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NEW YORK (Reuters) –
Viacom Inc. (VIAb.N) quarterly profit breezed past expectations as consumers set aside money worries to scoop up the new Beatles video game and buy tickets for box-office hits like "Transformers" and "G.I. Joe."

Cost-cutting also helped Viacom, which overcame a continued slump in advertising sales that has hurt the entire media industry, as corporations have held back on rolling out big, new television campaigns.

Overall, Viacom, which runs a host of media businesses including MTV, Comedy Central and the Paramount movie studio, said on Tuesday that profit rose to $463 million, or 76 cents a share, from $401 million, or 65 cents a share, in the same period a year ago.

Adjusted earnings totaled 69 cents per share, well ahead of the 57 cents per share analysts had expected.

While Viacom is not as dependent on advertising as some other media companies -- such as corporate sibling CBS Corp (CBS.N) -- it still gets about 30 percent of annual revenue from ads. In the third quarter, U.S. advertising revenue fell 4 percent, while worldwide advertising revenue dropped 5 percent.

A solid quarter at the box office from Paramount helped make up for the tough advertising environment. While DVD sales slumped, pulling worldwide home entertainment revenue down 21 percent, consumers showed a willingness to hit the movie theaters during the summer months.

"Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" and "G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra" jump-started Paramount's box office totals. Worldwide theatrical revenue rose 16 percent in the quarter.

The company also cited "strong" sales of the new video game "The Beatles: Rock Band," though it did not break out figures for the game in its quarterly earnings release.

Still, overall revenue fell 3 percent to $3.32 billion, largely in line with the $3.3 billion expected from analysts polled by Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.

As a result, the company banked heavily on cost-cutting during the quarter. Total expenses drop nearly 7 percent to $2.53 billion.

(Reporting by Paul Thomasch; Editing by Derek Caney, Dave Zimmerman)

LONDON (AFP) –
The government is to force state-rescued banks RBS and Lloyds Banking Group to sell assets in a massive shake-up of the banking sector but will support them with 30 billion pounds, the goverment said on Tuesday.

The government expects new banks to be born as a result of the break-ups which are the result of pressure from EU competition authorities.

The parts being separated from the parent groups add up to about 10 percent of the country's troubled retail banking market.

In return for more state aid, Lloyds and Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) will have to cut bonuses paid to top staff and increase lending to recession-struck businesses and individuals.

Lloyds announced that it would launch a record 13.5-billion-pound rights issue. This represents the country's biggest-ever sale of new shares to existing shareholders.

Tuesday's announcement meanwhile comes one week after the European Commission approved the state aid in plans to break up and sell nationalised bank Northern Rock.

"Today will be the day that we see the beginning of the greatest changes in UK high street banking ever," said senior trader Manoj Ladwa at ETX Capital.

"The creation of three new banks, dramatic divestments from both Lloyds and in particularly RBS, mammoth fund raising for both banks including the British taxpayer dipping into their pocket."

Prime Minister Gordon Brown said the shake-up would create competition and place the two banks on a more solid footing.

"I believe at the end of the day the banks will be paying money to the British public and not the other way round," Brown said.

Despite pumping 30 billion pounds into the two banks, Tuesday's move means that the taxpayer's exposure has been cut by more than 300 billion pounds, finance minister Alistair Darling added.

This is largely because of Lloyds' decision not to participate in the toxic asset protection scheme.

"To promote greater competition in UK banking, and meet EU state aid rules, the banks will... be required to make divestments of significant parts of their businesses over the next four years," the Treasury said in a statement.

The country's biggest retailer, supermarket giant Tesco and Richard Branson's Virgin Group are rumoured to be interested in expanding their own banking services.

"We are going to see at least three new banks operating on the British high street in the next four years and that is very good news for the British taxpayer, the British consumer," Treasury Minister Paul Myners told the BBC.

Under the plans, the state will pump 25.5 billion pounds into Royal Bank of Scotland, which in turn will place 282 billion pounds of high-risk debts into the government's toxic asset insurance scheme -- lower than originally planned.

As a result of the move, the state's economic interest in RBS will climb to 84 percent. In addition, RBS will have access to a contingency fund of eight billion pounds.

In trading here, RBS shares plunged 8.52 percent to 35.36 pence on the FTSE 100 index of leading companies, which was down 2.20 percent.

Lloyds stock rose briefly as the group also said that a record rights issue would allow it to avoid the state's toxic asset insurance plan -- but it will pay a 2.5-billion-pound break fee.

The government said it would take part and maintain its 43-percent stake in Lloyds.

Royal Bank of Scotland will sell its RBS-branded branches in England and Wales, and NatWest branches in Scotland, as well as its Churchill and Direct Line insurance division and parts of its investment banking arm.

Ahead of Tuesday's announcement, RBS had revealed on Monday that it would axe about 3,700 jobs across its retail operations.

Lloyds Banking Group added on Tuesday that it would offload Lloyds branches in Scotland, its Cheltenham & Gloucester branches, and the Intelligent Finance online unit.

"UK consumers will in theory enjoy increased choice and lower pricing, while rivals such as HSBC will be glad to see their rivals paying for their mistakes," said analyst Keith Bowman at Hargreaves Lansdown stockbrokers.

The Treasury has reached agreement "in principle" with EU Competition Commissioner Neelie Kroes over the restructuring.

Regulatory authorities are concerned that such state-backed banks have an unfair advantage over other institutions which weathered the global financial storm without government aid, such as Barclays and HSBC.

Lighting is the deliberate application of light to achieve some aesthetic or practical effect. Lighting includes use of both artificial light sources such as lamps and natural illumination of interiors from daylight. Daylighting (through windows, skylights, etc.) is often used as the main source of light during daytime in buildings given its low cost. Artificial lighting represents a major component of energy consumption, accounting for a significant part of all energy consumed worldwide.

Artificial lighting is most commonly provided today by electric lights, but gas lighting, candles, or oil lamps were used in the past, and still are used in certain situations. Proper lighting can enhance task performance or aesthetics, while there can be energy wastage and adverse health effects of lighting. Indoor lighting is a form of fixture or furnishing, and a key part of interior design. Lighting can also be an intrinsic component of landscaping.

LED Rope Light

http://www.jakenmedical.com/

The mammalian heart is derived from embryonic mesoderm germ-layer cells that differentiate after gastrulation into mesothelium, endothelium, and myocardium. Mesothelial pericardium forms the inner lining of the heart. The outer lining of the heart, lymphatic and blood vessels develop from endothelium. Myocardium develops into heart muscle.

Birds and mammals show complete separation of the heart into two pumps, for a total of four heart chambers; it is thought that the four-chambered heart of birds evolved independently from that of mammals.

SAN FRANCISCO, Nov 2 (New America Media) - Ten months ago, I was kicked out of the Army. My crime? I refused to
continue violating my integrity and told a superior officer I was gay.
My nine years in the military, including four years as a cadet at West
Point and almost two years deployed to Iraq where I was awarded the
Bronze star, came to an abrupt end when the Army discharged me under
the "don't ask, don't tell" policy.

Like most gays and lesbians serving in the military -- and make no
mistake, there are a lot of them, I had no interest in broadcasting my
private life in the barracks. I simply didn't want being honest about
who I am to jeopardize my ability to continue serving my country
honorably.

My fellow members of the LGBT community are right to feel that now is
the time for President Barack Obama to fulfill his campaign promise to
end "don't ask, don't tell." Never has public support for repealing the
ban been higher, with 7 out of 10 adults supporting repeal, according
to the latest Gallup poll.

While popular support is important, what's more interesting is the
clear shift in opinion and tone coming from Pentagon officials.

Last Sunday, Secretary of the Army John McHugh told the Army Times the
military was ready to end "don't ask, don't tell." With his statement,
he joined other senior military leaders who have indicated that openly
gay soldiers will not jeopardize military readiness, as opponents
suggest.

