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Officials On Benghazi: Mistakes Made "But Without Malice"

3:52 PM, May 17, 2013   |    comments
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(CBS) -- Obama administration officials who were in key positions on Sept. 11, 2012, acknowledge that a range of mistakes were made the night of the attacks on the U.S. missions in Benghazi, and in messaging to Congress and the public in the aftermath.

The officials spoke to CBS News in a series of interviews and communications under the condition of anonymity so that they could be more frank in their assessments. They do not all agree on the list of mistakes and it's important to note that they universally claim that any errors or missteps did not cost lives and reflect "incompetence rather than malice or cover up." Nonetheless, in the eight months since the attacks, this is the most sweeping and detailed discussion by key players of what might have been done differently.

"We're portrayed by Republicans as either being lying or idiots," said one Obama administration official who was part of the Benghazi response. "It's actually closer to us being idiots."

The Obama administration's chief critics on Benghazi, such as Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., remain skeptical. They see a pattern, even a conspiracy, to deflect attention from the idea that four Americans had been killed by al Qaeda-linked attackers, on the president's watch. "There is no conclusion a reasonable person could reach other than that for a couple of weeks after the attack, [the Obama administration was] trying to push a narrative that was politically beneficial to the president's re-election," Graham told CBS News.

The list of mea culpas by Obama administration officials involved in the Benghazi response and aftermath include: standing down the counterterrorism Foreign Emergency Support Team, failing to convene the Counterterrorism Security Group, failing to release the disputed Benghazi "talking points" when Congress asked for them, and using the word "spontaneous" while avoiding the word "terrorism."

The emergency response: "I wish we'd sent FEST"
The Foreign Emergency Support Team known as "FEST" is described as "the US Government's only interagency, on-call, short-notice team poised to respond to terrorist incidents worldwide." It even boasts hostage-negotiating expertise. With U.S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens reported missing shortly after the Benghazi attacks began, Washington officials were operating under a possible hostage scenario at the outset. Yet deployment of the counterterrorism experts on the FEST was ruled out from the start. That decision became a source of great internal dissent and the cause of puzzlement to some outsiders.

Thursday, an administration official who was part of the Benghazi response told CBS News: "I wish we'd sent it."

The official said Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's deputy, Patrick Kennedy, quickly dispensed with the idea. A senior State Department official Thursday told CBS News, "Under Secretary Kennedy is not in the decision chain on FEST deployment" but would not directly confirm whether Kennedy or somebody else dismissed the FEST.

Whoever made the decision, it came amid sharp disagreement over the FEST's true capabilities. Kennedy and others at the State Department view the team as one that primarily restores communications at besieged embassies. However, the FEST's own mission statement describes a seasoned team of counterterrorism professionals who can respond "quickly and effectively to terrorist attacks... providing the fastest assistance possible" including "hostage negotiating expertise" and "time-sensitive information and intelligence." In fact, FEST leader Mark Thompson says Benghazi was precisely the sort of crisis to which his team is trained to respond.

While it was the State Department that's said to have taken FEST off the table, the team is directed by the White House National Security Council. Those officials expressed the same limited view of FEST's capabilities when CBS News asked on Nov. 1, 2012, why FEST hadn't deployed. The officials argued that FEST teams were "used in the past to re-establish infrastructure, communications, etc. after a devastating attack...That wasn't the need here."

As soon as word of the Benghazi attack reached Washington, FEST members "instinctively started packing," said an official involved in the response. "They were told they were not deploying by Patrick Kennedy's front office... In hindsight... I probably would've pushed the button."

It's unclear what assistance FEST might have provided on site in the hours and days after the Benghazi attacks. In the end, Obama administration officials argue that its quick deployment would not have saved lives because, while the U.S.-based team might have made it to Tripoli, Libya, before the attacks ended, they most certainly wouldn't have made it to Benghazi in time.

Still, nobody knew at the outset how long the crisis was going to last. And officials familiar with FEST say it could have helped pave the way for the FBI to get into Benghazi much faster than the three weeks it ultimately took. Said one source, "I don't see a downside to sending FEST...if for no other reason than so no one could ask why we didn't."

The Counterterrorism Security Group: Not convened
Under presidential directive, an interagency task force called the Counterterrorism Security Group (CSG) is to be convened when emergency terrorist events are suspected. According to a public military document, it's part of a plan to "synchronize the efforts of all the government agencies that have a role to play in the Global War on Terrorism." But on Sept. 11, 2012, the Obama administration did not convene this body of terrorism expert advisers.

One official associated with the State Department now acknowledges that the CSG would probably have advised decision makers that FEST "was not just backup generator and radios." Said the official: "the CSG could have made the argument, they were upset that they weren't heard." Another former Defense Department official says he finds no merit to using the CSG. "I'd like to hear them say what they could have done."

Last October, National Security Council (NSC) Spokesman Tommy Vietor told CBS News that the CSG wasn't needed because consultations were quickly underway at the highest levels. He indicated that, under the Obama administration, the function of the CSG has become a "lower level group" that "does different tasks" than under the Bush administration. "From the moment [President Obama] was briefed on the Benghazi attack, the response effort was handled by the most senior national security officials in government. Members of the CSG were of course involved in these meetings and discussions to support their bosses," said Vietor.

However, absent the CSG's collective advice, there's evidence that some high-level decision makers were unaware of all available resources. In October, on a phone call that included then-Deputy National Security Adviser Denis McDonough (now White House Chief of Staff), Vietor initially told CBS News: "I don't know what [FEST] is... it sounds antiquated."

In-extremis Force: On a training mission
In an unfortunate turn of events, on Sept. 11, a special U.S. military force based in Europe, designed specifically for quick reaction to unforeseen emergencies, was off on a training mission in Croatia. By the time the so-called Commander's In-extremis Force was diverted to an airfield at Sigonella, Italy, an hour's flight from Benghazi, the attacks were over.

"They didn't get there in time to have an impact, which is unfortunate," said a Defense Department source who was involved in the Benghazi response.

Another administration source says, with the benefit of hindsight, everyone wishes U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), the combatant command responsible for Libya on Sept. 11, had its own In-extremis Force.

That's already been accomplished. In what turns out to be a stroke of terrible timing, AFRICOM was just a few weeks away from getting an In-extremis Force when the Benghazi attacks happened. The Force was in the U.S. finishing training on Sept. 11 and is now in place.

The political response: "Dream Team"
A former Obama administration official says they were so confident in, and pleased with, the team of experts they pulled together to brief Congress on Benghazi, they were nicknamed the "Dream Team." The "Dream Team" consisted of: Maj. Gen. Darryl Roberson, Vice Director of Operations, Joint Staff; Matt Olson, Director of the National Counterterrorism Center; Andy McCabe, Assistant Director of Counterterrorism for the FBI; and Linda Weissgold from CIA.

But some Obama administration sources now concede that, outside the "Dream Team," their post-attack communications and spin were riddled with missteps. Yet they insist that was the result of incompetence or confusion, and that no conspiracy was in play.

The talking points
The infamous Benghazi "talking points" were born out of a request on Sept. 14 from Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger, D-Md., the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee. CIA chief David Petraeus had just given a classified briefing to Ruppersberger and other Intelligence Committee members. A source who was present said that following the briefing, "Ruppersberger wanted to know 'what can I say on TV'?"

The day before, on Sept. 13, the White House had asked the office of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton if she would appear on the upcoming Sunday morning political talk shows. "She'd rather chew tin foil," said someone who's close to Mrs. Clinton. Instead, it was decided U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Susan Rice would make the appearances. Ultimately, the talking points would serve two purposes: provide guidance as to what Congress could tell the public, and guide Rice for the talk shows.

One Obama administration official present for congressional briefings says the idea that the talking points were intended to hide the terrorist ties from Congress is absurd because Petraeus had already given House Intelligence Committee members full information on the suspected terrorist links.

On Sept. 14, the CIA's early version of the talking points credited the CIA with providing warnings on Sept. 10, 2012, that the U.S. Embassy in Cairo, Egypt, could come under attack and that Benghazi was in a precarious state. Others in the Obama administration saw this talking point comment as an instinctive, "knee-jerk cover your ass moment" on the CIA's part and some officials remain bitter today.

One of them said, "We thought, 'why are you guys throwing us under the bus?' ...They [CIA] made it seem like the State Department was given a warning they ignored. No specific warning was given." Petraeus, who resigned amid a sex scandal days after Mr. Obama's re-election, declined comment.

As the various agencies worked to edit and approve the talking points on Sept. 14, Mr. Obama's Deputy National Security Advisor Ben Rhodes emailed that there would be a Deputies meeting the next morning to work out the issues. "That's polite code for let's not debate this on e-mail for 18 hours," said one official involved. (Ben Rhodes is the brother of CBS News President David Rhodes.)

Even today, nobody will say on the record, or even off the record to CBS News, who was at the Deputies meeting on the morning of Sept. 15, where the talking points were drastically pared down for Rice's use. The approved version called the attacks "demonstrations" that "evolved" after being "spontaneously inspired" by protest at the U.S. Embassy in Cairo. All mentions of terrorism, al Qaeda and previous warnings given by the CIA had been excised.

No "spontaneous protest"
In the view of some involved in the process at high levels, "spontaneous" was the wrong word for administration officials to use publicly when describing the attacks, because they say it didn't translate well and it was taken out of context.

It's unclear where the story about the Benghazi attacks growing from a protest or demonstration originated or how it gained such prominence in the Obama administration's initial narrative. One source involved in the Benghazi response insists it wasn't until the State Department debriefed the five surviving U.S. diplomatic security agents upon their return to the U.S. that Washington officials discovered there had been no protest.

