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While commercial traffic represented only 35% of the OhioTurnpike’s annual VMT during fiscal 2008, it represented 58% of overall revenueso the YTD drop of 18.5% is significant from a revenue perspective. Year-to-date (YTD) April 2009 weekly VMT volumes for existing Classes 3- 11 (trucks) are down 18.50% year-on-year compared to Classes 1 – 2 (mainlyautomobiles, pickups and recreational vehicles) which declined by only 3.43%over the same period. Therecessionary economy and its subsequent effects on regional manufacturing,construction and employment had significant impacts on overall traffic duringfiscal 2008, with the overall number of vehicles travelling on the Ohio Turnpikedeclining 2.9% and vehicle miles travelled (‘VMT’) declining 5.0% from 2007levels. Overall traffic declined slightly during fiscal 2007 against the backdrop of thebeginnings of a national economic slowdown and high fuel prices. As with the Pennsylvania Turnpike and other major interstateroadways, the Ohio Turnpike is heavily dependent on commercial traffic. Sections of the turnpike are designatedinterstate routes 76, 80, and 90, all of which are major highway routes acrossthe country. The OTC operates the Ohio Turnpike system, a 241-mile, east-west, limited accesshighway that traverses the state from the western border with Indiana to theeastern border with Pennsylvania.
The ratingalso reflects the political risk that toll road authorities are subject to,particularly statewide turnpikes, which emanate from the periodic need to raisetolls, unexpected changes to mandates, and changes in management andorganization structure. economic recession and manufacturing slowdown; the advanced age ofthe turnpike’s original concrete base which is approaching the end of its usefullife and could translate into significant additional capital needs in futureyears beyond current estimates; and the completion and implementation riskassociated with the OTC’s new toll collection and E-Z Pass System. Credit concerns include the turnpike’s reliance on commercial traffic, which issusceptible to economic cycles, as demonstrated by reductions in commercialtraffic during recent recessions; general traffic and revenue risk associatedwith the proposed stepped toll increases in 2009 / 2012 against the backdrop ofa major U.S. interstatetransportation network; the large and mature economy that it serves;management’s ability and willingness to raise toll rates while proactivelycontrolling expenses to maintain acceptable debt service coverage levels; andthe OTC’s comparatively low debt levels barring unexpected state mandates orincremental capital expenditure requirements in the future. In addition, medium-term coverage could alsobe pressured if the results of the OTC’s evaluation of the turnpike’s 50-yearold concrete base indicate a need for large scale replacement The ‘AA’ rating reflects the turnpike’s key role in the U.S. Importantly, these lower levels could carryforward into subsequent years if the assumption of minimal shifts to electronictolling after the implementation of E-Z Pass, despite a significant discountrelative to cash, do not hold true.
The Negative Rating Outlook reflects lower projected debt service coverageratios in fiscal 2009 and fiscal 2010 resulting from traffic and revenuedeclines that began in fiscal 2007. The series 2009A revenue refunding bonds are scheduled fornegotiated sale the week of May 4th. The Rating Outlook on all revenue bonds is revised toNegative from Stable. In addition, Fitch affirms the ‘AA’rating on the OTC’s existing $640 million of parity revenue bonds that arecurrently outstanding. NEW YORK–(Business Wire)–Fitch Ratings assigns a ‘AA’ rating to approximately $182.9 million of the Stateof Ohio Turnpike revenue refunding bonds, series 2009A to be issued by the OhioTurnpike Commission (OTC or the turnpike). Documentation 147 12.1 Rationale for Documentation 147 12.2Documents 147 12.2.1 Master Document 148 12.2.2 Standardised Document 148 12.2.3Principal Documents 149 To order this report:Logistics Business Management Insight http:// market research reports here!ReportlinkerNicolas: US: (805)-652-2626Intl: +1 805-652-2626 Copyright Business Wire 2009.
There is a real fusion of different kinds of people and food.I once spent a week shopping for guitars in Granada. I enjoyed living in London but when I wasn’t working I found it hard to relax That was one of the reasons that I moved back to Australia. The level of musical appreciation there that is hard to find anywhere else. I’m also a fan of traditional Japanese music and the big, summer events are incredible; you have these guys playing drums the size of double-decker buses.
I don’t really have a favourite part of Australia but Sydney is a spectacular city and I love the isolation and the beauty of Perth. The country is just getting on its feet, especially in terms of the arts, and I’d love to play there now.
I started playing the guitar when I was seven and touring when I was 14. Three of my first tours outside Australia were to Japan, which I go back to whenever I can. We went from Kazakhstan to Russia then into Italy where, after five months, we were finally allowed to go to Australia I’ve never been back. I was just four years old when I left Kazakhstan for Australia, so I only remember some vague events. I don’t recall being sad, rather that it was quite fun to be getting on all these trains and leaving for an unknown destination. (The best time of year to catch the carmine bee-eaters is from mid-September until May.)Other operators include Okavango Tours and Safaris (tel: 0181-343 3283) which offers an all-inclusive18-night safari in three of Zambia’s national parks, from pounds 4,664 per person, and Sunvil Discovery Africa (tel: 0181- 232 9777), which arranges one-week all-inclusive safaris in Zambia from pounds 1,550 per person.FURTHER INFORMATIONContact the Zambia National Tourist Board, 2 Palace Gate, London W8 5NG (tel: 0171-589 6343; fax: 0171-225 3221).The Bradt Guide to Zambia by Chris McIntyre (pounds 11.95) contains some excellent background information..
An eight-day tailor-made holiday in the Luangwa Valley starts from pounds 1,675 per person, including flights, full-board accommodation in lodges and bush camps, and guided safari drives and walks. Like priceless flying jewels, they swoop, dart, wheel around us… we have walked into the promised rainbow.ZAMBIAGETTING THEREJill Crawshaw travelled with Wildlife Worldwide (tel: 0181-667 9158). Every autumn thousands of them return to nest in the same spot in the Luangwa Valley, where the river-banks are pitted with thousands of burrows. And then, as we approach, there’s a sudden brilliant explosion of carmine pink, metallic blue and emerald green.We have found a colony of the world’s most beautiful bird, the carmine bee-eater.
The trees along the river-bank, gaunt and skeletal elsewhere, seem to have burst into flower with exotic candy-striped blossoms. We hope that the human footprints we come across are not those of a poacher. “More likely a lad in search of the local Viagra, the bark of the balanite bush,” reckons Abraham.But lion, elephant, buffalo and leopard fade into dusty perspective as, late in the afternoon, we come upon one of the most wonderful sights in Africa. Elongated toeprints indicate leopard, though he’ll be holed up during the heat of the day; stubbier tracks reveal the presence of lions, but if they get restless we’ll get plenty of warning – from the hysterical chatter of the vervet monkeys in the trees, the bark of the baboons or the strange whistling from a puku herd.Of far greater concern are the solitary prints of a buffalo, a Kakuli, the local name for an old buffalo that has left the herd probably to die and one of the most dangerous species on the plains. The scattering of apple-ring pods from the winter thorn are clues enough that an elephant has passed through, not long ago according to dung which Abraham crumbles. Those chalky droppings belong to a hyena which probably has the world’s most efficient digestive system; it can crunch and absorb every morsel of bone, hair and offal. An apparently empty dried-up river- bed becomes an instant map and visitors’ book.