McHugh's comments are consistent with those of Chairman of the Joint
Chiefs Admiral Mike Mullen who on multiple occasions has stated the
military was prepared to carry out whatever decision Congress and the
president make on the policy. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates has
gone even further by stating a more "humane" policy should be put in
place. The time for repeal is now.

The statements made by these senior leaders are reflective of the
attitude of today's military. I know this because I've seen it first
hand, and that is why I feel so strongly that the military's policy
should reflect this reality.

Many opponents of repeal are individuals whose days in the military
ended long ago or others who are morally opposed to homosexuality in
any context. They consistently fail to grasp the growing cultural
sensitivity and general open mindedness of a younger generation of
servicemen and women. Further, they fail to recognize the tremendous
contributions that gay and lesbian soldiers make on the front lines in
battle or the critical skills they put to use everyday in defense of
our country.

Most of those who support repeal recognize how foolish it is to spend
$400 million investigating and discharging highly skilled troops who
want to serve their country. This is especially mind-boggling when
America is engaged in two wars. They also recognize that dozens of our
allies, including the UK, Australia, Canada and Israel, have allowed
gays and lesbians to serve openly with no discernable impact on
readiness, unit cohesion, or morale.

At the Human Rights Campaign annual dinner in Washington, D.C., Obama
again promised to bring an end to the discriminatory and outdated
policy of "don't ask, don't tell." That end will not come unless the
president replaces powerful words with bold action. It is now time for
the president, Congress, and our military to join with the majority of
Americans who believe this policy is not only unjust but also
unpatriotic.

» Discuss this article on NewAmericaMedia.org

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PHILADELPHIA – Chase Utley ripped a no-doubt-about-it shot to right, put his head down and ran around the bases so quickly he nearly passed Jimmy Rollins and Shane Victorino.
Even in the World Series, Utley doesn't pause to admire his homers. He's had plenty of opportunities, too, connecting five times to tie Reggie Jackson's record set in 1977 with the Yankees.
Another big swing from Utley got the Philadelphia Phillies started, and they broke out of their hitting funk in an 8-6 victory over the New York Yankees in Game 5 on Monday night.
Utley hit a three-run shot off A.J. Burnett in the first inning and a solo homer off Phil Coke in the seventh, becoming the second player to have two multihomer games in a World Series. Willie Aikens did it for Kansas City against the Phillies in 1980.
Coming in, Utley didn't have a hit in the Series off any pitcher except CC Sabathia. He had an RBI double and three solo homers off the big lefty, including two in the opener.
Trying to become the seventh team to ever rally from a 3-1 deficit in the World Series, the Phillies forced the first Game 6 since the Florida Marlins beat the Yankees in six in 2003. The Series resumes in New York on Wednesday night.
The defending champs weren't going to let the Yankees celebrate in their house.
With Cliff Lee on the mound, it didn't seem the Phillies would need many runs. Lee has been dominant in the postseason. He came in with a dazzling 0.54 ERA in four starts.
Pitching on regular rest, Lee didn't have his best stuff. He allowed five runs in seven-plus innings, but the offense bailed him out and the left-hander improved to 4-0 in the playoffs.
If the Phillies force a seventh game, Lee could be out there again on just two days' rest Thursday. It would be his turn to throw a side session, and manager Charlie Manuel has said he'll probably use him for a few innings.
Utley and the rest of the slumping big Philadelphia boppers made sure that possibility still exists.
Raul Ibanez, who was just 3 for 16 in the Series, hit a solo homer and RBI single. Rollins had two hits and Jayson Werth had a key RBI single and was robbed of extra bases by center fielder Brett Gardner.
After New York jumped to a 1-0 lead on a RBI double by Alex Rodriguez in the first, the Phils answered in their half.
Rollins led off with a single and Victorino took a fastball off his hand after squaring to bunt. Victorino went down in pain, but got up and stayed in until the eighth. X-rays on his finger were negative, according to Fox.
Utley hit Burnett's next pitch — a 94 mph fastball — over the right-field fence to give the Phillies a 3-1 lead. He circled the bases so quickly that he rounded third before Rollins and Victorino had even crossed the plate.
The All-Star second baseman is too old-school to flip his bat, stand at the plate, jog slowly or doing anything flashy.
Utley got things going in the third with a leadoff walk. He stole second before Ryan Howard walked. Werth lined an RBI single and Ibanez singled in another run, chasing Burnett. Carlos Ruiz hit a fielder's choice grounder to knock in the sixth run.
Burnett pitched a gem against the Phillies in Game 2, allowing one run and four hits in seven innings of a 3-1 victory. He frustrated Philadelphia with a biting curveball and many hitters took first-pitch strikes.

The Phillies came out swinging this time.

Jackson hit five homers for the Yankees the '77 Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Mr. October had three in New York's clinching victory in Game 6.

After Utley went deep off Coke, Howard struck out for the 12th time in the Series, tying Willie Wilson's record. Wilson struck out 12 times against the Phillies in 1980. Tug McGraw fanned Wilson for the final out to secure Philadelphia's first championship.

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras – The leadership of Honduras' Congress will meet Tuesday to begin consideration of an accord that could reinstate ousted President Manuel Zelaya, but no date has been set for bringing the issue to the floor.
Congressman Carlos Lara Watson told HRN Radio late Monday that he and other legislative leaders would decide when to submit the measure to the full Congress for debate. He said the leaders also would consult the courts and prosecutors.
Under the U.S.-brokered pact, lawmakers must decide on whether Zelaya should serve the remaining three months of his term, a decision that could end the country's debilitating, 4-month-old political crisis.
Congressional president Jose Alfredo Saavedra said earlier Monday he would not be rushed despite calls from diplomats not to delay the vote. He said he wanted to consult first with the Supreme Court, which ordered Zelaya's June 28 ouster.
"Once congressional leaders understand the reach of the pact, once they understand its dynamics, then we'll decide what path to follow," Saavedra told HRN radio.
While the legislature backed Zelaya's ouster, congressional leaders have since said they won't stand in the way of an agreement that ends Honduras' diplomatic isolation and legitimizes a presidential election planned for Nov. 29.
The international community has threatened to not recognize the vote if Zelaya is not reinstated.
About 300 Zelaya supporters, who have said they will boycott the election if he is not returned to power, demonstrated at the congressional building Monday.
"We want our president to return and help fight the poverty that we have here," said Juan Sanchez, a 55-year-old unemployed farmworker. He said the group of Zelaya's supporters planned to stay outside Congress indefinitely.
U.S. Labor Secretary Hilda Solis and former Chilean President Ricardo Lagos were expected to arrive in the Central American country Tuesday accompanied by high-level officials from the Organization of American States.
The two were named to a four-member commission that is to monitor implementation of the pact. The other members will be representatives from Honduras' two major political parties.
The commission will monitor the creation of a power-sharing government, encourage all factions recognize the November elections and ensure the military is put under the command of electoral officials to safeguard the vote's legitimacy.
As part of the accord struck Friday, the commission will also monitor the creation of a truth commission assigned to investigate the coup that ousted Zelaya, who was rousted from his bed by soldiers and flown to Costa Rica.
Zelaya has been inside the Brazilian Embassy in Tegucigalpa since Sept. 21, when he made a surprise return to the Honduran capital.

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) –
Michael Jackson concert movie "This Is It" saw opening weekend ticket sales in the U.S. and Canada rise by 9 percent from initial estimates to a total $23.2 million, according to final studio figures on Monday.

The movie has made another $69.5 million internationally since its Wednesday opening, up from an original box office estimate of $68.5 million, film studio Columbia Pictures said.

In total, the movie has made $103.9 million at worldwide box offices, said Columbia Pictures, the Sony Corp division that paid $60 million for the video used in the film.

"This Is It" follows Jackson during his final weeks of rehearsal for a planned series of 50 shows in London.

The concerts were canceled when the "Thriller" singer died on June 25 from an overdose of powerful medication in Los Angeles, and investigators are probing his death.

(Reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis: Editing by Bob Tourtellotte)

MONDAY, Nov. 2 (HealthDay News) -- Childhood brain cancer survivors
have ongoing cognitive problems and achieve lower levels of education,
employment and income than their siblings and survivors of other types of
cancer, a U.S. study has found.

The findings, published by the American Psychological Association in
the November issue of Neuropsychology, highlight the importance of
programs to support childhood brain cancer survivors' transition to
adulthood, said Leah Ellenberg, a clinical faculty member of the David
Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los
Angeles.

Ellenberg and colleagues analyzed responses to a questionnaire filled
out by 785 childhood brain cancer survivors 16 years after their
diagnosis. The same questionnaire was completed by 5,870 survivors of
cancers such as leukemia, Hodgkin's disease and bone tumors, and 379
siblings of childhood brain cancer survivors.

The study found that childhood brain cancer survivors reported
significantly greater neurocognitive dysfunction than their siblings or
other cancer survivors. All areas of cognitive function were affected in
childhood brain cancer survivors, including organization and emotional
regulation.

The most commonly reported problems were in memory and efficiency, such
as forgetting what they're doing in the middle of a task and being slower
than others at completing work. More than half of childhood brain cancer
survivors reported significant difficulty with at least one task
efficiency item, a rate three times higher than among their siblings.

The most serious neurocognitive problems were reported by childhood
brain cancer survivors with significant motor or sensory problems after
treatment, those who were treated with radiation to their brains, and
those who had tumors in the brain cortex rather than in lower brain
regions, the researchers found.

The neurocognitive issues reported by childhood brain cancer survivors
were associated with significantly poorer adaptation to adult life,
including lower achievement in education, full-time employment and income.
They were also less likely to be married, the study authors noted.

The study "underscores the need for continued attention to mitigating
the long-term negative effects of [childhood brain cancers] and their
treatment," the study authors wrote. They added that it's "important to
investigate the benefits of early and consistent use of compensatory
strategies, including assistive technology, transitional facilities to
promote independent living, and job placement and coaching, to enhance
functional outcomes."

More information

The Nemours Foundation has more about childhood brain tumors.

INDIANAPOLIS – A man charged in one of the worst mass slayings in Indianapolis history was convicted Thursday of killing seven members of one family, including three children, in a bloody rampage prosecutors said stemmed from a quest for drugs and cash that didn't exist.
Marion Superior Court Judge Robert Altice convicted Desmond Turner, 31, on 23 counts stemming from the June 1, 2006, deaths of Emma Valdez, 46; her husband, Alberto Covarrubias, 56; the couple's young sons, Alberto, 11, and David, 8; and Valdez's adult son and daughter, Magno Albarran and Flora Albarran and Flora's son Luis, 5.
Turner, who waived his right to a jury trial in exchange for prosecutors dropping their request for the death penalty, faces up to life without parole. The sentencing phase of the trial starts Friday.
Marion County Prosecutor Carl Brizzi said he did not have the evidence needed to meet the high standard of proof required for a capital conviction. Prosecutors' case was built on witness accounts and other circumstantial evidence. They lacked a murder weapon or any physical evidence tying Turner directly to the scene.
Maria Flores of Indianapolis, Emma Valdez's sister, said after the verdict that the death penalty wouldn't have made a difference.
"Killing him won't bring our family back," she said.
Defense attorney Brent Westerfeld had hoped to capitalize on the prosecution's lack of physical evidence. During his closing arguments, he put up diagrams of a shirt and pants that police found soaking in the bathtub of a friend of Turner's the day after the slayings. The clothing contained DNA evidence from Turner but not the victims, he noted.
Altice, however, said Turner's actions after the slayings, including washing his clothes and fleeing to Kentucky, weighed heavily in his ruling.
"Mr. Turner was indeed the main shooter," he said.
Brizzi said the case was solved "old-school," without DNA evidence, and that there was no physical evidence linking Turner to the crime scene because he and co-defendant James Stewart had been careful. Stewart has pleaded not guilty to murder charges and his trial is set for Nov. 30.
Westerfeld also tried to discredit the prosecution's main witness, Brandon Griffith, who had testified that he had seen Turner force his way into Valdez's home with an assault rifle minutes before the slayings.
"I don't believe we begin to understand Brandon Griffith's ability to lie," Westerfeld told Altice.
During closing arguments, the prosecution put about eight items on an evidence table. Westerfeld started his summation by putting two large boxes containing evidence introduced during the trial, including the clothes Turner wore the night of the slayings.
He pushed both boxes down the table, crowding out the few items the prosecution had used.
"They didn't bring the mountain of evidence ... because the mountain of evidence moves to the defense side," he said.
Prosecutors Jennifer Haley and Janna Skelton vividly described how many bullets struck each victim, noting that in some cases the shots blew off parts of the victims' skulls. Several relatives of the family were in tears.
In his final summation, Brizzi, who faces disciplinary action over previous comments on the case, called Turner a "monster" and said, "The crimes he committed are unimaginable."

-Yesterday's Winners:
Criminal Minds (CBS), CSI: NY (CBS)

-Fading Fast: America's Next Top Model (CW)

-Yesterday's Losers (Excluding Repeats):
Hank (ABC), The Middle (ABC), Eastwick (ABC), The Jay Leno Show (NBC)

----------

-Ratings Breakdown:
CBS led the Wednesday overnight troops, beating second-place NBC by a healthy 60 percent. Third overall was Fox, followed by ABC and distant The CW.

CBS finished first overall in the 8 p.m. hour care of its combination of The New Adventures of Old Christine (#1: 4.4 rating/7 share) and compatible Gary Unmarried (#2: 4.3/ 7). The two sitcoms, in fact, beat ABC's competing Hank (#4: 3.6/ 6) and The Middle (#4: 3.7/ 6), which were both series lows, by an average of 19 percent in the overnights. But the Wednesday 8 p.m. hour remains one of the least competitive in all of prime-time.

Also airing from 8-9 p.m. was NBC's consistent, albeit non-spectacular Mercy (#2: 4.3/ 7), Fox's So You Think You Can Dance (#3: 4.2/ 7), which will win the time period among adults 18-49, and fading America's Next Top Model on The CW (2.4/ 4), which year-to-year was down by a significant 29 percent (3.4/ 6 on Oct. 22, 2008 to 2.4/ 4).

The Wednesday 8-9 p.m. overnights in a nutshell:

ABC
Hank – 8 p.m.: 3.6/ 6 (#4)
The Middle – 8:30 p.m.: 3.7/ 6 (#4)

CBS
The New Adventures of Old Christine – 8 p.m.: 4.4/ 7 (#1)
Gary Unmarried – 8:30 p.m.: 4.3/ 7 (#2)

NBC
Mercy: 4.3/ 7 (#2)

Fox
So You Think You Can Dance: 4.2/ 7 (#3)

CW
America's Next Top Model: 2.4/ 4 (#5)

At 9 p.m., CBS' underrated Criminal Minds stood well above the competition in the overnights, with an 8.8/14. Comparably, that beat NBC's second-place Law & Order: SVU (5.7/ 9) by a hefty 54 percent. Battling out for third in the time period in the metered markets were ABC comedies Modern Family (#3: 4.9/ 8) and Cougar Town (#4: 4.2/ 7), which were both series lows, and Fox's consistent Glee (#4: 4.4/ 7). But Modern Family, Cougar Town and Glee are all expected to be on the map among adults 18-49. Here are the updated metered market tracks for Modern Family and Cougar Town:

Modern Family (ABC)
9/23/09: 7.8/12
9/30/09: 5.8/ 9
10/06/09: 5.1/ 8
10/13/09: 5.4/ 8
10/20/09: 4.9/ 8

Cougar Town (ABC)
9/23/09: 6.8/10
9/30/09: 5.5/ 9
10/06/09: 4.7/ 7
10/13/09: 4.8/ 8
10/20/09: 4.2/ 7

Capping off the 9 p.m. hour was a repeat of The CW's Melrose Place with a mere 0.7/ 1. For more on Melrose Place, see TV Tidbits below.

