Dubai's $10B bailout by Abu Dhabi calms fears

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – Oil-rich Abu Dhabi pumped $10 billion into its indebted neighbor Monday, sending stocks soaring while sparing Dubai and the rest of the Emirates federation the humiliation of an imminent default by one of the struggling Arab boomtown's star companies.

The bailout was about more than petrodollar transfers from one United Arab Emirates sheikdom to the other. Dubai officials seized on the news to try to repair damage done by weeks of uncertainty stemming from their unwillingness to fully stand behind Dubai World as the conglomerate looked to restructure some of its $60 billion in debts.

Investors cheered Monday's news. Dubai's main index shot up 10.4 percent at the close and markets elsewhere rose modestly.

Prior to the crisis, most investors had assumed the Dubai government itself, possibly with Abu Dhabi's help, would guarantee debts amassed by its chief growth engine.

Dubai authorities are scrambling to reshape the business hub's battered image, vowing that the city-state is committed to "transparency, good governance and market principles." Officials outlined a new legal framework that promised to increase openness and protect creditors in future dealings with the conglomerate, offering lenders succor in a country where formal bankruptcy proceedings are largely untested.

"We are here today to reassure investors, financial and trade creditors, employees and our citizens that our government will act at all times in accordance with market principles and internationally accepted business practices," Sheik Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, chairman of the Dubai supreme fiscal committee, said in a statement.

Some $4.1 billion of the funds released Monday will go toward meeting a deadline to repay Islamic bonds issued by Dubai World's Nakheel property arm. The conglomerate, whose sprawling holdings range from the oceanliner Queen Elizabeth 2 to luxury retailer Barney's New York, will use the rest.

The move, however, carries broader implications as UAE officials have looked to assure the market the country's economy was on solid ground. Their assurances gave voice to a silent concern that the whole country would be hit by the same investor mistrust that Dubai now faces.

The bailout bought Dubai, itself saddled with more than $80 billion in debts including Dubai World's, time it desperately needs.

"This is a very significant development," said Marios Maratheftis, head of regional research at Standard Chartered Bank. "It shows once again there is a one-country approach in dealing with the crisis, which is positive."

But it was unclear if the news — assurances and funding alike — would prove to be more than a temporary salve.

Standard & Poor's, which along with other credit rating agencies has aggressively cut its outlook on Dubai state-run companies, called Monday's move "a step towards rebuilding confidence." But it warned that the government's ability to bail out other firms remains uncertain.

Fitch Ratings, another credit agency, also urged caution, saying Abu Dhabi's bailout was "tactical in nature as opposed to a reversal of recent rhetoric regarding state support."

Abu Dhabi, which controls the UAE's presidency, has directly and indirectly provided Dubai with $25 billion over the past year, mostly by buying Dubai bonds. In all, Dubai's known debts are roughly equal to its total economic output last year. The full extent of its liabilities is uncertain, however, with some analysts putting the total at $100 billion or more.

The aid package is key for Dubai, which despite its international celebrity has little of the oil wealth held by Abu Dhabi. Dubai's ruler is the UAE's vice president and prime minister.

Dubai created Dubai World — which has interests in seaports, real estate, tourism and retail — to diversify its economy and boost its international clout. Much of the growth was fueled by easy credit. As the bills came due, the emirate struggled to repay as its economy was battered by the global economic downturn.

Nakheel, a property developer and hotel operator best known for building manmade islands in the shape of palm trees and a map of the world off Dubai's coast, was among those Dubai World companies that relied heavily on that easy money.

Plenty of questions remain, especially as Dubai works to salvage its reputation and the conglomerate tries to deal with the rest of its debts.

Dubai World, while welcoming the financial support, said it was nonetheless pushing ahead with talks to convince lenders to agree to a "standstill" — effectively a delay — on repaying part of its debt.

"This announcement constitutes a specific bailout of Nakheel, suggesting that as an entity (it) was deemed to be 'too big to fail,'" said Fahd Iqbal, a Dubai-based analyst at Middle East investment bank EFG-Hermes. "It does not, however, constitute a bailout of Dubai Inc. or Dubai World as a whole and this is important to highlight."

Officials introduced a reorganization law that could be used in case Dubai World is "unable to achieve an acceptable restructuring of its remaining obligations."

A person close to the Dubai government said the new law provided a legal framework for addressing corporate debt, though it did not mean a bankruptcy filing by state-owned companies was certain.

"The current bankruptcy law is untested," the person said, insisting on anonymity as a condition for briefing reporters on a conference call. "Dubai World needed a legal process to go through. The government was very focused on creating something that would be fair and transparent to everybody."

It was not immediately clear what, if anything, Abu Dhabi would expect in exchange for Monday's funding. Analysts had said an Abu Dhabi bailout could result in it exerting greater influence on its high profile neighbor going forward.

But the individual close to the Dubai government said the money came with no strings attached.

"Let me be clear: Dubai has not given anything up. There have been no conditions on the funding," he said

Obama urges banks to find ways to increase lending

WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama challenged top bankers Monday to explore "every responsible way" to increase lending, saying they were obliged to help after being rescued by taxpayers. He asked them to "take a third and fourth look" at their small-business lending.

US Bancorp CEO Richard Davis told the group meeting at the White House that his bank would be willing to take a second look at every loan it rejects. And he said he would present the idea to other members of the Financial Services Roundtable — a group representing the largest financial companies, according to the Roundtable. Davis is its incoming chairman.

Obama, in a statement after more than an hourlong meeting with the executives, said he reminded them that much of the financial crisis that took the U.S. banking system to the brink of collapse had been "of their own making." He also exhorted the executives — both in private and in public — to drop their opposition to an overhaul of the nation's financial industry.

"If they wish to fight commonsense consumer protections, that's a fight I'm more than willing to have," Obama told reporters in the Diplomatic Reception Room of the executive mansion.

He also urged lenders to find creative ways to free up lending. Obama said banks have benefited from bailouts and should use that strength to lend more money to consumer and businesses.

"But given the difficulty business people are having as lending has declined and given the exceptional assistance banks received to get them through a difficult time," he said, "we expect them to explore every responsible way to help get our economy moving again."

Delay, he said, was not an option he was willing to consider as his administration has focused on digging out an economy that has left more than 15 million Americans out-of-work. An economy with double-digit unemployment next year threatens political fortunes for Obama's fellow Democrats in the 2010 midterm elections — and presumably even Obama himself in a 2012 re-election bid.

The president has sought to bolster Americans' confidence, talking often about accomplishments from the $787 billion economic stimulus package he sought early in his office and a potential follow-up jobs program to jump-start the economy.

"And so I urged these institutions here today to go back and take a third and fourth look about how they are operating when it comes to small business and medium-sized business lending," he said.

Bank of America CEO Kenneth Lewis pledged to Obama that his bank would lend $5 billion more to small- and mid-sized businesses in 2010 than it did in 2009, the bank said. It said the move is part of the bank's broader effort to support an economic recovery.

JPMorgan said last month that it would boost such lending by $4 billion.

Obama's stern lecture came hours after Citigroup Inc. said that it was repaying $20 billion in bailout money it received from the Treasury Department, in an effort to reduce government influence over the banking giant. The government will also sell its stake in the company.

The New York-based bank was among the hardest hit by the credit crisis and rising loan defaults and got one of the largest bailouts of any banks during the financial crisis. The government gave it $45 billion in loans and agreed to protect losses on nearly $300 billion in risky investments. Wells Fargo & Co. remains the last national bank that has yet to pay back its bailout money.

Despite Obama's pointed words, the bankers have said that lending is limited by factors beyond their control: The sluggish economy and tighter oversight by regulators. The slow economy has businesses reluctant to expand — and makes banks more grim about their prospects. Loan applications are down.

Meanwhile, regulators are telling banks to be more skeptical about potential borrowers. They are forcing banks to keep larger cushions of capital to protect against future losses. That means there's less money available to lend.

The meeting came amid Obama's fierce criticism of Wall Street. In an interview that aired on Sunday, Obama rebuked executive paychecks at firms that only last year required tax dollars to keep their doors open.

"I did not run for office to be helping out a bunch of fat cat bankers on Wall Street," Obama told CBS's "60 Minutes."

Bankers brushed off Obama's harsh rhetoric.

Davis, of US Bancorp, denied that there was any rancor after Obama's "fat cats" comment.