Its range of habitats, from open savannah, riverine woodlands and ox-bow lagoons are a Garden of Eden for huge herds of elephant and buffalo, lion, antelope, giraffe, even the elusive leopard.Under Abraham’s guidance, we gradually begin to fit the pieces of the wildlife jigsaw together, and understand just a little bit more of the rhythm and pulse of life in the bush. But Abraham is not a gung-ho leader, and safari-virgins anxious only to notch up the Big Five and get back to their sundowners might feel frustrated. “Some holidaymakers have seen too many wildlife documentaries,” he explains. “They expect a chase, a wham-bang kill, and they want it all on their videos.
Metro has filed a registration statement(including a prospectus) with the SEC for the offering to which thiscommunication relates. * Equity method investment earnings were $9 million for the first quarter, upfrom $1 million in the year-ago period, reflecting better results for specialtypotato joint ventures. Khani, CFA, SeniorManaging Director and Director of Research at FBR Capital Markets.”We’recommitted to adding value across our entire Research platform in meaningfulways, and we continue to make strategic additions which are beneficial toclients and complementary to our broader brokerage and capital marketscapabilities.” FBR Capital Markets’ Research group is known for its differentiated researchand ability to identify unique investment opportunities and generate addedvalue for clients.FBR Capital Markets’ analysts are regularly ranked amongthe best on the Street by The Wall Street Journal and StarMine / FinancialTimes.FBR Capital Markets’ 15-member Financial Institutions Research groupcovers 15 industry segments in addition to Financial Strategy and is led byPaul J Miller Jr., CFA.Ms. According to the progress of those projects, there will be a smalltide of infrastructure construction in H2 of 2009 Thus there will be a constantdemand for construction steel In 2009H2, the situation of global economy is still gloomy.
But to prod business to support efforts in Congress, and to show the world Washington is taking action on climate change, the administration has also pressed the EPA to take early steps on regulating greenhouse gases.The same day the senators unveiled the bill, the EPA proposed a rule, that would narrow the scope of the Clean Air Act, to force new factories and power plants to cut greenhouse gas emissions.In addition, Carol Browner, the administration’s climate and energy coordinator, and a former administrator of the EPA, said last week that if Congress does not pass the bill the agency could work with U.S. SAN RAMON, Calif., Oct 7 /PRNewswire/ — Odyssey Thera, Inc. He earned both Bachelor and Master of Science degrees inElectric Power Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. And 425,507 individuals have not been able to find jobs for at least five weeks.The overall finance and insurance sector lost 1,100 positions in September from August, and was down 26,800 from a year-ago. Issues around financing the development had held up thecontract, he added. Propalms, Inc. Anystatements contained herein that are not statements of historical fact may bedeemed to be forward-looking statements.
To learnmore, please visit or call 781-472-8100. LONDON, Oct 28 (MARKET WIRE) — LEWIS PR today announced the acquisition of one of Europe’s best-knowncommunications firms, Leads United LEWIS is acquiring a 100 percentstake. [ID:nSEO250005] (Reporting by Cheon Jong-woo; Editing by Jonathan Hopfner) Stocks Currencies South Korea. Noninterest expense, excluding FDICinsurance premiums and professional fees related to our merger activity andsubordinated debt offering, increased only $20,000 or 0.13% for the nine monthsended September 30, 2009, as compared to the same period in 2008. MHTA is the only membership organization thatrepresents Minnesota’s entire technology-based economy. For more details about the current legal actions, follow this link: europa.eu/index_en.htm. Among the states, the highest Supply/Demand ratecontinues to be in Michigan (10.60), where there are nearly 11 unemployedpeople for every advertised vacancy.
The film crew was scouting around and asked to see a bedroom so it was pure chance that we were chosen.”I think the Internet is a good idea because directors know exactly what they are getting and what they are allowed to do.”. PRESIDENT Laurent Kabila was yesterday reported to have quit Congo’s capital for the remote city of Lubumbashi as rebels prepared to march on Kinshasa and Westerners left the country. Trade has been brisk since the hotel’s bridal suite was used by Andie MacDowell and Hugh Grant for their night of passion in Four Weddings and a Funeral.”We get people from all over the world coming to see the room. Last year an average- looking property in Marlow Bottom was used for the making of the BBC film Bright Hair. Regular filming can mean tens of thousands of pounds coming into the area,” he said.The locals are also bubbling with enthusiasm about the prospect of a visit from Tom Cruise or Harrison Ford.Petra Davies, who manages the Crown Hotel in Amersham, Buckinghamshire, knows how good film-making can be for business.
With the database, we will be more organised and that shouldn’t happen.”One local council which has been eager to join the scheme is High Wycombe, in Buckinghamshire. Eddie Russell, a council spokesman, can reel off a list of local sites which have already featured in The Avengers, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and The Vicar of Dibley.”We have a lot to offer, with an infinite variety of outdoor locations for them to chose from, as well as family homes. The more information there is on the database, the more chance we have of success,” said Gerard Rosenberg, the organisation’s commissioner.”The hope is that Steven Spielberg will turn up, but we also want to encourage television companies and makers of commercials to film in the region.”We have lost out in the past – like the time Spielberg went to Ireland to get 2,000 extras for Saving Private Ryan because he couldn’t find them in England. THE QUAINT charms of bucolic Britannia, which have provided green and pleasant locations for film favourites such as Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and The Railway Children, are to feature in an Internet advertising campaign to bring Hollywood to the Home Counties. Tinseltown location scouts searching for a quintessentially English setting for their next blockbuster will be able to choose from a database of villages and valleys, castles and cottages.
The Southern Film Commission is confident that even architectural eyesores such as Slough will be used as locations, once their merits have been detailed and displayed on the Internet.”There are 75 councils in our region and we feel they all have something to offer. The area was top of Swansea’s “crime league”; now it is fourth, said a Downing Street source.The Swansea wardens have also cut the number of empty flats from 47 to 27 by bypassing council red tape.
