Hyde Park's King flashes talent // Coaches impressed with play at camp

Hyde Park's Nate King "got my chance to show people what I cando" at last month's Nike camp and made the most of it. Now the 6-7,236-pound senior ranks among the top 100 basketball prospects in thenation.

"Going into the summer, I don't think they (college coaches)knew about me," King said. "So I really was prepared to play at theNike camp because I knew the good coaches from the good collegeswould be looking at me."

Everybody was impressed. Talent scout Bob Gibbons of Lenoir,N.C., described King as "the major discovery" of the camp and listedhim among the most aggressive rebounders he saw all summer.

"He has the body of a prototype power forward," …

Court sends back Buddhist temple killing case

WASHINGTON (AP) — A man accused of killing nine people at a Buddhist temple near Phoenix as a juvenile will have the federal courts reconsider his overturned conviction.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered the lower courts to re-examine the thrown-out murder conviction of Johnathan Doody.

Doody was convicted for the slayings of six priests, a nun and two helpers during a …

Diplomats: Iran talks stalled over French role

Talks meant to persuade Iran to send most of its enriched uranium abroad _ and thus delay its potential to make a nuclear weapon _ bogged down Tuesday over fierce Iranian resistance to French participation, diplomats said.

Tuesday was the second day of talks in the Austrian capital between Iran and the United States, Russia and France over Iran's nuclear program. But discussions were delayed at least two hours in an attempt to resolve the impasse over the French.

Tehran says it needs enriched uranium for nuclear fuel but the U.S. and other nations fear that could be used to make weapons. The U.S. says Iran is one to six years away from being able to do so.

…

'Tis the season of wacky invention

Christmas can be an especially exciting time of year for gadgetlovers. Each holiday season seems to bring forth a host of fabulousnew inventions. Technology-loving Americans never stop craving thenew and improved.

The following gizmos are certain to achievecan't-live-without-'em status. If you can't find them on yourfavorite retailer's shelves this holiday season, be patient: Santaand his elves are bound to invent them eventually.

Home security concerns don't, of course, disappear duringthe holidays, and a major concern for many homeowners is the need tosecure traditional channels of entry for jolly old St. Nick.Modern safety precautions dictate that …

60 Second Interview: Fred Hartman

Name: Fred Hartman

Title: Vice president/Commercial Business Group

Company: Allfirst Bank, Harrisburg

Company description: commercial bank

Personal: raised in Palmyra; has two grown daughters

Describe your typical day: "My position is very sales-oriented. Probably 60 percent of my time is spent calling prospects and talking to existing Customers to find out their needs. I've been in banking for 30 years, so many things have changed. We have portfolio managers who handle the maintenance work on accounts, which allows me to be out calling on prospects and customers and attending civic affairs."

What trends do you see in the small-business sector …

Floodwaters threaten river towns in Ill., Mo.

Floodwaters that bedeviled Iowans for the past week have flowed out of the state and are now threatening Mississippi Rivers towns in Illinois and Missouri.

Flooding that began in eastern Iowa caused more than $1.5 billion in damage as it crept south toward the Mississippi. About 25,000 people in Cedar Rapids were forced from their homes, 19 buildings at the University of Iowa were flooded and water treatment plants in several cities were knocked out.

Now the floodwaters are a problem for communities such as Gulfport and Clarksville, Mo.

Authorities rescued people by helicopter, boat and four-wheeler on Tuesday after the river broke through a levee in …

Everything's ducky with this Easter basket

If you want an alternative to the traditional bamboo Easterbaskets, I believe Party City's Peep Basket is a delightful choice.It retails for $14.99, it's colorful and fun, and soft and sweet foryour little kid. Or even your big kid. By the way, I'm curious atwhat age most kids stop believing in the Easter Bunny (I'm not sure Iever believed in him). I know the disbelief of Santa Claus varieswildly at different ages -- I have a friend who, honest to Pete, hasa child who believed until the age of 12. But the Big Bunny vexes me.

I know, I know, I'm digressing.

You can fill your Peeps Bunny Basket with a plethora of plushstuffed animals (I'm a big fan of the electronic …

Credit where it's due

COMMENTS

This month's cover story, "Changing Course," beginning on page 16, discusses a topic of high importance to many ASEE members-research funding, specifically funding from the Department of Defense. Since the end of the Cold War, the reduction in DOD's overall budget has been mirrored by a reduction of more than 20 percent in the department's research budget.

Now, though, the tide seems to be turning. The nation's universities, scientific and engineering societies, and corporate representatives have worked hard in recent years to educate members of Congress and their staffs on the importance of DOD academic research funding to the nation's future defense readiness …

Louisiana Tech beats Grambling State 80-74

Kenneth Cooper scored seven of Louisiana Tech's 14 overtime points in the Bulldogs' 80-74 win against Grambling Tuesday night.

Grambling (0-1) had a chance to win the game in regulation when Ariece Perkins went to the free-throw line with six seconds remaining and his team trailing 66-65. However Perkins split his shots, enabling Louisiana Tech (2-0) to shoot 66.7 percent of its shots (4 of 6) in …

Cuts aren't the only answer ; Letters

SOCIAL care costs were likened to a 'runaway train' in your paperdated December 7 when you quoted Mark James, the chief executive ofCarmarthenshire Council.

This begs the question, who in Carmarthenshire Council agreedwhat track the train should go on and why wasn't someone planningthe journey ahead to avoid hitting the buffers? As our Unison Branchhas asserted previously and continues to advocate to the Independent/Labour led coalition, they have a choice.

They could oppose the Con-Dem cuts that have been passed on bythe Welsh Assembly Government and use some of their reserves tomaintain jobs and services or they could borrow to do the same whilethey …

Obama: Don't Stay in Iraq Over Genocide

SUNAPEE, N.H. - Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama said Thursday the United States cannot use its military to solve humanitarian problems and that preventing a potential genocide in Iraq isn't a good enough reason to keep U.S. forces there.

"Well, look, if that's the criteria by which we are making decisions on the deployment of U.S. forces, then by that argument you would have 300,000 troops in the Congo right now - where millions have been slaughtered as a consequence of ethnic strife - which we haven't done," Obama said in an interview with The Associated Press.

"We would be deploying unilaterally and occupying the Sudan, which we haven't done. Those of us …

Schwarzenegger says state must work to keep movie, TV production in California

California must increase tax incentives to movie and television studios to keep them from moving their productions out of state and costing California, home to Hollywood, thousands of jobs, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said.

"I've been trying for four years, since I've gotten to Sacramento, to convince our lawmakers here that it is extremely important to give tax incentives to Hollywood," said the former actor turned politician Friday.

Tax credit proposals have repeatedly failed to clear the Legislature. Legislative spokesmen expressed support for the idea Friday but worried about the lost taxes when California is struggling with a budget deficit that …

Cicadas Force Changes at Ill. Concert

HIGHLAND PARK, Ill. - The longtime Ravinia Festival has revised its summer concert schedule because of the buzz created by a certain red-eyed bug. Cicadas, known for their loud hum and unique 17-year life cycle, are expected to make a debut this June.

So officials from the almost 103-year-old music festival will move several outdoor concerts indoors. They also pushed the date of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra's annual summer concerts back to July 6, later in the season than usual.

By then, the chirping critters should cease.

The subtleties of the music "would get completely lost and drowned out," said Welz Kauffman Ravinia Festival president and CEO.

The 1 1/2-inch-long black bugs, which can number several hundred thousand per acre, don't sting or bite. Once they emerge, they spend their two-week lives climbing trees, shedding their crunchy skins and reproducing - and making lots of noise.

While some types of cicadas hatch each year, others arrive in 13- or 17-year cycles. Many of the insects also appear localized in different parts of Illinois.

Often mistaken for locusts, periodic cicadas last emerged in large numbers in the state in 1990.

In anticipation for this year's appearance, several museums, including Chicago's Notebaert Nature Museum, are planning special exhibits.

"They're really cool to watch," said Doug Taron, Notebaert's curator of biology. "They have these bright red eyes. And you can eat them."

NKorea may be developing small nuclear warhead

A top South Korean military officer said Wednesday that he believes North Korea is trying to develop a nuclear warhead that is small enough to be carried by its missiles.

North Korea is believed to have enough plutonium to produce about half a dozen bombs, but it is not believed to have mastered the technology needed to fit a nuclear weapon on a missile. The communist nation conducted an underground nuclear test in 2006, and its long-range missiles may be able to reach as far as the West Coast of the United States.

Gen. Kim Tae-young, chairman of South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff, told a parliamentary committee that he believes "North Korea has been pushing to develop a small warhead to be mounted on a missile," according to the general's office.

Kim said it was not clear whether the North had already manufactured such a warhead.

South Korea would attack suspected nuclear sites in North Korea if the communist country attempts to use its atomic weapons on the South, Kim said.

"If (the North) tries to use nuclear weapons, we will launch a strike to get them not to use" the weapons, he said.

Kim made similar remarks in March, prompting an angry reaction from Pyongyang. Kim's office later said he was talking about a general military principle in dealing with outside threats, not about a pre-emptive attack on the North.