Leading the 10 p.m. hour in the overnights, of course, was CBS' CSI: NY, this week with an 8.5/14. Next was NBC's The Jay Leno Show (3.6/ 6), one of the rare evenings it did not finish third, followed by ABC's failing Eastwick at a series-low 3.1/ 5. The next time a network decides to spin a series off from a movie over 20 years old, don't do it. There was absolutely no need for Eastwick.

Wednesday 10/21/09

HH
Rtg/Shr
CBS 7.2/12 NBC 4.5/ 7
Fox 4.2/ 7
ABC 3.8/ 6
CW 1.5/ 2

----------

-Percent Change From the Year-Ago Evening (Wednesday, October 22, 2008):
NBC: +10, CBS: - 9, ABC: -19, CW: -44, Fox: -54

Note: Fox aired game one of The World Series on the year-ago evening.

Source: Nielsen Media Research data (R = repeat)

Read more at Mediaweek.comTo subscribe to Mediaweek, click here.

WASHINGTON (AFP) –
The White House slammed Dick Cheney Thursday, accusing him of years of neglect of Afghanistan, after the ex-vice president said President Barack Obama was "dithering" on troop decisions.

The latest fierce feud over national security between the past and current administrations flared up as Obama nears a fateful choice on whether to order thousands more troops to the Afghan war after an exhaustive strategy review.

"What vice president Cheney calls dithering, the president calls his solemn responsibility to the men and women in uniform and the American public," White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said.

Gibbs said Cheney was in no position to fault Obama, saying he had ignored a previous request for more troops, lodged with the Bush administration and only met by Obama in March, soon after he came to office.

"The vice president was for seven years not focused on Afghanistan. Even more curious given the fact that an increase in troops sat on desks in this White House, including the vice president's for more than eight months," Gibbs said.

"I think we've all seen what happens when somebody doesn't take that responsibility seriously."

Cheney made his comments at a dinner in Washington on Wednesday, in his latest lacerating criticisms of the Obama administration on national security policy.

"Having announced his Afghanistan strategy last March, President Obama now seems afraid to make a decision, and unable to provide his commander on the ground with the troops he needs to complete his mission," Cheney said.

"The White House must stop dithering while America?s armed forces are in danger."

"Waffling while our troops on the ground face an emboldened enemy endangers them and hurts our cause.

"President Obama's advisors have decided that it's easier to blame the Bush administration than support our troops."

Cheney was particularly irked by a claim by White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel at the weekend that the Bush team had not asked tough questions about Afghanistan leaving Obama to start examining the war from the beginning.

The former vice-president said the Bush team dug into every aspect of Afghan and Pakistan policy in late 2008, and briefed Obama's team before he took office.

He claimed that Obama's initial new strategy unveiled in March and based on counter-insurgency was based largely on that study.

Gibbs said he did not know about the specific review, but took another swipe at Cheney, saying "I find it interesting that he's blaming us for something that he didn't see fit to do over, best I can tell, seven years of a war in Afghanistan."

Obama, who ordered an extra 21,500 troops to Afghanistan in March, is considering a request from war commander General Stanley McChrystal for at least 40,000 more soldiers for to fight insurgents in Afghanistan.

Cheney also took aim in his speech against other aspects of Obama's foreign policy, lambasting especially, his engagement of Iran.

While Obama was stretching out his hand to the Islamic Republic, Tehran was financing terrorism in Iraq, Syria and the Palestinian territories, Cheney charged.

While former president George W. Bush has muted criticism of his successor, Cheney has been a frequent and vocal antagonist to Obama.

In August, he told Fox News that he had "serious doubts" about how much Obama "understands and is prepared to do what needs to be done to defend the nation."

In May, he and Obama waged a war of words over the Guantanamo Bay prison camp in Cuba, and interrogation practices branded by critics as torture, which Cheney defended and Obama outlawed soon after taking office in January.

MINNEAPOLIS – Two Northwest Airlines pilots failed to make radio contact with ground controllers for more than an hour and overflew their Minneapolis destination by 150 miles before discovering the mistake and turning around.
The plane landed safely Wednesday evening, apparently without passengers realizing that anything had been amiss. No one was hurt.
The Federal Aviation Administration said the crew told authorities they became distracted during a heated discussion over airline policy and lost track of their location, but federal officials are investigating whether pilot fatigue might also have played a role.
The National Transportation Safety Board does not yet know if the crew fell asleep, spokesman Keith Holloway said, calling that idea "speculative."
Flight 188, an Airbus A320, was flying from San Diego to Minneapolis with 144 passengers and five crew. The pilots dropped out of radio contact with controllers just before 7 p.m. CDT, when they were at 37,000 feet. The jet flew over the airport just before 8 p.m. and overshot it before communications were re-established at 8:14 p.m, the NTSB said.
The FAA notified the military, which put Air National Guard fighter jets on alert at two locations. As many as four planes could have been scrambled, but none took to the air.
"After FAA re-established communications, we pulled off," said Michael Kucharek, a North American Aerospace Defense Command spokesman.
Andrea Allmon, who had been traveling from San Diego on business, said no one on the plane knew anything was amiss until the end of the flight.
"Everybody got up to get their luggage and the plane was swarmed by police as we were getting our bags down from the overhead bins," she said.
She said they were kept on the plane briefly while police talked to the crew, then allowed off. She said she was "horrified" to learn what had happened.
"When I do my job I do my job," she said. "These guys are supposed to be paying attention to the flight. The safety of the passengers should be first and foremost. (It's) unbelievable to me that they weren't paying attention. Just not paying attention."
As of Thursday afternoon, NTSB investigators had not yet examined the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder, which were being sent to Washington for analysis. He said the agency was also seeking to interview the pilots, but had not scheduled a meeting.
One of the two pilots should have been paying attention to the radio, said Ronald Carr, a former Air Force and American Airlines pilot who teaches flight physiology at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. But he added that "sometimes you can have such heated discussions and get so distracted that you lose situational awareness, and when you're traveling seven miles a minute, that can happen pretty quick."
The two pilots have been suspended from flying while Delta Air Lines Inc. conducts an internal investigation, said Anthony Black, a spokesman for the Atlanta-based airline, which acquired Northwest last year. He refused to name them or give further details on their background or what happened in the air.
Air traffic controllers in Denver had been in contact with the pilots as they flew over the Rockies, FAA spokeswoman Laura Brown said. But as the plane got closer to Minneapolis, she said, "the Denver center tried to contact the flight but couldn't get anyone."
Denver controllers notified their counterparts in Minneapolis, who also tried to reach the crew without success, Brown said. Controllers and the pilots finally resumed communication when the plane was over Eau Claire, Wis.
"Radar controllers were the whole time trying to make audio contact with that plane," said Tony Molinaro, an FAA spokesman in Chicago. He said he was not aware of controllers diverting any other flights, which was unnecessary because the Northwest jet was flying high enough to safely avoid planes approaching Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.
It was not clear who initiated communications when contact finally was made, Brown said.

After the plane landed, two airport police officers boarded the plane at the gate, which authorities said is standard procedure after a crew loses communication with air traffic controllers.

Kelly Regus, a spokeswoman for the Delta branch of the Air Line Pilots Association, declined to comment.

The Federal Aviation Administration is updating decades-old rules governing how long commercial pilots can fly and remain on duty. The NTSB also cautioned government agencies this week about the risks of sleep apnea contributing to transportation accidents.

The board cited an incident in January 2008 when two go! airlines pilots feel asleep for at least 18 minutes during a midmorning flight from Honolulu to Hilo, Hawaii. The plane passed its destination before controllers raised the pilots, who landed safely. The captain was later diagnosed with sleep apnea.

___

Associated Press Airlines Reporter Joshua Freed in Minneapolis, AP writers Martiga Lohn and Brian Bakst in St. Paul, David Koenig in Dallas and Anne Gearan in Washington contributed to this report.