The FBI had interviewed the survivors previously in Germany, but a source says the FBI agents didn't type up or share their notes at the time because there was no "imminent danger" raised in the interviews. The Obama administration has resisted Congress' demands to turn over FBI transcripts of the survivor interviews.

"Turning Point"
In the days after Rice's Sunday talk show appearances on Sept. 15, there were building questions about the true nature of the attacks. Congress was demanding answers. On Sept. 20, a team of Obama administration officials with fresh information agreed to brief the House and Senate in closed sessions.

There, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper revealed that Benghazi "had all the earmarks of a premeditated attack."

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., stormed out of the room and Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., says he uttered an expletive to a colleague sitting next to him. From the view of one Obama administration official who was present, "Something just snapped. [Senators] started yelling and screaming 'Why did Susan [Rice] lie?'"

"It was a turning point," said the Obama administration official. "It was just a stark shift from Sunday with no groundwork laid. [Senators] just snapped... Susan was done."

"We should have released" talking points
In an effort to sort out who-knew-what-when, Congress asked for the talking point drafts and e-mails last November, but the Obama administration withheld them on grounds of national security and the idea that they're deliberative materials not subject to public release. Congress continued to press and Republican senators even held up administration nominations. Finally, the administration allowed limited reviews of some of the materials but did not let members of Congress, or their staff, take documents from the room or make copies.

An Obama administration source familiar with the process now says the talking points should have been handed over much sooner. "We should have released them six months ago," said the source, adding that the various federal agencies had agreed to do so but the White House counsel's office was against it. In response, a White House official told CBS News that the agencies were in agreement on not releasing the materials in November, and in later providing the limited review. "The relevant Agencies and Departments concurred with that accommodation," said the official.

Avoiding the word "terrorism"?
White House spokesman Jay Carney did not refer to the Benghazi attacks as suspected terrorism when he briefed reporters on Sept. 12, 2012. An administration official who was familiar with the messaging now says Carney should have.

A White House official responded saying: "It is easy to criticize and second-guess words nine months after the fact and with many more facts under our belt but the 100 pages of e-mails we released make abundantly clear that it in the immediate aftermath of the Benghazi attacks, the administration, including the CIA, was still working through understanding what happened in Benghazi, whether there were indeed protests, and who was responsible."

It wasn't just the White House spokesman who seemed to be avoiding the word "terror." Mr. Obama used the phrase "acts of terror" when speaking in the Rose Garden on Sept. 12, but not in direct reference to Benghazi. Instead, he referred to it as "an outrageous and shocking attack," "senseless violence" and "brutal attacks." He called the assailants "killers," and "attackers," but never "terrorists."

After that event in an interview with Steve Kroft of "60 Minutes," Kroft asked Mr. Obama about the verbiage.

KROFT: Mr. President, this morning you went out of your way to avoid the use of the word "terrorism" in connection with the Libya attack.
OBAMA: Right.

KROFT: Do you believe that this was a terrorist attack?

OBAMA: Well, it's too early to know exactly how this came about, what group was involved, but obviously it was an attack on Americans.

Likewise, Secretary Clinton did not call Benghazi a "terrorist act" in her speech at the ceremonial return of the bodies of Stevens and the three other victims on Sept. 12.

She did quote a foreign official who called it "an ugly act of terror" but Clinton termed the event an "attack", "assault," "rage and violence... over an awful Internet video.." and referenced the terrorist attackers as "thugs," "killers," and a "mob."

A White House official said this week, "It should be surprising to no one that in a place like Benghazi and in a situation like this, perfect information was simply not available to us in the days and weeks after the attack. What matters now is not talking points - what matters is how we can prevent an incident like this from happening again."

Mistakes but not malice?
Several Obama administration officials said not using the word "terrorism" early on was not part of a conspiracy, but an "abundance of caution." They reiterate that any misjudgments or mistakes in the Benghazi response and aftermath would not have changed the outcome.

Critics nonetheless see a pattern that points to a cover up. "Incompetence and malice are not mutually exclusive," said Graham. "The storyline they chose to convey for a couple of weeks was politically the most beneficial one that could be told about Benghazi, and it's no accident that story line was chosen."

Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, said, "If not for Congress, they would still lead us to believe it was a video gone awry."

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NCAA Game Summary - Delaware at Northeastern

11:33 PM, Feb 13, 2013   |    comments
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Boston, MA (Sports Network) - Jarvis Threatt scored 20 points to help lift the Delaware Blue Hens over the Northeastern Huskies for the overtime, upset victory in a Colonial Athletic Association meeting at the Matthews Arena.

Threatt led the team in minutes played with 44 while Devon Saddler and Jamelle Hagins played 43 each. Saddler added 18 points and Hagins contributed 17 points, nine rebounds, four blocks and two steals. After knocking off the number one team in the conference, the Blue Hens (14-12, 9-4 CAA) have won three in a row and six of their last seven games.

The Huskies (17-9, 12-2) had a four-game winning streak snapped despite a 23- point performance from Jonathan Lee in 45 minutes of action. Quincy Ford was the only other Huskie to score in double-figures as he produced 21 points and three steals. Both players tied for the team-lead with six rebounds a piece.

The Huskies trailed 34-30 at halftime after allowing the Blue Hens to shoot 53.9 percent from the floor in the opening 20 minutes.

In the second half, NU shot just 37.5 percent from the field but hit on 16- of-17 attempts from the free-throw line to outscore Delaware 37-33. After Zach Stahl made a lay-up with 34 seconds left in regulation to put NU up 67-65, Saddler hit a jumper with 14 seconds left to tie the game for Delaware and he then sent it to overtime after by swiping a steal in the final seconds kept the Huskies from any launching an attempt before the buzzer.

The Blue Hens trailed for the majority of overtime but with 12 seconds left, Threatt hit a 3-pointer to put Delaware on top, 76-74. After Lee missed a potential game winning 3-point attempt the Blue Hens were awarded the decision.

Delaware scored 15 second-chance points in the game and earned a 38-30 rebounding edge. The Blue Hens held the Huskies to just 40.0 percent shooting from the field while shooting over 48.0 percent on the offensive end.

The Sports Network

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Link to  the National Institutes of Health
The Science of Drug Abuse and Addiction from the National Institute on Drug Abuse Archives of the National Institute on Drug Abuse web site
Go to the Home page

National Institute on Drug Abuse -  NIDA NOTES
Volume 12, Number 1
January/February 1997

National Survey of Drug Use During Pregnancy Available

Copies of NIDA's National Pregnancy and Health Survey-a national assessment of the extent of drug use by women during pregnancy-are available free from the National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information (NCADI).

The survey findings show that an estimated 5.5 percent of the 4 million women who gave birth in the United States in 1992 used illegal drugs while they were pregnant. The survey results provide vital information for physicians and other health practitioners, public health policymakers, lawmakers, and drug abuse prevention and treatment practitioners.

The survey, which was published in 1996, notes that the data may actually underestimate true rates of drug use but adds that the findings clearly indicate that "a substantial number of newborns were exposed to harmful substances in utero." (The survey results are summarized in "NIDA Survey Provides First National Data on Drug Use During Pregnancy," NIDA NOTES, January/February 1995, p. 6.)

The 460-page publication contains estimates on the number of women who used drugs during pregnancy, their demographic characteristics, and their patterns of drug use. For example, the survey report provides drug use estimates by race and ethnicity, age, marital status, employment condition, and method of hospital payment.

The survey gathered information from self-report questionnaires filled out by a national sample of 2,613 women who delivered live babies in 52 urban and rural hospitals during 1992. The data indicate that an estimated 221,000 women who gave birth that year had used illicit drugs while they were pregnant. The two illicit drugs most frequently used during pregnancy were marijuana, by 2.9 percent of all women who gave birth, and cocaine, by 1.1 percent.

The survey found that 20.4 per-cent of women delivering live babies smoked cigarettes and 18.8 percent drank alcohol during pregnancy. Significantly, the survey also revealed a strong link between the use of cigarettes and alcohol and the use of illicit drugs. This finding emphasizes the need for doctors and other practitioners to closely monitor the use of both licit drugs-cigarettes and alcohol-and illicit drugs during pregnancy, say public health authorities.

The survey report provides detailed information on the results of urine testing and on the design and execution of the survey. It also makes recommendations for improving the design of similar surveys.

The publication, National Pregnancy and Health Survey-Drug Use Among Women Delivering Livebirths: 1992, is available from NCADI, P.O. Box 2345, Rockville, MD 20847-2345, (800) 729-6686, TDD: (800) 487-4889. Ask for NCADI publication No. BKD192.

From NIDA NOTES, January/February, 1997

[Home][NIDA NOTES Index][1997 Archive Index Index]

Archive Home | Accessibility | Privacy | FOIA (NIH) | Current NIDA Home Page
National Institutes of Health logo_Department of Health and Human Services Logo The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) , a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Questions? See our Contact Information. . The U.S. government's official web portal


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Evaluation of Academic Performance in a Neuropsychiatric Hospitalized Population

Melvin J. Reinhart, MD; Naomi E. Lohr; Donald L. Schaefer, MD; Norman T. Berlinger, MD; John R. Huddlestone, MD
Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1972;26(1):68-70. doi:10.1001/archpsyc.1972.01750190070013.
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In order to evaluate the impact of neuropsychiatric hospitalization on an individual's college career, a study was undertaken to evaluate 116 students from the University of Michigan who were hospitalized at either of the two acute treatment centers located in Ann Arbor, Mich. This review covered the years 1958 to 1967. The experimental group was compared and contrasted statistically with a control group of 240 students selected by a table of random numbers. Experimental and control groups were matched for sex, year of expected graduation, and field of study. Academic aptitude, academic success, postgraduate education, family stability, precollege psychopathology, and social adjustment were evaluated. The impact of hospitalization was found to be minimal, contrary to widely-held myths. Nor do the "predictors" of social and academic success stand up under careful statistical scrutiny.