"It was an opportunity for the president to make clear how important some of these issues are," he told reporters in the White House driveway. "We haven't done as good a job as we can in the future to align the interests of our constituents with those of the American public."

After House passage of a regulatory overhaul Friday, the work now shifts to the Senate, which has been preoccupied with health care legislation.

Obama said rhetoric and reality on financial overhaul don't align.

"The problem is, there's a big gap between what I'm hearing here in the White House and the activities of lobbyists on behalf of these institutions or associations of which they're a member up on Capitol Hill," Obama said.

"I urged them to close that gap, and they assured me that they would make every effort to do so."

Davis said Obama talked about the difference between bankers' broad support of the financial overhaul and the strident objections raised by their industry groups and lobbyists.

"We think there was probably a disconnect as well," Davis said. "We're going to do a better job, beginning with the CEOs, to work with the lobbyists directly and be the voice with those administration leaders to come to a conclusion that we haven't before."

Banks, industry groups and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce have uniformly rejected the administration's proposal to create a new Consumer Financial Protection Agency. Some have proposed alternatives that consumer groups believe would defang the proposed agency.

Monday's remarks were the first to suggest that the opposition did not reflect the bankers' positions.

"I think that the disagreement over (the consumer agency) has sort of colored much of the debate and overshadowed" industry's support for other parts of Obama's financial overhaul, said Kenneth Bentsen, who heads the Washington office of the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association.

There has been no shortage of contact between the bankers and the groups that have campaigned against parts of the administrations financial overhaul. The Financial Services Roundtable is in conversation with the CEOs it represents multiple times a week, its leaders have said. The board of SIFMA meets at least once a week and includes top executives from Goldman Sachs and other big banks

K-12 Schools: No snow days yet

As of Tuesday afternoon, local school administrators for the Wausau area have not yet called off classes for Wednesday.

Some school districts, such as Wausau and D.C. Everest, might make a decision on school closing tonight if conditions worsen.

Local school administrators ask families to watch weather forecasts and media reports for the latest on any school closings or delays.

Coffee, Exercise Fight Prostate Cancer

TUESDAY, Dec. 8 (HealthDay News) -- Having a few more cups of coffee and running that extra mile each day can reduce a man's risk of dying of prostate cancer, two studies indicate.

The case for coffee and physical activity as prostate cancer preventatives is far from proven, according to the research reported Tuesday at an American Association for Cancer Research meeting in Houston. But data from the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study show a clear association with both daily activities.

"I wouldn't recommend that people change their coffee-drinking habits based on this study," said Kathryn M. Wilson, a research fellow in epidemiology at the Harvard School of Public Health, and lead author of one report. "But if you like coffee, there is no compelling reason to cut back at this point."

Her data on the nearly 50,000 men in the study showed how common a diagnosis of prostate cancer has become since widespread screening began. In the 20 years from 1986 to 2006, 4,975 cases of prostate cancer were diagnosed, affecting just about 10 percent of the men in the study.

But only 846 of those cancers were life-threatening, because they had spread beyond the prostate gland or were growing aggressively, Wilson said. And while the study found just a weak relationship between consumption of six or more cups of coffee a day and a reduced risk of all forms of prostate cancer (down about 19 percent), the reduction for the aggressive form was much more marked -- 41 percent.

And there was a clear relationship between the amount of coffee consumed and prostate cancer risk, Wilson said: "The more coffee you drank, the more effect we saw."

The caffeine in coffee doesn't seem to be the link, since the same reduction was seen for consumption of decaffeinated coffee, she said. Instead, "it has something to do with insulin and glucose metabolism," Wilson said. "A number of studies have found that coffee is associated with a reduced risk of diabetes."

This study is just a starting point for establishing a relationship between coffee and prostate cancer, Wilson stressed. "At this point, we would just like to confirm whether it exists in different populations," she said. "We hope that this study drives more research so that we really know what is going on."

The other study, by Stacey A. Kenfield, a research associate at the Harvard School of Public Health, looked at the levels of physical activity among 2,686 men in the study who were diagnosed with prostate cancer. It found, as many other studies have, that exercise is good for overall health, with a 35 percent lower death rate for men who reported three or more hours a week of vigorous physical activity, such as jogging, biking, swimming or playing tennis.

And the death rate from prostate cancer for men who exercised vigorously was 12 percent lower than for those who didn't -- a figure that did not quite reach the level of statistical significance because the numbers were small, Kenfield explained.

Nevertheless, "this is the first study to show an effect of physical activity not only on overall survival, but on prostate cancer survival," she said.

It's already well known how physical activity reduces overall mortality, Kenfield said. "It affects immune function and reduces inflammation, among the major processes involved. But it's not clear yet how it is related to prostate cancer and survival."

US Air Force confirms 'Beast of Kandahar' drone

WASHINGTON (AFP) – The US Air Force on Tuesday confirmed for the first time that it is flying a stealth unmanned aircraft known as the "Beast of Kandahar," a drone spotted in photos and shrouded in secrecy.

The RQ-170 Sentinel is being developed by Lockheed Martin and is designed "to provide reconnaissance and surveillance support to forward deployed combat forces," the air force said in a brief statement.

The "RQ" prefix for the aircraft indicates an unarmed drone, unlike the "MQ" designation used for Predator and Reaper aircraft equipped with missiles and precision-guided bombs.

Aviation experts dubbed the drone the "Beast of Kandahar" after photographs emerged earlier this year showing the mysterious aircraft in southern Afghanistan in 2007.

The image suggested a drone with a radar-evading stealth-like design, resembling a smaller version of a B-2 bomber.

A blog in the French newspaper Liberation published another photo this week, feeding speculation among aviation watchers about the classified drone.

The air force said the aircraft came out of Lockheed Martin's "Skunk Works," also known as Advanced Development Programs, in California -- the home of sophisticated and often secret defense projects including the U-2 spy plane, the F-22 fighter jet and the F-117 Nighthawk.

The photo of the drone in Afghanistan has raised questions about why the United States would be operating a stealth unmanned aircraft in a country where insurgents have no radar systems, prompting speculation Washington was using the drones for possible spying missions in neighboring Iran or Pakistan.

The Sentinel was believed to have a flying wing design with no tail and with sensors built into the top side of each wing, according to published photos.

The RQ-170 is in line with Defense Secretary Robert Gates' request for more intelligence and surveillance resources and with the Air Force chief of staff's plans to expand the fleet of unmanned aircraft, the air force said.

The new drone is flown by the 30th Reconnaissance Squadron out of Tonopah Test Range in Nevada, which is under Air Combat Command's 432nd Wing at Creech Air Base, also in Nevada.

The United States has carried out an extensive bombing campaign against Al-Qaeda figures in Pakistan using the Predator and larger Reaper drones.

Robots or "unmanned systems" in the air and on the ground are now deployed by the thousands in Iraq and Afghanistan, spying from the sky for hours on end, searching for booby-traps and firing lethal missiles without putting US soldiers at risk.

Obama using grab-bag approach to fight recession

WASHINGTON – Franklin Roosevelt, confronted with the worst economic crisis in the nation's history, wrote the book on government jobs programs. Since FDR, presidents have been less ambitious because the economic challenges they faced were less severe.

President Barack Obama, battling the worst downturn since FDR's time, has put together a grab-bag program that borrows a little from Roosevelt but much more closely resembles the approach taken by recent presidents of both parties, who have leaned heavily on tax cuts to spur job creation.

Obama's New Deal-lite approach represents a compromise between putting more resources into getting the country out of a recession and the limitations he faces with budget deficits that have already soared past the $1 trillion mark, raising concerns among the foreign investors who buy America's debt.

Given those soaring deficits, Obama is not trying to push jobs programs of the scale that FDR used to fight the 1930s Depression, when he created an alphabet-soup collection of government agencies to put people back to work, from the Civilian Conservation Corps to the Works Progress Administration.

Instead, Obama is emphasizing further increases in infrastructure spending beyond what is already in the pipeline from the $787 billion economic stimulus bill.

Taking a page from past Republican and Democratic administrations, Obama also is proposing tax credits targeted to small businesses to help them hire new workers and give them a tax break for buying new equipment to expand and modernize their operations.

He also is proposing extending a number of programs already included in his February stimulus measure, including extra support to state and local governments to keep them from having to lay off workers.

