Baseball P.M.

AMERICAN LEAGUE

East Division

W L Pct GB L10 Str Home Away Intr

New York 78 28 .736 - z-7-3 W-1 38-8 40-20 13-3

Boston 65 45 .591 15 7-3 L-1 33-17 32-28 9-7

Baltimore 56 55 .505 241/2 z-6-4 W-1 31-25 25-30 5-11

Toronto 56 56 .500 25 5-5 W-2 30-23 26-33 9-7

Tampa Bay 43 66 .394 361/2 z-6-4 L-3 23-34 20-32 5-11

Central Division

W L Pct GB L10 Str Home Away Intr

Cleveland 62 49 .559 - z-5-5 L-4 30-24 32-25 10-6

Minnesota 51 58 .468 10 6-4 L-2 24-30 27-28 7-9

Kansas City 49 61 .445 121/2 z-5-5 L-1 21-37 28-24 9-7

Chicago 48 62 .436 131/2 4-6 W-1 25-29 23-33 7-9

Detroit 46 63 .422 15 z-4-6 W-2 …

Drama Mamas! A Salute to Black Women Directors

Drama Mamas!�, a feature-length documentary film by writer, director and producer, Rhonda "Passion" Hansome, highlights the world of Black women theater directors. In Drama Mamas!, Passion chronicles both the professional and personal lives of some of theater's most accomplished Black women directors through a series of intimate interviews. "We want to speak to women who have directed landmark works in a range of categories, but have been overlooked by popular culture until now," says Passion. She interviews a list of directorial legends that include Shauneille Perry, Glenda Dickerson, Barbara Ann Teer, Gertrude Jeannette, Billie Allen, Vy Higginsen, Seret Scott, Jaye Austin Williams and …

Toronto's Jose Calderon strains hamstring

Toronto Raptors guard Jose Calderon sprained his right hamstring in the game against the Houston Rockets on Friday, the same injury that sidelined him for two NBA games in November.

Calderon was averaging 13.4 points and was third in the NBA with 9.0 assists. He was injured driving to the basket late in the first quarter, running out of bounds and clutching at his leg before leaving the game and heading to the locker room for treatment.

…

Israeli confirms girl shot // Troops find M-16 used in killing

TEL AVIV A senior Israeli security source confirmed Friday that15-year-old Tirza Porat died from a bullet wound in a confrontationthis week between Palestinians and Jewish settlers in the occupiedWest Bank.

The source said troops had found the M-16 rifle that fired thebullet when they arrested a Palestinian West Bank villager who tookthe weapon after the girl was shot. It belonged to a Jewish settler,right-wing activist Roman Aldubi.

The source said it was most likely Aldubi shot the girl byaccident after being hit on the head with a stone. It also waspossible the gun went off during a struggle with an Arab who tried totake it from Aldubi, the source …

Right now, the Big Reds aren't wowing foes

THESE aren't your older brother's Big Reds.

And they certainly aren't your father's.

Parkersburg High School proved that by barely escaping defeat forthe second time in three games Friday to a Mountain State AthleticConference foe at home.

Sophomore linebacker Jason Phillips intercepted a Deion Spurlockpass at his own 19-yard line with just one second left on the clock,sealing a 30-26 win over South Charleston for the Big Reds.

Spurlock, wide receiver Aaron Dobson and an opportunistic BlackEagle defense had rallied SC from a 20-6 halftime deficit to a 26-23lead with five minutes remaining in regulation.

Parkersburg quarterback Andy Thomas gave his …

Euro higher against US dollar as data shows German economy rebounding in 3rd quarter

The euro gained more ground against the U.S. dollar on Wednesday as new data showed the German economy, Europe's biggest, rebounded in the third quarter and Washington reported more disappointing economic developments.

The 13-nation euro bought US$1.4700 in afternoon European trading, up from US$1.4596 in New York late Tuesday.

German government data showed the country's gross domestic product grew by 0.7 percent in the July-September period from the previous quarter. It grew by only 0.3 percent in the second quarter.

The dollar was further hurt after the U.S. Commerce Department reported that retail sales managed only a small increase in October …

PARIS, HON. BRENT, LL.B.

Ed. at Univ. of Ottawa (LL.B., 1982). Private Career: . Appt'd Judge of the Tax Court of Canada, Dec. 12, 2002. Address: Tax Court of Canada, 200 Kent St., Ottawa., Ont., K1A 0M1.

BYE, BYE, BUSH

Part 1: For better or worse

Eight years ago, a person I argued politics with on a regular basis showed me an essay she'd written to express her delight that Bill Clinton utterly loathsome in her eyes - was being replaced by George Bush, a man she � seemed to think represented the best our country had to offer. She titled it "Feels like America Again," and she showed it to me because she had hopes of being a writer and wanted to know what I thought of her effort. Style, tone, clarity, zing level ... that sort of thing. She had no hope that I would agree with any of it. She just wanted to be told by someone other than family or friends that what she had written had been written well. …

China on alert as deadly EV-71 child virus appears to spread

China's Health Ministry has ordered heightened efforts to stem the spread of infectious diseases following an outbreak of a virus that has killed 22 children in one city and is spreading.

The outbreak of enterovirus 71, a type of hand, foot and mouth disease that children are susceptible to, is another headache for the communist government as it prepares for the Olympic Games already tarnished by an uprising among Tibetans in western China and an international torch relay disrupted by protests.

Stepped up vigilance by health bureaus and hospitals to prevent the spread of infectious diseases was necessary "to guarantee the smooth staging of the Beijing …

Schmidt: Selig to rule on Rose after Series

Commissioner Bud Selig probably will announce whether he willreinstate all-time hits leader Pete Rose sometime after the WorldSeries, former Rose teammate Mike Schmidt said.

Schmidt said Sunday that he and two of Rose's former teammateswith the Cincinnati Reds, Joe Morgan and Johnny Bench, met with Seliglast month at the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y.

"We're optimistic that after the postseason, something will happenwith regards to Pete Rose," said Schmidt, who played with Rose on thePhiladelphia Phillies. The remarks were reported by the CincinnatiPost and Cincinnati Enquirer.

According to Schmidt, Selig said he wouldn't announce a decisionabout Rose before …

Adam Urbanski's approach: Have teachers review each other

Peer review

How it works: Mentor teachers review new teachers, as well as tenured teachers who are failing professionally, and then recommend either retention or dismissal.

Biggest benefit: Gives new teachers a chance to learn from someone who knows the ropes, and may improve teacher retention down the road.

Shortcomings: Some say it undermines collegiality. Others point out the added expense of full- and part-time mentors, and the additional time it takes to make decisions about retention and firing.

When teachers union president Adam Urbanski sat down at his kitchen table 17 years ago to write a peer review plan for the Rochester, N.Y., school district, …

Cellphone service coming to 6 NYC subway stations

NEW YORK (AP) — The long-delayed project to wire New York City subway stations for mobile phone service is finally bearing fruit. A person close to the matter says six stations will go live with the service on Tuesday.

The person speaking on condition of anonymity says AT&T and T-Mobile subscribers will be able to use their phones at six stations in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan. Sprint and …

RECYCLING PROGRAM FOCUSES ON MARKETS FOR BOTTLES, WALLBOARD, WOOD AND SHINGLES

King County, Washington

More than half of the materials that go to the Cedar Hills landfill each year are readily recyclable, and King County's LinkUp program wants to find new markets. Starting this year, LinkUp will focus on reducing market barriers for key recyclable with plans to select four priority materials each year. Materials for 2007 are asphalt shingles, glass bottles, gypsum wallboard and urban wood, which is primarily from construction and demolition activities.

"There is great potential to increase recycling of these materials," said LinkUp Program Manager Kris Beatty. Potentially recyclable materials generated in King County (outside Seattle) were found to have an estimated value of more than $40 million.

This year's materials were chosen based on the potential for increased recycling in King County (outside Seattle):

Glass bottles - Approximately 40,000 tons of glass bottles are generated in King County, and only slightly more than half are recycled.

Asphalt shingles - An estimated 17,000 tons of asphalt shingle waste are generated by construction and demolition activities in King County each year; less than 1,000 tons are currently recycled.

Gypsum wallboard - Construction and demolition activities in King County generated an estimated 31,000 tons of gypsum wallboard waste in 2005, with only about 6,000 tons being recycled.

Urban wood - 94,000 tons of recyclable urban wood are disposed each year in King County.

LinkUp assists the marketplace in a number of ways, including locating reliable suppliers and evaluating technologies and markets for recycled materials, assisting with material and product testing and providing marketing and communications assistance.

King County has launched a redesigned website, www.metrokc.gov/ dnrp/swd/linkup/, reflecting the changes to LinkUp, which will serve as a resource for the business recycling community. More information is available by visiting the LinkUp website, or by contacting Beatty at kris.beatty@metrokc.gov, or (206) 296-3740.

`What About Joan' to run through May

ABC is expected to extend the run of the Chicago-based comedyseries "What About Joan" throughout the May sweeps.

The network had initially scheduled six episodes of the series toair after "Dharma & Greg" at 8:30 p.m. Tuesdays through May 1. Theproduction order was for 13 episodes.

Sources said ABC will now air episodes of the Joan Cusack sitcomduring the remaining three weeks of the May sweeps and hold the otherfour unaired episodes for fall.

In its first four outings, "Joan" averaged a solid 12.6 millionviewers and a 5.6 rating/14 share in the 18-49 adult demographic. Thesitcom survived competition from Fox's "Boot Camp" and NBC's new gameshow "Weakest Link."