___

On the Net:

FlightAware.com tracking of Northwest Flight 188: http://bit.ly/2QV9hX

TOLEDO, Ohio – Charges have been dropped against one of four U.S. soldiers accused of mistreating others in their platoon in Iraq following an investigation into the suicide of an Ohio serviceman, the military said Friday.
Spc. Daniel Weber of Frankenmuth, Mich., resigned from the Army and is expected to testify against two of his unit supervisors, said Maj. Myles Caggins, a spokesman for Multinational Division-South.
An investigation into the death of Pvt. Keiffer Wilhelm led to cruelty and maltreatment charges against Weber and the three others. Allegations included verbal abuse, physical punishment and ridicule of other soldiers.
The military has determined there is no direct evidence that the soldiers' alleged misconduct caused Wilhelm's death. But Wilhelm's family believes he was treated so badly that he took his own life.
Wilhelm, who grew up in Willard in northern Ohio, was in Iraq with his new platoon for just 10 days before he killed himself Aug. 4.
He called his mother twice from Iraq and told her he was being targeted in his new unit and forced to run for miles with rocks in his pockets that smashed against his knees, she said.
Wilhelm, 19, told his mother that he was being forced to exercise for hours and that his personal items were disappearing, Kathe Wilhelm said. A day before he died, he told her that he was being forced to go on long runs that left his knees bloody.
Kathe Wilhelm said she expects to testify at the trials for both Sgt. Enoch Chatman and Staff Sgt. Bob Clements, who were supervisors in the unit.
Clements, of Eastland, Texas, faces charges of cruelty and maltreatment, making a false statement, impeding an investigation and reckless endangerment. If convicted of all counts, he faces up to 25 years in prison.
Chatman, of West Covina, Calif., was charged with cruelty and maltreatment, making a false statement and reckless endangerment. If convicted on all counts, he faces up to 10 years in prison.
Also charged with cruelty and maltreatment was Sgt. Jarrett Taylor, of Edmond, Okla.
They remain in Iraq, where legal proceedings will take place.

BRUSSELS – Cod is slipping closer to disappearing from key European fishing grounds, officials warned Friday, saying that only steep catch cuts will prevent the disappearance of a species prized for centuries for its flaky white flesh.
The European Union's executive body called for sharp cuts in the amount of cod fisherman can catch next year — up to 25 percent in some areas. The European Commission said recent studies showed cod catches in some areas are far outstripping the rate of reproduction.
Scientists estimated that in the 1970s there were more than 250,000 tons of cod in fishing grounds in the North Sea, eastern English Channel and Scandinavia's Skagerrak strait. In recent years, however, stocks have dropped to 50,000 tons.
"We are not that far away from a situation of complete collapse," said Jose Rodriguez, a marine biologist with the environmental group Oceana. He and other environmentalists said pressure from the fishing industry had kept quotas at levels too high to sustain a viable populations around Europe, while lack of enforcement meant illegal fishing made the problem worse.
The European Commission said Friday it would seek in 2010 to cut the catch in some fishing grounds around Britain, France, Spain and much of Scandinavia from 5,700 tons to 4,250 tons.
In the Mediterranean, bluefin tuna has been overfished for years to satisfy increasing world demand for sushi and sashimi. The tuna population is now a fraction of what it was a few decades ago, but the EU's Mediterranean nations last month refused to impose even a temporary ban.
Oceana estimated that illegal fishing doubled the amount of tuna caught.
Meanwhile Cod, which once sustained vibrant fishing communities from Portugal to Britain to Canada, is increasingly consumed by the ton as salt cod and fish-and-chips.
"People don't ask for fish and chips, they ask for cod and chips," said Mike Guo, a manager at Great Fish and Chips in Essex, England. "It's a traditional dish."
The depletion of the species has caused the decay and disappearance of hundreds of fishing villages on both sides of the Atlantic.
Overfishing off Canada's maritime provinces exhausted the world's richest cod grounds and forced the government to impose a fishing moratorium. The collapse wiped out more than 42,000 jobs, and 18 years later the fish have still not returned.
"It was devastating," said Tom Hedderson, minister of fisheries in Newfoundland. "This affected whole communities ... all up and down the coast here in Newfoundland and Labrador."
He welcomed the EU call to cut catches by 25 percent, but suggested more drastic cuts may be needed.
Some Canadian scientists believe the collapse of cod stocks off Newfoundland and Nova Scotia changed the marine ecosystem so dramatically that it may be impossible for cod to recover. Off Newfoundland alone, cod stocks once exceeded more than 400,000 tons but now scale only 5,500 tons, Hedderson said.
There are signs of recovery of Atlantic cod off New England, however, after years of conservation efforts. And international regulators have reopened some areas off Canada for limited fishing, Canada's Fisheries and Oceans Department spokesman Scott Cantin said.
The fishing industry in Europe, however, is in decline. The number of vessels in the 15 nations that were part of the EU in 1995 has dropped from 104,000 then to 81,000 in 2006. In Britain, employment in the fishing sector sank from 21,600 in 1990 to 16,100 in 2006.
The EU Commission's demand for cod cuts will be discussed by the bloc's 27-member states in a Dec. 14-15 meeting, when the fishing quotas for 2010 will be finalized.
"The scientific prognosis for most stocks is not encouraging, with many in a worse state than last year," Britain's Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said Friday. "This, combined with the difficult economic climate, will mean that the negotiations will be even more challenging this time around."

Keeping fishermen in port with excessive quotas will add to their economic woes, said Bertie Armstrong of the Scottish Fishermen's Federation.

Norway and the EU jointly oversee cod stocks in North Sea, with each party regulating the stocks in its waters.

Norway and the EU will begin annual negotiations on cod stock management in November. Ann Kristin Westberg, deputy director-general of Norway's Fishery Ministry, said her country was unlikely to accept a 25 percent quota.

"We probably want to have it lower," she said. "We would like to point out that stock the EU are involved in managing are in terrible shape."

The cod harvest from the Georges Bank and Gulf of Maine fishing grounds, the two primary New England fishing grounds, in 2007 totaled 3,868 metric tons, the biggest catch since 2003 but far under the landings of the 1980s when fishermen often caught more than 20,000 tons annually.

"The Gulf of Maine stock is responding to the recovery plan, and the Georges Bank stock is recovering but not as much," said Teri Frady of NOAA's Northeast Fisheries Science Center in Woods Hole, Massachussets.

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Associated Press writers Clarke Canfield in Portland, Maine, Rob Gillies in Toronto, Karl Ritter in Stockholm and Rachel Leamon and Maresa Patience in London contributed to this report.

SAN ANTONIO – A man who found a green metallic tube while cutting trees on his Comal County property thought it had a military look, like a rocket launcher. He was right. He was wrong to pick it up, take it home and display it on his dining room table. A decal on the equipment discovered by Jarrette Schule said: "Guided Missile and Launcher, Surface Attack."
"I had never seen it before," said Schule, 34. "I looked at it, and it kind of looked like a missile launcher."
An ordnance disposal team from Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio confiscated the device on Wednesday afternoon. Old military ordnance can be dangerous and should not be touched or moved, experts said.
Schule discovered the unarmed anti-tank weapon on Tuesday on his land miles away from a military installation.
"I don't know if it fell out of something or if somebody just dumped it," he said.
Schule did not want to leave the launcher on his vacant property, so he loaded it in his truck and took it to his house.
The San Antonio Express-News reported that he spent Tuesday afternoon calling the FBI, Homeland Security and other agencies.
"Everyone was handing it off to everybody else," he said.
Schule called military police at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, who passed his information to an Army criminal investigator. The special agent visited him Wednesday morning.
"She said this is the first time she ever encountered anything like this," Schule said. "I got the impression it was kind of a big deal. Doesn't happen every day, I guess."
The decal on the launcher has a 13-digit "National Stock Number," which is used to identify military equipment.
Military officials are trying to determine who last had the launcher. A serial number can be used to track the chain of custody, said Phil Reidinger, a spokesman for Fort Sam Houston.
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Information from: San Antonio Express-News, http://www.mysanantonio.com