"Obama is trying an eclectic approach to jump-starting employment growth and that is not surprising given that the labor market today is the worst it has been since the Great Depression," said Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody's Economy.com.

Obama's efforts are sizable compared with the stimulus measures offered by recent administrations — also not surprising, given that the recession that began in December 2007 is the longest and deepest since the 1930s.

President George W. Bush offered immediate tax rebates when he was trying to get the country out of the brief and mild downturn that hit during his first year in office.

Like Obama, Ronald Reagan also faced unemployment above 10 percent during his first term, but his answer to the 1981-82 recession was to emphasize a major tax cut that reduced the top tax rates. Reagan's jobs program was a sizable military buildup that increased troop strength and bolstered employment among defense contractors.

Presidents Jimmy Carter and Gerald Ford also battled serious recessions in the 1970s, but their government stimulus efforts had to take into account soaring inflation from a series of oil shocks that gave the country a new economic worry: stagflation, a toxic mix of inflation and economic stagnation.

Just as Obama sought to highlight his efforts to bolster the economy with a jobs summit last week, a number of presidents have held high-level economic gatherings at the White House to showcase their concerns about various economic maladies.

Not all of those sessions have ended well. The Ford administration was ridiculed for its WIN buttons, standing for "Whip Inflation Now," which proved as ineffective as Ford's other ideas for curbing inflation.

Obama's new proposals come with a price tag to be determined later. Obama said the government could afford the new efforts because the administration had just trimmed the ultimate cost of the unpopular Troubled Asset Relief Program by $200 billion. But his effort to capture bank bailout funds for further economic stimulus is already running into stiff opposition from Republicans.

Obama is seeking to split the difference between his worries over how a weak economy will affect Democrats' chances in the 2010 elections and his concerns about soaring budget deficits. Republicans say all the TARP funds should go to reduce a budget deficit that soared to $1.42 trillion last year and is projected by the administration to remain above $1 trillion annually for the next two years.

Private economists said the program is likely to hit $200 billion or more after Democrats, who control Congress, get through massaging the plan. That would come on top of the $787 billion stimulus program passed in February.

Economists normally are skeptical of government jobs programs, arguing that by the time Congress manages to pass the program, the recession is usually over and the economy is generating jobs on its own. But as in the 1930s, the current downturn is viewed as severe enough to warrant government help.

In the Great Depression, unemployment hit 25 percent in 1933, the year that FDR took office. The unemployment rate this time around is expected to be nowhere near that level, but it could still surpass the post-World War II record of 10.8 percent set in 1982 before a sustained recovery takes hold next summer. The jobless rate is currently at 10 percent.

"Roosevelt's efforts in the Great Depression gave a sense of hope to people who had lost hope," said Nariman Behravesh, chief economist at IHS Global Insight. "In the current situation, Obama's program is aimed at giving companies enough confidence to start hiring a little sooner than they otherwise would."

Orlando Magic (16-4) at Los Angeles Clippers (9-11), 10:30 p.m.

The red-hot Orlando Magic shoot for their sixth straight win Tuesday when they resume a four-game western road swing in Hollywood against the Los Angeles Clippers.

The Magic will also be attempting to earn a franchise record with their eighth straight road win in a season and match the 1995-96 Orlando team that opened up that season 17-4. The Magic did win nine straight as the visitor before but that spanned two seasons, the final two road games of 2006-07 and the first seven in the following season.

Orlando won the opener of the trek up the coast in Oakland on Saturday when Vince Carter went 12-of-12 from the foul line on his way to 27 points while dishing out seven assists and grabbing five rebounds, as Orlando used a late run to take down the Golden State Warriors, 126-118.

Former Warrior Mickael Pietrus drained 4-of-8 shots from beyond the arc on his way to 22 points for the Magic, who have won 10 of 11 overall. Rashard Lewis chipped in 20 points while Dwight Howard ended with 17 points and eight rebounds for Orlando.

"We continued to push when we needed, and we were able to get to the free throw line at the end of the game that preserved the win," Carter said.

The Magic, who are an impressive 9-2 on the road and lead the Southeast Division by two games over Atlanta, will finish their trip with visits to Utah and Phoenix.

The Clippers, meanwhile, improved to 2-1 on a long, six-game homestand Saturday when Marcus Camby had a solid all-around performance with 12 points, 17 rebounds, six assists and three blocks, carrying Los Angeles to an 88-72 win over Indiana.

Al Thornton contributed 19 points and seven boards for the Clippers, who won for the third time in four games overall. Chris Kaman added 16 points and 11 rebounds, while Baron Davis and Eric Gordon scored 12 and 10, respectively.

"Defensively, we were pretty good, especially on the boards with 19 offensive rebounds," said Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy. "We were able to limit their shooters to tough shots and our second group gave us a lift."

Orlando has won five straight over the Clips, last losing on Dec. 3, 2006 in LA

State wrestling rankings

All-classification boys

103 pounds — 1, Ruben Navejas, Kentwood; 2, Steven Hopkins, Tahoma; 3, Jake Velarde, North Kitsap.

112 — 1, Bryce Evans, Rogers (Puyallup); 2, Brad Watson, Elma; 3, Jesus Valdez, Kent-Meridian.

119 — 1, Josh Heinzer, Lake Stevens; 2, Drew Templeman, Orting; 3, Blake Adams, Deer Park.

125 — 1, Efrain Aguilar, Graham-Kapowsin; 2, Skylor Davis, Zillah; 3, Drew Acorn, Deer Park.

130 — 1, Antonio Brown, Orting; 2, Jesse Borcherding, Olympic; 3, Travis Metcalf, Graham-Kapowsin.

135 — 1, Garrett Mann, Orting; 2, Quinn Gannon, West Valley (Spokane); 3, Josh Lauderdale, Lakeside (Nine Mile Falls).

140 — 1, Tyler Lamb, Tahoma; 2, Nick Bendon, Bonney Lake; 3, Manny Ybarra, Quincy.

145 — 1, Brandon Yeik, Olympic; 2, Tyler King, Auburn Mountainview; 3, Josh Musick, Enumclaw.

152 — 1, Jordan Rogers, Mead; 2, Christ Tripplet, East Valley; 3, Josh Villani, Lake Stevens.

160 — 1, Chris Castillo, Zillah; 2, Micah Morrill, Snohomish; 3, James Souza, Emerald Ridge.

171 — 1, Derek Garcia, Sedro-Woolley; 2, Jacob Mason, University; 3, David Huizar, Sunnyside.

189 — 1, Taylor Meeks, Orting; 2, Nick Bayer, Tahoma; 3, Dylan Rutledge, Auburn.

215 — 1, Jacob Trotter, Mead; 2, Jeremy Holdaas, Blaine; 3, Alec Bird, Everett.

285 — 1, Shawn Burton, Deer Park; 2, Nathan Herrick, Kentwood; 3, Nick Conlan, Auburn.

Team rankings

SILIGURI: Court glare on Gurung for speech

FROM THE STATESMAN

SILIGURI, April 20: The Darjeeling police have initiated an inquiry against Mr Bimal Gurung, the Gorkha Jana Mukti Morcha (GJMM) chief, about his alleged speech at the Gymkhana Club Hall in the Hill town on 30 March.

The inquiry is the fallout of a 13 April order by the Darjeeling Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM), wherein the court asked police to investigate the matter under Section 171 C of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). If found guilty, he might be sentenced to one year in jail or fined or both.

As alleged, while addressing an open meeting at the Darjeeling Gymkhana Club on 30 April, the GJMM supremo said that anybody found going against the GJMM choice, would be punished after the polls. He also said that party workers would keep a close watch on the situation. Taking cognisance of the alleged threat speech, the Darjeeling Sadar police moved the CJM court in the first week of April and sought permission to initiate a probe against Mr Gurung. On 13 April, the court gave it a green signal, and 29 April has been fixed as the next date for hearing.

Police, meanwhile, will have to submit the final report of the inquiry on or before 29 April. The CPI-M too had lodged a complaint against Mr Gurung with the Central Election Commission (CEC) in New Delhi on 7 April. When contacted, the SP Darjeeling Mr Rahul Srivastava refused to comment.

GJMM general secretary Mr Roshan Giri on the other hand, termed the probe to be a ploy of the ruling CPI-M. He also demanded a probe against the CPI-M Darjeeling candidate Mr Jibesh Sarkar for “trying to divide people on communal lines.”