A similar programme involving 16 “estate rangers” has also made an impact in Newport, South Wales, it was said.Super-caretakers will undertake repairs and guard buildings from vandalism, but will also alert social services where necessary to ensure that home helps and meals-on-wheels are provided for those who need them.In Islington, on the Spa Green estate, super-caretakers are said to have halved the maintenance budget in the first year of the scheme’s operation.Local authorities covering 17 estates throughout Britain, earmarked for special treatment by ministers, will be asked to bid for part of the pounds 800 million budget for the ‘New Deal for communities’ programme.. Swansea Borough Council also estimates it has cut car theft by half, reduced calls relating to nuisances such as loud music by three-quarters and foiled 17 burglary attempts. “Everyone in the supply industry will increase prices to take advantage of it. You can’t really avoid it.”His advice to would-be millennium tourists: “Don’t go anywhere really exciting.”. BRITAIN’S TOUGHEST council estates are to be patrolled by “super- caretakers” and neighbourhood wardens under government plans to be announced next month.
Will Andre Ethier, Matt Kemp, Russell Martin, and James Loney be able to step up and shoulder the load? Will Dodger pitchers bat eighth for the next third of the season?More importantly, will Dodgers fans welcome Manny back they way they did once he’d signed, or will they point their fingers and terrorize him the way Yankees fans are expected to do when Alex Rodriguez returns this week?Manny has never been accused by anyone of using steroids He’s just kept hitting Jose Canseco, Roger Clemens, and Sen. andinternational market research industry and comes to Harris Interactive from TNSInfratest in Munich, Germany. Yesterday10.Act Of ForgivenessFor more information, go to or E1 EntertainmentE1 Entertainment (AIM: ETO) is a leading independent entertainment contentowner that acquires film, television and music rights and exploits theserights in all media in more than 190 countries. The formation ofthis Advisory Board will help us to leverage this growing recognition into anexpanding base of business opportunities on a global basis. Turner DuckworthJoanne Chan, Copyright Business Wire 2009. Congratulations Coach Pitino!Your accomplishments this season have been impressive.And the NCAA tournament selection committee has certainly taken notice: No.
It led me to write for other sites like Sports-Central and the now defunct NYSportsFansOnly .So, for all of that I am very thankful. Mariano Rivera is very reliable as a closer, but behind him, there are not any proven veterans for the late innings, nor is there anyone ready to step in if Rivera were to go down. There will be a lot of pressure on 27-year-old Edwar Ramirez to fill the setup role. Virgin Media Corporate PR: Emma Hutchinson,+44(0)20-7909-2022, . “Now if managers see that workload is too heavy inone area of the customer service group, they can take a portion of those ordersand have another area address those And they can do it wherever they are. Kendra currently is on the board of directors of RightNow Technologies andserves on its audit and governance and nominating committees.
McCreevy has said ratings agencies failed to “sniff therot” at the heart of securitised products that turned toxic inthe credit crunch. Or would Matt Leinart have been just as successful?The answer should be an unequivocal “no” but the question should then rest upon whether or not Warner would have been as successful without Boldin and Fitzgerald.Inexperience Wins Championships?Being the first rookie to win two playoff games on the road has catapulted Joe Flacco to the forefront of history books and every NFL conversation. Complimenting his captain as the highest wicket taker in the world, Steyn was the match winner in Australia.Contributions from Hashim Amla, A.B. Prior to his move to Houston in 2005, Rafferty managed a commerciallending group in New Orleans for Whitney National Bank.
In the past, that schedule has usually been released the second week of January. BAGHDAD (Reuters) – Iraq’s South Oil Company on Monday issued a tender for the drilling of 45 new oil wells in its super giant South Rumaila oil field.The 30 producer wells and 15 injection wells, tendered on a turnkey rate basis, should be completed within 25 months, according to the tender posted on the state-owned company’s Web site.(Reporting by Ahmed Rasheed; Editing by Michael Christie). Liddell appeared to be back…and back big time.But a young man by the name of Rashad Evans had other rather disturbing ideas. I guess if we are to fully understand the secondary issue we must go back a few years to 2006. The Sabres remained calm in their own zone throughout the first period and were able to slow down the dangerous attack of the Pittsburgh offense. The Sabres outshot the Penguins 11-6 in the first and played very good defensively also.In the second period the Sabres got into some penalty trouble.
He crushed the ball at Pawtucket this year, belting 22 home runs and driving in 65 while hitting .243 in 395 at bats.However, those are unprecedented power numbers in his Minor League career, so they may not suggest that he could come to Boston and have the same type of production.Also in the minor leagues competing for that catcher spot is Dusty Brown He is an excellent defensive catcher, boasting a great arm He is very able to work with pitchers and call a good game. Finally. On Tuesday, Hull City Manager Phil Brown announced that the club had agreed to a fee with West Ham United for Portugal International Luis Boa Morte.Boa Morte joined West Ham two years ago in January 2007 for £5 million, but he has not contributed anywhere near that value to the team. television programming, music, businessproductivity tools, concierge assistance, games and more via the in-roomtelevision. CHICAGO (Reuters) – Private equity funds will likely not be big players in a partnership with the U.S. Jerel McNeal and Wesley Matthews continue to impress everyone with their range and scoring ability. “Duncan isa true thought-leader in the supply chain industry, and takes aninnovative approach to designing next generation product features thatprovide real value to our clients. Those numbers were not inflated by the thin air in Denver….he was 0-2 in 19 games on the road with a 7.20 ERA and a 1.50 WHIP.
“I would say we have to have walls as well as a roof,” headded Responding to Sen. CINCINNATI–(Business Wire)–Ireland-based Elan Corporation (NYSE: ELN) was the target of bullish optionsbettors on Thursday, thanks to buyout rumors surrounding the biotech behemoth.The security saw 37,000 calls change hands yesterday, nearly 10 times itsaverage daily volume of roughly 3,700 contracts. Slice would risk too much in his career for a second loss in a row against the same guy (not that I care anyway).If that rematch does take place, I think it’s a waste of time even if Slice makes a miracle happen and wins. 1 rated defense in the NFL.Honorable Mentions: Joey Porter, Gary Brackett, Albert Haynesworth Offensive Rookie of the YearThe undefeated Titans are undefeated not because of an aerial attack (although Kerry Collins has been pretty good) they’ve won so far because of a great defense and a dominating running attack. Upton singled, proceeded to steal second and third, and eventually scored on a wild throw to third by Ruiz.
Cellcom Israel’s sharesare traded both on the New York Stock Exchange (CEL) and the Tel Aviv StockExchange (CEL). in 2008.For more information: or Bruker Forward Looking Statements: Any statements contained in this press release that do not describe historicalfacts may constitute forward-looking statements as that term is defined in thePrivate Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Stocks | Bonds * A rise in technology shares also cushioned the market. FloridaFlorida was just one among the ranks of upset teams this week as they suffered an emotional loss to Mississippi 31-30.