PARIS – Over the years, the chief sommelier had forgotten they were there. And when the four bottles of 1875 Armagnac Vieux were finally unearthed from the labyrinthine wine cellar this week, they were covered in a black fungus that looked like matted cat fur.
The landmark Tour d'Argent restaurant, which dates back to 1582, is cleaning out its 450,000-bottle wine cellar, considered one of the best in the world. It is putting 18,000 bottles up for auction in December, an event that has captured the imagination of French wine lovers.
The restaurant is selling mostly wine but also some very old spirits, like three bottles of a Clos du Griffier Cognac from 1788, the year before the French Revolution, as well as the ancient Armagnac, valued at euro400-500 ($595-$743) a bottle. The fuzzy fungus is nothing to worry about — it thrives on the fumes of such spirits and often grows on long-aged bottles.
The restaurant wants to cut down on wines it has in multiple to vary and modernize its selection.
"You'll probably see, we've got too many bottles," jokes chief sommelier David Ridgway.
Unlocking a padlocked iron gate, he ushered visitors into the restaurant's underworld, where bottles are stacked floor to ceiling in a succession of caverns. Though everything is registered in a computer, there are occasional surprises, like the 1875 Armagnac, which Ridgway came across while looking for something else.
Visitors are offered sheepskin blankets for the chill: 14 degrees Celsius (57.2 Fahrenheit) this week, but dipping to 12 degrees Celsius (53.6 Fahrenheit) in winter.
"I like the wine to live a little bit of the seasons, even though it's temperature-controlled," said Ridgway, a Briton who has overseen the restaurant's wine menu since the early 1980s.
The cellar of the Left Bank restaurant, known for pressed duck and spectacular views of Notre Dame, is a part of its history. A sign marks the spot where a brick wall was built in 1940 to hide the best bottles during the Nazi occupation in World War II.
Estimated prices at the Dec. 7-8 sale by French auctioneer Piasa start at euro10 ($15) a bottle and go up to euro2,500-euro3,000 ($3,716-$4,459) for each 1788 Cognac, one of which will go to charity.
Among wines on sale are Chateau Lafite Rothschild (1970, 1982, 1997), Cheval Blanc (1928, 1949, 1966) and Chateau Margaux (1970, 1990). The total sale is expected to bring in around euro1 million ($1.5 million).
Buyers can rest assured the bottles aren't counterfeit — a major problem in the industry — because the restaurant bought them directly from vintners. As for the restaurant, the timing of the auction is right even as Europe struggles amid a global economic crisis.
"I'm sure there are some amazing treasures in that cellar, and it's a good time to sell because the wine auction market has really come storming back" after tanking during the early months of the financial crisis, said Michael Steinberger, Slate's wine columnist and author of "Au Revoir to All That: Food, Wine, and the End of France."
The restaurant, a family business, was once the summit of French gastronomy, but recent years have brought setbacks. Longtime owner Claude Terrail died in 2006, and his 29-year-old son Andre now runs it. The restaurant long held three Michelin stars but is now down to one.
The economic crisis has affected the restaurant's finances only "a bit," Terrail said, in part because of its name and diverse international clientele. While the kitchen was renovated recently, the wine sale may fund more extensive renovations down the line.
The restaurant's name means "The Silver Tower" in French, and all the bottles for sale are stamped with the restaurant's insignia, a tiny tower.
On the Web:
http://www.piasa.auction.fr/UK/

Ownership of the fence varies. In some parts of the country all boundaries are shared; in other parts of the country you may own the boundary on the left-hand or right-hand side, however, only the title deeds can be depended on to tell you which side is yours. (A 'T' symbol indicates who is the owner). It used to be normal for the cladding to be on the non-owners side (enabling access to the posts for the owner when repairs need doing), but increasingly this cannot be depended on.

Distinctly different land ownership and fencing patterns arose in the eastern and western United States. Original fence laws on the east coast were based on the British common law system, and rapidly increasing population quickly resulted in laws requiring livestock to be fenced in. In the west, land ownership patterns and policies reflected a strong influence of Spanish law and tradition, plus the vast land area involved made extensive fencing impractical until mandated by a growing population and conflicts between landowners.

Fence Fort Worth

There are organizations and events catering puzzle enthusiasts such as the International Puzzle Party, the World Puzzle Championship and the National Puzzlers' League. There are also Puzzlehunts like Maze of Games.

Games are often based on a puzzle. For example there are thousands of computer puzzle games and many letter games, word games and mathematical games which require solutions to puzzles as part of the gameplay. One of the most popular puzzle games is Tetris. In video games, jumping puzzles are common.

visit

PHILADELPHIA – Philadelphia Eagles tailgaters will be out in force long before Michael Vick takes the field on Thursday. So will animal advocates — on the other side of town.
Dog lovers are throwing a competing tailgate party for the 2nd Chance Dogs campaign — a pointed reference to Vick's second chance in the NFL — to increase awareness of dogfighting and encourage adoption of rescued pit bulls.
The initiative, sponsored by the Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, was launched after the Eagles signed Vick, who served 18 months in prison for running a dogfighting ring.
"As a lot of people have pointed out, (Vick's) animals never got a second chance," SPCA chief executive Sue Cosby said. "We need to speak for them."
For Cosby, Vick's arrival in Philadelphia has put a needed spotlight on the types of cruelty cases her agency deals with every day — and that's where she wants it: On the dogs, not the dogfighter.
"For us, this whole thing has just reinforced how hard we have to work at the work we're doing every day," she said.
The signing of Vick two weeks ago sparked protests from fans and animal lovers appalled that the Eagles would bring in a player involved in fighting, hanging and drowning dogs.
Some threatened to boycott the team; protesters waved signs outside Eagles practices; newspapers and radio talk shows spewed endless commentary. Supporters countered that the three-time Pro Bowl quarterback has paid his debt to society and deserves a second chance.
It remains to be seen what the crowd response will be when Vick takes the field for his first game in more than two years on Thursday against Jacksonville; so far, no formal protests have been announced.
Two civil rights groups announced a pregame march around the stadium in support of Vick and later said they might not rally after learning animal rights groups were not planning protests.
J. Whyatt Mondesire, president of the Philadelphia chapter of the NAACP, told The Associated Press on Wednesday evening that his group and the Black Clergy of Philadelphia had decided to proceed with their march. Mondesire said the groups recognize Vick committed serious crimes but they are supporting his right to a second chance.
Vick is trying to rehabilitate his image by working with the Humane Society of the United States to warn urban youths against dogfighting.
Local animal advocates seem to be keeping their distance. Rather than protest Vick or work with him, they prefer to use the public debate about his return to the NFL to raise money and awareness of animal cruelty issues.
"The animal welfare groups really have no interest in working with Michael Vick," said Tom Hickey Sr., founder of the Pennsylvania advocacy group DogPAC.
Dogfighting is still very much a problem in Philadelphia, where authorities broke up another ring on Sunday after finding two dead pit bulls and several others injured during a house raid.
District Attorney Lynne Abraham addressed the issue at a closed meeting the next day between Eagles brass and animal advocates.
"It's strictly a blood sport, if I can call it a sport at all," Abraham said after Monday's summit. "And while you have that, you also have drugs and guns and other violence."
The Eagles appear to have made strides with animal rights groups by hosting that discussion before Vick's first game.

The two-hour gathering at the team's practice facility involved representatives from about 20 regional animal groups, including Hickey. He said some of the meeting focused on Vick, but most of it centered on how the team could support animal welfare.

Hickey, who is also a member of the state dog law advisory board, has more than 5,000 signatures on a petition asking the Eagles spend the equivalent of Vick's salary — $1.6 million — to establish a rehabilitation and training center for dogs.

Nothing was decided at the meeting, but Hickey felt it was constructive.

"I think it was very educational for the Eagles. It was important that they get involved in the community," he said.

Eagles senior vice president Pamela Browner-Crawley told reporters afterward that "financial support is on the table," along with other resources, but gave no details.