Meanwhile, the GJMM sent a complaint to the Election Commission in New Delhi against the Inspector General, Police, North Bengal, Mr Kundan Lal Tamta today, alleging partisanship in favour of the ruling CPI-M.

Real-time search touches down with Google at the controls

Tuesday, 08 Dec 2009 16:00

Google debuts real-time search

Google will deploy its new real-time search feature over the course of the next several days, shaking up the familiar layout of its search results page - and the world of search engine optimization (SEO) along with it.

Embedded into the standard search results page will be a constantly scrolling (though this functionality can be disabled) display of live updates, incorporating news content, Twitter feeds, and blog information. Google believes that providing users with up-to-the-second search information can further distance it from its competitors.

Bing also incorporates Twitter search, but this function is located on a separate search page. Experts say that this limits its impact on the search engine optimization (SEO) landscape, compared to Google's embedded search results.

Google has said that real-time search results will not be provided for all queries, only those with "high quality" real-time information, according to Search Engine Land. Discovering the algorithm by which Google decides whether or not to show real-time results could be of singular importance for search engine optimization (SEO) professionals.

Some area school districts to dismiss early on Friday due to weather

Some Houston-area school districts will dismiss students early Friday because of the possibility of snow and icy roads.

Adventist Christian Academy - Conroe will close at 12:30 p.m. Friday.

Alief ISD canceled all extra-curricular activities for Friday and Saturday. Officials said there will be no late bus runs, but the district’s after-school program sites, including the YMCA and Houston’s Kids, will remain open. Buses for the Houston’s Kids programs will run as scheduled. SAT testing scheduled for Saturday at Hastings and Elsik has been canceled.

Ascension Episcopal School and ECP will close at 1 p.m. Friday. All after-school activities have been canceled.

Anahuac ISD will dismissed all students at 12:30 p.m.

Awty International School will close early Friday. Primary School students will be released at 12:30 p.m. Secondary School students will be released at 1:15 p.m.

Barbers Hill ISD – High school and middle school students will be released t 11:30 a.m. Other students will be released at 12:30 p.m.

Brazos ISD will close at 12:00 p.m. due to the weather.

Channelview ISD will release students early Friday. CHS / Kolarik will close at 12:15 p.m. Crenshaw, DeZavala and Hamblen will close at 12:45 p.m. Brown, McMullan and Schochler will close at 1:05 p.m. Alice Johnson Junior High will close at 1:25 p.m. Cobb Elementary will close at 1:45 p.m. Morning Pre-K will release students at 11:40 a.m. Afternoon Pre-K classes are canceled. Apollo / Endeavor will close at 1 p.m. All athletic and after-school events have been canceled.

City of Houston activated its inclement weather policy.

Clear Creek Independent School District will dismiss schools at their regular times on Friday, December 4, 2009. with anticipated freezing temperatures in the evening hours. The District has canceled all after school and evening activities, including dances and athletic competitions. Travel start times will not being any earlier than 9:30 a.m. for Saturday activities.

Columbia-Brazoria ISD will close an hour early on Friday.

East Chambers ISD will have an early dismissal on Friday, Dec 4. All campuses will be released at 12:30 p.m.

First Baptist Academy will close at 1 p.m. Friday.

Galena Park ISD will follow normal early dismissal procedures:

- High schools will dismiss at 11 a.m.
- Elementary schools will dismiss at 11:30 a.m.
- Middle Schools will dismiss at Noon
- All extracurricular activities for Friday and Saturday have been canceled.

Galveston ISD all extra-curricular activities cancelled for the weekend. all athletic events, fine arts performances, and rehearsals, after-school programs cancelled at the recommendations of DPS and TX-DOT offices; rescheduling to be announced.

Goose Creek ISD will release high school students at 10:35 a.m. and junior high students at 12:25 p.m.

Students at the following elementary schools will be released at 11:15 a.m.: Alamo, Ashbel Smith, Bowie, Carver, Lamar, and Victoria Walker. Morning pre-k students at these schools will be released at 9:20 a.m., and afternoon pre-k students will be released at 11:15 a.m.

Students at the following elementary schools will be released at 11:30 a.m.: Austin, Crockett, De Zavala, Harlem, Highlands, Hopper, San Jacinto, and Travis. Morning pre-k students at these schools will be released at 9:35 a.m., and afternoon pre-k students will be released at 11:30 a.m.

Hardin ISD will send students home at 1 p.m. Friday.

High Island ISD will close schools at 11 a.m. Friday.

HISD has canceled SAT testing scheduled for Saturday at HISD high schools. The test will be administered Dec. 19 instead.

Iman Academy SW campus will be closed on Friday.

Huffman ISD will have early release Friday. High school and middle school students will be released at 1 p.m. Elementary school campuses will close at 2 p.m. All after-school activities have been canceled, and any activities planned for Saturday have been delayed until 12 p.m.

Katy ISD will have early dismissal Friday. Secondary campuses will close at 12:35 p.m. Elementary campuses will close at 1:40 p.m.

Klein ISD has canceled all after-school activities planned for Friday, Dec. 4.

Lamar CISD willcontinue to closely monitor weather conditions throughout the day. All district travel and activities planned for Saturday, December 5 have been canceled or rescheduled for a later start. There will be no student activities or travel before 11 am tomorrow. Elementary UIL scheduled at the Middle School Campuses - Canceled & rescheduled for January 9th.

SAT Testing at Foster HS - Canceled
Region UIL Band - Starts at 11 am.
Lamar CISD All Friday, December 4 evening activities and student travel to other districts has been canceled. All basketball tournaments scheduled for this weekend have been canceled. Tickets for tonight's performance of Cinderella may be exchanged for Saturday or Sunday performance or for an additional performance that has been scheduled for Monday, December 7 at 7 pm.

We will keep you informed if plans should change. Any updates related to the weather will be posted to the district website at www.lcisd.org and sent to the media.

La Marque ISD schools will remain open for regular hours Friday, Dec. 4. All bus runs will continue as normal. To assure our students' safety, all in-district afterschool and extracurricular activities have been cancelled for Friday and Saturday. SAT testing set for Saturday at La Marque High School also has been cancelled.

La Porte ISD is operating on a regular schedule today, but has cancelled all after-school extracurricular activities for Friday, Dec. 4. The Harris County Public Health H1N1 flu vaccination clinic scheduled for Dec. 5 at La Porte Elementary is cancelled.

Lee College will close at 10:30 a.m. Friday.

Livingston ISD will send elementary school students home at 12:45 p.m. Secondary students will be released at 1 p.m.

Logos Preparatory Academy in Sugar Land will dismiss at 1:00 p.m.

Lone Star College System is closing early. This includes offices, campuses and centers to close at 2 p.m. today. Normal operations will resume on Saturday, December 5 at 10 a.m.

Needville ISD will close at 1 p.m. Friday.

Neighborhood Center Head Start and Charter Schools will close at 1 p.m. today.

Neighborhood's School Closings:

Ripley House Charter School; Fraga Pre-K Center; Baker-Ripley Charter School; Harbach-Ripley Charter School; Cook Road Head Start Center; Freedom Station Head Start Center; KBC Head Start Center; Klein Head Start Center; New Horizon Head Start Center; Magnolia Early Childhood Development Center; Sharp Early Childhood Development Center; Albury Head Start Center; Spring Branch Head Start Center; Sharpview Head Start Center

New Caney ISD schools will close one hour early on Friday, December 4.

New Caney High School and middle schools will close at 1:30 p.m on Friday.; all elementary schools and the 6th grade campus will close at 2:45 p.m. All afternoon pre-k classes are cancelled. All afterschool activities are cancelled.

Onalaska ISD, near Livingston, will send students home at 12:30 p.m.

Pasadena ISD has not announced early dismissal. All Friday evening activities are cancelled. All activities for Saturday are delayed until 10 a.m.

Pearland ISD will have early dismissal Friday. High school students will be dismissed at 11:30 a.m. Middle school and intermediate students will be dismissed at 12:15 p.m. Elementary school students will be dismissed at 1 p.m. All district activities have been canceled until 10 a.m. Saturday.
Remington College: Houston, North Houston, Houston Southeast campuses close at 1 p.m.; afternoon and evening classes, Saturday classes canceled.