These challenges include the enormous complexityof new designs, the need for concurrent timing and power closure to reducetime-to-tapeout, and the ability to make designs resilient to variations inmanufacturing,” said Philippe Magarshack, STMicroelectronics Technology R&DGroup Vice President and Central CAD and Design Solutions General Manager.”Based on our experience with complex SoC implementations at 65/55nm and 45nm,the large capacity of Olympus allows us to handle large designs in flat mode,and to close many modes and corners simultaneously. 1) – Last four events: Andalucia (first round); Miami (runnerup); Dubai (semifinals);Australian Open (winner).Serena will lose her number one ranking on April 20. In addition, they receive $10,000 from every initialfranchise fee in their territory. In 2006, the worldwide market forTFT-LCD panels was approximately $70 billion. That is true, and the I-formation is also coming back if they can find a fullback.Behind Tebow, redshirt sophomore QB John Brantley is looking sharp.ReceiversThe question on everyone’s mind comes down to this: who will replace Percy Harvin?Meyer said around national signing day that he sees incoming freshman Andre Debose in that role. Here are 10 things that the 2009 MLB season will bring us..
Bottom line is, when you already have Patterson and Bunkley, along with other, more pressing needs, seeing Haynesworth in Eagles green would be a major surprise.Odds of being an Eagle: 3T.J. I actually was initially going to name this thing “Bucky Tube”, but thankfully that name was taken.The announcement from that fateful day was as follows:Well I’ve made a few (slash a ton) of changes to the site. Rodriguez was forced to switch positions and numbers; he made the transition from shortstop to third base (as Derek Jeter already had the shortstop position locked up for the Yanks) and his number from 3 to 13. He had worn the number three his whole MLB career in homage to his hero, Babe Ruth, but that number has long since been retired for Ruth by the Yankees. The Tinkerman will likely be able to have Vincenzo Iaquinta at his disposal after the stirker has missed the past few weeks due to a leg injury.Probable Starting XI (4-4-2): Buffon, Molinaro, Legrottaglie, Ariaudo, Mellberg, Nedved, Marchisio, Sissoko, Marchionni, Del Piero, Amauri LAZIOAfter being the best team in Serie A the first month of the season, the Biancocelesti have come back to earth a little bit and are on the outside looking in of a chance to play for European football.The Aquilotti have put a Dec. Olof Mellberg usually does the job without fuss, but he’s hardly the same caliber as Chiellini.
Witha standard USB connection, a PC user can employ the TeknoVault device tocompletely disable the PC preventing the disclosure of selected data on thecomputer. Q1 WINDS DOWN Three-month dollar funding costs were a shade higher inSingapore at 1.229 percent SIUSD3MD=ABSG, largely mirroringmoves in three-month LIBOR over the past several weeks. Not only does Lewis deserve the chance to lead in the locker room and on the field, he demands it. This is a guy who, a few weeks ago, publicly demanded that Browns offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski give him the ball. The result was a Wizards team much more efficient with Caron Butler spearheading the offense, than with Arenas running the show.
The top college players go on to the National Football League The rest live a normal life, with a normal job. Lewis pounded the ball across the goal line on 3rd-and-goal to give the Browns a 30-27 lead with just under five minutes remaining. Five minutes is an eternity in a football game, and it seems like more than that with the Browns’ defense. Slow-drip irrigation tubes (connected to a gardenhose) run through the blanket much like heating lines run through an electricblanket. Turning over hundreds of millions of dollars, in its heydayAsia’s international schools couldn’t keep up with demand forplaces for the progeny of business people relocated bycompanies expanding their interests in the region. I wish would have clinched the season there.Other times, I was happy to see a sixth-month season, when my Cubbie’s were down 9-1 late in a game against the Rockies and then went on to mount a turning-point comeback and beat those Rockies by one.After every frustrating loss, or tough loss, I have to tell my self there’s alwaystomorrow. The participantpasscode is “Ventas.” The call will also be webcast live by CCBN and can beaccessed at the Company`s website at or at replay of the call will be available at the Company`s website, or by calling(617) 801-6888, passcode 80937688, beginning on May 5, 2009, at approximately1:00 p.m Eastern Time and will remain for one month.
These would make it a criminal offence for someone in a position of authority to have sex with a young person in their care in four cases: youth detention centres, local authority care, nursing care and full-time education.In this, Jack Straw is going too far. As his former Home Office minister, Alun Michael, pointed out last year, it would mean it was lawful for teachers to marry their pupils but not to have sex with them. The Liberal Democrats should be congratulated for standing up for liberal values. The Sexual Offences Bill received its second reading in the House of Commons a week ago. In response to a spasm of anti-gay prejudice against the equal age of consent for homosexual men, the Home Secretary foolishly introduced provisions against the “abuse of trust” in cases where older people have responsibility for 16- or 17-year-olds, whether of the same or the opposite sex. Of course, sex with pupils under the age of 16 is both wrong and a criminal offence, and Mr Woodhead prefaced his controversial words by saying so.
As for sex with pupils aged 16 or 17, he said that adults “have a responsibility to those who are younger than us and therefore it isn’t a good idea at all”. He should have gone further, and said that the presumption must be that it is a sacking offence. But he was quite right to suggest that each case should be judged individually, and that an erring teacher should not be “automatically drummed out of the profession”.In this, and, despite his disclaimer that he had “no problem” with the Government’s Bill to ban sex between teachers and pupils, his explosive comments perform a valuable service by drawing attention to a bad law in the making. If that were all he had meant, of course, he would not be in so much trouble, and the story would not have been on the front page of this newspaper last Saturday. What he meant was that something positive could come out of such relationships, and it was on this that he was forced to go back yesterday. Which was inevitable, because the man in charge of maintaining standards of teaching should not, as a matter of policy, express anything other than prim disapproval of teacher-pupil relationships.
But, though it is for others to say it, what he said remains true.
It can be educative in the sense that both bank and burglar can learn something from a robbery. A SEXUAL relationship between a teacher and a 16- or 17-year-old pupil can indeed be “educative” for all concerned, as Chris Woodhead, the Chief Schools Inspector, said. Sir: All Christians also implicitly believe in reincarnation since Christ, himself, re-incarnated after his crucifixion. “He died, was buried and on the third day, rose again.”
If that isn’t a form of re-incarnation, what is?
From a sentient being presently residing in the body of…MARK CUNNINGHAMLondon SE23. Sir: The failure to investigate fully the extent of benefits fraud (“MPs defy Darling over benefit fraud”, 5 February) prompts me to report another instance. My wife received her winter fuel allowance, a cheque for pounds 20, last month, as the only member of our household qualifying; a week later I received pounds 20 on the same terms.
My phone call to the Benefits Agency met with the response that its computer must have failed to detect that we live at the same address (we have been here for 12 years); and that I could keep the money or return it – “some do return it”.PETER HILLTanworth-in-Arden, Warwickshire. By contrast I wonder how many expenses-paid junkets to Los Angeles it took to sign Mr Carsey.SIMON HARDEMANLondon E8.