Atlantis, crew land after Hubble mission

Space shuttle Atlantis and its seven astronauts returned safely to Earth on Sunday, detouring from stormy Florida to sunsplashed California to end a 13-day mission that repaired and enhanced the Hubble Space Telescope.

"Now and only now can we declare this mission a total success _ the astronauts are safely on the ground," NASA sciences chief Ed Weiler told a Florida press conference.

Atlantis' crew had waited since Friday for the go-ahead to land as Mission Control hoped to avoid the time and expense _ about $1.8 million _ of diverting to California's Edwards Air Force Base.

The Florida weather refused to yield and Mission Control finally directed shuttle commander Scott Altman to head to California. The shuttle's twin sonic booms rocked the Mojave Desert as it swooped out of a dazzling morning sky.

Out on the runway after landing, Altman reflected on how long it had taken to get their mission under way _ and then to end it.

"When we got down to Florida I looked at everybody and said, 'At last,'" Altman said. "I didn't realize it was going to be so hard to get back to the Earth in the end. So again I guess I say the same thing, at last we're back on the ground."

It was the 53rd shuttle landing at Edwards; the last one was in November.

The crew finally set foot on the ground about two hours after touchdown, receiving greetings from ground personnel before they began the customary walkaround to inspect the exterior of their spacecraft. It was uncertain whether the crew would return to their Houston homes later Sunday or on Monday.

NASA officials said it will take about a week to prepare Atlantis for its ferry flight back to Kennedy Space Center atop a NASA Boeing 747.

During five spacewalks, the astronauts gave the 19-year-old Hubble new science instruments, pointing devices and batteries, and fixed broken instruments. The astronauts overcame stuck bolts and other difficulties.

The work will add years to the life of the telescope and its study of the universe.

Initial checkouts of the repaired Hubble were going well, Weiler said. He noted that the telescope had yet to see any starlight but he said he expected it to gather data by August.

Much was made of Atlantis' departure from Hubble as the last time it will be touched by humans, and Weiler acknowledged that was an "emotional moment." But he wanted nothing to do with sad thoughts.

"Geez!" he exclaimed. "We just repaired the Hubble Space Telescope. We got a new telescope, four new instruments, two of them dead now alive. We've got another five, six, seven, eight years with the new telescope. These are truly the best of times not the worst of times."

NASA eventually expects to steer Hubble into the Pacific sometime in the early 2020s using a robotic vehicle, though it's possible that might be done with a crewed vehicle, NASA's new Orion.

The astronauts brought back Hubble's old wide-field camera they pulled out, so it can be displayed at the Smithsonian Institution. The replacement camera and other new instruments will enable Hubble to peer deeper into the universe.

The $1 billion repair mission almost didn't happen. It was canceled in 2004, a year after the Columbia tragedy, because of the dangers of flying into a 350-mile(563-kilometer)-high orbit that did not offer any shelter in case Atlantis suffered damage from launch debris or space junk. The public protest was intense, and NASA reinstated the flight after developing a rescue plan and shuttle repair kits.

Shuttle Endeavour was on standby for a possible rescue mission until late last week, after inspections found Atlantis' thermal shielding to be solid for re-entry. Endeavour now will be prepped for a June flight to the international space station.

___

On the Net:

NASA: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/hubble/main/index.html

Numerous LGBT leaders endorse National Equality March

Organizers garner massive support as momentum builds for the event

Over 150 notable leaders in, and supporters of, the LGBT community have recently endorsed the National Equality March, urging people to join them and make their way to Washington, D.C. on Oct. 11, and proving to skeptics that the NEM can garner high-profile support from such key members within of the community.

Leading the group is an impressive line-up of notable LGBT visionaries that represent varying ages, regions and disciplines. They include historical figures and current infiuencers alike, including: Diane Abbiti, Roberta Bennett, Ethan Geto, Neil Giuliano, Rick Jacobs, Cleve Jones, David Mixner, Nicole Murray-Ramirez, Ann Northup, Torie Osborn, Judy Shepard, Nadine Smith, Peter Staley, Sean Strub, Urvashi Vaid and William Waybourn.

In reaction to the growing list of notable supporters, David Mixner stated that, "Seeing such a massive outpouring of support for the National Equality March from such powerful leaders in the LGBT community is inspiring and awesome."

Endorsements from the entertainment industry include such luminaries as: Oscar- winning actress Charlize Theron; Oscar-winning producers Bruce Cohen and Dan Jinks; Oscar-winning screen- writer Dustin Lance Black; Emmy-winning actress Judith Light; Tony Award winners Laura Benanti, Alan Cumming and Harvey Fierstein; Tony Nominee Celia Keenan-Bolger; Grammy- nominated singer/songwriter Ann Hampton Cal- laway; jazz legend Dave Koz; political humorist Kate Clinton; Chad Allen; "Mad Men's" Bryan Blat; Beth Broderick; David Drake; Scott Evans; Herb Hamsher; Lance Home; Dan Karslake; Michael Kearns; Mark Lawson; Tim Miller; Alec Mapa; Jamie McGonnigal; Holly Near; Geoffrey Soffer; Larry Sullivan; Bruce Vilanch and Judge David Young.

Elected officials and other political leaders from across the nation have made recent endorsements for the NEM, including: U.S. Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc); Sen. State Senator Tom Duane (D-N. Y.); San Francisco Supervisor Bevan Dufty; former U.S. Congressman Ed Feighan; Assembly Member Mcah Kellner (D-N. Y); former California Sen. Sheila Kuehl; Assembly Member Daniel O'Donnell (D-N. Y); New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn; Victory Fund President and CEO Chuck Wolfe; Donald Hitchcock; Charles O'Bryne; Marsha Scott; Frank Selvaggi; Richard Socarides; Rich Tafel; Will Trinkle; Peter Yacobellis and Paul Yandura.

Endorsements from the media industry include: Air America's David Bender, and other radio personalities Blake Hayes, Lance Helms, Ace London, Michelangelo Signorile, and Tony Sweet. They also include literary figures and blog writers such as Bill Browning, Richard Burns, Robert Desiderio, Jeremy Hooper, Lane Hudson, Doug Ireland, Joe Jarvis, Jonathan Katz, Eric Marcus, Patrick Range McDonald, Bob Smith, Pam Spaulding and Andy Towle.

Legendary HI V/ AID S and other community activists endorsing the NEM include: Chip Arndt, Aaron Baldwin, Dr. Jerry Cade, Mark Ishaug, Corey Johnson, Dr. Tony Mills and Dan Montoya. Leaders of the faith community endorsing the NEM include: C. Weldon Gaddy (Interfaith Alliance); Mitchell Gold (Faith in America); MCC Church Founder Rev. Troy Perry; President of Pacific Association of Reform Rabbis and Soul Force Freedom Ride Founder, Jake Reitan; and LGBT/Labor Activist, Jon Winkleman.

Equality Across America Director Kip Williams expressed sincere appreciation for this recent group of high-profile endorsements. "I'm touched by the support of folks from all walks of life," he said. "Celebrities, elected officials, faith leader, and LGBT movers and shakers have joined the grassroots rank and file to support the National Equality March."

Equality Across America is a network of decentralized organizers in every one of the 435 Congressional districts. These organizers form Congressional District Action Teams that work within their own communities to achieve full equality for LGBT Americans and their families.

Williams went on to address the event's true mission. "We all know it's time to demand equal protection under the law," he said, "so we're taking our message to the front door of Congress this October."

The National Equality March is being organized by the EAA to show broad-based support for full equality for LGBT Americans on the doorstep of those who can make that happen: the United States Congress. The event will be held Saturday, Oct. 10, and Sunday, Oct. 11 in Washington, D.C.

For more information about EAA and the NEM, and for a full list of endorsements, visit: www. equalityacrossamerica.org

New York Red Bulls beat Juventus 3-1 in friendly

Jeremy Hall, Conor Chinn and Juan Pablo Angel scored second-half goals for the New York Red Bulls in their 3-1 win over Juventus in a friendly on Sunday.

Hall and Chinn netted in a five-minute spell early in the half, before Angel beat Juventus goalkeeper Alex Manninger in the 75th minute after getting on the end of a great cross by Dane Richards.

Amauri came on as a second-half substitute for the Serie A club and scored a 90th-minute consolation to the delight of the 18,735 crowd, many of whom wore the Italian team's black and white colors.

Before Amauri's goal, former Italy forward Alessandro Del Piero had the best chance for Juve in the 41st minute.

Luigi Del Neri, who was hired as Juventus' new coach last week, was not at the game. Interim coach Alberto Zaccheroni was in charge.

Juventus was also missing a host of key players who were training with the Italy squad ahead of the World Cup. Goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, defenders Fabio Cannavaro and Giorgio Chiellini, midfielders Mauro Camoranesi and Claudio Marchisio, and forward Vincenzo Iaquinta were the internationals absent but experienced players like Del Piero, David Trezeguet, Fabio Grosso and Diego were involved.

"We were all excited, standing in the lineup next to Del Piero and Grosso, and all those guys," the 21-year-old Hall said. "It's an unbelievable feeling. But once you get on the field, we have nothing to lose. It's a friendly. These are top international players."

The Italian side finished the season in seventh place in Serie A and only qualified for the Europa League because Inter Milan won the league-and-cup double.

Hall opened the scoring in the 50th minute after Irving Garcia's 25-yard shot bounced off the crossbar. Hall chested down the rebound and rolled the ball past Manninger.