There was no immediate reaction from North Korea to Kim's comments.

Kim's latest remarks came at a time of increased tension on the Korean peninsula.

North Korea began disabling its main nuclear complex north of Pyongyang last November as part of an aid-for-disarmament pact with the U.S., South Korea, China, Russia and Japan. North Korea, however, stopped the disablement work and began reassembling the facilities in mid-August in protest at Washington's refusal to remove it from a blacklist of state sponsors of terrorism.

The U.S. pledged to remove the North from the blacklist after the regime submitted a long-delayed account of its nuclear programs in June. The U.S. later insisted the North would only be taken off the list after it agreed to an international inspection of its nuclear declaration.

Washington's top nuclear envoy visited Pyongyang last week to resolve the impasse, but it was unclear whether it produced any breakthrough.

TO VC, OR NOT TO VC

Cleantech startups on venture capital

Alex Livingston was just 22 years old when his idea for a portable, rechargeable electric car battery swept the 2008 Bronco Venture Championship, Northwest Venture Championship and TechLaunch 5.0 business competitions.

Heartened by the wins and bolstered by the exposure, his company, R2EV, secured flex-space in the Venga Works business center in Meridian, and he got busy hiring a staff. Things were looking up.

But now, two years later, R2EV will be homeless after Venga Works closes on Friday, April 30, Livingston's work force has dwindled to one - himself - and the company has ditched car batteries in favor of batterybackup systems, a "more mature market," he said.

He hopes the transition from batteries to back ups will help him raise some much-needed capital, but it's been an uphill struggle.

"It is awful. It is really hard," Livingston said of the local venture capital funding scene. "We just aren't in their space, and they've been really up front about that."

Livingston isn't the only entrepreneur having trouble tapping startup cash. Recessionary pressure drove down 2009 North American venture capital investment 47 percent - back to 2003 levels, according to the Cleantech Group and accounting firm Deloitte.

The first quarter 2010 numbers are looking better, and "cleantech" companies like Livingston's, which focus on green energy or energy efficiency, are getting funded in states like California. But that enthusiasm isn't shared locally.

Phil Syrdal, president of the Boise chapter of the Keiretsu Forum, a global network of investors, said a range of factors - from the recession to the federal government's priority shift from energy to health care - have tempered the attraction for cleantech investment.

"In Idaho, the kinds of companies that have come forward to us have been very small startups," Syrdal said. "For the most part, what we're seeing is people just working with products that are out there and finding ways to apply them."

In other words, unless a cleantech startup has a one-of-a-kind idea that can be immediately put into production, venture capitalists and other investors will likely avoid the risk.

"If you don't have an idea that can scale efficiently, then the large front-end money is hard to find," Syrdal said. "Basically, it's a hard market to raise money in."

Steve Hodges, founder and president of M2M Communications, doesn't think it's a bad thing that venture capitalists are shying away from cleantech.

His firm, based in Boise, specializes in remote monitoring systems used to control energy consumption at large irrigation pumps. For years, M2M has worked with Idaho utilities on energy efficiency programs, and the company recently landed a $2.1 million stimulus grant to install sensors on irrigation pumps in central California.

"My experience with investors over the years has almost all been negative," Hodges said. "We have learned that the best way to grow a company and have a good life is to bootstrap your company - to earn your way ... Investors have a different attitude: They're looking for that quick exit, that good sale."

Hodges has formed that opinion out of bitter experience. Brought to Boise by a job with Hewlett-Packard, he went on to found Telemetrie, which is also in the wireless communications and monitoring business. After investing more than five years and a lot of his own money, he'd built a sizable, profitable company with between 15 and 20 employees. It was then that the "vulture capitalists," as he calls them, swooped in.

"Taking their money was really the beginning of the end both for Telemetrie and for me," he said. "Within a pretty short amount of time, they pressured me to bring in a new CEO, someone who effectively reported directly to them." He acquiesced, and later, when he raised concerns about the new boss's management, he found himself fired from the company he'd started.

"They just took over the company themselves," he said. "When they sold the company last year, they got nice bonuses, but I got zero ... It is a horror story."

Syrdal said the term "vulture capitalist" is a misnomer. Long gone are the days when young turks fresh out of business school would take over a company and oust its founders in favor of a quick sale to benefit their cronies.

"Those are pretty much old wives tales now," he said. "We can't make those kinds of investments and take those kinds of risks ... Even in Sun Valley, I've heard more personal stories about how difficult this has been over the past year for investors to keep their balance. They're still frightened."

Nate Calvin, co-founder and CEO of AeroLEDS, agreed that venture capitalists are far less likely these days to invest obscene amounts of money into untested concepts.

His company makes light emitting diodes for the commercial-industrial and aviation markets. He's still leery of VC money, but recognizes that sometimes it's necessary.

"You can spend weeks on end, day after day, chasing venture money, and at the end of that whole process, end up with nothing," Calvin said.

"If you have a bright idea, then [it's] best to develop it yourself and start carving out a market niche," he added. "Once you have a track record, be open to those partnerships."

Syrdal emphasizes that "partnership" idea. "We don't want to run companies, we want to help entrepreneurs be successful in companies. You want him to make it. You're on his team," he said.

That's the kind of relationship Livingston would like to establish with investors, but in the meantime, he's taking the downturn in stride. R2EV was recognized last fall as a top 10 innovator at the Green Beat 2009 conference in San Mateo, Calif., and Livingston recently took the company to the New Venture Championship in Portland, Ore.

He has a few deals in the works to install back up systems around the valley and he still wants some venture funding. So far, a couple of out-of-state VCs have been willing to talk with him.

But as Livingston gears up to graduate from Boise State with a business degree next fall, he has no intention of pulling up stakes.

"We're a startup and I know how it is. You have to be hungry," he said. "I'm from Boise, so I plan on staying here."

What's your backup position?

In the event of a disaster, every person and organization should have a backup plan to recover important information

Backups may not be sexy or new, but they are something we take for granted. In information technology, the term refers to making copies of data so the copies may be used to restore information in case of a data loss. Whether you have a home PC or are responsible for data in your organization, periodically you must review your backup strategy to ensure it meets your needs.

Technology lets us automate or simplify many tasks, and we depend on it to store and organize much of the data we own. Look at examples of data we all have and use (see chart above).

Some data can be recreated, some are irreplaceable. An appropriate backup strategy is key to any disaster recovery plan. Without a valid backup, your business could suffer irreparable damage through the loss of client data or other information in the event of fire, flood, hurricane, tornado, earthquake or other disasters.

Even without a disaster, valuable information or data can be lost. According to a study by Carnegie Mellon University and experience by Google data centres, disks fail and they can fail long before their "mean time to failure." Studies show this to be true for both inexpensive consumer (ATA and SATA) and expensive (SCSI and Fibre Channel) disks used by high-end computer manufacturers for servers and disk arrays.

Full guidance on backups is beyond the scope of this article; if you are evaluating your backup position, you will need additional research. However, if you are looking for basic guidelines, you are in the right place.

Backup versus archive

In some cases all you need is an archive of documents or files. An archive is simply a copy of files you want to keep, those files you can't afford to lose, be they financial data, correspondence or photos.

Archiving is easy. Simply copy the data to any external media such as an external hard drive, flash memory, CD, DVD, even floppy disks, though with today's data sizes and the limited availability of floppy drives in new machines, floppy disks are not recommended.

When you archive data, test its usefulness by try ing to read the media on another machine or system. Because you can read the data on the machine that created the archive, there is no guarantee that the data can be read on another machine should this one become unavailable. Testing readability on another machine is critical.

On the personal front, an archive copy of correspondence, documents, financial information and photos stored on a CD or DVD and kept at the office could be the appropriate backup situation for you. Technology today allows this. Just think - before computers, this type of information would have been paper-based and destroyed and lost forever in the event of a fire or flood.

Windows backup things you should know

If you have a full system backup in Windows XP or Windows Server 2003 and your machine dies, chances are you won't be able to restore the system. The full system backup will allow you to rebuild the exact machine, but if that particular hardware is not available, you may not be able to recover the system on a new PC. This is because a Windows Backup includes drivers and software unique to the machine and this may prevent the new system from working properly.

All kinds of problems can occur should this happen. You may have difficulty recovering your mail (Outlook on PCs and Exchange on servers), Active Directory information about users and computers on your network, etc. In some cases you will need to re-install the operating system and all applications on the new machine and restore the data from the backup. With today's software licensing and activation methods, it may not be easy to re-install the software on another machine. The only way to ensure you are covered is to test your backup on another system from time to time.

In Windows Vista and in Windows Server 2008, backups created with NTBackup included in Windows 2000, XP and Windows Server 2003 require that a special Microsoft tool be downloaded and used to restore the data. NTBackup, the longstanding Windows backup tool, is no longer included in Vista and Server 2008.