Last year, at one of London’s highest-profile fringe venues, I organised an evening of new sitcoms Not a single commissioning editor came. In addition, while the US may produce some excellent programmes, it also produces an ocean of dross. It is our fortune that we only see the few shows which float to the top of this vast reservoir of effluent.
Frankly it is scandalous that, instead of being able to trust their own judgement and feed new British writers a few hundred pounds of seed corn money to develop an initial script, ITV companies prefer to let our ideas rot in favour of spending a fortune on patronising, second-hand advice.I could, at the drop of a hat, produce a list of new home-grown writers with original ideas and genuine ability, all of whom have proved themselves in live comedy, radio, or smaller scale TV. Britain has a proud tradition of original comedies driven by one or two writers, some of them even transferring successfully to the home of “guru” Tom Carsey. Until Mr Blunkett addresses this, it scarcely matters whether he offers the kids penny whistles or bagpipes. Electronic keyboards and computers will not, of themselves, make music lessons creative.
MALCOLM ROSSDartington, Devon.
Sir: ITV’s recruitment of a “US sitcom guru” (report, 4 February) is their latest insult to home-grown comedy writers and an implicit admission of the failure of the network’s own commissioning staff. The reason is the Government’s failure to supply enough half-decent music teachers able (and allowed) to engage the latent enthusiasm of their students. I would be happy to show him round.Councillor DAVID SULLIVANLeaderLewisham CouncilLondon SE6. Sir: The pother about musical instruments in schools (leader, 5 February) entirely misses the point.
Analysts have upped forecasts for the current year from pounds 49m to pounds 50m, rising to pounds 60m in the year to May 1999, putting the shares on a prospective p/e ratio of 10, then just 8. The shares look a buy, but as with any house-builder, investors should watch closely for any signs of a cyclical downturn.. Gibbs Mew, the West Country-based pub operator, which would have celebrated its centenary this year, has been swallowed by Enterprise Inns, its acquisitive rival. Even now it has not finished restructuring the business and first-half completions fell 5 per cent to 1,752.There are also growing fears that builders are at risk from rising labour costs. And Bryant would be more exposed than most if the Government introduces taxes on greenfield sites.However, there are several reasons why Bryant looks a better bet than most in the sector.
Its costs rose 5 per cent last year but are now moderating, as are land prices. And after gearing up its land bank, the group is still on target to sell 4,000 houses by the end of the current year and 4,500 next.Bryant’s shares jumped 9p to 122p on the buoyant results. All Lord Wolfson needs to do is to take the Argos brand and feed it through his own systems – no need for the expensive duplication of warehousing, call centres and distribution that Argos is intent on building. Even Argos is hard pressed to disagree with the business logic of what’s proposed.The difficulty comes on price. GUS’s 570p a share is 16.5 times forecast earnings for this year.
There are eight British retailers trading on higher multiples than this, so even accepting that Argos is in something of a bind, that’s not much of a bid premium.All the same, the stock market may have overreacted by driving up the price to 630p. In the absence of a rival bid from, say, Kingfisher or one of the big Continental mail order companies, it seems unlikely GUS would be prepared to go so high or that Argos could justify such a valuation on its own. Lord Wolfson doesn’t need to buy Argos, and he’s stubborn enough to walk away from it.. One irony for regulators in dealing with the proposed merger of Glaxo Wellcome and SmithKline Beecham is that they’ve been here once before.
Beecham made a hostile takeover bid for Glaxo in the early 1970s when both companies were minnows compared to what they are today. That deal was referred to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission, which eventually ruled it to be against the public interest on the grounds that having two research and development facilities was better for jobs and scientific advancement than just one. Supporters of the present wave of merger mania argue that the world has greatly changed since then. For a start, both companies are now global in their reach and organisation, as is the market for pharmaceuticals. Furthermore, the cost of new drug discovery and development is now so vast that only the biggest can hope to do it successfully across of range of different products. In other words, the case for the defence goes, this merger would be positively good for Britain, even though it will mean job losses among scientists and one R&D facility instead of two, because it would create a national champion in a pretty much unassailable position compared to competitors in terms of drug discovery.
Arguments like this are much better accepted by regulators, both in London and Brussels, than they were.
Even so, policy-makers should be careful not to become too beholden to the process of globalisation. Before the merger of Glaxo and Wellcome, Britain had no less than four pharmaceutical companies up there among the world leaders. After this latest merger, we will be down to just one behemoth, an also-ran in the shape of Zeneca (which Sir Richard Sykes would also acquire, given the chance), and a smattering of biotechs.The effect of this will be to concentrate a very large proportion of Britain’s private sector R&D expenditure in the hands of just one company. Regardless of the supposed need for scale in successful modern-day pharmaceuticals research, this cannot be an entirely healthy development. To believe otherwise requires the usual rules of innovation to be suspended, for the greatest chance of new product development normally lies in diversity and competition, not hegemony.Who knows, perhaps pharmaceuticals are different, but don’t count on it. Pressure for consolidation, not just in pharmaceuticals but in other industries too, comes primarily from investors keen to see margins protected and enhanced in an ever more competitive world. Any management that resists this pressure or falls behind in the race to consolidate, will rapidly find itself out the door.Plainly the process of consolidation is in the interests of shareholders, for it enables management to counter the persistent downward pressure on prices with growing scale and market clout Whether it is in the public interest is another matter.
Director Kenny Ortega: “This film is Michael’s gift to his fans.”
In cases where corporate headquarters have moved to new “green” premises the result has been a significant cut in absenteeism.Setting a target date around 2005 for zero-emission city centres would propel car manufacturers into mass producing hybrid vehicles that could be electrically powered in pollution-free zones or when pollution levels are high. New offices that are naturally ventilated and lit not only save energy; they also produce more amenable working conditions. Using the latest lighting technology, the lighting load could be reduced, even in older buildings, at the same time improving on current illumination standards for work stations. However, public support for such a target may be more forthcoming if the spotlight shifts from global warming to things that more directly and immediately concern us.
For example, with 8 million households receiving some form of benefit, we can assume that a high proportion of these and the “nearly poor” are victims of fuel poverty. Cutting their fuel bills in half by raising the thermal efficiency of their homes would meet an acute social need whilst generating jobs and cutting down on the pounds 1bn annual health bill attributable to poor housing.The greatest energy cost in commercial buildings is the electricity bill for lighting. It is certainly an ambitious undertaking, but attainable. I should like to counter the suggestion by Hugh Aldersey-Williams (report, 2 February) that, in setting a target of a 20 per cent cut in carbon dioxide emissions by 2010, the British government is guilty of harmful idealism.
If it is true that only the best art survives its own lifetime, we will never discover what is best in the music of today if it is not heard.. It is a myth that very few people want to hear contemporary art music. The problem is that the people who don’t want to hear it are the ones who have the most disposable income, the most free time, and the loudest voices. If there is a dictatorship of modern music, these people provide it, sustaining the 1990s “bums on seats” justification for artistic enterprise that Mr Webber espouses.