Chinn scored a controversial goal five minutes later, taking a long pass from Roy Miller and beating Manninger. Juventus claimed Chinn had been offside in the build-up but appeals from its players were ignored.

Angel and Richards, who came on in the second half for the Red Bulls, then combined to score the best goal of the game. Richards raced down the right and sent over a cross that Angel had no problem guiding into the net.

"I think everyone was excited just to play a team like Juventus," said Chinn, who left the game after suffering a blow to the head. "I think it was a thing where we had to treat them with respect, but not too much respect."

Trezeguet, the former France international who played the first half, felt the game was good for football in the United States.

"We're happy, aside from the result," Trezeguet said. "We saw there were Italian fans. There were no conditions for us to play a great match but we're happy no one got hurt.

"We're going to Canada to continue this tour and then we are going on holiday."

Morphometric analysis of anatomic variables affecting endovascular stent design in patients undergoing elective and emergency repair of endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm

Background: Our objective was to identify morphologic trends in elective and emergency endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR). This work will inform hospitals with endovascular programs about the diameters and lengths of endostents that should be available to efficiently care for patients with these conditions.

Methods: We performed a retrospective review of patients undergoing elective (n = 127) and emergency (n = 17) EVAR. Using computed tomography and 3-dimensional reconstructions, we evaluated the following: diameters of the aneurysm (D3), the aorta at the superior mesenteric (D1) and renal (D2a,b,c; 3 levels) levels, the iliac arteries (D5a,b; right and left) and the aortic bifurcation (D4); lengths from the lowest renal artery to the distal aspect of the aortic neck (H1), to the aortic bifurcation (H3), to the right and left iliac bifurcations (H4a,b); and angles of the origin of the common iliac arteries on the transverse plane (A1). We used descriptive statistics of trends within groups and independent sample t tests.

Results: In elective and emergency aneurysm repair, D2max (26, standard deviation [SD] 3, mm v. 30.7 [SD 3] mm), D5a (16 [SD 4.7] mm v. 19.3 [SD 5] mm), D5b (15.3 [SD 4] mm v. 18.1 [SD 3.6] mm), H1 (25.6 [SD 8.6] mm v. 18 [SD 2] mm), H4a (173 [SD 22] mm v. 189.5 [SD 22] mm) and H4b (174 [SD 25] mm v. 190 [SD 14] mm) were significantly different between the 2 groups (p = 0.001, p = 0.006, p = 0.007, p < 0.001, p = 0.05 and p = 0.01, respectively). H3 (118 [SD 17] mm v. 121.5 [SD 13.5] mm) was not significantly different (p = 0.40). In elective patients, A1 identified the right common iliac more frequently anterior relative to the left common iliac (mean 23�, SD 16�).

Conclusion: Significant anatomic differences between elective and emergency patients will require hospitals to stock separate endovascular devices to treat abdominal aortic aneurysms in both groups.

Contexte : Nous voulions d�gager des tendances morphologiques dans la r�paration endovasculaire d'un an�vrisme (REVA) �lective et d'urgence. Ce travail informera les h�pitaux qui ont des programmes endovasculaires au sujet du diam�tre et de la longueur des endostents qui devraient �tre disponibles pour traiter efficacement les patients qui ont ces probl�mes.

M�thodes : Nous avons proc�d� � une �tude r�trospective des dossiers des patients qui ont subi une REVA �lective (n = 127) et d'urgence (n = 17). On a utilis� la tomo - densitom�trie et des reconstructions tridimensionnelles pour �valuer les aspects sui - vants : diam�tres de l'an�vrisme (D3), aorte aux niveaux m�sent�rique sup�rieur (D1) et r�nal (D2a,b,c; 3), art�res iliaques (D5a,b; droite et gauche) et bifurcation de l'aorte (D4); longueurs entre l'art�re r�nale la plus basse jusqu'� l'aspect distal du col de l'aorte (H1), � la bifurcation de l'aorte (H3) et aux bifurcations iliaques droite et gauche (H4a,b); ainsi qu'angles de l'origine des art�res iliaques communes sur le plan transversal (A1). Nous indiquons les diam�tres et les longueurs en millim�tres et nous avons utilis� des statistiques descriptives des tendances � l'int�rieur de groupes et des tests t sur �chantillonnage ind�pendants.

R�sultats : Dans les cas de r�paration �lective et d'urgence d'un an�vrisme, D2max (26 mm, �cart-type [ET] 3 c. 30,7 [ET 3] mm), D5a (16 [ET 4,7] mm c. 19,3 [ET 5] mm), D5b (15,3 [ET 4] mm c. 18,1 [ET 3,6] mm), H1 (25,6 [ET 8,6] mm c. 18 [ET 2] mm), H4a (173 [ET 22] mm c. 189,5 [ET 22] mm) et H4b (174 [ET 25] mm c. 190 [ET 14] mm) pr�sentaient une diff�rence significative entre les 2 groupes (p = 0,001, p = 0,006, p = 0,007, p < 0,001, p = 0,05 et p = 0,01 respectivement). Il n'y avait pas de diff�rence significative pour H3 (118 [ET 17] mm c. 121,5 [ET 13,5] mm) (p = 0,40). Chez les patients qui ont subi une intervention �lective, A1 identifiait l'art�re iliaque commune droite plus souvent en position ant�rieure par rapport � l'art�re iliaque commune gauche (moyenne de 23�, ET 16�).

Conclusion : Les diff�rences anatomiques importantes entre les patients qui subissent une intervention �lective et une intervention d'urgence obligeront les h�pitaux � stocker des dispositifs endovasculaires distincts pour traiter les an�vrismes de l'aorte abdominale chez les 2 groupes.

Abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) are more prevalent among men than among women over 64 years of age (6% v. 1%).1-4 In Canada, AAAs are responsible for about 1658 deaths per year.5 A populationbased study has shown that 66% of patients with ruptured AAAs die before undergoing operative repair.6 The risk of rupture increases with AAA size from 1% per year for a diameter of 4.0-4.9 cm to 26% for a diameter greater than 6.0 cm.7-9 Screening, timely treatment and reduction in perioperative mortality will reduce the burden of this disease.5

Until recently, repair of AAAs required invasive open surgery. This resulted in perioperative mortality of 5%-8%10-15 and risk of complications of 15%-20%.16 Endovascular aortic aneurysm repair (EVAR) is an accepted, minimally invasive modality of treatment with reduced perioperative mortality of 1%-2%16-18 and risk of complications of 5%-10%.16 Although certain anatomic criteria must be satisfied, a significant proportion of patients (40%-60%) is eligible for EVAR.19,20 To fit a patient's anatomy, EVAR relies on customized modular stents that are deployed at the site of the aneurysm to divert blood flow from the weakened walls of the aneurysm.20-22 The components available for EVAR are so numerous that more than 65 000 combinations may be possible using components from a single manu facturer. This number will increase exponentially if hybrid endografts, made of components derived from multiple manufacturers, are also considered. The cost of these endovascular grafts limits the applicability of this treatment and is a serious consideration for hospitals, which need to stock a large number of components for patients undergoing elective and emergency EVAR.

This study defines trends in aortoiliac anatomic measurements in patients undergoing elective and emergency EVAR. The results may be used by hospitals to improve cost-efficiency by stocking a limited number of devices and permitting expansion of existing endovascular programs or facilitating the development of new ones. In addition, the results of this study may inform the industry to optimize the production of stents in terms of diameters, lengths and configurations, and possibly improve graft hemodynamics.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective review of prospectively collected data of consecutive patients undergoing elective and emergency EVAR from October 2004 to December 2007 in a tertiary vascular centre. We defined ruptured aneurysms as displaying extravasation of contrast outside the limits of the aortic wall. This study received institutional ethics approval.

To determine the most common anatomic measurements of elective EVAR patients, we evaluated aortoiliac diameters, lengths and angles. We measured aortic diam - eters at the superior mesenteric (D1), proximal, middle and distal levels of the infrarenal aortic neck (D2a,b,c), the widest section of the abdominal aneurysm (D3) and the region immediately proximal of the aortic bifurcation (D4). We assessed diameters of the right and left common iliac arteries (D5a,b) at the estimated landing zone. We measured lengths from the lowest renal artery to the distal aspect of the aortic neck (H1), the aortic bifurcation (H3), the right and left iliac bifurcations (H4a,b) and the right and left external iliac arteries (H5a,b) in patients who required landing in the external iliac artery (Fig. 1). Using the proximal, middle and distal measurements (D2a,b,c), we defined the shape of the aortic neck as cylindrical, flared, reversed flare or hourglass. We used a change in diameter of greater than 10% between the most proximal and most distal measurements as the threshold for classification. A flared neck implied that the distal diameter was larger, whereas a reversed flare assumed the opposite configuration. For patients in the emergency EVAR group, we did not measure D1, D3, D4, H5a and H5b given the emergency of the settings and the fact that these variables were not relevant to choose the appropriate stent graft.

In addition, we described the position of the origin of the common iliac arteries relative to each other and expressed the relation as an angle on the transverse plane (A1). To accomplish this measurement, we established the estimated centre of the right common iliac artery as the origin of the angle. From this origin, 2 lines, one horizontal and one through the estimated centre of the left common iliac artery (LCIA), were drawn. The position of the LCIA was defined in degrees of an angle. We described the angle as positive if the LCIA was anterior, and negative if the LCIA was posterior in relation to the right common iliac artery (RCIA). We defined an angle of 5� or less in either direction as an angle of zero, and we considered both arteries to be in the same plane (Fig. 2).