Karel Minor, executive director of the Humane Society of Berks County, wrote on the agency's Web site that he was one of many at the meeting who felt it was time to stop chastising the team and start using its resources to help animals.

"We can make use of the power and influence of the Eagles to make a positive difference," Minor wrote. "We can challenge them to make good on their promise to help us end dogfighting and maybe even more."

Dresses increased dramatically to the hoopskirt and crinoline-supported styles of the 1860s; then fullness was draped and drawn to the back by any dresses had a "day" bodice with a high neckline and long sleeves, and an "evening" bodice with a low neckline (decollete) and very short sleeves.

Depending on design dresses are classified. Different basic dress shapes are:

Communion Dresses

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) –
If earnings reports released on Thursday are a sign of business to come, U.S. apparel retailers will have to continue cutting costs and discounting as slumping sales persist.

Gap Inc (GPS.N), operator of the Gap, Old Navy and Banana Republic chains, streamlined operations and reduced inefficiencies to generate a quarterly profit that beat analysts' expectations. But its revenue fell 7 percent in the quarter and same-store sales dropped as much as 15 percent in its stores.

Other retailers that focus on teens rather than adult shoppers similarly struggled with sales while barely beating profit expectations.

The dismal current sales atmosphere caused one analyst to temper his optimism for the rest of the year.

"The second-quarter earnings season is shaping up with all the excitement on the bottom line, as the top line remains stagnant or down at best," said Brean Murray, Carret analyst Eric Beder. "There are faint signs of a turn, but it is way too early for retailers to get excited."

Gap said net income for its fiscal second quarter, ended August 1, fell to $228 million from $229 million a year earlier. Earnings per share were 33 cents, narrowly above the 32 cents per share expected by analysts, according to Reuters Estimates.

Revenue fell 7 percent to $3.25 billion, while same-store sales, a key gauge of retail performance, fell 8 percent.

Pacific Sunwear of California Inc (PSUN.O) topped analysts' estimates by a penny although it swung to a loss in its second quarter.

But wary investors were more concerned about the company's outlook, which was far worse than analysts had expected and its shares fell nearly 10 percent after the bell.

"Clearly we have a lot of work to do to stem our decline in sales and ultimately return to profitability," said new Chief Executive Gary Schoenfeld in a statement.

Rival Zumiez Inc (ZUMZ.O), which sells snowboard- and skate-inspired clothing and gear, reported a loss for the quarter that was narrower than expected and said sales trends had improved.

But a third-quarter forecast from Wet Seal Inc (WTSLA.O) was below Wall Street expectations and shares fell 6.6 percent.

"Back to school is likely to be disappointing for all but a few select value-oriented retailers," wrote Moody's Investors Service in a report published Thursday.

FALL INTO THE GAP

Last week, the Gap chain launched a major denim campaign, offering jeans with better fits and higher-end styling in hopes of bringing back once-loyal customers who gravitated to more fashionable rivals.

Gap has improved profit margins in recent quarters even as slumping sales have pressured results.

"We are finding the right balance between maintaining cost discipline and changing the trajectory of revenue that we've been on for far too many years," said Chief Executive Glenn Murphy, speaking to analysts during a call.

Gap stores saw a 10 percent decline in same-store sales, while Banana Republic, a more upscale chain that sells clothing to young professionals, recorded a 15 percent drop.

At Old Navy, the company's largest unit in terms of total sales, same-store sales fell 4 percent as recent merchandise improvements and value-priced goods lured new shoppers.

But analysts believe Gap's cost-cutting efforts will be difficult to sustain in coming quarters.

In the second quarter, operating costs fell by $52 million, but those costs are likely to be flat or rise about $20 million in the third quarter due to more marketing, Gap said.

EXCEPTION TO THE RULE

Aeropostale Inc (ARO.N) was the exception to the tepid sales as its low prices appealed to teens and their budget-conscious parents.

Its second-quarter net income rose 83 percent on a 20 percent rise in sales. The company has been one of the few apparel retailers to consistently post higher monthly sales amid the downturn on lower pricing.

Net profit was $38.6 million, or 57 cents per share, from $21.1 million, or 31 cents per share, a year earlier -- above the 56 cents per share Wall Street had been expecting.

The company said it expects third-quarter earnings of 76 to 78 cents per share. Analysts were expecting 76 cents. Aeropostale shares rose less than 1 percent to $36.08.

Shares of Pacific Sunwear fell 9.8 to $3.60, while shares of Zumiez closed at $12.28 and did not move after hours.

Wet Seal shares fell 6.6 percent to $3.10 and Gap shares fell 1 percent to $18.65 after closing at $18.85.

(Reporting by Alexandria Sage; Editing by Steve Orlofsky)

WASHINGTON – Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is voluntarily recalling about 1.5 million Durabrand DVD players after the company said it received five reports of the products overheating, leading to fires and property damage.
No injuries have been reported, the company said.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission on Thursday announced the recall of the Durabrand DVD players, which were sold exclusively at Wal-Mart stores nationwide from January 2006 through July 2009.
The agency said it didn't immediately have the details of the property damage amounts.
The DVD players, made in China and imported by Wal-Mart, can overheat, which poses as a fire and burn hazard to consumers. Wal-Mart said it has received 12 reports of the DVD players overheating, including the five reports that resulted in fires.
The recall involves a single DVD player with a remote control. The silver-colored electronic device has a U-shaped opening at the top to insert the DVD.
The safety commission said consumers should stop using the DVD player and return it to Wal-Mart for a refund. Details: by phone at 800-925-6278; by Web at http://www.walmartstores.com or http://www.cpsc.gov.

MANCHESTER, Conn. – An appeals court has reversed a federal judge's order that religious displays be removed from a Connecticut store that offers postal services.
In a decision released Thursday, the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals says Sincerely Yours Inc. in Manchester is not a classified post office and doesn't need to be regulated like one.
The business is a contract postal unit operated by the Full Gospel Interdenominational Church.
The court says only the postal counter, boxes and shelving units must be cleared of religious material. The court says "a visual cue" should distinguish the postal facility from the ministry space.
In 2003, a customer sued the U.S. Postal Service and the local postmaster. The customer claimed the religious signs, prayer cards and church-related videos constituted a government endorsement of religion.

NEW YORK (Reuters) –
Former New York Giants wide receiver Plaxico Burress pleaded guilty to a gun possession charge on Thursday and agreed to a two-year prison sentence in what the Super Bowl hero's lawyer called an agonizing decision.

Burress, 31, caught the winning touchdown in the Giants' Super Bowl victory in February 2008, but his career unraveled the following season when he accidentally shot himself in the leg in a New York City nightclub in November.

He was released by the team and stands to lose millions of dollars in salary. After his guilty plea, the National Football League suspended Burress and told him he was ineligible to sign with any team until he completes his jail term, the NFL said in a statement.

Burress agreed to a deal in which he pleaded guilty to one count of attempted criminal possession of a weapon, which is less severe than the two counts of criminal possession and one misdemeanor count of reckless endangerment for which he was indicted on August 3.

Under those charges, he faced a minimum of three and a half years in prison and a maximum of 15.

Justice Michael Melkonian of New York state court accepted the plea and is due to formally sentence Burris on September 22.

"After an agonizing period of discussion, Plaxico has decided that he wanted to do this, put this behind him as quickly as possible and hope that when he is released he will be able to resume his stellar professional football career," said lawyer Benjamin Brafman.

Burress did not speak to reporters when he left the courthouse.

Antonio Pierce, a Giants linebacker who was with Burress at the time of the shooting, was not charged. Pierce took the gun back to his home after the shooting, prosecutors said.

(Reporting by Christine Kearney; Editing by Daniel Trotta and Todd Eastham)

A related type of tax is the value-added tax or VAT. It is a system in which all businesses remit taxes on their sales but they are also refunded the amount of VAT remitted by their suppliers. In addition to avoiding cascading, under VAT there is no need for government to determine which sales are taxable and which are not, since all sales--retail, wholesale and intermediate--are taxed.