No audience, orchestra or cellist should try to influence what is felt by minds more creative and sensitive than their own and living composers should not allow their curiosity to be marginalised by mediocrity and commercialism. It’s time to stop this hysterical scapegoating of people who are doing nothing wrong.. Julian Lloyd Webber (“Stop the dictators of modern music”, 22 February) and others who insist on performing classical works by dead and populist composers are not pro-culture, but anti-culture.
For every performance of Schumann’s Cello Concerto, or CD sale of Britten, there are at least 30 professional musicians, a conductor and a fashionable soloist commanding figures for which most young composers could create a whole new work of art. A little out of proportion, don’t you think?I’m asking for someone to speak out for the two-pints drinker, who wants to drive home without fear of being an easy target for a lazy police statistic. Five hundred “alcohol- related” road deaths amongst tens of thousands of others. He gets changed into a fish.Me: A fish?Disney: And gets chased by the shark.Me: What shark?Disney: The shark that helps Jesus walk on the water.Me: But what …?Aide: I’m sorry Five minutes is up.. It seems that nothing, in recent memory, has aroused such universal compliance as the nation’s collective repugnance for drink-driving.
Such moral high ground, and the rush to be part of it, should be regarded with some suspicion. Two pints does not make a drunk, yet getting caught is likely to brand you a “drunk-driver” for the rest of your life (report, 3 February)
Most people who stop for a drink leave after two pints I do it, as do many of my friends. We’re not drunks, fiends, or killers of children on zebra crossings, and after two pints we obey every cat’s-eye. We actually drive more carefully after two pints.
Our reactions are not any slower than they are first thing in the morning, when we are in a hurry to get to work, suffering from a cold, daydreaming, angry, preoccupied, or in any of the states of mind and body we drive in, and about which there can be no legislation. That’s what people are going to cheer for.Me: When he gets zapped?Disney: By a thunderbolt Pow!Me: And he dies?Disney: No. The point we are emphasising is that Pontius Pilate will get his comeuppance.
The important thing is to affirm that Jesus is living.Me: Do you mean that Jesus doesn’t get crucified?Disney: Well, we don’t say that he isn’t crucified But it all takes place a little off-screen. But Pontius Pilate will probably be a dwarf.Me: Why?Disney: So that people do not feel sorry for him when he gets zapped.Me: Pardon?Disney: We have been rethinking the end to the New Testament story.Me: Hold on. Do you mean that Jesus doesn’t get crucified?Disney: Disney has never been pro-violence. We are very sensitive to any accusations that children might be corrupted by on-screen violence.Me: Do you mean that Jesus does not actually get crucified in the end?Disney: The whole message of the New Testament is that Jesus is alive at the end He doesn’t die in the long run. He is based loosely on Doubting Thomas, and he will be the cute, comic one.Me: How do you have a cute, comic disciple?Disney: Because whenever he prays he gets the wrong answer to his prayers.Me: Hmm Will the disciples be dwarves?Disney: No That would not be dignified. How are you visualising the 12 disciples?Disney: As of right now, we are envisaging only seven disciples. We’ve established Jesus as a baby in the manger …Me: Gurgling and chuckling, like Mowgli in The Jungle Book? Already doing miracles in the crib? With the animals making googoo eyes over the edge of the cot? And the baby donkeys and oxen playing games, tossing the gold, myrrh and frankincense back and forth? And a few birds singing gospel songs in black voices?Disney: Why, yes! How did you know?Me: I have seen Disney films before, you know.
If that’s the way the Championship will be decided, I don’t want to win it.”That McRae will arrive in Chester two weeks on Sunday level with Sainz at the top of the Championship leaderboard is a miracle in itself. “Why would the team director support a driver who was leaving the team? Last week we all had a good idea Carlos was leaving.”A key reason for Richards ordering McRae to concede victory was the real danger from the unpredictable Spanish fans, who have been known to throw rocks at rival drivers in an attempt to benefit their local heroes.In Spain, when McRae stormed past Sainz (known affectionately as “El Matador”) and was soon leading the rally by nine seconds, the Spanish crowd were furious. Placards berated the Scot, even though the team had made it clear that Sainz would win. A Subaru team support car even had its tyres slashed.McRae is now worried that a foolish minority of the two million spectators on the RAC might try and take the Championship into their own hands, as allegedly happened in last year’s event.”If so-called fans can put logs in Carlos’s path, as he claimed last year, then of course I worry that they might try the same again this year,’ McRae said “I would urge them not to. “It is considerably harder starting [the RAC] knowing that you have to win,” he admitted.The irony of the situation is not lost on McRae. Four days after losing in Spain for fear of retribution from his team, McRae found out for sure that Sainz will leave Subaru, with whom he won the World Championship in 1990 and 1992, after the RAC Rally and move back to Toyota.”Now he has signed for Toyota, it makes the decision even more ludicrous,” protested the 27-year-old from Lanark.
The fiery Scot feels that he should have won in Catalonia and now be 10 points ahead of, not level pegging with the twice world champion from Madrid.”[Catalonia] was the best rally of my career, I was beating Carlos fair and square on the last day and it was wrong of DR (David Richards) to impose team orders with the Championship at stake,” McRae said. A threat that the joint Championship leaders would be ordered home in a predetermined formation was yesterday ruled out by the 555 Subaru team, for whom both drive. lt was the team director, David Richards, who controversially decided the outcome of the Catalonia Rally in Spain 10 days ago by imposing a “hold positions” order on Sainz and McRae. Sainz’s win and McRae’s second place put the pair equal at the top of the Championship, eight points ahead of the four-times champion, Juha Kankkunen.
The news that the season’s climax will be decided on driver skill and mechanical reliability will come as little relief for Scotland’s Colin McRae, twice British rally champion and determined to become his country’s first world champion. The gloves will be off in a straight fight for the 1995 World Rally Championship between Britain’s Colin McRae and Spain’s Carlos Sainz in the RAC Rally, the season’s finale in two weeks’ time.
I haven’t won a tournament for a while and I want desperately to win one before the end of the year, but in these conditions it is very hard to keep your concentration and score together.”Mark Mouland, who teams up with Woosnam for Wales in next week’s Heineken World Cup in China, shot a two-under-par 70.n Britain’s Richard Boxall shot a first-round 72 to be six shots off the pace, set by Seiki Okuda of Japan, in the Daiwa International in Sudama, Japan.. He is one stroke off the lead, held jointly by Australians Craig Parry and Paul Gow, along with Sweden’s Mathias Gronberg.Woosnam, who only decided to enter the event a few weeks ago, said: “It’s my punishment for playing badly all year. Golf
Ian Woosnam sweated his way to a five-under-par 67 in the first round of the Alfred Dunhill Masters in Jakarta, Indonesia, yesterday.