Between October 2004 and September 2006, we took measurements of elective EVAR from axial scans with slice thickness ranging from 5 to 3 mm, and reconstructions created with 1.5-mm overlap. Starting in September 2006, we assessed measurements using computed tomography (CT) scans obtained with a 64-slice scanner and postprocessing with an Aquarius workstation v. 3.5 (TeraRecon Inc.). The senior vascular surgeon (C.S.C.) obtained all measurements, which were entered in a specifically designed planning form. We performed measurements of diameters from adventitia to adventitia, and we estimated lengths using centre line reconstructions (Fig. 3).

We obtained emergency EVAR measurements from axial CT scans generated from 8- to 64-slice scanners while the patient was being prepared for surgery. In each case, the senior vascular surgeon (C.S.C.) evaluated the appropriate variables. We assessed measurements using different CT readers according to availability. In this group of patients, the diameter measurements could usually be assessed accurately from the available imaging techniques. Lengths were often estimated by a combination of tomographic imaging and intraoperative angiography.

Three investigators entered measurements into a database. At least 2 investigators were present at each session to minimize errors associated with entering the variables and to discuss any disagreements that arose during the process. Investigators resolved any remaining disagreements through discussion with the senior author (C.S.C.). Excluded from the analysis were thoracic (n = 25) and thoracoabdominal (n = 12) aneurysms. We conducted statistical analysis using SPSS software v.15.0. We expressed diameters, lengths and angles in millimetres and as means and standard deviations (SDs), and we used the maximum and minimum values to represent the range of measurements for each variable. We calculated the mode, with the number of counts it appeared for each measurement, to determine the most frequent dimensions.

We calculated missing data points for elective patients by linear interpolation for all variables excluding D1.23 This involved averaging the values closest to (e.g., above and below) the missing data point to provide an estimate of the missing value. We interpolated the missing H5a,b values when the patients' operative report showed an external iliac landing zone. We estimated missing D1 values using the largest of the 3 aortic neck diameters D2a,b,c (D2max). We deemed this a more accurate technique over interpolation owing to the proximity of the 2 measurements in relation to the patient's anatomy.

We used independent sample 2-tailed t tests to compare variables when the assumption of equality of variances (Levene test) was satisfied, and we applied an appropriate correction when this assumption was not satisfied. We used a Fisher exact test to evaluate categorical variables and considered p = 0.05 significant.

RESULTS

Overall, 158 patients underwent EVAR. Data were not available for 12 patients undergoing elective EVAR and for 2 patients with ruptured aneurysms, leaving 144 patients for evaluation (127 elective and 17 emergency). One hundred elective patients were selected for the analysis of A1.

Among the included elective patients, missing values per variable were as follows: D1 = 56, D3 = 22, D4 = 21, D5a = 8, D5b = 5, H3 = 14, H4a = 4, H4b = 9, H5a = 2, H5b = 2. There were no missing values for D2 and A1. No missing values were present among the emergency patients. Table 1 and Table 2 describe the variables for elective and emergency patients, respectively. Table 3 contains the results of the independent samples t tests comparing the 2 groups. Among elective patients, D1 had a mean diameter of 26.3 (SD 3.2, range 21) mm. The most frequent measurement of 28 mm occurred 22 times among the sample population. The average largest aneurysm diameter (D3) in the elective group was 60 mm (SD 8.7, range 55, mode 55 mm, count = 20). D4 mean was 28.9 mm (SD 7.9, range 45; modes 22 and 25 mm, each with a count of 11).

Maximum aortic neck diameter (D2max) and diameter of right and left common iliac arteries (D5a,b)

D2max was smaller in the elective compared with the emergency group (26.2, SD 3.0, range 21 mm v. 30.7, SD 3.4, range 14 mm; p < 0.001). The most frequent D2max measurements were 28 mm and 31 mm, occurring in 23 elective and 6 emergency patients, respectively. No significant difference was found between D1 and D2max measurements in the elective group (p = 0.90).

In elective patients, D5a and D5b were 15.9 (SD 4.7, range 34) mm and 15.4 (SD 3.8, range 30) mm, respectively. The mode for both D5a and D5b was 15 mm, with counts of 18 and 21, respectively. Diameters were greater in the emergency group: 19.3 (SD 4.97, range 18) mm (p = 0.006) and 18.1 (SD 3.6, range 13) mm (p = 0.007), respectively. Among emergency patients, the most frequent measurements were 19 (count = 3) and 20 mm (count = 4) for D5a and D5b, respectively.

Lengths of aortic neck (H1)

H1 was greater in the elective than in the emergency patients (25.7 [SD 8.6, range 46] mm v. 18.8 [SD 2.25, range 7] mm; p < 0.001); modes were 20 mm (count = 29) and 19 mm (count = 4), respectively.

Length from lowest renal artery to aortic bifurcation (H3)

H3 was 118.1 (SD 17.3, range 111) mm in the elective and 121.5 (SD 13.5, range 50) mm in the emergency group (p = 0.40); modes were at 110 (count = 17) and 111 mm (count = 3), respectively.

Lengths from lowest renal artery to right and left iliac bifurcations (H4ab)

There was no difference between H4a and H4b among elective patients, as the analysis yielded measurements of 173.4 (SD 21.6, range 132) mm and 174.4 (SD 25, range 230) mm, respectively. The mode for H4a was 160 mm (count = 11) and 2 modes were present for H4b, 160 and 170 mm (each with a count of 12). In the emergency group, H4a and H4b were greater than in the elective group: 189.5 (SD 22.3, range 86) mm (p = 0.05) and 190.2 (SD 14.1, range 43) mm (p = 0.012), respectively. In the emergency group, the mode for H4a was 187 mm (count = 3), and 2 modes were present for H4b, 176 and 210 mm (each with a count of 3).

Lengths from lowest renal artery to right and left external iliac landing zones (H5ab)

H5a and H5b were 235.8 (SD 31.9) mm and 227.8 (SD 23.4) mm among elective patients, respectively. Modes are not presented since measurements occurred only once per variable.

Angle of origin of common iliac arteries (A1) and shape of the neck

In the elective group, the most common configuration regarding the angle of origin of the common iliac arteries involved the RCIA being anterior relative to the LCIA (23.1�, SD 16�, range 61�). No patients were found to have the opposite configuration.

In elective patients, a cylindrical configuration of the neck was the most commonly represented. This distribution was reversed in the emergency group, in which the flared neck was represented in greater number than in the elective (p = 0.001) (Table 4).

DISCUSSION

Accurate assessment of aortic and iliac morphology is important in endovascular graft design. A review of 18 centres in Australia has shown that aneurysm morphology can be predictive of outcome, finding aneurysm neck lengths of less than 10 mm to be associated with endoleaks (odds ratio 8.3, 95% confidence interval 8.0-8.6).24

We have shown that elective patients undergoing EVAR frequently have neck diameters of 26-28 mm. Hence, endovascular stents with a diameter of 28-32 mm are likely to cover a large range of anatomies. In cases of ruptured aneurysm, the size of the patient's neck is larger and the length shorter than in cases of elective EVAR. Most emergency patients were found to have a neck diameter in the 30-31 mm range, requiring larger stents of 35-36 mm in diameter. Although there was a slight increase in the length of H3 for ruptured aneurysms, this did not reach statistical significance. Iliac arteries were of greater length and diameter in the ruptured group compared with the elective group. The relevance of these findings is that main bodies with similar lengths may be kept in inventory for both groups, whereas leg extensions to deal with iliac arteries of 70-80 mm in length and 19-20 mm in diameter are necessary for ruptured aneurysms.

Previous studies have described aortic and iliac trends in patients with AAAs and have compared the quality of different imaging techniques used to measure ana tomic variables in these individuals. There have been a limited number of studies evaluating these variables in ruptured AAAs and even fewer that undertook a comprehensive anatomic evaluation of all relevant variables using dedicated postprocessing software of CT images.

Beebe and colleagues,25 using a retrospective review of CT images and cut plain traditional contrast angiography, conducted an anatomic study in 50 patients with AAAs who did not undergo EVAR. They found that average neck diameters were 29 (SD 0.7) mm by CT and 26 (SD 0.56) mm by angiography. The difference in measurements is explained by the fact that angiography is only able to image the inner lumen of the vessel. The average H3 was significantly longer than in our study (156 [SD 23.8] mm).25 The magnitude of this difference is difficult to explain: the type of population studied (ours was only of patients who underwent EVAR) and the different technique of measurements used (they used neither centre line reconstructions of CT images or graduated catheters and traditional angiography) may in part account for it.