In Windows Vista, Microsoft has created two new backups: Windows Complete PC Backup and the Backup Files Wizard. As the names imply, the two backups are for different purposes and keep the data separate from the system. In the event of a full system failure, the Windows Complete PC backup can restore programs and data, however should a specific file be required, the backup files Wizard can be used to recover the lost files.

In Windows XP and Vista, you can use the Windows Easy Transfer Wizard, which lets you transfer data to the new PC. In an enterprise setting, you can use the Windows User State Migration Tool to create a backup file, which will maintain all user files and settings allowing you to re-create the user machine, regardless of the hardware. These tools help minimize down time and allow the user to retain most settings such as mail, desktop wallpaper and the like.

Windows Server 2008 Backup shows promise in the area of restoring to a different machine; time will tell.

If you use a recent version of Windows or if you only need to restore an earlier version of a specific file, you can use Shadow Copy or the Volume Snapshot Service. VSS allows taking manual or automatic backup copies or snapshots of a file or folder on a specific volume at a specific point in time. It is used by NTBackup and the Volume Shadow Copy service to backup files. In Windows Vista, it is used by Vista's backup utility, System Restore and the Previous Versions feature. Although technically not a backup utility, it can help you restore a file to its previous version in case of accidental erasure or modification.

All of this is simply to highlight issues with backups under Windows, even if we are using the supported tools. Backup is never simple and if not tested, the process could be tedious, useless or less effective than anticipated.

Backup medium

Today the choice of backup medium is almost limitless. Tape is the medium of choice in large data centres as it's easy to store and move, but some organizations are re-evaluating this position. Storage media include magnetic tape, hard disks, optical disks, floppy disks, flash memory, remote backup services, virtual tape libraries, branch-office backup or copies and mirroring. (For a detailed definition of these backup media, please see www.CAmagazine.com/backup.)

Regardless of the data repository model or data storage media backups, a balance needs to be struck between accessibility, security and cost.

Encryption

As discussed previously, data encryption is important to ensure personal or business data is not compromised. Most backup software can encrypt the data as it is written to the media. You need to evaluate the need for encryption of your backup data. Bear in mind you usually store important data on the backup-can you risk it being compromised?

If you want to archive your data to CD or DVD, using a file archiving utility such as current versions of WinZip allows for strong file encryption thereby protecting your valuable data. In corporate environments, most commercial backup software allows for encrypted backups.

Some risks

Data stored offsite could be compromised by competitors or through carelessness. Proper security measures need to be taken to protect all data, including backups.

The time to find out if your backup is usable is not in the event of a disaster. Test backups periodically to ensure they can be read and restored to your system or to another machine.

You could have the best backup device in the world, but if you can't get a similar or compatible backup device within a reasonable period of time during a disaster or failure, your backup could be compromised or even useless.

Backups should be in a secure remote location. Keeping current backups on site could be of little use if a disaster should occur.

Are your recovery processes documented? You should be ready in case centre staff are unavailable and you need your system restored. A full backup/restore scenario includes data, equipment, process and people.

Best practice checklist

In order to see if you have a proper backup, check the following points to evaluate the state of your backups:

* the more important the data stored the greater the need is for backing it up;

* a backup is only as reliable as the ability to restore it;

* never store backup near the original. Fire, flood or earthquake will destroy any backups along with everything else;

* an automated backup and scheduling strategy should be used. Manual backups rely on human intervention and can be subject to error or simply forgotten;

* backups will fail for a variety of reasons. A testing or monitoring strategy is a vital part of any backup plan;

* if data is sensitive, it should be encrypted - especially if it is stored offsite, if you use a remote backup solution or if the data is out of your control.

This is just a short expose on backups. You need to evaluate how they fit into your organization - don't be caught without a backup.

[Author Affiliation]

Yves Godbout, CA*IT, CA*CISA, is the director of IT services with the Office of the Auditor General of Canada and has extensive experience in information technologies as they apply to the enterprise and in audit. He is the chair of the CICA Alliance for Excellence in Information Technology. Godbout is also Technical editor for technology. He can be reached at godbouy@computradcom

Fears that demand is falling push down oil price to $127

Oil dropped below $127 a barrel today on worries that soaringprices have eaten away at demand and a U.S. probe into futurestrading continued to weigh on the market.

Light, sweet crude for July delivery was down $1.04 to $126.31 abarrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange bymidday in Europe.

On Friday, the contract settled at $127.35 a barrel, up 73 centsafter dipping below $125 and then rebounding.

In London, July Brent crude futures fell $1.03 to $126.75 abarrel on the ICE Futures exchange in London.

Jitters about record high fuel and energy prices - particularlyin the U.S., which has just started its summer driving season - havehelped to pull oil off the $135.09 a barrel trading record hit May22. Data from the U.S. Energy Department and Federal HighwayAdministration and several surveys in recent days suggest Americanconsumers are driving less.

The decision by some countries in Asia, like Indonesia, to lowersubsidies on oil products, also was seen as having a bearish effecton the market.

Additional selling pressure came with last week's announcementfrom the Commodity Futures Trading Commission about an investigationinto possible price manipulation in oil futures markets. Thecommission also announced new rules designed to increasetransparency of U.S. and international energy futures markets.

"There are more concerns on the high pricing we have seen, thatit will have a negative impact on demand, and the fact that the CFTCis expanding its investigation of manipulation in the oil markets,"said Victor Shum, an energy analyst with Purvin & Gertz inSingapore.

"The seesaw we've seen in the last few days is an indication thatthe oil market may have peaked," Shum said.

"Having said that ... the reality is that even though we havecrude off the peak of $135 there are still supply-side issues goingforward," he said. "The hurricane season is certainly one factor tocontend with."

Tropical Storm Arthur formed Saturday afternoon - one day beforethe official start of the 2008 Atlantic Hurricane season - andthough it caused the temporary closure of two of Mexico's oil exportports, it wasn't expected to cause any severe disruptions to oilshipments. On Sunday, the storm weakened to a tropical depression.

Williams grabbing Bear spot, but barely

Bear coach Mike Ditka is still looking for something fromthird-round rookie wide receiver David Williams before he commits tokeeping him this season.

"Maybe just an all-out, go-for-broke attitude," Ditka saidyesterday.

If Williams doesn't survive the final roster cut to 45 Monday,it will be a bigger shock than any of the trims the Bears made toreach 50. They haven't given up on a third-round rookie before theseason in recent memory.

To reach 50, the Bears waived wide receiver Clay Pickering,punter John Teltschik and second-year cornerback Ken Taylor, whomthey'll pay until his knee injury heals. They also put guard StefanHumphries on injured reserve for the third time in his three seasons.

Ditka sounded more excited about Pickering's promise than thatof Williams. He said the Bears might call back Pickering, who joinedthem a week ago after Cincinnati cut him.

Last week, Ditka talked about keeping five wide receivers andDennis Gentry, a halfback who's working at wideout. But for thatluxury, he would have to trim below 20 defensive players, a sacrificehe no longer sounds inclined to make.

"I really hope not," Ditka said.

Ken Margerum and Keith Ortego seem to have solidified theirpositions behind Willie Gault. The other wide receivers are rookiesWilliams and Lew Barnes, the fifth-round punt returner Ditka saidhe's "wishing and hoping" to find room for.

"I think David is more of a polished player," Ditka said. "He'scome out of a good system at Illinois and he's caught a lot of balls. Looking better

"I've got to see a guy that's really working all the time.

"Not that he's not working. The kid's been sick. I take thatinto consideration. He caught the ball and ran better today. That'swhat I have to see - something that's going to trigger in my mindthat four or five weeks from now, I'm going to see exactly what Iwant."

The Bears were hoping for a quicker impact from Williams. Theydrafted him and Barnes, claimed Pickering on waivers and made untoldtrade attempts for wide receivers because starter Dennis McKinnon'sknee surgeon pronounced him out for the season.

"I really feel we can get by with what we have," general managerJerry Vainisi said. "But we set out to improve ourselves at thatposition, and I don't think we did."

Ditka was less pessimistic, pointing to the wide receivers' fourpre-season touchdown catches.

"Our wide receivers haven't been disappointing me," he said. "Atleast we're getting scoring. That's what we're looking for."

The problem in trying to trade has been the Bears are lookingfor more than just depth, Vainisi said. "We're looking for afront-line guy. There are clubs that might have two or three realgood ones and are offering their fourth or fifth guy, but we've gota bunch of those."

The trade attempts yesterday were to unload players, not acquiremore. The Bears wanted to get something for Teltschik, a ninth-roundrookie, and free a spot for another week's look at Pickering.

"All we're asking for is `if' deals," Ditka said. "If they play,fine, you owe us something. If they don't, you don't."

They'll be doing the same thing until Monday, Ditka said. "Ithink (the remaining 50 players) can play."

But teams are reluctant to trade because waived players arevirtually free. Besides, they have their own cutdown problems,especially those with former USFL players who signed in the last twoweeks.

Ditka and personnel director Bill Tobin both expected Teltschikto wind up somewhere in the NFL. Ditka said he probably wouldn'teven clear waivers past the NFC teams, which have the first crack athim. Tried trades

The Bears tried to trade him to Seattle, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati,Dallas and perhaps Philadelphia and Green Bay. "Some of those teams,we don't talk to a lot," Ditka said, apparently of the last two.