Saint Anne Catholic School will close at 12 p.m. Friday.

Sam Houston State University will close at noon Friday.

San Jacinto College will close at 12 p.m. Friday and reopen Saturday at 10 a.m.

Sealy ISD will release high school students at 1:20 p.m., intermediate and junior high school students at 12:50 p.m. and elementary school students at 1:25 p.m. Friday.

Sheldon ISD will have early dismissal on Friday. Morning Pre-K students will be released at 10:15 a.m. Afternoon Pre-K classes are canceled. King High School, Cravens and Shelton kindergarten will close at 11:30 a.m. Carroll, Monahan, Royalwood and Sheldon Elementary will close at 12:10 p.m. King and Null Middle Schools will close at 12:55 p.m. All after-school and extra-curricular activities for Friday have been canceled.

Shepherd ISD will dismiss all students at 1 p.m.

South Texas College of Law has canceled all classes Friday. Final exams scheduled for Friday will be rescheduled for Sunday, December 13.

Splendora ISD will close early Friday. High school and intermediate students will be released at 1 p.m. Elementary school students will be released at 2 p.m. All after-school and Saturday activities have been canceled.

Spring ISD will dismiss schools early Friday. Each school will dismiss three hours after its initial start time. All extracurricular activities scheduled for Friday and Saturday, including SAT testing at Spring and Westfield High Schools, have been canceled.

Spring Branch ISD will dismiss classes early Friday. Early elementary schools will close at 11:30 a.m. Late elementary schools, high schools and Cornerstone Academy will close at 12 p.m. Middle schools and Westchester Academy for International Studies will close at 12:30 p.m. All after-school activities are canceled. Tournament events will resume at 1 p.m. Saturday.

St. Francis Episcopal Day School is dismissing early. All after school activities this afternoon and evening are cancelled. This includes Encore, athletic games, and the 8th grade play. Tonight's play performance has been rescheduled for Monday, December 7 p.m. The weekend performances will continue as planned.

Stafford Municipal School District has canceled all afternoon and evening activities through 10 a.m. on Saturday, December 5, pending traffic conditions at the time. There will be no late buses Friday.

TSU will close Friday at 12 p.m. and remain closed through Saturday, Dec. 5. The football game between TSU and Southern University will still be played at 1 p.m. Saturday at Delmar Stadium.

Tomball ISD will remain open the entire school day today, Friday, Dec. 4. All after school activities today through Saturday at 1 p.m. are canceled.

Two Dimensions Charter School will close at 12 p.m. Friday.

University of Houston - Clear Lake campus will close at 11 a.m. Friday.

Wharton County Junior College will close at 12 p.m. Friday.

Sleet, snow reported around Houston as arctic air approaches

HOUSTON—If you look at a calendar, the first day of winter is December 21. But if you look out your window on Friday afternoon, it may look like winter has already arrived.

A Winter Storm Warning is in effect Friday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. for Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, Liberty, Montgomery, Polk, San Jacinto and Waller counties.

The National Weather Service says an inch of snow is likely in those areas, and accumulations of 2 to 4 inches are possible.

A little south of Houston in Calhoun County, a Winter Weather Advisory is in effect until 6 p.m.

In Austin, Colorado, Jackson, Matagorda, Washington and Wharton counties, a Winter Weather Advisory is in effect until 8 p.m. Friday.

In addition to all of that, Southeast Texas is also under a Freeze Warning, effective until 9 a.m. Saturday.

In a word, it’s going to be cold.

"Our normal tropical climate is going to see a significant change Friday afternoon," 11 News Meteorologist Mario Gomez said.

Gomez said a block of light-to-moderate precipitation is creeping up into the Houston area from the south. That system may include rain mixed with sleet, and possibly some snow.

When it meets with a mass of cold arctic air moving in from the northwest late Friday morning into Friday afternoon, all of that precipitation should turn to snow, Gomez said.

It would be the earliest snow ever recorded in Houston.

Gomez said the temperature will drop steadily throughout the day and should reach the freezing point around 3 p.m.

By Friday night, all of the snow will be out of the way, but it will stay cold. Saturday’s low is projected to be in the mid-20s, with a high of just 47 degrees.

"Basically a blustery 48 hours for us, so be ready for wintertime – it has arrived a little earlier than scheduled," Gomez said.

A number of area school districts and campuses have announced weather-related closures and early releases.

Early Friday morning, 11 News had already received reports from viewers about sleet in Katy and Sugar Land. Viewers in La Grange and El Campo were already reporting snow.

Friday morning, the Harris County Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management moved to a Level 2 activation (High Readiness) in response to the weather threat.

Officials with TXDoT and the City of Houston were out working to make sure the roadways remain safe for drivers.

Trucks left a TXDoT facility at 9 a.m. Thursday, filled with 6,000 gallons of magnesium chloride, which lowers water’s freezing point.

"So when the precipitation hits the concrete it doesn’t freeze as quickly," said Raquelle Lewis with TXDoT.

They sprayed the compound on hot-spots on the north and northwest side of the Houston area, including bridges and overpasses along I-45 and 290.

"We have lots of crews on call to dispatch after we find out locations where freezing happens outside of our hot-spots," said Lewis. "What we consider hot-spots are overpasses and bridges that are extremely elevated. They are more susceptible to the freezing temperatures."

Officials also sprayed the Pierce Elevated in downtown Houston, the Southwest Freeway along the George R. Brown Convention Center and the East Loop near I-10.

The Harris County Toll Road Authority said they’re keeping a close watch on a number of areas, including the Hardy Toll Road, the Sam Houston Toll Road, Highway 249, the Ship Channel Bridge and the Westpark Tollway.

The City of Houston was also preparing for the threat. City crews loaded up six dump trucks with tons of crushed rock Thursday afternoon, so they can be ready to hit the roads if need be.

"We’re going to watch and wait like everybody else because we don’t know what part of the city is going to be hit first," said Alvin Wright, Public Works spokesperson.

City officials said if you see an area that needs to be sanded in Houston, call 311.

Though they’ve tried to get a jumpstart on hot-spots, officials said drivers should use extra caution when navigating bridges and overpasses later in the day Friday. Elevated roadways are always the first to freeze, because they’re not insulated by the ground.

Continental Airlines on Thursday said flight plans may be affected by the weather on Friday and Saturday, so they’re offering customers the opportunity to change their flights for free at continental.com.

"Customers scheduled on flights to, from or through affected airports Friday through Sunday, Dec. 4, 5, or 6, 2009, including Continental’s Houston hub at Bush Intercontinental Airport, are permitted a one-time date or time change to their itinerary without penalty, providing rescheduled travel originates by Dec. 20, 2009. If a flight has been canceled, a refund in the original form of payment may be requested," the airline said in a statement.

With a lot of people cranking up their heaters for the first time this season, fire officials said to be sure you don’t stack anything flammable around your heater. If you’re using your fireplace, be sure to open the flue before you light it.

It’s also important to remember your plants and pets.

The SPCA said people should keep their pets indoors during the freeze.

But if you have an outdoor pet, the SPCA said to provide them with a well-insulated pet house that’s wind and waterproof.

And even if you don’t have a pet, the SPCA said to bang on the hood of your car before you start it. They see a lot of cat injuries when it gets really cold, because the cats tend to hide under car hoods to keep warm.

Missing Chicago 12-year-old found dead

Jameshia Conner, 12, was found strangled and dumped in an alley near her home after being missing for two weeks.

Authorities believe that Jameshia was only dead one day before her body was found, although she had been missing two weeks.

The family is reportedly criticizing police, saying they did not give Jameshia's case the attention it required. They are saying that had the case been handled correctly, Jamesia may still be alive. They say that the police mistakenly marked the case as a run-away, instead of a missing endangered child.

According to Issues with Jane Velez-Mitchell, a Chicago Sun Times investigator has found that not all missing persons cases are treated equally, that race and age play a big factor in how they are handled. In Chicago, it is believed that many early-teens children are labeled as runaways, diminishing the severity of their missing person status.

The Chicago Police Department denies these allegations, saying the police responded within 2 minutes of receiving the missing persons report.

In Issue's interview with Kawanis Conner, Jameshia's father, he thanks the police for what they did do. Pastor Chris Harris, the pastor for Jameshia's family, echos the statements of Conner and says that they will make additional statements at a press conference Tuesday, December 8.