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Subanesthetic Effects of the Noncompetitive NMDA Antagonist, Ketamine, in Humans Psychotomimetic, Perceptual, Cognitive, and Neuroendocrine Responses

John H. Krystal, MD; Laurence P. Karper, MD; John P. Seibyl, MD; Glenna K. Freeman; Richard Delaney, PhD; J. Douglas Bremner, MD; George R. Heninger, MD; Malcolm B. Bowers Jr, MD; Dennis S. Charney, MD
Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1994;51(3):199-214. doi:10.1001/archpsyc.1994.03950030035004.
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Background:  To characterize further behavioral, cognitive, neuroendocrine, and physiological effects of subanesthetic doses of ketamine hydrochloride in healthy human subjects. Ketamine, a phencyclidine hydrochloride derivative, is a dissociative anesthetic and a noncompetitive antagonist of the N-methyl-D-aspartate subtype of excitatory amino acid receptor.

Methods:  Nineteen healthy subjects recruited by advertisements from the community participated in this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Subjects completed three test days involving the 40-minute intravenous administration of placebo, ketamine hydrochloride (0.1 mg/kg), or ketamine hydrochloride (0.5 mg/kg). Behaviors associated with the positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia were assessed by using the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale. Changes in perception and behaviors associated with dissociative states were assessed by the Perceptual Aberration Subscale of the Wisconsin Psychosis Proneness Scale and the Clinician-Administered Dissociative States Scale. Cognitive function was assessed by using the (1) Mini-Mental State Examination; (2) tests sensitive to frontal cortical dysfunction, including a continuous performance vigilance task, a verbal fluency task, and the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test; and (3) tests of immediate and delayed recall. Plasma levels of cortisol, prolactin, homovanillic acid, and 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenethyleneglycol were measured.

Results:  Ketamine (1) produced behaviors similar to the positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia; (2) elicited alterations in perception; (3) impaired performance on tests of vigilance, verbal fluency, and the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test; (4) evoked symptoms similar to dissociative states; and (5) preferentially disrupted delayed word recall, sparing immediate recall and postdistraction recall. Ketamine had no significant effect on the Mini-Mental State Examination at the doses studied. Ketamine also had no effect on plasma 3-methoxy-4hydroxyphenethyleneglycol levels, although it blunted a test day decline in plasma homovanillic acid levels at the higher dose. It also dose dependently increased plasma cortisol and prolactin levels. Ketamine produced small dose-dependent increases in blood pressure.

Conclusions:  These data indicate that N-methyl-Daspartate antagonists produce a broad range of symptoms, behaviors, and cognitive deficits that resemble aspects of endogenous psychoses, particularly schizophrenia and dissociative states.

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High School Sports

Updated Apr 30, 2015 - 2:12 pm

Holbrook boys regain composure in time to top NW Christian

A lightning-quick start, a big comeback and a phantom timeout were the key points in Tuesday night’s (Feb. 18) Division III boys basketball state tournament opener between No. 22 seed Holbrook and No. 11 host Phoenix Northwest Christian.

Holbrook appeared as if it would run away with a 22-9 lead at the end of the first quarter, but Northwest Christian battled back to take a late lead before Holbrook slipped out of the gym with a 63-60 victory.

Holbrook (15-14) advances to Friday’s (Feb. 21) second round against No. 6 seed San Tan Valley Combs at Glendale Copper Canyon.

A 3-pointer by Abrian Dickson, his third long shot of the night, turned a 60-58 deficit into a 61-60 Holbrook lead with 17 seconds left in the contest. Holbrook’s Marlin Martin then finished off the Crusaders (19-10) with two free throws with 11.8 seconds remaining.

After Dickson’s basket, officials awarded a timeout to Northwest Christian, but there was a catch. Crusaders coach Jason Cook claimed that neither he nor his players called such a timeout, that he was going to wait until the ball crossed the midcourt line before calling his final timeout to set up a play.

Northwest Christian was forced to inbound the ball from the Holbrook baseline and a long pass by the Crusaders was knocked away by Holbrook.

Cook said he asked the officials to tell him who called the timeout, but neither could answer him.

But Cook was not going to blame that sequence for his team’s loss.

“We dug ourselves to deep of a hole in the first half,’’ he said. “We had 15 turnovers in the first half and they (Holbrook) had seven 3-pointers (the Roadrunners had 11 for the game).’’

Northwest Christian senior post player Nathanael Mains, wearing a headband and resembling Arizona State’s Jordan Bachynski, scored 26 points to lead all scorers.

Jacob Sanchez scored 14 and Bryce Bauman had 12.

Holbrook, meanwhile, had a balanced effort. Martin and Dickson had 12 points apiece and Andon Hatch and Kyle Chee each had 11.

“The first half, we did what we wanted to do and then we lost our composure and let them get back into it,’’ said Holbrook coach Raul Mendoza.

Of Dickson’s big 3, Mendoza said, “We played him early but then didn’t put him back in until late in the game and I think they (Northwest Christian) might have forgotten about him.’’

The coach thinks his team’s record is a bit deceptive, given the fact that it plays tough competition in the northern part of Arizona on a regular basis.

“We’ve only really been blown out of one game, but every other game, we’ve had our chances. We lost a couple of games that we should have won,’’ he said.

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Bonneville Phoenix Network
 KTAR News
 Arizona Sports
Arizona Sports 98.7 FM

Phoenix Suns

Updated Jun 29, 2014 - 8:06 pm

The Pulse: T.J. Warren will have the most promising career in a Suns’ uniform of the first-round picks

For the first time in team history, the Phoenix Suns made three first-round picks in Thursday’s NBA Draft.

With the No. 14 overall pick, Phoenix selected North Carolina State small forward T.J. Warren. With the No. 18 overall pick, Syracuse guard Tyler Ennis was the selection. And to close out their busy first round, the Suns took 6-foot-6 guard Bogdan Bogdanovic out of Serbia.

Naturally, we at were curious to see who our readers felt would have the best career in a Suns’ uniform.

Not surprisingly, the results came in just as the draft unfolded.

Warren took home the popular vote, garnering 264 of the 402 tallies (66 percent), and Ennis (79) and Bogdanovic (59) took home the remaining votes, 20 and 15 percent respectively.

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Bonneville Phoenix Network
 KTAR News
 Arizona Sports
Arizona Sports 98.7 FM
Updated Jun 25, 2014 - 3:32 pm

Dose of Venom: Arizona Diamondbacks outlast Cleveland Indians in wild game

In a game that neither team wanted to win, the Arizona Diamondbacks finally did.

In the 332nd minute, well after the clock had struck midnight, Aaron Hill hit a 2-2 slider into center field to score Gerardo Parra with the game-winning run, sending the Diamondbacks to a 9-8 victory in 14 innings in the series opener against the Cleveland Indians in front of an announced crowd of 20,945 at Chase Field on Tuesday.

“It’s pretty fitting he got down to it at the end and there he got it,” manager Kirk Gibson said of Hill.

The Diamondbacks erased deficits of 5-2 and 8-6 for their 14th come-from-behind win, but they also wasted leads of 1-0 and 6-5, the latter surrendered by closer Addison Reed in the ninth.

Neither starter — Arizona’s Wade Miley nor Cleveland’s Justin Masterson — completed five innings, putting tremendous pressure on the bullpens.

“We made it hard on ourselves, for sure. But yeah, you got to give them credit,” Gibson said. “They fought (with) a lot of grit. They battled.”

Hill’s hit, officially recorded as a single, was the 10th walk-off plate appearance of his career and the fifth this season by the Diamondbacks, who improved to 5-2 in extra-inning games, including 3-0 at home.

“If you’ve got to play 10 hours just to get the win, you take it,” Miguel Montero said.

Montero continues to prove that last season was the exception rather than the norm. In his first of six official at-bats, he smashed a one-out double to left, scoring the Diamondbacks’ first run. It was Montero’s 42nd RBI, matching his total from all of last season.

Three innings later, Montero exceeded last season’s RBI total, swinging on a 3-0 pitch and singling to the opposite field to drive in Ender Inciarte to trim the deficit to one, 5-4. Montero finished 2-for-6 after being held to one hit in his previous 11 at-bats (.091).

With his sixth-inning single to center plus intentional walk in the seventh, Paul Goldschmidt has reached base safely in 17 consecutive games, during which time he is hitting .310 (18-for-58) with five doubles, four homers, eight RBI and 18 walks.

Parra went 5-for-7, exceeding his hit production over his last eight games (4-for-33). He doubled and scored the go-ahead run in the sixth. The five hits tied a career-high.

Inciarte established a new career-high with four hits. He also drew a walk, reaching base five times in eight plate appearances.

Tremendous job by Joe Thatcher. He relieved Wade Miley with the bases loaded and no outs in the fifth inning and retires the next three batters to keep it a one-run game, 5-4, the first time in his career that he escaped an inherited bases load situation by recording all three outs without allowing a run.

The D-backs received a good performance out of Oliver Perez as well. He struck out four of the six batters he faced, including all three in the sixth inning when 10 of his 13 pitches went for strikes. Perez gave up just one hit in his 1.2 innings pitched and now sports a 0.54 ERA in 18 appearances.