"I didn't beat him out," Teltschik said of veteran Maury Buford,whose pre-season average was 43.6 yards to Teltschik's 42.4. Ditka said the difference wasconsistency.

"I didn't get much sleep last night," Teltschik said. "They saybeing a punter in the NFL's the easiest job in the world, but I don'tknow. Days like today, I'd have to disagree with it."

Ditka said he wanted "very badly" to keep Pickering at leastanother week. "I think the kid is legit," he said. But injuries atother positions, especially defensive backfield, made Pickering themost expendable. Safety in numbers

So eighth-round safety Maurice Douglass stayed. He has had agood camp, but seven DBs are ahead of him and it's hard to keepeight.

Even with seven defensive backs and 13 at the line andlinebacker, the Bears need to cut or trade another defensive player.The non-starters are linebackers Dan Rains, Jim Morrissey, Ron Riveraand Al Harris, and linemen Henry Waechter, Mike Hartenstine andTyrone Keys.

If they keep 20 defensive players, the Bears have three too manyon offense. One of them is probably Tom Andrews or Larry Rubens, thebackup centers. That leaves Williams, Barnes and tight end PatDunsmore probably fighting for one job, two at the most.

Oil rises above $79 amid Iranian war games

Oil prices rose above $79 a barrel Monday on a weakening dollar and as Iran's war games, aimed at protecting its nuclear plants, deepened tensions in the oil-rich region.

By late morning, benchmark crude for December delivery gained $2.05 to $79.52 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

Iran on Sunday began large-scale air defense war games aimed at protecting its nuclear facilities from attack as an air force commander boasted the country could deter any military strike by Israel, state television reported.

Analysts said the military exercises sharpened tensions in the Middle East, but they didn't expect supplies to be affected.

In the U.S., the National Association of Realtors said home sales rose 10.1 percent in October. That is the highest level in more than two years and helped push crude prices higher on expectations of increased demand.

Still, crude in U.S. storage is above normal levels for this time of year and it is the dollar that been the biggest driver behind rising oil prices.

Investors holding stronger currencies can buy more dollar-based crude when the U.S. currency falls. But the refiners that turn crude into gasoline, jet fuel and diesel are cutting back because demand is so weak.

The dollar began the week lower as a Federal Reserve official urged the continuation of stimulus programs and as home sales in October greatly exceeded market expectations, revving up traders' taste for higher-yielding assets.

In morning trading in New York Monday, the 16-nation euro rose to $1.4975 from $1.4857, while the British pound jumped to $1.6613 from $1.6481.

In other Nymex trading, heating oil rose 5.5 cents to $2.03 a gallon. Gasoline for December delivery gained 5 cents to $2.03 a gallon. Natural gas for December delivery rose 9 cents to $4.515 per 1,000 cubic feet.

In London, Brent crude for January delivery rose $1.96 to $79.16 on the ICE Futures exchange.

____

Associated Press writer Barry Hatton in Lisbon, Portugal, contributed to this report.

NBA's West reaches plea agreement in Md. case

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Delonte West has reached a plea agreement with prosecutors in Maryland on weapons and traffic charges.

A spokesman for Prince George's County State's Attorney Glenn Ivey says West will plead guilty to carrying concealed weapons and transporting loaded weapons. His deal says he'll do court-supervised electronic monitoring, complete community service and undergo psychological counseling.

While waiting before the hearing Thursday, West said he feels "blessed."

Authorities say the basketball player was carrying two loaded handguns, a loaded shotgun and a knife while speeding on a three-wheel motorcycle on a highway last September. Police say West, who lives in Brandywine, Md., was pulled over after cutting off an officer.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

UPPER MARLBORO, Md. (AP) _ Cleveland Cavaliers guard Delonte West has reached a plea agreement with prosecutors on weapons and traffic charges.

A spokesman for Prince George's County State's Attorney Glenn Ivey says the NBA player will plead guilty to carrying concealed weapons and transporting loaded weapons. His deal says he'll do court-supervised electronic monitoring, complete community service and undergo psychological counseling.

Obama still has uphill fight in battleground Va.

Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain are investing unprecedented time and money in Virginia, a state both parties have written off for decades as GOP turf.

But recent polls, the state's demographics and its history in presidential elections make clear that if Virginia really is a battleground, it's Obama who has the uphill fight.

Even Obama's most ardent and influential Virginia backer acknowledges that the Illinois senator faces a difficult _ but not impossible _ task to become the first Democrat to carry the state since 1964.

"He is an underdog because this 44-year drought did not happen by accident," said Gov. Timothy M. Kaine, one of Obama's earliest backers and a finalist to be his running mate.

Republicans excited their voters in Virginia with McCain's choice of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate, Kaine said. Even so, he added, Obama's supporters still have plenty of energy.

Frank Atkinson, a longtime GOP adviser and author of two books on the party's ascendancy in Virginia, said McCain probably will prevail because of his edge among voters tied to the state's large military and defense industry interests.

"If Virginia is close, it probably means this state won't be a battleground because Obama has probably won the election handily," Atkinson said.

Virginia is not the same Republican redoubt it was eight years ago when George Bush beat Democrat Al Gore in the state by 8 percentage points, and Republican George Allen swept Democratic incumbent Sen. Chuck Robb from office. That election briefly gave the GOP control of every statewide elected office and both legislative chambers.

Since then, Kaine and his Democratic predecessor, Mark R. Warner, have dominated two gubernatorial elections and Allen was denied re-election by Republican-turned-Democrat Jim Webb.

"You've got more Democratic voters there, probably more independent-minded voters who are behaving more Democratically," said David Plouffe, Obama's campaign manager.

Mo Elleithee, a Democratic strategist and veteran of three Virginia campaigns, said Obama is to be credited for putting up a fight in Virginia.

"Eight years ago, the thought of a Democrat even setting foot in Virginia in a presidential race was a totally foreign concept," Elleithee said.

Obama trailed McCain by 6 percentage points in a CNN/Time/Opinion Research Corp. poll of 920 registered Virginia voters last week. Other polls have shown a McCain advantage of from 3 to 5 points.

Obama is contesting areas normally not amenable to Democrats in presidential elections, including rural and overwhelmingly white southwestern Virginia, a region reeling from disappearing manufacturing jobs.

"Compare that to 2000, when Al Gore didn't even cross the Potomac," said Elleithee.

Warner, Kaine and Webb won with variations of the same script that Obama is now using: undercut Republican strength in rural areas, energize Democratic-voting urban areas and win in the moderate, educated and affluent suburbs.

Warner, who left office in 2006 with record high job-approval ratings, is strongly favored in his U.S. Senate race this year, and having him on the Virginia ballot can't hurt Obama.

But none of the Virginia Democratic triumphs came in a presidential election year, and things are different when the White House is on the line.

In the seven presidential elections since 1980, an average of 76 percent of the state's registered voters turned out. In the comparable seven gubernatorial elections, the average turnout has been 55 percent.

Republican-voting religious conservatives turn out heavily for presidential elections, partly to support candidates they believe will nominate Supreme Court justices hostile to abortion, gay rights and limits on school prayer.

Palin's addition to the ticket sent the signal those conservatives were looking for, said Ken Hutcheson, a veteran Republican strategist who has led numerous statewide campaigns, including Bush's 2004 re-election effort.

"Her nomination ensured they will come to the polls full force," Hutcheson said.

Virginia voters also found in Warner, Kaine and Webb a portfolio and a message more aligned to the state's moderate political tastes than Obama's.

"What often hurts the Democrats in Virginia is the national campaigns are focused more on the big swing states _ Ohio, Pennsylvania and Michigan _ with a message that hasn't been the best in Virginia," said Virginia Commonwealth University political scientist Robert D. Holsworth.

Obama still could defy the old electoral formulas. He has opened about 40 campaign offices across the state. His supporters have fanned out to register tens of thousands of new voters by the Oct. 6 deadline.

Registration drives, however, don't always translate into votes. Democrats led a voting drive that accounted for many of the 270,000 Virginia voters newly registered in 2004, but John Kerry lost Virginia by 9 percentage points.

Boss turnova: Guppy ready to take Fire reins from Wilt

The Fire announced a surprise change in leadership Monday. JohnGuppy, who had been executive vice president of the MetroStars, willassume the title of president and chief executive officer.

Peter Wilt, who organized the franchise that won the 1998 MajorLeague Soccer title as an expansion team, will continue as generalmanager -- at least for a while.

Once the transition is successful, I will be able to consider newchallenges," Wilt said in a statement. It is emotional to transferleadership of an organization that one helped create, nurture andgrow. At the same time, I understand that I was simply a custodianfor Chicago's professional soccer team."

Wilt and Guppy are scheduled to address the media today in LakeForest. The leadership change was made by Scott Blackmun, chiefoperating officer of Anschutz Entertainment Group, which owns theFire and MetroStars.