Sprouse and colleagues26 compared interrater agreement for anatomic measurements in 5 patients from dimensional reformatted CT reconstruction versus axial CT scans. The average neck diameter with 3-dimensional reconstructions was 26.5 versus 29.3 mm with axial scans. With axial scans, larger diameter may result if measurements are taken along the major axis of oval images derived from angled aortic necks cut obliquely. In addition, H1 measurements were on average 23 and 21 mm, respectively. The authors concluded that 3-dimensional reconstructions provide accurate results, with a greater interrater agreement for measurements compared with axial CT scans (� = 0.81 v. 0.59).26

Resch and colleagues27 studied anatomic variables in elective EVAR candidates and collected measurements using CT and angiography. Diameters were not measured adventitia to adventitia, and lengths were calculated by summing the number of 3-mm CT scans. The authors reported average diameters of 23 (SD 3.5) mm for D2 and 17 (SD 7) mm for D5a,b when measured by CT. Also using CT, the authors found H1 and H3 lengths to be 26 (SD 12) mm and 120 (SD 13) mm, respectively.27

Two studies examined the anatomic variables in ruptured and elective aneurysms. Wilson and colleagues28 conducted a retrospective study of 50 elective and 51 ruptured aneurysms in patients who did not undergo EVAR. Using calipers and physical references, they obtained measurements from CT images with 3-5 mm cuts. Measurements were not obtained using centre line reconstructions, and the smallest vessel diameters were recorded. The authors found that the average neck diameter was 26 (SD 4) mm cases of elective EVAR and 26 (SD 9) mm in cases of ruptured aneurysms (p = 0.90). Neck lengths were shorter in the ruptured group compared with the elective group (17 [SD 12] mm v. 22 [SD 11] mm). Ruptured aneurysms were also found to have larger diameters at the iliac landing zones, but this trend did not reach statistical significance.28

Lee and colleagues29 examined D2, D3 and H1 in patients who underwent traditional and endovascular aneurysm repair and compared a retrospective group of elective patients (n = 100) with a prospectively collected group of emergency patients. The emergency group comprised patients with ruptured (n = 10) and symptomatic (n = 18) aneurysms.29 Caliper measurements were used to evaluate anatomic measurements. Similar to our study, the authors found the diameters of the patients' necks to be larger in those undergoing urgent surgery than in the elective group (25 [SD 4] mm v. 23 [SD 3] mm, p = 0.04) and the length shorter (16 [SD 10] mm v. 23 [SD 14] mm, p = 0.017).29

Reliability of measurements from CT images using mechanical means has been shown to be poor. Velazquez and colleagues30 found a 2-fold increase in the number of additional iliac extensions when aortic dimensions were measured with manual calipers compared with digital centre lumen techniques. If the values from a Bland-Altman analysis from one study31 are transformed, the standard error of measurement for experts using electronic calipers is 0.52 mm when measuring the aortic neck and 1.30 mm for the aneurysm sac. The reliability of using CT as the sole modality has been further proven in a study that found a high correlation (R = 0.96) when comparing postprocessing 3-dimensional reconstructions with intravascular ultrasound, the gold standard.32

Computed tomography angiography and postprocessing software have improved from the capabilities of firstgeneration technology,33 and CT scans are now used in most centres as the primary modality for preoperative assessment.34,35

The inference that may be drawn from our study is strengthened by several characteristics: the large sample size of consecutive patients undergoing elective and emergency EVAR, the use of dedicated postprocessing software specifically designed for this purpose, the comprehensive evaluation of all pertinent anatomic variables and the fact that all measurements were derived by a single rater with expertise in endovascular aneurysm planning and repair. The prospective nature of the study, the large sample size and the homogeneity of the groups render the results generalizable to similar patients presenting to tertiary vascular centres. The use of dedicated postprocessing software and the expertise of the rater increase the internal validity of this study. The former allows centre line reconstructions and increases the precision of length and diameter measurements. Although there is no specific definition for what is required to achieve expertise in endovascular planning, Forbes and colleagues36 have indicated that expertise, defined as the occurrence of complications less than 10%, requires at least 60 procedures. The senior author (C.S.C.), in addition to obtaining specific training, has performed more than 400 EVAR and planned infrarenal, complex fenestrated and branched devices.

Limitations of this work include the need for interpolation of missing data, the lack of a test-retest reliability measure, the relatively small sample size for ruptured aneurysms and the fact that almost one-half of the measurements were not obtained with dedicated postprocessing software.

The results of this work may be used by health care providers to stock a limited number of commonly used stents and to provide timely endovascular treatment for elective and emergency aneurysms. In addition, data relating to the angle of the origin of the 2 iliac arteries may have future implications with respect to stent delivery and design.

Research implications may extend to the engineering of endovascular stents. The morphometric anatomic variables described may help the industry to tailor graft design to patients' anatomies.

An analysis of aortoiliac dimensions among elective and emergency patients for endovascular repair has revealed significant differences among all anatomic variables, except the length from the lowest renal artery to the aortic bifurcation. Given that measurements tended to be greater among emergency patients, health care providers will need to stock different devices in order to effectively treat abdominal aortic aneurysms in both groups.

Acknowledgements: The authors thank Brandy Cochrane for her assistance in constructing the database of elective EVAR patients.

Competing interests: None declared.

Contributors: Dr. Cin� designed the study. Mr. Kilian and Mr. Dang acquired and analyzed the data. Mr. Kilian and Dr. Cin� wrote the article. All authors reviewed the article and approved its publication.

[Reference]

References

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2. Ashton HA, Buxton MJ, Day NE, et al. The Multicentre Aneurysm Screening Study (MASS) into the effect of abdominal aortic aneurysm screening on mortality in men: a randomised controlled trial. Lancet 2002;360:1531-9.

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4. Norman PE, Jamrozik K, Lawrence-Brown MM, et al. Population based randomised controlled trial on impact of screening on mortality from abdominal aortic aneurysm. BMJ 2004;329:1259.

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11. Johnston KW. Nonruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm: six-year follow-up results from the multicenter prospective Canadian aneurysm study. Canadian Society for Vascular Surgery Aneurysm Study Group. J Vasc Surg 1994;20:163-70.

12. Heller JA, Weinberg A, Arons R, et al. Two decades of abdominal aortic aneurysm repair: Have we made any progress? J Vasc Surg 2000; 32: 1091-100.

13. Galland RB. Mortality following elective infrarenal aortic reconstruction: a Joint Vascular Research Group study. Br J Surg 1998;85:633-6.

14. Lawrence PF, Gazak C, Bhirangi L, et al. The epidemiology of surgically repaired aneurysms in the United States. J Vasc Surg 1999; 30: 632-40.

15. Schermerhorn ML, O'Malley AJ, Jhaveri A, et al. Endovascular vs. open repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms in the Medicare population. N Engl J Med 2008;358:464-74.

16. Blankensteijn JD, de Jong SE, Prinssen M, et al. Two-year outcomes after conventional or endovascular repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms. N Engl J Med 2005;352:2398-405.

17. Greenhalgh RM, Brown LC, Kwong GP, et al. Comparison of endovascular aneurysm repair with open repair in patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm (EVAR trial 1), 30-day operative mortality results: randomised controlled trial. Lancet 2004;364:843-8.

18. Prinssen M, Verhoeven EL, Buth J, et al. A randomized trial comparing conventional and endovascular repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms. N Engl J Med 2004;351:1607-18.

19. Brewster DC, Geller SC, Kaufman JA, et al. Initial experience with endovascular aneurysm repair: comparison of early results with outcome of conventional open repair. J Vasc Surg 1998;27:992-1003, discussion 1004-5.

20. Davis M, Taylor PR. Endovascular infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm repair. Heart 2008;94:222-8.

21. Greenhalgh RM, Powell JT. Endovascular repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm. N Engl J Med 2008;358:494-501.

22. Veith FJ, Gargiulo NJ. Endovascular aortic repair should be the gold standard for ruptured AAAs, and all vascular surgeons should be prepared to perform them. Perspect Vasc Surg Endovasc Ther 2007; 19: 275-82.

23. Meijering E. A chronology of interpolation: from ancient astronomy to modern signal and image processing. Proc IEEE 2002;90:319-42.

24. Stanley BM, Semmens JB, Mai Q, et al. Evaluation of patient selection guidelines for endoluminal AAA repair with the Zenith Stent-Graft: the Australasian experience. J Endovasc Ther 2001;8:457-64.

25. Beebe HG, Jackson T, Pigott JP. Aortic aneurysm morphology for planning endovascular aortic grafts: limitations of conventional imaging methods. J Endovasc Surg 1995;2:139-48.

26. Sprouse LR 2nd, Meier GH 3rd, Parent FN, et al. Is three-dimensional computed tomography reconstruction justified before endovascular aortic aneurysm repair? J Vasc Surg 2004;40:443-7.

27. Resch T, Ivancev K, Lindh M, et al. Abdominal aortic aneurysm morphology in candidates for endovascular repair evaluated with spiral computed tomography and digital subtraction angiography. J Endovasc Surg 1999;6:227-32.

28. Wilson WR, Fishwick G, Bell PRF, et al. Suitability of ruptured AAA for endovascular repair. J Endovasc Ther 2004;11:635-40.

29. Lee WA, Huber TS, Hirneise CM, et al. Eligibility rates of ruptured and symptomatic AAA for endovascular repair. J Endovasc Ther 2002; 9: 436-42.

30. Velazquez OC, Woo EY, Carpenter JP, et al. Decreased use of iliac extensions and reduced graft junctions with software-assisted centerline measurements in selection of endograft components for endovascular aneurysm repair. J Vasc Surg 2004;40:222-7.

31. Lal BK, Cerveira JJ, Seidman C, et al. Observer variability of iliac artery measurements in endovascular repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms. Ann Vasc Surg 2004;18:644-52.

32. Aziz I, Lee J, Lee JT, et al. Accuracy of three-dimensional simulation in the sizing of aortic endoluminal devices. Ann Vasc Surg 2003; 17: 129-36.

33. Chuter TA, Green RM, Ouriel K, et al. Infrarenal aortic aneurysm structure: implications for transfemoral repair. J Vasc Surg 1994;20:44-9, discussion 49-50.

34. Wyers MC, Fillinger MF, Schermerhorn ML, et al. Endovascular repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm without preoperative arteriography. J Vasc Surg 2003;38:730-8.