Issue's Jane Velez-Mitchell questioned Conner again about why he is now thanking the police after he an his family have been quoted in 'a stack of news articles' criticizing them.

SUNDAY ARTS CALENDAR

EVENTS

Sports Card Show, sports memorabilia, comics and cards, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. today, Northrock Bowling Center, 3232 N. Rock Road. Koyie Hill, Chicago Cubs catcher, signing autographs (noon-1 p.m.) to benefit Make-A-Wish. Free admission, autographs $5. Information, 316-682-7902.

Cowboy Poet Sam Kiefer, 2:30 p.m. Mon., Alford Branch Library, 3447 S. Meridian. Free. Information, 316-337-9119.

Coliseum Barrel Racing, 6 p.m. Tue., Kansas Coliseum, 85th North off I-135. Free. Information, 316-660-1000.

Opening reception for the "Changing the Face of Medicine: Celebrating America's Women Physicians" exhibit with talk by Donna Sweet and Jennifer Blades, 7 p.m. Tue., Wichita Public Library, 223 S. Main. On exhibit 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Mon.-Thu., 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Fri.-Sat., 1-5 p.m. Sun., through Jan. 20. Free. Information, 316-261-8500.

COMING UP

"The Best Christmas Pageant Ever," holiday children's theater, Dec. 7-8, 11-14, Wichita Center for the Arts, 9112 E. Central. Tickets $5.50. Reservations, 316-262-2282.

"The Spirit of Christmas," Wichita Symphony Orchestra Family Holiday Concert with vocalist Karen Robu and the Butler Community College Choir, conducted by Jay Decker, 7:30 p.m. Dec. 8, Century II Convention Hall. Doors open at 6:30. Free ticket request forms available in upcoming editions of The Wichita Eagle and online at www.wso.org. Information, 316-267-7658.

Red Stocking Breakfast, buffet, celebrity servers and drawings, hosted by Mayor Carl Brewer, 6:30-9:30 a.m. Dec. 9, Carlos O'Kelly's East, 7703 E. Douglas. A benefit for Kansas Children's Service League. Advance tickets $12 at www.kcsl.org or by calling 316- 942-4261, ext. 1309; $15 at the door. Children 10-under eat free.

Tommy Overstreet, dinner 6:30 p.m. Dec. 10-12, country Christmas show at 7:30, Old Mill Theater, 111 Old Mill Lane, Buhler. Doors open at 5:30. Tickets $45. Reservations, 620-960-6455.

Curious George, 7 p.m. Dec. 10, 10:30 a.m. and 7 p.m. Dec. 11, 10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. Dec. 12, 1 and 4:30 p.m. Dec. 13, Kansas Coliseum, 85th North off I-135. Tickets $14-$28 at Select-A-Seat outlets. Ticket required for ages 1-up. Charge by phone, 316- 755-SEAT. Information, 316-660-1000.

Central Plains E-Fly Spectacular, indoor electric remote control airplane and helicopter flying, 8 a.m.-10 p.m. Dec. 11-12, 8 a.m.-noon Dec. 13, Century II Expo Hall. An AMA sanctioned event presented by Clearview Field. Admission $7, $2 for children 9-under, at www.wichitatix, or by calling 316-219-4849.

THEATER

"Avenue Q," Theater League Broadway Series, 7:30 p.m. Wed.-Thu., Century II Concert Hall. Not for children under 13. Tickets $44-$49 at www.wichitatix.com or by calling 316-219-4849. Discounts available for students, military and groups.

"Health Cares," Senior Class Acts comedy revue fundraiser, 2 p.m. Mon., Downtown Senior Center, 200 S. Walnut. Tickets $2.

MUSIC

Thanksgiving Covered Dish & Singles Dance Mixer, 6:30 p.m. today, American Legion Post 401, 101 E. 31st St. South. Cost $5 ($1 off with food). Information, PSN Hotline, 316-942-5117.

Spinnin' Boots Line Dance, 6:30-9:30 p.m. Tue., Bethany Lutheran Church, 1000 W. 26th St. South. Cost $5, members $4. Information, 316-722-6878.

WSU Symphony Orchestra, works by Brahms, Mendelssohn and Tobias Picker with violinist Mary Irwin, 7:30 p.m. Thu., Miller Concert Hall, Duerksen Fine Arts Center, WSU. Tickets $7 (discounts available). 316-978-3233.

Martina McBride and Trace Adkins, 7:30 p.m. Fri., Hartman Arena, 8151 N. Hartman Arena Drive, Park City. Tickets $25-$69.75 at the Hartman Arena box office, at www.stage1tickets.com, or by calling 888-755-2583.

Sir Charles Jones, with Under Construction, 9 p.m. Fri., the Cotillion, 11120 W. Kellogg. Advance tickets $25 at the Cotillion, Select-A-Seat outlets and employee clubs; $30 day of show. Charge by phone, 316- 722-4201.

Safira's Belly Dancers, 10:30 p.m.-midnight Fri., Petra Hookah Bar & Cafe, 535 N. Woodlawn. Free. Information, 316-821-9042.

Kansas Bluegrass Association, monthly jam, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Sat., Immanuel Baptist Church, 1415 S. Topeka. Free. Information, 316-524-6795.

Wichita Contra/Barn Dance, music by Smokey Hill Hotshots and caller John Turner, 6:30-9:30 p.m. Sat., Midtown Community Resource Center, 1150 N. Broadway. Cost $7, $5 for students with ID, listeners $2, youth under 16 free. Information, 316-942-6068.

Yesterday's Playboys, 7-10 p.m. Sat., Park City Senior Center, 6100 N. Hydraulic. Donation $3. Information, 316-755-1060 or 316-744-1199.

Small Potatoes, 7:30 p.m. Sat., Iron Horse Concert Hall, 315 S. Main, El Dorado. Tickets $12. Information, 316-321-6348.

DJ Stormin' Gale, dance, 8-11 p.m. Sat., Moose Lodge, 10005 E. Kellogg. Admission $8, members $7. Information, 316-682-7654.

Breaking Benjamin, with Rev Theory, 8 p.m. Sat., the Cotillion, 11120 W. Kellogg. Advance tickets $35 at the Cotillion, Select-A-Seat outlets and employee clubs. Charge by phone, 316-722-4201.

Bill Garrison, CD-release party for "I've Got a Couple of Fans" with concert by Garrison and guests, 9 p.m. Sat., Rockin' Daddy's, Hillside and Douglas. Free.

CALL FOR ENTRIES

BARKitecture 2010 — Entries of animal-themed artwork and animal abode creations are being accepted through Jan. 20 to benefit the Kansas Humane Society. Entries will be displayed at Abode Home, then travel to the Home Show and be sold by auction at the BARKitecture Bash & Meow Mixer on Feb. 12. Register at www.barkitectureks.org.

MUSEUMS

Botanica, 701 Amidon — Open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.-Fri. year-round, and 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat., 1-5 p.m. Sun., April-October (except major holidays). Admission $6.50, $5.50 seniors 62-up, $3 youth, under 5 free. Information, 316-264-0448.

Great Plains Nature Center, 6232 E. 29th St. North _ Open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.-Sat. Gift shop hours 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Mon.-Sat. Nature trail hours sunrise to sunset. Free. Information, 316-683-5499.

Indian Center Museum, Mid-America All-Indian Center, 650 N. Seneca — Museum and gift shop hours 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tue.-Sat. Admission $7, $5 seniors, $3 youth 6-12, children under 6 free. Information and tours, 316-262-5221.

Kansas African American Museum, 601 N. Water — Hours 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Tue.-Fri., 2-6 p.m. Sat. Free. Information, 316-262-7651.

Kansas Aviation Museum, 3350 George Washington Blvd. —Museum housed inside Wichita's first municipal airport, opened in 1934. Includes hand-on exhibits, historic planes under restoration, flight simulator, Jimmie Allen Flying Club Exhibit, KC-135, B- 52, 727 and other historic planes. Museum hours 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.-Sat., noon-5 p.m. Sun. Admission $8, $7 seniors 60-up, $6 children 4-12, ages 3-under free. Information, 316-683-9242.

Museum of World Treasures, 835 E. First St. —Hours 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.-Sat., noon-5 p.m. Sun. Admission $8.95, $7.95 for seniors, $6.95 ages 4-12, children under 4 free. Tours and group rates available. Information, 316-263-1311.