The Fire opens its home season Saturday at Soldier Field againstthe San Jose Earthquakes. Next season the team moves to a new stadiumunder construction in Bridgeview.

Guppy, 37, worked in the MetroStars organization for five seasons.Blackmun called him a proven and capable marketing executive who webelieve will capitalize on the commercial opportunities that existfor AEG in the Chicago marketplace."

Peter has done a fantastic job as GM for the past seven years andhas built one of the most successful and respected teams in MLS,"Guppy said in a statement. Just as Peter has helped shape asuccessful past, I hope to shape a successful future."

The Fire did just fine under Wilt, winning three U.S. Open Cupsand reaching the MLS Cup final three times. In 2003 the club had thebest regular-season record in MLS, but it had the worst one lastseason as injuries and national team call-ups took a toll.

John will take over an organization that is on budget and ontarget to set team records in revenue for sponsorships, suites,camps, season tickets and group tickets this season," Wilt said.Group ticket sales for opening day will be more than double any ofthe home openers from the last three years, and we'll follow up witha record Chicago Fire crowd for the April 27 doubleheader with Mexicoand Poland. On the field, I believe we are also positioned for areturn to glory."

Wilt, who grew up in McHenry, has been a longtime leader inChicago soccer. He was general manager of the Power, an indoor teamthat won the 1991 National Professional Soccer League title, beforeguiding the Fire. He's the longest-tenured general manager with thesame team in MLS and the longest-tenured GM of a major-league team inChicago.

Toronto stock market tumbles

TORONTO (AP) — Concerns over the U.S. economy and Europe's debt problems sent the Toronto stock market tumbling Thursday over 400 points.

The S&P/TSX composite index plunged 448.52 points to 12,367.51 at closing Thursday, while the TSX Venture Exchange fell 101.18 points to 1,864.49.

The Canadian dollar also got caught up in the downdraft as tumbling prices for oil and metals helped push the currency down 1.7 U.S. cents to 102.19 U.S. cents.

Just a couple of weeks ago, investors were concerned the U.S. economy had hit a soft patch. Since then a raft of economic data has raised worries about the economy slipping back into recession.

Manufacturing, consumer spending and hiring by private companies are below levels that are consistent with a healthy economy.

"It has now become completely about the economy," said Sid Mokhtari, market technician at CIBC World Markets. "The evidence suggests there is now the risk of a serious economic slowdown."

Investors will be looking toward economic data released Friday for more perspective on the direction of the U.S. economy.

Expectations are modest for tomorrow's U.S. non-farm payrolls report for July, with economists expecting something in the neighborhood of 75,000 jobs. Pessimism deepened after jobless insurance claims last week were down by only 1,000.

"If numbers are in line or below what the consensus is, I think we will see the selling pressure continue," added Mokhtari.

Canadian jobless figures for July will also be released on Friday and economists expect about 20,000 jobs were created.

Buying sentiment has also been hit recently by concerns that Italy or Spain may need help from the European Union. The benchmark stock indexes in Italy, Germany and England each fell by three percent Thursday.

Markets have also been driven lower by the weeks of bitter partisan wrangling that preceded an agreement by American lawmakers to raise the U.S. debt limit and avoid a default.

The flight to safety has resulted in large investors moving so much money into cash accounts at Bank of New York that on Thursday the bank said it would begin charging some clients a 0.13 percent fee to hold their cash.

The sour sentiment has taken a substantial toll on the TSX, which is heavily weighted with commodities. The TSX has lost ground in five of the last seven sessions, sending it down more than 7 percent or about 1,000 points below where it started 2011 trading.

Yale discovers Velazquez painting in its holdings

Yale art experts say they've discovered that a painting in their collection is a work by renowned Spanish baroque artist Diego Velazquez.

The Yale University Art Gallery recently researched its full inventory in preparation for its expansion and renovation and found the painting.

The artwork, "The Education of the Virgin," previously was attributed to an unknown 17th-century Spanish painter. Two brothers from New Haven, Connecticut, donated it to Yale in 1925, when the painting was already more than 300 years old and in poor condition.

Experts recently reattributed it to Velazquez after six years of research, and it's now being studied for conservation treatment. It's not on public display, and its value isn't known.

Libby Found Guilty in CIA Leak Trial

WASHINGTON - Once the closest adviser to Vice President Dick Cheney, I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby was convicted Tuesday of lying and obstructing a leak investigation that shook the top levels of the Bush administration.

Four guilty verdicts ended a seven-week CIA leak trial that focused new attention on the Bush administration's much-criticized handling of intelligence reports about weapons of mass destruction in the run-up to the Iraq war.

In the end, jurors said they did not believe Libby's main defense: that he hadn't lied but merely had a bad memory.

Their decisions made Libby the highest-ranking White House official convicted in a government scandal since National Security Adviser John Poindexter in the Iran-Contra affair two decades ago.

The case cost Cheney his most trusted adviser, and the trial revealed Cheney's personal obsession with criticism of the war's justification.

Trial testimony made clear that President Bush secretly declassified a portion of the prewar intelligence estimate that Cheney quietly sent Libby to leak to Judith Miller of The New York Times in 2003 to rebut criticism by ex-ambassador Joseph Wilson. Bush, Cheney and Libby were the only three people in the government aware of the effort.

More top reporters were ordered into court - including Miller after 85 days of resistance in jail - to testify about their confidential sources among the nation's highest-ranking officials than in any other trial in recent memory.

Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald said the verdict closed the nearly four-year investigation into how the name of Wilson's wife, Valerie Plame, and her classified job at the CIA were leaked to reporters in 2003 - just days after Wilson publicly accused the administration of doctoring prewar intelligence. No one will be charged with the leak itself, which the trial confirmed came first from then-Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage.

"The results are actually sad," Fitzgerald told reporters after the verdict. "It's sad that we had a situation where a high-level official person who worked in the office of the vice president obstructed justice and lied under oath. We wish that it had not happened, but it did."

One juror, former Washington Post reporter Denis Collins, said the jury did not believe Libby's main defense: that he never lied but just had a faulty memory. Juror Jeff Comer agreed.

Collins said the jurors spent a week charting the testimony and evidence on 34 poster-size pages. "There were good managerial type people on this jury who took everything apart and put it in the right place," Collins said. "After that, it wasn't a matter of opinion. It was just there."

Libby, not only Cheney's chief of staff but also an assistant to Bush, was expressionless as the verdict was announced on the 10th day of deliberations. In the front row, his wife, Harriet Grant, choked out a sob and her head sank.

Libby could face up to 25 years in prison when sentenced June 5, but federal sentencing guidelines will probably prescribe far less, perhaps one to three years. Defense attorneys said they would ask for a retrial and if that fails, appeal the conviction.

"We have every confidence Mr. Libby ultimately will be vindicated," defense attorney Theodore Wells told reporters. He said that Libby was "totally innocent and that he did not do anything wrong."

Libby did not speak to reporters.

The president watched news of the verdict on television at the White House. Deputy press secretary Dana Perino said Bush respected the jury's verdict but "was saddened for Scooter Libby and his family."

In a written statement, Cheney called the verdict disappointing and said he was saddened for Libby and his family, too. "As I have said before, Scooter has served our nation tirelessly and with great distinction through many years of public service."

Wilson, whose wife left the CIA after she was exposed, said, "Convicting him of perjury was like convicting Al Capone of tax evasion or Alger Hiss of perjury. It doesn't mean they were not guilty of other crimes."

Libby was convicted of one count of obstruction of justice, two counts of perjury to the grand jury and one count of lying to the FBI about how he learned Plame's identity and whom he told.

Libby learned about Plame from Cheney in June 2003 about a month after Wilson's allegations were first published, without his name, by New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof.

Prosecutors said Libby relayed the Plame information to other government officials and told reporters, Miller of the Times and Matt Cooper of Time magazine, that she worked at the CIA.

On July 6, 2003, Wilson publicly wrote that he had gone to Niger in 2002 and debunked a report that Iraq was seeking uranium there for nuclear weapons and that Cheney, who had asked about the report, should have known his findings long before Bush cited the report in 2003 as a justification for the war. On July 14, columnist Robert Novak reported that Wilson's wife worked at the CIA and she, not Cheney, had suggested he go on the trip.

When an investigation of the leak began, prosecutors said, Libby feared prosecution for disclosing classified information so he lied to investigators to make his discussions appear innocent.

Libby swore that he was so busy he forgot Cheney had told him about Plame, and was surprised to learn it a month later from NBC reporter Tim Russert. He swore he told reporters only that he learned it from other reporters and could not confirm it.

Russert, however, testified he and Libby never even discussed Plame.

Libby blamed any misstatements in his account on flaws in his memory.

He was acquitted of one count of lying to the FBI about his conversation with Cooper.

Collins said jurors agreed that on nine occasions during a short period of 2003, Libby was either told about Plame or told others about her.

"If I'm told something once, I'm likely to forget it," Collins recalled one juror saying. "If I'm told it many times, I'm less likely to forget it. If I myself tell it to someone else, I'm even less likely to forget it."