The Welshman overcame temperatures of over 100F to fire five birdies and no bogeys on the magnificent Arnold Palmer- designed course at the Emeralda and Country Club. In 1991, the year before Smith opted for a degree course in history, she played Durie in the semi- finals here. Durie won in straight sets after saving a set point in the first set with the aid of a net cord.Tim Henman, the third seed, advanced to the men’s singles quarter-finals with a 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 win against Andrew Richardson and plays the 18-year-old Jamie Delgado, who was a semi-finalist last year..
Dr. Conrad Murray, arrested in ‘94, continues to be focus of manslaughter probe.
Judge expunges 2006 drunk driving conviction from Gibson’s record.
The thickness of thezone of phosphate rock, where observed, ranges from 0.40 to 1.7 metres.The P2 O5 occurs mainly in the mineral apatite.The depth of the phosphate rock on the southeast side of the hill isapproximately 8 metres. (NYSEAmex: CVM), a biotechnology company entering a late stage oncology trial andfocused on infectious disease, today announced that it has entered into adefinitive agreement with several institutional investors to sell 9.7 millionunits, with each unit consisting of one of the Company’s common shares and0.50 warrants to purchase one share of common stock, for gross proceeds ofapproximately $4.4 million, before deducting placement agent fees andestimated offering expenses, in a “registered direct” offering. HELMAND – Gunmen killed one local employee of a demining agency and wounded four others in an attack on the outskirts of the provincial capital, Lashkar Gah, supervisor Farhad Noori said.Six others workers are missing. (Updates to close) China | Brazil SAO PAULO, Sept 2 (Reuters) – Brazilian stocks closed lowerfor the fifth session in a row on Wednesday as concern over thestrength of the global economic recovery led investors to shunshares of real estate companies.
About the CompanyWith assets of $32.9 billion at June 30, 2009, New York Community Bancorp, Inc.is the 24th largest bank holding company in the nation and a leading producer ofmulti-family loans in New York City, with an emphasis on apartment buildingsthat feature below-market rents. “I don’t see how (the pricing slump) can last three to fouryears because I don’t know what’s going to keep Halliburton(HAL.N) or Schlumberger (SLB.N) continuing to rebuild equipmentand put it in at a loss,” Deaton said at the Barclays CapitalCEO Energy/Power Conference in New York, which was availableonline. If those students are taking their personal items to anoff campus apartment, it`s best to check with an independent insurance agent toconsider the need for renters insurance. All product and company names are trademarks or registered trademarks,are the property of their owners, and are respectfully acknowledged.SOURCEOceCarro Ford Weston, +1-859-771-5091, , for Oce.
recovery, already relatively strong compared with Europe given that the U.S. Additionally, we have menu options available for studentswith special needs including non-dairy, non-gluten, vegetarian, and vegandiets.” In addition to offering better-for-you meal options, Jamba also strives to bebetter for the environment by working closely with campus locations to supporttheir sustainability initiatives. The study was conducted in the past two months and covered 30 states and Puerto Rico.”These people are at the age where they understandably thought their job-searching years were behind them,” said Cynthia Metzler, president and CEO of Experience Works.”But here they are, many in their 60s, 70s and beyond, desperate to find work so they can keep a roof over their heads and food on the table.”According to the study, many of the participants had no intention of working past their 60th birthday, but had to change plans after being laid off or following the death of a spouse. “As a long-time user of Estech`s products for minimally invasive surgery, I amimpressed with the company`s management, product portfolio and its dedication tothe needs of the cardiothoracic surgeon,” said Dr Wechsler. But he said the talks might help pave the way for another meeting between Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his counterpart, Yusuf Raza Gilani, on the sidelines of a Commonwealth summit in Trinidad in November. officialswhen trying to enter Switzerland to receive a prize from theZurich Film Festival. Thisyear, the donation will include soups from the relaunched Chunky line, which arearriving on store shelves this month.
for estrogen and testosteroneproducts is approximately $2.5 billion and for oral contraceptives approximately$3 billion. (TSX VENTURE: NSM) (Northern Star Mining orthe “Company”) is pleased to announce further drill results from itssurface and underground exploration programs.On its wholly owned Malartic-Midway gold project (16km west of Val-d’Or,(Quebec), drilling was carried out from surface on the Midway area andfrom underground in the Chabela, and Decline area.Highlights include 8.9 grams per tonne gold over 7.5 meters from surfacein the Midway area and 9.0 grams per tonne gold over 12.0 meters fromunderground. ?Es ist unsere größte Hoffnung, dass wir uns die Leistungsfähigkeit neuerTechnologien und freier Märkte zunutze machen können, um den weltweitenHerausforderungen in den Bereichen Energie und Umwelt begegnen zu können”, sagteTillerson in einer Rede vor dem Economic Club of Washington, D.C. Each piece of jewelrycombines energy and intention, which create a desired outcome.
Eddy Powell, whohad happily sold his life insurance policy for far more than the valuewhich the life insurer would have offered him at the time Dr. This transferimposes costs, however, and thereby makes society worse off. Scott Roy as VicePresident of Government and Regulatory Affairs for the Marcellus Shale Divisionlocated in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Mr. Japan Lifeline is an ideal marketing partner for Cardima`sdiagnostic line of products as it has a significant presence in Japan`selectrophysiology market and sales representatives with establishedrelationships with key physicians and clinical centers nationwide. “Chinalco is not lacking money, but RUSAL is deep in debt.The two sides could seek other ways of cooperating besides theshare subscription, as Chinalco has shown interest in RUSAL’sglobal production assets,” the source said.
trades on the Toronto (TSX), New York (NYSE) andPhilippine (PSE) stock exchanges under ticker symbol SLF.SOURCESun Life Financial Inc.Media Relations Contact: Kathleen Killen, Manager, Corporate Communications,Tel: (416) 979-6097, ; Investor Relations Contact:Paul Petrelli, Vice-President, Investor Relations, Tel: (416) 204-8163,. Streiff hit back, calling his ousting “incomprehensible”,and noting that the market had appreciated his achievements. Instead, the show saw attendance climb torecord levels, a phenomenon reported across the nation, most noticeably in thefall, after news of the economic downturn became particularly grim. “Unlike during the telecom `nuclear winter` of 2002, which saw capex spendingfall off of the proverbial cliff, the current economic crisis is drivingmeasured capex reductions,” said Brian Partridge, Yankee Group Director andco-author of the report “Yankee Group`s Global Telecommunications CAPEXForecast.” “Mobile and broadband services have crossed the chasm from luxuriesto necessities, in the same vein as electricity and shelter. Wherever you may end up CC, I will be cheering for you, because you demonstrated day in and day out everything a superstar baseball player should be. . The difference is Tech is able to get a pass rush, so they tend to have to cover for less time.