The Diamondbacks recorded their major league-best 24th outfield assist in the 13th. Former Arizona State Sun Devil Jason Kipnis ripped a 2-1 pitch from Matt Stites off the center field wall. With Kipnis racing around the bases, Inciarte tracked the ball down, threw to Gregorius who fired a missile to home plate where Montero applied the tag to end the inning, keeping the game tied, 8-8.

With one out and runners on second and third in the first inning, Hill and Martin Prado struck out in back-to-back at-bats, squandering an opportunity to add to the Diamondbacks 1-0 lead.

The Diamondbacks also failed to capitalize in the second inning, when, with a run already in and one out, Parra flied out and Goldschmidt struck out, leaving runners on first and second.

This would become a theme as the Diamondbacks left at least two runners on in five of the first seven innings, going 5-for-19 with runners in scoring position. For the game, the Diamondbacks stranded 19 runners, setting a new season-high and went 7-for-24 with runners in scoring position.

Armed with a 1-0 lead, Miley failed to shut down the Indians the next half-inning. The first four batters of the second inning reached base, including an RBI single by Yan Gomes and a two-run triple by Lonnie Chisenhall. Ryan Raybun hit a sacrifice fly to complete the four-run frame, in which Miley threw 30 pitches.

Miley found himself in a similiar situation in the third inning. His team had cut the lead in half, 4-2, yet Miley was unable to keep the Indians off the scoreboard. Back-to-back one-out hits preceded a Didi Gregorius fielding error, his second of the season, to load the bases. Gomes then hit a sacrifice fly to right to make it a 5-2 score.

5:32 – The time of game, tied for the longest in Chase Field history; also on April 3, 2013 against the Cardinals in 16 innings.

“It’s hard to do. It doesn’t happen very often. It was a turning point for us,” Thatcher said of escaping a bases loaded, no outs situation in the fifth inning. “Just got to go in there and forget that the bases are loaded, just go in there and make pitches, be aggressive and if they are going to hit it hope they hit it at somebody.”

• Video replay was used in the bottom of the first after Indians manager Terry Francona challenged first base umpire Chad Fairchild’s call that Santana was pulled off the bag trying to field a throw from second, enabling Goldschmidt to avoid hitting into a 6-4-3 double play; the review lasted 2:43 and upheld the call.

• Prado took a 2-1 change-up from Justin Masterson off what appeared to be the inside of his right leg in the third inning, marking the sixth time he had been hit by a pitch this season, tied with Montero for team-high honors.

• Miley lasted a season-low four innings, his shortest outing since September 3, 2013 against the Blue Jays (1.2 IP) and he has now thrown 542.2 innings which ranks third-most by a Diamondbacks left-hander.

• Thatcher has now held opponents scoreless in 16 of his last 19 appearances (2.45 ERA; 3 ER in 11.0 IP) and he has not walked a batters in his last 21 appearances (12.0 IP; 49 batters faced).

• With Parra’s steal of second in the 14th, the Diamondbacks successfully stole their eighth straight base and have now swiped 18 of their last 19 overall.

• Every Diamondbacks position player had at least one hit and every available player, off the bench and in the bullpen, was used with the exception of starting pitchers.

• Shortstop Chris Owings did not start for a third straight game because of a sore left shoulder, which he hurt on a play at the plate in the previous series against the Giants.

After winning each of his first five starts, rookie right-hander Chase Anderson is in the midst of a two-game losing streak. He takes the mound in the series finale against the Indians on Wednesday.

First pitch is scheduled for 6:40 p.m. with pregame coverage beginning 30 minutes earlier on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM.

Anderson (5-2, 3.18) has dropped his last two outings despite allowing only a pair of runs in both starts, facing the Dodgers and Brewers.

He’ll be opposed by fellow right-hander Cory Kluber (6-5, 3.30), the Indians’ best pitcher. The 28-year-old went 4-0 in six starts in May, but has not won since. This will be his first career start or appearance against the Diamondbacks.

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World’s First cross-platform HD Video Art Cloud.

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Full Internet browers are now in more devices than ever and expanding each day. Our HD Video Art website has the most advanced HD viewing technology available to give HD Art viewing with most web browsers.

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News and Features

Archive: 'Architecture/Urban Planning'

Aurora’s Artists Announced

In Europe, they call them son et lumiere shows, sound and light shows, and that’s what Aurora brings to the Dallas Arts District every two years — this time with 80 artists.

Exclusive Time-Lapse Requiem: ‘De-Installing’ The Giant Di Suvero Sculpture

The towering Proverb stood at the corner of Woodall Rodgers and Pearl for nearly 13 years. It came down Tuesday, and you can watch the massive undertaking as one of the tallest works by renowned sculptor Mark di Suvero is dismantled.

An Icon At 50: NorthPark’s Artworks

NorthPark’s art collection is one of the things that makes the 50-year-old mall special. So we take a look at what’s there.

An Icon At 50: NorthPark’s Architecture

There are other shopping malls that are fancier and newer than NorthPark, and many malls like NorthPark have closed in recent years. For its 50th anniversary, we’re taking a look at how, instead, NorthPark has become a Dallas centerpiece, an icon.

Four Finalists Chosen For Updating Dallas Arts District Plan

The Sasaki Plan – the original guide for the Dallas Arts District – is more n 30 years old, so it’s time to blow the dust off it and update it to address things like the crowds coming to the Perot Museum, maybe the completion of the City Performance Hall and, oh, why not how to make the Arts District full of urban life and cultural activity the way it was originally intended to be?

New Artists’ Workshops In An Old Ice Cream Plant

A nearly 100-year-old building in the Cedars area will be a new home for the arts. But a different one — like a private gym, it’ll have 24-hour access for artists to use fully-equipped workspaces. Or rent micro-studios.

The Lost Murals of Dallas’ Old Municipal Building

The 1914-era Municipal Building is being completely restored to become the UNT law campus. But workers found evidence that painted murals from the ’30s just MIGHT still exist. Or not. Watch a video about their attempts to determine what’s left behind the paint and wallboard.

A New Arts District Plan? Let’s Think Through What Went Wrong With The First One

On Monday, submissions were due for an update to the Sasaki Plan, the original outline for the Arts District that, after 32 years, has had its problems. One major problem? It didn’t go far enough.

Just What The Arts District And Klyde Warren Need! More High-Rise Office Space!

What once might have been a gateway to the Arts District will now be another big glass box butting up against the Meyerson Symphony Center.

Renowned Texas Sculptor Jesus Moroles Dies In Car Accident

He was a master of granite – and had just installed four giant columns alongside the new Hall Arts office tower in the Arts District.

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On The Town:

Burbank Jaycees install new leadership

March 25, 2009|By DAVID LAURELL

Members and supporters of the Burbank Junior Chamber escaped to an island of tropical fantasy last week where they honored the service of the organization’s 2008 board of directors and welcomed those who will serve in leadership roles throughout 2009.

The Jaycees celebrated their annual Awards and Installation Gala at the Castaway with a theme and décor inspired by the 1970s television series “Fantasy Island.”

Among the special guests in attendance were International Junior Chamber International Vice President Kevin Alson, California Jaycees President Matt Bromund, Burbank Mayor Dave Golonski and organization members and supporters, including Suzanne Porush, Marci Burgdorf, Debbie Holbrook, Tara Nathan, Chris Murphy, Jessica Duong, Henrik Helgesen, Elana Edelstein, Janice De Guzman, Dominic Izon, Levi Bennett and Barbara Sharp.

The first chapter of the Burbank Junior Chamber was chartered in the mid-1950s and was an active organization until the 1980s. In 1998, Jim Lawson and Wendy Weichel re-chartered the group that has gone on to become an award-winning chapter.

Since their reorganization, the Burbank Jaycees have received special recognition from the president of the U.S. Junior Chamber and the president of the California Junior Chamber.

The group has garnered laurels for chapter growth in their division and has also been honored as the top membership chapter by the state of California.

Today, the Burbank Junior Chamber has established a good working relationship with the Burbank Chamber of Commerce and is actively recruiting new members within Burbank companies and small businesses.

During the event, special recognition was bestowed upon longtime Burbank Jaycees member Jackie Lewis, who was lauded for her 10 years of faithful service.

Last week’s event also gave members the opportunity to show their appreciation to those who held leadership roles during the past year.

The 2008 board of directors included President Peggy Korecko, Chairman of the Board Chris Lorefice, Management Vice President Jackie Lewis, Membership Vice President Elana Edelstein, Individual Development Vice President Teresa Sanchez, Community Vice President Melissa Merritt, Marketing Vice President Tina Schrader, Marketing Director Dominic Izon, Community Director Nicole Marchluk, State Director John Dillon, Director At Large Connie Young, Treasurer Louis Hamel, Legal Counsel Marie Dimacali and Secretary Elizabeth Green.

The event also saw the 2009 board of directors sworn in.

Taking the oath were Lindsay Baca, president; Peggy Korecko, chairwoman of the board; Elana Edelstein, management vice president; Chris Lorefice, membership vice president; Teresa Sanchez, individual development vice president; Nicole Marchluk, community development vice president; Tina Schrader, marketing vice president; Melissa Merritt, community director; Jessica Duong, membership director; Christie Basteris, director at large; Susie Augustine, state director; and Louis Hamel, treasurer.

 DAVID LAURELL can be contact at or (818) 563-1007.

Burbank Leader Articles Burbank Leader Articles


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Once Upon A Global Stage, A Fad Emerged

November 29, 1998|By R.C. Longworth. R.C. Longworth is a Tribune senior writer.

Soviet-style communism is dead and its little brother, socialism, is lying low. But the triumphant global economy, based on free markets and the bottom line, is too harsh.

There just has to be something better, embodying the best of both without the extremes of either.