Libby is free pending sentencing. His lawyers will ask that he remain so through any appeal.

The prospects of a presidential pardon remain unclear. Top Democrats called on Bush to pledge not to pardon Libby; the White House did not say what the president would do.

---

Associated Press writer Natasha T. Metzler contributed to this report.

School reform plan flawed // Bureaucrats may be `protected'

The state Legislature's plan to cut Chicago school bureaucracyactually could protect many administrators while targeting employeeswho work in the schools, a Chicago Sun-Times analysis shows.

Responding to allegations that the Chicago public schools have abloated bureaucracy, legislators concocted a formula that seeks tokeep Chicago's administrative overhead in line with other unit schoolsystems statewide.

However, limits imposed by the Legislature don't just targetcentral office bureaucrats. They also apply to principals and theirassistants and secretaries, school security and maintenance,transportation, lunchroom services and in-service training fornon-instructional staff, such as school clerks.

The apparent mistake calls into question the $46 million thatschool reformers say could be saved by administrative spending limitsin the Chicago school reform bill.

The bill is on the desk of Gov. Thompson, who has until Sept. 26to sign or veto it.

As written, the formula capping administrative spending excludescurriculum development and "activities associated with directing andmanaging" attendance, social work, counseling, instructionalimprovement, health services, psychological services and speechpathology and audiology services.

Among the areas open to cuts are security and maintenance -singled out elsewhere in the school reform bill as areas wherespending should be "maximized."

Asked about the conflict, Rep. John Cullerton (D-Chicago) said:"If there are mistakes, we'll make changes so the bill conforms withwhat we thought we were passing."

One person involved in writing the formula, who asked not to beidentified, speculated that mistakes arose from a misinterpretationof a January report by state Education Supt. Ted Sanders.

The report, an analysis of administrative spending, was issuedby Sanders to show that Chicago was not out of line with otherdistricts.

The analysis showed that Chicago did not spend much more,proportionately, than other school districts in the metropolitanarea. But it did show the system spent significantly more than otherunit districts statewide. A unit district includes elementary andhigh schools.

To meet the metropolitan-area average, Chicago would have to cut$5 million from the items analyzed. To meet the statewide averagefor unit districts, Chicago would have to cut $46 million.

Diana Lauber of the Chicago Panel on Public School Policy andFinance, who helped write the formula, said the $46 million beingtouted as forthcoming administrative savings was lifted from theSanders analysis.

But the formula does not follow Sanders' analysis precisely.Sanders studied selected items from four sections of annual schoolfinance reports. In creating their administrative limit, legislatorsincluded all items in those four sections.

Further, the formula does not go beyond Sanders' four sections,and thus it excludes administration dealing with curriculum,counseling and other instructional programs.

"Maybe they should be included," Lauber said.

Meanwhile, Chicago school administrators contend that theformula does not account for the higher salary levels in themetropolitan area and extra programs Chicago offers for poor,bilingual and other children with special needs.

Nightclubs RockPopFolkEtc. ...

Nightclubs

BAMBULE Ricardo Marlow and Miguel Bard, Friday-Saturday; TrioCaliente, Thursday. 5225 Wisconsin Ave. NW. 202-966-0300.

BLACK CAT The Dance Party, Let's French and De Novo Dahl, Friday;Pelican, Earth and Preistbird, Saturday; the Engine Room and CandyBars, Monday; Paul Michel, Tereu Tereu and Rocky's Revival, Tuesday;the Mendoza Line, Dappled Cities and All Smiles, Wednesday; You AmI, Smoking Popes and Julie Ocean, Thursday. 1811 14th St. NW. 202-667-7960.

BLACKSALT The George Oakley Trio, Sunday. 4883 MacArthur Blvd.NW. 202-342-9101.

BUD'S The TCB Band, Friday; Familiar Faces, Sunday; Sugar Bearand E.U., Thursday. 501 Morse St. NE. 202-543-4419.

CAFE CITRON Miguelito & friends, Monday; Alfredo Mohuca &friends, Tuesday. 1343 Connecticut Ave. NW. 202-530-8844.

CAFE MOZART Temur Tsagaris, Friday and Thursday. 1331 H St. NW.202-347-5732.

CANTINA MARINA Jay Rapoport, Saturday; Roger Greenidge, Sunday;iCandi, Thursday. 600 Water St., SW. 202-554-8396.

CHI-CHA French Connection, Sunday; Duende Camaron, Monday; ConCandela, Tuesday; Patrick de Santos & Dan Reynolds, Wednesday; Losdel Barrio, Thursday. 1624 U St. NW. 202-234-8400.

CLYDE'S/GEORGETOWN Tim Metz, Tuesday; Fran Scuderi, Wednesday.3236 M St. NW. 202-333-9180.

FADO IRISH PUB Monty Wells, Saturday. 808 Seventh St. NW. 202-789-0066.

IRELAND'S FOUR FIELDS Ronan Kavanagh, Friday-Saturday. 3412Connecticut Ave. NW. 202-244-0860.

IRISH TIMES Pete Papageorge, Friday-Saturday and Thursday. 14 FSt. NW. 202-543-5433.

MADAM'S ORGAN One Nite Stand, Monday. 2461 18th St. NW. 202-667-5370.

MARKET LOUNGE Junkyard and Natural Causes, Friday; Ras Lidj &Lil' Benny, Monday. 1309 5th St. NE. 202-543-9401.

MURPHY'S/ D.C. David Shea, Friday-Saturday. 2609 24th St. NW. 202-462-7171.

9:30 CLUB Sanalejo, Versus and March of Us, Friday; Xavier Ruddand Serena Ryder, Saturday; "d.c. space reunion," Sunday, with ChuckBrown, Ajax Joe Drayton, Amy Pickering, Beatnik Flies, Bill Warrell,Hamiet Bluiett, E. Ethelbert Miller, Esmirelda, Jenny Toomey, KarlStraub, the Pietasters, Reuben Jackson and others (a benefit for TomTerrell); Immortal Technique, Diabolic and Akir, Tuesday. 815 V St.NW. 202-393-0930.

REPUBLIC GARDENS Lissen Band, Sunday. 1355 U St. NW. 202-232-2710.

RIVERSIDE GRILLE Jake Phillips, Friday. 3050 K St. NW. 202-342-3535.

ROCK AND ROLL HOTEL "Julyoween," with New Rock Church of Fire,the Gaskets and the Invisibles, Friday; XBXRX, Wednesday. 1353 H St.NE. 202-388-7625.

SALOUN The Unforgiven, Thursday. 3239 M St. NW. 202-965-4900.

SKEWERS Hicam & Adam, Friday-Saturday. 1633 P St. NW. 202-387-7400.

ZANZIBAR ON THE WATERFRONT Maxi Priest, Saturday. 700 Water St.SW. 202-554-9100.

ANDY'S Kirsten Thien Band, Friday; Homegrown String Band,Saturday. 337 A High St., Chestertown. 410-778-6779.

BLACK MARKET BISTRO The George Oakley Trio, Monday. 4600 WaverlyAve., Garrett Park. 301-933-3000.

BOBBY B'S Bob Berger & the Going Back Band, Wednesday-Thursday.2132 Turkey Point Rd., Essex. 410-687-8838.

BUSHWALLER'S Schizophonic, Friday; Larry Thomas Project,Saturday; Neil Foley Duo, Sunday. 209 N. Market St., Frederick. 301-695-6988.

CAT'S EYE PUB Nothing but Trouble, Friday; Nothing but Trouble,Saturday early show; Patrick Alban & Noche Latina, Saturday lateshow; Steve Kraemer & the Bluesicians, Sunday early show; TimmyShelley, Sunday late show; Rob Hughes & the Heaters, Tuesday;Automatic Slim, Wednesday; the Pete Kanares Blues Band, Thursday.1730 Thames St., Fells Point, Baltimore. 410-276-9866.

CHAMPIONS/FREDERICK Sticktime, Friday; Star 69, Saturday. 5205Buckeystown Pike, Frederick. 301-846-0089.

CHEESEBURGER IN PARADISE/PASADENA Elizabeth Coyle and Paul Lewis,Saturday; Jeff Miller, Sunday. 8028 Ritchie Hwy., Pasadena. 410-761-1003.

CHICK HALL'S SURF CLUB The Paulverizers Blues Jam, Sunday. 4711Kenilworth Ave., Bladensburg. 301-927-6310.

CLYDE'S/CHEVY CHASE Buster Brown, Friday; Harry Traynham,Saturday. 5441 Wisconsin Ave., Chevy Chase. 301-951-9600.

DOGFISH HEAD ALEHOUSE Mike Giblin, Saturday. 800 W. Diamond Ave.,Gaithersburg. 301-963-4847.

8 X 10 CLUB American Babies, John Francis and the Brakes, Friday;the Cheaters and the Grilled Lincolns, Saturday; Xavier Rudd andSerena Ryder, Sunday; Chris Cubeta & the Liars Club, Aerport RockingChairs and the Great Scott, Tuesday; the Bridge and Mr. Wilson,Wednesday; Earthtone and the Frequency, Thursday. 10 E. Cross St.,Baltimore. 410-625-2000.