35. Broeders IA, Blankensteijn JD, Olree M, et al. Preoperative sizing of grafts for transfemoral endovascular aneurysm management: a prospective comparative study of spiral CT angiography, arteriography, and conventional CT imaging. J Endovasc Surg 1997;4:252-61.

36. Forbes TL, DeRose G, Kribs SW, et al. Cumulative sum failure analysis of the learning curve with endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair. J Vasc Surg 2004;39:102-8.

[Author Affiliation]

Michael Kilian, BHSc (Hon)

Wilfred Dang, BHSc (Hon)

Claudio S. Cin�, MD

From the Division of Vascular Surgery, St. Michael's Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont.

Accepted for publication

July 13, 2008

Correspondence to:

Dr. C.S. Cin�

Division of Vascular Surgery

University of Toronto

St. Michael's Hospital

55 Queen St. E, #308

Toronto ON MSC 1R6

cinac@smh.toronto.on.ca

CELEBRATING INTERNATIONAL COMPOST AWARENESS WEEK - MAY 2-8, 2004

Throughout the week of May 2 to 8, the designated time for celebrating International Compost Awareness by being resourceful, all forms of organics recycling will be recognized - from backyard composting to large scale projects. In the United Kingdom, the Composting Association is organizing events for the fourth annual campaign with the launch of local authority home composting initiatives, composting equipment sales and community composting workshops. According to chief executive Jane Gilbert, "awareness about the many beneficial properties of making and using composts is rising at all levels across the UK. Composts are becoming an integral part of our drive towards sustainability."

The Composting Council of Canada events include four "National Giveaways" of compost in central parks of London, Cardiff, Edinburgh and Belfast to highlight the benefits of organic resources as soil conditioners and what individuals can do at home." Says executive director Susan Antler: "Our specific aims are to show the public how organic resources can be effectively recycled into compost."

A variety of events are scheduled in the U.S., including field days, compost giveaways and home composting promotions. Details are available at www.compostingcouncil.org.

France meets EU demands on opening electric market

France has agreed to open up its electricity market in line with European Union demands in a deal that its prime minister said should bring greater competition to supply power to the country's biggest industrial users.

In a statement Tuesday, Prime Minister Francois Fillon's office said the reforms would be effective from next July, and would lead to the end of regulated rates for large companies by 2015.

The reforms also will permit competitors to France's state-controlled energy giant Electrite de France SA to buy power from EdF at rates that permit them to resell the electricity competitively, the statement said.

Fillon has written to European Union Competition Commissioner Neelie Kroes and EU Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs to inform them of the planned reforms, so that the European Commission can close its ongoing investigations into France's electricity market.

In March the EU widened a probe in France's fixed electricity prices for large companies, saying it was worried that "artificially low" prices could give these businesses an unfair advantage over rivals elsewhere in Europe.

Regulated electricity prices will remain for households and small businesses, the prime minister's office said.

The probe will not look at prices for households or small companies, the EU said.

Hatred rules father-son relationship in `Character'

CHARACTER (STAR) (STAR) (STAR) 1/2Katadreuffe Fedja van HuetDreverhaven Jan DecleirJoba (mother) Betty ShuurmanDe Gankelaar Victor LowLorna Te George Tamar van den DopJan Maan Hans KestingWritten and directed by Mike van Diem. In Dutch with Englishsubtitles. Running time: 114 minutes. No MPAA rating (sexuality andseaminess; intended for adults). Opening today at the Music Box.`Character" oozes with feelings of spite and revenge that grow upbetween a father and the son he had out of wedlock. It is dark,bitter and fascinating, as all family feuds are - about hatred sodeep that it can only be ended with a knife.

The Dutch winner of this year's Academy Award as best foreignfilm, it involves the character of Dreverhaven (Jan Decleir), a loneand stony bailiff who exacts stern measures on the poor. One day,and one day only, he enters the room of his housekeeper, Joba (BettyShuurman). That visit leads to a pregnancy. The man doesn't sendhis housekeeper into disgrace and abandonment, as we might expect;she freely chooses such a state, preferring it to the prospect ofbecoming Dreverhaven's wife. "When is our wedding?" the stern mandemands of her, from time to time, but she does not answer.The boy is named Katadreuffe (Fedja van Huet). In school he istaunted as a bastard, and his mother is shouted at in the streets.He grows up with a deep hatred for his father. We learn all of thisin flashbacks; the film opens with a confrontation between father andson, and with reasons to suspect that the boy is guilty of hisfather's murder.The film is based on a 1938 novel by Ferdinand Bordewijk. Itevokes some of the darker episodes of Dickens and also, in its focuson the grind of poverty and illegitimacy, reflects the twistedstories of family secrets by that grim Victorian, George Gissing. Itis essentially the story of a young man growing up and making good,by pluck and intelligence, but all of his success comes out of thedesire to spite his father."Today I have been made a lawyer. You no longer exist for me!You have worked against me all my life," he tells his father in theopening scene. "Or for you," the father replies. For reasonsconcealed in his own past, he believes that to spare the rod is tospoil the child, and indeed calls in a loan just three days beforethe son's final examinations, apparently hoping to cause him to fail."Why don't you leave our boy in peace?" Joba asks Dreverhaven in oneof their rare meetings. "I'll strangle him for nine-tenths, and thelast tenth will make him strong," the old man replies.The film is set in Rotterdam, in sets and streets suggesting itsgloomy turn-of-the-century shadows; I was reminded of "M" and otherGerman Expressionist films in which the architecture sneers at thecharacters. The boy finds work in a law firm, rises to the post ofoffice manager and even falls in love, with Lorna Te George (Tamarvan den Dop). She perhaps likes him, too, but he is so mired inself-abasement that he cannot declare his love, and he bitterly lookson as she keeps company with another man from the office. When heencounters her in a park some years later, he tells her, "I shallnever marry anyone else. I have never forgotten you." For a manlike him, masochistic denial is preferable to happiness.The film is filled with sharply seen characters, includingKatadreuffe's friend, an odd-looking man with an overshot lower jaw,who tries to feed him common sense. There are scenes of trulyDickensian detail, as when the father evicts a family from quarterswhere the rent has not been paid - going so far as to carry theirdying mother into the streets himself. (He says she's faking it; hehas a good eye.)The opening scenes, which seem to show a murder, provide theframe, as the young man is cross-examined by the police. The closingscenes provide all the answers, in a way, although there is a lotmore about old Dreverhaven we would like to know, including how anyshreds of goodness and decency can survive in the harsh ground of hissoul.

Stimulus could save ailing arts center in Midtown Harrisburg

DAUPHIN COUNTY

The Harrisburg Midtown Arts Center is in financial straits, but a federal stimulus incentive could put the project on track for an August completion, co-owners of the center said.

HMAC last year defaulted on a $667,000 mortgage with Susquehanna Bank, according to legal papers filed by Susquehanna in Dauphin County Court.

But the owners still plan to open two music halls, an art gallery, film office/studio, restaurant, community pool and retail area for musicians to sell merchandise, said lohn Traynor, a co-owner of the facility at 1110 N. Third St. Traynor said he and the other owners have put more than $1 million of their own money into the project because they believe in the Harrisburg arts community.

On April 6, the Dauphin County commissioners gave the owners another chance to finish the arts and music centerwhen they approveda$2.2 million tax-exempt bond incentive for the project.

The bond allocation is enough to finish the project, and now Susquehanna is willing to refinance its loan with HMAC, said K. Jameson Lawrence, an investment banker who helped put the deal together and became a co-owner of the center in February. Susquehanna had issued HMACs owners a sheriff sale's notice earlier this year, but onApril 14, the bankpostponed the sale, according to records obtained from the Dauphin County prothonotary's office.

Traynor announced the project in early 2007, and it was to open in the fall that year. HMAC is in the former Police Athletic Building, the original part of which dates to the mid- 19th century.

Ballooning costs delayed the project substantially, he said. For example, the partners had estimated it would cost between $75,000 and $125,000 to install an elevator in HMAC, but it will cost $270,000, Traynor said. The owners also have to spend extra money to maintain architectural standards enforced by the city's historic district.

Originally, the owners thought the project would cost $2 million, but it will be more than $4 million, he said. The arts center will not only be ahub for the arts, itwill provide sorely needed jobs in the community, he said. Traynor said HMAC will employ between 40 and 60 people.

To take advantage of the stimulus tax savings, earlier this month the commissioners declared the county a recovery zone, which gave the county the power to dole out roughly $3.2 million in taxexempt bond opportunities to private entities such as HMAC.

The commissioners gave HMAC 120 days to obtain bonds, said August "Skip" Memmi, executive director of the Dauphin County Department of Community & Economic Development. If HMAC doesn't get the bond(s) within the 120 days, then the allocation goes back to the county, he said.

"At the end of the day, all the county commissioners did is to see if there is anyone willing to borrow $2.2 million in taxable bonds," Memmi said.

HMAC owners are shopping the bond market in search of $2.2 million in tax-exempt bonds, which means whoever loans the $2.2 million to the owners can do so without paying federal taxes on the bond issue, Lawrence said. The lenders also can write down the bond issue on their taxes. These incentives make the bonds extremely attractive in the market, he said.

"That is a huge savings to (lenders)," Lawrence said.

Lenders of tax-exempt bonds often give borrowers a reduced interest rate because of the exemptions they receive, said Lawrence, CEO and managing member of Baltimore-based investment banking firm BVFR & Associates. The firm also has an office in Lemoyne, Cumberland County.

The federal government allocated to Pennsylvania $331 million in stimulus incentives, known as Recovery Zone Facility Bonds. The state Department of Community and Economic Development allocated the facility bonds to municipalities based on unemployment calculations.

