and easily picked off by Nick Collins, who returns it 31 yards to the Bears' 11.
Hands off: Bears cornerback Zack Bowman is called for pass interference against Donald Driver in the end zone, giving the Packers a first-and-goal at the 1.
Losing the lead: Ryan Grant scores on the next play, and Rodgers throws to Greg Jennings for the two-point conversion to give the Packers a 21-14 lead with 12:39 to play.
Still in it: The Packers drive to the Bears' 24, but Mason Crosby's 42-yard field goal is wide right.
End of the line: The Bears have two possessions with a chance to tie, but a face-mask penalty on Chris Williams stunts one and a sack of Cutler leads to a three-and-out that leaves the Bears 5-8 and looking toward 2010.
KEY PLAYER
Jay Cutler, Bears QB: After throwing an interception that led to the TD that gave the Packers the lead, he was unable to put the Bears on his back. Cutler was 5-for-11 for 35 yards and the one pick in the quarter.
GAME RECAP
SCORING SUMMARY
First Quarter
13:12 PACKERS--Grant 62 run (Crosby kick).
Drive: 1 play, 62 yards, 0:11.
3:35 PACKERS--FG Crosby 33. Drive: 12 plays, 48 yards, 6:05. Key plays: Rodgers 13 pass to D.Lee; Rodgers 12 pass to Finley on third-and-11.
Second Quarter
13:03 PACKERS--FG Crosby 26. Drive: 11 plays, 31 yards, 5:16. Key plays: Woodson 9 interception return to Bears' 39; Rodgers 9 run on fourth-and-3; Green 3 run on
third-and-1.
1:48 BEARS--Knox 19 pass from Cutler (Gould kick). Drive: 13 plays, 80 yards, 6:22. Key plays: Forte 4 run on third-and-1; Cutler 10 pass to Aromashodu; Cutler 28 pass to Knox on third-and-18; Cutler 19 pass to Aromashodu on third-and-9.
Third Quarter
9:35 BEARS--Aromashodu 10 pass from Cutler (Gould kick). Drive: 6 plays, 56 yards, 3:13. Key plays: A.Adams fumble recovery (Rodgers); Cutler 22 pass to Knox.
Fourth Quarter
12:39 PACKERS--Grant 1 run (Jennings pass from Rodgers). Drive: 2 plays, 11 yards, 0:52. Key play: Collins 31 interception return to Bears' 11.
INDIVIDUAL STATS
PACKERS
RUSHING
Att Yds Avg Lng
R. Grant 20 137 6.9 62
A. Green 5 11 2.2 6
B. Jackson 2 4 2.0 4
A. Rodgers 4 -6 -1.5 9
PASSING
Att /Cmp Yds Int
Rodgers 24 16 180 0
RECEIVING
No Yds Lg
J. Finley 5 70 25
G. Jennings 3 56 25
B. Jackson 2 20 11
D. Lee 2 16 13
D. Driver 2 11 6
R. Grant 2 7 7
KICKOFF RETURNS
No Yds Lng
J. Nelson 2 35 19
PUNT RETURNS
No Yds Lng
J. Nelson 3 18 11
DEFENSE
TACKLES-ASSISTS-SACKS--Bigby 7-0-0, Williams 6-0-1, Barnett 5-1-0, Matthews 5-0-1, Bush 5-0-0, Collins 3-1-0, Hawk 3-1-0, Jolly 2-1-1, Jenkins 2-0-0, Poppinga
2-0-0, Raji 2-0-0, Woodson 2-0-0, Bishop 1-2-0, Driver 1-0-0, Havner 1-0-0, Martin 1-0-0, Wells 1-0-0, Underwood 0-1-0.
INTERCEPTIONS--Collins 1-31, Woodson 1-9.
MISSED FIELD GOALS--Crosby 42 (WR).
BEARS
RUSHING
Att Yds Avg Lng
M. Forte 12 51 4.3 13
K. Bell 4 9 2.3 4
J. Cutler 1 -1 -1.0 0
PASSING
Att /Cmp Yds Int
J. Cutler 36 23 209 2
RECEIVING
No Yds Lg
J. Knox 5 83 28
D. Aromashodu 8 76 19
M. Forte 4 17 14
G. Olsen 2 14 12
D. Clark 1 8 8
E. Bennett 1 6 6
R. Davis 1 5 5
J. McKie 1 0 0
KICKOFF RETURNS
No Yds Lng
R. Davis 3 55 23
D. Manning 1 26 26
J. Knox 1 12 12
PUNT RETURNS
No Yds Lng
E. Bennett 2 -2 -1
DEFENSE
TACKLES-ASSISTS-SACKS-- Hillenmeyer 6-1-0, A.Adams 6-0-0, Afalava 4-2-0, Payne 4-2-0, Briggs 3-1-1, Brown 3-0-0, Roach 3-0-0, Tillman 3-0-0, J.Williams 3-0-0, Bullocks 2-1-0, Bowman
2-0-0, Manning 2-0-0, Harris 1-1-1, G.Adams 1-0-0, Anderson 1-0-0, Bell 1-0-0, Forte 1-0-0, Graham 1-0-0, Harrison 1-0-0, Knox 1-0-0, Ogunleye 1-0-0, Peterson 1-0-0, Shaw 1-0-0, Mannelly 0-1-0.
TEAM STATISTICS
PACKERS BEARS
Total first downs 16 14
Rushing/passing/penalty 7/7/2 5/8/1
Third-down efficiency 5/13 5/13
Fourth-down efficiency 1/1 0/1
Total net yards 315 254
Total off. plays/avg. gain 57/5.5 56/4.5
Net yards rushing 146 59
Total rushing plays/avg. gain 31/4.7 17/3.5
Net yards passing 169 195
Sacked for loss/yards 2/11 3/14
Gross yards passing 180 209
Passes/comp./int. 24/16/0 36/22/2
Average gain per pass 6.5 5.0
Punts: No./average 4/43.3 6/36.2
Had blocked 0 0
Total return yardage 93 91
No./yards. punt returns 3/18 2/-2
No./yards. kickoff returns 2/35 5/93
No./yards. interception returns 2/40 0/0
Penalties: No./yards. 4/30 13/109
Fumbles: No./lost 3/2 1/0
Extra points made/attempts 1/1 2/2
Field goals made/attempts 2/3 0/0
Time of possession 31:12 28:48
Color Photo: Tom Cruze, Sun-Times / Charles Tillman can't catch Packers running back Ryan Grant, who scores on a 62-yard run. Color Photo: Tom Cruze, Sun-Times / Bears wide receivers Johnny Knox (13) and Earl Bennett celebrate after Knox's 19-yard touchdown reception. Photo: Tom Cruze, Sun-Times / Devin Aromashodu, who had a career day against Green Bay, makes one of his four third-quarter catches. Photo: Tom Cruze, Sun-Times / Cornerback Zack Bowman interferes with Donald Driver in the end zone, giving the Packers a first-and-goal at the 1. Color Photo: Ryan Grant Photo: Jay Cutler Photo: Devin Aromashodu
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