FIRESTONE'S Laurence McKenna, Thursday. 105 N. Market St.,Frederick. 301-663-0330.

FLANAGAN'S Pete Papageorge, Tuesday. 4844 Cordell Ave., Bethesda.301-951-0115.

GROWLERS Andre Fox Band, Saturday. 227 E. Diamond Ave.,Gaithersburg. 301-519-9400.

MARIO'S Open mike, Friday. 15209 Frederick Rd., Rockville. 240-314-0200.

MOON CAFE Open mike, Thursday. 137 Prince George St., Annapolis.410-280-1956.

NEW DEAL CAFE the Kings of Crownsville, Friday late show; MIDGE,Saturday late show; Jim Stinson, Sunday early show. 113 Centerway,Greenbelt. 301-474-5642.

OLNEY TAVERN The Sherwood Blues Band, Saturday. 18101 Town CenterDr., Olney. 301-260-0500.

OUTTA THE WAY CAFE Jack Worthington, Friday; Rags, Saturday;acoustic open mike, Wednesday. 7503 Redland Rd., Rockville. 301-963-6895.

PARKER'S Ted Garber, Sunday. 4824 Bethesda Ave., Bethesda. 301-654-6366.

QUARRY HOUSE TAVERN JP McDermott & Western Bop, Saturday. 8401Georgia Ave., Silver Spring. 301-587-9406.

RAMS HEAD LIVE The Cat Empire and Northern State, Friday; Ice-T,Saturday; Lucinda Williams and Charlie Louvin, Sunday. 20 MarketPl., Baltimore. 410-244-8854.

RAMS HEAD TAVERN Last Train Home, Friday; Art Sherrod Jr.,Saturday; the Duhks, Sunday; the Neville Brothers, Monday; the Tubesand Fee Waybill, Wednesday-Thursday. 33 West St., Annapolis. 410-268-4545.

REGGIE'S Y2K and Shorty Corleone & the Heat, Monday. 4881 GlennDale Rd., Bowie. 301-809-2615.

REMINGTON'S/LAUREL Soul Sponge, Wednesday. 3340 Fort Meade Rd.,Laurel. 301-490-7000.

RI-RA/BETHESDA Last Call, Friday; Westpole, Saturday. 4931 ElmSt., Bethesda. 301-657-1122.

RISTORANTE FELICTA The James Bazen Big Band, Tuesday. 51 MonroeSt., Rockville. 301-315-2100.

ROCK BOTTOM BREWERY/BETHESDA New Day Rising, Friday. 7900 NorfolkAve., Bethesda. 301-652-1311.

ROYAL MILE PUB Neal Foley & Paul Gannon, Saturday. 2407 PriceAve., Wheaton. 301-946-4511.

SAFARI STEAKHOUSE The What Band, Monday; Lissen, Y2K and All OutBand, Thursday. 9430 Annapolis Rd., Lanham. 301-459-8100.

SALA THAI/BETHESDA The Brian Gross Trio, Saturday. 4828 CordellAve., Bethesda. 301-654-4676.

STAR DINER On the Bus, Friday; the Sandra Dean Band, Saturday.705 Center Point Way, Gaithersburg. 301-921-8222.

TRADEWINDS Proper Utensils and Publicity Band, Friday. 5859Allentown Way, Temple Hills. 301-449-1234.

ZODIAC LOUNGE Archer, Friday; Cheap Date, Saturday. 654 CenterPoint Way, Gaithersburg. 301-977-2213.

AULD SHABEEN Members Only, Friday. 3971 Chain Bridge Rd.,Fairfax. 703-293-9600.

BANGKOK BLUES The ACME Blues Company, Friday. 926 W. Broad St.,Falls Church. 703-534-0095.

BEEF O'BRADY'S Stanley Whitaker, Friday. 44260 Ice Rink Plaza,Ashburn. 703-858-5439.

BIRCHMERE Fertile Ground, Friday; Ray Price and the CherokeeCowboys, Saturday; George Thorogood & the Destroyers, Wednesday; theRippingtons with Russ Freeman, Thursday. 3701 Mount Vernon Ave.,Alexandria. 703-549-7500.

BLARNEY STONE Wayne Jordan, Friday-Saturday. 715 Caroline St.,Fredericksburg. 540-371-7468.

BOMBAY TANDOOR John Bell, Thursday. 8603 Westwood Dr., Vienna.703-734-2202.

BORDER CAFE Andre Fox, Friday; Gary Smallwood and Bryan & AndreFox, Thursday. 5825 Trinity Pkwy., Centreville. 703-266-4400.

BRITTANY'S The Sparkplugs, Friday; Lost Highway Band, Saturday.12449 Dillingham Square, Woodbridge. 703-730-0728.

BUNGALOW BILLIARDS/CASCADES Shane Gamble, Tuesday. 46300McClellan Dr., Sterling. 703-421-3776.

BUNGALOW BILLIARDS/CHANTILLY Kevin James, Tuesday. 13891Metrotech Dr., Chantilly. 703-502-3925.

BUNGALOW BILLIARDS/FRANCONIA Dan Cook, Tuesday. 7003-C ManchesterBlvd., Alexandria. 703-924-8730.

BUNGALOW BILLIARDS/ SHIRLINGTON Drew Stevyns, Tuesday. 2766 S.Arlington Mill Dr., Arlington. 703-578-0020.

BUNKER SPORTS CAFE Jah Works, Saturday. 510 E. Market St.,Leesburg. 703-443-0777.

CAFE ASIA The Mary Ann Redmond Duo, Sunday. 1550 Wilson Blvd.,Arlington. 703-741-0870.

CALABASH Alowishious Farhatt, Friday; Soul Tones of Swing,Saturday. 7305 Richmond Hwy., Alexandria. 703-765-0222.

CAMERON PERKS Don Bridges, Friday. 4911 Brenman Park Dr.,Alexandria. 703-461-6900.

CARPOOL Idle Ride, Friday. 208 Elden St., Herndon. 571-203-7995.

CHEESEBURGER IN PARADISE/ FREDERICKSBURG Roger Henderson, Friday;Roger Henderson and John Baldwin, Saturday; Elizabeth Coyle, Sunday.1811 Carl D. Silver Pkwy., Fredericksburg. 540-548-3092.

CHEESEBURGER IN PARADISE/WOODBRIDGE Philip DeStefano, Friday; TomRothman and Taco, Saturday; Jimmy Downing, Sunday; Mike Moniodis,Thursday. 14000 Foulger Square, Woodbridge. 703-580-0216.

CLYDE'S/ALEXANDRIA Bob & Jerry, Saturday; Fran Scuderi, Thursday.1700 N. Beauregard St., Alexandria. 703-820-8300.

DOUGHERTY'S Cover Up, Friday; String Kings, Saturday. 2055Jefferson Davis Hwy., Stafford. 540-657-8985.

FAST EDDIE'S/FAIRFAX Gypsy Sons, Friday. 9687 Lee Hwy., Fairfax.703-385-7529.

GREAT FALLS TAVERN Tim Metz, Saturday. 9835 Georgetown Pike,Great Falls. 703-757-4770.

HOPSFROG GRILLE Stanley Whitaker, Wednesday. 5745 Burke CentrePkwy., Burke. 703-239-9324.

IOTA The Glory & the Majesty and Lejeune, Friday; Honor ByAugust, Kill the Alarm and Fooling April, Saturday; Ales Nackman andAndy Mac, Sunday; John Doe and Dead Rock West, Tuesday; The U-Liners and Akira Otsuka, Thursday. 2832 Wilson Blvd., Arlington. 703-522-8340.

IRELAND'S OWN John Longbottom, Friday-Saturday; Jeff Philips,Tuesday. 111 N. Pitt St., Alexandria. 703-549-4535.

J.V.'S Gina Simone and the Moaners, Friday; Andy Rutherford andthe Oklahoma Twisters, Saturday; the Grandsons, Big Joe Maher andMarty B, Sunday; Dave Chappell and Patty Reese Duo, Monday; DaveChappell, Jim Stephason and Steve Wolf Trio, Tuesday; Billy Hancock& His Band, Wednesday; the Daryl Davis Show, Thursday. 6666Arlington Blvd., Falls Church. 703-241-9504.

JAMMIN' JAVA The Cliks, Friday; Joe McDermott, Saturday. 232Maple Ave. E., Vienna. 703-255-1566.

JAXX Dokken and Pretty Boy Floyd, Friday; After Death, Cult ofDiscordia, Paper Doll, Rival Tribe, Harmonic Balance, Azrael, DivineChaos, Eruption and the District Ambulance, Saturday; Friday NightBoys, Sunday. 6355 Rolling Rd., Springfield. 703-569-5940.

JW & FRIENDS Small Town, Friday; Disc Jockey, Saturday. 6531Backlick Rd., Springfield. 703-451-4556.

KILROY'S Stan & Leanne, Saturday; Jenny Boyle, Tuesday. 5250 PortRoyal Rd., Springfield. 703-321-7733.