Municipalities with 100,000 or more residents qualify for the bonds. The federal government also allocated to the state tax-exempt economic development bonds for nonprofit organizations. The federal government issued $15 billion in recovery bonds nationwide, Lawrence said.

The facility bonds only can be used to start and finish projects. They cannot be used to pay down debt and must be allocated to shovel-ready projects by the end of the year. This means a project should be identified by July to realistically make it shovel-ready by Dec. 31, Lawrence said. Municipalities that don't use their allocations can transfer their incentives to other municipalities, he said. Projects have to be finished within three years.

Dauphin County gave most of its allocation to HMAC because it was the only private company to approach the county and it is a project that would add to the burgeoning Third Street corridor in Harrisburg and to the county's arts and culture environment, DiFrancesco said.

HMAC is talking with three banks who are interested, Lawrence said. He would not disclose who they are.

Lawrence said he became interested in the project after he visited HMACs Stage on Herr for the first time in December. Stage on Herr is the only wing of the facility that is open. It opened last year and is a bar and music venue that also serves as an art gallery. Stage on Herr hosts an eclectic array of local and national acts. Lawrence, Traynor, Gary Bartlett and Chuck London now own the center.

"I saw lawyers, politicians and bartenders all enjoying conversation and enjoying live music. I thoughtitwasafluke,butwhenI went back, itwas the same," Lawrence said. "I saw an interesting, diverse vibe. That's what excited me. It felt like being in New York, downtown Baltimore or the art district in Philly. Harrisburg is a capital city and deserves no less."

[Author Affiliation]

BY ERIC VERONIKIS

ericv@journalpub.com

Monforts Improves Fabric Finish With "DynAir 6500"

The "DynAir" relaxation dryer from A. Monforts Textilmaschinen GmbH & Co. KG offers improved performance, possible 'yellowing' elimination during treatment of nylon and elastane-based fabrics, an innovative door opening system, automatic filter cleaning, integral exhaust system and indirect heating.

In addition to improved performance, enhanced energy savings and reduced maintenance requirements are assured with the "DynAir" relaxation dryer.

The dryer is suitable for the finishing of woven and knitted fabrics in open width or tubular form and can transport up to seven fabric webs side by side through its treatment chamber without any of the webs touching each other.

An injection nozzle system ensures a continuous aerodynamic tumbler effect for assured pulse dynamics operation, in addition to the system generating the initial sine wave effect.

The advantages of the "DynAir" system include exceptional residual shrinkage factors with high reproductivity and outstanding shape retention without the use of chemicals.

Unlike competitive systems, the "DynAir" dryer has no moving mechanical parts or beating devices for the conveyor belt to achieve the shrinkage values required. Minimum maintenance has been our long standing requirement.

The "DynAir 6500" dryer offers superior relaxing and shrinking results in both warp and weft direction as it briefly loosens the thread crossing points.

The relaxation dryer can be controlled by any of Monforts control systems, "Qualitex 320", "540" or "750", which provide visualization and operation information via a large touch-screen monitor.

Exhaust ducts are integrated inside the "DynAir". This looks neater than conventional external systems, takes up less space overhead, and minimizes ductwork installation costs and installation time.

The latest "CADstream Mega" nozzles can increase production by 10-30% compared with older type "CADstream" nozzles. The latest nozzles have been especially developed to increase evaporation capacity for the "DynAir" dryer, offering more gentle drying of open width or tubular knitted fabrics.

Access to the inside of the machine is via pneumatically-operated "Lift-O-Matic" doors that open upwards and downwards at the press of a button. No tools are required and there is no need to leave additional space alongside walkways for the doors to open. To prevent noise and heat from escaping, all machine covers and the doors are lined with 150 mm of insulation.

Circulating Air Filter

The "DynAir" also includes the "Conticlean" circulating lint filter as an option. The high pressure cleaning system maintains a constantly high drying capacity by automatically removing lint/fluff from the rotating filter. The result is lower energy consumption and less manual cleaning.

Another feature available for the "DynAir" is the "Exxotherm" indirect gas heating system, which eliminates possible yellowing during treatment of nylon and elastane-based fabrics by preventing combustion gases from corning into contact with the fabric. Cheaper to install and more efficient than circulating oil heated ranges, "Exxotherm" offers higher thermal energy recovery potential.

"hi-E"

A new high-efficiency cycle ("??") package of energy saving benefits endorses Monforts commitment to providing the textile industry with the lowest energy consumption together with improved levels of efficiency and production.

In a bid to reduce energy costs, Monforts has introduced its "M-E" package of benefits for "DynAir", which include "Twin Air", "CADstream", "Conticlean", new fan motors with Effl classification and its energy saving "Lift-O-Matic" doors.

Hatred boils over in melting pot

Stupid political ads may be among the most egalitarian of democraticinstitutions.

Stupidity affects both parties, equally.

About a month ago I began to see a Republican ad on televisionthat tried to portray Mexicans as the bogeyman of the 1996presidential election.

The commercial portrayed what seemed like hordes of illegalimmigrants climbing over the fence separating the United States fromMexico.

It was clear from the images that these "illegals" were ofHispanic origin. Even though there are Polish, Irish and Chineseillegal immigrants, not one of the figures climbing the fence lookedlike Boris, Sven, Natalia or Sean.

The thunderous Republican voice in the background explained thescene. The Clinton administration was doing nothing to prevent theillegal immigrants from invading our neighborhoods, taking our jobs,living on the dole and filling our streets with terror, said thevoice.

Leave it to the Democrats to screw it up.

"Yes, we are!" was the Clinton campaign's response TV ads.

"We've done more to throw out these pesky, dark-skinned heathensthan any other administration in history," the TV ad proudly seemedto say.

The images in the Democratic ad show border patrol agentsrounding up a bunch of people with the intent of sending them backwhere they came from.

And none of them looked like Boris, Sven, Natalia and Sean.

As an American, I am offended. I am offended because thesepolitical soap sellers think so little of the American people'sintellect that they really believe the racist, anti-Hispanic messageis subliminal and subtle.

It wasn't. It was racist and it aimed at the fears of Americansborn here that our social and economic ills are caused by the darkerskin of the hordes coming over the fence.

It was the same way that Benjamin Franklin once complained thatthe German immigrants settling in Pennsylvania were lazy and smelledbad.

And the same way complaints were voiced about the hordes ofIrish people coming to this country in the 1840s and 1850s.

And the way all Italians coming here around the turn of thecentury were portrayed as Mafiosos.

And the way Russians, Polish and other Eastern Europeans wereportrayed as heroin addicts, rapists and anarchists when they filledthe tenements of New York's lower East Side.

And the way "concern" was expressed about the northernmigrations of African Americans from the rural South in search ofjobs and life opportunity in the industrial Midwest.

The Republicans' and Democrats' anti-Mexican commercials did notplay very well in Chicago.

I have a theory about this: Since our westward movement was inoverlapping stages, the farther west we go, the more removed peopleare from their ancestors' generational arrival in America.

The little old ladies in Pasadena, and the sun-baked gods andgoddesses who spend the day surfing on Santa Monica beach are - morethan likely - fifth-, sixth- or seventh-generation Americans whoforgot that their great-great-grandparent was named Sven, Griselda,Boris or Sean.

But in Chicago, almost everyone has a browning photo hanging onthe wall of a grandfather in a bowler hat with his arm around a womanin a long, old-country dress as they got off the boat that broughtthem here.

And when we see the picture and remember them, we do not callthem illegals, undocumented or burdens.

We simply call them grandma or grandpa.

Jorge Oclander is a Chicago Sun-Times staff reporter.

Poll: Schwarzenegger image tanks after revelation

SACRAMENTO, California (AP) — Arnold Schwarzenegger's popularity was nose-diving as he left office last year and has sunk even further in the wake of revelations that he fathered a child with his housekeeper.

A Field Poll released Friday found that 75 percent of registered voters have an unfavorable opinion of the former governor, while 20 percent view him favorably. He is particularly unpopular in his home county of Los Angeles, where just 10 percent of voters approve of him.

The poll found that just 17 percent of women and 15 percent of Hispanics view him favorably.

Schwarzenegger acknowledged last month that he fathered a now-13-year-old son with his former housekeeper.

The telephone survey of 472 registered voters was conducted June 3 through 13 and has a margin of sampling error of 4.6 percentage points.

Griese Lifts Bears With Last Second TD

PHILADELPHIA - Don't count out the Bears quite yet.

Desperately needing a victory to stay in the NFC hunt, Chicago's Brian Griese connected with Mushin Muhammed for 15-yard touchdown pass with 9 seconds left to lift the Bears to a 19-16 win over the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday night.

The Bears didn't even need Devin Hester to bail them out of jam with an explosive return. Instead, the final, thrilling drive was all Griese.

The Bears (3-4) were pinned on the 3-yard line with 1 minute, 57 seconds left and trailing 16-12. Griese completed a series of short passes over the middle that got the Bears quickly gaining yards after nearly 58 minutes of nothing but stagnant football.

Hester, the dynamic kick returner, had been shut down on special teams and was a non-factor on offense until Griese found him for a 21-yard gain that brought Chicago to the 15 of Philadelphia (2-4).

Griese spiked the ball to stop the clock and found Muhammed on second down for the winning score.

Fed issues consent orders

Consent orders of assessments of civil money penalties have been issued by the Federal Reserve Board against three banks. The institutions, without admitting to any allegations, consented to the issuance of the orders in connection with alleged violations of the regulations implementing the National Hood Insurance Act.