Enter the Third Way. As proponents describe it, it is Goldilocks politics, neither too hot nor too cold, neither too hard nor too soft, neither squishy liberal nor cold-eyed conservative, neither McGovernite nor Reaganite, neither left nor right.

Neither, in fact, one thing nor the other.

That's what it's not. But what exactly is it? They're still working on that, but that hasn't kept the Third Way from blossoming into an end-of-the-century political fad. Most of the Third Way drum-beating has taken place thus far in Europe, where its proponents run the continent's biggest countries, but President Clinton is an adherent and you can expect to hear a lot of Third Way rhetoric over the next year as politicians seek an ideology for the new millennium.

Clinton hosted a Third Way conference in New York in September for some like-minded leaders, such as British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi. The French premier, Lionel Jospin, wanted to come but apparently is too Old Left for the Third Wayfarers. Had the new German chancellor, Gerhard Schroeder, been elected by then, he surely would have been invited. One participant, Swedish Prime Minister Goran Persson, had to cancel after voters at home indicated they wanted less Third Way and more Oldtime Socialism.

What all these men, except Jospin, have in common is a devotion to pragmatic, managerial government, with no sharp ideological edges. It's easier to admire their leadership than to say where they are leading.

Blair has spent more thought, or at least more ink, on the Third Way. In an article in the International Herald Tribune, he defined it like this:

"It is not simply a compromise between left and right. It seeks to take the essential values of the center and center-left and apply them to a world of fundamental social and economic changes, and to do so free from outdated ideology."

Moreover, said Blair, the Third Way is "a new alliance between progress and justice," enabling government to "promote stability, to develop tax and welfare policies that encourage independence, not dependence . . . to promote enterprise."

This puts Third Way enthusiasts in courageous opposition to all those other politicians who favor stagnation, injustice, instability and servitude.

It is easy to make fun of this platitudinous twaddle. Tony Judt, a professor at New York University, has called the Third Way "humbug" filled with "Panglossian economic recipes." Philip Stephens, a columnist in the Financial Times of London, said the new ideology is perfect for a politician like Clinton, who seems to see his Oval Office tryst with Monica Lewinsky as a sort of sexual Third Way between fidelity and fornication.

But the Third Way boomlet is actually the first, fumbling attempt to fill a real political need.

The narrow interest-group politics of the old liberal left disarmed the American Democratic Party and left it helpless to oppose the supply-side policies of the Reagan administration.

In Europe, socialist parties found their old base in the unions and working classes eroded by the growth of middle classes and the rise of right-wing politicians. Britain's Margaret Thatcher was the best known, and most extreme, of these politicians, but in all Europe, voters rebelled against welfare states and the high taxes that supported them.

The collapse of communism in the late '80s and early '90s pulled the ideological rug out from under the left and opened the way for a new conservatism that worshiped the market and celebrated unfettered capitalism. At the same time, the global economy discredited national governments by undermining their ability to enforce their rules and regulations on global markets and global corporations.

Global markets and the politics of profits have created too many inequities and too much instability to ever translate into a longterm political philosophy.

As Blair said, any decent government somehow has to temper the markets with justice and recognize the existence of the global economy while ensuring that it exists for the benefit of the people who live within it.

How do you do this? What policies meet these ends? Where is the balance between efficiency and stability, between the unforgiving drive of capitalism and the human need for fairness and community?

These questions must be answered if the Third Way is going to add up to more than cliches.

Actually, "Third Way" is an old cliche in a new setting.


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Freeman, John Patrick

November 16, 2003

John Patrick Freeman, Nov. 12, age 84, late of Country Club Hills, formerly of South Shore. Beloved husband of Mary E. Freeman, nee Knight; dear father of J. Patrick (Deborah) Freeman of New Lenox, Kathy Asimos of San Francisco, CA and Bridget (Terrance) Healy of Oak Forest; loving grandfather of Chris, Katie, Kevin and Cara Freeman, Taya and Chris Asimos, Colleen and Mike Healy; fond brother of James (Evelyn) Freeman of Downers Grove, also the late Thomas Freeman, Kathleen Duellman, Josephine Leigh and Irene Hauth; uncle of many nieces and nephews. Longtime active member and Crossing Guard for Infant Jesus of Prague Church and School. Member of Chicago Heights Lodge #828 LOOM. Resting at the Tews Funeral Home, 18230 S. Dixie Hwy., Homewood, Wednesday from 3 to 9 p.m. Funeral 9:15 a.m. Thursday to Infant Jesus of Prague Church, Flossmoor. Mass 10 a.m. Interment St. Mary Cemetery. Memorials to the Alzheimer's Association, 4709 Golf Rd., Ste. 1015, Skokie, IL 60076. 708-798-5300 .


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Milwaukee Brewers - TeamReport

April 28, 2012|Reuters

MLB Team Report - Milwaukee Brewers - INSIDE PITCH

For the second consecutive season, right-hander Marco Estrada is getting the chance to prove he can be more than just a place-holder for an injured starting pitcher.

Last season, when right-hander Zack Greinke missed his first four starts with a cracked rib and lefty Chris Narveson later missed three starts with a lacerated finger, Estrada filled in and went 3-2 with a 3.70 ERA in those seven games.

Now, with Narveson lost for the year with a torn rotator cuff that will require surgery, Estrada is getting the call again. In his first outing against Colorado, he went five strong innings, allowing two hits and one run while logging a career-high nine strikeouts.

Estrada will make his second start Saturday night in St. Louis.

"It's really not that big of a change, to be honest," Estrada told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "At least, I don't feel it is.

"Other than my conditioning, everything seems about right. It all stays the same."

Estrada was pitching in middle relief when Narveson went down but was stretched out somewhat in spring camp when right-hander Shaun Marcum was dealing with shoulder issues that threatened to put him too far behind to get ready for the regular season.

"I'd like to start the rest of the year; that would be awesome," said Estrada. "But if that's not the plan that they have for me, I'm OK with that. I just want to be here and help the team win."

MLB Team Report - Milwaukee Brewers - NOTES, QUOTES

--RHP Yovani Gallardo's history of getting beaten up by the Cardinals continued Friday night at Busch Stadium when he allowed eight runs in two innings. In two starts against St. Louis this season, he has been tagged for 14 runs in 5 2/3 innings. Gallardo fell to 1-9 with a 7.05 ERA in 13 career starts against the Cardinals.

--1B Mat Gamel was back in the lineup after missing two games with a bruised left shoulder. The team's off day Thursday gave Gamel one more day of rest to get ready to return to action.

--RHP Mike McClendon has not fared well in three relief outings since being recalled from Class AAA Nashville. McClendon has allowed six runs in 5 1/3 innings (10.13 ERA).

--For the first time in nine games, the Brewers scored first in St. Louis on Friday with a run in the first inning. The bad news was that after taking the 1-0 lead, the Brewers surrendered 13 unanswered runs to get pounded, 13-1.

--CF Carlos Gomez, who batted .225 last year with a .276 on-base percentage, is off to the best start of his career. Through 20 games, Gomez leads the Brewers with a .361 batting average and has a .378 on-base percentage.

BY THE NUMBERS: 115 -- Pitches thrown by RHP Zack Greinke in his last start, one of the reasons he is being given an extra day of rest before pitching Sunday in St. Louis.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "I'd like to go seven innings, and if not, let's just get more than five. If the game's close, I'll be happy with that." -- RHP Marco Estrada, on his second start Saturday night in St. Louis in place of injured LHP Chris Narveson.

MLB Team Report - Milwaukee Brewers - ROSTER REPORT

--1B Mat Gamel (left shoulder soreness) was hurt April 23, and he didn't play April 24-25. He is day-to-day.

--LHP Chris Narveson (left rotator cuff tear) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to April 16. He will undergo season-ending surgery.

--RHP Brandon Kintzler (right elbow inflammation) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to March 26. He was sent to the Brewers' minor league camp to continue his rehab program. Kintzler had a screw inserted in his forearm near the elbow last July to address a stress fracture.

RHP Yovani Gallardo

RHP Zack Greinke

LHP Randy Wolf

RHP Shaun Marcum

RHP Marco Estrada

RHP John Axford (closer)

RHP Francisco Rodriguez

RHP Jose Veras

LHP Manny Parra

RHP Tim Dillard

RHP Mike McClendon

RHP Wily Peralta

Jonathan Lucroy

George Kottaras

1B Mat Gamel

2B Rickie Weeks

SS Alex Gonzalez

3B Aramis Ramirez

INF Cesar Izturis

INF Travis Ishikawa

LF Ryan Braun

CF Nyjer Morgan

RF Corey Hart

OF Carlos Gomez

OF Norichika Aoki


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Going with your gut

But exactly where is your gut getting its information?

June 13, 2012|By Alexia Elejalde-Ruiz, Tribune Newspapers
(Rick Tuma, Chicago Tribune)

When struggling to make decisions, whether it's choosing an ice cream flavor or a spouse, a common piece of advice urges: Go with your gut.

But is the gut really all that wise? Where is it even getting its intel?

A gut feeling, also known as instinct or intuition, refers to those snap decisions you can't explain, the moments you have a sense something is right but you don't know why. It's the visceral inclination that steers you away

from a dark alley or toward an investment opportunity. It's how "you just know" that you have found the person you wish to marry — or not.

Whether such intuitions work as well, or better, than rational, deliberate reasoning in solving problems is a controversial topic among researchers.

Some say gut feelings are undervalued

Psychologist Gerd Gigerenzer, for one, believes gut feelings don't get as much respect as they should.