Determination of ways to legally reduce the amount of tax due on a transaction. For instance, how a company structures its invoices can affect the taxability of the entire transaction. In many states an item can become taxable if not separately stated on the invoice.

Texas Sales Tax Audit

SEATTLE – When he walked out of a Seattle park three weeks ago, the mystery man knew this much about himself: He is fluent in several languages and has traveled to other countries.
But he didn't know his name or how he got to Seattle. He's not sure how he came to spend a few days sleeping under a tree in Discovery Park — the city's largest — or how he emerged a bit dizzy but uninjured July 30.
It didn't take long for the power of the Internet to help solve the mystery Thursday.
A reader contacted The Seattle Times Thursday morning, just hours after the newspaper posted a story and photographs of the mystery Jon Doe on its Web site. David Akast told the newspaper the man is Edward Lighthart, an English teacher he knew in China.
Police have since showed the man his high school yearbook photograph and mentioned the names of people believed to be his parents, but none of that rang a bell, said Seattle detective Tina Drain.
"It appears to be him, but until we know for sure, we can't positively say 'Yes, this is Edward Lighthart,'" she said.
The man still refers to himself as Jon Doe, Drain said. He told the Times the name doesn't sound familiar.
"But the image is definitely me," he said, referring to photographs that friends had e-mailed of Lighthart.
"I guess there's a little bit of relief and at the same time a lot of anxiety," Lighthart told the Times Thursday. "I'm still not sure quite what to make of it all."
Seattle police say the man emerged from the park around 6:15 a.m. on July 30 knowing he didn't live in the Seattle area, but unsure of much else. He flagged down a Metro bus driver, who called police for help.
The man appeared to be well-educated, in reasonable health and in his 50s, according to the police report. He told police he thought he was of German descent.
He was wearing an expensive dress shirt, pressed khakis and $600 hidden in his sock, and appeared to have an extensive knowledge of European cultural history, the Times reported.
Randall Snyder, a friend from Columbus, Ohio, said Thursday he recognized a photograph of the man as Lighthart.
The two attended graduate school together at the Union Institute in Cincinnati. An institute spokeswoman said an Edward Lighthart was enrolled in a doctorate program there from March 1993 to June 1994.
"Ed was particularly very good at the masters of painting," Snyder said. "He's quite a versatile guy. He has many talents. He's been a translator, taught in schools, got a degree in culinary arts."
The man told the newspaper he went to the University of Wisconsin in the early 1980s, studied at the University of Chicago and Columbia University and lived in Paris, Vienna, Sydney, Shanghai and Bratislava, Slovakia.
The man remembers bits of his professional past, trips to other countries and his teaching, but doesn't recall much personal information, Drain said.
"Little by little, things do come to his mind and he shares that with us," she said.

The man has been at Seattle's Swedish Medical Center as Jon Doe since July 30. Three psychiatrists who examined the man believe his amnesia is genuine, Dr. Bruce Larson, a psychiatrist who has been attending to the man, told the Times.

Hospital spokeswoman Melissa Tizon said Thursday that the man was declining further media requests for interviews.

"He said he felt numb. This is an overwhelming experience for him," Drain said. "He's taking all this in. All of a sudden, this new information is coming in."

SEOUL, South Korea – The body of former South Korean President Kim Dae-jung has been transported to the National Assembly, where it will lie in state until his funeral Sunday.
Kim died Tuesday at age 85, unleashing an outpouring of grief for a man who campaigned for democracy at home and won the Nobel Peace Prize for a historic summit with rival North Korea.
Kim's body was placed in a coffin Thursday along with a Bible, a letter from his wife and her autobiography about life with the former dissident.
His wife and their three sons attended the solemn Roman Catholic ceremony.

WASHINGTON – Thousands of technology office employees at the Veterans Affairs Department received a total of $24 million in bonuses over a two-year period, some under questionable circumstances, the agency's inspector general said in scathing reports that also detail abuses ranging from nepotism to an inappropriate relationship.
The inspector general accused one recently retired VA official of acting "as if she was given a blank checkbook" as awards and bonuses were distributed to employees of the Office of Information and Technology in 2007 and 2008. In some cases the justification for the bonuses was inadequate or questionable, the IG said.
The official, Jennifer S. Duncan, also engaged in nepotism and got $60,000 in bonuses herself, the IG said. In addition, managers improperly authorized college tuition payments for VA employees, some of whom were Duncan's family members and friends. That cost taxpayers nearly $140,000.
Separately, a technology office employee became involved in an "inappropriate personal relationship" with a high-level VA official. The technology office employee flew 22 times from Florida to Washington, where the VA official lived. That travel cost $37,000.
The details on the alleged improprieties were in two IG reports issued this week. A VA spokeswoman did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The number of claims the VA needs to process has escalated, and the Information and Technology Office has a critical role in improving the technological infrastructure to handle the increase. President Barack Obama has said creating a seamless transition for records between the Pentagon and the VA could help eliminate a backlog that has left some veterans waiting months for a disability check.
Much of the IG's focus was on Duncan, the former executive assistant to the ex-assistant secretary for information and technology, Robert Howard.
In one situation, a part-time intern with connections to Duncan was allowed to convert to a full-time paid position even though the individual was working a part-time schedule 500 miles away at college, the IG said.
"We have never known of any other new VA employee provided such favorable treatment," the IG said.
The individual's name and relationship to Duncan was redacted, as were many other names in the reports.
Investigators recommended that the employees who received the college money pay it back. The largest amount awarded was $33,000.
In addition to Duncan, three other high-level employees received $73,000, $58,000 and $59,000 in bonuses in 2007 and 2008, the IG said. In 2007 alone, 4,700 employees were awarded bonuses, on average $2,500 each.
Some employees were given cash awards for services that were supposedly provided before the employees started working at VA, the IG said.
A man who answered the phone at Duncan's residence in Rehoboth Beach, Del., said she was not available, and he said not to call back.
The IG also found that Katherine Adair Martinez, deputy assistant secretary for information protection and risk management in the Office of Information and Technology, misused her position, abused her authority and engaged in prohibited personnel practices when she influenced a VA contractor and later VA subordinates to employ a friend.
The IG also said Martinez "took advantage of an inappropriate personal relationship" with Howard to transfer her job to Florida. In the nine months after she moved, the IG said Martinez traveled to Washington 22 times "to accomplish tasks that she could easily do from Florida."
The relationship between Martinez and Howard started in April 2007 and continued several months after Howard left the VA in January of this year, the IG said.
A VA spokeswoman did not immediately respond to a request to speak with Martinez. Howard could not be immediately located for comment.

Indiana Rep. Steve Buyer, top Republican on the House Veterans' Affairs committee, urged quick action to fix the problems. "VA must appoint honorable individuals to these critical positions," he said.

The VA has faced criticism before in its awarding of bonuses. In 2007, The Associated Press reported that the then-VA secretary had approved a generous package of more than $3.8 million in bonus payments in 2006, citing a need to retain longtime VA executives.

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On the Net:

Reports from VA Inspector General:

http://www.va.gov/oig/51/fy2009rpts/VAOIG-09-01123-196.pdf

http://www.va.gov/oig/51/fy2009rpts/VAOIG-09-01123-195.pdf

Researchers have found that "Use of a pacifier is associated with a substantial reduction in the risk of SIDS". (Sudden infant death syndrome) . A meta-analytic study published by American Pediatric Association in Pediatrics in October 2005 supports this benefit to 1 year of age.. However other experts while acknowledging the correlation between SIDS risk reduction and the pacifier use, questioned the causality of the findings.

A newborn's shoulders and hips are narrow, the abdomen protrudes slightly, and the arms and legs are relatively short. The average birth weight of a full-term newborn is approximately 7 ½ lbs.(3.2 kg), but is typically in the range of 5.5–10 pounds (2.7–4.6 kg). The average total body length is 14–20 inches (35.6–50.8 cm), although premature newborns may be much smaller. The Apgar score is a measure of a newborn's transition from the uterus during the first minutes of life.

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