Midwest BankCentre, Lemay, Mo., was ordered to pay $2,450; First Interstate Bank, Billings, Mont., to pay $15,750; and HomeFederal Bank, Columbus, Ind., to pay $57,250. The money penalties are to be remitted to the Federal Emergency Management Agency for deposit into the National Flood Mitigation Fund.

HOLTON HEARS A WHA'?

Cope critiques a critic

The following is a letter I received in response to the column "The Never-Ending 9/11" (BW, Opinion, Sept. 7, 2011):

Sept. 11, 2011/Editors, Boise Weekly/ He is loose again!/ Bill Cope is out of his cage./ Do something!!!!/ He calls our leaders liars, but offer isic] no proof or evidence of lies./ He calls our leaders criminals, but sites [sic] no laws broken./ He calls our leaders inept, but cannot deny all decisions were made with the best intentions./ He can write a whole article on 9/1 1 and does not blame bin Laden, or al-Qaida, or the Taliban, or even Saddam Hussein for the evil in this world./ He prefers to blame us, and he seems to enjoy it./ Cive him a new job like delivering papers.

At the bottom was scrawled the single name "Holton." No other personal information was provided.

If you don't know what I wrote that has Holton so fired up, you can find that column on BWs website. For your convenience, I would reprint the whole thing here, today. But were I to rerun that entire column, it would leave no room for either Holton 's letter or what I intend to say about Holton's letter. You can see that, can't you?)

I once again admit a mistake in "The Never-Ending 9/1 1 " that still has me embarrassed. I was about 1 million percent sure that the attack came on a Thursday. There was no question in my mind, not until my error was pointed out in a nice note from a Philadelphia fellow visiting Boise. Even then, I was ready to email back and insist 9/11/01 was a Thursday. Good thing I checked. Gad, for a while there, you could have boiled water on my cheeks.

But that blunder isn't what has Holton upset, and from the tone of his letter, I'm pretty certain that had he caught the error himself, he wouldn't have been shy about mentioning it. No, Holton had other concerns, insinuating ("... Cope is out of his cage") that I am either a dangerous animal, insane, a convict or all of the above. I am not much bothered by this sort of contrived mockery. It's typical of a certain strain of humor that is A) usually lifted from other sources as some people find it impossible to come up with anything original to say themselves, and B) isn't funny anyway, therefore making the insulter look even more foolish than the insult�e.

It was what followed that lame opening that convinced me I could get another column - this column - out of the letter. You see, I have always trusted my readers to be generally informed. Most of the people I know (and from what I can gather, most of the people they know) are at least moderately aware of the events, the lowdown, the rumors, the facts, the scuttlebutt, the info - in short, the news - that seeps into one's brain as we stumble through the days. I rely on that commonalty of awareness when I write these columns. I would not be doing this if I felt I had to backfill every remark with every possible component that led to me making that remark. In other words, don't count on me to bring you up to date. I have a responsibility to layer a perspective over what we already know. You, dear reader, have a responsibility to know a thing or two.

It is precisely that responsibility (to know something) that Holton seems to have neglected. For instance, he says "[Cope] calls our leaders liars." No, no, no, Holton, not "our leaders" as a generic group. I assumed anyone reading that piece would know it was George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld . . . that whole foul mob ... that I called liars. I also assumed readers would be at least peripherally aware that the lies and misrepresentations have been documented extensively, often from people within that administration.

And Holton, when you insist no laws were broken, evidently you never heard of the Valerie Piarne affair or the hubbub over habeas corpus and torture, to mention just a fraction of the illegal activity. Or when you scold me for calling those bums incompetent and make the excuse that "all decisions were made with the best intentions," you must explain whose "best intentions" were served by fabricating evidence against Iraq when everyone but the Fox dopes knew that regime had nothing to do with 9/11? Or dumping billions of dollars down the craphole of private contractor fraud, waste and theft ... for whom was that intended to be best?

My point being, Holton, the history you missed has been known to most of us for years now. Perhaps if you read any one of the books dealing with the violations of law, morality and public trust - I'd start with The Eleventh Day by Anthony Summers and Robbyn Swan - it might bring you up somewhat closer to speed.

Now, as to the accusation I blamed us instead of bin Laden, et al, for the evil, I believe you misread the column, Holton. I reread it carefully, just to make certain that out of the two of us, it wasn't me who has his head up his ass, and I could find no substance to what you say I said. I did say there were Americans who took shameful advantage of the opportunity that 9/11 presented. But never did I blame us for that power grab and profiteering. J didn't do it. None of my friends did it. No one I respect did it.

Finally, as to me getting a different job at BW - you suggested I be reassigned to delivering papers - I checked with my bosses and they assured me they are content that I continue doing what I've done since I started writing these opinions - i.e., delivering readers. And Holton, here in the early stages of the current campaign to decide the nation's future, I need to thank you for giving me yet another opportunity to remind those readers what a nightmare we were dragged into the last time we chose people who knew so little to lead the way.

HOLTON HEARS A WHA'?

Cope critiques a critic

The following is a letter I received in response to the column "The Never-Ending 9/11" (BW, Opinion, Sept. 7, 2011):

Sept. 11, 2011/Editors, Boise Weekly/ He is loose again!/ Bill Cope is out of his cage./ Do something!!!!/ He calls our leaders liars, but offer isic] no proof or evidence of lies./ He calls our leaders criminals, but sites [sic] no laws broken./ He calls our leaders inept, but cannot deny all decisions were made with the best intentions./ He can write a whole article on 9/1 1 and does not blame bin Laden, or al-Qaida, or the Taliban, or even Saddam Hussein for the evil in this world./ He prefers to blame us, and he seems to enjoy it./ Cive him a new job like delivering papers.

At the bottom was scrawled the single name "Holton." No other personal information was provided.

If you don't know what I wrote that has Holton so fired up, you can find that column on BWs website. For your convenience, I would reprint the whole thing here, today. But were I to rerun that entire column, it would leave no room for either Holton 's letter or what I intend to say about Holton's letter. You can see that, can't you?)

I once again admit a mistake in "The Never-Ending 9/1 1 " that still has me embarrassed. I was about 1 million percent sure that the attack came on a Thursday. There was no question in my mind, not until my error was pointed out in a nice note from a Philadelphia fellow visiting Boise. Even then, I was ready to email back and insist 9/11/01 was a Thursday. Good thing I checked. Gad, for a while there, you could have boiled water on my cheeks.

But that blunder isn't what has Holton upset, and from the tone of his letter, I'm pretty certain that had he caught the error himself, he wouldn't have been shy about mentioning it. No, Holton had other concerns, insinuating ("... Cope is out of his cage") that I am either a dangerous animal, insane, a convict or all of the above. I am not much bothered by this sort of contrived mockery. It's typical of a certain strain of humor that is A) usually lifted from other sources as some people find it impossible to come up with anything original to say themselves, and B) isn't funny anyway, therefore making the insulter look even more foolish than the insult�e.

It was what followed that lame opening that convinced me I could get another column - this column - out of the letter. You see, I have always trusted my readers to be generally informed. Most of the people I know (and from what I can gather, most of the people they know) are at least moderately aware of the events, the lowdown, the rumors, the facts, the scuttlebutt, the info - in short, the news - that seeps into one's brain as we stumble through the days. I rely on that commonalty of awareness when I write these columns. I would not be doing this if I felt I had to backfill every remark with every possible component that led to me making that remark. In other words, don't count on me to bring you up to date. I have a responsibility to layer a perspective over what we already know. You, dear reader, have a responsibility to know a thing or two.

It is precisely that responsibility (to know something) that Holton seems to have neglected. For instance, he says "[Cope] calls our leaders liars." No, no, no, Holton, not "our leaders" as a generic group. I assumed anyone reading that piece would know it was George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld . . . that whole foul mob ... that I called liars. I also assumed readers would be at least peripherally aware that the lies and misrepresentations have been documented extensively, often from people within that administration.

And Holton, when you insist no laws were broken, evidently you never heard of the Valerie Piarne affair or the hubbub over habeas corpus and torture, to mention just a fraction of the illegal activity. Or when you scold me for calling those bums incompetent and make the excuse that "all decisions were made with the best intentions," you must explain whose "best intentions" were served by fabricating evidence against Iraq when everyone but the Fox dopes knew that regime had nothing to do with 9/11? Or dumping billions of dollars down the craphole of private contractor fraud, waste and theft ... for whom was that intended to be best?

My point being, Holton, the history you missed has been known to most of us for years now. Perhaps if you read any one of the books dealing with the violations of law, morality and public trust - I'd start with The Eleventh Day by Anthony Summers and Robbyn Swan - it might bring you up somewhat closer to speed.

Now, as to the accusation I blamed us instead of bin Laden, et al, for the evil, I believe you misread the column, Holton. I reread it carefully, just to make certain that out of the two of us, it wasn't me who has his head up his ass, and I could find no substance to what you say I said. I did say there were Americans who took shameful advantage of the opportunity that 9/11 presented. But never did I blame us for that power grab and profiteering. J didn't do it. None of my friends did it. No one I respect did it.

Finally, as to me getting a different job at BW - you suggested I be reassigned to delivering papers - I checked with my bosses and they assured me they are content that I continue doing what I've done since I started writing these opinions - i.e., delivering readers. And Holton, here in the early stages of the current campaign to decide the nation's future, I need to thank you for giving me yet another opportunity to remind those readers what a nightmare we were dragged into the last time we chose people who knew so little to lead the way.