In his book "Gut Feelings: The Intelligence of the Unconscious," Gigerenzer tells the story of a friend who struggled to choose between two women he was dating, so he invoked the advice Benjamin Franklin famously gave a nephew in a similar situation, which was to write the pros and cons in separate columns, assign a value to each entry and determine how the scales tip. But as the friend's calculations began to point him toward one woman, an "inner voice" told him he really wanted the other.

To Gigerenzer, director of the Max Plank Institute for Human Development in Berlin, that's an example of the unconscious outsmarting careful rationale. The problem with making big decisions based on complex calculations, he said, is that you can't know all of the variables in an uncertain world, and not all the information from your past is relevant to your future, so your judgment can get clouded with irrelevant noise.

Good instincts, Gigerenzer said, rely on rules of thumb, known as heuristics, wherein you focus on the most important information and ignore the rest.

"If you want to explain the past, you can do this with very complex rules," Gigerenzer said. "But if you want to predict the future, that is not always the case. Then, less is more."

Actually based on experiences

Underlying gut feelings are layers of previous experiences stored away in our brains, which we can access in a blink without conscious effort. That's how experienced baseball players know instinctively where to run to catch a fly ball or how chess masters can checkmate a novice in seconds, Gigerenzer said.

Sometimes we store information without realizing it, and it feeds our hunches.

In a Northwestern University memory study, participants were instructed to remember a series of kaleidoscopic images flashing on a screen; half the time, participants were also asked to remember numbers spoken to them.

When they were shown similar images later and asked to identify which they had seen before, the participants were more accurate at recognizing those they had seen while distracted by the spoken number — qualifying their answers with saying that they felt unsure and were "just guessing" — than those they had seen while concentrating on just the images. The results suggest participants were subconsciously summoning simple visual memories they didn't realize they had.

"When you think you don't know the answer, you might still have implicit knowledge," said lead researcher Ken Paller.

Gut instincts can come in handy under severe time pressure or in situations of acute danger, when our brains unconsciously draw on experiences and external cues to make fast decisions, according to a 2008 analysis in the British Journal of Psychology that reviewed prior research. In one example, a Formula One driver couldn't explain why he braked sharply when nearing a hairpin turn, avoiding an unseen pileup, but forensic analysis showed that the turned heads and frozen faces of the spectators in the stands might have ignited subconscious cues that something was amiss.

They can lead you astray

But gut feelings aren't always smart or correct. They can reflect fear, nervousness or experiences that have little to do with the current situation, Gigerenzer said.

And there's danger in overestimating how much we can trust our minds, said Christopher Chabris, assistant professor of psychology at Union College in Schenectady, N.Y., and co-author of "The Invisible Gorilla: And Other Ways Our Intuitions Deceive Us." The title of his book refers to a study in which people were instructed to watch a video of a basketball game and count the number of passes, and afterward they were asked if they had seen anything unusual. Half hadn't noticed the nine seconds during which a person in a gorilla suit stood in the middle of the court, thumping her chest.


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Shelton stunner gives Jamaica shock win over U.S.

September 07, 2012|Reuters

(Reuters) - A magnificent long-range free-kick from Luton Shelton gave Jamaica a surprise 2-1 comeback victory over the United States in their CONCACAF region World Cup qualifer on Friday.

Jamaica's first ever win over the U.S. was thoroughly deserved after they fought back with determination from the early blow of Clint Dempsey's first minute goal.

The two sides meet again in Columbus, Ohio on Tuesday and while both are expected to advance from group one into the six-team final qualifying phase, the pressure is on Juergen Klinsmann's U.S. team.

Having only drawn their opening game, away to Guatemala before beating Antigua and Barbuda, the U.S. are now second in the group on four points, trailing Jamaica by three.

Dempsey, who recently moved from Fulham to Tottenham Hotspur in the English Premier League, put the U.S. ahead in just the 36th second, slotting home after Herculez Gomez's shot was blocked on the line.

But the 'Reggae Boyz' drew level in the 24th minute when Rodolph Austin, who also plays in England with second tier Leeds United, struck a low free-kick which took a slight deflection off Kyle Beckerman in the U.S. wall.

It was a scrappy battle for the rest of the first half with the Americans struggling to retain possession in midfield against the hard-working Caribbeans.

Dempsey went close again just before the break when he slid in to meet a Michael Parkhurst cross but Jamaica keeper Dwayne Miller got down well to save.

After the interval, Austin forced American keeper Tim Howard into action with a stinging shot from a full 30 yards out and as the game wore on, the home side grew in confidence.

Jamaica got their reward in the 62nd minute and in spectactular fashion with Shelton unleashing a thundering free-kick which flew into the top corner of Howard's goal.

Three teams from CONCACAF's North and Central America and Caribbean region qualify automatically for the 2014 World Cup finals in Brazil. The fourth-placed team from the last phase also has a chance to qualify if they win a play-off against the winner of Oceania's qualifying.

(Reporting By Simon Evans; Editing by Ian Ransom)


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People Express says Pittsburgh is now in running for airline's headquarters

(Daily Press )
January 30, 2013|By Joe Lawlor, | 757-247-7874

NEWPORT NEWS — Pittsburgh is now competing with Newport News to be the corporate headquarters for the relaunch of People Express, the iconic 1980s airline that pioneered discount ticketing.

Michael Morisi, People Express president, said Newport News would at the least remain a hub for routes, Pittsburgh is now in the running to be the corporate headquarters and maintenance facility for the startup discount airline.

If People Express succeeds to the extent that company officials are aiming for, a corporate headquarters in Virginia would generate about 1,000 jobs for the Peninsula.

Until this week, the Newport News-Williamsburg International Airport was the sole location publicly discussed for the headquarters. But Morisi told the Daily Press that Newport News is no longer a slam dunk.

If the main location turns out to be Pittsburgh, Morisi said, People Express would employ about 100 workers in Newport News with "much lower average salaries" than the 1,000 workers at corporate headquarters.

Morisi said People Express executives will meet with the Allegheny County Airport Authority in Pittsburgh in the coming weeks, as well as with Virginia economic development officials in Richmond.

Morisi said Pittsburgh has recently become more serious in luring People Express with a pitch that includes incentives. Morisi said he couldn't divulge the details of the potential incentive package.

"Pittsburgh always hoped we would set up shop there," Morisi said. "They are now opening the door to an opportunity for us."

JoAnn Jenny, a spokeswoman for the Allegheny County Airport Authority, said some modest incentives are offered to all new airlines at the Pittsburgh airport, including money for marketing and waiving landing and aircraft overnight parking fees.

Jenny said she's not aware of additional incentives being offered to People Express, but said that doesn't mean negotiations aren't happening.

"We've been working with them and keeping the lines of communication open," Jenny said.

People Express originally announced that it would re-launch in February 2012, but financing snags have delayed the start of service. Potential initial routes include Pittsburgh, Orlando, Providence, R.I., and Newark, N.J.

Morisi said the company is in the process of purchasing an undisclosed charter airline and its five jets, which would allow the company to begin operations in Newport News later this spring.

He declined to set a starting date, but said it would be before summer begins. Regardless of where corporate offices are, planes will be operating out of the Pittsburgh airport later in 2013, Morisi said.

On Jan. 9, a Newport News airport committee granted People Express a short-term, $500,000 loan to help the company purchase the charter airline.

Newport News officials said they were not surprised at the competition from Pittsburgh.

Florence Kingston, the city's economic development director, said People Express shouldn't expect a substantial financial incentive from Newport News or the state, because that's not typically the economic development philosophy. Kingston said Virginia is known as a state where the cost to operate a business is less expensive, but the state does not come to the table with lucrative upfront incentives.

"If the determining factor is the size of the incentive package, generally Virginia will not prevail," Kingston said. "That's not how we grow our economy."

Kingston noted that Virginia is a right-to-work state, while Pennsylvania has a strong union tradition. That would help Virginia compete because the company could pay lower salaries and benefits.

The Newport News airport is attempting to rejuvenate itself after losing AirTran as a result of AirTran's merger with Southwest Airlines. AirTran stopped service in March 2012 and the number of passengers using the Newport News airport dropped by about 40 percent. Delta has also scaled back service.

Former Newport News Mayor Joe Frank — who leads a committee trying to improve air service at the airport — said the most important goal is to increase the number of flights out of Newport News. A corporate headquarters would be nice, he said, but considering that many startup airlines fail, it would be risky to invest heavily in People Express.

"Our view is that we are prepared to invest in airline service, but not invest in an airline," Frank said.

Frank said if Newport News loses out on the corporate headquarters, having increased air service would still be a boon to the Peninsula.

"If it's not a home run, it's certainly a triple," Frank said.

Kingston said she's not offended that People Express is also talking to Pittsburgh. She said it's typical for communities to compete with each other for new businesses.

"They're just trying to put together the best business plan possible to launch an airline," Kingston said.

Daily Press Articles


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Dhoni signs Rs 29-crore endorsement deal with Maxx Mobile

PTI Dec 8, 2010, 08.24pm IST

NEW DELHI: Riding on his popularity, Indian cricket team captain Mahindra Singh Dhoni has signed a Rs 29- crore endorsement deal with Maxx Mobile for a period of seven years.

"Maxx believes in Dhoni's potential and the performance that he has delivered over the years is a testimony to his talent. The seven-year deal reaffirms our belief in him and is undoubtedly a big reinforcement for the Maxx brand," Maxx Group CMD Ajjay Agarwal told media.

The deal comes within days of Dhoni signing Rs 26-crore deal with the world's second largest spirits firm, UB Group.

Maxx Mobile, one of the recent entrants in India's mobile phone market, has emerged as a force to reckon with after having sold millions of handsets in less than two years. It has already captured over four per cent market share and has set an ambitious target of having 10 per cent market share by March 2012.