Ulrich Museum of Art, WSU — Hours 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tue.-Fri., 1-5 p.m. Sat.-Sun. Free. Information, 316-978-3664.

Wichita Art Museum, 1400 W. Museum Blvd. —Hours 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tue.-Sat., noon-5 p.m. Sun., closed major holidays. Admission $5, $4 students and seniors, $2 children 5 and up, Saturdays free. Information, 316-268-4921.

Wichita-Sedgwick County Historical Museum, 204 S. Main — Open 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Tue.-Fri., 1 to 5 p.m. Sat.-Sun. Museum admission $4 adults, $2 ages 6-16, children under 6 and members free. Information, 316-265-9314.

ART EVENTS

"Vance Kirkland's Visual Language," video, 12:30 p.m. Tue., Wichita Art Museum, 1400 W. Museum Blvd. Included with admission. Information, 316-268-4921.

Artist's reception for Clark Britton, 5:30-7:30 p.m. Sat., Riney Fine Arts Gallery, Riney Arts Center, Friends University; on exhibit through Dec. 22. Free. Information, 316-295-5537.

Entertainment events open to the public are listed without charge, on a space-available basis. Deadline is 5 p.m. Fri. for the Dec. 13 publication. Send information to: Weekend Calendar, Wichita Eagle, P.O. Box 820, Wichita, KS 67201-0820. For more information, call 316-268-6401.

Taylor Swift tickets sell swiftly

Friday morning Taylor Swift tickets went on sale at Columbia's Colonial Life Arena. Fans stood in line for hours, with the hopes of getting the tickets.

Taylor’s recent concerts have been selling out in just minutes, and tickets for the upcoming April concert in Columbia was no exception.

Because of the high demand, a lottery system was implemented for onsite sales. Box office officials say the lottery system was put into place to alleviate overnight lines and the threat of ticket scalping

Tiger Woods Scandal Pictures Leaked Online

Tiger Woods Scandal Pictures Leaked Online. The Tiger Woods scandal of alleged mistresses Rachel Uchitel, Jamiee Grubbs, and Kalika Moquin hits a head noon today.

Rachel Uchitel emerged on the radar of national media after Woods crashed his SUV Nov. 27 and tabloids reported that the accident happened after his wife grew angry from a National Enquirer story that alleged an affair between Woods and Uchitel.

Los Angeles cocktail waitress, Jamie Grubbs, has claimed she had a long standing sexual affair with Woods and has voicemails to prove it.

Las Vegas club manager Kalika Moquin, was also accused of having an affair with Woods, but she has not commented.

Avast update fixes false positives

Problem fixed, but the damage is already done

By Ian Williams

Friday, 4 December 2009, 16:23

INSECURITY OUTFIT Avast yesterday released an update that caused its antivirus software to report scores of clean, legitimate software programs as being riddled with malware.

According to a blog post by the company, the bad false positive issue came about following an update sent out around 00:15 GMT "which started flagging hundreds of innocent files as a 'Win32:Delf-MZG' Trojan (or, in less common cases, as 'Win32:Zbot-MKK')."

According to reports, a range of files from widely used and custom applications as well as device drivers and system files all fell foul of the erroneous update.

After complaints came pouring in, the company found and repaired the problem and around six hours later, at 05:50 GMT it sent out another VPS update which corrected the issue. But by then the damage had already been done to a host of users, with crucial files having been quarantined or deleted.

"We were inundated with calls from customers who had had Omni files quarantined and subsequently deleted," said Chris Kudla, lead developer for business accounting software firm Omni Accounts.

"We had to figure out what the problem was, in terms of which pattern file was causing the problem and then convince the customer that it was not actually our software that was at fault. I find it incredible that a software house like Avast can send out an update which causes such havoc, especially since this has happened before. They don't seem to learn."

Avast has apologised for any inconvenience the mishap may have caused and also provided directions for how to restore a false positive file from the Virus Chest quarantine repository.

However, we have had reports of many PCs being sent into computer repair departments and shops in order for users to have their systems restored to their former state.

Volkswagen Launches Shirako In Revamped Form After Showcasing A Prototype 3 Years Ago

By Meena Kar
Dec.03, (THAINDIAN NEWS) German auto giant Volkswagen is known for making high quality personal vehicles that have won several auto industry awards worldwide. Recently it added a model named Shiraco to its portfolio of premium sedans. This model sports several refinements in its engine and design. Its high torque and low fuel consumption can make it a favorite with the sports coupe lovers. The Shirako zooms to 120 km from 80 in just 6 seconds flat. Its maximum speed is 250 km per hour. With a low carbon footprint of 194 g/km it is sure to win accolades from the green lobbies.

The word Shiraco owes its origin to an Italian word called Sirocco that means stormy wind. Volkswagen also has some other successful models like Passatand Jetta, that are sold in huge numbers in domestic and overseas market. Shiraco differs from the other cars as it sports two petrol and one diesel engine. The interior of the Shiraco is pretty impressive with high quality upholstery and backlit controls that give it an aura of elegance.

The model has a feature named adaptive Chassis Control. It makes use of a computer guided suspension to provide a smooth driving experience to the riders. The control in the Shiraco is detailed and works well. It is definitely not a car for the budget conscious buyers. After all, the Vokswagen brand name is associated with class and elegance. The company took a long time to come up with the final model and a prototype was shown in a Paris car show almost three years ago.

Economy hits groups helping military families

By Oren Dorell, USA TODAY

Groups that help military families are reporting a drop in cash donations at a time of greater need for those struggling in a down economy while one or more parents fight in Iraq or Afghanistan.

"We're seeing an increase in requests for assistance this year over the same time last year," says Jim Knotts, chief executive of Operation Homefront, a charitable organization that helps military families. Knotts cited an 86% increase in requests for food assistance over last year. "We attribute that to the effects of the economy."

Although active-duty troops can count on a regular paycheck from Uncle Sam, many military families face the same pressures affecting other Americans during this downturn: Spouses are having difficulty finding work, and mounting debts and foreclosures are forcing them out of rental homes, says John Alexander of the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society.

Beginning today, Operation Homefront will team up with Wal-Mart to provide "pop up" toy stores in parking lots near the six bases that have deployed the most troops. Thousands of selected parents will be able to choose holiday gifts provided by Wal-Mart.

"That's going to give my kids at least four gifts a piece, which was no way I could afford," says Nicole Gardner, 26, of Raeford, N.C., whose husband is in Iraq with the 82nd Airborne Division. They have three children.

"I was talking about canceling Christmas or giving them one little thing apiece and that's it," Gardner says.

MILITARY FAMILIES: Help comes in creative ways

The $1.1 million holiday giving effort will provide toys to 10,000 children at temporary toy stores outside military installations at Fort Bragg in North Carolina, Fort Hood and Fort Bliss in Texas, Fort Campbell in Kentucky, Fort Stewart in Georgia and Camp Pendleton in California, says Margaret McKenna, president of the Wal-Mart Foundation.

Wal-Mart will also give $1,000 shopping sprees to 50 families chosen by Operation Homefront and 1,000 gift baskets to caregivers of wounded servicemembers.

Other groups that send gifts to troops or their families say the holiday season is complicated this year because they also have seen a drop in monetary contributions.

Marty Horn, founder of Any Soldier, which has sent care packages and supplies to 1.5 million deployed servicemembers since 2003, says cash donations are down 50% from last year. In 2008, they were down 70% from 2007.

Operation Gratitude, which sends about 100,000 care packages to deployed troops each year, has seen monetary donations drop about 30% compared with last year.

"This year is going to be a bit of a challenge," founder Carolyn Blashek says.

Alexander says 2008 saw a 70% jump in Marines and sailors needing financial assistance, compared with the previous year, and this year is projected to see an additional 18% increase.

Until Operation Homefront chose her family for the toy store at Fort Bragg, Nicole Farley and her Army mechanic husband were worried about providing their six children with a decent Christmas.

Farley, 28, is a full-time student and has been looking for work since 2007 without success. Everywhere she applies, she says, 10 others have applied for the same job. "We're on a very tight budget."

She plans all meals and snacks before grocery shopping, making it easier to buy only what's on her list. She and husband Jeremy have ditched their house phone, cable and nights out. She tries to get all her errands done in one trip to save gas. "And we're juggling bills just to provide a Christmas. … Now it looks like we're going to give them a decent Christmas this year."