He did hit .288 in his career, but only played 362 career games.While Buck never had more then 27 RBI in a season, he also never played 60 games in a season, so it’s unfair to say that he was a bad hitter.In 1946 with the Monarchs, he had two homers, 27 RBI and a .350 batting average, winning the NAL batting title.He also hit .344 in 1940, .338 in 1943, .305 in 1947, .330 in 1949, .328 in 1951 and .476 in 1953 (10-for-21).Former outfielder Jimmy Crutchfield respected O’Neil:”I respected Buck in the clutch He was that type of hitter You had to pitch very carefully to him A smart, highly intelligent ball player Also a good manager and I admired him for that. In this and otherstudies, we are able to compare the response of the same patientstenocytes (healthy and diseased) to various treatments.”He continued, “We catalogued the make-up of the diseased cells beforereceiving shock wave treatment. I’ve watched the SportsCenter folks hold back on bringing it up after one week of play.Then the Vegas betting machine let us know that people secretly are expecting the Jets to win this weekend That’s right Expecting. Combine that with his bag of tricks and antics he pulled, he played very well. As you can see in that record book, I have played 14 seasons in the NHL and scored 823 points I just got tired of Vancouver so I stopped playing as well. But, Clemson is facing a top 25 team out of the big bad SEC.If Alabama limits mistakes then Clemson could be in for a ride. Of course, he’s very rarely on the field.If Vasher and Brown can stay healthy (which is a big if), the Bears’ defense has very few holes.Of course, you can’t talk about the Bears without talking about their special teams.Devin Hester may be a work in progress at wide receiver, but he’s a hall-of-famer in progress as a kick returner.
Why are we giving them condoms? We could have future generations of incredible olympians bred at the Olympics.Imagine being bored at the Olympics, a pile of condoms at one side and on the other side….. Match that with Colt McCoy entering his third year in the system and you have a talented Longhorn squad.14) Virginia Tech: The Hokies are back at it one again, and by that I mean their defense and special teams will lead the way going into 08 On offense Va. ) We all know the stories.Back in the day, the chaw was the rage.We’ve all seen that scene in “The Sandlot” when all the kids try chewing tobacco because all their favorite baseball players do it.This has become a common motif in anti-tobacco campaigns: trying to stop visible figures from doing it because young, impressionable fans who idolize players might just try it and get addicted.It seems the issue of chewing tobacco has fallen out of the spotlight lately. Stocks The S&P/TSX composite index .GSPTSE fell 57.93 points, or0.68 percent, at 8,428.63.
It would be for a court to decide what was “serious”.Alternatively, the commission proposed extending the range of activities where consent made actual bodily harm lawful. Currently, these include the rather vague “horseplay”, tattooing, ear-piercing and sport.. First, altering the law to allow people to consent to injuries which caused injury, but not serious injury. They co uld only be excused if they had been “transient or trifling”.The Law Commission recommended earlier this year that the law should be changed to allow sado-masochists to inflict certain forms of injury on each other for sexual pleasure.Since the case, consent to such practices has been no defence to charges of wounding or assault causing actual bodily harm. The Law Commission said the legislation as defined by the ruling was too strict; consent is now only a defence in a few special circumstances such as boxing, where blows are exchanged “for good reason”.The commission suggested two possible reforms. Lord Lane said: “The satisfying of sado-masochistic libido does not come within the category of good reason.” The fact that the injuries on ring members were not serious did not matter. He said: “Much has been said about individual liberty, but the courts must draw the line between what is acceptable in a civilised society and what is not.”Lord Lane rejected the men’s appeal in February 1992, disposing of the defence of consent by quoting an earlier Appeal Court judgement which had outlawed fights between adults who agreed to “step outside” to settle their differences because there was “nogood reason” for their assaults to be allowed.
The officers were initially convinced they had stumbled on `snuff movies’ and a ritual abuse ring, but after interviewing scores of men they discovered, to their amazement, that every participant was willing, and none had needed hospital treatment.When the case brought by the Scotland Yard Obscene Publications Squad reached the Old Bailey, Judge James Rant sentenced eight of the 15 sado-masochists to jail in December 1990 for offences under the 1861 Offences Against the Person Act. They stumbled across videotapes showing group sex, sex with animals, and men’s genitals and buttocks being cut with scalpels, branded with hot wires, nailed to boards, punctured with pins, stung with nettles and hit with rulers and spiked gloves. It has been argued by lawyers that whipping, scratching or even biting during sex may be illegal.All the convictions stemmed from a police raid in 1987 on an unconnected matter. The full challenge to the convictions, which were upheld by the House of Lords in March 1993, is expected to be heard later this year, after yesterday’s preliminary ruling by the Human Rights Commission.
Three members of the ring, Colin Laskey, 52, a former teacher, Roland Jaggard, 47, a former aerospace engineer, and Tony Brown, 58, a retired local government officer, have appealed to Europe on the grounds that the prosecution was a breach of their right to privacy.John Wadham, legal officer of the human rights pressure group Liberty, described the British courts’ rulings against the men as “very wide and worrying”, while the Government’s adviser on legislation, the Law Commission, has already recommended changing the law in the light of the case. Stephen Dorrell, Secretary of State for National Heritage, said yesterday that Channel 4 had not demonstrated “sufficient justification” for a change in the formula.. Lawyers in Strasbourg yesterday granted the right to appeal in the European Court of Human Rights to a ring of sado-masochistic homosexuals who were convicted for assault despite all involved having consented to the acts.
All these allegations have doing the rounds since last December We have all the specifics put to us. They were untrue then, they are untrue now.” He added that Mr Connolly now worked at the BBC’s Parisbureau and that Mr Leach had resigned for “personal reasons”.n Channel 4 has failed to free itself from the funding formula under which it will pay more than £55m to the ITV companies this year. including calls to United Kingdom sex lines and to hear football commentaries.”Information was also requested about the transfer of Kevin Connolly, a former BBC Moscow correspondent, now based in Paris.Mr Fabricant said that he was not trying to impugn the integrity of the journalists, but to question the ability of the BBC to control its costs.A BBC spokesman said last night: “It’s all rubbish. and v) the expense of paying for the education of his children at private schools even when the journalist was based back in Britain.”While “flexible and creative” expenses claims were “not unusual for the industry and reflect the difficult conditions in which many journalists have to work”, Mr Fabricant said in this case the allegations, if true, represented “an unacceptable burden onthe licence payer and reflect badly on the financial controls and auditing”.The EDM seeks “urgent reassurance” as to why Graham Leach, former South Africa and Europe correspondent, resigned last month.In a second EDM, the MP seeks reassurance that “it is not the case that the satellite-link equipment at the BBC’s news centre in Moscow was used by a BBC Moscow correspondent to make unauthorised international telephone calls amounting to well into five figures.
Lidia Bastianich’s TV show and cookbooks share the joy of authentic Italian.