Asked about the long periodicity of the deal (seven years), Agarwal said "this has been decided keeping in mind Dhoni's age and potential he has. He is 29 years old and the deal reflects his potential for the Indian cricket."

Dhoni's existing one-year contract with Maxx comes to an end on December 31, 2010. The record-breaking seven-year extension deal takes brand endorsement with cricket stars to a new high and provides Maxx Mobile, one of India's fastest growing brands the right connect with customers across the country.

As part of the deal, Dhoni will be associated with multiple marketing initiatives planned by Maxx Mobile to promote the brand. The deal includes print and television advertising, outdoor campaigns, promotional events and mass engagement programmes across India.

Dhoni is the face of 23 brands and charges over Rs 6 crore per endorsement. The pack of brands endorsed by Dhoni includes Reebok, Aircel, Godrej and TVS Motor.

Agarwal said number 7 is a lucky number for Dhoni and incedently the deal was signed for 7 years and December 7. Dhoni's birthday also falls on 7th.

Maxx Mobile offers more than 45 models for customers to choose from. Maxx Mobile has a pan-India presence and operates through its strong distribution network and a vast network of over 500 service centres, Agarwal said.


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You are here: Home>Collections

Bank deposit growth continues to lag credit offtake

ET Bureau Feb 21, 2013, 05.34AM IST

Bank deposits have continued to lag credit offtake for yet another fortnight, way behind the central bank's comfort levels. Aggregate deposits mobilised by commercial banks increased by Rs 43,754 crore over a fortnight to Rs 65.7 lakhcrore on February 8 while loan disbursals increased by Rs 48,677 crore to Rs 51 lakhcrore.

At the current levels, the annual year-on-year growth in deposit and credit works out to 13.2% and 16.4%, respectively. While credit growth is within the central banks target of 16% for the year, deposit growth continues to lag behind the central bank's comfort level of 15% for the year.

Bankers as well as the central bank are worried over the widening gap between credit growth and deposit growth, which has been creating pressure on liquidity of late.

The wedge between deposit and credit growth was "one of the structural reasons for the liquidity deficit. And that also explains the reluctance of banks or their inability to reduce deposit rates, which is just as well, because even as we want lending rates to come down for investment purposes, we want deposit rates to stay as high as possible to garner savings," RBI governor D Subbarao had said at the post policy media conference on January 29.

"So, I would worry about the wedge from a liquidity management point of view, but I would not worry about deposit rates being too low," he has added


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North Korean Agent Testifies She Bombed Jet

March 08, 1989|From Associated Press

SEOUL — A confessed North Korean agent said in court Tuesday that she planted the bomb that blew a South Korean jetliner apart off the Burma coast in 1987, killing all 115 people aboard.

Relatives of victims shouted insults as security agents led Kim Hyun Hui into the courtroom for the opening session of her trial. One relative screamed "I'm here to kill you!" and another: "Bring back my husband!"

The 27-year-old defendant buried her face in her hands and sobbed.

Kim told the court later that she bombed the Korean Air Boeing 707 on orders from leaders of Communist North Korea who wanted to disrupt the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul. The bomb exploded Nov. 29, 1987, on a flight to Seoul from Baghdad, Iraq.

Her admission came in response to questions by prosecutors. After the prosecution finished presenting its evidence, the court adjourned until March 21, when defense lawyers will present their case.

Senior prosecutor Ahn Kang Min asked Kim whether the order to bomb the plane came from Kim Jong Il, son and heir-apparent to North Korean leader Kim Il Sung. She whispered "Yes."

Recounting Kim's earlier confession to being a North Korean agent, the prosecutor said Kim Jong Il's order was issued through a senior Communist Party official. He said the bombing was intended to frighten foreign countries away from the Seoul Olympics.

Mass murder and destruction of an aircraft are among six counts against the defendant, and she could be sentenced to death if convicted, but indications are that her life will be spared.

About 1,500 police were present Tuesday at the Seoul District Criminal Court to hold back angry relatives and guard against a possible North Korean attempt to assassinate Kim.

Los Angeles Times Articles


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UAL Stock Soars on Pilots' Renewed Interest in Bidding

July 08, 1989|From Reuters

CHICAGO — Pilots for UAL Corp., parent of United Airlines, said Friday that they were considering a bid for the airline as UAL's stock price soared on growing speculation that the company was an acquisition target.

UAL shares, up $35 in the past three weeks, rose $13.50 to close at $166, with 1.7 million shares changing hands, making it the second most heavily traded issue on the New York Stock Exchange. At its current stock price, UAL is worth more than $3.6 billion.

Speculation that UAL might be taken over was triggered by the $3.6-billion acquisition of NWA Inc., parent of Northwest Airlines, on June 19, analysts said.

The gains and recent heavy volume in UAL suggest that the stock is under accumulation, they said. But no bidders have stepped forward.

Because UAL has fewer than 22 million shares outstanding, the stock movement has been magnified, with 5% or more of the shares changing hands daily.

Texas billionaire Robert M. Bass, Los Angeles investor Marvin Davis and Pan Am Corp. have all been mentioned as potential bidders for UAL. Davis and Pan Am were spurned by NWA.

United's 7,000-member Air Line Pilots Assn., which played a large role in forcing UAL to restructure in 1987, said it is considering revising a $110-a-share conditional bid it made for the company two years ago.

On Friday, the pilots said they were again interested in UAL. "We have been in constant communication with our financial advisers and our attorneys. Our interest has piqued," said Rick Dubinsky, chairman of the master executive council of the Air Line Pilots Assn. "We are back at work to try to come up with another opportunity."

Rick Dubinsky, chairman of the master executive council of the Air Line Pilots Assn., declined to specify a possible price for a revised bid but acknowledged that it would have to be significantly higher than the pilots' earlier offer.

UAL spokesman Joe Hopkins declined comment.

Los Angeles Times Articles


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YOU ARE HERE: LAT HomeCollectionsLand Use

Approval Sought for Townhome Project

Building: Developer wants option to construct residential units on Warner Ridge as alternate to commercial plans for Woodland Hills site.

Writing another chapter in one of the longest-running land use battles in the San Fernando Valley, the developer of Warner Ridge will seek city approval this month of the option to build 471 townhomes on the site instead of a commercial project.

Jerry Katell, president of Katell Properties, said if the city agrees, the real estate market will determine whether he builds homes or offices when he breaks ground on the project this summer.

"It's nice to have two options," he said. 'There's a very good chance we'll go in that [townhome] direction."

Katell wants approval for construction of a 690,000-square-foot commercial and office development on about 16 acres on the east side of De Soto Avenue between Oxnard and Victory boulevards.

Although some potential office tenants have expressed interest in the project, no one has yet been signed, the developer said. Katell began considering the residential option a few years ago when the vacancy rate for office buildings was 20% in Woodland Hills. Now it's down to 8%, he said.

"The office market has gotten better and better," he said.

In a mailer to neighbors of the site last year, Katell described the benefits of a high-end townhome development over a commercial project, including a 50% reduction in traffic and a 25% reduction in building heights.

Residents sought for the townhomes would have an average annual income of $70,000.

City Councilwoman Laura Chick prefers the residential project to the commercial one, a spokeswoman said, but Gordon Murley, president of the Woodland Hills Homeowners Organization, said there are too many residential units for the site.

"We think it shouldn't be over 350 units. That might make it manageable," Murley said.

The proposal for 471 units could mean that about 1,500 people would live on the property, adding to traffic problems and requiring at least five acres to be dedicated to parkland, Murley said.

Katell said under existing zoning, he could build 1,800 to 2,000 apartments.

"We're not asking for high density," he said.

Murley also said he would prefer that the townhomes not be rentals.

"We've always said it should be owner-occupied. They are better taken care of usually," Murley said.

The homeowner group also wants to make sure Katell honors conditions requiring improvements to accommodate additional traffic and residents, including specific requirements for access to the site.

The battle of Warner Ridge goes back more than a decade. In 1988, the City Council used zoning ordinances to thwart plans that included commercial space. Another developer sued and won a court order that the city approve the mixed-use development, despite neighbors' concerns about traffic problems. Homeowner leaders wanted single-family homes only.

Katell still faced neighborhood opposition when he took over the proposed commercial development three years ago, so he announced last April that he was considering a townhome development as an alternative.

"Markets shift all the time, and one reason we can't make a definitive decision is that things are constantly changing," Katell said.

Design work has already begun on a first-phase commercial development, which would include 274,000 square feet planned for the northern part of the property.

The Planning Department hearing on the residential project is scheduled for 1 p.m. on March 26 at the Sherman Oaks Woman's Club, 4808 Kester Ave.

Los Angeles Times Articles


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YOU ARE HERE: LAT HomeCollections

Bronfman Family Holdings

October 08, 2002

The value of the Bronfman family's holdings in Vivendi Universal has plummeted as the share price has fallen more than 80%. Though the Bronfmans still hold the largest single block of stock, the family has sold nearly half of its Vivendi Universal shares during the last 22 months.

* December 2000: The Bronfman family holds 88.9 million shares worth $65 each, or $5.8 billion.

* October 2002: The family holds 51.5 million shares worth about $11 each, or $567 million.

Edgar Bronfman Jr.

Edgar Bronfman Jr.'s responsibilities as a Vivendi Universal board member now include acting as a liaison between Paris and the American entertainment companies. Key moments in his career:

* 1989: Named Seagram president and chief operating officer at age 34.

* 1993: Leads Seagram purchase of 15% of Time Warner over a two-year period. Average share price: $38.

* 1994: Named Seagram president and chief executive.