Groups that help military families are reporting a drop in cash donations at a time of greater need for those struggling in a down economy while one or more parents fight in Iraq or Afghanistan.

"We're seeing an increase in requests for assistance this year over the same time last year," says Jim Knotts, chief executive of Operation Homefront, a charitable organization that helps military families. Knotts cited an 86% increase in requests for food assistance over last year. "We attribute that to the effects of the economy."

Although active-duty troops can count on a regular paycheck from Uncle Sam, many military families face the same pressures affecting other Americans during this downturn: Spouses are having difficulty finding work, and mounting debts and foreclosures are forcing them out of rental homes, says John Alexander of the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society.

Beginning today, Operation Homefront will team up with Wal-Mart to provide "pop up" toy stores in parking lots near the six bases that have deployed the most troops. Thousands of selected parents will be able to choose holiday gifts provided by Wal-Mart.

"That's going to give my kids at least four gifts a piece, which was no way I could afford," says Nicole Gardner, 26, of Raeford, N.C., whose husband is in Iraq with the 82nd Airborne Division. They have three children.

"I was talking about canceling Christmas or giving them one little thing apiece and that's it," Gardner says.

MILITARY FAMILIES: Help comes in creative ways

The $1.1 million holiday giving effort will provide toys to 10,000 children at temporary toy stores outside military installations at Fort Bragg in North Carolina, Fort Hood and Fort Bliss in Texas, Fort Campbell in Kentucky, Fort Stewart in Georgia and Camp Pendleton in California, says Margaret McKenna, president of the Wal-Mart Foundation.

Wal-Mart will also give $1,000 shopping sprees to 50 families chosen by Operation Homefront and 1,000 gift baskets to caregivers of wounded servicemembers.

Other groups that send gifts to troops or their families say the holiday season is complicated this year because they also have seen a drop in monetary contributions.

Marty Horn, founder of Any Soldier, which has sent care packages and supplies to 1.5 million deployed servicemembers since 2003, says cash donations are down 50% from last year. In 2008, they were down 70% from 2007.

Operation Gratitude, which sends about 100,000 care packages to deployed troops each year, has seen monetary donations drop about 30% compared with last year.

"This year is going to be a bit of a challenge," founder Carolyn Blashek says.

Alexander says 2008 saw a 70% jump in Marines and sailors needing financial assistance, compared with the previous year, and this year is projected to see an additional 18% increase.

Until Operation Homefront chose her family for the toy store at Fort Bragg, Nicole Farley and her Army mechanic husband were worried about providing their six children with a decent Christmas.

Farley, 28, is a full-time student and has been looking for work since 2007 without success. Everywhere she applies, she says, 10 others have applied for the same job. "We're on a very tight budget."

She plans all meals and snacks before grocery shopping, making it easier to buy only what's on her list. She and husband Jeremy have ditched their house phone, cable and nights out. She tries to get all her errands done in one trip to save gas. "And we're juggling bills just to provide a Christmas. … Now it looks like we're going to give them a decent Christmas this year."

Great Black Friday results can't rescue rest of November's slow retail sales

If there are any doubts that shoppers are motivated by price, Black Friday results settled that one.

Even early-bird Black Friday shoppers like Amanda Wedepohl of Flower Mound couldn't keep Target from reporting a 1.5 percent decline in same-store sales for November. " height="116" width="175">

RON BASELICE/DMN

Even early-bird Black Friday shoppers like Amanda Wedepohl of Flower Mound couldn't keep Target from reporting a 1.5 percent decline in same-store sales for November.

But weak sales the rest of the month left major U.S. chain stores with largely disappointing November sales and much ground to make up in the critical December holiday shopping season.

The tally of mostly department stores and specialty apparel chains reversed two months of momentum and fueled fears that consumers have permanently changed their shopping behavior.

"Consumers have been hiding under their beds since they've been taken to the woodshed and given a sound beating. That makes for a different relationship with their wallets," said Paco Underhill, author and founder of Envirosell, a behavioral market research and consulting company.

Lackluster results for retailers ultimately could end up meaning good news for shoppers. Experts say expect more discounts this week and every day leading up to Christmas.

"We're seeing the shift in consumer behavior. The consumer waited until Black Friday, when the retailers signaled them with very good promotions," said Laura Gurski, partner in the retail practice at management consultants A.T. Kearney. "Now the promotions will continue in order to keep sales alive through Christmas."

Major U.S. chain stores reported a 0.3 percent decline in November, "marking a disappointing reversal in the pace of sales after two consecutive monthly gains," according to the International Council of Shopping Centers. Analysts were expecting November sales to rise more than 2 percent.

Not included

Absent from the results are Wal-Mart, Best Buy and Toys R Us – chains that report only quarterly sales but had some of the longest lines over the Thanksgiving weekend, when disciplined shoppers with lists in hand cherry-picked deals on HDTVs, toys and electronics – then went home.

Consumers are asking questions "and thinking harder about the answers," said Leonard L. Berry, a marketing professor at Texas A&M University and author of several books on customer service. "Consumers are asking themselves: 'Do I really need this product? Do I really need to buy this many presents? Do I really need a new coat?' I'm not as confident as some that this is temporary behavior."

Consumers are also making the shift to more online shopping, Gurski said. Shoppers are learning to wait for online specials with promotions on Cyber Monday – the Monday after Thanksgiving.

More retailers pushed online specials this year, resulting in sales increasing 5 percent from last year's Cyber Monday. Online sales reached $887 million, matching the heaviest online spending day on record, Dec. 9, 2008, according to comScore, a firm that measures digital commerce.

J.C. Penney Co. extended its online promotion an extra day after the volume of Cyber Monday shoppers slowed checkouts and some people couldn't complete their orders by midnight, said a spokeswoman for the Plano-based department store chain.

Dallas-based Neiman Marcus Inc. said its online and catalog sales rose 18.1 percent in November.

There's a lot of catching up to do in December as surveys show shoppers are behind in their gift buying, said Michael P. Niemira, chief economist and director of research for the shopping center group.

The shopping center group is expecting December sales to increase 2 percent to 3 percent from a year ago.

Despite the November weakness, the shopping center group reaffirmed its forecast for sales to rise 1 percent from last year in the combined November-December season. Some retailers do as much as 40 percent of their annual sales in those two months.

John Long, a retail strategist at consulting firm Kurt Salmon Associates, said retailers who learned last year's lessons have "honed prices" and planned promotions with such precision that he doesn't believe last year's 70 percent and 80 percent off signs will appear before Christmas.

"Those retailers have lowered their top line [revenue] expectations in order to have better profits than last year," Long said.

Enhancing service

Price cuts are impressive and part of a whole customer service package, he said.

This week, J.C. Penney and Macy's removed fine-print restrictions on 15 percent off and $10 off coupons for the first time. "No exclusions" on apparel at Macy's and on Levi's and Kitchenaid Artisan stand mixers at Penney "removes some frustrations associated with using those coupons" for the consumer, Long said.

Kohl's Corp. surprised analysts with a 3.3 percent increase in November sales. J.C. Penney same-store sales fell 5.9 percent, and Dillard's Inc. posted an 11 percent decline. Target Corp. said same-store sales fell 1.5 percent, and Costco Wholesale Club posted a 6 percent increase.

Neiman Marcus posted a 7.5 percent decline in same-store sales and said it will be cutting 75 jobs in March and April after deciding to outsource information systems jobs.

The company has been cutting costs all year as even luxury shoppers pulled back during the recession.

Saks Inc.'s sales fell 26.1 percent after it didn't repeat aggressive promotions and clearance activities from last year. Nordstrom had another positive month with a 2.2 percent increase.

Thomson Reuters said 22 out of 30 retailers reporting monthly results Thursday missed analyst expectations. With the exception of American Eagle Outfitters, all teen-oriented retailers missed their forecasts, said Ken Perkins, analyst at Retail Metrics.

"The bottom line is that comp store sales were very disappointing," he said. "Facing the easiest monthly comparison this decade, retailers managed to eke out a very soft 0.7 increase" by Perkins' measure.

"The standard line" he heard from retailers was that even a stronger year-over-year Black Friday weekend was not enough to offset weak sales most of the month, he said.