KIRKPATRICK'S Idle Ride, Saturday. 44050 Ashburn Shopping Plaza,Ashburn. 703-724-9801.

KIRKPATRICKS Doug Chandler, Friday. 5351 Merchants View Sq.,Haymarket. 571-248-6635.

LOCKER ROOM Paul Lewis, Tuesday. 7373 Comfort Inn Dr., Warrenton.703-273-6336.

MARKET STREET GRILL Mykle Lyon's Acoustic Band, Friday-Saturdayand Thursday. 1800 Presidents St., Reston. 703-709-6262.

MYTHOS The Chris Johnston Trio jazz jam, Sunday afternoon. 9715Fairfax Blvd., Fairfax. 703-385-2595.

NED DEVINE'S/STERLING Steve Treado, Friday-Saturday. 21800 TownCenter Plaza, Sterling. 703-444-7873.

NED DEVINE'S/CENTREVILLE Welbilt, Friday. 620 Multiplex Dr.,Centreville. 703-266-2194.

NED DEVINE'S/HERNDON Monster Band, Friday; Everyone but Pete,Saturday. 2565 Centreville Rd., Herndon. 703-793-7377.

NICK'S Wildfire, Friday-Saturday; Whiskey River Band, Tuesday;Wildfire, Thursday. 642 S. Pickett St., Alexandria. 703-751-8900.

O'FAOLAIN'S IRISH PUB iCandi, Friday. 20921 Davenport Dr.,Sterling. 703-444-9796.

O'SULLIVANS David Davol, Saturday. 3209 Washington Blvd.,Arlington. 703-812-0939.

OASIS/WOODBRIDGE Rise and Fall, Saturday. 13188 Marina Way,Woodbridge. 703-494-3600.

OLD BROGUE Sanford & Lena, Friday-Saturday; Connor Malone,Wednesday. 760 Walker Rd., Great Falls. 703-759-3309.

OLD DOMINION BREWING CO. Shane Gamble, Friday; Tom Rothman,Saturday. 44633 Guilford Dr., Ashburn. 703-724-9100.

PAOLO'S/RESTON Paul Lewis, Thursday. 11898 Market St., Reston.703-318-8920.

PARADISO The Judge Smith Duo, Friday. 6124 Franconia Rd.,Alexandria. 703-922-6222.

PIOLA Origem, Sunday. 1550 Wilson Blvd., Arlington. 703-528-1502.

PIZZERIA UNO Mike Bowers, Friday. 3058 Gatehouse Plaza, FallsChurch. 703-645-9590.

THE PUB Monster Band, Saturday. Deyerle Avenue, Harrisonburg. 540-432-0610.

RAGTIME First Rays, Friday; Brother Shamus, Saturday; DennisLicari, Tuesday; Carambola, Wednesday; Tribal Mind, Thursday. 1345N. Courthouse Rd., Arlington. 703-243-4003.

RESTON TOWN CENTER The Deanna Bogart Band, Saturday. RestonParkway and New Dominion Drive, Reston. 703-912-4062.

RESTON-HERNDON FOLK CLUB Open mike, Tuesday. Tortilla Factory,648 Elden St., Herndon. 703-435-2404.

RI-RA/ARLINGTON Cheap Date, Friday; Eleven:Eleven, Saturday. 2915Wilson Blvd., Arlington. 703-248-9888.

SEA SEA & CO. Ron MacDonald & Nightwatch, Friday-Saturday. 201Mill St., Occoquan. 703-690-2004.

SHOOTER MCGEE'S Larry Thomas Duo, Friday; Gary Smallwood,Tuesday. 5239 Duke St., Alexandria. 703-751-9266.

SOUTHSIDE 815 Judge Smith, Tuesday. 815 S. Washington St.,Alexandria. 703-836-6222.

SPANKYS SHENANIGANS Hip Pocket, Friday; Alowishious Farhatt,Saturday; Altered Mike, Tuesday. 538 E. Market St., Leesburg. 703-777-2454.

ST. ELMO'S COFFEE PUB Alibi, Friday; Ghost of Town, Saturday;Jeff Stapleton, Wednesday. 2300 Mount Vernon Ave., Alexandria. 703-739-9268.

STATE THEATRE Legwarmers, Friday-Saturday; Corey Smith, Sunday;Adema, Bob and Turning Point, Tuesday; Stan Ridgeway, Thursday. 220N. Washington St., Falls Church. 703-237-0300.

SULLY'S Smylin' Jack, Friday; Identity Crisis, Saturday. 14513Lee Jackson Memorial Hwy., Chantilly. 703-818-9292.

SUNSET GRILLE Drivin' Blind, Friday; Another Fiasco, Saturday;Bloody Meri, Wednesday; Johnny Castle's Thrillbillys, Thursday. 7250Columbia Pike, Annandale. 703-658-0928.

SWEETHEART'S Andre Fox and Bacon & Chop, Wednesday; SouthernWinds Band, Thursday. 13041 Lee Jackson Memorial Hwy., Fairfax. 703-263-1380.

TIFFANY TAVERN Capitol Grass, Friday; Lisa Kay Band, Saturday;open mike, Monday-Thursday. 1116 King St., Alexandria. 703-836-8844.

VILLAGE WHARF Live Action Hero, Friday. 7966 Fort Hunt Rd.,Alexandria. 703-765-0661.

VINTAGE 50 Ted Garber, Tuesday. 50 Catoctin Cir. NE, No. 100,Leesburg. 703-777-2169.

ZEN BISTRO Carol Graylor and Bruce Katsu, Wednesday; J.P.McDermott & Western Bop, Thursday. 1301 S. Joyce St., Arlington. 703-413-8887.

E2 attorneys back off case

Attorneys for Dwain Kyles, owner of the Epitome/E2 nightclub, withdrew from the case, saying that the parties have reached an impasse in the attorney-client relationship, the Chicago Defender learned Monday.

The withdrawal was filed in Cook County Circuit Court on June 10, court records indicate.

Reached at his office, attorney Andre Grant gave no further reason for the withdrawal.

"Our work with Mr. Kyles is complete, my office has put this case in a posture to be won. If Mr. Kyles follows the legal strategy and blueprint that we have laid out for his defense, he will be successful," said Grant.

Grant came to Kyles' defense when city officials threatened to …

US estate battle features $3M for pet Chihuahuas

Conchita, Lucia and April Marie are used to a luxurious life in an island mansion. With a $3 million trust fund from an heiress, they'll never have to worry about a thing. What sets them apart is that they're Chihuahuas.

The dogs are part of a bitter battle over the estate of Gail Posner, daughter of late corporate raider Victor Posner. Gail Posner's only surviving child, …

Japan's Kyocera to settle patent dispute with Canada's Nortel Networks. (Japan).(over high-speed transmission of wireless data)

Japan's Kyocera, a maker of components for cell phones and electronics, expects to settle a patent dispute soon with Canada's Nortel Networks. In early January, Nortel Networks launched a lawsuit against Kyocera, in an attempt to protect patents that allow for the high-speed transmission of wireless data. The company …

Free MiniMagics software for STL inspection and compression.(software)

STL specialist Materialise has released MiniMagics, a free software package for manipulating surface geometry files in STL format. The aim is to provide design and production professionals, particularly in rapid prototyping and manufacturing, with a tool for easy and efficient project communication with the sales force, …

WELFARE FINGERPRINTING PROPOSAL FOCUS OF FINGER-POINTING DEBATE.(CAPITAL REGION)

Byline: MICHAEL MCKEON - Staff writer

The County Legislature had its own version of "Crossfire" on Thursday as supporters and opponents of a proposal to fingerprint welfare recipients squared off at a public hearing.

The 2 1/2-hour session brought out advocates for the plan like Change-NY, the conservative Republican group, and opponents like the Hunger Action Network, which advocates for welfare clients.

Both sides of the debate used a recent state report that claimed pilot programs in Rockland and Onondaga counties saved nearly $700,000 in one year by deterring fraud. But the same report conceded there was no solid evidence that the savings …

French Football Results

Results from the 32nd round of the French first-division football league (home teams listed first):

Saturday's Games

Caen 1, Nancy 2

Grenoble 1, Toulouse 0

Monaco 3, Rennes 1

Nantes 2, Nice 0

Sochaux 0, Auxerre 1

Valenciennes 0, Le Mans 2

Saint-Etienne 2, Lille 1

Sunday's Games

Lorient 1, Marseille 2

Paris …

The Road to Progress

Kennedy calls State Street in Springfield an 'educational corri there are three high schools with that mailing address and two colleges, AIC and STCC, border it.

But it's also a religious corridor, said Kennedy, senior aide to U.S. Rep. Richard Neal, noting that several churches and the headquarters for the Archdiocese of Greater Springfield are on or just off the road. And it's a business corridor MassMutual's sprawling headquarters lie near its east end - as well as an historical corridor; Shays' Rebellion was waged near the Springfield Armory, now home to the STCC campus, and the street is considered part of the famous Boston Post Road.

"It's a very important road that …