* 1995: Leads Seagram purchase of 80% of MCA, parent company of Universal Studios and MCA Music, for $5.7 billion from Matsushita Electric Industrial. To pay for MCA, Bronfman sells Seagram's 24.2% stake in DuPont at $56 a share, or $8.8 billion. When DuPont's share price later doubles, other Bronfman family members criticize the move.

* 1997: Agrees to buy Viacom's half of USA Network cable channel for $1.7 billion. Later sells Barry Diller 55% of MCA's television assets, including USA, for $4.1 billion.

* 1998: Sells the last of Seagram's stake in Time Warner for an average share price of $57. Buys PolyGram Music for $10.6 billion; the merger would take MCA Music from the No. 6 music company to No. 1 in worldwide sales.

* 2000: Closes the sale of Seagram, including Universal Studios, to Vivendi for $24 billion. A stock swap makes the Bronfmans the largest private shareholders in the company.

* 2002: Resigns as a Vivendi Universal executive; remains on the board of directors.

Source: Times research

Los Angeles Times Articles


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A close look at a people's historian

October 11, 2004|Lisa Rosen | Special to The Times

"Howard Zinn: You Can't Be Neutral on a Moving Train," is not just another in the sea of topical political documentaries relating to the coming election. It's a study of more than 50 years of political activism, as embodied by its still-active subject.

A writer, professor and historian, Zinn's wrote the popular "A People's History of the United States: 1492-Present," which is in its fifth edition, having sold more than 1 million copies.

In it, he tells our country's story from the viewpoint of the disenfranchised: Native Americans, suffragists, laborers, slaves and pacifists. The movie takes its title from his autobiography, which in turn comes from his exhortation to his students to stand up for their beliefs.

As he has written, "We don't have to engage in grand, heroic actions to participate in the process of change. Small acts, when multiplied by millions of people, can transform the world."

Documentarians Deb Ellis and Denis Mueller followed Zinn for four years, to college and high school campuses, antiwar protests and awards ceremonies. The footage, along with an array of archival material, is interspersed with interviews of Zinn as well as such notable friends and colleagues as Noam Chomsky and Alice Walker. It is narrated by Matt Damon.

The film traces the early roots of Zinn's activism, from his childhood in a Brooklyn slum through service in World War II, which informed his antiwar beliefs. In 1956, he took a teaching job at Spelman College, a black college for women in Atlanta, where he was soon embroiled in the struggle for civil rights.

In 1964, he began teaching at Boston University, and became involved in the nascent movement against the Vietnam War. Now 82, Zinn is a professor emeritus at the university.

Watching the documentary was exciting -- and embarrassing, he said during a telephone interview: "It boosts your ego and also makes you want to shrink."

Zinn is, not surprisingly, in the thick of the movement against the war in Iraq, accepting two to three invitations to lecture each week.

"Wherever I go and whatever I do, I try to connect history with what is going on now. What is going on now is the war."

Los Angeles Times Articles


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YOU ARE HERE: LAT HomeCollectionsSentencing

Sex offender deal an issue in campaign

May 31, 2008|Jack Leonard | Times Staff Writer

In the final week of campaigning before Tuesday's election, Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. Steve Cooley drew fire Friday over a deal he made with judges and defense attorneys two years ago to postpone seeking tougher sanctions against some serious sex offenders who had already served their prison sentences.

Political opponents attacked Cooley for seeking two-year hospital commitments for many prisoners declared by courts to be sexually violent predators, even though voters in November 2006 approved legislation that allows prosecutors to seek indefinite hospital terms for such offenders.

Critics said the agreement undermines the will of voters and gives dangerous sex offenders an extra shot at release.

"It's a slap in the face to voters," said Deputy Dist. Atty. Steve Ipsen, who is campaigning to unseat his boss. "If you're a sexual predator, would you rather have one shot at getting out or two?"

The district attorney's office made the deal with the county's judges and public defender's office in October 2006, about a month after the Legislature changed the law but a month before voters approved identical changes in the ballot initiative known as Jessica's Law.

Managers in Cooley's office said they agreed to the deal to accommodate an overburdened court system. If all offenders with pending cases had asked for an immediate hearing before the initiative passed, prosecutors feared that judges might release many to avoid violating their right to a speedy trial.

"We did not want to run the risk," said Richard Doyle, director of specialized prosecutions for the district attorney's office. "We're talking about people who are extremely dangerous."

Doyle described Ipsen's criticism as misleading and "last minute allegations by a weak candidate."

The agreement, he said, applies only to about 140 cases. In those, prosecutors had sought to commit sex offenders before the passage of Jessica's Law, but the courts had yet to hold their hearings.

Doyle said the office would seek indefinite terms when those offenders return to court in two years for their next hearing. Meanwhile, he said, prosecutors have sought indefinite terms in all cases they have filed since Jessica's Law passed.

Still, the county's approach is at odds with the way others have interpreted the ballot initiative.

Under state law, once prosecutors seek to commit a sex offender, a judge must hold a trial to determine whether he or she qualifies as a sexually violent predator. The attorney general's office and two appeals courts have concluded that offenders declared predators at trials held after the ballot initiative passed should receive indefinite terms.

Doyle said his office is concerned that switching course now would violate the rights of offenders who did not previously press for a speedy trial because they believed they would face a two-year term.

LaWanda Hawkins, who sits on the advisory board of the nonprofit Crime Victims United of California, said she was outraged by the district attorney's approach.

"He should be demanding that all of them are prosecuted to the fullest," she said.

But Cooley won support from Robert Kalunian, chief deputy for the L.A. County public defender's office, who described the criticism as a "cheap shot."

"The D.A. did the right thing," he said, "and they ought not to be penalized."

Los Angeles Times Articles


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Schools consider four-day weeks

Districts facing budget cuts nationwide are contemplating the measure. It's an appealing alternative to cutting staff or programs, but it can create child-care problems for parents.

May 04, 2009|Nicholas Riccardi

DENVER — Facing deep funding cuts during the economic downturn, increasing numbers of school districts nationwide are contemplating trimming the traditional school week to four days to save money.

A four-day week has long been confined to a few small rural districts looking to save on fuel costs. Indeed, many of the districts thinking of shaving a day off their weekly calendar have small enrollments -- such as the 940-student district in Bisbee, Ariz.

But some districts contemplating the move serve suburban or urban areas. The idea is being floated in South Florida's Broward County, the nation's fifth-largest school system.

A recent University of Washington study found that states are cutting 18% of their education spending over the next three years, eliminating as many as 574,000 jobs.

"When everything's lean and states have no money and are cutting budgets to schools, it's an easy way to save money without cutting staff," said Gary Spiker, superintendent of the tiny Ash Fork School District in northern Arizona, which has had a four-day week since the 1980s.

Analysts say only about 100 of the nation's 15,000 districts operate on a four-day schedule. Eighteen states, including California, allow districts to choose a four-day week, and bills have been introduced in six states this year to permit it.

California's Department of Education does not track the number of districts on a four-day week. The state permits districts to shorten their week with specific legislative permission. This year, Alpaugh Unified School District in Tulare County is seeking that authority. And last month, Potter Valley Unified School District in Mendocino County shifted its high school to a four-day schedule.

Typically, districts that hold classes four days a week extend school hours 60 to 90 minutes per day. Education experts say there are no definitive data showing whether a four-day week benefits or harms students.

Some educators worry that young children will lose focus with a school day that can run from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. But the most common concern is voiced by parents who may have to scramble for an extra full day of child care.

"For parents, the issue is if Johnny's not in school on Monday or Friday, where is he going to be?" said Marc Egan of the National School Boards Assn.

Accordingly, large school districts approach the issue cautiously. In Douglas County, home to a ring of affluent suburbs southwest of Denver and Colorado's third-largest district, officials raised the idea of a four-day week during the district's budget process in January. The district was soon swamped with calls from angry and concerned parents.

"It was surprising to see how much attention we got for even uttering those words," spokeswoman Whei Wing said. "It is a big undertaking, and we want to make sure we have time to research the pluses and minuses."

The district can't rule out the concept because it has already had to cut 10% of its budget after local bond issues failed to pass in November. Meanwhile, it is bracing for a large funding cut from the state, which is wrestling with a $600-million deficit.

The biggest share of state budgets is education spending, and with states facing a combined $350-billion shortfall over the next three years, districts across the nation are seeing their budgets slashed, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

In Bisbee, 93 miles southeast of Tucson, Supt. Gail Covington assumed her post last summer and surveyed the damage. The district had no guidance counselor or advanced-placement courses in its one high school, and libraries in two other schools had been shuttered. Covington suggested a four-day week.

"In tough economic times, we just can't keep doing things the way we have," she said.

Her school board unanimously approved, and Bisbee will switch to the new calendar in August. But parents are worried.

Adel Lewis, who has three children in the district, says she's spoken with parents who are trying to transfer their children to neighboring, five-day districts. Her 8-year-old will spend Fridays with her grandmother. The school board is hoping money from the federal stimulus package will fund new day care slots, but Lewis is skeptical.

"It is a big leap and it is kind of scary," Lewis said.

Conversely, Cathy Hobbs can't imagine her children spending five days in school. She lives in the East Grand School District in the mountains of northern Colorado, which switched to a four-day schedule in 1982. Hobbs and her husband run a log-home-building business and were able to rearrange their schedule to provide child care.

In their recreation-heavy community -- just south of Rocky Mountain National Park -- the Hobbses didn't have to worry about their children staying idle on Fridays. Local towns have programs to take youths to ski resorts, and Hobbs' two daughters learned to ski and snowboard during their days off.

Los Angeles Times Articles